It's true that 14/16nm is based on 20nm, a process that wasn't suited for high power chips like GPUs, but with FinFet tech to solve that problem. There will always be some tweaks to be made, and some time will be required until yields reach acceptable numbers and the production ramps up.

So the question is, do they go for the big chips right from the start despite the yields and that those chips aren't the ones that sell the most, or do they concentrate on what the market buys the most, the sub-300 $/€ one? With Nvidia we don't know yet, but AMD has openly decided to go the second route.

As for the second part, I wish I understood what you wrote (I know nothing about the different instructions and extensions). Thing is, Intel is more concerned about ARM and the low power market than launching faster products, and has put all its efforts towards efficiency, launching chips that are roughly 5-10% faster than the ones they are replacing.

Oh yes, they've gone from 5 to six testers, the launch is near!

Don't be so obsessed, Basil, it's not good.

But it won't launch earlier just because you want it!

It's better to relax and play something else meanwhile.

GDC 2016: Tearing & Freesync/G-Sync Support Coming to Windows' UWP Apps

http://www.anandtech.com/show/10154/gdc-2016-tearing-freesyncgsync-support-coming-to-windows-uwp-apps

(...)

Rather the company will be updating the press and developers on UWP at BUILD 2016, Microsoft’s annual conference that’s taking place in two weeks

(...)

Meanwhile on a related note, in this year’s DirectX 12 session, Microsoft has confirmed that they are going to be addressing the current refresh interval limitations of UWP. In short, Windows UWP will be gaining support for interval immediate refreshing, otherwise known as tearing. Tearing currently isn't allowed, and while tearing is not typically desirable, there are situations where the bare minimum latency it affords may be more useful than displaying a whole frame without corruption. This will also allow Freesync and G-Sync variable refresh rate technologies to work with UWP, as the underlying issues blocking them with the current system are much similar.  As it stands there isn’t an ETA on this update, however it’s something the DirectX team has taken to heart, and with a bit of luck it may be sooner than later.

Besides me not liking how Anandtech labels Variable Refresh Rates as "tearing", this is good news. We'll see how long it will take and what else they will change in two weeks, hopefully.

20nm is not suited for high powered chips ? The SPARC M7 begs to differ ...

They should release the big chips cause people buy high end GPUs for PERFORMANCE and that is important but it's also why Nvidia has a 70%+ marketshare each quarter ... 

I too am disappointed that Intel has decided to focus on efficency rather than pure performance but they do have high targets and aspirations even if they have become a little unrealistic as of late ...

Shader model 6 is coming! 

Let the hype begin for the new features ... 

Finally getting the console optimizations that some of us were asking for ...

The news. Today I make them a bit earlier because MotoGP has started (yay!) and I don't want to miss the first MotoGP practice.

1-Fan projects

• Star Wars: Galaxy in Turmoil Is an Unofficial Fan Remake of Star Wars: Battlefront III, First Screenshots http://www.dsogaming.com/news/star-wars-galaxy-in-turmoil-is-an-unofficial-fan-remake-of-star-wars-battlefront-iii-first-screenshots/

2-Gaming News

DOOM – NEW TRAILER EXPLORES MULTIPLAYER MAPS

http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/doom-new-trailer-explores-multiplayer-maps/

Bethesda has released a new trailer for DOOM, showcasing 4 of the 9 diverse locations that will be featured in its Multiplayer mode. According to Bethesda, every MP map is constructed to keep the action brutally fast-paced. These multi-tiered combat arenas are littered with hazards, and packed with items that can turn the tide of combat at a moment’s notice.

>>This is the trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7alUjZ30n4o

DYING LIGHT: THE FOLLOWING – ENHANCED EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE ON GOG & IS DRM-FREE

http://www.dsogaming.com/news/dying-light-the-following-enhanced-edition-is-now-available-on-gog-is-drm-free/

Great news for PC gamers as Dying Light: The Following – Enhanced Edition has just been launched on GOG and is DRM-free. The game is currently coming with a 17% discount, and is one of the few triple-A games releasing on GOG.

NINJA THEORY’S HELLBLADE RENAMED TO HELLBLADE: SENUA’S SACRIFICE, GETS NEW IN-ENGINE REAL-TIME TRAILER

http://www.dsogaming.com/news/ninja-theorys-hellblade-renamed-to-hellblade-senuas-sacrifice-gets-new-in-engine-real-time-trailer/

Ninja Theory has announced that its upcoming title, Hellblade, is now renamed to Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. In order to celebrate this announcement, Ninja Theory released a new in-engine real-time trailer for its Unreal Engine 4-powered title that can be viewed below.

>>Watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hL2RhY2vJes

CRYTEK’S VR GAME, THE CLIMB, GETS GDC 2016 TRAILER

http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/cryteks-vr-game-the-climb-gets-gdc-2016-trailer/

Crytek has released the GDC 2016 trailer for its upcoming VR climbing game, The Climb. The Climb is powered by CRYENGINE, and this new video shows the rugged and expansive landscape inspired by the Alps and features snow-capped mountains, glassy lakes, a fairy-tale castle, and more.

>>Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwUG-_hiZ-I

GDC 2016 – NEW VIDEO SHOWCASES NVIDIA’S PHYSX GPU RIGID BODY SIMULATION

http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/gdc-2016-new-video-showcases-nvidias-physx-gpu-rigid-body-simulation/

PhysXInfo has shared a video, showing a real-time demonstration of NVIDIA’s new hybrid CPU/GPU rigid body solver, based on the experimental branch of PhysX SDK 3.4. As stated, GPU acceleration (as showcased in the video) can provide a significant performance boost in heavy scenes, and also has same behavior and features as the CPU execution.

>>These kind of videos are always fun to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ws6LN1Ot9Cc

FIRST SCREENSHOTS RELEASED FOR “ZELDA-LIKE” OCULUS RIFT THIRD-PERSON RPG, CHRONOS

http://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/first-screenshots-released-for-zelda-like-oculus-rift-third-person-rpg-chronos/

Gunfire Games has released the first screenshots for its upcoming “Zelda-like” Oculus Rift third-person RPG, Chronos. Chronos is an atmospheric RPG that chronicles a hero’s lifelong quest to save their homeland from a great evil. The game has gone gold and will be released on March 28th.

>>Chazore has made a thread about this story. Check it out: http://gamrconnect.vgchartz.com/thread.php?id=214825

KILLER INSTINCT – PC GRAPHICS & VISUALS OPTIONS LEAKED

http://www.dsogaming.com/news/killer-instinct-pc-graphics-visuals-options-leaked/

Killer Instinct is coming to the PC on March 29th and its Graphics and Visuals options have been revealed. Killer Instinct will be a free to download game, and will be up to date with the Xbox One version (in other words, we’ll be getting Season 3). Moreover, Killer Instinct will support cross-platform play between the PC and Xbox One.

Of course they should release high end GPUs, but the mainstream cards sell more. And until the yield numbers are acceptable and TSMC & GloFo/Samsung increase their 16/14nm production, focusing on the high end will actually mean less people jumping on to the newer products.

I don't know about the SPARC M7, but I've read a few articles stating that the 20nm process wasn't suited for high performance chips like those in GPUs.

BATTLEBORN'S POST-LAUNCH 'VISION' DETAILED

http://www.pcgamer.com/battleborns-post-launch-vision-detailed/

Development on Battleborn is all wrapped up (until the tidal wave of patches and balance tweaks begins at least), so Gearbox has taken the opportunity to set out what's in store in the weeks and months after launch.

THE LONG JOURNEY HOME IS A SPACE EXPLORATION RPG WITH ECHOES OF FIREFLY

http://www.pcgamer.com/the-long-journey-home-is-a-space-exploration-rpg-with-echoes-of-firefly/

The Long Journey Home is a “space exploration RPG” that promises to blend the gameplay of old classics like Starflight and Star Control with roguelike replayability, “in a procedurally generated, endless surprising living universe inspired by beloved modern science fiction shows like Farscape and Firefly.” That's an awfully tall order, and quite a shift away from the point-and-click adventures that Daedalic is best known for. But the teaser released today, and the screens that came along with it, look very promising.

>>Watch the teaser here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yr2NMdxU8PE

TRACKMANIA TURBO BETA IS CONSOLE ONLY, BUT A FREE DEMO IS COMING

http://www.pcgamer.com/trackmania-turbo-beta-is-console-only-but-a-free-demo-is-coming/

Ubisoft announced today that Trackmania Turbo will be playable in an open beta that will begin at 9 am ET on March 18 and run until 9 am ET on March 21. Unfortunately, and surprisingly, the beta is for “new-gen consoles” only, those being the Xbox One and PlayStation 4. But the PC crowd isn't being left out in the cold entirely.

>>This is the announcement video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9gfxHS1buQQ

PLANETARY ANNIHILATION IS FREE, FOR AWHILE, AT BUNDLE STARS

http://www.pcgamer.com/planetary-annihilation-is-free-for-awhile-at-bundle-stars/

You like free stuff, right? Sure you do. And so allow me to direct your attention to the Bundle Stars website, where they're offering Steam keys for the RTS Planetary Annihilation, which normally sells for $30/£23, for free.

BELOW, CAPYBARA'S UPCOMING ROGUELIKE, IS SET FOR THIS SUMMER

http://www.pcgamer.com/below-capybaras-upcoming-roguelike-is-set-for-this-summer/

Capybara Games has released a brand-new trailer for its upcoming roguelike Below. We've also got a half-dozen new screens to look at, and perhaps best of all, a release window—not a date, but a step in the right direction—of this summer.

>>Take a look at the game here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUXD6YTOGXg

DIVISION PLAYERS ESCAPE TO CENTRAL PARK AND BEYOND

http://www.pcgamer.com/division-players-escape-to-central-park-and-beyond/

Build a beautiful online world and you can be sure intrepid explorers will find a way to escape it. In this instance, efforts by members of the Division community have revealed locations which might hint to future DLC.

>>Here's the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5ftSgH29tk

TOTAL WAR GETTING CROSS-PLATFORM SPIN-OFF TW BATTLES: KINGDOM

http://www.pcgamer.com/total-war-geting-cross-platform-spin-off-tw-battles-kingdom/

It might not be the highlight in the Total War calendar, but from March 24, Total War Battles: Kingdom will invite you to engage in light cross-platform strategy on Steam and the usual mobile platforms.

DYING LIGHT: THE FOLLOWING – ENHANCED EDITION IS NOW AVAILABLE ON GOG & IS DRM-FREE

My reaction: