The WAN Show - PCI Express 4.0, Android Nougat.. & More AMD Zen - August 26th 2016

The WAN Show episode from August 26th, 2016 covers a wide range of technology topics, anchored by Linus and Luke discussing upcoming AMD Zen architectures and how they aim to improve multi-core efficiency, higher frequencies, and better resource sharing between cores. The hosts frame Zen as a major moment for AMD, while acknowledging that details released at Hot Chips lack some specifics, leading to lively analysis and speculation about IPC, cache, and power dynamics. They also dig into Microsofts Hololens, breaking down the hardware stack including micro displays, imaging optics, waveguides, and the sensor suite that enables head tracking and environment understanding, and they note the practical challenges of mass adoption and use cases. The PCI Express 4.0 segment explains the promised 16 GT/s transfers per lane and the potential to double bandwidth per lane, discussing the implications for high-end storage such as NVMe SSDs and possible impacts on enterprise and data center workloads, while also noting consumer relevance and the current limits of PCIe bandwidth for typical gaming rigs. Android 7.0 Nougat is highlighted as a major update rolling out to Nexus devices and several other smartphones, with emphasis on features like split-screen multitasking, expanded notifications, and improvements to multitasking and stylus interactions, alongside common app compatibility caveats. The show includes lighter segments on pop culture hardware misfires and curiosities, such as the Nosulus Rift, a fart-smelling peripheral for South Park The Fractured But Whole, and the novelty Xbox Onesie, providing humor and a break from the hardware-centric discussions. They touch on broader tech news including North Korea launching a streaming service called Manbang, a McDonalds Happy Meal fitness tracker recall, and a US Senator suggesting video-based instruction as a replacement for some college courses, framing these as real-world implications of tech adoption and policy. The host banter covers the ongoing Zen hype cycle, fan reactions, and the communities surrounding Linus Tech Tips, including the behind-the-scenes work schedule as Linus anticipates a new family member and prepares buffer content for parental leave. In the latter portions, they return to PCIe 4.0 specifics, with a discussion of bandwidth scaling, potential use cases for chip-to-chip connections, and the idea of reducing the need for external bridges in some configurations, while noting that consumer impact may be limited for typical PC builds. The Android Nougat discussion then pivots to user-experience improvements, such as faster app switching, smarter notifications, and the reality of app compatibility on multi-tasking features, accompanied by personal experiences with Note 7 and other devices. A sponsor segment for iFixit and Cooler Master bookends the episode, offering practical context for hardware teardown culture and PC chassis accessories, concluding with a casual look ahead at whats exciting in the near term for Zen, PCIe 4.0, and mobile OS updates. The show maintains its characteristic humorous tone, rapid topic shifts, and candid, opinionated commentary, inviting viewers to weigh in on whether the new hardware and software directions will translate into tangible day-to-day improvements or remain largely incremental advancements. Overall, the episode blends hands-on hardware discussion, policy and market context, and light-hearted tech culture moments, delivering a snapshot of late-2016 tech maturation and the excited anticipation around AMDsZen, Intel storage trends, and Androids evolving ecosystem.

Topics · technology · hardware · gaming · mobile · enterprise · data-center