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Enermax D.F.12 Revolution 850 White Gold: Small Yet Mighty

This is the third time we have been given the chance to review a PSU from Enermax. Though Enermax has impressed us in the past with its best-priced-to-performance PSUs, making little compromises to maintain better pricing than the competitors, it’s actually the first time we get to see Enermax has thrown away its rookie badge and dialed up the innovation level to the max 11!

With the latest and the most challenging ATX specifications from Intel for the ATX 3.X (ATX 3.0 & ATX 3.1) PSUs, very few OEMs have successfully polished and upgraded their platforms to meet those demands. One of the biggest challenges we have observed lately is that PSU brands have been left with little to no unique features as they used to boast about in their marketing materials before, due to them being 3rd or even 4th customers of the same OEM.

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Key Takeaways

  • The Enermax D.F. 12 Revolution 850W PSU combines compact size with high efficiency and advanced features, making it a strong choice for modern, compact PC builds.
  • You should buy the Enermax D.F. 12 Revolution 850W Gold if you want a high-quality PSU that offers top performance, looks aesthetically pleasing, and is also more compact than other ATX PSUs.
  • You should avoid the Enermax D.F. 12 Revolution 850W Gold if your power requirements exceed 850W or if you want a very silent PSU.
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Here are the specifications:

80 PLUS Efficiency Gold
Modular Fully Modular
Cable Type Mesh-Sleeved Cable
Total Power (W) 850
Input Voltage (V) 100-240
Input Current (A) 10
Input Frequency (Hz) 50-60
Fan Size (mm) 115
Operating Temperature (°C) 50
MTBF (Hours) >100K
Protection OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, OTP, SCP
Dimension (D x W x H) (mm) 122 x 150 x 86

Packaging & Unboxing

The power supply comes in a simple box with a very minimal design – no more flashy brand logo or aggressive styling. I personally like the cardboard with the white sleeve. It is a breath of fresh air from the other PSUs I have unboxed so far.

The back of the white sleeve follows the same pattern, and you can find all the specifications and details about the cables/connectors there. To maintain a consistent design, the overall font size and layout may look small and difficult to read at first, but it is not bad at all once you bring it closer.

Enermax D.F 12 Revolution 850W White Gold Box Highlited Features
Box Highlighted Features (Image By Tech4Gamers)

Here is a much better look at the key features and the connector information printed on the box.

After removing the sleeve and unboxing the cardboard box, we were greeted with the user manual, and the PSU was tucked away in foam from all sides. This is a very good measure for protecting the PSU against shipping damages. Plus, having white fabric pouch plus white foam matches the design, which is good attention to detail.

Design

Enermax, with its latest offering from the D.F series lineup, D.F 12 Revolution 850W, came out to be just like Peter Parker after he was bitten by a radioactive spider! The only difference is that instead of gaining some muscles, Enermax shrank the size to a completely unheard and unseen 122mm in depth, making it the world’s smallest ATX standard ATX 3.1 PSU that’s going to give its users huge compatibility options for their desired smaller PC cases.

Given the small size, the 115mm fan takes up a lot of area. I am very excited to open it up to see how the size cramps up the internals. At the back, you’ll find the power button, plug connector, and the D.F. Switch.

Unlike the quieter Fluid Dynamic Bearing fans, Enermax consistently uses Dual Ball Bearing fans with a special dust-free rotation feature. Enermax is renowned for its patented Dust Free (D.F) rotation technology, which prevents dust accumulation on the fan blades. When you turn on the PSU, the fan briefly spins in reverse to shake off any dust before resuming either a silent mode if the load is below 60% or normal rotation if the load exceeds 60%.

In this model, Enermax has also included the D.F. feature via a button press, though the reasoning behind this addition isn’t entirely clear. The button is quite recessed, perhaps to maintain a clean look.

One side of the PSU has the branding with a yellow accent. On the other side, you check the power info and other regulatory specifications.

Cable & Connectors

All cables have adequate length for any ATX build. Plus, the sleeved 12VHPWR cable not only feels premium but also has an improved bent angle. The accessories include cable combs for neat management and a PSU jumper, so you don’t have to use a paperclip if you plan to jump the PSU without connecting it to the PC.

PRO TIP: Use the included cable combs for neat and organized cable management.

Here is the list of all connectors:

Cable Type Quantity
Motherboard 24 (20+4) pin 1
CPU 4+4 Pin 2
12V-2×6 12+4 pin 1
PCIe 6+2pin 3
SATA 8
4P Molex 4

The Enermax D.F. 12 Revolution 850W is equipped with the latest 12VHPWR connector, now referred to as the 12V-2×6 H++ connector, which is an upgraded version in terms of both safety and current handling capabilities.

Teardown & Component Analysis

Enermax D.F 12 Revolution 850W White Gold 1 - Teardown Top
Teardown Top (Image By Tech4Gamers)

I have tested countless PSUs, and God knows how much I look forward to seeing something fresh, something different, unlike almost 60% of the PSUs that we have reviewed, use the exact same or similar platform from the same OEM. But thanks to Enermax D.F 12 Revolution 850W, I am delighted to see a new OEM (for us at least) RSY, that has also been an OEM for other major well known brands in the past.

RSY has done a superb job designing this platform, shrinking it to a small but very clean looking PCB layout, having adequate room for all the space saving vertical daughter boards for even cleaner and cooler operation.

In smaller size PSUs, we often see a single block of aluminium heatsink residing all the Primary side components including Full-Bridge MOSFETS that drive the main transformer, RSY has separated all such components (Bridge Rectifier, APFC Boost Circuit’s MOSFETs and a Boost diode, Full-Bridge MOSFETs for LLC converter section and lastly 4 +12V MOSFETS) into separate sections with their own aluminium heatsinks.

This can greatly reduce thermal load even at the maximum load; we will check this later in the review. Lastly, we see a small daughter board for 5V and 3.3V minor rails.

Enermax must have surely emphasised using only high-quality components, and that’s exactly why we see top-of-the-line Japanese electrolytic and polymer capacitors for both the primary and secondary sides. There are two bulk electrolytic capacitors from Rubycon that seem to be more than enough for an 850W capacity PSU.

PSU Load Testing

12V & Minor Voltage Rails Regulation

Difference Regulation (Till 1000W, July First Week Testings)
Difference Regulation (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Load in % 12V 5V 3.3V
20% 12.13V 5.01V 3.32V
50% 12.09V 4.99V 3.30V
70% 12.05V 4.98V 3.28V
90% 12.01V 4.96V 3.27V
100% 12.00V 4.95V 3.26V

Voltage regulation is good for 12V rail. Though we only nudge minor voltage rails, keeping both 5V & 3.3V fixed to 25W, we still see them drooping slightly.

PSU Efficiency

Average Efficiency (Till 1000W, July First Week Testings)
Average Efficiency (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Load in % Power Factor Efficiency
20% 0.931 92.64%
50% 0.972 93.61%
70% 0.973 93.09%
90% 0.974 92.14%
100% 0.974 91.67%

Shorter length PSUs seem to mostly perform poorly in this test unless an OEM puts a great effort in designing a transformer having better electrical characteristics; RSY has surprisingly done the exact same, resulting in very good voltage ripple performance. This tiny PSU holds bigger potential to easily handle even the most demanding hardware of the current generation.

Voltage Ripple Performance

Max Ripple (Till 1000W, July First Week Testings)
Max Ripple (Image By Tech4Gamers)
Load in % Voltage Ripple
20% 7.2mV
50% 11.2mV
70% 13.6mV
90% 15.2mV
100% 17.6mV

I was again very surprised to see the efficiency results as they have very clearly exceeded not just my expectations but also my exceptionally exceeded Gold rating. Enermax & RSY gotta be very proud of what they have cooked!

Temperatures

850W of output power in a tiny package requires better thermal management, which, thanks to separate aluminium heatsinks for power delivery, components have been managed really well, with a max hottest point on the back reaching temperatures up to 32.9C only!

Enermax should definitely look into tuning down the fan profile in an effort to decrease the fan noise. Though the fan only kicked in when the load reached at 475W but still I think the noise was quite (not quiet) audible.

Should You Buy it?

Buy It If

✅You want the latest, greatest, and smallest PSU: Enermax D.F 12 Revolution 850W can easily handle any current generation system builds, thanks to its ATX 3.1 specs that allow it to handle power excursions up to 235%.

✅You prefer an aesthetically pleasing PSU: Available in Black and white with matching-color premium mash-sleeved cables, which can be even further managed via included cable combs – the PSU definitely nails the looks.

Don’t Buy It If

❌You are after more power: 850W is considered a rookie number these days when you have RTX4090 paired up with 14900K (both in stock), which are easily going to devour close to 800W of max sustained load! Who knows what Nvidia & Intel is going to come up with next?

❌You want dead-silent operations: Though Enermax D.F 12 Revolution comes with a Semi-silent fan mode where it remains completely silent when under 60% of load, sadly, if you’re using any latest spec PC, you’re easily going to exceed this 60% threshold anyway, causing the fan to stay kicked in most of the time.

My Thoughts

Enermax D.F 12 Revolution, being the smallest ATX PSU, checks all the boxes for the best performer, best looking, and easy to install in various PC cases.

This PSU performed exceptionally well in our tests. Its latest ATX 3.1 specs, improved 12V-2×6 GPU connector, Cybenetics Platinum certification, and Cybenetics ATX 3.1 Pass make it hard to pass.

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Coming Next: Enermax Revolution D.F.2 1200W Review

 

Necro Story Interview – Rablo Games Spent 6 Years On Development

Story Highlight
  • Necro Story marks Rablo Games’ second project.
  • The game combines various mechanics, like RPG elements, creature collection, in-depth customization, and more, for an exciting experience.
  • Our latest interview goes over many of these elements, discussing the gameplay mechanics found in Necro Story and more.

Necro Story is about the odd duo of a necromancer and a playful ghost. This unique partnership is at the heart of the experience, while the interesting gameplay systems keep the RPG fresh throughout the journey.

Necro Story marks Rablo Games’ second project after the studio was established several years ago. Following Healer’s Quest, the team is excited to bring the same level of quality to its fans once again.

We recently had the opportunity to discuss Necro Story with Rablo Games founder Pablo Coma. During our interview, we went over the game’s length, its unique combat system, and more.

Can you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about Necro Story?

Pablo Coma: I’m Pablo Coma, the founder of Rablo Games. I was the solo developer of Healer’s Quest, which was released in 2018. I then started the development of Necro Story while also working as the Game Director on Outcast – A New Beginning (Appeal Studios – THQ Nordic) until the game’s release earlier this year.

Necro Story is a light-hearted creature collection RPG about a (kind of) evil necromancer who is tasked with saving the world. Guided by the playful ghost of a white mage, you’ll have to sneak into the Underworld to save humanity.

Gameplay-wise, you will summon undead creatures, cast necromancy spells and capture the souls of your enemies to turn them into allies. There are more than 20 different spells that you will learn, each related to a particular school of Dark Magic: Affliction, Darkness, Life Stealing, Summoning and Dark Pacts.

As with Healer’s Quest, we put a lot of emphasis on the depth of customisation. Each spell has its own skill tree, which you can develop in many different ways. You can also choose which allies you will bring with you onto the battlefield, modify their equipment and manage how they use the various skills available to them.

A big part of the game seems to be capturing enemies and building a team. How big can one team be?

Pablo Coma: Indeed, capturing enemies and managing your new allies is an important part of the game. You can have up to 6 different characters in your team, and 3 additional slots are available for summoning only (skeletons and zombies). So that gives us a grand total of up to 9 characters in your team during combat.

A key difference with many other monster-collecting games is that here, your whole team is on the battlefield together, not one after the other.

What are the types of creatures players can expect to encounter?

Pablo Coma: In the world of Necro Story, nature has gone mad. The planet has taken some defensive measures to protect itself, so in the first part of the game, most of the enemies you encounter are natural elements that have been given life or aggressive behaviour.

These range from mushrooms, leaves, rocks and peers to more Pokémon-like creatures such as Zaardz, Deerz or Oowlz. Most enemy names have a single syllable, a double vowel and a final z to make them sound funnier.

The Dark Pact system seems to enable Final Fantasy-like summonings in battles. Can players expect a large variety of these pacts throughout the game?

Pablo Coma: The Dark Pacts are not exactly summonings – as the player already summons undead creatures – but transformations, a bit like in the Breath of Fire series. The Necromancer will take the form of the demon with whom he signed the Dark Pact.

There are 4 different demons to find in the game, each giving access to a different demonic form and set of attacks. Note that all of these spells are secret, so the player will have to find these locations and go through some trials in order to sign the pact with the demon.

Also, like all spells in the game, all the Dark Pact spells have their own skill tree, allowing the player to unlock new attacks for the demon, improve its passive ability, etc.

We noticed you have various cooldowns in the combat system after selecting an option. Can you explain this system and how it was decided upon?

Pablo Coma: During combat, we have a different cooldown system for the player and for the other characters. The non-playable characters are all controlled by the AI. They perform an action, and then, based on their speed stats, they will be unable to act for a short period of time.

However, the playable character has access to various spells, and each spell has a certain cooldown before it can be cast again. So you can cast all your spells one after the other. There are no limitations other than each spell’s own cooldown and your mana pool.

The only exception is the melee attack. When performed by the necromancer, it will put all your spells on hard cooldown for a set amount of time, just as if they were a non-playable character.

This cooldown system is very similar to the one I used in Healer’s Quest, my previous game. Since it worked well, I decided to keep the mechanic for Necro Story.

What is the story behind this necromancer and ghost duo?

Pablo Coma: At the beginning of the story, Jaimus, the necromancer, is in a state of lethargy, his soul separated from his body. In one of the first scenes of the game, Vivi, the ghost, puts Jaimus’ soul back in his body, bringing him back to consciousness.

We then learn that it was Vivi herself who put the necromancer in this state five years ago. But she had no other choice, as Jaimus is the very last human alive. Together, they will have to discover what has happened to humanity and try to put things right.

Necro Story is said to be light-hearted, and your last game leaned into comedy. Was the light-hearted tone a result of your experience with Healer’s Quest?

Pablo Coma: Both games use the same kind of humour, but there are some key differences between them. For example, the constant breaking of the fourth wall was a big part of Healer’s Quest’s narrative, but it’s completely absent from Necro Story.

I felt like I had covered everything I wanted to talk about on that topic for the time being, and I was looking for something different. For this project, I wanted to have a strong contrast between the dark setting and the very light-hearted dialogue, including burlesque humour in the interaction between the playful and super-optimistic ghost and the grim and moody necromancer.

Necro Story has been playable, thanks to a Steam demo. How have the players reacted to this demo?

Pablo Coma: The feedback on the demo has been quite good! Players seem to be enjoying the game, which is amazing and means a lot to us. We also received interesting feedback on some of the mechanics, like the one where you had to drag and drop the souls and mana fragments to the necromancer to absorb them.

Some players told us they found it somewhat tedious to do so in the long run, so we’ve simplified that interaction for the final game, and we think it’s more fun that way.

How long would you say the game takes to beat?

Pablo Coma: Necro Story has a lot of secrets, so this can vary quite a bit depending on your playstyle. But I’d say a standard playthrough would take around 12 hours. Having said that, we also have some replay value, different endings, 5 different difficulty levels, a hardcore mode and even an ultra-hardcore mode!

All in all, players who like the game and want to invest the time to try out the hardest difficulty levels should be in for a really long time.

How much time has the team spent on development so far?

Pablo Coma: We’ve been working on this game for over 6 years. Development started as soon as Healer’s Quest was released back in April 2018. However, most of that time was spent working after hours.

Since then, the team has grown a bit, and we’re now three people working full-time for Rablo Games. So, if Necro Story meets some kind of success, we hope to be able to deliver the next game before 2030! 🙂

Your last game skipped PlayStation and Xbox consoles, but Necro Story will be available everywhere. How has the shift in platforms impacted development?

Pablo Coma: On Healer’s Quest, I worked 100% alone, and I’m not a technical person. I used the game engine Construct 2, which allows for simplified programming in order to still be able to deliver a game on PC. The Nintendo Switch version was made with the help of a porting studio.

For Necro Story, I’m working with my friend Baptiste, who is an experienced programmer. We worked together on various games at Appeal Studio, and he has experience working on console games.

So, we decided to make Necro Story accessible to as many people as possible. From a development point of view, we had to take into account very early on that the game could be played with a keyboard and mouse or with a controller.

Would you like to share any closing thoughts?

Pablo Coma: I would like to thank everyone for reading and thank Tech4Gamers for this opportunity to talk about Necro Story. We’re working hard to make this game something that players will really enjoy when it launches in September 2024, so I hope you’ll have a ton of fun with Necro Story if you have a chance to try it!

Necro Story
Necro Story Has Plenty Of Small Secrets To Find

The wait for Necro Story is nearly over as Rablo Games gears up for the September 2024 launch. As we look forward to this release, we would like to thank Rablo Games and Pablo Coma for conducting this interview, and we wish the team all the best for the upcoming launch.

I’m Tired of The Industry’s Obsession With Making Games Bigger And Bigger

Story Highlight
  • Modern gaming is focused on making each experience longer than the last.
  • This often causes bloating problems, poor pacing, and various other issues.
  • Shorter releases like Hi-Fi Rush show why it’s important to strike a balance between the two.

Modern games are more expensive than ever. With the base price now set at $70, additional microtransactions, various higher-end editions that raise the price further, and even more purchases through DLC and season passes, there’s a demand for more value in the AAA industry.

Players want to feel like they get more value from each purchase, and publishers are unwilling to budge from the $70 price standard. The solution, then, seems to be to offer the most content possible for this price.

At least, this is what most studios and people agree is the right approach. In my opinion, this works in some cases, but using it as the general rule is completely unacceptable.

Why it matters: Smaller and shorter titles show up far and few between in the industry today.

Most Games Don’t Work Well When Stretched Out

Ubisoft Open World Map
Ubisoft’s Formula of Bloat Serves To Artificially Inflate Playtime

Let’s set the record straight. I don’t have a problem with lengthy games. In fact, I adore various RPGs and open-world titles that provide hours upon hours of content. However, it’s also important to note that this approach doesn’t work for every game.

One example I can immediately think of is Assassin’s Creed. Over the years, we’ve seen this franchise evolve from an open-world series that offered 10-20 hour-long stories into a franchise that has become notorious for being needlessly bloated.

Assassin’s Creed Valhalla requires a whopping 61 hours of gameplay for the main story alone. The main story doesn’t have enough quality to carry it through this many hours, so this is a huge commitment to ask for.

This isn’t true for Assassin’s Creed alone, and forcefully stretching out games leads to more than one problem. I believe the saturation of open worlds stemmed from this exact problem since this genre is tied to long games.

When done wrong, it leads to unnecessary bloat, filler content, and padding that makes the experience worse. This is a problem with nearly every modern open world since it barely tries to play to the genre’s strengths.

Instead, the open world is used to signify a lengthy experience, which audiences instantly equate with great value. Another example I can point to is The Last of Us Part 2. While it was not an open-world title, it lasted around 20-30 hours compared to its predecessor’s 10-13 hours runtime.

In my opinion, The Last of Us Part 2 suffered for being this long, overstaying its welcome by the end of the narrative.

More Hours Do Not Equal More Value

Hi-Fi Rush
Hi-Fi Rush Didn’t Need To Be A 50 Hour Long Extravaganza To Win Everyone Over

In my opinion, it’s time for the industry to move beyond the notion of value being defined by an arbitrary number of hours. When a game is said to be 5-6 hours, like in Hellblade 2’s case, most are quick to dismiss it for providing poor value.

Games are so complex as an entertainment medium that this approach is inherently flawed. For instance, Devil May Cry 5 lasts only 10 hours if you play the story once and put it down.

However, fans of the series will know that Devil May Cry 5 offers nearly endless replayability. The barebones argument of x amount of hours per dollar ignores the nuances of many games.

Let’s also discuss how a game’s length can sometimes dissuade audiences from experiencing it. Spending 50-100 hours on a long RPG is a major commitment, and it may push a certain crowd away.

After a long day at work, school, or college, you may not necessarily want to play an RPG that takes multiple hours just to get started. This is why I appreciate developers who go for denser experiences instead of forcing filler content to reach an arbitrary hour goal.

Striking A Fine Balance

Red Dead Redemption 2
Red Dead Redemption 2 Delivers A Well-Crafted Experience That Lasts Several Hours

As I said earlier, I’m not against studios striving to craft lengthier experiences. The likes of Red Dead Redemption 2 and Elden Ring work so well because of the amount of content on offer, but does that mean everything needs to be as long?

In an era where every studio wants to create the next big open world and audiences want more content, I hope to see a fine balance. Smaller games like Hi-Fi Rush are always a treat, and it would be great to see AAA studios find a similar balance.

Latest Updates

This would also help them solve the ballooning budget problem and address the excruciatingly long development cycles of modern AAA gaming.

God of War Creator Believes Atreus Turned Out To Be A “Terrible Character”

Story Highlight
  • The creator of God of War recently discussed the growth of the IP’s characters in the Norse entries.
  • He believes Atreus had a lot of potential, but the developers wasted it.
  • David Jaffe thinks that he turned out to be a terrible character.

The recent releases in the God of War franchise have seen massive success. God of War Ragnarok has already sold over 15 million units, and the fans have come to enjoy the new take on Kratos. However, series creator David Jaffe has different thoughts.

The developer previously stated that he’s unhappy with how Kratos’ character was developed in God of War Ragnarok. Several months later, he is back with criticisms directed at Atreus, calling him a “terrible character.”

Why it matters: Atreus received much more attention in God of War Raganrok than fans anticipated. It is also speculated that he will eventually receive his own standalone entry.

During a recent podcast, God of War director David Jaffe spoke with the creator of Days Gone. He discussed whether iconic characters, like Kratos and Drake, should grow in their latest games.

David Jaffe is no stranger to criticizing the latest iteration of Kratos. He pointed out that Santa Monica made him an old father instead of the rage-filled brute everyone liked from the original trilogy.

He believes it can be difficult to continue the series with this type of character and states that Atreus is no better. According to David Jaffe, Atreus should have come into his own by God of War Ragnarok, but this did not happen.

He pointed out that he still likes Atreus as Kratos’ son. However, David Jaffe feels Atreus should have become someone players would look up to and want to become eventually.

That guy needed to be set up by the end of Ragnarok to be like, ‘that dude is cool, I wanna be that guy.’ Ragnarok didn’t give us that.

-David Jaffe

He holds the opinion that fans could say something similar about the original trilogy’s take on Kratos but not Atreus.

God of War Ragnarok
God of War Ragnarok Is Headed To PC Soon

It’s no secret that many fans did not necessarily enjoy playing as Atreus in God of War’s latest outing. Most also seem uninterested in his growth as a character, with Kratos clearly being the heart of the series.

Though David Jaffe is known to have very unpopular opinions, this may not be one of them. He previously suggested PlayStation buy Ubisoft to compete with Xbox, highlighting how bizarre his opinions can often be.

Latest Updates

Anyhow, fans looking forward to more God of War can anticipate the upcoming PC port in September.

Bloodborne Finally Running On PC Thanks To shadPS4 Emulator

Story Highlight
  • It’s been nearly a decade, but there’s still no news about the PC port of Bloodborne.
  • A PS4 emulator is finally getting close to this dream, with shadPS4 making the game playable.
  • While this version is not fully playable, it marks an important step toward the ultimate goal.

It’s been nine years since the release of Bloodborne, and while a PC port of the title was in development at some point, Sony has never looked back at the franchise since.

Recently, FromSoftware has also noticed the huge demand for a PC port. While Sony continues to ignore fan demand, a PS4 emulator, shadPS4, is finally capable of running Bloodborne on PC.

Why it matters: This marks a major milestone toward the goal of getting this FromSoftware hit on PC. Thanks to fan efforts, PlayStation’s official port may no longer be needed.

Earlier, we reported that shadPS4 was making rapid progress. The emulator has seen further progress recently, making Bloodborne playable. The video above shows the team booting this game and getting to the character creation.

While there is still a lot of work to be done, this is an important first step. The video shows that various visual bugs and glitches still exist, but these will undoubtedly be ironed out as more progress is made.

shadPS4 is also far from the only PS4 emulator in the works. Others like GPCS4, RPCSX, and Kyty are working toward the mutual goal of getting PS4 titles working on the PC platform.

bloodborne Featured
Bloodborne Sold Around 8 Million Copies On PS4

Still, it is important to note that a fully playable version of Bloodborne will take a while. Fans need to stay patient since there’s a chance Sony will release an official remake in a few more years.

A reliable leaker has suggested that a remake of the game is in development, but it will be released for the PS6, skipping the current-gen consoles. Therefore, fans can only wait and see how the situation develops from here on out.

Latest Updates

Bloodborne fans are known to cling to the smallest bit of hope for a PC port, so this update is worth taking note of. We await further updates from the team behind shadPS4 and RPCSX since both of them seem to have made the most progress for Bloodborne emulation.

Power Limits – Do You Need To Change Them?

Power limits are crucial but often misunderstood concepts. They are essential, especially regarding CPUs and GPUs and how to optimize them. Let’s dig deeper and learn more about power limit concepts like PL1 and PL2.

Key Takeaways

  • Power limits are the cap on the maximum power a computer hardware is allowed to draw from the power supply.
  • PL1 and PL2 are two power limits in a component. PL1 is consistent, and PL2 is a short-term limit.
  • You can increase or decrease the power limits in CPUs and GPUs according to your requirements and needs.

What Is A Power Limit In A CPU or GPU?

Power limits are the maximum amount of power PC components like CPU and GPU are allowed to draw from a power supply.[1]

Manufacturers set these limits so that the power will not exceed the capabilities of a PSU. Higher power limits can allow higher clock speeds, while lower power limits reduce power consumption.

Power Limit Changing In a GPU (Image by Tech4Gamers)

What Is PL1 and PL2?

Modern Intel processors have two power limits: PL1 and PL2.[2] Both limits work together which is as follows:

  • PL1(Power Limit 1): This is the maximum power the component can continuously draw over an extended period.
  • PL2(Power Limit 2): This is the short-term power draw burst by the component that can briefly exceed PL under heavy loads.

Do I Need To Change Power Limits?

The company’s default power limits are sufficient for casual users. However, if you have the following scenarios, you need to change the power limits. [3] 

  • Increased PL: If you’re considering overclocking, you might need to increase the power limit to achieve a higher clock speed. Also, increasing the power limit is a good idea if you’re facing thermal throttling.
  • Decreased PL: If you’re planning to undervolt the system to reduce power consumption and heat generation, you might need to lower the power limits, especially in laptops or small form-factor PCs.

Remember, changing power limits can void the warranty and cause severe issues if done improperly. 

How To Optimize Performance Using Power Limits?

Adjusting the power limits is just one aspect of optimizing performance. You must also monitor the temperature and power draw closely and ensure the limits are safe. [4]

You can change the power limits by accessing the BIOS and adjusting the PL1 and PL2 accordingly. However, if you’re pushing the boundaries, you must have adequate cooling. Minor changes, as well as testing the stability of the system while tuning the power limits, are also important.

Helpful Resources by Tech4Gamers:

References:

  1. What is the CPU power limit? (n.d.). Super User. https://superuser.com/questions/1578998/what-is-cpu-power-limit
  2. Lagergren, E. (2023, October 17). Power Draw and Cooling: Intel Core 14th Gen Processors. Puget Systems. https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/power-draw-and-cooling-14th-gen-intel-core-processors/
  3. Aufranc, J. L. (2022b, September 8). How to check TDP (PL1 and PL2 power limits) in Windows and Linux. CNX Software – Embedded Systems News. https://www.cnx-software.com/2022/09/08/how-to-check-tdp-pl1-and-pl2-power-limits-in-windows-and-linux/
  4. Horshack-Dpreview. (n.d.). GitHub – horshack-dpreview/setPL: Set PL1 and PL2 power limits for modern Intel processors running on Linux. GitHub. https://github.com/horshack-dpreview/setPL

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check my GPU power limit?

You can use software like GPU-Z to check the power limits for the AMD GPU. For the NVIDIA GPU, you’ll find the power limits in the NVIDIA control panel.

How do you power limit a CPU?

In the case of AMD, you can use a utility like AMDR Master, and for Intel, you can find power limits in BIOS from where you can adjust.

What is power limit 4?

Power limit 4 is absolute and fixed PL, which means that the power draw can’t go beyond this limit under any circumstances without damaging the hardware.

Dying Light 2 Cost Techland $25 Million In Losses Due To 5X Low Revenue

Story Highlight
  • Dying Light 2 is going strong to date, with many new content updates as part of its live service.
  • However, the game seems to be underperforming commercially, with Techland reporting $25 million in losses.
  • The company also stated that revenue declined nearly five times in 2023.

Developer Techland is one of the most popular among fans of zombie games. Its work on the Dying Light series remains quite admirable, with the latest entry continuing to receive support through live service updates.

Dying Light 2 has recently introduced many fan-favorite features, hinting at a focus on community-driven gameplay. However, despite the team’s dedication, studio Techland reported massive operating income losses of 25 million last year.

Why it matters: The Dying Light series has a dedicated fan base that has stayed around for many years. Therefore, a sudden drop in operating income like this is quite shocking.

Dying Light 2 is far from a failure. The game sold 5 million units and received favorable reviews. It also continues to be enjoyed by a large audience to this day. However, it seems Techland’s focus on live service has been a letdown.

According to the studio, Dying Light 2 seems to have run its course. Due to the game’s high depreciation costs, the studio suffered millions in losses. Meanwhile, revenue also declined by a whopping fivefold.

It is important to note that Techland was acquired by Tencent last year. Therefore, these losses may not lead to a huge problem for the studio. However, with the increasing trend of layoffs and studio closures, developers at the studio may be facing a tense situation.

Not too long ago, Dying Light 2’s microtransactions led to outrage from the community. Perhaps this played a small part in these losses. Techland is also working on a new IP, so the studio may soon move on from this game and look toward the future.

Latest Updates

Nonetheless, Techland will continue to support Dying Light 2 throughout 2024. The team is moving forward with a focus on ‘core zombie survival,’ hoping to ensure a better outlook for its finances this year compared to 2023.

Xbox Series S|X Now At 600K Sales In Japan; 6x More Than Xbox One Already

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  • The Xbox Series S|X have already sold 600K units in Japan, while the Xbox One only sold 100K units in its lifetime.
  • The Xbox Series S accounts for 315,431 units, while the Series X sold 285,014 units.
  • The two consoles could rival the Xbox 360’s lifetime sales in the region eventually.

The Xbox Series S|X, despite being two separate consoles, haven’t sold that many units worldwide. After the era of Xbox 360, there wasn’t a console from Microsoft that completely dominated the market, with PlayStation seemingly winning the console war this generation.

Microsoft has reduced its focus on console hardware after significant losses, but the gaming giant is doing better in some regions of the world, including Japan. The Xbox Series S|X have sold 600K units in Japan.

Why it matters: Xbox changed its approach to consoles by releasing two instead of one, and it seems to have worked after a disastrous era of Xbox One.

Xbox Series X Featured
The Xbox Series S|X Have Already Outsold The Xbox One In Japan

Famitsu recently revealed a new Xbox Series S|X milestone in Japan. According to the Japanese outlet, the consoles have sold 600K units nationwide. Surprisingly, the Xbox Series S is in the lead, selling over 30K more consoles than its more capable counterpart.

The Xbox Series X has sold 285,014 units, while the Series S accounts for 315,431 sales. What makes this impressive is that the Xbox One only sold 100,000 units in Japan in its lifetime, which is certainly disappointing.

The 600K sales figure might not be that impressive either, but it’s over five times more than what the Xbox One achieved in twice as much time. Meanwhile, the PS5 sold 5 million units in the region, while the Nintendo Switch achieved 30 million sales.

It is also worth noting that the Xbox 360 sold 1.6 million units in Japan in its lifetime. The Xbox Series S|X may eventually get close to reaching this figure since Microsoft has recently focused more on this market.

Xbox
The Next Xbox WiIl Feature The Biggest Technical Leap Yet

Fans should note that these numbers from Famitsu are the estimated figures. While this outlet has many sources and has been proven right many times, an estimate is still an estimate. Xbox doesn’t provide official updates on its console sales.

Latest Updates

While the Xbox Series S|X seem to be going strong in Japan, their success may be cut short by Microsoft’s next generation, which is said to be arriving by 2026. The giant claims to be developing a console with the biggest technical leap yet.

However, a handheld is also rumored for the next generation. This may help Microsoft capture the interest of Japanese gamers further after Nintendo’s success with a hybrid model.

Intel Seemingly Locking Arrow Lake Overclocking To Top Tier Z890 Boards

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  • Intel’s Arrow Lake processors may restrict overclocking to the high-end Z890 motherboards.
  • Chipsets in the Intel 800 series will differ in features and PCIe lanes support.
  • Rumors about Arrow Lake Refresh processors arriving next year suggest another incremental upgrade is coming soon.

Only the most expensive motherboards may be able to overclock Intel’s next Arrow Lake processors. According to a new source, overclocking might become limited to the more costly Z890 motherboards.

Why it matters: AMD offers overclocking across a wide range of motherboards. This discrepancy between the two giants has existed for a while, but fans hoped to see Intel offering similar options eventually.

Intel Seems To Be Skipping H870 Motherboard SKUs

The 800 series chipset details Jaykihn allegedly shares are said to be preliminary and might change before the product launch. However, only the Z890 chipset currently has BCLK or voltage and base clock modifications.

This also means that overclocking features won’t be available for Intel’s other chipsets, which include the H810, B860, Q870, and W880. Furthermore, the leak suggests that Intel might skip the H870 chipset this year.

Overclocking restricted to the premium platform isn’t unexpected because the Z series of motherboards is often the highest-end choice, with the B models being the more affordable variants. At the very least, overclocking of the RAM will be possible on B860 motherboards.

The total number of PCIe lanes will also change depending on the motherboard chipset. The B860 features 45 PCIe lanes compared to 56 on the Q870 and 33 on the H810. Furthermore, 60 high-speed PCIe lanes will be supported as standard on the server-oriented W880 and Z890 chipsets.

Latest Updates

The 800 series is not exclusive to the Arrow Lake CPU family. Rumors have already surfaced regarding the arrival of Arrow Lake refresh processors next year; it seems likely that, similar to Raptor Lake, we will have another incremental update.

Intel has been practising this approach for quite some time now by limiting its chipset to every two generations of processors. However, seeing a shift in Intel’s core strategy similar to the competition’s would have been nice.

GTA 5 DLC Was Cancelled Since GTA Online Made Too Much Money, Says Dev

Story Highlight
  • GTA 5 was launched in 2013, and Rockstar worked on various story expansions for the game.
  • However, expansions like the Trevor DLC were cancelled because GTA Online had become a cash cow.
  • The scrapped parts were then integrated into GTA Online.

Rockstar got incredible success from GTA 5, and the team planned to release various expansions to capitalize on this success. However, things changed when GTA Online became incredibly popular and started making tons of revenue for the company.

The studio then shifted gears and focused entirely on GTA Online. According to a former Rockstar developer, the Trevor story DLC was in the works, but it was cancelled to focus on the newfound success of live-service gaming.

Why it matters: Rockstar’s focus on GTA Online was worth it, but fans of single-player content were disappointed.

Joseph Rubino was the camera artist and cinematographer working on the Trevor expansion for GTA 5. He said that the development was going well and that almost half of the work on the DLC had been completed.

According to the developer, Rockstar has something special on its hand. However, after the release of GTA Online, Rockstar had found a massive cash cow.

When GTA Online came out, it was so much of a cash cow and people were loving it so much that it was to make an argument that a standalone DLC would out-compete that.

-Joseph Rubino

The artist said this was upsetting since he was working hard on the DLC. He suggested that Rockstar should’ve focused on both story DLC and GTA Online content.

Fortunately, all of his work didn’t go to waste since Rockstar integrated the Trevor story into future content for the online mode.

GTA 5 Online
GTA Online Was Rockstar’s Biggest Success In 2013

GTA Online’s live service has been one of gaming’s most successful. With more than 50 updates to date, this mode has evolved in numerous ways since 2013. Rockstar may now find it hard to offer a worthy successor with GTA 6.

Latest Updates

Still, fans will remain upset that the mode led to the non-existent support for GTA 5’s incredible single-player mode. Apart from the Trevor DLC, various other DLCs were also scrapped.

According to a report, almost 8 story DLCs were cancelled by the team during this period.

New Death Stranding 2 Gameplay Footage Expected Soon

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  • Hideo Kojima has teased that he will be making an appearance at the Tokyo Game Show.
  • Since Death Stranding 2 was last seen at the beginning of 2024, a new gameplay trailer will likely debut at the Tokyo Game Show.
  • Kojima has other projects in the works, including OD with Xbox and Physint with PlayStation.

The upcoming Tokyo Game Show is set to be an exciting event. With the news that PlayStation will be attending the event as an exhibitor for the first time since 2019, Hideo Kojima is set to make an appearance, too.

Why it matters: The last look at Death Stranding 2 came at February’s State of Play with comprehensive gameplay. This footage will be nearly a full year old by the time Tokyo Game Show arrives.

Death Stranding 2 looked exceptional in the first gameplay trailer.

Kojima recently posted the Tokyo Game Show poster on X/Twitter, hinting at an appearance at the event. This teaser is interesting, considering he has many games in development. While Physint and OD are very far from release, Death Stranding 2 is arriving next year.

Therefore, Hideo Kojima and PlayStation’s appearance at the Tokyo Game Show nearly guarantees a new look at Death Stranding 2. In traditional Hideo Kojima fashion, we can expect a massive trailer with various pieces of gameplay.

Earlier this year, he previewed a nearly 10-minute-long trailer that showed the gameplay, narrative, visuals, and more. Something similar may arrive at the Tokyo Game Show, with the potential for a release date reveal.

Death Stranding 2: On The Beach
Death Stranding 2: On The Beach will introduce new characters, terrains, and more.

Kojima has also stated that Death Stranding 2 graphics will improve even further, and we are all for it. The game is said to be in the polishing phase, making a new look even more likely.

As for OD in collaboration with Xbox and Physint from PlayStation, both titles are likely to show up at Xbox and PlayStation’s own events rather than Tokyo Game Show.

Latest Updates

Death Stranding 2, from the gameplay so far, seems to dial up the scope of the original by quite a lot. It surely looks like a promising release and new gameplay could create further excitement for the title.

With 2025 already looking like an excellent year for gaming, all eyes are on Hideo Kojima to deliver on all fronts.

Ubisoft Is Trying To Push NFTs In Gaming Again

Story Highlight
  • Ubisoft has finally given an update on last year’s revealed game Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles.
  • The game is based on NFTs, and Ubisoft will push NFTs again due to a new partnership.
  • This partnership could become controversial as fans claim it to be another cash grab from the studio.

Ubisoft’s interest in NFTs has long disappointed its fandom, and it doesn’t seem to be learning from its mistakes. The latest controversy also concerns Assassin’s Creed Shadows, with Japanese fans being unhappy about the game.

Ubisoft continues to show interest in NFTs and Blockchain gaming, but it is receiving criticism from audiences. It seems the publisher is pushing this technology again with a new partnership based entirely around NFTs.

Why it matters: The buzz around NFTs is long gone, and it never really got its place in the gaming industry.

Champions Tactics Grimoria Chronicles
Ubisoft Showed A First Look At Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles Last Year

Ubisoft previously revealed Champions Tactics: Grimoria Chronicles, but it went silent about the project soon afterward. In a press release, Double Jump.Tokyo revealed that it has partnered with Ubisoft to add Web3 mechanics to last year’s revealed Champions Tactics.

This game is described as an RPG with PVP mechanics that unlocks champions based on the NFTs.

“Ubisoft empowers us to continue our unwavering pursuit of delivering exceptional games to communities while accelerating the worldwide adoption of web3 gaming technology.”

-Double Jump.Tokyo

Double Jump.Tokyo has claimed that joining forces with Ubisoft has marked a significant milestone for the company and that it will help them accelerate the implementation of Web3 mechanics into games.

This may upset many fans who were already against Ubisoft’s interests in this technology. Last year, 9999 Warlords NFTs on the Ethereum blockchain were released for this upcoming game.

They were free to get and were basically the tickets for the game’s playable characters. Now, the Double Jump.Tokyo’s Oasys Layer 2 HOME Verse blockchain will give players three champions for free.

The offer will be available on July 18, but it serves as an invitation for players to join the RPG since they need three champions in a squad to play against other players. Of course, each champion brings a different ability, so players are bound to spend time in this game.

Latest Updates

We can already see it being filled with microtransactions and other paid purchases, as Ubisoft didn’t leave Assassin’s Creed Shadows, a single-player game, out of this practice. The publisher has been receiving a lot of criticism, and its latest move is unlikely to make fans feel any better.

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