AMD seriously underestimated the competition... - Tech News Jan 28

Summary

This week's tech news covers the launches of Nvidia's RTX 4070 Ti Super and AMD's Radeon RX 7600 XT GPUs, receiving a middling reaction. Intel may be doing away with hyperthreading in next-gen CPUs for efficiency. The hit game 'Palworld' sold 8 million copies quickly but is under scrutiny for similarities to Pokémon. Microsoft laid off 1,900 Activision Blizzard employees after acquiring them. AMD delivered its first AI accelerator shipments to compete with Nvidia. Data center power usage is rapidly increasing, potentially resulting in more coal power.

Takeaways

• 😊 Nvidia launched the RTX 4070 Ti Super GPU, offering modest performance gains over the standard 4070 Ti.
• 📈 The RX 7600 XT GPU from AMD debuted, but may struggle to justify its $330 price tag.
• 🔎 Leaked Intel slides suggest doing away with hyperthreading in next-gen CPUs to improve efficiency.
• 😢 Microsoft laid off 1,900 employees from Activision Blizzard as part of acquisition fallout.
• 👍 AMD delivered its first Instinct MI300X accelerators for AI workloads, competing with Nvidia.
• 🔌 Data center power demand growing rapidly, could lead to increased coal power usage.
• 😠 HP CEO wants to make printing a subscription service, draws anti-consumer criticism.
• 🤑 Game 'Palworld' sold 8 million copies in 6 days, but faces potential legal issues for similarities to Pokémon.
• 🏆 Nvidia's upcoming RTX 4080 expected to appeal more to high-end builders than 4070 Ti Super.
• 👽 Intel teasing innovations like RibbonFET transistors and 'Power Via' for next-gen Arrow Lake CPUs.

Q & A

What new GPUs were announced by Nvidia and AMD?

Nvidia announced the RTX 4070 Ti Super and AMD announced the Radeon RX 7600 XT 16GB.

How did reviewers react to the RTX 4070 Ti Super launch?

The reaction was okay but middling, as the 4070 Ti non-Super was already tough to justify at $800. The new 16GB VRAM didn't excite reviewers.

What issue did some reviewers face with MSI's RTX 4070 Ti Super samples?

Early versions had an incorrectly tuned VBIOS which resulted in performance 5% lower than expected. MSI has since released a new VBIOS to fix it.

Why is the RX 7600 XT 16GB facing criticism?

At $330, it doesn't offer much performance uplift over the 8GB 7600 XT. Better options exist at the same or slightly higher price points like the RX 6700 XT.

What does Intel potentially doing away with hyperthreading in next-gen CPUs indicate?

It indicates Intel's focus on efficiency, as hyperthreading isn't always the most efficient. The hybrid P and E cores don't use hyperthreading either.

What are some of the key architectural changes coming in Arrow Lake-S?

It will use Intel's 20A 2nm process, ribbonFET transistors, Power Via backside power delivery, and the new LGA1851 platform.

How many Microsoft employees were laid off after the Activision Blizzard acquisition?

Around 1,900 employees, approximately 9% of the gaming division's headcount.

What concern is being raised about data center power usage?

It could triple in the next 5 years, driving the fastest increase in nationwide electricity demand since the 1990s.

Why did the CEO of HP make controversial remarks about printing?

He said HP wants to make printing subscription-based and require approved ink cartridges, which is anti-consumer.

What led to the runaway success of the game Palworld?

Its gameplay reminiscent of Pokemon games but with added guns, leading to 8+ million sales in 6 days.