29 Sept 2025
This 'Silicon' episode was produced after three challenging and "war-like" weeks, reflecting on the difficulties faced by the team and extending well-wishes to listeners during this period. The program provides comprehensive updates on new hardware releases, an analysis of the volatile market situation, and personal accounts of navigating recent crises.
The 'Silicon' podcast released its latest episode after three tumultuous weeks marked by 'war-like' conditions, leading to production delays and a change in the usual release schedule. The team extended well-wishes to listeners, acknowledging the widespread difficulties and the need for everyone to shelter during this time.
An Elon Musk rocket exploded during a test, but widespread internet outages prevented its coverage, highlighting the challenges of reporting news amidst broader global events.
This episode primarily focuses on crucial hardware news, a detailed market situation analysis, and guidance for potential purchases, particularly relevant after three weeks of economic uncertainty.
AMD introduced a new 50-megapixel graphics card for both desktop and laptop, offering improved specifications as an entry-level option, unlike previous generations which often lacked newer technologies on desktops.
The AMD card features 8GB of GDDR5 memory and new technologies like DLSS and multi-frame generation. It is priced at $250, though some critics suggest a $200 price point would be more competitive, with global market availability currently uncertain.
Early, unofficial benchmark tests of the AMD card showed it lagging behind the RX 6600 (laptop version) and slightly below the RTX 2060. However, these tests were performed on an old system (Crysis 9700 CPU) and exhibited unusually low temperatures, suggesting potential inaccuracies.
DLSS technology, which upscales resolution to achieve higher frame rates, is critically viewed as creating a 'fake' experience by adding processing to an already processed image, leading to an artificially inflated perception of performance.
Information surfaced about Nvidia's unreleased RTX 57 TI Super A graphics card, notable for its 24GB of memory and high 350-watt power consumption. The 'TI Super' extension, first seen in the RTX 40 generation, typically signifies a replacement for previous models.
OpenAI acquired the startup Io brand to venture into hardware production, with plans to release entirely new devices (not mobile phones or laptops) by the end of 2026. The Io brand, however, faced marketing complaints and patent infringement issues, necessitating the removal of its 'winner' brand from promotional materials.
Samsung introduced the Exynos 2500 chip, marking a significant advancement as the company's first 3-nanometer chip. Its most notable feature is direct communication with satellites via the XOS 5400 modem, allowing for internet and message exchange without relying on cellular networks.
The Exynos 2500 chip boasts 10 cores and an AI performance of up to 59 TOPS, representing a 39% improvement over its predecessor. However, thermal management issues are a concern, particularly for devices like the Flip and Fold phones, and this chip is expected to be adopted globally, moving away from previous regional chip variations.
Early benchmark results for MediaTek's flagship Dimensity 9500 chip were unusually low, likely due to a deactivated GPU or unoptimized testing conditions, rendering them unreliable. Products featuring this chip, expected from manufacturers like Vivo and Oppo, are anticipated within the next three months.
The new HDMI 2.1 standard was introduced, featuring an 'Ultralight' cable capable of supporting 4K resolution at 480Hz and 16K at 60Hz, with a bandwidth approaching 100 gigabits per second. The standard's widespread adoption is uncertain as companies are not mandated to comply, and it faces competition from alternative image transfer technologies like Thunderbolt and USB-C.
The podcast team shared personal accounts of navigating the difficult weeks, including evacuating offices located near conflict zones and experiencing severe traffic congestion. They underscored the importance of preparing emergency documents and discussed societal behaviors like hoarding during crises.
Widespread internet outages presented significant challenges for updating the Digito website, with team members working remotely and utilizing internal networks. These conditions highlighted the difficulties in providing timely and accurate news when official sources were scarce.
Digito's Instagram page, with 50,000 followers and millions of monthly interactions across 17,000 posts, was lost for unknown reasons. The team is actively working on recovery and plans to launch a new page, relying on community support for rebuilding its presence.
The tech market is highly unstable, characterized by store closures, product unavailability, and rapid fluctuations in currency exchange rates, leading to financial losses for sellers. Many online stores have experienced significant delays in shipping and refunds, with instances of substantial consumer payments being held for extended periods without proper apology. Consumers are advised to exercise extreme caution, conduct thorough research, compare prices diligently, and ideally make in-person purchases from trusted sources, avoiding what are effectively 'empty sales.'
The hosts invited listeners to share their personal experiences from the difficult weeks, specifically asking for recommendations on offline games played due to internet disruptions. They also encouraged listeners to leave 'blue heart' comments as a sign of support.
The market situation is very unstable, both in terms of availability and price, which is not at all clear.
| Category | Product | Key Insight |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics Card | AMD 50-megapixel | New entry-level desktop/laptop card with 8GB GDDR5, DLSS support. Priced at $250, but unofficial tests show mixed performance against older cards. |
| Graphics Card | Nvidia RTX 57 TI Super A | Unreleased high-end card featuring an unusual 24GB memory and 350W power consumption. The 'TI Super' variant often discontinues previous models. |
| Mobile Chip | Samsung Exynos 2500 | Samsung's first 3nm chip with direct satellite communication via XOS 5400 modem. Features 10 cores, 59 TOPS AI performance, but raises thermal concerns for foldable devices. |
| Mobile Chip | MediaTek Dimensity 9500 | Flagship chip with unreliable early benchmark scores, potentially due to GPU issues. Expected in new products from Vivo and Oppo within three months. |
| Display Standard | HDMI 2.1 | New standard supports 4K@480Hz and 16K@60Hz with 96 Gbps bandwidth. Adoption is voluntary for manufacturers, facing competition from Thunderbolt/USB-C, and high cost for advanced displays. |
| Market Conditions | Tech Retail | Highly unstable market with store closures, product unavailability, and rapid currency fluctuations. Consumers are advised caution, in-person purchases, and avoiding 'empty sales' due to delivery/refund issues. |
| Tech Venture | OpenAI Hardware (Io brand) | OpenAI's acquired startup aims to produce a completely new hardware device by 2026. The 'Io brand' faced marketing and patent issues, requiring a rebranding strategy. |
