The leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, proudly announces its comprehensive new range of motherboards featuring Intel Z690 chipset, a brand new LGA1700 socket platform to pair with latest 12th Generation Intel CoreTM Processors, opening endless possibility with PCI Express 5.0 and DDR5 high speed memory.

Z690 Taichi
Designed for premium user who is looking for uncompromised performance, ASRock Z690 Taichi is definitely the way to go, this motherboard has been given 20 phase Dr.MOS design featuring the latest SPS (Smart Power Stage) technology for a smoother and neater power to the CPU with enhanced performance and OC capability. To pair with the latest and greatest performance from the 12th Generation Intel CoreTM Processors, the Z690 Taichi is also capable of supporting the newest DDR5 DRAM module, the reinforced DIMM slot is surfaced mounted onto the motherboard to give better physical strength as well as a more stable memory signal, with this superior revolutionary design, it is able to dramatically overclock DRAM module up to insane frequency.

ASUS' upcoming Z690 motherboards have been revealed and the company has put its product pages as well as posted additional details of most of its upcoming boards, which gives us a good look at where they're heading with the Z690-series. As mentioned before, ASUS has something like 30 different SKUs, so expect to spend some time to go over all the different models.

We're not going to spend too much time on the details right now and we suggest you head over to the source links and read up on the nitty gritty bits there. A few things to point out though is that ASUS appears to have worked on its own memory overclocking standard called AEMP, which is said to handle memory that lacks XMP profiles, which implies that Intel might not have had time to work with memory manufacturers to get XMP ready for DDR5. ASUS' ROG Maximus and ProArt motherboards feature dual PCIe 5.0 slots, whereas all other models only feature one, albeit obviously a single x16 or dual x8 slots. Some boards will feature Thunderbolt 4 and ASUS has even put a front connector on some of those, although we're not sure how that will work in terms of case compatibility.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, and ORIGIN PC, a provider of custom PCs for gamers, enthusiasts, and professionals, today announced updated configurations of their award-winning desktop PCs equipped with powerful new 12th Gen Intel Core processors. The CORSAIR VENGEANCE i7300 Series, alongside ORIGIN NEURON, MILLENNIUM, GENESIS, M-Class, and L-Class desktops, are all available with up to an Intel Core i9-12900K processor, supported by an array of award-winning CORSAIR components including newly-released CORSAIR DDR5 memory.

The latest generation of processors from Intel delivers incredible speed and intelligence, enabling impressive gaming, productivity, and content creation. With new performance hybrid architecture that distributes processing power to where you need it most, and compatibility with the new DDR5 memory platform, the CPUs powering every updated CORSAIR and ORIGIN PC system offer unprecedented speed and performance.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today kicked off the DDR5 era with the launch of DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 and VENGEANCE DDR5. Leveraging more than 25 years of experience crafting premium, high-performance memory, these new modules open the way to far higher frequencies, greater capacities, and faster performance. Launching initially at speeds of up to 5,200 MHz and capacities of up to 32 GB per module, DDR5 pushes the performance limit further than ever before alongside next-generation platforms, starting with 12th Generation Intel Core Processors and Z690 motherboards. With your choice between the iconic styling and stunning lighting of DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 or the compact, minimalist profile of VENGEANCE DDR5 in kits of 32 GB - 64 GB, CORSAIR has the options to equip your new cutting-edge PC with the unprecedented performance of DDR5.

As the performance and capabilities of modern CPUs continue to increase, your system needs upgraded memory to keep up and make the most of its potential. DDR5 ensures that today's high-end CPUs receive data as quickly as possible, and take system performance to the next level. While previous generations of DRAM were limited to less precise motherboard-based control for voltage regulation, DDR5 modules are the first equipped with onboard voltage regulation now conveniently controlled through CORSAIR iCUE software, resulting in more finely tuned and stable overclocking. iCUE also enables you to customize and save your own Intel XMP 3.0 profiles with ease, to tailor performance by app or task.

Newegg has been on a roll this week when it comes to leaking pricing of upcoming motherboards and this time they've managed to out no less than seven upcoming models from Gigabyte. Unfortunately we didn't get a first hand view of the leaks, so we have to make do with what little information is available for now.

The pricing of the seven leaked boards ranges from US$199.99 to US$469.99, which is less painful than what we've seen so far from other brands. The base model is the Gigabyte Z690 UD DDR4, which even at US$199.99 is almost $50 more than the current Z590 UD board from the same retailer. Moving up a step, we have the Z690 Gaming X DDR4 at US$229.99, followed by the Z690 Aorus Elite AX DDR4 at US$269.99 and the Z690 Aero G DDR4 at US$289.99.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced publication of the JESD79-5A DDR5 SDRAM standard. This update to the JEDEC DDR5 SDRAM standard includes features designed to enhance reliability and performance in a wide range of applications involving client systems and high-performance servers. JESD79-5A is now available for download from the JEDEC website.

Added features designed to meet industry demand for improved system reliability include bounded fault error-correction support, Soft Post-Package Repair (sPPR) undo and lock, Memory Built-In Self-Test Post Package Repair (MBIST and mPPR), Adaptive RFM, and an MR4 extension. JESD79-5A expands the timing definition and transfer speed of DDR5 up to 6400 MT/s for DRAM core timings and 5600 MT/s for IO AC timings to enable the industry to build an ecosystem up to 5600 MT/s. The nomenclature for core timing parameters and their respective definitions has been revamped to closely align with the upcoming JEDEC JESD400-5 DDR5 Serial Presence Detect (SPD) Contents V1.0 standard. The document can be accessed here.

As we're getting closer to the reveal of Intel's 12-series of CPUs and the Z690 chipset, we're seeing more and more retailers leak pricing information about the various products and today pricing of some upcoming ASRock Z690 has leaked courtesy of Amazon UK. We're looking at a good spread of boards here, from the high-end Z690 Taichi to entry level Phantom Gaming 4, which should give a good idea on what to expect to pay based on where in the range the board is located.

The cheapest board of the eight is the Z690M Phantom Gaming 4 which is a DDR4 board and this mATX board comes in at £172.50, or about $238. Keep in mind that UK VAT is at 20 percent, so the pricing might not be directly comparable to US pricing. Next up we have the full-sized Z690 Phantom Gaming 4 which comes in at £213.50 or US$295, with the DDR5 version actually being slightly cheaper at £207.15 or US$286.

XPG, a fast-growing provider of systems, components, and peripherals for Gamers, Esports Pros, and Tech Enthusiasts, today announces the XPG LANCER DDR5 memory module. XPG LANCER is XPG's first DDR5 gaming memory. It offers increased bandwidth, allocates more bandwidth per CPU core, and reaches frequencies of up to 5,200 MT/s. What's more, it is equipped with a PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit) and ECC (Error Correcting Code) for enhanced performance and stability. LANCER comes with 16 GB of capacity.

XPG's First DDR5 Gaming Memory
The XPG LANCER ushers in the DDR5 era for XPG gaming memory. Reaching frequencies of up to 5,200 MT/s, it delivers a major performance boost for gaming and overclocking. With error correcting code, (ECC) this module can correct errors automatically in real-time. In addition to greatly reducing the burden of CPU calculations, it also provides increased stability and reliability.

We've already seen some official and some leaks of various DDR5 modules and now Corsair's Dominator Platinum RGB modules have leaked. Alongside the pretty pictures, we also now know that these will be 5200 MHz/MT/s modules with a timing of 38-38-38-84 and that they'll require 1.25 V at these settings. Corsair has carried over its Capellix LEDs and iCue support, although this was pretty much expected.

Details of three sets of DDR5 memory from Kingston have also leaked and it looks like the company will have at least three main SKUs. What we're looking at is the ValueRam series with bog standard JEDEC spec at 4800 MHz with a CAS latency of 40, the Fury Beast which will feature the same clocks, but improved an CAS latency of 38 and finally a higher clocked Fury Beast SKU at 5200 MHz which a CAS latency of 40. All three SKUs will come in single 16 GB modules or 32 GB kits.

GIGABYTE is ready with its first AORUS-branded DDR5 memory kits. Pictured below is the first of its kind, which should give you an idea of the design for the series. The one pictured below is a DDR5-5200 two-module kit with 16 GB DIMMs, making up 32 GB, which is this generation's mainstream memory amount, as 16 GB (2x 8 GB) was for DDR4, and 8 GB for DDR3 (2x 4 GB). It features XMP 3.0, letting you effortlessly enable the advertised frequencies on a Z690 chipset motherboard. It's likely that the company designs other models with 8 GB DIMMs that have higher frequencies, or even 64 GB kits using "dual-rank" 32 GB DIMMs.

So far, all of the leaked Intel Z690 based motherboards have been void of anything from MSI, but now we get a look at some of their upcoming models courtesy of a couple of different leaks.This gives us a pretty good look at several different market segments from MSI, although none of its really high-end models have leaked yet.

MSI's product stack is a bit cryptic, as we have a pair of MEG boards, one MPG board, one MAG board and a more entry level Pro board. Starting from the bottom working our way up, the Pro Z690-A WiFi appears to be a slightly beefier version of its current Z590-A Pro, with DDR5 support, a pair of 8-pin 12 V EPS connectors, as well as a fourth M.2 slot for NVMe SSDs. We don't spot any real stand-out features on this board, but it looks fairly competent for the market segment.

Remember the "Lego"/"Tetris" DRAM modules that Galaxy was showing off last week? Well, now we have the first benchmarks of said memory running at 4,800 MHz/MT/s with standard timings of 36-36-36-76 and the results are pretty much in line with DDR4 at the same clocks, but with a CAS latency of 19. That said, this doesn't take the latency into account and this is where the issue lies, just as expected.

Despite the change in memory architecture by going to a dual 32-bit bus per DIMM, instead of a 64-bit bus, there is somewhat surprisingly no real gains to be had in AIDA64, even when using two DIMMs. Earlier AIDA64 DDR5 memory benchmarks have only been with a single DIMM, so it has been a bit hard to compare the performance. However, the latency is up by about 30 ns compared to equivalent speed DDR4 memory, which is quite a jump. This does admittedly happen every time there's a transition to a new DRAM technology, but the increase in memory latency has never been this high before. Hopefully RAM with tighter timings and improved CPU memory controllers will help reduce the latency over time, since it'll have an adverse affect on a lot of things, least not many games.

The first trace of AMD's upcoming Ryzen 6000 mobile series has recently appeared with a processor of OPN code 100-000000518-41_N surfacing in the UserBenchmark database with the socket listed as FP7 which is the rumored platform for AMD's 6 nm Rembrandt family. The engineering sample features 8-cores and 16-threads with a base clock of 3.9 GHz and a boost of 4.1 GHz along with an integrated RDNA2 iGPU.

This marks the move from Vega to Navi 2 for the integrated GPU which should result in significant graphics performance and efficiency improvements. The processor was paired with a single 16 GB DDR5 memory module from Corsair running at 4800 MHz CL40, the computer is also listed as Corsair Xenomorph which is interesting as we are not aware of any plans for Corsair to release laptops. AMD is expected to announce Rembrandt at CES 2022 and the processors have allegedly already entered production.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the world's fastest DDR5 memory kit at an extreme speed and low latency of DDR5-6600 CL36-36-36-76 32 GB (2x 16 GB). This is the world's first DDR5 memory kit to reach such high level of frequency speed and extremely efficient low timings, achieved with high-performance Samsung DDR5 ICs.

In the never-ending quest for memory performance, G.SKILL is proud to reveal the latest addition of ultra-high DDR5 frequency to the flagship Trident Z5 family. While reaching an extreme frequency speed of DDR5-6600, this memory kit specification is also created with an ultra-low timing at CL36-36-36, compared to the typical CL40-40-40 timing of DDR5, making this the ultimate performance choice for gamers, enthusiasts, and overclockers. The screenshot below shows a G.SKILL memory kit validated with the use of high performance Samsung DDR5 ICs.

The first mainstream Z690 boards have made an appearance online in the shape of ASUS' Prime Z690-P series. As with most of ASUS' Prime boards, these are fairly basic boards, but shouldn't leave the average user wanting for much, although ASUS has made a rather odd layout decision on these boards that we can't quite grasp.

The four models on display are the Prime Z690-P WiFi D4, Prime Z690-P D4, Prime Z690-P and Prime Z690M-Plus D4. The last model doesn't strictly belong to the Prime Z690-P family, but it follows a pretty similar overall design. The Prime Z690-P is obviously the only DDR5 SKU among the four boards, although from what we can tell, there are no other differences between it and the equivalent DDR4 model.

The global memory provider TEAMGROUP has announced the T-FORCE VULCAN DDR5 GAMING MEMORY. Designed for overclocking, the new RAM takes the design language of the sleek and compact DDR4 series even further. Its aluminium alloy heatspreader comes in a unibody design, created through a sophisticated stamping process. It features a gorgeous streamlined body and multi-angular design, outlining its one-of-a-kind visual aesthetics. With the highest-spec kit providing capacity of 2X32GB for dual channel mode and frequency of up to 5,200 MHz, the T-FORCE VULCAN DDR5 will lead the new generation of overclocking memory with its beauty and performance.

The T-FORCE VULCAN DDR5 GAMING MEMORY, debuted at the recent TEAMGROUP Online Launch Event 2021, has been highly anticipated by both gaming and overclocking enthusiasts worldwide. It uses a special thermal conducting silicone to strengthen the adhesion between the heat sink and memory, enhancing the cooling of the power management IC. The ingenious thermal design quickly dissipates heat from top to bottom, allowing the memory to maintain the optimal working temperature and provide more stable operation. It is available in frequencies of 4,800 MHz and 5,200 MHz and capacity options of single 16 GB and 32 GB sticks and dual-channel 2X16GB and 2X32GB kits, meeting the needs of a wide range of consumers seeking ultra-fast speeds. The VULCAN DDR5 GAMING MEMORY is fully tested for compatibility and reliability and will deliver incredible performance to gamers and overclocking enthusiasts around the world.

If the amount of upcoming Z690 was anything to go by, one could presume that the motherboard makers are backing Intel's upcoming platform to the max, as a leaked list of what should be close to every Z690 that will hit the market, counts a total of 98 boards. The list covers ASRock, ASUS, Biostar, NZXT, Gigabyte and MSI, but not EVGA and some other smaller players.

ASUS is apparently planning no less than 30 different models/SKUs, since some are clearly DDR4/DDR5 SKUs of the same model or SKUs with or without Wi-Fi, but even so, that's a massive launch lineup. Gigabyte isn't far behind with 27, followed by MSI at 24 and ASRock at 14, if we didn't count wrong. There isn't much news in terms of details of each of the boards here though, but it's clear that the high-end SKUs are mostly DDR5, while the mid-range and standard models are mostly using DDR4. The only slight surprise here is that only ASRock has more DDR4 than DDR5 models, with ASUS having exactly half of each, but Gigabyte and MSI are going with a preference for DDR5. ASRock, ASUS and Gigabyte appear to have liquid cooled SKUs, but it's not clear if MSI will offer such a SKU of its Godlike board.

Ahead of the rumored late-October debut of Intel's 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" processors, motherboard makers started teasing their compatible Socket LGA 1700 products. Older reports suggest that in 2021, Intel will only release unlocked "K" and "KF" SKUs, and motherboard partners will only launch boards based on the top Intel Z690 chipset. The lineup is expected to be joined by more affordable non-K SKUs in Q1-2022, along with lower chipset models such as the B660 and H670.

The MEG Z690 ACE appears to introduce a new design scheme with die-cast metal mesh rear I/O shrouds, and a gold+black trim. The I/O shroud design is interesting as it lets the VRM heatsink underneath breathe better. The silver-white MPG motherboard is possibly the MPG Z690 Force. MSI is probably trying to get this to rival the ROG Strix-A SKU by ASUS. The third teaser, of a brushed gunmetal shroud, is likely the MAG Z690 Tomahawk. Like most other brands, MSI appears to have an extensive lineup of Socket LGA 1700 motherboards with DDR4 memory slots, although boards with DDR4 are restricted to the MAG and entry-level PRO series. The mid-tier MPG and enthusiast-segment MEG series boards only come with DDR5.

DIMM designs by the various DRAM module manufacturers are always something of a personal taste thing and then there's the polarising issue of RGB or not. Well, it looks like Galax has worked on something special for its upcoming Gamer RGB DDR5 modules that is likely to cause mixed reactions, but we have a feeling they'll potentially be popular with younger gamers.

The new modules are expected to come in kits of two, ranging in size from 16 to 64 GB, with the 32 GB kit launching first. These are merely 4800 MHz modules, so there's not too much to get excited about there and no timings have been announced. However, these are the first customisable DIMMs we've ever come across, as the RGB LED strip at the top of the module is compatible with LEGO bricks, although presumably there's no official license involved here. Based on the fact that it's Galaxy China that has shown off these modules, they're unlikely to make an appearance in markets outside of China.

Rambus, today announced it is now sampling its 5600 MT/s 2nd-generation RCD chip to the major DDR5 memory module (RDIMM) suppliers. This new level of performance represents a 17% increase in data rate over the first-generation 4800 MT/s Rambus DDR5 RCD. With key innovations, Rambus is able to deliver 5600 MT/s performance at lower latency and power while optimizing timing parameters for improved RDIMM margins.

"Advanced workloads are driving an insatiable demand for greater memory bandwidth," said Shane Rau, research vice president, Computing Semiconductors at IDC. "It's essential that DDR5 ecosystem players like Rambus continue to raise the bar on performance to meet the rapidly rising needs of data center applications."

ADATA Technology, a manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, mobile accessories, gaming products, electric power trains, and industrial solutions today announces the ADATA DDR5-4800, a next-generation DDR5 memory module that is capable of reaching frequencies of up to 4800MT/s and comes with up to 32 GB of capacity. In addition, ADATA has worked with six major motherboard brands, including AORUS, ASROCK, ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSI and ROG to ensure optimal performance and compatibility across a wide range of motherboards.

"Through our strong R&D capabilities and close partnerships with the world's leading motherboard makers, we are committed to offering memory modules with next-generation performance, higher capacities, and enhanced stability," said Nick Dai, Senior Manager of DRAM Products at ADATA. "In the coming months, we will continue to launch a diverse array of DDR5 products to meet the different needs of creators, gamers, and other users."

GeIL, is proud to announce the launch of their latest Polaris RGB DDR5 Memory providing high-speed modules ranging from 4800 MHz to 5600 MHz and available in large kit capacities of 16 GB to 64 GB with excellent heatspreader and stunning RGB illumination for gamers and PC enthusiasts. GeIL's next-generation POLARIS RGB DDR5 Memory products do not only represent a fundamental frequency/speed upgrade but are designed to deliver unprecedented performance through the combination of larger capacities, enhanced speeds, and broader bandwidth per processor core.

Increases in system performance and efficiency are the cornerstones of any new memory generation. The new architecture has plenty of features to support that, such as the increased burst length, improved refresh schemes, and the increased bank groups significantly boosting performance. In addition, the introduction of the local voltage regulation based on the PMIC (Power Management IC) provides current monitoring, offers threshold protection, and intelligent voltage and power management for a more comprehensive range of voltage tweaking and adjustment. Finally, a newly added on-die ECC function further improves data integrity and performance enhancements.

Client-segment DDR5 memory is on the anvil, with Intel 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake-S" desktop processors that support them. It should come as little surprise then, that some of the first DDR5 memory kits will be outrageously pricey. One such product, a GeIL Polaris RGB DDR5-4800 2x 16 GB kit, saw an early listing on Newegg for $350. DDR5-4800 can be considered an entry-level memory speed (similar to DDR4-2400, when the DDR4 standard was new). DDR5 heralds 16 GB as the new mainstream module density, with "single rank" (two individual ranks for each of the two 40-bit channels per DIMM) being standard. 32 GB per DIMM will be the new premium density (four ranks, two each for the 40-bit channels per DIMM).

Given these, it's conceivable that the first DDR5 memory kits targeting gamers and PC enthusiasts will come with a heavy early-adopter premium. Luckily, the 12th Gen Core processors support both DDR5 and DDR4 memory standards, and there appears to have been a major attempt by Intel to get its motherboard partners to launch motherboards with DDR4 slots across a wide range of price-points, so people can keep using their existing memory, or buy the relatively more affordable memory kits out there. It remains to be seen just how much of a performance penalty using DDR4 attracts on the new processors.

Samsung Electronics, the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it has begun mass producing the industry's smallest, 14-nanometer (nm), DRAM based on extreme ultraviolet (EUV) technology. Following the company's shipment of the industry-first EUV DRAM in March of last year, Samsung has increased the number of EUV layers to five to deliver today's finest, most advanced DRAM process for its DDR5 solutions.

"We have led the DRAM market for nearly three decades by pioneering key patterning technology innovations," said Jooyoung Lee, Senior Vice President and Head of DRAM Product & Technology at Samsung Electronics. "Today, Samsung is setting another technology milestone with multi-layer EUV that has enabled extreme miniaturization at 14 nm—a feat not possible with the conventional argon fluoride (ArF) process. Building on this advancement, we will continue to provide the most differentiated memory solutions by fully addressing the need for greater performance and capacity in the data-driven world of 5G, AI and the metaverse."

Good news everyone, for once it looks like prices are going to be going down for something computer related, as DRAM prices are expected to drop this quarter. At least this is what Nanya Technology Corporation's president, Dr. Pei-Ing Lee told investors during the company's third quarter results announcement, last week.

Apparently the word that was used was correction, although this is meant to be taken as a drop in prices for DRAM, due to less market demand. This is tied to the shortage of various components, not just in the consumer space, but also the server, and mobile devices space, as well as the EV market. That said, Nanya is expecting continued demand for mobile and server DRAM, as well as enterprise PC's and various other consumer products, as well as SSDs. The shortfall is likely to be from EVs, digital TV and specifically Chromebooks are mentioned.