At first glance, one would have discarded the news as some company's attempt to use the AMD brand to sell memory modules, but it is indeed AMD selling memory. AMD is selling Radeon-branded DDR3 memory modules to the consumer market, not just OEMs, which were spotted in stores in Japan. AMD is selling certified DDR3 memory in three segments: Entertainment, UltraPro Gaming, and Enterprise. Entertainment deals with DDR3-1333 MHz modules that are best suited for home and business client PCs, UltraPro Gaming deals with DDR3-1600 MHz modules suited for gaming PCs of all shapes and sizes, while Enterprise deals with registered un-buffered DDR3 memory for use in AMD Opteron-driven servers and workstations.

While baffling, the move to sell its own-branded memory makes some sense. High performance DDR3 memory kits sold in the market today that operate at DDR3-1600 rely on Intel eXtreme Memory Profiles (XMP), a proprietary SPD extension by Intel to let users set the marketed speeds easily. AMD platform motherboards don't support XMP, leaving it at an obvious disadvantage. Radeon-branded memory use JEDEC profiles for 1600 MHz, along with certified timings and voltages to run stable and perform optimally. It might also be using AMD's own SPD extension called "Black Edition profiles", but CPU-Z doesn't seem to be able to spot that. Pictured below is the Entertainment 2 GB module, which uses AMD-branded memory chips. In Japan, the 2 GB module is priced at the equivalent of US $20. Other pricing information is unknown for the moment.UPDATE (11/8): We contacted AMD to talk a little bit about these new memory products that surfaced literally out of nowhere. AMD told us that these are channel products, and as such they don't plan to sell it in a big way on the retail market:

AMD does not manufacture memory and does not plan to sell system memory directly to our customers. AMD is currently determining if the sale of AMD Radeon-branded memory through channel partners is a viable opportunity and as such it has appeared in some regions for purchase through retail.

Mach Xtreme Technology Inc., a worldwide leader in top performance, high reliability and user-friendly designed PC components, today unveiled Urban Series Dual-Channel DDR3 high-density memory kits based on the latest DRAM chips.

Urban high-density DDR3 modules offer desktop users groundbreaking computing experience at an attractive price point. Featuring enhanced capacity of 4GB per module, these new high-density 8GB kits provide customers with cutting-edge memory solution that significantly increases memory space. Users working with the latest operating system can keep multiple applications open or run smoothly memory intensive graphic programs. The uniquely designed lightweight heatsink is made of specially imported top grade Japanese aluminum.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced worldwide retail availability of the Special Edition Arctic White Vengeance Low Profile memory.

The Special Edition Arctic White Vengeance LP memory operates at a 1.35V and is ideal for ultra-quiet systems and other low-voltage applications. It consists of two rigorously-screened 4GB DDR3 DRAM modules, guaranteed to operate at 1600MHz with a tested latency of 9-9-9-24. The Vengeance low-profile heat spreader has a reduced height of 1.03" (26.25mm) and is designed for high-performance systems with extra-large CPU coolers, small form factor system builds, or any other space-constrained application where standard Vengeance memory may not fit.

MSI is unveiling its new generation top-of-the-line GT683DX gaming computer, featuring the ultimate in performance and hardware. It packs Intel's second generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor, nVidia's latest and greatest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card, four DDR3 memory slots, accelerated dual hard disk architecture, as well as Dynaudio and THX TruStudio Pro smart wrap around sound. Taipei-MSI just introduced the GT683DX gaming laptop with powerful hardware, including Intel's 2nd generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor and nVidia's newest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card (1.5GB GDDR5 display memory), representing a 20% improvement in performance over other discrete graphics cards currently on the market to deliver hiccup-free graphics even when you play the latest high-resolution games. It received a record 12,475 points when it was tested in the performance mode on 3DMark Vantage.

ASUS unveiled its first socket FM1 motherboard in the mini-ITX form-factor, catering to the premium HTPC and small form-factor (SFF) markets. Like with similar mini-ITX boards, the F1A75-I Deluxe crams in all the connectivity features it can on its tiny PCB, outdoing even large ATX boards. It is based on the AMD A75 chipset. The FM1 socket supports AMD's A-Series "Llano" APUs, and is powered by a 4+1 phase VRM. It is wired to two full-length DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting dual-channel DDR3-1866 MHz memory. The board draws power from standard 24-pin ATX with 4-pin CPU power.

The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16, letting you plug in just about any PCIe addon card. Storage connectivity includes four SATA 6 Gb/s ports with RAID support, and one eSATA 6 Gb/s. Other connectivity features include 6-channel HD audio with optical SPDIF (our only gripe), four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by header), WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, Bluetooth, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Display connectivity includes one each of DVI, HDMI 1.4a, and DisplayPort 1.2. The HDMI 1.4a output includes 8-channel HD audio of the GPU, so the 6 analog audio channels is sort of compensated. The board features ASUS TPU performance control chip, EPU energy-efficiency chip, and a UEFI firmware with ASUS EZ-mode GUI setup program. There's no word on pricing.

Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM[1]), today announced that as of the end of July it had started sample shipments of the smallest chip now available in the DRAM semiconductor memory industry. The new chip uses ultra fine-width process migration technology to achieve a circuit line width of 25 nanometers (nm). Elpida completed development of this advanced manufacturing process in May and has begun to apply the process to commercial production.

The new 25nm process-generation product now being shipped is a DDR3 SDRAM with a memory capacity of 2-gigabits (see product specifications below). A 25nm 4-gigabit DDR3 SDRAM is expected to become commercially available by the end of 2011.

Stealth.com Inc., a leader in the industrial computer and peripherals market has released a new ultra small PC designed specifically for in-vehicle/mobile/embedded applications. Stealth's model LPC-125LPM is a rugged small form PC that operates in extreme temperatures and is energy efficient, drawing less than 20 Watts in operational power.

Housed in a rugged aluminum enclosure this energy efficient & versatile PC measures out at only 4.0" x 6.1" x 1.45" (102mm x 155mm x 37mm) or about the size of a deck of playing cards. The Stealth Mini PC weighs in at a mere 1.2lbs or 0.54kg. The PC operates from 10-26V of DC power making it ideal for DC powered applications typically found in vehicles and mobile applications.

AMD's first wave of FX series high performance desktop processors will hit stores on 19 September, 2011, according to industry sources. On that day, AMD will launch two 8-core models: FX-8100 and FX-8150; a 6-core model, the FX-6100; and a 4-core part: FX-4100. The much yapped about "FX-8130P" that has been a CPU-Z screenshot favourite, is not a part of AMD's finalized lineup. Earlier it was rumored that models with the "P" brand extender were unlocked parts, but now it's emerging that all parts in the FX series are unlocked. Detailed specifications are tabled below.

In the first quarter of 2012, AMD plans its second round of product launches, which consist of faster models that display existing ones from their price-points. The FX-8170 will displace the FX-8150, the FX-8120 displaces FX-8100; FX-6120 displaces FX-6100; and FX-4120 displaces FX-4100. In the meantime, AMD is working with motherboard vendors to ensure adequate propagation of socket AM3+ motherboards, and more importantly, for DDR3-1866 MHz memory to become more affordable, since FX processors yield the most optimal performance with that memory speed.

ASRock launched its newest motherboard, the Z68M-ITX. As the name suggests, it is a socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset, in the mini-ITX form factor. ASRock's new board is aimed squarely at HTPCs or premium home desktops. It uses a standard ATX power supply, drawing power from a 24-pin ATX and 4-pin CPU power headers. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 4-phase VRM, it is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz memory, the lone expansion slot: a PCI-Express 2.0 x16, and the Z68 PCH. Z68 provides overclocking capabilities, as well as Intel Flexible Display Interface (FDI) letting you use the integrated graphics, and Intel Smart Response Technology that lets you use SSD for caching HDDs

Connectivity includes 8 channel HD audio with optical SPDIF output, driven by Realtek ALC892 CODEC, two USB 3.0 ports driven by ASMedia ASM1042 controller, gigabit Ethernet, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Storage connectivity consists of two each of SATA 6 Gb/s and SATA 3 Gb/s internal ports, and an eSATA 3 Gb/s port. Display connectivity includes HDMI, DVI, and D-Sub. The board is driven by UEFI firmware, with a graphical setup program. ASRock bundles a specially-designed Windows Media Center remote control, which comes with a multi-sensor CIR USB dongle that can receive infrared signal from a number of angles. ASRock did not give out pricing.

Slides of a key presentation to Intel's partners was leaked to sections of the media, which reveal Intel's own performance testing of the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition, the top-model of the socket LGA2011 "Sandy Bridge-E" processor series. Meet the family here. In its comparison, Intel maintained the Core i7-990X Extreme Edition socket LGA1366 processor as this generation's top offering. It was pitted against the Core i7-3960X in a battery of tests that included some enthusiast favourites such as Cinebench 11.5, POV-Ray 3.7, 3DMark 11 physics, Pro-Show Gold 4.5, and some OEM favourites such as SPECint_rate base2006, SPECfp_rate base2006, and SiSoft SANDRA 2011B multimedia and memory bandwidth.

From these test results, the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is pitched to be about 47.25% faster on average, compared to Core i7-990X Extreme Edition. Intel is attributing the performance boost, apart from the normal IPC increase, to the 33% higher bandwidth thanks to the quad-channel DDR3 IMC, and the new AVX instruction set that accelerates math-heavy tasks such as encoding. The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is an upcoming socket LGA2011 six-core processor that is clocked at 3.30 GHz, with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.90 GHz, with 12 threads enabled by HyperThreading technology, and 15 MB L3 cache. It will release by either late 2011 or early 2012.

SAPPHIRE Technology, a leading manufacturer and global supplier of graphics, mainboard and multimedia solutions has just introduced a new mainboard developed to support the latest A-series Fusion APU family from AMD.

AMD's A-series APUs combine - on a single chip - a Quad core CPU, interface circuitry equivalent to a Northbridge and a DX11 graphics core equivalent to a desktop level graphics card, and also incorporating a 3rd-generation UVD (universal video decoder) for the accelerated decoding of HD and Blu-ray content, including stereoscopic 3D support. This APU series together with the A75 chipset, which has native support for the latest interface standards, such as SATA 6G and USB 3.0 as well as USB 2.0 and PCI-Express Gen2, makes a powerful combination that delivers all the features required in a state-of-the-art PC.

OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) for computing devices and systems, today unveiled the Indilinx Everest SATA 3.0 SSD platform. The Everest platform features support of 6Gbps interface speeds, high transactional performance that is optimized for compressed files, and maximum capacities up to 1TB.

"The new Indilinx Everest platform is a complete customizable solution that delivers superior storage performance, features, and capabilities designed to exceed the needs of the most demanding SSD applications," said Bumsoo Kim, President of Indilinx. "Combining a 6Gbps SATA Revision 3.0 host interface, a dual-core CPU, and support for the latest, most advanced NAND Flash memory technology available, Everest offers SSD manufacturers unparallel flexibility in optimizing their designs for both performance and cost."

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced availability in limited quantities of a new 1.5V 8GB Dominator GT DDR3 memory kit with an aggressive timing specification.

The new 8GB dual-channel DDR3 kit is guaranteed to operate at 2133MHz at a memory voltage of 1.5V, and with a groundbreaking timing specification of CL9-11-9. With latency settings this low, the Dominator GT modules have the most aggressive timing specification of any 2x4GB 2133MHz 1.5V memory kit available today.

GeIL (Golden Emperor Industries Ltd.) rolled out two new lines of DDR3 desktop memory targering the gamer-enthusiast segment, the Enhance Corsa and Evo Corsa. Interestingly, these lines don't include triple-channel kits, but quad-channel ones consisting of four modules, aside from the usual dual-channel kits. Gearing up for the Sandy Bridge-E market early, I see. Among the two lines, the Enhance Corsa consists of bang-for-buck kits with DDR3-1333 MHz and DDR3-1600 MHz.

The USP here is that the 1333 MHz kits will pack an Intel XMP profile that runs the modules at 1500 MHz with CL9 timings, and DRAM voltage of 1.5V; while the DDR3-1600 MHz ones will pack a XMP profile that runs them at 1700 MHz with CL9 timings and 1.5V. Evo Corsa comes in dual and quad-channel kits, consisting of 2 GB or 4 GB modules, making up 4 GB or 8 GB dual-channel; and 8 GB or 16 GB quad-channel kits on offer.

ZOTAC entered the motherboard scene as yet another vendor of reference NVIDIA nForce motherboards, which the like of EVGA, XFX, and BFG also sold. After the fall of nForce, ZOTAC attempted a LGA1366 motherboard, and went dormant with motherboards. Later, it picked up interest in the mini-ITX form-factor as it gained popularity in Asian markets like China and India, manufacturing motherboards based on Intel Atom, Atom with NVIDIA ION, and eventually socketed mini-ITX motherboards as it became a 2-chip affair with Intel's Ibex Peak platform (LGA1156). It looks like Zotac is making a comeback into full-size ATX motherboards that target the very top tier of the market, to woo gamers, professional overclockers, and enthusiasts.

Seen here is what the Chinese press is referring to as "ZT-Z68 Crown Edition-U1DU3", we may have lost the correct name in translation, but let's call it ZT-Z68-U1DU3 for now. It is a full-size ATX motherboard that takes socket LGA1155 Intel Sandy Bridge and future Ivy Bridge processors, and is based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset. It combines a strong VRM to support extreme overclocking, with graphics expansion, adding 4-way NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFireX capabilities using an NVIDIA BR-03 bridge-chip that sits on the processor's PCI-E x16 link, to give out two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 links, which are then spread between four slots in x16/NC/x16/NC, x16/NC/x8/x8, or x8/x8/x8/x8 lane configurations.

ASRock unveiled the first Fatal1ty-branded AMD platform product, a premium motherboard based on the AMD 990FX chipset, ready for AMD FX series processors in the AM3+ package. The board sports the signature Fatal1ty color scheme of black and red, and is geared for high-end gaming PCs. The AM3+ socket is powered by a 14-phase digital PWM power design, which is ready for even 140W chips. It is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots supporting dual-channel DDR3 with speeds of over 2000 MHz by overclocking.

Two of the unique selling points here is ASRock Fatal1ty XFast USB, a pair of low-latency and high-polling USB ports to plug in your gaming mouse and keyboard; and XFast LAN, which is a software layer that works to lower latency and prioritize internet bandwidth to applications. To top it off, there's a Fatal1ty-themed UEFI setup program that features some extra advanced settings.

Here is a tasty scoop of benchmark results purported to be those of the AMD FX-8130P, the next high-end processor from the green team. The FX-8130P was paired with Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5 motherboard and 4 GB of dual-channel Kingston HyperX DDR3-2000 MHz memory running at DDR3-1866 MHz. A GeForce GTX 580 handled the graphics department. The chip was clocked at 3.20 GHz (16 x 200 MHz). Testing began with benchmarks that aren't very multi-core intensive, such as Super Pi 1M, where the chip clocked in at 19.5 seconds; AIDA64 Cache and Memory benchmark, where L1 cache seems to be extremely fast, while L2, L3, and memory performance is a slight improvement over the last generation of Phenom II processors.

Shuttle, a world-leading PC manufacturer focused on high-performance small form factor desktops, today announced the availability of the Shuttle H7 5800G Pro and H7 5800P Pro extreme performance PC models for purchase through Shuttle's USA online shop, starting today.

Ready for gamers and enthusiasts, the Shuttle H7 5800G Pro features a 3.06GHz Intel Core i7 950 quad-core processor (up to 3.33GHz Core i7 980X Extreme Edition), NVIDIA GeForce performance graphics (up to GeForce GTX 580 or Radeon HD 6970), 4GB DDR3 memory (up to 16GB), and 500GB hard drive (upgradeable to SSD), starting at $1,299.99 MSRP.

Gigabyte released pictures of G1.Sniper 2, the company's first socket LGA1155 motherboard in the G1.Killer series of motherboards designed for gamers with overclocker alter-egos (the same market ASUS Republic of Gamers targets). The board is based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset without any additional PCI-E bridge chip such as NVIDIA nForce 200. The board supports 2nd generation Core "Sandy Bridge" LGA1155 processors. The first G1.Sniper was a LGA1366 motherboard based on Intel X58 chipset.

Apart from being yet another high-end 2-way SLI/CrossFire Z68 motherboard, which Gigabyte's mainline Z68X series motherboards already achieve, the G1.Sniper 2 packs two extremely gamer-specific onboard devices: the Bigfoot Killer E2100 low-latency, high-offload PCI-Express network controller with its of dedicated memory; and Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi hardware audio with CA20K2 PCIe processor and 64 MB XRAM, backed by a high-grade Cirrus Logic DAC and OPAMP circuit, driving signal-noise ratio easily above 105 dBA with punchy bass.

Toshiba UK today announces the launch of the Qosmio F750 3D - a revolutionary new laptop with the ability to display mesmerizing 3D images without the need for 3D glasses. The Qosmio F750 3D can also display a combination of 2D and 3D images on screen at the same time, while a range of powerful, high-performance multimedia features ensures the laptop is perfect for even the most demanding tasks.

The Qosmio F750 3D is designed for those looking for the ultimate 3D experience. Like the world's first glasses-free 3D television - the Toshiba REGZA GL1 - the Qosmio F750 3D uses a special lenticular 3D screen to give users the freedom to experience all the benefits of 3D entertainment, without the restrictions of having to wear 3D glasses. Glasses-free 3D technology adds a truly immersive element, perfect for experiencing 3D in a more natural and comfortable way, particularly for those that may already require prescription glasses. The 39.6cm (15.6") screen also offers Full HD resolution for clear, vivid images, while a 120Hz refresh rate eliminates blur or ghosting with the fast moving images seen in action films and games.

German boutique memory maker Exceleram announced the new Black&White series of DDR3 memory. The name originates from the modules having black PCBs and white heatspreaders. The first of its kind is a dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz 8 GB (2x 4 GB) kit. With a module voltage of 1.5V, the modules can run at DDR3-1600 MHz speeds with timings of 9-9-9-24T. Backed by a 10-year warranty, the new kit is said to be available next week.

Microsoft's leap of faith into the tablet OS market which is dominated by Apple iOS and Google's Android OS, with Windows 8 operating system will be driven by two distinct hardware platforms - x86, led by Intel and its Clover Trail Atom platform, and ARM, and its swarm of client manufacturers such as Samsung, Qualcomm, etc. The third player out to claim its share of the pie is AMD, with its Brazos-T platform. Similar to Intel's Clover Trail, Brazos-T is an x86-based platform, it uses an ultra-low power accelerated processing unit (APU), codenamed "Hondo".

Hondo is a low-wattage, low-footprint APU that packs two x86-64 "Bobcat" architecture cores, an AMD Radeon HD 6250 DirectX 11 compliant graphics core, single-channel DDR3 IMC, and integrated PCI-Express. Like Clover Trail, it is a 2-chip solution, with the other chip being the "Hudson" M2T chipset, which provides an array of display connectivity options, SATA and USB connectivity. The key feature with Hondo APU is its low power consumption of just 2W, and TDP of 4.5W. The chipset is designed to consume just 1W. Both the APU and chipset are built on the 40 nm process. The platform is slated for Q2 2012, just in time for Windows 8 tablets to hit the market.

Intel updated its product offer to OEMs with a new low-cost ultra-low voltage (ULV) processor, the Intel Celeron M 857. The chip is designed for use in ultra-portable notebooks. Built on the 32 nm processor node, this dual-core chip is clocked at 1.20 GHz, lacks HyperThreading, has 2 MB of shared L3 cache, dual-channel DDR3 IMC, and embedded graphics. The chip has a TDP of just 17W. Celeron M 857 has the same channel price as Celeron M 847, $134, which it displaces.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, today announced an expanded Series 9 laptop line that is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in time for the back-to-school shopping season. The expanded line of sophisticated, ultra-thin and lightweight models includes five different configurations designed to meet the needs and budgets of a variety of users.

"We've seen a very positive reception to the original Series 9 models introduced at CES earlier this year," said Scott Ledterman, director of mobile PC marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "As we look to expand the line for the remainder of the year, we've maintained the premium duralumin design and form factor while offering consumers a wider range of options and powerful performance."

Originally slated for Q4 2011, the launch of Intel's Sandy Bridge-E desktop/workstation platform has been pushed back to Q1 2012, sources told VR-Zone. The high-end platform was expected by industry observers to be a December launch, targeting the shopping season, but it seems like January 2012 is found to be more fitting. Perhaps the International CES, where the latest and greatest from the tech industry is unveiled, serves as the ideal launch-pad for Sandy Bridge-E.

Sandy Bridge-E is an upscale of the architecture that makes up Intel's 2011 Core processor family. Consisting of 4 or 6 cores, Sandy Bridge makes up two distinct product lines for the client desktop market. The chips pack massive quad-channel DDR3 integrated memory controllers and PCI-Express 3.0 hubs that can drive up to four graphics cards. The processor is made of a new 2011-pin LGA package, with the new Intel X79 chipset handling the rest of the platform.