MSI is set to launch its most advanced AM5 motherboard to date: the MEG X870E GODLIKE. This flagship model is designed to support AMD's Ryzen 9000 series processors and beyond. The MEG X870E GODLIKE boasts an impressive 28-phase power delivery system with 110 A power stages, surpassing its predecessor's capabilities. This robust VRM design ensures a stable power supply even for the most demanding scenarios of next-generation CPUs. The motherboard's E-ATX form factor provides ample space for its array of features, including support for DDR5 memory speeds exceeding 8000 MT/s and a capacity of up to 256 GB. Connectivity is a strong suit for this motherboard, featuring eight USB Type-C ports with varying speeds of up to 40 Gbps. Storage options include five M.2 slots (two PCIe Gen 5 and three Gen 4) and four SATA III ports.

For graphics, the board offers two PCIe Gen 5.0 slots. MSI has also included several user-friendly features, such as EZ M.2 and PCIe release mechanisms, making component installation and removal a breeze. The M.2 slots are equipped with MSI's Shield Frozr heatsinks, ensuring optimal thermal performance for NVMe SSDs. Perhaps most intriguing is the inclusion of an additional 8-pin power connector, specifically designed to support future multi-GPU setups like NVIDIA's anticipated RTX 50 "Blackwell" series. While pricing details are yet to be announced, the MEG X870E GODLIKE is expected to carry a premium price tag, reflecting its top-tier status in MSI's lineup. With the high-end power delivery setup, overclockers will find this motherboard interesting, and users are planning to upgrade to next-generation RTX 50 series GPUs. Availability is also unknown as of time of writing.

AMD announced that its Ryzen processor branch prediction optimization that provide gaming performance uplifts, is now available for Windows 11 23H2, through an optional update. This update applies to AMD Ryzen processors based on the "Zen 3," "Zen 4," and "Zen 5" microarchitectures, and essentially yields the kind of performance you get in the real Administrator account, on regular Windows accounts, especially non-local (online) accounts. Users should look for "Cumulative Update Preview for Windows 11 Version 23H2 for x64-based Systems (KB5041587)" in Windows Update, which should begin showing up as an optional update. This update requires a system restart to apply.

With this update in place, gaming performance uplifts between Windows 11 23H2 and 24H2 should be identical. "We wanted to let you know that the branch prediction optimization found in Windows 11 24H2 has now been backported to Windows 11 23H2. Users will need to look for KB5041587 under Windows update > Advanced options > Optional updates. We expect the performance uplift to be very similar between 24H2 and 23H2 with KB5041587 installed," AMD said in a statement to Wccftech.

A shipping manifest has revealed a new 96-core Ryzen Threadripper CPU codenamed "Shimada Peak." This processor is expected to incorporate Zen 5 CPU cores and maintain a configuration similar to AMD's current Zen 4 Threadripper flagship. The new CPU will likely be compatible with existing DDR5 HEDT motherboard platforms like TRX50 and WRX90. Its architecture appears to mirror that of AMD's previous 96-core Threadripper and EPYC models, featuring twelve 8-core CCDs and a single IO die. These similarities suggest that the primary change lies in the CCDs.

The Shimada Peak series is unlikely to debut in the near future. Given that the previous generation launched in October 2023 after a considerable delay, a similar timeline may apply here. AMD has remained silent regarding its Threadripper roadmap. Reports suggest AMD is preparing to unveil multiple products soon, the lineup is said to include the Ryzen AI 300 PRO, EPYC Turin, and Instinct MI325X. Following this, the next major showcase is expected to be CES. At this event, Kraken or Strix Halo are anticipated to make an appearance.

As the leading global provider of premium storage solutions, Team Group Inc. aligns with international trends and prioritizes environmental sustainability by integrating eco-friendly practices into its core products and developing a wide selection of green products for its customers. Today, Team Group launched the T-FORCE DELTA RGB ECO DDR5 Desktop Memory and the Team Group PD20 ECO Mini External SSD, as a part of the ECO series that highlights the concept of circular economy. Both products feature PCR (post-consumer recycled) plastics and are packaged with FSC-certified materials, fully embodying Team Groupp's commitment to green innovation from product technology to packaging and fostering the spirit of environmental sustainability.

AMD's Ryzen processors have received a significant performance upgrade, thanks to the recent Windows 11 24H2 update. This development addresses initial disappointments with the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" series performance, particularly in gaming applications. The update, which improves branch prediction capabilities, has resulted in substantial gains for both the Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" and Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" CPU lineups. According to tests by Hardware Unboxed, Ryzen 9000 "Zen 5" CPUs have shown double-digit performance increases across multiple game titles, a boost typically seen only between generational upgrades.

Interestingly, contrary to AMD's initial claims, the performance gains are not limited to the Zen 5 architecture. The Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors have also benefited from the update, with minimal performance differences observed between comparable Zen 5 and Zen 4 models after the update. This development marks a crucial turning point for AMD, addressing earlier criticisms and narrowing the gap between reported and expected performance figures. As users install the Windows 11 24H2 update, they can expect enhanced gaming experiences across a wide range of titles, highlighting the complex interplay between hardware capabilities and software optimization in modern computing. Below are the results from Hardware Unboxed benchmarks.

AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 8000 "RDNA 4" GPU has been spotted on Geekbench, revealing some of its core specifications. These early benchmark appearances indicate that AMD is now testing the new GPUs internally, preparing for a launch expected next year. The leaked GPU, identified as "GFX1201", is believed to be the Navi 48 SKU - the larger of two dies planned for the RDNA 4 family.

It features 28 Compute Units in the Geekbench listing, which in this case refers to Work Group Processors (WGPs). This likely translates to 56 Compute Units positioning it between the current RX 7700 XT (54 CU) and RX 7800 XT (60 CU) models. The clock speed is listed at 2.1 GHz, which seems low compared to current RDNA 3 GPUs that can boost to 2.5-2.6 GHz. However, this is likely due to the early nature of the samples, and we can expect higher frequencies closer to launch. Memory specifications show 16 GB of VRAM, matching current high-end models and suggesting a 256-bit bus interface. Some variants may feature 12 GB VRAM with a 192-bit bus. While not confirmed, previous reports indicate AMD will use GDDR6 memory.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000X3D series of processors with 3D V-Cache have been reportedly scheduled to arrive in January 2025 and should make a debut at the CES event, a few months later than initially expected. While disappointing for eager enthusiasts, the delay could signify that AMD is taking extra precautions to ensure a smooth launch and deliver a product that meets the high-performance standards set by its previous 3D V-Cache offerings. Delaying the new product launch could also be a strategic move by AMD to avoid potential supply chain issues or to align the launch with other product announcements.

We previously reported that the series will maintain the same cache size configurations as the last generation with 3D V-Cache, and it will just be an upgrade to up the performance of the new Zen 5 design. The launch of the 9000X3D series follows a smaller six-month gap from the regular Ryzen 9000 series, where the previous Ryzen 7000X3D and 5000X3D followed seven and seventeen months after the launch of their regular SKUs, respectively.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, and small form factor PCs, is proud to announce the release of the X600TM-ITX, the world's first thin mini ITX motherboard supporting AMD AM5 series processors. This revolutionary motherboard brings exceptional performance and versatile features to users, enhancing their computing experience in various applications.

The X600TM-ITX stands out as the first thin mini ITX motherboard compatible with AMD AM5 series processors in the world. This compatibility ensures unprecedented performance, allowing users to experience faster computing speeds, better multitasking capabilities, and improved overall efficiency. Ideal for those who demand power in a compact form factor, the X600TM-ITX sets a new standard in motherboard technology.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, announced today the BIOS update that fixes a recently identified security vulnerability "Sinkclose" of AMD desktop processors.

This security flaw was reported to impact all AMD processors since 2006 and millions of devices globally. GIGABYTE remains working closely with AMD and demonstrates our commitment to swiftly addressing any issues that may affect our customers' experience. The latest AGESA BIOS which can fix the security vulnerability will be released to the website in succession starting by end of August.⁠

User are encouraged to install the updated BIOS at their earliest convenience. The BIOS can be easily updated using GIGABYTE's ＠BIOS, Q-Flash, or Q-Flash Plus technology. Please refer to the following table for the AGESA BIOS version and applicable models.

GIGABYTE today debuted its AMD 800-series motherboards with the launch of the premium X870E AORUS Master. This will go on to be the company's second most premium product on this chipset, as the company is also planning the X870E AORUS Xtreme. The AORUS Master is still packed to the gills with everything this chipset has to offer, along with high-end onboard devices. The board is built in the ATX form-factor, and draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and two 8-pin EPS power connectors. It offers a 16+2+2 phase digital VRM featuring 110 A power stages. The board is laid out on a premium 8-layer PCB. You get tall extruded aluminium heatsinks for the CPU VRM, and the topmost M.2 NVMe Gen 5 slot.

The AMD Socket AM5 is wired to four DDR5 DIMM slots that support up to 192 GB of dual-channel DDR5, at speeds of over DDR5-8000. It also puts out no less than three M.2 NVMe Gen 5 slots. Two of these are wired to the dedicated x4 interfaces from the AMD "Raphael" or "Granite Ridge" processor, while one of them subtracts 4 lanes from the board's PCI-Express 5.0 x16 PEG slot. The board's fourth M.2 NVMe slot is Gen 4, and wired to the chipset. The only other expansion slots are a couple of PCI-Express 4.0 x16 (electrical Gen 4 x1). Besides the M.2 slots, you get four SATA 6 Gbps ports completing the board's storage connectivity.

AMD has reportedly pushed the launch of mid-tier models from its AMD 800-series chipset to early 2025, reports ComputerBase.de. With the Ryzen 9000-series "Zen 5" processors already launched earlier this month, and compatible with existing AMD 600-series chipset motherboards with a BIOS update, motherboard vendors are leisurely announcing their motherboards based on the AMD X870E and AMD X870 chipsets. Motherboards based on both offer drop-in compatibility with Ryzen 9000-series processors, and introduce new connectivity features such as 40 Gbps USB4 and Wi-Fi 7.

The company probably wants the two to have some time in the Sun before they're joined by the more affordable B850, which gamers could be drawn to. The AMD B850 has mostly identical platform I/O to the AMD X870, except Gen 5 support for the PCI-Express x16 slot is optional (motherboard vendors can choose to wire this out as Gen 4). The 40 Gbps USB4 is also optional here. You still get CPU overclocking support. The B840 is an entry-level chipset that's being launched to probably phase out the A620 and A620A, since it features similar I/O features to the A620A, but will probably come with drop-in compatibility for 65 W Socket AM5 processors. A deferred launch of the mid-tier chipset isn't too off character for AMD. It launched its popular B450 and B550 chipsets several months after the X470 and X570, respectively.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, IPC solutions, and storage devices today, proudly introduces the latest BIOSTAR AMD Radeon RX 7600 OC graphics card built to deliver stunning visuals and efficient computing capability.

Strategically engineered to deliver the best bang for buck performance, the BIOSTAR Radeon RX 7600 OC graphics card is perfect for casual gamers seeking smooth, enjoyable gameplay without overspending. Powered by AMD's RDNA3 architecture, the RX 7600 OC offers excellent 1080p performance with features like AMD FreeSync and FidelityFX Super Resolution, ensuring seamless gameplay and sharp visuals. Whether you're diving into simulations, strategy games, or enjoying casual sessions with friends, this card's overclocking capabilities and efficient cooling provide the perfect balance of performance and affordability.

AMD Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" desktop processors have been out for a couple of weeks now, and the "Zen 5" based processors have fallen short of gaming performance expectations, set mainly by some of the numbers AMD put out in its Computex 2024 reveal for the processors. The consensus among the tech press is that these processors are roughly 3-5% faster than Ryzen 7000 series "Raphael," but with noteworthy improvements in energy efficiency. AMD set out to study why there are such vast deltas in performance between its numbers and those of reviews, and arrived a few possible explanations. The company also stated that it is working with Microsoft to fix this in the next major update to Windows 11.

One of them is that AMD's testing was done on Windows 11 23H2 with Admin mode (i.e. a local system administrator account was used), while some reviewers tested with a regular user account that has some admin privileges. Apparently this affects the way the branch prediction units of "Zen 5" processors work. "Our automated test methodology was run in "Admin" mode which produced results that reflect branch prediction code optimizations not present in the version of Windows reviewers used to test Ryzen 9000 Series," AMD said in a statement.

OTK's premium prebuilt PC manufacturer Starforge Systems is rolling out its latest anime-inspired collaboration with Frieren: Beyond Journey's End! The brand new limited edition line includes a custom Frieren: Beyond Journey's End PC, case, desk mats, acrylic wall art, platelights and bundles that combine a PC/Case, desk mat, and wall art.

Fans of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End can choose from SIX different Acrylic Wall Art designs and SEVEN unique desk mat designs featuring art inspired by the beloved anime series. Additionally, Starforge Systems' customers can illuminate their PCs with FIVE special platelight designs.

ASUS has introduced a new limited edition graphics card: the Radeon RX 7900 XTX Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine 2 Edition. The company will produce only 20 units of this specially designed card, making it one of the rarest graphics cards on the market. The new card is based on the Radeon RX 7900 XTX, which uses AMD's RDNA 3 architecture. It maintains the same technical specifications as the standard model, including its gaming capabilities. The primary difference lies in its aesthetic design, which features artwork and elements inspired by the Warhammer 40,000 franchise, specifically referencing the Space Marines from the upcoming game Space Marine 2. ASUS developed this product in partnership with the developers of Space Marine 2. Each card will be individually numbered, potentially increasing its value for collectors. Despite its unique appearance, the card is expected to perform similarly to the standard RX 7900 XTX in terms of gaming performance.

Distribution of these graphics cards will not occur through typical retail channels. Instead, ASUS plans to organize a giveaway contest on August 23. The company has yet to release full details about how interested parties can enter the contest, and that information will be available through their official communication channels shortly. While the card offers no performance improvements over the standard model, its scarcity and unique design may appeal to enthusiasts of both computer hardware and the Warhammer franchise. Potential contestants should note that, as with any limited edition product, demand is likely to far exceed the available supply. ASUS has not indicated whether similar collaborations or limited editions might be planned for the future.

AMD's next-gen Ryzen 9000 Series CPUs have arrived, setting a new bar for gaming performance. For Gamescom 2024, we're introducing our X870E and X870 motherboard family. These boards unleash the full power of your new AMD CPU with upgraded connectivity, a host of smart features, and an arsenal of performance-boosting refinements.

Your most feature-rich, high-end options for an AMD Ryzen 9000 Series CPU use the X870E chipset. The ROG Crosshair X870E Hero sits at the top of the stack. Premium metallic textures, nickel-plated surfaces, and second-gen Polymo Lighting II make this a true showcase motherboard. But this board doesn't just look the part—it's fully prepped to take your gaming to the next level with the power of advanced AI.

AMD is reportedly giving finishing touches to the Ryzen 5 7600X3D 6-core/12-thread processor featuring 3D V-cache. The company plans to launch this chip in early September 2024. The timing of this launch is particularly interesting, given that the company just got its Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" desktop processors powered by the latest "Zen 5" microarchitecture into the shelves. The 7600X3D is probably designed to be the company's fastest gaming processor in the Ryzen 5 series, the Ryzen 5 9600X is already 5.2% faster in games than the Intel Core i5-14600K, however, the 14600K makes up for this with 7.8% better multithreaded application performance. The 7600X3D with its 3D V-cache could offer a sufficiently higher gaming performance than the i5-14600K to woo the sub-$300 crowd to the AMD camp.

Why "Zen 4" now? AMD is definitely developing a Ryzen 9000X3D series powered by "Zen 5," but those processors probably won't arrive until the very end of 2024 or Q1-2025. It's easier for the company to come up with the 7600X3D by simply disabling two cores from the 8-core "Zen 4" 3D V-cache CCD used in the popular 7800X3D. Not much else is known about the 7600X3D other than its existence, its likely core-count of 6-core/12-thread, and of course its cache sizes of 1 MB per core L2, with 96 MB of L3 cache (32 MB on-die + 64 MB 3D V-cache).

AMD today released the latest version of AMD Software Adrenalin drivers for Radeon GPUs and integrated graphics. Version 24.8.1 comes with optimization for "Black Myth: Wukong." It also includes optimization for "Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Open Beta," "Concord," and "Star Wars Outlaws." The drivers extend HYPR-Tune support to "Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III," "Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered," and "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales." Anti-Lag 2 support is added to "Ghost of Tsushima: Director's Cut."

AMD also took the opportunity to fix a handful issues. To begin with, an intermittent application crash for "Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess" on Radeon RX 6600 series and RX 6700 series GPUs, has been fixed. Another such crash when launching "Pacific Drive" and "Kingdom Hearts -HD 1.5+2.5 ReMIX" has been fixed. AA and AF settings failing to correctly apply for OpenGL applications has been fixed. Artifacts in games such as "Rust" and "Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales" have been fixed. Abnormally high memory usage when playing certain editions of "Minecraft Java Edition" has been fixed. The shader optimization time in "Forza Motorsport" has been reduced.

DOWNLOAD: (the download link from AMD for the new driver goes to 24.7.1, last month's driver, we are in touch with AMD to upload the drivers ASAP)

AMD today announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire ZT Systems, a leading provider of AI infrastructure for the world's largest hyperscale computing companies. The strategic transaction marks the next major step in AMD's AI strategy to deliver leadership AI training and inferencing solutions based on innovating across silicon, software and systems. ZT Systems' extensive experience designing and optimizing cloud computing solutions will also help cloud and enterprise customers significantly accelerate the deployment of AMD-powered AI infrastructure at scale. AMD has agreed to acquire ZT Systems in a cash and stock transaction valued at $4.9 billion, inclusive of a contingent payment of up to $400 million based on certain post-closing milestones. AMD expects the transaction to be accretive on a non-GAAP basis by the end of 2025.

"Our acquisition of ZT Systems is the next major step in our long-term AI strategy to deliver leadership training and inferencing solutions that can be rapidly deployed at scale across cloud and enterprise customers," said AMD Chair and CEO Dr. Lisa Su. "ZT adds world-class systems design and rack-scale solutions expertise that will significantly strengthen our data center AI systems and customer enablement capabilities. This acquisition also builds on the investments we have made to accelerate our AI hardware and software roadmaps. Combining our high-performance Instinct AI accelerator, EPYC CPU, and networking product portfolios with ZT Systems' industry-leading data center systems expertise will enable AMD to deliver end-to-end data center AI infrastructure at scale with our ecosystem of OEM and ODM partners."

ZOTAC GAMING proudly announces the much-anticipated premium gaming handheld, the ZOTAC GAMING ZONE, is ready to begin accepting preorders in select regions and e-tailer platforms. The ZONE, which emphasizes premium hardware and elite controls, was announced COMPUTEX 2024 with great anticipation. Visitors arriving at GAMESCOM 2024, one of the largest video game trade fairs held annually in Cologne, Germany, will be the first to experience the thrills of gaming on the ZONE. The ZOTAC GAMING ZONE is the first handheld gaming PC on the market to incorporate premium hardware and elite control features that players will not find on other handheld PCs, offering gamers more immersion and advantages in PC games like non-other.

The ZOTAC GAMING ZONE is powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 8840U, an efficient powerhouse with bleeding edge Zen 4 architecture and RDNA 3 graphics that enables even AAA gaming at native 1080p resolution. Along with the 16 GB of LPDDR5X-7500 Memory on board, the ZONE makes the full spectrum of experiences that PC gaming can offer through stunning visuals and performance, and take advantage of AMD's driver-level Fluid Motion Frames (FMF) and FidelityFX Super Resolution technology to enhance gameplay performance and immersion further. Also featured are a full-sized 2280 512 GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 SSD and a UHS-II microSD card reader to cover every gamer's storage needs.

A critical security flaw known as "Sinkclose" (CVE-2023-31315) has been identified in all AMD processors dating back to 2006, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of devices worldwide. This vulnerability allows malicious actors to exploit the chip architecture, leading to unauthorized access to sensitive data. Researchers Enrique Nissim and Krzysztof Okupski, researchers from the security firm IOActive, have revealed that the vulnerability can be exploited through various methods, enabling attackers to extract confidential information from affected systems, including passwords and personal data. The issue is especially concerning, given that it is present in all AMD CPUs made in the last 18 years and their widespread use in both consumer and enterprise environments. However, to exploit this vulnerability, an attacker must possess access to system's kernel. Downloading of malware-infused files can trigger it, so general safety measures are recommended.

The Sinkclose method exploits a little-known capability in AMD processors called TClose. This name is a blend of "TClose" and "Sinkhole," with the latter referring to a previous vulnerability found in Intel's System Management Mode in 2015. AMD chips employ a protective mechanism named TSeg, which blocks operating systems from accessing a specific memory area reserved for System Management Mode (SMM), known as System Management Random Access Memory (SMRAM). However, the TClose feature is designed to maintain backward compatibility with older hardware that might use the same memory addresses as SMRAM. It does this by remapping memory when activated. The security experts discovered that they could manipulate this TClose remapping function using only standard operating system permissions. By doing so, they could deceive the SMM into retrieving altered data, enabling them to redirect the processor and run their own instructions with the high-level privileges of SMM. This technique essentially allows attackers to bypass standard security measures and execute malicious code at one of the most privileged levels of the processor, potentially compromising the entire system.

Cooler Master, a leading provider of PC components, gaming peripherals, and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced its collaboration with AMD to integrate their recently announced AMD's Ryzen 9000 Series, into a select range of Cooler Master PC Systems. Cooler Master is leveraging AMD's cutting-edge technology to deliver unparalleled performance in their latest products, including the Sneaker X, Ncore 1 Pro, and MasterBox 6 Pro. The collaboration underscores Cooler Master's commitment to pushing the boundaries of what's possible in gaming and professional computing.

The inclusion of AMD's CPUs within Cooler Master products will not only elevate gaming and professional experiences but also highlight the symbiotic relationship between powerful processing and efficient cooling. This is a testament to Cooler Master's relentless pursuit of excellence in thermal management, ensuring that each system operates at peak efficiency.

Recent reports suggest that AMD's Zen 5 desktop processors may soon receive a significant power upgrade. The upcoming AGESA 1.2.0.1A Patch A is rumored to increase the default power limits (TDP) from 65 W to 105 W for certain models, specifically the 8-core Ryzen 7 9700X and the 6-core Ryzen 5 9600X. This development comes as a surprise given that the first reviews of the Ryzen 9000 series were published just last week, with lower power consumption praised as a major advantage over previous generations. The potential TDP increase, while not as high as the 120 W initially rumored for the 9700X, still represents a substantial boost in power allocation.

The rationale behind this significant TDP increase appears to be addressing the lower than expected performance of the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X compared to their predecessors. Initial testing showed that both CPUs performed similarly to earlier models, especially in gaming scenarios, with notable improvements only visible when using Precision Boost Overdrive (PBO). Even at 65 W, the Ryzen 7 9700X struggled to outpace the 7800X3D in gaming performance, highlighting the need for improved power delivery.

If you're on the Socket AM4 platform, AMD is never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you; never gonna make you cry, never gonna say goodbye, never gonna tell a lie, and hurt you. The company is reportedly giving finishing touches to a firecracker of a sub-$200 chip for price-conscious gamers, the Ryzen 5 5500X3D. That's right, AMD is bringing 3D V-cache technology to the mid-range, with a new 6-core processor based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture, but enjoying the gaming performance boost from 96 MB of L3 cache on tap.

AMD already has a 6-core X3D Socket AM4 chip, the Ryzen 5 5600X3D, which joined the product stack a couple of years after AMD's original Ryzen 7 5800X3D took the gaming PC processor scene by storm, matching the then swanky new Core i9-12900K "Alder Lake" despite being based on an older-generation "Zen 3" architecture. Not much else is known about the 5500X3D, except that it could have a lower clock speed than the 5600X3D. Back in November 2023, when news of the 5700X3D first hit the scene, the 5500X3D was rumored to be a 6-core/12-thread chip with 3.00 GHz base frequency and 4.00 GHz maximum boost, compared to the 3.30 GHz base and 4.40 GHz boost frequency of the 5600X3D. Given that AMD launched the 5600X3D at $230, AMD could target a sub-$200 price point to wow gamers on AM4, such as $199.

German PC components online retailer Mindfactory is no Amazon, but is meticulously transparent with its sales data to the public, which allows us to gauge consumer interest in products, at least in the European context. AMD last week launched its Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X Socket AM5 desktop processors powered by the latest "Zen 5" microarchitecture, which were met with mixed reviews, with the tech press remarking on very little IPC gain over the previous "Zen 4" generation, which is salvaged somewhat with their better energy efficiency. It's been 5 days since market availability for these two chips, and they aren't exactly flying off the shelves over at Mindfactory.

Remember what we said about Mindfactory being transparent with its sales numbers? The retailer even puts out a counter of how many units of a product it sold, and how many page views a product's store page got. As of this writing (13/8, 15:00 UTC), Mindfactory sold just between 20-30 Ryzen 5 9600X processors, with just under 600 page views for the product. The Ryzen 7 9700X is very slightly better, but not by much—just 30-40 pieces sold, and under 1,200 page views. To give you some context, the Ryzen 7 7800X3D, which has been out since April 2023, sold close to 68,000 units on this store. HardwareTimes reports that the 9700X is #39 most popular processor on Amazon in August 2024, and #45 on Newegg. We guess what's happening here is a combination of consumers waiting to see how the 9900X and 9700X perform, what the 9000X3D series and Intel's next-generation bring to the table, and favoring previous-gen incumbents such as the 7800X3D, i9-14900K, etc., which have had price cuts over the past several months.