Hardware News
Intel neural compression tech significantly reduces VRAM usage while gaming
09-Apr-2026, 7:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
Intel's Texture Set Neural Compression (TSNC) utilizes artificial intelligence to decrease the memory requirements of game textures during active gameplay.
Major players in the PC gaming hardware space, along with Microsoft through DirectX, are continuing to invest heavily in neural rendering technologies aimed at improving both development workflows and gaming performance. Intel first introduced its Texture Set Neural Compression (TSNC) last year, and an updated version was recently showcased at GDC, with plans to release it later this year.
Similar to NVIDIA’s Neural Texture Compression (NTC), Intel’s approach uses AI to dramatically reduce the memory requirements of traditional textures that...
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AMD has made the price of the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 official, and it’s expensive
09-Apr-2026, 6:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
AMD has officially revealed the pricing for its highly anticipated dual-cache X3D processor. The new Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 will launch at $899, as confirmed by AMD’s David McAfee, VP and GM of Ryzen CPU and Radeon Graphics, with availability starting April 22.
Compared to the standard Ryzen 9 9950X3D, which launched at $699, this new chip carries a $200 premium. That added cost comes from its unique design, as it’s the first AMD processor to feature...
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Nvidia’s latest game-changing tech could reduce VRAM needs by up to 85%
08-Apr-2026, 11:30 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
NVIDIA has shared new details on its Neural Texture Compression (NTC) technology, a breakthrough capable of reducing GPU VRAM usage by up to seven times.
Neural rendering is gradually emerging in the gaming industry, with new AI-driven techniques aiming to enhance visual quality and push the limits of traditional rendering on modern GPUs and next-generation consoles. At NVIDIA’s GTC 2026 event, a detailed presentation titled “Introduction to Neural Rendering” highlighted several advancements, with Neural Texture Compression (NTC) standing out as a potentially transformative feature for PC gaming.
As implied by its name, Neural Texture Compression offers a different approach to handling textures compared to current methods....
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Intel appears to quietly launch Core Ultra 7 251HX in Arrow Lake HX series
07-Apr-2026, 1:00 pm
manhkbrady
Hardware News
Intel officially released the Core Ultra 7 251HX Arrow Lake processor, featuring 18 CPU cores and 3 Xe GPU cores.
It seems Intel has decided to get ahead of ongoing leaks by quietly adding its “mystery” Arrow Lake-HX chip to the lineup. Without any formal announcement, the company has made the Core Ultra 7 251HX official.
Positioned just below the Core Ultra 7 255HX, this processor features an 18-core, 18-thread configuration made up of 6 performance cores and 12 efficiency cores. That places it neatly between the 14-core Ultra 5 245HX and the 20-core Ultra 7 255HX in Intel’s mobile...
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Sony PS6 handheld rumored to outperform Xbox Series S and Nintendo Switch 2
02-Apr-2026, 11:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
Rumors suggest that Sony's upcoming PlayStation 6 Handheld will be equipped with a GPU capable of outperforming both the Nintendo Switch 2 & the Xbox Series S.
Well-known hardware leaker KeplerL2 recently shared some intriguing claims on the NeoGAF forums, suggesting that Sony’s rumored PlayStation 6 Portable could outperform the Xbox Series S in rasterization and be “massively ahead” when it comes to ray tracing and path tracing performance.
Given what’s already known about Sony and AMD’s collaboration on Project Amethyst, parts of this leak seem plausible - particularly the ray tracing claims. While full path tracing at high performance on a handheld still seems unlikely,...
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New NVIDIA app update adds DLSS 4.5 Dynamic Multi Frame Generation and more
01-Apr-2026, 11:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
Now, you can enhance your games and apps with the complete set of DLSS 4.5 features thanks to the launch of a new NVIDIA app beta update.
The latest NVIDIA app beta update introduces several new features, including DLSS 4.5 technologies like Dynamic Multi-Frame Generation and a new Multi-Frame Generation 6X mode designed for RTX 50 series GPUs.
To access these features, users will need to enable “beta and experimental features” in the app settings and install GeForce Game Ready Driver 595.97 WHQL or newer.
With the new 6X Frame Generation mode, RTX 50 owners can generate up to five additional frames for every natively rendered one....
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Sony kicks off 2026 with first major console price hike among major brands
30-Mar-2026, 2:00 pm
manhkbrady
Hardware News
All PlayStation 5 console models are affected, including the PlayStation Portal remote player.
The PlayStation 5 has already seen several price increases over its lifespan, but the US has largely avoided major hikes - until now. Sony has announced a new round of global price increases, and they’re quite significant.
The standard disc edition PS5 is rising to $650, while the PS5 Pro is jumping to a hefty $900. Even the PlayStation Portal remote player isn’t spared, with its price also going up.
Here’s how the new pricing compares:...
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Intel cancels Core Ultra 9 290K Plus CPU in last-minute change of plans
28-Mar-2026, 5:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
All expectations for a retail release of the Intel Core Ultra 9 290K Plus have officially vanished.
Intel has officially confirmed that the Core Ultra 9 290K Plus will not be released, putting an end to months of rumors and leaks surrounding the supposed flagship Arrow Lake Refresh processor. In a statement to PC Games Hardware, the company explained that it is focusing instead on more broadly positioned models within the Core Ultra 200S Plus lineup.
Florian Maislinger, Intel Germany’s Tech Communication Manager, noted that the recently introduced Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5...
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AMD unveils flagship Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition high-performance CPU
27-Mar-2026, 8:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
AMD announced the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition, its first consumer CPU featuring 3D V-Cache across all chiplets.
AMD has officially unveiled a new addition to its Ryzen 9000 X3D lineup: the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition. Despite its unusual name, the chip stands out as the first CPU to feature a dual 3D V-Cache configuration. Unlike earlier Ryzen X3D models, which placed stacked cache on just one CCD, this processor includes vertically stacked cache on both core complexes.
In terms of specs, the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 comes with 16 cores and 32 threads, a base clock of...
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Intel brings Big Battlemage to market with Arc Pro B70 & B65 graphic cards
26-Mar-2026, 11:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
Intel officially launched its "Big Battlemage" workstation GPUs, the Arc Pro B70 and B65, featuring up to 32 GB of memory for AI and professional tasks.
It feels like Intel’s “Big Battlemage” GPU has been a long time coming, but it looks like the wait may finally be over. That said, recent rumors suggest the catch is that this isn’t a traditional Arc gaming GPU. Instead, it’s an AI-focused workstation card. The Intel Arc Pro B70 is expected to feature 32GB of GDDR6 memory and 608 GB/s of bandwidth.
The reference model is rumored to launch with a $949 MSRP, with custom versions from partners like...
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Nintendo trims Switch 2 production following weaker-than-expected demand
25-Mar-2026, 6:30 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
The performance of the Nintendo Switch 2 seems to be falling short of the company's internal projections.
Reports indicate that Nintendo is reducing production for the Switch 2 in response to demand that has not met previous projections, especially within the United States. Bloomberg reports that the company has adjusted its quarterly production target to approximately 4 million units, a decrease from the 6 million units initially planned.
The decision to scale back Nintendo Switch 2 production is largely tied to weaker sales in the United States. The 2025 holiday period allegedly fell short of expectations. Despite the...
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AMD FSR SDK 2.2 debuts with improved upscaling and ray regeneration tech
25-Mar-2026, 5:00 am
manhkbrady
Hardware News
AMD has officially launched its FSR SDK 2.2 , introducing support for the latest iterations of Ray Regeneration and FSR ML Upscaling.
AMD has rolled out the FSR SDK 2.2, now available through GPUOpen for developers. This update is significant as it introduces the newest versions of AMD’s FSR Redstone technologies designed for RDNA 4 GPUs and the Radeon RX 9000 series, including FSR Upscaling 4.1 and FSR Ray Regeneration 1.1.
FSR 4.1 represents AMD’s latest AI-driven upscaling solution, aiming to deliver image quality on par with NVIDIA’s DLSS. Already available to PC players in games like Crimson Desert...
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