Benchmark Methods Gaming CPU Picks Compared: Ryzen 9800X3D, 9600X and 9950X Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 01 Tech4Gamers’ gaming CPU recommendations draw on tests of AMD and Intel processors, with detailed findings for the Ryzen 7 9800X3D, Ryzen 5 9600X and Ryzen 9 9950X. The results weigh gaming speed against cost, cooling, power consumption and platform longevity.
Benchmark Methods Free CPU and GPU Benchmarking Tools for Windows 11/10 Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 02 Explore six free tools for assessing CPU and GPU performance on Windows 11/10. Their capabilities range from real-world workloads and DirectX benchmarks to hardware reporting, overclocking and graphics-card BIOS backups.
Benchmark Methods Patched-up RTX 5070 Ti with a hole sets a Superposition record using donor hardware Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 03 Paulo Gomes and his team have pushed a damaged RTX 5070 Ti to the top of its Unigine Superposition rankings using the 8K optimized preset. The heavily modified card combines donor hardware and extensive wiring changes, though voltage and temperature problems complicated the attempt.
Benchmark Methods Early Linux patch testing shows a 31.8% gain in Steam Deck 1% lows Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 04 An opt-in Linux driver feature called epp_boost reportedly improved Steam Deck 1% low frame rates by 31.8% in Phoronix's Civilization VI benchmark testing. Developed with gaming in mind, it targets per-core performance behavior without globally forcing a less power-efficient setting.
Benchmark Methods FSR 3.1 versus DLSS: AMD improves, but Nvidia retains the image-quality lead Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 05 Andy Edser compared FSR 3.1 with DLSS on an RTX 4070 in Horizon Forbidden West and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart. AMD's update reduced some motion artifacts, but DLSS consistently produced cleaner images, while performance differences depended on the game and settings.
Benchmark Methods Early Ryzen Z2 Extreme benchmarks reveal a memory bandwidth bottleneck Ember Snow · 2026-10-27 Issue 06 ETA Prime's handheld gaming tests show that AMD's Ryzen Z2 Extreme delivers relatively small gains over the Z1 Extreme at higher power and resolution, but pulls further ahead when both are reduced. The results point to shared memory bandwidth limiting the newer chip's larger GPU.
