Nearly a decade after introducing an ill-fated line of Linux gaming PCs dubbed “Steam Machines,” PC gaming giant Valve is reportedly trying its hand at hardware again — with its own handheld gaming computer a la the Nintendo Switch.
That’s the word from Ars Technica’s Sam Machkovech, who claims to have multiple sources attesting that Valve has been working on such a device: a touchscreen, touchpad, button, trigger, and dual-joystick-equipped portable that’ll likely run Linux and an array of specially optimized Steam titles. It should have the ability to dock, a la Nintendo Switch, via a USB-C port, too. Ars suggests it could arrive as soon as the end of the year.
It appears to be called SteamPal, or Neptune, according to a recent code dump collected by SteamDB:
Gabe Newell himself also cryptically teased at some sort of announcement regarding Steam and consoles earlier this month:
Gabe Newell has teased either Valve or Steam’s games coming to consoles in this calendar year, at a public Q&A held in a public school yesterday morning. pic.twitter.com/TbKnrc6fZn
— Tyler McVicker (@Tyler_McV) May 11, 2021
Valve didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
Could Valve build such a thing? It’s absolutely possible. We’ve written about a recent explosion of portable gaming PCs thanks to new Intel and AMD chips, and while they’re still a good bit fatter and with shorter battery life than the Nintendo Switch, they’re getting more efficient and powerful every year. I’ve been testing an early version of the Aya Neo for months, and it’s been a great companion for Persona 4 Golden couch sessions.
We have many burning questions, though, like whether the Linux gaming ecosystem (and perhaps streaming games) are compelling enough to sell people on a dedicated portable, and whether Valve will do what it takes to make such a system succeed.
The original Steam Machines failed for a wide variety of reasons, including a lack of exclusive titles and a lack of control over partners that were allowed to build boxes that didn’t make sense, but Valve’s own hardware game was pretty strong: I poured one out for the Steam Controller and Steam Link respectively a few years back, and the Valve Index is still considered the top-tier PC VR headset for a variety of reasons.
If Valve builds more of its own games and takes an active role in optimizing for such a system, I’d definitely be interested.
If you like graphics cards, and who doesn’t?, this trademark filing to the Eurasian Economic Union spotted by Twitter user @momomo_us may be of interest. It details over 100 cards from Asus, including some very interesting models.
(Image credit: Asus)
On the list there are plenty of mining cards / CMP, of course, including crypto-specific versions of known models from Nvidia. The list is Nvidia-heavy, with AMD only getting one mention: an RX 6900XT with 16GB of RAM. but it’s some of the other card names that raise an eyebrow or two. There are Ti models of the RTX 3060, 3070 and the impending 3080Ti, and if that weren’t enough, a Turbo 3090. The Dual 3060, 3070 and 3080s were exciting for a moment before we remembered Asus likes to refer to a card with two fans instead of three that way. The return of dual-GPU cards like the GTX 690 is probably too much to ask for in a year like 2021.
The filing doesn’t mean Asus will be launching every card on the list but the sheer volume of cards listed, 107 by our count, means that we should see a large glut of new GPUs in the coming months. Some of the listed cards have names that repeat the titles of others, just in a different order or with an added zero (actually an O), such as the ROG-STRIX-RTX3070-O8G- V2-GAMING and the ROG-STRIX-RTX3070-8G-V2-GAMING. Anime fans may like to take note of the five cards (two 3080s, two 3080Tis, and a 3090) with a Gundam suffix, which might make an excellent imported prize for a giant robot-themed build, while those keen to get away from the black and gray hegemony in PC parts will be pleased to see nine white cards on the list.
The EEU is an economic union of states in eastern Europe and central and western Asia, and consists of Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan, with a few other ‘observer’ members including Cuba. Unfortunately, the EEC registry portal seems a touch unstable, dissolving into a server runtime error while we were browsing it, and in no way allowing us to download the offered PDF copy of the data.
Knockout City took me back to childhood games of dodgeball with a single sound: “whumphf!” That one noise, which you’ll hear a lot as dodgeballs bounce every which way, represents just how well the game’s virtual version of dodgeball mimics the real thing — including all of the chaos you might remember from games on the playground.
Knockout City is made by EA and Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit developer Velan Studios, and its primary mode involves three-on-three matches against online opponents. In each match, you’ll scoop up dodgeballs littered around the city-themed maps and launch them at your unsuspecting targets. When you charge up a throw, the game automatically locks onto a target, meaning you don’t have to worry about precise aim. Knockout City is more about timing your shots to try to catch your opponent off-guard, which the game encourages by letting you do things like curve or feint a shot to mix up your tactics.
Somebody catching a ball in Knockout City.Image: EA
Like in real dodgeball, though, a key part of Knockout City isn’t just throwing the ball, but also catching it, which you can do with a well-timed press of a trigger. And if you do catch a thrown ball, it will fly a little faster when you next throw it. I love trying to time catches. It adds Paper Mario-like timing to battles (though at a much faster pace) and forces you to think more about your positioning not just for offense, but for defense as well.
Knockout City also offers some fantastical elements that you won’t find in real-life dodgeball. Each match has a special type of dodgeball with unique powers, like a bomb ball that explodes on impact. My favorite was the multiball, which gives you three dodgeballs right at your fingertips, kind of like the triple shell item in Mario Kart.
And at any time, you can turn yourself into a ball so your teammates can scoop you up and toss you at an opponent for a quick knockout. Balling up for a teammate is almost like handing them a present — one they can launch at an unsuspecting person at high velocity — and it’s a great tool to assist your teammates whenever you want, without any communication required. Be warned, though, your enemies can also pick you up when you’re in ball form, meaning they might just throw you off the map for an easy point.
Like real games of in-person dodgeball, there’s often a lot going on in Knockout City. That can make it easy to lose track of things and get knocked out by a shot you didn’t see coming. And occasionally, matches can have long lulls where you’re running around the map by yourself, dodgeball in hand, hunting for an opponent. Sometimes I wish the maps were just a bit smaller to force more confrontations. But at their best, Knockout City matches are fun and chaotic. Dodgeballs flying left and right will keep you, your teammates, and your opponents in a thrilling dance of dodging, catching, throwing.
Knockout City isn’t just about outsmarting your opponents in dodgeball, though; the game also gives you lots of ways to customize your character, including the clothes they’re wearing and even your victory pose. You can earn more cosmetics from completing in-game challenges, leveling up your “street rank” (which is like Fortnite’s Battle Pass), or by buying them from the Fortnite-like in-game store.
There’s all sorts of ways to customize your character.Image: EA
If you want to check out Knockout City, EA is offering the full version of the game for free until May 30th on every platform where it’s available, which includes PC, PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Knockout City supports both crossplay and cross-progression, so you can play with your friends no matter what platform they’re on and bring your progress over to other platforms. After the trial ends, the game will cost $19.99 — though if you have an EA Play or an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you’ll have access to the game with one of those, too.
While it’s free, I highly recommend giving Knockout City a chance. I think it really captures the feeling of playing dodgeball in video game form — and it feels so good when you nail a game-winning shot with a satisfying “whumphf.”
Knockout City is available now on the PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
Microsoft isn’t talking about its big Windows plans at Build 2021 this week, and that’s because the company is preparing to detail what’s next for its PC operating system separately. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella teased this announcement during his Build keynote this morning, revealing he has been testing “the next generation of Windows” in recent months.
“Soon we will share one of the most significant updates to Windows of the past decade to unlock greater economic opportunity for developers and creators. I’ve been self-hosting it over the past several months, and I’m incredibly excited about the next generation of Windows. Our promise to you is this: we will create more opportunity for every Windows developer today and welcome every creator who is looking for the most innovative, new, open platform to build and distribute and monetize applications. We look forward to sharing more very soon.”
Microsoft has been working on a new app store for Windows in recent months, alongside some significant UI changes to the operating system. Nadella appears to reference the store changes here, with a promise to unlock a better economy for developers and creators within Windows itself.
This will likely include some significant changes to the Windows Store, allowing developers to submit any Windows application — including browsers like Chrome or Firefox. Rumors have suggested Microsoft may even allow third-party commerce platforms in apps, so developers could avoid Microsoft’s own 15 percent cut on apps and 12 percent cut on games.
Nadella’s specific mention of a “next generation of Windows” is interesting, too. Microsoft typically refers to everything as “Windows 10,” and this language could suggest the company is preparing a more significant shift with Windows branding than just the user interface alone.
Windows 10X was supposed to ship this year before it was canceled.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
Microsoft confirmed last week that Windows 10X, its OS originally built for dual-screen devices, will no longer ship. The software maker is now bringing the best bits of Windows 10X, a simplified version of Windows, into the main version of Windows 10 instead. We’re expecting to see some significant UI changes to Windows under something codenamed “Sun Valley.”
Some of that work has already started, with new system icons, File Explorer improvements, and the end of Windows 95-era icons. Microsoft is also focusing on improving the basic foundations of Windows, with fixes for a rearranging apps issue on multiple monitors, the addition of the Xbox Auto HDR feature, and improvements to Bluetooth audio support.
Nadella says we’ll hear more about the future of Windows “very soon,” so we’d expect some type of announcement or event in the coming weeks ahead.
SteelSeries has announced the new Prime lineup of high-performance gaming accessories designed alongside esports athletes. They’ve been “designed to win championships,” but they seem fine enough for average people who just take their gaming time seriously, too. There are four new devices, including the wired Arctis Prime headset and three different Prime mice, and they all seem reasonably priced. One thing they have in common is a rather simplistic design that puts ease of use ahead of bundling in so many features that you accidentally hit the wrong button when the moment really matters. Each of these accessories is available starting today.
The $99.99 Arctis Prime headset has just a mute button and a volume wheel. The left ear cup also houses a retractable boom microphone that’s easy to pull out and push in with one hand. In terms of other features, the Prime headset plugs in with its included proprietary USB cable that outputs to your source via 3.5mm. Next to that, there’s a 3.5mm port located so you can share audio with a teammate sitting nearby.
SteelSeries changed up its ear pads to be better at blocking out sound. They’re more plushy now than previous Arctis headsets, and the faux leather covering gives them a high-end look. The elastic ski band SteelSeries is known for using hasn’t gone anywhere, and as expected, the Arctis Prime is a comfortable headset that rests gently on the top of your head. Each ear cup has magnetic plates that can be removed, in case you want custom ones.
The Arctis Prime has broad compatibility with PCs, consoles, and mobile devices with its 3.5mm jack. SteelSeries also includes a longer cable for PC players to use, which accepts the 3.5mm jack and splits it into dedicated headphone and microphone jacks. My time with this headset has been limited so far, but its sound performance seems to be on-par, if not slightly better, than SteelSeries’ other Arctis headsets in the $100-$150 price range.
Moving onto the three Prime mice, they look visually identical, though they each have some differences. At the top, the $129.99 Prime Wireless seems to be going after the same crowd who might be considering Logitech’s G Pro X Superlight. It’s similarly simple in design, though the Prime Wireless stands out with its especially high arch that caters to right-handed gamers compared to the Superlight’s ambidextrous build. This is an 80-gram mouse that has a USB-C charging port that supports fast charging, and SteelSeries claims its battery can last up to 100 hours. The company also claims that its magnetic optical switches are rated for up to to 100 million clicks. These switches have a pronounced click sound and feel — more so than mice I’ve tried recently.
The Prime Plus has a bottom-facing OLED screen and a secondary liftoff sensor.
If you only trust the low latency performance of a wired mouse while gaming, the $79.99 Prime Plus might be for you. It has a similar design to the Wireless, but it’s 11 grams lighter in weight, and it has a secondary liftoff sensor that SteelSeries says allows for the “world’s lowest and most accurate liftoff”. In other words, this should prevent the pointer from moving when you need to quickly lift and reposition the mouse. The Prime Plus also has a bottom-mounted OLED screen that lets you toggle through settings like sensitivity, liftoff distance, illumination of the scrollwheel’s RGB LED, the mouse’s polling rate and more. This way, you don’t necessarily need to use SteelSeries’ GG companion software on PC to toggle your most important settings.
Lastly, the $59.99 Prime has the same weight, sensor, and magnetic optical switches you’ll find in the Prime Plus, but it lacks the secondary liftoff sensor and the OLED screen. If you don’t need those features, this is an affordable option if you’re a right-handed gamer who doesn’t mind a high arch in the middle of the mouse.
We’ll be testing these accessories more thoroughly in the weeks to come to see if they can fight for a spot in our roundups of the best gaming headsets and best gaming mice.
Microsoft has teamed up with Qualcomm to create a Windows on ARM-based dev kit for developers. The miniature PC will be sold at the Microsoft Store this summer, and is designed to be more affordable to encourage developers to create ARM64 apps for Snapdragon-based PCs.
Until now, developers have had to purchase devices like the Surface Pro X to fully test their ARM64 apps on Windows. That’s a costly exercise for developers, particularly when the Surface Pro X retails from $999 and up. While Microsoft and Qualcomm haven’t put a price on this new dev kit, there are promises it will be more affordable than what developers can buy today.
The Surface Pro X was one of only a few options for devs previously.Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge
“This developer kit provides an affordable alternative to other consumer and commercial devices,” says Miguel Nunes, senior director of product management at Qualcomm. “With the smaller desktop configuration, this kit gives developers more flexibility than notebook options, and at a lower price point.”
The announcement of the dev kit comes just as Qualcomm reveals its second-generation Snapdragon 7c ARM-powered processor. It’s designed for entry-level Windows PCs and Chromebooks, with a clock speed bump over the original.
This dev kit will also help developers test Microsoft’s new x64 app emulation for Windows on ARM. This went into testing for Windows in December, and allows users to run 64-bit apps that haven’t been compiled for ARM-based devices yet. The emulation layer will bring a whole host of app compatibility to Windows on ARM once it’s fully available to end users.
Microsoft and Qualcomm are promising to reveal more about this dev kit during Build 2021 today, at a session entitled “What’s new for Windows desktop application developers.”
(Pocket-lint) – Speak to any diehard music lover and you’ll always get the same answer: there’s nothing like vinyl. Forget about the new trends of getting the purest form of music, this is it.
These record players age are modern in approach but have a retro style. You’ll find a lot of retro-styled options out there complete with wooden finishes and maybe even a suitcase aesthetic.
But don’t be fooled. Many of these new record players not only play your parent’s vinyl, some of them even connect to your Bluetooth speaker so you can mix generations, too.
Best retro record players to buy today
Crosley
Crosley Sterling Turntable
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It’s not very often that you come across a music player that makes so much of a statement as the Crosley Sterling Turntable.
Its bold, retro design makes it as much an ornamental piece in your house as a great way to listen to music. You have the option of removing the legs too if you have a nice table to put it on.
It plays 33 1/3 and 45 RPM records and houses dual stereo speakers. You can connect it up via RCA output or even Bluetooth if you fancy.
Not all record players are made alike, and the Audio-Technica AT-LP120XUSB-BK Direct-Drive Turntable is one that stands out among the crowds.
It has a classic look and is packed with features. It’ll play 33 1/3, 45, and 75 RPM records, and while it doesn’t come with speakers, it can be connected to your favourite speakers through RCA cables or USB.
If you’re a die-hard turntable enthusiast, then Audio-Technica’s fantastic reputation and the long list of features on this record player make it a worthy option.
Steepletone
Steepletone BT-SMC386r PRO
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For those who use every way imaginable to listen to music, there are few systems that will cater to them. There is the Steepletone BT-SMC386r PRO, however, an 8-in-1 music player.
It definitely has an air of old-school to it. The main body houses a record player on top, twin cassette tape players, an FM and AM radio, CD player, a place for a USB stick, SD card slot, and Bluetooth.
Then there are two classic-looking speakers on either side as well for a stereo sound.
If you’ve got a whole host of different ways to listen to music from pretty much every generation, then the Steepletone BT-SMC386r PRO is something to look at.
House of Marley
House of Marley Stir It Up Record Player
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The House of Marley Stir It Up Record Player brings the record player right up to modern standards. Its sleek bamboo cover will match right up in your stylish living room.
It connects to your Mac or PC via USB, so you can digitally record your vinyls if you like, in case you want to take that classic music with you in the car.
It’ll play both 35 and 45 RPM records powered by a preamp through speakers of your choice.
Udreamer
Udreamer Vinyl Record Player
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We love the fact that the Udreamer Vinyl Record Player delivers a retro look, but still maintains an ageless class. It wouldn’t be out of place in any living room.
It’s able to play in 33-1/3, 45, and 78 RPM, as well as 3 sizes of record: 7”, 10” and 12”. The spring and belt-driven design in combination with the wooden build help it absorb any vibrations and deliver a warm tone.
If you’re out of vinyls to play for the evening, then switch over to your phone with its Bluetooth functionality.
Victrola
Victrola Navigator 8-in-1 Classic Bluetooth Record Player
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Talk about bringing back the retro. The Victrola Navigator 8-in-1 Classic Bluetooth Record Player travels through time with its analog knobs and dials to deliver a distinguished style.
A lovely hinged door reveals the belt-driven turntable that can play 33 1/3, 45, and 78 RPM records. That large radio dial is just awesome and dominates the front.
It’s not just a radio and record player, though. There’s a CD player and cassette, player, AUX jack, and even Bluetooth s you can stream from other devices. Looking at it, you’d never guess.
SeeYing
SeeYing Record Player with Speakers Bluetooth Turntable with FM Stereo Radio
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The SeeYing Record Player with Speakers is a bang-up-to-date turntable. It’s got speakers on its sides that you can even connect a Bluetooth device to when you run out of records.
No matter if you have 7, 10, or 12 inch vinyls, or need 33, 45, or 78 RPM playing speeds, this record player has you covered.
The sedate styling will make it work in most spaces too.
Victrola
Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player
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The Victrola Vintage 3-Speed Bluetooth Portable Suitcase Record Player transports you back to a day when taking your music with you wasn’t quite as easy as it is today.
But there’s nothing like the sound of vinyl. Take this along with you to parties to give the music a bit of a taste of the classics.
Everything’s included in the Victrola Vintage, so you don’t need to connect it to any speakers. It also will play 33 1/3, 45, or 78 RPM playing speeds
WOCKODER
WOCKODER Record Player Turntable
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The WOCKODER Record Player Turntable brings back the 70s in style and does so in a compact package.
The belt driven player and spring on the turntable base make sure vibration is kept to a minimum, which is great for sound quality.
It’s simple to use with little fuss needed to get going. And it’s also got Bluetooth in case you’re keen on something not yet released on vinyl.
Kedok
Kedok Belt Driven Suitcase Vinyl Record Player
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Retro styling meets modern tech. The Kedok Belt Driven Suitcase Vinyl Record Player is a great looking turntable that allows you to listen to your records wherever you go.
It’s capable of playing three different-sized records in three speeds, and has built-in speakers so you don’t need anything more to play your classics.
Writing by Claudio Rebuzzi. Editing by Dan Grabham.
Following the recent announcement of its second-generation 14 and 15 Series amplifiers, Rotel has now taken two of its preamplifiers into their next generation.
The new RC-1590MKII (pictured top) and RC-1572MKII (below) replace the original, 2015- and 2017-released models, elevating the designs with performance upgrades that include “over 75 critical” component changes (between them) and an enhanced acoustic circuit that borrows technologies engineered for the high-end Michi series.
Rotel has chosen to use new coupling capacitors directly in the audio signal path for improved frequency response in the DAC circuits, while resistor and capacitor upgrades have blessed the DAC power supply, volume circuit and XLR balanced circuits.
To that end, there are balanced XLR inputs and outputs, a PC-USB input that supports MQA, a moving magnet phono, plus more analogue and digital connections, the latter of which are fed by a 32-bit/384kHz Texas Instruments DAC. There’s aptX and AAC Bluetooth onboard too and both machines are certified Roon Tested.
(Image credit: Rotel)
The RC-1590MKII is the reference model, its design built around a power supply that features dual in-house manufactured toroidal transformers that are physically and electrically isolated and promise to provide current to the circuits with low distortion and a quiet noise floor. Dual RCA and XLR outputs can accommodate bi-amplification, and a subwoofer output is also on the menu.
Beneath it is the RC-1572MKII, which has a design built around one of Rotel’s in-house manufactured toroidal transformers.
Orders can now be placed for the Rotel RC-1590MKII and RC-1572MKII, which are priced £1695 ($2100) and £1150 ($1400) respectively. Shipping begins in July in the United States and Canada, with the rest of the world to follow shortly thereafter.
MORE:
Best stereo amplifiers 2021: best integrated amps for every budget
Rotel 14 and 15 Series MKII amps benefit from high-end Michi technology
What Hi-Fi? Awards 2021: all the dates and details
Chipmakers might finally be cashing in on the global chip shortage. Times-Taipei News reported last week that since the second quarter of 2021, “more than 30 semiconductor companies have issued price adjustment letters, with product price increases ranging from 10% to 30%,” according to a translated version of the report.
Times-Taipei News said UMC, SMIC, and Power Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. are among the companies adjusting their prices. The reasons cited for those adjustments vary, but Rockchip reportedly said, “the cost of wafers, printed circuit boards, and packaging and testing have risen sharply to varying degrees.”
The price adjustments seem to vary by chip type. The report claimed that signal chain ICs saw price increases between 10% and 20%, for example, while the price of power management ICs was said to have risen between 10% and 30%. Some memory chips were also said to have risen in price by as much as 20%.
Those already steep increases might actually be tame compared to other adjustments. Times-Taipei News said that “the price of some IC products has soared dozens of times at present, which has caused difficulties in the production and operation of small and medium-sized enterprises,” per an “industry insider.”
There is at least one major exception to this trend: TSMC. According to the report, the company hasn’t issued any price increases, which means the world’s largest chipmaker is holding the line. Or at least it’s presenting that facade—its decision to end price discounts will have the same effect on the cost of its chips.
The effects of these price increases will probably still be felt throughout the industry, even without TSMC. Power management chips are nearly ubiquitous, for example, which means a wide variety of products could see their prices rise as well. That effect could also be compounded in products that rely on multiple types of chips.
DigiTimes also reported today that DRAM and NAND prices are expected to rise through the third quarter due to strong demand across various segments, panic buying spurred by the Chia cryptocurrency’s ascendancy, and limited supply of NAND flash device controllers leading to higher prices for those chips.
The report said that DRAM memory contract pricing rose “over 20%” in the second quarter, with “prices for PC DRAM chips hiking more than 25%,” per anonymous sources. DRAM contract prices are expected to rise an additional 10% to 20% in the third quarter, while NAND contract prices could rise by as much as 10%.
AMD CEO Lisa Su has made it clear she doesn’t think people should be too worried about the chip shortage. But at least in the short term, it’s going to be hard to find many products, from the PlayStation 5 to the latest graphics cards, and now it seems many of the devices that do manage to make it to consumers might cost more.
In an attempt to get more developers to build software for Windows 10 on Arm, Qualcomm is debuting a Snapdragon Developer Kit. The company announced the small desktop PC today ahead of Microsoft’s Build developer conference.
The new system was built “in collaboration with Microsoft” and will run Windows 10. While Qualcomm refers to the system as “cost-effective,” it hasn’t listed a price for the system, which will run on the Snapdragon 7c platform. It will be available for purchase in the Microsoft Store sometime this summer, and is part of an effort to have developers port software to native ARM64.
Qualcomm told members of the press that developers won’t need to return the system, an apparent dig at Apple’s Developer Transition Kits for the M1 processor, which needed to go back to the company.
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The Snapdragon developer kit resembles an Intel NUC or Apple’s Mac Mini, in that it’s a small, low-profile desktop. Thus far, every Windows on Arm device has been a laptop, as one of Arm’s benefits is long battery life. Miguel Nunes, senior director of product management at Qualcomm said in a statement that the “developer kit provides an affordable alternative to other consumer and commercial devices. With the smaller desktop configuration, this kit gives developers more flexibility than notebook options, and at a lower price point.”
Qualcomm’s kit has a large power button on top and a sparse selection of ports, including USB Type-A and an SD card slot on the side.
In December, Microsoft started adding x64 emulation to Windows on Arm Insider Builds. But the developer kit is an attempt to kickstart more Arm-native apps. Today, Zoom is announcing an optimized version of its video conference app, which is coming this summer.
There are a number of existing native Arm apps for Windows 10, including VLC, Twitter, Firefox, Edge, Microsoft Office, Netflix, Twitter, Skype and Windows 10. But the number that will be able to be emulated when x64 hits mainstream Windows will increase significantly. Still, native apps will perform even faster.
Without information liek price and full specs, it’s hard to even surmise what kind of effect this will have with the developer community. Qualcomm is teasing that more information will be shared at a Build session entitled “What’s new for Windows desktop application developers.”
Qualcomm also announced its Snapdragon 7c Gen 2 system on a chip today for entry-level Windows PCs and Chromebooks. The company was light on details, but promised laptops using it will start at $349 and offer multi-day battery life depending on use.
Metro Exodus has become one of the first PC games to support the PS5 DualSense controller’s haptic feedback and adaptive triggers thanks to a recent patch. Although many PC games already support the PS5 controller’s basic features, with Valve adding support for it to its Steam Input API last year, Metro Exodus now supports its advanced haptics, as well as its trigger features, which add extra resistance depending on what you’re doing in-game.
Videos posted by Twitter user @mrdomino_ and VGC’s Andy Robinson show the feature in action, including showing the controller’s right trigger springing back with the recoil from various weapons. It’s nothing new compared to what we’ve seen from native PS5 games like Returnal, but it’s great to see that same functionality replicated on PC.
The patch means Metro Exodus’s full support for the controller has actually arrived on PC before the PS5 itself. The official PS5 version of the game isn’t due to release until June 18th, when it will include full support for the controller’s haptic features alongside other features like ray tracing.
There appears to be a couple of downsides for PC players, however, with VGC reporting that the advanced DualSense features only seem to work over a wired connection, and not wirelessly. Tom’s Hardware also reports that the feature is exclusive to the Steam version of the game, and won’t work on purchases from the Epic Games Store or GOG. We’ve followed up with the game’s publisher for confirmation.
After putting the Mirror Maze system together last fall, I needed a break from all the work that goes into a high-end custom build. Plus, I had plenty of PC cases to review. So when Singularity Computers reached asking if we were interested in checking out its Spectre III chassis, I didn’t immediately jump at the chance. But the more I thought about the case, the more I envisioned just what a system in this stunning case could look like, and the itch to build just wouldn’t go away. So I agreed to take on the case, started getting together a list of other parts I’d need and, well, here we are.
I’ve been planning ‘Blue Shift’ for the last few months, and in contrast to what we would usually do, this build doesn’t use the latest next-gen hardware. I don’t have a Ryzen 5000 CPU or an RTX 3000 GPU, and I’d rather the limited stock of those parts go to one of our readers. With everything going under waterblocks in this build anyway, does it really matter if the silicon is hiding underneath is the absolute latest and greatest?
Because this is a more fun (and far more complex) build than we typically do for case reviews, I’ll slow the pace down and look at each step in detail. I’m also leaving the full parts list till the end, because it’s last-generation hardware, and regardless, this build is all about cooling and aesthetics. So without further ado, lets dig in.
Most cases cost about $100, stepping up to $200 if you’re shopping premium, and $300 if you’re shopping for a premium ITX case. But Singularity Computers’ Spectre III is a jaw-dropping $1400.
That’s expensive. Really expensive. But the Spectre III is also unlike most other cases out there. For one, it’s designed solely for custom liquid cooling. And instead of being a sealed box for your parts, it’s an open chassis meant to show off your hardware as attractively as possible. Featuring CNC-machined, anodized aluminum and an absolutely massive acrylic reservoir/distribution plate, this case really is unlike anything else that’s out there.
The case also comes flat packed. For details on what that looks like and how to assemble the chassis, check out our Assembling Singularity Computers’ Spectre III feature.
Theme Reveal
If you haven’t guessed already from the build’s name (Blue Shift), the central color theme for this build is going to be blue. Red is a color that I feel is overused in gaming product design. I could have chosen green, but settled on blue as a classic choice with oddly calming qualities.
Of course, I could have chosen any number of other colors, or gone with opaque or exotic cooling fluids, but out of respect for the Spectre III’s absolutely stunning, material-focused design I decided to dial the unconventional styling of the Mirror Maze build back and go for a more classic and timeless theme. Because of this, I’ll be sticking to EKWB’s Nickel-plated Torque fittings, paired with transparent blue fluid – a classic color combination that you simply cannot go wrong with.
Yep, you read that right. We have to prepare the CPU block. Not because there’s anything inherently wrong with EKWB’s Magnitude CPU block, but in service of the Blue Shift theme. So, I popped off the top of the block so that I could swap the accent plate from the pre-installed silver color, to blue.
This plate sits below the acrylic cover, which makes it perhaps a bit scary to replace as it requires not only breaking the factory-tested seal of the CPU block’s internal gasket, but also re-tightening the acrylic afterwards. Acrylic can crack easily, so I was careful not to overtighten the block’s top upon re-installation. But you shouldn’t be getting into custom watercooling with this amount of acrylic if you’re aren’t prepared to take things slow and steady.
I already had the 12-Core AMD Ryzen 9 3900X, 32GB of Corsair memory, and two 1 TB Samsung SSDs installed onto the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Formula motherboard, but I had two other things I still needed to do here: install the CPU block and disconnect the chipset fan.
You see, as this is an open system, I wanted it to be as quiet as possible. The chipset fan, which sadly shows up on nearly all AMD X570 motherboards, generally isn’t very loud compared to most systems, but I found that in the Mirror Maze system, it was the loudest component, and that was in a closed chassis. So naturally, I did the only sensible thing: tear the board apart so that I could disconnect it. Whether this is wise with regards to thermals remains to be seen, but I’ll be sure to touch on that again in the testing section later on.
Meanwhile, while I had the motherboard’s shroud off anyway, I also routed the EKWB Magnitude CPU block’s D-RGB cable underneath it for a tidier end result.
Dropping the motherboard into the Spectre III case was simple. First, I had to install the standoffs. The holes for these are pre-threaded in the acrylic, so I had no fear of having to work these in. Then, I placed the case on its back, laid the motherboard in place, and fastened it with the required screws. I also connected up the GPU riser cable.
Installation of the GPU was a breeze too. It simply slotted right into the GPU riser I had installed earlier and fastened with a spacer and two screws on the IO bracket. I already had the waterblock installed on the GPU from the last build, but if you’re curious how to go about that, check out our how to install a GPU waterblock feature using this specific card.
I then proceeded to install the radiators. First, I installed the Noctua NF-A12 Chromax.Black.Swap fans onto them, using four black anti-vibration grommets per fan. I made sure to pay careful attention to where I wanted to route my cables: behind the radiators.
Then, I dropped the radiators into place. For the front radiator, I aligned its height to have its ports match the height of the ports on the distribution plate so that I could easily achieve clean tubing runs here later. The top radiator I simply placed in the middle, where I liked it most aesthetically, though I did have to move this later in the build to line up with ports.
Of course, at this point I also had to tidy up the cables for the fans. Luckily, the Spectre III comes with a neat little fan and RGB hub, which has D-RGB and PWM fan inputs, with outputs for six PWM fans and three D-RGB devices. I connected up all six fans here, along with the three RGB strips of the Spectre III.
Then, I shoved all the cables neatly behind the radiators, using zip ties where necessary to keep things in place and looking tidy. These zip ties can be fixed in place using the long screws the fans use to attach to the radiator.
For power, I went with the new be quiet! Dark Power 12 power supply. On-hand we have a 750W unit, which isn’t overly powerful, but it’s perfectly enough for powering our Ryzen 9 3900X and RTX 2080 Super, along with the six fans and RGB devices in our system.
Because I’m planning on using an external power supply when filling time comes, I’m happy to get all the cables installed at this stage already. So, I removed the cover on the rear and got to work.
First, I test-fit the cable combs to ensure I was using the correct ones. They come with an adhesive backing, which I removed to stick them in place. Then, I proceeded to install the custom Cablemod ModFlex cables with Pro aluminum combs, which was an oddly meditative task. It was time-consuming, but with a beautiful end result.
That said, although I’m pleased with the end result, in hindsight I would get cables with more combs. For this set of Cablemod cables, I got three aluminum combs on the 24-pin ATX cable, two on the EPS cable, and five on the PCIe power cable. I’d bump those numbers up by one more just so you can chuck a comb at the bottom of the cable, after the Spectre III’s cable management system near the power supply, as it’s quite a messy view going into there, and one comb on each cable could do wonders to tidy it up without making a lot more work of it.
I also connected up the D-RGB cables of the CPU and GPU blocks using an EKWB D-RGB splitter, connecting it to the bottom D-RGB header of the motherboard. I also hooked up the power button, power LED, and water pump headers at the bottom of the motherboard. The case does not have any front IO, so there was none of that to worry about.
At this point, the system was looking great, and I decided to call it a day. Building the custom loop would have to wait for the next day. But for you, that’s just a click away to the next page.
New leaks for the upcoming Radeon RX 6600 series suggest that the GPU is not far from releasing. At this point, OEMs appear to be getting their hands on reference models of a Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics card, images of which have been posted online.
Over on Twitter, a picture of an alleged OEM ‘Navi 23’ GPU has been shared, showing a reference Radeon cooler with stickers on the back of the backplate labelling it as a “Radeon Navi 23 XT 8GB” card. The label further indicates that the card features 3x DisplayPorts and an HDMI port, and is from PC Partner Limited.
It is said that this is oem navi23 and the source has been deleted. pic.twitter.com/i8iXLalIsR
— vegeta (@Broly_X1) May 21, 2021
Previous rumours have said that the Radeon RX 6600 XT will feature 8GB of GDDR6 memory, so this image is in line with that. Other rumoured specifications of this SKU include a Navi 23 GPU with 2048 stream processors clocked at 2684MHz, while memory should be clocked at 16Gbps. TGP is expected to be around 130W.
As for when this card might be announced, AMD’s Computex keynote is coming up on the 1st of June, hosted by CEO, Dr. Lisa Su.
KitGuru says: RDNA 2 tech is slowly working its way down to the mainstream GPU segment. Have any of you been waiting on cheaper RX 6000 series GPUs before upgrading?
Last week, Bungie accidentally switched on cross-play in Destiny 2, a feature that wasn’t expected to roll out until later this year. The feature was quickly disabled, but now the studio is ready for a proper beta test.
Between the 25th and 27th of May, Bungie will be officially testing cross-play in Destiny 2, allowing players from all supported platforms to team up and play a selection of Vanguard Strikes. Supported platforms of course include PlayStation and Xbox consoles, the PC version on Steam and the Google Stadia version.
Bungie will take on feedback from the beta test to further improve its cross-play implementation, which will then go live properly later this year, perhaps as part of a seasonal update to Destiny 2.
Players who completes three strikes during the cross-play beta will receive a unique emblem for participating.
KitGuru Says: Cross-play has always made perfect sense for Destiny 2, so its great to finally see some progress being made.
The Intel Iris Xe DG1 graphics card has made a surprising appearance. A US retailer began listing a CyberPowerPC listing, which appears to be the very first system to feature Intel’s desktop graphics card.
The system (via VideoCardz) is an entry-level gaming PC, priced at $750 and bundled with a keyboard and mouse. The main components include an Intel DG1 graphics card, an Intel Core i5-11400F processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 500GB NVMe SSD drive.
The Intel DG1 graphics card inside the system features 80 EUs (640 shading units) and 4GB of LPDDR4X memory on a 128-bit memory bus. For the GPU to work, an Intel B460, H410, B365, or H310C motherboard with a “special BIOS” is needed.
Despite looking like a rather basic gaming system, this desktop marks the entrance of the third competitor in the desktop graphics card market. Now with the DG1 heading into the hands of consumers, we can look ahead to the release of DG2, which should provide decent competition up against AMD and Nvidia.
KitGuru says: Intel is beginning to break into the desktop graphics market – did you ever think this day would come?
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