Official Radeon RX 6x50XT series gaming performance leaks out, RX 6950XT is 4% faster than RX 6900XT

https://videocardz.com/newz/official-radeon-rx-6x50xt-series-gaming-performance-leaks-out-rx-6950xt-is-4-faster-than-rx-6900xt

While I have no doubt the 6950 is 4% faster than a 6900XT, I wouldn't believe any of results vs Nvidia GPUs because the leak is based on data provided by AMD's own tests and not independent reviews. We have seen through many independent reviews that a 3090 is faster than a 6900XT at 4k and 3070 is much faster than a 6700XT at 1440.

At best, the refreshes will match Nvidia in Raster but I am sure in many cases, will still be slower. But wait for Independent reviews where they test a lot of games.

AMD RDNA3 ‘Radeon RX 7000’ GPUs To Support AV1 Encoding As Spotted In Patch

https://wccftech.com/amd-rdna3-radeon-rx-7000-confirmed-to-support-av1-encoding/

Good good. Every new GPU needs to support AV1

Samsung's new dashcam memory card records non-stop for up to 16 years

https://www.engadget.com/samsung-pro-endurance-dashcam-memory-card-132222760.html?src%3Drss

I'd take that with some salt as well

Intel forgot to deliver updated Arc GPU driver by the end of April despite promising one

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-forgot-to-deliver-updated-arc-gpu-driver-by-the-end-of-april-despite-promising-one

I think they also forgot to release their GPUs

The Friday news!

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Devolver's latest Steam sale includes some steep discounts
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/devolvers-latest-steam-sale-includes-some-steep-discounts/
Indie publisher, boutique label for oddcore games, and provider of the only interesting E3 conference, Devolver Digital is currently having a publisher sale on Steam. Among the games being deeply discounted is The Talos Principle, which is on sale for 90% off. So is Titan Souls, Serious Sam 3, and both Shadow Warrior and Shadow Warrior 2.
>> It will last until May 16.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Someone tweeted at Microsoft to release the 27-year-old source code to 3D Movie Maker, so they did
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/someone-tweeted-at-microsoft-to-release-the-27-year-old-source-code-to-3d-movie-maker-so-they-did/
Foone, a self-described "hardware/software necromancer" and chaotic keyboard maker, convinced Microsoft to release the source code for 3D Movie Maker—apparently, all we needed to do was ask. The 27-year-old animation program is now out there, neatly archived and available for anyone who wants tinker with it.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Here are 15 minutes of gameplay footage from Elden Ring VR Mod
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-15-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-elden-ring-vr-mod/
As we informed you last month, Luke Ross is currently working on a VR Mod for Elden Ring. And yesterday, UploadVR shared a video, showcasing 15 minutes of gameplay footage from it.
Now what’s really cool here is that this gameplay video packs some combat sequences. As such, it will give you an idea of how the combat works in VR. And, surprisingly enough, it looks pretty neat.

Morrowind modder whose kids hate mudcrabs added the family cat to protect them
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/morrowind-modder-whose-kids-hate-mudcrabs-added-the-family-cat-to-protect-them/
"I made this for my kids when they were little", modder NoUsernamesNotTaken writes in the description. "They liked to play but were terrified of mudcrabs so I made them a companion protector based off the family cat."
Stripes the Cat adds a cat to Morrowind who can zip around and cast shocking touch, a spell choice based on the real cat's ability to collect static electricity "because he is a little furball".

GAMING NEWS

F1 22 will have Ray Tracing Shadows, Reflections & Ambient Occlusion + First PC Gameplay Footage
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/f1-22-will-have-ray-tracing-shadows-reflections-ambient-occlusion-first-pc-gameplay-footage/
F1 22 releases on July 1st and Compusemble had the chance of testing an early version of this new F1 racing game. And according to the publication, F1 22 will feature numerous Ray Tracing effects on PC.
>> It's odd to see a 3600 CPU paired with a 3080Ti GPU, but it's amazing how it barely goes beyond the 60% of use.

Assetto Corsa Competizione is free to play until May 8th
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/assetto-corsa-competizione-is-free-to-play-until-may-8th/
505 Games and KUNOS Simulazioni have announced that Assetto Corsa Competizione is free to play this weekend. From today to Sunday 8th (1PM PST), this sim racing game will be free to play for all Steam users.
>> And it's also 60% off.

Friday news, part two:

Summer Game Fest is coming on June 9
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/summer-game-fest-2022-date/
We knew it was happening, and now we know when. Videogame hype man extraordinaire Geoff Keighley announced today that the Summer Game Fest will return on June 9—and this time, you can even watch it in IMAX.
>> That's barely one month away.

Margit's Shackle in Elden Ring has a strange second purpose
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/margits-shackle-in-elden-ring-has-a-strange-second-purpose/
If you've been playing Elden Ring like most of the gaming world, you've probably said hello to the first pain-in-your-ass boss, Margit the Fell Omen. He's very early on in the game, and we've even had to create a guide to stop people barrelling towards him underleveled. Even though he is pretty tough, there is one very helpful item that can help you beat him: Margit's Shackle.

A new Mafia game is reportedly in development under new studio leadership
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/a-new-mafia-game-is-reportedly-in-development-under-new-studio-leadership/
2K Games confirmed today that Haden Blackman, the longtime president and chief creative officer of Mafia studio Hangar 13, is leaving the company. Word of Blackman's departure comes alongside a Kotaku report saying that a new Mafia game is now in the early stages of development.

Path of Exile's new expansion lets you build your own bite-sized hard mode
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/path-of-exiles-new-expansion-lets-you-build-your-own-bite-sized-hard-mode/
Path of Exile, more than any action-RPG I’ve played, wants you to set the terms of your own suffering. With a hugely customizable endgame and quarterly events like a double-or-nothing gamblers arena, there’s a major focus on choosing how you challenge yourself in exchange for loot. This May’s upcoming expansion, Sentinel, brings what looks like a more direct new way to challenge yourself: a satchel full of consumable drones that empower your enemies while injecting them full of bonus items.

The Naga are coming to Hearthstone Battlegrounds on May 10
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-naga-are-coming-to-hearthstone-battlegrounds-on-may-10/
The first-ever Hearthstone Battlegrounds season, Rise of the Naga, will get underway on May 10 with a reset of player ratings, a new hero, and an all-new minion type: The naga, a magic-focused race that will grant spells or become more powerful when spells are played around them (and also, not coincidentally, are the focus of the current Voyage to the Sunken CIty expansion).

Overwatch 2 patch gives Zenyatta a badass round-house kick
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/overwatch-2-patch-gives-zenyatta-a-badass-round-house-kick/
Overwatch 2 is in its beta stages. Blizzard was obviously keen to get players in on what it's developed so far for the PvP portion of the game, but it's been far from balanced. The game is basically in freefall at this point, with the Overwatch team trying to rework and reimagine character abilities, damage, and more as quickly as possible. So after acknowledging that Overwatch's support heroes were a bit lacklustre, Blizzard have updated the game with a bunch of new changes once again, including a super kick for Zenyatta.

Outriders hasn't made a profit, and may never
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/outriders-hasnt-made-a-profit-and-may-never/
Outriders was released in April 2021, heralded by developer People Can Fly and publisher Square Enix as the future of the looter-shooter—and while we found it a bit of an inconsistent experience, the early signs were of a positive commercial response. Square Enix boasted of 3.5 million players the month after launch, calling it "the company's next major franchise."
Then things went a bit quiet. By August, developer People Can Fly was grumbling about being left in the dark by Square Enix about how the game was doing. And now, the lid's come off and it looks like: not very well.

Halo Infinite's Season 2 launch has been 'bumpy' admits creative lead
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/halo-infinites-season-2-launch-has-been-bumpy-admits-creative-lead/
Launching a live service game can't be easy. It's hard to remember any games-as-service launch where everything went as planned but normally, as the game updates and time goes by, things get more stable. Unfortunately the release of the second season of Halo Infinite hasn't been all that smooth either.

EVE x Microsoft Excel is probably the least surprising collaboration in history
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/eve-x-microsoft-excel-is-probably-the-least-surprising-collaboration-in-history/
Even if you've lived under a proverbial rock and only heard of EVE Online through whispers in the wind, you'll have probably heard it described as spreadsheets in space. That description's about to become a whole lot more apt, with CCP Games today announcing the least surprising brand collaboration this side of Fortnite.
During the FanFest 2022 keynote, the developer announced that it's leaning fully into being spreadsheets in space by working with Microsoft to create an official Excel API for EVE Online players. While only a prototype right now, the tool lets EVE players import all sorts of market data and outfitting stats into the program.

And here are the GOG and Steam deals:

+GOG

• And the new Weekly Sale comes with up to 90% discounts: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220502_weekly_sale
• The Midweek Sale features short games with up to 90% discounts during 2 more days: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220504_midweek_sale
• The Good Old Games Week Sale, with up to 90% discounts, is going to be around until Monday: https://www.gog.com/en/good-old-games
• The first flash deal is Edge Of Eternity, 50% off during the next 70 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/edge_of_eternity
• The second flash deal is S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl, 70% off during the same time: https://www.gog.com/en/game/stalker_shadow_of_chernobyl
• The third, and last, flash deal is F.E.A.R. Platinum, with a 85% discount until Monday: https://www.gog.com/en/game/fear_platinum
• The Weekend Sale features post-apocalyptic games up to 90% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20220506_weekend_sale
• Three new Worms games launch on the store and will be 70% off until May 13. Other games in the series are also on sale. Read more here: https://www.gog.com/en/news/welcome_3_games_from_the_worms_series_on_gog
• And Focus Home Interactive puts its games up to 80% off during the next 9 days: https://www.gog.com/promo/202205_focus_entertainment

+Steam

• Despite the deals already discussed in the news, there are several new deals at Steam, including a new daily deal: SD GUNDAM G GENERATION CROSS RAYS, 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/728530/SD_GUNDAM_G_GENERATION_CROSS_RAYS/
• NIS America celebrates the Golden Week with up to 80% discounts until Sunday, May 8: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/nisa/sale/nisagoldenweeksale
• Bandai Namco also celebrates the Golden Week with up to 80% discounts, but until May 9: https://store.steampowered.com/developer/BANDAINAMCO/sale/bandainamcosale
• The LudoNarraCon comes with up to 90% discounts. The length of t he discounts vary from game to game, with some ending the 9th and others lasting beyond that. Check them out here: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/ludonarracon
• Raw Fury brings a surprise Spring Sale featuring up to 90% discounts until the 10th of May: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/springsurprisesale
• WINGSPAN will be 50% off until May 12: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1054490/WINGSPAN/
• XSEED Games puts its titles up to 75% off until the 12th: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/xseedpublishersale2022
• Car Mechanic Simulator 2021, that has a demo, will be 20% off until May 18: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1190000/Car_Mechanic_Simulator_2021/
• And of course, there's also the weeklong deals.

Nothing left to add. Until next time, I wish you a happy and gaming weekend.

That will be Intel's most difficult battle to convince gamers to switch to them, the way they handle drivers.

And, so far, they're doing nothing to win us over.

By the way, CRTs had some flaws, but the picture quality was awesome. If the industry decided to replace them was because they were so heavy and bulky.

Alright bois. I am going to commit the ultimate sin in the PC gaming world and get...

Here's the specs that I have chosen:

Last time I used a Mac was in high-school which was pre-2010 due to it being the only computers we had. Since then, I never had any reason to get an Apple computer of any kind. The OS is worse than Windows with worse software support. Their laptops didn't have anything unique compared to what you would get in the Windows world and you would still get shit Thermals and performance. Sure Macbooks had subjectively better build quality (even though their butterfly keyboards went to shit) and better speakers but many Windows devices had better software, better configurations etc.

But the M1 Macbooks do bring something unique to the table. They have 120hz Mini-LED HDR displays that have 10,000 zones and can go up to crazy high nits. The battery life is supposed to be insane even under load and you get the same performance on the go as you get when you are plugged in which has been one of the bigger annoyances of Windows laptops. I am sure there are still a lot of issues though but I think for the first time, I am tempted enough to see what's on the other side.

I did think about getting the M1 Max version since it's only like $225 more but I am obviously not getting one for gaming and there's a pretty noticeable battery penalty by getting the Max version. So I am going to test one out and see how it goes within the 2 week return window.

Hmm...

There are two things in your post that put me off: one, that it's an Apple, but it doesn't really mattr because you're not going to game on it so well, whatever. And two: "I did think about getting the M1 Max version since it's only like $225 more..." Get the f*ck out, man!

Lol relative to how much this thing costs even after "Education" discounts, $225 really isn't that much more. As an example, upgrading from 16GB to 32GB of RAM costs $450... This is one of those purchases that I had to think about doing for a while before committing but I decided to give it a go after getting a bonus from work and birthday money.

Sin detected...

On no Yuri's joined the dark side! Gz dude lol.

Nvidia gets fined 5.5M for not disclosing earnings from Crypto GPU business - https://www.pcgamesn.com/nvidia/fined-5-million-for-downplaying-crypto-GPU-business

Jensen Huang rn.. after pocketing billions during Crypto boom.

That was neat, but this comment really sums up my feelings as well: 'when you judge a CRT screen, shot by a camera, uploaded to youtube, using LCD tv...'