The Latest PC Core Components
The PC hardware industry is constantly in flux and new hardware components are constantly being released. In this article, we’ll look into some of the latest PC hardware features and components to hit the market that you should consider if you’re building a powerful gaming PC.
Intel’s Newest Processors
The newest Intel processors are one of the most popular picks for gaming PCs. Intel’s 8th generation processors just recently made their debut back in 2017, but it’s their newer 9th generation processors that are quickly becoming the go-to choice for gamers and other PC users. Some of the newer 9th gen processors include the Intel Core i9-9700K, Intel Core i9-9900K, and Intel Core i9-10980XE.
The Core i9-9700K has 8 cores and 16 threads, making it a great choice for gaming and multitasking. It also has a base clock speed of 3.6GHz and a boost clock of 4.9GHz, while being unlocked to allow for overclocking and better performance.
The Core i9-9900K, on the other hand, boasts 8 cores and 16 threads, with a base clock speed of 3.6GHz and a boost clock of 5.0GHz. It also has Thermal Velocity Boost, which can further increase the clock speed up to 5.2GHz depending on cooling conditions.
Finally, the Core i9-10980XE is an unlocked Extreme Edition processor and Intel’s flagship processor of its 9th generation lineup. It has 18 cores and 36 threads, with a base clock of 3.0GHz and a boost clock of 4.6GHz. It also has Thermal Velocity Boost, which can further increase the clock speed up to 4.8GHz.
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 20 Series
NVIDIA’s GeForce RTX 20 series is another recent addition to the world of PC hardware. The RTX 20 series is the first GeForce GPU lineup to feature real-time ray tracing and advanced AI capabilities, making it ideal for gaming. There are a variety of RTX 20 series GPUs to choose from, including the RTX 2060, RTX 2070, and the RTX 2080 Ti.
The RTX 2060 features 6GB of GDDR6 memory, 1,920 CUDA cores, and Ray Tracing Cores. It has a base clock of 1,365MHz and a boost clock of 1,680MHz, making it a great option for gaming at 1080P or 1440P resolutions.
The RTX 2070 has 8GB of GDDR6 memory and 2,304 CUDA cores. It has a base clock of 1,410MHz and a boost clock of 1,710MHz, making it a great choice for gaming at 1440P or 4K resolutions.
Finally, the RTX 2080 Ti is the top-of-the-line RTX GPU. It has 11GB of GDDR6 memory, 4,352 CUDA cores, and Ray Tracing Cores. It has boost clock of 1,635MHz and a base clock of 1,350MHz, giving it the ability to power gaming at 4K or 8K resolutions.
AMD’s Ryzen 3000 Series
AMD’s Ryzen 3000 series is the latest iteration of their Ryzen lineup of processors. It features 7nm architecture, which is more power efficient than previous generations, as well as up to 16 cores and 32 threads. Some of the Ryzen 3000 series processors to consider include the Ryzen 5 3600X, Ryzen 7 3700X, and Ryzen 9 3900X.
The Ryzen 5 3600X is a 6 core/ 12 thread processor, with a base clock of 3.8GHz and a max boost clock of 4.4GHz. It’s a great option for gamers and content creators looking for a budget-friendly processor.
The Ryzen 7 3700X is an 8 core/ 16 thread processor, with a base clock of 3.6GHz and a max boost clock of 4.4GHz. It’s ideal for gamers as well as content creators looking for a mid-range processor.
Finally, the Ryzen 9 3900X is a 12 core/ 24 thread processor, with a base clock of 3.8GHz and a max boost clock of 4.6GHz. It’s the highest performing Ryzen processor available and is great for gamers and content creators looking for the best performance level available.
Motherboard Chipsets
In addition to processors, one of the most important components for a gaming PC is the motherboard. Motherboard chipsets help determine what type of processors and other components a motherboard can handle. Intel has traditionally been the leader in this regard, but AMD recently introduced their new X570 chipset, designed specifically for Ryzen 3000 series processors.
The X570 chipset offers several new features, including PCI Express 4.0 support, which offers twice the bandwidth of PCI Express 3.0, as well as better power consumption and improved Ryzen performance. It also includes upgraded CPU power setups and active fan control, which allows users to control the fan speed and reduce noise while gaming.
RAM
Random access memory (RAM) is crucial for gaming, as it helps the computer process information quickly and smoothly. The latest DDR4 RAM is an upgrade over the older DDR3 and has several benefits including higher clock speeds, better latency, and improved power efficiency.
The latest RAM on the market is 3200MHz, with higher speeds available, but the sweet spot for gaming is usually somewhere around 16GB or 32GB for modern gaming rigs. For content creators, we’d typically recommend 64GB or more.
Conclusion
The PC hardware industry is always evolving, and there’s always something new to check out. In this article, we looked at some of the latest PC hardware features and components and gave you some ideas to consider when building a gaming PC.
The newest Intel and AMD processors are great options for gaming, as are the GeForce RTX 20 series GPUs. For motherboards, look for a chipset designed for either Intel or AMD processors to ensure compatibility, and for RAM, stick with DDR4, preferably with 3200MHz speed or higher. With these components to consider, you should have no problem building an absolute beast of a gaming PC.
Image Credit: Pexels