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It's TechLinked we got more tech news than you can shake a stick at. I won't stop you from trying, but you've been warned reviews of Nvidia's GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card went live yesterday, and on the whole, reviewers found it performs about 30% faster than the 4090 without DLSS, which may have something to do with the 30% more cores and 30% more power, but I'm not a scientist. Thankfully, Nvidia was kind enough to only add about 20% to the price, but as Hardware Unboxed points out, that doesn't save the card's cost per frame rating from its spot at the bottom of the charts. Of course, the 5090 also has that fun new DLSS4 with multi frame gen, which can get you absurd results like 600 FPS in Cyberpunk as long as you're okay with some wacky artifacts. Speaking of wack, scalpers are already charging double the 5090s $2,000 MSRP. But if you still really want an RTX 50 Series card, it seems like the RTX 5080 is next on the release schedule, with leaks pointing to a performance boost of around 22%. May if your heart's set on the 5090, though, you should probably know that, as Tech PowerUp noted in their review, Nvidia removed the hotspot sensor from the gpu, a decision they told Derbauer was made because the hotspot metric is no longer accurate and no longer relevant. I mean, for instance, it doesn't count AI frames at all. Intel's been doing some thinking and have come up with a pretty wild idea for making PCs more repairable and less wasteful. What if we made PCs modular? Yeah, I don't know. I just thought about it last night. Okay, Intel's blog post is actually about encouraging more manufacturers to work on modular designs for laptop and compact PCs, taking inspiration from Framework and MNT, which is great. But the article also asks the reader to just imagine an innovative approach that we call desktop modular PC architecture. It's like they hired someone from Apple and immediately Sent them to the blog because yeah, it turns out there's nothing stopping you from building your own laptop right now. Like literal high schooler Byron Huang, who built the custom open source Anyone laptop using the same ARM SOC on a module. From this LTT video, Wong says Linus doing a video on it reaffirmed his decision, which is not okay. Good luck. OpenAI has unveiled Operator, an AI agent available now for ChatGPT Pro subscribers that will use a computer for you, which is perfect for anyone paying the $200 subscription. You probably already have ChatGPT writing all your DMs. How should I tell them I'll be there? You could say I'll be there. Yeah, that's good. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and some other guys demoed Operator in a video showing that you can click the Take Control button if Operator's about to buy a Cybertruck or something. Oh, don't wanna do that. It's a good thing OpenAI released operator. Now it'll distract a bit from R1, an open weight downloadable model from Chinese startup Deepseek that has AI researchers all in a tizzy because it matches the performance of OpenAI's O1 reasoning model. The catch is, thanks to its chain of thought being visible, it'll say straight up that it can't reference anything that's critical of the Chinese government. And then it'll force download TikTok on your phone. I didn't ask for this. I asked for our sponsor, Jawa, the place where you can sell your old graphics card and offset the cost of a new one. Although you might need a couple if you're eyeing the 5090. Okay. All you gotta do is follow the steps on their site to get an instant quote and a free shipping label. What is this? Some kind of online marketplace built just for gamers and PC enthusiasts? Yeah, it is. No more going through the hassle of making your own listing and having to potentially touch grass. It's all online. And it's not just graphics cards. Java will take your old CPUs too. Just go to LMG GG, Selltojawa or click our link in the description today. We're gonna do the quick bits now so you can keep shaking that stick if you really like that. But it's okay, you know, whatever. Epic Games says. The first wave of third party mobile games are coming to the Epic Games Store app on Android globally and on iOS in the EU. And to celebrate, they're bringing their famous free games program, giving away a new one each month. If developers participate in the program. Epic says they'll cover Apple's core technology fee, at least until the European Commission figures out whether Apple is allowed to charge developers €50 cents for every install over a million on third party app stores. Epic's decisions continue to shock me, not because of Tim Sweeney's dedication to open markets, but because of what it implies about how much money people spend on Fortnite skins. I know they're all thinking this helps developers Ayaneo has announced their newest handheld and it packs a cool trick modular controls that let you place hall effect joysticks, six button micro switch pads, and even lettered face buttons wherever you want. It's even got some different screen options and optional button packs. Pretty neat. Hey, were you guys speaking to intel recently? They got some crazy ideas. Xbox held their promised developer direct yesterday, revealing that the Dark Ages will join Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and a handful of other titles in requiring a GPU that supports ray tracing. The game is also single player only because during a demon invasion we shouldn't fight amongst ourselves. Xbox also showed off and gave release dates for the artistically impressive south of Midnight, the brand new Ninja Gaiden 4, and Clair Obscure Expedition 33, which makes up for its horrible name by featuring a character I can only describe as Dollar Store Robert Pattinson. I'm sold. And some users have been reporting getting stuck watching hours long, unskippable YouTube ads. According to a number of posts on the r YouTube subreddit, YouTube truly has gone too far. I mean, look at this person who has served an almost three hour ad. Wait, what is. What is that? Skipping ads? Yeah, it seems like either YouTube might be detecting ad blockers and doing this to punish the user, or some ad blocking tools are erroneously blocking the Skip ad button. Google directed Android authority to their policy limiting unskippable ads to 15 seconds. But we can't prove that this isn't all a prank. And Sundar Pichai didn't send that email and then sit snickering in his chair for a good minute. Maybe it'll be a good minute before we'll be back on Monday for more tech news. And wow. I can't believe I just spread misinformation right to your face. It'll be two days, not a minute, good or otherwise. I'll try to have an apology video up before then. I won't. I did it again.
TechLinked Podcast Summary: RTX 5090 Reviews, Intel's "Modular" Idea, OpenAI Operator + More!
Release Date: January 25, 2025
Host/Author: Linus Media Group
Podcast: TechLinked
Timestamp: [00:22]
In the latest episode of TechLinked, host B dives into the newly released Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card. The RTX 5090 has garnered significant attention, boasting a 30% performance boost over its predecessor, the RTX 4090, even without utilizing DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling). This enhancement is attributed to a 30% increase in both cores and power, although B humorously downplays the technical details:
“...it performs about 30% faster than the 4090 without DLSS, which may have something to do with the 30% more cores and 30% more power, but I'm not a scientist.” [00:22]
Despite the impressive performance gains, Hardware Unboxed points out that the RTX 5090's cost per frame remains low, placing it at the bottom of cost-efficiency charts. Notably, Nvidia has only increased the price by 20% compared to the RTX 4090, keeping the MSRP at around $2,000. However, scalpers have already begun selling the card at double the MSRP, causing frustration among potential buyers.
Timestamp: [00:22]
Looking ahead, B mentions that Nvidia plans to release the RTX 5080 next, which is expected to offer a 22% performance boost. Additionally, Tech PowerUp highlights a significant design change in the RTX 5090: Nvidia has removed the hotspot sensor from the GPU. According to a statement cited by B:
“Nvidia removed the hotspot sensor from the gpu, a decision they told Derbauer was made because the hotspot metric is no longer accurate and no longer relevant.” [00:22]
This removal is controversial as it eliminates a tool that monitored GPU temperature, especially since it excludes AI-generated frames, raising concerns about thermal management and performance monitoring.
Timestamp: [00:22]
Shifting focus to Intel, the episode discusses the company's innovative approach to PC design. Intel has proposed making PCs more repairable and less wasteful by adopting a modular architecture. B explains:
“Intel's blog post is actually about encouraging more manufacturers to work on modular designs for laptop and compact PCs, taking inspiration from Framework and MNT...” [00:22]
This initiative seeks to inspire manufacturers to develop modular components, allowing users to easily upgrade or replace parts of their PCs. An example mentioned is Byron Huang, a high school student who successfully built a custom open-source laptop using an ARM SoC module. However, Linus Tech Tips' Winston lamented:
“...Linus doing a video on it reaffirmed his decision, which is not okay. Good luck.” [00:22]
This reflects some skepticism within the community regarding the practicality and adoption of truly modular PC designs.
Timestamp: [00:22]
OpenAI has introduced Operator, an AI agent designed to assist users by performing tasks through ChatGPT Pro subscriptions. B elaborates on this new feature:
“OpenAI has unveiled Operator, an AI agent available now for ChatGPT Pro subscribers that will use a computer for you...” [00:22]
This tool is marketed as ideal for users who rely heavily on ChatGPT for tasks such as messaging, exemplified by the humorous exchange:
“You probably already have ChatGPT writing all your DMs. How should I tell them I'll be there? You could say I'll be there. Yeah, that's good.” [00:22]
During a demonstration, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman showcased Operator's capabilities, including the ability to take autonomous actions like purchasing a Cybertruck upon user request:
“...you can click the Take Control button if Operator's about to buy a Cybertruck or something.” [00:22]
Timestamp: [00:22]
The episode also touches upon Deepseek's R1, an open-weight AI model developed by a Chinese startup. B notes that R1 matches the performance of OpenAI's O1 reasoning model, stirring excitement among AI researchers. However, the model has a noteworthy limitation:
“...thanks to its chain of thought being visible, it'll say straight up that it can't reference anything that's critical of the Chinese government.” [00:22]
Furthermore, R1 imposes an unusual requirement for users by forcing them to download TikTok on their phones, leading to frustrations:
“And then it'll force download TikTok on your phone. I didn't ask for this. I asked for...” [00:22]
This combination of performance parity and restrictive, politically influenced behavior makes R1 a subject of intense debate within the AI community.
Timestamp: [00:22]
In the quick bits segment, B shares that Epic Games is expanding its reach by bringing third-party mobile games to the Epic Games Store app on Android globally and on iOS in the EU. To celebrate this expansion, Epic is continuing its free games program, offering a new free game each month for participating developers:
“Epic Games says the first wave of third party mobile games are coming to the Epic Games Store app on Android globally and on iOS in the EU...” [00:22]
Additionally, Epic is sponsoring Apple's core technology fee, a move that aligns with their ongoing efforts to promote open markets, despite potential regulatory challenges posed by the European Commission.
Timestamp: [00:22]
Ayaneo has unveiled its latest handheld gaming console, featuring modular controls. B describes the device's flexibility:
“Ayaneo has announced their newest handheld and it packs a cool trick modular controls that let you place hall effect joysticks, six button micro switch pads, and even lettered face buttons wherever you want...” [00:22]
The device offers various screen options and optional button packs, allowing gamers to customize their setup according to personal preferences, enhancing the overall user experience.
Timestamp: [00:22]
During Xbox's recent Developer Direct event, several new titles were announced that require ray tracing-capable GPUs. B highlights the marquee titles:
“Xbox held their promised developer direct yesterday, revealing that the Dark Ages will join Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and a handful of other titles in requiring a GPU that supports ray tracing.” [00:22]
Notably, Dark Ages is designed as a single-player experience to avoid conflicts during narrative-driven missions, encapsulated humorously by B:
“The game is also single player only because during a demon invasion we shouldn't fight amongst ourselves.” [00:22]
Other anticipated releases include South of Midnight, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Clair Obscure Expedition 33, the latter of which features a character humorously described as:
“...a character I can only describe as Dollar Store Robert Pattinson.” [00:22]
Timestamp: [00:22]
The episode concludes with a discussion on user complaints regarding unskippable YouTube ads. Users on the r/YouTube subreddit have reported being stuck watching ads that last for hours, leading to widespread frustration:
“According to a number of posts on the r YouTube subreddit, YouTube truly has gone too far. I mean, look at this person who has served an almost three hour ad.” [00:22]
B speculates on possible reasons, including YouTube detecting ad blockers and retaliating by enforcing longer ads or experiencing glitches where the "Skip ad" button is blocked. Google has clarified its stance by directing Android authorities to their policy limiting unskippable ads to 15 seconds, but skepticism remains:
“Google directed Android authority to their policy limiting unskippable ads to 15 seconds. But we can't prove that this isn't all a prank.” [00:22]
B humorously adds:
“Maybe it'll be a good minute before we'll be back on Monday for more tech news.” [00:22]
Conclusion
The January 25, 2025, episode of TechLinked covers a broad spectrum of technology and gaming news, from the high-performance Nvidia RTX 5090 and Intel's innovative modular PC ideas to OpenAI's latest AI developments and Epic Games' mobile expansion. Additionally, the podcast touches on emerging trends in handheld gaming, upcoming exclusive titles from Xbox, and user frustrations with YouTube's ad policies. With engaging discussions, insightful commentary, and timely updates, this episode serves as a comprehensive roundup for tech enthusiasts seeking to stay informed on the latest industry developments.