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Preview: Asus ROG Zenith II Extreme TRX40

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Asus is known for top-notch gaming products – be it their awesome gaming laptops, desktops to their gaming PC components. We got our hands on the new Asus ROG Zenith II Extreme TRX40 a couple of days ago for a preview. Remember, this is a preview and not a review of the gaming motherboard.

Introduction
The Asus ROG Zenith II Extreme is the successor to the company’s previous-generation X399 board, the original Zenith Extreme. This one comes packed with all the benefits of AMD’s TRX40 chipset, which means it is an AMD TRX40 E-ATX motherboard sTRX4 for 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper. 

The motherboard comes with a whole lot of goodness, including 16 power stages, PCIe 4.0, Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), 10 Gbps Ethernet, USB3.2 Gen2x2, dual USB 3.2 front panel connector, five M.2, SATA and Aura Sync RGB. One look at the packaging and you will appreciate Asus’ efforts put into this motherboard.

What’s Inside the Box?
The packaging is quite premium. Inside the box, you get the motherboard itself, the user manual, the USB software, and drivers installation drive, the ROG DIMM.2 module with heatsinks, 6 x SATA cables, Asus Fan Extension Card II, 5 x M.2 installation screws, 3-in-1 Thermistor cable, front panel Q-Connector, dual-function screwdriver, Intel AX200 Wi-Fi 6 moving antenna, ROG Coaster, 2 x 80 cm RGB Extension cables, ROG logo plate sticker, and ROG large sticker sheet.

Design
The Asus ROG Zenith II Extreme is an E-ATX motherboard that costs about $850. The motherboard is made up of stacked PCB, which is hidden by an aluminium PCB cover. This doubles up as a heatsink for two of the five available PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots. The rear panel cover is also made of aluminium and includes a LiveDash 1.77″ OLED colour screen. 

The colour screen allows you to customise the look via GIFs, temperature and system usage data, or as a POST debugger. Around the board are integrated RGB LEDs with three customisable zones. Asus was possibly one of the first companies to really adopt RGB lighting in a big way and their AURA Sync lighting setup is one of the easiest and most flexible solutions around, supporting a massive range of LED types and features to ensure your system always reflects your personality and aesthetic tastes. 

You also get the rear panel cover, the ROG logo within the chipset heatsink, and on the right-hand side of the board. The company has also included two AURA RGB strip headers, and two addressable RGB headers for users to expand on what’s included out of the box. 

Connectivity
One of the major benefits of the TRX40 chipset is the introduction of PCIe 4.0 to the high-end desktop. The ROG Zenith II Extreme has plenty of connectivity with four full-length PCIe 4.0 slots which operate at x16/x8/x16/x8. Touching on the storage capabilities onboard, there is scope to install up to five PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 drives onto the board. 

Two of the PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 slots are hidden underneath the aluminium armor, while a single slot is located on the rear of the PCB, albeit without a heatsink. As mentioned earlier, inside the box, you will find a ROG DIMM.2 module which allows you to install a further two PCIe 4.0 x4 M.2 drives onto the board.

On the bottom edge, you get the front-panel audio, ATA-style auxiliary slot power, TPM, one (of two) ARGB and one (of two) RGB, one (of seven) open four-pin fan, two dual-port USB 2.0, one (of two) USB 3.0, Asus Node, two water flow tachometer, an Intel-style front-panel button/LED group, and PC (beep code) Speaker. The included Fan Extension card is but one of several available Asus Node-compatible devices.

The ROG Zenith II Extreme also has eight memory slots which have support for DDR4-4733 and up to 256 GB of system memory. Users can equip ECC memory, but only un-buffered ECC. Non-ECC UDIMMs work as well. Inside, you also get tons of IO including seven 4-pin headers split into two for CPU fans, two for water pumps, two for chassis fans, and one for a high amp fan.

The ROG Zenith II Extreme is designed to hold two triple-slot graphics cards by excluding its other two slots, but it can also do an x16/x8/x16/x8 configuration for users whose graphics cards fit within a double-slot envelope. Cooling the large 16-phase power delivery is a large aluminium finned heatsink which is aided with two small Delta Superflo fans.

There are onboard Start buttons as well as the Flexkey which lets you assign lighting options to your case reset key, should you so wish. Hardcore overclockers will appreciate the Slow and LN2 options, whilst those with a lot of internal lighting will enjoy the number of USB headers giving you maximum control.

Cooling and Sound
Great power requires great cooling, so ROG Zenith II Extreme employs large VRM heatsinks that strike the right balance between surface area and mass. This includes the VRM heatsink, the aluminum heatsink cover, solid steel backplate, chipset heatsink, aluminium I/O cover, DIMM.2 heatsinks, and SoC VRM heatsink. 

Sound is an integral part of gaming immersion. ROG Zenith II Extreme’s onboard audio joins the latest SupremeFX S1220 codec with a high-end ESS Sabre DAC. Power users in particular pipe content through multiple devices, so our Sonic Studio III software has an intuitive management interface that lets you route sound from applications to specific outputs. The board even supports DTS Sound Unbound technology, to create three-dimensional audio soundscapes that draw you further into virtual worlds.

The front-panel headphone output features a SABRE9018Q2C integrated DAC/amp capable of reaching -108dB THD+N to provide playback that conveys all the subtlety and nuances of even the highest-quality audio track. The improved resolution derived from the ESS Hyperstream DAC architecture expands the soundstage to give a better sense of positioning. Beyond resolution, the 120dB DNR provides an extremely low noise-floor, further accentuating dynamics and punch. 

So Who is it For?
The ROG Zenith II Extreme is for those craving for extensive styling and customisation options that can be used to build a powerful gaming system that truly stands apart. The AMD TRX40 chipset delivers outstanding overclocking capabilities for the latest AMD Socket sTRX4 3rd Gen Ryzen Threadripper series processors. It provides PCIe 4.0 support, 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports, and eight SATA 6 Gbps ports for faster data retrieval.

The ROG Zenith II Extreme motherboard supports the latest 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen Threadripper series processors that boast up to 64 cores. It features quad-channel DDR4 memory, 64 lanes of PCI Express 4.0, 16 GT/s transfer speed for Gen 4 M.2 SSDs, and built-in native USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) for superior performance.

Price: $850

Photography by: Ranbir Sen

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Acer Updates Predator BiFrost and Nitro GPUs with AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series

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Acer has unveiled its latest Predator BiFrost and Acer Nitro graphics cards, powered by the next-generation AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series GPUs. This cutting-edge line-up includes six models designed to elevate gaming and creative experiences with next-level performance and visual fidelity. The models include the Predator BiFrost Radeon RX 9070 XT OC 16GB, Predator BiFrost Radeon RX 9070 OC 16GB, and two Nitro graphics cards: Acer Nitro Radeon RX 9070 XT OC 16GB, Acer Nitro Radeon RX 9070 OC 16GB.

The new GPUs are engineered for ultra-fast gaming and demanding tasks, leveraging AMD RDNA 4 compute units and up to 16 GB of memory to deliver immersive 8K visuals. The advanced cooling technology, featuring three FrostBlade 4.0 fans, and reinforced designs ensures systems can be pushed to their limits while maintaining peak performance. DIY gamers will appreciate new software features such as Acer Intelligence Space, which offers intuitive AI system detection, and Acer Game Assistance’s adaptive aim system to give players a competitive edge.

The latest Predator BiFrost and Acer Nitro Radeon RX 9070 Series graphics cards are powered by up to the new AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT OC Graphics, featuring unified AMD RDNA 4 architecture with powerful raytracing capabilities, AI accelerators and up to 16 GB of memory. Gamers can enjoy the latest gaming displays and experience increased visual quality for video streaming and editing as these next-generation designs activate AMD HYPR-RX to instantly enable all supported performance-boosting and latency-reducing technologies across thousands of games. Expect deep immersion with higher quality and clarity thanks to AI-powered AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 image upscaling with advanced frame generation technologies, which boost framerates in supported games. Players can showcase their skills with enhanced multimedia and streaming experiences using the AMD Radiance Display Engine.

The Predator BiFrost Radeon RX 9070 XT OC 16GB graphics card boasts a boost clock of up to 3,100 MHz and game clock of up to 2,570 MHz, while the Predator BiFrost Radeon RX 9070 OC 16GB graphics card offers boost and game clock speeds of up to 2,700 MHz and up to 2,210 MHz respectively for ultra-smooth responsiveness.

The Acer Nitro Radeon Series provides gamers and creators the tools to enhance their digital experiences, featuring maximum boost clock speeds of up to 3,100 MHz and game clock speeds of up to 2,570 MHz for balanced performance and efficiency. All models come equipped with the latest advancements from AMD Radeon™ technology and 16 GB of GDDR6 RAM, pushing the graphics cards to their maximum processing prowess.

These GPUs are equipped with Acer’s advanced cooling systems, which provide added support in reaching peak performance. Featuring state-of-the-art cooling technology with triple FrostBlade 4.0 fans, counter-spin designs for smoother airflow, and oxygen-free thermal pipes, the Predator BiFrost and Acer Nitro Radeon™ graphics cards maintain optimal heat dispersion to keep temperatures in check. Supported by dual-ball bearing systems and lubricating oil, the fans are engineered to reduce noise, withstand elevated temperatures, and minimize friction on the fan bearings.

These graphics cards are also built for lasting durability and dominance, crafted with an aluminum backplate and a metal anti-bending design, ensuring they can withstand the rigors of continuous use. Heat-dissipating vents and a reinforced copper base efficiently absorb heat from the GPUs, which is expelled quickly through oxygen-free heat pipes.

Acer Intelligent Space serves as the central hub for the device’s AI features, identifying system hardware, suggesting compatible AI applications to optimize performance, and helping players identify more gaming tools. Acer Game Assistance provides a competitive edge by automatically adjusting colors and offering a sniper mode for precise targeting in shooting games. Additionally, Acer ProCam automatically detects and records gameplay highlights to capture key moments in the game.

The multi-display capabilities allow users to connect to four displays, with each graphics card equipped with three DisplayPorts, one HDMI 2.1 port, and up to a PCIe 5.0 bus, providing a seamless and immersive experience across gaming, streaming, and creative applications.

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AMD Launches AMD RDNA 4 Architecture with New Radeon RX 9000 Series Graphics Cards

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AMD today unveiled the highly-anticipated AMD RDNA 4 graphics architecture with the launch of the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT and RX 9070 graphics cards as a part of the Radeon RX 9000 Series. The new graphics cards feature 16GB of memory and extensive improvements designed for high-quality gaming graphics, including re-vamped raytracing accelerators and powerful AI accelerators for ultra-fast, cutting-edge performance, and breakthrough gaming experiences.

In a YouTube livestream, David McAfee, CVP and GM, Ryzen CPU and Radeon Graphics, AMD, was joined by Andrej Zdravkovic, SVP of GPU Technologies and Engineering, AMD and Chief Software Officer, as well as Andy Pomianowski, CVP of Silicon Design Engineering, AMD, to discuss the outstanding performance and value proposition of the Radeon RX 9000 Series. In a related event in Zhuhai, China, Jack Huynh, SVP of the Client and Graphics Group, AMD, led a regional event for the new products. Huynh was joined by David Wang, SVP of GPU Technology and Engineering, AMD, and Lanzhi Wang, Senior Director of Product Management, AMD. The celebration was also marked by a customer celebration with Darren Grasby, EVP and AMD Chief Sales Officer, AMD; Spencer Pan, President of AMD China, and partners including Asrock, ASUS, Gigabyte, Sapphire, Tul, Vastamore, Veston, and XFX.

“Today, we’re thrilled to unveil the AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series, a significant leap forward in graphics performance powered by our next-generation AMD RDNA 4 architecture,” said McAfee. “These GPUs are designed to meet the demands of today’s games, delivering enthusiast-class gaming experiences to gamers everywhere, while ready to support tomorrow’s innovations. Through the power of advanced AI and Raytracing accelerators, we’re not just improving frame rates – we’re fundamentally enhancing the gaming experience. Offering incredible performance, AI-powered features, and next-gen display support at competitive price points, the Radeon RX 9000 Series delivers exceptional value for gamers looking to upgrade their systems.”

The RX 9000 Series, powered by the new AMD RDNA 4 architecture, offers gamers and creators a powerful blend of performance, visuals, and value. These advanced graphics cards redefine incredibly fast, high-resolution gaming with third-generation raytracing technology enabling realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections to deliver immersive gaming experiences while integrating a suite of AMD features to maximize hardware utilization. Beyond gaming, the RX 9000 Series GPUs leverage new second-generation AI accelerators with up to 8x INT8 throughput per AI accelerator (for sparse matrices) to enhance creative applications and effectively run generative AI applications (vs. RDNA 3). The RX 9000 Series GPUs also implement the newly redesigned AMD Radiance Display Engine & Enhanced Media Engine for broad display support and elevated quality in both recording and streaming.

The Radeon RX 9000 Series unlocks new levels of performance while delivering a suite of new and enhanced features that improve the gaming experience. The Radeon RX 9070 Series offers 16GB of GDDR6 memory, allowing gamers to render the most exciting games of today and tomorrow at max settings. Compared to the previous generation RX 7900 GRE, the latest AMD Radeon RX 9070 is able to deliver over 20% more performance on average when gaming at 1440, with the AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT extending that lead to over 40% on average.

Both graphics cards make smart upgrades for gamers looking to future-proof their systems with a suite of next-gen features that will keep their experiences feeling fresh for years to come. Key features include:

  1. Unified AMD RDNA 4 Compute Units – Features up to 64 advanced AMD RDNA 4 compute units delivering up to 40% higher gaming performance than the previous-generation AMD RDNA 3 architecture.
    High-Performance Raytracing – With 3rd generation Raytracing Accelerators, AMD RDNA 4 is able to deliver over 2x the Raytracing throughput per compute unit when compared to our previous generation. Gamers with the latest AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series are ready for immersive gaming experiences with high-quality graphics, including realistic lighting, shadows, and reflections.
  2. Supercharged AI Acceleration – 2nd Generation AI Accelerators received several enhancements, allowing AMD RDNA 4 to efficiently process advanced AI models much faster than what was possible with RDNA 3, through a combination of additional math pipelines for AI calculations, expanding the capabilities of the AI Accelerator to support new emerging data types such as FP8, and support for inference optimization techniques such as structured sparsity. These changes deliver up to 8x INT8 throughput per AI accelerator (for sparse matrices) per compute unit vs the previous generation.
  3. AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution Technology 4 (FSR 4) – AMD’s new cutting-edge ML-powered upscaling technology delivers high-quality boosted frames under even the most demanding workloads, such as 4K gaming with maximum raytracing settings and will be supported in over 30 games at launch.
  4. Innovative suite of features through HYPR-RX – Gamers can instantly improve their experience by activating AMD HYPR-RX and the suite of features within AMD Software, including AMD Radeon Super Resolution, AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2.1, AMD Radeon Anti-Lag, and AMD Radeon Boost. These features can all be tailored to gamers’ hardware and preferences within AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition to drive increased FPS, responsiveness and efficiency.
  5. AI-Enhanced AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition Application – A new suite of software and resources designed to deliver an industry-leading AI user experience with AMD Radeon RX 9070 Series graphics cards. Keep your drivers and AI software up to date with the new Software Manager. Find the answers to your questions about all things AMD or create free and private text and images with AMD Chat. Discover, download and install new and exciting AMD-partnered AI applications with the App Portal, and leverage AI to improve software quality with the AMD Image Inspector.
  6. Ready for Next-Generation Displays – AMD Radiance Display Engine supports the latest DisplayPort 2.1a and HDMI 2.1b connections, enabling ultra-high resolutions and refresh rates up to 8K 144Hz, with 12-bit HDR and full REC2020 Color Space for incredible color accuracy. Paired with AMD FreeSync technology, gamers can enjoy tear-free, stutter-free gaming experiences on over 4000 compatible displays, including upcoming 4K 240Hz and 8K 144Hz DisplayPort 2.1 monitors.

Available exclusively on AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series graphics cards, AMD Software: Adrenalin Edition adds a new easy-to-use AMD FidelityFX Super Resolution 4 (AMD FSR 4) Upgrade feature that helps maximize performance at maximum quality in over 30 games at launch, with 75 coming later this year. AMD FSR 4 delivers a substantial image quality improvement over AMD FSR 3.1 upscaling, with the new ML-based algorithm helping to improve temporal stability, better preserve detail, and reduce ghosting.

Utilizing features already built into the AMD FidelityFX API added when game developers integrate AMD FSR 3.1 into their games, AMD FSR 4 enables an easy upgrade for supported FSR 3.1 games and can be combined with existing in-game AMD FSR 3.1 advanced frame-generation and AMD Radeon Anti-Lag 2 for ultra-smooth, ultra-responsive gaming at incredible frame rates on AMD Radeon RX 9070 Series graphics cards.

The new ML-accelerated AMD FSR 4 upscaling algorithm is trained using high-quality ground truth game data on AMD Instinct Accelerators and uses the hardware-accelerated FP8 Wave Matrix Multiply Accumulate (WMMA) feature of the AMD RDNA 4 architecture to ensure maximum upscaling quality while still providing a substantial game performance boost.

AMD Radeon RX 9000 Series graphics cards are expected to be available from leading board partners including Acer, ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, PowerColor, Sapphire, Vastarmor, XFX, and Yeston beginning March 6th, 2025. The AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT has an SEP of $599, while the AMD Radeon RX 9070 has an SEP of $549.

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Users Claim That Nvidia GPUs Are Melting Power Cables

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Early adopters of Nvidia’s new GeForce RTX 5090 graphics card are reporting issues with melting power cables, with at least one report on YouTube and another on Reddit. This situation mirrors an earlier problem with the RTX 4090, where power connectors melted or caught fire, damaging GPUs and power supplies.

Investigations revealed that the 4090’s connector issues were largely due to user error, with 12VHPWR connectors not being fully inserted or bent, creating stress and heat. The PCI-SIG, the standards body for the connector, stated the design was sound and blamed implementation issues. An updated connector, 12V-2×6, which ensures proper seating before delivering power, replaced the 12VHPWR connector in the RTX 50-series cards.

Both connectors aim to deliver significant power to high-end GPUs via a single cable, reducing the need for multiple 8-pin connectors and saving board space. While Nvidia, Intel, AMD, Qualcomm, Arm, and others are PCI-SIG members, Nvidia is the primary user of these connectors in its GPUs. AMD and Intel continue using 8-pin connectors, with some Nvidia partners doing the same for lower-end cards like the RTX 4060 and 4070 series.

The two reported RTX 5090 incidents involved third-party cables, one from MODDIY and another from an FSP power supply, rather than Nvidia’s provided 8-pin adapter. It’s too early to determine if the problem lies with the cables, Nvidia, the connector design, or user error, or if it’s simply a coincidence.

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