As Intel gets ready to release its 13th-generation (Raptor Lake) desktop CPUs, a new leak seems to have revealed most of the lineup before the official announcement. According to a picture posted on the social network Billi Billi, the processors will have up to 24 cores and 36MB of cache, and most of the models will be better than the ones before.
Both the 65W and 125W TDP S-series and K-series processors have been shown off. As usual, the line goes up to the Intel Core i9, which will have 24 cores: 8 performance (P) cores and 16 efficient (E) cores. We know from Intel's investor meeting earlier this year that we're looking at 32 threads since the E cores don't support hyperthreading. In addition to having more cores, these processors have 36MB of cache instead of 30MB like the Intel Core i9-12900 models.
Also, the rest of the lineup gets an improvement. Intel Core i7 processors from the 13th generation will have 16 cores (8P + 8E). This is up from the 12 cores (8P + 4E) in the 12th generation. Most Core i5 models also seem to have 14 cores (6P + 8E), while in the 12th generation, the K series has 10 cores (6P + 4E) and the S-series only has 6. (all P cores). The Core i5-13400 is different because it has 6 P cores and 4 E cores. The Core i3 processor is the only one that hasn't changed in terms of the number of cores or the cache. It still has four P-cores and nothing else. The table doesn't show the boost clock speeds for each model, which is a shame.
This really only tells part of the story because the architecture of the cores will be changed to make them faster and (hopefully) more efficient. So far, all Intel has said is that we can expect performance gains of up to 10 per cent, but we don't have exact numbers yet. Last year, 12th-generation processors were announced in October, but details about the architecture came out a little earlier, so hopefully, we won't have to wait too long.
We’ve all been there, you hear a song that catches your attention at some mall or a friend’s place and instantly used Shazam to find out which band or artist it was. The music recognition app has finally hit its 20th birthday with over 70 billion song recognitions and honestly, it still remains one of the premier apps in the segment. To say that it kind of changed the way we find new music would be an understatement. Discovering new music was made much easier and gave a lot of people a new way to find and appreciate new bands and artists. The app now boasts over 250 million global users.
Shazam, the music recognition app is now 20 years old
To mark the occasion, Shazam has invited fans to take a trip down memory lane with a special playlist comprised of the most Shazamed song of each calendar year for the past 20 years. Featuring everything from Train’s “Hey, Soul Sister” to Sia’s “Cheap Thrills,” the playlist is a true reflection of the music fans across the globe actively searched for over the past two decades. You can check out the playlist here. Bands like Masked Wolf have also heaped praise on the app, stating “The fact that people all over the world took time out of their day to pull out their phone and Shazam my songs is a huge honour for me as an artist. You know you’ve got something special if you see the Shazam stats moving”
Shazam’s charts have also become a barometer for unexpected pop culture moments. Kate Bush’s 1985 song “Running Up That Hill” in “Stranger Things” led to an all-time peak in Shazams of the singer, and the track took No. 1 on the Shazam Global Top 200 for 10 days. It ended up reaching the top of 25 national charts. The company has also implemented a new concert discovery feature, which spotlights concert information and tickets on sale for shows nearby, simply by Shazaming a song, or by searching for it in the Shazam app or website.
New Delhi, Aug 6 (IANS) Tesla CEO Elon Musk has claimed that Twitter does not follow the law of the land in India and this has jeopardised one of its largest markets.
In a countersuit against the micro-blogging platform filed in a Delaware court in the US late on Friday, Musk said he was "hoodwinked" into signing the $44 billion Twitter takeover deal.
"In July, Twitter sued the Indian government to challenge orders requiring it to remove content and block dozens of accounts," tweeted New York Times reporter Kate Conger.
"Musk takes issue with that, saying it jeopardizes one of Twitter's largest markets and suggesting Twitter should follow local law in India," Conger added.
Twitter last moved the Karnataka High Court against the Indian government's order to take down some content on its platform, on the grounds that the content blocking orders from the IT Ministry do not pass "the test of the grounds provided under Section 69A of the IT Act".
Twitter alleged in its writ petition that multiple accounts and content included in the blocking orders are either "overbroad and arbitrary", fail to provide notice to the "originators" of the content, and are "disproportionate" in several cases.
The Musk countersuit said that "in 2021, India's information technology ministry imposed certain rules allowing the government to probe social media posts, demand identifying information, and prosecute companies that refused to comply".
Musk said the micro-blogging platform should honour the "laws of countries in which Twitter operates".
Twitter responded to Musk's allegations, saying it "respectfully refers to the Court for their complete and accurate contents", and denied his claims.
Musk said that Twitter "did not apprise him of its lawsuit against the Indian government", thereby putting the company's third largest market "at risk".
Twitter responded, saying its actions in India are in line with its "global practice" of challenging government requests or laws.
Twitter has dragged Musk's billionaire friends along with Tesla into the legal battle that will start from October 17.
Twitter argues that Musk signed a contract to buy the company, and is using spam accounts as a false pretense to cancel the deal.
(Except for the headline, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited)
For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in
The NZXT H1 V2 is a compact case for DIY PC builders who prefer a minimalist look while still wanting to pack some of the most powerful hardware you can get in the market today. The original NZXT H1 was launched back in 2020 and the V2 improves upon many of the shortcomings of its predecessor. Small form-factor PC cabinets such as the NZXT H1 V2 have, of late, been gaining in popularity and SFF power supplies have improved to the extent that you can now pack high capacity 850W SFX in these new compact cases. This allows you to build high-end gaming PCs using these cases as long as cooling permits.
NZXT H1 V2 improvements over NZXT H1
Most SFF cases in the market are usually paired with the appropriate power supply since the cases have pre-defined cable routing provisions which require the cables to have a certain length and not much more. Short cables are obviously useless and too much length would mean that more volume is taken up by the cables in a chassis where space is scarce. The NZXT H1 V2 now includes an integrated SFX750 80Plus Gold power supply which carries a separate 10-year warranty coverage.
The GPU compatibility has improved with the NZXT H1 V2. The previous chassis supported GPUs with up to 50mm thickness and 305mm length. The V2 improves upon that and can now fit GPUs that are up to 58mm thick and 324mm long. There's even an additional 92mm fan for the GPU exhaust. Also, the cooling fans of the GPU face a perforated panel which now feature larger perforations. Also, the included PCIe riser card is now rated for PCIe Gen 4.0 in line with standards supported by the flagship GPUs. Speaking of the riser card, the NZXT H1 was criticised for a flaw in the riser card included with the previous chassis which would short out the 12V plane. That had been rectified a couple of weeks after launch and NZXT says that the riser card included with the V2 does not have that problem.
The NZXT H1 V2, like its predecessor, also includes an integrated 140mm AIO CPU cooler. The CPU cooler as well as the 92mm rear exhaust fan for the GPU can be controlled using the NZXT CAM software. The complete list of changes can be seen in the table below:
NZXT H1 V2 Price
The NZXT H1 V2 will be available in white and black colour in the APAC region and it will be priced at USD 349 which works out to be about INR 26,133 without taxes and INR 30,837 with 18 per cent GST. Actual prices in India will vary from vendor to vendor.
Acer India has announced new 11th gen Intel-driven Aspire 3 laptops under its Make in India campaign. This is the second such laptop from the brand and is made in its Noida facility. Coming to the laptop's specs, you are getting three models based on the internal machinery — an Intel Core i3 variant, a Core i5 with Intel iris Xe graphics, and a Core i5 with Nvidia GeForce MX350 graphics. Other notable components include DDR4 memory, SSD storage, Windows 11 software, and a 1080p display. Scroll to gather the complete details.
Acer Aspire 3 Specs and Features
Acer has outfitted the Aspire 3 with a 15.6-inch FHD TFT LCD screen with a 16:9 aspect ratio. Up top, there is a 720p HD webcam. Come downwards and you have a ten-key keyboard.
The laptop boots with Windows 11 and Intel’s 11th gen Core i3/i5 processor. The i3-1115G4 model relies on built-in Intel UHD graphics, the i3-1115G4 processor with 4GB DDR4 RAM and 256GB SSD. Meanwhile, the i5-1135G7 variant can be picked in with a iris Xe graphics or a discrete Nvidia GeForce MX350 GPU. The memory configuration on the i5 SKUs is 8GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD, and 1TB HDD.
As for the connectivity options, on all of them, you get WiFi, Bluetooth 5.0, HDMI port, 2x USB-A 3.2, 1x USB 2.0 port, an RJ45 ethernet port, and a 3.5mm audio jack.
A 36.7WHr battery is present inside that’s bolstered by a 45W adapter.
Acer Aspire 3 Price and Availability
Acer Aspire 3 i3 variant is priced at ₹50,000, the i5 with iris Xe graphics is priced at ₹53,990, and i5 with MX350 GPU costs ₹58,990 in India. The Intel Core i3 model is listed on Flipkart.
Speaking about this new announcement, GS Sondhi, Senior Director – Product Management, Acer India, said “Acer Aspire 3 is the first laptop under Aspire series that is manufactured locally with world-class manufacturing standards that is on-par with global processes to deliver performance and quality which the customer demand. Built on the Intel platform, this laptop delivers enough power to see you through your day be it work, learning or for general use. This follows our TravelMate series laptops which started shipping for commercial customers already at the beginning of the month. With the success of this second fully made in India laptop, we believe the impetus to PC manufacturing is particularly significant as it can help reduce imports which have become all the more important as their usage increase rapidly amid the Covid-19 restriction.”
Meanwhile, Rahul Malhotra, Director, Consumer Sales, Intel India, said “We are delighted that Acer has once again chosen to work with Intel on their second Make in India laptop with the launch of the Acer Aspire 3 laptop, extending our long time collaboration with Acer to more locally manufactured laptops. This is testament to the value and performance that the Intel platform delivers across consumer, business and education segments, while also helping meet the growing laptop demand in India that we have witnessed in recent years.”
For more news, reviews, buying guides, feature stories, and everything else tech-related, keep reading Digit.in.
According to the latest Mark Gurman’s newsletter, Apple is likely to re-release the iMac Pro during its upcoming Spring 2022 event. Introduced in 2017 as a workstation-grade computer, Apple discontinued the iMac Pro last year. Also, as everyone knows, Cupertino is slowly but steadily shifting its entire range of devices on powerful homemade Apple silicon, it's probably the best time for the discontinued iMac Pro to make a triumphant return. The newsletter alleges that the Apple iMac Pro will likely have a bigger screen size than 24-inch. It may also feature a mini-LED ProMotion 120Hz display.
Apart from that, Apple currently sells two iMac products - a 24-inch M1 powered version and a bigger 27-inch model still using an Intel 10th Gen processor lineup. Another recent report also alleged that the 27-inch iMac is also likely to get the M1 silicon treatment. If the rumours from Ross Young, a display industry consultant are true. The newer Apple 27-inch iMac could feature a mini-LED ProMotion display with 120Hz high refresh rate support.
Apple could launch the iMac Pro and the 27-inch iMac separately, equipping each of them with some combination of M1 Pro and M1 Pro Mac chip or Cupertino can release a single iMac and discontinue the 27-inch iMac altogether. Personally, I think the former event has a higher possibility.
Apple 27-inch iMac Pro And Other Probable Spring 2022 Event Announcements
If speculations are anything to go by then the upcoming Apple 2022 Sprint event will feature a lot of new products. In addition to the above-mentioned iMac products, Apple will more than likely also launch the iPhone SE 5G, which is the current-gen iPhone SE but 5G enabled, more powerful and equipped with better photography capabilities.
Similarly, Apple could also introduce a “Mac Mini Pro” introducing its latest M1 Pro and M1 Pro Max chips to the ultra-portable desktop computer. Last year also Apple introduced a bunch of new items like the AirTags, Apple TV 4K (2nd Gen), new iPhone 12 colour options and the iPad Pro during its Spring 2021 event held in April. With the pandemic in full force, expect the Apple Spring Event 2022 timeline to be similar.
Amazon Great Republic Day Sale 2022 is underway and will go on till January 20th, 2022. During the sale, Amazon is promising great offers and deals across a wide variety of technology gadgets and gizmos. This includes deals where you can get up to 70% off on Electronics and accessories, up to 60% off on TVs and up to 50% off on Amazon’s own Echo, FireTV and Kindle devices. We’re certain that a lot of you are also interested in deals on PC components such as CPUs, graphics cards, RAM modules and more, so we’ve scoured Amazon to find some of the best deals on such devices.
Additionally, if you happen to have an SBI Credit or Debit card, then you can avail an additional 10% discount. The deals we’ve listed here are without this added benefit so in case you do have an SBI card, just knock off an additional 10% off the price and you’ll get the final amount. Here are the most interesting deals on PC components.
If you're building a new PC or simply upgrading your old one by adding more RAM, then the Corsair Vengeance LPX 8GB DDR4 ram modules are great. For the price, you are getting a 3200 MHz module which is the sweet spot in terms for speed for Intel as well as AMD desktop processors. Also, there's the added heatsink which is of great help to keep the modules cool.
You'd want a nice gaming cabinet to keep your PC in. At the bare minimum, you want good airflow and if you can also get some fancy design with RGB lighting, then that's up to you. The ANT Esports ICE-200TG checks both departments. It's got ample airflow and enough space on the inside to fit ATX, micro-ATX and mini-ITX motherboards.
There's no way any of us are getting a graphics card at a sane price these days but some PC configurations don't even have an IGP for us to rely on. So we'd need to get a graphics card and the only cards that you can buy for sane prices are the entry-level graphics cards such as the GT 1030. These provide equal or better performance compared to the integrated graphics in most processors, so they're a good starting point.
IBM recently revealed its brand new Quantum “Eagle” processor which promises to take over classic computing by 2025 in research and development areas. The IBM “Eagle” processor, as it’s called, is a 127 Qubit Quantum processor and is the company’s first processor to contain more than 100 Qubits. For reference, 1 Qubit can take the value of two bits and 2 qubits can take the value of four bits. N qubits can take the value of 2n.
A classic computer works by executing ones and zeros meanwhile a quantum computer uses inherent properties of quantum such as interference, superposition, etc to perform calculations.
In an interview, IBM’s Arvind Krishna revealed a ton of important information related to the Eagle processor. He mentioned that it’s impossible to simulate the performance of the Eagle processor on something else, implying it’s more powerful than anything else on the market.
IBM Eagle Processor Features And Applications
The IBM Eagle processor uses a 3D packaging architecture that can handle the planned 1000+ Qubit Condor processor. In terms of packaging, the Eagle processor is based upon a heavy-hexagonal qubit layout. Where Qubit connects with either two or three other units. Such a Qubit layout reduces the possibility of errors between neighbouring hence improving efficiency.
A quantum computer of such calibre is used to solve real-world problems like sequestering carbon emissions or making efficient car batteries. Breaking cryptographic encryptions is another area where classic computers struggle to yield a satisfactory result. The Quantum computers can easily break tough-to-crack encryptions in a relatively short period of time. Additionally, IBM also unveiled Quantum System Two, designed to work with processors with more than 1,000 qubits.
IBM will deploy its latest quantum computing system at its research facilities starting in 2023. Therefore to answer, “whether it can play Crisis or not?” We will have to wait at least two years.
Jio and MediaTek are hosting a Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI) Gaming Masters tournament on JioGames for a prize pool worth Rs 12.5 lakh. The registrations for the BGMI Gaming masters tournament has started and interested players can register themselves until November 21. BGMI is an Indianised version of PUBG Mobile and has been developed by PUBG Studios. The developer also recently launched PUBG New State in India.
The quest for India's best BGMI team starts now. MediaTek presents Battlegrounds Mobile India Gaming Masters Powered by JioGames Save the date for 23rd November & lock your squads! Register on the JioGames app or visithttps://t.co/I7W8DKG6YJ#bgmi #jiogames #MediaTek pic.twitter.com/Xzgf9aPr1i
— JioGames (@jiogames) November 12, 2021
Here’s everything you need to know about the BGMI Gaming Masters tournament, how to register and more.
BGMI Gaming Masters tournament: Schedule and How to Register
The BGMI Gaming Masters tournament has kicked off and interested players can sign-up on the JioGames website. The tournament will be held in Squad Battle Royale mode which means you will have to assemble your squad of four and get them to register as well.
The registration will be held until November 21 on the JioGames website here.
There are four qualifiers round each from November 23-27, November 30- December 4, December 7-11 and December 14-18. The finals are scheduled to begin on December 21.
BGMI Gaming Masters tournament: Prize pool details
The BGMI Gaming Masters tournament has a prize pool of INR 12,50,000 (12.5 lakhs). Out of this, the qualifier rounds have a prize pool of Rs 7,68,000 while the Road to Finale has a pool of Rs 82,000. Another major chunk of the prize pool is allotted to Grand Finale with Rs 4 lakhs.
The first place in qualifiers will receive Rs 1,200 while the second and third places will receive Rs 1,000 and Rs 800 respectively.
The Road to Finale will see the first place getting Rs 24,000 followed by Rs 16,000 for second place, 12,000 for the third place, Rs 8,000 for the fourth place, Rs 5,000 for the fifth place and Rs 4,000 for the sixth place. The MVP will receive Rs 13,000 from the prize pool.
If you were hoping to get your hands on a PS5 (review) in 2022, we say, you may need to look again. Sony has reportedly lowered its internal production forecast from 16 million units to 15 million for the current financial year.
According to Bloomberg, “The Tokyo-based entertainment giant had previously targeted more than 16 million units assembled in the year ending March, setting it up to achieve its sales goal for the period and also get a head start on the subsequent year’s production. The company has now cut that number down to about 15 million, making its aim of 14.8 million PS5 sales by March difficult, the people said, asking not to be named as the information is not public”.
The reason for the reduction in console availability is of course the ongoing chip shortage and logistical issues. So, if you were hoping to get your hands on a PS5, you may want to keep your expectations in check.
The PS5 launched internationally in November 2020 and launched in India in February 2021. The disc edition of the PS5 is priced at Rs 49,990 in India but it is very hard to get one via official channels. Through the scalper market, the PS5 is available between Rs 54000 and Rs 58000 in India, for the disc edition.
Sony has made a number of improvements to the PS5 since launch such as enabling the built-in M.2 storage expansion option (which wasn’t available at launch) and making some much-needed tweaks to the UI. Sony has also made a hardware revision to the PS5 by reducing the size of the heatsink and also redesigning the screw that holds the stand in place.
While Sony doesn’t have any big exclusive games lined up for the end of 2021, the beginning of 2022 looks to be quite interesting with games like Horizon: Forbidden West and Sifu releasing in February 2022. If you are confused between the PS5 and Xbox Series X (review) you can check out our detailed comparison here or watch it below.
The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2021 sale brings you amazing deals on gaming laptops. Amazon India has also partnered with ICICI and Kotak Bank to give buyers additional discounts on credit/debit card transactions and EMI options.
Buyers can also avail of extra cash backs, discounts, and EMI schemes on all purchases. purchases. Amazon India is offering up to 40 per cent off on top gaming laptops in India. You also get a chance to get added benefits like up to 24 months of no-cost EMI. You also get up to INR 25000 Off on exchange schemes on gaming laptop Amazon.
View the best deals on gaming laptops below.
ASUS TUF Gaming F15, 15.6-inch laptop
Price – Rs 83,990.00 Deal Price - Rs 57,990.00
The ASUS TUF Gaming F15 gaming laptop is ideal for gaming enthusiasts. It is powered by a 10th Gen Intel Core i5-10300H 2.5 GHz Processor. You also get access to 100 high-quality PC games on Windows 10 for free with the device. The laptop gives gaming enthusiasts a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass that’s included with the purchase of your device. Amazon India gives the best deals on gaming laptops in India. View deal here.
Victus by HP Ryzen 5 FHD Gaming Laptop
Price – Rs 76,020.00 Deal Price - Rs 64,990.00
The Victus by HP Ryzen 5 5600H 16.1-inch (40.9 cm) FHD Gaming Laptop comes with a 5th Gen AMD Ryzen 5 5600H processor that is ideal for gaming. The laptop has a 16.1" diagonal, FHD display and has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650. The gaming laptop is one of the best offerings available on Amazon India. It comes with Realtek Wi-Fi 6 (2x2) and Bluetooth 5.2 combo and supports Miracast. View deal here.
HP Pavilion Gaming 10th Gen Intel Core i5 15.6-inch gaming laptop
Price – Rs 81,869.00 Deal Price - Rs 62,990.00
HP Pavilion Gaming 10th Gen Intel Core i5 15.6-inch laptop comes with 8 GB DDR4-2933 MHz RAM, upgradeable up to 32 GB. The gaming laptop has 256 GB PCIe NVMe M.2 SSD + 1 TB 7200 rpm SATA HDD. Powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 Ti graphics, the laptop has an Ultra Violet backlit keyboard. It has a 15.6" diagonal, FHD display with 1920 x 1080 pixels resolution. The powerful gaming laptop comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home with lifetime validity. View deal here.
Acer Nitro 5 11th Gen Intel Core i5-11400H 15.6-inch FHD 144Hz Gaming is upgradable to Windows 11. Powered by an Intel Core i5-11400H processor with 8 GB of DDR4 system memory, upgradable to 32 GB and is meant for gaming enthusiasts. The gaming laptop has a cool and stylish body and is powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 with 4GB of dedicated GDDR6 VRAM. The laptop has a 15.6" display with IPS technology. View deal here.
Lenovo Legion 5 AMD Ryzen 5 Gaming Laptop
Price – Rs 91,790.00 Deal Price - Rs 63,990.00
Lenovo Legion 5 AMD Ryzen 5 4600H 15.6-inch Full HD IPS Gaming Laptop has 4th Gen AMD Ryzen 5 laptop and comes pre-loaded with Windows 10 Home with Lifetime Validity. The gaming laptop is ideal for gaming enthusiasts and has 8 GB RAM DDR4-3200 which is upgradable up to 16 GB. The laptop has 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD. It has a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) Wide Viewing Angle display. Powered by NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6 Dedicated Graphics the gaming laptop is one of the best. View deal here.
Dell 15 (2021) i5-11400H Gaming Laptop
Price – Rs 1,16,331.00 Deal Price - Rs 86,990.00
Dell 15 (2021) i5-11400H Gaming Laptop is upgradeable to Windows 11. The gaming laptop is powered by an 11th Generation Intel Core i5-11400H processor, with 16GB DDR4 3200MHz memory and 512GB M.2 PCIe NVMe Solid State Drive storage. The laptop has a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) 120Hz 250 nits WVA Anti- Glare LED-Backlit Narrow Border Display. Powered by NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX 3050 Ti (4GB GDDR6) graphics, the laptop is equipped with Game Shift Technology. View deal here.
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 AMD Ryzen 5
Price – Rs 82,490.00 Deal Price – Rs 53,990.00
Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 AMD Ryzen 5 laptop is powered by a 4th Gen AMD Ryzen 5 4600H processor. It comes with a pre-Loaded Windows 10 Home with Lifetime Validity. The gaming laptop has powerful specifications, including 8GB RAM DDR4-3200, Upgradable up to 16GB and 512 GB SSD storage. The laptop has NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1650 4GB GDDR6 Dedicated Graphics. It has a 15.6" Full HD (1920x1080) display with a 60 Hz Refresh Rate. View deal here.
The Amazon Great Indian Festival 2021 sale ends on Nov 2, 2021, and brings to you amazing deals on premium mobile phones. Amazon India has partnered with ICICI and Kotak to give additional discounts to customers on credit/debit card transactions and EMI options. Buyers will get extra cash backs, discounts, and EMI options on purchases. Amazon India is offering up to 40 percent off on top high-cost mobile phones. You also get a chance to get added benefits like free screen replacement, exciting exchange offers, and discounted prices. Here are the best deals on premium smartphones below.
Find the best deal on premium smartphones below.
OnePlus 9 Pro 5G
Price – Rs 64,999.00 Deal Price - Rs 60,999.00
OnePlus 9 Pro 5G smartphone has a Quad rear camera which is co-developed by Hasselblad. The OnePlus phone has a 16 MP front camera. The phone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Processor with Adreno 660 GPU. It has a 6.7 Inches Fluid AMOLED Display. The stylish pone is loaded with features and runs OnePlus Oxygen OS based on Android. View deal here.
Apple iPhone 11
Price – Rs 49,900.00 Deal Price - Rs 42,999.00
Apple iPhone 11 is one of the best premium phones with a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD LCD display. It has a Water and dust-resistant body and can survive under 2 meters of water for up to 30 minutes. The dual-camera system on the iPhone 11 has 12 MP Ultra-Wide and Wide cameras which are capable of recording 4K video up to 60fps. The phone has a 12 MP TrueDepth front camera and supports Face ID for secure authentication. The phone is available at the best price on Amazon India. View deal here.
Apple iPhone XR
Price – Rs 47,900.00 Deal Price - Rs 32,999.00
Apple iPhone XR has a 6.1-inch Liquid Retina HD LCD display. The phone has an IP67 rating and a water and dust-resistant body. It has a single 12MP Wide camera and comes with features like Depth Control, Smart HDR, Portrait Lighting, and 4K video up to 60fps. The 7MP TrueDepth front camera system can take clear images and selfies. The iPhone XR has a Face ID for secure authentication. It runs on A12 Bionic with a second-generation Neural Engine. Get the best deals on Apple iPhone XR on Amazon India. View deal here.
OnePlus 9 5G
Price – Rs 49,999.00 Deal Price - Rs 46,999.00
OnePlus 9 5G Triple rear Camera setup is Co-Developed by Hasselblad. It has a 48 MP main camera and a 16 MP Front Camera. The phone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Processor with Adreno 660 GPU. It has a 6.55 Inches Fluid AMOLED Display with a 120 Hz refresh rate. The phone runs on OnePlus Oxygen OS based on Android 11. Amazon Great Indian festival sale 2021 brings the best deals on premium phones. View deal here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold3 is a stylish new phone with a 7'6" Infinity Flex Display and an Under Display Camera. It has a dynamic AMOLED 2X with an Adaptive Refresh Rate. The Cover Display on the phone is a 6.2” Infinity-O Display. It is compatible with S Pen Fold Edition and S Pen Pro as well. The 5G Ready powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-Core processor can handle all tasks, gaming, web browsing, etc. with ease. The one-of-a-kind phone is the ultimate premium phone. It has an IPX8 Rated for Water Resistance and a Corning Gorilla Glass Victus display protection. View deal here.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G
Price – Rs 99,999.00 Deal Price - Rs 88,999.00
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 Octa-Core processor with 8GB RAM. It has 256 GB of internal memory and runs on the Android operating system. The phone has a Dual Rear Camera Setup and a 10 MP Front Camera. It has a 6.7" Dynamic AMOLED 2X FHD+ Infinity-O Display. It has a 1.9” Super AMOLED 60Hz cover display and is backed by a 3,300 mAh battery. The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip3 5G phone is one of the best premium phones available in India. View deal here.
Mi 11X Pro 5G
Price – Rs 47,999.00 Deal Price - Rs 39,999.00
Mi 11X Pro 5G smartphone has a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G with Kryo 680 Octa-core processor. The phone has a 108 MP Triple Rear camera with 8 MP Ultra-wide and 5 MP Super macro. It has a 20 MP Front camera as well. The phone has a 120Hz high refresh rate FHD+ 6.67-inch display. Backed by a 4520 mAH large battery with 33W fast charging the phone can handle gaming, web browsing, etc. with ease. View deal here.
iQOO 7 Legend 5G
Price – Rs 44,990.00 Deal Price - Rs 39,990.00
iQOO 7 Legend 5G smartphone is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G Mobile Platform with Adreno 660 GPU. The phone has 48MP OIS Main camera with a Sony IMX598 sensor. It has a 6.62 120Hz AMOLED Display with a 300Hz Touch Sampling Rate. The device comes with a powerful 66W FlashCharge Technology. View deal here.
The Indian gaming landscape has seen a sea change over the past five years. With mobile internet penetration having broken world records and with every Tom, Dick and Harry owning a smartphone these days, it’s no wonder that mobile gaming took off faster than PC or console gaming. 94% of the gamers in India can be classified as Mobile Gamers, 9% are PC gamers and console gamers bring in the rear with 4%. Obviously, there’s a bit of overlap here. The interesting aspect is that a lot of the upcoming PC gamers are those upgrading from being just mobile gamers. When you realise that a gaming PC with a powerful NVIDIA RTX graphics card, a superb high-refresh rate monitor offers you a more enriching gaming experience, it’s but obvious to want to build a gaming PC for oneself.
And where there are more gamers, there are also more streamers, shoutcasters, memeing maestros and other forms of content creators. Some of these tasks can be easily done on a smartphone such as making memes. But for streamers and shoutcasters, a good PC that can run the game and handle the streaming software simultaneously, is of utmost importance. Playing on a PC that stutters while gaming is no fun, and trying to shoutcast for a game which is stuttering on your PC makes for an equally unpleasant experience. So the need for good hardware is accepted by all, gamers and streamers alike.
2020 was a huge year for gamers and content creators in India. If you were to sort out the list of top streamers across the globe by views, then 6 of the top 10 streamers in the world are from India. That’s how big the Indian gaming community is. Another interesting fact about these six streamers is that most of them were or are professional eSports gamers. Most of them started out in the midst of the PUBG craze but have since then upgraded to PC gaming.
Speaking of eSports, we’ve seen a lot of major events coming to India. 2019 alone saw not one but three major gaming tournaments of international repute held in India. The prize pool for eSports titles went up by 180% in 2019 and it’s only going to climb higher. So the Indian eSports community is growing at an exponential rate and more gamers are realising the importance of getting the right hardware for the video games that they play. They understand that a good PC with a powerful graphics card and processor coupled with the appropriate amount of memory is required to game properly. They understand that a powerful gaming PC needs to be paired with a capable gaming monitor that can render all the frames coming from the graphics card in time. They understand that a high refresh-rate monitor coupled with a gaming PC will give them the upper hand in an eSports title. Essentially, they understand that frames win games.
NVIDIA GEFORCE RTX graphics cards have several unique features that not only enhance the visual fidelity of video games but also reduce the overall system latency and make games feel more responsive. And you don’t need to be an eSports professional to realise how much latency matters to gamers. NVIDIA Reflex is one of the newest technologies to be introduced by NVIDIA for the benefit of gamers. Here’s how it helps.
NVIDIA Reflex to the rescue
Game developers have to account for a wide assortment of hardware combinations when building PC games. There’s little chance that gamers are all running the exact same configuration using the exact same set of PC components bought from the exact same set of brands. So when you have to factor in so many different combinations, you can’t really optimise your game for every combination out there. As a result, you’ll end up giving little leeways. These leeways then have other impacts, one of them being higher system latency.
This is where NVIDIA Reflex comes into the picture. NVIDIA Reflex is a collection of technologies which help gamers and game developers measure system latency and take appropriate actions to improve the same. Getting your hardware to talk to each other in the right fashion is NVIDIA Reflex’s job. Here are all the technologies within NVIDIA Reflex at a glance:
NVIDIA Reflex SDK - A software development kit for game developers to implement a low-latency mode and other features within their video games. These include - Reflex Low Latency Mode, Low Latency Boost, Reflex Low Latency Mode UI, In-Game Latency stats, and Reflex Latency Analyzer Flash Indicator. Apex Legends, Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Call of Duty: Warzone, CRSED F.O.A.D., Destiny 2, Enlisted, Fortnite, Kovaak 2.0, Mordhau, Rainbow Six: Siege, Valorant and Warface are the games that have currently incorporated it.
NVIDIA Reflex Low Latency Mode - Boosts responsiveness by getting the CPU and GPU to work in an optimal fashion so that the GPU does not have waste time while pushing out frames to the display.
Low Latency Boost - Overrides the power saving feature within the GPU to allow the GPU to run at higher clocks, especially with CPU-bound games.
Reflex Low Latency Mode UI - A graphical in-game overlay that provides gamers stats such as Render Latency, Game to Render Latency, Client FPS and Game Latency.
Reflex Latency Analyzer Flash Indicator - A flashing box that can be placed anywhere on the screen. This box flashes in response to your mouse clicks and provides a clear and very visible indicator that can be used to measure latency.
NVIDIA Reflex Latency Analyzer - A feature in select 360 Hz G-SYNC gaming monitors that enables measuring end-to-end system latency.
How does NVIDIA Reflex help?
To understand this, we need to look at the entire process that each action has to undergo before you see the reaction within the game. It starts with the moment you press the left-click button on your mouse to the time your in-game character shoots their weapon.
End-to-End System Latency - This is the total time taken per frame from the very first input given via a keyboard or mouse to the final output seen on your monitor.
Peripheral Latency - Time delay resulting from the hardware and firmware within the mouse.
PC Latency - Time involved by all components of the PC to react to your action and then send out the proper response via the GPU.
Game Latency - Latency within the game engine when it updates positions of various animate and inanimate objects within the frame which is then sent to the graphics API runtime.
Render Latency - Once the graphics API receives the updates from the game engine, it will send the same into the GPU render queue. Render latency involves the delay within the render queue and the actual render process within the GPU.
Display Latency - The time taken when the GPU is feeding each ready frame to the display, line-by-line as per the refresh rate of the display. Which will then be processed by the monitor and then each pixel is activated to the corresponding value from the frame.
All of the above work together in a linear fashion with some amount of parallelism. To better visualise the same, we can take a look at the render pipeline of a typical game. Here we’re looking at four simultaneous frames of a video game being processed across different stages of the render pipeline.
It should be understood that not every frame requires a human input to be generated which is why even if you are not moving within a game, the entire game continues to run and the display continues to be updated. The very first frame is ‘Frame 4’ followed by ‘Frame 3’, ‘Frame 2’ and ‘Frame 1’. Let’s look at the CPU, Render Queue and GPU timelines. We can see that there’s plenty of time delay between the processing of two subsequent frames at the CPU level which means that the CPU is making quick work of whatever frames are assigned to it. The CPU then puts frames that it is done processing into the render queue. The render queue then feeds the GPU. At both these stages, we see there’s no waiting time between two subsequent frames. This tells us that the workload is GPU bound i.e. the GPU is the bottleneck. And this is where NVIDIA Reflex comes into the picture.
NVIDIA Reflex empties the Render Queue and the game is able to time the CPU workload so that it keeps pace with the GPU. This way the CPU doesn’t run off ahead of the GPU. Another benefit of delaying the CPU work is that peripheral inputs can be sampled at the very last moment. So that leads to a reduction of peripheral latency as well. Overall, you experience very low latency and that improves your gameplay experience. Here are some benchmark numbers from NVIDIA to showcase the impact of NVIDIA Relfex.
It can be seen that the impact varies across different video games and depends on how the game developers implement NVIDIA Reflex SDK. Certain games such as Valorant show significant improvement that could aid eSports professionals to gain an advantage over the competition.
Now if you were to take the enormous latency reduction made possible with NVIDIA REFLEX and pair that with a high-refresh rate monitor, then you can get even better latency reduction. Here’s a simple graph showcasing the amount of latency reduction you can get by pairing an NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX graphics card that’s capable of dishing out high framerates in modern games, with a high refresh-rate NVIDIA G-SYNC monitor. You stand to reduce latency by up to 60%.
We understand that some concepts are better explained with a video, so here’s a video to help you understand how NVIDIA Reflex works with a practical example.
Now that you’ve understood how NVIDIA Reflex helps gamers, let’s look at where you can upgrade your gaming experience.
UPGRADE WITH AORUS
You now know how a PC powered by the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX graphics card can really improve your overall gaming experience. However, the graphics card is but one of the many components that make up a gaming PC. Aside from the graphics card, you also have the processor, motherboard, RAM, storage, power supply and cooling. Sure you can head to any store and grab one of each and there’s a good chance that you’ll end up with a functional PC but is it the most optimal way of going about it? Will such a PC play the games that you want to play at the right resolution and provide enough FPS for a smooth gaming experience? Will the cooling be sufficient to ensure none of the components keep hitting their thermal limits? Is the monitor good enough to make the most of the graphics card’s prowess? There are many such concerns that need to be addressed when you’re considering building a gaming PC. An easy way to tackle this concern is by simply getting a gaming PC that has been configured by experts who will pick the right hardware as per your requirements. They’ll even assemble the entire system and ensure that all the hardware is functioning properly.
#UpgradeWithAorus is an initiative conceived by GIGABYTE to help gamers find the right hardware. Under the #UpgradeWithAorus initiative, GIGABYTE has partnered with several well-known PC hardware stores across India and launched an promotion campaign – ‘AORUS Gamer Days’ to provide gamers with some exiting exclusive bundle offers where gamers can get Paytm vouchers up to INR 10,000. One can avail these offers here.
But what if you are a streamer? You need a much beefier CPU to handle streaming and gaming at the same time and having a powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX GPU to make use of NVENC for encoding your streams will make your streams seem even better. Worry not, AORUS Gamer Days campaign has some offers for you as well.
GIGABYTE AORUS has worked with streamers and gaming influencers in the recent past where they have created some unique builds with NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX GPUs. You can check out the latest Creator Build they had build for Techno Gamer - https://ift.tt/3xIGegG.
No matter which popular game you’re into, there will always be a #UpgradeWithAorus build powered by the latest NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX graphics card to provide you the best possible experience. Over the next couple of weeks, as part of the AORUS Gamer Days, you can reach out to any of the following online stores to grab an #UpgradeWithAorus exclusive bundle and get cashbacks.
Intel has officially announced their 12th Gen Alder Lake hybrid desktop processors during their Intel InnovatiON virtual event. These new processors are built using the Intel 7 process (previously known as Intel 10nm Enhanced Super Fin process) and utilise a hybrid architecture that includes powerful P-Cores to handle demanding workloads and efficient E-Cores to handle less intensive workloads. Intel hopes to win back the desktop CPU performance crown with the help of Alder Lake CPUs that boast of having enough power to take the single threaded performance crown while also providing decent multithreaded performance on account of the E-Cores. In fact, Intel claims that just the E-Cores on the 12th Gen Core processors can provide similar multithreaded performance at 1/4th the power of their older 11th Gen Intel Core processors. The top of the line Intel Core i9-12900K will feature 8P and 8E cores which total up to 24 threads (only the E-Cores feature multi-threading) and will have 20 PCIe Gen 5.0 lanes. All Alder Lake desktop processors will require LGA1700 motherboards and as of launch, there will only be the top-of-the-line Z690 chipset based boards available for sale. The Intel Core i9-12900K will be priced at USD 589 which works out to be around INR 44,182 (direct conversion) or INR 52,135 (if you factor in taxes). The launch lineup does not include Core i3 entry-level processors so budget builds will still have to resort to either AMD Ryzen 3 CPUs or Intel 10th Gen Core i3 CPUs.
Intel 12th Gen Core Desktop Processors
The Intel 12th Gen desktop processor lineup will only have six processors at launch. This includes two each under the Core i9, Core i7 and Core i5 segments. This leaves out budget PC builders for the second time in a row since even the 11th Gen Rocket Lake launch did not include any Core i3 processors. Here’s the full lineup of Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake processors.
Amazon India has announced the Amazon Great Indian Festival sale 2021. The sale brings you amazing deals on several categories including electronics. Enjoy extra discounts on purchases made with CITI bank debit and credit cards as well as EMI transactions.
Here is the list of the best gaming keyboards deals.
Check out the best deals0 on Gaming keyboard Amazon India below.
Cooler Master CK550 V2 Gaming Mechanical Keyboard
Price – Rs 8,699.00 Deal Price – Rs 7,280.00
Cooler Master CK550 V2 Gaming Keyboard has RGB Backlighting which gives numerous lighting modes and effects. The keyboard has an aluminium coated minimalistic design which has been built with functionality in mind. The keyboard has durable mechanical switches rated for 50 million+ keypresses. It utilizes function combos to adjust settings while on the move. It has a low-friction cloth that keeps you comfortable during long gaming sessions. View deal here.
HP Omen Sequencer 2VN99AA Optical Mechanical RGB Gaming USB Keyboard
Price – Rs 10,999.00 Deal Price – Rs 7,499.0
HP Omen Sequencer 2VN99AA Optical Mechanical RGB Gaming USB Keyboard has optical-mechanical blue switches that allow a 0.2 ms response time which is 10 times faster than traditional mechanical switches. The keyboard has backlit keys which provide 16.8 million RGB colours and give exceptional effects, which are all customizable from the Omen command centre. You can customise the 5 dedicated macro keys on the device. View deal here.
HP GK600YS Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Price – Rs 9,998.00 Deal Price – Rs 6,699.00
HP GK600YS Mechanical Gaming Keyboard has a good build quality. The Mechanical Gaming RGB Keyboard has an elegant & minimalist design which is made out of an aluminium alloy panel that presents a durable design that holds up to the demands of everyday computing. It offers a variety of light effects that are dazzling and exciting. Amazon India offers the best deals on gaming keyboard. View deal here.
Cooler Master Devastator 3 Gaming Keyboard is powered by USB 2.0. it has 7 Colour LED Backlit Mode. The keyboard has an Avago 3050 Optical Gaming Sensor with 4 DPI Settings. The gaming keyboard has 6 multimedia keys which provide instant access. It has laser etched and grip coated keycaps and anti-slide rubber pads on the bottom side. The gaming keyboard is available at a great price on Amazon. View deal here.
GAMDIAS 7 Colour Backlit Gaming USB Mechanical Keyboard
Price – Rs 7,000.00 Deal Price – Rs 2,695.00
GAMDIAS 7 Colour Backlit Gaming USB Mechanical Keyboard has certified mechanical blue switches that feature a 50 million actuation lifecycle. The keyboard has a Neon Light Spectrum with 7 colours backlight design. It has an elegant metal plate mechanical keyboard for added durability. The keyboard has an N-key rollover and the compact 87 tenkeyless keyboard has space-saving which makes the keyboard and mouse closer. Get the best deal on the gaming keyboard on Amazon India. View deal here.
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-05 Titan Wired Gaming Keyboard
Price – Rs 1,099.00 Deal Price – Rs 849.00
Cosmic Byte CB-GK-05 Titan Wired Gaming Keyboard is a cool and affordable gaming keyboard with some unique features. It has anti-ghosting and scratch-resistant keys which are easy to clean. The rainbow backlit keyboard is very responsive and allows you to play all games with ease. It has 4 level brightness settings. The slim and sleek keyboard has an aluminium body. It has multi-function Hotkeys. The Scratch-Resistant Keys have a 10 million Keystroke Life. It has a 1.6 meter long Braided Cable with a USB Interface. The keyboard has a design with drain holes for accidental spill protection. View deal here.
HP Omen 2VN99AA
Price – Rs 14,999.00 Deal Price – Rs 7,999.00
HP Omen 2VN99AA has customizable keys including 5 dedicated macro keys to your go-to moves. The keyboard is very durable and lightweight and is made with an anodized aluminium frame. The keyboard has dedicated keys for play, pause, skip, and mute. It has an oversized metal roller bar that can be used to regulate the volume. The keyboard helps you proficiently manage your cables and enjoy extreme convenience with a built-in USB. View deal here.
Amazon India has announced the Amazon Great Indian Festival sale which brings the best prices on electronics. Purchase gaming mouse at a discounted price and enjoy additional cashback and instant discount on purchases made on CITI bank debit and credit card transactions. We have curated the list of the best Gaming mouse Amazon that will help you up to your game.
Check out the best deals on Gaming mouse on Amazon India below.
Logitech G102 Light Sync Gaming Mouse
Price – Rs 1,995.00 Deal Price – Rs 1,495.00
Logitech G102 Light Sync Gaming Mouse offers you a chance to play in colour with the most vibrant and dynamic light sync RGB which features colour wave effects that are customisable across 16.8 million colours. It has an 8,000 DPI sensor. The gaming mouse is comfortable to play with and gives you total control over your gameplay. It has a 6-button layout with a standard gaming shape. The primary buttons on the gaming mouse are mechanical and tensioned with durable metal springs for reliability. It comes with Logitech G HUB gaming software which makes the mouse more responsive. Check out the best gaming mouse India. View deal here.
Logitech G 304 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse
Price – Rs 3,795.00 Deal Price – Rs 2,495.00
Logitech G 304 Gaming Mouse has a hero mouse sensor that gives up to 10x the power efficacy. It has excellent precision and receptiveness. The mouse has ultra-fast Lightspeed wireless technology which provides a lag-free gaming experience. The G304 is very responsive and has an amazing 1ms report rate for high-level performance. It provides an unbelievable 250 hours of nonstop gameplay on a single AA battery. View deal here.
Zebronics Zeb-Transformer-M Optical USB Gaming Mouse
Price – Rs 549.00 Deal Price – Rs 449.00
Zebronics Zeb-Transformer-M Optical USB Gaming Mouse has 7 Colours LED Effect. It has a high-quality button, high precision and gold-plated USB. The mouse includes buttons for DPI, forward and backward. It has a compact and ergonomic design. The gaming mouse is designed for gamers who want the perfect fusion of high DPI, as well as precision gaming along with LED lights. It has an ergonomic design that provides comfort for long hours. It is intended to work on all surfaces and comes with a plug and play installation. View deal here.
Redgear A-15 Wired Gaming Mouse
Price – Rs 799.00 Deal Price – Rs 599.00
Redgear A-15 Wired Gaming Mouse is compatible with all PCs, laptops, notebooks, etc. It has multi programmable buttons which are durable and have a semi honeycomb design for a better grip. The gaming mouse allows you to experience a DPI change of up to 6400. It is equipped with customizable RGB mode. The gaming mouse has a grade sensor for quick movements. It has extra-durable switches and enhanced build quality to increase the durability of the mouse. View deal here.
Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury Wired Gaming Mouse
Price – Rs 2,895.00 Deal Price – Rs 1,995.00
Logitech G402 Hyperion Fury Wired Gaming Mouse comes with a fusion engine that delivers one of the highest gaming mouse tracking speeds of up to 500 IPS. You can customise your mouse or enjoy the default configuration. The gaming mouse lets you shift through up to four DPI settings, from pixel-precise targeting to super-fast moves. Amazon India brings you the best deals on a gaming mouse. View deal here.
Razer DeathAdder Essential - Right-Handed Wired Gaming Mouse has 5 hype response buttons that are independently programmable. The Hype response buttons give you advanced controls for a competitive edge. The Razer Mechanical Switches last up to 10 million clicks and offers a longer lifespan and are extremely reliable. Razer is one of the most famous and recognized gaming mice on the globe. Get the best prices on Razer mice on Amazon India. View deal here.
Lenovo Legion M200 RGB Gaming Wired USB Mouse
Price – Rs 2,113.00 Deal Price – Rs 899.00
Lenovo Legion M200 RGB Gaming Wired USB Mouse is meant for beginners and amateur PC gamers. It has an ambidextrous comfortable design, which is affordable in price but uncompromised in functionality and performance. The mouse has a 5-button design, and up to 2400 DPI with 4 levels DPI switch. It has a 7-colour circulating backlight. The easy-to-use device can be set up without complicated software. View deal here.
Amazon Great India Festival 2021 sale brings you the best deals on the purchase of electronics in India. The sale offers a chance to buy the top hair straightener machine in India at a discounted price. Amazon has also partnered with CITI Bank to offer additional discounts and cash bank to customers on purchases. Here are some of the best deals available on Amazon India.
Check out the best hair straightener price on Amazon India.
PHILIPS HP8643/46 Straightener
Price – Rs 2,140.00 Deal Price – Rs 1,605.00
PHILIPS HP8643/46 Straightener is the best product to straighten your hair in a jiffy for a party, office or get together. The product takes seconds to heat time and is ready to use in 60 seconds. It has a gentle drying power that delivers beautiful results. The hair straightener & Dryer has a 1.6 m cord. The gadget has a narrow concentrator for focused airflow. Check out the best deal on Amazon India. View deal here.
AmazonBasics Hair Straightener (ABHSTPR2023) with Ion Function
Price – Rs 1,500.00 Deal Price – Rs 1,239.00
AmazonBasics Hair Straightener has a wide 28X110 mm ceramic coating plate for smooth gliding function. It is perfect for short hair and has floating plates that can move to adjust the pressure on the hair and reduces the chance of split ends. The hair straightener has adjustable temperature knob control from 120℃ to 230℃. The hair straightener has an on/off switch with a power light. The device heats up fast and is ready to use in 30 secs of switching on. It is made of premium quality materials and is equipped with a PTC heater for safety and durability. View deal here.
PHILIPS BHS736/00 Kerashine Titanium Wide Plate Straightener with SilkProtect Technology
Price – Rs 2,895.00 Deal Price – Rs 2,198.00
PHILIPS BHS736/00 Kerashine Straightener has amazing Titanium wide plates and comes with the innovative SilkProtect Technology. It has extra-wide straightening plates that have been designed precisely for thick or long hair. The increased plate width can straighten more hair at a time and help you get ready quickly. With SlikProtect technology the device has optimized temperature and minimized damage. The Philips hair straightener has keratin plates with titanium that permits fast heat transmission and smooth gliding over the hair for quick styling and ultimate shine. View deal here.
VEGA Adore Hair Straightener is an affordable hair straightener with 2 Years Manufacturer Warranty. The hair straightener has an ON/OFF Switch with a power indicator light. It has a 1.8 m cord and an easy lock system and a 360° Swivel cord. The Ceramic coated plates ensure your hair is smooth and fizz free. You can enjoy the best prices on the Vega hair straightener on Amazon India. View deal here.
Havells HS4101 Ceramic Plates Fast Heat up Hair Straightener
Price – Rs 1,395.00 Deal Price – Rs 849.00
Havells HS4101 Hair Straightener comes with a 2-year guarantee. It has ceramic-coated layers that make hair frizz-free. There is an LED indicator and a 45 seconds quick heat-up feature which allows you to get ready quickly. The advanced PTC heating element on the hair straightener keeps you safe. It has the highest temperature 210 degrees Celsius and an 18m long power cord. Amazon India offers the best prices on the Havells hair straightener. View deal here.
VEGA 3 in 1 Hair Styler, Straightener, Curler & Crimper
Price – Rs 1,799.00 Deal Price – Rs 1,098.00
VEGA 3 in 1 Hair Styler is a powerful styler which comes with a straightener, curler and crimper all in one. It has an easy lock system and a 360° Swivel with a 2-meter cord. The hair straightener has a 3 in 1 hair styler (Straightener, Curler, and Crimper). It has ceramic coated plates and comes with a styling Switch - One switch for all styles. It is the perfect glam tool for you. Check out the price of professional hair straighteners on Amazon. View deal here.
Intel’s plans to regain process leadership got a shot in the arm when their new CEO, Pat Gelsinger stepped in and laid down several measures to be implemented. A good chunk of these was unveiled at the Intel Accelerated Event held in July this year. We got to see the roadmap that Intel has laid down for itself to achieve the smallest process node in 2025. The roadmap outlines a very aggressive strategy with rapid jumps from one node to the next one while leveraging some of their existing technologies while also incorporating newer ones. And not only will Intel reap the benefits of the improvements to their process technologies but under their IDM 2.0 strategy, external customers will also get to build their silicon at Intel’s foundries. Let’s take a closer look at Intel’s plans.
Intel Roadmap - Five process nodes in four years
Intel like most of the other silicon manufacturers, such as TSMC and Samsung, has its own naming system. Transistors nodes were named as per the length of the transistor gates in the past but since the transistors have grown smaller, each manufacturer went ahead with their own naming systems. And since there is no industry standard as such, we’re left to simply draw parallels between the process nodes of one manufacturer with that of the other. Intel’s 14nm process was more in line with Samsung and TSMC’s 10nm processes and their newer 10nm Super Fin is close to Samsung and TSMC’s 7nm. At the Intel Accelerated event, Intel went ahead and renamed its existing and upcoming nodes. This includes naming their future nodes using Angstroms instead of Nanometers.
The current node, i.e. 10nm Super Fin (previously considered 10+) will remain as is. However, its successor, the 10nm Enhanced Super Fin (10ESF) will now be referred to as Intel 7. And its 7nm node will be called Intel 4. Similarly, 7+ becomes Intel 3, 5 becomes Intel 20A (A stands for Angstrom). And after 20A comes 18A which is still under development.
From a marketing perspective, this renaming is a huge bonus. Intel’s nodes previously seemed to be catching up even when they had process superiority back in the era of the 22nm and 14nm. This was because the competition process nodes had smaller numbers despite have similar transistor densities. With this new renaming, Intel flips that around and makes it seem like they have process superiority even if the transistor densities would be similar. Here’s a little table to summarise the naming scheme changes.
Old Node Name
New Node Name
Year
Type
10
10
2019
FinFET
10+
10 Super Fin
2020
FinFET
10 Enhanced Super Fin
7
2021
FinFET
7
4
2022
FinFET
7+
3
2023
FinFET
5
20A
2024
Horizontal Nanosheets
5+
18A
2025
Horizontal Nanosheets
We can see that there is a new process node being put into production. Some of the products are already known to us. Alder Lake i.e. Intel 12th Gen Core processors will be the first to be built on the new ‘Intel 7’ node and the same will be used in the Sapphire Rapids products coming to the data centre in 2022. ‘Intel 4’ will be used in Meteor Lake and Granite Rapids, and so on. Each new node will bring with it a lot of improvements and it’s easier to summarise them in a point-wise fashion.
Intel 10 SuperFin (10SF)
Currently used for Tiger Lake, Xe-LP (SG1, DG1), Xe-HPC Ponte Vecchio
Intel 7 (Previously 10 Enhanced SuperFin)
10-15% more performance-per-watt over 10SF
Will be seen in 12th Gen Core Alder Lake (2021) and Sapphire Rapids (2022)
Intel 4
20% more performance-per-watt over ‘Intel 7’
Will see EUV lithography being used
WIll be seen in 13th Gen Core Meteor Lake (2023) and Granite Rapids (2023)
Intel 3
18% more performance-per-watt over ‘Intel 4’
Denser higher-performance library over ‘Intel 4’
Increased use of EUV lithography
Increased intrinsic driver current
Optimised interconnect metal stack
Ready in the latter half of 2023 and used in products in 2024
Intel 20A
Will switch from FinFET to Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets (Intel calls these RibbotFETs)
Will introduce a Backside Power Delivery mechanism called PowerVia
Ready in the first half of 2024
Intel 18A
Ready in the first half of 2025
Up until 20A, everything is progressing normally with improvements being made to the way FinFETs are being used in building smaller and denser process nodes. FinFET’s limitations will be realised at that point and the industry as a whole will move towards using Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets.
Intel RibbonFET
Every manufacturer likes to call Horizontally Stacked Gate-All-Around Nanosheets using a different term. The industry knows them as GAAFET or Gate-All-Around-FET but Samsung uses the term Multi-Bridge Channel FET or MBCFET whereas TSMC will continue to stick to FinFETs well into their 3nm process so they haven’t revealed what they would be calling it. Intel will use the term RibbonFET. The technology isn’t new. In fact, the first-ever GAA-FET was demonstrated back in 1986. But making GAA-FET small enough and packing them in a dense structure took more than three decades.
RibbonFET uses Ribbon-shaped channels which are surrounded by the gate on all sides, hence, gate-all-around. This enables much better control and helps archive a higher drive current at all voltages. So transistors can switch faster and that inevitably means that performance gets a bump. The following images might help you better understand where the benefits lie.
On the left, we have a typical FinFET design and on the right, you’ve got GAA-FET. In FinFET, you’ve got the gate interfacing with the channels on three sides whereas, with GAA-FET, even the fourth side makes contact with the gate. This results in the higher level of control that we previously mentioned.
The benefits of RibbonFET become more apparent as you scale the designs. With FinFETs, you can scale by increasing the number of fins which inadvertently increases the area used by the transistor. Whereas with RibbonFET, you can add stack another ribbon in the same space and get a higher drive current. Essentially, you can get more done in the same space.
So if processors need to grow smaller and silicon manufacturer’s need to keep Moore’s Law alive, then GAA-FET is the way to go.
Intel PowerVia
Another interesting technology being introduced in the Intel 20A process is Intel PowerVia or what the industry calls Backside Power Delivery. Traditional silicon chip manufacturing consists of layers upon layers of metal and other substances. The communication interface and power supply for these chips are given from the same surface. We’ve seen how a delidded processor looks like, it’s just a package slapped onto a substrate. On the inside of these chips, you’ve got all the different layers. When the power supply comes in from the topmost layer, then by the time it reaches some of the lower layers, it loses out a lot of power because of wire resistances and other parasitic capacitances. The power delivery network has to content for space alongside the signal wires.
This problem is solved by supplying power from the bottom layer and then channelling power to the higher layers using thicker wires or (Through Silicon Via) TSVs. Now chips will have wiring on both sides with signal wires on one end and power wires on the other. The transistors will get sandwiched between these two layers.
With PowerVia, you no longer have the Power Delivery Network (PDN) contending with the signal wires for space. Nor is it that big a source for interference anymore. This leaves room for the signal wires to be better optimised.
To get more information on RibbonFET, PowerVIA and Intel’s aggressive growth plans, we reached out to Intel with a few queries. Deemanth Nagaraj, Intel Fellow was more than accommodating while answering our queries. Here’s what Intel had to say.
Digit - What are the challenges that PowerVia is meant to resolve? Is it explicitly linked to RibbonFET or are the two independent of each other?
Intel - PowerVia will be an industry-first deployment of a backside power delivery network technology when it is introduced with Intel20A. It significantly reduces the need for power routing on the front side of the wafer by bringing power in from the backside, making more resources available for optimizing signal routing and as a result, reducing signal delays. The overall result is a performance boost at the IP block level and a reduction in power leakage.
PowerVia is independent of RibbonFET, which is Intel’s implementation of the Gate All Around transistor. We expect to test PowerVia on earlier nodes to ensure this groundbreaking technology is fully ready before it ramps in volume with Intel 20A in 2024. We also expect first product for PowerVia to be a leadership client solution.
Digit - ASML announced a delay of 3 years (https://ift.tt/3ijkZ0o) for their High-NA machines to hit production. Will that affect Intel's 20A or 18A plans?
Intel - We can’t comment on speculative reports. We can say that Intel is positioned to receive the first High NA EUV tool in the industry, and we are driving to enable its introduction in 2025. We have a very strong partnership with EUV equipment leader ASML, and our plans to stay on the leading edge of EUV usage are well underway.
Digit - The plans to return to process leadership seems to be quite aggressive. On top of that, you're also reducing the cadence cycle and going back to tick-tock. Isn't it an extremely risky move if you wish to release client products on newer nodes every year? Or would we see fewer client launches to allow for more time to iron out each node?
Intel - Intel continues to compete and win in our core PC market with a steady drumbeat of highly competitive CPU and platform innovation. We are laser focused on delivering a predictable yearly cadence of innovation and are well on the path to get back to our “tick tock” momentum.
The roadmap we’ve shown at Intel Accelerated is one of the most detailed roadmaps we’ve ever provided for process and packaging technologies and it shows a better than yearly cadence: 5 process nodes in 4 years! We have funded the R&D and capital for the teams and are taking all the right steps to ensure we execute at this incredible pace.
Digit - Continuing with the previous question, what kind of risk mitigation strategies (backporting?) are you implementing to ensure that your launch cycles are on schedule?
Intel - We are embracing the industry as never before in areas like equipment, EDA and research:
• We’re collaborating across our equipment suppliers to make sure we are leveraging the best from the industry. This includes a deep partnership with ASML on EUV, both in fully embracing EUV for Intel 4 and staying on the leading edge of EUV with our swift adoption of High-NA, the next major technology change on the EUV roadmap.
• We’re adopting industry-standard approaches where it makes sense, like industry-standard EDA tools and models.
• We’re building on our partnerships with leading research organizations, such as IBM, IMEC and Leti. This combined with our own components research gives us confidence that we are on very solid footing.
The ecosystem support we’ve demonstrated shows the confidence our customers and partners have on the predictable cadence that Intel is now on – including deep technical validation from customers, like the announcement with Qualcomm.
Digit - How are thermals being managed on chips using Backside Power Delivery? Is it more of an offset because the node becomes more efficient, or do you have to make changes with the way you package the chip for production?
Intel - Thermal management is a key element in all packaging configurations and is determined based on a number of inputs – die floorplan, interconnect architecture, die thickness, package configuration, to name a few – and PowerVia power delivery is one of those elements that is input into the thermal design point (TDP) calculation. Thermal solutions are ultimately determined by the best combination of thermal interface materials and system cooling solutions that meet the customer’s need. Our assembly technology is designed to be flexible so that our customers can optimize their products to manage TDP, footprint and cost. This is a key element of our IDM 2.0 strategy and one reason why we believe we have an advantage over the competition in packaging.
The 13th Gen Intel Raptor Lake-S CPU specifications and lineup has leaked online and it looks rather impressive. Only a few days ago, information about the 12th Gen Intel Processors surfaced on the web which referenced a Core-i9 12900k beating an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X in multi-core performance. However, the 13th Gen Intel Raptor Lake-S CPU brings even more stuff to the table.
Intel Raptor Lake-S CPU Leak Specs
As per the leak by AdoredTV, The Intel Raptor Lake-S lineup is coming in October 2022 and will compete with the AMD Zen4 architecture. Intel's Raptor lake will share the same LGA 1700 socket as its predecessor Alder Lake. The 13th Gen Intel Raptor Lake CPUs could feature powerful Raptor Cove cores in addition to power-efficient Gracemont Cov cores. The Raptor lake CPUs will most likely have a higher IPC rating, improved frequency and better performance per watt relative to Alder Lake.
The 13th Gen Intel CPUs will feature powerful Raptor Cove cores for higher performance and a higher number of Gracemont Cove cores for delivering higher efficiency. As a result, the top-spec 13th Gen Intel Core i9 "K" series CPU will have 24 cores and 32 Threads, which is essentially double the cores compared to 12th Gen.
As per the report, the 13th Gen Core i7 will have 16 cores/24 threads. The "K" variant of the Core i5 will have 14cores/20threads (6 Raptor cores and 8 Gracemont cores), however, the S version will feature an SKU with 14 Core/24 thread (6 Raptor cores and 8 Gracemont cores) along with a 10 core/16 threads SKU (6 Raptor cores and 4 Gracemont cores).
The 13th Gen Core i3 will come with 4 cores and 4 threads (4 Raptor cores). Lastly, the ultra-low-power Pentium CPUs feature a 4 core and 4 thread setup (2 Raptor cores).
The "K" series CPU will have 125W of maximum TDP. The mainstream SKUs will consume 65W and the power-efficient T-series CPUs will only require 35W of power.
Every "Core" Intel processor will launch with Iris Xe graphics featuring 32 execution units for higher-end and 24 or 14 units for low powered CPUs.
In terms of clock speed, the 13th Gen Intel Raptor Lake-S CPU will feature a 200MHz additional clock speed, pushing it to a record 5.6GHz. Additionally, the Intel Raptor Lake-S CPUs will also have support for 5600MHz RAM speed and up to 6500MHz for LPDDR5X RAM.
The higher number of efficiency cores in Raptor lake will make mobile CPUs more effective in terms of battery life. It'll be a direct blow to Apple's M1 chip which currently offers one of the highest battery backups in Macbook Air and Pro if the leaks are true.
Keep in mind that Intel Alder lake and Raptor lake will use 10nm nodes. Meteor Lake is poised to be the first 7nm process from Intel and it is now known as Intel 5. If these leaks are true then the future looks bright for Intel.
