Week of December 14, 2008

Saturday, December 20 2008

MacTrak from GadgetTrak: Advanced Anti-Theft For OS X @ DragonSteelMods

Posted by Jackie @ 2:13 PM (EST)

"MacTrak installs on your machine and uses the built iSight camera and Wi-Fi to help locate and recover your machine. The program allows the user to activate MacTrak from any computer in the world and as long as the stolen Mac is powered and connected to the Internet. It will photograph the perpetrator and geolocate the machine and send this information to a preselected email and also be uploaded to the user's Flickr account."

Thermalright HR-01 X Server Heatsink Review @ EXTREME Overclocking

Posted by Jackie @ 2:11 PM (EST)

"Popular with PC enthusiasts, Thermalright makes cooling products that are known for their quality and performance. What some people might not know is that Thermalright also caters to the server / workstation crowd, offering heatsinks that fit dual socket boards and rack chassis. This review will take a look at a pair of the HR-01 X heatsinks, which fit a 120mm fan."

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Garmin Oregon 300 Review @ InsideHW

Posted by Jackie @ 2:08 PM (EST)

“This time we have tested Garmin GPS device and we were very satisfied with its performance. Oregon 300 seems robust at first glance, and it has a single button, for power control. It has touch screen display which can be locked if it’s needed. Design of this device contributes to the fact that it fits pretty good in both hands, but because of slight extension on right side, we must notice that it provides more natural handling to right-handed users. However, no matter in which hand you are holding it, navigation commands are very easy to get to…”

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Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme True Copper CPU Cooler Review @Technic3D

Posted by Jackie @ 2:04 PM (EST)

"The Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme True Copper CPU Heatsink arrived Technic3D. The CPU Cooler with 6 Heatpipes and Stack of 52 pieces of copper fins. See you in the following Review the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme True Copper compared with Standard Boxed Cooling on a Intel Core i7 920@ 4,1 GHz."

Gigabyte EX58-DS4 Motherboard Review @ CPU3D

Posted by Jackie @ 2:01 PM (EST)

"You can't really go wrong with the Gigabyte EX58-DS4. The overall performance is very good ... easily matching all the higher-end models in our tests. In fact, during the FutureMark tests, the EX58-DS4 came out on top, but only marginally ... a very decent performing and extremely affordable motherboard based on the X58 chipset supporting all the new Intel Core i7 processors."

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Callpod Dragon v2 Bluetooth Headset @ TestFreaks.com

Posted by Jackie @ 1:58 PM (EST)

"Today for review I've got a rather unusual looking and named BT headset, the Dragon V2 from Callpod. It's got an excellent feature set including 100 meter range, walkie-talkie abilities and dual pairing, along with a nice assortment of accessories included. The Dragon V2 is a Bluetooth headset that takes some getting accustomed to for not only fit but usability as well, once you get past the initial period of ownership though you'll find out the Dragon V2 is not a bad product overall."

nMediaPC HTPC 3000B Review @ Bjorn3D

Posted by Jackie @ 1:56 PM (EST)

"Several HTPC cases are the same width and height as a typical stereo system. The unit we are looking at today, however, is setup as a desktop computer. nMediaPC has done a pretty good job of dressing it up though, so it doesn't look out of place next to a stereo system. It actually reminds me of a powered subwoofer enclosure. With its sleek lines, ported opening on the bottom and a little LCD display, it doesn't look like a computer, at first glance. This is due to them tucking the optical drive, front panel ports, and even a card reader behind the two doors to keep everything looking nice."

Kingston Data Traveler 150 32GB Flash Drive Review @ Everything USB

Posted by Jackie @ 1:52 PM (EST)

"The newest USB flash drive on the market comes from a world leader in memory technologies, Kingston Technology. But can this aged expert in memory still keep up with relative newcomers in the flash market? Our newest review has an in-depth look at the Kingston Datatraveler 150 32GB model sporting both copious amounts of storage capacity and a fancy design that does little to innovate but a lot to refine USB flash drive appearances."

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

Palit Radeon HD 4670 Super 512MB Graphics Card Review @ Tweaktown

Posted by Jackie @ 1:45 PM (EST)

"While the graphics card team over at AMD might have the higher end of the market sorted out, you have to wonder how they’re going in the lower and the mid-range market. Today we take the time to look at one of the main mid-range cards from AMD, the HD 4670.

In our usual style we’re not just looking at any old HD 4670, we’re looking at the Super version from Palit which carries with it some extra memory and other handy features. So with that said and done, let’s take the time to have a quick look at the package and a closer look at the card before we see exactly how this mid-range card performs."

Friday, December 19 2008

Sapphire Atomic HD4870 X2 2GB Watercooled Videocard Review @ Tweaknews.net

Posted by Nathan @ 8:37 AM (EST)



"Sure not everyone needs a watercooled videocard, but this videocard is not targeted towards the everyday gamer. This product has the crosshairs on the consumer that has the money, wants the best, wants it easily installed, and wants to game as fast as possible without the noise and bother. To me, if you can afford it, you cannot afford to turn this option down. Period....."

Sapphire Atomic Radeon HD4870 X2 2048MB Graphics Card Review @ Bigbruin.com

Posted by Nathan @ 8:35 AM (EST)

The features, specifications, real world performance, and physical appearance of the Sapphire Atomic Radeon HD4870 X2 2048MB graphics card are all incredible. It is one of the highest performance cards on the market, while also probably being one of the coolest and quietest. This low noise and low heat is even more impressive when you consider that it isn't just the GPU being cooled, but the CPU and the case, too.

Aerocool Hi-Tech 7 Pro @ Pro-Clockers

Posted by Nathan @ 8:35 AM (EST)

I love large case fans. Coincidentally, today I'm reviewing the Aerocool Hi-Tech 7 Pro, which sports a 400 mm side panel fan. Lauded as the largest in the world, this fan is similar to the fan on the AeroRacer Pro, also from Aerocool. However, the Hi-Tech 7 Pro is a step above the AeroRacer in that it has a few extra features such as a built-in fan controller and thermal monitor. Eager to put this thing to work, I jumped right into building it. Before we get into the review, let's read up on Aerocool.

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CPU3D Review: MSI PR200 Ultra Mobile Notebook

Posted by Nathan @ 8:34 AM (EST)

"Although there are many notebooks available on the market, none is as feature-rich as the MSI PR200. If I was to purchase a notebook of similar specification from manufacturers such as Asus, Sony, Toshiba or Samsung ... I will be looking to pay an extra £50 - £100. Battery life is excellent, performance is good and it's packed with features, at a price that's irresistably attractive ..."

CoolIt Domino ALC Liquid Cooling CPU Cooler Reviewed @ DragonSteelMods.com

Posted by Nathan @ 8:34 AM (EST)

" Today CoolIt has introduced their new CPU cooler called the Domino ALC, or Advanced Liquid Cooling. It's an inexpensive liquid cooling kit that is meant to make liquid cooling hassle free, easy to install and readily available for the general populous to just jump right in. The Domino is a closed system liquid cooler, meaning you'll never have to worry about changing fluids, system killing leaks, or any of the problems that might arise from other kits, or DIY solutions on the market today. The Domino ALC is easy to install, and it offers decent cooling performance, it's got an LCD display on it to let you know what's going on with the system and an easy to access control button to quickly change fan speeds if you need that extra cooling boost."

Sony alpha DSLR-A900 Review @ Digital Trends

Posted by Nathan @ 8:33 AM (EST)

"D-SLRs are definitely where the action is in digital photography. Sales of compact point-and-shoots may have hit a wall in this recession, but digital single-lens reflex cameras continue to do well as prices have come down and quality has gone up. The new full-frame Sony alpha DSLR-A900 is a great, albeit relatively expensive example when compared to the typical D-SLR with smaller APS-C sized sensors. This beefy camera has a 24.6-megapixel full-frame imaging device, and sells for "only" $2,999. The new Nikon D3X also has a similarly-sized sensor (made by Sony) and it costs a cool $7,999! Yeow! The D3X is an incredibly featured camera, obviously designed for pros whereas the A900 is for well-heeled enthusiasts-but not investors in Bernie Madoff's funds. The closest current camera in terms of price and resolution is the Canon EOS 5D Mark II, a 21.1MP full-frame edition for $2,699, a model we'll be reviewing in the weeks ahead. All of these cameras have full-frame sensors, which means they're the same size as a frame of 35mm film, eliminating the digital cropping factor on the other 95% D-SLRs out there using smaller APS-C imagers (typically 1.5x or 1.6x). Now, the focal length of the lens you attach is what you'll capture, a true boon for wide-angle shooters. And the bigger sensor should increase overall quality with a minimal amount of digital noise. With those tidbits on the table it was time for us to test the A900 to see just how good a deal the camera is."

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ECS GF9300T-A Black Series Motherboard Review @Virtual-Hideout

Posted by Nathan @ 8:33 AM (EST)

“In the time after the Extreme series, ECS must have found a need for a new product line - since it's been in just recent times that the Black Series has come to life. Consisting of very attractive motherboards with a rich feature set, though a lacking bundle, ECS' Black series has set out to capture the heart, and summarily, wallet of the gamer. With a generally positive experience found on these boards; even if the overclocking has been universally lacking. Now, where the GF7300T-A sets apart from the rest of the series is in that it provides the user the paths of both performance and value, as well as sporting Hybrid SLI - a feature which could save power conscious gamers hundreds over the course of a year. The question really is, then - is this board worth it? Let's have a look”

Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 X2 Atomic ST-6026 @ Benchmark Reviews

Posted by Nathan @ 8:33 AM (EST)

Featuring a closed-loop liquid cooled system, the Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 X2 Atomic ST-6026 brings workstation class cooling to the PC, enabling faster clock speeds and quieter operation - and delivering the fastest graphics performance ever seen in a single card-slot solution. Both GPU's in the Sapphire Atomic ST-6026 are clocked at 800MHz and each has 1GB of DDR5 memory clocked at 1000MHz, making a total of 2GB of video frame buffer. The streamlined single-slot liquid-cooler assembly on the graphics card evenly cools both RV770 GPU's and their associated memories - enabling this dual graphics system to run with a high level of stability even when delivering the highest levels of performance.

iXBT Labs Review: ASUS P5Q Deluxe Motherboard

Posted by Nathan @ 8:32 AM (EST)

"ASUS P5Q Deluxe motherboard is a good example of a top model, which does not irritate common users with its exotic features for 'hardcore gamers' and the like. Four LAN ports are twice as cool as two ports, of course, and six PCIEx16 slots are approximately three times as 'powerful' as two standard slots. But this motherboard works out its high price not resorting to quantitative measures."

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4870 X2 Ultra High End Shootout! @ DriverHeaven

Posted by Nathan @ 8:32 AM (EST)

It comes as no surprise to us that there are also versions of the 4870X2 hitting the market with extreme cooling solutions in addition to enhanced speeds. Today we will run two of the most interesting through a selection of real world tests, including gaming at 2560x1600 and Blu-Ray playback to find out how good the 4870 X2 can get.

GeForce GTX 295 Previews Coming in from all over the Net.

Posted by Nathan @ 8:31 AM (EST)

Here is a small list of sites releasing their preview of what will be Nvidia's newest videocard.

Hardocp
bit-tech
Bjorn3d
Overclockersclub
Hardwarecanucks

Wednesday, December 17 2008

Noctua NH-C12P INTEL/AMD Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews.net

Posted by Nathan @ 4:25 AM (EST)



Recently, Noctua has come out with a couple of new coolers and I jumped at the chance to get them in the lab for evaluation. The NH-C12P that we're going to look at this time out has what Noctua calls a “C” design (hence the name) and features a down-facing 120mm fan to cool the motherboard components as well as the CPU.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

TeknMotion PulseWave PC Gaming Headset @ OCModShop

Posted by Nathan @ 4:23 AM (EST)

Seriously, PC gamers expect a lot from their audio, and frankly most of the headsets catered to gamers just don't deliver. Either they are ultra-expensive headphones geared towards the audio enthusiast, or barely mediocre communication headsets with underachieving positional sound. Many gaming headsets also lack in one critical area: the bass. Many PC gamers are playing First Person Shooters, which usually involve more explosions than a Michael Bay flick. Where's the Bass?

Thermalright HR-03 GTX Review @ OCIA.net

Posted by Nathan @ 4:22 AM (EST)

"It was nearly a year ago when we reviewed the HR-03 GT from Thermalright. At the time, the GT represented Thermalright's latest and greatest video card heatsink, made to cool the latest and greatest offerings from nVidia and ATI, namely the GeForce 8800/9800 G92's and the Radeon 3850/3870 RV670's. Then in June/July nVidia and ATI released new flagship cards based off the GT200 and RV770 cores. However, aside from some early water block releases there wouldn't be an aftermarket cooling option for the GTX for months to come. But Thermalright was not willing to let their loyal fans down, and based on customer demand they have developed the all-new HR-03 GTX cooler. This represents the first and only aftermarket air cooler for the GT200 series cards that I am aware of."

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Diamond HD 4870 1GB CrossFire Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

Posted by Nathan @ 4:22 AM (EST)

"The Diamond HD 4870 1GB can take today's latest games and blitz right through them, providing buttery smooth gaming enjoyment. At a price under $300, high end gaming never looked so good and cost so little. In the driver department I have had no problems with ATI's 8.12's. The inclusion of the AVIVO video converter for FREE is a welcome sight. I like that I don't need to install third party applications or a second utility aside from the driver to do basic temperature monitoring, basic overclocking, and tweaking the fan speed..."

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Xclio 1000 PC Case Reviewed @ DragonSteelMods.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:22 AM (EST)

"Today for review I've got a case that is huge, it's a full tower style case from our friends over at Xclio, but it's much more than that, it's got quite a few other features as well. The Xclio 1000 PC case features nine 120mm fans built in that can be changed to one of several different colors, along with the ability to control their speeds as well. The front has got three doors covering the drive bays, each door has its own fan along with individual controls for each one. Inside you'll find room enough for any system with room to spare for expansion, and there's a plethora of hard drive bays so you'll have room for terabytes of storage as well."

MSI GX720 & MSI GT735 @ InsideHW

Posted by Nathan @ 4:21 AM (EST)

“MSI offered to all gamers with limited budget G-Series of notebooks (G is for gaming). While most of other manufacturers classified gaming notebooks as higher range notebooks emphasizing more than just performances, MSI was led by a different logic. Driven by desire to cover as much as possible of the market, MSI turned the page and offered models that definitely move boundaries in quality sense comparing to previous notebook models from the same manufacturer. Models GX720 and GT735 have almost identical chassis and we will first tell something about mutual elements and then we’ll look at their distinctiveness…”

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Logitech ClearChat PC Wireless Headset @ GeekInvaders.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:21 AM (EST)

"Some of the features of the ClearChat headset that I liked was it was light weight and not heavy at all. The headrest on the top of the unit is adjustable and is reinforced with a small metal strip as to make sure that the plastic doesn't break or flex. The unit over all is very easy to use. You have an adjustable microphone arm that goes up and down, you can't move it side to side but I don't see a reason that you would need to. On the side of the unit is a on and off switch and a plug-in for the ac charger. Charging the unit only took about 1 hour for me and so far has lasted 2 days before needing a re-charge..."

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ASUS EEE PC 4G 701 Netbook Review @ Bigbruin.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:20 AM (EST)

The bottom line is that the entire series of ASUS EEE PC netbooks are pretty cool, fun, and easy to use; and the refurbished EEE PC 4G 701 netbook is no different. If you are looking for a low cost, light weight device to keep you connected when you are away from your main computer, this is a great option to consider.

G.Skill FM-25S2S-64GB SATA-II MLC SSD @ Benchmark Reviews

Posted by Nathan @ 4:19 AM (EST)

Back in November 2007, after experiencing the SuperComputing Conference SC07, finding Solid State Drives on sale anywhere was a real challenge. One year later, and online stores are offering dozens of SSD models at reasonable prices. Solid State Drives are rapidly changing the computing landscape, and many enthusiasts are using SSD technology in their primary systems to help boost performance. Benchmark Reviews has tested nearly all of the products available to the retail market in this sector, and several do well while others fall flat. It used to be that performance was the largest hurdle for SSD's, followed by stability, and later price. In this article, we benchmark test bandwidth performance on the G.Skill FM-25S2S-64GB SATA-II MLC mass storage NAND Solid State Drive and compare it against the top competition.

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iXBT Labs Review: Foxconn A79A-S Motherboard

Posted by Nathan @ 4:19 AM (EST)

"We like three main properties of this motherboard, which actually shape the attitude of hardcore users to the price tag: functionality, support for top CrossFire configurations, and a sufficient set of BIOS settings for overclocking."

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Lian Li EPS Silent Force 750W PSU Review @ Driverheaven

Posted by Nathan @ 4:19 AM (EST)

Lian Li unexpectedly released two series of high performance PSUs dubbed 'Maxima force' and 'Silent Force'. We are going to put the Silent Force S750GE 750W PSU to the test and see if Lian Li's latest products can live up to the legendary reputation the company has.

Tuesday, December 16 2008

AMD Athlon X2 7750 and 5050e Dual-Core Processor Reviews @ Legit Reviews

Posted by Nathan @ 4:31 PM (EST)

"Both the AMD Athlon X2 5050e and the Athlon X2 7750 processors serve a place in today's market, but the roles for the two processors are clear as night and day. The AMD Athlon X2 5050e is perfect for those wanting to build a system that uses low power and has a quiet cooling solution. The thermal properties on the Athlon X2 5050e were amazing and the fact that the processor runs at just 41C under load on the factory heat sink was most impressive..."

NVIDIA Quadro FX 4800 1.5 GB Workstation Graphics Card @ HotHardware.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:31 PM (EST)

Two new cards were recently introduced in NVIDIA's Quadro FX lineup of professional workstation graphics cards. On the high-end, they have the Quadro FX 5800 card, which uses the same powerful GT200 architecture that powers the GeForce GTX 280, coupled with 4 GB of memory and a 512-bit memory interface. Of course, that beast costs $3,499, and it's going to be a tough sell in this economic climate, powerful as it may be. Perhaps the more reasonable solution is the card we're looking at today, the Quadro FX 4800, the Quadro FX 5800's little brother.

AMD Athlon X2 7750 Black Edition Processor Review @ EOC

Posted by Nathan @ 4:30 PM (EST)

Before the year ends, AMD has one last little surprise for everyone. The long awaited "Kuma" dual-core processors based on the K10 core (Phenom 65nm) have arrived! These new processors will use the same numbering scheme at the Phenom X4 and X3, becoming the Athlon X2 7000 series.

iXBT Labs Review: ASRock A770CrossFire Motherboard

Posted by Nathan @ 4:29 PM (EST)

"ASRock approached with maximum creativity and decided to squeeze everything possible not only from the Southbridge, but also from the Northbridge: they installed the 2nd graphics port and added nominal CrossFire support (8x + 8x), although only 790X and higher-end chipsets officially possess this feature."

Mushkin XP3-12800 3x2GB Kit DDR3-1600 Review @ ocaholic.ch

Posted by Nathan @ 4:29 PM (EST)

With the XP 2 x 2 GB DDR3-1600 memory kit, Mushkin presents DDR3 memory which is optimized for Nehalem systems. You get three 2 GByte modules which can be driven at 1600 MHz clock with 7-8-7-20 timings and 1.65 volts and we hope that there is a lot of overclocking potential.

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Sigma WindStorm Mid Tower Case @ Modders-Inc

Posted by Nathan @ 4:29 PM (EST)

Sigma is working hard to develop new innovative designs built with high quality standards. They have just released a new case for computer enthusiasts with airflow in mind. Today we will take a look at the Sigma WindStorm and see if it is indeed a WindStorm or just a mild breeze!

Seagate 1.5TB & WD 1.0TB Drives @ t-break

Posted by Nathan @ 4:27 PM (EST)

Storage demands are not getting any lower by the day and hard drive manufacturers keep increasing the capacities to cope up with all our digital data usage such as pictures, movies and audio files. We take a look at two drives today- the Western Digital Caviar Black with 1000GB of unformatted space and the Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 which has the largest capacity for a single drive at the moment- 1500GB of unformatted space.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

BudgetGadget 5.1 USB Sound Card @ OCModShop

Posted by Nathan @ 4:27 PM (EST)

Anyone who knows me can tell you that I love nerdy little gadgets. I've gone through my period of USB-powered missile launchers and night vision webcams. I moved on to bigger toys, audio and video hardware that seem to take up tons of room. So much so that I have a shelf next to my desk specifically for my toys and tools. Seriously, this crap takes up a lot of room. So when I came across this website called BudgetGadgets.com, I was immediately enthralled. You know the expression about the kid in the candy store? A geek on a gadget website is the same damned thing. And that is where today's toy comes from.

XFX GeForce GTX 260 (Core 216) Black Edition 896MB Videocard Review @ Elite Bastards

Posted by Nathan @ 4:26 PM (EST)

"As we just mentioned, while the GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition may look like a standard reference board in terms of its cooling solution, things begin to look very different once you take a look at clock speeds, with this part offering some big boosts to clocks across the board. Starting out with the Black Edition's core clock, the reference clock speed of 576MHz is ditched in favour of a 666MHz clock (yes, that's right, they did go there) to make a 90MHz increase in speed. Together with this, shader clock speed also gets a big increase of 162MHz, up to 1404MHz from 1242MHz. Lastly, the board's GDDR3 memory gets an impressive increase from 999MHz up to 1150MHz to make for a 151MHz gain."

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NZXT Sentry LX @ techPowerUp

Posted by Nathan @ 4:26 PM (EST)

The Sentry LX is a high-end, well constructed thermal monitoring unit, which gives you constant access to five thermal sensors and five case fans at once. It also includes a date & time display, so you can enjoy those longer gaming sessions without losing track of time.

Sapphire HD4830 Video Card @ Pro-Clockers

Posted by Nathan @ 4:25 PM (EST)

The ATI-powered HD4830 from Sapphire is showing promise at being one of the best bangs for the buck cards out there. The HD4830 has the same amount of ram as the HD4850, but is clocked slightly lower and lacks a few of the shader units of the bigger sibling. Granted the HD4830 isn't here to steal any of the HD4850’s thunder, but it is targeted at the Nvidia 8800GT and 9800GT line. It is time to put the card to the test and see just where it stands.

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ECS G45T-M2 Motherboard Review @ Virtual-Hideout

Posted by Nathan @ 4:25 PM (EST)

“Perhaps as a byproduct of their strong OEM division, ECS has been producing a number of reasonably priced, fully featured, general-purpose Micro ATX motherboards. Though these boards lack advanced cooling, fantastic overclocking, or award winning aesthetic, they have always offered one consolation - a great value. Though the chipset that today's motherboard is based on - the G45 - isn't known for fantastic performance, it's feature sheet is fairly comprehensive, and considering the availability of several SATA ports, as well as HDMI, ECS may have just whipped up a nice little HTPC contender. With that in mind, let's take a look at what this board can do.”

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ECS 9800GTX+ SLI HYDRA EDITION @ VR-Zone

Posted by Nathan @ 4:24 PM (EST)

ECS sent us a huge box, 9800GTX+ HYDRA EDITION! We put the system to a series of benchmarking tests, temperature monitoring and also attempt to overclocking the GPUs.

AMD Athlon X2 7750 Review @ OCC

Posted by Nathan @ 4:23 PM (EST)

"Being a "Black Edition" processor gives you a little more flexibility with overclocking because of the unlocked multiplier. To begin I started by raising the multiplier 1x at a time until the system became unstable. I was able to boot at 16x but I could not complete a benchmark, so I backed the multiplier down a half to 15.5x and I was able to complete several test benchmarks with no problem. Next I raised the bus speed 5MHz at a time, but once I tried 210MHz there was no joy. I backed off slowly, 1MHz at a time until I was able to boot at 205Mhz. During the overclocking session I did have to raise the CPU voltage to 1.5v, however CPU-Z reported it as 1.520v. So for the overclocking results we will be running at 3.177GHz (205Mhz x 15.5) at 1.5 volts."

ASUS P6T Deluxe Motherboard Review @ Motherboards.org

Posted by Nathan @ 4:23 PM (EST)

ASUS's P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition is the perfect example of what a new motherboard chipset should be when released. Every conceivable feature including SLI, CrossfireX, 24GB DDR3-1600MHz support, and the general build quality that exists on ASUS's boards generally means that the P6T Deluxe is one of the motherboards to beat in the current crop of X58 motherboards. ASUS has the performance, features and reliability that they are known for. As with any new chipset launch, motherboards can and will improve as the chipset matures. ASUS has already launched six or seven boards using the X58 chipset in them and it will be interesting to see how those fare against the P6T-Deluxe OC Palm edition board in upcoming reviews. Asus gets a solid Hot Product award for the new P6T as I excels in many areas for the new i7 platform.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

Monday, December 15 2008

Vantec Aeroflow FX120 Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review @ Tweaknews.net

Posted by Nathan @ 5:07 AM (EST)



"If you're looking for a cooling solution that is difficult to install, has mediocre cooling performance and is annoyingly loud, the Vantec AeroFlow FX 120 is the ideal product for you. On the other hand, if you're like most PC enthusiasts, you'll want to avoid this product like the plague. The installation process has more PITA than the Greek restaurant my wife and I visited last night. Furthermore, the cooling performance is lackluster at best and the fan whines like a harpy in a Greek tragedy."

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

ASUS P5N7A-VM @ t-break

Posted by Nathan @ 5:06 AM (EST)

As Intel marches on with its Core i7 and X58 chipset, the component market and Asus hasn't abandoned the LGA775 ship just yet. Powered by an NVIDIA 730i chipset along with the NVIDIA's 9300 IGP it makes the Asus P5N7A-VM the most powerful DirectX 10 integrated solution available in the market to date.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

Gateway M-7818u 15.4" Notebook @ Techgage.com

Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST)

Finding a proper "multi-media" notebook for under $800 can be a little challenging, but Gateway proves with their M-7818u that notebooks can be both affordable and include the most important features you're looking for. In addition to fantastic battery-life, the M-7818u goes as far as to include an HDMI port for viewing 1080p content on your external display.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

Antec TruePower Quattro TPQ 850W Review @ Tech-Reviews.co.uk

Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST)

One often overlooked component when building the ultimate gaming computer is the power supply. Reasoning for this is because the core components, CPU, RAM and Graphics Card are usually decided first leaving little or no budget for the PSU. In the past, a low-end power unit was normally fine; however with the newer and more power-hungry components which entail many of our systems, a beefier and more stable PSU is a must-have in achieving the ultimate stable gaming machine.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

OCZ Core V2 60 GByte MLC-SSD Review @ ocaholic.ch

Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST)

With the V2 OCZ presents - in the still very yound SSD market - the second generation of its Core SSD series. According to the datasheet the V2 shines bright with 170 MB/s throughput reading, 98 MB/s writing and with 0.1 milliseconds access time it seems to be way faster than every conventional hard drive.

CLICK HERE FOR THIS PRODUCT'S PRICING

Verbatim TuneBoard Speaker Keyboard Review @ OCModShop

Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 AM (EST)

I love music. I have more music than I know what to do with. Everything from Ludacris to Dean Martin graces the hard drive of my iPod and the shelves of my CD rack. I listen to music when I write and when I�m cleaning. I even take my MP3 player to work when I can get away with it. But being able to play music from a keyboard? A keyboard with built-in speakers and music controls that totally negate the need for bulky desktop speakers? I�m all for that. In fact, I find that freaking awesome.

Pandigital Photolink One-Touch Scanner @ TestFreaks.com

Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 AM (EST)

"The product I have for review today is the Photolink One-Touch Scanner from a company called Pandigital. Pandigital mostly makes digital picture frames, but they recently released this product as sort of an accompaniment to their digital photo frame lineup, but it can be used alone as an excellent photo scanner. The Photolink can scan up to a 4×6 photograph, and it does it amazingly fast and with excellent results, it also essentially upscales the photo as well so you end up with a hi-res picture that you can blow up without much quality loss."

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Intel Core i7 920, Core i7 965 EE and Intel DX58SO @ InsideHW

Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST)

“Long awaited Nehalem architecture got its official name: Core i7. We have tested two CPUs based on this architecture along with one motherboard based on X58 chipset also signed by Intel. But let’s cut to the chase and go straight to testing and results. Code name for X58 chipset is “Tylersburg”. This chipset is made in 65 nm manufacturing process and it is direct descendant of X48 chipset, which means that it belongs to Intel Extreme chipset series. There will be more than one version of X58 chipset: EP, EN and WS version that will be differentiated by number of PCI Express lines and QPI (QuickPath Interconnect) connections (links, busses)…”

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Antec Skeleton Case @ Bjorn3D

Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST)

Every once and awhile there is a product that comes along that is so unique and original that people greet it first with shock, then with curiosity, and finally love. I believe that the Antec Skeleton case happens to be one of those products. Think of the Skeleton as the bare bones of a case. It has all of the required mounting holes and standoffs, all of the standard features that any other modern case would have; it is just missing its skin. With no side panels on this case, installing components is a breeze. Read along to see how the bones of Antec's newest case hold up when installing a system.

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Gigabyte GA-EX58-EXTREME Core i7 Motherboard @ Benchmark Reviews

Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST)

The GA-EX58-EXTREME is the latest high performance X58-Express Series motherboard from GIGABYTE, designed from the ground up to unleash the awesome power of Intel's new Core i7 processors. Equipped with a host of new features including the new QPI interface, 3-channel DDR3 support, 3-Way SLI and CrossFireX support, Ultra Durable 3 technology and the industry's most extensive range of overclocking features, the EX58-EXTREME is bringing excitement back into the high performance motherboard industry. In this article, Benchmark Reviews compares the EX58-EXTREME to Intel's DX58SO Smackover and last-generations X48T-DQ6 motherboards.

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AMD Athlon 7750 Black Edition Reviews From Around the Web

Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 AM (EST)

Here is a selection of the recent release from AMD. Will it beat the Core i7, well read on.

Driverheaven
Bit-tech
Tweaktown

Sunday, December 14 2008

Samsung Syncmaster XL30 - 30 inch LED BLU Monitor review @ Driverheaven

Posted by Nathan @ 4:36 PM (EST)

The XL30 is undenably aimed at the less price conscious professional editing and design markets such as graphics bureaus, printers and publishers. It is in these markets that colour accuracy is paramount to the end product and this is where the sophisicated LED backlight plays a part. Samsung claim industry leading colour accuracy/range and looking at the statistics we would already assume this to be true.

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Ikonik Vulcan 1200W Power Supply Review @ JonnyGURU.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:36 PM (EST)

Ikonik is a brand new name in these parts, bringing a never before seen Channel Well based design to my eager hands in the Vulcan 1200W. We've looked at Channel Well's high powered offerings before in units like the Corsair HX1000 and Thermaltake Toughpower 1000W and 1200W models. How will the new DSR platform compare to those older PUC based units?

Choiix Ergonomic Metal Sleeve C-MB03 @ InsideHW

Posted by Nathan @ 4:35 PM (EST)

“If this is the first time you hear about Choiix brand, than you should know that Choiix is the new brand of well-known company Cooler Master. Choiix will produce additional equipment for portable computers and the first product from Choiix that we will present you today is unusual combination of bag and notebook cooler called Ergonomic Metal Sleeve C-MB03. Device is attended for notebooks with 14-inch screen diagonal, but Choiix also provides models for different screen sizes…”

ATP ProMax II CF 8GB @ DragonSteelMods.com

Posted by Nathan @ 4:30 PM (EST)

"Today we will look at the top of the line Compact Flash card from ATP – the Promax II. Established in 1991, ATP has over 17 years of experience in the design, manufacture, and support of high performance, highest quality DRAM modules and NAND flash storage products. These cards feature the fastest write transfer speeds available making them great for digital SLR camera use. In addition they have write transfer speeds of 30 MB/Sec."

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Corsair Dominator TC DDR3 1600 (TR3X6G1600C8D-PK1) @ Bjorn3D

Posted by Nathan @ 4:29 PM (EST)

When it comes to computer memory, Corsair has been at the top of enthusiasts' lists of dream parts for years. One series of kit tops that list, the Corsair Dominator. With its imposing Corsair Dual-path Heat Xchange (DHX) heat sinks, it makes its presence known from the minute you see it.

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