AMD Reignites HEDT Market with Threadripper 9000 Series
AMD has resurrected its high-end desktop lineup with the Threadripper 9000 series, headlined by a 64-core flagship model priced at $4,999.
The professional-grade Threadripper Pro 9000 WX-series pushes boundaries with 96 Zen 5 cores, targeting 3D rendering studios and scientific computing applications.
Technical Breakdown:
Architecture: Zen 5 (4nm process) Core Configurations: 24-core to 96-core options TDP: 350W (flagship models)
This launch positions AMD against Intel’s rumored HEDT comeback, though the premium pricing ensures these chips remain niche products for workstation users rather than mainstream gamers.
Liquid Cooling Goes Mainstream with Zotac RTX 5090
Zotac has unveiled a liquid-cooled RTX 5090 featuring a 360mm radiator, alongside a surprising low-profile RTX 5060 designed for compact builds.
The flagship model’s hybrid cooling solution promises 15-20°C reductions compared to air-cooled variants.
Notable Features:
Cooling Solution: Closed-loop 360mm AIO Clock Speeds: 2.8GHz boost (OC mode) Form Factor: 2.5-slot (RTX 5060 LP)
This dual launch caters to opposite ends of the market – extreme enthusiasts seeking thermal headroom and SFF builders needing powerful components in constrained spaces.
MSI’s Liquid-Cooled RTX 5090 Shows Promise in Reviews
Early reviews of MSI’s GeForce RTX 5090 SUPRIM LIQUID SOC demonstrate the advantages of AIO cooling, with 4K gaming performance exceeding air-cooled counterparts by 8-12% in sustained workloads.
The solution maintains GPU temperatures below 60°C even during intensive benchmarks.
Performance Highlights:
Thermals: 58°C peak in Time Spy Extreme Acoustics: 32dB under load Overclocking: +15% power limit headroom
While impressive, the $2,199 MSRP makes this a luxury option rather than a practical necessity for most users.
Community Spotlight: Thunderbolt 5 eGPU Debate
Hardware forums are alight with discussions about Thunderbolt 5 eGPU implementations, particularly regarding the PCIe 4.0 bottleneck.
Reddit threads compare Razer’s solution against competing offerings from ASUS and Gigabyte, with many users awaiting native PCIe 5.0 support for true bandwidth parity with desktop systems.
Key discussion points include:
Real-world performance deltas between TB4 and TB5 Driver optimization challenges Future-proofing considerations
