Articles about AMD

If you want a proper gaming PC, you need a full ATX motherboard and a massive tower full of fans, right? Actually, no. Nowadays, there are very capable mini ITX and micro ATX motherboards, making it possible to have a lot of power in a small package.

But holy cow, I never expected to see this much power crammed into such a small space! Today, MAINGEAR launches the TURBO -- a beautiful and impossibly small AMD Ryzen 3000XT gaming desktop. Just how small is it? A very impressive 7" x 14.4" x 12.3". This diminutive liquid-cooled beast can be configured with a processor ranging from the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 to the 3950X -- including the new 3000XT chips. You can choose up to 16TB of storage and up to 64GB of RAM. Graphics cards from both NVIDIA and AMD are available.

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I’m a huge fan of AMD desktop processors and GPUs, but the company’s mobile chips? Not so much. Don’t get me wrong, there have been some decent AMD-powered laptops over the years, but historically, Intel processors have been the best for notebooks.

Until recently, that is. AMD’s new mobile Ryzen 4000 processors have received universal acclaim thanks to impressive performance and long battery life. The new Ryzen mobile chips are a legit alternative to Intel.

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Both Intel and AMD make great processors, but for the most part, Intel has long been the market leader for enthusiasts. When building a gaming PC, consumers have historically chosen Intel for its superior performance in games -- particularly when multi-core doesn't matter. In 2020, however, things have changed. Many enthusiasts and gamers are turning to AMD for its excellent Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper chips. Not only does AMD rule multi-core computing, but in many gaming benchmarks, it is on par with Intel nowadays. And so, now is the time for AMD to shine and for Intel to take a step back.

AMD seems unwilling to rest on its laurels, however, as today it launches a trio of new Ryzen 3000XT processors which have higher boost frequencies. These Zen 2-based 7nm processors are AMD's first desktop CPUs to to carry the "XT" branding. This is significant, as "XT" is typically reserved for AMD's Radeon graphics cards. It seems like AMD really wants PC gamers to consider these processors for their next build. Ultimately, it looks like Ryzen 3000XT is AMD's way of slam dunking on the competition. In other words, AMD is giving Intel the Frédéric Weis treatment...

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The year 2020 undoubtedly belongs to AMD. After trailing Intel for years in some areas, the company has finally leapfrogged the Pentium-maker. Between its Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper processors, AMD owns the enthusiast desktop market. And that's not all -- the company's Ryzen 4000 Series Mobile Processors are impressing on laptops too. Hell, Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux, is now using a computer powered by AMD's Ryzen Threadripper 3970X.

Linux computer maker/seller System76 has been offering AMD processors in its Thelio desktop computers, but believe it or not, the company has never offered an AMD-powered laptop -- until now, that is. You see, starting today, you can buy a "Serval WS" powered by AMD. No, System76 is not offering mobile Ryzen chips in this laptop, but instead, desktop-class processors! As you can expect, this 15-inch portable Linux workstation is quite chunky and heavy as a result. With that said, it is simply impossible to cram this much power into a thin and light notebook.

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I have long been an AMD "fanboy," usually choosing that company's processors for my PC builds. Why? I prefer value to just throwing cash at raw performance, and with AMD I have always gotten plenty of power for my money. Historically, on the higher-end, Intel used to beat AMD regularly, but nowadays, things have really changed. AMD often destroys the competition across the board, as Intel has grown quite stale. Are Intel chips bad now? Not at all, but the innovation is coming from AMD. Facts.

And so, I was quite delighted when Linus Sebastian of YouTube channel Linus Tech Tips (of whom I am a big fan) saw the light and began embracing AMD lately (despite his love for Intel). It was very neat to see AMD Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper processors being heralded by someone who is typically an Intel guy. Believe it or not, yet another Linus (no, not Linus van Pelt from Peanuts) is jumping to AMD, and this time it is probably a bigger deal than Sebastian's current change of allegiance. You see, Linus Torvalds, the father of Linux, is no longer using an Intel CPU on his main computer. Woah.

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If you are a Linux user that craves lots of processing power, you are undoubtedly familiar with System76's popular line of Thelio desktops. Hell, you have either already bought one of these computers or you daydream about owning one. These Thelio desktops are made in the USA, housed in a custom wooden chassis, and come with Ubuntu Linux or System76's own Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS operating system pre-installed. Thelio is what dreams are made of...

Depending on the model of Thelio you choose, you can get either Intel or AMD processors. While the standard Thelio model can be had with regular AMD Ryzen processors, the Thelio Major can be configured with Ryzen Threadripper chips. If you aren't familiar, Threadripper processors are multi-core beasts that are designed for hardcore users.

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AMD is most well known for its desktop processors, but the company does make mobile chips too. In fact, some of the best budget Windows 10 laptops are powered by AMD mobile processors. The company’s laptop chips are gaining more respect these days; case in point, Microsoft is finally selling an AMD-powered Surface.

Today, AMD unveils its latest mobile processors, and Intel should be very worried. These 4000 series chips should provide impressive multi-core performance. Road warriors in particular should appreciate the long battery life provided by the 15W variants. In addition to the new 4000 series processors, AMD is also announcing two new low-end Athlon 3000 chips for budget machines.

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AMD hasn't yet announced its Radeon RX 5600 XT graphics card, but everything you could possibly want to know about the "the world's most technologically advanced card for 1080p gaming" has leaked.

Electronics firm XFX has -- seemingly inadvertently and without AMD's say-so -- published full details of the graphics card on a page entitled XFX AMD Radeon RX 5600 XT 6GB GDDR6 THICC II Pro Staging. Just about the only thing we don't get to know from this highly detailed page is how much the card will cost.

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AMD has been lighting the world on fire lately with its super powerful Ryzen processors, including the newest 3rd generation Threadripper. While enthusiasts will certainly be buying up those expensive chips, not everyone needs the latest and greatest multi-core processors. Some people have more meager needs, with budgets to match.

Historically, AMD has been great for consumers seeking value, and thankfully, the company is keeping that tradition alive. You see, today, the company announces the Athlon 3000G -- a processor designed for what AMD calls "mainstream desktop users." That's just another way to say "regular folks." Make no mistake, however, even though it extremely affordable at under $50, it is more than capable for general computer use -- and beyond. AMD promises support for Windows 10, Ubuntu, and Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

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Earlier today, we shared that the all-new Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition desktop would be equipped with HyperX Fury memory. But wait -- what exactly is this new computer? It is actually quite monumental. You see, after a long hiatus, Dell's gaming brand, Alienware, is once again using AMD processors! AMD is definitely making big moves these days, as it is finally being used by Microsoft with Surface Laptop too. Intel must be worried, but I digress.

The Alienware Aurora Ryzen Edition desktop can be configured with a new 3rd generation AMD Ryzen processor, starting at the AMD Ryzen 5 3500 and going all the way up to the monster Ryzen 9 3950X. The HyperX memory starts at just 8GB running at 2666MHz, but you can bump that up to a max of 64GB at 3200MHz. Both AMD and NVIDIA graphics cards are available too, with the top model being the  GeForce RTX 2080 Ti with 11GB of GDDR6. Storage ranges from 512GB to 2TB.

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Every once in a while, a computer component is released that turns the PC industry on its head. Today, we experienced such an event with the official unveiling of AMD's latest and greatest desktop processors -- the 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper chips. The godlike multi-core processors are designed to give extreme processing power to enthusiasts and professionals. There are two model from which to choose-- the 24-core Ryzen Threadripper 3960X and the insane 32-core 3970X. And yes, they are wildly expensive -- as they should be.

Of course, a new chip generation often means a new platform too, and today, AMD is also unveiling TRX40. There are already Socket sTRX4 motherboards planned from companies like ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI. These boards will all be offering PCIe 4.0, meaning you can take advantage of the latest blazing fast solid state drives. You can even equip your Threadripper 3 build with Quad-Channel DDR4 memory! This is what dreams are made of, folks...

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After a series of leaks, Microsoft today officially unveiled the latest additions to the Surface lineup. Kicking things off is the Surface Laptop 3, available in 13- and 15-inch models.

Produced in partnership with AMD, the Surface Laptop 3 features a custom Surface Edition Ryzen processor for the 15-inch model. The 13-inch device features a quad-core 10th Gen Intel Core processor. Both retain the 3:2 aspect ratio. Let's dive in and take a look at the full specs.

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Just last week AMD launched its latest Ryzen 3000 series of CPUs. The third-generation Ryzen chips are the first to be based on 7nm technology, but there is a problem for users of some Linux-based systems.

For distributions based on newer versions of the Linux kernel, an issue renders systems unable to boot. Some users have managed to patch the systemd component with an older version to allow successful booting, but a BIOS update from AMD is what's needed.

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Fans of Linux have long coveted System76 computers, as they come with Ubuntu pre-installed rather than Windows. After all, buying one of these computers is a great way to support the Linux community. Nowadays, in addition to Ubuntu, the company also offers its own Ubuntu-based operating system called Pop!_OS.

With the System76 "Thelio" desktop PC, even more people became interested in the company -- beyond Linux enthusiasts. Why? Because it is made right here in the good ol' USA. People that take pride in being an American often look for USA-made products (something that is getting increasingly harder to find), and System76 began filling that need.

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Huawei makes great devices -- its smartphones, tablets, and laptops are very well respected by consumers around the world. Quite frankly, when it comes to Windows 10 computers, the company has become one of my favorite brands -- the machines offer elegance and affordability.

Newegg is currently having a flash sale on the Huawei MateBook D, and the price is absolutely killer. For under $500, you can score a beautiful touchscreen Windows 10 laptop that is powered by AMD Ryzen 5.

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