Since teasing its next-gen flagship motherboard design—at CES 2025—the ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) team has spent time finalizing an option that is even more extravagant than their hardcore overclocking-oriented Crosshair X870E Apex model. Naturally, the premium sub-brand did not reveal pricing during preview events—instead, premature European e-tail listings suggested a €1200 (~$1350 USD) tag. Tony Wu and colleagues at ASUS China introduced an impressive swath of brand-new products at an official in-person showcase last week, in Changsha.

During proceedings, company representatives introduced their top-flight E-ATX format board with a hefty day one price: 9999 RMB ($1360 USD). The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme is expected to launch later this month; likely starting off with the Chinese domestic market. At the time of writing, the manufacturer's various global branches have not disclosed localized details—be it pricing or availability. Last week's presser did not produce any surprises, since plenty of specification details (and promo shots) leaked out late last month. One interesting and very over the top feature is the model's integration of an adjustable full-color 5-inch LCD screen. The primary M.2 storage solution will be cooled by an "innovative" 3D vapor chamber heatsink. Well-heeled customers will be relieved to know that ASUS has outfitted the AAA board design with their revamped Q-Release Slim mechanism.

Over a year ago, hardcore overclocking fanatics celebrated MSI's resurrection of the much missed MPOWER motherboard product line. After a seven-year hiatus, the Taiwanese manufacturer revived this series—beginning with a brand-new Z790MPOWER option. Back then, an exclusive Wccftech news report put a spotlight on the (then) brand-new model's support of Intel Core 12th, 13th, and 14th Gen processors (on LGA 1700/1800). Returning to the present day, MSI seems to be prepping a new MPOWER motherboard model—leaked shots imply a return to an old school color theme (black/yellow, rather than metallic tones). Wccftech has uploaded two close-up teaser images, from a "brief glimpse" preview session. There is evidence of AI upscaling here—despite the presence of anomalies/aberrations, we can see MSI logo and MPOWER branding on attached heatsinks.

Wccftech believes that the proposed "MSI MPOWER AMD series" will be: "a strong and cost-effective design for overclockers. The previous Z790 MPOWER motherboard brought great OC capabilities in an affordable design, offering 8000 MT/s DDR5 support and the new design will be no exception...Starting with the details, the...motherboard will feature an AM5 socket and is likely to leverage the B850E chipset. The new MPOWER motherboard also comes with a microATX form factor." Like last year's edition, MSI has readied the board with two DDR5 DIMM slots—ideal for ardent memory overclocking enthusiasts. This twin-stick setup reportedly supports up to 128 GB capacities. An extra bit of real estate is freed up; thus granting room for an additional M.2 bay. Wccftech did not disclose every tidbit of insider info, but they have hinted about the board's prowess: "it's awesome that we are finally getting an MPOWER motherboard from MSI for AM5 builders. The MPOWER series is great for overclocking and this motherboard should be just as good. We also managed to get information regarding the OC capabilities which are going to rival some of the high-end AM5 offerings as far as memory tuning is concerned."

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and Hi-fi audio products, is thrilled to announce the CVN X870 ARK FROZEN motherboard for the AMD Ryzen 9000 Series processors - COLORFUL's first AMD X870 motherboard. The CVN X870 ARK FROZEN adopts the CVN's signature military-inspired aesthetics.

The CVN X870 ARK FROZEN's design is inspired by aircraft carriers. The motherboard features large frost gray heatsinks and a titanium gray-colored PCB - COLORFUL's first AM5 motherboard to feature the color. Its bright orange accents evoke power and sophistication. The M.2 heatsinks sport lines similar to the runway of the aircraft carrier.

ASUS has launched its B850M AYW GAMING WiFi motherboard worldwide giving users a small but mighty option for AMD Ryzen desktop systems. This board comes in a narrow microATX form factor measuring 24.4 cm x 22.1 cm. It sports a six-layer black PCB and silver-white heatsinks keeping a tidy look while sticking to the ASUS AYW series style. The board uses an 8+2+1 phase setup with discrete MOSFETs and has one 8-pin EPS CPU power plug. For a compact board, it offers plenty of storage choices. You'll find one PCIe 5.0 M.2 slot that can handle speeds up to 128 Gbps and another PCIe 4.0 M.2 slot with speeds up to 64 Gbps. To add extra cards, the motherboard provides one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot running at full speed plus one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot that works at x8/x4 speed.

The B850M AYW GAMING WiFi has two DIMM slots for DDR5 memory in a dual-channel setup with AEMP support (up to 8400+ MS/s OC). It comes with Wi-Fi 6 wireless networking, 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet, various USB ports, including Type-C, and Realtek 7.1 channel audio CODEC. You'll find a pre-mounted shield on the rear I/O panel. This panel includes one HDMI 2.1 port, several USB ports at different speeds (10 Gbps, 5 Gbps, and 480 Mbps), one 2.5 GbE RJ45 network port, two Wi-Fi antenna connections, and three audio jacks. For those looking to customize, the board offers three Addressable RGB Gen 2 headers. Exact pricing is yet to be revealed.

The BCM MX-MTLPS is a Thin Mini-ITX motherboard designed to take advantage of Intel's latest Core Ultra 3/5/7 processors, built on the Meteor Lake-PS (MTL-PS) platform. As one of the first Mini-ITX form factor boards to support Intel's new socketed SoC design, the MX-MTLPS offers an ideal blend of AI acceleration, integrated graphics, and power-efficient compute—all in a low-profile, fanless-capable footprint.

With a strong focus on edge AI, multi-display, and embedded computing, the MX-MTLPS allows system developers to bring mobile-class performance to desktop-style deployments in space-constrained or thermally sensitive environments.

Here are some of the first pictures of the ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme, the company's new flagship Socket AM5 motherboard. Until now, the company's AMD 800-series chipset motherboard lineup topped off with the ROG Crosshair X870E Hero for connectivity and the ROG Crosshair X870E Apex for overclocking chops, and the company is looking to push things up a notch, especially given that AMD's Ryzen 9000X3D series is established as the fastest processor series for gaming PC builds. This board is designed to compete with the likes of the MSI MEG X870E Godlike and the GIGABYTE X870E AORUS Xtreme. It is firmly into the E-ATX territory in terms of dimensions. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX, two 8-pin EPS, and an 8-pin PCIe power. It uses the company's most powerful CPU VRM solution for the AMD platform, above even the 22-phase solution of the Hero.

The ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme comes with a large number of 4-pin PWM fan and water pump headers. Storage connectivity includes one M.2-22110 Gen 5 on the board with a chunky heat pipe-based cooler; a second Gen 5 and two Gen 4 slots on the board, and a DIMM.2 module that provides additional slots. The expansion slots provided are a PCI-Express 5.0 x16 and a second PCI-Express 4.0 x4 (physical x16). There are a boat-load of USB ports, including a couple of 40 Gbps USB4, 20 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, and several 10 Gbps and 5 Gbps USB 3.2 ports. Networking interfaces include Wi-Fi 7, a 10 GbE, and a 5 GbE. The board features the company's most premium onboard audio solution that probably combines a Realtek ALC4082 with an ESS ES9219 DAC for the front channels, an audiophile-grade OPAMP, and premium capacitors. The board offers many of the exclusive overclocker-friendly features found in the company's ROG Maximus Extreme motherboards. A star-attraction is its 4-inch true-color display over the VRM heatsinks, which can be programmed to show anything. There is no word on availability or pricing.

GIGABYTE Technology, one of the top global manufacturers of motherboards, graphics cards, and hardware solutions, today announced the launch of its latest B760 GEN5 motherboards featuring full-line PCIe Gen 5 x16 support that dramatically elevates graphics processing capabilities to new heights. The "GEN5" suffixed to the model names represents that these new B760 motherboards are designed with future compatibility in mind, which perfectly support the latest GeForce RTX 50 series and Radeon RX 9000 series graphics cards.

The new B760 GEN5 motherboards harness the full potential of PCIe Gen 5's doubled bandwidth, delivering lightning-fast frame rates, reduced latency, and superior visual fidelity that gives competitive gamers the critical edge needed to win. For content creators and professionals, this translates to significantly faster rendering times and smoother workflow with even the most demanding visual applications.

ASUS silently releases its first AMD B850 motherboard featuring the GC-HPWR connector, allowing it to deliver up to 600 W to a compatible graphics card without needing external cables. The TUF Gaming B850 BTF Wi-Fi W motherboard supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 CPUs, including the latest 9950X3D, and offers all the typical features expected from a mid-tier AMD motherboard. On a quick look over main specifications, we can see it uses a 14+2+1 power stage design and an eight-layer PCB, supports DDR5 memory up to 8000 MT/s, PCIe 5.0 x16 with updated Q-Release system, one Gen 5 M.2 slot, ALC1220P audio, and BIOS flashback.

ASUS first created its Back to the Future (BTF) lineup with the intention of moving all motherboard connectors to the back of the PCB. While this makes installation and cable routing a bit more challenging, it results in a much tidier-looking motherboard and a cleaner overall system look without the usual mess of wires. BTF-compatible GPUs help eliminate power cables by replacing the standard 8-pin or 12VHPWR connectors with a metal plug at the end of the PCIe slot. ASUS is now bringing this connector to its more affordable B850 boards, which could help make this rare GPU power solution more common. As a BTF board, it hides all cable connectors on the front—even for GPU power as we said, you'll find the GC-HPWR connector at the end of the PCIe x16 slot, just below the RAM slots. However, you don't have to use this feature—the motherboard works fine with any modern graphics card, whether it relies on the new power option or standard connectors. That said, to achieve a completely cable-free setup, you'll need to pair it with one of ASUS's BTF graphics cards. This currently limits you to the RTX 40-series, as ASUS has yet to release any 50-series BTF cards. The fact that ASUS is adding this new type of connector to midrange motherboards could suggest that it plans to expand the BTF lineup in the future. ASUS didn't reveal pricing or any release date information for the TUF Gaming B850 BTF Wi-Fi W motherboard.

A member of GIGABYTE's gaming subreddit has shared a worrying HWiNFO diagnostics readout accompanied by a simple title: "X870E AORUS XTREME AI TOP Chipset with AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D—Chipset 2 (xHCI) 109.9 °C." Xabiro's initial post attracted replies that disclosed additional feedback regarding higher than expected temperature measurements. Another member—RyanOCallaghan01—exclaimed in the comments section: "damn. I am having the same problem, Chipset 2 is almost reaching 100 degrees Celcius, and I have not even got a high-powered GPU installed. I have seen your image and starting to suspect mine may be the same." The original poster proceeded to disassemble their thermally-challenged X870E AORUS XTREME AI TOP specimen, and quickly identified the root cause—affecting one of the board design's two daisy-chained Promontory 21 chipsets.

Xabiro described this problem-solving process: "I removed the heat sink and actually the top AMD chipset is not touching the heat sink no matter what I do...I didn't have any GPU installed yet, but I just solved (the temperature problem) yesterday, with thermal paste combined with Thermal Grizzly (TG) KryoSheet, just because I didn't have TG Putty Pro. Now the maximum temperature is 65 °C—also on the bottom one was just changed to TG Kryonaut, and it is under 50 °C. Quite ironically, GIGABYTE recently engaged in some public mocking of a troubled ASUS motherboard feature. Xabiro suspected that the X870E AORUS XTREME AI TOP mainboard's EZ Latch Plus GPU quick release system is preventing good contact between surfaces. They observed that: "the plastic ornament which goes from the PCIe to the release button is too high and the top part of the heat sink stays on it, and just simply cannot touch the chipset die."

Last month, ASRock added two "brand-new" B650M Pro X3D motherboard models to its global website. The Taiwanese manufacturer did not release any press material at the time, so the low-key additions were only spotted by watchful PC hardware news outlets. At the time, ASRock signalled that the eventual launch of "Pro X3D" mainboards would be restricted to certain market regions. Roughly a month later, momomo_us has stumbled across fresh listings in Japan. Yodobashi and Dospara are ready to ship out the ASRock B650M Pro X3D WiFi SKU to local customers. Respective price points—including VAT—are 26,640 yen (~$179 USD), and 23,980 yen (~$161 USD).

Curiously, the B650M Pro X3D series registers as an almost perfect visual match when compared to ASRock's "slightly older" B850M Pro RS mainboard family. Dospara's current price for the B850M Pro RS WiFi SKU is 27,800 yen (~$186.61 USD). This "refreshed" B650M design is up-to-date enough with PCI-E 5.0 support for mounted graphics cards and SSDs. According to the brand's product description: "(our Pro X3D motherboard series) is optimized for AMD Ryzen (9000 and 7000) X3D processors, delivering superior stability, compatibility, and enhanced performance, making it ideal for gaming and creating." Due to apparent confusion between "Pro X3D" and the latest "Pro RS" aesthetic, ASRock is not expected to roll out of with a wide release (of the former).

At CES 2025, ASUS unveiled their elite-tier ROG Crosshair X870E Apex motherboard design. Additionally, early January press material teased another top contender: "ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme is also waiting in the wings, with details to be shared on the way to its expected release in the first quarter (of 2025)." As reported by VideoCardz, the Taiwanese manufacturer seems to be readying its mysterious ultra-premium model for an imminent launch. Last week, HWiNFO v8.23-5685 Beta release notes turned up—revealing the existence of "enhanced sensor monitoring on ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Extreme." Concurrently, a smattering of retail/e-tail listings have turned up in Europe. The lowest observed asking price (including VAT) was €1202.80, courtesy of Max ICT's (Netherlands) premature publishing of a product page.

Hopping across the Atlantic, industry watchdogs noted that Newegg was demanding a cool $749 for ASUS ROG Crosshair X870E Apex pre-orders. Potential European customers will likely be greeted by a ~€827 (inc. VAT) price point. Since January, the Republic of Gamers marketing team has kept quiet on the X870E Extreme front. Their fancily-appointed board is still an unknown quantity in many regards; recent retail leaks lack technical information and visual representation. As noted by VideoCardz, time is running out for a Q1 2025 launch. As we head into April, Q2 looms in the near distance.

Large language models (LLMs) love large quantities of memory—so much so, in fact, that AI enthusiasts are turning to multi-GPU setups to make even more VRAM available for their AI apps. But since many current LLMs are extremely large, even this approach has its limits. At times, the GPU will decide to make use of CPU processing power for this data, and when it does, the performance of your CPU cache and DRAM comes into play. All this means that when it comes to the performance of AI applications, it's not just the GPU that matters, but the entire pathway that connects the GPU to the CPU to the I/O die to the DRAM modules. It stands to reason, then, that there are opportunities to boost AI performance by optimizing these elements.

That's exactly what we've found as we've spent time in our R&D labs with the latest AMD Ryzen CPUs. AMD just launched two new Ryzen CPUs with AMD 3D V-Cache Technology, the AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and Ryzen 9 9900X3D, pushing the series into new performance territory. After testing a wide range of optimizations in a variety of workloads, we uncovered a range of settings that offer tangible benefits for AI enthusiasts. Now, we're ready to share these optimizations with you through a new BIOS feature: AI Cache Boost. Available through an ASUS AMD 800 Series motherboard and our most recent firmware update, AI Cache Boost can accelerate performance up to 12.75% when you're working with massive LLMs.

Without making any official announcement, Colorful silently listed a new AMD B850 microATX (244 mm x 235 mm) motherboard on their Chinese website: the Battle-AX B850M-E Wi-Fi V14. The model is clearly oriented toward entry-level builds and users on a tight budget, a sharp contrast to the CVN B850I Gaming Frozen that Colorful introduced this week. Built around AMD's B850 chipset, it supports the latest AMD AM5 Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors. The two DDR5 dual-channel memory slots can accommodate up to 96 GB (max. 48 GB per slot), with a maximum speed of 7600 MHz (OC) and support for both XMP and EXPO. For storage and expansion, the motherboard offers 2x M.2 slots (1x PCIe 5.0 x4 and 1x PCIe 4.0 x4), one PCIe 4.0 x16 slot, and one PCIe 4.0 x4 slot. It also features a Realtek RTL8111K for 1GbE wired connectivity and Intel's AX200 Wi-Fi 6 with Bluetooth 5.2 for wireless connections.

The build is "very spartan," so to speak, with a black PCB, a single 8-pin EPS power connector for the CPU, no integrated I/O rear shield panel or VRM cooling—the only heatsink present is the one covering the AMD B850 chipset. Regarding power delivery, it seems that Colorful used a simple (budget-friendly) 7+2 phase approach. The rear I/O panel offers a surprise: an ancient PS/2 port (just wondering who's going to use it aside from some retro-nostalgic users). Then we have the usual array of connectors, including six USB ports (4x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 1), DisplayPort 1.2, HDMI 2.0, Gigabit RJ45, two Wi-Fi antenna ports, audio jacks, and one BIOS reset/update button (placed just next to the PS/2 port).

MSI IPC, a global leader in industrial computing solutions, proudly unveils the MS-CF05, V2.0, a high-performance ATX motherboard engineered for industrial automation, edge computing, and embedded applications. Designed to support 14th, 13th, and 12th Gen Intel Core, Pentium, and Celeron processors, the MS-CF05, V2.0 delivers exceptional computing power, scalability, and I/O flexibility, including a PCI slot for legacy support, making it ideal for modern industrial needs.

Around late January, concerned owners of high-end ASUS motherboards uploaded photo and video evidence of alleged physical damage caused by the manufacturer's PCIe "Q-Release Slim" system. Social media and forum posts showed worrying scraping and scratching on graphics card interfaces. The North American branch of ASUS responded to reports with a public service announcement: "in our internal testing and evaluation of the extremely small number of cases reported, we found no damage to the motherboard or graphics card that would affect functionality and/or performance....However, it is important to emphasize that any type of PCIe add-in card will exhibit signs of usage and wear marking after 60 continuous insertions and removals." Rival brands have kept tabs on this sorry situation; many offer similar motherboard-mounted GPU quick release systems. Yesterday, GIGABYTE's Japanese office posted a very "on the nose" demonstration of their EZ Latch Plus design.

The AORUS Japan social media account's "Ultimate PCIe Scratch Test" video involved the repeated insertion and removal of a candidate card from a GIGABYTE Z890 AORUS ELITE WIFI7 ICE motherboard. An anonymous employee completed one hundred cycles. Upon the experiment's conclusion, the graphics card's interface displayed zero evidence of physical deterioration. The manufacturer's Japanese AORUS branch boasted (via machine translation): "start building your PC with confidence! GIGABYTE's renowned easy DIY and ultra-durable design ensures smooth, hassle-free builds and rock-solid reliability. No more worrying about peeling golden finger contacts or scratches from metal edges." Their sarcastic delivery seemingly pokes fun at ASUS and the "troubled" Q-Release Slim system; it should be noted that it is a relatively new design. As reported back in early February, ASUS China launched an extensive customer support/compensation program. According to user accounts, some very expensive custom GeForce RTX 50-series cards have suffered cosmetic damage on PCIe interfaces. GIGABYTE's Western web presences have joined in on the fun—the AORUS Official social media account delivered a slightly different spin on their overall message: "game on with confidence! With our renowned DIY-friendly and Ultra Durable design, you'll enjoy a smooth, hassle-free build with rock-solid reliability. No more worries about gold finger paint peeling or scratches from metal edges—our design provides complete protection for both your GPU and motherboard."

Axiomtek - a world-renowned leader relentlessly devoted to the research, development, and manufacture of innovative, highly efficient, and reliable industrial computer products - is pleased to introduce the MMB566, a high-performance micro ATX motherboard designed for demanding industrial and commercial applications. Powered by the 14th/13th/12th Gen Intel Core i9/i7/i5/i3 or Celeron processors with the Intel Q670E, R680E, or H610E chipset, the MMB566 delivers exceptional computing power and reliability. Designed for precision and durability, it excels in remote control and automated test equipment, ensuring accurate system monitoring and control. Its high processing power makes it ideal for data processing and analysis, while its robust design guarantees seamless operation in ATM applications. With versatile expandability and reliable performance, the MMB566 is a future-ready solution for industrial computing needs.

"Axiomtek's MMB566 is engineered to provide exceptional connectivity, flexibility, and long-term reliability for industrial and commercial applications," said Irene Su, Product Manager of the IDS Division at Axiomtek. "It features two 2.5GbE LAN ports, with optional 10GbE LAN ports available to meet customer-specific high-speed networking requirements. Designed for versatility, it offers a rich array of I/O options, including up to six SATA ports, six COM ports, and twelve USB ports, ensuring seamless integration with various peripheral devices. With support for TPM and Intel AMT, the MMB566 enhances security and remote management. Furthermore, its guaranteed 10-year supply makes it a reliable choice for embedded systems requiring long-term availability. Ultimately, with highly customizable service options, the MMB566 delivers optimized performance and long-term value across diverse applications."

Advantech, a leading provider of edge computing and edge AI solutions, is pleased to announce their high-performance server and network appliances are now powered by the latest AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors. By leveraging these cutting-edge platforms, Advantech is driving edge computing and AI to new heights—making solutions ideal for 5G edge cloud, AI, machine learning, and enhanced data security.

"We are excited about the launch of Advantech's latest generation of innovative edge computing and AI solutions powered by AMD EPYC Embedded 9005 Series processors," said Amey Deosthali, Senior Director of embedded core markets at AMD. "Optimized for embedded markets, EPYC Embedded 9005 provides exceptional compute performance for edge AI applications while delivering enhanced IO capabilities, product longevity, and system resiliency."

Colorful Technology Company Limited, a leading brand in gaming PC components, gaming laptops, and Hi-fi audio products, introduces the CVN B850I GAMING FROZEN Mini-ITX motherboard for the Ryzen 9000 Series processors. The CVN B850I GAMING FROZEN is a compact yet powerful Mini-ITX motherboard featuring a sleek design that blends geometric slanted lines with military-inspired elements. It is equipped with a dedicated PCIe 5.0 M.2 heatsink and CNC composite cooling grooves, enhancing thermal efficiency while emphasizing the motherboard's rugged and durable construction.

Built with the B850 chipset, the CVN B850I supports AMD Ryzen 7000, 8000, and 9000 series processors. It features a 10-layer high-speed PCB with a 9+2+1 phase power delivery system, ensuring stable performance even for the high-end Ryzen 9 9950X. Additionally, the second-generation memory routing design enables support for up to 8000 MHz dual-channel DDR5 memory. The motherboard also includes a PCIe 5.0 GPU slot, dual front and rear Type-C 10G ports, and a Wi-Fi 6E module, making it ideal for building a high-performance, wireless Ryzen-based system.

Avalue Technology introduces the HPM-GNRDE high-performance server motherboard, powered by the latest Intel Xeon 6 Processors (P-Core) 6500P & 6700P.

Designed to deliver quality computing performance, ultra-fast memory bandwidth, and advanced PCIe 5.0 expansion, the HPM-GNRDE is the ideal solution for AI workloads, high-performance computing (HPC), Cloud data centers, and enterprise applications. The HPM-GNRDE will make its debut at embedded world 2025, showcasing Avalue's innovation in high-performance computing.

Taiwanese press outlets have put a spotlight on an inexplicably devised "GIGABYTE RTX 5090 Super Bundle." According to regional reports, a local company—Deyuan Computer—has listed this unusual multi-piece package on Taiwan's MOMO e-commerce platform. GeForce RTX 5090 graphics cards are a hot commodity nowadays—unfortunately, limited supplies and scalping activities have created a volatile environment for regular punters. Retail outlets have implemented various "nifty" sales methods in attempt to create a fairer buying environment—pre- and post-launch. Hong Kong's HKEPC Media has acknowledged that locals are very used to a "bundling culture" that requires the purchase of superfluous extra items.

By comparison, these offerings look quite reasonable when lined up against a Taiwanese business dealing in staggeringly silly combination platters. To claim ownership of a single GIGABYTE RTX 5090 GAMING OC graphics card, potential buyers are strong-armed into adding forty(!) GIGABYTE H610M-K-DDR4 motherboards to virtual shopping carts. A grand total expenditure of NT$191,500 (~$5832 USD) unlocks "GIGABYTE RTX 5090 Super Bundle" ownership. By itself, the high-end/award-winning GIGABYTE graphics card would cost NT$91,900 (~$2796 USD). An individual entry-level H610M-K-DDR4 Micro ATX model comes in at NT$2490 (~$76 USD). Willing customers will have to deal with an inventory of slightly outdated motherboards—a full build's worth of components would make more sense. Around late January, Taiwan's AutoBuy advertised an anti-scalping deal for GeForce RTX 5080 cards—requiring shoppers to load up on parts for a near complete Intel Core Ultra 200S CPU-based system.

COLORFUL has introduced a compelling new "X3D Gaming Mode" for its AM5-socketed motherboard models. The Chinese manufacturer previewed this newly supported feature via their official Weibo video channel—naturally, this mode was advertised as working in conjunction with compatible AMD Ryzen 7000X3D and 9000X3D processors. Curiously, COLORFUL did mention that non-3D V-Cache-equipped AM5 CPUs can work with their "X3D Gaming Mode." The aforementioned preview video demonstrates this new feature—accessed via the showcased B650 motherboard's BIOS interface—disabling Simultaneous Multi-Threading (SMT) on an involved processor. The population of dual-CCD Team Red 3D V-Cache models is set to grow this month, with the upcoming launch of Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D chips.

COLORFUL's X3D Gaming Mode is touted to improve performance on dual-CCD CPUs, since it will disable the second unit. By transferring workloads to the (active) primary CCD, latency is reduced—thus boosting in-game performance. COLORFUL claimed that frame rates—in PUBG—increased by 17%, following the enabling of their snazzy X3D Gaming Mode. Wccftech opined on this scenario: "for processors like Ryzen 9 9900X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X3D, the X3D Gaming Mode is more ideal than on the single CCD non-X3D processors (e.g. Ryzen 7 9800X3D). Keep in mind that the performance of the Ryzen 9 9900X3D may be affected noticeably when one of its CCDs gets disabled. Since the processor brings only six cores on each CCD, it may not be ideal for a lot of users...Colorful's X3D Gaming Mode reminds us of Gigabyte's X3D Turbo Mode, but the latter works a bit differently and doesn't disable SMT or CCD but tweaks some CPU parameters." A "halved" Ryzen 9 9950X3D (16-core) is expected to behave in a similar manner to the current reigning champion (8-core) within gaming ecosystems.

BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of motherboards, graphics cards, storage devices, and IPC solutions, today introduced the new B850MT2-E DJ motherboard. Built on AMD's B850 chip architecture, B850MT2-E DJ is tailor-made for casual home and office use.

Engineered to support the latest AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 series processors, the B850MT2-E DJ ensures seamless multitasking and efficient power management, making it an ideal choice for modern computing needs. Supporting up to 128 GB of DDR5 across two DIMM slots, the B850MT2-E DJ offers more bandwidth than DDR4, delivering faster data access and smoother performance. Additionally, PCIe 4.0 M.2 support provides lower latency and lightning-fast speeds of up to 64 Gb/s, doubling the bandwidth of PCIe 3.0 M.2 for quick data transfers and minimal load times, ensuring a smooth and efficient user experience.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, power supplies, and gaming monitors, has observed reports on Reddit from users experiencing unexpected boot issues and error codes when using ASRock AM5 motherboards paired with minority proportion of AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors. To enhance user experience, ASRock promptly released the latest 3.20 Beta BIOS for its AM5 series motherboards, further improving AMD Ryzen 9000 series processors boot issues.

Users can download and install the BIOS from the official ASRock website or use the BIOS Flashback function on their motherboard for a quick update. ASRock also promises to continue enhancing the compatibility of its products.

MSI is pleased to announce support for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D and 9900X3D processors, built on the Zen 5 architecture and featuring AMD's cutting-edge 2nd generation AMD 3D V-Cache technology. This innovative technology is designed to significantly increases the cache size, allowing faster data access and improved performance. Engineered to deliver exceptional performance, these processors meet the demands of even the most intensive gaming and content creation workloads.

At the heart of this experience is the MSI MEG X870E GODLIKE motherboard, which sets a new standard with its innovative design and robust features. The Dynamic Dashboard III, a 3.99-inch full-color LCD, offers real-time hardware monitoring, troubleshooting, BIOS update status, clock display, and personalization options, enhancing user experience and system control. MSI's EZ Link design complements this, streamlining cable management by consolidating the front panel, fan, and RGB headers into the EZ Bridge and EZ Control Hub, ensuring a cleaner build and simplified installation process.

MSI is excited to partner with SEGA for an exclusive limited-time offer! From February 20 to March 20, 2025, customers who purchase selected MSI Z890 Series Motherboards will receive a FREE Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii game key. Dive into the pirate adventure and level up your gaming experience today!

About Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
Step into the boots of a pirate with no memory and a fierce desire to uncover your past. Sail the dangerous, treasure-filled seas of Hawaii, battling ruthless enemies and forging alliances. Every decision shapes your journey - recruit a crew, hijack ships, and explore the lawless island of Madlantis. With thrilling combat, a gripping story, and unforgettable characters, this is a world where danger and treasure await at every turn. The fate of the seas is in your hands - will you conquer the waves, or be lost to the tides forever?