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AMD's RX 9070 XT is likely to be as low as it'll get in terms of pricingDemand for GPUs (and other components) is expected to spike later in the yearOn top of the effects of tariffs, this could mean substantial price hikes for graphics cards, a YouTube leaker tells usNow might be the perfect time to pounce and buy one of AMD's RX 9070 XT graphics cards, given that the price of this GPU has dropped recently, and it's likely to rise later in 2025.That's the theory floated by Moore's Law is Dead (MLID), a regular leaker on YouTube, who discusses RX 9070 XT pricing - and the looming specter of GPU price rises more broadly - in the second half of his latest video.MLID observes that the price tags on the RX 9070 XT have dropped significantly (from nearly $900 down to around $700), coming closer to the MSRP (although still not quite there - the recommended price is $600). It's a similar story in other regions, such as the UK, too, with pricing having dipped a good deal.That is, of course, good news for potential buyers, but MLID reached out to various sources at retailers and uncovered the other not-so-good news about those possible price increases.MLID explains that pricing has dipped right now due to slow summer sales - as is expected at this time of year - but that we've likely reached the lowest point. Those retail sources indicate that prices may drop just a touch more, but they're probably more likely to stabilize at the level they're now at.Going into the final quarter of 2025, we're apparently going to see price hikes, though, beyond the normal seasonal (holiday sales) reasons, that is. The latter will still be a factor here, naturally, but MLID asserts that there will be extra pressure on all PC components - including GPUs - due to businesses being forced to upgrade to Windows 11.Remember that Windows 10 will reach end of support in October 2025, so this will be a factor in Q4, as organizations place orders for new hardware, driving up demand. Consumers will also play into that demand to a lesser extent.The third factor in play with potential price increases is that during the third quarter of 2025, we're told the pre-tariff stockpiles of components are set to run dry. All this adds up to a bleak picture for Q4 supply and demand, spiking prices on not just the RX 9070 XT, but all GPUs, and indeed many other components.What if there are deals struck and all of Trump's tariffs go away later in 2025? Even in that case, due to the nature of shipping electronics and the lengthy transport times associated with cargo ships, we can't expect any stock or pricing relief to materialize in 2025.Analysis: The bottom lineMLID's bottom line, based on all the talks he has had with sources in retail and distribution, is that we're likely looking at price hikes of 10% to 30% across various tech goods, including GPUs. That's a rather generalized assertion, but nonetheless, a somewhat worrying one - take some seasoning with it, naturally, although the logic behind the YouTuber's thinking makes some sense.So, we come back to the RX 9070 XT - if you're looking at buying an upper-mid-range GPU for 1440p or 4K gaming, it would seem that July is a good time to buy. Furthermore, remember that we just discovered that the RX 9070 XT is now almost 10% faster than it was at launch, thanks to improvements AMD has ushered in with subsequent versions of its graphics driver.This means the RX 9070 XT looks a more tempting prospect, especially if you consider that this month may see the cheapest price you're going to get for this excellent AMD GPU. Although yes, the fact that it's still over MSRP may be annoying, I don't deny that - but the 9070 XT is still a whole lot cheaper than the rival RTX 5070 Ti, and a much better value proposition overall.And speaking of that (also highly rated) Nvidia graphics card, MLID notes that retail sources indicate the RTX 5070 Ti is selling better now, too, and is apparently equaling the 9070 XT at some retailers (though AMD is still ahead at others). That's still a victory for AMD, of course, which in terms of overall desktop GPU market share is way behind Nvidia.Another thought that may occur to you is: what about Black Friday deals for the RX 9070 XT later this year? Given all this chatter, I wouldn't bank on anything compelling happening there, especially as graphics cards are never one of the strongest areas for price slashing in that sale. The imminent Prime Day, however, is certainly worth keeping a close eye on.You might also likeWhere to buy AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070: the best retailers in the US and UK to check for stockAMD warns its RX 9070 GPUs are strictly ‘UEFI-only’ – but don't panic, here's why this probably doesn’t affect youI've reviewed three generations of 3D V-cache processors, and the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D is the best there is

Amazon Prime Day 2025 is coming in fast, five days to be exact. The member’s only shopping event kicks off on July 8, 2025, and for the first time ever will last for four days, and will likely bring with it thousands of deals across nearly every category on the site, including plenty of gadgets. • Shop Amazon's full early saleNow, as the name suggests, you’ll need to be a Prime member to take part and access the deals, but also get a host of other benefits like free, fast shipping on plenty of items. And Amazon is rolling out a pretty epic deal in a refresh of one of its Prime membership tiers. Prime for Young Adults has been updated, and it’s probably the most attractive offer leading into Prime in terms of subscription options.It’s available if you fall between the age of 18 to 24 or are a student and is priced at a 50% discount compared to the standard Prime membership at just $7.49 a month or $69 for a whole year, but right now those eligible for the offer can get six months of Prime for Young Adults for free. You’ll either verify your eligibility with a government-issued ID or a .edu email address.Get Prime for Young Adults free for six monthsThe best early-day Prime Day deal isn't a sharp discount on an LG TV or a Lego set; if you're a student, it's scoring six months of Prime for Young Adults for free. You'll get access to all the deals next week, up to 10% cash back on select categories during Prime Day, and free, fast shipping, among other things. After the trial, it's $7.49 a month or $69 for a whole year and is for folks aged 18 - 24 or with .edu email adress.View DealBeyond the fact that it will unlock Prime Day 2025 deals for you, it comes with a host of Prime membership perks. Yes, it’s the free, fast shipping, but it’s also access to Prime Video to stream TV shows and movies on one of the best streaming services, but also access to Amazon Music and Prime Gaming. You can also get GrubHub+ for free for delivery from participating restaurants in your area.But there’s a hidden bonus of sorts, and that’s cash back on eligible purchases in select categories all year round. Those will stand as an annual perk, but for Prime Day 2025, Amazon is doubling it to 10% cash back on products within electronics, apparel, and beauty categories, among others. It’s not unlimited, though, as it’s capped at $500 per year; however, it’s an excellent perk that can help make a standard Prime Day discount even better.Prime for Young Adults is a pretty stellar deal right now, especially if you meet the requirements to sign up, as you’ll get six months for free and unlock a whole host of perks. Now, if you’re like me and a bit jealous that you’re out of the age range, you can still sign up for Prime to unlock deals next week and score some perks; it just doesn’t have a six-month free trial, only 30-days.And if you can’t wait until next week, check out the best 4th of July and early Prime Day deals here.Shop more early Prime Day dealsAmazon Devices: 50% off TVs, Ring & Fire SticksApple: AirPods + iPads from $99Back to school: deals from $5.99Beauty: 80% off toothbrushes & skincareHeadphones: $120 off Bose, Apple & SonyHealth: electric toothbrushes from $24.99Kitchen: 54% off Ninja, Nespresso & KeurigLaptops: record-low prices from $175Tablets: iPads and Samsung from $54.99Toys: 40% off Lego, scooters & TonieboxTVs: cheap TVs from $59.99Vacuums: Shark, Bissell & Dyson from $49.99

Abee AI Station‘s 16-core APU with 126 TOPS AI power makes it far from averageLiquid cooling and 92mm fans keep this tiny inferno cool under heavy AI loadA Radeon 8600S running at 2900MHz with 96GB shared memory is no jokeThe Abee AI Station, a compact yet powerful AI workstation, was recently unveiled at the AMD Industry Solution National Conference.This mini workstation features the AMD Ryzen AI MAX 395 processor, delivering a 16-core, 32-thread APU with boost speeds up to 5.1GHz.It integrates an AI engine reportedly offering a combined 126 TOPS, including a dedicated NPU rated at over 50 TOPS.Compact liquid-cooled AI PC built for high-performance local inferenceThe integrated AMD Radeon 8600S GPU operates at 2900MHz and can allocate up to 96GB of memory for AI tasks.It also comes with 128GB of LP-DDR5X memory running at 8000MT/s, and storage options comprising dual 56GB modules and a 1TB DOGE unit.The system seems well-suited for AI and machine learning inference, although it should be noted that the RAM is soldered and non-upgradeable.Nevertheless, this level of inference performance puts it in direct contention for the title of best mini PC, especially among AI developers seeking a local compute option without cloud reliance.The Abee AI Station cooling design includes dual 92mm fans, a small internal radiator, and a pump mounted directly on the APU.This configuration raises its profile as a best workstation candidate for users who demand sustained high performance without thermal throttling.Despite its compact 21x22x15cm size, the Abee AI Station incorporates a built-in 400W Flex ATX PSU, platinum-rated for efficiency.The Abee AI Station also features a custom ATX12VO motherboard and supports advanced networking with dual ports offering 2.5GbE and 10GbE connectivity.This business PC also supports a 27-inch AOC Q27P3U display offering 2K resolution and a 75Hz refresh rate.Additional accessories include the V700 958FI webcam with microphone and a VT60 wireless mechanical keyboard and mouse.On paper, this device seems to have most of the hardware it needs to maintain stable performance under sustained workloads, but real-world testing will be required to validate that.Over time, more Chinese brands such as GMKTec with the EVO-X2 and SDUNITED with the AX835-025FF have begun adopting the Strix Halo processor in their mini PCs.However, major manufacturers like Asus, Framework, and HP have so far limited their use of the chip to larger workstation-class systems rather than compact desktops.Whether these mainstream brands will eventually bring Strix Halo to their mini PC lines remains uncertain.Via VideocardzYou might also likeThese are the best mobile workstations you can buy right nowWe've also listed the best portable monitors for every budget and resolutionSamsung just launched a new 32-inch 4K smart OLED monitor with AI and Microsoft 365 access

More than six months after TikTok was briefly banned, we still don't know exactly what its fate in the US will be. But we do have new insight into the legal wrangling that has allowed Apple, Google and other platforms to continue to support the app.

If you remember, TikTok was only "banned" for a matter of hours shortly before President Donald Trump took office in January and delayed enforcement of the law. The app's service was promptly restored January 19, 2025, but the app didn't return to Apple and Google's app stores until February 13. Reporting at the time suggested the companies had lingering concerns about potential liability for running afoul of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act.

Back in February, Axios and others reported that the Justice Department had given "assurances" to tech platforms that they wouldn't be penalized for violating the law. Now, we know exactly what Attorney General Pam Bondi told the companied as letters sent to Apple, Google, Amazon, Oracle and other firms have been made public. The letters were disclosed in a Freedom of Information Act Request made by Tony Tan, a software engineer and Google shareholder suing the search giant for not complying with the TikTok ban.

In a letter dated January 30, 2025, Bondi tells Apple and Google that "the President has determined that an abrupt shutdown of the TikTok platform would interfere with the execution of the President's constitutional duties to take care of the national security and foreign affairs of the United States." It goes on to state that Apple and Google "may continue to provide services to TikTok … without incurring any legal liability."

A followup later dated April 5, 2025 (the day after Trump gave TikTok another 75-day reprieve), Bondi told the companies that "the Department of Justice is also irrevocably relinquishing any claims the United States might have had against" them "for the conduct proscribed in the Act during the Covered Period and Extended Covered Period, with respect to TikTok and the larger family of ByteDance Ltd. and TikTok, Inc. applications covered under the Act."

The letters can be read in full below.

The law has now been paused three times since Trump took office. Earlier this week, he said that details about TikTok's new ownership could be made public in "about two weeks."This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/here-are-the-letters-that-let-apple-and-google-ignore-the-tiktok-ban-220630588.html?src=rss