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MATLAB MKL Codepath Tweak Boosts AMD Ryzen MKL Performance Significantly

MATLAB is a popular math computing environment in use by engineering firms, universities, and other research institutes. Some of its operations can be made to leverage Intel MKL (Math Kernel Library), which is poorly optimized for, and notoriously slow on AMD Ryzen processors. Reddit user Nedflanders1976 devised a way to restore anywhere between 20 to 300 percent performance on Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper processors, by forcing MATLAB to use advanced instruction-sets such as AVX2. By default, MKL queries your processor's vendor ID string, and if it sees anything other than "GenuineIntel...," it falls back to SSE, posing a significant performance disadvantage to "AuthenticAMD" Ryzen processors that have a full IA SSE4, AVX, and AVX2 implementation.

The tweak, meant to be manually applied by AMD Ryzen users, forces MKL to use AVX2 regardless of the CPU Vendor ID query result. The tweak is as simple as it is powerful. A simple 4-line Windows batch file with a set of arguments starts MKL in AVX2 mode. You can also make the tweak "permanent" by creating a system environment variable. The environment variable will apply to all instances of MATLAB, and not just those spawned by the batch file. Nedflanders1976 also posted a benchmark script that highlights the performance impact of AVX2, however you can use your own scripts and post results.

ASUS Announces Trio of TRX40 Motherboards for AMD Threadripper: ROG Zenith II Extreme, ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming, and Prime TRX40-Pro

ASUS today announced its all-new series of TRX40 motherboards, ROG Zenith II Extreme, ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming and Prime TRX40-Pro, that come loaded with improvements and new features to help professionals, enthusiasts and gamers alike unleash the full potential of 3rd Generation AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. Teamed up with the TRX40 chipset, 3rd Gen Threadripper CPUs bring PCI Express 4.0 to the high-end desktop for the first time, doubling bandwidth across a total of 64 PCIe 4.0 lanes to allow for even faster SSDs, graphics cards and AV gear. Every PCIe slot and M.2 slot in the ASUS TRX40 lineup is wired with PCIe 4.0 connectivity for maximum bandwidth, meaning any expansion cards slotted into an ASUS TRX40 board will run as fast as they possibly can.

GIGABYTE Announces its TRX40 AORUS and Designare Motherboard Series

GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards, today launched the TRX40 AORUS motherboards which deliver the best performance on the newest 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper Processors. The flagship TRX40 AORUS XTREME packs a beastly direct 16+3 phase digital power design and pairs it with an equally impressive thermal solution consisting of Fins-Array Technology, a Nanocarbon Baseplate, an 8 mm mega heatpipe, aluminium I/O armor, and a 5 cm chipset fan. TRX40 AORUS motherboards are PCIe 4.0 ready and are designed to maximize PCIe 4.0 performance with lower impedance and superior PCIe 4.0 signal quality.

With features such as server-class Intel X550-AT2 Dual GBE LAN, 8DIMM quad-channel DDR4 memory with XMP 4400 MHz+ performance, Intel WIFI 6, 4-way dual width PCIe slots, GC-TITAN RIDGE AIC, and more, the enthusiast-grade TRX40 AORUS motherboards are ideal for content creators looking to build a high-end workstation, hardcore gamers who want a powerful new gaming rig, or even users who want the best of both worlds.

MSI Announces Creator TRX40 and TRX40 PRO Series Motherboards

MSI, the most powerful motherboard brand, announces that our brand new AMD high-end motherboards are on a shelf, together with the launch of the new 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors and TRX40 chipset. The new 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors adopt 7 nm architecture which supports the latest PCIe 4.0 technology and provide advanced performance with memory frequency and capacity. It is noticeable that the previous X399 motherboards are not compatible with the 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper processors. Therefore, MSI is well-prepared with three TRX40 motherboards for various use, including Creator TRX40, TRX40 PRO 10G and TRX40 PRO WIFI to satisfy any type of users.

To meet the most demanding requirements for content creation processes, Creator TRX40 motherboard is well-designed in every respect. In terms of design, the concept follows the craft of "crystal." The crystal design reflects the light magically with millions of color effects. Creator TRX40 also features the best hardware design for maximum performance and long-lasting operation.

ASRock Announces TRX40 Taichi and TRX40 Creator Motherboards

The leading global motherboard, manufacturer, ASRock, is proud to announce its latest two AMD powered motherboards that are built on the AMD 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper platform. The ASRock TRX40 comes in two flavors, the TRX40 Creator and the TRX40 Taichi. Both are super cool motherboards that extend the meaning of quality and pushes the boundaries of tech.

Creating content, images or video, requires a stable machine with good specs and reliable components. The TRX40 Creator bears the hallmarks of a sturdy ship powered by AMD's Ryzen chipset and dedicated graphics so all design work flows smoothly without sinking components. Trust ASRock to provide design quality with speed and uncompromising workmanship within a design masterpiece. It stands out in the crowd as it supports NVIDIA's Quadro graphics cards and it fully supports the Quadro SLI which is the best tool for creating VR content.

MSI TRX40 PRO Series Motherboards Pictured

Ahead of their launch, low-resolution pictures of two nearly identical MSI TRX40 PRO series motherboards surfaced on the web, the TRX40 PRO 10G, and the TRX40 PRO WiFi. The former is characterized by a 10 GbE wired Ethernet connection through an included add-on card, while the latter features 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6 WLAN. The two appear otherwise identical, with a couple of M.2 slots on the board, four additional M.2 slots on a cooled add-on card, four PCI-Express x16 slots, eight DDR4 DIMM slots, and other storage connectivity that includes four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and U.2 port. From the looks of it, the new for the 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper looks identical to TR4, which bodes well for people wanting to use their TR4-compatible CPU coolers or water-blocks on the new platform.

New Date for AMD's Announcement of 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper - November 7th

It's sort of a goalpost-moving world, but according to Videocardz, AMD has apparently scrapped plans to announce their new Ryzen Threadripper lineup for today, November 5th, and has since scheduled the announcement for November 7th. The website cites sources close to AMD's plans as a way to add credence to their report. This writer, for one, thinks an announcement on a day other than a 7th would be a missed opportunity, flavor-wise, considering the 7 nm manufacturing process of the new AMD HEDT lineup, but I digress.

As far as is known, all other plans are kept, including the announcement of three new processors: the Threadripper 3960X and 3970X, which will hit shelves come November 19th, when the review embargo lifts; and the Threadripper 3990X, which will only be available come January 2020. The new TRX40 platform and motherboards based on the design will also be showcased, and there should be a myriad of new product announcements on that front to accompany AMD's new products.

GIGABYTE Unveils AORUS Gen4 AIC Adapter Just in Time for TRX40

Just in time for AMD's 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper processors and the AMD TRX40 chipset, GIGABYTE launched the AORUS Gen4 AIC Adapter, an add-on card that converts a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 upstream link to four M.2-22110 slots with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, each. This isn't the first card of this kind, but is certified to work with PCIe gen 4.0 SSDs. The TRX40 platform provides at least two PCI-Express 4.0 x16 slots, from which one can be allocated to your graphics cards, and the other to a fast storage solution like this, so you can use your motherboard's NVMe RAID features. The card is backwards compatible with older generations of PCIe.

The card features a large copper heatsink that cools the drives under the airflow of a fan. The PCB of this card features a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 interface, four M.2-22110 slots with PCI-Express 4.0 x4 wiring, each, and a controller that uses eight thermal diodes to sense drive temperatures and accordingly adjust the speed of the 50 mm lateral-flow fan that pushes air through the heatsink and out of the rear panel. The card also has four LEDs that provide link+activity indication. It meets the electrical specification of PCI-Express gen 4.0, and features gen 4.0 re-drivers. An aluminium alloy shroud and back-plate with brushed-metal finish and diamond-cut edges make for the rest of it. We expect this card to be priced around USD $130. A credible source tells us that the card will also be included with some of GIGABYTE's premium TRX40 motherboards.

AMD Ryzen Threadripper 3960X, 3970X and 3990X Launch Dates Leaked

The folks over at Videocardz managed to snag some impressive information on AMD-s upcoming Threadripper lineup - their launch dates. According to the tech publication, a source within AMD provided information regarding previously-set dates for paper and hardware launches that stand at November 5th for the formal announcement of the next generation HEDT CPUs, followed by lifted embargos on reviews and actual product availability come November 19th. Apparently, AMD will only launch the Threadripper 3960X and 3970X come November 5th (remember remember the 5th of November), with a product announcement for the Threadripper 3990X which will only be launched in January 2020.

AMD will also formally unveil their next-gen Threadripper TRX40 platformon November 5th (which won't be compatible with previous-gen Threadrippers). This makes sense - CPUs without a platform to pin them onto doesn't seem like a conscientious business decision. No information was available on clockspeeds and core counts at this time, though the Threadripper 3960X, the base of the new lineup, is expected to sport 24 cores and 48 threads of Zen 2 goodness.

AMD TRX40 Chipset Not Compatible with 1st and 2nd Gen Threadrippers

AMD is giving finishing touches to its 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper HEDT processor lineup, and the first wave of these chips, starting with a 24-core model, will launch alongside the AMD TRX40 chipset. It turns out that the chipset won't be compatible with 1st and 2nd generation Ryzen Threadripper processors. The upcoming 3rd generation Threadripper chips won't be backwards-compatible with the AMD X399 chipset, either. We've been hearing from reliable sources rumors of this segmentation from AMD for a few days now, and tech journalist ReHWolution just tweeted its confirmation having obtained info on upcoming motherboards from a leading brand.

The underlying reason between this restriction remains a mystery. We know that the EPYC "Rome" MCM is pin-compatible with first-generation EPYC "Naples" chips due to the fact that the newer chips are drop-in compatible with older servers via a BIOS update. The TR4 socket, too, is nearly identical to SP3r2, but for four out of eight memory channels being blanked out. It remains to be seen if for TRX40 motherboards, AMD re-purposed these unused pins for something else, such as additional PCIe connectivity or more electrical pins. We'll find out in November, when AMD is expected to launch these chips.

AMD Confirms: Ryzen 9 3950X and Threadripper 3rd Generation Coming in November

AMD just released an update on their upcoming processor launches this year. First revealed at E3, just a few months ago, the Ryzen 9 3950X is the world's first processor to bring 16-cores and 32-threads to the consumer desktop space. The processor's boost clock is rated at "up to 4.7 GHz", which we might now actually see, thanks to an updated AGESA software that AMD released earlier this month. Base clock for this $749 processor is set at 3.5 GHz, and TDP is 105 W, with 72 MB cache. While AMD said "September" for Ryzen 9 3950X back at E3, it looks like the date got pushed back a little bit, to November, which really makes no difference, in the grand scheme of things.

The second big part of today's announcement is that AMD is indeed working on "Rome"-based third generation Threadripper processors (probably the industry's worst-kept secret), and that these CPUs will also be launching in November, right in time to preempt Intel from having any success with their upcoming Cascade Lake-X processors. Official information on AMD's new HEDT lineup is extremely sparse so far, but if we go by recent leaks, then we should expect new chipsets and up to 32-cores/64-threads.
AMD's full statement is quoted below.

AMD Updates Roadmaps to Lock RDNA2 and Zen 3 onto 7nm+, with 2020 Launch Window

AMD updated its technology roadmaps to reflect a 2020 launch window for its upcoming CPU and graphics architectures, "Zen 3" and RDNA2. The two will be based on 7 nm+ , which is AMD-speak for the 7 nanometer EUV silicon fabrication process at TSMC, that promises a significant 20 percent increase in transistor-densities, giving AMD high transistor budgets and more clock-speed headroom. The roadmap slides however hint that unlike the "Zen 2" and RDNA simultaneous launch on 7th July 2019, the next-generation launches may not be simultaneous.

The slide for CPU microarchitecture states that the design phase of "Zen 3" is complete, and that the microarchitecture team has already moved on to develop "Zen 4." This means AMD is now developing products that implement "Zen 3." On the other hand, RDNA2 is still in design phase. The crude x-axis on both slides that denotes year of expected shipping, too appears to suggest that "Zen 3" based products will precede RDNA2 based ones. "Zen 3" will be AMD's first response to Intel's "Comet Lake-S" or even "Ice Lake-S," if the latter comes to fruition before Computex 2020. In the run up to RDNA2, AMD will scale up RDNA a notch larger with the "Navi 12" silicon to compete with graphics cards based on NVIDIA's "TU104" silicon. "Zen 2" will receive product stack additions in the form of a new 16-core Ryzen 9-series chip later this month, and the 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper family.

AMD Readies Three HEDT Chipsets: TRX40, TRX80, and WRX80

AMD is preparing to surprise Intel with its 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper processors derived from the "Rome" MCM (codenamed "Castle Peak" for the client-platform), that features up to 64 CPU cores, a monolithic 8-channel DDR4 memory interface, and 128 PCIe gen 4.0 lanes. For the HEDT platform, AMD could reconfigure the I/O controller die for two distinct sub-platforms within HEDT - one targeting gamers/enthusiasts, and another targeting the demographic that buys Xeon W processors, including the W-3175X. The gamer/enthusiast-targeted processor line could feature a monolithic 4-channel DDR4 memory interface, and 64 PCI-Express gen 4.0 lanes from the processor socket, and additional lanes from the chipset; while the workstation-targeted processor line could essentially be EPYCs, with a wider memory bus width and more platform PCIe lanes; while retaining drop-in backwards-compatibility with AMD X399 (at the cost of physically narrower memory and PCIe I/O).

To support this diverse line of processors, AMD is coming up with not one, but three new chipsets: TRX40, TRX80, and WRX80. The TRX40 could have a lighter I/O feature-set (similar to the X570), and probably 4-channel memory on the motherboards. The TRX80 and WRX80 could leverage the full I/O of the "Rome" MCM, with 8-channel memory and more than 64 PCIe lanes. We're not sure what differentiates the TRX80 and WRX80, but we believe motherboards based on the latter will resemble proper workstation boards in form-factors such as SSI, and be made by enterprise motherboard manufacturers such as TYAN. The chipsets made their way to the USB-IF for certification, and were sniffed out by momomo_us. ASUS is ready with its first motherboards based on the TRX40, the Prime TRX40-Pro, and the ROG Strix TRX40-E Gaming.

AMD 3rd Gen Threadripper Coming This October to Take on Intel's New HEDT Lineup?

AMD is planning to surprise Intel by unveiling its 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper HEDT (high-end desktop) processor lineup around the same time Intel launches its 10th generation Core "Cascade Lake-X" processor and the "Glacial Falls" HEDT platform, according to sources in the motherboard industry, speaking with DigiTimes. We're fairly sure the sources aren't referring to AMD's 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X processor, because it has already been announced and will be available in September.

The 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper will likely be a derivative of the company's "Rome" multi-chip module, and compatible with existing socket TR4 motherboards with a BIOS update, although a new chipset could also be launched to enable PCI-Express gen 4.0. AMD has the option to deploy up to 64 CPU cores across eight 7 nm "Zen 2" chiplets, while the 12 nm I/O controller die will be likely reconfigured for the HEDT platform with a monolithic 4-channel DDR4 memory interface and 64 PCIe gen 4.0 lanes. It's capable of 8 memory channels on the 2nd generation EPYC.

ASUS Expands ROG Strix LC Lineup with a 360mm Model

ASUS today expanded its ROG Strix LC line of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers with a new top variant that comes with a large 360 mm x 120 mm radiator for better cooling. The ROG Strix LC series had debuted in May with 120 mm and 240 mm variants. ASUS bundles three of the same 120 mm fans it includes with the pricier Ryuo series, which take in 4-pin PWM input, spin between 800 to 2,500 RPM, pushing up to 80.95 CFM of air, with a noise output of up to 29.7 dBA, each. Characteristic to the ROG Strix LC series, the pump-block features spirally-projecting RGB LED diffusers along the sides, and an illuminated ROG logo on top. All lighting is controlled by addressable-RGB (ASUS Aura Sync RGB). The cooler supports nearly all modern CPU socket types, including AM4, LGA115x, and LGA2066. The pump-block supports the Asetek-standard AIO CLC retention module AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors include in their PIB packages.

ASUS Rolls Out the Hyper M.2 x16 V2 NVMe RAID Card

ASUS today rolled out the latest in its series of M.2 NVMe RAID add-on cards, the Hyper M.2 x16 Card V2. A successor to a similar card ASUS released back in 2017, this one comes with improved electrical components, so each of its four slots is guaranteed to put out 14 Watts of power. The card splits a PCI-Express 3.0 x16 link to four M.2-22110 slots, each with PCI-Express 3.0 x4 wiring. There's no PCIe switch logic involved, so your motherboard is required to support PCIe lane segmentation (most HEDT motherboards since 2016 do). The card supports Intel VROC (virtual RAID on CPU), and is tested to work on AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. ASUS didn't change the thermal solution. You still get a chunky aluminium shroud covering the whole card, and lateral-flow fan pushing air across the drives, which can be turned off. The company didn't reveal pricing.

CUK Makes a Splash This Computex

Computer Upgrade King (CUK) is a new BTO (build-to-order) gaming PC manufacturer based out of Virginia, USA. Unlike other system integrators, CUK extends component choices all the way down to the cases. At Computex, the company showed off its Stratos Mini high-end desktop (HEDT), powered by an AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX processor, AMD Radeon VII graphics, 32 GB of quad-channel DDR4-3000 memory, an ASRock X399M Taichi motherboard, and a SeaSonic Prime 1300W 80 Plus Gold PSU. Also shown off was the Continuum Mini, a compact powerhouse built around a mini-ITX motherboard. Its chops include the Core i9-9900K processor seated on an MSI MPG Z390I Gaming Edge AC motherboard; GeForce RTX 2080 Ti graphics, 16 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 Apacer NoX memory; and a 750W power supply.

Thermaltake Rolls Out Floe Riing RGB 360 TR4 Edition CPU Cooler

Thermaltake today rolled out the Floe Riing RGB 360 TR4 Edition, a variant of this closed-loop liquid CPU cooler for AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. Although its pump-block has the same dimensions as the original Floe Riing series, the TR4 Edition features an enlarged, rectangular copper base for more coverage of the Ryzen Threadripper integrated heatspreader (IHS).

The cooler features a 360 mm x 120 mm radiator with three included Riing Plus RGB TT Premium Edition fans, which each spin between 1,000 to 2,000 RPM, pushing 26.35 to 54.42 CFM of air-flow, with a noise output ranging between 21.8 to 33 dBA. The three fans and the pump-block feature 16.7 million-color addressable RGB embellishments, which are controlled by the included addressable RGB LED controller. The cooler can handle high enough thermal loads to support 250W TDP Threadripper WX processors with high core-counts. TR4 is also the only socket type supported by this cooler. The company didn't reveal pricing.

AMD Outsells Intel 2:1 on European Retailer Mindfactory.de

European PC enthusiasts continue to see value in choosing AMD Ryzen processors over Intel Core, as the latest public data by German retailer Mindfactory.de, which ships across the EU, shows AMD processors outselling Intel 2:1. Although earlier Intel would have the upperhand in revenue despite lower volumes, this time around, AMD shored up revenues on the backs of high-margin products such as the Ryzen 7 2700X and the HEDT Ryzen Threadripper series.

The 6-core/12-thread Ryzen 5 2600 is the most popular processor offering high value under the 200€-mark. It is followed by the 8-core/16-thread Ryzen 7 2700X. Buyers prefer the 2700X to the cheaper 2700 non-X. The Ryzen 5 2600X is another strong seller. Over in the Intel camp, the Core i9-9900K and Core i7-9700K are strong sellers, followed by the i5-9600K and the newly released i5-9400F. Pricing graphs show Intel processor pricing steadily rise over 2018, while AMD chips remained largely flat. These numbers are not indicative of the overall market, since Mindfactory caters to DIY PC gamers and enthusiasts only.

AMD "Castle Peak," "Rome," and "Matisse" Referenced in Latest AIDA64 Changelog

FinalWire over the past week posted the latest public beta of AIDA64, which adds support for the three key processor product lines based on AMD's "Zen 2" microarchitecture. The "Matisse" multi-chip module, which received extensive coverage over the past few weeks, will be AMD's main derivative of "Zen 2," designed for the client-segment socket AM4 platform, with up to 16 CPU cores, and the initial flagship product featuring 12 cores. "Rome" is AMD's all-important enterprise-segment MCM for the SP3 platform, with up to 64 CPU cores spread across eight 8-core chiplets interfacing a centralized I/O controller die with a monolithic 8-channel memory controller. It so happens that AMD also wants to update its Ryzen Threadripper line of high-end desktop processors, with "Castle Peak."

"Castle Peak" is codename for 3rd generation Ryzen Threadripper and a client-segment derivative of the "Rome" MCM with a reconfigured I/O controller die that has a monolithic 4-channel DDR4 memory interface, and an unspecified number of CPU cores north of 24. This is for backwards compatibility with the existing AMD X399 motherboards. AMD configures core-count by physically changing the number of 8-core chiplets on the MCM, in addition to disabling cores in groups of 2 within the chiplet. The company could scale core counts looking at its competitive environment. The monolithic quad-channel memory interface could significantly improve the chip's memory performance compared to current-generation Threadrippers, particularly the Threadripper WX series chips in which half the CPU cores are memory bandwidth-starved. The AIDA64 update also improves detection of existing Ryzen/EPYC processors with the K17.3 and K17.5 integrated northbridges.

DOWNLOAD: FinalWire AIDA64 Extreme 5.99.4983 beta

EK Water Blocks Announces EK-Velocity sTR4 Water Block for 3rd Gen Threadripper

EK Water Blocks, the leading premium liquid cooling manufacturer, is releasing a new Quantum Line series EK-Velocity sTR4 water block lineup specifically designed for HEDT AMD Ryzen Threadripper processors. The cooling engine is utilizing a 3rd generation design with the cold plate covering the IHS of the AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor while the fin structure is covering the entire multi-die CPU layout. This brings further improvements to the cooling performance and heat transfer compared to previous generations.

The release of higher core count HEDT processors opened new opportunities and challenges for cooling solutions. The primary goal in designing the new EK-Velocity sTR4 water block was to completely redesign the cooling engine to achieve even better performance than the previous generations. A dense micro-fin structure counts 91 wide grooves to enable superb heat transfer.

Cooler Master Unveils TR4 Edition Variants of MasterLiquid ML RGB Series AIO Coolers

Cooler Master unveiled TR4 Edition variants of its MasterLiquid ML RGB line of all-in-one liquid CPU coolers, which include the ML240 RGB TR4 Edition and the ML360 RGB TR4 Edition. As the names suggest, these coolers support AMD socket SP3r2 aka TR4, and are designed for Ryzen Threadripper processors. The ML240 RGB TR4 Edition with its 240 mm x 120 mm radiator is recommended for models with 180W TDP, while its bigger sibling with a 360 mm x 120 mm radiator is recommended for 250W models, including the 32-core Threadripper 2990WX. Both models feature a designed pump-block with an enlarged rectangular copper base for better coverage of the Threadripper IHS, and retention module for the TR4 socket. The company logo on the pump-block and the included fans come with RGB LED lighting. Both models go on sale on 14th March, the company didn't reveal pricing.

G.Skill Announces AMD X399-optimized DDR4-3466 32GB (4x8GB) Trident-Z Kit

G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is excited to announce a new memory specification of DDR4-3466 CL18-22-22-42 with 32GB (4x8GB) capacity configuration at 1.35V for the high performance AMD Ryzen Threadripper processor and X399 platform. This memory kit will join the G.SKILL "Trident Z RGB (for AMD)" series, also known as the TZRX models.

Previously, the highest DDR4 speed available for the AMD X399 platform from G.SKILL was DDR4-3200. G.SKILL is now expanding the specifications to DDR4-3466 under the quad-channel configuration. This kit has been validated with the ASUS ROG ZENITH EXTREME ALPHA motherboard and AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X processor, as shown in the screenshots below.

ASUS Unveils the ROG Zenith Extreme Alpha X399 Motherboard

ASUS unveiled its new flagship motherboard for the AMD platform, designed with out-of-the-box support for 2nd gen Ryzen Threadripper WX and X processors, the Republic of Gamers (ROG) Zenith Extreme Alpha. This board features an updated design aesthetic that's aligned with the company's latest ROG Extreme motherboards on Intel Z390 motherboards. The underlying PCB layout is entirely new, and different from the original Zenith Extreme, as are the heatsinks and shrouds covering various parts of the board, including a portion of its reverse side.

The I/O shroud which runs the entire length of the board is contiguous with a large RGB LED studded shroud covering the board's two M.2-2280 NVMe slots between PCIe slots. You get a U.2 port, and additional M.2 NVMe slots through the DIMM.2 riser accessory that's included with the board. ASUS has designed the CPU VRM of this board. It's still 10-phase on paper, but uses a high-end controller; and is tuned for overclocking the beastly Threadripper WX processors. Another killer feature with this board is 10 GbE wired Ethernet, driven by an Aquantia AQC-107 controller. You still get a 1 GbE driven by an i211-AT. ASUS appears to have done some cost-cutting with the WLAN card, though, which now only supports up to 1.73 Gbps 802.11ac MU-MIMO, compared to the original Zenith Extreme's 802.11ad draft controller with 4600 Mbps top-speed. The onboard audio solution is unchanged.

AMD 3rd Generation Ryzen Probable SKUs, Specs, Pricing Leaked?

One of our readers tipped us off with a very plausible looking image that drops a motherlode of information about what AMD's 2nd generation Ryzen (aka Ryzen 3000 series) processor lineup could look like. This includes a vast selection of SKUs, their CPU and iGPU core configurations, clock-speeds, and OEM channel pricing. The list speaks of a reentry for 7th generation A-series "Excavator" as Duron X4 series, followed by Duron 300GE-series based on a highly cut down "Raven Ridge," Athlon 300GE 2-core/4-thread based on an implausible "Zen+ 12 nm" APU die, followed by quad-core Ryzen 3 3000 series processors with and without iGPUs, making up the company's entry-level product lineup.

The core counts seem to jump from 4-core straight to 8-core, with no 6-core in between, for the Ryzen 5 series. This is also where AMD's new IP, the 7 nm "Zen 2" architecture, begins. There appears to be a large APU die (or a 3-chip MCM) with an 8-core CPU and 20-CU iGPU, which makes up certain Ryzen 5 SKUs. These chips are either 8-core/8-thread or 8-core/16-thread. The Ryzen 7 series is made up of 12-core/24-thread processors that are devoid of iGPU. The new Ryzen 9 series extension caps off the lineup with 16-core/32-thread SKUs. And these are just socket AM4.
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