(PR) AMD Announces Production Ramp of Next-Generation AMD EPYC Processor "Venice" on TSMC 2nm Process Technology
Thu, 21 May 2026
AMD today announced that its next-generation AMD EPYC processor, codenamed "Venice," is ramping production in Taiwan on TSMC's advanced 2 nm process technology, with future plans to ramp production at TSMC's Arizona fabrication facility. The milestone in the execution of the AMD data center CPU roadmap demonstrates continued progress toward delivering the leadership performance and energy efficiency required for next-generation cloud, enterprise and AI infrastructure. "Venice" is the first high-performance computing (HPC) product in the industry to enter production on TSMC's advanced 2 nm process technology.
"Ramping 'Venice' on TSMC 2 nm process technology marks an important step forward in accelerating the next generation of AI infrastructure," said Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO, AMD. "As AI and agentic workloads scale rapidly, customers need platforms that can move from innovation to production faster. Our deep partnership with TSMC is helping AMD bring leadership compute technologies to market with the speed and scale required to meet this moment."
"Ramping 'Venice' on TSMC 2 nm process technology marks an important step forward in accelerating the next generation of AI infrastructure," said Dr. Lisa Su, chair and CEO, AMD. "As AI and agentic workloads scale rapidly, customers need platforms that can move from innovation to production faster. Our deep partnership with TSMC is helping AMD bring leadership compute technologies to market with the speed and scale required to meet this moment."
(PR) AMD Announces More Than $10 Billion in Taiwan Ecosystem Investments to Accelerate AI Infrastructure
Thu, 21 May 2026
To meet the growing demand for AI infrastructure, AMD (NASDAQ: AMD) today announced more than $10 billion in investments across the Taiwan ecosystem to expand strategic partnerships and scale advanced packaging manufacturing for next-generation AI infrastructure. Working with strategic partners in Taiwan and globally, AMD is advancing leading-edge silicon, packaging and manufacturing technologies that enable higher performance, greater efficiency and faster deployment of AI systems. These efforts build on AMD's deep ecosystem partnerships and long-standing leadership in chiplet architectures, high-bandwidth memory integration, 3D hybrid bonding and rack-scale system design for next-generation AI infrastructure.
"As AI adoption accelerates, our global customers are rapidly scaling AI infrastructure to meet growing compute demand," said Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD. "By combining AMD leadership in high-performance computing with the Taiwan ecosystem and our strategic global partners, we are enabling integrated, rack-scale AI infrastructure that helps customers accelerate deployment of next-generation AI systems."
"As AI adoption accelerates, our global customers are rapidly scaling AI infrastructure to meet growing compute demand," said Dr. Lisa Su, Chair and CEO, AMD. "By combining AMD leadership in high-performance computing with the Taiwan ecosystem and our strategic global partners, we are enabling integrated, rack-scale AI infrastructure that helps customers accelerate deployment of next-generation AI systems."
(PR) Phison's Pascari Enterprise Storage Honored with COMPUTEX Best Choice Golden Award for Breakthrough 245.76 TB Capacity
Thu, 21 May 2026
Phison Electronics, a global leader in NAND flash controllers and storage solutions, today announced that its Pascari D206V PCIe Gen 5 data center SSD has received the prestigious COMPUTEX Best Choice Golden Award, recognizing the next generation of innovation in ultra-high-capacity enterprise storage for AI and modern data center infrastructure.
The Pascari D206V is designed to address the growing industry challenge of efficiently scaling storage capacity for AI, cloud and data-intensive workloads without increasing operational complexity or infrastructure costs. Delivering up to 245.76 TB in a single U.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD, the D206V enables hyperscale and enterprise customers to significantly increase storage density while reducing rack footprint, power consumption and total data center OPEX.
The Pascari D206V is designed to address the growing industry challenge of efficiently scaling storage capacity for AI, cloud and data-intensive workloads without increasing operational complexity or infrastructure costs. Delivering up to 245.76 TB in a single U.2 PCIe Gen 5 SSD, the D206V enables hyperscale and enterprise customers to significantly increase storage density while reducing rack footprint, power consumption and total data center OPEX.
NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) today reported record revenue for the first quarter ended April 26, 2026, of $81.6 billion, up 20% from the previous quarter and up 85% from a year ago.
For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins were 74.9% and 75.0%, respectively.
For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share were $2.39 and $1.87, respectively.
"The buildout of AI factories—the largest infrastructure expansion in human history—is accelerating at extraordinary speed," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Agentic AI has arrived, doing productive work, generating real value and scaling rapidly across companies and industries. NVIDIA is uniquely positioned at the center of this transformation as the only platform that runs in every cloud, powers every frontier and open source model, and scales everywhere AI is produced—from hyperscale data centers to the edge."
For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP gross margins were 74.9% and 75.0%, respectively.
For the quarter, GAAP and non-GAAP earnings per diluted share were $2.39 and $1.87, respectively.
"The buildout of AI factories—the largest infrastructure expansion in human history—is accelerating at extraordinary speed," said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO of NVIDIA. "Agentic AI has arrived, doing productive work, generating real value and scaling rapidly across companies and industries. NVIDIA is uniquely positioned at the center of this transformation as the only platform that runs in every cloud, powers every frontier and open source model, and scales everywhere AI is produced—from hyperscale data centers to the edge."
Embracer Group Splinters, Puts Major IPs Under "Fellowship Entertainment" in Ongoing Restructuring Efforts
Thu, 21 May 2026
It's no secret that Embracer Group has had a rough time of it lately, with repeated layoffs and studio sell-offs rocking the game studio for over two years. Now, Embracer Group has announced that it will be spinning up Fellowship Entertainment as separately listed public company on the Stockholm NASDAQ. The new game studio will still be run by Embracer Group, but Embracer's Chair of the Board, Lars Wingefors said in an investor note announcing the move that "the separation is about sharper management focus and clearer accountability," and that it gives "each business the structure and leadership to realize more of its full potential." Fellowship will focus on development, publishing, and licensing, and it will supposedly free up resources and "allow Embracer more flexibility to pursue accretive but opportunistic bolt-on M&A," in order to expand its footholds in niches like mobile, distribution, retro, films, remakes, and remasters, seemingly suggesting that Embracer will continue to acquire more game studios and IPs.
Fellowship Entertainment will house IPs like Darksiders, Dead Island, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Metro, Remnant, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Tomb Raider, among others. It will also serve as the parent company for 4A Games, Crystal Dynamics, Dambuster Studios, Dark Horse Media, Eidos-Montréal, Fishlabs, Flying Wild Hog Studios, Gunfire Games, Middle-earth Enterprises, Redoctane Games and Warhorse Studios—the latter of which just announced two new games already in the development pipeline. The new company is expected to be listed in 2027, and Embracer Group's CEO, Phil Rogers, and COO, Lee Guinchard, will serve in their respective positions at Fellowship, alongside CFO Müge Bouillon, while Embracer Group will appoint new leadership to those positions before the new company is spun off. For its part, Embracer will be responsible for Aspyr, Beamdog, CrazyLabs, Deca, Demiurge, DPI Merchandising, Limited Run Games, Milestone, PLAION Partners, PLAION Pictures, THQ Nordic (including 35 studios and subsidiaries), Tripwire and Vertigo Games, as well as a number of IPs including Destroy All Humans!, Reanimal, Killing Floor, Biomutant, and Desperados.
Fellowship Entertainment will house IPs like Darksiders, Dead Island, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Metro, Remnant, The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and Tomb Raider, among others. It will also serve as the parent company for 4A Games, Crystal Dynamics, Dambuster Studios, Dark Horse Media, Eidos-Montréal, Fishlabs, Flying Wild Hog Studios, Gunfire Games, Middle-earth Enterprises, Redoctane Games and Warhorse Studios—the latter of which just announced two new games already in the development pipeline. The new company is expected to be listed in 2027, and Embracer Group's CEO, Phil Rogers, and COO, Lee Guinchard, will serve in their respective positions at Fellowship, alongside CFO Müge Bouillon, while Embracer Group will appoint new leadership to those positions before the new company is spun off. For its part, Embracer will be responsible for Aspyr, Beamdog, CrazyLabs, Deca, Demiurge, DPI Merchandising, Limited Run Games, Milestone, PLAION Partners, PLAION Pictures, THQ Nordic (including 35 studios and subsidiaries), Tripwire and Vertigo Games, as well as a number of IPs including Destroy All Humans!, Reanimal, Killing Floor, Biomutant, and Desperados.
Stop Paying for Microsoft 365—The Newest Office is $130
Thu, 21 May 2026
Subscription fatigue is real, especially when it comes to software you use every day. Microsoft 365 costs $69.99 to $99.99 annually, which means you'll easily spend $200-$400 within a few years just to keep using Word and Excel. The Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business lifetime license eliminates the subscription cycle entirely. One payment installs the classic desktop apps directly on your Mac or PC with no recurring fees.
Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business Lifetime License is $129.97 (regularly $249.99).
Despite launching nearly a decade ago, Darksiders Warmastered Edition has only just made it to PS5 and the Xbox Series X|S consoles, and alongside those updated console versions, an updated version of Darksiders Warmastered Edition was pushed to Steam, too. The biggest updates to Darksiders War mastered Edition come by way of an updated render engine, better controller support, and bug fixes and quality of life updates. The new update requires a 64-bit CPU, and, because of the addition of Vulkan, any hardware running the Warmastered Edition will now need to be compatible with the Vulkan API version 1.3, which is supported as far back as AMD's Radeon R9 series GPUs and NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 700 series GPUs.
The new Vulkan API should improve game performance and compatibility on Linux and SteamOS using Valve's Proton translation layer, but the game already has a silver rating on ProtonDB, with the only major hiccups coming from media codecs for cutscenes that need to be installed. In addition to the new rendering API, Darksiders Warmastered Edition received a new photo mode that can be accessed from the pause menu. The intended use case is to use photo mode to set up your shot and then use the Steam or Windows built-in screenshot tools to capture the screenshot. Improved Steam Input settings also mean that controllers with motion control or built-in gyros or IMUs, like the new Steam Controller, are now supported by the game. It also features various bug fixes, one of which is a fixed reticule at lower resolutions—no doubt a fix sorely wanted by Steam Deck gamers and others playing on handheld devices.
The new Vulkan API should improve game performance and compatibility on Linux and SteamOS using Valve's Proton translation layer, but the game already has a silver rating on ProtonDB, with the only major hiccups coming from media codecs for cutscenes that need to be installed. In addition to the new rendering API, Darksiders Warmastered Edition received a new photo mode that can be accessed from the pause menu. The intended use case is to use photo mode to set up your shot and then use the Steam or Windows built-in screenshot tools to capture the screenshot. Improved Steam Input settings also mean that controllers with motion control or built-in gyros or IMUs, like the new Steam Controller, are now supported by the game. It also features various bug fixes, one of which is a fixed reticule at lower resolutions—no doubt a fix sorely wanted by Steam Deck gamers and others playing on handheld devices.
AMD Launches the Ryzen AI Max 400 Series Processors: "Strix Halo" Gets a Memory Upgrade
Thu, 21 May 2026
In addition to the Ryzen AI Halo, AMD today debuted the Ryzen AI Max 400 series of processors for AI development platforms. This is a refresh to the Ryzen AI Max 300 series "Strix Halo" processor. The chip combines up to 16 full-size "Zen 5" CPU cores with a large SoC die that has a powerful iGPU with 40 compute units powered by the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture; a 50 TOPS-class NPU, and a 4-channel (256-bit wide) LPDDR5X unified memory interface. The series consists of three processor models, all three of these get AMD PRO features that rival Intel's vPro. There are consumer versions also planned for later this year.
Memory is the focus of this refresh. AMD updated the memory controllers on the "Strix Halo" SoC die to now support up to 192 GB of LPDDR5X memory. The previous Ryzen AI Max 300 series tops out at 128 GB. Here, users have the flexibility to manually partition the memory between the system and the iGPU, giving the latter up to 160 GB of video memory. AMD also took the opportunity to give the GPU a maximum boost frequency increase to 3.00 GHz, up from 2.90 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 300 series; while the "Zen 5" CPU cores now boost up to 5.20 GHz, up from 5.10 GHz on the previous generation. The integrated NPU gets a 10% performance boost, now being capable of 55 TOPS.
Memory is the focus of this refresh. AMD updated the memory controllers on the "Strix Halo" SoC die to now support up to 192 GB of LPDDR5X memory. The previous Ryzen AI Max 300 series tops out at 128 GB. Here, users have the flexibility to manually partition the memory between the system and the iGPU, giving the latter up to 160 GB of video memory. AMD also took the opportunity to give the GPU a maximum boost frequency increase to 3.00 GHz, up from 2.90 GHz on the Ryzen AI Max 300 series; while the "Zen 5" CPU cores now boost up to 5.20 GHz, up from 5.10 GHz on the previous generation. The integrated NPU gets a 10% performance boost, now being capable of 55 TOPS.
AMD today released Ryzen AI Halo, a compact AI development computer designed by AMD to serve as a nearly full-stack machine for AI development, inferencing, and generative AI content creation. Ryzen AI Halo is designed to strike a unique balance of price, performance, and capabilities that rival Apple Mac Mini and NVIDIA DGX Spark. It is a compact computer that can be used as a standalone PC, or in small clusters talking to your workstation. An advantage it offers over DGX Spark and Mac Mini is that it's based on x86-64, and fully supports Windows. AMD is pricing the Ryzen AI Halo at $3,999. Pre-orders open in June 2026.
At the heart of the Ryzen AI Halo is the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 "Strix Halo" processor that combines 16 "Zen 5" CPU cores with an oversized iGPU powered by the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, featuring compute capabilities. There's also a nimble 50 TOPS NPU. Perhaps the most interesting aspect that brings this whole device together, is memory. The processor features a quad-channel (256-bit wide) LPDDR5x memory interface, and AMD has crammed 128 GB of memory into this box. Also helping things is a spacious 2 TB NVMe SSD. The large memory size, helps the processor run AI models with up to 200B parameters, with the right quantization. For reference, the current Mac Mini can only be configured with up to 64 GB of memory. Hardware is less than half the story, the bulk of AMD's engineering effort with the Ryzen AI Halo is on the software side. The company innovated a comprehensive software platform compatible with both Windows and Linux, which helps developers quickly deploy one or more Ryzen AI Halo boxes faster than it takes to set up DGX Spark, AMD says.
At the heart of the Ryzen AI Halo is the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 "Strix Halo" processor that combines 16 "Zen 5" CPU cores with an oversized iGPU powered by the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, featuring compute capabilities. There's also a nimble 50 TOPS NPU. Perhaps the most interesting aspect that brings this whole device together, is memory. The processor features a quad-channel (256-bit wide) LPDDR5x memory interface, and AMD has crammed 128 GB of memory into this box. Also helping things is a spacious 2 TB NVMe SSD. The large memory size, helps the processor run AI models with up to 200B parameters, with the right quantization. For reference, the current Mac Mini can only be configured with up to 64 GB of memory. Hardware is less than half the story, the bulk of AMD's engineering effort with the Ryzen AI Halo is on the software side. The company innovated a comprehensive software platform compatible with both Windows and Linux, which helps developers quickly deploy one or more Ryzen AI Halo boxes faster than it takes to set up DGX Spark, AMD says.
Older operating systems can slow down productivity with outdated interfaces, weaker security protections, and limited multitasking features. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is designed to modernize compatible PCs with a cleaner interface, upgraded productivity tools, and advanced security features built for work, development, and everyday use. Right now, Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is available for $9.97 through May 31 (MSRP $199).
Windows 11 Pro introduces a redesigned layout with improved navigation, snap layouts for easier multitasking, virtual desktops, and better window management. The operating system also includes professional-grade tools such as BitLocker device encryption, Hyper-V virtualization support, Windows Sandbox, and Azure AD compatibility.
Upgrade your PC with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro while this $9.97 deal is available through May 31.
Windows 11 Pro introduces a redesigned layout with improved navigation, snap layouts for easier multitasking, virtual desktops, and better window management. The operating system also includes professional-grade tools such as BitLocker device encryption, Hyper-V virtualization support, Windows Sandbox, and Azure AD compatibility.
Upgrade your PC with Microsoft Windows 11 Pro while this $9.97 deal is available through May 31.
1047 Games, the studio behind Splitgate and Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, recently revealed that it was working on a new movement shooter inspired by Titanfall and Call of Duty Black Ops 3, seemingly in an attempt to not have all of its eggs in one basket. Not much has been officially revealed about the game via official or unofficial channels, but a Steam page for Empulse (stylized "EMPULSE"), and it turned out to be that very same game revealed previously by 1047 Games CEO, Ian Proulx. Despite the studio already previously accepting sign-ups for playtesting, there is no launch date or even launch window attached to the Empulse just yet, but the Steam Store page does divulge a handful of details and screenshots. The game has also been confirmed to be launching on both PS5 and Xbox consoles.
The Steam page confirms that Empulse will feature 6v6 gameplay with a focus on mobility, verticality, and a mix of gunplay and ability-based combat. The game will feature player-controllable mechs that spawn randomly across the map, and the map will be scattered with "Holojumps" that extend jump flight time and unlock parkour routes that would otherwise be unavailable to players. It will also feature grappling hooks and P.A.I.N.T bombs that alter surfaces in an as-yet unspecified manner. There is also a table of minimum system requirements that seems quite forgiving. If the system requirements are accurate, the minimum system specifications are an Intel Core i3-6100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 8 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470. The recommended specifications bump things up to an Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1400, 12 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 GPU.
The Steam page confirms that Empulse will feature 6v6 gameplay with a focus on mobility, verticality, and a mix of gunplay and ability-based combat. The game will feature player-controllable mechs that spawn randomly across the map, and the map will be scattered with "Holojumps" that extend jump flight time and unlock parkour routes that would otherwise be unavailable to players. It will also feature grappling hooks and P.A.I.N.T bombs that alter surfaces in an as-yet unspecified manner. There is also a table of minimum system requirements that seems quite forgiving. If the system requirements are accurate, the minimum system specifications are an Intel Core i3-6100 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200, 8 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 or AMD Radeon RX 470. The recommended specifications bump things up to an Intel Core i5-6600K or AMD Ryzen 5 1400, 12 GB of RAM, and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580 GPU.
