AMD
Thanks to the well-known leaker ExecutableFix, today we can take a closer look at the new AM5 socket that AMD will use for its future processors based on the Zen 4 microarchitecture, taking the place of the historic AM4 used for several years for Ryzen processors and more. The first thing that catches the eye is the transition from the traditional PGA (Pin Grid Array) design to the LGA (Land Grid Array), also used by rival Intel. For many, this choice can only lead to advantages, as it is generally easier to bend a pin on a processor than it is on a motherboard. Additionally, LGA CPUs are usually easier to install and harder to damage.Credit: ExecutableFix Given the move to a new socket, Ryzen 6000 processors (codenamed Raphael) will represent the beginning of a new era for the company. The chips, in fact, in addition to relying on the Zen 4 microarchitecture, which will certainly introduce some improvements in terms of performance, will be made with TSMC's 5nm production process and should offer a maximum of sixteen cores (thirty-two threads) on the probable flagship model. Ryzen 9 6950X. In addition, support for DDR5 memory and four more PCI Express 4.0 lanes (for up to 28) will be added. As for the TDP, according to the latest rumors, it should be raised to a maximum of 120W, but the marketing of a special model capable of going up to 170W is not excluded.
Credit: ExecutableFix We remind you that, currently, the Ryzen 5000 chips (codenamed Vermeer), based on the Zen 3 cores, are among the best CPUs on the market and the company seems to have enough resources to be able to keep up with the Intel competitor until the release of the Zen 4, which should be launched at the end of 2022.
Are you looking for a good motherboard to pair with the new Ryzen processors? ASUS ROG Strix X570-F with 14 power phases might be a good choice. You can find it on Amazon at a good price.
AMD's Most Affordable 6000-Series GPU Is Here to Level Up 1080p Gaming
We’re in the midst of a pandemic and a global chip crunch, but that isn’t stopping AMD from releasing yet another new GPU. The $380 RX 6600 XT is here, and it’s now the most affordable member of AMD’s current 6000-series GPU lineup. While its specs aren’t quite as eye-popping as some of its more expensive siblings, AMD says the 6600 XT was designed to deliver strong performance for gaming at 1080p.
The 6600 XT features 32 compute units with 8GB of DDR6 RAM, 32MB of AMD’s Infinity Cache, and a game clock of 2359 MHz. Additionally, with a power draw of just 160 watts, AMD says that RX 6600 XT requirements are low enough that owners should only need a 500-watt power supply, instead of the 800- or 1000-watt PSUs typically needed to support high-end cards like the 6900 XT or Nvidia’s 3080 Ti. In fact, ASRock is even making one version of the 6600 XT with a single cooling fan, so it can fit in smaller systems with micro- ATX or mini-ITX motherboards.
AMD’s main goal with the 6600 XT is to support gaming at 1080p at max settings across a wide range of titles, especially because two-thirds of new gaming monitors shipped in 2020 have 1080p resolutions. AMD claims that when compared to Nvidia’s RTX 3060, the 6600 XT offers 15% better performance on average in games like Cyberpunk 2077, Doom Eternal, Forza Horizon 4, and others. Overall, the card fits performance-wise in between the RTX 3060 and 3060 Ti.
But with support for features like AMD Smart Boost, Radeon Anti-Lag, and AMD’s Super FX Resolution, the 6600 XT is still more than capable of supporting 1440p or even 4K gaming, you just might have to play around with the game’s graphics settings a bit. And for those who live and die by millisecond reactions, AMD also says its Anti-Lag feature can reduce input latency by up to 13%. When it comes to VR, AMD says that the 6600 XT exceeds all the minimum requirements for modern HMDs, so it should be more than capable of powering both traditional and VR gaming experiences.
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Unlike AMD’s previous 6000-series desktop GPUs, there won’t be a reference model for the 6600 XT. AMD is relying on all of its usual partners, including Asus, MSI, ASRock, Gigabyte, and others, to produce retail versions of the card.
Of course that brings up the somewhat sore subject of availability, which has made it increasingly difficult for gamers to get their hands on new GPUs over the past 12-18 months. AMD says that it’s working “extremely closely” with its partners to get as many cards into gamers’ hands as possible, though without any specific numbers to go by, it’s hard to say how easy or difficult it will be to actually purchase one at launch.
But if you’re been waiting for a new and relatively affordable GPU to hold down your 1080p battlestation, the RX 6600 XT seems like a great component for the job. As always, we’ll have to wait until we can test one out to be sure.
AMD’s RX 6600 XT is slated to go on sale on Aug. 11 for $380.