The GeForce RTX 5090 is undeniably one of the best graphics cards money can buy. Banking on the fact that many already use it for AI, Nvidia has bolstered it with even more memory and launched it as the new RTX 5500 Pro Blackwell Workstation Edition. It offers comparable specifications to the GeForce RTX 5090 but distinguishes itself with 84GB of GDDR7 memory, 2.6X more than the Blackwell gaming flagship.

The RTX Pro 5500 features the GB202 silicon, the powerhouse die that powers other high-end mainstream and professional Blackwell graphics cards, including the GeForce RTX 5090, RTX Pro 6000, and RTX Pro 5000. In fact, the RTX Pro 5500 uses the same die as the GeForce RTX 5090, which means 170 Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs) are enabled out of a possible 192. As a result, the RTX Pro 5500 has 21,760 CUDA cores and offers performance comparable to the GeForce RTX 5090. The differentiator is the memory subsystem, where the RTX Pro 5500 excels.

Nvidia equipped the RTX Pro 5500 with 84GB of GDDR7 memory. This is the second time Nvidia has launched a graphics card with 84GB of memory, with the first being the China-exclusive RTX Pro 6000D. The RTX Pro 5500's memory capacity lets the Blackwell graphics card sit comfortably between the RTX Pro 5000 and the upgraded RTX Pro 6000, with 72GB and 96GB of GDDR7 memory, respectively.

Nvidia RTX Pro 5500 Workstation Edition Specifications

Nvidia achieved the 84GB memory capacity by outfitting the RTX Pro 5500 with 28 GDDR7 memory chips in a clamshell configuration. Each side of the PCB houses 14 24Gb (3GB) GDDR7 memory modules. They run at 25 Gb/s across a 448-bit memory interface, delivering up to 1,400 GB/s of bandwidth, which aligns with Nvidia’s official specification of 1,398 GB/s. In other words, the RTX Pro 5500 shares the same memory subsystem as the RTX Pro 6000D.

Samsung, Micron, and SK hynix only produce standard 28 Gb/s memory packages. Therefore, Nvidia downclocks the RTX Pro 5500's GDDR7 chips for its own reasons, whether to meet thermal and power targets or avoid cannibalizing higher-tier SKUs. From a memory-bandwidth perspective, the RTX Pro 5500 is not particularly impressive. Its bandwidth is only 4% ahead of the RTX Pro 5000, and it lags 22% behind both the flagship RTX Pro 6000 and the GeForce RTX 5090, which fully leverage 28 Gb/s GDDR7 memory chips.

To sum it all up, if RTX Pro 6000D and GeForce RTX 5090 had a child, it would be the RTX Pro 5500. Nvidia's main motivation was to launch the RTX Pro 5500 to fill the large performance and pricing gap between the RTX Pro 6000 and RTX Pro 5000. Also, the chipmaker makes substantially more profit by putting recycled GB202 into an RTX Pro 5500 than into a GeForce RTX 5090. By giving the former more memory with similar core specifications as the latter, Nvidia seemingly hopes to win more customers over to the RTX Pro 5500.

We reached out to both Nvidia and PNY for official pricing on the RTX Pro 5500, but neither company has responded. For reference, the flagship RTX Pro 6000 retails for $15,599, while an RTX Pro 5000 72GB starts at $9,209. Given the RTX Pro 5500's role as a bridge between the two models, it is reasonable to expect its launch price to fall somewhere within this range.

According to a report from The Maine Wire, the FBI has arrested and charged Terry “Jiajia” Liu, a Customs and Border Protection supervisor based in Calais, Maine, for theft and damage to government property. Liu allegedly stole computer hardware, including Intel 14th Generation Raptor Lake Refresh processors, memory modules, and hard drives, from at least 46 Department of Homeland Security computers across three Maine border facilities. They replaced the stolen parts with inferior hardware and exchanged the stolen equipment through Newegg’s trade-in program for store credit.

Liu’s official responsibilities were limited to information-technology support, so they did not have access to modify any government computer. Port Director Theodore Cummings made the restriction abundantly clear to Liu in a written order: “Please do not move any computers or computer parts.” However, criminals rarely listen.

Hidden surveillance cameras captured Liu opening government computers and swapping hardware during the midnight shift. The perpetrator would take the systems to a training room to commit the crime. One camera recording showed Liu using a screwdriver to scrape thermal paste off a processor and installing a replacement chip in one system. Meanwhile, another recording caught Liu removing a memory module from a system and storing it in their desk drawer.

According to the affidavit, investigators found that thirty-nine computers had their processors replaced, six machines with memory modules swapped, and eight had hard drive changes. The original systems used Raptor Lake Refresh chips but were later discovered to have older hardware, sometimes downgraded to Pentium chips. Beyond the processor swap, other computers had less memory and storage capacity than their original configurations.

Instead of trying to sell the stolen hardware on the open second-hand market, Liu used a less conspicuous approach: Newegg’s Trade-In program. According to investigators, Liu sent 13 emails between a personal account and an official CBP email address containing shipping labels and trade-in receipts for processor models matching the missing components from the government computers.

The Newegg trade-in offers varied between $200 and $210 per processor. According to the transaction records from the U.S. retailer, Liu traded in Core i7 Raptor Lake Refresh chips 16 times over 14 months, from May 2025 to July 2026. Investigators also found three $200 credits from Newegg in Liu's American Express records.

During an interview, Liu confessed to replacing hardware in the government computers with lower-performing parts bought on Amazon and Newegg. They also acknowledged submitting the government-owned parts to Newegg's Trade-In program. At first, Liu claimed their actions were motivated by a desire to improve the computers' performance and how long computer repairs took. However, they later admitted that the changes resulted in degraded performance.

Restoring the stolen hardware could cost about $20,460, while fully replacing all 46 compromised computers with equivalent hardware would cost an estimated $105,800. However, additional labor to configure each system for government use will drive the bill even higher.

The GeForce RTX 5090 is already at the pinnacle of the best graphics cards. However, Shenzhen Suqiao Intelligent Technology Co., Ltd., a Chinese OEM/ODM, has reportedly made it even more powerful by outfitting the Blackwell flagship with 96GB of memory, 3X more than the original. The company is already selling these modified GeForce RTX 5090 96GB on Alibaba for $3888, 35% less than the vanilla GeForce RTX 5090 in the U.S.

You can say whatever you want about China, but you cannot deny that factories there have produced some of the most interesting modified graphics cards, including the GeForce RTX 5080 32GB, the GeForce RTX 4090 48GB, and the GeForce RTX 3090 48GB. While some of these projects are fueled by pure curiosity, most of them are a result of the recent AI boom that has stimulated Chinese factories to think outside the box and give existing and even past graphics cards a memory upgrade so consumers can repurpose them for AI workloads. While we have seen a fair share of absurd rumors, such as the GeForce RTX 5090 128GB, the conjuration of the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB seems more plausible from a technical standpoint, and there is precedent for a Blackwell-based graphics card with 96GB of memory.

Before diving into the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB, it is worth noting that the Alibaba listing is from Suqiao, a Chinese manufacturer with over 10 years of experience making graphics cards, motherboards, and servers. So it is not a random Chinese chop shop but rather an established OEM/ODM, which lends some credence to the existence of the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB. Needless to say, the Alibaba listing is full of questionable specifications, such as GDDR6X memory or memory speeds of 14 Gbps.

The RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell, which has 96GB of GDDR7 memory, uses the same GB202 silicon as the GeForce RTX 5090, but with more enabled Streaming Multiprocessors (SMs). Therefore, a 96GB configuration is possible on GB202; however, the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB likely uses a custom PCB, allowing the manufacturer to install the memory chips in clamshell mode, which doubles the total memory on the PCB. The vendor could either procure the GB202 silicon individually or extract it from mainstream GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards and reball it onto the custom PCB.

Even in clamshell mode, with memory pads on both sides of the PCB, there are only 32 of them. The RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell has 32 GDDR7 chips, each 24Gb (3GB) in capacity. The problem we have with the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB that raises a red flag about its authenticity is the mention of GDDR6X. Micron only produced GDDR6X memory chips in 16 Gb (2GB), so the maximum capacity would be 48GB in clamshell mode. Plus, GDDR6X operates between 19 Gbps and 24 Gbps, much higher than the listed 14 Gbps, which corresponds to standard GDDR6.

Modified firmware and software-level hacks are necessary to run Nvidia graphics cards with modified memory capacity. For instance, the GeForce RTX 4090 48GB was possible because modders modified Nvidia's firmware to get these graphics cards running. However, rumors on the street suggest that a leaked firmware for the GeForce RTX 5090 has been available for a few months, which could explain why we are starting to see these GeForce RTX 5090 96GB graphics cards surface.

Suqiao listed the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB for $3,888, significantly lower than other Alibaba merchants who have it closer to $5,900. For reference, custom GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards start at $6,000 in the U.S. market. After the latest price hikes, Nvidia is selling the RTX Pro 6000 Blackwell for $16,000, although it can go up to $17,999, depending on which variant you pick up. If the GeForce RTX 5090 96GB is real, even at $6,000, it would be a steal for anyone running AI models.

AMD has officially launched the Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500, two strong contenders for the best CPUs on the market if you're on a budget. Both are hexa-core chips, with the Ryzen 5 5500F featuring AMD's Zen 3 execution cores and the Ryzen 5 7500 using the newer Zen 4 execution cores. The Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500, priced at $99 and $189, respectively, are available at U.S. retailers starting today.

The Ryzen 5 5500F, despite its similar model name to the Ryzen 5 5500, belongs to a different family in AMD's portfolio. The Ryzen 5 5500F hails from the Ryzen 5000 series (codenamed Vermeer), which uses a multi-chiplet architecture. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 5500 comes from the Ryzen 5000G series (codenamed Cezanne), which uses a monolithic die design.

Therefore, it is more sound to call the Ryzen 5 5500F a lower-binned version of the Ryzen 5 5600, rather than an iGPU-less variant of the Ryzen 5 5500, which lacks integrated graphics to begin with. The distinction matters because the Ryzen 5 5500F is closer to the Ryzen 5 5600, albeit with a 500 MHz lower boost clock speed and half the L3 cache.

The Ryzen 5 5600, which launched at $199, now retails for around $159, making the new Ryzen 5 5500F approximately 38% more affordable. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 5500, which debuted at $159, has lost substantial value over the years. OEM tray versions of the Ryzen 5 5500 now start at just $74, so it is still the most cost-effective entry point into the AM4 ecosystem. Compared to the Ryzen 5 5500, the Ryzen 5 5500F carries a 34% price premium. The latter justifies its higher cost with a slightly higher boost clock speed, which translates to better gaming performance, and support for PCIe 4.0, unlocking faster SSDs and graphics cards.

Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500 Specifications

When it comes to the Ryzen 5 7500, little mystery surrounds its place in AMD's product stack. True to its name, the Ryzen 5 7500 is the same processor as the Ryzen 5 7500F, which launched three years ago, but with integrated Radeon graphics. This small addition suits users who need basic display output and do not plan to spend money on a discrete graphics card. Apart from the integrated graphics, all core specifications remain identical between the two models.

As a result, the difference between the Ryzen 5 7600 and the Ryzen 5 7500 stands. The former boasts a 100 MHz higher base and boost clock, so performance is somewhat better in certain processor-intensive workloads or gaming scenarios. However, most users may not notice the difference.

The Ryzen 5 7500F hit the market at $179, but over time its retail price has dropped to about $157. In contrast, the Ryzen 5 7600 has held its value over the years, falling only slightly from its original MSRP of $229 to around $226. As a result, the Ryzen 5 7500 positions itself as a mid-point option, priced 16% lower than the Ryzen 5 7600 and 20% above the Ryzen 5 7500F.

The Ryzen 5 7500 makes sense in this market because not everyone is a gamer, so integrated graphics mean you do not have to spend a fortune on a discrete graphics card at today's ridiculous prices. However, because it runs on AMD's AM5 platform, the Ryzen 5 7500 is still bound by the sky-high cost of DDR5.

Preorders for the Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition went live shortly after yesterday's Nintendo Direct and sold out instantly. Walmart has listed the handheld gaming console but has enabled preorders. Meanwhile, you can preorder it on Amazon for $519.99, so you may still have a chance to get one at MSRP before the scalpers.

• Pre-order the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on Amazon
• Pre-order the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on Walmart
• Pre-order the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on Best Buy
• Pre-order the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on Target
• Pre-order the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition on GameStop

Major U.S. retailers, including Target, Best Buy, and GameStop, were the first to enable preorders for the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition, which instantly sold out. It did not take long for scalpers to hit eBay to resell preorders for as much as $1,000, almost 2X over Nintendo's MSRP. Zelda-exclusive consoles have always been prime targets for scalpers.

The Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition, the first limited edition of the Switch 2 and a The Legend of Zelda-themed edition celebrating the franchise's 40 years, makes the handheld console even more desirable to hardcore fans and scalpers looking to make a quick profit. Plus, the console's $519.99 price tag, which is only $20 over the vanilla Switch 2, gives gamers extra incentive to purchase one. The problem is finding one in stock.

Along with the console, Nintendo also gave the Switch 2 Pro controller and carrying case with an included screen protector the same The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition treatment. Best Buy currently has both up for preorder at $99.99 and $39.99, respectively.

The Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition officially launches on October 29. Historically, The Legend of Zelda-themed consoles are available for purchase on launch day. However, stock will likely be extremely limited, which is why many fans like to lock in their preorders early.

It remains to be seen whether Nintendo will produce many units of the Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition. At least for the previous limited-edition consoles, like the Nintendo Switch OLED: Tears of the Kingdom Edition or Nintendo Switch Lite: Hyrule Edition, stock was not a problem since you can still buy them today despite being last-generation consoles.

If you play hard to get, you could get Xbox Game Pass for cheaper; at least that is what numerous users are reporting on a Reddit thread. One Xbox Game Pass subscriber shared a screenshot of Microsoft offering them the Ultimate plan for $16.09 for a month, 30% lower than the standard $22.99. Their secret? Cancel Xbox Game Pass almost every month.

Dynamic win-back discounts are perhaps the oldest trick in the book, but they remain widely used because of their effectiveness in re-engaging customers who have stopped buying a product or, in Microsoft's case, canceled their Xbox Game Pass subscription. These targeted offers, often disguised as "We Miss You" or "Welcome back" deals, aim to win back lost customers with exclusive or time-limited discounts.

According to the Redditor, they have used Xbox Game Pass on and off for about two years. However, instead of committing to an annual plan, the user frequently paused and resubscribed. In the Redditor's words, they were "not doing any sort of tricks lol...just got the offer randomly because I cancel gamepass almost every month, so maybe this was their way of keeping me."

This kind of customer behavior is not uncommon among subscription services, since buyers seek to maximize value and avoid unnecessary spending. Apparently, Microsoft seemingly noticed this user and proactively offered a 30% discount, dropping the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price from $22.99 to $16.09 for a year. And it worked. The Redditor confirmed that they took the offer and locked in for the entire year.

At least one other Redditor confirmed they also received the same $16.09 offer. The thread quickly filled with additional posts as users shared their experiences with Xbox Game Pass discounts. For example, one Reddit user said that when they logged in with a secondary account on their Xbox console, they saw an $18 offer for 12 months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Their main account allegedly never receives offers like this. Meanwhile, other users chimed in to report receiving $ 20-per-month offers.

It is unclear what criteria Microsoft uses to distribute these win-back discounts. Many speculate that the company may be considering activity, subscription history, or even multiple accounts. The discounts do not seem limited to the U.S., where the Redditor lives. Users in the thread have reported similar discounts in regions like México.

Despite Microsoft slashing Xbox Game Pass pricing earlier this year, many gamers still resort to digital key marketplaces such as Eneba, G2A, or Loaded, where one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate can cost as little as $9.28. By running targeted annual promotions, Microsoft can encourage subscribers to stick with Xbox Game Pass, secure long-term revenue, and avoid the risks of month-to-month cancellation.

However, these targeted discounts raise an important question: should Microsoft not reward loyal Xbox Game Pass subscribers with similar exclusive discounts? Win-back promotions are great for bringing back former subscribers, but long-time users will feel overlooked and see no reason to commit, since the generous deals go to those who cancel and return.

Nvidia's GeForce RTX 50-series (codenamed Blackwell) graphics cards continue to rank among the best graphics cards available today. As a result, these highly sought-after Blackwell graphics cards have become prime targets for criminals seeking to scam unsuspecting buyers. Although scams involving hollow graphics cards are not new, their growing frequency and spread are cause for concern. The latest reports from Germany have revealed at least two buyers who fell prey to the same scam, reportedly from the same seller.

Hollow or phantom graphics cards may not be colloquial terms you hear every day. They basically refer to graphics cards that lack the silicon and memory chips. Criminals remove these components and sell non-functional graphics cards to their prey. Logically, you have no way of knowing these components are not present until you disassemble the graphics card, something that the average consumer does not do. Swindlers have run similar scams with fake memory modules without integrated circuits, or SSDs with microSD cards inside.

The first report, as recounted by respected hardware enthusiast Roman “der8auer” Hartung, uncovers a poor victim who bought a second-hand Palit GeForce RTX 5090 GameRock OC for around $2,090 (1,800 euros). The seller’s asking price was suspicious since a brand-new one starts at around $5,805 (4,999 euros) in Germany. Even for a used one, the dramatic price difference indicates a potential scam.

Many of these scams happen through online transactions. So the buyer went so far as to meet the seller in person, hoping a face-to-face interaction would ensure the graphics card was legit. It did not make a difference, though, because the buyer did not have a system to test the graphics card on the spot. In the end, it was a matter of taking the seller's word for it, and that turned out horribly.

A second report has emerged from a member of the Hardwareluxx forums, who reportedly fell victim to the same deceptive seller. Tragically, this individual ended up paying close to $2,613 (2,250 euros) for the phantom graphics card.

In both cases, the scammer put on a friendly facade and provided what seemed like legitimate paperwork to bolster the buyers' trust. For the first victim, the seller shared an invoice showing the purchase of two graphics cards, claiming to sell one because they no longer needed it. Similarly, in the second case, the scammer furnished an invoice to convince the buyer of the transaction’s legitimacy.

The use of realistic invoices is a growing trend among fraudsters. The first buyer uncovered that the serial number printed on the graphics card itself did not match the serial number listed on the packaging. The second buyer discovered that the serial numbers on the invoice and the packaging matched, but the seller deliberately scratched off the serial number on the graphics card.

The AI gold rush will not be over anytime soon, so we do not expect graphics card pricing to improve. This gives scammers more motivation to prey on buyers' desire for a graphics card and lure them in with prices that seem too good to be true. The two incidents serve as a cautionary tale for anyone trying to procure a graphics card, especially from second-hand sources.

Xbox Game Pass has been an alternative option for gamers who cannot afford the best graphics cards. However, Microsoft has changed the business model for its cloud gaming service. The company has decided to monetize actual gaming time. Beginning in November, Game Pass subscribers will have new monthly limits on their total cloud gaming playtime. Once they reach these limits, players will be prompted to purchase additional gaming hours from the Xbox Store to keep playing.

Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate subscribers will face monthly cloud playtime limits of five, 10, and 15 hours, respectively. The changes affect only Xbox Cloud Gaming, a feature included with Xbox Game Pass that lets subscribers stream and play games directly from Microsoft's servers over the Internet. Subscribers can still download and install as many Xbox Game Pass titles as they want on their consoles or gaming systems, with no monthly limits on playtime.

Needless to say, Microsoft's decision marks a drastic shift for Xbox Cloud Gaming, moving from an unlimited model to a capped-hour system. Under the current packages, Game Pass Essential, Premium, and Ultimate users pay $2, $1.50, and $1.53 per hour for Xbox Cloud Gaming, respectively. Despite announcing these changes, Microsoft has yet to disclose details regarding the pricing structure for additional playtime.

A hardcore gamer who subscribes to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate could easily average around 50 hours of cloud gameplay per month. For example, if they pay the highest rate ($1.53) for 35 overage hours, an Xbox Series S 512GB ($499.99) would pay for itself in under 10 months. Alternatively, the user could break even on an Xbox Series X 1TB ($749.99) in about 14 months.

These changes will significantly affect heavy cloud gamers who stream games regularly. Even the highest subscription tier, Game Pass Ultimate, now imposes a 15-hour monthly playtime cap. The limit is not even enough to complete one game per month. For instance, AAA titles such as Cyberpunk 2077 or Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 can take almost 30 hours to complete, even if you just stick to the main storyline.

Xbox Game Pass Pricing

The new policy introduces limits for frequent cloud gamers, but it also opens a new market for Microsoft: casual players who don't own a console or may not want to commit to a subscription but are willing to buy gaming hours to play select titles in the Xbox Game Pass library. Microsoft's decision ultimately transforms Xbox Cloud Gaming into an "à la carte" type of service where gamers buy cloud playtime hours as needed.

Microsoft attributes its recent policy changes to the rising infrastructure costs associated with maintaining the cloud server network. The company estimated only about 4% of its subscribers will be directly impacted by the new playtime limits. Therefore, it is reasonable to think that the other 96% of the user base do not use Xbox Cloud Gaming or stay under the monthly hour thresholds.

Over the past two years, Microsoft has implemented two price increases for Xbox Game Pass, with the most recent hike occurring in October of last year. Interestingly, despite the upward trend in pricing, the company made a surprising move by reducing the cost of Xbox Game Pass earlier this year. By shifting Xbox Cloud Gaming to a metered system, Microsoft may be trying to maintain profitability and subscriber retention.

But nothing about the timing appears coincidental. Grand Theft Auto VI, arguably the most anticipated title of the decade, will launch on November 19. Microsoft’s new Xbox Cloud Gaming policy is set to take effect in the very same month. Microsoft is strategically positioning the subscription service to capitalize on the massive surge of interest. The company likely wants to attract users who do not own a console or gaming system because of the ridiculous pricing but still want to play Grand Theft Auto VI.

Expanding your PlayStation 5's storage with the best PS5 SSDs in 2026 is no longer a luxury, but a necessity. Modern AAA games are only getting bigger and more demanding, which will saturate your console's internal storage system in no time. With Sony's decision to eliminate physical game discs, the need for a high-speed M.2 PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD will be even more important in the future. Juggling a large number of games with just the console's internal storage will be a headache.

Investing in a quality M.2 SSD ensures you do not have to constantly go through the frustration of uninstalling games to make space for new ones or subsequently having to redownload hundreds of gigabytes to replay a previous game. Do not let your console's storage limitations hold you back from playing upcoming AAA releases.

Upgrading your PlayStation 5 with an M.2 SSD is a safe and effective way to expand your storage. It will not void the warranty, provided you use a compatible drive and take care not to damage your console physically during the installation process. Rest assured, as long as you proceed carefully and avoid any accidental damage, your warranty will remain intact. If you have already purchased, or are considering purchasing, an M.2 SSD for your PlayStation 5, let our step-by-step guide take you through every part of the installation process.

Tools Needed To Install a PS5 SSD

• #1 Phillips screwdriver
• PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe SSD with a minimum sequential read of 5,500 MB/s and a built-in or aftermarket heatsink

1. Prepare your PlayStation 5 for installation.

Carefully disconnect both the HDMI and power cables from your PlayStation 5. Detach it from the stand if you are using it. Next, place your console horizontally on a flat surface to make the upgrade process easier and prevent accidental damage.

If you are worried about scratching the console, you can put something like an anti-static mat or a simple piece of cardboard or paper under it. Avoid soft fabrics, such as microfiber cloths or towels, that can generate static electricity when they come into contact with plastic.

2. Remove the cover to get inside the PlayStation 5.

Before you begin working on your PlayStation 5, touch a grounded metal object to discharge any static electricity from your body safely. Then, position your console so the PlayStation logo faces down and the rear ports point directly toward you. Firmly hold the console in place with one hand and, using your other hand, locate the right-bottom corner of the top cover. Gently lift it upward while simultaneously sliding the cover to the left.

For the PlayStation 5 Slim and PlayStation 5 Pro: Similar to the vanilla version, position the console so that the rear ports face toward you, and the larger cover is on your left. Grip the top edge of the smaller cover gently and pull upward until you hear a pop, which signals that the internal clips have released.

3. Remove the metallic cover to access the PlayStation 5's SSD expansion slot.

Using a #1 Phillips screwdriver, carefully remove the screw securing the expansion slot cover on your PlayStation 5. Lift and remove the expansion slot cover to expose the M.2 SSD expansion slot.

4. Prepare for SSD installation.

With the same #1 Phillips screwdriver you used earlier, remove the screw and spacer from the expansion slot. Next, check your SSD to determine its form factor. The PlayStation 5 supports the following M.2 SSD form factors: 2230, 2242, 2260, 2280, and 22110. Relocate the spacer to the correct position in the slot that matches the length of your SSD.

5. Install the M.2 SSD into the expansion slot.

Align the notches on the SSD with the slot in the M.2 connector on your PlayStation 5. Tilt the SSD at a 30-degree angle and gently insert it into the connector. Once the SSD is securely in place, press it down with your thumb. Fasten the drive in place using the screw you previously removed. Do not overtighten the screw as this may damage the drive or the expansion slot.

Sony does not include a heatsink for M.2 SSDs in the PlayStation 5. There are many SSDs with PlayStation 5-compliant heatsinks on the market. Sony specifies a maximum thickness of 0.44 inches (11.25 mm) for the SSD including the heatsink.

However, if you go with a bare M.2 drive, you will have to pick up an aftermarket heatsink, such as the Sabrent M.2 NVMe PS5 Heatsink (SB-PSHS) for $13.99. Before purchasing any heatsink, double-check that it is fully compatible with your PlayStation 5 model.

6. Install an aftermarket heatsink, when applicable, on the SSD.

Tilt the heatsink at a 30-degree angle, just as you did with the SSD, and align the notches on the heatsink with the corresponding space. Insert it into position so that it sits flush over the SSD. Use one finger to apply a little bit of downward pressure to keep the heatsink in contact with the SSD, then tighten the screw. Reinstall the cover, and you are almost home free.

7. Format the SSD.

Reconnect all the cables and power on your console. Upon startup, your PlayStation 5 will automatically detect the new SSD. A prompt will appear on the screen, instructing you to format the SSD before you can use it for game installations or data storage.

With your brand-new SSD installed and properly formatted, you are now ready to enjoy the latest AAA games on your PlayStation 5 without having to worry about storage constraints ever again.

Names like Sugon or Hygon may not appear on lists of the best CPUs since they often fly under the radar. However, that does not mean they are not making substantial strides in China. According to the latest ITHome report, Sugon has recently teased an upcoming mobile workstation (MWS) designed to push the boundaries of AI performance. The next-generation device boasts a powerful domestic 64-thread processor paired with 16GB of VRAM, a combination that delivers up to 50 tokens per second on local 35B MoE AI models.

Sugon’s device is closer to a traditional laptop form factor rather than those pseudo-portable workstations we have seen over the years that look more like a desktop stuffed inside a suitcase. The mobile workstation is 0.665 inches (16.9 mm) thick, so it is right in line with the thin and lightweight premium laptop category, only slightly thicker than ultrabooks.

Sugon, a prominent Chinese supercomputer manufacturer, does not actually produce processors. Last year, Sugon attempted to merge with Hygon, which originated from a joint venture between AMD and Chinese partners, in hopes of creating a domestic server superpower to rival global giants such as HPE and Dell, but the deal did not go through. Nonetheless, the failed merger did not alter the already close relationship between Sugon and Hygon, with the former already being the latter's largest shareholder.

Sugon did not officially disclose which processor will power the mobile workstation. However, the manufacturer will likely source it from its long-time partner, Hygon. Sadly, knowing the chip has 64 threads does not give us a complete picture of which processor model is inside Sugon's device. For several years, Hygon has offered processors with designs up to 32 cores and 64 threads. Four generations of Hygon chips, spanning from the C86-1G to the C86-4G series, leveraged licensed Zen IP from AMD.

Alternatively, Sugon’s mobile workstation may tap Hygon's latest C86-5G chips. These processors are particularly interesting because Hygon claims they utilize a “new self-developed microarchitecture,” signaling the departure from AMD's Zen microarchitecture. The new C86-5G series, which supports AVX-512, features a four-way simultaneous multithreading (SMT4) configuration, or in other words, four threads per core. If Sugon’s mobile workstation is indeed equipped with one of these chips, it would likely be a 16-core, 64-thread configuration that could provide decent processing power for AI.

The small teaser specifically highlights the inclusion of 16GB of VRAM. The small detail clearly indicates the mobile workstation will come equipped with a discrete graphics card instead of integrated graphics. According to the vendor, the combination of the 64-thread processor and the mysterious 16GB discrete graphics card will deliver AI inference performance that is between 3X and 5X faster than mainstream products currently available on the market.

The performance figures being thrown around are up to 50 tokens per second when running a massive 35-billion-parameter Mixture of Experts (MoE) model locally. By comparison, standard cloud APIs typically offer throughput ranging from 30 to 80 tokens per second. If Sugon can deliver on its promise, its mobile workstation could be a true game-changer for AI workloads.

Sugon has not revealed the availability or pricing for the forthcoming mobile workstation. Given the current pricing for memory and storage products, we expect the mobile workstation to cost a small fortune.