The folks at hardwareluxx managed to get some quality alone time with AMD's Ryzen demonstration boot at CES 2017, and it has to be said they used their time well. They managed to bring up Windows' System page, as well as its Device Manager, which seemingly confirmed that the Ryzen sample at use, though an engineering sample it was, was set at 3.6 GHz base clock with the capability to boost up to 3.9 GHz on a whim - up 200 MHz from the base clock speed of the sample used at AMD's New Horizon Event, where even at those speeds, the chip was shown beating an 8 core, 16 thread i7 6900K. You can see those clocks at the below screenshot, where "1D3601A2M88F3_39/36_N" (the code for the engineering sample Ryzen chip) makes it clear this is an F3 stepping processor, with the 39 referring to the boost clock, and the 36 referring to its base clock.

This goes right into AMD's claims of 3.4 GHz being the lowest frequency a Ryzen consumer processor would carry. It seems AMD is quickly galloping towards the finish line here, and as Lisa Su said at the New Horizon presentation, Ryzen chips can only improve until their promised launch, with an already rumored F4 stepping of the processor carrying a rounded-up, 4 GHz boost clock.

Each new year begins with a bang for the tech world, and all roads lead to Las Vegas! We are coming to you live from the 2017 International CES, the year's first, biggest, and most exciting technology expo. You can catch our CES coverage from the latest news posts, and even take a peek at all the exciting booths we've visited, with our instant image upload to TechPowerUp LIVE.

At CES 2017, AMD set-up a demo room in which it showcased a PC powered by a Ryzen CPU and a Vega GPU playing Star Wars Battlefront at 60 FPS, reportedly at Ultra HD, with confirmed Ultra quality settings. Some sources do report that the frame rate at 4K Ultra settings occasionally dropped to 57 or 58 fps, but it still remains a strong showing from the company's upcoming Vega graphics architecture, as well as the prowess of its Ryzen CPUs.

At CES 2017, AMD made a statement on their new AM4's platform readiness to market, revealing some of the upcoming AM4 motherboard designs coming to end users for their Ryzen CPUs and Bristol Ridge. All in all, there were sixteen boards being displayed from the major manufacturers, including overclocking and gaming-oriented models. These boards will be the base for system integrator PC designs to come, with at least seventeen SIs coming on board for today's announcement.

At CES 2017, Acer announced three new Predator displays that boast very high refresh rates of 200Hz or higher, while also featuring G-Sync support so as to improve your gaming experience.

The Acer Predator XB252Q and Predator XB272 displays are nearly identical: 1920x1080 resolution with a maximum refresh rate of 240Hz, G-Sync, and a low 1ms response time. As you might have already guessed, in order to achieve refresh rates this high, Acer opted to use TN panel technology, which makes the displays able to represent 100% of the sRGB color spectrum (which only amounts to 72% of the NTSC color gamut, but this is par of the course for TN-based panels). The only difference between both displays is that the Predator 252Q measures 24.5 inches and the Predator XB272 comes in at 27 inches. Acer equipped both displays with two 2W DTS speakers and a 4x USB 3.0 hub, and both the displays feature tilt, swivel, height, and pivot adjustments.

Alongside their recently announced Toughpower Grand RGB Gold series of power supply units, Thermaltake will also introduce a more cost-effective line of RGB PSUs. Dubbed the Smart Pro RGB Bronze, it will feature three members with capacities of 650 W, 750 W, and 850 W. Like the Toughpower Grand, the Smart Pro RGB are equipped with a patented 256 color Ring 140mm RGB fan, featuring five lighting modes (256 Color RGB Cycle, Solid Red, Green, Blue, White, and an LED Off mode), controlled by pressing an RGB Lighting button. There is also a built-in memory function, so you don't have to re-configure the desired fan lighting effect every time you power off the PSU. The Smart Pro RGB Bronze Series comes with 7-year warranty coverage.

Dell has announced at CES their new ultrathin 27" monitor. Aptly (and maybe unoriginally) named the "Dell 27 Ultrathin Monitor", it sports a Quad HD (2,560 by 1,440 pixels) screen with a 178º viewing angle which also supports HDR (though apparently, and according to Dell, not the same as HDR standards you'll find in 4K TVs. However, it will still be able to display higher contrast and color range than most consumer monitors, with support for up to 99 percent of the SRGB gamut.

Alongside their new Cloud Revolver S headphones, which joins HyperX's already strong headphone lineup, the company has also taken the opportunity to announce a new product as CES 2017: the Pulsefire gaming mouse.

The first optical mouse in the HyperX range of products comes with the standard, run-of-the-mill load-out on gaming mice - 2x programmable side buttons, a threaded scroll wheel and rubberized grips. It also packs in four preset DPI settings (400/800/1,600/3,200), adjustable by the DPI button on top of the mouse, which lets you calibrate your mouse's sensitivity on the fly, and makes use of a braided USB cord to offer a little more durability.

The Pulsefire is due out in April 2017 for under $50.

After the spin-off from Kingston, HyperX has only been releasing gaming hardware for a few years, expanding its lineup throughout all kinds of gaming peripherals, from keyboards to headphones and mice. The Cloud Revolver S, announced at CES 2017, are the biggest, baddest headphones in HyperX's range of offerings, attaining flagship status.

HyperX is aiming for comfort first and sound second, driving 50mm drivers and plug-and-play Dolby 7.1-channel surround sound through a setup with memory foam cups and a wider steel headband.

At CES 2017, Samsung Electronics plans to demonstrate how it has stepped up its game in the entertainment monitor space with the unveiling of its new CH711 Quantum Dot Curved monitor. Additionally, Samsung will also showcase its recently launched CFG70 and CF791 Quantum Dot displays at the Las Vegas Convention Center, Booth #15006, Central Hall.

"Today's multimedia consumers have heightened expectations; they demand an immersive experience that makes them feel like they're part of the games they play and the content they view," said Andrew Sivori, Vice President, CE-IT Product Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. "Our new Quantum Dot Curved monitors offer brilliant design, richer color, and even deeper contrast than ever before."

When you see the word CUSTOM you can be sure of finding the most versatile and interactive headphones from beyerdynamic. This is also true of the new CUSTOM GAME. As the first gaming headset of the successful product series, it takes the advantages of the CUSTOM ONE PRO, CUSTOM STREET and CUSTOM STUDIO and transfers them to the world of gaming.

New reports have surfaced that indicate NVIDIA is all set to launch a new mid range mobile graphics solution, the GTX 1050 M at CES 2017 in Las Vegas. While NVIDIA has already released mobile variants of the GTX 1080, GTX 1070 and GTX 1060, people not willing to spend big on higher tier products from the green camp are limited to "Maxwell" based GTX 960 M or GTX 950 M offerings. Reports also indicate there has been somewhat of a surge in demand for GTX 1060 M equipped laptops, where the new GTX 1050 M could be nicely positioned to further augment consumer appetite.

As we reported in November, we can expect that in line with the existing "Pascal" based mobile solutions, the new GTX 1050 M to sport the same (or better) core-configuration as its desktop counterpart, but with significantly higher clock speeds. This should make the GTX 1050 M an attractive option as it would endow the laptop with graphical horsepower exceeding the very capable GTX 970 M. All in all with new Intel "Kaby Lake" processors set to take the stage at CES 2017 too, we could see quite an array of new or reconfigured laptops scattered throughout the show.

AMD is reportedly "aggressively clearing" its inventories of current-generation processors, such products in the AM3+ and FM2+ packages; to make room for next-generation processors based on the "ZEN" architecture, and new 7th generation A-series "Bristol Ridge" APUs, both of which are built in the new socket AM4 package. You should be able to find AMD FX CPUs at attractive prices, so current 4-core and 6-core users could be lured to upgrade to faster 8-core chips, including those featuring the company's Wraith silent CPU cooler.

Taiwan industry observer DigiTimes reports that AMD will launch its next-generation "ZEN" processors, and motherboards based on the high-end X370 chipset, alongside the 2017 International CES expo, in early January. 2017 promises to be a big year for the company as it's not only attempting to regain competitiveness in the performance desktop CPU space, but also high-end graphics, with its Radeon "VEGA" family.

HTC and Valve today announced their 2016 CES Best of Show winning VR system is available now for pre order with first shipments targeted to begin on Tuesday, April 5th. A complete VR solution, Vive includes two wireless VR controllers, room scale movement, a full 360° of tracking, and an HMD featuring a built-in camera to create what many critics are calling the most convincing VR experience launching this year.

In addition to the VR system, and for a limited time, those who pre order will also receive a free copy of three new VR titles: Tilt Brush from Google, Fantastic Contraption from Northway and Radial Games, and Job Simulator: The 2050 Archives from Owlchemy Labs. "We are delighted to help usher in the next generation of virtual reality," said Cher Wang of HTC. "Launching Vive with Valve has helped us ignite the creativity of thousands of content developers around the world." Vive is the first SteamVR system, giving it the backing of full integration with the leading online platform for PC games.

The star attraction at Dell's CES booth was undoubtedly its stunning new 30-inch monitor, the Ultrasharp 30. Featuring an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) panel, which offers the darkest blacks, and the brightest whites to get you contrast no LCD panel can ever come close to; this monitor also puts out Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution. Dell is asking US $5,000 for the Ultrasharp 30, which is reasonable, if you consider a similar spec'ed display from Sony going for $18,000. Dell plans to release the Ultrasharp 30 to the market by March 31, 2016.

SanDisk Corporation, a global leader in flash storage solutions, today expanded its mobile storage portfolio by upgrading two of its most popular mobile flash drives. The award-winning SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is now available in 200GB* capacity, while the SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 is now available in 128GB capacity with faster transfer speeds, giving users even more options when it comes to expanding the capabilities of their mobile devices.

"With the explosion of content, people need more advanced storage solutions to keep up with the volume and quality of the photos, videos and files they're creating on their mobile devices," said Dinesh Bahal, vice president, product marketing, SanDisk. "Our goal is to deliver innovative, intuitive offerings that help them capture life's great moments without worrying about storage limitations."

Plextor, a leading developer of high performance storage devices, will be adding the new third generation, four-lane PCI-Express NVMe M.2 M8Pe solid-state drive (SSD), and the M7V Series mainstream SATA SSD to its exemplary line of solid-state drive products at the upcoming 2016 Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in the Plextor suite at the Aria.

The M8Pe is the first Plextor SSD with the revolutionary NVMe protocol that helps reduce access latency, allowing for faster speeds. It connects via PCIe, enabling 4KB random read performance up to 270,000 IOPS, and 4KB write performance up to 150,000 IOPS. M8Pe PCI express drives are designed to give gamers and other high intensity users complete synergy and maximum performance. M8Pe features M.2 form factor allowing better airflow and cooling, increases the speed and performance of the SSD. PlexTurbo latest version 3.0, an intelligent RAM caching solution uses the system memory to boost access storage performance compared to standard factory SSDs. Other features of M8Pe include PlexCompressor, a smart compression technology that gives the user more storage capacity without impacting user experience and system performance., and PlexVault, a useful feature allowing private data to be hidden securely for shared computers using Plextor SSDs.

The prototype of the Ostrog Advance made its debut at the 2015 Taipei Computex, and it received a great number of requests for its final version. Now in 2016 CES, after more than 6 months of product improvement, ENERMAX proudly presents the neatly designed, yet elegant Ostrog Advance with the astonishing LED lighting effect that equipped with 262 LED diodes.

ENERMAX is once again making the impossible possible by implementing ENERMAX's distinctive LED layout technology, this craftsmanship allows the LED diodes to be closely arrayed for extraordinary and unsurpassed lighting results. The Ostrog Adavnce LED version also comes with 2 synchronized ENERMAX T.B. Vegas fans in the front panel in order to complete with spectacular x6 different LED lighting movements.

Creative Technology Ltd today announced the Creative iRoar Intelligent Portable Bluetooth Speaker System. This compact multipurpose iRoar represents the next step in the evolution of portable speakers -- with its audio performance, expandability, intelligent audio processing, personalization and a collaborative open platform that allows for value-added third-party add-ons. And, it is twice as powerful as the original Sound Blaster Roar and has a huge 20-hour battery life. The Creative iRoar has been named a CES 2016 Innovation Awards Honoree product in the Home Audio/Video Components and Accessories category. The speaker will be showcased at CES 2016 -- the world's largest consumer electronics show.

At the heart of the Creative iRoar's intelligence is the powerful, flexible and programmable multi-core floating point SB-Axx1 processor. It is responsible for all the audio and voice enhancement, and proprietary effect processing, as well as an open platform that allows users to customize the behaviour of the speaker. The built-in processor also allows the iRoar to function as a high-end sound card.

ZOTAC unveiled its upcoming premium PCIe SSD at the 2016 CES. Built for performance, with sequential transfer rates in the neighbourhood of 2 GB/s, the drive is based on a Phison processor, mated with Toshiba 10 nm class MLC NAND flash memory. The half-height add-on card features an integrated heatspreader, with a back-plate. It interfaces with your system over PCIe gen 3.0 x4, and is bootable.

Corsair, a world leader in enthusiast PC hardware and components, today announced the new Corsair Carbide 400Q and Carbide 400C high-performance PC cases. The Carbide 400Q and Carbide 400C are engineered to pack performance and expandability into beautifully compact mid-tower case designs. The 400C puts your PC's components on display through a stunning full size windowed side panel, while the 400Q features an interior lined with sound-damping material to minimize noise. In both the 400Q and 400C, Direct Airflow technology ensures unimpeded flow of cool air to your PC's hottest components.

The Carbide Quiet 400Q and Carbide Clear 400C are both easy to build in, easy to clean, and liquid cooling capable. Tool-free drive installation, easy-access side-panels and tons of cable routing options mean PC enthusiasts can spend less time building a PC and more time using it. Dust filters are easily accessible to cut cleaning time down to a minimum and two modular and refined PSU and 3.5" bay covers make it easy to conceal cables and drives. The 400Q and 400C both feature room for up to a 360mm radiator in front, a 240mm radiator on top, and a 120mm radiator in the rear, and Direct Airflow technology directs air to the hottest components from two included Corsair AF series fans (1 x AF140L intake, 1 x AF120L exhaust). Despite their compact mid-tower dimensions, the 400Q and 400C can house a full ATX motherboard and multiple GPUs if expansion is desired, making them as capable as they are beautiful.

PROMISE Technology marked its foray into the consumer electronics market today at CES with the unveiling of Apollo, a personal Cloud appliance and app that gives users and their circles or groups full control over the storage and selective sharing of their digital content. Designed with families, small businesses, and small office / home office in mind, Apollo makes it easy for a group of members to store, access and share selected data from wherever they happen to be.

This week at CES, PROMISE will demonstrate Apollo's many features at booth #21731, located in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center Tech East. Apollo will be showcased at the Showstoppers media-only event on January 6 at the Wynn Hotel, Table F4. Apollo is a small, quiet appliance that stores huge amounts of data-up to 4 TB. It's a valuable asset to consumers who find it difficult to manage treasured family photos and videos that proliferate like wildfire on family members' phones, tablets and laptops and at increasingly high resolutions.

At DreamHack Winter 2015 today, Lenovo (HKSE:992) (ADR: LNVGY) and Razer revealed their first-ever gaming desktop prototype that will officially launch at CES (Consumer Electronics Show) 2016. The two companies announced that together they will co-brand and co-market special Razer Edition models of Lenovo's Y series gaming devices - marrying the manufacturing, supply chain and channel relationships of Lenovo, the world's number one PC maker, with the immersive technology and deep expertise of Razer, a leading company in connected gaming devices and software for gamers.

PC gaming today offers a rich and immersive experience - thanks in part to cutting-edge graphics performance, superior processing power, and peripherals designed specifically for gaming. Lenovo will employ its system design and engineering expertise, while Razer will enhance the immersive experience for gamers. All forthcoming Lenovo Razer Edition products will be co-branded and reflect the edgy Lenovo Y series look and feel with iconic Razer elements like customizable Chroma lighting effects.

Corsair started selling its Hydro Series H110i GT all-in-one liquid CPU cooler, which it launched at the International CES 2015, early last month. It's priced at US $129.99. The cooler consists of a new block+pump main unit, with a higher coolant pressure compared to the H105, because it's feeding coolant to a larger 280 mm x 140 mm radiator. The block features a glowing Corsair logo, with RGB multi-color illumination, which you can customize using the Corsair Link software. The cooler plugs into a USB header, in addition to power, interfacing with the Link software, letting you monitor and control its various parameters.

The H110i GT supports all modern CPU socket types, including LGA2011v3, LGA1150, AM3+, and FM2+. Also included are two Corsair SP140L PWM "high-torque" fans. These 140 mm spinners are a variant of the SP140 series, which lack LED lighting, but feature 4-pin PWM power inputs, offering speeds of up to 2,100 RPM, pushing up to 113 CFM of air, each, with a noise output of up to 43 dBA, each.

ADATA showed off its third-generation XPG DDR3 memory module. A departure from its pointy gold heatsink design of the XPG Z1 series, the XPG V3 features a more conventional, 2-tone aluminium heatsink design, with three layers of fins projecting upward. The outer fins dissipate heat drawn from the DRAM chips, while the inner, colored ones (red, blue, green, gold, and orange), dissipate heat drawn a heat-spreading copper layer in the module's PCB. The module on display at CES featured a red inner heatsink, with an XMP 1.3 profile for DDR3-3100 MHz, with a 1600 MHz failsafe JEDEC profile.