An MSI representative has reportedly shared some interesting information about Intel’s pending 11th Generation Rocket Lake-S processors over at the Danawa forums. The company has since edited its answer (hat tip to @harukaze5719), but we grabbed a screenshot of the original reply and put it through Google Translate.
Many rumors claim that Intel may announce Rocket Lake-S at CES 2021 but that the processors probably won’t hit the market until later. According to the statement, the Rocket Lake-S chips won’t be available to the public until the end of March, lending some credibility to the rumors.
Meanwhile, it remains to be seen whether there is any validity to the rumor that Intel has given motherboard vendors the green light to reveal their new Z590, B560, and H510 offerings on January 11. Although it is conceivable that current-gen Comet Lake chips will be forward compatible with the new chipsets, an early motherboard launch doesn’t seem to make much sense because the new processors wouldn’t arrive until late March.
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Danawa Forums)
Image 2 of 2
(Image credit: Danawa Forums)
In other news, the statement also seemingly confirms that current 400-series motherboards, including the H410, B460, and Z490 chipsets would support Rocket Lake-S. This doesn’t come as shocking news, considering that other motherboard manufacturers, such as ASRock and Biostar, already promote backward compatibility with 400-series motherboards.
As expected, 400-series motherboards will require a simple firmware upgrade to house the new Rocket Lake-S parts, which still dwell on the LGA1200 socket. According to the statement, MSI will prioritize Z490 motherboards first and consequently go down the product stack. Naturally, the company expects to get all its 400-series motherboard on to the new firmware before the Rocket Lake-S launch in March.
The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 could easily be anybody’s dream memory kit. However, the hardware requirements and the kit’s eye-watering price tag make it an extremely niche product.
For
Fastest memory kit on the market
Fantastic XMP performance
Fun to overclock
Against
Costs a small fortune
Plug-n-Play is out of the question
Steep hardware requirements
Extremely fast memory kits are often frowned upon because of their premium pricing and the fact that modern processors don’t dramatically benefit from the ultra-fast data rates. Nevertheless, that doesn’t stop memory vendors from climbing the frequency ladder to produce the fastest memory that the market has ever seen, often just to make a statement.
Several memory specialists have released DDR4-5000 memory kits, with the big names including G.Skill, Corsair, and Adata all having claimed their bragging rights. However, Crucial has effectively one-upped the other brands by releasing the new Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 memory to claim the title of the fastest retail memory kit that money can buy.
On paper, DDR4-5100 looks absolutely spectacular, but it remains to be seen if it has any significant impact on real-world performance. And that is exactly what we’re here to find out about today.
Image 1 of 5
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 5
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 5
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 5
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 5
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 press kit came inside an exclusive Pelican case with some added accessories. Unfortunately, Crucial ships the retail kit in its standard packaging without the bells and whistles we found in the reviewer kit.
Fittingly, the combination to unlock the padlock is 5-1-0-0. Inside, we found a small LEGO figurine of The Flash (alluding to how fast the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 memory modules are), an electric screwdriver with an integrated light and a set of corresponding tips, along with a Strike Force Energy packet in case we needed a shot of energy during overclocking sessions.
The Ballistix Max memory modules are essentially a replica of the Ballistix Max RGB, sans the RGB lighting. The black, anodized aluminum heat spreader looks minimalistic, but in a good way, explaining why Crucial has been reluctant to alter the design. Even without the RGB diffuser, the Ballistix Max measures 39.17mm (1.54 inches) tall, which isn’t intrusive at all. These shouldn’t present any compatibility issues with many CPU air coolers.
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Crucial commercializes the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 in a dual-channel 16GB package, meaning you get two memory modules that are each 8GB in capacity. The memory modules are manufactured with an eight-layer PCB, utilizing Micron’s own D9TNW (MT40A1G8WE-075E:B) integrated circuits (ICs), known by most people as Micron B-die. The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 retails for $899.99, and rightfully so since Crucial invested a lot of time into binning Micron B-die ICs that can hit DDR4-5100.
Without any surprises at all, the memory defaults to DDR4-2666 with 19-19-19-43 timings. Crucial includes one XMP that profile automatically cranks the memory modules up to DDR4-5100 and sets the timings and DRAM voltage to 19-26-26-48 and 1.5V, respectively. For more on timings and frequency considerations, see our PC Memory 101 feature, as well as our How to Shop for RAM story.
Comparison Hardware
Memory Kit
Part Number
Capacity
Data Rate
Primary Timings
Voltage
Warranty
Crucial Ballistix Max
BLM2K8G51C19U4B
2 x 8GB
DDR4-5100 (XMP)
19-26-26-48 (2T)
1.50
Lifetime
Thermaltake ToughRAM RGB
R009D408GX2-4600C19A
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4600 (XMP)
19-26-26-45 (2T)
1.50
Lifetime
Patriot Viper 4 Blackout
PVB416G440C8K
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4400 (XMP)
18-26-26-46 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
Klev Cras XR
KD48GU880-40B190Z
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
19-25-25-45 (2T)
1.40
Lifetime
TeamGroup T-Force Xtreem ARGB
TF10D416G3600HC14CDC01
2 x 8GB
DDR4-3600 (XMP)
14-15-15-35 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
On this occasion, we couldn’t test the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 memory on our Intel platform. Neither our Core i7-10700K nor Core i9-10900K had a strong enough IMC (integrated memory controller) to handle DDR4-5100.
It wasn’t smooth sailing on the AMD platform, either. While our Ryzen 5 3600’s IMC was more forgiving, our ASRock B550 Taichi simply wouldn’t post with the memory. It wasn’t until we switched over to Gigabyte’s B550 Aorus Master that we finally found the Ryzen 5 3600 and the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 kit in complete harmony. Naturally, you’ll need to make sure that your chip and motherboard can support these types of clocks before you splurge on this pricey kit. As usual, our MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Trio handled the graphical workloads.
AMD Performance
Image 1 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 4 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 5 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 6 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 7 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 8 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 9 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 10 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 11 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 12 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 13 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 14 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 15 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 16 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 17 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 18 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 19 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
It’s common knowledge that Ryzen processors have a latency penalty when the chip’s Infinity Fabric clock (FCLK) and the memory clock (MCLK) are not on the same page (1:1 ratio). However, if you go up high enough on the data rate spectrum, you’ll eventually hit a point where the higher data rate negates the penalty.
The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 outpaced its competitors on our application performance tests without much effort. The memory was faster than the T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14, where DDR4-3600 is widely considered the sweet spot for Ryzen processors. It wasn’t a perfect performance, though, as the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 had a bad showing in the Microsoft Office tests where it fell behind other slower rivals.
Regarding gaming performance, the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 is right up there with the best. The memory kit was only a few decimal points from matching the T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14’s performance.
Overclocking and Latency Tuning
Image 1 of 2
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 2
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
After some thorough testing, we determined that our Ryzen 5 3600 sample has hit a wall with DDR4-5100. The chip simply wouldn’t budge beyond that frequency. Sadly, we’re still in the middle of the great Ryzen 5000 shortage, so finding a Zen 3 processor at a reasonable price is practically a wild-goose chase. Rest assured that we will definitely revisit the overlocking headroom aspect of the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 once we get our hands on a more proficient Intel or AMD processor.
Lowest Stable Timings
Memory Kit
DDR4-3600 (1.46V)
DDR4-4000 (1.45V)
DDR4-4400 (1.45)
DDR4-4500 (1.50)
DDR4-4600 (1.55V)
DDR4-4666 (1.56V)
DDR4-5100 (1.60V)
Crucial Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 C19
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
17-25-25-48 (2T)
Thermaltake ToughRAM RGB DDR4-4600 C19
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
18-24-24-44 (2T)
20-26-26-45 (2T)
N/A
Patriot Viper 4 Blackout DDR4-4400 C18
N/A
N/A
17-25-25-45 (2T)
21-26-26-46 (2T)
N/A
N/A
N/A
Klev Cras XR DDR4-4000 C19
N/A
18-22-22-42 (2T)
19-25-25-45 (2T)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
TeamGroup T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14
13-14-14-35 (2T)
N/A
19-19-19-39 (2T)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
It isn’t every day that we get a memory kit with the caliber of the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 in our labs. While we were eager to pump huge amounts of voltage into the memory to see how high it’ll go, we also wanted to preserve its integrity. For academic purposes, we’ve increased the DRAM voltage from the XMP default of 1.5V to 1.6V to get some headroom to optimize the timings. Logically, 1.6V is not a voltage that we would recommend for daily usage.
The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 had no problems running stably with a CAS Latency of 17, which was pretty amazing considering the frequency that the memory operates at. While it was possible to drop both the tRCD and tRP from 26 to 25, we didn’t have any luck with the tRAS, though. Any value below 48 wasn’t stable. The final outcome resulted in 17-25-25-48.
Bottom Line
The Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 isn’t your typical memory kit, so the set-it-and-forget-it approach will not fly here. First and foremost, you’ll need to own a processor with a competent IMC to run DDR4-5100 in conjunction with a motherboard that supports that frequency. The memory will likely require a bit of patience and manual finetuning too, which might not be everyone’s cup of tea. If you’re not into that type of activity, you’ll probably be better served by a mainstream kit that doesn’t push the frequency boundaries.
Crucial’s lightning-fast memory will in all likelihood appeal to professional overclockers that need quality memory to break world records, or that inner circle of elite enthusiasts that love exotic hardware or simply want that last percent of performance that’s on the table.
We’re nearing the end of the DDR4 era, so the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 could be the highest-frequency DDR4 memory kit that we see before DDR5 hits the market next year. Crucial sells the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 for $899.99. With that kind of money, you could probably put together an entire gaming PC. Crucial produced the Ballistix Max DDR4-5100 kits in limited quantity, so they may ultimately turn into a collector’s item.
As outlined in a recent post on Chip Hell, one of its users reportedly grabbed an early B560 motherboard and engineering samples of three of Intel’s new Rocket Lake CPUs, including the Core i7-11700, Core i9-11900, and Core i9-11900K.
The tested pitched each processor against AMD’s Zen 3-powered Ryzen 7 5800X to see just how they compare to AMD’s best eight-core chip. Since these are engineering samples, the Intel chips’ clocks speeds are significantly lower than we would likely see with retail models. The poster also threw in Intel’s previous-gen Core i9-9900K and Core i7-10700K as well to compare gen-on-gen performance gains.
The testbed used the same B560 board discussed above, a B550 Taichi Razer Edition for the AMD tests, ASRock Radeon RX 6800 Taichi, 2x8GB kit of ZADAK Spark DDR4-3600 RAM, 1000W Antec HCG-X1000 power supply, and a 360mm AIO liquid cooler.
Here are the Rocket Lake engineering samples tested:
QV1J, Core i7-11700 ES — 1.8GHz base frequency, 4.4GHz boost frequency.
QVTE, Core i9-11900 ES — 1.8GHz base frequency, 4.5GHz boost frequency.
QV1K, Core i9-11900K ES — 3.4GHz base frequency, 4.8GHz boost frequency.
Even though there is a wide selection of benchmarks posted at Chip Hell, we’re only covering the locked 4GHz benchmark results. We chose to focus on this test because the engineering samples for Rocket Lake are clocked so low that any performance benchmarks from these samples are specific to these samples alone, and will not represent actual Rocket Lake performance when the retail SKUs hit shelves this year.
Chip Hell ran the Core i9-9900K, Core i7-10700K, Core i9-11900K ES, and Ryzen 7 5800X in Cinebench, but with all the chips locked at 4GHz, allowing us to see how much of an IPC gain Rocket Lake-S has purely from an architectural standpoint, as clock speed is no longer the deciding factor to performance.
Processor
Cinebench R15 Single-Threaded
Cinebench R15 Multi-Threaded
Ryzen 7 5800X
221
1,121
Core i9-11900K ES
200
1,029
Core i7-10700K
176
888
Core i9-9900K
168
852
We can see the gains from Comet Lake to Rocket Lake are quite decent; Rocket Lake commands a 13% lead over its predecessor. Compare this to the generational leap from Coffee Lake to Comet Lake at just 4%.
However, despite the architectural gains, it’s not enough for Intel to beat AMD’s Ryzen 7 5800X, which wins by 8%.
It appears that Intel will use clock speed rather heavily to try to gain an advantage over AMD’s Zen 3 architecture, as AMD still appears to win on clock-for-clock performance. But at least the architectural changes were significant enough to give Rocket Lake a decent IPC increase over Comet Lake. The overall performance gap should also widen rather significantly if clock speeds are higher on shipping Rocket Lake models.
However, Intel will continue to struggle against AMD’s Zen 3 platform, whether or not Intel manages to beat AMD in the single-threaded battle, as Rocket Lake will be severely behind in core count and that won’t change until Intel’s 12th-Gen Alder Lake architecture arrives.
Best Intel Motherboards 2020: Z490, Z390, H370, and X299
Note:For AMD’s AM4 X570, B550, B450 and Threadripper motherboards, see page two or our Best AMD X570 Motherboards page. This first page focuses on Intel, after laying out some basics.
Choosing the best gaming motherboard or best motherboard for another type of build is in many ways an integral part of your PC build, despite the fact that choosing the best CPU or the best graphics card often gets more attention. Nearly every part of your PC plugs into your motherboard. Its form factor dictates the size of your computer, and its chipset and socket limit what kind of processor you can install.
If you’re not sure which chipset you’re after when choosing the best gaming motherboard for you, or you have more basic questions for a different type of build, you can visit our motherboard basics and motherboard buying guide features to help narrow down your buying options.
The picks below include the best gaming motherboards designed for Intel’s 10th Gen “Comet Lake,” as well as 9th Generation “Coffee Lake Refresh,” followed by the lower-cost H370 alternative. You can see how those chips stack up in our CPU Benchmark Hierarchy. Below our mainstream picks, you’ll find our recommendations for the best motherboards with Intel’s high-end desktop (HEDT) LGA-2066 socket and X299 chipset supporting the X-Series and Extreme line of processors.
The second page of this guide covers the best AMD motherboards, including X570 and B550 chipset models, as well as high-end Threadripper picks that compete with Intel’s X-Series platform.
When choosing a motherboard, consider the following:
Get the right socket for your CPU: You can find great CPUs from either Intel or AMD, but whatever processor you choose, make sure that your board has the correct socket to support it. The latest mainstream AMD chips use AM4 CPU sockets while current Intel 8th Gen and 9th Gen Core CPUs require LGA 1151v2 sockets.
Smaller boards = fewer slots and features. Motherboards come in three main sizes–for more info see our diagram and explanation of motherboard parts. From largest to smallest, there’s ATX, Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX. (Yes, Mini is smaller than Micro). You can use a smaller chassis with the micro or mini boards, but you’ll have to settle for fewer card expansion slots, sometimes fewer RAM slots, and other connectors.
Pay for built-in Wi-Fi and high-end ports only if you need them. Don’t spend extra for wireless if you are using a wired connection. You can future proof your PC by getting USB 3.1 Gen 2 and / or Thunderbolt 3 support.
The Best Intel Gaming Motherboards: Z490, Z390, H370, and X299
ASRock Z490 Taichi (Image credit: ASRock)
1. ASRock Z490 Taichi
Best ATX Z490 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1200 | Chipset: Intel Z490 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 15 Phases | PCIe x16: (3) v3.0 | USB Ports: 5 USB 3.2 Gen1, 4 USB 2.0, 2 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A, One USB-3.2 2×2 Type-C | Warranty: 1 year
Solid 12-phase/50A VRM for Vcore
USB 3.2 Gen 2X2 Type-C port
Three M.2 and eight SATA ports
Expensive compare to Z390 Taichi
Annoying use of star screws on chipset shroud
Tough to press PCIe slot latch for removal
The ASRock Z490 Taichi is a great motherboard in the $350-$400 price bracket for building a Z490 system, comparing favorably to similarly priced competition.It includes eight SATA ports (while others have six), as well as a speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port. It also has a premium appearance and runs cooler than competing boards in the power delivery department.
If you need three M.2 slots and eight SATA ports, this is the only board around this price point with that storage configuration. If your budget allows for an upper mid-range board, ASRock’s Z490 Taichi should be at the top of the list.
Read: ASRock Z490 Taichi review
Gigabyte Z390 Designare
2. Gigabyte Z390 Designare
Best ATX Z390 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 13 Phases | PCIe x16: (3) v3.0 | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years
Full-Spec Thunderbolt 3 ports
Supports 8K passthrough from DisplayPort 1.4 graphics cards
Two Gigabit Ethernet ports plus 1.73Gb/s Wi-Fi
Third x16 slot switchable between PCH and CPU lanes
Great price for the added features
Mediocre CPU Overclocking
The Z390 Designare beats its closest rival on features for the price, has similar overclocking limits to its closest rival but beats it in overclocked DRAM performance, and has at least enough extra value to justify its premium over cheaper boards. We have to consider whether the “workstation replacement” PC market will tolerate a board with mediocre CPU overclocking. But given that there’s so little to gain from overclocking the Core i9-9900K, we feel that more often than not the answer is yes.
Read: Gigabyte Z390 Designare Review
ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX
3. ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX
Best Mini-ITX Z390 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: Mini ITX | Voltage Regulator: 7 phases | PCIe x16: (1) v3.0 (full bandwidth) | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years
Vastly-improved Core i9-9900K efficiency
Great performance
Good overclocking
Thunderbolt 3 &
1.73Gb/s Wi-Fi at a very reasonable price
Egregious DIMM over-voltage
Firmware H/W Monitor misreports DIMM overvoltage
Thunderbolt 3 is only half-speed (20Gbps)
Meager onboard RGB lighting
No Gen2 header for front-panel USB 3.1
Even if you never use its Thunderbolt 3 port, it’s hard to deny the supremacy of a board that does everything else better than the competition, while costing less. The Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac is even cheaper than the non-Wi-Fi version of MSI’s ATX MGP Z390 Gaming Pro Carbon, though that won’t matter to anyone who needs the extra DIMM and PCIe slots afforded by the larger form factor. But for those looking for a Mini ITX board to support Intel’s Core i9-9900K, the Z390 Phantom Gaming-ITX/ac is easily our first choice, making it one of the best gaming motherboards you can buy.
Read: ASRock Z390 Phantom Gaming ITX Review
Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X
4. Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X
Best Cheap Z390 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel Z390 | Form Factor: ATX | Voltage Regulator: 11 phases | PCIe x16: (2) v3.0 (x16/x4) | USB Ports: 10 Gbps | Warranty: 3 years
Consistently under $150
Fully supports Core i9-9900K
Good overclocking
Second PCIe x16 slot has only four PCH lanes
No front-panel USB3 Gen2
Only one USB3 Gen2 header
Hot voltage regulator requires a fan near CPU socket
An alternative to its award-winning Gaming SLI, Gigabyte’s Z390 Gaming X offers similar overclocking capability on substantially similar layout, at a noticeably lower price that garnered it the same value award. It’s the best gaming motherboard for Z390 if you’re on a budget. After Gigabyte stopped distributing the SLI model in USA, the Gaming X became our only option for budget overclocking of Intel’s K-series unlocked LGA-1151 processors.
Read: Gigabyte Z390 Gaming X Review
ASRock H370M Pro4
5. ASRock H370M Pro4
Best Intel H370 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 1151 | Chipset: Intel H370 | Form Factor: Micro ATX | Voltage Regulator: 10 phases | PCIe x16: (2) v3.0 (x16/x4*) (*Shares upper PCIe x1) | USB Ports: 10Gbps | Warranty: 3 year
Two USB 3.1 Gen2 ports and two Gen1 USB 3.1 I/O panel ports
Four USB 3.0 front-panel ports
H370 features at B360 price
No RGB controller
No front-panel 3.1 Gen2 header
Priced around $80 (£78) and at times dipping below $70 (£70), the ASRock H370M Pro4 brings Intel’s more-advanced H370 feature set to buyers who thought they could only afford a lesser B360 model. If you have less than $100 to spend, it’s one of the best gaming motherboards for Intel’s pared-down platform. ASRock splits the H370’s extra HSIO (high-speed input/output) pathways across two rear-panel USB 3.0 ports and two internal SATA headers. Buyers who don’t need RGB or a 10Gb/s USB 3.1 Gen2 front-panel header will be pleased to find that the H370M Pro4 offers more of nearly every other port than its closest competitor, for a lower price.
Socket: LGA 2066 | Chipset: Intel X299 PCH | Form Factor: EATX | Voltage Regulator: 12 phases | PCIe x16: (4) v3.0 (@48: x16/x8*/x16/x8), (CPU @44: x16/x4*/x16/x8), (CPU @28: x16/x4*/x8/x0) | USB Ports: 10Gbps: (2) Type-C via Thunderbolt 3 | Warranty: 3 years
Dual 10GbE, plus 2.4Gbps Wi-Fi 6
Thunderbolt 3 with dual Type-C outputs and dual DisplayPort inputs
Price premium is lower than the value of its premium components
Expensive
Excessive PCIe, M.2 & SATA sharing
10.8-inch depth requires extra case considerations
Fully equipped for the 48 lanes of Intel’s 10th generation Core Extreme processors, the X299X Designare 10G comes loaded to the brink with Intel X550 dual 10Gb/s Ethernet and a pair of Thunderbolt 3 headers with dual DisplayPort passthrough on Intel’s 40Gb/s controller. A four-drive M.2 expander card and 2.4Gb/s Wi-Fi 6 finish a package of which the added component value far outweighs the price difference over its closest competitor.
Read: Gigabyte X299X Designare 10G Review
ASRock X299E-ITX/AC
7. ASRock X299E-ITX/AC
Best Mini ITX X299 Motherboard
Socket: LGA 2066 | Chipset: Intel X299 | Form Factor: Mini-ITX | Voltage Regulator: 7 phases | PCIe x16: (1) v3.0 | USB Ports: 10Gbps | Warranty: 3 years
Good overall performance
Great overall efficiency
Surprisingly high overclocks
Skylake-X requirement provides two M.2’s via CPU PCIe
No 110mm M.2 card support
Connecting third M.2 slot to PCH excludes RAID 5 via VROC
Only six total I/O-panel USB ports, and four of those share bandwidth
No voltage regulator temperature reporting
No Kaby Lake-X support
By being the only LGA 2066 motherboard available to Mini-ITX builders, the ASRock X299E-ITX/ac automatically becomes the best choice for these builds. Despite its lack of competition, the price is reasonable and the performance level is spot-on for the Core i9-7900X, even with the board’s lower-than-average default power ceiling. It’s not perfect, but if you’re looking to build a compact high-power Intel X299 desktop, this board should serve you well.
Read: ASRock X299E-ITX/AC Review
MORE: How To Choose A Motherboard
MORE: All Motherboard Content
Current page:
Best Intel Motherboards 2020: Z490, Z390, H370, and X299
Next PageBest AMD Motherboards: TRX40, X570, X470, B550, and X399
Last year, AMD released the Ryzen 3000 series desktop processors in one of the most monumental hardware launches of the modern era. This final step completed the Red brand’s ascent back into the forefront of the desktop processor market that began with the launch of the first generation of Ryzen CPUs. Now, Intel is finally firing back with the launch of the 10th Gen Intel Core processors, along with a new motherboard standard to drive them.
As should be no surprise, the focus will remain on the new motherboards. While the 10th Gen Intel Core processors will not support PCIe 4.0 connectivity due to signal integrity issues, many of the Z490 motherboards are designed to support the PCIe 4.0 specification. This is accomplished by adding clock generators to help clean up the signal. Generally speaking, when it comes to long-term platform support, AMD has been the trendsetter. Has AMD’s long support of the AM4 socket on its newer-generation processors inspired Intel to take similar steps?
So what is Z490 offering right now? For starters, there has been a large focus on VRM and VRM cooling design. With the top-level Intel Core i9-10900K featuring 10 cores along with HyperThreading, the ability to deliver clean, continuous power is going to be one of the primary factors that separates a good Z490 board from the competition. With the introduction of HyperThreading on Intel’s mid-range line up, power delivery is going to be vital in all segments.
The Maximus family serves as ASUS’s flagship line for Intel motherboards, with premium looks, premium features, blazing performance, and broad overclocking support. The Maximus lineup typically comprises four models: the Hero, Apex, Formula, and Extreme. Intel’s Z490 chipset is no exception. The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme serves as the capstone entry for the Maximus family, providing every bell and whistle available.
The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme features a robust VRM cooling solution complete with an optional active cooling fan, all paired with no less than sixteen 90 A power stages from Infineon. Dual BIOS with BIOS flashback has also been included, as well as ASUS’s excellent BIOS designed to provide an optimal, stress-free overclocking experience. The ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme also offers great connectivity with not only WiFi 6 and 2.5 Gb/s LAN, but also 10 Gb/s Ethernet using an Aquantia controller. All of this performance is bundled into a sleek, modern package with excellent RGB options and a host of accessories.
Let’s take a closer look at what the ASUS ROG Maximus XII Extreme has to offer.
2x Antenna ports 1x Bios Flashback button 1x Clear CMOS button 1x Optical SPDIF out port 2x LAN (RJ45) port 1x USB 3.2 (Gen2x2) Type-C port 1x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-C port 6x USB 3.2 (Gen1) ports 2x USB 3.2 (Gen2) Type-A ports 2x USB 2.0 ports 5x 3.5 mm audio jacks
Audio:
1x Realtek ALC1220 Codec
Fan Headers:
14x 4-pin
Form Factor:
Extended ATX Form Factor: 12.0 x 10.9 in. / 30.5 x 27.7 cm
Thanks to this tool, at the debut in January 2021, it will be possible to intervene in the optimization and tweaking of the AMD Ryzen series CPUs 5000 with a very high level of intervention
of Paolo Corsini published on 29 December 2020 , at 16: 41 in the Processors channel Zen RyZen AMD Threadripper
ClockTuner for Ryzen (CRT) is a utility that allows you to perform advanced management of various operating parameters of AMD Ry processors zen, with access to settings that are typically not accessible to the user from the motherboard bios or operating system.
ClockTuner for Ryzen has recently been updated to version 2.0 , currently available as internal beta and from the end of January 2021 scheduled for public release. It introduces support for the new Ryzen CPUs of the family 5000 based on Zen 3 architecture as well as the APUs of the Renoir family. The most interesting news concerns the inclusion of a new mode for processor overclocking, called Hybrid OC and compatible with Ryzen CPUs based on Zen 2 and Zen 3 architectures.
With it it is possible to follow an intermediate approach that combines the benefits of manual overclocking with those of the boost clock implemented in the processor, obtaining a tangible performance increase when all cores are used in processing. The utility also allows you to intervene in undervolting , reducing the power requirements of the processor in fact with the same clock frequency so as to reduce overall power consumption and temperatures.
The developer of ClockTuner for Ryzen has also made available a roadmap of future versions : that 2.1 will arrive during the first half of 2021 introducing support for the automatic curve optimizer for CPUs with Zen 3 architecture. For version 2.2, expected in the third quarter, implementation of the support for AMD Ryzen Threadripper CPU 5000 next generation in addition to Ryzen 5000 for mobile systems .
If you’re after the best processor for work, a lot of the decision boils down to just what your work is. Most processors can handle just about any workload you throw at them, given enough time. But faster CPUs (with more cores and/or faster clock speeds) chew through tough workloads in much less time, making them great CPUs for productivity. This list focuses on performance in productivity applications for workstations, while our Best CPUs for Gaming article will give you a better picture of gaming performance. Our CPU Benchmark Hierarchy has all the processors ranked based on performance in gaming, single- and multi-threaded workloads.
A processor that excels at gaming isn’t always the best CPU if your workload is productivity-focused. In fact, as highly threaded CPUs become more common, gaming CPUs and work CPUs are increasingly different silicon beasts, making it tougher to choose which CPU is the best for your workload. So we’ve compiled a list of processors representing the best bang for your buck in common productivity tasks, based on our years of benchmarking and testing data.
Unfortunately, the semiconductor industry is in the midst of crushing shortages spurred by the pandemic and limited production capacity at industry-leading fab TSMC, which produces AMD’s CPUs. As a result, many chips are hard to find at retail, so we’ve bulked up our recommendations with value alternatives that might be easier to find at retail.
When choosing a non-gaming-focused CPU, consider the following:
Know the apps you use: If your apps take advantage of AMD’s superior cores / threads per dollar, you might want to get an AMD chip. But if you’re using lightly-threaded apps or Adobe products, Intel will perform better.
Get the latest gen: You usually won’t save a lot by going with an older chip, and you may limit your upgrade options down the road.
Keep the motherboard in mind: The priciest CPUs require more expensive motherboards than cheaper chips.
For even more information, check out our 2020 CPU Buyer’s Guide, where we discuss how much you should spend for what you’re looking to do, and when cores matter more than high clock speeds.
Architecture: Zen 2 | Socket: sTRX4 | Cores/Threads: 64/128 | Base Frequency: 2.9 GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.3 GHz | TDP: 280W
Reasons to Buy
Competitive per-core pricing
Excellent rendering performance
Overclockable
Indium solder
PCIe 4.0
ECC support
Reasons to Avoid
Benefits a narrow cross-section of workloads
Intel’s seemingly-endless delay in transitioning to the 10nm node for the desktop, not to mention a new architecture beyond Skylake, has left the industry ripe for disruption. As a result, AMD’s new Threadripper 3000 processors march into the upper segment of the HEDT market uncontested.
AMD’s Threadripper 3990X slots in as the industry’s uncontested leader in multi-threaded work with 64 cores and 128 threads, but this processor is most effective for a narrow selection of workloads that can benefit from the tremendous thread count while not being impacted by the vagaries of the multi-chip design. As a result, the overwhelming majority of users will be better served with the Threadripper 3970X listed below.
In either case, the Zen 3-powered Threadripper 3990X is pretty much exactly what AMD says it is: A highly specialized processor that provides incredible performance in a narrow cross-section of workloads, but at an extremely attractive price point given its capabilities.
AMD’s decision to pair 64 cores and 128 threads with higher boost frequencies pays big dividends in VFX, 3D animation, and ray tracing workloads with more performance than you would expect from any comparable workstation-class solution, not to mention even some dual-socket servers. The higher boost frequencies provide snappy performance in everyday lightly-threaded applications and devastating threaded performance in workloads that scale well. You also get access to 64 lanes of PCIe 4.0, which is useful for powerful SSD RAID arrays and other high-performance additives.
The $3,990 price tag is eye-watering, but for professionals that can benefit from the 3990X’s hefty allotment of cores and threads, it’s worth every penny.
Read: AMD 64-Core Threadripper 3990X Review: Battle of the Flagships
2. AMD Threadripper 3970X
Best High-End Workstation CPU
SPECIFICATIONS
Architecture: Zen 2 | Socket: sTRX4 | Cores/Threads: 32/64 | Base Frequency: 3.7GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.5GHz | TDP: 280W
Reasons to Buy
Excellent single and multithreaded performance
Competitive per-core pricing
Power efficient
Indium solder
Reasons to Avoid
Lack of backward compatibility
While the Threadripper 3990X brings the utmost performance possible to bear, the exotic design does result in slower performance in some common workloads, leaving room for the Threadripper 3970X to serve as the more reasonable option for the productivity-minded.
The 32-core, 64-thread Threadripper 3970X delivers devastating threaded performance in its price range, often trouncing Intel’s most exotic silicon. Intel’s Xeon W-3175X is ill-suited to take on the comparatively power-sipping Threadripper processors on a power efficiency basis, not to mention pricing. Just for comparison’s sake – the overclocked W-3175X pulled 768 watts under load, while the overclocked Threadripper 3970X peaked at 356 watts while often providing more performance in threaded workloads. That math is easy. Threadripper 3000 also brings a solid gain on the single-threaded performance front, too.
Finally, AMD’s forward-thinking adoption of the PCIe 4.0 interface is another attraction that will help win over the semi-professional crowd. While the faster interface isn’t as useful on the mainstream desktop, the ability to stack up throughput-craving devices behind the chipset without the radical throughput restrictions we see with Intel’s DMI is another big win.
AMD’s chips are nearly impossible to find at retail, while Intel now has a steady supply of chips readily available at retail. That makes the Core i9-10980XE an alternative pick that you can snag now, while you’ll likely have to exercise some patience or settle for paying scalper pricing for AMD’s new chips. Just be aware that you’ll sacrifice quite a bit of threaded horsepower by selecting the Core i9-10980XE.
For streamers and professionals who can make use of the extra I/O of and quad-channel memory, Intel’s Cascade Lake-X flagship earns its niche, but the Ryzen 5950X and 3950X are a better value for most productivity workloads where the more-robust HEDT platform is less important. That leaves a preciously slim slice of the market where Intel has an advantage in this price bracket (users that need quad-channel memory or more PCIe lanes). Overclocking performance is a factor if you’re willing to spend the cash. You can drop the -10980XE into an existing X299 board if you’re willing to sacrifice a few PCIe lanes, but be aware that this is the end of the line for the X299 platform.
The refined 14nm process equates to faster clock speeds, and thus performance, at lower overall power consumption. The Core i9-10980XE also has much higher overclocking headroom than its predecessor. But the 10980XE’s advantage after tuning over the AMD Ryzen 5950X comes at a $280 premium and requires more robust cooling and power delivery, so you should factor that into your purchasing decision. In most cases, the Ryzen 9 5950X and 3950X, both listed below, remain the better choice if you can find those chips on shelves.
Read: Intel Core i9-10980XE Review
3. AMD Ryzen 9 5950X
Best High Performance Value
SPECIFICATIONS
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores/Threads: 16/32 | Base Frequency: 3.4GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.9GHz | TDP: 105W
Reasons to Buy
Class-leading 16 cores & 32 threads
Overclockable
Higher boost frequencies
Reasonable price-per-core
Power efficiency
PCIe Gen 4.0
Reasons to Avoid
Requires beefy cooling
No bundled cooler
Higher gen-on-gen pricing
No integrated graphics
High end desktop (HEDT) processors have long offered the ultimate in performance, as long as you were willing to pay the price. Aside from high pricing, HEDT chips also require expensive accommodations, like beefy motherboards and the added cost of fully populating quad-channel memory controllers. Add in the inevitable trade-offs, like reduced performance in lightly-threaded applications and games, and any cost-conscious users who could benefit from the threaded horsepower of a HEDT chip just settle for mainstream offerings.
AMD’s Ryzen 9 5950X, with 16 cores and 32 threads, expands on its predecessors’ mission of bringing HEDT-class performance to mainstream motherboards, lowering the bar for entry. The 5950X carries a $799 price tag, but that’s downright affordable compared to competing HEDT processors that don’t offer the same class of performance.
The Ryzen 9 5950X’s healthy slathering of cores and threads are incredibly adept at productivity workloads. Still, it does come with a dual-channel memory controller that can restrict performance in workloads constrained by memory throughput. However, outside of that notable restriction, if you’re after a chip and platform that can do serious work seriously fast, but still be nimble enough to deliver high-refresh gameplay at the end of the day, the Ryzen 9 5950X fits the bill like no other CPU before it, blurring the lines between HEDT and mainstream platforms.
Architecture: Zen 2 | Socket: AM4 | Cores/Threads: 16/32 | Base Frequency: 3.5GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.7GHz | TDP: 105W
Reasons to Buy
Class-leading 16 cores & 32 threads
Overclockable
Higher boost frequencies
Reasonable price-per-core
Power efficiency
Compatible with most AM4 boards
PCIe Gen 4.0
Reasons to Avoid
Requires beefy cooling
Limited overclocking headroom
The Ryzen 9 3950X is a previous-gen processor, and we typically don’t recommend investing in older chips for productivity-focused builds. However, given the ongoing chip shortages that likely won’t end soon, the Ryzen 9 3950X might be the only option if you’re looking for a 16-core 32-thread processor to drop into a mainstream motherboard.
AMD’s 16-core 32-thread Ryzen 9 3950X brings HEDT-class performance to mainstream motherboards, lowering the bar for entry. The 3950X carries a $749 MSRP, but you can find this nimble chip for ~$715 at retail. Perhaps the most attractive aspect of this chip right now is that you can find it in stock, whereas the more powerful Ryzen 9 5950X is subject to crushing shortages, and thus price gouging.
Read: AMD Ryzen 9 3950X Review
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X (Image credit: AMD)
4. AMD Ryzen 9 5900X
Best Overall Value
SPECIFICATIONS
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores/Threads: 12/24 | Base Frequency: 3.7GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.8GHz | TDP: 65W
Reasons to Buy
Support for PCIe 4.0
Unlocked multiplier
Compatible with 500-series motherboards
Excellent gaming performance
Excellent single- and multi-threaded performance
Reasons to Avoid
No bundled cooler
Higher gen-on-gen pricing
No integrated graphics
If you’re truly only concerned about the best gaming CPU and basic productivity tasks, you should go with the Ryzen 5 5600X and save yourself some money. However, if you prize a brutal mix of performance in all aspects, like single- and multi-threaded work and gaming, the Ryzen 9 5900X is your chip – it delivers in all facets.
The 12-core 24-thread Ryzen 9 5900X is rated for a 3.7 GHz base and 4.8 GHz boost, but we clocked it in at 5.0 GHz during our own testing. Not only is the 5900X incredibly potent in threaded applications given its price point – it is also the uncontested fastest gaming chip on the market, so you’ll get the best of both worlds.
There’s also support for PCIe 4.0 and overclockability to consider. The Ryzen 9 5900X drops into existing 500-series motherboards, and support for 400-series motherboards is in the works for early 2021. You’ll need to bring your own cooler, and the bigger, the better – cooling definitely has an impact on performance with the higher-end Ryzen 5000 processors. However, if you’re looking for a chip with a great mixture of both single- and heavily-threaded performance, the Ryzen 9 5900X is a great option.
Read: AMD Ryzen 9 5900X Review
(Image credit: Intel)
Intel Core i7-10700K
Alternate Pick – Best Overall Value
SPECIFICATIONS
Architecture: Comet Lake | Socket: 1200 | Cores/Threads: 8 / 16 | Base Frequency: 3.8GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 5.1GHz | TDP: 125W
Reasons to Buy
Lower per-thread pricing
Turbo Boost Max 3.0
Excellent gaming performance
High overclocking headroom
Reasonable cooling requirements
Reasons to Avoid
No bundled cooler
PCIe 3.0 interface
Requires new motherboard
Not much faster than Core i5 (in gaming)
The Ryzen 9 5900X is superior to the Core i7-10700K in nearly every facet, but again, crushing shortages of AMD’s chips make the 5900X a rarity at retail. The Core i7-10700K slots into the middle ground between the Ryzen 9 5900X and the Ryzen 5 5600X listed below, and given the current state of the market, it might be the best pick in its price range. You can currently find this chip for ~$360, which is slightly below its official $387 MSRP.
The Core i7-10700K comes armed with eight cores and 16 threads that operate at a 3.8 GHz base and 5.1 GHz boost, making them adept at chewing through threaded workloads. The Core i7-10700K is a speedy chip with plenty of overclocking headroom, and it also comes with integrated graphics, which isn’t an option with AMD’s 5000-series processors.
You’ll need to bring your own cooler for the 10700K, but higher-end watercoolers can unlock quite a bit of overclocking headroom. Intel’s next-gen Rocket Lake processors will also be drop-in compatible with the LGA 1200 motherboard you’ll need for this processor.
Read: Intel Core i7-10700K Review
(Image credit: AMD)
5. AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Best Budget CPU
SPECIFICATIONS
Architecture: Zen 3 | Socket: AM4 | Cores/Threads: 6 / 12 | Base Frequency: 4.1GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.8GHz | TDP: 65W
Reasons to Buy
Strong gaming performance
Strong in single- and multi-threaded workloads
Relatively easy to cool
PCIe 4.0
Bundled cooler
Power efficiency
Works with existing 500-series motherboards
Reasons to Avoid
Higher gen-on-gen pricing
The AMD Ryzen 5 5600X offers a compelling blend of pricing and performance in its price range, but the six-core 12-thread chip lands at $299, a $50 price hike over its previous-gen counterpart. However, the 5600X brings more than enough extra application performance to justify the premium, not to mention that it’s the most power-efficient desktop PC processor we’ve ever tested. That means it is easier to cool than competing chips in its price range, ultimately resulting in a quieter system.
AMD’s Zen 3 microarchitecture results in a stunning 19% increase in IPC, which floats all boats in terms of performance in gaming, single-threaded, and multi-threaded applications. The 5600X serves up more than enough performance for day-to-day application workloads, but you’ll need to align your expectations with the fact that this is a six-core processor. That said, you won’t find this level of performance from any other six-core chip on the market. If entertainment is also on the menu, the 5600X is an incredibly well-rounded chip that can handle any type of gaming, from competitive-class performance with high refresh rate monitors to streaming.
The Ryzen 5 5600X has a 3.7 GHz base and 4.6 GHz boost clock, but with the right cooling and motherboard, you can expect higher short-term boosts. The chip also has a 65W TDP rating, meaning it runs exceptionally cool and quiet given its capabilities (the previous-gen model was 95W).
Existing AMD owners with a 500-series motherboard will breathe a sigh of relief as the 5600X drops right into existing 500-series motherboards. Support for 400-series motherboards will come next year, so those users will have to wait for a drop-in upgrade until then. If you need a new motherboard to support the chip, both 400- and 500-series motherboards are plentiful and relatively affordable, with the B550 lineup offering the best overall value for this class of chip.
Read: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X Review: The Mainstream Knockout
£150)Architecture: Zen 2 | Socket: AM4 (1331) | Cores/Threads: 6/12 | Base Frequency: 3.8GHz | Top Boost Frequency: 4.4GHz | TDP: 65W
Reasons to Buy
Low price
Excellent performance in gaming and applications
PCIe 4.0 support
Bundled cooler
Low power consumption
Unlocked multiplier
Backward compatibility
Reasons to Avoid
No cheap B-series motherboards with PCIe 4.0
Limited overclocking headroom
No integrated graphics
The Ryzen 5 3600 represents the lowest-end processor we’d recommend for a productivity-focused machine, but again, this is a previous-gen processor. However, due to ongoing product shortages, it might be the best bang for your buck that’s actually available at retail outlets.
Intel’s entry-level Comet Lake processors have made strides in the battle against AMD’s Ryzen, but in threaded apps, there really is no contest again: The Ryzen 3000 processors offer far more value than Intel’s competing chips. For instance, the Ryzen 5 3600 offers nearly the same amount of threaded horsepower as Intel’s $262 Core i5-10600K but retails for ~$200.
The 3600X might be worth the extra coin if you aren’t interested in overclocking, as it does provide more performance out of the box and comes with a better cooler. However, it’s hard to justify the $50 premium over the Ryzen 5 3600.
A Ryzen 5 3600 paired with a B550 motherboard (or even a B450 if you aren’t interested in PCIe 4.0 connectivity) will make a great setup for mainstream users focused on light productivity tasks, like streaming, rendering, and encoding.
Taking an old console and making it as small as possible is a well-established tradition in the modding community, and there may be a new victor in the race to shrink the Nintendo 64 as far as possible (via Input). GmanModz has cut down an N64 to the point where it’s smaller than a GameCube controller — and only slightly bigger than the cartridges it takes.
The mod vs an N64 controllerPhoto: GmanModz
Yes, cartridges. This isn’t an emulator, this is an actual Nintendo 64 that was cut, soldered, and otherwise modded to fit into a handheld package, complete with screen, battery, and controls (the joysticks are from a Nintendo Switch, chosen for their diminutive size).
At three and a half inches, the screen is smaller than what you’d be used to when playing an N64, and it has a resolution of 320 x 240. Making up the shell are two different plastics, with the back being more heat-resistant — an important consideration when you’re using a motherboard designed to be in a roomy home console.
In order to fit it into such a small form factor, the N64’s motherboard had to have all non-essential parts cut off.Photo: GmanModz
The modder is no stranger to making portable versions of the console: they’ve also modded it into a Game Boy Advance SP-inspired form factor (twice). For this mod, though, they gave themselves a challenge: don’t custom-design any boards. There are some third-party boards inside that were available on an online modding shop, but they weren’t made specifically for this build. GmanModz says that this was “to be fair” to the previous smallest N64 record holder.
In the video showing off the project, GmanModz admits that it’s not the greatest portable Nintendo 64 experience. But that’s not really the point — the point was to make the smallest portable N64, and they apparently achieved that. “The battery life sucks, it’s uncomfortable to hold, but hey. It fits in my pocket. Does your N64?”
Photo: GmanModz
As expected with such a small handheld, the battery only lasts about an hour and a half. But hey, if you’re gunning for a Super Mario 64 speed run record, that may be all you need.
Home/Component/CPU/Intel Core i7-11700K beats the Ryzen 9 5950X in single-core score Geekbench test
João Silva 49 mins ago CPU, Featured Tech News
A new entry for an Intel Core i7-11700K has been found in Geekbench 5 database. This time around, we have results for the upcoming processor up against the Ryzen 9 5950X while running at frequencies of up to 5GHz.
The Intel Core i7-11700K is an 8C/16T processor using the 14nm-based Rocket Lake-S architecture with a base clock of 3.6GHz, which boosts up to 5.0GHz. Featuring the Cypress Cove core architecture, the upcoming Intel processors are reportedly coming with a double-digit IPC gain when compared to Comet Lake-S processors.
The Geekbench 5 database entry of the Core i7-11700K shared by @leakbench shows a single-core score of 1807 and a multi-core score of 10673. The system was using a Gigabyte Aorus Z490 Master motherboard, which is expected to support 11th Gen Core processors with a BIOS update.
Geekbench 5 CPU 11th Gen Intel Core i7-11700K GenuineIntel Family 6 Model 167 Stepping 1https://t.co/2zTdQx7y9e
— Leakbench (@leakbench) December 28, 2020
Comparing these scores with the core i7-10700K, there is a 34% improvement in the single-core score and a 19% improvement in the multi-core score, despite being slightly lower clocked than its predecessor.
One thing to note is the massive improvement in AES-XTS/crypto workloads, which appears to be running 200% faster on the Core i7-11700K (1800 vs 5400). It also has a better single-core overall score than the whole Ryzen 5000 line-up, scoring higher in crypto and integer workloads, but losing in floating-point workloads.
Intel Rocket Lake-S processors and Intel 500-series motherboards are expected to be announced in CES 2021.
KitGuru says: Based on these scores, do you think Intel Rocket Lake-S processors will outperform the Ryzen 5000 series? Are you planning to upgrade your CPU and motherboard in the new year?
Become a Patron!
Check Also
Sony targets 18m PlayStation 5 sales in 2021 following increased TSMC production
While sales of Sony’s brand new PS5 console have been hampered by significant chip supply …
The first phone with a Snapdragon 888 chipset is already official with the launch of Xiaomi’s Mi 11 yesterday in China. The brand new Xiaomi flagship has quickly made its way to local tech bloggers and teardown experts Aiao Technology decided to take it apart and show us what it looks like on the inside.
As with all teardowns this one starts by removing the SIM tray located on the bottom near the USB-C port. Then it’s time to pry open the plastic eco-leather back free from all the adhesive and remove a few screws holding the camera sensor cover. The main 108MP sensor is Samsung’s ISOCELL HMX which comes with OIS, it’s paired alongside a 5MP Samsung S5K5E9 while the 13MP ultrawide module is OmniVision’s CMOS OV13B10.
Xiaomi Mi 11 teardown (credit: Aiao Technology)
The motherboard is covered in plenty of copper foil on the front and back and also has several heat sinks for improved thermal performance. After removing the copper bits, we can actually see the brand new Snapdragon 888 chipset alongside the flash memory and both are sealed tight adhesive in case of any exposure to liquids. The 4,600 mAh battery comes courtesy of Sunwoda Electronics Co Ltd.
A new strain of the coronavirus that causes COVID – 19 has been sequenced by scientists from the University of Deusto in collaboration with members of the WHO when analyzing the biological remains found in the CPU cooler of a “gaming” computer.
The remains of the viruses appeared specifically under the 20 cm of scab that, for years, accumulated in the heatsink of the gamer in question, in fact, this new variant poses a great threat to humanity precisely because it has developed in a breeding ground together with other organisms in such a closed space, since a natural ecosystem with hundreds of species has been created. ecies, including large predators. The rapid growth of this ecosystem has been possible thanks to the large number of RGB lighting in combination with the heat given off by the stock processor heatsink.
The highly contagious strain affects the hands above all, turning users into hand-held players and distancing them from their dream of being gamers professionals as their idols.
The new virus COVID-RGB-Gaming-OC originated in the tribe of the north zone of the VRM
More specifically, the WHO ensures that this variant of the coronavirus was found in a pangolin soup that the tribe settled under the VRM cave had dined north of the plate, but its rapid expansion soon infected other tribes, especially the settlers of the southern area, between the grasslands of the power supply and alongside the inhabitants of the dust of the GeForce GT 1030, the latter have not been affected as much because the high temperatures of the graph where they live has allowed them to dominate the fire and cook the food before
Speaking to Geeknetic, the owner of the PC, who wanted to identify himself with his nickname “Vegeta_Rubius 69 _ ToH_LOkOh “has assured that he did not know that the computer could be opened to clean: – I bought this gaming computer to be able to play fortnite 3 while I screamed at my friends, I don’t know what it has inside, but it has many little lights that blink and that is why I know for sure that it is very powerful, before you could see inside through that glass, but now the vegetation does not allow us to see much beyond “.
The new strain has many differences with the current COVID – 19, to such an extent that researchers have decided baptize it with the new name of COVID-RGB-Gaming-OC, due to a very colorful design do and that, curiously, is synchronized with the motherboard flashing at the rate set by the rest of the components.
The authorities have confiscated the user’s PC to put it in quarantine and for an eventual controlled destruction of the computer and its ecosystem, at the same time, environmentalists They have concentrated at the home of the affected person to chain themselves to the CPU shouting slogans for the protection and conservation of this new natural environment.
Meanwhile Vegeta_Rubius 69 _ ToH_LOkOh has chained himself to the doors of the Ministry of Health and has started a hunger strike until his PC gaming is returned to him to play maincra and al fornai.
Updated: This is a fake news created and published on 28 December in celebration of the day of the Santos Inocentes in Spain. Its content is false and has been created for a satirical humorous purpose. We hope you had fun reading it.
End of Article. Tell us something in the Comments or come to our Forum!
Andrew Munro 28 mins ago Featured Tech Reviews, Keyboards
2020 has seen a huge amount of keyboards launch, from membrane to mechanical, tenkeyless to full size, and budget options all the way up to some models priced north of £200. Today we’re going to be giving you our top 5 keyboards of 2020, and always, let us know whether you agree – or disagree! – in the comments.
Watch video via Vimeo (below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
#5 Xtrfy K4 TKL RGB
See the Xtrfy K4 TKL RGB review HERE.
#4: Razer Ornata V2
See the Razer Ornata V2 review HERE.
#3: ASUS ROG STRIX Scope TKL Deluxe
See the ASUS ROG STRIX Scope TKL Deluxe review HERE.
#2: Mountain Everest Max
See the Mountain Everest Max review HERE.
#1: Corsair K100 RGB
See the Corsair K100 RGB review HERE.
KitGuru says: Make sure to watch the full video to find out why these keyboards made our Top 5 list. We discuss their price point, key specifications, unique selling points and unique features. Be sure to let us know your thoughts on these choices too!
Become a Patron!
Check Also
ASUS ROG STRIX B550-I Gaming Mini-ITX Motherboard Review
«Page 1Page 2Page 3Page 4Page 5Page 6Page 7Page 8Page 910. View All Pages»With AMD’s new …
Biostar and ASRock are the first two manufacturers that formalize support for future 11th generation Intel Core CPUs with their own Z chipset solutions 490
by Paolo Corsini published 28 December 2020 , at 09: 41 in the Motherboards and Chipsets channel Intel Core ASRock Biostar
In the first months of 2021 Intel will make available 11th Generation Core processors for desktop systems , better known by the name the n code of Rocket Lake-S . These CPUs will continue to be built with nanometer manufacturing technology 14 but will adopt a new microarchitecture , thanks to which they will benefit from an increase in IPC (instruction per clock) compared to the models now on the market.
These processors will installed on motherboards equipped with LGA socket 1200 based on Intel series chipsets 500 , expected to debut together with the processors. However, there are confirmations on compatibility also with motherboards based on Intel Z chipset 490, obviously equipped with LGA socket 1200, which are now on the market. These models are those combined with the tenth generation Intel Core processors for desktop systems, offered in versions up to 10 core as maximum in Core i9 model – 10900 K.
Biostar has officially announced that its Intel Z chipset motherboards 490 will receive bios updates with which official support for these processors will be implemented . Not only that: a similar compatibility is also expected for motherboards developed by ASRock , with a compatibility list which affects not only the models with Z chipset 490 but also those W 480 and H 470.
At this point it is foreseeable that all motherboard manufacturers will make bios updates available for your LGA socket motherboards 1200 so as to extend compatibility with new 11th generation Core CPUs. By doing so, motherboards with chipset 400 will implement support for PCI Express 4.0 peripherals through the controller integrated in the new Rocket Lake-S family processors.
Introduction to the characteristics of the GoodRAM IRDM M.2 SSD
M.2 drives are already the cornerstone of any modern computer, in any format, both for laptops, where this format was undoubtedly an important improvement, to modern compact systems such as the Nuc or any desktop computer worth its salt, all motherboards on the market currently mount one of these connectors to install quality storage on the motherboard itself.
This format, especially the one we see in newer units of 80 mm long and 28 mm wide, it is the one that has spread the most in the domestic market and little little by little the most economical option has been made to find reasonable capacities at reasonable prices as we will see and n our review of the GoodRAM IRDM M.2 of 1TB capacity .
PCI Express 3.0 Drive with NVMe
The GoodRAM IRDM M.2 is not an exceptionally modern unit, it uses a consolidated controller and PCI Express 3.0 connectivity that we can find in computers for several generations, it is not the most modern, without a doubt, but it is a combination that is still very solvent and that also translates into a more affordable entry price and usually also lower consumptions and more accessible working temperatures.
These units offer us links PCI Express 3.0 up to 4x which translates to bandwidths of up to 32 Gbps (8GT / s) with actual speeds up to 3000 – 3500 MBps of trans speed Sustained difference in reading and very similar also in writing.
This type of units also take advantage of the NVMe protocol, which has been used for a long time in professional solutions, ranging from the reduction notable latencies in reading and writing as well as the possibility of using multicore controllers that can work with data input and output operations in parallel. They are the foundation on which all modern high-performance units have been built, including also this unit that we are testing today.
The construction of control units capable of this computing in parallel with configurations of high capacity SSD memory in multiple layers and channels is what makes up the foundation of these high speed and performance drives.
The GoodRAM IRDM M.2 uses NVMe version 1.3c which is a revision of the standard that was released in August of 2018. It is a minor revision, and it is not the most recent since the 1.4 standard was released in June of last year, although nowadays there are no domestic units that support it. s) which translates to more than 3000 MBps of actual bandwidth. On SATA drives
3D TLC memories and format
The GoodRAM IRDM M.2 is a completely conventional unit with the standard format that we expect for laptops and desktops, although we can currently find more compact formats, it is rare that we go them to be needed in more or less conventional format laptops or desktops. In fact, other formats such as 2280, or the 22110, are practically in disuse, leaving only the intermediate lengths of 64 and 80 mm, like this unit , as the really accessible formats.
GoodRAM has integrated one of the most reliable controllers that we can find with this interface, it is specifically a Phison E 12 (5012-AND12) , the predecessor of the PCI Express 4.0 controllers of this same designer integrated, and used in some of the best units on the market with this same interface.
It is a controller dated 2018, which began to be integrated into units of high performance that same year, before PCI Express 4.0 was a reality in AMD’s Ryzen systems and used in conjunction with Toshiba TLC memory from 450 Gb in 80 layers achieving the expected yields of 3200 MBps of read bandwidth and up to 3000 MBps in writing . It is a classic in this format, a classic for the better because it has formed some of the most solvent units on the market.
It has everything we expect from a good modern drive, including 1GB of DDR4 memory, 2GB on the 2TB model of capacity, with which we can enjoy excellent writing performance. This memory is used to speed up the recording of the cell writing structure and does not depend on the support by the operating system.
This controller includes the second generation of the Phison CoXprocessor , the third generation of the LDPC unit and a second generation signal processor. At the time it was the best of the best developed through a process of 28 nm. Supported up to 8 channels of Flash memory and up to 32 Chip Enables (CE) . This is what makes it possible to offer capabilities with this controller, without too much loss of speed, with only 256 GB capacity, although it shines in the densest configurations of 1 and 2TB capacity.
Technical specifications of the GoodRAM IRDM M. 2 of 1TB
GoodRAM takes advantage of the wide versatility of the Phison E 22 to offer powerful performance units for this interface at affordable prices. You also have the option of offering varied capacities between 256 and the 2TB of capacity. In fact, it is a unit that requires less cell pre-allocation, which allows you to enjoy a higher real capacity.
In 1TB units, like this one, we usually have 938 GB once the unit is formatted, in this we reach the 953 GB allowing to still have a certain capacity to place damaged cells as they appear and replacing them with cells in good condition. Models up to 600 GB use 512 MB of DRAM, 1TB 1GB and 2TB increases to 2GB of DRAM memory.
In terms of performance, the 1TB and 2TB models They are the ones that maintain the performance in the appropriate and expected way for this controller, this is due to the use of parallel channels, which are the ones that allow to develop all the performance of the controller. In short, we can enjoy linear speeds of up to 3200 MBps read, 2280 Write MBps with processing powers up to 250 k IOPs in reading and up to 500 k IOPs in writing.
The larger memory configuration also allows this unit to offer up to 600 TBW of durability, 600 TB of average writing before failure, which are also the ones that mark the guarantee of the unit. GoodRAM offers us two warranty limits, or 5 years, or this writing limit, from then on the unit will be out of support.
The disadvantage, in my opinion view, is that this unit requires double-sided to develop its full potential. This means that the 1 and 2TB capacity units place Flash memory chips on both sides of the unit and that limits the possibility of installing it in certain compact systems, mainly portable.
GoodRAM also adds a small aluminum heatsink on the main side, where almost all the memory and the controller are installed, leaving on the other side uncovered, but with less thermal load since fewer memory chips and DRAM memory are placed there. This flat aluminum heatsink does not prevent us from using other larger thermal solutions on top and in fact serves as an equalized contact base for these types of solutions.
It has a M.2 Socket 3 format with dimensions 2280 and a PCI Express 3.0 interface with 4x that generates up to 8GTs which is more than enough for the performance of the unit and that increases the compatibility because it makes it compatible with sockets of type M and B.
Its consumption is 4.9w in the 1-2TB model, 4.2w in the model of 500 GB, drops to just 5mW in the deepest idle states. It is fed, like all this type of unit, through the 3.3v rail. Supports working temperatures up to 80 degrees, much higher than the temperatures that we have detected during our tests.
To manage the unit we can use the application GoodRAM Optimum that will allow us to know the performance of the unit, update firmware, know the useful life that the unit has left and of course know if it has any problem in its operation so that we can anticipate and not lose data. It even has a utility to move data from our old drive to the new one if we are looking to migrate to a larger, faster drive or both.
Mean time between failures (MTBF, hours): 1. 800. 000
Limited warranty (years): 5 years
Average Running Power Consumption (W): 4.9
PS3 Standby Power Consumption, Average (mW): 22
Low current mode L1.2 (mW): 4
Internal operating temperature (° C ): From 0 to 85
GoodRAM IRDM M.2 1TB temperatures
Idle temperature
Load temperature, without heatsink
High-end performance, on PCI Express 3.0
Not the first unit we tested with this type of controller, we have already tested other units based on this controller and memories, such as the Corsair MP 512 with 1TB of capacity, which is one of my favorite drives of all time and that I still use daily in some of our test benches, or the Gigabyte Aorus RGB that we tested in a slower setting of 600 GB capacity.
TO Sequential Read tto
Atto Sequential Write
AS-SSD Sequential Read
AS-SSD Sequential Write
Crystal DM Sequential Read
Crystal DM Sequential Write
IOMeter QD 32 Read (KIOPs)
IOMeter QD 32 Write (KIOPs)
Anvil Storage Pro 1.0 read x 10
Anvil Storage Pro 1.0 Write x 10
A classic, for the good
We are not going to fool ourselves, currently there are PCI Express 4.0 units much faster than this, in fact, GoodRAM itself, has released one of these units together with the one we are analyzing today, but our experience in the past with this controller, and our new experience with this unit, confirms that this controller is d e the best thing we can find with this interface, which produces fast and quality units and which is undoubtedly an economical solution now.
In our tests we see what is expected, without surprises about what we already knew, and that is not bad at all, it reminds us that you can still enjoy cheap units with a PCI Express 3.0 interface with adequate capacities, expected consumption and a very long guarantee with very adequate prices.
End of Article. Tell us something in the Comments or come to our Forum!
Lumi managed to grab the records in both the GPUPI and 3DMark Port Royal tests, but unfortunately the latter’s record has already been displaced.
It is always nice to start digesting Christmas hams with positive news. This time they will be served by Juhani Luumi, a top superclocker who is also known to us from TechBBS, and who brought new video card records to Finland in honor of Christmas.
Plum’s Christmas overclocking session originally produced two records, but unfortunately in a fast-moving world, one of them has already had time to displace. He still captured the current record in the GPUPI – 1B test program, where the video card calculates the approximate silicon.
EVGA’s GeForce RTX 3090 K | NGP | N, or more familiarly, Kingpin was naturally cooled with liquid nitrogen and worked in the test 2895 at a clock frequency of MHz. GDDR6X memories were set to run during the test for approximately 18 , At a speed of 1 Gbps (1425 MHz). The graphics card was supported by a liquid-cooled 5.4 GHz overclocked Core i9 – 10900 K EVGA Z 490 on the Dark motherboard
The new GPUPI – 1B record time is 2 seconds and , which is milliseconds, which covers the previous record held by the Greek watchmaker OGS 12 with a margin of milliseconds. The OGS result was also run on a liquid nitrogen cooled RTX 3090 graphics card.
Plum’s already displaced record came in turn in the 3DMark Port Royal test. Luumin 18 343 score record was run with the same configuration, but this time the graphics card worked at its highest according to 3DMark 2715 at a clock frequency of MHz and memories of approximately 28 At the speed of Gbps (1440 MHz).
Plum result exceeded by about delay Australian watchmaker Escapeee with a new record 18 343 points. The result is run on an RTX 3090 graphics card operating at the highest 2760 clock speed in the test and whose memories work around , 3 Gbps at speed (2020 MHz). Unlike Luum, the graphics card was supported by the Escapee Ryzen 9 5950 X, which was apparently set to run at 4.6 GHz for all cores.
Update 22 . 10:
Inherited by the ousted top result, Luumi decided to break the records again. In the GPUPI – 1B test, Luumi was the first to tune his RTX 3090 Kingpin graphics card to a clock frequency above 2.9 GHz. Specifically, the new record run at 2910 MHz is now 2 seconds and 119 milliseconds, ie the record improved 13 milliseconds.
Plum also got back its top spot in the 3DMark Port Royal test 17 496, but Escapee has already pecked at the new 18 3090 ). In contrast, no wedges were found in the 3DMark Fire Strike Ultra test, but Luum’s new one 12 248 score record still holds. The result was run with RTX 3090 operating according to 3DMark 2730 MHz clock speed and memory operating at approximately 12, 9 Gbps (1425 MHz) speed. The graphics-enabled liquid-cooled Core i9 – 10900 K operated in a test at a clock frequency of 5.5 GHz.
Sources: TechBBS, 3DMark, HWBot
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
