Components
ASUS Middle East Announces GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB Series Graphics Cards

ASUS Middle East today announced new ROG Strix, TUF Gaming, and ASUS Dual graphics cards that feature the latest NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB GPU. The lineup marks an expanded offering of the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, formerly featured in upmarket GPUs, and each graphics card brings out the best of the latest NVIDIA chipset with next-level thermal solutions, enhanced PCBs, and robust power designs.

With its efficient, high-performance architecture and the second generation of NVIDIA RTX platform, the GeForce RTX 3060 brings amazing hardware ray-tracing capabilities and support for NVIDIA DLSS and other technologies and is priced starting at $329.

Like all RTX 30 series GPUs, the RTX 3060 supports the trifecta of GeForce gaming innovations ― NVIDIA DLSS, NVIDIA Reflex and NVIDIA Broadcast ― which accelerate performance and enhance image quality. Together with real-time ray tracing, these technologies are the foundation of the GeForce gaming platform, which brings unparalleled performance and features to games and gamers everywhere.

From top to bottom, ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB graphics cards deliver powerful thermal designs and are optimized for the dynamic NVIDIA Ampere architecture.

A shroud with metal accents encompasses a trio of fans featuring the cutting-edge ASUS Axial-tech fan design: a more compact fan hub allows for longer fan blades, and full-height barrier rings provide boosted static pressure to pump air through the heatsink fins and onto the GPU heat spreader.

A reversal of the center fan’s rotational direction lessens turbulence to enhance airflow efficiency. The fans and top of the graphics card are also illuminated by an addressable RGB element that can be customized with Armoury Crate software.

In addition to an enhanced cooling array, Super Alloy Power II components, including top-shelf capacitors, chokes, and power stages, effortlessly deliver hundreds of watts at a millisecond’s notice. The card’s components are soldered to the PCB using ASUS-exclusive Auto-Extreme Technology to ensure precise joints and that each card meets rigorous ROG specifications for reliability.

Also included are FanConnect II headers that allow PWM fans to be tuned based on CPU and GPU temperatures, providing extra intake or exhaust for demanding 3D tasks and compute workloads. Builders looking for a quick and simple way to adjust their card’s default fan speeds can flick an onboard Dual BIOS switch to choose between “performance” and “quiet” profiles, without additional software.

Another ease-of-use feature is an onboard voltage-sensing circuit that monitors PSU rail voltage. The circuit is fast enough to catch any transients that result in the rail voltage dropping too low. If that happens, a red LED will light up to indicate a power supply issue, making it easier to debug the source of crashes during gameplay.

Flipping the card around reveals more design improvements. For enhanced heat dissipation, a wide backplate vent and shortened PCB allow hot air to escape towards chassis exhaust fans instead of being recycled back into the cooler. Stainless steel is used for the I/O bracket to protect ports and provide a more secure mount. To top it off, an ROG logo with addressable RGB backlighting adds flair.
The ROG Strix GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB graphics card provides a dynamic thermal design. Paired with the outstanding performance of the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, ROG Strix provides gamers with access to fresh experiences, from incredible frame rates in competitive titles, to smooth high-resolution gameplay in immersive AAA games.
TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB graphics cards provide exceptionally robust power and cooling. An all-metal shroud houses three powerful Axial-tech fans that utilize durable dual ball fan bearings. Fan rotation has been optimized for reduced turbulence, and a stop mode brings all three fans to a halt at low temperatures. In line with the TUF Gaming legacy, components are selected based on their durability and performance. In addition to top-shelf chokes and MOSFETs, capacitors with military-grade certification make TUF Gaming stand tall amongst the competition.
A manufacturing process employing Auto-Extreme Technology ensures components are placed and attached with high precision, and each card is subjected to a grueling 144-hour validation trial to ensure flawless performance when it counts. Most of the rear is swathed in a protective metal backplate that prominently features a wide vent to prevent heat buildup.
Beneath the GPU, a bracket provides consistent mounting pressure between the die and heat spreader, and the card’s I/O bracket is forged from stainless steel to protect ports and provide a more secure mount. A conveniently placed Dual BIOS switch allows customization of the card’s default performance profile without software.
ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB delivers the ultimate combination of dynamic thermal performance and broad compatibility, making it the perfect choice for small-form-factor builds. A sleek shroud surrounds two Axial-tech fans that are designed to maximize airflow through the large heatsink, and 0 dB technology automatically brings the fans to a halt at lower temperatures. The ASUS Dual graphics card is 20 cm long and fits into a 2-slot design, allowing its excellent thermal performance to be leveraged for more compact builds.
Auto-Extreme Technology enables components to be mounted and soldered to the PCB with greater precision and reliability, and these are protected by the structural rigidity and durability of an aluminum backplate and stainless steel I/O bracket. The ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB graphics card gives gamers with small-form-factor builds the exceptional thermal performance they need for extended AAA gaming sessions.
ROG Strix and TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB graphics cards will be available worldwide starting from late February 2021. ASUS Dual GeForce RTX 3060 12 GB will be available in early March 2021.

Components
AMD Launches Radeon PRO W7700 Workstation Graphics Card

AMD has announced the AMD Radeon PRO W7700, a professional workstation graphics card under $1,000. The new workstation graphics card is designed to meet the evolving demands of professional workflows, including increasingly complex computer-generated designs, the continual growth in the development of visual effects and animations, a global surge in construction, and the explosive growth in advanced AI applications. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 graphics card unleashes professionals’ creativity through exceptional performance, stunning visuals and future-ready capabilities.
“We built and optimized the AMD Radeon PRO W7700 graphics cards to create premium workstation graphics experiences, enabling our customers to boost innovation and productivity,” said Dan Wood, corporate vice president, Radeon product management at AMD. The AMD Radeon PRO W7700 workstation graphics card is ideal for the growing demands of creative industries, including media and entertainment, design and manufacturing, and architecture, engineering and construction.
The 16GB of high-speed VRAM allows 3D artists and video editors to work with higher-resolution models and textures and process intricate effects. It also enables data exchange between applications, allowing users to multitask between editing, compositing, and retouching to meet project deadlines. In addition, with industry-leading support for DisplayPort™ 2.1, video editors will benefit from richer colour spaces and the ability to leverage the highest display resolutions available today. The new graphics card also supports the latest codecs with AV1 encode/decode and AI-enhanced video encode capabilities for lightning-fast video encoding times that streamline and accelerate video production.
Built on the high-performance, energy-efficient AMD RDNA 3 architecture, the Radeon PRO W7700 workstation graphics card offers up to 1.7X better price/performance than the competitive offering. The new graphics card also provides up to 52% higher performance in SOLIDWORKS, up to 24% higher performance in Creo and up to 37% higher performance in CATIA compared to competitor solutions, empowering architects to bring their visions of hotels, office buildings and other structures to life by enabling them to produce photorealistic renders and immersive walkthroughs. DisplayPort 2.1 and the AMD Radiance Display Engine technologies also offer stunning resolutions and vibrant colour depth for viewing projects on up to four displays.
“The great collaboration between AMD and ACCA continues five years strong. Architectural customers have benefited from the combination of AMD Radeon ProRender in our ACCA Edificius BIM application, thanks to the integration of HIP,” said Guido Cianciulli, founder and CEO, ACCA Software. “We are excited that ACCA Edificius customers will benefit from the new AMD Radeon PRO W7000 series workstation graphics, which provide increased photorealism and improved image rendering power, as well as support for ultra-performance displays.”
The Radeon PRO W7700 workstation graphics card enables professionals to build and run AI applications right from their desktops. Featuring hardware-based AI accelerators, the graphics card is designed to accelerate AI workloads in the latest applications, including DaVinci Resolve, Adobe Premiere, Topaz Labs Video AI, and many others. “We are excited about the launch of the Radeon PRO W7700 and how it will help users leverage generative AI and the rest of their creative applications,” said Anush Elangovan, corporate vice president of software development at AMD (formerly Nod.ai). “Nod.ai has built APIs to help creators get the most out of their AI applications. Our SHARK Stable Diffusion REST API plugs into Blender, enabling creative professionals to leverage the power of generative AI in their familiar 3D tools.”
Components
CORSAIR Adds iCUE LINK-Enabled Components to its Hydro X Series Custom Cooling Lineup

CORSAIR has unveiled the newest additions to the renowned Hydro X Series. In keeping with its commitment to revolutionizing DIY custom cooling, these products are seamlessly integrated with the innovative iCUE LINK Smart Component Ecosystem, further enhancing custom cooling performance and aesthetics. With the addition of the iCUE LINK XD5 RGB ELITE LCD Pump/Reservoir and iCUE LINK XG7 RGB 40-Series GPU Water Blocks, the Hydro X Series now offers even more iCUE LINK-enabled products, making the process of building a world-class custom cooling loop easier than ever.
Following the success of the acclaimed CORSAIR XD5 RGB and the recent introduction of the XD5 RGB ELITE, the iCUE LINK XD5 RGB ELITE LCD arrives as the new flagship of the Pump/Reservoir Combo lineup. This unit boasts a market-first 2.1″ IPS LCD pump screen with a 480×480 resolution, dynamically displaying real-time coolant temperatures, images, or animated GIFs. The XD5 RGB ELITE LCD’s integration of revolutionary iCUE LINK technology ensures a streamlined build process, eliminating the traditional MOLEX connectors, reducing cable clutter, and enhancing connectivity. With the reliability of a Xylem D5 PWM pump motor at its heart, the XD5 RGB ELITE LCD stands as a fusion of performance, convenience, and style. It is available in both Stealth Gray and White, accentuated with a gunmetal grey zinc-alloy finish.
CORSAIR iCUE LINK XG7 RGB 40-SERIES GPU Water Blocks are the latest components to join the new era of building simplicity. Stepping up from their predecessors, the upgraded XG7 RGBs now support iCUE LINK connectivity right out of the box. These full-cover water blocks ensure optimal performance coupled with cooler temperatures. Emphasizing versatility, the new XG7 RGB series still offers a variety of connection options, ensuring the needs of diverse DIY builders are met seamlessly. Multiple models designed to fit a growing number of graphics cards will be made available for purchase over the next few months.
Redefining loop design, the new Hydro X Series XT Softline Mesh Tubing is an innovative creation made from resilient EPDM rubber. Its unique mesh layer provides a robust and stylish look that’s unparalleled in the custom cooling domain. Available in both black and white, this tubing promises a blend of durability and distinct aesthetics. With these latest innovations, CORSAIR is advancing the Hydro X Series to meet the ever-changing demands of DIY enthusiasts. The Hydro X Series ensures that every component doesn’t just fit together—they harmonize to create a cohesive, high-performance, and visually captivating ensemble. Just as iCUE LINK unites a full range of components with a unified cable standard, the Hydro X Series embodies a symphony of excellence in performance and design.
The CORSAIR iCUE LINK XD5 RGB ELITE LCD, iCUE LINK XG7 RGB 40-SERIES GPU Water Blocks, and Hydro X Series XT Softline Mesh Tubing are available now from the CORSAIR webstore and the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors. The iCUE LINK XD5 RGB ELITE LCD, iCUE LINK XG7 RGB 40-SERIES GPU Water Blocks, and Hydro X Series XT Softline Mesh Tubing are backed by a three-year warranty, alongside the CORSAIR worldwide customer service and technical support network.
Components
Review: ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula Gaming Motherboard

ASUS released a lineup of new and refreshed ROG Z790 motherboards to coincide with the launch of Intel 14th Gen Raptor Lake Refresh desktop CPUs. We reviewed the ASUS TUF Gaming Z790-Pro WiFi Motherboard a week ago, and today, we are taking a look at the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula.
The ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is the ultimate motherboard, boasting a stunning Moonlight White design. Beyond its eye-catching appearance, it offers a boatload of features such as the exclusive HybridChill VRM cooling system for 14th-gen Intel processors, and advanced DDR5 settings. You also get multiple PCIe 5.0 slots for graphics cards and storage, rapid Intel Wi-Fi 7 networking, and extensive customisable ARGB lighting, ensuring whatever you build with this thing, is premium.
In terms of specifications, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula maintains its ATX form factor and incorporates a dual 8-pin CPU power connector setup. The VRM Configuration is 20+1+2(Core+GT+VCCIN) and backed up by a 10-phase supply count with 105A and 70A power stages.
The motherboard provides four DDR5 DIMM slots capable of supporting speeds exceeding 8000 MT/s and capacities of up to 192GB. The motherboard features a white shield covering its entire front, which also houses the M.2 heatsinks beneath it. Memory compatibility is a breeze with the Z790 Formula.
All XMP-certified kits can effortlessly reach their advertised speeds, as rigorous internal tests have verified these assertions. ASUS has also introduced a novel feature called DIMM Flex. DIMM Flex utilises an onboard thermal sensor located at the rear of the motherboard, beneath the memory slots, along with a microcontroller to continuously monitor temperature and dynamically optimise the memory refresh rate, providing an on-the-fly performance boost.
Regarding expansion options, the board includes two PCIe x16 slots and a diverse range of I/O ports, such as support for WIFI 7. You also get two Thunderbolt 4 Type-C ports, a USB 3.2 Gen 2 10 Gbps Type-C port, 5 GbE LAN, numerous USB 3.2 ports, and BIOS Flashback/Clear CMOS switches.
Other features of the motherboard include AI Overclocking, 2-inch Livedash OLED, AI Cooling II, and other bells and whistles. There are dual procool II power connectors, 20+1+2 power stages, and the motherboard comes with the Intel LGA 1700 socket that takes in 14th and 13th Gen Intel Core Processors, 12th Gen Intel Core processors, and Pentium Gold and Celeron processors.
In terms of I/O connectivity, you again get a boatload. The motherboard comes with one HDMI port, four USB 5Gbps Type-A ports, two Thunderbolt 4 USB Type-C ports, a Realtek 5Gb Ethernet port, six USB 10Gbps ports (five Type-A and one USB Type-C), Intel Wi-Fi 7, Optical S/PDIF Out, five gold-plated audio jacks, one USB 20Gbps USB Type-C front panel connector, and four SATA 6GB/S connectors.
Inside the package, in addition to the motherboard, cables, and other accessories, you’ll find an ASUS WiFi Q-Antenna. This antenna is equipped with dual transceivers, which provide support for the 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands, enhancing throughput speed. It also offers directional sensitivity to boost signal quality and expand coverage over longer distances.
Undoubtedly, the ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is an exceptional and distinct motherboard. With its remarkable features and capabilities, I believe it will become a top choice for both enthusiasts and gamers in their feature builds. The ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula is currently available at a price of AED 3070.
Price: AED 3070
ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Formula Gaming Motherboard
AED 3070
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Final Rating
Summary
Beyond its eye-catching appearance, it offers a boatload of features such as the exclusive HybridChill VRM cooling system for 14th-gen Intel processors, and advanced DDR5 settings.
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