Gaming Performance
Ongoing coverage on Gaming Performance.
Latest coverage
Choosing to bring back the 5800X3D was a tough conversation for AMD... 'very hard, actually, very, very hard!'
AMD has decided to bring back the Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU to cater to the DIY market that still utilizes AM4 motherboards and DDR4 memory. David McAfee, VP of Ryzen and Radeon at AMD, explained that re-engineering the product for newer manufacturing processes and ensuring sufficient DDR4 supply were significant challenges.
This is me playing Alan Wake 2's native Arm build on an RTX Spark laptop, and I'm here for it
The article details a hands-on experience with a native Arm build of Alan Wake 2 running on an Nvidia RTX Spark laptop. The author reports a smooth and visually impressive experience, highlighting Nvidia and Microsoft's collaboration with Remedy Entertainment to optimize the graphically intensive DirectX 12 title for Arm hardware. Emulated versions of Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Pragmata were also tested, with assurances that major applications and games will be supported at launch.
Nvidia sets out roadmap for RTX Spark, its new PC platform, which also gives us a better idea of when to expect next-gen…
Nvidia is collaborating with Microsoft to launch RTX Spark, a new PC platform featuring Windows on Arm, with a roadmap extending to 2030. The platform will align with Nvidia's new architectures, including Grace Blackwell in 2026, Vera Rubin in 2027/28, and Feynman in 2030. Nvidia showcased gaming on RTX Spark, demonstrating Forza Horizon with 100 FPS at 1440p with Ray Tracing and DLSS, with the platform set to launch in the fall.
The latest 100% Chinese-made GPU may still lag behind an RTX 3060 but it could be the start of something big in graphics…
Lisuan has released the LX 7G100, China's first 100% domestically produced graphics card capable of running modern DirectX 12 games. While its performance significantly trails behind established cards like the Nvidia GeForce RTX 3060 and AMD Radeon RX 6600 XT, it represents a notable step forward for China's domestic GPU development. The card is priced at approximately $485, positioning it as a niche product for enthusiasts and collectors.
It's the most powerful gaming CPU money can buy, but you really shouldn't.
The AMD Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition offers marginal gaming performance gains over the 9950X3D for a significantly higher price, making it an impractical choice for most PC gamers. While it shows some benefits in specific scenarios due to its dual 3D V-Cache design and symmetrical clock speeds, its high cost, power consumption, and thermal output do not justify the expense for its limited advantages.
Evening Tech Bits
New benchmarks suggest the Intel Core i9 14900K processor offers up to a 9% gaming performance increase over its predecessor. Additionally, early benchmarks for the AMD Ryzen AI 5 435G APU show its six-core Zen 5 chip competing directly with existing processors.
RAM and SSDs usually suck in prebuilt gaming PCs, but this custom build shows that doesn't need to be the case, even in a pricing apocalypse
This review examines a custom-built gaming PC from Quoted Tech, highlighting its strengths in component quality and thermal performance, particularly with its AMD Ryzen 7 9700F and Radeon RX 7900 XTX configuration. While the build offers solid gaming performance and excellent SSD and RAM speeds, potential drawbacks include disconcerting fan noise and a limited selection of motherboards and cases. The article concludes that Quoted Tech is a good option for those seeking a customizable prebuilt PC with quality parts, though it may not be the most budget-friendly choice.
Microsoft has an ambitious plan to win users back, and go toe-to-toe with Valve's SteamOS for gaming — but…
Microsoft is reportedly working on a project codenamed 'K2' to significantly improve Windows 11's gaming performance and reduce bloatware, aiming to compete directly with Valve's SteamOS. This initiative focuses on enhancing performance, craft, and reliability to regain user trust and optimize the operating system for gaming.
'We’ve been getting around two days of normal work out of it': Proton GE dev GloriousEggRoll and CachyOS offer early praise for Framework 13 Pro's 'freakishly good battery life'
Developers GloriousEggRoll and CachyOS have praised the Framework 13 Pro laptop for its exceptional battery life, with CachyOS reporting up to two days of normal work on a single charge. The laptop is also noted for its strong gaming performance on Linux distributions like Nobara and CachyOS.
Intel's new gaming CPU specs have leaked again, and it's set to be the king of cache
New leaks reveal specifications for Intel's upcoming Core Ultra 400 series processors, codenamed Nova Lake-S, which are expected to launch by the end of the year. These new CPUs will feature a significantly increased core count and a substantial amount of L3 cache, aiming to compete with AMD's Ryzen X3D chips for top gaming performance. The leaks suggest a flagship model with 16 P-Cores, 32 E-Cores, 4 LPE-Cores, and 288MB of L3 cache, a major upgrade from current Intel offerings.
Looks like a PS5, games like a PC
The Minisforum Atomman G1 Pro is a compact mini PC that offers solid gaming performance at 1440p and can serve as a console replacement. While it boasts impressive portability and build quality, it suffers from mixed cooling performance, with the CPU running hot, and limited I/O requiring a USB hub. Despite these drawbacks, it provides good value for its size and capabilities.
Top dollar for top cache: AMD's dual 3D V-Cache Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 will sell for a wallet-burning $899
AMD has announced the official price for its new Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Dual Edition processor, featuring 192 MB of L3 cache, at $899. While offering workstation-class performance and no need for a new motherboard or memory, the processor shows only a marginal increase in performance for content creation and gaming compared to the 9950X3D.
From the C: to the /Mnt/s, Linux is better than ever for PC gaming – and easier to switch to from Windows
Linux has become a viable and accessible alternative to Windows for PC gaming, largely due to improvements in compatibility layers like Proton and the popularity of devices like the Steam Deck. While challenges remain, particularly with anti-cheat software, various distributions and tools now make it easier for users to switch and enjoy a wide range of games.
Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 Elite reviews are in, but these second-gen Windows-on-Arm chips still aren't grabbing me as…
Reviews for Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite chips indicate strong CPU performance, often matching or exceeding Intel and AMD competitors, and even rivaling Apple's M5 MacBook Air in some benchmarks. However, gaming performance is inconsistent, with some titles like Cyberpunk 2077 running well, while others such as Dota 2 suffer from significant frame rate drops. While the chips show promise for Windows on Arm devices, they are not yet a complete replacement for traditional gaming rigs.
ASUS ZenBook A16 review: A surprisingly light and powerful 16-inch ultraportable
The ASUS Zenbook A16 is a surprisingly light and powerful 16-inch ultraportable laptop featuring a new Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip. It boasts a stunning 3K OLED display, a comfortable Ceraluminum chassis, and impressive battery life, making it a strong contender in its price range despite some compatibility concerns with older applications and certain anti-cheat software.
If you want to crank tons more gaming performance out of the Apple MacBook Neo, apparently a custom water cooling loop…
Tech YouTubers Jakkuh and Zip Tie Tech have successfully implemented a custom water cooling loop on an Apple MacBook Neo to significantly boost its gaming performance. Despite the laptop's low cost and non-gaming design, the modification resulted in record-breaking benchmark scores for its A18 Pro GPU, though limitations like unified memory and macOS compatibility remain.
AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D review - peak frame rates for under $300
The AMD Ryzen 5 7500X3D offers peak frame rates for gaming on the AM5 platform at an affordable price point under $300. While it excels in most games, its performance is weaker in non-gaming applications.
Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus review: another skippable CPU series
Intel's Core Ultra 7 270K Plus and Core Ultra 5 250K Plus processors offer improved multitasking and efficiency over previous generations but fail to surpass AMD's current offerings or even Intel's own 14th Gen chips in gaming performance. While they run cooler and are more affordably priced, their gaming benchmarks are not compelling enough for an upgrade, suggesting potential buyers might consider waiting for Intel's next generation or opting for AMD's Ryzen processors.
Gnome gets Nvidia performance boost, offering 'smoother window animations and general desktop fluidity' for…
Gnome 50, codenamed 'Tokyo', introduces significant performance improvements for Nvidia GPUs on Linux systems, promising smoother window animations and overall desktop fluidity. This update aims to address previous driver issues and enhance the user experience for gamers and general users alike.
Intel adds mobile chips to its updated Arrow Lake 'Plus' family with 8% more gaming performance despite no changes to core counts or their clock speeds
Intel has launched its new Core Ultra 200HX Plus mobile CPUs, offering an 8% increase in gaming performance over previous models without changes to core counts or clock speeds. This uplift is attributed to a new software layer called Intel BOT, which optimizes application code on the fly. The new chips are available now for OEMs, with laptops expected to ship shortly.
