Amazon US has kindly revealed the pricing for a pair of upcoming Intel Z790 chipset based motherboards from ASUS. For those hoping for better motherboard pricing versus AMD's X670 based boards, we have to be the bringer of bad news, as the two fall in the same ballpark, although Intel seems to have a slight edge here. The cheaper of the two models is the ASUS Prime Z790-P WiFi, which is the Intel equivalent to the Prime X670-P board for AMD's AM5 socket. The Prime Z790-P offers slightly weaker connectivity around the back, but has more PCIe slots compared to its AMD sibling. Unfortunately, it seems like Amazon doesn't stock the Prime X670-P, so we had to look elsewhere for pricing and Newegg charges US$289.99 for it, whereas Amazon charges US$249.99 for the Prime Z790-P, making it a more attractive option. However, that's still US$30 more than its predecessor, the Prime Z690-P, making this a pretty steep jump in price considering the two are very similar in terms of what you get for your money.

The second board is the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero, which is a premium product, something that's reflected in the pricing as well. Features like Thunderbolt 4 and an ROG Hyper M.2 card for PCIe 5.0 SSDs are included here, as well as an extended bundle. There's no direct AMD equivalent here, as ASUS only has a model in the US$400 range and one in the US$1000 range on the AMD side. However, it appears that ASUS has decided to keep the same price point as the ROG Maximus Z690 Hero. This isn't entirely surprising, as the boards appear to be almost identical, bar some change to the layout to the rear I/O. At US$629.99, this isn't a cheap board, but it wasn't expected either, as ASUS does charge a premium price for its ROG products. Both boards are said to be shipping from the 20th of October.

A user named "orangezone" submitted a CPU-Z validation for an alleged retail AMD Ryzen 7 7700X processor, revealing its key specs that include 5.425 GHz clocks at 1.152 V core-voltage. The submission includes a CPU-Z Bench run for the processor, which puts the single-threaded performance at 774 points, and the multi-threaded performance of the 8-core/16-thread processor at 8381 points. The single-threaded performance is around 20% higher than that of the previous-gen flagship Ryzen 9 5950X, and about 1% faster than the Core i9-12900K ("Golden Cove" P-core). This particular bench run was performed on a Gigabyte X670E AORUS Master motherboard, with DDR5-6400 CL30 memory.

In separate news, BenchLeaks spotted a Geekbench run of the Ryzen 7 7700X (by a different user); on an ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E Hero and DDR5-6000 memory. Here, the processor scored 2209 points in the single-threaded test, and 14459 points in the multi-threaded one, in Geekbench 5.4.5. This is a surprising result, as it puts the single-threaded performance of the 7700X at about 16% higher than the Core i7-12700K, and a fascinating 2% higher than the 8P+4E "Alder Lake" chip in multi-threaded tests. The 7700X launches in the same market segment as the i7-12700K, when it goes on sale this September 27.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced the ROG Rapture GT6, the first ROG mesh WiFi system optimized for gamers. This tri-band WiFi 6 system uses a sophisticated blend of cutting-edge components and software to deliver blazing-fast download speeds, low-latency gaming, dead-zone elimination, and robust security.

The ROG Rapture GT6 can deliver up to 10,000 Mbps of bandwidth, courtesy of two 5 GHz bands running at up to 4804 Mbps each, and one 2.4 GHz band running at up to 574 Mbps. This massive bandwidth can cover up to 5,800 square feet because of nine internal antennas and ASUS RangeBoost Plus technology. And for those who desire true multi-gigabit wired connections, there is also a 2.5 Gbps WAN port and LAN aggregation. Meanwhile, the ROG touch includes triple-level game acceleration to prevent jitter, reduce lag, lower pings, and increase speeds, empowering memorable gaming experiences.

A possible PCB layout diagram of the ASUS ROG Crosshair X670E APEX motherboard was leaked to the web. We could tell it's the APEX, looking at its 1DPC (one DIMM per channel) memory layout. The ROG APEX line of motherboards are geared toward extreme overclocking, with 1DPC being the best possible memory topology. We could make out several features from this diagram. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, two 8-pin EPS, and a 6-pin PCIe. A mammoth 26-phase VRM powers the CPU. The board appears to have its power connectors and onboard buttons angled sideways, making it most suitable for bench rigs.

The AMD Socket AM5 is wired to two DDR5 DIMM slots (one DIMM per channel, with two sub-channels, each); and a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 slot. This splits to a second slot in x8 mode. The third slot is electrical x8, and wired to the X670E chipset. While there are three M.2 slots onboard, this is likely Gen 4 x4. The board's main Gen 5 M.2 slots are located on an included DIMM.2 daughterboard that inserts into a proprietary slot next to the DIMM slots. It's likely that the board offers USB4 connectivity, besides SupremeFX HD audio, Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5 GbE, and an abundance of USB 3.x connectivity in various forms.

ASUS has unveiled its first 32-inch ROG Strix monitor with 4K resolution in the shape of the XG32UQ. It comes with all the features you'd expect from a modern 4K display, such as HDMI 2.1 and a 120 Hz mode for consoles. It obviously also has a DP 1.4 port and supports up to 160 Hz refresh rate thanks to its Fast IPS panel. It's certified for FreeSync Premium Pro and is G-Sync Compatible, as well as having a DisplayHDR 600 certification. Oddly enough, ASUS didn't implement USB-C support, nor can the XG32UQ function as a KVM, a feature that has become pretty standard on higher-end monitors like this. It does have a USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) Type-B input and two USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-A outs though.

The panel meets 96 percent of the DCI-P3 and 130 percent of the sRGB colour space and the typical brightness in SDR mode is 450 cd/m². ASUS has also implemented it's game visual features and what the company calls extreme low motion blur. The panel comes factory calibrated, so the XG32UQ should be possible to use for work as well as gaming. ASUS has also taken a leaf out of Corsair's playbook by implementing a screw mount at the top of the stand, to which something like a webcam mount could be fitted. There's no word on pricing, but based on pricing for similar products, we'd hazard a guess that it'll end up around the $1000 mark.

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.

EK, the premium liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing the EK-Quantum Momentum² ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme D-RGB - Plexi, a new Intel LGA1700 socket-based monoblock belonging to the Quantum Line of products. This monoblock is engineered specifically for the ROG MAXIMUS Z690 EXTREME motherboard from ASUS. The addressable D-RGB LED in the monoblock is compatible with ASUS Aura Sync RGB control and offers a full lighting customization experience for every single diode at any given time. This Momentum² monoblock is EK-Matrix7 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 ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme motherboard. This monoblock 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 and the VRM section. An additional I/O piece that carries the stock I/O LED cover is added, so the user does not lose the benefit of additional lighting and aesthetic of this Republic of Gamers motherboard.

Asetek, sim racing gear innovator, the creator of the all-in-one liquid cooler, and the global leader in liquid cooling solutions for gaming PCs and DIY enthusiasts, has partnered with ASUS to integrate its high-performance liquid cooling technology into the new ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3090 Ti OC Edition graphics card. This graphics card reigns supreme by combining Asetek liquid cooling technology with NVIDIA Ampere architecture and 24 GB GDDR6X of memory for extreme overclocking performance and silent operation, enabling the ultimate in game immersion for the most rigorous gameplay sessions.

With a 450 W thermal design power (TDP), the new top-of-the-line GeForce RTX 3090 Ti supports 8K HDR Gaming and requires serious thermal management. The ROG Strix LC GeForce RTX 3090 Ti OC Edition utilizes Asetek's latest technology and includes an optimized fin area for the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, and a full-coverage cold plate to bring liquid cooling to both the GPU die and the surrounding GDDR6X VRAM memory.

CORSAIR, a world leader in enthusiast components for gamers, creators, and PC builders, today announced new kits of its acclaimed DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB DDR5 high-performance memory, now boasting speeds up to a screaming-fast 6,600MT/s. At time of writing, these are the fastest DDR5 kits available to buy in the world, achieving remarkably tight timings of 32-39-39-76. Available in kits of 2x16 GB, DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB continues to break frequency barriers with unprecedented speeds, and stay on the cutting-edge of performance.

The frequency ceiling for DDR5 performance has risen again on CORSAIR's flagship DRAM, joining high-frequency DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB offerings of DDR5-6000, DDR5-6200, and DDR5-6400. With 6,600 MHz, DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB memory now clocks phenomenal speeds on systems leveraging 12th Generation Intel Core processors and Intel Z690 motherboard chipsets, such as the ASUS ROG STRIX Z690-F and ROG MAXIMUS Z690 HERO. With a speedy 32 CAS timing and tight 32-39-39-76 overall timings on these new modules, DOMINATOR PLATINUM RGB pushes the envelope of enthusiast DRAM performance.

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is introducing a whole series of Vector² liquid cooling products for ROG Strix RTX graphics cards. ROG RTX 3070 Ti cards get their Vector² water block with passive backplate, and optional backplates in nickel finish to customize your water-cooled 3070 Ti ASUS GPU to your own desires.

The EK-Quantum Vector² Strix RTX 3070 Ti D-RGB is a complete liquid cooling solution including a new plexi Vector² water block, black-anodized aluminium backplate, and a mounting mechanism. The new look of the next-gen water blocks is dominated by minimalist straight lines. The 3rd-generation Vector cooling engine combines the jet plate with a 3D machined Plexi insert to improve flow distribution and thermal performance. This new cooling engine is still based on an Open Split-Flow cooling engine design, which proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings, and still achieve top performance. Great care was taken to achieve a symmetrical flow domain by utilizing an internal bridge to secondary components. This was done to ensure the cooling of secondary components without sacrificing flow distribution over the GPU core.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is thrilled to announce the achievement of a new overclocking world record for fastest memory frequency at DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88, in cooperation with ASUS. This amazing frequency speed was achieved by the extreme overclocker "lupin_no_musume" with G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 memory, ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard, and Intel Core i9-12900K processor. To see the moment this amazing overclocking world record was set, please click the following video link: https://youtu.be/OgQFbUOs6i8

DDR5-8888 CL88-88-88-88 - Pushing the Speed to the Limit
At the dawn of the DDR5 era, G.SKILL and ASUS have been constantly exploring the memory speed limitations of the latest Intel Z690 platform. Surpassing the previous DDR5-8704 world record in November 2021, a new memory frequency world record is achieved at DDR5-8888 under liquid nitrogen extreme cooling. The memory speed has been validated by CPU-Z. Please refer to the screenshot and validation link below: https://valid.x86.fr/qgvylc

EK, is introducing a whole series of liquid cooling products for ASUS ROG Strix RTX graphics cards. RTX 3080, 3080 Ti, and 3090 ROG Strix cards get their Vector² water block with passive backplate, new synergistic active backplate, and other aesthetic pieces to customize your water-cooled 30-series Strix GPU to your own desires. The EK-Quantum Vector² Strix RTX 3080/3090 D-RGB is a complete liquid cooling solution including a new Vector² water block, black-anodized aluminium backplate, and mounting mechanism. The new look of the next-gen water blocks is dominated by minimalistic straight lines.

The 3rd-generation Vector cooling engine combines the jet plate with a 3D machined Plexi insert to improve flow distribution and thermal performance. This new cooling engine is still based on an Open Split-Flow cooling engine design, which proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings, and still achieve top performance. Great care was taken to achieve a symmetrical flow domain by utilizing an internal bridge to secondary components. This was done to ensure the cooling of secondary components without sacrificing flow distribution over the GPU core.

ASUS has today announced the ROG Loki SFX-L power supply lineup during their ROG CES 2022 livestream with models ranging from 750 W to 1200 W with 80 Plus Platinum ratings. These new power supplies are designed for small-form-factor gaming builds featuring high-core processors and power-hungry graphics cards. The units include a 16-pin power cable for PCIe 5.0 GPU support and feature a 120 mm dual-ball bearing axial-tech fan with PWM control to manage noise and keep temperatures low. The Loki power supplies will feature integrated ASUS Aura ARGB lighting with Aura Sync compatibility and custom ROG heatsinks cover critical components. The ASUS ROG Loki SFX-L power supply lineup will be available to purchase worldwide in Q1/Q2 2022.

ASUS debuted its second generation ROG Thor power supply series with the ROG Thor 1000 W Platinum II. The design focus with these appear to be low noise and next-gen connectors. ASUS used heavier heatsinks over the various hot components of the PSU, which have double the "volume" (surface area for heat dissipation, as well as heatsink size). These are paired with a 135 mm ASUS Axial-Tech fan that is designed to direct all of its airflow axially. The PSU can sustain fanless cooling up to 500 W load, and 12-15% fan-speed up to 700 W load, with the fan only beginning to ramp up beyond 700 W. This gives the PSU a Cybenetics Lambda A++ noise-rating certification. The switching efficiency is rated 80 Plus Platinum.

Under the hood, the ASUS ROG Thor 1000 W Platinum II features a single +12 V rail design, with most common electrical protections, against over/under voltage, overload, overheat, and short-circuit. The fully-modular PSU comes with connectors that include a 24-pin ATX, two 4+4 pin EPS, one 12-pin Molex microFit 3.0 capable of up to 450 W delivery, six 6+2 pin PCIe power, twelve SATA power, three Molex, and a Berg. The PSU features a monochrome LED display that puts out realtime load, voltage, and thermal monitoring. There's plenty of addressable-RGB LED illumination, which can be controlled via a standard 3-pin ARGB connection. The company is backing this with a 10-year warranty.

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is excited to claim yet another world record, in close partnership with the ASUS ROG motherboard team, for the fastest memory frequency of an incredible DDR5-8704. This incredible feat was achieved with the G.SKILL Trident Z5 DDR5 memory on the latest Intel Core i7-12700KF processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard.

Laying claim to the world record for the fastest memory frequency with the latest DDR5 memory, G.SKILL and ASUS worked closely together to achieve an incredible DDR5-8704, using liquid nitrogen to cool the system to subzero temperatures. Solidifying DDR5 memory as the new extreme performance standard, this memory frequency world record was achieved with the new Trident Z5 RGB memory on the ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard. See below for a screenshot of the world record, achieved by the extreme overclocker "hocayu":

The EK-Quantum Ultrablock for the ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme Glacial is the apogee of PC hardware and liquid cooling engineering. A custom-engineered EK cooling solution for the 12th generation of Intel Core processor, power delivery system, network controller, all onboard M.2 drives, and the all-new Z690 chipset. With the release of the latest Intel Z690 chipset-based motherboards, came also the ROG Maximus Z690 Extreme Glacial, the most advanced and sophisticated motherboard available on the market today.

Compared to a standard Monoblock cooling solution that covers the CPU and the VRM, the Ultrablock spreads across the entire motherboard and has several sensors that provide measurements of key system parameters. The custom-engineered EK Ultrablock cooling solution offers optimal cooling for the CPU, power delivery system (VRM), network controller, M.2 drive, and Z690 chipset. Each key component is cooled by the intricate water block design for maximum stability and performance. This smart, full motherboard Ultrablock has built-in leak detection sensors on the connection ports, an OLED screen to display the key parameters of the system, an integrated temperature sensor, and a sensor for real-time measurement of coolant flow.

NVIDIA today released the latest version of GeForce Game Ready drivers. Version 496.49 WHQL comes with optimization for "Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy," including support for DLSS. It also features optimization for "Age of Empires IV," "Battlefield 2042" (Early Access), "Call of Duty Vanguard," "Chivalry 2," "GTA Definitive Edition Trilogy," "Forza Horizon 5," "Jurassic World Evolution," and "Riders Republic." The drivers also fix certain legacy issues with "DOOM 3: BFG Edition," and "Tom Clancy's The Division 2." A flickering issue noticed at 1080p on LG OLED C1 series monitors, has been fixed. The drivers also add G-SYNC support for several new monitors, and GeForce Experience optimizations. Grab the drivers from the link below.

DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 496.49 WHQL

TechPowerUp, in partnership with Asetek, brought you a rare chance to bring home a top-of-the-line ASUS ROG STRIX GeForce RTX 3080 Ti LC liquid-cooled graphics card. This card features the very best of Asetek's liquid-cooling technology, and is able the tame the beastly RTX 3080 Ti, so you can game quieter or overclock higher. The worldwide-open giveaway comes to a close, and we've picked a winner!

The Winner is Igor Precep from Serbia. Your card is shipping this week.

A Huge Congrats to you, Igor! TechPowerUp and Asetek thank you all for playing! We will return with more such interesting giveaways!

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced an all-new gaming peripherals lineup that channels the minimalist feel of monochrome through a striking Moonlight White color scheme. The ROG Strix Scope NX TKL 80%, tenkeyless mechanical RGB gaming keyboard, ROG Strix Impact II ambidextrous gaming mouse, ROG Strix Go Core gaming headset and ROG Cetra II Core in-ear gaming headphones are all now available in North America in this stunning colorway.

ROG has a long history of weaving Aura Sync into a huge ecosystem of devices to let gamers shine a light on their personalities through their gear - but many players also seek a minimalist look. That's why the ROG color palette is expanding to include the Moonlight White series, providing a commanding counterpart to the signature red-and-black color scheme.

TechPowerUp, Asetek, and ASUS, brought our readers from the European Union a unique opportunity to win a mouthwatering ASUS ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 Ti LC graphics card. One of the fastest graphics cards you can have right now, the Strix LC uses all-in-one liquid cooling technology by Asetek, the market leader in liquid component cooling technology across the client and enterprise markets. You have mere hours to drop in your hat, and hope for the best. Hurry!

For more information, and to participate, visit this page.

ASUS refreshed the ROG Falchion compact 65% mechanical gaming keyboard with homebrew mechanical switches. The keyboard originally launched in July 2020 with Cherry MX Red switches, and its replacement on the store shelves, the new ASUS ROG Falchion NX, features ASUS ROG NX Red switches. These offer 1.8 mm key travel, and 40 gf minimum actuation force. It retains the illuminated felt-touch panel along the left side that can be used either for scrolling (slide your finger), to cycle between macro maps, and as a battery indicator. The rest of the keyboard's design and feature-set remains the same as the original. ASUS is expected to formally launch the ROG Falchion NX around September 23, 2021.

EK, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, is launching the new EK-Quantum Vector Strix water blocks made for the ASUS ROG Strix version of the AMD Radeon RX 6800/6900 Series graphics cards.

These 2nd-generation EK-Quantum Vector water blocks implement an Open Split-Flow cooling engine design, which proved to be a superior solution for GPU water blocks. It is characterized by low hydraulic flow restriction, meaning it can be used with weaker water pumps or pumps running on low-speed settings and still achieve top performance. The jet plate and the fin structure geometry have been optimized to provide even flow distribution with minimal losses and optimal performance when used in any given coolant flow orientation, unlike some currently available products on the market.

EK, is introducing another addition to the EK-Quantum Vector series of active backplates. EK-Quantum Vector Strix RTX 3080/3090 active backplate is made to complement the existing EK-Quantum Vector Strix RTX 3080/3090 water blocks and actively cool the backside of ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3080 and 3090 GPUs. The EK-Quantum Vector Strix RTX 3080/3090 Active Backplate comes with a new terminal that replaces the stock terminal arriving with the Vector water block and links the water block and Vector Active backplate into a single unit. This way, the whole enclosure requires only one inlet and one outlet, removing unnecessary additional tubing and reducing clutter. It is the ultimate aesthetic and performance solution that finds your GPU sandwiched between two water blocks, allowing maximum cooling.

The brand new Vector Active Backplate directly cools all PCB hotspots found on the backside of the GPU core and VRM (voltage regulation module). In the case of Strix RTX 3090, the VRAM located on the backside is being cooled, while the PCB on RTX 3080 GPUs is being cooled around the front-mounted VRAM. Cooling liquid is channeled over all these critical areas.

ASUS today rolled out the ROG Cetra II Core, an in-ear, wired, gaming headset designed to go with ASUS ROG gaming notebooks, and the ROG Phone. The analog headset uses conventional 3-pole, 3.5 mm jack, and features an in-line mic within the control stock. Unlike the original ROG Cetra II, it lacks active noise-cancellation or concealed mic located in the earbuds; or even USB-C support. You still get the same 9.4 mm Essence Liquid Silicone Rubber (LSR) drivers designed for deep bass. The headphones are capable of 20 Hz to 40 kHz frequency response, and 32 Ω impedance. An aluminium body for the earbuds, 1.25 m-long tangle-counteracting cable, and a set of rubber ear-contacts make for the rest of it. The ROG Cetra II Core is expected to be priced at $50.

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) today announced a unique concept gaming laptop created exclusively for world champion professional skateboarder Nyjah Huston. The ROG Strix Nyjah Huston Special Edition concept gaming laptop is based on the acclaimed ROG Strix SCAR series, the leading laptops built for professional esports players. The concept introduces new design explorations at the intersection of the esports and skateboarding cultures. Developing this concept for Nyjah Huston allowed ROG to explore novel ways to enhance the experience of ROG gaming laptops, paving the way for new design thinking and future innovations.

"ASUS makes such great laptops, I am hyped to be working with them," said Huston. "I have a bunch of friends who are into esports and they all told me ASUS is the best, so it was easy decision for me to partner with ROG." Born in California, Nyjah Huston began skateboarding at age five and quickly became a household name in professional skateboarding. He is now the top ranked athlete in Street League Skateboarding and has earned 19X Games medals since 2009, including 13 golds. This year, Huston is in line to represent the United States at the 2021 Olympic Summer Games in Tokyo, Japan. He also has a long history in gaming, having been featured in multiple popular skateboarding games.