ASUS has revealed its upcoming ExpertBook P5 laptop, set to debut alongside Intel's highly anticipated "[Lunar Lake](https://www.techpowerup.com/review/intel-lunar-lake-technical-deep-dive/)" processors. This ultrabook aims to boost AI-capable laptop market, featuring an unspecified Intel Lunar Lake "Core Ultra 200V" CPU at its core. The ExpertBook P5 boasts impressive AI processing capabilities, with over 45 TOPS from its Neural Processing Unit and a combined 100+ TOPS when factoring in the CPU and GPU. The power source comes from Lunar Lake's GPU with XMX cores, stemming from the Xe2 Battlemage architecture. This is more than enough for the Copilot+ certification from Microsoft, making the laptop debut as an "AI PC." The ExpertBook P5 offers up to 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory running at 8333 MT/s, up to 3 TB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage, and Wi-Fi 7 support.  
  
The 14-inch anti-glare display features a 2.5K resolution and a smooth 144 Hz refresh rate, ensuring a premium visual experience. Despite its powerful internals, the ExpertBook P5 maintains a solid profile weighing just 1.3 kg. The laptop is housed in an all-metal military-grade aluminium body with a 180-degree lay-flat hinge, making it both portable and versatile. ASUS has also prioritized cooling efficiency with innovative technology that optimizes thermal management, whether the laptop is open or closed. Security hasn't been overlooked either, with the ExpertBook P5 featuring a robust security ecosystem, including Windows 11 secured-core PC framework, NIST-155-ready Commercial-Grade BIOS protection, and biometric login options. While an exact release date hasn't been confirmed, ASUS is preparing ExpertBook P5 and other Lunar Lake-powered laptops to hit the market in the second half of 2024.


ASUS Unveils ExpertBook P5 With Intel Lunar Lake CPUs, 14″ 2.5K 144Hz Display, Sleek Design & Launching In 2H 2024

ASUS Previews Intel's "Lunar Lake" Platform with ExpertBook P5 14-Inch Laptop

Apple has reportedly halted the development of its future Vision Pro 2 headset, opting instead to focus on a more affordable variant. The decision comes as the company grapples with the high production costs associated with the Vision Pro, which was released on February 2 in the US for $3,499 and will be released on July 12 in other countries. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple is not expected to manufacture more than 500,000 Vision Pro units this year, casting doubt on the device's ability to gain widespread adoption at such a premium price point. The tech giant's suppliers have already begun scaling back production, with one supplier reducing output by 50% in May due to forecasts of weaker-than-expected demand.  
  
While the Vision Pro promised to deliver a groundbreaking mixed-reality experience, its excessive cost effectively priced it out of reach for the mass market. Recognizing this barrier, Apple has reportedly decided to abandon the development of the costlier "Pro 2" model and instead channel its efforts into creating a more budget-friendly "Vision" variant. The new device is expected to feature fewer cameras, simpler speaker systems, and a streamlined headband design, all aimed at reducing production costs. However, sources indicate that Apple is struggling to significantly lower the costs of key components, such as the display, which could further delay the launch of the successor model. Nevertheless, the company's goal is to create a mixed-reality headset priced around the level of a high-end iPhone, approximately $1,600, and launch the cheaper headset in late 2025.


Apple Halts Development of Expensive Vision Pro 2 Headset, Shifts Focus to More Affordable Model

ASUS launched the Prime Series of GeForce RTX 40-series "Ada" graphics cards that meet NVIDIA's new [SFF-Ready specification](https://www.techpowerup.com/323092/nvidia-unveils-new-sff-friendly-enthusiast-geforce-rtx-graphics-card-standard) that sets 304 mm x 151 mm x 50 mm (length x height x thickness) as the maximum dimensions for a graphics card to qualify. What's interesting, is that NVIDIA intended for the SFF-Ready standard to apply to performance-segment and enthusiast-class GPUs (RTX 4070 SUPER and up), however, ASUS has designed the Prime series for the RTX 4060 Ti, RTX 4070, and RTX 4070 SUPER; there are no cards in the series based on the RTX 4070 Ti SUPER or the RTX 4080 SUPER, yet.  
  
ASUS is using a common board design for its RTX 4070 SUPER, RTX 4070, and RTX 4060 Ti Prime series graphics cards, which measures 269 mm x 120 mm x 50 mm, while the heatsink and PCB underneath the cooler shroud may vary between the RTX 4070/SUPER and the RTX 4060 Ti cards. The cooler uses a trio of 70 mm fans to ventilate an aluminium fin-stack heatsink, much of the airflow from the third fan goes through the heatsink and back out from a large cutout in the backplate. The RTX 4070 and RTX 4060 Ti cards use single 8-pin PCIe power inputs, while the RTX 4070 SUPER uses a 16-pin 12VHPWR input. There are a total of six SKUs, two per GPU, one of which sticks to the NVIDIA reference clock speeds, and the other being an OC SKU with a minor factory overclock.

ASUS Unveils SFF-Ready Prime Series GeForce RTX 40-series Graphics Cards

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800. With a capacity of 40 liters, the versatile Archer ErgoAir features a detachable top pouch that can double as a small day pack plus an additional accessories pouch, a waterproof cover, and two concealed pockets. The backpack is made of lightweight 200D nylon and includes a breathable foam backrest. Inside, there's more than enough room to accommodate up to an 18-inch gaming laptop, along with accessories and other essentials.  
  
The Archer ErgoAir is designed to adapt to any situation. Its 200D nylon construction resists light showers, and the waterproof rain cover is available on standby should the weather deteriorate. The pack's top pouch features multiple compartments, including a fleece-lined sleeve for sunglasses. It can be used to store smaller items or detached to be used as a waist or crossbody bag. Closing the bag is easy, either via drawstring or folding down the roll-top.

ASUS Announces ROG Archer ErgoAir Gaming Backpack BP3800

Apple is reportedly working on creating in-house chips designed explicitly for its data centers. This news comes from a recent report by the Wall Street Journal, which highlights the company's efforts to enhance its data processing capabilities and reduce dependency on third parties to supply the infrastructure. In the internal project called Apple Chips in Data Center (ACDC), which started in 2018, Apple wanted to design data center processors to handle the massive user base and increase the company's service offerings. The most recent advancement in AI means that Apple will probably serve an LLM processed in Apple's data center. The chip will most likely focus on inference of AI models rather than training.  
  
The AI chips are expected to play a crucial role in improving the efficiency and speed of Apple's data centers, which handle vast amounts of data generated by the company's various services and products. By developing these custom chips, Apple aims to optimize its data processing and storage capabilities, ultimately leading to better user experiences across its ecosystem. The move by Apple to develop AI-enhanced chips for data centers is seen as a strategic step in the company's efforts to stay ahead in the competitive tech landscape. Almost all major tech companies, famously called the big seven, have products that use AI in silicon and in software processing. However, Apple is the one that seeminly lacked that. Now, the company is integrating AI across the entire vertical, from the upcoming iPhone integration to [M4 chips](https://www.techpowerup.com/321459/apple-preparing-m4-chips-with-ai-capabilities-to-fight-declining-mac-sales) for Mac devices and ACDC chips for data centers.


Apple Reportedly Developing Custom Data Center Processors with Focus on AI Inference

The ROCCAT brand is officially reaching the end of its life today, as Turtle Beach has confirmed that ROCCAT will not be a separate brand anymore but rather integrated under the covers of Turtle Beach. Turtle Beach has noted: "We want to bring a greater level of integration to our family of products across console, PC and simulation. We felt that time and resources would be best spent focusing under a single brand and creating a range of products that matter most to gamers." ROCCAT was acquired by Turtle Beach in 2019 for $14.8 million to strengthen the company's positioning in the PC accessories market. At the time, ROCCAT's lineup of gaming keyboards, mice, headsets, and other peripherals complemented Turtle Beach's console-oriented product mix.  
  
In a [FAQ](https://www.turtlebeach.com/pages/roccat-faq) posted on its website, Turtle Beach also added: "While we'll be retiring the ROCCAT brand, many of its iconic product lines like the Vulcan, Kone, Burst and Sense will transition under the Turtle Beach brand. Our commitment to PC products remains as strong as ever and we have several ground-breaking new products to introduce as well as Turtle Beach-branded versions of popular existing ROCCAT products sticking around." For product support, the same teams are handling any customer support, and the company has merged them into a single new website, which handles tech and customer questions at support.turtlebeach.com. For returns, the company also takes care of ROCCAT products. The ROCCAT Swarm software will continue to work, even with Swarm II scheduled for a debut this year in Spring. From now on, all products will be under a single brand but will target the same audience. Turtle Beach will also rebrand the social media channels from ROCCAT to Turtle Beach PC. Refer to the FAQ posted on the official company website for more inquiries.


Turtle Beach Dismantles ROCCAT Brand, Carries on Products and Support

For those unhappy with the resolution of most ultrawide displays on the market, Acer's new addition to its Predator line should please most of you, as it has a DUHD resolution which is better known as 7680 x 2160 pixels, aka dual 4K. The Predator Z57 also sports a 2304 zone MiniLED backlight which equals 1152 zones on a standard 4K display. Thanks to the MiniLED backlight, the Predator Z57 also gets a VESA DisplayHDR 1000 certification. However, the 120 Hz VA display panel might not be to everyone's liking, alongside the 1000R curvature.  
  
Other features include support for AMD FreeSync Premium, 98 percent coverage of the DCI-P3 colour space, an HDMI 2.1 port, a USB Type-C port with 90 W USB-PD support, integrated KVM support, but seemingly no support for DP 2.1. The stand offers height, tilt and swivel adjustments and the display also sports a pair of built in 10 W speakers. Acer hasn't released the full specs of the display, but it retails for US$1,999.99 and can be ordered from Acer in the US now with Europe seemingly following shortly.


Acer's 57-inch Predator Z57 Lands in Retail

Sabrent today debuted the Rocket 4 line of DRAMless M.2 NVMe Gen 4 SSDs. Built in the M.2-2280 form-factor, these drives take advantage of the PCI-Express 4.0 x4 host interface, and provide sequential transfer speeds of up to 7.4 GB/s reads, with up to 6.4 GB/s writes. The drives also offer 4K random access performance of up to 1 million IOPS reads, and 0.95 million IOPS writes. For now, Sabrent is launching 1 TB and 2 TB capacity variants of the Rocket 4, but the company is preparing to launch a larger 4 TB variant soon.  
  
The Sabrent Rocket 4 combines a Phison E27T series DRAMless controller with Kioxia 162-layer 3D TLC NAND flash memory (also known as the BiCS 6). There's just a copper foil heat spreader to keep things cool. The 12 nm E27T doesn't run anywhere near as hot as the E18, so you can make do with the heatsink your motherboard includes, or run it the way it is. The 1 TB variant is priced at $99.99, and the 2 TB variant at $199.99. The company didn't reveal pricing of the unreleased 4 TB variant.


Sabrent Announces the Rocket 4 DRAMless M.2 Gen 4 SSD

MSI today released the MPG 274URF QD, a high-end 27-inch gaming monitor boasting of some stellar specs. The planar, 16:9 monitor offers 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution, at 160 Hz refresh-rate, 0.5 ms (GTG) response time. In charge of things, is a Rapid IPS panel with Quantum Dot. The display supports 10 bits per cell (1.07 billion colors), and wide color gamut. Also featured are VESA Certified DisplayHDR 400, and VESA Adaptive Sync support. The monitor takes in input from DisplayPort 1.4a (needed for 4K @ 160 Hz), and HDMI 2.1. It also features a USB type-C input that can deliver 65 W, and passes through DisplayPort 1.4a, so you can run the display off a single cable. Other features include a 3-port USB hub, and stereo headset jack. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MSI Outs MPG 274URF QD 4K-160 Hz Gaming Monitor

The results are in for the iF DESIGN AWARD 2024! This year, MSI takes the award home with its MAG 341CQP QD-OLED curved gaming monitor and MAG CORELIQUID E series liquid cooler in Gaming/VR/AR category. "MSI is honored to be recognized by the prestigious iF DESIGN AWARD. As a world-leading gaming & AI PC brand, MSI has been dedicating great efforts in product designs. We believe that design could impact the globe, and will continue to bring the latest and greatest designs to users," said Sam Chern, MSI Marketing Vice President.  
  
Equipped with Quantum Dot technology and a next-gen OLED panel, the MAG 341CQP QD-OLED features a 3440x1440 UWQHD, 175 Hz refresh rate, ultra-fast 0.03 ms (GtG) response time, catering players a smooth and seamless gaming experience. Better yet, the monitor panel is VESA-certified ClearMR 9000 and DisplayHDR TrueBlack 400, promising vibrant colors and mitigates motion blur. By utilizing a dynamically engineered layer of Quantum Dot technology, it could create 99.3% coverage of DCI-P3 color space. Moreover, the MSI OLED Care 2.0 solution offers a range of screen protection optimization mechanisms and significantly reduce the chances of OLED burn-in.


MSI Wins Two Coveted iF DESIGN Awards 2024

Kingston Digital Europe Co LLP, a flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced it is shipping the Canvas React Plus V60 SD memory card. The latest addition expands the Canvas React family of memory cards tailored for UHS-II photography enthusiasts. The new V60 SD card is crafted for both passionate photographers and cost-conscious budding creatives, offering speeds up to 280 MB/s and storage capacities reaching 1TB2, transforming the way photographers capture and store their digital portfolio.  
  
Photographers know that a camera's performance hinges on its memory card. The Canvas React Plus V60 SD card elevates this performance, enabling photographers to capture fast-action shots and 4K Ultra HD videos smoothly, without lag or interruptions. Its standout feature is the exceptional write speed of up to 150 MB/s, allowing for clear, precise captures in burst mode or continuous shooting, and ensuring superior performance for 4K video at higher frames per second (FPS) than UHS-I. This eliminates the wait time for camera buffering, guaranteeing a seamless creative process and enhanced workflow efficiency.


Kingston Digital Introduces New Canvas React V60 SD Card

Global technology brand HONOR today unveiled the HONOR MagicBook Pro 16, a revolutionary AI-powered laptop which sets to redefine the traditional laptop landscape. Based on HONOR's platform-level AI capabilities and joint efforts with technology partners such as Microsoft, Intel and NVIDIA, HONOR is bringing PCs into the AI PC era, marking a significant milestone in computing, offering users an unparalleled AI experience and transforming their device interactions.  
  
"At HONOR, our commitment lies in embracing open collaboration with industry partners to foster a flourishing ecosystem. We firmly believe in the transformative power of collaborative synergy, especially in the era of AI. By leveraging the collective expertise of top industry players, we are dedicated to crafting exceptional products and delivering unparalleled experiences to consumers worldwide," said George Zhao, CEO at HONOR.


Huawei Introduces HONOR MagicBook Pro 16

Sony's second generation virtual reality headset—PlayStation VR2—is a very [neat bit of kit](https://www.techpowerup.com/311485/playstation-vr2-product-manager-goes-deep-into-design-process), but many VR gaming enthusiasts believe that its full potential is being wasted to some degree. Presently, VR2 is locked into the Sony PlayStation 5 console ecosystem, yet efforts to break this exclusive cycle started many months ago—modders have been working on PC platform support. The "[iVRy VR](https://www.patreon.com/iVRyVR)" project is a notable endeavor—its leader outlined a bumpy development road on Reddit late last year: "PS VR2 can now be used for SteamVR on Windows. I wrote the driver some months ago, but the project has been delayed due to hardware or GPU driver hacks necessary to get the headset driven correctly by the GPU." Things are back on track according to [iVRy's latest social media posts](https://twitter.com/iVRy_VR/status/1759867591068176640): "Star Wars: Jedi Fallen Order running on Sony PS VR2, using UEVR and iVRy Driver for SteamVR (Windows). Use your device as a SteamVR VR Headset for your PC." The latest rumblings from Sony indicate that iVRy's crowdfunded efforts could be usurped in 2024.  
  
First-party support on PC platforms has been teased by Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)—a freshly published [PlayStation Blog article](https://blog.playstation.com/2024/02/22/coming-soon-to-ps-vr2-zombie-army-vr-little-cities-bigger-wanderer-the-fragments-of-fate-the-wizards-dark-times-brotherhood-and-more/) reveals that a conversion team is tinkering away in the background: "PlayStation VR2 launched one year ago, backed by a 40+ game launch window lineup which included all-new experiences like Horizon Call of the Mountain and Pavlov, as well as PS VR2-compatible titles such as Gran Turismo 7 and Resident Evil Village...We're pleased to share that we are currently testing the ability for PS VR2 players to access additional games on PC to offer even more game variety in addition to the PS VR2 titles available through PS5. We hope to make this support available in 2024, so stay tuned for more updates." Company representatives have insisted, in the past, that their second generation VR headset is exclusive to PlayStation 5—[The Verge](https://www.theverge.com/2024/2/22/24079928/sony-psvr2-pc-support-2024) has "reached out to Sony to clarify exactly what "access additional games on PC" means and whether the support will be limited to certain games. We'll update you accordingly."


PlayStation VR2 PC Compatibility Teased by Sony

NZXT, a leader in PC gaming hardware and services, today unveiled its latest gaming gear: the Function 2 Keyboards and the Lift 2 Series Mice. Focusing on high performance, precision, and user-centric design that empower gamers to play to their full potential. NZXT's Function 2 keyboards epitomize the brand's dedication to elite gaming performance. Featuring an 8,000 Hz polling rate and rapid linear 40 g optical switches with adjustable actuation at either 1 mm or 1.5 mm, they ensure every gamer can fine-tune their experience. For people who want to customize their keyboard, hot-swappable switch sockets allow for gamers to effortlessly change switches with four 35 g and four 45 g optical switches using the provided keycap and switch puller tools, eliminating any need for soldering. Additionally, each keyboard comes equipped with two supplementary switch types with different actuation forces, allowing immediate experimentation and personalization.  
  
But performance isn't the only focus of the Function 2 series. Durability and style are intertwined, thanks to the doubleshot PBT keycaps featuring crisp, fade-resistant legends. The improved pre-lubed switches and plate-mounted stabilizers guarantee smooth, solid keystrokes. To further elevate the user experience, a dual layer of sound-dampening foam has been integrated to absorb unwanted noise. The keyboard's top plate, crafted from thick aerospace-grade aluminium, adds both strength and style. Moreover, with a standard bottom row, the Function 2 supports aftermarket keycaps, broadening customization options.

NZXT Announces the Launch of Function 2 Keyboards and Lift 2 Mice

Reports are circulating online that Nintendo's upcoming successor to the Switch console, tentatively referred to as the "Switch 2," will offer backward compatibility for physical game cards and digital purchases from the current Switch library. While Nintendo has yet to officially announce the new console, speculation points to a potential reveal as early as next month for a 2024 launch. The backward compatibility claims first surfaced last year when Nintendo America President Doug Bowser hinted at supporting continuity between console generations to minimize the sales decline when transitioning hardware. New momentum behind the rumors comes from gaming industry insiders Felipe Lima and PH Brazil, who, during recent podcasts, stated the Switch 2 has backward compatibility functionality already being shared with game developers.  
  
Well-known gaming leakers "NateTheHate" and others have corroborated that testing is underway for playing current Switch games on new hardware. If true, this backward compatibility would be a consumer-friendly move that breaks from Nintendo's past tendencies of forcing clean breaks between console ecosystems. While details remain unconfirmed by Nintendo, multiple credible sources point to the upcoming Switch successor allowing gamers to carry forward both their physical and digital libraries to continue enjoying this generation's releases. If the compatibility remains, the hardware platform could stay in the playing field of the same vendor—NVIDIA—who provided Nintendo with Tegra X1 SoC. The updated version of the SoC could use [a fork of NVIDIA's Orin platform](https://www.techpowerup.com/313564/nintendo-switch-2-to-feature-nvidia-ampere-gpu-with-dlss) based on Ampere GPU with DLSS, but official details are yet to be seen.


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