Serial leaker @yuuki_ans on X/Twitter has released details on Intel's upcoming Barlow Rridge Thunderbolt 5 controller which will be known as the JHL9580 or JHL9540 depending on the SKU. The good news is that Intel has finally moved to PCIe 4.0 for the bus interface, which was expected due to the increased bandwidth on offer by Thunderbolt 5 over Thunderbolt 3 and 4. Barlow Ridge will use a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface to connect to the host and it appears that the earlier leak that suggested native Thunderbolt support in Arrow Lake-S might be incorrect, as there are diagrams showing Barlow Ridge connected to Arrow Lake-S CPUs.

Besides the faster bus, Thunderbolt 5 brings asymmetrical data transmission support which means that for display applications there will be a 120/40 Gbps mode, whereas for data only applications Thunderbolt 5 will deliver a symmetrical 80 Gbps mode. We should point out that this only appears to apply to the JHL9580 SKU, which also supports 40 Gbps USB4 speeds, whereas the JHL9540 for some reason remains a Thunderbolt 4 controller. That said, both of the Barlow Ridge SKUs get support for 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, something that was lacking in previous Thunderbolt implementations. There will also be support for DisplayPort 2.1 via DP Alt Mode with full UHBR20 support when used with a DP80 certified cable. Actual data transfers are limited to the 64 Gbps PCIe 4.0 interface to the host system, just like USB4, but this does at least give Thunderbolt 5 extra head room for display data even in symmetrical mode. The Barlow Ridge controllers appear to be connected directly to the Arrow Lake-S CPUs via the PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, much in the same way USB4 host controllers connect to AMD's Ryzen 7000-series CPUS.

AMD has revealed the full specs of its upcoming Ryzen 8000G APUs and it turns out that the Zen 4c cores aren't clocking as high as the Zen 4 cores in the Ryzen 5 8500G and Ryzen 3 8300G. We should point out that the 8300G has a singular Zen 4 core and three Zen 4c Cores here, so there's no confusion. The Zen 4 cores in the 8500G have a base clock of 4.1 GHz, while the 8300G comes in at 4.0 GHz, with both of the APU's Zen 4c cores having a base clock of 3.2 GHz. Oddly enough, AMD lists the overall base clock of the 8500G as 3.5 GHz and the 8300G as 3.4 GHz with a notice that reads "Represents the average effective base frequency of all cores." AMD is in other words averaging the clock speeds of the two different cores to come up with an approximate base clock.

The Zen 4 cores in the 8500G boost up to 5 GHz, with the 8300G boosting to 4.9 GHz, whereas the Zen 4c cores in the 8500G boost up to 3.7 GHz and in the 8300G to 3.6 GHz. Here AMD doesn't provide an estimated frequency equivalent. Despite being budget models in the Ryzen 8000G-series of APUs, both SKUs get two USB4 ports with full 40 Gbps capabilities, plus a pair of USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) ports. Furthermore the Radeon 740M GPU will be clocked at 2.8 GHz in both APUs, but both SKUs are limited to a mere four graphics cores, whereas the Ryzen 5 8600G gets eight at the same clock speed and the Ryzen 7 8700G gets 12 at 2.9 GHz. All four APUs also support DisplayPort 2.1.

The current crop of PCIe Gen 5 based M.2 NVMe SSDs run scorching hot to deliver sequential transfer speeds of 10 GB/s, requiring some massive cooling solutions with tiny fans. All this might change, as Phison, a leading SSD controller manufacturer, unveiled three new controllers at the 2024 International CES. One of these that stands out, is the PS5031-E31T, which is built on the 7 nm node, and could power the first Gen 5 SSDs delivering 10 GB/s without elaborate cooling solutions. This is a big upgrade from the 12 nm node used by their first Gen 5 controllers. The PS5031-E31T is a DRAMless controller meant for mainstream Gen 5 SSDs. This controller has a 4-channel flash interface (16 CE), a PCI-Express 5.0 x4 host interface, supports capacities of up to 8 TB, and is claimed by Phison to offer sequential transfer rates of up to 10.8 GB/s, and up to 1500K IOPS random access; exceeding the fastest Gen 4 SSDs.

Phison also updated its high-end controller lineup with the new PS5026-E26 Max14um. This is a variant of the E26 that's designed for the upcoming Micron B58R NAND flash chip that offers 2400 MT/s per channel transfers. Over the 8-channel interface of the E26, this finally unlocks sequential transfer speeds exceeding 14 GB/s reads, and 12.7 GB/s sequential writes. This is merely a revision of the existing E26 with updated power-optimized firmware, the underlying silicon is identical. The E26 Max14um is the first controller to surpass 1000 MB/s in all three PCMark 10 storage tests. We have a sample of an SSD powered by the E26 Max14um in our labs, and will post our review soon.

Patriot Memory brought their latest ware to the 2024 International CES that use recent advancements in tech on both the SSD and memory fronts. On the SSD front, this year sees 14 GB/s capable PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSDs thanks to Phison's E26 Max14um controller; and a new crop of USB4 portable SSDs; while the memory front sees DDR5 speeds go far north of DDR5-6000, thanks to on-module CKDs. Patriot showed us examples of each.

First up, there's the Patriot Viper PV573 Gen 5 NVMe SSD. This thing comes in capacities of up to 4 TB, and combines a Phison E26 Max14um controller with Micron's latest B58R TLC NAND flash chips that offer 2400 MT/s per flash channel. The controller also gets some incremental thermal optimizations, which means the cooling solution for the PV573 is a 16.5 mm-tall fan-heatsink. The drive offers up to 14 GB/s sequential reads, with up to 12 GB/s sequential writes. There's also a slightly de-rated version of this drive, the Viper PV553, which has the same combination of controller and NAND flash, but with transfer speeds of up to 12.4 GB/s reads, with up to 11.8 GB/s writes.

Crucial, the client-focused brand of memory giant Micron Technology, showed off a handful new innovations at its booth along the sidelines of the 2024 International CES. First up, is a prototype USB4 portable SSD and prototype desktop SSD. These are proofs of concept, and not actual products. With this, Crucial is testing the waters with USB4 and its delicious 40 Gbps bidirectional bandwidth, which unlocks a new generation of fast removable storage devices. The prototype USB4 portable SSD comes in a tiny chassis about the size of a burner phone. It is a PCB with an M.2-2280 slot with PCIe Gen 4 x4 wiring, connected to an ASMedia ASM2464PD USB4 bridge chip. An OEM Micron Gen 4 SSD with 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash and LPDDR4 DRAM cache, is installed on this drive. The CDM reading for this drive is 3821 MB/s sequential reads, with 885 MB/s sequential writes.

Next up, is a larger desktop SSD prototype (which again, isn't an actual product but a proof of concept). Its metal chassis is about the size of a 3.5-inch HDD. Inside is at least one M.2-2280 Gen 4 slot (there are probably more); with a preinstalled drive. An ASMedia ASM2464PD handles things here, too. The performance is mostly similar, at 3792 MB/s sequential reads, but with significantly increase 3803 MB/s sequential writes. This may seem unspectacular because Thunderbolt 4 has been delivering 40 Gbps for many years now, and we've had TB4-based external SSDs; but USB4 somewhat democratizes this kind of bandwidth.

GIGABYTE Technology, a leading global powerhouse in motherboards, graphics cards, and cutting-edge hardware solutions, proudly unveils the world's first motherboard designed to seamlessly support the native USB-C 40 Gbps signal when paired with the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen 8000 series processors.

"We are thrilled to introduce a motherboard that not only supports the cutting-edge AMD Ryzen 8000 series processors but also incorporates advanced features that cater to the evolving needs of our users. This marks a significant leap forward in terms of performance, user-friendliness, and design aesthetics." Said Jackson Hsu, Director of the GIGABYTE Channel Solutions Product Development Division.

MINISFORUM unveiled a high-end tablet convertible based on the Windows 11 x64 platform. Called simply the V3 AMD Tablet, this 3-in-1 convertible can be used as a 14-inch tablet, or combined with a dock that adds a keyboard, trackpad, and a stand. The tablet measures 318 mm x 213.8 mm x mm 9.8 mm (WxDxH), weighing 946 g. Its 14-inch 16:10 aspect-ratio display offers a 2560 x 1600 pixels resolution, with 165 Hz refresh rate, 100% DCI-P3 coverage, and 500 nits maximum brightness. This display is backed by a sensitive touchscreen that supports MPP 2.6 SLA and sensitivity suitable for a natural handwriting stylus.

Connectivity includes Wi-Fi 6E with Bluetooth 5.3, a USB-C V-Link (DP in), two 40 Gbps USB4, a fingerprint reader, and 4-pole headset jack. Under the hood, the MINISFORUM V3 is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8040U series "Hawk Point" processor, paired with 32 GB of LPDDR5-6400 memory, and a 2 TB M.2 Gen 4 NVMe SSD. The SoC has a 28 W configured TDP, and MINISFORUM has innovated a four flat copper heatpipe, dual fan cooling solution. The tablet also has a 4-speaker setup and multi-directional microphone. The front camera is 2 MP with full Windows Hello compatibility, while the rear cam is 5 MP. Powering it all is a 50.82 Wh battery, and a 65 W USB-PD power source over a type-C connector. Windows 11 Pro 23H2 with Ryzen AI enablement comes pre-installed. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MINISFORUM's first Mini WorkStation MS-01, is officially available for pre-order on the official store. Tailored for tech-savvy gamers, this high-performance Mini WorkStation boasts the fastest network speed, strongest expansion capabilities, and maximum storage. It offers options with Intel Core i9-13900H and i9-12900H processors, starting at a price of $549 USD.

The MS-01 is powered by the Intel 13th generation's most robust mobile Core i9 processor, the i9-13900H, featuring 14 cores and 20 threads, a base frequency of 2.6 GHz, and a turbo boost frequency of 5.4 GHz. With the integrated 96EU Intel Iris Xe graphics, running at up to 1.5 GHz, it delivers outstanding flagship performance for tasks ranging from daily graphics processing to video production. In addition to its impressive performance, the MS-01 boasts a plethora of interfaces, enabling network transfer speeds of up to 65 Gbps, making it the fastest Mini PC in terms of network speed of MINISFORUM.

VIA Labs, Inc. (VLI), a leading supplier of USB4, USB 3.2, and USB Power Delivery Controllers, today announced that the VL832 USB4 Endpoint Device Controller achieved USB4 certification from the USB Implementor's Forum (USB-IF). VIA Lab's VL832 supports USB 40 Gbps operation and is now listed on the USB-IF Integrator's List under TID: 10033.

VIA Lab VL832's USB-IF Certification represents a key milestone in the USB4 ecosystem. The certified USB4 device controller with an integrated USB 3.2 USB 10 Gbps Hub, USB 2.0 Hub, and DisplayPort output, provides essential connectivity for peripheral devices such as multi-function adapters and docking stations. In USB4 40 Gbps mode, VL832 supports full DisplayPort HBR3 bandwidth (32.4 Gbps), and the USB 20 Gbps hub can enable multiple USB 10 Gbps devices to operate at full performance on supported host platforms. Both metrics are double what was previously possible using DisplayPort Alternate Mode, which is limited to 2-lanes of DisplayPort when supporting USB 3.2 functionality.

Kensington, a worldwide leader of desktop computing and mobility solutions for IT, business, and home office professionals, today announced the launch of the SD5800T Thunderbolt 4 and USB4 Quad Video Docking Station. The powerful plug-and-play docking station supports up to four 4K monitors, delivers data transfer speeds up to 40 Gbps, provides up to 100 W of power delivery, and features 16 connectivity ports enabling users to release the potential of their premium laptops.

Providing a true plug-and-play experience with no drivers or downloads required, the SD5800T is one of the first Thunderbolt 4 docks capable of supporting Quad 4K displays, and is compatible with Windows and macOS, as well as Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB-C devices. Ideal for graphic designers, video editors, and animators, the 16-in-1 design includes built-in UHS-II SD and Micro SD card readers for the efficient transfer of files at ultra-fast speeds.

Lenovo has unveiled the ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 4, setting a new standard for all-in-one (AIO) business desktop computers. Designed to address the needs of modern workplaces and content creators, this powerhouse Windows 11 PC wows with a massive 27-inch QHD display and is equipped with smart features that enhance connectivity, privacy, and usability.

"Modern businesses require more than just a high-performing PC, they need solutions that are smart and intuitive, reliable and efficient, and empowers them to create a multi-device ecosystem seamlessly," said Sanjeev Menon, vice president and general manager, Worldwide Desktop Business in Intelligent Devices Group, Lenovo. "In this evolving hybrid environment, employees use an average of 2.5 devices for work and would like to be provided with both desktops and laptops to allow them to be more productive. Lenovo's ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 4 is the answer for businesses looking for synergy and to make workspaces more flexible, streamlined, and productive."

MSI is excited to announce today the brand-new MAX Series Motherboards for the Z790 chipset and Micro-ATX motherboards for the B760 chipset, which includes the MEG Series, MPG Series, MAG Series, and PRO Series. MSI's Z790 and B760 motherboards paired with Intel Core Next-gen, 13th Gen, and 12th Gen Processors are here to bring even more performance and fine-tuning on the success of the last generation of Processors. As a world-leading motherboard brand, MSI's Z790 MAX Series motherboards are designed to provide the very best performance for gamers and creators.

MSI Z790 MAX Series motherboards have a strong lineup of power phase design boards across every model ranging from our flagship MEG Z790 GODLIKE MAX that has 26 Duet Rail Power System CPU power phases with 105 A SPS to even our entry-level PRO Series motherboard that has increased up to 16 DRPS CPU power phases with 80 A SPS.

Baseus Technology, the leading global consumer electronics brand, has prepared a stack of fast-charging USB-C chargers, the "Let's C" lineup. It includes fast chargers, power banks, charging cables, digital power strips, and car chargers for the iPhone 15.

Fast, Durable, and Sustainable Let's C Cables
Baseus Let's C Flash Series II, the USB-C to C Cable is a full-featured cord that supports up to 240 W fast charging and a data transfer speed of up to 40 Gbps, which is perfect for moving ProRes files shot with the new iPhone 15 Pro lineup. It was tested only to take 5s to transfer 10 GB files according to test results from Baseus, and it also supports a high-resolution output going up to 8K@60 Hz. This level would fascinate even videophiles.

ProGrade Digital, founded with a mission to provide the highest quality professional grade digital memory cards and workflow solutions, announces its new PG05.6 card reader, a single-slot reader designed specifically for the latest CFexpress 4.0 (PCIe Gen 4) Type B memory cards. The PG05.6 reader is based on the latest USB4 technology which is designed to achieve speeds of up to 40 Gbits/sec. When used in conjunction with the latest CFexpress 4.0 (PCIe Gen 4) memory cards, benchmark tests highlight a tripling of data transfer speed from card to host. The PG05.6 is also equipped with ProGrade's patented magnetic base and an adhesive metal plate that allows users to mount the reader to any work surface, such as the back of a laptop. The new reader is also supplied with a certified USB 4.0 cable - assuring the maximum performance possible.

"Our new PG05.6 reader provides a tremendous leap forward in workflow performance by allowing content offload speeds to be reduced by 67% when compared to the performance of USB 3.2, Gen 2 technology of our current product line-up", said Wes Brewer, CEO and Founder of ProGrade Digital. "Along with faster speeds comes the need to provide extra cooling capability for reader and card - something we've spent more than a year perfecting in the new design."

Belkin, a leading consumer electronics brand for 40 years, today announced 8 new products across its power, audio and connectivity categories, underscoring Belkin innovation, quality and its commitment to building products more responsibly. Belkin International can be found on the IFA show floor, Exhibit Hall 3.2, booth #119.

Wireless Charging

BoostCharge Pro Universal Easy Align Wireless Charging Pad 15 W
Delivers a fast and seamless charge for Qi-enabled devices at up to 15 W. The large charging surface provides easy alignment, and its non-slip grip material keeps it in place if jostled or vibrates from an incoming call. It's designed with two separate thermal protection systems to control temperatures and prevent overheating of the charger and connected devices.

Razer today launched the 2023 Razer Blade 14. This segment-disruptive 14-inch notebook packs gaming performance comparable to much thicker enthusiast-class notebooks; in a thin-and-light form-factor comparable to business/commercial notebooks. Across the market landscape, the Razer Blade 14 is designed to compete with the Apple MacBook Pro of a comparable screen size. Razer is timing launch of this notebook with that of the AMD Ryzen 7040HS "Phoenix" processor, because it's based on one. The notebook measures 31 cm x 22.8 cm x 1.79 cm (WxDxH with lid closed), and is 11.5% thinner than the 2022 Razer Blade 14. It's also 9% lighter, at 1.83 kg. Despite its size, the notebook packs a 68.1 Wh battery, which when paired with the rather high-end hardware, offers up to 10 hours of productivity.

Under the hood, the Razer Blade 14 (2023) rocks an AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS "Phoenix" processor, with an 8-core/16-thread "Zen 4" CPU, Ryzen AI accelerator, and Radeon 780M (12 CU) integrated graphics. The main graphics muscle, though, is the GeForce RTX 4070 Ada with 140 W TGP. The notebook provides the ability to switch between the discrete- and integrated graphics. The notebook also comes with two DDR5 SO-DIMM slots for up to 64 GB of socketed DDR5 memory; and an M.2-2280 Gen 4 NVMe slot for the main storage, a Gen 4 SSD. The WLAN module is also socketed, and offers Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.2. The display is a 14-inch, 16:10 aspect-ratio QHD+ (2560 x 1600 pixels) unit, with 240 Hz refresh rate, and 3 ms response time. The display has 500 nits maximum brightness.

So far it has been very quiet on the market when it comes to USB4 hubs, with most products being based on Intel Thunderbolt hardware costing Thunderbolt money. Realtek was demoing its RTS5490 "hub router controller" at Computex and it's as far as we're aware, the first USB4 hub IC that has been announced. The RTS5490 supports speeds of up to 40 Gbps and it has one upstreams and four downstreams ports. It's also backwards compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps), as well as slower USB standards. It also supports the USB PD 3.1 standard and should as such be suitable for docking stations that can deliver up to 240 W to a connected laptop.

It also has native support for DisplayPort 2.1 Alt mode and UHBR20 up to 80 Gbps for DisplayPort signals. The demo board only had an older MST controller, so it would be limited to DP 1.4, but hopefully some company is working on a DP 2.1 MST controller, as this is required to split off the DP signal to the physical ports from USB-C. We were not given any details on when the RTS5490 will be available in the market and pricing will obviously depend on what kind of extra features are being added by the device makers, as it's unlikely that the first products based on it will be simple hubs.

MSI is ready with a major refresh of its Socket LGA1700 motherboard lineup, in time for Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors that come out later this year. Popular motherboard models in its MEG, MPG, and MAG motherboard lines based on the top Z790 chipset Some of the top models in the lineup introduce support for Wi-Fi 7 and 5 Gbps Ethernet. Among the models we've seen are the MEG Z790 ACE MAX (5 GbE + 2.5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7), the MPG Z790 Edge MAX WiFi (2.5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7), MPG Z790 Carbon MAX WiFi (5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7), and the MAG Z790 Tomahawk MAX WiFi (2.5 GbE + Wi-Fi 7). Another set of innovations with these boards include USB 3.2 front-panel headers with 60 W PD capability, screwless M.2 NVMe SSD installation, and at least one Gen 5 NVMe slot. The company also unveiled the USB4 expansion accessory, which puts out two 40 Gbps USB4 type-C ports, along with DisplayPort passthrough, and 100 W PD capability.

Acer today announced new TravelMate business laptops, all powered by 13th Gen Intel Core vPro processors, and feature 16:10 premium OLED displays, 65 Wh fast charging long battery life, and secured log-in with fingerprint reader or IR camera, coming together to achieve the performance and mobility requirements of today's hybrid workforce.

Acer TravelMate P6 14
The latest TravelMate P6 14 is the ultimate premium business laptop for mobile professionals and executives. Professionals can experience elevated viewing experiences on a large screen surface with a 2.8K OLED (2880x1800) display panel, a 16:10 aspect ratio, and support for 100% coverage of the DCI-P3 color space. Powered by Intel vPro, and an Intel Evo design, the high-end business laptop is packed with power as it comes with 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processors, 32 GB LPDDR5 memory and a 65 Wh[1] fast-charging battery. Online business meetings and video calls are further enhanced with the laptop's FHD IR webcam, AI-powered noise-reduction technology through Acer PurifiedVoice, and upward-facing speakers with DTS Audio. A PrivacyPanel feature helps obscure viewing angles beyond 90° to defend against prying eyes. The TravelMate P6 14 laptop also features 2x2 Wi-Fi 6E and 5G connectivity for faster and stronger wireless internet connection needed by mobile professionals.

ASUS today announced Chromebox 5 (CN67), a computer that combines exceptional performance with a contemporary design. The Red Dot Design Award-winning ASUS Chromebox 5 features a slim chassis that houses an efficient thermal solution for reliability, along with a 12th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with up to 32 GB DDR4 3200 memory, and Intel Iris Xe graphics. In addition to the expected DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI ports, ASUS Chromebox 5 also includes versatile Thunderbolt 4 connectivity for speedy data transfers, power delivery, and a connection to external displays. ASUS Chromebox 5 can support up to four 4K displays for stunning visuals and efficient productivity, and is the first Chromebox to feature an optional integrated 15-watt Qi-certified wireless charger that allows users to charge supported devices such as smart phones and earbuds simply by placing them on the top cover. With full support for Android apps from Google Play, ASUS Chromebox 5 allows users to easily download and experience all their favorite apps. The compact chassis can be stood on its side, laid flat, or VESA-mounted on a vertical surface, allowing ASUS Chromebox 5 to be used in a variety of environments, including schools, offices, and retail.

Lightning-fast Thunderbolt 4
Thunderbolt 4 brings Thunderbolt connectivity to USB-C at speeds of up to 40 Gbps, along with DisplayPort 1.4 support. It's even compatible with USB4 to create one compact port that does it all—delivering the fastest, most versatile connection to any dock, display, or data storage device.

ASUS today announced refreshed models in the ultralight, kilogram-class ExpertBook B5 laptop series—ExpertBook B5 (B5402C) and ExpertBook B5 Flip (B5402F).

Available in both traditional clamshell and 360°-convertible forms for the ultimate in portability, flexibility and clarity, the latest ExpertBook B5 models feature expansive 14-inch displays and are packed with the latest high-performance and enterprise-grade security technologies, including up to a 13th Gen Intel Core i7 processor with Intel vPro support and Intel Iris Xe graphics, optional TPM 2.0, both face and fingerprint login, a physical webcam shield, AI noise cancelation for crystal-clear conferencing, ASUS NumberPad for fast data input and, with ExpertBook B5 Flip, a quick-charging garaged stylus.

On January 7th, the Minisforum UM773 was launched in China with the AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS processor and received widespread praise from consumers. Now, the new version of UM773, UM773 Lite, has arrived globally with a more affordable price. Considering that users usually connect external keyboards and mouses, the two USB 3.2 ports have been replaced with USB 2.0 ports. All other design will be the same as UM773. The price, however, will be more favorable.

The new UM773 Lite features the new AMD Ryzen 7 7735HS, AMD Radeon 680M Integrated Graphics, DDR5 dual-channel memory, PCIe 4.0 SSD, and the most advanced USB4 Type-C port. The Ryzen 7 7735HS is one of AMD's new Ryzen 7000 series mobile processors, featuring 8 cores and 16 threads, with a based clock of 3.2 GHz and a maximum turbo clock of 4.75 GHz and a default TDP targeted at 54 W. The RDNA2 Radeon 680M integrated GPU has 12 CUs up to 2.4 GHz.

Leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, proudly announces its new ASRock W790 WS motherboard for workstations for Intel Xeon W-3400/W-2400 series processors (LGA4677). The ASRock W790 WS features up to 2 TB DDR5 ECC RDIMM support, PCI-Express 5.0 expansion slots, USB4/Thunderbolt 4 and Dual 10 Gbps Ethernet. A flagship-class 14-layer PCB and 20+2 phase CPU VRM ensures ultimate performance and superb reliability, even when subjected to the most demanding sustained workloads.

Supports New 4th Generation Xeon Processor
The W790 WS chipset is optimized for new Intel Xeon W-2400 series (LGA4677) processors and is compatible with W-3400 series processors with up to 56 cores also. The ASRock W790 WS provides a quad-channel DDR5 design with 2DPC over 8 DIMM slots, maximizing memory performance, potential memory pool capacity and supports ECC RDIMMs to ensure data reliability.

ZikeTech is a crowd-funded peripherals startup, which claims to have the "world's first and fastest USB4 SSD." The ZikeDrive is a portable SSD that features an extruded aluminium chassis that doubles up as a heatsink for the M.2 NVMe SSD underneath. The drive features a M.2-2280 slot with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 connection, and a bridge chip that converts this to a 40 Gbps USB4, giving it slightly more bandwidth than PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps). This allows a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe SSD to have sequential transfer speeds of up to 3.8 GB/s. The ZikeDrive starts at $99 for the bare enclosure, or with pre-installed 1 TB, 2 TB, or 4 TB drives that offer sequential speeds of up to 3763 MB/s reads, with up to 3146 MB/s writes; however, it is currently an Indiegogo project. Find more details on how to get one here.

ADATA SE920 is the company's first portable SSD to take advantage of USB4 and offer transfer-speeds that utilize that added interface bandwidth. The drive features a 40 Gbps USB4 interface, with a single cable handling both power and host connectivity. Internally, this is an M.2 PCIe Gen 4 SSD that's been wired to an ASMedia ASM2464PD chip that converts a 40 Gbps USB4 uplink to a PCI-Express 4.0 x4 downlink, and hence the internal drive has slightly more bandwidth than PCI-Express 3.0 x4 (32 Gbps).

The ADATA SE920 comes in capacity variants of 1 TB and 2 TB. Both variants offer sequential transfer rates of up to 3800 MB/s reads, with up to 3200 MB/s writes. The brushed aluminium enclosure has a mechanism that slides out a diagonal insert with air vents for an active cooling mechanism inside, which cools the internal drive, the bridge chip, and some power components. A USB4 type-C to type-C cable is included with the drive.