So we're waiting for the next generation of threadripper? Didn't expect them to be that far behind in price/performance ratio. But I guess it's great for servers. Can't wait for all the morons getting one for gaming.

Anandtech has great review, they were testing both Creator and Game mode with 1950X. Game mode has pretty good minimum frame rate advantage over Creative (some 30%), but unfortunately that's mostly in 1080p, and this is certainly not a 1080p CPU.

Ultimately, this is prosumer/workstation CPU for heavily threaded applications - I don't think many people whose main focus is gaming will actually buy one of these.

I wish that was true. I can already imagine the 5k "Gaming PCs" featuring a 1950X and 2x Vega 64 with a 1500W PSU and liquid cooling.

This is interesting, and also odd:

AMD Moves Vega 56 Embargo Forward, Asks Reviewers to Prioritize Over 64
http://www.gamersnexus.net/news-pc/3016-amd-moves-vega-56-embargo-forward-prioritizes-over-64
As we are not being sampled for RX Vega and aren’t in official communications regarding the product, we’re able to provide up-to-date news without concern of embargo breach. The latest information acquired by GamersNexus includes updated embargo dates pertaining to RX Vega, with news that RX Vega 56 has been abruptly pushed forward to an August 14 review embargo date. Initial plans had the card positioned for a September launch – which remains the target – with reviews coinciding with that launch.

As of today, AMD noted that RX Vega 56 cards have been shipped to reviewers, along with a request that reviewers specifically “prioritize coverage” of RX Vega 56 over RX Vega 64 under time-constrained conditions. This clearly indicates AMD’s faith in RX Vega 64 and 56, demonstrating that 56 should more reasonably compete with nVidia at the ~$400 price-point, while 64 will undoubtedly be more fiercely embattled at $500-$600. AMD has timed RX Vega strategically so that it launches following Threadripper, where most reviewers have had attention focused for the past week. Cards have been received over the past day or so, leaving little time for deep testing. RX Vega 56 cards are to arrive by the weekend.

Additional information we’ve obtained today includes the rest of the embargo schedule, as below:

• Unboxing embargo lift on Saturday, August 12, 11AM EDT: AMD permits unboxing photos or videos only.
• Performance embargo lift for Vega 56 on August 14, 9AM EDT.
• RX Vega 64 already in hands of some reviewers, with unboxing embargo lift on Saturday, August 12, 11AM EDT.
• RX Vega 64 performance embargo lift on August 14, 9AM EDT.
• Update: Vega 56 launches on 8/28.

Monday will be interesting ^.^

The last round of news of the week!

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

There's a new sale on the Humble Store, featuring Final Fantasy games (plus Front Mission Evolved and The Last Remnant).

As always with Square Enix, the games are 50% off: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/final-fantasy-weekend/

SOFTWARE

Discord takes aim at Skype with new video chat and screen sharing features
http://www.pcgamer.com/discord-takes-aim-at-skype-with-new-video-chat-and-screen-sharing-features/
Discord is already the go-to chat client for gaming communities everywhere, and soon it's going to be making a serious run at the likes of Skype and Google Hangouts. Video is on its way. Discord announced on its blog that testing of new video chat and screen sharing features is kicking off today, on a small scale. Five percent of registered desktop players will have access to the new features, which will be rolled out over the course of the day.

Twitch declares war on Discord with the full launch of the Twitch Desktop App
http://www.pcgamer.com/twitch-declares-war-on-discord-with-the-full-launch-of-the-twitch-desktop-app/
The Twitch Desktop App, which was revealed to the world back in March, is now in full release. The app covers all things Twitch "from streams to memes," as well as a number of features not available through the web, including voice and video calls, servers, and "Dark Mode."

MODS/EMULATORS

-empty-

GAMING NEWS

South Park the Fractured But Whole – Official PC System Requirements
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/south-park-the-fractured-but-whole-official-pc-system-requirements/
Ubisoft has just revealed the official PC system requirements for South Park the Fractured But Whole. According to the specs, PC gamers will need at least an Intel Core i5 2400 or an AMD FX 4320 with 6GB of RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 560Ti / GTX 650 / GTX 750 / GTX 950 / GTX 1050 or an AMD Radeon HD 7850 / R9 270 / R9 370 / RX 460 graphics card in order to play it.

Dishonored – Do The Impossible… Kill a God
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/dishonored-do-the-impossible-kill-a-god/
Bethesda Softworks has released a trailer for their newest instalment to the Dishonored franchise, showing off the new assassin and teasing players of the impossible task of killing a god…

Crashday: Redline Edition is now available on Steam
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/crashday-redline-edition-is-now-available-on-steam/
Publisher 2tainment and developer Moonbyte Games today announced that Crashday: Redline Edition, a newly overhauled edition of the classic arcade racer Crashday (Atari, 2006), is now available on Steam. Crashday: Redline Edition pays homage to the original Crashday while also adding refreshed visuals and compelling new features, including improved online multiplayer capabilities, seven action-packed game modes, new modding functions and an integrated track editor.

No Man’s Sky – Update 1.3 detailed via a new trailer, full release notes revealed
http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/no-mans-sky-update-1-3-detailed-via-a-new-trailer/
Hello Games has released a new trailer for No Man’s Sky upcoming update 1.3. This update, called Atlas Rises, will bring a new central storyline, portals, mission system, trade improvements, system economies, joint exploration, high resolution textures and improved graphics, as well as low altitude flight.

Here are some new beautiful screenshots for The Evil Within 2
http://www.dsogaming.com/screenshot-news/here-are-some-new-beautiful-screenshots-for-the-evil-within-2/
Bethesda has released some new screenshots for The Evil Within 2, showing the game’s characters (both Sebastian and Kidman), environments and enemies. The Evil Within 2 promises to take the acclaimed franchise to a new level with its unique blend of psychological thrills and true survival horror.

New Public Test Realm Available for Warcraft 3
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/new-public-test-realm-available-for-warcraft-3/
Pete Stilwell the senior producer for Blizzards Classic games has taken to battle.net and has announced a brand new test realm for Warcraft 3 to be released now.

Destiny 2 will feature an in-game FPS counter and a framerate target option
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/destiny-2-will-feature-an-in-game-fps-counter-and-a-framerate-target-option/
Last week, Bungie announced that the overlay functionalities of third-party tools such as EVGA Precision, MSi Afterburner and FRAPS will not be compatible with Destiny 2. Naturally, this upset a lot of PC gamers, however today the team revealed that both the upcoming PC beta and the final version of Destiny 2 will feature an in-game FPS counter.

Sonic Mania has been delayed to August 29th
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/sonic-mania-has-been-delayed-to-august-29th/
SEGA has announced that Sonic Mania has been delayed to August 29th. The game was originally meant to be released next week, on August 15th. SEGA did not reveal the reasons for this small delay, despite the fact that the game has already gone Gold.

Part two of todays news:

Overwatch is finally getting a Deathmatch mode
http://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-is-finally-getting-a-deathmatch-mode/
A new game mode is on the way to the Overwatch Arcade, and it's actually one of the oldest of them all: Deathmatch, the classic game of kill everything that moves (while everything that moves tries to do the same to you) is now live on the PTR.

Overwatch update: Blizzard is testing big buffs for Junkrat, Roadhog, and Widowmaker
http://www.pcgamer.com/overwatch-update/
Blizzard is testing some big balance changes on the Overwatch PTR. Junkrat, Roadhog, Orisa, and Widowmaker have all received tweaks on the current iteration of the public test realm.

Bungie outlines the balance changes coming to Destiny 2's PC beta
http://www.pcgamer.com/bungie-outlines-the-balance-changes-coming-to-destiny-2s-pc-beta/
While the latest weekly update on Destiny 2 from Bungie opens with a vaguely threatening promise—”Whenever you engage your fellow players in the Destiny arena, like you did in the Destiny 2 console Beta, our designers are studying you.”—some of the promised fixes and tweaks coming to the PC beta sound a bit more comforting.

Arma 3: Laws of War DLC will bring a 'different perspective' to the battlefield
http://www.pcgamer.com/arma-3-laws-of-war-dlc-will-bring-a-different-perspective-to-the-battlefield/
The Arma 3 project teased in March under the mysterious name of "Orange" has been unveiled as a new DLC package called Laws of War, set for release next month. Developer Bohemia Interactive said the new add-on "explores a different perspective on the battlefield" through the introduction of a new faction called the International Development and Aid Project, an NGO that specializes in rapid reaction to humanitarian disasters.

3030 Deathwar Redux is a comedic Elite-like space explorer, due next month
http://www.pcgamer.com/3030-deathwar-redux-is-a-comedic-elite-like-space-explorer-due-next-month/
Indie devs Bird in the Sky first released an early version of 3030 Deathwar Redux ten years ago. It's since been reworked with the help of Crunchy Leaf Games, has entered Steam's Early Access initiative, and now targets a September 13 full release.

Absolver teases sophisticated customisation system
http://www.pcgamer.com/absolver-teases-sophisticated-customisation-system/
From its comprehensive combat system, to its staggered drunk-like brawling and intricate weapon disarming mechanics, Absolver wants players to have options when facing off against foes. Now, its latest trailer depicts how you'll customise your characters on the battlefield.

Saints Row IV is free to play until August 13th
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/saints-row-iv-is-free-to-play-until-august-13th/
Deep Silver has announced that Saints Row IV is now free to play until August 13th. This basically means that PC gamers can go ahead, download the game from Steam and play it until this free weekend expires.

>>And, if you like it (which you will, unless you're a graphics wh*re and/or are dead inside), you'll be able to grab it for 75% less!

If SR IV is not enough to keep you entertained for the weekend, let's take a look at what's in store at GOG and Steam:

+GOG

The same two deals that were mentioned on Monday:

• The first one is the Weekly Sale: https://www.gog.com/promo/20170807_weekly_sale
• The second one is the War of the Overworld Sale: https://www.gog.com/promo/20170807_special_promo_war_for_the_overworld

+Steam

Besides the Saints Row IV deal, there are another two main sales, and you should already know one of them:

• For Honor is free to play this weekend, and if you like it, it can be yours with a 50% discount: http://store.steampowered.com/app/304390/FOR_HONOR/
• Adult Swim Games is the star of the publisher weekend sale, with some games up to 90% off: http://store.steampowered.com/sale/adultswimweekend/

And just like that, we've reached the end. More news on Monday, but meanwhile, I hope you have a happy and gaming weekend.

Does any of you with a fast (120/144Hz) monitor ever thought that it was too slow, that you needed something even faster, and that those 240Hz models won't do it for you? Well then, I have good news for you!

480 Hz Monitor Prototype Now at Blur Busters!
http://www.blurbusters.com/480hz-monitor-at-blur-busters/
We have received a prototype 480 Hz monitor at Blur Busters. Sent to us in kit form, we are now currently testing — and an article is coming out shortly.

Don't you think that it's a bit... overkill?

That is certainly overkill! You would be restricted to playing old games if you want the most out of it.

********

In other news. Vega has arrived.

http://www.anandtech.com/show/11717/the-amd-radeon-rx-vega-64-and-56-review

TDLR.
Vega 56 is generally better than the Geforce 1070.
Vega 64 is generally better than the Geforce 1080.

However when Vega's performance tanks, it really tanks where the Geforce 1070 will beat Vega 64.

The Geforce 1080 Ti is still king. Titan XP laughs at them all.

Where AMD looses soundly is power consumption.
To say I am saddened is an understatement.

Here's a roundup of Vega reviews:

https://videocardz.com/71915/amd-radeon-rx-vega-64-vega-56-review-roundup

As Pemalite has said, Vega 56 is on par with a 1070, and the Vega 64 trades blows with the 1080. It's also worth noting that in Vulkan and DX12 games, Vega 56 is consistently faster than the 1070.

Monday... *sigh* Let's go with the news:

SALES & "SALES"/DEALS

Steam's top 10:

1. PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS
2. Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice
3. Total War: WARHAMMER II
4. Counter-Strike: Global Offensive
5. LawBreakers
6. No Man's Sky
7. Grand Theft Auto V
8. theHunter: Call of the Wild
9. H1Z1: King of the Kill
10. Foxhole

GOG's Piñata Madness sale gives you mystery games
http://www.pcgamer.com/gogs-piata-madness-sale-gives-you-mystery-games/
Loot boxes in their many forms are big business for video games these days, but they're not just limited to in-game hats and boosts. GOG has started up Piñata Madness, where you pay a bit of money, smash open your piñata, and see what game you've received inside.

>>And that's not all, because the game Deadlight: Director's Cut is free to get for the next two days!

SOFTWARE

GeForce 385.28 drivers welcome the Agents of Mayhem
http://techreport.com/news/32392/geforce-385-28-drivers-welcome-the-agents-of-mayhem
The GeForce 385.28 driver update was prepared especially for Volition's Agents of Mayhem, Gaijin Entertainment's Crossout MMO, and Tripwire Interactive's Killing Floor: Incursion VR horror game.

>>As always, you can download it from here.

At the same time, AMD has launched the new 17.8.1 Beta 6 driver, optimized for Vega. Check it out here: http://support.amd.com/en-us/kb-articles/Pages/Radeon-Software-Crimson-ReLive-Edition-for-Radeon-RX-Vega-Series-Release-Notes.aspx

MODS/EMULATORS

Ni no Kuni is now fully playable and runs great via Vulkan on RPCS3
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/ni-no-kuni-is-now-fully-playable-and-runs-great-via-vulkan-on-rpcs3/
The team behind the best emulator for Playstation 3, RPCS3, has released a new version and we are happy to report that the first Ni no Kuni game is now almost fully playable on it. What’s also interesting is that some flickering issues that were present with the Vulkan API have been addressed, and there have been some noticeable performance improvements.

GoldenEye: Source – New version released, comes with a Server blacklist feature
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/goldeneye-source-new-version-released-comes-with-a-server-blacklist-feature/
The team behind GoldenEye: Source, the multiplayer total conversion modification of Half-Life 2, has released a brand new version of it. This new version comes with a Server blacklist feature in order to protect players from malicious servers.

>>You can download it from here.

Guard Duty is a Source Engine remake of the classic Half-Life: Blue Shift
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/guard-duty-is-a-source-engine-remake-of-the-classic-half-life-blue-shift/
Tripmine Studios has released some new comparison screenshots between its upcoming remake of Half-Life: Blue Shift in Source Engine, Guard Duty, and its original version. Guard Duty is total conversion mod, aiming to be composed of entirely custom content. In other words, think of it as the Black Mesa mod for Blue Shift.

Cinematic mod: Awakening aims to expand and overhaul Half-Life 2’s world, demo is now available
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/cinematic-mod-awakening-overhaul-half-life-2-visuals-demo-now-available/
Remember the FakeFactory Cinematic mod for Half-Life 2. Well, NervenHölle-Team is currently working on an expanded version of it that aims to overhaul Half-Life 2’s universe. Cinematic mod: Awakening uses the Cinematic Mod 2013 platform with additional work being done by third-party/community members, and all work is done with the permission of FakeFactory’s author.

>>You can download the demo from here.

Grand Theft Auto V – New update for NaturalVision Remastered mod further enhances visuals
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/grand-theft-auto-v-new-update-for-naturalvision-remastered-mod-further-enhances-visuals/
Modder ‘Razed’ has released a new version of his graphics overhaul mod for Grand Theft Auto V, NaturalVision Remastered. According to the modder, this new version comes with two new optional add-on (the first one makes nights brighter and the second one removes lens-flares in third-person viewpoint), as well as additional tweaks and fixes.

>>You can download it from here.

Fallout 4 mod gives you a movable home base built inside a Vertibird
http://www.pcgamer.com/fallout-4-mod-gives-you-a-movable-home-base-built-inside-a-vertibird/
Before you get too excited, let me gently give you the bad news. While this mod does let you craft a Vertibird player-home hybrid, you can't literally fly your sweet chopper-house around the game and land wherever you want. When you travel in your Vertibird, it's handled a bit like fast-travel—the screen fades to black, your hear the rotors kick in, and you're basically teleported (with some time passage) to the new location.

>>You can download it from here.

GAMING NEWS

Assassin’s Creed: Origins – New video details the new combat system mechanics & gladiator arenas
http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/assassins-creed-origins-new-video-new-combat-system-mechanics-gladiator-arenas/
Ubisoft and IGN have shared a new gameplay video for Assassin’s Creed: Origins in which game director Ash Ismail walks us through every aspect of the brand new combat system and the gladiator arenas. Assassin’s Creed: Origins will feature a brand new combat system that seems inspired by other third-person games like Dark Souls.

Here is almost 40 minutes of gameplay footage from the PC version of Middle-earth: Shadow of War
http://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/here-is-almost-40-minutes-of-gameplay-footage-from-the-pc-version-of-middle-earth-shadow-of-war/
Warner Bros has released a new video from a recent livestream, showing almost 40 minutes of gameplay footage from Middle-earth: Shadow of War. In this video, Monolith introduced the Cirith Ungol Shadow Of War Region. Moreover, Monolith revealed that the game was running on the PC (and on Windows 10).

>>If they keep showing gameplay, we'll end up not needing to play the game because we would have seen it all.

The first Destiny was, at some point, considered to be released on the PC via Steam
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/the-first-destiny-release-on-pc-via-steam/
Steam’s database is one of the most trustworthy places for leaks of games that were/are coming to the PC. However, this place has also hinted at some games that were considered at some point – but never got the green light – to be released on the PC. One of them was Halo 3 and it appears that the first Destiny was also considered to hit the PC via Steam.

Details of What To Expect When Destiny 2 Launches
http://www.dsogaming.com/news/details-of-what-to-expect-when-destiny-2-launches/
As the release date for Destiny 2 closes in details about what to expect on the launch day have been slowly dripping in with hints and rumors floating about EDGE magazine has crushed them all. The latest issue of the popular magazine EDGE featured the content for which players will be experiencing once they enter the game on launch day. Starting the game off players will have the privileged to choose from over 80 PvE missions.