Month: March 2022

Enlarge / A Ryzen 1800X CPU in an X370 motherboard. This could now be replaced by a top-end Zen 3 model, if your motherboard maker releases a BIOS update. (credit: Sebastian Anthony)

AMD will officially add support for newer Zen 3-based Ryzen processors to old 2017-era motherboards that use its X370, B350, and A320-series chipsets, the company announced today. These motherboards all use the same physical AM4 socket as brand-new 500-series chipset motherboards, but before now they have not officially been allowed to support AMD's newest chips.

This is AMD's second about-face on Zen 3 compatibility for older motherboards. Ryzen 5000-series chips were originally only going to be compatible with 500-series motherboards, but AMD quickly relented and promised to support Zen 3 on 400-series chipsets after that news was received poorly.

AMD says that BIOS updates with AGESA version 1.2.0.7 will enable support for newer Ryzen processors, including the new budget and high-end CPUs that the company is also announcing today.

Enlarge (credit: AMD)

When AMD introduced its first Ryzen 5000-series chips and the Zen 3 architecture in late 2020, the lineup notably did not include any new CPUs below $300. If you wanted cheaper chips, your best bet was to go with previous-generation chips like the Ryzen 3600, 3300X, and 3100. But those processors have been difficult to impossible to find for months, and renewed competition from sub-$200 12th-generation Intel CPUs like the Core i3-12100 and Core i5-12400 have made them a lot less appealing.

That's changing soon. AMD is releasing a slew of processors priced between $99 and $299 that should be suitable for new budget builds or upgrades to existing PCs. The Ryzen 5000-series chips are all based on AMD's aging-but-still-current Zen 3 architecture, while the cheapest chips re-use the 2019-era Zen 2 architecture to keep prices low.

AMD says that all of these chips will be available on April 4, a couple of weeks before the high-end Ryzen 7 5800X3D. All Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 models come with AMD's Wraith Stealth cooler, while you'll need to buy one for the Ryzen 7 CPU.

Enlarge / Lenovo ThinkPad X13 Yoga Gen 3. (credit: Lenovo)

Lenovo announced the third generations of its ThinkPad X13, ThinkPad X13 Yoga, ThinkPad L13, L13 Yoga, ThinkPad L14, and ThinkPad L15 today with options for the latest mobile CPUs from Intel and AMD.

The vendor will offer all of the laptops announced today with up to a Core i7 Intel 12th-Gen mobile CPU. However, the ThinkPad X13 Gen 3 will also have the option for AMD's latest mobile processors, the Ryzen Pro 6000 Series. And the refreshed L-Series laptops will have options for AMD's older 5000 Pro Series mobile chips, in addition to the Intel option.

Lenovo ThinkPad L13 Gen 3. (credit: Lenovo)

Dolby Voice with spatial audio is a nod to the rise of virtual meetings and remote work. It also includes features like dynamic leveling to "automatically adjust for voices that are quieter or farther away," according to Lenovo, and noise suppression across conferencing platforms.

Enlarge / Volvos will charge for free at new charging stations that will be installed at some Starbucks locations on the route between Denver and Seattle. (credit: Volvo)

Driving an electric vehicle between Seattle and Denver should be a bit easier by the end of this year. Coffee chain Starbucks is partnering with Volvo Cars and ChargePoint to install new DC fast chargers along the 1,350-mile (2,173 km) route.

"Volvo wants to give people the freedom to move and lower their impact on the environment. Working with Starbucks, we can do that by giving them enjoyable places to relax while their cars recharge," said Anders Gustafsson, president and CEO of Volvo Car USA.

"We are thrilled to partner with Volvo Cars to test how we can charge our customers' electric vehicles at Starbucks stores, said Michael Kobori, chief sustainability officer at Starbucks. "Imagine a future where Starbucks helps our customers to connect—more sustainably."