Users of Intel's 13th Gen unlocked K-series processors such as Core i9-13900K, i7-13700K, are reporting stability issues when gaming even at stock clock-speeds. Hassan Mujtaba of Wccftech and Tom's Hardware have isolated the issues to power limit unlocks. Most Z690 and Z790 chipset motherboards include BIOS-level unlocks for the power limits, particularly the Maximum Turbo Power (interchangeable with PL2). By default, the i9-13900K and i7-13700K come with a PL2 value of 253 W, but you can get the motherboard to unlock this to unlimited, which basically tells the processor that it has 4096 W of power on tap, so not technically a "stock" configuration anymore.

Of course, neither your PSU nor your CPU VRM are capable of delivering 4096 W, and so the processor tends to draw as much power as it needs, to maintain the best possible P-core boost frequencies, before running into thermal limits. At stock frequencies with stock boost bins, unlocked power limits can drive the power draw of i9-13900K as far high as 373 W under a multithreaded load, in our testing, when compared to 283 W with the power limits in place. It turns out, that unlocking the power limits can come with long-term costs, besides the literal cost of electricity—the processor's stability with gaming workloads can degrade with certain hardware combos and settings.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, introduces the best motherboards to power the latest Intel Core 14th gen i9-14900K processor. BIOSTAR's flagship Z790 VALKYRIE, Z790A-SILVER, Z690A VALKYRIE, and Z690A-SILVER motherboards are fully optimized to accommodate the cutting-edge Intel Core i9-14900K processor, promising exceptional performance across various user needs.

Meticulously crafted with precision engineering, BIOSTAR motherboards carry the latest technological advancements and innovative features for peak performance and durability. With each component designed to harness the full capabilities of the cutting-edge Intel Core i9-14900K Processor, BIOSTAR motherboards promise users an unparalleled computing experience that blends speed with stability. These motherboards cater to diverse user requirements, such as gamers seeking smoother, more immersive gaming experiences and office users who demand swift task execution, reduced application load times, rapid file transfers, and instant computer responsiveness.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices today, is thrilled to announce the first list of motherboards tuned and ready to support the brand new Intel Core 14th gen processors.

Intel's 14th Gen Core Raptor Lake-S Refresh processor lineup is the talk of the town, with jaw-dropping performance numbers like never before. Built on Intel 7 Process node technology, the latest Intel Core 14th gen processors include core i9-14900K, i9-14900KF, i7-14700K, i7-14700KF, i5-14600K, and core i5-14600KF processors are designed to bring a new era of raw processing power to desktop computing. With significant performance enhancements compared to their predecessors, the new Raptor Lake-S Refresh processors carry notable performance improvements.

Regarding some of our users receiving an error message of "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR" upon Blue Screen of Death with MSI's Intel 700 and 600 Series Motherboards. MSI and Intel have been working hard these several weeks to come up with a solution together and have found the root cause of the BSOD issue which is regarding the firmware setting of Intel Hybrid Architecture. It is determined that the BSOD will only affect Intel's 13th Gen Core i9 paired with the following versions of the Windows operating system (OS).

The new BIOS coming will include an update on the Intel CPU uCode which will prevent any more messages regarding the "UNSUPPORTED_PROCESSOR" issues. This upcoming update will correspond to both 13th-generation and newer ones. There will be more BIOS available to download on MSI's official website for all Intel 700 and 600 Series models this week and all BIOS release will be available by the end of September.

Multiple leakers on Twitter/X have posted screenshots or pictures of Intel's upcoming Core i5-14600K CPU and it appears that some earlier rumours about this specific SKU weren't entirely accurate. It was believed that the Core i5-14600K was to get a core bump over the Core i5-13600K, but apparently this isn't the case, if the new leaks hold true. However, it also appears that the CPU will boost higher than expected, as earlier rumours suggested 5.3 GHz max boost clock and now it appears it'll go all the way up to 5.5 GHz, which is still lower than its Core i7 and Core i9 peers. The i5 also lacks Intel Turbo Boost Max Technology 3.0, so it won't be possible to squeeze some extra performance out of this chip without overclocking it the good old fashioned way.

@9550pro posted a screenshot of CPU-Z in Chinese showing the Core i5-14600K running in a Gigabyte Z790 Gaming X AX motherboard, but it's unknown what the rest of the system configuration was. However, it does show the CPU having a clock multiplier ranging from 8 to 55, confirming the 5.5 GHz max CPU clock speed. @wxnod posted a picture of an MSI Z690 Edge TI WiFi DDR4 motherboard with a Core i7-14700K paired with 16 GB of DDR4 memory running at 4600 MHz on Gear 1, which in itself is a feat, although it's unknown if this was stable. The CPU was shown as running at 6.3 GHz, which is most likely a manual overclock of the CPU, as the Core i7-14700K isn't expected to be a 6 GHz plus part. We're getting close to the launch of Intel's 14th gen Core processors, so we won't have to wait too long to find out the full specs of these CPUs.

Update 07:17 UTC: Twitter/X bot Benchleaks has found some Geekbench results for the Core i5-14600K which @harukaze5719 made a nice graph of that we've added below. This suggests that Intel has managed to eke out quite a bit of extra performance from these "refreshed" CPUs.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, is pleased to announce its close collaboration with HWiNFO, a comprehensive system information and diagnostic tool. This partnership aims to enhance the accuracy of hardware information and diagnostics, while introducing innovative features to benefit computer enthusiasts and professionals alike.

HWiNFO, known for its detailed system information and diagnostic capabilities, has partnered with GIGABYTE to integrate their technologies and deliver more precise and comprehensive hardware information to users. By combining GIGABYTE's expertise in hardware manufacturing and HWiNFO's advanced diagnostics, users can now access a wealth of information about their computer components with unparalleled accuracy.

With the 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" desktop processors, Intel on Tuesday launched its companion motherboard chipset, the Z790. Since "Raptor Lake" desktop is based on the same LGA1700 package as 12th Gen "Alder Lake" desktop; the two are intercompatible—you can use 12th Gen processors with Z790 chipset motherboards out of the box; and you can use 13th Gen processors with Z690 or other 600-series chipset motherboards with the latest BIOS. Z790 chipset essentially sees a re-balancing of the downstream PCIe connectivity, resulting in more PCIe Gen 4 downstream lanes. Besides more downstream connectivity, you get one additional 20 Gbps USB 3.2x2 port.

While the Z690 put out up to 12 downstream PCIe Gen 4 lanes and up to 16 downstream PCIe Gen 3; the new Z790 puts out up to 20 downstream PCIe Gen 4 lanes, and up to 8 downstream PCIe Gen 3. Both chipsets use DMI 4.0 x8 as the chipset bus (connection between the processor and chipset), with bandwidth comparable to PCI-Express 4.0 x8 (128 Gbps per direction). Z790 allows motherboard designers to wire out up to five M.2 NVMe Gen 4 slots attached to the chipset, or deploy more numbers of high-bandwidth onboard devices than those possible with Z690; devices such as discrete USB4 host controllers, Thunderbolt 4 80 Gbps controllers, etc, besides a handful PCIe Gen 4 slots. The 8 PCIe Gen 3 lanes should be enough for lower-bandwidth onboard devices, such as WLAN cards, onboard 2.5 GbE NICs, or even a 10 GbE NIC.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce two new extreme overclocked performance DDR5 memory specifications to its flagship Trident Z5 RGB series: DDR5-6800 CL32-45-45-108 32 GB (2x 16 GB) and DDR5-6400 CL32-39-39-102 64 GB (2x 32 GB). These memory kits come with Intel XMP 3.0 memory overclocking profiles and have been validated on the latest 12th Gen Intel Core desktop processor and Intel Z690 chipset platform.

Dedicated to developing extreme overclock speed memory kits, the G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6800 CL32-45-45-108 2x 16 GB memory kit is the ideal choice for overclocking enthusiasts to experience extreme DDR5 frequency performance. The screenshot below shows the DDR5-6800 memory kit validated with Intel Core i7-12700K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Hero motherboard.

MSI, the world's leading gaming PC hardware brand, is proud to announce the new SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS, with blazing fast read speeds up to 10 GB/s that unites the latest in top-notch PCIe Gen 5 controller technology with high-quality 3D NAND flash, and advanced cooling. Sporting a bronze-coloredaluminiumm heatsink, the SPATIUM M570 PCIe 5.0 NVMe M.2 HS SSD takes a sensational leap in storage performance, bringing more than 1.5 times faster read/write speeds compared to current PCIe 4.0 SSDs. With compliance of NVMe 2.0 and M.2 2280 form factor, the SPATIUM M570 HS offers optimal performance and long-lasting durability in 1 TB, 2 TB, and 4 TB capacity variants for professionals, content creators, and gamers in an easy installation and extreme transfer speeds for multitasking workloads. The strong collaboration between MSI and Phison was showcased to convey innovations in the storage space area during CES 2022 mutually.

"K.S.Pua, CEO of Phison Electronics, said that the cooperation between Phison and MSI started from the SSD product line. Since both companies have their own expertise in NAND controller and computer system integration respectively, and in addition to SSD, MSI has also actively expanded its strategy in the fields of gaming, content creators, commercial, industrial, robotics, and even automotive in recent years, where the application markets are in line with Phison's long-term strategy, so the two companies hit it off. The SPATIUM PCIe 5.0 SSD launched by MSI this time adopted Phison's E26 SSD controller. Since the performance of PCIe 5.0 is much faster than the previous generation of PCIe 4.0, the two companies have conducted a lot of tests and discussions on power consumption and heat dissipation, which is a valuable cooperation experience. In the future, Phison will continue to support MSI through controller technology."

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced all Z690, B660, and following motherboards will support EXPO memory. Users can enjoy performance boost with ease on GIGABYTE motherboards of all platforms with either AMD EXPO or Intel XMP supported memories.

AMD recently announced the new EXPO technology for DDR5 memory on the latest AM5 platform, which allows easy DDR5 memory accelerating with built-in overclocking profiles for the performance uplift, just like XMP technology. Along with this new technology, all major memory module brands release EXPO memories correspondingly. GIGABYTE leads to provide both AMD EXPO and Intel XMP DDR5 support on AM5 motherboards, and carry on the innovative design to Intel platform, which enable users to speed up their DDR5 memories on Z690, B660, and following motherboards by simply activate XMP and EXPO in the BIOS setting for the performance boost.

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions announced the AORUS Gen5 AIC Adaptor with PCIe 5.0 support. It is a single-slot Add In Card, featuring four NVMe M.2 slots, supporting a maximum of four PCIe 5.0 SSDs with 16 TB storage. By configuring a RAID array, the bandwidth can boost up to 60 GB/s to allow massive data files to transfer in a snap. The eight integrated temperature sensors and active temperature-controlled double ball bearing fan should satisfy users with large-capacity, ultra-fast and ultra-cool data access.

"With the coming PCIe 5.0 platform, high-speed storage can reach access speed of more than 10 GB/s. For users who chase higher performance, GIGABYTE AORUS Gen5 AIC leads the way to extreme performance by building a disk array." said Jackson Hsu, Director of the GIGABYTE Channel Solutions Product Development Division. "Integrating four PCIe 5.0 slots, users can choose different NVMe M.2 SSDs with customized capacity and performance for the greatest flexibility. Meanwhile, the advanced thermal design prevents thermal throttling under high-speed operation which makes GIGABYTE AORUS Gen5 AIC the best choice when upgrading storage performance."

Under the directions of the US Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC), the regulatory body overseeing consumer-safety for the US and Canada, ASUS has instituted a general recall of its Republic of Gamers (ROG) Maximus Z690 Hero Socket LGA1700 motherboard. This includes pulling the product from the market, as well as reaching out to current owners, informing them of a design flaw with the product that affects their safety, and offering replacements.

The general recall has its roots in a December 2021 announcement by ASUS that a batch of the motherboard is being voluntarily recalled by the company after it discovered that a capacitor that's part of the motherboard's VRM has been defectively installed in the opposite electrical polarity. This has the potential to cause a fire.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, announces today the latest AORUS Gen5 10000 SSD with 10 GB/s read speed. Enhanced by the new generation PCIe 5.0 controller with ultra-fast 3D-TLC NAND Flash, AORUS Gen5 10000 SSD provides boosted performance of more than 55% over PCIe 4.0 SSDs and comes in 1 TB to 4 TB capacity variants using an M.2 2280 interface to deliver easy installation and superb capability. Additionally, the separate SSD and heatsink offers more flexibility in system build and thermal options for users. GIGABYTE's exclusive SSD Tool Box application provides users real-time status of SSD to leverage performance, thermal, stability and capability.

"With PCIe 5.0 support on new motherboard platform, the bandwidth and transfer performance are raised to the next level. As the first manufacturer to have both motherboards and SSD product lines in the market, GIGABYTE is also the first to unveil the AORUS Gen5 10000 SSD. This new product brings blistering fast storage performance with ultra durability and compatibility to users for optimal quality and performance." said Jackson Hsu, Director of the GIGABYTE Channel Solutions Product Development Division.

Is there anything better than yet another benchmark leak of upcoming products? This time around we don't have to make do with Geekbench or some other useless benchmark, as a bilibili user in the PRC has posted a video where he has put the upcoming Intel Core i5-13600K and Core i7-13700K CPUs through 10 different games, plus 3DMark Fire Strike and Time Spy. This has been done at 1080p, 1440p and 2160p at that, using a GeForce RTX 3090 Ti graphics card. Both CPUs are QS or Qualification Samples, which means they're going to be close to identical to retail chips, unless there are some last minute issues that are discovered. The CPUs were tested using an ASRock Z690 Steel Legends WiFi 6E motherboard, well, two actually, as both a DDR4 and a DDR5 version were used. The DDR4 RAM was running at 3600 MHz with slow-ish timings of 18-22-22 in gear 1, whereas the DDR5 memory was running at 5200 MHz, most likely at 40-40-40 timings, although the modules were rated for 6400 MHz, in both cases we're looking at 32 GB.

Courtesy of @harukaze5719, we have some much easier to read graphs than those provided by the person that tested the two CPUs, but we've included the full graphs below as well. Each CPU was compared to its current SKU equivalent from Intel and in many of the games tested, the gain was a mere percent or less to three or four percent. However, in some games—at specific resolutions—especially when paired with DDR5 memory, the performance gain was as much as 15-20 percent. A few of the games tested, such as FarCry 6 at 4K, the game ends up being GPU limited, so a faster CPU doesn't help here as you'll see in the graphs below. There are some odd results as well, where the DDR5 equipped systems saw a regression in performance, so it's hard to draw any final conclusions from this test. That said, both CPUs should offer a decent performance gain, as long as the game in question isn't GPU limited, of around five percent at 1440p when paired with DDR5 memory.

As we approach the launch of Intel's upcoming Raptor Lake desktop processors, we are getting more leaks of testing performed by system integrators and 3rd parties that have early access to the engineering sample (ES) chips. A few days ago, we saw an Intel Core i7-13700K CPU run Geekbench 5 benchmark with the older DDR4 memory on ASRock Z690 Steel Legend WiFi 6E. Today, we are seeing a similar test performed on the same processor, with ASRock Z690 Steel Legend WiFi 6E/D5 equipped with DDR5 memory. While the previous DDR4 testing used modules running at 3200 MT/s, the DDR5 testing uses 5200 MT/s rated DRAM with unknown timings and setup.

As far as performance goes, the single-core result of the 16-core Intel Core i7-13700K processor was 2090 points with DDR4, while DDR5 showed a slight regression of 2069 points. Of course, this could be attributed to the margin of error. As far as multi-core performance goes, the DDR4 testing managed to produce 16542 points, whereas the DDR5-equipped platform scored 19811 points. This is an immediate 20% performance uplift in multi-core score. It shows that all the cores present in Raptor Lake processors are starving for bandwidth, and a faster memory protocol can bring quite an improvement. As usual, we have to wait to confirm this information with our testing so that we can draw more conclusions.

With Intel Raptor Lake-S desktop processors around the corner, we see an ever-increasing number of entries to the popular synthetic benchmark databases. Yesterday we had an Intel Core i5-3600K CPU, while today, we are presented with Core i7-13700K SKU. The new 13th generation Core i7-13700K CPU features eight P-cores and eight E-cores. Compared to the 12th generation Core i7-12700K, this is a step up with eight P-cores and four E-cores. According to Geekbench 5 benchmark, the new Qualification Sample (QS) of Core i7-13700K CPU was running at the minimum clock of 5.289 GHz, maximum clock of 5.381 GHz, and average speed of 5.36 GHz. It was tested on the same configuration as yesterday's i5 SKU with ASRock Z690 Steel Legend WiFi 6E motherboard with 32 GB of DDR4 memory.

As far as the results are concerned, the 13th gen i7-13700K SKU scored 2090 points in the single-core test, while the multi-core score totaled 16542 points. If we compare this to the 12th gen i7-12700K CPU that it replaces, the new model leads by about 10% and 17% in single-core and multi-core tests, respectively.

It's a busy day when it comes to Intel Raptor Lake benchmark leaks and this time around, we're looking at a pair of Core i5-13600K CPUs, but in two different motherboards. The first CPU sits in an ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme board and is paired with 32 GB of DDR5 memory, whereas the second CPU is in an ASRock Z690 Steel Legend WiFi 6E board, this one also paired with 32 GB of RAM, but DDR4 rather than DDR5. Both systems are running Windows 10 and unlike the Core i9-13900K results that we saw a couple of weeks ago, these two results are both valid according to the Geekbench results browser.

Courtesy of @harukaze5719 we have a nice graph with the results below, even comparing them to the average Geekbench results for a Core i5-12600K, as well as a Ryzen 9 5950X and a Ryzen 5 5600X. The Core i5-13600K beats everything in the single threaded results and the ASUS system is not far behind the Ryzen 9 5950X in the multithreaded tests. The ASUS system is significantly faster than the ASRock one though, so it seems like Raptor Lake is really making the most out of DDR5 memory. As we don't know the memory clocks, it's hard to say if that is also a contributing factor here, but it's likely that the ASUS system uses much faster memory, as in some of the sub-tests like Rigid Body Physics, the two systems are on par in terms of performance. It'll be interesting to see how Intel prices these upcoming CPUs, especially considering that the company has already warned it'll raise its prices in time for the retail availability of Raptor Lake.

More details of Intel's upcoming Raptor Lake CPUs have tipped up online, as someone submitted the results of a CPU-Z benchmark to the CPU-Z database. The CPU in question is most likely one of the by now, many ES samples of what should be the Core i9-13900K, which means the multiplier is still limited to 50x, which means the clock speeds can't go beyond 5 GHz. Even so, the extra E-cores helps it best the Core i9-12900K in the multithreaded test over 1400 points, using the average results for all 12900K CPUs in the database. It's also faster than the average Core i9-12900KF in the single-threaded test, but it doesn't quite manage to beat the Core i9-12900K results here.

The test system was admittedly not the very best possible hardware, as an MSI Pro Z690-A DDR4 motherboard was used and the CPU was paired with 32 GB of CAS19 DDR4 2666 MHz memory, so there's clearly potential for improvement here. The test system was also using Windows 10, which is potentially another bottleneck when it comes to taking advantage of all the extra E-cores. The E-Cores reached a top speed of 2.99 GHz, with the P-cores peaking at 4.99 GHz. The CPU was hitting 100 degrees C during the test, which suggests that some serious cooling is going to be needed for these CPUs. Intel is likely to reveal its Raptor Lake CPU's during the Intel Innovation '22 event in San Jose, which kicks off on the 27th of September.

BIOSTAR, a leading brand of motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, today announces a critical BIOS update for Intel 600 series motherboards to support the latest 13th generation Raptor Lake CPUs.

Preparing for the imminent release of the latest Intel processors, BIOSTAR is already prepping up a BIOS update that will enable users to upgrade their 600 series motherboards directly to the latest processors. BIOSTAR has put a considerable amount of thought and work into the upcoming BIOS update, which promises seamless integration and flawless performance numbers that rival any other competitor in the market.

Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, will soon release the BIOS update for Intel 600 series motherboards to bolster the new generation Intel Core processors. GIGABYTE has been working closely with Intel to provide users the optimal performance, compatibility, and user experiences. Along with the coming new generation Intel Core processors, GIGABYTE R&D team has prepared well-verified BIOS code exclusively for Z690, B660, and H610 motherboards. This ensures users a perfect articulation for platform upgrade once the new processor hit the market. Users can flash a BIOS file without installing a CPU, RAM, and even GPU by GIGABYTE ＠BIOS, Q-Flash, or Q-Flash Plus technology. Please visit the GIGABYTE official website for the latest BIOS update.

MSI announced BIOS support and updates on our motherboards for the upcoming series of next-gen Intel CPUs. As a world-leading motherboard brand, MSI is the commitment to keep updating and improving to deliver the best optimizing performance for gamers. BIOS updates are always great news and improvements for users. With MSI M-Flash or Flash BIOS button, allows users to update the BIOS with ease. MSI 600-Series motherboards will receive support for the next generation of Intel's Processors. BIOS updates will be available on its respective motherboard support pages, which can be accessed via the MSI Support website.

New week, new leak, as an engineer sample of Intel's upcoming Raptor Lake based Core i9-13900K has appeared in the infamous Geekbench database. It seems to be one of the ES samples that has been making the rounds over the past few weeks, but this is the first time we get an indication of what the performance might be like. There are no real surprises in terms of the specifications, we're looking at a base clock of 3 GHz, with a boost clock of 5.5 GHz, which has already been reported for these chips. The 24-core, 32-thread CPU was paired with 32 GB of 6400 MHz DDR5 memory and an ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme motherboard. Unfortunately the test results are reported as invalid, due to "an issue with the timers" on the system.

That said, we can still compare the results with a similar system using a Core i9-12900K on an ASUS ROG Strix Z690-F Gaming board, that's also paired up with 32 GB of 6400 MHz DDR5 memory. The older Alder Lake system is actually somewhat faster in the single core tests where it scores 2,142 points versus 2133 points for the Raptor Lake based system, despite having a maximum frequency of 5.1 GHz. The Raptor Lake system is faster in the multi-core test at 23,701 vs. 21312 points. However, it's no point doing any kind of analysis here, as the Raptor Lake results are all over the place, with it beating the Alder Lake CPU by a significant amount in some tests and losing against it in others, where it shouldn't be falling behind, simply based on the higher clock speed and additional power efficient cores. At least this shows that Raptor Lake is running largely as intended on current 600-series motherboards, so for those considering upgrading to the 13th gen of Intel CPUs, there shouldn't be any big hurdles to overcome.

At the end of last month, ASRock revealed its UEFI/BIOS updates for its 600-series motherboards for the next generation of CPUs from Intel and now ASUS has announced that it will offer updates for its Z690 motherboards. We're not sure why ASUS has limited itself to only Z690, but we'd expect updates for all of its 600-series chipset motherboards to arrive in due time. ASUS has been just as short on details as ASRock, although in the case of ASUS, all the Z690 boards will start on the same UEFI version—160x—when it comes to Raptor Lake support.

ASUS will offer updates for its ROG, ROG Strix, ProArt, Prime and TUF Gaming boards at this first stage. ASUS recommends using the BIOS Flashback functionality on the motherboards, or its EZ Flash 3 program in Windows. To get the latest UEFI update for your motherboard, you need to head over to ASUS' support site and download it manually according to the press release.

Intel is set to launch its 13th generation Raptor Lake processor lineup for desktop users sometime in September or October. However, the market is already supplied with early-stage engineering samples of Raptor Lake-S SKUs used for testing and software optimization. Today, we have the first listing of the upcoming flagship Intel Core i9-13900K processor with eight P-cores and 16 E-Cores on the CPU. The anonymous seller claims that the CPU is working with ASUS Z690 ROG Apex motherboards, boots up, and can be overclocked, which means that this is one of the newer engineering sample revisions. The sample was listed for 2850 Chinese Yuan, translating to about 426 USD. This price should be close to the final MSRP, and the CPU is already sold.

What is interesting is the appearance of this CPU on the black market way ahead of the launch. We can expect to see more details emerge as we get closer to the launch time later this year.

EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing the EK-Mana LiteBlock MAG Torpedo Z690 D-RGB - Plexi, an Intel LGA1700 socket-based LiteBlock that is engineered specifically for the MAG Z690 Torpedo motherboard from MSI. This kit of specially designed VRM heatsinks and the LiteBlock can upgrade the MAG Z690 Torpedo to a liquid-cooled motherboard, just like the EK X version of this product. The addressable D-RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with MSI Mystic Lights RGB control and offers a full lighting customization experience for every single diode at any given time. This Mana LiteBlock is EK-Matrix 7 compatible.

This is a complete, all-in-one (CPU and motherboard) liquid cooling solution for Intel 12th gen Core series processors and is compatible with the LGA 1700 socketed MSI MAG Z690 Torpedo motherboard. This LiteBlock uses the latest generation of EK Velocity² cooling engine to ensure the best possible CPU cooling without reducing the flow to other components. This water block directly cools the Alder Lake CPU, the VRM heatsink, and, by proxy, the VRM components. The package includes two replacement heatsinks with thermal pads, replacing the factory-mounted VRM heatsink.