Computers
AMD announces Ryzen Z1 chips for handheld PC gaming
First on ROG Ally

The specs have already leaked and the ROG Ally is being officially announced on May 11. So, it comes as no surprise that AMD has finally officially announced the AMD Ryzen Z1 and Ryzen Z1 Extreme processors. This pair of chips is powering the much-anticipated handheld console from ASUS, the ROG Ally.
Let’s get technical
So, what is the Ryzen Z1 series bringing to the table? AMD says it features up to 8 cores and 16 threads with the efficiency of “Zen 4”. Zen 4 is a CPU microarchitecture designed by AMD found in their Ryzen 7000 series of processors.
What does that mean for devices equipped with it? Stunning visuals, long battery life, and just a satisfying portable, high-performance gaming experience. The AMD RDNA 3 architecture-based graphics is built right in. That ensures smooth rendering of graphics-heavy games.
Like any gaming-centric AMD-powered device, you can customize your experience with the AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition. Features like AMD Radeon Super Resolution2, Radeon Chill, Radeon Image Sharpening3, AMD Link4 can boost performance and improve battery life.
The new processor series also supports USB4. This means ease of connectivity to peripherals like external storage and display devices, as well as the latest LPDDR5 and LPDDR5X memory standards.
Ryzen Z1 — 8 Cores, 16 Threads; 12 AMD RDNA 3 compute units; 24MB cache
Ryzen Z1 Extreme — 6 Cores, 12 Threads; 4 AMD RDNA 3 compute units; 22MB cache
What else does it work with?
The AMD Ryzen Z1 series is not just for gaming. It’s compatible with Windows 11 and other operating systems. That means popular social and productivity software will also work on devices equipped with it.
Availability
AMD Ryzen Z1 processors will be available first in the Asus ROG Ally. More information about the Asus ROG Ally availability and pricing will be announced by Asus on May 11.
We asked AMD if we can expect the processors to appear in other handhelds. As of writing, they have yet to respond. We’ll update this space once they do.
SEE ALSO: ASUS ROG Ally price just leaked


The WWDC 2023 Keynote was packed with incredible new updates to iOS, iPadOS, tvOS, watchOS, and macOS.
Apple announced new hardware including a 15-inch MacBook Air and M2 Max/Ultra-powered Mac Studio and Mac Pro.
But the most ambitious product they’ve ever created? The Apple Vision Pro.
Apple is clear that this isn’t just an AR Glasses. The Vision Pro is the company’s “first spatial computer”.
But how does it even look and feel IRL?
This is our first impressions of the new Apple Vision Pro — plus our YouTuber friends’ reactions.

Not the sexiest of updates from WWDC 2023, but macOS Sonoma is bringing in features that serve form and function.
The updates include more interactive widgets, ‘stunning’ moving wallpapers, and much, much more.
Interactive Widgets
Users can place widgets right on the desktop and conveniently access the widget gallery. Widgets blend seamlessly with the wallpaper while users work in apps. iPhone widgets will also be useable on their Mac thanks to Continuity.
Smarter Video Conferencing
Presenter Overlay, a new video effect, elevates a user’s presence by displaying them on top of the content they are sharing. There’s also Reactions that lets users share how they feel by seamlessly adding balloons, confetti, hearts, and more into the video. It can be triggered by a hand gesture.
Safari Updates
Private Browsing provides even greater protection both from trackers and from people who might have access to the user’s device. It helps prevent websites from tracking or identifying the user.
Profiles help users stay organised by offering a way to separate browsing between topics, while also keeping cookies, history, extensions, Tab Groups, and Favourites separate.
Stunning Screen Savers
macOS Sonoma brings stunning screen savers featuring slow-motion videos of various locations worldwide. These include the sweeping skyline of Hong Kong, the sandstone buttes of Monument Valley in Arizona, and the rolling hills of Sonoma in Northern California.
Games on Mac
Macs with Apple silicon can run demanding games with great performance, long battery life, and breathtaking visuals. To emphasize this point, famed game director Hideo Kojima made a surprise appearance and announced that his game, Death Stranding Director’s Cut, is coming to Mac later in 2023.
Other big games coming to Mac are: Stray, Fort Solis, World of Warcraft: Dragonflight, HUMANKIND, Resident Evil Village: Winters’ Expansion, The Medium, ELEX II, Firmament, SnowRunner, Disney Dreamlight Valley, No Man’s Sky, Dragonheir: Silent Gods, and Layers of Fear.
macOS Sonoma will have Game Mode. It delivers an optimized gaming experience with smoother and more consistent frame rates.It does so by ensuring games get the highest priority on the CPU and GPU.

Acer has expanded the developer tools for its SpatialLabs technology, providing professionals even more avenues to develop glasses-free, stereoscopic 3D experiences when using SpatialLabs Pro devices.
The updates include a SpatialLabs Unity plug-in, a SpatialLabs Pro-certified Acer OpenXR runtime to allow developers to use OpenXR protocols when creating stereo 3D content, and the Acer SteamVR Bridge.
Unity Plug-in
Acer’s Unity plug-in helps to extend its reach to more creators in various fields, including architecture, construction, education, medicine, and more.
Developers can take advantage of the Unity plug-in’s existing tools and verticals to enhance their experiences and help present their models in their true 3D form on Acer SpatialLabs Pro devices, without the need for glasses.
OpenXR Runtime
Meanwhile, OpenXR Runtime is now SpatialLabs Pro devices conformant.
This means XR developers now have the option to choose from Acer’s devices for glasses-free stereoscopic 3D.
They may also take advantage of OpenXR’s cross-platform and high-performance API for faster innovation while utilizing Open XR-compatible apps such as Autodesk VRED 2023 and Blender.
SteamVR Bridge
Lastly, Acer’s proprietary SteamVR Bridge driver is now available for developers of VR applications so they can convert creations on SpatialLab Pro devices for clear and captivating imagery without the need for VR headsets.
The SpatialLab Pro devices may also be used to leverage SteamVR Bridge and NVIDIA Omniverse for more viewing options for enhanced stereo 3D projection of complex graphics, visual effects, and simulations.
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