Cpu articles

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What's next for Intel: Split, sell, or shut down the fabs?

Pat Gelsinger is out, but the big questions remain
In context: Intel has been in play since reporting its disastrous June quarter. Despite turning in a decent quarter last month, the writing has been on the wall for several months that Gelsinger was under pressure. That pressure was coming from all directions – customers, partners, employees, and, not least, the Street. After the company reset guidance in July, the consensus across the financial community was that Intel had to be split in two, and increasingly that Gelsinger had to go.
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Nvidia nearly doubles AMD's R&D budget – Intel's spending dwarfs both, but struggles to compete

As the world's largest company, Apple also leads in R&D spending
The big picture: The competitive strength of hardware makers is often gauged by their research and development expenditure. However, an analysis of recent financial reports from various tech giants reveals that higher R&D spending does not always guarantee success. Intel's recent struggles and Nvidia's astronomical growth driven by the AI boom have broken conventional assumptions.
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The x86 wish list: Complexities of an imaginary Intel takeover

Apparently AMD has blocking rights for any acquisition of Intel. If a deal were to happen, what would AMD ask for?
Editor's take: We are frequently asked some version of the question, "Will someone acquire Intel?" At this point, we think it is highly unlikely, but these are unpredictable times. Setting aside all the principal considerations – like money, strategy, and regulatory approval – there are a few other hurdles. Chief among these is Intel's license for x86.
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Liquid metal still voids warranty for Intel's crash-prone Raptor Lake CPUs

Liquid metal corrosion removes vital CPU markings
The big picture: Enthusiasts looking to push their high-end Raptor Lake or Raptor Lake Refresh Intel processors to the limits might want to think twice before using liquid metal thermal paste. According to a recent report, Intel is voiding warranties for CPUs cooled with this favorite material of overclockers, even if the processors are suffering from crashing issues.
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UserBenchmark faces backlash over Ryzen 7 9800X3D review, suggests 13600K and 14600K instead

"Spending more on a gaming CPU is often pointless"
Facepalm: It's fair to say that the UserBenchmark website does not have the best reputation among PC hardware fans. It seems to have a particular dislike of AMD, as illustrated by the recent review of the Ryzen 7 9800X3D. The CPU has been so successful that it's sold out in most places, but UserBenchmark claims this is merely the result of AMD's aggressive marketing rather than real-world performance, and suggests that you buy an Intel i5-13600K instead.