MSI, the world leading gaming motherboard brand, will release optimized BIOS updates for AMD 500-Series and 400-Series motherboards. From now on, the BIOS based on AM4 Combo PI V2 1.2.0.2 for all MSI 500 and 400 series motherboards will be available for download until the end of April. Please refer to the following.

• Optimized compatibility for AMD 500-Series and 400-Series motherboards
• Improved USB device compatibility

Antec is readying the new Mercury V2 line of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers, succeeding the original Mercury RGB series from 2018. The Mercury V2 comes with an updated pump-block design based, both internally, and aesthetically. Also updated, are the included 120 mm fans, which come with a 800-1,600 RPM speed range, 72 CFM air-flow per fan, and ARGB lighting. Unlike the original Mercury series, the new Mercury V2 debuts with 240 mm and 360 mm size variants, only. Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, and LGA2066.

SilentiumPC, the European manufacturer of CPU coolers, Power Supply Units and PC cases, announces the fifth generation of Fera CPU Cooler series, which has received a complete re-design from ground up. Fera 5 is the first CPU Cooler from the SilentiumPC lineup to receive the Synergy Cooling Technology treatment and a brand-new asymmetric heatsink design. Yet another novelty is the debut of the Fluctus 120 PWM axial fan, which features the revamped bearing, new fan blades and anti-vibration dampers. The Fera 5 is available in standard variant with one Fluctus 120 PWM fan and the high-performance Fera 5 Dual Fan version with two Fluctus 120 PWM in the desired push-pull setup! The R&D team at SilentiumPC was able to significantly improve the performance of the Fera 5 over the last generations, while fine-tuning the fan to match the desired heatsink characteristics and lowering the psychoacoustic noise levels.

Fluctus 120 PWM case fan series debuts as the new companion of Fera 5 CPU Cooler. Users have the choice between the standard Fera 5 model with one Fluctus 120 PWM or the Fera 5 Dual Fan version with two of these stunning fans. The unique fan blades with serrated edges serve both aesthetic and functional purposes, creating high static pressure required for a dense heatsink, high airflow, excellent acoustic performance and psychoacoustic noise reduction. Fluctus 120 PWM is equipped with a modern, long-life FDB bearing (MTBF 100 000 h) and rubber vibration dampeners in all the corners of the fan frame.

Thermalright is on a roll with its streak of recent CPU cooler launches, the latest of which, is the TA 120 EX. Positioned a notch above its TRUE Spirit 120 series, the TA 120 EX is characterized by a dense aluminium fin stack with 52 fins packed with a gap of 1.6 mm, compared to 48 fins on the TRUE Spirit 120. The cooler is slightly larger and heavier, too. Heat drawn through a mirror-finish copper base, is conveyed to the fin stack through five 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes.

A Thermalright TL-C12 PRO-G fan comes included with the cooler. This 120 mm spinner features a fluid-dynamic bearing, spins at speeds of up to 1,850 RPM, pushing up to 82 CFM of airflow, at 2.1 mm H₂O static pressure, and a maximum noise output of up to 29.6 dBA. With its fan in place, the TA 120 EX measures 124 mm x 70 mm x 154 mm (WxDxH), weighing 680 g. Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Thermalright unveiled its new flagship air cooler, the Frost Commander 140. This massive "D-type" dual fin-stack cooler is designed for conventional tower-type builds. With a height of exactly 160 mm, the cooler might scrape the side-panel of most mid-tower cases. Two equal-sized stacks of 53 aluminium fins, each, are skewered by five 8 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes that make indirect contact with the CPU through a mirror-finished nickel-plated copper base. There are two fans included with the cooler, a smaller 120 mm fan pushes fresh air into the first fin-stack while a larger 140 mm fan between the two fin-stacks conveys this air through the second fin-stack. Mounting clips are included letting you mount up to three fans that are up to 140 mm in size.

The included 120 mm fan, TL-C12, turns at speeds of up to 1,850 RPM ±10%, pushing up to 82 CFM of air, at up to 2.10 mm H₂O static pressure, and up to 29.6 dBA noise output. The larger included 140 mm fan, a TL-D14X, does up to 1,800 RPM, up to 95.50 CFM airflow, 2.25 mm H₂O static pressure, and is as loud as 30.2 dBA at top speed. Both fans feature fluid-dynamic bearings. With its fans in place, the cooler measures 140 mm x 146 mm x 160 mm (WxDxH), weighing exactly 1.34 kg (1 kg heatsink + 340 g for the two fans). CPU sockets supported include AM4, LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The company didn't put out thermal performance numbers, but could offer the Frost Commander 140 as an alternative to entry/mid all-in-one liquid CPU coolers. The company didn't reveal pricing.

NZXT, a leading designer of computer hardware, software, and services for the PC gaming community, today announces the release of the NZXT N7 B550 motherboard, the first AMD motherboard in NZXT's N7 motherboard lineup. NZXT is expanding the N7 lineup to bring the sleek, seamless design of the N7 ATX motherboard to more gamers. The N7 B550 has optimally placed port locations, supports the latest technology like PCIe gen 4 and WiFi 6e, and gives PC builders the tools they need to create a beautifully modern build.

The N7 B550 includes key features from our RGB and Fan Controller, allowing intuitive control of four RGB lighting channels and seven fan channels through NZXT CAM. Lighting accessories from all manufacturers are supported. The metal cover is available in white or black for a seamless look that blends into the background of any NZXT H Series case for a clean aesthetic.

Thermalright today introduced the Silver Arrow ITX-R Rev A, a compact dual aluminium fin-stack CPU cooler with a low footprint, designed for maximum clearance around the CPU socket area, making it ideal for Mini-ITX tower gaming PC builds. A revision of the original Silver Arrow ITX-R from 2017, the new Rev A comes with a slightly smaller aluminium fins toward the bottoms of the fin-stacks, which reduce the heatsink's weight by 30 g, but improve clearance around the CPU socket. Thermalright also took the opportunity to update the included fan, which is now a TY-129B. This 130 mm spinner tuns between 600 to 1,500 RPM, compared to the 300-1,300 RPM range of the original TY-129 that the original Silver Arrow ITX-R comes with. The heatsink measures 155 mm x 103 mm x 147 mm (LxWxH), weighing 630 g. Thermalright claims that the cooler can handle thermal loads of up to 240 W. Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Thermalright today introduced the Venomous Plus, its latest tower-type CPU cooler and a re-take on the 10+ year old Venomous X. Designed to tackle thermal loads of up to 240 W, the Venomous Plus features a classic aluminium fin-stack design. Six 6 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes make indirect contact with the CPU at the mirror-finished base made of the same material; passing through the aluminium fin-stack that's ventilated by a TL-C12S 120 mm fan. The heatsink by itself measures 127 mm x 60 mm x 158 mm (WxDxH), weighing 660 g, and holding 51 fins. The fan adds about 25-27 mm in width.

The included TL-C12S fan is one of the key things setting this apart from the Venomous X. It's a modern unit that takes in 4-pin PWM for its main function, 3-pin ARGB for illumination, and features ARGB illumination through diodes studded in the impeller hub. The fan features fluid-dynamic bearing, turns up to 1,500 RPM (±10%), pushing up to 66.17 CFM of air-flow with static pressure of 1.53 mm H₂O; and has a maximum noise output of 25.6 dBA. Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066.

Scythe today announces the release of the new cooler Mugen 5 Black Edition (SCMG-5100BE). Based on the original Mugen 5 Rev.B cooler, this new edition is all-black design including black heatsink, black Kaze Flex 120 fan, and black accessories. The new Mugen 5 Black is the premium choice of excellent performance and superb quietness as well as aesthetic appeal. The Scythe Mugen 5 Black Edition cooler is available in North America at an MSRP of USD $60.

Based on the classic Mugen 5 cooler, this new edition comes with an all-black Kaze Flex 120 fan (ramp up to 1500 rpm) that pushes its performance to the next level. With the additional fan clip and upgraded mounting system, the Mugen 5 Black is the premium choice of excellent performance and superb quietness.

It's getting frosty: With the addition of the new Alpine 23 CPU cooler, ARCTIC's diverse product range is expanding with new fan variants. Compact, solid, affordable - that's ARCTIC's Alpine series. The series expands with the Alpine 23, the further improved successor Alpine AM4. This new AMD cooler boasts a revised assembly system and long life span.

The Alpine 23 can simply be plugged into the existing AMD retention modules and screwed tightly; robust metal clips guarantee stability and safety. High-performance MX-2 thermal compound is pre-applied, making it easy to get started right out of the box. Thanks to radial heat sinks and a broad, PWM-controlled speed range, the compact CPU cooler offers sufficient performance as well as low noise levels at a very low price.

SilverStone today introduced the Hydrogon D120 ARGB a "slim" aluminium dual fin-stack CPU cooler. The cooler features a "D-type" dual fin-stack heatsink with slim fin-stacks that contribute to an overall cooler depth of just 112 mm with both fans in place (comparable to a single fin-stack cooler with a push-pull fans arrangement). The two fin-stacks are skewered by six 6 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes that make indirect contact with the CPU over a mirror-finish nickel-plated copper base. The heat pipes progress upward in a bent fashion as shown in the pictures below, to free up clearance around the memory area of your motherboard.

A pair of 120 mm, 9-blade ARGB-illuminated fans are included with the SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB. Each of these take in 4-pin PWM for the main function, and 3-pin ARGB for the lighting. The fans feature hydraulic bearings, turn up to 1,850 RPM, each pushing up to 56.23 CFM of air-flow, with a noise output of 30.5 dBA. Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA115x, LGA1200, and LGA2066. The cooler measures 125 mm (W) x 153 mm (H) x 112 mm (D), weighing 885 g (including fans). The company didn't reveal pricing.

EK, the leading premium water cooling gear manufacturer, is upgrading its full nickel series of high-performance Velocity water blocks for modern AMD and Intel CPU sockets with a 5 V digital RGB LED. There is still a single LED hidden under the EK badge, but this time it is compatible with 5 V D-RGB (aRGB) headers. The transition to D-RGB lighting across the whole product line will allow users to utilize standardized 5 V requirements to power LEDs of their liquid cooling components.

The name "Velocity" was inspired by the necessity to be lean and agile in the world of liquid cooling. A high-performance CPU water block is no good if it's too restrictive on the flow and bottlenecking your entire liquid cooling loop. Efficient coolant flow and performance should go hand in hand, and neither should be sacrificed for another.

Thermaltake today released to market the UX210 ARGB, a slim tower-type CPU cooler. Designed for thermal loads of up to 150 W, the cooler features a conventional-design aluminium fin-stack heatsink, ventilated by a 120 mm fan. Five 6 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heat pipes make contact with the CPU over a mirror-finish nickel-plated copper base; conveying heat through an aluminium fin-stack, which is ventilated by a fan.

The 120 mm fan included with the Thermaltake UX210 ARGB takes in 4-pin PWM for its main function, and 3-pin ARGB for its lighting. It features a 30,000-hour rated hydraulic bearing, spins between 600 to 2,000 RPM, pushing up to 72.3 CFM of air, with a static pressure of up to 2.31 mm H₂O, and a noise output of up to 34.3 dBA. With its fan in place, the cooler measures 136 mm x 74 mm x 153 mm (WxDxH). Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The company didn't reveal pricing.

AeroCool today introduced the Cylon 3H, a top-flow CPU cooler. The cooler features a "C-type" aluminium fin-stack design. Three 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, conveying heat through an aluminium fin-stack that's arranged along the plane of the motherboard, and ventilated by a 120 mm fan. This fan features an addressable RGB illumination through a silicone diffuser around the bore of the impeller. AeroCool claims that the cooler can handle thermal loads of up to 125 W.

The included 120 mm fan of the Cylon 3H features a 60,000-hour rated hydraulic bearing, takes in 4-pin PWM for its main function, and 3-pin ARGB for the illumination, turns between 600 to 1,800 RPM; pushing up to 60.8 CFM of air-flow at 1.48 mm H₂O static pressure, at up to 24.3 dBA noise output. With its fan in place, the cooler measures 126 mm x 138 mm x 98 mm (WxDxH). Among the CPU socket types supported are AM4, LGA1200, and LGA115x. The company didn't reveal pricing.

Raijintek today rolled out the Eleos RBW, an entry-level tower-type CPU cooler with addressable RGB illumination. The cooler features a conventional aluminium fin-tower type heatsink. Four 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, conveying heat through an aluminium fin-stack, which is ventilated by a 92 mm fan. The fin-stack heatsink features a plastic top-plate with an addressable RGB LED diffuser, the ARGB illuminated fan puts out additional bling.

The included 92 mm fan features 40,000-hour rated hydraulic bearings, spins between 800 to 2,000 RPM, pushing up to 52 CFM of air-flow, 1.9 mm H₂O static pressure, with up to 22.95 dBA noise output. The cooler measures 140 mm x 96 mm x 75 mm (HxWxD), weighing 580 g. Out of the box, the cooler comes with push-clips, so you can mount the cooler onto AMD Socket AM4 without needing any tools. Other sockets supported include LGA1200, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MSI announced that it will begin rolling out UEFI firmware updates for its Socket AM4 motherboards based on the AMD 400-series and 500-series chipsets, which incorporate AMD's latest AGESA Combo PI V2 1.2.0.0 microcode. These firmware updates will enable resizable BAR support for NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30-series "Ampere" graphics cards, improvements for Ryzen 5000 series "Vermeer" desktop processors, and an assortment of board model-specific improvements or fixes.

The company will begin releasing these firmware updates for its AMD 500-series chipset motherboards, and its AMD 400-series "MAX" models in January 2021. In February, it will follow up with updates for AMD 400-series non-"MAX" models. The "MAX" model name suffix for an MSI AMD 400-series motherboard denotes a board with a 32-megabyte SPI flash ROM chip that allows MSI to cram in its feature-rich ClickBIOS setup program. Keep checking the "support" section of your motherboard's product page on the MSI website for these firmware updates.

Some eight years after the last AMD-based Mini-PC from Shuttle, a second processor manufacturer is once again being incorporated into the company's own product line. As an initial model to revive this segment, Shuttle is supplying a robust 1.3-litre PC for AMD Ryzen processors with Socket AM4.

The first product with the model name XPC DA320 is a Barebone from the "XPC slim" family which measures just 4.3 cm. It features the standard design of the range, but also supports the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs in Socket AM4 and up to 32 GB of RAM. Like all Shuttle products in a 1.3-litre format, this solution is also regarded as particularly robust. The AMD Radeon graphics unit which is integrated into the processor works well with up to three UHD displays which can be connected via HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort and used simultaneously.

DeepCool today updated its GAMMAXX line of all-in-one liquid closed-loop CPU coolers, with the new GAMMAXX L240 A-RGB and L360 A-RGB. These are functionally the same coolers as the GAMMAXX L-series, but with a handful updates, such as an ambient air pressure balancer, and new addressable-RGB LED lighting elements on the pump-block and the included 120 mm fans. Each of the included 120 mm A-RGB fans spins between 500 to 1,800 RPM, pushing up to 69.34 CFM of air-flow, at up to 2.42 mm H₂O static pressure, and up to 30 dBA noise output. The fans feature hydro-dynamic bearings. Among the CPU socket types supported include AM4, LGA1200, and LGA2066. The company didn't reveal pricing.

ENERMAX, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance PC hardware products, releases a new color option, white, for All-In-One CPU liquid cooler, LIQMAX III 360 ARGB, designed to display fascinating addressable RGB lighting effects by synchronizing with ASUS Aura Sync, ASRock Polychrome, GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, and MSI Mystic Light Sync. LIQMAX III ARGB series is compatible with both Intel and AMD CPU sockets (except Socket TR4/SP3).

The white CPU AIO liquid cooler is composed of white fan frames, tubes, and radiator to show your system's uniqueness and addressable RGB lighting effects. It also has the luminous addressable RGB fan and Aurabelt water block to experience RGB lighting wonderland. The included control box provides 10 lighting effects for users to select light colors, which no need to install any software.

BIOSTAR, a leading brand of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, announces BIOS updates for their AM4 400/500 series motherboards to support the AMD Smart Access Memory technology.

AMD Smart Access Memory (SAM) allows the CPU to get full access to the GPU memory, users will gain up to 11% in gaming performance. BIOSTAR consumers can now enjoy an extra performance boost with their 400/500 series motherboards pairing AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors and Radeon RX 6000 series graphics cards.

ID Cooling has announced their latest Mega Coolers, a new moniker and lineup that announces the coolers' compatibility with the latest, greatest, highest performance, and most power-hungry CPUs. The coolers are designed to accompany CPUs with TDPs up to 280 W. ID Cooling said these new mega coolers in the SE-207-series, which are basically tower coolers in design, will be hitting market just in time to address AMD's new-generation enthusiast grade Ryzen 5000-series 'Vermeer' and Intel's upcoming 11th Generation Core 'Rocket Lake' processors.

There are two separate coolers in the family; the SE-207-XT Black is aimed at AMD's Ryzen processors as well as Intel CPUs in LGA1200/115x/20xx form-factors; if you need some more cooling oomph, however, the SE-207-TRX Black is aimed at AMD's Ryzen Threadripper processor in TR4 packaging. Both coolers offer the same 280 W TDP dissipation capabilities, and are built in a twin-tower design with twin fans (700 RPM ~ 1800 RPM, up to 76.16 CFM air pressure, up to 35.2 dBA). In the case of the Threadripper-loving SE-207-TRX, a copper baseplate with direct-touch heatpipe technology removes heat from your CPU and passes it through the large, black, dual fin-stack arrays which are then cooled by two 120 mm fans. The E-207-XT Black, on the other hand, makes do with a solid copper baseplate absent of that same direct touch technology.

BIOSTAR today rolled out the B550M-Silver, a Socket AM4 motherboard in the Micro-ATX form-factor, based on the AMD B550 chipset. The board comes with out-of-the-box support for the latest Ryzen 5000 "Vermeer" processors, in addition to Ryzen 4000 "Renoir" and Ryzen 3000 "Matisse." It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors, conditioning it for the CPU with a 10-phase VRM that comes with heatsinks across all CPU VRM phases. Expansions slots on the BIOSTAR B550M-Silver include one PCI-Express 4.0 x16, a PCI-Express x16 (electrical gen 3.0 x4 and wired to the B550 chipset), and a PCIe 3.0 x1.

Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gbps ports, and two M.2-2280 slots, from which one has PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring to the CPU socket; and the other PCI-Express 3.0 x4, wired to the B550 chipset. USB connectivity includes two 10 Gbps USB 3.2 ports on the rear panel (from which one is type-C), four 5 Gbps USB 3.2 ports (from which two are via headers), and six USB 2.0 ports (two on the rear panel, four via headers). Networking includes a 2.5 GbE wired interface handled by a Realtek 8125B controller, and preparation for a WLAN module (an M.2 E-key slot and mounts for antennas are provided), although one isn't included with the board. The onboard 6-channel HD audio solution is handled by a Realtek ALC1150 CODEC. The company didn't reveal pricing.

NZXT, a leading designer of intuitive software, hardware, and services for the PC gaming community, today announces an expansion of the Kraken X-3 RGB and Kraken Z53 expanding their existing line of AIO liquid CPU coolers. The NZXT Kraken X-3 family will introduce a new variant that will include NZXT AER RGB 2 fans for builders wanting to maximize RGB in their build. The Kraken X-3 series includes the improved iconic RGB infinity mirror design with an enlarged ring size. The cap is upgraded to be rotatable to ensure the correct orientation of the NZXT logo, accommodating more builders. With the newest 7th generation pump for Asetek, the Kraken X-3 RGB series has industry-leading cooling performance for your CPU.

The NZXT Kraken Z-3 series will now include the NZXT Kraken Z53 240 mm AIO in addition to the previously released 280 mm and 360 mm options. The NZXT Kraken Z-3 series is the perfect addition to any gaming battlestation. A beautiful 2.36"(60 mm) LCD screen provides unlimited visual customization, and is capable of displaying vital system health data as well as any custom image or animated GIF via NZXT CAM. With unparalleled aesthetics and performance, the Kraken Z-3 series is built with the 7th generation Asetek pump and provides builders the opportunity to express themselves in an all-new way while keeping their CPU temps cool.

EK, a leading computer cooling solutions provider, is proud to announce several Special Edition products that will mark the launch of the new AMD Radeon RX 6800 Series and Radeon RX 6900 XT graphics cards. As an official launch partner, EK has prepared, in close coordination with AMD, a special GPU water block, a heavy-duty AIO GPU cooling unit, and an entire liquid cooling kit. With the recent launch of the highly anticipated AMD Ryzen 5000 Series desktop processors that bring incredible IPC gains, EK made a special AM4 socket CPU water block as well.

"EK and AMD have combined forces to provide gamers with the liquid-cooled performance they are looking for with the new AMD Radeon graphics cards," said Scott Herkelman, Corporate Vice President and General Manager, Graphics Business Unit at AMD. "EK's award-winning liquid cooling solutions are designed to offer a significant boost in thermal performance while staying silent, providing incredible gaming experiences for our customers."

Der8auer has picked up Intel's latest TEC cooler, built in conjunction with EKWB, and unceremoniously plopped it right into an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X CPU. Well, not completely unceremoniously - there were many accommodations that had to be made in order to achieve this. For one, as this is a solution designed specifically for Intel CPUs and sockets, Der8auer had to Frankenstein his way through a number of cooling parts to be able to adapt the TEC solution to the AM4 socket. Not only that, but Intel's TEC requires deep software control for it to work properly - software control which only works with Intel silicon, of course. Der8auer thus had to have a second machine running an Intel 10900K CPU to control the software on the Intel cryo cooler.

All in all, the results were interesting, to say the least. The 16-core, 32-thread Ryzen 9 5950X saw single-core-load CCD temperatures in the 90 °C department with the TEC solution disabled - which promptly dropped down to only 50 °C with the cryo cooler actually operating. With a game load, the 5959X achieved up to 5.050 GHz in single-cores on its automatic boost profile. The entire chip often boosted to 4.8 - 4.9 GHz on all cores at once (with variances between the CCDs) whilst under this cooling solution and workload. With the TEC operating in its unregulated mode - which means, with no considerations for CPU operating temperature and power usage for the cooling process - saw the Ryzen 9 5950X achieving 2 °C core temperature results, and boosted frequencies up to a staggering 5323 MHz on all cores - before crashing. An interesting piece of work which you catch on video after the break; one can rest assured that most PC cooling specialists are already working on their own TEC-based cooling solutions following Intel's achievement in this field.