I Tested 'Wildcat Lake,' Intel's New CPUs for Budget Laptops. Here's the Early Verdict

Matthew Buzzi — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 23:03:23 +0000

Intel says its new Wildcat Lake Core 3 Series chip family is built for affordable laptops. My first wave of tests shows exactly where it shines and struggles—and who should consider it.

Back in April, Intel announced a new entry-level processor platform, dubbed "Wildcat Lake," designed to beef up its CPU offerings for budget laptops. It's something of a little brother to Intel's well-received Core Ultra 3 Series "Panther Lake" family, which …

Qualcomm Darts Into the Data Center Business With Dragonfly

Rob Pegoraro — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:01:38 +0000

CEO Cristiano Amon says the company is moving to become a 'full-stack player,' which includes partnerships with Microsoft, Meta, and AI-software firm Hugging Face.

The company behind the processors in many of the smallest computers people use is making a bid to enter some of the largest computers in operation today.

Qualcomm used its investor day …

AMD to Revive Memory Encryption Protections on Non-Pro Ryzen CPUs

Jon Martindale — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 12:53:49 +0000

'We will reinstate this option in an upcoming BIOS release in July,' AMD says.

UPDATE 06/22: In a statement to PCMag, AMD acknowledges that a BIOS option to enable Memory Guard on certain non-PRO Ryzen 9000-series desktop processors "was previously available but was removed in a recent update." However, "Based on valuable community feedback, we will reinstate this option in an upcoming BIOS release …

The Best CPUs for 2026

Michael Justin Allen Sexton, John Burek — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Whether you're upgrading your desktop PC or building a new one, choosing the right processor is the most crucial and complex choice you will make. Let's simplify it! Here's how to make sense of AMD's and Intel's lines, backed by dozens of our deep-dive reviews.

The First Question in Any CPU Upgrade: When Does Upgrading Make Sense?

When you want to change your desktop CPU, it's important to set a goal for what you want to achieve. Do you want better performance, or are you specifically looking to boost your gaming performance? Is it for a …

Intel May Launch Another Raptor Lake 'Next' Refresh in 2027

Jon Martindale — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 15:40:46 +0000

Considering DDR5 pricing, this could be surprisingly welcome news.

Intel may be planning to relaunch its Raptor Lake CPUs in 2027 as part of a new Core 200 Raptor Lake Next branding, VideoCardz reports. Technically, this would be the third refresh since the 14th generation already revamped the original Raptor Lake. It's not bringing …

AMD: Our Next Server Chips Will Trounce Nvidia's Vera

Jon Martindale — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 12:23:37 +0000

AMD claims the per-rack performance of its new chips could be more than three times higher than Vera's. This just gets me more excited for Zen 6 consumer chips.

AMD isn't taking Nvidia's recent performance projections on its new Vera CPUs lying down. After Team Green approved some Phoronix test results showing Vera beating AMD's Epyc server chips in several tests, AMD has released estimated comparisons of its next-generation Venice Epyc chips based on its Zen 6 architecture,

Intel's BOT Tool Offers Free Performance Boost to 7 New Games

Jon Martindale — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 15:46:59 +0000

Nineteen games now benefit from Intel's Binary Optimization Tool (iBOT), but the new additions are a real mix of new and old titles.

You might not be able to download more RAM, but with recent-generation Intel CPUs, you can absolutely download more performance. Across a range of seven new games, Intel claims gamers can enjoy an average 12% higher frame rates on Arrow Lake and Panther Lake CPUs by running its Ryzen CPUs continue to gain ground in the PC gaming community, with almost 45% of gamers running the AMD processors, according to the latest Steam Hardware Survey.

This isn't a complete picture of gamers …

Here's Why Microsoft Is Betting on the Nvidia RTX Spark-Powered Surface Laptop Ultra

John Burek — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 17:52:43 +0000

At Computex 2026, I sat down with Microsoft product designers to ask them how they put Nvidia's latest hot chip into a Surface laptop.

Alongside Nvidia's keynote at Computex, Microsoft announced a new Surface PC—the Surface Laptop Ultra—which will feature Nvidia's new RTX Spark superchip.

Slated to launch this fall, the Surface Laptop Ultra bridges the gap between thin-and-light ultraportables and beefy workstation laptops, offering …

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Is Back From the Dead, But I Wish It Wasn't

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 13:25:10 +0000

At Computex, AMD introduced a new 3D V-Cache desktop processor and resurrected an old one. Here's why you should think carefully before buying either one.

At Computex 2026, AMD unveiled a new Ryzen 7 7700X3D desktop processor and revived its Ryzen 7 5800X3D. Both are midrange gaming CPUs priced at $329 and …

AMD Resurrects Gaming Legend Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU and Rolls Out Radeon RX 9070 GRE Globally

Michael Kan — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 15:08:55 +0000

The ever-popular Ryzen 7 5800X3D will re-release for $349 on June 25. AMD is also launching its Radeon RX 9070 GRE worldwide to try to keep graphics card pricing down.

The Ryzen 7 5800X3D desktop CPU is four years old, but still popular. And later this month, AMD is re-releasing it to give consumers a more affordable way to build a gaming PC using older AM4 motherboards.

The 5800X3D will be back at retailers …

Nvidia’s RTX Spark Silicon Brings Supercomputer Ambitions to Consumer Laptops

Brian Westover — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 11:14:17 +0000

Pure muscle and localized agentic AI are about to ignite a PC revolution.

In a briefing ahead of Nvidia's Computex keynote, we got our first look at RTX Spark, Nvidia’s ambitious new Arm-based laptop superchip. Nvidia is actively rethinking the PC paradigm, launching an all-in-one system-on-a-chip (SoC) that combines premium CPU processing power, a gaming-grade GPU, and …

Nvidia Unveils RTX Spark, an Arm-Based Superchip for Windows PCs

Michael Kan — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 05:07:37 +0000

The company hopes to usher in the era of the AI supercomputer at home with laptops and mini PCs powered by RTX Spark arriving this fall.

After years of rumors, Nvidia is introducing the company’s first Arm-based CPUs for consumer laptops and mini PCs, or what it dubs RTX Spark. But the goal is to go beyond creating a personal computer, and eventually bring AI supercomputers to people's homes.

In his …

How to Watch Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Computex 2026 Keynote

Jon Martindale — Sun, 31 May 2026 21:47:24 +0000

Huang will take the stage in Taipei on Sunday, May 31, at 11 p.m. EDT.

It wouldn't be Computex without the biggest names in the industry, and in 2026, they don't come bigger than Nvidia. CEO Jensen Huang is getting out ahead of the main Computex show with an event scheduled for June 1 at 11 a.m. Taipei Time (11 p.m. …

How to Watch Intel's Computex 2026 Keynote

Jon Martindale — Sun, 31 May 2026 21:46:02 +0000

Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan takes the stage on June 2 at 1:30 p.m. Taipei time. Expect him to discuss Wildcat Lake laptops, Panther Lake handhelds, as well as AI PCs and data centers.

In a sea of companies focusing on AI data centers and increasingly expensive hardware, Intel has emerged as a surprising low-cost champion in 2026.

At Computex this year, it'll spend time covering its new Wildcat Lake chips, which are helping budget-conscious Windows fans compete …

How to Watch Qualcomm's Computex 2026 Keynote

Jon Martindale — Sat, 30 May 2026 13:00:00 +0000

CEO Cristiano Amon is speaking on June 1 at 2 p.m. Taipei time. With Nvidia potentially debuting its N1 platform, Qualcomm may have stiff competition for its own Arm efforts.

Qualcomm is much more of a household name in consumer computing in 2026, so it's no wonder Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon is helping kick off Computex 2026. With its Snapdragon X2 range of high-powered SoCs on the horizon, he'll have lots of eyeballs on him when he gives his keynote …

Intel to Power Windows 11 Gaming Handhelds With Arc G-Series Chips

Michael Kan — Thu, 28 May 2026 15:10:11 +0000

The Arc G-Series is heading to Acer's new Windows-based Predator Atlas 8 handheld. MSI and OneXPlayer plan on adopting the chips, too.

Intel is finally ready to unleash its gaming handheld chips. The company today officially introduced the Arc G-Series processors, which will use Intel’s “Panther Lake” architecture to offer an alternative to AMD’s rival silicon, already used in the Steam Deck …

Computex 2026 Preview: 9 Big Reveals We Expect at Asia's Largest Tech Show

Brian Westover — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:15:15 +0000

It's shaping up to be an exciting week in Taipei. Here's what AMD, Intel, Nvidia, and the PC industry’s biggest players are likely to unveil.

The theme for Computex 2026, according to organizer TAITRA, is “AI Together.” Sure, it sounds a little like a tech-industry group hug. But at Computex, the world’s biggest IT-specific trade show, the phrase also reflects a hard reality: No single company is building the future of …

The Best Budget CPUs for 2026

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Sat, 23 May 2026 18:00:00 +0000

Upgrading or building out your workhorse PC on a tight budget? Here's how to shop for the right AMD or Intel processor for less than $300, along with the top-performing chips in our benchmark tests.

The most significant factors in picking the right desktop CPU revolve around what you plan to use it for and how often. You don’t need a high-octane AMD Ryzen 9 or Intel Core Ultra 9 to browse the web or write text documents. As long as you limit yourself to …

AMD Ryzen 5 8500G

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Fri, 22 May 2026 18:32:00 +0000

Almost every CPU on the market today comes equipped with some variety of integrated graphics processor (IGP); those that don't are the exception. The performance you get from these IGPs varies greatly by model, but with the right balance between performance and price, a CPU with …

Intel Core i5-14400

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Fri, 22 May 2026 18:31:00 +0000

Intel launched its current-generation (and current-socket) "Arrow Lake" 200S processors at the end of 2024, but the preceding 14th Gen Core ("Raptor Lake Refresh") models remain capable options for desktop CPU shoppers. Take the Intel Core i5-14400 ($221 MSRP), one of the slower Core i5 chips …

Intel Core Ultra 5 225

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Fri, 22 May 2026 18:30:00 +0000

In every processor line, a special model or two often stands out and garners the most attention. (Recent examples? Take Intel's value-monster Core Ultra 7 270K Plus, or AMD's gamer-fave Ryzen 9 …

Nvidia Exec Hand-Delivers First Vera CPU Systems to AI Heavy Hitters

Jon Martindale — Tue, 19 May 2026 16:12:17 +0000

Nvidia's Ian Buck personally delivered Vera CPU systems to OpenAI, SpaceX, Anthropic, and Oracle Cloud. The company says it's the first 'agentic CPU' to enter full production.

Nvidia had a special delivery for OpenAI, SpaceX, Anthropic, and Oracle Cloud recently: the first Vera CPU systems.

Nvidia's Ian Buck, VP of hyperscale and performance computing, "hand-delivered the first-ever Nvidia Vera CPUs to our partners at Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceX, and Oracle Cloud," Nvidia

Google Confirms Googlebooks Won't Be Limited to Intel Chips

Jon Martindale — Wed, 13 May 2026 16:46:58 +0000

Google VP John Maletis says Google is working with Intel, Qualcomm, and MediaTek.

Upcoming Googlebook laptops will be powered by a range of hardware, including chips from Intel, MediaTek, and Qualcomm.

"We're thrilled to partner with Google on something we've been building with them—Googlebook. Premium, powerful devices designed for Intelligence. We can't wait to get it into your hands …

Intel Reportedly Planning 4 New CPU Lines Through 2028: Here's What to Expect

Jon Martindale — Fri, 08 May 2026 17:44:22 +0000

Intel is on track to launch Nova Lake desktop CPUs with up to 52 cores in 2026, with Razer Lake next year. Mobile and budget-oriented chip lines, Titan Lake and Moon Lake, will follow in 2028.

Intel is working on a comeback, with plans to launch four new CPU lines over the next 2.5 years, according to a new roadmap spotted by Digitimes.

As TweakTown explains, Intel is on track to launch its

The Basics of CPUs for Gaming

Before continuing, if you are relatively new to PC building and aren't familiar with the specifics of what makes up a processor, we'd recommend you read our general-purpose best CPUs article first. We will proceed from here under the assumption …

Intel Expected to Make PC Gaming Handheld Push at Computex

Michael Kan — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 16:35:43 +0000

Intel's Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme chips for PC gaming handhelds will reportedly pop up in Taipei.

Expect Intel to reveal more details about its push into PC gaming handhelds at Computex in June, where the company plans to debut the custom Arc G3 and Arc G3 Extreme chips for portable gaming, according to VideoCardz.

Both processors …

I Tested Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: This 18-Core Power CPU Hits Hard Against AMD, Apple, Intel

Brian Westover — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 20:16:08 +0000

Inside Asus’ featherweight Zenbook A16, Qualcomm's new flagship laptop chip flexes massive multi-core muscle, upgraded graphics, and real momentum against the competition. The benchmarks speak for themselves.

[Editors' Note, April 17, 2026: This article and its charts were edited to add comparison results from our tests of two of Intel's "Panther Lake" laptop CPUs.]

With its 18-core loadout, the Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme is Qualcomm’s loudest laptop-CPU salvo to date. It's a new CPU tier from Qualcomm (the …

Intel Launches 6 New 'Wildcat Lake' Core Series 3 Chips for Budget Laptops

James Peckham — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 14:59:14 +0000

The chips are designed for the 'value-oriented buyer,' with 70 new products expected this year.

Intel today announced six new Core Series 3 chips built for cheaper laptops than those running its top-end Ultra "Panther Lake" line, promising “advanced performance, exceptional battery life, and AI-ready capabilities."

Intel is using the same 18A process as its Core Ultra Series 3, first revealed …

Ouch: AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Comes With $900 Price Tag

Michael Kan — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 18:34:11 +0000

AMD is suggesting retailers sell the new 'Dual Edition' desktop processor for $899, or about $200 more than the regular Ryzen 9 9950X3D.

AMD has finally revealed that the Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 desktop chip will cost $899 when the cutting-edge processor launches on April 22.

AMD has dubbed the 9950X3D2 the “Dual Edition” because it adds even more L3 cache to the processor by placing SRAM …

Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Benchmarked: A New 18-Core Laptop Performance Leader?

PCMag Canada — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Paired with the thin and light Asus Zenbook A16, Qualcomm's latest flagship processor redefines what ultraportables are capable of.

At CES 2026 in January, we named the Asus Zenbook A16 the best ultraportable of the show. It stood out during our first hands-on experience, but bringing it into PC Labs for testing is even more exciting—it gives us our …

Intel to Maintain Raptor Lake Availability, Hints at New DDR4 Motherboards

Jon Martindale — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 14:02:54 +0000

Amid DDR5 shortages, supporting older platforms may be one way to give gamers options.

Even with Nova Lake rumors swirling and the latest Arrow Lake refresh chips earning high praise, Intel sees benefits in supporting its older-generation hardware as value alternatives.

"Raptor Lake will continue to be abundantly available," Robert Hallock, VP and GM of Intel's Enthusiast Channel Business, …

Geekbench Claims Intel Tool Boosts Benchmark Scores by Tweaking Test Code

Jon Martindale — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 15:26:07 +0000

Intel's Binary Optimization Tool (BOT) is designed to enhance chip performance in certain games and apps, but Geekbench suggests that it modifies the benchmark's code to improve scores.

CPU benchmarking application Geekbench has issued a warning about Intel Core Ultra 200 and 300 CPUs and their support for Intel's Binary Optimization Tool (BOT).

The tool is …

AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 'Dual Edition' Doubles the 3D V-Cache

Michael Kan — Thu, 26 Mar 2026 15:19:34 +0000

The new desktop processor launches on April 22 and features even more L3 cache to further reduce CPU latency.

Following several leaks, AMD has announced that its Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 desktop processor packs even more 3D V–Cache, letting the CPU harness a larger pool of SRAM for gaming and other workloads.

The 16-core “Dual Edition” CPU chip is similar to the

Intel, AMD Reportedly Set to Raise CPU Prices By Up to 15%

Jon Martindale — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 18:10:17 +0000

The increase is on tap even as some models have seen big price reductions recently.

Shortages are coming for the CPU industry, and we can expect both Intel and AMD to raise their prices in turn, according to Nikkei Asia.

Intel reportedly told its CPU clients last week that a price rise is imminent, and AMD is likely to follow …

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Intel’s new $199 Core Ultra 5 250K Plus is the company’s best mid-tier desktop processor, and not just because it's the latest one. This chip changes the entire budget CPU discussion. Thanks to this refreshed Arrow Lake part's tantalizingly low …

Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Mon, 23 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Intel, with its Core Ultra 200S processors, popularly known as the "Arrow Lake" family, ambitiously adopted a chiplet-style CPU design and package. While technologically advanced, Arrow Lake's first take suffered from particularly weak gaming performance compared with competing AMD chips. Now, though, Intel is rolling out …

Intel’s ‘Arrow Lake’ Laptop Refresh Is Here: Core Ultra 200HX Plus CPUs Target Gaming Gains, More

James Peckham — Tue, 17 Mar 2026 14:28:00 +0000

New Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and 7 270HX Plus processors promise up to 8% faster gaming, quicker interconnect speeds, and next-gen features such as Thunderbolt 5 and Wi-Fi 7. Expect them in new laptops starting today.

We've heard rumors of an "Arrow Lake" CPU refresh for laptops since late last year. Last week, Intel disclosed details about updates to desktop versions of this generation of chips, unveiling three new desktop processors with architectural and software changes under the family name …

'Arrow Lake,' Second Take: Intel’s Core Ultra 200S Plus Desktop CPUs Push Value—and Gaming Performance

Michael Justin Allen Sexton — Wed, 11 Mar 2026 13:00:00 +0000

Intel just tipped Core Ultra 200S Plus, a promising, price-aggressive bunch of refreshed "Arrow Lake" desktop processors coming in late March. Here's everything I've learned so far about these new chips.

Intel needs a big swing—and a long ball—to reassert itself in the desktop processor world. Lo and behold: Its upcoming refreshed Core Ultra 200S chips, now with a "Plus" tacked on the end, might pack the lumber for the job—and surprise plenty of skeptics on price. …

PCMag Canada processors

I Tested 'Wildcat Lake,' Intel's New CPUs for Budget Laptops. Here's the Early Verdict

Qualcomm Darts Into the Data Center Business With Dragonfly

Intel Arc G3 Extreme Tested: This Is the PC Gaming Handheld Chip to Beat

AMD to Revive Memory Encryption Protections on Non-Pro Ryzen CPUs

The Best CPUs for 2026

The First Question in Any CPU Upgrade: When Does Upgrading Make Sense?

Intel May Launch Another Raptor Lake 'Next' Refresh in 2027

AMD: Our Next Server Chips Will Trounce Nvidia's Vera

Intel's BOT Tool Offers Free Performance Boost to 7 New Games

Here's Why Microsoft Is Betting on the Nvidia RTX Spark-Powered Surface Laptop Ultra

The AMD Ryzen 7 5800X3D Is Back From the Dead, But I Wish It Wasn't

AMD Resurrects Gaming Legend Ryzen 7 5800X3D CPU and Rolls Out Radeon RX 9070 GRE Globally

Nvidia’s RTX Spark Silicon Brings Supercomputer Ambitions to Consumer Laptops

Nvidia Unveils RTX Spark, an Arm-Based Superchip for Windows PCs

How to Watch Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang's Computex 2026 Keynote

How to Watch Intel's Computex 2026 Keynote

How to Watch Qualcomm's Computex 2026 Keynote

Intel to Power Windows 11 Gaming Handhelds With Arc G-Series Chips

Computex 2026 Preview: 9 Big Reveals We Expect at Asia's Largest Tech Show

The Best Budget CPUs for 2026

AMD Ryzen 5 8500G

Intel Core i5-14400

Intel Core Ultra 5 225

Nvidia Exec Hand-Delivers First Vera CPU Systems to AI Heavy Hitters

Google Confirms Googlebooks Won't Be Limited to Intel Chips

Intel Reportedly Planning 4 New CPU Lines Through 2028: Here's What to Expect

The Basics of CPUs for Gaming

Intel Expected to Make PC Gaming Handheld Push at Computex

I Tested Qualcomm's Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme: This 18-Core Power CPU Hits Hard Against AMD, Apple, Intel

Intel Launches 6 New 'Wildcat Lake' Core Series 3 Chips for Budget Laptops

Ouch: AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 Comes With $900 Price Tag

Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme Benchmarked: A New 18-Core Laptop Performance Leader?

Intel to Maintain Raptor Lake Availability, Hints at New DDR4 Motherboards

Geekbench Claims Intel Tool Boosts Benchmark Scores by Tweaking Test Code

AMD's Ryzen 9 9950X3D2 'Dual Edition' Doubles the 3D V-Cache

Intel, AMD Reportedly Set to Raise CPU Prices By Up to 15%

Intel Core Ultra 5 250K Plus

Intel Core Ultra 7 270K Plus

Intel’s ‘Arrow Lake’ Laptop Refresh Is Here: Core Ultra 200HX Plus CPUs Target Gaming Gains, More

'Arrow Lake,' Second Take: Intel’s Core Ultra 200S Plus Desktop CPUs Push Value—and Gaming Performance