Year: 2024

There are key strategies that will play a crucial role in successful AI integration.

Intel’s second-generation Xe2 Arc GPUs are real, and once again, they could be compelling options for gamers looking for capable video cards under $250. Confirming leaks from the past week, Intel today unveiled the $249 Arc B580 and the slightly less capable $219 B570, both of which target 1,440p gaming. They feature the company’s new XeSS2 AI capabilities (which are also coming to the older Arc cards), including Super Resolution upscaling (like the original XeSS), frame generation and low latency modes. The goal, according to Intel, is to deliver more performance per dollar compared to NVIDIA’s $299 RTX 4060 and AMD’s Radeon 7600.

It’s a noble pitch, but one that’s also a repeat of what Intel attempted with its previous Arc GPUs. We liked those cards well enough, and the company was diligent about rolling out driver updates, yet that hasn’t stopped its overall GPU market share from falling to zero percent. I’d wager many gamers didn’t want to take a chance on Intel’s hardware and software when NVIDIA and AMD’s offerings were battle tested and just a bit more expensive.

Intel

The power bump from the Xe2 cards might change the situation for Intel, though. The company claims the B580 is on average 24 percent faster than its previous A750 Limited Edition GPU in 1,440p with ultra graphics settings, and it also has a 10 percent lead on NVIDIA’s RTX 4060. (Intel’s benchmarks show the B580 performing 43 percent faster than the RTX 4060 in Cyberpunk 2077, but at the same time it’s nearly 20 percent slower while playing RoboCop: Rogue City.)

Intel

Spec-wise, Intel’s new GPUs should keep up with the demands of 1,440p-focused gamers. The B580 features 20 Xe cores, 20 ray tracing units, 12GB of VRAM and a 2,670 MHz clock speed. The B570 comes in with a bit less all around: 18 Xe cores, 10GB of RAM and a 2,500MHz clock speed. I’d wager most people would be better off spending the extra $30 for a bit more future proofing, but 1080p gamers might not see the need for much extra power.

In a briefing with media, Intel Fellow Tom Petersen explained that the company learned a lot from its previous GPUs (which also marked the first time Intel seriously worked on discrete graphics since 2010). “With XE2, we have a new hardware platform, and that allows us to deliver higher utilization, improved work distribution, and less software overhead,” he said. “So at the end of the day, it’s all about getting software efficiency up so that we can deliver the benefits of the hardware we’re building.”

Intel

At the very least, Intel’s new XeSS AI features are competitive with NVIDIA’s DLSS3. The B580 GPU can double the performance of Diablo IV when using XeSS, according to Intel, and the new frame generation feature should be able to push your fps count even higher. Just like NVIDIA’s tech, it’s not just upscaling graphics from a lower resolution, it’s also interpolating entirely new frames. The company’s XeSS2 low latency, or XeLL, also improves responsiveness by 45 percent. Intel claims the B580 trounces the RTX 4060 in AI LLM performance, achieving around 20 more tokens per second in Llama 2 and Llama 3.1 workloads.

While it would be interesting to see if Intel can ever scale its Arc GPUs beyond the mid-range (the previous Arc 770 was a solid RTX 3070 Ti competitor), I’m honestly more intrigued by how the company is innovating in the low-end. Thanks to the rising complexity of high-end GPUs, the idea of cheap and capable video cards has practically disappeared over the last decade. Intel could win over a loyal fanbase of budget gamers if it actually sticks with its GPU efforts.

Intel

If you’re intrigued by these new GPUs, you won’t have to wait long to get your hands on them. Arc B580 cards will be available on December 13 for $249, while Arc B570 models will arrive next month on January 16 for $219. Intel will be making its own Limited Edition version of the Arc B580 (above), but it’s leaving the B570 cards up to its partners, including Acer, ASRock and Sparkle.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/intel-unveils-its-budget-battlemage-arc-gpus-with-xess2-ai-features-140027123.html?src=rss

Automaker Jaguar hasn’t been getting much attention in recent years, but boy has that changed in the last few days! Last week, the company announced that it had chucked out its roaring cat design in favor of a Bauhaus-esque minimalist logo that was met by the public with a fair degree of shock. Now, the company has unveiled the Type 00 concept car (that’s a photo, not an illustration) that’s vastly different from anything it currently has in production, to say the least. 

What’s most noticeable is the length, especially in the nose, and low roofline. From some angles, the new vehicle looks like a computer render that didn’t quite finish, especially the blocky front and rear ends. Other design features are highly futuristic/whimsical like brass bars running down the middle and sides, an oval steering wheel, fold-away interior screens, butterfly doors and a travertine stone “plinth” separating the passenger and driver compartments.

Jaguar

All of this is part of Jaguar’s new “copy nothing” ideology, designed to break away from current models. “When Jaguar’s at its best, it threw away the car design rule book and created the E-Type and the XJS. These were objects of desire,” said Jaguar’s chief creative officer at Miami Art Week. 

Jaguar

Jaguar (which has been owned by India’s Tata Motors since 2008) projects that a production version will have up to 430 miles of range and fast-charging that will add 200 miles of range in just 15 minutes. Other specs like acceleration and top speed haven’t been revealed, and production models will probably lack some of the exuberance of the concepts. 

Jaguar

The changes have been met with derision from some critics, but Jaguar said the company aims to be disruptive. “We’ve certainly gathered an awaful lot of attention over the last few weeks,” managing directer Rawdon Glover told Sky News. “We need to make sure that Jaguar is relevant, is desirable, is future proof for the next 90 years of its history.” 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/transportation/evs/jaguar-unveils-polarizing-concept-ev-as-part-of-its-rebrand-133026168.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday is officially over, but as it has been for the past few years, it’s not totally done and gone. There remain a number of Cyber Monday deals you can still get right now, and that’s been a pattern we’ve seen persist over the past few years. Extended Cyber Monday sales tend to last for a couple of days after the main event. If you didn’t get the chance to shop yet, Engadget can help by sifting through the noise (and swath of decidedly bad deals) and highlight the best Cyber Monday tech deals you can still get today.

The best Cyber Monday tech deals still available

Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 ($70 off): The latest Apple Watch is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can get thanks to its slightly thinner and lighter design, wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, watchOS 11 features and slightly improved battery life. We gave it a score of 90 in our Apple Watch Series 10 review.

Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers to get if you have an iPhone, and they allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings from within the Find My app. Just make sure to pick up an AirTag holder or case if you plan on using them with your keys.

Samsung Evo Select (2024) (256GB) microSD card for $18 ($4 off): The Evo Select is our favorite microSD card in the budget bracket. Its mediocre write speeds make it less-than-ideal in a camera, but it should yield few complaints for most people just looking to add space to a Nintendo Switch or Android tablet on the cheap. Also available at Samsung.

DJI Osmo Mobile 6 gimbal for $89 ($40 off): The latest version of DJI’s smartphone gimbal includes improved tracking and a new Quick Launch feature for iPhones that automatically launches the companion app in camera view so you can get to filming. Also available at B&H Photo.

PS5 Slim Digital for $374 ($75 off): If you’ve been unable to get your hands on a PS5 until now, you can get a decent discount for the holiday shopping season. It earned a score of 87 in our original review for its speedy 4K gaming, minimal load times and excellent DualSense controller. Also available at Walmart, Target and Amazon.

PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller for $54 ($21 off): If someone on your list already has a PS5 (or if that someone is you), now’s the time to stock up on extra controllers. These have a comfortable design and some of the best haptics we’ve tried on any console controller. Also available at Sony.

Chris Velazco/Engadget

Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls.

Bose QuietComfort headphones for $199 ($150 off): The latest version of Bose’s iconic QC headphones, these cans have excellent ANC, a comfortable (if a bit dated) design, 24 hours of battery life and a quick-charge feature that will get you two hours of battery after just 15 minutes of them being plugged in. Also available at Bose.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (13.8-inch) for $899 ($300 off): We gave the latest Surface Laptop a review score of 88 earlier this year, and we currently recommend it as a great mainstream ultraportable in our laptop buying guide. The caveat is that it runs on an ARM processor, which performs well but may not work with every app or peripheral you use. If you can live with that, though, the bright 120Hz display, upscale aluminum design and long battery life all impress.

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom for $30 ($40 off): Its story may run in place at times, but Tears of the Kingdom remains a prime example of an open-world game done right. Its world doesn’t kowtow to the player at every turn, and its delightful contraption-building mechanics provide a similar sense of freedom in solving puzzles.

Samsung Pro Plus (1TB) microSD card for $90 ($30 off): If you want a 1TB card and don’t mind paying for better performance, the Pro Plus is the top overall recommendation in our microSD card buying guide. It tested faster than the Lexar card above across our benchmarks, with a particular edge in random speeds. That means it should play a bit nicer in a portable gaming PC or a device like the Raspberry Pi, where it’d more frequently have to access smaller bits of data in random locations. This is a new low for the 1TB model, which Samsung released earlier this year. Also available at Samsung and B&H.

Max six-month subscription for $18 (70 percent off): This Max Cyber Monday deal gives you access to the Ads tier for $3 per month for the first six months, coming out to a total of only $18 for that time period. New and returning Max subscribers can take advantage of this.

Audible Premium Plus for $3 for three months ($42 off): Those who don’t currently subscribe to Audible can get three months of the audiobook service’s Premium Plus plan for $1. Normally, the service costs $15 per month after a 30-day free trial. As a refresher, Premium Plus is Audible’s upper tier: In addition to giving access the full Audible Plus library, it lets you keep one title from a curated selection of audiobooks each month. We wouldn’t call it essential, but if you’ve been on the fence, this is a good way to see if it’d work for you. Just note that the plan will auto-renew until you cancel.

MasterClass Premium for $12/month ($8 off): Premium subscriptions, which include access for up to six devices and offline mode, are 40 percent off for the holidays when billed annually. MasterClass’ other subscription tiers are also discounted. Those who love learning and want to pick up a new hobby (or refine an existing one) can take courses with some of the best in their respective fields.

ExpressVPN two-year plan plus six extra months for $150 (82 percent off): Our top pick for best VPN for travelers provides access to tons of servers and had some of the fastest connections of any VPN service we tested. In addition to a VPN, this subscription tier gives you access to an ad blocker and password manager.

Amazon

Echo for $55 ($45 off): We consider this to be the best smart speaker for $100 or less at the moment thanks to its loud audio with good bass quality, the ability to pair two together for stereo sound and Alexa’s utility.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands.

Dyson Airwrap for $490 ($110 off): This multipurpose styling tool uses the Coanda effect to create curls without excessive heat. It comes with a bunch of other attachments so it can be used as a hairdryer, heated brush and more.

iRobot Roomba Vac robot vacuum (Q0120) for $149 (40 percent off): This entry-level robot vacuum has strong suction power with three cleaning modes and smart navigation, and you can control it and set cleaning schedules from the iRobot mobile app.

Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum for $500 ($250 off): This is our top pick for the best cordless vacuum you can get right now thanks to its excellent suction power, relatively light weight and good battery life. This model comes with a Fluffy Optic cleaning head that illuminates the ground in front of you so you can see where the most debris lies, and the pack-up includes three additional cleaning head attachments.

Hisense U8N 4K TV (55-inch) for $649 ($450 off): The U8N is the next step up from the U7N in Hisense’s TV lineup, so it should provide better colors, contrast and brightness across the board. If you don’t mind buying a smaller panel for around the same price, this is another new low.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $150 ($70 off): Our top pick for the best budget Android tablet sports an 11-inch 90Hz display, a microSD card slot for extra storage and a hefty battery. Also available at Samsung.

Solo Stove Bonfire Backyard Bundle for $400 ($180 off): Solo Stove Cyber Monday deals include up to 30 percent off fit pit bundles that give you all of the necessary accessories to make the most out of your new fire pit.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-cyber-monday-deals-you-can-still-shop-from-apple-amazon-walmart-target-and-others-173752166.html?src=rss

This software developer has criticized nearly all aspects of how GitHub tested its own AI-generated code.

A year-old vulnerability is used to deploy a brand new bootkit for Linux, called Bootkitty.

December 2024 is full of exciting movies and shows for Paramount Plus, so see your year out with a full watchlist. Here’s a full schedule of all its new titles this month.