At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Doom: The Dark Ages makes extensive use of ray-tracing for its lighting and reflections.
id Software states that the game would not be possible to make without the use of this technology.
Ray-tracing sped up development and allowed the team to enhance destruction, gore, and other elements of the Doom experience.
Doom: The Dark Ages is one of the most well-optimized titles in recent years, but it can also be quite taxing on modern systems. This is largely due to its heavy reliance on ray-tracing, which has upset some fans with lower-end hardware.
Discussing why ray-tracing is so essential to its latest game, id Software recently highlighted the benefits of the technology. As per the developers, the game, as it exists today, would not be possible without the technology.
Why it matters: Ray-tracing adoption has grown significantly in recent years, and games like Doom: The Dark Ages are unplayable without ray-tracing-supported hardware.
Digital Foundry recently interviewed id Software’s Director of Engine Technology and discussed various elements of the team’s latest game, including the focus on ray-tracing.
Developer Billy Khan explained that id Software would have required several additional years of development to produce Doom: The Dark Ages without ray-tracing. He also elaborated that the content currently available in the game would be close to impossible without the technology.
Without this feature, we would have had to elongate development time by a magnitude of years. We wouldn’t have been able to create the same type of content.
As per Billy Khan, the team brought the game’s world to life with more nuance and details thanks to ray-tracing, and the accurate lighting helped add to the power fantasy of the Doom Slayer.
id Software hoped to make the Doom Slayer more powerful than ever in the latest entry, which required better gore and world destruction. The developer explained that nailing this would be impossible in certain cases had the team relied on baked lighting.
Ray-tracing’s benefits also extended to the gigantic battle sections of Doom: The Dark Ages, bringing the larger-scale segments to life with a homogenized look.
Doom: The Dark Ages Is A Critical Success Like Past Entries
Perhaps the most interesting element of the discussion is that ray-tracing sped up the game’s development. Because AAA titles take years upon years to produce today, ray-tracing could help alleviate some of the challenges associated with modern AAA titles.
I’ve previously worked for eXputer as a Senior News Writer for several years. Now with Tech4Gamers, I love to devoutly keep up with the latest gaming and entertainment industries. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science and years of experience reporting on games and breaking exclusive stories. Besides my passion for gaming journalism, I love spending my leisure time farming away in Stardew Valley. VGC, IGN, GameSpot, Game Rant, TheGamer, GamingBolt, The Verge, NME, Metro, Dot Esports, GameByte, Kotaku Australia, PC Gamer, and more have cited my articles.
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The GTA 6 delay has been dubbed a ‘real blow’ to PlayStation because it was supposed to help PS5 gain many new users.
The entry was supposed to cause a mass migration of PS4 users to the newer console because of the hype.
However, now these users will stay on the PS4 for a more extended period, which will significantly impact the sales of the PS5.
GTA 6 is one of those rare moments where the whole industry is expected to be massively affected by its arrival. A significant bump in the Xbox Series X|S and PS5 sales targets was expected, but the delay has caused a massive dilemma for console makers.
A notable analyst has even claimed that the GTA 6 delay has dealt a ‘real blow’ to PS5. The delay will affect how well the current-gen console performs this year, as it was supposed to attract a slew of PS4 users.
Why it matters: Many analysts believe the GTA 6 delay to next year will have significant consequences for console makers and the overall industry. This year will likely be one of the current generation’s lowest points for PlayStation and Xbox.
As per a Bloomberg report, the sudden GTA 6 delay has thrown the PlayStation ecosystem into disarray.
The console maker is now only expecting to sell up to 15 million PS5s this year, with analysts suspecting that the delay will significantly impact the numbers.
The delay in GTA VI is a real blow to the PS5. This was supposed to be the product that got many consumers to get off the PS4 and on to a PS5.
According to past reports, almost 50% of UK gamerswere ready to upgrade their last-gen consoles to newer variants for GTA 6. It perfectly shows the demand for Rockstar’s magnum opus.
Do you think the GTA 6 delay will harm the sales of Xbox and PlayStation consoles to a noticeable level, or are these concerns unfounded and exaggerated? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below, or join the discussion on the Tech4Gamers forum.
At T4G, my task is to cover the latest news around the gaming globe ASAP and with the utmost precision. I adore all the games and respect all the devs behind the amazing games that we get all year. So, whether it’s a PC or a Console game, I got it all covered.
Story Highlight
Doom: The Dark Ages hasn’t been able to match the player count of previous entries.
Fans have complained about things like slower gameplay, the soundtrack, and more.
While it has been critically successful, it doesn’t feel like a commercial success.
Everyone was caught by surprise when Doom: The Dark Ages was first shown at the Xbox Games Showcase last year. Since then, the hype for the game has been through the roof, but its release hasn’t pushed the numbers most hoped for.
We’re almost through the weekend, and Doom: The Dark Ages has managed to top at just around 31K concurrent players on Steam, which is a smaller number even compared to Doom 2016.
Why it matters: Fans have quoted various reasons for not going with The Dark Ages, including slower-paced gameplay, Mick Gordon not working on the soundtrack, high system requirements, and more.
Doom The Dark Ages player count is much lower than expected
As of today, Doom: The Dark Ages topped at 31K concurrent players. For context, Doom (2016) hit 44K a couple of days after launch, and Doom: Eternal had a huge player base of over 100K players at launch.
Most fans have voiced their concern that The Dark Ages’ gameplay doesn’t match up to the pumping and super fast-paced nature of its last entry; therefore, instead of an upgrade, it feels like a step in the wrong direction.
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Soundtrack is a core part of what makes Doom so thrilling, while it still isn’t bad with the latest entry, most believe Mick Gordon’s leaving has had an impact on it. Also, the system requirements are quite high for not so big of a visual upgrade.
However, in reality, the game runs fine on even budget systems, as testing has proved, but these are some things that haven’t made Doom: The Dark Ages as popular among the fans as the developers might’ve hoped for.
What are your thoughts on Doom: The Dark Ages not matching the player count of earlier entries? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
At Tech4Gamers, I mainly cover new gaming news, leaks, and rumours. Aside from that, I love to write features about my favourite games while inserting my opinion about their different aspects.
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Stellar Blade developer, Shift Up, recently revealed that it is working closely with the publisher to fix the region-locked issue.
While fans appreciate this step, they are asking the developer to remove Denuvo, too.
This technology is passionately hated by gamers as it affects a game’s performance a lot.
Denuvo in video games is passionately hated by gamers throughout the world. This technology has been proven to tamper with a game’s performance more than enough times now, but still, developers want to incorporate it into their video games.
Why it matters: Denuvo in a video ruins the performance, and that is a fact. Many often don’t buy games due to Denuvo being incorporated in them. So, this technology not only affects a game’s performance but also its sales.
Fans Are Collectively Against Denuvo In Stellar Blade | Source: Twitter/X
Shift Up recently tweeted on X that it will be working closely with Sony to sort out the region locked issue and that Denuvo will not affect Stellar Blade’s performance that much.
While fans showed their gratitude toward the developer for taking the initiative to sort out the region locked issue they are pretty furious over the fact there is Denuvo in Stellar Blade.
DENUVO is always bad for you and the consumers, no matter how you try to spin it. Performance issues are not the only problem with DENUVO, its invasive, even if you uninstall your game it puts files where they don’t belong, and will remain on your computer tracking things they don’t need to track.
The fandom is trying to convince the developer in the comments section about how worse this technology actually is. It literally costs a developer $25k a month to keep this technology running, which lowers the game’s performance as well as its sales. It also prevents users from directly playing the game offline until they take some steps.
So, removing it would actually be better here. What do you think about Denuvo being incorporated in Stellar Blade? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or join the official Tech4Gamers forums for discussion.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Marathon was recently found plagiarising art, leading to a new controversy.
A report outlines that the game is at risk of being delayed following this controversy.
Bungie’s development team is also concerned about the studio’s future.
Marathon was expected to lead PlayStation’s future live-service lineup, but Bungie’s situation has not been all sunshine and rainbows. Following underwhelming impressions and widespread criticism, the game faced an uphill battle as it attempted to turn things around.
The situation became worse when recent allegations of plagiarised art surfaced, and it seems Bungie has not taken the controversy well. According to new reports, the game now faces the threat of a delay.
Why it matters: Marathon was initially slated to launch in 2025 and break into the extraction shooter market with a fresh gameplay formula. This now appears more unlikely than ever.
Marathon’s Situation Is Far Worse Than Anybody Anticipated
A new report from Forbes outlines the fallout of the recent Marathon situation. As per sources, Sony and Bungie are looking at legal measures to sort through the situation.
This has also impacted the development team’s morale, creating concerns about Bungie’s future in a post-Marathon world. The developers fear the worst if their latest multiplayer title fails to make a splash in the current market.
As per the report, conversations about a delay are likely being held between Bungie and Sony, creating further tensions. Although the developers still want to launch the game this year, this ambition appears unlikely in the current atmosphere.
For context, Marathon’s latest controversy comes after artist Antireal spotted that Bungie had used her designs from 2017 in the game without her consent.
Bungie later acknowledged that these assets were indeed part of the game, leading to the aforementioned situation. Ultimately, Sony now faces the tough decision to delay its most ambitious live-service title.
What are your thoughts on Marathon’s situation? Were you looking forward to playing the game this year? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Capcom’s optimization efforts on Resident Evil 9 appear to be taking longer than anticipated.
A reliable insider believes the team is also adjusting the game’s design elements at the moment.
Capcom is expected to share more details later this year.
Capcom officially confirmed the development of Resident Evil 9 over a year ago, but the studio has been radio silent since then. Meanwhile, rumors regarding the horror series continue to rage on, pointing to Leon’s return and an official reveal later this year.
When asked why the Japanese gaming giant has been so quiet about Resident Evil 9, an insider had a very interesting response. He believes the team is currently focused on optimizing the title as much as possible.
Why it matters: This statement is interesting because the RE Engine is typically considered very optimized. However, recent releases like Dragon’s Dogma 2 and Monster Hunter Wilds have been disappointing in this regard.
RE4 Remake is Already Over 2 Years Old
As per the very reliable Dusk Golem, Capcom has yet to say much because it likely needed more time to adjust the technology powering Resident Evil 9.
This statement is so interesting because Resident Evil 9 is expected to mark the series’ debut into the open-world genre. However, the RE Engine seems to struggle with open-world games, as shown by Monster Hunter Wilds and Dragon’s Dogma.
Therefore, Capcom seems to be using its experience with these titles to further improve the technology. Additionally, Dusk Golem believes the team is improving a few design elements of Resident Evil.
This could refer to the open-world elements, with Capcom striving to strike a balance between the open-world ambitions and the RE Engine’s technical limitations.
Leon Is Expected To Lead The Series’ Latest Entry
Still, with an official reveal expected in just a few more months, the situation should become much clearer very soon. Also, Capcom is said to be working on a Code Veronica remake, so more details regarding this title could show up in the near future.
At Tech4Gamers, I mainly cover new gaming news, leaks, and rumours. Aside from that, I love to write features about my favourite games while inserting my opinion about their different aspects.
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Assassin’s Creed Shadows was released almost two months ago, and there are still no official sales numbers.
Ubisoft is still silent about its sales, but independent sources seem to have figured it out.
According to the sources, the game has sold only 367k copies on PC.
Ubisoft is behind the legendary Assassin’s Creed franchise that many grew up playing. However, this company and this legendary franchise are not the same. Ubisoft has been releasing poor games back-to-back, and due to that, its value has plummeted by a massive margin.
However, it was hoping that Assassin’s Creed Shadows might be able to save the company from bankruptcy, but did it? No, it did not. Ubisoft has not even revealed how many copies the game has sold. However, some independent sources have figured out the sales of this game on different platforms and on PC, it sold only 367K copies.
Why it matters: Many people are claiming that the game has sold three million copies, but that is not true. Ubisoft announced that the game has up to 3 million; the sales are actually way lower.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows May Have Performed Well Initially, But Its Sales Took A Dive
Ubisoft hasn’t announced the sales numbers, and it probably won’t for a while. Alinea Analytics has done some investigation and figured out how many copies the game has sold on two platforms.
Ironically, Ubisoft’s heavy discounts pushed its most significant launch in years, Assassin’s Creed Shadows, out of the top 10 (it was Steam’s #11 game by copies sold in March, selling 367.8K copies)
Assassin’s Creed Shadows seems to have sold 1.7 million copies on the PS5, but it sold only 367K copies on the PC. It is worth noting that after 2 weeks the sales on PC were so worse that these firms totally gave up on even checking further.
There doesn’t seem to be a sales number for the Xbox platform, but even if we match the sales on PC, the total number would still be nowhere near 3 million. Ubisoft not giving the actual sales number is a red flag, so it is fair to assume the game underperformed.
Sure, it performed well at the start but majority of the fandom didn’t even play it for long. The sales took a dive shortly which is exactly why the company is silent on the actual number.
What do you think about the sale of Assassin’s Creed Shadows on PC? Have you played this game? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below or join the official Tech4Gamers forums for discussion.
Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.
Story Highlight
Clair Obscur has retained a higher player average compared to Oblivion remastered.
Clair Obscur has around 107k players on average per day, while Oblivion Remastered has 65k.
Both games were released just two days apart from each other
2025 has been a marvellous year for RPGs, especially the month of April, which saw the shadow drop of Oblivion Remastered and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Despite being an AA title from a new developer studio, Clair Obscur went toe-to-toe against Oblivion Remastered.
It’s almost been a month since both these titles were launched, and Clair Obscur is now averaging more players than Oblivion Remastered on Steam. For reference, both titles were released just 2 days apart from each other.
Why it matters: Oblivion Remastered is the first new entry in the Elder Scrolls franchise in almost a decade. Still, Clair Obscur continues to perform better in comparison, despite being a debut game from a previously unknown developer studio.
Clair Obscur Has Retained Its Players Compared To Oblivion Remastered || Steam
Just in the last week, Clair Obscur had an average player average of around 107k in the past week, while Oblivion Remastered had an average of almost 65k. It is also worth noting that Oblivion Remastered had a higher player peak of 216k compared to Clair Obscur’s 145k peak.
One would expect more player count for Elder Scrolls since the RPG is vast and takes more time to beat than the French RPG. Still, the turn-based RPG takes the victory here. Oblivion Remastered has also become the third-best-selling game of 2025 already.
Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Sold A Million Copies In Just 3 Days
Still, it’s hard to undermine Clair Obscur’s accomplishments. It has the highest user rating on Metacritic for any game, at 9.7. The game even got a movie deal mere days after its launch, highlighting how successful its launch was.
It’d be exciting to see which title secures the GOTY award this year since the competition is tough.
What are your thoughts on this comparison? Which game among these two are you playing right now? Let us know in the comments below, or join the ongoing discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forums.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
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Doom: The Dark Ages has received worse user reviews than anticipated.
It stands as the worst user-rated title of the modern Doom trilogy across both Metacritic and Steam.
Players have criticized the new shield-focused combat, missing glory kills, and more in the new Doom entry.
Doom: The Dark Ages has been quite the critical success so far. Both critics and tech enthusiasts have found much to appreciate about id Software’s latest release, but it seems fans are not so pleased with the Doom Slayer’s medieval adventure.
Following disappointing launch day numbers, the game has now ended up as the worst-rated entry of the modern Doom trilogy.
Why it matters: Doom: The Dark Ages was building on the foundations of the two games, leading many to believe that it would be the best of the modern trilogy. It seems id Software’s decision to change things up drastically has led to the opposite being the case.
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Doom: The Dark Ages Steam Reviews
Doom Eternal Steam Reviews
Doom 2016 Steam Reviews
Looking at Steam, Doom: The Dark Ages has garnered nearly 7,000 reviews so far. Of these reviews, around 85% are positive, netting the game a ‘Very Positive’ rating on Steam.
While this is a solid result, both predecessors have much better reviews on Steam. Doom 2016 has a 95% positive rating with 141K reviews, while Doom Eternal has a 91% positive rating with 174K reviews.
The Metacritic user ratings tell a similar story. Both past Doom titles are rated 8.5 or higher. However, the studio’s latest release has achieved an average of just 7.5/10 on the platform.
The major criticisms on Steam revolve around Doom: The Dark Ages’ newly introduced combat loop, which focuses on the shield and melee. Players state that the past two games had a more engaging combat system.
Many have also criticized the removal of the “Glory Kills,” which have now been replaced with a single animation in most instances. Players have even spoken out against the newly introduced mech and dragon sections, stating they lose their charm rather quickly.
What are your thoughts on Doom: The Dark Ages so far? Do you find the title as enjoyable as past entries? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
As a Hardware Expert at Tech4Gamers, I bring my decade-long expertise in electronics design, embedded solutions, and prototyping. My knack for exposing misconceptions in the tech world finds a perfect outlet here.
For the past 2 years, we have been seeing many new names joining the new ATX PSU Master Race, thanks to the new Intel ATX 3.0/3.1 specifications that have finally made the PSUs interesting and fun again.
ASRock recently decided to unleash its power with its rock-solid PSU offerings, ranging from extremely high-end, mid-range and budget-oriented PSUs – one of which was the ASRock SL1000GW that I recently reviewed, which performed really well throughout our different test suits.
ASRock TC-1300T PSU which I will be looking at today is from ASRock’s Taichi series, which is just like their motherboards, and is the highest-ranked lineup. This PSU lineup comes in two variants: TC-1650T and TC-1300T, both of which are rated at 80 Plus Titanium efficiency, the highest available efficiency in the ATX PSU.
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180+ hours spent testing different power supplies for our reviews.
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As with every other PSU brand, ASRock is also trying hard to compete in this segment by marketing their PSUs with some innovative (at least to them) features, more notably the 5V Boost Mode & Dual Color 12V-2×6 connector with TempGuard.
Packaging & Unboxing
Box Front
Box Back
The box feels nice to touch and has all the important info both at the front and the back.
Unboxing
The PSU is packaged nicely inside, with styrofoam protecting it. There are separate sections for the power cord, accessories/cables, and the PSU itself.
Design
PSU Design
If you’ve seen the ASRock Taichi motherboards, this power supply will look very familiar. The PSU is coated in a matte-black type finish, with Titanium-colored accents. Overall, the design is nice and looks unique.
PSU Side Design
The side has similar gears as we saw at the top. There is Taichi branding.
As for the power side, everything looks standard. There is an iCOOL button which we will discuss in the next section.
Cable & Connectors
Cables & Accessories
The PCIe 5.1 and ATX cables are nylon-sleeved, while the rest are standard, individually sleeved. The quantity and length of cables is more than enough, so you will not face any difficulties in installing the PSU in an ATX build.
Here are the included cables along with their quantity and length:
Connector Type
Quantity
Motherboard cable (24-pin)
1x
EPS 12V CPU connectors (4+4-pin)
2x
PCIe 5.1 connectors (12+4-pin) Dual Color
2x
PCIe connectors (6+2-pin)
8x
4-pin Peripheral connectors
3x
SATA 5-pin connectors
9x
PSU Modular Side
Here is the modular bay. As you can see, the PSU supports two 12V-2×6 connectors, allowing it to power two latest-gen GPUs.
5V Boost Button
Dual Native 12V-2×6 Connector with TempGuard
It’s hard to wrap my head around why ASRock in 2024 is boasting about 5V Boost mode. Gone are the days when 5V & 3.3V rails were extensively being used to power many internal PC components. It’s mainly HDDs that eat up a large chunk of 5V rail and even this use-case is getting faded away as Solid State storage devices such as NVME SSDs are rapidly replacing old and noisy mechanical HDDs.
Moreover, I have never seen a PSU (of recent times) dropping down its 5V/3.3V rail even on max-rated load on the primary 12V rail, so this mode is only a gimmick in my opinion.
As for the ASRock’s dual color with TempGuard 12V-2×6 connector, this is indeed a feature that should be praised!
We have already seen this dual-color 12V-2×6 connector implementation from MSI which makes sure that a user has fully inserted the 12V-2×6 connector into the GPU. ASRock though, with its high-end Taichi series, also added a temperature sensor close to the 12V-2×6 connector’s housing to provide a safer and ease of mind operation to the user. In theory, if the in-built temperature sensor senses the temperature hitting close to alarming/concerning levels, the PSU will immediately shut itself down.
Though it’s surely an innovative feature, I think its implementation could have been done better. Imagine a scenario when you’re playing a game and suddenly your PC shuts down without any warning! There had to be at least some kind of an alert LED on the back of the PSU so the user would have the utmost surety as to exactly why his/her PC is having a sudden shutdown issue.
Dual Native 12V-2×6 Connector with TempGuard
iCool Fan Mode
ASRock TC-1300T gives an option for dual native 12V-2×6 power connectors which may not be a very impressive feature to have for gamers, but those who are familiar with ML and AI, really dig this option in modern PSUs as it allows them to power multiple AI accelerated GPUs from Nvidia.
The PSU also has a hybrid fan mode which ASRock calls iCool. When this mode is turned on, it only allows the fan to spin up after the PSU has been loaded to a decent enough load.
Teardown & Component Analysis
ASRock in their Steel Legend series (as we have seen in my previous review) was using HEC as its OEM. This time with their Taichi series, ASRock needed an even more powerful and capable platform especially if it wanted to achieve Titanium level efficiency.
I was expecting ASRock to have just simply opted in for CWT for its OEM, as almost every big brand seems to be doing, but they surprisingly went with FSP, which is also a very reputable PSU manufacturer and PSU OEM for well over a decade. FSP PSUs were the first ones I had seen using vertical daughter boards to better utilize the PCB spacing and then later many other OEMs started doing the same.
PSU Teardown Top
As expected, the platform’s layout is filled with vertically mounted PCBs for every major section making everything well spread out and there’s more than adequate room for the air to cool down the components effectively, hence why FSP didn’t feel the need to use big and chunky aluminum heatsinks for this design. FSP seems to have gone an extra mile with their design and maybe that’s why ASRock specifically chose them for their Taichi PSU lineup.
MOSFETs Side A
MOSFETs Side B
The platform utilises a Bridge-less design in which instead of using the traditional way of converting mains AC to DC via a Bridge Rectifier, it uses 4 MOSFETs acting as a Bridge Rectifier for enhanced efficiency.
Teardown
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APFC Section
APFC MOSFETs & Boost Diodes
Two Vertical PCBs for Full-Bridge MOSFETs
DC-DC Converters for 5V & 3.3V Rail
5VSB Module
5VSB Back Side
The rest of the PSU topology follows APFC (comprised of 4 MOSFETs & 2 Boost Diodes), Full-Bridge LLC and DC-DC converters for minor voltage rails such as 5V and 3.3V. There’s a separate and quite a beefed up daughter board for 5V stand-by rail with an INN3166C Flyback Switcher IC with integrated high voltage MOSFET, this will surely help Taichi TC-1300T to achieve much higher efficiency in stand-by mode.
It’s not only refreshing to see a completely new and highly engineered platform but it will also be interesting how everything is going to turn out during intensive tests.
Main Transformer
We get to see two distinctive-looking Transformers that generate the main 12V rail which also further gets chopped off into 5V & 3.3V rails via their respective DC-DC converters. As the PSUs have been beefing up their power ratings, I have been seeing OEMs re-engineering their transformer design to make it more compact, efficient and with as little parasitic capacitance as possible to reduce the generation of voltage ripple and noise which becomes increasingly difficult to handle in high switching frequency which all the switch mode PSUs operate at.
There are two adjacent small heatsinks to help reduce the heat build-up on the transformer. 12V rail MOSFETs are soldered on the back of the PCB, and two mini heatsinks on top provide a decent enough heat-soaking effect for them.
Teardown
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Electrolytic Bulk Capacitors from Rubycon
Electrolytic Capacitors
Polymer Filtering Capacitors
ASRock’s component selection for TC-1300T is top-notch throughout, and the same goes for the electrolytic and polymer capacitors, where ASRock is using top-of-the-line Japanese capacitors from brands like Nippon Chemi-Con and Rubycon.
135mm HDB Fan
Unlike the mainstream industry practice of using Fan from Hong Hua (which almost every manufacturer these days seems to be using), ASRock went with an even better quality HDB (Hydro Dynamic Bearing) fan from Power Logic.
PSU Load Testing
PSU Testing
Here are the test results.
Voltage Regulation
Load in %
12V Rail
5V
3.3V
20%
12.02
5.05
3.33
50%
11.98
5.04
3.32
70%
11.98
5.04
3.32
90%
11.97
5.04
3.32
100%
11.95
5.03
3.32
Voltage regulation is exceptional and well-controlled for a massive 1300W output power. I have seen this level of performance mainly on either full or semi-digital PSUs, where the voltage regulation is monitored and controlled using a super-responsive microcontroller.
PSU Efficiency
Load in %
Efficiency
Power Factor
20%
93.89%
0.952
50%
95.81%
0.975
70%
95.34%
0.982
90%
94.81%
0.982
100%
94.40%
0.982
Using the traditional APFC design for the Primary side instead of more modern and efficient ones, i.e. Interleaved PFC or Totem-Pol,e and still showing these massive and magnificent efficiency performance numbers is completely unheard of! A very impressive job by ASRock and FSP.
Voltage Ripple Performance
Load in %
12V Ripple
20%
24
50%
22.4
70%
24.8
90%
26.4
100%
28
Though I have been seeing quite remarkable voltage ripple performance in many CWT-designed PSUs, ASRock TC-1300T’s performance in this regard doesn’t come on top, but still is really impressive and will surely give many OCing enthusiasts a chance to dial in extreme OC settings for their builds.
Temperature
Thermal Test Results
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Max Temp @ Back
Max Temp @ Exhaust
Max Temp @ Connector's Side
Thanks to ASRock TC-1300T’s titanium-rated efficiency, the PSU remained pretty cool throughout different load variations and only reached a maximum 66.2°C temperature on its back. It’s important to note that the secondary side 12V rail MOSFETs reside on the back of the PCB where they transfer the heat to the main chassis using thermal pads.
When the iCool (hybrid fan mode) was turned on, the PSU’s fan only kicked in when the load exceeded a mere 300W. This is a way lower threshold than what’s offered in even 850W-rated PSUS! Though the Power Logic’s fan is pretty quiet (it only started spinning loudly when we overloaded the PSU to 1600W) still, ASRock should have tuned in their hybrid fan mode more intelligently to better suit their “iCool” naming in my opinion.
Should You Buy it?
Buy It If
✅You want good future-proofing: 1200W-1300W rated PSUs these days are well suited for not only extreme OCing PCs but also for the upcoming generation of GPUs.
✅You need efficiency: ASRock Taichi TC-1300T comes with the highest available ATX spec Titanium efficiency and it came out to be the most efficient and highest-rated PSU in our efficiency test to date.
✅You want the newer and safer 12V-2×6 connector: ASRock’s TempGuard 12V-2×6 connector design offers a much safer operation when powering insanely power-hungry GPUs such as the RTX 5090.
Don’t Buy It If
❌You’re concerned about pricing and availability: With a price tag close to $400, this is only for those who dare to use it with their extreme high-end builds with the main interest of having the highest efficiency. Even most of the high-end Gaming enthusiasts will be better off with Platinum-rated PSUs with much lower price tags than the TC-1300T.
❌You have a small PCcase: Not that you see people complaining about having a bigger size that often, but a massive size of 180mm makes the ASRock TC-1300T a challenging PSU to fit in many PC cases.
My Final Thoughts
ASRock has decided to fully engage in the PSU market, offering some of the impressive quality and feature-rich PSUs for extreme enthusiasts. ASRock is trying to capture this market with unique and innovative features and also with the brave decision of going with a very different but remarkably capable OEM, FSP. Together, they have the potential to challenge some of the big names in the PSU industry as long as the pricing and, more importantly, the availability are managed properly.
At Tech4Gamers, I contribute as a Senior News Reporter, combining my skills and gaming enthusiasm to keep our audience updated on the latest developments.
Story Highlight
An insider believes Xbox’s game price hike will specifically apply to Call of Duty.
He states that Gears of War: E-Day and other titles will likely remain at the $70 price point.
Since Call of Duty is expected to be Xbox’s best-selling title, Microsoft would have the most to gain from increasing its price to $80.
The gaming industry received a major shock recently when Nintendo confirmed it would launch Mario Kart World for $80. This update was followed by Xbox confirming it would follow suit and release some $80 titles in the future.
Although Microsoft did not elaborate much, this statement was enough to upset the masses and many enthusiast Xbox fans. Microsoft has yet to say which games will be priced at $80, but a popular insider believes this change will be limited to Call of Duty.
Why it matters: Following the Activision Blizzard merger, Call of Duty is guaranteed to be Xbox’s best-selling title year after year. Therefore, raising prices exclusively for the franchise would be the safest bet.
Speaking on the latest episode of the Xbox Two podcast, insider Jez Corden discussed the implications of Xbox’s latest announcements. He explained that game companies attempt to predict future tariffs and costs when increasing prices.
As for the games, Jez Corden believes Microsoft’s statement refers very specifically to Call of Duty. Pointing to games like Gears of War: E-Day, he states that the rest of Xbox’s AAA portfolio is unlikely to be priced at $80.
I do think this is ($80 Xbox games) very specifically talking about Call of Duty.
In fact, he goes on to say that such a price point for a game like Gears of War: E-Day would be quite shocking.
Call of Duty 2026 Is Said To Be A Black Ops 2 Successor
It is important to note that Nintendo itself has confirmed that prices will not go up across the board. The gaming giant will consider titles on a case-by-case basis, but high-profile releases like Mario, Zelda, and Metroid are guaranteed to hit the $80 asking price.
Compared to Nintendo’s approach, Xbox might tread the market more carefully and attempt to test the waters with Call of Duty for a while.
What are your thoughts on the discussion? Do you see every major Xbox title being priced at $80? Let’s discuss in the comments and on the Tech4Gamers Forums.
Currently serving as a News Reporter at Tech4Gamers, I have the privilege of combining my love for gaming with the art of storytelling. My role involves crafting engaging narratives that keep our audience abreast of the latest developments in the gaming world.
Story Highlight
A reliable dataminer made a cryptic post teasing Injustice 3.
Following recent failures like Multiversus and the underperforming Mortal Kombat 1, a new Injustice 3 would be the most viable choice.
Creator Ed Boon has teased a threequel for quite some time.
Warner Bros.’ gaming division has had a rough two years, with hundreds of millions in damage due to multiple game failures and cancellations. Among these failures was Multiversus, a free-to-play fighting game that cost the company a whopping $100 million.
Following these failures and budget losses, they’re retreating back to the franchises that have worked well for them. Now, an insider has confirmed that they’re working on an Injustice threequel.
Why it matters: Injustice is regarded as one of the best fighting games. Despite that, Warner Bros. hasn’t revisited the franchise since 2018. Fans will be pleased to know that a new entry is finally underway.
MultiverSusie has a solid track record when it comes to WB Games news. This time, the dataminer mentioned Injustice three times in the post and replied in the thread “3,” obviously hinting at Injustice 3.
NetherRealm Studios has also decided to end support for Mortal Kombat 1, just almost two years after its release. It seems that the developers are finally moving on to their next project.
The studio previously alternated between Mortal Kombat and Injustice games, but this time around, they released two consecutive Mortal Kombat games. As such, a new Injustice game was inevitable sooner or later, since the last entry was released almost a decade ago.
Ed Boon previously stated that Injustice isn’t entirely off the table and that they postponed the third instalment due to the pandemic. The creator recently also made a cryptic post on Instagram teasing something related to the Injustice franchise.
If the leak is true—and it probably is—Injustice 3 would still be early in development. As of last year, NetherRealm Studios revealed that they hadn’t worked on a new game in three years.
