In a bid to stay current, with the advent of M.2, PCI-Express, and NVMe, OCZ announced its newest homebrew SSD controller. Called JetExpress, this controller has the potential to be the industry's fastest, rivaled only by Samsung, and its SM951 drives. The controller features a PCI-Express 3.0 x4 host interface, with 4 GB/s of bandwidth per direction, 8 GB/s in total. The controller supports 8-16 ONFI channels, 1-2 GB of DDR3 DRAM cache, and power loss protection circuits. It supports three popular form-factors, including M.2, 2.5-inch (likely SATA-Express), and SFF-8639. M.2 PCIe prototypes were put up for our lenses. The company plans to make both PC enthusiast and enterprise products using this controller.

ADATA showed off its third-generation XPG DDR3 memory module. A departure from its pointy gold heatsink design of the XPG Z1 series, the XPG V3 features a more conventional, 2-tone aluminium heatsink design, with three layers of fins projecting upward. The outer fins dissipate heat drawn from the DRAM chips, while the inner, colored ones (red, blue, green, gold, and orange), dissipate heat drawn a heat-spreading copper layer in the module's PCB. The module on display at CES featured a red inner heatsink, with an XMP 1.3 profile for DDR3-3100 MHz, with a 1600 MHz failsafe JEDEC profile.

An OEM for notable SSD brands such as Plextor, LiteOn kicked off its own consumer SSD line, with ZETA. Built in the 7 mm thick, 2.5-inch form-factor, with SATA 6 Gb/s interface, these drives come in three capacities, 128 GB (LCH-128V2S), 256 GB (LCH-256V2S), and 512 GB (LCH-512V2S), featuring LPDDR3 controller cache of 128 MB, 256 MB, and 512 MB, respectively. The drive is based on Silicon Motion SM2246EN controller, with 16 nm MLC NAND flash, made by SK Hynix.

All three capacities offer sequential read speeds of up to 520 MB/s, differing with sequential write speeds. The 128 GB variant offers up to 150 MB/s writes, the 256 GB variant offers up to 260 MB/s, and the 512 GB variant up to 430 MB/s. Their 4K random-access read speeds are up to 67,500 IOPS, up to 82,500 IOPS, and up to 83,500 IOPS, respectively; and random-access write speeds are up to 37,500 IOPS, up to 72,500 IOPS, and up to 80,000 IOPS, respectively. Most common client SSD features, such as TRIM, NCQ, and 256-bit AES native encryption, are part of the package. LiteOn didn't announce pricing information for markets outside the Greater China region, where the drives will make their debut.

AMD has the unique distinction of supplying SoCs to all three leading game console vendors simultaneously - Microsoft, Sony, and Nintendo. The company, like NVIDIA, is looking forward with perched eyes for manufacturing partner TSMC to get its 20 nanometer silicon fabrication node running full-cylinders. Unlike NVIDIA, which may use the new process to shrink its GPUs, or launch bigger chips based on its "Maxwell" architecture, AMD will treat its console SoCs with optical-shrinks to the new nodes first, so the company could immediately eke out better margins, as console gamers upgrade to Xbox One or the PlayStation 4.

AMD's SoC for the Xbox One, could be the first in line for this optical shrink to 20 nm. This chip features a transistor count of 5 billion, and houses eight 64-bit x86 CPU cores, and a 768 SP GPU based on the Graphics CoreNext architecture; 48 MB of on-die cache, and a quad-channel DDR3 IMC. The chip also features an integrated core logic. AMD's chip for the PlayStation 4 features design inputs from Sony. The chip features the same CPU component, but a 1152 SP GPU, and a 256-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, wired to 8 GB of memory that's virtualized for both system- and graphics-memory. The 20 nm shrinks of both chips are expected to lower not just manufacturing costs, but also step up energy-efficiency, which could then let Microsoft and Sony save additional costs on other components, such as power and cooling.

The transition between DDR2 and DDR3 system memory types was slower than the one between DDR and DDR2. DDR3 made its mainstream debut with Intel's X38 and P35 Express platforms, at a time when the memory controller was still within the domain of a motherboard chipset, at least in Intel's case. The P35 supported both DDR2 and DDR3 memory types, and motherboard manufacturers made high-end products based on each of the two memory types, with some even supporting both.

Higher module prices posed a real, and higher latencies, posed a less real set of drawbacks to the initial adoption of DDR3. Those, coupled with the limited system bus bandwidth, to take advantage of DDR3. DDR3 only really took off with Nehalem, Intel's first processor with an integrated memory controller (IMC). An IMC, again in Intel's case, meant that the CPU came with memory I/O pins, and could only support one memory type - DDR3. Since then, DDR3 proliferated to the mainstream. Will the story repeat itself during the transition between DDR3 and the new DDR4 memory introduced alongside Intel's Core i7 "Haswell-E" HEDT platform? Not exactly.

Thecus Technology Corp. today announces another world first: Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 Essentials is now available for NAS users. Available this October, the 2-bay W2000, 4-bay W4000, and the 5-bay W5000 offer a host of benefits to SMB users, including data protection, integrated cloud services, and secure remote access.

"Thecus NAS provide users with a complete solution to their storage needs. With the additions to the W Series, Thecus is able to offer a more diversified product to its customers. Windows Storage Server 2012 R2 Essentials is an ideal pairing with Thecus NAS and will equip small businesses with a powerful and trusted storage solution," said Florence Shih, CEO at Thecus Technology Corp.

Here are some of the first benchmarks of Intel's ambitious Core M processor, a performance-segment dual-core processor with a thermal envelope of just 4.5W, making it ideal for tablets, ultra-portables, and mainstream desktops. At IDF 2014, Intel showed off a 12.5-inch tablet running a Core M 5Y70 chip. An MCM of the CPU and PCH dies, the CPU die features two "Broadwell" 64-bit x86 cores, a large new graphics processor with 24 execution units and 192 stream engines, 4 MB of shared L3 cache, a dual-channel LPDDR3 memory controller, and a PCI-Express 3.0 root complex. The PCH die wires out the platform's various connectivity options.

The 12.5-inch Core M tablet was put through three tests, Cinebench R11.5, SunSpider 1.0.2, and 3DMark Ice Storm Unlimited. With the multi-threaded CPU-intensive Cinebench R11.5, the Core M scores a respectable 17 FPS in the GL bench, with 2.48 pts CPU. That's about 60 percent the performance of a Core i7-870. Significantly higher than anything Atom, Pentium, or AMD E-Series. With SunSpider, the Core M put out a score of 142.8, under Internet Explorer 12 running under Windows 8.1. With 3DMark IceStorm Unlimited, the Core M sprung up a surprise - 50,985 points. That over double that of a Qualcomm Snapdragon 800, and faster than the IGPs AMD E-Series APUs ship with. Color us interested.

HyperX, a division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced HyperX Savage high-performance memory. HyperX Savage replaces HyperX Genesis and offers experienced enthusiasts, gamers and content creators a cutting-edge look. It features a black PCB encompassed by an eye-catching Savage red, asymmetrical heatspreader made of aluminum with a diamond-cut finish. The low profile makes it perfect for oversized CPU coolers.

Shipping now, HyperX Savage is available in high-speed frequencies from 1600 MHz to 2400 MHz, and in capacities of 4 GB and 8 GB single modules and 8 GB to 32 GB dual-channel or quad-channel kits. The high speeds help increase system performance and ultra-responsive multitasking. HyperX Savage is also Intel XMP-ready, which enables end users to easily overclock their system by simply selecting a memory profile with no need for manual adjustments in the BIOS.

Lenovo today announced at the 2014 IFA Consumer Electronics Unlimited show in Berlin an expanded portfolio of tablets and PCs that gives consumers more options for tablets that fit their mobile lifestyle as well as choices of dedicated gaming PCs. The new lineup kicks off with the TAB S8, Lenovo's first Intel-powered Android tablet. Lenovo also announced two new high-performance gaming PCs: the Y70 Touch, Lenovo's first 17-inch touch laptop with the latest processor and graphics technology for HD gaming, and the ERAZER X315, Lenovo's latest affordable desktop gaming PCs.

Finnish overclocker "The Stilt" overclocked his brand new AMD FX-8370 to a record-breaking 8722.78 MHz. The target was achieved using a base-clock of 276.91 MHz, and a multiplier of 31.5x, core voltage of 2.004V, and DRAM frequency of 1107 MHz (2214 MHz DDR). Other hardware included an ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z motherboard, and 2x 4 GB of AMD made DDR3 memory. The setup was cooled by a liquid nitrogen evaporator. Find the validation and other details here.

NVIDIA announced its entry-level graphics card for this generation, the GeForce GT 720. Based on the 28 nm GK208 silicon, the chip features 192 CUDA cores, and a 64-bit wide DDR3 memory interface, holding 1 GB of memory. It features core clock speeds of 797 MHz, and memory clock speeds of 1600 MHz DDR. Most cards based on this chip are expected to be single-slot, half-height, and passively cooled. NVIDIA is capturing the sub-$50 market with this chip.

ASRock rolled out the H81TM-ITX R2.0 thin mini-ITX motherboard for SFF PCs and AIO desktops. The socket LGA1150 motherboard is based on Intel's entry-level H81 Express chipset, and draws power from an external 2-pin DC power source. It features a 3-phase CPU VRM, a PCI-Express 2.0 x4 slot, apart from an mPCIe; two SATA 3 Gb/s ports, and two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots. Connectivity includes DVI and HDMI display outputs; two USB 3.0 ports, gigabit Ethernet, stereo HD audio, and a couple of USB 2.0/1.1 ports.

ASRock unveiled a pair of new motherboards based on Intel's new Pentium J2900 quad-core "Bay Trail" SoC. These include the Q2900-ITX (mini-ITX) and the Q2900M (micro-ATX). Both feature the 10W J2900 chips cooled by a fan-less chunky aluminium heatsink. The J2900 features four cores, nominal clock speeds of 2.40 GHz, with 2.66 GHz Turbo Boost, 2 MB of cache, 688-896 MHz Intel HD Graphics, and a dual-channel DDR3 memory controller.

The Q2900-ITX offers two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots, a single PCI-Express 2.0 x1, a miniPCIe 2.0, two-each of SATA 6 Gb/s and SATA 3 Gb/s ports, four USB 3.0 ports, display outputs that include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI; 8-channel HD audio, and gigabit Ethernet. The Q2900M, on the other hand, features much of the same features, except full-size DIMM slots, an additional PCI-Express 2.0 x16 and PCIe 2.0 x1 slots; and 6-channel HD audio instead of 8-channel.

AMD's desktop processor and APU platforms are not expected to see any major changes till 2016, according to a BitsnChips report. The delay is attributed to a number of factors, including DDR4 memory proliferation (i.e. for DDR4 memory to get affordable enough for target consumers of APUs), and AMD's so-called "project Fast-Forward," which aims to place high-bandwidth memory next to the APU die, for the AMD's increasingly powerful integrated graphics solutions to overcome memory bottlenecks.

The company's upcoming "Carrizo" APU is targeted at low-TDP devices such as ultra-slim notebooks and tablets; and is the first chip to integrate AMD's next-generation "Excavator" CPU micro-architecture. "Carrizo" chips continue to use DDR3 system memory, and therefore it's possible that AMD may design a socket FM2+ chip based on "Excavator," probably leveraging newer silicon fab processes. But otherwise, socket FM2+ is here to stay.

ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today launches the latest XPG V3 series overclocking memory, running at a stellar 3100 megahertz. Its dual channel is designed to bring gamers and PC enthusiasts ultimate performance by Intel Core fourth and fifth-generation processors and the latest Z97 platform.

The Thermal Conductive Technology for Great Heat Dissipation
With speed up to 3100 MHz and transfer bandwidth reaching 24.8 GB/s, the XPG V3 series once again pushes gaming to the next level. It supports Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) version 1.3 and utilizes the Thermal Conductive Technology (TCT), which reduces the system temperature effectively. It enables every chip have contact with the heat sinks directly, ensuring IC and PCB operate in an environment of equal temperature for the best stability, even in full-speed operation.

MSI rolled out its third mobile workstation after the GT series and WS series, the WT series. Styled much like MSI's Gaming series notebooks, the WT series comes in four models, the WT70-20K, the WT70-20L, the WT60-20K 3K IPS, and the WT60-20J. The WT70 duo feature 17.3-inch full-HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) displays, while the WT60 ones feature 15.6-inch displays. A stand-out here is the WT60-20K 3K IPS, which features a 15.6-inch 3K (2880 x 1620 pixels) IPS display. The WT60-20J, on the other hand, features full-HD. All four feature bodies that are clearly inspired from the Gaming series notebooks, featuring illuminated keyboards.

All four models offer 4th generation Intel Core i7 "Haswell" processors, up to 32 GB (four DDR3 SO-DIMM slots) of memory, NVIDIA Quadro K3100M graphics with 4 GB memory on the WT70-20K and WT60-20K 3K IPS; Quadro K4100M graphics with 4 GB memory on the WT70-20L, and Quadro K2100M graphics with 2 GB memory on the WT60-20J. All four offer MSI SuperRAID SSD combinations of 3x 64 GB and 3x 128 GB, and storage HDD options of 750 GB and 1 TB. All four also offer Killer K2000 NIC (which can be used by Qualcomm drivers), and 802.11 ac WLAN. Measuring 428 x 288 x 55 mm (WxHxD), the WT70-20K and WT70-20L weigh 3.9 kg; the WT60-20K 3K IPS and WT60-20J measure 395 mm x 267mm x 55 mm, weighing 3.5 kg.

The global PC DRAM module market revenues arrived at US$ 7.3 billion in 2013, a 32% YoY increase from 2012's US$ 5.5 billion, according to DRAMeXchange, the memory and storage research division of TrendForce. The main factors leading to the revenue growth included price increases for PC DRAM, increased spot market demand, and the rising proportion of contract market transactions. The top ten module manufacturers accounted for nearly 88% of the entire market's revenue in 2013, with Kingston Technology maintaining its usual leading position within the industry. ADATA Technology and Ramaxel, which ended up in second and third place, respectively, showed respective revenue growth of 116% and 37%. As the module manufacturers' operations are becoming increasingly diverse, the ranking for 2013 is based solely on their annual DRAM revenue.

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of NAND Flash storage solutions, updates DDR3 SO-DIMM modules.

The updated W160SB4GSL and W160SB8GSL SO-DIMM modules have a lower power draw of 1.35V which allows laptop battery life to be extended. Lower power usage results in less heat generated in a scenario where heat dissipation may not be optimal due to the enclosure of laptops.

Micron Technology, Inc., one of the world's leading providers of advanced semiconductor solutions, today announced the introduction of a monolithic 8 Gb DDR3 SDRAM component, enhancing its leadership position as a diverse memory solutions provider for enterprise applications such as data analytics. This new design is based on Micron's latest-generation 25 nm DRAM manufacturing process.

DDR3 is the mainstream DRAM technology for the enterprise market, and the addition of an 8 Gb monolithic component will enable cost-effective, high-capacity solutions optimized to support large-scale, data-intensive workloads.

I'M Intelligent Memory, a Hong Kong based fabless DRAM manufacturer, announces availability of the world's first 8 Gigabit (Gb) DDR3 components with a single chip-select, doubling the amount of memory per chip compared to other DDR3 DRAM devices on the market. Based on these new 8 Gb components, I'M is also introducing the first 16 Gigabyte (GB) DDR3 UDIMM and SO-DIMM memory modules with optional ECC error-correction.

The JEDEC specification JESD79-3 has always allowed an 8 Gb density for DDR3 memory devices. While most DRAM manufactures are waiting for a 2x nm process to fit such high memory capacity into a single DRAM IC package, I'M has developed its own a revolutionary way to manufacture 8 Gb DDR3 components with single chip-select utilizing existing 30 nm manufacturing technologies.

QNAP Systems, Inc. today officially launched four new business-class Turbo NAS models: TS-EC880U-RP, TS-EC1280U-RP, TS-EC1680U-RP, and TS-EC2480U-RP. Delivering high-performance, extreme scalability options and a wide array of applications to drive businesses, these models easily fulfill mission-critical storage needs of businesses, with persistent throughput to balance resource-demanding applications.

Equipped with a Quad-Core Intel Xeon 3.4GHz processor, 4GB DDR3 ECC RAM and with 10GbE-readiness and SSD caching options (including up to two internal mSATA slots), these models are capable of providing up to 3,700 MB/s throughput and 410,000 IOPS to boost the workflow of IOPS-demanding applications such as virtualization and data center deployment. With a scalable design, administrators can gradually expand their total storage to over 680TB raw capacity (depends on models) on demand by connecting multiple QNAP RAID expansion enclosures (REXP-1600U-RP and REXP-1200U-RP). With this flexibility, businesses can be confident that these models will suit their storage requirements both now and in the future.

Panram continues our commitment to satisfy users of different systems by providing a more optimal operation environment. In 2014, Panram launched the DDR3 Apple Mac Module dedicated for Mac users, offering more upgrade options, high compatibility and fusion with the Mac.

For users of different levels, Panram has provided two module versions. The Panram Mac Module - DDR3 1866 MHz series is especially designed for the Mac Pro to reach 100% compatibility, and includes an automatic error correction code function (ECC) to achieve better stability. For the general Mac users, we offer the Mac Module - DDR3 1600 MHz. Fulfilling various needs, either upgrades or increases in memory capacity - The Panram - Mac Module series is the #1 choice for Mac users.

Here are some of the first pictures of OCZ Vector 180, the company's upcoming high-end consumer SSD in the 2.5-inch form-factor, with SATA 6 Gb/s interface. This drive is so durable and resistant to bad power, that OCZ is classifying it as both consumer-enthusiast and entry-enterprise (fit for servers). The drive features OCZ-Indilinx Barefoot 3 M00 series processor, with what appears to be LPDDR3 cache, and a power-outage mitigating logic. When it senses a power-outage or unstable power, the drive finishes all outstanding read/write operations under power from of a capacitor bank, and "parks" itself, to prevent data loss. It features Toshiba MLC NAND flash built on the 19 nm silicon fabrication process. The drive comes in capacities of up to 960 GB, and offers sequential transfer rates of up to 550 MB/s, and 4K random access throughput of up to 100,000 IOPS.

The Pentium brand is so important for Intel, that it continues to exist, and the company celebrated its 20th anniversary by launching a special edition dual-core socket LGA1150 Pentium chip that comes with unlocked multipliers. Trouble is, people who buy it would have to opt for expensive motherboards just to overclock it, and would rather balance their expenses with Core i3 and cheaper motherboards, instead. To address that, and bring a bottle to Intel's celebrations, ASRock launched the Anniversary series, with the ATX Z97 Anniversary, and the micro-ATX Z97M Anniversary. As their names suggest, the two are based on Intel's overclocking-ready Z97 Express chipset. The idea behind the two could be to combine the Z97 chipset with a basic VRM that's just about enough to push the Pentium Anniversary Edition chip to its limits.

The Z97 Anniversary is a highly space-optimized ATX motherboard. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 4-pin Molex power connectors. It uses a 5-phase VRM to condition power to the CPU, cooled by a heatsink. The CPU is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots, and the lone PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. Three PCI-Express 2.0 x1, and two legacy PCI make for the rest of its expansion. Storage connectivity includes six SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Networking is care of an Intel-made gigabit Ethernet controller. The onboard 6-channel HD audio is handled by an ALC887 CODEC, but backed by electrolytic capacitors. HDMI is its only display output.

In what could be a boon for mini-ITX PC builders, Apacer created a new line of DDR3 memory modules that come with M.2 slots. Called Apacer Combo-SDIMM, the contraption puts a DDR3 DIMM and M.2 slot onto the same PCB. The DRAM portion is restricted to half the module's height, while the other half takes up the M.2 slot. Sadly, the M.2 slot is wired to through its SATA link layer, and not PCIe, so your SSDs are capped at 6 Gb/s speeds. Points for the engineering, though.