The Atari VCS was first teased in 2017 as the "Ataribox" before a rebranding to Atari VCS and a successful IndieGoGo campaign in June 2018. The campaign raised over three million dollars with an original target release date in mid-2019 but development was repeatedly delayed resulting in the project's lead architect quitting. The console is modeled after the Atari 2600 and includes 100 Atari games of which 18 are from the arcade and 82 are from the Atari 2600. The console features an AMD Ryzen R1606G processor paired with 8 GB ram and 32 GB storage both of which can be upgraded. The console also includes support for installing various desktop operating systems including Windows, Linux, and ChromeOS. The Atari VCS has now shipped to IndieGoGo backers and is currently available to purchase from Best Buy, Micro Center, and Atari for 299.99 USD. Atari also offers a limited Walnut edition which includes a wireless joystick and controller for 399.99 USD.

AMD is preparing to switch things up a bit with its upcoming AM5 platform. The new platform is said to bring significant changes to the design of the socket and the CPU package, where we will see some new design choices and decisions. For starters, all of the processors made for the AM5 platform will come in a land grid array (LGA) configuration, very similar to that of Intel. Thanks to the rendering of ExecutableFix, we got to see exactly how will the new LGA design look like. And today, we get to see more details of the AMD's upcoming Raphael processor's integrated heat spreader (IHS) design.

The IHS serves the purpose of spreading the heat away from the die and dissipating it efficiently. However, IHS designs can sometimes be very interesting. According to this rendering from ExecutableFix, AMD's upcoming Raphael design, based on Zen 4 core, will feature a unique IHS design, which can be seen below.

Today, we have talked about AMD's upcoming Raphael lineup of processors in the article you can find here. However, it seems like the number of leaks on AMD's plans just keeps getting greater. Thanks to the "itacg" on Weibo, we have learned that AMD's Ryzen 8000 desktop series of processors are reportedly codenamed as Granite Ridge. This new codename denotes the Zen 5 based processors, manufactured on TSMC's 3 nm (N3) node. Another piece of information is that AMD's Ryzen 8000 series APUs are allegedly called Strix Point, and they also use the 3 nm technology, along with a combination of Zen 5 and Zen 4 core design IPs. We are not sure how this exactly works out, so we have to wait to find out more.

QNAP Systems, Inc., today introduced the TS-x73A NAS series featuring an AMD Ryzen V1000 series v1500B quad core 8-thread 2.2 GHz processor and 2.5 GbE networking. This reliable and secure NAS series delivers high cost-efficiency with multiple value-added capabilities, including PCIe expansion, multi-cloud backup, cloud storage gateways, multiple backup and data protection methods, and storage capacity expansion solutions. The TS-x73A series uses the app-driven QTS operating system but can switch to the ZFS-based QuTS hero to provide users with greater choice and functionality.

The TS-x73A series includes 8 GB DDR4 RAM (supports up to 64 GB, supports ECC RAM), and the two -built-in M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD slots allow users to leverage Qtier Technology and SSD Caching to achieve optimal performance. The dual 2.5 GbE RJ45 ports can deliver up to 5 Gbps transfer speeds under Port Trunking. The two PCIe Gen 3 x4 slots allow for installing expansion cards to enhance NAS functionality - such as a 5 GbE/10 GbE network card, a QM2 network/storage card, a wireless adapter, or a SAS/SATA expansion card for connecting to TL SAS, TL SATA and REXP expansion units.

AMD's roadmap for notebook processors from 2020 - 2022 has recently been leaked and it reveals some interesting information for the launch of Zen 3+ and Navi 2. AMD will release the Rembrandt "H" series for mobile workstations in 2022 manufactured on the 6nm node with Navi 2 graphics and a Zen 3+ core design. These chips will include PCIe 4.0, LPDDR5/DDR5, and USB 4 support and will come with a power target of 45 W while a 15 W lineup of U series processors will also be released with identical specifications. The roadmap also shows the launch of Dragon Crest processors for tablets and handheld devices in 2022 with Navi 2 graphics and Zen 2 core designs. AMD is also set to launch the Barcelo "U" series for ultrathin laptops with very similar specifications to Cezanne "U".

AMD has recently confirmed that the upcoming B2 stepping for Ryzen 5000 processors will only improve production and availability with no impact on performance. The new stepping will be deployed within the next 6 months and will be fully compatible with existing motherboards without the need for a BIOS update. We initially believed that the new revisions may bring small performance improvements similar to existing Ryzen XT products however with this recent confirmation from AMD we now know that this is not the case. AMD has not confirmed if they are preparing a potential Ryzen 5000XT series which would likely be the final release on the AM4 platform.

AMDAs part of our continued effort to expand our manufacturing and logistics capabilities, AMD will gradually move AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Desktop Processors to B2 Revision over the next 6 months. The revision does not bring improvements in terms of functionality or performance, furthermore, no BIOS update will be required.

Intel today announced the 11th generation Core "Tiger Lake-H" mobile processors for notebooks of conventional thickness, gaming notebooks, and mobile workstations. This is the first scale-up of the "Tiger Lake" microarchitecture, with the introduction of a brand new die that has up to 8 "Willow Cove" CPU cores. These processors typically come with TDP of 35-45 W, but the flagship part ships with TDP as high as 65 W. Unlike "Rocket Lake," this chip is built on Intel's latest 10 nm SuperFin silicon fabrication process. With it, Intel is announcing ten processor SKUs—five each for the consumer and commercial notebook market segments. These span across the Core i9, Core i7, and Core i5 brand extensions.

The 10 nm "Tiger Lake-H" silicon measures roughly 190 mm², and has several changes compared to the 4-core "Tiger Lake-U" silicon the company debuted the 11th Gen with. The biggest change is the CPU core count of 8. This lets it not only achieve parity with AMD in mobile CPU core counts, but also purportedly beat it on the back of a higher IPC. Each of these 8 "Willow Cove" cores has 1.25 MB of dedicated L2 cache, and share 24 MB of L3 cache. You get the same "Willow Cove" ISA as the "Tiger Lake-U," including AVX-512 and DLBoost. Next up, the chip features an integrated graphics based on the Gen12 Xe LP graphics architecture, only that the execution units have reduced to just 32 on this silicon, compared to 96 on the 4-core Tiger Lake-U. The new chip enjoys a bigger power budget to run the iGPU at higher clock speeds. There is also a 20-lane PCI-Express Gen 4.0 interface, and a dual-channel DDR4 memory controller.

AMD has today updated its Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition version 21.5.1 drivers, bringing many features on board as well as fixing a lot of issues that have appeared in the past. Starting with support for the Resident Evil Village PC game, AMD promises to deliver up to 13% better frame rate at 4K maximum settings, while using the Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card. The comparison was conducted with a reference to the previous driver, 21.4.1, which didn't allow the card to reach as high FPS as it is now possible with the proper support for the game. Another game that is added to the support list is Metro Exodus PC Enhanced Edition. Some fixes have been implemented, as the incorrect performance metrics that may have incorrectly reported temperatures on Ryzen 5 1600 series processors. For a detailed list of bug fixes, please take a look at the list below.DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 21.5.1

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today presented two gaming systems of AMD X570 platform with AORUS MODEL X and AMD B550 platform with mini system AORUS MODEL S, which adopt the top-notch components and materials for extreme performance. Enhanced by the strict verification and leading technology, GIGABYTE provides the PC system of extreme performance with optimized heat dissipation and acoustic control. The system maintains cool and quiet even under the full operation, which balance the high performance and low temperature to keep the system acoustic under 40dB without throttling. Furthermore, the three-year warranty of full system offers an ease and comprehensive service for users.

"When tackling the uplift of PC performance, multi-core, high frequency, and copious storage become a must to the premium PC platform, as well as how to make the best components matrix to provide the optimized performance with reliability turns into more inevitable." indicated by Eddie Lin, Vice President of the GIGABYTE Channel Solutions. "The new AORUS system is well-tempered by multiple verification and tuning of GIGABYTE's R&D team, which provide a perfect match of cool, quiet, and powerful performance with compatibility and three-year whole system warranty.

EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing a Full Nickel version of the EK-Quantum Momentum ROG Crosshair VIII Hero monoblock. This monoblock is engineered specifically for the ROG Crosshair VIII Hero and ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero motherboards and features a full-metal design that possesses unrivaled durability and a premium finish. This complete all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for Ryzen AMD processors is compatible with the X570-based ROG Crosshair VIII Hero and Dark Hero motherboards.

The monoblock is equipped with the latest-generation EK cooling engine, used in the Quantum Line to ensure the best possible CPU cooling while not reducing the flow to other components. This water block directly cools AM4 socket type CPU as well as the voltage regulation (MOSFET) module. Liquid flows directly over all critical areas, providing enthusiasts with a great solution for high and stable overclocks. Like every EK monoblock, the EK-Quantum Momentum ROG Crosshair VIII Hero D-RGB also features a high flow design and can be easily used with weaker water pumps or lower pump speed settings as well.

AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) today announced revenue for the first quarter of 2021 of $3.45 billion, operating income of $662 million, net income of $555 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.45. On a non-GAAP* basis, operating income was $762 million, net income was $642 million and diluted earnings per share was $0.52.

"Our business continued to accelerate in the first quarter driven by the best product portfolio in our history, strong execution and robust market demand," said Dr. Lisa Su, AMD president and CEO. "We had outstanding year-over-year revenue growth across all of our businesses and data center revenue more than doubled. Our increased full-year guidance highlights the strong growth we expect across our business based on increasing adoption of our high-performance computing products and expanding customer relationships."

EK, the leading computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is launching a new water block, tailor-made for AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. The Magnitude sTRX4 is the most complex Threadripper CPU water block on the market to date. Our latest addition to the EK Quantum product line has no intention of succeeding or replacing its Velocity sTR4 counterparts, as the Magnitude water block is a rather sophisticated alternative optimized specifically for Zen 2 based AMD Threadripper CPUs.

EK-Quantum Magnitude sTRX4
The block will be available in the same four finishes as regular Magnitude blocks: Copper + Acetal, Nickel + Acetal (D-RGB), Nickel + Plexi (D-RGB), and Full Nickel. However, to distinguish the two acetal models, Copper + Acetal versions will feature an exclusive red frame by default. The award-winning, signature design truly sets the Magnitude apart, with every piece being CNC-milled from a solid piece of material. The three-dimensional aluminum mounting frame perfectly blends in with the asymmetrical shape of the Threadripper CPU socket while making the screws a seamless part of the water block. Strong edges and chamfers root this futuristic design firmly into the EK Quantum line. Magnitude proudly bears its prestigious iF Design Award.

CPU-Z, the CPU monitoring tool used to gather information about the processor your system is running on, has been updated with version 1.96. This new update doesn't change the software much but rather brings support for new hardware. Starting from this revision, Intel's upcoming Alder Lake CPUs have received preliminary support in the tool. To go along with CPUs, the software is now also enabled to recognize Intel's Z6xx motherboards that pair with Alder Lake processors. Alongside that, the software now also brings support for next-generation DDR5 memory, which is supposed to feature speeds anywhere from 4800 to 8400 MT/s. When it comes to AMD, the tool received an update that enables it to read information about AMD's Ryzen 5700G, 5600G, and 5300G APUs, and Radeon RX 6900 XT, 6800 (& XT), 6700 XT GPUs.Download CPU-Z Version 1.96 Here.

The rumor mill keeps crushing away; in this case, regarding AMD's plans for their next-generation Zen designs. Various users have shared pieces of the same AMD roadmap, which apparently places AMD in an APU-focused landscape come their Ryzen 7000 series. we are currently on AMD's Ryzen 5000-series; Ryzen 6000 is supposed to materialize via a Zen 3+ design, with improved performance per watt obtained from improvements to its current Zen 3 family. However, Ryzen 7000-series is expected to debut on AMD's next-gen platform (let's call it AM5), which is also expected to introduce DDR5 support for AMD's mainstream computing platform. And now, the leaked, alleged roadmaps paint a Zen 4 + Navi 2 APU series in the works for AMD's Zen 4 debut with Raphael - roadmapped for manufacturing at the 5 nm process.

The inclusion of an iGPU chip with AMD's mainstream processors may signal a move by AMD to produce chiplets for all of its products, and then integrating them in the final product. You just have to think about it in the sense that AMD could "easily" pair one of the eight-core chiplets from the current Ryzen 5800X, for example, with an I/O die (which would likely still be fabricated with Global Foundries) an an additional Navi 2 GPU chiplet. It makes sense for AMD to start fabricating GPUs as chiplets as well - AMD's research on MCM (Multi-Chip Module) GPUs is pretty well-known at this point, and is a given for future development. It means that AMD needed only to develop one CPU chiplet and one GPU chiplet which they can then scale on-package by adding in more of the svelte pieces of silicon - something that Intel still doesn't do, and which results in the company's monolithic dies.

CORSAIR, today announced updated configurations of its lineup of flagship compact gaming PCs: the CORSAIR ONE a200 and the CORSAIR ONE i200. Both machines offer blisteringly fast speeds from some of the latest CPUs available - either an AMD Ryzen 9 5900X or up to an Intel Core i9-11900K - coupled with the immense power and speed of NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 graphics. As always, every CORSAIR ONE is supported by a full range of award-winning CORSAIR components in an unbelievably compact and unique form-factor.

The CORSAIR ONE a200 is equipped with a 12-core, 24-thread Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, while the CORSAIR ONE i200 features a new 11th Gen Intel Core CPU, up to a Core i9-11900K. Whether you choose AMD or Intel, either CORSAIR ONE is capable of powering through complex tasks, intense gaming, and demanding applications with ease. Amazing 3D gaming and content creation performance is driven by an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3080 GPU with Ampere architecture and NVIDIA DLSS 2.0 AI technology, delivering amazingly realistic graphics and silky-smooth frame rates even when playing at maximum detail at 4K.

AMD has today decided to launch the next generation of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs), now in form of the 5000G lineup codenamed Cezanne. The APUs are getting launched as OEM-exclusive products for now, which means that only manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, etc. can have access to them. AMD is set to announce these processors for wider masses, such as consumer DIYers, later this year. So you must be wondering what is new about the 5000G APUs. For starters, the new APUs feature AMD's improved Zen 3 core with a notable IPC boost over Zen 2 found in last generation 4000G APUs. When it comes to graphics, the new APUs feature anywhere from 6-8 GPU cores, based on the Vega architecture.

When it comes to the available models, AMD lists six SKUs, all differentiating in CPU/GPU core count, TDP, and frequency. There are three regular SKUs, with their power-efficient variants. The regular SKUs are AMD Ryzen 7 5700G, Ryzen 5 5600G, and Ryzen 3 5300G. They are normal SKUs that have a TDP of 65 Watts, meaning a higher base frequency needing a more adequate cooling solution. However, as there are regular SKUs, there are also power-efficient, TDP-constrained models present. Called the AMD Ryzen 7 5700GE, Ryzen 5 5600GE, and Ryzen 3 5300GE, these models bring the TDP down to 35 Watts and reduce base frequency by a couple of hundreds of MHz.

AMD has quietly launched two new Zen 3 processors for the OEM market with the Ryzen 9 5900 and Ryzen 7 5800. The Ryzen 9 5900 is a 12 core 24 thread processor with a base clock of 3.0 GHz and a max boost clock of 4.7 GHz along with a TDP of 65 W. The clock speeds were lowered due to the 65 W TDP with a base clock is 700 MHz lower than the 5900X while the boost clock is only 100 MHz slower. The Ryzen 7 5800 is an 8 core 16 thread processor with a base clock of 3.4 GHz and a boost clock of 4.6 GHz along with a TDP of 65 W. The base clock is reduced by 400 MHz and the boost clock by 100 MHz compared to the 105 W TDP 5800X. The Ryzen 9 5900 is only ~5% slower than the Ryzen 9 5900X despite a 61.5% lower TDP and reduced clock speeds according to UserBenchmark results. These new processors are now shipping in systems from various integrators such as the Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition.

ASUS today announced ASUS Chrome Enterprise devices, an exciting offering that combines the benefits of top-notch ASUS hardware with the business capabilities of Chrome OS. ASUS Chrome Enterprise devices are specifically built for business—enabled with Chrome Enterprise and housed in versatile, lightweight and robust ASUS Chrome devices to provide professionals with the tools they need to be effective and productive.

The lineup of ASUS Chrome Enterprise devices spans Chromebooks with clamshell and convertible designs and various form factors, as well as Chromebox models tailored to different business needs. With this offering, businesses can enjoy features such as zero-touch enrollment and Parallels Desktop for Chrome OS to optimize workflows for cloud-first devices.

Dell's gaming subsidiary, Alienware, has launched a product designed to reintroduce products of a company that was abandoned in the laptop sector a long time ago. Alienware's last AMD-based gaming laptop made an appearance in 2007, and for 14 years there wasn't an Alienware laptop with an AMD processor inside it. For all those years, the heart of Alienware laptops was promised to Intel, however, that is no longer the case. Today, Alienware has introduced a Ryzen edition of the m15 R5 gaming laptop, powered by... you guessed it, AMD Ryzen 5000 series of mobile processors.

The new Alienware m15 R5 Ryzen Edition laptop is set to bring the balance to the force. Featuring AMD's flagship Ryzen 9 5900HX overclockable processor, the CPU is paired with NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3070 graphics card. All of that is crammed inside a 15-inch body that offers QHD 240Hz or FHD 360Hz panels for the best possible gaming experience. For the cherry on top, the laptop offers Cherry MX keyboard switches with per-key RGB lighting. The new Ryzen edition Alienware laptop will be available for purchase in the U.S. with select configurations on April 20 starting at $1793.98. You can check out some pictures of the laptop below.More pictures follow.

AMD Ryzen 5000 series of processors feature the new Zen 3 core design, which uses many techniques to deliver the best possible performance. One of those techniques is called Predictive Store Forwarding (PSF). According to AMD, "PSF is a hardware-based micro-architectural optimization designed to improve the performance of code execution by predicting dependencies between loads and stores." That means that PSF is another "prediction" feature put in a microprocessor that could be exploited. Just like Spectre, the feature could be exploited and it could result in a vulnerability in the new processors. Speculative execution has been a part of much bigger problems in CPU microarchitecture design, showing that each design choice has its flaws.

AMD's CPU architects have discovered that the software that relies upon isolation aka "sandboxing", is highly at risk. PSF predictions can sometimes miss, and it is exactly these applications that are at risk. It is reported that a mispredicted dependency between load and store can lead to a vulnerability similar to Spectre v4. So what a solution to it would be? You could simply turn it off and be safe. Phoronix conducted a suite of tests on Linux and concluded that turning the feature off is taking between half a percent to one percent hit, which is very low. You can see more of that testing here, and read AMD's whitepaper describing PSF.

The AMD Zen 3 architecture provided significant performance improvements with the company releasing server, desktop, and mobile processors featuring the architecture. AMD is yet to update their Threadripper lineup with the new architecture however that looks set to change with the company reportedly preparing to announce the next generation "Chagall" Threadripper 5000 processors in August. The Threadripper family is in dire need of a refresh with the latest 3000 series processors being launched back in November 2019. The new processors should be compatible with existing TRX40 motherboards with a simple BIOS update.

Razer, the maker of various gaming peripherals and gaming PCs/Laptops, has been a long-time user of Intel CPUs in their laptops devices. However, that might be changing just about now. According to some findings by @_rogame, there was a 3D Mark benchmark run that featured AMD Ryzen 5000 series "Cezanne" mobile processors. What is more interesting is the system it was running in. Called Razer PI411, this system is officially Razer's first AMD-powered laptop. While we don't have many details about it, we have some basic system configuration details. For starters, the laptop carries AMD's top-tier Ryzen 9 5900HX overclockable mobile processor. Carrying a configured TDP of 45 Watts (the maximum is 54 W), the system is likely not equipped with sufficient cooling for overclocking.

When it comes to the rest of the laptop, it features NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 3060 GPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. Being that this laptop was codenamed PI411, it could indicate a 14-inch model. However, we still don't know if it is ever going to hit consumer shelves. Being that Razer never carried an AMD CPU option, this could just be an engineering sample that the company was experimenting with, so we have to wait to find out more.

ASRock Rack, a division of ASRock dedicated to server/enterprise products, has today quietly launched a 1U short depth server, equipped with AMD's X570 motherboards, able to accommodate AMD Ryzen 5000 series of processors. The 1U2-X570/2T, as ASRock calls it, features an X570D4I-2T motherboard that is capable of housing any AMD Ryzen and Ryzen Pro 5000 series processor with TDP up to 105 Watts, paired with up to four SO-DIMMs of DDR4 ECC memory. Being a remote desktop/server type of build, the 1U case is not designed to be equipped with any powerful discrete graphics card. There is room for the motherboard, the power supply, and the HDDs located next to the motherboard.

Equipped with an 80-Plus Bronze 265 Watt PSU, the system can handle almost any CPU it is equipped with, two 3.5" drives and two 2.5" 7 mm drives. The motherboard also supports M.2 2280 SSD with PCIe 4.0 protocol support. When it comes to basic graphics output, ASRock Rack has installed an ASPEED AST2500 graphics controller to handle basic video output and display the command line, so you can operate with your server with ease. When it comes to networking, it is equipped with dual RJ45 10 GbE connectors, coming from an Intel X550-AT2 Ethernet controller. For more details, head over to the ASRock Rack 1U2-X570/2T product page.

The Ryzen 5 5300G is a rumored upcoming Zen 3 APU from AMD which has recently been spotted in engineering sample form. The new processor was recently listed on eBay with designation 100-000000262-30_Y, and while the processor is now sold out it has already been benchmarked and detailed. The Ryzen 5 5300G is the successor to the OEM exclusive Ryzen 3 4300G and consumer Ryzen 3 2300G processors and should offer significant performance improvements with the introduction of Zen 3 cores. The 5300G includes four cores and eight threads with a potential 3.5 GHz base clock and no reported boost clocks however this is subject to change with the official release.

The processor was put to the test with CPU-Z single-threaded performance showing the CPU bringing a 10.4% improvement over the 4300G while in multi-threaded bringing a 7.9% uplift. In Cinebench R15 the 5300G beats the Ryzen 3 Pro 4350G by 16.7% and the Intel Core i3-10100 by 11.6%. We only got two gaming benchmarks for Battlefield 4 and Battlefield V with the processors onboard Vega graphics performing admirably in both providing 29 FPS in Battlefield V at 1080p high settings. When played with less demanding graphics settings or with older games we see some impressive numbers with up to 95 FPS on Battlefield 4 at 1080p low settings.

Historically, system builders have been very good indicators of the market situation and demand for the latest processors available. Today, we have the report coming from Puget Systems, a system builder making PCs and laptops for any task needed. Having been present in the PC building business for 21 years, the company was able to notice some trends and look at the market like no one else could, simply by analyzing its orders. Today, we have the report that showcases just how much the CPU market has fluctuated and how dominant forces have shifted. The two main players, AMD and Intel, have been present for lots of years and we now get to see the latest trends in the consumer marketplace.

Back in 2015, Puget Systems quietly dropped AMD processors from their offerings, amid the very low demand the company saw for them. The sales of AMD processors accounted for a single-digit percentage of all of the total sales, and no one was interested in such systems. With the introduction of the Ryzen generation, Puget Systems re-introduced AMD processors back in their offerings. As the company analyzes its processor sales, it has concluded that, currently, AMD processors account for over 50% of the total CPU sales. That is quite a comeback for AMD, as the latest generation Ryzen 5000 series processors have taken the performance crown, and consumer demand is showing the need for new high-performance processors. You can take a look at the graph representing processor sales in the last five years below.