Corsair Overhauls Prebuilt, 3-Chamber Airflow Case, & Transparent PSUJune 5, 2025Last Updated: 2025-06-05We take a look at Corsair’s upcoming i600 pre-built PC, Air 5400 case, Frame 4000D prototype, and moreThe HighlightsCorsair’s i600 pre-built PC is a new revision on the company’s i500 and overhauls its GPU cooler and CPU radiatorThe Corsair Air 5400 is an airflow-targeted case that has air ducts on the top and bottom of its chassisCorsair has partnered with Singularity to develop the Frame 4000D prototype, which has an interesting power board that handles cable managementTable of ContentsAutoTOC Grab a GN Tear-Down Toolkit to support our AD-FREE reviews and IN-DEPTH testing while also getting a high-quality, highly portable 10-piece toolkit that was custom designed for use with video cards for repasting and water block installation. Includes a portable roll bag, hook hangers for pegboards, a storage compartment, and instructional GPU disassembly cards.IntroWe visited Corsair’s suite at Computex 2025 and liked some of the stuff the company had to show. Editor's note: This was originally published on May 21, 2025 as a video. This content has been adapted to written format for this article and is unchanged from the original publication.CreditsHostSteve BurkeCamera, Video EditingMike GaglioneVitalii MakhnovetsWriting, Web EditingJimmy ThangCorsair Air 5400Corsair will release its Air 5400, which is an airflow-targeted case. On the back side of the case is a giant hole, which couples with a front-mounted radiator that will allow the case to shove air straight out of it. This design allows it to focus air flow for the GPU entirely from its own set of fans at the bottom of the case. This is probably the most interesting case from Corsair we saw at Computex this year. It should be around $220, though that’s dependent on the everchanging tariff situation. Internally, the Air 5400 has a duct at the bottom where the case has 3x120mm fans (the entire case is actually set up to support all 120mm fans, which simplifies things). The duct is there to guide air into the GPU. Corsair claims that the case is getting about a 1-2 degree improvement with the duct in a like-for-like test. If you do end up with a front radiator, then a potential area that gets abandoned in terms of airflow might be around the VRM area and some of the board components like system memory.  There are mounts for fans up on top of the case along with an additional duct. Looking at the back of the case, there are 2 holes on the back, which is surprising for a 120mm fan. The spacing doesn’t look like it would fit a 120mm fan, but Corsair’s plan is to include a bracket that would adapt a 120mm fan here and would actually cut out into the glass area on the back, which would make you lose about 40% of the fan. This should help but raises some questions about whether it may cause acoustic issues when you partially blast air into a glass wall. Speaking of glass, the Air 5400’s glass is laminated. A couple companies are doing this now. Corsair says this helps the glass stay more put together to prevent shattering. Looking at the back side panel, there’s a big acrylic sheet coupled with an area where air can escape. Opening up the back panel, there’s a huge amount of cable-management depth. You can also see that the motherboard tray is punctured all of the way through. This causes concerns around structural rigidity, but Corsair is using a .8mm thick steel, which helps a little bit here. The company has also strengthened the case’s top panel compared to Corsair’s 4000D case, which received negative feedback in that area. The Air 5400 is set to be priced at $220 with 3x120mm fans included. i600 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!)Corsair is updating its i500 pre-built PC, which we hated, with its upcoming i600, and the company has improved it a lot. The i500’s GPU cooling solution had basically no contact with any of the power components. The i600, on the other hand, has massive overhauls here. The case itself has only slightly changed, but the changes made accommodate larger radiators. The block for the video card, including the power components, is totally different in a way that looks promising. The stuff that jumped out to us right away about the i600 is the fin stacks for the VRM, which is connected to a shared copper nickel-plated base plate for the GPU and memory. Everything is connected to the same base plate, which is connected to the liquid cooler. This means all of the heat gets dumped into the liquid cooler. There’s pros and cons to this design. The pro is that all of the other components get cooled better. The downside is that the GPU itself is sharing the heat dissipation capacity with all of the other components in the cooler. This means you typically see some increase in the GPU temperature as a result. There’s ups and downs to this approach. It doesn’t necessarily mean one solution is better than the other as long as it’s all cooled. The i600 has copper bars, which contact the MOSFETs. Otherwise, it’s very similar to the i500. Corsair has also modified its CPU cooler radiator, where the company has moved its tanks off to the side. The tubes are also running in a different direction. Corsair is also moving to 25mm thick fans, where previously they had the slimmer 15mm fans. That extra 10mm will help with pressure and performance a lot. We plan on doing a review of the PC as soon as we buy one.Corsair Frame 4000DWe saw a prototype of Corsair’s Frame 4000D, where the company changed a few things. Corsair partnered with Singularity for its powerboard. It’s somewhat similar to Elmore’s BENCHLAB, with the exception of it not logging power. With the case, you basically run all of the power cables into the power board and then route them to their final locations. We count 10 fan headers here along with a bunch of RGB headers. There’s a lot of possibilities with this. Currently, it’s mostly being used as a cable-management tool, but you could, in theory, expand this to include more switches, like fan-control switches. We would really like to see current monitoring. It would make it more expensive but that could be a potentially useful direction to go in where you could monitor on the 12VHPWR, for instance, which would become a great marketing point for Corsair and would be very useful for end users. The front panel is also different as it has a die-cut edge now.  The power supply setup is also different here with Corsair doing an acrylic wall for the PSU instead of steel. The challenge here is that plastic is an incredibly good insulator. This could raise some ESD (electrostatic discharge) concerns and may cause the PSU to lose some of the shielding that steel provides. As a part of this design, Corsair has customized the caps and PCBs so that they get nice color matching. It looks pretty nice. 3D PrintingCorsair was telling us how for its upcoming 4000D and its Frame series cases, it was getting into 3D printable panels and pieces. They showed us how one Corsair employee 3D printed a shroud-like duct, which takes air in through the bottom and shoves it up into where the pump and reservoir are in the image above. These 3D print files are available on Corsair’s account on Printables.  Corsair 5000DWe didn’t care too much about it but Corsair also showed off its new 5000D that has a screen on it, which is a thing companies are doing now. They also had a 5000D case without the screen, which is a larger variant of the Frame 4000D case. Corsair says that it should be priced around $180, but that’s in flux with the tariffs situation.  Corsair Open Concept 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.Corsair’s open concept at Computex is using some of the same Frame components, where the company is trying to make the Frame series modular and represents an open frame. There’s also an option for fan mounts as well. The company showed a gigantic radiator tower at the show, which is pretty cool to see.

On top of being the upgraded version of the Nintendo Switch, the Switch 2 might be the best way to experience some of the previous generation’s most critically acclaimed titles. Both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom already stole our hearts with their scale, presentation, and gameplay when they were released in 2017 and 2023, respectively. Whether it’s your first time playing or your 50th, the Switch 2 editions of these titles are an absolute dream experience. Nintendo’s modern masterpieces didn’t suffer despite relatively low resolution and frame rates and slow loading times — one of the most common gripes with the games when they were released. But the Switch 2 Edition of each game feels like the upgrade the titles deserve, especially when it comes to reduced loading times. And I mean significantly reduced. During our testing, we ran five different test cases five times, then calculated an average for each of the five trials. For the original versions of the games, we used a Switch OLED. For the Switch 2 editions of the games, we used a Switch 2. We tested the time it takes to boot up the game from the Switch 2 home screen, a load a save file from the title screen, reload a save file, fast travel across the map, and enter a shrine. I picked these test cases because they are actions you repeat many times in a given play session, and those load times add up. Here are the results: TestBoTW SwitchBoTW Switch 2 EditionToTK Switch ToTK Switch 2 EditionBooting up the game13.15s7.26s18.26s8.51sLoading a save file from the title screen23.40s14.14s11.04s8.19sReloading a save file14.78s9.11s16.31s9.49sFast travel22.62s14.47s12.04s5.08sEntering a shrine9.21s6.87s8.58s4.68s To no one’s surprise, the Switch 2 dominates the performance of the Nintendo Switch. The Switch 2 takes the load times of both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom and cuts them roughly in half. In some cases, the load time has been reduced by more than half, specifically in Tears of the Kingdom. Overall, Tears of the Kingdom saw bigger performance increases on average compared to Breath of the Wild, probably because the game is just better optimized. The Nintendo Switch 2, paired with the Switch 2 Edition of each title, offers a significant improvement to the modern Zelda experience. You can also play the original versions on Switch 2, in theory, though we have yet to test those load times. Nonetheless, the Switch 2 editions feel more fluid and responsive. If you have yet to lose yourself in the most recent iteration of Hyrule Kingdom, there’s no better time than now — that is, if you’re willing to pay the extra $10 per game, or for a Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion membership, to upgrade to the Switch 2 Edition, which is only available on Switch 2.

Nature, Published online: 06 June 2025; doi:10.1038/d41586-025-01751-3Early investigations by the Japanese company identified issues with speed and a sensor measuring the craft's altitude.

Mario Kart World – is it a backwards step? (Nintendo) The Friday letters page is surprised the Sony State of Play didn’t go down better with more people, as readers share images of the Switch 2 midnight launches. To join in with the discussions yourself email gamecentral@metro.co.uk Initial experience I’ve spent a few hours playing Mario Kart World in single and multiplayer, and my first impression is that it’s a bit… boring.The free roam aspect of the game seemed like it had heaps of potential but, for the most part, it feels aimless. Sure, there are things to collect and discover, but in-between there’s just driving. Lots and lots of driving. It’s not exactly a world brimming with things to do in the same way as the sandbox areas in Super Mario Odyssey, for example. As for the races, in principle it makes sense that the tracks need to be wider to accommodate 24 racers. However, the races themselves don’t generally feel any busier because you’re still, generally, just competing against those closest to your level of ability. Consequently, I felt the game lacks the chaotic energy of jostling your rivals to get ahead because there’s so much space on the otherwise well-designed courses. I know it’s unfair to compare Mario Kart World to Mario Kart 8 at this point, given the latter spanned two consoles, with a plethora of content reflecting that. But it’s hard not to feel that while the free roam section is a solid demonstration of technical advancement (even if the inability to integrate it with Grand Prix mode seems like a missed opportunity), the core gameplay is consistent, at best. In some respects, I’d say it’s more of a step backwards, if anything. That being said, I don’t think this is the same version of Mario Kart World we’ll be playing five years from now. Free roam mode feels like a playground in which Nintendo can experiment, and I fully expect them to do so. There’ll undoubtedly be a slew of DLC and perhaps better integration of the various modes into one seamless experience. Expert, exclusive gaming analysis Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning. In the unlikely event that this is the final iteration of Mario Kart World, it’s currently a six or (generous) seven out of 10 and probably the least enthralled I’ve ever been with a new Mario Kart title. But I’ll give Nintendo the benefit of the doubt for now because this doesn’t feel like a game that’s even close to being finished.Needlemouse Just add SonyFirstly, I’m surprised by the relatively lukewarm response to the State of Play from some people; I thought it was one of the best in recent memory and there were only a few games that I personally had little interest in. The main reason for writing in is the recent addition of Destiny 2: The Final Shape to PS Plus subscription. In short, I played a lot of Destiny 2 back in the day but have subsequently not played any of the most recent DLCs/additions. Can The Final Shape be played as a standalone? (both logistically and in terms of the story)?John GC: We think people were upset that Sony themselves had nothing to show from their first parties, even though we agree it was overall a good show. As far as we understand, you don’t need any other expansions to play The Final Shape. Only one Just a quick heads up for anyone buying digital content on either a Switch or Switch 2 console, if you are Switch online subscriber you can purchase a voucher for £84 that lets you purchase any two titles from a list of games.This reduces each game to a reasonable £42 and the vouchers are valid for a year. I didn’t get an alert about this until after I’d purchased Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which I paid £59.99 for. I did at least then go on to buy a voucher for £84 and redeemed each token for Super Mario Bros. Wonder and Super Mario 3D Land + Bowser’s Fury.Charlie H. GC: It’s important to note these can’t be used for Switch 2 exclusive games. Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk Midnight gathering I’ve seen a lot of pictures from the Switch 2 launch, so I thought I’d send you a picture of the queue at Smyth’s in Dublin city centre, a couple of minutes after midnight.I think there were a couple of hundred people there when I arrived. if I’d known then that I wouldn’t get out of the store until 2:30am, I might have gone home and tried again in the morning. But in the end, I’m glad I waited. I’ve just been tinkering with it so far, hooked it up to the TV, and played a little bit of Mario Kart World and Cyberpunk 2077, so I can’t really give any conclusions. But when my (dedicated non-gamer) wife saw it, her reaction was, ‘Oh, it looks much better! Can I play it?’ So I think Nintendo are on to another winner.Mickah Night-time rendezvous (Mickah) American retail I was on my way down to Smyths Leeds to collect my Switch 2 Mario Kart bundle, that I had pre-ordered a month ago.I called in at Costco on the way and was surprised to find they had the Mario Kart bundle for £419.99, so I decided to get one from there. It was late afternoon Thursday and they looked to have plenty left. It is limited to one per customer. I will let my pre-order lapse so it will cancel in two days.Martin GC: We had no idea Costco existed in the UK. Maybe we’re not the only ones and that’s why they have so many left. C’mon DoreenSomebody (not me, don’t know how) should start a petition to get Squirrel Girl in that Marvel game for you guys. How good did it all look? How good was that showcase? What have Sony been up too? That’s what. Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is already on my wishlist. That surfing sword game wasn’t bad either. With Nintendo too, great times ahead.Indiegaz (PSN ID) GC: At least she’s in Marvel Rivals. Autumnal purchase So I won’t be buying the Nintendo Switch 2 at launch. I’ll be instead visiting Tenerife in August. But I do hope the system reviews well and those who have purchased it are zooming around on Mario Kart World. I’ll be hopefully purchasing the device before autumn of this year. But you never know what could happen.So my sister paid for my ticket and it of course must be paid back. A debt is a debt. Which is quite fitting, since I just finished my playthrough of Red Dead Redemption and just as John Marston paid his debt to a life of crime and Edgar Ross paid his debt to a vengeful son. I’ll be hopefully paid up in less than three months, then I’ll be purchasing the Switch 2 and with more information on the games, reviews, and what’s to come for the future. For now however, I look towards a week spent in the beaches of Spain and my focus on the remainder of my maths course. Also, a playthrough of Resident Evil 3 remake. Only six hours long. Can’t complain.Shahzaib Sadiq Free for all Borderlands 2 and Hellslave are currently free on Steam on PC. Hellslave is available for free until Sunday, 15th June. Also, Deathloop is currently free on Epic Games Store.I hope everyone who gets a Switch 2 enjoys it. I will have to probably get one next year now, as I need to buy a new gaming computer because my current gaming PC will not upgrade to Windows 11, unfortunately.Andrew J. Old reliable Just writing this after a couple of hours with the Switch 2. I always end up with whatever Nintendo’s latest console is at some point in its lifetime (going back to the Game Boy Advance) but for the first time I decided to jump onboard day one.The price rises for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X have shown that the assumption consoles will get cheaper in the medium term isn’t a guarantee, and the feature list for the Switch 2 ticked pretty much every box I wanted from an upgrade to the original. Bump in specs, sturdier Joy-Con, and a new interface with the mouse controls. What I’ve not seen many people comment on yet is the set-up experience. It isn’t always a given with Nintendo that this is going to be smooth, but I found that the transfer from my original to Switch 2 was seamless. I had one error message in setting up GameChat, but restarting the process fixed that, and now I can settle into at least another few years of Nintendo gaming joy. As I approach the business end of 40 years old, it’s a comfort to know that the likes of Mario, Yoshi, and the other inhabitants of the Mushroom Kingdom are still karting away 30-odd years after the SNES original.Electric Crocosaurus GC: That’s a cool name. Inbox also-rans Yes! My Switch 2 has turned up and have the rest of the week off, and it’s Summer Game Fest on Friday night. Now that is what I call eating well for games fans!LemptonAs promised, here is the pic from the queue at Smyths toy store at midnight. Sorry I couldn’t get one from inside but they were only letting two at a time in. Not a bad turn out. I had about 20 people behind me too.woz_007 (NN ID) The way launches used to be (woz_007) Email your comments to: gamecentral@metro.co.uk More Trending The small printNew Inbox updates appear every weekday morning, with special Hot Topic Inboxes at the weekend. Readers’ letters are used on merit and may be edited for length and content. You can also submit your own 500 to 600-word Reader’s Feature at any time via email or our Submit Stuff page, which if used will be shown in the next available weekend slot. You can also leave your comments below and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter. GameCentral Sign up for exclusive analysis, latest releases, and bonus community content. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy

Geoff Keighley has promised a record-breaking number of publishers at Summer Game Fest this year, so we’ve rounded up what we think we’ll be playing in the coming monthsTech23:00, 05 Jun 2025We're so ready to step into Samus' boots againE3 might be long gone, but Summer Game Fest has replaced it. While Nintendo Switch 2 has just launched, and Sony has held its own State of Play event, tonight’s show is about as unpredictable as you can get. So, naturally, we’re trying to predict what we’ll be seeing.With everyone from PlayStation to SEGA, Xbox and even Nintendo making an appearance, we’re expecting big things from the showcase, which will be packed with titles for 2025 and beyond.‌While some are known quantities, like Borderlands 4, Little Nightmares 3, and the upcoming Bond game from Hitman developer IO Interactive, we’re still expecting plenty of surprises. Here’s everything we’re predicting for Summer Game Fest 2025.‌There are plenty of big namesWith Geoff Keighley’s events in both the Summer and December being key fixtures on the gaming events calendar, he’s able to pull off plenty of surprises. The Game Awards 2023 revealed Monster Hunter Wilds, while the following year showcased the first gameplay of Slay The Spire 2 and Split Fiction, as well as Elden Ring Nightreign and Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.As for Summer Game Fest itself, the show last year featured Dragon Ball: Sparking Zero, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II and Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 - all games which were released since then.Article continues belowWe’ve heard rumblings that Capcom’s Pragmata, revealed alongside the PS5 in June 2020, could be shown at the event following an indefinite delay in 2023. It’s just as well, since we have no idea what the game really is yet.We’re also very curious about what Nintendo could show. The Switch 2 is out, but only as of yesterday, so we’d expect a sizzle reel to show what the console is capable of, as well as another look at Donkey Kong Bananza.‌PlayStation is probably easier to predict since the company is launching Hideo Kojima’s Death Stranding 2: On The Beach in just a few short weeks, and Geoff Keighley will likely find some way of getting the man himself on stage.SEGA has plenty to show, too. Sonic Racing CrossWorlds is still due this year, while the company has an ambitious plan to resurrect classic titles starting with Shinobi: Art of Vengeance and leading into Streets of Rage and Crazy Taxi.We tipped a Final Fantasy 7 Remake Part 3 announcement for Sony’s State of Play, but we’re still waiting for more news on Kingdom Hearts 4.‌Pearl Abyss is still aiming to launch Crimson Desert this year (supposedly), but we’re without a release date as yet, while the company is also working on its colourful DokeV which has been MIA for years at this point.While Microsoft is expected to appear, the company has its own showcase just two days later with a big focus on The Outer Worlds 2. As a result, we might just get a sneak peek at this year’s Call of Duty with more to come on Sunday.With Bungie’s Marathon hit by plagiarism accusations, Embark Studios has a great chance to get players onto Arc Raiders as an alternative. Speaking of Bungie, expect a gameplay trailer for Destiny 2: Edge of Fate.‌Elden Ring is coming to Switch 2(Image: FromSoftware, Inc.)Call us crazy, but we want a bunch of Switch 2 news. We want to see From Software’s Duskbloods, get a release date for Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, and maybe even a Metroid Prime 4 release date from Nintendo itself.Given the history of Monster Hunter on portable consoles, we’ve got everything crossed for the series to come to Switch 2, but coming off of the excellent Wilds, it’s perhaps unlikely.‌Naturally, we’ve always got our fingers crossed that we’ll see Silksong, but rumours have suggested that Team Cherry’s long-awaited Hollow Knight follow-up would be announced at Microsoft’s event if at all.As we said in our State of Play predictions, we’re also expecting to hear more about Resident Evil 9 by the end of this week, in some way, shape, or form.With The Division 2 getting what’s likely its final DLC recently, here’s hoping for The Division 3, which has been rumoured for a while. Or, maybe Ubisoft will finally share something about the Splinter Cell title it has in development.Article continues belowDid we get any correct? Find out with us, with the show kicking off at 10PM BST on Friday night.For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.‌‌‌

Congress loves SLS Senate response to White House budget for NASA: Keep SLS, nix science Gateway is back, baby. Eric Berger – Jun 5, 2025 7:55 pm | 77 Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at a hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Credit: Getty Images | Tom Williams Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Cruz (R-Texas) at a hearing on Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Credit: Getty Images | Tom Williams Story text Size Small Standard Large Width * Standard Wide Links Standard Orange * Subscribers only   Learn more Negotiations over the US federal budget for fiscal year 2026 are in the beginning stages, but when it comes to space, the fault lines are already solidifying in the Senate. The Trump White House released its budget request last Friday, and this included detailed information about its plans for NASA. On Thursday, just days later, the US Senate shot back with its own budget priorities for the space agency. The US budget process is complicated and somewhat broken in recent years, as Congress has failed to pass a budget on time. So, we are probably at least several months away from seeing a final fiscal year 2026 budget from Congress. But we got our first glimpse of the Senate's thinking when the chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) released his "legislative directives" for NASA on Thursday These specific directives concern "reconciliation" for the current budget year, which are supplemental appropriations for NASA and other federal agencies under the purview of Cruz's committee. And this committee does not actually write the budget; that's left to appropriations committees in the House and Senate. Senate space priorities However, Cruz is one of the most important voices in the US Senate on space policy, and the directives released Thursday indicate where he intends to line up on NASA during the upcoming budget fights. Here is how his budget ideas align with the White House priorities in three key areas: Science: The Trump White House budget sought to significantly cut the space agency's science budget, from $7.33 billion to $3.91 billion, including the cancellation of some major missions. Cruz makes no comment on most of the science budget, but in calling for a Mars Telecommunications Orbiter, he is signaling support for a Mars Sample Return Mission. Lunar Gateway: The Trump administration called for the cancellation of a small space station to be built in an elongated lunar orbit. There is very uneven support for this in the space community, but it is being led at Johnson Space Center, in Cruz's home state. Cruz says Congress should "fully fund" the Gateway as "critical" infrastructure. Space Launch System and Orion: The Trump administration sought to cancel the large expensive rocket and spacecraft after Artemis III, the first lunar landing. Cruz calls for additional funding for at least Artemis IV and Artemis V. This legislation, the committee said in a messaging document, "Dedicates almost $10 billion to win the new space race with China and ensure America dominates space. Makes targeted, critical investments in Mars-forward technology, Artemis Missions and Moon to Mars program, and the International Space Station." The reality is that it signals that Republicans in the US Senate are not particularly interested in sending humans to Mars, probably are OK with the majority of cuts to science programs at NASA, and want to keep the status quo on Artemis, including the Space Launch System rocket. Where things go from here It is difficult to forecast where US space policy will go from here. The very public breakup between President Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk on Thursday significantly complicates the equation. At one point, Trump and Musk were both championing sending humans to Mars, but Musk is gone from the administration, and Trump may abandon that idea due to their rift. For what it's worth, a political appointee in NASA Communications said on Thursday that the president's vision for space—Trump spoke of landing humans on Mars frequently during his campaign speeches—will continue to be implemented. "NASA will continue to execute upon the President’s vision for the future of space," NASA's press secretary, Bethany Stevens, said on X. "We will continue to work with our industry partners to ensure the President’s objectives in space are met." Congress, it seems, may be heading in a different direction. Eric Berger Senior Space Editor Eric Berger Senior Space Editor Eric Berger is the senior space editor at Ars Technica, covering everything from astronomy to private space to NASA policy, and author of two books: Liftoff, about the rise of SpaceX; and Reentry, on the development of the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon. A certified meteorologist, Eric lives in Houston. 77 Comments

AGI will be embedded into humanoid robots, which makes white-collar and blue-collar jobs a target ... More for walking/talking automation.getty In today’s column, I examine the highly worrisome qualms expressed that the advent of artificial general intelligence (AGI) is likely to usurp white-collar jobs. The stated concern is that since AGI will be on par with human intellect, any job that relies principally on intellectual pursuits such as typical white-collar work will be taken over via the use of AGI. Employers will realize that rather than dealing with human white-collar workers, they can more readily get the job done via AGI. This, in turn, has led to a rising call that people should aim toward blue-collar jobs, doing so because (presumably) those forms of employment will not be undercut via AGI. Sorry to say, that misses the bigger picture, namely that AGI when combined with humanoid robots is coming not only for white-collar jobs but also blue-collar jobs too. It is a proverbial double-whammy when it comes to the attainment of AGI. Let’s talk about it. This analysis of an innovative AI breakthrough is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage on the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining various impactful AI complexities (see the link here). Heading Toward AGI And ASI First, some fundamentals are required to set the stage for this weighty discussion. There is a great deal of research going on to further advance AI. The general goal is to either reach artificial general intelligence (AGI) or maybe even the outstretched possibility of achieving artificial superintelligence (ASI). AGI is AI that is considered on par with human intellect and can seemingly match our intelligence. ASI is AI that has gone beyond human intellect and would be superior in many if not all feasible ways. The idea is that ASI would be able to run circles around humans by outthinking us at every turn. For more details on the nature of conventional AI versus AGI and ASI, see my analysis at the link here. We have not yet attained AGI. In fact, it is unknown as to whether we will reach AGI, or that maybe AGI will be achievable in decades or perhaps centuries from now. The AGI attainment dates that are floating around are wildly varying and wildly unsubstantiated by any credible evidence or ironclad logic. ASI is even more beyond the pale when it comes to where we are currently with conventional AI. AGI Problem Only Half Seen Before launching into the primary matter at hand in this discussion, let’s contemplate a famous quote attributed to Charles Kettering, a legendary inventor, who said, “A problem well-stated is a problem half-solved.” I bring this up because those loud clamors right now about the assumption that AGI will replace white-collar workers are only seeing half of the problem. The problem as they see it is that since AGI is intellectually on par with humans, and since white-collar workers mainly use intellect in their work endeavors, AGI is going to be used in place of humans for white-collar work. I will in a moment explain why that’s only half of the problem and there is a demonstrative need to more carefully and fully articulate the nature of the problem. Will AGI Axiomatically Take White-Collar Jobs On a related facet, the belief that AGI will axiomatically replace white-collar labor makes a number of other related key assumptions. I shall briefly explore those and then come back to why the problem itself is only half-baked. The cost of using AGI for doing white-collar work will need to be presumably a better ROI choice over human workers. If not, then an employer would be wiser to stick with humans rather than employing AGI. There seems to often be an unstated belief that AGI is necessarily going to be a less costly route than employing humans. We don’t know yet what the cost of using AGI will be. It could be highly expensive. Indeed, some are worried that the world will divide into the AGI haves and AGI have-nots, partially due to the exorbitant cost that AGI might involve. If AGI is free to use, well, that would seem to be the nail in the coffin related to using human workers for the same capacity. Another angle is that AGI is relatively inexpensive in comparison to human labor. In that case, the use of AGI is likely to win over human labor usage. But if the cost of AGI is nearer to the cost of human labor (all in), or more so, then employers would rationally need to weigh the use of one versus the other. Note that when referring to the cost of human labor, there is more to that calculation than simply the dollar-hour labor rate per se. There are lots of other less apparent costs, such as the cost to manage human labor, the cost of dealing with HR-related issues, and many other factors that come into the weighty matter. Thus, an AGI versus human labor ROI will be more complex than it might seem at an initial glance. In addition, keep in mind that AGI would seemingly be readily switched on and off, and have other capacities that human labor would not equally tend to allow. The Other Half Is Coming Too Assume that by and large the advent of AGI will decimate the need for white-collar human labor. The refrain right now is that people should begin tilting toward blue-collar jobs as an alternative to white-collar jobs. This is a logical form of thinking in the sense that AGI as an intellectual mechanism would be unable to compete in jobs that involve hands-on work. A plumber needs to come to your house and do hands-on work to fix your plumbing. This is a physicality that entails arriving at your physical home, physically bringing and using tools, and physically repairing your faulty home plumbing. A truck driver likewise needs to sit in the cab of a truck and drive the vehicle. These are physically based tasks. There is no getting around the fact that these are hands-on activities. Aha, yes, those are physical tasks, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that only human hands can perform them. The gradual emergence of humanoid robots will provide an alternative to human hands. A humanoid robot is a type of robot that is built to resemble a human in form and function. You’ve undoubtedly seen those types of robots in the many online video recordings showing them walking, jumping, grasping at objects, and so on. A tremendous amount of active research and development is taking place to devise humanoid robots. They look comical right now. You watch those videos and laugh when the robot trips over a mere stick lying on the ground, something that a human would seldom trip over. You scoff when a robot tries to grasp a coffee cup and inadvertently spills most of the coffee. It all seems humorous and a silly pursuit. Keep in mind that we are all observing the development process while it is still taking place. At some point, those guffaws of the humanoid robots will lessen. Humanoid robots will be as smooth and graceful as humans. This will continue to be honed. Eventually, humanoid robots will be less prone to physical errors that humans make. In a sense, the physicality of a humanoid robot will be on par with humans, if not better, due to its mechanical properties. Do not discount the coming era of quite physically capable humanoid robots. AGI And Humanoid Robots Pair Up You might remember that in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the fictional character known as The Strawman lacked a brain. Without seeming to anthropomorphize humanoid robots, the current situation is that those robots typically use a form of AI that is below the sophistication level of modern generative AI. That’s fine for now due to the need to first ensure that the physical movements of the robots get refined. I have discussed that a said-to-be realm of Physical AI is going to be a huge breakthrough with incredible ramifications, see my analysis at the link here. The idea underlying Physical AI is that the AI of today is being uplifted by doing data training on the physical world. This also tends to include the use of World Models, consisting of broad constructions about how the physical world works, such as that we are bound to operate under conditions of gravity, and other physical laws of nature, see the link here. The bottom line here is that there will be a close pairing of robust AI with humanoid robots. Imagine what a humanoid robot can accomplish if it is paired with AGI. I’ll break the suspense and point out that AGI paired with humanoid robots means that those robots readily enter the blue-collar worker realm. Suppose your plumbing needs fixing. No worries, a humanoid robot that encompasses AGI will be sent to your home. The AGI is astute enough to carry on conversations with you, and the AGI also fully operates the robot to undertake the plumbing tasks. How did the AGI-paired humanoid robot get to your home? Easy-peasy, it drove a car or truck to get there. I’ve previously predicted that all the work on devising autonomous vehicles and self-driving cars will get shaken up once we have suitable humanoid robots devised. There won’t be a need for a vehicle to contain self-driving capabilities. A humanoid robot will simply sit in the driver’s seat and drive the vehicle. This is a much more open-ended solution than having to craft components that go into and onto a vehicle to enable self-driving. See my coverage at the link here. Timing Is Notable One of the reasons that many do not give much thought to the pairing of AGI with humanoid robots is that today’s humanoid robots seem extraordinarily rudimentary and incapable of performing physical dexterity tasks on par with human capabilities. Meanwhile, there is brazen talk that AGI is just around the corner. AGI is said to be within our grasp. Let’s give the timing considerations a bit of scrutiny. There are three primary timing angles: Option 1: AGI first, then humanoid robots. AGI is attained before humanoid robots are sufficiently devised. Option 2: Humanoid robots first, then AGI. Humanoid robots are physically fluently adept before AGI is attained. Option 3: AGI and humanoid robots arrive about at the same time. AGI is attained and at the same time, it turns out that humanoid robots are fluently adept too, mainly by coincidence and not due to any cross-mixing. A skeptic would insist that there is a fourth possibility, consisting of the possibility that we never achieve AGI and/or we fail to achieve sufficiently physically capable humanoid robots. I am going to reject that possibility. Perhaps I am overly optimistic, but it seems to me that we will eventually attain AGI, and we will eventually attain physically capable humanoid robots. I shall next respectively consider each of the three genuinely reasonable possibilities. Option 1: AGI First, Then Humanoid Robots What if we manage to attain AGI before we manage to achieve physically fluent humanoid robots? That’s just fine. We would indubitably put AGI to work as a partner with humans in figuring out how we can push along the budding humanoid robot development process. It seems nearly obvious that with AGI’s capable assistance, we would overcome any bottlenecks and soon enough arrive at top-notch physically adept humanoid robots. At that juncture, we would then toss AGI into the humanoid robots and have ourselves quite an amazing combination. Option 2: Humanoid Robots First, Then AGI Suppose that we devise very physically adept humanoid robots but have not yet arrived at AGI. Are we in a pickle? Nope. We could use conventional advanced AI inside those humanoid robots. The combination would certainly be good enough for a wide variety of tasks. The odds are that we would need to be cautious about where such robots are utilized. Nonetheless, we would have essentially walking, talking, and productive humanoid robots. If AGI never happens, oh well, we end up with pretty good humanoid robots. On the other hand, once we arrive at AGI, those humanoid robots will be stellar. It’s just a matter of time. Option 3: AGI And Humanoid Robots At The Same Time Let’s consider the potential of AGI and humanoid robots perchance being attained around the same time. Assume that this timing isn’t due to an outright cross-mixing with each other. They just so happen to advance on a similar timeline. I tend to believe that’s the most likely of the three scenarios. Here’s why. First, despite all the hubris about AGI being within earshot, perhaps in the next year or two, which is a popular pronouncement by many AI luminaries, I tend to side with recent surveys of AI developers that put the date around the year 2040 (see my coverage at the link here). Some AI luminaires sneakily play with the definition of AGI in hopes of making their predictions come true sooner, akin to moving the goalposts to easily score points. For my coverage on Sam Altman’s efforts of moving the cheese regarding AGI attainment, see the link here. Second, if you are willing to entertain the year 2040 as a potential date for achieving AGI, that’s about 15 years from now. In my estimation, the advancements being made in humanoid robots will readily progress such that by 2040 they will be very physically adept. Probably be sooner, but let’s go with the year 2040 for ease of contemplation. In my view, we will likely have humanoid robots doing well enough that they will be put into use prior to arriving at AGI. The pinnacle of robust humanoid robots and the attainment of AGI will roughly coincide with each other. Two peas in a pod.Impact Of Enormous Consequences In an upcoming column posting, I will examine the enormous consequences of having AGI paired with fully physically capable humanoid robots. As noted above, this will have a humongous impact on white-collar work and blue-collar work. There will be gargantuan economic impacts, societal impacts, cultural impacts, and so on. Some final thoughts for now. A single whammy is already being hotly debated. The debates currently tend to be preoccupied with the loss of white-collar jobs due to the attainment of AGI. A saving grace seems to be that at least blue-collar jobs are going to be around and thriving, even once AGI is attained. The world doesn’t seem overly gloomy if you can cling to the upbeat posture that blue-collar tasks remain intact. The double whammy is a lot more to take in. But the double whammy is the truth. The truth needs to be faced. If you are having doubts as a human about the future, just remember the famous words of Vince Lombardi: “Winners never quit, and quitters never win.” Humankind can handle the double whammy. Stay tuned for my upcoming coverage of what this entails.

House in Palm Springs | © Sydney Turturro via Unsplash Moving from an apartment to a house is a major life milestone. It usually means more space, more responsibility, and more freedom. But unless you plan it right, it can also come with more stress.  Whether upgrading to accommodate a growing family or simply looking for more room to breathe, here are five essential steps to help you move from an apartment to a house confidently and easily. 1. Start with a Clear Plan and Timeline One of the most common mistakes people make when moving from an apartment to a house is underestimating how long it takes. It’s not just about packing up your belongings; it’s about handling logistics, paperwork, and scheduling around daily life.  As soon as you know your moving date, create a moving checklist.  Outline what needs to be done weekly: notifying your landlord, scheduling the elevator if you’re in a high-rise, collecting packing materials, and booking your moving company. Planning ahead helps you avoid last-minute stress and unexpected costs. If possible, give yourself at least 6–8 weeks. That gives you enough time to declutter, coordinate with service providers, and ensure you’re fully prepared for move-in day. The earlier you start, the smoother everything flows. Hiring professional movers early in the process can also secure your preferred date and provide access to helpful services, such as packing, storage, or specialized transportation. With everything scheduled well in advance, you’ll have the peace of mind needed to focus on your new adventure. 2. Downsize Before You Upsize It may sound counterintuitive, but moving to a bigger space doesn’t mean you should bring everything with you.  Over time, we accumulate furniture, clothes, gadgets, and kitchen tools that serve little purpose. And in a small apartment, many of these items might have been crammed into closets or storage bins and forgotten altogether.  Now’s the perfect time to declutter and lighten the load before the move. Start by walking through your apartment and taking stock of everything. Ask yourself what truly adds value to your life and what’s just taking up space. If you haven’t used something in over a year, it’s probably safe to let it go. You can donate, sell, or recycle items as needed. A good rule of thumb is to be ruthless. A cleaner move means a cleaner start in your new home. By purging the excess, you’ll reduce moving costs and arrive at your new house with a fresh mindset. There’s no sense in transporting items you no longer want or need. Instead, you’ll be able to unpack more quickly and enjoy your new space without clutter. 3. Prepare for a Different Kind of Space Living in a house is very different from apartment life. The layout, square footage, and storage options all change, which means your furniture and lifestyle habits may also need to adapt. That cozy loveseat that fits perfectly in your apartment living room might look dwarfed in a larger house.  Before moving, visit the house if possible and take room measurements.  Consider creating a rough floor plan to determine where each piece of furniture will fit. This not only helps your local movers place items on move-in day, but it also ensures you don’t waste time and energy relocating things that won’t work in the new space. Apps and online tools can help you visualize your layout ahead of time. Beyond furniture, also think about what your new home may need.  Will you have a backyard that needs maintenance? A garage that requires storage shelving? An extra guest room or home office that needs furnishing?  While you don’t have to buy everything at once, it’s smart to budget for future purchases so you can comfortably and intentionally grow into your home. 4. Handle Utilities, Address Changes, and Logistics © Peter Thomas via Unsplash © Mitch via Unsplash Unlike apartments, where utilities may be partially covered or managed by the landlord, houses typically require you to set up and manage everything yourself.  This includes electricity, water, gas, internet, trash collection, and sometimes even lawn care services. Don’t wait until the last minute; contact providers at least a week before your move to schedule installation or transfers. At the same time, update your address with your bank, subscription services, and relevant government agencies. This helps ensure you continue to receive important mail and prevents service disruptions. If you’re moving within the same city, this can be fairly straightforward. If you’re moving to a different region or province, however, make sure you check for local utility providers and regional services. Elevator bookings and parking permits are other key details to address, especially when moving out of an apartment in a busy area.  Confirm all building rules and moving hours in advance, and inform your movers so they can plan accordingly. Clear communication on these details makes the moving day smoother for everyone involved. 5. Rely on a Trusted Moving Partner Perhaps the most important step in this process is choosing the right moving company.  Apartment-to-house moves require experience, careful coordination, and physical effort, especially when dealing with tight stairwells, narrow hallways, or long distances from the apartment to the truck.  A professional moving team can handle the logistics efficiently while protecting your belongings from damage. Instead of doing it all yourself, you can count on us to carry the load literally. We bring the right equipment, vehicles, and muscle, so you don’t have to worry about heavy lifting or unexpected delays. More importantly, we offer peace of mind during an exciting and overwhelming time. A good moving experience sets the tone for your new chapter. Let us help make that transition smooth, stress-free, and even enjoyable. Final Word Moving from an apartment to a house is more than just a physical shift; it’s a lifestyle change. With the right planning, thoughtful decisions, and support from experienced movers, you can make the process simple and even fun. Whether it’s your first home or your dream upgrade, we’re here to guide you every step of the way. Frequently Asked Questions  1. How far in advance should I book a moving company when moving from an apartment to a house? We recommend booking your moving company at least 4–6 weeks in advance, especially during peak moving seasons (spring and summer). This gives you the best chance to secure your preferred date and time while also allowing time for proper planning, packing, and coordination with building management if needed. 2. What’s the best way to downsize before moving into a house? Even though you’re moving to a larger space, it’s wise to declutter before your move. Sort items by category, keep, donate, sell, or discard, and be honest about what you actually use. Unused furniture, duplicate kitchenware, and old clothes often don’t need to make the move. A lighter load means a faster, more affordable, and more organized transition. 3. Will all my apartment furniture fit properly in a house?  Some furniture from a compact apartment may not always feel too small or awkward in a larger home. We recommend measuring key pieces and comparing them with the dimensions of the new space before moving. Our team can help you decide what’s worth moving and even assist with layout planning to ensure everything fits where it should. 4. What should I do about utilities when moving into a house?  Unlike apartment living, homeowners are responsible for setting up all their utilities individually. Be sure to contact providers for electricity, water, internet, gas, and waste collection at least a week before your move. Scheduling ahead ensures your new home is move-in ready, and you won’t experience any service interruptions. 5. Do I need professional movers for a short move from an apartment to a house? Even if you’re moving just a few blocks, a professional moving team makes the process faster, safer, and far less stressful. We handle the heavy lifting, stairs, tight corners, and transportation logistics, so you don’t have to. Our experience ensures that your belongings arrive safely, regardless of the distance. GuidesTips by ArchEyes Team Leave a comment

Alienware is offering competitive prices on RTX 5080 equipped gaming PCs to kick off June. Right now you can pick up an Alienware Aurora R16 RTX 5080 gaming PC from $2,449.99 shipped. This is a good price for a well-engineered gaming rig with powerful current generation components, 240mm AIO water cooling, and sensible airflow design that can handle 4K gaming at high frame rates. In the current market, buying a prebuilt gaming PC is the only way to score an RTX 5080 GPU without paying an exorbitant markup. If you were to try to find a 5080 GPU for your do-it-yourself PC build, you'll probably spend nearly as much for the GPU as you would for an entire system.Alienware Aurora RTX 5080 Gaming PC From $2,450Alienware Aurora R16 Intel Core Ultra 7 265F RTX 5080 Gaming PC (16GB/1TB)$2,449.99 at AlienwareAlienware Aurora R16 Intel Core Ultra 9 285K RTX 5080 Gaming PC (32GB/2TB)Alienware Aurora R16 Intel Core Ultra 9 285K RTX 5080 Gaming PC (64GB/4TB)New for 2025Alienware Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 7 265 RTX 5080 Gaming PC (32GB/1TB)The prices on the Alienware Aurora R16 model starts range from the bottom end of $2,349.99 to the top end of $3,149.99. Each tier up offers either a CPU upgrade or increased RAM and/or storage:$2,349.99 - Intel Core Ultra 7 265F, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD$2,799.99 - Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD$3,249.99 - Intel Core Ultra 9 285K, 64GB RAM, 4TB SSDAlienware Area-51 RTX 5080 Gaming PC for $3,599.99New for 2025Alienware Area-51 Intel Core Ultra 7 265 RTX 5080 Gaming PC (32GB/1TB)Dell unveiled the new Alienware Area-51 gaming PC at CES 2025. The chassis looks similar to the 2024 R16 system with aesthetic and cooling redesigns and updated components. The I/O panel is positioned at the top of the case instead of the front, and the tempered glass window now spans the entire side panel instead of just a smaller cutout. As a result, the side panel vents are gone, and instead air intakes are located at the bottom as well as the front of the case. Alienware is now pushing a positive airflow design (more intake than exhaust airflow), which means a less dusty interior. The internal components have been refreshed with a new motherboard, faster RAM, and more powerful power supply to accommodate the new generation of CPUs and GPUs.The GeForce RTX 5080 GPU will run any game in 4KThe RTX 5080 is the second best Blackwell graphics card, surpassed only by the $2,000 RTX 5090. It's about 5%-10% faster than the previous generation RTX 4080 Super, which is discontinued and no longer available. In games that support the new DLSS 4 with multi-frame generation exclusive to Blackwell cards, the gap widens.Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 FE Review, by Jacqueline Thomas"If you already have a high-end graphics card from the last couple of years, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080 doesn’t make a lot of sense – it just doesn’t have much of a performance lead over the RTX 4080, though the extra frames from DLSS 4 Multi-Frame Generation do make things look better in games that support it. However, for gamers with an older graphics card who want a significant performance boost, the RTX 5080 absolutely provides – doubly so if you’re comfortable with Nvidia’s AI goodies."Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.

Scottish mobile developer Outplay Entertainment cuts 15% of staff to "align operations with current business realities" "This was not a decision we took lightly," CEO says Image credit: Outplay Entertainment News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on June 5, 2025 Outplay Entertainment has cut more than 20 jobs to "align [its] operations with current business realities." The Dundee, Scotland-based studio, self-described as "the largest independent mobile game developer in the UK," states on its website that it employs 135 staff, although it's unclear if this figure includes the 21 roles that have been laid off. That's around 15% of its headcount. In a statement to MobileGamer, CEO Douglas Hare said: "Earlier this week, Outplay made the difficult decision to restructure parts of the business, which has affected as many as 21 team members across several departments. "This step was taken to align our operations with current business realities and to support a strategic shift toward partnering with publishers for future game releases. "This was not a decision we took lightly," Hare concluded. "We are incredibly grateful to the talented individuals affected, many of whom have made lasting contributions to our games and culture. We are doing everything we can to support them through this transition." Outplay develops a number of licensed mobile games, including Gordon Ramsay's Chef Blast, Angry Birds Pop!, and Subway Surfers Blast. Over 2200 developers have lost their jobs in 2025 so far, with cuts and closures at Freejam, Splash Damage, Piranha Games, Jar of Sparks, Ubisoft, ProbablyMonsters, Iron Galaxy, Sumo Group, Liquid Sword, NetEase Games, Toast Interactive, Night School Studio, Striking Distance, Ballistic Moon, Eidos Montréal, PlaySide, AppLovin, Nerial, Reality Labs, and, most recently, there have been multiple cuts at EA, including Respawn, as well as People Can Fly and Jagex.