A new review of Intel’s Iris Xe DG1 graphics card has popped up, putting Intel’s new discrete GPU through its paces and showing that it is surprisingly capable. While the Xe DG1 is far from being one of the best graphics cards on the market, the review shows that the entry-level graphics card holds some value in a time where the graphics card shortage is still going strong and pricing for Nvidia and AMD GPUs has skyrocketed.
Based on a cut-down Iris Xe Max silicon, the DG1 arrives with just 80 execution units (EUs) or 640 shading units, depending on which metric you prefer. Intel’s discrete graphics card sports a 1.2 GHz base clock and a boost clock that climbs to 1.5 GHz. The DG1 also wields 4GB of LPDDR4X-4266 memory across a 128-bit interface. It conforms to a 30W TDP, so the graphics card doesn’t require active cooling or PCIe power connectors. The DG1 provides one DisplayPort output, one HDMI port, and one DVI-D port for connecting your displays.
A previous generic benchmark revealed that the DG1 was slower than Radeon RX 550, a four-year-old graphics card. However, a single benchmark wasn’t sufficient to really determine a winner, and as we all know, there’s nothing like real-world gaming results. YouTuber ETA PRIME recently acquired a $749.99 CyberPowerPC gaming system that leverages the DG1, more specifically, the Asus DG1-4G. He has put the graphics card through its paces so we can see what kind of performance it brings to the table. We’ve got the quick breakdown of results in the table below, and the full video at the end of the article.
Intel Iris Xe DG1 Benchmarks
Game
Resolution
Graphics Preset
Frame Rate (FPS)
Forza Horizon 4
1080p
Low
60 – 70
Injustice 2
1080p
Low
59 – 60
Overwatch
1080p
Medium
65 – 99
Fortnite
1080p
Performance Mode
106 – 262
Genshin Impact
1080p
Medium
57 – 60
Rocket League
1080p
High
82 -120
Grand Theft Auto V
1080p
Normal
79 – 92
Cyberpunk 2077
720p
Low
25 – 33
Red Dead Redemption 2
900p
Low
32 – 47
The CyberPowerPC system features a Core i5-11400F processor, which explains the DG1’s presence. The curious part here is that Intel had previously stated that the DG1 is only compatible with its 9th-Gen Coffee Lake and 10th-Gen Comet Lake processors. The Core i5-11400F is an 11th-Gen Rocket Lake chip. It would appear that the chipmaker secretly added Rocket Lake support on the DG1.
Do bear in mind that the YouTuber swapped out the 8GB single stick of DDR4-3000 memory for a dual-channel 16GB (2x8GB) DDR4-3600 memory kit. The upgrade likely improves the gaming PC’s performance over the stock configuration.
The results showed that the DG1 could deliver more than 60 FPS at 1080p (1920 x 1080) with a low graphics preset. Only a few titles, like Cyberpunk 2077 and Red Dead Redemption 2, gave the DG1 a hard time. However, the graphics card still pushed more than 30 FPS most of the time.
As we knew from Intel’s DG1 announcement, the entry-level market was DG1’s objective all along. The graphics card’s 1080p performance is more than reasonable if you can live without all the fancy eye candy in your life. If not, you should probably pass on the DG1. It would be interesting to see whether the DG1 can hold its own against one of AMD’s latest Ryzen APUs. Unfortunately, that’s a fight for another day.
Gigabyte has introduced a lineup of motherboards based on AMD’s X570S chipset that use passive cooling systems on their chipset and are therefore quieter than their predecessors. The platforms are aimed at high-end systems and therefore feature advanced voltage regulating modules, plenty of PCIe slots and advanced network connectivity.
Gigabyte’s AMD X570S lineup includes multiple high-end Aorus-branded motherboards equipped with an AM4 socket and a high-performance VRM with 14 or 16 phases with 70A or 90A power stages. The platforms have four DDR4 memory slots, two or three PCIe 4.0 x16 slots for graphics cards or high-end SSDs, two or more M.2-2280 slots for drives featuring a PCIe 4.0 x4 interface, and multiple SATA ports.
As far as connectivity is concerned, all Gigabyte’s Aorus AMD X570S motherboards feature a 2.5 GbE port, USB Type-C front ports, some are also equipped with a Wi-Fi 6 network adapter, and a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C port.
All of the company’s AMD X570S-based motherboards feature sophisticated overclocking and performance tuning capabilities to ensure maximum performance for AMD’s latest Ryzen 5000-series CPUs, including Gigabyte’s Active OC Tuner active overclocking technology. Furthermore, they are equipped with coolers for their VRMs and chipsets.
Gigabyte’s Aorus AMD X570S family includes several motherboards: including the flagship X570S Aorus Master, the Aorus Pro AX, and the X570S Aero G. Pricing of the motherboards will depend on exact specifications of the platforms. Eventually Gigabyte will likely launch more consumer-oriented motherboards powered by AMD’s X570S chipset.
The Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 is a great alternative for Zen 3 CPU owners who want a kit that’s faster than the sweet spot but don’t want to break the piggy bank.
For
+ Quick out of the box
+ RGB-less design
+ Room for overclocking
Against
– Costs more than similarly-specced rivals
– No RGB (a letdown for some)
The Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 memory kit comes to market to capitalize on the latest developments in the chip world. Like we see in other areas, continuous improvement is important in the processor world: If there weren’t any generational uplift, we’d have no reason to purchase the next best thing. It’s the job of memory makers to capitalize on those advancements and stay in step with the latest developments.
Zen 3, for example, brought a lot of interesting features to the table. One of its improvements is the ability to run faster memory without suffering performance penalties. It’s general knowledge that AMD’s Ryzen processors run the best with their Infinity Fabric Clock (FCLK) and memory clock (MEMCLK) in sync. As a result, DDR4-3800 was the practical ceiling for the majority of Zen 2 owners.
However, microarchitectural improvements have bumped the limit up to DDR4-4000 on Zen 3, allowing memory makers to put out kits that unlock another level of performance for Ryzen users. That’s where the Dark Z FPS kit steps in.
Image 1 of 3
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 3
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 3
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Dark Z FPS features the familiar wing-inspired design that TeamGroup is fond of. The aluminum heat spreader arrives in black with white lines that highlight the design. In fact, the Dark Z FPS is only available in the aforementioned color. The overall design is pretty clean, and TeamGroup’s logos are kept to a minimum.
The heat spreader’s extended wings give you the sensation that the memory is overly tall, but it’s not. Coming in at 43.5mm (1.71 inches), the Dark Z FPS is conveniently sized. The memory is devoid of RGB lighting, which is a rare sight nowadays. That might be a pro or con, depending on your taste.
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The Dark Z FPS is a 16GB memory kit, so you’ll get two 8GB memory modules. Of course, these conform to a single-rank design. TeamGroup equipped the memory with an eight-layer PCB and the highest quality Samsung K4A8G085WB-BCPB (B-die) integrated circuits (ICs).
TeamGroup only offers the Dark Z FPS in the DDR4-4000 flavor. You’ll find the memory running at DDR4-2400 with 16-16-16-39 timings at stock operation. The primary timings for DDR4-4000 are 16-18-18-38. To run at DDR4-4000, the Dark Z FPS requires 1.45V. 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
Thermaltake ToughRAM XG RGB
R016D408GX2-4600C19A
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4600 (XMP)
19-26-26-45 (2T)
1.50
Lifetime
Thermaltake ToughRAM RGB
R009D408GX2-4600C19A
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4600 (XMP)
19-26-26-45 (2T)
1.50
Lifetime
Predator Apollo RGB
BL.9BWWR.255
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4500 (XMP)
19-19-19-39 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
GeIL Orion RGB AMD Edition
GAOSR416GB4400C18ADC
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4400 (XMP)
18-24-24-44 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
Patriot Viper 4 Blackout
PVB416G440C8K
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4400 (XMP)
18-26-26-46 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS
TDZFD416G4000HC16CDC01
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
16-18-18-38 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
Klevv Cras XR
KD48GU880-40B190Z
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
19-25-25-45 (2T)
1.40
Lifetime
Thermaltake ToughRAM XG RGB
R016D408GX2-4000C19A
2 x 8GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
19-26-26-45 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
TeamGroup T-Force Xtreem ARGB
TF10D416G3600HC14CDC01
2 x 8GB
DDR4-3600 (XMP)
14-15-15-35 (2T)
1.45
Lifetime
Our Intel test system is based on an Intel Core i9-10900K and Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex running the 0901 firmware. Our AMD testbed, on the other hand, leverages the AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with the Asus ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero that’s on the 3501 firmware. We use the MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Trio for the gaming portion of our RAM benchmarks.
Intel Performance
Image 1 of 19
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 19
(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)
The T-Force Dark Z FPS put up a strong showing on the Intel platform. The memory kit ranked third overall, but excelled in various workloads, including the Corona ray tracing benchmark, LuxMark, and HandBrake conversion benchmarks.
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)
The T-Force Dark Z FPS jumped up to the second position on the AMD platform, trailing only the brand’s own T-Force Xtreem ARGB DDR4-3600 C14 memory kit. Nonetheless, the Dark Z FPS still put up a strong showing in numerous benchmarks.
The Dark Z FPS’ gaming performance was consistent on both Intel and AMD platforms, outperforming the competition.
Overclocking and Latency Tuning
Image 1 of 3
Memory Review (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 2 of 3
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Image 3 of 3
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 (Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
We couldn’t get much overclocking headroom out of the Dark Z FPS without pumping lots of volts into the memory. Keeping the voltage increase at a moderate amount (0.05V), we pushed the memory to DDR4-4300 by loosening the timings from the default 16-18-18-38 to 17-17-17-37.
Lowest Stable Timings
Memory Kit
DDR4-4000 (1.45V)
DDR4-4000 (1.50V)
DDR4-4300 (1.50V)
DDR4-4400 (1.45V)
Klevv Cras XR DDR4-4000 C19
18-22-22-42 (2T)
N/A
N/A
19-25-25-45 (2T)
TeamGroup T-Force Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16
N/A
15-15-15-35 (2T)
17-17-17-37 (2T)
N/A
Knowing that the Dark Z FPS employs Samsung’s B-die ICs, we set out to see whether the memory’s timings could go lower. At 1.50V, the memory had no problem operating at 15-15-15-35.
Bottom Line
When it comes to AMD’s desktop Ryzen processors, there’s no argument that DDR4-3600 offers the best performance for your money. Nonetheless, the Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 memory kit is a good place to start if you want to experiment with faster memory. As long as your Ryzen 5000 chip can run a 2,000 MHz FCLK, the Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 will offer you performance that’s pretty close to a DDR4-3600 C14 memory kit. You can easily decrease or eliminate the small margin by overclocking the Dark Z FPS down to C15, but as always, your overclocking mileage will vary.
TeamGroup priced the Dark Z FPS DDR4-4000 C16 well compared to other competing kits. The Dark Z FPS kit retails for $169.99, and it’s significantly cheaper than some of the flashier DDR4-4000 options with sloppier timings.
The RGB-less Dark Z FPS design also means that you don’t have to pay the RGB tax. There’s only one rival that will really give the Dark Z FPS a hard time — G.Skill’s Ripjaws V DDR4-4000 C16 memory kit that is $30 cheaper. Pricing fluctuates, though, so make sure to check your options before you hit the check-out lane.
High performance memory kits have evolved over the last few years, both in styling and technology. Styling has shifted to heavier heat sinks, LED light bars, and fancy RGB control software. The technology has done what it inevitably will by producing greater speeds and densities at generally lower cost as DDR4 has matured. The latest processors and graphics cards have been nearly impossible to get over the last six months, but memory pricing and availability have remained steady. With no end to the global shortages in sight, let’s dig into a product you can actually buy at MSRP!
Neo Forza started out as an I/C design house that then turned OEM for a variety of international brands over the past 15 years. Neo Forza possesses strong resources focusing on core technologies. From research and design to specific productions meant to exceed the testing benchmark, Neo Forza keeps pushing over technical boundaries, providing topnotch performance and quality.
Neo Forza has leveraged that extensive experience to streamline their wafer screening process: Each Neo Forza design focuses on a single timing bin for each frequency step across the entire product stack. A Neo Forza 3200 MHz kit will offer the same timings and performance regardless of the naming convention or external appearance.
The Neo Forza Faye is a no-nonsense option for those who eschew the RGB trend for a classic look. The Neo Forza Faye kit I have for testing today is one of their high-end kits: 32 GB (2x 16 GB) at 4400 MHz, 19-26-26-46 timings, and 1.45 V. While 3600 MHz is the sweet spot for Ryzen builds, ultra-high-speed kits still offer great benefits on Intel platforms. So let’s see how the Neo Forza Faye performs!
One of Western Digital’s Black drives, the SN850, is significantly underperforming in writes speeds on X570 chipset motherboards when connecting the SSD to a chipset-connected M.2 slot, according to a report from ComputerBase. The company told the site it’s looking into the matter.
This strange situation started out when multiple people started complaining about performance results on tech forums, but it wasn’t until ComputerBase tested the SSD for themselves that the issue really became apparent.
Modern motherboards are equipped with a generous number of M.2 slots so consumers can use multiple SSDs. Due to the limited PCIe lanes on processors, not every M.2 port communicates directly with the chip. Some M.2 slots are connected to the chipset instead. In the case of AMD’s X570 motherboards, it’s public knowledge that there is a performance disparity between chipset-and processor-based M.2 slots. This is due to the higher latency on the latter.
The difference in performance is typically less than 10% between a M.2 slot connected to the Ryzen processor and a M.2 slot connected to the X570 chipset. PCIe 3.0 SSDs are unaffected. The WD Black SN850, however, appears to suffer a major performance hit when accommodated in a M.2 slot that isn’t linked to the Ryzen processor.
For some reason, this handicap only seems to be affecting this particular SSD, and on the chipset lanes. If you installed this SSD directly to the CPU-controlled M.2 slot, there would be no performance penalty.
CrystalDiskMark 8.0.1
WD Black SN850 1TB via CPU
WD Black SN850 1TB via X570
Performance Loss
SEQ1M Q8T1
5,254.8
3,247.8
38.2%
SEQ1M Q1T1
5,255
2,972
43.4%
RDN4K Q32T1
652.8
660.4
1.2%
RDN4K Q1T1
250
217.8
12.9%
But when connected to the chipset M.2 slots, the performance is cut in half for write speeds. ComputerBase measured write speeds of 5,254 MBps for the SN850 when connected to the CPU-based M.2 slot. But when switching over to the chipset-controlled slot, performance was nearly cut in half to 3,247 MBps.
Apparently, sequential workloads were the most affected. The delta between random workloads, on the other hand, was less than 13%.Apparently, sequential workloads were the most affected. The delta between random workloads, on the other hand, was less than 13%.
Apparently, sequential workloads were the most affected. The delta between random workloads, on the other hand, was less than 13%.
CrystalDiskMark 8.0.1
WD Black SN850 1TB via CPU
WD Black SN850 1TB via X570
Performance Loss
SEQ1M Q8T1
7,067.5
6,304.2
10%
SEQ1M Q1T1
4,375.6
4,008.5
8.4%
RDN4K Q32T1
705.8
712.8
1%
RDN4K Q1T1
83.2
81.1
2.5%
The nature of the M.2 slot didn’t have a significant impact on the WD Black SN850’s read performance. There was still a performance loss, but it was only around 10%, which is within the expected margin. It would seem that only the SN850’s write performance suffered a major drop.
When ComputerBase tested other SSDs, performance only dropped by 10% when using the chipset lanes. Having a minor drop like this is normal since the chipset is very far away from the CPU, and there could be latency penalties that will lower performance.
But a near 50% drop in speeds is not normal at all for the SN850. Western Digital is actively looking into the matter right now, so we should know more about this situation sooner than later. We suspect the chipset is downgrading the SN850 to Gen 3.0 support, as 3200 MBps is a very common speed among Gen 3.0 SSDs.
The Atari VCS — a part-desktop PC, part-retro console modeled after the Atari 2600 — is finally available to buy at retail. Atari is selling the console via its own site while Best Buy and Micro Center also have their listings. This isn’t the first time the console has been available to the public (VGC notes that IndieGoGo backers recently received their consoles) but it’s the first time the machine has been available to buy at retail.
The VCS has been a long time coming. Originally teased in 2017 as the “Ataribox,” the project re-emerged the following year as the Atari VCS, with Atari running an IndieGoGo campaign to fund its development in June 2018. Originally, the console had been due to ship in mid-2019 but reportedly ran into a series of development difficulties, culminating in the project’s lead architect quitting.
The device that’s been released technically does what Atari promised, but reviews have been pretty middling. VGC says the console’s built-in selection of 100 Atari games (18 from the arcade and 82 from the Atari 2600 console) might be emulated perfectly, but many are “so incredibly basic that they really don’t hold up to the mildest scrutiny in 2021.” There’s also an app store where you can buy modern games, but pickings are slim and lacking in exclusives.
The console technically also works as a streaming box for services like Netflix and Disney Plus, but VGC notes these are just “glorified Chrome bookmarks” rather than native apps. At least the promised desktop mode actually works, allowing you to install Windows, Linux, or ChromeOS and use the machine like a modestly-specced but cool-looking desktop PC.
If you do decide to go down the desktop PC route, the Atari VCS is powered by an AMD Ryzen R1606G system-on-a-chip, paired with 8GB of RAM and 32GB of storage (both upgradeable). There are two USB 3.1 ports on the front and two on the rear along with Ethernet and HDMI 2.0 ports. In other words, don’t expect this machine to rival an Xbox Series S despite its similar $299.99 starting price.
Suffice it to say that you probably shouldn’t be rushing out to drop upwards of $299.99 on the Atari VCS (or $399.99 for the Walnut version, which comes with an included wireless joystick and controller, which retail separately for $59.99 each). But despite its flaws, it’s still an interesting mini PC that might be worth checking out as a curiosity when it inevitably drops in price.
Razer announced its first AMD-based gaming laptop, the Razer Blade 14, during its E3 keynote. Until now, Razer had been the last major laptop manufacturer that had stuck exclusively with Intel.
Razer is calling the new Blade “the most powerful 14-inch gaming laptop.” And with an AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX processor and GPU options ranging from an Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 up to an RTX 3080 with 8GB of VRAM and a 100W TGP, it could be a strong contender for our
best gaming laptops
list. But admittedly, 14-inches isn’t a very popular size for gaming laptops, which are often 15-inches or larger.
Razer Blade 14
Price
$1,799
$2,199
$2,799
CPU
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
AMD Ryzen 9 5900HX
GPU
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3070
Nvidia GeForce RTX 3080 (8GB)
Display
1920 x 1080, 144 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
2560 x 1440p, 165 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
2560 x 1440p, 165 Hz, AMD FreeSync Premium
Memory
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
16GB DDR4-3200 (soldered)
Storage
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
1TB PCIe SSD
Battery
61.6 WHr
61.6 WHr
61.6 WHr
Dimensions
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
12.59 x 8.66 x 0.66 inches / 319.7 x 220 x 16.8 mm
The company is claiming that, at 16.8 mm (0.66 inches) thin, it is the “thinnest 14-inch gaming laptop.” Like Razer’s other notebooks, the Blade 14 is milled from CNC aluminum with an anodized finish.
To cool those components, Razer is using vapor chamber cooling and what it calls “touchpoint thermal engineering” to keep commonly-touched surfaces, like the WASD keys, from getting too hot.
There are two display options: a
1920 x 1080
screen with a 144 Hz refresh rate, or a 2560 x 1550p panel with a 165 Hz refresh rate. Both use
AMD FreeSync
Premium to eliminate tearing.
For $1,799, you get an RTX 3060 and the FHD display. $2,199 nets you an RTX 3070 with the
QHD
screen, and for $2,799, Razer offers the RTX 3080 with the QHD panel. In every version, you get the same Ryzen 9 5900HX, 16GB of soldered RAM and a 1TB PCie SSD.
(Image credit: Razer)
Ports include two USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 ports, HDMI 2.1, a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-A port and a 3.5 mm headphone jack. Other features include Wi-Fi 6E support, Bluetooth 5.2, an IR camera to log in with Windows Hello, of course, per-key RGB lighting. The design also includes top-firing speakers tuned by THX, which Razer owns.
As of right now, the Blade 14 will be the only laptop in Razer’s lineup with an AMD processor. The Blade 15, which still exclusively uses Intel chips, remains the flagship notebook. It’s unclear if Razer intends to add the choice of either chip at any point in the future.
Razer is also using E3 to get into the laptop charger market. It announced the Razer USB-C 130W GaN Charger (GaN is short for Gallium Nitride) with two USB-C ports at 100W and two USB-A ports at 12W. It weighs just 349 grams (0.77 pounds) and measures 3,2 x 7.7 x 6.2 mm. It will compete with the best USB-C laptop chargers.
(Image credit: Razer)
The device can charge four devices at a time, including a laptop, though it wouldn’t be enough to power the Blade 14 while gaming. The charger also comes with adapters for global travel. It’s $179.99 and available for pre-order from Razer.com, Razer stores and other retailers. It’s scheduled to ship within 30 days.
Razer had a few announcements timed for E3 2021, including its new Razer Blade 14 with AMD’s Ryzen 9 processors, and an updated Raptor 27 gaming monitor along with a 130W GaN charger. We weren’t expecting to hear about anything else, but Razer CEO Min-Liang Tan announced that its Project Hazel mask will actually go on sale, starting early in the fourth quarter of this year.
Tan said that Hazel will be released in “drops” exclusively on its website, with the first coming in that fourth quarter timeframe.
A slide from Razer’s E3 2021 presentation announcing the launch plan. Image: Razer
Alongside that availability announcement, Tan also shared some changes coming to the mask since it was first shown in January. Razer is planning to keep the mask’s transparent design to make it easier to see the wearer’s mouth, but the company will also be adding interior lighting and anti-fog coating on the inside of the mask.
If you want to see what Project Hazel looks like on your face, Razer has an Instagram filter that lets you try it on via augmented reality. (I should note that for some reason, it doesn’t work for me on my iPhone 12 mini.)
We know you’ve been waiting for the Project Hazel smart mask to become a reality – we’re working on it and there’ll be news soon! Meantime, we’ve made our Project Hazel smart mask available as an Instagram AR Filter. Check out how it looks like on you: https://t.co/jGFjDnZHDU pic.twitter.com/j8bo5twjYU
— R Λ Z Ξ R (@Razer) April 24, 2021
If you want to be notified of the upcoming drops, sign up on the Project Hazel website.
Correction: The Project Hazel filter on Instagram is not new; it was released in April. We regret the error.
Asus has released its latest Ryzen-powered Chromebook, the Chromebook Flip CM5. The CM5 has a 15.6-inch screen, and Asus is pushing it as a device for cloud-based gaming. It’s available now at Abt and Newegg starting at $499.99.
The most exciting thing is that the CM5 supports both Google Stadia and Nvidia GeForce Now. Of course, it only has a 60Hz screen and Radeon integrated graphics, so it’s far from a “gaming laptop” of any sort. Still, Asus has made a few design tweaks to better evoke the aesthetic. Namely, the WASD keys are outlined in orange, which Asus says “lets users stand out while enjoying quick, intuitive gameplay in cloud-based games.” Some Windows laptops have done bold things with their WASD keys, but this is the first Chromebook we’ve seen with that feature.
Asus also emphasized the Harmon Kardon-certified audio system and Wi-Fi stabilizer technology, which should likely help create a more immersive gaming experience.
Image: Newegg
The CM5 has a 57Wh battery, which Asus claims offers up to 10 hours of battery life. You can configure the device with up to 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage as well. You can choose a Ryzen 5 3500C or a Ryzen 3 3250C, both of which come with AMD Radeon integrated graphics. The chassis itself is made of an aluminum alloy, which Asus describes as “mineral gray” with an “obsidian velvet” texture.
I’ll keep you posted on how this device performs once I’ve gotten my hands on a unit. In the meantime, I recently reviewed its sibling, the Chromebook Detachable CM3, which you can read about here.
Twitter user Kepler has discovered a new AMD patent that details moving tasks (threads) between different types of cores in a heterogeneous processor. In other words, the patent lays the groundwork for a microarchitecture that resembles Arm’s big.LITTLE design that uses clusters of ‘big’ high-performance cores paired with ‘little’ efficiency cores.
AMD files over a plethora of patents every year, so there’s no guarantee that all of them will manifest as real products. That said, there are plenty of reasons to think that we could see a hybrid AMD design come to market. Intel has already embraced a hybrid design on its desktop parts with the upcoming 12th-Gen Alder Lake family. It’s reasonable to assume that AMD will eventually hop on the hybrid bandwagon at some point in time.
Although the Method of Task Transition Between Heterogeneous Processors patent was just published a couple of days ago, AMD filed it back in 2019. This patent may be an extension of a similar patent that AMD also filed in the same year about implementing instruction set architecture (ISA) in a heterogeneous processor.
There’s an ongoing rumor that AMD’s Ryzen 8000 (reportedly codename Strix Point) APUs could arrive with a hybrid setup. The chips allegedly feature high-performance Zen 5 cores and low-powered Zen ‘4D’ cores. Unless AMD has been diligently working behind the scenes, it’s unlikely that Strix Point will make it to the market in time to compete with Intel’s Alder Lake chips that may launch in late 2021 or early 2022. However, the APUs will probably go head-to-head with Raptor Lake, the alleged successor to Alder Lake.
Image 1 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 2 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 3 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 4 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 5 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 6 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 7 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 8 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 9 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 10 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 11 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 12 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 13 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 14 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 15 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
Image 16 of 16
Method Of Task Transition Between Heterogenous Processors (Image credit: FreePatentsOnline)
The patent explains that the process to relocate a task or task from the first processor to the second processor will be based around performance metrics based on certain thresholds or some other trigger. AMD didn’t specify which cores are which, but for the sake of conversation, we can assume that the first processor refers to the big cores and the second processor refers to the power-efficient cores.
Obviously, the whole point behind a hybrid configuration is to optimize performance-per-watt while also improving performance. To achieve this goal, tasks must be moved quickly and efficiently between the big and small cores. AMD’s method consists of comparing one or multiple metrics to a threshold on a checklist to determine whether or not to pass the task from one processor to another. Once the assessment is complete, the first processor essentially pauses operations while the information is transferred over to the second processor.
AMD mentions numerous examples of the type of metrics that the chipmaker could leverage for the task relocation process. The chipmaker mentions task execution time, core utilization, memory usage, idle state of a single core, or duration of a single-core execution – just to mention a few scenarios.
In one example, AMD measures the period of time that the small cores are running at the maximal clock speed and compares it to a threshold. If the duration is greater than the established time threshold, the task shifts over to the bigger cores. In another example, AMD takes into account an external factor: memory. If the memory utilization is less than the threshold established on the small cores, the task will remain on said cores.
Hybrid processors won’t succeed unless there is proper software support. Recent rumors point to a new, more efficient scheduler in Windows 11 that’s optimized for hybrid setups. That new update is rumored to land later this year at the same time as Alder Lake, which should pave the way for better support for hybrid processors.
A typo on Dell’s page helping shoppers choose specs for its G15 gaming laptop caused a controversy yesterday, marking the second issue in the company’s CUDA core counts in a week. The typo has been fixed.
“We can verify that all CUDA cores in Dell G Series systems have been validated and accounted for,” Dell told Tom’s Hardware in a statement. “This error was simply a typo on the Dell.com product page, which has been corrected.”
The issue stemmed from a chart claiming its Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 offered 3,584 CUDA cores rather than the 3,850 that Nvidia claims. It was first brought up by Jarrod’s Tech on Twitter, who was tipped off by a viewer. Notebookcheck also ran with the story, suggesting that it may be a deliberate adjustment. Both, however, later backtracked (Notebookcheck via an update to the story today) and suggested that 3,584 could just be a typo. Neither had the laptop on-hand to check (nor did Tom’s Hardware).
Dell updated the page late on Thursday to reflect 3,840 CUDA cores.
This particular incident likely wouldn’t have blown up the way it did if not for the fact that last week, owners of RTX 3070-equipped models of the
Alienware m15 Ryzen Edition
found the laptop reporting the wrong number of CUDA cores in software like HWinfo and GPU-Z. Dell is working on a fix for that issue and advising people against using other products’ vBIOSes in an attempt to fix it.
It’s not a good look for Dell to have so many issues around one spec, but the RTX 3060s in the company’s G Series laptops should have the specifications that users expect. A stressed out spokesperson for the company suggested it is going over a number of materials to ensure they are correct.
The infotainment system inside a Tesla Model S is now as powerful as a PlayStation 5, according to company chief executive, Elon Musk, speaking at a public launch of the Model S Plaid.
The car is quicker, more expensive, and has a longer range than previous Model S, but what’s really important is that in-car computer, which was shown running Cyberpunk 2077, with Musk commenting that the game can run at 60 fps, on what we’re assured is an AMD Navi 23 GPU. This new RDNA2 entry-level graphics chip packs up to 2048 stream processors and 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, though Tesla hasn’t confirmed the precise specs. It pushes the car’s main 17-inch touchscreen, which has a resolution of 2200×1300,
Tesla does, of course, have form in this area, having already shown off a 10 TFLOP in-car rig, but with no specifics beyond that. The new system’s CPU has not yet been revealed, but the game recommends an i7-4790 or Ryzen 3 3200G, so it’s clearly going to be a much better spec than either of those.
Also visible at the event was a Tesla-branded game controller, with sticks in a PlayStation configuration. A standard Xbox One pad was also spotted sitting on the passenger side of the car’s fascia.
The Tesla Model S Plaid is on sale now, starting from $122,990.
Elon Musk teased that Tesla’s new Model S Plaid would be capable of running Cyberpunk 2077 earlier this year, and he’s now demonstrated the car’s “PS5-level performance.” The refreshed Model S includes a new Tesla infotainment system, powered by AMD’s Ryzen processor and a discrete AMD RDNA 2 GPU.
“There’s never been a car that has state of the art computing technology, state of the art infotainment where this is literally at the level of a PlayStation 5,” said Tesla CEO Elon Musk during a demo event last night. “This is actual PlayStation 5-level performance… yes it can run Cyberpunk. It’s high frame rate, it will do 60fps with state of the art games.”
AMD revealed last week that it’s powering this new infotainment system in both the new Model S and Model X, with 10 teraflops of compute power. That in itself is nearly identical to the 10.28 teraflops found on Sony’s PlayStation 5, although Tesla’s total compute includes both the integrated and discrete GPUs so it won’t be a full 10 teraflops for gaming alone.
We only saw a brief demo of Cyberpunk 2077 running at high frame rates on the $130,000 Model S Plaid during Tesla’s event, alongside a closer look at the updated UI on the infotainment system.
A Tesla-branded controller.Paul Spivak (Reddit)
In separate demonstrations after the event, some Tesla fans were able to get pictures of what appears to be a Tesla-branded game controller. It’s not clear if the controller, which mimics the shape of the car’s steering wheel, is a dummy unit or not. It appears alongside an Xbox controller in a photo published by Reddit users (above), and videos seem to show the Xbox controller being used to play Cyberpunk 2077.
You might be wondering why you’d need PS5-level gaming performance in your car, which the Technoking is happy to answer. “If you think about the future of where the car is often in autopilot or full self-driving mode, then entertainment is going to become increasing important,” said Musk. Until that’s a reality, we’re hoping to see the folks at Digital Foundry benchmark a car running the latest AAA games against powerful PCs, the PS5, and the Xbox Series X.
AMD’s announcement of its new 3D V-Cache chip stacking technology for Ryzen processors was easily the most surprising announcement for PC enthusiasts at Computex 2021, and today the company has shared a few more details via its YouTube program The Bring Up, which you can see embedded below.
The high-level 3D V-Cache overview is that AMD has 3D-stacked chiplets for the Zen 3 architecture that will go into production this year. These innovative new chiplets feature an additional 64MB of 7nm SRAM cache (called 3D V-Cache) stacked vertically atop the core complex die (CCD) to triple the L3 cache for the CPU cores.
At Computex, AMD CEO Lisa Su shared a broad overview of the tech — it enables up to a whopping 192MB of L3 cache on a single Ryzen chip, which delivers up to a 15% improvement in gaming. Su also showed a prototype Ryzen 9 5900X chip that the company already has up and running and provided a pretty impressive demo of accelerated gameplay due to the new architecture.
We followed up with AMD, and the company confirmed that Zen 3 Ryzen processors with 3D V-Cache would enter production later this year. The technology currently consists of a single layer of stacked L3 cache, but the underlying tech supports stacking multiple dies. The technology also doesn’t require any specific software optimizations and should be transparent in terms of latency and thermals (no significant overhead in either).
AMD’s 3D chip stacking tech is based on TSMC’s SoIC technology. The video above shares a few interesting details. AMD flips the die then shaves the standard compute die down by 95%, leaving only 20 micrometers of active silicon for compute purposes, which is thinner than a strand of human hair. AMD then places a standard L3 chip on top to complete the stack.
As we already know, TSMC’s SoIC is a bumpless chip stacking tech, meaning that it doesn’t use microbumps or solder to connect the two die. Instead, the two die are milled to such a perfectly flat surface that the TSV channels can mate without any type of bonding material, reducing the distance between the cache and core by 1000X. That reduces heat and power consumption while boosting bandwidth.
The video has many more details and goes into an explainer about chip interconnect technology, which is quite interesting and informative, along with a few more details about AMD’s new stacking technique. Give it a watch.
Asus Z590 WiFi Gundam Edition (Image credit: Asus)
In a collaboration with Sunrise and Sostu, Asus announced last year a special lineup of PC components inspired by the Gundam anime series. While the products were originally specific to the Asian region, they have now made their way over to the U.S. market.
Asus introduced two opposing Gundam series. The Gundam series is based on the RX-78-2 Gundam, while the Zaku series borrows inspiration from the MS-06S Char’s Zaku II. The list of components include motherboards, graphics cards, power supplies, monitors and other peripherals. Specification-wise, the Gundam-and Zaku-based versions are identical to their vanilla counterparts.
For now, there’s not a lot to choose from. Newegg only currently sells four Gundam-themed products from Asus. On the motherboard end, we have the Z590 WiFi Gundam Edition and the TUF Gaming B550M-Zaku (Wi-Fi). The U.S. retailer also listed the RT-AX86U Zaku II Edition gaming router and TUF Gaming GT301 Zaku II Edition case.
Image 1 of 4
(Image credit: Asus)
Image 2 of 4
(Image credit: Asus)
Image 3 of 4
(Image credit: Asus)
Image 4 of 4
(Image credit: Asus)
The Z590 WiFi Gundam Edition, which retails for $319.99, is a LGA1200 motherboard that supports Intel’s latest 11th Generation Rocket Lake-S processors. The motherboard supports up to 128GB of memory and memory frequencies up to DDR4-5133 without a sweat. The Z590 WiFi Gundam Edition also offers PCIe 4.0 support on both its M.2 ports and PCIe expansion slots as well as Wi-Fi 6 connectivity with added Bluetooth 5.0 functionality.
The TUF Gaming B550M-Zaku (Wi-Fi), on the other hand, leverages the B550 to accommodate multiple generations of Ryzen processors up to the latest Zen 3 chips. The microATX motherboard also supports the latest technologies, such as PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6 and USB Type-C. Newegg has the TUF Gaming B550M-Zaku (Wi-Fi) up for purchase for $219.99.
The RT-AX860U Zaku II Edition is one of Asus’ most recent dual-band Wi-Fi 6 gaming routers. The router, which sells for $299.99, offers speeds up to 5,700 Mbps and 160 MHz channels. A quad-core 1.8 GHz processor and 1GB of DDR3 powers the RT-AX860U Zaku II Edition.
Lastly, the TUF Gaming GT301 Zaku II Edition is a $119.99 mid-tower case for ATX motherboards. It offers generous support for radiators up to 360mm and a tempered glass side panel to show off your hardware. There’s also a convenient headphone hangers to keep your heaphones safe and at hand.
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.
