AMD Socket AM4 continues to be relevant even in 2024, nearly seven years since its introduction, with the company announcing several new processor models at CES. AMD has extended Ryzen 5000 series "Zen 3" support across all three desktop chipset series, including the oldest AMD 300-series, and since all Socket AM4 motherboards feature USB BIOS Flashback, users have the full spread of Socket AM4 processors to upgrade to. The Ryzen 7 5800X3D continues to be a popular final upgrade destination for gamers on Socket AM4 who may have spent a pretty penny building a high-end gaming desktop in 2020-21. The 5800X3D offers gaming performance comparable to an Intel Core i9-12900K "Alder Lake," despite being based on the older "Zen 3" microarchitecture, since it enjoys a large 96 MB L3 cache, thanks to AMD's innovative 3D Vertical Cache technology. The 5800X3D commands a $360 street price, which may be a little steep for some users, and so AMD is increasing choice, with the introduction of the new Ryzen 7 5700X3D.

The Ryzen 7 5700X3D is an 8-core/16-thread Socket AM4 processor, which is practically the same silicon as the 5800X3D, but with lower clock speeds, and more importantly a 30% lower price. While the 5800X3D commands $360 in the market, the new 5700X3D is coming in at an attractive $250. The 5700X3D comes with a base frequency of 3.00 GHz, and maximum boost frequency of 4.10 GHz. In comparison the 5800X3D has a 3.40 GHz base frequency, and 4.50 GHz boost. Both chips enjoy the same power limits, with a TDP of 105 W. The 5700X3D gets the same 96 MB of L3 cache that includes 64 MB of 3D Vertical Cache; and 512 KB of L2 cache per core. The I/O is identical, too, with a 24-lane PCI-Express Gen 4 interface, and dual-channel DDR4 memory, with DDR4-3600 being the sweetspot frequency.Update Jan 9th: AMD clarified the specs of the Ryzen 5 5500GT in an updated slide. It is indeed a 6-core/12-thread processor.

At the 2023 International CES, market leader Kingston expanded their FURY line of enthusiast-gaming PC memory with the introduction of several new DDR5 memory kits. The top-of-the-line FURY Renegade series comes in RGB and non-RGB trims, and with speeds of up to DDR5-7200 with Intel XMP 3.0 support. For the AMD crowd, the company showed off the FURY Beast RGB, which comes in speeds of up to DDR5-6000, and features AMD EXPO profiles along with extensive validation with Ryzen 7000 series processors.

For those still making the transition between DDR4 and DDR5, Kingston introduced the FURY Beast DDR4 RGB, which looks visually similar to their DDR5 FURY Beast, but comes with speeds of up to DDR4-3600, with validation on AMD Ryzen 5000 series processors. It also supports an Intel XMP 2.0 profile. For high-end gaming notebooks and SFF platforms, including the Intel NUC 12 Extreme, Kingston introduced the FURY Impact line of DDR5 SO-DIMM memory, which comes in speeds of up to DDR5-5600.

Intel's next entry-level processor for the Socket LGA1700 platform is the Core i3-12100. Carved out of the "Alder Lake-S" H0 silicon, this processor features 4 "Golden Cove" performance cores with HyperThreading enabling 8 logical processors, and no E-cores. The processor ticks at 3.30 GHz, with 4.30 GHz Turbo Boost 2.0 frequency. Each of the four cores has 1.25 MB of L2 cache, and they share 12 MB of L3 cache. The i3-12100 gets a Gen12 Xe LP-based iGPU, while a variant of the processor, the i3-12100F, lacks integrated graphics. Intel is rating the processor base power value at 60 W, with 77 W maximum turbo power.

XFastest scored an i3-12100 engineering sample, and wasted no time in comparing it with the Ryzen 3 3300X. The i3-12100 was tested on an ASRock Z690 Steel Legend motherboard that has DDR4 memory slots. 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3600 memory and RTX 3060 Ti were used on both the Intel and AMD test-beds. A Ryzen 3 3100 was also used on the AMD side. Right off the bat, we see the i3-12100 take a significant lead over the AMD chips at PCMark, posting a roughly 15% performance lead. Cinebench R23 is another test where the little "Alder Lake" scores big, posting a roughly 26% performance lead in the multi-threaded test, and 27% in the single-threaded test. This is mainly because the 3300X is based on "Zen 2" while the i3-12100 uses the cutting-edge "Golden Cove" cores. AMD hasn't bothered with "Zen 3" based Ryzen 3 desktop processors in the retail market.

Did you know, Team Group just hosted its first independent Online Expo, showcasing the very latest from the growing range of PC components and gaming hardware from the company? Read all about it here, and be sure to check out a recording of their keynote address, if you haven't already. With its new products, Team Group is reaching out to serious gamers, PC enthusiasts, and creators in equal measure. To mark this special occasion, Team Group and TechPowerUp bring you the "Chill the Heat, Feel the Speed, Make it Big" Giveaway.

Open worldwide, up for grabs are three of the finest pieces of Team Group hardware. These include Team Group XTREEM ARGB 2x 8 GB DDR4-3600 CL14 memory kit, a Team Group Cardea C440 1 TB NVMe SSD, and a Team Group Cardea Graphite Z440 1 TB NVMe SSD. Three lucky winners in all. The rules are simple, just hit us with some very basic info to help us get back to you if you've won, and get the Q&A right. Entries close on October 3, 7:00 AM UTC. Good Luck!

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

Thermaltake released its highest-capacity dual-channel (2-module) DDR4 memory kit, the ToughRAM XG RGB R016R432GX2-3600C18A. This kit uses modules that are a swansong of DDR4 in terms of capacity—32 GB x 2. The 32 GB module is dual-rank, and only compatible with some of the later generations of Intel Core and AMD Ryzen processors that feature memory controllers with support for up to 128 GB of memory in total. On its part, Thermaltake claims that the modules were only tested to be compatible with Intel 10th Gen and 11th Gen Core; and AMD Ryzen 2000 series and above. In terms of performance, the ToughRAM XG RGB R016R432GX2-3600C18 packs an Intel XMP 2.0 profile for DDR4-3600 with 18-22-22-42 + CR2T timings, and 1.35 V module voltage. The module is aesthetically identical to the ToughRAM XG RGB series the company debuted in March 2021.

Thermaltake today introduced new Turquoise color variants of its ToughRAM RGB DDR4 memory series. These are, quite simply, a turquoise anodized paint-job on the 1.8 mm-thick aluminium heatspreaders of the memory modules; and join other color variants that include Black (default), Metallic Gold, Racing Green, Racing Red, and White. The modules are still crowned by a white silicone diffuser for the addressable RGB LEDs. The ToughRAM RGB DDR4 series comes in a number of speed-based variants, ranging from DDR4-3600 to DDR4-4400. The company didn't reveal pricing.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the availability of the latest Trident Z Royal Elite memory series, along with the introduction of new high-speed, low-latency performance memory specifications at DDR4-4000 CL14-15-15-35 and DDR4-3600 CL14-14-14-34. Built with Samsung 8 Gb B-die ICs to achieve these incredibly low latency timings, these new DDR4 memory specifications are the ideal choice for building a powerful workstation or the ultimate gaming system.

G.SKILL is dedicated to developing high-speed, low-latency memory kits for high performance PC systems, and achieving an extremely low CL14 latency on high-speed dual-ranked memory modules is no easy feat. Created with Samsung B-die ICs, G.SKILL is launching the incredible DDR4-4000 CL14-15-15-35 memory specification with 16 GB modules for a 32 GB (16 GB x2) kit capacity. Below is a screenshot showing the memory kit on the ASUS ROG STRIX Z590-E GAMING WIFI motherboard with the Intel Core i7-11700KF processor.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is excited to announce the co-branded Trident Z Maverik DDR4 memory kit with MSI for the MPG GAMING MAVERIK bundle. Expanding upon the award-winning Trident Z series, the Trident Z Maverik accentuates the vibrant theme of MSI MPG GAMING MAVERIK bundle with digital equalizer inspired designs, offering fast DDR4-3600 memory speed and a 32 GB (16 GB x 2) kit capacity. Engineered for exceptional gaming experience and lighting aesthetic, the MPG GAMING MAVERIK bundle is the ideal companion for demonstrating the ultimate gaming performance on the latest Intel Z590 platform.

Over the years, G.SKILL has worked closely with MSI to bring extreme memory performance of each platform generation to worldwide PC gamers and DIY PC builders. Collaborating with MSI on the MPG GAMING MAVERIK bundle, based on the latest Intel Z590 chipset, G.SKILL presents the Trident Z Maverik DDR4 memory kit. Accentuating the vibrant theme of the MSI MPG GAMING MAVERIK bundle, the Trident Z Maverik showcases digital equalizer inspired designs and a sleek slash across the hairline brushed aluminium heatspreader. Additionally, each Trident Z Maverik kit is built with hand-screened ICs and undergoes rigorous G.SKILL test procedures to ensure the best reliability and performance. In order to meet the system requirement demands of modern PC games and to optimize in-game experience, the Trident Z Maverik offers fast DDR4-3600 memory speed and provides an ample 32 GB (16 GB x 2) kit capacity.

Thermaltake today introduced the ToughRAM XG RGB line of DDR4 memory kits. The series debuts in 16 GB (2x 8 GB) dual-channel memory kits, with frequency-based variants of DDR4-3600, DDR4-4000, DDR4-4400, and DDR4-4600. The top DDR4-4600 kit (R016D408GX2-4600C19A) does its rated frequency with timings of 19-26-26-45, and 1.5 V DRAM voltage. The DDR4-4400 kit (R016D408GX2-4400C19A) runs at slightly tighter timings of 19-25-25-45, and 1.45 V. The DDR4-4000 kit (R016D408GX2-4000C19A) ticks at 19-23-23-42, with 1.35 V. At the same voltage, the DDR4-3600 kit (R016D408GX2-3600C18A) does 18-19-19-39.

Visually, the ToughRAM XG RGB module features a chunky aluminium heatspreader design with three distinct design tones, and three silicone addressable-RGB diffusers that hide 16 ARGB diodes. You can control the lighting using Thermaltake's NeonMaker app, or pretty much any ARGB control software, including Razer Chroma. Thermaltake guarantees advertised speeds on Intel X299, Z490, Z390, Z370, Z270, and Z170 chipset motherboards when paired with K-series processors; or AMD X570 and B550 motherboards with Ryzen 3000 "Matisse" or 5000 "Vermeer" processors. The modules are backed by lifetime warranties. The company didn't reveal pricing.

The processors may be a few days away from availability, but the overclocking records are already trickling out. Darklord posted a CPU-Z validation for a Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core processor overclocked to 5898.63 MHz (or roughly 5.90 GHz), with all 16 cores and 32 threads enabled, and dual-channel memory. It appears to be a straight up multiplier overclock with the multiplier set to 59.0X, and stock base-clock. What's interesting, though, is the core voltage that this feat took—a scorching 1.656 V. Other components include an ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Impact X570 motherboard, dual-channel DDR4-3600 memory, and basic GT 710 graphics. There's no word on cooling, but with this kind of voltage, an extreme method such as LN2 won't surprise us. Find the validation here.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is delighted to announce extreme low-latency with high-capacity DDR4 memory kits at DDR4-3600 CL14-15-15-35 in 64 GB (16GBx4) and 32 GB (16GBx2) configurations under the Trident Z Neo, Trident Z Royal, Trident Z RGB, and Ripjaws V series. Once again, these extraordinary memory kits are manufactured using high-performance Samsung B-die ICs to achieve the low latency of CL14 at DDR4-3600.

At G.SKILL, we are always searching for the ultimate memory kit, tuned not only for speed, but also for efficiency. And to achieve high efficiency, this means lower latency timings. As the market demand for higher capacity increases, G.SKILL has risen to the challenge, and is introducing the DDR4-3600 CL14-15-15-35 64 GB (16 GB x4) memory kit specification, shown validated on the Intel-based ASUS ROG MAXIMUS XII HERO (WI-FI) Z490 and MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE motherboards, as well as the AMD-based ASUS PRIME X570-P motherboard.

G.Skill Memory unveiled new variants of its SniperX line of DDR4 memory co-branded with the ASRock Steel Legend brand. This purely cosmetic collaboration sees the memory module receive stainless steel-finish aluminium heatspreaders with white urban camo heatspreader crown that blends into the design scheme of ASRock's Steel Legend motherboard design scheme. You also get prominent Steel Legend branding on the heatspreaders. The first such kit is the F4-3600C18D-32GSXAS, a 32 GB (2x 16 GB) kit with modules that tick at DDR4-3600 with 18-22-22-42, at 1.35 V. Since Steel Legend is mainly a middle-of-the-market brand by ASRock, one can expect other kits in the series, particularly 16 GB (2x 8 GB), with mid-range frequencies (ranging between DDR4-3200 to DDR4-4000). G.Skill also collaborated with ASUS TUF Gaming for special edition SniperX kits.

Thermaltake today announced its TOUGHRAM Z-ONE series premium PC memory without RGB LED embellishments. The TOUGHRAM Z-ONE series, which debuted in December 2019, originally feature an RGB LED diffuser on top. The new modules instead feature a brushed aluminium crown of a contrasting shade to the heatspreaders, which gives it an Art Deco look when viewed from the top. The company launched two SKUs today, "R010D408GX2-3600C18A" is a 16 GB dual-channel (2x 8 GB) kit rated for DDR4-3600, while "R010D408GX2-3200C16A" is its DDR4-3200 rated sibling. The 3600 MHz variant achieves its marketed speeds with a tested CAS latency of 18T, and 1.35 V vDIMM. The DDR4-3200 variant does so at 16T CAS latency, and 1.35 V. Both variants pack Intel XMP profiles to enable advertised speeds, and are tested to work on Intel X299, Z390, and AMD X570 platforms. The company didn't reveal pricing.