overclocking | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Fri, 08 Dec 2023 10:53:23 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png overclocking | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Leo talks DDR5 with AMD’s Martijn Boonstra https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/leo-talks-ddr5-with-amds-martijn-boonstra/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/matthew-wilson/leo-talks-ddr5-with-amds-martijn-boonstra/#respond Fri, 08 Dec 2023 12:00:13 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=640210 We dig into the details of EXPO and talk about the balance between clock speed and latency...

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KitGuru is working on a feature about DDR5 memory, and the research is turning out to be rather more enjoyable than we would have expected. We have spoken to Dan Ragland at Intel and he was so enthusiastic that we decided to publish the conversation as a separate video. Now it is the turn of Martijn Boonstra, an AMD Product and Development Manager, as we dig into the details of EXPO and talk about the balance between clock speed and latency.

You can rest assured that we also asked Martijn one of the more important questions of our times, whether RGB lighting is good, excellent or brilliant. It turns out the most important tip for gamers is to set your lighting to red as that guarantees 1,000fps. We think Martijn was joking but honestly, it is tricky to be certain.

Watch via YouTube below:

KitGuru Says: Our conversations with Intel and AMD about DDR5 have been illuminating so far – stay tuned for more from Leo soon!

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Arctic Fan Test – P12 vs P12 Max https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/arctic-fan-test-p12-vs-p12-max/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/arctic-fan-test-p12-vs-p12-max/#respond Fri, 27 Oct 2023 11:00:12 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=634543 Can these new Arctic P12 Max fans really be quieter and cooler than the original P12s?

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Arctic has been pretty quiet with new product launches this year, the company released some new coolers for the server market recently but new desktop products have been quite thin on the ground. However, we hear many comments about how good Arctic P12 fans are so we thought now would be a great time to take a look at the Arctic P12 Max fans and see what, if any thermal performance benefits they can offer when used in place of the standard P12 fans that come pre-installed to the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:54 P12 Max Fans
02:28 Whats the video about?
03:24 Swapping AIO fans and sorting cables
08:18 Installing the AIO
08:44 Test system specification
09:20 Testing the fans – results
11:14 Noise output sound tests
12:19 Clock speeds and conclusion

The aim of this article is to determine how much, if any performance benefit is to be had from fitting Arctic P12 Max fans to the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360 AIO CPU cooler. Arctic claims that the P12 Max fans are a decent upgrade on the original P12's found pre-installed on the Liquid Freezer II AIO series, so we want to find out for ourselves by running a series of tests using the Liquid Freezer II 360 on a high-power CPU such as the Intel Core i9-13900K.

As well as a wider PWM speed range and much higher maximum RPM, the official Arctic specs and feature list suggest that the P12 Max fans are equipped with an improved motor that produces less vibration, a redesigned closed fan blade for improved stability at high RPM and blade angle adjustment, as well as a more durable dual ball bearing for longer service life. All this combined will produce focused airflow and higher static pressure making the P12 Max ideal for any scenario.

Arctic claims that the P12 Max is optimised for use on radiators, heat sinks, pinholes and mesh so it should be the ideal fan for the enthusiast market. The P12 Max is also priced very competitively at around $10 U.S. for a single fan. P12 Max can also be purchased in packs of five from Arctic.de directly for 34.99 euros. Here in the UK consumers can purchase a single P12 Max for just £7.99 from Overclockers UK which sounds like amazing value when you compare that to the likes of the be quiet! Silent Wings 4 High Speed at £22.99 each, Noctua NF-F12 iPPC 3000 PWM for £26.95 each or the Cooler Master Mobius 120 priced at £26.99 each.

Test System Specifications:

  • CPU – Intel Core i9-13900K 5.5/4.3GHz P/E Cores, 1.3v VCORE FIXED
  • Motherboard – Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Master
  • Graphics Card – Gigabyte RX 7900 XT Gaming OC
  • Memory – 32GB (2 x 16GB Modules) Kingston Fury DDR5-6000
  • Storage – 500GB Corsair MP600 PCIe Gen4 NVME M.2 SSD
  • CPU Cooler – Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360
  • Power Supply – Seasonic Prime TX-1000
  • Additional fans – Arctic P12 Max 120mm
  • Chassis – Open Test Bench
  • Operating System – Windows 11

Testing Methodology:

To thoroughly test the performance difference between Artic P12 and P12 Max fans we run a series of tests to measure thermal performance and noise levels at several fan speed intervals, as well as at maximum RPM and at fixed 40dBA noise output. See the below list for the measured RPM values.

Arctic P12/P12 Max Tested scenarios

  • 1000 RPM
  • 1200 RPM
  • 1400 RPM
  • 1600 RPM
  • 1800 RPM
  • 2200 RPM – P12 Max only
  • 2600 RPM – P12 Max only
  • 3000 RPM – P12 Max only
  • Max RPM – 1850 RPM P12, 3100 RPM P12 max
  • 40dba noise limited – P12 , P12 Max

The test data is logged using HWINFO and the final 10 minutes of the data is calculated to find the average CPU temperature. For testing, we use a 30-minute looped run of Cinebench R23 and record the steady-state CPU temperature at the end of the test. This ensures that the CPU has had ample time to warm up and reach a steady state under all of the tests.

Ambient temperature and humidity are controlled via a mini split air conditioning system inside the test room. Ambient temperature is maintained between 19-21C, Temperature delta figures are shown in the charts (ambient temperature is deducted from the measured component temperature).

Test Results:

Acoustics

Let's start by looking at the noise levels as this will give us a good indication of thermal performance relative to noise output.

Between 1200 to 1800RPM the P12 max fans are quieter across the entire speed range. As the fan speed increases the difference in noise output between the two widens which is very impressive from the P12 Max as the P12 was already a very quiet fan.

Even at the higher RPM range that the P12 can't reach, the P12 Max is still relatively quiet.  At 3000RPM the P12 Max only outputs 53dBA which is quieter than some coolers/fans that we have previously tested which run much lower maximum RPM.

Thermal Performance

Various RPM Levels:

Testing the Fans at various RPM intervals provides some interesting results. At the lower RPM range when the P12 is outputting more noise, it has a small advantage over the P12 Max in terms of thermal performance. However, as fan speed increases the P12 Max claws back the thermal performance and starts to overtake the P12 fans as they hit 1600 RPM.

As the P12 Max fan speed increases the CPU temperature continues to drop so the extra RPM is useful here but obviously at the cost of increased noise.

100% Fan Speed:

At 100% duty cycle the P12 fans reach 1850 RPM while the P12 Max can push all the way up to 3200 RPM. Unsurprisingly the much higher RPM from the P12 Max provides a significant benefit in thermals, so for users who are fine with the brute force approach to cooling without being concerned about noise, the P12 Max offers a huge advantage here.

40dBA Limited Fans:

But with the fans limited to 40dBA noise output the P12 Max again offers an advantage in thermal performance over the P12, as the P12 Max fans are able to run at higher RPM. The difference in temperature Delta between the two at 40dBA may only be small but any decrease in CPU temperature is seen as a positive.

Closing Thoughts

Taken as a whole the Arctic P12 Max is a worthwhile upgrade on the stock P12's included with the Liquid Freezer II 360. For users who may have upgraded their system recently and are looking for a boost in thermal performance, adding P12 Max fans to the Liquid Freezer II will not only give a cooling boost at higher RPM but also lower noise output down the RPM range, which sounds ideal for all scenarios, and they won't break the bank either.

The Arctic P12 Max fans are available to purchase now from Overclockers UK Priced at £7.99 HERE. A five-pack can also be purchased from Arctic.de directly for €34.99 HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: If you have upgraded your CPU or desktop platform recently and need some more cooling oomph, then why not try upgrading your cooler fans to the Arctic P12 Max? They are cheap, quiet and can improve cooling plus they are the perfect match for the Arctic Liquid Freezer II 360!

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The G.Skill OC World Cup returns in 2023 with $40,000 total cash prize https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/the-g-skill-oc-world-cup-returns-in-2023-with-40000-total-cash-prize/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/the-g-skill-oc-world-cup-returns-in-2023-with-40000-total-cash-prize/#respond Fri, 24 Feb 2023 17:32:05 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=594565 The G.Skill Annual OC World Cup returns this year after a three-year hiatus. The event will kick off starting in March with a public online qualifier stage, after which successful entrants will be invited through to the next state, after some additional OC battling, a Grand Final will be held at Computex.  The Online Qualifier …

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The G.Skill Annual OC World Cup returns this year after a three-year hiatus. The event will kick off starting in March with a public online qualifier stage, after which successful entrants will be invited through to the next state, after some additional OC battling, a Grand Final will be held at Computex. 

The Online Qualifier Stage runs from the 1st of March 2023 until the 5th of April. The top 9 overclockers in the HWBot online qualifier will then be invited to the live qualifier to compete in person. Then, the top three from this group will be invited to Computex 2023 to compete in the grand final.

You'll need to place in the top 9 in order to win a cash prize. The grand prize is $10,000 for first place. The 2nd place winner will get $6,500, and the 3rd place winner will get $5,000. The lowest cash prize is still $2,500, so if you get to the live qualifier and then have a poor showing, you'll still walk away with a decent amount of money at the end of it.

The Live Qualifier will run from the 30th of May until the 1st of June. Then, the Grand Final will take place at Computex 2023 on the 2nd of June. All overclockers in the top 9 will get an additional prize, a G.Skill DDR5-7800 32GB memory kit. Three more participants from the Online Qualifier stage will be randomly selected to win a DDR5-7200 32GB memory kit.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We typically see new world records broken at the OC World Cup, so keep an eye out for some particularly impressive results once June rolls around. 

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Intel’s 56-core Xeon W9-3495X “Sapphire Rapids” CPU benchmarked https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intels-56-core-xeon-w9-3495x-sapphire-rapids-cpu-benchmarked/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intels-56-core-xeon-w9-3495x-sapphire-rapids-cpu-benchmarked/#respond Thu, 23 Feb 2023 16:24:56 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=594251 Intel's new HEDT platform is right around the corner. A few enthusiasts have already managed to get hold of the upcoming chips, allowing them to test Intel's new generation of HEDT CPUs before their release. In one video, we see the 56-core Xeon W9-3495X tested at stock speeds and overclocked across a range of benchmarks.  In …

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Intel's new HEDT platform is right around the corner. A few enthusiasts have already managed to get hold of the upcoming chips, allowing them to test Intel's new generation of HEDT CPUs before their release. In one video, we see the 56-core Xeon W9-3495X tested at stock speeds and overclocked across a range of benchmarks. 

In Der8auer's video, you'll see the Xeon W9-3495X tested in various benchmarks running at stock settings and overclocked. To put things in perspective, this 56C/112T CPU has a base frequency of 1.9GHz and a max boost frequency of 4.8GHz (4.2GHz all-core), but the overclocker was able to push it up to 5.2GHz.

To test the CPU, Der8auer used an Asus Pro W790 motherboard, G.Skill XMP DDR5 memory and a 360mm AIO from Cooler Master. At stock settings, the CPU scored 1,600 points in the Geekbench single-core test and 53,817 points in the multi-core test. During this test, power consumption peaked at 1097W but stood between 300W and 650W most of the time.

In Cinebench R23, the CPU scored 70,079 points in the multi-core benchmark at stock settings (2.9GHz all-core). That's about the same as the Ryzen Threadripper Pro 5995WX. However, through overclocking, Der8auer found that the CPU still had plenty to give. Pushing the CPU's all-core frequency to 5.2GHz, the overclocker increased the score to 128,391 points, setting a new unofficial record for Cinebench R23 multi-core (the current record is 113,566 points).

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Intel's new HEDT platform looks like a decent alternative to the latest Ryzen Threadripper Pro chips. However, that may not last as AMD's next generation of HEDT chips should launch before the end of the year. 

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AMD A620 motherboards may support RAM overclocking after all https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/amd-a620-motherboards-may-support-ram-overclocking-after-all/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/amd-a620-motherboards-may-support-ram-overclocking-after-all/#respond Thu, 02 Feb 2023 16:09:26 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=592148 AMD hasn't yet shared much about the A620-based motherboards, but recent leaks have given us an idea of what it will offer. More recently, a detailed report summarises what we can expect from these motherboards, cleaning up some misunderstandings and theories around AMD's entry-level 600 series chipset. The table shared by chi11eddog lets us compare …

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AMD hasn't yet shared much about the A620-based motherboards, but recent leaks have given us an idea of what it will offer. More recently, a detailed report summarises what we can expect from these motherboards, cleaning up some misunderstandings and theories around AMD's entry-level 600 series chipset.

The table shared by chi11eddog lets us compare the rumoured specs of the A620 board with the already available B650 boards. As expected, there are some significant cuts in the capacities of the A620 compared to the B650, but there are also some good surprises in the middle, namely the support for RAM overclocking.

B650 supports up to 28x CPU PCIe 5.0 lanes, 8x chipset PCIe 4.0 lanes and PCIe 4.0 x4 uplink. Reportedly, A620 will offer 28x CPU PCIe lanes, 8x chipset PCIe lanes and PCIe x4 uplink, all following the PCIe 3.0 standard. Moreover, the USB bandwidth on A620 has been cut to 2x USB 3.2 Gen2 and 2x USB 3.2 Gen1 ports. The maximum number of USB 2.0 ports is six.

Lastly, the entry-level won't support Crossfire nor CPU overclocking, but you can at least overclock the RAM. That means you can either manually overclock the modules or use an EXPO profile that comes with the memory that you're using. AMD A620 motherboards should come out soon, with the cheapest models expect to cost you around $125.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Depending on your use case and the AMD chip you're planning to buy, the A620 could be more than enough. However, most gamers will probably still go for B650 motherboards, as most will probably be willing to spend more for features such as CPU overclocking and superior PCIe connectivity.

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Overclocker pushes Gigabyte Aorus DDR5 memory to 11,136MHz https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/joao-silva/overclocker-pushes-gigabyte-aorus-ddr5-memory-to-11136mhz/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/joao-silva/overclocker-pushes-gigabyte-aorus-ddr5-memory-to-11136mhz/#respond Thu, 19 Jan 2023 11:00:47 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=590593 We're yet to see DDR5 modules reach 8,000MHz out of the box, but overclockers are already pushing past the 11,000MHz mark, setting a new record. This was achieved by the famous overclocker HiCookie, using a Gigabyte Aorus Tachyon motherboard and Aorus DDR5 memory modules. The HWBOT entry (via Wccftech)  shows it pushing the Aorus DDR5 …

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We're yet to see DDR5 modules reach 8,000MHz out of the box, but overclockers are already pushing past the 11,000MHz mark, setting a new record. This was achieved by the famous overclocker HiCookie, using a Gigabyte Aorus Tachyon motherboard and Aorus DDR5 memory modules.

The HWBOT entry (via Wccftech)  shows it pushing the Aorus DDR5 memory up to 11,136MHz with 64-127-127-127-127 timings, setting a new world record for the highest frequency achieved using DDR5 modules. The system used to set the new record was based on a Gigabyte Aorus Tachyon Z790 motherboard equipped with an Intel Core i9-13900K and Aorus DDR5 modules.

The video shared by HiCookie shows the exact test run where the overclocker achieved the new record, beating lupin_no_musume (now in second) by less than 6MHz. Third place is occupied by Kovan Yang, who sits at a much lower 10,594MHz.

This same video also shows the memory was being cooled using what seems to be a custom solution with tall, industrial-looking heatsinks, so don't expect to find any Gigabyte modules looking like this on the market.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: At this pace, it won't take long before overclockers can push DDR5 modules to the promised 12,600MHz.

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Afterburner is “probably dead” but MSI is fighting to keep it alive https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/joao-silva/afterburner-is-probably-dead-but-msi-is-fighting-to-keep-it-alive/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/joao-silva/afterburner-is-probably-dead-but-msi-is-fighting-to-keep-it-alive/#respond Tue, 10 Jan 2023 09:13:50 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=589755 MSI Afterburner is probably the most popular GPU overclocking tool out there, but according to its developer, it may soon be dead. MSI, however, says otherwise, as the company is trying to keep things going with the dev in question. In a comment on the Guru3D forum, Alexey “Unwinder” Nicolaychuk, the creator of Afterburner (and …

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MSI Afterburner is probably the most popular GPU overclocking tool out there, but according to its developer, it may soon be dead. MSI, however, says otherwise, as the company is trying to keep things going with the dev in question.

In a comment on the Guru3D forum, Alexey “Unwinder” Nicolaychuk, the creator of Afterburner (and Rivatuner Statistic Server), explained that there have been licensing issues with the overclocking app due to the ongoing war in Ukraine. The sanctions that have been implemented against Russia are preventing MSI from paying the developer, who is himself Russian, leading Unwinder to say that the “project is probably dead”.

The developer continues to work on it in his free time, but the lack of compensation for his work has demotivated him to the point that he “will probably need to drop it and switch to something else.. to pay the bills”. According to the Unwinder, he's been working solo on Afterburner for 11 months, but MSI still lists the software for newly released GPUs such as RTX 4070 Ti cards.

Soon after the news spread, MSI issued a statement (via Hassan Mujtaba). “Our product marketing & accounting team are dealing with this problem now,” said an MSI representative. “Due to the war, our payment couldn't transfer to the author's bank account successfully. We are still keeping in touch with him and figuring out how to solve this”. That shows the company is at least trying to do something about all this, so there's still hope that MSI Afterburner will be here for years to come.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Afterburner is tool we use frequently here at KitGuru, so let's hope things can be resolved smoothly.

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AMD Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs have their power play tables locked https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/joao-silva/amd-radeon-rx-7000-series-gpus-have-their-power-play-tables-locked/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/joao-silva/amd-radeon-rx-7000-series-gpus-have-their-power-play-tables-locked/#respond Thu, 29 Dec 2022 14:30:09 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=588145 Up to now, most AMD Radeon GPUs had the power play tables unlocked, offering an alternative method for overclocking the chip. That has changed with the Radeon RX 7000 series cards, as they now have the power play tables locked by default. As reported by Buildzoid, AMD has apparently locked the power play tables for …

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Up to now, most AMD Radeon GPUs had the power play tables unlocked, offering an alternative method for overclocking the chip. That has changed with the Radeon RX 7000 series cards, as they now have the power play tables locked by default.

As reported by Buildzoid, AMD has apparently locked the power play tables for Radeon RX 7000 series graphics cards, preventing users from adjusting power and frequency curves.

For those unaware, modifying the PPTables is a method to overclock graphics cards. The major difference between using these tables or a tool like AMD Adrenalin is that it can bypass limitations on the GPU's firmware. In addition, changing the PPTables gives more granular control over the GPU's frequency, power, and voltages than your usual overclocking software.

Even if you can't edit the PPTables on Radeon RX 7000 series GPUs, BIOS modifications should still be possible. However, BIOS modding is considerably riskier.

In this Reddit post (via Tom's Hardware), an AMD graphics engineer claimed that AMD is planning on making further improvements where overclocking is concerned.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: While PPT is locked for now, this might be an area AMD revisits with future updates. 

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Gigabyte launches Biscuits for Raptor Lake on Z790 https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/gigabyte-launches-biscuits-for-raptor-lake-on-z790/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/gigabyte-launches-biscuits-for-raptor-lake-on-z790/#respond Wed, 14 Dec 2022 16:08:59 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=586573 In recent BIOS updates, Gigabyte has introduced a couple of new features for its high-end motherboards. We've already covered the ‘Instant 6GHz' overclocking feature but now our attention turns to something a little more mysterious – Biscuits. If you are using a Gigabyte/Aorus Z790 motherboard and a Core i9 CPU, you may have noticed something …

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In recent BIOS updates, Gigabyte has introduced a couple of new features for its high-end motherboards. We've already covered the ‘Instant 6GHz' overclocking feature but now our attention turns to something a little more mysterious – Biscuits.

If you are using a Gigabyte/Aorus Z790 motherboard and a Core i9 CPU, you may have noticed something labelled as ‘Biscuits' in the BIOS. While not publicly announced, this is a smart little feature that can help users differentiate high-quality CPUs from lesser chips, allowing overclockers to sift through trays and swiftly sort out CPUs based on overclocking potential.

The overall rating is a reflection of CPU ASIC quality. In an ideal world, all CPUs would have 100 biscuits, but the average rating for a Core i9-13900K is around 85. If you slot a CPU in and find it has 90 or more biscuits, that means it is a prime candidate for overclocking, so you should be able to achieve 6GHz speeds easily and if you are a professional overclocker, you'll be looking for CPUs at 90 or above to chase world records.

This rating system could also potentially be used by end-users. If you happen to have lucked into a high-rated chip but don't intend to overclock, you might be able to sell it on for a profit. A 13th Gen Core i9 with 100 biscuits should be capable of 8GHz speeds while cooled under LN2, according to Gigabyte's in-house overclocking guru, HiCookie.

Leo's Core i9-13900K sample is rated at 91.162 CP (CP = Biscuit Points), meaning the sample Intel sent to us for review purposes was an ‘above average' chip with greater overclocking potential.

Interestingly, it seems that chips with a below 90 score are more prone to the ‘Cold Bug', which is something that really only applies to extreme overclockers. The Cold Bug (CB) kicks in when a CPU reaches between -160 and -186 degrees, so you'll only ever run into this while using LN2. If a chip is inflicted with CB, it will shut down and stop operating when it reaches incredibly low temperatures.

For now, Gigabyte's database only focuses on Core i9 chips, but this could feasibly be expanded to include Core i7 and Core i5 processors too if the need or demand was there.

So if you have a Z790 Gigabyte motherboard and have been wondering what Biscuits is – hopefully this clears that up. If you are wondering why Gigabyte chose the name Biscuits, well we don't have an official answer for that, but the feature was created by HiCookie, so there is a natural connection there.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While this feature mainly applies to overclockers looking to get the best chip possible to beat records, it can still give normal users an interesting look at what their chip might be capable of. 

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G.Skill launches DDR5-8000 Trident Z5 memory https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-launches-ddr5-8000-trident-z5-memory/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-launches-ddr5-8000-trident-z5-memory/#respond Wed, 02 Nov 2022 17:12:45 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=580912 A couple of weeks ago, G.Skill teased that its first 8GHz DDR5 memory kits were almost ready for launch. Today, that exact kit is launching, pushing the high-end of consumer DDR5 memory to new heights. Following on from G.Skill's new 7800MHz kits, the company has now unveiled its Trident Z5 DDR5-8000 32GB kit, containing two …

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A couple of weeks ago, G.Skill teased that its first 8GHz DDR5 memory kits were almost ready for launch. Today, that exact kit is launching, pushing the high-end of consumer DDR5 memory to new heights.

Following on from G.Skill's new 7800MHz kits, the company has now unveiled its Trident Z5 DDR5-8000 32GB kit, containing two 16GB sticks of DDR5 memory capable of 8000MHz speeds. This kit was validated on a system using an Intel Core i9-13900K processor and an Asus ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard.

The new kit is capable of reaching memory bandwidth read speeds of over 124GB/s and write speeds of over 120GB/s in the AIDA64 memory benchmark.

This isn't the only big announcement G.Skill has in store for us today though. G.Skill Trident Z5 memory has also been used to achieve DDR5-10000 speeds just using air cooling. This was also achieved on a system featuring an Intel Core i9-13900K and a ROG Z790 Apex motherboard.

KitGuru Says: DDR5 memory is getting very fast. Do you think we'll eventually see consumer DDR5-10000 modules? 

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New patent suggests AMD is working on an auto-overclocking tool for memory https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joao-silva/new-patent-suggests-amd-is-working-on-an-auto-overclocking-tool-for-memory/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/joao-silva/new-patent-suggests-amd-is-working-on-an-auto-overclocking-tool-for-memory/#respond Mon, 23 May 2022 16:05:53 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=561138 With the DDR5 generation upon us, AMD is looking to boost its support for high-performance memory. According to newly discovered patent filings, one of the ideas AMD is testing is an auto-overclocking tool for memory, which would make obtaining faster speeds more convenient for users.  AMD filed the patent (via Tom's Hardware) on February 3rd …

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With the DDR5 generation upon us, AMD is looking to boost its support for high-performance memory. According to newly discovered patent filings, one of the ideas AMD is testing is an auto-overclocking tool for memory, which would make obtaining faster speeds more convenient for users

AMD filed the patent (via Tom's Hardware) on February 3rd and published it on May 19th. The patent describes an app that would overclock your system's memory by testing the stability of the modules and storing the resulting overclocking profile locally. Such a tool would make the memory overclocking process much easier and accessible for users, as it would eliminate the guesswork, trial-and-error, and risk associated with it.

First, the tool would test the module to find the highest stable memory frequency. Then it would look for the most aggressive timings based on the memory frequency set in the previous test. These tests include Error Correction Code (ECC) to detect bit errors or alternative methods. Lastly, it would create a local profile based on the results of the tests. These profiles could use AMD's rumoured RAMP (Ryzen Accelerated Memory Profile)/EXPO (Extended Profiles for Overclocking) technology.

The patent doesn't mention how it would adjust the voltages, so we assume the tool won't be tinkering with them. Instead, it will probably maintain the modules' SPD voltages and work with that. Anyone looking to enhance the memory profile further should still be able to do it via BIOS or other third-party solutions.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Would you use the auto-overclock tool for memory if AMD ends up rolling this out? 

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Intel unveils 12th Gen Core HX CPUs for high-end gaming laptops and workstations https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-unveils-12th-gen-core-hx-cpus-for-high-end-gaming-laptops-and-workstations/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-unveils-12th-gen-core-hx-cpus-for-high-end-gaming-laptops-and-workstations/#respond Wed, 11 May 2022 13:00:01 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=560078 Intel has pulled the curtain on the 12th Gen Core HX series mobile processors, revealing the next generation of CPUs aimed at high-end gaming laptops and mobile workstations. The line-up includes seven SKUs, all supporting DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0 and overclocking, delivering desktop-like performance in a portable format. Based on the same silicon as the 12th …

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Intel has pulled the curtain on the 12th Gen Core HX series mobile processors, revealing the next generation of CPUs aimed at high-end gaming laptops and mobile workstations. The line-up includes seven SKUs, all supporting DDR5 memory, PCIe 5.0 and overclocking, delivering desktop-like performance in a portable format.

Based on the same silicon as the 12th Gen Core desktop processors, the new HX chips bring memory overclocking and E-core overclocking to mobile platforms, allowing you to push your system further. Moreover, the new chips also support XMP 3.0 and feature the new Dynamic Memory Boost feature to improve performance further.

As the leaked material showed us, there will be seven SKUs with up to 16 cores (8x P-cores and 8x E-cores) and 24 threads that can boost up to 5.0GHz. In addition, the chips feature plenty of PCIe lane support, including x16 PCIe Gen 5.0, x20 PCIe 4.0, and another x12 PCIe 3.0 lanes. The new processors also support up to 128GB DDR5-4800 memory, as well as DDR4-3200 or LPDDR4-4267 with ECC.

Foe integrated graphics, these CPUs ship with a Xe iGPU with up to 32 EUs. Users getting a system equipped with one of these CPUs may also benefit from Wi-Fi6E (Gig+) support and up to 2x Thunderbolt 4 controllers.

Based on Intel's benchmarks, performance will be significantly superior to the i9-11980HK. The new flagship CPU (i9-12900HX) will be 45% faster in media and entertainment workloads. Product development is the field where the new processors will shine brightest, offering +111% performance compared to the older i9 chip. As for life sciences, financial services and energy workloads, performance improvement over the 11th Gen Core i9 chip ranges between 72% and 82%. Performance should also be better in gaming, but don't expect any three-digit gains.

The first laptops equipped with these processors will be launching soon from the likes of Asus, Dell, Lenovo, MSI, Gigabyte and HP.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Laptops with these HX processors won't come cheap, but the performance gains might be worth the cost over going with an older laptop model. Are any of you planning on getting a new laptop this year? 

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Intel Alder Lake-HX to feature PCIe 5.0 and overclocking support https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-alder-lake-hx-to-feature-pcie-5-0-and-overclocking-support/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-alder-lake-hx-to-feature-pcie-5-0-and-overclocking-support/#respond Mon, 09 May 2022 12:04:54 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=559742 Intel is expected to announce the Alder Lake-HX chips on May 10th, during its Vision event. This processor line-up will bring 55W SKUs with PCIe 5.0 and overclocking support to the mobile segment, featuring up to eight P-cores and eight E-cores for mobile workstations and gaming laptops. According to the data shared by VideoCardz, the new …

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Intel is expected to announce the Alder Lake-HX chips on May 10th, during its Vision event. This processor line-up will bring 55W SKUs with PCIe 5.0 and overclocking support to the mobile segment, featuring up to eight P-cores and eight E-cores for mobile workstations and gaming laptops.

According to the data shared by VideoCardz, the new HX chips will be based on the desktop CPUs, using a BGA package. With 48 PCIe lanes (16x PCIe 5.0 + 20x PCIe 4.0 + 12x PCIe 3.0), these chips will be the first laptop platform supporting PCIe 5.0 connectivity. DDR5 memory is also supported, as well as XMP 3.0 and a new feature named Dynamic Memory Boost. Moreover, they will also feature up to 16x computing cores (8 P-cores and 8 E-cores) and 5.0GHz clock speeds.

Image credit: VideoCardz

The new Alder Lake-HX chips will support memory and CPU E-core overclock. These chips will also feature an iGPU with 32 EUs, except for the i5-12450HX, which packs a 16 EU iGPU. There are also three HX chips supporting ECC and Intel vPro; the Core i9-12950HX, the Core i7-12850HX and the i5-12600HX. CPU base power of the Alder Lake-HX processors is set at 55W, but it can increase up to 157W.

Intel's new high-end mobile chips should be announced tomorrow at the Intel Vision event. The first laptops with the CPUs should come soon after.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Planning on grabbing a new laptop for gaming or as a mobile workstation? Will you be waiting to see new high-end models over the summer? 

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AMD wants to ‘make a big splash’ with its DDR5 memory overclocking capabilities https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/joao-silva/amd-wants-to-make-a-big-splash-with-its-ddr5-memory-overclocking-capabilities/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/joao-silva/amd-wants-to-make-a-big-splash-with-its-ddr5-memory-overclocking-capabilities/#respond Thu, 14 Apr 2022 11:00:39 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=557186 The industry is still in a transition period, as platforms begin to shift from DDR4 to DDR5 memory. With AMD's upcoming Zen 4 CPUs, the company wants to 'make a big splash' with DDR5 memory overclocking...

The post AMD wants to ‘make a big splash’ with its DDR5 memory overclocking capabilities first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
The industry is still in a transition period, as platforms begin to shift from DDR4 to DDR5 memory. With AMD's upcoming Zen 4 CPUs, the company wants to ‘make a big splash' with DDR5 memory overclocking. 

AMD Zen 4-based “Raphael” CPUs are expected to launch later this year with support for DDR5 memory. Aimed at gamers, enthusiasts and general PC users, AMD's new platform should rival Intel Raptor Lake, which will also support DDR5.

Currently, DDR5 speeds are still rather conservative compared to the +10,000MT/s claims we've heard from manufacturers. However, AMD teased we might see such speeds with Raphael. During a recent webinar (via Wccftech), Joseph Tao, AMD Memory Enabling Manager, said that DDR5 will reach “speeds that you maybe thought couldn’t be possible” with AMD's new platform.

It's unclear how AMD will achieve its objective, but it may be related to RAMP (Ryzen Accelerated Memory Profile), AMD's answer to Intel XMP 3.0. Like its predecessor and Intel's equivalents, RAMP will store the memory settings and be configurable, allowing users to change the settings to overclock the memory.

KitGuru says: What DDR5 speeds will become the norm once AMD releases the Raphael platform? Do you think we'll see the same speeds achievable on Intel Raptor Lake? 

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Overclockers UK debuts 8Pack Cryocube with overclocked Core i9 CPU and RTX 3090 https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/matthew-wilson/overclockers-uk-debuts-8pack-cryocube-with-overclocked-core-i9-cpu-and-rtx-3090/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/gaming-rig/matthew-wilson/overclockers-uk-debuts-8pack-cryocube-with-overclocked-core-i9-cpu-and-rtx-3090/#respond Tue, 29 Mar 2022 14:08:11 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=555391 Overclockers UK and 8Pack are back at it again with another high-end, masterfully crafted PC. This time around, the team is launching the Cryocube, a fully water-cooled PC with plenty of visual flair and horsepower.  The Cryocube uses an ice-like, all-white aesthetic, combined with RGB lighting, to create a super clean build. At the front …

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Overclockers UK and 8Pack are back at it again with another high-end, masterfully crafted PC. This time around, the team is launching the Cryocube, a fully water-cooled PC with plenty of visual flair and horsepower. 

The Cryocube uses an ice-like, all-white aesthetic, combined with RGB lighting, to create a super clean build. At the front of the case, you'll find a custom distro block with the 8Pack logo etched on. Straight hardline tubes run from the distro plate straight across to key components, like the CPU monoblock, the GPU and the radiators inside the system.

The Cryocube is the sister PC to the Hypercube MK 2, which launched last Summer. While the Hypercube packs a pre-binned Ryzen 9 5900X CPU, the Cryocube is based on the Intel platform, offering an Intel Core i9-12900K processor, 32GB of 6400MHz DDR5 memory and an RTX 3090 graphics card. The processor comes pre-overclocked, reaching 5.1GHz on the P-cores and 4GHz on the E-cores.

The case used here is the Lian Li O11D, which provides a great view into the case and with a high-end build like this, you'll want to show it off. The motherboard being used is the while version of the ASUS ROG Z690 Maximus Formula, and at the heart of the system is the ASUS ROG Thor 1200W 80PLUS Platinum PSU.

For liquid cooling, EK water blocks are used throughout, as well as two 360mm radiators and EK's CryoFuel coolant. For storage, the system is armed with two WD_Black SN850 2TB PCIe 4.0 M.2 SSDs, so you should get optimal performance from the system all around.

The 8Pack Cryocube custom PC will be available from Overclockers UK starting today. All systems are built to order and there are some build configuration options to choose from. Just like the Hypercube, the 8Pack Cryocube starts at £8,888.88.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: 8Pack is back with another excellent high-end PC build. What do you all think of the 8Pack Cryocube? 

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AMD confirms the Ryzen 7 5800X3D won’t support overclocking https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/amd-confirms-the-ryzen-7-5800x3d-wont-support-overclocking/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/amd-confirms-the-ryzen-7-5800x3d-wont-support-overclocking/#respond Thu, 17 Mar 2022 10:21:54 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=553869 Following on from earlier reports, AMD has now confirmed that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D won't support overclocking. However, this only applies to the CPU, so users can still modify Infinity Fabric and DRAM clock speeds. In an interview with HotHardware, AMD's Robert Hallock spoke about the new Ryzen chips coming to mobile and desktop platforms. In …

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Following on from earlier reports, AMD has now confirmed that the Ryzen 7 5800X3D won't support overclocking. However, this only applies to the CPU, so users can still modify Infinity Fabric and DRAM clock speeds.

In an interview with HotHardware, AMD's Robert Hallock spoke about the new Ryzen chips coming to mobile and desktop platforms. In one question, Hallock was asked about the Ryzen 7 5800X3D and its overclocking capabilities.

Hallock started by mentioning this is the first CPU of its kind. Due to 3D V-cache, the CPU voltage scales differently from other Ryzen 5000 series chips. With that said, Hallock stated that, unlike others, the new Ryzen 7 doesn't scale above 1.35V. For that reason, AMD decided that locking down overclocking was the right move.

Fortunately, Hallock also clarified that this is a one-time scenario. Future Ryzen CPUs should continue to support overclocking.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Were you considering upgrading to a Ryzen 7 5800X3D? Knowing that it won't support overclocking, are you still planning to do it?

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G.Skill and ASUS set new DDR5 record with 8888MHz overclock https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-and-asus-set-new-ddr5-record-with-8888mhz-overclock/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-and-asus-set-new-ddr5-record-with-8888mhz-overclock/#respond Tue, 25 Jan 2022 09:04:35 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=547723 Since the launch of DDR5 in late 2021, G.Skill has been hard at work to push speeds to new heights. This week, the company revealed that in its latest overclocking collaboration with ASUS, a new DDR5 world record has been set.  Working with ASUS and extreme overclocker “lupin_no_musume”, G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5 memory was pushed …

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Since the launch of DDR5 in late 2021, G.Skill has been hard at work to push speeds to new heights. This week, the company revealed that in its latest overclocking collaboration with ASUS, a new DDR5 world record has been set. 

Working with ASUS and extreme overclocker “lupin_no_musume”, G.Skill Trident Z5 DDR5 memory was pushed to DDR5-8888 speeds, breaking the previous world record set back in November. The rest of the system used for this overclock included an ASUS ROG Maximus Z690 APEX motherboard and an Intel Core i9-12900K processor.

 

As you might expect, pushing memory to DDR5-8888 speeds with CL88-88-88-88 timings does require extreme cooling methods. In this instance. LN2 was used. Speaking on the new record, G.Skill VP, Tequila Huang, said: “This demonstrates the unparalleled overclocking potential of DDR5, and we will continue to dedicate effort into developing faster DDR5 memory for overclockers and PC enthusiasts.”

Currently, consumer DDR5 memory kits top out at 6800MHz, but we do know that 7000MHz+ kits are in development, so we should see even faster speeds for consumers soon.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: G.Skill memory was used to break plenty of records during the DDR4 generation and that appears to be a continuing trend with DDR5. 

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Intel issues statement in response to 12th Gen non-K overclocking https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/dominic-moass/intel-issues-statement-in-response-to-12th-gen-non-k-overclocking/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/dominic-moass/intel-issues-statement-in-response-to-12th-gen-non-k-overclocking/#respond Fri, 21 Jan 2022 12:00:24 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=547236 After announcing a range of multiplier-locked (non-K) CPU SKUs at CES 2022, it didn't take long for these processors to hit the market. With German overclocker Der8auer already experimenting with base-clock (BCLK) overclocking methods for the likes of the i5-12400, Intel has now issued a statement regarding overclocking these non-K processors...

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After announcing a range of multiplier-locked (non-K) CPU SKUs at CES 2022, it didn't take long for these processors to hit the market. With German overclocker Der8auer already experimenting with base-clock (BCLK) overclocking methods for the likes of the i5-12400, Intel has now issued a statement regarding overclocking these non-K processors.

To get right to it, here is Intel's full statement, copied verbatim:

‘Intel’s 12th Gen non-K processors were not designed for overclocking. Intel does not warranty the operation of processors beyond their specifications. Altering clock frequency or voltage may damage or reduce the useful life of the processor and other system components, and may reduce system stability and performance.'

The immediate good news is, nothing from that statement implies that Intel is planning to try and shut down such overclocking methods. This happened in the past with the original Skylake CPUs, where BCLK overclocking brought tangible performance increases to the likes of the i5-6600, before Intel issued a microcode update to stop this at source. Hopefully for the 12th Gen parts, enthusiasts will be able to continue overclocking these non-K CPUs without hindrance.

Of course, that does come with a risk as BCLK overclocking does indeed cause the ‘operation of processors beyond their specifications', so you won't be covered by warranty if something goes wrong.

However, and you will have to forgive us for asking such a philosophical question on a Friday lunchtime, but Intel's statement does raise the point – what actually is overclocking? Intel refers to taking parts ‘beyond their specifications', but what about XMP – something which pretty much any enthusiasts will do without thinking.

On a support page titled ‘Warranty Guide for Intel Processors', the company lumps both overclocking and XMP together, saying that ‘altering clock frequency or voltage may void any product warranties and reduce stability, security, performance, and life of the processor and other components.'

We also have to take it that even Intel's K-SKUs are therefore not warrantied if an issue where to arise due to overclocking, particularly as the Performance Tuning Protection Plan scheme is now defunct. However, Intel does specify that one particular product – the  Xeon W-3175X – is ‘automatically covered for overclocking', so there's some hope K-SKUs are covered by warranty too.

In any case, we have asked Intel for further clarification and hope to hear back soon. We will update this article if and when we get a response.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: Hopefully non-K overclocking is here to stay!

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CTR creator working on new AMD CPU tuning tool named Project Hydra https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/ctr-creator-working-on-new-amd-cpu-tuning-tool-named-project-hydra/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/ctr-creator-working-on-new-amd-cpu-tuning-tool-named-project-hydra/#respond Fri, 02 Jul 2021 14:00:18 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=522135 Yuri Bubliy, also known as ‘1usmus' online, has introduced the successor to CTR. Expected to release later this month, the new tool, called Project Hydra, aims to bring better overclocking to systems equipped with a Zen 3 processor or upcoming Zen 3+ processor, if they ever release. According to the slides shared with GamerNexus (Project …

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Yuri Bubliy, also known as ‘1usmus' online, has introduced the successor to CTR. Expected to release later this month, the new tool, called Project Hydra, aims to bring better overclocking to systems equipped with a Zen 3 processor or upcoming Zen 3+ processor, if they ever release.

According to the slides shared with GamerNexus (Project Hydra subject starts at 10:11), the tool is still in version 0.1A. Moreover, it's also worth noting that there will be a PRO version, which will come with more features, early access to future updates, and additional support. Project Hydra will be exclusively for Zen 3(+) processors, leaving CTR for Zen 2 and older processors.

At first glance, the UI looks very similar to CTR with a few additions. One of those is the three new voltage curves for the undervolt, normal and OC profiles. Supporting up to 9 profiles, you can create unique profiles depending on the task you choose (gaming, AVX2 workloads, rendering, etc). Additionally, the Curve Optimizer can now be configured on a per-core basis, allowing for greater customisation. According to 1usmus, the app should never use more than 100MB of memory and 1% of the CPU.

Unlike the Ryzen Master tool, Project Hydra allows you to do voltage increments of just 1mV (vs 3mV on Ryzen Master). Project Hydra also packs multiple new security mechanisms to avoid file corruption, damage to the CPU and system and user errors. Moreover, it features new monitoring tools, an updated logging system, automatic profile shutdown in critical situations, auto-updater, automatic profile loading on Windows start-up, and a new event notification system.

KitGuru says: Back when CTR launched, many praised 1usmus for his amazing work and it is great to see that work continued with this new project. Have any of you used CTR to get the most out of your Ryzen processor? Will you be switching to Project Hydra when that comes out? 

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RX 6900 XT at 3.3GHz sets new 3DMark Fire Strike world record https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/matthew-wilson/rx-6900-xt-at-3-3ghz-sets-new-3dmark-fire-strike-world-record/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/matthew-wilson/rx-6900-xt-at-3-3ghz-sets-new-3dmark-fire-strike-world-record/#respond Fri, 14 May 2021 12:33:21 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=515494 A while back, renowned overclocker, Der8auer, broke the 3DMark Fire Strike world record with a massive 3.2GHz overclock on an RX 6900 XT Liquid Devil graphics card. Now, that record appears to have been broken, this time by a separate group pushing an RX 6900 XT at 3.3GHz.  As reported by Videocardz, Team OGS has …

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A while back, renowned overclocker, Der8auer, broke the 3DMark Fire Strike world record with a massive 3.2GHz overclock on an RX 6900 XT Liquid Devil graphics card. Now, that record appears to have been broken, this time by a separate group pushing an RX 6900 XT at 3.3GHz. 

As reported by Videocardz, Team OGS has overclocked their own RX 6900 XT, featuring a Navi 21 XTXH GPU, to 3.3GHz. At these speeds, the card was able to score 37,618 points in Fire Strike, with a 41,069 graphics score. These results earn Team OGS the number 1 ranking on HWBot.

This was somewhat expected, as the original RX 6900 XT cards using Navi 21 XT chips were locked at 3GHz in the BIOS. AMD later began sending Navi 21 XTXH GPUs to partners, which are pre-binned chips with higher overclocking capabilities.

So far, ASRock, Sapphire, PowerColour and ASUS have new top-end, liquid-cooled RX 6900 XT graphics cards with the binned Navi 21 XTXH chip.

KitGuru Says: We have a new 3DMark Fire Strike world record. How long you you reckon it'll take for another team to challenge this one? 

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Intel Core i9-11900K overclocked to over 7GHz at 1.873V https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-core-i9-11900k-overclocked-to-over-7ghz-at-1-873v/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/joao-silva/intel-core-i9-11900k-overclocked-to-over-7ghz-at-1-873v/#respond Mon, 29 Mar 2021 10:43:12 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=509441 Intel's 11th Gen Core Rocket Lake-S processors aren't releasing for another day, but overclockers already have their hands on a few of them. The first major overclock for the Core i9-11900K was revealed over the weekend, pushing the chip over the 7GHz mark at a whopping 1.873V.

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Intel's 11th Gen Core Rocket Lake-S processors aren't releasing for another day, but professional overclockers already have their hands on a few of them. The first major overclock for the Core i9-11900K was revealed over the weekend, pushing the chip over the 7GHz mark at a whopping 1.873V.

The entry was apparently removed, but @TUM_APISAK shared the web archive URL and a screenshot of the CPU-Z software listing the Core i9-11900K processor running at 7047.88MHz and 1.873V. According to the entry, the system was using an ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Apex Z590 motherboard with 8GB of DDR4-2133. It's not clear the method used to cool the processor, but considering the high-voltage at which it was set, LN2 is the most likely.

Meanwhile, Youtube channel PC Wale uploaded a video describing the overclocking of a Core i9-11900K on an ASUS ROG Maximus XIII Hero using LN2. During the video, they mention that they have received a custom XOC BIOS from SafeDisk, a well-known overclocker working for ASUS, that allowed them to push the voltage up to 2V. Despite being unable to reach an overclock as high as ROG-Fisher, 6.5GHz at 1.678V is still pretty impressive.

Intel's 11th Gen Core desktop processors will be available at retail starting tomorrow, the 30th of March. Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru says: Running such high clock speeds with LN2 isn't feasible for daily use, but it gives us an idea of the overclocking potential of this processor. Are you thinking about grabbing an Intel Core i9-11900K? Will you be overclocking yours? 

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ASUS ROG STRIX B550-I Gaming Mini-ITX Motherboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/asus-rog-strix-b550-i-gaming-mini-itx-motherboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/asus-rog-strix-b550-i-gaming-mini-itx-motherboard-review/#respond Fri, 25 Dec 2020 12:00:02 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=499277 With AMD’s new Zen 3-based Ryzen 5000 processors offering new levels of compute, gaming, and power efficiency performance to mainstream desktop users, it is a great time to be a Mini-ITX fan. In this review, we examine the ASUS ROG STRIX B550-I Gaming Mini-ITX motherboard and see how it handles the AMD Zen 3 flagship …

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With AMD’s new Zen 3-based Ryzen 5000 processors offering new levels of compute, gaming, and power efficiency performance to mainstream desktop users, it is a great time to be a Mini-ITX fan. In this review, we examine the ASUS ROG STRIX B550-I Gaming Mini-ITX motherboard and see how it handles the AMD Zen 3 flagship CPU.

Video Timestamps:

00:00 Start
00:15 Introduction / the board
01:53 Rear mounted M.2 connector
03:05 Memory support / CPU socket
03:56 Top edge connectors
05:22 Right side of board / front panel connectors
05:57 PCI expansion slot area / M.2 daughterboard details
07:09 M.2 heatsink / right of M.2 connector
07:45 Front panel audio header / rear Type-C audio header
08:24 Rear I/O panel
09:34 Power delivery
10:57 VRM hardware components
14:17 Fan BIOS control
14:58 Test system / hardware
15:40 Test results
16:58 Thermal performance with M.2 SSDs
17:14 Audio test results
17:22 Manual overclocking and unusual sensor details
20:12 Overclocked results and power consumption
20:54 VRM and CPU temperatures
22:08 Luke's closing thoughts – Pros and Cons

Coming in at around the £200 mark, this high-end B550 offering features an actively cooled 8+2 power stage design, dual M.2 sockets, plentiful quantities of 10Gbps USB on the rear and internally, and high-speed wired and wireless networking connectivity. ASUS also included a unique feature in its USB Type-C audio connector.

£200 is steep for a B550 motherboard, even in the typically more expensive Mini-ITX form factor. And with tough competition from the similarly priced ASRock B550 Phantom Gaming-ITX/AX motherboard in particular, can ASUS’ ROG STRIX B550-I Gaming prove its worth? Let’s take a look.

Features (information taken from the ASUS webpage):

  • AMD AM4 socket: Ready for Ryzen™ 5000 Series/ 4000 G-Series/ 3000 Series Desktop Processors
  • Best gaming connectivity: PCIe® 4.0-ready, dual M.2, USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C® plus HDMI™ 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 output
  • Smooth networking: Onboard WiFi 6 (802.11ax) and Intel® 2.5 Gb Ethernet with ASUS LANGuard
  • Robust power solution: Teamed power stages with ProCool II power connector, high-quality alloy chokes and durable capacitors
  • Renowned software: Intuitive dashboards for UEFI BIOS and ASUS AI Networking make it easy to configure gaming builds
  • DIY-friendly design: Includes Q-connector, BIOS FlashBack™ and FlexKey
  • Unmatched personalization: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including Aura RGB header and addressable Gen 2 RGB header
  • Industry-leading Gaming Audio: Audio USB Type-C®, AI Noise Canceling Microphone, SupremeFX S1220A codec, DTS® Sound Unbound™ and Sonic Studio III for immersive audio

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Overclockers get DOOM Eternal running at 1,000 frames per second https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overclockers-get-doom-eternal-running-at-1000-frames-per-second/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/overclockers-get-doom-eternal-running-at-1000-frames-per-second/#respond Thu, 27 Aug 2020 15:47:27 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=483288 It has been known for some time now that the id Tech 7 engine is capable of running at up to 1,000 frames per second, but powering a game like DOOM Eternal at that frame rate is no easy task. As part of QuakeCon at Home, Bethesda teamed up with some professional overclockers to see …

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It has been known for some time now that the id Tech 7 engine is capable of running at up to 1,000 frames per second, but powering a game like DOOM Eternal at that frame rate is no easy task. As part of QuakeCon at Home, Bethesda teamed up with some professional overclockers to see if they could get it done.

The polish team ‘X-Kom' took on the challenge, making the world's first attempt to get DOOM Eternal running at 1,000 frames per second. As you would expect, getting this to work involved plenty of overclocking, fine tuning and of course, LN2 cooling.

The specs for the system here are as follows:

CPU: Intel Core i7 9700K @ 6.6GHz
Motherboard: ASUS Maximus XI APEX
GPU: ASUS RTX 2080Ti Strix @ 2.4GHz
RAM: HyperX Predator 4000MHz CL19 2x8GB
Storage: Samsung 512GB M.2 NVMe Evo Plus
PSU: Be Quiet 1200W Straight Power

As we can see in the video, with a massive 2.4GHz overclock on an RTX 2080Ti and a Core i7-9700K clocked at a whopping 6.6GHz, this system was able to reach just over 1,000 frames per second in DOOM Eternal, hitting the milestone once and for all while also proving the id Tech 7 engineers right. Unfortunately, without a 1000Hz screen and capture software capable of also capturing a thousand frames per second, we'll never really know first-hand just how smooth that frame rate is.

KitGuru Says: What do you think of this record breaking attempt to push DOOM Eternal (and PC hardware) to their limits?

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ASUS ROG Maximus XII Apex used to push Core i9-10900K to 7.7GHz https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/asus-rog-maximus-xii-apex-used-to-push-core-i9-10900k-to-7-7ghz/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/asus-rog-maximus-xii-apex-used-to-push-core-i9-10900k-to-7-7ghz/#respond Sat, 23 May 2020 16:51:14 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=468553 A Core i9-10900K overclocked to 7.7GHz across all ten cores.

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Intel's 10th Gen Core desktop processors are out and the overclocking race has begun. We've already seen G.Skill pushing the boundaries of DDR4 memory speeds on Z490 motherboards, and MSI had a good showing with a 7.4GHz Core i9-10900K. ASUS might be taking the crown though, as the ROG Maximus XII Apex has been used to push a colossal 7.7GHz overclock. 

ASUS ROG revealed the latest record this week. Jon ‘Elmor' Sandström and Pieter ‘Massmann’ Plaisier joined ASUS to push the Z490 chipset and new Intel 10th Gen CPUs to the limit with extreme overclocking. The result is a 7.7GHz overclock across all cores on an Intel Core i9-10900K.

To achieve this, Liquid Helium was used for cooling, shattering the frequency record on an Intel Core series CPU. Those weren't the only records broken though, the ROG Maximus XII Apex was also used to overclock G.Skill Trident Z memory to 6666MHz.

Beyond that, Asus Z490 motherboards have been used to break the single-core Geekbench 4 record and obtain number one positions for 10-core CPU scores in Geekbench 3, Cinebench R15 and wPrime 32M.

KitGuru Says: It is a shame we won't be seeing another Overclocking World Championship at Computex this year due to the COVID-19 situation. Even so, records are being broken remotely with the assistance of hardware companies, which is great to see. 

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MSI Z490 GODLIKE used to push Core i9-10900K to 7.42GHz on all cores https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/msi-z490-godlike-used-to-push-core-i9-10900k-to-7-42ghz-on-all-cores/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/matthew-wilson/msi-z490-godlike-used-to-push-core-i9-10900k-to-7-42ghz-on-all-cores/#respond Thu, 21 May 2020 11:34:07 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=468198 This week marks the launch of Intel's 10th Generation Core desktop processors and the Z490 chipset for motherboards. We've already seen some memory records broken utilising this new hardware and it looks like MSI's motherboards are turning up some decent CPU overclocking results too. First up is the flagship MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE motherboard, which …

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This week marks the launch of Intel's 10th Generation Core desktop processors and the Z490 chipset for motherboards. We've already seen some memory records broken utilising this new hardware and it looks like MSI's motherboards are turning up some decent CPU overclocking results too.

First up is the flagship MSI MEG Z490 GODLIKE motherboard, which is built for extreme overclocking thanks to an aggressive VRM design with 16 phases 90A CPU power, combined with dual 8-pin power connectors and technologies like Mirrored Power Arrangement and Core Boost Technology.

Utilising this board, extreme overclockers were able to push an Intel Core i9-10900K up to 7.42GHz across all cores, cooled with liquid nitrogen to tame all of that heat. You can see the validation for this overclocking result, HERE.

Aside from that, the MSI MEG Z490I UNIFY motherboard has been used to post some impressive memory overclocking results. Paired with a Core i9-10900K, this setup was able to achieve extreme memory speeds of 6152MHz.

KitGuru Says: MSI has equipped its Z490 motherboards well, with plenty of overclocking and power-user friendly features. Are any of you planning on upgrading this year? Are you going to be picking up an MSI motherboard? 

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G.Skill Trident Z Royal breaks records with DDR4-6666 speed https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-trident-z-royal-breaks-records-with-ddr4-6666-speed/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/matthew-wilson/g-skill-trident-z-royal-breaks-records-with-ddr4-6666-speed/#respond Thu, 21 May 2020 09:16:03 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=468166 G.Skill already had an impressive showcase for the Z490 and Intel 10th Gen launch yesterday, delivering 5000MHz memory kits. It turns out that with some additional overclocking, even greater heights can be achieved, as G.Skill Trident Z Royal memory has been used to reach record speeds of 6666MHz.  Paired with an ASUS ROG Maximus XII …

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G.Skill already had an impressive showcase for the Z490 and Intel 10th Gen launch yesterday, delivering 5000MHz memory kits. It turns out that with some additional overclocking, even greater heights can be achieved, as G.Skill Trident Z Royal memory has been used to reach record speeds of 6666MHz. 

Paired with an ASUS ROG Maximus XII APEX motherboard and an Intel Core i9-10900K processor, overclocker ‘BIANBAO' was able to set the record, which you can see being obtained in the video below:

Of course, extreme overclocking was used to reach this speed, so liquid nitrogen was used for cooling. It isn't a speed regular consumers will be able to hit for quite some time, but it is always interesting to see what hardware can achieve when pushed to the absolute limits.

If you are looking for high-speed memory that you can actually use in a personal rig, then you may want to check out G.Skill's new 5GHz DDR4 memory kits, which we reported on HERE.

KitGuru Says: G.Skill breaks more memory speed records, fuelling competition amongst the overclocking community. It will be interesting to see how long it takes to break this one.

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Threadripper 3990X CPU Cooling Comparison – Taming the Beast https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/luke-hill/threadripper-3990x-cpu-cooling-comparison-how-to-tame-the-beast/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/luke-hill/threadripper-3990x-cpu-cooling-comparison-how-to-tame-the-beast/#respond Fri, 24 Apr 2020 12:34:20 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=460068 Too hot to handle? We push four CPU coolers to their limits on the Threadripper 3990X

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It's been around two months since the release of AMD’s flagship Ryzen Threadripper 3990X 64-core CPU and the processor has been met with strong praise. Compute performance is at an entirely new level, power efficiency is superb, and operating frequencies are pretty reasonable for such a multi-threaded part.

However, there’s evident overclocking room beyond the 280W TDP and circa-3GHz all-core operating frequency for users who demand every last drop of performance from their $4000 chip. Finding a CPU cooler capable of taming the beast, whilst also maintaining the cost-effectiveness and ease-of-use of air or AIO liquid options, is not easy.

We examine options from be quiet!, Cooler Master, Corsair, IceGiant, and Noctua to see which option is a solid choice for the 64-core beast.

It is a pretty simple challenge, really; keeping the 64-core Ryzen Threadripper 3990X flagship adequately cooled is not an easy task when you wish to push frequencies further than the out-of-the-box values. Power draws from the CPU can spiral well over the stock 280W TDP number and we have seen values in excess of double that for short bursts, if the cooling can handle it.

This is not intended to be an air-versus-AIO grudge match as we understand that the choice between the two technologies is very personal and includes many factors.

However, the longevity and risk mitigation benefits of air cooling are undeniably desirable points to many workstation builds. Plus, you do not have to deal with annoying bloatware software that many AIO coolers ship with and mandate for fan and pump speed control.

Performance has, historically, been compromised for the reliability offered by air cooling versus closed-loop liquid cooling, especially in high thermal load situations such as cooling Threadripper processors. But will that be the case with the Threadripper 3990X given its unique design and limited supply of truly optimised CPU cooling offerings?

From be quiet! we have the flagship Threadripper cooler – the dual-tower, dual-fan Dark Rock Pro TR4. Noctua serves up the single-tower U14S TR4-SP3 which we operate with single NF-A15 and dual NF-A15 fans.

The soon-to-be-released IceGiant ProSiphon Elite version that we have for testing is the earlier (and physically larger) 2019 prototype with dual fans. And from the AIO category we have a 280mm Corsair iCUE H115i RGB PRO XT.

We know that the Corsair AIO does not feature a TR4-sized cooling block and is therefore not optimised for Threadripper cooling.

With that said, we spoke to AMD at CES 2020 and were told how their own internal Threadripper testing for performance claims is often conducted with Asetek-style AIO liquid coolers that do not offer full heatspreader coverage (the 3990X reviewers’ guide actually refers to a Corsair H100i v2 AIO liquid cooler).

The Cooler Master and Thermaltake TR4-specific AIO coolers use a standard pump and cold plate design and then increase the dimensions of the cooper contact plate to accommodate for Threadripper. This is not a true TR4-optimised design, hence why we did not use those coolers as the AIO test point.

The Enermax Liqtech units were the obvious alternative choice for TR4-specific AIO coolers with a cold plate design optimised for Threadripper specifically. However, with their ongoing reliability concerns (excellent work by Gamers Nexus and others on this topic) they were deemed unacceptable for inclusion in our testing.

As such, a high-end 280mm AIO seemed like a perfectly reasonable choice for the AIO reference point, even though its cold plate is not TR4 specific. If you have alternative suggestions for strong AIOs we could look into for Threadripper cooling, please let us know.

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AMD FX-8350 overclocked to over 8GHz https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/christopher-nohall/amd-fx-8350-overclocked-to-over-8ghz/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cpu/christopher-nohall/amd-fx-8350-overclocked-to-over-8ghz/#respond Fri, 24 Apr 2020 08:15:02 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=463817 The German overclocker der8auer succeeded with pushing an AMD FX-8350 to 8.127 MHz – speeds nearly twice as fast as what we'd expect from a stock chip. The 32 nm CPU was forced up to this speed by giving it voltage of 1.920 vCore – making a single core pull 100 W of power. AMD has impressed most people …

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The German overclocker der8auer succeeded with pushing an AMD FX-8350 to 8.127 MHz – speeds nearly twice as fast as what we'd expect from a stock chip. The 32 nm CPU was forced up to this speed by giving it voltage of 1.920 vCore – making a single core pull 100 W of power.

AMD has impressed most people with its recent successes, due to its efficient Zen architecture and it's Ryzen processors. But before the time of the Zen architecture AMD had it tough. The company was using processors based on the Bulldozer architecture, which left a lot to be desired.

During the Bulldozer era, AMD pushed up the clock speeds of its processors to compensate for the otherwise lacklustre performance, something that der8auer used to his benefit when overclocking an AMD FX-8350 to over 8 GHz.

Even with the impressive speed of 8.1 GHz the processor didn't perform too well in Cinebench R15 – scoring 172 points for single thread performance. TechPowerUp compared the score from the overclocked AMD FX-8350 to a Ryzen 5 2600X saying that the processor “running at stock clocks of 3.6 GHz with all cores enabled, achieves 176 points in the same benchmark”.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

KitGuru says: It's impressive to see a CPU being pushed to over 8.1 GHz. However, perhaps more impressive is that a modern CPU with half the clock speed will outperform the overclocked AMD FX-8350.

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Corsair A500 CPU Cooler Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/corsair-a500-cpu-cooler-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/corsair-a500-cpu-cooler-review/#respond Wed, 22 Jan 2020 13:29:28 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=447053 Corsair has returned to the CPU air cooling market with the A500 dual tower cooler

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For about the last decade, all-in-one coolers have been the preferred choice for cooling high-performance mainstream desktop processors, especially with PC enthusiasts and gamers who want to extract the maximum performance from the CPU through overlocking. Air cooling the CPU has mostly been limited to low power, budget systems, however over the last couple of years, we have seen a resurgence in air cooling of high-performance processors with large tower coolers such as the Noctua NH-D15, the be quiet! Dark Rock Pro series and more recently the Deepcool Assassin III.

During this downturn in the use of high-end air coolers, some manufacturers completely stopped producing CPU tower coolers to focus their R&D on all-in-one liquid coolers exclusively. One of those companies that halted air cooler manufacturing was Corsair, but now they are back and aiming at the big boys with the new A500 dual tower cooler.

One of the key features that Corsair has been pushing while marketing the A500 tower cooler is the unique fan mounting method it has deployed. Unlike many of the large tower coolers currently on the market that use a spring clip mechanism to mount the fans, Corsair has opted for a more substantial method that includes rigid plastic frames with a Slide-and-Lock height adjustment mechanism for improved RAM clearance. It will be interesting to see how well this works later during the installation process.

Another interesting design choice Corsair has taken with the A500 is the decision to use two different heat pipe dimensions. All the heat pipes are manufactured from copper and are direct touch design, meaning they all have direct contact with the CPU IHS. However, the two central pipes are 8mm diameter while the outer two are 6mm diameter. Corsair claims this will improve cooling at high TDP compared with coolers that have heat pipes of all the same diameter.

To ensure adequate airflow is always passing over the cooler, Corsair has equipped the A500 with two PWM controlled 120mm ML120 high static pressure fans. The ML120 fans that come with the A500 are the regular non-RGB type since Corsair wanted to retain an understated appearance in the A500, as the company expects it to be used more commonly in workstation type systems, where function is more important than aesthetics.

Corsair has introduced an optimised retention method to make installation of the A500 as quick and straightforward as possible. For AMD installations, the A500 utilises the stock backplate while Intel systems require replacing the backplate with a Corsair supplied solution with specific standoffs for the socket type. On AMD sockets, the Corsair A500 uses a simple screw and spacer retention method. However, we will go over the Intel installation method in detail later.

According to Corsair, the A500 has been designed to provide pure performance with understated looks. To achieve maximum cooling performance, it is recommended to run the fans at 100% RPM. However, since the ML120 fans can run at a speed up to 2,400RPM, PWM control would be much more suited to everyday use. In its own internal synthetic testing, Corsair found the A500 has an average thermal resistance lower than similar style coolers from rival manufacturers, so we expect to see good thermal performance results when we come to test the cooler ourselves later.

In terms of how the Corsair A500 performance measures up to the competition is something we will find out during this review. To purchase the A500 at the moment will set you back around £89.99 in the UK – this places it right in the line of other high-end dual tower coolers such as the Noctua NH-D15, be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 4 and the Deepcool Assassin III, but can it match their performance levels? Let's dive in and see.

Key features

  • Dual heatsink design
  • Four heat pipes
  • Two 120mm fans
  • Adjustable fan height for RAM clearance
  • Understated aesthetics
  • Simple installation method

Specification

Heatsink Dimensions 137mm x 169mm x 103mm
Heatsink Dimensions w/Fan 144mm x 169mm x 171mm
Cold Plate Type Direct-Contact Heatpipe
Fan Dimensions 120mm x 120mm x 25mm
Fan Speed 2400 RPM
Number of Fans 2
Fan Model ML Series
Fan Airflow 75 CFM
Fan Static Pressure 4.2 mm-H2O
Noise Level 36 dBA
Heatpipe Material Copper
Heatsink Material Aluminium
Maximum RAM Height (Stock Fan Position) 45mm
Cooling Socket Support Intel 1150/1151/1155/1156
Intel 2011/2011-3/2066
AMD AM4
AMD AM3/AM2

Be sure to check out our sponsors store EKWB here

The post Corsair A500 CPU Cooler Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]> https://www.kitguru.net/components/cooling/james-dawson/corsair-a500-cpu-cooler-review/feed/ 0 Asus ROG Maximus XI Formula – VRM cooling by EKWB https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/asus-rog-maximus-xi-formula-vrm-cooling-by-ekwb/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/asus-rog-maximus-xi-formula-vrm-cooling-by-ekwb/#respond Mon, 28 Oct 2019 09:18:56 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=431778 The board has a list of features as long as your arm, however it also costs a hefty amount of money. 

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Asus currently lists 52 ROG motherboards in its impressive line-up of which 11 use the Z390 chipset to support Intel 9th Gen. Coffee Lake. The ROG Maximus XI Formula sits at the top of that particular stack and has been designed to address the vexed issue of VRM cooling, thanks to the use of a CrossChill III VRM hybrid cooling block made by EK water blocks. The board looks impressive and has a list of features as long as your arm, however it also costs a hefty amount of money. 

Key features

  • Intel Z390 ATX Gaming motherboard with M.2 heatsink, Aura Sync RGB LED, DDR4 4400MHz, 802.11ac Wi-Fi , dual M.2, SATA 6Gb/s, and USB 3.1 Gen 2
  • LGA1151 socket: Ready for 9th/8th Generation Intel Core desktop processors
  • Crosschill EK III and Water Cooling Zone: Keep your system cool when the action heats up
  • ROG Eco-System: ASUS-exclusive Aura Sync RGB lighting, including headers for both standard and addressable RGB strips
  • Gaming connectivity: Aquantia 5G LAN and Intel Gigabit Ethernet onboard, dual M.2, USB 3.1 Gen 2, Intel 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi with MU-MIMO support, LANGuard and GameFirst
  • 5-way Optimisation: Automated system-wide tuning, providing AI Overclocking and cooling profiles tailor-made for your rig
  • Gaming Audio: SupremeFX and Sonic Studio III – High fidelity audio that draws you deeper into the action
  • Gaming durability: ROG RGB Armour, ROG patented pre-mounted I/O shield, ASUS SafeSlot, and premium components for maximum durability

Full specification HERE

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