Best RAM 2021: the top memory for your PC

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Having the best RAM under the hood of your PC is just as vital as having the best processor and the best graphics card. Especially if you plan on tackling demanding tasks like gaming, designing, and creating content, it will help give you that power and performance boost you’ll need, keeping your computer from getting sluggish when running the most demanding programs.

With operating systems, apps and the best PC games requiring more robust resources, nothing short of the best RAM is good enough. And, that’s even if your daily workload is mostly about having 20 tabs open on your browser. A fast memory can mean the difference between a smooth computing experience and a frustrating one.

We’ve gathered our top RAM choices and put them on this guide, alongside our price comparison tool so you can find the best deals out there. To truly experience the full potential of the best computers, you’ll want to get one of the best RAM on this list. 

• What is RAM?

Best RAM at a glance

1. Corsair Vengeance LED – best RAM
2. G.Skill Trident Z RGB – best DDR4 RAM
3. Kingston HyperX Predator – best DDR3 RAM
4. Kingston HyperX Fury – best Budget RAM
5. Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB – best High-end RAM
6. HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz – best high frequency RAM
7. G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC – best double capacity memory
8. Adata Spectrix D80 – best gaming RAM
9. G.Skill TridentZ Royal – best RGB RAM
10. Corsair Vengeance LPX – best Low-Profile RAM
11. G.Skill Mac RAM – best Mac RAM
12. Crucial Ballistix Sport – best Laptop RAM

Corsair Vengeance LED is just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic. (Image Credit: Corsair)

1. Corsair Vengeance LED

Best RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB Kit (2 x 8GB) | Speed: 3200MHz

Great overclocking performance

Vibrant LED

Pricey

Need BIOS update to run at 3200MHz

Corsair is one of the most trusted names when it comes to the best RAM on the market. Its Vengeance series, especially, has something for everyone with its LED DDR4 offerings. On top of giving PC builders that extra touch of vibrant lighting, this RAM has robust heat spreaders that maximise cooling for higher overclocking and maximum performance. Corsair’s Vengeance LED DDR4 series also features CL16 latency and whopping 3,466 MHz speeds, so it’s just as fast and responsive as it is aesthetic.

It’s hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM. (Image Credit: G.Skill)

2. G.Skill Trident Z RGB

Best DDR4 RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB) | Speed: 3200MHz

Excellent RGB lighting

Easy to overclock

Feels a bit flimsy

Might be a bit too flashy for some

At this point, everyone kind of knows about G. Skill and its Trident Z RGB series of RAM. This is some of the best RAM not just because it’s fast, but the top of every DIMM features a full-spectrum rainbow wave light bar that you can use to match your RGB lighting across your entire system. Trident Z RGB DDR4 RAM features CAS latencies between 14 and 19 which is awesome enough, but with speeds up to 4,266, it’s almost perfect. No matter your aesthetic, it’s hard to argue with the G. Skill TridentZ RGB as the best RGB RAM.

Kingston HyperX Predator is particularly tuned for speed and extreme-performance. (Image Credit: Kingston)

3. Kingston HyperX Predator

Best DDR3 RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 8GB, 16GB | Speed: up to 4600MHz

Great price

Excellent overclocking potential

RGB doesn't always work

Pricier than others

Kingston’s high-performance HyperX has some of the best DDR3 RAM on the market and the Predator models is particularly tuned for speed and extreme-performance that’s further expandable with XMP profiles. The Predator DDR3 series achieves CL9 to CL11 latencies and speeds between 1866MHz to 2666MHz.

Kingston HyperX Fury can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. (Image Credit: Kingston)

4. Kingston HyperX Fury

Best budget RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB | Speed: up to 3733MHz

Affordable at lower speeds

Strong performance

A bit slow

3733MHz speed is pricey

This Kingston HyperX Fury is auto overclocked memory that won’t empty your wallet. This smart DDR3 or DDR4 RAM auto-detects system components to overclock to the highest speeds possible, optimizing performance for all of Intel’s latest chipsets. It comes with latencies between CL14 and CL16, and has speeds between 2,133 and 2,666MHz. While it’s inexpensive, it really can have a huge impact on the performance of your rig. 

Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB is the best RAM around in 2019. (Image Credit: Corsair)

5. Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB

Best high-end RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) | Speed: 3000MHz

Great performance

Looks great

Not compatible with Ryzen

Not high quality enough for the price

If you want the best of the best, and you don’t care about pricing, Corsair’s Dominator Platinum memory has always been at the top of the list. However, in 2019, it’s been refreshed to include Corsair’s new Capellix RGB LEDs, leading to a much richer and more colorful design. It’s the same high-end RAM we know and love, with speeds up to 3,600 MHz, but the better RGB make the Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB the best RAM around in 2020. 

With speeds of up to 3,733MHz and CL15–19 latencies, HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz is simply fast. (Image credit: HyperX)

6. HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz

Best high frequency RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 4GB to 32GB single modules, up to 128GB kit configurations | Speed: 3733MHz

Great RGB

Fast

Choppy RGB lighting

Gigabyte and MSI RGB support doesn't always work

The HyperX Fury RGB 3733MHz is not just pretty with its RGB design. With speeds from 2400MHz to 3,733MHz as well as CL15 to CL19 latencies, it’s just as fast as it is stunning, making it well-deserving of the best high frequency RAM accolade. What’s more is that it’s fitted with predefined Intel Extreme Memory Profiles for maximum performance as well as yperX’s patent-pending infrared sync technology. For an even more immersive gaming experience, you can daisy chain this RAM to sync with multiple other RGB devices. This is some of the best RAM to invest in right now.

If you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots, G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC is for you. (Image Credit: G.Skill)

7. G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC

Best double capacity memory

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 64GB (2x32GB) | Speed: 3200MHz

Twice the number of memory chips

Great build quality

Only compatible with select Z390 motherboards

RGB can be a hit or miss

Sometimes, especially when you’re looking for the best gaming components, ‘go big or go home’ is the best advice. And, when you want more RAM than you’ll know what to do with, you’re going to want to go with the G.Skill Trident Z RGB DC memory. The DC stands for double capacity, as in,  32GB per stick. Now, this is definitely not the fastest memory in the world, right now it’s only available in up to 3,200 MHz, but if you need a lot of RAM without taking up too many DIMM slots (like if you have a big CPU cooler or a Mini-ITX board), you can’t go wrong with the G.Skill TridentZ RGB DC.

Adata Spectrix D80 is great for your all-out gaming rig. (Image Credit: Adata)

8. Adata Spectrix D80

Best gaming RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2x8GB), 32 (2x16GB) | Speed: up to 4,133MHz

Great looks

Performs very well in four-DIMM configurations

Expensive

Mediocre two-DIMM performance

If you’re building an all-out gaming rig, you’ll want the flashiest hardware on offer – who doesn’t want a gaming rig that lights up the entire room? If this sounds appealing, the Adata Spectrix D80 is the RAM to go for. Not only is it available in frequencies up to 5,000MHz, but it’s also liquid cooled, meaning you don’t have to worry about it overheating. The Adata Spectrix D80 is going to be the best RAM for gaming in an RGB-lit cavern. 

The TridentZ Royal memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market. (Image credit: G.Skill )

9. G.Skill TridentZ Royal

Best RGB RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB (4x8GB) | Speed: 3600MHz

Great looking

Compatible with most boards

A bit expensive

Not premium enough for the price

Finding RAM that fits in perfectly with your light up gaming rig is easy with G.Skill. In fact, its TridentZ Royal memory gets our vote as the best RGB RAM on the market right now, thanks to its unique crown jewel design. That means that it’s fitted with a crystalline light bar that basically scatters the eight customizable RGB colors for lighting that dazzles and sparkles. The RAM itself is polished with aluminum heatspreaders of gold or silver colors to keep the whole thing cool. Of course, it’s not all looks – the G.Skill TridentZ Royal also delivers great reliability and performance.

Corsair Vengeance LPX is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. (Image Credit: Corsair)

10. Corsair Vengeance LPX

Best low-profile RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 16GB (2 x 8GB) | Speed: 3200MHz

Great performance

Two cooling fans

Limited overclockability

High percentage of defective units

Corsair’s Vengeance LPX RAM is made for users who want the maximum performance with minimum footprint. This low-profile RAM is essential for PC builds with massive CPU coolers. Despite being so low-profile, they still feature an eight-layer heat spreader to cool while overclocking. While its thin design doesn’t allow for LEDs, but you can get it in three colors: black, red or blue.  

G.Skill Mac RAM has memory upgrades for Macs. (Image Credit: G.Skill)

11. G.Skill Mac RAM

Best Mac RAM

Type: DDR3 | Capacity: 4GB (2x2GB) | Speed: up to 1066MHz

Affordable alternative

Best value

May not be compatible with much older Macs

Slow for power users

 G.Skill isn’t just dedicated to laptop and desktop RAM, but it also has memory upgrades for Macs. You see, Apple charges inordinate amounts for RAM upgrades, so going with a third party kit can save a ton of money. Well, as long as your Mac is old enough to still have upgradeable RAM. These SO-DIMM kits have a CAS latency between 9 and 11 and feature speeds between 1,333MHz and 1,600MHz. The best bang for your buck seems to be the G.Skill DDR3-1,333 for Mac. 

Crucial Ballistix Sport boasts efficient battery life and delivers fast speeds for multi-tasking. (Image Credit: Crucial)

12. Crucial Ballistix Sport

Best laptop RAM

Type: DDR4 | Capacity: 32GB (2x16GB) | Speed: up to 3200 MHz

Low profile

Great value for gaming

Doesn't alway work with AMD Ryzen

Nothing extraordinary

Crucial is by far the best RAM for laptop systems. This manufacturer has designed its Crucial Ballistix Sport SODIMMs for efficient battery life while still delivering fast speeds for multi-tasking. It’s ideal for anyone wanting to speed up the best laptops, and this memory likely offers higher memory speed than anything coming stock in your laptop. Just make sure your laptop actually lets you upgrade the RAM – repairability is falling out of fashion these days.

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Intel Core i7-11700K goes on sale early – and the price might shock you

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While we wait for Intel to reveal its latest 11th generation desktop processors at an event on March 16, it looks like a German retailer may have jumped the gun, and listed the Intel Core i7-11700K for €469 (around $570 / £410 / AU$730).

If the listing is accurate (and it’s still up at the time of writing), then it means Intel’s as-yet-unannounced processor will be quite a bit more expensive than its predecessor.

• Intel vs AMD - who makes the best processors?
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As the VideoCardz website points out, the same store, Mindfactory.de, sells the Core i7-10700K for €317.50 (around £390 / £280 / AU$500), which is over €150 cheaper than its follow up will be. 

It also means the right-core, 16-thread Intel Core i7-11700K will cost almost as much as the flagship Intel Core i9-10900K. If the price is correct, it looks like we could be paying a premium for Rocket Lake-S processors.

(Image credit: Mindfactory.de / Intel)

Worth the extra cash?

So, will 11th generation Rocket Lake-S processors be worth the extra cost? It seems Intel is hoping so, with its Cypress Cove architecture promising higher clock speeds, better performance and support for PCIe 4.0.

These processors are expected to be unveiled at an event on March 16, with them going on sale March 30. However, with Mindfactory’s listing still live, it looks like you may be able to buy it earlier.

• These are the best processors of 2021

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Nvidia RTX 3060 GPU comes with bonus tech that’ll make some games run faster

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Nvidia has introduced support for resizable BAR, which delivers a nice frame rate boost in some games, with its just-launched GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card. Other desktop GPUs will get the feature late in March, Nvidia notes, although RTX 30 series laptop graphics cards will benefit from it off the bat.

If this feature rings a bell, it’s because PCIe’s resizable BAR capability first came to light when AMD introduced it with the launch of Big Navi graphics cards, in the form of Smart Access Memory (SAM).

• Nvidia's RTX 3060 Ti is still the best GPU for most people
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Intel and Nvidia were then quick to jump on the bandwagon and point out that they would be bringing in support for this feature too, with Nvidia making it clear that faster frame rates would be coming to RTX 3000 series graphics cards back in November 2020.

So, that support is now live for RTX 3060 owners, providing they’re running an AMD Ryzen 5000 CPU (with 500 series or 400 series motherboard), or on the Intel front, a 10th-gen Comet Lake CPU (or one of the incoming Rocket Lake processors, when they’re out).

In the case of laptops, the requirements are an RTX 30 series GPU and 11th-gen Tiger Lake mobile chip or Ryzen 5000 CPU. For the full list of compatible chips and motherboards, see Nvidia’s blog post.

Naturally, as well as compatible hardware, you’ll need the relevant motherboard and graphics card BIOS updates – although in the latter case, the RTX 3060 ships with the correct BIOS – as well as Nvidia’s latest Game Ready driver.

BAR benefits – or not

In simple terms, resizable BAR works by lifting memory constraints on CPU to GPU data access, which gives a decent performance uplift, although Nvidia is somewhat cautious on exactly what it will achieve.

As the GPU maker explains, the performance increase you can expect varies quite widely depending on the exact game. Nvidia notes: “In our testing, we’ve found some titles benefit from a few percent, up to 10% [frame rate increases]. However, there are also titles that see a decrease in performance.”

That being the case, Nvidia is running tests on games and will only enable resizable BAR if it makes sense, or in other words, if any given game gets a frame rate boost from the feature. There’s no use running it with a game if it’s proving a hindrance, of course.

These are the titles which are initially supported by the feature as of now:

• Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
• Battlefield V
• Borderlands 3
• Forza Horizon 4
• Gears 5
• Metro Exodus
• Red Dead Redemption 2
• Watch Dogs: Legion

Nvidia says that more games will be opened up for support when it provides the driver update late in March which will bring resizable BAR to the rest of the RTX 3000 range of desktop GPUs.

Finally, for those hunting for an RTX 3060 in order to get those BAR benefits, we’ve got a guide on where to buy the new graphics card that keeps a close eye on availability and stock levels.

• Find the best Nvidia GPU for you

Via Tom’s Hardware

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Best mining GPU 2021: the best graphics cards for mining Bitcoin, Ethereum and more

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Choosing hardware is not always easy, but if you’re looking for the best mining GPU to delve into cryptocurrency mining, then you’ve arrived at the right place. Excellent mining GPUs need enough memory and power for mining, but without breaking the bank, and we’ve got the best of them right here. After all, when you first start mining for Bitcoin or Ethereum, you won’t be yielding large amounts of cryptocurrency in the beginning. Minimizing your initial costs is an ideal way to get profitable quickly. 

Cryptocurrency takes its devotees on a rollercoaster ride, but with the recent investment in Bitcoin by Tesla, there has definitely been a recent surge in interest. Bitcoin, Ethereum and other crypto coins remain popular, while others are booming, which keeps up the demand for mining GPUs. There’s still quite a few GPU’s available that are suitable for mining workloads, all vying for your money. 

Let us help choose a great mining CPU for your needs. Valuing both price and efficiency, we gathered the best mining GPUs money can buy for 2021. Furthermore, so that you can get the best price on whichever one you pick, we also include our exclusive price comparison tool. This way, you will maximize your profits and start making your initial investment back quite quickly.

• Check out also the best VPN services
• Make sure you have the best cryptocurrency mining software installed as well

(Image credit: Amazon)

1. MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070

The RTX 2070 that is super-charged

Core Clock: 1620MHzMemory | Memory: 8 GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 6 pin + 8 pin | Power Draw: 225W | Outputs: DisplayPort x 3 (v1. 4) / HDMI 2. 0b x 1

Efficient heat dissipation

More CUDA cores

1440p gaming with ray tracing

Still kind of expensive

Limited availability

Boasting a step up in better performance than the previous generation, is the RTX 2070. At a lower price point, it’s easy to offer some compelling reasons to upgrade to the MSI Gaming GeForce RTX 2070 for gaming, design and content creation. Of course, it’s also among the leaders for the best mining GPUs currently. It has a heatsink designed for better heat dissipation, and Zero Frozr technology which can actually stop the fan in low workloads for less noise. It also has top hash speeds of 43.3 MH/s according to MiningCharts.

Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2070

(Image credit: Future)

2. Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

A top dog of the graphics card world

Core Clock: 1350MHz | Memory: 11 GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 8 pin + 8 pin | Power Draw: 260W | Outputs: DisplayPort, HDMI, USB Type-C

Powerful card

Factory overclocked

Expensive

Next generation cards are already out

Not too long ago, the Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti was the undisputed king of GPUs. And, it’s still royalty if you want 4K gaming or extremely smooth ray tracing on high settings. As far as how good it is for mining, it can deliver a 32.76 MH/s hashrate for some decent monthly income, making it a solid choice for a mining GPU if you want smooth mining performance. That is, if you can afford that high price that this is a significant barrier to entry.

Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080 Ti

(Image credit: Amazon)

3. MSI Gaming GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

Crazy-powerful and frosty-cool

Core Clock: 1481MHz | Memory: 11 GB GDDR5X | Memory Clock: 11 Gbps | Power Connectors: One 6-pin, One 8-pin | Power Draw: 250W | Outputs: DisplayPort x 2 / HDMI x 2/ DL-DVI-D

Titan X-equivalent gaming performance

Pushes the limits of Pascal

Improved cooling

A pricey investment for most

The Nvidia GTX 1080 Ti is still among the most powerful graphics cards out there, even in the face of its successors. It boasts Titan X-equivalent gaming performance and impressive cooling performance with 11 GB of GDDR5X memory. More importantly for those mining for cryptocurrency, this GPU can deliver a 21.63 MH/s hashrate on the KawPow (NBMiner) algorithm, according to BetterHash.net, and generate a healthy monthly income. It isn’t so readily available these days, but for those that can find it in stock, you might even find it on a deal.

Read the full review: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1080 Ti

(Image credit: Amazon)

4. ASUS ROG Strix AMD Radeon RX 5700XT

Showcasing what Navi has to offer

Core Clock: 1605 MHz | Memory: 8 GB GDDR6 | Memory Clock: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin, 1 x 6-pin | Power Draw: 225W | Outputs: 1.4 with DSC DisplayPort, HDMI with 4K60 support

Excellent 1440p gaming performance

Plenty of forward-looking features

No ray tracing

Blower-style cooler

One of the best AMD graphics cards we’ve tested in years, the Radeon RX 5700 XT is a total beast when it comes to 1440p gaming. Also, unlike Ray Tracing, it touts many features that are actually usable from day one such as support for up to 6 monitors and Super Alloy Power II components that are aerospace grade. When it comes to cryptomining, it’s even more impressive. It has been reported to deliver a 49.01 MH/s hashrate on the Ethash (Claymore) algorithm, and is capable of generating monthly income almost on par with the 2080 Ti for much less.

Read the full review: Radeon RX 5700 XT

(Image credit: Amazon)

5. FX AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS XXX Edition Graphics Card

An absolute powerhouse

Core Clock: 1386 MHz | Memory: 8 GB GDDR5 | Memory Clock: 14 Gbps | Power Connectors: 1 x 8-pin, 1 x 6-pin | Power Draw: 150W | Outputs: 3x DisplayPort, 1x HDMI, 1x DVI-D

Excellent performance

Plenty of software features

Dual fans

No ray tracing

Featuring the latest Polaris architecture, the XFX AMD Radeon RX 580 GTS is a solid choice for gaming. It should also come as no surprise that it’s also among the best mining GPUs out there, combining an affordable price tag with nice profitability. This has been found to generate more than $3 of daily income with a 29 MH/s hashrate, making it an excellent option for crytominers on a more modest budget. 

Read the full review: AMD Radeon RX 580

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Intel Rocket Lake CPU pre-orders could go live early to make the most of AMD Ryzen stock woes

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Intel’s Rocket Lake processors could be revealed on March 16, in just a few weeks’ time, with pre-orders going live on that date, ahead of the chips being available to buy at the end of March.

The 11th-gen CPUs will actually be available to buy on March 30 at 8am PT, which is also when reviews of the processors will be published, according to sources who spoke to Wccftech. The details given are quite precise, but as ever, we must be very cautious about any rumor like this.

• We’ve picked out all the best processors
• And check out the best motherboards
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Still, the March 16 reveal date almost exactly matches what we’ve heard from the rumor mill before, which is that Intel will launch these next-gen chips on March 15.

One thing that seems a little odd is pre-orders being live after the initial launch, but reviews only coming out two weeks later when the Rocket Lake CPUs are actually on sale. 

In other words, those who are pre-ordering will be taking something of a leap in the dark, with no knowledge of how the performance of these 11th-gen chips pans out aside from leaks (as proper reviews won’t be around until a fortnight later).

Microcode delay

Wccftech explains that apparently Intel is delaying the on-sale date of Rocket Lake silicon due to a new microcode update which will need to be applied by motherboard manufacturers, and to ensure this is in place (presumably it’s a key update, then). It still remains unclear as to why pre-orders might open so early, though.

If this is the case – and remember, this is just speculation – it essentially envisages a situation where Intel is seemingly believing that folks will be happy to commit to Rocket Lake without seeing performance benchmarks (aside from a couple of small clues Intel has already provided).

Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen – in fact, what will happen full-stop is still up in the air of course – but if this situation does arise, there may well be folks willing to go ahead and grab a pre-order simply because they might be worried about Intel’s 11th-gen stocks and availability come the end of March.

Of course, all we’re hearing about of late is stock shortages – certainly on the AMD front – and how broader supply and demand issues in terms of PC components aren’t going to be resolved any time soon.

Indeed, another theory could be that maybe Intel wants to get pre-orders live early, ahead of the full launch, to capitalize to the maximum on those aforementioned AMD Ryzen stock problems (before shortages on some Ryzen 5000 chips begin to ease at least somewhat, which is a possibility we’ve heard on the grapevine).

Rocket Lake will run with an 8-core flagship CPU (rather than the 10-core product which spearheads Comet Lake), and there have also been rumors that the top-end Core i9-11900K could even attack AMD on the pricing front.

• Here are the best gaming PCs

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Processor and graphics card stock woes could last into 2022, if chip shortage prediction is right

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Chipmakers are suffering at the hands of a perfect storm of supply problems which won’t be resolved until next year, according to a new report.

MarketWatch spoke to several analysts about the current supply and demand woes around chips that drive all the devices we use, including of course PCs, with the industry hard hit by Covid-19 (and logistics problems therein, plus much greater demand driven by all the people working from home), not to mention the US and China trade war.

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Maribel Lopez, who is principal analyst at Lopez Research, spoke of the aforementioned “perfect storm” of demand issues which is unlikely to be resolved anytime soon, noting that the surge in demand for PC-related chips was something that wasn’t expected last year.

Harlan Sur, an analyst for JP Morgan, said “we believe semi [semiconductor] companies are shipping 10% to 30% BELOW current demand levels and it will take at least 3-4 quarters for supply to catch up with demand and then another 1-2 quarters for inventories at customers/distribution channels to be replenished back to normal levels.”

And Christopher Rolland, a financial analyst at Susquehanna, was also cited by the report, saying that he expected chip shortages will only get worse going into the spring.

Given Sur’s prediction, if supply won’t catch up for another three to four quarters, that realistically leaves us looking at chip shortages until at least 2022 – not a pleasant thought for those who have been struggling to buy PC components. The availability of graphics cards in particular, and processors – certainly AMD’s Ryzen 5000 chips – has been pretty badly hit, as you’ve doubtless noticed.

AMD has freely admitted that it will face ‘tightness’ of supply in the first half of 2021 with PC components – notably Big Navi graphics cards and some models of Ryzen 5000 CPUs, as mentioned. Nvidia has made similar noises about stock of its RTX 3000 graphics cards, too, with Intel rumored to be outsourcing some of its bread-and-butter CPU products (as part of the solution to its production and yield difficulties).

Danger zone

Rolland further warned we risk heading into “danger zone” territory for lead times in terms of chip orders, where wait times exceed 14 weeks (something that hasn’t been witnessed since 2018).

The other issue is that with supply cranked up, what happens next year (presumably) when demand levels start to normalize – could the opposite problem then occur, as we’ve seen in the past, with manufacturers ending up with excess inventory?

Stifel analyst Matthew Sheerin remains unconcerned about the possibility of over-ordering, stating: “We don’t see any major correction on the horizon, given ongoing supply constraints as well as continued optimism about improving demand in 2H21. We remain more concerned with continued supply disruptions, and increased materials costs, than we do an imminent multi-quarter inventory correction.”

At the moment, the only positive story lies with the stocks of chipmakers, which are predictably on a soaring upward trajectory, with trading in those stocks reaching fresh record heights.

The other winners, aside from investors, are scalpers, unfortunately, who buy scarce products to resell them at hugely inflated prices on eBay. We’re even starting to hear tales of price gougers buying prebuilt systems, ones that carry the much sought after current-gen GPUs and/or CPUs, to take them apart and sell components separately at a profit. Strange and sad times indeed…

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Intel i9-11900K revealed to have 11% faster storage than Ryzen 9 5950X

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Intel’s Core i9-11900K is rumored to be launching as soon as March 2021, but the unreleased Rocket-Lake-S flagship is already making some gains against rival AMD's 16-core Zen 3-based counterpart, the Ryzen 9 5950X.

A performance comparison graph was posted to Twitter by Intel's Chief Performance Strategist Ryan Shrout that compares the two CPUs, and acts as the first official benchmark for the new i9-11900K processor.

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Head to head

At #CES21 we looked at Rocket Lake-S gaming. Here’s a sneak peek of Core i9-11900K PCIe Gen 4 storage performance - up to 11% faster on PCMark 10 Quick System Drive Benchmark vs the 5950X. Thanks @Malventano for the data. Backup: https://t.co/LcI5n5Cok2 pic.twitter.com/NhblHRQJSCFebruary 23, 2021

The test highlights the Gen 4 performance comparison between the two flagships, with the Core i9-11900K achieving an 11% faster result than the 5950X in PCMark 10's Quick System Drive Benchmark.

It's important to point out that this is purely a comparison of the Gen 4 performance capabilities, and isn't reflective of the general performance we could expect since the AMD Ryzen 9 5950X has more cores and threads than the Core i9-11900K.

The benchmark used a PCI Gen4 compatible 1TB Samsung 980 Pro that was attached to the PCIe riser to use CPU lanes rather than chipset lanes, as well as 32GB of DDR4-3200 MHz memory, the same software and OS versions, and an NVIDIA RTX 3090 graphics card for consistency. The full system configurations for the test as well as additional details can be found on the official Intel website.

Intel is currently fighting against AMD to retain its crown in the gaming market, but this will depend on exactly where Intel decides to pitch the new Rocket Lake CPUs in terms of their pricing. The latest speculation we’ve heard on that front sounds quite positive, with the possibility that the 11900K may come in at a cheaper level than the Comet Lake flagship, and that would certainly make for strong competition for AMD.

• Here are the best gaming PCs

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Lenovo Updates ThinkPads: New Intel and AMD Processors, New Displays, New Designs

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Today Lenovo is announcing a slew of updates across a large portion of their ThinkPad lineup, and updating their business-focused products for 2021. Some of the big changes for this year are impressive and welcome, with Lenovo committing to bringing feature-parity between their AMD and Intel offerings, as well as refreshing some of their laptops with 5G, Wi-Fi 6E, and continuing the trend of bringing back 16:10 aspect ratio displays for a better productivity experience.

ThinkPad X13 and X13 Yoga

Although some of the ThinkPad X lineup got refreshed back at CES, Lenovo is continuing the 2021 updates today on the X13 and X13 Yoga products, and the changes make these already impressive devices even more so.

On the processor side, Lenovo is offering either 11th Gen Intel Core – aka Tiger Lake – processors with vPro optional, as well as AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro options. Lenovo says they have heard the feedback from customers and are working hard to close the feature and option gap between the two platforms. For the most part, customers choosing AMD or Intel will have the same specifications and options available for the rest of the product, such as displays, memory, and so on, other than the platform specific features such as Intel supporting Thunderbolt 4 and PCIe 4.0.

The X13 and X13 Yoga will also be getting Wi-Fi 6E meaning 6 GHz support, and for those that want connectivity when out and about, sub-6 5G is an option on the X13, or 4G is available on both models.

Lenovo is also continuing to move to 16:10 displays, with the taller displays filling out more of the body and providing more vertical pixels for productivity. This is a great trend, and one that should not have taken this long to come back to, as of course the original widescreen ThinkPads were all 16:10 before the entire industry moved to 16:9. Lenovo is also proud to offer low-blue light hardware support on the displays, and unlike most low-blue light technologies which cause a red-shift on the display, the backlight physically produces less of the stressful blue lights, allowing the display to still keep the proper white balance.

As this is a proper business machine, there is also addition security such as Match-On-Chip fingerprint readers built into the power button, and the Intel models will support Human Presence Detection which allows the machine to lock when you are away and unlock when you get back. This will be through the IR camera, and as far as the visual camera, Lenovo is including an option for both HD with IR, as well as FHD with IR, the latter being a nice addition thanks to the increase in video conferencing over the last year.

The updated ThinkPad X13 will be available in May starting at $1139 USD, and the X13 Yoga will be available in April starting at $1379.

ThinkPad T14, T14s, and T15

ThinkPad T14

When most people imagine ThinkPad, they likely think of the venerable T Series. Lenovo said they are working on feature parity between Intel and AMD, and one of the changes is not branding the products differently based on the CPU, but for the T series, it doesn’t look like they’ve quite gotten there yet. There will be ThinkPad T14 i, ThinkPad T14s i, and ThinkPad T15 powered by Intel, and for the 14-inch models, the ones branded without the i will be AMD Ryzen based.

Although the T series is, at least for this gen, sticking with 16:9 aspect ratios, with several options for the 14-inch and 15-inch range including UHD displays with Dolby Vision. Lenovo is also offering its PrivacyGuard displays for extra security, and some low-power options depending on how you configure it.

ThinkPad T14s

As far as performance, the laptop will offer up to Core i7 11th Gen with vPro options, or AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro. Memory will be up to 32 GB on the S model, and up to 48 GB on the non-S. Storage is up to 2 TB of PCIe storage, with the Intel platforms supporting PCIe 4.0 speeds. The non-S model T14 and the T15 also offers an optional NVIDIA GeForce MX450 with 2 GB of GDDR6, if extra graphics compute is needed over the Intel Iris Xe or AMD Vega 8 graphics.

As with much of the ThinkPad lineup, Lenovo is offering Wi-Fi 6, 6E, and cellular capabilities with 4G and 5G options. As with the ThinkPad X13 range, Lenovo will also be offering FHD webcams with IR as optional upgrades.

Although the T14s is smaller and lighter than the T14, it includes a larger battery at 57 Wh, compared to just 50 Wh in the larger model. The 15-inch T15 also has the 57 Wh battery.

The ThinkPad T14s is one of my favorite laptops around, and it is always nice to see it get updated. The new models will be available starting in March and going through May depending on the model, with prices starting at $1149 for the ThinkPad T14 AMD model.

ThinkPad P14s and P15s

Also getting an update is a couple of the mobile workstation models under the P-Series, and as with the other units there will be both 11th Gen Intel Core with vPro as well as AMD Ryzen 5000 Pro CPU offerings.

The P14s and P15s will both offer 8 GB or 16 GB of soldered memory, as well as a SO-DIMM slot, which will allow for up to 48 GB maximum memory in these thinner and lighter versions of the P-series laptops. Lenovo is also offering the NVIDIA T500 which is the workstation class graphics based on the Turing MX450 and featuring 4 GB of VRAM.

Both the P14s and P15s will offer FHD displays as standard, with a few options such as ePrivacy or Low-Power, and both will offer an optional UHD display with HDR 400 and Dolby Vision HDR. The UHD displays will come with X-Rite factor color calibration.

For those that need a Linux version, Lenovo will be offering Ubuntu 20.04 LTS installs, as well as Red Had as factory options.

Wireless will be Intel Wi-Fi 6E for 6 GHz support thanks to the Intel AX210 on the Tiger Lake models, and the AMD offerings will still support Wi-Fi 6, but without the 6 GHz support.

Although some of the other ThinkPads are being offered with a FHD webcam, the P14s and P15s are not, at least for now. The newer webcam is physically larger, and would take a more comprehensive redesign of the chassis, but the HD webcam does offer IR if needed.

The Intel powered P14s i, and the P15s will be available in March, starting at $1389 for either, with the AMD powered P14s coming in May, and starting at $1169.

ThinkPad L14 and L15

Rounding out the lineup is the least-expensive way to get into a ThinkPad, and that is the L Series. Also being offered in a L14/15 i Intel based, or L14/15 AMD based design, the least expensive offerings still offer some powerful options.

With 11th gen Intel Core with vPro, and AMD Ryzen 5000, there will be two SODIMM slots, thanks to the thicker and heavier design, which means the least expensive models here can be outfitted with the most RAM, at up to 64 GB. There will be Intel Iris Xe, or AMD Vega graphics, and purchasers can opt for NVIDIA GeForce MX 450 as well.

One of the sad realities of a budget device is the display, and the base model comes with a (Yuck) 1366x768 TN panel. Luckily Lenovo offers FHD IPS offerings on both.

Storage is up to 1 TB PCIe SSD, or up to 2 TB spinning hard drive, but you do get Wi-Fi 6 across the range, and optional cellular options.

The L series is really all about entry price, and the new L14 and L15 will be available in May starting at $689.

Source: Lenovo

 

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AMD addresses connection issues plaguing users of 500-series motherboards

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AMD has responded to reports of USB connectivity issues with motherboards featuring its 500-series chipset, and is asking the user community to help it troubleshoot and fix the issue.

Complaints from users about issues with some 500-series motherboards have been appearing across community sites such as Reddit in recent months.

The cause of the problem is unknown, but users of 500-series motherboards have reported their USB devices such as mice, keyboards and microphones will sporadically lose connection, with VR headsets seemingly being the most affected. It was initially suspected that only select Gigabyte Aorus boards were at fault, but similar issues have since also been reported regarding Asus ROG hardware. 

• These are the best processors of 2021
• AMD vs Intel - who makes the best CPUs?
• We show you how to build a PC

AMD is on the case

AMD has now made an official statement regarding the matter via the r/AMD subreddit, acknowledging the issues and asking for community feedback and support while they investigate. AMD says a company representative will selectively reach out to individuals affected by the issues for assistance, and a link was also provided to the AMD Online Service Request for anyone who would like to submit further information regarding suspected hardware issues.

The full statement reads as follows:
 

AMD is aware of reports that a small number of users are experiencing intermittent USB connectivity issues reported on 500 Series chipsets. We have been analyzing the root cause and at this time, we would like to request the community’s assistance with a small selection of additional hardware configurations. Over the next few days, some r/Amd users may be contacted directly by an AMD representative (u/AMDOfficial) via Reddit’s PM system with a request for more information.

This request may include detailed hardware configurations, steps to reproduce the issue, specific logs, and other system information pertinent to verifying our development efforts. We will provide an update when we have more details to share. Customers facing issues are always encouraged to raise an Online Service Request with AMD customer support; this enables us to find correlations and compare notes across support claims.

If you’re currently affected by the issue, users on various forums have offered workarounds, which involve reducing the PCI Gen4 to Gen3 or disabling the ‘C-States’ in BIOS, though these are more likely to reduce the frequency of issues rather than fixing the problem altogether.

Systems that combine a PCIe Gen4-based GPU (such as a GeForce RTX 3080) with a VR headset are most likely to run into problems if used with one of the problematic motherboards, so if you're looking to do some build upgrades for your VR rig we’d suggest holding off until the cause of the issues has been identified and resolved.

• Here are the best laptops of 2021

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Best CPU cooler 2021: top CPU coolers for your PC

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As tempting as it may be to skip getting the best CPU cooler so you can spend more money on the sexier internals, you shouldn’t. The best graphics card, best processor, and best motherboard, after all, need a powerful CPU cooler to stay cool and keep working optimally. And, if you’re blowing all that cash on the PC components and getting a cheap cooler, you might burn your money.

The best CPU cooler is an integral part of building a PC, whether it's a gaming PC you’re after or just a budget one. Don’t worry; that doesn’t mean that you need to splurge and get the most expensive CPU cooler you can find. There are affordable options out there that can be just as effective in meeting your computer’s cooling needs and overclocking demands.

In fact, that’s what we’re here for. We gathered the best CPU coolers 2021 has to offer to narrow your choices and help you find the best value. Keep it cool, no matter your need, with one of our picks below. And make sure to check out our price comparison tool to find the best deal before pressing that buy button.

The best CPU cooler at a glance

1. Noctua NH-D15
2. Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition
3. Noctua NH-L9
4. NZXT Kraken Z-3
5. Corsair iCUE H115i Elite Capellix
6. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage
7. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120R RGB
8. Arctic Liquid Freezer 120
9. Corsair Hydro Series H5 SF
10. NoFan CR-95C
11. MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero

Image Credit: Noctua

1. Noctua NH-D15

Best CPU cooler

Type: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 – LGA 2066; AMD AM2 – AM3+, FM1 – FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 1500 RPM | Noise volume: 19.20dbA – 24.60dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 160 x 150 x 135mm | Weight: 2.91 pounds (1.32kg)

Whisper quiet

Six-year manufacturer’s warranty

Too big for some PC builds

The Noctua NH-D15 is one of the best CPU coolers you can buy in 2019 simply because it performs just as well as – if not better – than some liquid coolers, while costing a fraction of the price. You might not be too familiar with Noctua’s name, as they’re relatively small in the CPU cooler world, but its business is revolves around designing coolers, so you know that when you buy one of their products, you’re getting a product by people who really know their craft. On top of delivering a fantastic cooling performance, the NH-D15 is nearly silent as well. 

(Image credit: Cooler Master)

2. Cooler Master Hyper 212 RGB Black Edition

Better than ever before

Type: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 1150 – LGA 2066; AMD AM2 – AM4, FM1 – FM2+ | Rotation frequency: 650 - 2,000 RPM | Noise volume: 8 - 30 dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 120 x 79.6 x 158.8 mm | Weight: 1.54 pounds (700g)

Improved performance

Easy installation

Quiet fan

RGB lighting just ok

Cooler Master’s Hyper 212 CPU RGB cooler is back with a vengeance, and sporting a sleek gun-metal black brushed aluminum finish to boot. It’s not only jet black look that’s upping this CPU cooler’s cool factor – though it does help what with that aluminum top cover and nickel plated jet black fins to complete the look. It’s also easily one of the best CPU coolers on the market with its stacked fin array that ensures least airflow resistance, four heat pipes that boast Direct Contact Technology to better battle the heat, and a wide speed range for fine-tuning cooling performance and silent operation.

Image Credit: Noctua

3. Noctua NH-L9

Best low-profile CPU cooler

Type: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 1156/1155/1151; AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/FM1/FM2 | Rotation frequency: Up to 2500 RPM | Noise volume: 14.8dbA – 23.6dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 206 x 184 x 37mm | Weight: 1.03 pounds (0.47kg)

Ultra compact

Six-year manufacturer’s warranty

Only 92mm fan

Noctua is an Austrian manufacturer that does one thing, and one thing only: make the best CPU coolers and fans. What this means is that even though the Noctua NH-L9 is tiny, it is still more than capable of insane cooling with no compromises. This is a fantastic cooler for anyone with a smaller build, or even if you’re using a ton of large components, and you’re not comfortable with liquid cooling.

(Image credit: NZXT)

4. NZXT Kraken Z-3

Personalize your all-in-one liquid cooler

Type: Fan and heatsink | Compatibility: Intel Socket LGA 1151 – 2066, Intel Core i9 / Core i3 – i7, AMD Socket AM4, TR4, AMD Ryzen 3 – Ryzen Threadripper | Rotation frequency: 500-1,800 + 300 RPM | Noise volume: 21-38dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 143 x 315 x 30mm

Total customization

Superior performance

Premium price

Whether you’re going for 360MM or 280MM, the NZXT Kraken Z-3 is an excellent choice if you’re looking for liquid cooling. First of all, thanks to its vibrant 2.36-inch LCD screen that’s capable of displaying 24-bit color, this liquid cooler allows total customization so you can fine-tune settings as well as display your favorite images and animated gifs. More importantly, it delivers impressive liquid cooling performance and is easy to install. 

(Image credit: Corsair)

5. Corsair iCUE H115i Elite Capellix

Brighter is better

Type: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel 1200, 1150, 1151, 1155, 1156, 1366, 2011, 2066, AMD AM4, AM3, AM2, sTRX4, sTR4 | Rotation frequency: Up to 2,000 | Noise volume: 36dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 322 x 137 x 27mm

Insane performance 

Brighter RGB lighting

Only minor improvement over predecessor

The Corsair iCUE H115i Elite Capellix continues Corsair’s tradition of outstanding liquid coolers. It couples excellent cooling, thanks to its split-flow copper cold plate and its low-noise centrifugal pump, with bright RGB lighting, due to the use of Capellix LEDs. And, the RGB lighting is, in true Corsair style, customizable through the company’s proprietary iCue software. If you want a powerful liquid cooling system that looks good too, the Corsair iCUE H115i Elite is a perfect choice.

(Image credit: Cooler Master)

6. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage

Cool and hypnotic

Type: Liquid cooling | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 – LGA 2066; AMD AM2 – AM4, FM1 – FM2+ | Rotation frequency: up to 2000 ±10% RPM | Noise volume: 27dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 277 x 120 x 27 mm | Weight: 2.11 pounds (1,237g)

Threadripper support

Gorgeous RGB lighting

Pricey

With the Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage in your gaming rig, you won’t only end up playing for hours on end without worrying about thermal throttling or overheating. You might just an hour or so admiring your CPU, especially if you have one of those glass-window cases, as this CPU cooler is indeed hypnotically pretty. It’s mostly thanks to its transparent pump design that lets you see the impeller spinning while bathed in different RGB lighting, like a colorful spinning wheel at a funhouse. Performance-wise, it definitely deserves a spot in our best CPU coolers list, with its PPS+ glass fiber housing and nozzle that provides temperature and liquid resistance, EPDM rubber O-Ring that helps eliminate liquid emission, and a low-resistance radiator that increases flow rate, heat exchange efficiency and cooling performance.

Image Credit: Cooler Master

7. Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120R RGB

The best compact liquid cooler

Type: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 – LGA 2066; AMD AM2 – AM4, FM1 – FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 2000 RPM | Noise volume: 6dbA – 30dbA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 83.6 x 71.8 x 52.7mm

 Luminous RGB lighting 

 Premium build 

 A little expensive 

There isn’t a single component that can’t be improved through RGB, and Cooler Master is well aware – jumping on the RGB bandwagon with the MasterLIquid ML 120R RGB. What’s more, it integrates some of the first addressable LEDs seen on a liquid cooler. This all-in-one liquid cooling solution isn’t just about aesthetics – it features an oxidation free pump and an efficient radiator. This means that not only will it last longer – but it’ll keep your CPU cooler, and all without giving up too much case real estate, which is why it’s made our best CPU coolers list.

Image Credit: Arctic

8. Arctic Liquid Freezer 120

Best budget liquid-cooler

Type: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 2011 – 2066; AMD AM2 – AM3+, FM1 – FM2 | Rotation frequency: Up to 1350 RPM | Noise volume: 22.5dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 120 x 120 x 25mm | Weight: 2.65 pounds (1.2kg)

Strong performance

Inexpensive

Somewhat noisey

Few features

For less than 70 big ones in both US dollars and British sterling, the Arctic Liquid Freezer 120 is a deal you can’t pass up if you’re on the prowl for a liquid cooler that won’t break the bank. While it lacks the bells and whistles of pricier, more extravagant liquid coolers, like the NZXT Kraken, the Arctic Liquid cooler is enough to get you by, not to mention it’s still a massive step up from the classic fan and heatsink pairing. So, while you can’t expect RGB lighting or software – or even hardware-based fan control, the 120mm variant of the Arctic Liquid Freezer makes our best CPU coolers list as it will keep your system refrigerated at a (mostly) quiet volume. 

• This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Corsair Hydro Series H5 SF 

Image Credit: Corsair

9. Corsair Hydro Series H5 SF

Best low-profile CPU liquid-cooler

Type: Liquid cooling system | Compatibility: Intel LGA 115x; AMD FM2 – FM2+ | Rotation frequency: Up to 1,800 RPM | Noise volume: 36dBA – 42dBA | Dimensions (W x D x H): 167 x 57 x 84mm | Weight: 2 pounds (0.91kg)

Guaranteed leak-free tubing

Compact, all-in-one form factor

Blower style cooler

Even if your budget will allow you to really go all-out on a serious liquid cooling solutions, if you have a smaller PC case, you’ll likely not have enough space. That’s where something like the Corsair Hydro H5 SF comes into play. Even on the smallest PC cases, you’re able to use this CPU cooler to keep your CPU chilled, even if you have some beastly overclocks happening. Plus, because it’s a closed loop, you don’t even need to worry about maintenance. Set it up, and let it do its thing – you won’t be disappointed. 

Image Credit: NoFan

10. NoFan CR-95C

Best fanless CPU cooler

Type: Passively cooled heatsink | Compatibility: Intel LGA 775 – 1156; AMD AM2 – AM3+; FM1 | Noise volume: 0dBA | Dimensions (W x H x D): 180 x 148 x 180mm | Weight: 1.6 pounds (0.73kg)

You won’t hear a peep

Works well with low-power CPUs

Exorbitantly massive

95W TDP limitation

Rounding out our best CPU coolers list is the NoFan CR-95C. You’ve probably never heard of NoFan – unless you’re already neck deep into the rabbit hole that is silent PC assembly. The South Korean component company specializes in helping enthusiasts reach that 0dBA silent sweet spot. In doing so, of course, will severely limit your set-up in terms of power, with its CR-95C fanless solution being limited in compatibility to processors whose TDP fall below 95W. Still, the NoFan CR-95C is worth a shot if you want to build a low-power computer that completely blends into the background.

•  This Product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Noctua NH-L9 

(Image credit: CoolerMaster)

11. MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero

Best CPU cooler for overclocking

Type: Liquid cooler | Compatibility: LGA1200 | Noise volume: < 35 dBA pump, 8 - 26 dBA fan | Dimensions (W x H x D): 394 x 119.6 x 27.2 mm radiator, 57.3 x 57.3 x 92.2 mm pump, 120 x 120 x 25 mm fan

For Intel’s high-TDP chips

Has a condensation barrier

Loud pump

Powered by Intel’s Cryo Cooling Technology, the MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero from Cooler Master allows increased performance for Intel’s high-TDP chips by letting them reach higher frequencies at lower voltages. This liquid cooler boasts a 360mm radiator and fans that are able to spin at low rpm while delivering a high air pressure to air flow ratio. Whether you’re a hardcore gamer who loves to overclock or a content creator with demanding processing needs, this is the best CPU cooler for you.

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Intel Rocket Lake could land on March 15 with potentially record-breaking flagship CPU

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A fresh rumor claims that Intel’s next-gen Rocket Lake processors could arrive bang in the middle of March, potentially spearheaded by a Core i9-11900K CPU that posted the fastest ever seen single-core result in Geekbench, going by a recent leak.

The launch date rumor comes from Hong Kong-based tech site HKEPC, which claims that Rocket Lake-S chips will be here on March 15 (as spotted by VideoCardz).

• We’ve picked out all the best processors
• And check out the best motherboards
• We’ll tell you how to overclock your CPU

While Intel has only said that Rocket Lake (11th-gen) CPUs will arrive in Q1 of 2021, that obviously means March at this point – and indeed a whole bunch of previous rumors have pointed to a March launch.

March 15 gives us an exact date to work with, then, and it’s a fair guess, although obviously this is still just speculation floating down from the rumor mill. Certainly sooner in March rather than later seems likely, when you consider how fast the following generation – Alder Lake – will follow.

12th-gen launch in September?

Intel has already said that Alder Lake (12th-gen) processors will arrive in the second half of 2021, and HKEPC has another rumor on that score – it reckons the month to mark in your calendar is September. Theoretically, that would be six months after the debut of Rocket Lake, but bear in mind this is reportedly just the announcement, with the actual Alder Lake chips themselves not arriving until December.

That would give Rocket Lake a little more time to breathe, and makes sense in that respect.

HKEPC also claims that Intel will use an enhanced version of its 10nm SuperFin architecture with Alder Lake, and just yesterday we heard some very promising noises about exactly how well these processors might perform.

Rocket Lake will drop the flagship CPU to 8-cores – from 10-cores with current Comet Lake chips – but is still expected to deliver considerably more impressive performance levels, at least going by some leaks (like the one we mentioned at the outset). Alder Lake will change things entirely, with a fresh design based around normal (big) cores and efficient low-power (little) cores and a new socket.

While there have been concerns about how Alder Lake’s low-power cores might help when it comes to a desktop PC, those fears have been somewhat assuaged by the latest from the rumor mill.

• Here are the best gaming PCs

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