Intel Corp. on Thursday revealed its financial results for the year 2013. The company's total sales were down 1% compared to the previous year due to soft demand for PCs. At the same time, the company sold more server-class hardware than in the previous year. The company reported full-year revenue …
Read More »TSMC begins volume production of chips using 20nm process tech
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. on Thursday said it had begun mass production of chips using 20nm process technology ahead of its own schedule. The new fabrication process will help fabless chip designers (e.g., AMD, Nvidia, Qualcomm, etc.) to create processors with higher transistor count, lower power consumption and improved performance. …
Read More »Intel postpones completion of leading-edge fab 42
Intel Corp. said it had decided to postpone equipment move-in at its fab 42 cutting-edge semiconductor manufacturing facility. The move, which is aimed to improve utilisation of capital at the world’s largest maker of microprocessors, will leave the company without one fab capable of making next-generation chips using 14nm manufacturing …
Read More »ARM and UMC team up for low-cost chips
Although the press mostly reports about high-end chip solutions designed for leading-edge electronics and made using state-of-the-art process technologies, the market continues to need very low-cost products that are far from being technological breakthroughs. On Tuesday ARM Holdings and United Microelectronics Corp. announced partnership to enable such devices. ARM has …
Read More »Intel may shift introduction of Broadwell to Q3
Intel Corp. may speed up introduction of its next-generation microprocessors based on the code-named “Broadwell” micro-architecture, according to sources with knowledge of the chip giant’s plans. Previously it was expected that the “Broadwell” line of chips will be released sometime in Q4 of 2014. It is now planned that some …
Read More »Intel rapidly transitioning desktop chips to Haswell architecture
Intel Corp. is speedily transitioning its lineup of desktop central processing units (CPUs) to the “Haswell” micro-architecture. Broader availability of newer chips across various price segments ultimately makes Intel’s desktop microprocessor family more competitive against its arch-rival AMD. According to sources familiar with Intel’s plans, the share of desktop processors …
Read More »Intel reveals Quark-based Edison PC in SD form-factor
At the Consumer Electronics Show the world’s largest maker of microprocessors – Intel Corp. – demonstrated what looks to be the world’s smallest personal computer based on an x86 microprocessor. Intel Edison is a new Quark-based computer with built-in wireless connectivity housed in a Secure Digital card form-factor. Intel Edison …
Read More »Intel wants to sell 60 million tablet chips this year
Intel Corp., the world’s largest maker of microprocessors, has been selling various system-on-chips for mobile devices for years now. Unfortunately, it hasn't been that successful with the smartphones and tablets market. But the company remains optimistic and has given itself some pretty aggressive targets. This year Intel plans to sell …
Read More »AMD’s Mobility line to bridge tablet and laptop gap
AMD has announced a new initiative to bridge the gap between the traditional high powered, productivity focused “old Windows ecosystem,” and the high end displays and thin, light and easy to use Android/iOS ecoysystem, powered by a new line of AMD APUs set to be released over the next 12 …
Read More »Supermicro Ready To Go with nVidia Grid solutions
Comparing the parallel computing performance of a graphic card to a CPU is like comparing the shoe-wearing ability of a centipede to a human. While the applications and environments around the GPU don't always allow it to maximise throughput, there is enough processing power under the bonnet to let it …
Read More »Intel Core i7 4960X EE CPU / Asus X79-Deluxe Motherboard Review
A little under two years after the release of Intel's high-end desktop – Sandy Bridge-E – LGA 2011 processors and the corresponding X79 chipset, it's time for the platform to go through its refresh phase. Featuring a die shrink from SB-E's 32nm to 22nm, Ivy Bridge-E is intended to take …
Read More »AMD orders HUGE price cut on FX-9590 – Game on!
When KitGuru ran a preliminary analysis of the price/performance for the AMD FX-9590, we calculated a bang-per-buck based only on early info from the channel. The conclusion at that stage was clear: The price was well out. Now that has changed – and in a big way. The idea of …
Read More »AMD FX9590 price drops from £719.99 to £659.99
For those AMD gamers who want a piece of the new ultra high end pie ARIA have a deal on the AMD FX9590 right now – the price on launch was £719.99, but it has dropped to £659.99. Our review stated around £700, so you can save £40 now and …
Read More »AMD FX9590 (5ghz) Review (w/ Gigabyte 990FXA-UD5)
Today we are looking at the new AMD FX9590, clocked at an eye popping 5ghz. The FX9590 is shipped with a base clock of 4.7ghz and a maximum turbo speed of 5.0ghz – the all important figure which has already started a plethora of news stories across the net. AMD …
Read More »AMD FX 9590 – initial Centurion price performance analysis
Quoting the physical speed of a processor is about as useful measure of performance as telling us that a car has a 5 litre engine. While there is an overall correlation, the winning-losing match-up is much more subtle. KitGuru scans the interwibble and finds an interesting Cinebench claim. With a …
Read More »AMD A10-6800K (Richland) APU Review
Today we are going to take a look at the latest ‘Richland’ APUs from AMD which have been refreshed with ‘Piledriver’ cores to enhance performance. There are numerous other improvements including the addition of 2133 MHz memory support for the A10 models. Since AMD released their first APUs back in …
Read More »ASRock Z87 Extreme 6 Review (w/ 4770k / GTX770)
Regular readers will be aware that Intel recently launched their Haswell range of processors. Kitguru has already reviewed motherboards from partners such as MSI, ASUS and Gigabyte in the last week. Today we look at the new ASRock Z87 Extreme 6 – this is a 12 phase power design featuring …
Read More »MSI Z87 MPOWER MAX Review (w/ 4770k / HD7990 / 2,933mhz DDR3)
It would have been difficult to miss Intel's launch of Haswell last weekend. On launch day we looked at the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC and the ASUS Z87 Sabertooth motherboards and today we analyse the latest high end board from MSI – The Z87 MPower MAX. This is priced a little higher …
Read More »AMD Richland on sale at ARIA
Our reviews of Richland are slightly delayed due to masses of content we have published in the last week, we are playing catchup. In the interim you will be pleased to hear that UK retailer ARIA are stocking the new processors – and they seem very competitively priced indeed. Head …
Read More »Asus Z87 Sabertooth Motherboard Review (w/ Intel i7 4770k)
This weekend Intel launch their new Haswell range of processors and the major motherboard partners have a range of models for the enthusiast audience to choose from. We have several articles prepared for today, and this review focuses on the new Asus Sabertooth Motherboard paired up with the Intel Core …
Read More »Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC Motherboard Review (w/ Intel i7 4770k)
This weekend Intel launch their range of Haswell processors and companies such as Asus and Gigabyte have a new range of boards for the enthusiast audience to choose from. This review focuses on the Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC motherboard when paired up with the Intel Core i7 4770k processor. Just how capable …
Read More »ARIA taking orders for Intel Haswell processors
Well you guys won't have too long to wait now for reviews of Haswell processors on your favourite websites. We noticed this morning that ARIA have just gone live with their stock of the new range of Intel processors. Kitguru can't spill the beans we are under NDA still, but …
Read More »Haswell approach causes mass price cuts
With every new beginning, there comes an end. Just as Ivy Bridge slid into the Sandy Bridge space, so a new king will soon arrive – demanding the overthrow of the present regime. But with the glitzy new product range comes issues. Most notably for Intel and its partners, “What …
Read More »AMD Launches Its 2013 Mobile APU Products
A short while ago, KitGuru was invited to AMD's press event with the agenda of discussing the company's mobile products for 2013. It is clear that the mobile market is a big priority for the US-based chip maker, so read on to find out what AMD has in store for …
Read More »NEC launches world’s first Haswell laptop – by accident
In what seems a clear violation of Intel's NDA for Haswell, NEC has launched its next generation laptop far too early. Now that the details are out on the web, it's hard to know what will prevent other system builders from following suit. If the info is in the public …
Read More »AMD chips discounted early at ARIA PC
Next Monday is the official day that AMD will be running our price drops on a whole host of chips, but ARIA has jumped the gun and offered up big discounts for two CPUs in the Piledriver lineup, knocking about £20 off of the standard price tag for each model. …
Read More »Ultra low price 760G boards move to support FX challenge
One of KitGuru's bugbears has been AMD's consistency in releasing processors that may well be appealing – but then burying them under the weight of a mainboard that costs more than the chip. Now it seems that there better options available from resellers like Aria. KitGuru pulls out a Casio …
Read More »Is the AMD FX 6300 the best CPU under £100?
With so much emphasis on Intel's amazing ‘k' series chips, it's easy to lose track of the fact that most systems sold in the USA and Western Europe, actually use something that costs far less. The latest offer from Aria has drawn our attention to an interesting question, “What is …
Read More »AMD takes component marketing to the Max
The days of building a slightly better mouse trap and waiting for the customers to bang down your door are gone. These days, marketing is everything. Ahead of CeBIT 2013 and the showcasing of its latest APU products, KitGuru catches up with the chap who's taken over generating demand for …
Read More »AMD’s new Communications VP, Taylor made?
Seems like we can't open our inboxes without more news about AMD re-vamping its internal structure. The latest appointment put John Taylor (no relation to Roy, or so we're told) into the communications hot seat. KitGuru considers the challenges he will face and whether he is perfectly suited to the …
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