Saturday, February 2 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:36 PM (EST) |
"Overclocking the old fashioned way was actually very easy, despite the E6750's 333MHz FSB. With little effort, we were able to reach 490Mhz on air. Granted, we've had to increase the voltages to the max for CPU and chipset, but this was impressive considering we were using air cooling. I was able to squeeze an extra 4MHz out of the Gigabyte board, but given in the past I've had some issues with overclocking MSI boards, I was quite pleased with the results." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:35 PM (EST) |
The Piranha is Razer's newest effort to conquer the budget gaming headset market. It features a noise canceling microphone and a lot of other neat features that add to the value of the product which is sold at a mere $79.99. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:35 PM (EST) |
We take a look at two aftermarket alternatives to the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS/GTX's stock cooler, the VF1000 LED from Zalman and the Hurricane HC92 from ZEROTherm. |
Swiftech H2O-220 Compact Liquid Cooling Kit Review @ OCIA.net |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:35 PM (EST) |
"Swiftech has been around since 1994 and is perhaps best known for their thermoelectric and liquid cooling solutions that first gained popularity in late 2000 / early 2001. Recently I had the opportunity to test out one of their latest water-cooling kits, the H2O-220 Compact. I know some of you are probably thinking, "oh no, not a water-cooling kit..." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:33 PM (EST) |
The drive features a zinc alloy metal shell and textured skin. The shell is formed to be light weight and extremely strong, part of the strength comes from the apparently seamless design and the fact it’s made from metal instead of plastic. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:33 PM (EST) |
"Today MSI’s game has picked up, producing some of the most impressive boards we have seen. The Platinium boards are really impressing us, and today the Diamond has managed to become another high quality contender with just about every feature you’re going to want. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:32 PM (EST) |
"People recognize Aliph Jawbones in the same way that they easily spot iPhones. These Aliph headsets are loved by those who use them, while everyone else in close proximity of the secret conversation mutters profanity. Showoff, that's what he is, the cockbite with that hundred-dollar Bluetooth headset. "Look at me, I'm Alexander Damn Bell." Aliph talks about the Jawbone (the Jawbone) like it isn't a headset. As though it were an idol for worship. And after the rebuking I suffered at the feet of their Cockney representative at CES, I dug in for this review with prejudice." |
6 High End CPU Water Blocks Tested and Compared @ Madshrimps |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:31 PM (EST) |
"In this group test we compare the performance of six high end water blocks from Koolance, Danger Den, D-Tek, Swiftech and EnzoTech on an overclocked Intel Quad Core Processor. Which one keeps the CPU running the coolest? Read on to find out." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:30 PM (EST) |
“The Razer Pro|Click, is a wired, high sensitivity Mac gaming mouse, with same “Always on” feature common with Razer’s other mice. It is an Optical mouse, like the Razer Deathadder, but it takes it shape from the Razer Copperhead. Introduced to me as a gaming solution for my Mac Pro. The white coloring is an obvious choice to match Apple's color scheme for pretty much everything that isn't silver.” |
Ideazon Merc Stealth Illuminated Gaming Keyboard Review @ OCC |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:30 PM (EST) |
"We will start from the far left. The Ideazon Merc Stealth Illuminated Gaming Keyboard’s main selling point is the keypad used specifically for gaming, designed for ease of reach, and use of key buttons, while playing your favorite PC games. The design is also for comfort purposes because playing games for hours with a standard layout can be hard on your wrist and forearms. Above the keypad are your media buttons, volume, and media player options like play, pause, stop, skip forward and back. There are also key features like the brightness and color of your keyboard LEDs, as well as the z and I, II, III buttons for opening your control panel and three banks of profiles." |
Otterbox for iPhone Defender Series Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:30 PM (EST) |
“For most people the iPhone was an investment. At $400 it is not a cheap phone so you want to protect it. With the popularity of the iPhone there are a ton of cases out there, but what case will really protect your iPhone. We took a look at the Otterbox for iPod Nano a while ago and it provided ultimate protection, so we were excited when Otterbox announced an iPhone case. The defender case is not as extreme as it is not fully waterproof, but it does offer much more protection than many other cases out there.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:29 PM (EST) |
If you walk into a computer store today you are met with a large amount of different external storage solutions. It is now possible to expand the storage of your computer quickly and inexpensively without having to open up the computer and installing a hard drive. |
Friday, February 1 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 AM (EST) |
With the redesigned MC-TDX CPU waterblock, Danger Den has also released some new chipset blocks based on the same pin design. The new MPC series chipset blocks feature 225 heat-dissipating columns in the typical copper base. We take a look at the MPC-975X chipset block, which is designed to work with the Intel 975X chipset. |
Yamaha YSP-4000 Digital Sound Projector Review @ Digital Trends |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 AM (EST) |
"Add surround sound to your flat panel TV with the wonderfuly powerful Yamaha YSP-4000 Digital Sound Projector." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 AM (EST) |
Overall this is a nice case. There is plenty of room to work, and it has some nice features. Though the power bar is a cool feature I think there are some revisions that could be made to make it more compatible with the majority of power supplies out there. The cooling performance of the case was adequate. The two 120mm fans provided moved enough air through the case to keep the temperature inside 20 degrees of ambient. Considering we were running an over clocked e6650 with an 8800GTS video card that’s pretty good. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:01 AM (EST) |
Built around AMD's 790FX chipset, the K9A2 Platinum offers four-way CrossFireX support, in addition to support for HyperTransport 3.0 and PCI Express 2.0, while MSI also throws in some additional customizations of their own to raise the board to "Platinum" status. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:01 AM (EST) |
"Gaming performance from the Phenom wasn't as bad as we expected. It turned out to be OK. Still, it's the overall performance that counts." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:00 AM (EST) |
Despite numerous reviews of every GeForce 8800 graphics card since NVIDIA first launched the series, many consumers are still left without any real information to compare their choices when shopping for their gaming system. Graphics performance is the most importance function of a video card, and Benchmark Reviews offers this comparison of the three most popular GeForce 8800 video card models on the market. Our tests will include benchmarks on the: ZOTAC 8800 GT vs. the FOXCONN 8800 GTS vs. the MSI 8800 GTX. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:00 AM (EST) |
Today we will take a look at the ECS7001, a powerful 700W PSU featuring a patented cable connecting system. It may look like yet another modular PSU but unlike all other modular PSUs you don’t have to connect each cable directly to the unit; you can connect each cable right where another cable ends. Interesting? We think so. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:00 AM (EST) |
This Cryo LX definitely takes inspiration from some of NZXT's cases, and incorporates quality materials and a well thought out design into a cooler capable of handling 17" (and even 19") notebook computers. Constructed mostly of thick Aluminum, and sporting three 120mm fans, this isn't just an oversized version of the typical notebook cooler. |
Origen S21T Motorized 12.1 inch Touch Screen HTPC Enclosure @ Madshrimps |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:59 AM (EST) |
"Origen S21T is a high-end aluminum Home Theatre PC enclosure featuring a unique 12.1 inch motorized TFT touch screen for the utmost enthusiasts in Home Theatre experience; such feature can only be found in some server rooms. Armed with 120mm exhaust together with two 92mm internal fans, it accommodates both ATX and micro boards." |
NVIDIA SLI performance scaling - GeForce 8800 GT 512MB @ Elite Bastards |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:59 AM (EST) |
"Of course, GPU manufacturers face some rather difficult challenges ahead if they really want to bring us into a full on multi-GPU future, but that's a discussion for another day. All we do know is that with ATI's Radeon HD 3870 X2 (sporting two RV670 cores) released this week, NVIDIA's dual G92 GeForce 9800 GX2 on the way, and rumours that ATI's next-generation R700 part will in fact be two RV770 cores on a single board, multi-GPU rendering in some shape or form is here to stay. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:58 AM (EST) |
“It seems so many laptop bags are the same. Booq is out to change that. Booq is a new company to us so here is some information about them. Booq strives to create high-end laptop bags while providing excellent customer service to the next generation of ambitious creative professionals. The Mamba sling is a very attractive sling-type bag that not only looks good it is comfortable and protects your laptop too. Let's take a look...” |
Thursday, January 31 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:59 PM (EST) |
"When I first opened up the program, I thought I had mistakenly opened Adobe Photoshop because the workspace looks almost identical. That’s a good thing because Adobe Photoshop is an extremely easy program to use and it’s easy to find everything you need. First, let’s go ahead and see what all of the available tabs at the top have to offer. Under “File” you’ll find options to start a new project or open a current project. If you look closely, you’ll also see the option for “Job Jackets”. A “Job Jacket” is a folder that you can use to keep all of the files, images, and attachments for your project together so that the final print comes with everything you collected along the way for your project. The next tab is “Edit” which is where I found the master collection of all the languages you can use with XPress 7 Passport. Quite a hefty list, huh? The next available tab without a project open is the “Utilities” tab. Here is where you’ll be able to manage most of your projects or “Job Jackets” as well as tools, such as a dictionary." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:59 PM (EST) |
"While we see a fair few ECS motherboards here at TweakTown, graphics cards tend to be few and far between from the company. It seems though that the wait may have been worth it with the release of a passively cooled 8800GT. |
ASUS P5E3 Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n Motherboard Review @ Motherboards.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:59 PM (EST) |
There are an abundance of new advances and available feature options with this board and it actually has so many features it could easily have a score over our 100 point limit. The notable features include support for DDR3 memory, 3 PCI Express x16 slots (2 2.0 slots), support for Intel’s Yorkfield CPUs and the ability to overclock like no tomorrow, we reached a stable 4.2GHz on air cooling alone. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:58 PM (EST) |
We tested 17 contemporary dual-core processors from AMD and Intel to answer the most important question the users ask these days: what solution is the best choice from the consumer standpoint basing on their price, performance and power consumption. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:57 PM (EST) |
"Gameplay is deceivingly simple – a throwback to one of the grandfathers of the WWII strategy genre, Sudden Strike. There's no resource gathering, no building and certainly no unrealistic unit upgrading. Instead, each battle begins with a finite number of units, and resource preservation is crucial to a successful outcome. Occasionally, it is possible to call in reinforcements, though the mix and number of reinforcements varies depending on the battle (though on a broader scale, more resources are available as the campaign progresses - taking historical accuracy into consideration, of course)." |
Asus BLITZ Extreme Intel P35 Express DDR3 Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:57 PM (EST) |
"Asus has released some really nice Intel motherboards in the last little while, and of those the enthusiast grade BLITZ line really stands out. The DDR3 powered Asus BLITZ Extreme motherboard PCSTATS is testing in this review is the sister-board to an identical DDR2-powered model called the Asus BLITZ Formula. While both motherboards are based around the Intel P35 Express chipset, what we really want to know is if the BLITZ Extreme and DDR3 memory will allow it break out ahead!? Let's find out!" |
Antec True Power Quattro 850W Power Supply Review @ HardwareLogic.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:56 PM (EST) |
"Antec, Inc. considers itself a brand of high-performance computer component supplier for the gaming, upgrading, and the Do-It-Yourself enthusiast markets. They are over 20 years old and most of us know them as a purveyor of quality PC cases. But the Antec product line is not limited to enclosures. They also market cooling accessories, media components, and (as you might guess from this article's title) power supplies such as the True Power Quattro (TPQ) series – their top of the line power supply series. Today we have one of those TPQ supplies in the form of a True Power Quattro 850 watt unit." |
OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Platinum 2gig Kit Reviewed @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:56 PM (EST) |
"So for review today I've got 2gigs of OCZ Platinum Dual Channel DDR2 PC2-6400, one of the main reasons I selected this ram was the low price point, there was other ram that was lower but I know OCZ quality and trust my systems to it. So continue on to see what I learned about this set of ram through my testing in Windows XP and Vista... " |
Digit-Life Review: ECS GeForce7050M-M and Foxconn 945G7AD-8EKRS2H Motherboards |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:55 PM (EST) |
"It has been a while since we have tested the first board based on GeForce 7050 chipset. Meanwhile, we noticed the low interest of the other manufacturers towards this basically good chipset that reached the market a little late. We examined a board from ECS, a renowned expert in cheap integrated solutions." |
Thermaltake NBcool T2000 Notebook Cooler Review @ TechwareLabs |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:55 PM (EST) |
"If you own a notebook then you are probably aware of how hot they get. Heat is well known as the number 1 killer of computer components so it is important to keep your investment cool and among the living. Justin has a look at the T2000 notebook cooler by Thermaltake and approaches it with from the unique perspective of not only its cooling properties but also how it affects your battery life and the battery savings due to the cooling effect on your CPU and components." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:54 PM (EST) |
Intel's 45nm Dual-Cores have finally arrived, so it's only fitting that we take one for a spin. Our test subject is the 3.0GHz E8400, offering 6MB cache, SSE4 and more. Overclocking is impressive, with 3.8GHz stable being possible without even raising the voltage! This chip definitely proves itself a winner. |
AutumnWave OnAir HDTV-GT USB ATSC/NTSC Tuner/Receiver Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:54 PM (EST) |
“AutumnWave Solution's OnAir HDTV-GT USB tuner can receive ATSC, NTSC, an unencrypted QAM (commonly known as digital cable) signals and, when combined with the included software, can turn a Windows-based computer into a TV and DVR. It's powered via USB and includes a neat remote and antenna to take advantage of digital and analog over-the-air broadcasts. Read on for the review.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:53 PM (EST) |
"Cowon proves that making a media player more like a handheld computer isn't such a hot idea. " |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:53 PM (EST) |
"Unlike satellite or cable HD, OTA HD is fully uncompressed. What this means is the picture quality should be better than subscription based HD. The downside of uncompressed HD is that if you have plans of recording this type of video, be prepared to have a lot of disk space used. the included OnAir software, a mere 10 second capture used up 25MB of disk space, 30 seconds eating up 57.3MB. For a 60 minute show, you'll probably use up about 9GB of space. However, the picture quality is simply amazing. Let's just say with LOST premiering tomorrow night, it's going to be quite an experience." |
Wednesday, January 30 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:08 AM (EST) |
"Zumax has you covered when it comes to connectivity. 20+4pin ATX, 8-pin 12v EPS power, ATX 12v 4-pin, 1 x 6-pin physics, 2 x 6-pin PCI-E, 2 x 6+2-pin PCI-E, molex 4-pin, floppy 4-pin and SATA. There are three headers that are designed to be used exclusively for the chassis fans. These are tied into the Turbo Fan switch that, when activated, drives 12 volts to the fans to gain maximum cooling performance when needed. Since it is not a modular design, the downside is that while the connectivity is available, you need to hide the unused cables." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:07 AM (EST) |
A-DATA is known for their unique USB flash devices. The new Nobility N702 is no different. It looks so fancy, that it can be used as a necklace or key chain with its shiny metal casing and tugged away USB connector. |
Zalman ZM-NB47J Passive Northbridge Heatsink @ Frostytech.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:07 AM (EST) |
"One of the problems with old motherboard chipset heatsinks, apart from their small size, is the little fans almost always seize up. Constant use, time, and dust bunnies conspire to stop impeller blades from spinning. If the fan stops on a postage size heatsink, there's a good chance the chipset will overheat too. For this problem Zalman have introduced a small passive aluminum chipset heatsink called the ZM-NB47J." |
Asus BLITZ Formula Intel P35 Express DDR2 Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:06 AM (EST) |
"The Asus BLITZ Formula motherboard is based around Intel's P35 Express Northbridge and ICH9R Southbridge chipsets. It supports up to 8GB of DDR2 800/1066 MHz memory. The motherboard also has two integrated Gigabit network cards, two IEEE 1394a ports, 12 USB 2.0 slots, six Serial ATA II slots (RAID 0,1,5,10,JBOD), one IDE channel and supports AMD CrossFire technology too. Asus bundle a mountain of accessories, including a SupremeFX 11 8-channel audio card and software like a full version of 3DMark06 (good for the benchmark freaks out there) and the game STALKER: Shadow of Chernobyl!" |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:06 AM (EST) |
The Gaming Industry is rife with huge corporations like Electronic Arts who spew forth endless reams of games each year, very often franchises that are guaranteed to fill their coffers. These games, can quite often lack a soul. Ok, that's a little melodramatic, EA aren't Lucifer reincarnated as many gamers would have you believe, however if like me, you occasionally long for something a little different then today I have a treat in store for you. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:06 AM (EST) |
When I opened the box to the X-Jupiter g, my girlfriend commented that she thought it was very pretty. Looking at it, I had to agree. Of all the cases I have reviewed, the Jupiter is one of the most striking. How does it work as a case, though? Let's find out. |
VIA's Glenn Henry Speaks on Isaiah Processor @ HotHardware.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST) |
With all the buzz around VIA's recent announcement of their next generation low power Isaiah mobile processor, we thought it would be a good idea to get together with some of VIA's top architecture and design brass in a "fireside chat" sort of venue. The idea was to provide a little more insight into what the team at VIA feels will be the real value proposition of their ultra low power Isaiah mobile X86 processor and how the product will differentiate versus current and future offerings from the likes of Intel, AMD and others. Our direct line of contact was with VIA's Centaur design center president, Glenn Henry. Former Dell CTO and IBM Engineering Fellow, Glenn founded Centaur back in 1995 and the highly successful company has the lowest employee attrition rate in the industry - no small feat for a semiconductor design house. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST) |
"While both units posted comparable efficiency values that were, for the most part good (with the NeoPower 650 slightly edging out the NeoPower 650 Blue), and voltage regulation that only began to suffer during Test #4 it was the 650 Blue that was able to provide the cleanest DC Output Quality making it the better product in our testing by a slim margin. This coupled with the unit being significantly quieter makes the 650 Blue the unit that seems most fitting of the 650w slot in Antec's current lineup of power supplies and most fitting in enthusiast's consideration when faced with a choice between these two units." |
Wireless Multimedia Flexible Keyboard Review @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:05 AM (EST) |
"Flexible keyboards have become very popular, even being featured in big budget movies, so it's no surprise that there seems to suddenly be an abundance of them floating around everywhere now because of their co-starring role in Die Hard. Most you'll see are the corded kind, but today I've got the cordless version for review, called the Wireless Multimedia Flexible Keyboard, and it's essentially the same as the corded version, but I was curious as to how it performs compared to other wireless keyboards. So read on to check it out and see what I learned... " |
HighPoint RocketRAID 3520 SATA Raid Controller Review @ TechwareLabs |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 AM (EST) |
"We recently tested the HighPoint RocketRAID 3520 which sports more features than a fully outfit sports car and is just as fast. The RocketRAID 3520 really managed to pass up every bit of competition we threw at it and then some. Read our review to see the scortching hot numbers this card was able to produce and see what this upgrade to your workstation, server, or business will really help you accomplish. " |
Thermalright Ultima-90 Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:04 AM (EST) |
Thermalright always puts out top quality products that offer computer enthusiasts a significant upgrade over stock cooling hardware. The Ultima-90 Heatpipe CPU Cooler is without a doubt an excellent choice for your hot processor due to its cooling capabilities, relatively simple installation, compact design, and support for most modern CPUs. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST) |
VIZO introduces the Mini-Ninja notebook cooler. It's made from solid Aluminum and features adjustable USB-powered twin fans. What's more, it's suitable for notebooks with screen sizes of 12" to 15". Our CPU3D review team tests it with our Toshiba Satellite Pro U200 notebook. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST) |
"Taking a look at the listed specification of the cooler puts some more meat on the bones of what we've already seen. For starters, we find ourselves with confirmation of the 90mm cooling fan seen on the front of the cooler, with a speed of 1800 RPM. Behind that, we find three copper heatpipes together with the copper base which draws heat away from the processor, where it is dissipated by a combination of the cooling fan and numerous aluminium fins which make up the Hyper TX2's heatsink." |
Galaxy Tvisto Pro Digital Media Enclosure Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 AM (EST) |
“Digital media adapters are all the rage these days. More and more consumers are realizing the benefits of storing movies, music, and pictures on a computer and then displaying those media on a large monitor or television. The Galaxy Tvisto Pro DMA takes a SATA hard drive and embedded Linux and can play back a variety of formats from the hard drive or a wired or wireless network. It outputs in HD via component or VGA cables, but can also output to composite, as well. ThinkComputers has the review.” |
Tuesday, January 29 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:11 PM (EST) |
"The one downside about graphics cards which carry two cores on the singular PCB is that they’re normally slower than buying two separate cards based on the same tech. What we’re going to look at here today is the performance of the HD 3870 X2 compared to the HD 3870 in Crossfire. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:11 PM (EST) |
Gigabyte has hit a home run in many respects with the 6Quad GA-P35-DQ6. The performance of the board in default mode is right up there with the ASUS Blitz Formula Edition and the other enthusiast motherboards on the new test platform that we'll be reviewing in the upcoming weeks. Feature-wise, the 6Quad GA-P35-DQ6 fully utilizes all of the features of the P35 chipset with the exception of the non-inclusion of DDR3 support (not an issue as DDR2 is still the main memory available), scoring a 40 on our Features chart. Overclocking was excellent on the board as well, making this a true enthusiast's dream. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:10 PM (EST) |
"The Seagate FreeAgent 1TB External hard drive has three different ways that it is able to connect to your computer, which makes this external hard drive very versatile between different setups and can be maximized for data transfer speeds. The three interfaces that it takes advantage of are USB 2.0, FireWire 400, and eSATA. The USB 2.0 and eSATA connections are located on the USB/eSATA module that is already installed on the bottom of the FreeAgent, however if you wish to use FireWire 400, you will need to remove the USB/eSATA module and install the FireWire module, which is very easy. The modules are held in by one screw, which upon removal are able to be popped out." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:10 PM (EST) |
There are few P31-based motherboards on the market, but as we find out, they are well-deserving of some attention. The board we are taking a look at today hovers around $100, but despite it's value status, it's a great offering. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:09 PM (EST) |
Corsair has a great reputation for being one the leading performance memory module companies in the industry. They are the providers of some of the fastest memory around, and it is no surprise that when they made the foray into the power supply market, they offered high performance units in the HX-series. Continuing the HX-series legacy, Corsair now offers the VX-series. Touting the VX-series as having "the industry's most efficient power management" and "rock solid performance", we'll see if Corsair can live up to these claims with the VX550 550w power supply. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:09 PM (EST) |
"The HP iPAQ 310 tries to be fifteen different things in one, including a GPS receiver, PDA, MP3 player, video player, handheld gaming device, and more. Sadly, it's a jack-of-all-trades device that is not very good at any of these things. We'd cut it some slack if just the GPS worked as expected, but sadly even that functionality is plagued with issues. The overall main issue with this product is that regardless of what feature you are trying to use, it is not user friendly, and in most cases reading the manual won't help since it's remarkably incomplete and lacking information on a wide array of topics." |
Kingwin Revolution Heatpipe Direct Touch RVT-12025 CPU Cooler Review @ OCIA.net |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:09 PM (EST) |
"Kingwin is one of those companies that many enthusiasts often overlook. The name has not previously been associated with higher quality and performance hardware, but lately they have really stood out with their upper-end SLI certified PSUs, high-tech CPU coolers and very attractive HDD enclosures." |
Beginners Guide: 99 Windows Vista Performance Tips and Tweaks @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:08 PM (EST) |
"Welcome to PCSTATS massive 99 Windows Vista performance tips and tweaks guide! This collection of tips is all about making your PC system perform to its full potential with Microsoft's newest operating system. Knowing Vista, chances are good that there's a tip or two in this article that'll make a world of difference for you and your computer. Whether you are looking for desktop performance, quicker boots and shutdowns, better gaming or more battery life for your Vista powered laptop, there's something in this Performance Tips for Windows Vista Guide from PCSTATS to help. " |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:08 PM (EST) |
" This is the current generation of Lexar card reader and it features a plethora of card support. You can read CompactFlash (types 1 and 2), Smart Media, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Pro, MultiMediaCard, xD-Picture Card (Type M and H), SD Card, SDHC, MicroDrive, MS Duo, MS PRO Duo, miniSD, and RS MMC. That's pretty much the available options on the market right now. They still include support for Smart Media which is so outdated. " |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:08 PM (EST) |
"... the D.E.S. feature does an excellent job of reducing power consumption and lowering the temperature of the motherboard. It will definitely appeal to both mainstream users and enthusiasts alike. " |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:07 PM (EST) |
"If you are looking for a good case with a focus on silence and good cooling then the Nexus Caterpillar may be just right for you. We take a look at this case and show you it pro's and cons." |
ASUS P5E3 Deluxe WiFi X38 Motherboard Review @ HardwareLogic.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:07 PM (EST) |
"Chances are, if you know what a motherboard is, you've heard of Asus. Over the years, Asus has carved out an excellent reputation for their products, ranging from budget to full featured enthusiast level computing solutions. With the introduction of their most recent fully featured motherboard, the Asus P5E3 Deluxe is a top contender in the motherboard arena. Borrowing a bevy of features from their vaunted "Republic of Gamers" line of motherboards, the P5E3 Deluxe boasts Asus' exclusive AI Lifestyle technology, and a penchant for serious overclocking ability." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:06 PM (EST) |
ATI's new release is still gaining steam online and reviews are coming in daily. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:04 PM (EST) |
"The G92 based Geforce 8800GT was a very exciting product, unfortunately NVIDIA was short of supply and lower priced ATI HD3850 & HD3870 gained a lot of popularity this way. The higher-end market still remained untouched; to fill up this gap NVIDIA came up with a second wave of 8800GTS video cards. With the GT in mind, could we be dealing with yet another great NVIDIA product? We find out." |
Monday, January 28 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 PM (EST) |
Palm's Treo 750 is one of two models offered with Windows Mobile - this one in particular using 6. Specs include a 2.5" 240x240 touchscreen, 300MHz processor, miniSD support, 1.3MP camera with 2x zoom, 4-hour talk-time, GSM/UMTS support and more. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:03 PM (EST) |
Sunbeamtech, the makers of fine cooling and nice cases, has another gadget up their sleeve. The new Rheobus Extreme is not only simple and sleek with its clean looks, and the blue glow of the six knobs goes well with anybody with blue LED lighting, but the best thing the Rheobus Extreme has to offer is the ability to support up to 30 watts on each control. For the novice out there, this means simply you can control multiple fans on each channel. A must for anybody with large cases with numerous fans. |
Thermaltake SwordM Full Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 PM (EST) |
“We first got a glimpse of the SwordM at CES 2007, we were amazed at the style and that Thermaltake would try such a radical case. Finally this year the case was released for sale and you know we had to get one to check out. Handmade of all aluminum with hydraulic mechanisms for the top and side panel it is unlike any other case we have seen before. This is a very limited case with only 10,000 units world-wide. Let us show you what this amazing case has to offer.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 PM (EST) |
During my time here at Bjorn3D it seems like many of the reviews we have done have been power supplies. As mentioned in another review 2007 was 'The Year of the Power Supply'. Either way, as long as manufacturers keep producing this level of quality, keep them coming. The Ultra 750W X2 Extreme delivers power, low noise and a mirror. That's right, I said a mirror. Ok, so it is a 'titanium' case that, when you look at it, you can see yourself, a mirror. It is also completely modular down to the 24 pin power connector for the motherboard. Will this power supply have the power and efficiency a computer so requires? |
OCZ 4GB Reaper X HPC PC2-6400 Memory Review @ Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:02 PM (EST) |
“The kit I received was the 4GB kit, or 2x2GB PC2-6400, that runs at 800MHz and has a timing rating of 4-4-3-15. The modules will run those timings at 1.8v - 2.1v and handle up to 2.2v without voiding the EVP (Extended Voltage Protection) warranty. The 4-4-3-15 timings are really good for DDR2. With such tight timings I wouldn't expect high overclocking rates at the stock timing; but loosened up, the result might be impressive.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:01 PM (EST) |
"Obviously, anything you can put into that PCIe slot to update the on-board video is going to give you a boost, the MSI NX8600GT Twin Turbo is not only going to do that, its going to do it while keeping those all important big bills in your savings account. nVidia has been king of the high end market space for some time now, and the midrange has been going their way as well. When they have cards such as the NX8600GT Twin Turbo being put out by Manufacturers such as MSI in this case, its no wonder." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:59 PM (EST) |
Here are several review releases of ATI's Radeon HD 3870 X2 Chipset. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:55 PM (EST) |
"It's been more than a year since the first DirectX 10 graphics accelerator, containing the revolutionary G80, was presented to the public. Everyone should remember the delight it brought and the incredible performance which left all high-end competition in the dust. This time, we have a graphics card with the G92 chip on it, but the card is not from the 9xxx series as you might assume. The G92 is a carefully designed, polished version of the G80. Models based on this chip are named 8800GT and, should they appear in appropriate quantities, are bound to become very popular." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:54 PM (EST) |
Sunbeamtech's Freezing Storm is a very good PC case. The tooless drive and expansion card installation work wonderfully well and the two interior 120mm fans keep your system components nice and cool. The allowance for up to two additional 120mm fans, one in the front and one on the side panel, make this case an air flow junkie's dream. |
Data Robotics Drobo Storage Robot Review @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:54 PM (EST) |
" Data Robotics have come out with a wonderful storage solution that not only provides oodles of storage space, but also, redundantly backs this data up across multiple drives. The best part of this system is there is it requires minimal user intervention. Their product is the Drobo, the world's first storage robot, which is a one stop solution for redundant data protection. The Drobo is an external storage device with four user accessible hard drive slots that use 3.5" SATA hard drives. The maximum capacity of the Drobo is only dependent on current hard drive size limits.Setup is beyond simple and fairly idiot proof. " |
Sunday, January 27 2008 |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:02 PM (EST) |
"Razer, the world's leading manufacturer of high-end precision gaming and lifestyle electronics peripherals, has given us the opportunity to review their Barracuda. The Razer Barracuda is a 5.1 channel surround sound headset. We have seen how well Razer has performed in the past with their superior technology, but how will they perform with their new gaming headset?" |
Thermaltake ToughPower 1000 Modular Power Supply @ Pro-Clockers |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EST) |
Thermaltake's latest offering is geared toward such a person that need an all out power house. And Thermaltake is fast becoming a name that is associated with high-end power supplies. But things have changed since the introduction of the ToughPower line. The 1000 watt ToughPower is not the biggest baddest of the line but will easily power most of the systems we build today. Coupling large amounts of power and some modular cabling, you have a boatload of power and with some easy cable management. And because this unit is not the most powerful of the line you don't have to worry about spending a lot of money like say the 2000 watt unit we saw at CES in Vegas this year. So. Lets take a look at the Thermaltake TP1000 Modular. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:01 PM (EST) |
"The HT-X250 is a 5.1 home theatre system meaning there are 5 speakers: a center, two front & two rear; in addition to a subwoofer. More specifically, this system is a “Home Theatre in a Box” (HTIB) meaning that the receiver and speakers come in the box all pre-configured. All that's required is to plug in the power & speakers and you're ready to watch DVDs on the built-in player." |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:00 PM (EST) |
Sapphire's new HD 3870 Atomic Edition is a special version of the Radeon HD 3870 with a single slot cooler. This is only possible because Sapphire uses a new cooling technology called Vapor-X cooling that improves cooling performance considerably while keeping noise down. Another plus of this card is that it comes overclocked out of the box with full warranty. |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:00 PM (EST) |
The Zalman Reserator XT is the newest in the Reserator series. A external watercooler in a new jacket. It looks nice but does it perform as good as it looks? We tested it and where really pleased with the ease of installation and the good performance. Even with fan on low speed it puts down some nice temperatures. |
Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-9136C5D Memory Kit Review @ HardwareLogic.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 10:00 PM (EST) |
"Corsair has been in the memory business for quite some time now offering value ram for the budget minded consumer, to uber-expensive kits for the ultra high-end enthusiast. Today we take a look at one such high-end kit of DDR2, the Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-9136C5D. Does this kit have the performance to match it's dominating price tag, or will your wallet be the only one feeling dominated?" |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EST) |
We have a look at a range of Wireless Draft-N networking products from D-Link to see if the claimed 300Mbps transfer rates can finally be a match for a cabled network. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:59 PM (EST) |
"For those of us who enjoy economic warfare more than sinking ships, or just take heart to the Rules of Acquisition (specifically the one that says "War is good for business"), I'm happy to report that there is a solid economics sub-game in Pirates of the Burning Sea. Making replacements for all those sunken ships and associated bits is a complex affair. One structure is used to harvest trees for wood, another turns the wood to ship components (with nails, made from iron bars, made from iron ore). In addition to wooden parts, you need sails, brass, provisions, rigging, gunpowder, barrels... the list of finished goods required as components for ships just goes on and on, and in practice you need the cooperation eight to ten players to set up a self-sustaining manufacturing operation for larger ships - any less, and you have to buy some of the bits from other players." |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:58 PM (EST) |
"Today we have a new candidate in our labs for consideration, GIGABYTE’s X38T-DQ6. The “T” series of the GIGABYTE boards denotes that it is a DDR3 variant of an already existing DDR2 model. |
Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 Intel X38 Express Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:58 PM (EST) |
"The Gigabyte GA-X38-DQ6 board supports 800/1066/1333/1600 MHz Intel Celeron D, Pentium 4/D/XE and Core 2 Duo/Quad processors. This platform comes equipped with DDR2 memory slots, and can be installed with a maximum of 8GB of DDR2-1066 MHz memory. Gigabyte went this route because the price premium on DDR3 memory is still pretty heavy. By choosing to pair the X38 Express with DDR2, early adopters can use their current memory instead of spending a fortune on all new DDR3 modules like these." |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:57 PM (EST) |
"On the floor, with my head between the speakers, I listened to my library for hours. I heard things I¹d never heard before: spittle hitting the mic, catching on its wires; each of the conductors¹ deep, concerto-bracing breaths, the taps of the baton, the misplaced stabs at the high-hats, the time-keeping footwork too close to the bass¹ pickup, and heavy pick-scrapes across steel. I rocked out on my back, staring at the careful brush-strokes on my wooden ceiling, under the new coat covering the old, nicotine-stained lead paint. I couldn¹t get enough weight, scalding-hot to the touch, and I was enchanted." |
Thermaltake Bach VBS8000SNS HTPC Case Review @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:56 PM (EST) |
" Besides providing the ability to use full desktop power, Thermaltake has made a sexy looking case that would not look out of place with even the most expensive of stereo components. When bundled with the Media Lab, the Thermaltake Bach gains remote control function as well as providing another software alternative for your media center." |
Digit-Life Review: Panasonic Toughbook CF-30 Fully-Rugged Notebook |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:45 PM (EST) |
"Rugged notebooks are a special class of mobile devices. They have to meet special requirements even compared to regular corporate notebooks. You cannot address these notebooks with general choice criteria. Today we are going to review a rugged notebook designed for maximum efficiency in hostile environments-Panasonic Toughbook CF-30." |
Samsung SyncMaster 2232GW 22-inch LCD Monitor Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:44 PM (EST) |
“Samsung is known for producing some of the most gorgeous LCD monitors this world has ever seen. Walk into just about any home theater that has been equipped with a larger Samsung LCD television and you'll be blown away by the vibrant colors, the crystal-clear resolution, and the crispness of the contrast. The same can be said about the LCD monitors that the company puts out for computers and one of the latest in the long line of monitors is the Samsung SyncMaster 2232GW.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:44 PM (EST) |
Today we are looking at the newest offering in DDR3 from the company AENEON. Now if you're like me, chances are you prefer to stick with a well established company that has a long history of quality and commitment to their customers. Well you're in luck because AENEON is just that company. Before you call the guys in white coats to come a drag me away to the padded room let me explain. AENEON is a new brand of memory being offered by Qimonda. You can find Qimonda memory chips just about everywhere, even in some of the hottest video cards like the 8800GT. Today we are going to look at their enthusiast line of memory kits dubbed 'Xtune'. Like it or not DDR3 is here to stay so you might as well find what kits excel and which ones crash and burn. With speeds guaranteed up to 1500 MHz at 1.5 volts and a warranty backed by Qimonda, this memory looks to establish itself as the RAM to beat. Let's cut to the chase and get down to the nitty gritty. |
Thermaltake SwordM VD5000BNA Super Tower Chassis Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:44 PM (EST) |
Thermaltake has really taken case design to the extreme with the SwordM VD5000BNA Super Tower Chassis. The quality of the components is top notch, the styling is definitely unique, the features are generally well thought out, and some of the innovative design elements might actually be revolutionary. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:43 PM (EST) |
Despite numerous reviews of every GeForce 8800 graphics card since NVIDIA first launched the series, many consumers are still left without any real information to compare their choices when shopping for their gaming system. Graphics performance is the most importance function of a video card, and Benchmark Reviews offers this comparison of the three most popular GeForce 8800 video card models on the market. Our tests will include benchmarks on the: ZOTAC 8800 GT vs. the FOXCONN 8800 GTS vs. the MSI 8800 GTX. |
Posted by Nathan @ 9:43 PM (EST) |
"OvisLink AirLive WMU-6500FS offers a case for a 3.5" SATA or IDE hard disk, enables the user to connect to it via LAN cable or by wireless and employ a downloader that frees your PC away from file sharing and file downloading tasks." |