Intel is reportedly bringing Application Optimization (APO) to its 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" and 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors after all, PC Gamer reports. APO is currently restricted to 14th Gen Core i9 and Core i7 "Raptor Lake Refresh" processors, and the upcoming 14th Gen HX Core i9 and Core i7 mobile processors based on this silicon. An extension of the Dynamic Tuning Technology (DTT), APO is an application-specific scheduler optimization that makes hardware resources of Intel's Hybrid processors "correctly" available to the application. This requires Intel to study the application itself, and validate its optimization on a per-processor model basis (which is Intel's explanation as to why it isn't available across all its Hybrid processors). On optimized games—of which there are currently 7—APO is found to offer frame rate uplifts ranging between 10% to 16%. At this point we don't know exactly which other 12th and 13th Gen processors Intel plans to extend APO to, but it's likely only to the Unlocked K or KF SKUs, as PC Gamer notes.

AMD Socket AM4 users are in for a treat, as the company plans two more processor models in the Ryzen 5000X3D series, according to chi11eddog, a reliable source with AMD leaks. Although based on the older "Zen 3" microarchitecture, these chips feature 3D Vertical Cache technology, which helps shore up their gaming performance to levels comparable at least to 12th Gen Intel Core "Alder Lake," giving Socket AM4 platform users a cost-effective upgrade path to prolong their gaming PC builds that could be as old as 5 years now. If you recall, AMD has formally extended "Zen 3" and 3D V-cache support to all Socket AM4 chipset generations, including AMD 300-series.

Among the two new processor models are the Ryzen 7 5700X3D, and the Ryzen 5 5500X3D. The 5700X3D is an 8-core/16-thread processor with 100 MB of total cache (that's 512 KB of L2 cache per core, plus 96 MB of L3 cache); while the Ryzen 5 5500X3D is a 6-core/12-thread chip with 99 MB of total cache. What sets the 5700X3D and 5500X3D apart from the 5800X3D and 5600X3D are lower clock speeds, and possibly, lower TDP. Both chips come with a base frequency of 3.00 GHz, compared to the 3.30 GHz of the 5600X3D and 3.40 GHz of the 5800X3D. The 5700X3D boosts up to 4.10 GHz compared to the 4.50 GHz of the 5800X3D; while the 5500X3D boosts up to 4.00 GHz when compared to 4.40 GHz of the 5600X3D. Both the 5800X3D and 5600X3D have their TDP rated at 105 W, so it's possible that AMD is using lower TDP and PPT values for the 5700X3D and 5500X3D. There's no word on when the two new chips are coming out, although AMD continues to release updates to the Socket AM4 AGESA microcode, with the latest version ComboAM4v2 1.2.0.B being released as recently as September 2023.

Durabook, an innovator in purpose-built, rugged computing solutions, today announced the launch of the next-generation S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop equipped with the latest Intel 12th Gen Alder Lake platform. The combination of this powerful CPU, coupled with a comprehensive set of connectivity options, security support, and its capability for further expandability makes this semi-rugged laptop with its large screen the perfect support for professional field services personnel running ever more sophisticated applications in challenging conditions.

The laptop's 15.6" Full HD display may be the first thing to turn the head of a field service professional, but the CPU performance of the S15 Semi-Rugged Laptop with Intel Core i7 and i5 processors that are up to 206% faster than previously is an eye-opener. Looking past the handsome rugged exterior, at the Intel Iris Xe Graphics package, ultra-reliable connectivity, and the ability to operate as a workstation configured with up to three storage drives, this is the ideal rugged laptop for field services workers.

IBASE Technology Inc. (TPEx: 8050), a renowned provider in the design and manufacturing of embedded computing solutions, rolls out the low-power IB838 3.5" single board computer powered by Intel Core i3 N-series (formerly Alder Lake-N) processor. Combining robust computing performance with advanced features, it is positioned to meet diverse needs across multiple industries, including industrial automation and control, retail displays, transportation, and automotive applications.

Fortified with intelligent power handling and a 9 V~36 V DC input range, the IB838 ensures reliability and consistent operations in transportation applications that may encounter variable power conditions. Versatile connectivity makes it ideal for automation processes and data acquisition systems. The SBC offers Type-C, DP++, and eDP or LVDS display options, along with a rich set of I/O interfaces, including two Intel PCI-E 2.5G LAN ports, two USB 2.0 ports, and four USB 3.2 ports (1x Type-C + 3x Type-A).

Recently, Chinese customs at Gongbei Port, which connects Macau and Zhuhai, made a significant interception: 780 Intel processors that smugglers were attempting to sneak in. Smugglers in China are known for their innovative tactics to bypass customs. There are many ways that these smugglers try to avoid paying customs, and that is strapping these goods on themselves. In this latest incident, the smugglers chose a seemingly clever approach by stashing the processors within a cross-border bus's engine. But passing through metal detectors with such a hefty amount of metal is risky, and even creative disguises can't shield processors from keen-eyed detectors.

After examining its digital imagery, the Gongbei Port customs officials grew suspicious of the bus. A detailed engine inspection unveiled the smuggled goods: 780 Intel processors, cleverly hidden. The estimated value of the seized items is over one million yuan, approximately $137,341. Although the exact models of the confiscated chips are not entirely clear, they appear to be from the 12th Generation Alder Lake or 13th Generation Raptor Lake series. China's vast grey market for computer components is both a boon and a bane. While CPUs, GPUs, and SSDs are available at tempting prices, these deals often lack the manufacturer's warranty. So, while the initial savings might seem appealing, the absence of warranty poses risks that could offset those initial benefits in the long run.

Intel recently updated its website to highlight interposers used for testing upcoming chips before their actual product integration. A specific webpage now showcases components used by various tools, notably the "Gen5 VR," which stands for CPU Voltage Regulator in this context. The highlight of the update reveals at least four yet-to-be-announced products: Battlemage (BMG), Arrow Lake (ARL), and Lunar Lake (LNL), slated for launch in 2024. Particularly interesting are the two Battlemage interposers: BGA2362-BMG-X2 and BGA2727-BMG-X3. This hints that a Battlemage GPU could have more pins than Intel's current top-tier GPU from the Alchemist series, known as DG2, which features 2660 pins (BGA2660-DG2-512EU).

This unveiling could indicate Intel's plans to introduce two GPUs in its new series or potentially two different package sizes. Manufacturers often use consistent package sizes for multiple GPUs, granting flexibility to interchange processors with similar specifications and presenting a feasible production strategy. Another notable mention is the Arrow Lake-HX, intended for premium desktop/laptop hybrids.. While there was some buzz about the ARL-HX series before, this update provides clear confirmation from Intel. Lastly, the reveal includes an interposer for the Lunar Lake-M series (LNL-M), which is expected to be Intel's most energy-efficient line. Drawing parallels from the Alder Lake series, such chips were designed for tablets with power consumption between 5 to 7 watts.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS), the global leading motherboard, mini PC, notebook, mobile device, and smart solution provider, will attend Europe's largest and the most iconic consumer electronics trade show, IFA Berlin 2023, to exhibit a series of new laptops for education and business.

Optimize Cloud-Based Learning & Teaching: A New Series of Education Chromebooks Can Fulfill Teachers' and Students' Different Needs
After the world enters the post-pandemic era, there are enormous changes in both teaching and learning modes. Meanwhile, digital trend is arising. To meet various requirements from education fields, ECS launches the brand new SG20, SE40, and EP20 education PC series. These thin and ultraportable laptops feature rugged chassis certified by MIL-STD-810H tests. Equipped with Chrome OS, their battery life can last up to 10 hours. Besides, they support 4G LTE and Wi-Fi 6, which is ideal for remote learning.

A new entry has appeared on the Geekbench Browser database—very early this morning—apparently pointing to the lowest model sitting within the ranks of Intel's Alder Lake-N CPU series. According to leaked Geekbench 6.1 test results, as spotted by Benchleaks, the evaluated system was running on an "Intel N50" processor. This truly entry-point 6 W TDP SoC seems to feature two Gracemont efficiency cores with a 997 MHz base clock and a boost capability of 3.4 GHz. You are not getting any hyper-threading here. The integrated GPU is reported to sport 16 Execution Units—the more powerful N200, Core i3-N305 and Core i3-N300 Alder Lake-N siblings have double that count (32 EUs).

The benchmarked N50 system achieved overall scores of 1054 (single core) and 1388 (multi-threaded). Geekbench Browser states that the tested build had 8 GB of RAM (single channel), with the OS being Microsoft Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC (64-bit) on a balanced power plan. VideoCardz was somewhat impressed with the plucky 6 W TDP chip offering comparable performance to decade old CPUs, albeit with a much lower power draw. The N50's single core result positions it closer to Intel fourth Gen Core Haswell mobile processors or first generation Ryzen CPUs, but the multi-core score is a bit of letdown—perhaps comparable to Intel Core 2 and AMD FX series models.

Intel decided to drop the relatively new AVX-512 instruction set for laptop/mobile platforms when it was discovered that it would not work in conjunction with their E-core designs. Alder Lake was the last generation to (semi) support these sets thanks to P-cores agreeing to play nice, albeit with the efficiency side of proceedings disabled (via BIOS settings). Intel chose to fuse off AVX-512 support in production circa early 2022, with AMD picking up the slack soon after and working on the integration of AVX-512 into Zen 4 CPU architecture. The Ryzen 7040 series is the only current generation mobile platform that offers AVX-512 support. Phoronix decided to benchmark a Ryzen 7 7840U against older Intel i7-1165G7 (Tiger Lake) and i7-1065G7 (Ice Lake) SoCs in AVX-512-based workloads.

Team Red's debut foray into AVX-512 was surprisingly performant according to Phoronix's test results—the Ryzen 7 7840U did very well for itself. It outperformed the 1165G7 by 46%, and the older 1065G7 by an impressive 63%. The Ryzen 7 APU was found to attain the highest performance gain with AVX-512 enabled—a 54% performance margin over operating with AVX-512 disabled. In comparison Phoronix found that: "the i7-1165G7 Tiger Lake impact came in at 34% with these AVX-512-heavy benchmarks or 35% with the i7-1065G7 Ice Lake SoC for that generation where AVX-512 on Intel laptops became common."

Durabook, an innovator in purpose-built, rugged computing solutions, today announced upgrading its U11 Rugged Tablet with the 12th Gen Intel processor and other architectural innovations that establish it as the most versatile 11-inch rugged tablet. The U11 rugged tablet solution goes above and beyond standard requirements to elevate the professional user's experience.

Upgrading the U11 CPU to the latest Intel 12th generation Alder Lake platform, with Intel Core i7 and i5 processors, is significant in part because it enables performance up to 225% faster than the previous, 10th Gen CPU. Sporting the Coolfinity fanless thermal solution lets the U11 tablet operate quietly while offering higher reliability and decreasing downtime and repairs that negatively impact productivity. Delivered with Intel Iris Xe Graphics boosts the U11's computing power to process large amounts of data, images, and video feeds in real-time. Packing these and a trove of functions and features into a rugged tablet appeals to professional users that desire the utmost performance with the ease of a tablet.

Chinese tech tipster Enthusiast Citizen (ECSM) has posted on Bilibili about future Intel product refreshes with a rough timeline spanning from late to 2023 to early 2024. We have been hearing a lot lately about Team Blue's Raptor Lake Refresh, with reports from this week suggesting that this lineup will be the last to sport Team Blue's traditional naming scheme—as 14th Gen Core. ECSM claims that Raptor Lake Refresh-K SKUs are due for launch this October, and non-K units will follow them a month or two later. Team Blue will likely be happy to keep LGA 1700 and 1800 sockets alive for another generation.

ECSM also brings up seemingly new information with an alleged Sapphire Rapids Refresh lined up for early 2024—suggesting that updated HEDT Xeon W2500 and W3500 series processors are incoming. The Intel W790 chipset should be able to run this rumored replacement lineup. ECSM's proposed product roadmap also presents wholly new product ranges including Meteor Lake offerings, albeit with desktop MTL-S SKUs cancelled—mobile-oriented Meteor Lake-H seems to be alive and well with an alleged Q4 2023 launch window. Finally Arrow Lake-S is predicted to launch in the final quarter of 2024 or early 2025—so we will likely have to wait another year and a half for upgraded Intel mainstream desktop SKUs.

We've made some serious claims around Framework Laptop 13 battery life improvements with the new 13th Gen Intel Core version, and now it's time to put the product to the test! We've hosted a YouTube livestream to test the battery life of the Framework Laptop 13 (13th Gen Intel Core) vs the Framework Laptop 13 (12th Gen Intel Core). The livestream started at 6 am PT yesterday (June 14) and ran until the batteries died. Both systems were set up to be a typical Performance configuration, and both were running a 1080p video in a loop in Windows 11. Full system specs are listed below, and in the YouTube description.

The two key factors to the improved battery life with the latest Framework Laptops are the new 61 Wh Battery included on i7 configurations, offering 11% greater capacity, and the designed-in efficiency improvements that 13th Gen Intel Core processors deliver.

Introducing the ZBOX Edge MI351, a compact low-profile mini PC that delivers the essential performance for everyday computing at home, office, or business. With its included VESA mounting bracket, the MI351 provides the flexibility needed to mount the system nearly anywhere. Powerful at its thinnest - At only 28 mm (1.12 inches) thin, the ZBOX Edge MI351 provides the performance while leaving a lot desk space left to use. Despite its compact size, the ZBOX Edge MI351 comes equipped with a versatile array of ports to take on a wide range of connectivity and add-ons.

PERFORMANCE OVER THE EDGE
Featuring an Intel N-Series (formerly Alder Lake-N) Processor and fast DDR5 memory support, the ZBOX Edge MI351 is responsive to everyday tasks, and its low power draw makes it a perfect gateway to power anything from IoT-enabled applications and POS systems to home theaters.

Following its successful demonstration of a MIPI camera solution using the UP Squared Pro 7000 at Embedded World, AAEON have announced a MIPI Expansion Kit for the newly released third generation board. Equipped with the Intel Atom Processors x7000E Series, Intel Core i3-N305 Processor and Intel Processor N Series (formerly Alder Lake-N) and an FPC port supporting MIPI-CSI interface, the UP Squared Pro 7000 emphasizes AAEON's continued dedication to bringing the latest Intel technologies to a wider variety of platforms. One such platform is the LI-ADL-ADP-IMX415-MIPI-081H, a 4K MIPI Camera Module from leading intelligent embedded camera creator, Leopard Imaging Inc.

The company recently announced that the camera has been designed with full-function drivers to support the Intel Atom Processors x7000E Series, Intel Core i3-N305 Processor, and Intel Processor N Series (formerly Alder Lake-N), allowing users to take advantage of the peripheral Intel technologies that come with the processor platform, such as Intel UHD Graphics on a Windows 10 IoT Enterprise OS.

Chinese OEM ERYING designed a lineup of Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX desktop motherboards with 12th Gen Intel Core H-segment mobile processors. These are processors originally meant for the mobile platform, but which have been hardwired on these motherboards. Since the processor packages are bare-die BGAs, ERYING is using thick copper heatspreaders that protect the processor underneath, but most importantly, provide cooler compatibility for all aftermarket CPU coolers capable of handling Socket LGA1700 processors. This is a clever way of giving customers choice of aftermarket coolers by simply tossing in a slab of metal that serves as a heatspreader; than using a custom-design fan-heatsink with no upgradability.

Among the mobile processors these boards come with, are the Core i7-12700H (6P+8E), Core i5-12650H (4P+8E), i5-12500H (4P+8E), and i5-12450H (4P+4E). These boards come with conventional 24-pin ATX + 8-pin EPS power inputs, stock Intel clock speeds and power limits; and full-size memory slots, besides PCI-Express Gen 3 x16 and x1 slots, and a plethora of desktop-relevant I/O. Prices range between the equivalent of $286 to $356, depending on the processor used. An interesting feature with these boards is the ability to override the 45 W PL1 of the processors, and unlock PL1 and PL2 up to 95 W, to improve performance.

In response to the increasing demand for powerful computing that can be relied on in a wide range of even the most challenging installation environments, leading industrial computing manufacturer and solution provider, OnLogic (www.onlogic.com), has unveiled their Helix 401 fanless industrial computer. The compact device is designed for use in edge computing, industry 4.0, Internet of Things (IoT), and many other emerging applications and will make its public debut at Embedded World 2023.

"You may never see them, but industrial computers are everywhere, working diligently to power technology solutions of every shape and size. These systems need to be small and reliable while still being just as powerful as high-end desktop machines," says Mike Walsh, Senior Product Manager at OnLogic. "The Helix 401 balances size and performance while providing a wide range of configuration possibilities to help users tailor it to their specific application. It's small enough to fit in your hand, similar in size to Intel's popular NUC, but capable enough to drive advanced automation solutions and power the next great smart agriculture, building automation or energy management innovation."

Over the past month, memory manufacturers started releasing DDR5 memory modules of 24 GB and 48 GB densities, which make up 48 GB (2x 24 GB), 96 GB (2x 48 GB or 4x 24 GB) and even 192 GB (4x 48 GB) capacities. There's only one catch—these modules only work with 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" and 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors, as their memory controllers support a maximum of 192 GB of memory, and 24/48/96 GB DIMM densities. MEGAsizeGPU decided to find out what happens when one of these kits is installed on an AMD Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" platform.

A Corsair Vengeance DDR5-5600 48 GB (2x 24 GB) memory kit was installed on a machine consisting of an AMD Ryzen 5 7600X processor, and an ASUS ROG Strix B650E-E Gaming motherboard (BIOS version 1222). It turns out that the machine POSTs, and is able to start the UEFI setup program. Here, the program is able to display the correct 48 GB memory amount, and the memory density of each of the two modules. The trouble is, Windows would not boot, and does not go past the Boot Manager. It halts with an error message that indicates a hardware problem.

Minisforum unveiled the new Intel 12th Mini PC NUCG5 with dual 40 Gbps thunderbolt 4 ports today. Equipped with the powerful Intel Core i5-1240P chip, NUCG5 is even more powerful, capable, and affordable for the edge, business, or home. The Intel Core i5-1240P is a mid-range Alder Lake-P family SoC with 12 cores/16 threads. It has 12 MB of L3 cache and operates at 1700 MHz by default, but it can boost up to 4.4 GHz, depending on the workload. It also integrates the 80 EU Intel Iris Xe Graphics that can run up to 1.30 GHz.

Measuring 109.5 mm long, 110.5 mm wide and 61.6 mm high, NUCG5 is even smaller than the Minisforum UM series lineup such as Minisforum UM560. The dual Thunderbolt 4 ports design makes it stand out among other members.

Intel Corporation today reported fourth-quarter and full-year 2022 financial results. The company also announced that its board of directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.365 per share on the company's common stock, which will be payable on March 1, 2023, to shareholders of record as of February 7, 2023.

"Despite the economic and market headwinds, we continued to make good progress on our strategic transformation in Q4, including advancing our product roadmap and improving our operational structure and processes to drive efficiencies while delivering at the low-end of our guided range," said Pat Gelsinger, Intel CEO. "In 2023, we will continue to navigate the short-term challenges while striving to meet our long-term commitments, including delivering leadership products anchored on open and secure platforms, powered by at-scale manufacturing and supercharged by our incredible team."

EK, the premium liquid cooling hardware manufacturer, is launching the Direct Die product series aimed at delidding and achieving the ultimate cooling of the LGA 1700 socket-based Intel CPUs from the 12th generation Alder Lake and 13th gen Raptor Lake families. Kitguru teamed up with EK to investigate the potential benefits of direct die cooling for Intel's Alder Lake CPUs to achieve the best possible thermal performance on a daily basis. After publishing the first video announcing this collaboration, EK was overwhelmed by the response from Kitguru's audience. In order to bring these products to market, EK reached out to Der8auer, a renowned expert in delidding and direct die applications.

EK has prepared a total of four products to start this Direct Die series: two CPU water blocks (one Limited Edition), a delidding tool, and an upgrade kit for existing EK-Quantum Vector² LGA1700 water blocks. So far, these products are aimed at Intel's LGA1700 socket and 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core CPUs. Delidding is the process of removing the integrated heatspreader (IHS) to reduce the distance between the CPU core die and the coldplate of the CPU cooler. Another benefit involves the removal of an entire layer of thermal transfer from the CPU die to the IHS. The delidding process enables a direct heat transfer from the CPU core to the water block. All this results in a significant reduction in overall thermals and less thermal difference between CPU cores. The procedure is typically performed by experienced enthusiasts because it involves a physical modification of the product that voids the CPU warranty. For a more in-depth explanation, please refer to this EK's blog post on delidding.

With everyone busy enjoying the announcements of new shiny toys at CES, Intel has taken the opportunity to jack up the prices on its older 12th Gen Core processors by around 10 percent. This wasn't entirely unexpected though, as Intel announced back in June of last year that it was going to increase the MSRP of its 12th Gen Core processors. The price increase affects different SKUs wildly differently, as the Core i9-12900K for example, is seeing a US$59 price increase and its new MSRP is now US$648, which is more than the Core i9-13900K which has an MSRP of US$589. On the other hand, the Core i3-12100 only gets a $12 price increase, which puts its new MSRP at US$134, which places it in the same price bracket as the Core i3-13100.

This is a very unusual move by Intel and it affects all of its 12th Gen Core desktop processors and possibly some other SKUs as well. Considering the 13th Gen Core parts are either priced cheaper or fall in the same price bracket, it's hard to see how Intel is going to see any sales of its older 12th Gen Core processors, especially as the two share the same socket. It's highly unlikely that this move will affect its shareholders in a positive way either, as Intel is likely to see lower sales with this price increase of its previous generation of processors, which in turn will result in even lower revenue. That said, it's unclear if this will affect retail pricing or not, as it's possible that many stores won't replenish their stock of 12th Gen Core CPUs once their current stock sells out.

Intel today expanded its 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" Socket LGA1700 desktop processor family with several new 65 W mainstream models. These include all the SKUs that lack an unlocked multiplier, aren't meant for CPU overclocking, and come with slightly lower frequencies and tighter power-management than the unlocked K-series SKUs the company debuted the series with in 2022. The retail packages of these processors include stock Intel fan-heatsinks similar to those the company includes with its 12th Gen "Alder Lake" 65 W processors.

The series is led by the Core i9-13900, an 8P+16E core processor with P-core base frequency of 2.00 GHz, P-core maximum boost frequency of 5.60 GHz, E-core base frequency of 1.50 GHz and 4.20 GHz; and the full 36 MB of L3 cache available on the silicon. The processor base power value is 65 W, and the maximum turbo power is 219 W. Intel lists the MSRP of these processors at $550, a variant without integrated graphics, the i9-13900F, can be had for $524. The Core i7-13700 positioned a notch below, is an 8P+8E processor, with a P-core boost frequency of up to 5.20 GHz, a slightly better 2.10 GHz E-core boost, 30 MB of L3 cache, and the same 219 W MTP value. The i7-13700 is priced at $384, and the iGPU-disabled.

Intel's "Raptor Lake" microarchitecture will go mobile this 2023 International CES, with the company planning to substantially expand its 13th Gen Core processor family for notebooks, ultraportables, convertibles, tablets, and pretty much any PC form-factor that you can carry around. The high-end enthusiast mobile parts see processors in the 55 W to 65 W (or higher) TDP range, and with the same 8P+16E core-configuration as the desktop Core i9-13900K, including support for enthusiast features such as overclocking.

The leaky taps on social media are ready with some of the first benchmarks of Intel's new mobile flagship, the Core i9-13900HX. The Geekbench score of the chip puts it faster than the desktop Core i7-13700K (8P+8E) and Core i9-12900K "Alder Lake" (8P+8E), which enjoy power limits of up to 251 W, base power of 125 W, and a much more relaxed power-management scheme compared to a mobile chip like the i9-13900HX. The processor scores 2039 points in the single-threaded test, and 20493 points in the multi-threaded one, which puts it ahead of the desktop i7-13700K (which in turn is faster than the i9-12900K). Geekbench detects the processor to feature a maximum P-core boost frequency of 5.40 GHz, which isn't too far from the 5.60 GHz of the 65 W desktop i9-13900 (non-K). CES promises to be action-packed with Intel expected to announce dozens of 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" mobile processor SKUs, and NVIDIA expected to announce the first mobile variants of its GeForce RTX 40-series "Ada" GPUs.

AMD is firing full cylinders to release a new line of Ryzen 7000-series "Zen 4" Socket AM5 desktop processors featuring 3D Vertical Cache, at the earliest. Faced with a significant drop in demand due to the slump in the PC industry, and renewed competition from Intel in the form of its 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" processors, the company is looking to launch the Ryzen 7000X3D desktop processors within January 2023, with product unveiling expected at AMD's 2023 International CES event. The 3D Vertical Cache technology had a profound impact on the gaming performance of the older "Zen 3" architecture, bringing it up to levels competitive with those of the 12th Gen Core "Alder Lake" processors, and while gaming performance of the Ryzen 7000 "Zen 4" processors launched till take match or beat "Alder Lake," they fall behind those of the 13th Gen "Raptor Lake," which is exactly what AMD hopes to remedy with the Ryzen 7000X3D series.

In a report, Korean tech publication Quasar Zone states that AMD is planning to release 16-core/32-thread, 12-core/24-thread, and 8-core/16-thread SKUs in the Ryzen 7000X3D series. These would use one or two "Zen 4" chiplets with stacked 3D Vertical Cache memory. A large amount of cache memory operating at the same speed as the on-die L3 cache, is made contiguous with it and stacked on top of the region of the CCD (chiplet) that has the L3 cache, while the region with the CPU cores has structural silicon that conveys heat to the surface. On "Zen 3," the 32 MB on-die cache is appended with 64 MB of stacked cache memory operating at the same speed, giving the processor 96 MB of L3 cache that's uniformly accessible by all CPU cores on the CCD. This large cache memory positively impacts gaming performance on the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in comparison to the 5800X; and a similar uplift is expected for the 7000X3D series over their regular 7000-series counterparts.

A reliable source with CPU and platform leaks, ECSM_Official, made some new predictions about release timelines of upcoming desktop processors, and how 2023 could play out for Intel and AMD. 2022 is done, with no new desktop processor SKUs expected to launch from either brands. Intel is expected to flesh out its 13th Gen Core "Raptor Lake" desktop processor family in Q1 2023, with the addition of "locked" non-K SKUs spanning all four brand extensions (i3/i5/i7/i9). Besides these, Intel is expected to launch its new flagship, the Core i9-13900KS, with boost frequencies hitting the 6 GHz mark, in an attempt to ward off the threat from "Zen 4" with 3D Vertical Cache, a technology that springboarded "Zen 3" gaming performance to match that of "Alder Lake."

Both the i9-13900KS and AMD Ryzen 7000X3D processors are expected to launch toward the middle of H1-2023 (March-April). AMD is only expected to launch 6-core/12-thread and 8-core/16-thread SKUs with the 3DV cache technology. These would be single-CCD packages. There's no word on dual-CCD ones with 12-core or 16-core counts, so a Ryzen 9 7950X3D is not on the horizon. AMD is expected to debut its entry-level A620 motherboard chipset in Q2-2023. This chipset reportedly lacks CPU overclocking capability, is expected to lack PCIe Gen 5, and caps memory speed to DDR5-4800.