Tech & Hardware 3 Days

Last updated: August 6, 2026, 11:30 AM ET

Storage and Memory Innovations

Silicon Motion unveiled its Mon Titan SSD Reference Design Kit at FMS 2026, aiming to address key challenges in AI storage. The company also showcased its latest storage solutions for agentic AI applications at the same event. San Disk Corporation reported its fiscal fourth quarter financial results, highlighting a leading technology portfolio and establishing data centers as a key growth pillar. Western Digital also announced its fiscal fourth quarter and fiscal year 2026 financial results. Kioxia and San Disk jointly unveiled their 10th-generation 332-layer QLC NAND with interface speeds of 4.8 Gb/s. Sandisk and SK hynix have released the first OCP Technical Specification for High Bandwidth Flash, advancing global standardization.

HighPoint launched the Rocket 7602L, a bootable dual-port PCIe Gen 5 M.2 add-in card. Marvell introduced the Bravera SC6 SSD controller, designed for PCIe Gen 6 NVMe SSDs to meet the demands of AI infrastructure and hyperscale data centers. Microchip Technology, partnering with Micron, demonstrated a high-performance PCIe Gen 6 storage architecture, integrating Microchip's Switchtec PCIe Gen 6 switches. NVM Express has published a set of NVMe specifications that enhance security, manageability, and sustainability. Lekuo has released the South Bridge Max PCIe 4.0 Multi-Function Expansion Card, an add-in card for I/O expansion.

Synology launched its new Disk Station neo+ Series lineup, including the DS1825neo+, DS1525neo+, DS925neo+, and DS725neo+, featuring more accessible memory configurations for customization. Acer's FA300 2 TB SSD is noted for its PCIe Gen 5 capabilities, delivering speeds up to 11 GB/s with efficient power usage and strong real-life performance despite its DRAM-less design. Samsung showcased its latest AI memory innovations at Future of Memory and Storage (FMS) 2026, including its next-generation 3D-Memory vision. CXMT has reportedly entered risk production for LPDDR6 memory chips, reaching speeds of 12.8 Gbps and achieving parity with industry leaders like Samsung and SK hynix.

New Hardware and Peripherals

Arctic has announced "The Arctic Promise," a price rollback program for its U.S. direct-to-consumer sales channels following the repeal of import tariffs. ASUS released a major update for its Display Widget Center software, introducing AI agent-ready controls for compatible ASUS and ROG displays. Jsaux GAMING announced Voidjoy, a new sub-brand dedicated to gaming controllers and accessories. AGON by AOC unveiled the CQ32G4ZA, a 31.5-inch curved gaming monitor featuring a 1500R Fast VA panel and Triple Refresh Rate technology. CHERRY is expanding its security portfolio with the new Smart Board 1150 and Smart Terminal ST-1150. Sharkoon launched the Rebel P20 Gen 2 power supply, an ATX 3.1 compatible unit with Cybenetics Gold certification.

GIGABYTE officially launched the AORUS P1600W 80+ Titanium Modular PCIe 5.1 AI TOP power supply, designed for enthusiast PC builds and local AI applications. Club 3D launched the CAC-2509, the first fully passive 9-meter-long USB4 cable. Sharkoon also launched the Pure Writer W100 keyboard, combining the series' typing feel with modern gaming features. MSI unveiled an exclusive "DRACO EPIC EDITION" hardware and peripherals suite to celebrate its 40th anniversary, inspired by dragon mythology. Motherboard manufacturers ASUS GIGABYTE, and MSI are reportedly increasing motherboard prices in Q3 due to declining sales and rising component costs.

Corsair announced its acquisition of Trak Racer's assets, integrating the sim racing brand into the Fanatec Family. Corsair also expanded its everyday gaming lineup with three new keyboards and an ergonomic wireless mouse. Akko celebrated its 10th anniversary with new European product releases and a showcase at IFA 2026, emphasizing the connection between productivity, creativity, and personal expression in desktop life.

Nextorage Japan released the NX-F2AE series of SDXC UHS-II memory cards, meeting Video Speed Class V90 specifications for professional video creators. Nothing announced the CMF Clip Pro open-ear earbuds, designed for an ergonomic and natural listening experience during active lifestyles. Pwnage has released the Vanta, a lightweight wireless gaming mouse featuring what the company describes as the world's first mechanically adjustable click geometry. The Pulsar eS FS-1 ambidextrous mouse, developed with VAXEE, features the Pulsar XS-1 sensor, optical switches, and 8000 Hz polling rates. OpenMouse, a new open-source, browser-based control panel for gaming mice, has been announced and aims to support a wide range of gaming mice.

Computing and AI Advancements

NVIDIA has brought its RTX Neural Texture Compression (NTC) technology to Windows, significantly reducing VRAM usage from 6.5 GB to 970 MB in testing. Huawei unveiled its 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. Microsoft is retroactively removing the 32 GB RAM recommendation for Windows 11 from its documentation, now emphasizing 8 GB as the standard. Microsoft has also officially denied accusations of running a new background tracking service on Windows.

D-Wave, known for its quantum annealers, is now also producing gate-based hardware, marking a new entry in the quantum computing race. NEO Semiconductor launched its NEO.AI memory platform, designed to address significant challenges in advanced AI and memory technologies. TSMC is reportedly holding approximately $1 billion worth of Apple chips while awaiting DRAM delivery from Apple's suppliers for integration. TSMC is targeting 100,000 N2 wafers per month by the end of 2026, having already achieved a milestone of about 20,000 wafers per month on its 2nm node.

GIGABYTE is reportedly increasing GPU prices in Japan by 20% to 40%, depending on the specific model, according to Japanese hardware distributor CFD-BIZ. NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 50 series is rumored to face a price increase of approximately 20-30% in South Korea. Electronic Arts officially returned to private ownership after nearly 36 years as a public company, following an announcement in September 2025. Stormcraft PC launched its new Valkyrie Series gaming desktops, available through multiple online retailers.

Connectivity and Infrastructure

SpaceX claims Starlink Mobile service will offer superior performance compared to AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, planning to deploy small base stations across the US rather than large cell towers. EVgo has begun building Tesla Superchargers under license, with V4 Superchargers expected to appear in Tesla's navigation app and feature both NACS and CCS1 plugs. Texas has paused data center connections to its power grid due to overwhelming demand, a move that comes as the state's governor has touted it as an AI "epicenter".

Silicon Labs announced the BG2B, its lowest-power Bluetooth LE SoC, designed to enable developers to create smaller and more efficient wireless devices. Apple's iPhone sales are reportedly experiencing a significant slowdown, with a reduction of 10 million units from initial forecasts.

Industry and Market Trends

Samsung continues to hold the lead in the DRAM market share, with Micron reportedly gaining ground, according to a Counterpoint Research report for the second quarter of 2026. AMD announced its financial results for the second quarter of 2026, reporting revenue of $11.5 billion, a gross margin of 54%, and operating income of $2.0 billion. GIGABYTE is reportedly implementing GPU price hikes in Japan ranging from 20% to 40% depending on the model.