Tech & Hardware 3 Days

Last updated: August 5, 2026, 5:30 PM ET

Storage and Memory Innovations

Sandisk Corporation reported its fiscal fourth quarter financial results, closing fiscal year 2026 with a strong technology portfolio and establishing the datacenter as a key growth pillar. Western Digital Corporation also announced its fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results for the period ending July 3, 2026, concluding the year with strong performance. Kioxia Corporation and Sandisk Corporation unveiled their next-generation Quad-Level-Cell (QLC) 3D flash memory technology, the 10th-generation 332-layer QLC NAND, featuring interface speeds of 4.8 Gb/s. Kioxia Corporation and Sandisk Corporation also announced the release of the HBF (High Bandwidth technical specification through the Open Compute Project (OCP), aiming to advance the workstream for High Bandwidth Flash. Lexar has introduced a new THOR RGB DDR5 Gen 2 32 GB memory kit for the Chinese market, consisting of two 16 GB DDR5 modules running at 7,200 MT/s, priced at $592.

NEO Semiconductor announced the launch of NEO.AI, its next-generation AI memory platform designed to address significant challenges in AI and memory technologies. Samsung Electronics showcased its latest AI memory innovations at Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2026, detailing its next-generation 3D-memory vision. Kioxia Corporation announced it will exhibit the KIOXIA XL1 series, a Compute Express Link (CXL) compatible memory expansion module, at FMS 2026, designed for AI workloads. Kioxia America, Inc. also announced the KIOXIA GP1 Series PCIe 6.0 NVMe SSD, the first product in its KIOXIA GP Series of Super High IOPS SSDs optimized for GPU direct access. Silicon Motion Technology Corporation announced it will showcase its latest next-generation storage solutions for Agentic AI Applications at FMS 2026.

Samsung continues to lead the global DRAM market share, with Micron reportedly catching up, according to Counterpoint Research's Global Memory Tracker for the second quarter of 2026. Chinese memory maker CXMT has reportedly entered risk production of the latest LPDDR6 memory, reaching parity with Samsung and SK hynix with 12.8 Gbps memory chips. CXMT is also reportedly planning a second DRAM fab in Beijing to boost output amid high demand for its memory products. Apple is reportedly struggling to secure DRAM, with CXMT allegedly rejecting negotiations.

New Processors and Computing Platforms

Huawei has unveiled its latest Mate Book Pro laptop, featuring a homegrown Kirin X90 Plus SoC and operating system, priced at 9,999 RMB for the base model with 24 GB of RAM. AMD announced financial results for the second quarter of 2026, reporting revenue of $11.5 billion, a gross margin of 54%, operating income of $2.0 billion, and net income of $2.0 billion. AMD's latest "Zen 6" microarchitecture was unveiled at the Advancing AI event, promising improvements in 1% low frame rates and in-game stuttering. AMD has released patches for its RDNA 5 GPU IP, enabling the Display Core Next (DCN) 6 display engine. D-Wave, known for building quantum annealers, is now also producing gate-based quantum computing hardware.

Audio and Display Technology

ESS Technology unveiled the ES9292PRO, a fully integrated audio SMART CODEC designed for applications demanding the highest fidelity. MSI announced the PRO MAX OLED 271UPJW12, the world's first 27-inch 4K 120 Hz Inkjet-printed (IJP) OLED monitor. The UPERFECT BE22BQ features a 22-inch QHD IPS panel with 10-point touch and a fold-flat kickstand, offering USB-C and mini-HDMI inputs.

Gaming and Peripherals

Electronic Arts is officially back to private ownership after nearly 36 years in the public markets, following an announcement in September 2025. Corsair announced it has acquired the assets of Trak Racer, a global manufacturer of sim racing equipment, expanding its offerings for gamers and sim racing enthusiasts. Corsair also expanded its everyday gaming lineup with three new keyboards and an ergonomic wireless mouse. MSI unveiled an exclusive product lineup to celebrate its 40th anniversary, inspired by the legendary dragon Draco. MSI also announced the global availability of the Crosshair A16 HX MLG Edition, a distinctive white gaming laptop.

GameSir announced the Game Sir Tarantula 8K PC wired esports controller, featuring an 8000Hz polling rate and Gen-2 TMR sticks. Pwnage has unveiled Vanta, a lightweight wireless gaming mouse with mechanically adjustable click geometry. Pulsar released the ambidextrous, 59g Pulsar eS FS-1 mouse, featuring the XS-1 sensor, optical main button switches, and 8000 Hz wired and wireless polling. OpenMouse, a new open-source, browser-based control panel for gaming mice, aims to support a wide range of gaming mice.

Networking and Connectivity

SpaceX plans to offer Starlink Mobile, aiming to provide service superior to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon by utilizing small base stations across the US. Club 3D released the CAC-2509, the first fully passive 9-meter-long USB4 cable. ASUS ROG launched a 10 Gbps Ethernet USB dongle for users needing faster networking on PCs without spare PCIe slots or on laptops.

Enterprise and Data Center Solutions

Marvell introduced the Bravera SC6 SSD Controller for PCIe Gen 6 NVMe SSDs, essential for AI infrastructure, cloud platforms, and hyperscale data centers. Microchip Technology demonstrated an end-to-end PCIe Gen 6 storage architecture, combining Microchip's Switchtec PCIe Gen 6 switches with high-performance Micron storage solutions. NVM Express released all 11 NVMe specifications, incorporating new features for enhanced security, manageability, and sustainability. HighPoint Technologies launched the Rocket 7602L, a bootable dual-port PCIe Gen 5 M.2 add-in card. Lekuo released the South Bridge Max PCIe 4.0 Multi-Function Expansion Card (PB65MX3) for I/O expansion.

Other Hardware and Announcements

Microsoft is retroactively removing documentation recommending 32 GB of RAM for Windows, now emphasizing 8 GB. Microsoft officially denied running a new background tracking service on Windows. EVgo has begun building Tesla Superchargers under license, with V4 Superchargers featuring NACS and CCS1 plugs. SpaceX is set to acquire 130,000 acres of marshland in southern Louisiana for a potential launch site.

The 2026 Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport X, a 721-hp hybrid, offers significant upgrades but comes at a high cost. The 2026 Volkswagen Jetta Sport, priced at $25,305, remains one of the few new cars available at a lower cost. Tesla's Shanghai factory is experiencing high demand, but its long-term relationship with China remains uncertain.

The Atlantic hurricane season is forecasted to be outside the envelope of anything previously observed, according to models. Hank Green found an AI problem that YouTube labels are unable to catch. An AI-supervised remote exam resulted in 58,000 students needing to retake it due to an increase in top scores by five times. A US company's AI is enabling Ukraine's drones to track targets independently, with a $100 million deal providing 50,000 drones with these capabilities.

Microsoft is increasing the prices of its Xbox gaming consoles by up to 43% in the United States, Europe, and the United Kingdom starting August 1st. Microsoft's internal roadmap indicates the "Disc to Digital" feature for Xbox One and Series X will be generally available this month.

TSMC is targeting 100,000 N2 wafers per month by the end of 2026, having recently achieved a milestone of approximately 20,000 wafers per month on its 2nm node. Apple is one of the largest supply chain operators, yet it is struggling amid current market conditions. GIGABYTE is reportedly implementing GPU price hikes ranging from 20% to 40% in Japan. NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 series is rumored to see a price increase of about 20-30%. Motherboard manufacturers like ASUS, GIGABYTE, and MSI are facing declining sales and rising component costs, leading to planned price increases in Q3.