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Intel Core i9-14900KS review: Incredible performance comes at a cost
A 6.2 GHz clock speed is impressive but so too is thermal throttling.
The Intel Core i9-14900KS is the best processor from the brand for its 14th generation of Core chips, marketed for creators and gamers alike and boasting some of the fastest stock clock speeds of any processor. This is likely the last Raptor Lake Refresh processor we’ll see from Intel until the next generation of Arrow Lake CPUs launch. Based on the Intel Core i9-14900K we positively reviewed with a few caveats, the new 14900KS has some impressive specifications and is the best-performing bin that should provide additional headroom for overclocking.
Mele’s new PCG02 Pro variant features an Intel N100 CPU and demands little power
The new PCG02 Pro has a fanless design and multiple ports for connectivity
While they haven’t exploded in popularity quite yet, PC sticks are continuing to gain ground as a feasible portable PC option. Many of them are the size of a USB flash drive, which already makes them more transportable than a laptop or tablet. Depending on the product, you might also be able to use the PC stick with a limited amount of power. Mele is one manufacturer that has created a line of PC sticks to cater to such needs, and now, it is expanding upon its PCG02 Pro.
The all-new Intel Core i9-14900KS is the world's fastest processor
Intel is now hitting 6.2GHz before any manual overclocking.
Intel has launched the new Core i9-14900KS desktop processor with record-breaking stock clock speeds. Capable of boosting up to 6.2GHz, the Intel Core i9-14900KS offers impressive performance without the need for manual overclocking. This high burst speed limit is perfect for gamers and creators who require as many instructions to be processed by each core as possible. With the rise of cores and threads, many applications and games are still heavily reliant on per-core clock speeds, something the Intel Core i9-14900KS excels at.
How to update Intel and AMD chipset drivers?
It's pretty important to install chipset drivers on any PC, and here's how you do it.
Components like the CPU and motherboard don't require drivers in the same way a GPU does, but there are drivers for CPUs and motherboards called chipset drivers. These drivers often contain important updates to keep the core functionalities in check, and it's recommended that you keep them updated to ensure smooth functionality of your PC. Here's how you update chipset drivers for Intel and AMD PCs.
How to match your CPU and GPU
A badly matched CPU and GPU can severely affect your PC's performance, which needs to be avoided at all costs.
Matching compatible PC components such as a motherboard and processor is crucial as you'll encounter instability issues or hardware damage. When purchasing a new PC altogether, it's equally important to match the right CPU with the right GPU. Get this step wrong and you could be wasting a lot of system potential on either side. If the GPU is too good for the CPU (pairing an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4090 with an Intel Core i3 processor) or vice-versa, you'll find yourself turning down some in-game settings and enjoying a sub-par experience.
3 reasons 2024 is the year to upgrade to an 8-core CPU
8-core CPUs will finally go mainstream in 2024. Here's why
For the longest time, 6-core CPUs have been the sweet spot for PC builders, delivering ample performance in both gaming and productivity workloads. While multi-core applications can easily utilize any number of cores you throw at them, 6 cores are not what you'll call "too few". Moreover, games have rarely been able to take advantage of more than 6 cores. For the average user building a PC, it makes an awful lot of sense to buy only the best gaming CPUs with 6 cores.
How to overclock a laptop CPU
You can't overclock most laptop processors, but there are ways to boost performance in some of them. Here's how to do it.
Overclocking is something PC enthusiasts are all too familiar with. By tweaking the power limits and speed of your CPU, you can usually get more performance out of it ... just as long as you know what you're doing to prevent damage. But overclocking is usually only talked about with desktop computers. What if you want to overclock your laptop's CPU?
How to text from your PC if you have an iPhone
It keeps getting easier to link your iPhone with your PC, which means you can send and receive text messages all from one device.
Being able to connect your phone to your desktop PC or modern laptop to field messages or make calls can be a huge boon to productivity, and the good news is that there are solutions available for both Android and iOS. Focusing on the latter platform here, you can use Microsoft's Phone Link to use iMessage or make calls from your PC, you can use Intel Unison for a broader range of connectivity (assuming your PC has an Intel processor inside), or you can simply add a third-party messenger — like Telegram or Signal — to your PC and iPhone and allow messages to sync across platforms.
Intel vs AMD: What should power your PC in 2024?
With the desktop CPU space fiercer than ever, should you pick AMD or Intel?
Intel and AMD have been competing with each other for decades, relentlessly pushing the computing industry forward with the best CPUs for every kind of user. While Intel was (and still is) the top dog in the data center and PC processor market, AMD has transformed from being an afterthought to competing head-to-head with its longstanding rival.
How to lower your CPU's temperature
With the latest CPUs using up so much power and getting so hot, it's important to keep them cool. Here's how.
While the best CPUs available today are pretty fast, they're also pretty hot, especially Intel's 14th Gen and AMD's Ryzen 7000 chips. While CPUs are supposed to get pretty hot under load, if they get too hot, they end up thermal throttling to avoid damage, but crippling performance at the same time. In extreme cases, a CPU will shut itself down so that it doesn't destroy itself.
The long-rumored Intel Core i9-14900KS for the LGA 1700 socket is expected to launch on March 14
The i9-14900KS could be the last of Intel’s chips to be based on the LGA 1700 socket
Intel launched its LGA 1700 socket specifically to cater to its 12th and 13th-generation chips. At the time of its launch, it shined with its slew of features, including DDR5 RAM support, Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, and PCIe Gen 5. However, the company has been expected to move away from the LGA 1700 socket for its next series of processors. As rumors of the i9-14900KS have continued to swirl, some have questioned whether or not Intel is really done with it. Now, a supposed release date for the KS “special edition” CPU is making the rounds.
When buying a new laptop, you might notice a specific "Intel Evo" badge or brand somewhere on the PC or on the product page. As the Intel name suggests, it's a platform that's tied in with the processor (CPU), first introduced in 2020 with Intel's 11th Gen chips and extending through to the latest Core Ultra mobile CPUs.
Arctic's budget-friendly Freezer 36 CPU cooler has an integrated contact frame and support for Intel's 15th gen chips
This CPU cooler supports Intel LGA 1700 and 1851 sockets as well as AM4 and AM5 sockets
Whether you primarily use your CPU setup for gaming or AI work, you know that the components can quickly generate an ample amount of heat. For this reason, it helps to have an external CPU cooler to keep everything operating smoothly. There are several options to choose from, ranging from fan-based to water-based cooling solutions. If you already know you want a fan-based CPU cooler, you may want to consider the new Freezer 36 series that has been launched by Arctic.
Has your Windows 11 machine suffered more Bluescreens of Death (BSODs) lately? If it has, double-check if your computer has an Intel Wi-Fi adapter or not. If it does, you're in luck; the company has just released a patch that should restore your computer's stability.
Intel announces new AI-powered vPro CPUs for business notebook and desktop PCs
Meet the new Intel Core Ultra class of processors
Intel launched a new business-class Ultra mobile processor family and vPro support for 14th-gen desktop chips today at Mobile World Congress with a clear focus on improving performance with AI systems. The new vPro platform delivers increased productivity with integrated Intel Arc GPUs (on Ultra mobile chips), neural processing units (NPUs), and support for the same Intel CPUs we've come to know and love, resulting in a complex package that can power through more intensive applications. Working with Microsoft, the two companies expect to see a hundred business devices using these new vPro processors with Windows 11.
TECNO has been making waves for several years now, bringing much sought-after features to their flagship devices, all at an affordable price. MWC 2024 sees that brand showcasing its latest AI laptop, following the 2023 TECNO MEGABOOK S1 (review here), which debuts with a heap of features that really set it apart at this year's Barcelona tech expo.
We've seen a lot of advancements in the computing space over the years, particularly in the storage department, which is one of the key areas affecting overall system performance. It's been great to see the evolution and the arrival of novel interfaces like NVMe, but we've also seen some solid improvement on the firmware side of things.
Intel outlines AI-driven roadmap with new processes, partnership with Microsoft, taking aim at TSMC
Intel is planning something big.
During the company's Intel Foundry Direct Connect event, Intel shared plans to partner with Microsoft to manufacture custom chips and to take on its largest international rival, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC). Microsoft eyed up Intel's 18A process for its custom chip order and other parties are getting in on the action, including Synopsys, Cadence, Siemens, and Ansys. Intel Foundry is the company's new contract manufacturing program to better position itself against TSMC, which provides the means for chip rival AMD to make its advanced Ryzen processors.
Intel is releasing Linux patches to enhance Meteor Lake performance and efficiency
The company claims performance will not be hindered by the patches
There have been high expectations for Intel’s Meteor Lake as the successor of Raptor Lake. The company has been presumably doing what it can to make the most of its new CPU layout, which consists of what it’s calling chiplets — pieces of silicon that come together to deliver the functionality of a whole processor. Intel is also seemingly trying to make amends for its attempt to capitalize quickly on its 10nm node. Rather than trying to roll out several advancements in a short period of time, the company has debuted a more thought-out manufacturing roadmap for the remainder of the year. Now, Intel has released a series of Linux patches to make sure it doesn’t speed past improvements that need to be made.
Best laptops in 2024
Looking for a new laptop for work, school, or anything else? Here are the very best laptops on the market right now.
Buying a great new laptop can be an exhilarating feeling. Whether you're shopping for a new work partner, gaming laptop, or something in between, there's an absolute glut of options to browse through. But getting the perfect laptop for your needs can be difficult, especially if you're only going by the manufacturer's claims. We've reviewed most of the laptops in this list (and many others that didn't make the cut), and we have a great idea of what's good and what's not worth your time.