Nvidia has kicked off Computex today with its latest keynote. This year, the company is tripling down on AI. For starters, Nvidia has revealed Project G-Assist, a new feature that will bring AI game guide assistants to supported games. Beyond that, RTX Remix is going open source, enabling developers to take the technology and work on it however they see fit. 

Project G-Assist is a GeForce powered AI assistant that can analyse voice/text, screen and app/system inputs, funnel the data through an AI model, and then bring you helpful advice during your gameplay. The project is capable of suggesting system settings changes to improve performance, and it can also give you tips on how to best tackle gameplay, either by walking you through how mechanics work, or by giving you advice on gear.

It seems to be a supercharged version of the in-game guide feature that Sony debuted with the PlayStation 5, before swiftly abandoning it a year later. However, Nvidia's G-Assist can process locally using an RTX graphics card, or via the cloud and thanks to AI functionality, it should also evolve over time to give better tips and tricks. No supported games have been officially announced just yet, but we'll hopefully learn more about that in the months ahead.

Nvidia is also making RTX Remix, its modding tool for bringing ray-tracing to any game, open source, allowing developers to use it more widely and broadly. The company is also debuting its new Small Form Factor PC initiative, which will see board partners releasing SFF-friendly GeForce graphics cards for those looking to build a Mini-ITX powerhouse.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of G-Assist? Is this a feature you would use in supported games?

A recent leak has shed some light on upcoming AMD motherboards and CPUs. Besides confirming the rumours that AMD would skip the 700-series naming for its next-generation motherboards, it also showed the initial line-up of Ryzen 9000 series processors.

The Gigabyte presentation shared by @wxnod shows that the Gigabyte X870 Aorus Master AM5 motherboards will support the current Ryzen 7000 (Raphael) and 8000 (Hawk Point) CPUs. However, the presentation focuses more on the upcoming Ryzen 9000 (Granite Ridge) series, which is shown to include four SKUs: the Ryzen 5 9600X, the Ryzen 7 9700X, the Ryzen 9 9900X, and the Ryzen 9 9950X.

According to Gigabyte's presentations, the Granite Ridge CPUs will default to DDR5-5600 memory support, supporting up to 8000 MT/s memory through EXPO overclocking profiles. Additionally, the Infinity Fabric clock speed has been doubled from 2000 to 2400 MHz.

As for motherboards, Gigabyte is gearing up to launch a range of motherboards for the Granite Ridge series, including an AI TOP series for the AM5 socket and at least four new chipsets. The X670E and X670 chipsets will be replaced by the X870E and X870, respectively. Both X870 chipsets support PCIe Gen5 x16 and at least one PCIe Gen5 SSD. Other features expected include an optimised WiFi antenna, USB4 capability, and DisplayPort 2.1, which is reported to be UHBR20 compliant. The only noticeable difference between the two X870 chipsets seems to be that they use two Promontory 21 chips on the X870E, while the X870 only uses one.

Moving on to the mid-range chipsets, the B650E and B650 chipsets are set to be replaced by the B850 and B840, respectively. This marks the introduction of the X40 class to AMD's portfolio, utilising a different chipset (Prom19) than the higher-tier boards. One big difference between the B850 and B840 is that the B840 does not support CPU overclocking, although both will support memory overclocking. The B840 will also lack PCIe Gen5 compatibility. Lastly, the A620 and A620A chipsets are expected to remain unchanged and will continue to be offered as an entry-level option.

The list of motherboards mentioned in the presentation can be found below:

• X870E Aorus Xtreme AI Top
• X870E Aorus Pro Ice
• X870 Aorus Elite WIFI
• X870I Aorus Pro
• B850 AI Top
• B850M DS3H
• B850M Aorus Elite AX
• B840 D2H

AMD is expected to unveil the Ryzen 9000 series at Computex next week. Gigabyte and other motherboard manufacturers will likely showcase their new motherboards at the event.

KitGuru says: If you were to build a new system with a Ryzen 9000 processor, which of the 800-series motherboards would you choose?

Nvidia NVLink technology has been a game-changer in enabling high-speed communication between GPUs and CPUs since its debut in 2014. Surpassing traditional connection standards that have become inadequate for today's high-performance accelerators, it started off being used in gaming GPUs. That's not the case anymore, as Nvidia has removed the technology from mainstream and workstation products, limiting its usage to data centres and HPC.

Efficient communication is crucial in data centres housing large clusters of accelerators. Servers require effective networking and intercommunication mechanisms, particularly when multiple GPUs are used on the same server. The most recent iteration, NVLink 5.0, comes out with Blackwell and Grace CPUs and represents a significant advancement, doubling the bandwidth over 4.0 from 100 Gbit/s to 200 Gbit/s.

With NVLink being used exclusively by Nvidia products, the rest of the industry had to develop an alternative. AMD, Intel, Google, Microsoft, Meta, and others have created a new open-source communication standard called UALink that could rival NVLink for scaling up AI applications in data centres.

According to the press release, the first standard (1.0) aims to facilitate communication between up to 1024 accelerators in a single computing pod and the connected memory, which includes GPUs. However, details regarding the maximum bandwidth are currently unavailable. The UALink Consortium is scheduled to be established in Q3 2024, and the 1.0 specifications will be available in the same quarter.

KitGuru says: Could UALink come to mainstream and workstation products?

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000 series, featuring Zen 5 cores, is set to debut at Computex. Leaked information from a press event has unveiled four models belonging to the upcoming series, as well as two Ryzen 5000XT CPUs.

As per the image shared by CodeCommando, the top-tier offering, the Ryzen 9 9950X, is expected to pack 16 cores and 32 threads, with a maximum clock speed of 5.7GHz, this flagship SKU will have a TDP of 170W and a substantial 80MB of cache. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 9 9900X will sport 12 cores and 24 threads, with a boost clock of 5.6GHz, a TDP of 120W, and 76MB of cache.

Image credit: CodeCommando

Moving down the line-up, the Ryzen 7 9700X will offer 8 cores and 16 threads, capable of reaching clock speeds of up to 5.5GHz, all within a 65W TDP and 40MB of cache. Similarly, the Ryzen 5 9600X, a 6-core variant with 12 threads, is expected to hit clock speeds of 5.4GHz while having the same 65W TDP.

Moreover, the leaker also shared another image showing two Ryzen 5000XT CPUs: the 8C/16T Ryzen 7 5800XT (36MB cache) and the 16C/32T Ryzen 9 5900XT (72MB cache). The image also shows that both CPUs will clock up to 4.8GHz and feature a 105W TDP.

KitGuru says: Are the Ryzen 9000 series specs in line with what you expected?

The annual Computex computer expo kicks off in Taepei this weekend. And this year’s show is shaping up to be the most packed in years.

Computex rivals CES for the most important PC trade show of the year, and in most years is attended by not only the numerous local Taiwanese firms (Asus, MSI, ASRock, and others), but the major chip developers have been increasing their own presence as well. These days, while CES itself tends to land more high-profile announcements, in recent years it’s been Computex that has delivered on more substantial announcements. This is largely because tech firms have aligned their product schedules to roll out near gear in the second half of the year, when retail sales are stronger due to the back-to-school and holiday shopping periods.

This year’s show, in turn, is looking to be an especially big year for the PC ecosystem. All the major PC chip firms – AMD, Intel, NVIDIA, and the 4^th Musketeer, Qualcomm – are holding keynote addresses at this year’s show, where they’re expected to announce new slates of PC products to ship later this year. In a normal year there is typically only major announcements from one or two of the major chip firms, so having all four of them at the show delivering lengthy keynotes is setting things up for what should be an exceptional show.

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Grand Theft Auto 6 has been announced already, but so far, Rockstar has only confirmed the game for current-gen consoles. While the game will be releasing on Xbox and PlayStation in 2025, those of us on PC will have to wait a bit longer, pushing the release back to 2026. 

Speaking at the TD Cowen conference this week (via VGC), Take-Two CEO, Strauss Zelnick, was asked about Grand Theft Auto 6 and why it hasn't yet been confirmed for the PC platform. Zelnick danced around the subject a little bit, but the statement is clear, Rockstar has no plans to release its blockbuster titles on PC at the same time as consoles.

“Rockstar has an approach to platforms which we’ve seen before, and they will make more announcements in due time. I do believe that the right strategy for our business is to be where the consumer is, and historically what this company has done is address consumers anywhere they are, on any platform that makes sense, over time.”

With Grand Theft Auto 5, PC gamers had to wait two years for the game to arrive on their platform of choice. The game originally launched for Xbox 360 and PS3 in 2013, before re-launching on Xbox One and PS4 in 2014. Then, in Fall 2015, the game finally arrived on PC. With Red Dead Redemption 2, the gap between console and PC was shortened a bit, with the game landing on Xbox One and PS4 in late 2018, before arriving on PC in late 2019.

Given that Grand Theft Auto 6 is a direct sequel to the fastest selling game of all time, we would hope that the gap between the console and PC release will be on the shorter side, which would mean we should expect GTA 6 on PC in the second half of 2026.

KitGuru Says: How do you feel about Rockstar's approach to PC releases? Will you be grabbing the game on console first, or will you be holding off for the PC version a year or so after launch? 

After acquiring Activision Blizzard in late 2023, Microsoft made the decision to allow Toys for Bob to go independent. At the time, we did not know what this meant for the studio’s future involvement with franchises like Spyro and Crash Bandicoot. However, things are looking positive at this stage, as the studio has now announced that it has reached a publishing agreement with Xbox for its next game. 

When Toys for Bob announced its plans to go independent, the company did say it was already in discussions to partner with Xbox on its next project. Now, that partnership has been confirmed in a new statement, although the new game remains unannounced.

“We’re excited to announce that we’ll be partnering with Xbox to publish our next new game. We’re still very early in development, so you might not hear from us for a bit – but know that we’re working hard on an experience we’re so sooo inspired about! Can’t wait to share more”

The new Toys for Bob logo features a Tiki mask, very similar to the ones featured throughout the Crash Bandicoot series, and fans were also quick to notice that the logo is purple, which some have taken to be a hint at Spyro as well, although that feels like a stretch. Still, recent rumours have claimed that the studio is working on Spyro 4, and given that the company already had the opportunity to revive Crash Bandicoot with Crash 4: It's About Time, it would be nice to see Spyro get the same treatment.

KitGuru Says: Would you like to see a new Spyro game after all these years? The original trilogy remake was a fantastic start, so it would be nice to get a full-fledged sequel all these years later.

In recent weeks, Valve has been holding private playtests for its next game, Deadlock. This appears to be a mash-up between elements of Team Fortress 2 and Dota 2. Many gameplay videos have leaked so far, showcasing characters, mechanics and maps. Despite the game being an open secret at this point, Valve has not publicly acknowledged the leaks or announced anything about the game. That should change very soon though. 

Valve has now officially filed for the Deadlock trademark. Currently, it is pending approval, as it was just filed on the 30th of May. Assuming the trademark comes through, the game should be announced relatively quickly. The game is already in a near-finished state, Valve wouldn't hold a playtest and risk leaks otherwise.

As we saw with Counter-Strike 2 last year, Valve will likely release Deadlock in beta form at first, inviting those who have played previous games like Dota or Team Fortress, before fully launching the game on Steam for all to download. Like Valve's other multiplayer games, we expect Deadlock to be free-to-play, with Steam Marketplace and Workshop integrations for generating new cosmetic content.

Deadlock was previously in development under the name ‘Neon Prime', a name that Valve had trademarked last year.

KitGuru Says: It looks like Deadlock will be launching in a few months time. We know Valve has a good relationship with Geoff Keighley, so perhaps a reveal could even come as soon as next week, when Summer Game Fest kicks off. 

This week, Sony made the mistake of not checking its security properly, leading to a massive leak that allowed players early access to Destiny 2's upcoming expansion, The Final Shape. The entire story of the expansion, most cinematics, and even future seasonal content has all leaked. Now, Sony has officially commented on the leak.

Bungie has been building up to The Final Shape since Destiny first launched in 2014. The new expansion will wrap up the main story arc that kicked off the franchise. Fans will likely be saying goodbye to the traveller, and the Light/Dark classes. As this is the big finale and culmination of Destiny's current story, having the entire thing leak ahead of time must be a bit of a gut punch to a portion of the Bungie team, which has already been struggling with morale following a round of layoffs in 2023.

Now, Bungie has officially responded to the leak, confirming that early access to The Final Shape was granted due to a configuration error with the PS5's streaming service.

“Earlier today, a portion of Destiny 2: The Final Shape was accidentally pushed live on PS5's streaming service. There are currently spoilers being shared online. A small group of players were able to play some of the campaign, access Collections, and other reward info coming in The Final Shape, and Echoes.”

As a result of the leak, Bungie recommends fans exercise caution when browsing social media and Destiny content in general:

“We recommend being very careful on social media over the next few days to avoid spoilers. Remember to exercise caution and be critical of potential misinformation. Please be considerate of others and report leaks so players can experience the conclusion of the Light and Darkness saga themselves. Thanks to all our community members who have already helped us by reporting leaks and those actively working to prevent more of the experience from being shared before its intended date.”

“It's always extremely difficult when our team's hard work is leaked early, but we are still excited for everyone to experience the full release on June 4 together.”

Bungie has not said if it will be handing out bans to accounts that accessed The Final Shape content early. However, the company has begun monitoring the web to try and take down leaks when they appear on the most-used sites, like YouTube, Reddit, Twitter and others.

KitGuru Says: The Final Shape becoming playable two weeks ahead of time, on the same week that press previews began circulating to build up excitement for the launch, is quite astonishing. Sony will have no doubt learned another lesson here, but it wouldn't be the first time that PSN security hasn't been entirely up to par.

Lian Li is trying to invent a new PC case layout. This time, it's with the SUP01, which, similar to the Thermaltake CTE cases, moves the GPU to the front to act as an intake.

The SUP01 is a 45-litre case with a small footprint that doesn't sacrifice high-end hardware compatibility. Placing the GPU upright at the front of the case allows for better airflow and improved GPU performance. The adjustable bracket further enables precise vertical and horizontal positioning of the GPU. Additionally, the SUP01 comes with LED strips along the front and left sides of the casing, as well as an extra strip on the PCIe riser bracket, providing users with customisable lighting options.

Divided into three independent airflow chambers for effective heat dissipation, the SUP01 has a unique internal layout designed to offer improved cooling. The GPU serves as an intake, while three pre-installed 120mm PWM fans exhaust below the motherboard tray, forming the first airflow chamber. Furthermore, an AIO (supports up to a 280/360mm AIO) with a radiator and fans positioned beneath the motherboard tray creates a second airflow chamber for the CPU. The chassis also supports additional cooling with the option to install a 120mm fan at the back to cool motherboard components such as RAM, CPU power supply, and M.2 storage, creating the third airflow chamber.

Regarding compatibility, the SUP01's motherboard mounting tray can accommodate ATX back-connect motherboards and standard ATX, M-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards. The case comes with a PCIe 4.0 riser cable pre-installed on a bracket, allowing for GPUs up to four slots thick and up to 400 mm in length at the front. Storage options include space for up to two 3.5/2.5″drives in the PSU chamber and two 2.5″ SSDs installed above the PSU shroud in the main chamber, which features a mirror cover. The SUP-01 is now available for pre-order for $149.99 for both the black and white versions.

KitGuru says: What do you think of the Lian Li SUP01 case layout? Do you prefer this or Thermaltake's CTE design?

According to new rumours, the upcoming flagship Blackwell graphics card, the RTX 5090, is rumoured to sport a 448-bit memory bus, a deviation from the initial speculation that it would feature a 512-bit memory bus. This suggests a potential shift in the memory configuration initially anticipated for the GPU.

The Blackwell GPU, set to lead the Nvidia GeForce RTX 50 series, has been at the centre of much speculation regarding its memory bus. Initially, rumours pointed to a 512-bit memory bus, but subsequent rumours hinted at a 384-bit configuration. However, the latest leak from Panzerlied (via VideoCardz), the same source that revealed the Founder's Edition PCB design, suggests that the Blackwell GPU might feature a 448-bit bus, potentially utilising 14 out of the 16 available memory modules, in contrast to the previously anticipated 512-bit bus which was expected to use all 16.

If Nvidia indeed opts for the 448-bit memory interface, the Blackwell GPU could boast 28GB of GDDR7 memory, meaning it would offer a bandwidth of 1568GB/s (assuming a 28Gbps memory speed). Compared to its predecessor, that's a 50% increase.

While some may perceive the 28GB capacity as underwhelming compared to 32GB, it's worth noting that this configuration leaves room for potential future “Ti/SUPER” enhancements. Furthermore, the 512-bit memory bus might not be intended for gaming GPUs but could potentially find its application in the RTX Blackwell workstation series for high-memory usage workloads.

KitGuru says: With the RTX 4090 and the RTX 6000 Ada, Nvidia made a big mistake by creating two very similar-performing cards with a huge difference in price. With Blackwell, Nvidia looks to be trying to separate the two GPUs a little more, cutting down the memory bus on the GA202 for the RTX 5090 and saving the full die and bus for the RTX 6000 Blackwell.