News: Technology News

Apple launches new M4 Pro and M4 Max processors

Thu, 31 Oct 2024 03:38:04 +0000

With the announcement of new MacBook Pro laptops earlier today, Apple unveiled a duo of new high-performance processors. The new M4 Pro and M4 Max are now official, promising "more power than any AI PC chip."

The entire M4 processor family is built using second-generation three-nanometer technology for better performance and energy efficiency. They pack more cores, faster graphics, faster memory, Thunderbolt 5 support (not in the base M4 chip), and more.

The base M4 processor offers eight or ten CPU cores and 10-core graphics. According to Apple, the M4 is 1.8x faster than the M1 in apps like Safari and Excel. Also, the built-in graphics are two times faster in games and high-taxing apps. Another update in the M4 is support for up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports and 32GB of faster memory.

The M4 Pro can be specced with up to 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores. It boasts similar performance uplifts of roughly 1.9 times more power than the M1 Pro. Apple also says that the M4 Pro is 2.1 faster than "the latest AI PC chip," which, in this case, is the Intel Core Ultra 7 258V.

The M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory at 273Gbps. Another important addition is Thunderbolt 5 120Gbps support. It also enables up to three external monitor support.

Finally, at the top of the line sits the M4 Max with up to 16 processor cores, 40 graphics cores, and 128GB of RAM at 546GBps. It is 2.2 times faster than the M1 Max and 2.5 times faster than the Core Ultra 7 258V.

	M4	M4 Pro	M4 Max
Processor	Up to 10 cores	Up to 14 cores	Up to 16 cores
Graphics	10 cores	Up to 20 cores	Up to 40 cores
Memory	Up to 32GB	Up to 64GB	Up to 128GB
Memory speed	120Gbps	273Gbps	546Gbps
Connectivity	Thunderbolt 4	Thunderbolt 5
Display support	2x external monitor	3x external monitor

Despite the immense horsepower, Apple's new processors are the most efficient to date. Apple says technology improvement enabled it to increase battery life for up to 24 hours on a single charge and reduce energy consumption on the new iMac and Mac mini.

M4-powered Macs and MacBooks will go on sale on November 8, 2024.

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Dragon Age: The story so far — a full recap of the games before The Veilguard

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:32:50 +0000

From Origins to Trespasser, catch up on the story of the Dragon Age saga before heading into The Veilguard.

The world of Thedas beckons.

The next entry in BioWare and Electronic Arts' long-running Dragon Age series is finally with us, and its arrival comes 10 years after its predecessor. With such a long gap between launches, it's safe to say some players haven't gone through the whole series in a while, even as total newcomers are curious about all the excitement.

After you're done reading this, you'll be caught up and ready to dive into Dragon Age: The Veilguard. No matter if you're an accomplished Grey Warden looking to refresh your memory about a particular event or a brand new player eager to catch up on the stories of the past, I've got you covered.

Before we begin

Shale just wants us to get on with the violence already.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

First off, I'm not going to recap other supplementary media outside of the games, but I will say you really should read some of the books, short stories, and the animated Dragon Age: Absolution series on Netflix if you get a chance. They tell additional stories or flesh out character backgrounds, throwing new breadcrumbs into the mix, but they aren't a part of the core narrative experience in the games.

Second, while the Dragon Age games aren't as interconnected as something like the Mass Effect trilogy, ultimately, this is a franchise about choice. Players take actions and make decisions, with these choices rippling out in major or minor ways that are usually respected in future games. Because there's no way to account for every single one of these choices and have this article not read like the scrawling of a hyperfixated madman, I'm going to be sticking to the most basic facts that advance the plot in this retelling, mentioning possibilities where relevant but ultimately proceeding with what absolutely happens (in DLC as well as the base game), no matter what.

With all that in mind, let's dive in.

Dragon Age: Origins

King Cailan of Ferelden is going to get his wish. Just not the way he wanted.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

First released in 2009, Dragon Age: Origins is currently playable on Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles via backward compatibility. If you're going to play on PC, be sure to consult my .

Let's set the scene

Dragon Age: Origins kicks off in the year 9:30 Dragon, with the order of the Grey Wardens sighting a horde of dangerous, underground-dwelling Darkspawn in the nation of Ferelden on the continent of Thedas. Believing a Blight to be underway — an event in which Darkspawn swarm the surface, guided by a dragon-esque monster called an Archdemon — the Grey Wardens, who are sworn to fight the Darkspawn, begin recruiting and laying plans for battle.

The Chantry, a large religious order in Thedas, teaches that the Darkspawn began when human mages tried physically breaching into heaven, with their sin turning the Golden City black, and they themselves became the first Darkspawn. The Chantry further teaches that the Archdemons are the former Old Gods of Tevinter, a rival nation of Ferelden that once ruled the world in an empire and still allows slavery.

Duncan, commander of the Grey Wardens in Ferelden, ends up recruiting an unsuspecting hero — the custom player character — possibly a human noble or mage, a dwarven noble or commoner, an elven commoner, or even a tribal-based elf known as one of the Dalish. This Hero of Ferelden accompanies Duncan to the keep of Ostagar in southern Thedas, where they meet the Warden Alistair, as well as King Cailan Theirin of Ferelden and his war hero general Teryn (duke) Loghain Mac Tir, with the latter having formerly helped Cailan's father Maric free Ferelden from the control of its powerful neighbor, Orlais.

The truth about the Grey Wardens and a major betrayal

Alistair issues a dire warning on witches and frogs.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Ahead of the battle, Duncan has Alistair, the Hero of Ferelden, and other Warden recruits head out into the surrounding Korcari Wilds to gather Darkspawn blood and a handful of old treaties that allow Grey Wardens to demand aid from various factions in times of emergency. While acquiring these items, the group of mostly-aspiring Wardens meet a witch named Morrigan and her mother, Flemeth, both of whom are referred to as Witches of the Wilds.

During a ceremony, Duncan reveals to the Hero of Ferelden that Grey Wardens pay a price to become what they are. In a ritual called the Joining, Grey Warden recruits drink the magically-treated blood of Darkspawn. Many die from this, but those that survive are changed, able to sense the Darkspawn and immune to their corruption. This corruption normally kills everything it touches, painfully twisting animals and sentient beings alike into ghouls. While the other recruits die from the Joining or execution after attempted desertion, the Hero of Ferelden survives and becomes a true Grey Warden.

The Grey Wardens and the forces of King Cailan meet the Darkspawn in battle. At a pivotal moment, Loghain ignores the signal fire calling for him to flank the horde. Loghain and his army depart, leaving King Cailin, Duncan, and their army to die, though Alistair and the Hero of Ferelden are rescued by Flemeth. The two young Wardens decide that in order to get justice against Loghain and stop the Darkspawn, they'll need to build an army with the treaties they recovered. The pair set off, while Flemeth sends Morrigan with them, with the group possibly picking up allies like the Chantry bard Leliana and the Qunari warrior Sten in the village of Lothering, as well as the golem Shale in a small place called Honnleath. They also rescue a dwarf father and son, Bodahn and Sandal, with the former aiding around camp as a merchant and the latter helping enchant weapons.

Civil war and alliances

A Darkspawn ogre roars after killing King Cailan at the Battle of Ostagar. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Meanwhile, Loghain returns to the capital of Denerim, declaring himself regent for his daughter Queen Anora Mac Tir, wife of the late King Cailan. Loghain's actions splinter Ferelden into civil war, with many Banns and Arls (roughly equivalent to real-world minor lords and barons, respectively) engaging Loghain and his ally Arl Rendon Howe in battle. Ferelden is ravaged due to the in-fighting, which often concludes only right before the Darkspawn arrive and render a battle pointless.

The Hero of Ferelden and their allies head to the Tower of Magi, host of Ferelden's Circle, a strict order that all magic users in most of Thedas are required to attend due to the risk of mages being possessed by demons. At the tower, the Hero of Ferelden discovers utter chaos, with most of the tower being overrun by abominations (demon-possessed mages).

The Templars, a military arm of the Chantry assigned to carefully watch mages for signs of corruption, have sealed the building off and are working to obtain the Right of Annulment, an order that allows them to kill off an entire Circle because of demonic possession. Fighting through the tower, the Hero of Ferelden faces numerous demonic challenges and kills Uldred, a blood mage (a mage practicing illegal magic that uses blood for power) possessed by a Pride Demon, who rebelled after Loghain promised him certain freedoms in exchange for loyalty. The Hero of Ferelden either personally purges the remaining mages or saves their innocent leadership, resulting in either the Templars or the mages committing to help fight the Darkspawn.

Routing out dark magic with ally help

The Hero of Ferelden fights a powerful Pride Demon.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

This eclectic gaggle also reaches Redcliffe Village, where Arl Eamon Guerrin resides, reasoning that because Eamon was Cailan's uncle and was not able to bring his troops to the battle of Ostagar, he still has a standing army at his call that he'll be willing to use against Loghain. The Hero of Ferelden finds Castle Redcliffe infested with undead however, host to zombified warriors that attack the nearby Redcliffe Village.

Fighting through the castle, the Hero of Ferelden discovers that Eamon is in a coma, having been poisoned by a blood mage named Jowan, on orders from Loghain. Worse yet, this blood mage had been hired in secret by Eamon's wife Isolde in order to teach their son Connor magic outside of the Circle. As an untrained magical youth, Connor accidentally made a deal with a Desire Demon, with the demon keeping Eamon alive in exchange for being allowed to possess the young boy and grow an undead army.

The Hero of Ferelden possibly kills the boy, or has a mage enter the Fade (the realm of spirits and demons, where most races go when they sleep) in order to fight the demon directly. To power this intense spell, Isolde either gives up her life in a blood magic ritual, or (if the mages were saved) mages from the Circle use a vast amount of magical Lyrium to enable the spell. One way or another, the demon is dealt with, but Eamon remains comatose.

Desperate for something that can wake and heal Eamon, the group seeks out the legend of the Urn of Sacred Ashes, an urn that supposedly holds the ashes of the prophet Andraste, a warrior revered by the Chantry as the bride of the Maker, creator of all. Tracking the legend to the isolated village of Haven, the group discovers a cult that believes Andraste has been reincarnated in the form of a massive High Dragon, and that her ashes need to be defiled in order to allow her to truly ascend.

The Urn of Sacred Ashes.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Ascending the Frostback Mountains and reaching a hidden temple, the Hero of Ferelden either aids the cult or kills them. After making it through a gauntlet of tests and traps, the hero and friends end up taking a pinch of the magical ashes. Returning to Redcliffe, these ashes prove to be indeed miraculous, healing Eamon, who vows to help after he learns of Loghain's treachery and the Darkspawn threat.

The group survives an ambush attack by assassins hired by Loghain and Howe, possibly accepting the defeated Antivan Crow Zevran Arainai into their merry band. Heading to the Brecilian Forest, the group locates a tribe of Dalish elves. The elves' seemingly immortal Keeper (leader) Zathrian explains that they are under attack by a pack of werewolves. Investigating further, it becomes apparent to the Hero of Ferelden that these werewolves are only attacking because they want the curse they are afflicted with to be lifted.

Hundreds of years ago, Zathrian's son was tortured and killed by a group of humans, while his daughter was raped and left for dead, later taking her own life. In order to avenge them, Zathrian cursed the humans and all their descendants, binding his own life to the curse. The Hero of Ferelden possibly wipes out the werewolves or the elves, or may negotiate peace, convincing Zathrian to lift the curse at the cost of his life. As a result, the army is reinforced with the addition of a pack of werewolves or squads of Dalish elves.

The werewolves parley with the Hero of Ferelden.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

The group now turns its attention to the underground dwarf city of Orzammar. The dwarves are unable to help because their king recently died, with the Assembly (a group of dwarf nobles that vote) deadlocked between two candidates: The late king's progressive but ruthless son Bhelen Aeducan, or his conservative but kindly advisor Pyral Harrowmount.

The Hero of Ferelden seeks out the Paragon Branka, with her vote as a respected embodiment of dwarf culture able to break the deadlock. Branka disappeared alongside her house years ago, seeking out the ancient Anvil of the Void of the Paragon Caradin, who once crafted the powerful golems that dwarfs use to fight the Darkspawn. This search takes the Hero of Ferelden into the Deep Roads, a series of vast underground tunnels that once connected the ancient dwarf empire, now fallen to Darkspawn. The Hero of Ferelden is aided by Oghren, a perpetually-drunk dwarf berserker once married to Branka.

Fighting through tunnel after tunnel filled with Darkspawn, the group discovers and kills a horrifying Broodmother. Some of the women captured by Darkspawn in raids are forced to eat dead Darkspawn, and while most become feral ghouls like men, a tiny handful get very hungry, with repeated cannibalism and violation triggering a horrific transformation into a Broodmother, a swollen mass of flesh and tentacles constantly spewing out Darkspawn. The group also discovers that Branka intentionally allowed the women of her house to be captured, in the hopes that one or more would become Broodmothers that would be produce Darkspawn to tests traps around the Anvil of the Void.

The Hero of Ferelden's party fights a nightmarish Broodmother.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Pressing on the Anvil of the Void, the group learns that Caridin is still alive as a golem, in a stand-off with Branka. Caridin reveals that the Anvil requires life, and while at first he only used volunteers to create golems, he was pressured to put political dissidents and petty criminals on the Anvil as well, eventually refusing and being forced into a golem himself. The Hero of Ferelden either aids Caridin and promises to destroy the Anvil, or aids Branka and promises to preserve it so new golems can be crafted.

Whichever master smith is aided forges a crown to be given to the new king of Orzammar, with the Hero of Ferelden and company heading back to the city and endorsing either Bhelen or Harrowmount. Either way, Orzammar has a king again who promises to send the dwarven army up to the surface to fight the Darkspawn.

At some point, Alistair also reveals to the Hero of Ferelden that Grey Wardens are only immune to the Darkspawn taint for a while. After enough time passes (usually under 30 years, but it's different for every Warden) they start hearing the call of the Old Gods, and in order to avoid losing themselves and becoming a ghoul, Wardens embark on The Calling, a ritual in which they go to the Deep Roads and kill Darkspawn threatening the dwarves until they fall in combat.

The Hero of Ferelden also gets involved in the personal problems of their party, learning that Alistair is actually Cailan's half-brother and the bastard son of their father Maric, and thus, a possible heir to the throne of Ferelden. Morrigan also learns from her mother's grimoire that her mother is impossibly old and unnaturally extends her lifespan by possessing her daughters, possibly causing the Hero of Ferelden to kill Flemeth, who takes the form of a massive dragon.

If challenged, Flemeth assumes the form of a massive dragon.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Arriving in Denerim, the group investigates Loghain's plans while Eamon calls for a Landsmeet, a political gathering that allows Ferelden's nobility to sort out problems. Close examinations reveal more of Loghain's crimes, including abducting Templars and allowing non-Dalish elves — who are treated like second-class citizens in most of Thedas, forced to live in slums called Alienages — to be sold into slavery by mages from Tevinter. Loghain is also revealed to have refused aid from Orlais, and kidnapped an Orlesian Grey Warden named Riordan, who is rescued and joins forces with the Hero of Ferelden, with Loghain's conspirator Howe being killed by the Hero of Ferelden.

At the Landsmeet, no matter what approach is taken, things turn to violence, with Loghain being defeated in a duel. Riordan suggests the general's life be spared and have him be forced to go through the Joining, while Alistair demands his death to avenge Cailan and Duncan. Depending on what happens, Alistair may be elected the new king and marry Anora, rule alone, or rule and marry the Hero of Ferelden. Anora may also rule alone or married to the Hero of Ferelden. No matter what, Ferelden's new royalty commits to taking the assembled army and killing the Darkspawn.

Riordan then reveals a dark secret to the Hero of Ferelden. The reason Grey Wardens are required to combat the Blight is because Archdemons are immortal unless slain by a Grey Warden. Normally, if an Archdemon is killed, the Old God's corrupted soul is transferred to the nearest Darkspawn, and the twisted dragon is reborn. If a Grey Warden kills an Archdemon, their souls collide and explode, killing both of them permanently.

Morrigan then approaches the Hero of Ferelden, revealing that she has a loophole in the form of a dark ritual. While the Archdemon's soul will kill a full Grey Warden, the unborn child of a Warden would be able to safely absorb the soul without problems. Morrigan proposes sleeping with the Hero of Ferelden or their Grey Warden companion (either Alistair or Loghain) in order to keep anyone from dying. In exchange, she wishes to then depart and never be followed.

A wounded Archdemon fights in Denerim.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Regardless of whether or not Morrigan's ritual is accepted, the Grey Wardens and their assembled army fight the Darkspawn horde, clashing in the streets of Denerim. Leaping atop the Archdemon, Riordan is able to cripple the creature, slashing out one of its wings and forcing it to land, but then falls to his death. After a fierce fight, the Wardens are victorious.

If Morrigan's ritual was accepted, then the Hero of Ferelden slays the Archdemon and remains unscathed. If not, then one of the Wardens (the Hero of Ferelden, Alistair, or Loghains) lands the final blow, killing the monster but also losing their own life.

No matter what, the Fifth Blight ends in 9:31 Dragon, just a year after it began.

Dragon Age: Origins Awakening

Oghren is enthusiastic at joining the Grey Wardens.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

The Dragon Age: Origins - Awakening expansion opens six months after the events of Dragon Age: Origins. Despite the end of the Blight, Darkspawn activity is reported near Amaranthine, causing a Grey Warden to be dispatched to take control of the fortress of Vigil's Keep. This Warden-Commander might be the Hero of Ferelden, or it could be a new Orlesian Grey Warden.

The Warden-Commander arrives at Vigil's Keep to find it overrun by Darkspawn. Fighting through the chaos, the Warden-Commander discovers some survivors, including the dwarf Oghren, who traveled up to volunteer for the Grey Wardens. The keep is taken back, but not before the Warden-Commander encounters a talking Darkspawn who speaks cryptically of a master.

Oghren is inducted into the Grey Wardens, surviving the Joining with ease. Other possible recruits include an apostate (on the run) mage named Anders, as well as Nathaniel Howe, son of the late Arl Howe. The Warden-Commander investigates the resurgent Darkspawn, heading to the abandoned dwarven thaig (city) of Kal'Hirol. There, they meet Sigrun, a member of the Legion of the Dead — a group of dwarves that vow to fight the Darkspawn and are open to even the casteless, the lowest members of dwarf society.

Sigrun is a member of the Legion of the Dead.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Sigrun helps the Warden-Commander cut through Kal'Hirol, discovering more talking Darkspawn, referred to as Disciples. The Darkspawn are also discovered to be in the middle of a civil war, with two factions loyal to figures referred to as the Architect and the Mother, the latter of which commands a strange new breed of bug-like Darkspawn called the Children. The Warden-Commander also kills a cluster of Broodmothers being used to produce an army, possibly recruiting Sigrun into the Grey Wardens.

Heading to the Wending Wood forest where merchants are being attacked, the Warden-Commander discovers a Dalish elf mage named Velanna. After her sister Seranni disappeared and a large number of their tribe were killed, Velanna was led to believe humans were responsible, causing her to attack caravans in reprisal. After being convinced that humans aren't to blame but that instead it was Darkspawn that committed the attack Velanna and the Warden-Commander investigate a nearby mine, where they are taken captive by the Architect, a strange Darkspawn who speaks eloquently.

The Warden-Commander and their allies are able to break free thanks to Seranni, who is working for the Architect. Following their escape, Velanna also possibly joins the ranks of the Grey Wardens.

The mysterious Architect.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Following the trail of a Grey Warden named Kristoff who has disappeared, the Warden-Commander investigates the Blackmarsh, an eerie swamp where the Veil separating the physical world from the Fade has been damaged. They discover that Kristoff has been killed by a Darkspawn Disciple serving the Mother, who triggers a trap that draws them all into the Fade. Exploring the Fade reveals a Spirit of Justice who is trying to rally a number of of former townsfolk against a baroness who once ruled the Blackmarsh.

Allying with Justice, the Warden-Commander fights the baroness, being drawn back into the physical world and discovering that she is actually a powerful Pride Demon. Because everyone is pulled out of the Fade, Justice is unwillingly forced to possess the corpse of Kristoff after killing the baroness, agreeing to help the Grey Wardens as he has no way back to his home in the Fade.

News reaches the Warden-Commander that the Mother is planning a massive attack on the city of Amaranthine. Upon reaching the city, the Warden-Commander is reached by a Disciple of the Architect, who explains that the attack on Amaranthine is a diversion, and that the Mother's main army is headed to Vigil's Keep. The Warden-Commander either decides to save the city of Amaranthine or burns it down to head back to Vigil's Keep.

The nightmarish Children.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Either way, the Warden-Commander then seeks out the Mother's lair under the Dragonbone Wastes, an ancient resting place for dying dragons. The Warden-Commander reaches the lair and is stopped by the Architect, who tries to explain his actions. The Architect reveals that the fighting between his forces and the Wardens has been the result of a terrible misunderstanding, and that he is trying to free the Darkspawn race from service to the Old Gods.

The Architect has discovered a process by which Darkspawn drinking Grey Warden blood — a logarithmic spiral reciprocation of the Joining — are freed, able to speak and think for themselves. He tried the process on the Mother, a Broodmother that was once human. Once freed, the horrors of what she endured and what she has become are too much for the Mother to handle, causing her to go mad and gather followers, hoping that when the Architect is killed she'll be able to hear the song of the Old Gods again.

The Warden-Commander either accepts the Architect's offer of peace or slays him, proceeding down to the Mother. If the Architect is alive, the Mother reveals that it was actually him that caused the Fifth Blight. Finding the slumbering Old God Urthemiel, the Architect tried to use his reverse-Joining process, hoping that doing so on an Old God would cause the entire Darkspawn race to be free. Instead, for unknown reasons, it merely woke the Old God up, who twisted into an Archdemon and began gathering Darkspawn for a Blight.

The Warden-Commander confronts the Mother.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

After a fierce battle, the Mother is slain, with the Darkspawn retreating once more to the Deep Roads.

Dragon Age: Origins The Golems of Amgarrak

The horrifying Harvesters.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Picking up just after the events of Awakening, the Warden-Commander is asked to investigate a mysterious incident by the dwarf Jerrik Dace, whose house went missing when they tried uncovering the secrets of the forgotten thaig Amgarrak. This thaig excelled at experimenting on golems, improving their defences and granting them limited magical abilities.

While investigating, the Warden-Commander and Jerrik find the inhabitants slaughtered, while Jerrik's traumatized brother Brogan is found ranting about the horrors lurking nearby. Further examination of the thaig reveals that the dwarfs there allied with Tevinter blood mages to try and create golems of flesh, using the bodies of castless as the material. Binding a spirit to the flesh golem, the creature immediately went mad, butchering everyone inside and gathering more flesh to make itself stronger.

After an absolutely brutal battle, this Harvester is defeated, with the damage inflicted by the fight causing the Thaig to collapse. The Warden-Commander, Jerrik, and Brogan manage to escape, but are unaware that there are dozens upon dozens of other Harvesters lurking in the ruins.

Dragon Age: Origins Witch Hunt

The Warden and Morrigan.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

In 9:32 Dragon, a year after the end of the Fifth Blight (and months after the events of Awakening and Golems of Amgarrak) the Warden-Commander hears rumors that Morrigan has been spotted. Investigating these rumors leads the Warden-Commander to Flemeth's old hut, where they meet a Dalish elf named Ariane trying to get back a book stolen from her tribe by Morrigan.

The search continues at the Tower of Magi, where the duo find an apprentice mage named Finn, who helps them realize that Morrigan is after something called an Eluvian, a type of magic mirror once used by ancient elves to communicate and traverse great distances with ease. Tracking down shards of Eluvians and ancient elven lanterns called the Lights of Arlathan, the trio is able to locate an intact Eluvian in the Dragonbone Wastes. After defeating an ancient elven beast called a Varterral, the trio descend under the wastes, catching up with Morrigan at an Eluvian.

Morrigan is cryptic, but explains that she has to prepare because great changes are coming to the world and she has to be outside of Ferelden. If her Dark Ritual is completed, she confirms that she has a son. Morrigan also warns that she was wrong about her mother Flemeth, and that Flemeth is so much more powerful and dangerous than she ever imagined, stating that Flemeth is not even truly human. If the Hero of Ferelden killed Flemeth, she adds that it won't be permanent.

Following this exchange, Morrigan disappears through the Eluvian.

Dragon Age 2

Varric Tethras is about to have a very bad decade.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

First released in 2011, Dragon Age 2 is currently playable on Windows PC and Xbox Series X|S consoles via backward compatibility.

Dragon Age 2 opens in media res in 9:40 Dragon, with a dwarf named Varric Tethras being interrogated by Cassandra Pentaghast the Seeker, an order of the Chantry above the Templars that investigates the Chantry itself for corruption. Cassandra is under the impression that someone referred to as The Champion understands why the world has been thrown into chaos. Varric starts at the beginning, explaining the story of the Champion's origins and history.

In 9:30 Dragon, shortly after the Battle of Ostagar, a young human man or woman named referred by their last name of Hawke flees the town of Lothering alongside their brother Carver, sister Bethany, and mother Leandra. The family fights through Darkspawn, meeting a soldier named Aveline and her Templar husband, Wesley, with the former forced to mercy kill the latter after he's become infected by the Blight.

After being attacked by a particularly large number of Darkspawn, either Bethany or Carver is killed by an ogre. After Hawke kills the ogre, the group is rescued by a High Dragon swooping down and burning or crushing the remaining Darkspawn. The dragon is revealed to be Flemeth, whose curiosity has been piqued. In exchange for taking a strange amulet to a particular Dalish Keeper, Flemeth agrees to escort the group safely to the coast, where they can then sail across the Waking Sea to the free city of Kirkwall, where the Hawke family has an estate.

Flemeth, in the form of a dragon, saves Hawke.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Weeks later, the group arrives in Kirkwall, where they learn the city is being flooded by refugees fleeing the Darkspawn in Ferelden. Worse, Leanda's brother Gamlen has gambled away the estate, forcing Hawke to work as a smuggler or mercenary in order to get everyone into the city. Shortly after this, a group of Qunari warriors and their leader, the Arishok, end up stranded after becoming shipwrecked off the coast. The Qunari are allowed to stay in a compound in Kirkwall, but their presence vastly raises tensions within the city due to their dogmatic following of the Qun, which is something of a religious motivation and legal code all in one.

A year later in the twilight weeks of 9:31 Dragon, (shortly after the events of Awakening), Hawke and their sibling desperately need money to keep the Templars off their back and are trying to join an expedition into the Deep Roads being held by the dwarf Bartrand Tethras. Bartrand doesn't want them, but the pair come up with a plan after a chance encounter with Bartrand's brother Varric, who convinces the duo to raise money doing odd jobs and become full partners in the expedition, not just hired muscle.

The siblings begin working with Varric, doing jobs for Aveline, who rapidly becomes captain of the guard thanks to spotting corruption in her superior. The group possibly makes acquaintances with a sultry pirate captain named Isabela, who is looking for a relic she lost in order to keep some foes off her back. They may also run into Fenris, a former elf slave who escaped from Tevinter magisters and has unique abilities due to being tattooed with Lyrium. Another possible member of the crew is Sebastian Vael, the prince of Starkhaven, another of the so-called Free Cities.

Flemeth is cheating death, just in case.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

They also keep their promise to Flemeth, carrying the amulet out to a Dalish tribe, where the Keeper tells them to take her apprentice Merrill, who has been dabbling in blood magic. Taking the amulet to a specific ritual site causes Flemeth to be reborn, where she explains that the amulet was a bit of magical back-up in case her daughter Morrigan tried something.

Hawke and friends continue undergoing odd jobs, becoming embroiled in a plot by a Chantry member to get a Qunari mage killed, as well as helping a Templar who is trying to stop a serial killer targeting well-off but lonely women. They also secure maps to the Deep Roads from Anders, now on the run from the Grey Wardens and working as healer in the city's slums. Anders is revealed to have accidentally become a quasi-abomination, having merged with Justice. Anders' anger and frustration at the way mages are treated has warped Justice, causing them to become something new entirely called Vengeance.

After raising the money for the expedition, Hawke and possibly their sibling set out with Varric and Bartrand. The group makes its way underground, with Hawke and Varric discovering an ancient idol made of a strange red Lyrium. The idol has a strange effect on Bartrand, causing him to take it away and try abandoning Varric and Hawke to their deaths. Fighting past Darkspawn and Rock Wraiths (demons that have become bound in stone) Varric and Hawke discover a fair bit of treasure. On the way back to the surface, if Hawke's sibling was brought along, they fall sick due to becoming infected with the Blight. If Anders accompanied the group into the Deep Roads, he's able to point out a group of Grey Wardens led by a senior Warden named Stroud, who inducts the sick sibling in order to save their life. If not, the sibling dies.

The Arishok and Qunari aren't settling into Kirkwall well.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Back in Kirkwall, there's no sign of Bartrand, but the wealth found by Hawke allows them to reclaim the old family estate. If Hawke's sibling wasn't taken to the Deep Roads, they are lost all the same, as Bethany is found out and brought to the Circle for being an illegal mage, while an angry Carver joins the Templars. No matter what, Hawke and their mother are now alone.

Varric's narration then skips ahead to 9:34 Dragon. By this point, Hawke is a known noble in the city, but things are getting worse, with more and more mages and Templars at each others' throats, with blood magic users and Templars kidnapping and killing each other. The Kirkwall Chantry's Grand Cleric Elthina tries to keep the peace, but issues pile up. The continued Qunari presence continues to exacerbate issues, with Viscount Dumar (the ruler of the city) losing his son Saemus when Petrice kidnaps and kills him for converting to the Qun. Hawke and Varric also track down Bartrand, who has been driven completely mad by the idol, but sold it to an unknown woman.

Tragedy further strikes when Hawke's mother Leandra is abducted by a blood mage named Quentin, the serial killer Hawke tried to find years earlier. Quentin has cut Leanda and other women into pieces, stitching together some of their body parts in a horrifying attempt to recreate his lost wife, sharing his research with a mysterious benefactor named O. Quentin is killed and Hawke says goodbye to Leandra, meaning Hawke has now lost almost all of their family.

Hawke, Aveline, Fenris, and Isabela discover Quentin's work.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Things explode when Aveline and Isabela both demand Hawke's aid, as Isabela finally reveals to Hawke that the relic she's been trying to get back is the same reason the Qunari won't leave, as she stole their sacred Tome of Koslun. Aveline, meanwhile, needs Hawke's help in negotiating with the Arishok over elven murderers that have converted to the Qun, as Hawke may have previously earned the Arishok's respect when handling a number of jobs. The elves converted because their sister was raped, but their cries for justice went unanswered because the perpetrator was a human in the city guard.

No matter what Hawke does, the Qunari strike, deciding the chaos and squalor of the city can only be purged with blood. The Templars under Knight-Commander Meredith and the mages under First Enchanter Orsino rally, aiding Hawke in fighting the Qunari and reaching the keep, where the Arishok has beheaded Dumar for his inaction. The confrontation can go one of many ways, with Isabela possibly returning with the Tome of Koslun if she and Hawke are friends or lovers. Hawke might duel the Arishok, or turn Isabela over. One way or another, the Qunari leave the city.

Years later in 9:37 Dragon, Hawke and their sibling (if said sibling is still alive) track down a trail of assassins, as members of the Dwarven Carta have been seeking their blood. The trail leads to a mostly-abandoned Grey Warden fortress, where Hawke learns that their father Malcolm Hawke worked for the Grey Wardens (despite not being one) and helped them imprison someone named Corypheus.

Corypheus is freed from his prison.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Some of the Grey Wardens want to free Corypheus and use him as a weapon, while another wants to kill him. Either way, Corypheus is freed via Hawke's blood and revealed to be a talking Darkspawn of similar appearance to the Architect. Corypheus reveals he is an ancient Tevinter magister, one that helped breach into the Golden City and is thus one of the original Darkspawn, being impossibly old. After a fierce battle, Corypheus is seemingly killed, but the surviving Grey Warden accompanying Hawke acts strangely before departing.

Back in Kirkwall, Meredith and Orsino continuing to boil in tension, with the former assuming power over the city in lieu of a Viscount, hunting down mages with even a whiff of corruption. A poorly-executed plot to overthrow Meredith by renegade mages and Templars pushes things to the brink. While Grand Cleric Elthina has previously been able to talk the two sides down and maintain peace, that option is snatched away.

The Kirkwall Chantry is obliterated by a magic bomb, instantly killing Elthina and her supports. This bomb was placed by Anders, who claims he removed the option of peace in order to force mages to fight for their freedom. With every cool head picked off one by one over the years, Meredith invokes the Right of Annulment, calling for the death of every mage in Kirkwall. Hawke elects to help Meredith or Orsino, possibly allowing Anders to live and help clean up the situation, exiling him, or executing him on the spot. If Hawke's sibling is still alive, they rejoin them for this one last fight.

Meredith faces Hawke in combat.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

No matter which side Hawke is on, battle sees numerous Templar and mage deaths. In despair at the situation, Orsino reveals he has secretly been studying blood magic, and is in fact the "O" that was supporting Quentin years ago. Taking the bodes of fallen mages, Orsino turns into a Harvester, blindly striking out at everyone before being put down by Hawke.

Meredith now turns her suspicions against Hawke no matter which side they took, alarming her Templars when she reveals a massive sword powered by the Red Lyrium idol. The Templars under Knight-Captain Cullen (her second-in-command) stand down, seeing how she's lost her mind. Using the magical blade to bring the statues around Kirkwall to life, Meredith is stopped by Hawke after she pushes too hard, with the idol transforming her into a statue of red Lyrium.

If Hawke aided the Templars, then they serve as Viscount for a short time to try and clean up the mess. If they aided the mages, then they leave immediately. Either way, Varric reveals that the group has split up, with the survivors scattering in the aftermath of the disaster, and that he doesn't know where Hawke is. Departing, Cassandra talks to another agent, Leliana, noting that (if they are still alive) the Hero of Ferelden has also disappeared. The Circles of Magi have rebelled around the world after hearing of what happened at Kirkwall, while the Templars have broken away from the Chantry.

Thedas is plunged into war...

Dragon Age: Inquisition

The Inquisitor can seal Rifts that have torn the Veil.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

First released in 2014, Dragon Age: Inquisition is currently playable on Windows PC, as well as Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5 consoles via backward compatibility.

In 9:41 Dragon, a Divine Summit is called, with Divine Justinia (head of the Orlesian Chantry) organizing peace talks between the mages and Templars at the Temple of Sacred Ashes, when a sudden explosion obliterates the summit, killing most of the attendees. The explosion opens a giant Breach in the sky, allowing demons to pour through, as well as causing dozens of far tinier Rifts (tears) all across Thedas.

Staggering out from the ruins miraculously unscathed is a survivor (possibly a man or woman, and possibly a human, dwarf, elf, or Qunari), an individual titled the Herald of Andraste because of their survival and because of the strange green mark on their hand, allowing them to close the tears in the Veil. The Herald of Andraste is recruited by Cassandra and Leliana, alongside the former Templar Cullen, who have all also recruited Varric to help, as well as a elven apostate named Solas who is quite knowledgeable about the Fade and spirits. Together, the group reestablishes the Inquisition, an order separate from the Chantry that will protect the world, no matter what it takes.

Closing Rifts and rescuing villages from demons, the Herald of Andraste gathers allies, possibly including the Qunari mercenary known as Iron Bull, an elven rogue named Sera, a strange Grey Warden warrior named Blackwall, and an Orlesian mage named Vivienne. The Herald also pursues the renegade mages and Templars in search of support for closing the Rift, eventually deciding to focus on getting one particular group.

Solas, an elf mage who is hiding some big secrets.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

If the mages are recruited, the Herald of Andraste solves a time travel plot by the magister Alexius, a member of the Venatori — a cult of Tevinter magisters seeking to restore the old Tevinter Imperium — while also recruiting another mage named Dorian. The Templars, meanwhile, are mostly corrupted into monsters referred to as Red Templars. If the Templars are instead recruited, the Herald of Andraste stops the plot by a mysterious being to corrupt the Templars into Red Templars, killing a powerful Envy Demon and recruiting a strange spirit in human form named Cole. Meanwhile, the Venatori is flush with new recruits drawn from the renegade mages.

With either the Templars or mages providing aid, the Herald of Andraste is able to seal the Breach in the sky. Victory is short-lived, as either Cole or Dorian (whichever was not recruited) runs to the party in the town of Haven, revealing that an army composed of mostly either Red Templars or Venatori mages is on the way. The army is revealed to be led by Corypheus, who has an Archdemon-like dragon serving him. The group takes casualties, with Corypheus revealing to the Herald of Andraste that the green mark on their arm, the Anchor, was meant to be used by him to assault heaven itself.

"Beg that I succeed, for I have seen the throne of the gods, and it was empty," he intones.

Corypheus tries to use a strange elven orb to remove the Anchor, but is unsuccessful. The Herald of Andraste is able to save their friends by triggering an avalanche with a trebuchet, burying a chunk of Corypheus' forces. Staggering through the snow, the burgeoning companions miraculously survive, with the group making its way to the ancient mountaintop fortress of Skyhold. Here, the ancient Inquisition is officially reborn in force, with the Herald of Andraste nominated as its head, the Inquisitor.

Corypheus is back, and more powerful than ever.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

To Cassandra's consternation, Varric reveals that he actually does know where Hawke is, bringing them in since they've previously faced Corypheus. Hawke shares what they know with the Inquisitor before consulting with a Grey Warden contact —possibly Loghain, Alistair, or Stroud — who reveals that the Orlesian Grey Wardens are being tricked into thinking they're all hearing The Calling, which is likely the result of Corypheus manipulating them. Investigating further, the group learns that these Wardens are resorting to desperate measures, working with the Venatori to bind an army of demons using blood magic.

The Inquisition assaults the Grey Wardens at Adamant Fortress in order to stop the plot. While successful in interrupting the Grey Wardens binding demons, an attack from Corypheus' dragon results in the Inquisitor, Hawke, and the Grey Warden contact being pulled physically into the Fade. There, the group discovers that one of the demons the Wardens attempted to bind is called Nightmare, an extraordinarily powerful demon that feeds on the fears of people across the continent, with a swarm of Fear demons in the shape of spiders at its beck and call.

Aided by a friendly spirit, the Inquisitor has missing memories restored, learning that interrupted Corypheus' ritual in the Temple of Sacred Ashes, causing the orb to release a tremendous amount of energy and grafting the Anchor on their arm. The group is able to injure Nightmare, with either Hawke or the Grey Warden contact sacrificing themselves so the others can escape.

Recovering from this loss, the Inquisitor either exiles the Grey Wardens from Orlais or enlists their aid in stopping Corypheus. From there, the group attends a party being held by the Orlesian Empress Celene at her Winter Palace, who is holding peace negotiations to end a civil war wracking her country, seeking a resolution with her cousin Gaspard and the aid of an elven spymaster named Briala, who is also her former lover. Learning of a credible threat to assassinate the Empress, the Inquisitor is forced to navigate the dangers of the Orlesian court, with grand politics and protocol referred to as the Game. With multiple possible outcomes that might see Celene assassinated, victorious, or blackmailed alongside Gaspard and Briala, the Inquisition manages to secure Orlesian support, one way or another. The Inquisition gains another ally in the form of Morrigan, who has been aiding Celene as a court mage for some time now.

Morrigan returns to aid the Inquisition.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

The Inquisition pursues Corypheus to an ancient elven temple in the Arbor Wilds that's dedicated to the goddess Mythal. Fighting through Corypheus' forces and disposing of his second-in-command, the Inquisition learns that Corypheus has the ability to reincarnate and regenerate himself after seemingly being killed, akin to how an Archdemon is reborn if not slain by a Grey Warden. Making their way through the temple, the Inquisitor and Morrigan reach the Well of Sorrows, a magic repository that collects the knowledge of every prior servant of Mythal. Either the Inquisitor or Morrigan drinks, gaining an overwhelming amount of knowledge they can use against Corypheus.

At this point, both the Inquisitor and Morrigan learn that Flemeth is actually a fragment of Mythal, passing down a spark of the goddess that has slowly grown in strength after she was murdered. Mythal/Flemeth departs, promising she never meant to harm Morrigan and (if the Dark Ritual was completed back in Dragon Age: Origins) removing the soul of the Old God from Morrigan's son, Kieran.

Whoever drank from the Well learns that Corypheus' defeat lies in defeating his dragon, which was empowered and twisted by Red Lyrium. Corypheus tears open the Breach again, seeking to destroy the world if he cannot rule it. If the Inquisitor drank from the well, they summon a dragon in service to Mythal to counter Corypheus. If Morrigan drank, then her shapeshifting abilities are enhanced to the point she can assume the form of a dragon. After a fierce battle, Corypheus' dragon is killed, rendering him vulnerable. The Inquisitor kills Corypheus, breaking the orb in the process.

The Dread Wolf is revealed.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

While the Inquisition celebrates in Skyhold, Solas disappears, meeting up with Mythal/Flemeth, who chastises the Dread Wolf for giving his orb to Corypheus. Solas/Fen'Harel replies that he awoke too weak to unlock it himself, and apologizes before taking Flemeth's life and absorbing her power.

The Dread Wolf is rising...

Dragon Age: Inquisition Trespasser

The Inquisition gathers one last time.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Trespasser opens in 9:44 Dragon, two years after Inquisition. The Inquisitor and their allies are summoned to the Winter Palace by the new Divine Victoria, for a discussion about the Inquisition's role now that the world is no longer in imminent danger. The discussions are sidetracked when the Inquisitor discovers a Qunari plot to disrupt Thedas, using the eluvians to travel quickly.

The Inquisitor is able to foil the plot by traveling to the Darvaarad, where the Qunari are have chained a dragon in order to enhance their explosive Gaatlok powder. The Inquisitor defeats various Qunari agents even as the Anchor on their arm becomes more and more powerful and unstable. Leaving the Darvaarad, the Inquisitor pursues the last of the Qunari agents to some ancient Elven ruins, where they are reunited with Solas.

Solas reveals to the Inquisitor that he wasn't always the god referred to as the Dread Wolf, but that it came after the murder of Mythal at the hands of the Evanuris, the other elven gods. Solas led a rebellion against them, eventually sealing the Evanuris away by creating the Veil. After resting, Solas awoke a thousand years later with his power drained, discovering in horror that his creation of the Veil has devastated the elven race, taking away their immortality and weakening their connection to magic.

Solas tries to explain his actions to the Inquisitor.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Solas further explains that he had a plan to get his power back. His orb had gained incredible strength while he slumbered, so he'd hoped to have Corypheus attempt to use it, with the resulting magical backlash killing Corypheus and making it safe for Solas to use again. Unfortunately, he hadn't planned on Corypheus finding a way around death, which caused events to escalate out of control.

He then reveals that the Anchor is killing the Inquisitor, and that the only way to save their life is to take it away. After doing this, Solas intends to tear down the Veil in order to restore the elves to their former glory. In doing this, the world will burn as demons and spirits intermingle with a world that has mostly evolved without them. The Inquisitor swears to either stop Solas or (if they befriended or romanced him) convince him to turn away from his plan.

Now missing an arm, the Inquisitor returns to the Winter Palace, where the Inquisition is either disbanded or reduced in strength. Either way, the Inquisitor and their key allies agree to find Solas and stop him or redeem him.

And that path leads to Tevinter...

You're all set for Dragon Age: The Veilguard!

The Dread Wolf's plan is in motion.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Thank you for bearing with me on this gargantuan trek through key events of the Dragon Age games. While it's simply impossible to have touched on everything, you're now fairly well-prepared to dive into Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which is set eight years after the events of Trespasser.

In my review of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, I wrote that "The combat is wildly different and the tone varies, but the characters here are the same vital, meaningful core that BioWare is known to deliver. While far removed in many ways from the fantasy franchise I grew up loving, Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes its place by prior adventures in Thedas with pride. Like the Hero of Ferelden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor before them, Rook shows that Dragon Age isn't out of tricks just yet."

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Cyberpunk 2077 will launch on Mac next year

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:27:08 +0000

The sci-fi RPG will officially be available on Apple silicon with path tracing, frame generation, and spatial audio.

Cyberpunk 2077 is making the jump to Macs. According to Apple’s announcement video for the new M4-equipped MacBook Pros, CD Projekt Red’s sci-fi RPG will be available on Macs “early next year.”

“Taking full advantage of Apple silicon and advanced technologies of Metal, the world of the dark future is available to Mac gamers for the very first time,” CD Projekt Red says in an announcement. “Players can enjoy advanced features like path tracing, frame generation, and built-in Spatial Audio for even more immersive gameplay and stunning visuals.

The game will be available on the Mac App Store and Steam when it launches next year. The version launching on Mac is the Ultimate Edition, which includes the very good Phantom Liberty expansion, and CD Projekt Red says that “existing PC Steam purchases of the game” will carry over to the Mac. You’ll need to have a Mac with Apple Silicon to play it.

Cyberpunk 2077 first launched in 2020, and while it had an infamously rocky release, the game is in great shape now.

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AI, cloud boost Alphabet profits by 34 percent

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:26:06 +0000

Alphabet’s profit jumped 34 percent in the third quarter as the parent company of search giant Google reported strong growth in its cloud business amid robust demand for computing and data services used to train and run generative artificial intelligence models.

The solid results released on Tuesday helped alleviate investors’ fears about the financial returns on the vast sums being spent on AI by Alphabet and other Big Tech peers as they seek to dominate the nascent sector. The standout unit was Google Cloud, where revenue increased 35 percent to $11.4 billion and operating profit increased sevenfold to $1.9 billion from $266 million in the same period last year.

Net income was $26.3 billion compared with $19.7 billion in the same period a year earlier, exceeding analysts’ expectations for $22.8 billion. Revenue rose 15 percent to $88.3 billion in the three months through to the end of September, beating the average estimate for $86.3 billion.

“Our long-term focus and investment in AI [is] paying off,” said chief executive Sundar Pichai, citing customer demand for its specialized clusters of chips and the growing popularity of its AI Overviews feature in search. “We continue to invest in state-of-the-art infrastructure to support our AI efforts, from the US to Thailand, to Uruguay.”

However, Google’s cloud business remains a distant third to Microsoft’s Azure and market leader Amazon Web Services, and competition is cut-throat. This week, Microsoft accused Google of running “shadow campaigns” and secretly funding lobby groups to undermine its position with regulators as it tries to poach customers and win market share.

Revenue at Alphabet’s core search and advertising businesses rose 10 percent to $65.9 billion. While the rate of growth slowed slightly, it showed little impact from AI chatbot challengers such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT.

YouTube revenue rose 12 percent to $8.9 billion for the quarter—and Google noted its ads and subscription sales surpassed $50 billion over the past four quarters for the first time as the platform expands into sports such as the National Football League.

“The results show a strong beat across all segments, with notable strength in subscriptions and Cloud,” said Jefferies analyst Brent Thill.

Alphabet shares were up more than 6 percent in pre-market trading on Wednesday. The stock had previously gained 22 percent this year, giving it a market capitalization of $2.1 trillion and making it the fourth most-valuable listed company in the world behind Apple, Nvidia and Microsoft.

Google is the first of Silicon Valley’s tech giants to report earnings this quarter, and investors will be watching to see how much more money they have poured into data centers and advanced chips that power AI—and whether any of those bets are starting to pay off.

Microsoft, Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta all revealed massive increases in capital expenditure in the first six months of 2024—totaling $106 billion—and executives pledged more investment this year and in 2025. The main beneficiary has been Nvidia, which briefly became the most valuable global company on the back of demand for its chips.

Alphabet’s capex rose again to $13.1 billion in the quarter, slightly more than in the prior three months and up 62 percent from the $8.1 billion spent in the same period last year.

Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi said the majority of that investment went toward infrastructure, which includes servers, chips, data centers, and networking equipment. Google will spend roughly the same amount in the fourth quarter, implying total spend of more than $50 billion this year, with that figure set to rise modestly again in 2025, she added.

While Alphabet has shown strong earnings momentum this year, it faces threats on several fronts. A new generation of AI-powered chatbots such as ChatGPT and Anthropic’s Claude are challenging its core search business. In response, Google has rolled out “AI Overviews” powered by its Gemini models at the top of results pages to provide direct answers to queries, rather than just a list of links.

Pichai said AI Overviews are gaining popularity with customers because of Gemini’s ability to answer complex questions. Adverts are being integrated, and the computing costs of each query have dropped 90 percent in the past 18 months, he added.

Pichai also said Gemini was boosting internal productivity, with more than a quarter of all new code generated by AI, which is then reviewed and accepted by engineers.

More immediately, Google faces the prospect of being broken up after losing a landmark antitrust case brought by the US Department of Justice, which resulted in a ruling that determined its search business had engaged in anti-competitive monopolistic behavior. The company also lost an antitrust case against its Play app store brought by Fortnite developer Epic and faces a trial in a second DoJ case over its ad tech business.

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Apple refreshes its MacBook Pro lineup with new M4 Pro and M4 Max models

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 17:24:39 +0000

Apple's third Mac-related announcement this week is a refreshed lineup of MacBook Pro laptops, which follows the previous announcement of the updated iMac and Mac mini.

The new 14-inch and 16-inch models feature the same chassis and design, with most changes lurking under the keyboard. In fact, the main highlight of the refreshed lineup is the new M4 Pro and M4 Max processors. However, there are plenty of smaller changes that make the new laptops stand out from their predecessors.

The lineup starts with the M4-powered MacBook Pro, which now has 16GB of RAM (all Macs have ditched the puny 8GB variant). It supports two external monitors and three Thunderbolt 4 ports. More expensive models can be configured with up to 14-core M4 Pro or 16-core M4 Max coupled with up to 40-core graphics.

Thanks to the improved efficiency of the new processors, Apple's latest MacBook Pro laptops also have a longer battery life. Although the battery capacity is unchanged, Apple promises two more hours of web browsing and up to four more hours of video streaming.

Apple also equipped its new Pro laptops with refreshed displays. While they feature the same size as before, the maximum brightness in SDR is now 1,000 nits, while HDR peaks at 1,600 nits. In addition, you can spec your new MacBook Pro with an optional nano-texture coating for reduced reflections.

Other improvements include the updated 12MP webcam with Center Stage support (still notched) and Thunderbolt 5 support in M4 Pro and M4 Max models.

The new 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro with 16GB of RAM and 512GB storage starts at $1,599. The base M4 Pro configuration starts at $1,999, while the 16-inch variant starts at $2,499. Color options include Silver and Space Gray. Preorders are now open, and shipments begin on November 8, 2025.

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AMD confirms its next-gen RDNA 4 GPUs will launch in early 2025

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:24:51 +0000

Will we see them at CES?

AMD’s Q3 2024 earnings call today wasn’t bullish on gaming revenue overall, but it did confirm a hot new rumor on GPUs — specifically, the launch of AMD’s next-gen RDNA 4 parts early next year. “We are on track to launch the first RDNA4 GPUs in early 2025,” said AMD CEO Lisa Su, and the company confirmed to PCWorld that it’s the first time it’s shared those plans publicly.

“In addition to a strong increase in gaming performance, RDNA 4 delivers significantly higher ray tracing performance and adds new AI capabilities,” Su said on the call.

AMD confirming those chips might help lend credibility to other leaks, too. Earlier today, a Chiphell leaker rumored that AMD would announce its RDNA 4 graphics at CES 2025 in January, alongside its leaked Strix Halo and Fire Range gaming notebook parts, its confirmed Ryzen Z2 handheld gaming chips, and more.

AMD expects its gaming revenue to continue to decline this quarter, due in no small part to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series consoles aging out, and it’s not exactly the company’s primary focus these days anyhow. On today’s call, Su pointed out how gaming only accounts for two percent of the company’s revenue, while data center is now well over half of the company’s business. She says that after spending 10 years turning AMD around, her next task is to “make AMD the end-to-end AI leader.”

The company had previously revealed it’s turning its back on flagship GPUs to chase AI first, so you shouldn’t expect new consumer RDNA 4 parts to compete with Nvidia’s best and priciest GPUs.

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Reddit is profitable for the first time ever, with nearly 100 million daily users

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:24:08 +0000

Reddit says its daily users are up 47 percent year-over-year.

Reddit just turned a profit for the first time. As part of its third-quarter earnings results released on Tuesday, the company reported a profit of $29.9 million, along with $348.4 million in revenue — a 68 percent increase year over year.

The company hasn’t been profitable at any point in its nearly 20-year history. Since going public, Reddit lost $575 million during its first quarter on the market, but it decreased that loss to $10 million last quarter, and is now finally in the green.

Reddit also grew to 97.2 million daily users over the past few months, marking a 47 percent increase from the same time last year. That number exceeded 100 million users on some days during the quarter, Reddit says.

Reddit’s advertising revenue grew to $315.1 million, while “other” revenue reached $33.2 million on account of “data licensing agreements signed earlier this year.” Both Google and OpenAI have cut deals with Reddit to train their AI models on its posts.

In a letter to shareholders, Reddit CEO Steve Huffman attributed the recent increase in users to the platform’s AI-powered translation feature. Reddit started letting users translate posts into French last year before expanding it to Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, and German. Now Huffman says Reddit plans to expand translation to over 30 countries through 2025.

“Reddit’s influence continues to grow across the broader internet,” Huffman wrote. “In 2024 so far, ‘Reddit’ was the sixth most Googled word in the U.S., underscoring that when people are looking for answers, advice, or community, they’re turning to Reddit.” The platform is also working to make its search feature “easier and more intuitive.”

Since going public earlier this year, Reddit has made a number of changes to generate more revenue, including inking advertising deals with professional sports leagues, upgrading its “ask me anything” posts, and cracking down on web crawlers attempting to scrape its content. Huffman has even weighed the idea of letting users create paid subreddits and even moved to prevent sitewide protests.

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Homeworld 3 is the latest game to remove Denuvo DRM

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 08:23:29 +0000

Developed by Blackbird Interactive and published by Gearbox, Homeworld 3 arrived to fans of the classic real-time strategy series earlier this year in May after numerous delays. As with many high-profile launches nowadays, though, the Denuvo Anti-Tamper digital rights management (DRM) solution was attached to the release. Now, five months after launch, the divisive DRM format has been removed from the game in a silent update.

The studio has not yet announced the change. However, as it can be seen on SteamDB when viewing the latest changes made to the game, Homeworld 3's massive .exe file containing Denuvo protection, which had weighed in at over 400MB, has been swapped to a standard one. At the same time, the game's Steam page no longer has a third-party protection tag that previously displayed Denuvo, confirming the removal.

The change arrives as Blackbird is preparing a massive update to the game in November. The studio is packing all planned content updates, both free and paid, into one drop that's happening next month. These were originally slated to arrive in 2025 as part of the game's initial roadmap.

Community-requested changes to the game's skirmish mode, like Hyperspace Jumping, as well as balance changes in the early game to drive more tension into the decision-making, are incoming with the update. A traditional RTS-style tech tree, a choice of when to advance some story missions so players can catch their breath, and other changes will be implemented too.

Another game that recently pulled Denuvo DRM from its innards is Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, which also received some major performance improvements in the same update. BioWare has also confirmed that the upcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard RPG will not ship with any sort of third-party DRM, including Denuvo.

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We found the missing Intel Performance in Games... Big Performance Gains! [Video]

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 05:49:21 +0000

JayzTwoCents (4.11M subscribers)

October 30, 2024

Video length: 16m 55s

It's pretty much expected that Intel users should use CU-DIMM with Arrow Lake processors... but how much does it really matter?

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Gamers Nexus - HW News - Battlemage Lives, 9800X3D Flipped Cache, & Valve's Deck 2 Thoughts [Video]

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 21:19:25 +0000

Gamers Nexus (2.29M subscribers)

October 29, 2024

Video length: 29m 23s

00:00 - Recapping the Week

01:19 - Big GN Content Plans & Upcoming Events

08:15 - Rumor: AMD 9000X3D Cache Flipped

09:49 - Battlemage Spotted in Intel Media Drivers

12:43 - Rumor: AMD Ryzen Z2 Specs Leaked

15:14 - Valve Not Interested in Annual Steam Deck

17:44 - ARM Canceling Qualcomm's License

20:40 - Fire Sale on Intel CPUs

23:12 - Steve Avoids a Rant

26:44 - Raspberry Pi SSD Kit

27:45 - Adafruit Jack O'Lantern Mod

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Apple launches redesigned $599 Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro options

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:53:33 +0000

As expected, Apple today officially announced the new Mac mini featuring the M4 and the new M4 Pro chips. The new Mac mini measures 5 by 5 inches, less than half the size of the previous Mac mini. Thanks to the power efficiency of Apple silicon and a new thermal architecture, Apple was able to create such a powerful system in such a compact size.

The Mac mini with M4 features a 10-core CPU and a 10-core GPU and now starts with 16GB of unified memory. The Mac mini with M4 Pro features up to 14 cores (10 performance cores and four efficiency cores) and up to a 20-core GPU. Thanks to the powerful CPU and GPU, hardware-accelerated ray tracing is now available on the Mac mini for the first time.

The Neural Engine (NPU) has also been upgraded to 16 cores to support Apple Intelligence. The M4 Pro supports up to 64GB of unified memory and 273GB/s of memory bandwidth. Also, M4 Pro supports Thunderbolt 5 in delivering up to 120 Gb/s of data transfer, more than double the speed of a Thunderbolt 4 port.

The new Mac mini features two USB-C ports on the front that support USB 3 and an audio jack with support for high-impedance headphones. The Mac mini with M4 comes with three Thunderbolt 4 ports, while the Mac mini with M4 Pro comes with three Thunderbolt 5 ports.

Gigabit Ethernet, which supports up to 10Gb Ethernet and has an HDMI port, is standard on the new Mac mini. While the Mac mini with M4 can support up to two 6K displays and one 5K display, the Mac mini with M4 Pro can support up to three 6K displays at 60Hz.

You can now pre-order the new Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro in 28 countries and regions. Apple will begin shipping the new Mac mini from Friday, November 8th. The Mac mini with M4 starts at $599 and $499 for education. The Mac mini with M4 Pro starts at $1,399 and $1,299 for education.

If you configure the new Mac mini with the M4 Pro (12-core CPU, 20-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine), an 8TB SSD, 64GB of unified memory, and 10 Gigabit Ethernet, it would cost you a whopping $4,699 before taxes. At this price tag, you might also consider buying a Mac Studio with somewhat similar specs.

With its impressive performance and versatile connectivity, the Mac mini is poised to become a popular choice for both everyday computing and professional workflows.

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Next Mass Effect's director says it will "maintain the mature tone of the original trilogy"

Tue, 29 Oct 2024 17:51:20 +0000

BioWare's next RPG epic is almost here, with Dragon Age: The Veilguard returning to continue the fantasy world's storyline with another world-ending threat. Some aspects that the game has been in hot water for are its visual design and tone, which have taken a new direction compared to previous games. However, the series is technically known for doing this with each iteration.

However, it looks like BioWare will keep the new Mass Effect it's building closer to its roots. Michael Gamble, long-time Mass Effect producer and director who has worked on the original trilogy, Andromeda, and the Trilogy's Legendary Edition release, gave his input on some fan questions regarding the next entry.

"Regarding tone questions: Mass Effect will maintain the mature tone of the original Trilogy," said Gamble on an X post, adding that "Mass Effect is photorealistic and will be as long as I'm running it."

Gamble is currently the project director behind the next Mass Effect experience, which has only received a few teasers from BioWare so far. "Both are from the studio, but Mass Effect is Mass Effect," continues Gamble. "How you bring a Sci Fi RPG to life is different than other genres or IPs...and has to have different kinds of love."

It was 2020 when BioWare first teased the next Mass Effect it was building alongside Dragon Age. The short video revealed that the story would follow in the aftermath of Mass Effect 3 instead of Mass Effect: Andromeda, even showing off a dead Reaper and Liara T' Soni. Another short teaser landed last year during Mass Effect/N7 Day, showcasing a new character wearing a helmet and a coat with an N7 logo on the front.

The next N7 Day is slated to happen on November 7, and that may be where BioWare finally drops some additional details on this mysterious Mass Effect continuation.

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Dragon Age: The Veilguard gets one major thing wrong for me, but delivers some of BioWare's best characters ever

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:34:06 +0000

Dragon Age: The Veilguard falters at times, but at its core is a cast of characters that rank among BioWare's best.

I land three headshots in a row, crippling the Venatori mage that's right in front of me. I backflip to get away from the fireball, but I'm not fast enough, being set aflame, my already-low health burning away. Calling on my necromancer friend Emmrich to heal me, I have my scout Harding land a heavy blow, finishing the mage off and winning the battle.

So go the adventures of Rook, latest in a long line of characters forced or fated to save Thedas, the setting for BioWare's Dragon Age franchise. Dragon Age: The Veilguard marks the fourth entry in this series, and its first new game since 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition, which launched just shy of a decade ago at the time I'm writing this.

Dragon Age is a franchise that's close to my heart, and has been ever since I stayed up all night playing the first game, Dragon Age: Origins, falling in love with tales of Darkspawn, Grey Wardens, and a dark fantasy world that still found levity and humor in the characters that inhabited it. I've spent 50 hours playing Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and now that the credits have rolled, I'm ready to share my thoughts.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard streamlines a number of things, with breakneck pacing and an action-packed focus that makes this game in many ways closer tonally to BioWare's Mass Effect 2 than to other Dragon Age titles. The story (while intriguing) doesn't always give its earth-shattering reveals time to marinate or focus. At its heart, however, is a cast of characters among BioWare's finest, with bonds that carry this new journey to greatness.

Disclaimer

This review was made possible thanks to a review code provided by Electronic Arts. The company did not see the contents of this review before publishing.

What is Dragon Age: The Veilguard?

Petting the griffin is an important part of team-building.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Dragon Age: The Veilguard is an action role-playing game (RPG) developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts.

Crafting a player character named Rook — you can pick Rook's race, gender, class, and background affiliation — players build a team called The Veilguard to stop ancient elven deities from destroying the world. Acquiring new gear like improved weapons and armor, you grow stronger as you level up, evolving with additional skills that lend passive strength or abilities that can turn the tide of a battle.

Like in other BioWare games, you'll make decisions on who to befriend (and even possibly romance) while completing main missions and side quests across different regions, with your decisions affecting individuals and entire nations alike.

Altering the Dragon Age formula, The Veilguard leans in heavier than ever before on action, prioritizing moment-to-moment gameplay and reactive skill usage over tactical thinking and extensive preparation.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard review — Story and characters

The Dread Wolf claims to have a plan. (Image credit: Windows Central)

Coming 10 years after the events of Dragon Age: Inquisition (and eight years after its Trespasser DLC), The Veilguard juggles a number of story beats, functioning as both the most direct sequel ever in the series but also its most singularly distinct entry. Solas, Fen'Harel, The Dread Wolf — the elven god of trickery and deceit has many names, but only one goal, to tear down the Veil separating the world of Thedas from the Fade, a dreaming world of spirits and demons. Varric, one of Solas' former companions, is determined to keep him from destroying the world.

Enter Rook, hailing from some chunk of northern Thedas. While there's a range of role-playing customization options available, Rook has something of a set personality, operating as a blunt instrument trying as best they can to lead their team. Ultimately, Rook has more in common with Hawke than the Hero of Ferelden or the Inquisitor, feeling like a defined character as well as a player avatar.

Given Rook's role in opposing Solas — this game was once named Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, after the titular antagonist — the relationship between the two is fascinating to see unfold, and while I don't want to spoil anything in particular, it's one of the most rewarding relationship dynamics I've seen in a BioWare game. The decade-long wait for longtime fans paid off, and I found myself shedding a tear or two while experiencing the story unfold.

Shadowy organizations like the Antivan Crows can be powerful allies.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Arguably, even more important than Solas are the Veilguard, the companions that Rook gathers in their quest. Party members and their dynamics are a hallmark strength of BioWare storytelling, and The Veilguard delivers here in spades. I found myself getting attached to characters I initially rolled my eyes at, ecstatic to see how their stories would continue in friendship or in romance. All seven companions — Harding, Davrin, Emmrich, Taash, Bellara, Lucanis, and Neve — are an eclectic bunch, but they earn their place here.

Extending outside the core companions are the factions populating northern Thedas, with groups like the Antivan Crows, the Grey Wardens, Mourn Watchers, and many more to ally with.

While all these characters — friend, foe, and everyone in-between — are a treat to interact with, a number of the game's reveals are not given quite the same attention. The Veilguard isn't afraid of radically altering the status quo, throwing curveballs and questioning (or outright rejecting) long-held in-universe beliefs. I'm all for that, but many of them are glossed over or barely-addressed outside of offhand remarks, which is a shame because the ideas here are fascinating to grapple with.

I also wish the decisions from past games carried over here. Dragon Age has never been as interconnected as the original Mass Effect trilogy, but it was always cool seeing characters return in a new game after you'd saved their lives in the prior outing, or seeing a codex entry reflect one of your choices. What's here is handled well, but that touch is mostly missing, outside of a couple of key decisions from Dragon Age: Inquisition.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard review — Gameplay and features

The Darkspawn are back, and they're seeing red.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Dragon Age 2 and Dragon Age: Inquisition both inched the franchise away from the CRPG-esque roots of Dragon Age: Origins. Perhaps reflecting the decade-long wait between games, Dragon Age: The Veilguard does not inch, but instead takes a flying leap into full action-RPG territory.

That's not at all a bad thing, as playing as a Rogue has never felt this fun and responsive. Instead of awkwardly shuffling into position, my Rook zips across the battlefield, dodging and weaving, turning enemies into pincushions with a bow and arrow from a distance before closing in with poisoned blades. It's not tolerable or okay, it feels downright great to play. The Mass Effect influence here is strong, and it works well.

Like in prior games, you'll level up after getting enough experience points, earning skill points that can be used to expand Rook's repertoire. It's also how you unlock a particular specialization, making it feel natural as you literally expand your skills in a certain direction. My Rook ended up with a Saboteur specialization, unleashing enhanced explosive traps.

Combat is hectic, but you can pause and issue orders at any point.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

The continued influence from Mass Effect does rear its head in one annoying way, however, as you're now restricted to only two companions at a time in your party, issuing orders instead of being able to control them directly. In addition to a noticeable reduction in banter, it means you've got fewer options in particularly brutal fights. My adventures in other Dragon Age games are filled with desperate struggles where only one party member remained standing against a tough boss. With a battle over the moment Rook falls (and is unable to be revived) that's not an option here, and the experience is poorer for it.

General exploration and combat takes place over tight zones, with mostly-linear missions that have little space for exploration. I do wish these areas were larger, with more room to venture and wander, but it does neatly avoid the open-zone fatigue of Dragon Age: Inquisition, which often slowed the game's pace to a crawl.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard review — Visuals and audio

The forest of Arlathan evokes haunting beauty.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Continuing with the themes of constant change, every Dragon Age game has featured a markedly different art direction than its predecessor, and The Veilguard isn't stopping the trend now. Eschewing a hyperrealistic visual tone, The Veilguard instead opts for something more ethereal at first glance. Dark, towering spires and lush coastlines are awash in color, giving the game an almost painted aesthetic.

It's quite beautiful to look at, and is downright mesmerizing at times, given the wide range of locations The Veilguard visits. The nations of Antiva, Rivain, and Tevinter, long-mentioned in the stories of Dragon Age, are finally seen in a game here, and their presentation delivers in spades. The ray-traced reflections BioWare has implemented work wonders here, mirroring a thousand streetlights and magical wonders. It's not all beautiful high fantasy, though, and there's plenty of grime and darkness to go around. At multiple key points, BioWare dips back into its dark fantasy origins. The dry, haunted crypts of Nevarran tombs are as eerie as they are awing, while Blighted regions ooze with blood and puss.

While the character designs aren't the most detailed I've ever seen, art direction once again shines over raw fidelity, with tons of personality and beauty across your companions and the factions you interact with. Particular praise must be levied at the hair physics, which are a downright generational leap over anything in prior BioWare games. I've enjoyed every Dragon Age and Mass Effect game before this, but they all shared a similar, shameful lack of manes that's been heartily corrected here.

The one real exception is the Darkspawn. These once-horrifying foes have suffered with every entry in the franchise, being finally reduced here into uninteresting, goopy cannon fodder. There is a story explanation for the visual disparity here, but it's not enough to justify how thoroughly tiresome their new look is.

The Tevinter Imperium is fallen from grace, but Minrathous is still spectacular to behold.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Running on my gaming PC with an RTX 3070 and an NVMe SSD, I was able to get Dragon Age: The Veilguard going at mostly maxed-out settings while maintaining 60 frames-per-second, with a small handful of features tweaked or disabled to avoid VRAM issues and stuttering. This setup worked for most of the game, though I noted a couple of larger areas in Arlathan forest seemed to be more demanding, with dynamic resolution visibly kicking in but still not being enough to avoid dropping frames.

Solid audio design work complements the game's visuals, with fantastic feedback as blades ring and spells fly. I particularly love the shattering glass sound associated with parrying a deadly blow, a noise that turns an impact of otherwise-imminent death into a second wind for a fight.

Dragon Age has a strong musical legacy, so I'm relieved to say The Veilguard also features a great soundtrack, with a rousing main theme co-composed by Hans Zimmer and Lorne Balfe that kicks in across pivotal moments of the game. There's a strength but more importantly an urgency in this score that suits the game's high stakes. It's different, lending a unique tone to The Veilguard that helps set it apart from the grander, more epic scale that Trevor Morris lent to Dragon Age: Inquisition, which itself stands apart from the haunting wails that Inon Zur composed for Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard review — Accessibility and approachability

The Darkspawn are one of many constant threats to the Veilguard.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Like many other big games in recent years, Dragon Age: The Veilguard features a full suite of accessibility options. From font sizes and colorblindness settings to screen shake and a persistent dot, there are plenty of features that players can use to avoid motion sickness or suit their particular needs. This extends to the difficulty options, which can be adjusted at a granular level, letting players alter enemy aggression and combat timing to get things just right for their skill level or desired combat intensity.

As for the world's approachability, Dragon Age: The Veilguard does its best to set newcomers up, explaining key characters and concepts, while the in-game codex can be consulted for further information. Ultimately, though, this is the conclusion to an arc that began with Dragon Age: Inquisition, and a lot of the ideas simply aren't going to hit as hard for someone that isn't steeped in this world. Newcomers can absolutely have a fun experience, but I highly recommend being familiar with the world of Dragon Age before playing The Veilguard.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard review — Final thoughts

Manfred is the best skeleton that any necromancer could ever ask for.

(Image credit: Windows Central)

Dragon Age is fascinating, a truly unique franchise that sows debate with every appearance. Each entry has evolved and changed the formula, for better or worse. Coming a decade after its predecessor, that constant change never been more evident than here with The Veilguard.

The combat is wildly different and the tone varies, but the characters here are the same vital, meaningful core that BioWare is known to deliver. While far removed in many ways from the fantasy franchise I grew up loving, Dragon Age: The Veilguard takes its place by prior adventures in Thedas with pride. Like the Hero of Ferelden, Hawke, and the Inquisitor before them, Rook shows that Dragon Age isn't out of tricks just yet.

Some story reveals aren't expounded on nearly enough for my taste, and I certainly wish we had more time to explore some regions of Thedas that we're finally getting to see in a game. I'll forever mourn no longer directly controlling my companions. When all is said and done though, every prior Dragon Age game has managed to make me feel something, to grow attached to characters, cheering for their victories and mourning their passing. By that ultimate personal metric, Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a success.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard launches on Oct. 31, 2024 across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam, EA App, and Epic Games Store), and PlayStation 5.

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Apple’s new Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad have USB-C

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:30:30 +0000

Apple’s latest Mac accessories no longer use Lightning.

Apple is finally removing the Lightning port from its lineup of Mac accessories. Earlier today, the company announced a new iMac with M4 with updated versions of the Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse, and Magic Trackpad that all have USB-C. Apple is also selling them individually in the Apple Store. All three have featured the proprietary Lightning port since 2015.

The prices haven’t changed from their Lightning versions: the USB-C Magic Mouse is $99; the Magic Keyboard, which is so far seemingly only available as the larger model with a numpad, is $199; and the Magic Trackpad is $149. All three are available in black or white. USB-C aside, their designs are overall unchanged. And I regret to inform you after looking at the iMac page’s “View in AR” option, that means the Magic Mouse still charges on the bottom. (There are ways to fix that if you’re desperate.)

Image: Apple

The shift to USB-C is overdue: all Mac desktops and notebooks had switched to USB-C as their primary connectivity port by 2018. The iPad started getting USB-C the same year, and USB-C arrived on the iPhone in 2023. Switching these accessories to USB-C will allow many Apple device owners to toss their USB-C-to-Lightning cables now that the entire line has switched over.

EU regulators pressured Apple to fully switch from Lightning, with the company ultimately updating the port on the iPhone 15 last year. Apple has been slowly swapping out the ports on its remaining devices since then. Last month, the company upgraded its AirPods Max headphones to USB-C as well (and… didn’t do much else).

In the past few years, Apple has had several opportunities to replace its computer peripherals with new versions that, at the very least, updated how they charge. However, alongside the release of the M1 Mac Mini in 2020, the redesigned M1 iMac in 2021, the Mac Studio in 2022, and each of their spec upgrades in 2023, Apple seemed determined to keep Lightning.

Now, the iPhone SE is Apple’s final major device with a Lightning port, which may change soon enough.

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Apple's new iMac packs M4 processor, new colors, nano-texture display, and more

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 17:29:24 +0000

Apple has started its week of Mac announcements with a new iMac model. The updated version packs the M4 processor, display upgrades, new colors, and other changes while retaining its slim profile and overall design.

The new iMac still has a 24-inch Retina display, but this time, users can spec it with optional nano texture coating for reduced reflections. Besides updating the processor to the M4, Apple has increased the maximum amount of unified memory from 24 GB to 32 GB. Luckily, the 8GB configuration is now gone, even despite Apple's statements that RAM works differently in Apple Silicon devices. Also, the four-port model has 10 CPU cores instead of 8. As for storage, it maxes out at 2 TB SSD.

Apple says the new iMac is six times faster than the most popular Intel-based iMac and up to 4.5 times faster than the most popular 24-inch all-in-one PC with "the latest Intel Core 7" processor.

The M4-powered iMac also has a new camera. It has been upgraded from a 1080p FaceTime HD camera to a 12MP camera with Center Stage and Desk View support. It lets you keep yourself and other people in the frame and even demonstrate something on your desktop during video calls.

As for new colors, Apple boasts "seven vibrant colors" with "fresh shades" of green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. Each iMac comes with color-matching accessories (keyboard, mouse, or trackpad), which now have USB-C ports instead of Lightning.

Ports-wise, the new iMac is still available with two or four USB-C ports (Thunderbolt 4) at the back. Finally, Apple upgraded wireless capabilities, bringing Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth support to its desktop all-in-one computer.

Apple's new iMac starts at $1,299 in the United States for the base two-port configuration with an 8-core processor, 16GB of unified memory, and 256GB SSD. Preorders are open now, and shipping starts on Friday, November 8, 2024.

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Microsoft Weekly: Windows Update gets faster and Windows Insiders get new builds

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 17:53:57 +0000

In this episode of Microsoft Weekly, we look at new updates for Windows 11 and Windows 10, fresh Qualcomm announcements, app updates, new Windows 11 preview builds, faster Windows Update gaming news, and more.

Table of contents:

Windows 10 and 11 news
Windows Insider Program
Updates are available
Gaming news
Great deals to check

Windows 11 and 10

Here we talk about everything happening around Microsoft's latest operating system in the Stable channel and preview builds: new features, removed features, controversies, bugs, interesting findings, and more. And of course, you may find a word or two about older but still supported versions.

This week, Microsoft released the latest non-security updates for its operating systems. Windows 10 received KB5045594 with various fixes and the not-so-loved Account Manager in the Start menu. Windows 11, on the other hand, got KB5044380 with the new Gamepad keyboard, notification improvements, and a quite stupid change for the Start menu.

By the way, if you want to install Windows 11 version 24H2 on an unsupported PC, check out the latest Rufus update. Version 4.6 is now available with fixes for Microsoft's latest operating system and other improvements. If Rufus is not your thing, there is a similar app for bypassing Windows 11's requirements.

Speaking of Windows 11 version 24H2, it received its latest optional non-security update under KB5044384. The update fixed UI issues, a bug with 8.63GB of non-removable data, and other troubles. By the way, you may have noticed that Windows 11 version 24H2 installs updates significantly faster than previous releases. That is due to under-the-hood improvements that reduced Windows Update installation time by up to 45%.

This week's Windows section finishes with the story about Microsoft's official Windows 11 virtual machines. They are no longer available for download as the company once again faces unknown technical issues. Therefore, if you need a virtual machine for evaluation, you better make one yourself.

Windows Insider Program

Here is what Microsoft Released this week for testing in the Windows Insider Program:

	Windows 11	Windows 10	Server
Canary Channel	-	Not Applicable	26311
Dev Channel	26120.2200	Not Applicable
Beta Channel	22635.4435	-
Release Preview Channel	-	-

In addition to new builds, Microsoft released a new update for the Photos app, adding upscaling and OCR support on Copilot+ PCs enrolled in the Windows Insider Program (all channels).

Updates are available

This section covers software, firmware, and other notable updates (released and coming soon) delivering new features, security fixes, improvements, patches, and more from Microsoft and third parties.

Microsoft 365 news this week includes Copilot in OneNote on iPad and Mac for commercial users, 12 new languages for Microsoft 365 Copilot, new quick actions for Copilot in OneNote on Windows, and more. Also, check out the latest recap with the newest additions to the Microsoft 365 Roadmap, such as support for personal non-Microsoft accounts and more.

Microsoft also announced some upgrades and changes to its Office apps on Apple's operating system. Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Mac finally support Handoff, a feature that lets you transfer your work from one device to another with one click. Also, developers changed what happens when you open Office files from Teams, Outlook, and OneDrive on mobile devices.

Microsoft's Authenticator app received a major upgrade with three important improvements: device-bound passkey support, FIDO2 authentication in brokered Microsoft applications on Android, and FIPS compliance on Android.

Some interesting developments happened during Qualcomm's Snapdragon Summit this week. The company announced new processors and fresh tech, such as audio improvements for artists creating music on Windows on ARM devices. Also, Blender, CaptureOne, Moises, and other popular content-creation apps are now available natively on ARM-powered Windows devices. The second-generation Snapdragon Game Super Resolution 2 upscaler for mobile games also made a debut.

However, the biggest story was about ARM canceling Qualcomm's license to make ARM-based chips, which will prohibit the development of processors based on the ARM architecture.

We also had plenty of browser news this week. Vivaldi, for one, announced a big upgrade to version 7.0. The update, which is now available, features a reworked user interface with floating tabs and redesigned icons. There is also a new Dashboard on the new tab page where you can place various widgets for notes, emails, tasks, websites, etc.

Microsoft Edge received three updates in three channels. In the Stable Channel, the browser got fixes for non-working extensions due to a conflict with a certain API, plus patches for three Chromium vulnerabilities of high severity. In the Beta Channel, version 131 arrived with instant update support and a long list of various fixes. Finally, in the Dev Channel, version 131.0.2903.5 brought a new settings page for Profile Workspaces.

In addition, Microsoft announced two new accessibility features for Edge users: one lets you change the page background for better readability, and another one can turn off custom scroll bars on websites.

Finally, Opera released Opera One R2 and detailed its plan to continue supporting Manifest V2 extensions despite Google dropping them in Chromium.

Other notable updates include the following:

And here are the newest drivers and firmware updates released this week:

Nvidia 566.03 WHQL with support for CoD: Black Ops 6, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and more.
AMD released a new chipset driver for supported Ryzen processors.
Intel 32.0.101.6129 WHQL with Core Ultra 200S and Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 support.
Surface Pro 9 with Intel processors received fixes for incorrect battery estimation and more.

On the gaming side

Learn about upcoming game releases, Xbox rumors, new hardware, software updates, freebies, deals, discounts and more.

Minecraft received an update with some long-awaited features. The Bundles of Bravery update is now available on all supported platforms, and it packs bundles for inventory organizing, hardcore mode on Bedrock, and hardcore mode on Realms (Java and Bedrock).

That is not everything Mojang announced, though. Minecraft finally has a native PlayStation 5 version, and if you have a copy from PlayStation 4, the studio will give you the new native version completely free. Also, Mojang announced the end of Minecraft VR on PC. The ability to play Minecraft in virtual reality will go away in March 2025.

Another Microsoft-made game also received an update. This time, the last one. State of Decay 2 Update 38 is now available with new features, changes, and access to previously gated content.

Warcraft will soon celebrate its 30th birthday, and Blizzard is getting ready for the occasion. The company announced a Warcraft 30th Anniversary Direct, teasing multiple surprise reveals and announcements. If you plan to watch the event, mark November 14, 10 AM PT / 1 AM ET time in your calendar.

Nvidia announced new games for the GeForce NOW cloud streaming service. The latest additions include Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Worshippers of Cthulhu, No More Room in Hell 2, DUCKSIDE, Selaco, Windblown, and more.

On the hardware side, Microsoft finally announced a refreshed version of its Xbox Wireless Headset. The new headset costs $109.99 and is now available in the Microsoft Store. It supports Dolby Atmos and Bluetooth 5.3, which allows you to connect the headset to your mobile device. As for battery life, Microsoft promises up to 20 hours on a single charge.

Deals and freebies

The Epic Games Store is giving away Moving Out, a co-op game about FARTS (Furniture Arrangement & Relocation Technicians) and their tedious job of handling furniture, appliances, and other stuff from client homes and businesses.

You can find more deals and special offers in this week's Weekend PC Game Deals.

Other notable gaming news include the following:

Microsoft Weekly banner by yoshitaka2 on Pixabay.

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7 Computing Urban Myths [Video]

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 17:52:01 +0000

ExplainingComputers (1.05M subscribers)

October 28, 2024

Video length: 18m 20s

Debunking some common urban myths concerning Windows, Google Docs, M.2, USB-C, Linux and RAID.

00:00 Titles & Intro

01:01 The Last Windows

03:07 M2 is an interface

04:46 USB-C is an interface

07:01 Linux destroys USB drives

10:00 Google reads Google Docs

13:22 You have to use the terminal

14:41 RAID keeps data safe

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Overclocking the 285K DIDN'T go as expected... [Video]

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 17:48:56 +0000

JayzTwoCents (4.11M subscribers)

October 28, 2024

Video length: 26m 50s

The 285K doesn't overclock the same way older Intel CPUs do. In fact, its quite backwards...

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Apple’s first smart home display could pay homage to a classic iMac

Sun, 27 Oct 2024 17:45:29 +0000

Apple plans to release a low-end, non-robotic smart home display that looks like the ‘lampshade’ iMac, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman.

The smart home display that Apple is rumored to be releasing next year could sport a look that harkens back to the iMac G4, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman suggests in his Power On newsletter today.

The new smart home display will apparently be small. Gurman writes it will have a square display angled above a small base that makes it “reminiscent of the circular bottom of the iMac G4 from a couple of decades ago.” It may have speakers, essentially making it the HomePod with a screen that’s been rumored as one of Apple’s possible smart home futures.

Gurman didn’t say how much this device might cost but has hinted at an “affordable” smart home device with a square display in the past. Rumors have suggested Apple will release a $1,000 model with a robotic arm that moves the display around, but that’s not expected until 2026 at the earliest, he reiterates today. Both devices are expected to run bespoke versions of some Apple apps, like FaceTime, Calendar, and Notes, and to work with Apple Intelligence, which Apple’s current smart home devices don’t support.

I’m on the record as loving the look of the iMac G4 (I do use one as an external display, after all). And the idea that the rumored robotic display might look like it is attractive, especially in light of those early Apple ads that made the iMac G4 move around like the Pixar lamp. If Apple releases and adorable little smart home rendition of the iMac G4 — robotic or not — that I can plop on my countertop to use for timers or YouTube videos while I cook dinner? I’ll have a very hard time saying no to that.

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Not dead: AMD launches two more Ryzen 5000 processors for AM4 socket

Sat, 26 Oct 2024 07:51:17 +0000

AMD's Socket AM4 debuted eight years ago. In September 2016, AMD launched what turned out to be one of the longest-lasting modern platforms, which still receives support and new processors almost a decade later. Today, AMD launched a duo of Ryzen 5000 processors for the AM4 platform: Ryzen 5 5600XT and Ryzen 5 5600T.

Both processors are 6-core, 12-thread 65W parts based on the desktop Zen3 platform (Vermeer). The main difference between the two new models and their existing counterparts (Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 5 5600) is faster clock speeds. Here is how the new processors compare with existing models:

	Platform	Base Clock	Boost Clock	TDP
Ryzen 5 5600XT	AM4 Socket, Zen 3	3.8GHz	4.7GHz	65W
Ryzen 5 5600X		3.7GHz	4.6GHz
Ryzen 5 5600T		3.7GHz	4.5GHz
Ryzen 5 5600		3.5GHz	4.4Ghz

While both variants come with the box WRATH Stealth cooler, prices are quite notably higher than the Ryzen 5 5600X and Ryzen 5 5600. The Ryzen 5 5600XT is listed on Amazon for $192, while the Ryzen 5 5600T costs $186. Meanwhile, the "regular" versions cost $125.

Many users consider the AM4 platform a budget-friendly option that still provides access to modern tech (3D V-Cache, PCIe Gen 4, and more) and affordable processors with good performance. Therefore, a $60+ difference for just an extra 100MHz is quite a significant hit on the wallet. For reference, the Ryzen 7 5700X currently costs just $158, while the Ryzen 5 5700X3D with its stacked 3D V-Cache is only $19 more expensive than the new Ryzen 5 5600XT.

Still, it is great to see AMD's ongoing support for Socket AM4, even though Socket AM5 is already at its second CPU generation. Speaking of which, AMD is planning to launch its first Ryzen 9000X3D processors in early November.

Via VideoCardz

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Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella got a big pay boost in 2024, but it could have been even higher

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 17:41:04 +0000

Microsoft had some ups and downs during its last fiscal year of 2024, which ended on June 30. However, that did not stop the company from approving a big pay raise for its current CEO, Satya Nadella. It was revealed this week that Nadella had a whopping $79.1 million in stock and cash for the 2024 fiscal year.

Microsoft revealed how much Nadella was paid via a filing to the US Securities and Exchange Commission (via CNBC). The amount was much higher than the $48.5 million in stock and cash he received for the 2023 fiscal year.

As with many CEOs of big public companies, the majority of payments made to Nadella in the last fiscal year were made in the form of Microsoft stock options. He was supposed to also get $10.66 million in cash incentives and bonuses. Still, according to the SEC filing, Nadella personally requested that part of his payment be reduced to "just" $5.2 million.

That was due to Microsoft's efforts to hold itself accountable for a series of security breaches during the 2024 fiscal year. One happened in the summer of 2023 when a Chinese-based group got access to Outlook email accounts in the US and Europe. Later, in early 2024, a Russia-based group accessed the email accounts of some of Microsoft's top executives.

Microsoft said it made sweeping changes to its security efforts following these incidents, claiming in May that security was the company's top priority above everything else. In June, Microsoft said that it would alter bonuses, even for its top leaders, depending on how they personally contributed to security improvements.

According to this week's SEC filing, Microsoft said that while Nadella felt that the company's overall "performance was extremely strong" during the last fiscal year, it added that he requested that Microsoft's Board of Directors "reduce his cash incentive" so he could take some "personal accountability for the focus and speed required for the changes that today’s cybersecurity threat landscape showed were necessary."

Even with that cut in cash bonuses compared to what it could have been without the security issues, it's clear that Nadella is still a very well-paid CEO for Microsoft.

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Reviews Show Intel Arrow Lake Is Worst Gaming CPUs In Years

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 03:25:25 +0000

The reviews for the Intel Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake processors are out. While they offer good efficiency, they perform poorly in gaming.

After years of waiting and after days of announcement, Intel Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake CPUs are finally released for desktops. They are Intel’s first series of CPUs with tile based architecture. While AMD switched to chiplets years ago, Intel adapted the tile based approach recently.

Intel processors used to be one monolithic one, now they consist of different tiles. One tile for compute (CPU), one for SOC, one for IO and one for GPU. All these tiles are connected via a base tile, installed on Intel’s Foveros Advanced 3D packaging technology.

Click to enlarge.

Additionally, starting with the Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake series, Intel will not come with hyper-threading technology for the first time in two decades. Which means that the CPU will have the same amount of cores and threads.

Additionally, these CPUs are not manufactured by Intel, but instead made by TSMC. That’s because Intel is making newer-gen factories and it’s still not started large scale manufacturing yet.

Initially, Intel is going to release only K series of unlocked CPUs. They are Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Intel Core Ultra 7 265K / F and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K / F.

Today, their reviews are officially out. While some reviews got leaked a day ago by mistake. They gave us some idea. Now let’s check how do they actually perform.

Reviews

Tom’s Hardware

Credit: Tom’s Hardware. Click to enlarge.

Tom’s Hardware tested both Intel Core Ultra 9 285K and Core Ultra 5 245K CPUs. They tested the CPUs with latest OS updates and with Intel APO (Intel Application Optimization) enabled.

In gaming performance at 1080p, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is 4% slower, that’s right, slower than the previous-gen Intel Core i9-14900K CPU, that too with faster DDR5-8000 RAM. When using slightly slower DDR5-7200 RAM, the 285K becomes 6% slower than i9-14900K.

What’s worse is that far from being the fastest CPU in the world, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is 16% to 20% slower (depending on RAM used) than AMD’s flagship Ryzen 7 7800X3D gaming CPU. Which is a huge difference.

Similarly, Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is 5% slower than previous-gen Intel Core i5-14600K CPU in gaming. Interestingly, it costs $309 however, is 6% slower than AMD’s Ryzen 5 9600X, which costs $249.

However, in productivity benchmarks, the 285K is about 15% faster than the i9-14900K overall. So just like AMD Ryzen 9000 series, Intel here too does good in software benchmarks, but performs poorly in gaming ones.

In terms of power efficiency, they found it to be 36% more power efficient than the Intel’s 14th-gen series of CPUs in gaming. Which is appreciated, but the performance decrease is not probably not justified.

TechSpot

Credit: TechSpot. Click to enlarge.

Steve Walton from the Hardware Unboxed fame posted a written review for the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU on TechSpot. This is in addition to his video review on his channel. He calls Arrow Lake is a mess and possibly a flop.

He mentioned how they got the test samples only 3 days prior to the review date and faced many stability issues with the latest OS updates and had to use non-updated version to test this Intel CPU. They also didn’t enable APO, as it was not enabled by default and only two games made a use of it.

When testing 14 games at 1080p, the Intel Core Ultra 9 285K was 5% slower than Intel’s Core i9-14900K and a massive 14% slower than AMD Ryzen 7800X3D.

In productivity benchmarks, while it performs good in Cinebench, it gives mixed results. Good performance in some, bad performance in others.

In terms of power consumption, they faced some issues in reporting the CPU only data. That’s because due to the motherboard they were using, not all the power was delivered from the CPU only 8-pin dual EPS12V rails. Some power (about 50-60W) was delivered from the 24-pin ATX cable of the motherboard.

Credit: TechSpot. Click to enlarge.

After getting the correct figures, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K used less than 150W in gaming, which makes it use about 70W and hence 32% less power than Intel Core i9-14900K. It also used 17% less power in Cinebench. Making it to be an CPU series with marked power efficiency. Though it still uses more power than AMD’s Ryzen CPUs across generations.

TechPowerUP

Credit: TechPowerUP. Click to enlarge.

TechPowerUP tested all three CPUs in the Arrow Lake series. Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, Intel Core Ultra 7 265K Review and Intel Core Ultra 5 245K.

TechPowerUP tested these CPUs on DDR5-6000 RAM by default to give equal performance benefits for all CPUs. Though, they tested faster RAM separately.

In gaming performance at 1080p, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K is on average 5-6% slower than the previous-gen Intel Core i9-14900K. Intel Core Ultra 7 265K is on average 6% slower than Intel Core i7-14700K. Intel Core Ultra 5 245K is on average 4% slower than Intel Core i5-14600K. However, the 1% Low minimum FPS was slightly better but still slower.

Overall, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K was also 1-2% slower than AMD Ryzen 9 9950X and 9% slower than AMD Ryzen 9 7800X3D CPUs.

Credit: TechPowerUP. Click to enlarge.

TechPowerUP also tested the built-in iGPU of the Intel Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake CPUs. They found that the iGPU offers double the performance when compared to previous-gen Intel Raptor Lake Refresh series. Averaging about 26FPS at lowest settings at 1080p, it’s also faster than AMD’s budget Ryzen 5 8500G APU. Which is a massive improvement by Intel.

Credit: TechPowerUP. Click to enlarge.

In power efficiency, here too, they find Intel Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake CPU to use less power. For example, Intel Core Ultra 9 285K uses just 94W in gaming compared to 150W in previous-gen i9-14900K. Similarly, in Blender’s multithreaded benchmark, it used 235W, compared to 280W of previous gen.

This has meant that these CPUs have massively reduced temperatures, too. Especially temperatures in gaming.

Conclusion

Those feel the above reviews aren’t enough, they can check out VideoCardz and 3DCenter, who have compiled the list of all the reviews available.

As everyone can see. There’s a huge performance regression in gaming with Intel Core Ultra 200S Arrow Lake series CPUs. We haven’t seen such performance decrease in years. Some are calling this ARL -2.85% and Intel Error Lake as a joke.

Whenever a new CPU series releases, there’s an improvement in performance, not a reduction like this.

There could be many reasons. The biggest issue seems to be the latency which is added between interconnect of the new tiles inside the CPU. This added latency can be the biggest reason behind the decrease in performance.

Another reason can be CPU clock reduction over the previous-gen. This could be done by Intel to prevent instability issues that had arisen in the Raptor Lake series of CPUs.

Not to forget, decreased power consumption could affect performance too. But usually, performance doesn’t scale that much with power usage. In other words, power usage increase doesn’t always increase performance too.

While various reviewers tried all the OS related software tricks they could, the performance still didn’t increase significantly. This meant that unless Intel releases some BIOS updates that massively improves the performance, we don’t think it’s going to change much.

While AMD Ryzen 9000 series is disappointing too, its performance is similar to Arrow Lake. However, this means AMD is going to keep the lead in gaming CPU market. With AMD Ryzen 9800X3D all set to release soon, AMD is going to increase its lead further when it comes to performance in gaming.

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Fallout 4's expansion-sized Fallout: London mod passes 1 million downloads on GOG

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 03:23:17 +0000

The total conversion mod Fallout: London, which took players into an entirely new setting set in the Fallout universe, was released in July of this year. The fully community-created experience is also free, with only the Fallout 4: Game of the Year edition required to jump into the new campaign.

Only three months after its launch, Fallout: London has now passed a whopping million downloads via the GOG platform, which is the mod's primary distribution location.

"Supporting such a creative, ambitious fan project was an adventure GOG decided to embark on – not only out of our spirit of gamership, but to ensure that the rich, immersive worlds of games like Fallout continue to thrive," said the GOG store in a statement. "Making Fallout: London easily accessible and providing a seamless installation process and compatibility across different platforms was our way of preserving history."

Fallout: London's five-year development has been led by Team FOLON, a group of fans consisting of hobbyists, industry professionals, and modders. The expansion-sized experience touts having around 90 hours of content for fans, with a completely new map to explore, hordes of questlines to pursue, fully-voiced characters, new factions, and plenty of goodies available to loot.

While Fallout: London is available via the GOG store, it's installable on the Steam version of Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition too. However, the installation is a much more complex process than GOG.

Team FOLON's work on the mod continues too, with major updates being in the works. The latest release, Patch 1.02, landed earlier this week with over 1000 changes to stabilize the mod and fixes for community-reported issues.

Celebrating Fallout Day, the day that the Great War began in the Fallout universe, the GOG store is hosting sales for every game in the Bethesda franchise right now. This includes a 75% off promotion for Fallout 4: Game of the Year Edition, dropping its price to $9.99, which is all that's required to start playing Fallout: London. Fallout Day sales will be available on the DRM-free platform until October 29.

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Intel just isn't for Gamers right now... 285K Review and Benchmarks [Video]

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 18:48:50 +0000

JayzTwoCents (4.11M subscribers)

October 15, 2024

Video length: 32m 20s

Well the Intel Core Ultra CPUs are here. We kick off coverage with the Core Ultra 9 285K CPU and test Productivity, Gaming, Thermals, Voltage, Power Draw and overall performance... is this CPU worth it? Maybe... Maybe not....

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Apple teases a week of Mac announcements starting on Monday

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 18:38:36 +0000

Apple has been rumored to announce new macOS products for a while now, and it looks like we won't have to wait too much longer for the official reveals. The company's SVP of marketing, Greg Joswiak, has posted a big tease that those hardware reveals will be made next week.

In a post on his X account, Joswiak says we should make sure to "Mac your calendars" because Apple has "an exciting week of announcements ahead, starting on Monday morning."

Previous rumors have claimed that Apple will be revealing a bunch of Mac computers with its most recent in-house M4 chips inside. Those products may include a lower-end 14-inch MacBook Pro notebook, along with new higher-end 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros that will have more powerful M4 chips. Apple is also rumored to announce a new version of its all-in-one iMac with an M4 chip.

Perhaps the most interesting rumor concerns the reported plays for a new version of the Mac mini computer. Previous unconfirmed reports claim that this new version will be the smallest Mac that Apple has ever made and that its size could be close to the dimensions of the Apple TV set-top box.

The rumored Mac mini refresh will reportedly be sold in two versions. One will have a lower-end M4 chip while the other will have a more powerful version of that same chip that will support more RAM and have a faster GPU.

Apple decided to announce and launch another new product, a new version of the iPad mini tablet, earlier this month. It looks like next week will concentrate completely on Apple's new Mac lineup.

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