In this week’s hardware news recap, several significant developments were discussed, starting with Gigabyte facing serious security vulnerabilities in 241 of its motherboard models. Similar to recent issues with ASUS, these vulnerabilities allow attackers to bypass secure boot and install malware that can survive operating system reinstalls. The flaws affect older Intel platforms from the 6th to 11th generation, and Gigabyte is actively working on BIOS updates to address these critical security risks. Users with affected motherboards are strongly advised to update their firmware to mitigate potential threats.
Linux has made notable gains in desktop market share, surpassing 5% in the US according to web traffic analysis by Stat Counter. This growth is attributed to dissatisfaction with Windows, especially with Windows 10 nearing end-of-support and Windows 11’s restrictive hardware requirements. Additionally, improvements in gaming support on Linux, driven by Valve’s Steam OS and Proton compatibility layer, have encouraged more users to switch. Despite Windows still dominating with 63% market share and macOS holding 24%, Linux’s rise signals a growing interest in alternative desktop operating systems.
NVIDIA’s rumored ARM-based N1X CPU, developed in collaboration with MediaTek, has reportedly been delayed to early 2026. The delay is attributed to a mix of factors including Microsoft’s Windows roadmap shifts, chip design issues, and weakening consumer demand for notebooks. This postponement raises questions about the product’s official announcement status and highlights MediaTek’s increasing role in the CPU and AI processing space. Meanwhile, Intel’s 13th Gen Raptor Lake CPUs continue to experience stability problems linked to temperature sensitivity, with crash reports spiking during heat waves, particularly affecting models like the 14700K.
The video also covered leaked pricing for the upcoming Asus ROG Xbox Ally handheld gaming devices, with the base model rumored at $600 and the higher-end Xbox Ally X at $900. These prices are notably higher than competitors like the Steam Deck and Nintendo Switch 2, sparking skepticism about their market viability. Additionally, Microsoft’s recent layoffs were contrasted with an awkward hiring graphic posted by an Xbox lead, highlighting corporate missteps. The BBC also faced criticism for mistakenly showing an NES cartridge in a Super Nintendo during a retro gaming segment, underscoring a lack of attention to detail in media coverage.
Finally, the video touched on various other hardware and gaming news, including layoffs at Virtuos following the release of Oblivion Remastered, a new crowdfunding campaign for a faithful Commodore 64 remake, and several themed NVIDIA 50 series GPUs such as the anime-inspired Asus ROG Astral RTX 5080 and a gold-covered RTX 5090 costing around half a million dollars. The episode wrapped up with a promise of upcoming stories from the team’s recent Asia trip and a call to support the channel through their store and Patreon.
