Warning: this article contains full spoilers for Andor Season 2’s finale. If you haven’t already, be sure to check out IGN's review for Andor Season 2, Episodes 10-12. Andor Season 2 just wrapped on Disney+, capping off what is easily one of the best Star Wars projects to come out of the Disney era. In the process, the series leads directly into the events of 2016’s Rogue One: A Star Wars Story bringing Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor full circle at last.We already know what happens next for Cassian and the Rebel Alliance. His tragic future is already set in stone. But despite that, there’s a lot to unpack in the dramatic finale of Andor, as the series reveals the fates of many major characters and drops a major twist with big ramifications for the Star Wars franchise. Let’s break down everything that happens and how the series paves the way for future Star Wars adventures.Every IGN Andor ReviewAndor Season 2’s Ending ExplainedAndor Season 2 has been busy chronicling the final four years in the life of Cassian Andor. Or, at least, the most pivotal moments in those four years. First, in 4 BBY, we saw Cassian’s mission to steal a prototype TIE Avenger and his temporary imprisonment on Yavin IV, destined to become the new operating base of the fledgling Rebel Alliance. Then, in 3 BBY, we saw the role Cassian and the Empire each played in propping up the resistance cell known as The Ghorman Front. Those actions then bore fruit in 2 BBY, as the Empire responded to its manufactured political crisis and instigated the Ghorman Massacre, galvanizing Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma and the Rebels.The series now takes its final bow in 1 BBY, just days before the events of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story and Star Wars: A New Hope. As expected, Andor ends by showing us the final sequence of events leading up to the first major conflict between the Rebellion and the Empire on Scarif. It’s all catalyzed by Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael, who proves to be the Rebel agent who first uncovers evidence of the Death Star.These final three episodes follow what happens next, as Luthen sacrifices himself (with a little assistance from Elizabeth Dulau’s Kleya Marki) and Cassian and friends make a high-stakes trip to Coruscant to bring Kleya in. It’s a mission that would surely have ended in torture and death for all involved if not for the assistance of Alan Tudyk’s K-2SO. Rogue One emphasized the idea that the Rebellion’s victory at the Battle of Yavin was a miracle that was accomplished through many individual acts of heroism. At any point in the chain, something could have gone wrong that doomed the Rebellion to failure. Now we have a better appreciation for how far back that chain extends. If not for Luthen and Kleya’s bravery, the Rebels would have no idea of the danger looming over them. Hope persists in the darkest of times.The series ends with the Alliance High Command finally accepting the reality of what Cassian and Kleya are telling them. The Empire is building a super-weapon. They don’t yet know that it’s one with the power to destroy entire planets, but they do know it’s connected to the Empire’s supposed energy program, its kyber mining efforts on Jedha, and its actions on Ghorman. The pieces are falling into place, leaving Cassian free to meet his contact Tivik on the Ring of Kafrene. That encounter unfolds in one of the first scenes in Rogue One, where Cassian learns the full truth about the Death Star and the defection of Riz Ahmed’s Bodhi Rook.The series also shows us the fates of many of the other major players in this prequel series. Kleya seems ready to integrate with the Rebels, joining loyal soldiers like Faye Marsay’s Vel Sartha and Muhannad Bhaier’s Wilmon Paak. We also see one last glimpse of Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera, who watches in paranoid agitation as an Imperial Star Destroyer looms above Jedha. On the Imperial side of things, Anton Lesser’s Major Partagaz is forced to pay the ultimate price for his failure to contain the Death Star leak, committing suicide rather than submitting to whatever other punishments the Emperor had in mind. Meanwhile, Dedra is seen languishing in an Imperial prison cell, ironically in the same facility on Narkina 5 where Cassian was imprisoned in Season 1.“Meanwhile, Dedra is seen languishing in an Imperial prison cell, ironically in the same facility on Narkina 5 where Cassian was imprisoned in Season 1. She’s clearly wracked by shame and guilt, contending with everything she sacrificed in the name of the Empire and the realization that none of it mattered in the end. The series has a lot to say about the perils of living under fascism. Dedra is proof that no amount of loyalty and sacrifice can change the fact that everyone serving the Empire is merely a pawn to be discarded when they outlive their usefulness. “I always think of it like Dedra is in a gang,” Gough told IGN in a recent roundtable interview. “These guys are in a tribe and Dedra is in a gang, and the gang just disperse at the first sign of trouble. They throw each other to the wolves. There's no loyalties. And so it was really clear to me that going through it, that when you commit your whole life and she's indoctrinated into the gang, so she can't see anything outside it. It's actually really tragic. She can't have intimacy or vulnerability or anything. And so it's a real kind of a foil to what the people in the Rebellion do have, which is loyalty, trust, love, intimacy, community, all of those things.”Episode 12 serves as a neat and tidy way to end the series, albeit somewhat bittersweet. We know that Cassian himself has only a few days left to live before he and the rest of the Rogue One team sacrifice their lives on Scarif. But there is one, final reveal saved for the very end. PlayRevealing Cassian Andor’s ChildThe final scene in Episode 12 reveals that Adria Arjona’s Bix Caleen has returned to Mina-Rau to live out her days in peace. Not only that, she’s raising a baby. As hinted at in Episode 9, Bix was pregnant when she left Cassian on Yavin IV. While she claimed to be leaving Cassian to ensure he would continue serving the Rebellion, it’s clear now that she also wanted to bring their unborn child somewhere he could grow up safe from the Empire.Cassian may be doomed to die fighting on Scarif, but his legacy lives on in a very tangible way. That’s probably the happiest ending fans could hope for from this generally very somber Star Wars series.“[Showrunner Tony Gilroy] really believes that information is power,” Arjona told IGN. “And he told me months before I read the scene where I sort of send Cassian off. He told me that that was going to happen. And so for months I was kind of lingering on that effect or that feeling before I ever read it. And when I read it, it shook me. I started crying immediately. And I love Rogue One, and I respect that movie so much. So to sort of send Cassian on this journey meant the world to me.”“For anyone who had doubts in [Episode] 9 about her motivation, it underlines it at the end. Absolutely,” Gilroy adds. “It makes his sacrifice even more powerful. So much stronger. I mean, you want hope at the end… It would be cruel and unnatural to put all these people through all this stuff and not have a candle in the window at the end.”Does Andor Season 2 Have a Post-Credits Scene?The Star Wars franchise isn’t as big about post-credits scenes and stingers as Marvel, but we have seen them in the past with some live-action Star Wars shows. That includes Andor Season 1, which ended with the reveal that the Narkina 5 prisoners were manufacturing equipment being used on the Death Star.Based on that, fans might be expecting Season 2 to also end with a post-credits scene of some sort. But not in this case. The series is done once the final credits start rolling. When Andor segues this neatly into the beginning of Rogue One, what’s the point of a post-credits scene? Besides, the final scene with Bix is all the series really needs in terms of setting the stage for future stories. There’s another Andor out there in the galaxy, and no doubt they have a grand destiny ahead of them, too. On that note…PlayHow Andor Sets Up Future Star Wars StoriesAs much as Andor serves as a direct prequel to Rogue One, the series does leave some loose ends open for future Star Wars projects to build upon. As mentioned, key characters like Will, Kleya, and Vel are still alive and active in the Rebellion. This leaves room for future Star Wars comics and novels to explore the ongoing role they play in the Galactic Civil War. Did they fight in the Battle of Scarif or other major conflicts like the Battle of Endor? Did they ever rub elbows with the likes of Han Solo and Luke Skywalker? Andor is so far removed from the Jedi business that usually dominates the franchise, so it might be fascinating to read a story that explores how these ordinary heroes react to fighting alongside a living legend like Luke.It’s also worth pointing out that, though Season 2 explores the last four years of Cassian’s life, it only focuses on very specific periods within those four years. Now that Andor has wrapped, there’s ample room for Lucasfilm to double back and commission new books that flesh out other conflicts during this era. How did the bond between Cassian and K-2SO form? What other high-stakes missions did Cassian undertake? Lucasfilm is dabbling in this area with the recently announced Reign of the Empire trilogy, but there’s room for plenty more stories spinning out of Andor. Then there’s poor Dedra. As much as the series delivers a poetic ending to her story, we can’t help but wonder if there’s more story to be told. What becomes of Dedra? Does she spend the remainder of the Galactic Civil War locked up on Narkina 5? What happens when the Empire is overthrown? How does she react to seeing her precious Empire fall? Is she freed? Is she put on trial for her role in orchestrating the Ghorman Massacre? We can’t help but feel there’s more to be explored there.No doubt the child will grow up hearing stories of Cassian’s heroism and bravery, inspiring them to follow in their father’s footsteps.“But above all, Andor leaves us to question what becomes of Bix and her child. No doubt the child will grow up hearing stories of Cassian’s heroism and bravery, inspiring them to follow in their father’s footsteps. Given the time period in which this series is set, there’s no way Cassian’s child could participate in the Rebel Alliance (unless they grow so desperate they start relying on child soldiers). But they would be the right age to take part in the war between the Resistance and the First Order. It would be a comforting thought to know that Leia’s forces have another tie to the classic Rebellion era in the form of Cassian Andor’s offspring. One intriguing possibility is that Cassian Jr. could wind up being a character in Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter. We don’t know much about that film, other than that it’ll star Ryan Gosling and it’s set about five years after the events of The Rise of Skywalker. Cassian and Bix’s child would be in their 40s at that point, leaving them in a perfect position to take up arms in whatever conflict exists after the fall of Palpatine’s Final Order.Regardless of where and when it happens, we have to assume it’s only a matter of time before Cassian and Bix’s child makes their presence known in the Star Wars franchise. Cassian himself may be gone, but his sacrifice wasn’t in vain. The Rebellion survives, and so does his family. That’s everything Cassian was fighting for.For more on Andor, find out how the series created a major Star Wars plot hole (and why that doesn't matter), and see the cast react to Episode 9’s shocking death.Jesse is a mild-mannered staff writer for IGN. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket byfollowing @jschedeen on BlueSky. Source: https://www.ign.com/articles/andor-season-2-ending-explained-rogue-one-star-wars-prequel #andor #season #ending #explained #why #the #series #more #than #just #rogue #one #prequel

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" Architectural visualisation artist and tools developer Antoine Bagattini has updated BagaPie, his free scattering, object distribution and 3D modelling modifier for Blender.BagaPie 11, described as the “biggest update yet”, adds 20 new tools, including features for generating doors, windows and bolts on the surface of a model. A versatile add-on for shot layout, architectural visualisation and motion graphics First released in 2021, BagaPie is a fast-evolving “all-in-one add-on” for Blender, particularly for set dressing, architectural visualisation and motion graphics work.Its features include real-time Boolean modelling; object instancing and scattering; parametric generators for structures like railings and stairs; and an ivy generator. The scattering tools work with any 3D models, but Bagattini also develops BagaPie Assets, a library of readymade assets like rocks and trees designed for use with BagaPie. BagaPie 11: new tools for generating windows, doors, planks and mesh surfaces The first major update to the add-on for over two years, BagaPie 11 adds 20 new tools.They include Face to Windows and Face to Doors, which generate parametric windows and doors matching the shape and size of any region selected on the surface of a model. There are also four pattern generators for converting mesh faces to repeating structures like wooden planks and wire mesh. New tools for generating surface details For surface details, Insert Mesh in Quad Face instances a source mesh to selected faces of a model, matching its proportions to those of the face: in the video above, it is shown in use to add what looks like clumps of plaster to the surface of a wall.Bolt Corner automatically generates bolts or screws at the corners of selected faces. Array Along Shape generates arrays of details along freehand strokes, making it possible to draw lines of studs or rivets over the surface of a model. Now available as a Blender Extension In addition, BagaPie is now available via Blender’s new Extensions platform, making it possible to install or update it directly inside the software.BagaPie Assets – sales of which fund development of BagaPie itself – gets 40 scattering presets, matching common real-world distributions of rocks and plants. There are also 100 new assets, taking the total to over 750. System requirements BagaPie 11 and BagaPie Assets are compatible with Blender 4.2+. BagaPie is free. BagaPie Assets costs $39 for the Lite edition, which comprises 250 assets, and $93 for the Full version, with 750 assets and 40 scatter presets. Find a list of new features in BagaPie in the online changelog Read more about the features in BagaPie in the online documentation Have your say on this story by following CG Channel on Facebook, Instagram and X (formerly Twitter). As well as being able to comment on stories, followers of our social media accounts can see videos we don’t post on the site itself, including making-ofs for the latest VFX movies, animations, games cinematics and motion graphics projects. Source: https://www.cgchannel.com/2025/05/get-free-blender-modeling-and-scattering-add-on-bagapie-11/ #get #free #blender #modeling #and #scattering #addon #bagapie

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" [Sponsored] Online render farm iRender explains why its customizable, affordable solutions for freelance artists and studios unlock the full potential of GPU rendering with Redshift, Maxon’s production renderer for visual effects, animation and motion graphics work. GPU rendering is not the future; it is the present reality reshaping the 3D industry.Decades ago, CPU rendering was standard, but GPU renderers like Redshift and OctaneRender have completely changed the game. By leveraging the power of modern GPUs, they enable artists to achieve breathtaking photorealism through real-time previews and fast iterations. Cinema 4D and Redshift have become an industry favorite for artists and studios alike, and with Maxon now bundling Redshift GPU as part of Cinema 4D subscriptions, more artists than ever are benefiting from their seamless integration. However, as the demand for high-quality visuals grows, so do the hardware requirements, pushing local machines to their limits. That is where cloud-based render farms like iRender come in, offering the power artists need without the burden of expensive hardware upgrades. Rendering a Cinema 4D scene with Redshift on iRender’s 6 x GeForce RTX 4090 server. Local rendering falls short Rendering on a personal computer has long been the first choice for many 3D artists, especially freelancers and small studios. However, relying solely on local hardware can lead to major bottlenecks that reduce productivity, quality, and efficiency. Hardware limitations The biggest challenge with local rendering is the sheer demand for GPU power, CPU performance, RAM, and storage. High-resolution scenes with detailed textures, volumetric lighting, and complex simulations require massive computational resources that many personal workstations simply cannot provide. Even with high-end GPUs, artists often experience long render times, system slowdowns, or even crashes when handling large-scale projects.Time constraints and inefficiency Unlike cloud-based render farms, local machines can only process one task at a time. If an artist is working on an animation or a high-resolution still, it might take hours or even days to complete the render. This slows down iteration cycles, delays delivery dates, and reduces productivity — a major issue for professionals working under tight timeframes.Overheating and hardware wear-and-tear Continuous rendering generates a lot of heat, which can degrade the performance of a local machine over time. Thermal throttling, fan overuse, and GPU degradation become major concerns when pushing hardware to its limits. Prolonged rendering sessions accelerate wear and tear, leading to expensive repairs or replacements sooner than expected.High energy consumption Intensive GPU rendering consumes a significant amount of electricity, leading to high operational costs. A multi-hour or overnight render session can spike electricity bills, making local rendering less cost-effective in the long run.Limited scalability and upgrade challenges Even the most powerful single workstation has a performance ceiling. Upgrading a local setup — whether adding more GPUs, RAM, or CPU cores — requires significant investment. Eventually, even well-equipped systems reach their hardware limits, forcing artists to either invest in additional machines or seek external solutions. Cloud rendering with iRender is a smarter, more scalable alternative to sinking thousands of dollars into constant hardware upgrades. How iRender transforms your Redshift workflow iRender is your ultimate render farm, providing a high-performance GPU rendering platform specifically optimized for Redshift. Unlike traditional render farms, iRender operates as an IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) platform, giving artists full control over dedicated high-end GPU servers. This means you can install any version of any software application you want, pause renders to make adjustments, or tweak settings mid-project. No queues, no restrictions: just a seamless, intuitive experience that feels like working on your local machine. Key benefits of using iRender 1. Ultra-fast rendering with high-end GPUs iRender users have access to remote machines equipped with up to eight GeForce RTX 4090 or RTX 3090 GPUs, cutting render times from hours to minutes. With dedicated servers, artists can take advantage of real-time rendering and interactive previews for faster iteration.2. Flexible pricing iRender offers flexible pricing for freelancers, studios, and large-scale productions. You don’t need to invest thousands in new GPUs — iRender’s pay-as-you-go model means that you only pay for what you use. Large-scale projects that need long-term rendering can also benefit from rental plans, which provide better pricing and hardware customization tailored to specific needs.3. Customizable and scalable infrastructure From single GPU setups to multi-GPU powerhouses, iRender offers configurations with one, two, four, six or eight GeForce RTX 4090 or RTX 3090 GPUs. Need more power? Instantly scale up to thousands of nodes, eliminating hardware bottlenecks and ensuring seamless rendering for demanding projects. 4. Complete control of your projects As an IaaS (Infrastructure-as-a-Service) render farm, iRender gives artists full control over remote machines. With remote desktop access, users can: • Install any version of Redshift or 3D software (Cinema 4D, Maya, Houdini, Blender, and so on). • Pause and resume renders as needed. • Edit files mid-render without restarting the process. • Work as if they were on their own local machine without limitations.5. Reliable performance with 24/7 support iRender’s optimized hardware ensures stability, reducing the risk of crashes and failed renders. Need assistance? The 24/7 dedicated support team is always ready to help, providing professional guidance whenever needed.What’s coming next? iRender also stays ahead of the curve, continuously pioneering the latest technologies and features in the render farm industry. One of its most recent innovations is the Staking (Stake to Earn) feature, allowing users to stake their unused iRender Points and earn additional rewards. And here’s a little teaser for what’s coming up in future: GeForce RTX 5090 GPU servers and a brand-new data denter in South Korea are on the way! The ultimate render farm for Redshift users As the 3D industry pushes the limits of creativity, accessing powerful, cost-effective rendering is no longer optional — it’s essential. Whether you’re a freelancer tackling tight deadlines or a studio working on complex scenes, iRender provides the flexibility, speed, and power needed to bring your vision to life. Benefits of rendering with iRender include: • A great performance-to-price ratio for Redshift users • Full control over powerful GPU servers (no queue waiting) • Perfect for both freelancers and large studios • Seamless remote access and real-time renderingLast but not least, iRender now offers 100% extra render points with your first payment, so when you try the service for the first time, you can render more for your money. Try iRender today and unlock the full potential of GPU rendering for Redshift Source: https://www.cgchannel.com/2025/05/the-ultimate-render-farm-for-the-redshift-renderer/ #irender #the #ultimate #render #farm #for #redshift #renderer

Nobody expected lunar mining to begin with a robot that looks like a cross between a road trencher and a sandbox toy, but that’s what Interlune and Vermeer have built. Designed to dig up moon dust and extract helium-3, this machine isn’t a sketch on a napkin. It’s a functional prototype being tested on Earth right now, aiming to harvest a gas that could change both energy and computing as we know them. Helium-3 is rare on Earth but relatively abundant on the moon. That’s thanks to billions of years of solar wind bombarding the lunar surface, which lacks a magnetic field to deflect particles. Interlune’s machine drills down about three meters into the regolith, the loose soil covering the moon, where concentrations of helium-3 are likely highest. It can process up to 100 metric tons of regolith per hour and extract helium-3 using a chemical separation system engineered for lunar conditions. Designer: Interlune The payoff is steep. Each kilogram of helium-3 is expected to fetch $20 million. That’s partly because it could fuel advanced nuclear fusion reactors without producing radioactive waste. It also plays a key role in cooling quantum computers to ultra-low temperatures, using dilution refrigeration that only works with helium-3. As the quantum industry grows, the demand for this gas will only rise. Interlune has already secured two major clients. One is the U.S. Department of Energy. The other is Maybell Quantum, a company that sees helium-3 as critical to scaling quantum computing infrastructure. Maybell’s CEO has said every quantum system they deploy needs to get extremely cold, and helium-3 is the only way to do that reliably. The company’s plan rolls out in three stages. First comes Crescent Moon, a mission launching later this year to scan the lunar south pole for helium-3-rich regions using hyperspectral imaging. Then Prospect Moon will land a prototype on-site to confirm those deposits and test extraction tech. The final step, Harvest Moon, aims to complete full-scale operations and return the extracted gas to Earth by 2029. Interlune won’t be shipping rocks back home. Only the refined helium-3 will make the trip, which keeps launch costs in check and makes the business model viable. The concept is elegant in its simplicity, grounded in heavy machinery and actual contracts rather than theoretical promise.The post Lunar Harvester plans to tap into the Moon’s Helium-3 Reserves to accelerate Quantum Computing first appeared on Yanko Design. Source: https://www.yankodesign.com/2025/05/13/lunar-harvester-plans-to-tap-into-the-moons-helium-3-reserves-to-accelerate-quantum-computing/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=lunar-harvester-plans-to-tap-into-the-moons-helium-3-reserves-to-accelerate-quantum-computing #lunar #harvester #plans #tap #into #the #moons #helium3 #reserves #accelerate #quantum #computing

Life comes at you fast.Get FrunkFew things in this world are more brutal than the mockery of children — and an Ohio Cybertruck owner has learned that the hardest way.As flagged by the Torque News automotive blog, a member of the "Tesla Cybertruck Owner" Facebook group was in for some massive embarrassment when his car's "frunk" (or: front-mounted trunk) refused to open at his son's baseball game.The Ohio man told his fellow Cybertruck owners that the trouble began when he was just trying to be a good dad and take his 10-year-old to his little league baseball match.Naturally, he'd put the boy's gear in the frunk, which had always, per her reckoning, been a bit "misaligned slightly." When it refused to open, all hell seemingly broke loose.Damn Daniel"My son’s baseball bag was in there, and the freaking latch decided to allow an inch or two of up-and-down movement but not actually unlatch," the man wrote. "I was going to make the 39-minute drive to get another glove back at the house, only to find that despite the frunk not being able to open, the truck was aware it was not fully closed and retracted."At this point, the man described, the Cybertruck's attempts to fix the glitch resulted in the dreaded "Limp Mode," which meant it couldn't travel faster than 15 miles per hour. Lots of swearing and resets ensued, apparently to little effect.Eventually, Tesla service got in touch with the embarrassed Ohio father — but not before all his son's friends, who just a few hours prior thought his Cybertruck was badass, began to mock him."After all the screen resets and power shutdown cycles, it was sent to the service center on a flatbed," the man wrote. "I was stuck with a $50 Uber bill, and 28 ten-year-old kids went from thinking the Cybertruck was the coolest vehicle to pointing and laughing as it was towed away on a flatbed truck."Life comes at you fast — especially, it seems, when you get clowned on by a bunch of Little Leaguers for driving a janky Tesla.More on Cyberstuck: Tesla Shows Off Cheaper and Slower Cybertruck That's an Even Worse DealShare This Article Source: https://futurism.com/the-byte/cybertruck-owner-mocked-children #cybertruck #owner #brutally #mocked #dozens #kids #after #breaking #down #baseball #practice

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" At the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of the 2025 Venice Architecture Biennale, the Estonian Ministry of Culture unveiled the installation and exhibition "Let me warm you," which was curated by architects Keiti Lige, Elina Liiva, and Helena Männa and displayed in the Estonian Pavilion.The Pavilion examines if the current insulation-driven renovations are a chance to improve the social and spatial quality of mass housing districts or if they are just a compliance tool to fulfill European energy targets.In order to draw attention to this problem, the Estonian Pavilion will install insulation panels on the front of a Venetian building—a technique that is also employed in Estonia for mass housing. The palazzetto is situated in the Castello area at Riva dei Sette Martiri 1611, which lies on the waterfront between Corso Garibaldi and the Giardini. An exhibition demonstrating how social interactions among many stakeholders impact spatial solutions will be held in a room coated in plastic film on the ground floor of the same structure. "With this project, we question whether insulation is just a bureaucratic checkbox for meeting EU targets or a real chance to tackle social and spatial challenges," said curators Keiti Lige, Elina Liiva, and Helena Männa."It exposes the clash between bold global ambitions and the everyday realities of people navigating collective decisions."One half of the world is utilizing more powerful cooling systems, while the other half is putting in ever-thicker layers of insulation to combat climate change.Estonia has set an ambitious aim to renovate all residential complexes built before 2000 to at least energy efficiency class C as Europe rushes to become climate neutral by 2050. This extensive repair project is a component of a broader European initiative to address the climate catastrophe by modernizing the old housing stock. Insulation, however, should be viewed as a significant improvement in quality of life rather than as a temporary solution or "bandage."Finding a balance between aggressive climate policies and the daily demands of the residents of these spaces is the true difficulty, considering the large expenses and long-term effects of these modifications.The same materials and design components commonly used in Estonian renovations will be used for the installation, which will be installed directly onto the façade of the current structure. It makes a strong visual statement when juxtaposed with Venice's elaborate architecture. Renovating residential buildings from the Soviet era in Estonia sometimes involves little to no architectural involvement, which perpetuates a problematic disrespect for the potential and character of these areas. The installation attempts to provoke a conversation between residents and architects about the cities and spaces we hope to live in by contrasting a façade covered in fiber cement with Venice's rich historic fabric. An exhibition exploring the social factors influencing remodeling choices will be located on the palazzetto's ground floor. Since the majority of apartment buildings in Estonia are privately owned, renovation decisions are frequently influenced by budgetary considerations, leaving limited opportunity for spatial enhancements other than insulation.The actual exhibition space, an existing apartment, will be covered in plastic film, signifying the constant drive for remodeling while highlighting how superficial repairs frequently obscure the more profound relationships and practical demands people have with their houses. Using theatrical dialogues and exaggerated spatial effects, a model of a Soviet-era housing block at its center highlights human interactions and illustrates how various relationships and interactions affect space.The exhibition encourages visitors to consider the conflict between policy-driven energy goals and the lived realities of individuals impacted by them by shedding light on the intricacies of community living and refurbishment decisions.A catalogue that shows the tragicomedy of an apartment complex in six episodes is included with the presentation. It examines topics from community revival to the dread of change, all based on the experiences of actual people.With the theme Intelligens Natural Artificial Collective the Biennale Architettura 2025, organized by architect Carlo Ratti, will focus on the built environment as a major source of atmospheric emissions, making architecture one of the primary culprits in the deterioration of our planet. As the climate situation worsens, architects need to provide practical, non-cosmetic, efficient, and expedient solutions.In this sense, the Estonian exhibition responds to Ratti’s call for pavilions: "This year’s head theme offers good ground to discuss what happens to architecture when the Architect is excluded from the process," explained Johanna Jõekalda, advisor on architecture and design at the Ministry of Culture of Estonia, Commissioner of the Estonian Pavilion."Renovation processes that are planned by residents themselves according to their best knowledge, provide a good example of how collective intelligence, or lack of it, affects our spatial environment." "The Estonian Pavilion gives the message that the architectural quality of the living environment should not be overlooked in renovation processes," Jõekalda explained.Visitors will actively interact with the pavilion and building during the Venice Biennale with "Let me warm you." Rethinking rehabilitation techniques could help Estonia lead Europe in updating old buildings for a more sustainable and livable future, not merely for energy efficiency.Find out all exhibition news on WAC's Venice Architecture Biennale page. Project factsPavilion of Estonia: Let me warm you Location: Riva dei Sette Martiri 1611 (Castello neighborhood), VeniceCommissioner: Johanna JõekaldaCurators Exhibitors: Keiti Lige, Elina Liiva, and Helena MännaOrganiser: Ministry of Culture of EstoniaCo-organiser: Estonian Museum of Architecture Creative team: Märten Rattasepp, Kirill Havanski, Aadam Kaarma, Joosep KivimäeProduction: Mari-Liis VunderCollaborators: Neeme Külm (Valge Kuup Studio), Margus Tammik, Robert Männa, Markus Puidak, Randel Pomber.All images © Joosep Kivimäe.> via Estonian Pavilion  Source: https://worldarchitecture.org/architecture-news/fhmgm/redefining-renovations-insulation-and-quality-in-mass-housing-in-the-estonian-pavilion.html #redefining #renovations #insulation #and #quality #mass #housing #the #estonian #pavilion

Helldivers 2's Illuminate faction unleashes deadly new enemy terrors as latest update lands Plus new Warbond coming soon. Image credit: Eurogamer/Arrowhead Game Studios News by Matt Wales News Reporter Published on May 13, 2025 It's all go on the Illuminate front in Helldivers 2, with the co-op sci-fi shooter's powerful third faction having now set a course for Super Earth - and it's bringing "new terrors" along too. All this arrives as part of Helldivers 2's latest update which - in lore terms at least - sees the squid-like Iluminate emerging from the Meridian singularity in order to bring the never-ending fight for Democracy to Super Earth itself. In more specific terms, that means a wave of brand-new Illuminate enemies. There's the Stingray - jetfighters that unleash devastating strafing runs from above - and the Crescent Overseer, which "has the ability to lay barrages on Helldivers in cover". Helldivers 2 - Galactic Emergency trailer.Watch on YouTube Worse still are the Fleshmob; failed Illuminate experiments assembled from Voteless parts and let loose on the battlefield. Developer Arrowhead is also teasing "even larger ships", but is leaving players to discover these on their own. Elsewhere, Arrowhead has introduced a new load-out customisation feature it says will work with "the bulk of" Helldivers 2's weapon offerings. "Most primary weapons now have levels that are achievable by completing missions," it explains on the PlayStation Blog, "which then in turn unlock new attachments obtainable through Requisition." Players can also unlock patterns and apply them to their weapons, and a variety of patterns tied to previous Warbonds - specifically Viper Commandos, Freedom's Flame, Chemical Agents, and Truth Enforcers Warbonds - will be made available on 15th May. That's the same day the new Masters of Ceremony Warbond arrives. And finally for Helldivers 2's latest update, item rotation has been removed from the Superstore, meaning players can purchase any item they want anytime they want, no waiting required. It launches today on PS5 and PC. Source: https://www.eurogamer.net/helldivers-2s-illuminate-faction-unleashes-deadly-new-enemy-terrors-as-latest-update-lands #helldivers #2039s #illuminate #faction #unleashes #deadly #new #enemy #terrors #latest #update #lands

Since the DMA took effect in Europe, Apple has been forced to loosen its grip by allowing third-party access to its platforms, devices, and operating systems. One key example is the iPhone’s NFC chip, which was once locked to Apple Pay but is now required to support third-party payment providers. It took longer than one would have guessed, but now PayPal is taking advantage of this wider access. Enn Eff Tseh, bitte Earlier this month, PayPal announced that German iPhone users would soon start earning cashback by making contactless payments using the PayPal app in select stores. As the company explained: In the coming weeks, PayPal’s first-ever contactless mobile wallet will launch nationwide, available to PayPal consumers in Germany before anywhere else in the world. The new contactless feature will be accessed through the latest version of the popular PayPal App (both iOS and Android). Consumers will be able to choose PayPal to pay safely and easily with a simple tap of their phone at any location that accepts Mastercard contactless payments. And, for the first time, the PayPal App will bring together a consolidated view of both online and offline purchases for the consumer.  Now, the system appears to be going live. As German site iPhone Ticker reported (via The Verge), PayPal’s direct contactless system has been intermittently appearing for users, in what looks like a soft rollout or limited trial ahead of an official launch. The system works on Mastercard-enabled payment terminals, allowing users to simply tap their iPhone and pay using the PayPal app. No Apple Pay required. Back in 2022, PayPal was one of the companies that backed the EU’s antitrust complaints against Apple’s control over the iPhone’s NFC chip, and now it appears to be one of the first to benefit from the outcome. At the time, as reported by Bloomberg, the company “was one of multiple companies making informal complaints about the situation to the commission,” and “helped spur a formal antitrust complaint,” that arguably (at least partially) led to the outcome of the DMA. Add 9to5Mac to your Google News feed.  FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.You’re reading 9to5Mac — experts who break news about Apple and its surrounding ecosystem, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow 9to5Mac on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our exclusive stories, reviews, how-tos, and subscribe to our YouTube channel Source: https://9to5mac.com/2025/05/13/paypal-iphone-nfc-support-rolling-out-in-europe/ #paypal #starts #rolling #out #direct #taptopay #support #for #iphone #users #europe

Say Goodbye to This Massive ‘Hobbit’-Themed Sculpture of Gandalf Riding an Eagle For more than a decade, the eye-catching artwork had hung from the ceiling of Wellington International Airport in New Zealand, where “The Hobbit” and “The Lord of the Rings” were filmed The two eagle sculptures—including one with the wizard Gandalf riding on its back—have soared over visitors at Wellington International Airport in New Zealand for more than a decade. Wellington International Airport Since 2013, two giant sculptures of soaring eagles with 50-foot wingspans—one of which carried the wizard Gandalf on its back—have welcomed travelers to New Zealand’s Wellington International Airport. Inspired by The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, the artworks each weigh more than 2,000 pounds and feature hundreds of 3D-printed feathers. But now, they’re coming down to make way for something new. “It breaks my heart,” Verity Johnson, a traveler passing through the airport last week, told Charlotte Graham-McLay of the Associated Press (AP). “Please, please reconsider.” The eagles were created by Wētā Workshop, a special effects company that made props for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies, both based on J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy novels. The movies were directed by New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson, who lives near the airport. In the films, large birds called “Great Eagles” repeatedly rescue the protagonists. Not long after the eagles were installed, they made headlines when a 6.3-magnitude earthquake knocked one loose in January 2014. The eagle crashed to the floor, but no one was hurt and crews were able to reinstall the sculpture. Gandalf swoops into Wellington Airport's terminal Watch on Filmed primarily in New Zealand, The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogies inspired many fans to visit the island nation. But Tolkien tourism is starting to slow down, and airport leaders were ready for a change. On May 9, they took the eagles down, disassembled them and placed them into storage. Airport officials hope the sculptures will find a new home, possibly at a museum, per the AP. They’re also working with Wētā Workshop to develop a new display that will debut later this year. For now, the new installation is being “kept under wraps,” according to a statement from the airport. But airport leaders teased that it will be “unique” and “locally themed.” Many travelers were dismayed by the eagles’ departure. Speaking to the AP, one airport visitor, Michael Parks, even characterized their removal as “un-New Zealand.” Matt Clarke, the airport’s CEO, acknowledged the bittersweet nature of the transition, saying in the statement that the sculptures’ removal was an “emotional” departure. But he’s also been heartened by the public’s love for the installation. “It’s a spectacular thing for little kids to see,” Clarke told the AP. “Even your old, grizzled businessmen, they still pull out their phones and take a quick cheeky photo, too.” Sculptures depicting Tolkien characters have come and gone at the airport over the years. In 2003, a 20-foot-tall installation of Gollum’s head was placed on top of the terminal, only to be removed a year later, according to the Spinoff’s Oliver Lewis. A 42-foot-long Gollum sculpture hung inside the terminal between 2012 and 2016. But even though the beloved eagles have flown the coop, the Wellington Airport isn’t saying goodbye to all of its Hobbit-themed decor. A sculpture of the dragon Smaug will remain in place near the airport’s check-in counters. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. Source: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/say-goodbye-to-this-massive-hobbit-themed-sculpture-of-gandalf-riding-an-eagle-180986611/ #say #goodbye #this #massive #039hobbit039themed #sculpture #gandalf #riding #eagle

Cases Corsair Remembered How to Make a Case: Frame 4000D RS ARGB ReviewMay 13, 2025Last Updated: 2025-05-13We analyze Corsair’s FRAME 4000D’s design, specs, build quality, and thermalsThe HighlightsCorsair’s new FRAME 4000D case reprises concepts from the company’s 4000D case but completely overhauls its designThe motherboard tray, power supply shroud, and other components are modular and intended to be replaceable with 3D printable componentsThe FRAME 4000D case puts Corsair on a much better path than its other recent casesOriginal MSRP: $95-$110Release Date: January 7, 2025Table of ContentsAutoTOC Grab a GN15 Large Anti-Static Modmat to celebrate our 15th Anniversary and for a high-quality PC building work surface. The Modmat features useful PC building diagrams and is anti-static conductive. Purchases directly fund our work! (or consider a direct donation or a Patreon contribution!)IntroToday we’re reviewing the Corsair Frame 4000D and the case is modular in some interesting ways. For instance, the motherboard tray and power supply shroud/tray can come out. And that’s what gets us to the name “frame.” It’s a frame of a case and it can be reconfigured.It’s actually pretty well built. There’s some really good build quality to the case. The fan rail system at the front comes off with a pull and has what Corsair calls “3D Y-shaped patterns.” While the front panel looks flimsy, it’s actually strong due to its depth. The steel stamping for the cable management shroud area is also relatively high build quality.The reason we’re excited about this case is because Corsair lately has really sucked with some of its cases, but the Frame 4000D doesn’t and that’s encouraging.Editor's note: This was originally published on May 8, 2025 as a video. This content has been adapted to written format for this article and is unchanged from the original publication.CreditsTest Lead, Host, WritingSteve BurkeTesting, WritingPatrick LathanVideo Editing, CameraMike GaglioneCameraTim PhetdaraWriting, Web EditingJimmy ThangIn addition to the case’s modularity, it also has trademarks:The new InfiniRail(TM) fan mount is joined by Corsair’s 3D Y-pattern airflow pattern, and better yet, Corsair says this case is “50 Series Ready,” which is impressive, because not even NVIDIA was 50-series ready.This is the Corsair Frame 4000D, and overall, we like it. It’s an interesting case. The case is the successor to Corsair's long-lived and highly popular 4000D (and its 4000D Airflow and 4000X variants) which we first reviewed back in 2020 and even liked. In spite of the name, the Frame 4000D is an entirely new design, which means we're going to have to say "Frame 4000D" every single time we mention it and can’t shorten it to 4000D as that’s a different case. We suspect part of the reason for the similarity is to enable the classic reuse-the-old-Newegg-listing trick: those 1,000+ five-egg reviews are almost all for the original 4000D, not the Frame 4000D, but it gets to share them on the same listing. Corsair also occasionally refers to the "Frame 4000 Series" sans-D, so we may see a Frame 4000X at some point.The case ranges from $95 without fans to the $110 RS ARGB with 3x 120 ARGB fans. It’s targeting the modern budget range. There's a $100 middle step as well with fans but no ARGB. Based on discussion with Corsair, it sounds likely that the MSRPs will increase due to tariffs, but we don't have hard numbers for what those increased prices would be.The Frame 4000D is interesting because Corsair has gone all out with the gigantic holes in the front panel: functionally, they're close to having no front panel at all. Corsair Frame 4000D OverviewThe differentiating factor for the Frame 4000D is that it's intended to be modular, with users able to buy or 3D print alternate components. This is reiterated constantly in Corsair's marketing materials, including public blog posts: "FRAME is all about customization and we have some exciting things on the horizon. In addition to parts that will be available for direct purchase, We have modelled some blanks of the PSU shroud and motherboard tray, so you can download [...] these from Printables and customize them however you like."Corsair Frame 4000D Specs4000D Series (2019)FRAME 4000D SeriesDimensions (mm):466 x 230 x 453 mm487 x 239 x 486 mmMaterial:Steel, Tempered GlassSteel, Tempered GlassIncluded Fans:2x SP120 or 3x AF120 RGB ELITENone or 3x RS120 or 3x RS120 ARGBIncluded Controllers:NoneNoneFan Compatibility:Front: 3x 120mm, 2x 140mmTop: 3x 120mm, 2x 140mmSide: NoneBottom: NoneRear: 1x 120mmFront: 3x 120mm, 2x 140mm, 2x 200mmTop: 3x 120mm, 2x 140mm, 2x 160mmSide: 3x 120mm, 2x 140mmBottom: 2x 120mmRear: 1x 120mm, 1x 140mmRadiator Compatibility:Front: 360mm, 280mm, 240mmTop: 280mm, 240mmSide: NoneBottom: NoneRear: 120mmFront: 360mm, 280mm, 240mmTop: 360mm, 280mm, 240mmSide: 360mm, 280mm, 240mmBottom: NoneRear: 120mmExpansion Slots (Main):7 Horizontal (2 Vertical)7 Horizontal (3 Vertical)Motherboard (Main):Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATXMini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, E-ATXStorage:2x 2.5" SSDs2x 3.5" HDDs4x 2.5" SSDs2x 3.5" HDDsClearances:PSU: 220mmCPU Cooler: 170mmGPU: 360mm (335mm w/ fan)PSU: 220mmCPU Cooler: 170mmGPU: 430 mm (405 mm w/ fan)Dust Filters:Front, Top, PSU, SideFront, PSU, SideFront I/O:USB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (x1)USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (x1)Headphone/Microphone (x1)PowerResetUSB 3.2 Gen1 Type-A (x2)USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-C (x1)Headphone/Microphone (x1)PowerResetPower Supply:ATX (Not Included)ATX (Not Included)Warranty:2 Year2 YearThe BuildThe rotatable vertical GPU mount is one of three major features that genuinely live up to Corsair's promise of modularity, the other two being the PSU shroud and the motherboard tray (which can be removed with four screws). This is vital: being able to eventually buy or print individual components is nice, but it doesn't have anything to do with the case's design. With these three features, we're comfortable saying that the Frame 4000D is more modular than a typical case. It's also possible to swap the glass and mesh side panels to either side of the case, but this won't be useful until Corsair sells side panels individually or introduces more case SKUs.The vertical GPU mount is surprisingly quick to set up: by loosening two thumbscrews around the expansion slot covers, the entire set of seven slots can be removed and rotated 90 degrees. A riser cable can then be installed and supported by two standoffs installed on the surface of the PSU shroud. Using the built-in mounting holes, a maximum of three vertical slots are usable. Obviously Corsair intends for you to purchase a Corsair riser cable, but if you want to use your own, the holes are spaced 122mm apart.The Frame 4000D has old school pop-out fill and drain ports at the top and bottom of the chassis, which we also really appreciate. Open-loop compatibility fits well with the modular philosophy that Corsair is pushing.So far, these things are good. If we’re picking antiquated hills to die on, paper manuals will be one of them: We'd like to see a paper manual included with the case in addition to the version on Corsair's blog. The benefit of the online guide is that it can be updated; for example, the online manual now explains what the point of the strip of mylar in the accessory kit is, whereas we had to email Corsair (it covers the reverse-connector holes in the motherboard tray when they're unused). A paper manual can’t be updated, which is a downside as much as it is an upside: The upside is that a company can’t gaslight a customer if something proves incompatible and is retconned. It’s also just more convenient to build a computer with a physical manual.But then again, maybe Corsair doesn’t deserve paper manuals since its own digital manual incorrectly lists the screw count and steps for removing the power supply shroud. With a digital one, they’ll be able to make as many mistakes as they want and the only people who will know about them is everyone who read this article. For the record, it’s 3 screws, not 2. And the diagram is also incorrect.There's another, larger piece of black mylar in the kit, but the manual devotes less explanation to this one, simply saying that if you "don’t want your cables visible through the bottom mesh quarter-panel, swap the translucent insert for the color-matched blank-out insert included in the Accessory Box." The case also has a Lian Li-ish strip of mesh ventilation below the glass side panel and it ships with the translucent insert. If you install fans in the two 120mm slots on top of the PSU shroud, we'd recommend getting rid of the inserts entirely.The Frame 4000D uses the so-called "InfiniRail" system. At the front of the case, there are two metal rails that hold up to 12 plastic clips. The rails slide in and out for 120mm or 140mm mounting, and the clips slide up and down the whole length of the rails. Technically, the rails can fit 200mm fans at their maximum width, but only by forgoing the clips and mounting directly to the rails. At the top of the case, Corsair took the simpler approach of using a single sliding rail and no clips. The system is more complicated than it strictly needs to be, but our only real complaint is that there are exactly twelve clips included with the base model Frame 4000D, with no spares in case one breaks.The only significant fit-and-finish issue with our review sample was that one of the plastic pieces of the ball snap fasteners had popped out of the chassis in shipping. We were able to find it and put it back, but just like the InfiniRail clips, Corsair didn't provide any extras (like some other manufacturers do). As for build quality, construction of the Frame 4000D feels more delicate than the older 4000 series cases. This is partly a tradeoff for the more breathable mesh pattern, flexible fan mounting, and removable components. All of these things get exchanged for rigidity. Corsair apparently intends to sell Frame 4000D components individually as well, but we don't see any on the store as of this writing.On the positives for build quality, the elaborate stamped 3D pattern on the front panel is much sturdier than it looks. We'll have thermal results later in this review, but the Frame 4000D's front panel appears more open than the 4000D Airflow's (watch our review) while retaining most of its rigidity.There's a cable cover at the front of the case that can be installed in one of two positions, but as is frequently the case, we were only able to use it in the forward position because of the ATX power cable. The other position is better suited to back connect motherboards, of which ASUS BTF, MSI Project Zero, and Gigabyte Project Stealth have been validated by Corsair to work. The cable cover is extremely easy to remove, requiring only a single screw, and it's equally easy to slot the side fan mount from the accessory kit in its place. The side fan mount is another feature that will become more interesting if Corsair introduces a Frame 4000X or other variant with a sealed front panel.Cable management is good with tons of velcro straps behind the motherboard tray, but the best route for the 24-pin cable is along the cable bar, which isn't an option if the side fan mount is installed instead. Front I/O cables are neatly sleeved and the whole I/O unit pops off with two screws, so it would have been nice to allow alternate mounting locations (like in the O11D EVO), especially since having the I/O at the bottom of the case has become unusual these days. Even still, we like the modularity of it. They are delivering on that. As for storage, drives can be mounted on two plates, one behind the motherboard tray and one under the PSU shroud. Each plate can mount either two 2.5" drives, one 3.5" drive, or one "iCUE LINK System Hub controller." We'll be interested to see whether Corsair comes up with a modular solution to fit more drives, but for now, that's it.The default location of the GPU anti-sag arm is on the cable cover, too far forward to benefit anything except the longest GPUs, especially if the cable cover is shifted to its forward position.It can be moved a step further back by using the "mini mount" in the accessory kit, but there's no way to do any finer adjustment, and you should look for a different solution if you really think your GPU needs that support. Appearances are subjective. For some, a possible downside of the Frame 4000D's increased modularity is that it doesn't have the clean, uninterrupted lines of the original 4000D cases. We'll leave it at that; you can form your own opinion.Corsair Frame 4000D Thermals Visit our Patreon page to contribute a few dollars toward this website's operation (or consider a direct donation or buying something from our GN Store!) Additionally, when you purchase through links to retailers on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission.The $95 base model Frame 4000D that we were sent for review didn't include any stock fans, so Corsair sent along a pack of three RS120 ARGB fans. We used these fans to match the stock configuration of the $110 Frame 4000D RS ARGB, which is how the case is marked on our charts. According to Corsair's spec sheets, the ARGB fans have the same specs as regular RS120s, so these results are also representative of the $100 Frame 4000D RS (non-ARGB)'s performance.CPU Full Load Thermals - Noise-NormalizedWe’ll start with noise-normalized thermals when using our hemi-anechoic chamber to establish the noise levels.Under full load with the case fans adjusted to hit our 27 dBA noise normalization target, CPU temperature in the Frame 4000D averaged 43 degrees Celsius above ambient, or 47 degrees on just the P-cores. That's a significant improvement over the original 4000D Airflow's average of 49 degrees (53 on the P-Cores), but that's to be expected since the older case has only two fans and splits them between the front and rear of the case.Relative to the rest of the chart, the Frame 4000D performed fairly well here. The Phanteks XT Pro Ultra is comparable in price and design, but it split the difference between the Corsair cases, with the Frame 4000D still a couple degrees cooler. The Lancool 207 (read our review) remains the budget case to beat with averages of 41 degrees across all cores and 45 on the P-Cores, while the NZXT H5 Flow 2024 (watch our review) and Phanteks G400A (watch our review) performed similarly well. The G400A remains difficult to find in the US.GPU Full Load Thermals - Noise-NormalizedMoving to GPU thermals under full load in the same noise normalized test, the Frame 4000D averaged 45 degrees above ambient, with 49 degrees for the memory and 59 for the unshown GPU hotspot. That's another victory over the original 4000D Airflow, which averaged 49 degrees for the GPU temperature, but again that's with two fans to the Frame 4000D's three.The G400A effectively tied the Frame 4000D in this test, while the H5 and XT Pro UItra didn't do as well. The XT Pro UItra averaged 47 degrees for the GPU, a couple degrees warmer than the Frame 4000D. The Lancool 207 remains near the top of the chart for cooling. To learn more about that one, you can check out our Best Cases round-up from last year or our original review for more info on that case's pros and cons.CPU Full Load Thermals - Full SpeedAt full speed, the Frame 4000D's CPU thermal performance continues to scale fairly well for its price, while the 4000D Airflow falls further behind. The Frame 4000D's noise levels and performance were essentially tied with the Phanteks XT Pro Ultra here, with the Frame 4000D averaging 40 degrees above ambient, or 43 on the P-Cores. The G400A performed similarly as well, but with a lower 37dBA noise level to the Frame 4000D's 43dBA, while the Lancool 207 remains an outlier with both lower temperatures and lower noise levels, making it a lot better here than really most of these other cases.CPU Full Load Thermals - Standardized FansThe standardized fan test has always had limited usefulness, but this is one of the places it’s useful.It’ll help us evaluate the Frame 4000D's unusual front panel by comparing it against other cases with an identical set of fans and placements including the 4000D. Average all-core CPU temperature was 40 degrees above ambient and the P-Cores were 44 degrees. That's reasonably well-matched to established mesh-fronted cases like Fractal's Meshify 2 Compact (watch our review) and North XL (read our review), and extremely close to SilverStone's recent FARA 514X (read our review). The Frame 4000D is also significantly better than the 4000D Airflow when normalizing to the same fans, reinforcing Corsair’s improvements to the chassis design itself.No matter how open the front panel is, though, the fans still have to pull air through Corsair's filter as well, so it makes some sense that some single-layer mesh designs like the Lancool 207, Pop Air RGB (watch our review), and Flux Pro (read our review) perform slightly better here, although the G400A also did fairly well with two layers.GPU Full Load Thermals - Standardized FansIn the same test, GPU temperature in the Frame 4000D averaged 43 degrees above ambient, tying it with most of the cases we just mentioned (Lancool 207, Pop Air RGB, and Flux Pro), while the XT Pro Ultra did unusually poorly with an average of 50 degrees.As a side note, GPU thermals with the 4000D Airflow were abysmal in this particular test relative to the rest of the chart. That differs from what we saw 5 years ago using our old test hardware, which demonstrates the value of retesting these cases now that we've switched to new components and a flow-through GPU design.VRM & RAM Full Load Thermals - Noise NormalizedAs a final note, the VR VCC sensor averaged 30 degrees above ambient in the noise-normalized test with the Frame 4000D. That puts it at the cooler end of what we typically see from cases, with only a couple of outliers like the Lancool 207 and Flux Pro dropping to the 27 degree mark. The same goes for the SPD Hub average of 24 degrees above ambient (which is the RAM temperature), with relatively few cases on the chart dropping below 22 degrees. Both these sensors indicate normal internal case temperatures.Corsair Frame 4000D Conclusion Our fully custom 3D Emblem Glasses celebrate our 15th Anniversary! We hand-assemble these on the East Coast in the US with a metal badge, strong adhesive, and high-quality pint glass. They pair excellently with our 3D 'Debug' Drink Coasters. Purchases keep us ad-free and directly support our consumer-focused reviews!Of the existing Frame 4000D SKUs, the Frame 4000D RS at $100 is a decent deal, especially given how tightly packed the SKUs’ prices are. Going from 0 fans to 3 fans is worth $5, and going from no RGB to ARGB may or may not be worth another $10. We need Corsair to follow through with more modular case components (like the alternate front panels it showed in the trailer) to make it really interesting, or at the absolute least offer some more printable files. The Lancool 207 remains king in terms of min-maxed price-to-performance, but the Frame 4000D is a reasonable alternative to budget Phanteks cases like the G400A and XT Pro Ultra, or potentially some Montech cases (which we'll be adding more of to the charts shortly). As a successor to the existing 4000 series, we like the Frame 4000D functionally. Some of the finer attention to detail elements like the geometric patterns and yellow accents remain, just with a more complex appearance than previously.Corsair has mentioned that it may have to increase prices, but we don’t yet have final details on what that amount might be on this case. We don't encourage panic buying, but if you've decided that the Frame 4000D is the case for you and it's currently in stock at MSRP, we wouldn't recommend waiting around for a discount. Overall, this is a job well done by Corsair. It is a much better return to form as compared to something like the 6500D (read our review) from last year. Source: https://gamersnexus.net/cases/corsair-remembered-how-make-case-frame-4000d-rs-argb-review #corsair #remembered #how #make #case #frame #4000d #argb #review