Hardware

Lisa Su doesn’t do small announcements. When AMD’s CEO took the stage for the CES 2026 opening keynote, she came with a simple message that carried enormous weight: AI should be everywhere, for everyone. What followed was a comprehensive look at how AMD plans to make that happen, from warehouse-sized data centers all the way down to the laptop on your desk. But this wasn’t just AMD talking to itself. The company brought some serious partners along for the ride. OpenAI, Luma AI, Liquid AI, World Labs, Blue Origin, Generative Bionics, AstraZeneca, Absci, and Illumina all made appearances, each explaining how AMD hardware is powering their AI work. When you see that kind of lineup, you know something significant is happening. ...

Here’s something I didn’t expect to be impressed by at CES 2026: a projector that works on curtains. Not well on curtains—that would be unrealistic—but at all. Samsung’s new Freestyle+ doesn’t care if you point it at a corner, a textured wall, or that off-white ceiling you’ve been meaning to repaint. It just figures it out. The company unveiled the portable projector ahead of this year’s Las Vegas tech showcase, and while “AI-powered” has become the tech industry’s favorite phrase to slap on anything with a processor, this one actually uses it for something useful: making projection less finicky. ...

The storage industry has officially entered a new era. In 2025, PCIe 6.0 SSDs reached up to 28–30 GB/s sequential read speeds, delivering performance that was previously only possible with complex multi-drive RAID configurations. What once required several high-end PCIe 5.0 drives in RAID can now be approached or matched by a single PCIe 6.0 drive in many workloads. But here’s the catch: these revolutionary drives are headed to data centers first, and consumers won’t see them until around 2030. ...

Quick Answer Building a 100TB NAS in 2025 is easier and cheaper than ever. Here’s what you need: Operating System: TrueNAS SCALE (Linux-based, Docker support, actively developed) Drives: Eight 18-22TB CMR enterprise drives (Seagate Exos X20, WD Ultrastar HC560, or Toshiba MG series) Motherboard: Supermicro X12STH-F with IPMI, 8 SATA ports, and ECC support CPU: Intel Xeon E-2300 series or AMD Ryzen 5 5600G RAM: 32-64GB ECC DDR4 HBA: Broadcom LSI 9300-8i flashed to IT mode Network: 10GbE SFP+ for serious throughput Total Cost: Around $2,500-3,500 for 100TB usable storage This build costs roughly $2,500 upfront and saves you thousands compared to cloud storage or pre-built NAS boxes over five years. ...

Key Highlights Enhanced AI Performance: The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72GB Blackwell GPU offers 2,142 TOPS of AI performance, a significant boost for AI development. Increased Memory: 72GB of ultrafast GDDR7 memory, a 50% increase over the 48GB model, enabling developers to train, fine-tune, and prototype larger models locally. Improved Render Times: Up to 4.7x faster render times in creative workflows, allowing for more iteration and less waiting. The world of artificial intelligence (AI) is evolving rapidly, and the tools needed to support this evolution are becoming increasingly sophisticated. For developers, engineers, and designers working with AI, having the right hardware is crucial. The NVIDIA RTX PRO 5000 72GB Blackwell GPU is now generally available, bringing robust AI capabilities to more desktops and professionals worldwide. This new GPU configuration is designed to meet the growing demand for AI development, particularly in areas like generative AI, which requires significant computational power and memory. ...

The CPU war of 2025 delivered an all-out brawl between AMD’s Zen 5 architecture and Intel’s dual-pronged assault with Arrow Lake (desktop) and Lunar Lake (mobile). After months of BIOS updates, Windows patches, and real-world testing, the verdict is in: there’s no single champion, but the battlefield is clearly divided. Let’s cut through the marketing noise and examine who actually wins where. Desktop Battle: Zen 5 X3D Dominates, Arrow Lake Stumbles The desktop segment saw AMD’s Zen 5 lineup—featuring the Ryzen 9000 series and the game-changing X3D variants—square off against Intel’s Core Ultra 200S (Arrow Lake). The results? Mixed at best for Intel. ...

Key Highlights Improved Sleep Score system with recalibrated thresholds and a new “Very High” rating Enhanced Apple Podcasts with AI-generated chapters and links to mentioned podcasts Apple News app redesign with quick links to popular sections The latest iOS 26.2 beta 3 release marks a significant step forward in Apple’s efforts to refine the iPhone experience. This move reflects broader industry trends towards more personalized and intuitive mobile operating systems. By introducing a range of new features and improvements, Apple aims to further enhance user engagement and satisfaction. ...

The GPU world is experiencing a leak frenzy as details about NVIDIA’s next-generation GeForce RTX 50-series graphics cards continue to emerge. Built on the revolutionary Blackwell architecture, the RTX 5090 and RTX 5080 promise to push the boundaries of gaming and AI performance in 2025. From massive power requirements to groundbreaking ray tracing capabilities, these upcoming cards are generating serious buzz among enthusiasts and professionals alike. Blackwell Architecture: The Foundation for Next-Gen Performance NVIDIA’s Blackwell architecture represents a fundamental shift in GPU design, emphasizing neural rendering techniques to overcome traditional performance limitations. According to various leaks, the architecture doubles ray tracing capabilities compared to previous generations, potentially delivering up to 4x performance gains in ray-traced scenarios. ...

Key Highlights Apple is expected to launch the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max with new colors and improved cameras Samsung will unveil the Galaxy S26 series with enhanced displays and faster charging Google will release the Pixel 11 lineup with advanced camera features and improved performance The year 2025 has been an exciting time for smartphones, with manufacturers introducing significant hardware changes and innovative features. As we look ahead to 2026, it’s clear that the trend will continue, with Apple, Samsung, and Google leading the charge. This move reflects broader industry trends towards more powerful, feature-rich devices that cater to diverse user needs. ...

Key Highlights Samsung’s trifold phone details have been confirmed by Evan Blass The phone is expected to revolutionize the mobile industry with its unique design Foldable technology is becoming increasingly popular among smartphone manufacturers The recent leak by Evan Blass on X has shed light on Samsung’s highly anticipated trifold phone. This move reflects broader industry trends, where companies are pushing the boundaries of innovation to stay ahead in the competitive market. As the demand for unique and versatile devices grows, Samsung’s trifold phone is expected to make a significant impact. ...

Key Highlights Valve unveils the Steam Machine, a living room game console Introduces the Steam Frame, a cutting-edge VR headset Reveals the long-awaited Steam Controller sequel, hinted at three years ago The gaming landscape is undergoing a significant transformation, with companies like Valve making bold moves to redefine the industry. This shift is driven by advancements in technology, changing consumer behaviors, and the rise of cloud gaming. Valve’s recent announcements are a testament to this trend, as the company aims to expand its reach beyond traditional gaming platforms. ...

Key Highlights Sony unveils a 27-inch QHD IPS gaming monitor with up to 240Hz refresh rate The monitor features a unique hook for charging and holding the PS5 DualSense controller The device is set to release in 2026, with no announced price yet The gaming industry has seen a surge in demand for high-quality gaming monitors, and Sony’s latest announcement is set to shake things up. At its recent State of Play event, the company revealed a new PlayStation-branded gaming monitor, designed to provide an immersive gaming experience for PS5 and PC gamers. This move reflects broader industry trends, where companies are expanding their product lines to cater to the growing gaming community. ...