Motherboard manufacturers are beginning to roll out UEFI firmware updates that not just patch the Sinkclose critical vulnerability, but enable an experimental "105 W TDP mode" option as part of the processor's custom BIOS settings (CBS). The mode elevates the power limits of the Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 7 9700X "Zen 5" desktop processors, with up to 13%" performance gains being reported by the motherboard vendors themselves. By default, your motherboard will run these processors at their original 65 W TDP, and you're supposed to manually enable the setting in the UEFI firmware setup program. It could either be found in the overclocking/tuning page, or the AMD CBS section.

To remove the last bit of hesitation among users go turn this setting on, AMD is working to extend its processor warranty to cover the 105 W TDP mode, reports Wccftech editor Hassan Mujtaba. Currently, the setting is being shipped with AM5 AGESA version 1.2.0.1, which includes the Sinkclose vulnerability patch, but will "officially" release it with AM5 AGESA 1.2.0.2, along with warranty coverage. Mujtaba reports that firmware updated with AGESA 1.2.0.2 are expected to begin rolling out in late-September.

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.

Intel recently announced it would offer an extra two-years warranty on its 13th and 14th gen Core CPUs, but it now seems like not all PC makers will follow suit. The Verge contacted 14 major PC makers and got a very mixed response when they asked if these companies would offer extended warranties on systems sold with said processors. It's important to keep in mind that OEM CPUs only come with a 12-month warranty, whereas retail box CPUs from Intel come with a three-year warranty. As such, most PC makers ought to extend the warranty in their systems by a further two years, as per Intel's new warranty terms and some are indeed doing this, while others appear not to.

However, a few companies appear to be offering up to a five-year warranty for the CPU in their system and these companies include Digital Storm, Falcon Northwest iBuyPower and Maingear, so kudos to them for going the extra mile. Corsair and Origin PC—which belongs to Corsair—are offering four years warranty, which is still pretty decent. This is followed by Puget Systems which will offer three years and finally we have Asus and HP which both will offer another two years of warranty, which is in line with what Intel has promised. Dell and its Alienware subsidiary hasn't promised any extended warranties, but will replace faulty CPUs under Intel's extended warranty and will cover any costs related to replacing the CPU, suggesting that they are offering a two-year extension as well.

In a statement for Tom's Hardware, Intel has announced a two-year warranty extension for its 13th and 14th Generation Core processors. This decision comes in response to widespread reports of crashes and instability affecting a broad range of models, from high-end flagship chips to mid-range offerings. The extension effectively increases the standard warranty period from three to five years for most boxed processors, with even the limited-edition models seeing an increase from one to three years. This move aims to reassure customers and mitigate concerns about potential long-term damage to affected chips. Intel has identified excessive voltage as the root cause of the problem, which has led to unexpected system crashes and blue screens of death (BSODs), particularly during gaming and other demanding tasks.

The company plans to release a microcode update by mid-August to prevent further degradation in unaffected processors. However, this update will not resolve issues in chips that have already experienced problems, and users with malfunctioning processors will need to seek replacements. The tech giant has faced criticism for its delayed response to the issue, which has plagued users for months. In its statement, Intel also addressed concerns about Via Oxidation, clarifying that while this separate issue was discovered in 2022, it is not the cause of the current instability problems. The company claims to have implemented fixes and enhanced screening procedures for Via Oxidation by early 2023, with affected chips reportedly removed from the supply chain by early 2024.

In a commitment to delivering unparalleled customer satisfaction and product reliability, GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, is thrilled to announce an updated 3-year warranty for its entire lineup of QD OLED gaming monitors, including the CO49DQ, FO32U2P, FO32U2, FO27Q3, MO34WQC, and MO34WQC2 models. This enhanced warranty coverage underscores GIGABYTE's confidence in the durability and performance of its cutting-edge gaming monitors. The extended 3-year warranty aims to provide users with peace of mind and protection against potential panel image retention issues, ensuring a flawless gaming and entertainment experience over a longer period. GIGABYTE is dedicated to offering not only state-of-the-art technology but also robust support and service to its customers.

Introduced at CES 2024, the QD OLED gaming monitors have set new standards in the industry with their exceptional features. The FO32U2P, for instance, stands out as the world's first DP 2.1 UHBR20 tactical gaming monitor, offering unparalleled bandwidth and a seamless gaming experience without the need for Display Stream Compression (DSC). The innovative Tactical Switch, Night Vision, and Resolution Switch features further enhance the gaming experience, catering to the specific needs of gamers.

MSI, the world's leading manufacturer of true gaming hardware, is proudly expanding the hardware possibilities for all gamers. While OLED panels have become the preferred choice for high-end gaming, the OLED burn-in issue has consistently been a major concern for all users. MSI is proud to introduce an exceptional solution that effectively addresses the dreaded OLED problem.

MSI's Pledge: 3-Year Warranty for OLED Monitors
To further enhance the longevity of your panels, we are proud to introduce MSI OLED CARE 2.0. This cutting-edge technology is designed to safeguard your OLED panels, providing enhanced protection and contributing to an extended lifespan. In a commitment to our valued gaming community, MSI guarantees a 3-year warranty on OLED panels. Our 3-year warranty extends beyond typical coverage—it includes protection against the burn-in issue. MSI understands the importance of providing comprehensive support, ensuring our users enjoy gaming without any concerns.

The PC master race has yielded many interesting activities for enthusiasts alike, with perhaps the pinnacle of activities being overclocking. Usually, subjects for overclocking include CPUs, GPUs, and RAM, with other components not actually being capable of overclocking. However, the enthusiast force never seems to settle, and today, we have proof of overclocking an off-the-shelf 2.5-inch SATA III NAND Flash SSD thanks to Gabriel Ferraz, a Computer Engineering graduate, and TechPowerUp's SSD database maintainer. He uses the RZX Pro 256 GB SSD in the video, a generic NAND Flash drive. The RZX Pro uses the Silicon Motion SM2259XT2 single-core, 32-bit ARC CPU running up to 550 MHz. It has two channels at 400 MHz, each with eight chip enable interconnects, allowing up to 16 NAND Flash dies to operate. The SSD doesn't feature a DRAM cache or support a host memory buffer. It has only one NAND Flash memory chip from Kioxia, uses BiCS FLASH 4 architecture, has 96 layers, and has 256 GB capacity.

While this NAND Flash die is rated for up to 400 MHz or 800 MT/s, it only ran at less than half the speed at 193.75 MHz or 387.5 MT/s at default settings. Gabriel acquired a SATA III to USB 3.0 adapter with a JMS578 bridge chip to perform the overclock. This adapter allows hot swapping of SSDs without the need to turn off the PC. He shorted two terminals in the drive's PCB to get the SSD to operate without its default safe mode. Mass Production Tools (MPTools), which OEMs use to flash SSDs, were used to change the firmware settings. Each NAND Flash architecture has its own special version of MPTools. The software directly shows control of the Flash clock, CPU clock, and output driving. However, additional tweaks like Flash IO driving with subdivisions need modifications. Control and Flash On-Die Termination (ODT) and Schmitt window trigger (referring to the Schmitt trigger comparator circuit) also needed a few modifications to make it work.

CORSAIR (NASDAQ: CRSR), a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced the launch and immediate availability of the new CORSAIR XENEON 27QHD240 OLED gaming monitor. Boasting a cutting edge 3rd generation OLED panel from LG Display, the XENEON 27 OLED brings the amazing image quality, black level and response time benefits of OLED to the popular 27 in monitor size, combining stunning image quality and 240 Hz refresh rate to display everything your PC has to offer at its best.

Developed as part of an ongoing close relationship between CORSAIR and LG Display, the XENEON 27 OLED uses LG Micro Lens Array (MLA) technology placing 5,117 micro lenses per pixel to boost brightness, improve viewing angle, and display stunningly bright colors. Up to 1,000 nits brightness and 98.5% DCI-P3 color gamut reveal an amazing level of detail in every image, from the brightest highlights to the gloomiest shadows, with HDR and a 1,500,000:1 contrast ratio.

Late last week, several specialist Nintendo coverage websites cottoned onto an update on the company's UK support pages - the offer to repair faulty Joy-Con units, affected by the notorious drifting problem, for free. Customers who possess long out of warranty controllers will not be charged for fixes, as long as it is apparent that drifting is occurring. The blurb on the official website outlines a pattern of diagnosis: "Joy-Con Control Sticks Are Not Responding or Respond Incorrectly (responsiveness syndrome or so-called "drifting")."

Nintendo has already offered free lifetime repairs to its customers in North America, way back in 2019. Latin America and France received similar treatment shortly thereafter. According to its updated documentation the company is now extending the same service to folks spread across the European Union (and adjacent to): "Until further notice, Nintendo will not charge you in the European Economic Area (EEA), UK and Switzerland for the repair of the responsiveness syndrome irrespective of whether this is caused by a defect or by wear and tear."

With the launch of AMD AM5 X670 motherboards, GIGABYTE, the world's leading computer brand, announces today that all customers in North America region purchasing new GIGABYTE and AORUS X670 motherboards will receive an automatic extended warranty. Expanding on the leading 3-year warranty, customers will receive an upgrade of an additional 2 years warranty for a total of 5 years.

GIGABYTE X670 motherboards have long been known for their Ultra Durable pedigree. Each motherboard is the culmination of several thousand hours of design and painstaking cooperation between several teams to produce the next generation of high performance hardware. In addition to quality components such as Japanese capacitors, multi-layer PCB design, and proprietary NanoCarbon coating on critical heat dissipating surfaces, GIGABYTE continues to push the envelope with innovative features, advancing the industry and setting a new standard.

XPG, a provider of high-performance products for Gamers, E-sports Pros, and Tech Enthusiasts, is pleased to announce that the warranty period for the XPG PYLON 80 Plus Bronze certified power supply unit has been extended to 5 years. Previously the unit's warranty was limited to 3 years. XPG actively works to ensure the highest level of quality and reliability in all their products and happily extends that guarantee to the gamers.

The XPG PYLON is an 80 Plus Bronze certified power supply unit that can reach efficiency levels as high as 89%, delivering performance nearly rivaling that of Gold certified power supplies. It was designed for 24/7 continuous power system operation and comes in four wattage options - 450 W, 550 W, 650 W and 750 W - to meet the specific needs of various types of users and performance scenarios. All models feature DC-to-DC circuit 100% +12V. XPG PYLON complies with the Intel ATX Power Supply Design Guide's sleep mode function requirements and features a power delivery system that remains consistent and efficient, making it ideal for supporting mid to high-end graphic cards and CPUs. Its 120 mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) fan runs nearly silent for a quiet user experience. Combined with its 105°C Japanese main capacitors, the XPG PYLON is whisper-quiet, highly efficient, and built to last.

DeepCool, a global brand in designing and manufacturing high-performance computer components for enthusiasts worldwide, announces the CK SERIES Mid-Tower Cases, which consists the CK500, CK500WH, CK560 and CK560WH. Available in black and white, all cases deliver a balance of airflow, silent performance and exceptional cooling for the modern-day builder.

The CK SERIES deliver a no-nonsense approach to a clean, sleek computer chassis design. For Minimalist Builders who appreciate the CK500 and CK500WH minimal solid front panel can be rest assured that airflow performance is not hindered thanks to enlarged ventilation outlets throughout the front, top, and rear panels for additional air movement. For Builders that insist for even more airflow, the CK560 and CK560WH feature a unique cross-hair patterned steel front panel. All cases offer a clean aesthetic and fits a modern day look while being feature-packed for additional hardware expansion and upgrades.

Unexpected events tend to happen in the world of graphics cards, and today seems like no exception. According to the public announcement on EVGA forums, a truck delivery full of the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 series graphics cards got stolen. The truck was going on its route from San Francisco to the EVGA Southern California distribution center. Inside the vehicle, countless GPUs were ranging in MSRP from $329.99 up to $1959.99. However, the company doesn't specify how many GPUs are now missing. It is important to note that any sale of these stolen GPUs is considered a felony, and if you have any information regarding this, please get in touch with EVGA at stopRTX30theft@evga.com email address.Here is the full announcement from EVGA's forum:

Kingston FURY, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, today announced Kingston FURY Renegade SSD, its next generation PCIe 4.0 NVMe M.2 drive for gamers, enthusiasts, and high-power users. Kingston FURY Renegade SSD delivers cutting-edge performance in high capacities using the latest Gen 4x4 controller and 3D TLC NAND.

By maximizing the available bandwidth of PCIe 4.0, Kingston FURY Renegade SSD achieves speeds up to 7,300/7,000 MB/s read/write and up to 1,000,000 IOPS to deliver amazing consistency for an exceptional gaming experience. The drive is optimized to reduce game and application load times, stream and capture with ease and give your system an overall boost in responsiveness. Available in high capacities up to 4 TB, users can store an extensive library of their favorite games and media and still have space for the latest titles. In addition to formidable speeds and massive capacity options, Kingston FURY Renegade SSD combines a slim M.2 form factor and an advanced low profile, graphene aluminium heatspreader to keep your drive cool during intense usage and bring superior performance to the tightest of spaces in gaming PC's and laptops.

Arctic announces that all its products ship with at least six years of warranty. "Our ARCTIC product promise is that every single product meets the highest standards and deserves the lasting trust of our customers." (Founder Magnus Huber). This is a promise that our customers can rely on - and one that is now binding.

Providing first-class products at an excellent price-performance ratio is our passion. As an owner-managed company, we focus on reliability and quality. We recently announced a warranty extension for all Liquid Freezer II series coolers, and now we're taking it one big step further: because we believe so strongly in our products, ARCTIC is extending the manufacturer's warranty of its entire product range beyond the legally required two years to a full six years.

Starting today, all water coolers from the Liquid Freezer II Series will come with a a six-year guarantee from the date of purchase. This extended warranty also applies retroactively to all LF II coolers that have already been purchased. Outstanding cooling performance through liquid cooling without the complexity of conventional CPU water coolers: since entering the market, our all-in-one series Liquid Freezer II has been winning over hardware enthusiasts and independent tech reviewers worldwide. After numerous awards for performance, price and downtime, with the extension to 6 years the Liquid Freezer II now also sets the highest standards in terms of warranty length. The high quality of the built-in components as well as the excellent results of our long-term testing give us the assurance that the premium water cooler series, in addition to their strong performance, are also outstanding in quality and reliability. We are happy to share this reassurance with our customers.

Some time ago, Intel has introduced the Performance Tuning Protection Plan (PTPP), which was used as a warranty for any damage that has occurred during overclocking. Customers of PTPP, mainly buyers of Intel Core processors having a "K" tag were able to get a replacement processor whenever they damaged their CPU by overclocking it. When it comes to the pricing of such a service, typical plans were spanning from $19.99 to $29.99, depending on the processor you had. However, there will no longer be such a program, as Intel is discontinuing its PTPP extended overclocking warranty. The company has updated its site to refer to End-Of-Life (EOL) page displaying a quote below.

Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Cooling, Gaming Gear, and Enthusiast Memory solutions, is here to share the TOUGHFAN 14 High Static Pressure Radiator Fan is now ready for purchase in both single pack and 2-fan pack. For those who had been eyeing the TOUGHFAN 12 but wanted a 140 mm fan, here's your chance to get the taste of that TOUGHFAN series vibe. These high-quality, great performance fans are PWM controlled and designed to perform at a maximum operating speed of up to 2000 RPM and are optimized for high static pressure while maintaining minimal noise levels. The liquid crystal polymer (LCP) fan blades are extremely tensile in strength; its low thermal expansion coefficient can reduce the fan's vibration when running at full speed. Don't miss out on Thermaltake's latest TOUGHFAN series member, the TOUGHFAN 14 High Static Pressure Radiator Fan.

Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Cooling, Gaming Gear, and Enthusiast Memory solutions is thrilled to introduce four budget-friendly chassis, the Versa T25 TG/ T35 TG RGB & H330 TG/ H350 TG RGB Mid-Tower Chassis. The overall designs allow users to display their interior designs clearly, the new Versa T25 TG and Versa T35 TG RGB Chassis comes with two tempered glass panels at the front and on the left site. While Versa T25 TG has a plain full-size tempered glass front panel, and the Versa T35 TG RGB has an RGB belt across the front panel that can be controlled by the RGB button on the IO-port; exhibiting two RGB stripes and some angles that bring some twist to the Versa series.

Being one of the two RGB enclosures the H350 TG RGB Mid-Tower Chassis inherits the consistent RGB lighting design while bringing in some new elements into the H series. The H350 TG RGB also has an RGB button along with a controllable RGB stripe which slashes through the matte front panel, distinguishing it from the previous version. The H330 TG, however, has a trapezoid-shaped solid panel while leaving the rest of the front panel with a meshed filtered design. Both H330 TG and H350 TG RGB enclosures have a tempered glass side panel for users to show off their design as well. These entry-level chassis all have inlets on the front panel to maximize air intake, and each comes with a preinstalled 120 mm fan at the rear. These four enclosures not only do they bring a new appearance to the Thermaltake chassis family, but ensure excellent ventilation.

ZOTAC today announced they are expanding warranty on their upcoming lineup of NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 30 series (and will include new graphics card releases as well as Mini PCs). The move will see customers who purchase any GeForce 3000 series graphics card starting September 17th within the regions of Europe, Middle East, Africa and India see the usual 2-year warranty extend to a 3-year warranty. This process is automatic - there is no need for any product registering to get this offer from ZOTAC.

ZOTAC also offers a 2-year extended warranty to any users who register their ZOTAC products with the company, thus allowing for an up to 5 year (3+2) warranty period. Products launched before September 17th, 2020 keep ZOTAC's current 2-year warranty with an optional 3-year extended warranty.

AOC, a worldwide leader in monitor display technology, today releases a striking new 34-inch QHD curved frameless gaming monitor, the AOC CU34G2X. The AOC CU34G2X is part of AOC's new G2 series and is available on Amazon for $449.99 starting August 11, 2020.

Closer to the Action
Gamers will relish a pro-grade experience through this 1500R curved design allowing users to take full advantage of peripheral vision, and offering deeper immersion without distortion. Its VA panel along with 3440x1440 resolution puts users in the middle of the action.

ASUS today announced that ProArt Display PA and PQ series monitors purchased and registered in Europe, Middle East or Africa (EMEA) regions are now backed by a comprehensive five-year warranty. ProArt Displays are specially designed for creators working across multiple professional and prosumer disciplines, including movie production, 3D design, digital photography and more. Each ProArt Display is tailored for particular demands, with a focus on delivering outstanding visual experiences through application of the latest display technologies, while the range as a whole is designed to serve the needs of many different kinds of creator.

With ProArt Display, ASUS pioneers the new DisplayHDR 1.1 specification, the industry's first fully open standard to outlines a specific definition for high-dynamic-range (HDR) output quality. Only recently formalized by the Video Electronics Standards Association (VESA), DisplayHDR 1.1 means that creators using ProArt Display products are assured of tighter performance requirements, including for luminance and color gamut.

COVID-19 has brought many industries in the world to an almost standstill as quarantine mechanisms are put in place in both public and private sectors. The economic impact of the - now declared pandemic by the World Health Organization - outbreak will likely be felt for years to come. Thank to that globalization and the interconnectedness of various markets, including the global supply chain.

In light of this, MSI has decided to extend the warranty period for products falling in the categories of desktops, motherboards, AIO computers, PC cases and monitors (this excludes graphics cards and laptops, which are also quite important in the overall companies' outlook). Furthermore, this warranty extension is limited to countries that have been the most affected by the recent outbreak - U.S., Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK.

Phanteks today announced the release of its first ever power supplies, the Revolt X Series. Phanteks patented technology and powered by Seasonic, the Revolt X is the first power supply that features a fully modular design, 80 PLUS Platinum certified and supports dual system configuration. Whether you use the Revolt X for normal use with a single system or decide to go with a dual system configuration, the Revolt X will make things easier for you.

Thermaltake releases Level 20 GT RGB Plus Edition and Level 20 GT Edition Chassis, adding new premium full towers to the Level 20 collection. Featuring a gaming-oriented design with architectural aesthetics, Level 20 GT RGB Plus features four tempered glass windows with hinged door and smart lock designs for master durability and superb viewing capability. The Level 20 GT RGB Plus is installed with latest USB Type-C and USB 3.0 I/O Port. With high-end complete solution, it supports motherboards up to standard E-ATX and a patented rotational PCI-E bracket design that supports SLI vertical GPU mount.

Furthermore, the Level 20 GT RGB Plus is preinstalled with two Riing Plus 20 RGB and one Riing Plus 14 RGB fans, which can be controlled by TT RGB PLUS Software, allowing users to custom control fan speeds and lighting effects. Compatible with the latest PC hardware, AIO and DIY liquid cooling solutions, the commemorative Level 20 GT RGB Plus Edition Full-Tower Chassis declares a traditional refinement and contemporary mechanism to all the gamers and enthusiasts. As to Level 20 GT Edition, it shares most of the same traits with the RGB Plus Edition except for the preinstalled fans. Level 20 GT Edition is preinstalled with one 140 mm Riing LED Blue fans and options for up to two 200mm front/top fans for maximum airflows.