AMD “Zen 3” – 5950X, 5900X, 5800X & 5600X Hit November 5th

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The time has arrived, and today AMD officially announced the 5000 Series. The new line tops off with the 16 core, 32 thread Ryzen 9 5950X. AMD is claiming the best single core performance, best gaming performance and more. A key announcement was a geomean +19% gain in IPC. That’s a substantial gain for a generational upgrade relative to recent history. We’ll need to wait roughly another month for more number, but these chips look promising. Only the Ryzen 5 5600X will come bundled with a cooler, but let’s be honest, if you’re picking up a high end chip you’re likely to pair it up with high end cooling anyway.

ProcessorCoresClockTurboL3
Cache		TDPMSRP
Ryzen 9 5950X163.4 GHz4.9 GHz64 MB105 W$799
Ryzen 9 5900X123.7 GHz4.8 GHz 64 MB105 W$549
Ryzen 7 5800X83.8 GHz4.7 GHz32 MB105 W$449
Ryzen 5 5600X63.7 GHz4.6 GHz32 MB65 W$299

Read more @ AMD
Watch the Launch Event @ AMD

ASUS Reveals ROG STRIX B550-XE GAMING & ROG CROSSHAIR VIII DARK HERO

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As we’re on the cusp of AMD’s Zen 3 event, ASUS has dropped two new motherboards today, the ROG STRIX B550-XE GAMING and ROG CROSSHAIR VIII DARK HERO. These boards are based off of the X570 and B550 chipsets, obviously supporting the new Zen 3 chips launching today.

The ROG CROSSHAIR VII DARK HERO Features:

  • AMD AM4 socket: Ready for 2nd, 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ processors and 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ processors with Radeon™ Graphics Processors and up to two M.2 drives, USB 3.2 Gen2, and AMD StoreMI to maximize connectivity and speed.
  • Comprehensive thermal design: Passive chipset heatsink, M.2 aluminum heatsink and ROG Cooling Zone.
  • Robust power delivery: Designed power solution 14+2 TI power stages rated for 90A, ProCool II power connectors, microfine alloy chokes and 10K Japanese-made black metallic capacitors
  • High-performance networking: On-board Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) with MU-MIMO support, 2.5 Gbps Ethernet and Gigabit Ethernet, both with ASUS LANGuard protection, and support for GameFirst VI software.
  • 5-Way Optimization: Automated system-wide tuning, providing overclocking and cooling profiles that are tailor made for your rig.
  • DIY Friendly Design: Pre-mounted I/O shield, ASUS SafeSlot, BIOS FlashBack™ and premium components for maximum endurance.
  • Unmatched personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including RGB headers and addressable Gen 2 RGB headers
  • Industry-leading ROG audio: ROG SupremeFX S1220 is combined with the venerable ESS® ES9023P to deliver high-fidelity audio to headsets and exotic cans.

The ROG STRIX B550-XE GAMING Features:

  • AM4 socket: Ready for 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen™ processors
  • Best gaming connectivity: PCIe® 4.0-ready, six M.2 slots (four on the bundled ASUS Hyper M.2 x16 Gen 4 Card), USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® plus HDMI™ 2.1 and DisplayPort™ 1.2 output
  • Robust power solution: 14+2 power stages with ProCool power connector, high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors
  • Comprehensive cooling: Actively cooled VRM heatsinks with L-shaped heatpipe and integrated aluminum I/O cover, plus dedicated M.2 heatsinks
  • Superfast networking: Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) and Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard
  • Intuitive software: Easy-to-use UEFI BIOS and ASUS AI Networking make it easy to configure gaming builds
  • DIY-friendly design: Includes pre-mounted I/O shield, BIOS FlashBack™, Q-Code and FlexKey
  • Unmatched personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including Aura RGB headers and addressable Gen 2 RGB headers
  • Industry-leading Gaming Audio: Audio USB Type-C®, AI Noise-Canceling Microphone, SupremeFX S1220A codec, DTS® Sound Unbound™ and Sonic Studio III for immersive audio

NZXT Introduces the N7 Z490

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Today, accompanying the numerous reviews, NZXT introduced the N7 Z490 motherboard. This new motherboard is available in both black and white color schemes, offering a clean looking board to say the least. With a shroud covering the bulk of the board, this is an excellent option if you’re aiming for a truly seamless look. See more in the video below, or check out the reviews.

The N7 Z490 provides everything builders need to get the job done beautifully. With an integrated rear I/O and a streamlined board layout, the N7 Z490 simplifies the building process. With built-in digital RGB and fan controls, users can create fan curves or control RGB lighting from any manufacturer easily via NZXT CAM.

See more @ NZXT YouTube

NZXT N7 Z490

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It’s not the first motherboard to offer a fully covered design. Other board makers from Asrock to Asus offer options with various levels of board cladding. But true to NZXT’s broader design ethos, the N7 Z490 is perhaps the cleanest and least cluttered currently available.

Read more @ PC Gamer

NZXT N7 Z490

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The N7 is a series of Intel motherboards from the U.S.-based PC hardware maker and pre-build supplier. The latest iteration is version 3, rocking Intel’s latest Z490 chipset. Unfortunately, for NZXT, breaking into the motherboard market isn’t easy, and the first two boards (Z370 and Z390 chipsets) weren’t received well. So, how does the Z490 hold up? Is it one of the best motherboards?

Read more @ Windows Central

NZXT N7 Z490

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It’s pretty well equipped, offering just enough features for your typical PC build. However, we’re a little unsure why it only has Gen 3.0 PCIe, not Gen 4.0, so it’s not quite future proof for some upcoming Intel CPUs. However, beyond that, there’s the usual mixture of USB headers, a pair of M.2 mounts, addressable and 4-pin RGB headers, etc. 

Read more @ eTeknix

NZXT N7 Z490

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It’s been nearly two years to the day since NZXT last released a motherboard, which was the Z370 N7. NZXT initially used ECS as its motherboard OEM, but has opted to use ASRock this time round for a new N7 model. This has the same N7 infused armor, albeit using a combined metal and plastic instead of just metal which does reduce the overall cost.

Read more @ AnandTech

NZXT N7 Z490

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The NZXT N7 Z490 has what you need to build a solid Z490 rig at a reasonable price. The VRMs are more than capable, and for the most part performance landed in line with competition. If you like the shroud-covered look or want to go all-in on NZXT’s ecosystem, the N7 Z490 is a good option at $229.99.

Read more @ Tom’s Hardware

Intel’s Bonini: Rocket Lake is Coming

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Intel’s John Bonini penned a blog today, “Intel’s Commitment to Gaming, and a Sneak Peek at Intel Technology to Come”. One interesting tidbit, clearly dropped due to the AMD Zen 3 event tomorrow, is on Rocket Lake:

Our 10th Gen Intel Core processors continue to provide excellent performance and a stable platform for even the most demanding games. Ultimately, I believe there’s a great 10th Gen option that addresses the needs for every type of gamer — from casual players, to the most dedicated and passionate enthusiasts.

Though as you’d expect, we’re constantly looking ahead at what’s next and how we can make our desktop CPUs even better. With that said, I’m also happy to confirm that the next generation 11th Gen Intel Core desktop processors (codenamed “Rocket Lake”) is coming in the first quarter of 2021 and will provide support for PCIe 4.0. It’ll be another fantastic processor for gaming, and we’re excited to disclose more details in the near future. There’s a lot more to come, so stay tuned!

Read more @ Intel’s Blog

ASUS TUF GAMING A520M-PLUS

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This is a compact mATX motherboard that makes the most of AMD’s budget chipset. Although there is no PCIe 4.0 support, this is hardly necessary for low-end motherboards. But we have all the main features at our disposal – support for many processors (including older models), an M.2 connector with the ability to install both types of drives, a USB 3.2 Gen2 port and even a connector for RGB devices.

Read more @ Green Tech Reviews (Russian)