AMD's Ryzen 7040 "Phoenix" mobile APUs debuted last year with Ryzen AI capabilities (via onboard Xilinx IP), thanks to the fitting of an on-board NPU—Team Red's first generation XDNA AI Engine received immediate support on Windows platforms. Naturally, Linux users expressed frustration about being left out in the cold—later on in the year, AMD put some feelers out (as reported by Phoronix), and gauged interest in a potential Linux deployment of Ryzen AI. Fast forward to January 2024, we see movement with an initial release on open platforms—according to Michael Larabel's latest article: "More than 1,000 requests for Linux support were logged following that October statement and since then I've been hearing quietly of AMD working on Linux support... Well, there's now an open-source but currently out-of-tree driver available. "

AMD's GitHub has been updated with the "first public code drop of the XDNA Linux driver." According to System Requirements, the entry point "to run AI applications (test machine) on an Ryzen AI processor" is Phoenix silicon, as expected. Ryzen 8040 "Hawk Point" is presumably on the support list, since it shares the same basic underpinnings—albeit with greater NPU performance. One of AMD's GitHub authors has teased that "Strix" will also be supported in the future—second generation XDNA NPUs are expected to drop later this year. Targets for GFX1150 and GFX1151 were uncovered earlier this week—"Strix Point" and "Strix Point Halo" (respectively) are codenames for next generation Team Red APUs.

EK, the renowned pioneer in premium liquid cooling, announces full compatibility with the newly launched GeForce RTX 40 SUPER series graphics cards powered by NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture. With the launch of the new GPU and all vendor partners announcing their complete lists of the upcoming graphics cards, EK has also updated all the water block compatibility lists found on the EK Compatibility Configurator and EK Custom Loop Configurator database.

The latest RTX 4080 SUPER promises competitive pricing and a lower entry point for PC users, and with that, it represents a more attractive product for custom-loop liquid cooling enthusiasts. RTX 4080 SUPER is bound to go on sale on January 31 with a price of $999 (MSRP), which is $200 less than the launch price of the original RTX 4080. With the release of the NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture, we have seen a plethora of new GPUs announced by the custom board partners, and EK strongly suggests using EK Compatibility Configurator or EK Custom Loop Configurator tools to find a suitable water block. EK is updating the compatibility database with newly released hardware from various manufacturers, adding compatible graphics cards to the list daily.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Strix LC III series and ROG Ryujin III WB, two CPU liquid-cooling solutions tailored to diverse user needs, at the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The ROG Strix LC III AIO cooler series is designed to be easy to install, and it offers excellent cooling performance and a variety of models suited to different scenarios. Meanwhile, the ROG Ryujin III WB creates a one-of-a-kind gaming PC experience for users pursuing ultimate customization and extreme cooling performance.

Introducing the ROG Strix LC III series
The ROG Strix LC III series of 240 mm and 360 mm coolers features an Asetek-designed cold plate and 7th gen V2 pump armed with a robust motor that delivers premium cooling performance. This cooling innovation iterates on previous designs with new Turbulence-Channel cold plate technology to provide greater thermal performance than is possible with traditional split-flow cold plates.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the 2024 Strix family of laptops, including the Strix SCAR 18, the first 18-inch ROG laptop equipped with the mini LED ROG Nebula HDR Display. As the vanguard of gaming laptops, all 2024 Strix machines feature the latest flagship Intel Core i9 processor 14900HX, with the Strix SCAR 16 and SCAR 18 sporting up to an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 Laptop GPU with 175 W max TGP. Paired with a complete suite of the latest intelligent cooling improvements, including Tri-Fan technology and Conductonaut Extreme liquid metal on both the CPU and GPU, the 2024 Strix family of laptops has arrived to dominate the competition.

Brilliant detail
This year marks the introduction of the first ROG 18-inch display powered by Mini LED technology. HDR content and games have arrived on the big screen with the arrival of the 2024 Strix SCAR 18, with its Nebula HDR Display boasting over 2000 discrete dimming zones and 1100 nits of peak brightness. On an 18-inch panel, this dimming zone density coupled with the ROG Nebula HDR Engine minimizes blooming and haloing even in challenging scenes, giving the Strix SCAR 18 incredibly vivid HDR performance.

Intel has officially pulled back the curtain on its 14th Gen Core CPUs, giving gamers, creators, enthusiasts, and everyday users a new tier of processors that elevate everything they do. We've already teased several of our Z790 motherboards purpose-built for the latest Intel Core CPUs, but now we're ready to share all the details. In total, we're releasing seven new Z790 motherboards for your consideration as you hunt for the best motherboard for your 14th Gen Intel CPU. Our cutting-edge ROG Maximus motherboard family is expanding with the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, the ROG Maximus Z790 Apex Encore, and the ROG Maximus Z790 Formula. For gamers everywhere, we're expanding our ROG Strix lineup with three new models, and fans of our TUF Gaming series will be pleased to see the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi make its debut. These new motherboards join our existing Z790 and Z690 motherboards, which also support Intel's latest and greatest chips through a simple firmware update.

There's a lot to go over with the new additions to our Z790 motherboard family: they mark the debut of our first WiFi 7 motherboards, for one, and we're increasing the number of models with onboard PCIe 5.0 M.2 slots. They offer our latest game-changing innovations like DIMM Flex, and they make the process of building a PC easier than ever with their DIY-friendly features.

"Strix Point" is the codename for AMD's next-generation mobile processor succeeding the current Ryzen 7040 series "Phoenix." More details of the processor emerged thanks to "All The Watts!!" on Twitter. The CPU of "Strix Point" will be heterogenous, in that it will feature two different kinds of CPU cores, but with essentially the same ISA and IPC. It is rumored that the processor will feature 4 "Zen 5" CPU cores, and 8 "Zen 5c" cores.

Both core types feature an identical IPC, but the "Zen 5" cores can hold onto higher boost frequencies, and have a wider frequency band, than the "Zen 5c" cores. From what we can deduce from the current "Zen 4c" cores, "Zen 5c" cores aren't strictly "efficiency" cores, as they still offer the full breadth of core ISA as "Zen 5," including SMT. In its maximum configuration, "Strix Point" will hence be a 12-core/24-thread processor. The two CPU core types sit in two different CCX (CPU core complexes), the "Zen 5" CCX has 4 cores sharing a 16 MB L3 cache, while the "Zen 5c" CCX shares a 16 MB L3 cache among 8 cores. AMD will probably use a software-based solution to ensure the right kind of workload from the OS is processed by the right kind of CPU core.

The Republic of Gamers (ROG) department at ASUS started to tease its lineup of official Evangelion tie-in products in late July, with a ROG Strix customized NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 card attracting some attention thanks to its very prominent red and black aesthetic. The marketing spiel revealed that: "the EVA Editions of the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 come equipped with a myriad of performance-enhancing ASUS features, such as Axial-tech fans with reverse rotation and 0 dB technology, an exclusive vapor chamber design, top-shelf power delivery and a sleek metal exoskeleton for maximized rigidity. The expertly engineered fan shroud and right-hand side of the card now sport an EVA-02 color theme, and Asuka art takes over the backplate."

The ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC EVA-02 Edition was shown off at last month's Gamescom trade fair in Germany, but PC hardware enthusiasts in China will be getting first dibs on retail units. As reported by ITHome and VideoCardz, units can be pre-ordered via JD.com, with shipments starting tomorrow (September 5). The special edition livery and pack of themed accessories will set you back 17,999 RMB (~$2475) in the region. ASUS ROG has not revealed pricing for Western territories.

With Intel about to launch its 14th generation of Core processors, the motherboard makers are refreshing their LGA-1700 motherboards, as Intel won't be releasing a new chipset for the 14th gen CPUs. ASUS has now revealed three new boards that will come ready out of the box for Intel's 14th gen Core CPUs. This kind of meagre lineup is likely what we'll be seeing from all of the major board makers, since it doesn't make sense to overhaul all of their boards for the new CPUs, since only a BIOS/UEFI update is needed for the new CPUs to function in just about any 600- or 700-series motherboard. ASUS' lineup of new boards consist of the ROG Maximus Z790 Dark Hero, the ROG Strix Z790-A Gaming WiFi II, and the TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi.

Apart from a design overhaul of all three models with some minor changes to slot placements, which includes new, improved M.2 heatsinks with a much more refined look, ASUS has added WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4 support to two of the three new models. On the ROG Hero board, ASUS has dropped the Hyper M.2 Card in favour of an onboard M.2 slot with a taller heatsink, looking much like what we've seen on some AMD X670E boards. ASUS has also added support for USB PD 3.0 and Quick Charge 4+ to the front USB Type-C ports and even made an app that shows how much power is being delivered by the port in question. Furthermore, ASUS has added support for AEMP II which the company claims makes it easier to optimise memory performance on the boards. ASUS did not reveal when the new boards will be available or what they'll cost. Specs of all three boards after the break.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced collaboration centered around EVA-02 and Asuka from the long-celebrated Evangelion anime series. PC DIY builders and anime lovers can now enjoy a second impact of premium ROG components and peripherals elevated by the classic EVA-02 red and orange colorway with a variety of custom Evangelion-themed decals and graphics. The new powerhouse arsenal includes a ROG Maximus motherboard, ROG Strix GeForce RTX graphics card, ROG Ryujin AIO cooler, ROG Hyperion gaming case, graphics card holder, peripherals and other gear.

ROG Maximus Z790 Hero EVA-02 Edition motherboard
This special version of the feature-packed ROG Maximus Z790 Hero arrives with EVA-02's signature red and orange theme, with traces of green. The backplate design comes with EVA-02 Beast Mode and Evangelion patterns, supporting this motherboard's immense power and control, as it takes 13th Gen Intel Core processors and DDR5 memory kit to the next level. And an A.T. Field design around the CPU socket and Polymo lighting on the I/O cover switches between Asuka and regular EVA-02 as another artistic flourish.

ASUS is readying a wider range of Evangelion-themed ROG product line, building on the collaboration the company built with the popular Japanese action anime in 2022. The 2023 lineup is comprehensive, and includes a special Evangelion edition of the ROG Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard, special edition variants of GeForce RTX 40-series ROG Strix graphics cards (could be anything from the RTX 4070 thru RTX 4090), a special edition ROG Hyperion GR701 case, themed ROG Ryujin II AIO CPU cooler, a themed ROG Thor ATX 3.0 power supply, and lastly, keycap and body panel sets for its various ROG gaming peripherals. ASUS is planning to showcase the 2023 Evangelion lineup at Bilibili World, later this month.

As reported by Phoronix—references to GFX1150 & GFX1151 targets have been added to the AMDGPU LLVM backend/compiler, which seems to indicate that these are upcoming AMD APU models. AMD engineers have made to reference to GFX1150 as "Strix1" (full codename: Strix Point) in the past according to several sites, but the recent leak has GFX1151 mentioned for the first time.

Previous reports suggest that Team Red could be developing two Strix/Zen 5/RDNA 3.5 APUs with AI engine enhancements for laptops—a discovery of two separate GFX targets suggests that we are likely looking at different 12-core and 16-core models. The former is said to be a monolithic design with a TDP going up to 54 W. The 16-core "Strix Halo" (also known as "Starlak") is a very different type of product with leaks suggesting that it will have a maximum TDP of 120 W, and be based on a chiplet design. Zen 5 processor products are expected to arrive in the second half of 2024—with Granite Ridge filling in the desktop platform segment.

ASUS today announced GeForce RTX 4060 graphics cards for the ROG Strix, ASUS Dual and ProArt families, a lineup that stands poised to launch new gamers, or those who need an upgrade, directly into high-fidelity 1080p gaming - thanks to the latest NVIDIA Ada Lovelace GPU architecture and technologies like DLSS 3 and frame generation. The Dual and ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4060 card will be available on June 29, and the Dual White and ProArt GeForce RTX 4060 will be available shortly thereafter.

Game on with the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4060
Gamers looking for the perfect blend of power, features and ROG styling should keep their eyes on the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4060. Sharing the same powerful cooling solution and cyberpunk aesthetic as the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4060 Ti, this new card runs cool even during the most demanding games. Requiring only a single 8-pin power connector, the 3.1-slot design is 311.4 mm long, granting it wide compatibility with existing or brand-new builds.

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060 "Ada" started selling today, with its baseline price at USD $299. The swanky new performance segment graphics card is meant to succeed the popular RTX 3060 "Ampere," offering around 10-20% higher performance, at 50% lower power-draw thanks to the 5 nm foundry process. The card sports the new DLSS 3 Frame Generation feature that nearly doubles performance at comparable image quality, as it generates entire alternate frames entirely using AI, without involving the graphics rendering machinery. NVIDIA is ensuring its board partners have products at the $299 MSRP, most of the premium overclocked RTX 4060 cards are priced $20-40 higher, with the notable exception of the ASUS ROG Strix, which is going for $389, just short of the RTX 4060 Ti MSRP.

Be sure to check out our large selection of reviews that include:

ASUS RTX 4060 DUAL OC | ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4060 OC | MSI RTX 4060 Gaming X | MSI RTX 4060 Ventus 2X | Gigabyte RTX 4060 WindForce OC | Gigabyte RTX 4060 Gaming OC | Galax RTX 4060 EX | Palit RTX 4060 Dual OC | PNY RTX 4060 XLR8 OC | Zotac RTX 4060 Spider-Man

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless gaming keyboard. Offering outstanding versatility, this compact keyboard features a 96% layout that retains all of the function and number keys found in a standard 100% keyboard, packed in a space-saving design. Gamers can pair the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with up to three devices via Bluetooth. Users also have the option to use RF 2.4 GHz with ROG SpeedNova wireless technology and Omni Receiver, or a wired USB connection.

Pre-lubed, hot-swappable ROG NX Snow mechanical switches provide fast actuation, refined and linear keystrokes, and improved key stability. Built-in sound-dampening foam and a switch-dampening pad absorbs pinging noises and echoes to improve acoustics of the keyboard. Typing feel is exceptional as well, with pre-lubed, low-friction keyboard stabilizers enabling smoother keystrokes and stability for longer keys. The switches are topped with durable ROG PBT doubleshot keycaps or UV-coated ABS keycaps that offer premium feel and shine resistance. The Strix Scope II 96 Wireless will soon be joined by the Strix Scope II and Strix Scope II RX full-size gaming keyboards.

ASUS today announced the ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 7600, ASUS Dual AMD Radeon RX 7600 and ASUS Dual AMD Radeon RX 7600 V2 graphics cards, which are designed to strike the perfect balance between affordability and gaming power, with stunning visuals and fluid performance. Key generation-over-generation upgrades make the ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 7600 graphics card a serious contender for a user's next gaming PC. Compared to the last-gen ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, it operates more quietly while running at broadly similar temperatures, and it has a TGP (total graphics power) of 145 watts.

An efficient GPU and an effective cooling solution make all the difference. Two of the 11-blade Axial-tech fans keep a steady stream of cooling air moving through its 2.9-slot heatsink, and dual-ball fan bearings help ensure a long lifetime. Venting in the aluminium protective backplate provides another pathway for heat to dissipate from the card. It is equipped with 0 dB tech as well, so the fans will entirely spin down for silent operation whenever temperatures permit. A Dual BIOS switch lets gamers easily prioritize performance or quiet operation.

ASUS today announced four new NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics cards: the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070, TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070, ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 4070 and Dual White GeForce RTX 4070.

The GeForce RTX 4070 GPU includes all the advancements of the NVIDIA Ada Lovelace architecture, including the new standards in gaming such as DLSS 3 neural rendering and real-time ray tracing technologies. Starting at $599, the GeForce RTX 4070 runs most modern games at over 100 frames per second at 1440p resolution.

AMD has announced the immediate availability of its Ryzen 7045 HX-series (Dragon Range) processors for high performance laptop devices. In a Youtube video released on March 10, AMD's Jason Banta has announced the availability of the world's most powerful mobile processor, the Ryzen 9 7945HX. He listed the OEM partners who have integrated the 7945HX into flagship level laptop models. He also declared that this range topping CPU is a competition beater. Gaming benchmark tests have demonstrated that the Ryzen 9 7945HX beats Intel's Raptor Lake Core i9-13950HX by an average margin of 10%.

ASUS today announced BIOS updates for its Intel 700 and 600 series motherboards in partnership with Corsair, adding support for up to 192 GB of DDR5 memory and support for the new Corsair Vengeance DDR5 48 GB (2 x 24 GB) 7000 MT/s modules.

When builders acquire a 700 or 600 series Intel motherboard from the ROG Maximus, ROG Strix, ProArt, TUF Gaming or Prime lineups, they often have a choice to make: grab an option with support for budget-friendly last-gen DDR4 memory, or future-proof their purchase with a DDR5 model. As the market for DDR5 RAM has matured, it has become difficult for enthusiasts to ignore the performance potential of next-generation memory. With this latest BIOS update, ASUS motherboards with DDR5 support are formidable options. The entire selection of ASUS 700 and 600 series motherboards now supports the latest 24 and 48 GB DDR5 memory modules.

ASUS today announced availability of a BIOS update for its X670 and X670E motherboards that enables full compatibility with the latest AMD Ryzen 7000 Series X3D CPUs featuring AMD 3D V-Cache technology.

The proven gaming performance of the AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU made it a long-standing favorite for PC builders. ASUS motherboards gave those builders high-performance, feature-rich options for assembling a potent gaming machine built around one of these chips. Now, AMD is upping its game with two new Ryzen 7000 Series CPUs with AMD 3D V-Cache technology: the Ryzen 9 7950X3D and the Ryzen 9 7900X3D. Combining a 3D vertical cache and all the advantages of the cutting-edge X670 platform, these chips are poised to seize the gaming performance crown.

EK, the premium PC liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is launching the EK-Quantum Momentum² Strix X670E-I Gaming D-RGB - Plexi, the latest AMD AM5 socket-based monoblock. It is engineered specifically for the ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-I GAMING motherboard and features the latest EK Velocity² cooling engine for top-level CPU cooling. This Quantum line monoblock has addressable D-RGB LED compatible with ASUS Aura Sync RGB control, offering complete lighting customization for every diode at any time. It is also EK-Matrix7 compatible and doesn't require removing the factory-mounted heatsink before installation.

For those that find a 270 Hz refresh rate a bit on the laggy side when gaming at 2560 x 1440, ASUS has updated its ROG Strix series of monitors with the XG27AQMR model. The R on the end of the model name denotes the higher refresh rate, as well as support for DisplayHDR 600 over the previous model in the series. Although the two monitors are said to be using a Fast IPS panel, the new model has a 1 ms Grey to Grey response time, whereas the older model is rated at 0.5 ms.

All the gaming features you'd expect to find are of course included, such are FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync compatibility, ELMB which can be combined with FreeSync and various other ASUS specific features such as GameFast Input technology and GameVisual. The inputs haven't changed from the previous model in the series either, which means there's one DP 1.4 port and two HDMI 2.0 ports, as well as a USB-B input and two USB-A ports, all supporting USB 3.2 Gen 1 speeds, or 5 Gbps. The stand supports tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustment. No word on pricing, but the previous model retails for around US$650, so we'd expect a small price premium on top of that for the higher refresh rate and improved HDR support.

Eiswolf 2 AiO - now also for custom designs of RTX 4080/4090 and RX 7900XT/XTX GPUs! Alphacool presents additional innovative solutions for cooling Nvidia's Geforce RTX 4080 and 4090 and AMD's RX 7900XT/XTX graphics cards.

The enormous waste heat of the new graphics card generation is excellently dissipated with these coolers. The very good water flow and the large cooling surface are due to the particularly filigree fin structure. The jet plate with revised inflow engine also distributes the water perfectly on the cooling fins. The complete chrome plating of the cooler not only provides resistant protection against acids, scratches and damage, but also achieves a beautiful homogeneity and remarkable shine. The Aurora design of the cooler is kept visually calm and simple. This is evident not only in the cooler's design, but also in the wonderfully even lighting achieved via digitally addressable RGB LEDs.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Hyperion GR701, a completely reimagined full tower gaming case that offers an uncompromising vision of luxury and performance, engineered to take DIY builds to new heights.

A new benchmark for airflow
The world of PC building has changed. From next-gen graphics cards like the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090 to faster-than-ever USB data rates and charging, a PC case needs to support the latest and greatest technologies. ASUS built the ROG Hyperion to be a durable, elegant chassis that is ready for the future of DIY gaming rigs—with an airflow-focused design that keeps components running in top shape.

ASUS today announced the ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti and TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 4070 Ti, two high-performance graphics cards ready to propel gaming rigs into the next generation. The ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4070 Ti offers powerhouse next-gen performance in a slightly smaller package than its larger siblings, with all the style and substance users have come to expect from ROG Strix. At 3.15 slots thick and 336 mm long, this card provides plenty of surface area on its MaxContact heatsink for airflow, while retaining the latest cyberpunk design and ultra-rigid structure of its larger siblings. It also features three new 11-blade ASUS Axial-tech fans, which can push 31% more air volume and 56.3% more static pressure than its ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 predecessor—all at a lower power limit and with similarly low noise levels. A massive vented backplate ensures superior airflow, and 0dB technology keeps this card completely silent under lighter workloads.

All of Strix's must-have features are all here as well: Choose between performance and quiet modes with a Dual BIOS switch, connect PC case fans to two FanConnect II headers, and light things up with a ring of ARGB tail-lights compatible with Aura Sync. Meanwhile, reliable power delivery and time-tested build quality achieved through the ASUS Auto-Extreme manufacturing process mean this card is ready to stand with users for years to come.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the Strix GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 White Edition graphics cards, available for enthusiast gamers and DIY builders everywhere. The cutting-edge NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series has taken performance to a whole new level while offering heaps of VRAM, more CUDA cores and an overbuilt cooling system that stays nearly silent even at full load. Now, ASUS is pleased to announce four new versions with eye-catching all-white finishes.

DIY PC building is all about personal taste when selecting components, and the new ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 White Edition and ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC White Edition give discerning builders the option to brighten up a build or color-coordinate with other ROG peripherals, such as the ROG Strix Scope NX TKL Moonlight White. Boasting 16,384 CUDA cores and 24 GB of GDDR6X VRAM, these cards are welcome in simulation rigs, high-end streaming PCs and professional production machines alike.