GIGABYTE introduced a new line of compact desktops designed for serious gaming, the BRIX Gaming GT series. Measuring 276 mm x 384 mm x 128 mm (DxHxW), this desktop has the chops for gaming at 1440p or even 4K Ultra HD, although GIGABYTE is marketing this as the ideal desktop for VR gaming in the living room. Its case features a chimney-type common air channel that pushes hot air from top-vents. A 400W custom-design PSU powers the machine.

Under the hood is an Intel Core i7-6700K quad-core processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics, 32 GB of dual-channel DDR4-2133 SO-DIMM memory, a 240 GB M.2 SSD, an additional 1 TB 2.5-inch HDD, and a vacant 2.5-inch drive bay. Audio is care of a Realtek ALC1150 HDA codec, backed by TI Burr Brown OPA2134 AMP circuit over the headphones jack. Networking includes an Intel 3165NGW dual-band 802.11ac WLAN with dual Bluetooth 4.0 interfaces, and Killer E2400 gigabit Ethernet. Other connectivity includes two USB 3.1 ports (of which one is type-C), four USB 3.0 ports (of which one is type-C, total two type-C ports), and 6-channel audio. Windows 10 comes pre-installed. GIGABYTE didn't reveal pricing.

ZADAK Lab is thrilled to achieve the honor of being the only brand with the distinction of having overcame the challenges of developing RGB LED illuminated SSDs and memory modules. LED lighting memory module with single color? An external LED SSD with low capacity? It was really different before the ZADAK511 SHILED RGB Series. The ZADAK team is comfortably over those limits. SHIELD RGB DDR4 and SHILED RGB Dual Interface SSD are pretty groundbreaking products. They really set the standard for the design and functionality of memory modules and SSD for next one to two years. It is a revolution.

The patented SHIELD RGB Dual Interface SSD is one of the most beautiful designs you have ever seen. Distinguished from other SSD, ZADAK team employs various metal materials and exquisite workmanship to create multi-level design on the upper cover, making the look of SHIELD SSD from 2D to 3D. Not merely the sense of vision but the tactile amazes those PC enthusiasts which makes this SSD a legend. Besides the high speed SATAIII and USB3.1 TYPE-C Gen2, the high performance SHIELD SSD adopts MLC NAND Flash with a rigorous testing process so that the important documents can be stored safely. The sequential read and write speed on both connectors are 550MB/s and 480MB/s.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the Trident Z RGB Series - the world's most revolutionary RGB lighting DDR4 memory kit. Requiring no additional power connections, this incredible feat of engineering bares pure RGB lighting across an uncovered full-length light bar on the award-winning Trident Z series heatspreader design.

By default, the Trident Z RGB will display a rainbow of colors in a wave-style lighting effect, illuminating any system with a myriad of hues. Further lighting effects and color customizations can be controlled and chosen through software, scheduled for a February 2017 release.

ZADAK Lab announces its state-of-the-art RGB gaming memory modules, SHIELD RGB DDR4. The patented SHIELD fully supports the latest high-end motherboards, Intel 100 and 200 series. It starts at a clock speed of 2400MHz, going up beyond 3000MHz. SHIELD RGB DDR4 comes with single channel packaging as well as kit of dual-channel one, and along with the highest capacity of 64GB.

It is overwhelming to know that with the software ZArsenal, you can regulate the preferable colors and manage the LED flashing patterns, including color cycle, rainbow, dash, etc. Full compatibility with the most recent Intel platforms, it works superbly with all types of 100 and 200 series gaming motherboards.

Crucial, a leading global brand of memory and storage upgrades, today announced the availability of its latest DDR4 server DIMMs. With speeds of 2666 MT/s, new Crucial DDR4 server memory modules allow for increased performance and bandwidth within data centres and hyperscale environments. They are also available in a variety of server module types and densities ranging from 8GB to 64GB.

New Crucial 2666 MT/s 8Gb-based server memory modules are approximately 11 percent faster than the previously released 2400 MT/s DIMMs. Additionally, the newly expanded portfolio of Crucial server memory will support cloud and enterprise environments that are migrating to next-generation Intel server platforms.

Remember Geil'sEVO X? If you wanted some lighting phenomena going on inside your case with those DDR4 RAM modules, you'd also have to make do with unsightly cables, adding to the clutter of your chosen component holder. ZADAK511 has done away with those additional power cables, and now allows you to "pimp" your rig without them.

These two products were designed by the ZADAK Lab team, and ZADAK has developed a piece of software they named "ZArsenal" which allows the user to regulate the colors and lighting effects of both the memory modules and SSD, with a claimed nil performance impact on either. Details on the SSD refer only to its dual interfaces (SATAIII and USB 3.1, TYPE-C Gen2, updated from their Shield [sans RGB] series), while the memory kit's details are a little more scarce - we expect them to be on par with the companies' previously announced Shield line (sans RGB), which would mean at least DDR4-3000 speeds at timings of 16-18-18-38 (with 4 GB density modules) or the companies' top-of-the-line DDR4-4266 kit. No details on pricing for either of the products were given.

On their Facebook page, MSI have given a little tease regarding their upcoming next generation Intel Z270 boards. Details are scarce at the moment, but these motherboards are to be marketed under MSI's PRO series, with the Z270 SLI Plus featuring a clean, high-contrast black and white color scheme, while the Z270 SLI opts for an almost totally black design.

The Z270 SLI Plus is the higher-end product of the two. It sports a 10-Phase PWM circuitry, cooled with the aid of two heatsinks in the ATX form-factor. As usual, it has four DIMM slots which leverage MSI's DDR4 Boost feature, and support for XMP profiles. All of these four DIMM slots are protected by metal shielding, and expansion slots include three PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16/x8/x8 electrical), three PCIe 3.0 x1 and two Turbo M.2 NVMe slots. Storage options include 6 SATA III ports and a dual USB 3.0 front panel header. It also features MSI's latest Audio Boost panel for premium audio quality, with what they call a "Mystic Light" RGB solution, and the I/O panel is covered by a black and white shroud.

AMD's December 13th "New Horizon" event is supposedly (and expectedly) a pivotal moment for the company - a celebration of sorts for the impending launch of their ZEN-based microprocessors. The event, which will be presented mainly by Gametrailers TV-based journalist Geoff Keighley, is now turning up to be a Summit Ridge celebration of sorts as well.

According to recent reports, a small number of motherboard manufacturers should also be in attendance at the event, showing-off their AM4-compatible motherboards based on the top-of-the-line X370 chipset. The X370 is the most advanced version of the Zen-compatible chipsets and is expected to provide extensive overclocking features and up to two third-generation PCIe x16 lanes for multi-GPU systems. Below the X370, the B350 and A320 take over the role of the mid-range and entry-level chipsets respectively. The new chipsets are expected to bring native M.2 NVMe & SATA Express connectivity, PCIe gen 3, DDR4 memory compatibility and USB 3.1 Gen2 to the company's high-end desktop platform for the very first time.

After announcing earlier this week the impending release of their VR Go backpack, ZOTAC has now made pricing details available: $1999 will net you the ability to strap a PC to your body so you can freely engage with enemies or friends alike in VR environments.

The ZOTAC VR GO can work autonomously for up to two hours, feeding on two Li-ion batteries rated at 95Wh (6600mAh). The batteries can be hot-swapped and charged separately, featuring a DC12V-out for powering the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. When not in use as a backpack to play virtual reality games, the VR GO can be used like a normal desktop computer: its form-factor allows it to be placed on a desk either vertically or horizontally and all the ports will remain accessible. It isn't very heavy, either, though at 4.95 kilograms, your mileage may vary.

Finally putting the lid on all of ASUS' leaked and detailed motherboards, comes, the PRIME Z270-A, which doesn't belong to a special, bang-and-whistle-filled product line, and is just concerned with getting the job done. It clads itself in a simple and appealing white and gray color-scheme, and is expected to keep most of the important features in ASUS' more expensive product lines.

The PRIME Z270-A comes with ASUS' 8+2+2 Phase Digital power design, fed by an 8-pin connector, that features 10K black metallic capacitors, MicroFine Alloy Chokes, NexFET PW (Power) block MOSFET and DIGI+ Power Control Utility for real-time adjustment, courtesy of the new ASUS Extreme Engine Digi+ technology that improves CPU stability and overclocking. It features four DDR4 DIMM slots that can support up to 64 GB of memory with speeds of up to 3866 MHZ (O.C+), and expansion slots on the motherboard include three PCIe 3.0 x16 (x16/x8/x4 electrical), four PCIe 3.0 x1 and dual M.2 slots that deliver up to 32 GB/s transfer speeds, with the PCIe slots being armored for higher resistance.

Moving on from the Strix series, ASUS' TUF Z270 Mark 1 has also been detailed. Designed around so-called military standards purported to ensure longer stability and extreme durability, the new TUF Z270 motherboards incorporates features such as Tough Inside, Thermal Armor, TUF Networking, TUF Audio, Ultimate Cooling, 24/7 Durability and high speed transfer. This motherboard is one of ASUS' most premium and feature-packed products, so you should expect to pay a pretty, pretty penny for it, if history - and pricing history in particular - is anything to go by (and it usually is).

The LGA 1151 socket supports the latest 6th and 7th generation Intel Core processors, with the MARK 1 sporting an aggressive heatsink design that features ASUS' AURA RGB technology and a full cover TUF Thermal Armor and Fortifier shield. The chassis of the board houses a 40mm fan that offers significant cooling performance to the VRMs.

Continuing the trend of revealing ASUS' ROG lineup of motherboards based on the Z270 chipset, and zipping down the product line, comes the ROG STRIX Z270F Gaming, which also sports the standard ATX form factor. The motherboard features an all around solid design with an impressive metallic black / silver color scheme. The LGA 1151 socket supports the latest 6th and 7th generation Intel Core processors. ASUS went with an aggressive heatsink design that features their AURA RGB technology for a full LED illuminated color showcase. In terms of features, the ROG STRIX Z270F Gaming continues the trend of intelligent cost-cutting so as to achieve a product with an (expectedly) lower price-point. Compared to the ROG STRIX Z270E, this mobo cuts on the 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11ac WI-FI on the back I/O, and the USB front header is downgraded to a 2.0 solution.

The ASUS ROG Strix Z270F comes with a 8+2+1 Phase Digital power design that features 10K black metallic capacitors, MicroFine Alloy Chokes, NexFET PW (Power) block MOSFET and DIGI+ Power Control Utility for real-time adjustment. All of these components are part of the new ASUS Extreme Engine Digi+ technology that improves CPU stability and overclocking. Power is fed through a single 8-Pin connector.

With the ever-closer release of Intel's Kaby Lake family of CPUs, details and leaks are becoming more and more difficult to stem. Continuing the trend, we are now detailing the ROG STRIX Z270E Gaming is yet another ATX form factor motherboard by Asus, featuring an impressive metallic black / silver color scheme on the LGA 1151 socket. ASUS went with an aggressive heatsink design that features their AURA RGB technology for a full LED illuminated color showcase. The STRIX line inherits much of the other features of the Maximus line of motherboards, though they universally do away with the black and red color scheme.

The ROG STRIX Z270G Gaming is the first leaked motherboard that fills customers' needs in the microATX form factor (making it one of the more interesting ones), featuring an impressive metallic black / silver color scheme on the LGA 1151 socket, which I personally find beautiful. ASUS went with an aggressive heatsink design that features their AURA RGB technology for a full LED illuminated color showcase. The STRIX line inherits much of the other features of the Maximus line of motherboards, though they universally do away with the black and red color scheme.

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between thie Maximus IX Hero and the Code stands in that the Hero is absent from the Code's PCB front shielding, the 2×2 MU-MIMO 802.11 AC WI-FI capabilities, as well as the and USB 2.0 (2+4) front panel connectors, putting it in an even lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing (though, being part of the ROG line, that doesn't mean it will be cheap).

ASUS' ROG Maximus IX Code, the company's step-down product from the already detailed Maximus IX Formula, has also been leaked. Like the Formula, it's in the ATX form factor with the red and black colors of the ROG line; the difference between the ROG Maximus IX Code and the IX Formula stands in that the Code is absent from the Formula's integrated water-cooling solution, which puts it in a somewhat lower tier in product placement, and, we expect, pricing.

Synology today launched FlashStation FS3017, the company's pioneer product within an entirely new all-flash series. Capable of handling over 200,000 IOPS in 4k random writing with RDMA technology enabled, the FS3017 is perfect for big data analysis, video post-production, virtualization, and handling any demanding database application that requires high IOPS and low latency at the same time.

FS3017 features dual Intel Xeon 6-core processors, 64GB DDR4 ECC RDIMM (expandable up to 512GB), dual built-in 10GBase-T ports, and supports optional 10GbE / 25GbE / 40GbE NICs, guaranteeing stable performance in multitasking and data throughput. FS3017 is also compatible with various SATA/SAS SSD brands, offering users more flexibility with their budgets.

ASRock updated its Beebox-S line of mini-PC desktops with 7th generation Core "Kaby Lake" processors. These 110 mm x 46 mm x 118.5 mm (WxHxL) desktops come with two new processor options, Core i5-7200U, and Core i3-7100U. Both are dual-core chips, with the i5-7200U offering 2.50-3.10 GHz clock speeds (core/Turbo Boost), 3 MB L3 cache, and Intel HD 620 graphics; while the i3-7100U offers 2.40 GHz clocks (no Turbo Boost), 3 MB L3 cache, and HD 620 graphics.

Other internal features of the Beebox-S include two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 32 GB of dual-channel DDR4-2133 memory; one 32 Gb/s M.2-2280 slot with NVMe boot support, and one 9 mm-thick 2.5-inch drive bay with SATA 6 Gb/s interface. Network connectivity includes 802.11ac WLAN, Bluetooth 4.0, Infrared, and gigabit Ethernet. Display outputs include one each of HDMI 2.0 (supports 4K @ 60 Hz), HDMI 1.4, and DisplayPort 1.2a. Other features include two USB 3.0 ports, two USB 3.1 ports (of which one is type-C), and an infrared media remote. ASRock didn't reveal pricing.

TYAN, an industry-leading server platform design manufacturer and subsidiary of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation, is showcasing a wide range of HPC server platforms optimized for enterprise, storage and data center applications at SC16 this week in Salt Lake City's Salt Palace Convention Center.

TYAN's comprehensive HPC platforms span a wide range of hardware specifications. The Intel Xeon E7-based, 4U quad-socket FT76-B7922 offers a memory capacity of 6TB and supports up to 4x Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors for the most demanding HPC users; the Intel Xeon E5-based, 4U dual-socket FT77C-B7079 supports up to 8x Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors for highly parallelized application deployment, the 2U dual-socket TA80-B7071 supports up to 4x Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors for large-scale production deployment in various high performance computing segments; and the 1U dual-socket GA80-B7081 supports up to 3x Intel Xeon Phi coprocessors for ISVs, universities, and small businesses looking for parallelized application development or proof of concept solution deployment.

Innodisk, the service driven flash and DRAM provider, introduces the new DDR4 2666 memory modules designed for server applications on the upcoming Purley platform that Intel intends to release in 2017. The DDR4 2666 RDIMM is equipped with a Samsung chip which is designed with a new system circuit architecture to deliver even higher performance with lower power consumption.

"For years, Innodisk has been dedicated to developing and manufacturing industrial grade memory modules, and we have never stopped introducing industry leading products," said Samson Chang, Vice President of Embedded DRAM Business Unit of Innodisk. "We are proud to introduce the industry's first DDR4 RDIMM with an initial speed 2666 MT/s. It will optimize the Purley platform and maximize its performance. Innodisk will continue to develop more advanced product specifications in the future, allowing us to have the most complete product line amongst our competitors. Our goal is to support our customers various needs and lead the industrial systems upgrade."

ASUS has now begun selling their high-end ROG GT51 desktop. The system comes equipped with a factory-overclocked Intel Core i7 -6700K (@ 4.6 GHz) processor, The system comes equipped with two ASUS GeForce GTX 1080 graphics cards running in SLI mode, 64 GB of DDR4-2800 memory (4×16 GB), two Samsung SM951 512 GB M.2 SSDs operating in RAID 0 mode and with a 1 TB HDD (7200 RPM). The system is configurable, with the end user being able to opt for faster memory, up to five 3.5"/2.5" HDDs or SSDs, different M.2 drives and so on. The fully configured ROG GT51 system costs $4999 and marks ASUS' entry on the market of high-performance desktop PCs.

Intel's next high-end desktop (HEDT) platform to succeed the current "Broadwell-E" LGA2011v3 will be the X-series "Basin Falls" platform. This consists of the "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" processors, and a chipset derived from Intel's upcoming 200-series. Just as Intel changed sockets for its previous three HEDT platforms (LGA1366 for "Nehalem" and "Westmere/Gulftown," LGA2011 for "Sandy Bridge-E" and "Ivy Bridge-E," and LGA2011v3 for "Haswell-E" and "Broadwell-E,") the company will launch a new socket, the LGA2066.

As with its HEDT predecessors, "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" will be multi-core processors devoid of integrated graphics, with double the memory bus width and up to triple the PCIe lane budgets as the desktop ("Skylake-D," eg: Core i7-6700) processors. In an interesting move, Intel will launch both "Skylake-X" and "Kaby Lake-X" in quick succession, with a catch - "Skylake-X" will come in 6-core, 8-core, and 10-core variants; while the "Kaby Lake-X" will initially only be offered in quad-core. The "Kaby Lake-X" chip will further only feature a dual-channel memory bus, and the LGA2066 motherboard will have half its DDR4 DIMM slots disabled, besides a few PCIe lanes.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce DDR4 64 GB (4x 16 GB) memory kit at extreme speed of 3600 MHz CL17-19-19-39 1.35V. Featuring high performance Samsung 8 Gb ICs, this new memory kit is the fastest DDR4 64 GB(4x 16 GB) kit and will join G.SKILL's flagship Trident Z family.

With heavy content creation workloads and the complexity of modern PC games, the need for higher capacity memory kits is growing dramatically in the enthusiast PC community. The 3600 MHz 64 GB (4x 16 GB) kit provides an ultimate combination of capacity and speed, which makes it an ideal choice for building an extreme performance PC. The following screenshot shows rigorous test of the new memory kit, validated with the Intel Core i5-6600K processor and the ASUS Z170-DELUXE motherboard.

ZOTAC International, a global manufacturer of innovation, is pleased to introduce MAGNUS ERX480 as the world's first AMD powered Mini PC equipped with Polaris Architecture. The award-winning ZBOX MAGNUS Gaming Mini PC series, renowned for whisper quiet performance, brings a refreshing level of power and speed for every gamer. "We are always aiming to provide powerful solutions available to a wide audience and the MAGNUS ERX480 could be it" said Jacky Huang, Director of Mini PC.

MAGNUS is designed for gaming and entertainment. Hosting power that surpasses the requirements for experiencing virtual reality, MAGNUS is an ideal solution for both high-end gaming, premium entertainment, and much more. "The Radeon RX 480 with Polaris Architecture changes the gaming hardware dynamic with an effective cost-performance combination. We're excited to partner with ZOTAC, a well-established gaming mini PC manufacturer, to bring together the world first and most powerful AMD based gaming mini PC equipped with a Radeon RX 480" said Spencer Pan, AMD Corporate VP and President of Greater China.

Remember GeIl? I certainly do - mainly on account of a fleeting passion for the company's line of Black Dragon DDR3 memory. That same company has now announced availability of their EVO X DDR4 memory kits. That they took some time in the oven is an understatement, considering these kits were first announced back in May. The company now believes they are ready for prime time.

As expected, and as the name suggests, GeIl's EVO X features customizable RGB lighting on account of the company's Hybrid-Independent-Light-Module Technology, which means that LEDs, microprocessor, circuits, switch and dual-power-source are all fitted in one modular solution, which separates the entire lighting circuitry from the memory module, thus ensuring its stability.