Tech & Hardware 24 Hours

Last updated: July 21, 2026, 8:30 AM ET

Semiconductor Market Dynamics and Hardware Updates

DDR5 prices surged 7% in July, reaching new highs as the DRAM shortage is now predicted to last another decade, according to ADATA Chairman Chen L. Meanwhile, NAND Flash shortages are expected to abate by 2027. SK hynix is exploring US fabrication options to help manage what its chairman deems "abnormally high" memory prices that risk creating an overheated market. ASML is considering increasing prices for its Low-NA EUV tools, a move that is reportedly causing dissatisfaction among customers like TSMC. Intel has released firmware updates enabling DDR5-8000 RDIMM support for its Xeon 6+ "Clearwater Forest" and Xeon 6 "Granite Rapids" processors, while its Arc B390 iGPU in Linux 7.2 benchmarks. Intel also released a beta driver for its Arc GPUs, version 101.8864, which addresses several product-specific issues. Samsung Display has begun full-scale supply of tandem OLED laptop panels that meet VESA Display HDR True Black 1400 certification. ARCTIC has updated the packaging and syringe design for its MX-4 thermal paste.

Gaming and Peripheral News

NVIDIA showcased further progress and technical details for its DLSS 5 neural rendering technology at SIGGRAPH 2026. Thermalright has launched the Royal Pretor 130 Vision, a dual fin-stack CPU air cooler. Noctua and Pulsar Gaming Gears have partnered to release the Feinmann F01 Noctua Edition, a gaming peripheral. Wallhack is teasing a new gaming mouse with a swappable battery and an unannounced gaming keyboard. The One XPlayer X2 Mini Pro, featuring the AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 388, is now available for $2,499. In a significant price drop, Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus is available for $55 for a lifetime license, and a bundle offering lifetime access to Chat GPT, Gemini, and Claude is priced at $80. Lenovo will serve as a founding partner for the 2026 Esports World Cup in Paris. Valve continues to express pessimism regarding the pricing of its Steam Machine.

Industry and Business Developments

The Space Force is preparing to purchase up to $30 billion in rocket launches to support increased activity. AT&T has faced a setback in its bid to stop offering basic phone service in California, though it plans to continue seeking regulatory preemption. Midgar, the Nacon-owned studio behind the JRPG Edge of Eternity, has been shut down, adding to the ongoing bad news in the gaming industry. The former writer of Left 4 Dead has criticized PlayStation's backlash over the discontinuation of physical media, a sentiment echoed by concerns over the impact of Sony's disc-free PlayStation plan on the used game market. A Pennsylvania police officer has been charged with oppression and obstruction after allegedly covering his bodycam to photograph nude prisoners. Firefighting drones are in development as part of a California and XPRIZE competition to test their effectiveness in early wildfire suppression. Machine learning algorithms are reportedly negatively impacting the sport of Formula, according to a report concerning the Belgian Grand Prix. GEEOKOM's Geek Book M16 has been reviewed, highlighting its value proposition with a premium metal chassis and color-calibrated display. G.SKILL's Trident Z5 Neo X RGB 6000 CL30 32GB EXPO ULL memory kit, engineered for AMD Ryzen systems, offers ultra-low latency for competitive gaming. Drop Reference, a PC hardware comparison platform, has officially expanded to the United States, following its success in Europe. Microsoft is set to deploy next-generation AMD Instinct GPUs and AMD EPYC processors on Microsoft Azure as part of an expanded strategic partnership. A study by the IEEE suggests that micro-transfer printing can lead to advancements in silicon photonics, a technology being explored for future artificial intelligence applications. The first trailer for Avengers: Doomsday has been released.