Dominique Luchart's Blog, page 608
May 31, 2021
AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS is coming this month, Sam Byford
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeAMD has announced that FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), its super sampling technique that should boost performance and image quality in supported games, will launch on June 22nd. The company gave a presentation at Computex Taipei today with more information on the feature, though it’s still not clear just how effective it’ll be.
Supersampling is a major point of differentiation between AMD’s GPUs and those from its competitor Nvidia. DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), Nvidia’s version of the technique, uses neural networks to reconstruct images at higher quality from lower resolutions in real time, enabling games to run at smoother frame rates without compromising the image quality. Nvidia launched DLSS back in 2018 with the RTX 20-…
The post AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS is coming this month, Sam Byford appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS is coming this month,
AMD has announced that FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), its super sampling technique that should boost performance and image quality in supported games, will launch on June 22nd. The company gave a presentation at Computex Taipei today with more information on the feature, though it’s still not clear just how effective it’ll be.
Supersampling is a major point of differentiation between AMD’s GPUs and those from its competitor Nvidia. DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling), Nvidia’s version of the technique, uses neural networks to reconstruct images at higher quality from lower resolutions in real time, enabling games to run at smoother frame rates without compromising the image quality. Nvidia launched DLSS back in 2018 with the RTX 20- series, and it’s has been increasing performance and support ever since. More than 50 games now work with DLSS, and Nvidia itself just announced today that Red Dead Redemption 2 and Rainbow Six Siege are getting the feature.
AMD first said it was working on super sampling last year when it announced the RX 6000-series GPUs. The company isn’t providing too many technical details on the feature just yet, but says it will be open source and that more than ten studios and engines will support it this year.
FSR will support four levels of scaling. In AMD’s own testing, running Godfall on a Radeon RX 6800 XT with epic graphic settings and ray tracing, the performance mode ran at 150fps — a huge increase over the native rendering result of 49fps. The balanced, quality, and ultra quality modes turned in results of 124fps, 99fps, and 78fps respectively.
Because FSR is open-source, it’ll also run on Nvidia GPUs, including 10-series models that don’t support DLSS. AMD is claiming a 41-percent performance increase in quality mode for Godfall on a GTX 1060, for example, boosting the frame rate from 27fps to 38fps.
Companies’ own benchmarks should never be taken at face value, of course, and the results aren’t all that meaningful without being able to see the effects on image quality with our own eyes. AMD has not shown off much evidence of how FSR actually works in practice — but we won’t have too much longer to find out, as it’ll be available in three weeks.
The post AMD’s answer to Nvidia’s DLSS is coming this month, appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Nvidia announces new RTX 3080 Ti, priced at $1,199 and launching June 3rd, Tom Warren
Nvidia is unveiling its latest flagship gaming GPU today, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Based on Nvidia’s latest Ampere architecture, the RTX 3080 Ti will succeed the RTX 3080 and promises to deliver 1.5x more performance over the previous generation RTX 2080 Ti. Nvidia is making the RTX 3080 Ti available worldwide on June 3rd, priced from $1,199.
The RTX 3080 Ti looks very much like the RTX 3080, with an identical design and ports. The main difference is a jump in power and VRAM. The RTX 3080 Ti ships with more VRAM than the RTX 3080, with 12GB of GDDR6X in total. This new GPU is essentially as close as you can get to an RTX 3090 on paper, with half the VRAM. The $1,199 price matches the same pricing Nvidia used for the RTX 2080 Ti Founders…
The post Nvidia announces new RTX 3080 Ti, priced at $1,199 and launching June 3rd, Tom Warren appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Nvidia announces new RTX 3080 Ti, priced at $1,199 and launching June 3rd,
Nvidia is unveiling its latest flagship gaming GPU today, the GeForce RTX 3080 Ti. Based on Nvidia’s latest Ampere architecture, the RTX 3080 Ti will succeed the RTX 3080 and promises to deliver 1.5x more performance over the previous generation RTX 2080 Ti. Nvidia is making the RTX 3080 Ti available worldwide on June 3rd, priced from $1,199.
The RTX 3080 Ti looks very much like the RTX 3080, with an identical design and ports. The main difference is a jump in power and VRAM. The RTX 3080 Ti ships with more VRAM than the RTX 3080, with 12GB of GDDR6X in total. This new GPU is essentially as close as you can get to an RTX 3090 on paper, with half the VRAM. The $1,199 price matches the same pricing Nvidia used for the RTX 2080 Ti Founders Edition cards, and it’s $300 less than the giant RTX 3090.
RTX 3080 Ti specs RTX 3090RTX 3080 TiRTX 3080 RTX 3090RTX 3080 TiRTX 3080GPU clusters828068CUDAs10496102408704RTs828068Tensor328320272ROPs11211296Boost clock1695MHz1665Mhz1710MhzMemory24GB G6X12GB G6X10GB G6XBus384-bit384-bit320-bitBandwidth936 GB/s912 GB/s760 GB/sTDP350W350W320WPrice$1,499$1,199$699You’re obviously losing out on an extra 12GB of VRAM if you opt for the RTX 3080 Ti over the 3090, and what will likely be a small improvement in performance for that $300 difference. But the RTX 3090 is giant because it has a far bigger cooler, and the RTX 3080 Ti has the same hardware design as the RTX 3080. That may prompt concerns around how hot the RTX 3080 Ti will run, but we’ll have to wait on reviews to find out if it’s really an issue.
Nvidia is also including its cryptocurrency nerf on the RTX 3080 Ti, much like new RTX 3080 and RTX 3070 cards. Nvidia offers a separate Cryptocurrency Mining Processor (CMP) for Ethereum miners instead. These cards include the best performance for mining and efficiency, but they’re not designed to handle games.
Elsewhere, the RTX 3080 Ti has the same power requirements as the RTX 3090. You’ll need a 750-watt power supply, and the card can draw up to 350 watts of power. That’s the same as the RTX 3090, but the RTX 3080 draws less at up to 320 watts. Just like the RTX 3080 before it, the 3080 Ti also uses Nvidia’s new 12-pin connector. Nvidia will include an adapter that’s compatible with eight-pin cables.
Nvidia’s RTX 3070 Ti also arrives this month.Nvidia is also launching a second GPU next week, the RTX 3070 Ti. The $599 RTX 3070 Ti will be available on June 10th, and is designed to offer 1.5x more performance over the previous RTX 3070 Super. It will include 8GB of GDDR6X memory.
Both new RTX cards will support all of Nvidia’s ray-tracing, DLSS, and Reflex technologies. More than 50 games now support Deep Learning Super Sampling (DLSS), offering AI-powered performance boosts to games.
While both of Nvidia’s new GPUs will be available this month, actual availability and pricing is obviously going to differ. Everyone has had a hard time getting hold of new RTX 30-series GPUs since their launch last year, and a flagship RTX 3080 Ti and more affordable RTX 3070 Ti isn’t going to help improve that.
A global chip shortage has pushed GPU prices up, and demand is still incredibly high during ongoing supply constraints. Nvidia has already warned these supply issues will continue throughout 2021, so don’t expect to easily be able to get hold of an RTX 3080 Ti or RTX 3070 Ti any time soon.
The post Nvidia announces new RTX 3080 Ti, priced at $1,199 and launching June 3rd, appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Alienware’s X15 is its thinnest and coolest gaming laptop yet,
Alienware is keen on giving Razer a run for its money when it comes to making a super-thin gaming laptop. Two of the configurations of Alienware’s new X15 flagship model are actually 15.9mm thick, almost the same as Razer’s just-refreshed 15.8mm-thick Blade 15 Advanced. That’s impressively thin, especially considering that Alienware doesn’t usually try to compete in this realm.
What’s also noteworthy is that, despite its thin build, the X15 looks like it will be a capable machine. Alienware is also announcing a bigger and thicker 17-inch X17 laptop that’s even more powerful. We’ll go into detail on both below.
Let’s start with the X15, which will cost $1,999 for the base model, available starting today. Packed into that entry model is Intel’s 11th Gen Core i7-11800H processor (eight cores and a boost clock speed of up to 4.6GHz), 16GB of RAM clocked at 3,200MHz (but not user-upgradeable due to size constraints), 256GB of fast NVMe storage (which is user-upgradeable, with two slots that support either M.2 2230 or 2280-sized SSDs), and Nvidia’s RTX 3060 graphics chip (90W maximum graphics power, and a base clock speed of 1,050MHz and boost clock of 1,402MHz). A 15.6-inch FHD display with a 165Hz refresh rate, 3ms response time, and up to 300 nits of brightness with 100-percent sRGB color gamut support comes standard.
The X17 sits to the left of the X15 in this image.Alienware hasn’t shared pricing for spec increases, but you can load the X15 with up to an Intel Core i9-11900H processor, a 2TB NVMe M.2 SSD (with a maximum 4TB of dual storage supported via RAID 0), and 32GB of RAM. To top it off, you can put in an RTX 3080 graphics card (the 8GB version, with 110W maximum graphics power, a base clock speed of 930MHz and a boost clock speed of 1,365MHz). The display can be upgraded to a 400-nit QHD G-Sync panel with a 240Hz refresh rate, 2ms response time, and 99-percent coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut. The X15 has a 87Wh battery and includes a 240W “small form factor” adapter. At its lowest weight, the X15 comes in at five pounds, but it goes up to 5.2 pounds depending on the specs.
All of the X15’s ports, aside from a headphone jack and power input, are located on its back. There’s a USB-A 3.2 Gen 1 port, one USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port, one Thunderbolt 4 port, a microSD card slot, and an HDMI 2.1 port that will allow the X15 to output a 4K signal at up to 120Hz.
If you’re all about getting a 17.3-inch screen, the X17 starts at $2,099 and has similar starting specs. It has a thicker chassis than the X15 at 20.9mm, and it’s heavier, starting at 6.65 pounds. But that extra heft apparently allows for more graphical and processing power, if you’re willing to pay for it. For example, its RTX 3060 card has a higher maximum graphics power of 130W. This pattern is seen for more pricey GPU upgrades, too, especially the RTX 3080 (16GB) that can sail with 165W of max graphics power at a boost clock speed of 1,710MHz. In the processor department, you can go up to an Intel Core i9-11900HK. Additionally, you can spec this one with up to 64GB of XMP RAM clocked at 3,466MHz.
As for the screen, there’s an upgrade option to get a 300-nit FHD G-Sync panel with a 360Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time, but you can go all the way up to a 500-nit 4K display with a 120Hz refresh rate and 4ms response time. Like the X15, the X17 has an 87Wh battery, but whether you get a 240W or 330W power supply will depend on the configuration that you buy.
The X17 has all of the same ports as the X15, along with one extra USB-A port, a Mini DisplayPort jack, and a 2.5G ethernet port (the X15 includes a USB-C to ethernet adapter).
The X15 on top is almost as thin as Razer’s new Blade 15 Advanced. The X17 beneath it is considerably thicker and heavier.Generally speaking, thinner laptops struggle with heat management. But Alienware’s Quad Fan claims to move a lot of air, and in X15 and X17 models that have the RTX 3070 or 3080 chips, it touts a new “Element 31 thermal interface material” that apparently provides a boost in the thermal resistance of its internals compared to previous Alienware laptops. We’ll have to see how this fares when we try out a review unit. I’m curious how loud they might get in order to stay cool.
If you’re an Alienware enthusiast, be aware that the company’s mainstay graphics amplifier port is missing. We asked Alienware about this, and it provided this statement to The Verge:
Today’s latest flagship desktop graphics cards achieve graphical power beyond what the Alienware Graphics Amplifiers (as well as other external graphics amplifiers) can successfully port back through PCI (and Thunderbolt) connections. For Alienware customers who are already purchasing high-end graphics configurations, the performance improvements from our Alienware Graphics Amplifier would be limited. While improvements would be noticeable, in many cases it wouldn’t be enough to justify purchasing an external amplifier and flagship graphics card. So instead, we are using that additional space to offer extra ports and thermal headroom which provides a better experience for all gamers purchasing this product.
This is what the rear of the X15 looks like. The X17 has one extra USB-A port, a Mini DisplayPort, and an ethernet jack.Wrapping up this boatload of specs, the X15 and X17 each have a 720p Windows Hello webcam, and configurations with the RTX 3080 have an illuminated trackpad that can be customized within Alienware’s pre-installed software. These laptops come standard with Alienware’s X-Series keyboard that has per-key lighting, n-key rollover, anti-ghosting, and 1.5mm of key travel. In the X17, you have the option to upgrade to Alienware’s Cherry MX ultra low-profile mechanical switches, which have a longer 1.8mm key travel.
Lastly, both laptops are available in the “Lunar Light” colorway, which is white on the outside shell and black on the inside.
The post Alienware’s X15 is its thinnest and coolest gaming laptop yet, appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
May 30, 2021
Xiaomi says it can now fully charge a phone in eight minutes at 200W, Sam Byford
Xiaomi has shown off its latest fast charging tech demo, and consequently is claiming the new world records for both wired and wireless charging speeds. Using a modified Mi 11 Pro with a 4,000mAh battery, Xiaomi says it’s able to fully charge the phone in 8 minutes over a 200W wired “HyperCharge” system, or in 15 minutes with 120W wireless charging.
Charging speeds are a frequent battleground for Chinese smartphone companies, who often release demonstrations of breakthroughs that may or may not show up in final products. Two years ago, for example, Xiaomi announced a 100W system that could charge a 4,000mAh battery in 17 minutes, while last year’s Mi 10 Ultra filled up in 23 minutes at 120W — though it did have a bigger 4,500mAh battery.
…
The post Xiaomi says it can now fully charge a phone in eight minutes at 200W, Sam Byford appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Intel’s latest 11th Gen processor brings 5.0GHz speeds to thin and light laptops,
Intel made a splash earlier in May with the launch of its first 11th Gen Tiger Lake H-series processors for more powerful laptops, but at Computex 2021, the company is also announcing a pair of new U-series chips — one of which marks the first 5.0GHz clock speed for the company’s U-series lineup of lower voltage chips.
Specifically, Intel is announcing the Core i7-1195G7 — its new top of the line chip in the U-series range — and the Core i5-1155G7, which takes the crown of Intel’s most powerful Core i5-level chip, too.
Like the original 11th Gen U-series chips, the new chips operate in the 12W to 28W range. Both new chips are four core / eight thread configurations, and feature Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics (the Core i7-1195G7 comes with 96 EUs, while the Core i5-1155G7 has 80 EUs.)
The Core i7-1195G7 features a base clock speed of 2.9GHz, but cranks up to a 5.0GHz maximum single core speed using Intel’s Turbo Boost Max 3.0 technology. The Core i5-1155G7, on the other hand, has a base clock speed of 2.5GHz and a boosted speed of 4.5GHz. Getting to 5GHz out of the box is a fairly recent development for laptop CPUs, period: Intel’s first laptop processor to cross the 5GHz mark arrived in 2019.
Along with the new processors, Intel has also announced its latest 5G modem solution for laptops — a new M.2 card that device makers will be able to incorporate into their designs, called the Intel 5G Solution 5000. (While Intel famously sold off its smartphone 5G division to Apple, Intel has continued its efforts in other areas of the next-generation connectivity standard.)
The new modem is a collaboration between Intel, Mediatek (which is handling the modem firmware) and Fibocom (which is actually manufacturing the modules), and will offer sub-6GHz 5G support and integrated eSIM technology. Intel says that Acer, Asus, and HP will all be offering laptops combing Intel’s Tiger Lake chips and new 5G Solution 5000 cards later this year.
The post Intel’s latest 11th Gen processor brings 5.0GHz speeds to thin and light laptops, appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Intel’s latest 11th Gen processor brings 5.0GHz speeds to thin and light laptops, Chaim Gartenberg
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeIntel made a splash earlier in May with the launch of its first 11th Gen Tiger Lake H-series processors for more powerful laptops, but at Computex 2021, the company is also announcing a pair of new U-series chips — one of which marks the first 5.0GHz clock speed for the company’s U-series lineup of lower voltage chips.
Specifically, Intel is announcing the Core i7-1195G7 — its new top of the line chip in the U-series range — and the Core i5-1155G7, which takes the crown of Intel’s most powerful Core i5-level chip, too.
Like the original 11th Gen U-series chips, the new chips operate in the 12W to 28W range. Both new chips are four core / eight thread configurations, and feature Intel’s Iris Xe integrated graphics (the Core i7-1195G7…
The post Intel’s latest 11th Gen processor brings 5.0GHz speeds to thin and light laptops, Chaim Gartenberg appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Best Memorial Day deals at Walmart: Save on Roku Premiere, PowerXL Vortex Pro Plus air fryer, Eureka Groove robot vacuum and more – CNET,
This Memorial Day weekend, retailers are pulling out all the stops and offering huge discounts on all kinds of in-demand stuff. You can find deals on products for the kitchen to the living room to the backyard. There are plenty of huge discounts to be had at the Walmart Memorial Day sale, with price cuts on appliances, technology and even a barbecue grill.
If you’re looking for a TV deal to upgrade your home theater, look no further than this 43-inch 4K smart TV ($170 off), or if you’d like to make your existing TV a bit smarter, you could get a tiny 4K-capable Roku player. If you’re thinking beyond binge-watching, you could finally ditch your old handheld vacuum and go cordless with this handy Eureka robotic vacuum ($70 off), which comes with three different cleaning modes perfect for everyday sweeping.
Walmart offers free two-day shipping on orders over $35, which means most of the deals are eligible for free shipping. (Some orders will also be eligible for next-day delivery or in-store pickup, even if you haven’t already signed up for Walmart Plus.) Keep reading for our picks of the best Walmart deals and savings you can find right now.
TCL 43-inch 4K UHD LED Roku smart TV: $199 (Update: Price dropped from $228)You save $200
Sarah Tew/CNET
This TCL 43S421 smart TV usually runs for about $400, but you can snag it for $200 less. At this price, it’s a third of the cost of the TCL 6-Series, one of our favorite TVs for quality and value. Based on its specs, we don’t expect the 4-Series to be on the same performance level as the higher-end TCL models. But if you’re looking for a backup set for the guest room or den it’s worth a look. Check out our review of the 2019 version of the 4-Series here.
$199 at Walmart
Eureka Groove 4-way control robotic vacuum: $129You save $70
Walmart
This low-profile robotic vacuum makes day-to-day cleaning a cinch by keeping pet fur, dust and dirt from building up on your floors: Perfect now that allergy season is back. The anti-scratch brush roll protects your hard floors while it’s also great at sweeping debris off your carpet. Use Alexa, Google Assistant voice control, the included app or remote to program it to clean the way you want. The downside? This Eureka robot still uses random navigation instead of smart mapping to clean your house. It should be great for small spaces but it may struggle in bigger homes.
$129 at Walmart
PowerXL Vortex Pro Plus 10-quart air fryer: $99You save $30
Walmart
This 10-quart, 1,700-watt air fryer also serves as a countertop oven, rotisserie, toaster and food dehydrator. The size makes it perfect for cooking for an entire family. The PowerXL Vortex is large enough to prepare whole chickens, bake cakes, fry onion rings, and even make homemade pizza with little or no cooking oil needed. The bonus: The little window lets you keep an eye on your masterpiece.
$99 at Walmart
Roku Premiere streaming media player: $34You save $6
Sarah Tew/CNET
The Roku Premiere (formerly called Premiere Plus) supports HD, 4K and HDR content from all the major streaming services. It includes the Roku’s app control, a physical remote with voice control, and adds thousands of streaming channels to your TV like Apple TV Plus, Netflix, Disney Plus and HBO Max. The Roku Premiere debuted in 2018 for $50 and has now dropped its price to $34 for Memorial Day. It still lacks 802.11ac Wi-Fi but the easy plug-and-play setup and simple remote could be great features to have for any not-so-tech-savvy relatives.
$34 at Walmart
Expert Grill Pioneer 28-Inch portable propane gas griddle: $192You save $55
Walmart
This 400 square inch propane griddle is perfect for steaks, hamburgers, bratwurst, veggies and even fried rice. The 3-independently controlled burners allow for prepping multiple ingredients at once while the heat retaining hood adds even more cooking versatility. The removable griddle top and grease drawer offer a quick and simple way to clean up after use. Normally $247, you can be the hero of the grill this weekend for only $192.
$192 at Walmart
Hyper E-ride electric mountain bike: $578You save $70
Walmart
Ride in style this Memorial Day on this 36-volt Hyper E-ride electric mountain bike. This 26-inch electric-assist hybrid bike is perfect if you want to dabble in e-bikes without breaking the bank. The integrated flush-mounted battery charges in 4 hours and will last for around 20 miles, perfect for a quick ride around town. We haven’t reviewed this model yet, but the majority of online reviews are positive, praising its easy setup and ride, though some warn against taking it on especially rough trails, even though it’s advertised as a mountain bike.
$578 at Walmart
CNET’s deal team scours the web for great deals on tech products and much more. Find more great buys on the CNET Deals page and check out our CNET Coupons page for the latest promo codes from Best Buy, Walmart, Amazon and more. Questions about the Cheapskate blog? Find the answers on our FAQ page.
Deals
The post Best Memorial Day deals at Walmart: Save on Roku Premiere, PowerXL Vortex Pro Plus air fryer, Eureka Groove robot vacuum and more – CNET, appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
Instagram making changes to its algorithm after it was accused of censoring pro-Palestinian content, Kim Lyons
Illustration by Alex Castro / The VergeFacebook-owned Instagram has made changes to its algorithm after a group of its employees reportedly complained that pro-Palestinian content was not viewable for users during the conflict in Gaza. Instagram typically surfaces original content in its stories before reposted content, but will now begin to give equal weighting to both, the company confirmed to The Verge on Sunday.
As reported by BuzzFeed News and the Financial Times, the Instagram employee group had made numerous appeals about content that had been censored by Instagram’s automated moderation, such as posts about the al-Asqa mosque being mistakenly removed. The employees didn’t believe the censorship was deliberate, according to FT, but one said that “moderating at scale is…
The post Instagram making changes to its algorithm after it was accused of censoring pro-Palestinian content, Kim Lyons appeared first on NEWDAWN Blog.
