Before You Buy The Alienware QD-OLED Monitor...

Here are the negatives. It's still the best PC gaming monitor you can buy but if you were to do a number of other things like playing from a console, use the HDMI ports or do a lot of word documents and such... You won't have a good experience.

The ARC 3 will not go up against the 3050, let alone the 3050Ti. It has enough on it's plate with trying to keep up with the Ryzen 6000 APUs already and would be more comparable with the MX 450 than the GTX 3050.

The ARC 5 on the other hand looks more like a promising competitor to the 3050/Ti and the 6500M, especially with having twice as much memory at hand. I'm interested in seeing how they'll perform in the end - and if Intel will support them long enough with performance-enhancing updates, as this has been their Achilles heel in the past.

I didn't even have to see this post to know where it's gonna end up more or less in this chart. After all, it's mostly just an Iris iGPU as a standalone chip on a discrete graphics board, and only having a 64bit memory connection will hamper it's bandwidth and thus performance even further.

It's about the performance level of a 1650Ti Max-Q, but that card was limited to 35W while the ARC A350M can go down to 25W, so maybe it was running at lower TDP, but I have my doubts. Certainly not a great showing for this GPU so far, but being better than an MX 450 is already a nice for Ultrabook users who want at least some GPU power.

That would be pretty sad if the MX450 is what Intel's target has been for A350/A370. That GPU arch came out in 2020 and Arc 5 going up against 3050/3050Ti would mean Arc 7 would be 3060sh to maybe 3070. That doesn't really bode well for a GPU so late in the game.

Still my favorite Mario comic.

Here come the Friday news! (all in one post)

SALES /PLAYER COUNT & DEALS

GOG has the last weekend of its Games Festival Sale (only 70 hours left) and two new flash deals:

• The first flash deal is Warhammer 40,000: Battlesector, 38% off during the weekend: https://www.gog.com/en/game/warhammer_40000_battlesector
• The second flash deal is Warlords III: Darklords Rising, 55% off during the next 70 hours: https://www.gog.com/en/game/warlords_iii_darklords_rising

Steam has eight new deals, plus the weeklong deals, of course. Let's take a look at them:

• The first one is HYPERCHARGE: Unboxed, that has a demo and will be 20% off until Monday: https://store.steampowered.com/app/523660/HYPERCHARGE_Unboxed/
• Coffee Talk features a 32% discount until April 4th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/914800/Coffee_Talk/
• Sherlock Holmes Chapter One will be 34% off until Monday 4: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1137300/Sherlock_Holmes_Chapter_One/
• Death's Door gets a 40% discount until the 4th: https://store.steampowered.com/app/894020/Deaths_Door/
• Spiritfarer: Farewell Edition, that has a demo, will be 66% off until the 4th of April: https://store.steampowered.com/app/972660/Spiritfarer_Farewell_Edition/
• The SimFest, with its up to 75% discounts, will keep going during the weekend: https://store.steampowered.com/sale/simfest_hobby
• Hypnospace Outlaw is going to be 40% off until April 7: https://store.steampowered.com/app/844590/Hypnospace_Outlaw/
• Destiny 2 puts some of its expansions/content up to 40% off until April 17: https://store.steampowered.com/app/1085660/Destiny_2/

The Humble Store has a new sale: the Bungie Publisher Sale features up to 50% discounts during the next 13 days. The keys are for Steam: https://www.humblebundle.com/store/promo/bungie-publisher-sale/.

And Fanatical has a new bundle: the BYO Hidden Gems Bundle 2, with 20 games to choose for your 1, 5 or 10 games bundle: https://www.fanatical.com/en/pick-and-mix/build-your-own-hidden-gems-bundle-2.

SOFTWARE & DRIVERS

-Empty-

MODS, EMULATORS & FAN PROJECTS

Real-time Path Tracing Mod released for id Software’s classic Doom
https://www.dsogaming.com/mods/real-time-path-tracing-mod-released-for-id-softwares-classic-doom/
Now here is something that will please A LOT of old-school FPS fans. Modder ‘sultim-t’ has just released a real-time path tracing mod for id Software’s classic Doom games and no, this isn’t an April’s fools joke.
Sultim-t is the man behind the amazing ray tracing mod for Serious Sam we shared in August 2021. So yes, this is the real deal. These are full path tracing effects.
In order to showcase “Doom Ray Traced”, the modder released the following video. This video will give you an idea of what you can expect from it.

Final Fantasy 7 Remake mod gives Cloud a keytar sword
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/final-fantasy-7-remake-mod-gives-cloud-a-keytar-sword/
Final Fantasy 7 Remake has been a gift to modders, who have so far been responsible for such masterpieces as low-poly dress Cloud, clown makeup Sephiroth, and several nude mods I leave interested readers to discover for themselves. Now, a modder known as The Eradicator has truly created the pièce de résistance, with a mod that replaces Cloud's buster sword or ironblade with a 1987 Yamaha SHS-10 shoulder keyboard.
Cloud with a keytar is one of those things I didn't know I wanted until I saw it, but now that I have it just looks so right. The Eradicator has done fine work modeling the keyboard's details, and the digital readout even changes color to match the materia you have equipped in the sword's first slot.

GAMING NEWS

Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodhunt battle royale launches in April
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/vampire-the-masquerade-bloodhunt-battle-royale-launches-in-april/
More than seven months after its debut on Steam Early Access, the World of Darkness battle royale Vampire: The Masquerade – Bloodhunt will go into full release on April 27.

Overwatch's Anniversary Remix brings back old skins, replaces old events
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/overwatchs-anniversary-remix-brings-back-old-skins-replaces-old-events/
With the sequel on the horizon, Overwatch has spent the last few years on standby. Cosmetic events that bring new skins, sprays, and voice lines have been the only thing to look forward to in the absence of new heroes and maps. Anniversary Remix, announced today, is Blizzard's three-part event that will attempt to bridge the gap between the current game and Overwatch 2.

E3 2022 is cancelled, but a comeback is planned for 2023
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/e3-2022-cancelled/
There won't be an E3 in 2022. The cancellation makes 2022 just the second year in over two-and-a-half decades that an E3 has not taken place. The other E3-less year was 2020, when the event was cancelled due to lockdowns at the start of the Covid-19 pandemic.
>> Shadow1980 made a thread about it.

The PC Gaming Show will return June 12
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-pc-gaming-show-will-return-june-12/
You might've heard that this year's E3 is cancelled. For a third year, we won't be crawling the show floor in Los Angeles for scoops in person, interviewing developers and playing unreleased games.
But, just as we did last year, we'll be watching a lot of livestreams and press conference-style events that amount to gaming's Super Bowl. Even without E3 as we know it, June is the biggest month of the year for major gaming showcases. And I'm delighted to confirm our own PC Gaming Show will remain part of this larger schedule.

Hyper Light Drifter sequel is a gorgeous 3D roguelite with co-op
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/hyper-light-drifter-sequel-is-a-gorgeous-3d-roguelite-with-co-op/
Just months after releasing Solar Ash, Heart Machine has revealed a sequel to the beloved pixel art action RPG Hyper Light Drifter. A departure from its predecessor, Hyper Light Breaker is a 3D third-person action game in a roguelite format, retaining the speed and colour of its forebear but replacing pixels with polygons.

Players are finding guns they can't shoot in Tiny Tina's Wonderlands
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/players-are-finding-guns-they-cant-shoot-in-tiny-tinas-wonderlands/
As was the case with the Borderlands games, spin-off Tiny Tina's Wonderlands drops randomized weaponry in an endless gush, like a fountain but with sniper rifles instead of water. Those guns can only be used if you're the right level for them, and it's common for a quest to hand out something you won't be able to wield until the next level-up. What's not common is for that level to be higher than what's currently achievable in the game.

US Senators call out 'unacceptable' lack of accountability for Bobby Kotick in Microsoft buyout
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/us-senators-call-out-unacceptable-lack-of-accountability-for-bobby-kotick-in-microsoft-buyout/
US Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, Cory Booker, and Sheldon Whitehouse have sent a letter to FTC chairwoman Lina Khan asking that she investigate whether Microsoft's planned acquisition of Activision Blizzard could worsen the workplace conditions at the company. The letter, reported by the Wall Street Journal, also calls out CEO Bobby Kotick's continued role at the company and "golden parachute," saying that failing to hold him accountable for the workplace culture he allowed to flourish "would be an unacceptable result" of the acquisition.

The best April Fools' Day jokes of 2021
https://www.pcgamer.com/uk/the-best-april-fools-day-jokes-of-2021/
It's April Fools' Day, canonically the worst day to be in the business of writing news. Today is all about trying to trick the general public with fake products, bad takes, and typical internet pranks. Some of these jokes are better than others, because some simply suck. But I'm always pleasantly surprised by the memes of April Fools that give us a good chuckle. So here are some of my favourite April Fools' Day jokes of 2022.
>> The NZXT one is a good.

And that's it. Now go and havea happy and gaming weekend.

I once read a comment from someone saying that that first Goomba has probably killed more players than any other enemy in any game. And he's probably right.

AMD claims superiority of Radeon RX 6500M over Intel Arc A370M graphics

https://videocardz.com/newz/amd-claims-superiority-of-radeon-rx-6500m-over-intel-arc-a370m-graphics

Intel teases 2250 MHz boost clock and 175W GPU power for its flagship desktop Arc GPU

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-teases-2250-mhz-boost-clock-and-175w-gpu-power-for-its-flagship-desktop-arc-gpu

Exclusive: Microsoft is moving ahead with an Xbox Game Pass Family Plan

https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft-moving-ahead-xbox-game-pass-family-plan

NVIDIA’s and AMD’s demands on the PCI SIG for the new 600 Watt VGA cards – limits, allowed overruns and transients | Exclusive

https://www.igorslab.de/en/nvidias-and-amds-claims-to-the-pci-sig-for-the-new-600-watt-card-limits-allowed-exceeding-and-load-peaks-exclusive/

Steam Play Proton could get direct support for NVIDIA Image Scaling

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2022/03/steam-play-proton-could-get-direct-support-for-nvidia-image-scaling/

Not sure why they would bother when FSR is a thing

For some April Fools Joke around the internets:

Intel releases Pixel Pat, an online 8-bit game featuring its CEO Pat Gelsinger

https://videocardz.com/newz/intel-releases-pixel-pat-an-online-8-bit-game-featuring-its-ceo-pat-gelsinger

NVIDIA Announces HEATFORCE, Crypto-mining Smart Heaters That Can Achieve Carbon Negativity

https://wccftech.com/nvidia-announces-heatforce-crypto-mining-smart-heaters-that-can-achieve-carbon-negativity/

Biomutant WEN? Biomutant NOW! The DF Tech Review You've Been Waiting For!