Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today introduced Crucial DDR3L-1333Mhz 1.35v energy-efficient server memory modules in support of the new Intel Xeon processor 5600 series. Available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB RDIMM and VLP (very low profile) RDIMM modules, Crucial DDR3L memory modules are fully compatible and have been validated with the new Intel Xeon processor 5600 series. Servers across the enterprise, including those utilized for virtualization, data storage and processing, and blade servers will reap the benefits of new Crucial DDR3L memory. Crucial DDR3L memory is available through select resellers worldwide and online at Crucial.com/server.

"The benefits of energy-efficient DDR3L memory are clear - most notably the significant reduction in memory sub-system energy consumption and overall system cooling demands. Moreover, these benefits come without sacrificing the performance gains our customers expect from Intel's next-generation servers," said Jim Jardine, Lexar Media senior worldwide product manager. "Additionally, all Crucial DDR3L 1.35v memory has been fully validated and certified compatible with the Intel Xeon Processor 5600 series, so customers can rest assured their server infrastructure investment will perform reliably and efficiently with Intel's newest processors."

ZOTAC International, the world's largest manufacturer graphics cards, mini-ITX motherboards and mini-PCs in the channel, today unveils the world's first ION Upgrade Kits featuring a ZOTAC small form factor motherboard and ZOTAC ION graphics card for a combination that delivers phenomenal value with premium graphics and outstanding user experience.

A ZOTAC ION graphics card with 16 unified shaders and 512MB of DDR3 memory empowers the ZOTAC ION Upgrade Kits with high-end features such as NVIDIA CUDA and PureVideo HD technologies, DirectX 10.1, DirectCompute, OpenGL and OpenCL compatibility for a high-performance and feature rich experience.

Zotac is working on five new MAG nettops under its ZBOX series. Each of these "anywhere PCs" measure 18.8 (L) x 18.8 (W) x 4.4 (D) cm, and offer enough power for basic computing. The five new models are based on a variety of nettop platforms. As standard features, these have 160 GB HDDs, SDHC card reader, USB 2.0 and eSATA, Gigabit Ethernet and WiFi. Zotac's new nettops will debut next month. Specifications and expected price of each of these are as follows:

• HD-ID11 model - 1.66 GHz Atom 510 dual-core CPU / 1GB of RAM / Next-gen ION (GT218 GPU with 512MB dedicated memory) / $255
• HD-ND21 model - 1.3 GHz Processor SU4100 dual-core CPU /2GB of RAM / ION (first-gen) / $300
• HD-ND02 model - 1.6 GHz Atom 330 dual-core CPU / 2GB of RAM (DDR3) / ION (first-gen) / $217
• HD-AD01 model - 1.5 GHz Athlon X2 Neo L325 dual-core CPU / 2GB of RAM / ATI Radeon HD 3200 / $242.

Kingston Technology Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of Kingston Technology Company, the independent world leader in memory products,today announced that its low-voltage registered dual inline memory modules (RDIMMs) have been validated for use in the upcoming Intel Westmere-EP processor-based server platforms. The Kingston ValueRAM DDR3L ('L' for low voltage) 1333MHz (1.35 volt) server RDIMMs were certified on Intel's Westmere reference platform.

Kingston is proud to offer customers our 1.35-volt server memory and having it certified for use with Intel's next-generation Xeon processors," said Stephane Rizzetto European Product Development Manager for DRAM of Kingston Technology. "Our low voltage registered server memory helps lower total cost of ownership in datacenters as it uses less power, thus producing less heat than equivalent 1.5-volt modules resulting in lower cooling costs for memory-dense servers."

SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today unveils the SPARKLE GeForce 210/GT220/GT240 Low Profile Silent Series Graphics Cards with low profile design, addressing, fulfilling and exceeding the HTPC users' demand on silent working, power consumption and HD video in small HTPC cases.

The SPARKLE GeForce 210/GT220/GT240 Silent Series Graphics Cards are a half-height video cards suitable for small form-factor, book size and home theatre PCs users that desperately want a dedicated HDMI jack on the cheap.The SPARKLE GeForce 210/GT220/GT240 Silent Series Graphics Cards can be easily installed in narrow space HTPC chassis. So the SPARKLE GeForce 210/GT220/GT240 Silent Series Graphics Cards not only can easily meet the HD video playback and DX10.1 gaming demand from HTPC users, but also can easily satisfy the requirements from SSF, mini-chassis and industry PCs which demand compact and practical graphics cards.

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it has developed the fastest Intel-certified memory in the world. Running at 2400MHz, Kingston's HyperX dual-channel DDR3 memory kit (Kingston part#: KHX2400C9D3T1K2/4GX) gained Intel XMP certification on the Core i7 platform. Intel's certification is posted here.

The 2400MHz kit runs at 9-11-9-27-2 timings at 1.65 volts and was developed for enthusiasts, gamers, and benchmarkers looking to scale new memory heights. As with all Kingston memory, the 2400MHz kit was created with the highest design-engineering principles and subjected to OEM-quality production and testing standards to gain Intel XMP certification. The memory was tested to great success on several P55-based systems including the GIGABYTE GA-P55A-UD4P motherboard.

Do you desire for a free CPU upgrade? Of course, you do! ASRock Inc. today launched the UCC [Unlock CPU Core] Series motherboard that delivers added core processing power by enabling the ASRock exclusive UCC function of the AMD CPUs. Unprecedentedly integrated with ASRock exclusive UCC Chip, ASRock UCC function is well-designed to provide extra performance boost on ASRock UCC Series motherboards. In conjunction with AMD's 8XX Series chipsets, ASRock 890GX Extreme3 motherboard, the first UCC series motherboard, comes with unique UCC feature and supports both advanced rendering from HD 4290, DX10.1 graphics technology and ATI Quad CrossFireX, 3-Way CrossFireX technologies.

Equipped with an exclusive ASRock UCC Chip, ASRock 890GX Extreme3 is able to support the excellent UCC function. ASRock UCC feature allows users to enjoy an instant performance boost by simply tuning on the UCC switch on BIOS. ASRock 890GX Extreme3 is the ASRock True 333 series motherboards. The board offers the latest SATA3 6.0Gb/s and USB 3.0 5.0Gb/s technologies from the industry-leading NEC support. The real I/O includes 1 x external SATA3 connector through the Bundled eSATA3 Bracket and 2 x USB 3.0 ports for 10X faster data transfer speed. For memory part, it supports 4 X DDR3 1800(OC), Hyper Transport Bus 5200 MT/s, ATI Quad CrossFireX and 3-Way CrossFireX. For audio aspect, it features 7.1 CH, VIA 2020 audio codec with Premium Blu-ray audio support. Combined with advanced rendering from AMD Radeon HD 4290, DX10.1 graphics, ASRock 890GX Extreme3 offers the spectacular visual output (output options include: D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI) as well.

Intel is set to introduce a series of eight-core Xeon server processors later this month, that are capable of running in four-socket servers. With HyperThreading technology enabled, each core can handle two threads, taking the logical CPU count on such servers up to 64. Each Nehalem-EX chip has 8 CPU cores with dedicated L2 caches of 256 KB, a shared L3 cache of 24 MB, and Turbo Boost technology that helps conserve power while also stepping up performance when needed. The die also features a memory controller with four DDR3 memory channels. Being based on the Nehalem architecture, the chips are built on the 45 nm HKMG process.

In related news, Intel will also introduce Westmere-EP processors later this month. These chips will be based on the 32 nm Westmere architecture, and are likely to have 6 cores, up to 12 logical CPUs per chip, 12 MB of L3 cache and three DDR3 memory channels. These chips will be suited for two-socket servers and workstations.

Just like everyone else, they are showing off Sandforce SSDs - called Team Xtreem-S1 - with advertised speeds of 270 MB/s read and 260 MB/s write performance. It will be available in 60, 120, 250 GB capacities. On the portable storage front, they have X091 with capacities of up to 128GB in a stylish metal casing (which is not pink, just reflects that color in our picture). Then there is the X092, which has an USB connector on one side and an eSATA on the other side. The latter requires the use of a 5V power connection. We also got a glimpse at their 2400 MHz CL9 at 1.6 V dual channel kit, as well as their SDXC 32 GB and 64 GB Flash memory cards.

EVGA today named its dual-LGA1366 enthusiast-grade motherboard, so far known by the codename W555. After a short contest on the company's forums, the company came up with "EVGA Classified SR-2" for its name. SR stands for "super record" and 2 denoting the dual-socket design. The Classified SR-2 is a an entusiast-grade (read: overclocker friendly) implementation of the Tylersburg platform, supporting Intel socket LGA1366 processors with two QPI links (2P Xeon, etc.) As an addition, the board allows you to do something that's difficult on typical 2P server motherboards: it allows you to mix different models of Xeon processors, provided they're based on the same architecture, and series. For example, you can mix a Xeon 5520 with Xeon 5540. You can also mix a quad-core processor with a six-core processor, provided the quad-core part is based on the Westmere architecture (32 nm), not Nehalem (45 nm).

The board will also let you run a single 2P-capable processor in either sockets. DDR3 memory modules can be non-ECC or even ECC. 2P Xeon DRAM Multipliers / Uncore Multipliers are locked so you will only be able to use maximum 2:8 or 2:10 depending on segment of CPU. EVGA tells that the board supports 4-way SLI on its GTX 285 Classified VGA, but adds that a "future flagship GPU" also supports it. Could this be GeForce GTX 400 series having it as a standard feature? We have to wait and see. 4-way CrossFireX is supported.

ZOTAC International, the world's largest channel manufacturer, today redefines the mini-PC experience with a new generation of eco friendly small form factor platform powered by next-generation NVIDIA ION technology - the new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC. The new ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC supercharges the eco friendly computing experience with premium graphics processing, complete high definition playback capabilities and a premium Windows 7 experience with Aero user interface.

Premium graphics processing power forms the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX HD-ID11 mini-PC with a new Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics processor with 16 unified shaders and 512MB of DDR3 graphics memory complete with NVIDIA CUDA and NVIDIA PureVideo HD technologies for a superior eco friendly computing experience that goes well beyond simple web browsing.

We dropped by the G.Skill booth and they are showing off a few systems with their memory in it. While they have seven different configurations to display, only three of them are out each day, so they are rotated around throughout the show. All of them are interesting, but some more than others. First off there is a dual channel kit running at 2500 MHz in combination with an Asus P55 board and Intel i7-860 CPU. This memory is just for show and will not be sold in retail. Then there is a high capacity kit with six modules running at 2000 MHz with CL6 on an Asus X58 board, while the last system is very interesting as well, with 1600 MHz memory and a set CAS latency of 5-8-5. We did not get pictures of their 24 GB kits up and running, as they were not on that day. G.Skill is also displaying their Phoenix Sandforce SF-1200 based SSD.

Mushkin Enhanced, a global leader in high-performance computer products, announced today the release of 'Ridgeback', a new heatsink designed for the gaming and enthusiast communities. The initial series of Ridgeback kits will offer DDR3-1600 performance for Intel's LGA1366 and LGA1156 platforms at two different latency levels, as well as a DDR2-1066 solution. In the near future, kits for AMD's AM3+ and other platforms will be available.

"The Ridgeback Project has been an exciting project for both myself and our marketing department. We've worked hard to develop this world-class memory cooling solution. Ridgeback will help ensure that modules work well in intense, high-labor scenarios and will also look elegant in many types of installations," said Brian Flood, director of product development.

Kingston Technology announced the release of the world's first ultra-low voltage memory running at 1.25 volts at 1600MHz. The new offering is part of the new Kingston 'LoVo' (low voltage) HyperX DDR3 High-Performance memory product line. The dual-channel kit (Kingston part #: KHX1866C9D3LK2/4GX) comes preprogrammed with two XMP-ready profiles: 1.25 volts at 1600MHz and 1.35 volts at 1866MHz. The latter profile is also a world's first for speed matching higher frequency with a lower voltage.

"Kingston is proud to lead the charge with memory for the new generation of energy efficient systems that yield higher performance," said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. "Energy-conscious consumers need to look no further for memory than the HyperX 'LoVo' line when they are assembling the components needed to achieve better PC power performance."

We dropped by A-DATA booth and did see a few interesting new products. First off, there are two new USB flash drives, the N909 with a USB Plus port and the N005 with USB 3.0. The former is a special USB connector with the possibility to be used on eSATA as well. There is also an SSD with SATA 3 and a micro USB 3.0 connector present.A-DATA is also displaying SDXC cards, just in time as the Canon 550D will be supporting the new format.

Team Group Inc will be announcing at CeBIT 2010 the world-first limited edition overclocking memory Xtreem LV DDR3 2400 to set again a new barrier for overclocking memory. Team not only enhances the bandwidth of the module to 19,200MB/sec, but also sets users at the tip of the pyramid as the target customer group. The Xtreem LV DDR3 2400 will be delivered in limited edition and considered as the most stunning star product that Team displays at CeBIT 2010.

Based on the memory architecture evolution on Intel Core i7 and Core i5, Team raises the frequency of the Xtreem LV DDR3 by 20% from 2000MHz to 2400MHz. Also, by continuing the high frequency and low latency tradition of the Xtreem LV memory, the Xtreem LV DDR3 2400 can fully display the configuration 9-10-10-30 (tCL-tRCD-tRP-tRAS) at a low operating voltage at 1.6V without sacrificing either performance or stability. All these have witnessed the extraordinary R&D capacity and capability of Team. In addition to the unchanged genuine chip policy, Team ensures chip quality with the exclusive sorting technology to screen chips. In order to further ensure the optimal performance and flawless quality of the Xtreem LV DDR3 2400, Team applies the 24-hour burn-in test and industry-approved MemTest software to perform the OQC inspection of all modules before shipping to assure the stability and exceptional performance of every Xtreem LV DDR3 2400.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co., Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards today is pleased to launch the latest in-house designed GIGABYTE GV-R5800 series graphics cards featuring GIGABYTE's own Ultra Durable VGA Technology which can provide outstanding overclocking capability, lower GPU temperature, and excellent power efficiency. Building on the ultimate kernel of ATI Radeon HD 5800 art-of-the-state single-GPU architecture and advanced GDDR5 memory technology, the GIGABYTE GV-R587UD-1GD, GV-R585OC-1GD and GV-R583UD-1GD deliver seamless frame rates with massive graphics processing muscle for any tomorrow's demanding applications. In addition, the GIGABYTE the GIGABYTE GV-R587UD-1GD, GV-R585OC-1GD and GV-R583UD-1GD feature a wide range of the latest graphics technologies, including native DispalyPort, native Golden-Plated HDMI, TeraScale graphics engine, ATI CrossFireX, and ATI Stream, to deliver supreme scalability so gamers can take their games to new heights.

AMD has started shipping its 8-core and 12-core "Magny Cours" Opteron processors for sockets G34 (2P-4P+), and C32 (1P-2P). The processors mark entry of several new technologies for AMD, such as a multi-chip module (MCM) approach towards increasing the processor's resources without having to complicate chip design any further than improving on those of the Shanghai and Istanbul. The new Opteron chips further make use of third-generation HyperTransport interconnect technologies for 6.4 GT/s interconnect speeds between the processor and host, and between processors on multi-socket configurations. It also embraces the Registered DDR3 memory technology. Each processor addresses memory over up to four independent (unganged) memory channels. Technologies such as HT Assist improve inter-silicon bandwidth on the MCMs. The processors further benefit from 12 MB of L3 caches on board, and 512 KB of dedicated L2 caches per processor core.

In the company's blog, the Director of Product Marketing for Server/Workstation products, John Fruehe, writes "Production began last month and our OEM partners have been receiving production parts this month." The new processors come in G34/C32 packages (1974-pin land-grid array). There are two product lines: the 1P/2P capable (cheaper) Opteron 4000 series, and 2P to 4P capable Opteron 6000 series. There are a total of 18 SKUs AMD has planned some of these are listed as followed, with OEM prices in EUR:

Mushkin Enhanced, a global leader in high-performance computer products, announced today the release of an incredibly fast DDR3-2000 Channel Blackline Kit for Intel's LGA1156 platform.

Offering CL7 performance at DDR3-2000, the 996829 memory kit provides an elegant solution for the PC3-16000 specification while simultaneously boasting Mushkin Enhanced's unparalled quality level.

"Our newest DDR3-2000 kit is a real accomplishment for us. It offers the best of both worlds: top-tier performance with the reliability and stability our customers expect." - Brian Flood, director of product development.

Mushkin Enhanced released two new DDR3 memory kits based on its enthusiast-grade Redline memory modules, the triple-channel 998805, and dual-channel 996805. Both use the same Redline module with runs at PC3-12800 specs (DDR3 1600 MHz), with timings of 6-8-6-24, and module voltage of 1.65V. These Redline modules feature Muskin's Frostbyte Red heatspreaders. The Redline triple-channel 998805 is priced at 190 EUR, and dual-channel 996805 at 130 EUR. The kits come backed with a lifetime company warranty.

MSI has announced the 15.6" models CX620 and CR620. CX620 equipped with a discrete graphics card, for its Classic Series notebook computers. Clad with MSI exclusive Color Film Print coating, along with an independent Chiclet keyboard and a seamless touchpad, these laptops were modeled in pleasant simplicity and full quality. The feature of lower power consumption offered by the latest Intel Core processor achieves even greater efficiency.

Sam Chern, MSI Notebook Marketing Director, claimed that the latest models of MSI Classic Series come equipped with the New 2010 Intel Core processor. CX620 is embedded with the ATi Radeon HD5470 discrete graphics card including 1GB DDR3 display memory. Via MSI exclusive GPU Boost and ECO power saving technologies, users can switch among different display modes and various scenes as necessary, which enables high-quality video/audio, processing efficiency and long battery life at the same time."

Patriot today announced the launch of its new Sector 5 Series Extreme Performance DDR3 memory. Designed specifically for overclockers and enthusiasts using Intel based platforms, the Sector 5 boasts an amazing 2250MHz with timings of 9-9-9-27. Individually hand tested on the Intel P55 chipset platform; the Sector 5 modules offer incredible performance for users looking to reach new heights in overclocking and benchmarking. Engineered for the gaming enthusiast and intense overclocker, the Sector 5 is one of the fastest modules on the market and will be offered as a 4GB kit (2 x 2GB modules) under the part number PVV34G2250LLK.

"Our goal is to provide the hardcore enthusiast with a performance module that is actually going to perform at the specified timing with stability", says Les Henry, Patriot's VP of Engineering. "Consumers can feel confident that what we advertise for our speeds and timing is true to the specifications. Additionally, users can expect headroom to reach faster speeds. We have been able to hit speeds over 2400MHz with these modules in our lab."

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, today announced that the industry's first 30-nanometer-class DRAM has just successfully completed customer evaluations, in two gigabit (Gb) densities. With DDR3 SDRAM becoming the predominant main memory this quarter, Samsung's aggressive advancement in process technology will raise productivity and expedite dissemination of high performance, 1.5V and 1.35V DDR3 for servers, desktops and notebook PCs.

"Our accelerated development of next generation 30nm-class DRAM should keep us in the most competitive position in the memory market," said Soo-In Cho, president, Memory Division, Samsung Electronics.

Transcend Information Inc., a worldwide leader in storage and multimedia products, is proud to announce its launch of 8GB DDR3-1066 Registered DIMM (RDIMM) and 4GB DDR3-1333 VLP (Very Low Profile) RDIMM modules. Featuring enhanced capacity, support for triple-channel memory configurations, and an onboard thermal sensor, these new high-density RDIMMs provide customers with cutting-edge support for higher data frequencies and significantly increase memory space.

As Transcend's highest density DDR3 module, the 8GB DDR3-1066 RDIMM is constructed with a robust ten-layer PCB that offers stable performance and durability, and also includes a high thermal efficiency aluminum heat sink to help maintain cool temperatures under load. Offering memory bandwidth up to 8.5GB/s and the flexibility to expand maximum capacity to 48GB (per processor), the 8GB DDR3-1066 RDIMM module allows administrators to create a robust infrastructure that runs memory-intensive applications such as virtualization and cloud computing with ease.

AMD's upcoming six-core desktop processor, codenamed "Thuban" is on course for a May 2010, suggests a report. The series is likely to receive the brand name Phenom II X6. There are four models planned for release within Q2, 2010. The Thuban core is AMD's desktop implementation of the Istanbul core, in the socket AM3 package, supporting dual-channel DDR3 memory. It is a monolithic multi-core design with six x86-64 cores, each with 128 KB of L1, 512 KB of L2 cache, and a 6 MB L3 cache shared between the six cores. Just as with K10 dual, triple, and quad core processors where AMD used a HyperTransport interface clock speed of 1800 MHz (3600 MT/s), or 2000 MHz (4000 MT/s), the new processor will take advantage of HyperTransport 3.x interface, with a HT speed of 2400 MHz (4800 MT/s). Thuban will be built on GlobalFoundaries' 45 nm node.

The table below lists out details of the four planned models. The model number of the top part isn't known. Most likely it is a Black Edition part, which comes with an unlocked BClk multiplier. It operates at 2.80 GHz, with a TDP of 140W. A step below is the Phenom II X6 1075T, which has an expected TDP of 125W, the 1055T is a notch below, and 1035T being the cheapest part. The exact clock speeds of the latter three models isn't known as yet. A month ahead of releasing these chips, AMD will announce the AMD 8-series chipset platform, led by 890FX (high-end, best for CrossFireX), 890GX (performance integrated graphics with CrossFire support). The AMD SB800 series southbridge chips will feature native support for SATA 6 Gb/s. Its on-die SATA controller gives out six SATA ports complete with RAID support. Some existing AM3 motherboards based on 7-series chipsets may also support Phenom II X6 with a BIOS update.