Wednesday, November 21st, 2018

Time	Event
8:00a	Best PC Power Supplies: Holiday 2018 Now that you've picked out your CPU, it's time to start picking out the rest of your system components. And perhaps the most humble but overlooked of these components is the power supply unit (PSU). Available in a wide range of sizes and power capacities, there are a number of great PSUs out there, but choosing between them can be a challenge. So today we're bringing you our annual PC power supply guide, to help you sort figure out what the best options are, be it a low-wattage unit for a small form factor PC, or a hulking kilowatt unit for the most powerful PC. (Comment on this)
9:30a	Acer Unveils KG1 Displays with Sub-1ms Response Time Acer Japan has introduced a lineup of gaming displays featuring a response time below 1 ms. The Acer KG1 family includes seven models featuring a 23.6, 24,5 and 27-inch diagonal and set to target different price segments. The Acer KG1 monitors rely on non-glossy Full-HD (1920x1080) TN panels featuring between 0.5 ms and 0.8 ms GtG response times, depending on exact SKU. These are blistering response times, and if the specifications listed here are accurate – and with the grain of salt that monitor response time specifications have historically been overestimated – then we're talking about panels can finish a grey-to-grey transition in as little as one-fifth the time of an actual frame update. Meanwihle, since we are dealing with TN technology, the monitors feature a rather standard 250 – 400 nits brightness, a 1000:1 contrast ratio, as well as 170°/160° horizontal/vertical viewing angles. Acer is listing an sRGB color space for these monitors, though as they're clearly all-in on response times, we'll have to wait and see just how much of that color space they can actually cover. Being aimed primarily at gamers, Acer’s KG1-series displays support AMD’s FreeSync dynamic refresh rate technology as well as various gaming-oriented functions, such as AcerAimPoint crosshair, an FPS counter, BlackBoost technology that makes faced-paced scenes look sharper, and so on. When it comes to inputs, the KG1 displays have a rather standard set of connectors, including DisplayPort 1.2 and HDMI 1.4/2.0 headers. Meanwhile, some models are also outfitted with legacy D-Sub and DVI-D connectors. Moving on to pricing of the KG1 monitors. Being unique, Acer’s new displays with a sub-1 ms response time carry a premium price tag for Full-HD LCDs. The cheapest KG251QGbmiix model costs ¥19,000 ($169) without VAT, whereas the most expensive KG271Fbmiipx SKU is priced at ¥50,000 ($444) without taxes. Acer Japan has not announced when the KG1 displays will be available on other markets, though it is logical to assume that the company will try to capitalize on its exclusive panels. Specifications of Acer's KG1 Gaming Displays   KG241QA KG251QG KG251QH KG251QI KG271D KG271E KG271F Panel 23.6" TN 24.5" TN 27" TN Native Resolution 1920 × 1080 Maximum Refresh Rate 144 Hz 75 Hz 144 Hz 240 Hz 75 Hz 144 Hz 240 Hz Dynamic Refresh Tech AMD FreeSync (LFC is not confirmed) Range ? ? ? ? ? ? ? Brightness (cd/m²) 300 250 400 300 400 Contrast 1000:1 Viewing Angles 170°/160° horizontal/vertical Response Time 0.7 ms 0.7 ms 0.6 ms 0.5 ms 0.6 ms 0.8 ms Pixel Pitch  0.27 mm² 0.28 mm² 0.31 mm² Pixel Density 93 PPI 90 PPI 82 PPI Color Gamut Support sRGB       Inputs 1×DP 1.2 1×HDMI 1.4 1×D-Sub 1×HDMI 1.4 1×DVI-D 1×DP 1.2 1×HDMI 1.4 1×DP 1.2 1×HDMI 2.0 1×HDMI 1.4 1×D-Sub 2×HDMI 1.4 1×DVI-D 1×DP 1.2 1×HDMI 1.4 1×DP 1.2 2×HDMI 2.0 Audio - 2×2W  speakers VESA Mounts 100 × 100 mm Additional Information Link Link Link Link Link Link Link Price $240 $169 $266 $382 $213 $328 $444 Related Reading: AOC to Launch Curved QHD Displays with 0.5 ms Response Time in 2018 Acer XZ1-Series Curved Gaming Displays: WQHD, 144 Hz, FreeSync, HDR10 Acer Announces Nitro XV273K Monitor: 4Kp144, DisplayHDR 400, FreeSync Acer Unveils Predator XB273K 4Kp144 DisplayHDR 400 Gaming LCD Sources: Acer Japan, Hermitage Akihabara (Comment on this)
10:00a	The Mushkin Source 500GB SATA SSD Review: A Value Proposition For An Everyday PC QLC SATA SSDs haven't quite hit the consumer market just yet, so the most affordable entry-level SSDs are still DRAMless designs with TLC NAND. The Mushkin Source is a current-generation example that provides only modest improvements over older DRAMless SSDs, but is adequate for most home systems. (Comment on this)
11:35a	Short Supply of Intel’s Gemini Lake Confirmed by PC Maker Intel has publicly admitted that demand for its processors exceeds supply, which is why it is currently prioritizes shipments of its higher-end Core and Xeon products over cheaper chips. Various manufacturers of actual PCs are now confirming the backlog in orders, giving us additional details to the story. As it appears, shortages of Intel’s Gemini Lake SoCs for low-cost PCs are so severe that the earliest opportunity for some of the PC makers to get the chips will be in February or March. Earlier this week a company named Hardkernel launched its first x86-based Odroid-H2 compact PC platform, a device akin to a Raspberry Pi. The 4.3 inch × 4.3 inch platform is based on Intel’s quad-core Celeron J4105 SoC and can be equipped with up to 32 GB of DDR4-2400 memory, an M.2 SSD, and has an essential set of wired I/O interfaces (DP 1.2, HDMI 2.0, two GbE ports, two USB 3.0, two USB 2.0, 3.5-mm audio jack, and an S/PDIF). The launch was labeled a success and the first batch of 2,000 units was sold in 24 hours. As it appears, the company did not expect demand to be so high, so it did not prepare more units. Apparently, Hardkernel cannot order more Gemini Lake SoCs from Intel right now. The chip giant reportedly said that it would be able to deliver the chips in February or March, but could only provide a more exact delivery schedule in January. “We have very small problem now,” the company said “We have sold out all our first production lot in 24 hours. We are so sorry for that. In fact, we conservatively prepared only 2,000pcs of H2 boards because we could not predict this situation. We are contacting Intel for the lead time of the Gemini Lake processor.  Due to Intel's serious supplying issue these days, they can supply the Gemini Lake SoC in February or March 2019. […] They also mentioned that they can give us a firm delivery schedule in January.” Considering the fact that Gemini Lake is an entry-level product, it is not surprising that it sits rather low in Intel’s list of priorities. In fact, a rumor has it that Intel is considering to outsource some of its low-end SoCs to contract makers of semiconductors, though considering all the complexities with re-spinning the chips for someone else’s process technology, this is something that will be a hard thing to do. One thing that particularly attracts attention is the volume of SoCs that Hardkernel might require. The first batch was only 2,000, so it is unlikely that the second batch would hit 20,000. Meanwhile, Intel does not seem to have spare Gemini Lake SoCs at all, which once again emphasizes the scope of the company’s problems. Related Reading ASUS Comments on Intel Shortages, U.S.-China Trade War Intel Investing $1B to Meet 14nm Demand: Prioritizing High-End Core and Xeon Intel Announces Q3 FY 2018 Earnings: Record Quarter Intel to Split Manufacturing Group into Three Segments Source: Hardkernel (via FanlessTech) (Comment on this)
1:00p	Ubiquiti Extends Amplifi HD Mesh Networking Family with Gamer's Edition Mesh networking and whole-home Wi-Fi systems have bcome a major segment in the home networking market over the past couple of years. Ubiquiti Networks has carved a name for itself in the enterprise networking space with its UniFi lineup. In 2016, they launched the AmpliFi product line to target the consumer market. The AmpliFi Whole-Home Wi-Fi products fall under two categories: AmpliFi Instant (a $100 Instant Router, and a $180 Instant Wi-Fi System that includes a mesh point that is very similar to the router in terms of industrial design and features.) AmpliFi HD (a $150 AmpliFi HD Mesh Router, a $120 AmpliFi MeshPoint HD, and a $340 AmpliFi Mesh Wi-Fi System that includes a HD Mesh Router and two MeshPoint HDs.) In addition, AmpliFi also has a $100 Teleport portable hardware extension that creates a seamless VPN tunnel to the home network when connected to an external network (wired or wireless). Different consumers have different needs - while power users may have wired switches spread across multiple rooms and discrete access points, the average consumer needs a quick and easy to set up system that provides hassle-free coverage. While Ubiquiti's UniFi system caters to the former, the AmpliFi lineup with its touchscreen displays and mobile app-based setup process targets the latter market segment. Today, Ubiquiti is launching the AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition. The internal hardware is the same as the existing AmpliFi HD, but, the firmware comes with a few QoS tweaks targeting online gaming in general and cloud-gaming services in particular. Co-branded with NVIDIA, the AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition's GeForce NOW QoS mode automatically detects latency or frame losses and de-prioritizes other traffic to ensure satisfactory online gaming sessions. Coarse QoS control is available using the mobile app The AmpliFi HD Gamer's Edition will be available starting today for $379. It is priced higher than the $340 of the standard edition. The extra value is delivered in the firmware features and additional hardware tweaks - a black exterior and LED lighting at the base that gamers may find to be attractive. The standard MeshPoint HD units have a 170 degree rotation ability with the adjustable antenna on top of a magnetic connector. On the other hand, the Gamer's Edition MeshPoint HD is a uni-body design with a 270 degree rotation capability that allows for more optimal positioning. Compared to the regular AmpliFi HD, the firmware is tuned specifically for gamers' needs with latency and throughput going hand-in-hand. Currently, Ubiquiti is not planning on adding these features to the regular version. So, the ability to control and optimize the behavior of the mesh network for gaming is the biggest value brought in by the new app customization for the Gamer’s Edition. The competition is currently targeting the gaming market by re-purposing traditional Wi-Fi routers. Ubiquiti / AmpliFi appears to be the first vendor to market with a mesh Wi-Fi offering catering to the gaming market. The pricing is very competitive given the marriage of mesh Wi-Fi and gaming features. That said, it will take Ubiquiti some more time to get the firmware features on par with what is offered by the likes of DumaOS, though. (Comment on this)
1:01p	Best CPUs for Workstations: 2018 In our series of Best CPU guides, here’s the latest update to our recommended workstation CPUs list. All numbers in the text are updated to reflect pricing at the time of writing. Numbers in graphs reflect SRP for AMD and 1k pricing for Intel. Best CPUs for Workstations 2018 Sometimes choosing a CPU is hard. So we've got you covered. In our CPU Guides, we give you our pick of some of the best processors available, supplying data from our reviews. Our Best CPUs for Workstations guide mostly covers workstation processors available to consumers, although some server products cover both segments. Workstation CPU Recommendations: 2018 Segment Processor Best Overall Choice AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X $899 Maximum Performance Intel Core i9-9980XE AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX $1979 $1730 Maximum PCIe 1P 60 AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1900X $320 128 AMD EPYC 7251 $530 2P 96 Intel Xeon Bronze 3104 $235 / ea 128 AMD EPYC 7251 $530 / ea Maximum Memory 1TB+ EPYC 7251 EPYC 7601 $530 $4597 <512GB Intel Xeon W-2123 $410 Ones to Watch Intel Xeon W-3175X The majority of our recommendations aim to hit the performance/price curve just right, with a side nod to power consumption as well. Best Overall Choice: AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X ($899) - Read Our Review Our best pick here isn’t the fast overall CPU, it isn’t even the fastest single threaded CPU, and it is not the best bang-for-buck CPU. So why pick it at all then? Overall, it performs really well in all categories. Let me explain. Buy AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2950X on Amazon.com The 2950X is less than half the cost compared to the Core i9-9980XE, which has two cores more and some extra IPC, but the 1950X has a much better performance-per-dollar ratio for almost all our tests. It offers a full 60+4 PCIe lanes for coprocessors, compared to 44, and it matches the Intel for DRAM support. Technically the Ryzen 5 or Intel Pentium processors have the best absolute bang-for-buck, but these have a low overall performance: a workstation processor still needs a good absolute performance. The 2950X sits joint top in our compile test, just ahead of the Skylake-X processors. The 2950X replaces the 1950X on our list by virtue of the improved frequency and updates. It outperforms its bigger 24-core and 32-core counterparts most tests except rendering, and motherboard vendors are more than capable of taking the 180W TDP. The AMD Ryzen Threadripper is a jack-of-all-trades. In most circumstances it is not the absolute best CPU, but it strikes as the best all-rounder. Best Absolute Performance, Money No Object: The Intel Core i9-9980XE ($1979) - Read Our Review The AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX ($1799) for Rendering For the top performance, I’ve picked two processors for different reasons, depending on the workload. For some workstation users money is no object – it can easily be amortized into the step up in the speed of the workflow. But what a user get will depend on their access to hardware. Buy Intel Core i9-9980XE on Newegg For prosumers building a system, or buying at retail, then the best option is the Intel Core i9-9980XE. This processor is set to be on the shelves of the usual retailers, and offers eighteen of Intel’s high-performance cores as well as AVX-512. Over the previous generation i9-7980XE it gives an extra 7-10% performance due to a frequency increase, for a few more watts of power. The heatsink is also soldered, to help with temperatures. For users that have software optimized for multithreading or vector instructions, Intel has you covered here. Some workstation users will need ECC memory, and up to 512GB of it. When memory has an error rate of 1 error per GB per year, using 512GB ensures almost two bit errors per day: something that a 60-day simulation would find catastrophic. The top Xeon-W processor from Intel’s workstation line is the Xeon W-2195, offering almost the same as the Core i9-9980XE but with ECC RDIMM support and a few more PCIe lanes. Our alternative processor here is the 32-core AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX, with a suggested retail price of $1799. Even though it has 14 more cores than Intel, the 2990WX has a bifurcated memory strategy, which actually harms it in a number of tests. Despite having access to 32 cores, we found that it might perform worse than the 16-core 2950X for sost things. But there is one set of workloads where it does really well: rendering. It took the top spot, often by a large margin, in all of our rendering tests, including Corona, Blender, Luxmark, and POV-Ray. Buy AMD Ryzen Threadripper 2990WX on Amazon.com We have relevant reviews for both the Core i9-9980XE and the Threadripper 2990WX that are well worth reading. Maximum PCIe: Piling Co-Processor Power 1P 60: AMD Ryzen ThreadRipper 1900X ($320) 1P 128: AMD EPYC 7251 ($530) 2P 96: Intel Xeon Bronze 3104 ($235 ea) The attachment rate for PCIe accelerators or co-processors (GPUs, FPGAs, MICs) in workstation environments is typically more than one per system, higher than that of gamers. A number of users rely on having high-speed and low latency PCIe access for these accelerators to accelerate their workflow, and the CPU becomes ever important when these accelerators also have to talk to each other. These recommendations are based on having no large PCIe switches on the motherboard. Otherwise, the most bargain basement processor would be suitable. Buy AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1900X on Newegg For processors that a user can buy off the shelf to put into their own system, the AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1900X is an eight-core processor with simultaneous multi-threading that supports 60+4 PCIe 3.0 lanes on the motherboard. AMD often suggests that these are split into x16/x16/x16 for coprocessors leaving three PCIe 3.0 x4 slots left for storage, although anyone looking for maximum density could see x8/x8/x8/x8/x8/x8 if a motherboard was built in this way. As a single socket solution (that doesn’t require ECC), the 1900X gets the nod. In a single socket system where more PCIe is required, an EPYC 7251/P fits the bill. This processor supports 128 PCIe lanes with up to seven accelerators in that configuration, so the EPYC 7251 wins out over the 1900X. Buy AMD EPYC 7251 on Newegg This is where someone from Intel says ‘what if GPUs need to talk to each other? The AMD multi-die strategy kills GPU-to-GPU performance due to added latency and limited bandwidth would an extra PCIe switch!’. This is true, but nothing that Intel has in its arsenal has near 60 PCIe lanes from the processor. The nearest is 48 PCIe lanes from any of the Xeon-W CPUs ($294-2600), or 44 lanes from the Core i9-7900X ($999). Technically these chips are built with 64 PCIe lanes, but 16 of them are fused off, to be used for Xeon models with OmniPath built into the package. Someone might say that Intel’s X299/C620 chipsets can support another 24 PCIe 3.0 lanes giving 68 and 64 lanes in total respectively, but then we come to the argument of added latency when talking GPU-to-GPU across the CPU-to-chipset connection, but also these extra PCIe lanes are not built for accelerators. In order to get more PCIe lanes from Intel, we have to look at 2P systems, which can offer up to 96 PCIe lanes in total. Buy Intel Xeon Bronze 3104 on Newegg The cheapest 2P processor from Intel with the full set of PCIe lanes is the lowest processor: the Xeon Bronze 3104. This part only has six cores at 1.7 GHz, but it can offer 48 PCIe lanes on its own and support up to 768 GB of ECC RDIMMs. When two sockets are populated, assuming the motherboard manufacturer has made all the PCIe lanes available through the slots, then up to 96 PCIe lanes could be offered. In this configuration, the accelerators connected to the same CPU have the lowest latency, and those on the other CPU will have additional latency over the QPI link. The user will also have to deal with a non-uniform memory distribution on the processors, which most enterprise software should be able to deal with. Maximum Memory 2TB: AMD EPYC 7251 ($530) or EPYC 7601 ($4597) 1TB: AMD EPYC 7251 ($530) or EPYC 7601 ($4597) 512GB: Intel Xeon-W 2123 ($410)  Sometimes all you need is memory. Storing that big database near the CPU, rather than in fast storage, makes a difference to average latency and turn-around times. In this segment, many years ago, Intel promised their 3DXPoint memory modules to expand DRAM capacity ten-fold would be available by now. We’re still waiting for that technology to be monetized, so while we wait there are other options to consider. Top of the box is any of AMD’s EPYC range, so here we list the cheapest which offers the most memory for the lowest price. The EPYC 7251 has eight memory channels at two DIMMs per channel, meaning it can support up to 2TB using 128GB LRDIMMs or 1TB using 64GB RDIMMs. That is a lot of memory (~$60000 for 2TB) for such a low price chip. Actually, if you are buying that much memory, it would probably make sense to go for the high-end EPYC 7601 which costs the same as one stick of memory. The EPYC 7601 can also run in a dual processor system, allowing for a total of 4TB in one server. One of Intel’s reasons for having their Xeon Platinum and Gold range only support 768GB by default, and charging +$3000 per CPU for upgraded 1.5 TB support models, is that less than 5% of servers require more than 768 GB of DRAM.  For the other 95%, Intel’s Xeon-W processors can support up to 512GB with RDIMMs or 128GB of UDIMMs, with the cheapest processor being the Xeon W-2123 at $294. While the W-2123 should be coming to retail, we are still awaiting the motherboards to make an appearance, so while a self-build might be an option, these parts might still be OEM only for a while. Workstation CPUs: The Future In the past few weeks, we have seen Intel launch its Skylake-X Refresh processors, and AMD fill out its Ryzen Threadripper 2000-series lineup. AMD also lifted the lid on its 64-core Rome processors, and while AMD hasn’t given a launch date for these, rumor has it that those are more for the second half of 2019. The main processor coming up worth thinking about is Intel Xeon W-3175X, a 28-core overclockable processor. Details about the Xeon W-3175X are relatively thin, although Intel has promised it will be out by the end of the year. Intel stated that it will support up to 512GB of memory, have 44 PCIe lanes, and users can adjust the per-core frequencies for overclocking. We’re still waiting for information such as overclocked power, what motherboards will be available, and most importantly, cost. Many users are estimating it to be in the $3k-$5k range, and it might be making an appearance in our ‘money no object’ section, at least on paper. That being said, anyone looking to build a new workstation is probably in a good position to start doing so today. We are slowly putting EPYC data into our benchmark database, and our next big review is likely to be the W-3175X, so stay tuned for that. (Comment on this)
4:30p	QNAP Launches Mustang-200 Compute Accelerator for Network Attached Storage QNAP has released a special-purpose accelerator based on two Intel CPUs that is designed to significantly boost the processing capabilities of NAS boxes and even PCs. QNAP’s Mustang-200 can speed up access to data located on a NAS box, but can also be used to increase image processing capabilities of NASes used for surveillance, run AI and ML apps, or speed up virtual machines. The QNAP Mustang-200 accelerators are PCIe 2.0 x4 cards based on two Intel Kaby Lake CPUs (Core i7-7567U, Core i5-7267U or Celeron 3865U) outfitted with their own 4 - 16 GB of DDR4 memory as well as 512 GB Intel 600P SSDs (Core i5/i7 only). Each node has its own 10 GbE NIC and runs its own copy of QNAP’s mQTS operating system, thus offering a familiar functionality to those who use NAS products from QNAP. By adding a Mustag-200 card, owners of QNAP NASes can increase the processing power of their systems from one processor to three, which can be used by a variety of applications supported by mQTS. Since the cards have their own resources, administrators can deploy different applications on different nodes using the Mustang Card Manager program and physically isolate them from each other. It is noteworthy that the Mustang-200 accelerators can be installed not only into NAS boxes, but also into regular PCs and be used for a variety of applications. QNAP Mustang-200 Cards   CPU (x2) RAM (per CPU) SSD (per CPU) Mustang-200-i7-1T/32G-R10 Intel Core i7-7567U - 2C/4T, 3.5GHz, Iris Plus Graphics 650 16 GB Intel 600p 512 GB Mustang-200-i5-1T/32G-R10 Intel Core i5-7267U: 2C/4T, 3.1 GHz, Iris Plus Graphics 650 Mustang-200-C-8G-R10 Intel Celeron 3865U: 2C/2T, 1.8 GHz, Intel HD Graphics 610 4 GB - Compatible NAS Models TS-2477XU-RP , TS-1677XU-RP, TS-1685, TS-1677X, TVS-1282, TS-1277, TVS-882, TS-877 Notes 1. The host NAS requires QTS 4.3.5 (or later). 2. TVS-1282 and TVS-882: Only models with 450W power supplies are supported. 3. TS-1685: Only models with 550W power supplies are supported. QNAP’s Mustang-200 cards are now available to customers with compatible NAS machines. Prices have not been published yet. Related Reading: QNAP Announces TS-332X Three-Bay NAS with 10 GbE QNAP Launches 16-Bay AMD Ryzen-Based TS-1677X NAS with 10 GbE QNAP Launches TS-963X NAS: x86 NAS With 9 Bays & 10 GbE/Multi-Gig Ethernet Source: QNAP (Comment on this)

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