GIGABYTE's gaming brand AORUS has been expanding its product portfolio to just about any piece of kit a PC gamer can and will buy. From graphics cards to motherboards, RAM, and all manner of peripherals, there's little pieces of hardware that were missing - and AORUS is apparently preparing the last piece of the puzzle in the form of a FreeSync compatible monitor.

When GIGABYTE originally launched the Aorus RGB Memory DDR4-3200 16GB dual-channel memory kit, it included a pair of dummy modules that resemble the real thing, and let you fill up the blank memory slots of your motherboard. Dummy modules add to the cost, and some users simply don't prefer them, and so the company introduced a new kit bearing the SKU "GP-AR32C16S8K2HU416R," which lacks these dummies.

You get two 8 GB memory modules making up the 16 GB dual-channel kit, each with a chunky 2 mm-thick aluminium heatspreader capped by an acrylic diffuser that puts out light from five addressable RGB LEDs. These modules pack an XMP 2.0 profile that runs them at DDR4-3200 with 16-18-18-38 timings, at 1.35 V. Although the company doesn't specify which brand of DRAM chips it's using, it mentions support for both Intel and AMD platforms.

GIGABYTE Z390 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce features the most over the top illuminated design among motherboards today. A vast DIY liquid monoblock spans almost an entire diagonal of the motherboard, with a nickel-plated copper base, acrylic top, and more RGB LEDs than Times Square. This block cools everything from the CPU VRM to the CPU itself, and the Z390 Express chipset. The coolant channel even passes over the PCH. Underneath all this, the motherboard is identical in layout, connectivity, and features, as the original Z390 Aorus Xtreme. This board could be sold at a $100-150 premium over the $550 original.

GIGABYTE looks to expand their NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2080 Ti lineup with the AORUS Turbo. This new offering features a blower-style cooler with a plastic shroud and no backplate. Considering the AORUS brand is typically enthusiast focused along with the fact GIGABYTE themselves already offer an RTX 2080 Ti with a blower-style cooler makes the AORUS Turbo a bit of a head-scratcher. Comparing the two shows the plastic shroud has been altered, however, outward appearance aside it is likely that the AORUS Turbo uses the same cooler as the GIGABYTE RTX 2080 Ti Turbo, which features a large vapor chamber cooler paired with a high-efficiency aluminium heatsink.

Meanwhile, power delivery is handled by two 8-pin PCIe connectors which are the standard for RTX 2080 Ti graphics cards. Display connectivity consists of three Displayport connectors, one HDMI connector, and a USB-C connector with VritualLink support. Other than that, full specifications and pricing are currently unknown. However, it can be speculated that the AORUS Turbo RTX 2080 Ti will feature stock clocks of 1545 MHz on the core and 14000 MHz on the memory with a price that should be close to MSRP at least in theory.

GIGABYTE introduced the B360 M Aorus Pro, a gaming-grade micro-ATX motherboard part of its new Aorus branding. The board features a quasi-premium feature-set that passes on savings from a more cost-effective CPU VRM to additional features, such as a more premium onboard audio, or WLAN. Built with a 240 mm x 240 mm PCB that maximizes the micro-ATX form-factor, the board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS, and conditions power for the CPU with a 4+2 phase VRM that's cooled by enlarged heatsinks. The CPU socket is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, and a reinforced PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. The second slot is electrical gen 3.0 x4, and wired to the PCH.

Despite its size, the B360 M Aorus Pro packs three M.2 slots: an M.2-22110 with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring and heatsink, an M.2-2280 slot with PCI-Express 3.0 x2 and SATA 6 Gbps wiring, and a third E-key 30 mm slot with x1 wiring for CNVi 802.11ac Wave2 2T2R WLAN cards. USB connectivity includes two USB 3.1 gen 2 ports (including a type-C port), and four USB 3.1 gen 1. Networking is care of a 1 GbE interface pulled by an Intel i219-V controller. The onboard audio solution combines a Realtek ALC892 CODEC with audio-grade capacitors and ground-layer isolation. The board features a unique in-PCB RGB LED diffuser, GIGABYTE didn't reveal pricing, although we expect it to go for around $90.

GIGABYTE debuted liquid-cooled WaterForce editions of its Aorus Xtreme GeForce RTX 20-series graphics cards early November, with three products, two based on the RTX 2080, and one RTX 2080 Ti. While the RTX 2080 got two variants, one featuring an AIO liquid cooling solution, and another with a full-coverage water-block for DIY liquid cooling; the RTX 2080 Ti at the time only released in the full-coverage water-block trim, with no variant that has an AIO CLC. GIGABYTE changed that today, with the new "N208TAORUSX W-11GC," or Aorus GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Xtreme WaterForce.

This card features a slightly spruced up version of the Asetek-sourced AIO closed-loop liquid cooling solution its RTX 2080-based sibling features, with a larger base-plate to draw heat from the additional memory chips and MOSFETs that come with the RTX 2080 Ti. The card features the same factory-overclock as the water-block equipped twin, with a GPU Boost frequency set at 1770 MHz (vs. 1545 MHz reference). The memory is overclocked to 10140 MHz (GDDR6-effective, vs. 14000 MHz reference). The cooler features RGB LED embellishments along the front, top, back-plate, and the two included 120 mm fans for the radiator. It draws power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe power connectors. Display outputs include three each of HDMI 2.0b and DisplayPort 1.4, and a VirtualLink port. The card could be priced upward of $1,400.

GIGABYTE began shipping its second socket AMD TR4 motherboard since 2nd generation Ryzen Threadripper launch, the X399 Aorus Pro. If you've been paying attention to GIGABYTE's new nomenclature for Aorus, the "Pro" SKU is slotted between what was "Gaming 3" and "Gaming 5," making this GIGABYTE's most affordable TR4 motherboard, positioned below the X399 Gaming 7, and a far cry from the range-topping X399 Aorus Xtreme. The board ships with out-of-the-box support for 2nd generation Ryzen Threadripper processors. GIGABYTE appears to have reused the same exact PCB as the X399 Gaming 7, but with aesthetic updates and cost-cutting. The board's design scheme (I/O shroud and heatsink designs) are somewhat aligned with its newer generation design aesthetic introduced with its Z390 Aorus family.

Cost cutting over the X399 Gaming 7 comes in the form of the I/O shroud no longer running the entire length of the PCB, only one out of three M.2 slots getting a SSD heatsink, only two out of five PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots getting full metal reinforcement, and the lack of a WLAN module. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, 8-pin EPS, and 4-pin ATX, and uses an 8-phase VRM to power the CPU. Expansion slot layout is unchanged from the Gaming 7, with two x16 slots running at x16, and two taking 8 lanes from them. A fifth x16 slot is gen 2.0 x4. All three M.2 PCIe slots are wired to the CPU. The onboard audio solution is carried over, with Realtek ALC1220 CODEC, WIMA capacitors, and ground-layer isolation. The sole networking interface is a 1 GbE pulled by an Intel i211-AT controller. Available now, the GIGABYTE X399 Aorus Pro is priced at $270, a whole Benjamin cheaper than what the Aorus X399 Gaming 7 launched at.

GIGABYTE today announced its almost-flagship socket LGA2066 motherboard, the X299 Aorus Master. The Master brand-extension, if you'll recall, is positioned just a notch below the flagship Aorus Xtreme, which makes this board a successor to the X299 Aorus Gaming 7. The X299 Aorus Gaming 9 and Designare-EX remain the company's flagship LGA2066 products, until they're succeeded by a new Aorus Xtreme product. There's still plenty to go around with the new X299 Aorus Master, beginning with its updated design scheme that's in sync with the company's latest Z390 motherboard lineup. It ships with out-of-the-box support for Core X 9000-series processors. The board is wider than ATX, although not quite E-ATX. It draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, two 8-pin EPS, and an optional 6-pin PCIe power. A 12-phase VRM powers the CPU, cooled by a 2-stage heatsink. Expansion slots include four PCI-Express 3.0 x16 (x16/NC/x16/NC or x16/NC/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8). The DIMM and PCIe slots feature metal reinforcement.

Storage connectivity on the GIGABYTE X299 Aorus Master includes three M.2 slots with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring, each with heatsinks; and eight SATA 6 Gbps ports. Networking includes a 2.5 GbE wired interface driven by Realtek Dragon 8125AG controller, a 1 GbE driven by Intel i219-V controller, and 802.11 ac + Bluetooth 5 interface driven by Intel 9260 WLAN card. USB connectivity includes four USB 3.1 gen 2 ports (two on the rear panel including a type-C, two by header), driven by a combination of ASMedia ASM1142 controller and the X299 PCH. The onboard audio solution is quite something. An ESS Sabre 9218 DAC (130 dBA SNR!) drives the main front + headphones channel with Ti Burr Brown OPA2111KP OPAMPs and WIMA capacitors; while a 120 dBA SNR Realtek ALC1220VB pulls the remaining channels. Manually-switchable dual-BIOS, 7-segment POST code readout, USB flash-back, and a boatload of other overclocker-friendly features complete the board. Expect it to be priced around USD $399.

As a follow up to last week's all-in-one liquid cooling based product, GIGABYTE today released the Aorus Xtreme GeForce RTX 2080 Ti and RTX 2080 WaterForceWB. These cards are targeted at enthusiasts with DIY liquid cooling setups, and come with a factory-fitted full-coverage water block, instead of the AIO cooler. The block's primary material is nickel-plated copper with mirror finish, while its top is mainly acrylic, with opaque embellishments, a part of which is an addressable RGB LED diffuser that takes input from a standarized aRGB header. The opaque portion of the top also features a glowing Aorus logo.

The underlying PCB of the RTX 2080 Ti WaterForce WB packs a 16+3 phase VRM that draws power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe power connectors, 1770 MHz GPU Boost frequency, and a memory overclock of 14140 MHz (vs. 14000 MHz). The RTX 2080 WaterForce WB features the same PCB as its AIO-equipped twin, with a 12+2 phase VRM, 1890 MHz GPU Boost, and 14140 MHz memory OC. While the block itself is around 1-slot thick, a second row of display connectors makes the card 2-slot. Among these connectors are three each of DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0b, and VirtualLink.

Gigabyte is now readying a new hybrid cooled graphics card, based on NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 2080. Dubbed the Aorus Xtreme WaterForce (GV-N2080AORUSX W-8GC). It uses an all-in-one liquid cooler based design that makes use of a 240 mm radiator. The copper baseplate is quite large and receives heat from the cards VRM via a copper heat pipe, thus cooling all major components. The fans are of course RGB LED-equipped, which goes with the illuminated translucent wing on the shroud. Overall it is an attractive card if you have the extra space for its cooling solution.

This model isn't just a standard offering with a fancy cooler, Gigabyte has equipped it with a sizable overclock, pushing the card to 1890 MHz the same core clocks as the Aorus Xtreme air and the waterblock equipped WaterForce WB. Memory speeds see a speed bump as well of 140 MHz which pushes the overall memory clock speed up to 14140 MHz. The board design is also based on the Aorus Xtreme and Aorus Xtreme Waterforce WB cards and comes with a 12+2 phase design and dual 8-pin power connectors. Display connectivity is also the same as the other models and includes; 3x DisplayPort, 3x HDMI, and a single USB TypeC.

GIGABYTE expanded its teething DDR4 memory lineup with a new 16 GB (2x 8 GB) dual-channel DDR4 memory kit, called simply "GIGABYTE Memory 2666MHz." These modules lack the Aorus branding featured on the company's very first DDR4 modules. You instead get 32 mm tall, 7 mm-thick modules with a restrained design, and plain GIGABYTE branding.

One area where the company refined its design is the heatspreaders, which are thicker, and have more mass to them, even if they lack finnage. GIGABYTE's module does what it says on the tin - DDR4-2666 with 16-16-16-35 timings, at 1.2 Volts. Out of the box, it packs both JEDEC and XMP SPD profiles. Memory controllers that support DDR4-2666 (such as Intel "Coffee Lake" and later), should run it at the advertised speeds without any user intervention. For older platforms, an XMP 2.0 profile helps achieve the advertised settings. The modules are backed by lifetime warranty.

After NVIDIA's own $80 NVLink bridge, and ASUS' slightly more functional ROG NVLink Bridge, it's becoming clear that at $80, or higher price than entry-level graphics cards and motherboards, NVIDIA is guiding its partners to make a business of selling $5 pieces of hardware at $80. The latest entry to this contempt toward gamers is GIGABYTE, with its Aorus-branded NVLink Bridge, available in 3-slot (2 slots between cards) and 4-slot (3 slots between cards) variants. The bridge is characterized by a less pronounced C-shape than NVIDIA's bridge, through not completely trapezoid like ASUS'. The Aorus logo is capable of 16.7 million color RGB LED illumination, which you control via GIGABYTE RGB Fusion software. Like every other 2-way NVLink bridge, this one will go for $80.

This news post really does serve as a symbolic gesture for the state of the GPU market in the last months (going on to a year now, really). Mainly due to increased demand from crypto users looking to farm and mine their way to financial security and shortages of GPUs, the time to buy a new or even second-hand, latest generation graphics card hasn't been the best. However, now, we're seeing something that wasn't seen for a long time: actual decent pricing in graphics cards. It's still a process, but in that process, this Gigabyte AORUS RX 580 deal at Amazon is the proverbial pin in a haystack.

The Gigabyte AORUS Radeon RX 580 8GB (GV-RX580AORUS-8GD) is available now from Amazon for $209.99 (after a $20 mail-in rebate). If you're in the states and looking for a graphics card that guarantees 1080p performance at max settings, or a decent 1440p experience with somewhat reduced IQ, this could be the graphics card for you - and judging by its Best Seller status, it may very well be the same for many other customers. And for now, there's even stock - how about that. If you're shopping from outside the states and still find this deal mesmerizing (here in Portugal a similar graphics card would go for $410 so... yeah. Take the deal). Here's hoping this is a sign of the incoming times, and not just a freak event.

GIGABYTE is ready with its Z390 Aorus Elite motherboard. The name might suggest that it's the company's flagship product based on the Z390 chipset, but in reality, it's part of the company's new nomenclature that differentiates boards from different price-points. The current "Gaming 3, Gaming 5, and Gaming 7" series is going to be replaced. The cheaper "Gaming 3" extension will be replaced by "Elite." The slightly divergent "Ultra Gaming" extension gets replaced by "PRO." The mid-tier Gaming 5, on the other hand, extension is replaced by "Ultra." The high-end Gaming 7 tier is replaced by "Master," and the flagship Gaming 9 extension by XTREME. We've already seen one of these with the recent Aorus X399 XTREME TR4 motherboard.

Moving on to the product at hand, the Z390 Aorus Elite is a somewhat entry-tier product that's probably priced around the $150-mark, owing to the high chipset price and the higher CPU VRM requirements it mandates. We already count a 13-something-phase VRM (which could include phase-doubling). The "Gaming 3" extension historically lacked NVIDIA SLI support, and that carries over to the Z390 Aorus Elite. The second PCIe x16 slot on this board is electrical x4, and wired to the PCH. Storage connectivity, besides six SATA, includes two M.2 slots with x4 wiring, one of which includes a heatsink. GIGABYTE boards are known for good onboard audio implementations, and this board is no exception. It appears to have WIMA capacitors, ground-layer isolation, EMI shield over the CODEC, which very likely could be an ALC1220. USB 3.1 connectivity, including a type-C port, and 1 GbE interface driven by an i219-V could make for the rest of it. There's minimal RGB bling on board, but you'll get 2-3 aRGB headers.

GIGABYTE introduced an Aorus-branded, quasi-premium mini-ITX motherboard based on AMD B450 chipset, for socket AM4 processors, the B450-I Aorus Pro WiFi. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS, conditioning it for the SoC with a lean 4+2 phase VRM. The AM4 SoC is wired to two DDR4 DIMM slots, supporting up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR4 memory; and the board's lone PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot.

Storage connectivity on the B450-I Aorus Pro WiFi includes an M.2-2280 slot with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 and SATA 6 Gbps wiring; and four SATA 6 Gbps ports. USB connectivity includes six USB 3.0 ports (four on the rear panel, two by headers); and two USB 3.1 gen 2 (both on the rear panel). With just 6-channel jacks, the onboard audio solution may look cheap, but is redeemed by Realtek ALC1220 CODEC. The Intel 9260 adapter is at the helm of wireless networking, with 802.11ac + Bluetooth 5.0, while GbE is handled by Intel i211AT. There's also some RGB LED fun to be had, with two 4-pin ARGB headers, and a small 8-pixel diffuser behind the PCB. GIGABYTE could price this board around $120.

GIGABYTE today announced its flagship socket TR4 motherboard for AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors, with out-of-the-box compatibility with 2nd generation 32-core Threadrippers. The new Aorus X399 XTREME board is part of a new breed of X399-TR4 motherboards launched/unveiled in the past few months, with reinforced VRM to cope better with the upcoming 250W TDP 24-core and 32-core processors, such as the MSI MEG X399 Creation. A brochure of this board was leaked to the web last month, and now we see it in the flesh. Technically still an ATX board, the Aorus X399 Xtreme is slightly broader, and is recommended to be installed in EATX-capable cases. Power is drawn from a 24-pin ATX, two 8-pin EPS, and an optional 6-pin PCIe power. A 10-phase VRM powers the CPU.

Expansion includes four PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slots (x16/NC/x16/NC or x16/NC/x8/x8 or x8/x8/x8/x8), and an x1 slot. Storage connectivity includes three M.2 slots with gen 3.0 x4 wiring, each; and six SATA 6 Gbps ports, from which four come directly from the CPU. The onboard audio is top of the line, with an ESS Sabre DAC working the main stereo out, and a Realtek ALC1220VB handling the other 8 channels. The Sabre is slaved to the ALC1220VB, so the system only sees one audio controller. There are four network interfaces - a 10 GbE driven by an Aquantia-made controller, two 1 GbE pulled by Intel i219-V, and an 802.11ac driven by an Intel 9260 WLAN card, which also handles Bluetooth 5.0. There are 10 USB 3.1 ports at the integrated rear panel (eight running at 5 Gbps, and two at 10 Gbps, one of which is type-C). Four other 5 Gbps ports are wired internally. Of course there's the full-shebang of RGB lighting and control. Available from 8th August, the board will be priced at USD $499.99.

GIGABYTE is ready with two Aorus branded motherboards based on the upcoming AMD B450 mid-range socket AM4 chipset. These include the B450 Aorus Pro in the ATX form-factor, and the micro-ATX B450 Aorus M. The B450 Aorus Pro packs many of the features you'd expect from a more expensive board based on the pricier X470 chipset. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 8-pin EPS connectors, conditioning it for the AM4 SoC using a 11-phase VRM with high-current chokes. The AM4 SoC is wired to four DDR4 DIMM slots, and the board's sole reinforced PCI-Express 3.0 x16 slot. The second x16 slot is physically gen 3.0 x4 and shares its lanes with the top M.2-22110 slot; which is wired directly to the AM4 SoC. With an M.2 SSD installed, auto-switching gates the second x16 AIC slot. The third x16 slot is gen 2.0 x4, and wired to the chipset. The second M.2-2280 slot is gen 2.0 x4, too. A single PCIe x1 slot makes for the rest of the expansion.

Both M.2 slots on the B450 Aorus Pro feature heatsinks. Six SATA 6 Gbps ports, from which two come from the AM4 SoC, make for the rest of the storage connectivity. As part of the "gamer-grade" varnishing, this board gets rather high-end onboard audio, including a Realtek ALC1220 (120 dBA SNR) codec with EMI shielding, audio-grade WIMA and Muse capacitors, and ground layer isolation. USB connectivity includes two USB 3.1 type 2 ports (one each of type-A and type-C); and six USB 3.1 gen 1 (four on the rear panel, two by headers). Display outputs include DVI and HDMI. The sole networking connectivity is a 1 GbE interface. Its controller is unknown. You get RGB LED illumination and headers, and an integrated rear I/O shield.

GIGABYTE today rolled out the Aorus branded P7 RGB gaming mousepad. Like most firm elevated mousepads that have RGB lighting, the P7 RGB features silicone RGB LED diffusers lining the perimeter. There's also an RGB LED illuminated Aorus logo up top. The mousepad connects to your PC over USB, with a micro-USB connector at the pad, and a conventional type-A connector on the other end of a 2-meter long cable. GIGABYTE RGB Fusion software controls lighting. As a mousepad itself, the Aorus P7 RGB features a 350 mm x 240 mm (WxD) surface, with a slight elevation of 4.6 mm. The surface is a hard micro-texture polymer, with low friction, optimized for both laser and optical sensors. At 420 g, it isn't light, though. The company didn't reveal pricing.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, announced its first XMP supported DRAM, the AORUS RGB Memory. With DDR4 XMP 3200 16GB（8GB*2）memory modules and exclusive 2* RGB Infused Demo Modules, AORUS RGB Memory delivers outstanding value to anyone seeking a combination of high-end performance and glowing aesthetics. GIGABYTE RGB Fusion or RGB Fusion Link software allows users to easily control over 5 new lighting effects available only for DDR so they can enjoy the most impressive RGB lighting effects memory kits have to offer.

GIGABYTE introduced its AORUS RGB Memory at Computex 2018, garnering much praise among the media and receiving Best Product awards from U.S. based Tom's Hardware as well as U.K. based TechRadar. AORUS RGB Memory Modules feature aluminum heatsinks with anodized hairline surface for a sleek, metallic look. A standout feature of AORUS RGB Memory is the addition of 2 brand exclusive RGB Infused Demo Modules for pure RGB illumination and lighting effects. This feature makes it completely unnecessary for the user to purchase a completely different set of memory modules with RGB functionality to fill out the DIMM slots of the memory configuration, without affecting their budget. Users can now add RGB Infused Demo Modules to their boards to enjoy a full memory configuration packed with RGB brilliance.

Gigabyte, in a bid to further differentiate itself from its competitors' products, has decided to start bundling Intel's high-performance, 3D XPoint memory-based Optane drives with select AORUS motherboards. The initiative, which is available for the company's Z370 Aorus Gaming 7-OP and Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming WIFI-OP (where the OP suffix denotes the Optane bundle) delivers Intel's 32 GB Optane module at a price that's lower than the sum of its parts.

The Z370 Aorus Gaming 7-OP, for example, comes with an MSRP of just $269, $20 more than the non-OP version of the same motherboard - and can now be had for the same $249. This means you'll snag a full 32 GB Optane module for free with this bundle. The Z370 AORUS Ultra Gaming WIFI-OP delivers a slightly less sweet deal, but it's still interesting: it's available at an MSRP of $214, while its non-Optane-equipped equivalent is available for $164.99 (this means the usually $74 Optane module will set you back a much more manageable $32). And have I mentioned these are absolutely beautiful motherboards?

The Aorus brand of GIGABYTE started out with gaming notebooks, but soon diversified to gaming peripherals, and eventually graphics cards and motherboards. It was then augmented with CPU coolers, cases, power supplies, and even chairs and apparel for die-hard fans. With the introduction of Aorus branded SSDs and memory modules, and gaming-grade monitors, GIGABYTE will be in a position to sell 100% of your gaming PC's hardware. And if you're not the DIY type, Aorus wants to sell pre-built gaming desktops, too! The company is marshaling its workforce and design teams to work at a breakneck pace, to achieve this feat.

At Computex 2018, we went hands-on with the first Aorus-branded enthusiast-grade DDR4 memory modules, which will be available initially in dual-channel kits of 8 GB modules, ticking at DDR4-3200 speeds. The modules are characterized by chunky brushed metal heatspreaders. The company also recently made a modest debut of its first 2.5-inch SSDs under the UD (Ultra Durable) family; and it's only a matter of time before Aorus-branded drives in both SATA and M.2-NVMe form-factors are launched. Perhaps by CES, GIGABYTE's booth will be full of them; and a 100% GIGABYTE gaming desktop.

In a bid to further extend their AORUS brand to other PC-critic components, Gigabyte is putting the finishing touches to another line of own-branded PC components - DDR4 memory modules. The new DDR4 modules, marketed under the company's gaming AORUS brand, feature a brushed aluminum heatspreader with AORUS' characteristic logo. Some artistic cutouts give the modules an aggressive look, and the top of the heatspreader houses an RGB diffuser that allows the modules to light up evenly. Gigabyte's tease is only that - a tease - and the company has said the final product will likely see the aluminum toned a few shades darker.

EK Water Blocks, the Slovenia-based premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer is maintaining its market leadership by releasing one more X470 series monoblocks. This one is tailor-made for the GIGABYTE X470 AORUS GAMING 5 WIFI motherboard. The EK-FB GA X470 Gaming 5 RGB Monoblock has an integrated 4-pin RGB LED strip which makes it compatible with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, thus offering a full lighting customization experience!

EK-FB GA X470 Gaming 5 RGB Monoblock
This is a complete all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for the X470 AORUS GAMING 5 WIFI socket AM4 motherboard that supports the second generation of AMD Ryzen and 7th Generation A-series/Athlon processors.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, announced the launch of Z370 AORUS motherboards with exclusive built-in 32GB Intel Optane Memory and support for Intel Core i7+/i5+ architecture. By also utilizing Intel Rapid Storage Technology, these motherboards provide users with accelerated read/write speeds for their storage devices, bolstering their data performance for incredible value.

Introducing GIGABYTE motherboards with built-in 32GB Intel Optane Memory, the four models in this series include the Z370 AORUS GAMING 7-OP, Z370 AORUS ULTRA GAMING WIFI-OP, Z370 AORUS ULTRA GAMING 2.0-OP, and Z370 HD3-OP motherboards, all of which are fully compatible with the newest Intel RST. In addition to adapting the performance enhancement technology from the previous generation, the newest generation of Intel Optane Memory technology is even more potent as it enhances high capacity HDD read/write speeds to match that of SSDs. Under the protection of GIGABYTE Ultra Durable Technology, these boards offer increased system stability as well as durability, making these motherboards a can't miss choice for those seeking enhanced data performance at an unbeatable value.

AMD is reportedly readying a new high-end motherboard chipset positioned higher than even its upcoming X470 chipset, which makes its market debut on April 19. The new Z490 chipset, as it's called, is emerging to be significantly different from X470, and could finally overcome its biggest limitation - downstream PCIe connectivity. While the X470, like its predecessor, puts out just 8 downstream PCIe lanes, which are PCI-Express gen 2.0 at that, the new Z490 will put out a total of 12 PCI-Express gen 3.0 downstream lanes, which will power additional bandwidth-hungry devices, such as additional M.2 slots, external USB 3.1 controllers, 10 GbE controllers, etc. The Z490 was first leaked through a GIGABYTE Aorus internal presentation.

In its current implementation, socket AM4 motherboards have a total of 24 PCI-Express gen 3.0 lanes from the AM4 SoC, besides 6-8 gen 2.0 lanes from the chipset. From this SoC budget, 16 lanes are allocated for PEG (PCI-Express Graphics), 4 lanes as chipset-bus (connecting the SoC with the chipset), and the remaining 4 lanes powering one 32 Gbps M.2 slot. Additional M.2 slots are either gen 2.0, from the chipset's downstream lane budget, or split from the PEG budget. The Z490 overcomes this with a downstream PCIe root complex that's not just 50% broader, but also twice as fast, with PCI-Express gen 3.0. The rest of its feature-set appears to be identical to the X470. There's no timeline on when we can expect Z490 to launch.