Just a handful of days ahead of Sandy Bridge-E's launch, a Chinese tech website, www.inpai.com.cn (Google translation) has done what Chinese tech websites do best and that's leak benchmarks and slides, Intel's NDA be damned. They pit the current i7-2600K quad core CPU against the upcoming i7-3960X hexa core CPU and compare them in several ways. The take home message appears to be that gaming performance on BF3 & Crysis 2 is identical, while the i7-3960X uses considerably more power, as one might expect from an extra two cores. The only advantage appears to come from the x264 & Cinebench tests. If these benchmarks prove accurate, then gamers might as well stick with the current generation Sandy Bridge CPUs, especially as they will drop in price, before being end of life'd. While this is all rather disappointing, it's best to take leaked benchmarks like this with a (big) grain of salt and wait for the usual gang of reputable websites to publish their reviews on launch day, November 14th. Softpedia reckons that these results are the real deal, however. There's more benchmarks and pictures after the jump.

Intel have finally confirmed that they will be including water cooling as an enthusiast solution for their upcoming Core i7-3000 series Sandy Bridge-E processors due for release on November 14 - a first for Intel and something for AMD to match. They have gone with Asetek due to their high quality products and good reputation, which will be branded with the distinctive Intel blue logos. The 12cm radiator fan will actually be illuminated in Intel Blue, giving a classy look to the kit. On top of that, they will actually sell the kit separately, so no one need feel left out. The E-series chips are already significantly faster than the current Sandy Bridge offerings, but water cooling will be able to stretch that lead even further and should make for some exciting overclocking achievements. Perhaps 6GHz or more 24/7 reliable operation is within reach? No prices as yet.

The Spire all new Kepler universal micro-processor cooler series are direct contact heat-pipe solutions for Core i3/i5 and i7 from Intel and the AMD AM2/3/FM1 micro-processors. There are three (3) different models ranging from two up to four 6mm sinter powder heat-pipes which are in direct contact with the cpu heat-source, dissipating heat effectively and fast.

The high density fins are crowned with a powerful fan for high airflow and great cooling performance. The 92mm dc fan provides ample airflow and silent cooling at 19.0dBA. Compatibility is ensured with the multi-platform mounting clip for Intel 775/1155/1156 sockets and AM2/AM3/FM1 micro-processors. The Kepler series from Spire are build to deliver great cooling for maximum system performance.

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today expanded its line of All-in-One PCs with the introduction of the Toshiba DX735, featuring a 23-inch Full HD multi-touch display. A complete entertainment hub for the home or dorm room the DX735 offers high-end audio, video and computing performance as well as premium computing capabilities to manage and create content.

"Our All-in-One systems blend the best of Toshiba's PC and visual product expertise for families and students looking to enjoy TV, watch DVDs and play games," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "Featuring a stylish and space-saving TV-like design, the DX735 is a great add to almost any room, enabling users to interact with their media, while acting as an ideal hub for family photos, videos, music and more."

Eurocom Corporation, a leading developer of long lifespan, fully upgradable notebooks, high performance mobile workstations and mobile servers is adding new high performance Intel Core i7 Processors to its line of High Performance Notebooks.

"Eurocom is always striving to offer the best available technology, and in our mind the second generation Intel Core i7 Mobile Processors will greatly improve our Business and Gaming Notebooks, through increased efficiency and performance" said Mark Bialic, Eurocom President.

Thermal Solutions specialist GELID Solutions reveals the GX-7 CPU cooler of its GAMER product line. Engineers at GELID Solutions have created an outstanding new CPU cooler with 7 power heat pipes. Contrary to traditional heat pipe arrangement for this GAMER CPU cooler "GX-7", a special array of heat pipes was used to take full advantage of all 7 heat pipes heat transfer capacity. Further V-shaped aluminum fins were used in the center of the heat sink to allow airflow to reach the heat sink more evenly. Openings inside of the heat sink and near the heat pipes let fresh-air flows in from the top and the bottom to zones normally poorly ventilated, and eliminate the creation of hotspots. The unique heat sink shape supports dual fans.

Included in the GX-7 is the multi-award winning Wing 12 PL fan, allowing the cooler to reach remarkable temperature. The Wing 12 PL Blue features blue LEDs and unique Nanoflux bearing which ensures a friction-free and silent operation. Thanks to the clever design and magnetic bearing, the impeller can be detached for easy cleaning. Additionally, fan blade winglets were designed to achieve larger airflow and greater static pressure. The fan also includes a premium PWM control, so the temperature can be controlled precisely by the BIOS.

This fall, Intel plans a series of price-cuts covering its second-generation Core processor family, and Sandy Bridge-based Pentium Dual Core processors. The cuts will see prices lowered by roughly $10 across the board. The cuts cover dual-core Intel Pentium G630 and G850, dual-core Core i3-2120, i7-2390T, and quad-core Core i5-2400S, i5-2405S, i5-2500S, i5-2500T, and i7-2600S. Prime selling enthusiast models such as i5-2500, i5-2500K, i7-2600, i7-2600K don't feature in this list. Most of these cuts will come into effect in September, the price cuts of i3-2120, and the two Pentium Dual Core chips, will come into effect in October.

MSI is unveiling its new generation top-of-the-line GT683DX gaming computer, featuring the ultimate in performance and hardware. It packs Intel's second generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor, nVidia's latest and greatest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card, four DDR3 memory slots, accelerated dual hard disk architecture, as well as Dynaudio and THX TruStudio Pro smart wrap around sound. Taipei-MSI just introduced the GT683DX gaming laptop with powerful hardware, including Intel's 2nd generation Core i7-2630QM quad core processor and nVidia's newest GeForce GTX 570M discrete graphics card (1.5GB GDDR5 display memory), representing a 20% improvement in performance over other discrete graphics cards currently on the market to deliver hiccup-free graphics even when you play the latest high-resolution games. It received a record 12,475 points when it was tested in the performance mode on 3DMark Vantage.

Slides of a key presentation to Intel's partners was leaked to sections of the media, which reveal Intel's own performance testing of the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition, the top-model of the socket LGA2011 "Sandy Bridge-E" processor series. Meet the family here. In its comparison, Intel maintained the Core i7-990X Extreme Edition socket LGA1366 processor as this generation's top offering. It was pitted against the Core i7-3960X in a battery of tests that included some enthusiast favourites such as Cinebench 11.5, POV-Ray 3.7, 3DMark 11 physics, Pro-Show Gold 4.5, and some OEM favourites such as SPECint_rate base2006, SPECfp_rate base2006, and SiSoft SANDRA 2011B multimedia and memory bandwidth.

From these test results, the Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is pitched to be about 47.25% faster on average, compared to Core i7-990X Extreme Edition. Intel is attributing the performance boost, apart from the normal IPC increase, to the 33% higher bandwidth thanks to the quad-channel DDR3 IMC, and the new AVX instruction set that accelerates math-heavy tasks such as encoding. The Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition is an upcoming socket LGA2011 six-core processor that is clocked at 3.30 GHz, with Turbo Boost speed of up to 3.90 GHz, with 12 threads enabled by HyperThreading technology, and 15 MB L3 cache. It will release by either late 2011 or early 2012.

Samsung Electronics America Inc., a subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Corporation, today announced an expanded Series 9 laptop line that is scheduled to arrive on store shelves in time for the back-to-school shopping season. The expanded line of sophisticated, ultra-thin and lightweight models includes five different configurations designed to meet the needs and budgets of a variety of users.

"We've seen a very positive reception to the original Series 9 models introduced at CES earlier this year," said Scott Ledterman, director of mobile PC marketing at Samsung Enterprise Business Division. "As we look to expand the line for the remainder of the year, we've maintained the premium duralumin design and form factor while offering consumers a wider range of options and powerful performance."

ASUS Chairman Jonney Shih has unveiled the highly-anticipated Padfone along with the latest ASUS innovations, which include new UX Series notebooks, redesigned N Series notebooks with SonicMaster audio technology, the revolutionary and versatile Eee Pad Memo 3D, ultra-thin Eee PC X101 netbooks, and unique home entertainment devices such as the motion-sensing WAVI Xtion and the 27" All-in-One high-definition ET2700XVT desktop PC. With "Break the Rules, Innovation Beyond Expectations" as the dominant theme this year, Mr. Shih has reiterated the company's strength in cutting-edge designs and superior engineering skills to help bring users the devices of their dreams. "Breaking the rules and changing the status quo are the keys to our success, and we strive to offer customers an experience that surpasses their expectations," said Mr. Shih.

Rarely do motherboard vendors dish out mini-ITX form-factor motherboards targeting the overclocking community. There's little space to squeeze in the bare essentials, but nothing is impossible, if there are competent designers at work, a case in point is the new Z68-ITX WiFi from ZOTAC. Based on the Intel Z68 Express chipset, this board supports LGA1155 Core i3/i5/i7 Sandy Bridge, and future Ivy Bridge processors, supports their integrated GPU giving you access to Intel QuickSync technology, as well as a suite of overclocking options.

To begin with the LGA1155 socket is powered by an 8-phase digital-PWM power design that uses high-grade PWM chokes made by Pulse, and in all probability, a Volterra PWM IC giving you precise voltage control as well as vDroop protection (high-precision load-line calibration). It also uses server-grade high-C capacitors. The PWM circuit takes input from an 8-pin EPS connector. The PWM chips are cooled by a large heatsink that sends some of its heat to the heatsink cooling the Z68 PCH, over a heat pipe.

Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the new HyperX Plug and Play (PnP) series of high-performance enthusiast memory. HyperX PnP are the first modules to scale the higher memory heights that are a part of the second generation Intel Core i5 and i7 CPUs. The memory is programmed with faster frequencies and when 'plugged' into a system using the Sandy Bridge chipset, will automatically 'play' at either 1600MHz or 1866MHz in both desktop and notebook PCs.

The modules are programmed using JEDEC-compliant settings, allowing 1600MHz and 1866MHz frequency support. It is as simple as plugging in the memory and turning on the machine, as the system automatically recognizes faster memory speed with no further BIOS settings required. Users will notice performance gains as overclocking is automatic with the HyperX Plug and Play modules. In addition, the modules are backwards compatible with previously released DDR3 systems on the market.

Intel is preparing its next high-end/enthusiast desktop platform for release in Q4 2011. That platform will be driven by a new socket, the LGA2011, and the new Intel X79 Express chipset. Before that, Intel will give its 2-year old current enthusiast platform, the LGA1366 and X58 Express, a fitting farewell with a new high-end processor model, the Core i7-995X Extreme Edition. The i7-995X is a six-core processor based on the 32 nm "Gulftown" silicon. It features a default clock speed of 3.60 GHz (27 x 133 MHz), 3.86 GHz max Turbo, though the BClk multiplier is unlocked to help with overclocking.

The six x86-64 cores are aided by Intel HyperThreading technology to give the OS a total of 12 logical CPUs (threads) to deal with. The processor features a triple-channel (192-bit wide) DDR3 memory controller, and connects to the X58 chipset over a 6.4 GT/s QuickPath Interconnect link. Intel will launch its new chip some time in Q3 2011, i7-995X is expected to be priced at $999 (in 1000-unit tray quantities), displacing the current SKU at this price, the Core i7-990X Extreme Edition. For now, a lucky few (read: "industry partners") have access to engineering samples.

Rovi Corporation today unveiled Roxio Game Capture and Roxio PC Game Capture, two affordably priced products that offer a straightforward way for gamers to quickly and easily capture and share PC and console game play videos.

In-product tutorials help everyone get set up quickly and immediately begin to capture and showcase their latest campaigns, adventures, ball skills, and race sequences. Gamers may use the products to post their high scores, tips & tricks, game reviews, or even a feature-length movie, or Machinima, based on game play footage. See the products in action here.

Who says laptop computers are all the same? MSI has unveiled the CX640 and CR640, two epoch-making notebooks in terms of both appearance and functions. Details, like the F1 racecar push start power button, the slender, layered, forward-tapering profile, the touchpad with crystal diamond finish, the concealed hotkey design, the flat black case with metallic brush finish, and the streamlined DVD drawer button, combine to give you the feeling that you are at the controls of a sophisticated high-end racecar.

Eric Kuo, associate vice president for global sales, MSI Notebook, points out that the new generation CX640 and CR640 sport Intel's powerful 2nd generation Core i5/i7 CPU and MSI's fast boot technology which gets these impressive laptops up and running in half the time that it takes most other notebooks. They also feature other MSI innovations, such as enhanced data protection which employs MSI's own software and hardware technologies to bolster structural design to safeguard the hard drive against sudden shocks. Another example is Time Stamp backup and restoration which backs up data in just seconds. Two layers of protection technology to double your peace of mind.

HP today revealed a redesigned consumer notebook PC portfolio that enhances the user experience with sleek looks and the latest technologies. With updates across the HP Pavilion line, the new notebooks draw inspiration from culture, art and fashion, and build on HP's MUSE (materials, usability, sensory appeal and experience) design philosophy. Introduced last May, MUSE includes a mix of materials such as metals, alloys and plastics; easy-to-use features for improved usability; a blend of artisan elements for sensory appeal; and intuitive features for simple experiences.

The new notebooks also can be personalized with a choice of 17 exclusive wallpapers designed by six artists from around the world. These wallpapers and more are now available to download from HP's Facebook page. "HP's new Pavilion notebooks provide world-class audio, stylish metal and gloss finishes, and advanced cooling technology", said Stacy Wolff, director, Notebook Design, Personal Systems Group, HP. -The result is a line of notebooks that provide the best combination of power, entertainment and style available.

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced its award-winning Qosmio X500 Series laptops is getting a graphics performance boost from the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M graphics processor with 1.5 GB of discrete graphics memory. The high-performance Qosmio X500 Series laptops deliver elite mobile performance and high-end features for demanding tasks - games, media creation and HD entertainment - for an affordable price, starting at $1,299.99 MSRP.

"The Qosmio brand is about bringing the extreme performance gamers and HD content creators crave without the extreme price," said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. "With the new NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M GPU, consumers can now take advantage of a sophisticated graphics engine optimized for the newest and most demanding DirectX 11 games. The Qosmio X500 delivers an enthusiast-class package equipped with everything needed to fully enjoy and create high-definition content."

HP today revealed new consumer notebook PCs that fuse advanced technologies with stylish designs to deliver a superior computing experience. For maximum sensory appeal, HP delivers the thrill of 3-D entertainment to the HP ENVY 17 3D - the first 17-inch notebook PC to support 1080p 3-D and Blu-ray - and superb audio to the HP ENVY 14 Beats Edition. The HP Pavilion dm3 notebook PC features an HP-developed intelligent cooling system to minimize heat and provide consumers with advanced comfort. HP Wireless TV Connect allows customers to wirelessly experience 1080p high-definition (HD) Blu-ray multimedia content.

With these new technology and design enhancements, we offer customers visually stunning entertainment and an overall better computing experience, said Kevin Frost, vice president and general manager, Consumer Notebooks, Personal Systems Group, HP. These new HP notebooks and accessories deliver breakthrough technology, power and advanced styling to satisfy the most discerning user.

Intel has formalized a wide range of price cuts and changes for processor models from across various segments and platforms. The most noteworthy of these include addition of new SKUs, and repositioning (price-cuts) of certain SKUs. To begin with, Intel formally introduced the Core i7 970 six-core desktop processor. This "non-XE" model comes with a clock speed of 3.20 GHz, and Turbo speeds of 3.43 GHz, and is based on the 32 nm Gulftown die. Earlier expected to be in the $500~$600 range by sections of the press, the SKU is positioned at $885, a mere $115 cheaper than the Core i7 980X Extreme Edition (which is priced at $999).

Most of the action lies in the LGA1156 platform, with the Core i7 870 getting a massive 47.6% price cut, sending its price plummeting down to $294, from $562. This cut may have been influenced by the Core i7 875K, which is a multiplier-unlocked SKU which is priced just a little under $350, with the same clock speeds as the i7 870. Interestingly, no price changes for the i7 860 were noted. An energy-efficient variant of the i7 870, the 870s, was introduced, it is priced at $351.

Transcend Information, Inc., a global leader in storage and multimedia products, today announced that its aXeRam DDR3-2000 memory kits have been officially certified under the Intel Extreme Memory Profile (XMP) validation program. Fully compatible with Intel Core i7 processors, the XMP-certified DDR3 kits are designed to operate at a blazing-fast clock frequency of 2000 MHz with an exceptionally low voltage of just 1.6V.

Intel XMP is a performance-packed expansion of the standard DDR3 memory specification. Featuring memory bandwidth up to an incredible 32GB/s, Transcend's aXeRam DDR3-2000 dual-channel memory kit is rated at 2000MHz with timings of 9-9-9-24, allowing performance enthusiasts and gamers to take their Intel Core i7 platform to the next level of memory overclocking performance. The aXeRam DDR3-2000 memory modules have been certified for use on Intel P55-based motherboards, including Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD3, MSI P55-GD80 and Asus P7P55D Deluxe.

HP today unveiled workstation offerings that include the first small form factor workstation to be available in every region of the world, multicore processor updates to its Z Workstation series and a mobile workstation with DreamColor display technology.

Adding to the award-winning HP Z Workstation series, the HP Z200 SFF Workstation delivers workstation performance and reliability in a sleek, ultracompact and affordable package, and is a great choice for space-constrained environments including the health care, engineering, education, financial and original equipment manufacturer markets.

Intel silently made its newest addition to the Core i7 desktop processor family official: the Core i7 960. This socket LGA-1366 processor is designed to work on motherboards with the Intel X58 Express chipset. After Intel's gradual replacement of the Core i7 965 Extreme Edition with the Core i7 975 Extreme Edition, there remained a scope for a non-XE Core i7 model with the same clock-speed as the i7 965 XE, albeit with an upwards locked bus frequency multiplier.

The Core i7 960 comes clocked at 3.20 GHz (24.0 x 133 MHz), with a maximum Turbo Boost speed of 3.43 GHz. It has four processing cores, and with the HyperThreading Technology, provides the operating system with eight logical CPUs. It comes with a QuickPath Interconnect speed of 4.8 GT/s, and supports up to 24 GB of memory with its triple-channel (192-bit wide) DDR3 memory interface. Each processing core has a dedicated L2 cache of 256 KB, while an 8 MB L3 cache is shared between all four cores. It is built on the 45 nm HKMG process, with a TDP of 130W.

The Core i7 960 is touted to displace the Core i7 950 from its existing price-point of around US $562 (in 1000 unit tray quantities). As evidence of that, popular American retailer Newegg.com has listed the OEM part (chip-only) at $589.99, a mere $10 higher than the retail box of the Core i7 950 listed on the same store.

Toshiba's Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today unveiled the Qosmio X500 Series, an enthusiast-class line of performance laptops geared for high definition multimedia and gaming. Featuring a striking design on the outside and packed with premium technologies and features on the inside, the Qosmio X500 Series offers hardcore gamers and digital content creators a portable, well-equipped "pro-class" laptop.

Qosmio X500 Series laptops feature the new Intel Core i7 processor, delivering four cores of intelligent processing power, Windows 7 and Intel's Turbo Boost Technology, which automatically allows processor cores to run faster than the base operating frequency if it is operating below power, current and temperature specification limits. The laptops also offer ultra-fast DDR3 system memory, dual hard-drive configurations, as well as NVIDIA GeForce GTS 250M graphics with 1GB of GDDR5 video memory. Together, this pairing of high-performance technologies allow consumers to rip through the latest 3D games at lightning-fast frame-rates or create hi-definition video and audio faster and more efficiently with smooth rendering and encoding.

NVIDIA's recent announcement of extending all its multi-GPU technologies to Intel chipsets-based socket LGA-1156 motherboards, even as the company reportedly plans its own chipset, comes in at no better time than this, when rival AMD has a decent lineup of GPUs, processors, and desktop platform technologies, all of which well-oiled. To beat AMD in the game, and propagate its own GPU and multi-GPU technologies, some sort of loose alignment with Intel is inevitable, especially considering ATI CrossFireX has been freely available to motherboard makers for several product generations now.

In a recent presentation circulated to sections of the media, NVIDIA put forward a sort of quasi-platform to rival AMD Dragon, although it isn't named or defined, NVIDIA refers to it as "Power of 3". Part of its key components include Intel socket LGA-1156 processor (from the Core i3/i5/i7 series) running on a motherboard with Intel P55 chipset, Windows 7, and two or more NVIDIA GeForce GPUs. To deal with two or more GPUs, NVIDIA defines its existing "NVIDIA SLI Ready" marker and the seemingly new "NVIDIA PhysX Ready" marker. The difference between the two is that the latter lets you install a second (or third) graphics card that is dedicated to PhysX.