Instagram head Adam Mosseri today announced new features for Threads. The new features include the ability to follow a thread by turning on notifications for 24 hours without following the account, and the ability to quote other posts on web.
“New for Threads: On mobile, you can now keep an eye on a thread and follow the conversation by turning on notifications for 24 hours. No need to follow the account. On web, you can now quote other posts when posting from www.threads.net. Click on the ‘repost’ logo under the post you want to quote, then select ‘quote’,” Mosseri posted on his Instagram Broadcast Channel.
Also read: Threads keyword search feature now rolling out in India: Here’s how to use it
Mosseri also shared a very short video of the new thread notifications features while announcing the new features. According to the video, users will be able to follow a thread by tapping a new bell button present at the top right corner of that post.
Also read: Threads starts keyword search feature, as Meta and Zuck refuse to give up
In our opinion, the new features on Threads will offer several advantages and benefits. The new mobile notifications will help users to keep up with important or interesting threads without having to follow the account, ensuring that they don't miss out on updates. Also, notifications for 24 hours will provide a temporary way to stay engaged with a specific conversation without a long-term commitment.
On the other hand, the ability to quote other posts will allow more precise and context-aware responses, improving the quality of discussions.
Despite Threads’ user drop, the company has been continuously introducing new features in order to gain back users. Last week, Threads launched its keyword search feature in India. This feature is available on both mobile and the web version. For those who are unaware, the keyword search feature allows users to search for posts on Threads.
Last month, Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg introduced the feature to directly share a Threads post to Instagram DMs and the ability to add custom alt-text for photo/video. He also introduced a new mention button to easily mention someone's account.
Amazon's Prime Day 2023 Sale is now finally here. If you are looking for a feature-packed smartphone but don’t want to break the bank, today is your lucky day. We picked up some smartphones that are available on Amazon during the sale. If you are tech-savvy looking for a pocket-friendly device or a first-time smartphone user, these handsets provide affordability with impressive performance and user-friendly features.
Redmi A2 is available on Amazon at a reduced price of ₹5,699. It is equipped with a 6.52-inch IPS LCD display and is packed with a 5000 mAh battery.
Also read: 5 attractive smartphone deals of Amazon Prime Day 2023
Tecno Spark 9
Tecno Spark 9 is priced at ₹7,499 on Amazon during the Prime Day sale. Talking about the specifications, it features a 6.6-inch IPS LCD display which supports 90Hz refresh rate. The smartphone is packed with a 5000mAh battery.
Realme Narzo N53
Realme Narzo N53 can be bought at a price of ₹8,999 during the Prime Day Sale. This smartphone comes with a sleek design and it features a 6.74-inch IPS LCD display that offers 90Hz refresh rate. The Realme Narzo N53 has a 50-megapixel primary camera.
Samsung Galaxy M04
Samsung Galaxy M04 is available with a ₹4500 steal on Amazon. It is powered with the Mediatek Helio P35 processor and backed up by a 5000mAh battery with 15-watt fast charging support.
Also read: Amazon teases the most affordable phone deals to check out on Prime Day 2023
OPPO A17K
OPPO A17K is also in the list because it can be grabbed at a price of ₹8,549. This budget-friendly smartphone has a Mediatek Helio G35 processor and also features a 6.56-inch HD+ display.
Amazon Prime Day 2023 Sale would be a great opportunity to buy a new smartphone as along with discounts it will also add bank discounts on the devices. However, the prices mentioned above for the smartphone can change during the sale.
Intel has launched their new NUC 13 Extreme Kit and NUC 13 Extreme Compute Element. The NUC 13 features the unlocked 13th Gen Intel Core desktop processors and space for new triple-slot, 12-inch graphics cards for even more performance. Let’s check out the newly launched Mini PCs from Intel in detail!
Intel NUC 13 Extreme: What’s New?
Intel’s NUC 13 Extreme is extremely customisable as it comes with multiple CPU options from the 13th Gen lineup. It supports max up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i9 desktop processor with eight performance cores and 16 efficient cores, 32 threads and up to 5.8 GHz max turbo frequency.
Along with that it also comes with support for up to 64GB dual-channel DDR5-5600 MHz RAM. There is even support for up to PCIe Gen5 x16 new triple-slot 12” graphics cards and three PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSDs. It gets the Intel 2.5GbE LAN, Intel Killer’s Wi-Fi 6E and up to two Thunderbolt 4 ports with six USB 3.2 rear ports.
Intel NUC 13 Extreme: Price and Availability
The Intel NUC 13 Extreme Kit will range from $1179 to $1549, and $760 to $1100 for the Intel NUC 13 Extreme Compute Element depending on the configuration of their Mini PC.
The company has said that it will allow users to customize their memory, storage and operating system depending on their needs. They have also said that the Intel NUC 13 Extreme will be first available in China with a global release during the fourth quarter of 2022 and through early 2023.
At the launch, Brian McCarson, Intel Vice President and General Manager of the Intel NUC Group said, “Our latest Intel NUC 13 Extreme sets a new bar for how to pack stellar gaming performance in a form factor that is 70% smaller than a typical 50L gaming tower. Along with the epic performance you expect from an Intel NUC product, we also deliver exceptional product quality and feature density in a completely modular and customizable design.”
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
The much-awaited PlayStation exclusive God of War Ragnarok, the sequel to 2018’s God of War has finally been launched in India. The game is available on the PlayStation 5 as well as the PlayStation 4. Let’s check out more details about this game!
God of War Ragnarok: What’s all the hype about?
God of War Ragnarok has received some great reviews from critics. The game is already at a Metacritic score of 94 and gamers all around the globe who have started playing the game are already praising it and calling it a “worthy successor to the 2018 game.”
As for the story, the game takes place right after 2018’s God of War and the story follows Kratos and Atreus through the Nine Realms of Norse mythology. Both the father-son duo will have to face several beasts and gods on their journey to seek out a means to prevent Ragnarok while attempting to uncover answers behind Atreus' identity as Loki.
God of War Ragnarok in India
God of War Ragnarok marketing is finally in line with unit sale expectations in India. #ps5 #GodofWarRagnarok #india | A friend sent these with the following message: rumors are it stops at jotunhiem
pic.twitter.com/4ZR1Chr5YP
— 0xSkeptic (@RishiAlwani) October 25, 2022
God of War Ragnarok has gained a lot of attention in the past few months. Sony India planned a midnight launch for the game in multiple locations in the country and lots of gamers from around the country attended the launch from their respective cities.
An informative thread from Rishi Alwani covers all the details of the midnight launch that happened in multiple cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Lucknow and more!
God of War Ragnarok: Pricing and Availability
The digital version of the game is available on PlayStation Store. While the physical discs can be ordered online from ShopAtSC, Games The Shop, and Amazon India. Customers who had pre-ordered the game will get access to Kratos Risen Snow Armour and Atreus Risen Snow Tunic.
As of now, God of War Ragnarok’s Launch Edition is only available in online stores. However, as confirmed by Rishi Alwani, the Collector's Edition and Jotnar Edition for the game is also available in a few offline stores. You’ll have to check your local stores in your city if case you’re willing to pick those editions of the game.
Nonetheless, the official pricing for all the editions of God of War Ragnarok has been mentioned below:
- God of War Ragnarok Launch Edition (PS4) - ₹3,999
- God of War Ragnarok Launch Edition (PS5) - ₹4,999
- God of War Ragnarok Collector's Edition (PS5) - ₹13,500
- God of War Ragnarok Jotnar Edition (PS5) - ₹16,999
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Intel has brought the 13th gen desktop processor including the Core i9 13900K to India. There are 6 variants in this ‘Raptor Lake’ series. Out of the lot, the Core i9-13900K is being touted as the world’s fastest desktop processor. We will learn its specifications, price, and availability details here.
Intel 13th gen Raptor Lake processors: Specs and features
Starting off with the alpha of the pack, the Intel Core i9-13900K is armed with 8 P-cores (performance-centric), and 16 E-cores(efficiency-centric) for a total of 24 cores (clocked at 3 to 5.8GHz speed; 125W-253W TDP) and 32 threads. It is complemented by 36MB of L3 cache, 32MB of L2 cache, and with Intel UHD Graphics 770. Intel claims this one offers up to 15% improved single-threaded performance and up to 41% multi-threaded gains.
The next-in-line i9-13900KF shares more or less the same configuration as the above one with the key difference being that it doesn’t have a built-in GPU.
Besides the CPU and GPU, the new processor also packs in Adaptive Boost technology and Thermal Velocity Boost for dynamic performance push on demand. You are also getting PCIe Gen 5.0 support, 20 PCIe lanes, DDR5 5600, and DDR4 3200 memory.
You can use the Intel 13th gen Raptor Lake chips on existing Intel 600 or new Intel 700 series of motherboards.
Check out the following table for details about the rest of the lineup.
Price and availability
In the US, the i9-13900K is priced at $589 (~₹48212.89). The prices for the Indian market are yet to be revealed. But, you could get more details once the chip will be available from October 21 in India.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Tech giant Apple might bring USB-C port to AirPods and Mac accessories by 2024, the media reported.
According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the company might introduce USB-C to its newest AirPods, AirPods Pro, and AirPods by the year 2024, while Mac accessories like the Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad may convert to USB-C as soon as the next year.
"It's a safe bet that those accessories will move to USB-C in their next incarnation", Gurman was quoted as saying.
As the European Union moves to mandate USB-C charging on new smartphones, tablets, and headphones introduced in the territory in late 2024, there has been a rumoured shift away from Lightning ports.
Before EU legislation takes effect, Apple will replace its AirPods, the report said.
Tony Fadell, inventor of the iPod, has said that Apple should include USB-C port in iPhones, as the European Union passed a resolution on USB Type-C as standard charging port.
The debate started when a Twitter user questioned if the iPod would succeed if Apple was forced to utilise USB 1.0 rather than the fast FireWire technology.
"I can't see a problem. The world has converged on USB-C. The physical and user limits have been hit. Next up is wireless per, not a diff physical connection. So I'm not too worried about this regulation. They're simply forcing Apple to do the right thing. It's overdue frankly", Fadell posted on Twitter.
(Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Intel has officially unveiled the Arc A750 and A770 GPUs. The launch of both these cards has been long overdue as the initial announcement was made in March of this year. Since that time, everyone has been waiting for the launch of both these cards.
Intel Arc A750 and A770 Specifications
As for the specifications, starting off with the A770, it includes 32 Xe cores, 32 ray-tracing units and a 2,100 MHz clock with a 225w power draw. In terms of RAM, it comes in 8GB and 16GB configurations, with up to 512 Gb/s and 560 Gb/s of memory bandwidth.
Moving onto the A750, Intel says that it features the same chip as the A770, however, instead of 32 cores on the other card, the A750 comes with 28 Xe cores, along with 28 ray-tracing units and a 2050MHz clock. Unlike the A770, the A750 only gets a single 8GB GDDR6 variant, but the 512 GB/s memory bandwidth remains the same.
According to the benchmark test made by Intel, both the GPUs perform better than the GeForce RTX 3060. The tests were split into four categories, DirectX12 Optimized, DirectX 12, Vulkan, and DirectX 11. The A750 outperformed the 3060 on DirectX 12 and Vulkan, and it was competing impressively with the RTX 3060 in DirectX 11 tests.
Intel Arc A750 and A770 Pricing and Availability
Now for the pricing and availability, the Arc A750 starts at $289. Meanwhile, the Arc A770 starts at $329 for the 8GB variant and the 16GB variant would start at $349. Intel said that the A770 offers 42% greater performance per dollar vs the RTX 3060, while the A750 is 53% better on a per-dollar basis.
So far, Intel has only announced that the Arc A750 will release on October 12. No dates have been given for the Arc A770, yet.
Intel today announced that the Arc A770 limited edition would be launched on October 12th. Its CEO, Pat Gelsinger also revealed the pricing of A770, which features a full ACM-G10 GPU with 32 Xe-Cores and either 8GB to 16GB memory. The model will cost 329 USD (~₹ 26,784.22). However, it is believed that it must be for the 8GB model, while the cost for its limited edition model that features 16GB is yet to be announced. Only one out of the three GPUs was announced today, the other two are A380 and the A750. The A770 supports XeSS, Intel's AI-based image reconstruction and sampling techniques. It also has 32Xe Cores and ray tracing units.
Intel A770 GPU specs and features
Intel claims that its GPU offers up to 65% better peak performance versus competing products (presumably NVIDIA RTX 3060 series) in ray tracing. In addition, A770 features a full complement of 32 Xe Cores and ray tracing units.
Unfortunately, there is no information on A750 or A580 GPU availability yet, not to mention their prices. Ryan Shrout, the face behind Arc Alchemist's marketing campaign, confirmed that we would hear more about A750 GPU later this week. Furthermore, Pat Gelsinger confirmed that A770 LE is now shipping to reviewers.
Intel and its retail and retail partners will sell the Limited Edition. The company released these new pictures presenting the packaging we have seen in the teasers for the past few months. While the A770 will not be competing with NVIDIA's or AMD's high-end GPUs, it is priced to compete when it comes to performance value.
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in.
Hong Kong, Sep 10 (IANS) Despite Covid-10 control measures in place in several cities, Chinese vendors are witnessing heavy demand for new Apple iPhone 14 series.
According to South China Morning Post, one Apple vendor in the Shenzhen district said he has seen heavy early demand for the iPhone 14.
"Vendors in Huaqiangbei market in the southern tech hub of Shenzhen are gearing up for strong sales of the iPhone 14, with price mark-ups of up to 2,000 yuan ($255) expected," the report mentioned.
Huaqiangbei is shut temporarily owing to the city's rigid Covid-19 control measures.
The official pre-orders for the iPhone 14 series began on September 9, with official sales starting on September 16.
The mark ups on other models are expected to range from 500 yuan to 1,000 yuan, according to the report, citing vendors.
"It will be hotter than last year's iPhone 13," one of the vendors said.
Apple has launched the new iPhone 14 series with four models -- iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro and 14 Pro Max -- that starts from Rs 79,900.
The Pro models feature the Always-On display, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS via satellite, and an innovative new way to receive notifications and activities with Dynamic Island.
Powered by A16 Bionic, the fastest chip ever in a smartphone, iPhone 14 Pro introduces a new class of pro camera system, with the first-ever 48MP Main camera on iPhone featuring a quad-pixel sensor, and Photonic Engine, an enhanced image pipeline that dramatically improves low-light photos.
(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in
The NZXT H1 V2 is a compact case for DIY PC builders who prefer a minimalist look while still wanting to pack some of the most powerful hardware you can get in the market today. The original NZXT H1 was launched back in 2020 and the V2 improves upon many of the shortcomings of its predecessor. Small form-factor PC cabinets such as the NZXT H1 V2 have, of late, been gaining in popularity and SFF power supplies have improved to the extent that you can now pack high capacity 850W SFX in these new compact cases. This allows you to build high-end gaming PCs using these cases as long as cooling permits.
NZXT H1 V2 improvements over NZXT H1
Most SFF cases in the market are usually paired with the appropriate power supply since the cases have pre-defined cable routing provisions which require the cables to have a certain length and not much more. Short cables are obviously useless and too much length would mean that more volume is taken up by the cables in a chassis where space is scarce. The NZXT H1 V2 now includes an integrated SFX750 80Plus Gold power supply which carries a separate 10-year warranty coverage.
The GPU compatibility has improved with the NZXT H1 V2. The previous chassis supported GPUs with up to 50mm thickness and 305mm length. The V2 improves upon that and can now fit GPUs that are up to 58mm thick and 324mm long. There's even an additional 92mm fan for the GPU exhaust. Also, the cooling fans of the GPU face a perforated panel which now feature larger perforations. Also, the included PCIe riser card is now rated for PCIe Gen 4.0 in line with standards supported by the flagship GPUs. Speaking of the riser card, the NZXT H1 was criticised for a flaw in the riser card included with the previous chassis which would short out the 12V plane. That had been rectified a couple of weeks after launch and NZXT says that the riser card included with the V2 does not have that problem.
The NZXT H1 V2, like its predecessor, also includes an integrated 140mm AIO CPU cooler. The CPU cooler as well as the 92mm rear exhaust fan for the GPU can be controlled using the NZXT CAM software. The complete list of changes can be seen in the table below:
NZXT H1 V2 Price
The NZXT H1 V2 will be available in white and black colour in the APAC region and it will be priced at USD 349 which works out to be about INR 26,133 without taxes and INR 30,837 with 18 per cent GST. Actual prices in India will vary from vendor to vendor.
Acer India has announced new 11th gen Intel-driven Aspire 3 laptops under its Make in India campaign. This is the second such laptop from the brand and is made in its Noida facility. Coming to the laptop's specs, you are getting three models based on the internal machinery — an Intel Core i3 variant, a Core i5 with Intel iris Xe graphics, and a Core i5 with Nvidia GeForce MX350 graphics. Other notable components include DDR4 memory, SSD storage, Windows 11 software, and a 1080p display. Scroll to gather the complete details.
Acer Aspire 3 Specs and Features
Acer has outfitted the Aspire 3 with a 15.6-inch FHD TFT LCD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Up top, there is a 720p HD webcam. Come downwards and you have a ten-key keyboard.
The laptop boots with Windows 11 and Intel’s 11th gen Core i3/i5 processor. The i3-1115G4 model relies on built-in Intel UHD graphics, the i3-1115G4 processor with 4GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD. Meanwhile, the i5-1135G7 variant can be picked in with a iris Xe graphics or a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. The memory configuration on the i5 SKUs is 8GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD, and 1TB HDD.
As for the connectivity options, on all of them, you get WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI port, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB 2.0 port, an RJ45 ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
A 36.7WHr battery is present inside that’s bolstered by a 45W adapter.
Acer Aspire 3 Price and Availability
Acer Aspire 3 i3 variant is priced at ₹50,000, the i5 with iris Xe graphics is priced at ₹53,990, and i5 with MX350 GPU costs ₹58,990 in India. The Intel Core i3 model is listed on Flipkart.
Speaking about this new announcement, GS Sondhi, Senior Director – Product Management, Acer India, said “Acer Aspire 3 is the first laptop under Aspire series that is manufactured locally with world-class manufacturing standards that is on-par with global processes to deliver performance and quality which the customer demand. Built on the Intel platform, this laptop delivers enough power to see you through your day be it work, learning or for general use. This follows our TravelMate series laptops which started shipping for commercial customers already at the beginning of the month. With the success of this second fully made in India laptop, we believe the impetus to PC manufacturing is particularly significant as it can help reduce imports which have become all the more important as their usage increase rapidly amid the Covid-19 restriction.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Malhotra, Director, Consumer Sales, Intel India, said “We are delighted that Acer has once again chosen to work with Intel on their second Make in India laptop with the launch of the Acer Aspire 3 laptop, extending our long time collaboration with Acer to more locally manufactured laptops. This is testament to the value and performance that the Intel platform delivers across consumer, business and education segments, while also helping meet the growing laptop demand in India that we have witnessed in recent years.”
For more news, reviews, buying guides, feature stories, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
Nvidia has surrendered to the mounting regulatory pressure and scrubbed its arm and a leg offer to buy Arm Limited. This deal with SoftBank Group (Arm’s owner) was announced back in the fall of 2020 with the proposed goals of uniting the physical and intellectual resources of both brands, driving forward the industrial innovation, and still maintaining “Arm’s open-licensing model and customer neutrality”. However, this faces a lot of headwinds from regulatory bodies as well as tech giants who were reliant on Arm designs and feared such a deal would put Nvidia in a place of unfair advantage.
Nvidia stresses this in its press release, saying, “The parties agreed to terminate the Agreement because of significant regulatory challenges preventing the consummation of the transaction, despite good faith efforts by the parties. Arm will now start preparations for a public offering.”
Jensen Huang, founder, and CEO of the GPU giant tries to keep his chin up, as he says, “Arm has a bright future, and we’ll continue to support them as a proud licensee for decades to come. Arm is at the centre of the important dynamics in computing. Though we won’t be one company, we will partner closely with Arm. The significant investments that Masa (Masayoshi Son) has made have positioned Arm to expand the reach of the Arm CPU beyond client computing to supercomputing, cloud, AI, and robotics. I expect Arm to be the most important CPU architecture of the next decade.”
Termination of Nvidia-Arm Takeover And Its Aftereffects
Now that the Nvidia deal has collapsed, SoftBank (SBG) will be taking Arm public. This Arm IPO is planned to take place within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023. Further, the Arm owner is reportedly trying to list Arm (a British company) in the US Nasdaq instead of London as the former market is considered more suitable for raising funds for technology companies. And this has also spurred some concerns over London’s ability to grow and sustain domestic tech ventures.
Not just that, close to the announcement of the deal’s failure, we have learned that Arm has got a new CEO. The previous head, Simon Segars has stepped down for Rene Haas. And as the newly appointed Arm chief, Mr. Haas has said nothing has been confirmed yet but he feels the timing of the proposed IPO is “just right”.
He adds that more funds would be invested in new IP for its current computing ecosystem, the automotive sector, as well as the metaverse.
Meanwhile, Masayoshi Son, Chairman & CEO, SBG said, “Arm is becoming a centre of innovation not only in the mobile phone revolution, but also in cloud computing, automotive, the Internet of Things and the metaverse, and has entered its second growth phase. We will take this opportunity and start preparing to take Arm public, and to make even further progress. I want to thank Jensen and his talented team at NVIDIA for trying to bring together these two great companies and wish them all the success.”
We will keep you posted on how this story further unfolds. And for similar news, reviews, buying guides, feature stories, as well as everything tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
According to the latest Mark Gurman’s newsletter, Apple is likely to re-release the iMac Pro during its upcoming Spring 2022 event. Introduced in 2017 as a workstation-grade computer, Apple discontinued the iMac Pro last year. Also, as everyone knows, Cupertino is slowly but steadily shifting its entire range of devices on powerful homemade Apple silicon, it's probably the best time for the discontinued iMac Pro to make a triumphant return. The newsletter alleges that the Apple iMac Pro will likely have a bigger screen size than 24-inch. It may also feature a mini-LED ProMotion 120Hz display.
Apart from that, Apple currently sells two iMac products - a 24-inch M1 powered version and a bigger 27-inch model still using an Intel 10th Gen processor lineup. Another recent report also alleged that the 27-inch iMac is also likely to get the M1 silicon treatment. If the rumours from Ross Young, a display industry consultant are true. The newer Apple 27-inch iMac could feature a mini-LED ProMotion display with 120Hz high refresh rate support.
Apple could launch the iMac Pro and the 27-inch iMac separately, equipping each of them with some combination of M1 Pro and M1 Pro Mac chip or Cupertino can release a single iMac and discontinue the 27-inch iMac altogether. Personally, I think the former event has a higher possibility.
Apple 27-inch iMac Pro And Other Probable Spring 2022 Event Announcements
If speculations are anything to go by then the upcoming Apple 2022 Sprint event will feature a lot of new products. In addition to the above-mentioned iMac products, Apple will more than likely also launch the iPhone SE 5G, which is the current-gen iPhone SE but 5G enabled, more powerful and equipped with better photography capabilities.
Similarly, Apple could also introduce a “Mac Mini Pro” introducing its latest M1 Pro and M1 Pro Max chips to the ultra-portable desktop computer. Last year also Apple introduced a bunch of new items like the AirTags, Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen), new iPhone 12 colour options and the iPad Pro during its Spring 2021 event held in April. With the pandemic in full force, expect the Apple Spring Event 2022 timeline to be similar.
Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2022 is underway and will go on till January 20th, 2022. During the sale, Amazon is promising great offers and deals across a wide variety of technology gadgets and gizmos. This includes deals where you can get up to 70% off on Electronics and accessories, up to 60% off on TVs and up to 50% off on Amazon’s own Echo, FireTV and Kindle devices. We’re certain that a lot of you are also interested in deals on PC components such as CPUs, graphics cards, RAM modules and more, so we’ve scoured Amazon to find some of the best deals on such devices.
Additionally, if you happen to have an SBI Credit or Debit card, then you can avail an additional 10% discount. The deals we’ve listed here are without this added benefit so in case you do have an SBI card, just knock off an additional 10% off the price and you’ll get the final amount. Here are the most interesting deals on PC components.
If you're building a new PC or simply upgrading your old one by adding more RAM, then the Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4 ram modules are great. For the price, you are getting a 3200 MHz module which is the sweet spot in terms for speed for Intel as well as AMD desktop processors. Also, there's the added heatsink which is of great help to keep the modules cool.
You'd want a nice gaming cabinet to keep your PC in. At the bare minimum, you want good airflow and if you can also get some fancy design with RGB lighting, then that's up to you. The ANT Esports ICE-200TG checks both departments. It's got ample airflow and enough space on the inside to fit ATX, micro-ATX and mini-ITX motherboards.
There's no way any of us are getting a graphics card at a sane price these days but some PC configurations don't even have an IGP for us to rely on. So we'd need to get a graphics card and the only cards that you can buy for sane prices are the entry-level graphics cards such as the GT 1030. These provide equal or better performance compared to the integrated graphics in most processors, so they're a good starting point.
Intel’s plans to regain process leadership got a shot in the arm when their new CEO, Pat Gelsinger stepped in and laid down several measures to be implemented. A good chunk of these was unveiled at the Intel Accelerated Event held in July this year. We got to see the roadmap that Intel has laid down for itself to achieve the smallest process node in 2025. The roadmap outlines a very aggressive strategy with rapid jumps from one node to the next one while leveraging some of their existing technologies while also incorporating newer ones. And not only will Intel reap the benefits of the improvements to their process technologies but under their IDM 2.0 strategy, external customers will also get to build their silicon at Intel’s foundries. Let’s take a closer look at Intel’s plans.
Intel Roadmap - Five process nodes in four years
Intel like most of the other silicon manufacturers, such as TSMC and Samsung, has its own naming system. Transistors nodes were named as per the length of the transistor gates in the past but since the transistors have grown smaller, each manufacturer went ahead with their own naming systems. And since there is no industry standard as such, we’re left to simply draw parallels between the process nodes of one manufacturer with that of the other. Intel’s 14nm process was more in line with Samsung and TSMC’s 10nm processes and their newer 10nm Super Fin is close to Samsung and TSMC’s 7nm. At the Intel Accelerated event, Intel went ahead and renamed its existing and upcoming nodes. This includes naming their future nodes using Angstroms instead of Nanometers.
The current node, i.e. 10nm Super Fin (previously considered 10+) will remain as is. However, its successor, the 10nm Enhanced Super Fin (10ESF) will now be referred to as Intel 7. And its 7nm node will be called Intel 4. Similarly, 7+ becomes Intel 3, 5 becomes Intel 20A (A stands for Angstrom). And after 20A comes 18A which is still under development.
From a marketing perspective, this renaming is a huge bonus. Intel’s nodes previously seemed to be catching up even when they had process superiority back in the era of the 22nm and 14nm. This was because the competition process nodes had smaller numbers despite have similar transistor densities. With this new renaming, Intel flips that around and makes it seem like they have process superiority even if the transistor densities would be similar. Here’s a little table to summarise the naming scheme changes.
Old Node Name
New Node Name
Year
Type
10
10
2019
FinFET
10+
10 Super Fin
2020
FinFET
10 Enhanced Super Fin
7
2021
FinFET
7
4
2022
FinFET
7+
3
2023
FinFET
5
20A
2024
Horizontal Nanosheets
5+
18A
2025
Horizontal Nanosheets
We can see that there is a new process node being put into production. Some of the products are already known to us. Alder Lake i.e. Intel 12th Gen Core processors will be the first to be built on the new ‘Intel 7’ node and the same will be used in the Sapphire Rapids products coming to the data centre in 2022. ‘Intel 4’ will be used in Meteor Lake and Granite Rapids, and so on. Each new node will bring with it a lot of improvements and it’s easier to summarise them in a point-wise fashion.
Intel 10 SuperFin (10SF)
Currently used for Tiger Lake, Xe-LP (SG1, DG1), Xe-HPC Ponte Vecchio
Intel 7 (Previously 10 Enhanced SuperFin)
10-15% more performance-per-watt over 10SF
Will be seen in 12th Gen Core Alder Lake (2021) and Sapphire Rapids (2022)
Intel 4
20% more performance-per-watt over ‘Intel 7’
Will see EUV lithography being used
WIll be seen in 13th Gen Core Meteor Lake (2023) and Granite Rapids (2023)
Intel 3
18% more performance-per-watt over ‘Intel 4’
Denser higher-performance library over ‘Intel 4’
Increased use of EUV lithography
Increased intrinsic driver current
Optimised interconnect metal stack
Ready in the latter half of 2023 and used in products in 2024
Intel 20A
Will switch from FinFET to Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets (Intel calls these RibbotFETs)
Will introduce a Backside Power Delivery mechanism called PowerVia
Ready in the first half of 2024
Intel 18A
Ready in the first half of 2025
Up until 20A, everything is progressing normally with improvements being made to the way FinFETs are being used in building smaller and denser process nodes. FinFET’s limitations will be realised at that point and the industry as a whole will move towards using Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets.
Intel RibbonFET
Every manufacturer likes to call Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets using a different term. The industry knows them as GAAFET or Gate-All-Around-FET but Samsung uses the term Multi-Bridge Channel FET or MBCFET whereas TSMC will continue to stick to FinFETs well into their 3nm process so they haven’t revealed what they would be calling it. Intel will use the term RibbonFET. The technology isn’t new. In fact, the first-ever GAA-FET was demonstrated back in 1986. But making GAA-FET small enough and packing them in a dense structure took more than three decades.
RibbonFET uses Ribbon-shaped channels which are surrounded by the gate on all sides, hence, gate-all-around. This enables much better control and helps archive a higher drive current at all voltages. So transistors can switch faster and that inevitably means that performance gets a bump. The following images might help you better understand where the benefits lie.
On the left, we have a typical FinFET design and on the right, you’ve got GAA-FET. In FinFET, you’ve got the gate interfacing with the channels on three sides whereas, with GAA-FET, even the fourth side makes contact with the gate. This results in the higher level of control that we previously mentioned.
The benefits of RibbonFET become more apparent as you scale the designs. With FinFETs, you can scale by increasing the number of fins which inadvertently increases the area used by the transistor. Whereas with RibbonFET, you can add stack another ribbon in the same space and get a higher drive current. Essentially, you can get more done in the same space.
So if processors need to grow smaller and silicon manufacturer’s need to keep Moore’s Law alive, then GAA-FET is the way to go.
Intel PowerVia
Another interesting technology being introduced in the Intel 20A process is Intel PowerVia or what the industry calls Backside Power Delivery. Traditional silicon chip manufacturing consists of layers upon layers of metal and other substances. The communication interface and power supply for these chips are given from the same surface. We’ve seen how a delidded processor looks like, it’s just a package slapped onto a substrate. On the inside of these chips, you’ve got all the different layers. When the power supply comes in from the topmost layer, then by the time it reaches some of the lower layers, it loses out a lot of power because of wire resistances and other parasitic capacitances. The power delivery network has to content for space alongside the signal wires.
This problem is solved by supplying power from the bottom layer and then channelling power to the higher layers using thicker wires or (Through Silicon Via) TSVs. Now chips will have wiring on both sides with signal wires on one end and power wires on the other. The transistors will get sandwiched between these two layers.
With PowerVia, you no longer have the Power Delivery Network (PDN) contending with the signal wires for space. Nor is it that big a source for interference anymore. This leaves room for the signal wires to be better optimised.
To get more information on RibbonFET, PowerVIA and Intel’s aggressive growth plans, we reached out to Intel with a few queries. Deemanth Nagaraj, Intel Fellow was more than accommodating while answering our queries. Here’s what Intel had to say.
Digit - What are the challenges that PowerVia is meant to resolve? Is it explicitly linked to RibbonFET or are the two independent of each other?
Intel - PowerVia will be an industry-first deployment of a backside power delivery network technology when it is introduced with Intel20A. It significantly reduces the need for power routing on the front side of the wafer by bringing power in from the backside, making more resources available for optimizing signal routing and as a result, reducing signal delays. The overall result is a performance boost at the IP block level and a reduction in power leakage.
PowerVia is independent of RibbonFET, which is Intel’s implementation of the Gate All Around transistor. We expect to test PowerVia on earlier nodes to ensure this groundbreaking technology is fully ready before it ramps in volume with Intel 20A in 2024. We also expect first product for PowerVia to be a leadership client solution.
Digit - ASML announced a delay of 3 years (https://ift.tt/3ijkZ0o) for their High-NA machines to hit production. Will that affect Intel's 20A or 18A plans?
Intel - We can’t comment on speculative reports. We can say that Intel is positioned to receive the first High NA EUV tool in the industry, and we are driving to enable its introduction in 2025. We have a very strong partnership with EUV equipment leader ASML, and our plans to stay on the leading edge of EUV usage are well underway.
Digit - The plans to return to process leadership seems to be quite aggressive. On top of that, you're also reducing the cadence cycle and going back to tick-tock. Isn't it an extremely risky move if you wish to release client products on newer nodes every year? Or would we see fewer client launches to allow for more time to iron out each node?
Intel - Intel continues to compete and win in our core PC market with a steady drumbeat of highly competitive CPU and platform innovation. We are laser focused on delivering a predictable yearly cadence of innovation and are well on the path to get back to our “tick tock” momentum.
The roadmap we’ve shown at Intel Accelerated is one of the most detailed roadmaps we’ve ever provided for process and packaging technologies and it shows a better than yearly cadence: 5 process nodes in 4 years! We have funded the R&D and capital for the teams and are taking all the right steps to ensure we execute at this incredible pace.
Digit - Continuing with the previous question, what kind of risk mitigation strategies (backporting?) are you implementing to ensure that your launch cycles are on schedule?
Intel - We are embracing the industry as never before in areas like equipment, EDA and research:
• We’re collaborating across our equipment suppliers to make sure we are leveraging the best from the industry. This includes a deep partnership with ASML on EUV, both in fully embracing EUV for Intel 4 and staying on the leading edge of EUV with our swift adoption of High-NA, the next major technology change on the EUV roadmap.
• We’re adopting industry-standard approaches where it makes sense, like industry-standard EDA tools and models.
• We’re building on our partnerships with leading research organizations, such as IBM, IMEC and Leti. This combined with our own components research gives us confidence that we are on very solid footing.
The ecosystem support we’ve demonstrated shows the confidence our customers and partners have on the predictable cadence that Intel is now on – including deep technical validation from customers, like the announcement with Qualcomm.
Digit - How are thermals being managed on chips using Backside Power Delivery? Is it more of an offset because the node becomes more efficient, or do you have to make changes with the way you package the chip for production?
Intel - Thermal management is a key element in all packaging configurations and is determined based on a number of inputs – die floorplan, interconnect architecture, die thickness, package configuration, to name a few – and PowerVia power delivery is one of those elements that is input into the thermal design point (TDP) calculation. Thermal solutions are ultimately determined by the best combination of thermal interface materials and system cooling solutions that meet the customer’s need. Our assembly technology is designed to be flexible so that our customers can optimize their products to manage TDP, footprint and cost. This is a key element of our IDM 2.0 strategy and one reason why we believe we have an advantage over the competition in packaging.
iQOO Z5 has officially launched in India with the Snapdragon 778G in tow. The Z5 is the second phone in the company’s Z-lineup after the iQOO Z3 (review) which debuted back in June. The iQOO Z5 brings a lot of upgrades to the Z3 save for the triple cameras on the back. Here’s a quick look at the pricing, specifications and availability of the iQOO Z5.
We’ve unleashed iQOO Z5, the #FullyLoaded phone made for the GenZ. Starting from INR 23,990 with additional festive offers of extra INR 3,000 off. Festive sale starts from 3rd October. Stay tuned.#iQOOZ5 #iQOO pic.twitter.com/mlPLpDalEY
— iQOO India (@IqooInd) September 27, 2021 iQOO Z5 pricing and availability
The iQOO Z5 is priced starting at Rs 23,990 for the base variant with 8GB RAM and 128GB storage. The other variant has 12GB+256GB storage and is priced at Rs 26,990 in India.
iQOO Z5 goes on its first sale from October 3 on Amazon India and iQOO e-store.
iQOO Z5 specifications
The iQOO Z5 features a 6.67-inch Full HD+ display that offers upto a 120Hz refresh rate with HDR10 certification. The phone has a punch-hole cutout in the top-centre for the selfie camera and the screen is covered in Panda glass.
It measures 8.5mm in thickness and weighs 193 grams. The phone has a plastic frame and is being offered in two colours: Mystic Space and Arctic Dawn.
It is powered by the Snapdragon 778G chip which has an octa-core CPU running at 2.4GHz and is paired with upto 12GB RAM and 256GB UFS 3.1 storage options to choose from.
The camera setup is the same as the iQOO Z3, headlined by a 64MP primary camera, an 8MP ultra-wide camera and a 2MP macro camera. The rear camera can record in 4K UHD at upto 60FPS and there is a 16MP selfie camera as well.
The iQOO Z5 has a 5,000mAh battery that supports 44W fast charging out-of-the-box.
YouTube has added an experimental feature that allows viewers to download YouTube videos right from the browser. The catch here is that this experimental feature is only available for Premium subscribers to try out. This new feature will allow users to download videos from the browser and can be viewed at a later time.
The ability to download videos on YouTube was first spotted by Android Police and the feature is available until October 19. Being an experimental feature, Google is currently testing it out for Premium users and will likely implement it at a later date.
How to download YouTube videos from browser
To try out the experimental feature of downloading videos from the browser, ensure that you are a premium subscriber. Also note that the feature is only supported on the latest version of Chrome, Edge or Opera browsers.
You can try out the experimental features by heading to: youtube.com/new and selecting the feature. You will see a Download button on all videos and you will be able to save them offline to watch at a later time.
The report also states that in the settings menu, you can choose to download videos in upto 1080p resolution. Having said that, there is no word for when the feature may become available for all users permanently.
Tecno Spark 9
OPPO A17K
