Daily Tech News 19 April 2026

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How bad are things for PC gaming right now? The most anticipated products for 2026 are relaunches of AMD's 5800X3D CPU, which first appeared in 2022, and Nvidia's RTX 3060 graphics cards, which originally came out in 2021. (WCCFTech)

The 5800X3D has AMD's 3D-Vcache, so while it uses DDR4 memory it doesn't lose a lot of speed from it. And the 3060 has 12GB of memory, so in that respect it is better than current low-end cards.
Also relaunching this year after a long time away is SNK's Neo Geo console. (Tom's Hardware)

If you missed out on this the first time because you couldn't afford the price tag or weren't yet born in 1991, the updated version will slash the cost from $649 to $249. And $649 in 1991 dollars is over $1500 today, so that's a heck of a discount.

And while there are some modern conveniences like HDMI video and a rechargeable wireless option for the controllers, this is not emulated - not in software or in hardware. They actually spent the money for a new production run of the custom chips, and it's fully compatible with the original controllers and cartridges.

And there are ten of the original games back as well. You can pre-order the whole lot - console, controllers, and the ten game cartridges - for $1000.

The same company is also behind an Amiga 1200 reproduction and a number of other classic systems.

Tech News

Which is the best $200 CPU right now - AMD's 9600X or Intel's new Core Ultra 250K? (Tom's Hardware)

Ignoring the platform expiry elephant in the room for the moment, the 250K is a clear winner. For gaming it's a very close match, and while the 250K can use almost twice as much power in multi-threaded tasks, it is also almost twice as fast in multi-threaded tasks, so that's honestly a win too.

The problem comes if you plan to upgrade your system in the future. AMD plans at least one and probably two new generations of processors in the AM5 socket, while Intel's Socket 1851 disappears later this year with the introduction of Nova Lake and its Socket 1954.
China's CXMT is rescuing LPDDR4 customers abandoned by Samsung. (WCCFTech)

CXMT, like Taiwan's Nanya, mostly still produces DDR4 memory, which Samsung is dropping as it shifts capacity to higher-margin chips like HBM for AI.

But LPDDR4 is very widely used in products from lower-cost phones and tables, to SSDs, to embedded cards like the Raspberry Pi.
Memory prices rose 110% and SSD prices 147% in Q1. (WCCFTech)

Despite that computer sales actually rose slightly, as customers panic-bought everything in sight. Not that you would catch me doing that. Not since I ran out of money, anyway.

Musical Interlude

Huh. Postmodern Jukebox is performing at the Sydney Opera House in July. Almost enough to get me to make the trip.

Disclaimer: The fire extinguisher on the piano shows they were practising safe sax.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at 04:30 AM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 w00t

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 04:31 AM (yJfQg)

2 w00t w00t

Posted by: tankdemon at April 19, 2026 04:32 AM (2RJDy)

3 ... customers panic-bought.... Not that you would catch me doing that. Not since I ran out of money, anyway.

; )

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 04:32 AM (yJfQg)

4 G'Day everyone

Posted by: Skip at April 19, 2026 04:32 AM (Ia/+0)

5 >>>Disclaimer: The fire extinguisher on the piano

Maybe it's a spritzer bottle?

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 04:33 AM (yJfQg)

6 Mornin'

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at April 19, 2026 04:36 AM (qKYfj)

7 *seltzer bottle

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 04:40 AM (yJfQg)

8 Postmodern Jukebox have terrific voices and their hand movements do look like a 60's girl group. Sounds like they would put on a good show.

However, it not quite 5:00 in the morning here and I would prefer nothing "burn" at the moment. So I'll go with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Charles Wesley's " Love Divine. All loves excelling":

https://tinyurl.com/2mfh67bd

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 04:46 AM (afKoR)

9 covfefe

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 04:47 AM (yJfQg)

10 Christian devotional, "Hints of God's Glory" based on Revelation 4:1-4, 6-11. The author of the devotional mentions an Australian photographer, Christian Spence.I'll have to look him up)

https://tinyurl.com/2y8xbff3

Where I saw a glimpse of God's glory yesterday was a huge yellow butterfly flying across the road while I was driving. It was larger than one of my hands.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 05:08 AM (uA11f)

11 I played a saxophone in grade school, but I never lit it on fire. The fire extinguisher was a nice touch.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 19, 2026 05:08 AM (Fbc0I)

12 Belated BOING!

Back from lotsa exercise. Quiet day today. Now's the (first) time to clean my Glock.

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:09 AM (1o8D5)

13 I watched a carpenter bee holding court on my back porch the other day. He hovered around my head a bit, but was pretty OK with me being there as he marched around in the air like a little sentry.

He then devoted furious energy at chasing off a little butterfly from his claimed demesne. I thought, "Good for you little bee. You show that big scary butterfly who's boss."

It's nice to be reminded that we thumbed up hairless monkeys aren't the only silly creatures in creation.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at April 19, 2026 05:16 AM (Ot/FD)

14 Morning, Tech Peeps

Posted by: fluffy at April 19, 2026 05:18 AM (AN2gy)

15 Most of my major purchases are motivated by despair and resignation. I'd kill for a nice exciting panic buy once in a while.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at April 19, 2026 05:19 AM (Ot/FD)

16 I was out in the woods yesterday around 10 AM when I heard a barred owl. It was quite emphatic with the last syllable.

Posted by: fluffy at April 19, 2026 05:22 AM (AN2gy)

17 Posted by: fluffy at April 19, 2026 05:22 AM (AN2gy

I love to hear owls.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 05:24 AM (Nx5jP)

18 Gaming benchmarks for processors and video are all fine and good, but your connection speed and capacity to hunt and kill is what makes you elite.

I cashed it all in when every site is cheating or claiming I was cheating. Still love the games.

Posted by: Rev. Wishbone at April 19, 2026 05:26 AM (Fbc0I)

19 I love to hear owls.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 05:24 AM (Nx5jP)
-

Is there anyone hoo doesn't?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:26 AM (1o8D5)

20 Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:26 AM (1o8D5

Well done!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 05:30 AM (rZCVI)

21 "Tax the billionaires," he said.

https://tinyurl.com/2jvn6uzw

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:38 AM (1o8D5)

22 If the barred owl's been at the bar too long, he starts saying "huh? what?" instead of "who?".

Don't ask about screech owls.

Posted by: Warai-otoko at April 19, 2026 05:41 AM (Ot/FD)

23 The Oklahoma school principal who last week single-handedly tackled a would-be school shooter, was made prom king:

https://tinyurl.com/nb2aj257

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:43 AM (1o8D5)

24 Dell - Refurbished Excellent - OptiPlex 5060 Micro Desktop PC, Intel Core i5-8500T up to 3.5Ghz, 16GB DDR4 RAM, 512G NVME SSD, WiFi, Win11 Pro - Black

5.0(5 reviews)
$294.99

I'm thinking about it

Posted by: Don Black at April 19, 2026 05:52 AM (ZxPkt)

25 Charles Wesley's " Love Divine. All loves excelling":

One of my favorites. Thank you Fen.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 05:53 AM (qFwJc)

26 Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 05:53 AM (qFwJc

You are most welcome . I like it too. May you and all here have a blessed day!

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at April 19, 2026 05:55 AM (ix8EF)

27 Trump smacks dimwit ABC WH reporter on the side of the head:

https://tinyurl.com/arhhcw69

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:56 AM (1o8D5)

28 Only in 50s, and getting colder as day goes on

Posted by: Skip at April 19, 2026 05:58 AM (Ia/+0)

29 You want tech news?

I'll give ya tech news!

Throw away your "schmart" TV:

https://tinyurl.com/3kufbpp8

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:58 AM (1o8D5)

30 Birdbath status?

Posted by: Just Wondering at April 19, 2026 06:00 AM (2Ez/1)

31 Only in 50s, and getting colder as day goes on

Posted by: Skip at April 19, 2026 05:58 AM (Ia/+0)
-

Our weather is in parallel with yours. Was hot and dusty enough of Friday for the scheduled Jerusalem Marathon to be very limited and times pushed earlier in the morning.

Now it's back to nice and cool outside with an even bigger temp drop overnight.

Since when do you control the weather, Skip?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 06:01 AM (1o8D5)

32 I thought someone might comment

Posted by: Don Black at April 19, 2026 06:05 AM (ZxPkt)

33 Ya know, the one thing about NYC is that the elections are a sham.
Here in Virginia, everything is still contested. I am sick of the redistricting ads.
60° with some showers later

Posted by: Accomack at April 19, 2026 06:15 AM (77Bgk)

34 Tea. Earl Grey. Hot.

Rejoinder: The chair is against the wall.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 19, 2026 06:21 AM (NSMyg)

35 I am hoping that someone, anyone reasonable primaries Lindsay Graham. I am so tired of his catamite ass.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 06:22 AM (qFwJc)

36 23 The Oklahoma school principal who last week single-handedly tackled a would-be school shooter, was made prom king:

https://tinyurl.com/nb2aj257
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 05:43 AM (1o8D5)

Thank you! So great.

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 06:26 AM (yJfQg)

37 Oh, I learned a word many years ago. In the film "The Black Falcon," Sam Spade refers to the little guy as a "gunsel."

"What's a gunsel I ask my mom?"

"A catamite."

Yiddish.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 06:26 AM (qFwJc)

38 Catamite Ass probably opened for somebody.

Posted by: Captain Obvious, Laird o' the Sea at April 19, 2026 06:30 AM (NSMyg)

39 I had been looking online via google for the meme that has a little girl saying something like, "Mommy, I think I'm a boy" and the 50s mom saying, "Well, you're not" and waaay before the meme popped up, the AI informed me that this is a hateful thing to say and that a person gets to decide his or her own gender. Scolded!

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 06:33 AM (yJfQg)

40 Evening and morning, AoSHQ satellites! 'Tis Sunday morning yet again. 42 degrees here on the eastern Kansas plains, going up to the mid-70s today. I slept almost until the alarm I'd set in the hotel room, then realized I hadn't activated it anyway. Oh, well, no harm done.

I have an hour or so to deal with before the Continental breakast, including coffee, is ready downstairs. What's up?

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 19, 2026 06:37 AM (fcdZC)

41 Hi Wolfus

Have you seen anything with potential or has all your time been devoted to travel?

Posted by: fluffy at April 19, 2026 06:40 AM (AN2gy)

42 the AI informed me that this is a hateful thing to say and that a person gets to decide his or her own gender. Scolded!

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 06:33 AM (yJfQg)
-

Which AI?

Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 06:42 AM (1o8D5)

43 Don't the folks down under eat catamite sandwiches?

mornin yall

Posted by: fd at April 19, 2026 06:43 AM (vFG9F)

44
Lots of rain around. In deference to Her Majesty's wishes, I went to Mass yesterday at the local Novus Ordo parish before it all hit.

After two recent catastrophes I elected not to receive Communion. Was shocked and delighted to see someone kneel to receive on the tongue.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 19, 2026 06:45 AM (tgvbd)

45 Hi Wolfus

Have you seen anything with potential or has all your time been devoted to travel?
Posted by: fluffy at April 19, 2026

***
All travel as of now. Monday the real estate lady has me set up for several showings in Salina.

Speaking of which, it's right about freezing there now. By the time I get there it will be about 75 -- but with 13% humidity, which amazes and delights me. This week, they'll have highs in the 80s and lows in the 50s with a cooldown on Fri. & Sat. Rain when I leave next Sunday.

Posted by: Wolfus Aurelius, Dreaming of Elsewhere at April 19, 2026 06:45 AM (fcdZC)

46 42 the AI informed me that this is a hateful thing to say and that a person gets to decide his or her own gender. Scolded!

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 06:33 AM (yJfQg)
-

Which AI?
Posted by: Biden's Dog sniffs a whole lotta malarkey, at April 19, 2026 06:42 AM (1o8D5)

It's Apple Intelligence, which, it informs me, is:

"the personal AI system designed for Mac, deeply integrated into macOS Sequoia to help with writing, image creation, task management, and communication across apps."

It pops up, unbidden, to provide me with an AI Overview.

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 06:48 AM (yJfQg)

47 Catamite Ass probably opened for somebody.
Posted by: Captain Obvious

Butthole Surfers

Posted by: Dark Litigator at April 19, 2026 06:53 AM (W5mpo)

48 Time to get a massive does of propaganda and empty headedness.

Tuning in to see what Unkie Jeff's minions have come up with next....not to mention Gas Music from Jupiter.

Posted by: pawn at April 19, 2026 06:57 AM (CGX3Y)

49 Wolfus you will like freezing weather, makes you think heat isn't so bad after all

Posted by: Skip at April 19, 2026 06:58 AM (Ia/+0)

50 G'mornin' everyone!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez at April 19, 2026 06:59 AM (VyBeY)

51 Was shocked and delighted to see someone kneel to receive on the tongue.

I see it a lot more often now. Young couples.

I should do it while I can still do it and get up after.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:00 AM (qFwJc)

52 Don't take Gunsel if you're allergic to Gunsel.

Posted by: Big Fat Farma at April 19, 2026 07:01 AM (2Ez/1)

53
I should do it while I can still do it and get up after.
Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:00 AM (qFwJc)

That's my problem. Having had the inner ear on one side go out, my balance is compromised. There is no Communion rail, kneeler or prie-dieu available. It won't do to fall over trying to kneel or getting up.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at April 19, 2026 07:02 AM (tgvbd)

54 They should put a prie-dieu there like at the Easter Vigil for the First Communicants.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:04 AM (qFwJc)

55 A saxophone is an ill wind that nobody blows good.

Posted by: Benny Hill, 1978 at April 19, 2026 07:06 AM (oftw2)

56 The AI Overview itself tells me:

"There is no single "off" switch to permanently remove Google AI Overviews on a Mac, as they are integrated into the search experience. However, you can use several effective workarounds in Safari or Chrome to disable or hide them."

and then lists some workarounds.

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 07:07 AM (yJfQg)

57 So we're speaking French this morning?

Posted by: Just got here at April 19, 2026 07:08 AM (2Ez/1)

58 No. Just religious furniture.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:11 AM (qFwJc)

59 57 So we're speaking French this morning?
Posted by: Just got here at April 19, 2026 07:08 AM (2Ez/1)

Non!

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 07:11 AM (yJfQg)

60 37 Oh, I learned a word many years ago. In the film "The Black Falcon," Sam Spade refers to the little guy as a "gunsel."

"What's a gunsel I ask my mom?"

"A catamite."

Yiddish.
Posted by: no one of any consequence

It now also means just a criminal who carries a gun. But that apparently stems from The Maltese Falcon itself.

I assume Hammett knew the original meaning, and it was his readers who misunderstood.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at April 19, 2026 07:13 AM (BLOW1)

61 and it was his readers who misunderstood.

Or his readers knew and the illiterate moviegoers didn't.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:14 AM (qFwJc)

62 With regards to NEOGEO, I play Metal Slug or one of its sequels, pretty much every day on one of my Retro consoles or handhelds.

Also a big fan of SHMUPS.

I think does are making a comeback as well as MetroidVanias.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 19, 2026 07:14 AM (XV/Pl)

63 prie-dieu

a piece of furniture for use during prayer, consisting of a kneeling surface and a narrow upright front with a rest for the elbows or for books.

origin
late 17th century: French, literally ‘pray God’.

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 07:15 AM (yJfQg)

64 It's funny that my Methodist mom knew the word.

But then, she was well-read.

Posted by: no one of any consequence at April 19, 2026 07:15 AM (qFwJc)

65 The amount of work you can get google ai to preform for free is wild.

At least your getting a bang for your buck for your data monetization.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 19, 2026 07:20 AM (XV/Pl)

66 "The amount of work you can get google ai to preform for free is wild."

I'm going to ask it to paint the north side of my house.

Posted by: fd at April 19, 2026 07:22 AM (vFG9F)

67 I thought Prie-Dieu was that colored clay in little yellow plastic cans children play with. My favorite was blue, which I thought tasted best.

Posted by: Non-Toxic at April 19, 2026 07:24 AM (oftw2)

68 @66

>> I'm going to ask it to paint the north side of my house.

That’s human work, for now.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at April 19, 2026 07:24 AM (XV/Pl)

69 So what do you (the ones who have to deal with it) think of this id.me ...thing. It looks like the IRS is trying to stop accepting paper checks, and this id.me mess is required in order to make digital payments.

Posted by: Don in SoCo at April 19, 2026 07:25 AM (BxLyc)

70 Despite that computer sales actually rose slightly, as customers panic-bought everything in sight.

The sales numbers that come out in three months should be sufficiently atrocious.

Posted by: Grumpy and Recalcitrant at April 19, 2026 07:26 AM (O7YUW)

71 Here's a google Ngram graphing the appearance of prie-dieu in books:

https://tinyurl.com/zr3c8zyk

Posted by: m at April 19, 2026 07:26 AM (yJfQg)

72 "That’s human work, for now.
Posted by: Thomas Bender"

Well then I guess AI is no value to me as I have never found anything that it can do that I can't.

Posted by: fd at April 19, 2026 07:27 AM (vFG9F)

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