Wccftech

Meta is reusing older DDR4 memory from retired servers to help deal with ongoing DDR5 memory shortages and rising DRAM prices instead of buying all-new memory. The company uses a custom chip based on Compute Express Link (CXL) technology to connect recycled DDR4 modules with newer DDR5 memory in the same server. Faster DDR5 handles frequently used data, while slower DDR4 stores less-accessed information. Meta says this approach expands server memory at much lower cost, reduces waste, and helps ease the impact of limited DDR5 supply.

The ASUS ROG Astral RTX 5090 Edition 20 has appeared at French retailer LDLC for €6,499 (around $7,435), making it one of the most expensive RTX 5090 graphics cards ever listed.

The DRAM supply situation is predicted to worsen for consumer electronics next year, with multiple industry watchers believing that a grim future for budget handsets could materialize in 2027. Thanks to AI centers gobbling up existing DRAM shipments, which could account for more than 60 percent in the near future, phone makers will have a negligible supply to work with, forcing them to have little option but to raise prices.

The semiconductor industry has urged the Trump administration not to intervene in memory chip pricing or production, arguing such measures would worsen the global supply shortage driven by AI demand, according to a report by Bloomberg. The industry group, SEMI, whose members include Micron, Samsung Electronics, and SK hynix, instead called on the government to support long-term supply agreements between companies and customers while extending tax incentives to boost U.S. chip production. In its letter to senior administration officials, SEMI said policies that distort pricing or capacity decisions could prolong the market imbalance, while targeted measures to strengthen domestic manufacturing would help improve supply resilience.

Companies that have reduced their workforce as part of AI and automation efforts are not seeing stronger returns on investment simply because of those layoffs, according to research and advisory firm Gartner. The findings are based on a survey of 350 global business executives from organizations generating at least $1 billion in annual revenue. Gartner found that 80% of companies running AI or autonomous technology pilots reported workforce reductions, regardless of whether those projects delivered high, modest, or negative financial returns. Researcher Helen Poitevin said layoffs may free up funding for AI initiatives but do not generate returns on their own.

PlayStation's decision to end production of game discs in 2028 has quickly become one of the most hated decisions ever made by a gaming company, and not only by those that still purchase retail releases, due to the massive implications this decision will have for the entire gaming industry. Chances of the company backtracking, however, are slim, and not only because factories are being repurposed from making discs, but also because this "spreadsheet" decision has been a long time in the making, according to former PlayStation Boss Shawn Layden.

Investment bank UBS believes that there is plenty of room for DRAM prices to increase in the third quarter. In a note, the bank outlined that it expects the DRAM memory market to be constrained until the second quarter of 2028. UBS' coverage comes just as market research firm TrendForce outlined that the DRAM market will continue to face severe shortages in the third quarter. However, it added that the impact of high prices on the consumer market and a higher base effect can temper the rate of change in memory prices over the coming months

In a tweet, noting that despite his earlier critiques, Yoshida said that he was genuinely enjoying the Steam Machine. He highlighted its quiet operation and compact design as unexpected wins, joking that its low noise profile meant his wife hadn't complained about it taking up space in their living room.