This week’s hardware news highlights Nvidia’s upcoming 50 Super series GPUs with increased memory and power, legal issues faced by Cadence, and Main Gear’s response to product criticisms, alongside leaks of AMD’s Ryzen 7 9700F and new compact PC cases. Additionally, significant software updates include Windows 10’s end of life in 2025 and Nvidia phasing out regular driver support for older GPUs like the 1080 Ti, signaling a shift toward newer hardware and platforms.
This week’s hardware news recap covers several significant developments in the tech industry. First, rumors about Nvidia’s upcoming 50 Super series GPUs are gaining traction, with reports suggesting substantial memory increases and higher power draws. The 5080 Super, for example, is expected to feature 24 GB of DDR7 memory and a 415-watt TGP, marking a 50% VRAM increase across the series. Historically, Nvidia’s Super series has been seen as a way to reset market perception by slightly improving specs and adjusting pricing, often following criticism of initial releases. The new Super cards are anticipated to launch by the holiday season of 2025, potentially addressing some concerns about memory capacity and performance.
In legal and political news, Cadence, a chip design software company, pleaded guilty to export control violations involving sales to a Chinese military university linked to nuclear simulations. The company faces a $140 million fine and probation for three years. This case highlights the complexities of export controls and the challenges in regulating technology transfers, especially when large corporations are involved. Meanwhile, US President Trump jokingly mentioned breaking up Nvidia during a Washington AI summit, underscoring Nvidia’s dominant market position with over 90% share in gaming GPUs and significant influence in AI hardware. Despite the joke, the discussion brings attention to potential antitrust concerns given Nvidia’s market dominance.
Main Gear made headlines with two stories: the launch of a retro-themed PC called the Retro 95, inspired by 1990s beige desktops, and their response to a critical review of their Shroud pre-built PC. The Retro 95 starts at $1,600 but can be configured with high-end components for much more. In response to the review, Main Gear acknowledged several issues such as unstable memory overclocking, poor cooling, and display problems, and outlined steps they are taking to address these, including replacing liquid metal thermal paste, improving shipping methods, enhancing memory stability, and optimizing fan curves. These responses indicate the company’s commitment to improving product quality and customer experience.
Other notable hardware news includes the release of Lean Lee’s O1D Mini V2 case, which supports ATX power supplies and motherboards while maintaining a compact size. The case features versatile cooling options and adjustable components, with prices starting at $90. Additionally, ASUS accidentally leaked AMD’s Ryzen 7 9700F CPU, an 8-core, 65-watt processor without integrated graphics, expected to be priced below the 9700X. Nvidia’s N1X ARM-based chip was also spotted in benchmarks, though performance appears modest, likely due to its early development stage. Furthermore, Golden Field launched computer cases styled like Nvidia Founders Edition GPUs, available only in China at affordable prices.
Finally, the video covers some important software and support updates. Windows 10 is approaching its end of life in October 2025, with Microsoft ceasing updates, pushing many users toward Windows 11 despite its stricter hardware requirements. Nvidia announced that after October 2025, Maxwell and Pascal GPUs, including the popular 1080 Ti, will no longer receive regular game-ready driver updates but will get quarterly security patches until 2028. Support for Windows 10 game-ready drivers for RTX GPUs will continue until October 2026, a year beyond the OS’s end of life. These changes mark the gradual phasing out of older hardware and software support, signaling a shift toward newer platforms and technologies.