CPU-Z, the software of choice for monitoring the CPU and its attributes, has yesterday been updated to version 1.97, which brings much-needed and interesting features. For starters, the new version adds support to detect Intel Core i9-12900K, Core i7-12700K, and Core i5-12600K "Alder Lake" CPUs and the Intel Z6xx chipset platform. Those specific SKUs are the top of the line in their respective categories, and it is only logical that support for the new generation starts there.

Next up, the software now supports detection of the latest DDR5 DRAM technology, which can now also be detected along with the new XMP 3.0 profile format. Last but not least, the software is adding detection for AMD's Radeon RX 6600 XT GPU as well.

To download the latest update, head over to our downloads section. If you wanna get pinged automagically when a new version is released, select the yellow "Get Notified" button on that same page.

"The focus of our development has always been to improve the deliverable performance." (Rico Weber, WATERCOOL CEO, Sep.2020). This quote marked the beginning of the development of the new HEATKILLER V VGA cooler. In addition to an increase of performance, the focus also lay on improvements in handling and durability. The HEATKILLER VGA coolers, known for their outstanding workmanship, have also been visually enhanced. In the latest revision for AMD graphics cards of the RX 6800/6900XT series, the HEATKILLER V has been further optimized.

The inflow to the cooling structure has been completely reworked. It now is placed with a vertical offset above a second level. The inlet and outlet channels cross each other, but are spatially separated from each other. The new design allows a symmetrical arrangement of the cooling channels. The advantage of the symmetrical design is a steady flow through the heat sink. Dead zones and hotspots are thus effectively avoided. At the same time the windage is reduced. The HEATKILLER V for RX 6800/6900XT features a vertical cooling structure, which significantly improves the cooling performance even more. The enlarged cooling surface ensures exceptionally low GPU temperatures. To reduce turbulences, all cooling channels were manufactured in a rounded design.

AMD is slowly preparing to launch its next-generation of graphics cards based on the RDNA3 architecture, and it could bring some new connectivity options as well. Currently, the graphics cards we are using today use DisplayPort 1.4 connector for their DP output. However, the more advanced DisplayPort 2.0 could land in RDNA3 GPUs, bringing much-needed improvements to the video output system. What DP 2.0 brings to the table is an upgrade to an Ultra High Bit Rate individual lane speed of 20 GB/s, totaling 80 GB/s with four of those. The DP 2.0 capable system would be able to output a 10K uncompressed resolution at 60 Hz, or two 4K 144 Hz monitors at the same time. With compression, that would be extended much further. We have to wait and see what AMD does and if the next-generation RDNA3 brings this new DisplayPort standard to the masses.

The leading global motherboard, graphics card, and small form factor PC manufacturer, ASRock, has released the latest BIOS that support AMD Ryzen 5000 G-Series Desktop Processors with Radeon Graphics and AMD Ryzen 5000 Series Desktop Processors with PRO Technologies.

AMD Ryzen 5000 G-Series Desktop Processors with Radeon Graphics are the newest generation processors come with industry-leading 7nm technology, elevating processing performance to the next level. And now, ASRock 500-Series, B450 AMD Ryzen motherboards and X300 Mini PC are able to support both of them by updating the latest BIOS.

AMD today announced availability of the new AMD Radeon PRO W6000X series GPUs for Mac Pro. The new GPU product line delivers exceptional performance and incredible visual fidelity to power a wide variety of demanding professional applications and workloads, including 3D rendering, 8K video compositing, color correction and more.

Built on groundbreaking AMD RDNA 2 architecture, AMD Infinity Cache and other advanced technologies, the new workstation graphics line-up includes the AMD Radeon PRO W6900X and AMD Radeon PRO W6800X GPUs. Mac Pro users also have the option of choosing the AMD Radeon PRO W6800X Duo graphics card, a dual-GPU configuration that leverages high-speed AMD Infinity Fabric interconnect technology to deliver outstanding levels of compute performance.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of premium gaming hardware, today announced new AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT graphics cards with AMD RDNA 2 gaming architecture. The Radeon RX 6600 XT GAMING OC PRO 8G, Radeon RX 6600 XT GAMING OC 8G and Radeon RX 6600 XT EAGLE 8G graphics cards are engineered to deliver incredible high-framerate 1080p gaming performance.

The graphics cards in the GAMING OC series feature the WINDFORCE cooling system and RGB Fusion 2.0, making them the best choice for performance-minded gamers. The EAGLE series is the best choice for those who desire a unique design, while maintaining both efficiency and durability.

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is expected to launch on August 11th while the RX 6600 appears set for a release in September/October. The pricing for these cards was predicted to be under 400 USD and according to a recent report from Neowin that would appear to be the case. The report claims that the Radeon RX 6600 XT will come with an MSRP of 349 USD and the Radeon RX 6600 at 299 USD. These prices have not been confirmed but if they are true it would position the RX 6600 XT above the RTX 3060 at 329 USD. The Radeon RX 6600 XT is expected to offer superior raster performance to the RTX 3060 but will come with less video memory and have worse raytracing. These prices are only suggestions and other sources put the retail price for the RX 6600 XT at 588 USD or higher in Europe.

The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT and RX 6600 are two upcoming mid-range graphics cards that appear set to launch on August 11th. The Radeon RX 6600 XT is expected to feature all 2048 Stream Processors of the Navi 23 GPU and will be paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory. The Radeon RX 6600 will feature the same Navi 23 GPU but with 1792 Stream Processors and will be paired with 4 GB or 8 GB of memory. The Navi 23 GPU is already present in the mobile RX 6600M and the workstation Radeon Pro W6600 which should give an indication of potential performance. We have limited information for the MSRP of the two cards but they will likely come in under 400 USD however final retail prices are unknown. The August 11th date is specifically stated to be the launch day so we will likely see an announcement in the coming weeks.

Update Jul 22nd: We have received an update from YouTuber Coreteks who claims that only the RX 6600 XT will launch on August 11th and that the RX 6600 has been delayed until September or October.

The German media outlet, 3D Center, has today published an updated report for July, measuring graphics card pricing in Germany and Austria, showing some pretty interesting results. The report is only measuring the pricing index of these two countries and their retailers, so it does not apply to other regions. An interesting discovery is that GPU prices have now hit the lowest point since February of this year when the sharp price incline started. At the time of reporting, GPU prices are exaggerated by around 53% over the MSRP listed prices. Not only did the prices drop, but the supply of GPUs like AMD Radeon RX 6800, Radeon RX 6800 XT, and the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 Ti became much better, as consumers can get their hands on these now.

When looking at the graph below, note that MSRP is listed as 100%, and the percentage shown is the increase over that MSRP. When it comes to complete price reduction to the MSRP, 3D Center expects it to happen in 3-4 weeks possibly. If current data is to be believed, MSRP is slowly decreasing and supply is increasing rapidly. For more details and per-card pricing situation, head over to 3D Center website here. Here is an important statement from 3D Center about the current situation:

3D Center (translated from German)Of course, this means that current street prices for graphics cards are (mostly) still exaggerated - and above all that this is the worst possible time to buy a graphics card. Because the (now clearly verifiable) tendency points to clearly lower graphics card prices in the next few weeks, with a similar pace, street prices at list price level could be in sight in 3-4 weeks. It is possible that there will be a certain braking effect in the downward price movement beforehand - but at least the way up to that point should definitely be taken with you. Apparently the delivery quantities are currently sufficient, maybe the need is a bit lower because of the summer times (and no longer available on the part of the crypto miners)so that retailers receive more cards than they sell. Since the retailers usually bought their cards from the distributors at an exaggerated price, the big game is now about who can get rid of the expensive stock goods in time to make a profit at all in the face of constantly falling sales prices.

Previously, we have assumed that AMD 4700S desktop kit is based on Xbox Series X APU. Today, according to the findings of Bodnara, who managed to access one of these units, and we got some interesting discoveries. The chip powering the system is actually the PlayStation 5 SoC, which features AMD Zen 2 based system architecture, with 8 cores and 16 threads that can boost up to 3.2 GHz. The board that was tested features SK Hynix GDDR6 memory running at 14 Gbps, placed on the backside of the board. The APU is attached to AMD A77E Fusion Controller Hub (FCH), which was the one powering Xbox One "Durango" SoC, leading us to previously believe that the AMD 4700S is derived from an Xbox Series X system.

The graphics of this APU are disabled, however, it was the same variant of RDNA 2 GPU used by the PlayStation 5. Right out of the box, the system is equipped with a discrete GPU coming in a form of the Radeon 550, and this configuration was tested by the Bodnara team. You can find the images of the system and some performance results below.Performance:

TechN adds a new cooler and new materials to the portfolio of high-end water cooling components. AMDs Radeon RX 6000 graphics cards with reference design receive a full-cover water block made from POM with a pure copper coldplate. For the best in class CPU cooler for AMD AM4, there is also a new pure copper version available. The TechN GPU Waterblock RX 6800/6900 (XT) marks the start of a totally new product line with the combination of the materials POM / Acetal and a pure copper coldplate. The new precision crafted cooler fits AMDs reference PCBs for Radeon RX 6800, RX 6800 XT and RX 6900 XT. It shares the modern industrial design DNA as well as the striving for uncompromised cooling performance with the rest of the product family.

An optional aluminum backplate with sophisticated black anodized finish further demonstrates the relationship with the TechN CPU water blocks, which are now also available in a pure copper version. Pre-orders for the TechN GPU water block for AMD 6000 series are starting now with delivery estimated for mid july. The price for the water block is 136.90 Euros, the TechN GPU backplate for AMD 6000, which improves the performance and gives the cooler a full enclosure look, costs 34.90 Euros. All TechN products are available at www.techn.de and selected partners.

AMD announced during CES 2021 that they would launch various new RDNA2 desktop and mobile products in 1H 2021 including dual and single fan Radeon graphics cards. The dual-fan variant turned out to be the AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT which was launched in March but we are yet to see anything of the single-fan card until recently. This single-fan card is allegedly the RX 6600 XT and leaked renders of it align with what AMD showed during CES giving further validity to the leak. The render shows a black and silver design with red accents keeping with other RDNA2 cards and a single 8-pin power connector. The AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT is set to feature a Navi 23 GPU paired with 2048 Stream Processors paired with 8 GB of GDDR6 memory.

Anecdotal reports of fixed idle power consumption for AMD's graphics cards are filling the internet following the release of their latest Radeon drivers, version 21.6.1. Besides introducing support for FSR (which we have already tested with a new special image comparison code from our resident W1zzard with great results), users are reporting reduced power consumption on idle or low-intensity workloads - something that we had already covered in our latest AMD reviews, which showcased higher power consumption compared to NVIDIA.

Users are reporting drops from around 30 W to ~8 W - nothing to scoff at, and getting AMD's offerings in line with NVIDIA's on that particular metric. While this remains anecdotal evidence for now, rest assured that we will be testing these new drivers so as to definitely claim an improvement (or the absence of it).

AMD Radeon RX 6900 XT Liquid Cooled (LC) edition is not officially available for the DIY market, as the card is exclusive to OEMs and system integrators, who can use the card in any of their selected systems, given the availability of course. In other words, the card is almost impossible to purchase on its own, unless it is from someone who removed it from a PC. However, it seems like a few retailers in India have been able to get their hands on a few of these cards and offer consumers to buy them individually without the need to purchase a whole system. Of course, you can expect this to come with a premium. Currently, retailers are offering the card at the price tag of around 223,020 rupees, which translates to 3,007 USD. We are not sure if any EU or American retailers will get their hands on just the card to compare prices.

AMD today announced the AMD Radeon PRO W6000 series workstation graphics, delivering exceptional performance, stability and reliability for professional users. The new graphics products were designed and optimized to power demanding architectural design workloads, ultra-high resolution media projects, complex design and engineering simulations, and advanced image and video editing applications.

Built on award-winning AMD RDNA2 architecture, the foundation of next generation, high-powered PCs, laptops and many of today's game consoles, the new product line features the AMD Radeon PRO W6800, the fastest AMD RDNA workstation graphics card ever. It also includes the AMD Radeon PRO W6600 graphics card, meticulously engineered for ultra-high performance workflows, and the AMD Radeon PRO W6600M GPU, designed to power professional mobile workstations.

AMD has recently published a short video teasing the launch of their upcoming Radeon Pro W6800 and W6600 graphics cards. The short video gives us a view of the GPU shroud design and the inclusion of six Mini DisplayPort connectors which are standard features of the Radeon Pro series and lineup with leaks for the W6800. The campaign email sent by AMD also confirms these suspicions as the URL reads "consumer-radeon-pro-w6800-w6600-pre-announce", the two new graphics cards are expected to feature the 7 nm Navi 21 GPU also found in the RX 6800, 6800 XT, and RX 6900 XT.

HP introduced its latest gaming hardware and software designed for today's gamers with the powerful OMEN 16 and OMEN 17, bright and customizable OMEN 25i Gaming Monitor, and community gaming with OMEN OASIS Beta feature in OMEN Gaming Hub. The company also debuted Victus by HP, its next-generation mainstream-level gaming PC portfolio, with a 16-inch laptop.

Gaming continues to be an outlet for entertainment and connecting with friends. Two out of three people are spending more time watching videos and gaming than they did prior to the pandemic, with one in four gaming three to four hours more and almost one in five gaming six to ten hours more a week6. HP's next-generation gaming portfolio is designed for both veteran gamers and enthusiast explorers to be entertained, connected, and empowered to progress in their favorite games.

German publication, Igor's LAB, has got ahold of some information regarding AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 6600 series graphics card. Based on the Navi 23 SKU, the GPU is supposed to satisfy all the entry-level needs one would expect from a GPU. That means light 1080p gaming and multimedia streaming. For starters, let's get into details of the die. Igor's LAB notes that the die size is 235.76mm2, with a 35x35 mm package. The die will be centered in a package with a 45-degree rotation, which you can see how it looks in the images below. Additionally, the Navi 23 GPU will have SKUs ranging from 65 Watts to 95 Watts of Total Graphics Power (TGP). As far as frequency goes, the card BIOS points to the maximum clock speed of 2350 MHz, which is lower than the rumored 2684 MHz.

When it comes to memory, the upcoming Navi 23 GPUs can be equipped with up to 16 GB of GDDR6 memory, however, it is most likely that the regular gamer version will come with 8 GB of VRAM, while the Radeon Pro models will use the full 16 GB limit. As far as interface is concerned, the Radeon RX 6600 series will be limited to PCIe 4.0 x8 connection, as the low-end GPU doesn't require a full x16 slot. With the bandwidth of the PCIe 4.0, only eight lanes are enough for this GPU. These cards are expected to hit the market sometime in June, and we are waiting for the official announcement.

AMD is preparing to round-out its RX 6000 series lineup with the upcoming RX 6600 XT and RX 6600, introducing true midrange GPUs to their latest generation RDNA2 architecture. According to recent leaks, both graphics cards should feature AMD's Navi 23 chip, another full chip design, instead of making do with a cut-down Navi 22 (even though that chip still only powers one graphics card in the AMD lineup, the RX 6700 XT).

According to the leak, the RX 6600 XT should feature 2048 stream processors and 8 GB of GDDR6 memory over a 128-bit memory bus. The RX 6600, on the other hand, is said to feature a cut-down Navi 23, with only 1796 stream processors enabled out of the original silicon design, whilst offering the same 8 GB GDDR6 over a 128-bit memory bus. There are even some benchmark scores to go with these leaks: supposedly, the RX 6600 XT scores 9,439 points in 3DMark Time Spy (Graphics), while the RX 6600 card scores 7,805 points. Those scores place these cards in the same ballpark as the RDNA-based RX 5700 XT and RX 5700. It's expected that these cards feature a further cut-down 32 MB of Infinity cache - half that of the RX 6700 XT's 64 MB. With die-size being an estimated 236 mm², AMD is essentially introducing the same performance with 15 mm² less area, whilst shaving some 45 W from that cards' TDP (225 W for the RX 5700 XT, and an estimated 180 W for the RX 6600 XT).

AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR), the company's elusive rival to the NVIDIA DLSS technology, could be arriving next month (June 2021), according to a Coreteks report. The report claims that the technology is already at an advanced stage of development, in the hands of game developers, and offers certain advantages over DLSS. For starters, it doesn't require training from a generative adversarial network (GAN), and doesn't rely on ground truth data. It is a low-overhead algorithmic upscaler (not unlike the various MadVR upscalers you're used to). It is implemented early in the pipeline. Here's the real kicker—the technology is compatible with NVIDIA GPUs, so studios developing with FSR would be serving both AMD Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce gamers.

AMD has today updated its Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition version 21.5.1 drivers, bringing many features on board as well as fixing a lot of issues that have appeared in the past. Starting with support for the Resident Evil Village PC game, AMD promises to deliver up to 13% better frame rate at 4K maximum settings, while using the Radeon RX 6800 XT graphics card. The comparison was conducted with a reference to the previous driver, 21.4.1, which didn't allow the card to reach as high FPS as it is now possible with the proper support for the game. Another game that is added to the support list is Metro Exodus PC Enhanced Edition. Some fixes have been implemented, as the incorrect performance metrics that may have incorrectly reported temperatures on Ryzen 5 1600 series processors. For a detailed list of bug fixes, please take a look at the list below.DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 2020 Edition 21.5.1

The current supply of graphics cards has been very tight all over the world. Starting with the launch of the latest Radeon RX 6000 series of GPUs based on RDNA 2 architecture, AMD has found itself in big trouble when it comes to supply of the silicon, compared to the demand that exists for these new GPUs. We have discussed that many times in the past and saw that it represents a problem spanning everyone involved in getting the silicon chips to the hands of consumers. On Tuesday, April 27th, AMD held its Q1 2021 earnings call and webcast, where the company executives talked about the company's future, underlying problems, and ways of addressing them.

Among many topics covered in the call, AMD's President and CEO, Dr. Lisa Su, has talked about the GPU supply. According to Dr. Su, the company is ramping the production of its Radeon graphics cards, adding that the mobile Radeon GPU lineup is lurking. Here is a full quote from the earnings call.

Dr. Lisa Su—AMD Q1 2021 Earning CallAnd we're well-positioned for further growth as we have tripled our commercial notebook design wins with the largest OEMs this year. In graphics, revenue increased by a strong double-digit percentage year over year and sequentially, led by channel sales growth as revenue from our high-end Radeon 6000 GPUs more than doubled from the prior quarter. We introduced our Radeon 6700 XT desktop GPU with leadership 1440p gaming performance in March and are on track for the first notebooks featuring our leading-edge mobile RDNA 2 architecture to launch later this quarter. We expect Radeon 6000 Series GPU sales to grow significantly over the coming quarters as we ramp production.

Alphacool today presents the Eiswolf 2 AIO solution (Reference design with backplate) for AMD Radeon RX 6800/6800XT/6900 and NVIDIA RTX 3080/3090 graphics cards. As with all of our AIO models, we only use copper radiators, however, for the first time, the Alphacool 360 mm NexXxoS ST30 all-copper radiator will be used in one of our GPU "all-in-one" solutions. For the fans, we now install the new Alphacool Aurora Rise 120 mm fan. The fan impresses with a max. statistical pressure of 3.17 mm/H2O and offers a max. air flow of 119.8m3/h, at a speed range of 0-2500rpm which can be controlled via PWM.

The decision to use the larger radiator in conjunction with our new fans provides a significant increase in cooling performance. The AIO is completed with the Eisblock Aurora water cooler, which actively cools all relevant components such as graphics memory and voltage converters in addition to the GPU chip. All components used (radiator, fan, cooler, DC-LT 2 pump) including connectors and hoses are part of the Alphacool custom cooling range and are therefore available separately. This means that we're not just offering a simple AIO solution here, but a real custom water cooling system (pre-assembled & pre-filled). Only the pump housing for the DC-LT 2 pump is a custom design and not available separately. Today we present only the Reference designs. In the near future, more solutions for graphics cards in custom design from various manufacturers will be available.More pictures follow.

AMD (NASDAQ:AMD) today announced revenue for the first quarter of 2021 of $3.45 billion, operating income of $662 million, net income of $555 million and diluted earnings per share of $0.45. On a non-GAAP* basis, operating income was $762 million, net income was $642 million and diluted earnings per share was $0.52.

"Our business continued to accelerate in the first quarter driven by the best product portfolio in our history, strong execution and robust market demand," said Dr. Lisa Su, AMD president and CEO. "We had outstanding year-over-year revenue growth across all of our businesses and data center revenue more than doubled. Our increased full-year guidance highlights the strong growth we expect across our business based on increasing adoption of our high-performance computing products and expanding customer relationships."

Recently, Apple has updated its macOS operating system to support the next generation of GPUs for Mac devices, coming from AMD. The upcoming RDNA 2 GPU lineup in Macs will bring all the enhancements AMD made to the architecture, and pack it inside Apple's signature designs. Today, we have received information that Apple could refresh its Mac Pro lineup with AMD's Radeon Pro GPU based on RDNA 2 architecture. On Geekbench 5, there was a test run that was conducted on Apple Mac Pro "7.1" revision, that features not only Intel Cascade Lake-X processor but AMD's unreleased Radeon Pro W6900X graphics card designed for professional users.

While we don't know much about the exact specifications, we know that it features a Navi 21 GPU SKU. Judging by the naming scheme, the Radeon Pro W6900X is representing an Apple-exclusive GPU variant designed only for Mac Pro devices. A Chiphell leak has given us a sneak peek at the alleged card look, which you can see below. When it comes to performance, the Geekbench result measures Metal API performance and the Radeon Pro W6900X has managed to score 171448 points, which is even higher than the Radeon RX 6900 XT GPU, which tops out at 164294 points. Of course, this is representing a professional SKU, so there could be some tuning present as well.