If you thought MSI made too much song and dance about the product design of its R7970 Lightning, particularly the GPU Reactor module, think again. When augmented with liquid nitrogen cooling, the card has the electrical muscle required to sustain 1.7V, and facilitate a staggering 1800 MHz core clock speed, with 1925 MHz memory (7.70 GHz GDDR5 effective), churning out a gargantuan memory bandwidth of close to 370 GB/s, all thanks to the genius of Swedish proverclocker Elmor.

This R7970 Lightning on 'roid-rage was stable enough to bag a 3DMark 11 (performance preset) score of P15035 points. The rest of the test-bed consisted of an Intel Core i7-3960X Extreme Edition six-core chip clocked at 5207 MHz, with 4 GB (4x 1 GB) DDR3 memory clocked at 2314 MHz, and MSI Big Bang XPower II motherboard, to seat it all. Perhaps this is an indication that AMD Radeon HD 7900 can work wonders on potent non-reference designs, such as MSI's R7970 Lightning.

Today Intel announced the Intel Atom CE5300 Media Processor aimed at the next generation of set-top boxes and media gateways. Performance, graphics, power management and user interface improvements in this new product family enables service providers to deploy comprehensive and immersive connected experiences such as the new Amino Freedom Live media gateway which can deliver content seamlessly to TVs, smartphones and tablets around the home. Inside Scoop has more details about this next wave of silicon for platforms supporting the "smart TV experience." For more information, read the inside scoop on the Atom CE5300.

Several next-generation performance-segment notebook models across brands, will be driven by Intel's Core i7-3610QM, a quad-core chip based on the 22 nm Ivy Bridge silicon, clocked at 2.30 GHz (3.30 GHz Turbo), featuring 6 MB L3 cache. The chip features the complete instruction-set of Intel's third-generation Core processor family. DonanimHaber got to test a Samsung notebook that's based on this chip (which also uses NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M graphics), the chip was put through SuperPi 1M and 2M; and Cinebench R11. The chip crunched Pi 1M in 11.66 s, and 2M in 26.67 s. It scored 6.09 pts in Cinebench, which is a higher score than that of AMD FX-8150, DonanimHaber notes.

Intel's first Pentium processors based on the 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" silicon will arrive in Q4, 2012. One of the first models in the series, is the Pentium G2120. Specifications reveal that the chip will be quite generously designed as far as specifications go. To begin with, it is a dual-core processor, with a clock speed of 3.10 GHz. It lacks HyperThreading, so 2 logical CPUs is all that the OS will see; as well as Turbo Boost, so the clock speed won't normally scale beyond 3.10 GHz. Interestingly, the chip has 3 MB of L3 cache, on par with some Core i3 dual-core chips. The instruction-set has SIMD instructions up to SSE 4.2, but lacks AVX. Further, the PCI-Express root hub only supports PCI-Express 2.0, lacking PCI-Express 3.0 support. Its TDP is rated at 65W.

Early adopters of LGA2011 "Sandy Bridge-E" platforms can take a breather, their rigs won't turn obsolete for a long time, according to an X-bit Labs report. "Ivy Bridge-E", a hypothetical successor of Sandy Bridge-E, which is an Ivy Bridge take on the LGA2011-HEDT platform won't take shape anytime soon, at least not till the second half of 2013. The likely explanation for this is the disturbance the delay in LGA1155 "Ivy Bridge" chips to the OEM channels caused to Intel's roadmaps.

Intel will be introducing its very first processors built on the 22 nm fab process, which make use of new semiconductor technologies such as space-optimized 3D-transistors. Swelling inventories of current-generation processors, coupled with fab issues caused the launches of Ivy Bridge to go off by several weeks, and this has taken a toll on the launch schedule of "Ivy Bridge-E". Instead, Intel could launch Core i7-3980X Extreme Edition a little later. This chip will be based on the existing Sandy Bridge-E silicon, it remains to be seen if the chip is a speed-bump over i7-3960X, or if Intel enables cores 7 and 8, and the remaining 5 MB L3 cache on the silicon, turning it to an eight-core Goliath.

Intel is making serious efforts to boost CPU-integrated graphics performance using homegrown architectures, without having to borrow/license any technologies from the other two major players in the PC graphics business that have technological edges over Intel, and hence make high-performance discrete-GPUs (NVIDIA and AMD). Intel's architecture that succeeds Ivy Bridge, codenamed Haswell, will be at the receiving-end of a significant advancement in GPU performance.

We know from history, that Intel carves out variants of chips using a common silicon, by toggling the amount of L3 cache available, number of cores, and even number of iGPU shaders, apart from other natural handles such as clock speeds, voltages, and feature-set. With Haswell, the highest iGPU configuration will make use of a 4th-level cache (L4 cache), that sits on the package, while not being a part of the Haswell silicon. The Haswell silicon will instead be placed on a multi-chip module (MCM) along with a separate die that holds this L4 cache. The L4 cache will serve as a fast memory for the iGPU, while reducing or completely offloading the iGPU's dependency on the system memory as a frame-buffer (UMA).

What would you do for an Ultrabook computer? That's the question Intel Corporation asks in Ultrabook Temptations, a series of six light-hearted experiments filmed in four cities across three countries and posted to YouTube today.

Sleek and stylish, Ultrabooks are a new category of computers inspired by Intel. They are the next generation of mobile computing -- thinner, lighter and more responsive than traditional laptops, yet just as powerful and secure.

"People are drawn to Ultrabooks. When you see one, you just want one," said Claudine Pache, digital marketing manager for Intel Australia and New Zealand. "We created the 'Ultrabook Temptations' to see just how far people would go to get their hands on one."

Towards the end of 2012, Intel will alter Thunderbolt specification from a copper wire-based interconnect to a fiber-optic or photonic interconnect. An analysis by DigiTimes which takes into account information by industry sources, states that Thunderbolt will become standard for PCs only in 2013, and that too the optical one. This comes even as copper wire-based Thunderbolt is beginning to feature on some high-end socket LGA1155 motherboards based on Intel 7-series chipset.

Thunderbolt will get its big push in 2013, when the port will be standard on mainstream desktops and notebooks by OEM majors such as Lenovo, and several PC motherboard vendors, such as ASUS. The optical Thunderbolt IO, apart from allowing greater cable-lengths than 6 m (a limitation of copper-wire Thunderbolt), could push bandwidth greater than 10 Gbps, as a possible incentive for the industry to facilitate the transition to the optical variant.

Even as its 22 nm "Ivy Bridge" Core processors and compatible 7-series "Panther Point" chipset are only taking shape, with chains of product-launches starting late-March, extending through June; there's little denying that Intel has the successor to this platform ready, and a DigiTimes report pins its launch as early as March 2013. These upcoming product lines include a new processor architecture "Haswell", and compatible "Lynx Point" chipset. We knew Haswell's March-June 2013 launch schedule from a slightly older report that cited a leaked road-map slide. This latest DigiTimes report cites sources from upstream component suppliers. Haswell processor platform will introduce a new socket, LGA1150, which is not compatible with current LGA1155 platforms.

Worldwide PC microprocessor revenues in the fourth calendar quarter of 2011 (4Q11) rose to $10.9 billion, up 1.8% compared to 3Q11 and up 14.2% compared to 4Q10, according to the latest PC microprocessor market share study from International Data Corporation (IDC). For the year 2011 compared to 2010, PC microprocessor revenues rose 13.2% to more than $41 billion.

"The average selling price (ASP) that OEMs pay for PC microprocessors rose more than 9% in 2011, making 2011 the second consecutive year of notable ASP increases," said Shane Rau, director of Semiconductors: Personal Computing research at IDC.

Looking at processor unit shipments in 2011 compared to 2010, overall shipments grew 3.6%. By form factor, mobile PC processor unit shipments grew 3.9% in 2011, while x86 server processor unit shipments grew 9.0%, and desktop processor unit shipments grew 2.7%.

World renowned computer manufacturer MSI announces today motherboard products based on Intel's Z77/H77/B75 series chipsets, with support for the new generation of 22 nm process CPUs featuring PCI Express Gen3 specification. The all-new Military Class III products utilizes high-specification components that meet MIL-STD-810G's seven rigorous testing standards, and have passed certification by credible third party laboratories, providing the best quality and stability.

The complete product line includes the high-end Z77 chipset: Z77A-GD80, Z77A-GD65, Z77A-GD55, Z77A-G45, Z77A-G43, the intermediate H77 chipset: ZH77-G43, H77MA-G43 and also the mainstream B75 chipset B75A-G43 and B75MA-P45. All products are equipped with MSI's exclusive one second overclocking tool, OC Genie II, and the UEFI / Windows-based dual-graphical interface ClickBIOS II, allowing enthusiasts to easily establish high performance and enjoy a hassle-free operating experience. Also found on the MSI 7-series motherboards is native USB 3.0 support, with better performance than external controllers. Additionally, the Z77A-GD80 is equipped with the all-new Thunderbolt interface from Intel, allowing multiple connections to monitors, storage devices, and even graphic cards, easily meeting the demands of various types of professional enthusiasts! The MSI 7-series motherboard's rich product line supports the newest specifications and components, making it the consumer's best choice!

Intel's 10 Gbps Thunderbolt IO was originally pitched to be a photonic (fiber-optic) data interconnect, when it was codenamed "Lightpeak". The company managed to achieve acceptable, and comparable bandwidths over copper wire, and hence the electronic variant of the interconnect was introduced to the market in February, 2011. The copper-wire version of Thunderbolt can sustain 10 Gbps bandwidths only up to a distance of 6 meters, it was still favoured probably because electronic physical-layer PHYs are cheaper to produce than photonic ones, and that electronic cables can also transmit power (10W of it).

The fiber optic version of Thunderbolt is still taking shape, and Intel believes optical cables for Thunderbolt could be out in 2012. The fiber optic cable loses the ability to transmit power, but can sustain high bandwidths over greater distances, "tens of meters," enabling longer cables. Intel did not give out a tentative date for the launch of optical Thunderbolt, but it could be linked to several other developments, such as the propagation of PCI-Express 3.0, which provides a generous 2000 MB/s per lane of system bandwidth.

With US cable-TV operators' fees to cable channels crossing the US $40 billion/year mark, Intel is eying a share of the market. According to a WSJ report, Intel is working on a "virtual cable operator" service that would distribute cable-TV channels nationwide over the internet. The paid service wouldn't cover costs of internet service and bandwidth utilized by it, leaving customers to pay them on their end. This could mean that Intel's service is more affordable than those of conventional cable-operators that supply their own wired/satellite infrastructure to customers. Intel has recently made some notable IP acquisitions, which could contribute to this effort. For one, we know that Intel recently bought video encoding/streaming technology patents from RealNetworks (the people behind RealPlayer). Intel's TV service could go live by the end of 2012.

Shuttle is working on its newest fanless all-in-one PC, the X50V3. Built with a 15.6-inch touchscreen that feature 1366x768 pixels resolution, the X50V3 measures 39.13 x 32.7 x 4.2 cm, weighing just under 3 kg. It is available in black and white body-color options. It is driven by Intel Atom D2700 dual-core processor (2.13 GHz, HTT), and features two DDR3 SOIMM slots, supporting up to 4 GB of single-channel DDR3-1066 MHz memory. There's provision for one 2.5" SATA SSD/HDD.

Display connectivity is expandable with D-Sub and an HDMI connector, which also gives out multi-channel digital audio. At the helm of graphics is the Intel GMA3650 integrated into the Atom D2700. The chassis embeds a 2 MP web-camera. Other connectivity includes four USB 2.0 ports, a 4-in-1 card reader, gigabit Ethernet, and Wireless b/g/n(150). The X50V3 can be configured to ship with memory, storage, and an OS (Windows or OpenSuSE Linux). There's no word of when the product will officially launch, and at what price.

Japanese BTO notebook maker Unitcom is ready with the LesanceNB S3431/L first-generation Ultrabook for launch on the 24th of March, later this month. This 14-inch Ultrabook is priced at 59,980 JPY (US $730). It is driven by Intel Core i5-2467M (1.60 GHz), with 4 GB dual-channel DDR3 memory, 64 GB SSD holding the OS and programs, 500 GB HDD for documents and storage, and Intel integrated graphics. The 14-inch screen provides 1366x768 pixels resolution. Other features include multi-format card reader, three USB 2.0 ports, WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, 1.3 megapixel webcam, and 5 hours rated battery-life on full charge. Measuring 333 x 230 x 19 mm, the S3431/L weighs 1.64 kg.

After last week's launch of the Xeon "Romley" platform, which replaces the Xeon 5500 "Tylersburg" platform, Intel has a retirement plan ready for the latter. Tylersburg was introduced in 2009, based on Intel's Nehalem architecture. Intel introduced product change notification (PCN) documents that detail these plans. The following models will be discontinued:

• High-end: W5590, W5580, X5570, X5560 and X5550
• Mid-tier versions: E5540, E5530, E5520, E5507, E5506, E5504, E5503 and E5502
• Entry-level versions: L5530, L5520 and L5506

September 28, 2012 is set as the last date of orders for these chips. After this date, Intel will work to clear the last orders, and the products will attain end-of-life (EOL) status. Small stocks will still be held to honor any warranty claims.

The design of the E5 Xeon processor is directly related to the vastly growing data center industry as we know it. Oriented toward new cloud-connected features, the Xeon E5 processors will help drive the server and workstation industry like never seen before. E5 processors are offered in three variants: Quad-core, Six-core, and Eight-core chips will help end-users decide what should be utilized for the task in mind.

Intel offers a wide variety of E5 Xeon processors, the E5-2603 quad-core being the low-end of the spectrum, and the E5-2690 eight-core providing high-ranked performance over previous Xeon processors. It is also very important to note power consumption will increase with the capabilities of each chip, but this also creates numerous possibilities for a multitude of configurations. To introduce a more unique experience for each end-user, AVADirect provides over 1000 different combinations of components for configurations that feature the E5 Xeon processors.

GIGABYTE introduces its latest dual socket 1U rack server based on Intel's brand new Xeon E5-2600 generation. With the significant computing speed boost brought by these new processors, the GS-R12PE deploys powerful computing capabilities which, coupled together with a large and fast memory platform, makes it an ideal product for cloud computing and speed demanding applications such as finance or oil industries.

With up to 8 cores / 16 threads per socket, TDP up to 135W, cache size increased up to 20MB, increased QPI frequency, and doubled inter-socket QPI links, this new Xeon generation brings a significant increase in computing power for demanding server and datacenter applications.

While we're fairly certain about the launch-schedule of Intel's "Ivy Bridge" Core processor family and 7-series chipset from an older article, which pin-points at April 29 to be the day full-fledged reviews (including overclocking performance, and benchmarks that cover new features) can be published, there's still a looming doubt over that day being the one on which you could buy say, a Core i7-3770K off Newegg.com. A latest slide, probably sourced from Intel's Retailedge, lays that doubt to rest. April 29 is indeed the day you will be able to buy most significant "Ivy Bridge" Core i7 and Core i5 models. Certain other models are slated for June 3. Dual-core Core i3 and Pentium processors based on Ivy Bridge silicon are slated for "Holiday". As on April 29, you also be able to buy motherboards based on 7-series chipset, which support Ivy Bridge processors out of the box.

Today, Intel announced the Intel Ethernet Controller X540, the industry's first fully integrated 10GBASE-T controller. This space-saving single-chip solution delivers outstanding performance for low-cost, low-power LAN on motherboard (LOM) and Converged Network Adapter (CNA) designs. The Intel Ethernet Controller X540 will help drive broader 10 Gigabit Ethernet (10GbE) adoption by providing connections that are backward-compatible with existing Gigabit Ethernet networks. Like other Intel Ethernet 10 Gigabit products, the Intel Ethernet Controller X540 features advanced I/O virtualization, supports Internet Small Computer System Interface (iSCSI) and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE), and takes advantage of platform I/O enhancements in the Intel Xeon processor E5 family.

The end is nigh, for the 311 Series and 510 Series solid state drives, as Intel decided they can retire and leave more breathing room for models using 25 nm NAND Flash, namely the (now confirmed) 313 Series and the (already released) 520 Series.

Both the 311 Series and 510 Series, which feature 34 nm NAND Flash, will be available for ordering until June 7th and will continue shipping up till September 7th (2012).

NVIDIA today announced that its NVIDIA Tesla GPUs will be included in HP ProLiant Generation 8 (Gen8) servers, delivering new levels of computational performance for scientific applications at world-class power efficiency.

HP ProLiant SL250 Gen8 CPU-GPU hybrid servers combine the world's most powerful parallel processors, NVIDIA Tesla M2090 GPUs, with new Intel Xeon E5-2600 series CPUs based on the Sandy Bridge microarchitecture.

Earlier today, Anandtech posted its preview of the Core i7-3770K "Ivy Bridge" processor. The i7-3770K will be the fastest Ivy Bridge LGA1155 processor, when launched. Anandtech put the chip through a battery of tests, starting from overall system performance synthetic test suites, such as SysMark 2012, content-creation, video transcoding, gaming, and system power consumption. The one conclusion you can draw out of these tests is that the Ivy Bridge kicks butt. It has higher performance per core, and single-threaded performance than even the Sandy Bridge-E (LGA2011) chips, it aces content-creation, shines with gaming, and has power-draw lower than even the Core i5-2400 from the previous generation. If you've been holding out over a platform upgrade for a while, the Core i7-3770K is rewarding. But then there's no big incentive, if you're coming from Sandy Bridge LGA1155 chips such as the Core i7-2600K. Read the full review at the source.

At CeBIT, Gigabyte unveiled what many may have overlooked for bearing a strong resemblance to the GA-X79-UD5, the GA-X79S-UD5. This board is designed to be a 1P workstation-grade motherboard, probably with out of the box support for the latest Xeon processors in the LGA2011 package, apart from Core i7 ones. The upper-half of this board is nearly identical to that of the X79-UD5. The LGA2011 CPU is powered by a 14-phase VRM, wired to eight DDR3 DIMM slots (two on either sides), supporting quad-channel memory. There are minor differences (as far as the upper-half is concerned). Tantulum capacitors on the X79-UD5 are replaced with cylindrical solid-state ones on the X79S-UD5, the FrescoLogic-made USB 3.0 controller is replaced with a VLI-made one.

It's the lower half of the X79S-UD5, where all the action is. The expansion slot load-out consists of five long PCI-Express x16 slots. Among these, two are PCI-Express 3.0 x16 capable, one is PCI-Express 3.0 x8 capable (by taking 8 lanes from one of the two x16 links), and two appear to be PCI-Express 2.0 x4. Then there's a legacy PCI slot. The PCH heatsink is identical to the one on the X79-UD5, but what's under it is what counts. Although named "X79"S-UD5, the board is actually based on the Intel C606 "Patsburg", which is an enterprise-grade chipset for Intel's Sandy Bridge-EP platforms. Apart from six SATA ports (2x 6 Gb/s + 4x 3 Gb/s), the C606 PCH provides eight SAS (Serial-attached SCSI) ports, running at 3 Gb/s speeds. The rest of the connectivity is completely identical to that of the X79-UD5.

Toshiba UK today unveils the launch of the new Satellite P series - a premium collection of multimedia laptops built to provide raw power and lightning-fast performance. Comprising four models, the new P series features the latest generation of processors, dedicated graphics and optional glasses-free 3D support - all packed into a sleek, stylish design.

The ideal choice for home entertainment enthusiasts looking for enough power to handle demanding multimedia applications, the Satellite P series features two 36.9 cm (15.6") models, the Satellite P850 and the Satellite P855, available with an incredible glasses-free 3D screen. Two 43.9 cm (17.3") options, the Satellite P875 and Satellite P870 offer ideal options for those requiring a powerful laptop with a large screen, such as designers, photographers and entertainment enthusiasts.