Hilbert Hagedoorn

Nvidia has recently informed its partners that the sales of the GeForce RTX 5090D are temporarily suspended in China. The company has yet to officially confirm these rumors, but reports suggest that manufacturers have been asked to halt sales for the time being. The news surfaced on the Chinese Chiphell forum, where it was mentioned that the suspension is not a full sales freeze on the GeForce RTX 5090D in China. Nvidia reportedly asked its board partners not to speculate on the matter until official communication is made. This has led to a mix of uncertainty and curiosity within the tech community.

Sapphire Technology has unveiled its PULSE A620AM WIFI motherboard, a new addition aimed at users looking for a budget-conscious option that still offers solid features for both performance and reliability. This microATX motherboard, based on the AMD A620A chipset, comes with two DDR5 memory slots, supporting speeds of up to 7200 MT/s. This makes it a great pick for anyone wanting to take advantage of the latest DDR5 memory technology for faster system performance. The PULSE A620AM WIFI motherboard is built with a 6+2+1 phase power system, which is an effective configuration for delivering consistent power to the CPU and other components. It also includes an aluminum heatsink to ensure the VRM (voltage regulator module) stays cool, even when running high-end processors like the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 7 9800X3D. Sapphire's testing shows that the board holds up well under load, offering stable performance even when pushing the limits of high-performance CPUs.

EA and Lucasfilm Games have teamed up to bring a new tactical game to the Star Wars universe. Star Wars Zero Company is a turn-based tactics game set during the Clone Wars era. Developed by Bit Reactor and Respawn Entertainment, this game will allow players to command an elite squad of mercenaries as they face a growing galactic threat. Set to release in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S, the game offers a fresh take on Star Wars gameplay with a focus on strategy and squad customization. Players will take on the role of Hawks, a former Republic officer, who leads Zero Company. This elite squad consists of operatives from different species and backgrounds, each with their own unique abilities. The game's core mechanics revolve around tactical combat and decision-making, requiring players to carefully plan each mission. In addition to combat, players will have the chance to recruit new squad members, customize their appearance and abilities, and make meaningful choices that will influence the story's outcome.

The NZXT N9 X870E motherboard, set for release on April 25, 2025, is an AMD X870E-based motherboard designed with full-cover aesthetics to minimize the visibility of its components, providing a clean and sophisticated look. Available in black and white colors, the N9 X870E boasts a refined design aimed at gamers and PC enthusiasts who prefer a visually cohesive and efficient build. The motherboard features a robust 20+2+1 phase power configuration, delivering up to 110A for stable and reliable power delivery, a critical factor for high-performance CPUs and GPUs. This is complemented by a VRM heatsink with dual cooling fans that optimize thermal performance under heavy load conditions. The 8-layer PCB with 2-ounce copper foil ensures excellent electrical properties and heat dissipation, improving both the durability and performance of the motherboard.

The Titan Army 27G2R-B is a solid 27-inch WQHD gaming monitor that's built for high-performance gaming and multitasking. It features a FAST IPS panel with a 2560 x 1440 resolution, making it perfect for both gamers and professionals. This monitor will be available starting April 26, 2025, at around ¥29,800, which comes to roughly USD 210 depending on the exchange rate. With a 200Hz refresh rate and a fast 1ms response time (GTG), the 27G2R-B is designed to handle fast-moving visuals with minimal blur. The Adaptive-Sync technology ensures that you won't have to deal with screen tearing or stuttering, even during the most intense gaming sessions. Additionally, the low flickering DC dimming feature helps reduce eye strain, especially during long gaming or work sessions.

Intel's upcoming Nova Lake processors are going to feature some new changes in their platform design, with one of the biggest shifts being in the supporting chipset (PCH). The chipset will now use a new BGA888 package, which measures 24mm x 25mm—smaller than the 28mm x 23.5mm package used in Intel's current 800 series chipsets. This smaller size for the BGA888 package is expected to make a difference in the way these chipsets perform. With more compact designs becoming the norm, the reduced size of the chipset will likely help improve system integration and make better use of space within devices. This could lead to better power efficiency and improved thermal management, especially in small-form-factor desktops and mobile devices.

Sapphire Technology has launched the NiTRO+ Radeon RX 9070 graphics card, keeping the same overall design as the RX 9070 XT. This means you get the same champagne gold color scheme, along with the “smart island” lighting area on the side grille and a magnetic back panel. These elements are carried over from the RX 9070 XT and offer a nice balance of style and functionality, especially when it comes to cable management. In terms of size, the RX 9070 is fairly large, measuring 330.8 x 128.5 x 65.68 mm and taking up 3.2 slots in your PC case. The card's total board power (TBP) is rated at 245W, with an additional 25W buffer, meaning it has enough power for intense gaming sessions and demanding workloads. The GPU core operates at a game frequency of 2700 MHz, a 180 MHz boost over its base clock, and can reach an acceleration frequency of 2210 MHz. These frequencies help deliver solid performance across a range of applications.

AMD is preparing to launch the Radeon PRO W9000 series workstation GPUs, which are expected to be showcased at the 2025 Taipei International Computer Show. These new cards will feature the Navi 48 XTW chip, part of AMD's RDNA 4 architecture, and will come with 32GB of GDDR6 memory. The decision to stick with a 32GB configuration instead of opting for larger memory sizes, like in previous generations, suggests that AMD is taking a more measured approach for its high-end workstation GPUs. The Navi 48 chip used in the W9000 series has a process area of 356mm², and while it's not clear if the XTW version of the chip will differ in size, it is likely that the professional-grade models will incorporate enhancements designed to better handle professional workloads. The W9000 series is expected to feature three different versions: XL, XT, and XTX. The XTX variant will contain 64 compute units (CUs), similar to the Radeon RX 9070 XT, a consumer-grade card. However, the XTW version of the W9000 series might include special optimizations, particularly for professional users, making it more suited for complex tasks such as 3D rendering, AI workloads, and scientific simulations.

LG Electronics released three new models in its UltraGear OLED GX9 series on April 3, 2025.

Western Digital has announced that it plans to launch a 40TB mechanical hard drive featuring HAMR (Thermal-Assisted Magnetic Recording) technology in the second half of 2026. This move aligns with the increasing demand for massive storage capacities, particularly in data centers that handle large volumes of data. Kimihiko Nishio, the sales manager for Western Digital Japan, shared this update in a recent interview with PC Watch. The manufacturing of these 40TB HAMR drives will require significant upgrades to Western Digital's existing production lines. These changes will be costly in the short term, which means that the initial price of these high-capacity drives may be relatively high. However, Nishio pointed out that as demand for ultra-large hard drives grows, manufacturing costs are expected to decrease over the next few years. This will likely result in lower prices for consumers in the future.