Mobile Tech & Gadgets

We have been fighting with fish bones for centuries. China just won the war with molecular scissors

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For fish lovers, carpin (gibel carp) has historically been a culinary paradox: a meat appreciated for its tender texture and its rich protein profile, but a real challenge for the diner due to its more than 80 “Y”-shaped intermuscular spines (IBs). This inconvenience has caused countless incidents in cafeterias and visits to the emergency room, but now China has made a radical decision: rewrite the DNA of the species to adapt it to our needs. The “Zhongke No. 6”. The research team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), led by academician Gui Jianfang, has announced success of the creation of a new variety called “Zhongke No. 6”. Unlike other scientific advances that remain in the laboratory, this specimen is a variety specifically designed to reach consumers’ tables and transform the aquaculture industry. Molecular surgery at the embryonic level. The key to success lies in a “surgical attack” on the fish’s genome. Scientists identified the gene runx2b as the “architect” responsible for giving the order to the fish’s body to develop those 80 pesky spines. Using CRISPR/Cas9 technology, described by researchers Like “molecular scissors,” they cut this specific genetic code during the embryonic stage. The process has proven to be of unprecedented precision. The main skeleton of the crucian carp – spine and ribs – develops completely normally, allowing the fish to grow, swim and stay healthy. However, the biological pathway that activates intramuscular spines, the ones that really get in the way of eating, do not develop. A six-year challenge: From the laboratory to production. Although the announcement of “Zhongke No. 6” is recent, the journey began years ago. According to the scientific journal Aquaculturethe seminal study that demonstrated the viability of these spineless mutants was originally published in early 2023. That initial work was the result of a six-year systematic effort under the CAS strategic program called “Design and Creation of Precision Seeds.” This project is especially complex because the crucian carp is hexaploid (it has six sets of chromosomes), which forced Gui Jianfang’s team to simultaneously edit all copies of the genes involved to ensure that not a single spine appeared in the new generations. More than an easy-to-eat fish. “Zhongke No. 6” has not only been emptied of thorns; has been optimized for industrial efficiency. According to published technical data, this variety presents accelerated growth since it reaches “commercial size” in less time than wild varieties. Additionally, it is designed to survive in dense, intensive aquaculture environments, where diseases often decimate production. Finally, it requires significantly less feed to produce the same amount of protein, reducing costs and the environmental impact of feed. The limit of the natural. However, this scientific advance places us before an uncomfortable mirror. As official sources conclude from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, this milestone represents a triumph of applied science that solves an ancient problem, transforming a difficult-to-eat fish into an efficient and safe source of protein. But, from a more critical perspective, an inevitable question arises: by optimizing every stroke of life for our comfort, what are we losing along the way? If we keep editing species so that they grow faster, are more resilient, and have no natural “defects,” we will reach a point where we won’t really know what we are eating. “Zhongke No. 6” is undoubtedly an engineering miracle, but it is also a reminder that the line between nature and the factory is increasingly thin. Image | Needpix Xataka | All the fish we eat are contaminated by methylmercury. But there are only four specific ones to avoid

How Venezuelan crude oil became a risk

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On December 14, 1922, the Los Barrosos-2 well in Venezuela exploded into a 60-meter geyser of crude oil that took a week to stop. As CNN remembersthat ecological disaster set the country on a path of dazzling wealth and political turmoil that has led, a century later, in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro by US forces. While in Washington they celebrate the “Donroe Doctrine”in the control centers of the Cartagena and Bilbao refineries there is a different tension. For Spain, Venezuela is not just foreign policy news; It is an economic black hole of 1,160 million euros. A deficit out of control. The commercial relationship between Spain and Venezuela has gone from being a balanced exchange to a financial abyss. According to data collected by El EconomistaIn 2024, Spain registered a trade deficit of 1,160 million euros with the Caribbean country. It is triple that in 2022 and the highest figure in the last 18 years. The cause is an alarming asymmetry. While our sales barely reach 230 million euros, our purchases have multiplied by 22 since 2021. Spain has become Venezuela’s fourth best customer in the world, behind the US, India and China. However, it is not a diversified purchase but 94.59% of what we import is oil and derivatives. Repsol: the jewel exposed on the board. If there is a proper name in this conflict, it is Repsol. According to Expansionthe Spanish oil company is the company with the most money at stake in the area. Venezuela is not just another asset; is its second largest source of reserves tested in the world (256 million barrels), only behind the United States. This represents almost 15% of the company’s entire underground treasure. But the risk is not only what is underground, but what is owed. Repsol’s equity exposure due to commercial debts of the state-owned PDVSA amounted to 330 million euros in June 2025. In addition, the Spanish oil company extracts 33% of the gas consumed by Venezuela. As the same source points out, without Repsol gas, the Venezuelan economy would come to a standstill, but without Venezuela’s legal security, the Spanish company’s balance sheet could suffer a “hole” of more than 13 billion euros in reserve valuation. The paradox of “heavy food.” Many wonder why Spanish companies insist on a country with obsolete infrastructure. The answer is technical. Venezuela’s oil is “extra-heavy”, dense as tar. Ironically, the oil that the US extracts through fracking is “too good” (light). To produce diesel and asphalt efficiently, Gulf Coast and Spanish refineries need to blend their light crude with Venezuela’s dense “stuff.” However, this is a “gas station without hoses.” The crude oil arrives “dirty” (with excess salt, water and metals) because PDVSA has dismantled pipelines to sell them as scrap. This turns refining into an expensive and risky process that only companies with decades of roots, such as Repsol – since 1993 – dare to manage. The wall of 100,000 million. Trump’s optimism, which already mobilizes private funds of 2 billion dollars led by former Chevron executives, clashes with technical reality. In fact, analysts consulted by The Wall Street Journal They warn that there will not be an immediate miracle. Rebuilding the sector requires an investment of $10 billion a year for a decade. The infrastructure is so deteriorated that PDVSA acknowledges that its pipelines have not been modernized in half a century. The total repair bill amounts to $100 billion. The Trump factor and the “Donroe Doctrine.” In an analysis by market expert Robert Armstrong highlights a paradigm shift: Trump has shown that his geopolitical ideology is above market stability. By capturing Maduro, he has put his legacy at stake for the objective of controlling the energy flow from Alaska to Patagonia. This movement a priori benefits Repsol, which had been negotiating for months to avoid the export blockade. However, the risk is that the US will prioritize the landing of its own colossi (Exxon, Chevron, ConocoPhillips) displacing the European partners that, such as Repsol or the Italian Eni, stayed when the Americans fled during Chávez’s expropriations. A prize with small print. Spain has before it a historic opportunity to recover its investments and lead the reconstruction, given its historical roots. But the 1.16 billion “hole” is only the symptom of a deeper illness: dependence on an asset that requires massive investment to be profitable in a world that is already beginning to say goodbye to fossil fuels. Venezuela continues to be the largest gas station in the world, but today it is a dilapidated facility whose repair bill threatens to stain the balance sheets of the large Spanish company if the transition is not “surgical.” Image | Pexels and Repsol Xataka | Venezuela has shown that the US can find anyone no matter how hidden they are. You only have to invoke one name: RQ-170

The computers of the future have found an unexpected ally to store information: fungi

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Bioelectronics has been studying for some time the possibility of taking advantage of living organisms in order to produce electrical activity and, in some way, take advantage of it to make our machines work. Although at first glance it could be a topic worthy of the Matrix script, the truth is that there is a whole fascinating world in that of the memristors based on organic elements. Some researchers have found the key to demonstrate how the mycelium of mushrooms such as shiitake can function as a memristor, an electrical component with the ability to ‘remember’ past states. This discovery could be the key to a new generation of sustainable and biodegradable electronic devices. What is a memristor and why does it matter? A memristor is an electronic component that combines the functions of memory and resistance, capable of “remembering” previous electrical states. They are currently manufactured with materials such as titanium dioxide between two metal electrodes, but their production requires scarce minerals and polluting and high-cost industrial processes. Hence the importance of looking for more sustainable alternatives through organic materials. How mycelium works as memory. John LaRocco’s team at Ohio State University grew shiitake mushrooms in Petri dishes until complete development. They then dehydrated them in the sun, turning them into rigid disc-shaped structures that can be rehydrated when necessary. By connecting electrodes to these samples and applying different voltages, discovered that the mycelium presents conductive structures similar to conventional ‘memristors’. According to LaRocco, “if we could develop a microchip that mimicked real neural activity, we could dramatically reduce the amount of energy consumed when the machine is not in use.” The results of the experiment. After two months of testing, the shiitake-based memristor demonstrated the ability to change electrical state up to 5,850 times per second with an accuracy close to 90%. When they applied a specific sine wave, the characteristic figure-eight curve of an ideal memristor appeared, confirming that the mycelium indeed remembers electrical flow. Although performance eventually decreased at higher frequencies, connecting multiple samples improved stability, something the researchers compared to the network effect of neural connections in the brain. Vadvantages over traditional semiconductors. The main attraction of these biological memristors is its sustainability. Mushrooms are developed from organic biomass, they are biodegradable and their environmental impact is minimal. Furthermore, growing them is economical and their production can be easily scalable, from small laboratory experiments to industrial manufacturing. Additionally, fungi have exceptional radiation resistance, which could also make them especially valuable for aerospace applications. Potential applications and pending challenges. The flexibility and scalability of these components opens up possibilities in fields from extreme environment computing and space exploration to autonomous systems and wearable devices. However, significant obstacles remain. And just as they count from Wired, current samples are too large and need to be miniaturized to compete with existing microchips. Furthermore, the electrical properties of mycelium vary between samples even grown in the same medium, which makes its stable industrial manufacture difficult. Next steps in the investigation. The team plans to develop techniques to grow mycelium and give it an ideal shape using 3D printing and methods for incorporating electrical contacts during cultivation. They are also exploring the optimal way to preserve it long-term, combining techniques such as freeze-drying and special coatings. “Society is increasingly aware of the need to protect our environment and preserve it for future generations, and that could be one of the driving factors for new biocompatible ideas like these,” pointed out Qudsia Tahmina, co-author of the study. Beyond mushrooms. This is not the only organic material that has demonstrated ‘memristive’ properties. Researchers from other universities They have experimented with honey and human bloodexploring their possibilities as biodegradable electronic components. Honey, for example, can change resistance in just 500 nanoseconds and is completely biodegradable. In the case of blood, scientists in India discovered in 2011 that it could function as a memristor by applying different voltages, keeping the resistance stable for at least 30 minutes. Cover image | Yuval Zukerman In Xataka | In the midst of the RAM memory crisis, Samsung takes a leap with its HBM4 memory. It does not imply good news for the pocket

To take photos, I am clear about which phone I would buy right now. A high-end that does not increase too much in price

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I have never been a big lover of photography because until a few years ago it had not really caught my attention. But I have been experimenting little by little and Nowadays on a mobile I prefer to prioritize this section before even the power. Although in some cases good power and good photography go hand in hand in the high range, there are times when this is not the case. Here, for color tastes. But me right now I don’t even remotely take advantage of the power that this type of mobile provides.so if I buy one right now I am clear that I would bet on the Google Pixel 10. The price could vary. We earn commission from these links A mobile phone with a great photographic section For many years I have played mobile games that were quite demanding. Currently, I only play one or two games very occasionally and they usually require quite low performance or power, as is the case of the Solitaire or, to a lesser extent, ‘Balatro‘. On the other hand, what I am taking advantage of right now is the photographic section of the Xiaomi 14T. I quite like to play with the options offered by the cameras signed by Leicaso it is clearer than water that the next mobile phone I would buy right now is Google’s. He Google Pixel 10like the rest of the brand’s models, has the particularity of having as a base the Google app. Yes, this can be adapted with the GCam in other mobile phones, but to this we must add excellent processing and a five-fold telephoto. The photographic section, focusing on the camera module, is made up of a 50 MP wide-angle sensor, a 13 MP ultra-wide angle sensor and a 10.8 MP telephoto sensor. It is also worth mentioning that it comes with Camera Coachwhich for those less versed in the subject may be attractive to receive recommendations through artificial intelligence. You may also be interested Spigen Ultra Hybrid MagFit Case for Google Pixel 10/10 Pro Compatible with Pixelsnap and MagSafe – Clear White The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Spigen Glas.tR EZ Fit Optik Camera Protector for Google Pixel 10, 2 Units, Transparent, Crystal Clear, Full Coverage, Installation Kit, 9H Hardness, Anti-Scratch The price could vary. We earn commission from these links Some of the links in this article are affiliated and may provide a benefit to Xataka. In case of non-availability, offers may vary. Images | Pepu RiccaGoogle In Xataka | The best mobile phones (2025), we have tested them and here are their analyzes In Xataka | The best quality-price mobiles (2025). Their analyzes and videos are here

Science has discovered that the original “home” of primates was the cold of the north

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The mental image is almost universal: an ape-like ancestor jumping among vines in a hot, humid jungle. For almost a century, paleoanthropology has assumed that primates are children of the tropics, however, an ambitious study published in PNAS by researcher Jorge Avaria-Llautureo and his team has blown up this paradigm, since they have seen that the primates were not looking for the sun. The ‘Tropical Dogma’. Until now, the predominant theory regarding evolution pointed out that primates evolved in warm, stable climateswhere food, such as fruits, were available all year round. In this way, it would only be millions of years later when some species had ventured into more hostile climates such as extreme cold. A great twist of script. Science has changed this paradigm by analyzing data from none other than 66 million years of history. To do this they have crossed the fossil record with climatic reconstructions that were made with great precision to see that the ancestors of all current primates originated in environments that had significantly low temperatures. Nothing to do with the tropical and arid landscapes that we may have had in mind until now. Survival training. How is it possible that a species that we associate with the jungle was born in areas that today would be equivalent to temperate or even boreal forests? The answer is in the adaptability. Science points in this case to the fact that early primates lived at high latitudes in the northern hemisphere, as is Eurasia and North America. And at that time, they were not constant paradises, since the animals had to deal with months of cold where the plants did not bear fruit. Your adaptation. This forced primates to stop being “fruit specialists” and become generalists capable of eating insects, shoots or bark, when the weather got bad enough. And this was crucial for their biology, since their metabolism was forced to adapt to these extreme conditions, which resulted in a brutal competitive advantage when they finally expanded. The researchers point out that this metabolic adaptation to tolerate adverse climates was the basis on which their evolutionary success was based. The paradox of the Tropics. If they were born in the cold, why do almost everyone live on the equator today? The study reveals a fascinating phenomenon: southward migration. And as the global climate changed, primates moved towards tropical bands. There they found an environment where their ‘survival kit’, which was developed in very harsh conditions, allowed them to thrive with great ease. That is why the Tropics were not where primates were made, but rather it is where they diversified explosively because, compared to the north, life there was much easier and they had a large amount of food. In short, the tropics were a refuge for biodiversity, but the spark that makes us primates was lit in the cold. Change the rules of the game. In addition to seeing the past differently with this new study, it also forces us to look at the future differently. Specifically, understanding how species moved between thermal niches over millions of years is vital to predicting how today’s primates will respond to climate change. global warming accelerated. But it also lets us see that if primates have an important history of resistance to cold and seasonal scarcity, it opens the door to our own ability as humans to colonize all corners of the planet as a form of evolution. Images | Anthony In Xataka | Human evolution has not stopped: in fact, there are reasons to think that it is more accelerated than ever

The emoji is now the only safe passage so that a “voucher” does not seem hostile on WhatsApp

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At some point, without anyone deciding, It is no longer acceptable to send a dry message in a WhatsApp group. “Ok” became hostile, “okay” became sharp and a simple “understood” was almost a declaration of someone seeking war. So we learned to quilt: To put the “👍” after the “ok”. The “😊” after a request. The “hahaha” before an opinion that could upset. Not because we felt laughter, approval or tenderness. But because the message without emoji is the message that must be interpreted. And in a culture like Spain, interpreting is dangerous. The emoji has become mandatory emotional punctuation. It doesn’t convey what you feel, but yespoint out what you don’t want the other to suspect. The “😂” rarely means that you found something funny. It means: this is a joke, don’t take it the wrong way, I’m not being rude, I’m still being nice. It is a safe conduct. A social insurance policy. Same with the “hahaha.” No one laughs when writing it, it’s just a tone marker, a way of saying: relax, this isn’t serious, we’re still friends. The more jots, the more eager the attempt to smooth out. “Ha” is dry. “Haha” is minimally polite. “Hahaha” is cordial. “Hahahaha” is nervous. “HAHAHAHA” is desperate. We have built a parallel language to avoid the conflict that never comes. Because there is almost never real conflict. Only the fear that there is. And that fear has inflated every message until it becomes a dance of false preventive emotions. The result is a hollowed-out language. When everything has emoji, none of them mean anything. When everything ends in “hahaha”, the laughter disappears. When all messages are warm, warmth becomes background noise. But we can’t stop. Because the first one to stop putting the “😊” will be the edge. The weird one. The one who “always answers dryly.” In the whatsapp groups Spaniards, cordiality is mandatory. And what is obligatory, by definition, is not cordial. It’s a perfect trap: To show that you are not hostile, you have to overact kindness. And when everyone overreacts, it is no longer possible to distinguish who is really nice from who is simply following the protocol. The emoji, which was born to add emotion to the text, has ended up anesthetizing it. Perhaps the clearest symptom is the “❤️”. A heart. The symbol of love, of deep affection. Today we sent it to confirm that we received a PDF. We use it to close a conversation without having to actually respond. It has become what “sincerely” was to the letters of yesteryear: a closing formula that means absolutely nothing. As the impersonal ‘Merry Christmas’ that any company sends you by email. In a few years, someone will study the WhatsApp groups of this era and believe that we lived in a society of overflowing affection. Emojis everywhere. Constant laughter. Hearts all the time. You won’t know it was the opposite. That we inflated words precisely because we no longer trusted them. That we filled the messages with emotion because we had stopped feeling it. And that “hahaha”, in the end, was our way of saying: I don’t know what to tell you, but I’m still here. Ha ha ha. Featured image | Xataka with Mockuuups Studio In Xataka | AI is transforming the relationship we have with our own ideas: we no longer create, we just “edit” ourselves

Intel can’t afford to fail

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Intel has chosen CES 2026 to announce the launch of Panther Lakeand it is not a minor detail. It’s not just about teaching new generation of laptop processorsbut to publicly expose the first platform that tests its most ambitious industrial promise. According to Intelthis inaugurates the arrival of the Intel 18A node to the market and converts a process that had been, above all, a declaration of intent for years into a commercial product. In this context, what Intel is at stake is to demonstrate that it can deliver on its promises when there is no longer any room for delays or explanations. Panther Lake is the code name, but Core Ultra Series 3 is the way the firm led by Lip-Bu Tan He wants the market to understand this generation. With this commercial framing, the company seeks to differentiate it from previous stages and make it clear that this is not a minor iteration. We are looking at a complete platform for laptops, with a common architecture on which different product levels are built, from performance-oriented models to those that prioritize efficiency and price. Intel’s most demanding exam in years As we say, the true anchoring point of Core Ultra Series 3 is Intel 18A, the manufacturing process on which the entire proposal is built. It is about the most advanced node ever developed and manufactured in the United States, and the first to hit the market integrated into a complete family of laptops. This detail shifts the focus from the chip design to the industrial capacity behind it and places 18A as more than just a technical leap. For consumers, the company talks about up to 60% more multi-core performance compared to the previous generation, according to internal tests in Cinebench 2024 at 25 W, improvements of up to 77% in gaming performance in an internal battery of 45 titles at 1080p High, and a NPU capable of reaching up to 50 TOPS for AI loads. To all this, it adds autonomy estimates of up to 27.1 hours streaming Netflix, always under specific conditions and configurations, figures that outline the objective that Intel puts on the table for this generation of laptops. To understand what Core Ultra Series 3 really proposes on the market, you have to look less at the range number and more at the internal segmentation of the catalog. Intel introduces here a clear distinction between the X models and those that are not, with the X9 and X7 being the ones that concentrate the most ambitious configurationsespecially on integrated Intel Arc graphics. Added to this is the H suffix, which is the most reliable indicator of real power, since it identifies chips with more cores, greater bandwidth and higher power limits. This launch is also understood from a very specific competitive key. The product is part of Intel’s attempt to regain ground against AMD in the laptop market, a segment where pressure on efficiency and sustained performance has intensified in recent years. In that context, Panther Lake competes not only for performance, but also for perception, reinforcing the idea that Intel is a solid and reliable option for manufacturers and users. Beyond the numbers and the official discourse, Panther Lake will have to demonstrate its value in very practical aspects. We will have to see how he performs on a day-to-day basis.if the promises of efficiency translate into a consistent experience and if the autonomy holds up in real uses, not just in controlled tests. When do the new Intel Core Ultra series 3 processors arrive? With Panther Lake, Intel is no longer playing in the field of open promises, but in that of specific schedules. Pre-sales of the first laptops with Core Ultra Series 3 begin immediately and their global arrival on the market from January 27. Images | Intel In Xataka | The new Qualcomm chip for PC is a declaration of intent: more intelligence than power

can multiply the performance of the GeForce RTX 50 by six

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At this CES 2026 NVIDIA has forgotten about hardware, but not about innovation. Of course, if there is one word that summarizes its commitment for this year, that is AI. Whether or not you like image reconstruction techniques using artificial intelligence that use the latest GPUs, the reality is that they are here to stay and in what way. And if your thing is also to enjoy games with the best possible quality and high resolution, even more so. Because the GeForce RTX 50 are the standard-bearers (but not the only ones) of the latest NVIDIA installment that has begun to be deployed now and will end this spring: the Deep Learning Super Sampling 4.5, or abbreviated DLSS 4.5, the successor to DLSS 4. Because although the latest generation graphics are the ones that benefit the most from this new technology, there are also innovations compatible with previous series. With DLSS 4.5, NVIDIA promises 4K and 240 Hz gaming with ray tracing thanks to AI. By the way, NVIDIA details that more than 250 titles are already compatible with DLSS 4.0 and that the most ambitious games of 2026, such as ‘Resident Evil Requiem’ or ‘Pragmata’ will also be compatible. The secrets of DLSS 4.5, explained DLSS came from the first generation of GeForce RTX GPU with one objective: that we would enjoy video games with higher FPS even if we were demanding and, incidentally, activate the ray tracing. With DLSS 4.0 they managed to free the graphics card from part of the effort of image rendering in favor of raising the FPS without taking a toll on the quality. DLSS 4.5 goes one step further promising to enjoy games with full Path Tracing at 4K and high refresh rate in a movement that is not a mere iteration, but a profound review of the underlying technology. As we explained in our experience DLSS 4.0the combination of better graphics, fluidity and latency is a holy trinity that cannot be achieved the old way: if we want the best image quality, we have to sacrifice fluidity and latency. If we look for fluidity in abundance, the textures are not going to be as good as they could be. So AI comes into play to make everything possible even if it is by adding invented frames. They are not real, but the experience is so satisfying that it is worth it. The three pillars on which DLSS 4.0 is based are Super Resolution thanks to transformers, multiframe generation and ray reconstruction. He ray tracing In this latest installment it remains as it is in DLSS 4.0, but the first two go up a level with DLSS 4.5. Let’s see where they started and how far they go with the latest technology presented by NVIDIA. The super resolution. The GPU renders the game at a low resolution (e.g. 1080p) to go very fast. DLSS 4.0 AI takes that blurry image and turns it into a crystal clear 4K image. Well, with DLSS 4.5 NVIDIA explains that we will achieve cutting-edge image quality with dynamic generation of multiple frames (up to six times more) to achieve incredible fluidity. The let’s give that we have been able to see show minimal goshting, greater image stability and smoother edges because in fact, it also improves anti-aliasing, the procedure used to reduce the jagged edges of the objects in each frame. In short: it goes directly to the current problem. The secret: second generation transformers. This enhanced Super Resolution is based on a second-generation transformer with improved training, a larger data set, five-fold increased computing power, the ability to analyze many more problematic scenarios than its predecessor, or more intelligent pixel sampling. On a practical level, although the scene is more complex, the reconstruction is much more precise. While it is true that this second generation transformer is a more complex and heavier model, the efficiency of the FP8 format used by the newer series (RTX 40 and 50) softens the impact. In short: that extra intelligence hardly penalizes the latest graphics from the house in terms of speed. Multiple frame generation. With DLSS 4.0, up to three artificial frames were created for every frame drawn by the GPU to make heavy games feel surprisingly fluid. With DLSS 4.5, multi-frame generation is dynamic. Thus, compatible graphics are capable of multiplying this frame invention by four to reach 190 fps or achieve up to six frames for each rendered frame and up to 240 fps. On a practical level, the most interesting thing is that it is capable of maximizing fps depending on the refresh rate of the monitor. That a GPU is capable of moving a game with full Path Tracing at 4K and a sustained refresh rate at a real 240 Hz is a milestone. The graph we see below shows the performance of an RTX 5090 at 4K in several moderately recent games and three different scenarios: natively and with the new DLSS 4.5 dynamic and x6. As can be seen, this image reconstruction technology returns higher performance in all titles, with notable improvements such as ‘NARAKA: BLADEPOINT’. Compatibility and availability. As one would expect given that this launch does not entail a new generation of GPUs (they are expected between 2027 and 2028), each and every one of these new features will be available on the latest graphics cards from the house, the GeForce RTX 50. Below these lines you have a summary table with the main technologies that DLSS 4.5 implements and the graphics families compatible with each of them. geforce rtx 50 geforce rtx 40 geforce rtx 30 geforce rtx 20 Multi frame generation x6 Yeah No No No Super RESOLUTION Yeah Yeah Yeah Yeah Regarding when we can enjoy these improvements, the option to enable the new DLSS 4.5 Super Resolution function is now operational in the NVIDIA app in more than 400 games for those compatible GPUs. Of course, for the generation of frames x6 dynamics exclusive to the … Read more

dominate in the age of AI and video games

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Officially, CES 2026 in Las Vegas starts tomorrow, January 6, but as usual, some companies have wanted to stand out to capture the spotlight. One of those is an AMD that is pushing its processor division hard and that has stood at the event with three new Ryzen. Not three different processors: three categories. As it could not be otherwise, there are many “artificial intelligence” in the equation. It is something that the company’s latest processors for Consolidated PCslike the Asus ROG Xbox Allythey have made it clear, and that in these new families it continues to be promoted. That said, we are going with all the new AMD processors, including some more industrial ones that are not interesting for us as users, but that says a lot about the state of the technology industry in general and The United States and AMD itself in particular. New AMD Ryzen AI 400 APUs Image | amd First things first: the Ryzen AI 400. It is an APU, a package that integrates CPU, GPU and NPU to process artificial intelligence tasks. This type of units is found in established consoles, laptops and PCs, and this AI is responsible for “inventing” frames per second with tools such as ‘frame generation’ or reconstructing the image with AMD’s FSR and the Nvidia DLSS. In this new family, we see improvements in memory speed, cores and frequency, but what stands out is the performance of the NPU. It has 1.2 times more TOPs than previous Ryzens. Manufacturers are expected to start launching compact laptops and desktops at the end of January this year, and the features of all Ryzen AI 400 processors are as follows: Cores/threads Maximum frequency cache memory speed NPU TOPs GPU CUs Ryzen AI 9 HX 475 12 / 24 5.2GHz 36MB 8,533 MT/s 60 16 Ryzen AI HX 470 12 / 24 5.2GHz 36MB 8,533 MT/s 55 16 Ryzen AI 9 465 10/20 5GHz 34MB 8,533 MT/s 50 12 Ryzen AI 7 450 8 / 16 5.1GHz 24MB 8,533 MT/s 50 8 Ryzen AI 7 445 6 / 12 4.6GHz 14MB 8,000 MT/s 50 4 Ryzen AI 5 435 6 / 12 4.5GHz 14MB 8,000 MT/s 50 4 Ryzen AI 5 430 4/8 4.5GHz 12MB 8,000 MT/s 50 4 Ryzen AI Max+ Image | amd On the other hand, there are the Ryzen AI Max+. They are also APUs that integrate graphics, processor and NPU, but the TDP is higher because they are designed for more demanding tasks such as 3D modeling, video editing and video games with comparable image quality, according to AMD, to what we would have if we used a conventional CPU plus a graphics card. Now we will see the frequencies, cores and bandwidth, but AMD has focused on commenting that the characteristics of this processor allow AI models to run in local mode without depending on the limitations of the cloud. In fact, the model Liquid AI It is the one they mention as local execution and it can be downloaded for free by everyone who has a Ryzen AI processor. And, of course, comparisons are odious, but they have put an Asus ROG Flow Z13 face to face with an AI Max and at MacBook Pro M5 to tell us that the Asus performs 1.4 more in AI tasks, 1.8 more in content creation, has 1.8 faster multitasking and better performance -1.6x- in ‘Cyberpunk 2077‘. Here is the entire family: Cores/threads Maximum frequency NPU TOPs GPU CUs GPU TFLOPS Ryzen AI Max+ 395 16 / 32 5.1GHz 50 40 60 Ryzen AI Max+ 3 392 12 / 24 5GHz 50 40 60 Ryzen AI Max+ 3 390 12 / 24 5GHz 50 32 48 Ryzen AI Max+ 3 388 8 / 16 5GHz 50 40 60 Ryzen AI Max+ 3 385 8 / 16 5GHz 50 32 48 New Ryzen 9000, because not everything is AI Image | amd If the two previous families rely on AI to be able to handle models locally and to improve visual parameters in video games, now we move on to the new Ryzen 9000. These are processors designed for the desktop, and within the new family of Ryzen 5, Ryzen 7 and Ryzen 9we have real beasts with a TDP of up to 170 W and maximum frequencies of up to 5.7 GHz in the most powerful of them: the Ryzen 9 9950X3D. It is a processor with 16 cores and 32 threads with a combined cache of 144 MB and AMD itself is not the one it has used for its comparisons because it is a processor more designed for creating content than for video games. Looking for a greater balance, there is the Ryzen 7 9850X3D. It has 8 cores, 16 threads, a TPD of 120 W and a maximum frequency of 5.6 GHz. This is 400 MHz more than the fabulous 9800X3D and maintains compatibility with the AM5 socket. If you already had a previous processor compatible with that socket, the change is very simple. These are all the new Ryzen 9000: Cores/threads Maximum frequency cache TDP Ryzen 9 9950X 3D 16 / 32 5.7GHz 144MB 170W Ryzen 9 9950X 16 / 32 5.7GHz 80MB 170W Ryzen 9 9900X 3d 12 / 24 5.5GHz 140MB 120W Ryzen 9 9900X 12 / 24 5.6GHz 76MB 120W Ryzen 7 9850X 3D 8 / 16 5.6GHz 104MB 120W Ryzen 7 9800X 3D 8 / 16 5.2GHz 104MB 120W Ryzen 7 9700X 8 / 16 5.5GHz 40MB 65W Ryzen 5 9600X 6 / 12 5.4GHz 38MB 65W Ryzen 5 9600 6 / 12 5.2GHz 38MB 65W And, although it is not new, AMD has recalled that they launched Redstone recently. This is the name they have given to FSR, its image reconstruction technology and pixel generation. Most new games are already compatible with Redstone and it is something that we can see in this video and that only interests you if you have a Radeon RX9000: Embedded APU, the … Read more

Threads has surpassed X in daily users on mobile. The paradox is that this has not changed.

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Threads and X play, in essence, the same game. Short messages, public conversations and the ambition to become the place where the things that matter are discussed. On mobile, Threads is already moving very close to X in daily active users on a global scale, to the point that, on specific days, it was ahead. But when you look beyond the numbers, the feeling is different. The conversation that jumps to the media and public debate continues to be born, almost always, in the same place. The most cited photograph comes from Similarweb data and focuses exclusively on mobile use. That’s where Threads has closed the gap significantly. According to this analysis firm, both platforms converge in very close figures of daily active users on a global scale, around 130 million. In the week with data until September 20, 2025, Threads was ahead of X on three of the days analyzed. Even so, the series as a whole does not allow us to speak of consolidated leadership, but rather of a very tight and localized equality in time. Daily active users on iOS and Android. Threads approaches X on mobile phones globally | Source: Similarweb What does this data measure and what is left out. When talking about daily active mobile users, it is advisable to sharpen the focus. Similarweb accounts daily use on iOS and Android, counting each person only once a day, even if they open the app multiple times. Additionally, any user who performs a minimal action, such as opening the app or logging in, is considered “active.” This metric reflects access habits, but does not distinguish between reading, interacting or publishing, nor does it measure what type of accounts concentrate the activity or what content is amplified outside the platform. Daily web traffic on a global scale. X maintains a very large advantage over Threads in browser visits | Source: Similarweb That balance that appears in mobile use is broken as soon as the focus is expanded. When looking at web trafficthe distance between both platforms is once again very marked. Similarweb data shows that It is not a minor detail, because web access is usually more present in professional contexts, newsrooms and news monitoring. Changing metrics also changes the story the data tells. Information consumption follows another map. When the question is not how many people enter each day, but rather where users get information, the scenario changes. The conclusions of the Digital News Report 2025 of the Reuters Institute point out that The difference is not so much size but function within the media ecosystem. Part of that difference has to do with the type of use. A academic study published in 2024 describes X as a “passive sensor” especially useful for detecting opinion leaders, by combining public visibility, active community and clear temporal traceability of messages. This architecture makes it easier for statements, reactions or controversies to be followed in real time and reused in other contexts. For media and analysts, X not only works as a social network, but also as a tool for observing public conversation. A growth pushed from within the ecosystem. The progress of Threads is largely explained by its integration with Instagram and, in general, with the Meta ecosystem. Direct access from an already massive application reduces barriers to entry and makes it easier for many users to try out the platform without additional effort. That push helps explain why mobile usage numbers have grown rapidly. However, this dynamic does not guarantee that users adopt Threads as a central space for public or informative debate, nor that they transfer there the practices that they currently maintain in X. Not even the recurring controversies surrounding Elon Musk have been sufficient to displace X from its role as an informational reference point. Threads advances in usage and visibility, but the center of gravity of the conversation remains where it was. For that to change, it will not be enough to add users or rely on the Meta ecosystem. It would require a deeper transformation of professional, media and political habits that, for now, is not appreciated. Images | Mohamed Nohassi | Kelly Sikkema In Xataka | Neither board games nor karaoke: ‘Word on Beat’ is the new king of the living room and proof that we prefer rhythmic chaos

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