Saturday, December 8 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:07 PM (EST) |
NZXT is a company that is renowned for producing quality, performance-minded cases with a touch of class. I consider it a privilege to review their cases. Today, I get the chance with the Alpha Classic Series Steel Mid-tower chassis, which from this moment on will be called the Alpha. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:07 PM (EST) |
Sapphire's new HD 3870 card is based on AMD's RV670 GPU which is made in a 55 nm process with 666 million transitors and support for DirectX 10.1 and PCI-Express 2.0. This card that is sold for around $249 is intended to be AMD's new offering for an upper midrange card - but can it beat the GeForce 8800 GT? |
Apack Zerotherm BTF-92 OC Edition Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:07 PM (EST) |
"The new Zerotherm BTF92 "Overclockers Edition" heatsink is a mirror image of the BTF90 that came before it, save for a different fan and the inclusion of a new fan speed controller gadget the company are bundling in now. The Zerotherm BTF92 OC ed. heatsink is compatible with socket 775 Intel Core 2 Duo/Quad/Extreme and socket 754/939/940/AM2/AM2+ AMD Athlon64 processors." |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:06 PM (EST) |
X-gene has come up with a pretty nice, clean basic keyboard to use with your home theater system. As we see more home theater systems moving away from multiple bulky components to a single slim line PC. Keyboards like these will be essential to controlling all the features of your media center system. A small remote control can only do so much. A small wireless keyboard like this gives you the full functionality of your PC without requiring some bulky peripherals. There is really no down side to this keyboard other than the two items mentioned earlier. It does everything it claims to. While I would not use this to replace my keyboard on my work PC, it defiantly has a home with any home theater PC. |
ASUS P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Motherboard Review @ Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:06 PM (EST) |
“Who here wouldn't want the latest and greatest motherboard from Asus? Yup, I would too. In the crosshairs of this review will be the P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n with the new X38 chipset. The Intel X38 Express Chipset supports new dual-channel DDR3 memory technology, next generation dualX16 PCI Express 2.0 and Intel Extreme Tuning to unleash exceptional performance in today's gaming applications. The redesigned Intel X38 Express Chipset Memory Controller Hub (MCH) architecture significantly increases overall system performance through the optimization of available bandwidth with the new 1333 MHz system bus and reduction of memory access latency with Intel Fast Memory Access. These technology breakthroughs result in optimized system architecture with built-in intelligence, greatly improving system memory performance. That is just on the chipset alone; what about the other features?” |
Building a High End HTPC featuring the Thermaltake Media Lab @ OCC |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:06 PM (EST) |
"Decision time, do I use the Media Lab in an external drive bay, or do I take it apart and use it in the nice window I thought was for looks? Well I decided to go ahead and use it in the window just to see how it looks. Taking the LED screen off the header wasn’t too much of a task, four screws and, poof you are there." |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:05 PM (EST) |
Ultra's X3 800-watt Modular Power Supply is the upper-middle class guy in the X3 neighborhood. He hangs out in the modular part of PSU-ville and drives some serious wattage - but nothing over the top like his 1600-watt neighbor. And for the majority of systems out there running enthusiast-class, top end gear, 800-watts is generally more than enough. |
Icy Dock MB664US-1SB Screwless eSATA Hard Drive Enclosure Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:05 PM (EST) |
Any hard drive enclosure will allow you to take your files with you, but what makes the Icy Dock enclosure appealing is the tool-less installation, the build quality, and above average eSATA transfer rates. The MB664US-1SB enclosure is very heavy duty, which provides a little extra peace of mind that your data is well protected while in transit. |
Winchip PC3-10666 DDR3 1333MHz 64A0TRHN8G17E @ Benchmark Reviews |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:04 PM (EST) |
Winchip Technologies isn't a household name with computer enthusiasts, but we hope to see that soon change. Benchmark Reviews continues our DDR3 Review Series, and today we focus on the system builder and enthusiast user. Many of the kits we have tested so far have helped achieve extremely uncommon overclock speeds right out of the box, and even though some of the kits aren't trying to set new speed records they still manage to impress us with their combination of performance and value. In this review we offer a product that is both affordable and performance orientated as the Winchip PC3-10666 DDR3 1333MHz 64A0TRHN8G17E RAM kit is tested. |
Posted by Nathan @ 3:04 PM (EST) |
When XM Radio first came out, they featured a radio that connected directly to your PC. This wonder allowed you to capture the audio stream directly to your PC, which could then be edited or converted in any way. Needless to say, the recording industry was not happy with this, and those XM products have been discontinued. |
Friday, December 7 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:12 PM (EST) |
PowerColor's new HD3850 Xtreme is full of customization compared to the reference design. Instead of two DVI ports it has one DVI and one HDMI port which supports HD video playback with HDCP and digital audio straight off the GPU. In addition to that a custom cooler by Zerotherm ensures that the card stays cool no matter what you throw at it. Another bonus is that the memory size has been doubled to 512 MB of 1.0 ns GDDR3 memory. |
Buffalo Firestix PC2-8000 2GB Memory Kit Review @ HardwareLogic |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:12 PM (EST) |
"DDR3 has emerged on the scene, creating a fire sale in DDR2 chips. One of those kits belongs to Buffalo, a company oft overshadowed in the enthusiast RAM market, and today HardwareLogic looks at the Buffalo Firestix DDR2-1000. Will this kit make us rethink whose memory we will buy on the next purchase?" |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:12 PM (EST) |
"In our last test session we made a run with the Thermaltake MaxOrb and found that it performed better than any of the other coolers we have tested thus far. Today we will be taking a look at another Thermaltake product that is sure to rock our testing charts. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:11 PM (EST) |
"The Noctua NH-U12P is a slightly refined take on the companies previously successful NH-U12 heatsink. This time around, Noctua bundle in the NF-P12 fan, and it's not your average 120mm vaneaxial fan either. It's flesh tone coloured plastic draws attention away from its three key innovations; SSO bearings, vortex-control notches, and textured leading impeller surfaces. Noctua's NH-U12P heatsink in one of the few models to breakthrough the low noise handicap and actually perform like a high performance heatsink." |
Plextor PX-PH160US Mobile USB and eSATA HDD Review @ Metku.net |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:11 PM (EST) |
"Most external hard drives use 3,5" disks, and the reason is easy to see: they offer the largest capacity for the lowest price. However there are also models with 2,5" disks on the market and these have known pros compared to their larger brothers. First of all, they obviously are smaller, making it easier to keep the disk with you, especially when using a laptop. Secondly, the 2,5" disks require less power, so they produce less heat and don't need an external power supply." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:10 PM (EST) |
Previously on DragonSteelMods…..Kris reviewed the Scythe 120mm Slip Stream Fans. Today, I will be looking at the bigger brother of the Slip Streams, the Ultrakaze fans. With three rpm versions, there is bound to be one Ultra Kaze fan to fit your cooling needs. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:10 PM (EST) |
"Heatpaste is probably the least interesting part of any PC build, but a very much necessary part. Heatpaste sits between your CPU IHS (Integrated Heat Spreader) and the base of your heatsink, ensuring that the conductivity remains high enough to keep your CPU at a working temperature. |
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610 EPS12V Power Supply @ Hardware Secrets |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:09 PM (EST) |
"Silencer 610 EPS12V is a 610 W power supply from PC Power & Cooling using the traditional PC power supply design with a single 80-mm fan on its rear side. Besides its Spartan looks this unit features active PFC, two video card power connectors for SLI and CrossFire, EPS12V connector and is labeled at 40º C, so the manufacturer guarantees that you will truly get 610 W of power. In fact, this unit came with a testing report generated by a Chroma 8000 machine (probably the most high-end power supply load tester available today), showing that not only this unit can deliver its 610 W but it can peak up to 680 W. As usual, we completely disassembled this power supply to take an in-depth look on its design and components." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:09 PM (EST) |
"The SideWinder Mouse has excellent tracking ability, a wide array of customization options, and good ergonomics." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:08 PM (EST) |
“While Logitech is no slouch when it comes to mice, (they've been making mice for over 20 years) they have been facing increasing competition from other manufacturers who also have mice heavily marketed towards gamers. With the market awash in so many gaming mice, each seemingly offering the same features such as extra buttons, adjustable DPI and accurate laser tracking, Logitech decided to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that would stand out in the crowd. The result was the G9, the successor to the G5 and G7 mice.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:08 PM (EST) |
"I was impressed when I unwrapped the Ultra X3 600watt Modular power supply, because of the way it looks. This unit features a black chrome finish that is extremely reflective. The only downside to this, is that fingerprints will show very easily on the finish. On one side of the power supply you’ll find a vent that should help hot air escape from the unit. The specifications sticker is on the other side of the power supply. All of the modular connections are on the front of the power supply and you’ll find a 24-pin connector, six 4-pin Molex connectors, one 4-pin motherboard connector, two 6-pin PCI-e connectors, two SATA connectors and one 8-pin connector. The back side of the power supply is almost completely mesh - which is a good thing because it will allow plenty of air through it." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:08 PM (EST) |
Gamers and enthusiasts love their hardware, even a set of headpones is important when it comes to playing games. Thanks to Razer and our CPU3D review team, we take a look at the Razer Barracuda HP-1. It offers excellent sound quality with added 5.1 surround support. |
Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W Modular Power Supply Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:07 PM (EST) |
“Out of all of the 1000W+ power supplies that we have checked out there was one that stood out among all of the rest, the Thermaltake ToughPower 1000W Modular Power Supply. Today we have its big brother the ToughPower 1200W. It is basically the same power supply just beefed up with 200W more power. We will see if the extra 200W affects the performance of the ToughPower or if it will be flawless just like the 1000W. Read on to find out.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:07 PM (EST) |
When Super Talent announced their Project X series of DDR3 RAM a few months back, it sounded pretty astonishing -- but at this presentation I expected it to arrive at an astonishing price relative to other sets of DDR3 RAM in the market right now. Surprisingly, Super Talent's Project X paired with Micron's excellent D9GTR ICs with sharp aluminum heatsinks is also a sharp combination with a relatively aggressive price -- at least for memory in this market segment. I've seen other DDR2-1600 RAM costing more than the Project X DDR3-1800 -- something that we don't see every day. Super Talent has been highly regarded amongst enthusiast in the past, and combined with overclocking preferred Micron D9GTR ICs, as well as a relatively lower price compared to other DDR3 RAM, I'm sure that it will live up to its reputation. But will this be a winning combination if you are in the market for performance DDR3 RAM? |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:07 PM (EST) |
In this article we are going to take a look at the new QX9650 and QX9770 when compared to the existing QX6850 and ageing QX6700. Rather than benchmark the processors on the same configuration which has been done to death across the web we are going to approach this from a slightly different slant. Each of the processors will be tested with memory at a 1:1 ratio. So for the 9770 than means 1600MHZ, the 9650/6850 1333MHz and the 6700 with memory at 1066MHz. As well as providing a unique perspective on the performance of each CPU we also feel this method of testing closely matches memory configurations consumers will pair with each processor. At the end of the review we will analyse how various memory speeds impact the performance of each CPU, so if you want to know how the QX6700 with DDR2 compares to the new QX9650 with DDR2 we will provide the answers. |
Thursday, December 6 2007 |
GlacialTech IGLOO 5610 & 5610 CPU Coolers Review @ DragonSteelMods |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:05 PM (EST) |
" I've got two CPU coolers up on the review block today from GlacialTech. You might be wondering why I'm reviewing two CPU coolers at the same time but that's because they are basically the same coolers just with different types of fans on them. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:05 PM (EST) |
The Dell XPS 1730 World of Warcraft notebook is an amazing system with lots of power, and shows a trend towards custom-designed systems. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:05 PM (EST) |
"The Coolermaster Hyper 212 is a 60mm tall heatsink, and it's comprised of just the right mix of copper heatpipes and aluminum cooling fins. I'll save you the trouble of skipping to the end of this review - the Hyper 212 performs within the top 10 best Intel and AMD heatsinks currently in the Frostytech reference list. Each list is nearly a hundred heatsink models long, so that's quite a feat for this 710 gram puppy. The Hyper 212 heatsink supports AMD socket 939/AM2/AM2+ and Intel socket 775 processors." |
Thermaltake Mozart Tx Dual-ATX Tower Case Review @ Madshrimps |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:04 PM (EST) |
"Thermaltake has been around as long as most of us can remember. This is a compliment to product innovation, expansion and longevity. Today we test a PC chassis poised to change the shape of things to come..." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:03 PM (EST) |
As much as it pains me to do so, I have to give this game a poor score. The technology is dated, and the game turns quickly into trial and error. Crazy enemy AI and aim will get you killed too fast. Multiplayer is fun, but has nothing major to offer. Definitely nothing other games don't have. If you are a hardcore fan of the Soldier of Fortune series, then pick this one up. Even then I'd recommend waiting a bit for the price to drop. The multiplayer alone isn't enough to make this game great, and the single player, while long enough, is lacking. I'm also upset that the gore models, something Soldier of Fortune is known for, aren't as good as they have been in the past. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:03 PM (EST) |
AMD's new Radeon HD 3850 has been a major upgrade in both performance and efficiency. GeCube has taken the reference design and increased the clock speeds. They also doubled the available memory to 512 MB GDDR3 and use a two slot cooler on the card. But can this yield enough performance to warranty a $30 price premium? We compare it to 17 other video cards. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:03 PM (EST) |
The Ultra Products X3 600 Watt modular power supply has a lot going for it. They have a very high-end look to them with the high-gloss finishes. Along with that they add in the 100% modular design that allows for easy installation, and excellent cable routing. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:02 PM (EST) |
One of the most important things a person can have when they are working with sensitive files is some type of security to keep that information safe and away from prying eyes. That is where the Corsair USB Flash Padlock comes into play, with either 1 or 2 GB of storage these little device are like a safety deposit box in your hand. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:02 PM (EST) |
After it seemed like the UT series was about to become the next Fifa (you know, a new revision every year with hardly any new features added to the mix) with the 2003 and 2004 releases, things got quiet. It took 3 years for the next installment to be finally ready and thankfully Epic decided to drop the release year naming convention and returned to a more standard, numerical naming. But is that big III behind the Unreal Tournament name and logo all that this new version delivers, or did the upgrade to the Unreal Engine 3.0 bring more? |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:01 PM (EST) |
Lately, it seems like power supplies have been a hot topic at many of the major review sites, including here at Bjorn3D. We reviewed three units in October, two in November and will have at least one in December. I think this is due to the fact that many companies have finally realized that PC enthusiasts really do care about the power being fed to their components. And while there are many long-standing companies bringing new lines of power supplies out on to market by the masses, not many of them have the history that Antec possess. The Antec NeoPower line features power supplies ranging from 380 watts to 650 watts, all with three 12V rails, modular cable designs and high efficiency in mind. The NeoPower 650 Blue clocks in at 650 watts and features blue LED lighting to spruce-up the inside of your case. Follow along to see just how the NeoPower 650 Blue performs. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:01 PM (EST) |
If you haven't paid a visit to Adata's website lately, you may want to after you finish reading this review. But when you get there you will see that there are plenty of flash drives to decide from. All ranging in sizes from 512mb up to a whooping 16 gigs. Some are themed and some professional, but the one that will almost instantly draw your attention would be the PD-18. The PD-18 is one of the smallest drives that you will see from any company offering flash drives. Adata packs up to 4 gigs of storage in this tiny little plastic piece. Is it the one for you? |
Vantec NexStar MX Dual HDD Enclosure Review @ Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:01 PM (EST) |
“It just so happens as I was surfing for some good external storage options, Vantec came knocking with a new external storage enclosure. Vantec's NexStar storage solutions aren't new to the market. They have eight different NexStar revisions which includes one of their latest, the Vantec NexStar MX. The earlier models all had similar features such as USB 2.0 with backward compatibility, all aluminum housing, different sizes, and single drive connect ability. What they didn't have was a dual drive storage solution for the power users. Well, Vantec has answered the call! Allow me to give you a tour of the new Vantec NexStar MX Dual Storage Enclosure.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:00 PM (EST) |
"Goodbye Intel P35, we already knew ye, and hello X38! Boasting full support for the new 45nm Penryn processors, today HardwareLogic gets acquainted with Intel's newest chipset via Gigabyte's GA-X38-DQ6 motherboard." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:00 PM (EST) |
Ask any gamer how big of monitor is the perfect monitor and you might just get a response of "the bigger the better". Today Benchmark Reviews takes a look at a LCD monitor aimed squarely at the "bigger is better" gaming crowd. The Hanns-G 28" LCD HG281DPB monitor seems to fit perfect with the typical gamer looking for the largest LCD screen they can get without breaking the bank. Featuring an Active Matrix TFT, 3ms response time, 1920x1200 resolution, and at a cost of under $600. On paper the specifications look great, but how would it actually perform in reality? I had to give it a shot. |
Ultra Power Partner 325 Watt 5 1/4" Power Supply Review @ OCIA.net |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:59 PM (EST) |
"The Ultra Power Partner is a 325 watt auxiliary power supply that fits into an optical drive bay. It works in addition to your current PSU, for example, if you have a 500 watt power supply, install the Power Partner, and now you have 825 watts, plenty enough extra juice to power that pair of 8800GTs. Is the Power Partner the answer to your power problems? Read on." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:58 PM (EST) |
"X38 is now here, and it’s still a mixed bag in regards to how it performs. So far there aren’t really any performance breaking features of the chipset, it’s basically a P35 but with better Crossfire support and a few novelties such as XMP memory profiles. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:58 PM (EST) |
It’s apparently designed to meet the needs of the avid multimedia enthusiast, but I believe the latest notebook available from Fujitsu, the LifeBook N6460, is designed to render the desktop PC obsolete once and for all. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:57 PM (EST) |
Gigabyte have been expanding heavily, and now it seems they've entered the mobile computing market with their leatest release ... the U60 UMPC. It's utilises VIA's Esther 1Ghz processor, 700Mb ram and 30Gb hard drive. Thanks to Gigabyte and our CPU3D review team, we takes a closer look at this ultra mobile PC. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:57 PM (EST) |
"For card expansion the XFX 680i does not leave you hanging. It offers two PCI slots, two PCI-e 1x slots for future cards coming out, like wi-fi and more, two x16 PCI-e slots, and one x8 PCI-e slot. Yes, you heard me right, two full 16x slots for SLi cards and more. No more cutting the second x16 slot's bandwidth in half when you run multiple graphics cards. With this set up you can have two graphics cards running in SLi mode in the black slots and also have a Physx card running in the blue slot for optimum game performance. You can also have three graphics cards in each of the slots for multiple monitor setups for games or business applications with, of course, the blue one only running in x8 speeds." |
Wednesday, December 5 2007 |
ASUS M3A32-MVP DeLuxe/WiFi-AP Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:52 PM (EST) |
"ASUS M3A32-MVP DeLuxe/WiFi-AP is today the most high-end motherboard for the AMD platform money can buy. Based on the new AMD 790FX chipset this board is targeted to the AMD gaming platform "Spider", featuring four PCI Express x16 slots allowing up to four video cards working in parallel thru the new CrossFireX interconnection mode. As other motherboards from ASUS, this product has passive heatsinks, but what is unique about it is that it comes with a passive heatsink for the memory modules that can be attached to the motherboard passive cooling solution. This board also features an 802.11g (54 Mbps) WiFi access point, allowing you to share your Internet connection wirelessly without a wireless broadband router, eSATA port, coaxial and optical SPDIF outputs and much more, so read on." |
Samsung CLX-2160N Color Laser Multifunction Printer @ BonafideReviews |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:51 PM (EST) |
Tis' the season for new electronics and while a laser printer might not exactly be as exciting as a new 50" HDTV, it can still make for an excellent gift... even if that gift is to yourself. Today we are taking a look at Samsung's CLX-2160N, the self-proclaimed world's smallest color laser MFP (multi-function printer). |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:50 PM (EST) |
"The HP Blackbird 002 is an amazing system that boasts top-speed performance and a ground-breaking design." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:49 PM (EST) |
“I have been around for a while, and when Western Digital decided to send me their 500 GB hard drive; I drooled. Then Seagate came out with their 750 GB drive; I got goose bumps. Now, Hitachi decided to realign my particles with their 1TB SATA II hard disk drive (HDS721010KLA330); man this thing smells good. Yeah, if you didn't catch that, I said 1TB... that's 1000 GB! " |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:48 PM (EST) |
When it comes to mobile computing, a major detractor for many enthusiasts is their limited ability to upgrade components. Typically, the hard drive and memory are readily accessible in most notebooks, but when it comes to graphics and other components, often times you are locked into the manufacturer's factory configuration or have to jump through hoops just to gain access to certain parts, let alone upgrade them. This can be a major strike against mobile computing, as many users prefer the upgrade potential of a desktop PC, knowing that their investment can be easily updated in the future if the need arises. |
Foxconn Mars Intel P35 Express Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:48 PM (EST) |
Foxconn's MARS motherboard was a breeze to work with, I particularly liked the physical power, reset and clear CMOS buttons. Enthusiasts will find a very tweakable BIOS, and the Gladiator BIOS tools are a real time saver. Be warned though, if you're new to the overclocking game don't go too crazy with the voltage options, you can permanently damage your hardware! |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:47 PM (EST) |
"Unreal Tournament 3 is a fine game. It plays well, looks okay and doesn't ask anything unreasonable in the hardware side of things. Yet it tastes a bit... stale. You can't avoid the fact that this is just another evolutionary step for the Unreal Tournament series. If you didn't like UT before, UT3 doesn't include anything so radially different that it would change that. There is also a distinct lack of final polish. I think Epic simply ran out of time with Christmas rapidly approaching. The fact that the Xbox 360 version was unceremoniously pushed to 2008 and the PS3 version will apparently just barely make it to the stores before the holidays tends to support this assumption." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:47 PM (EST) |
"It wouldn't be stretching the truth to say that XFX are one of the most popular enthusiast GPU manufacturers in the world today and to keep this status, they have to continually release exciting new products. The hot product in the green camp at the moment is the 8800GT, so guess which card we have from XFX?" |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:46 PM (EST) |
"Going deaf from all those noisy fans cooling your high end hardware? Not skilled enough to switch to water-cooling without turning your room into an Olympic swimming pool? Gigabyte has the solution: a case with build-in water-cooling. Just snap the water blocks in place and your ready to go cool & quiet." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:46 PM (EST) |
Video game franchises are volatile entities. With each successive release of a popular franchise, publishers walk a fine line between pleasing existing fans and attracting new ones. Driving fresh sales with changes to gameplay can backfire terribly, as the fans that made a series a success in the first place may walk away in disgust. Yet publishers are reluctant to ditch previously successful branding, so a profitable series is likely to soldier on until its final iteration resembles its first release in name only. Some games have such valuable pedigrees that even the worst gameplay isn't enough to hamper the critical reception; take the extended technology demo known as Doom 3, for instance. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:45 PM (EST) |
"Hard drives can be mounted in several areas in the Antec NSK 3480. There are two dedicated areas that feature silicon vibration dampeners to isolate the hard drives to reduce any noise from them. One is available in the upper compartment and will take up the space of one 5.25" bay. The other is on the floor of the enclosure and is similarly attached. If a floppy drive will not be used, this area can house another drive if need be." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:45 PM (EST) |
"Opening the case I was greeted by an interesting and, to me, unique layout . Two things that got my eyes to widen a bit were the noise absorption material around the interior and the placement of the hard drive cage. Installed inside the case are two Nexus Real Silent 120mm fans, one placed at the lower front of the case as an intake and the other as an exhaust at the lower middle rear of the case. Having used Nexus fans before, I can tell you that they are quiet and adding to the silence both fans are mounted with rubber pins/rivets. I tryed to remove the front panel to get a good look at how the sliding door worked, but it was secured really tight and I couldn't get to the left side holding clips and didn't want to break anything, I can tell you that its done with spring tension. The interior is almost completely covered in the sound wave foam including the removable side, the only place its missing is where the hard drive cage is located, where the power supply mounts and the front panel area." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:45 PM (EST) |
I do a lot of case reviews as the junior reviewer at Pro-Clockers. It doesn't bother me, because I've got a case fetish of sorts. In its own twisted way it works out fine for everyone involved. Over the years, I've owned big cases, small cases, weird cases and modded cases. To be honest, I change cases more than some men change shirts. The last few years, I settled in with the Antec Sonata II. It's a great case and did what I needed it to do. However, I changed it for the Aerocool AE Plus last month. Always a sucker for big fans, the Aerocool drew me in. After trying out the Sunbeamtech Quarterback, I switched again. My main rig is now happily housed in the slightly odd, yet highly functional Quarterback. Read on to see why I changed cases. |
ATP Petito & Tough Drive USB Flash Drives Review @Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:44 PM (EST) |
“ATP is one such provider of flash drive memory. They offer high density and high capacity flash media memory products which includes computer memory modules. They were kind enough to send us two of their newest solutions, the Petito 2GB and Tough Drive Mini 2GB Flash Drives. These are USB 2.0 compatible, Water Proof, offer durable Dependable Storage, built in Security Protection, and are Windows Ready Boost capable for Vista users.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:44 PM (EST) |
Benchmark Reviews continues our DDR3 Review Series, and today we focus on the system builder and enthusiast user. Many of the kits we have tested so far have helped achieve extremely uncommon overclock speeds right out of the box, and even though some of the kits aren't trying to set new speed records they still manage to impress us with their combination of performance and value. In this review we offer a product that is both affordable and performance orientated as the Aeneon PC3-10666 CL8-8-8-15 AXH760UD00-13GA98X DDR3 1333MHz RAM kit is tested. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:43 PM (EST) |
“About a week ago we checked out the Lowepro Factor Slim laptop bag and it was the perfect bag for someone that did not want to carry a lot of gear. It has a lot of features and many consumers will enjoy it. But there is one thing about laptop bags is almost all of them don't appeal to women. Women want a bag that can hold their laptop and accessories, but look good at the same time and be easy to carry like a purse. Well Lowepro has the answer to this with the Factor Tote.” |
Tuesday, December 4 2007 |
Logisys KB206BK Ultra Slim Soft Touch Keyboard Review @ OCIA.net |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:42 AM (EST) |
"Personally, I very much appreciate a keyboard with a nice-feeling touch, as I spend as much time typing as I do most anything else. I really can’t describe the feel I like, but I know it when I feel it. Soft, but with a distinct “snap” when a key is pressed. My current keyboard feels ok, but not great. So will the Logisys Ultra Slim Soft Touch Keyboard meet my requirements? Let’s see." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:41 AM (EST) |
Thermaltake has created a new Xaser case, and this time it is a monster. The Xaser VI is a huge "super-tower" case with room for Extended ATX motherboards, seven 5.25" bay devices, seven hard drives and up to ten PCI slots. There is an incredible amount of ventilation with the mesh on the front, top and sides, and there are even some other features that make this an ideal watercooling case. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:41 AM (EST) |
"From what we all witnessed, we can clearly see that the PowerColor X1550 can play some of the games with playable framerates. On the other hand, most of them were unplayable; one second you are walking, the next you are dead. If a player were to lower the graphics this card could handle it but what fun would that be? These benchmarks are in place to stress test the card and they did their job but the card did not. Although, I would say the PowerColor X1550 is way ahead of the good ol’ Voodoo 1 series, though I wouldn’t suggest it for any serious gamer." |
OCZ Technology Vendetta Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:40 AM (EST) |
After our first review of such a cooler I was left wondering if this design development was really such a good idea, as performance was less than impressive. We're going to give direct touch heatpipe CPU coolers another shot, this time in the form of something from OCZ Technology. They have provided their Vendetta CPU cooler, which looks a good deal like the Kingwin Revolution cooler we reviewed just about a month ago. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:40 AM (EST) |
The integrated controller will get the job done if you have less than 6~8 (depending on the motherboard) hard drives but it soon will hit its limits in a professional environment. In addition, despite the fact that many high-end motherboards come with a few eSATA ports to be used with external storage, these ports usually cannot take the advantage of internal ports' ability to offer RAID's performance and redundancy. This is where a dedicated RAID controller will be very useful. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:39 AM (EST) |
"With the introduction of HDMI pumping graphics cards, the motherboard market has jumped on the band wagon, with many featuring full HDMI output con audio. The abit AN-M2HD with it’s GeForce 7050PV and nForce 630a chipset is one such example, but today I have AMD/ATI’s reply; the Biostar TA690G AM2. As the name implies, this mATX motherboard uses the AMD 690G with onboard X1250 graphics. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:39 AM (EST) |
The NF-P12 is a new 120mm fan with several improvements for very silent operation. Noctua claims the NF-P12 has been specifically designed for high-impedance applications such as processor coolers and watercooling rigs and features "psychoacoustic" improvements to make it less annoying to the human ear. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:38 AM (EST) |
Having gotten pretty well accustomed to the XBOX 360 Controller, it was with great interest that I received a couple of Saitek brand controllers for review. We’ll first look at the Saitek Cyborg as it’s the closest in configuration to the XBOX 360 Controller. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:38 AM (EST) |
"I didn't think to record the running temperatures of the previous case to compare this one too, but in terms of noise, this one is ridiculously quiet. The supplied 120mm fans are rated at 16dbm(!) and the loudest component in the case became the CPU cooler fan. This was a nice result." |
Monday, December 3 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:30 AM (EST) |
Anyone familiar with the old fighting game Primal Instinct knows the significance of hearing that word. Much like Mortal Kombat®, primal instinct used a combo system and the Ultra Combo was the best one. By the time you finished off the combo, your opponent was so beaten and bruised, your victory was all, but assured. I remember jubilantly celebrating when I would pull one of those combos off as I finished local rivals. Now, I’m older, but when I heard I was given the chance to review the X3 1000 watt power supply by Ultra, I celebrated like I did of old with a fist pump in the air for good measure. For the last few months, I’ve been considering a SLI setup with dual 8800 GTX’s, but I knew my 650 would probably have problems with providing the needed power. I already have one GTX, but I also have 3 SATA II hard drives, a DVD-RW, CD-RW, 3 USB hard drives, and about 4 other USB devices plugged into my computer. Another GTX might take it over the edge. Just from reputation, I knew the Ultra X3 1000 has what it takes to handle SLI without breaking a sweat. Not to mention, Ultra is very well known for the quality of its hardware. I wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity to put this thing through its paces. |
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB PC2-9200 DDR2-1150MHz Review @ OCC |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:29 AM (EST) |
"All I can say is wow! I think the scores for this RAM speak for themselves. It surpassed the other sets in fifty percent of the tests, and came very close in the rest. The margins are big in the tests where it came out on top, which shows the true speeds of this set of RAM. The RAM installed and booted with no problems and ran 100% the whole time. During overclocking I could not get the memory to go over 1200MHz, even with upping the voltage a little and loosening the timings." |
4GB Kingston DataTraveler Mini Fun USB Review @ The TechZone |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:29 AM (EST) |
Growing up, there really was no toy or educational tool that had as much lasting value as Lego blocks. I could spend all day pressing those bricks together, constructing every from very boxy sports cars to massive forts for my little Lego soldiers. In some ways, the Kingston DataTraveler Mini Fun USB Flash Drive cashes in on this nostalgia, because it features a clicking cap system that looks a heck of a lot like Lego. In fact, If it weren't for the $62 price tag, some people may mistake the tiny wonder for a piece of Lego. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:28 AM (EST) |
Ever since Heatpipe Direct Touch (HDT) technology was first introduced in exposed copper heatpipe coolers such as the Zaward VIVO, Xigmatek HDT-S1283, and OCZ Vendetta, overall heatsink sizes have been reduced while the cooling performance has dramatically improved. Not eveyone is a believer in the new cooling technique, and some manufacturers have stuck by their tried-and-true designs. Benchmark Reviews has received the Scythe Mugen 5-Heatpipe CPU Cooler SCINF-1000, and the practice of "bigger is better" will be put to the test. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:28 AM (EST) |
The Power Strip is a pretty cool feature that can come in quite handy. It really serves as a power HUB spreading out power to more peripherals efficiently. The users that will purchase this case will most likely want to install some form of light such as LEDs, Cold Cathode Tubing, or Neons. All of those extras will need power and that Power Strip will work great for quick connections. You won't have to go digging through your power supply wires to find power. This feature will hopefully show up in future revisions." |
GMC Noblesse K-1 Muse Multimedia Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:28 AM (EST) |
“HTPC cases are getting pretty popular. I have one, which is a pretty nice case, but the cooling is so limited that I wouldn't consider putting my main rig in it. As far as features, it is pretty plain Jane, it mainly looks like it belongs with other home theater components, although there were some optional multimedia features that it didn't come with. GM Corporation, LTD, from Seoul, Korea, a company that has been specializing in cases for over a decade, has produced an HTPC case called the Noblesse K-1 Muse, advertised as "Multimedia all-in-one PC case". Will this case have enough features to earn the title "multimedia case", along with satisfying the needs of the enthusiast? We'll see.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:27 AM (EST) |
"The Apple iPod Touch has a sexy design and features integrated WiFi so you can browse the web and by music online." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:27 AM (EST) |
For a mid level gaming solution that only cost $200.00 it’s hard to go wrong with the EVGA 256MB 8800GT. The card is competing head to head with ATI’s HD 3870, a card that touts 512MB of DDR4 memory and almost triple the Stream processors so NVIDIA has done something right here. I was pretty impressed with how well this card performed in our standard bench and gaming tests as well as how cool it ran. NVIDIA and eVGA did a spectacular job on the 256MB Edition, its fast enough for most users even in FPS type titles and runs cooler than many of the other cards in its class! This card is definitely a Gamers Gold product that deserves your recognition and your spending money. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:26 AM (EST) |
"The SteelSeries is a line of gaming peripherals with many market segments, with the headphones being probably the most popular one. Whenever we are talking about gaming headphones the first thing that comes to mind when gaming headphones are mentioned are usually those that cover the entire ear, thus efficiently isolating the player from the outside world. These headphones have a different approach." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:26 AM (EST) |
There is a lot of good things to say about the Ultra X3 power supplies aside from their accomplishing their primary duty of providing clean stable power. The Flex Force cables immediately come to mind. These are my new cables of choice without question or an equal even close elsewhere. We didn't have the EZ-Grip connectors which was a small disappointment but the Flex Force 'shape to fit' lines more than made up for that. |
Sunday, December 2 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:15 PM (EST) |
"Often times, in the hype of building up a great new rig with all of the hottest new components, we forget that, beyond calculating pi and folding protein molecules, the computer experience comes entirely from peripherals. Almost nobody includes keyboards, speakers, or even monitors in their budget. In reality, though, a nice new monitor can make your old rig feel new again." |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:14 PM (EST) |
New technologies like HD-radio boast CD-quality sound without any flutters, dead zones or other sound degredation associated with traditional radio. Even with upgraded sound quality, we want even more convenience. I am so used to DVRs that I wish the capability were available for radio. Imagine being able to skip back a few seconds to hear what you missed, skip through commercials, scheduling recordings, and recording a song in its entirety when you're half-way through it. |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:13 PM (EST) |
Empires is a revolutionary mod for Half-Life 2. It combines the genres of first-person shooter and real-time strategy. It's release was yesterday the 30th of November, and while the rest of the Empires community was waiting in anticipation for that countdown to reach zero, Steamfriends had been invited for a testplay. |
Lapinator Laptop Desk and Mousitizer Review and Comparison @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:12 PM (EST) |
Today for review I've got another product in the laptop desk category, the Lapinator, and they've also sent me the Mousitizer accessory as well to go with it. I can easily say that the Lapinator is one of the better products of this type, it does what it is advertised to do, it keeps the heat from your legs. Keeping the heat away from you though isn't everything a laptop desk should do, it should be comfortable, well made, and it should also help keep your laptop cool. The Lapinator is and does most of this well, but I've put it up against three others that I have on hand as a comparison, so continue on to learn more about the Lapinator and see how it stands up to the competition... |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:12 PM (EST) |
TTGamer have today posted a review of Pro Evolution Soccer 2008 for the Xbox 360. EA had a strong showing with FIFA 08, but Konami are in no mood to give up any room on the soccer/football gaming throne. |
CompuStocx Diablo CSX XAC-1200 2GB DDR2-1200/PC2-9600 Review @ OCInside |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:12 PM (EST) |
With the CSX XAC-1200 2GB kit we would like to take a look at the first DDR2-1200 memory kit from CompuStocx. CSX Diablo DDR2-1200 / PC2-9600 memory modules are specificated for memory voltages up to 2.40 V and thanks to the Micron D9GMH chips, this RAM can already operate as DDR2-1066 / PC2-8500 modules starting from 1.90 Volt. |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:11 PM (EST) |
"Plot-wise the game is paper thin: there isn't even a convoluted storyline that you can take masochistic pleasure in unraveling and dissecting all its folds and flaws - it's all just fancy sounding words like Perseus and Synchronicity strung together to make you think there's some grand scheme or mystery behind all the gunplay. There isn't, just one cliché after another. There's an Evil Corporation conducting Bad Experiments and producing Paranormal Phenomena. Don't expect to have any better idea of what's really going on by the end of the game. Of course, ghosts and mecha make appearances in the game, but that's to be expected, right?" |
Kingston 2x1GB DDR2-533 Notebook Memory Review @ Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 11:10 PM (EST) |
“Sometimes in the pursuit of a new laptop one of the limiting factors is the price, and sometimes to save on price we will sacrifice the extra, but often needed memory. We all know that some manufacturers will charge up to $200 additional dollars for an extra 1GB of memory. But why spend that additional money when you can simply head on over to the Kingston website and get that larger memory kit at a cheaper price and a good chance at speeds being faster. For my application this was true: my laptop was supplied with 2x 512mb of DDR2 400; Kingston supplied me with 2x 1GB of PC2 533, or model number KTH-ZD8000A/1G. Laptop memory can be very model-specific, and the Kingston website has a very user-friendly system to get the correct memory for your needs.” |
