Motherboards with AMD X870 chipsets are already in stores. Unlike the older models designed for the AM5 platform, also compatible with Ryzen 9000 processors, X870 motherboards must support the USB4 interface, and there are more minor changes. We start our analysis of motherboards with the new AMD chipsets with the Asus model – the TUF Gaming X870 Plus WiFi. The mid-range also has a strong VRM. Read more “Asus TUF Gaming X870 Plus WiFi: USB4 for reasonable money”
It seemed like the huge issue of unstable and crashing Intel Raptor Lake CPUs (Core 13th and 14th desktop generation) was over – and Intel would certainly like it to be – when last month BIOSes with microcode fixes started coming out. But it’s not. The company has now issued a new statement saying that even those fixes are not yet enough, and owners will need one more update to prevent these processors from slowly failing. Read more “Intel Raptor Lake CPUs need another fix to prevent damage”
The range of 140mm fans is now expanded by the Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 PWM. The wait for this model was very long, but finally, after various hardships, everything was brought to a successful end. This, by the way, is also indicated by our in-depth tests, from which the NF-A14x25 G2 fan takes away the “best” results across many usage scenarios. This is also due to the significant innovations in the aerodynamic design. Read more “Noctua NF-A14x25 G2 PWM: Finally a first-class 140mm fan”
BeQuiet!, which I don’t need to introduce here, launched its top-end Dark Rock Elite cooler early this year. Along with it, the Dark Rock Pro 5 was also released, but it has remained somewhat in the shadow of its elite sibling, which I would like to correct today. I firmly believe that the fifth gen of the Dark Rock Pro will successfully build on the previous versions, which have always been known for their uncompromising cooling performance and quiet operation. Read more “BeQuiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 – A suitable successor to a legend”
You may not know this, but the x265 video encoder can use AVX-512, but they are unused by default for historical reasons. In the past we made a guide showing how to enable the optimizations and looked at their effect, first on Intel Rocket Lake processors and then on Zen 4. Due to the popularity of those articles, we’ve now repeated the same tests on the new Zen 5 architecture, for comparison with previous cores. Read more “How much does AVX-512 help Zen 5 in x265? And how to turn it on”
The Era 2 case is an evolution of the original model (Era ITX), where Fractal Design also changed the approach to the ventilation holes. Be it in terms of the top panel or the side, larger perforations. How the Era 2 will make its mark and stack up against competing SFF cases remains to be seen. Despite the detailed analysis, this is still the first case to pass our new testing methodology. Read more “Fractal Design Era 2: Holes in wood for more efficient cooling”
Although PCCooler operates mainly in the Asian market, the company is trying to establish itself in the rest of the world. So, today I bring you a review of the DS360-BK cooler, which falls into the upper mid-range segment of liquid AIO coolers. One of the interesting features of this cooler is, for example, a display that shows the current CPU temperature or very high quality fans that can rival the absolute best on the market in certain situations. Read more “PCCooler CPS DS360-BK – New king of liquid coolers?”
Some articles become obsolete faster, others are relevant for a long time. Such, more durable ones usually do not focus on a specific product, but on a topic as a whole, with a pinch of generality. Articles like this have always been given space around here, since the beginning of HWCooling, and it probably doesn’t hurt to bring them up again. Well, at least as part of this selection which would be a shame to miss forever. Read more “We wrote 7 years ago. Tests you may have overlooked”
We’re wrapping up tests of the new Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs. This with a model that once increased the number of cores compared to its predecessor, or a pilot model (Ryzen 9 3900X) from eight to twelve on AMD’s mainstream platform. Even compared to the Ryzen 9 5900X, the new Ryzen 9 9900X is more than twice as fast in some practical situations. This model is also the best when it comes to efficiency. Read more “AMD Ryzen 9 9900X in a megatest of 40 CPUs”
Not only maximum speed, but also maximum efficiency among AMD’s single-chiplet CPUs. That’s the essential characteristic of the Ryzen 7 9700X. While the speed difference from the last generation (and the Ryzen 7 7700X processor) is negligible, zero, or even negative in places, it comes with significantly lower power consumption. And for those who don’t appreciate it, BIOSes with higher TDP are available less than a month from release. Read more “AMD Ryzen 7 9700X: One chiplet (Zen 5) to the max”
They were so emphatic about their cooler being optimized for Intel LGA 1700 processors that we had to try it out. And given that the CPS RZ820 is a “hefty chunk” of material, the reference sample selection included the kind of competitive coolers that are at the top of the tower model database. These should give the PCCooler CPS RZ820 a good run for its money. At the same time, this cooler should not be more expensive. Read more “PCCooler CPS RZ820: Against the elite, weighing over 1.8 kg”
A year ago, the excellent DeepCool Assassin IV cooler was tested here and eventually took our top award. Today we take a closer look at a modified version of this cooler called Assassin 4S. This variant may have lost the rear fan, but the middle one has been completely redesigned to compensate for this loss. So today’s article logically aims to find out how much of an impact this major change has on efficiency and acoustics. Read more “DeepCool Assassin 4S – The stealthy tamer of high temps”
Due to the atypical spacing of the mounting holes for its format, the new Noctua NF-A14x25r G2 PWM fans cannot be installed in 140mm positions as standard. You need a conversion frame for that, and one such frame was designed, made and sent to us by an HWCooling reader. So, we were able to simulate and test one of the most anticipated fans of recent years (NF-A14x25 G2 PWM) already now. Read more “Noctua NF-A14x25r on a radiator. Tested with DIY frame”
Are you eagerly awaiting the new AMD X870(E) motherboards? They don’t necessarily have to be “better” than the Gigabyte B650E Aorus Pro X USB4 in any fundamental way. The features of this motherboard match what can be expected in models with “800 series” chipsets. These will be coming out soon, but USB4 support, which is a key new feature, is already available on the Gigabyte motherboard. So there might not be too many practical differences. Read more “Gigabyte B650E Aorus Pro X USB4: Motherboard with X870 specs”
Perhaps the Axagon EEM2-SB2 will be the SSD (M.2) enclosure that you will evaluate as “optimal” for frequent carrying to work, for example. It has a number of external features to indicate this. From the small dimensions, low weight, to the good-looking brushed aluminum shell surface and the above-standard SSD support (both NVMe and SATA). The cable with a pair of different USB connectors included with this case is also handy. Read more “Axagon EEM2-SB2 SSD enclosure: Small, fast, versatile”
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