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Intel 10th-gen desktop chips may pack better multitasking across the board
Intel's 10th-generation Core desktop processors appear to be right around the corner, and the biggest improvements may come to those who don't splurge on the most expensive models. Leaks at Informatica Cero and VideoCardz have detailed a Comet Lake-S CPU lineup where every Core chip, from the i3 to the i9, reportedly includes Hyperthreading. You might not need need to buy a Core i7 or better to wring truly strong multitasking performance out of your system.
Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon chips include two with built-in 5G
Qualcomm just outlined the performance landscape for many of 2020's Android phones -- the company has introduced the Snapdragon 865, 765 and gaming-oriented 765G. They should improve performance in categories like AI and 8K video capture (Qualcomm won't share much more until December 4th), but this time around the highest-end chip isn't the star. The upper mid-range 765 series represents Qualcomm's first systems-on-a-chip with integrated 5G, saving them from using separate, power-hungry modems to take advantage of next-gen wireless. That could extend battery life, of course, but it should also make 5G handsets more affordable.
AMD's 64-core Threadripper 3990X arrives in 2020
AMD appears to have confirmed that it will launch the creator-centric 64-core Threadripper 3990X chip sometime in 2020, as rumored. The company didn't release many details, other than to say it'll have 64 cores and 128 threads, 288MB of total cache and consume 280 watts (TDP). We still don't know the all-important price, though you can expect it to cost several thousand dollars, at least.
Intel fixes CPU security flaw it said was patched in May (updated)
It turns out that Intel's CPU security fixes from May didn't address everything the company mentioned. Intel is rolling out another patch that does more to close the speculative execution flaws that could let attackers swipe passwords and other sensitive info. The mitigations in the patch should "substantively reduce" the possibility of an attack, Intel said. This still doesn't fully resolve the problem, but Intel is promising future CPU-level microcode fixes. There's a larger concern over how Intel has handled these vulnerabilities in the first place, however.
AMD's 16-core Ryzen 3950X is its fastest desktop processor ever
After getting some wins against Intel in the desktop enthusiast processor race, AMD is trying to run up the score with its latest model, the Ryzen 9 3950X. It has 16 cores/32 threads, a 3.5 Ghz base clock with up to 4.7 GHz boost (on two cores) and 105 watt power consumption (TDP), and costs $749, compared to $1,199 for Intel's 12-core i9-9920X. At the same time, AMD claims it outperforms the i9-9920X in gaming and even more so for content creation, where those extra cores can be best exploited.
Intel's 5GHz-capable Core i9-9900KS arrives October 30th
Are you determined to have the best Intel gaming CPU on the block without splurging on an X-series? You'll soon have a chance to pick one up. Intel has revealed that its special edition Core i9-9900KS processor will be available on October 30th at a recommended price of $513. If you'll recall, this is really a top-binned version of the 9900K that can reach a 5GHz turbo speed across all eight cores rather than one, and hit a base speed of 4GHz instead of 3.6GHz. It won't represent a major leap in performance (especially if you're used to overclocking), but it could make a difference in games that make good use of multiple cores.
Intel discontinues its processors with AMD graphics
If you suspected Intel processors with AMD graphics weren't long for this world, you guessed correctly. Intel has discontinued its Core i7 processors based on Kaby Lake-G, explaining to chip buyers that market interest has "shifted to other Intel products." Vendors have until January 31st, 2020 to place orders, and the last shipments should take place by July 31st, 2020. There's no sign of a replacement on the horizon, either.
Final Cut Pro X gets a speed boost through Apple's Metal
The latest Final Cut Pro X update, released today, takes advantage of Apple's Metal API to provide leaps in performance. With a new Metal-based engine, the updated Final Cut Pro X improves playback and accelerates tasks like rendering, real-time effects and exporting on Metal-compatible Macs. According to Apple, the changes will make video editing 20 percent faster on the 15-inch MacBook Pro and 35 percent faster on the iMac Pro.
Intel's workstation X-series chips are a bit faster and much cheaper
Following a leak last week, Intel has officially revealed performance figures and other data for its 18-core i9 Extreme Edition and other 9th-gen X-Series chips. As we already knew, the 10-, 12-, 14- and 18-core chips can be boosted to speeds up to 4.8 GHz. That will apparently yield a modest performance bump of seven percent for Maya and 3DS Max rendering tasks compared to the last-gen models. The chips will also double the "inference" AI throughput, but that will only be of benefit to deep-learning specialists.
Intel's latest X-series CPUs include an 18-core model under $1,000
You won't have to spend quite so lavishly to get an 18-core Intel Core X chip in your gaming rig. Intel has offered the first details of its 2019 Core X-series chips, and the flagship, 3GHz (4.8GHz turbo) Core i9-10908XE will pack 18 cores for $979. That's far from trivial, but much better than the $2,000 you've had to pay until now. Other models are also decidedly more affordable, including the 10-core i9-10900XE ($590), 12-core i9-10920XE ($689) and 14-core i9-10940XE ($784).
AMD delays 16-core Ryzen 9 CPU to November
We hope you weren't determined to build an all-out AMD gaming rig in September. AMD has delayed the release of its 16-core Ryzen 9 3950X processor by two months to sometime in November. The company wants to meet "strong demand" for the highly parallel CPU, the company said in a statement to AnandTech. In short, it wants to be sure there's enough supply to justify a release. There is an upshot to this news for enthusiasts, though.
MediaTek's latest phone CPUs are built for gaming
MediaTek's mobile processors are more commonly associated with budget smartphones than gaming, but it's determined to change your mind. The chip designer has introduced a Helio G90 family of processors with performance and features intended with cutting-edge games in mind. Both the G90 and G90T are eight-core chips that use 2.05GHz Cortex-A76 cores for demanding tasks and Cortex-A55 for lighter duties, complete with Mali-G76 graphics (up to 800MHz) and up to 10GB of LPDDR4x memory. Those aren't too special, though -- it's what you won't see that might make the difference.
How did AMD make its Zen processors faster?
Welcome to the latest episode of Upscaled, our explainer show where we look at the components and parts that make our favorite tech better. In this episode we're checking out AMD's new Zen 2 processors. These chips are crazy fast, and pack up to 16 cores into a consumer design, all while being remarkably power efficient. So how did AMD do it? Processor clock speeds have barely increased in years, but chips keep getting faster. What tricks are engineers using to keep the improvements coming? One of AMD's areas of focus was instructions-per clock, or IPC, a measure of how quickly the CPU can execute basic functions, and an area where AMD has historically lagged behind the competition.
Qualcomm's Snapdragon 855+ chip is built for gaming and VR
Qualcomm is shaking up its once-a-year approach to updating its flagship mobile processor, and it could be good news for Android phone fans who crave raw performance. The chip maker has introduced an upgraded Snapdragon 855+ that wrings extra performance out of the familiar 855 design. The eight-core Kryo 485 CPU now runs at up to 2.96GHz instead of the earlier 2.84GHz, and the Adreno 640 graphics should deliver a 15 percent speed boost.
AMD Ryzen 3000 systems need a BIOS fix for Linux, 'Destiny 2' issues
Last week AMD officially released its new Ryzen 3000 Series CPUs and Radeon RX 5700 graphics cards, but there's a small problem with the CPUs. As some Linux users quickly noticed, there's an issue with newer distributions based on 5.0 or higher that makes the OS unable to boot. Some people have been able to get around that by taking the systemd component back to an older version or a newer patched edition, but now gamers on Windows are having an issue with Destiny 2. Over the last few days they noticed the game would not launch when used on systems with the new chips and reported the problem to Bungie. In a statement, AMD told Phoronix that it has implemented a BIOS fix for the problem that's causing the issues and distributed it to motherboard manufacturers. Now we just have to wait until they make the patched versions available to customers, which Forbes mentions could happen as early as next week for beta releases. Separately, NVIDIA should have a fix out soon to address BSOD crashes on systems combining the Ryzen 3000 with GeForce GPUs. AMD: AMD has identified the root cause and implemented a BIOS fix for an issue impacting the ability to run certain Linux distributions and Destiny 2 on Ryzen 3000 processors. We have distributed an updated BIOS to our motherboard partners, and we expect consumers to have access to the new BIOS over the coming days.
AMD denies improperly sharing CPU tech with China
AMD has been accused of feeding sensitive technology to China, and the company isn't having any of it. The chip designer has rejected Wall Street Journal claims that partnerships formed in early 2016 improperly shared x86 CPU tech with Sugon Information Industry, a supercomputer maker backed by the Chinese government. Sources talking to the WSJ alleged that AMD created a "complex structure" between two joint ventures to bypass American rules, with the Commerce and Defense Departments both raising concerns that the arrangement threatened national security. AMD, however, told a different story.
Apple hires one of ARM's top chip designers
Apple appears to be making up for its loss of chip designer talent. The company has quietly hired ARM Lead CPU Architect Mike Filippo to serve as a chip architect. It's not certain just what he'll do at Apple, but hes work at ARM focused on high-end CPU designs including the Cortex-A76 and future models like Hercules and Zeus. He also worked on "infrastructure-focused" and "automotive-enhanced" processors, and was instrumental to designs for both AMD and Intel.
Intel's Performance Maximizer tool overclocks CPUs with one click
Intel has launched a new feature designed to make overclocking more straightforward. Called the "Intel Performance Maximizer," the tool examines your processor's individual settings, then uses what Intel calls "hyper-intelligent automation" to tweak them for a performance boost. Basically, it's overclocking without having to fiddle around with custom settings in BIOS yourself.
Opera built a browser just for gamers
With over a billion PC gamers on the planet, it's about time someone launched a gaming-friendly browser -- and that's exactly what Opera has done. The previously hinted at Opera GX goes into early access availability today, and offers a bunch of features and options that will make PC gaming smoother and more customizable.
AMD's $749 Ryzen 9 3950X is the 'world's first' 16-core gaming CPU
Today during its E3 2019 press conference, AMD announced it's pushing gaming beyond 8- or 12-cores, with a new "best of the best" CPU. The "World's first 16-core gaming CPU" is the Ryzen 9 3950X, which will be available in September for $749. Outdoing Intel's 8-core gaming CPU, CEO Dr. Lisa Su said this chip has "the highest boost frequency in our stack" that goes up to 4.7Ghz with 72MB of cache. Continuing AMD's theme of trying to beat Intel on the combination of performance, value and efficiency, the Zen 2 hardware operates at 105 watts. Of course, there's more to the world than gaming CPUs and cores don't always translate to an advantage in raw performance. Still, this latest addition to the Ryzen line is a powerful challenge, and keeps up the pressure following the introduction of its 12-core sibling, the 3900X, just last month at Computex.
