AMD has just published its "How to Sell" Ryzen AI MAX series guide—several news outlets have pored over the "claimed" gaming performance charts contained within this two-page document. Team Red appears to be in a boastful mood—their 1080p benchmark results reveal compelling numbers, as produced by their flagship Zen 5 "Strix Halo" processor (baseline 55 W TDP). According to Team Red's marketing guidelines, the Ryzen AI Max+ 395 APU: "competes with a GeForce RTX 4070 Mobile GPU at similar TDP and form factor." The first-party produced comparison points to their Radeon 8060S integrated graphics solution being up to 68% faster—in modern gaming environments at 1080p settings—than the competing Team Green dedicated laptop-oriented GPU, limited to 65 W TGP due to form factor restrictions. Overall, the AMD test unit does better by 23.2% on average (referring to Wccftech's calculations).

According to the document, AMD's reference system was lined up against an ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (2023) gaming laptop specced with an Intel Core i9-13900H processor, and a GeForce RTX 4070 mobile graphics card. The Ryzen AI Max+ 395's "massive iGPU" can unleash the full force of forty RDNA 3.5 compute units, paired with up to 96 GB of unified on-board memory (from a total pool of 128 GB). Non-gaming benchmarks place the flagship Team Red processor above Intel Core Ultra 9 288V and Apple M4 Pro (12-core) CPUs—as always, it is best to wait for verification from independent evaluators. Saying that, the "Strix Halo" APU family has generated a lot of excitement—even going back to early leaks—and the latest marketed performance could drum up further interest.

While the Ryzen 5 7500F was the least expensive Raphael AM5 Zen 4 CPU that you could find, AMD has now silently launched the Ryzen 5 7400F, a new 6-core/12-thread SKU. Similar to the Ryzen 5 9600 (non-X) that was silently introduced during CES 2025, the Ryzen 5 7400F was not officially announced, but rather just showed up on AMD's product pages. Unlike the Ryzen 5 7500F, which was available only to OEMs and system integrators (SIs), the Ryzen 5 7400F will apparently be available in retail/e-tail as well.

As said, the Ryzen 5 7400F is a Raphael architecture CPU with Zen 4 CPU cores and fits into an AM5 socket. It is a 6-core CPU with support for AMD Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT), so it packs 12-threads and has the same 32 MB of L3 cache. The base clock is set at 3.7 GHz, with a maximum boost clock of 4.7 GHz. The TDP is still at 65 W. As with the rest of the lineup, it is an unlocked CPU, so overclocking is possible, and it supports AMD EXPO Memory Overclocking technology, as well as Precision Boost Overdrive. In the boxed version, it comes with an AMD Wraith Stealth cooler.

Courtesy of serial leaker @momomo_us, who dug up the product pages for Intel's two new retail boxed CPU coolers, we now know what they'll look like ahead of them shipping. The two coolers are known as the Laminar RH2 and Laminar RM2, with the RH2 being the higher-end model of the two. The RH2 has a copper heat column that attaches to aluminium fins and it's decorated with an aRGB LED ring, as well as a white Intel LED logo. It stands 71 mm tall from the base of the heatsink to the top of the fan and is overall 103 x 103 mm and it weighs in at 450 grams. It's rated for CPUs up to 65 W TDP and the fan operates between 1000 and 3000 rpm and supports variable speed via PWM control. It will output 23 dBA at 1600 RPM with the CPU at 40 degrees C, according to the specs. It appears to come with some kind of back plate and it's screwed in place. It will only ship with the Intel Core Ultra 9 Processor 285 for now.

The much more basic RM2 cooler is designed for 65 W TDP CPUs and it measures 100 x 100 mm, but it only stands 47 mm tall. Here only the base of the cooler is made out of copper, the fins are once again made from aluminium and this results in a lower weight of 340 grams. The fan speed range is 600 to 3250 rpm and we're looking at a PWM controlled fan here too. The downside is that the fan has to run at 2400 rpm to produce the same 40 degrees at the inlet with a 65 W CPU underneath it, which results in a noise level of 30 dBA, which is a lot louder than the RH2. Unlike the RH2, the RM2 uses standard Intel socket push-pins for mounting. The RM2 will ship with the Intel Core Ultra 5 Processor 225, 225F, 235, 265 and 265F CPUs, but according to the product page, it will also ship with some Core Ultra 7 desktop chips. Both coolers come with a three-year warranty. Design wise, both of the new coolers are a lot less flashy compared to the previous generation of Intel CPU coolers.

At CES 2025, Lenovo unveiled a bold lineup of AI-powered business solutions designed to redefine the modern workplace. Highlights include the boldly redesigned Lenovo ThinkPad X9 Aura Editions, the innovative and unique ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 with rollable display, and the latest commercial desktops, including the high performance ThinkCentre M90a Pro Gen 6, and the groundbreaking ThinkCentre neo 50q QC powered by Snapdragon. Lenovo also introduces its next-generation ThinkVision P Series monitors and a comprehensive ecosystem of smart accessories, all engineered to elevate productivity and connectivity. Rounding out the announcements, Lenovo showcases cutting-edge proof-of-concept innovations that push the boundaries of technology, offering a glimpse into the future of intelligent, adaptable business solutions.

Lenovo Unveils ThinkPad X9 Series: Revolutionary Design Meets Pro-Level Performance
Lenovo introduces the ThinkPad X9 14 and X9 15 Aura Editions, its latest premium business laptops designed for innovative thinkers from prosumers to small and medium businesses to large corporations. These Copilot+ PCs powered by Intel Core Ultra processors are cutting-edge, AI-enhanced devices for creative professionals that combine powerful and efficient Intel and Windows 11 platforms, personalized AI-enabled experiences, in an all-new progressive design. ThinkPad X9 offers the ideal toolkit for today's hybrid users who demand high performance, proven reliability, and seamless productivity.

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual and edtech solutions, introduces new display products at the Pepcom Digital Experience, Jan. 6th, 2025, in Las Vegas. The company will debut and showcase the latest line-up of desktop monitors that will be available in the first half of 2025. The new monitors include the ViewSonic VG2748N, a 1080p, 27-inch monitor with wireless casting, and the XG275D-4K, a 4K gaming monitor that offers switchable refresh rates and resolutions settings allowing gamers to play with a variety of gaming devices with a single monitor.

Along with the new VG2748N and XG275D-4K desktop monitors, which offer exceptional functionality and performance, the company will highlight its award-winning line of portable monitors, as well as its latest portable projector. "ViewSonic is excited about its new line of product offerings in 2025," said Jeff Muto, Business Line Director at ViewSonic. "Our new desktop monitors, along with our current slate of portable display devices, showcase how ViewSonic continues to expand its display solutions to offer more choices, features, and functionality to any type of work or play lifestyle."

Belkin, a leading consumer electronics brand for 40 years, today introduced several new products across its Mobile Power, Audio and Future Ventures portfolios, underscoring Belkin design excellence, dedication to quality, and commitment to building products more responsibly. Belkin is showcasing its newly announced products at CES Unveiled Las Vegas - the official media event of CES 2025.

Built more responsibly with up to 90% recycled materials
Two years since introducing its transition to using 72-75% post-consumer recycled (PCR) materials in its products, Belkin has transitioned over 359 products and has replaced 432 metric tons of virgin plastics with PCR materials.

Intel has officially announced its presence at CES 2025, teasing what appears to be a significant focus on AI capabilities in its upcoming processor lineup. The tech giant shared a preview image featuring their tagline "AI Inside for a New Era." The announcement suggests that the company will be showcasing new developments in AI processing capabilities integrated directly into their consumer processors. Intel's upcoming lineup is expected to feature the mobile-focused "Arrow Lake" Core Ultra 200H/HX processors alongside the Arrow Lake-based Core Ultra 200S series designed for desktop systems with 35 W and 65 W power configurations. The company is also supposedly introducing new mid-range and workstation-class 800-series processors for desktop platforms.

The "AI Inside" messaging indicates that Intel is positioning itself to compete more aggressively in the AI computing space, particularly as PCs increasingly handle AI workloads locally. While specific details about the presentation remain under wraps, we can anticipate announcements regarding new Arrow Lake configurations, enhanced AI capabilities, and possibly new partnerships or software ecosystems designed to leverage these features. The keynote could also shed light on Intel's strategy for maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly AI-focused computing landscape. Michelle Johnston Holthaus, interim co-CEO, and Jack Weast, an Intel Fellow and VP of Intel Automotive, will deliver the live keynote. Intel's agenda also shows next-generation AI silicon so we can get information on accelerators like Falcon Shores.

Intel is significantly expanding its desktop Core Ultra 200 "Arrow Lake-S" lineup with new 65 W models along the sidelines of the 2025 International CES, but more importantly, it is bringing the "Arrow Lake" microarchitecture to the mobile space. The company is planning to launch at least 22 processor models this January, but not all of them are based on "Arrow Lake." Tom's Hardware reports that the lineup broadly revolves around the "Core 2-series" processor model numbering.

The Core Ultra 200H series consists of H-segment (conventional thickness notebook) processors in the 28 W to 45 W class, and are based on the "Arrow Lake-H" silicon. The Core Ultra 200HX series targets premium gaming notebooks and portable workstations, and consists of 55 W to 65 W class processors, including CPU overclocking capabilities on certain models. Things get interesting with the Core Ultra 200U series. These chips are based on the "Meteor Lake Refresh" silicon—an older microarchitecture—targeting the 7 W to 28 W segments for ultraportables. Lastly, there's the Core H 200 and Core U 200 series (no "Ultra" in the branding), which are based on the older "Raptor Lake" monolithic silicon, targeting mainstream notebooks.

Recent Geekbench results have surfaced for Intel's unreleased Core Ultra 5 225F processor without an integrated GPU, showcasing interesting performance improvements over its predecessors. The benchmark results, initially shared by Benchleaks on X, reveal that this new 10-core chip delivers performance comparable to the higher-core-count Core i5-13600. The Core Ultra 5 225F achieved a single-core score of 2,653 points and a multi-core score of 13,028 points. The processor combines six P-cores, four E-cores, and 20 MB of L3 cache. During testing, the chip reached a maximum frequency of 4.887 GHz. When compared to its direct predecessor, the Core i5-14400F, the new 225F demonstrates significant improvements with approximately 13% better performance in both single and multi-core tests.

More impressively, it manages to edge out the 14-core Core i5-13600 by 5% across both metrics despite having fewer cores and threads. However, the 225F falls behind its premium sibling with four more E-cores, the Core Ultra 5 245K, which outperforms it by 16% in single-core and 44% in multi-core operations. The Core Ultra 5 225F is expected to be part of Intel's new 65 W TDP lineup, targeting mainstream desktop systems with limited overclocking capabilities. This positions it as a more energy-efficient alternative to the current 125 W TDP Core Ultra 200 series processors. While we wait for more firmware updates to boost Arrow Lake performance, Intel could target the launch of the F-series SKUs for CES 2025, which is just a few weeks away now.

ADLINK Technology Inc., a global leader in edge computing, announces the launch of the new AmITX Mini-ITX motherboards, a range of compact form factor motherboards sporting the latest Intel technology for high-performance computing. The new AmITX series supports processor options ranging from low power consumption Intel N97 to high-performance 14/13/12th generation Intel Core i9/i7/i5/i3 and includes features such as PCIe 5.0 x16, 2.5 Gbe, DDR5, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and M.2 B/E/M Key to suit applications in smart city, smart manufacturing, and smart medicine.

The Mini-ITX motherboards in the AmITX series boast 2.5GbE LAN for ultra-fast data connectivity, USB 3.2 Gen 2 to connect with other devices, M.2 B/E/M Key slots for SSD, and wireless cards, and RS-232/422/485 to connect with machine components. The high-performance computing AmITX-RL-I supports 14/13/12th Gen Intel Core i9/i7/i5/i3 processors up to 65 W TDP, up to 64 GB of DDR5 4800 MHz memory, and has a PCIe 5.0 x16 slot for a GPU card. The low power consumption AmITX-ALN has an Intel N97 processor with 12 W ultra-low power, supports up to 32 GB of DDR4 3200 MHz memory, and has a PCIe 3.0 x1 slot.

Intel is expanding its Core Ultra 200S lineup with seven new SKUs, a recent leak by @momomo_us shows. The leak gives details on non-K, T, and F versions across the Core Ultra 5 7, and 9 families. The top-end Core Ultra 9 285 will come in 65 W and 35 W versions. These match the 285K's 24-core setup but run at lower speeds. The 285T keeps the 4-core Xe built-in graphics.

The Core Ultra 7 series adds three models: 265 265F, and 265T. All share a 30 MB L3 cache being differentiated by different clock speeds. The T version has much lower base clocks. For the Core Ultra 5 series, the leak shows two models: 225 and 225F. Both have 10 cores running at 3.3/4.9 GHz (P-cores) and 2.7/4.4 GHz (E-cores), with 2 Xe GPU cores and a 65 W TDP. Unlike their higher-end models, this tier doesn't plan to have a T version right now.

AMD continues to expand the AM4 platform with new processors, despite having already released 145 AM4 SKUs over the past nine years. According to Videocardz, citing a post from @momomo_us on the X platform, AMD plans to launch two new ones: the Ryzen 5 5600T and 5600XT. The leak was later confirmed on ASUS and MSI websites, with these 6-core CPUs appearing on lists of supported motherboards. The MSI page confirms that (at least) the 5600T is a Vermeer processor without integrated graphics. Additionally, AMD intends to make the Ryzen 3 5300G available to consumers as a boxed retail product; until now, this model has been available exclusively for OEM markets since its launch in 2021.

Going into more detail, these new SKUs have the following specifications: The Ryzen 5 5600XT features a 6-core design, 32 MB L3 cache, 65 W TDP, and a base frequency of 3.8 GHz. The Ryzen 5 5600T also has a 6-core design, 32 MB L3 cache, and 65 W TDP, but with a lower base frequency of 3.5 GHz. The Ryzen 3 5300G comes with a 4-core design, 8 MB L3 cache, 65 W TDP, a base frequency of 4 GHz, and is equipped with 6CU scale core graphics (no information regarding turbo clocks for any of these SKUs yet). As mentioned, the current lineup for the AM4 platform includes 145 SKUs, with the Ryzen 5000 series alone already having 20 models. While AMD's dedication to supporting the AM4 platform is admirable, a simple question arises: who will buy or distinguish these new AM4 SKUs from such a vast offering?

JMGO, a pioneer in smart projector technology, proudly announces the launch of PicoFlix, the latest battery-powered portable projector. It signifies a major milestone for JMGO in the portable projector industry.

True Portability: Compact Size, Iconic Gimbal Design, and Extended Unplugged Use
PicoFlix features a durable aluminium alloy body in a deep black finish, weighing just 1.3 kg and measuring 24 cm in length and 8 cm in diameter, ensuring strength without sacrificing portability.

Advantech, a leading provider of edge computing solutions, introduces the AIR-310, a compact edge AI inference system featuring an MXM GPU card. Powered by 12th/13th/14th Gen Intel Core 65 W desktop processors, the AIR-310 delivers up to 12.99 TFLOPS of scalable AI performance via the NVIDIA Quadro 2000A GPU card in a 1.5U chassis (215 x 225 x 55 mm). Despite its compact size, it offers versatile connectivity with three LAN ports and four USB 3.0 ports, enabling seamless integration of sensors and cameras for vision AI applications.

The system includes smart fan management, operates in temperatures from 0 to 50°C (32 to 122°F), and is shock-resistant, capable of withstanding 3G vibration and 30G shock. Bundled with Intel Arc A370 and NVIDIA A2000 GPUs, it is certified to IEC 61000-6-2, IEC 61000-6-4, and CB/UL standards, ensuring stable 24/7 operation in harsh environments, including space-constrained or mobile equipment. The AIR-310 supports Windows 11, Linux Ubuntu 24.04, and the Edge AI SDK, enabling accelerated inference deployment for applications such as factory inspections, real-time video surveillance, GenAI/LLM, and medical imaging.

It's official, Intel will not issue a recall for its failing 13th and 14th gen CPUs, despite the problem being much bigger than initially thought. The company was approached by The Verge and the answers to the questions asked, are not looking great. First of all, it appears that at least all 65 W or higher base power Intel 13th and 14th gen CPUs are affected—regardless of SKU and lettering—by the so-called elevated Voltage issue. To be clear, it doesn't mean all these CPUs will start to fail and Intel claims that its microcode update will solve the issue for CPUs that haven't shown any signs of stability issues. However, Intel is not promising that the microcode update will solve the stability issues of CPUs that are experiencing problems, but rather state that "It is possible the patch will provide some instability improvements", but it's asking those with stability issues to contact customer support. The patch is on the other hand expected to solve it for new CPUs, but that doesn't help those that are already experiencing stability issues.

Intel does appear to be swapping out degraded chips, but there's no guarantee that the replacement CPUs will come with the microcode update installed, as Intel is only starting to apply it to products that are currently being produced. The company has also asked all of its OEM partners to apply the update before shipping out new products, but this isn't likely to happen until sometime in early to mid-August according to Intel. It's also unclear when BIOS/UEFI updates will be available for end users from the motherboard manufacturers, since this is the only way to install the microcode update as a consumer. Intel has not gone on record to say if it'll extend the warranty of the affected products, nor did the company provide any details about what kind of information consumers have to provide to their customer support to be able to RMA a faulty CPU. Intel will not halt sales of the affected CPUs either, which means that if you're planning to or are in the middle of building a system using said CPUs, you might want to wait with using it, until a BIOS/UEFI with the microcode update in it, is available for your motherboard. There are more details over at The Verge for those that want to read the full questions and answers, but it's clear that Intel isn't considering the issue as anything more than a regular support issue at this point in time.

For those looking for something a bit out of the ordinary when it comes to monitors, HP might have your next productivity monitor in the shape of the Series 7 Pro Monitor 738pu. It sports a 3840 x 1600 resolution which gives the 37.5-inch panel a rather unusual aspect ratio of 24:10 or 12:5 if you prefer. The monitor is built around an 8-bit + FRC IPS Black panel with a contrast ratio of 2000:1 and a 400 nits peak brightness. The panel supports a colour gamut of 98 percent of the DCI-P3 colour space and sports a 5 ms grey to grey response time. However, it also has a max refresh rate of 60 Hz and is edge lit, which means it'll be terrible for HDR, although it's only certified for DisplayHDR 400, which means pretty poor HDR support to start with.

On the connectivity side, HP has loaded out the 738pu with a wide range of ports, starting with a HDMI 2.0 ports, one DisplayPort input, as well as daisy chain output, one Thunderbolt 4 port that also supports 100 W USB PD and DP 1.4, one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port that also supports 65 W USB PD and DP 1.4 Alt Mode, one Thunderbolt 4 output for daisy changing (limited to 15 W), one USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) Type-C port (no video, also limited to 15 W) and five USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A ports, of which one is a 7.5 W capable charging port. It also has a Gigabit Ethernet port, four integrated speakers with DTS Virtual:X and KVM support, but no headset jack, microphone or built-in camera. It also supports Picture-by-Picture or Picture-in-Picture when multiple sources are connected. The stand supports height, tilt and swivel adjustments. The power supply is integrated and the 738pu has a maximum power draw of 318 W fully loaded. HP is asking for US$1,249 for the Series 7 Pro Monitor 738pu.

Edifier International, the award-winning audio electronics designer, reveal the QR65 Desktop Active Monitor speakers - a new all-in-one unit that combines the brand's renowned acoustic technology with immersive Lumia light effects and TurboGaN fast-charging capabilities.

One of 4 Edifier products to win a prestigious Visual Grand Prix 2024 award and also highly recommended with a much sought after VGP 2024 Gold Medal Award, the QR65 is remarkably versatile, placing an emphasis on both compatibility and multi-use functionality. As the brand name develops, audio quality remains paramount with the QR65 featuring an advanced Acoustic Architecture. Equipped with 2.75" mid-low drivers, an aluminium alloy diaphragm and a long-throw design, the QR65 can produce consistently punchy bass frequencies whilst bolstering rich and full-bodied mids. Thanks to 1.25" silk diaphragm dome tweeters, finely tuned by Edifier's world-leading audio engineers, the speakers boast precision-tooled high frequency reproduction, creating crisp and bright trebles that stand out above even the most bass-laden of mixes.

Baseus Technology, a prestigious global consumer electronics brand, is delighted to announce the launch of its innovative new product, the Baseus Blade2 Ultra-Thin Laptop Power Bank. This sleek and advanced power bank will create a new era of portable battery intelligence technology to keep devices one step ahead.

Lightweight and Modular Design: A key feature of the Blade2 Ultra-Thin Laptop Power Bank is its impressively flat and weightless design. Weighing only around 323 g, the sleek device is a breeze to carry and travel with. The product is also around 10 mm thick and only 7.3 mm at its thinnest part which is 13% thinner than the MacBook Air 13, it seamlessly slips into computer bags without taking up too much space. Take the recharging capabilities anywhere, easily with Baseus.

For those of you that have been waiting patiently for the first DisplayPort 2.1 monitors to start arriving, we have good news as Gigabyte has revealed details of its first display equipped with DP 2.1. The monitor in question is the AORUS FO32U2P which also sports a 4K QD-OLED panel with a 240 Hz refresh rate. The 31.5-inch QD-OLED panel does follow the standard feature set with a 10-bit panel, 250 cd/m² brightness, 1.5 million to one contrast ratio, 0.03 ms GTG response time and a DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification. Gigabyte has gone for an anti-reflective coating as well, which might not appeal to everyone.

As for the inputs, the DP2.1 ports support the full UHBR20 spec, which is 80 Gbps of total bandwidth over four 20 Gbps DisplayPort lanes, which means Gigabyte hasn't skimped on anything here. Yes, you read that correctly as well, the monitor has two DP 2.1 inputs, one full size and one mini DP input and there's also a USB Type-C input that supports DP-Alt mode, in addition to 65 W USB Power Delivery and USB data, although it's not clear if this port also supports DP 2.1. Furthermore, there are two HDMI 2.1 ports, one upstreams and two downstreams USB 3.2 ports, as well as a headphone and microphone jack. Gigabyte has also equipped the AORUS FO32U2P with a pair of 5 W speakers and a stand that offers tilt, swivel, pivot and height adjustments. The maximum power usage is said to be 78 W, but this shouldn't include the USB PD part. Other features include KVM support, daisy-chaining via a DP output, picture in picture and picture by picture support and various gaming features such as crosshairs, night vision, black equalizer etc. Gigabyte has as yet to announce official pricing on a release date.

Update Mar 5th: We've received additional details on the DisplayPorts of the AORUS FO32U2P from Gigabyte and only the DP inputs supports DP 2.1, whereas the USB Type-C input and the DP daisy-chain ports are limited to DP 1.4. The MSRP of the AORUS FO32U2P will be US$1399.99 with the AORUS FO32U2 which is a DP 1.4 version will have an MSRP of US$1199.99.

ECS Industrial Computer Co., Ltd., (ECSIPC) is pleased to announce its participation in ISE 2024 where it will showcase its latest smart retail solutions, IPC motherboards, and two new LIVA mini-PCs that are ready for applications including digital signage, smart vending machines, kiosks, factory automation equipment and AOI. Designed for digital signage and self-service kiosks in the smart retail industry, or in large vehicles fitted with display-board advertising, this unique mini-PC offers up to 4 display outputs that can showcase a variety of rich and vibrant content. The highly flexible solution can display 4 different screens, mirror all screens the same, split one image across 4 displays, or splits of 3-and-1 or 2-and-2, affording maximum flexibility to cover wide areas of retail spaces that can easily plan and push a multitude of content to inform and advertise in attractive, dynamic, high-resolution visuals, all from a single device. The LIVA X3A mini-PC is ready to go right out the box, along with ECSIPC's own content management software to streamline product deployment.

Powered by a highly efficient Rockchip octa-core featuring a 4x Arm Cortex-A76 and 4x Arm Cortex-A55 processors in this Arm-based CPU, the highly efficient, fanless design ensures a sustainable solution that accommodates many use-cases. In addition, 8 GB of fast LPDDR5 and 64 GB of internal storage is preinstalled, while dual GbE, Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.3 provide a variety of internet connectivity built-in, which can be further expanded with optional PoE and 4G LTE to meet specific deployment requirements.

Here is our first look at the higher end of AMD's Ryzen 8000G series Socket AM5 desktop APU lineup. The company is planning to bring its 4 nm "Phoenix" and "Phoenix 2" monolithic silicon to the socketed desktop platform, to cover two distinct markets. Models based on the larger "Phoenix" silicon cater to the market that wants a sufficiently powerful CPU, but with a powerful iGPU that's fit for entry-level gaming, or graphics-intensive productivity tasks; whereas the smaller "Phoenix 2" silicon ties up the lower end of AMD's AM5 desktop processor stack, as it probably has a lower bill of materials than a "Raphael" multi-chip module.

The lineup is led by the Ryzen 7 8700G, a direct successor to the Ryzen 7 5700G "Cezanne." This chip gets the full 8-core/16-thread "Zen 4" CPU, along with its 16 MB shared L3 cache; and the full featured Radeon 780M iGPU with its 12 compute units worth 768 stream processors. The CPU features a maximum boost frequency of 4.20 GHz. This is followed by the Ryzen 5 8600G, which is based on the same "Phoenix" silicon as the 8700G, but with 6 out of 8 "Zen 4" cores enabled, and a maximum CPU boost frequency of 4.35 GHz, and the 16 MB L3 cache left untouched. It's likely that the Radeon 780M is unchanged from the 8700G.Update 13:59 UTC: A CPU-Z screenshot of the Ryzen 7 8700G surfaced, which confirms that it features the maxed out Radeon 780M iGPU

Cable Matters, an industry-leading connectivity solutions supplier, today unveiled a unique USB-C Keyboard, Video, Mouse (KVM) switch dock for two computers. The Cable Matters USB-C KVM Switch Dock lets two devices share a single keyboard and mouse, charger, peripherals, and two ultra high-definition displays over a single USB-C connection. It combines the performance of a USB-C dock, which offers a one-cable connectivity solution, with the flexibility of a USB-C switch, which shares peripherals between multiple devices.

The KVM Switch Dock will revolutionize the work-from-home experience, which is plagued by two common connectivity challenges. Many business-class laptops lack essential display or peripheral ports. Remote workers sharing a workspace with their business and personal devices struggle for space or constantly hot-swap work and personal laptops between shared USB peripherals and monitors.

ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solutions, announces the launch of the VX3267U-2K and VX3267U-4K monitors for a remarkable and immersive viewing experience. At 32-inches, with QHD and UHD resolution respectively, the VX3267U-2K and VX3267U-4K feature notable performance and features, including USB-C connectivity and HDR10 content support.

The ViewSonic VX3267U-2K and VX3267U-4K utilize the latest SuperClear IPS panel technologies to ensure stunning visuals to go along with the wide viewing angles. The VX3267U-2K features QHD (2560x1440) resolution, while the VX3267U-4K comes with native 4K UHD (3840x2160) resolution. Both come with super thin bezels, Flicker-Free technology, and a Blue Light Filter for reduced eye fatigue.

ASUS has issued a BIOS update for the ROG Ally that should help resolve multiple usability issues, most of them being fairly minor issues, but they're all quality of life improvements nonetheless. To start with, ASUS has made optimisations to the performance mode with the Ally plugged in to a power source, although the company didn't explain exactly what this means. Another minor improvement allows the "Memory Assigned to GPU" setting to be kept when updating to a new BIOS version, a setting that used to get reset prior to this BIOS release.

Another minor quality of life update is the ability to reduce the backlight to 10 nits now, down from the previous 25 nits, which should make it more comfortable to use the ROG Ally in dark rooms. Finally and possibly the most important part of this update is the ability to charge at 30 W from 65 W or higher rated USB-PD chargers. What ASUS has done here is improvements to the USB-PD "handshake" to make sure that the ROG Ally gets the right power from the power adapter. This was apparently not working as intended previously and the ROG Ally would charge at a slower rate. It should be noted that not all chargers will provide enough power to the ROG Ally, especially if other devices are charging at the same time. ASUS points out that if the battery is draining when the Ally is plugged in, a different charger should be used.

As COMPUTEX once again opens its door, MSI, the world leader in gaming, content creation, business & productivity, and AIoT solutions, is all geared up to dominate the show floor with a full slate of new lineup and its Best Choice Award honorees. "We are thrilled to be back at COMPUTEX," said Sam Chern, MSI Vice President of Marketing. "We expect to see users' tech experiences reinvented and MSI is at the forefront. Our COMPUTEX 2023 lineup showcases the ultimate fusion of breakthrough technology and everlasting aesthetics that surpasses all limits and indulges global users with the best possible experience like never before."

This year, MSI themes its booth around The Leap to Singularity, envisioning a future in which the technological singularity brings forth superintelligence to improve human lives. Among the highlights on display will be the Raider GE78 HX Smart Touchpad, Stealth 16 and Creator Z17 laptops powered by up to 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processors and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series graphics, making them powerhouses for gamers and creators alike.