In its latest update to 3DMark (2013), version 1.4.775, Futuremark rolled out what it claims to be the first comprehensive benchmark for systems with 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) displays. The suite's high-end graphics benchmark, FireStrike, now comes with a third variant, besides the standard (1920 x 1080), and Extreme (2560 x 1440) ones; called FireStrike Ultra. Unlocked on the Advanced and Professional licenses, FireStrike Ultra doesn't need you to have an Ultra HD display, just a GPU with at least 3 GB of video memory. The main benchmark selection window has been polished up a bit more, and the benchmark logging now includes more details that should help with customer-support.DOWNLOAD: 3DMark (2013) v1.4.775

The change-log follows.

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.

Futuremark rolled out an update to its SystemInfo component, which ships with its 3DMark and PCMark benchmark suites, and helps detect hardware and software on the test system. The latest version (4.30) addresses compatibility issues faced by users of Intel's latest X99 Express high-end desktop (HEDT) platform, which cause benchmarks to crash or freeze. Those using the two suites through Steam will get the update automatically. Everyone else can grab the update from the link below.DOWNLOAD: Futuremark SystemInfo 4.30

AMD put out its own 3DMark FireStrike performance numbers for its soon-to-launch Radeon R9 285 performance-segment graphics card. Running on a test-bed powered by a Core i7-4960X six-core processor and 16 GB of DDR3-1866 memory, the R9 285 scored P7066 (performance preset) and X3513 (extreme preset); compared to an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 (337.88 WHQL driver) scoring P5650 and X2774, on the same test-bed. For a card that's in the same price-range (the R9 285 will start at $249) as the GTX 760 (currently going for as low as $239), that's an impressive performance uplift. The R9 285 will start selling on the 2nd of September, 2014.

NVIDIA is reportedly preparing new graphics cards based on the "Maxwell" architecture, which judging by the purported 3DMark FireStrike screenshots, could be high-end parts, maybe even the GeForce GTX 880. The cards could launch along the sidelines of Gamescon, a gaming expo held each year in Cologne, Germany, around mid-August. Given how most information to date points to a later-Q3, maybe even mid-Q4 launch of these cards, it wouldn't surprise us if NVIDIA merely teases these cards. NVIDIA's next big consumer GPU is widely expected to be the GM204, a performance-segment chip based on the "Maxwell" architecture.

Extreme overclockers, Vince "K|NGP|N" Lucido and Illya "Tin" Tsemenko have once again teamed up with the latest EVGA hardware to set new benchmark and frequency world records. Armed with an EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Ti Classified K|NGP|N Edition graphics card, an EVGA X79 Dark motherboard, and the latest and greatest EVGA Power Supplies, Vince was able to push the GPU clockspeed up to a staggering 2025MHz, a new world record.

This frequency also allowed for a new 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme World Record, 8793 points. These accomplishments once again prove EVGA's dedication to the enthusiast community, and why EVGA hardware is the #1 choice for gamers and extreme overclockers. See the 3DMark World Record here.

AMD has today rolled out a Release Candidate (RC) build of its Catalyst 14.6 graphics driver. This version features support for the Radeon HD 5000, HD 6000, HD 7000, HD 8000, R5 200, R7 200 and R9 200 Series cards (and the Mobility Radeon HD 5000/6000/6000M/7000M/8000M mobile GPUs) and brings performance improvements for Plants vs. Zombies and 3DMark Sky Diver, CrossFire profiles for the Battlefield Hardline Beta and Grid Auto Sport, and more.

The Catalyst 14.6 RC is available for Windows 7 and 8.1.

Hot on the heels of all the hardware announcements at Computex, our new 3DMark Sky Diver benchmark test is ready to download and use today. Every single 3DMark user - more than a million and counting - will get Sky Diver as a free update. For new users, Sky Diver is unlocked and ready to use in all editions of 3DMark. And for a limited time, you can buy 3DMark Advanced Edition, which includes more tests, custom settings and other features, from Steam for only $9.99 (60% off).

Sky Diver is a new DirectX 11 benchmark test for gaming laptops and mid-range PCs. It's ideal for testing mainstream graphics cards, mobile GPUs, integrated graphics and other systems that cannot achieve double-digit frame rates in the more demanding Fire Strike test.DOWNLOAD: 3DMark v1.3.708 with Sky Diver

Futuremark today announced 3DMark Sky Diver, a new DirectX 11 benchmark test for gaming laptops and mid-range PCs. 3DMark Sky Diver is the ideal test for benchmarking systems with mainstream DirectX 11 graphics cards, mobile GPUs, or integrated graphics. A preview trailer for the new benchmark shows a wingsuited woman skydiving into a mysterious, uncharted location. The scene is brought to life with tessellation, particles and advanced post-processing effects. Sky Diver will be shown in full at Computex from June 3-7, or find out more here.

Jukka Makinen, Futuremark CEO said, "Some people think that 3DMark is only for high-end hardware and extreme overclocking. Yet millions of PC gamers rely on 3DMark to choose systems that best balance performance, efficiency and affordability. 3DMark Sky Diver complements our other tests by providing the ideal benchmark for gaming laptops and mainstream PCs."

Futuremark rolled out a major update to its 3DMark (2013) graphics benchmark suite. Version 1.2.250 introduces "Ice Storm Unlimited" to the Windows version, letting you test Ice Storm at its maximum setting, and compare scores with iOS and Android devices. The suite also overhauled its hardware detection, and uses a detection engine developed by TechPowerUp. Hardware monitoring graphs will show clock speeds and temperatures of GPUs and CPUs again.DOWNLOAD: Futuremark 3DMark v1.2.250

The TechPowerUp HWBOT team, in partnership with Intel, is announcing the TechPowerUp HWBOT Competition 2013. Spread across three tests which anyone can participate in - 3DMark 2001, 3DMark 03, and SuperPi 32M, the competition gives you the chance to win some cool new gear, including a Core i7-4770K quad-core processor, an AMD CPU and motherboard combo, and a PayPal cash prize. The contest is open from November 1, 2013 to December 15, 2013.

For more information, visit this page.

If these performance numbers posted by credible reviewers at OCUK hold up, then AMD could have a second, more affordable graphics card for you, which outperforms NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 780, at least in synthetic benchmarks. In a brief performance run that spans synthetic tests, which included Unigine Heaven 3.0 at 1080p and 1440p resolutions, with normal level of tessellation; 3DMark 11 (performance preset) and 3DMark Fire Strike (both Normal and Extreme); the card we believe to be R9 290 (name blurred out in the graphs) is consistently faster than the GeForce GTX 780 reference, in the same bench.

Based on the same 28 nm "Hawaii" silicon as the Radeon R9 290X, the R9 290 is its more affordable sibling, featuring 2,560 Graphics CoreNext stream processors, 160 TMUs, 64 ROPs, and a 512-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface, holding 4 GB of memory. It features clock speeds of 947 MHz (core), and 5.00 GHz (memory, GDDR5-effective). There's no word on pricing, but it could be available from the 31st of October, 2013.

The world's leading motherboard brand ASRock announced the winner list of FM2 A10 OC COMPETITION with HWBOT, sponsored by AMD, PowerColor, ADATA, and Thermaltake today. CherV, the overclocker from Hong Kong, broke the world record of CPU-Z once again and achieved the highest 3DMark11 Performance with ASRock FM2A88X Extreme6+ and AMD A10-6800K CPU.

The final champion of CPU-Z and 3DMark11 Performance, CherV, achieved an all-time high CPU-Z score of 8520.22 MHz and highest 3DMark11 Performance score of P 3177 with ASRock FM2A88X Extreme6+. With the amazing result, the final champion won the prizes worth over $5,000 USD, bonus prize of $2,000 USD, and extra $2,000 USD for breaking world records in 2 overclocking benchmarks.

Futuremark announced 3DMark for Windows RT, the ARM-friendly variant of Windows popularized by the Surface RT, and Surface 2. The 3D graphics benchmark suite includes three tests based on the "Ice Storm" test scene, namely "Ice Storm," "Ice Storm Extreme," and "Ice Storm Unlimited." The "Ice Storm" test stresses DirectX 11 feature level 9 test. "Ice Storm Extreme" runs the same scene at 1080p resolution, and with added detail, such as higher resolution textures and post-processing. "Ice Storm Unlimited" is designed to stress all key components, including the CPU and GPU, display resolution scaling, and other OS-related factors.DOWNLOAD: 3DMark for Windows RT

ASUS has disclosed the details of the ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final which will be organized with support from Corsair. The AOOC 2013 final will be held in Moscow on October 5, 2013, as part of the Igromir 2013 expo to be hosted by the Crocus Expo Center from October 3 to 6, 2013. The ASUS booth will be located in Pavilion 1, Hall 1 of the Crocus Expo Center.

The ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 final will be attended by the 13 overclocking teams from Europe and the CIS selected in the qualification round and by the winners of AOOC 2012. These are the best of the European overclocking scene, repeatedly placing in the top of HWBot.org with record-breaking results, so we can be sure that they can deliver their best in ASUS Open Overclocking Cup 2013 using components from ASUS Republic of Gamers and Corsair.

The EUROCOM X5 has been stress tested and benchmarked with an Intel Core i7-4930MX processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780M graphics with extreme results. "Eurocom created the X5 gaming laptop so our gaming warrior clients could discover their dark side, the performance and design are unmatched" Mark Bialic, Eurocom President. The EUROCOM X5 will be equipped with high resolution 17.3" 1920x1080 IPS and 3D displays, upgradeable extreme processors, next generation NVIDIA GTX 700M graphics, multiple storage options (up to 5 physical drives) and up to 32 GB of DDR3-1600 memory.

Personalize your own Eurocom laptop weapon with a custom backlit keyboard, with 7 colours, 3 zones and 8 modes to dominate and stand out. To store the latest games and software the X5 can support up to 5 storage drives, with 2 mSATA solid state drives for fast boot up times and blazing responsiveness. The following 4th gen CPUs will be available: Intel Core i7-4930MX with 4 cores and 8 threads running at 3 GHz with 8 MB L3 cache, Intel Core i7-4900MQ, Intel Core i7-4800MQ and Intel Core i7-4700MQ.

During the week of Computex 2013, 6 overclocking records were shattered by professional overclockers with G.SKILL extreme performance DDR3 memory. Established in 1989 by computer hardware enthusiasts, G.SKILL is a leading memory & Solid State Drive manufacturer based in Taipei, Taiwan. The company's top priority is quality. All of the products undergo a series of the most rigorous tests and strict quality control processes. In addition to a committed, qualified IC testing house to examine the products, all G.SKILL products are 100% tested to ensure the highest yield, reliability and quality.

PC enthusiast "Toppc" with the Coolaler.com, with access to a Core i7 "Ivy Bridge-E" sample clocked to match specifications of the Core i7-4960X, wasted no time in comparing the chip to a Core i7-3970X "Sandy Bridge-E." The two chips share a common socket LGA2011 design, and run on motherboards with Intel X79 Express chipset. An MSI X79A-GD45 Plus, with V17.1 BIOS was used to run the two chips. Among the tests Toppc put the chip through, are overclocker favorites SuperPi mod 1.6, CPU Mark '99, WPrime 1.63, Cinebench 11.5, 3DMark Vantage (CPU score), and 3DMark 06 (CPU score).

The Ivy Bridge-E chip outperformed its predecessor by roughly 5-10 percent across the board. In Cinebench, the i7-4960X scored 10.94 points in comparison to the i7-3970X' 10.16; SuperPi 32M was crunched by the i7-4960X in 9m 22.6s compared to the 9m 55.4s of the i7-3970X; CPU Mark scores between the two are 561 vs. 533, respectively; 3DMark Vantage CPU score being 38,644 points vs. 35,804, respectively; and 3DMark 06 scores 8,586 points vs. 8,099 points, respectively. In WPrime, the i7-4960X crunched 32M in 4.601s, compared to its predecessor's 5.01s. Below are the test screenshots, please note that they're high-resolution images, so please open each in a new tab.

Ahead of its April 24 launch, AMD board vendors has been distributing marketing materials to their retail partners. One such retailer in Japan revealed the flagship graphics card's specifications sheet, revealing details such as clock speeds and GPU core configuration.

To begin with, AMD isn't compromising much on clock speeds on the HD 7990 "Malta," in an effort to lower power draw. The card features GPU core clock speed of 1000 MHz, which puts it above the single-GPU Radeon HD 7970, but not much lower than the Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, with its 1050 MHz. The memory is clocked at 6.00 GHz, on par with the HD 7970 GHz Edition, which yields a cumulative memory bandwidth of 576 GB/s.

EVGA and Vince "k|ngp|n" Lucido have once again dominated the 3DMark Fire Strike World Records with a brand new record for every 3DMark Fire Strike category; the newest and by far most demanding benchmark from Futuremark:

• #1 3DMark Fire Strike (SLI) = 22,054
• #1 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme (SLI) = 11,559
• #1 3DMark Fire Strike (Single Card) = 14,600
• #1 3DMark Fire Strike Extreme (Single Card) = 7,308

These records were obtained using the upcoming EVGA X79 Dark motherboard and two EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN cards in SLI. EVGA Precision X 4.0 was also used to overclock the graphics cards. See the full details at the Futuremark 3DMark Hall of Fame.

Here are the first pictures of Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 Dual-X, the company's premium offering based on AMD's new GPU. The card features Sapphire's in-house PCB and cooler designs, including an aluminium fin-stack heatsink ventilated by a pair of 80 mm fans, and a 21.5 cm long PCB. The card draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector, its display outputs are similar to the HD 7850, with a pair of DVI connectors, HDMI, and DisplayPort. It can pair with another of its kind, only.

EVGA is giving away Advanced Edition licenses of the new 3DMark benchmark suite with all its performance thru high-end graphics cards; which includes GeForce GTX 660 series and above. With eligible EVGA graphics cards purchased on or after 4th March 2013, EVGA will include an unlock the Advanced Edition, which is tailored for most gamers and enthusiasts, letting you run all three test suites with custom settings, and view scores locally. Buyers who meet the criteria can log in with their EVGA account, register their EVGA graphics card, and redeem the offer from this page.

MSI, the world-leading manufacturer of Gaming motherboards, graphics-cards and All-in-Ones PCs storms CeBIT with a new line-up of Gaming products. Hardware enthusiasts and gamers will flock to MSI's new Z77 GAMING motherboards with their new distinctive looks. To complement MSI's new Gaming motherboards MSI will also display a new concept of graphics cards that match the striking looks of the new gaming motherboards. CeBIT 2013 will also be the first opportunity to touch MSI's new AG2712, world's first Gaming All-in-One. 2013 is an exciting year in the computer industry and MSI has reserved a spot in the driver's seat, as can be seen on CeBIT 2013.

Here it is, folks; the first pictures of NVIDIA's newest pixel crunching dreadnought, the GeForce GTX Titan. Pictures leaked by various sources east of the Greenwich Median reveal a reference board design that's similar in many ways to that of the GeForce GTX 690, thanks to the magnesium alloy cooler shroud, a clear acrylic window letting you peep into the aluminum fin stack, and a large lateral blower. The card features a glowy "GeForce GTX" logo much like the GTX 690, draws power from a combination of 6-pin and 8-pin PCIe power connectors, and features two SLI bridge fingers letting you pair four of them to run 3DMark Fire Strike as if it were a console port from last decade.

AMD rushed out a new beta version of its Catalyst driver suite, which addresses the issue of improper performance scaling on the new 3DMark, on CrossFire multi-GPU setups. The new Catalyst 13.2 Beta 5 adds a CrossFire profile for 3DMark v1.00 launched on Monday (04/02). Along the way, it also introduced a couple of performance improvements in some highly specific scenarios. For systems running Far Cry 3 at 2560 x 1600 pixels, with 8x AA, performance could go up by 10 percent. With a refined profile, the driver could dole out up to 40 percent higher performance in Crysis 3, on CrossFire setups.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 13.2 Beta 5