Hey forum members, I'm curious to know, what timepieces do you all wear? Do you think it's worth investing in a high-end watch, or is it fine to go for more affordable options? I'm debating whether to buy a designer watch or just stick with a more affordable option. What are your thoughts on luxury watches? Do you think they're worth the price, or would you recommend a less pricey watch instead?



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https://watchmafia.blogspot.com/2025/03/...-best.html

(PR) Minisforum Unveils AI X1 Pro Mini PC With Ryzen AI 9 HX 370

Minisforum is proud to unveil AI X1 Pro, the world's first Copilot-empowered AI mini PC, setting a new standard in low power efficiency and redefining performance. Powered by the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor, the AI X1 Pro delivers next-level AI technology, supercharging multitasking, boosting productivity, and enhancing teamwork like never before. With performance up to 45% faster than competitors, this mini PC is designed to meet the demands of professionals, creators, and gamers alike.

Unmatched Gaming and Creativity
Equipped with the powerful AMD Radeon 890M processor, AI X1 Pro transforms your gaming experience. Dive into AAA titles with smooth, breathtaking visuals and zero lag. Every battle and adventure comes to life in stunning detail, delivering pure excitement. For creators, the AI X1 Pro is optimized for AI workloads, featuring total 80 TOPS NPU for all-local AI processing. Streamline your daily tasks, enhance creativity, and save valuable time with unparalleled convenience. Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333684/minis...i-9-hx-370

(PR) QNAP Announces New TS-h1277AFX All-flash NAS With AMD Ryzen 7 9000 Series Proce

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading innovator in computing, networking, and storage solutions, has unveiled the TS-h1277AFX, a 12-bay tower all-flash NAS designed to meet the rigorous demands of multimedia production and virtualization. Powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 9000 Series processor, the TS-h1277AFX can be upgraded to 25GbE via expansion cards for high-speed data access. Combining exceptional performance and capacity, it serves as a centralized hub for storage, backup, and disaster recovery, making it an ideal choice for dynamic and collaborative work environments.

"All-flash NAS solutions are crucial for media professionals," said Alex Shih, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "the TS-h1277AFX delivers low-latency, multi-user access that optimizes collaboration workflows. It provides an excellent price-to-performance ratio for creative teams, enabling seamless 4K/8K media transfers, real-time editing, and secure file management." Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333548/qnap-...-processor

Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite to Come With Up to 18 Cores

According to import-export database records obtained by WinFuture, we are informed that Qualcomm is testing an 18-core Snapdragon X2 Elite processor designated SC8480XP, representing a 50% increase in core count over the current 12-core Snapdragon X Elite. The silicon, developed under the "Project Glymur" codename, incorporates Oryon V3 architecture in what documentation describes as a "high-TDP" implementation exceeding the current generation's 80 W thermal envelope. Test platforms pair the processor with 48 GB of SK Hynix RAM and 1 TB NVMe storage. Reference documentation suggests integration as a system-in-package (SiP), potentially offering CPU and memory in a unified package, much like Intel's Lunar Lake and Apple M-series processors. Thermal management testing includes configurations with 120 mm AIO cooling solutions typical in desktop applications, though form factor targets remain unspecified.

Whether homogeneous high-performance cores or heterogeneous clusters, core architecture details remain undisclosed. Market positioning appears focused on high-TDP environments, suggesting that this new wave of Arm-based Windows processors plans to fight more aggressively in the AI PC space, which will see even NVIDIA join it in the coming months. Internal documentation potentially references "Snapdragon X2 Ultra Premium" branding, though the final nomenclature remains unconfirmed. Volume availability is not expected until 2026, allowing time for platform optimization and validation. Qualcomm has gathered feedback from its Snapdragon X Elite initial launch and working to improve performance and app compatibility for Windows-on-Arm platforms.


https://www.techpowerup.com/333486/qualc...o-18-cores

This Week in Gaming (Week 10)

Welcome to the month of March and a week when almost every single new game launches on a Thursday. This week's major release is a new 5v5 FPS shooter set in a Sci-Fi world. This is followed by alien planet colony management, a spot of museum curation, working as a car mechanic, doing battle with your best buddy in multiple imaginary worlds, with the week finally ending with some more co-op action, but puppet sized. We have four more games included at the end, but that's only a few of the games launching this Thursday.

FragPunk / This week's major release / Thursday 6 March
FragPunk is a fast-paced 5v5 hero shooter with powerup cards that change the rules of each round. Choose your hero, your weapons, and pick from a selection of cards that dramatically change the rules of engagement. Steam link Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333459/this-...ng-week-10

GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop-Powered Morefine G1 eGPU Unveiled With Compact Chassis

Morefine is a relatively reputed brand of mini PCs that we have covered in the past. The company has now introduced a powerful new eGPU dubbed the G1, which can also function as a dock, courtesy of its healthy selection of ports. The eGPU can be equipped with the RTX 4060 Laptop, RTX 4080 Laptop, or even the RTX 4090 Laptop GPUs. The product is already available for purchase, with prices starting from $659 for the RTX 4060 L variant, $1,099 for the RTX 4080 L variant, and the highest-end RTX 4090 Laptop variant is unfortunately out of stock as of this writing, which otherwise carries a price tag of $1,699.

For those who need a refresher, the RTX 4060 Laptop packs 3,072 CUDA cores paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, allowing for performance that is roughly in the same league as the Radeon RX 7600M GPU found in many other eGPUs. The RTX 4080 Laptop and RTX 4090 Laptop GPUs pack 7,424 and 9,728 CUDA cores coupled with 12 and 16 GB of GDDR6 VRAM respectively. Morefine has revealed the 3D Mark scores for each of the systems, which is certainly a good thing for prospective buyers. The 14 x 10 x 5.4 cm chassis is impressively compact, and as mentioned previously, the ports on offer are equally impressive. An OCuLink port is provided, along with Thunderbolt 3 (85W PD), which can swapped with a dual USB-C module for folks with systems that cannot take advantage of OCuLink. Other ports include triple USB-A 3.2, dual HDMI 2.1, and DisplayPort 1.4 ports.


https://www.techpowerup.com/333374/gefor...ct-chassis

12V-2x6 Adapter with Monitoring and Shunt Resistors Appears for NVIDIA's GPUs

A monitoring adapter prototype for NVIDIA's problematic 12VHPWR/12V-2x6 power connectors has surfaced in Asian markets, potentially offering RTX 5090 owners a stopgap solution amid ongoing concerns about thermal issues and power delivery weaknesses. The prototype features a circuit board with individually routed +12V lines through shunt resistors, enabling precise current measurement across each power line while maintaining ground and sense pin functionality. The adapter incorporates voltage monitoring capabilities and an apparent alarm function designed to trigger during overload conditions. A USB port is present on the board for user-accessible data output to a custom display. Notably, the current design iteration appears to omit temperature monitoring functionality, focusing exclusively on current distribution metrics.

These monitoring solutions merely detect rather than resolve the fundamental design issues reportedly affecting NVIDIA's high-end graphics cards. NVIDIA has maintained silence regarding the reported thermal issues and power supply inconsistencies affecting their flagship GeForce RTX 5090 cards despite growing user concerns about connector safety and performance stability. The emergence of third-party monitoring solutions proves the demand for greater transparency regarding power delivery characteristics, particularly for cards operating at extreme power limits. The RTX 5090, with its factory power limit of 600 W, represents the most power-hungry GPU, getting its massive power through a single 12V-2x6 connector interface.


https://www.techpowerup.com/333281/12v-2...idias-gpus

(PR) Phison and Lonestar Unite to Enable the First Data Center Hardware on the Moon

Phison Electronics, a leading innovator in NAND flash technologies has partnered with Lonestar, a leader in lunar infrastructure and Resiliency as a Service (RaaS), to support today's successful lunar mission launch, Lonestar's Freedom Mission. The Freedom payload utilizes SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket and is set to reach the lunar surface on March 4th, commencing a new journey as Earth's ultimate data processing, backup and recovery solution to store mission-critical knowledge for humanity.

The novel ability to safeguard data on the Moon continues to spike interest for global governments, NGOs and enterprises as it provides an additional layer of fortitude against natural disasters and unpredictable impacts to crucial data. With a shared vision of unparalleled resiliency in data storage, Phison and Lonestar collaborated to ensure the Freedom mission moves beyond technical innovation alone to unlock the future of interplanetary operations. The strategic mix of Freedom's 3D-printed exterior, provided to Lonestar by SpaceBilt and designed by visionary architects Bjarke Ingels and Martin Voelkle of BIG, alongside the Phison Pascari portfolio's durability in extreme conditions proves optimal for the unforgiving environment in space. With unique solar-power sourcing and natural cooling capabilities, Freedom's state-of-the-art lunar data center design is poised to maintain peak operational performance with minimal resource dependency. Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333210/phiso...n-the-moon

(PR) Silicon Labs Redefines Smart Home Connectivity with New Concurrent Multiprotoco

Silicon Labs, a leader in secure, intelligent wireless technology for a more connected world, today announced that its MG26 family of wireless SoCs is now generally available through Silicon Labs and its distribution partners. As the industry's most advanced, high-performance Matter and concurrent multiprotocol solution to date, the MG26 SoC features double the Flash and RAM of other Silicon Labs multiprotocol devices, advanced AI/ML processing, and best-in-class security to empower developers to design future-proof Matter applications.

"With MG26, we're not just setting a new standard in multiprotocol wireless performance for battery-based, low-power smart home applications—we're redefining what's possible for the future of IoT connectivity with Matter," said Jacob Alamat, Senior Vice President for the Home and Life business unit at Silicon Labs. "This device empowers developers to create smarter, safer, and more powerful solutions in an increasingly connected world." Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333143/silic...otocol-soc

(PR) FSP Unveils High-Performance MEGA TI PSU Series

FSP, a global leader in power supply solutions, introduces the MEGA TI PSU series, engineered for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. This new lineup includes the 1350 W and 1650 W models, delivering unmatched power, efficiency, and reliability. Designed to meet the latest Intel ATX 3.1 power design guide, these PSUs support up to 200% power excursion and feature dual PCIe 12V-2x6 connectors, ensuring seamless compatibility with next-generation GPUs.

Superior Performance and Maximum Efficiency
The MEGA TI series is built for uncompromising performance, featuring Interleaved PFC topology and high-performance MOSFETs and SiC diodes from Infineon for exceptional power regulation. With FSP's proprietary Micro Tolerance Load Control (MTLC) technology, voltage regulation is maintained at an ultra-precise ±0.5%, surpassing Intel's ATX 3.1 standards. Certified with 80 Plus Titanium and Cybenetics Titanium ratings, these PSUs ensure minimal power loss, lower heat output, and near-silent operation, making them an optimal choice for high-performance systems. Read full story


https://www.techpowerup.com/333087/fsp-u...psu-series