Tech News

• Noctua introduces NH-L12Sx77 low-profile CPU cooler

  Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Back in 2012 I reviewed a pretty amazing heatsink from Noctua,  I didn't realize it at the time but the compact design of the NH-L12 allowed it to be installed in my development server that has been running 24x7+365 with the cooler for the past 12 years.  Not only has it performed extremely well but has required on maintenance and delivers a level of cooling that is hard to be at those service levels.

  The new Noctua NH-L12Sx77 appears to have a similar design but comes with a slim 120mm fan and no secondary making the cooler much shorter.

  

  Noctua today introduced its new NH-L12Sx77 low-profile CPU cooler for compact, powerful yet quiet Small Form Factor systems. The NH-L12Sx77 is a slightly taller variant of the award-winning NH-L12S, offering improved cooling performance as well as enhanced motherboard and RAM compatibility.
  
  “Our NH-L12S is a popular choice for compact builds in cases like the Fractal Design Terra or Louqe RAW S1, but due to its height of only 70mm, RAM compatibility and clearance for tall motherboard components are limited. At the same time, many of these cases offer a bit of extra space”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “This is where the new NH-L12Sx77 steps in: It makes use of that extra space in order to provide enhanced compatibility and even better cooling performance, which comes in handy when building powerful gaming or productivity setups.”

  I have never had much luck getting slim 120mm fans to last longer than a few weeks, mostly due to the bearings wearing out.  With any luck the Noctua edition can do better.

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• Intel’s “Gaudi 3” AI accelerator chip may give Nvidia’s H100 a run @ ArsTechnica

  Published: Monday, April 22, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Last week Intel announced their new AI Accelator chip they call Gaudi 3 as an alternative to the Nvidia H100.  Of course, as you now Nvidia showed off their Blackwell system which basically took the H100 to an entire new level.

  

  Compared to Nvidia's H100 chip, Intel projects a 50 percent faster training time on Gaudi 3 for both OpenAI's GPT-3 175B LLM and the 7-billion parameter version of Meta's Llama 2. In terms of inference (running the trained model to get outputs), Intel claims that its new AI chip delivers 50 percent faster performance than H100 for Llama 2 and Falcon 180B, which are both open-weights models.

  What I find interesting about this new chip is that it was basically created because NVIDIA held the market share in AI processing and, is something that NVIDIA held for a VERY LONG time.  It wasn't until ChatGPT and freely available LLMs hit the headlines that the AI race started to heat up.

  I still remember when AMD told the world that their GPUs were better at playing games because they were dedicated to visual processing.  Well, joke has been on them because the focus of the NVIDIA GPU was never be only on video games ever since the launch of CUDA.  Combine that with Intel trying to enter the GPU market, and failing and we start to see a real push towards AI processing, and getting their piece of the pie.

  On paper the Guadi 3 looks really impressive, HBM memory + massive processing core makes the chip faster on a hardware level but, they are still years behind on the software front and it would be pretty easy for NVIDIA to lock them out.  Although, that might be the point, when NVIDIA locked out AMD from using SLI, they went full bore into Crossfire development and, in some ways created the better product.

  As you can imagine, investors are not as tech savvy and basically are pulling their stakes in NVIDIA stock because they are no longer a "sure bet".  Combine that with "me to" style of investing and one high-level investor selling their stake and you get a literal cascade of sell offs as a result.

  I guess whatever is good for the investors is good for the market.  Even if this Intel chip fails to sell, the damage was done leaving NVIDIA to do what it has always done, march on and take over.

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• Funky Kit Review - Corsair MP700 2TB PCIe Gen 5×4 NVMe M.2 SSD

  Published: Sunday, April 14, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Corsair has been a name that I once praised, their products where extremely good and they seemed to have the needs of the hardware enthusiast dialed.  Then, something changed, they refocused their marketing efforts moving away from traditional written media to video and more mainstream options.  While I was upset by the shift, it seems to have paid off for them.  I would start seeing Corsair products in more builds and by folks who had no idea what they were doing but, loved doing whatever they did.

  It would seem that things over at Corsair have started to humble a bit and, I would fully expect to start seeing more written reviews, including one from Hardware Asylum.

  

  If you need a fast PCIE Gen5 SSD so that you can load your favorite software or games at lightning speeds, then look no further. The Corsair MP700 gives super fast read and write speed of up to 10,000 MB/s, plus it comes with a 5-year warranty. It’s perfect for any desktop PCs or laptops that supports PCIE Gen 5 SSDs.

  I'm glad to see that Gen5 SSDs are starting to make the rounds, you don't get much in a real world performance boost but, it hits you in the "feels" pretty good.

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• TerraMaster F4-424 Pro NAS Review @ Guru3D

  Published: Sunday, April 14, 2024 | By: Dennis

  I was an early adopter when it came to Network Storage Solutions and have been running one or two since before, I started ninjalane.com.  Since then, the purpose of my servers has changed over the years, one thing remained the same, I store my stuff on them so I can access the files remotely, or when I jump on a review system to do some testing.  

  A quality NAS can do the same thing, requires less technical knowledge and can be quite affordable when compared to common cloud solutions.

  

  Today, we will review, analyze and test the TerraMaster F4-424 Pro four-bay NAS. At the heart of this NAS, you will find an Intel Core i3 N300 8-core processor, 32GB RAM, and two 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet connections. Next to four HDD/SSD slots, there's also space for two NVMe M2 SSDs.

  I do like how this NAS comes with NVMe slots, makes for extremely fast application storage while still offering long term storage options on larger HDDs.

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• Funky Kit Review - Kingston Fury Renegade RGB 96GB DDR5-6400 CL32 Memory Kit

  Published: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | By: Dennis

  It is great to see Kingston pushing out performance memory kits again.  When HyperX was removed from the company there was a major void in the market and a huge unknown if Kingston was even allowed to complete in the same market.  (I suspect some sort of non-compete was agreed on, which has since expired)

  

  If you are searching for RAM that has it all without any compromises, then the Kingston Renegade RGB 96GB DDR5-6400 CL32 is the RAM for you. It combines excellent performance, stability, compatibility, the best RGB illumination on the market, and exceptional overclocking potential. At the same time, it is available at the highest capacity for those who not only play games, but also work professionally.

  I'm not sure I like the heatspreader design but the light bar is rather unique.

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• Creative Pebble X Plus @ TechPowerUp

  Published: Tuesday, March 26, 2024 | By: Dennis

  I have noticed a stark decline in desktop PC speaker options for modern computers.  There was a time when buying the latest Logitech 5.1 surround sound speaker system was THE way to go even if you couldn't use the two rear speakers.  

  However, it seems that most consumers have opted for Headphones and given the prevalence of extremely good USB Headphone DAC's you can get full surround sound without all the hassle. 

  Personally, I do both,.  I have a dedicated desktop sound system AND a set of headphones I use for gaming and am very particular that BOTH systems sound the same meaning that a quality set of desktop speakers is a must.

  

  The Creative Pebble X Plus is the new flagship 2.1 speaker system in the famous Pebble lineup. The speaker drivers have been enlarged, the RGB effects are more elaborate than ever, and you also get a compact subwoofer for added low-frequency rumble.

  I'm not sure what to think of the review description but, if a subwoofer only gives them a rumble then, it has to be really crappy.  The proper term for good bass is "boom".

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• Thermaltake Launches Twelve Exclusive LCGS Reactor Gaming Desktops at Best Buy

  Published: Thursday, March 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Introducing High-Performance Gaming PCs with NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 40™ Super Series, Intel® Core™ i9, and The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis in Snow, Black, Hydrangea Blue, and Turquoise

  WALNUT, CALIFORNIA, March 19th, 2024 - Thermaltake USA, the leading PC Case, Cooling, Power, and memory solutions, proudly announces the launch of twelve innovative models in the LCGS (Liquid Cooled Gaming System) Reactor series, available exclusively at Best Buy. This launch marks a significant milestone for Thermaltake, introducing the next generation of gaming PCs, meticulously designed with the newly unveiled The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis. These gaming powerhouses are equipped with the latest high-performance components, including the cutting-edge Intel® Core™ 14th Gen i9/i7 processors, NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 40 Super Series/4090 graphics cards, 32GB of DDR5 5600MTs memory, and expansive 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD storage. 

  

  Each system in the LCGS Reactor series boasts a 360mm radiator liquid cooling solution, ensuring exceptional cooling performance and stability during intense gaming sessions. The addition of vibrant color options such as Snow, Black, Hydrangea Blue, and Turquoise adds a personalized touch to these systems, catering to gamers' and content creators' diverse tastes and styles. Tailored for the most demanding gamers and creative professionals, these pre-built gaming desktop PCs are assembled and rigorously tested by Thermaltake's skilled engineers in the USA, ensuring unparalleled build quality and reliability.

  "Through our strategic partnership with Best Buy, we're excited to present the twelve cutting-edge LCGS Reactor gaming desktops, equipped with the formidable RTX™ 40 Super Series and 4090 graphics cards. Our collaboration is designed to directly engage the gaming community, providing them with top-tier gaming experiences. These systems, featuring the sleek Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis and powered by Intel®'s latest 14th Gen i9/i7 CPUs, epitomize our commitment to quality and performance. Built and meticulously tested by our dedicated team in the USA, this launch sets a new standard in gaming excellence. We look forward to seeing gamers push the limits with our LCGS systems." Michael Guo, Vice President of Thermaltake USA.

  The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis: Striking the Ideal Balance of Performance, Thermals, Space, and Ease of Use 

  The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis embodies a perfect synergy of aesthetic elegance and functional prowess, presenting a modern design that captivates and performs. Manufactured with high-quality materials, this chassis is built to last, ensuring durability while enhancing performance through its outstanding cooling capabilities. Its design promotes exceptional airflow, supporting multiple cooling fans and liquid cooling radiators to accommodate the rigorous demands of high-performance gaming systems requiring efficient thermal management.

  Emphasizing user convenience, The Tower 300 features a modular architecture that simplifies customization and upgrades. It has been thoughtfully designed to fit a variety of motherboard sizes, including Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX, alongside multiple graphics cards, ensuring versatility for building a range of powerful systems. Innovations such as tool-less installation and comprehensive cable management refine the building experience, eliminating complications and keeping interiors tidy and airflow unobstructed.

  With its spacious layout and compatibility with an extensive array of components, The Tower 300 Micro Tower Chassis is the foundation of choice for enthusiasts seeking to create a powerful, visually striking, and neatly organized PC setup. It achieves the optimal balance between performance, cooling efficiency, and ease of assembly.

  LCGS Reactor Series are Teamed with  NVIDIA®GeForce® RTX™ 40 Super Series GPUs

  The twelve new LCGS Reactor series are equipped with NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 4090, 4080 Super, and 4070 Ti Super graphics cards. These cutting-edge components are specifically chosen to deliver unparalleled gaming performance, ensuring smooth and stable gameplay even with the most graphically demanding titles. 

  The GeForce® RTX™ 40 Super Series graphics cards, including the 4080 Super, 4070 Ti Super, and 4090 GPU, represent a significant leap forward in graphics card technology. Built on the latest Ada Lovelace architecture, these GPUs deliver unrivaled performance and power efficiency, making them ideal for gaming enthusiasts and professionals. The RTX™ 4080 Super substantially increases CUDA and tensor cores compared to its predecessor, providing unparalleled gaming performance and AI capabilities.

  Meanwhile, the 4070 Ti Super boasts enhanced ray tracing and DLSS technology, delivering stunning visuals and smooth gaming experiences. Finally, the flagship 4090 GPU pushes the boundaries of gaming graphics with its massive memory bandwidth and advanced features, ensuring a truly immersive gaming experience. With the GeForce RTX™ 40 Super Series graphics cards, gamers can expect nothing short of exceptional performance and realism in their favorite titles.

  Thermaltake's twelve newly launched LCGS Reactor pre-built gaming desktop PCs, now available in an elegant array of Snow, Black, Hydrangea Blue, and Turquoise for the PC chassis, are meticulously tailored for professional gamers and visual content creators. Each system comes with a one-year parts and labor warranty, offering reliability and peace of mind to its users. Assembled and hand-tested by Thermaltake USA's dedicated local engineers, these gaming PCs meet the highest quality standards. Exclusively available at Best Buy, these systems, with their unparalleled performance and innovative features, cater to gamers seeking the ultimate gaming experience while allowing for personal expression through the choice of chassis color.

  Learn more about Thermaltake LCGS Gaming PC: https://thermaltakeusa.com/collections/gaming-pc 

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• Thermaltake Reveals the Dr. Power III, a Power Tester Compatible with the Latest 12+4pin Connector

  Published: Thursday, March 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Taipei, Taiwan-March 21^st, 2024-Thermaltake, a leading PC DIY brand for premium hardware solutions, is excited to launch the Dr. Power III, an enhanced portable power tester that supports the latest ATX12V v3.1 standard. This tester simplifies the process of checking the operational status of different PSU connectors. Compared to its predecessor, the Dr. Power III additionally supports a 12+4pin connector, enabling it to test the next-gen power supplies which are designed for high power consumption GPU.

  

  Whether pre-build checks or troubleshooting existing setups, the Dr. Power III can offer straightforward voltage and PG value detection. To initiate testing, easily use cables to attach connectors between the power supply and the Dr. Power III, press the check button, and the test will begin. The Dr. Power III supports various connectors, including the latest 12+4pin, 24pin, PCIe 6/8pin, SATA, CPU 4/8pin, and peripheral connectors. It is compatible with all contemporary ATX PSU, Dr. Power III meticulously detects the SENSE0/SENSE1 sideband signals of the latest PCIe 12+4pin connector, distinguishing power levels of 150W, 300W, 450W, and 600W.

  The output voltages will be shown respectively on the real-time LCD display, ensuring the information can be read clearly and immediately. While the built-in diagnostic system of the Dr. Power III detects issues of low-voltage, high-voltage, no-voltage, and PG alarm systems, it alerts users with a red LCD backlight and a “beep” sound; if the test proceeds without any issues, the LCD backlight will stay white, allowing users to assess instant feedback effortlessly. The Dr. Power III incorporates both manual and automatic testing modes, so users can choose the approach that fits their needs best. Moreover, the Dr. Power III features a 3-year warranty, guaranteeing reliability for users over an extended period.

  The Dr. Power III simplifies the process of diagnosing power supply issues. It comes with support for the latest 12+4pin connector, a real-time LCD for immediate feedback, and a user-friendly design, making it the perfect tool for testing your high-end power supplies.

  For more information on Thermaltake Dr. Power III, please visit:https://www.thermaltake.com/dr-power-iii.html

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• Lexar Introduces the SL500 Portable SSD, a High-Performance Drive in a Compact Form Factor

  Published: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Supports Apple Pro Res recording so users can shoot directly to the drive in up to 4K 60FPS with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max

  San Jose, CA, USA, March 20th, 2024—Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is excited to introduce the SL500 Portable SSD, the latest addition to its portable SSD lineup. Featuring a super-slim, solid aluminum unibody construction that fits in the palm of your hand, the Lexar^® SL500 Portable SSD delivers exceptional 2000MB/s max read and 1800MB/s max write speeds¹ for maximized efficiency.

  

  Key Features

  • Incredible USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 performance of up to 2000MB/s read and 1800MB/s write² to transfer files fast
  • Thin, compact, and durable metal design
  • Supports Apple Pro Res recording – shoot directly to the drive in up to 4K 60FPS with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max
  • Compatible with iPhone 15 series, mobile devices, laptops, cameras, game consoles, and more
  • Type-C data cable for plug-and-play convenience
  • Includes Lexar^® DataShield™ 256-bit AES encryption software to protect files³

  The SL500 Portable SSD is compatible with a wide range of devices. It is a slim and convenient companion for the iPhone 15 series, serving as a backup for photos, videos, and more. It pairs especially well with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max devices. It supports Apple Pro Res Recording allowing users to shoot directly to the drive in 4K at up to 60FPS. Paired with Mac^® OSX 10.6+, Windows^® 11/10/7/8, or Android 4.4+, it offers substantial extra storage. It can also be used to store massive game files for PlayStation™4, PlayStation™4 Pro, PlayStation™5 with system software version 4.50 or higher (playing or storing PS4™ games; storing PS5™games), Xbox One, and Xbox™ Series™ X | S (playing or storing Xbox One™ games; storing Xbox Series X | S games). It also comes with Lexar DataShield™, a 256-bit AES encryption software to keep files secure³.

  “Whether users are looking to speed up their work or accelerate their creativity, this drive delivers the performance needed to take projects and pursuits to the next level,” said Joey Lopez, Director of Marketing. “It’s incredible read and write speeds translate into both faster downloads and faster transfers.”

  The SL500 Portable SSD is available in 2TB at $229.99 and will be available in a 4TB capacity at the end of Q2.

  Availability
  Amazon

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• NVIDIA Digital Human Technologies Bring AI Characters to Life

  Published: Wednesday, March 20, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Leading AI Developers Use Suite of NVIDIA Technologies to Create Lifelike Avatars and Dynamic Characters for Everything From Games to Healthcare, Financial Services and Retail Applications

  SAN JOSE, Calif., March 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- NVIDIA announced today that leading AI application developers across a wide range of industries are using NVIDIA digital human technologies to create lifelike avatars for commercial applications and dynamic game characters. The results are on display at GTC, the global AI conference held this week in San Jose, Calif., and can be seen in technology demonstrations from Hippocratic AI, Inworld AI, UneeQ and more.

  NVIDIA Avatar Cloud Engine (ACE) for speech and animation, NVIDIA NeMo™ for language, and NVIDIA RTX™ for ray-traced rendering are the building blocks that enable developers to create digital humans capable of AI-powered natural language interactions, making conversations more realistic and engaging.

  “NVIDIA offers developers a world-class set of AI-powered technologies for digital human creation,” said John Spitzer, vice president of developer and performance technologies at NVIDIA. “These technologies may power the complex animations and conversational speech required to make digital interactions feel real.”

  World-Class Digital Human Technologies
  The digital human technologies suite includes language, speech, animation and graphics powered by AI:

  • NVIDIA ACE — technologies that help developers bring digital humans to life with facial animation powered by NVIDIA Audio2Face™ and speech powered by NVIDIA Riva automatic speech recognition (ASR) and text-to-speech (TTS). ACE microservices are flexible in allowing models to run across cloud and PC depending on the local GPU capabilities to help ensure the user receives the best experience.
  • NVIDIA NeMo — an end-to-end platform that enables developers to deliver enterprise-ready generative AI models with precise data curation, cutting-edge customization, retrieval-augmented generation and accelerated performance.
  • NVIDIA RTX — a collection of rendering technologies, such as RTX Global Illumination (RTXGI) and DLSS 3.5, that enable real-time path tracing in games and applications.

  Building Blocks for Digital Humans and Virtual Assistants
  To showcase the new capabilities of its digital human technologies, NVIDIA worked across industries with leading developers, such as Hippocratic AI, Inworld AI and UneeQ, on a series of new demonstrations.

  Hippocratic AI has created a safety-focused, LLM-powered, task-specific Healthcare Agent. The agent calls patients on the phone, follows up on care coordination tasks, delivers preoperative instructions, performs post-discharge management and much more. For GTC, NVIDIA collaborated with Hippocratic AI to extend its solution to use NVIDIA ACE microservices, NVIDIA Audio2Face along with NVIDIA Animation graph and NVIDIA Omniverse™ Streamer Client to show the potential of a generative AI healthcare agent avatar.

  “Our digital assistants provide helpful, timely and accurate information to patients worldwide,” said Munjal Shah, cofounder and CEO of Hippocratic AI. “NVIDIA ACE technologies bring them to life with cutting-edge visuals and realistic animations that help better connect to patients.”

  UneeQ is an autonomous digital human platform specialized in creating AI-powered avatars for customer service and interactive applications. Its digital humans represent brands online, communicating with customers in real time to give them confidence in their purchases. UneeQ integrated the NVIDIA Audio2Face microservice into its platform and combined it with Synanim ML to create highly realistic avatars for a better customer experience and engagement.

  “UneeQ combines NVIDIA animation AI with our own Synanim ML synthetic animation technology to deliver real-time digital human interactions that are emotionally responsive and deliver dynamic experiences powered by conversational AI,” said Danny Tomsett, founder and CEO of UneeQ.

  Bringing Dynamic Non-Playable Characters to Games
  NVIDIA ACE is a suite of technologies designed to bring game characters to life. Covert Protocol is a new technology demonstration, created by Inworld AI in partnership with NVIDIA, that pushes the boundary of what character interactions in games can be. Inworld’s AI engine has integrated NVIDIA Riva for accurate speech-to-text and NVIDIA Audio2Face to deliver lifelike facial performances.

  Inworld’s AI engine takes a multimodal approach to the performance of non-playable characters (NPCs), bringing together cognition, perception and behavior systems for an immersive narrative with stunning RTX-rendered characters set in a beautifully crafted environment.

  “The combination of NVIDIA ACE microservices and the Inworld Engine enables developers to create digital characters that can drive dynamic narratives, opening new possibilities for how gamers can decipher, deduce and play,” said Kylan Gibbs, CEO of Inworld AI.

  Game publishers worldwide are evaluating how NVIDIA ACE can improve the gaming experience.

  Developers Across Healthcare, Gaming, Financial Services, Media & Entertainment and Retail Embrace ACE
  Top game and digital human developers are pioneering ways ACE and generative AI technologies can be used to transform interactions between players and NPCs in games and applications.

  Developers and platforms embracing ACE include Convai, Cyber Agent, Data Monsters, Deloitte, Hippocratic AI, IGOODI, Inworld AI, Media.Monks, miHoYo, NetEase Games, Perfect World, Openstream, OurPalm, Quantiphi, Rakuten Securities, Slalom, SoftServe, Tencent, Top Health Tech, Ubisoft, UneeQ and Unions Avatars.

  More information on NVIDIA ACE is available at https://developer.nvidia.com/ace. Platform developers can incorporate the full suite of digital human technologies or individual microservices into their product offerings.

  Developers can start their journey on NVIDIA ACE by applying for the early access program to get in-development AI models. To explore available models, developers can evaluate and access NVIDIA NIM, a set of easy-to-use microservices designed to accelerate the deployment of generative AI, for Riva and Audio2Face on ai.nvidia.com today.

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