There are major changes coming in the memory interface world, and recent interest in AMD and Nvidia’s plans to adopt the new High Memory Bandwidth standard make this a good time to explain the three new standards: Wide I/O, HBM, and HMC. Let’s kick things off with a basic question — why do we need new memory standards in the first place?(despite 8 Gigs of ram being present. Sony and Microsoft console APU's are still memory constrained. Here are some future answers to fix the problem).
Despite Microsoft's experience in hardware manufacturing, I don't trust it not to fumble its first gaming handheld device which may eventually lead to a successor not getting released.
Unless it has some fature that really makes it standout I don't think someone who wants a handheld will pick it when the Switch 2 is just around the corner and the Steam Deck offers a huge library with much better prices worldwide
Especially since the existing PC handhelds (Steam Deck, ROG Ally, etc) can already run Gamepass. I don't have a Steam Deck yet, but I did see Forza Horizon 5 already running pretty well on it natively, so I'd imagine most XBox exclusives on Steam would run pretty well too. The most Microsoft could do is try to brute force a more expensive, higher power handheld. I doubt it would do well if that were the case.
This has been my point. It’s too little too late, and there are too many options out now that can already do the same thing with similar or better tech, in a similar price-range. A best case scenario for them is slightly above Steam-Deck performance at $100 less, but that’s not a huge selling point for anyone who has already jumped into the handheld PC market, and people still on the fence. Or go the other route of as cheap as possible but making it a streaming only device around $199.
It would do well and reach over 1m sold just because of the Xbox branding, but their consoles are already selling less and less (by the looks of it), so I don’t see a handheld being this great savior for them.
They simply need to rebrand one of the Surface tablets into the device with dedicated controls and more gaming focused, and call it a day instead of heavily investing in a handheld
I'm guessing Xbox Wireless will be a streaming system like PS Portal. And yes I fully expect their portable Xbox to be given a really stupid name like "Wireless." Maybe even a dumber name like the Xbox Series W.
Doesn't make much sense to have a handheld that is locked down to the Xbox ecosystem when the PC handheld can run everything. I'm sure the same people that bought the Xbox fridge will give Microsoft their free money though.
Microsoft handheld Qualcomm based... you will see it next year... and you will see it sink.
Initial investigations will weigh the significance of any data theft.
— hack may have uncovered future product details
China/Russia plain and simple. Chinese are producing their own chips and to catch up they do what they have always done……steal it. When you can’t innovate, stealing is your best friend.
Sony Interactive Entertainment has announced that it is ending the Sony Rewards program on December 31, 2024, and as a result that date will be the last time possible to redeem points and access your account.
This is a shame. I've been using it since the start. It had a few problems and issues but overall I did end up saving a little bit over 60 dollars using this program. There was probably not enough people using it.
This is not playstation stars. Sony Rewards is a US rewards program linked to a visa credit card.
I just checked... I have 144 points at the moment. Not even enough to get a $5 PS card. I can get a $1 digital gift card to Target or home Depot though.
I thought they were been done with this, I redeem some good stuff with this in the past. Wonder how much i got its been awhile
I've gotten so many free games throughout the years w this program, this sucks. I've been with it since the beginning.
I just run a majority of my needed purchases through it and pay it off immediately instead of using cash or debit. The most recent was on Tuesday I got a $10 dlc free. It was great as long you're not borrowing out large amounts of money that you don't have.
Realistically, those weren’t free games. You could have used another cards rewards points or bought Sony products on sale and then used the savings to buy PlayStation games.
Well there was a large boost on any purchase made on PSN, so there was an incentive to use over other cards' rewards. It used to be better, then they lowered it. I forget the exact multiplier though.
I pretty much got this $10 DLC free this week just by resubbing my PS+ Premium. (On sale during Days of Play) Not a lot of other cards would give that much back
Right. I can do the same thing with my credit card rewards, but I have much more flexibility in what I can redeem those points for, including buying PS games.
i remember getting Assassin creed black flag for free with Redeeming my Points for 10 dollars when it was on sale this is very sad news.
I actually believe that was one of my first cashouts on the program! haha
I remember I had just gotten the PS4 and I used it on Black Flag or Battlefield 4 to go with it.
I'm pretty sure I remember it being Black Flag though! (Great choice, as it became my favorite AC of all time)
Interesting article a little technical but they explain how it effects APU's imbedded in present Xbox1 and PS4.
Great article. If you want to understand hardware better go to a site like this. I've been going there since they started.
Apu wise this will be huge and could unlock gpgpu computing to low end systems like consoles while offering a true jump over what we currently have. Something tells me this stuff will not be ready in time for the new consoles yet console makers could offer an upgrade path. Account based ownership of software can actually make a high end console possible for a $200 down and service packages for around $20-80 a month. Maybe lower?
Very interesting tech we have coming over the horizon.