SAMSUNG

Galaxy S26 FE: Samsung’s (increasingly less) affordable phone

Samsung has unveiled the Galaxy S26 FE, the latest addition to the Galaxy S26 series, which comes with a higher price tag than its predecessor. The new model is available in three colors and hits stores in early September.

Samsung has officially announced the Galaxy S26 FE, a new model in the Galaxy S26 series launched earlier this year; true to the trend seen throughout the year, it carries a higher price than its predecessor.

The Galaxy S26 FE is priced at €839 for the 128GB configuration, making it more expensive than the Galaxy S25 FE—launched last September—which cost €789 for the same internal storage capacity.

If you opt for the 256GB or 512GB versions of the Galaxy S26 FE, you will need to be prepared to pay €939 or €1,149, respectively.

Now, let’s look at the specifications. The Galaxy S26 FE features a 6.7-inch OLED display with 1080p+ resolution, a 120Hz refresh rate, and peak brightness of up to 1,900 nits. It is powered by an Exynos 2500 processor, paired with 8GB of RAM and a 4,900mAh battery that supports 45W wired fast charging.

As for the rear camera setup, it includes a 50MP main sensor, a 12MP ultra-wide sensor, and an 8MP telephoto lens. On the front, there is a single 12MP sensor.

Regarding the operating system, One UI 9 (based on Google's Android 17) comes pre-installed, and Samsung notes that users can expect "up to seven generations of OS updates and seven years of security updates." Naturally, the Galaxy S26 FE incorporates some of Samsung’s most talked-about artificial intelligence features, including Now Brief, Now Nudge, and Google’s own Circle to Search.

“The Galaxy S26 FE was designed to bring the key strengths of the Galaxy S models to a wider audience, ensuring that every feature adds real value to users' daily lives,” says Bernardo Cunha, Head of Strategy and Product Marketing for Mobile at Samsung Portugal, in a statement. “With the renowned camera and artificial intelligence experiences of the Galaxy ecosystem—powered by the latest One UI 9—the Galaxy S26 FE stands out as an ideal choice for those who know exactly what they value most in a smartphone.”

The cameras gain new features...The rear camera setup consists of three cameras. Among the features is a 3x optical zoom, designed for capturing objects and people at a greater distance. The 12 MP front camera is designed to capture wider shots, including group selfies.

For video, the My FanCam feature automatically tracks the selected subject and adjusts the framing during recording. Super Steady technology also helps keep footage stable, even during rapid movement.

In low-light environments, the Nightography system processes images to preserve detail and sharpness.

Galaxy S26 FE/Galaxy S25 FE...Starting with the design, the only visible difference is the new camera module featuring a "pill-shaped" surround for the three sensors, distinguishing the Galaxy S26 FE from the Galaxy S25 FE. This likely accounts for the phone being 3 grams heavier.

The dimensions are nearly identical, with the S26 FE being just 0.3 mm wider, despite having the same screen size.

Moving to the device's internals, most specifications remain the same, but the Galaxy S26 FE platform is a generation ahead, utilizing the Exynos 2500, which is 15% more powerful.

The new chip upgrades from 4nm to 3nm lithography, boosting energy efficiency. It features the XClipse 950 GPU—based on AMD RDNA 3—with hardware-accelerated ray tracing support, while the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for AI tasks has become 39% more powerful.

The Exynos 2500 also brings support for satellite communication, Wi-Fi 7, and Bluetooth 5.4, offering enhanced connectivity.

The cameras are the same as those in the previous generation, but we expect the Exynos 2500—with its support for newer imaging technologies—to deliver better photos and videos thanks to new processing algorithms. Furthermore, it is worth noting that the S26 FE also brings the latest Galaxy AI image and video features, such as My Fan Cam, which allows you to focus on subjects after recording the video.

The Galaxy S26 FE will be available in stores starting September 4 and can be purchased in three colors: Graphite, Dark Blue, and Pistachio.

mundophone

APPLE

Apple's first foldable phone could cost over $1,000 just to repair

Repair specialist Ricky Panesar of iCorrect has told Forbes he expects replacing the inner screen on Apple’s first foldable to cost around £850, roughly $1,155, against $579 for the same repair on a Galaxy Z Fold 8. He also expects AppleCare+ per-incident fees to rise from the current £29 to nearer £100.

Apple is expected to introduce its first foldable phone this year at a starting price around $2,000, and a repair specialist is warning buyers that the purchase price is not where the spending ends.

Ricky Panesar, founder of the London repair firm iCorrect, told Forbes he expects replacing the inner folding display to cost in the region of £850, roughly $1,155, or more. The same repair on Samsung’s standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 is $579, a figure that already includes Samsung’s Flex Titanium construction, and the Z Fold 7 before it cost $449. Panesar’s estimate would put an Apple repair around 43% above Samsung’s in sterling and close to 58% of the phone’s rumored purchase price.

Apple is expected to source its foldable panels from Samsung Display, which means paying a supplier margin that Samsung itself does not pay. Panesar expects that to flow through to customers, telling Forbes he anticipates the most expensive repair prices Apple has charged on any handheld device to date.

AppleCare+ may not soften the blow as much as buyers expect. Apple has historically charged as little as £29, or $29 in the US, per screen repair incident on covered devices. Panesar does not expect that to hold here, predicting per-incident fees closer to £100, and suggests Apple may also revisit the unlimited repairs policy it introduced in recent years, given the cost of foldable display replacements. He still regards AppleCare+ as essential for anyone buying one.

The independent repair market will not be an escape route at launch either. Third-party shops have no experience with Apple’s hinge design, and Panesar says that learning curve will add expense rather than reduce it, leaving independents unable to undercut Apple in the early months. He also expects the Touch ID module to be harder to repair than Face ID has been.

The inner display and the hinge behave as a single integrated assembly, so reaching one component means dismantling much of what surrounds it, and that labor compounds quickly. iFixit rated the Galaxy Z Fold 8 at four out of ten for repairability, citing a fragile inner display and difficult hinge work.

$1,155 repair...According to a report from Apple World Today, Apple is getting ready to introduce its debut foldable smartphone (widely called the iPhone Ultra) next month, with a starting price that could top $2,000. The device hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, but some people are already looking past the launch price and worrying about long-term ownership costs.

Ricky Panesar, founder of repair company iCorrect, estimates that replacing the inner screen alone could run about $1,155. That’s noticeably higher than the roughly $772 Samsung charges for a similar inner-screen fix on the Galaxy Z Fold 8. Panesar thinks Apple’s mix of Samsung Display panels and its own proprietary hinge design is what’s pushing the numbers up, potentially making foldable iPhone repairs some of the most expensive in the industry.

Apple’s fall product event is set for September 9 under the theme “Surprise and shine.” Some reports suggest the foldable might not actually go on sale until October, but most expect Apple to at least show it off during the September event alongside its other new products.

The projected repair cost highlights a bigger issue with foldables in general: the innovative design often comes with complicated (and pricey) displays and hinges. Apple hasn’t shared any official repair pricing or AppleCare details yet. Anyone thinking about buying the iPhone Ultra will probably want to factor in both the premium sticker price and the potential cost of keeping it running down the road.

And speaking of repair costs, it’ll be interesting to see how well the hinge and inner display hold up in the first place. We’ve already seen some less-than-ideal durability issues with earlier foldables, so now it’s Apple’s turn to prove that the wait was worth it.

AppleCare+ currently charges $29 for screen or back glass damage and $99 for other accidental damage. A foldable inner display would most likely fall into the higher category rather than the standard screen tier.

Apple holds its Surprise and Shine event on Wednesday 9 September at Apple Park in Cupertino, which will be streamed on its website and YouTube, and most observers expect the foldable to appear there, even though some reports suggest it may not ship until October. The device is expected to launch running iOS 27, the first version with foldable-specific software.

by: mundophone

TECH

Those who understand AI better are more afraid of losing their jobs

Whether employees are worried about losing their jobs to AI depends largely on their knowledge of artificial intelligence – and on the extent to which their work can be digitalised. This is one of the findings of the latest AI Monitor published by TU Darmstadt, based on a representative survey of more than 2,000 people conducted in cooperation with the market research and polling institute YouGov.

According to the study, respondents’ affinity with AI is the factor most strongly associated with fear of job loss: The better people understand how artificial intelligence works and what it is already capable of, the more concerned they are about coming under pressure at work because of AI or even losing their jobs. Almost half of those with very good knowledge of AI (around 43 per cent) expect that AI could soon take over their work.

“This is a remarkable and, at the same time, worrying finding,” says project leader Peter Buxmann, Professor of Information Systems at the Department of Law and Economics at TU Darmstadt. “Many debates are based on the assumption that concerns are primarily the result of a lack of information. However, this does not appear to be the case: Those who understand AI best are also the most aware of its disruptive potential.”

The data also show that the industry in which people work is not the decisive factor when it comes to concerns about job loss. What matters more is whether the results of their work can be digitalised. People who primarily produce texts, analyses, reports, presentations, computer code or other digital outputs are significantly more concerned than those whose work relies more heavily on physical presence.

“This applies to most industries and is also understandable,” explains Buxmann. “Lawyers, software developers and social media experts are simply much more affected by the GenAI revolution than tradespeople or nurses.”

Further key findings from the study:

AI has become part of everyday life, but not for everyone. Typical users are young, well educated and predominantly male.

Germany has an AI training gap: Only 15 per cent of respondents have participated in AI training so far.

Real-world risks such as hallucinations and data protection risks are the greatest concerns among respondents. By contrast, only four in ten participants consider the emergence of a future superintelligence likely.

Younger people are more concerned about their jobs than older people. Overall, concerns about job security increased across all occupational groups compared with 2025.

Regarding fears of job losses due to AI, Buxmann said that while generative AI would also create new types of work, it would probably not do so on anything close to the scale at which jobs would disappear. He stressed that the debate was not purely economic: “People who lose their jobs do not just lose their income, but often also a degree of social participation and personal orientation,” he said. “Companies and policymakers need to respond to these concerns not with reassurance, but with training and honest answers to the questions facing the world of work tomorrow.” 

Your statement is backed up by recent research, showing a surprising trend where deep knowledge of artificial intelligence correlates with a higher anxiety about job displacement.A study led by researcher Peter Buxmann at TU Darmstadt revealed that around 43% of people with very good knowledge of AI expect the technology to take over their work soon. This upends the long-standing assumption that fear of AI is simply born out of a lack of information or general technophobia. Instead, those who intimately understand its capabilities are the most acutely aware of its highly disruptive potential.

Why expertise increases anxiety:

Awareness of the "Digitization Factor": Experts realize that job security doesn't just depend on the industry you work in, but on whether the output of your work can be digitized.

The White-Collar Shift: Unlike historical automation waves that mostly impacted manual labor, advanced AI targets cognitive tasks like writing, analyzing data, and programming. Those inside the tech loop see firsthand how easily these tasks can be streamlined or completely automated.

Rather than easing anxieties with vague reassurances, researchers note that companies and policymakers need to provide honest answers and structured training to help highly skilled workers navigate this shifting landscape.

TU Darmstadt

DIGITAL LIFE

How AliExpress monitors you while you simply browse the site

Online shopping seems like a simple activity: open the site, search for a product, and eventually complete the purchase. But behind this experience, modern web pages can observe an impressive number of technical characteristics of your device. Screen specs, graphics, memory, the browser, and even the behavior of specific APIs can reveal information. In the case of AliExpress, an investigation uncovered an additional element in this data collection process—one involving something we usually don't even notice while browsing.

Strange behavior caught his attention...The issue came to light almost by chance when Matthew Callaghan, a software engineer and hardware specialist, noticed his multipoint Bluetooth headphones behaving unusually.

Normally, the headphones could stay connected to both his computer and mobile phone simultaneously. However, whenever Callaghan opened AliExpress in Firefox or Chrome, the audio playing from his phone would stop reaching the headphones.

The problem would vanish as soon as the site's tab was closed.

There was also a particularly curious detail: there was no music, video, or visible multimedia content playing on AliExpress.

Callaghan then began investigating what was happening behind the scenes. Muting the tab didn't solve it. Even muting the browser or Windows itself failed to stop the behavior.

His analysis eventually pointed to scripts running on the page and to a technology that, under normal circumstances, is associated with in-browser audio applications.

That was the moment the site's seemingly mundane operation began to reveal something far more interesting.

The browser was processing a signal that no one could hear... According to the investigation, scripts identified as `collina.js` and `fireyejs.js` were creating `AudioContext` objects using the Web Audio API.

These scripts apparently generated a known audio wave and analyzed how the browser processed that information. The result could then serve as yet another technical characteristic used to identify a specific environment.

The detail that makes this discovery especially intriguing is that the audio didn't need to be audible to fulfill this function. After processing, the signal was sent to the audio output with the gain set to zero. In practice, this meant the user should hear absolutely nothing.

Even so, the activity was enough to interfere with the operation of Callaghan’s Bluetooth headphones. Ironically, this very side effect ended up exposing an operation that was meant to go unnoticed.

The technique is related to so-called "browser fingerprinting." The idea isn't to capture a physical fingerprint, but to gather various technical characteristics capable of distinguishing one device from another.

And the audio was just a small part of the story.

The fingerprint involved much more than just audio...The investigation indicated that the analyzed scripts also checked a range of other characteristics of the browsing environment.

These included information related to Canvas and WebGL, screen dimensions, available memory, compatibility with various multimedia formats, WebRTC, processing times, and specific user interactions.

Individually, much of this information might seem insignificant. The issue—or the utility, depending on your perspective—arises when several of these data points are combined.

Together, these characteristics can create a highly specific technical profile, making it possible to distinguish between different browsers and devices.

The scripts identified during the analysis appear to be linked to AWSC, and Callaghan believes they may be associated with security and abuse-prevention mechanisms used by Alibaba.

AliExpress's privacy policy already provides for the automatic collection of certain technical information and data related to service usage. However, this does not mean the company specifically disclosed this Web Audio experiment, nor does it allow us to determine how that information would subsequently be used.

Furthermore, based on available data, there is insufficient evidence to claim that the system was used to personally identify users or that it violated any laws.

Chrome and Firefox have already made this type of tracking more difficult...There is also an important caveat. The mere fact that a webpage performs an audio analysis does not necessarily mean it can identify a browser with high precision.

Firefox and Chrome have been adopting measures to reduce precisely this type of variation between devices.

In Firefox, changes implemented starting with version 118—released in 2023—have made the results produced by the Web Audio API much more uniform. Data cited by developer Tom Ritter indicates that 99.24% of measurements fall into just three result categories.

Google also states that measures incorporated into Chrome make this specific method ineffective for fingerprinting.

Even so, the discovery is significant because it demonstrates how a webpage can exploit technical characteristics that typically remain completely imperceptible to the user.

The most intriguing question, therefore, is not merely whether invisible audio can accurately identify someone. It is realizing just how much information a modern browser can reveal while everything appears to be proceeding normally.

In the case of AliExpress, it took only a few Bluetooth headphones behaving strangely to turn a virtually invisible activity into a concrete clue.

And that is perhaps the most curious aspect of the entire story: while the user was simply browsing an online store, their own equipment ended up revealing what was happening behind the scenes.

mundophone

TECH

Hackers breach in-car Android systems in a new type of digital attack

Kaspersky has revealed a malware campaign that managed to infiltrate Android systems installed in the central control consoles of various car models. The investigation, conducted in June, identified a sophisticated scheme that exploited the update mechanism built into the console firmware, turning the vehicles into unexpected targets for malicious activity. According to the company, this is the first documented case of an attack specifically designed for this type of equipment, which combines multimedia functions with—in some instances—control over the vehicle itself.

Researchers discovered that the attack originated in a legitimate system component called TWCore, which is responsible for collecting analytics and managing software updates. This module received instructions from the manufacturer's server regarding which applications to install or update. Attackers exploited this channel to introduce a dropper named JarService, which initiated a multi-stage infection chain that was both stealthy and difficult to detect. The malware installed itself like a standard application but lacked a visible interface, running silently in the background.

Nine distinct commands were identified, allowing operators to display unwanted ads, commit ad fraud, and download additional modules. The software also gathered device information, such as the model, screen resolution, connected Wi-Fi network, and MAC address. Although these units rarely store sensitive personal data, many maintain constant internet access and even support SIM cards. This makes them attractive targets for those seeking to expand botnets or exploit home networks via illicit proxies.

Technical analysis led researchers to link this campaign to the MoYu group, which is associated with the BadBox botnet. This botnet comprises Android devices compromised at the factory—including TV boxes, smartphones, and tablets. Operators use these devices for ad fraud, data theft, and the creation of proxy networks. The company found similarities between the control panel used in this attack and proxy services such as PXYEDGE and ProxyForU, reinforcing the link to the BadBox ecosystem.

DoFun, the manufacturer of the affected units, was notified by Kaspersky and has confirmed that the issue has been fixed. However, researchers warn that this case demonstrates a worrying trend: hackers are exploiting increasingly diverse and sophisticated methods to distribute malware, ranging from pre-installed backdoors to compromised IPTV applications. They are now targeting automotive platforms, which had not previously been considered a priority target.

For Kaspersky, this incident serves as a warning that the digital systems in modern cars require robust, ongoing protection against emerging threats. "Despite efforts by cybersecurity experts and authorities to dismantle the BadBox botnet, individual actors associated with it continue to carry out malicious activities, infecting devices worldwide," notes Kaspersky security researcher Dmitry Kalinin.

Create a botnet...This is the first documented case of malware infecting a car head unit via an attack specifically designed for this type of device, according to a report by a Russian company published on Friday.

The malware was found on head units manufactured by DoFun, a Chinese automotive software and hardware supplier whose systems are widely used in China and other Asia-Pacific countries. Researchers attributed the campaign with high confidence to the MoYu Group, a threat actor linked to the BadBox malware operation, which has previously compromised Android smartphones, tablets, streaming devices, and other internet-connected products.

Infection and functionalities...Kaspersky traced the infections to TWCore, a legitimate system application installed on DoFun devices that collects analytics and manages software updates. Attackers abused this functionality to push a malicious app called JarService to affected devices without requiring drivers to click a link or install anything, the report detailed.

JarService has no visible user interface and acts as a downloader for additional malicious code, making it difficult for drivers to notice the compromise. The malware can display ads and generate fraudulent clicks, but its ultimate goal appears to be expanding a botnet. One observed module turns infected units into reverse proxies, allowing other people's internet traffic to be routed through the infected device.

BadBox context...BadBox has previously been linked to malware installed on Android devices before they reached consumers. In December 2024, German authorities disrupted the original BadBox botnet by cutting off communications between infected devices and the hackers' command-and-control infrastructure, but the criminals quickly resurfaced with an updated version. The FBI also warned last year that BadBox 2.0 was targeting IoT devices, including aftermarket vehicle infotainment systems.

mundophone

TECH

Study identifies potential savings in material requirements for wind energy expansion

For their analysis, the researchers reconstructed the development of Germany’s wind turbine fleet since 1988 and modelled various scenarios for its future development up to 2050. Among other things, they examined the material requirements for concrete, steel, copper, aluminium, polymers and composite materials. The study makes it clear that the further expansion of wind energy is associated with a considerable demand for materials. At the same time, the results show that the specific design of repowering measures is crucial for resource efficiency. In particular, the reuse of foundations, infrastructure components and other plant parts can significantly reduce material requirements.

The study analyses material flows and resource efficiency in the wind energy sector. Against the backdrop of wind energy expansion targets, it examines how future expansion can be organised in a way that conserves resources as much as possible. In doing so, it provides a scientific basis for assessing material requirements and potential savings in relation to wind turbines.

“Our aim was to systematically examine the material requirements of different expansion and repowering pathways and to highlight potential for material savings,” emphasises Christoph Helbig, Professor of Ecological Resource Technology and co-author of the study. “The results show that reuse strategies can be an important lever for combining resource efficiency with expansion targets.” The recycling of the wind turbines after their use was not part of this assessment.

In public debate, reference is often made to the absolute quantities of materials required for the construction and refurbishment of wind turbines. The study confirms that wind turbines consist of significant quantities of various raw materials and that their expansion requires corresponding resources. However, the key scientific finding of the study does not lie solely in quantifying these material requirements. Rather, a key finding concerns the potential to reduce future resource consumption through appropriate repowering strategies. 

Repowering refers to the replacement of older wind turbines with modern, more powerful ones. In the repowering scenario, in which the foundations, towers, and parts of the wind farm infrastructure are reused, the demand for concrete for onshore wind expansion is reduced by 14%, steel by 10%, and copper by 7% compared to a repowering scenario without reuse. For German offshore wind farms, cumulative copper demand would fall by 11% in the repowering scenario with reuse of the infrastructure. The analysis shows that, in particular, approaches to reusing foundations and infrastructure components can enable substantial material savings.

The researchers view their work as a contribution to a fact-based assessment of resource issues in the energy sector. Material requirements, the availability of raw materials, reuse and the circular economy are becoming increasingly important as the energy system undergoes transformation. The study provides a quantitative basis for this and highlights the options available for reducing resource use in the wind energy sector.

The University of Bayreuth points out that no blanket conclusions for or against a particular energy technology can be drawn from the study’s findings. Rather, the study provides scientific insights into how material flows are developing and what options are available for improving resource efficiency.

North Sea wind farm expansion may shift rain offshore, simulations suggest...Offshore wind farms are a key pillar of the energy transition. The European Union plans to expand offshore wind capacity in the North Sea by 2050. A new study by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Hereon indicates that a very extensive expansion could influence regional precipitation patterns: While precipitation over the sea could increase, it could decrease in coastal regions.

The research provides comprehensive insights into the potential regional climate impacts of future offshore wind farms, which the researchers emphasize must always be planned in harmony with the environment.

Researchers at Hereon's Institute of Coastal Systems—Analysis and Modeling used the high-resolution regional climate model COSMO-CLM to simulate various technical offshore wind energy expansion scenarios. The simulations were based on weather data covering the period from 2008 to 2017.

By analyzing an entire decade, the researchers were able to derive mean atmospheric dynamics across a wide range of weather conditions while reducing the influence of year-to-year variability. This approach allows potential long-term effects to be identified more robustly. The simulations included both existing and potential future offshore wind farm areas in the North Sea and Baltic Sea.

The researchers also considered the effects of wind turbines on wind speed, atmospheric mixing and moisture transport. Their aim was to gain a better understanding of the fundamental atmospheric processes that could be triggered by large offshore wind farm clusters. "Our work helps ensure that the further expansion of offshore wind energy in Europe can be aligned with the requirements of climate protection, environmental protection and coastal management," says Dr. Naveed Akhtar, lead author of the study.

A deliberately extreme expansion scenario...The scenario simulated in the study represents a purely technical expansion pathway that exceeds the European Union's current offshore wind deployment targets. It includes all designated areas in the North Sea and Baltic Sea that have been identified for potential offshore wind energy development. For these areas, the researchers assumed maximum deployment, resulting in an installed capacity that would substantially exceed the currently discussed target of 300 GW by 2050.

The researchers deliberately chose this scenario to make potential climate effects clearly detectable and estimate their magnitude. The rationale is that considerable uncertainty remains regarding which areas will ultimately be developed and how political targets may evolve in the future.

Precipitation patterns change...The results show that a large-scale expansion of offshore wind energy could lead to increased precipitation over offshore wind farm areas, while precipitation in adjacent coastal regions could decrease. The underlying mechanism is that wind turbines extract part of the wind's kinetic energy and simultaneously increase atmospheric turbulence.

Downstream of the turbines, strong variations in air movement enhance the exchange between different layers of the atmosphere. As a result, moist air can rise, cool and condense, leading to cloud formation and precipitation over the wind farms.

At the same time, the transport of moisture toward the coast is altered. If air masses release a greater share of their moisture as precipitation over offshore wind farm areas, less moisture remains available for precipitation in coastal regions. For parts of Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, the simulations indicate potential reductions in coastal precipitation of up to 15%.

Long-term weather statistics rather than individual weather events...These findings can support sustainable maritime spatial planning and strengthen cross-border cooperation in the North Sea and Baltic Sea region. Previous studies by Hereon have shown that factors such as the size, layout and spacing of wind turbines can have a significant influence on atmospheric effects.

Future research should investigate a range of expansion scenarios and analyze how parameters such as turbine density, wind farm size and spatial distribution affect the regional climate. In addition, the researchers plan to further explore the impacts of offshore wind farms on the ocean and marine ecosystems.

source: Ecological Resource Technology

TECH

This mini ITX motherboard sports up to 96 GB DDR5 RAM and 12-core AMD Zen 5 chip

Axiomtek has introduced a new Zen 5-powered mini-ITX motherboard aimed particularly at gaming. The product is powered by up to a 12-core Ryzen AI Embedded P100 APU and can be equipped with 96 GB of DDR5 RAM.

Mini-ITX boards with soldered embedded processors from AMD and Intel are quite common, aimed primarily at industrial applications. However, the new GMB150 Mini-ITX board from Axiomtek takes a different approach, targeting gaming applications instead of typical industrial workloads.

This is possible thanks to the AMD Ryzen P100 series APUs powering the GMB150 motherboard. The P100 family features anywhere between 4 to 12 Zen 5 cores, along with iGPUs ranging from 2 to 16 CUs based on RDNA 3.5.

The performance of the upper-end Ryzen P100 chips should be almost the same as their "Gorgon Point" consumer counterparts. To be more specific, the GMB150 will be equipped with up to the AMD Ryzen AI P185 APU featuring a total of 12 cores and 24 threads. The APU is nearly identical to the Ryzen AI 9 HX 470, with the biggest difference being a 100 MHz lower boost clock and a more modest power envelope.

Therefore, it can be said that the highest-end GMB150 motherboard will be quite a performant part, and should be able to keep up with modern high-end Intel Panther Lake and AMD Gorgon Point-powered systems. 

Lower-end variants with the 4-core Ryzen AI P121, 6-core P132, 8-core P164, and 10-core P174-powered configurations will also be available. 

The motherboard sports dual DDR5-5600 SODIMM slots, which can be equipped with up to 96 GB of RAM. Storage requirements, on the other hand, are taken care of by a single M.2 2280 slot and dual SATA 3 ports. The I/O on offer has been detailed below:

Triple USB 2.0 Type-A, single USB 3.2 Gen 1

Two RS-232 COM ports, four RS-232 box headers

Dual USB 2.0 box headers, single USB 3.2 Gen 1 x1 Type-A (internal)

Dual 1G Ethernet

8-bit GPIO header

Multiple expansion pathways are also possible courtesy of a single PCIe x8 slot (physical x16), a single M.2 2230 slot, and dual PCIe-based proprietary "Golden Finger" expansion connectors for I/O modules from Axiomtek.

The GMB150 will be available soon according to Axiomtek, although its pricing details are yet to be revealed. Interested customers can contact Axiomtek directly in order to get a quote, which is likely to depend on order volume.

Typical consumers looking for a similarly powerful gaming mini PC can check out something like the Minisforum Ai X1 mini PC, powered by the Ryzen AI 9 HX 470 Gorgon Point APU.

mundophone