Technologies

Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, 40-Series Mobile GPUs and Everything Else It Announced at CES

Your next laptop may have these components. And you’ll probably want them if you create stuff or play games.

Nvidia delivered the first of the notable CES livestreamed announcements Tuesday — a day ahead of the primary marathon day of launches — with expected news about its GeForce 40-series mobile GPUs and the long-rumored RTX 4070 Ti desktop GPU. One notable surprise was the new GeForce Now Ultimate tier, which AT&T has already staked out for a six-months-free promotion. The company also gave some updates on its commercial tools for robotics, collaborative design and cars.

RTX 40-series mobile graphics

Nvidia launched a complete line of mobile GPUs, from the RTX 4050 (for barely-there cheap discrete graphics) to the RTX 4060 and 4070 (for mainstream or thin-and-light gaming and graphics laptops) up through the top-end RTX 4080 and 4090.

Thanks to the Ada Lovelace architecture, the new mobile chips are a lot more power efficient, which means a new generation of Nvidia’s Max-Q power-management technology: It incorporates ultra-low voltage DLSS 3, «tri-speed memory control» to drop to lower power memory states on the fly and more. My experience with the 4080 and 4090 showed quite an improvement in DLSS over the last gen. And finally gaining traction is the adoption of Advanced Optimus, Nvidia’s design for allowing the GPU to live on the same bus as the CPU, which lets you use G-Sync on the built-in display and switch to the integrated graphics for lower power use without a system reboot. (Every time the phrase «MUX Switch» is used, my soul dies a little more.)

It highlighted nongaming 14-inch laptops, such as the Lenovo Yoga Pro 14 and Asus ZenBook Pro 14 with RTX 4070, 4060 or 4050 mobile chips, shipping in late February starting at $999. Gaming laptops like the Alienware x16 with an RTX 4080 or RTX 4090 ship in early February, starting at $2,000.

Desktop GeForce RTX 4070 Ti

Nvidia first announced the 12GB card as a low-end RTX 4080, but people pointed out that its specs really didn’t match those expected of an xx80-class GPU, causing Nvidia to «unlaunch» the card. It’s subsequently been reborn as the RTX 4070 Ti, which starts shipping on Jan. 5, starting at $800.

What seems particularly interesting is that despite Nvidia’s generic renderings of the card, there doesn’t seem to be an Nvidia-branded Founders Edition version, which there usually is for this level of GPU. That means there’s no guarantee that there will be an actual card available at that entry-level price; we could always count on an Nvidia Founders Edition to be the one model that hewed to the announcement price. Even if it had a tendency to go out of stock and stayed that way.

Stay tuned for my review!

GeForce Now Ultimate

Nvidia has also upgraded its back-end cloud servers for its cloud-gaming service with RTX 4080-class GPUs from the RTX 3080-class models, which means its top-tier option for its cloud-gaming service gets an upgrade as well. By going with «Ultimate,» Nvidia doesn’t have to rebrand every time it upgrades, as it does from the previous «RTX 3080» membership.

For the same $20 per month, you get the same perks but the better performance afforded by the card. That can translate to effectively 240 frames per second up from 120fps (the details are unclear). Current RTX 3080 subscribers will automatically transition to the new plan when it becomes available. As usual, it will roll out incrementally across different regions.

You may also get GeForce Now as part of your car’s entertainment system if it uses Nvidia Drive technology. Now all you need is a way to create routes based on the quality of your cell signal to prevent interruptions.

Creator tools

Two notable software tools that run on RTX GPUs join the family. Nvidia Broadcast will get a beta Eye Contact effect — faking eye contact for videoconferences and presentations is the New Big Thing that I don’t like (Windows has it as well). I’ve never seen an implementation that’s not disturbing, and I think at least one of the presenters in the stream was using it because of the unblinking thousand-yard stare that didn’t so much look at you as through you. Maybe that’s just me, though.

The other potentially big feature is RTX Video Super Resolution, designed to improve video streaming on Chrome and Edge. It uses AI upscaling and artifact reduction to improve the look of 1080p video on higher-resolution screens. That will run on RTX 30- and 40-series GPUs.

And Nvidia’s Canvas generative-AI sketch tool, which can work on any RTX GPU, will go into beta this quarter.

Nvidia also provided some updates on its robotics and automotive development technologies. They include new features in its Isaac Sim environment, such as the ability to model multiple humans and arrays of robots (for AI training) and more. CES isn’t a big show for these back-end technologies — that’s more the purview of Nvidia’s designer- and developer-focused GTC and GDC conferences — so most of the news was about partnerships and updates on capabilities entering early access. If that’s what floats your boat, you can get all the details on Nvidia’s site rather than have me de-weed them for you.

Technologies

Sony WF-1000XM6 vs. Samsung Galaxy Buds 4 Pro Earbuds: A Photo Finish

Technologies

The Apple Watch Series 12 Could Bring Back a Throwback iPhone Feature

Everything we’ve heard so far about the rumored Apple Watch Series 12.

We’re hot off a busy March Apple launch with seven new products, including an iPhone 17E, updated MacBook Pros and a colorful MacBook Neo that’s about to rattle the Chromebook market. As we set our sights on the next big hardware launch, the Apple Watch Series 12 is already on the horizon.

While there haven’t been any concrete leaks yet, there’s plenty we can infer based on Apple’s past launches and typical release patterns. There are also a few lingering rumors that could finally land this year, including a possible nod to a long-removed but not forgotten iPhone feature.

Apple Watch Series 12 launch date

If there’s one thing Apple tends to keep consistent, it’s the timing of its fall hardware event, where it typically unveils its newest flagship iPhones and Apple Watch models.

Apple typically holds this event on the second Tuesday of September (usually the week after Labor Day). By that logic, Sept. 15 seems like the most likely candidate for Apple’s 2026 fall event. Because it lands a bit later in the month than in previous years, there’s also a slim chance Apple moves it up to Sept. 9 (Labor Day week), as it has before.

As in previous years, preorders would likely open on the Friday after the event, with availability following a week or so later (assuming no production delays).

Pricing and availability

Expect pricing for the new watches to stay roughly in line with the current Series 11 lineup, which starts at about $400 (42mm Wi-Fi model). Though price hikes aren’t completely off the table, with lingering tariff increases and the potential for supply chain issues.

How many Apple Watch models will we get?

A Series 12 is all but guaranteed — we’ve had a new Apple Watch model arrive every year since its launch. What’s less certain is whether Apple will refresh the entire lineup again this year. The Apple Watch SE and Ultra models don’t follow the same annual update cycle, and because both the SE 3 and Ultra 3 were refreshed in 2025, it’s less likely that Apple will update both again this year.

If Apple does add another model alongside the Series 12, the Ultra would be the more plausible candidate. Apple isn’t one to hold out on new features for its high-end models when warranted. Or if it follows the pattern set with the Ultra 2, the company might just roll out a new color model for the Ultra 3.

Design upgrades on the Apple Watch Series 12

There are rumblings of a redesign in the works, but given how sparse the chatter has been, my guess is we won’t see a major design overhaul this year. Expect the same silhouette, similar colors and materials. What could change: screen technology. A more energy-efficient display — potentially an improved LTPO panel with better brightness, as seen on the Series 10 — could help claw back some battery life without adding bulk.

Battery life and processor

The Series 11 and Ultra 3 got a significant battery bump over their predecessors: at least 6 hours more by Apple’s numbers and roughly an extra half day (or more) in my real-world testing. And the Ultra 3 also got charging speed worthy of its name, like its newer siblings. But there’s still a lot of room for improvement on both battery life and charging speed.

With no major clues hinting at bigger batteries yet, I’d bet we see more incremental gains (if any) on the Series 12. Improvements could come from better screen technology, software optimizations, and more efficient processors.

In theory, the processor name usually matches the watch number, suggesting an S12 chip this year. But since the Series 11 and Ultra 3 are still running on the previous year’s S10 chip, the next upgrade could technically be an S11, making this year’s naming a bit awkward.

New health features on the horizon

Apple has already dipped its toes into blood pressure monitoring with hypertension notifications on the Apple Watch (Series 10, Series 11 and Ultra 3). The feature alerts owners when it detects signs of abnormally high blood pressure, but it stops short of providing an on-the-spot read. This could be on the table for the fall of 2026.

Other wearable health companies like Omron and Med-Watch have proven that wrist-based blood pressure measurement is possible, though it’s not as reliable as a traditional cuff and may require new (bulkier) hardware to bring to the Apple Watch.

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple has been testing the feature internally but has encountered accuracy issues. And even if Apple pulls it off for this year, it might measure only baseline trends similar to Samsung’s blood pressure feature on the Galaxy Watch 7 and Ultra (not supported in the US).

Glucose monitoring is another long-running rumor that’s on the table, but according to Gurman, it’s even further from a finished product than blood pressure and realistically wouldn’t appear before 2027.

Biometric authentication: Touch ID or Face ID?

Rumors of a camera on the Apple Watch have been around for a few years — not for selfies, but potentially for Face ID or AI-based image recognition.

Apple Intelligence on the iPhone introduced a visual search tool that uses the camera to identify objects and places in real time, and it might be a matter of time before this feature eventually makes its way to the wrist. Meanwhile, wearable-focused processors like Qualcomm’s Snapdragon chips already support cameras and even livestreaming. Apple is known to use its proprietary chips, so it’s unlikely this would impact Apple’s timeline, but it shows the technology is there, and we may see it down the line on the Apple Watch. Just not this year, according to Bloomberg.

A more feasible near-term option could be Touch ID. Macworld recently spotted lines of internal code suggesting Apple has been experimenting with biometric authentication for the 2026 Apple Watch lineup. According to the report, the code references «AppleMesa,» which is Apple’s internal code name for a watch-based Touch ID. It’s still unclear whether the sensor would be integrated under the display, like we see on Android phones, or built into the side button or the Digital Crown.

Watch OS 27 wishlist

Now that Apple has standardized its operating system names to match the year ahead, you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to figure out that the next big update for the Apple Watch will be WatchOS 27.

With a major redesign already in the books (5 New Apple Watch Features Coming With WatchOS 26), we’re not expecting a dramatic visual change this time around, but there’s plenty on the wishlist, including better battery management tools and more customizable gesture controls. Apple could also expand Workout Buddy from metric-driven encouragement into more concrete training territory. This could bring it closer to what Samsung is trying with its AI-powered Running Coach.

Lastly, I’d welcome a more robust symptom tracker tied into the Vitals app similar to Oura Ring’s Symptom Radar that can flag early signs of illness.

Other Health app updates

The next version of WatchOS 27 could also bring changes to the Health app. According to a report from Mark Gurman at Bloomberg, Apple has been working on a top-secret initiative code-named Project Mulberry, aimed at revamping the Health app with an AI-powered health concierge that could unify your health, fitness, and medical data in one place.

However, the project has recently run into some obstacles. Bloomberg’s latest report suggests Apple has put the effort on hold (at least for this year). That still leaves room for improvement on the Health app front with a potential redesign to the main dashboard that would make spotting trends easier.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 10, #533

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for March 10, No. 533.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition features a lot of team names, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy one to solve. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Play ball!

Green group hint: Not front.

Blue group hint: Certain NFL player.

Purple group hint: They play at Smoothie King Center.