Intel's new entry-mainstream line of client processors, the Core i3-3000 series, is inching toward a Q3-2012 launch. The new chips are based on the company's 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" silicon. Ukranian retailer Hotline.ua listed two of the first five Core i3-3000 series models for pre-order. These include the Core i3-3240 and Core i3-3220. The Core i3-3240 is clocked at 3.40 GHz, while the i3-3220 runs at 3.30 GHz. The two are socket LGA1155 dual-core processors featuring 3 MB of L3 cache. When launched, the i3-3240 will sell for around US $147, while the i3-3220 will sell for US $125.

CyberPower Inc. www.cyberpowerpc.com, a global manufacturer of custom gaming machines, today announced the Cyberpower ZEUS-M - a 14.1-inch screen ultra-responsive and ultra-sleek Ultrabook, inspired by Intel.

The CyberpowerPC Zeus-M has the ideal blend of performance, portability and smart capabilities to get any user through the day. The Zeus-M is powered by a visibly smart Intel Core i5-3317U Ivy Bridge Dual Core Processor; energy-efficient HM77 chipset; 60 GB SSD; and includes 8 GB of system memory for ultra-fast response.

Gigabyte released the first motherboard in the micro-ATX form-factor to feature two Thunderbolt interfaces. The Z77MX-D3H-TH from Gigabyte is built in the standard 240 x 240 mm micro-ATX form-factor, and based on the Intel Z77 Express chipset, supporting socket LGA1155 Core "Sandy Bridge" and "Ivy Bridge" processors. The board uses an Intel DSL3510L dual channel Thunderbolt controller to drive its two ports.

The two ports, electrically-compatible with mini-DisplayPort, double up as display outputs that are routed to the Flexible Display Interface (FDI) taking display from the processor's integrated graphics core. With the included Lucid Virtu MVP software, graphics processed by discrete graphics cards can be output though the FDI, and hence these Thunderbolt ports.

Lenovo may have scored a lot of attention with its $1,400 X1 Carbon Ultrabook, but it's the ThinkPad T430u Ultrabook, which featured at CES 2012 (January) that has consumers looking forward to, due to its US $779 price-point. The T430u borrows several design elements from its more expensive sibling. The Ultrabook is said to be available later this month. The 14-inch Ultrabook comes equipped with a 1366 x 768 pixels screen, Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" processor, 8 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory, HDD or optional 128 GB SSD, and optional GeForce GT 620M graphics.

GIGABYTE is working on a new mini-ITX form-factor motherboard for HTPCs and home servers. The H77N-WiFi, built for socket LGA1155 Core Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge processors, and based on Intel H77 Express chipset, features three network interfaces: two gigabit Ethernet, and an 802.11 b/g/n WLAN. Revving up its HTPC credentials, the board also features two HDMI display outputs, so you can plug your TV to one, and home theater receiver to the other (for multi-channel digital audio). Further, the 8-channel HD audio CODEC gives out an optical SPDIF (TOSLINK) output for 7.1 channel audio.

The GIGABYTE H77N-WiFi draws power from 24-pin ATX and 4-pin CPU power connectors. The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 4+1 phase VRM that appears to use common ferrite core chokes and LFPAK MOSFETs. The LGA1155 CPU is wired to two DDR3 DIMM slots, supporting up to 16 GB of dual-channel DDR3-1600 MHz memory; and a PCI-Express 3.0 x16. The Intel H77 PCH gives out two SATA 6 Gb/s and two SATA 3 Gb/s ports, with support for Smart Response technology (SSD caching). Apart from dual-HDMI, the board supports DVI-I.

Intel's next high-end desktop (HEDT) platform, codenamed "Ivy Bridge-E," is slated for Q3-2013, according to the latest platform road-map slide sourced by VR-Zone. According to the leaked slide, launch of Ivy Bridge-E Core i7 processors follows that of Core "Haswell" socket LGA1150 processors (Q2-2013). What's more, the upcoming Ivy Bridge-E chips will be compatible with existing socket LGA2011 motherboards, based on Intel X79 Express chipset.

Intel's next-generation Ivy Bridge-E chips are up-scaled versions of today's Core "Ivy Bridge" chips, built on the same 22 nm process, with more processing cores, memory channels, cache, and PCI-Express 3.0 certified system interfaces. It remains to be seen if Intel launches a new chipset to go with the new processor, or retains the X79 chipset with a few minor updates in the form of steppings. The company retained its X58 Express chipset over the first two HEDT processor generations (45 nm Core i7 "Bloomfield" and 32 nm Core i7 "Westmere").

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) has announced a new series of motherboards - B75 Series. These three new PC motherboards based around Intel's B75 Express chipset support for the latest CPU technology: Intel Small Business advantage, as well as compatibility with older products and a future upgrade path. They offer an impressive range of features for home and business use, including SATA 3.0 hard drive connection at up to 6Gb/s, USB 3.0 for high speed external data transfer, plus PCI Express 3.0 and DirectX 11 for advanced graphics.

There are three motherboards in the ECS B75 series: the B75H2-D, the B75H2-M2, and the B75H2-M3. The B75H2-M2 and the B75H2-M3 are compact 244mm x 200mm Micro ATX format boards, while the B75H2-D is a DTX format board.

TechPowerUp released GPU-Z 0.6.3, the latest version of the popular PC graphics subsystem information and diagnostic utility. The new release adds support for dozens of new GPUs, including AMD "Trinity" APU-integrated HD 7600D series, upcoming NVIDIA GeForce GTX 660; improves stability in Windows 8, and adds a large number of other stability improvements. GPU-Z 0.6.3 adds support for NVIDIA GPUs including GeForce GT 620, GT 630, GT 640, GTX 660, Tesla M2090, Quadro 1100M, Quadro 5000M, NVS 5400M, G610M, GeForce GT 620M, GT 630M, GT640M LE, and GT 660M; AMD GPUs including Trinity (HD 7600D series), HD 7570, HD 7670, HD 6610M, HD 7550M, HD 7850M, HD 7520G, and HD 7640G.

Keeping in tune with previous versions, GPU-Z 0.6.3 introduces a new killer feature: power-consumption measurement for IGPs (integrated graphics) on Intel "Sandy Bridge" and "Ivy Bridge" Core/Pentium processors. The measurement isolates the power draw of the IGP from the rest of the processor. TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.6.3 fixes crashes related to OpenCL detection (when using Intel drivers), with improved OpenCL drivers on Intel and AMD graphics drivers. It adds voltage monitoring for Radeon HD 7700 series. Boost clock detection is improved for NVIDIA "Kepler" architecture GPUs.DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.6.3, GPU-Z 0.6.3 ASUS ROG Edition

The complete change-log follows.

Giada, a brand of Shenzhen Jiehe Technology Development, Co., Ltd, today announces the i53 Mini PC. With full HD 1080P video, high connectivity, support, and an attractive design, Giada's new book-sized i53 Mini PC is an ideal choice for home entertainment, web browsing, and document writing.

The i53 is based around Intel's Mobile HM76 Express chipset and Ivy Bridge technology platform. Even while offering great performance, this environmentally friendly PC only uses 35W.

Cyberpower Inc., a manufacturer of custom gaming machines, notebook systems, and high performance workstations, today announced its Power Mega II series - a family of Intel Sandy Bridge-E, Ivy Bridge, and Xeon-based professional workstation PCs with NVIDIA Quadro graphics that set the bar for high-performance graphics workstations.

CyberpowerPC has teamed with Intel and NVIDIA to deliver an advanced workstation series that can tackle today's most demanding CPU and GPU-intensive applications out of the box. Offered in three versions and six configurations, the Power Mega II series provides stability and ease-of-use. All models have been tested for compatibility with the leading business, graphics and CAD applications. These advanced performance workstations are perfect for 2D and 3D professional applications, professional and home animation, matte painting, compositing, CAD/CAM, modeling, and graphics rendering.

Giada, a brand of Shenzhen Jiehe Technology Development, Co., Ltd, is pleased to announce its top of the line mini PC - D2305. Available with Intel Ivy Bridge i3, i5, or i7 processors and Intel HM77 Express Chipset as well as NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 GPU, the D2305 offers enhanced performance and power management, a promising solution for your DIY home theater PC.

The Giada D2305 mini PC incorporates premium features such as slot-in HDMI 1.3-complaint Blu-ray drive, DirectX 11 3D graphics support, and 7.1 channel HD audio. The built-in mSATA SSD drive can be used in parallel with the normal hard drive, so you have the operating system running on the SSD and the hard drive to store the media files. There's full Windows 7 support out-of-the-box, and a 500 GB of hard drive space to store thousands of hours of music and movies. Additionally, a wireless remote control is included not just for comfortable viewing and listening but allows you to turn the D2305 mini PC on and off.

PC maker Falcon Northwest intends to change the perception of how big a powerful PC needs to be with their new Tiki "micro-tower". At only 4" wide and 13" tall, Tiki is roughly the size of an original XBOX game console. Inside Tiki packs the fastest NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards, the fastest Intel 3rd Generation Core-i7 "Ivy Bridge" quad-core CPUs, 16 gigabytes of memory, and up to four terabytes of storage. It's even got a liquid cooling system.

"Tiki is a showcase of how far the PC industry has come in just the past year," said Kelt Reeves, president of Falcon Northwest. "CPUs and graphics cards have taken massive leaps in performance and power efficiency. Tiny solid-state storage has become affordable, and the miniaturization of motherboards all mean that your average tower PC is now much bigger than it really needs to be. With Tiki, we solved the heat and noise challenges involved in getting rid of all that excess space."

A little earlier, Samsung refreshed its Series 5 line of performance notebooks with Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" processors. It created a new branch, powered by AMD "Trinity" accelerated processing units (APUs), which pack up to four x86-64 cores, Radeon HD 7600M series graphics, and dual-channel DDR3 IMCs. Samsung currently has two models that are Trinity-powered, the Series 5 13.3-inch (NP535U3C-A01US), which is driven by AMD A6-4455M quad-core APU (2.10 GHz); and the Series 5 14-inch (NP535U4C-A01US), driven by AMD A10-4655M quad-core APU (2.80 GHz). Both models come with 4 or 8 GB dual-channel DDR3 memory and 500 or 750 GB HDD standard, with other features being identical to those of its Ivy Bridge cousins. The 13.3-inch A6 model starts at $699, while the 14-inch A10 model starts at $849.

Intel released a new beta driver for processors with integrated graphics, for the Windows 8 Release Preview. Carrying the version number 15.28.0.64.2770, the driver supports Windows Display Driver Model Version 1.2 (WDDM 1.2), and enables features such as stereoscopic 3D, optimized screen rotation detection, and DirectX 11 (on select graphics controller models). It supports Intel HD Graphics 4000/3000/2500/2000 (Core "Sandy Bridge" and Core "Ivy Bridge"). Intel recommends use of its Windows 7 driver for reliability with OpenGL 3.3 applications.

DOWNLOAD: Intel HD Graphics Beta Driver for Windows 8 Release Preview

Intel's Taiwan office quashed media reports of its Core i3 "Ivy Bridge" processor being launched in August, stating that the new 22 nm mainstream chips are on course for a June 24 launch. The company also reiterated that the targets Intel set for the proliferation of Ultrabook by the end of 2012, that of 40 percent of consumer notebook market consisting of Ultrabook, hasn't changed. Intel's 22 nm Core i3 processor could play a key role in that, since it facilitates cheaper Ultrabook designs. The Core i3 "Ivy Bridge" family consists of value dual-core parts based on Intel's newest processor architecture.

Intel's Next Unit of Computing (NUC) 4-inch mini-PC concept is taking shape as more of a premium mini-PC, than an affordable mainstream PC. According to sources, the NUC will arrive some time in Q3 2012, priced at US $400. The base system will be powered by a Core i3 dual-core processor paired with HM65 chipset, about 4 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory, 40 GB mSATA SSD, HDMI, mini-DisplayPort, WiFi, and Bluetooth. The first-generation NUC hence sticks to mature previous-generation components, while 7-series chipset, and 22 nm processors could be part of its specifications a little later. The demo system at Computex was driven by a Core i5 "Ivy Bridge" processor, with a Turbo Boost speed of 2.70 GHz. A cheaper Celeron-powered version of the NUC is also on the cards.

Eurocom Corporation, a developer of long lifespan, high performance, fully upgradable Notebooks and Mobile Workstations has launched a small form factor notebook with up to 3 terabytes storage via three 1 terabyte storage drives, 3rd Generation Intel Core i7 Ivy Bridge Processors, up to 16GB DDR3-1600 RAM and NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics with Optimus technology.

EUROCOM Fox 4.0 provides high-calibre performance, powerful graphics capabilities and high performance storage with three physical storage drives RAID 0/1/5 capability. Super powerful Intel Core i7 are supported for high-end computing wherever life takes place.

Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the Dominator Platinum range of DDR3 memory kits, the world's most technologically-advanced performance memory. The new design adds a customizable light bar to the list of exclusive features, which includes patented DHX cooling, Corsair Link support, and hand-screened, super-overclockable DRAM ICs.

The new Dominator Platinum will be available in dual and quad-channel kits with 8GB, 16GB, 32GB, and 64GB capacities, and frequencies up to 2800MHz. Dominator Platinum DDR3 memory is designed to fully exploit the performance potential of the latest Intel and AMD platforms, including the "Ivy Bridge" 3rd generation Intel Core processor family. All Dominator Platinum kits support Intel's latest XMP 1.3 profiles for easy performance tuning.

Dell today announced its expanded Inspiron laptop portfolio just in time for graduation and the upcoming back to school period. Parents today want to give their kids the best advantages, and Dell is offering its tailored line-up of Inspiron laptops for the unique needs of families and students. With three series of Inspiron laptops - the Inspiron z series for thin & powerful style on the go, the Inspiron R series for everyday family computing activities, and the Inspiron R Special Edition series for studio-quality multimedia and audio - parents and students can find the laptop best suited to them on Dell.com.

Equipped with the latest technology, customers will have peace of mind knowing that their Inspiron purchase is a smart investment for the family, whether for school work and learning online, multimedia and entertainment, or for household organization. All Inspiron laptops announced today will offer options with Intel's new 3rd Generation Core i processors (Ivy Bridge), Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium operating system, and will be eligible for the Microsoft Windows 8 upgrade program.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today introduced their latest Ultra Durable 5 technology, featuring a range of high current capable components including the industry's highest rated 60A IR3550 PowIRstage ICs that provide the best quality power delivery to the CPU for record-breaking performance, cool and efficient operation and extended motherboard lifespan.

GIGABYTE is yet again raising the bar of motherboard quality and durability with their Ultra Durable 5 technology, which includes high current capable components for the CPU power zone including the highest rated and awarded IR3550 PowIRstage ICs from International Rectifier, 2X Copper PCB and high current Ferrite Core Chokes rated up to 60A which together are able to deliver up to 60°C* cooler temperatures than traditional motherboards. Featured on a range of new motherboards based the Intel X79 and Z77 Express Chipsets, GIGABYTE Ultra Durable 5 technology is the next evolution in quality motherboard design.

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced it is shipping HyperX dual-channel kits engineered especially for the new Intel third-generation Core i7 and i5 processors (Ivy Bridge). Kingston HyperX memory is available in 16GB and 8GB kits of two at 1600MHz, 2133MHz, 2400MHz and soon to be speedy 2666 MHz frequencies.

"The new 22nm architecture of this processor allows significant performance gains for benchmarkers, enthusiasts and overclockers," said Mark Tekunoff, senior technology manager, Kingston. "Enthusiasts who want to push the performance boundaries of the new processors will want to pair it with Kingston HyperX memory. Our 2666 MHz kit combined with the top CPU in the Ivy Bridge family will allow unparalleled performance."

GIGABYTE's X11 is shaping up to be one unique mobile warrior. The company unveiled it at a special event in Taipei, ahead of Computex 2012. The 11.6-inch Ultrabook incorporates advanced materials such as carbon fiber, to tip the scales at just 973 g (2.14 lbs). The X11 also bears a wedge-shaped design, which is just 3 mm-thick at its thinnest point. To be precise, the X11 measures 297 x 192 x 3~16.5 mm (LxWxD).

Under its hood is an Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" ULV dual-core processor, with Intel HD 4000 graphics, 4 GB of dual-channel DDR3 memory, and 128 GB SSD. Connectivity includes USB 3.0, USB 2.0, mini-DisplayPort, 802.11 b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, and a micro-SDHC slot. A 4730mAh 35Wh battery can keep the X11 working for 4-5 hours. The X11 will make it to the market in Q3 2012, with a price ranging US $999-$1,299.

Here are the first pictures of the X11 from GIGABYTE, an Ultrabook touted by GIGABYTE to be the "world's lightest". The 11.6-incher, in pictures leaked to the web ahead of its May 31 launch, appears to make use of advanced materials such as carbon fiber, to achieve low weight, apart from structural rigidity, which is key for the form-factor. It retains the "wedge-shape" of several other lightweights, including Apple MacBook Air. Its system specifications are still under the wraps, although we're pretty sure we're looking at a new-generation Intel Core "Ivy Bridge" powered Ultrabook here. Find more pictures at the source.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today announced the record highest validated CPU clock speed on the Intel Core i7 3770K processor using a GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H motherboard, as well as the new world record highest DDR3 memory speed using the GIGABYTE Z77X-U5H motherboard.

The 7.0 GHz milestone was surpassed using an Intel 3rd generation Core i7 3770k processor (aka Ivy Bridge) by renowned overclocker HiCookie, pushing the GIGABYTE Z77X-UD3H motherboard to a fully validated 7.03 GHz using liquid nitrogen cooling. This is regarded as the current #1 highest Ivy Bridge CPU frequency and a world record according to respected global overclocking website HWBot.org.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) will be in Computex 2012 in Nangang Exhibition Hall 4F, Booth No. L118. This time, ECS will present a series of innovative products using their exclusive Nonstop Technology testing processes to ensure only the highest product quality.

ECS will display its series of motherboards of using the latest Intel and AMD platforms and a wide range of Thin Mini-ITX motherboards at Computex 2012. ECS will also introduce its latest Nonstop Technology for its motherboards which improve upon the long-term stability of ECS motherboards as well as the ECS GeForce GTX 680, a top choice of high-end graphics cards.