TechLinked Podcast Summary

Episode: Ryzen 7 9850X3D, Intel Core Ultra "X", G-Sync Pulsar + more!
Date: January 7, 2026
Host: Linus Media Group

Episode Overview

In this energetic CES 2026 edition, the TechLinked team breaks down the latest headlines from the world’s biggest consumer electronics expo. The focus is on new CPUs and AI hardware from AMD and Intel, major gaming and display innovations from Nvidia, quirky and advanced laptop announcements, surprising advances in modular toys (hello, Lego!), health tech, and a wild hacker moment from the Chaos Communication Congress. The episode keeps a playful tone while diving deep into this year’s technological trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. AMD at CES 2026

[00:31–02:09]

• New CPUs:
  • AMD announces the Ryzen 7 9850X3D, claiming it’s now “the new fastest gaming CPU” with only 7% uplift over its predecessor, the 9800X3D.
    • "AMD showed up to CES this year and chose violence against itself... Very meh." (B, 00:35)
  • Laptops get the Ryzen AI 400 series and business-focused silicon for enterprise use.
• AI Everywhere:
  • The "Ryzen AI Halo" mini PC, designed for developers, sports Ryzen AI Max Plus CPUs to compete with Nvidia’s DGX Spark.
  • Ryzen AI P100 embedded processors target “physical AI”—the running joke: “even your fridge will have an LLM by Q3.”
    • "If there's one takeaway from CES 2026, it's that even your fridge will have an LLM by Q3. Great. I've always wanted a fridge that can hallucinate. Stupid sexy fridge." (B, 01:49)

2. Intel’s Panther Lake and Gaming Push

[02:09–04:11]

• Core Ultra Series 3—Panther Lake:
  • Highlight: “first major PC processors built on Intel’s new 18a process node”, aiming for better AI, graphics, and efficiency.
  • Specs: Top SKUs have up to 16 CPU cores and 12 XE3 GPU cores, up to 60% better multi-threaded performance, around 27 hours battery life.
  • "Underscoring Intel’s push back toward being full stack in house Silicon maker." (B, 02:40)
• Gaming Side:
  • No new Arcbeat 770 GPUs, but Xess 3 upscaler is revealed with multi-frame generation.
  • New Arc B390 integrated graphics in high-end laptops: claims of 73% faster performance than AMD’s Radeon 890M.
    • "Sometimes even rivaling discrete laptop GPUs… The Sky's the limit for this little guy. We're really rooting for him." (B, 03:26)
  • Rumors claim Intel is “murdering AMD” for handhelds; host compares Intel to “the Piccolo of the tech world. They're probably raising Nvidia’s son Gohan.” (B, 03:38)

3. Nvidia’s CES—DLSS 4.5 & G-Sync Pulsar

[04:11–05:13]

• DLSS 4.5:
  • Features a second-gen transformer model for “cleaner edges and less ghosting”, plus dynamic 6X frame generation (240Hz at 4K).
  • Improved Super Resolution available for all RTX GPUs, with “250+ games and apps” already supporting frame generation.
• G-Sync Pulsar:
  • New monitors shipping with “variable refresh rate, backlight strobes, and adaptive brightness” for low blur and click response “like a monitor with four times its base refresh rate.”
    • "You got it. G Sync Pulsar is debuting with partners like Acer, aoc, ASUS and msi." (B, 05:04)

4. Laptop Highlights from CES

[08:29–09:38]

• Wild and Powerful Designs:
  • Asus collabs with Kojima Productions: Limited edition ROG Flow Z13 KJP “decked out with Death Stranding art” (“but probably won’t help you bottle your pee.”).
  • Samsung’s Galaxy Book 6: Claimed “up to 30 hour battery life.”
  • Acer Swift Edge: “Giant haptic trackpad.”
  • Schenker’s Panther Lake Element 16: “Semi-modular, easy to upgrade and keep for the long haul—Framework, look out!”

5. Modular LEGO and Tech Toys

[09:38–10:34]

• LEGO Smart Play System:
  • Standard 2x4 brick now includes a 4.1mm ASIC—sensors, RGB LEDs, a speaker, wireless radios, inductive charging.
  • Modular “bricknet mesh” feature allows for real-time reactions and sound effects without a cloud server.
    • "They specifically didn't want AI. They leave that to the fridges." (B, 10:30)

6. Amazon’s ‘Ring’ Mobile Security

[10:34–11:19]

• Ring Mobile Security Trailer:
  • Solar-powered, LTE, six cameras for 360-degree coverage—literally a trailer you park wherever you want.
  • Rolled out with new Elite Multi camera systems and car alarms, all tied together by Amazon’s Sidewalk mesh network.
    • "All in all, seems like most of this would be genuinely useful as long as you're cool with your neighborhood being one big mesh network for Amazon and Ring that you are automatically opted into." (B, 11:17)

7. Hacker Highlight: Chaos Communication Congress

[11:19–12:02]

• A hacker (“Martha Root”) “torched a white supremacist dating site” live, dressed as the Pink Ranger, using an AI chatbot trained for traditional values to “flirt,” collect data, and then run a script to delete the site in real time.
  • "The audience cheered as the servers vanished to the shadow realm. Yeah, get this. LLM in my fridge." (B, 11:54)

8. Quirky and Innovative Health Tech

[12:02–13:07]

• Notable Announcements:
  • C2's Longevity Mirror: Scans your face for a health snapshot (“Mirror, mirror on the wall. Should I give 911 a call?”)
  • IXI’s Auto Focus Smart Glasses: Auto-adjusting prescription.
  • Allergen Alert’s Pocket Minilab: Fast tests for food allergens.
  • Abbott’s Libra Assist: App predicts glucose reactions to foods.
  • Moore’s Taint Band Aid: Wearable to “track sexual performance and sensations for app-based feedback.”
    • "Probably not the only back getting fed. You know what I'm saying? Sex." (B, 13:04)

Memorable Quotes

• “AMD showed up to CES this year and chose violence against itself.” — B, [00:35]
• “If there's one takeaway from CES 2026, it's that even your fridge will have an LLM by Q3. Great. I've always wanted a fridge that can hallucinate. Stupid sexy fridge.” — B, [01:49]
• "They're like the Piccolo of the tech world. They're probably raising Nvidia's son Gohan." — B, [03:38]
• "They specifically didn't want AI. They leave that to the fridges." — B, [10:30]
• “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Should I give 911 a call?” — B, [12:21]
• “Probably not the only back getting fed. You know what I'm saying? Sex.” — B, [13:04]

Important Timestamps

• AMD/Ryzen/AI: [00:31–02:09]
• Intel: Core Ultra & Gaming: [02:09–04:11]
• Nvidia: DLSS 4.5 & G-Sync Pulsar: [04:11–05:13]
• Laptops Galore: [08:29–09:38]
• LEGO Smart Play Tech: [09:38–10:34]
• Amazon Ring & IoT: [10:34–11:19]
• Chaos Communication Congress Hacker Story: [11:19–12:02]
• Health Tech Innovations: [12:02–13:07]

Final Thoughts

This episode delivers TechLinked’s signature snappy news rundown, mixing serious industry coverage with playful takes on the AI craze, quirky gadget debuts, and cybersecurity exploits. Listeners get a comprehensive tour of CES 2026’s most buzzworthy tech—plus a few laughs at the expense of hallucinating refrigerators and taint wearables.