The integrated graphics on the single APU chip can also be bolstered by a standalone AMD Radeon graphics card, delivering up to 144-percent more performance when the A-Series is paired with an HD 6500 Series GPU. There’s also Internet Explorer 9 integration for Steady Video, offering smoother streaming video playback.

As for unlocked models, the AMD A8-3870K and A6-3670K APUs can be overclocked by up to 500MHz for the CPU and 200MHz on the GPU.

AMD’s first new A-Series desktop APUs will begin showing up in commercial systems and as standalone components from today, the company tells us. The A8-3870K has an RRP of $135 while the A6-3670K has an RRP of $115.

AMD A-Series Desktop APUs

A8-3870K: Four CPU cores, 3.0 GHz CPU base (unlocked), 100W TDP, 400 Radeon cores, 600 MHz GPU base (unlocked), 4 MB L2 cache
A8-3820: Four CPU cores, 2.5 GHz CPU base (2.8 GHz Turbo Core), 65W TDP, 400 Radeon cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A6-3670K: Four CPU cores, 2.7 GHz CPU base (unlocked), 100W TDP, 320 Radeon cores, 600 MHz GPU base (unlocked), 4 MB L2 cache
A6-3620: Four CPU cores, 2.2 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 65W TDP, 320 Radeon cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A4-3420: Two CPU cores, 2.8 GHz CPU base, 65W TDP, 160 Radeon cores, 1 MB L2 cache

AMD A-Series Notebook APUs

A8-3550MX: Four CPU cores, 2.0 GHz CPU base (2.7 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 400 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A8-3520M: Four CPU cores, 1.6 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 400 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A6-3430MX: Four CPU cores, 1.7 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 320 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A6-3420M: Four CPU cores, 1.5 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 320 Radeon Cores, 4 MB L2 cache
A4-3330MX: Two CPU cores, 2.2 GHz CPU base (2.6 GHz Turbo Core), 45W TDP, 240 Radeon Cores, 2 MB L2 cache
A4-3320M:Two CPU cores, 2.0 GHz CPU base (2.6 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 240 Radeon Cores, 2 MB L2 cache
A4-3305M:Two CPU cores, 1.9 GHz CPU base (2.5 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 160 Radeon Cores, 1 MB L2 cache
E2-3000M: Two CPU cores, 1.8 GHz CPU base (2.4 GHz Turbo Core), 35W TDP, 160 Radeon Cores, 1 MB L2 Cache

AMD notes that the record was set by Team AMD FX comprised of overclocking geeks and AMD tech folks. The official PR doesn’t say a lot about how they achieved that frequency. As you can see in the video below the deed required some exotic cooling with liquid nitrogen. However, AMD does note that it was able to overclock the processor well over 5 GHz using only air-cooling or water cooling systems that cost under $100.

It sounds like the 8-core beast will be a very nice processor for the gamer and enthusiast. I wonder if this CPU will bring AMD back to the realm of competition with Intel’s high-end parts. For years now AMD has held onto the low price crowns and let Intel have the performance crowns in the consumer market.

There’s also a 17.3-inch 1920 x 1080 display, up to 16GB of DDR3 memory (spread across four slots), a Blu-ray burner, and a choice of hybrid or SSD drives for storage. Connectivity includes HDMI, optical digital out, WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth, along with 7.1-channel surround. You also get an optional TV tuner, USB 3.0 and eSATA.

As you might expect, none of this comes cheap. ORIGIN offer various custom paint finishes and designs, and the base model – with a 2.5GHz Core i5-2520 dual-core, 1.5GB GeForce GTX 460M graphics and 2GB of RAM - kicks off at $1,759. If you want the 4.5GHz overclocked Core i7-2920XM quadcore then it’s another $1,144 on top, while the GeForce GTX 484M is another $495. ORIGIN expects to start shipping the EON17-S from May 9.

Press Release:

ORIGIN EON17-S Laptops Overclocked up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost Available Now

The Highest Mobile Processor Clock Speed in the World

Miami, FL – April 25, 2011 – ORIGIN PC announced today the availability of overclocked processors in the EON17-S. Featuring 2nd generation INTEL “Sandybridge” processors and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 485M graphics cards, the laptops are the most powerful ORIGIN laptops available with mobile processors.

The EON17-S laptops have updated B3 stepping motherboards and feature overclocking and Turbo Boost technology allowing ORIGIN engineers to successfully increase the speed and power of the processor without impacting system stability or longevity. EON17-S laptops with overclocking are fully covered by ORIGIN’s unsurpassed warranty featuring free part replacement, free shipping, and free lifetime support.

EON17-S Features and Technology:
• 17.3 Full HD Widescreen, LED Backlit, 16.9, 1920 x 1080 (1080p)
• Customizable ORIGIN top cover
• 2nd Generation Intel Core i5 or i7 Processors
• Overclocking up to 4.5GHz with Turbo Boost on Core i7 Extreme Edition processors
• NVIDIA GeForce GTX 460M 1.5GB or GTX485M 2GB
• FOUR Memory Slots for up to 32GB Dual Channel DDR3 1333Mhz or 16GB Dual Channel DDR3 1600MHz
• Bluray burner & reader, Hybrid and SSD drive with RAID options
• Full size keyboard with numeric pad
• HDMI Out; Optical Digital Out, up to 7.1 HD Audio with THX TruStudio support
• Built-In 802.11n & Bluetooth Support
• Bluetooth 3.0 & Wireless Video options
• Built-In TVtuner support
• Built-in USB 3.0 & E-SATA ports
• (W)16.22″ x (D)10.87″ x (H)1.65″ – 1.79”
• 8.6 lbs with the battery

“The EON17-S laptops are remarkably portable and with 2nd generation Intel processors overclocked to 4.5GHz, they are the fastest ORIGIN laptops ever built on an Intel mobile platform” said Kevin Wasielewski ORIGIN CEO and co-founder.

ORIGIN systems feature a 1 to 3 year free shipping and free part replacement warranty backed with the best in class integration, quality testing and support. ORIGIN offers a free life-time phone and online service guarantee and each customer has a dedicated support team and free life-time labor for upgrade needs.

About ORIGIN:
ORIGIN builds custom, high-performance desktops and laptops for hardware enthusiasts, professionals, and gamers. ORIGIN PCs are hand built, tested, and serviced by knowledgeable gaming enthusiasts, industry veterans, and award winning system integrators. Their staff is comprised of award-winning, experienced experts in the gaming and PC markets who want to share their passion with other enthusiasts. ORIGIN is located in Miami, FL and ships worldwide. For more information, please visit www.ORIGINPC.com or call 1-877- ORIGIN-Ø. (674-4460)

The Alienware M14X has GeForce GT 555M graphics with either 1.5GB or 3GB of dedicated memory, together with using NVIDIA Optimus intelligent GPU switching. That allows the notebook to reach up to six hours runtime on a single charge. The display runs at 1366 x 768 or, optionally, 1600 x 900; other options include WiMAX. Ports include USB 3.0 and HDMI 1.4i, while pricing starts at $1,199.

Meanwhile the updated M11x now has up to 10 hours battery life thanks to the new processors and Optimus graphics, while still finding room inside the compact chassis for optional LTE, WiMAX or 3G connectivity. It’s priced from $999. As for the Alienware M18x, that will drop in May from $1,999.

Update: UK pricing will be from £899 for the M11x and from $1,099 for the M14x.

The systems also get standard SSDs for booting, 1600MHz+ Patriot memory and up to NVIDIA 3-way SLI or CrossFire multi-graphics options. As for the outside, they’ll finish the casings in your choice of auto-finish paint and even offer custom laser etching and engraving.

The new MAINGEAR systems will go up for sale on January 9 2011.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR PUSHES THE LIMITS WITH THE NEW 2nd GENERATION INTEL CORE PROCESSOR FAMILY AND EXPANDS SUPER STOCK OPTIONS

MAINGEAR expands their Super Stock options to all desktops with an overclocked CPU up to 5GHz and unique custom design choices

Kenilworth, New Jersey – January 5, 2011 – MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system builder offering custom desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers, embraces decadent performance with the new 2nd Generation Intel® Core™ family of processors while strengthening their SHIFT, F131, VYBE, and X-CUBE with new Super Stock options that pushes performance and personalization options. MAINGEAR continues to pioneer the ever-changing horizon of extreme personal computing, by utilizing the best possible configurations with eye catching designs. These new processor and Super Stock options will be available for sale on January 9, 2011 12:01am EST.
With the power of the new 2nd generation Intel® Core™ i3, Core™ i5 and Core™ i7 processor family, MAINGEAR desktops will be able to take advantage of the new and improved chipset features that offers a new architecture with shared cache delivering more performance and energy efficiency. The processor integrates CPU, graphics, memory controller, PCI Express all on a single chip. This allows end users to have extreme gaming, amazing multimedia, and flexible overclocking.
With Intel® Turbo Boost Technology 2.0 which will allow extreme overclocking options up to 5GHz on select systems, a more robust use of PCI-Express full-bandwidth lanes that will support USB 3.0 and SATA 6G as well as generate low heat with high clock speeds that offers an affordable price to performance option. MAINGEAR ran a performance test with the Intel® Core™ i7 2600K @ 4.8GHz compared to a stock Intel® Core™ i7 3.4GHz with Intel Turbo Boost enabled and resulted with 37% faster 3D rendering, 36% faster CPU Video encoding and 24% overall system performance.*
MAINGEAR has also expanded their SUPER STOCK options to all desktops. The SHIFT, F131, VYBE and X-CUBE now offer a more simplified configuration with a choice of their already performance packed STOCK configuration, or a SUPER STOCK option that is decked out with no-holds-barred performance and unique aesthetics. This is designed to make it easier for customers to quickly choose what level they want to start their customization at.

Some of the key features for SUPER STOCK options on various systems include:
• Upgraded or optimized chassis cooling (dependent on chassis)
• Motherboards supporting up to NVIDIA 3-way SLI or CrossFire™
• Liquid cooling is standard
• MAINGEAR Redline™ Overclocking Available
• Custom chassis design including auto quality paint and custom MARC laser etching options
• Standard SSD boot drives for responsiveness
• Premium 1600MHz+ DDR3 memory from Patriot
• Optimized for NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround, XHD Gaming @ 2560×1600, or AMD EyeFinity multiple monitor gaming
• 80 PLUS Gold Power Supplies from Seasonic and Silverstone

The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock options also gains an upgrade to its exterior design. Sporting an optional carbon fiber reinforced chassis, the legacy of quality design and craftsmanship is easily displayed on the SHIFT, both inside and out. Always pushing performance to the razor’s edge with MAINGEAR’s overclocking expertise, the SHIFT is not only a processing powerhouse: it is a work of art.
“The launch of the Sandy Bridge platform could not have come at a better time,” said Wallace Santos CEO and Co-Founder of MAINGEAR. “We are now able to push more performance out of our systems further than ever before which has also allowed us to expand our popular Super Stock options to the rest of our system lineup.”
All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty. For more information about MAINGEAR’s desktops with Super Stock option solutions, click here

They’ve also tweaked the cooling systems, replacing the plastic cover with an aluminum one; good for a 14-degree C drop in surface temperatures, apparently.  They’ve also installed a custom-flattened, all-copper heat pipe system that drops running temperatures by 20-percent and makes for a quieter card, too.

Up to six simultaneous displays can be supported, and there are HDMI, Mini DisplayPort, DVI and D-Sub connections to choose from.  Each has 1GB of memory.  No word of official pricing at this stage, but a quick Google pulls up numbers in the region of $215 for the EAH6850 and $240 for the EAH6870.

Press Release:

ASUS Releases New EAH6800 Series Graphics Cards

The latest generation cards from AMD are enhanced by ASUS for more engaged gaming

Featuring even more processing power than the successful EAH5000 Series of graphics cards, the new ASUS EAH6800 Series continues to serve PC enthusiasts with cutting-edge technology and a range of exclusive performance-boosting improvements to the AMD reference design.

Both the EAH6850 DirectCU/2DIS/1GD5 and EAH6870/2DI2S/1GD5 cards feature AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD HD3D technology and DirectX® 11 support. In addition, exclusive Voltage Tweak overclocking technology offers a 50%* performance boost over the reference design. The EAH6850 DirectCU and EAH6870 also ship with factory overclocked cores set to 790MHz and 913MHz..

The ASUS EAH6850 DirectCU also incorporates exclusive DirectCU cooling that uses custom-flattened, all-copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This improves cooling by 20%* compared to the reference design and offers quiet operation when the card is idle. The ASUS EAH6870 is equipped with an aluminum fan cover that improves cooling efficiency and reduces surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.

Product Highlights

Exclusive ASUS Voltage Tweak technology offers real-time voltage adjustment of various GPU components, including the core and video memory, making ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards 50%* faster than the reference design.
The EAH6850 DirectCU is factory overclocked to perform at 790MHz. This is 15MHz higher than stock performance, resulting in higher frame rates in games.
ASUS proprietary cooling technology, DirectCU, puts copper heat pipes in direct contact with the GPU core. This results in the EAH6850 DirectCU running 20%* cooler than the reference design.
The EAH6870 features a stylish aluminum fan cover that dissipates heat more efficiently. This lowers surface temperatures by 14 degrees Celsius, compared to the reference design’s plastic cover.
Proprietary AMD Eyefinity technology supports up to six** displays for a fully immersive viewing experience.
AMD HD3D technology for stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie watching.

* Subject to system configuration and usage. Results may vary.

** DisplayPort 1.2 compatible monitors required for six-screen AMD Eyefinity output. Please visit www.amd.com/Eyefinity for more information.

Availability

ASUS EAH6800 Series graphics cards are expected to ship October 22, 2010 and will be available from authorized ASUS resellers.

There’s also liquid cooling, which can be paired with acoustic dampening if it’s still not quite quiet enough for you, and then there are various car-finish hand painted case color options (which you can see in the gallery below).  They can be matched with interior LED lighting, if that’s to your taste.

The MAINGEAR SHIFT kicks off at $2,299, but as you might expect you can easily push that far, far higher by ticking a handful of options boxes.  For instance, upgrading to the i7-980X Extreme adds $991.

Press Release:

MAINGEAR REVS UP THE SHIFT WITH SUPER STOCK OPTIONS

MAINGEAR launches Super Stock options on their award-winning SHIFT desktop with jaw-dropping performance features including an overclocked CPU, liquid cooling and auto custom paint options

Kenilworth, New Jersey – September 27, 2010 – MAINGEAR, an award-winning PC system builder offering custom desktops, notebooks, workstations and media centers, proves there is always room for more. Bolstering the SHIFT with new Super Stock performance and personalization options, MAINGEAR continues to pioneer the ever-changing horizon of extreme personal computing, by utilizing the best possible configurations with eye catching designs.

Every MAINGEAR Super Stock upgrade is hand-picked and specialty tuned to push the already award winning SHIFT desktop with improvements in performance and design choices built to give the best high-performance PC experience. With maxed out performance including liquid cooled overclocked CPU processor and 3-way SLI® that is perfected in an aesthetically unique designed chassis, this system will turn heads in performance and looks.

Uncompromising Performance: With MAINGEAR’s Redline™ CPU overclocking, PC enthusiasts will be able to enjoy fast and stable CPU performance with Intel® Core™ i7-980X Extreme Edition processor overclocked up to 4.5GHZ. Along with 3-way SLI® NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 480, totaling to 4.5GB GDDR5, performance and everyday users can enjoy vivid movies, 3D games, entertainment and even get some 3D CAD or rendering processed in the background with this combination of ultimate performance.

Custom Liquid Cooling Excellence: MAINGEAR’s Super Stock option will also offer LiquidX 2700 and 2900 Supercooler Package which is a highly tuned watercooling loop built from the best components available that is hand-cut and wrapped. It uses no-dye liquid, Koolance CPU-360 Waterblock with compression nozzles, and is shipped with the liquid coolant pre-filled. And, if that isn’t enough, MAINGEAR also offers Acoustic Dampening to further minimize any other potential noise.

Custom Paint Job: The Super Stock option package offers six high gloss custom paint colors, both painted interior and exterior that gives the SHIFT system a special uniqueness yet shows a familiarity that is still unmistakably MAINGEAR. The system is hand-painted using high quality auto paint in luxurious colors in such as Root Beer and Brandywine, you can mix and match nearly 200 different color combinations.

Super Stock Highlights:
MAINGEAR SHIFT exclusive patent pending* advanced vertical heat dissipation chassis with window
Nearly 200 color combinations for the interior and exterior of the chassis of professional car paint colors in colors to fall in love including: Brandywine, Cobalt Blue, Frost White, Organic Green, Root Beer and Burple
Internal LED lighting to match your interior and exterior colors
Redline™ CPU overclocking up to 4.5GHZ with the Intel® Core™ i7-980X Extreme Edition processor
MAINGEAR LiquidX 2700 and 2900 Supercooler Package, which is a hand-built, highly tuned watercooling loop
Front-mounted 3 drive hot swappable bays to make it easy to pull hard drives in and out
1.5KW Silverstone Strider Modular Industrial power supply
Performance chassis cooling upgrade fan to 180mm, 1300rpm, 150 cfm
· Acoustic Dampening to lower the overall system noise
· Unique Super Stock Out-of Box accessories including MAINGEAR branded t-shirt, toolkit, mousepad, and branded beanie hat
· Starting at price of SHIFT is $2,299

“The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock Options provides a unique and differentiated opportunity for overclockers to take advantage of the Intel Core i7-980X Extreme Edition – the world’s fastest, smartest PC processor. Intel’s world class manufacturing helps deliver industry-leading performance to allow PC Enthusiasts the ultimate gaming & media experience.” Chris Tobias – Director, Channel Desktop Marketing – Intel

“MAINGEAR is good at what they do, continually offers offering unique options and performance capabilities where it counts, which makes them one of the premier system integrators in the country,” said Ujesh Desai, vice president of GPU business at NVIDIA. “With NVIDIA three ® 3-way SLI NVIDIA® GeForce™ GTX 480s under the hood running in a 3-way SLI configuration, MAINGEAR customers , 4.5GB GDDR5 is designed to offer gamers can be assured of incredible scalability in their graphics performance and an awesome overall PC gaming experience, no matter their game of choice.”

“The MAINGEAR SHIFT with Super Stock options and Microsoft Windows 7 are representing a whole new generation of performance and personalized user experiences for hardcore gamers and PC enthusiasts alike.” said Eddie O’Brien, VP of Microsoft US OEM.

All of MAINGEAR products are supported with lifetime labor and phone support with one to three year hardware warranty.

As you’d expect from a ROG board, there’s plenty of overclocking potential as well.  ASUS allow you to remotely control the overclock using a Bluetooth cellphone, over USB from a connected notebook, or even from a new iPhone app called ROG iDirect.

Connectivity includes gigabit ethernet, two FireWire ports, four USB 3.0 ports, thirteen USB 2.0 ports and 8-channel audio, while there are six SATA 6Gb/s, two SATA 3Gb/s and two external SATA 3Gb/s ports.  We’re waiting to hear back from ASUS as to what the ROG Crosshair IV Extreme might cost.

Press Release:

Crosshair IV Extreme Pushes AMD Performance with Multi-GPU CrossLinx 3 Technology
Innovative features from ASUS Republic of Gamers Guarantee Better Performance through Overclocking

The new Crosshair IV Extreme from ASUS’ Republic of Gamers brand delivers compatibility with some of the fastest processors available through the AMD890FX chipset. It further ships with CrossLinx 3 technology, which enables multi-GPU usability with graphics cards from different vendors and generations. The new motherboard also comes with a slew of user-friendly overclocking features, including ROG Connect, RC Bluetooth and ROG iDirect.

Graphics Card Flexibility
With CrossLinx 3 technology, Crosshair IV Extreme users gain the ability to mix and match multiple graphics cards from both NVIDIA and ATI, including models of different GPU generations. This technology uses the Lucid HYDRALOGIX engine, which bridges various graphics cards to enable their simultaneous usage. By removing compatibility hurdles, CrossLinx 3 makes it possible to experiment with different configurations of graphics cards for maximum performance.

On Crosshair IV Extreme, a unique layout design features a total of five PCI Express expansion slots. Two provide dedicated native graphics card support for either a single GPU or two in CrossFire configuration. The additional three feature Lucid HYDRALOGIX and CrossLinx 3 technologies, which enable a mixture of graphics cards from different vendors and generations, with a total of four detectable and working at once. Users keen on tuning their system gain greater freedom to do so with the unprecedented five PCI Express slots, and the technology maintains optimized performance whether in single or multiple-GPU arrangements.

Revolutionary User Control
Crosshair IV Extreme continues ROG’s established tradition of extreme performance, bringing much needed hardcore overclocking capabilities to the AMD side of the market. It ships with a full range of performance features, starting with ROG Connect, which enables pure hardware-level tweaking through USB from a remote notebook PC.

RC Bluetooth accesses a host of board, memory and CPU overclocking parameters from any Bluetooth-enabled device, while ROG iDirect introduces PC tuning from iPhone. This adds convenience and style to overclocking, a practice that used to be exclusive and cumbersome to get into.

These features simplify overclocking without compromising results, so that any user, novice to hardcore, can tap the full potential of Crosshair IV Extreme and related hardware with minimum difficulty and for maximum gain. All have been designed with direct feedback from the PC performance community taken into consideration.

Going from one model to the next, the Cobra features an over-clocked Intel Core i7 processor, clocked at 3.84GHz. It also has 6GB of DDR3 RAM, 1TB SATA II, 7,200RPM hard drive, and one NVIDIA GTX 470 graphics card. There’s a 22X DVD burner in there, too. The Viper gaming PC has an over-clocked Core i7 processor which runs at 3.37GHz. It has 6G of DDR3 RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD 5770 graphics card. It also has a 1TB hard drive and 22X DVD burner. The Rattler features an over-clocked Intel Core i7, clocked at 3.22GHz and featuring 4GB of RAM. There’s a 1GB ATI Radeon HD 5670 inside the tower as well. Again, there’s that 1TB hard drive and 22X DVD burner.

The Black Mamba takes the cake, though, with its Core i7-980X processor, over-clocked to reach 4.33GHz. There’s 12GB of DDR3 RAM, and NVIDIA’s GTX 480 graphics card, which are liquid cooled. There’s a pair of 64GB SSD drives, and a 2TB hard drive. Instead of the DVD burner, it has a 4x Blu-ray drive, which is paired with a DVD burner. Features for all of them equal Windows 7 Home Premium 64bit, USB 3.0 ports, and 6Gbps SATA interface. You can start configuring your models starting at $999, right now.

[via Electronista]

Video demo after the cut

The end result?  A quieter machine with comparable performance – as you can see in the video demo below – but putting out only 37.5 dB of noise, versus the 50 dB from the stock Mac Pro.  Both machines were running at 47-degrees centigrade, despite the overclocking of the liquid-cooled model (which uses a 240mm radiator).

Now for the bad news.  While we can think of plenty Mac Pro users who would jump at the chance to quieten their computer while boosting performance, Asetek tells us this is a custom job and isn’t available for purchase.  That’s because of the socket 771 chip used in this particular Mac Pro; however, the new models use socket 1366 chips, and so you could feasibly hack together a few Corsair Hydro Series coolers to do something similar.  No straightforward boxed offering, then, so it’s time to start pestering Apple to offer factory-fit liquid-cooling options.

The dual 80mm fans and triple set of copper heatpipes – as well as all the cooling fins – certainly add up to a distinctive and thick video card.  It sounds like the reference boards will be getting larger, too; Onda apparently struggled to get their chosen ten SMD inductors to fit.

Memory is 1GB of Samsung GDDR5, and there are VGA, DVI and HDMI connectors to choose between.  This is still a prototype board, according to Onda, and as such will see some physical changes by the time it reaches the market (price and date unknown), but Expreview are still planning to put it through its paces in benchmarking; we’ll let you know as soon as that happens.

Both of the new offerings put up the Intel Core i5 and Core i7 processors from the K Series. CyberPower is all set to start ordering the Intel Core i7-875K and Core i5-655 for their Gamer Xtreme series of desktop PCs. You also have a choice of your graphics, with the ability to go with the NVIDIA GTX or ATI 5800 cards.

The best news of the day, though, is the fact that CyberPower didn’t go the obvious way that many probably figured they would, and hike up the prices to make the whole thing seem ridiculous. Instead, you can pick up a base model with these features starting at just $699. That means you can take the time to build up your machine, along with the fact you can overclock them at your own leisure.

Press Release:

CyberPower Inc. has announced the new Intel “K” series processors that feature Intel’s advanced Turbo Boost technology and an unlocked CPU multiplier. CyberPower will feature these new K series processors in its Gamer Xtreme series of desktop PCs.

CyberPower Gamer Xtreme with Intel Series K Unlocked CPU
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

PR Log (Press Release) – Jun 01, 2010 – BALDWIN PARK, CA – CyberPower Inc., www.cyberpowerpc.com wants you to unlock and unleash your desktop gaming power when it today announces the new Intel “K” series processors that feature Intel’s advanced Turbo Boost technology and an unlocked CPU multiplier. Engineered for the ultimate overclocker, the K series processors allow you to push the power above and beyond.

CyberPower will feature these new K series processors in its Gamer Xtreme series of desktop PCs to give gaming enthusiasts power, performance, and flexibility to their computing experience. When combined with any NVIDIA GTX Series and/or ATI 5800 Series video cards, CyberPower gives you the processing and graphics power to rip apart every single game and dominate the opposition.

“We are excited that CyberPower will feature the new Intel(r) Core(tm) i7-875K and Intel(r) Core(tm) i5-655 processors in its Gamer Xtreme series of desktop PCs. These new processors offer many advanced features to help PC enthusiasts get the most out of their overclocking experience,” said Eric Thompson, Director of NA Channels, Intel Corporation.

The starting price for a CyberPower system based on these new CPUs will be $699. The unlocked Gamer Xtreme series can be optionally factory overclocked by CyberPower. You can also customize your unlocked gaming system with CyberPower’s Advanced Hydro Liquid Cooling with an additional number of SSD, extreme performance memory, and other peripheral components options at the company website.

All systems are pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Operating System to enhance your gaming and multimedia experience. All CyberPower computer systems come with a 3-year limited warranty and free lifetime phone support.

Additionally, to celebrate the launch of the K series processors, CyberPower has teamed up with Intel to give away brand new systems based on the new processors. For more information, please visit CyberPower’s Facebook page.

# # #

About CyberPower Inc.

CyberPower Inc. www.cyberpowerpc.com was founded in 1998 and has emerged as one of the leading custom computer system manufacturers. Headquartered in Baldwin Park in Southern California, CyberPower manufactures and distributes a complete line of custom built Gaming Desktops, Gaming notebooks and high performance workstations to meet the unique needs of gamers, businesses, government agencies, educational institutions and other end-users. For more information contact: Sales (800) 707-0393; Email cyberpower@cyberpowerpc.com.

The Crosshair IV Extreme builds on the existing Crosshair IV Formula announced last month, and sets huge gobs of overclocking in its sights.  That includes on-motherboard hardware buttons to control BIOS settings, one-touch automatic overclocking with Turbo Key II, and ASUS’ Core Unlocker which activates any dormant cores in the CPU.

There are also six SATA ports, the usual bevy of PCIe 2.0 x16 slots (with CrossFireX support, naturally) and more USB ports than you can shake a metaphorical stick at.  No word on pricing or availability, but hopefully the alluring close-ups in the gallery below will tide you over until we know more.

There isn’t much in the way of detail beyond the photos themselves, but the setup is based on an EVGA X58 Classified 4-way SLI motherboard.  The $499 ‘board has a full seven PCIe x16/x8 slots and will take up to four of the company’s GTX 400-series video cards.

What we’re still left wondering about is any sort of benchmarking figures, together with just how CyberPower plan on cooling the cards.  We’re hoping there’s a considerable liquid cooling system on its way, since otherwise you could happily roast a small suckling pig above its toasty surface.

[via PCLaunches]

It’s a simpler system than Intel Turbo Boost, which uses more dynamic clock speed alterations, but AMD reckon the reduced complexity will mean that other CPU management technologies – such as Cool’n'Quiet – will continue to work as expected.  All Phenom II processor models will react in the same way, with a preset Turbo CORE maximum speed.

AMD are planning a Black Edition six-core Thuban processor with a basic core clock speed of “over 3GHz, substantially” and Turbo CORE support, but the technology will also be used in other six-core and four-core processors throughout the Phenom II X6 and X4 range.  Performance is expected to fall a little short of Intel’s rival processors, but the AMD chips are tipped to be more competitively priced.

Lehto – perhaps sensibly – isn’t releasing the faster kernels until he’s sure there won’t be reports of bricked or burnt out N900s (and unhappy owners looking for his blood).  Still, the end result is a device that works significantly faster, though at the expense of battery life and, potentially, machine lifetime.

Actual performance can be dependent on climate, temperature and even whether you’ve got a “good” or “average” Cortex A8 chip in your phone.  Interestingly, the N900 uses the same processor as the iPhone 3GS, though the Apple smartphone makes for a far less user friendly hacking experience.

[via The Unlockr]

All that happens with nary a move from the user themselves, everything being automatic.  However, for those that like to get their hands a little dirty there’s the iTracker2 engine, which makes overclocking the 2GB of GDDR5 memory more straightforward by handling memory timing adjustment itself and scaling things back if the system starts to become unstable.

There’s also a custom fan/heatsink system that pushes 22-percent more air through the card than the ATI reference design, and which ASUS reckon sees the ROG MATRIX 5870 running at least 13-percent cooler.  Ports include HDMI, DVI and DisplayPort.  No word on pricing, but we can’t see this coming cheaply.

Press Release:

Engage Total Game Control with the Confidence of Sheer ASUS ROG MATRIX 5870 Power

ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) pulls another feat with a massive graphics card packed to the gills with extensive overclocking and game-defining features.

The ROG MATRIX 5870 isn’t just the new kid on the block, it’s the freshly appointed king, bestowed with everything serious gamers could possibly wish for.

Based on the ATI Radeon 5870 reference, MATRIX 5870 exceeds the standard design in every way, delivering both raw horsepower for fast, precision gaming, and refined controls that lead the way in overclocking and tuning.

Be the Ruler of Thy Game
The new MATRIX 5870 lays down the law with prodigious computing muscle. It has 2GB of GDDR5 RAM running at 4.8GHz, true 256-bit interface, and 894MHz core clock. But these are just the preliminaries – where the MATRIX 5870 shines, like all ASUS ROG cards, is the extra features and attention to detail.

On the path to gaming bliss, optimizing resources is pivotal, since power alone can go to waste. This is where the Super Hybrid Engine (SHE) comes in, harnessing all that goodness towards better gaming. It tracks the strain put on hardware to deliver optimum power when needed, switching between intense action and normal operations automatically. The results are an average 19% boost in extreme heavy-duty first person shooter titles set to max detail and a tremendous 54% reduction in GPU power noise when doing regular 2D graphics, all with no interruption to users.

Getting on the Superlative Track
Overclocking aficionados crave the minutiae of performance, and MATRIX 5870 accommodates this with the included iTracker2 engine, a hardware-software bridge that opens up numerous avenues for accurate tuning.

Users can overclock GPU RAM safely with exclusive memory timing adjustment and no worries about crashes—iTracker2 measures tolerances in real time and goes back to safe levels if the card is pushed too far. And while the information revealed by iTracker2 is extensive, users can opt for one of five preset overclocking profiles for fast and easy performance gains—experimentation is half the fun.

The other half is sitting back and reveling in newly-unleashed power as games run faster and more furious. Here, too, iTracker2 indulges, affording constant monitoring of GPU performance so every change made can be assessed and learned from.

Hot Action Keeps a Cool Head
Sounds like the MATRIX 5870 is fixing to fly off the grid, but its thermal design keeps that eruption from ever transpiring. First, it features a custom fan-heatsink combo delivering 22% higher air pressure than required in reference. Then there are the usual quality materials used in every ROG graphics card, with their trademark heat dissipating properties showing the way for hassle-free overclocking. The MATRIX 5870 runs at least 13% cooler than reference, and that’s just for starters. It’ll be a cold day in hardcore-land before this one gives in to high temps.

It’s Always On
Obsessive gamers and overclockers have even more to look forward to with the latest rendition of ProbeIt, an ASUS innovation that lets users get nice and intimate with their favorite piece of gaming hardware. ProbeIt uses points on the graphics card itself that, when accessed using a multimeter, give instant voltage measurements for the GPU core, PCI-E bus, board and memory. The upshot for dedicated tweakers is obvious—checks whether overvolting experiments are taking effect, and compare figures reported by software to actual readings from the hardware. It never stops for true gearheads—nor do we want it to.

The tinkertastic chips would line up against AMD’s dual- and quad-core Black Label processors, which are known for being particularly amenable to overclocking.  So far only Intel’s “Extreme” chips have made the process anything less than difficult, and they tend to command top-end prices.  Incidentally, the Core i7-980X Extreme – which we benchmarked with impressive results in the iBuyPower Paladin S earlier in the week – is apparently in short supply, with Intel increasing channel pricing for the processor to NT$37,000 ($1,160) from its original NT$35,000 ($1,100) launch price.

Each of the four different variations of the Paladin are issued with the new Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition Processor, which makes the system quite the healthy benchmark demolisher. As the press release reads, the new systems are “extremely overclockable, and allow unmatched multitasking capability.” We just love the word overclockable. It’s unique. In any event, iBUYPOWER is banking on the fact that gamers won’t have to worry about how many windows/browsers they have open anymore, let alone if they’re listening to their favorite music or using GameSpeak, due to their machine’s power.

The Paladin F950, F970, and XLC V3 are all equipped with 12GB of DDR3 memory, provide at least 1 TB of storage, and have Blu-Ray Disc players. They all also keep with the liquid-cooling tradition of iBUYPOWER, and offer the “upgrade” for free. Graphics wise, you can choose from an ATI Radeon card, or go with the NVIDIA GeForce variation if you wish. The F970 and XLC V3 are packed with an 80GB Solid State Drive (SSD) and have been upgraded to Windows 7 Ultimate. If you’ve got $2,159 lying around, then you can start shopping now at iBUYPOWER’s website to pick out your favorite piece. Full press release just below.

El Monte, CA – March 18, 2010 – iBUYPOWER, a leading innovator of gaming PCs, is excited to announce four new Paladin gaming systems all powered by the new Intel Core i7 980X Extreme Edition Processor. The new 6 core processors are extremely overclockable, deliver benchmark shattering performance and allow unmatched multitasking capability. Gamers need not be concerned with having multiple browsers open, team speak, or MP3s files playing while gaming due to the new processor’s revolutionary hyper-threading technology.

The four new configurations all feature the finest components available, including the newest ATI Radeon and NVIDIA GeForce high-definition video cards, which all support DirectX 11 graphics. The Paladin F950, F970 and XLC V3 all pack 12GB of DDR3 Memory, provide at least a 1 TB of storage space and a Blu-ray drive. The fully loaded F970 and XLC V3 also come standard with an 80GB solid state drive and have been upgraded to Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate. Additionally, like all iBUYPOWER desktop systems, the newest Paladin model all feature free liquid CPU cooling.

Gamers looking to get the most out of their new six core systems can take advantage of the iBUYPOWER Labs’ Power Drive Overclocking Service, which overclocks the CPU by as much as 30% and comes standard on the Paladin XLC V3. Other innovative iBUYPOWER exclusive products and services include the Harmony Sound Reduction System, the Internal USB Expansion System, and iBUYPOWER’s Specialized Advanced Packaging System with expanding foam inserts to prevent damage during shipping.

The new Paladin systems start at $2,159 and are available now at www.iBUYPOWER.com.

Customers with more specific gaming needs can configure a fully customizable system at www.iBUYPOWER.com. All iBUYPOWER systems also come standard with 1 year limited warranty and lifetime technical support.

The “basic” package pairs the new six-core CPU with 6GB of DDR3 memory, dual ATI Radeon HD 5970 2GB video cards in CrossFireX configuration, and a silent 1,200W PSU.  It also gets a 500GB hard-drive and a liquid-cooling system for the processor, though you can choose various combinations of HDD and SSD together with a full liquid-cooling system that covers CPU, X58 chipset and up to four video cards.

Prices kick off at a considerable $5,642 and if you want the 4.44GHz overclock then you’re looking at another $248 on top of that.  After that the world can get as crazy as your wallet affords; nobody ever said performance PCs were affordable.

Press Release:

Digital Storm’ Black │OPS Gaming PC Integrates World’s Fastest CPU at 4.4GHz

Ultimate gaming PC updated with Intel’s lighting-fast Core i7 980X Extreme Edition processor

Fremont, Calif. – (March 16, 2010) – Digital Storm, the predominant name in system integration, proudly announces a hardware update to its Black|OPS gaming systems. Now gamers can configure the Black|OPS machine with Intel’s first consumer hexa-core processor, the Core i7-980X Extreme Edition.

With the addition of the 32nm Core i7-980X processor, also known as Gulftown, gamers can effortlessly run up to 12 computing threads at once, a feat that was once unimaginable. Intel’s’ new processor features an impressive 12MB L3 cache, which helps streamline operation by limiting the number of times the CPU needs to access DDR3 memory. The Core i7-980X has a clock speed of 3.33GHz, making it as fast as any processor Intel has ever created.

“The introduction of a six core processor with hyper threading capabilities is a momentous occasion for gaming enthusiasts,” remarked Rajeev Kuruppu, Digital Storm’s Director of Product Development. “With our TwisterBoost overclocking package, we can overclock the i7-980X to a record breaking 4.4GHz. The results we’ve recorded on our test bench have been nothing short of astounding. I can honestly say that our Black OPS machines with this new CPU resulted in the most impressive gaming experience I’ve ever had.”

Digital Storm’s Black|OPS systems with Intel’s Core i7-980X Extreme Edition are currently available for purchase at www.DigitalStormOnline.com. The Extreme configuration has a base price of $5,642 & each Digital Storm system comes with a 3 year parts and labor warranty, including replacement parts, and lifetime customer support.

So far they’ve only had the chance to produce the webOS 1.3.5.1 code, not the newer 1.4 build, but it’s apparently as stable as any bleeding-edge alternative firmware ever is.  While battery life isn’t battered, it seems the new code turns the Pre into quite the pocket-warmer: the advice is to put the smartphone into Airplane mode periodically to give it a break.

[via Gizmodo]

Peterson wouldn’t give details as to which chips Intel have in mind, nor what sort of timescale their release may follow, but according to Dutch site Tweakers it’s in the reasonably short term.  The Tech Report speculates that it would be in Intel’s best interest to cherry-pick models across their Core i3, i5 and i7 line-up so as to better match AMD’s dual-core and quad-core Black Label offerings.

[via The Tech Report]

That’s because they’ve packed it full, with 4GB of DDR3 memory and an overclocked GPU running at 850MHz.  Meanwhile the memory is clocked at 1,200MHz, and that’s apparently good enough for a 3DMark Vantage score of around 22,000.

Ports include two dual-link DVI and a Mini DisplayPort, along with twin 8-pin power connectors, and the thickness is thanks to a huge heatsink and three supposedly-silent fans.  No word on what this behemoth might cost nor when it will launch, but we’re guessing it’ll be very expensive.

Connectivity is DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI, and the ports share the backplate with a Safe Mode button.  Pressing this reverts the ROG HD 5870 to a stable configuration, just in case your experiments leave everything inoperable.  There are also exposed contacts for multimeter voltage monitoring and a pair of eight-pin PCI Express power connectors.

So that you don’t waste any of your system grunt running an overclocking app in the background, ASUS’ software will save the settings to the ROG card and then shut down.  According to Chinese site Zol the ASUS Republic of Gamers Radeon HD 5870 will be “available immediately”, though there’s no sign of a price tag.

[via The Tech Report]

Cerano’s VAIO P has the standard 64GB SSD and is unmodified from stock, at least as far as hardware.  All he did, in fact, was prop the netbook up to allow better airflow; temperatures during the benchmarking were in the 49 to 60 degree range.

Overall, CrystalMark took the laptop from 28,685 untampered to 33,654 at 2.3GHz, and Cerano claims it was stable at that speed.  Battery life would obviously take a hit if you ran it at that sort of speed 24/7, but if you need a sudden boost for A/V processing then it should work wonders.

[via UMPC Fever]

The Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz offers a 61-percent performance boost over the company’s Phenom 9950 but, at 121W under load and 9W at idle, consumes less power than that earlier chip and is the highest frequency CPU AMD has ever made up to date.  Like other 45nm Phenom II chips the X4 965 can selectively set individual cores into sleep-modes, while the CoolCore technology can clock-down inactive portions of L3 cache to both save power and reduce heat output.

AMD also reckon they’ll win sales from those buyers looking to scale their upgrades, rather than invest in one go.  The Phenom II X4 965 is backward compatible with socket AM2+ motherboards, and as such can be installed into older systems if users aren’t ready to switch to newer ‘boards and faster DDR3 memory. The Phenom II X4 965 will hit the retail shelf for $245.

Video demo after the cut

The fan housing slots into the standard mounts at the back of most full or mid-sized towers, while the pump – also at the rear – can move up to 500 liters per hour.  Thermaltake claim the system fan is “silent”, a 240mm piece running at 1,000 to 2,000 rpm.

Optional extras include Thermaltake’s WB400 and WB200, which can be used to liquid-cool a graphics card and Northbridge respectively.  No word on pricing, but full specifications here.

[via HEXUS]

The Crosshair III Formula also includes ASUS’ MemOK!, the company’s memory upgrade tool.  This offers a set of failsafe settings said to work with even faulty RAM and allow the PC to at least boot:

“In the event of a boot failure after installing new RAM, all the user has to do is press an easily accessible button on the motherboard and MemOK! will automatically load the failsafe settings needed to ensure a successful system boot. MemOK! is able to rapidly detect and resolve memory issues—even if bad or unstable memory is used” ASUS 

Connections are five SATA-II 3.0Gbps, one eSATA and one UltraDMA 133, gigabit LAN, four DDR3 1600 channels supporting up to 16GB, dual firewire and 12 USB 2.0 connections.  The board is also ATI CrossFireX compatible, and will work with ASUS’ ROG OC Station, a bay-mounted overclocking controller with 3-inch LCD.  No word on pricing or availability as yet.

Press Release:

Set Your Sights on Blazing Benchmarks with the ROG Crosshair III Formula

ASUS’ New Socket AM3 Motherboard Unlocks the Full Potential of AMD Phenom II Processors

ASUS, the world’s leading producer of motherboards, today put world record-breaking power into the hands of AMD Phenom II users with the launch of the ROG (Republic of Gamers) Crosshair III Formula. Based on the AMD Socket AM3 platform, the Crosshair III Formula harnesses its full arsenal of ROG-exclusive features and technologies to unleash the full overclocking potential of Phenom II processors—enabling budget-conscious enthusiasts and gamers to enjoy extreme levels of performance at an affordable mid-price point.

“The Crosshair III Formula motherboard will help users utilize the full potential of the AMD Phenom II processor. The motherboard is loaded with unique features like CPU Level Up to allow real-time overclocking and is a great board for enthusiasts looking for a mid range solution that is high on features and performance.” Commented Mr. Vinay Shetty – Country Head – Component Products ASUS (India).

Poised for Chart-topping Overclocking Performance

AMD’s Phenom II processors have proven capable of being pushed to incredible frequencies when backed by the right hardware—such as the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe—setting several 3DMark06 and CPU-Z world records in recent times. The Crosshair III Formula, with its comprehensive array of industry-leading ROG features, is set to take Phenom II overclocking a big step further—both in terms of benchmarks and simplicity. ASUS’ exclusive CPU Level Up feature, for example, delivers the best of both worlds, enabling gamers without much overclocking knowledge to ‘upgrade’ their existing processor’s performance to that of a better, more expensive processor with just a click or two.

MemOK! The World’s Only One-click Memory Rescue Tool

Memory compatibility issues are often the bane of system upgraders and ASUS is the only motherboard manufacturer in the world that has devised an ingenious tool solely to tackle memory-related problems. Called MemOK!, ASUS’ exclusive innovation takes the guesswork and anxiety out of memory upgrading, restoring user confidence and peace of mind. In the event of a boot failure after installing new RAM, all the user has to do is press an easily accessible button on the motherboard and MemOK! will automatically load the failsafe settings needed to ensure a successful system boot. MemOK! is able to rapidly detect and resolve memory issues—even if bad or unstable memory is used!

Supreme In-game Audio with SupremeFX X-Fi and Seamless OC Station Compatibility

The Crosshair III Formula is bundled with a SupremeFX X-Fi sound card that delivers crisp audio and incredibly realistic EAX in-game sound effects. X-Fi CMSS3D’s groundbreaking positional audio gives gamers a distinct in-game advantage, while Crystalizer enhances overall audio quality dramatically.

The Crosshair III Formula is also fully compatible with the new ROG OC Station, a pure hardware-based, bay-mounted device with a large 3-inch display that takes overclocking to a whole new level of ease, accuracy and sophistication. When used in conjunction with the Crosshair III Formula, the futuristic-looking OC Station grants users on-the-fly access to overclocking parameters, fan speeds, system information and the Crosshair III Formula’s ROG-exclusive features.

Specifications

Model

ROG Crosshair III Formula

CPU

AMD socket AM3 Phenom™ II / Athlon™ X4 / Athlon™ X3 / Athlon™ X2 processors

Chipset

AMD® 790FX Chipset

System Bus

Up to 5200 MT/s HyperTransport™ 3.0

Memory

4 x DIMM, Dual Channel, up to 16GB

DDR3 1600(O.C.)/1333/1066 MHz

Expansion slot

2 x PCIe2.0 x16 slot

3 x PCIe2.0 x1( the PCIEx1_1 (black) is compatible with audio slot)

1 x PCI 2.2

Multi-GPU

ATI CrossFireX™

Storage

5 x SATA 3.0 Gb/s

1 x eSATA 3.0 Gb/s

1 x UltraDMA 133

LAN

Gigabit LAN

Audio

SupremeFX X-Fi 8-Ch. Audio with EAX4.0 support

Other I/O ports

1*PS/2, 1*eSATA, 1*IEEE1394a, 1*Clr CMOS, 1*LAN, 6*USB

USB / IEEE1394a

12 x USB2.0 / 2 x 1394a ports

Fan connector

8 (1 x CPU / 1 x PWR / 3 x Chassis / 3 x Optional)

Software (Full version)

Kaspersky anti-virus, Futuremark® 3DMark™06 Advanced Edition

Features

MemOK!, SupremeFX X-Fi, CPU Level Up, Keyboard-TweakIt, Extreme Tweaker, iROG, Loadline Calibration, LCD Poster, Voltiminder LED

Form Factor

ATX, 12”x 9.6” (30.5cm x 24.4cm)

Note: Specifications are subject to change without prior notice. Please visit www.asus.com for more details.

Video hands-on after the cut

That processor is actually quite clever, because despite the relatively low billed clock speed it also supports 1.2GHz bursting.  While running at 1.2GHz would generally produce too much heat and have too great an impact on battery life, bursting-compatible applications will be able to poke the Z515 into running at the faster speed until the CPU’s controller decides things are getting too hot.

There are also dual cameras, front and back.  Squinting at the product spec in the video below (courtesy jkkmobile), it looks like the KAX15 has 512MB of RAM, runs Windows XP (though the press shots have an Android-esque status bar across the top) and have WiFi and Bluetooth.  No word on specific launch dates or pricing, but at least the Compal KAX15 will land before Moorestown.

The current research shows that a frequency multiplier could be created, which works to double a signal and likewise doubles a processor’s clocking speed. Color me impressed! This idea is not new, but it is certainly new when applied to Graphene, which possesses only an atom’s thickness.

So, what’s so exciting about this? Well, Graphene chips could make for processors that run between 500GHz and 1,000GHz. That’s quite a leap from the current 5GHz chips, wouldn’t you say? We should see a commercial version of this technology within two years, according to MIT.

[via PC Pro]

According to the screenshots, the standard X4 995 hits 3.2GHz at 1.25V, but when pushed up to 1.45V – with standard air cooling, rather than anything fancy like water-cooling – and HyperTransport cranked to 250MHz from 200MHz, it reached an easy 4GHz.  No word on when AMD might be officially announcing the chip.

The chip is believed to be the replacement to AMD’s planned 3.1GHz Phenom II X4 950, which was expected to arrive in Q2 2009.  According to rumors, AMD canceled that unreleased processor after “better-than-expected yields”.

If the link to XtremeSystems above doesn’t work (as it didn’t at time of writing), Google’s cache shows the benchmarking results.

[via The Tech Report]

Video demo of the Team Finland super computer after the cut

Other specs include the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe motherboard with the AMD 790FX chipset, 2GB of Corsair DDR3-1800 memory and a Thermaltake Toughpower 1,200W power supply.  The graphics were cooled with the standard heatsink and fan, but the CPU used a full-copper Dragon F1 Extreme Edition setup.

Of course, this isn’t something you’d want to be replicating at home under your desk – you’d probably knock over the pail of liquid nitrogen and shatter all your wall-warts – but it goes to show how tweak-happy the AMD processors are.  Click through on the video below to see the high-definition version.

[via Blosmo]

In fact, the ROG Rampage II Extreme has a small joystick and other controls physically built onto the motherboard itself, which allow each of the different parameters to be tinkered with.  It also includes an external LCD display to report system frequency and other stats, again in real-time.

As for duck, he’s responsible for overclocking a Pentium 4 631 CPU to 8180.4MHz in 2007, for which he holds the record for the world’s highest frequency.  This Core i7 test setup included 3GB of DDR3 triple-channel RAM and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 graphics card.

[Thanks Pete!]

A basic Wind U100 donated its mainboard, and that was modified with a jury-rigged liquid nitrogen pot, some new thermal grease and 2GB of Kingston DDR2 667Mhz RAM.  MSI’s own software did the rest, driving the processor up to a 12x multiplier.

Of course, while technically impressive, the bench setup isn’t exactly conducive to throwing into your netbook bag and taking down to the nearest Starbucks.  Next up is some improved mounting of the nitrogen flash to the CPU.

[Thanks Alex!]

Extreme cooling methods improve performance even more. Dry ice as a cooling method provides for about 5GHz and liquid nitrogen provided 6.3GHz. These are some seriously impressive improvements, if you ask me.

Apparently, they were made possible by decreasing the size from 65nm to 45nm, which reduced heat and power usage. You can expect the Phenom II to be released early next year. It should be interesting, because this will definitely relight the flame beneath the AMD/Intel competition. AMD has the whole  budget thing on it’s side, too.

MSI released their latest update for the MSI Wind today, v1.09 BIOS. This update brings overclocking down from it’s spot on high and let’s people like you and me use it quickly and easily. All by just pressing a button or two. Really.

Once installing this update, all you have to do is press down Fn and F10 at the same time. Then, voila! Your Wind is now able to push beyond it’s standard capacity. You can only progress in stages, however, in degrees of 8%, 15% and 24%. Still pretty cool, if you ask me. And allows MSI Wind users, that want to get more out of it than just surfing the web, a little more wiggle room.

[via Ubergizmo]

The sonic/turbo switch – which requires a reboot to take affect, so no on-the-fly changeovers possible – flips between two BIOS settings.  Sonic leaves the CPU at 750MHz but boosts the 1GB GDDR5 RAM speed to 3800MHz; Turbo takes the core to 775MHz and the memory to 4000MHz.

HardwareZone have been testing out the Palit card, and rated it highly: 4.5 out of 5, in fact.  Their main criticism appears to be their test unit’s 512MB of RAM, and how the card could do with more – something Palit seems to have taken on board, as a 1GB version is available.  Where it really scores is the price: the Sonic Dual Edition benchmarks better than the standard Radeon HD 4870, but costs around the same. 

Look to pay around €230 or $270 for the card, which is available now.

Check out the CoolIT demo video after the cut

CoolIT took the stock HD 4870 X2 from its 750MHz GPU and 900MHz memory, and overclocked it to 880MHz on the GPU and 1000MHz on the memory.  That was enough to see the Xtreme Vantage score jump from X7090 to X8162.

Even more impressive (and important, you could argue), the GPU temperature of the test rig never exceeded 39 degrees during benchmarking.  CoolIT are yet to release pricing details for the Dual Drive Bay VGA cooling system, but it’s expected in September

Each PSU has Power Failure Detection with OVP/OCP/OLP/SCP/UVP/OTP, plus support for multi-core CPU and Multi GPU/graphics cards, and comply with the newest Intel standard ATX 12V V2.3 & EPS 12V rail systems.  The PCI-E connector has bead-core protection to reduce EMI interference, and uses Japanese capacitor components which are apparently more durable and of better quality.

In terms of build, the PSU casings have honeycomb venting, the cables are all specially sleeved and a ball-bearing cooling fan works in combination with rippled-surface heatsinks.  Pricing is expected to be around $104, $144 and $177 for the 470W, 650W and 750W versions respectively.

Press Release:

Lian Li launches the all new MAXIMA Force PSU’s
Enthusiast performance durable PSU series

21 August 2008, Keelung, Taiwan – Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the MAXIMA Force series of Power supply units (PSU). The MAXIMA Force offers exceptional power regulation and safety features with 80 Plus certification showing Lian Li’s commitment to quality, while exemplifying Lian Li’s attention to detail through craftsmanship. MAXIMA Force complies with the newest Intel standard ATX 12V V2.3 & EPS 12V rail systems, while the environmentally friendly design for energy saving with Active PFC (>0.9) / High efficiency (>80%) complies with the best standards and allows additional full rated power draw during overclocking sessions. Hosting a complete range from 470Watts, 650Watts and 750Watts, the MAXIMA Force PSU’s are designed with the enthusiast gamer in mind.

The features include Power Failure Detection with OVP/OCP/OLP/SCP/UVP/OTP, plus support for multi-core CPU and Multi GPU/graphics cards systems, additional support for over-clocked CPU, GPU, and RAM System hardware with a maximum 100W overpower capability for one hour. The superior Japanese capacitor components bring long lasting durability and quality for the ultimate in stable power output.

The PCI-E connector has bead-core protection to minimized electromagnetic interference (EMI) for a cleaner output. Unlike some PSU’s out in the market, the MAXIMA Force can support its FULL rated power output. The cables have special sleeves to improve airflow through your case. The universal input accepts between 100V-240V and has a power switch at the back for added safety. The ball bearing fan gives consistent and quality airflow across specially designed heatsinks that have a special rippled surface to improve the surface area for superior thermal cooling performance. The uniquely coated outer casing has honeycombe d venting for excellent air-flow and ventilation.

With clean and stable power driving your PC via the MAXIMA Force PSU and the multi 12V rails output and bead core protection for the PCI-e connectors, failsafe safety protections, and 80 Plus output all combine to give the MAXIMA Force PSU superior durability than anything else you are likely to get. MAXIMA Force PSU’s have today what PC gamer’s need tomorrow!

For more details on features for the MAXIMA Force PSU’s please go here:
http://lian-li.com/v2/en/product/product04.php?cl_index=10&sc_index=36&ss_index=88

MSI

Graphics are courtesy of NVIDIA’s GeForce 9600 GT 3D video card with 512MB of DDR3 memory, running the onboard LCDs at WSXGA+ resolution or outputting via the HDMI and D-sub ports. System RAM is 4GB, storage 320GB SATA and there’s a Blu-ray and DVD-burning optical drive.

Connectivity includes WiFi b/g/n, gigabit ethernet, Bluetooth and a modem. Otherwise there’s an eSATA port, three USB 2.0 ports and a 4-in-1 card reader. The GX620 has stereo speakers while the GX720 has four speakers and a subwoofer; both have a 2-megapixel webcam.

MSI is yet to announce pricing for the new notebook, which won a Best Choice Award at COMPUTEX 2008.