I don't recall that promise, but given how big is a 30% increase, it was probably in multi-threaded scenarios where, thanks to the extra cores, it comes close to that number.

Looking at AMD, we got ~30% gen-on-gen uplift for comparable CPUs, a mix of better architecture, higher clocks and more watts.

https://www.cpubenchmark.net/compare/4814vs5036/AMD-Ryzen-7-5700X-vs-AMD-Ryzen-7-7700X

The Intel 7% number has to be something like pure ipc uplift without clock and power increase.

It's true that AMD has managed to bring a bigger improvement in both single (20%) and multi-core (30%), but there's a two years gap between gens, they've gone with a smaller node that has allowed them to ris the clocks and the newer processors use far more power. Meanwhile, Intel's 12th gen launched last year, both 12 and 13th gen use the same process node and, at least the 13400, will use the same amount of power as the 12400 despite the extra cores.

Don't get me wrong, a 5-7% increase is a lackluster result, but there are reasons for it.

One last thing to consider is that Intel is mixing newer Raptor Lake cores with Alder Lake ones on their lower end CPUs, and we don't know yet which ones use the 13400. It could very well be that it uses Alder Lake cores, meaning that any performance improvement will come from higher clocks, and nothing more.

So I am looking through that article and it claims 3-6% single thread performance increase for all new 13th gen non-K CPUs (expect 13900 at 10%). That would be a flop for gaming. We'll see about market prices but it seems that the uplift for the K-models comes from juicing power and not much more.

From what I read before launch, all i5 and below are Alder Lake

Next Steam sale is on Dec 22.

That's what the rumors say, yes, but I'm not sure if it's confirmed or not.

The Wednesday news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

The new 24 hours free game at the Epic Store is LEGO® Builder's Journey: https://store.epicgames.com/en-US/p/lego-builders-journey.

GOG has three new Deals of the Day, available until Friday:

• ANSTOSS 3: Der Fußballmanager is 15% off. Warning, the game is only in German: https://www.gog.com/en/game/anstoss_3
• The Outer Worlds: Non-Mandatory Corporate-Sponsored Bundle, with the game, Expansion Pass and soundtrack, is 55% off: https://www.gog.com/en/game/the_outer_worlds_nonmandatory_corporatesponsored_bundle
• And UBOAT, still in development, gets a 70% discount: https://www.gog.com/en/game/uboat

Steam has two new daily deals:

• The Little Nightmares franchise gets between 67 and 75% discounts: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/LittleNightmaresFranchiseSale
• And TEKKEN 7 is 85% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/389730/TEKKEN_7/

Fanatical has several new deals and a contest:

• There are 7 new dollar bundles. Check them out by yourselves: https://www.fanatical.com/en/bundle
• The contest gives you the chance to win Warhammer 40,000: Darktide, and there will be 10 winners. You only have 24 hours left: https://www.fanatical.com/en/blog/warhammer-40000-darktide-contest

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Here are 65 PS4 games running on the Playstation 4 fpPS4 emulator
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-are-65-ps4-games-running-on-the-playstation-4-fpps4-emulator/
John GodGames Emus has shared three videos, showcasing 65 PS4 games running on PC via the Playstation 4 emulator, fpPS4. Most of these are indie games, so don’t expect any triple-A games like The Last of Us, God of War or Ghost of Tsushima.
In total, we got almost three hours of content here. However, and since this emulator is in a very early development stage, you shouldn’t expect much from it. For instance, there are A LOT of audio issues with most of the emulated PS4 games. There are also major slowdowns on a lot of them.

You can download and play a remake of Halo: Combat Evolved’s Halo level in Unreal Engine 5
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/you-can-download-and-play-a-remake-of-halo-combat-evolveds-halo-level-in-unreal-engine-5/
Now here is something special for all our Halo fans. Last month, ArcSin Jesse recreated the Halo level from Halo: Combat Evolved in Unreal Engine 5. And, contrary to other Unreal Engine 5 projects/remakes, the artist has made this project available for download, meaning that everyone can download and play it.
This fan remake features audio from the original game (so yes, you will hear Cortana). It also packs proper combat and gameplay mechanics. There are Banshees to fight, as well as Covenant enemies. Hell, there are even marines that can help during combat (or while driving the Warthog). And yes, you can drive the Warthog.
To be honest, this fan remake of Halo feels and plays like Halo. And, since the first Halo game received an official (and faithful) remake, it can be interesting to compare them.
>> There are a couple of videos.

The original Watch Dogs gets a must-have high quality texture pack
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-original-watch-dogs-gets-a-must-have-high-quality-texture-pack/
Modder ‘Parallellines’ has released a new HD Texture Pack for the classic Watch Dogs game that replaces over 320 textures. According to the modder, these are the source-quality textures, ranging from two to four times the vanilla dimensions.
>> There are screenshots comparing old and new textures.

GAMING NEWS

Judgment & Lost Judgment now officially support NVIDIA DLSS & NVIDIA DLAA
https://www.dsogaming.com/patches/judgment-lost-judgment-now-officially-support-nvidia-dlss-nvidia-dlaa/
Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio has released new patches for Judgment and Lost Judgment that add support for NVIDIA’s DLSS and DLAA techniques. As such, these two games officially now support all three major PC upscaling techniques.

Wednesday news, part two:

Risk of Rain Returns is 'a whole new game' and final farewell from Hopoo Games
https://www.pcgamer.com/risk-of-rain-returns-is-a-whole-new-game-and-final-farewell-from-hopoo-games/
The outstanding 2013 roguelike action-platformer Risk of Rain is coming back in a "beautifully remastered" form called Risk of Rain Returns, which is set to arrive sometime in 2023 with new survivors, secrets, artifacts, expanded multiplayer services, and all sorts of other additions and improvements.

Valorant game director Joe Ziegler leaves Riot for Bungie
https://www.pcgamer.com/valorant-game-director-joe-ziegler-leaves-riot-for-bungie/
Joe Ziegler, who spent 12 years at Riot Games—most recently as game director on the hit shooter Valorant—has a new home at Destiny 2 studio Bungie.
Ziegler announced his departure a couple weeks ago, saying he was "departing with a heart full of gratitude for Riot Games and all of you for the amazing memories we've shared together." He didn't reveal where he was headed at the time, though, saying only that he would share his new home "very soon."

Warzone 2 brings back easy loadout drops
https://www.pcgamer.com/warzone-2-brings-back-easy-loadout-drops/
Raven Software has announced that loadout drops are returning to Call of Duty: Warzone 2. Well, strictly speaking they're being added to Warzone 2 for the first time. But since the sequel shares a lot of DNA with its predecessor, it is for all intents and purposes a returning feature.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor will have five 'fully realized' combat stances
https://www.pcgamer.com/star-wars-jedi-survivor-will-have-five-fully-realized-combat-stances/
Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is getting a substantial expansion to the combat system first seen in 2019's Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. In an interview with Game Informer, game director Stig Asmussen explained the game features "five fully realized [combat] stances" intended to make protagonist Cal Kestis a much more flexible fighter.

The Callisto Protocol now lets you skip the grisly death animations
https://www.pcgamer.com/the-callisto-protocol-now-lets-you-skip-the-grisly-death-animations/
(...)
A new patch has streamlined some elements of the game's combat system, and added the ability to skip the death animations (seriously: some of these things feel like they take minutes). The main in-game tweak is that healing is now faster. Jacob heals by jabbing his neck with a stim and the animation at launch was slow enough that it was hard to heal mid-fight: which was obviously intentional, but clearly the studio felt they'd been a little bit too mean.

What a surprise: A Goat Simulator 3 ad with leaked GTA 6 footage has been taken down
https://www.pcgamer.com/what-a-surprise-a-goat-simulator-3-ad-with-leaked-gta-6-footage-has-been-taken-down/
A Goat Simulator 3 advert has been issued with a takedown notice by Rockstar Games' parent company Take Two Interactive, after it was revealed that the advert featured footage from the massive GTA 6 leak that occurred earlier this year.