Items tagged with Intel
Welcome to HotHardware's PC Component Buyer's Guide, where we help prospective DIY system builders pick out just the right collection of components to build the rigs of their dreams -- or at least the rig which makes the best use of your budget. We've picked out the best bang for the buck in processors, graphics cards, storage, and more in an effort to assemble some truly drool-worthy gaming PCs at a variety of price points. From top to bottom, rest assured that we've done the hard work of balancing price and performance in a way that gets the most performance possible from a given budget. Because budgets tend to be moving targets though, we've also found what we think is the best way to utilize...
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AMD's Ryzen 4000 family of Zen 2 processors have been very well-received in the laptop market with the company securing a number of key design wins, thanks to excellent overall performance and power efficiency. And while Ryzen 4000 graphics performance won't knock your socks off, the integrated AMD Radeon Vega GPU can also handle some light gaming workloads. Needless to say, AMD's rise is coming at the expense of Intel, which has long dominated in the laptop sector. Intel has countered AMD's Ryzen 4000 family with its 11th generation Tiger Lake processors with integrated Iris Xe graphics, but even current quad-core CPU models aren't enough to tackle AMD's high-end Ryzen 4000U configurations...
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While it might seem a bit outside the norm, Intel is launching its very on laptop. And in a sense, this is a logical extension of the company's existing NUC family of small form-factor desktop PCs. With that, we present Intel's new NUC M15 -- developed under the codename Bishop County -- which will be offered to its channel partners to rebrand as their own laptops. The laptop itself has a 15.6-inch 1080p display along with a 73 WHr battery that is good for up to 16 hours of runtime. Powering the machine will be one of two processors: the Core i5-1135G7 (4-core/8-thread) 28W Tiger Lake processor paired with 8GB of soldered on LPDDR4x-4266 RAM. The other option will be the Core i7-1165G7 (4-core/8-thread)...
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Do you see that off in the distance? That's right, it's a series of leaked benchmark results that stretches as far as the eye can see, almost indefinitely. If there is a new CPU or GPU on the horizon, you can bet there will be purported benchmark results before it actually launches. And so it goes with both an AMD Ryzen 5 5500U and Intel Core i7-11370H silicon, both of which have found their way to the Geekbench database. Let's first talk about the AMD part. If past leaks are accurate, the Ryzen 5 5500U will actually be based on AMD's previous generation Zen 2 architecture, and not Zen 3. Adding to the confusion, it is said AMD will split its next-gen APUs into Zen 2 (Lucienne) and Zen 3 (Cezanne)...
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As the cybersecurity landscape evolves, so do the skilled attackers at every turn. Protecting devices from threats becomes a cat and mouse game, and there is always a new attack on the horizon. Security chips built into computers have tried to slow the attacks, such as Apple’s T2 chip, but even it has its flaws. Now, Microsoft is looking to build hardened security directly into the CPU while being isolated from the system. They have adapted this new system, named the Microsoft Pluton processor, from technology created from Xbox and Azure Sphere, so end-users will be more secure than ever. According to Microsoft, “Windows 10 is the most secure version of Windows ever, built with end-to-end...
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Most people would probably agree that Intel is in need of a win in the CPU sector, now that AMD's Ryzen 5000 series is kicking tail and taking names (for those who can find one in stock, anyway). Ice Lake might provide that win, in the server space. How so? According to Intel, a 32-core Xeon processor based on Ice Lake can outperform a 64-core EPYC "Rome" processor in certain benchmarks. There is a bit to unpack there, so let's get started. In present form, Ice Lake is what underpins Intel's 10th generation Core processors laptops, with Sunny Cover underneath the hood. It is based on a 10-nanometer manufacturing process, and more recently has been supplanted by Tiger Lake in the mobile space,...
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Attackers with physical access to a device can generally do the most damage to a machine. This remains true with CVE-2020-8705, where an attacker with physical access can gain control of the system firmware while the device resumes from a sleep state. This means there could be privilege escalations, data loss, and more depending on what the primary motives of the attacker. Therefore, Intel users need to patch their systems and prevent unwanted physical access. According to Trammell Hudson, CVE-2020-8705, or “Sleep Attack,” occurs when Intel x86 computers enter the sleep state called “S3.” The sleep state turns off the CPU but keeps the DRAM powered, so the CPU state must...
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Intel is expanding its graphics portfolio today with the announcement of its new Intel Server GPU. The company, which is best known for its consumer- and enterprise-class CPUs, has performed a complete revamp of its graphics architecture in support of a renewed effort in discrete GPU technologies. The first fruit of those labors came with Iris Xe on-board Intel 11th generation Tiger Lake CPUs, which was followed by the Iris Xe Max discrete laptop GPU. Today however, Intel is expanding the portfolio with a new Server GPU productization, code named SG1, which is based on the same Xe-LP microarchitecture found in Iris Xe and Iris Xe Max. H3C's XG310 is a three-quarter length full...
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AMD is sitting on top of the world right now. The company is making a spirited run at NVIDIA with its Radeon RX 6000 series, and its newly launched Ryzen 5000 series powered by Zen 3 is giving Intel a wedgie. One of the questions AMD's good fortunes raises is, will Intel retake the performance crown? If so, when? Well, it might not be until 2023. Let's discuss. The earliest Intel could leapfrog back in front of AMD in overall performance (multi-threaded, gaming, and practically everything else on the desktop) is with Rocket Lake, which is set to lift off in the first quarter of next year. Intel is claiming Rocket Lake will offer a double-digit gain in IPC (instructions per clock) performance,...
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We typically think of Razer's notebooks as being aimed at the gaming crowd, but the company has its eyes laser-focused on productivity with the new Razer Book 13. As its name implies, the Razer Book 13 has a 13-inch display (13.4 inches to be exact), but unlike most offerings in this space, it does not feature a 16:9 aspect ratio. Instead, the Razer Book 13 is boasting an aspect ratio of 16:10 with up to an UHD+ resolution touch display (an FHD+ non-touch display comes standard), putting it on an even keel with the very popular Dell XPS 13. Even better is the fact that the bezels are razor-thin all around, yet there is still room up top for a HD webcam with a 4-microphone array...
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Today is not just any ordinary Tuesday. Nope, no siree, it sure is not. It is very different from almost every other Tuesday in the past several years, and do you know why? Simple—we have not one, but two upcoming Intel CPU cameos that have appeared on the web! I know, I know, today is special for another reason—it's Taco Tuesday! But enough with tacos (I vote pizza is better anyway, don't @ me). We're focused on silicon, and Intel has some important CPU launches coming up in 2021. The first of those is Rocket Lake, which figures to be the last of Intel's now-ancient 14nm node. While the competition is already on 7nm and heading to 5nm in 2021, Intel has been squeezing everything...
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It was inevitable that Microsoft would release a Surface Pro 8, but no one expected that we would come across it in this manner. An alleged Surface Pro 8 engineering sample was sold on eBay for $1,300, and it comes with some interesting specs. Whereas the Surface Pro 7 is powered by 10th generation Ice Lake processors, this prototype is rocking Intel's latest 11th generation Tiger Lake processor (Core i7-1165G7). Not only does Tiger Lake bring some healthy gains in performance over Ice Lake, but it also supports PCIe 4.0, USB 4 and comes with a far superior Iris Xe integrated graphics engine. In this case, the Core i7-1165G7 processor is paired with a generous 32GB of DDR4-4266...
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Earlier this month, we got our first taste of Intel's Iris Xe Max GPU, as the Acer Swift 3x was the first notebook announced to use the discrete graphics chip. Today, however, Intel is actually getting a bit more in-depth with this GPU, which is part of the company's 12th generation graphics family. We were first introduced to with the Iris Xe graphics in Tiger Lake mobile processors. Like the Iris Xe in Tiger Lake, Iris Xe Max is based on Xe-LP microarchitecture. Iris Xe Max has a total of 96 execution units and a clock speed of 1.65GHz (up from 1.35GHz on Tiger Lake, while maintaining the same max number of EUs). The GPU also has 4GB of dedicated LPDDR4x memory with 68GB/sec...
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Intel is making some bold claims about its upcoming Rocket Lake-S launch, which will lift off next year. Though it will be another iteration of Intel's 14-nanometer manufacturing node, the chip maker has put it out into the stratosphere that Rocket Lake-S will deliver a double-digit jump in IPC (instructions per clock) performance. Some leaked benchmarks back up the claim. Rocket Lake-S is a new CPU architecture (Cyprus Cove) that will fall under Intel's 11th Gen Core banner, supplanting Intel's 10th Gen Comet Lake processors. In addition to a sizable IPC gain, Rocket Lake-S will finally bring PCI Express 4.0 support to the desktop for Intel, by way of a new motherboard chipset, with up to 40...
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While AMD is basking in the limelight with its upcoming Zen 3-based Ryzen 5000 family, Intel doesn't want to be left out of the discussion with its upcoming 11th generation Core processors. Intel previously stated that its Rocket Lake-S processors will debut during Q1 2021, and now the company is giving us some architectural details that will underpin this new family of desktop processors. At the heart of Rocket Lake-S will be new 14nm Cypress Cove CPU microarchitecture, which is in essence a back-port of 10nm Ice Lake microarchitecture. For those keeping score, this is the first major microarchitecture shift for Intel desktop processors since 14nm Skylake was introduced way...
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It is only a matter of time before we see how Intel's Iris Xe Max graphics performs in the real world, perhaps starting with Acer's recently announced Swift 3X, the first Tiger Lake laptop to flex Intel's discrete GPU. For now, however, leaked benchmarks are the only place to find some numbers, and so it goes with a couple of new listings on Geekbench. We have not heard a whole lot about Iris Xe Max, and it was a bit of a surprise revelation when the first reference to the new part showed up in promotional video last night, which highlighted Intel's refreshed branding logos. That little blip between the 36 and 37 second mark served as confirmation that it exists, followed by Acer's Swift 3X announcement...
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On Thursday, Intel reported third-quarter financial results, which showed revenue up over expectations but down year-over-year. However, Intel also noted a rather significant dip in datacenter revenue, which spooked investors. This information was enough to kick Intel shares into a slump since the report came out, dropping the stock price approximately 11%. Bob Swan, Intel CEO, reported that Intel’s “teams delivered solid third-quarter results that exceeded our expectations despite pandemic-related impacts in significant portions of the business.” At present, Intel is predicting growth through the end of 2020 as its “remain(s) confident in our strategy." Its goal...
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In this episode of HotHardware's Two And A Half Geeks, we'll be taking a close look at NVIDIA's Reflex technology, the first sighting of Intel Iris Xe Max DISCRETE graphics, and throttling iPhones in UL's latest cross-platform graphics benchmark. We also announce the winner of our killer gaming system giveaway with EK Fluid Gaming! Show Notes: 02:25 - Google Pixel 5 Review: Refined And Feature-Rich With Caveats 08:37 - Acer's Swift 3X Is The First Tiger Lake Laptop To Flex Intel Iris Xe MAX Discrete GPU 16:10 - 3DMark WildLife Benchmark Shows iPhones Thrashing Androids But Apple Throttles Hard 37:06 - NVIDIA Reflex Tested: Low Latency, Precision Gaming At 360Hz 50:52 - HotHardware And EK Fluid...
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Lenovo's ThinkPad X1 series, the company's flagship notebook lineup, is no stranger to our offices. The various iterations of the ThinkPad X1 Carbon are some of our favorite ultra-light notebooks. In recent years, Lenovo has pushed the X1 family into 2-in-1 convertible devices as well, and we've very much liked these types of systems in the past as well. Today, the ThinkPad X1 Yoga Gen 5 has returned to us, with a 360-degree hinge and a punchy 14-inch 4K display. The updated ThinkPad X1 Yoga arrived with an Intel 10th-generation Core processor. However, Intel's product naming recently has been somewhat confusing, to say the least. 10th Gen Core i7 processors come in two flavors: the...
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Over the summer, Intel announced its 11th generation Tiger Lake processors, which power the latest thin and light notebooks from various OEMs. In addition to bringing faster overall CPU performance compared to the preceding 10th generation Ice Lake processors, Tiger Lake also introduced the world to 12th generation Iris Xe integrated graphics (which offers a significant uptick in GPU performance). Keeping that in mind, Acer has announced a first with its new Swift 3X laptop. At first glance, the Swift 3X doesn't seem to be that remarkable of a machine. It's available with an Intel Core i5-1135G7 or Core i7-1165G7 processor, up to 16GB of LPDDR4X memory, up to a 1TB SSD, and...
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Earlier today, reports started emerging that SK Hynix was in final talks to acquire Intel's NAND storage unit. Late tonight, the news has been confirmed by both parties and a deal has been reached. SK Hynix has agreed to purchase Intel's NAND memory and storage businesses for a total $9 billion. This represents a win-win for both companies, as Intel's storage business has consistently been a low-margin operation. Intel's SSDs have also traditionally not been up to snuff in performance compared to their mainstream PCIe 3.0 and PCIe 4.0 counterparts. As for SK Hynix, it gets to expand its NAND flash footprint to make it more competitive in high-growth areas like enterprise SSDs. The two...
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Even though we have had our first glimpse of Intel's Xe graphics architecture courtesy of a reference laptop with Tiger Lake inside, there are still many questions yet to be answered. Like what specific Xe products will ultimately manifest? As it relates to that, there is another question—will there be a dual Xe GPU solution, as a new benchmark leak appears to suggest? Before we go down wade into those leaky waters, let's go over the Xe hierarchy that Intel set out during its Architecture Day this past summer. Intel laid out a GPU strategy for Xe that spans from integrated and entry level graphics solutions, all the way up to high performance computing (HPC), with a version of Xe on pace...
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