Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. has announced the Intel validation of 2Gb (Gigabit) DDR3 DRAM using 40nm class process technology.

Hynix's newly validated products are 2Gb DDR3 SDRAM component, 4GB (Gigabyte) DDR3 SODIMM (Small Outline Dual In-line Memory Module) and 2GB DDR3 UDIMM (Un-buffered Dual In-line Memory Module) at the operating speed of 1333MHz with 1.5V power supply.

The products can offer the maximum data transfer speed of 1867MHz with 16-bit I/O and 3.7GB/s (Gigabytes per second) bandwidth. The productivity of Hynix's 40nm class 2Gb DDR3 is increased by more than 60% over 50nm class process technology.

Kingston is out with its newest 12 GB triple-channel DDR3 memory kit. Unlike the last time, when the company came out with a three-module kit consisting of 4 GB modules, with the KHX1600C9D3K6/12GX, the new 12 GB kit consists of six modules. What is also noteworthy, is that the new kit costs a fraction: Around 350 Euro versus over 1000 Euro.

The six 2 GB modules are cooled by the classic Kingston HyperX heatspreaders. They are rated to operate at 1600 MHz (PC3-12800) with DRAM timings of 9-9-9-27, with module voltage of 1.65V, along with Intel XMP support, making them just about ideal for socket LGA-1366 desktops and importantly, 2-socket workstations.

G.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, has today released the world's fastest DRAM modules rated at a groundbreaking DDR3 2200 CL7-10-10-28 1.65V 4GB (2GBx2), and specially tuned for Intel Lynnfield Core i7 870, 860 processors.

Furnished with the brand new design PI series heatspreader, these modules once again represent G.Skill's commitment to pushing the boundaries and providing overclocking enthusiasts and extreme gamers with the best DRAM modules for breaking overclocking world records. The kits will be sold with G.Skill's Turbulence memory fan to decrease the system temperatures and provide further overclocking headroom during tweaking.

Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and Winbond Electronics Corp. today announced that they have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for DRAM foundry services that will see Winbond manufacture DRAMs under contract to Elpida. The outsourcing agreement is the first step of a business partnership the two companies intend to pursue further.

The agreement pertains to the supply of GDDR3 and GDDR5 graphic DRAMs for Elpida. Prior to this agreement Winbond and Elpida have been working together to commercialize GDDR3 and GDDR5 DRAM products. Winbond is preparing to begin commercial production of these products by the end of 2009 while Elpida plans to begin purchasing the output in the first half of 2010.

Here is one of the first socket LGA-1156 motherboards in the mini-ITX form-factor, certainly the first one based on the Intel P55 chipset. Packed in its 6.7 x 6.7 inch PCB are a 6 phase digital PWM circuit powering the CPU (socket made by LOTES), two DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel memory, and a decent utilization of the feature-set of the P55 PCH, which is cooled by a tiny low-profile heatsink. The PCH gives out three internal SATA 3 Gbps ports, and one powered eSATA port.

The 8-channel HD Audio also takes care of optical and co-axial SPDIF connectivity. Gigabit Ethernet, and four USB 2.0 ports make for the rest of the rear-panel. Two headers make room for four more USB 2.0 ports. The lone expansion slot is a generous PCI-Express 2.0 x16, which will accommodate any PCI-Express addon card. You will especially need it, as the P55 platform relies on discrete graphics. With its ABS II, debug LED, and rear-panel clear CMOS button, the board also tries to be as overclocker-friendly as it can afford to be, with its limited resources. Its pricing is yet to be known, though the launch isn't very far off.

Acer America today introduced the Acer Aspire AS8940G-6865 notebook PC, featuring the new Intel Core i7 Quad-Core 720QM processor and Windows 7 Home Premium. This mobile processor delivers extremely fast performance for the most demanding applications such as playing games and editing digital photos and videos.

Designed for entertainment and multimedia enthusiasts, the Aspire AS8940G-6865 offers superior performance, innovative features and advanced technology for mobile users. This new notebook boasts a large 18.4-inch widescreen HD display for extraordinary visual quality, advanced NVIDIA graphics, Blu-ray technology, a high-quality audio system, a large hard drive and ample memory, making it a mobile powerhouse. The addition of Windows 7 to this new notebook provides users with a new level of performance, simplicity and ease of use.

Transcend Information Inc., a leading global manufacturer of memory modules, today announced shipping of a new DDR3 1333MHz memory module kit designed for Intel's latest LGA-1156 Core i5 and Core i7 platforms.

The DDR3 1333 MHz dual-channel memory kit is perfectly matched for use with Intel's next-generation desktop PC platform, Core i5. The new Core i5, which is based on Intel's new Nehalem architecture, is the first Intel processor to integrate both a 16-lane PCI Express 2.0 graphics port and a two-channel DDR3 memory controller, enabling all input/output and manageability functions to be handled by the single-chip Intel P55 core-logic.

DFI LANParty today introduces its new motherboard, the Blood Iron BI P43-T34, after the launch of the high-end P55 motherboard. BI P43-T34 makes LANParty Blood Iron series a more complete product line. For those who like LANParty products, it is the best value motherboard.

To provide consumers with better value platform, BI P43-T34 is equipped with exclusive LANParty ABS II, CPU auto upgrade technology. CPU performance can be automatically promoted!! As long as users choose ABS II started while boosting system at the first time, the system's performance can be upgraded immediately. Therefore, users do not have to spend a lot of time and effort to set up for better performance. That is, even with limited budget, consumers still can obtain higher performance easily and fast.

Memory manufacturer Kingmax announced the Hercules line of high-end DDR3 PC3-17600 memory modules for overclockers. Available in dual-channel kits for now, the Hercules can operate at 2200 MHz, with CAS latency of 10T, with DRAM voltage in the range of 1.5~1.7V. Optimized for Intel socket LGA-1156 processors, the modules support Intel Extreme Memory Profiles. Each kit includes two 2 GB modules. At 2200 MHz, each module provides a theoretical bandwidth of 17.6 GBps. There is no word on the availability or pricing.

RAM cooling is crucial for maintaining high clock rates as well as to avoid any damages caused by overheat. In order to offer an efficient tool to lower RAM temperature, the Swiss IT cooling solution provider ARCTIC COOLING today launched the new ARCTIC RC PRO, an advanced RAM cooler designed for DDR2 and DDR3 SDRAM modules.

Following the design concept of the award-winning ARCTIC RC, this Pro version also features long aluminium fins as well as highly conductive thermal pads. The fins are extended to 5cm which lead to a significant increase in heat transfer area and optimized natural convection.

Mushkin Enhanced is out with a pair of new DDR3 dual-channel and triple-channel memory kits utilizing the the company's new Blackline PC3-12800 high-density 4 GB module. These kits operate at 1333 MHz, with timings of 7-7-7-20, with DRAM voltage of 1.65V. In dual and triple channel kits, they offer 8 and 12 GB of memory, respectively. Below are the details of the kits as listed by the company:

• 996776 - Mushkin Enhanced Blackline PC3-12800 8192 MB Dual Channel Kit CL 7-7-7-20 1.65V
• 998776 - Mushkin Enhanced Blackline PC3-12800 12288 MB Triple Channel Kit CL 7-7-7-20 1.65V

In the run up for Intel's Core i5 and Core i7 "Lynnfield" socket LGA-1156 processors, it was known that Intel will be trailing the launch with a few energy-efficient variants, that come with lower rated TDPs. Two of these, namely Core i5 750S, and Core i7 860S have made it to Coolaler's lab for a quick check up. Unlike other energy-efficient variants from Intel, in the past, such as Core 2 Quad Q9550S, these parts feature lower clock-speeds compared to their standard counterparts.

The Core i5 750S comes with a clock speed of 2.40 GHz (19.0 x 133 MHz) with a Turbo Boost speed of 3.20 GHz, and the Core i7 860S runs at 2.53 GHz, with 3.46 GHz of Turbo Boost speed. Both processors as a result, have lower TDPs of 82W, compared to 95W on the Core i5 and Core i7 "Lynnfield" processors currently in the market. They are slated for Q1 2010. Coolaler used the Turbo Boost mode to overclock these chips. The Core i7 860S with its Turbo Boost multiplier of 26.0, reached 4.536 GHz (26 x 174.47 MHz, vCore at 1.32V), while the Core i5 750S reached 3.441 GHz (24 x 143.4 MHz, vCore at 1.32V). Both were seated on an ASUS P7P55D Deluxe motherboard, with one 2 GB DDR3 memory module.

AMD expanded its value processor lineup under the Athlon II banner, with as many as eight new models. The list includes energy-efficient quad-core models, inexpensive triple-core ones, and budget dual-core offerings. All models are based on socket AM3, and are compatible with AM2(+) sockets. The dual-channel memory controllers on these chips support both DDR2 and DDR3 memory standards. This expansion clearly demarcates the target market of the Athlon II series: sub $150.

The quad-core Athlon II X4 parts are based on the Propus die, which has 512 KB of dedicated L2 cache per core, and a HyperTransport 4.0 GT/s system interface. The new Athlon II X3 triple-core models are most likely produced by disabling one of the four cores on the Propus die. The energy efficient Athlon II parts come with the "e" suffix for the model number, and offer lower rated TDP. Following are the details of these new parts:

• Athlon II X2 235e: 2.70 GHz, 2 MB (2 x 1 MB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $69
• Athlon II X2 240e: 2.80 GHz, 2 MB (2 x 1 MB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $77
• Athlon II X3 400e: 2.20 GHz, 1.5 MB (3 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $97
• Athlon II X3 405e: 2.30 GHz, 1.5 MB (3 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $102
• Athlon II X3 425: 2.70 GHz, 1.5 MB (3 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 95W TDP, US $76
• Athlon II X3 435: 2.90 GHz, 1.5 MB (3 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 95W TDP, US $87
• Athlon II X4 600e: 2.20 GHz, 2 MB (4 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $133
• Athlon II X4 605e: 2.30 GHz, 2 MB (4 x 512 KB) L2 cache, 45W TDP, US $143

Intel silently made its newest addition to the Core i7 desktop processor family official: the Core i7 960. This socket LGA-1366 processor is designed to work on motherboards with the Intel X58 Express chipset. After Intel's gradual replacement of the Core i7 965 Extreme Edition with the Core i7 975 Extreme Edition, there remained a scope for a non-XE Core i7 model with the same clock-speed as the i7 965 XE, albeit with an upwards locked bus frequency multiplier.

The Core i7 960 comes clocked at 3.20 GHz (24.0 x 133 MHz), with a maximum Turbo Boost speed of 3.43 GHz. It has four processing cores, and with the HyperThreading Technology, provides the operating system with eight logical CPUs. It comes with a QuickPath Interconnect speed of 4.8 GT/s, and supports up to 24 GB of memory with its triple-channel (192-bit wide) DDR3 memory interface. Each processing core has a dedicated L2 cache of 256 KB, while an 8 MB L3 cache is shared between all four cores. It is built on the 45 nm HKMG process, with a TDP of 130W.

The Core i7 960 is touted to displace the Core i7 950 from its existing price-point of around US $562 (in 1000 unit tray quantities). As evidence of that, popular American retailer Newegg.com has listed the OEM part (chip-only) at $589.99, a mere $10 higher than the retail box of the Core i7 950 listed on the same store.

The new Gateway EC Series notebook PCs debut today in two of the most popular sizes for today's busy computer users - 15.6-inch mainstream size for productivity maximizers and the 11.6-inch ultraportable size for road warriors - both delivering up to eight hours of battery life. The new Gateway EC Series models will both be available this week in retail stores nationwide with the launch of Windows 7.

The new Gateway EC58, EC54 and EC14 notebook PC lines deliver all-day productivity, reliable wireless connectivity and 6-8 hours(1) of battery life, so customers can get more done while away from their home or office. Plus, the Gateway EC models let customers go longer without having to recharge, reducing energy consumption and making them very environmentally friendly.

Gigabyte is readying a new socket LGA-1156 motherboard, the GA-P55A-UD4. Bearing resemblance with the GA-P55-UD4, the motherboard features upgraded connectivity, with support for USB 3.0, and SATA 6 Gb/s. The new model also features an upgraded CPU VRM, with a 12+2 phase design compared to the 8+2 phase design on the GA-P55-UD4. USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s features are provided using additional controllers on board. A Marvell-made SATA 6 Gb/s two-port controller replaces the familiar Gigabyte GSATA2 controller, while an NEC-made controller provides two USB 3.0 ports on the rear-panel. The USB 3.0 ports are color-coded blue, and share the port cluster with the lone gigabit Ethernet connector, while the SATA 6 Gb/s connectors are color-coded white, next to the usual six SATA 3 Gb/s ones the P55 PCH provides.

The rest of the feature-set remains largely same, with four DDR3 DIMM slots to support up to 16 GB of memory, two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots (electrically x8 when both are populated) supporting ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI, Dolby Home Theater supportive onboard audio, among other standard issues. The Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD4 will not replace GA-P55-UD4 from the market, it will coexist, albeit priced higher. It remains to be seen if this is the only "P55A" motherboard Gigabyte sells.

Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced a line of 4GB dual channel DDR3 kits for Intel P55 based Core i5 and Core i7 systems in speeds ranging from DDR3-1600 to DDR3-2200.

These nine new kits were designed to deliver excellent performance in the new breed of P55 based motherboards, supporting clock speeds up to 2200MHz in the fastest Core i7 systems. Each kit is hand tested in Super Talent's factory at tuned latencies that further enhance performance.

G.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, has today released its ECO low voltage, 1.35V dual channel DDR3 memory for Intel Lynnfield Core i5 and Core i7 platforms.

Compared to the current DDR3 standard voltage of 1.65V, G.Skill's ECO memory modules require 18% less VDIMM. This can have a great contribution to power efficiency, environmental friendliness and ultimately saves G.Skill customers money. In addition, the lower voltages decreases a system's operating temperature, resulting in improved stability. G.Skill's own internal lab tests have revealed, 1.35V memory modules produce 16% lower temperatures than standard 1.65V memory.

Acer, the third largest vendor in the worldwide PC market, today announced the Acer Aspire Z5610-U9072, a truly elegant, no-compromise all-in-one desktop PC featuring intuitive multi-touch technology and Windows 7 Home Premium. A powerful entertainment hub for the home, the Z5610 packs first-class performance and feature-rich functionality in a striking design. It will be available this holiday season at online retailers for an attractive price of $899.99.

Engineered to eliminate clutter and maximize workspace, this practical all-in-one streamlines the home or office with a flash of style and offers a unique blend of features and architecture. Boasting a stunning 23-inch HD display, ATI Mobility Radeon graphics and Intel Pentium Dual Core processing, the Aspire Z5610 offers world-class digital prowess.

Overclocker/Gamer and all enthusiasts will be happy about these 2x2GB DDR3 high end memory kits with high clock rate for the P55 platform. EXCELERAM stands out due to its unrivalled price for high end memory - also for these new high end kits.

EXCELERAM offers 10 years warranty for his memory throughout Europe. Fast and direct RMA processing for endcustomers is warranted through Ironstone Distribution GmbH. Handling time normally is 5 working days. All memory is 100% hand-tested on mainboards - thereby the DOA rate (Dead On Arrival) would be almost 0%.

Georgios Kopanidis - COO of EXCELERAM says: "A couple of months we weren't in the limelight. In this time we set the course to strengthen our team of memory specialists in Germany. In the next months we will announce many new great products with our well known quality. Know-how and man-power is abound. We also will put more effort into the Overclocking segment."

EVGA is proud to announce the latest cards in the GeForce product lineup: the EVGA Geforce 210 and GT 220. Good graphics processing is a required ingredient in the modern PC. With DirectX 10.1 support, NVIDIA PhysX technology, HDMI 1.3a output and NVIDIA CUDA technology the 210 and 220 products are essential additions to your PC. Whether you are doing video or photo editing, gaming, HD video playback, or just looking for a Premium Windows 7 experience, the EVGA GeForce 210 and GT 220 brings incredible processing power, at an incredible price.

Modern games and 3D applications demand more graphics performance than ever before and integrated graphics simply aren't good enough. The NVIDIA efficient designs can deliver up to 30x the performance of integrated solutions! If you want to play popular games like World of Warcraft, Spore, Sims3, Left 4 Dead or Fallout3, the Geforce 210 or GT 220 is an essential addition to your PC.

POINT OF VIEW, premier NVIDIA partner for GeForce Graphics cards, is launching today the GeForce G210 and GT220.

These respectively entry level-to-midrange graphics cards from the innovating GeForce 200 series are carved from the same wood as their big brothers and sisters. Critically acclaimed technologies such as PhysX, CUDA and PureVideoHD are standard supported for the best image quality possible. Some small changes were made in the GPU functionality to add support for Microsofts' DirectX 10.1 and OpenGL 3.0, for future-proof support of all upcoming games and software. Also as an update, the PCB added integrated HDMI audio so no additional SPDIF cable is needed for rerouting the sound to the HDMI cable.

Both the models G210 and GT220 are equipped with the three-way graphics output Dual Link DVI, VGA and HDMI. This makes these small and energy efficient graphics cards perfectly suitable for Office PC, Gaming PC and off course media center PC use.

Hynix Semiconductor, Inc. has announced the second generation 1Gb (Gigabits) DDR3 using 54nm process technology. Hynix's new 1Gb DDR3, offered in x4 (H5TQ1G43TFR) and x8 (H5TQ1G83TFR) organizations, has innovative design modifications that significantly reduce power consumption of the device.

The new product operates at 1.5V (volts) power supply as the existing 1Gb DDR3 product and further reduces power consumption by 30% over the existing one. This second generation product is the highest performing memory in the industry among 1Gb density category which is the mainstream of the products. According to the iSuppli, a market research firm, the portion of the world wide 1Gb DDR3 is currently estimated to be 87%. The iSuppli estimates that higher densities will become the mainstream when it is expected to account for more than 50% in 2011.

There was a time when for the Intel platform, you could choose between motherboards based on chipsets from four or more vendors. With the weakening and discontinuation of chipset development for the Intel platform from the likes of VIA, and SiS, and NVIDIA facing a technical and legal blockade with further development of Intel chipsets with the latest Intel processors having integrated memory controllers and the Quickpath Interconnect system interface, consumer choice is reduced to platform core logic coming only from Intel, while motherboard vendors are able to use additives such as the NVIDIA nForce 200 PCI-Express bridge chip, or even the latest LucidLogix Hydra controller, among additional SATA, SAS and Ethernet controllers, to enhance the motherboards' feature-set beyond what the chipset can provide.

Following NVIDIA making the right noises about the future of its chipset division and development of chipsets that drive Socket LGA-1156 processors, it is becoming increasingly clear that its development has hit a possible legal or technical hurdle. Until those issues are ironed out completely, NVIDIA will not invest in further development of that chipset. In a statement, NVIDIA expressed its official position of its chipset division, and where things stand specific to the products it makes. Speaking of which, NVIDIA's chipset division currently sells chipsets for Intel's FSB-driven processors, AMD's latest processors, and the ION platform, which forms the foundation of a more capable ULPC platform based on the Intel Atom processor.

Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), today announced that it had finished development of the smallest high-speed low-power 40nm 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAM in the DRAM industry.

The new 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAM uses a smaller chip size to achieve a 44% higher chip yield per wafer compared with Elpida's 50nm DDR3 SDRAM and a 100% yield for DDR3 products that operate at 1.6Gbps, the highest speed standard for current DDR3. Compared with 50nm products, it uses about two-thirds less current and supports 1.2V/1.35V operation as well as DDR3 standard 1.5V, thus reducing power consumption by as much as 45%.