Reddit and r/TEAMEVGA forum users report о problems with launching RTX 50-series graphics cards on EVGA motherboards. The reason is the presence of active SMBUS pins (contacts 5 and 6) in the PCIe slot, which cause a conflict with new graphics accelerators from NVIDIA. These communication lines are rarely used in consumer boards, but, as it turned out, in a number of EVGA models they are active and interfere with the system booting.
Since the company EVGA to Quit Graphics Card Market in 2022, technical support has been greatly reduced. The lack of BIOS updates and patches has led to users finding their own solution: covering the contacts on the video card connector with a narrow strip of electrical tape. This method effectively breaks the SMBUS connection and allows run system with RTX 50 GPU.
The issue has been confirmed on the motherboard. EVGA Z690 Classified, where the SMBUS pins are connected, unlike most modern solutions. Users emphasize that this method requires precision - it is necessary to close only the necessary contacts of the PCIe connector. Although this method is considered temporary, it has proven effective as EVGA does not release BIOS fixes and does not respond officially to requests.
Some other EVGA boards – including most Z790 models – are not affected by this issue. However, the situation is worrisome: without official recognition and patches, equipment owners are left alone with the error. Meanwhile, the community continues to share solutions, bypassing the manufacturer's software inertia.
Substitute DXVK 2.6.2 — a fresh update of the toolkit for launching Direct3D 8/9/10/11 games via API Vulkan. DXVK is used primarily in the composition Proton and Steam Play, allowing you to run Windows- Linux games with high compatibility. Version 2.6.2 does not bring large-scale changes, but includes several useful improvements and point fixes for specific games.
The main innovation was the new environment variable DXVK_FILTER_DEVICE_UUID, which allows you to filter the used video cards by driver UUID. This is especially useful in systems with several GPU of one type, where it is necessary to clearly specify the desired device for rendering. In addition, the logic of redefinition has been improved Vendor ID for Direct3D 9, which increases compatibility with games that rely on the identification of the video card manufacturer.
Additionally, it was improved WSI backend selection system in DXVK-Native, which has a positive effect on the stability of image output in some configurations. The list of fixed games includes Pirate Hunter, Red Orchestra: Ostfront, Thumper, Rocketbirds 2 and other projects where errors or unstable operation were previously observed. All changes are available as source and binary builds on GitHub.
The update is aimed at increased stability and compatibility, without introducing major new features. Users of Linux games based on Proton are advised to upgrade to the new version, especially if they have encountered bugs in the mentioned games or use complex multi-GPU configuration.
Despite the fact that GeForce RTX 5050 is not officially presented yet, several laptop models with this video card are already appeared in open price lists. ASUS, Lenovo, MSI and a number of retail platforms, including Newegg and Germany's Kiebel, have published pages for new gaming models mentioning the RTX 5050, although There has been no release from NVIDIA yet.
Leaks indicate that the RTX 5050 may include 2560 CUDA cores, 80 Tensor units and 20 RT cores, but this data is from unofficial sources. The biggest confusion is related to the type of video memory: in the listing MSI Helix 13 specified GDDR6, and on the page Lenovo Legion 5i on Newegg listed as GDDR7. This could indicate either different versions of the card or erroneous specifications in the retailer's database. In any case, There is no confirmed RTX 5050 configuration yet.
Model ASUS Strix G16 with RTX 5050 was spotted on a Vietnamese ASUS site with a Core i7-14650HX processor and 32GB of RAM, but no mention of the memory type GPU. The page is of a technical nature and, judging by the lack of a price, is intended for preliminary placement. The appearance of such listings indicates the imminent announcement of the RTX 5050, but actual shipments of the devices and exact specifications remain in question. NVIDIA has not released any information about this model.
Owners GAINWARD RTX 5070 Ti PHANTOM 16GB GDDR7 256-bit 3-DP HDMI encountered that the kit is missing 8pin×3 cables, required to connect additional power. In this case, using the included 8pin×2 cable will lead to unstable operation or complete inability to start the video card. The manufacturer and official distributor note that this error was made at the packaging stage, and a decision has already been made to free replacement for all affected devices.
The problem concerns devices with serial numbers from B4250156906 to B4250157055 (model NE7507T019T2-GB2030P). Owners of such cards are advised not to try using other cables, but to contact Support Service to submit a request. The contact form is available at the link: support.pcdiy.newx.co.jp/hc/ja/requests/new?ticket_form_id=900001705646, where after specifying the model and serial number, a corresponding confirmation letter will be sent.
Cables are provided free of charge, but delivery may take up to 2-4 weeks depending on the region. Users should take into account possible delays at customs and local postal services. In the request letter, please indicate your address and contact phone number so that specialists can promptly process the application and send the components without additional charges.
The company apologizes for the inconvenience and assures that it has reviewed the quality control process to prevent this from happening again. Users who have encountered a similar situation are advised to track the status of the application through their personal account on the support service website or by email.
Against the backdrop of a possible increase US Customs Tariffs on Chinese Electronics, NVIDIA's video card partners began actively importing products into the country before the deadline of July 9. According to Asian sources, Gigabyte and MSI are urgently increasing production volumes of RTX 5090, to have time to place large quantities in American warehouses, which will allow them to avoid potential costs if the higher tariffs initiated by the previous US administration return.
MSI CEO Joseph Hsu confirmed that the company is pre-stocking in the US while the "temporary relief" in tariff policy is in effect. The decision was made not only to satisfying market demand, but also with the expectation of the possibility of increasing profits. Manufacturers are looking to exploit the short period until July 9, to avoid price risks. In turn, sources report that a similar strategy is being used by Gigabyte — amid instability in negotiations between the US and China.
Experts suggest that NVIDIA's AIB Partners Will Hold Back RTX 5090 Stock, waiting for the official return of tariffs. This will give the opportunity to raise prices after the deadline if agreements between the countries are not reached. A similar scheme was used in 2016-2017, when companies massively imported video cards before the start of trade restrictions. RTX 5090 Availability May Worsen in July, especially if tariffs are reintroduced and companies decide to pass the costs on to consumers.
The modding community is actively working on the project SDEX2M2 Adapter, which will allow you to connect standard M.2 NVMe SSD drives to the console Nintendo Switch 2. This is made possible by the fact that the MicroSD Express port in the new console supports the SD Express 7.1 standard, which provides a full PCIe Gen3 x1 interface and uses the NVMe protocol. The project is open source.
The main advantage of this solution is that significant savings on memory expansion. With speeds up to 1GB/s similar to the new MicroSD Express cards, M.2 SSDs offer significantly more capacity for the same price. For example, a 1TB M.2 2230 NVMe SSD can be found for $66.
The developers warn that the project is in the finalization stage. It is important to use only Low Voltage, Low Power M.2 2230 NVMe Drivesto avoid damaging the console. Also, the adapter is not intended for use with the original Nintendo Switch or other devices that have a regular MicroSD slot.
Matrox has introduced a new video card LUMA Pro A380 Octal, designed for digital signage systems and video walls. The model, which uses an Intel Arc GPU, belongs to the LUMA Pro series and will be available soon.
The LUMA Pro A380 Octal is a single-slot PCIe 4.0 x16 card with eight Mini DisplayPort 2.0 outputs. It can drive up to four 8K (60Hz HDR) or 5K (120Hz) displays, or up to eight synchronized 5K displays or projectors. The card supports up to 12GB of graphics memory and is HDCP compliant.
Key features include: the ability to combine up to two LUMA Pro A380 Octal cards to synchronize up to 16 displays without the need for a separate synchronization card. Supports DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, OpenCL 3.0, Vulkan 1.3, Intel oneAPI Video Processing Library (oneVPL) and OpenVINO.
Matrox backs the LUMA Pro A380 Octal with a three-year warranty and promises a long product lifecycle of up to seven years. Display management software includes Matrox PowerDesk and video wall management software includes Matrox Mura.Control. An SDK and API are also available for developing custom features.
The first data on processor performance has appeared online NVIDIA N1X. The chip, aimed at the mass market, passed the Geekbench 6.2.2 Preview test for Linux AArch64, scoring 3096 points in single-core mode and 18837 points in multi-core. The test was conducted on an HP system with Ubuntu 24.04.1 and 128 GB of RAM. The base frequency of the processor was 2.81 GHz, although the boost clock speed is expected to be around 4 GHz.
These results put the N1X in line with current offerings from AMD (such as the Zen 5-based Strix Halo) and Intel (the Core series Ultra 2) While NVIDIA was focused on its GB200 Grace Blackwell superchip at Computex, the N1X's appearance in benchmarks indicates the company is preparing to enter the broader CPU market.
The N1X is expected to be aimed at desktop systems, while the N1 is aimed at mobile. Previously, these chips were expected to have between 8 and 12 cores, but the latest information suggests that the N1X could be a variant of the GB10, containing up to 10 Cortex-X925 cores and 10 Cortex-A725 cores.
NVIDIA hasn't made any official announcements about the N1 series yet. More information and benchmarks are expected to come in the coming weeks and months, but an N1 series release this year is unlikely.
Fans of the Steam Deck handheld gaming consoles should take note of new information. It has been confirmed that the recently announced processor AMD Ryzen Z2 A, designed for portable gaming devices, is the same chip that was previously known under the codename "Aerith Plus." The latter was mentioned in leaks as the processor designation for the next generation of Steam Deck. Since the Ryzen Z2 A is the most budget model in the new AMD Ryzen Z2 chip line, indicating a high probability of release a more affordable version of Steam Deck in future.
The Ryzen Z2 A, like the current Steam Deck processor, uses the Zen 2 (CPU) and RDNA 2 (GPU). It features 4 cores and 8 threads, operates in a thermal design power (TDP) range of 6 to 20 W, and is capable of reaching a boost frequency of up to 3.8 GHz.
While the Ryzen Z2 A is positioned as an entry-level chip, its inclusion in the lineup hints at AMD's strategy to target different price points in the portable console market. Confirmation of the identity with "Aerith Plus" was obtained thanks to the match of the Ryzen Z2 A product code (100-000001835) with entries in NBD shipping manifests. Some modern portable consoles, such as the Xbox Rog Ally, already use this processor. The Ryzen Z2 lineup also includes a more powerful Ryzen AI Z2 chip Extreme, designed for high-performance devices and equipped with a neural processing unit (NPU) for artificial intelligence tasks.
Seagate has announced New 4TB Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S, which is now available for purchase at a price of $499.99. This is a continuation of the series of branded drives developed jointly with Microsoft and supporting Xbox Velocity ArchitectureThe new model is fully compatible with previous versions, including 1TB and 2TB, and offers the same form factor with a significant increase in storage capacity.
Like previous models, The card allows you to run games directly from the drive, without having to copy them to the internal SSD. This distinguishes it from external hard drives, which serve only as storage. The device operates at the same speed as the built-in SSD, thanks to its full compliance with the internal architecture of the Xbox. Users can Play all-gen titles with improved performance, especially in older games via backward compatibility.
The 4 TB capacity is especially relevant in the context of growth in the size of AAA gamesSuch as Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, which can take up to 400 GB when all components are installed. This solution eliminates the need to constantly delete and reinstall games. Seagate stresses that automatic updates will also not be interrupted due to lack of space., which is especially important in the context of modern online services. Despite the high price, the card offers unique advantages and maximum convenience for Xbox Series owners.
