Microsoft recently published a note stating that gaming PCs running Windows 11 should be equipped with 32 GB of RAM as a "no worries" update for systems handling demanding tasks like Discord alongside AAA titles running in the background. However, after our post reached millions of readers online, gamers reacted negatively to Microsoft's seemingly excessive requirement amid the worst DRAM shortage ever recorded. In response, Microsoft deleted the entire blog post. Now, clicking on the old link redirects to the Windows Learning Center, which features general blog posts with tips and tricks on enhancing your Windows 11 experience, with no trace of the original post.

As readers may recall, Microsoft promised to make Windows 11 a much-improved operating system with better performance, more UI uniformity, and reduced RAM consumption. The company is reportedly using feedback from its Insiders group, user telemetry analytics, and customer focus groups to ensure that Windows 11 is efficient, thoughtfully designed, and stable. Earlier this year, Microsoft pledged to address many user complaints, such as poor memory optimization within its flagship operating system, but these fixes have yet to be implemented. In the meantime, having more RAM is the only solution to keep operations running smoothly. However, when the company began recommending 32 GB as a "no worries" upgrade, these plans seemed like empty promises, causing enthusiasts to stick around without considering alternatives. Now, Microsoft appears to have recognized the mistake and has deleted its previous blog post, indicating that the company is actively listening to user feedback online.

XPG, a leading provider of high-performance products for gamers, esports pros, and tech enthusiasts, today announced the launch of its groundbreaking new memory series, NOVAKEY. As the flagship of the series, the NOVAKEY RGB DDR5 features the world's first patented "Infinity Mirror" design. Delivering speeds up to 6,400 MT/s and capacities up to 32 GB per module, it is engineered for mainstream gamers and creators who demand a perfect balance between sophisticated style and rock-solid performance.

The launch of NOVAKEY marks a significant milestone in XPG's brand evolution. The name combines "Nova," representing the brilliant energy and infinite potential of a supernova, with "Key," symbolizing the essential technology that unlocks next-level performance. Its patented "Infinity Mirror" design utilizes a futuristic geometric silhouette to create mesmerizing 3D visual depth. To complement the trend of modern PC builds with large glass panels, the XPG design team applied optical reflection principles to the heat sink, creating an "infinite time tunnel" effect from any viewing angle. The exterior features XPG's signature slanted-cut language, while the matte black metal accents and brushed aluminium finish ensure a premium, refined look even when the RGB lighting is turned off.

Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd., a global leader in high-performance computer hardware, is excited to announce the official launch of its Z890 PLUS series motherboards. Engineered to maximize the value and power of the new Intel Core Ultra 200S Plus series processors, this lineup, led by the high-value Z890 AORUS ELITE PLUS, delivers a significant leap in gaming performance without the premium price tag.

High-Value Performance for Every Gamer
The Z890 PLUS series is specifically designed for enthusiasts who prioritize performance-per-dollar. By focusing on models like the Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 PLUS, Gigabyte provides a feature-rich platform that supports the latest high-performance processors. Internal testing against Intel 14th Gen CPUs reveals that these new processors offer up to 28% better gaming performance. In separate internal benchmarks, the series also demonstrates up to 35% better productivity performance compared to the previous generation. These distinct improvements make the PLUS series the ideal choice for both modern competitive gaming and intensive creative workloads.

It seems we are not too far from the next-generation Double Data Rate 6 (DDR6) memory for desktops and servers, as memory manufacturers are working with JEDEC to establish a new standard. According to South Korean media outlet The Elec, major memory makers such as SK hynix, Samsung, and Micron have reportedly begun designing DDR6 in their labs and are gradually coordinating module development with substrate manufacturers. This collaborative effort is taking place under the supervision of JEDEC, the industry authority that oversees standard development and ensures a common foundation for design. Manufacturers could have accessed JEDEC's first DDR6 draft since 2024, but the draft still lacks concrete specifications such as finalized voltage ranges, signal usage, power envelopes, and pinout design. However, this is expected to change as manufacturers are now accelerating standard development.

Last year, we reported that the major players mentioned above had already moved past the prototype stages and embarked on rigorous validation cycles. Perhaps the most interesting aspect is the designated throughput of 8,800 MT/s, with plans to scale up to a staggering 17,600 MT/s, nearly doubling the ceiling of today's DDR5. This increase is driven by DDR6's 4×24-bit sub-channel architecture, which requires entirely new approaches to signal integrity. It also differs from DDR5's current 2x32-bit sub-channel structure. To overcome the physical limits faced by DIMM form factors at higher speeds, the industry is betting on CAMM2 technology. Early indications suggest that server platforms will lead the change, with high-end notebooks following once manufacturing ramps up.

JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in standards development for the microelectronics industry, today announced milestones from its JC-40 and JC-45 Committees for Logic and DRAM Modules: the publication of a new DDR5 multiplexed rank data buffer (MDB) standard; progress toward a multiplexed rank registering clock driver (MRCD) standard; and continued work on the DDR5 multiplexed rank DIMM (MRDIMM) Gen 2 roadmap to enable higher-bandwidth DDR5 MRDIMM designs.

• Published: JESD82-552 (DDR5MDB02) Multiplexed Rank Data Buffer
• Expected soon: JESD82-542 (DDR5MRCD02) Multiplexed Rank Registering Clock Driver
• In progress: MRDIMM Gen 2 module standard nearing completion
• In development: Gen 2 DDR5 MRDIMM raw card designs targeting 12,800 MT/s and MRDIMM Gen 3 module standard development, with the underlying memory interface logic nearing finalization

Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced a comprehensive BIOS update rollout for its Intel 800, 700, and 600 series motherboards, adding full support for the newly introduced HUDIMM (One Sub-channel DDR5) memory standard. The move reflects Gigabyte's ongoing commitment to empowering users at every budget level, particularly as global DDR5 memory prices remain elevated amid continued supply constraints.

Lowering the Cost of Building on DDR5
One Sub-Channel is a new DDR5 memory specification that utilizes a single 32-bit sub-channel instead of the dual 32-bit sub-channels found in standard UDIMM modules. By adjusting the DRAM chip count per module, HUDIMM (One Sub-channel DDR5) enables memory manufacturers to provide DDR5 sticks at significantly lower price—making modern DDR5 platforms more accessible to mainstream users, system integrators, and entry-level builders who have previously been priced out of the DDR5 ecosystem.

MSI IPC announces the launch of the MS-CF27, a compact 3.5" single board computer designed to deliver reliable computing performance, wide voltage power input, and versatile connectivity for industrial and embedded solutions.

The MS-CF27 is a newly introduced 3.5" single board computer from MSI IPC that integrates Intel Alder Lake N, Twin Lake N, and Amston Lake processors to deliver efficient performance for industrial computing. Designed for fanless and ultra low power environments, the platform supports processors such as Intel Alder Lake N97, Intel Alder Lake N305, Intel Twin Lake N150, and Intel Amston Lake x7433RE, offering performance levels suitable for both PC client and embedded applications.

Super Micro Computer, Inc. , an AI, Enterprise, Storage, 5G/Edge Total Solution provider, today expanded its Data Center Building Block Solutions (DCBBS) portfolio with new Arm -based server platforms powered by the new Arm AGI CPU, and new Open Compute Project (OCP) ORv3-compliant rack offerings. Supermicro leads the industry with over 20 OCP Inspired systems, which incorporate various OCP technologies and form factors, to simplify open data center deployments.

"Supermicro continues to advance its DCBBS with an expanded portfolio of Arm-based platforms and OCP systems for next-gen AI and HPC," said Charles Liang, president and CEO of Supermicro. "With high-density, liquid-cooled systems and energy-efficient Arm architectures, we enable scalable, flexible data centers that maximize performance-per-watt and accelerate AI adoption across cloud and enterprise environments."

AMD has officially launched its Extended Profiles for Overclocking (EXPO) version 1.2, which expands support for more memory profiles, CUDIMM, and additional features. With this release, AMD aims to introduce more advanced memory tuning profiles to the "Zen 5" platform and its DDR5 memory types, while full support for EXPO 1.2 features is anticipated with the "Zen 6" processor generation. This means that full CUDIMM support for "Zen 5" tuning is still limited, and only "Zen 6" will offer complete CUDIMM support. EXPO 1.2 works with AMD's AGESA, but since AGESA 1.3.0.1 lacks full CUDIMM DDR5 support, this feature is postponed until the next-generation "Zen 6." Current-generation "Zen 5" CPUs on the AM5 socket may be able to use EXPO 1.2, but they won't fully support the new DDR5 memory with an onboard clock driver, instead relying on traditional memory to perform the task. Notably, popular AMD developer 1usmus mentioned that AMD EXPO 1.2 brings the following changes.

• Support for module geometry.
• Added support for MRDIMM (CUDIMM and CSODIMM are already supported). AGESA 1.3.0.1 still lacks full CUDIMM support; AMD is preparing this for Zen 6.
• New! tREFI, tRRDS, tWR, ULL Enable—Unified Latency Lock and VDDP(V).

Today, System76, the leading Linux-first computing platform, introduced significant updates to its Thelio product family with the new Thelio Mira desktop and Thelio Major workstation. The two systems - designed, engineered, and manufactured in Denver - deliver a complete range of professional and mission-critical capabilities for organizations that demand sustained performance, open architecture, and hardware built to last.

Engineered for Linux from the hardware up, both systems ship with Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS or Ubuntu. This full-stack approach distinguishes System76 from any other desktop manufacturer in the market.

With the DL40N, Shuttle introduces the fanless successor to the tried-and-tested DL30N. Equipped with the efficient 'Twin Lake-N' platform, DDR5 support and dual 2.5 Gbit LAN, the 1.35-liter system sets new standards for modern network infrastructures and reliable 24/7 continuous operation.

In the world of compact business PCs, Shuttle's DL series has been a mainstay for years. With the new Shuttle XPC Barebone DL40N, we are opening the next chapter for small form factor solutions. As a direct evolution of our best-selling DL30N, the system delivers precisely the upgrades demanded by modern IT projects in industry, retail and the office sector today: greater bandwidth, modern memory standards and absolute reliability.

You know we've hit rock-bottom with memory affordability when ASRock innovates a new memory standard to lower prices. The new "HUDIMM," or half unbuffered DIMM, is an ASRock-innovated standard. It calls for UDIMMs with half a rank of memory, populating just one of the two 40-bit sub-channels. Such a DIMM would only offer half its bandwidth even at its rated memory clock, and of course half the density. The HUDIMM standard is targeted at entry-level builds and business desktops that just want a modern platform for everyday tasks, and something to tide over the DDR5 memory crunch. ASRock partnered with Team Group to manufacture the first HUDIMM memory modules, which it tested to work on its Intel 600-series, 700-series, and 800-series chipset motherboards. HUDIMM support probably requires some UEFI firmware-level awareness of the standard, and ASRock is expected to release firmware updates for the same.

Here's the fun part—ASRock made it possible for end-users to pair HUDIMMs with regular UDIMMs that have two 40-bit sub-channels; for example, pairing an 8 GB HUDIMM with a 16 GB UDIMM, to achieve asymmetric capacities such as 24 GB, and the bandwidth of at least 3 DDR5 sub-channels. ASRock also developed HSODIMM, which—you guessed it—is a DDR5 SO-DIMM with just one sub-channel. Team Group will manufacture these HSODIMMs, and ASRock's Deskmini series mini-PCs that are based on MoD (mobile on desktop) platforms, will implement support for them. ASRock is perfectly faced to address the client computing market during the DDR5 famine; besides the HUDIMM/HSODIMM innovation, the company is developing a new crop of Socket LGA1700 motherboards with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory slots.

Intel is preparing to launch a new line of Socket LGA1700 processors based on the "Raptor Lake Refresh" silicon, the same exact chip powering the 14th Gen Core desktop processor series. The move is seen as Intel capitalizing on DDR5 memory shortage, by releasing processors that support both DDR5 and older DDR4 memory standards, and getting motherboard vendors to launch a new crop of LGA1700 motherboards with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory slots, giving gamers better choice of memory upgrades.

Nomenclature is a big area of speculation. One theory holds Intel could use Core Series 2 processor model numbering, but without the "Ultra" brand extension due to the lack of an integrated NPU. Further, the company might limit itself to the "5" and "7" extensions, skipping "9." The top Core 7 2xx SKU could max out the "Raptor Lake Refresh" silicon, with an 8P+16E core configuration, that's eight "Raptor Cove" P-cores, each with 2 MB of L2 cache, and four "Gracemont" E-core clusters, each with 4 MB of L2 cache; all sharing 36 MB of L3 cache. The chip has a DDR4 and DDR5 memory interface, and puts out 20 PCIe lanes, 16 of which are Gen 5, and four of which Gen 4. Having received praise from the media for the aggressive pricing of its Core Ultra 7 270K Plus processor, Intel might attempt to repeat this feat with a similar, aggressively-priced product based on "Raptor Lake Refresh," maxing out all its on-die hardware, but at an attractive price-point, with DDR4 support to boot.

Panasonic Connect North America, Division of Panasonic Corporation of North America, today launched the TOUGHBOOK 56, a powerful, modular rugged laptop purposefully built to empower mobile workers in sectors including public safety, utilities, enterprise and federal. TOUGHBOOK 56 delivers high performance computing, expanded connectivity speeds options, enhanced thermal management, and advanced security. Backed by new warranty options, it provides customers with greater flexibility and long-term peace of mind.

Frontline and field professionals must work with increased efficiency to deliver fast, high-quality service, while navigating unpredictability and resource constraints that make getting the job done infinitely challenging. TOUGHBOOK 56 is engineered with these professionals in mind, bringing advanced performance, security, innovation, and design to the edge, in a rugged, reliable, and dependable package. For IT teams, TOUGHBOOK 56's modular architecture, updated admin management software and expanded support simplify upgrades and extends device lifecycles as operational needs evolve.

In the latest Q1 2026 quarterly figures, ASML announced plans to ship over 60 EUV units this year, including both High-NA and Low-NA EUV lithography scanners. This is a significant increase from the 48 units shipped in 2025, but it doesn't break any records compared to the company's expectations for 2027. ASML predicts shipping about 80 EUV systems in 2027, driven by massive demand from memory makers. As memory has become the most sought-after commodity in AI data centers, there is simply not enough supply to meet demand. In Q1 2026, ASML reported that nearly half—45% to be precise—of its revenue came from South Korea.

While ASML hasn't provided specific data per manufacturer, we know that South Korean semiconductor makers primarily focus on memory, storage, and to a lesser extent, logic production. More than half of the quarterly shipments, at 51%, are dedicated to memory production. Companies like SK hynix and Samsung are purchasing many EUV systems to support their growing memory and storage businesses, which include the latest technologies like GDDR6, HBM3, HBM4, and DDR4/DDR5, all consumed by AI data centers worldwide. SK hynix plans to install 20 Low-NA EUV units in the next two years, all designed for HBM memory and advanced storage solutions, making SK hynix one of ASML's largest customers.

During a media tour at Lexar HQ in China, Digital Foundry spoke with Lexar's Europe General Manager, Grace Su, who explained what gamers are buying and where they are willing to compromise. Interestingly, Lexar found that, despite the pricing of DRAM and NAND Flash, users could purchase lower-capacity RAM kits without issues, while SSDs with capacities lower than 512 GB weren't selling well. Although this is not a direct comparison, when building a new PC system, you need both a RAM kit and an SSD. Based on their budget, enthusiasts often have to decide between a larger SSD or a bigger RAM kit. However, Lexar reports that users are so committed to having larger SSD space that they are even willing to revert to HDDs rather than buy an SSD smaller than 512 GB. This is understandable, considering that modern games can take up hundreds of gigabytes of space.

Currently, high RAM prices are driving PC gamers to invest considerably more in their gaming rigs to play smoothly. As 16 GB is somewhat considered the minimum for a Windows 11 system, some games and tasks are so demanding that PC DIY enthusiasts need to invest in 32 GB kits at prices that were unimaginable just a year ago. For example, we reported on the DDR4 spot market pricing, which saw the cost of a single 16 Gb module increase by about 2,200% over the past year, with only a minor 5% correction in March. We can only hope for more corrections soon so that PC gamers can finally see signs of relief, but with AI demand projected to continue rising, that seems far from reality.

ASUS has introduced the TUF Gaming B850I WiFi Neo motherboards, marking the first time the TUF Gaming brand has appeared in a Mini-ITX 17 x 17 cm form factor. The board is an AMD AM5 platform built around the B850 chipset and supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors. The two memory slots support up to 128 GB DDR5 modules, with speeds varying by CPU: up to DDR5-8200 with Ryzen 9000, DDR5-9600 with Ryzen 8000, and DDR5-8000 with Ryzen 7000. Both EXPO and ASUS AEMP profiles are supported. The PCIe x16 slot runs at Gen 5 with Ryzen 7000 / 9000 chips and at Gen 4 with Ryzen 8000. The motherboard features two M.2 slots and two SATA 6 Gb/s ports. Worth noting that ASUS labels both M.2 slots as PCIe 5.0, but the spec sheet tells a different story: the first slot is CPU-attached PCIe 5.0 x4 on Ryzen 7000 and 9000, while the second is chipset-attached PCIe 4.0 x4 regardless of CPU.

Power delivery is handled by an 8 + 2 + 1 phase VRM rated at 80 A and built on a 10-layer PCB. The rear came with a pre-mounted I/O shield and offers a USB 20 Gbps Type-C port, two USB 10 Gbps Type-A, one USB 5 Gbps Type-A, two USB 2.0 ports, DisplayPort 1.4, HDMI 2.1, 2.5 GbE via Realtek, Wi-Fi 6E, three audio jacks, BIOS FlashBack, and Clear CMOS. Internally, there are two ARGB Gen 2 headers, front panel USB headers, and the usual fan connectors including an AIO pump header. Audio is powered by a Realtek 7.1 HD codec with dedicated PCB layers and shielding, supporting up to 24-bit/192 kHz playback.

DDR4 pricing is finally showing signs of easing, as DDR4 16 Gb spot prices experienced a 5% correction in March after a more than 2,200% increase over the past year. The massive demand for AI data center expansion absorbed all available DDR production, making DDR4 and DDR5 pricing widely discussed topics among enthusiast communities. This has impacted PC DIY enthusiasts, laptop makers, PC OEMs, and everyone in between. Over the past year, the rapid price increase has effectively priced out many consumers from upgrading or installing new systems with larger RAM capacity. However, there are signs that the situation might improve as spot pricing has started to decrease.

First, readers need to understand the difference between spot and contract pricing in DDR memory. Contract pricing is what memory makers like Samsung, SK hynix, and Micron agree on with large buyers, such as PC OEMs like Apple, HP, or Dell, or even server makers who purchase DRAM in large quantities. On the other hand, spot pricing is an "on-the-spot" deal that provides immediate pricing without any contract. This spot pricing is typically reserved for smaller DRAM volumes and is usually bought by DRAM distributors and supply chain logistics. In the spot pricing market, DDR4 has fallen about 5% in March compared to February pricing, and the same applies to DDR5 memory spot pricing.

MSI, a world leader in gaming hardware, today unveiled the MAG Infinite S AI 2nd, a gaming desktop built for players who want dependable performance, smart cooling, and clear upgrade paths. Featuring processors up to Intel Core Ultra 7 265 and graphics up to NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti. The new MAG Infinite S AI 2nd pairs DDR5 memory and M.2 Gen 5 SSD storage slots to deliver fast load times, smooth gameplay, and headroom for future gaming titles.

Uncompromising Performance: Intel Core Ultra 7 & NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti
The MAG Infinite S AI 2nd is meticulously engineered to push gaming performance to its limits, powered by the Intel Core Ultra processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 50 series graphics. Intel's advanced hybrid architecture delivers the raw processing muscle required for the most demanding modern titles, while the Blackwell GPU architecture of the RTX 50 series graphics unlocks unprecedented frame rates and visual fidelity that were previously out of reach.

The Apple MacBook Neo has been a bit of a shock to system in the laptop world, thanks to its low barrier to entry and surprisingly solid performance for everyday tasks. However, one of the biggest criticisms levelled against the MacBook Neo is its mobile A18 Pro chip and limited 8 GB of RAM. According to recent rumors, though, Apple may upgrade the internals in the MacBook Neo in 2027, bumping it up to an A19 Pro, which is the SoC featured in the latest iPhone 17 Pro smartphones.

The A19 Pro is still a mobile SoC, and it is slated to use the same 5-core GPU configuration as the A18 Pro in the current MacBook Neo, but that SoC upgrade also means that the MacBook Neo would no longer be limited to just 8 GB of LPDDR5X. Instead, as the rumors suggest, the MacBook Neo 2027 will see a 50% memory increase to 12 GB total memory. So far, the MacBook Neo seems to have been such a hit in sales that the Cupertino giant has already started increasing production of the laptop.

Late last week, we reported on a new series of rowhammer bit-flip attacks targeting GDDR6-based NVIDIA GPUs. Most of these attacks can be mitigated by enabling IOMMU through the BIOS, which restricts the memory regions the GPU can access on the host system, thereby closing the primary attack path. However, researchers from the University of Toronto have introduced "GPUBreach," which can bypass IOMMU and enable CPU-side privilege escalation, unlike the previous "GDDRHammer" and "GeForge" attacks. In most typical server, workstation, and even PC configurations, IOMMU restricts the GPU's access to the CPU's physical addresses, preventing direct memory access. These are the typical DMA-based attacks that the Input-Output Memory Management Unit protects users from. However, the new "GPUBreach" operates differently.

For example, "GPUBreach" exploits memory-safe bugs in the actual GPU driver and corrupts them. When IOMMU confines the GPU's direct memory access to driver-assigned buffers, the new exploit corrupts metadata within these permitted buffers. This causes the driver, which has kernel privileges enabled on the CPU host, to perform out-of-band writes to the buffer, effectively bypassing any protection IOMMU can offer. This logic is built into the kernel by default, as the GPU driver is one of the most trusted components of the operating system. Hence, IOMMU bypass is possible when the metadata is corrupted. Since "GPUBreach" grants an attacker full root privilege escalation, the attack differs significantly from previous rowhammer attacks.

Intel's upcoming "Nova Lake" CPU generation, part of the Core Ultra 400 series, will be a major refresh of the company's P and E-core hybrid design. While many specifications have been largely leaked, the exact integrated GPU configuration remained a mystery until now. One of the most reliable Intel leakers, Jaykihn, has revealed that Intel plans to use the Xe3 generation of graphics, which is found in the current "Panther Lake" Arc B300 series of integrated GPUs. The display and media engine will come from the Xe3P "Crescent Island." Previously, we reported the source's claim that the "Nova Lake" display and media engine would incorporate some IP elements from the Xe4 "Druid" generation of graphics. However, the actual underlying hardware is not related to Xe4 and instead borrows IP from Xe3P.

Intel's plans for "Nova Lake" are focused on late 2026, with the entire lineup expected to roll out in early 2027. The platform will support DDR5 memory at 8,000 MT/s out of the box, without any overclocking. This indicates an improved integrated memory controller on the Nova Lake platform, which seems ready to handle those speeds even before XMP or factory-overclocked modules are considered. It also suggests that Intel is pushing memory support further than its current controller, which reaches DDR5-7200 on the current "Arrow Lake Refresh," alongside the new core IP and updated configuration.

Steam is reportedly in the process of adding a "Frame Estimator" tool that can estimate your PC's performance before you purchase a game. As you know, Valve's Steam platform is the largest gaming platform in the world, with access to millions of PCs. The Steam Client application offers an option to include your PC in Valve's telemetry system, which processes data such as your PC's specifications and game information, including your library. Using these data points, Steam will estimate how many frames per second your PC can generate in any game, depending on your configuration. For example, for a specific CPU, GPU, and available system memory, the Steam Client will indicate whether a game can reach 60 FPS at 1440p using high settings, or whatever your preference is. We can only speculate at this point about what the feature will look like, as Steam is still refining it before the public beta release.

Additionally, Valve has already started asking users for anonymous FPS data collection about a month ago whenever they run a game. With this data pool, likely involving millions of participants, Valve aims to build a system that estimates your FPS output based on your specific PC configuration, without needing to run a game first. Reportedly, this feature will appear in the Steam Client and show how much performance your PC can deliver before you even purchase a game. This is a classic recommendation system that will indicate what your configuration typically delivers at specific game settings and resolutions.

Intel will continue to ensure production of its 14th Gen Core "Raptor Lake Refresh" desktop processors, 700-series motherboard chipset, and ensure continued availability of the Socket LGA1700 platform. In an interview with Club386, Intel's VP and GM of client segment technical marketing, Robert Hallock, said that Raptor Lake remains a big part of Intel's client segment strategy, and that these processors will continue to be "abundantly available." Hallock also hinted that Intel could get motherboard vendors to innovate boards with both DDR4 and DDR5 memory slots, so consumers can choose between the two memory types, picking cheaper DDR4 memory, and upgrading to DDR5 down the line.

"Raptor Lake is a big part of our strategy - I want to be very clear about that," says Hallock. "It's still really, really good, even with multiple generations of hardware from other vendors coming after it, so it's not going anywhere. I want people to understand that Raptor Lake will continue to be abundantly available," Hallock said. "You've also seen some new motherboard announcements that support both DDR4 and 5 on Raptor Lake, as kind of like a bridge between worlds for people," he added. "That is reflective of our overall confidence and expectations." Companies like ASRock are already innovating such boards, and we could expect more such products in 2026.

Gigabyte Technology Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today marks a defining moment in computing aesthetics with the introduction of the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD—a groundbreaking motherboard that transcends technological achievement to become a true design statement. Building on the acclaimed success of the X870E AERO X3D WOOD, the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD carries that legacy boldly forward, deepening the experience into something more immersive and emotionally resonant.

Guided by the philosophy of Technology with Warmth, the X870E AERO X3D DARK WOOD envelops the user in a quiet, grounded mood that feels less like a hardware upgrade and more like coming home. The authentic dark wood texture finish brings natural warmth and character into high-performance computing; the supple leather pull tab adds tactile intimacy; and the understated dark metal tones offer calm and breathing room—a deliberate counterpoint to the noise of modern life.