Next gen GPUs are gonna be pretty interesting in the sense that, if the rumours are to be believed, all 3 GPU vendors will be at node parity.

Personally I think this is the way it's gonna go down:

Raster:
RDNA 3
Lovelace
Intel GPU

Ray Tracing:
Lovelace
RDNA 3
Intel GPU

I think Intel will mainly be in the low to mid range and honestly, looking at todays market, we really need someone in that category. I really hope Intel prices their shit right cause we need another $200 half decent card. The good news is that while you now have 3 big vendors now competing for that 5nm from TSMC, Apple should be moving to 3nm. And since consoles should continue to be at 7nm, it might give the PC market some breathing room. The launch window is gonna continue to be shit however.

As much as I dislike 30fps, if it's a solid lock, then that would be something of an option. If it's 30fps semi lock and it can drop further below that, then it won't be much of a decent option to go for, I'd just rather lower settings if that were to be the case. 

Yea I think it's all about setting expectations. If every AAA game is do able at 30fps on a handheld, that is quite the achievement. I am sure you will be able to get more if you adjust the settings and etc but it's good that they have a built in frame rate limiter as in engine fps limiters can be janky.

It's EVGA's fan controller going totally haywire.

It tries to get the performance up... by increasing fan speed to 6 digits. This results in the fan #1 spinning at above 100% fan speed, yet it's still not enough to reach what the fan controller tells it to do, so it pulls enormous power trying to reach what it's getting told. Enormous power as in, pulling a comparable amount to the GPU chip itself. Of course the fans can't take that for more than a few seconds, and even the boards struggle with so much current flowing through them.

Also, they are calling out EVGA for saying that since the patch, it doesn't happen anymore, but it still does, as their test and the screenshot with those 6-digitfan speeds are from after being patched.

Finally, it's not just New World. It also affects their cards in other games, like Anno 1800 for instance. In their test, Anno often made the fans spin up to 100% and dropped down again immediately after. But rarely, the fan speed didn't drop down, and the PSU's overvoltage protection stepped in and shut down the PC to save the hardware.

tl;dr: Don't buy EVGA

Thanks for the explanation!

You're welcome.

One thing I didn't mention before is why NVidia seems to be more affected despite EVGA making GPUs for both AMD and NVidia. It's not only due to market share, but on how and where power gets measured.

AMD measures power directly at the gates of the GPU, while NVidia measures all the incoming and outgoing electric transmissions of the card. This not only results in different ways to define the TDP or TGP of their cards, but also how fast these measurements are. IN AMD's case, they're very fast as they measure at the source and can immediately act on it, but can nontheless get overwhelmed, especially with higher clock speeds outpacing the controllers.

NVidia's way of measuring everything coming in and out of the card instead of the GPU proper is coming with a natural delay. This delay is at the source of the ramping up the fans to 100% and then dropping down again almost immediately after.

And while I have no proof, I do think that if the controller gets overwhelmed while ramping up to 100+%, it stays that way and causes the bricking of the cards unless power is cut in time.

Actually Evga doesn't make AMD GPUs, the only make Nvidia GPUs. Evga is starting to make AMD motherboards though.

I'd suggest this one here: https://www.alternate.lu/PDP/Gaming-Wired-Controller-Ghost-White-Gamepad/html/product/1739888 (also available in black or blue)

I don't have a 360, but it's listed here on the list of the 15 best 360 controllers (#10), and the list is not even a month old, so I guess it's good.

It's Monday... *sigh* and these are the news:

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

Steam's Top 10

1. Pre-purchase New World
2. Pre-purchase New World
3. RimWorld - Ideology
4. F1 2021
5. Valve Index VR Kit
6. Grand Theft Auto V
7. Red Dead Redemption 2
8. Monster Hunter Stories 2: Wings of Ruin
9. Death's Door
10. Days Gone

Death Stranding has sold 5 million copies, has “performed quite well”
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/death-stranding-has-sold-5-million-copies-has-performed-quite-well/
Jay Boor, Head of Publishing at Kojima Productions, announced that Death Stranding has sold 5 million copies on PC and PS4. In addition, and contrary to some rumors, Boor said that the game has performed quite well.

GOG starts the week with new sales and releases:

• The new Weekly Sale is full of classics up to 86% off: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210726_weekly_sale
• There's also a Humble Games Special Sale with up to 75% discounts during the next week: https://www.gog.com/promo/20210726_humble_sale
• Tunguska: The Visitation launches with a 25% discount until August 2: https://www.gog.com/game/tunguska_the_visitation
• Second Sight returns to the store, and it comes back with a 50% discount until August 2: https://www.gog.com/game/second_sight
• And three classic games from Big Finish Games launch at GOG, with 50% discounts until the 9th of August. Learn more here: https://www.gog.com/news/discover_3_classic_gems_from_big_finish_games

Steam has two new daily deals:

• Call of the Sea is 25% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1042490/Call_of_the_Sea/
• Mini Metro is 75% off: https://store.steampowered.com/app/287980/Mini_Metro/
• There's also a DreamHack Beyond Event, that started on the 24th and will last until July 31. Check it out: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/dreamhack_beyond

The Humble Store has several sales:

• There's an Age of Empires Franchise Sale, with up to 50% discounts during the next 4 days: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/age-of-empires-franchise-sale/
• Rockstar puts its games up to 70% off during the next 4 days. The keys are for its launcher, Steam or EGS: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/rockstar-publisher-sale/
• And the Summer VR Sale brings up to 80% discounts during the next 4 days. While most keys are for Steam, there are a couple that are also for GOG: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/summer-vr-sale/

And Fanatical has two new deals:

• The new Star Deal is Iron Harvest, 78% off during the next 48 hours: https://www.fanatical.com/en/game/iron-harvest
• And Gearbox puts its published games up to 91% off during the next 4/5 days (depends on the game): https://www.fanatical.com/en/publishers/gearbox-publishing

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

Careful where you download Windows 11, some installers are packed with malware
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/careful-where-you-download-windows-11-some-installers-are-packed-with-malware/
As is the case with all software, where exactly you download Windows 11 from matters. If you venture outside the confines of Microsoft's Windows Insider program, you could end up with more than you bargained for, as there is an installer making the rounds which contains a malicious download manager.
According to Kaspersky, the malicious installer is labeled 86307_windows 11 build 21996.1 x64 + activator.exe. It checks in at 1.75GB, so at a glance, it might appear to some as a legitimate installation file. However, most of that space belongs to a single DLL file containing "a lot of useless information."
It does not actually Windows 11 at all. Instead, it asks for permission to fetch a second executable that it pitches as a download manager for Windows 11, complete with a license agreement to also install a bit of sponsored software. Users who accept the agreement end up with a variety of not-so-fun applications installed on their PC, with varying levels of maliciousness.

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

You can now play the Resistance 1 & 2 PS3 games on the PC with 60fps
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/you-can-now-play-the-resistance-1-2-ps3-games-on-the-pc-with-60fps/
The team behind the best Playstation 3 emulator, RPCS3, has released a new version that brings major improvements to the Ratchet & Clank & Resistance games.
Now what’s really impressive here is that you can finally play the first two Resistance games with constant 60fps. While the 60fps patches for these games came out last year, it was impossible to run them at full 60fps. However, and thanks to this latest version, RPCS3 can finally run them.

The best graphics mod for Mass Effect Trilogy is now compatible with Legendary Edition
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/the-best-graphics-mod-for-mass-effect-trilogy-is-now-compatible-with-legendary-edition/
ALOT (A Lot of Textures) is undoubtedly the best graphics mod for the first three Mass Effect games. This mod is so good that Bioware used it as a reference for improving the graphics of its remasters in the Legendary Edition. And yesterday, CreeperLava released the first version of ALOT that is compatible with Mass Effect Legendary Edition.
As CreeperLava noted, Mass Effect Legendary Edition still has some low-res textures that look better in ALOT. As such, CreeperLava ported these textures to the LE to get the best of both worlds.
Additionally, CreeperLava remade and improved the original ALOT’s Improved Static Lighting (ISL) component for the LE.

This mod is becoming the fantasy grand strategy game you can't get elsewhere
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-mod-is-becoming-the-fantasy-grand-strategy-game-you-cant-get-elsewhere/
Anbennar is a sprawling fantasy mod for Europa Universalis 4 that has been in the works for years. It's a passion project that started as translating one guy's homebrewed D&D fantasy setting into a playable mod, but has grown far beyond those origins into a multi-author shared world—and one of the most impressive EU4 mods out there. It's a total conversion, utterly remaking the game as a fantasy world complete with fictional continents, nations, governments, species, and religions.
The latest update, called Of Gods and Gears, adds systems for crafting works of magical Artificiery, and a religion based around that. It also adds Vampires, and a set of missions for vampiric rulers. It uses new mechanics for EU4 to rework how Orcs hold territory, and how adventurous humans try to conquer it and forge their own nations. The update also adds new mission trees for several nations, emphasizing missions for Goblins, Gnomes, Kobolds, and a human guild whose mechanics are impacted by the addition of magical artificiery.
If Anbennar sounds cool to you, great news: There's a Crusader Kings 3 version in the works. In the meantime, you can find Anbennar for Europa Universalis IV on the Steam Workshop. For updates on the mods, there's also Anbennar on Twitter.

GAMING NEWS

Dead Space Remake won’t have microtransactions, will have cut content from the original
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/dead-space-remake-wont-have-microtransactions-will-have-cut-content-from-the-original/
A few days ago, Electronic Arts announced the official remake of Dead Space. And, according to its creative director Roman Campos-Oriola, the game will not have any microtransactions at all.

Battlefield 2042 vs Bad Company 2 vs Battlefield 3 Early Graphics Comparison
https://www.dsogaming.com/videotrailer-news/battlefield-2042-vs-bad-company-2-vs-battlefield-3-early-graphics-comparison/
As we’ve reported, Battlefield Portal will feature re-imagined maps from older Battlefield games. And Cycu1 has released two videos in which they compare Battlefield 2042 with Bad Company 2 and Battlefield 3.

Stadia exclusive Submerged: Hidden Depths is coming to PC
https://www.dsogaming.com/news/stadia-exclusive-game-submerged-hidden-depths-is-coming-to-pc/
Uppercut Games has announced that its Stadia exclusive game, Submerged: Hidden Depths, will be coming soon on PC. In addition, the company revealed the game’s official PC system requirements that you can find below.

Monday news, part two:

Activision Blizzard executives can't decide whether allegations of abuse are 'disturbing' or 'meritless'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/activision-blizzard-executives-cant-decide-whether-allegations-of-abuse-are-disturbing-or-meritless/
Earlier this week, Activision Blizzard was sued by the state of California over widespread abuse and harassment of employees—specifically women and minorities. The news sparked outrage in Activision Blizzard gaming communities, where players and influencers are organizing in-game protests and cancelling promotional events. Many current and former employees are also speaking out on social media and sharing their own experiences or expressing solidarity with their coworkers.
(...)
Earlier today, however, another Activision Blizzard executive sent an internal email with a very different tone. In her email, Fran Townsend, Activision Blizzard's Chief Compliance Officer (and former Bush-era Homeland Security Advisor), immediately attacked the lawsuit, saying it "presented a distorted and untrue picture of [Activision Blizzard], including factually incorrect, old, and out of context stories—some from more than a decade ago."
>> Typical reaction from a polititian, it doesn't matter the reason of the lawsuit, what matters is that they've been "attacked".

Original Dead Space co-creator says he's 'excited' by the remake
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/original-dead-space-co-creator-says-hes-excited-by-the-remake/
Before he co-founded Sledgehammer Games and became known as a Call of Duty guy, Glen Schofield spent his days at EA Redwood Shores, later known as Visceral Games, where he headed up development on the groundbreaking horror game Dead Space. He wasn't involved in the development of either of the sequels, but following the announcement of the Dead Space remake at yesterday's EA Play, he said on Twitter that the series is still important to him, and he's looking forward to what comes next.

The Splitgate crossplay beta is so popular the developers had to take it offline
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-splitgate-crossplay-beta-is-so-popular-the-developers-had-to-take-it-offline/
The free-to-play "Portal meets Halo" FPS Splitgate has been around on PC for a couple of years now, during which time it's struggled to maintain a player base. According to Steam Charts, a reasonably strong launch in May 2019 quickly tailed off to an average monthly concurrent player count of just over 100. Things started to pick up a bit in late 2020, but over the past week the player count has exploded, to the point that it can be very difficult to matchmake into a game.

Activision Blizzard employees denounce corporate statements: 'We are here, angry, and not so easily silenced'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/activision-blizzard-employees-denounce-corporate-statements-we-are-here-angry-and-not-so-easily-silenced/
Over 20 current Activision Blizzard employees, including World of Warcraft lead game designer Jeremy Feasel, have publicly criticized the company's response to the sexual harassment and discrimination lawsuit filed against it earlier this week. Some WoW developers also stopped work today "in solidarity with the women that came forward," Feasel said.
>> We should take note of their names, to see when they're "let go".

Former Blizzard head Mike Morhaime: 'I am extremely sorry that I failed you'
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/former-blizzard-head-mike-morhaime-i-am-extremely-sorry-that-i-failed-you/
Allegations of widespread sexual harassment have rocked Activision Blizzard, with a California state agency filing a lawsuit against the publisher that alleges women have faced "constant" harassment and discrimination at its Blizzard offices. On Friday, Blizzard co-founder and former president and CEO Mike Morhaime posted a statement to Twitter apologizing for employee behavior alleged to have occurred under his watch.
>> Chris Metzen has also spoken.

Spate of odd ghost horse incidents plague Red Dead Online
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/spate-of-odd-ghost-horse-incidents-plague-red-dead-online/
It's often the largest, most feature-rich games that have the funniest bugs. So it is with Red Dead Online, as the recent Blood Money update has broken something... fundamental... about horses.

Genshin Impact is finally becoming a real game by adding fishing in 2.1
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/genshin-impact-is-finally-becoming-a-real-game-by-adding-fishing-in-21/
A leak from the beta of Genshin Impact 2.1 has revealed that the prominent free-to-play RPG is going to get fishing mechanics. The leak, via several sources but focused around the relatively reputable Genshin Report, says that the 2.1 update will include Watasumi island, part of an archipelago near the mainland, and possibly Seirai island as well. As is often the case with Genshin, these new areas are hinted at or mentioned by previous characters but cannot be visited until the update.

Try to save your crumbling sci-fi empire in the Alliance of the Sacred Suns demo
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/try-to-save-your-crumbling-sci-fi-empire-in-the-alliance-of-the-sacred-suns-demo/
"A thousand years in the future, humanity's last empire stands on the brink of collapse," reads the intro text for Alliance of the Sacred Suns, which is a really good pitch. The sci-fi grand strategy and 4X hybrid has a new demo out on Steam, which you can play right now, where you take on the job of a new emperor or empress responsible for keeping the disaster that is humanity's future from becoming worse.
>> Here's the demo, in case you want to give it a go.

New Sonic game announcement 'a bit premature' says Sonic Team head
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/new-sonic-game-announcement-a-bit-premature-says-sonic-team-head/
(...)
In an interview with 4Gamer translated by Nintendo Enthusiast, Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka has admitted the announcement was made a little bit early. "We haven't announced a brand new action game for the Sonic series since Sonic Forces," he said, referring to the disappointing 2017 game, "and that caused fans to worry. While it was a bit premature, I wanted to at least take the occasion of the 30th anniversary to announce that a brand new title was in development."

Halo Infinite's first technical preview is coming very soon, maybe even next weekend
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/halo-infinites-first-technical-preview-is-coming-very-soon-maybe-even-next-weekend/
It's been a long road to Halo Infinite, but players could be diving in as soon as next weekend. 343 Industries is currently preparing a technical preview for the game's free-to-play multiplayer component, focused on fine tuning the instalment's AI Bots—the first in the series' history.

Sims players are flooding their homes with the new pond tool
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/sims-players-are-flooding-their-homes-with-the-new-pond-tool/
The Sims 4's recent Cottage Living expansion introduced a whole host of features—chickens to raise, llamas to pet, lactose intolerant sims—and the ability to flood your whole home, if you so choose. The pond tool, which can be populated with moss, and frogs, and other water creatures, can also simply turn your garden into one big swamp, or your house into one big swimming pool.

Final Fantasy 16 is prioritising English voice acting, hasn't even started Japanese dub
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/final-fantasy-16-is-prioritising-english-voice-acting-hasnt-even-started-japanese-dub/
Final Fantasy 16 director Naoki Yoshida has offered some insight into the game's development, including the studio's focus on prioritising its English dub.
While Square Enix traditionally focuses on Japanese voice acting first, Yoshida revealed that they haven't even started recording the Japanese dialogue yet. In a livestream on WasyaganaTV, translated by DualShockers, he said that the English dialogue is specifically being recorded in "British English," with full motion capture.

This game will make you nostalgic for the petty crimes you probably never committed in the 90s
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/this-game-will-make-you-nostalgic-for-the-petty-crimes-you-probably-never-committed-in-the-90s/
You know when you were a teenager, in the '90s, and you did a lot of petty crimes? Pickpocketing, and scams with fun names, bouncing from place to place as you picked your mark, remembering to call home every now and then? Maybe not, if like me you were a teenager in [redacted] who broke out in a cold sweat whenever those buggy anti-theft barriers in shops would go off because someone looked at them funny—but we've all watched enough wild teen movies that it's kind of nostalgic anyway, right?
The Big Con, coming the 31st of August, lets you relive (or first-time live) that dream, with a flexible approach to being a teenage con artist in the '90s. If you want to get by on being a pickpocket, you can try to just get in the pockets of those high-waisted bootcut jeans. If you want to grift, to commit a little B&E? The world's your oyster—and as the store page points out, pearls are worth a lot!