5 Nov 2025
The nineteenth episode of Silicon discusses last week's hardware news, including viral AI videos mistakenly reported as real news by domestic media and the significant impact of Windows 10's end-of-life on the PC market, leading to an 8% growth and a notable shift towards Mac purchases. The program also covers new AI chips from Qualcomm and Nvidia, alongside in-depth reviews of upcoming smartphones like Samsung's triple-foldable, Nothing Phone T-Lite, Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, and the OnePlus Ace, while cautioning against AI's ability to verify its own content.
This episode of Silicon reviews the past week's hardware news and ongoing cyberspace discussions, including personal anecdotes and a critique of public figures.
A picture of Amir Marba, described as handsome despite personal dislike, went viral on Twitter, accumulating 500 likes by 4 AM and exploding in popularity due to its perceived artistic quality, though some debated if it was AI-generated.
A viral video circulating for several days, presented by domestic media as real news, is confirmed to be 100% artificial intelligence, sparking debate on Twitter about the difficulty of AI creation and the media's failure to recognize AI-generated content.
Artificial intelligence's reliance on existing movements and actions, evident in tools like Sora and Ranvi, allows for the identification of AI-generated videos, as repetitive patterns often betray their artificial nature.
The official end of Windows 10 support has forced companies and organizations to update systems, leading to an 8% annual growth rate in the PC market and a surprising increase in Mac purchases, as Windows 11 often requires new hardware.
A debate arose about the best Windows versions, with Windows 10 being considered one of the best after XP and 7, and Windows 7 specifically lauded for its quality.
Qualcomm introduced new AI chips for data centers, the AI 200 and AI 250, set for release in the next two years, which are noted for their processing power and energy efficiency, particularly in training AI models, despite Nvidia's current market dominance.
Nvidia showcased a prototype of its Vera Rubin AI superchip, featuring a multi-chiplet architecture with two processing chiplets per GPU, 88 ARM cores, support for up to 1TB of HPMF RAM, and 6 trillion transistors, designed for immense AI processing power.
Samsung displayed a prototype of a triple-foldable phone, which unfolds into a tablet-like device with three distinct layers, offering a design similar to house partitions, though its practical utility is questioned.
Realme introduced the XB, an economical phone with a 90 Hz TFDI screen, 780 nits brightness, and a G85 chip, criticized for its weak specifications for a new release, despite claims of resistance.
Speculation suggests the iPhone 20 may feature touch buttons instead of physical ones, potentially for camera control, raising concerns about usability and the long-standing rumor of a completely buttonless iPhone.
The Nothing Phone T-Lite was officially introduced, adding to the brand's confusing product lineup with inconsistent naming conventions across its various models (Lite, Pro, A, etc.), which complicates market positioning.
The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max, featuring a Snapdragon 8 Elite (8th generation) chip, arrived with a Chinese ROM, limiting Play Store access and benchmark testing. Its physical design is praised for feeling more premium than the iPhone, despite similar dimensions, and it boasts a vibrant Hyper OS display, a functional rear screen for selfies and personalization, a 100-watt charger in the box, and infrared capabilities.
The OnePlus Ace was launched with a base price of $3560, featuring a 1272 x 2800 pixel 165 Hz screen with 5000 nits brightness, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Extreme Edition chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB storage, IP68/69 rating, a 7800 mAh battery, and 120-watt fast charging, with an estimated global price of $400.
Companies like Xiaomi and OnePlus are observed skipping numbers in their phone lineups (e.g., Xiaomi 13 to 15, OnePlus 13 to 15), potentially for marketing reasons like aligning with competitor numbering or creating a perception of greater advancement, though the practice is seen as confusing.
Users are warned against asking AI to validate its own content or information, as AI tends to reference external sources like news agencies for verification, often leading to incorrect or circular affirmations rather than true analytical assessment of authenticity.
In short, be careful with these things; it's probably going to be much scarier in the future.
| Insight | Description |
|---|---|
| AI Misinformation & Media Responsibility | Viral AI-generated videos are often mistaken for real news by domestic media, highlighting a critical need for skepticism and proper content verification. |
| Windows 10 EOL Market Shift | The end of Windows 10 support led to an 8% PC market growth, significantly boosting Mac sales as organizations updated systems requiring new hardware. |
| Advancements in AI Chips | Qualcomm and Nvidia introduced new, energy-efficient AI chips (AI 200/250, Vera Rubin superchip) with chiplet architectures and high processing power for data centers. |
| Foldable Phone Innovation & Utility | Samsung showcased a triple-foldable phone concept, raising questions about the practical utility and necessity of increasingly complex folding mechanisms. |
| Smartphone Naming & Branding Confusion | New phone lineups from Nothing, Xiaomi, and OnePlus exhibit confusing naming conventions and number-skipping, impacting brand clarity and consumer understanding. |
| Xiaomi 17 Pro Max: Premium & Feature-Rich | The Xiaomi 17 Pro Max offers a premium feel, Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen, a dual-display for main camera selfies, and a comprehensive package (charger, cover), though with initial Chinese ROM limitations. |
| Skepticism Towards AI Self-Verification | AI's inability to analytically self-verify content means it relies on external sources for validation, making it an unreliable judge of authenticity, especially for AI-generated media. |
