29 Sept 2025
The Silicon app program offers a weekly review of hardware news, covering highlights from events like Computex and introducing new products. This episode features detailed discussions on monitors, smart rings, laptops, CPUs, and mobile devices, alongside a comprehensive CPU buying guide.
The Silicon app program, hosted by Hamid and Mehran, delivers weekly news primarily focused on hardware, a brief shopping guide, and other program segments.
Computex, an annual hardware show held in Taiwan, officially runs from the 19th to the 23rd, where major companies like Intel, Nvidia, and AMD unveil their latest hardware products, with many participants headquartered in Taiwan.
MSI introduced a QLED OLED monitor featuring a Samsung panel, while Samsung itself launched a 500 Hz, 27-inch OLED model priced at $1,300, noted for its high refresh rate but questionable real-world utility. The MSI monitor, a 27-inch base model, is priced at $830.
Acer, Samsung, and Xiaomi have all introduced smart rings, indicating a growing trend in the wearable technology market. Xiaomi's smart ring, priced around $100 in the Chinese market, offers health tracking features such as heart rate, oxygen levels, step counting, body temperature, and sleep monitoring, boasting an IP68 rating and a 7-day battery life.
Acer laptops, despite offering good value, have seen a reduced market presence. Current generation laptops with high-end CPUs, such as the new Core series, are becoming prohibitively expensive, with many models exceeding $2000.
The Sony WH-HZ0XMS series, priced at $450, is considered the best headphone for general users seeking good music quality, though professionals desiring a flat, standard sound profile typically opt for different models.
Samsung may abandon its Exynos chips for the S25FA series due to production challenges with the 240A chip, potentially switching to the MediaTek Dimensity 9400. Exynos chips have historically presented performance issues, particularly with camera functionality.
Apple is rumored to release an all-glass iPhone with a curved, notch-less display and an under-screen selfie camera for its 20th anniversary, suggesting a significant design overhaul and new specifications.
Nvidia is expected to introduce new graphics cards, potentially including a low-end RTX 50 model. Concerns exist regarding the rumored 8GB of VRAM for this card, as it is considered insufficient for high-resolution gaming beyond Full HD.
Intel continues its efforts in the graphics market, with plans to introduce a B580 card featuring 24GB of VRAM at Computex, despite questions about the necessity of such high VRAM for its chip's power. Intel's Core Ultra series, while improving energy consumption, does not significantly enhance performance over previous generations (13th and 14th gen) and requires a platform change, making it less recommended for general users due to its high cost.
AMD is introducing new EPYC Zen 6 server CPUs, built on TSMC's 2-nanometer technology, featuring 256 cores (supporting 512-512 threads with Hyper-Threading) and up to 6 terabytes of RAM, showcasing significant advancements in server chiplet technology.
The mid-range Snapdragon 745 Gen 4 SoC, built on 4nm technology, offers performance comparable to two-year-old flagship chips. It features an 8-core configuration, significantly stronger GPU (30x) and CPU (27x) performance than its predecessor, and supports up to 200-megapixel cameras and 144 Hz WK HD Plus displays.
Consumer struggles with misleading sales advice in the mobile market are prevalent, with an anecdote highlighting a salesperson inaccurately describing a phone's 'Cryo-Fi' processor. This emphasizes the critical importance of independent research before making purchases.
A CPU buying guide, based on Cinebench 24 scores, recommends specific Intel and AMD models. Intel's Core i5-13400 (around 10 million Tomans) and Core i5-14600K are recommended for their strong price-performance ratio, with advice to avoid the highest-end models due to diminishing returns. For AMD, the Ryzen 9600X and 790X are highlighted, noting AMD's stable socket policy allows for more cost-effective upgrades compared to Intel's frequent platform changes.
The program features upcoming reviews for the Samsung A26, a newly released mid-range phone. It also covers the Realme 3 75, a highly durable phone criticized for its outdated performance (using a Helio G85 chip) and high price of 13 million Tomans despite its IP69 and military-grade impact resistance.
Iranian PhD student Ramin Javadi has achieved a 50% reduction in AI chip energy consumption through his research. This is a significant development addressing the growing global electricity demands posed by the expansion of artificial intelligence.
The hosts solicit viewer feedback for future episodes and announce a special Computex program for the following week, encouraging comments and questions regarding the buying guide, product reviews, and desired comparisons.
AMD's current market pricing makes it a highly attractive option for first-time system builders, primarily because the company maintains a stable socket design, facilitating easier and more cost-effective future upgrades compared to Intel.
| Product | Category | Key Feature | Price | Insight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MSI QLED OLED Monitor | Monitor | 27-inch, Samsung panel | $830 (base model) | A new QLED OLED monitor introduced at Computex. |
| Samsung G S Odyssey OLED Monitor | Monitor | 500 Hz, 27-inch OLED | $1,300 | Features an extremely high refresh rate, but its practical utility is questioned. |
| Xiaomi Smart Ring | Wearable | Health tracking (HR, O2, steps, sleep), IP68, Titanium body, 7-day battery | ~$100 (Chinese market) | An affordable smart ring alternative with comprehensive health features. |
| Sony WH-HZ0XMS Series | Headphones | Best for general users seeking good music quality | $450 | Not recommended for audio professionals requiring flat, uncolored sound. |
| Samsung S25FA | Smartphone (Upcoming) | Potential switch from Exynos 240A to MediaTek Dimensity 9400 | N/A | Driven by Exynos production challenges and historical performance issues. |
| Apple iPhone 20th Anniversary Edition | Smartphone (Rumored) | All-glass, curved display on four sides, no notch, under-screen selfie camera | N/A | Anticipated as a fundamental design change for the iPhone line. |
| Nvidia RTX 50 Series (Low-End) | GPU (Upcoming) | Expected 8GB VRAM | N/A | 8GB VRAM is considered insufficient for gaming beyond Full HD resolutions. |
| Intel B580 Graphics Card | GPU (Upcoming) | Planned 24GB VRAM | N/A | The high VRAM is questioned relative to the chip's overall processing power. |
| AMD EPYC Zen 6 CPUs | Server CPU | 256 cores, 2nm TSMC technology, supports up to 6 TB RAM | N/A | Represents a significant advancement in server chiplet technology. |
| Snapdragon 745 Gen 4 | Mobile SoC | 4nm fabrication, 8 cores, GPU 30x/CPU 27x stronger than predecessor | N/A | Mid-range SoC offering performance comparable to two-year-old flagships. |
| Intel Core i5-13400 | Recommended CPU | Strong all-around performance for gaming and editing | 10 million Tomans | Offers excellent price-performance ratio; often preferred over 14400 due to minimal difference. |
| Intel Core i5-14600K | Recommended CPU | Overclockable, offers long-term viability for systems | Higher than 13400 | Provides good value before the significant price jump to higher-end models. |
| AMD Ryzen 9600X | Recommended CPU | Good performance, stable socket (AMF/AM5) for upgrades | N/A | Ideal for new system builds due to AMD's consistent socket design supporting future CPUs. |
| Realme 3 75 | Smartphone (Review) | IP69, military-grade impact resistance, Helio G85 chip | 13 million Tomans | High durability is offset by very weak, outdated performance and a high price point. |
| Ramin Javadi's AI Research | AI Innovation | 50% reduction in AI chip energy consumption | N/A | A crucial development addressing the escalating electricity demands of AI infrastructure. |
