Altera Agilex 27 Target Markets New generation FPGA announcements do not come often, which makes this a bit exciting for us. Today, Altera is introducing the Agilex 27 as the first family in its new Agilex 2X portfolio. Agilex 27 pairs hardened 800GbE and 1.6TbE Ethernet with PCIe 6.0 and 7.0 support, and offers configurable transceivers up to 256Gbps. What is more exciting, and what I learned on the pre-briefing call, is that Altera also has a new AI-assisted mode for putting these FPGAs to use. HyperFlow and Third-Generation HyperFlex A major new feature of the Agilex 27 family is HyperFlow. HyperFlow is a new full-chip distributed data network that Altera says can move data at multi-terabit-per-second rates throughout the FPGA. That traffic runs on a dedicated network instead of the programmable fabric, so it does not consume soft logic resources or add routing congestion. That leaves more FPGA resources for the application. As an example, a 1.6TbE Ethernet port can bring traffic in through hardened I/O, HyperFlow can carry it across the chip, and the soft logic can spend its resources on processing rather than moving data. Altera Agilex 27 FPGA architecture The new family has memory controllers for DDR5, LPDDR4, LPDDR5X, and LPDDR6. It also supports UCIe, has crypto acceleration, and Arm Cortex-A720 and Cortex-A520 cores. A trend we have seen in both Altera and Xilinx high-end FPGAs over the past few years is that programmable logic is surrounded by more hardened IP blocks that help bring designs up faster. Ten years ago, the focus was mostly on the programmable logic elements and I/O, but now much more is happening here. Agilex 27 also carries third-generation HyperFlex registers distributed throughout the routing fabric. Altera says Quartus Prime can re-time and pipeline designs through those registers without consuming logic resources. Altera claims a 1.8X generation-over-generation performance-per-watt improvement over Agilex 7 for HyperFlex in Agilex 27. Altera Agilex 2X FPGA portfolio Agilex 27 sits at the high-performance end of the Agilex 2X portfolio, above the mid-range Agilex 25 and the value-optimized Agilex 22 and Agilex 23. Agilex 22 is FPGA-only, while Agilex 23 adds SoC options. QuartusIQ AI Companion QuartusIQ is an AI companion for Quartus Prime that helps developers prioritize steps across compile, timing, debug, and verification. In Altera internal benchmarks comparing Quartus Prime with and without QuartusIQ, design creation was up to 10X faster, and the total design cycle was up to 1.5X faster. The tool integrates with MCP and supports a bring-your-own-key setup. Altera QuartusIQ FPGA development At NVIDIA GTC Berlin 2026, the companies announced that this would be coming to the new RTX Station systems (Windows versions of the DGX Station platforms we have been reviewing at STH). The idea is that you can use QuartusIQ and MCP to design and implement workflows on the chip with local NVIDIA Nemotron as the model. I love this. Final Words The other bit to know about FPGA announcements is that there is generally a big gap between announcement and availability. I asked on the call, and the QuartusIQ bits are this quarter, and the Agilex 27 engineering samples are expected in the second half of 2027. What I really wanted to know is how long it would take to get Agilex 27 and have a local model via MCP build me something like an RDMA-enabled 1.6TbE NIC. My sense is that it will be a 2027 or 2028 timeframe when that happens. It is also something I am super excited about since a barrier to using FPGAs has always been having to know how to program them. At some point, Altera and Xilinx can expand FPGA use if they can deliver AI tools that abstract the hardware platform further. I have a goal of being able to get an FPGA card and have an AI agent implement a NIC or a firewall from scratch on it without having to really get my hands dirty designing the RTL. One day it will happen, and I guess the timeframe is 2027/2028.
We may have seen things slow down just a bit with the ‘not so recent’ demand for memory that has driven SSD prices through the roof. SSDs are not alone. This morning I priced out a RTX 5090 graphics adapter and actually found one peaking over $20,000. What once was reachable at $2000 has risen 5/6x and can now be had somewhere north of 10k. With respect to SSDs, high prices are a given but it has pushed forward our reliance on DRAM-less SSDs and even QLC NAND flash media storage in an attempt to get flash media into the consumers hands. This report speaks to just that and, once again, we are looking at an SSD that enjoys manufacturer visibility just about everywhere else…except North America. So… I just checked Amazon Canada and USA and it is available there right now and it is even available in what appears to be a KIOXIA store but be aware, this store contains SSDs from third party sellers as well. There may be return and warranty implications that go along with third party sales. The KIOXIA Exceria G3 is a PCIe 5.0 (Gen5) 4-channel SSD that is available in one, two and four terabyte capacities. The SSD we are reviewing today is the 4TB capacity. This SSD relies on the NVMe 2.0 SSD operating protocol, is an M.2 form factor 2280 (22mm wide x 80mm long), and it is a single sided SSD with an active power rating of only 6.4w. This is particularly noteworthy as it is a relatively cool running SSD and would be ideal for laptops and ultrabooks. The KIOXIA G3 is built on a blue PCB with a rather attractive branding sticker, which also enables relatively decent thermal dissipation from the main components. This is also a DRAMless SSD and does not contain a DRAM buffer chip. Under the branding sticker looking left to right are two KIOXIA BiCS8 218-layer QLC NAND flash chips, each with a raw capacity of 2TB, as well as the Phison PS5031- E31 Gen5 4-channel DRAMless SSD controller. Performance for the Exceria G3 is listed at 10,000MB/s read and 9600MB/s write with up to 1450K IOPS. This SSD comes with a five-year ‘manufacturers’ limited warranty and, checking Amazon at the time of this report, we could find the 2TB capacity available at $435 with no availability of the 4TB sample at present. Let’s get to some performance specs shall we?
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ADT R27A-BK3 top view The ADT R27A-BK3 is an inexpensive way to add a U.2 NVMe SSD to a system that only has standard PCIe slots. We have been testing the EDSFF version of this adapter family, and we wanted to see how the U.2 variant works since it uses a different connector and drive form factor. You can find what we purchased on Amazon (affiliate link) or AliExpress (Affiliate link). There are different versions, including an EDSFF version we previously reviewed, so make sure you are buying the correct model. ADT R27A-BK3 U.2 to PCIe Adapter Review The metal shell is fairly large because it has to enclose a full-length U.2 drive, a blower fan, and the adapter PCB. ADT R27A-BK3 top view Along the top, there is just the metal cover. The shell provides structural support and helps direct airflow over the drive. ADT R27A-BK3 side profile The I/O plate mostly holds the card in place and provides vents for airflow. ADT R27A-BK3 rear bracket The rear of the unit has screws and a fan cable with a standard 4-pin PWM connector. ADT R27A-BK3 rear with PWM fan connector The bottom edge carries a PCIe Gen5 x4 gold-finger connector. ADT also sells a Gen4 version of this adapter, so check which generation you need before ordering. ADT R27A-BK3 PCIe Gen5 x4 connector Removing the cover requires a few screws, and then we can see what is inside. ADT R27A-BK3 internal layout First, there is the 4-pin PWM blower fan. The board is labeled as a PCIe x4-to-U.2 SSD adapter with an SFF-8639 connector. ADT R27A-BK3 PWM blower fan The adapter uses an SFF-8639 connector, which means it is designed for U.2 drives only. This is a key difference from the EDSFF version we reviewed earlier, which used an SFF-TA-1002 connector for E1.S and E3.S drives. ADT R27A-BK3 with KIOXIA drive Next, let us get some drives in the unit so you can see what this looks like. We used a Samsung PM9D3 U.2 SSD for testing. ADT R27A-BK3 with Samsung PM9D3 The fan is important here because the drive sits inside an enclosed shell. In our testing, we did not see the same thermal throttling behavior we saw with the EDSFF version of this adapter. ADT R27A-BK3 Performance We tested two different drives in the ADT R27A-BK3 to see how it handles varying interface generations and thermal loads. The first drive is a Samsung MZQLB7T6HMLA-00007, which is a 7.68TB U.2 SSD using a PCIe Gen3 x4 interface. Samsung PCIe Gen3 U.2 In Cheap R27 Adapter During a 20-minute run, the Samsung drive peaked at 2,252 MB/s and sustained 2,179 MB/s. This represents a roughly 3.2% drop from peak to sustained performance. Throughput dropped slightly around the eight-minute mark but then held steady near 2.18 GB/s for the rest of the test. Temperature peaked at 78 C, staying well below the drive’s warning threshold of 86 C. The second drive tested was a Solidigm D7-PS1010, also in a 7.68TB capacity but using a much faster PCIe Gen5 x4 interface. This test focused on sustained 128K sequential writes to stress the adapter and cooling solution under high bandwidth conditions. Solidigm D7-PS1010 7.68TB in Low-Cost U.2 to PCIe Adapter The Solidigm drive achieved a peak throughput of 7,946 MB/s and sustained 7,838 MB/s over the same 20-minute duration. The performance drop from peak to sustained was minimal at just 1.4%. While the chart shows brief dips in throughput, the drive quickly returned to approximately 7.8 GB/s. Temperature leveled off at 70 C, well below its warning threshold of 77 C. Neither drive exhibited sustained thermal throttling during the 20-minute runs. Both drives remained below their respective warning temperature thresholds throughout the runs. So the cooling on this one isn’t too bad, but if you have a hotter drive, you might want to trust it, but verify it is working in your machine. Final Words The ADT R27A-BK3 is a straightforward way to add a U.2 NVMe drive to a system without native U.2 support. The included fan and metal shell help keep the drive cool, and we did not observe thermal throttling during our testing. Just make sure you buy the correct version for your drive type. This R27A-BK3 is specifically for U.2 SFF-8639 drives, while the EDSFF variant uses a different connector and is sold under a different model number.
Delivering Up to 34 TOPS of Total Platform AI Performance, with Support for AI Acceleration Module Expansion Darveen, a global leader in industrial computing, today announced the launch of the DPC-1210 Industrial Panel PC, powered by the latest Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 125H/U series processors (Meteor Lake). Combining AI-ready computing, a bright 21.5-inch projected capacitive touchscreen, and an advanced copper heat pipe cooling system built for extended, stable operation, the DPC-1210 is purpose-built for demanding industrial environments. The DPC-1210 supports AI computing module expansion, enabling intelligent, real-time edge inference directly at the point of operation. Intel® Core™ Ultra Platform Delivers Powerful, AI-Ready Computing at the Edge The DPC-1210 is powered by Intel® Core™ Ultra 5 125H/U series processors (Meteor Lake), delivering up to 34 TOPS of total platform AI performance. By combining CPU, GPU, and NPU capabilities in a single platform, the DPC-1210 provides the performance needed for responsive HMIs, real-time data processing, and AI-enhanced industrial applications while maintaining efficient power consumption. For workloads that demand even more AI performance, the DPC-1210 supports expansion with an M.2 AI acceleration module, such as the DEEPX DX-M1M, to further boost AI performance. This allows system integrators and end users to deploy edge AI inference locally, enabling faster response times and reducing reliance on cloud connectivity. Bright 21.5-Inch Full HD Touchscreen The DPC-1210 features a 21.5-inch projected capacitive touchscreen with Full HD resolution (1920 × 1080) and 450 nits of brightness. The anti-glare (AG) surface helps maintain clear, comfortable visibility under bright ambient lighting, making the display well suited for operator interfaces and monitoring stations. Rugged Fanless Design with Reliable Cooling and Rich I/O Interfaces The fanless DPC-1210 adopts a newly designed copper heat pipe cooling system that efficiently dissipates heat from the processor, ensuring reliable and stable operation for extended periods, even under demanding workloads. Designed for easy integration with existing equipment, the DPC-1210 offers a rich selection of I/O interfaces, including 2x COM, 4x USB 3.0, 2x LAN, 1x HDMI, and 1x DisplayPort. These interfaces enable connection to industrial peripherals, sensors, cameras, and networks, as well as additional external displays. Flexible Dual-Drive Storage The DPC-1210 supports expandable installation of two 2.5-inch SATA 3.0 HDD/SSD drives, with RAID 1 data mirroring support. Whether prioritizing capacity with HDDs or speed with SSDs, the dual-drive design delivers enhanced data security, easy recovery, and high-speed data access, helping keep critical data safe and accessible for AI inference, data logging, and everyday industrial operations. Darveen remains committed to delivering reliable industrial computing solutions that help customers build smarter, more efficient, and more intelligent operations worldwide. About Darveen Co., Ltd. Established in 2007, Darveen is dedicated to developing rugged industrial computing solutions tailored to the diverse needs of vertical industries. Our product portfolio includes vehicle mount computers, industrial panel PCs, industrial displays, embedded box computers, and rugged tablets. With nearly two decades of experience in product design and manufacturing, Darveen’s solutions are widely adopted in smart ports, warehousing and logistics, and heavy-duty vehicle applications. Riding the Industry 4.0 wave, Darveen is expanding its reach into edge computing, smart manufacturing, industrial automation, healthcare, and marine sectors.
MSI XpertStation WS300 Front Hero Today we are looking at our second NVIDIA DGX Station-powered system with MSI’s XpertStation WS300. These NVIDIA GB300-based systems bring NVIDIA’s server-grade hardware to a desk-side computer for the first time, letting developers and other workstation users test and run programs in a local AI setting. With a 1.6kW maximum power draw and an extensive liquid cooling system, these DGX Station systems pack as much server hardware as you can fit into a desktop tower, and even then, only barely. VIDEO Last month we looked at our first DGX Station system with Gigabyte’s W775-V10-L01. You may have seen that in that review, and in this one, we took the opportunity to network two systems using the NVIDIA ConnectX-8 SuperNIC for an 800Gbps aggregate Blackwell Ultra-to-Blackwell Ultra RDMA link. Unlike many pre-AI-era workstations where networking was an afterthought, here MSI and NVIDIA are making it central to scaling to service more users and larger models. It also features an expansive closed-loop liquid cooling system to keep all that hardware cool. As a result, this system not only delivers strong performance, but it also has a lot going on under the hood to enable it. MSI XpertStation WS300 Key Specs CPU NVIDIA Grace 72-Core Neoverse V2 (72C/72T) GPU NVIDIA Blackwell Ultra Operating System Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with NVIDIA AI Developer Tools Memory CPU: 496GB LPDDR5X (396GB/s) GPU: 252GB HBM3E (7.1TB/s) Storage 2x M.2 2280 (PCIe Gen6 x4) 2x M.2 2280 (PCIe Gen5 x4) Video Card Optional: NVIDIA RTX PRO Blackwell 2000/4000/6000 PSU 1600W (80 PLUS Platinum) Form Factor Tower Workstation 246 x 529 x 570 mm (9.67 x 20.83 x 22.46 in) Networking 2x 400Gbps (QSFP112, ConnectX-8) 10Gb Ethernet (RJ45, Marvell) 1Gb Ethernet (BMC) Ports Top: 2x USB-C 10Gbps, 2x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x 3.5mm Line-Out, 1x 3.5mm Mic-In Rear: 4x USB-A 10Gbps, 1x USB Micro-B UART (BMC), 2x 400GbE (QSFP112), 1x 10GbE LAN (RJ45, Marvell), 1x 1GbE LAN (RJ45, BMC), 3x 3.5mm Audio, 1x Mini DisplayPort (BMC) Meanwhile, every DGX Station vendor is putting their own spin on how a GB300 desktop should be built, and MSI is no different. For MSI, that means considering not only the GB300 hardware itself, but also how best to mount a high-end RTX Pro video card inside the system. Consequently, if your GB300 workstation needs a proper graphics adapter to round out the experience, MSI has that process covered. So without further ado, let us dive right in. MSI XpertStation WS300 External Hardware Overview With a combination of very large chips and an extensive liquid cooling system, MSI’s XpertStation WS300 sits in a full-size PC tower case measuring 53cm tall and 57cm deep. If its size alone does not clue you in to how massive this system is, you will quickly feel it when you try to lift it, thanks to its hefty weight of nearly 30kg. The WS300’s overall design is typical for a desktop workstation. Painted and clad entirely in black, it is clear this is a high-end system of some sort, and one that requires a lot of cooling, but you would be hard-pressed to guess it is a $100K+ system with a server processor set tucked inside. It is an expensive system, but not flashy, unlike what we have seen with NVIDIA’s DGX Spark and the like. We will cover the cooling system in more detail later in our internal hardware tour, but it is worth noting that the front of this system is open. Behind the triangular mesh screen covering the front of the system are the system’s internals. This is a stark difference from Gigabyte’s DGX Station system, where the front was entirely closed off. MSI XpertStation WS300-Side 1 With the left side of the system being entirely blank, we will start on the right side of the case. Here we see the back of a radiator, with three fans pushing air through it as part of the system’s extensive liquid cooling. MSI’s decision to reserve the entire front of the case for airflow means there are no I/O ports or buttons on the front. Given the size, weight, and heat output, MSI designed the WS300 as a floor computer, so it places its ports and controls along the top of the case. MSI XpertStation WS300-Top 1 For its DGX Station system, MSI offers a decent port selection, though the system is still somewhat held back by the limitations of the GB300 hardware. We find a pair of 10Gbps USB-A ports and a pair of 10Gbps USB-C ports right next to them. MSI XpertStation WS300-Top I O 1 You will not find any USB4-speed ports on the system. NVIDIA’s DGX Station motherboard provides none. Transfers faster than 10Gbps must go through the system’s massive-throughput dual 400Gb QSFP112 array via the integrated ConnectX-8 SuperNIC. A fair point someone on our team raised is that, technically, you can use the PCIe card slots to add more USB options. However, we think it is better used as a server you connect to over the network. MSI XpertStation WS300-Reset Button 1 Along with the standard USB ports, MSI’s system also provides dedicated 3.5mm audio input and output ports, and even a green drive activity light, with the HDD symbol amusingly outliving hard drives in workstation systems (GB300 does not provide SATA ports). This is also where we find the system’s somewhat questionable power and reset controls. Towards the front of the system, the WS300’s power button has a green LED to helpfully show system status. Behind that is a rather recessed reset button. Because these controls face up, recessing the reset button helps prevent accidental resets, but it also makes it harder to trigger intentionally, so it has drawbacks. On the plus side, MSI has done better than others here by labeling their USB ports with the USB-IF logo. It would still be better if they listed the port speeds, especially for the potentially speedy USB-C ports. MSI XpertStation WS300-Rear Angled 1 Shifting to the rear of the WS300, we find the back side of a standard PC chassis. This means we are looking at the familiar fan, rear I/O, expansion slot, and PSU layout of the ATX form factor. The chassis accepts either a 120mm or 140mm fan for rear exhaust, with MSI opting for a 120mm fan. MSI XpertStation WS300 Rear IO (Full) The rear I/O is dominated by networking. As a reminder, DGX Station systems use a standardized NVIDIA motherboard, so all Station systems share the same I/O arrangement here. Including the 1GbE port for the BMC, the WS300 has four Ethernet ports routed to three different controllers. MSI XpertStation WS300-QSFP112 400G Ethernet Ports 2 Chief among these are the two QSFP112 ports, which are fed by NVIDIA’s powerful ConnectX-8 “SuperNIC”. Each port offers 400Gbps networking and is the primary way the system connects to high-speed storage and/or other DGX Station-based systems. The ConnectX-8 SuperNIC driving these ports does a lot of heavy lifting beyond networking, and the capabilities and limitations of these QSFP ports are somewhat complex as a result (more on this in a bit). Compared to the Gigabyte system we looked at previously, MSI has put more thought into keeping the QSFP112 cages cool. There is no active airflow here, but the I/O shield does not block it either. MSI XpertStation WS300-Rear IO 2 For more mundane networking use cases, the system also has a pair of RJ45 Ethernet jacks. The left 1G port connects to the BMC and is for system management. OpenBMC handles management via an HTML5 iKVM. The RJ45 jack on the right side is a 10Gb Ethernet port powered by Marvell’s tried-and-true 10GbE controller. The system topology is fascinating. MSI’s Marvell 10Gbase-T controller is attached to the NVIDIA ConnectX-8 SuperNIC’s built-in PCIe switch, then to the CPU. It does not connect directly to the CPU. We have seen 10G ports connect through PCHs on other platforms, but this is using a high-end SuperNIC. MSI XpertStation WS300 USB 3.1 Type A Ports 4 Below are the remaining WS300 USB ports. These four ports all run at 10Gbps, matching the speed of the USB ports on the top of the system. These ports are routed through a USB hub, so you should not expect 10Gbps from each one simultaneously. MSI XpertStation WS300 Rear Audio Jacks To the right, we have a trio of audio jacks for two-channel audio out, plus separate mic and line-in jacks. MSI XpertStation WS300 Mini DisplayPort 2 At the end of the rear I/O panel, two more ports connect to the BMC. On the left is a serial UART in a micro-USB form factor. To the right is a Mini DisplayPort output from the BMC for system management and configuration. DGX Station systems do not have a true integrated display GPU (Blackwell Ultra is more of a compute accelerator), so the BMC provides the only out-of-the-box graphics output. For a full-featured graphics solution, you can pair DGX Station systems with a compatible NVIDIA RTX PRO Blackwell video card. We will discuss that later, but you can look up compatible cards at the time you read this review. MSI XpertStation WS300-AC Power Input 2 Finally, here is a look at the bottom of the system, where the power supply resides. Thanks in large part to the GB300 accelerator inside each of them, DGX Station systems are extremely power-hungry, and NVIDIA is right at the limit for a single North American power outlet here with their 1600 Watt power supply. The 80 PLUS Platinum-rated PSU needs a high-capacity C19 power cable to safely handle that amperage and a 20-amp circuit to run it. In practice, this system effectively requires its own dedicated 20A circuit. That is the outside of MSI’s WS300 DGX Station. For the rest of the story, let us dive into the system’s chassis, where this gets very different.
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Qotom Q51551UT-Rear 1 With a sea of performance and efficient cores, an Intel iGPU, NPU, six 2.5GbE ports, two SFP+ 10G ports, and two 10Gbase-T ports, the Qotom Q51551UT does a bit of everything. At first, you might think this is a networking box looking at the rear panel. Then you see multiple display outputs and wonder if it is a desktop. Once you install Proxmox VE, it becomes a virtualization platform. While it can do a lot, several caveats make it interesting enough that we also have a video for it, debuting some of our new graphics look. VIDEO Today we are looking at a Qotom design that places heavy emphasis on networking: the Qotom Q51551UT. Part of the company’s larger Q31500UT S18 Series, the Q51551UT features eight RJ45 Ethernet jacks, plus a couple more SFP+ ports for good measure. As a result, the mini-PC is well suited to networking-centric workloads that require multiple high-speed Ethernet connections, whether as a software firewall or a more typical edge computer. Qotom Q51551UT Key Specs Processor Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, 4P + 8E + 2LPE (4.5GHz) Operating System Pre-Installed: None (As tested: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS) Memory 96GB DDR5-5600 (2x48GB SO-DIMM) System Storage 128GB SSD (PCIe Gen3 x4, M.2 2242) PCIe Slots 1x Headless PCIe x16 (Gen5 x8 Electrical) GPU Intel Arc Graphics (Xe-LPG, 7 cores) PSU 120W External PSU Form Factor Mini-PC Dimensions 200 x 200 x 53 mm (7.9 x 7.9 x 2.1 in) Weight 1.75 kg (3.9lbs) Networking 6x 2.5GbE (RJ45, Intel I226-V) 2x 10GbE (RJ45, Intel X540-AT2) 2x 10GbE (SFP+, Intel X710-BM2) Color Silver (Aluminum) Ports Front: 1x USB-A 5Gbps, 4x USB-A 480Mbps, 3.5mm Audio Jack, 1x Serial (RJ45) Rear: 2x USB-A 5Gbps, 1x USB-C 5Gbps, 1x DisplayPort 1.4, 1x HDMI 2.0, 6x 2.5GbE (RJ45), 2x 10GbE (RJ45), 2x 10GbE (SFP+) The Q51551UT is notable because it has no “slow” Ethernet interfaces. Every single port is at least 2.5GbE, while a smaller set of ports (including the SFP+ ports) supports 10GbE. So it is not just a mini-PC with a lot of connectivity. It is a mini-PC with the bandwidth to back it up. Here is an AliExpress Affiliate link to the unit. Always double-check the options before you buy. Qotom Q51551UT External Hardware Overview With this type of system, we typically see two styles: either a fully passive system filled with heatsink fins, or a smaller system that relies on active cooling. Qotom’s Q51551UT falls into the latter category, using a low-profile blower to cool the system. With ventilation on virtually every side except the front, it is a downright airy system. Starting our brief tour from the front of the system, the Q51551UT looks like a fairly consumer-ish mini-PC at first glance, with a mix of power buttons and I/O ports. Looking a bit more closely, though, we can quickly see the telltale signs that this mini-PC is geared toward the industrial market. Qotom Q51551UT-Front 1 All told, Qotom has equipped the system with five USB-A ports on the front. Only one of these ports supports high-speed (5Gbps) operation. The rest are USB 2.0 ports (480Mbps), designed to hook up a larger-than-normal number of peripherals. As we will see in a bit, part of this design is also pragmatic, since the rear of the system is consumed by Ethernet ports. Speaking of networking, the system has an RJ45 jack on the front. But this is not an Ethernet jack. Instead, it is an RJ45-form-factor RS-232 serial port. Next to it are the system status LEDs and a ringed power button. While Qotom’s promotional material shows the system in multiple orientations, in practice it is meant to sit on its side unless you mount it via a VESA bracket. That is because only the left edge (or rather, bottom edge) has any rubber feet, while the bottom lacks any mechanism to elevate the system and keep its bottom air intake cool. Qotom Q51551UT-Front Angled 4 Shifting gears to the rear of the system, here we can see the Q51551UT’s true specialization in action: Ethernet ports. Lots of Ethernet ports. Qotom Q51551UT-Rear 1 With 10 ports in total, the Q51551UT is a networking powerhouse in both the number of connections and the bandwidth available. Starting from the right side, we have a pair of SFP+ ports driven by an Intel X710-BM2 controller. The Fortville controller is over a decade old, but it has proven to be a reliable networking platform, giving the Q51551UT the option of using either 1GbE or 10GbE modules and an easy way to add optical networking to the system. Qotom Q51551UT-10G SFP+ Ports 1 To the left, we have the first two RJ45 Ethernet jacks, which are a distinctive red. This indicates they are 10GbE jacks, powered by Intel’s X540-AT2 (Twinville) controller. This dual-port 10GbE controller gives the system a pair of ports for copper 10GbE connectivity. Selecting the X540 controller is a bit puzzling, as it is a 16-year-old (and long-discontinued) Intel design that predates the newer NBASE-T standard, meaning these ports don’t support the intermediate 2.5Gbps or 5Gbps speeds. For carefully planned applications, this should not be an issue, but it is an atypically inflexible design for a modern mini-PC. Qotom Q51551UT-10G LAN Ports 1 That said, if you need 2.5Gbps connectivity, Qotom has you covered with the remaining Ethernet ports. To the left of the 10GbE jacks are six additional RJ45 Ethernet jacks, all powered by Intel’s I226-V controller. Using the company’s modern mainstream 2.5GbE controller, these ports can run at up to 2.5Gbps or any speed below that, and they provide most of the mini-PC’s network connectivity. Qotom Q51551UT-2.5G LAN Ports 1 However, Qotom’s specification sheet indicates that the RJ45 jacks are wired so there is not enough bandwidth to run every NIC at full speed at once. Each of the 2.5GbE ports has a Gen2 x1 connection, and two of the 10G ports share 12Gbps of upstream bandwidth, while the other two 10G ports have sufficient PCIe connectivity. We will get into that later in our review. Aside from network connectivity, the rest of the rear I/O space on the Q51551UT is for USB and display connectivity. Here is the system’s sole USB-C port, which runs at just 5Gbps. At the far edge are two additional 5Gbps USB-A ports. Qotom Q51551UT-Display Port 1 Between those are the system’s display outputs: an HDMI 2.0 port and a DisplayPort 1.4 output. Both of these are attached to the Core Ultra 5 125H’s integrated GPU, which can easily drive displays up to 4K. One ancillary market for the Q51551UT is digital signage, and while two display outputs do not particularly stand out, they are enough to get the job done. It also means we have an Intel iGPU for Quick Sync onboard. Qotom Q51551UT-Rear Angled 1 Finally, we can quickly see the DC barrel jack for the system’s external power supply. Note that while the case is labeled “12V” the system takes a 19V adapter, with our system shipping with a 120W unit. Qotom Q51551UT Bottom Panel Taking a quick look at the top of the system, we can see this side is fairly open, with a large grate that provides plenty of airflow clearance. We can also just barely make out the blower fan driving the system’s active air cooling. With the external tour complete, let us crack open the Q51551UT and take a look inside.
Summary: Nvidia introduces DSX POD, a reference design for complete Vera Rubin AI factories built by partners in modular containers, integrated and validated before delivery Factory-built units reduce deployment time at a prepared site from six months to as little as 14 days, helping customers begin generating production tokens and earning revenue sooner A global ecosystem of computing and infrastructure partners are working with Nvidia to deliver modular AI factories worldwide in early 2027 Nvidia introduced DSX POD, a reference design for complete Nvidia Vera Rubin AI factories built by partners inside modular containers, integrated and validated before delivery.The units arrive ready to connect out of the box to a prepared site’s power, cooling, networking and other supporting infrastructure, reducing deployment time from six months to as little as 14 days. DSX POD moves the integration and installation of computing, networking, cabling, rack-level power and liquid cooling to the manufacturing facility, reducing the extensive planning, construction, specialized labor and logistics of a traditional onsite build. Factory-tested containers reduce exposure to component delays and costly, error-prone onsite work, creating a shorter path to model training and production inference so customers can begin generating tokens and earning revenue sooner. “An AI factory creates value when it starts producing tokens — not when construction is complete,” said Jensen Huang, founder and CEO, Nvidia. “With Nvidia DSX POD, we’re bringing factory-built precision and speed to AI infrastructure construction — reducing deployment time from months to weeks so customers can scale capacity and bring revenue-generating production online faster.” Click to enlarge Factory-Built Infrastructure Nvidia DSX POD brings Vera Rubin systems together with the infrastructure needed to operate them in repeatable, factory-built, containerized designs that partners can manufacture and deliver at scale. It carries forward the design philosophy of the broader Nvidia DSX infrastructure platform, with a distinct architecture that integrates and validates systems in purpose-built containers before transport and deployment. Partners complete rack-to-rack cabling, wiring, piping and functional validation before shipment. This work takes place separately from site preparation, further shortening the time needed to bring new capacity online. That earlier start to production is the link between deployment speed and economics. Time to first token marks when a new AI factory begins running models to serve production workloads, giving operators the opportunity to put their infrastructure to work for customers sooner. Global Partner Ecosystem and Availability Nvidia is working with Anduril, Armada, Bull, Crusoe, DayOne, Dell Technologies, Delta, Eaton, Foxconn (Ingrasys), Gigabyte, HPE, Lenovo, Pegatron, Quanta Cloud Technology (QCT), Schneider Electric, Vertiv and Wistron to deliver DSX POD AI factories worldwide in early 2027.
Blog written by Vladimir Troy, VP, AI Infrastructure, Nvidia, published October 21, 2026 Companies around the world are building on the Nvidia DSX AI Factory Platform to plan, simulate and run the grid and the AI factory as one system, from the substation to the rack. Their adoption of the platform responds to an acute problem. Power is now the biggest bottleneck in infrastructure. More than $300 billion in equipment is backlogged, and over 200 gigawatts of projects are waiting in US interconnection queues. One root cause of the bottleneck is siloed systems. The grid, the facility and the compute inside have long been designed independently from one another, creating the conditions for delays, risk and stranded capacity. To help address this, Nvidia DSX brings these systems together: Nvidia DSX Sim and SimReady assets from leading energy manufacturers let engineers simulate the grid, substation and AI factory together, validating generators, switchgear, power systems and cooling before breaking ground Nvidia DSX Flex syncs AI factory demand with grid conditions and onsite generation, turning AI factories from static loads into flexible grid assets Nvidia DSX MaxLPS and DSX Exchange squeeze more compute from every watt and securely share signals across compute, networking, energy, cooling and operations GE Vernova is deploying its grid-to-facility and rack power expertise to complement Nvidia DSX systems, enabling customers to transform power constraints into competitive advantages while maximizing compute and token output, sustainability and grid reliability. Hitachi Energy’s battery energy storage system has qualified as Nvidia DSX Ready, helping customers identify power infrastructure that meets applicable Nvidia DSX reference architecture design requirements for resilient, reliable and scalable AI factories. Schneider Electric, together with AVEVA and ETAP, is advancing Nvidia DSX with validated Nvidia Vera Rubin power and cooling reference architectures and an Nvidia Omniverse-powered AI factory digital twin. Combining AVEVA’s engineering software expertise with Nvidia SimReady assets, OpenUSD and Omniverse enables connecting simulations, real-time operational data and AI-driven optimization across AVEVA, Schneider Electric and third-party solutions. Together, these capabilities help organizations design, simulate, operate and optimize data centers across their lifecycle, improving energy efficiency and workload performance while accelerating time to token. Siemens Energy is expanding its collaboration with Nvidia by developing a reference design for resilient, scalable and grid-aware power infrastructure across power generation, transmission and distribution. This design is aligned with the requirements of the Nvidia DSX Vera Rubin AI factory design. The company is also exploring usingNvidia technologies such as RAPIDS, Metropolis and Isaac Sim for its Noedra digital twin platform, evaluating how the technologies could enhance grid infrastructure monitoring, identify emerging risks and support unplanned outage prevention. Phaidra integrated DSX Flex, DSX Max-Q and DSX Exchange into its self-learning agents, optimizing cooling and power allocation to maximize tokens per watt, improve grid flexibility and deliver about 10% more compute within the same power envelope. Emerald AI integrated its Conductor platform into DSX Flex to help utilities tap underused grid capacity, an approach modeled to unlock up to 100 gigawatts on the existing US grid.
Everspin Expands MRAM Push into AI Servers, Data Centers, Satellite Systems
Astrolab Lander At HPE Discover 2026 Large HPE has announced that its Spaceborne Computer-4 will power artificial intelligence workloads and, according to it, will be the first HPC benchmark on the lunar surface. The compute module is set to ride aboard Astrolab’s FLIP rover, which will land near the Moon’s South Pole as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. This moves HPE’s spaceborne program beyond the International Space Station and into an atmosphere-free environment with much higher radiation exposure. The mission is intended to launch in late 2026 on Voyager Technologies’ Griffin-1 lander. Once deployed, Spaceborne Computer-4 will run large language model retrieval-augmented generation, vision inference, LiDAR data processing for mapping and navigation, and an AI services container designed to demonstrate reliable deployment of scalable AI applications at the lunar edge. AI is headed to the moon. Astrolab HPE Spaceborne 4 CA Photo 1 We first covered this hardware in June, when we looked inside the storage of Spaceborne Computer-4 at HPE Discover. The fourth iteration is a much smaller and lighter system than the HPE Spaceborne Computer-1 we covered years ago, which makes sense because mass is critical when sending payloads to the Moon. The idea is to build a small compute subsystem that can operate with low mass, low power, and that can make decisions locally, rather than having to transmit back to Earth. The Spaceborne Computer-4 is a compact, fanless compute module built for the lunar environment Since there is no air on the Moon to move across a heatsink, the system uses a space radiator instead of fans. The housing has an intricate lattice structure that we saw in person at Discover 2026. The front of the compute module shows its compact, self-contained design For storage, the system uses a Kioxia BG-series M.2 SSD, the same class of DRAM-less drive you might find in a low-cost TinyMiniMicro PC. Kioxia has been proving commercial NAND on the ISS for years, and this mission extends that work to the Moon’s harsher radiation environment. The module’s construction is designed to survive launch vibration and the lunar thermal environment HPE says the compute module is lightweight, self-contained, fanless, and equipped with both a low-power CPU and GPU. The company also assembled software to optimize interaction with Earth-based resources and securely deliver results back from the Moon. The module is light enough to be lifted by hand, which matters for lunar payload mass budgets HPE will also support Astrolab’s mission control in Hawthorne, California, using HPE Private Cloud and HPE CloudOps Software to manage and automate workloads from Earth. The bottom of the compute module shows its mounting plate and construction NASA and Deloitte are joining the mission to deploy additional AI workloads. NASA will run its FLUID (Federated Learning for Unbounded and Intelligent Decentralization) experiment, coordinating three separate AI models trained on data from Earth, the Moon, and the International Space Station. NASA will also conduct a tuned LLM test with semantic processing abilities to search and interpret onboard documents. Deloitte’s Silent Shield system will provide near real-time predictive cyber-analytics and anomaly detection. Astrolab HPE Spaceborne 4 CA Photo 2 We missed an event in Hawthorne, CA last week due to OCP 2026, but we received a few photos from the event. Final Words If these benchmarks work as planned, they will provide useful data on whether off-the-shelf-class components can support the emerging lunar economy instead of requiring expensive custom space-grade silicon. We expect this compute mission to succeed, assuming it powers on on the lunar surface. Given the cost of lunar launches, everything is thoroughly tested before it gets loaded into a rocket.
QSAN Strengthens Global Partner Commitment with 24/7 Support, Fast Delivery, and Predictable Pricing
10 d ago
QNAP Systems, Inc., an innovator in storage, networking, and data protection solutions, launched two new models in the QSW-L2110 Lite Managed Switch series, including the QSW-L2110-10T with 10G Base-T copper connectivity and the QSW-L2110-2S8T featuring 10G SFP+ fiber uplink capabilities.Designed specifically for small-to-medium enterprises, creative studios, and power users, both models offer a high-value 2.5GbE and 10GbE mix to help users achieve high-speed backbone modernization with optimized investment. Flexible 2.5GbE + 10GbE Architecture for High-Speed Connectivity As businesses upgrade to high-bandwidth Wi-Fi 6/6E/7 APs or deploy high-performance NAS, the aggregation capacity of the backend wired network becomes critical. The QSW-L2110 series features 2.5GbE Base-T ports compatible with existing Cat 5e or Cat 6 cabling, boosting endpoint device access speeds. The two models provide distinct choices to meet diverse infrastructure needs: QSW-L2110-10T: 2x 10GbE Base-T (RJ45) and 8x 2.5GbE Base-T ports, ideal for copper-based environments to directly connect servers or workstations QSW-L2110-2S8T: 2x 10GbE SFP+ fiber ports and 8x 2.5GbE Base-T ports, suitable for long-distance transmission or cascading core switches “Lite Managed” Efficiency: Flexible Control Without Complexity SME IT personnel often find unmanaged switches too basic and L2 switches overly complex. The QSW-L2110 series bridges this gap with its “Lite Managed” design and intuitive QSS web interface. This empowers administrators to easily deploy VLANs for segmentation, prioritize traffic with QoS, and aggregate bandwidth via LACP. “The QSW-L2110 series lowers the barrier to high-speed networking,” said Ronald Hsu, product manager, QNAP. “By merging 10GbE bandwidth with streamlined management, we enable stable architectures without complex protocols, ensuring IT budgets translate directly into operational productivity.” Office-Friendly, Silent, and Energy-Efficient To meet the needs of small offices and home studios, the QSW-L2110 series features a fanless design that maintains silent operation even under high loads, avoiding noise interference during daily work. The series also supports IEEE 802.3az Energy Efficient Ethernet (EEE) to reduce operational power costs while maintaining high-speed connectivity.
Read also : Recap NetApp Insight 2026 Key news, strategic for the future of NetApp Top News | By Philippe Nicolas | October 6, 2026 | News
GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Screen 1 The GL.iNet Comet Q GL-RMQ1 is a new class of remote KVM devices, and it has something really neat. It is designed to be a single-cable solution. Plug a USB Type-C cable into a device with a Type-C port that supports video, and that is the only cable you need. WiFi handles network connectivity, and the built-in Type-C cable powers the unit, carries the video feed, and sends keyboard, mouse, and remote media to the remote system. One of the neat functions is that, along with being able to control many PCs, you can also connect phones and tablets using this solution. Here is an Amazon affiliate link to where we bought ours. GL.iNet Comet Q GL-RMQ1 Hardware Overview The unit itself has a large 1.8″ touchscreen on its face, but it is like a puck design rather than many of the KVM units that are very boxy. What it is not, however, is small. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Screen 1 On the rear of the unit, you can see cooling vents, rubber feet, and an integrated USB Type-C cable. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Bottom 1 That integrated Type-C cable is not huge, but it is nice to grab the unit and have the cable ready. It does, however, mean that if you wanted a Type-A connection, or a Type-A and HDMI, for example, the convenience is not there. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-USB Type-C Connector Cable 1 We plugged it into the Bosgame M5 since that was next to the step, and it is something you can see that is really important here. If you plug it into a system, then it has to boot. If you go from off to on, some systems boot faster than the GL-RMQ1, so that makes it hard to get into the BIOS. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Screen 2 Once it boots, the little touchscreen is very useful. You can see the IP address, along with the KVM and video connectivity status. You can also set up the unit, for example, by selecting a WiFi SSID and entering a password. Once the initial setup is done, you can then manage it via a browser. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Screen 3 Something important is that there is another Type-C port. This is a power input, which makes sense since many devices you connect to only have a single Type-C port. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-USB Type-C Port 1 Then there is one more accessory in the box, a little protector that is bright orange. We bought two of these and got the same color. Our guess is that this will eventually get a Sharpie marker on it to help quickly label these with a hostname so we know which is which. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Rubber Case 1 Here is the protector installed. GL iNet Remote KVM GL-RMQ1-Rubber Case 2 Next, let us get to using the GL.iNet Comet Q.
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front Angled 3 Amid the many trends and stories shaping the hardware world in 2026, the final quarter shows a confluence of several influences. AI continues to loom over everything this year, both client and server, and 2026 picks up where 2025 left off, with an even heavier emphasis on inference. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s latest efforts to bootstrap its Windows-on-Arm ecosystem are making good progress, thanks to another generation of improvements to its x86-on-Arm Prism emulator. And finally, amid all this, the client hardware market is trying to make sense (and cents) of a run-up in DRAM and NAND prices. As we enter the fall, these trends conveniently converge in a single device: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra. The company’s latest-generation flagship Surface laptop, the Ultra, is unlike anything that came before it, with Microsoft going above and beyond to develop a high-end laptop that, well, can go above and beyond itself. All the while, they are staking the fate of their new flagship laptop on the Arm architecture, which is still finding its footing in the Windows world. As a result, the Surface Laptop Ultra is a culmination of several firsts for Microsoft. As a complete product, it is the company’s most direct take on (or competitor to) Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup yet, making a direct play on the high-end market that Apple has captured so much of over the last several years. Meanwhile, this is one of the first-generation Windows laptops to ship with NVIDIA’s RTX Spark SoC, the consumer branding for their high-performance GB10 SoC that we have seen in numerous developer-focused mini-PCs over the last year. Finally, it is one of Microsoft’s biggest hardware releases for the developer market in at least the last several years, as Microsoft seeks to further bootstrap developers with all the tools they need to make the next generation of Windows applications. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra Key Specs (As Configured) Processor NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20-core Operating System Windows 11 Pro Memory 128GB LPDDR5X Storage 1TB SSD (M.2 2280, PCIe Gen5) GPU Options NVIDIA Integrated Blackwell RTX 5120 GPU core Display 15-Inch PixelSense, 3270×2180 120Hz, 2000nits Max Brightness, 100% DCI, Touchscreen Battery 92Wh Form Factor Laptop Dimensions 328.8 x 238.7 x 19.16 mm (12.95 x 9.40 x 0.75 in) Weight 2.0 kg (4.41 lbs) Wireless Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 Colors Platinum (Gray) Nightfall (Black) Ports Left: 1x HDMI 2.1b, 2x USB-C 40Gbps, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack Right: 1x USB-C 40Gbps (Magnetic Connect), 1x USB-A 10Gbps, SD Card Reader As a result, although this is far from Microsoft’s first Surface device, first Arm-on-Windows device, or even their first productivity laptop, the Surface Laptop Ultra is potentially the most important device launch from them in years. If it succeeds, it will shape the Surface ecosystem for years to come. If it does not, it will end up in the footnote pile next to 2012’s Surface RT (which we used at STH). The Surface Laptop Ultra is not meant to (nor will it) be a game changer for the broader laptop market, but it is still a significant launch for Microsoft’s hardware division. Meanwhile, for partner/supplier NVIDIA, although this is far from the first GB10 device on the market, the Ultra is one of a wave of laptops that marks the first time the chip has made it out of a mini-PC and into a laptop. NVIDIA has wanted to break into the market as a CPU/SoC supplier for years. This is their first chance in several years to do that. But how well will the N1X sibling to the GB10 translate into powering a Windows laptop? That is one of the questions we will have to answer today. Quick note: You may notice Ryan Smith wrote the first half of this review, and Patrick wrote the second half. Again, we had a week, and we were at OCP 2026 all week covering that show. So without any further ado, let us jump right in. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra External Hardware Overview When it comes to the Surface Laptop Ultra’s design, there is no dancing around the fact that this is meant to be Microsoft’s answer to the MacBook Pro. So we can only address it head-on. Microsoft wants to compete with Apple’s flagship laptops, and this is what they think a Windows equivalent should look and behave like. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front 1 Microsoft is no stranger to designing laptops, of course. Their mainstream Surface laptops are already up to their 8th generation, and the Surface Pro 2-in-1s are too. But the company needs to step up its game with the Ultra. They are building a premium laptop, packing a more powerful SoC, and charging a higher price than ever. The 15-inch laptop is meant to straddle the line between being a productivity laptop and a portable laptop. It is a bit too small to be a desktop replacement-class laptop, which means it is reasonably portable. But it is not a thin and light ultraportable like the smaller mainstream Surface Laptops. Instead, at 19mm thick and weighing 2kg on the dot, this laptop fits the developer-on-the-go mindset. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Rear 1 Microsoft is offering a few different configurations of the Surface Laptop Ultra. Most notably, a choice between 18- and 20-core versions of NVIDIA’s RTX Spark N1X processor. Regardless of configuration, there is only one body and one size available. This is not a laptop lineup bifurcated by size, at least not yet. Surface-Laptop-Ultra-Ports-Side-by-side The body itself is made from aluminum, which is pretty standard fare these days for premium laptops. Microsoft offers it in either a “Platinum” (grey) finish, as seen with our review sample, or a “Nightfall” (black) finish. Many configurations are available in both colors, but on Microsoft’s pre-order website, Nightfall seems to be treated as the more premium option, since you cannot currently order a laptop with more than 32GB of RAM in the Platinum finish. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front 2 All Surface Laptop Ultras ship with the same display. This is a 15-inch high-DPI 3270×2180 “PixelSense” touchscreen LCD display. According to Microsoft, the HDR-capable display can reach an eye-searing max brightness of 2000 nits and cover the full DCI-P3 color space. For developers who need a bit more fluidity (or want to sneak in some gaming), the display also supports variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. Since this is a premium laptop, Microsoft color-calibrates the panels individually. It is not an OLED, but our STH studio team members who usually use MacBook Pros all thought the display looked sharp. If you really want an OLED for those deep blacks, other manufacturers are making RTX Spark laptops with other screens. Still, this is a touchscreen, which can be useful for many. On the bottom deck of the laptop, we have Microsoft’s keyboard and haptic trackpad. As is typical for anything above budget laptops these days, this is a fully backlit keyboard. Microsoft is not duplicating Apple’s fingerprint sensor functionality here (relying instead on Windows Hello), so it is a keyboard that is just a keyboard. Meanwhile, according to Microsoft, the Ultra’s touchpad is their largest to date, larger than what is on the mainstream 15-inch Surface Laptop. And while you can just barely spot it due to the very thin bezel around the LCD panel, Microsoft has embedded a full camera suite along the top edge of the display. At the center is a 1080p “Surface Studio” camera. Meanwhile, IR cameras flank it on either side to support Windows Hello. For audio, Microsoft built in four downward-firing “OmniSonic” speakers, with two on the left front and two on the right front. Microsoft supports Dolby Atmos here. For users who need more enclosed audio, Microsoft explicitly confirms the laptop supports Bluetooth LE Audio, a feature that is still pretty rare on Windows laptops. Meanwhile, for audio input, there are a pair of microphones built into the body to allow for voice focusing. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Side 1 Meanwhile, when it comes time to plug something into the Surface Laptop Ultra, Microsoft has taken a somewhat restrained approach to the number of available ports. On the left side of the laptop, you will find an HDMI 2.1b port, two 40Gbps USB-C ports, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. Surprisingly, Microsoft has not opted to secure Thunderbolt 4 certification despite the laptop’s premium focus. Still, at 40Gbps with full DP Alt Mode and 140W charging, these are highly capable USB-C ports. At present, we are still trying to suss out who is providing the controller driving them, as the RTX Spark SoC itself does not support 40Gbps USB speeds. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Side 2 As for the right side of the laptop, things get a bit more interesting. On this side we find 3 ports: a full-size SD card reader, a 10Gbps USB-A port, and a special 40Gbps USB-C port that Microsoft calls its Magnetic Connect port. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Magnetic USB Type-C Charging Cable 2 Replacing Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port from past designs, the company has developed a magnetic USB-C port; Microsoft’s take on Apple’s MagSafe. Whereas MagSafe is only a charging port, the Magnetic Connect port is an upgraded USB-C port, meaning that it can be used for data as well and is otherwise a fully capable USB-C port. The magnetic aspect of the port is technically not the connector itself, but rather it is magnets that Microsoft has placed on either side of the port to help keep the charging cable firmly attached. Microsoft-Surface-Laptop-Ultra-USB-C-vs-Magnetic-Connect-Ports To further reinforce the port (or rather, to reduce the chance of breakage), the actual port is larger than a standard USB-C port. The connector inside is still USB-C through and through, but the body is larger to allow it to break away more safely from the intricate 24-pin USB-C connector. While the Ultra can accept a charge on any of its USB-C ports, you would need a standard USB-C cable to plug in to the
Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front Angled 3 Amid the many trends and stories shaping the hardware world in 2026, the final quarter shows a confluence of several influences. AI continues to loom over everything this year, both client and server, and 2026 picks up where 2025 left off, with an even heavier emphasis on inference. Meanwhile, Microsoft’s latest efforts to bootstrap its Windows-on-Arm ecosystem are making good progress, thanks to another generation of improvements to its x86-on-Arm Prism emulator. And finally, amid all this, the client hardware market is trying to make sense (and cents) of a run-up in DRAM and NAND prices. As we enter the fall, these trends conveniently converge in a single device: Microsoft’s Surface Laptop Ultra. The company’s latest-generation flagship Surface laptop, the Ultra, is unlike anything that came before it, with Microsoft going above and beyond to develop a high-end laptop that, well, can go above and beyond itself. All the while, they are staking the fate of their new flagship laptop on the Arm architecture, which is still finding its footing in the Windows world. As a result, the Surface Laptop Ultra is a culmination of several firsts for Microsoft. As a complete product, it is the company’s most direct take on (or competitor to) Apple’s MacBook Pro lineup yet, making a direct play on the high-end market that Apple has captured so much of over the last several years. Meanwhile, this is one of the first-generation Windows laptops to ship with NVIDIA’s RTX Spark SoC, the consumer branding for their high-performance GB10 SoC that we have seen in numerous developer-focused mini-PCs over the last year. Finally, it is one of Microsoft’s biggest hardware releases for the developer market in at least the last several years, as Microsoft seeks to further bootstrap developers with all the tools they need to make the next generation of Windows applications. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra Key Specs (As Configured) Processor NVIDIA RTX Spark N1X 20-core Operating System Windows 11 Pro Memory 128GB LPDDR5X Storage 1TB SSD (M.2 2280, PCIe Gen5) GPU Options NVIDIA Integrated Blackwell RTX 5120 GPU core Display 15-Inch PixelSense, 3270×2180 120Hz, 2000nits Max Brightness, 100% DCI, Touchscreen Battery 92Wh Form Factor Laptop Dimensions 328.8 x 238.7 x 19.16 mm (12.95 x 9.40 x 0.75 in) Weight 2.0 kg (4.41 lbs) Wireless Wi-Fi 7 + Bluetooth 5.4 Colors Platinum (Gray) Nightfall (Black) Ports Left: 1x HDMI 2.1b, 2x USB-C 40Gbps, 3.5mm Combo Audio Jack Right: 1x USB-C 40Gbps (Magnetic Connect), 1x USB-A 10Gbps, SD Card Reader As a result, although this is far from Microsoft’s first Surface device, first Arm-on-Windows device, or even their first productivity laptop, the Surface Laptop Ultra is potentially the most important device launch from them in years. If it succeeds, it will shape the Surface ecosystem for years to come. If it does not, it will end up in the footnote pile next to 2012’s Surface RT (which we used at STH). The Surface Laptop Ultra is not meant to (nor will it) be a game changer for the broader laptop market, but it is still a significant launch for Microsoft’s hardware division. Meanwhile, for partner/supplier NVIDIA, although this is far from the first GB10 device on the market, the Ultra is one of a wave of laptops that marks the first time the chip has made it out of a mini-PC and into a laptop. NVIDIA has wanted to break into the market as a CPU/SoC supplier for years. This is their first chance in several years to do that. But how well will the N1X sibling to the GB10 translate into powering a Windows laptop? That is one of the questions we will have to answer today. Quick note: You may notice Ryan Smith wrote the first half of this review, and Patrick wrote the second half. Again, we had a week, and we were at OCP 2026 all week covering that show. So without any further ado, let us jump right in. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra External Hardware Overview When it comes to the Surface Laptop Ultra’s design, there is no dancing around the fact that this is meant to be Microsoft’s answer to the MacBook Pro. So we can only address it head-on. Microsoft wants to compete with Apple’s flagship laptops, and this is what they think a Windows equivalent should look and behave like. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front 1 Microsoft is no stranger to designing laptops, of course. Their mainstream Surface laptops are already up to their 8th generation, and the Surface Pro 2-in-1s are too. But the company needs to step up its game with the Ultra. They are building a premium laptop, packing a more powerful SoC, and charging a higher price than ever. The 15-inch laptop is meant to straddle the line between being a productivity laptop and a portable laptop. It is a bit too small to be a desktop replacement-class laptop, which means it is reasonably portable. But it is not a thin and light ultraportable like the smaller mainstream Surface Laptops. Instead, at 19mm thick and weighing 2kg on the dot, this laptop fits the developer-on-the-go mindset. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Rear 1 Microsoft is offering a few different configurations of the Surface Laptop Ultra. Most notably, a choice between 18- and 20-core versions of NVIDIA’s RTX Spark N1X processor. Regardless of configuration, there is only one body and one size available. This is not a laptop lineup bifurcated by size, at least not yet. Surface-Laptop-Ultra-Ports-Side-by-side The body itself is made from aluminum, which is pretty standard fare these days for premium laptops. Microsoft offers it in either a “Platinum” (grey) finish, as seen with our review sample, or a “Nightfall” (black) finish. Many configurations are available in both colors, but on Microsoft’s pre-order website, Nightfall seems to be treated as the more premium option, since you cannot currently order a laptop with more than 32GB of RAM in the Platinum finish. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Front 2 All Surface Laptop Ultras ship with the same display. This is a 15-inch high-DPI 3270×2180 “PixelSense” touchscreen LCD display. According to Microsoft, the HDR-capable display can reach an eye-searing max brightness of 2000 nits and cover the full DCI-P3 color space. For developers who need a bit more fluidity (or want to sneak in some gaming), the display also supports variable refresh rates up to 120Hz. Since this is a premium laptop, Microsoft color-calibrates the panels individually. It is not an OLED, but our STH studio team members who usually use MacBook Pros all thought the display looked sharp. If you really want an OLED for those deep blacks, other manufacturers are making RTX Spark laptops with other screens. Still, this is a touchscreen, which can be useful for many. On the bottom deck of the laptop, we have Microsoft’s keyboard and haptic trackpad. As is typical for anything above budget laptops these days, this is a fully backlit keyboard. Microsoft is not duplicating Apple’s fingerprint sensor functionality here (relying instead on Windows Hello), so it is a keyboard that is just a keyboard. Meanwhile, according to Microsoft, the Ultra’s touchpad is their largest to date, larger than what is on the mainstream 15-inch Surface Laptop. And while you can just barely spot it due to the very thin bezel around the LCD panel, Microsoft has embedded a full camera suite along the top edge of the display. At the center is a 1080p “Surface Studio” camera. Meanwhile, IR cameras flank it on either side to support Windows Hello. For audio, Microsoft built in four downward-firing “OmniSonic” speakers, with two on the left front and two on the right front. Microsoft supports Dolby Atmos here. For users who need more enclosed audio, Microsoft explicitly confirms the laptop supports Bluetooth LE Audio, a feature that is still pretty rare on Windows laptops. Meanwhile, for audio input, there are a pair of microphones built into the body to allow for voice focusing. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Side 1 Meanwhile, when it comes time to plug something into the Surface Laptop Ultra, Microsoft has taken a somewhat restrained approach to the number of available ports. On the left side of the laptop, you will find an HDMI 2.1b port, two 40Gbps USB-C ports, and a 3.5mm combo audio jack. Surprisingly, Microsoft has not opted to secure Thunderbolt 4 certification despite the laptop’s premium focus. Still, at 40Gbps with full DP Alt Mode and 140W charging, these are highly capable USB-C ports. At present, we are still trying to suss out who is providing the controller driving them, as the RTX Spark SoC itself does not support 40Gbps USB speeds. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Side 2 As for the right side of the laptop, things get a bit more interesting. On this side we find 3 ports: a full-size SD card reader, a 10Gbps USB-A port, and a special 40Gbps USB-C port that Microsoft calls its Magnetic Connect port. Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra-Magnetic USB Type-C Charging Cable 2 Replacing Microsoft’s proprietary Surface Connect port from past designs, the company has developed a magnetic USB-C port; Microsoft’s take on Apple’s MagSafe. Whereas MagSafe is only a charging port, the Magnetic Connect port is an upgraded USB-C port, meaning that it can be used for data as well and is otherwise a fully capable USB-C port. The magnetic aspect of the port is technically not the connector itself, but rather it is magnets that Microsoft has placed on either side of the port to help keep the charging cable firmly attached. Microsoft-Surface-Laptop-Ultra-USB-C-vs-Magnetic-Connect-Ports To further reinforce the port (or rather, to reduce the chance of breakage), the actual port is larger than a standard USB-C port. The connector inside is still USB-C through and through, but the body is larger to allow it to break away more safely from the intricate 24-pin USB-C connector. While the Ultra can accept a charge on any of its USB-C ports, you would need a standard USB-C cable to plug in to the
USB4 has been out for some time now and, to say the least, it has been a breath of fresh air to storage enthusiasts and media professionals worldwide. Newest on that USB4 storage block is the Samsung P9 USB4 Portable SSD which is capable of 4GB/s read and 3.8GB/s write speeds. What’s is an even more important metric is that Samsung has put the effort into this storage device and ensured that it contains great sustained write speeds. After all, transferring media means nothing if our intial speedy data transfer speed drops to anything less that 1GB/s in today’s media world. Better yet, we have the Samsung P9 on our test bench and will be demonstrating these speeds first hand in this report! The P9 doubles that speed with an incredible 2GB/s sustained write performance. The Samsung P9 is brand spanking new to the storage space. We are very fortunate to have one of the first in hand for review, and in fact, Samsung’s P9/P7 Launch Event was only three weeks ago. Check it out here: The Samsung P9 is a USB4 Gen3 x4 portable SSD and is available in capacities of 1, 2, 4 and 8TB. Samsung claims the 8TB is the industry’s first of its kind with these speeds and this capacity. Listed performance is 4GB/s read and 3.8GB/s write and Samsung speaks to sustained write performance of 2GB/s in their preliminary literature. The Samsung P9 comes with the P9 itself and a USB4 rated cable. This cable is rather important as it is a USB 4 cable rated at 40Gbps and, anything with a lesser rating, will not be able to attain full performance. Speaking of which, this portable SSD is backward compatible but, in order to attain top performance, your PC or laptop must have a USB Type-C port capable of performance up to 40Gbps. This will be listed somewhere in your system literature. The Samsung P9 is constructed of a flat black metal alloy with a LED top left of the front, and also has a thin rubber base which makes it convenient for desk placement. It is rather thin, measuring 90x65x8.3mm and weighing only 96 grams. MSRP for the P9 is listed at $339.99 (1TB), $649.99 (2TB), $1349.99 (4TB) and $2289.99 (8TB) but CHECK AMAZON for availability and more accurate street pricing. Surprisingly, there is no IP-rating for the P9 but it does speak to advanced thermal protection and this SSD does have AES 256-bit hardware encryption. In fact, this hardware encryption gets put to use right off if you choose to run Samsung Magician and secure this portable SSD by setting a 4-16 character password. Samsung Magician is absolutely free and one of the best SSD maintenance software packages we have seen to date. Not only does it allow you to activate the SSDs security mode, but also, one can secure erase the SSD, validate that it is Samsung Authenticated, change partition sizes, as well as confirm the performance as we have done here: Let’s jump to the next page and validate the Samsung P9 portable SSD performance…
AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-2 At OCP 2026, we saw something that looked absolutely awesome. Walking by the HPE booth, we saw an AMD Helios tray set up and open on the show floor. It stopped me in my tracks, so I thought folks would like to see it. This is the AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 Switch Tray at OCP 2026 Oftentimes, when we open up huge switches, we see a lot of internal PCB. This is totally different since it is a double-wide tray with side-by-side switches and lots of copper. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-1 You can see the HPE QFX5252 label on the front latch, which is huge. Because there is so much connectivity on the back, and the back panel is long and needs to blind mate, the insertion force required for a switch tray like this into the Helios rack is significant. As a result, these levers are very long. Since this is two big switch chips in a 1OU tray, it needs to be liquid cooled. You can see the internal liquid cooling manifolds distributing liquid to the various blocks. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-3 There are two switch chips inside, which are Broadcom Tomahawk 6 102.6T switches. At first, you might wonder why these are not Broadcom Tomahawk Ultra chips, since that might make sense for a scale-up architecture. The current generation Tomahawk Ultra is a 112G PAM4 SerDes switch (so 512 lanes of PAM4-112G.) That is not enough for Helios which is using 224G PAM4 SerDes. As a result, these need to be Tomahawk 6. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-2 Now, the next part is very different. AMD and HPE-Juniper are not just slinging Tomahawk 6 on some PCBs and calling it a day. You will notice that the cabled connections to the rear high-density fabric connectors for the Helios rack cable cartridges are quite far from the Tomahawk 6 switch chips. Some of them in particular are very far from the switch chips. The liquid cooling blocks between those cable connectors and the switch chip are apparently retimers. AMD is big on retimers while NVIDIA has worked to remove them. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-6 Aside from the switches and retimers, let us talk about the cables. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-7 When we say copper inside a rack, and why we will eventually go to co-packaged optics, this is a great illustration. In the QFX5252, retimers extend reach so we can reliably scale up within the rack. Then we need an enormous array of copper cables. CPO would simplify this design. I will probably use these photos when explaining the “why” for CPO in the future. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-4 You can see the fans and airflow guides over heatsinks for some other components. Unlike NVIDIA’s push to move fans out of the AI rack, AMD Helios still uses fans and air cooling for some other bits in the tray. AMD Helios HPE Juniper QFX5252 OCP 2026-5 Overall, very cool. Final Words We previously covered the QFX5252 at HPE Discover 2026, but seeing the switch tray assembled and on the show floor was really cool. A lot is going on here, and it is very different from the normal rackmount switches we see. One of the biggest differences, of course, is that it is designed to scale up within a rack instead of out of front-panel connectors. HPE Discover 2026 HPE Juniper Networking QFS5252 Of course, if you are into networking, check out our Inside the Secretive AWS Networking Lab tour that we were finally able to publish yesterday. VIDEO As a fun aside, I was at HPE’s booth looking at this switch tray when Pradeep Sindhu walked over and started looking at the switch with the HPE-Juniper team and me. For me, it was neat because the last time I saw Pradeep was when we did this Fungible DPU-based Storage Cluster Hands-on Look back in the pandemic era in 2020. It was neat having Juniper’s co-founder and former CTO look at the big switch tray while I was there.
The Open Compute Project (OCP) Foundation announced a sharp increase in IDCs forecast for worldwide spending on OCP-recognized IT equipment. The 2026 IDC Market Impact Study projects annual spending of approximately $800 billion in 2029, up from the $295 billion forecast for the same year in last year’s study—an increase of approximately 2.7x.The new forecast reaches $892 billion in 2030, when OCP-recognized IT equipment is projected to account for approximately 51% of all spending across the infrastructure categories covered by the study. Commissioned annually by the OCP Foundation, the study assesses the market impact of OCP-recognized equipment. This year’s findings reflect both the rapid expansion of AI infrastructure investment and broader adoption of OCP designs. “AI is changing what the industry needs from its infrastructure, and these findings show the growing role of open designs in meeting that demand,” said Cliff Grossner, Ph.D., Chief Innovation Officer, OCP Foundation. “Our Community is bringing companies together to solve challenges that span the entire data center, from silicon and servers to cooling, power and the grid. That collaboration helps organizations put new technology to work at scale.” AI Investment Drives Growth IDC projects spending on OCP-recognized IT equipment will grow from approximately $154 billion in 2025 to $892 billion in 2030, representing a compound annual growth rate of approximately 42%. Servers represent the largest spending category, with GPU-accelerated systems driving much of the growth. IDC also forecasts continued growth in switching equipment, rack infrastructure, power and cooling as organizations build the systems needed to support increasingly demanding workloads. Key findings include: $800 billion in projected annual spending in 2029, approximately 2.7 times the prior forecast for that year $892 billion in projected annual spending in 2030, including approximately $814 billion in servers Approximately 51% of spending across the infrastructure categories measured going to OCP-recognized infrastructure by 2030 Approximately $628 billion in AI-related spending on OCP-recognized infrastructure in 2030, accounting for about 70% of the forecast total Click to enlarge IDC also points to the growing ecosystem of solution providers and the availability of openly shared designs as factors supporting adoption. Use of OCP-recognized IT equipment extends beyond the Foundation’s formal membership to organizations that access and implement those designs worldwide. Advancing Open Infrastructure from Chip to Grid The findings reinforce OCP’s expanded Open Data Center Ecosystem Vision, which addresses the interconnected demands of AI infrastructure from chip to grid. Over the past year, the OCP Community has advanced higher-power rack designs, liquid cooling, Ethernet-based AI networking and open chiplet specifications. Its facilities work includes DC power distribution, energy storage, and coordination between data centers and the utility grid. The Foundation’s Open Data Center for AI Strategic Initiative brings these efforts together across facility power, cooling and management. The OCP Energy Project extends collaboration into energy generation and storage, while the AI Computing Continuum project supports deployment beyond hyperscale data centers into enterprise, regional and edge environments. As AI infrastructure evolves, OCP will focus on supporting diverse AI silicon, coordinating design across the data center, and developing open building blocks that organizations can deploy across a wider range of environments.