TechRadar News

• Data center spend is up 34% year-over-year thanks to public cloud infrastructure
• Total market revenue is expected to reach $282 billion
• Investments continue despite sustainability concerns

Total data center hardware and software spend for 2024 grew hugely on previous years as the demand for AI hit a new high, new figures have claimed.

New research from Synergy Research Group estimates spend will grow 34% compared with 2023, thanks largely to a 48% rise in public cloud infrastructure spend – the sector accounts for more than half (55%) of the entire market.

More broadly, increasing demand for public cloud services has been credited with driving cloud infrastructure investments for 15 years, highlighting its significant impact on the industry.

Data center investments skyrocketed in 2024

Key to the 2024 boom, says Synergy, was Nvidia’s “explosive growth.” The chipmaker, now the second-most valuable company in the world with a value of $3.431 trillion, has seen share prices rise 2,193% over the past five years.

The company wrote: “Nvidia’s sales directly to hyperscale and enterprise clients catapulted it into the ranks of leading data center vendors.”

If Synergy’s fourth-quarter expectations ring true, based on real data from the first three quarters of the year, total data center infrastructure equipment revenues will reach $282 billion.

“GPUs and generative AI systems lit a fire under the market in 2024, resulting in record growth rates for the industry," noted Chief Analyst John Dinsdale.

However, some analysts are calling 2024’s growth unsustainable. Separately, Canalys Senior Director Rachel Brindley added: “Continued substantial expenditure will present new challenges, requiring cloud vendors to carefully balance their investments in AI with the cost discipline needed to fund these initiatives.”

Despite the warning, hyperscalers are continuing ti invest heavily in artificial intelligence. Microsoft Vice Chair and President Brad Smith recently said the company was preparing to invest $80 billion in AI data centers throughout its 2025 fiscal year.

Days later, US President-elect Donald Trump announced $20 billion in funding from Emirati billionaire and DAMAC founder Hussain Sajwani to support data center infrastructure across Arizona, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Ohio, Oklahoma and Texas, alluding to billions more in funding.

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• Cuff-style design for people who don't like in-ear buds
• Bluetooth 5.4 and 12mm dynamic drivers
• $29.99 for early birds, $59.99 afterwards

If you're a fan of open earbuds but don't fancy the price tag of the Bose Open Ultra earbuds, Soundpeats would like a word in your ear: the company's new PearlClip Pro earbuds are a fraction of the price and have just been unveiled at CES 2025. And if you're quick, you can pick up a pair for one-tenth the price of Bose's open-fit earbuds, the Bose Ultra Open Earbuds.

The new buds go on sale on January 20 at Amazon, but if you sign up on the Soundpeats website between January 9 and 19, the price drops from its recommended $59.99 to just $29.99.

So what do you get for such a ridiculously humble asking fee?

(Image credit: SOUNDPEATS) Soundpeats PearlClip Pro earbuds: key features

The PearlClip Pro earbuds are very light at just 5.85g and have a cuff-like design that Soundpeats says helps to prevent uncomfortable ears. Unlike ear-hook models (see the Shokz OpenFit Air or Oladance's option for what we mean), you don't need to hook them over the top of your ears to get a secure fit either.

The drivers here are 12mm dual-magnet dynamic drivers, and the buds have automatic left/right channel adaptation to deliver a consistent sound even if you haven't quite got the fit right. Bluetooth is 5.4 and the companion smartphone app enables you to customize the touch controls and EQ settings.

Battery life is a promised six hours from the buds and a further 18 hours via the charging case. You can recharge from flat in 10 minutes to get two hours of play time.

We've reviewed Soundpeats' earbuds in the past and found them impressive for their price tag – so for example, while the Soundpeats Air 4 Pro aren't quite up to the standards of the AirPods Pro 2 they're designed to rival, they're not bad when you consider that they're less than a third of the price of Apple's product. We'd expect a similar situation with these buds: the Bose models will no doubt sound better, but given the choice between £299 buds and £29 buds, the budget option looks awfully tempting…

The new Soundpeats PearlClip Pro are available for pre-order now at $29.99, and will be available at Amazon US for $59.99 from January 20. Pricing and availability for other markets hasn't yet been announced, but if you could bag that lower price tag where you are, it would make them around £23.99 or AU$48. And that's impressive, however you look at it.

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TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2025 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

• Maria Bakalova wants to continue playing Princess Ilana in the DCU
• The Creature Commandos star says she "wants to see her exist" in another James Gunn project
• Bakalova's comments come after season 1's blood-soaked finale, which Ilana was involved in

Maria Bakalova has expressed her desire to continue playing Princess Ilana in the DC Universe (DCU), even though it's incredibly unlikely that the character will return.

Speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of Creature Commandos' season 1 finale, Bakalova admitted she wasn't ready to bid farewell to Pokolistan's monarch-in-waiting. However, given what transpires in season 1's seventh episode, titled 'A Very Funny Monster', Bakalova's desire to continue playing Ilana seems like a pipedream.

Full spoilers immediately follow for Creature Commandos season 1 episode 7!

Well, that's one way to confirm Ilana won't be seen again in the DCU... (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

In the final few minutes of this season's final chapter, which you can read about in more detail in Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained article, Ilana is killed in cold blood by The Bride. Minutes earlier, Ilana had carried out her own murder, with the Pokolistani royal family member killing Nina Mazursky, aka one of the titular team's members and the closest thing that The Bride had to a friend. As Baklova told me, Ilana ended Nina's life "to protect herself" after Nina attempted to assassinate Ilana under ARGUS chief and Task Force M handler Amanda Waller's instructions.

Alright, but why was the eponymous group tasked with killing Ilana? Remember, in the Max series' fourth episode, Amazonian sorceress Circe warned Waller – by way of a premonition – that Ilana wanted to conquer planet Earth and turn Pokolistan into a tyrannical global superpower.

That plot twist in episode 4, which is also revealed the DCU's Justice League for the first time (albeit dead at the hands of Pokolistan's armed forces), completely changed viewers' perceptions of Ilana. It's a moment that Bakalova previously told me was "an interesting reveal" for Ilana's evolution as a character, which is an understated way of describing Ilana's heel-turn.

Circe's vision of the future showed Ilana sitting in the White House after conquering the world (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Unfortunately, it seems that we'll never know why Ilana had plans on world domination, nor what drove her to be such a diabolical individual. That said, characters in comic books and their multimedia adaptations – DC or otherwise – have a tendency of coming back to life in some form. There's no reason, then, why Ilana couldn't return, even if it's in a flashback sequence in the recently announced Creature Commandos season 2 or another DCU Chapter One project.

That's the hope that Bakalova is clinging onto. Indeed, when I asked the Borat 2 and Marvel star (she voiced Cosmo in Guardians of the Galaxy 3) if there was ever a situation – via an earlier script or a conversation with DC Studios co-head James Gunn – where her femme fatale turned wannabe dictator might have survived, Bakalova confirmed that wasn't the case. However, she's not given up hope on voicing Ilana again in the future.

Who would've thought that Ilana wasn't as sweet as she first appeared? (Image credit: Max/DC Studios)

"I'm going to be completely transparent," Bakalova said. "I do want her to exist in the future. As an actor, I want to continue playing this role, and I'm really interested in seeing how audiences react to that [Ilana's death]. If viewers want to see more of her, maybe that's a reason to talk about it [her return] and, if not, maybe I just need to sit tight! We make these shows for people, so it's important to listen to their opinions."

As for what Bakalova would like to explore if one of the best Max shows' most notable original character is brought back in some guise, the actor said: "I want to know how she ended up being who she is today, why she wants to destroy the world, and why she wants so much power. What pushes someone to have such evil dreams about world domination? What, in her early life, drove her to become such a monster?

"At the end of it all, she's the biggest monster of all in the show," she continued. "The Creature Commandos are monsters by circumstance or the way that they look. Ilana is this beautiful, seemingly innocent human who commits monstrous acts of violence. Why is that? I'd like to find out in the future so, if James ever asked me to return, whether it's for one episode, a whole season, or even just a cameo, I'd do it. I just want my badass princess to be back from the dead already!"

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• New Raspberry Pi 5 product doubling the max amount of RAM will cost $120 or your regional equivalent
• Expansion is aimed at accommodating increasingly taxing AI workloads
• Alternative should also benefit third-party Linux distribution installs

The 16GB version of the Raspberry Pi 5 single-board microcomputer is now generally available, along with Raspberry Pi Carbon Removal Credits, making it possible to offset the carbon footprint involved with producing and disposing of a Pi product.

Raspberry Pi Foundation CEO Eben Upton announced the product and initiative in a blog post, while the company set out its carbon removal plan (with purchase options) on a handy landing page.

Upton said the 16GB model was created to accommodate new use cases made possible by a “threefold” performance increase from the Pi 4 to the 5, such as AI large language models “and computational fluid dynamics, which benefit from having more storage per core.”

Raspberry Pi 16GB’s possibilities

Upton went on to say that, though Raspberry Pi OS already has low base memory requirements, “heavyweight” Linux distributions like Ubuntu will benefit from the additional memory. Though 2GB through to 8GB of RAM may be enough for hobbyist projects powered by a Pi, 16GB is typically the minimum required for a comfortable desktop experience in this day and age.

Plus, Ubuntu is a great Linux distribution for beginners, so I’m glad to hear it get a mention. The 16GB Pi 5 variant sounds like a great low-cost option for anyone looking to dabble in running a Linux desktop environment for the first time.

While the Pi 5’s Broadcom BCM2712 application processor already supported RAM capacities beyond 8GB, Upton claims that Micron “offer[ing] [the company] a single package containing eight of their 16Gbit LPDDR4X die” is what made a 16GB Pi 5 model possible.

Raspberry Pi’s Carbon Removal Credits program

What’s even better than an already quite good product reveal is the announcement of a carbon removal credits program for Pi products.

In the post, Upton acknowledged despite its small size and low weight, the manufacturing, logistics and disposal of Pi units does come with a “small, upfront carbon footprint”. So, now, for just $4 USD or your regional equivalent, you can, through an approved reseller, buy a credit that will mitigate that footprint.

Explaining how this works, Upton said that “we commissioned [decarbonization company] Inhabit to conduct an independent assessment of the carbon footprint of manufacturing, shipping, and disposing of a Raspberry Pi 4 or 5, which came to 6.5kg of CO₂ equivalent. When you buy a Raspberry Pi Carbon Removal Credit from one of our Approved Resellers, we pay our friends at UNDO Carbon to begin capturing that quantity of CO2 from the atmosphere using enhanced rock weathering (ERW) technology.”

He also went into precise detail about the ERW process, which here involves spreading crushed basalt on agricultural land to safely store carbon inside rocks that form over a matter of decades, thus removing it from the atmosphere.

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• Continental showcased its E Ink Prism display at CES 2025
• Unique application spans the entire dashboard of a car
• Continental says Gen Z EV buyers want to express their personality

This year’s CES 2025 show in Las Vegas has been positively laden with screen technology, be it mammoth head-up displays that fill a vehicle’s windscreen or stretchable screen tech that could one day lead to a more immersive at-home viewing experience.

But Continental, the famous tire-maker but also prolific vehicle technology innovator, showcased an altogether more design-led argument for introducing yet more screens to future vehicles.

Its Customizable Emotional Cockpit with E Ink Prism Display harnesses the power of ePaper and eReader technology but sees it grow to a massive 1.30m-long, four-centimeter (4.2ft x 1.6 inches) tall unit that spans the entire dashboard of a vehicle.

Designed to allow future EV owners to personalize and update their interiors with an array of stark black and white designs, Continental says that its E Ink Prism Display also has additional benefits for electric vehicles in so much as they don’t require back-lighting and constant power.

Power is only required for the brief moment when the screen switches from one image to the next, which could help improve efficiency and lead to improved battery range.

During a demonstration at this year’s CES, the company showed how the selected content remained visible, even when a vehicle is parked, suggesting that it could also introduce the tech to other, outward-facing areas of a vehicle.

Continental says the first generation of its displays, which are more than capable of showing real-time driving information, such as remaining range or current speed, can only deliver imagery in the black and grey colorway, but it says full color variants will be on offer in the near future.

Analysis: a low-tech treat in a high-tech world

(Image credit: Continental)

Lightweight, thin, durable and highly efficient, ePaper displays offer a uniquely low-tech retort to the current trend of packing automotive cockpits with more high definition touchscreens and head-up displays than your local branch of Best Buy.

Although currently limited to a greyscale output, future full color variants could provide a neat way to switch up a vehicle’s interior at the press of a button.

Granted, the look won’t be for everyone, but I could see it working in something small, bold and funky, like Renault’s recent R5 EV or even Mini’s iconic city car.

The fact it can display images, graphics or text elements permanently with minimal power requirement is also a boon for electric vehicles, where every opportunity to conserve energy is seen as a big plus.

Alas, the likelihood of us seeing it in this form on a production vehicle is slim, as I imagine many manufacturers would view an ePaper display as somewhat of a budget alternative to the current raft of high-definition displays, thus potentially cheapening the brand image.

A shame, because it’s a neat aesthetic that would certainly stand out from the current crowd of often highly sanitized and homogenous car interiors.

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• Rumor suggests we could be getting an MSI Claw Ryzen Z2 announcement
• MSI Claw 8 AI + ships to customers this month
• It's unclear whether it could be with a Ryzen Z2 Extreme or Z2 processor

CES 2025 has seen plenty of announcements for desktop, laptop, and handheld PC hardware, and a new rumor suggests MSI could be joining the party, potentially announcing a new Claw handheld gaming PC, powered by AMD's Ryzen Z2 APU.

This comes from CodeCommando (a reliable source for AMD and MSI leaks) on X, who claims that new MSI Claw models offering a choice between Intel's Lunar Lake and the new AMD Ryzen Z2 processor will be announced. However, there's no information on whether this reveal will be done during CES 2025 (which is now drawing to a close) or later down the line.

The MSI Claw 8 AI+ was announced last December and is expected to be shipped to customers this month. Based on these new rumors, there's a small chance we could see an announcement or teaser for a Ryzen Z2 version later this year.

(Image credit: MSI) How would a Ryzen Z2 version of the MSI Claw fare against competitors?

While there haven’t been any suggestions that MSI’s rival Asus could launch a ROG Ally X successor, Lenovo has already announced the Legion Go S and Legion Go 2 (which is still a prototype) with the latter using the Ryzen Z2 Extreme.

Again, I must stress that this is still a rumor, but if MSI is indeed planning to announce a new MSI Claw so shortly after the launch of the Claw 8 AI+, I would imagine that it would use the Z2 Extreme rather than the Z2 chip, if only to keep up with the competition.

In that case, it would be able to go toe-to-toe performance-wise with the likes of the Legion Go 2, and other Z2 Extreme-based handhelds. That's not to say that the current Lunar Lake processors found in the MSI Claw 7 and 8 aren't powerful enough, but AMD's chip could run better with the advantage of the FSR upscaling method that has been developed longer than Intel's newer XeSS, which does a similar job.

Regardless, we're likely still a long way away from seeing any new major entry to MSI's handheld gaming PC lineup, at least for now. But, as more of MSI’s competitors bring out increasingly powerful handheld gaming PCs, it won’t want to wait too long before it also releases a new, more powerful, version of the Claw.

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• A 360-degree render of the Nintendo Switch 2 has seemingly leaked online
• The rendered footage appears to showcase a full look at the unreleased console
• Renders of the handheld and separate Joy-Cons are also featured

Another alleged look at the Nintendo Switch 2 has reportedly leaked online, but are we really surprised at this point?

The latest apparent leak comes from OnLeaks, via 91mobiles, who recently shared a 360-degree render of the Switch successor, giving us what could be the best look at the unreleased console yet.

In the provided images from OnLeaks - who is known for leaking renders of unannounced tech in the past - we can see that the handheld is black, with matching Joy-Con controllers, and is said to have an 8.4-inch display, which is bigger than the Nintendo Switch OLED at 7 inches.

The power and volume buttons will be located on top of the console as well as the game cartridge slot, like its predecessor, along with the 3.5mm headphone jack.

The device also features a USB Type-C port next to the port, which 91mobiles theorizes could be the charging slot when the console is in handheld or table-top mode.

The renders also showcase the console's 'U' shaped kickstand, which has previously been leaked, that can be used in table-top mode, while the Joy-Con appear to attach magnetically to the console and lock into place with what appears to be triggers on the back; once again, a detail that was leaked last month.

Aside from being bigger than the Switch Joy-Con, these Joy-Con look relatively the same as the first console with their '+' and '-' buttons, D-Pad, and analog stick layout. However, there is a new button below the 'Home' button, but it's still unclear what this could be used for.

It's unclear when Nintendo plans to officially announce the Switch 2, but we do know that it's expected to launch in 2025. The company has also previously confirmed that the console will be backwards compatible with the original Switch.

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• Chinese software considered “vetted partner solutions” in Microsoft policy update
• ISVs from China can now sell their software via the commercial marketplace
• Sellers will get access to millions of customers and partner deals

Microsoft has updated its policy to allow Chinese independent software vendors (ISVs) to sell through its Commercial Marketplace.

A January 8 update confirms: “Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) in China can now monetize their solutions globally through the Microsoft commercial marketplace.”

In a surprise move, given Western restrictions on the People’s Republic, Microsoft the change would give Chinese ISVs opportunities to sell to “millions of enterprise customers” globally.

Microsoft opens up its Commercial Marketplace to Chinese ISVs

As part of the change, Microsoft partners will also be able to resell products from the Chinese ISVs. The tech giant describes its marketplace as a “catalog of vetted partner solutions.”

With its updated policy, the company says ISVs from China will be able to grow their revenue by reaching customers in over 140 countries. They’ll also be able to utilize Microsoft’s marketplace to simplify their billing and payouts.

Despite Microsoft’s invite to Chinese companies to participate in the global marketplace, many governments worry about laws in China which could force developers and companies to share customer data with the authorities, putting sensitive information at risk.

We’ve already seen the result of this, with the banning of apps like TikTok on government devices and the threat of total bans on the basis that data could be stored in China, raising security question marks.

The Register also raised valid concerns about the availability of support documents in localized languages, including English.

More broadly, Western governments including the US have also imposed restrictions on the import and export of technologies and hardware to and from China. Microsoft’s move, then, seems counter-intuitive.

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Have you started to notice stories cropping up in your Facebook feed (assuming you’re old enough to still be using it) about stopping Apple from automatically opting you in to having all your photos analyzed by AI?

Well, I have. It reminds me a bit of the popular scam trend which had a resurgence in 2024, where people posted a statement that denies Facebook the right to access their photos. It usually says something like “I do not authorize META, Facebook or any entity associated with Facebook to use my photos, information, messages or posts, past or future.”

Needless to say, like all good conspiracy theories, it contains a grain of truth – there are legitimate concerns about the security of our photos on social media. However, the whole thing is a hoax, and copying and pasting the text as a Facebook post will do absolutely nothing for your privacy concerns.

A grain of truth

In Apple’s case, again, there is an element of truth. Apple is indeed sending your iPhone photos to be analyzed by AI, and the feature is turned on by default, however, it’s really nothing to worry about. The feature in question is called Enhanced Visual Search. What this feature does is match places in your photos to famous locations and landmarks stored in a global index maintained by Apple. That way it can work out if you’re standing next to the Leaning Tower of Pisa, or you’re at Stonehenge, and automatically tag the location, with Apple not seeing your photos. Apple released a policy document in November 2024 that states:

“Enhanced Visual Search in Photos allows you to search for photos using landmarks or points of interest. Your device privately matches places in your photos to a global index Apple maintains on our servers. We apply homomorphic encryption and differential privacy, and use an OHTTP relay that hides IP address. This prevents Apple from learning about the information in your photos.”

Worrying about this as being a security threat seems blown out of all proportion to me. However, if you really want to turn this feature off then head to Settings on your iPhone and then Apps. Find Photos and then scroll to the bottom of the settings. Right at the bottom you’ll see a slider for Enhanced Visual Search, which you can turn off. On a Mac, open the Photos app and go to Settings/General.

(Image credit: Apple) The battle for privacy

It’s an odd time for Apple right now. It recently had to deny that Siri had ever sold its customers data for marketing purposes, after settling a $95 million class-action lawsuit focused on its Siri assistant. Apple recently released a statement about privacy and Siri, which states unequivocally that:

“Apple has never used Siri data to build marketing profiles, never made it available for advertising, and never sold it to anyone for any purpose. We are constantly developing technologies to make Siri even more private, and will continue to do so.”

Despite statements like this I commonly hear my friends saying things like, “I swear my phone is listening to me and sending me adverts based on what I was discussing”. I’ve never thought these kind of things were true, but rather simple cases of coincidence and confirmation bias, but urban myths like this this seem to never really go away, despite statements from Apple.

Perhaps the recent settlement and Apple’s statement on the matter will simply fan the flames for more conspiracy theories, but I for one won’t be turning off Enhanced Visual Search any time soon, or worrying that my iPhone is spying on me.

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Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is a hot topic these days. Some people are fascinated by the idea of machines that can think like humans, while others find it a bit scary. Meanwhile, tech giants like Google, NVIDIA, Microsoft, OpenAI, and many others are rushing towards this technology, eager to secure the superior spot in the race.

But here’s the real question: how close are we to AGI actually being implemented? Is this future just around the corner, or is it going to take another decade, if not more, to get there? And, just as importantly, how much effect will AGI have on our lives when it finally arrives?

Well, let’s take a look.

Is the promise of AGI realistic?

Yes, it is. To put it in simple terms, the human brain is essentially a biological computer, and the creation of AGI boils down to replicating that kind of thinking in a machine. It’s only a matter of time and sufficient computing power. The development progress we've been seeing in AI models and hardware, especially in the last few years, makes me believe that AGI might be achievable within the next 5–7 years. And if it comes to pass, our society is going to see some massive changes.

Let’s take a look at a familiar example: since the early days of their development, smartphones and the internet have come a long way, and today it’s pretty much impossible to imagine our day-to-day lives without them. AGI will eventually occupy a spot in the same lineup as they do, becoming an essential part of daily routine.

In fact, it is likely that AGI will become even more indispensable than the internet. Even now we can plainly see that it’s easier to ask ChatGPT a question and watch as it gives you the exact information you need. There’s no more need to manually scroll through dozens of search results in Google, looking for the right link. AGI will vastly streamline this process, providing quick answers tailored to your specific requests.

AGI’s effect on the job market

Not so long ago the widespread assumption was that AI would mostly take over repetitive, manual jobs, leaving humans to focus on creativity and self-improvement. But, ironically enough, creative fields have become the first to be influenced by AI adoption. Illustration, design, music, writing — human content creators of all ranges are feeling threatened.

Programming is certainly one area that will go through a significant transformation in the next few years. Much like how the invention of the camera forced painters to rethink their craft, AGI will push programmers, writers, and other professionals to shift their focus from routine tasks to more creative, big-picture thinking.

The repetitive parts of a creative process could easily be automated, but true innovation will remain in human hands. Those who can push boundaries, creating new genres or approaches, will survive (and likely even thrive), while those who only churn out repetitive work will struggle to retain their value.

The same holds true for other professions, as well. Product thinking will, in all likelihood, become more important than having highly specialized skills, because AGI will eventually become able to replicate the latter easily enough.

So does this mean that AI skills are more important than Hard skills?

Let’s take a look at this through the lens of cooking. You can find pretty much any recipe online, but that doesn’t mean that everyone can make a delicious meal just by following it. The value of a chef’s skills comes from nuanced expertise, from knowing how to blend ingredients together in the right way to get a delicious result.

In the same way, I believe that professionals who can look at the big picture and effectively guide AI systems to achieve specific goals will be in demand. Just like a chef doesn’t need to understand every detail of cheese production to make a great cheese-based dish, a programmer doesn’t need to write every line of code by hand to build a great app.

An experienced developer could use AGI to create applications in almost any programming language. They might not need to do the routine coding themselves, but they would still need to have a proper eye for the overall architecture design so that they can oversee the process. In contrast, someone without much programming experience would struggle to give AGI the right instructions or determine if the final product is any good. They wouldn’t see the hidden nuances that could make or break the project.

This kind of pattern will spread across many other professions, and strategic thinkers who can focus on the big picture and leverage AGI effectively will ultimately be the ones to come out ahead.

Prepare your business for the future of AGI

When AGI finally rolls out, it is going to massively speed up business innovation. Machines don’t need breaks, vacations, or sick leaves. They can work around the clock, and for a business owner that’s as promising as it is dangerous. Don’t forget: your competitors are likely going to be thinking in the same vein as you, looking to put this technology to their advantage.

To stay ahead of the curve, it’s important to start preparing now. Businesses need to invest in employee training and begin restructuring workflows so that AI becomes a regular tool that their team uses daily, just like any other piece of office equipment. This way, they will be much better-positioned to embrace AGI when it comes out and make it a core part of their strategy.

The takeaway is simple: AGI is coming faster than you might think. It will reshape how we work and live, so the best thing you can do is start preparing now. Those who adapt will thrive, while those who resist may find themselves left behind.

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• The next Xbox Developer Direct is taking place this month
• There'll be fresh looks at Doom: The Dark Ages and South of Midnight
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and one other game will also be shown

It's time to mark your calendars once again, Xbox heads, as a new Developer Direct presentation has been announced for this month.

The official Xbox Wire post has all the details, locking in the Developer Direct showcase for January 23 at 10am PT / 1pm ET / 6pm GMT. As always, it'll be broadcast at that time on Xbox's official channels such as YouTube.

Four games will be shown off at this Xbox Developer Direct. First up is id Studios' Doom: The Dark Ages, a brand new prequel that's set before the earliest events of the legendary demon-slaying first-person shooter series.

Next up is South of Midnight from Compulsion Games. Xbox claims this new look will be a "deep dive" into the upcoming action-adventure title. That's great news, as up until now we've only seen very brief snippets of gameplay and teasers, and we're still in the dark as to what the overall experience could really be like.

The final confirmed game for the Xbox Developer Direct is Sandfall Interactive's Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a highly-anticipated AAA turn-based role-playing game with a stacked voice cast featuring Charlie Cox and Andy Serkis alongside Final Fantasy 16's Ben Starr and Baldur's Gate 3's Jennifer English. It's one of my most anticipated releases this year and I can't wait to learn more about it.

Finally, the Developer Direct will be paying a visit to a "surprise location" for a look at a mystery "brand new game." Xbox hasn't revealed what this game is, of course, but there are a few notable Xbox Game Studios frontrunners in Fable, Perfect Dark, and Gears of War: E-Day.

If I were a betting man, I'd put money on it being Fable. As per its most recent trailer, we know it's earmarked for a '2025' release window. That said, we haven't seen much at all in terms of gameplay. As such, this Developer Direct is the opportune time to blow the doors wide open on the return of one of Xbox's most beloved franchises.

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• Medusind begins notifying victims about a December 2023 data breach
• Incident resulted in 360,000 people losing payment and personal data
• The company is offering two years free identity theft monitoring

Medusind, a major medical billing firm, has confirmed suffering a cyberattack in which hundreds of thousands of people lost sensitive data, including payment information.

In a data breach notification letter, the company said the incident happened on December 29, 2023, and was spotted the same day. Since Medusind is a healthcare revenue cycle management company, it provides billing support to healthcare organizations, and it is patients from these healthcare firms who’ve had their data grabbed in this attack.

A detailed investigation into the attack uncovered that the threat actors stole health insurance and billing information (insurance policy numbers, or claims/benefits information), payment information (debit/credit card numbers, bank account information), health data (medical history, medical record number, prescription information), government ID information (Social Security numbers, taxpayer IDs, driver’s licenses, passport numbers), and other personal information (email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, and more) - all of which could put victims at risk of identity theft or worse.

Hundreds of thousands of victims

In a separate filing with the Maine Office of the Attorney General, Medusind confirmed that exactly 360,934 people have been affected.

“The particular type of information involved depends on the individual,” it stressed in the letter.

There is currently no evidence of the data being abused in the wild, and Medusind is offering two years of free identity theft monitoring through Kroll. It also urged the victims to monitor their account statements for unexpected or strange entries which might signal identity theft, or fraud attempts, and to report them to the authorities.

Due to the sensitivity of the data they operate, and the high cost of recovery, healthcare organizations are among the most targeted ones for ransomware actors. In fact, recent analysis from Sophos found that the average cost to recover from a ransomware attack was $2.57 million in 2024, up from $2.2 million the previous year.

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• Samsung demoes an 8K, RGB micro-LED LCD TV at CES 2025
• It follows on from Hisense's RGB mini-LED LCD TV, the 116UX
• Samsung hopes to release it in 2025 as its flagship model

Samsung has unveiled an 8K LCD TV that uses an RGB micro-LED backlight at CES 2025. The TV has no official name or model number, but Samsung hopes to release it in 2025.

Only days after Hisense revealed a TV that uses an RGB mini-LED backlight, the Hisense 116-inch UX, which it said will drastically improve brightness and color accuracy over standard mini-LED TVs, Samsung has demonstrated an 8K set with an even more advanced RGB micro-LED backlight.

As FlatpanelsHD reports, the prototype was actually shown one day before CES at the 'Samsung First Look' event. The model on display was an 8K, 98-inch set, though Samsung says it may be available in smaller sizes as well, and has an eye on a 2025 release date, though this is yet to be officially confirmed.

The 8K, RGB micro-LED TV, if released in 2025, will serve as the flagship 8K TV for Samsung, sitting above the already announced Samsung QN990F (pictured above) and Samsung QN900F, revealed earlier at CES as part of Samsung's 2025 mini-LED lineup.

Samsung says that opting for micro-LED over mini-LED in the RGB backlight will allow for "three times more LEDs", meaning bolder colors and improved brightness. The even smaller micro-LED backlight will most likely allow for more dimming zones than the mini-LED backlight as well.

The set is currently a 'prototype' as there's no name, model number, price or full spec list available, but it's likely to be at the premium end of the market.

Micro-LED for less?

Samsung looks to take things a step further from the Hisense 116UX (pictured above) opting to use a RGB micro-LED backlight over the Hisense's RGB mini-LED backlight (Image credit: Future)

While this 8K, RGB micro-LED TV is likely to carry a very hefty price tag, it does bring about an interesting opportunity: access to micro-LED tech for less. Though the TV is still likely to be price in the high thousands or tens of thousand's of dollars, it'll be a significant drop on a fully-fledged micro-LED TV.

Samsung released a 98-inch, 8K model in 2023 (carried over into 2024), the Samsung QN990C, which costs $40,000 / £34,999 (roughly AU$64,545). So the 98-inch RBG micro-LED that was on show is going to be pricier than this, and will still be a premium product.

However, this is still less than the eye-watering prices we see for purely micro-LED TVs, albeit with larger screen sizes. Samsung's own 110-inch micro-LED from 2022 retails for $149,999 (roughly £121,860 / AU$242,000). LG's 118-inch MAGNIT micro-LED , which is priced at $237,000, (roughly £129,550 AU$382,436) is something most people will never afford. Yet, micro-LED was said to be the future of TVs, even beating the best OLED TVs. But these prices just aren't feasible for 99% of people.

This new Samsung model won't have the full benefits of a purely micro-LED TV, such as Hisense's own staggering 163-inch micro-LED TV revealed at CES, but using micro-LEDs in the TV's backlight would still be an upgrade over mini-LED backlights, as micro-LEDs will allow for better black levels, contrast, higher brightness and more vibrant colors. Is the tech still likely to be expensive? Yes, but you'd expect it to be significantly less than the going rate for a MicroLED TV.

We'll eagerly await more details on this RGB micro-LED from Samsung, with a very close eye on the price. Could this finally be the start of micro-LED's integration into TVs at a reduced cost? Fingers crossed!

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We’re covering all of the latest CES news from the show as it happens. Stick with us for the big stories on everything from 8K TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok for the latest from the CES show floor!

For years, digital transformation has been the mantra for businesses everywhere. Yet, despite substantial technological investments, many organizations have reached a plateau.

According to Gartner, IT departments allocate a substantial portion of their budgets to maintaining existing systems and operations, rather than innovation. Specifically, IT budgets often allocate around 66% to running and maintaining systems, leaving only 34% – and far from all of that is spent on growth-focused innovation.

This isn't surprising when digital transformation is often viewed as a means to an end; as a way to optimize existing processes and reduce costs rather than a catalyst for growth. But what if we shifted our perspective and saw our digital assets not only as tools for efficiency but also as engines for generating new value?

That’s where experience innovation comes in.

What is experience innovation?

According to the IDC's Worldwide Digital Transformation Spending Guide, companies worldwide are projected to spend more than £2.6 trillion on digital transformations in 2026, with a five-year compound annual growth rate of 16.3%.

However, too many of these projects develop into a tunnel vision on optimization.

Experience innovation is the next step. It’s about moving beyond optimization and into the realm of value creation; it’s about using digital tools and technologies to create new products, services, and customer experiences that grow revenue and establish market differentiation. Instead of just streamlining existing processes, it uses digital advancements to deliver exceptional customer experiences that lead to loyalty and growth.

For example, experience innovation for a retailer might result in an augmented reality feature that lets customers try virtual clothes and receive personalized recommendations based on their choices, preferences, and body type. Or it might lead the other way, making in-store experiences into digital hybrids that create a more engaging and personalized shopping journey. It can also redefine the organization from within. IKEA proved this by using AI to drastically lower customer support workloads, allowing them to retrain part of the support staff into interior design advisors.

This is what it means to transform and redefine customer expectations. By harnessing the power of technology and data, businesses can create customer-centric experiences that are far more engaging and emotionally resonant, increasing satisfaction, loyalty, and, ultimately, growth.

Yet while the potential of experience innovation is immense, four challenges often prevent organizations from realizing its benefits.

The roadblocks

Firstly, budget constraints and misaligned priorities. Teams often have many innovative ideas but struggle to connect them to concrete business strategies and secure the necessary funding. As a result, innovation is often sidelined and viewed as a luxury rather than a necessity.

Secondly, siloed organizations tend to impede collaboration. In many organizations, particularly mature ones, silos hinder the cross-functional collaboration essential for experience innovation. This fragmented approach makes designing and delivering genuinely seamless and engaging experiences difficult.

Thirdly, there's the risk of ‘innovation theatre.’ Innovation can sometimes become an empty buzzword, with companies setting up innovation labs and design sprints without a clear plan for bringing those ideas to market. This often leads to disillusionment and skepticism from the C-suite, who starts seeing innovation as a costly distraction.

Finally, the talent gap. Many companies lack the digital leadership and expertise needed to drive experience innovation. While there’s an increasing convergence of CIO and CMO functions, not all organizations have seasoned digital product owners who can bridge the gap between technology and business strategy.

So, how do you solve these challenges?

Unlocking the potential: a roadmap for success

Companies must take decisive action to transition from digital transformation to experience innovation. The sequence may vary, but it’s usually best to start by embracing a growth mindset.

While cost optimization is a healthy and necessary practice, it’s important to avoid getting fixated on it and to remember that cost savings can and should be reinvested in growth initiatives. Companies must open their mindset to include revenue generation, viewing digital assets as tools for creating new value and driving business growth. Establish clear value cases for experience innovation initiatives, demonstrating their potential to generate revenue and contribute to the bottom line.

Then, start developing a customer-centric culture. Cultivate digital leadership and attract individuals with the skills and experience to drive experience innovation, empowering them to lead the charge and transform ideas into reality. You can do this by developing in-house talent, engaging third-party experts, or finding new people with a deep understanding of technology and customer experience. Often, a mix is best.

These people will then help you finalize your strategy and ensure that innovation initiatives align with overarching business objectives and have a clear path to market. They’ll help you break down organizational silos and prioritize the end-to-end customer experience to ensure that every touchpoint contributes to a positive and engaging journey.

The result is a comprehensive experience innovation project that hits the ground running.

The future of experience innovation

The industries ripe for experience innovation are numerous and diverse, from automotive and financial services to retail and healthcare.

Each sector faces unique challenges and opportunities, but the underlying principle remains the same: by embracing a customer-centric approach using digital technologies and fostering a culture of innovation, organizations avoid stagnation and instead unlock new avenues for growth and customer loyalty.

In a world where customer expectations evolve constantly, innovation is no longer a ‘nice to have’. It’s an absolute necessity. By bridging the gap between digital transformation and business strategy, companies can ride the wave of momentum that only experience innovation can generate.

We've featured the best customer feedback tool.

This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Another major tech industry event, another wave of new handheld gaming PC reveals - this time the slick Lenovo Legion Go S and the hilariously enormous Acer Nitro Blaze 11, which both debuted this week at CES 2025.

However, I’ve been waiting for a different company to throw its hat into the ring: arguably one of the most enduring and important PC gaming brands, Razer. Sure, Dell has also been AWOL since its Alienware Concept UFO handheld was shown off five years ago, but I think Razer could be the one to watch. Somehow, the snake-themed gaming company has yet to reveal - or even discuss the possibility of - a handheld PC of its own, despite some recent exploration of similar avenues.

What I’m referring to here is the Edge, a gaming handheld that we weren’t entirely convinced by in our Razer Edge review. Despite packing a 6.8-inch AMOLED screen and Razer’s trademark premium build quality, it ran Android, making it essentially a sort of very fancy Google Play gaming tablet.

That’s not what I want, Razer. I want to see your take on a proper gaming handheld. I don’t mind if it’s a Windows-based system or one that uses SteamOS, like Lenovo’s latest offering, I just want to be able to download and play my gargantuan list of unplayed Steam games on a handheld that feels ridiculously expensive.

The Edge of possibility

See, for all its failings, there was no denying that the Razer Edge was a high-end device. It’s become Razer’s signature, visible in everything from the Blade laptop series to its wide range of peripherals. Sure, you’ll pay top dollar for a piece of Razer hardware, but you can rest assured that it’ll feel top dollar.

I’m not saying that other PC gaming handhelds feel cheap, to be clear. I own an Asus ROG Ally, and it’s a great device. Others, like the Zotac Zone… less so. But I’m certain - based on reviewing a whole host of Razer kit over the years - that a Razer handheld would feel fantastic in my hands.

Hot on the heels of CES’s multiple handheld PC reveals, I reached out to Razer for a comment, only to be told that there are no current plans for a Razer handheld PC. The closest you’ll get right now is the new PC Remote Play feature for the Razer Nexus app, which lets you stream games from a PC with Razer Cortex installed to your Android or iOS device of choice - a nifty feature, but not what I’m truly looking for.

Still, never say never. As handheld gaming PCs rise in popularity, Razer might decide to enter the fray. The company is no stranger to experimental hardware - one glance over the weird and wonderful Razer Concepts page is proof of that. The question is, what would they call such a device… the Razer Dagger, perhaps? The Stiletto? If you're listening, I charge by the hour for consultation, by the way, Razer...

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• Mojang has revealed the details for Minecraft's first update of 2025
• The update will include six new features, including new pig variants
• Players can now try out the update in public testing

Mojang Studios has shared the details for Minecraft's first major update of 2025.

Last year, the developer promised that in the new year, it would be dishing out more frequent content drops alongside improvements to the survival sandbox game.

Although the first update of 2025 doesn't have a release date just yet, Mojang has already released the contents of the patch for public testing, which includes six new gameplay features for players to try out ahead of time.

Among these new features are two new pig variants, the cold and warm pig, the first of which is coated in fluffy fur and thrives in sub-zero temperatures of chillier biomes, while the warm pig can be found roaming the dunes of the sandy biomes.

Three new ambient features will also be added that will make forest biomes feel "more alive", including falling leaves, leaf litter, and wildflowers.

"On your next expeditions into forests, dark forests, and wooded badlands, listen out for the crunch of leaves underfoot," Mojang said. "Leaf litter makes a rustling sound when you walk through it and can be used to decorate other blocks.

"In meadows, birch forests, and old growth birch forests, you will instead find wildflowers. These yellow and white flowers can be crafted into dye and have four growth stages that speed up with bonemeal. Place them at different angles to have your builds bloom in different patterns."

Mojang also confirmed that all trees in the Overworld will have matching leaf particles falling from them.

Finally, the game will also get a brand new, "simpler" recipe that will now only require players to "combine an iron ingot with your chiseled bricks to craft a lodestone".

For players interested in testing out the update ahead of time, all they need to do is enable snapshots for Minecraft: Java Edition, or by enabling previews/beta for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. The Bedrock Edition doesn't yet feature the game's new leaf litter and wildflowers features, but both are expected to be added soon.

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• Frank Grillo has opened up on Rick Flag Sr's DCU future after Creature Commandos' season 1 finale
• Flag Sr will appear in this year's Superman movie and Peacemaker season 2
• Grillo says his character will be "on a mission" that ties back to 2021's The Suicide squad film

Creature Commandos star Frank Grillo has teased the next stage of Rick Flag Sr's story after the DC Universe (DCU) show's season 1 finale.

Speaking to TechRadar ahead of Creature Commandos episode 7, titled 'A Very Funny Monster', Grillo reconfirmed that his character will show up in James Gunn's Superman movie and Peacemaker season 2. We already knew that Flag Sr would have a bit-part role in this year's Superman film and play a major part in Peacemaker's sophomore season, but it's nonetheless pleasing to hear it from the man himself.

What wasn't abundantly clear, though, is the role that Flag Sr will play in these DCU Chapter One projects. And, while Grillo was reluctant to give anything away about what we can expect from his character in Superman, he was more open (surprisingly so) about Flag Sr's antagonistic role in Peacemaker's second chapter. Potential spoilers follow for Peacemaker season 2!

Yep, Rick Flag Sr survived his near-death experience with Clayface (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

So, how does Flag Sr fit into Peacemaker season 2's story? And why is he being set up as a tragic villain of sorts in one of the best Max shows' next installments? Essentially, it boils down to the fact that the titular antihero, played by John Cena, killed his son in 2021's The Suicide Squad movie.

Presently, Flag Sr doesn't know that Christopher Smith/Peacemaker is responsible for murdering his only child. It seems he'll find out one way or another, though, either in one of 2025's most anticipated new movies (i.e., Superman) or during Peacemaker's season 2 premiere. That, according to Grillo, will result in Flag Sr embarking on a revenge-filled quest – one that, based on Grillo's slightly spoiler-filled answer, may give Flag Sr some closure over his son's murder, too.

"Rick's on a mission [in Peacemaker season 2]," Grillo told me. "It's really one-sided because it has a lot to do with the death of his son, so he can't see the so-called bigger picture. By the end of that journey [in season 2], I think he'll be in a different place where he believes he's gotten what he needed to over the course of its eight episodes."

We got our first look at Flag Sr's live-action iteration in a brief Peacemaker season 2 clip shown as part of a 'new on Max in 2025' trailer (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Some viewers, who may not have been aware that Grillo's character would appear in other DCU projects, were fearing the worst when Flag Sr was left for dead by Batman villain Clayface in Creature Commandos episode 5. However, 'A Very Funny Monster' confirmed that he'd survived his brush with death. Considering he goes in and out of a coma in the finale of the R-rated animated series' first season, though, it'll be interesting to see how quickly he recovers between the Max show's latest episode and his appearance in Superman.

While we wait for the latter to fly into theaters on July 11, read my Creature Commandos season 1 ending explained piece to learn more about what happens in it, how it sets up future DCU movies and shows, and more.

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• Microsoft reported to be laying off nearly 1% of its headcount
• Share prices haven’t risen as much as key rivals
• Financial performance is still strong at Microsoft

The technology industry is still grappling with ongoing financial challenges leading to widespread job losses, with Microsoft the latest to be affected.

Having already got rid of 10,000 workers (or around 5% of its headcount) at the height of the layoffs in January 2023, Microsoft went on to lay off at least another 2,500 of its employees in June 2024.

Now, just a week into 2025, the company has confirmed further reductions, affecting less than 1% of its workforce, which stood at 228,000 employees six months ago.

Microsoft lays off 1% of its headcount

“At Microsoft we focus on high-performance talent… We are always working on helping people learn and grow. When people are not performing, we take the appropriate action,” the company confirmed in an email to CNBC, indicating the redundancies could be part of a regular restructuring effort rather than a reaction to financial performance.

However, despite posting a revenue increase of 12% in its most recent quarter, around one percentage point ahead of key hyperscaler rivals Amazon and Google, Microsoft share prices didn’t quite please investors.

Over the past 12 months, Microsoft shares have risen 12.98%, compared with 37.06% for Google and a staggering 46.75% for Amazon.

Share prices don’t paint a full picture of the company’s performance though – it has the largest market cap of the three hyperscalers by far, at $3.156 trillion, compared with $2.382 for Google and $2.335 for Amazon.

Further details of the layoffs have not been confirmed, and it’s not known which workers are likely to be affected. TechRadar Pro has asked Microsoft to add further context, but we did not receive an immediate response.

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• Marvel Rivals will receive balance adjustments in Season 1
• NetEase won't be making changes to Team-Up abilities in Season 1
• Heroes like Captain America, Luna Snow, and more will be nerfed

NetEase Games has confirmed that Marvel Rivals will receive plenty of balance changes with the launch of Season 1.

In a new blog post shared ahead of the release of Season 1, the developer explained that it has noticed a trend of team compositions throughout Season 0 and will introduce a series of balance adjustments to certain heroes.

"Hence, in the first half of Season 1, we are set to make balance adjustments to certain heroes, enabling a broader roster to partake in more intricate gameplay, ensuring a richer, more engaging, and diverse gaming experience for all," NetEase said.

Although heroes are set to receive balance updates, the developer said that due to players' recent acclimatization to Marvel Rivals, it won't be making extensive changes to or adjusting Team-Up abilities in Season 1.

"Instead, we will make minor adjustments to the existing Team-Up values," the developer added. "Fear not, for we are planning exciting redesigns and adjustments to Team-Up abilities in Season 2."

Some major changes coming with the patch include nerfs to some of the shooter's most popular heroes, including Captain America, who will receive a reduction to his shield restoration, Liberty Rush ability, and Freedom Charge.

Hulk will also get a minor nerf to his Indestructible Guard bringing it from 250 to 200 health, while Black Panther will get a combat survivability reduction, reducing the additional health provided after refreshing Vibranium Marks with Spirit Rend from 40 to 30, and the upper limit of additional health from 120 to 75.

NetEase will also be tweaking Hawkeye by "decreasing the medium-long range damage capability", reducing combat radius, as well as slightly improving the close combat resistance for the avenging archer.

Meanwhile, heroes like Cloak & Dagger and Moon Knight will receive buffs in some capacity, alongside Namor, Psylocke, and The Punisher. You can check out the long list of changes in the patch notes here.

Marvel Rivals Season 1: Eternal Night Falls is scheduled to release on January 10 at 9 AM GMT / 1 AM PST / 4 AM ET.

The first season will also introduce the Fantastic Four to the roster as free, playable heroes, which includes Mister Fantastic, Invisible Woman, the Human Torch, and The Thing.

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• B&H Photo accidentally posted early listings of RDNA 4 graphics cards
• RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT were given a pre-order date of January 23
• That’d suggest an on sale date at the end of January, when Nvidia’s RTX 5080 (and 5090) hit the shelves

AMD’s next-gen RDNA 4 graphics cards, which were revealed (in a rather fleeting manner) at CES 2025, might be available sooner than you thought – on pre-order at least, if the date accidentally posted by a US retailers turns out to be correct.

B&H Photo apparently put up early listings for some Asus RX 9070 and RX 9070 XT graphics cards (TUF and Prime models), all of which came with a pre-order date of January 23.

Those listings have now been removed, but not before they were screenshotted by one of the regular hardware leakers on X, @momomo_us (hat tip to VideoCardz).

Preorder starts at 9:00am ET, Thu Jan 23 pic.twitter.com/kATVQZNtZvJanuary 8, 2025

So, it appears that we might be able to reserve these much-awaited RDNA 4 graphics cards in just two weeks, presumably ahead of a release which would come maybe a week or so after.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Battle of the next-gen desktop GPUs

Interestingly, another recent rumor on the RX 9070's release date came from graphics card maker XFX, which has some kind of either announcement or launch of these GPUs planned for January 24. One way or another, then, it seems that something’s going to happen with RDNA 4 as we get to the final week of January.

It feels like this might be the official revelation of the full spec and price details (which weren’t shared at CES 2025), ahead of the on-shelf availability (which is why B&H has it as pre-orders going live). Obviously take all this with a large helping of salt, and indeed there’s a difference in the dates – January 23 or 24 – which casts further doubt on these rumors. True, the XFX rumors comes from its middle east division, but the time difference between that and the 9am ET pre-order kick-off B&H had down is still on the same day (just).

We’ll just have to wait and see, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if AMD was planning to kick off RDNA 4 and have these graphics cards on the shelves late in January, because Nvidia’s RTX 5090 and 5080 go on sale come January 30. So, the dates fall in place for what might be a big next-gen GPU showdown – of sorts.

As you might be aware, the RX 9070 models aren’t going to compete with Nvidia’s RTX 5080 (and certainly not the 5090), so how is this a ‘showdown’ exactly? Well, the reality is that the RTX 5080 is going to be way too pricey for most consumers, even though the $999 MSRP was more affordable than expected. (Yes, some folks were thinking it’d easily be $1,199, maybe more – though third-party boards will inevitably land more in this territory, as most of them will be a fair bit pricier than the Founders Edition at Nvidia’s MSRP).

What we’ll have, then, is a situation where in theory AMD can come in with way more affordable next-gen GPUs, grabbing the interest of would-be buyers, scooping up more sales with RDNA 4 as folks realize just how pricey RTX 5080 GPUs will be – when Nvidia’s $999 Founders Edition inevitably sells out in a flash – potentially winning the showdown in this way.

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