Thread: Anandtech News

The recent launches of high-end graphics cards from both sides of the aisle has left a number of questions on the table about what will be offered for those of us unwilling or unable to either find $400+ for the latest generation (or more due to low stock pressure). Both AMD and NVIDIA have focused, naturally, on the high-end of the market as that is where a good chunk of the revenue is, however we are waiting for both companies to filter the latest technology into something a little more mainstream. Neither company had said anything about their plans here, until AMD’s keynote at CES today.
The company looks set to bring to market RDNA 2 solutions for mid-range desktop discrete graphics cards models in the first half of 2021 (H1 2021). Based on the images showcased during AMD’s presentation, compared to the current RDNA 2 solutions, these cards appear to be less bulky, along with versions that only need a single fan.

These are almost certainly built on new silicon – rather than the Navi 21 GPUs used in their 6800 series cards, perhaps something like Navi 23, with cut down compute units and/or memory support. There are also questions as to the state of AMD’s Infinity Cache on these lower models, whether it still exists or is reduced, and then how that all ties into performance, power, efficiency, and then ultimately cost. All RDNA 2 hardware supports DX12 Ultimate, and all that entails.
AMD is keeping tight lipped at this time, however AMD did mentioned that mobile graphics solutions will also be coming to market in the first half of the year.



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As the cornerstone of their CES 2021 keynote, NVIDIA today has announced their GeForce RTX 30 series graphics adapters for laptops. Based on the same Ampere architecture and the same GPUs as NVIDIA’s existing desktop GeForce cards, the RTX 30 series for laptops will bring Ampere’s features and much of its performance to laptops, just tuned to the sub-150 Watt power requirements that come with a laptop. Laptops will be getting versions of the RTX 3080, RTX 3070, and RTX 3060, with the first of these new generation of laptops set to become available later this month, on January 26^th.

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Following the keynote press conference, AMD invited a number of key press partners for some Q&A time with Dr. Lisa Su. On the table, we were told, was any topic relating to AMD. Given that the company launched a number of products just as the previous year ended, and supply issues are tight for end-users, there were opportunities to quiz the CEO on production demand against supply, AMD’s product cadence, and expectations for 2021.


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Alongside today’s CES-centric announcement of their new GeForce RTX 30 series parts for laptops, NVIDIA also offered an in-depth reveal of their next desktop graphics card, the GeForce RTX 3060. Reflected the continued progression of the Ampere architecture into smaller and cheaper video cards as NVIDIA continues its product stack rollout, the RTX 3060 marks the introduction of Ampere into their popular mainstream-enthusiast 60-series video card tier. Long the backbone of NVIDIA’s desktop sales in North America and elsewhere, the 60-tier cards typically strike a solid balance between price and performance. And with prices set to start at $329, at launch the RTX 3060 will become the cheapest RTX card that NVIDIA has ever offered.

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Today Qualcomm has announced they will be acquiring NUVIA for $1.4bn – acquiring the start-up company consisting of industry veterans which originally were behind the creation of Apple’s high-performance CPU cores. The transaction has important ramifications for Qualcomm’s future in high-performance computing both in mobile, as well as laptop segment, with a possible re-entry into the server market.

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At CES 2021, which switched to a virtual online-only format due to the current Coronavirus pandemic, ADATA has unveiled its latest gaming ultrabook, the XPG Xenia Xe. Based on Intel's Tiger Lake CPU with Xe graphics, the XPG Xenia Xe looks to offer users a portable lifestyle and gaming solution.
The new XPG Xenia Xe gaming ultrabook includes a 15.6" 1080p screen, with an IPS touchscreen panel with an 87% screen to body ratio. Available with two different processors, Intel's Tiger Lake Core i7-1165G7, or the i5-1135G7, it also benefits from Intel's latest Xe integrated graphics.

Designed for ultra-portability, it measures in at just 11 mm thick, with a total weight of 3.6 lb, making it one of the more lightweight options and has an elegant CNC anodized aluminum chassis. For storage, XPG states that it includes its own 1 TB PCIe Gen 4 M.2 SSD, but XPG doesn't include any information about memory configuration.
XPG hasn't revealed details on pricing or when the Xenia Xe gaming ultrabooks will hit retail shelves.
Gallery: CES 2021: ADATA Announces XPG Xenia Xe Gaming Ultrabook


Interested in more of the latest industry news? Check out our CES 2021 trade show landing page!



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During CES 2021's all-digital trade show, ASUS has unveiled its updated ROG Zephyrus G14 model for 2021. The new Zephyrus G14 uses AMD's latest 5000 series mobile processor, with its ANiME Matrix LED display built into the lid.
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (GA401), according to ASUS, is the world's most powerful 14-inch laptop, with AMD's next-generation Ryzen 5000 mobile processor and NVIDIA's GeForce RTX mobile graphics. It is available with a choice of two 14-inch displays, including a 2K 120 Hz DCIP-3 or 1080p 144 Hz adaptive sync panel. Designed for gamers on the go, it has a thickness of 17.9 mm, with a total weight of 1.6 KG.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 in Moonlight White

Available in either Eclipse Gray or Moonlight White, the ROG Zephyrus G14 also includes an ANiME virtual panel integrated into the lid. This includes a new virtual pet that users can interact with. Some of the more technical specifications include up to 32 GB of DDR4-3200 memory, up to 1 TB of fast NVMe storage, and ASUS's 90 Wh battery with Type-C charging capabilities at 100 W.

ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 ANiME panel on the lid in Eclipse Gray

Connectivity options include one USB 3.2 G2 Type-C port with DisplayPort 1.4 and power delivery function, with a further USB 3.2 G2 Type-C, two USB 3.2 G1 Type-A ports, and one HDMI 2.0b video output. ASUS also includes a Wi-Fi 6 interface for wireless and Bluetooth connectivity.
At this time, ASUS hasn't provided us with any pricing information.
Gallery: CES 2021: ASUS ROG Unveils Updated Zephyrus G14 for 2021


Interested in more of the latest industry news? Check out our CES 2021 trade show landing page!

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News is breaking that Intel has announced that Pat Gelsinger, CEO of VMWare, is to take the role of CEO at Intel from February 15th.
Intel today has released a press statement saying that current CEO Bob Swan (who we interviewed only a few days ago!) is to step down in his role, and be succeeded by Pat Gelsinger. Gelsinger, a veteran of the industry, has spent over 40 years at companies such as VMWare, EMC, and spent 30 years previously at Intel, reaching the potisition of Chief Technology Officer. In that role he drove creation of standards such as USB, Wi-Fi, he was the architect of the 80486, and played key roles in 14 generations of Intel Core and Xeon processors. As CEO of VMWare since 2012, Pat has overseen a tripling of annualized revenue to make VMWare a recognized global leader in global infrastructure and cyber security.
Rumors of Intel getting a new CEO have never died down, even since Bob Swan officially took the role from Brian Krzanich in January 2019. Through those two years, Swan has seen successive YoY growth in the companies revenue streams, as well as a turnover of high-profile technical personnel, such as Dr. Murthy Renduchintala. The goal has seemingly been to push Intel into more areas for TAM growth, while at the same time push through the fundamental issues surrounding the delays to manufacturing on the 10nm node, which has been delayed for a couple of years at this point, and the 7nm node, to which delays were announced more recently. The missing piece of the puzzle has been having an engineer at the top of Intel's food chain, particularly one well versed in Intel's product portfolio, and for those that wanted this to happen, it appears to be so, from February 15th.
Bob Swan will still head the Intel financial call on January 21st, where the company is set to announce how it will approach its future process node strategy, namely 7nm, in light of recent delays. This call should indicate how much Intel is set to invest in its own manufacturing facilities, and how much it may offload to third party foundries during that timeframe. During our interview with Bob Swan, he mentioned that Intel would only work with third party foundries if it could get preferential treatment for the volumes it needed, as well as integration with all related design tools. Swan also stated that licensing a process node technology from someone else for use in Intel's fabs was also an option the company could be considering. No word has been given as to Bob's future, if this is retirement from Intel, or what future role he may play.
On the new CEO news, the chairman of the board at Intel, Omar Ishrak, has said,

“The board and I deeply appreciate Bob Swan for his leadership and significant contributions through this period of transformation for Intel,” continued Ishrak. “Under his leadership, Intel has made significant progress on its strategy to transform into a multi-architecture XPU company to capitalize on market shifts and extend Intel’s reach into fast-growing markets. Bob has also been instrumental in reenergizing the company’s culture to drive better execution of our product and innovation roadmap. He leaves Intel in a strong strategic and financial position, and we thank him for his ongoing guidance as he works with Pat to ensure the leadership transition is seamless.”

On the announcement, Pat Gelsigner has said,

“I am thrilled to rejoin and lead Intel forward at this important time for the company, our industry and our nation,” said Gelsinger. “Having begun my career at Intel and learned at the feet of Grove, Noyce and Moore, it’s my privilege and honor to return in this leadership capacity. I have tremendous regard for the company’s rich history and powerful technologies that have created the world’s digital infrastructure. I believe Intel has significant potential to continue to reshape the future of technology and look forward to working with the incredibly talented global Intel team to accelerate innovation and create value for our customers and shareholders.”

Gelsinger is set to oversee the next generation of Intel products and manufacturing. This includes 10nm, 7nm, Alder Lake, future Lakes, Sapphire Rapids, discrete graphics, Ponte Vecchio, networking, packaging, IoT, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and 5G compute.
It is unclear at this time if Gelsinger will be a voice on the financial call on January 21st. $INTC is already up +9% on the news of the new CEO today (as of 9:54am ET).
Source: Intel

Pat Gelsinger in his CTO role, with Intel Itanium 2

Update: Gelsinger has released a note to Intel employees. It reads as follows.

I am thrilled and humbled to be returning to Intel as CEO. I was 18 years old when I joined Intel, fresh out of the Lincoln Technical Institute. Over the next 30 years of my tenure at Intel, I had the honor to be mentored at the feet of Grove, Noyce and Moore. Intel then helped me continue my education at Santa Clara University and Stanford University. The company also gave me the opportunity to work on the forefront of silicon innovation with the best and brightest talent in the industry.

My experience at Intel has shaped my entire career, and I am forever grateful to this company. To come back “home” to Intel in the role of CEO during what is such a critical time for innovation, as we see the digitization of everything accelerating, will be the greatest honor of my career.

I have tremendous regard for the company’s rich history and the powerful technologies created here that have transformed, and continue to transform, the world’s digital infrastructure. We have incredible talent and remarkable technical expertise that is the envy of the industry.

I look forward to working with all of you to continue to shape the future of technology. While Intel’s history is rich, the transformation from a CPU to multi-architecture XPU company is exciting and our opportunity as a world-leading semiconductor manufacturer is greater than it’s ever been. I will be sharing more in the near-term about my vision and strategy for Intel, but I know we can continue to accelerate innovation, strengthen our core business and create value for our shareholders, customers and employees.

I want to extend my gratitude to Bob for his leadership and significant contributions to Intel through this critical period of transformation. I welcome his counsel and ongoing guidance through the transition period to make it as seamless as possible for our customers and all of you.

I’m sure you will have many questions about what is to come, and I look forward to hearing them, even if I won’t have all the answers on day one. I can’t wait to resume this journey with all of you.

– Pat

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As part of Acer’s CES launch, the company is announcing updates to both the Acer Aspire 5 and Acer Aspire 7, bumping both models to the latest AMD Ryzen 5000 series of processors. The new models are aimed at creativity, without breaking the bank.
Acer Aspire 7

The 15.6-inch Acer Aspire 7 targets creators who need the extra performance of a dedicated graphics card, and Acer has paired Ryzen 5000 APUs with NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 1650. The Aspire 7 can be specified with up to 32 GB of DDR4, and a 1 TB PCIe SSD. There will be an extra 2.5-inch drive slot as well, for additional storage.
Although not as cutting edge as some other models in Acer’s lineup, the Aspire 7 still features an 81.6% screen to body ratio on the 15.6-inch display, and Acer is calling for accurate color representation thanks to Acer Color Intelligence and Acer ExaColor to adjust gamma and saturation on the fly to avoid clipping and over-saturation.

The starting configuration will offer the Ryzen 5 along with 8 GB of RAM and a 512 GB SSD and the GeForce GTX 1650 for just $749. Availability is March 2021.
Acer Aspire 5

Also featuring a 15.6-inch FHD display, the Acer Aspire 5 hits an even lower price bracket, pairing the Ryzen 5000 with an optional AMD Radeon RX 640 GPU, up to 24 GB of memory, and up to a 1 TB M.2 SSD.
The base configuration is especially price-conscious, with a Ryzen 5 5500U, 1920x1080 60Hz IPS display, 8 GB of RAM, and a 256 GB SSD for just $549.

The Acer Aspire 5 is also targeting a March release date.
Source: Acer

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Planning for the next-generation of processors, ADATA has sent us a render of its first DDR5 module at CES 2021, with supported speeds of up to DDR4-8400.
Memory partners and manufacturers during 2020 started to outline their plans for DDR5, including specifications and architecture. This includes announcements from the big three memory giants, including SK Hynix, Samsung, and Micron. ADATA has gone one step further and unveiled a render of what its DDR5 module could potentially look like, with a generic green PCB, with eight memory chips in two banks of four. This is despite the fact that we have already seen DDR5 engineering samples in the wild.

ADATA's DDR5 Module render for CES 2021

ADATA states that it has has teamed up with both MSI and GIGABYTE to test its new DDR5 memory. This is to ensure that it has compatibility for DDR5 ready processors that will be announced. ADATA states its DDR5 memory can support speeds of up to 8400 MT/s, although this is likely to be at the launch and is in the upper range of what is expected on DDR5. Similarly with its 64 GB per module claim - this is DDR5 specification, and ADATA hasn't shown us anything to suggest that initial modules will start at 64 GB capacities.
For more information about DDR5, check out the following:

• Cadence DDR5 UpdateL Launching at 4800 MT/s, Over 12 DDR5 SoCs in Development
• SK Hynix: We're Planning for DDR5-8400 at 1.1 Volts
• DDR5 Memory Specification Released: Setting the Stage for DDR5-6400 And Beyond
• Insights into DDR5 Sub-timings and Latencies

ADATA hasn't revealed which memory chips it intends to use for its modules, but all we know for now is that it will release DDR5 memory, and it will follow official specifications.
Interested in more of the latest industry news? Check out our CES 2021 trade show landing page!



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