AMD's Ryzen 5 5500F and Ryzen 5 7500 are finally available in the US, but both are selling above their announced pricing. On Amazon, the Ryzen 5 5500F lists for $120 and the Ryzen 5 7500 for $210, each $20 over AMD's MSRP of $99 and $189, respectively. The Ryzen 5 5500F has been spotted fluctuating between $118 and $125. Both listings are sold directly by Amazon rather than third-party sellers, so this doesn't appear to be a case of resellers padding the price. AMD revealed the two budget chips nearly two weeks ago, though they only became available for purchase now. At the time of writing, Amazon is the only US retailer stocking either chip, with Micro Center and Newegg still showing no listings.

To recap, the Ryzen 5 5500F is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 3 part built on the Vermeer die, unlike the older $90 Ryzen 5 5500, which uses Cezanne. That gives it PCIe 4.0 support and a 4.4 GHz boost clock, versus PCIe 3.0 and 4.2 GHz on the 5500. The Ryzen 5 7500 is essentially a Ryzen 5 7500F with integrated graphics, packing six Zen 4 cores, DDR5 support, PCIe 5.0, and a 5 GHz boost clock, all within a 65 W envelope. AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 saw something similar earlier this year, launching on Amazon $100 above MSRP before settling down once other retailers picked it up, so pricing here could correct itself too.

AMD has confirmed pricing for the Ryzen 5 7500 and Ryzen 5 5500F, the two budget CPUs it quietly added to its lineup earlier this week. The Ryzen 5 7500 will retail for $189, while the Ryzen 5 5500F comes in at just $99, according to official SEP figures shared with e-tailers. The Ryzen 5 7500 is a 6-core, 12-thread Zen 4 chip that shares silicon with the Ryzen 5 7500F, with its RDNA 2 iGPU switched back on. It runs a 3.7 GHz base clock, boosts up to 5.0 GHz, and carries 38 MB of combined cache within a 65 W TDP. At $189, it lands higher than the 7500F, which has already fallen to around $130 to $140 boxed at retail. That price looks a bit steep for a budget chip, and it would not be surprising to see it settle lower within a few weeks, similar to how other Ryzen 7000 SKUs have trended after launch.

The Ryzen 5 5500F, meanwhile, gives AM4 buyers something new. It uses the Vermeer die instead of the Cezanne silicon in the regular Ryzen 5 5500, so there are no integrated graphics, but the core specs hold at 6 cores, 12 threads, a 3.0 GHz base clock, up to 4.4 GHz boost, and 16 MB of L3 cache. At $99, it matches current Ryzen 5 5500 pricing almost exactly, giving AM4 holdouts a cheap way to stretch their platform further. AM4's platform longevity is already exemplary, and AMD keeps expanding it with new offerings, which matters more than usual with how memory prices have climbed this year.

Today, AMD quietly launched new CPUs for both the AM4 and AM5 platforms in a surprising twist. Starting with the Ryzen 5 7500, it joins the Ryzen 7000 lineup as a slightly different take on the Ryzen 5 7500F. Meanwhile, the Ryzen 5 5500F introduces another Zen 3 chip to the increasingly hard-to-retire Ryzen 5000 family. Focusing on the newer platform, the Ryzen 5 7500 is a 6-core, 12-thread "Zen 4" processor running at 3.7 GHz by default and reaching up to 5.0 GHz under boost. Its 65 W TDP and 38 MB of combined cache, split between 6 MB of L2 and 32 MB of L3, remain unchanged from the 7500F. The key distinction is the integrated GPU; AMD has equipped the chip with a small RDNA 2 graphics unit containing two Compute Units clocked at up to 2.2 GHz.

However, AMD is apparently not ready to let the Ryzen 5000 series disappear just yet. The new Ryzen 5 5500F adds another 6-core, 12-thread "Zen 3" processor to the AM4 platform, but it is not simply a rebranded Ryzen 5 5500. The 5500F is based on AMD's "Vermeer" silicon, whereas the standard Ryzen 5 5500 uses the "Cezanne" design. Curiously, AMD has paired the "Vermeer"-based chip with just 16 MB of L3 cache, which is half the amount found on 6-core Vermeer parts such as the Ryzen 5 5600. Clock speeds range from 3.0 GHz to 4.4 GHz, with a 65 W default TDP, so the difference is more pronounced compared to the non-F design.

Leaker Roland Quandt has posted on Bluesky that AMD is preparing to launch another AM5 socket Ryzen 5 processor, a standard 7500. This Zen 4 (Raphael) CPU will sit between the existing Ryzen 5 7500F and 7500X3D. The leaked specifications show a six-core, 12-thread CPU running at a 3.7 GHz base clock, with up to 5.0 GHz boost, 38 MB of total cache (likely 32 MB L3 + 6 MB L2) and a 65 W TDP. These specs are largely similar to the 7500F variant, even at the clock-speed level, the 5.0 GHz boost matches the 7500F, while the 7500X3D is capped at 4.5 GHz due to the V-Cache overhead. Compared to the other two existing variants, the pricing, if true, is debatable. The Ryzen 5 7500F can be found at around $130-140 (initially launched at $180 for the retail PIB package), while the 7500X3D is listed now at around $285. The new 7500 is reportedly coming in at around €230 (roughly $267), which puts it uncomfortably close or even above the 7500X3D.

The higher price over the F variant and the matching/higher one over the 7500X3D suggest two things. First, it could have the Radeon Graphics integrated graphics solution as the X3D variant. Second, it will ship as a boxed version with a cooler included, unlike the 7500F, which comes as OEM/Tray. No official confirmation from AMD yet, however, the leaker is known for some accurate information in the past.

AMD has quietly expanded its processor lineup with 11 new "Hawk Point" APUs by adding seven SKUs to the Ryzen 200 series and four to the Ryzen 100 series. In the Ryzen 200 series, the seven new models feature six- and eight-core configurations: Ryzen 3 205, Ryzen 5 216, Ryzen 7 217, Ryzen 5 224, Ryzen 5 225, Ryzen 7 249, and Ryzen 7 253. The lineup combines standard Zen 4 cores and hybrid Zen 4/Zen 4c designs, paired with Radeon 740M, 760M, or 780M integrated graphics. AMD also added four processors to the Ryzen 100 series: Ryzen 9 180, Ryzen 7 165, Ryzen 7 155, and Ryzen 5 125. The new Ryzen 100 processors offer four, six and eight CPU cores with integrated Radeon 740M, 760M, or 780M GPUs.

Although the existing Ryzen 100 family was initially associated with Zen 3+, these new models are based on "Hawk Point", featuring Zen 4 CPU cores, a 4 nm process, and Radeon 700M integrated graphics, indicating AMD's earlier website listing was incorrect, as Videocardz noticed. As with previous "Hawk Point" releases these are expected to appear primarily in upcoming OEM laptops and Mini-PCs. This "Hawk Point" lineup expansion from AMD follows the recent addition of "new" processors based on older Zen2 and Zen+ architectures, namely Ryzen 7 4700LE, Ryzen 5 3501U and Ryzen 3 3100U.

Intel's next-generation Core Ultra Series 4 "Nova Lake" processors will mark an official return of AVX-512 to the company's client processor lineup. The 512-bit SIMD instruction set will be featured on both the "Coyote Cove" P-cores, and "Arctic Wolf" E-cores, according to Jay Kihn. It is a requirement for both core types to feature an identical ISA, without which thread migration between the two core types will result in runtime errors arising from ISA mismatch.

The last Core processor to feature an official implementation of AVX-512 was 11th Gen Core "Rocket Lake," in which AVX-512 workloads would notoriously cause the 14 nm processor to overheat. Intel would deprecate AVX-512 on all succeeding client microarchitectures, mainly because their respective E-core types didn't support it. Intel is expected to offer a client-relevant set of AVX-512 instructions. Meanwhile, AMD introduced AVX-512 support with "Zen 4," and would go on to improve AVX-512 performance with "Zen 5." The reentry of AVX-512 on Core could advance client AI inferencing applications.

AMD's upcoming Ryzen 10000 series of desktop processors, codenamed "Olympic Ridge" and based on the "Zen 6" CPU architecture, are rumored to introduce some interesting platform changes. According to the latest leak from X account "Gotou_3rd," AMD's upcoming AM5 platform is likely to replace its integrated graphics processing unit (GPU) with an integrated Neural Processing Unit (NPU), marking a significant shift from the current setup. Since the "Zen 4" based "Raphael" processors, part of the Ryzen 7000 series, AMD has included integrated graphics solutions with its desktop CPUs. This trend continued with the "Zen 5" based "Granite Ridge" Ryzen 9000 series, which also featured an integrated GPU for basic graphics output and boot functionality.

However, with the next-generation Ryzen 10000 series, AMD seems to be reallocating the silicon area for different purposes, as the role of integrated GPUs in desktop systems diminishes. Most PC builders pair a dedicated GPU with their DIY or OEM PC builds, using integrated graphics mainly for debugging when the discrete GPU encounters issues. Since the silicon space in the CPU can be repurposed, AMD might switch to an NPU to enhance local AI capabilities and offload some AI tasks from the GPU to the CPU's integrated NPU. This could mean the platform might become Copilot+ AI PC certified if the NPU achieves over 40 TOPS of compute power.

AMD today formally relaunched the Ryzen 7 5800X3D Socket AM4 desktop processor with 3D V-Cache, as the Ryzen 7 5800X3D 10th Anniversary Edition. This special edition SKU features a full-featured 5800X3D processor with the same OPN and specifications as the original 5800X3D that was discontinued in 2023; but comes with special branding on the PIB package, and includes a sheet of Carbice Ice Pad—a high-performance thermal pad. The package still lacks an in-box cooling solution. Based on the "Zen 3" microarchitecture, the 8-core/16-thread chip boosts up to 4.50 GHz, and features 96 MB of L3 cache.

AMD claims that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D is the fastest gaming processor on platforms with DDR4 memory. To illustrate, the company compared its gaming performance with that of an Intel Core i9-14900K "Raptor Lake Refresh," with both machines featuring 32 GB (2× 16 GB) of DDR4-3600 memory. The 5800X3D is shown posting an average of 10% higher gaming performance than the i9-14900K (DDR4), making the case for 5800X3D as the fastest gaming processor with DDR4 memory. Available from June 25, the Ryzen 7 5800X3D 10th Anniversary Edition is priced at $350. Next up, the company formally launched the Ryzen 7 7700X3D, a very interestingly priced gaming PC processor powered by the older "Zen 4" microarchitecture.

AMD in its Computex 2026 presentation, celebrated 10 years of the Socket AM4 platform that kickstarted the company's long march to competitiveness with Intel in the desktop PC processor market, and its eventual domination. Socket AM4 supports the original "Zen" and "Zen+," across the Ryzen 1000 and Ryzen 2000; and would go on to support Ryzen 3000 "Zen 2," Ryzen 4000 "Zen 2" APUs, and the vastly successful Ryzen 5000 "Zen 3" series, at which point it had achieved performance leadership over Intel. The company formally launched its "latest" product for AM4, a fresh production run of the Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which is the fastest processor for gaming on the platform.

In 2022, AMD debuted Socket AM5 alongside the Ryzen 7000 series powered by the "Zen 4" architecture. At the time, the company promised a similar cadence of at least two processor generations on the socket, leading up to 2027 (5 years in the market). The company would go on to launch the Ryzen 8000 series APUs, and its current Ryzen 9000 series powered by the "Zen 5" architecture. Its latest product line sees the introduction of Ryzen AI 400 series desktop APUs. Without naming any future processor generation or architecture, AMD announced that AM5 will have platform longevity till 2029. This would mean the introduction of at least one more microarchitecture, "Zen 6," and the product lines derived from it. Since AMD didn't announce "Zen 6" at Computex, the company likely won't debut it in 2026, instead, hold on to the current lineup, and possibly tease or announce "Zen 6" in 2027, with product launches expected that year. This would align with market availability of "Zen 6" for the following two years going into 2029.

AMD is giving finishing touches to the "new" Ryzen 7 7700X3D desktop processor. Powered by the older "Zen 4" microarchitecture and compatible with all Socket AM5 platforms with a UEFI firmware update, the 7700X3D is essentially a downclocked 7800X3D—the flagship gaming processor from the Ryzen 7000 series. It is designed to occupy a unique price-performance point between the Socket AM4-based Ryzen 7 5800X3D, which the company recently resurrected, and the current-generation Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The older 7800X3D remains EOL.

The Ryzen 7 7700X3D is an 8-core/16-thread processor, just like the 7800X3D, but comes with lower clock speeds of 4.00 GHz base, and maximum boost frequency of just 4.50 GHz. In comparison, the 7800X3D came with a 4.20 GHz base frequency, and 5.00 GHz boost. The 7700X3D comes with a proper 3D V-Cache implementation, with a total of 96 MB of last-level cache that seamlessly combines the 32 MB on-die L3 cache of the "Zen 4" chiplet with 64 MB of 3D V-Cache stacked on top. Each of the eight cores comes with 1 MB of L2 cache. The armed with larger caches and faster DDR5 memory, the Ryzen 7 7700X3D should be faster than the Ryzen 7 5800X3D in gaming workloads; it should be faster than even the regular Ryzen 7 7700X thanks to 3D V-Cache, but it should be a few percentage points slower than the 7800X3D, which in turn was about 5% slower than the 9800X3D, and about 9% slower than the latest 9850X3D.

Valve has just introduced a preview of its SteamOS 3.8 operating system, designed for the Steam Deck and other upcoming hardware. This version marks a significant step toward enabling the future Steam Machine, as the SteamOS 3.8 preview build includes initial support for it. This update comes with a host of improvements, such as better support for third-party handhelds, reduced input latency of handheld controllers, optimized graphics drivers with performance and stability fixes, a new KDE desktop environment build, and support for a wider range of Intel and AMD SoCs. For the upcoming Steam Machine, we anticipate optimizations for a semi-custom six-core AMD "Zen 4" processor with 28 compute units of RDNA 3 graphics. Valve claims the PC can achieve 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ray tracing and FSR support. It features 16 GB of DDR5 system memory and 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, powering a semi-custom GPU that may be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5 than pure RDNA 3.A complete changelog of added features follows.

Last autumn, AMD provided an update regarding developmental progress of its openSIL open-source project. According to Raj Kapoor's presentation at last year's OCP Global Summit, the Red Team intends to publish its sixth-generation "Zen 6"-based EPYC "Venice" CPU openSIL sources at some point in 2026. The company's lead firmware architect reiterated that the newer silicon-initialization stack will eventually replace the familiar legacy AGESA firmware line. As of last summer, only one section of AMD's "Zen 5" family has received openSIL support—the EPYC 9005 "Turin" server processor product range. Earlier this week, a 3mbdeb blog entry detailed a compelling experiment that involved the initial "enabling (of) AMD AM5 'Phoenix' support in Coreboot." In the past, this Polish open-source consulting company has experimented with unusual ports of OpenSIL and Coreboot (via the Dasharo distribution). NLnet Foundation funding provided a secure base to start 3mbdeb's Gigabyte MZ33-AR1 porting project, leading to present-day tinkering with MSI's PRO B850-P consumer-grade mainboard design.

Mid-way through their post, they detail a handful of problems, including: "some issues may arise when parsing combo images for AM5 desktop platforms. The desktop images are more complex than server ones. A single PSP (Platform Security Processor) directory may support multiple CPU families, whereas on servers, each CPU family required separate PSP directory. This adds complexity, a need to distinguish PSP directories from each other, and determine the supported CPUs by given directory." So far, the MSI B850-P Pro-based tests have reached a phase of development that is "just enough to (achieve) boot." When outlining a next major milestone, 3mbdeb intends to: "add basic support for desktop AM5 'Phoenix' platform to distinguish mobile CPUs from desktop CPUs in Coreboot. This will serve as a base to cover the differences between the mobile and desktop Phoenix SoCs/APUs." They stress that their 'Phoenix' OpenSIL project is still in a "Proof of Concept" stage, so "not intended for production use." In summary, 3mbdeb's firmware engineer (Michał Żygowski) recommends that external testers wait for the arrival of "exciting" future releases.

Acemagic's latest entry into its retro mini PC line, the Retro X3, is apparently powered by AMD's Ryzen 7 H 255, and it offers a slightly toned-down look compared to the Gorgon Point and Panther Lake devices we previewed at CES earlier this year. The Retro X3 has officially launched in China, and is available for pre-order at a price of RMB 1,899 without RAM or storage. This translates to around $273, although it will likely be slightly more expensive when it launches globally. The Retro X3 will be available with and AMD Ryzen 7 H 255, which is an eight-core CPU with AMD's Zen 4 Architecture and an AMD Radeon 780M iGPU, meaning the mini PC should offer similar low-end gaming performance to the APU in the ASUS ROG Ally or Lenovo Legion Go.

It features modular RAM, with support for up to 128 GB of DDR5-5600 RAM and up to 4 TB of NVMe storage via a 2280 M.2 slot. As with the other retro PCs by Acemagic, it features a beige plastic enclosure with a big red power button and plenty of ports. On the front alone, there are two USB 3.2 ports, along with a 3.5 mm audio jack and a USB4 Type-C port, while the back features an HDMI 2.1 port and a DisplayPort 2.0 port alongside 2.5G LAN and four USB 3.2 ports. It also packs Bluetooth 5.2, Wi-Fi 6 for wireless connectivity and peripherals. The air cooling system draws in cool air from the top of the chassis and exhausts heat through vents on the sides and rear of the mini PC, and the whole package measures in at just 128.2 × 128.2 × 44 mm.

Earlier this week, talk of imminent price increases—affecting current and previous generation AMD Ryzen processors—spread across PC hardware news outlets and communities. It is debated whether Team Red simply directed its retail partners to elevate Ryzen 9000 (Zen 5) and Ryzen 7000/8000 (Zen 4) processor series price tags following the conclusion of Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or discount promotions. Tom's Hardware decided to investigate this controversial matter, by reaching out to trusted contacts. Under an hour ago, their findings were published—according to: "two industry sources that wish to remain anonymous, one from one of the largest U.S. distributors, (believe) that there have been no indications of impending price adjustments for Ryzen processors, and no evidence suggests such changes are imminent, contrary to recent rumors."

Presently, computer memory supply issues have caused manufacturers to assess product pricing, distribution and release strategies. Reportedly, AMD is in the process of finalizing price hikes of current mainstream GPU lines—possibly tacking on an extra $20 across 8 GB SKUs, and a $40 bump up for 16 GB models. The latest report posits that "Granite Ridge" and "Raphael" Ryzen prices will remain intact for the time being, on account of the public's perception of fresh AMD decision-making. Tom's Hardware outlined the circumstances: "SSDs, graphics cards, or memory, processors are less susceptible to price fluctuations caused by NAND shortages....the chip manufacturer (AMD) may be delaying adjustments on processor pricing to prevent further customer dissatisfaction, assuming there was any minimal credence to the rumor to start with." A quick perusal of typical North American and European e-tail outlets shows rough $20 to $30 elevations across modern Ryzen CPU lines, but it is difficult to judge whether these erratic trends are simply jump ups from Black Friday/Cyber Monday baselines.

AMD communicated to its retail partners of a price increase for its Ryzen desktop processors in the retail channel. This could just be a case of the company restoring regular pricing from brand- and distributor-level discounts for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, although we don't know the tune to which the prices are being increased just yet. Increased processor pricing could hit DIY gaming PC budgeting that's already strained with rising prices of DDR5 memory. The price increases are expected to cover the entire portfolio of consumer-segment Ryzen desktop processors, with there being active SKUs across the Ryzen 9000 series "Zen 5" and Ryzen 7000/8000 series "Zen 4." The company is planning interesting new SKUs in the entry-mainstream segment based on older IP, a recent example of which is the Ryzen 5 7500X3D.

Valve has revealed that its upcoming Steam Machine will carry price tags comparable to standard gaming PCs, explicitly avoiding the loss-leader strategy that console manufacturers have long employed to expand software and service sales. According to company engineers, the device will be priced in line with current PC hardware economics rather than following the subsidized approach that has defined the console market for decades. This decision positions the Steam Machine as a direct rival to conventional desktop computers rather than a budget alternative to PlayStation or Xbox consoles.

The company's rationale centers on engineering sophistication and tight system integration that Valve claims would be difficult to replicate with off-the-shelf components. The hardware package combines a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with 6C/12T running at 4.8 GHz, paired with semi-custom RDNA 3 graphics architecture with 28 CUs running at 2.45 GHz, housed in a space-saving enclosure engineered for near-silent operation. Some features like Wireless and Bluetooth performance has been extra optimized to seamlessly support multiple controllers. These hardware choices are Valve's premium design philosophy focused on delivering a polished, integrated experience rather than simply competing on raw specifications.

When Valve introduced its Steam Machine cube gaming console/PC, the gaming community began questioning the hardware choices and Valve's performance claims. However, a Valve engineer stated that the Steam Machine is more powerful than 70% of gaming PCs on the market, based on Steam Survey data. It features a semi-custom six-core AMD "Zen 4" processor with 28 compute units of RDNA 3 graphics. Valve promotes the PC as capable of achieving 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ray tracing and FSR support. It includes 16 GB of DDR5 system memory and 8 GB of GDDR6 VRAM, powering a semi-custom GPU that may be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5 than pure RDNA 3.

During Adam Savage's Tested podcast, Valve engineer Yazan Aldehayyat remarked that the machine can run all available games on the market. Valve selected this configuration considering the price (which remains unknown), entry-level segment, and market position based on Steam Survey data. Being equal to or better than 70% of existing hardware makes it suitable for most users, and we expect the price point to be attractive to justify its value. Until the pricing is published, we don't know where the Steam Machine will land in terms of market segmentation. However, if Valve plans mass adoption, it will have to be a competitive price point even if it keeps profit margins lower.

Valve officially unveiled its long-rumored Steam Machine on Wednesday, a compact, cube-shaped system that combines small-form-factor PC design with a living-room console/HTPC experience. The exterior features a simple black shell with a slim LED accent, offering a blank canvas for customization. Hardware modders and skin makers have already started reimagining this canvas with themed wraps and decorative covers, available for purchase separately. The Steam Machine's tool-free magnetic front panel allows owners to easily change the device's appearance. Valve plans to release design files, enabling hobbyists to print or craft their own faceplates with different textures or airflow patterns.

Valve's engineers explored more ambitious front cover designs, including a prototype e-ink module capable of displaying system telemetry. However, the company confirmed that these experimental features will remain internal. The Steam Machine is available in 512 GB and 2 TB SSD models with microSD expansion. It combines a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with RDNA 3 graphics to potentially deliver 4K gaming at 60 FPS, complete with ray tracing and FSR support. As a semi-custom GPU, it may be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5 rather than the standard RDNA 3.

Valve has finally put an end to the months-long rumor cycle about its next-generation hardware. Today, Valve has introduced three new additions to its hardware library with Steam Machine, Steam Frame, and Steam Controller. Starting with the more interesting hardware, we finally have a successor to the original Steam Machine more than a decade after the original was introduced. Also called the Steam Machine, this one brings more modern hardware optimized to co-exist with the SteamOS Linux build, and a powerful software stack to run any game. Available in 512 GB and 2 TB SSD models with microSD expansion, it pairs a semi-custom AMD Zen 4 processor with RDNA 3 graphics to achieve supposed 4K gaming at 60 FPS with ray tracing and FSR support. Being semi-custom GPU, it might be closer to AMD's RDNA 3.5, than the pure RDNA 3.

Bundled with a Steam Controller, the system features an integrated 2.4 GHz radio alongside Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth for wide peripheral compatibility. Video output options include DisplayPort 1.4 for up to 4K at 240 Hz and HDMI 2.0, complemented by Ethernet, USB-C 10 Gbps, and four USB-A ports. Running SteamOS with rapid suspend/resume and wake-on-controller functionality, it combines 16 GB DDR5 system memory with 8 GB GDDR6 VRAM, an internal power supply, and a customizable LED bar that reflects system status for a complete living room experience. Valve has packaged it as a small black box, which will blend in with any HTPC environment.

AMD is gearing up to introduce the "Zen 6" family of processors, with initial "Olympic Ridge" designs set to launch on the familiar AM5 socket. The company is staying true to its commitment to maintain socket compatibility across multiple generations, and Zen 6 is expected to follow suit. However, modern motherboards are increasingly equipped with larger BIOS ROM chips, moving from the standard 32 MB to 64 MB. Since the AM5 platform is intended to support several CPU generations, all the necessary microcode for various processors needs to be accommodated. This can lead to space constraints, and we've already seen some manufacturers drop support for older CPUs in newer BIOS versions to make room.

While companies have not been very clear about the reasons for this change, they often use marketing phrases like "Future CPU Ready" or "Ultimate Compatibility." Notably, ASUS mentioned "Zen 6" support in their materials for the X870 AYW GAMING WIFI W, which is intriguing since AMD has not officially confirmed Zen 6 compatibility with AM5. Over the weekend, a well-known hardware leaker, HXL, confirmed that both 600 and 800-series boards will support Zen 6, regardless of whether they have 32 MB or 64 MB BIOS chips. This is reassuring news. However, a lingering question remains: will manufacturers start dropping Zen 4 support on those 32 MB boards to make room, similar to what happened with first-generation Zen when Zen 3 launched on 16 MB boards? This is likely a significant concern for those purchasing motherboards now, and planning an upgrade later on when Zen 6 CPUs arrive.

ASUS today announced ExpertCenter PN54-S1, a mini PC powered by the latest AMD Ryzen 200 Series processors. This mini PC handles everyday workloads easily, with robust performance and enterprise-grade security making it a reliable solution for businesses. With its 0.6-liter premium aluminium chassis, ExpertCenter PN54-S1 Mini PC offers exceptional capabilities in a small footprint, delivering a perfect combination of efficiency, flexibility, and 24/7 dependability.

Optimized for productivity and multitasking
The Ryzen 200 Series processor that powers ExpertCenter PN54-S1 Mini PC is built on the AMD Zen 4 architecture with up to eight high-performance CPU cores and support for up to 64 GB of memory, ensuring low-latency multitasking for daily workloads. ExpertCenter PN54-S1 Mini PC provides up to 16 AI TOPS for responsive processing of AI tasks to support local AI operations such as voice recognition, image enhancement, and real-time translation.

Valve might be gearing up for its next big piece of gaming hardware, codenamed Fremont, and early benchmark leaks give us a first detailed picture of what's inside. The system showed up on Geekbench with a custom AMD chip (Hawk Point 2 family), built on the Zen 4 architecture and produced on a 4 nm process. It looks to feature 6 cores and 12 threads running at 3.2 GHz base clock with boost frequency up to 4.8 GHz. On the memory side, the chip carries 16 MB of L3 cache and 6 MB of L2 cache. Graphics power comes from a Radeon RX 7000-series GPU (RDNA 3), likely offering a big step up from the Steam Deck's older RDNA 2 setup.

In Geekbench 6, Fremont scored 2412 points in single-core and 7451 points in multicore. Interestingly, the tested unit only had 8 GB RAM (DDR5-5600), less than the Steam Deck's 16 GB LPDDR5, yet still nearly doubled performance thanks to the newer architecture. For context, the Steam Deck and Steam Deck OLED use a Zen 2-based chip with 4 cores, 8 threads, base 2.8 GHz, boost 3.5 GHz, plus just 4 MB L3 and 2 MB L2 cache. Comparing the two, Fremont's CPU alone looks like a massive leap forward. The GPU bump from 8 compute units of RDNA 2 to an RX 7600-level RDNA 3 design is also significant.

It looks like AMD is refreshing its Ryzen 8000G desktop APUs as the newer Ryzen 9000G series, these chips will be powered by the older "Zen 4" microarchitecture, and not the latest "Zen 5," suggests a credible rumor on ChipHell. It was anticipated that the Ryzen 9000G series would be based on the 4 nm "Strix Point" monolithic silicon, or its updated variant, "Krackan Point." The chip features a dual-CCX CPU component with one CCX packing four "Zen 5" cores sharing 16 MB of L3 cache, and the second CCX featuring eight "Zen 5c" cores sharing an 8 MB L3 cache. The "Zen 5c" cores operate at lower average clock speeds than "Zen 5," and hence don't need large amounts of last-line cache. "Strix Point" also features a large RDNA 3.5 iGPU with 16 compute units, and most importantly, a powerful NPU with 50 AI TOPS, which meets Microsoft Copilot+ requirements. This is not going to be the case for the Ryzen 9000G, if the rumor is true.

If based on the older 4 nm "Hawk Point" silicon, the 9000G series will feature a single CCX CPU with eight full-size "Zen 4" cores sharing a 16 MB L3 cache; and an RDNA 3 based iGPU with 12 compute units, but unfortunately a much slower NPU with only 16 TOPS of throughput, which doesn't meet Copilot+ requirements. Perhaps the only things differentiating the 9000G series from the 8000G series are minor speed bumps, around 200 MHz increases in CPU clock speeds across the board, and a 100 MHz increase in iGPU engine clocks. All is not lost, as the non-socketed mobile Ryzen AI 300 "Strix Point" processor can be had in plenty of MoD (mobile-on-desktop) mini PCs, and we can see from recent product launches that PC OEMs are all over the Ryzen AI Max "Strix Halo" chip, putting it into prebuilt desktops.

Gigabyte has low-key introduced an ultra-premium AI TOP 500 TRX50 Desktop; advertised as being: "purpose-built for local AI development, multimodal fine-tuning, and high-performance gaming, delivering workstation-grade performance and advanced AI capabilities in a streamlined, plug-and-play format." A firm price point and release date were not mentioned in last week's press material. This system easily outmuscles a flagship Intel "Arrow Lake-S" Core Ultra-powered sibling; the AI TOP 100 Z890. A 24-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper PRO 7965WX sits at the heart of the AI TOP 500 TRX50—an AORUS 360 AIO Liquid Cooler tempers this beast. Given that Team Red will be launching its next-gen Ryzen Threadripper PRO 9000 "Zen 5/Shimada Peak" processor family next month, Gigabyte's selection of older "Zen 4/Storm Peak" tech seems to be ill-timed. Fortunately, their TRX50 AI TOP motherboard can support the next wave of CPUs. VideoCardz believes that another variant—sporting a 32-core Threadripper PRO 7975WX CPU—will emerge at some point in the near future.

The AI TOP 500 and 100 pre-builds have something in common: both are specced with own-brand GeForce RTX 5090 WINDFORCE graphics cards. The Taiwanese firm's signature AI TOP Utility is described as: "a unified software suite that streamlines the entire AI development process. Users can explore models via RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation), build and manage custom datasets, fine-tune LLMs and LMMs up to 405B parameters, and monitor system performance through a real-time dashboard. It also supports multi-node clustering via Thunderbolt 5 and Dual 10G LAN, allowing users to scale computing resources as needed." The AI TOP 500 TRX50 can be equipped with up to a total of 768 GB (8 x 96 GB) DDR5 R-DIMM memory—"enabling smooth execution of complex AI tasks and large-scale datasets. Storage is managed by AI-ready SSDs, including a 1 TB AI TOP 100E cache drive with up to 150x TBW (total bytes written) compared to standard consumer SSDs—ensuring high durability under frequent read/write workloads." An ultra-fast AORUS Gen 4 7300 SSD 2 TB is also included in this package. Appropriately, an AI TOP-branded Ultra Durable 1600 W 80 Plus Platinum PSU (ATX 3.1) provides necessary juice.

Google security researchers have published comprehensive details on "EntrySign," a significant vulnerability affecting all AMD Zen processors through Zen 4. The flaw allows attackers with local administrator privileges to install custom microcode updates on affected CPUs, bypassing AMD's cryptographic verification system. The vulnerability stems from AMD's use of AES-CMAC as a hash function in its signature verification process—a critical cryptographic error. CMAC is designed as a message authentication code, not a secure hash function. The researchers discovered that AMD had been using a published example key from NIST documentation since Zen 1, allowing them to forge signatures and deploy arbitrary microcode modifications. These modifications can alter CPU behavior at the most fundamental level, enabling sophisticated attacks that persist until the next system reboot.

Google's security team has released "zentool," an open-source jailbreak toolkit allowing researchers to create, sign, and deploy custom microcode patches on vulnerable processors. The toolkit includes capabilities for microcode disassembly, patch authoring with limited assembly support, and cryptographic signing functions. As a proof-of-concept, the researchers demonstrated modifying the RDRAND instruction to consistently return predetermined values, effectively compromising the CPU's random number generation. AMD has issued microcode updates that replace the compromised validation routine with a custom secure hash function. The company's patches also leverage the AMD Secure Processor to update the validation routine before x86 cores can process potentially tampered microcode. While the attack requires local administrator access and doesn't persist through power cycles, it poses significant risks to confidential computing environments using technologies like SEV-SNP and DRTM. The researchers noted their findings could enable further CPU security research beyond exploit development, potentially allowing the implementation of new security features similar to those developed for Intel processors through similar techniques.