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Hier — 28 mars 2024AnandTech

The DeepCool AK620 Digital CPU Cooler Review: Big, Heavy, and Lit

Typical CPU coolers do the job for standard heat management but often fall short when it comes to quiet operation and peak cooling effectiveness. This gap pushes enthusiasts and PC builders towards specialized aftermarket solutions designed for their unique demands. The premium aftermarket cooling niche is fiercely competitive, with brands vying to offer top-notch thermal management solutions.

Today we're shining a light on DeepCool's AK620 Digital cooler, a notable entry in the high-end CPU cooler arena. At first blush, the AK620 Digital stands out from the crowd mostly for its integrated LCD screen. Yet aesthetics aside, underneath the snappy screen is a tower cooler that was first and foremost engineered to exceed the cooling needs of the most powerful mainstream CPUs. And it's a big cooler at that: with a weight of 1.5Kg and 162mm tall, this is no lightweight heatsink and fan assembly. All of which helps to set it apart in a competitive marketplace.

À partir d’avant-hierAnandTech

The DeepCool PX850G 850W PSU Review: Less Than Quiet, More Than Capable

DeepCool is one of the few veterans in the PC power & cooling components field still active today. The Chinese company was first founded in 1996 and initially produced only coolers and cooling accessories, but quickly diversified into the PC Case and power supply unit (PSU) markets. To this day, DeepCool stays almost entirely focused on PC power & cooling products, with input devices and mousepads being their latest diversification attempt.

Today's review turns the spotlight toward DeepCool’s PSUs and, more specifically, the PX850G 850W ATX 3.0 PSU, which currently is their most popular power supply. The PX850G is engineered to balance all-around performance with reliability and cost, all while providing ATX 3.0 compliance. It is based on a highly popular high-output platform but, strangely, DeepCool rated the PX850G for operation up to 40°C.

Ultra Ethernet Consortium Grows to 55 Members, Reveals Some Details on Upcoming HPC Backbone Tech

The Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) has announced this week that the next-generation interconnection consortium has grown to 55 members. And as the group works towards developing the initial version of their ultra-fast Ethernet standard, they have released some of the first technical details on the upcoming standard.

Formed in the summer of 2023, the UEC aims to develop a new standard for interconnection for AI and HPC datacenter needs, serving as a de-facto (if not de-jure) alternative to InfiniBand, which is largely under the control of NVIDIA these days. The UEC began to accept new members back in November, and just in five months' time it gained 45 new members, which highlights massive interest for the new technology. The consortium now boasts 55 members and 715 industry experts, who are working across eight technical groups. 

There is a lot of work at hand for the UEC, as the group has laid out in their latest development blog post, as the consortium works to to build a unified Ethernet-based communication stack for high-performance networking supporting artificial intelligence and high-performance computing clusters. The consortium's technical objectives include developing specifications, APIs, and source code for Ultra Ethernet communications, updating existing protocols, and introducing new mechanisms for telemetry, signaling, security, and congestion management. In particular, Ultra Ethernet introduces the UEC Transport (UET) for higher network utilization and lower tail latency to speed up RDMA (Remote Direct Memory Access) operation over Ethernet. Key features include multi-path packet spraying, flexible ordering, and advanced congestion control, ensuring efficient and reliable data transfer.

These enhancements are designed to address the needs of large AI and HPC clusters — with separate profiles for each type of deployment — though everything is done in a surgical manner to enhance the technology, but reuse as much of the existing Ethernet as possible to maintain cost efficiency and interoperability.

The consortium's founding members include AMD, Arista, Broadcom, Cisco, Eviden (an Atos Business), HPE, Intel, Meta, and Microsoft. After the Ultra Ethernet Consortium (UEC) began to accept new members in October, 2023, numerous industry heavyweights have joined the group, including Baidu, Dell, Huawei, IBM, Nokia, Lenovo, Supermicro, and Tencent.

The consortium currently plans to release the initial 1.0 version of the UEC specification publicly sometime in the third quarter of 2024.

"There was always a recognition that UEC was meeting a need in the industry," said J Metz, Chair of the UEC Steering Committee. "There is a strong desire to have an open, accessible, Ethernet-based network specifically designed to accommodate AI and HPC workload requirements. This level of involvement is encouraging; it helps us achieve the goal of broad interoperability and stability."

While it is evident that then Ultra Ethernet Consortium is gaining support across the industry, it is still unclear where other industry behemoths like AWS and Google stand. While the hardware companies involved can design Ultra Ethernet support into their hardware and systems, the technology ultimately exists to serve large datacenter and HPC system operators. So it will be interesting to see what interest they take in (and how quickly they adopt) the nascent Ethernet backbone technology once hardware incorporating it is ready.

StarTech Unveils 15-in-1 Thunderbolt 4/USB4 Dock with Quad Display Support

StarTech.com has introduced its latest Thunderbolt 4/USB4 docking station, which has a plethora of ports and supports four display outputs. This makes it suitable for 4Kp60 quad-monitor setups often used for professional applications. The Thunderbolt 4 Quad Display Docking Station can also deliver up to 98W of power to the host, which is enough to feed a high-end laptop, such as Apple's MacBook Pro 16.

StarTech's 15-in-1 docking (132N-TB4USB4DOCK) has pretty much everything that one comes to expect from a dock engineered explicitly for demanding professionals, such as those involved in photography, content creation, video production, and computer-aided design. The unit comes with one Thunderbolt 4/USB 4 port with a 98W power delivery capability to connect to the host, a 2.5 GbE adapter, six USB Type-A ports (three supporting 10 Gbps, two supporting 5 Gbps, and one being USB 2.0 for up to 7.5W charging), one USB Type-C connector (at 10 Gbps), four display outputs (two DP 1.4, two HDMI 2.1), an SD Card reader with UHS-II, a microSD card reader with UHS-II, and a 3.5-mm audio jack. 

The dock's main selling feature is, its support for up to four displays. Of course, this is a valuable capability, but it has a couple of catches. The device can support four 4Kp60 displays when connected to a laptop featuring Intel's 12th or 14th Generation Core processor using a Thunderbolt 4 or USB 4 connector and with DSC enabled. With AMD Ryzen 6000 and Intel's 11th Gen Core-based systems, only three 4Kp60 displays are supported. Meanwhile, with MacBooks, users must get on with two 5Kp60 or one 6Kp60 display. The good news is that the Thunderbolt 4 Quad Display Docking Station requires no drivers and works seamlessly with MacOS, Windows, and ChromeOS.

The docking station has a 180W power supply, so it can simultaneously charge a laptop and power on all the remaining ports.

Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 docks with rich capabilities are not cheap as they have to pack loads of quite expensive controllers, and StarTech's 15-in-1 docking station is no exception, as it costs $330.99

The StarTech.com Thunderbolt 4 Quad Display Docking Station is available for purchase directly from the company and through various IT resellers and distributors such as CDW, Amazon, Ingram Micro, TD SYNNEX, and D&H. 

NETGEAR Introduces WBE750: First Insight-Manageable Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Targets Congested Deployments

Wi-Fi 7 products have slowly started gaining market traction, particularly in the residential market (home consumer segment). The SMB / SME / enterprise market is traditionally a few quarters behind this, given the longer validation cycles. Earlier this year, Ubiquiti Networks introduced their first Wi-Fi 7 access point - the U7 Pro. Today, NETGEAR Business is launching the WBE750 Wi-Fi 7 Access Point (AP) in the Pro Wi-Fi lineup for businesses with heavy wireless Internet use.

The benefits of Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be) have been covered in multiple pieces earlier. The presence of a relatively interference-free 6 GHz band, wider channels (up to 320 MHz wide), and technical improvements to address interference and latency make the new standard an attractive upgrade for Wi-Fi users.

Unlike the Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro's entry-level focus (with 2x2 configurations in the 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands), the WBE750 opts for 4x4 configurations in each of the three bands. Correspondingly, the AP is able to support more concurrent connected clients (600 vs. 300), and obviously provide more bandwidth (18.4 Gbps vs. 9.2 Gbps theoretical). The pricing is also correspondingly higher ($700 vs. $190). The WBE750 also incorporates a NBASE-T (10 GbE / 5 GbE / 2.5 GbE / 1 GbE) RJ-45 uplink port with PoE++ support. Eight SSIDs are supported per channel.

Similar to other networking equipment vendors in this space, NETGEAR is also pushing for recurring subscription-based revenue with the product. A 1-year subscription to the single-pane cloud-based management interface (NETGEAR Insight) is included in the $700 purchase price.

NETGEAR Insight is particularly useful for professional installers who can manage multiple sites on the go, even from a mobile device.

The WBE750 joins a number of other Wi-Fi 6 / 6E APs in the Pro Wi-Fi line serving a wide range of deployment requirements. NETGEAR has been introducing multiple products in their Insight-manageable line over the last few quarters. As a result, they are able to offer a total network solution (gateways / routers / switches / APs) that can be managed from a single pane. As part of its Pro focus, NETGEAR is offering free site design services to installers along with expert technical support. NETGEAR's Pro WiFi Design Services (network design, product selection guide, troubleshooting, and training support) aims to be a key differentiation aspect compared to other similar offerings in the SMB / SME market.

The WBE750 is powered by a Qualcomm solution - the Waikiki Wi-Fi 7 chipset incorporated in the Networking Pro 1220 platform.

The new WBE750 AP is available for purchase today for $700.

Corsair Launches New XH405i Custom Water Cooling Kits And XG7 RTX 4080-Compatible Water Blocks

Corsair has launched its latest Hydro X series iCUE LINK XH405i RGB custom open-loop water cooling kits, replacing the older XH305i kits from 2020. The new kits feature Corsair’s latest XD5 RGB ELITE pump and reservoir, the XC7 RGB ELITE CPU waterblock, three QX120 RGB fans, and a 360mm radiator. The pump, waterblock, and fans all have the namesake iCUE LINK integration, which Corsair has been pushing throughout its entire recent generation of products.

The biggest hardware-related difference between XH405i kits and previous generation XH305i kits is undoubtedly the inclusion of iCUE LINK hardware, which Corsair recently debuted with its iCUE LINK H150i RGB AIO cooler. iCUE LINK allows individual Corsair cooling components within a system to be directly connected, primarily cutting down on cable clutter, but also offering the promise of more and finer-grained control over individual components via the iCUE LINK Hub at the center of a system. For instance, each individual iCUE LINK-compatible fan connected to the iCUE LINK hub can be set to its own speed, rather than either requiring each fan to be connected to its own fan header on the motherboard or setting a common speed for all fans via a multi-headed cable.

The XH405i is offered in two themes: stealth gray and white. Outside of cosmetics, the two variants are the same and come with a combined pump and reservoir, a CPU waterblock compatible with the AM5 and LGA 1700 sockets, three 120mm fans, a 360mm radiator, and a central iCUE LINK Hub. The kits also come with all the accessory components needed to build a custom loop: hardline tubing, a bending kit, fittings, and XL8 clear-colored coolant. These kinds of kits are usually geared towards newcomers to custom liquid cooling and users who need a brand-new loop but don’t want to spend much time scouring for individual components.

Separately, Corsair has also launched the iCUE LINK XG7 RGB GPU waterblock for GeForce RTX 4090 and 4080 Super graphics cards. As is typically the case for full-coverage GPU waterblocks, the XG7 has specific hardware compatibility requirements, and as a result Corsair is making four versions of the waterblock. The company is targetting ASUS’s ROG STRIX and TUF cards, as well as MSI’s SUPRIM and GAMING TRIO lineups, offering RTX 4090 and RTX 4080 blocks for each of those card families. Just like the other components in the XH405i kit, the GPU waterblock is also iCUE LINK-equipped.

Aimed at a premium market, the full XH405i kit doesn't come cheap: Corsair has set the MSRP at $700 for the complete cooling collection. Meanwhile, the XG7 GPU waterblock is priced at $230 for all four models.

The iCUE LINK XH405i kit is available now at Newegg and Amazon, as well as through Corsair’s own website.

The Arctic Liquid Freezer III 280 A-RGB White AIO Review: Refined Design Brings Stand-Out Cooler

ARCTIC GmbH, originally known as Arctic Cooling, first burst onto the PC cooling scene in 2001 and has since maintained its stature as a leader in cooling technologies. The company made its mark with top-notch thermal compounds and has since kept its focus on cooling solutions while also expanding into other tech accessories, including advanced monitor mounts and audio products.

With the introduction of the Liquid Freezer III series, ARCTIC has taken another significant step forward in the cooling market. This new lineup builds upon the success of the previous Liquid Freezer II series, the great price-to-performance ratio of which made it a highly popular product. Today, we're delving into ARCTIC's latest offerings with the Liquid Freezer III series and, specifically, the 280 A-RGB White model. We'll assess the features, quality, and thermal performance of the AIO (All-In-One) cooler of the series ARCTIC is hoping to dominate the bulk of the mainstream market with.

The be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 650W PSU Review: Solid Gold

Be quiet! is renowned for its dedication to excellence in the realm of PC components, specializing in products that emphasize silence and performance. The brand's product lineup is extensive, encompassing high-quality power supply units (PSUs), cases, and cooling solutions, including air and liquid coolers. Be quiet! is particularly renowned for trying to achieve whisper-quiet operation across all its products, making it a favorite among PC enthusiasts who prioritize a noiseless computing environment. The brand's portfolio reflects a dedication to meeting the diverse needs of tech aficionados and professionals, with an array of products that emphasize noise reduction and efficiency.

This review shines a spotlight on the Be quiet! Pure Power 12 M 650W PSU, a standout product in Be quiet!'s PSU collection that illustrates the company's attitude towards product design. The Pure Power 12 M series is designed to provide dependable performance and quiet operation, catering to users who demand a good balance of power efficiency and acoustics with reliability and value. This model, in particular, strives to offer a compelling blend of performance and quality, making it an attractive option for individuals seeking a PSU that aligns with the requirements of both entry-level and advanced PC builds.

Variable Refresh Rate Support Comes to NVIDIA’s GeForce Now Cloud Streaming Service

Today NVIDIA has brought variable refresh rate support to its GeForce Now cloud gaming service. The company initially promised variable refresh support on GeForce Now back in early January during CES, and has seemingly waited so that it could launch alongside GeForce Now Day Passes, which are also now available.

Variable refresh rate (VRR) technologies, including NVIDIA's own G-Sync, have been around for around a decade now, and allow a monitor to synchronize its refresh rate to the instantaneous framerate of a game. This synchronization prevents screen tearing, when two or more frames are present on a display at the same time. Without a VRR technology, gamers either have to tolerate the visual incongruity of screen tearing or enable V-Sync, which solves screen tearing by locking the framerate to the refresh rate (or a fraction thereof). VRR became popular because V-Sync added latency and could depress framerates due to it effectively being a framerate limiter.

Dubbed "Cloud G-Sync", NVIDIA touts not only a screen tearing-free experience for GeForce Now thanks to variable refresh rate support, but also lower latency thanks to “varying the stream rate to the client, driving down total latency on Reflex-enabled games.” Prior to VRR’s debut on GeForce Now, users either had to enable V-Sync in-game, enable a stream-level V-Sync setting that had the benefit of not locking the game framerate, or accept screen tearing. GeForce Now Ultimate members will also be able to pair VRR with Reflex-powered 60 FPS and 120 FPS streaming modes.

According to NVIDIA’s technical documentation, variable refresh rate support on GeForce Now can work with both Mac and Windows PCs hooked up to a VRR-capable monitor. This includes G-Sync monitors on Windows, as well as VESA AdaptiveSync/FreeSync monitors, HDMI 2.1 VRR displays, and even Apple ProMotion displays, such as the panels built into their recent MacBook Pro laptops. The biggest compatibility hurdle at this time is actually on the GPU side of matters; Windows machines need an NVIDIA GPU to use VRR with GeForce Now. Intel and AMD GPUs are "not supported at this time."

Although G-SYNC originally came out in 2013 and GeForce Now has been available since 2015, the two never intersected until now. It’s not clear why NVIDIA waited so long to bring G-Sync to GeForce Now; the company’s original announcement merely states “newly improved cloud G-SYNC technology goes even further,” implying that it wasn’t possible before but doesn’t exactly explain why.

The Cooler Master MWE V2 Gold 750W PSU Review: Effective, But Limited By Aging Platform

Cooler Master, renowned for its pioneering role in cooling technologies, has evolved into a key player in the PC components industry, extending its expertise to include cases and power supply units (PSUs). The company's current catalog is a testament to its commitment to diversity, featuring over 75 PC cases, 90 coolers, and 120 PSUs, all designed to cater to the evolving demands of tech enthusiasts and professionals alike.

This review focuses on the Cooler Master MWE Gold V2 750W PSU, a key offering in Cooler Master's power supply lineup that embodies the brand's vision of combining quality and value. The MWE Gold V2 series is engineered to offer solid performance and reliability at a price point that appeals to system builders and gamers looking for an entry-level to mid-range solution. As a result, the MWE Gold V2 750W has been a consistently popular offering within Cooler Master's catalog, often cycling in and out of stock depending on what sales are going on. This makes the PSU a bit harder to track down in North America than it does Europe, and quick to vanish when it does show up.

Capsule Review: AlphaCool Apex Stealth Metal 120mm Fan

Alphacool, a renowned name in the realm of PC cooling solutions, recently launched their Apex Stealth Metal series of cooling fans. Prior to their launch, the new fans had amassed a significant amount of hype in the PC community, in part because of the unfortunate misconception that the entire fan would be made out of metal.

Regardless of whether they're made entirely out of metal or not, however, these fans are notable for their unique construction, combining a metallic frame with plastic parts that are decoupled from the metal. This design choice not only contributes to the fan's aesthetic appeal but also plays a role in its operational efficiency.

The series includes two distinct models, the Apex Stealth Metal 120 mm and the Apex Stealth Metal Power 120 mm, distinguished primarily by their maximum rotational speeds. The former reaches up to 2000 RPM, while the latter, designed for more demanding applications, can achieve a remarkable 3000 RPM. Available in four color options – White, Matte Black, Chrome, and Gold – these fans offer a blend of style and functionality, making them a versatile choice for various PC builds.

The Enermax LiqMaxFlo 360mm AIO Cooler Review: A Bit Bigger, A Bit Better

For established PC peripheral vendors, the biggest challenge in participating in the highly commoditized market is setting themselves apart from their numerous competitors. As designs for coolers and other peripherals have converged over the years into a handful of basic, highly-optimized designs, developing novel hardware for what is essentially a "solved" physics problem becomes harder and harder. So often then, we see vendors focus on adding non-core features to their hardware, such as RGB lighting and other aesthetics. But every now and then, we see a vendor go a little farther off of the beaten path with the physical design of their coolers.

Underscoring this point – and the subject of today's review – is Enermax's latest all-in-one (AIO) CPU cooler, the LiqMaxFlo 360mm. Designed to compete in the top-tier segment of the cooling market, Enermax has opted to play with the physics of their 360mm cooler a bit by making it 38mm thick, about 40% thicker than the industry average of 27mm. And while Enermax is hardly the first vendor to release a thick AIO cooler, they are in much more limited company here due to the design and compatibility trade-offs that come with using a thicker cooler – trade-offs that most other vendors opt to avoid.

The net result is that the LiqMaxFlo 360mm gets to immediately start off as differentiated from so many of the other 360mm coolers on the market, employing a design that can give Enermax an edge in cooling performance, at least so long as the cooler fits in a system. Otherwise, not resting on just building a bigger cooler, Enermax has also equipped the LiqMaxFlo 360mm with customizable RGB lighting, allowing it to also cater to the aesthetic preferences of modern advanced PC builders. All together, there's a little something for everyone with the LiqMaxFlo 360mm – and a lot of radiator to cram into a case. So let's get started.

Recall of CableMods' 12VHPWR Adapters Estimates Failure Rate of 1.07%

A recall on 12VHPWR angled adapters from CableMod has reached its next stage this week, with the publication of a warning document from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Referencing the original recall for CableMods' V1.0 and V1.1 adapters, which kicked off back in December, the CPSC notice marks the first involvement of government regulators. And with that has come to light a bit more detail on just how big the recall is overall, along with an estimated failure rate for the adapters of a hair over 1%.

According to the CPSC notice, CableMod is recalling 25,300 adapters, which were sold between February, 2023, and December, 2023. Of those, at least 272 adapters failed, as per reports and repair claims made to CableMod. That puts the failure rate for the angled adapters at 1.07% – if not a bit higher due to the underreporting that can happen with self-reported statistics. All told, the manufacturer has received at least $74,500 in property damage claims in the United States, accounting for the failed adapters themselves, as well as the video card and anything else damaged in the process.

As part of the recall, CableMod has asked owners of its angled 12VHPWR adapters V1.0 and V1.1 to stop using them immediately, and to destroy them to prevent future use. Buyers can opt for a full refund of $40, or a $60 store credit.

It is noteworthy that, despite the teething issues with the initial design of the 12VHPWR connector – culminating with the PCI-SIG replacing it with the upgraded 12V-2x6 standard – the issue with the CableMod adapters is seemingly distinct from those larger design flaws. Specifically, CableMod's recall cites issues with the male portion of their adapters, which was not altered in the 12V-2x6 update. Compared to 12VHPWR, 12V-2x6 only alters female plugs (such as those found on video cards themselves), calling for shorter sensing pins and longer conductor terminals. Male plugs, on the other hand, remain unchanged, which is why existing PSU cables made for the 12VHPWR remain compatible (and normally safe) with 12V-2x6 video cards. Though as cable mating is a two-way dance, it's unlikely having to plug into inadequate 12VHPWR female connectors did CableMod any favors here.

Sources: Consumer Product Safety Commission, HotHardware, CableMod

The Geometric Future Eskimo Junior 36 AIO Cooler Review: Subdued Minimalism

Today we're looking at a all-in-one closed loop cooler from a face that's new to AnandTech: Geometric Future. Founded in 2020, Geometric Future is a PC components manufacturer with a goal of setting themselves apart in the crowded PC marketplace by redefining modern aesthetics. Their approach to design emphasizes the application of geometric elements and minimalist philosophy, as reflected in their slogan, "Simplify". They regard themselves as a potential future backbone in China's design industry, starting with a small step in the IT sector.

For such a new company, Geometric Future has already made significant strides in the realm of PC power and cooling products. One of their most notable products – and what we're reviewing today – is the Eskimo Junior 36, an all-in-one CPU liquid cooler available in 240mm and 360mm sizes. This cooler is designed with a minimalist aesthetic in mind, featuring a simplistic CPU block and equipped with high-performance Squama 2503 fans. Geometric Future pitches the Eskimo Junior 36 as being engineered to provide an optimal balance of cooling efficiency and aesthetics, making it able to achieve excellent cooling capabilities while maintaining low noise levels.

But marketing claims aside, we shall see where it stands in today’s highly competitive market in this review.

Wi-Fi Alliance Introduces Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7: 802.11be Prepares for Draft Standard Exit

The final approval of the 802.11be standard may only be scheduled for December 2024, but that has not put a spanner in the works of the Wi-Fi Alliance in creating a Wi-Fi 7 certification program.

At the 2024 CES, the program was officially announced with products based on silicon from Broadcom, Intel, Mediatek, and Qualcomm obtaining the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 tag. Broadcom, Mediatek, and Qualcomm have already been through two generations of Wi-Fi 7 products, and it is promising to finally see Wi-Fi 7 exit draft status. This enables faster adoption on the client side, as well. The key features of Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 are based on the efforts of the IEEE 802.11be EHT (Extremely High Throughput) working group.

The introduction of 6 GHz support in Wi-Fi 6E in select regions opened up channels that were hitherto unavailable for in-home wireless use. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 brings in support for 320 MHz channels. These ultra-wide channels are available only in the 6 GHz band.

These channels are responsible for the high throughput promised in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7. However, the non-availability of 6 GHz in many regions has proved to be a deterrent for client device vendors. Many of these companies do not want to spend extra for features that are not available across all geographies. It is likely that many client devices (particularly on the smartphone side) will ship without support for 320 MHz channels initially.

Multi-Link Operation (MLO) is yet another technique to boost available bandwidth for a single client. Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 allows clients to connect to the access point through multiple bands at the same time. It also increases the reliability of connections.

Wi-Fi 7 also brings in 4K QAM , allowing up to 12 bits to be encoded per symbol. This represents an increase in spectral efficiency of 20% over Wi-Fi 6 (which only required support for 1024 QAM).

Dense constellations require extremely sophisticated circuitry at both the transmitter (linear power amplifiers) and receiver ends (to avoid symbol decoding without errors). Those are part of the advancements that we can see in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 devices.

Some of the other key updates in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED 7 include support for 512 compressed block acks, multiple resouce units to a single station / client, and triggered uplink access.

802.11n introduced the concept of block acks at the MAC layer where multiple wireless 'frames' (MAC Protocol Data Units or MPDUs to be more exact) can be acknowledged by the receiver in one response. The ack indicates the missed MPDUs, if any, in the previously transmitted set. In Wi-Fi 6, the limit for the number of MPDUs per block ack was 256. In Wi-Fi 7, this has been pushed up to 512. Spreading out this communication allows for better resource usage.

Wi-Fi 6 introduced the concept of resource units in the OFDMA scheme wherein the radio channel gets partitioned into smaller frequency allocations called RUs. These allow small packets to be transmitted to multiple users at the same time. In Wi-Fi 6, each user could get only one RU. Wi-Fi 7 allows for better efficiency by enabling allocation of non-contiguous RUs to a single user.


Benefits of Multiple RU Allocation to a Single User (Source: Mediatek)

Wi-Fi 6 introduced the concept of triggered uplink access, allowing clients to simultaneously transmit data back to the access point in an independent manner. This transmission is synchronized by the AP sending out a trigger frame containing the resource unit allocation information for each client. Wi-Fi 7 optimizes this scheme further for QoS requirements and latency-sensitive streams.

In the meanwhile, the 802.11 working group has already started the ground work for Wi-Fi 8. 802.11bn (ultra-high reliability or UHR) aims to bring more resilience to high-speed Wi-Fi networks by allowing multi-link operation distributed over multiple access points, coordination between multiple access points, and power saving features on the access point side.


Timeline for 802.11bn (EHR): Wi-Fi 8 Deployments in 2027 - 2028? (Source: What Will Wi-Fi 8 Be? A Primer on IEEE 802.11bn Ultra High Reliability [PDF])

The Wi-Fi Alliance expects a wide range of application scenarios for Wi-Fi 7, now that certification is in place.

These include mobile gaming, video conferencing, industrial IoT, automotive, multi-user AR / VR / XR, immersive e-training modules, and other use-cases. Wi-Fi 6 brought in a number of technological advancements to Wi-Fi, and Wi-Fi 7 has added to that. Unfortunately, AR / VR / XR has been trying to break into the mainstream for quite some time, but has met with muted success. It is one of the primary single-client use-cases that can benefit from features like MLO in Wi-Fi 7.

Advancements in spectral efficiency over the last few generations have helped greatly in enterprise deployments. These are scenarios where it is necessary to service a large number of clients with a single access point while maintaining acceptable QoS. User experience in MDUs (multi-dwelling units / apartments) where multiple wireless networks jostle with each other has also improved. That said, vendors are still in search of the ideal single-client scenario to bring out the benefits of Wi-Fi 7 - wireline speeds have largely been stagnant over the last decade, and there are very few ISPs offering gigabit speeds at reasonable prices or over a wide enough area. Both wireline and wireless technologies have to evolve in tandem to bring consumer benefit and pull them in with attractive use-cases. As it currently stands, the pace of progress in Wi-Fi has largely surpassed wired networks over the last couple of decades.

The Corsair A115 CPU Cooler Review: Massive Air Cooler Is Effective, But Expensive

With recent high-performance CPUs exhibiting increasingly demanding cooling requirements, we've seen a surge in releases of new dual-tower air cooler designs. Though not new by any means, dual-tower designs have taken on increased importance as air cooler designers work to keep up with the significant thermal loads generated by the latest processors. And even in systems that aren't running the very highest-end or hottest CPUs, designers have been looking for ways to improve on air cooling efficiency, if only to hold the line on noise levels while the average TDP of enthusiast-class processors continues to eke up. All of which has been giving dual-tower coolers a bigger presence within the market.

At this point many major air cooler vendors are offering at least one dual-tower cooler, and, underscoring this broader shift in air cooler design, they're being joined by the liquid-cooling focused Corsair. Best known within the PC cooling space for their expansive lineup of all-in-one (AIO) liquid PC CPU coolers, Corsair has enjoyed a massive amount of success with their AIO coolers. But perhaps as a result of this, the company has exhibited a notable reticence towards venturing into the air cooler segment, and it's been years since the company last introduced a new CPU air cooler. This absence is finally coming to an end, however, with the launch of a new dual-tower air cooler.

Our review today centers on Corsair's latest offering in the high-end CPU air cooler market, the A115. Designed to challenge established models like the Noctua NH-D15, the A115 is Cosair's effort to jump in to the high-end air cooling market with both feet and a lot of bravado. The A115 boasts substantial dimensions to maximize its cooling efficiency, aiming not just to meet but to surpass the cooling requirements of the most demanding mainstream CPUs. This review will thoroughly examine the A115's performance characteristics and its competitive standing in the aftermarket cooling market.

The Be Quiet! Dark Rock Pro 5 CPU Cooler Review: When Less Is More

Last month we took a look at Be Quiet's Dark Rock Elite, the company's flagship CPU tower air cooler. The RGB LED-equipped cooler proved flashy in more ways than one, but true to its nature as a flagship product, it also carried a $115 price tag to match. Which is certainly not unearned, but it makes the Elite hard to justify when pairing it with more mainstream CPUs, especially as these chips don't throw off the same chart-topping levels of heat as their flagship counterparts.

Recognizing the limited audience for a $100+ cooler, Be Quiet! is also offering what is essentially a downmarket version of that cooler with the Dark Rock Pro 5. Utilizing the same heatsink as the Dark Rock Elite as its base, the Dark Rock Pro 5 cuts back on some of the bells and whistles that are found on the flagship Elite in order to sell at a lower price while still serving as a high-end cooler. Among these changes are getting rid of the RGB lighting, and using simple wire fan mounts in place of the Elite's nifty rails. The end result is that it allows the Dark Rock Pro 5 to hit a notably lower price point of $80, putting it within the budgets of more system builders, and making it a more practical pairing overall with mainstream CPUs.

But perhaps the most important aspect of all is a simple one: cooling performance. What does the Dark Rock Pro 5 give up in cooling performance in order to hit its lower price tag? As we'll see in this review, the answer to that is "surprisingly little," making the Dark Rock Pro 5 a very interesting choice for mid-to-high end CPUs. Particularly for system builders looking for an especially quiet CPU cooler.

EK Reveals All-In-One Liquid Cooler for Delidded CPUs

Historically, delidded CPUs have been the prerogative of die-hard enthusiasts who customized their rigs to the last bit. But with emergence of specially-designed delidding tools, removing the integrated heat spreader from a CPU has become a whole lot easier, opening the door to delidding for a wider user base. To that end, EK is now offering all-in-one liquid cooling systems tailored specifically for delidded Intel LGA1700 processors.

The key difference with EKWB's new EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB – 1700 cooler is in the cooling plate on the combined base pump block. While the rest of the cooler is essentially lifted from the company's premium 360-mm closed-loop all-in-one liquid cooling systems, the pump block has been equipped with a unique cooling plate specifically developed for mating with (and cooling) of delidded Intel's LGA1700 CPUs.

Meanwhile, since delidded CPUs lose the additional structural integrity provided by the IHS, EK is also bundling a contact frame with the cooler that is intended to protect CPUs against warping or bending by maintaining even pressure on the CPU. A protective foam piece is also provided to prevent liquid metal from spilling over onto electrical components surrounding the CPU die.

According to the company, critical components of the new AIO, such as its backplate and die-guard frame, were collaboratively developed by EK and Roman 'Der8auer' Hartung, a renowned German overclocker who has developed multiple tools both for extreme overclockers and enthusiasts. In addition, EK bundles Thermal Grizzly's Conductonaut liquid metal thermal paste (also co-designed with Der8auer) with the cooling system.

And since this is a high-end, high-priced cooler, EKWB has also paid some attention to aesthetics. The cooler comes with two distinct pump block covers: a standard cover features a brushed aluminum skull, surrounded by a circle of LED lighting that creates a classic yet bold aesthetic, and an alternate, more minimalist cover without the skull.

Traditionally, cooling for delidded CPUs has been primarily handled by custom loop liquid cooling systems. So the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Direct Die D-RGB – 1700 stands out in that regard, offering a self-contained and easier-to-install option for delidded CPUs. Especially as delidding has been shown to reduce temperature of Intel's Core i9-14900K CPU by up to 12ºC, it's no coincidence that EKWB is working to make delidding a more interesting and accessible option, particularly right as high-end desktop CPU TDPs are spiking.

Wrapping things up, EKWB has priced the direct die cooler at $170, about $20 more than the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 Lux D-RGB cooler designed for stock Intel processors. The company is taking pre-orders now, and the finished coolers are expected to start shipping in mid-March 2024.

Ubiquiti Networks Introduces U7 Pro: First UniFi Wi-Fi 7 Access Point Scores on Affordability

The market launch of Ubiquiti's first Wi-Fi 7 product in their UniFi lineup has been hotly anticipated since its FCC filings became public late last year. Unlike traditional consumer gear, Ubiquiti's UniFi lineup of software-defined networking products targets prosumers, businesses, and enterprises by splitting the functionality of a traditional home Wi-Fi router into separate gateways, switches, and access points. This allows end-users to update different components at different points in time based on requirements. This makes sense for many large-area deployments, as the pace of technological advancements in the wireless space and wired space are quite different.

Ubiquiti's UniFi lineup is generally not known for being on the cutting-edge, which makes it suitable for scenarios where stability and scalability are more important than raw performance. Wi-Fi 7 products have been around for a while, even from vendors operating in the same space as Ubiquiti Networks. Ubiquiti is taking a very different approach to Wi-Fi 7 by introducing an affordable model first up.

The U7 Pro, priced at just $189, eschews the 4x4 radio configurations driving up the price of other Wi-Fi 7 APs / wireless routers. Instead, it opts for 2x2 radios in 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz bands, allowing it to retail at a sub-$200 price point. This ceiling-mount AP covers up to 1500 sq. ft, and supports more than 300 clients. It is equipped with a single 2.5 GbE port and uses the same port for power. A PoE+ switch is required on the uplink side, as the U7 Pro has a maximum power consumption of 21W.

The 2x2 configuration in each radio allows up to 688 Mbps on the 2.4 GHz band, 2882 Mbps on the 5 GHz band, and up to 5765 Mbps on the 6 GHz band. The 6 GHz band supports the high throughput thanks to the use of 240 and 320 MHz-wide channels as per the 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) standard.

The UniFi U7 Pro utilizes a Qualcomm Wi-Fi 7 chipset - most likely the Networking Pro 620 series with the IPQ9554 WiSoC (quad-core Cortex-A73 @ 1.5 GHz) and the QCN9272 / 6272 Waikiki series of radios. There is an Immersive Home Wi-Fi 7 platform from Qualcomm with similar radio support for 6 streams, but using a quad-core Cortex A53 @ 1.5 GHz. We have reached out to Ubiquiti to confirm the actual platform, though our educated guess leans towards the Networking Pro 620.

The U7 Pro requires either a UniFi Console running UniFi OS v3.2+ with UniFi Network application v8.0.7 or newer, or a self-hosted controller running UniFi Network v8.0.7+. Bluetooth is notably absent from the specifications, which may be an impediment to some users who have adopted Ubiquiti's line of Bluetooth-enabled sensors that rely on APs with BT support to integrate with the rest of the UniFi network. Another aspect to keep in mind is that the 2x2 operation in the 5 GHz band means that the theoretically available bandwidth in that spectrum (2882 Mbps) is lower than the equivalent in the U6 Pro (which has a 4x4 configuration in the same band for 4.8 Gbps). This may influence deployment choice based on the mix of client devices expected to connect to the AP. Multi-Link Operation (MLO), which is one of the key advantages of Wi-Fi 7 over Wi-Fi 6, is also scheduled to appear only in a later firmware update even though the product is available for purchase today.

The Corsair iCUE LINK H150i RGB 360mm AIO Cooler Review: Colorful Connections

When it comes to all-in-one liquid coolers for CPUs, there are a handful of companies whose brands have become synonymous with the titanic coolers. And of those brands, it's Corsair who is inevitably at the top of any list. One of the key manufacturers responsible for popularizing AIO coolers with the enthusiast PC community, the company has built a very successful and well-renowned business segment out of providing maintenance-free AIO cooler designs – a history that at this point spans over 20 years.

With such a long history, we've seen Corsair update their cooler designs several times now, continually iterating on their designs to improve performance, increase reliability, or even just add RGB lighting to match modern styles. Most recently, Corsair introduced their iCUE LINK family of coolers, which incorporate the titular iCUE LINK system that allows for multiple Corsair peripherals to be connected together and controlled via a central hub. Besides simplifying the process of using multiple Corsair devices together, the iCUE LINK system is also designed to cut down on cable clutter by reducing the overall number of cables down to just one: the iCUE LINK cable going to the next-nearest Corsair device.

To that end, today we're taking a look at the latest generation of Corsair's popular H150i cooler, the iCUE LINK H150i RGB. Succeeding the well-received Elite Capellix models, the newest iCUE LINK H150i RGB stands out with its integration into the iCUE ecosystem, while building and improving upon the already solid foundation of the basic H150i cooler design. While the H150i is not technically Corsair's flagship cooler – that honor goes to the massive 420mm H170i series – most cases cannot accommodate coolers larger than the 360mm H150i, making it the most visible of Corsair's increasingly colorful coolers.

The FSP Hydro Ti Pro 1000W PSU Review: Titanium Shines for FSP's Flagship Power Supply

Over the last year, we've been looking at increasingly intricate 1000W power supplies from prolific PSU maker FSP. These have included their 80Plus Gold-rated Hydro G Pro, as well as their 80Plus Platinum rated Hydro PTM X Pro. Today we're finally capping things off with a look at the crème de la crème of the Hydro series, the 80Plus Titanium rated Hydro Ti Pro.

The flagship of the company's ATX PSU lineup, the Hydro Ti Pro is designed to demonstrate the apex of the company's design capabilities, offering ample power capacity while also achieving excellent energy efficiency and reliability. Which for a 1000W PSU means being able to support multiple GPUs and demanding overclocking conditions, all without wavering elsewhere. FSP's 80Plus Titanium certified unit stands out, in this regard, with its cutting-edge design and features tailored for longevity and consistent performance.

As we explore the details of the FSP Hydro Ti Pro 1000W, we will examine every aspect of this PSU to determine if it meets the high expectations associated with FSP's legacy and satisfies the demands of advanced computing environments. As well, we'll be looking at how it compares to its Gold and Platinum-rated compatriots, to see just what buying a higher efficiency brings to the table, both in direct electrical efficiency and secondary attributes, such as component quality and fan noise.

The XPG Core Reactor II 1200W PSU Review: XPG Goes for the Gold

An increasingly common face in the power supply market, the bulk of XPG's work thus far has been on high-end, high-margin power supplies, such as their 80Plus Platinum-rated Cybercore II. But as the company has become better established in the PSU market on the back of multiple successful products, the company is looking to expand their footprint by venturing into the mid-range segment.

Spearheading that effort is the new XPG Core Reactor II series. Looking to maintain their competitive edge with, what's frankly, a cheaper power supply design, XPG needs to walk a very tight rope, where where the equilibrium between performance, quality, and cost is crucial. In this category, PSUs must support a range of computing setups while maintaining a focus on value for money. The Core Reactor II series represents XPG's dedication to this segment, illustrating their capability to cater to a broad spectrum of users who seek a blend of reliable performance and economic viability.

As an 80Plus Gold certified unit and without too many bells and whistles, the Core Reactor II stands out for its practical design, tailored to deliver consistent performance without the premium cost. In examining the details of the XPG Core Reactor II series, we will evaluate how well these PSUs align with XPG’s commitment to affordable quality and whether they meet the diverse needs of mid-range computing environments.

The Be Quiet! Dark Rock Elite CPU Cooler Review: Where Quiet Meets Quality

While stock coolers are adequate for handling the basic thermal load of a CPU, they often fall short in noise efficiency and cooling performance. For this reason, advanced users and system builders typically bypass stock coolers in favor of aftermarket solutions that better align with their specific requirements. The high-end segment of this market is exceptionally competitive, as manufacturers strive to offer the most effective cooling solutions.

Be Quiet!, established over two decades ago, has a reputation for quiet computing solutions. Initially making gradual progress, the company took significant strides after 2010, positioning itself as a leading manufacturer of advanced PC components and peripherals. Today, Be Quiet! boasts an extensive range of PC power and cooling products, with its particularly noteworthy air coolers.

In this review, we focus on the Dark Rock Elite, Be Quiet! 's formidable entry into the high-end CPU air cooler segment. This cooler is designed to rival top-tier models like the Noctua NH-D15, offering massive proportions for optimum cooling efficiency. The Dark Rock Elite is crafted to meet and exceed the demands of the most powerful mainstream CPUs, setting itself apart amidst fierce competition from various manufacturers. Our review will delve into the capabilities of the Dark Rock Elite and its place in the aftermarket cooling market.

The SeaSonic Focus GX-850 ATX 3.0 PSU Review: Cool, Quiet, and Robust

In the realm of power supply units (PSUs), the core underpinning of any high-performance computing system, seasoned market players have continually raised the bar in delivering efficient, reliable, and technologically superior products. One such stalwart in the PSU domain is SeaSonic, whose meticulous engineering and innovation have repeatedly set industry benchmarks.

In today’s review, we are having a look at the ATX 3.0 upgrade of SeaSonic’s revered Focus series, which epitomizes a fine balance between cost and performance aimed at catering to a broad spectrum of PC enthusiasts and builders. It is the successor of the Focus Plus series, which used to be SeaSonic’s most popular series over the past several years.

The new Focus GX series consists of five units with a power output ranging from 550 Watts to 1.000 Watts. It is the second most powerful unit of the series that we will be putting to the test, the Focus GX-850. SeaSonic is placing its marketing efforts mostly on the exceedingly long 10-year manufacturer’s warranty, its compact size, the 80Plus Gold efficiency certification, and the modular design.

The GAMDIAS Kratos M1-750W PSU Review: For Style Over Substance

GAMDIAS, a substantial player in the realm of PC power and cooling components, has consistently garnered attention for its innovative approach to crafting gaming hardware solutions. The company emerged on the scene in 2012. Despite its relatively short history, this Taiwanese manufacturer has rapidly gained international recognition, positioning itself as one of the freshest yet promising names in the world of gaming peripherals and PC components.

In a market teeming with options, GAMDIAS has strategically honed its focus on the gaming sector, navigating the intricate balance between cost-effectiveness and ostentatious design. The company offers a wide range of PC power & cooling products, as well as peripherals and even furniture, all of which are designed to gratify a part of the gaming community.

Today, our attention is directed toward a product that targets the RGB-minded segment of the PC gaming market - the Kratos M1-750W PSU. While it may not bear the mantle of a flagship product designed for elite competition, the M1-750W PSU represents GAMDIAS' venture into the territory where aesthetics is the primary selection feature. As we delve deeper into its intricacies, we will explore how GAMDIAS tries to strike a balance between cost and visual flair, making the Kratos M1-750W a viable proposition for users who seek a stylish PSU with RGB lighting without breaking the bank.

The Enermax Revolution D.F. X 1050W PSU Review: High Power, Highly Reliable

In the realm of power supply units (PSUs), a few names stand out for their dedication to quality, innovation, and performance. Enermax, established in 1990, has been a stalwart in this sector, consistently delivering products that resonate well with both enthusiasts and professionals. The brand has a rich history of coupling robust engineering with aesthetic finesse, which has, over the decades, carved out a significant market share in the fiercely competitive PSU arena.

Venturing into the high-capacity spectrum, Enermax has thrown its hat into the ring with the Revolution D.F. X 1050 PSU, a unit that boasts a plethora of features. The PSU market at this wattage level is a battlefield where the stakes are high, and the margin for error is minuscule. Products contending in this segment are expected to meet the stringent demands of high-performance computing environments, including multiple high-power PCIe card setups and extensive overclocking scenarios. The Revolution D.F. X 1050 is Enermax's statement of intent, showcasing its technical prowess and its ability to meet the needs of power users alongside a unique aesthetic design.

The Revolution D.F. X 1050 comes with a promise of delivering not just ample power, but also operational efficiency, durability, and a host of smart features to ensure optimum performance. The patented DFR (Dust Free Rotation) technology, for instance, is a notable inclusion aimed at reducing dust accumulation, supposedly prolonging the unit’s lifespan and ensuring consistent performance. As we delve deeper into the analysis of the Enermax Revolution D.F. X 1050 PSU, we shall scrutinize every facet of this unit to ascertain whether it lives up to the lofty standards set by its predecessors and the expectations synonymous with the Enermax brand name.

Intel Abandons Development of Sub-Ambient Cryo Cooling Tech

In an update posted to its support pages, Intel has disclosed that it had stopped development of its thermoelectric Cryo Cooling Technology that was aimed to provide sub-ambient cooling for its top-of-the-range processors. As a result, the company will not provide Cryo Cooling software support for its latest 14th Generation Core 'Raptor Lake Refresh' processors, essentially making units made by EKWB and Cooler Master obsolete for the newest CPUs.

"As of July 1, 2023, development on the Intel Cryo Cooling Technology solution was discontinued," a statement by Intel reads. "All versions of the software are provided as-is. Functional, Note security, or other updates will not be provided after December 31, 2023. No support for Intel Core processors 14th Gen will be provided. Please check with your auxiliary cooling provider for alternative solutions."

Intel introduced its Cryo Cooling Technology in 2020 along the 10th Generation Core 'Comet Lake-S' processors as it struggled to deliver competitive performance with CPUs made on its dated 14nm-class fabrication technology.

Thermoelectric cooling uses the Peltier effect to transfer heat from one side of a device to the other, creating a cooling effect on one surface. This method is compact, offers relatively precise temperature control of the cooling surface, and the cold side of the cooler itself to reach sub-ambient temperatures, allowing for cooler-running processors overall. The drawback to these benefits is that thermoelectric coolers are generally not energy-efficient, as they use power to transfer heat from one side to another and the more heat it has to transfer, the more power it consumes. Furthermore, the sub-ambient temperatures can result in condensation on the cold-side surface, which is always concerning when involving expensive electronics.

Intel's Cryo Cooling Technology used a combination of hardware, software, and firmware technology to precisely control cooling performance and therefore boost performance of the CPU. Without any doubts, Intel's Peltier effect-based cooling did a fine job in reducing temperature and enabling higher performance at all costs. But at $350 per unit, these cooling systems were very expensive for the vast majority of users. Furthermore, they were also power hungry and not exactly quiet.

And though Intel backing out of officially supporting thermoelectric cooling is a blow to adoption of the tech, Intel's support is not strictly required to begin with – so we don't expect the tech to disappear entirely.

Source: Intel (via @momomo_us)

The Thermaltake Toughpower GF A3 750W PSU Review: Mid-Range 750W PSU With 12VHPWR

Thermaltake is a company based in Taiwan that specializes in designing and manufacturing computer hardware components and accessories. Established in 1999, the company's product range includes thermal solutions such as CPU coolers and cases and power supply units, keyboards, and mice. Thermaltake operates globally and has a presence in multiple markets, serving a customer base that ranges from casual computer users to hardware enthusiasts. The company's products are subject to various industry certifications and standards.

Known for its diverse portfolio, ranging from cases and coolers to power supply units (PSUs), the company has a reputation for merging aesthetics with functionality. Among the lineup of their power supplies, the Toughpower GF A3 750W PSU stands as a prominent offering aimed at enthusiasts who demand a balanced mix of reliability, performance, and energy efficiency.

As PSUs are the backbone of any computing system, providing stable and efficient power is paramount. Thermaltake's Toughpower GF A3 750W PSU aims to do just that while adding modularity and aesthetic appeal into the mix. It is designed to target the bulk of advanced PC builders, which means it will also have to compete against myriads of similar products for a piece of that saturated market pie. In this review, we will dissect this power supply's features, performance, and overall value proposition to determine whether it meets modern PC builds' demands.

Netgear Unveils Orbi 970 Wi-Fi 7 Quad-Band Mesh System

Wi-Fi has seen rapid advancements over the last decade, starting with the introduction of 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5). 802.11ax (Wi-Fi 6) came with significant improvements in total throughput. The Wi-Fi 6E standard brought 6 GHz operation (where allowed) to consumers. A few years back, Wi-Fi 7 silicon was announced with multi-gigabit throughput and significant latency improvements. On the device side, consumers grappling with range issues typically used to augment their networks with extenders, while prosumers opted for multiple access points backed by a single router. In recent years, we have seen the rise of a new category of products - Wi-Fi systems / mesh networking kits. These bundles consisting of a router with one or more satellites attempted to make the setting up of a network extender-based configuration more user friendly and provide them with a seamless and unified product experience.

The category has seen significant investment from traditional vendors like Netgear, TP-Link, etc., big vendors like Google (Google Wi-Fi and Nest Wi-Fi), as well as startups like eero (now, part of Amazon) and Plume. Netgear had jumped on the mesh-networking bandwagon quite early, and has enjoyed significant market success with their Orbi series of products. Unlike some of the other mesh networking vendors, Netgear uses a dedicated backhaul and also provides optional support for wired backhauls. While this provided tangible benefits over shared wireless backhauls, the costs associated with the additional radio has usually put the Orbi kits in the premium category.

The company last updated its Orbi lineup in October 2021 with the launch of the RBKE960 Wi-Fi 6E mesh system based on Qualcomm's Networking Pro Series 1610 (integrating the IPQ8074 WiSoC and QCN9074 radios).Today, the company is introducing the Orbi 970 series with Wi-Fi 7 support. Building upon their experience with the RBKE960, Netgear has further optimized the antenna design and placement, and also enhanced the backhaul connection in a newly designed slim chassis with a smaller footprint.

The quad-band design involves two 4x4 5 GHz, one 4x4 6 GHz, and one 4x4 2.4 GHz channels. The enhanced backhaul scheme in the Orbi 970 involves use of multi-link operation (MLO). The router and the satellite communicate using the dedicated 5 GHz backhaul channel along with the 6 GHz band. Multi-link operation is a new Wi-Fi 7 feature, and Netgear is taking advantage of that by using it in conjunction with their traditional dedicated backhaul channel. It must be noted that the 6 GHz channel is used for both fronthaul and backhaul.

Netgear also demonstrated practical backhaul bandwidth of around 10 Gbps with this enhanced backhaul scheme. MLO is also available for fronthaul communication, assuming the client device supports it.

The company has been making incremental improvements to the antenna placement for optimizing coverage, and the trend continues with the new industrial design. Each router / satellite includes 12 high-performance internal antennas complemented by high-power amplifiers.

The availability of 320 MHz channels and the 16-stream support enable Netgear to advertise the Orbi 970 series as a BE27000 system, with theoretical total bandwidth of 27 Gbps.

The router comes with 4x 2.5G + 1x 10G LAN ports and a 10G WAN port, while the satellite is equipped with 2x 2.5G + 1x 10G LAN ports. The 10G LAN ports on the router and satellite can be used to create a wired backhaul.

As is usual for Orbi kits, the setup is done via a smartphone app. Netgear also provides a couple of value additions - 1 year of Netgear ARMOR powered by Bitdefender - a security / VPN solution, and a free month of a subscription-based Smart Parental Controls application.


Netgear claims that a router and two satellites are enough to cover 10000 sq. ft., with each additional satellite providing an extra 3300 sq. ft. Pricing ranges from $2300 for the 3-piece kit to $900 for each satellite.

Similar to previous Orbi kits, the Orbi 970 also utilizes a Qualcomm platform. The Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro series was launched in May 2022, and our coverage detailed some of the key features such as MLO, AFC for optimized 6 GHz performance, and adaptive interference puncturing to allow channels to operate in a disjointed state in order to maximize bandwidth in the presence of interference. All of these features are present in the Orbi 970 routers and satellites, which utilize the Networking Pro 1620 platform.

The kits are available for purchase today. Netgear has taken its time to perfect the firmware and app prior to release, as Wi-Fi 7 mesh kits from TP-Link (Deco) and Linksys (Velop) are already in the market. Interestingly, TP-Link also has a BE33000 Deco BE95 quad-band kit priced at $1200 for a 2-pack (compared to the $1700 for a similar Orbi 970 configuration). The key difference is that the Deco BE95 uses two 6 GHz channels instead of the two 5 GHz channels in the Orbi 970. So, while the availability of higher channel width in 6 GHz enables the Deco BE95 to advertise more available bandwidth (33 Gbps vs. 27 Gbps), range in the 6 GHz band might not be enough for optimal coverage. Of course, usage of a wired backhaul might result in the Deco BE95 providing overall better performance. The other mesh kits (from both TP-Link and Linksys) are BE11000 / BE22000 tri-band kits and don't compete against the Orbi 970 series.

The pricing of the flagship mesh kits has slowly been creeping upwards every generation, but the increasing number of radios and antennas that need to be accommodated in the design leave vendors without much choice. With pricing between $1700 and $2300, the Orbi 970 series might not be for everyone. But, it is bound to be cheaper (and possibly more performant) than creating a wired backbone, installing a router, and complementing it with multiple low-cost access points.

Intel Broadens FPGA Range with New Products Across All Six FPGA Platforms

Intel's Programmable Solutions Group (PSG) is broadening its FPGA product range with the introduction of six new programmable platforms aimed at different types of customers and workloads. In addition to a new sub-family of Agilex 5-series offerings, Intel is launching its all-new Agilex 3 series offerings along with new Agilex.

The highlight of today's announcement is the Intel Agilex 3 FPGA series of power and cost-optimized FPGAs in compact form factors. The family includes the Agilex 3 B-series FPGAs that boast a higher I/O density in compact form factors (compared to Intel Max 10 FPGAs) and are optimized for board and system management, including server platform management applications. 

On the other side of the Agilex 3 spectrum is the C-series FPGAs that are engineered to provide supplementary capabilities, making them apt for a broad spectrum of complex programmable logic devices (CPLD) and FPGA applications across various industries. Intel says that its Agilex 3-series FPGAs will be available soon without disclosing when exactly.

Another noteworthy introduction is the Intel Agilex 5 FPGA E-series based on the 2nd Generation Hyperflex FPGA architecture and tailored for embedded edge applications and therefore featuring high performance efficiency. Intel produces these FPGAs in house using its Intel 7 manufacturing technology (formerly known as 10 nm Enhanced SuperFin), which is why it says that these parts deliver 1.6 times higher performance per watt compared to competing FPGAs made on a 16 nm-class process technology (possibly referring to Xilinx's FPGAs built in this process node). Additionally, this FPGA series integrates an AI tensor block, a feature previously exclusive to Intel's premium programmable parts, positioning it as a solution for edge AI tasks. Intel will start sampling Agilex 5 E-series parts with design software in Q1 2024. A system simulator for these FPGAs will be available in the cloud in late 2024.

Intel also said that it had begun shipments of its Intel Agilex 7 FPGAs with the R-Tile chiplet. These FPGAs offer a PCIe 5.0 interface with the CXL protocol on top that allow to quickly deploy programmable accelerators for specific tasks that can benefit from higher bandwidth and lower latencies.

In addition to revealing new FPGAs, Intel also said that the first commercial product based on its F2000X infrastructure processing unit platform is now shipping. The part is the Napatech F2070X IPU that has two 100 GbE ports and is powered by the Agilex AGFC023 FPGA and an Intel Xeon D SoC.

Rounding off the new introductions is the Nios V/c compact microcontroller, which is a soft-core IP, based on the RISC-V architecture, which can be programmed using the company's Quartus Prime Pro software.

Intel Unveils Barlow Ridge Thunderbolt 5 Controllers - TB5 Launching In 2024

The USB-IF and VESA released the specifications of USB4 v2 and DisplayPort 2.1 in Q4 2022. At that time, Intel also announced that their next-gen Thunderbolt specifications would build upon these standards. However, concrete details were not divulged. Today, the company is unveiling Thunderbolt 5 officially with discrete controllers in tow for both hosts and peripherals.

Thunderbolt 5: Technical Details

The USB4 v2 specifications have been public for almost a year now. As a result, the capabilities of Thunderbolt 5 on the technical front are not much of a secret. In fact, Intel had detailed most of them last year.

The technical aspects described above include:

  • PCIe Gen4 x4 support (64 Gbps full duplex)
  • DisplayPort 2.1 support (up to 80 Gbps)
  • Asymmetric operation (120 Gbps transmit / 40 Gbps receive), in addition to the regular 80 Gbps transmit / 80 Gbps receive
  • Usage of PAM3 (Pulse Amplitude Modulation with three levels) enabling more data transfer in each clock cycle

A few additional details were provided as part of today's announcement. These are in addition to Thunderbolt 4 features.

  • Compulsory requirement to support dual 6K monitors
  • Compulsory 140W PD support for charging, up to 240W optional
  • Doubled Thunderbolt networking bandwidth (from 10 Gbps full duplex to 20 Gbps full duplex)
  • Existing Thunderbolt 3 cables up to 1m can also support the new speeds

Thunderbolt 5 also supports up to 240W power delivery (USB-PD EPR specifications). This is useful for gaming notebooks and other power-hungry systems connecting to a Thunderbolt 5 dock (and relying on it as a power source). However, this is an optional feature and is likely to be relegated to premium Thunderbolt 5 peripherals. The compulsory features related to the increase in available bandwidth translate to support for high-refresh rate high-resolution monitors, and support for external SSDs and eGFX with PCIe Gen4 x4 links.

The Barlow Ridge Thunderbolt 5 Controller Family

Intel is bringing Thunderbolt 5 to the market with discrete silicon first. The Barlow Ridge family includes controllers for both hosts and accessories. Silicon meant for accessories are equipped with one upstream and three downstream Thunderbolt 5 ports. For computers, the controller takes in a DisplayPort 2.1 input along with a PCIe Gen4 x4 link to interface with the host.

The technical aspects of Barlow Ridge such as package size and TDP will be made public in the coming months. Intel expects Thunderbolt 5-equipped computers and accessories to launch in 2024. Technical collateral and other developer resources will become available in Q4 2023.

Based on the Thunderbolt 5 details presented today, it is clear that Thunderbolt ports will continue to remain the Type-C port that does it all. We would have liked some of the optional features (such as USB3 20G support) to become compulsory, but the other exciting updates in Thunderbolt 5 may make it easy for consumers to look past that. In any case, we have seen recent USB4 / Thunderbolt 4 implementations supporting that standard, so it is likely that at least some Thunderbolt 5 host ports will also support that standard.

The Be Quiet! Silent Loop 2 AIO Cooler Review: Quiet and Unassuming

A familiar presence here at AnandTech, Be Quiet! has settled in to distinct niche for itself in the PC peripherals market over the years by simply living up to the company's name. Tuning their device designs for minimal acoustics, the company successfully expanded into all-in-one (AIO) liquid coolers back in 2016. It's a product segment where, even though the design of closed-loop systems is quite restrictive, the company’s engineers have always been trying to innovate and differ from the competition. A prime example of this approach could be the Pure Loop series that hit the market back in 2020, which had a decoupled liquid pump.

Jumping forward to the present, today we are taking a look at the latest AIO cooler series from Be Quiet!, the Silent Loop 2. This is an advanced cooler series that is designed to fully maximize the performance-to-noise ratio for demanding users. The Silent Loop 2 series consists of four coolers that are, as is usually the case, practically identical with the exception of the radiator size, which ranges from 120 mm to 360 mm. For our review we received the most popular version of the series, the 280 mm Silent Loop 2 cooler.

The ASUS TUF Gaming 850W Gold PSU Review: Tough But Fair

Though ASUS as a company needs no introduction to regular AnandTech readers, even for us it's easy to overlook just how vast their range of product lines is these days. As the company has moved beyond PC motherboards and core components to kept diversifying over the years, they've established whole subsidiary brand names in the process, such as the “Republic of Gamers” or “ROG”. Nowadays, the ASUS logo can be found on almost every PC component and peripheral there is, from mouse pads to gaming laptops.

One of the many series of products ASUS is supplying under its brand name – and that, somehow, we've never reviewed up until now – is a rather extensive array of power supply units. The company splits its units into three main series, the ROG, the TUF Gaming, and the Prime, all of which are targeting higher segments of the market. In fact, ASUS is fairly rare in this respect; unlike most other manufacturers, ASUS largely stays out of the low-to-middle range of the market altogether, instead focusing on the more lucrative premium and gaming segments.

Today's review directs its focus towards ASUS's TUF Gaming series, which is – in our opinion – the most versatile series that the company currently markets. The TUF Gaming units are designed with long-term reliability and high performance in focus and are being marketed accordingly. The new 850W Gold variant of this series aligns with Intel's ATX 3.0 design guidelines, with the 80Plus Gold certification and 10-year manufacturer’s warranty as the major highlights, and retails for a reasonable price tag.

NVIDIA Reports Q2 FY2024 Earnings: $13B Revenue Blows Past Records On Absurd Data Center Demand

NVIDIA this afternoon has announced their results for the second quarter of their 2024 fiscal year, delivering what’s arguably the most anticipated earnings report of the season. Riding high on unprecedented demand for their data center-class GPUs for use in AI systems, NVIDIA’s revenues have been on a rapid rise – as well as their standing on Wall Street.

For the second quarter of their 2024 fiscal year, NVIDIA booked $13.5 billion in revenue, which is a 101% increase over the year-ago quarter. The company has, at this point, shaken off the broader slump in technology spending on the back of an explosion in demand for their data center products, and to a lesser extent the latest generation of their consumer GeForce graphics products. As a result, this is a quarter for the record books, as NVIDIA has set new records for everything from revenue to net income.

NVIDIA Q2 FY2024 Financial Results (GAAP)
  Q2 FY2024 Q1 FY2024 Q2 FY2023 Q/Q Y/Y
Revenue $13.5B $7.2B $6.7B +88% +101%
Gross Margin 70.1% 64.6% 43.5% +5.5ppt +26.6ppt
Operating Income $6.8B $2.1B $499M +218% +1263%
Net Income $6.1B $2.0B $656M +203% +843%
EPS $2.48 $0.82 $0.26 +202% +854%

Driven by their highly profitable, high-margin data center products, NVIDIA achieved a GAAP gross margin of 70.1% for the quarter. Coupled with their record revenue, this has resulted in NVIDIA booking a blistering $6.1B in net income, an 843% improvement over Q2’22, and even more than trebling their net income versus just the previous quarter.

And while high margins are not unheard of for fabless semiconductor companies like NVIDIA, it’s all but unheard of for a company of this scale to hit those kinds of margins. In the span of just a year, NVIDIA has gone from earning $6 billion a quarter in revenue to keeping $6 billion in revenue as profits. Suffice it to say, it’s very good to be NVIDIA right now – or at least, it’s good to be working in NVIDIA’s data center product teams right now.

Things seem set to continue going NVIDIA’s way, as well. The company, handily beating their already very bullish $11B revenue projection for Q2, is projecting a further 18%+ jump in revenue for Q3, to $16B in revenue. Which, if NVIDIA’s projections pan out, would afford a 71.5% GAAP gross margin. This would set a new round of records for NVIDIA, who in just the last quarter became a trillion-dollar market capitalization company, and as of this moment is already knocking on $1.3 trillion in after-hours trading. But with lofty projections will also come lofty expectations to perform, and to maintain that kind of performance for more than a handful of quarters.

NVIDIA Market Segment Results

NVIDIA Market Platform Revenue, Q2 FY2024
  Q2 FY2024 Q1 FY2024 Q2 FY2023 Q/Q Y/Y
Data Center $10,323M $4,284M $3,806M +141% +171%
Gaming $2,486M $2,240M $2,042M +11% +21%
Professional Visualization $379M $295M $496M +28% -24%
Automotive $253M $296M $220M -15% +15%
OEM & IP $66M $77M $140M -14% -53%

Diving into the performance of NVIDIA’s individual market segments, the bellwether of NVIDIA’s product portfolio remains their data center segment. That segment posted $10.3B in revenue for Q2, not just setting a new segment record, but smashing the old record in the process.

NVIDIA’s data center segment has grown by leaps and bounds over the past year in particular, on the back of developments with large language models (LLMs) in the AI space, and the subsequent spike in demand for high-performance processors that can train and run those models. According to the company, the bulk of this additional demand has come from a mix of cloud service providers and consumer internet companies, with data center compute product revenue growing by 195% year-over-year. At this point NVIDIA is full speed ahead with the production of Hopper architecture (GH100) based products, and if a report from the Financial Times is correct, the company is now looking to triple its GH100 production, in anticipation of shipping over 1.5M units in 2024.

The jump in sales in their data center processors has also spurred on similar growth in NVIDIA’s other data center product segments as well. Networking revenue for the company was up 94% year-over-year, as customers have been buying up increasing amounts of InfiniBand hardware to wire up their GPU installations. Unfortunately, NVIDIA doesn’t provide a further breakdown here of how much of this increase is in the form of bundled sales – customers buying DGX SuperPods and other NVIDIA products that come with InfiniBand hardware installed – and how much of that is ad-hoc networking equipment sales. But either way the success of NVIDIA’s data center GPUs is good news for their networking division.

But NVIDIA’s success in the data center compute market also means that the company’s overall revenues have become increasingly imbalanced. In the last couple of years NVIDIA has gone from being primarily a gaming company to primarily a compute company to almost entirely a compute company. NVIDIA’s compute and networking segment sales – one of NVIDIA’s two canonical reporting segments – now make up 77% of their overall revenue, and the disparity is increasing. So while NVIDIA is doing well on the whole, the lopsided success driven by the generative AI market means that they are, at least for the moment, not very well diversified with regards to revenue.

Speaking of things that aren’t data center GPUs, NVIDIA’s gaming market segment recorded $2.5B in revenue for Q2. This is up a “mere” 22% versus the year-ago quarter, coming on the back of the launch of NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 40 series products. Now that the company has finished releasing the full product stacks for both mobile and desktop, the company is enjoying a surge in sales as gamers are picking up the new hardware, and retailers have largely finished selling off old GeForce RTX 30 stock.

And while NVIDIA’s gaming revenue pales in comparison to the data center, this is otherwise a good quarter for that market segment. While it does not end up being anything near a record due to the most recent cryptocurrency rush blowing up NVIDIA’s gaming revenues a couple of years back, excluding those quarters, this would be one of NVIDIA’s best quarters for the gaming segment on a revenue basis. Diving a bit into NVIDIA’s historical data, gaming sales have grown by about $1.2B in the last 4 years, falling just short of doubling NVIDIA’s revenues there. Though it goes without saying that gamers are less enthused about the current state of video card prices that are allowing NVIDIA to afford such revenue growth.

Moving down the list, NVIDIA’s professional visualization segment finds itself in a weaker spot. The ramp of Ada Lovelace architecture workstation products has helped, especially in quarterly revenue, but at $379M in revenue, year-over-year revenue is down 24%. The professional visualization market has seemingly reached its saturation point, and while revenue ebbs and flows from one quarter to the next, NVIDIA has not been able to grow it significantly over the past several years.

The automotive segment, meanwhile, is NVIDIA’s final market segment to show growth for the quarter. That segment booked $253M in revenue for Q2, up 15% from the year-ago quarter. According to NVIDIA, the bump in revenue was primarily driven by sales of self-driving platforms, tapered by lower overall car sales (particularly in China).

Finally, NVIDIA’s OEM & Other segment was another that saw significant declines, dropping 53% to $66M. The company hasn’t offered any further details with this quarter’s financial results release, but in the previous quarter the drop was attributed to declines in GeForce MX GPU sales.

Looking Forward: To $16B Of Revenue In Q3

Given the rapid tear NVIDIA has been on in growing its revenues and profitability over the past year, half of the anticipation with recent NVIDIA earnings releases has not just been how well they’ve performed, but how well they expect to perform in the future. And at least for the next quarter, NVIDIA is projecting another set of record results.

For the third quarter of their 2024 fiscal year, NVIDIA is projecting $16 billion (plus or minus 2%) in revenue. That would be a 169% year-over-year jump in total revenue for the company, eclipsing the 101% growth of Q2. So long as NVIDIA’s data center sales remain high, the company seems set to remain on a growth spurt through the rest of the year, as Q2 is the first quarter where NVIDIA has been shipping Hopper architecture products in large volumes – meaning that Q2 is essentially the start of the Hopper architecture era from and NVIDIA sales perspective. And should NVIDIA beat their own projections by more than a fraction, then the company will book more revenue in Q3’24 than they did in all of FY2021.

The further expected growth in data center sales is also expected to push NVIDIA’s gross margins higher as well. The company is projecting a GAAP gross margin of 71.5% for the third quarter, beating Q2’s already impressive figures.

As for what NVIDIA is doing with their newfound riches, where they aren’t already investing more into data center GPU production to try to catch up with demand, NVIDIA is sinking their cash into stock buybacks. Already in the midst of a share repurchase program with $3.95 billion left, this week the company’s board of directors has authorized NVIDIA to buy back an additional $25 billion in shares.

Besides bringing NVIDIA slightly more private by removing outstanding shares, this is almost certain to further boost NVIDIA’s stock price, which like the company itself, has been on a tear this year. At the time of their Q1 earnings report, NVIDIA’s stock was hovering around $307 a share, for a market cap of around $755 billion. Now the price is at $471, and in after-hours trading it’s jumped a further 7% to $505 on the back of NVIDIA beating the street on their earnings report. As a result, NVIDIA is closing in on a market capitalization of $1.3 trillion, almost 4x the valuation of rivals AMD and Intel combined.

For the moment, at least, it would seem the sky’s the limit for data center GPU sales. NVIDIA is already unable to keep up with demand for Hopper products, and that won’t be changing in the near future. So, for as long as they can last for NVIDIA, let the good times roll.

The Be Quiet! Pure Rock 2 FX CPU Cooler Review: For Quiet Contemplation

Today we are taking a look at the Pure Rock 2 FX CPU cooler from the aptly-named and acoustics-focused Be Quiet! One of the company's latest CPU air coolers, the Pure Rock 2 FX is intended to compete in the packed mainstream cooler market as a competitively priced all-rounder. Always a careful balancing act for cooler vendors, the mainstream market lives up to its name by being where the bulk of sales are, but it's also the most competitive segment of the market, with numerous competing vendors all chasing the same market with their own idea of what a well-balanced cooler should be. So a successful cooler needs to stand out from the crowd in some fashion – something that's no easy task when all of them are beholden to the same laws of physics.

So does Be Quiet's latest cooler have that exceptional factor to make it memorable? We will see where the Pure Rock 2 FX stands in this review.

The Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 13 1300W ATX 3.0 PSU Review: Flagship Quality, Flagship Price

Having reviewed and dissected almost a dozen ATX 3.0 power supplies in the last year, thus far we've seen an interesting mix in design pedigrees for PSUs targeting the newest power standard. For some manufacturers this has meant bringing up entirely new PSU designs by OEMs new and old, developing fresh platforms to accommodate the new 12VHPWR connector and its up to 600 Watt power limits. Meanwhile for other manufacturers, especially at the high end of the market, their existing PSU designs are so bulletproof that they've been able to add everything needed for ATX 3.0 compliance with only very modest changes.

For Be Quiet's flagship power supply lineup, the Dark Power Pro series, the company falls distinctly in to the second group. The pride and joy of Be Quiet!'s lineup has always been the pinnacle of the company’s engineering abilities, with the best possible specifications their engineers could muster (and equally prodigious price tags for the consumer). Besides making for long-lived PSUs themselves, that kind of engineering rigor has also allowed for a long-lived platform – even with the more extreme power delivery requirements brought about by ATX 3.0, Be Quiet has only needed to make a handful of changes to meet the new standard.

The result of those updates is the latest generation of the Dark Power Pro series, the Dark Power Pro 13, which we're looking at today. The 13th iteration of Be Quiet's lead PSU series builds upon their already impressive design for the Dark Power Pro 12, adding compliance with Intel’s ATX 3.0 design guide while retaining the 80Plus Titanium certification and impressive features of the previous version.

Ultra Ethernet Consortium Formed, Plans to Adapt Ethernet for AI and HPC Needs

This week the Linux Foundation has announced that the group will be overseeing the formation of a new Ethernet consortium, with a focus on adapting and refining the technology for high performance computing workloads. Backed by founding members AMD, Arista, Broadcom, Cisco, Eviden, HPE, Intel, Meta and Microsoft, the new Ultra Ethernet Consortium will be working to improve Ethernet to meet the low latency and scalability requirements that HPC and AI systems need – and which the group says current Ethernet technology isn't quite up to the task for.

The top priority of the new group will be to define and develop what they are calling the Ultra Ethernet Transport (UET) protocol, a new transport-layer protocol for Ethernet that will better address needs of AI and then HPC workloads.

Ethernet is certainly one of the most ubiquitous technologies around, but demands of AI and HPC clusters are growing so fast that the technology will run out of steam in the future. The size of large AI models is increasing rapidly. GPT-3 was trained with 175 billion of parameters back in 2020. Today GPT-4 is said to be accommodating already a trillion of parameters. Models with the larger number of parameters require larger clusters and then these clusters send larger messages over the network. As a result, the higher bandwidth and the shorter latency these network feature, the more efficient the cluster can operate.

"Many HPC and AI users are finding it difficult to obtain the full performance from their systems due to weaknesses in the system interconnect capabilities," said Dr. Earl Joseph, CEO of Hyperion Research.

At a high level, the new Ultra Ethernet Consortium is looking to refine Ethernet in a surgical manner, improving and altering only those bits and pieces necessary to achieve their goals. At its onset, the consortium is looking at improving both the software and physical layers of Ethernet technology — but without altering its basic structure to ensure cost efficiency and interoperability.

Technical goals of the consortium include developing specifications, APIs, and source code to define protocols, interfaces, and data structures for Ultra Ethernet communications. In addition, the consortium aims to update existing link and transport protocols and create new telemetry, signaling, security, and congestion mechanisms to better address needs of large AI and HPC clusters. Meanwhile, since AI and HPC workloads have a number of differences, UET will have separate profiles for appropriate deployments.

"Generative AI workloads will require us to architect our networks for supercomputing scale and performance," said Justin Hotard, executive vice president and general manager, HPC & AI, at Hewlett Packard Enterprise. "The importance of the Ultra Ethernet Consortium is to develop an open, scalable, and cost-effective ethernet-based communication stack that can support these high-performance workloads to run efficiently. The ubiquity and interoperability of ethernet will provide customers with choice, and the performance to handle a variety of data intensive workloads, including simulations, and the training and tuning of AI models." 

The Ultra Ethernet Consortium is hosted by the Linux Foundation, though the real work will be undertaken by its members. Between AMD, Cisco, Intel, and other founders, these companies all either design high-performance CPUs, compute GPUs, and network infrastructure for AI and HPC workloads or build supercomputers or clusters for AI and HPC applications, thus have plenty of experience with appropriate technologies. The work of UEC is set to be conducted by four working groups that will work on Physical Layer, Link Layer, Transport Layer, and Software Layer.

And while the group is not explicitly talking about Ultra Ethernet in relation to any competing technologies, the members of the founding board – or rather, who's not a founding member – is telling. The performance goals and HPC focus of Ultra Ethernet would have it coming into direct competition with InfiniBand, which has for over a decade been the networking technology of choice for low-latency, HPC-style networks. While developed by its own trade association, NVIDIA is said to have an outsized influence on the group vis-a-vie their Mellanox acquisition a few years ago, and they are noticeably the odd man out of the new group. The company makes significant use of both Ethernet and InfiniBand internally, using both for their scalable DGX SuperPod systems.

As for the proposed Ultra Ethernet standards, UEC members are already plotting plans how to integrate the upcoming UET technology into their products.

"We are particularly encouraged by the improved transport layer of UEC and believe our portfolio is primed to take advantage of it," said Mark Papermaster, CTO of AMD in a blog post. "UEC allows for packet-spraying delivery across multiple paths without causing congestion or head-of-line blocking, which will enable our processors to successfully share data across clusters with minimal incast issues or the need for centralized load-balancing. Lastly, UEC accommodates built-in security for AI and HPC workloads that in turn help AMD capitalize on our robust security and encryption capabilities."

Meanwhile, for now UEC does not say when it expects to finalize the UET specification. It's expected that the group will seek certification from the IEEE, who maintains the various Ethernet standards, so there is an additional set of hoops to jump through there.

Finally, the UEC has noted that it is looking for additional members to round out the group, and will begin accepting new member applications from Q4 2023. Along with NVIDIA, there are several other tech giants involved in AI or HPC work that are not part of the group, so that would be their next best chance to join the consortium.

Source: The Linux Foundation, The Register

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The XPG Cybercore II 1300W ATX 3.0 PSU Review: A Slightly More Modest High-End PSU

Continuing our look at the first generation of ATX 3.0 power supplies, today we're looking a slightly more modest high-end design from XPG, the CYBERCORE II 1300W. An upgrade of the previous CYBERCORE series, the CYBERCORE II series currently consists of just two 80Plus Platinum units, rated at 1.0 kW and 1.3 kW respectively.

Within XPG's power supply lineup, the CYBERCORE II is their sub-flagship family; but you would be hard-pressed to tell just looking at the specifications. On paper there are very few differences between the CYBERCORE II and XPG's flagship Fusion series – the most prominent difference is the lower 80Plus certification (Platinum vs Titanium), as well as the lack of a digital interface, and a reduced number of 12VHPWR connectors (one vs two). The net result being that, even with some scaling back, the CYBERCORE II is still intended to be highly competitive within the broader high-end PSU market.

But, perhaps most importantly, the price tag of the CYBERCORE II units is less than half that of the respective Fusion units. This makes the series a very viable option for enthusiasts who are in the market for a very powerful PSU, but are not on a limitless budget.

Noctua Releases Direct Die Kit for Delidded Ryzen 7000 CPUs

Noctua has announced a unique kit designed to enable the company's coolers to be installed on delidded AMD Ryzen 7000-series processors. The NM-DD1 kit, which can be either ordered from the company or 3D printed at home, was designed in collaboration with Roman 'der8auer' Hartung, a prominent overclocker and cooling specialist.

An effective method to enhance cooling of overclocked AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors involves removing their built-in heat spreaders (a process known as delidding) and attaching cooling systems directly to their CCD dies. This typically reduces CPU temperatures by 10°C – 15°C, but in some cases it can get 20°C lower, according to Noctua. Lowering CPU temperatures by such a large margin can help owners tap into greater overclocking potential and higher boost clocks, or just cut down on the total amount of active cooling needed.

The problem is that that standard coolers are not built for use with delidded CPUs, and this is why Noctua is releasing its kit. The NM-DD1 kit includes spacers placed under the heatsink's securing brackets to compensate for the height of the removed IHS, and extended custom screws for reattaching the brackets with the spacers in place.

While the kit greatly simplifies cooling down of a delidded AM5 CPU, there are still concerns about the process as delidding is a risky process and it voids warranty. Furthermore, all the additional hardware needed for the delidding process must be acquired separately. 

To further improve cooling of AMD's AM5 processors, Noctua says that its NM-DD1 can be paired with Noctua's recently introduced offset AM5 mounting bars, potentially leading to a further 2°C temperature reduction.

The NM-DD1 kit can be purchased from Noctua's website for a price of €4.90. Alternatively, customers can create the kit's spacers at home using 3D printing, with STL files available from Printables.com. The assembly process will require either four M3x12 screws (for NM-DDS1) or a single M4x10 screw (for NM-DDS2).

"Delidding and direct die cooling will void your CPU's warranty and bear a certain risk of damaging it, so this certainly isn't for everyone," said Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). "However, the performance gains to be had are simply spectacular, typically ranging from 10 to 15°C but in some cases, we have even seen improvements of almost 20°C in combination with our offset mounting bars, so we are confident that this is an attractive option for enthusiast users. Thanks to Roman for teaming up with us in order to enable customers to implement this exciting tuning measure with our CPU coolers!"

Noctua's New Cooler Mounting to Lower Temps of AMD's AM5 CPUs

AMD's latest Ryzen 7000-series CPUs in AM5 packaging are well known for their high operating temperatures. Higher-performance coolers like all-in-one liquid cooling systems have typically solved the problem. Noctua seems to have a different method of improving cooling performance without spending much on a cooler. Apparently, offsetting the CPU cooler mount by 7 mm can reduce the processor's temperature by up to 3°C.

There are several reasons why AMD's Ryzen 7000-series processors based on the Zen 4 microarchitecture require better cooling than their predecessors. First, they have a thicker integrated heat spreader (IHS) than their ancestors, perhaps to maintain compatibility with AM4 coolers. Secondly, the position of Ryzen 7000's core complex dies (CCDs) closer to the southern edge of the socket further complicates cooling. Noctua has discovered that optimizing the position of the heatsink over these CCDs and enhancing the contact pressure dramatically improves the cooler's performance and reduces CPU temperatures.

Variables like heat flux densities, CPU and radiator tolerances, and thermal paste application can cause results to vary. Still, according to Noctua, the new mounting offset can often decrease core temperatures by 1–3°C for top-tier AM5 CPUs. These reductions can lead to a more efficiently cooled CPU, higher boost clocks, or reduced fan speeds and noise levels. These benefits are especially important for gaming systems that use the latest and greatest processors and graphics cards. Meanwhile, the new bars can also improve the cooling of AM4 CPUs.

"We have experimented with offset mountings ever since AMD introduced its first chiplet processors that had the hotspot shifted towards the south side of the socket, but on AM4, we only saw relatively small improvements in the range of 0.5-1°C", said Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "With the new AM5 platform and its different heat-spreader design, we achieved typical improvements in the range of 1-3°C, so we think this will be a very interesting performance upgrade for Ryzen 7000 users!"

Noctua plans to update bundles of its coolers to include the offset bars, but this will not happen until Q4 2023. To that end, Noctua will offer its customers to obtain one of the four mounting kits — the NM-AMB12, NM-AMB13, NM-AMB14, and NM-AMB15 — for their existing AM4 and AM5 coolers either directly or from Amazon for a symbolic price.

Source: Noctua

Broadcom Updates Wi-Fi 7 Portfolio with Lower Cost Second Generation Silicon

Wi-Fi 7 has been gaining slow traction in the market over the last few quarters. Despite a large number of product announcements towards the end of last year (including the usual suspects - ASUS, Netgear, and TP-LINK), only TP-LINK seems to have started actual shipment to end users. On the silicon side, Mediatek was the first to announce both access point and client platforms under the Filogic 880 / Filogic 380 solutions in early 2022. Broadcom followed suit with the BCM67263 / BCM6726 for residential APs, BCM43740 / BCM43720 for enterprise APs, and the BCM4398 for client devices. Qualcomm was not to be left behind, and launched their Wi-Fi 7 Networking Pro series in May 2022 (after introducing the client-focused FastConnect 7800 in February 2022). Over the last year, Qualcomm has been marketing their FastConnect 7800 and Networking Pro Series Wi-Fi 7 platform as the only solution in the market to support the high-band simultaneous multi-link operation mode.

Today, Broadcom is announcing their second-generation Wi-Fi 7 platform, with the aim of addressing cost-effectiveness and achieving competitive parity.

The first-generation products in the AP category in the above comparison were both quad-stream. In order to optimize cost and get deployed in a wider range of products, the two new AP platforms have a dual 2x2 configuration and can operate in all three bands simultaneously. PHY rate drops from 11.5 Gbps to 8.64 Gbps because of the reduction in stream count.

Broadcom 2nd Gen. 802.11be (Wi-Fi 7) Access Point Radios Specifications
  BCM6765 BCM47722
Target Market Residential Wi-Fi APs Enterprise Wi-Fi APs
Operational Bands 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz
Stream Count Dual 2x2
Max. Channel Width 320 MHz
PHY Rate 8.64 Gbps
Additional Radios / Protocol Support   BLE, Zigbee, and Thread

The enterprise Wi-Fi AP platform (BCM47722) now integrates Bluetooth and Zigbee / 802.15.4 support in order to cater to IoT requirements. Both AP platforms come with an integrated quad-core ARMv8 CPU and 10G PHY, which pulls in some of the features from the BCM4916 network processor used in the first-generation platforms. Some of the other key features include the ability of the platforms to support simultaneous operation in any of the three bands, integrated 2.4 GHz power amplifiers and miscellaneous updates to reduce power consumption. The new platforms enable tri-band MLO, which provides significant latency benefits, particularly in highly congested networks.

On the client side, the BCM4390 is being offered as a cost-effective Wi-Fi 7 / Bluetooth combo chip alternative to the BCM4398 introduced last year. While it continues to be a dual-stream 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz or 6 GHz radio configuration, channel width support is cut down to 160 MHz from 320 MHz. PHY rate is 3.2 Gbps (compared to 6.05 Gbps for the BCM4398). However, the key benefits over the BCM4398 include the integration of Bluetooth Denver, Thread, and Zigbee support. In addition to the client multi-link operation supported in BCM4398, the new BCM4390 also supports Broadcom's proprietary SpeedBooster technology to allow for better utilization of available bandwidth when multiple 160 MHz BCM4390-based client devices talk to a Broadcom-based Wi-Fi 7 AP with 320 MHz channel support.

Almost all of the currently shipping Wi-Fi 7 residential routers are based on Broadcom's first-generation AP platforms. One of the downsides from a market adoption perspective has been the pricing, with most models being sold for upwards of $600. The new platform from Broadcom should help a bit in that aspect with the reduced stream counts and other cost optimizations. Broadcom's press release has quotes from the usual OEMs (Arcadyan and Sercomm) as well as vendors like ASUS. As sampling for the new silicon is already under way, we should be seeing more attractively-priced Wi-Fi 7 products in a couple of quarters.

Microsoft to Bring Game Pass Games to NVIDIA's GeForce Now

Microsoft on Sunday announced plans to bring select PC Game Pass games to NVIDIA's GeForce Now cloud streaming service later in 2023. The move will allow gamers to enjoy Microsoft's curated collection of PC games on high-end hardware in the cloud without purchasing either the games or a high-end gaming device (PC, Xbox), all for a monthly fee. 

"Game Pass members will soon be able to stream select PC games from the library through NVIDIA GeForce Now," wrote Joe Skrebels, Xbox Wire Editor-in-Chief, in a blog post. "This will enable the PC Game Pass catalog to be played on any device that GeForce Now streams to, like low-spec PCs, Macs, Chromebooks, mobile devices, TVs, and more, and we will be rolling this out in the months ahead."

NVIDIA's GeForce Now is a cloud gaming service known for offering cutting-edge gaming hardware, including the highly acclaimed GeForce RTX 4080 graphics card that is offered in the top tier subscription ($19.99 per month) aimed at demanding gamers. Meanwhile, Microsoft's PC Game Pass subscription ($9.99 per month) gives access to over 100 titles of different genres and a library of Electronic Arts games. The value proposition of Game Pass on GeForce Now is evident as it allows to play high-quality PC games on an advanced rig for $30 a month, or $360 a year, which is considerably cheaper than buying a gaming PC.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind though. Microsoft has only confirmed that a "selected range" of Game Pass PC games will be compatible with GeForce Now. Also, the question of whether EA Play games will be supported is yet to be clarified. Thus, it remains uncertain how many games from Microsoft's subscription will eventually be compatible with the GeForce Now platform.

Furthermore, cloud game streaming comes with its own quirks, such as longer loading times and increased latencies, so its overall experience is not exactly the same as that provided by a local gaming PC with a high-end CPU and a GeForce RTX 4080 graphics board. Still, NVIDIA's GeForce Now with the GeForce RTX 4080 tier provided better experience than Microsoft's Xbox Cloud Gaming service, offering higher performance and lower latency, according to a comparison by The Verge.

Bringing PC Game Pass games to NVIDIA's GeForce Now platform — which currently supports Epic's Game Store and Valve's Steam — could potentially enhance the appeal of both services for gamers. Meanwhile, some might perceive this move as a strategic effort to pacify regulators in light of Microsoft's ongoing acquisition of Activision Blizzard. In general, the move shows that the software giant is willing to distribute its services and games on platforms beyond Windows and Xbox.

In separate news, Microsoft introduced a new, larger capacity version of its Xbox Series S console. The all-black Xbox comes with a 1 TB SSD - up from 512GB on the base model - and carries a $50 price premium, putting the final price tag at $349. The new system will be available starting September 1, 2023.

The AlphaCool Core Storm XT45 & Core Hurrican XT45 Liquid Cooling Kits Review

As summer kicks off in the Northern Hemisphere, today we're bringing the water to our PC cooling testbed with a look at a pair of kits from AlphaCool’s range of ready-to-install liquid cooling sets. Specializing in liquid cooling, the German firm offers a complete range of liquid cooling parts – from radiators and reservoirs to tubes and connectors – both on an individual basis and as part of complete cooling kits. These kits essentially are collections of individual parts that are conveniently packed together, saving the trouble of picking items one by one and getting everything needed for a CPU liquid cooler at a small discount.

For today's review, we're looking at two of the three series of kits that AlphaCool currently offers, the Core Storm XT45 240 mm and the Core Hurrican XT45 360 mm. Paired with 240 mm and 360 mm radiators respectively, the two kits are largely similar in scope as high-end open loop water cooling sets. However the Hurrican kit, besides offering more cooling headroom overall via its larger radiator, diverges from its Storm counterpart by using hard, molded tubing. The end result is a very different building experience, even if the underlying physics at play are much the same.

Streacom's SG10 Passive Cooling Case Can Handle Even a GeForce RTX 4080 without Fans

For Computex 2023, Streacom is demonstrating its SG10 passively-cooled PC chassis that can accommodate high-end PCs without requiring active cooling fans. The SG10 case is designed for fully-fledged gaming PCs, and is rated to passively dissipate up to 600W of heat – effectively using parts of the case as a giant heatsink, in place of traditional fans and through-case airflow dynamics.

Besides being a fairly beefy bit of metal in its own right, internally Streacom's SG10 is based upon loop heat pipe technology with a coolant featuring a very low evaporation point (think 40°C to 50°C). Steamcom uses an evaporator that circulates the liquid around the system and the condenser that dissipates the heat. When the temperature of either the CPU or the GPU reaches a high enough level, the cooling liquid transforms into gas and flows towards the condenser through a tube. There, it returns to its liquid state and flows back to water blocks. Importantly, this means that no mechanical pumps are involved.

The SG10 chassis has two cooling loops with two separate condensers — one for the CPU that's rated for up to 250W TDP (enough for Intel's Core i9-13900K), and another for the GPU rated for an up to 350W TDP (enough for NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4080). The cooling loops for both the CPU and GPU are identical in all aspects, except for the way they are attached to the respective processors. Because retail CPUs are capped with an IHS and GPUs are not (being designed to make direct contact with their respective cooler), Steacom's water blocks have similar contact restricitons. All of which means the CPU block effectively has a lower performance rating. Meanwhile, as is the case with all custom GPU coolers, customers will need to make sure the SG10's blocks will fit their respective card.

One of the main challenges with all passive chassis is connecting water blocks to respective processors. As loop heat pipes can be flexible, Streacom solved this challenge in a pretty elegant way by using standard stainless steel or rubber pipes used on every closed-loop liquid coolers.

As far as aesthetics of the SG10 chassis is concerned, the case looks rather solid and has windows on both sides to show all the addressable RGB LEDs featured on modern PC components. The chassis is big enough to house an ATX motherboard, a graphics card that is up to 280 mm long, and five 3.5-inch/2.5-inch storage drives.

One of the quirks of SG10 is that is mounts its motherboard and graphics card at an angle, which complicates connection of monitors and peripherals. On the bright side, it can fit in any ATX power supply no matter how deep it is, and it has a front I/O panel with one USB Type-C and two USB Type-A connectors as well as an optional rear I/O panel with an HDMI, Ethernet, and USB ports.

While the chassis is set to have enough cooling capacity for modern gaming CPUs and GPUs, it is possible to install additional 120-mm fans below the condensers for extra performance (and perhaps compatibility with hotter processors and graphics cards).

According to Tom's Hardware, production of the Streacom SG10 is scheduled to begin this year. The anticipated price for the case, along with all the required cooling assemblies, is around $999.

Images Courtesy Streacom

Noctua Publishes Roadmap: Next-Gen AMD Threadripper Coolers Incoming

Unlike other makers of cooling systems, Noctua has its roadmap advertised on its websites and always updates it to reflect changes in its product development plans. The company's May 2023 roadmap brings several surprises as it adds 'Next-gen AMD Threadripper coolers' and removes white fans from its plans.

The main thing that strikes the eye in Noctua's roadmap is the mention of 'next-gen AMD Threadripper coolers' coming in the third quarter. These products were not on the roadmap in January, per a slide published by Tom's Hardware. AMD has been rumored to introduce its next-generation Ryzen Threadripper processors for workstations for a while, but this is almost the first time when we have seen a more or less official confirmation about the existence of such plans, albeit not from AMD, but one of its partners. 

Since the confirmation does not come from the CPU developer, we would not put our money into launching the next-generation Ryzen Threadripper based on the Zen 4 microarchitecture in Q3. Meanwhile, it is reasonable to expect AMD's codenamed Storm Peak processor to arrive sooner than later since the company has not updated this lineup in a while.

Other notable things in Noctua's roadmap are a bunch of Chromax black products due in Q4, a 24V to 12V voltage converted set to arrive in Q2, and a 24V 40-mm fan, which emphasizes that the company considers the ATX12VO ecosystem essential to address. In addition, the firm is prepping its next-generation 140-mm fans, which will arrive in Q1 2024 in regular colors and then later in the year in Chromax—black version.

Unfortunately, Noctua's next-generation NH-D15 cooler, which once was promised to arrive in Q1 2023, is not slated for sometime in 2024. Meanwhile, the company's roadmap no longer includes white fans for a reason we cannot explain. Perhaps, the company decided to devote its resources elsewhere, or maybe white plastic that the company considered for white fans did not meet its expectations.

Source: Noctua

Supermicro Lists Intel Data Center GPU Max 'Ponte Vecchio' Based Machines

Supermicro this week began to list the industry's first commercial servers based on Intel's Data Center GPU Max 'Ponte Vecchio' compute GPUs. The machines use Ponte Vecchio in add-in-board and OAM module form factors, aiming at high-performance computing and large-scale AI training.

Supermicro currently has two servers qualified for Intel's Ponte Vecchio compute GPUs: the SYS-421GE-TNRT machine that can house up to 10 Data Center GPU Max 1100 cards with 480GB of HBM2 memory (48GB per board) as well as the SYS-821PV-TNR that can accommodate up to eight Data Center GPU Max 1550 OAM modules with 1TB of HBM2 memory onboard (128GB per card) and combined performance of 6.7 BF16/FP16 PetaFLOPS at 4.8 kW.

Both machines are based on two of Intel's 4th Generation Xeon Scalable 'Sapphire Rapids' processors that can be mated with up to 8TB of DDR5 memory using 32 256GB modules. As for storage, both machines have 24 2.5-inch hot-swap bays for U.2/SATA/SAS drives (8x 2.5-inch NVMe hybrid; 8x 2.5-inch NVMe dedicated), and the SYS-421GE-TNRT also has two M.2 slots for PCIe drives.

For now, Supermicro sells the SYS-421GE-TNRT with Nvidia's A100 80GB or H100 80GB boards, but it looks like if requested, it can install Intel's Data Center GPU Max 1100 AIBs instead: the machine is fully qualified to run them, so throwing them in and installing required software should not take too long.

Meanwhile, the SYS-821PV-TNR that can house up to eight Data Center GPU Max 1550 OAM modules is listed as 'coming soon.'

Supermicro is currently the only supplier of commercial machines for AI and HPC workloads that offers systems equipped with Intel's Data Center GPU Max cards and modules. However, it is reasonable to expect other leading suppliers of servers to start selling similar products shortly.

Although Supermicro offers Intel Ponte Vecchio-based servers, it does not disclose their prices, as it always happens with AI and HPC machines configured individually and sold in quantities.

Source: Supermicro (@SquashBionic)

InWin Launches $95 Origami-Like Case That DIYers Get to Assemble From Scratch

InWin, popularly known for its extravagant PC cases, has developed an interesting idea for a computer case that allows avid DIY users to construct a case from the ground up. Hailing from the company';s iBuildiShare series, the POC case arrives unassembled and will have consumers crimping and folding its 0.8 mm SECC steel panels into it together. The manufacturer ships the POC in a compact box that represents 1/5th of the volume of typical packaging for a mini-tower. The POC's packaging assimilates a pizza box, intending to reduce shipping costs and environmental impact to a certain extent.

The POC is a mini-ITX case that measures 10.1 x 10.9 x 16.7 inches (256 x 278 x 432 mm) and weighs 8.82 pounds (4 kilograms). There are seven foldable panels that consumers must put together to form the case. It features a compact, vertical layout that helps minimize the case's space requirement. Being a mini-ITX case, larger motherboards are out of the question. Nonetheless, the POC provides enough spacing to handle the latest hardware. The case has three PCI expansion slots and will accommodate up to 3.5-slot graphics cards with a maximum length and width of 13.6 inches (346 mm) and 3.2 inches (82 mm), respectively. Therefore, the POC can handle beefy graphics cards, such as the GeForce RTX 4090, without a sweat. The graphics card resides in a separate chamber to isolate the heat from the rest of the system. As a result, InWin provides a separate PCIe 4.0 riser cable to connect the graphics card to the mini-ITX motherboard. On the power supply side, the case has enough reserved space for units up to 6.3 inches (160 mm) long.

One of the POC's drawbacks is the lack of support for liquid cooling. Owners are restricted to air cooling, preferably coolers less than 5.6 inches (142 mm) tall. There's only one 120 mm fan mount at the rear of the case. InWin includes the Luna AL120 addressable RGB fan with the POC. It's a PWM fan that generates up to 82.96 CFM of airflow with a typical noise level of 25 dB(a). At first glance, the absence of air vents on the POC may trouble some consumers. However, the case has small triangular vent tabs on the side panels that allow consumers to customize the ventilation. InWin also mounted some side handles on the POC for easy transportation.

Given the tight space, the POC only has a single 2.5-inch drive bay, so the case will only hold one SSD or a hard drive of the same size. However, it shouldn't be problematic since many mini-ITX motherboards come with two or more M.2 slots. SSD pricing has improved overall, but a SATA SSD is still the preferred secondary storage medium over M.2. The case lands with one USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C port, two USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-A ports, and one 3.5 mm audio connector.

The POC comes in a vibrant blue and black (IW-CS-POCBLU) or a striking green and yellow (IW-CS-POCGRE) trim. The case retails for $95 before taxes and shipping, independent of the color theme. In addition, the modular design offers excellent replacement options. For example, owners can purchase a top panel, side cover, or motherboard place separately for just $18, while a replacement PCIe 4.0 riser cable costs $59. Unfortunately, InWin currently offers two color options for the POC, so there aren't many options for customization outside of manual paint jobs. Nevertheless, the idea has potential, and if given enough user acceptance, the POC ecosystem will likely grow.

Gallery: InWin POC

Microsoft Launches Thunderbolt 4 Surface Dock - Sans Surface Connect Port

Microsoft has introduced a new docking station for its latest Surface devices equipped with Thunderbolt 4 ports. The Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock has eight ports and provides a comprehensive collection of eight current USB Type-C and legacy USB Type-A connectors along with a 2.5GbE. One of the main selling points of the dock is support for enterprise-grade features. But, perhaps most notably, the dock does not have a Surface Connect port.

Microsoft's Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock connects to a compatible host featuring USB4/Thunderbolt 4 and comes with three 10 Gbps USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-A connectors and three 40 Gbps Thunderbolt 4/USB4-certified USB Type-C ports that are accompanied by 2.5GbE and a TRRS audio connector for headsets. The docking station can support two 4Kp60 monitors and various bandwidth hungry TB3/TB4/USB4 peripherals such as storage and eGFX external GPU boxes.

Also, the unit has an internal power supply that can feed its host up to 96W of power, which is enough to power a high-end 15 or 16-inch laptop. Yet, it cannot feed more than 15W of power over its USB-C ports, so its charging capabilities are pretty limited.

Microsoft stresses that its Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock is different from its previous docks as it can be used with non-Surface USB-C devices, including Windows OEM devices and Apple Macs. As part of this compatibility, the dock lacks the company's proprietary Surface Connect port, which has been a mainstay of Microsoft Surface devices up until now – for better and for worse. Dropping the proprietary port makes it incompatible with older Surface devices that only have a Surface Connect port, such as the Microsoft Surface Book 2 and the Surface Pro 5, but looking at the bigger picture, Microsoft's release of a dock that lacks its own proprietary port may indicate that the company is (finally) dropping it entirely in favor of the more ubiquitous Thunderbolt 4/USB4 connector.

With its six ports, an audio connector, and a 2.5GbE port, the Microsoft Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock somewhat falls short from being an ultimate docking station (such as 13-in-1 and 14-in-1 docks from OWC). Yet, it looks like its key selling point is not exactly the number of connectors, but rather support for enterprise-grade features, making it a comprehensive choice for commercial customers buying Microsoft Surface or other Windows-based devices.

In particular, the Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock offers Firmware Update via Windows Update, Wake on LAN from Modern Standby, and MAC Address Pass-Through‎. Additionally, the Surface Enterprise Management Mode (SEMM) allows for easy disabling of the dock ports in mission-critical environments and limits functionality to specific devices‎ (e.g., one can plug in a monitor, a keyboard or a webcam, but cannot use a USB drive).

Microsoft's Surface Thunderbolt 4 Dock will be available shortly directly from Microsoft as well as from its resellers for $299.

The XPG Fusion Titanium 1600 PSU Review: Outrageous Power, Outstanding Quality

One of the perks of normality largely returning to the PC components market now that the crypto mining bubble has popped has been a big improvement in component availability. Video cards were of course the biggest change there – even if prices on the latest generation remain higher than many would like to see – but crypto farms were also soaking up everything from CPUs and RAM to power supplies. So after a period of almost two years of high-powered PSUs of all flavors being hard to come by, the PSU market is, at last, also returning to normal.

The collapse of crypto mining and underlying improvement of electronics components has also meant that high-power PSU designs have reverted, in a sense, to a more balanced portfolio. PSU vendors are finally making some fresh investments in high-end, high-efficiency designs – PSUs that crypto miners would have never paid the premium for. Especially with the launch of the new ATX 3.0 standard and its 12VHPWR connector, there’s an opportunity for a new generation of PSUs to make their mark while powering the latest video cards.

There are few power supplies where this is more apparent than XPG’s new Fusion Titanium 1600. The sole member of its class thus far, the Fusion is a true flagship-grade PSU with the electronics quality to match. Built by Delta Electronics, the XPG Fusion makes liberal use of Gallium Nitride MOSFETs in order to deliver a monstrous 1600 Watts of power at 80 Plus Titanium levels of efficiency. All the while this will also be one of the first high powered ATX 3.0 power supplies, offering two 12VHPWR connectors – making it suitable to drive two high-end video cards – which is no small feat given the power excursion requirements that come with the ATX 3.0 specification.

To that end, today we are thoroughly exploring everything that makes the XPG Fusion stand out from the crowd. From its oversized chassis to its almost absurd voltage regulation quality, it’s a power supply that few customers will ever need, but certainly makes its mark across the PSU design ecosystem.

Netgear Introduces Nighthawk RS700 Wi-Fi 7 Router

Wireless networking has seen rapid strides over the last couple of years with the opening up of the 6 GHz spectrum for Wi-Fi purposes. Silicon vendors updated their Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) solutions with support for the new band and router / access point vendors followed suit. Last year saw the introduction of Wi-Fi 7 silicon based on 802.11be from all the major silicon vendors - Broadcom, Qualcomm, and Mediatek. Intel also provided hints about their upcoming Wi-Fi 7 client platform in their interoperability demo with Broadcom's AP design. Following this, companies such as TP-Link and ASUS (RT-BE96U and ROG Rapture GT-BE98) started to divulge details of their first-generation Wi-Fi 7 products. TP-Link's offerings have been up for pre-order since January, with shipment originally slated for Q1 2023. Today, Netgear is announcing their first Wi-Fi 7 product - the Nighthawk RS700 wireless router.

As a refresher, Wi-Fi 7 brings a host of improvements to the wireless experience with faster speeds (true multi-gigabit, making it necessary to equip the routers with wired 10G ports), lower latency, and better efficiency in channel utilization (particularly with multiple clients in the picture). The standard also allows multi-link operation with the clients being able to connect to the AP over different bands simultaneously. All Wi-Fi 7 routers have to be tri-band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, and 6 GHz support) to bring out all the benefits of the new standard. Compared to their Wi-Fi 6E flagship Nighthawk, the RS700 boasts of almost double the wireless throughput, and comes with 10G WAN and LAN ports. It is based on Broadcom's Wi-Fi 7 platform (BCM4916 network SoC + BCM67263 / BCM6726 radios).

While ASUS continues to adopt their spider-style antenna design for their Wi-Fi 7 offerings, we saw TP-Link completely revamp the industrial design for their high-end offering to support the new standard. Netgear has also moved to a new design style for the Nighthawk RS700 with a tower form-factor. In addition to complementing the fanless design by aiding in convection (with the aid of strategically placed vents), Netgear claims that the new design also allows for optimal placement of the antennae for reduced inteference.

Netgear supports link aggregation on both LAN and WAN sides, with the latter feature in place for use with the first-generation 1200 Mbps cable modems (such as the Netgear CM1200) that came with dual 1 Gbps ports instead of a single 2.5 Gbps NBASE-T port. A USB 3.0 port to attach a storage drive or printer is also in the mix.

The Nighthawk mobile app will continue serving the product family for easy management via Android / iOS devices, and a local web UI will also be available. Netgear is also including a 1-year subscription to their ARMOR cybersecurity product for protection against online threats as well as VPN features.

The Nighthawk RS700 is available for pre-order today, but availability is slated for Q2 2023. The company claims that the router can support upwards of 200 simultaneous client devices and blanket a 3500 sq. ft. home with full coverage - more than enough for the vast majority of consumer households. However, customers used to standard Nighthawk features such as out of the box mesh networking support, multiple wireless networks (in addition to the standard main and guest networks), and parental controls will have to wait for firmware updates in the second half of the year. Priced at $700, the RS700 costs the same as the announced pricing for the TP-Link Archer BE900. However, TP-Link manages to include more wireless streams (and correspondibgly higher wireless throughput), multiple USB ports and 4x 2.5 Gbps along with a SFP+ / RJ-45 10G combo at the same price point. In any case, both vendors are promising most of the features in future firmware updates, and there are no concrete shipping dates yet. A more informed value proposition comparison can only be made after the products are in the hands of the end customers.

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