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Prices of AMD's flagship desktop processor, the Ryzen 9 7950X3D, dropped to under $500 for the first time, with Amazon listing it at $492. This 16-core/32-thread processor features 3D V-cache on one of its two 8-core CCDs, which gives it the gaming performance boost that the technology provides, while leaving its second CCD to sustain higher boost clocks, benefiting multithreaded productivity workloads. Is the 7950X3D a good buy at $492? In a recent interview with Tom's Hardware, AMD confided that the first wave of Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" desktop processors, codenamed "Granite Ridge," [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] the gaming performance of the company's 7000X3D processors, but are significantly faster at productivity workloads, which makes the 7950X3D a tempting buy at $492. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, the fastest desktop processor for gaming, is priced at $339.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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EVGA designed an enthusiast segment AMD X670E chipset motherboard for the Socket AM5 platform, which never made it to the mass market. It had even planned to give the board its coveted Classified brand, and sell as the X670E Classified. Prototypes of this board fetched over $1,300 in auction. The board is built in the E-ATX form-factor like most of the EVGA Classified series motherboards; and packs a powerful CPU VRM, besides several overclocker-friendly features, such as top-oriented DDR5 memory slots, side-facing I/O (including power inputs), and in general, a decluttered layout that won't get in the way of extreme cooling solutions.

There were four such prototypes with Jiacheng Liu, a hardware enthusiast, each of which went under the hammer. The only trouble with these prototypes is that they're bare—they don't include heatsinks for the CPU VRM or the chipset, let alone heatsinks for the two M.2 Gen 5 NVMe slots that don't eat into the Gen 5 x16 PEG. Another problem with these boards is that they're not supported by EVGA, and only come with their initial BIOS that supports Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors, but not the upcoming Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5." We doubt if these even support the Ryzen 7000X3D series, which is probably the main reason the boards didn't fetch way more than $1,300 a piece at the auctions. Enthusiasts might still figure out a way to BIOS-mod and encapsulate the latest AGESA.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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Intel has identified the root cause for stability issues being observed with certain high-end 13th- and 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processor models, which were causing games and other compute-intensive applications to randomly crash. When the issues were first identified, Intel recommended a workaround that would reduce core-voltages and restrict the boost headroom of these processors, which would end up with reduced performance. The company has apparently discovered the root cause of the problem, as Igor's Lab learned from confidential documents.

The documents say that Intel isolated the problem to a faulty value in the microcode's end of the eTVB (enhanced thermal velocity boost) algorithm. "Root cause is an incorrect value in a microcode algorithm associated with the eTVB feature. Implication Increased frequency and corresponding voltage at high temperature may reduce processor reliability. Observed Found internally," the document says, mentioning "Raptor Lake-S" (13th Gen) and "Raptor Lake Refresh-S" (14th Gen) as the affected products.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Microsoft has made a last-minute decision to pull its much-debated "Recall" feature from the Windows 11 24H2 update set to launch on June 18th. Instead, the company will roll out Recall as a preview through the Windows Insider Program while it works to build user trust and address security concerns. Recall, one of the flagship features of 24H2, creates a searchable 30-day timeline of a user's activities including files, webpages, and screenshots. However, since its announcement on May 20th, Recall has faced heavy criticism over potential privacy risks from storing user data in unencrypted plain text files. Security researcher Kevin Beaumont labeled Recall a "security nightmare" after finding it logged activities to a SQLite database accessible by non-admin accounts. This raised alarms about the depths of user behavior tracked and stored locally on PCs.

Initially, Microsoft had planned for Recall to be enabled by default in 24H2. However, following the backlash, the company backtracked on June 7th, making it an opt-in feature requiring Windows Hello authentication and adding encryption. Those adjustments were still not enough to satisfy Microsoft. In a new blog post, the firm stated Recall did not yet meet its "own standards of quality and security" and that it "must be trustworthy, secure and robust" before a wider rollout. By moving Recall to the Insider Program for further testing and refinement, Microsoft is giving itself more time to get the technology right and rebuild user confidence. A future blog will provide instructions for Insiders to preview Recall on compatible Copilot+ PCs with added security protections.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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GIGABYTE today launched its flagship M.2 NVMe SSD, the AORUS Gen5 14000 series. The drive packs the winning combination of Phison PS5026-E26 Max14um controller, with Micron B58R 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash memory, along with a fast LPDDR4 DRAM cache. The drive comes in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacity variants. The maximum speeds vary for the three.

The 2 TB model is the fastest of the three, with a sequential read speed of up to 14,500 MB/s, and sequential write speed of up to 12,700 MB/s. The 4 TB model is the second fastest, with up to 14,100 MB/s sequential reads, and up to 12,600 MB/s sequential writes. The 1 TB model is third, with up to 13,600 MB/s sequential reads, and up to 10,200 MB/s sequential writes. All three models come without a heatsink, with just a metal film label on top. GIGABYTE recommends pairing the drive with M.2 SSD cooling solutions included with your motherboard to minimize performance throttling. The company didn't announce pricing.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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GIGABYTE, the world's leading premium gaming hardware manufacturer, today announced the AORUS C400 GLASS mid-tower gaming case, which has been honored with the 2024 Red Dot Design Award. The AORUS C400 GLASS features a vertical airflow cooling design, ensuring optimal stability and enhanced heat dissipation efficiency within the case. Its compact size of approximately 40 liters still provides an outstanding compatibility, ensuring that performance is not restricted by size limitations. Tool-less design adds convenience for gamers to assembly, enhancing a more user-friendly and efficient building process. Additionally, the case supports RGB FUSION lighting effects, allowing gamers to personalize their rigs' style with ease.⁠

Optimized Vertical Airflow Design
The airflow design of the case is one of the factors to affect the internal thermal performance. Inspired by the stack effect, the AORUS C400 GLASS enhances the speed of air convection, allowing air to rapidly circulate vertically within the case. This achieves more efficient heat dissipation, effectively reducing internal temperatures. The bottom, top, and front panels all feature large-area vent design, minimizing airflow obstructions and facilitating a large volume of intake and exhaust airflow. Additionally, the case comes with four 120 mm ARGB and PWM pre-installed fans positioned at the bottom and rear of the case, providing excellent airflow paths. This setup achieves high-efficiency heat dissipation, ensuring optimal ventilation and stable performance for the computer system.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Team Group Inc., the global leading provider of premium storage solutions, has been dedicated to the development of diverse storage solutions, providing high-quality and versatile products to meet the needs of consumers. Today, Team Group proudly unveils the X1 MAX USB 3.2 Gen 2 x1 Flash Drive with enhanced transfer speed and storage capacity. With black panther-like, ultra-fast specifications, it delivers read/write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s and offers a substantial storage capacity of 1 TB. The sleek obsidian black design captures the perfect professional look. Compact yet capable of holding vast amounts of data, the X1 MAX USB 3.2 Gen 2 x1 underscores Team Group's commitment to providing professional and sophisticated storage solutions.

The Team Group X1 MAX USB 3.2 Gen 2 x1 Flash Drive offers transfer speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s. It supports both Type-C and Type-A interfaces for broad compatibility with desktop computers, laptops, tablets, and smartphones for enhanced convenience. Designed with the storage needs of business professionals in mind, it offers a substantial 1 TB capacity. The product features a black sandblasted aluminium alloy finish that significantly enhances its aesthetic appeal to match professional sophistication. Measuring just 6.3 cm, the X1 MAX is highly portable for instant use when traveling or working with data on the go. Designed to meet various data and multimedia storage needs, the X1 MAX provides consumers with a practical and stylish storage solution.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]
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Samsung Electronics just filed trademark paperwork for two unreleased client SSD models, the SSD 990 EVO Plus, and the SSD 9100 PRO. Having exhausted the three-digit model number sequence with the 990 PRO, Samsung is going with the 9000 series for the next nine generations of its flagship M.2-2280 client SSDs, beginning with the 9100 PRO, which will likely be succeeded in the future by the 9200 PRO, 9300 PRO, and so on. Nothing yet is known about the 9100 PRO, but we predict it to be Samsung's answer to the latest crop of Gen 5 drives that offer over 14 GB/s of sequential read speeds, and over 12 GB/s of sequential writes.

The Samsung 990 EVO Plus could be a whole different drive from the current 990 EVO, designed to compete with the value end of Gen 5 SSDs that are based on the new Phison E31T DRAMless Gen 5 controller with around 11 GB/s of sequential transfer speeds on tap. This is something the current 990 EVO cannot achieve, as its controller has a wacky logic that either uses Gen 4 x4 or Gen 5 x2 (it lowers the lane count upon detecting Gen 5). Samsung will probably remove this limitation with the 990 EVO Plus, allowing Gen 5 x4, and getting its performance in the league of the E31T-powered drives.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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AMD has unveiled the latest release of its open software, AMD ROCm 6.1.3, marking the next step in its strategy to make ROCm software broadly available across its GPU portfolio, including AMD Radeon desktop GPUs. The new release gives developers broader support for Radeon GPUs to run ROCm AI workloads. "The new AMD ROCm release extends functional parity from data center to desktops, enabling AI research and development on readily available and accessible platforms," said Andrej Zdravkovic, senior vice president at AMD.

Key feature enhancements in this release focus on improving compatibility, accessibility, and scalability, and include:

• Multi-GPU support to enable building scalable AI desktops for multi-serving, multi-user solutions.
• Beta-level support for Windows Subsystem for Linux, allowing these solutions to work with ROCm on a Windows OS-based system.
• TensorFlow Framework support offering more choice for AI development.

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OpenAI's co-founder and ex-chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, has announced the formation of a new company promising a safe path to artificial superintelligence (ASI). Called Safe Superintelligence Inc. (SSI), the company has a simple mission: achieving ASI with safety at the front. "We approach safety and capabilities in tandem, as technical problems to be solved through revolutionary engineering and scientific breakthroughs. We plan to advance capabilities as fast as possible while making sure our safety always remains ahead," notes the SSI website, adding that "Our singular focus means no distraction by management overhead or product cycles, and our business model means safety, security, and progress are all insulated from short-term commercial pressures."

Interestingly, safety is a concern only a few frontier AI labs have. In recent history, OpenAI's safety team got the spotlight for being neglected, and the company's safety lead, Jan Leike, publically criticized safety practices before moving to Anthophic. Antrophic is focused on providing safe AI models, with its Claude Opus being one of the leading AI models to date. What is to come out of SSI? We still don't know. However, given the team of Ilya Sutskever, Daniel Gross, and Daniel Levy, we assume they attracted the best-in-class talent for developing next-generation AI models, focusing on safety. With offices in Palo Alto and Tel Aviv, SSI can tap a vast network of AI researchers and policymakers to establish safe ASI, free from short-term commercial pressure and focused on research and development. "Our team, investors, and business model are all aligned to achieve SSI," says the SSI website.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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Apple has reportedly halted the development of its future Vision Pro 2 headset, opting instead to focus on a more affordable variant. The decision comes as the company grapples with the high production costs associated with the Vision Pro, which was released on February 2 in the US for $3,499 and will be released on July 12 in other countries. According to insiders familiar with the matter, Apple is not expected to manufacture more than 500,000 Vision Pro units this year, casting doubt on the device's ability to gain widespread adoption at such a premium price point. The tech giant's suppliers have already begun scaling back production, with one supplier reducing output by 50% in May due to forecasts of weaker-than-expected demand.

While the Vision Pro promised to deliver a groundbreaking mixed-reality experience, its excessive cost effectively priced it out of reach for the mass market. Recognizing this barrier, Apple has reportedly decided to abandon the development of the costlier "Pro 2" model and instead channel its efforts into creating a more budget-friendly "Vision" variant. The new device is expected to feature fewer cameras, simpler speaker systems, and a streamlined headband design, all aimed at reducing production costs. However, sources indicate that Apple is struggling to significantly lower the costs of key components, such as the display, which could further delay the launch of the successor model. Nevertheless, the company's goal is to create a mixed-reality headset priced around the level of a high-end iPhone, approximately $1,600, and launch the cheaper headset in late 2025.[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

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