Just a few weeks ago, AMD invited us to Barcelona as part of a roundtable, to share their vision for the future of the company, and to get our feedback. On site, were prominent AMD leadership, including Phil Guido, Executive Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer and Jack Huynh, Senior VP & GM, Computing and Graphics Business Group. AMD is making changes in a big way to how they are approaching technology, shifting their focus from hardware development to emphasizing software, APIs, and AI experiences. Software is no longer just a complement to hardware; it's the core of modern technological ecosystems, and AMD is finally aligning its strategy accordingly.

The major difference between AMD and NVIDIA is that AMD is a hardware company that makes software on the side to support its hardware; while NVIDIA is a software company that designs hardware on the side to accelerate its software. This is about to change, as AMD is making a pivot toward software. They believe that they now have the full stack of computing hardware—all the way from CPUs, to AI accelerators, to GPUs, to FPGAs, to data-processing and even server architecture. The only frontier left for AMD is software.

As AMD prepares to roll out its next-generation Ryzen 9000 series of CPUs based on Zen 5 architecture, we are starting to see some systems being tested by third-party OEMs and system integrators. Today, we have Geekbench 6 scores of the Ryzen 9 9900X CPU, and the 12-core, 24-thread processor that has demonstrated impressive performance gains. Boasting a base clock of 4.4 GHz and a boost clock of up to 5.6 GHz, the CPU features only 120 W TDP, a significant reduction from the previous 170 W of the previous generation. In Geekbench 6 tests, the Ryzen 9 9900X achieved a single-core score of 3,401 and a multicore score of 19,756.

These results place it ahead of Intel's current flagship Core i9-14900KS, which scored 3,189 points in single-core performance. Regarding multicore tasks, the i9-14900K scored 21,890 points, still higher than AMD's upcoming 12-core SKU. The benchmark of AMD's CPU was conducted on an ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Gene motherboard with 32 GB of DDR5 memory. As anticipation builds for the official release, these early benchmarks suggest that AMD will deliver a compelling product that balances high performance with improved energy efficiency. The top tier models will still carry a 170 W TDP, while some high-end and middle-end SKUs get a TDP reduction like the Ryzen 7 9700X and Ryzen 5 9600X dial down to 65 W, decreased from 105 W in their previous iterations.

AMD is preparing to release its next generation of high-performance CPUs, the Ryzen 9000X3D series, and rumors are circulating about potential increases in stacked L3 cache. However, a recent report from Wccftech suggests that the upcoming models will maintain the same 64 MB of additional 3D V-cache as their predecessors. The X3D moniker represents AMD's 3D V-Cache technology, which vertically stacks an extra L3 cache on top of one CPU chiplet. This design has proven particularly effective in enhancing gaming performance, leading AMD to market these processors as the "ultimate gaming" solutions. According to the latest information, the potential Ryzen 9 9950X3D would feature 16 Zen 5 cores with a total of 128 (64+64) MB L3 cache, while a Ryzen 9 9900X3D would offer 12 cores with the same cache capacity. The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is expected to provide 96 (32+64) MB of total L3 cache.

Regarding L2, the CPUs feature one MB of L2 cache per core. Perhaps the most exciting development for overclockers is the reported inclusion of full overclocking support in the new X3D series. This marks a significant evolution from the limited options available in previous generations, potentially allowing enthusiasts to push these gaming-focused chips to new heights of performance. While the release date for the Ryzen 9000X3D series remains unconfirmed, industry speculation suggests a launch window as early as September or October. This timing would coincide with the release of new X870 (E) chipset motherboards. PC enthusiasts would potentially wait to match the next-gen CPU and motherboards, so this should be a significant upgrade cycle for many.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen AI 300 APUs pre-launch leaks continue, the latest coming from the BAPCo CrossMark benchmark database. Two models have been spotted: the officially announced Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 and the recently leaked Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360. The Ryzen AI 9 HX 370, part of the "Strix Point" family, boasts 12 cores and 24 threads. Its hybrid architecture combines four Zen 5 cores with eight Zen 5C cores. The chip reaches boost clocks up to 5.1 GHz, features 36 MB of cache (24 MB L3 + 12 MB L2), and includes a Radeon 890M iGPU with 16 compute units (1024 cores). The Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360, previously leaked as a 12-core part, has now been confirmed with 8 cores and 16 threads. It utilizes a 3+5 configuration of Zen 5 and Zen 5C cores, respectively. The APU includes 8 MB each of L2 and L3 cache, with a base clock of 2.0 GHz. Its integrated Radeon 870M GPU is expected to feature the RDNA 3.5 architecture with fewer cores than its higher-end counterparts, possibly 8 compute units.

According to the leaked benchmarks, the Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 was tested in an HP laptop, while the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 appeared in a Lenovo model equipped with LPDDR5-7500 memory. Initial scores appear unremarkable compared to top Intel Core Ultra 9 185H and AMD Ryzen 7040 APUs, however, the tested APUs may be early samples, and their performance could differ from final retail versions. Furthermore, while the TDP range is known to be between 15 W and 54 W, the specific power configurations used in these benchmarks remain unclear. The first Ryzen AI 300 laptops are slated for release on July 28th, with Ryzen AI 300 PRO models expected in October.

According to a new leak by Hoang Anh Phu, the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9000 Strix Point desktop series and Ryzen AI 300 for laptops, both dedicated to consumers, will be complemented by the usual commercial and business counterparts: the AMD Ryzen PRO series sporting improved security and manageability features. The first Ryzen PRO model based on Strix Point was spotted in shipping manifests, confirming the series' existence. However, the launch date remains uncertain. Hoang Anh Phu, suggests an October launch for these CPUs.

Hoang's recent accurate leaks include the Radeon PRO W7900 Dual-Slot and Ryzen 8000F series for the DIY market. AMD is expected to introduce the Ryzen AI 300 PRO series six months after the April launch of the Ryzen 8000 PRO, including desktop and mobile variants. The leaker also revealed new PRO variant names: Ryzen AI 9 HX PRO 370 and Ryzen AI 7 Pro 360. While exact specs remain unconfirmed, the first one is rumored to be a 12-core processor. On the other hand, it's more likely that the Ryzen AI 7 PRO 360 will be a 10-core version.

AOOSTAR has released a new Mini PC for its GEM series powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 Hawk Point processor. Despite its compact size (130 mm x 126 mm x 45 mm), the AOOSTAR GEM13 integrates an AMD Ryzen R7 8845HS Octa-Core processor with 16 threads, running at speeds of up to 5.1 GHz, and an NPU for AI with up to 38 TOPS. It includes a powerful 12-core Radeon 780M iGPU RDNA 3 that reaches a speed of 2.7 GHz. This setup should be sufficient to support a wide range of applications and games running in 720p and 1080p resolution. For internal memory and storage, it supports up to 32 GB DDR5 5600 MHz and up to 1 TB storage via an M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe x4 SSD. Inside, there is enough space to install an additional 2.5" SATA internal storage unit.

For network connectivity, it features a combination of WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and two RJ45 2.5G network ports. As for interfaces, it sports 2x USB 3.0 ports, 2x USB 2.0 ports, a full front USB-C, a 3.5 mm audio jack, and two HDMI 2.1 video outputs. It also has a USB4 Type-C with DisplayPort 1.4 data, power, and video output that could be used for an eGPU to increase gaming performance. The AOOSTAR GEM13 comes with a small 100 W external power supply and Windows 11 Pro as the operating system.

ASUS announced a press event on July 17 to launch at least nine notebook designs powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300 series "Strix Point" mobile processors. All these notebooks are AI PCs that meet Microsoft Copilot+ requirements. Each of the 9 designs will have several variants based on the processor model, discrete graphics, and other hardware differentiators, making up dozens of individual SKUs. The AMD "Strix Point" mobile processor is based on a 4 nm monolithic die. It combines a 12-core/24-thread CPU based on a combination of "Zen 5" and "Zen 5c" cores, a 50 TOPS-class NPU, and a powerful iGPU based on the RDNA 3.5 graphics architecture, with 16 compute units.

Among the notebook designs ASUS plans to announce on July 17 are the ROG Zephyrus G16 (GA605), the TUF Gaming A14 (FA401), the TUF Gaming A16 (FA608), the Zenbook S16 (UM5606), Vivobook S14 (M5406), Vivobook S16 (M5506 and M5606), ProArt P16 (HN7606) and ProArt PX13 (HN7306). With these, ASUS is covering pretty much all its notebook market segments, including enthusiast gaming, performance gaming, boutique ultraportability, mainstream, and creative professional.

AMD Ryzen 8000G desktop APUs combine "Zen 4" CPU cores with a powerful iGPU based on the RDNA 3 architecture, and are the first desktop processors to pack an NPU with 16 TOPS of performance on tap. These Socket AM5 processors based on the "Hawk Point" silicon have been on a downward price trend. Last month, the top Ryzen 7 8700G asked for $299 compared to its $329 launch price; and the 6-core Ryzen 5 8600G went for $199, down from its $229 launch price. This month, the downward pricing trend continues.

According to the latest prices charted on B&H Photo, the Ryzen 7 8700G is now just $269, a $60 cut from its launch price; while the Ryzen 5 8600G faces its biggest ever cut, sending it all the way down to $152, a $77 or a 33% reduction from its launch price. At this price, the 8600G is a formidable processor, with a 6-core/12-thread CPU based on the "Zen 4" architecture (all 6 of which are full-sized "Zen 4" cores); a 16 TOPS NPU, and a Radeon 760M iGPU with 8 compute units (512 stream processors). The Ryzen 5 8500G based on the "Phoenix 2" silicon, with a combination of 2 "Zen 4" and 4 "Zen 4c" cores, is now priced at $139, a $40 cut from its original.

In 2016, TSMC developed and named its InFO FOWLP technology, and applied it to the A10 processor used in the iPhone 7. TrendForce points out that since then, OSAT providers have been striving to develop FOWLP and FOPLP technologies to offer more cost-effective packaging solutions.

Starting in the second quarter, chip companies like AMD have actively engaged with TSMC and OSAT providers to explore the use of FOPLP technology for chip packaging and helping drive industry interest in FOPLP. TrendForce observes that there are three main models for introducing FOPLP packaging technology: Firstly, OSAT providers transitioning from traditional methods of consumer IC packaging to FOPLP. Secondly, foundries and OSAT providers packaging AI GPUs that are transitioning 2.5D packaging from wafer level to panel level. Thirdly, panel makers who are packaging consumer ICs.

ORIGIN PC, a leader in custom high-performance systems, today announced the launch of their limited edition Dark Cherry bundle. The launch of this limited edition bundle marks a significant milestone, as it introduces a customizable gaming PC. This extraordinary package showcases stunning artwork by Corsair LAB and allows you to select the components that suit your preferences for a sleek gaming experience. Alongside the customizable PC, you will also receive a SCUF Envision controller, a Corsair K65 PLUS WIRELESS gaming keyboard, a Corsair M75 WIRELESS gaming mouse, and a Corsair MM300 mouse pad. This grand moment offers an unparalleled opportunity to create your ideal gaming setup.

The ORIGIN PC Dark Cherry PC is their inaugural Limited Edition System featuring customizable components. Now you can personalize your system and pick out the components of your choice to game, stream, and create with only the limit of your imagination. Characterized by its absolutely stunning Cherry Blossom imagery, the Dark Cherry PC is a sight to behold. Customize yours with the latest Corsair DDR5 memory plus a plethora of fast, reliable SSD storage to drastically improve performance and save every game, file, or program you need.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 9000 series "Granite Ridge" desktop processors based on the "Zen 5" microarchitecture will see a slight improvement in memory overclocking capabilities. A chiplet-based processor, just like the Ryzen 7000 "Raphael," "Granite Ridge" combines one or two "Zen 5" CCDs, each built on the TSMC 4 nm process, with a client I/O die (cIOD) built on the 6 nm node. The cIOD of "Granite Ridge" appears to be almost identical to that of "Raphael." This is the chiplet that contains the processor's DDR5 memory controllers.

As part of the update, Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" should be able to run DDR5-6400 with a 1:1 ratio between the MCLK and FCLK domains. This is a slight increase from the DDR5-6000 sweetspot speed of Ryzen 7000 "Raphael" processors. AMD is reportedly making it possible for motherboard manufacturers and prebuilt OEMs to enable a 1:2 ratio, making it possible to run high memory speeds such as DDR5-8000, although performance returns with memory speeds would begin to diminish beyond the DDR5-6400 @ 1:1 setting. Memory manufacturers should launch a new wave of DDR5 memory kits with AMD EXPO profiles for DDR5-6400.

As we're getting close to the launch of AMD's 9000-series Ryzen processors, local retailers have already started to put the new CPUs up for pre-order and this gives us a first glimpse into the pricing we can expect. The first company to do so in Europe is Slovenian retailer Funtech, which has put up all four SKUs on its site. For those not familiar with European pricing, Slovenia has a VAT or sales tax rate of 22 percent, which obviously makes the pricing higher than in the US and some other countries. As Funtech also sells AMD's current CPUs, we can also get an idea of how much more the new CPUs will cost, at least compared to what the online retailer sells the equivalent 7000-series models for.

Starting from the bottom, the Ryzen 5 9600X goes for €310 (US$332) and the shop has the Ryzen 7 7600X up for sale at €212. The Ryzen 7 9700X goes for €400 (US$429), whereas the Ryzen 7 7700X is sold for €305. The Ryzen 9 9900X is listed at €500 (US$536) with the Ryzen 9 7900X at €392. Finally the Ryzen 9 9950X is listed at €660 (US$707), compared to €510 for the Ryzen 9 7950X. This is in line with earlier leaked pricing from the Philippines and with the VAT removed, we end up close to proposed MSRP pricing by various leakers over the past couple of months, or even somewhat lower. If anything, it doesn't look like AMD is going to increase the MSRP over the 7000-series of Ryzen processors.

AMD announced FSR 3.1 in March 2024, and its first implementations are being announced. FSR 3.1 is a step up from FSR 3.0, in that it not just has frame generation, but also improvements to its upscaler up from FSR 2.2. If you recall, FSR 3.0 had only introduced frame generation, but its upscaler was carried over from FSR 2.2. The newer FSR 3.1 introduces image quality improvements to every performance preset of the upscaler, and introduces new presets, including the Native AA mode that's analogous to NVIDIA's DLAA. The game is rendered at native resolution, but the upscaler attempts to enhance details, making it an advanced AA mode. AMD today announced that FSR 3.1 is implemented with "Horizon: Forbidden West," "Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart," "Ghost of Tsushima," "Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered," "Spider-Man: Miles Morales," and "God of War: Ragnarök."

AMD also recounts that FSR 3.0 now spans over 60 available and upcoming games (which includes the above titles with FSR 3.1). The company is announcing implementation for "Dragon's Dogma 2," "EVERSPACE 2," "Gray Zone Warfare," "House Flipper 2," "NARAKA: BLADEPOINT," "Pax Dei," "Senua's Saga: Hellblade II," "Ships At Sea," "Still Wakes the Deep," and" The Thaumaturge." Recently added upcoming titles include "Concord," "Creatures of Ava, Dungeon Stalkers," "Farming Simulator 25," "inZOI," "Nobody Wants to Die, Preserve," and "The First Descendant."

AMD is developing a new technology that promises to significantly reduce the size on disk of games, as well as reduce the size of game patches and updates. Today's AAA games tend to be over a 100 GB in size, with game updates running into tens of gigabytes, with some of the major updates practically downloading the game all over again. Upcoming games like Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 is reportedly over 300 GB in size, which pushes the game away from those with anything but Internet connections with hundreds of Mbps in speeds. Much of the bulk of the game is made up of visual assets—textures, sprites, and cutscene videos. A modern AAA title could have hundreds of thousands of individual game assets, and sometimes even redundant sets of textures for different image quality settings.

AMD's solution to this problem is the Neural Block Compression technology. The company will get into the nuts and bolts of the tech in its presentation at the 2024 Eurographics Symposium on Rendering (July 3-5), but we have a vague idea of what it could be. Modern games don't drape surfaces of a wireframe with a texture, but also additional layers, such as specular maps, normal maps, roughness maps, etc). AMD's idea is to "flatten" all these layers, including the base texture, into a single asset format, which the game engine could disaggregate into the individual layers using an AI neural network. This is not to be confused with mega-textures—something entirely different, which relies on a single large texture covering all objects in a scene. The idea here is to flatten the various data layers of individual textures and their maps, into a single asset type. In theory, this should yield significant file-size savings, even if it results in some additional compute cost on the client's end.

AMD today released its latest update to AMD Software Adrenalin drivers. Version 24.6.1 WHQL comes with optimization for "The First Descendant" and "Once Human." The drivers add HYPR-TUNE profiles for Like a Dragon 8: Infinite Wealth, Overwatch 2, The First Descendant, F1 24, and Outpost: Infinity Siege. HYPR-RX adds up to 149% performance to Radeon RX 7800 XT in Baldur's Gate 3, F1 23, Resident Evil 4 and more titles. The drivers add official support for Windows 11 24H2 update. AMD launched Anti-Lag 2 technology in May 2024, and announced the first title that support it through these drivers—Counter Strike 2. Among the issues fixed with this release include Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas failing to launch, a driver timeout with Helldivers 2 on RX 7900 series GPUs, and AMD Software performance metrics intermittently failing with this title, and a display freeze error with certain FreeSync displays.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 24.6.1 WHQL

ASUS introduced the Radeon RX 6500 XT DUAL OC V2 graphics card. This is the company's second DUAL branded RX 6500 XT product, the original has a similar appearance, and identical dimensions of 201 mm x 128 mm x 40 mm (length x height x thickness). ASUS has done away with the tiny addressable RGB lighting that the original had. While the new card has an aluminium fin-stack heatsink, its design is slightly different from that of the original. It still uses a single 6 mm-thick heatpipe that makes direct contact with the GPU at the base.

The factory overclock is unchanged between the two cards—2820 MHz boost and 2670 MHz Game clock, compared to AMD reference speeds of 2610 MHz boost and 2310 MHz Game clock. The memory speed is unchanged from the reference spec, at 18 Gbps (GDDR6-effective). Based on the 6 nm "Navi 24" silicon, the RX 6500 XT has all 1,024 stream processors present on the chip enabled. This card gets 4 GB of GDDR6 memory across the GPU's 64-bit memory interface. It draws power from a single 6-pin PCIe power connector. Display outputs include one each of DisplayPort 1.4a and HDMI 2.1.

MINISFORUM, a leading manufacturer of high-quality Mini PCs, is proud to announce the release of its latest product, the UM890 Pro. This powerful Mini PC is designed with the latest generation AMD Ryzen 9 8945HS processor, utilizing the cutting-edge Zen 4 architecture, providing enhanced performance for multitasking, gaming, and creative work.

The UM890 Pro is equipped with the Cold Wave 2.2 cooling system, ensuring the PC's stability and robust connectivity capabilities. It also supports quick disassembly, making it easy to upgrade and maintain. With DDR5 dual-channel memory, speeds up to 5600 MHz, and a maximum capacity support of 96 GB, the UM890 Pro offers exceptional performance. Additionally, it can install two M.2 2280 PCIe 4.0 SSD solid-state drives simultaneously, with a maximum capacity support of 8 TB, effectively enhancing storage performance and boosting system responsiveness.

TrendForce has observed that in 2024, major CSPs such as Microsoft, Google, Meta, and AWS will continue to be the primary buyers of high-end AI servers, which are crucial for LLM and AI modeling. Following establishing a significant AI training server infrastructure in 2024, these CSPs are expected to actively expand into edge AI in 2025. This expansion will include the development of smaller LLM models and setting up edge AI servers to facilitate AI applications across various sectors, such as manufacturing, finance, healthcare, and business.

Moreover, AI PCs or notebooks share a similar architecture to AI servers, offering substantial computational power and the ability to run smaller LLM and generative AI applications. These devices are anticipated to serve as the final bridge between cloud AI infrastructure and edge AI for small-scale training or inference applications.

According to the leaked listing posted on X by user @Orlak29_, reports suggest that Pro versions of the AMD Ryzen 7 AI and Ryzen 9 AI are in the pipeline, with a potential game-changer in the form of the high-end "Strix Halo" model. The standout feature of the Strix Halo is its rumored support for up to 128 GB of RAM, a significant leap from AMD's current offerings. This massive memory capacity could prove valuable for AI workloads and data-intensive applications, potentially positioning AMD better against offerings from Intel and Qualcomm. Leaked diagrams hint at a unique design for the Strix Halo, featuring a chiplet layout reminiscent of a graphics card. The processor is reportedly surrounded by memory on three sides, enabling the massive 128 GB capacity.

While this top-tier model is expected to carry a premium price, it could find a ready market among professionals and enthusiasts demanding both raw processing power and extensive memory resources. On the performance front, rumors suggest the Strix Halo will boast up to 16 Zen 5 cores and a GPU with 40 Compute Units based on RDNA 3.5 architecture. This combination might rival the performance of high-end mobile GPUs like the RTX 4060 or even the RTX 4070 for laptops.
As with previous generations, AMD is expected to release Pro versions of these processors with additional features like ECC memory support.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium gaming hardware, today launched the cutting-edge AMD Radeon PRO W7000 series workstation graphics cards, including the flagship GIGABYTE Radeon PRO W7900 Dual Slot AI TOP 48G as well as the GIGABYTE Radeon PRO W7800 AI TOP 32G. Powered by AMD RDNA 3 architecture, these graphics cards offer a massive 48 GB and 32 GB of GDDR6 memory, respectively, delivering cutting-edge performance and exceptional experiences for workstation professionals, creators and AI developers.⁠⁠

GIGABYTE stands as the AMD professional graphics partner in the market, with a proven ability to design and manufacture the entire Radeon PRO series. Our dedication to quality products, unwavering business commitment, and comprehensive customer service empower us to deliver professional-grade GPU solutions, expanding user's choices in workstation and AI computing.

AGON by AOC—one of the world's leading gaming monitor and IT accessories brands - is thrilled to announce the AOC GAMING C27G2Z3/BK, a curved 27" (68.6 cm) Full HD monitor that combines immersive visuals with lightning-fast performance. Designed to cater to both competitive and casual gamers, the C27G2Z3/BK boasts an impressive 280 Hz refresh rate, up to 1 ms GtG and 0.5 ms MPRT response times, and a high-contrast Fast VA panel with a 1500R curvature, all at an affordable price point.

The AOC GAMING C27G2Z3/BK's 1500R curvature envelops users in the game world, providing an immersive experience that draws them deeper into the action. The curved 27" screen offers a more natural and comfortable viewing experience, reducing eye strain and fatigue during extended gaming sessions. Whether racing through the streets in a high-speed simulation or exploring vast open worlds, the C27G2Z3/BK's curvature enhances the sense of presence and engagement for the user.

Prices of AMD Ryzen 8000G "Hawk Point" desktop APUs in the Socket AM5 package saw reductions over the week. The Ryzen 7 8700G, the fully unlocked part, is now available for $299, a $30 cut from its launch price of $329. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 8600G has now slipped under the $200-mark, with a $199 price-tag. The chip had originally launched at $229. Both these chips feature a 16 TOPS NPU, and are the first desktop processors that are capable of on-chip AI acceleration. Both processors are based on the 4 nm "Hawk Point" monolithic silicon, and feature "Zen 4" CPU cores. The 8700G packs an 8-core/16-thread CPU with an RDNA 3 iGPU that has 12 compute units (CU); while the 8600G is 6-core/12-thread, with an iGPU that has 8 CU.

Things get interesting with the Ryzen 5 8500G, which is now down to $159 from its launch price of $179. This new price makes the processor competitive with the 13th Gen Core i3 and the lower end of the Core i5 lineup. Unlike the other two 8000G series chips, the 8500G lacks an NPU, and is based on the 4 nm "Phoenix 2" silicon that has two "Zen 4" and four "Zen 4c" CPU cores for a 6-core/12-thread CPU configuration. Both kinds of cores share a 16 MB L3 cache. It has a heavily cut-down RDNA 3 iGPU with just 4 CU. The Ryzen 8000G desktop APU series only features PCIe Gen 4 (no Gen 5), which may not mean much for today's discrete GPUs, but limit your SSD upgrade path to Gen 4 (Gen 5 SSDs will be limited to 7 GB/s).

AMD has unveiled the latest release of its open software, AMD ROCm 6.1.3, marking the next step in its strategy to make ROCm software broadly available across its GPU portfolio, including AMD Radeon desktop GPUs. The new release gives developers broader support for Radeon GPUs to run ROCm AI workloads. "The new AMD ROCm release extends functional parity from data center to desktops, enabling AI research and development on readily available and accessible platforms," said Andrej Zdravkovic, senior vice president at AMD.

Key feature enhancements in this release focus on improving compatibility, accessibility, and scalability, and include:

• Multi-GPU support to enable building scalable AI desktops for multi-serving, multi-user solutions.
• Beta-level support for Windows Subsystem for Linux, allowing these solutions to work with ROCm on a Windows OS-based system.
• TensorFlow Framework support offering more choice for AI development.

AMD has reportedly suffered a cybersecurity breach, with an organization that goes by "IntelBroker" claiming to have stolen company data on future products, customer databases, and financial records, among others. In a statement to Reuters, AMD said that it is working closely with law enforcement agencies and a third-party hosting partner, to investigate the claim of a data breach by IntelBroker. "We are working closely with law enforcement officials and a third-party hosting partner to investigate the claim and the significance of the data," the company said. The AMD stock traded slightly down (by 2.38% as of this writing) on Tuesday.

HackRead goes into the details of the data IntelBroker claims to have stolen. There are broadly two categories of data in the breach—IP and product information; and business information. In terms of IP, IntelBroker claims to have done away with files related to device firmware, ROMs, source code, IP files, future AMD product plans, and technical specifications. The business information leaked includes employee databases, customer databases, financial information, user IDs (probably of employees), job designation, employment statuses, and business phone numbers.

AMD's Zen 5 Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" series desktop processors are expected to be released on July 31st. The Ryzen AI 300 "Strix Point" series notebooks will hit stores earlier, on July 15th. This information comes from product listings on various e-commerce sites, as reported by ITHome and Videocardz. Additionally, a BestBuy listing shows one ASUS laptop with a Ryzen AI 300 "Strix Point" CPU launching on July 15th, ahead of the desktop processor release.

ITHome also reported potential retail prices for the AMD Ryzen 9 series CPUs, at least for the Philippine market. Worldwide prices may be lower or higher depending on taxes in each region.

• Ryzen 9 9950X: $648
• Ryzen 9 9900X: $597
• Ryzen 7 9700X: $409
• Ryzen 5 9600X: $315