TrendingNews

Thursday, October 17, 2024

New insights into the Sun's corona emerge from the first successful detailed magnetic field measurements – crucial for understanding solar eruptions

The Sun’s corona, its outermost atmospheric layer, holds the key to understanding solar activity, including phenomena like solar flares and space weather events. For decades, scientists have grappled with the challenge of measuring the Sun’s coronal magnetic field, as this field drives much of the energy that leads to solar eruptions.

Now, in a groundbreaking achievement, Professor Tian Hui's research team from Peking University, in collaboration with international experts, has made the first conventional measurements of the global coronal magnetic field. Their findings, published in the journal Science (Volume 386, No 6717), offer new insights into the Sun’s magnetic activity over a period of eight months.

The Sun’s magnetic field is responsible for storing and releasing energy, which heats the plasma in the corona and triggers solar eruptions. These eruptions, in turn, can have significant impacts on space weather, potentially affecting satellite operations, GPS systems, and even human spaceflight. However, due to the relatively weak nature of the coronal magnetic field compared to the magnetic field on the Sun’s surface (the photosphere), measuring this field has proven to be a significant challenge.

The importance of coronal magnetic field measurements

As the Sun rotates, there are variations in the magnetic fields and the ability to regularly monitor the Sun’s coronal magnetic field will improve our understanding of solar eruptions and help protect high-tech systems on Earth and in space.

Over the years, there have been routine measurements of the photospheric magnetic field, but the coronal field has remained elusive. This limitation has impeded scientists' ability to fully understand the three-dimensional magnetic field structure and the dynamic processes that occur in the Sun’s atmosphere.

In 2020, Tian Hui's team developed a method called “two-dimensional coronal shocks,” which enabled the first measurements of the global distribution of the coronal magnetic field. This was a major milestone, marking a crucial step towards the goal of routine coronal magnetic field measurements.

More recently, Tian's team refined this method further, allowing them to track magnetohydrodynamic shear waves in the corona with greater precision. This made it possible to diagnose the distribution of coronal density and, as a result, determine both the strength and direction of the magnetic field.

Using the Upgraded Coronal Multi-Channel Polarimeter (UCoMP), the research team conducted detailed observations of the Sun’s corona from February to October 2022. Over this eight-month period, they collected 114 magnetograms, or magnetic field images, which allowed them to observe the evolution of the coronal magnetic field at different altitudes and latitudes across multiple solar rotations. The magnetic field strength measured between 1.05 and 1.60 solar radii and varied from less than 1 gauss to around 20 gauss.

With these measurements, they were able to create a global map of the magnetic field intensity in the Sun’s corona. This map revealed how the magnetic field evolves over time and across different regions of the Sun.

When compared to the predictions of the most advanced global coronal models—such as the one developed by Predictive Science, a U.S.-based company—the team found that their observational data closely matched the model’s predictions in mid- and low-latitude regions. However, they noted larger discrepancies in high-latitude regions and active areas of the Sun.

These findings are critical for improving current models of the Sun’s magnetic activity and understanding the dynamics of solar eruptions. As lead author Yang Zihao explains, the team's observations provide a key foundation for refining and optimizing coronal models, which could eventually lead to more accurate predictions of solar eruptions and their potential impact on Earth’s space environment.

This study marks a shift in solar physics, as the field enters a new era of routine coronal magnetic field measurements.

According to Tian Hui, this achievement is just the beginning. While their current methods allow for the measurement of the magnetic field at the edge of the solar disk, the next goal is to develop techniques that will enable a complete measurement of the entire coronal magnetic field, including the solar disk itself. This will require the integration of other measurement methods and tools, but it represents a critical objective for the solar physics community in the coming decades.

Via Science

China cyber pros say Intel is installing CPU backdoors on behalf of NSA

Hot on the heels of China’s accusations that Volt Typhoon is actually a CIA asset, a group of cybersecurity experts from the Cyber Security Association of China (CSAC) have now claimed Intel products sold in China contain “frequent vulnerabilities and high failure rates.”

CSAC also said Intel products present “serious risks to national security,” alleging the US semiconductor manufacturers installed an NSA backdoor “in almost all” of its central processing units (CPU) since 2008 to create a “next-generation security defense system.”

“This poses a huge security threat to the critical information infrastructure of countries around the world, including China,” CSAC said as part of its accusations on the organization’s WeChat account.

Push to open investigation

The US and China have frequently thrown similar allegations at each other, with US lawmakers recently pushing for greater restrictions to be placed on suppliers passing US advanced chip manufacturing equipment on to Huawei, which the US placed on its entity list in 2019, restricting businesses from trading with the Shenzhen headquartered technology company.

China has also been accused of infiltrating US critical infrastructure to establish a list of targets to strike in the event that war breaks out between the two superpowers. UK government ministers also stated this week Chinese state sponsored threat actors may already have access to UK critical infrastructure.

In a statement posted to WeChat, Intel’s China unit said, “We will maintain communication with the relevant authorities, clarify any concerns, and reaffirm our commitment to product safety and quality” (Via Reuters).

CSAC has also requested the Cyberspace Administration of China launch an investigation into Intel products sold in China for vulnerabilities and backdoors “to effectively safeguard China's national security.”

Everything leaving Hulu in November 2024

When everything new on Hulu in November gets released, it always seems to be a case that the best Hulu movies bear the brunt of the chop, while all the best Hulu shows seem to remain untouched. For November 2024, I'm excited to announce that... history is repeating itself.

Hulu's November 2024 list shows that even the best streaming services have their flaws, and although it's not ideal that Hulu is stripping us of more movies, there are no more than 30 titles leaving the service, which I guess is a silver lining. Unfortunately, that means I have to bid farewell to Hustlers (2019), a fun and entertaining watch and one of my ultimate comfort movies.

But just think about it; the next wave of movies leaving Hulu will make a lot more room for the plethora of Christmas movies that are new to the platform in November 2024. Despite the fact we're still indulging in spooky season, the countdown to Christmas is near.

Everything leaving Hulu in November 2024

Leaving on November 4

American Murderer (movie)

Leaving on November 7

Moonbound (movie)

Leaving on November 12

Catch the Fair One (movie)
The Locksmith (movie)

Leaving on November 14

The Dinner (movie)
Ghost Team (movie)

Leaving on November 16

Adopt a Highway (movie)
Arizona (movie)
Beneath the Darkness (movie)
Bone Tomahawk (movie)
Brawl in Cell Block 99 (movie)
The Cobbler (movie)
Devil's Knot (movie)
I Kill Giants (movie)
Mandy (movie)
Mary (movie)
Once Upon a Time in Venice (movie)
Pay the Ghost (movie)
Plus One (movie)
The Man Who Killed Hitler and then the Bigfoot (movie)
The Rewrite (movie)
Terminal (movie)

Leaving on November 19

Dual (movie)

Leaving on November 25

A Banquet (movie)
Mummies (movie)

Leaving on November 30

A Christmas Winter Song (movie)
Hustlers (movie)
Three Identical Strangers (movie)

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/g7r2FZi

Wednesday, October 16, 2024

iPad mini 7 specs reveal 5 potentially annoying limitations

Now that the dust has settled on Apple's surprise iPad mini 7 announcement, potential buyers have been poring over the tablet's spec sheet with a fine toothcomb – and not all of the findings have been positive.

Yes, the iPad mini 7 is a healthy upgrade for Apple's 8.3-inch tablet – and considering it's been a long three years since the last version, that's something to be celebrated.

But in a few small ways, the mini 7 is also a slightly lackluster update that shows Apple still isn't committed to making a small tablet that can sit at the same table as its two bigger models – the iPad Air 13-inch (2024) and iPad Pro 13-inch (2024).

So, where exactly is the iPad mini 7 slightly underpowered, and should you care about those features at all? Here are the main niggles, based on what we wanted to see when the rumors started building earlier this year.

1. A downgraded A17 Pro chip

A picture of the A17 Pro chipset — (Image credit: Apple)

The iPad mini 7 is more powerful than the iPad mini (2021) thanks to its A17 Pro chip. That spec bump means Apple's mini tablet can now support Apple Intelligence – in fact, it's now the cheapest way to get Apple's AI-powered features.

But, as spotted by Wccftech, that A17 Pro chip isn't actually identical to the one we saw last year in the iPhone 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max. As the iPad mini 7's official specs page shows, its chip has a 5-core GPU rather than the 6-core chip from last year's flagship phones.

This isn't the first time this has happened – when the M2 iPad Air launched earlier this year, Apple later revealed that the tablet has a 9-core GPU rather than the 10-core one that it was originally advertised as having.

Whatever the reasons behind these chipset tweaks, most of us are unlikely to notice a performance difference – a bigger sore point for many is that the iPad mini 7 didn't get the latest A18 or A18 Pro chip for better future-proofing, though that would have also resulted in a price bump.

2. A 60hz screen with no ProMotion

A handy drawing on the iPad mini with the Apple Pencil Pro — (Image credit: Apple)

Given earlier leaks had suggested that the iPad mini 7 would get a screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, it was a slight disappointment for many to discover that Apple's new tablet still has a 60Hz display.

This spec reveals how many times your screen refreshes each second – a higher refresh rate means a smoother scrolling experience. Naturally, Apple has a fancy name for its 120Hz display tech – ProMotion.

However, the base iPhone 16 and iPad Air M2 (2024) also both have 60Hz screens, so its absence on the iPad mini 7 isn't necessarily a major deal. A bigger one could be whether or not Apple has fixed the 'jelly scrolling' issue that some iPad mini (2021) discovered when scrolling in portrait orientation.

At the time, Apple said that the issue was normal behavior for LCD screens, so we're looking forward to testing the new iPad mini 7 to see if there are still any remnants of it.

3. Touch ID rather than Face ID

A hand using Touch ID on the iPad mini 6 on a purple and pink background — The iPad mini 6 (above) added Touch ID for security and the iPad mini 7 has retained the same tech (Image credit: Apple)

Touch ID may be dying out on iPhones, but the iPad mini 7 continues to use the tech for security features like Apple Pay or logging into apps. That's because the new mini has an identical design to its predecessor, aside from a couple of new colors.

With many hoping that the mini 7 might get a Face ID upgrade – like the latest iPad Pro models – that might be considered a slightly retro move. Then again, some iPad users have found that Face ID doesn't work as well on Apple's tablets as well as it does on the iPhone, so its continued reliance on a fingerprint scanner may even be considered a bonus for some.

4. No physical nano-SIM slot

The versions of the iPad mini 7 on a purple and pink background — (Image credit: Apple)

If you prefer your iPads to have a cellular connection, you might be interested to learn that – just like this year's iPad Air and iPad Pro – there's no physical SIM card slot in the iPad mini 7. Yep, it's eSIM all the way.

Is that a bad thing? Not for most people – setting up eSIMs or transferring them to other devices shouldn't be a complicated process, perhaps even quicker than physical SIMs.

But only having that single option can present problems if you like to move your SIMs between devices regularly, as that can involve contacting your network carrier – and as we all know, that process is never quite as simple as it should be.

5. No charger included (in the EU)

The final potential iPad mini 7 niggle, as spotted by MacRumors, is that Apple's new tablet doesn't come with a charging brick in the box in European countries, including the UK.

That isn't a huge surprise – the latest iPad Pro and Air models also ditched the bundled charger in the region, as Apple likely looks ahead to new EU regulations around electronic waste that are due in 2026.

A tiny plus is that the USB-C charging cable that comes with the tablet is now braided to make it more durable and protect it from cat-related incidents. If you live in the US or Australia, you can expect to get the usual 20W USB-C charging brick included.

iPad mini 7 – early thoughts

The camera on the iPad mini 7 next to a hand holding the tablet on a blue and green background — (Image credit: Apple)

Most iPad mini 7 buyers won't consider any of these details to be major issues. While it'd have been nice to get an A18 chip and ProMotion display, that would also have inflated the price tag beyond the tablet's relatively affordable starting point of $499 / £499 / AU$799 (for 128GB of storage).

So while Apple hasn't gone all-out on making a premium mini tablet, it has likely done enough for most fans of the tablet's form factor – namely, future-proofing it with a chip that supports Apple Intelligence, doubling its RAM and base storage, and adding support for the Apple Pencil Pro.

With some other little quality-of-life upgrades like a speedier USB-C port and Wi-Fi 6E also on board, the iPad mini 7 looks more than good enough to be a travel-friendly sidekick for creatives who like digital sketching or editing photos. We'll give you our full verdict soon when we've put one through its paces.

You might also like...

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/YeF8tGf

Micro nuclear reactors are being built that can deliver 5MW of power for up to 100 months, producing a staggering 1.2 petawatt-hours of energy

Nuclear power is increasingly being recognized for its potential to revolutionize energy supply in data centers, a necessity as artificial intelligence continues to drive demand.

Companies like Oracle and Microsoft have both begun investigating nuclear energy (as has former Microsoft chairman Bill Gates), with Microsoft inking an agreement to purchase power from the infamous Three Mile Island reactor.

Micro nuclear reactors are also set to provide clean, safe, and reliable energy to meet the increasing demands of data centers and other industries. We previously wrote how Nano Nuclear Energy is on track to have its first commercial microreactors ready by the early 2030s, with prototypes expected as soon as 2027.

To the moon!

Now, details have surfaced about Westinghouse's eVinci microreactor, after the company revealed it had submitted its Preliminary Safety Design Report (PSDR) to the Department of Energy’s National Reactor Innovation Center (NRIC) and in doing so is the first reactor developer to reach this milestone.

“The completion of the PSDR for the eVinci test reactor is an important step toward enabling a micro reactor developer to perform a test in our DOME facility,” said Brad Tomer, acting director of NRIC.

“As a national DOE program and part of INL, the nation’s nuclear energy research laboratory, NRIC is committed to working with private companies such as Westinghouse to perform testing and accelerate the development of advanced nuclear technologies that will provide clean energy solutions for the US.”

NRIC, a key initiative under the DOE, is dedicated to fast-tracking the development and deployment of advanced nuclear technologies like the eVinci microreactor. Its mission includes establishing four new experimental facilities and two large-scale reactor test beds by 2028, with plans to complete two advanced technology experiments by 2030.

The eVinci microreactor, which Westinghouse says “has very few moving parts, working essentially as a battery,” could be used to provide reliable electricity and heating for remote communities, universities, mining operations, industrial centers, data centers, and defense facilities - and, the company says, even on the lunar surface and beyond.

More from TechRadar Pro

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/CE3Bn7s

Security leaders can't catch a break, with many on the verge of quitting

Stress, cyberthreats and overworking are making cybersecurity professionals want to quit in droves, new research has claimed.

The findings from BlackFrog reveal almost a quarter (24%) of security heads are actively seeking a change of job, with over half (54%) not yet at the quitting point, but open to new opportunities.

Overwhelmingly, stress and demands are the main considerations for security pros looking to quit, with 93% stating these as the main cause of their decision to potentially leave.

Burnout reaching new highs

The report also found CISOs and IT security decision makers are also working overtime in an attempt to keep their business secure, with almost every respondent (98%) stating they work more than their contracted hours.

Of those exceeding their hours, 15% are working more than 16 hours of additional time per week in an attempt to defend against almost constant ransomware and malware attacks. The average security pro was found to put in just over an extra day (9 hours) of work per week.

The reasons given for increased stress mirror the changing threat landscape faced by security professionals, with 42% of respondents voicing their concern about the potential for threat actors to integrate AI tools into their attack vectors, with a quarter of respondents also citing data exfiltration as a top concern. 37% stated the threat of ransomware and malware attacks are a significant source of stress.

When it comes to managing stress, there are some positives. Sport and physical activity is recognized as a means of dealing with stress and complementing overall health, with 86% stating that they allocate time to activities. Sleep, on the other hand, is harder to come by, with only three quarters (75%) stating that they get enough shut-eye.

Despite working significant amounts of overtime, 82% of those surveyed said that they set a clear boundary between their work and private life. The downside however is just under half (45%) have used drugs or alcohol as a way to deal with the pressures of the job, and 69% said that they have been more unsociable.

Help is being offered from the upper management of businesses, with many being offered practical support for dealing with the stress of the job, including flexible hours (64%) and hybrid or remote working for their role (62%).

But security heads still believe that there's more to be done to manage their stress and keep them from quitting, with bigger budgets for security tools (41%) and time prioritization for the things that really matter (40%) stated as additional measures for relieving stress and burden.

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

Renault reveals boxy reimagining of the classic R4, proving that electric SUVs don’t need to be bland and faceless

High on the fumes of lithium-ion battery production, Renault is continuing its trip down memory lane with the unveiling of the Renault 4 E-Tech at the Paris motor show. This retro-inspired crossover is just as nostalgic as the recently released Renault 5 but with added roominess and a workhorse demeanor.

The original Renault 4 of the 1960s was immediately embraced in its home country, as it was used to ferry everything from people to livestock in a robust, reliable package. Like the liberating Renault 5, the R4 sold in its millions.

This new-fangled all-electric version isn’t exactly faithful to the design language of its forefather but instead opts to offer a few subtle nods to the past. For example, there’s a modern take on the original car’s vertical grille and the cheeky rear quarter windows.

Around the back, there’s a more obvious play on the original R4 in the shape of the taillights, while the designers have even added plastic shrouding to the rear bumper, evoking the metallic hooks found on the cars of the 60s.

Renault 4 E-Tech — (Image credit: Renault)

Predictably, it is based on the same AmpR small vehicle platform as the Renault 5, but it features an increased ground clearance (some 1.2cm more than the Captur SUV) and generally improved interior roominess compared to the recent R5 reimagining.

There is more head and legroom for rear passengers, and the boot or trunk space is up to 420 liters, which is an increase of almost 100 liters over the Renault 5.

The French marque has also added lashing hooks, elasticated bands, and cubbyholes for stashing various objects in the back... there’s that utilitarian side coming through.

A neat feature that has been resurrected from the archives is a modern take on the classic canvas roof. Here, a plastic canvas roof can be opened electrically - or by using the AI voice assistant Reno - to act as a sunroof or peeled all the way back like a quasi-convertible.

Although, with roof bars fitted and standard, opening the canvas roof to reveal the bottom of a roof rack or top box probably won’t be as romantic as looking up at beautiful cote d'azur sunshine.

Analysis: Renault is on a roll

With the recent launch of Renault 5, the unveiling of Renault 4 at the Paris motor show and an impending launch of an electrified Twingo (set to be the smallest and most affordable EV in the Renault stable) the French marque is going against the grain and offering style-focused battery electric vehicles that stand out from the crowd and aren’t solely reserved for the wealthiest buyers.

Like Renault 5, the R4 E-Tech will be offered with either 52kWh or 40kWh battery packs, mated to electric motors that develop between 120hp and 150hp. Depending on the size of the battery, the electric range is slated to be either 250 or 186 miles.

A similar infotainment offering is also on the cards, comprising twin 10-inch displays, complete with AI assistant Reno and a premium Harman Kardon sound system. The interior is similarly stylish, relying on soft-touch fabrics and retro-inspired touches to create a premium-feeling ambiance.

Prices haven’t yet been confirmed, but Renault says the 4 E-Tech will be marginally more expensive than the Renault 5, so we can expect prices to start at around £30,000 - or around $40,000/AU$58,500.

With the Kia EV3, the Skoda Elroq, the Dacia Spring and Hyundai Inster all tipped to go on sale next year, Europe is going to be faced with a healthy choice of smaller, more affordable electric vehicles that could finally turn the tide of faltering sales figures and hesitant buyers.

You Might Also Like...

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/desy6tR

Researchers turn to quantum techniques to boost noise-resistant nanoscale wireless communication between chips — a breakthrough that could revolutionize future tech

As computing shifts from single-chip processors to multi-chip systems, traditional communication methods, such as Network-on-Chip (NoC) and Network-in-Package (NiP), are becoming less efficient. To address these limitations, scientists are exploring terahertz frequencies for high-speed data transfer, despite the challenge of noise interference, which complicates data decoding.

A research team from universities in Australia and the US has been studying wireless communication at the chip level and looking at ways to reduce noise. By applying Floquet engineering, a quantum technique that manipulates electron behavior, they found they were able to improve terahertz signal detection.

When implemented in a two-dimensional semiconductor quantum well (2DSQW), the approach successfully mitigated noise and boosted signal clarity. The team’s findings suggest that this method could pave the way for more effective and reliable wireless communication between chiplets, offering a potential solution for the efficiency challenges faced in multi-chip systems.

Wide-ranging applications

The team also developed a dual-signaling system that uses two receivers to monitor noise levels and adjust signals in real-time, further reducing error rates.

Writing forTech Xplore, researchers Kosala Herath and Malin Premaratne explained, “By overcoming the challenges of noise and signal degradation, our dual-signaling technique marks a key advancement in developing high-speed, noise-resistant wireless communication for chiplets. This innovation brings us closer to creating more efficient, scalable, and adaptable computing systems for the technologies of tomorrow.”

Their findings were published in the IEEE Journal on Selected Areas in Communications.

As we previously reported, universities are also looking at ways of boosting the potential of terahertz technology in order to unlock bandwidth for future telecommunications.

The University of Adelaide has developed a polarization multiplexer that doubles data transmission capacity at terahertz frequencies, while researchers at the University of Notre Dame showcased a silicon topological beamformer chip capable of splitting a single terahertz signal into 54 smaller beams.

More from TechRadar Pro

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/R5PgiJV

Obscure monitor vendor debuts one of the most desirable laptops of the year: Sub-1kg, Intel Lunar lake CPU and a 14-inch display, but it will never go on sale outside of Japan

Monitor maker Unitcom has released the iiyama PC, featuring a 14-inch or 16-inch design and plenty of other attractive features.

The iiyama PC comes with Intel's Core Ultra Series 2 processors, known as Lunar Lake, and the body of the laptop uses magnesium alloy to make the device lightweight without sacrificing sturdiness.

Thanks to the alloy, the 14-inch version of the iiyama PC can weigh less than 1kg, which is extremely light for a laptop. For comparison, the 14-inch MacBook Pro weighs in at 1.55kg with the lightest M3 chipset.

iiyama PC - an unexpected surprise

Anyone who has looked to travel with a laptop knows that weight is basically the most important consideration, and the iiyama excels in this regard.

There is also Wi-Fi 7 and support for Microsoft's new Copilot+ PC initiative, which requires the laptop to use newer Intel chips to unlock various AI features within Windows and its associated apps. There's also a 5MP webcam for good measure.

The best business laptop you can't buy

The downside to wanting Unitcom's iiyama PC is that sadly it will only ever be available in Japan. While that might suit some frequent travellers to Japan, for the rest of us, we'll have to resign ourselves to never getting our hands on one.

The iiyama PC comes in three versions, for 169,800 yen (£870) and 194,800 yen (£997) for the 14-inch model and 199,800 yen (£1,000) for the 16-inch model.

What is the best business laptop?

Seeing as the iiyama is not widely available, TechRadar has spent a lot of time checking out all of the best business laptops on the market.

In our considered opinion, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 8 is the best thing out there right now, offering up to 13th-Gen Intel Core i7, 1TB to 4TB of storage, and a pretty lightweight and portable design.

For anyone on a budget, we recommend the Acer Travelmate P4, which has slightly less impressive specs but can easily be upgraded, has decent battery life and a Thunderbolt port, and doesn't cost much at all.

Of course, we'd be remiss not to mention the Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (2023), a laptop that probably doesn't need much introduction. If you aren't tied into the Windows ecosystem (or have loose ties), then this is the MacBook for work. The MacBook Pro isn't bad either .

MORE FROM TECHRADAR PRO

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/i4wSbyt

Monday, October 14, 2024

Watch out Nvidia: AMD launches a new single-slot GPU for data centers – and it looks like an absolute beast

AMD has announced the Radeon PRO V710, a new GPU designed for access via Microsoft Azure, the exclusive cloud partner, as part of the company's family of visual cloud GPUs.

The V710 is available today in private preview, but anyone hoping to use it for a home PC setup will be disappointed, as the V710 features a single-slot design and passive cooling.

AMD built the V710 on the Navi 32 architecture, and there are 54 Compute Units, alongside 28GB of VRAM, 448 GB/s memory transfer rate, and 54MB of L3 AMD Infinity Cache tech. The company says the V710 is ideal for small to medium machine learning inference workloads and small model training via its open-source AMD ROCm software, which seeks to compete with Nvidia's CUDA.

The best AMD graphics card: top GPUs from Team Red

The best data center GPU?

"With support for hardware virtualization implemented in compliance with the PCI Express SR-IOV standard, instances based on the Radeon PRO V710 can provide robust isolation between multiple virtual machines running on the same physical GPU and between the host and guest environments," says AMD. "The efficient RDNA 3 architecture provides excellent performance per watt, enabling a single slot, passively cooled form factor compliant with the PCIe CEM spec."

As Intel has fallen away, AMD has really cornered the market for data centre-level GPUs, and it shows.

Compared to AMD's RX 7700 XT, the V710 has twice as much memory, higher memory bandwidth, and a 500 MHz lower GPU clock. The company says that changes in the design locked it to 158 watts, or 35% less power compared to the GPU's gaming variant.

MORE FROM TECHRADAR PRO

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/cegmq1i

Insta360 Ace Pro 2 leak suggests it could extend lead as world’s best 8K action cam

The Insta360 Ace Pro from November 2023 remains the most powerful action camera we've tested, but that looks likely to change soon – according to some leaked marketing materials that spill the beans on a new Ace Pro 2.

As always, the source of these leaks is the reliable @Quadro_News on X (formerly Twitter, below), who's posted some useful slides that give us an idea of what to expect from Insta360's flagship GoPro rival.

Previous leaks had already told us that the Ace Pro 2 is likely to have a 1/1.3-inch main sensor (this time with a 50MP resolution, rather than 48MP). But it seems that the new action cam will pair its 5nm AI chip with some new silicon called the 'Pro Imaging Chip'.

Exactly what the latter does isn't clear, but from the other slides it will seemingly boost software features like PureVideo, which primarily handles low-light performance. From a slide of leaked specs, it seems the Ace Pro 2 will now be able to shoot Active HDR footage at 4K/60p (rather than maxing out at 4K/30p), while PureVideo will now be available for 4:3 clips alongside the usual 16:9 aspect ratio.

👉Our favorite of 2024? A 1/1.3-inch sensor that captures more light, has extended dynamic range and delivers high image quality in conditions unavailable to other action cameras.🤔#insta360 #insta360acepro2 pic.twitter.com/WVuEHo7zvpOctober 12, 2024

Another slide shows Insta360's 'Memories Album', which will seemingly use AI to help organize and potentially edit your clips (a bit like GoPro's Quik app). The PR material separately adds that the action cam "delivers high image quality in conditions unavailable to other action cameras" (no prizes for guessing who Insta360 is referring to).

There's still no news on a release date sadly, but these leaks suggest it'll be worth waiting a week or two if you're about to pull the trigger on a GoPro Hero 13 Black or DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro.

Room for improvement?

So far, it looks like the Insta360 Ace Pro 2 will be a relatively minor upgrade of the Ace Pro – and there's no news yet on if it'll support 10-bit color depth, which Insta360 previously confirmed isn't possible on the current model due to hardware limitations.

That would certainly be a benefit to pro shooters who want to edit their footage or shoot in a 'flat' log profile. But given our Insta360 Ace Pro review called that camera "an absolute monster" without 10-bit video, the feature may not prove to be a deal-breaker for many either way.

The Ace Pro currently sits third in our guide to the best action cameras, with its lofty $449.99 / £429 / AU$729 price tag being one of the few things holding it back from eclipsing GoPro and DJI.

If it could add features like 'log' recording and develop its AI-powered features beyond low-light noise reduction, then it may yet grab that top spot when it launches – hopefully very soon, if these leaks are any sign.

You might also like...

from TechRadar - All the latest technology news https://ift.tt/xYI06rP