Intel Corporation and the Biden-Harris Administration announced today that the U.S. Department of Commerce and Intel have reached agreement on terms to award the company up to $7.86 billion in direct funding for its commercial semiconductor manufacturing projects under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act. The award will support Intel's previously announced plans to advance critical semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging projects at its sites in Arizona, New Mexico, Ohio and Oregon. Intel also plans to claim the U.S. Treasury Department's Investment Tax Credit, which is expected to be up to 25% of qualified investments of more than $100 billion.

"With Intel 3 already in high-volume production and Intel 18A set to follow next year, leading-edge semiconductors are once again being made on American soil," said Pat Gelsinger, CEO of Intel. "Strong bipartisan support for restoring American technology and manufacturing leadership is driving historic investments that are critical to the country's long-term economic growth and national security. Intel is deeply committed to advancing these shared priorities as we further expand our U.S. operations over the next several years."

ASRock on Monday (25/11) announced that its Z890 chipset motherboards support the new Intel Platform Power Management (PPM) driver version 1007.20240913, which promises an up to 13.23% increase in performance with games and gaming benchmarks, hinting that this could be the much awaited "fix" to the lower-than-expected gaming performance of its Core Ultra "Arrow Lake-S" desktop processors, which was crushed by AMD's Ryzen 7 9800X3D "Zen 5." As ASRock's announcement was somewhat unclear and raised more questions than answers, we have updated the post accordingly. It turns out there's more to this story, and this PPM driver might not be the magic fix Intel has been touting.

The PPM driver, in theory, enables a closer collaboration between the software and the processor, so it can allocate more power budget to applications that could do with more performance, such as games. Given how much lower the gaming power draw of the Core Ultra 285K is, compared to its predecessor, the Core i9-14900K "Raptor Lake," the obvious vector to Intel to dial up performance for the 285K was expected to be better power budgeting, provided the thermals and physical stability of the processor permit.

Recent Geekbench results have surfaced for Intel's unreleased Core Ultra 5 225F processor without an integrated GPU, showcasing interesting performance improvements over its predecessors. The benchmark results, initially shared by Benchleaks on X, reveal that this new 10-core chip delivers performance comparable to the higher-core-count Core i5-13600. The Core Ultra 5 225F achieved a single-core score of 2,653 points and a multi-core score of 13,028 points. The processor combines six P-cores, four E-cores, and 20 MB of L3 cache. During testing, the chip reached a maximum frequency of 4.887 GHz. When compared to its direct predecessor, the Core i5-14400F, the new 225F demonstrates significant improvements with approximately 13% better performance in both single and multi-core tests.

More impressively, it manages to edge out the 14-core Core i5-13600 by 5% across both metrics despite having fewer cores and threads. However, the 225F falls behind its premium sibling with four more E-cores, the Core Ultra 5 245K, which outperforms it by 16% in single-core and 44% in multi-core operations. The Core Ultra 5 225F is expected to be part of Intel's new 65 W TDP lineup, targeting mainstream desktop systems with limited overclocking capabilities. This positions it as a more energy-efficient alternative to the current 125 W TDP Core Ultra 200 series processors. While we wait for more firmware updates to boost Arrow Lake performance, Intel could target the launch of the F-series SKUs for CES 2025, which is just a few weeks away now.

Intel's upcoming Arc B580, part of the next-generation Battlemage GPU series, has been leaked, giving tech enthusiasts an early glimpse of what's to come. Amazon unintentionally revealed the ASRock Arc B580 Steel Legend graphics card, confirming key specifications and indicating that we are about to get the new discrete GPU contenders. The Arc B580 will feature Intel's Xe2-HPG architecture, with a factory overclocked speed of 2.8 GHz. The board is equipped with 12 GB of GDDR6 memory running at a clock speed of 19 Gbps. While the core count remains unconfirmed, the product listing highlights its support for 8K resolution (7680 x 4320), and dual 8-pin power connectors. Two variants are expected: the Steel Legend revealed in Amazon's listing, and the Challenger, which has yet to appear in detail.

The leak also aligns with Intel's upcoming plan for the Battlemage series, as references to the Arc B-Series have been uncovered in Intel's official documentation, including the "Intel oneAPI Math Kernel" and "Intel Platform Monitoring Technology" files. The Arc B580 will lead the charge, potentially alongside a slightly less powerful Arc B570 model. Targeting the mid-range market, Intel seems poised to offer a competitive alternative to rival GPUs. AMD will also stick to mid-range segment with RDNA 4, so the battle of "midranges" is the one to watch this upcoming season. With support pages for the B-Series already live and public leaks increasing, an official announcement appears imminent—possibly within days. We previously learned that December is the month of Battlemage launch to steal the CES's attention for January.

Intel Altera's FPGA unit is attracting a lot of attention in the semiconductor industry according to a recent report by Bloomberg, Lattice Semiconductor emerging as a potential buyer for the entire division. Bloomberg reports that Lattice actively works with advisers and seeks private-sector backing to support their bid. However, Intel's preference appears to be leaning toward selling only a small portion of its Altera shares instead of selling everything and this can be a decisive factor in upcoming negotiations. The potential sale has attracted interest from many outside Lattice Semiconductor, including major private equity firms such as Francisco Partners, Bain Capital, and Silver Lake Management. Qualcomm has also expressed interest in acquiring parts of Intel's design business.

Bloomberg also reports that selling just a portion of Altera's shares would likely require complex financial arrangements, while private equity firms are considering investing about $3 billion through instruments. This could result in Intel's valuation being lower than the original purchase price. Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger has indicated plans to close the Altera transaction in early 2024, with the company valuing the nearly $16.7 billion Intel paid for Altera in 2015 at approximately $17 billion. Lattice's market value of $7.48 billion is certainly smaller and can challenge Lattice's ambitions for complete control of Altera. The Intel board discussed Altera's future last week and prefers to sell only a minority stake, with a decision expected soon.

Right now, all eyes are on the ever-so-compact Mac Mini with the M4 SoC. But that hardly stops other brands from coming out with Mini/SFF PCs with even tinier form factors, and AOOSTAR is no stranger to that trend.

The brand's latest offering, the N1 Pro, rocks a shockingly compact chassis, coming in at just 0.33 liters and weighing just over 300 grams. The system is clearly extremely compact, and can be hauled around pretty easily with very little effort. That said, the system's compactness comes with a major drawback: performance.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, gaming monitors, and small form factor PCs, proudly announces the release of the Mars RPL Series mini PC. This series offers two models, one powered by the 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U processor and the other by the 12th Gen Intel Celeron 7305 processor. These compact yet powerful PCs are designed to cater to various user needs, delivering high-performance computing in a sleek, space-saving form factor suitable for a wide range of applications.

Exceptional Performance with Energy Efficiency
ASRock's Mars RPL series introduces two models, powered by the 13th Gen Intel Core i5-1335U processor and the 12th Gen Intel Celeron 7305 processor, respectively, designed to meet the diverse needs of modern users. Both models combine high performance with energy efficiency, making them ideal for a wide range of applications, including everyday office tasks, multimedia editing, and complex computational workloads. With exceptional multitasking capabilities and low power consumption, the Mars RPL series sets a new standard for compact and efficient computing solutions.

- CTL, a global cloud-computing solution leader for education and enterprise, announced today the introduction of two new 14" Chromebooks for enterprise: the CTL Chromebook Plus Enterprise PX141G Series and the CTL Chromebook Enterprise PX141E Series. Featuring an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these new Chromebooks offer professionals the speed, power, and connectivity they need for daily on-the-go productivity. Easy ChromeOS device manageability combined with CTL's life cycle services reduces the burden on IT departments.

"With an included Chrome Enterprise Upgrade license, these Chromebooks can be deployed instantly to serve in any number of enterprise applications, such as retail, healthcare, and front-line workers, for example. As a leader in the ChromeOS space, we know our customers will appreciate the design, performance, and, in the Chromebook Plus model, the enhanced AI and cybersecurity capabilities of this next-generation device," said Jason Mendenhall, CEO of CTL.

Intel has prepared "Jaguar Shores," its "next-next" generation AI and HPC accelerator, successor to its upcoming "Falcon Shores" GPU. Revealed during a technical workshop at the SC2024 conference, the chip was unveiled by Intel's Habana Labs division, albeit unintentionally. This announcement positions Jaguar Shores as the successor to Falcon Shores, which is scheduled to launch next year. While details about Jaguar Shores remain sparse, its designation suggests it could be a general-purpose GPU (GPGPU) aimed at both AI training, inferencing, and HPC tasks. Intel's strategy aligns with its push to incorporate advanced manufacturing nodes, such as the 18A process featuring RibbonFET and backside power delivery, which promise significant efficiency gains, so we can expect to see upcoming AI accelerators incorporating these technologies.

Intel's AI chip lineup has faced numerous challenges, including shifting plans for Falcon Shores, which has transitioned from a CPU-GPU hybrid to a standalone GPU, and cancellation of Ponte Vecchio. Despite financial constraints and job cuts, Intel has maintained its focus on developing cutting-edge AI solutions. "We continuously evaluate our roadmap to ensure it aligns with the evolving needs of our customers. While we don't have any new updates to share, we are committed to providing superior enterprise AI solutions across our CPU and accelerator/GPU portfolio." an Intel spokesperson stated. The announcement of Jaguar Shores shows Intel's determination to remain competitive. However, the company faces steep competition. NVIDIA and AMD continue to set benchmarks with performant designs, while Intel has struggled to capture a significant share of the AI training market. The company's Gaudi lineup ends with third generation, and Gaudi IP will get integrated into Falcon Shores.

Today, Lenovo announced the introduction of ThinkShield Firmware Assurance as part of its portfolio of enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions. ThinkShield Firmware Assurance is one of the only computer OEM solutions to enable deep visibility and protection below the operating system (OS) by embracing Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) component-level visibility to generate more accurate and actionable risk management insights.

As a security paradigm, ZTA explicitly identifies users and devices to grant appropriate levels of access so a business can operate with less risk and minimal friction. ZTA is a critical framework to reduce risk as organizations endeavor to complete Zero-Trust implementations.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and IPC solutions, is excited to introduce the new MS-X7433RE industrial computer designed to cater to a wide range of industrial applications.

The MS-X7433RE fanless embedded computer addresses the diverse demands of industrial professionals with precision and adaptability. It provides robust solutions for system integrators to manage customer data and business operations. AIOT developers can utilize its advanced slots and connectors to integrate communication modules and devices smoothly while leveraging its M.2 Key M interface to support accelerators for enhanced AI processing. Automation specialists benefit from its compatibility with powerful processors, enabling real-time control and efficient data processing. At the same time, edge computing professionals rely on its high-speed communication interfaces and flexible storage options for seamless local data handling.

Intel today released the latest version of its Arc GPU Graphics Drivers. Version 101.6299 Beta comes with Game On optimization for Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, and STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl. The company did not put out what kind of performance improvements to expect. This release doesn't include any game- or application-specific fixes, either. The company did take the opportunity to acknowledge identification of new issues with this release, which are listed below. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: Intel Arc GPU Graphics Drivers 101.6299 BetaThe change-log follows.

Origin PC, a leader in custom high-performance gaming PCs, is excited to announce the launch of a new limited-edition bundle for the EON15-SL in Cherry Blossom. In addition to the laptop, the bundle will include a SCUF Envision Pro Controller, Corsair M75 Wireless Gaming Mouse and Corsair MM300 Mouse Pad in matching designs. This new addition to the EON series combines cutting-edge technology with a stylish design, catering to gamers who demand both performance and aesthetics.

The EON15-SL is powered by the latest 14th Gen Intel Core i9-14900HX processor and features the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, ensuring top-tier gaming performance and smooth visuals. The 15.3" QHD display with a 240 Hz refresh rate provides an immersive gaming experience with stunning clarity and fluidity

ASUS today announced its groundbreaking next-generation infrastructure solutions at SC24, featuring a comprehensive lineup powered by AMD and Intel, as well as liquid-cooling solutions designed to accelerate the future of AI. By continuously pushing the limits of innovation, ASUS simplifies the complexities of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) through adaptive server solutions paired with expert cooling and software-development services, tailored for the exascale era and beyond. As a total-solution provider with a distinguished history in pioneering AI supercomputing, ASUS is committed to delivering exceptional value to its customers.

Comprehensive Lineup for AI and HPC Success
To fuel enterprise digital transformation through HPC and AI-driven architecture, ASUS provides a full lineup of server systems that are powered by AMD and Intel. Startups, research institutions, large enterprises or government organizations all could find the adaptive solutions to unlock value and accelerate business agility from the big data.

Sparkle introduced an interesting new graphics card meant for those with four high-resolution displays tied to a workstation, or a digital-signage setup. The new Arc A310 OmniView is based on an underclocked version of the Intel Arc A310 "Alchemist," with the idea being to cap the card at 50 W typical power. The card comes with a 1.00 GHz GPU clock and 15.5 Gbps memory speed, compared to the reference A310, which ticks at 1.75 GHz, but at 75 W typical board power. The card comes with 6 Xe cores, and a 64-bit wide memory interface, pulling 4 GB of GDDR6 memory. The A310 OmniView features a single-slot, full-height design, with no additional power connectors. It uses a simple fan-heatsink to keep cool. Perhaps the most striking aspect of the card is its display I/O, featuring four HDMI 2.0b ports, each of which can drive a 4K display at 60 Hz. The card is 14.5 cm long, and 10.5 cm tall. The company didn't reveal pricing.

MSI previously gave us a teaser of what to expect from its upcoming Claw 8 AI+ gaming handheld with Intel's Lunar Lake Core Ultra CPUs, calling it "the most advanced 8-inch gaming handheld in the market," but a recent CES listing has divulged more details about the upcoming challenger to the likes of the Lenovo Legion Go. For starters, the upgraded battery capacity has been revealed, along with an estimated battery life and performance figures. Supposedly, more information will be revealed about the Claw 8 AI+ at CES 2025, which starts on January 7, 2025.

According to the CES page, the new MSI Claw 8 AI+ will have an 8-inch display and an 82 WHr battery, which will supposedly be able to deliver "4+ hours of gameplay for AAA titles." However, these manufacturer claims are generally to be taken with healthy helpings of salt, especially in when it comes to claims as nebulous as "AAA titles" without any proposed quality settings, specific games, or frame rates. Regarding the display, it wouldn't be surprising to see MSI use the same display as the one found in the Lenovo Legion Go, since there is a somewhat limited selection of 8-inch displays for handheld gaming devices. The MSI Claw 8 AI+ will also use Intel's 2nd-generation ARC iGPUs in conjunction with AI-enhanced graphics, which should provide a healthy uptick in both performance and efficiency, with the CES listing touting 48 TOPS of compute power.

AMD has claimed the top ten spots in Amazon's best-selling and most wished-for category with its Ryzen processors. The success of AMD's CPUs can be attributed to the competitive pricing, top-tier performance, and overall features provided by Team Red. In its best-sellers category, Amazon lists the following CPUs: AMD Ryzen 7 5700X, Ryzen 5 5600X, Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 9 5900X, Ryzen 7 5700X3D, Ryzen 7 7700X, Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 5 7600, and Ryzen 5 5500. The first Intel CPU to appear in the list, at the time of writing, is the Intel Core i5-13600KF CPU, sitting in the spot number 12 in the best-selling department.

Another interesting list to look at is the most wished-for, where Amazon shoppers put CPUs on their wishlist and wait for a purchase. The number one most wished-for CPU is the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D with 3D V-Cache. The eight spots are occupied by: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, Ryzen 7 5700X3D, Ryzen 9 5900X, Ryzen 7 5800X, Ryzen 7 7700X, Ryzen 5 7600X, Ryzen 9 9900X, and Ryzen 5 5600X. Intel Core i9-14900K CPU currently occupies the number ten spot. This truly shows the enthusiasm of Amazon shoppers towards AMD's CPU offerings and the company's current mindshare. With an increasing market share, AMD is challenging Intel in the CPU department, providing great competition to tech enthusiasts.

Intel's discrete GPUs are close, and recent reports indicate Intel will reveal its next-generation Arc Battlemage graphics cards in December, moving from an earlier expected Black Friday announcement. Hardware insider Golden Pig Upgrade first mentioned this timeline shift, with data researcher Tomasz Gawroński providing supporting evidence through shipping manifest analysis. The December timing appears to position Intel's announcement before CES 2025, where AMD plans to showcase its Radeon RX 8000 series with RDNA 4 architecture, and NVIDIA will present its GeForce RTX 50 line. This will give Intel ample room to "steal" the attention of the tech press, who will be busy with NVIDIA and AMD during CES.

X account Bionic_Squash has confirmed Battlemage won't be Intel's final discrete graphics card, addressing questions about the company's long-term graphics development plans. Intel's future roadmap includes the Xe3 "Celestial" architecture, though current information only confirms its initial implementation in mobile chips at a reduced scale. The timeline for a full discrete graphics card using Celestial architecture remains unspecified. We are also left to wonder about Intel's approach to discrete GPU marketing push, as the company has yet to gain any significant footing among enthusiasts. In the coming years, Intel's expansion could prove worthwhile as it updates its GPUs with more performance from newer generations.

ASUS today announced its groundbreaking next-generation infrastructure solutions at SC24, featuring a comprehensive lineup powered by AMD and Intel, as well as liquid-cooling solutions designed to accelerate the future of AI. By continuously pushing the limits of innovation, ASUS simplifies the complexities of AI and high-performance computing (HPC) through adaptive server solutions paired with expert cooling and software-development services, tailored for the exascale era and beyond. As a total-solution provider with a distinguished history in pioneering AI supercomputing, ASUS is committed to delivering exceptional value to its customers.

Comprehensive line-up for AI and HPC success
To fuel enterprise digital transformation through HPC and AI-driven architecture, ASUS provides a full lineup of server systems that powered by AMD and Intel. Startups, research institutions, large enterprises or government organizations all could find the adaptive solutions to unlock value and accelerate business agility from the big data.

EK a leader in PC liquid cooling solutions, is pleased to announce full compatibility of our high-performance cooling products with newly released Intel LGA 1851 socket, supporting their latest generation of Arrow Lake processors. As a part of EK's commitment to future-proofing hardware and maximizing longevity for its customers, our current LGA 1700 compatible products, including Velocity², Magnitude, and Nucleus, will now seamlessly support the LGA 1851 platform without requiring additional brackets or modifications.

Through extensive testing and design optimizations, EK's LGA 1700-ready coolers have been verified to meet the demands of Intel's LGA 1851, ensuring that users can transition to the latest Intel processors with confidence and ease. Our cooling solutions are engineered to provide superior thermal management, delivering enhanced performance even under the increased thermal demands of next-gen CPUs.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and IPC solutions, is pleased to introduce the MT-N97 industrial computer. The BIOSTAR MT-N97 industrial computer is a compact, fanless powerhouse designed to meet the high demands of modern industrial applications. Tailor-made for system integrators, AIOT development, automation, edge computing, human-machine interfaces (HMI), and digital signage, the MT-N97 combines robust performance with unwavering stability, providing a reliable foundation for critical operations across various sectors.

Equipped with advanced specs that make it an ideal choice for high-performance, industrial-grade applications, the MT-N97 draws power from an Intel Alder Lake N SOC Processor (Intel N97, 4core, up to 3.6 GHz, TDP 12 W). It combines efficient performance with low power consumption, enhancing reliability and cost-effectiveness for continuous operation. The MT-N97's fanless design ensures quiet, noiseless performance, making it suitable for environments where minimal disruption is critical.

With the latest industry boom in AI, the demand for more compute power is greater than ever, and the recent industry forecast predicts that the global GPU market will exceed $98.5 billion in value by the year 2024. This staggering projection, outlined in the 2024 supply-side GPU market summary report by Jon Peddie Research (JPR), shows how far the GPU market has come. Once primarily associated with powering consumer gaming rigs with AMD or NVIDIA inside, GPUs have become a key part of our modern tech stack, worth almost $100 billion in 2024 alone. Nowadays, GPUs are found in many products, from smartphones and vehicles to internet-connected devices and data centers.

"Graphics processor units (GPUs) have become ubiquitous and can be found in almost every industrial, scientific, commercial, and consumer product made today," said Dr. Jon Peddie, founder of JPR. "Some market segments, like AI, have grabbed headlines because of their rapid growth and high average selling price (ASP), but they are low-volume compared to other market segments." The report also shows the wide range of companies that are actively participating in the GPU marketplace, including industry giants like AMD, NVIDIA, and Intel, as well as smaller players from China like Loongson Zhongke, Siroyw, and Lingjiu Micro. Besides the discrete GPU solutions, the GPU IP market is very competitive, and millions of chips are shipped with GPU IP every year. Some revenue estimates of Chinese companies are not public, but JPR is measuring it from the supply chain side, so these estimates are pretty plausible.

Intel is expanding its Core Ultra 200S lineup with seven new SKUs, a recent leak by @momomo_us shows. The leak gives details on non-K, T, and F versions across the Core Ultra 5 7, and 9 families. The top-end Core Ultra 9 285 will come in 65 W and 35 W versions. These match the 285K's 24-core setup but run at lower speeds. The 285T keeps the 4-core Xe built-in graphics.

The Core Ultra 7 series adds three models: 265 265F, and 265T. All share a 30 MB L3 cache being differentiated by different clock speeds. The T version has much lower base clocks. For the Core Ultra 5 series, the leak shows two models: 225 and 225F. Both have 10 cores running at 3.3/4.9 GHz (P-cores) and 2.7/4.4 GHz (E-cores), with 2 Xe GPU cores and a 65 W TDP. Unlike their higher-end models, this tier doesn't plan to have a T version right now.

NEC Corporation (NEC; TSE: 6701) has received an order for a next-generation supercomputer system from Japan's National Institutes for Quantum Science and Technology (QST), under the National Research and Development Agency, and the National Institute for Fusion Science (NIFS), part of the National Institutes of Natural Sciences under the Inter-University Research Institute Corporation. The new supercomputer system is scheduled to be operational from July 2025. The next-generation supercomputer system will feature multi-architecture with the latest CPUs and GPUs and will consist of large storage capacity and a high-speed network. This system is expected to be used for various research and development in the field of fusion science research.

Specifically, the system will be used for precise prediction of experiments and creation of operation scenarios in the ITER project, which is being promoted as an international project, and the Satellite Tokamak (JT-60SA) project, which is being promoted as a Broader Approach activity, and for design of DEMO reactors. The DEMO project promotes large-scale numerical calculations for DEMO design and R&D to accelerate the realization of a DEMO reactor that contributes to carbon neutrality. In addition, NIFS will conduct numerical simulation research using the supercomputer for multi-scale and multi-physics systems, including fusion plasmas, to broadly accelerate research on the science and applications of fusion plasmas, and as an Inter-University Research Institute, will provide universities and research institutes nationwide with opportunities for collaborative research using the state-of-the-art supercomputer.

Cooler Master, a leading provider of PC components, gaming peripherals, and tech lifestyle solutions, today announced the Hyper 411 Nano, the company's latest iteration of their esteemed Hyper series of CPU air coolers. The Hyper 411 Nano brings a selection of all-new, cutting-edge features to the table, adding on to the already excellent performance of the Hyper series.

Features

• Direct contact technology: Four heat pipes directly connect to the cooling mechanism to ensure efficient, rapid heat transfer.
• All-black aesthetic: A novel all-black look gives the Hyper 411 Nano a modern, sleek feel.
• AMD and Intel compatibility: Specially designed mounting ensures compatibility with all the latest AMD and Intel CPUs.
• Easy fan installation: Included clips makes installing the fan easy.