ASRock Industrial proudly announces its next generation industrial motherboards powered by Intel Core 200S series processors (Bartlett Lake-S), supporting up to 24 cores and 32 threads. The new series delivers improved single-thread, multi-thread and AI-performance, along with DDR5 5600 MHz memory support up to 192 GB, advanced I/O capabilities, PCIe Gen 5/4 expandability, 4K quad-display powered by Intel UHD Graphics 770 with Xe architecture. With BIOS-level update support, the new series enables customers to seamlessly upgrade existing 14th, 13th, and 12th Gen Intel CPU-based motherboards to the latest generation. Available in Mini-ITX, microATX, and ATX form factors with longevity support, the motherboards are built for intelligent edge applications across smart manufacturing, autonomous robotics, machine vision, retail, kiosks, digital signage, gaming, and security environments.

Intel Core 200S Processor Motherboards with DDR5 Support
ASRock industrial's Intel Core 200S DDR5 supported motherboards are available in Mini-ITX, microATX, and ATX form factors, built on Intel W680, Q670, and H610 chipsets to meet a broad range of industrial computing demands.

Yesterday, ASRock's South Korean office issued a statement regarding problematic hardware pairings; affecting current-gen motherboards and AMD Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" desktop processors. Curiously, the Taiwanese manufacturer's local branch slipped in an intriguing tidbit into its message, addressed to members of the Quasar Zone forum: "ASRock has released a new BIOS version 3.25. This version is based on AMD AGESA 1.2.0.3d, and has been improved to enhance compatibility with next-generation CPUs and optimize PBO (Precision Boost Overdrive) settings to enable more stable system operation." Due to media outlets focusing on an important BIOS update, a major hint was largely ignored. Fortunately, VideoCardz's keen eye was not distracted by current affairs.

According to their evening report (dated June 4), their local contacts have confirmed that there are no misunderstandings when Westerners machine translate ASRock Korea's original statement. Naturally, guess work—about the company's teasing of next-gen processors—will land on two upcoming Team Red product families. VideoCardz quickly eliminated a successive "Zen 6" CPU series, aka "Ryzen 10000." Despite recent leaks, industry watchdogs anticipate (at best) a mid-2026 debut. Given the uptick of semi-official Ryzen 9000G "Gorgon Point" leaks throughout Q2'25, VideoCardz reckons that AMD and mainboard partners are preparing for the arrival of this Zen 5 + RDNA 3.5-based APU series. Industry insiders have proposed a fourth quarter launch window.

AMD today released to market the Radeon RX 9060 XT, its third graphics card model from the Radeon RX 9000 series, powered by RDNA 4 graphics architecture. This card debuts the new 4 nm "Navi 44" silicon, with over 2x the transistor count increase over the "Navi 33" chip powering the RX 7600. This is because AMD sized up the silicon for the singular purpose of winning in key sub-$400 price-points, against the NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5060 series, specifically the RTX 5060, and the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB. The RX 9060 XT comes in 8 GB and 16 GB models, with the 8 GB model priced at $300, clashing with the RTX 5060, and the 16 GB model priced at a competitive $350, undercutting the RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB, which starts at $380. For $30 less, AMD is offering twice the memory size, for future-proofing and lower ray tracing performance cost.

The RX 9060 XT maxes out the 4 nm "Navi 44," enabling all 32 CU, for 2,048 stream processors, 64 AI accelerators, 32 RT accelerators, and 128 TMUs, besides 64 ROPs. Each of the RDNA 4 RT accelerators comes with two intersection units, and several other hardware-level improvements, which is how the company is able to yield a near doubling in ray tracing performance over RDNA 3. AMD is sticking to GDDR6 as the memory standard, the RX 9060 XT gets 8 GB or 16 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory across a 128-bit memory bus, for 320 GB/s of bandwidth. This is low compared to the 448 GB/s NVIDIA achieved on the RTX 5060 series by switching to 28 Gbps GDDR7, but AMD claims that the memory management advancements it made with RDNA 4 should provide a generational uplift in memory sub-system performance. A purely partner-driven launch, the RX 9060 XT should be available as custom designs from ASUS, ASRock, GIGABYTE, Sapphire, PowerColor, XFX, and more.

Be sure to check out our reviews of: Sapphire RX 9060 XT 16 GB NITRO+ | ASRock RX 9060 XT 16 GB Steel Legend OC | XFX RX 9060 XT 16 GB SWIFT OC | ASUS RX 9060 XT 16 GB Prime OC

At Computex 2025, ASRock deliberated over the problems that have plagued certain AMD 800-series motherboard models. Fatal combinations—usually affecting popular Ryzen 7 9800X3D gaming CPUs—have been highlighted by sections of the PC hardware community, and (subsequently) press outlets. Months ago, the Taiwanese mainboard manufacturer's Japanese branch took a combative stance (in response to widespread criticism). Following continued failures of Team Red "Granite Ridge" desktop processors on "mid-to-high-end" ASRock mainboards—even in non-3D V-Cache guises—company representatives have interacted with key media conduits, including Tech YES City's Bryan Bilowol. Coinciding with the release of fresh BIOS fixes, long-form video coverage of Q&A sessions have turned up on YouTube.

Company reps have alluded to a warranty replacement scheme, but full details were not disclosed during May-time Computex proceedings. Many critics are still waiting for an official company statement; hopefully addressed to a global audience. In the meantime, one regional office has weighed in with some much-needed outreach: "ASRock Korea takes the recent AMD 800 series motherboard issues experienced by some users very seriously and will follow up with you to protect your trust. ASRock is continuously monitoring the performance and stability of the platform and will provide a firmware update as soon as possible if any issues are identified. In addition, if the system you are using is damaged due to this issue, we will take responsible measures for both the CPU and the motherboard distributed through the official domestic importer, and please submit the case through ASRock Korea's official distributor for diagnosis and processing. ASRock Korea will continue to listen to the voices of our customers and do our best to remain a trusted brand." This message was posted on Quasar Zone; a high-traffic PC hardware forum. A good number of manufacturers have responded to cases raised by members of this South Korean community.

Graphics card vendors are setting up product pages for AMD's upcoming Radeon RX 9060 XT ahead of its June 5th release date. Tom's Hardware reports that well-known leaker @momomo_us discovered early retail listings from Central Computers (US) showing preliminary pricing that begins at $319.99. The California-based retailer has posted three ASRock variants of the RX 9060 XT with the Challenger 8 GB priced at $319.99, the Challenger 16 GB at $369.99, and the Steel Legend 16 GB at $389.99. Both Challenger variants carry a $20 premium over AMD's suggested retail pricing for their respective memory configurations, while the Steel Legend brings a $40 markup above MSRP. These higher prices, compared to AMD's MSRP ($299 for the 8 GB version and $349 for the 16 GB model), likely reflect factory overclocking implementations across all three models. VideoCardz also spotted UK retailer Overclockers UK briefly displaying pricing ranging from £289.99 to £359.99 before masking their listings to conceal actual launch pricing.

AMD's RX 9060 XT 8 GB and 16 GB target the mainstream segment competing directly with NVIDIA's RTX 5060 and RTX 5060 Ti. Both RX 9060 XT models are based on the 4 nm "Navi 44" silicon, with upgrades to the latest RDNA 4 architecture and new features such as FSR 4 and the upcoming FSR "Project Redstone" feature set. The company claims that the RX 9060 XT 16 GB should beat the GeForce RTX 5060 Ti 8 GB by 6% on average, tested across 40 game titles, at 1440p. The RX 9060 XT debuts with official pricing starting at $299 for the 8 GB version and $349 for the 16 GB model.

ASRock, the leading global motherboard, graphics card and mini PC manufacturer, today launched the new Steel Legend and Challenger series graphics cards based on the latest AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT GPU. As the latest member of the AMD Radeon RX 9000 series GPUs, AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT also uses the AMD RDNA 4 architecture, which is equipped with the 3rd Gen ray tracing and 2nd Gen AI accelerators, provides up to 32 AMD RDNA 4 compute units, and supports AMD HYPR-RX, AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution (FSR) 4 and advanced Frame Generation..., and other AMD's latest exclusive technologies, plus the latest specifications such as DisplayPort 2.1a, PCI Express 5.0, and also a large-capacity up to 16 GB GDDR6 memory. These rich features and specifications provide end users with an excellent AAA gaming experience.

Otherwise, ASRock AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT Series graphics cards also support various ASRock exclusive features, including the Striped Ring/Axial Fan, Air Deflecting Fin, Ultra-fit Heatpipe, Metal Backplate, and Polychrome SYNC technology to provide great cooling efficiency, solid construction and fancy ARGB lighting effects. With these exclusive features, ASRock AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT Series graphics cards are premium choices for gamers and system integrators.

ASRock has finally acknowledged that the mysterious AMD Ryzen "processor deaths" plaguing its mid- and high-end motherboards weren't caused by defective AMD chips or stray debris but rather overly aggressive Precision Boost Overdrive settings in its BIOS. After more than 100 reports of Ryzen 7 9800X3D and Ryzen 9 9950X CPUs going dark on boards like the X670E Taichi and B650E Steel Legend, the company rolled out BIOS version 3.25 to dial back the Thermal Design Current and Electrical Design Current limits and apologized for initially blaming memory quirks and socket contaminants. ASRock will repair or replace affected motherboards free of charge (including shipping), though users whose CPUs have already failed must seek warranties through their retailer or AMD.

"No, we're not saying it's an AMD issue. We found that it should be related to our BIOS setting — that's the PBO settings, Precision Boost Overdrive. More technically, we adjusted two main settings in PBO. One is TDC (Thermal Design Current) and the other is EDC (Electrical Design Current). We found that our original values for these two settings might have been too high. So now, with BIOS version 3.25, we lowered the PBO values. We believe this can solve the problem."—Chris Lee, ASRock VP of Motherboard Business

Earlier this month, Bryan Bilowol—of Tech YES City fame—was taken aback by the unexpected "death" of his Ryzen 9 9950X processor, at the alleged hands of an ASRock X870 Steel Legend motherboard. Throughout early 2025, widespread news reports and community tracking efforts have largely implicated ASRock boards. AMD's highly popular Ryzen 7 9800X3D gaming CPU has "fallen victim" on numerous occasions, but a smaller number of incidents have affected non-3D V-Cache equipped Ryzen 9000 "Granite Ridge" models. The Taiwanese manufacturer and Team Red have investigated these problems, and have released fixes via BIOS updates. Despite these efforts, unhappy owners have experienced CPU failures in Q2'25. Following the uploading of initial findings and theories, Bilowol promised further reports. Fortunately, a sit-down—with ASRock's motherboard team—happened late last week, at Computex 2025. At the time of writing, the company has not published an official statement regarding their latest findings or fixes. Tech YES City shared a couple of compelling details in a May 26 YouTube upload (viewable below).

Commenting on the Ryzen 9000 CPU failure situation, Bilowol relayed important ASRock material: (the motherboard team) told me it had to do with the EDC and TDC, which is the electric design current as well as the thermal design current. Essentially, they're saying it's an ampage problem that exists with the precision boost overdrive (PBO) settings. In particular, these mid-range and high-end motherboards—say for instance a B650E or an X670E Taichi or even a B850 Steel Legend—have the ability to run Ryzen 9000 series CPUs at their maximum PBO settings out of the box. What's happening here is ASRock told me they were implementing these settings to what they believe was too aggressive for what the CPUs were able to handle, at least for earlier samples. However, they do promise me that these issues have been fixed with their latest BIOS updates that they're rolling out for these mid-range and high-end motherboards. They also told me that the lower-end boards, say for instance, an A620 HDV or something like that, shouldn't be affected by this issue simply because those PBO settings have been deliberately tuned down, due to the motherboard in question not being a high-end model." Three months back, ASRock's Japanese branch accused the PC hardware community of spreading "misinformation." Hopefully, the latest batch of fixes will bring an end to all Ryzen 9000 CPU + high-end/mid-range ASRock mainboard controversies.

ASRock revealed its Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi OC flagship card at CES 2025—at the time, TechPowerUp staffers quickly realized that this design was outfitted with a 12V-2x6 power connector. Up until early 2025, this connection standard was mostly associated with NVIDIA GeForce 40 and 50-series graphics cards. ASRock and Sapphire have taken the unusual step of deploying premium RDNA 4 GPU-based models that sport 12V-2x6 connectors; breaking away from a traditional usage of 8-pin power delivery channels. The Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi OC SKU arrived with a new aesthetic; consisting of various gunmetal gray shades, gear graphics, and ARGB lighting zones. Visitors to the company's Computex 2025 booth were dazzled by plethora of new products—most notably: brand-new Radeon RX 9060 XT models.

Unfortunately, TPU's photographer did not notice a very special current-gen Taichi spin-off. Apparently, the Taiwanese manufacturer has absorbed some inspiration from a nearby rival's "Spectral White" line: PowerColor. ASRock's "Taichi White 16 GB OC Concept Card" seems to stick with existing overclocked Radeon RX 9070 XT specifications (including a 3.1 GHz boost clock), but the firm's engineering team has integrated an LCD information window. This built-in-display was not powered up—for obvious reasons—but industry watchdogs reckon that (speculative) finalized retail examples will demand higher prices of entry, due to this extra provision. Company representatives—in attendance at last week's Computex event—have disclosed only a bare minimum of details. Top brass could be weighing up Taichi White's future; with an escape beyond concept phases—maybe in limited edition form.

ASRock proudly announces that its WRX90 WS EVO and TRX50 WS workstation motherboards now offer full support for AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 and Threadripper 9000 series processors, delivering outstanding computing performance for HEDT & Workstation platform. Featuring the latest Zen 5 architecture, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 / Threadripper 9000 series processors boast up to 96 cores and supports more PCIe 5.0 lanes, setting a new benchmark for industry-leading performance.

ASRock WS series motherboards, including the WRX90 WS EVO and TRX50 WS, support AMD Ryzen Threadripper Pro 9000 / Threadripper 9000 series processors through a simple BIOS update, which is now available to download from ASRock official website.

In addition to new graphics cards, ASRock also showcased a couple of new motherboards at the Computex 2025 show in Taipei, including the new X870E Taichi OCF, X870 Taichi Creator, as well as the new Phantom Gaming X870 Nova Wi-Fi motherboard.

The star of the show is the new X870E Taichi OCF, which is also the first OC Formula motherboard based on AMD platform. This feature packed motherboard will support AMD Ryzen 9000, 8000, and 7000 series processors on AM5 socket. It features a 25-power phase VRM with 110A SPS, has two DDR5 DIMM slots, two PCIe 5.0 x16 and single PCIe 4.0 x4 slot, a total of six M.2 ports (two of which are PCIe Gen 5 x4), plenty of USB ports, 5 Gbps Ethernet, integrated Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth, and most importantly, "Professional Overclocking Toolkit", which means that this one is aimed at some high overclocking. ASRock also showcased the new X870 Taichi Creator, a more standard motherboard that has 21-phase VRM design, but comes with Marvell's 5 Gbps and 10 Gbps Ethernet ports.

ASRock had plenty of new graphics cards at the Computex 2025 show, with a few interesting pieces in its Creator Series, including the new AMD Radeon AI PRO R9700 and Arc Pro B60 graphics cards. In addition, ASRock showcased the newly announced AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT graphics cards that will be available in both Challenger and Steel Legend series.

The ASRock Creator Series is an interesting one as this is aimed at "multi-GPU collaborative computing," meaning it is designed for multi-card computing. This is the reason why the ASRock Creator Series uses a blower-style dual-slot cooler design with vapor chamber heatsink. It also comes with 0dB Silent Cooling and a metal frame construction. ASRock also unveiled two new graphics cards in its Creator Series, the Radeon AI PRO R9700, based on the newly announced RDNA 4-based Radeon AI Pro R9700, which is basically a beefed up version of the Radeon RX 9070 XT, maxing out the 4 nm Navi 48 GPU with 64 compute units and 32 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory on a 256-bit memory interface, and the Intel Arc Pro B60 Creator, based on Intel's recently announced Arc Pro B60 GPU. The Arc Pro B60 is based on Intel Xe2-HPG architecture with 160 Intel XMX engines and coming with 24 GB of 20 Gbps GDDR6 memory on a 192-bit memory interface.

ASRock has brought its new 27-inch PG27QFW2A gaming monitor to the Computex 2025 show, and this 2560x1440 resolution IPS display has a refresh rate of 400 Hz. Part of ASRock's Phantom Gaming lineup, the PG27QFW2A has a 400 nits typical brightness, 1 ms (GTG) response time, and a typical contrast ratio of 1000:1. It has VESA DisplayHDR 400 and AMD FreeSync Premium certifications.

It supports all the usual tilt, swivel and height adjustments, as well as a 100x100 VESA mount, and comes with two HDMI 2.1 (FRL) and one DisplayPort 1.4 outputs. The PG27QFW2A also comes with two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, two 2 W speakers, and a headphone output. Another unique feature is an integrated Wi-Fi antenna (7dBi). In addition to the PG27QFW2A, ASRock was also keen to point out several other monitors, including the 27-inch 1920x1080 resolution 520 Hz PG27FFX2A, as well as four OLED gaming monitors, including the PGO32QFSA, a 32-inch 4K 240 Hz gaming monitor powered by Samsung's advanced QD-OLED.

ASRock, a global leader in motherboards, graphics cards, mini PCs, power supplies, and gaming monitors, is excited to announce the participation in Computex Taipei 2025. Under the theme Gaming Beyond Limits, AI Beyond Imagination, ASRock will showcase the dual focus on next-level gaming and AI applications. From immersive gaming setups to AI solutions, the exhibit highlights ASRock's commitment to innovation across both fields. Visitors are invited to explore the latest products and technologies, and to experience the Phantom Gaming Zone at booth L0818.

ASRock Unveils Flagship Taichi OCF and Taichi Creator AM5 Motherboards
To expand its success on AMD AM5 motherboards, ASRock will be adding more exciting products into its product portfolio. New product such as X870E Taichi OCF, the very first OC formula motherboard based on AMD platform, Phantom Gaming X870 Nova WiFi, the new high end gaming motherboard based on X870 chipset, a functional yet elegantly designed X870 Taichi Creator and also a lot more products that are based on X870 / B850 / B840 / A620A chipset.

On May 9, the South Korean Radio Agency (RRA) logged four unannounced ASRock Radeon RX 9060 XT SKUs. Since early Spring, harukaze5719 has kept a watchful eye on intriguing pre-launch registrations. For example, they discovered Gigabyte's Gaming OC 16 GB and 8 GB models over a month ago. AMD's board partners seem to be prepping custom options; well in advance of next week's teased unveiling (at Computex 2025). ASRock seems to be cutting things quite fine, with their registering of (allegedly) Navi 44 XT GPU-based Steel Legend and Challenger models. Rumors of a canceled AMD Radeon RX 9060 XT 8 GB (GDDR6) variant emerged a while back, but certain insiders have insisted that this cheaper option will arrive alongside a 16 GB sibling.

Recent RRA filings indicate an upcoming two-pronged approach, involving a good number of AIBs. Buoyed by harukaze5719's fresh findings, VideoCardz carried out additional detective work. They soon unearthed "in stock" ASRock Steel Legend and Challenger factory overclocked Radeon RX 9060 XT cards. Apparently, a Vietnamese store is already courting local client interest—prices are not visible on the unnamed shop's webstore, but staffers are reportedly "encouraging customers to inquire" about costs of ownership. Gaming GPU enthusiasts will recall the amusingly extra early arrival of custom Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 retail stock in Europe; in anticipation of a supposedly scuppered January launch window. Unlike its main rival, AMD seems to be running on schedule with its next wave of RDNA 4 gaming products.

Unlucky owners of AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processors have encountered major problems that largely involve ASRock motherboards. Throughout early 2025, user feedback provided insight into numerous cases of "catastrophic CPU failures." Members of the official ASRock subreddit have kept track of these unfortunate incidents; now closing in on 200 documented "murdered" specimens. Industry watchdogs reckon that even more disagreements—involving the Zen 5-based 9000X3D series and ASRock B- and X- (AM5) boards—exist outside of this community-aggregated log. At the end of February, ASRock pushed out an important BIOS update—this fix did not resolve all problems. Over a month later, AMD weighed in with their findings—in response, ASRock released another update.

Evidently, Ryzen 7 9800X3D products continue to perish—Tech YES City's Bryan Bilowol has added Team Red's Ryzen 9 9950X model to the mix. The tech YouTuber was surprised by the death of his example; apparently caused by an ASRock X870 Steel Legend mainboard. Standard "Granite Ridge" processors—that lack 3D V-Cache—have received less attention, but observers believe that these non-X3D options are still vulnerable. Bilowol did not personally experience the moment of catastrophe—instead, a friend was borrowing an affected PC build. As demonstrated in a new Tech YES City video post-mortem, the completely dead CPU sported some worrying gray marks. Tech YES City has a fairly large audience, so ASRock leadership will likely be cursing after noticing another uptick in public scrutiny. Past reports have pointed out the manufacturer's belief that too much "misinformation" is being spread. Bilowol surmised that the company is keeping this issue: "under the radar—they seem to be hoping that the issue will just go away." Despite collaborating with ASRock for over a decade, Tech YES City will not pull any punches—await for more gory details in upcoming follow-up investigations.

ASRock Inc., a leading global motherboard manufacturer, officially announces today the release of a comprehensive BIOS update for its Intel Z890 series motherboards, enabling the brand-new Intel 200S Boost feature. With this update, users can effectively "upgrade" their existing Intel Core Ultra processors and enjoy a significant performance boost.

Intel 200S Boost is achieved through fine-tuning of BIOS settings and voltage adjustments, leveraging a subset of overclocking features found on K-series CPUs to enhance system performance, offering a truly noticeable upgrade. What's even more exciting is that this overclocking method does not void Intel's limited processor warranty.

A small number of AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D CPUs have had trouble starting up on some ASRock AM5 motherboards. The issue was first noticed in February 2025, and both AMD and ASRock immediately looked into the problem. The investigation found that the older BIOS versions on specific ASRock boards had memory compatibility problems. When a Ryzen 7 9800X3D was used, the computer could not complete its normal boot process, known as POST. ASRock quickly released a beta BIOS update to fix the memory issue, and after testing, a final version of the update was made available as of now. Users who update their BIOS should now see the problem disappear. In one case, a report suggested that a Ryzen 7 9800X3D had been damaged. However, further checks showed no burn marks on the motherboard. The issue was simply due to some debris, and after careful cleaning, the motherboard started normally and passed further tests.

AMD pointed out that many reasons can cause a computer to not start up properly, and a POST failure does not always mean the CPU is broken. They advise users to update their BIOS to the newest version available for their motherboard model. If the problem continues even after updating, users should reach out to customer support for help. In a few cases, if the problem cannot be fixed on the spot, the CPU might need to be replaced. This quick fix shows that AMD and ASRock work well together to solve problems. Even though only a few systems were affected, the issue was taken seriously and fixed fast. With the latest BIOS update, users can now expect their systems to boot without trouble, ensuring that the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers good performance for everyday tasks and gaming.

Around RDNA 4's launch period, ASRock's web presences listed an intriguing Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend Dark 16 GB model—seemingly not mentioned in official introductory press material. As covered on TechPowerUp earlier this month, this unusual darkened spin-off of the "traditional white" Steel Legend design received little fanfare—the obvious reason being that gray/black stock was not readied for AMD's March 6 rollout to market. Over the past weekend, VideoCardz put an investigative spotlight on a Hermitage AkiHabara/GDM Japan press release. It turns out that ASRock's Radeon RX 9070 XT Steel Legend Dark SKU will become available early next month, starting with the Japanese "domestic market."

The manufacturer's global website was not updated with a similar PR item, so an international/widespread launch is likely planned for a later date. The "expected market price" upon release is 133,800 yen (including tax), which converts to roughly US$891. Industry watchdogs believe that the Dark variant will roll out "globally" with the exact same price tag as the already launched pale sibling. The Taiwanese brand did not introduce a Radeon RX 9070 (non-XT) Steel Legend Dark overclocked model, to exist alongside their white-hued RX 9070 Steel Legend OC offering. The wallet-friendlier triple-fan ASRock RX 9070 Challenger SKU—in black, with a splash of ARGB—is their only other Navi 48 XT GPU-based option.

ASRock Industrial introduces the iEP(F)-9040 Series, a next-generation Robust Edge AIoT Platform designed to deliver high-performance edge AI computing, real-time industrial automation, and scalable expansion for smart manufacturing, intelligent vision systems, autonomous robotics, and edge AI applications. Powered by Intel Core 200S Processors (Bartlett Lake-S), the iEP(F)-9040 Series enables seamless AI inferencing, high-speed data processing, and intelligent edge computing for industrial IoT and AIoT applications. With support for up to 24 cores and 32 threads with enhanced longevity, DDR5 5600 MHz memory up to 96 GB, PCIe Gen 5 expansion, the Series is built to handle complex AI workloads. Designed to thrive in extreme industrial conditions, the series supports up to -40°C~75°C wide operating temperature range and 9 V-36 V DC power input with ignition control, ensuring reliable operation in mission-critical environments. The iEP(F)-9040 Series features rich industrial I/O, supports real-time TSN/TCC, and connectivity options like 5G/4G LTE, Wi-Fi 6E and BT 5.4 for high-speed, low-latency communication. The Series is ideal for various industrial applications such as smart factory, AI-based Inspection, robotics, surveillance, smart transportation, and more, providing a future-ready AIoT solution for next generation edge and industrial intelligence.

Optimized AI and Compute Performance with Intel Core 200S Processors
The iEP(F)-9040 Series harness the power of Intel Core 200S Processors (Bartlett Lake-S) to deliver superior computing performance and AI acceleration with long-term support. With up to 24 (8P+16E) cores, delivering up to 32 threads, the series enables real-time AI inferencing, industrial automation, and intelligent edge computing. Compared to previous generations, Intel Core 200S Processors (Bartlett Lake-S) achieve up to 1.06x faster single-threaded and 1.08x faster multi-thread performance. Supporting dual DDR5 5600 MHz SO-DIMM memory up to 96 GB, the iEP(F)-9040 Series significantly boosts machine vision, AI model deployment, and automation. Integrated Intel UHD Graphics provides up to 4K high-resolution AI-driven imaging, with DisplayPort 1.4a, HDMI 2.0b, and VGA outputs for flexible industrial display configurations.

We are aware of a number of cases where some AMD CPUs have boot issues with specific BIOS versions, and case with ASRock motherboard involving damaged CPU. We are taking these incidents seriously and have reached out to many of the affected users to gather information. We have obtained some of the motherboards for thorough inspection.

• A retrieved motherboard was in a system where the CPU showed burn damage. When inspecting this motherboard, we found that the motherboard does not have obvious damage nor burn marks around the VRM area. Measurements of the motherboard are also within spec. After cleaning and removing debris from the CPU socket, without further repair, the motherboard can boot up successfully with original onboard BIOS. It also passed long-term stress tests.
• With some BIOS versions, we have noticed some systems are not being able to boot with random 9000-series CPUs. BIOS 3.20 fixes this issue by improving memory compatibility.

Last month, ASRock added two "brand-new" B650M Pro X3D motherboard models to its global website. The Taiwanese manufacturer did not release any press material at the time, so the low-key additions were only spotted by watchful PC hardware news outlets. At the time, ASRock signalled that the eventual launch of "Pro X3D" mainboards would be restricted to certain market regions. Roughly a month later, momomo_us has stumbled across fresh listings in Japan. Yodobashi and Dospara are ready to ship out the ASRock B650M Pro X3D WiFi SKU to local customers. Respective price points—including VAT—are 26,640 yen (~$179 USD), and 23,980 yen (~$161 USD).

Curiously, the B650M Pro X3D series registers as an almost perfect visual match when compared to ASRock's "slightly older" B850M Pro RS mainboard family. Dospara's current price for the B850M Pro RS WiFi SKU is 27,800 yen (~$186.61 USD). This "refreshed" B650M design is up-to-date enough with PCI-E 5.0 support for mounted graphics cards and SSDs. According to the brand's product description: "(our Pro X3D motherboard series) is optimized for AMD Ryzen (9000 and 7000) X3D processors, delivering superior stability, compatibility, and enhanced performance, making it ideal for gaming and creating." Due to apparent confusion between "Pro X3D" and the latest "Pro RS" aesthetic, ASRock is not expected to roll out of with a wide release (of the former).

AMD's Radeon GPU lineup has achieved a remarkable 45% market share in Japan, representing the brand's strongest position in the competitive graphics card market, according to AMD Japan executive Sato during a recent industry roundtable. This significant market penetration marks a turning point for Team Red in a region historically dominated by NVIDIA. The announcement came during a multi-vendor panel featuring representatives from ASRock, ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSI, PowerColor, and Sapphire at an AMD-focused event in Akihabara. While celebrating the milestone, industry partners pushed for more ambitious targets, with ASRock's Haraguchi challenging AMD to aim for a 70% market share. ASUS executive Ichikawa humorously noted the brand's historical underdog status, remarking, "We've never been the ruling party!"

The event also featured insights on AMD's latest hardware from prominent tech influencers. "Sir Gradeon" praised the Radeon RX 9070 series for its overclocking headroom and substantial VRAM capacity, highlighting that the GPUs don't require power supply upgrades. Fellow influencer "Shurarara!!" emphasized the RX 9070 XT's price-to-performance ratio, noting its ability to run demanding titles like Monster Hunter Wilds at 4K resolution with appropriate settings. Supply constraints emerged as a significant concern during the roundtable, with AIB partners expressing frustration over GPU allocation limitations despite strong demand. The candid admission from AMD's representative about the company "not being used to selling graphics cards" at this volume sparked laughter among attendees, showing the unexpected nature of AMD's market surge. The event attracted substantial attention, with long lines forming before doors opened. Attendees participated in the X-Walk Post Campaign across Akihabara's electronics district, with early purchasers of AMD products receiving exclusive promotional items.

AMD's Radeon RX 9070 XT is demonstrating unexpected performance gains through aggressive undervolting, with overclocking specialists documenting significant improvements that push the GPU past NVIDIA's pricier GeForce RTX 5080 in specific benchmarks. Recent tests by Der8auer using a PowerColor Red Devil RX 9070 XT revealed a 10% frame rate increase in Cyberpunk 2077 at 4K Ultra settings by applying a -170 mV voltage offset while increasing the power target to 110%. This modification enabled the GPU to reach clock speeds of 3.36 GHz, compared to 2.90 GHz at stock settings, resulting in 66 FPS versus the RTX 5080's 65 FPS in identical testing environments. The undervolting phenomenon appears consistent across the product line, with YouTuber Alva Jonathan achieving similar 10% performance improvements on the standard RX 9070 using ASRock's Steel Legend model.

Both testers discovered that traditional core clock overclocking yielded negligible results, suggesting these factory-overclocked cards are already operating near their architectural limits. The voltage-frequency curve adjustments effectively lower the voltage required for higher frequencies. Memory overclocking proved counterproductive, with error correction mechanisms actually reducing in-game performance when pushed beyond stable parameters. These results come with important caveats—both tested units are premium variants with enhanced power delivery and cooling solutions that sell significantly above AMD's MSRP. The PowerColor Red Devil commanded a $200 premium over the RX 9070 XT's $599 launch price, while the ASRock Steel Legend carried a $90 markup over the RX 9070's base $550 MSRP. Even with these premiums, however, the high-end RX 9070 XT models remain approximately $200 less expensive than NVIDIA's RTX 5080 while delivering comparable rasterization performance after optimization, despite NVIDIA's ongoing advantages in ray tracing capabilities and software ecosystem.

Alphacool International GmbH from Braunschweig is a pioneer in PC water cooling technology. With one of the most extensive product portfolios in the industry and over 20 years of experience, Alphacool is now expanding its range with the new Core GPU water coolers for the ASRock AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT Taichi 16 GB OC.

The GPU water cooler has been completely redesigned from a technical standpoint. Through precise adjustments to the PCB clearance, optimized water flow simulations, and extensive practical testing, the cooler base and jetplate have been refined to ensure maximum cooling performance for the latest AMD Radeon RX generation. The cooler features a precisely milled copper block, which, thanks to high-quality chrome plating, offers exceptional durability and an ultra-smooth surface. The design is complemented by robust brass fittings with a nylon cover, ensuring maximum safety and reliability.