HighPoint Technologies, a leader in advanced PCIe Switch and RAID AIC, Adapter and Storage Enclosure solutions, has announced an extensive line of M.2 and E1.S RAID AICs engineered to accommodate high-performance GPU-centric workloads. Designed for enterprise and datacenter class computing environments, HighPoint NVMe RAID AICs deliver class-leading performance and unmatched scalability, enabling modern x86/AMD and Arm platforms to support 4 to 16 NVMe SSDs via a single PCIe Gen 4 or Gen 5 x16 slot. State-of-the-art PCIe Switching Architecture and flexible RAID technology enable administrators to custom tailor M.2 and E1.S storage configurations for a broad range of data-intensive applications, and seamlessly scale or expand existing storage configurations to meet the needs of evolving workflows.

Unprecedented Storage Density
HighPoint NVMe AICs have established a new milestone for M.2 NVMe storage. HighPoint's revolutionary Dual-Width AIC architecture enables a single PCIe Gen 4 or Gen 5 x16 slot to directly host up to 16 M.2 NVMe SSDs, and 128 TB of storage capacity, at speeds up to 28 GB/s; a truly unprecedented advancement in compact, single-device storage expansion solutions. State-of-the art PCIe switching technology and advanced cooling systems maximize transfer throughput and ensure M.2 configurations operate at peak efficiency by halting the performance sapping threat of thermal throttling in its tracks.

AMD's recently launched Strix Point lineup of high-end APUs boast truly impressive performance, even when configured with lower TDPs. As time goes on, more and more hardware brands are hitting the market with Strix Point-powered devices, and unsurprisingly, Aoostar does not wish to sit on the sidelines either.

The company has teased a yet-to-be announced mini PC, with Strix Point at its heart. Powered by the powerful Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 APU, the system will likely offer excellent performance, considering that Aoostar refuses to skimp on its cooling system. Thankfully, that does seem to be case, since Aoostar claims the upcoming mini PC will boast a vapor chamber cooling setup allowing the HX 370 to run at its maximum of 54 watts. For those out of the loop, here is a rundown of the HX 370's specifications: 12-core setup with 8 Zen 5c cores and 4 Zen 5 cores, Radeon 890M iGPU based on RDNA 3+, and a 50 TOPS XDNA 2 NPU to justify the "AI" branding.

AMD today announced the expansion of the AMD Versal adaptive system-on-chip (SoC) portfolio with the introduction of the Versal RF Series that includes the industry's highest compute performance in a single-chip device with integrated direct radio frequency (RF)-sampling data converters.

Versal RF Series offers precise, wideband-spectrum observability and up to 80 TOPS of digital signal processing (DSP) performance in a size, weight, and power (SWaP)-optimized design, targeting RF systems and test equipment applications in the aerospace and defense (A&D) and test and measurement (T&M) markets, respectively.

CES 2025 is less than a month away and leaks about AMD Strix Halo APUs are starting to emerge. Today we have confirmation via a leaked Geekbench Vulcan test that AMD will launch the Ryzen AI MAX+ PRO 395 w/ Radeon 8060S "Strix Halo" APU. Information reveals that this APU is equipped with 16 Zen 5 cores with 32 threads, a 3 GHz base frequency (4.4 GHz max), and a boost up to 5.1 GHz. It sports a 32 MB L3 cache per CCD for a total of 64 MB since it uses a dual CCD chip design. The TDP should be between 55-130 W. Moreover, the "PRO" in the product naming suggests that AMD could release non-PRO models at a later date.

The integrated Radeon 8060S iGPU adopts the RDNA 3.5 architecture with 40 computing units and was tested using an AMD reference board design codenamed AMD MAPLE-STXH and 64 GB of memory scoring 67,004 points in the Geekbench Vulkan test. This initial result is lower than AMD Radeon RX 7600 RDNA 3 discrete entry-level products (despite having more cores 40CU vs 32CU), and higher than NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050. However, since the benchmark was run on an evaluation platform without optimized drivers and more likely using an early test sample product, we can expect the actual performance of the Radeon 8060S iGPU to be higher.

About a month ago, we reported about the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D "Zen 5" processor with 3D V-Cache that is flying off the shelves, with scalpers trying to make a profit from buying the retail inventory. The processor continues to face widespread availability issues more than a month after its launch, though the company assures consumers that relief is on the horizon. "We are working diligently to get as much supply to market as possible, with more processors being shipped every week," an AMD spokesperson told Tom's Hardware. "We expect availability to get better as shipments ramp throughout the quarter." The CPU is not only hard to find but also proves to be one of the most sought-after processors on Amazon.

The supply shortage has created opportunities for scalpers, who are listing the processor at prices reaching $1,000—more than double its retail price. Even established retailers like Walmart have listed the chip at inflated prices, approaching $800. Adding to consumers' challenges, some third-party sellers have posted fraudulent listings, making it crucial for buyers to verify seller credibility. While major retailers like Amazon, Newegg, Best Buy, and B&H Photo maintain the official $479 price point when in stock, securing a unit at this price has proven challenging for most consumers. As the holiday season is here, AMD's promised production ramp-up is much needed, as gamers have been planning their upgrade months in advance and are in dire need of pushing the performance of their systems up another notch.

Your favorite shows, movies, series, live TV, and games are in your space on the screen of your AGON by AOC Q27G4XY SMART GAMING MONITOR. The AGON by AOC Q27G4XY 27" SMART GAMING MONITOR is a pioneer in this field, bringing the convenience of Google TV to your monitor screen. This 27" QHD 2560x1440 WLED monitor, featuring a 180 Hz refresh rate, 1 ms GtG response time, AMD FreeSync, NVIDIA G-SYNC, and HDR10, combined with Google TV, delivers an immersive gaming and streaming experience—ideal for any dorm room!

Google TV
When you're done gaming, there's no need to switch devices. The AGON by AOC Q27G4XY Smart Gaming Monitor, powered by Google TV's built-in operating system, brings all your entertainment to one place. Instantly browse movies, shows, live TV, sports, and more across your favorite apps. Google TV brings together everything you stream on one screen, so you can find what to watch without jumping from app to app. Not sure what to watch? Just ask Google Assistant and search across apps with your voice to find what you're looking for. Finding your next watch is now as easy as ever.

GPD's 6-inch Win 4 gaming handheld has been updated with AMD's latest Strix Point offering, less than a year after the recent Hawk Point upgrade. Potential customers now have the option to splurge on a system with the Ryzen AI 9 370 HX APU paired with 32 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 memory and up to 2 TB of solid-state storage.

For those out of the AMD loop, here is a quick refresher on the Ryzen AI 9 370 HX - 12 cores (8x Zen 5c + 4x Zen 5), Radeon 890M iGPU with 16 RDNA 3.5 CUs, and a 35 W TDP as configured by GPD. According to GPD's claims, the Strix Point update allows the system to perform significantly better, even edging ahead of a 45 W RTX 2050 Mobile in synthetic benchmarks.

Today, AMD released the latest version of the AMD Software Adrenalin drivers, version 24.12.1 WHQL. This new release brings optimization for games like Marvel Rivals, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, Slitterhead, Delta Force, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl. It also extends AMD HYPR-Tune support to enable in-game technologies like AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution and AMD Radeon Anti-Lag 2. Automatic configuration for AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution with frame generation has been added for Horizon Zero Dawn Remastered, MechWarrior 5: Clans, and Red Dead Redemption 2. The latest AMD Software Adrenalin drivers also fixed problems and performance issues with Ollama and LM Studio, The Crew Motorfest, Monster Hunter: World and Fortnite.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 24.12.1 WHQL

AMD today announced that it will be hosting a press conference as a part of the official CES 2025 Media Days. The press conference will take place on Monday, Jan. 6 at 11 a.m. PST at the Mandalay Bay. AMD senior vice president and general manager of the Computing and Graphics Group Jack Huynh, along with other AMD executives will be joined by partners and customers to discuss how AMD is expanding its leadership across PCs and gaming, and highlight the breadth of the company's high-performance computing and AI product portfolio. The keynote will be available to livestream on the AMD YouTube Channel, with replay available after the conclusion of the livestream event.

AMD has emerged as the clear winner in this year's Black Friday motherboard sales, securing an impressive 87.36% of unit sales and 86.5% of revenue share. Thanks to the nicely compiled data from TechEpiphany, we see that German retailer Mindfactory sold 3,800 AMD-socketed motherboard units compared to Intel's 550 units during the shopping event. The success story is particularly evident in AMD's newest AM5 socket platform, which accounted for 2,730 units sold, representing nearly 72% of AMD's total sales. This strong adoption rate of the AM5 platform suggests consumers are increasingly investing in AMD's latest technology despite the typically higher platform costs associated with newer generations. The older AM4 socket maintained a relevant market presence, with 1,070 units sold.

Meanwhile, Intel's sales were primarily driven by their LGA 1700 socket, which moved 490 units, with minimal movement in their newer LGA 1851 and older LGA 1200 platforms, selling just 40 and 20 units, respectively. The average selling price (ASP) comparison reveals an interesting dynamic, with Intel commanding a slightly higher ASP at $183 compared to AMD's $170. However, AMD's substantially higher sales volume resulted in a total revenue of $644,584 (about 86.5%), dwarfing Intel's revenue of $100,564 (13.5%). This sales distribution reflects AMD's successful strategy of offering competitive performance across various price points while maintaining strong platform compatibility and future support. The overwhelming preference for AMD's AM5 platform also indicates consumer confidence in the company's future upgrade path and platform longevity, which AMD also delivered with AM4.

AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 8000 series GPUs based on RDNA 4 architecture are just around the corner, with rumors pointing to a CES unveiling event. Today, we are learning that the Radeon RX 8800 XT GPU will feature a 220 W TDP, compared to its Radeon RX 7800 XT predecessor with 263 W TDP, thanks to the Seasonic wattage calculator. While we expect to see better nodes used for making RNDA 4, the efficiency gains stem primarily from the improved microarchitectural design of the new RDNA generation. The RX 8800 XT will bring better performance while lowering power consumption by 16%. While no concrete official figures are known about RNDA 4 performance targets compared to RDNA, if AMD plans to maintain the competitive mid-range landscape with NVIDIA "Blackwell" and, as of today, Intel with Arc "Battlemage," team red must put out a good fight to remain competitive.

We reported on AMD Radeon RX 8800 XT entering mass production this month, with notable silicon design a departure from previous designs. The RX 8800 XT will reportedly utilize a monolithic chip dubbed "Navi 48," moving away from the chiplet-based approach seen in the current "Navi 31" and "Navi 32" GPUs. Perhaps most intriguing are claims about the card's ray tracing capabilities. Sources suggest the RX 8800 XT will match the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080/4080 SUPER in raster performance while having a remarkable 45% improvement over the current flagship RX 7900 XTX in ray tracing. However, these claims must be backed by independent testing first, as performance improvements depend on the specific case, like games optimized for either AMD or NVIDIA yield better results for the favorable graphics card.

Chinese OEM brand Erying presented its first AMD-based motherboard, the Alkiad B650 ITX D5. The overall design of the Erying Alkiad B650 ITX D5 sports a white PCB with black components and is equipped with an EPS 8-pin power connector alongside a 24-pin ATX connector. 5 V ARGB connectors are included for those who cannot live without a colorful build. The VRM is based on an 8+2+1 phase power delivery design and covered by a decent heatsink, more than enough for a budget AM5 65 W platform in a standard ITX 170 x 170 mm format.

The Alkiad B650 ITX D5 motherboard has 2 DDR5 DIMM memory slots, supports 6400+ (OC) MT/s, and Intel XMP 3.0 / AMD EXPO profiles. The Erying motherboard offers 1x PCIe 4.0 ×16 and 1x PCIe 4.0 ×4 M.2 slots, and 4x SATA III ports while the Realtek RTL8125BG provides 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 connectivity. The rear I/O panel offers 4x USB 2.0, 3x USB-A 5 Gbps and 1x USB-C 10 Gbps ports, 1x DP and 1x HDMI connectors and the usual audio combo (one S/PDIF and a pair of 3.5 mm). The motherboard comes before AMD's expected expansion of its Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processor family in Q1 2025 with new 65 W CPU models and the introduction of the AMD B850 chipset. There is no exact information yet regarding pricing and availability.

Apparently, AMD's next-generation gaming graphics card is closer to launch than anyone in the media expected, with mass-production of the so-called Radeon RX 8800 XT poised to begin later this month, if sources on ChipHell are to be believed. The RX 8800 XT will be the fastest product from AMD's next-generation, and will be part of the performance segment, succeeding the current RX 7800 XT. There will not be an enthusiast-segment product in this generation, as AMD looks to consolidate in key market segments with the most sales. The RX 8800 XT will be powered by AMD's next-generation RDNA 4 graphics architecture.

There are some spicy claims related to the RX 8800 XT being made. Apparently, the card will rival the current GeForce RTX 4080 or RTX 4080 SUPER in ray tracing performance, which would mean a massive 45% increase in RT performance over even the current flagship RX 7900 XTX. Meanwhile, the power and thermal footprint of the GPU is expected to reduce with the switch to a newer foundry process, with the RX 8800 XT expected to have 25% lower board power than the RX 7900 XTX. Unlike the "Navi 31" and "Navi 32" powering the RX 7900 series and RX 7800 XT, respectively, the "Navi 48" driving the RX 8800 XT is expected to be a monolithic chip built entirely on a new process node. If we were to guess, this could very well be TSMC N4P, a node AMD is using for everything from its "Zen 5" chiplets to its "Strix Point" mobile processors.

A significant fix has been submitted to the Linux kernel 6.13-rc1 that addresses prolonged boot times affecting older AMD processors, specifically targeting "Zen 1" and "Zen 2" architectures. The issue, which has been present for approximately 18 months, could cause boot delays ranging from several seconds to multiple minutes in extreme cases. The problem was discovered by a Nokia engineer who reported inconsistent boot delays across multiple AMD EPYC servers. The most severe instances showed the initial unpacking process taking several minutes longer than expected, though not all boots were affected. Investigation revealed that the root cause stemmed from a kernel modification implemented in June 2023, specifically related to CPU microcode update handling.

The technical issue was identified as a missing step in the boot process: Zen 1 and Zen 2 processors require the patch buffer mapping to be flushed from the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) after applying CPU microcode updates during startup. The fix, submitted as part of the "x86/urgent" material ahead of the Linux 6.13-rc1 release, implements the necessary TLB flush for affected AMD Ryzen and EPYC systems. This addition eliminates what developers described as "unnecessary and unnatural delays" in the boot process. While the solution will be included in the upcoming Linux 6.13 kernel release, plans are in place to back-port the fix to stable kernel versions to help cover most Linux users on older Zen architectures.

AMD has silently disabled the loop buffer feature in its Zen 4 processor architecture through an AGESA microcode update. This development, first reported by the website Chips and Cheese, affects the entire Ryzen 7000 series processors and related EPYC models. The loop buffer, a power-optimization feature capable of storing 144 entries (72 per thread with SMT enabled), was implemented for the first time in AMD's Zen 4 architecture but has been notably absent from the newer Zen 5 design. The feature's primary function was to allow the processor's front end to power down while maintaining operational efficiency. The change was discovered when testing an ASRock B650 PG Lightning motherboard paired with a Ryzen 9 7950X3D processor. Hardware performance monitoring showed the loop buffer was active in BIOS version 1.21 (AGESA 1.0.0.6) but ceased to function after updating to BIOS 3.10 with AGESA 1.2.0.2a.

In a performance test conducted by Chips and Cheese, we learned that there is no significant impact from the feature's deactivation, suggesting the existing op cache provides sufficient bandwidth for optimal processor operation. AMD's architectural design has historically relied on its op cache for similar functionality. The feature appeared experimental, given the lack of documentation and the absence of programming guides for loop buffer optimization. Unlike competitors Intel and Arm, who have extensively documented their loop buffer implementations, AMD's approach appeared less developed. While the exact reasoning behind the deactivation remains unclear, disabling undocumented features is a step in the right direction, mainly as future Zen architecture iteration doesn't rely on a loop buffer, as seen with Zen 5.

In Q1 2025, AMD is expected to expand its Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processor family with new 65 W processor models, alongside the introduction of the new cost-effective AMD B850 motherboard chipset. The B850 is expected to be a single-chip solution, just like the X870, but makes PCIe Gen 5 optional for the x16 PEG slot. You still get at least one Gen 5 M.2 NVMe slot. USB4 is made optional for this chipset model, too. The B850, hence, is essentially a rebadged B650. CPU and memory overclocking are supported, so you can expect features like "X3D Boost" to carry over from the X870 series motherboards. Videocardz scored clear images of one of the first production AMD B850 chipset motherboards, the GIGABYTE B850M AORUS Elite Ice. This particular variant comes with integrated Wi-Fi 6E, and the "Ice" denotes a white PCB, along with white slots and connectors. You can expect variations of this board with black PCB, and other wireless networking solutions, or lacking one altogether.

The Micro-ATX board appears feature-packed, including an easy ejection lever for the PCIe x16 slot. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS power connectors. Expansion slots include what is very likely a Gen 4 PCI-Express x16 slot, a Gen 4 x4 (physical x16) PCIe slot, and the space between them being dominated by an M.2 SSD heatsink that very likely conceals a Gen 5 M.2 slot wired to the CPU, and a Gen 4 M.2 slot that's either wired to the CPU (since there's no discrete USB4 controller), or the FCH. USB connectivity consists of 20 Gbps USB 3.2 for a few type-C ports (including a type-C header), and a combination of 10 Gbps and 5 Gbps USB 3.x ports.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, announced a groundbreaking update to its X3D Turbo Mode feature, providing users with an intuitive new method to activate advanced gaming performance optimization directly through the AORUS AI SNATCH software.

Users can now easily enable the X3D Turbo Mode with a streamlined process:

• Run live update on GCC to get the latest AORUS AI SNATCH version B24.11.19.01
• Navigate to the flag icon in the lower-left corner
• Click the flag icon to activate X3D Turbo Mode
• Confirm the pop-up window by clicking "OK"
• System will automatically restart to activate the feature

For users who wish to cancel the action, a "Discard" button is available to immediately halt the process.

It looks like Sony is joining Xbox in the development of a standalone handheld gaming console to compete with the likes of the Nintendo Switch and Valve Steam Deck. According to a Bloomberg's insider sources, a Sony gaming handheld is already in development, and would be designed with Sony PlayStation 5 games in mind. Unlike the PlayStation Portal, the future gaming console wouldn't be dependent on game streaming and would, instead, run games locally, meaning it would likely need significantly more powerful hardware than the Portal has. This would be Sony's first true foray into the portable gaming console market since the likes of the PS Vita, which is largely considered to be a commercial disappointment.

Sony isn't the first of the console giants looking into creating its own gaming handheld after Nintendo's Switch. Obviously, Valve, traditionally more of a software company, already has the immensely popular Steam Deck, but we also recently reported that Microsoft is in the early stages of developing its own handheld gaming console. Details on the future Sony gaming handheld are scant, and there has been no official word from Sony about the console. That said, it wouldn't be surprising to see it equipped with an AMD APU, similar to the likes of the Steam Deck and the PS5, since Sony already has history and a commercial relationship with AMD hardware.

AMD has released the new ROCm 6.3 version which introduces several new features and optimizations, including SGLang integration for accelerated AI inferencing, a re-engineered FlashAttention-2 for optimized AI training and inference, the introduction of multi-node Fast Fourier Transform (FFT), new Fortran compiler, and enhanced computer vision libraries like rocDecode, rocJPEG, and rocAL.

According to AMD, the SGLang, a runtime that is now supported by ROCm 6.3, is purpose-built for optimizing inference on models like LLMs and VLMs on AMD Instinct GPUs, and promises 6x higher throughput and much easier usage thanks to Python-integrated and pre-configured ROCm Docker containers. In addition, the AMD ROCm 6.3 also brings further transformer optimizations with FlashAttention-2, which should bring significant improvements in forward and backward pass compared to FlashAttention-1, a whole new AMD Fortran compiler with direct GPU offloading, backward compatibility, and integration with HIP Kernels and ROCm libraries, a whole new multi-node FFT support in rocFFT, which simplifies multi-node scaling and improved scalability, as well as enhanced computer vision libraries, rocDecode, rocJPEG, and rocAL, for AV1 codec support, GPU-accelerated JPEG decoding, and better audio augmentation.

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and HiFi audio products, announces the COLORFIRE B650M-MEOW WIFI motherboard that supports the latest AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors. COLORFUL is excited to expand the beloved COLORFIRE MEOW Series which now includes a motherboard for the AMD Ryzen platform. The COLORFIRE B650M-MEOW WIFI motherboard adopts the design and colors of Bobi the orange tabby cat making it easy to color-match with the existing COLORFIRE MEOW Series components. The COLORFIRE B650 MEOW motherboard is perfect for AMD enthusiasts and cat-lovers alike!

The COLORFIRE B650M-MEOW WIFI motherboard features the new MEOW UI BIOS Design, exclusive to the MEOW Series motherboards. The custom MEOW BIOS has been redesigned for improved usability, reducing menu levels from three to two for a more intuitive experience. Related sub-items are now grouped within the same menu, minimizing page navigation.

AMD has recently filed a patent revealing plans to implement "multi-chip stacking" in future Ryzen SoCs, as Wccftech reports, quoting a post on X from @coreteks: "New patent from AMD shows how future Zen SoCs could look. Basically a novel packaging design that enables compact chip stacking and interconnection by having them partially overlap, as in this figure. The dotted line is a larger die stacked on top of those smaller ones". The patent details a new approach where smaller chiplets partially overlap with a larger die, creating space for additional components and functions on the same die. This strategy aims to improve the efficiency of the contact area, thus making room for higher core counts, larger caches, and increased memory bandwidth within the same die size. The proposed stacking will reduce the physical distance between components through overlapping chiplets, thus minimizing interconnect latency and achieving faster communication between different chip parts. The design will also improve power management, as the segregated chiplets allow for better control of each unit through power gating.

Even if long-time rival Intel has lost some of its momentum (and market share) this year, AMD's chance to push ahead with its intention to become number one in the market is to continue to innovate. In the same way that its 3D V-Cache technology made the X3D processor lineup so successful, this chip stacking approach could play a major role in future AMD Ryzen SoCs. It seems that AMD is committed to moving away from the monolithic design era and taking the road of multi-chiplet; however, it can be a long wait until (and if) this chip stacking will complete the journey from patents to design, production, and final product.

Today, Lenovo announced the introduction of ThinkShield Firmware Assurance as part of its portfolio of enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions. ThinkShield Firmware Assurance is one of the only computer OEM solutions to enable deep visibility and protection below the operating system (OS) by embracing Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) component-level visibility to generate more accurate and actionable risk management insights.

As a security paradigm, ZTA explicitly identifies users and devices to grant appropriate levels of access so a business can operate with less risk and minimal friction. ZTA is a critical framework to reduce risk as organizations endeavor to complete Zero-Trust implementations.

Microsoft has announced its new Azure HBv5 virtual machines, featuring unique custom hardware made by AMD. CEO Satya Nadella made the announcement during Microsoft Ignite, introducing a custom-designed AMD processor solution that achieves remarkable performance metrics. The new HBv5 virtual machines deliver an extraordinary 6.9 TB/s of memory bandwidth, utilizing four specialized AMD processors equipped with HBM3 technology. This represents an eightfold improvement over existing cloud alternatives and a staggering 20-fold increase compared to previous Azure HBv3 configurations. Each HBv5 virtual machine boasts impressive specifications, including up to 352 AMD EPYC "Zen4" CPU cores capable of reaching 4 GHz peak frequencies. The system provides users with 400-450 GB of HBM3 RAM and features doubled Infinity Fabric bandwidth compared to any previous AMD EPYC server platform. Given that each VM had four CPUs, this yields 88 Zen 4 cores per CPU socket, with 9 GB of memory per core.

The architecture includes 800 Gb/s of NVIDIA Quantum-2 InfiniBand connectivity and 14 TB of local NVMe SSD storage. The development marks a strategic shift in addressing memory performance limitations, which Microsoft identifies as a critical bottleneck in HPC applications. This custom design particularly benefits sectors requiring intensive computational resources, including automotive design, aerospace simulation, weather modeling, and energy research. While the CPU appears custom-designed for Microsoft's needs, it bears similarities to previously rumored AMD processors, suggesting a possible connection to the speculated MI300C chip architecture. The system's design choices, including disabled SMT and single-tenant configuration, clearly focus on optimizing performance for specific HPC workloads. If readers can recall, Intel also made customized Xeons for AWS and their needs, which is normal in the hyperscaler space, given they drive most of the revenue.

While the current generation of AMD graphics cards employs RDNA 3 at its core, and the upcoming RX 8000 series will feature RDNA 4, the latest leaks suggest RDNA 5 is not in development. Instead, UDNA will succeed RDNA 4, simplifying AMD's GPU roadmap. A credible source on the Chiphell forums, zhangzhonghao, reports that the UDNA-based RX 9000 series and Instinct MI400 AI accelerator will incorporate the same advanced Arithmetic Logic Unit (ALU) designs in both products, reminiscent of AMD's earlier GCN architectures before the CDNA and RDNA split. Sony's next-generation PlayStation 6 is also rumored to adopt UDNA technology. The PS5 and PS5 Pro currently utilize RDNA 2, while the Pro variant integrates elements of RDNA 4 for enhanced ray tracing. The PS6's CPU configuration remains unclear, but speculation revolves around Zen 4 or Zen 5 architectures.

The first UDNA gaming GPUs are expected to enter production by Q2 2026. Interestingly, AMD's RDNA 4 GPUs are anticipated to focus on entry-level to mid-range markets, potentially leaving high-end offerings until the UDNA generation. This strategic pause may allow AMD to refine AI-accelerated technologies like FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 4, aiming to compete with NVIDIA's DLSS. This unification is inspired by NVIDIA's CUDA ecosystem, which supports cross-platform compatibility from laptops to high-performance servers. As AMD sees it, the decision addresses the challenges posed by maintaining separate architectures, which complicate memory subsystem optimizations and hinder forward and backward compatibility. Putting developer resources into RDNA 5 is not economically or strategically wise, given that UDNA is about to take over. Additionally, the company is enabling ROCm software support across all products ranging from consumer Radeon to enterprise Instinct MI. Accelerating software for one platform will translate to the entire product stack.

ASUS today announced its groundbreaking next-generation infrastructure solutions at SC24, featuring a comprehensive lineup powered by AMD and Intel, as well as liquid-cooling solutions designed to accelerate the future of AI. By continuously pushing the limits of innovation, ASUS simplifies the complexities of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) through adaptive server solutions paired with expert cooling and software-development services, tailored for the exascale era and beyond. As a total-solution provider with a distinguished history in pioneering AI supercomputing, ASUS is committed to delivering exceptional value to its customers.

Comprehensive Lineup for AI and HPC Success
To fuel enterprise digital transformation through HPC and AI-driven architecture, ASUS provides a full lineup of server systems that are powered by AMD and Intel. Startups, research institutions, large enterprises or government organizations all could find the adaptive solutions to unlock value and accelerate business agility from the big data.