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AMD Introduces GAIA - an Open-Source Project That Runs Local LLMs on Ryzen AI NPUs

AMD has launched a new open-source project called, GAIA (pronounced /ˈɡaɪ.ə/), an awesome application that leverages the power of Ryzen AI Neural Processing Unit (NPU) to run private and local large language models (LLMs). In this blog, we'll dive into the features and benefits of GAIA, while introducing how you can take advantage of GAIA's open-source project to adopt into your own applications.

Introduction to GAIA
GAIA is a generative AI application designed to run local, private LLMs on Windows PCs and is optimized for AMD Ryzen AI hardware (AMD Ryzen AI 300 Series Processors). This integration allows for faster, more efficient processing - i.e. lower power- while keeping your data local and secure. On Ryzen AI PCs, GAIA interacts with the NPU and iGPU to run models seamlessly by using the open-source Lemonade (LLM-Aid) SDK from ONNX TurnkeyML for LLM inference. GAIA supports a variety of local LLMs optimized to run on Ryzen AI PCs. Popular models like Llama and Phi derivatives can be tailored for different use cases, such as Q&A, summarization, and complex reasoning tasks.

AMD Recommends EPYC Processors for Everyday AI Server Tasks

Ask a typical IT professional today whether they're leveraging AI, and there's a good chance they'll say yes-after all, they have reputations to protect! Kidding aside, many will report that their teams may use Web-based tools like ChatGPT or even have internal chatbots that serve their employee base on their intranet, but for that not much AI is really being implemented at the infrastructure level. As it turns out, the true answer is a bit different. AI tools and techniques have embedded themselves firmly into standard enterprise workloads and are a more common, everyday phenomena than even many IT people may realize. Assembly line operations now include computer vision-powered inspections. Supply chains use AI for demand forecasting making business move faster and of course, AI note-taking and meeting summary is embedded on virtually all the variants of collaboration and meeting software.

Increasingly, critical enterprise software tools incorporate built-in recommendation systems, virtual agents or some other form of AI-enabled assistance. AI is truly becoming a pervasive, complementary tool for everyday business. At the same time, today's enterprises are navigating a hybrid landscape where traditional, mission-critical workloads coexist with innovative AI-driven tasks. This "mixed enterprise and AI" workload environment calls for infrastructure that can handle both types of processing seamlessly. Robust, general-purpose CPUs like the AMD EPYC processors are designed to be powerful and secure and flexible to address this need. They handle everyday tasks—running databases, web servers, ERP systems—and offer strong security features crucial for enterprise operations augmented with AI workloads. In essence, modern enterprise infrastructure is about creating a balanced ecosystem. AMD EPYC CPUs play a pivotal role in creating this balance, delivering high performance, efficiency, and security features that underpin both traditional enterprise workloads and advanced AI operations.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D Leaked PassMark Score Shows 14% Single Thread Improvement Over Predecessor

Last Friday, AMD confirmed finalized price points for its upcoming Ryzen 9 9950X3D ($699) and 9900X3D ($599) gaming processors—both launching on March 12. Media outlets are very likely finalizing their evaluations of review silicon; official embargoes are due for lifting tomorrow (March 11). By Team Red decree, a drip feed of pre-launch information was restricted to teasers, a loose March launch window, and an unveiling of basic specifications (at CES 2025). A trickle of mid-January to early March leaks have painted an incomplete picture of performance expectations for the 3D V-Cache-equipped 16 and 12-core parts. A fresh NDA-busting disclosure has arrived online, courtesy of an alleged Ryzen 9 9950X3D sample's set of benchmark scores.

A pre-release candidate posted single and multi-thread ratings of 4739 and 69,701 (respectively), upon completion of PassMark tests. Based on this information, a comparison chart was assembled—pitching the Ryzen 9 9950X3D against its direct predecessor (7950X3D), a Zen 5 relative (9950X), and competition from Intel (Core Ultra 9 285K). AMD's brand-new 16-core flagship managed to outpace the previous-gen Ryzen 9 7950X3D by ~14% in single thread stakes, and roughly 11% in multithreaded scenarios. Test system build details and settings were not mentioned with this leak—we expect to absorb a more complete picture tomorrow, upon publication of widespread reviews. The sampled Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU surpassed its 9950X sibling by ~5% with its multi-thread result, both processors are just about equal in terms of single-core performance. The Intel Core Ultra 9 285K CPU posted the highest single-core result within the comparison—5078 points—exceeding the 9950X3D's tally by about 7%. The latter pulls ahead by ~3% in terms of recorded multi-thread performance. Keep an eye on TechPowerUp's review section; where W1zzard will be delivering his verdict(s) imminently.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D & 9900X3D Prices Confirmed: $699 & $599​ - March 12 Launch is Official

Earlier today, AMD confirmed finalized price points and a launch date for its two incoming additions to the Ryzen 9000X3D processor lineup. The current Zen 5 processor population (with 3D V-Cache onboard) has a count of one—Team Red's reigning gaming champion: the eight-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D model. AMD's Senior Vice President and General Manager of Computing and Graphics was the first staffer to make an official announcement regarding definitive talking points. Jack Huynh stated (via a social media post): the world's best processor for gaming and content creation is almost here. Available starting March 12th. Ryzen 9 9950X3D—$699. Ryzen 9 9900X3D—$599. A huge thank you to our incredible community of gamers, creators, and innovators for your continued support. Together, we're shaping the future of gaming and content creation! Let's level up together!"

The sixteen-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D and twelve-core 9900X3D SKUs were officially unveiled at CES 2025, in early January. Since then, many leaks have emerged online—certain soothsayers were bang on with their predictions. Almost a month ago, speculative $699 and $599 price points were leaked. On two separate occasions, a—now confirmed—March 12 launch day was projected. AMD is expected to lift media embargoes on March 11; reviews of finalized silicon will finally reveal whether the two new players can beat their incumbent sibling in gaming performance benchmarks. As reported this afternoon, China's JD.com retail platform has opened its order book to customers—a limited quantity of Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D units were made available for a short period of time.

AMD Discusses EPYC's "No Compromise" Driving of Performance and Efficiency

One of the main pillars that vendors of Arm-based processors often cite as a competitive advantage versus x86 processors is a keen focus on energy efficiency and predictability of performance. In the quest for higher efficiency and performance, Arm vendors have largely designed out the ability to operate on multiple threads concurrently—something that most enterprise-class CPUs have enabled for years under the technology description of "SMT"—which was also created in the name of enabling performance and efficiency benefits.

Arm vendors often claim that SMT brings security risks, creates performance unpredictability from shared resource contention and drives added cost and energy needed to implement SMT. Interestingly, Arm does support multi-threading in its Neoverse E1-class processor family for embedded uses such as automotive. Given these incongruities, this blog intends to provide a bit more clarity to help customers assess what attributes of performance and efficiency really bring them value for their critical workloads.

MITAC Computing Announces Intel Xeon 6 CPU-powered Next-gen AI & HPC Server Series

MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation, a leading server platform design manufacturer and a subsidiary of MiTAC Holdings Corporation, today announced the launch of its latest server systems and motherboards powered by the latest Intel Xeon 6 with P-core processors. These industry-leading processors are designed for compute-intensive workloads, providing up to twice the performance for the widest range of workloads including AI and HPC.

Driving Innovation in AI and High-Performance Computing
"For over a decade, MiTAC Computing has collaborated with Intel to push the boundaries of server technology, delivering cutting-edge solutions optimized for AI and high-performance computing (HPC)," said Rick Hwang, President of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation. "With the integration of the latest Intel Xeon 6 P-core processors our servers now unlock groundbreaking AI acceleration, boost computational efficiency, and scale cloud operations to new heights. These innovations provide our customers with a competitive edge, empowering them to tackle demanding workloads with superior empower our customers with a competitive edge through superior performance and an optimized total cost of ownership."

U.S. Pricing & Availability of 2025 LG Gram Laptops Announced

LG Electronics USA (LG) today announced pricing and pre-order availability of its 2025 AI-enabled LG gram lineup, the company's first on-device AI-laptops powered by Intel Core Ultra Series 2 CPUs. Introduced at CES 2025, the new lineup includes the LG gram Pro Z90TP ($1999 to $2399), LG gram Pro Copilot+PC Z90TS ($1849 to $2399), LG gram Pro 2-in-1 T90TP ($1999 to $2399) and LG gram Copilot+PC Z90TL ($1999 to $2399). Leveraging LG's gram AI technology, and cloud AI capabilities powered by GPT-4o, these laptops deliver impressive hybrid AI performance while preserving the LG gram's iconic slim and lightweight design.

Throughout the duration of the pre-order period (Feb. 24, 2025 to March 23, 2025), customers will receive an LG gram +view IPS portable monitor (349.99 value) at no additional cost and $200 savings on select models. All standard terms of purchase apply.

MSI X870(E) Motherboards Now Support AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D Processors

MSI is pleased to announce support for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D processors, built on the Zen 5 architecture and featuring AMD's cutting-edge 2nd generation AMD 3D V-Cache technology. This innovative technology is designed to significantly increases the cache size, allowing faster data access and improved performance. Engineered to deliver exceptional performance, these processors meet the demands of even the most intensive gaming and content creation workloads.

At the heart of this experience is the MSI MEG X870E GODLIKE motherboard, which sets a new standard with its innovative design and robust features. The Dynamic Dashboard III, a 3.99-inch full-color LCD, offers real-time hardware monitoring, troubleshooting, BIOS update status, clock display, and personalization options, enhancing user experience and system control. MSI's EZ Link design complements this, streamlining cable management by consolidating the front panel, fan, and RGB headers into the EZ Bridge and EZ Control Hub, ensuring a cleaner build and simplified installation process.

AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D & 9900X3D CPUs Benched, Leak Suggests Pleasing Single-core Performance Improvements

AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 9900X3D "Zen 5" processors are due for launch next month, but an exact date has not been announced. Currently, Team Red's 3D V-Cache-equipped Ryzen 9000 CPU series is composed of a single SKU: the popular eight-core Ryzen 7 9800X3D model. A new leak points to a possible imminent lineup expansion; the sixteen-core Ryzen 9 9950X3D and twelve-core Ryzen 9 9900X3D CPUs have finally popped up on Geekbench Browser. Both candidates seemed to be tested on the same PC platform; utilizing a GIGABYTE X670 AORUS ELITE AX motherboard and 32 GB (2 x 16 GB) of DDR5-4800 MT/s RAM. Notebookcheck

The Ryzen 9 9950X3D sample scored overall with 3363 (single-core) and 20,465 points (multi-core) in Geekbench 6.3. As expected, the Ryzen 9 9900X3D candidate's overall tallies came in slightly lower—it achieved 3274 (single-core) and 19,227 points (multi-core) overall. Press outlets were quick to compare these figures to prior generation outputs (refer to Wccftech's chart, below). On average, the incoming "Zen 5" parts surpass "Zen 4" equivalents by an average of 15%—in terms of single-core performance. Multi-core performance improvements are less significant; coming in at an average of 7%. The range-topping Ryzen 9 9950X3D CPU's multi-core performance score is "lower than expected," but closer-to-launch optimizations could rectify this matter. Geekbench results often do not reflect the true potential of tested silicon; gamers tend to dismiss or completely ignore these data points. Last month, an AMD executive revealed that the two upcoming X3D Granite Ridge desktop chips: "will provide similar overall gaming performance to the Ryzen 7 9800X3D." Speculative price points—of $699 (16-core) & $599 (12-core)—leaked online last week.

AMD & Nutanix Solutions Discuss Energy Efficient EPYC 9004 CPU Family

AMD and Nutanix have jointly developed virtualization/HCI solutions since 2019, working with major OEMs including Dell, HP and Lenovo, systems integrators and other resellers and partners. You can learn more about AMD-Nutanix solutions here.

AMD EPYC Processors
The EPYC 9004 family of high performance processors provide up to 128 cores per processor to help meet the demands of a wide range of workloads and use cases. High density core counts allow you to reduce the number of servers you need by as much as a five to one ratio when looking at retiring older, inefficient servers and replacing with a new one. Systems based on AMD processors can also be more energy efficient than many competitive processor based systems. For example, running 2000 VMs on 11 2P AMD EPYC 9654 processor-powered servers will use up to 29% less power annually than the 17 2P Intel Xeon Platinum 8490H processor-based servers required to deliver the same performance, while helping reduce CAPEX up to 46%.

Intel Reportedly Considering Resurrection of "Arrow Lake Refresh" Processor Family

Intel is reported to be eyeing a revival of its "Arrow Lake Refresh" desktop processor design—Golden Pig Upgrade disclosed this "strange" revelation via an updated Weibo blog post. Back in 2023, the Chinese hardware reviewer and leaker extraordinaire theorized that Team Blue's much-rumored shelving of "ARL-S/HX Refresh" came down to cost/benefit considerations relating to accommodating an upgraded NPU in the chip's tile-based design. Last September, reports suggested that Intel had put the final kibosh on a 14th Gen Core Ultra 8P+32E "Arrow Lake Refresh" processor series—leaked roadmaps had a launch window marked down for late 2025, going into 2026. Industry watchdogs have picked up on Golden Pig Upgrade's latest forecast—prompting further theorizing.

Intel has its mobile segment's future covered with Panther Lake (later in 2025) and Nova Lake (2026), but a notable gap exists in their desktop world. Nova Lake's desktop S-series is slated for launch at some point in 2026, so this year could be prime territory for a mild refresh of existing Arrow Lake-S processors—on the LGA1851 socket. Golden Pig Upgrade reckons that refreshes of ARL-S (desktop) and ARL-HX (high-end laptop) are back on Team Blue's upcoming product roadmap. Industry moles reckon that an updated NPU design—potentially similar to the one housed in Lunar Lake mobile chips—will be the only major upgrade lined up for the so-called "Core Ultra 300" processor series. Intel's current-gen flagship model—Core Ultra 9 285K—has NPU performance topping off at 13 TOPS. Refreshed Arrow Lake SKUs could be deployed with an improved NPU aspect, perhaps capable of hitting 48 TOPS.

Linux Kernel Patch Fixes Minutes-Long Boot Times on AMD "Zen 1" and "Zen 2" Processors

A significant fix has been submitted to the Linux kernel 6.13-rc1 that addresses prolonged boot times affecting older AMD processors, specifically targeting "Zen 1" and "Zen 2" architectures. The issue, which has been present for approximately 18 months, could cause boot delays ranging from several seconds to multiple minutes in extreme cases. The problem was discovered by a Nokia engineer who reported inconsistent boot delays across multiple AMD EPYC servers. The most severe instances showed the initial unpacking process taking several minutes longer than expected, though not all boots were affected. Investigation revealed that the root cause stemmed from a kernel modification implemented in June 2023, specifically related to CPU microcode update handling.

The technical issue was identified as a missing step in the boot process: Zen 1 and Zen 2 processors require the patch buffer mapping to be flushed from the Translation Lookaside Buffer (TLB) after applying CPU microcode updates during startup. The fix, submitted as part of the "x86/urgent" material ahead of the Linux 6.13-rc1 release, implements the necessary TLB flush for affected AMD Ryzen and EPYC systems. This addition eliminates what developers described as "unnecessary and unnatural delays" in the boot process. While the solution will be included in the upcoming Linux 6.13 kernel release, plans are in place to back-port the fix to stable kernel versions to help cover most Linux users on older Zen architectures.

TOP500: El Capitan Achieves Top Spot, Frontier and Aurora Follow Behind

The 64th edition of the TOP500 reveals that El Capitan has achieved the top spot and is officially the third system to reach exascale computing after Frontier and Aurora. Both systems have since moved down to No. 2 and No. 3 spots, respectively. Additionally, new systems have found their way onto the Top 10.

The new El Capitan system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, U.S.A., has debuted as the most powerful system on the list with an HPL score of 1.742 EFlop/s. It has 11,039,616 combined CPU and GPU cores and is based on AMD 4th generation EPYC processors with 24 cores at 1.8 GHz and AMD Instinct MI300A accelerators. El Capitan relies on a Cray Slingshot 11 network for data transfer and achieves an energy efficiency of 58.89 GigaFLOPS/watt. This power efficiency rating helped El Capitan achieve No. 18 on the GREEN500 list as well.

Cooler Master Announces Products Compatible with Intel Core Ultra 200S Series Processors for Next-Gen Cooling Solutions

Cooler Master, a leading provider of PC components, gaming peripherals, and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced that a select range of thermal solutions will be compatible with Intel's latest Core Ultra 200S Series processors. Cooler Master remains committed to providing high-performance cooling solutions that ensure optimal thermal management for Intel's cutting-edge CPUs, delivering enhanced performance and reliability.

The following Cooler Master advanced cooling technologies have been specifically engineered to complement Intel's latest CPUs, ensuring the best temperature management and sustained performance.

iBUYPOWER Announces Availability of Intel Core Ultra Processors for its Line of High-Performance Gaming PCs

iBUYPOWER, a leading system integrator specializing in high-performance custom and pre-built gaming computers, announced today the availability of Intel's latest Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors across its line of gaming PCs. Starting today, those interested in experiencing the latest in AI augmented desktop gaming can now integrate an Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor into an iBUYPOWER system backed by its extensive warranty that offers three-years labor and two-years parts for comprehensive post-purchase support.

The new Intel Core Ultra desktop processors are designed for a great gaming performance with AI at the forefront and industry-leading compute, at significantly lower power for desktop PCs, as iBUYPOWER customers with the new CPU can fully optimize their PC experience by offloading various tasks, auto-framing the Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for smooth game streaming, and accelerating creative tasks - all of which is powered by three AI accelerators built into the processor to keep the user's data protected and private. This new generation of desktop processors also comes equipped with 20 CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, 4 CPU PCIe 4.0 lanes, support for 2 integrated Thunderbolt 4 ports, Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. Intel Killer Wi-Fi delivers supercharged wireless performance and enables seamless, immersive online gameplay through application priority auto-detection, bandwidth analysis and management, and smart AP selection and switching.

Intel Updates XTU to Version 10, Exclusive to Core Ultra 200S Series "Arrow Lake"

Intel has released an updated version of its eXtreme Tuning Utility (XTU). The newest version, officially carrying the v10.0.0.76 moniker, is available to download. However, this version is designed exclusively for Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 200S series "Arrow Lake" processors. There are now two versions of Intel XTU: version 7.14.2.14, which supports unlocked Intel 14th Core and older processors, and version 10.x, which supports unlocked Intel Core Ultra Processors (Series 2) and newer. The XTU clocking utility only works on high-end Z-series boards like Z690, Z790, and the upcoming Z890 for "Arrow Lake-S." Below is a list of changes with XTU drivers now being replaced with Intel Innovation Platform Framework (IPF), which we are still trying to figure out what it is supposed to do. Many more features are listed below. However, we cannot decipher them until "Arrow Lake" reviews appear.

Intel Officially Launches Core Ultra 200S Series Desktop Processors

Today, Intel launched the new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processor family that will scale AI PC capabilities to desktop platforms and usher in the first enthusiast desktop AI PCs. Led by the Intel Core Ultra 9 processor 285K, the latest generation of enthusiast desktop processors includes five unlocked desktop processors equipped with up to 8 next-gen Performance-cores (P-cores), the fastest cores available for desktop PCs, and up to 16 next-gen Efficient-cores (E-cores) that altogether result in up to 14% more performance in multi-threaded workloads than the previous generation. The new family are the first NPU-enabled desktop processors for enthusiasts and come with a built-in Xe GPU with state-of-the-art media support.

"The new Intel Core Ultra 200S series processors deliver on our goals to significantly cut power usage while retaining outstanding gaming performance and delivering leadership compute. The result is a cooler and quieter user experience elevated by new AI gaming and creation capabilities enabled by the NPU, and leadership media performance that leverages our growing graphics portfolio." - Robert Hallock, vice president and general manager of AI and Technical Marketing, Client Computing Group.

Our preview of the Intel Core Ultra 2-series Arrow Lake-S desktop processor family is also live

Intel Releases Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6079 Beta

Intel today released the latest version of the Arc GPU Graphics drivers. Version 101.6079 Beta comes with optimization for EA FC25, Throne and Liberty, and Delta Force. The installer download size of these drivers are "temporarily increased" in size (from around 400 MB to over 800 MB), as these are the first drivers to include support for the Arc Xe2 "Battlemage" integrated graphics of Core Ultra 200V "Lunar Lake" processors, indicating that Intel will soon retire driver payload for older iGPUs such as 11th Gen "Tiger Lake." There are no fixed issues with this release, but the company identified a few new issues as listed below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6079 Beta

Intel to Produce Custom AI Chips and Xeon 6 Processors for AWS

Intel Corp. and Amazon Web Services. Inc., an Amazon.com company, today announced a co-investment in custom chip designs under a multi-year, multi-billion-dollar framework covering product and wafers from Intel. This is a significant expansion of the two companies' longstanding strategic collaboration to help customers power virtually any workload and accelerate the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) applications.

As part of the expanded collaboration, Intel will produce an AI fabric chip for AWS on Intel 18A, the company's most advanced process node. Intel will also produce a custom Xeon 6 chip on Intel 3, building on the existing partnership under which Intel produces Xeon Scalable processors for AWS.

LG gram Ready to Define the Next-Gen AI Laptop With New Intel Core Ultra Processors

LG Electronics (LG) is excited to announce that its newest LG gram laptop featuring the Intel Core Ultra processor (Series 2) will be showcased at the Intel Core Ultra Global Launch Event from September 3-8. Renowned for its powerful performance and ultra-lightweight design, the LG gram series now integrates advanced AI capabilities powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processor. The LG gram 16 Pro, the first model to feature these new Intel processors, will be unveiled before its release at the end of 2024.

As the first on-device AI laptop from the LG gram series, it offers up to an impressive 48 neural processing unit (NPU) tera operations per second (TOPS), setting a new standard for AI PCs and providing the exceptional performance required for Copilot experiences. Powered by the latest Intel Core Ultra processor, the LG gram 16 Pro is now more efficient thanks to advanced AI functionalities such as productivity assistants, text and image creation and collaboration tools. What's more, its extended battery life helps users handle tasks without worry.

Intel Announces New Mobile Lunar Lake Core Ultra 200V Series Processors

Intel today launched its most efficient family of x86 processors ever, the Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors. They deliver exceptional performance, breakthrough x86 power efficiency, a massive leap in graphics performance, no-compromise application compatibility, enhanced security and unmatched AI compute. The technology will power the industry's most complete and capable AI PCs with more than 80 consumer designs from more than 20 of the world's top manufacturing partners, including Acer, ASUS, Dell Technologies, HP, Lenovo, LG, MSI and Samsung. Pre-orders begin today with systems available globally on-shelf and online at over 30 global retailers starting Sept. 24. All designs featuring Intel Core Ultra 200V series processors and running the latest version of Windows are eligible to receive Copilot+ PC features as a free update starting in November.

"Intel's newest Core Ultra processors set the industry standard for mobile AI and graphics performance, and smash misconceptions about x86 efficiency. Only Intel has the scale through our partnerships with ISVs and OEMs, and the broader technology ecosystem, to provide consumers with a no-compromise AI PC experience."
--Michelle Johnston Holthaus, Intel executive vice president and general manager of the Client Computing Group

Efficient Teams Up with GlobalFoundries to Develop Ultra-Low Power MRAM Processors

Today, Efficient announced a strategic partnership with GlobalFoundries (GF) to bring to market a new high-performance computer processor that is up to 166x more energy-efficient than industry-standard embedded CPUs. Efficient is already working with select customers for early access and customer sampling by summer 2025. The official introduction of the category-creating processor will mark a new era in computing, free from restrictive energy limitations.

The partnership will combine Efficient's novel architecture and technology with GF's U.S.-based manufacturing, global reach and market expertise to enable a quantum leap in edge device capabilities and battery lifetime. Through this partnership, Efficient will provide the computing power to smarter, longer-lasting devices and applications across the Internet of Things, wearable and implantable health devices, space systems, and security and defense.

The Witcher 3 Now Runs on RISC-V Processors

In a notable step forward for the RISC-V architecture, the Box86 and Box64 emulator developers have successfully run The Witcher 3 on a RISC-V processor. While performance is far from optimal, even on a Milk-V Pioneer with a 64-core processor and an AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT graphics card, the achievement is remarkable.

RISC-V, a free and open-source instruction set architecture, is still in its early stages compared to established platforms like ARM and x86/x64. Despite this, the Box86/Box64 team, known for creating environments to run Windows programs on Linux, has demonstrated that AAA gaming is possible on RISC-V hardware. To accomplish this feat, the developers utilized Box64 with Wine and DXVK to emulate the necessary instructions.

Intel Ships 0x129 Microcode Update for 13th and 14th Generation Processors with Stability Issues

Intel has officially started shipping the "0x129" microcode update for its 13th and 14th generation "Raptor Lake" and "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors. This critical update is currently being pushed to all OEM/ODM partners to address the stability issues that Intel's processors have been facing. According to Intel, this microcode update fixes "incorrect voltage requests to the processor that are causing elevated operating voltage." Intel's analysis shows that the root cause of stability problems is caused by too high voltage during operation of the processor. These increases to voltage cause degradation that increases the minimum voltage required for stable operation. Intel calls this "Vmin"—it's a theoretical construct, not an actual voltage, think "speed for an airplane required to fly". The latest 0x129 microcode patch will limit the processor's voltage to no higher than 1.55 V, which should avoid further degradation. Overclocking is still supported, enthusiasts will have to disable the eTVB setting in their BIOS to push the processor beyond the 1.55 V threshold. The company's internal testing shows that the new default settings with limited voltages with standard run-to-run variations show minimal performance impact, with only a single game (Hitman 3: Dartmoor) showing degradation. For a full statement from Intel, see the quote below.

MSI Announces Extended Warranty for Intel 13th and 14th Gen Desktop Processors

In response to Intel's recent statement regarding reports of instability in certain 13th and 14th generation desktop processors, MSI has taken swift action and collaborated closely with Intel to mitigate the impact on our customers. Upholding our commitment to high-quality product design, MSI has promptly released a BIOS update to address these concerns and alleviate consumer worries. In addition, we are extending the warranty for affected desktop processors by two years, ensuring that our customers can continue to use MSI products with confidence.

Customer satisfaction has always been MSI's top priority. We remain dedicated to enhancing service quality and product design to provide our customers with the best possible experience. If you have any questions, please contact your local customer service center. Stay tuned for further updates.
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