Saturday, December 15 2007 |
Hiper Type R Mk. II 680watt Power Supply Review @ HardwareLogic |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:28 AM (EST) |
"Hiper made a name for themselves among modders through the flashy modular “Type R” line of Hiper power supplies (they say the “R” tands for “Racing”). Oh they are pretty, but as Dale Earnhardt Jr. might tell you, pretty paint jobs don’t get you around the track. It’s time to take Hiper’s 680 watt Type R Mk. II for a few laps." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:27 AM (EST) |
The Logitech V470 is a slick Bluetooth mouse for notebooks, so you can enjoy your wireless freedom on the road. It utilizes two AA batteries as a power source and can be had in either blue or white. The V470 is intended for notebooks with built-in Bluetooth and also comes with a pouch for easy transportation. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:27 AM (EST) |
"Sapphire don't mess with the green camp; they're ATI through and through. This means that they don't just deal with the high end cards though, it also means they cover mid-range and budget cards, even old technologies like AGP. Today we have the 2600 Pro 512mb from Sapphire on an AGP platform. How does it compare to our P4's old favourite, the x1950 Pro? Let's see." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:27 AM (EST) |
"The holidays are just around the corner, and with them come the usual assortment of year-end game industry traditions - some good, some bad. The bad, we can do without: the inevitable rushed releases just in time for festive sales; obligatory and unreadable holiday buying guides; the endless (and unwinnable) game-of-the-year argument threads, just to name a few. The good, of course, can collectively be a great way to cap off the year: finished games that live up to the hype; shopping online and avoiding the poor parents who've lined up for a "Sony Xbox Wii 360"; a pet game winning a coveted Game of the Year award (arguing justified!); and, of course, "Top 10" lists - you know you love them! And just when you thought we'd leave you empty-handed on the holidays, YouGamers presents the Top 10 Must-Have PC Games - selected by astute YouGamers' readers." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:26 AM (EST) |
"As two different platforms do not treat memory in the same way, let's swap motherboards and user a new test system. In this second part of our DDR2 roundup we continue our stress test with a DFI 680i based board. Find out how different nVidia's 680i chipset clocks your ram in the following review, and see if the latest memory kits can threaten our previous champions." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:26 AM (EST) |
Not everyone needs a monstrous 750W+ power supply unit for their everyday home or office PC, but most people would pay for a little extra in order to own a low power, high quality unit. Silverstone hope to address this with the release of the ST35F. The ST35F has a maximum power output of only 350W, more than enough for an average home or office PC which is not designed for heavy gaming or overclocking. Let us have a closer look at it and see if it’s worthy of the extra money over an OEM unit. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:25 AM (EST) |
"Perhaps the best addition is the GPS, which allows you to have turn by turn navigation. This is a wonderful improvement over using Google Maps, and is a much more portable and cheaper alternative to an in-car satellite navigation system. Although, you will have to spring for the $9.99 monthly subscription to use this service." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:24 AM (EST) |
" TX750W belongs to the latest power supply series from Corsair, TX. It is the power supply with the highest wattage from Corsair today - rated at 50º C, by the way, which is great - and also the only one featuring four power connectors for video cards - even the 650 W model from TX series doesn't have four connectors. Another technical feature of this new series is the use of a single high current +12 V rail instead of several virtual rails with lower currents - units from their HX series have three virtual rails, but models from their VX series also feature a single +12V rail. It doesn't feature a modular cabling system like HX series, but it has a 140-mm fan, high efficiency and active PFC. Let's take an in-depth look inside this power supply." |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:24 AM (EST) |
Going back to reality, I have another graphic card for you to check out. It's AMD's second attempt to convince you to their high-end Radeon HD models. The ever wonderful PowerColor aka Tul, shipped a surprise package to my doorstep with the PowerColor HD 3850 512MB Xtreme inside. I would like to apologize to Raymen and you guys for not releasing the article as planned, but Leadtek WinFast PX8600 GT SLI article had been in the works. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:24 AM (EST) |
"... it's the cooling performance that counts, and in this case the Alphacool NVXP-G8 GPU copper waterblock certainly delivered. " |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:23 AM (EST) |
"The new BFGTech GeForce 8800 GTS OC 512MB video card is close to $100 less expensive than the GTX and performs very nearly the same depending on your resolution and game settings. If you are gaming at resolutions of 16x12 or 12x10, the new 65nm 8800 GTS is easily the best bang for your gaming hardware buck when it comes to playing the newer more demanding games." |
Kingwin Z1-35EU-BK USB 2.0 and eSATA Hard Drive Enclosure Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:23 AM (EST) |
The enclosure of interest for this review is from Kingwin, a manufacturer of computer components that has been in business since 1992. The first look at their Z1-35EU-BK USB 2.0 and eSATA Hard Drive Enclosure confirms that it definitely earns some style points. Analyzing the speed and reliability will take a bit more effort, but hopefully the sporty appearance is an indication of performance. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:22 AM (EST) |
TTGamer have today posted a review of Assassin's Creed for the Xbox 360. This much hyped Ubisoft title looks and feels the part but the gameplay isn't quite at the same level. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:22 AM (EST) |
HT Omega, Inc. was one of the first companies to offer authentic high-fidelity sound at a true 24-bit level of performance in their Original Claro sound card. Now revised, a new AD8620BR Op Amp from Analog Devices has joined the world class Oxygen 8788 based audio processor in the Claro Plus+. Like the Claro, the new Plus+ model supports EAX™ 1.0 & 2.0, A3D™ 1.0 and DirectSound™, but also adds Dolby Pro Logic IIx, Dolby Headphone, and a precision Base Management system. Benchmark Reviews has been fortunate enough to compare the HT Omega Claro Plus+ 24-bit/192KHz 8-channel high definition sound against the entire C-Media CMI8788 family of audio products in this review. |
Posted by Nathan @ 8:21 AM (EST) |
"Logitech's revamped G15 keyboard is better than its predecessor for sure, but only in small increments. It's a little smaller, a little slicker, and a bit more useful, with new features that almost justify the steep price tag." |
Friday, December 14 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:53 AM (EST) |
"We’ve been privileged enough to review a fair portion of the NZXT case range, with the Lexa Blackline, Rouge, Hush and Duet all receiving solid results and accolades. Now I have another case from the gamer enclosure constructors; the NZXT Alpha. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:52 AM (EST) |
GeIL broke into the market with the Golden Dragon Series in the past and have now "resurrected" the dragon in form of the Black Dragon DDR2 line. The memory features a gorgeous looking PCB with a golden dragon head with bright red LEDs as the eyes. The entry level CL4 variant looks quite promising and performs just as well. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:52 AM (EST) |
"Overall the bumpy road that the ATV has to permanently run on has turned it into a solid drive and a nice change in attitude for OCZ. Apart from the low write speeds the 8GB ATV tested today offers pretty much anything you’ll need from a mainstream flash drive and if this will be coupled with a price tag that is reasonably lower than that of the Voyager, OCZ will have a best seller on its hands." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:52 AM (EST) |
The ocinside.de OC-Database currently comprises more than 10,000 PC systems and more than 7,500 overclocking results of several processors. With this number of visitor entries it is easy to get an overview about the highest overclocking result and necessary settings to overclock the selected processor. Today, new CPUs are added for immediate selection and comparison. E.g. the new AMD Phenom, AMD Turion 64 X2, AMD Opteron Quad Core, Intel Core 2 Quad, Intel Pentium Dual Core and the Intel Itanium processor is in the database selectable. The database is updated each night, so the profile entry is visible on the next morning. If you register your system today, you can compare it tomorrow with more than 10000 PCs. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:51 AM (EST) |
"While the card we have here today seems like nothing more than a HD 3870 with a Zalman cooler on it, we’re told it’s more than meets the eye. GIGABYTE have taken quality components from their motherboards and decided to work them into the HD 3870. |
Glacialtech Igloo 5710 Silent Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:51 AM (EST) |
"The Igloo 5710 Silent is shipped with a low noise 1600RPM 92mm fan and a pre-applied patch of thermal compound on its base. A nice touch given its suitability for generic office PCs where non-experts may be tasked with the heatsink's installation." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:50 AM (EST) |
"Arctic Silver dominated the TIM (Thermal Tranfer Material) industry for many years. They may have invested more in R&D then all their competition combined. Many ask is there anything else out there? Today we hope to answer this question..." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:50 AM (EST) |
Let's see a show of hands of those who transport data fairly often. Most of us who do would carry data on a USB flash drive. Now, what if you were to lose that flash drive? The information that is saved on that drive would be accessible to just about anyone with a computer. Thankfully Corsair has come up with a solution, the Corsair Flash Padlock. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:49 AM (EST) |
"The "Black Pearl" edition P5K3 Premium motherboard has several distinctive features that sets it apart from the crowd. First and foremost is the lack of DIMM slots for the system memory. The reason becomes evident when you take a closer look. The memory is actually built onto the board and is heavily heatsinked to reduce its operating temperatures and improve its ability to overclock. With speeds guaranteed at 1500MHz or above, it needs the help. The second distinctive feature is the "Stack Cool 2" method of using the specially designed ten-layered PCB to help cool critical electrical components by transferring heat directly through the PCB. Asus claims a 20 degree celsius reduction of operating temperatures on the critical onboard components." |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:49 AM (EST) |
Alright folks, it's crunch time. The year is coming to a close and if you didn't pick up your new HDTV during the "Black Friday" sales in November your last chance is quickly approaching because once it's January you will no longer have a legitimate excuse to splurge on that big screen (men I'm talking to you, I doubt any woman that want's a HDTV will get any resistance from her significant other). |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:48 AM (EST) |
Foxconn jumped on the band wagon and made their first 'overclocking' motherboard in their new Quantum Force product line called Mars. It is based on the Intel P35 chipset, and has been specially tuned for overclocking performance. One reason for the great overclocking potential of MARS is the Gladiator BIOS. It is specially developed for the Quantum Force product series, and is both user friendly and provides powerful OC options. The BIOS features include a voltage multiplier for accessing a much wider range of voltage settings. It is the first one in fact to offer a 0.5 multiplier increment. 'The 0.5 multiplier increment will give enthusiasts more flexibility when it comes to overclocking, so we should see higher clock speeds running in a stable environment' says Peter 'Shamino' Tan, Technical Consultant for the Quantum Force product line. 'Quantum Force is not just about a new product line, it is also a complete philosophy about how we develop our products' stated from Quantum Force product manager Greta Kuo. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:48 AM (EST) |
As far as laptops go, lately it's gotten as close as it would get to desktop performance in all but one area: Sound. For a while now, I've been looking around for a decent USB audio solution for my mobile computer -- and most of them are either impractical, provides virtually no improvement over my Dell Inspiron's integrated audio, or the features offered are simply not enough to make a difference. Last year, my friend lent me his Creative X-Mod USB sound device for my enjoyment -- while it has great looks and builds upon the X-Fi brand, the performance was more or less disappointing for me. After Asus' successful release of the Asus Xonar D2 sound card, Asus made quite a smart move and decided to expand on this brand to the USB sound device market. How will this sweet looking Asus Xonar U1, combined with a complete set of home theater audio technologies and features such as optical digital out, perform altogether? Is it the sound solution for notebook PC owners? We'll put it through our tests today to see how it goes. |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:47 AM (EST) |
How many of you know how to play the guitar? I see a few hands raised across the room, so at least some of you know how to do it. Next question – how many of you have performed on stage with a guitar before? One? Two of you? Ok, what about playing in a band? No one? Ok, a shy guy there in the back is raising his hand. How many of you would want to play in a band? Wow, hang on... Ok, its fair to say nearly everybody present would have a go at rock stardom. In all fairness, only a few of you actually have a chance at that. The rest, my humble self included will have to satisfy our strumming needs elsewhere. With Guitar Hero 3 for example! |
Posted by Nathan @ 5:47 AM (EST) |
"We recently received three powerful power supply units from LC Power, and we tried to determine how good they really are. These are three models from the LC Power METATRON series - models with 700, 850 and 1000 W." |
Wednesday, December 12 2007 |
Corsair PC3-14400 DDR3 1800MHz 2GB RAM Kit @ Benchmark Reviews |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:08 PM (EST) |
Benchmark Reviews is approaching the conclusion to our High-Speed DDR3 Overclocking and Review Series, which has featured over one dozen different DDR3 kits. Many of the kits we have tested so far have achieved extremely uncommon overclock speeds, while other kits impress us with their combination of performance and value. So far, we have reviewed two of the three worlds fastest DDR3 kits: Patriot PDC32G1866LLK PC3-15000 DDR3 1866MHz and Super Talent PC3-14400 DDR3 1800MHz W1800UX2GP. Today we are especially pleased to test the Corsair Dominator PC3-14400 DDR3 1800MHz 2GB RAM Kit TWIN3X208-1800C7DF G. You might say that we have saved the best for last, because this kit is amazing! |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:07 PM (EST) |
"ZOTAC are still a relatively new company and we saw their first graphics card a few months ago in the shape of an 8800GTX AMP! Edition. This time around, while we’re still looking at an 8800 series card it’s a GTS 512MB based on the new G92 core. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:07 PM (EST) |
“Many vendors of cooling systems use the open fan designed implemented in the Thermaltake DuOrb VGA cooler, however Thermaltake put two smaller fans and heatsinks on this design in order to spread the cooling love to the entire surface of the video card, including the RAM. While it doesn't appear to help much for full-load temperatures, the DuOrb certainly keeps the idle temperatures down. ThinkComputers has the review.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:06 PM (EST) |
Today’s review sample is the Aztec ATX case, Raidmax’ latest attempt to please the gaming market with their “Elite” line of cases. With various options for cooling, some intense LED lights and a removable motherboard tray, this monster of a case looks like a promising product. |
Ultra X3 800-Watt Modular Power Supply ULT40071 Review @ DragonSteelMods.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:06 PM (EST) |
"I've said it before I'll say it again, you need a quality power supply in your computer, it doesn't matter what hardware you have in there if you don't have a decent power supply. You could have spent thousands of dollars on parts but if that didn't include a good power supply you'll most likely end up with problems later on with your system related to a faulty PSU. I've had power supplies die on me and it ain't nice when it happens, I had one die and take my motherboard with it, that was a sad day indeed... Anyway, up on the review block today I've got another entry from Ultra in their X3 line of modular power supplies, it's the 800Watt version and it looks just like the other X3s I've reviewed. So continue on to learn more... " |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:06 PM (EST) |
Take your videos and move them from your PC to your television with the SanDisk Sansa TakeTV. |
Biostar TF7150V-M7 GeForce 7150 Motherboard Review @ PCSTATS.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:05 PM (EST) |
"Are you as excited about the high definition possibilities of a motherboard bound HDMI jack as we are? Good. Have a look at one of the latest boards from Biostar, the TF7150U-M7. This model is a mainstream oriented part, so it's affordable which is a nice bonus. Built on the nVidia Geforce 7150 and nForce 630i chipsets, the Biostar TF150U-M7 supports Front Side Bus speeds to 1333MHz, DDR2-800 RAM, and comes with the usual course of 8-channel audio, a dozen USB, Gigabit LAN, PCI Express x16..." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:05 PM (EST) |
SimCity Societies is not the traditional SimCity game, but it is fun. The ability to build different style societies rocks, but overall, the game was just too simple for my taste. I got used to setting up tax rates, dealing with traffic, and making deals with other cities and building as much underground as above ground. None of those aspects are available in this game, but then again this game does not need them. SimCity Societies caters to graphics and simplicity. |
Ultra Products m998 Mid-Tower ATX Case Review @ Bigbruin.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:04 PM (EST) |
The Ultra Products m998 Mid-Tower ATX Case offers a number of innovative features that make it extremely appealing. In addition to things you may have seen before, like a removable motherboard tray, a matching paint job inside and out, and the use of casters on the bottom, it has another trick up its sleeve... The Power Bar power distribution system. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:04 PM (EST) |
"Geared towards low noise computers, the Thermalright SI-128SE ships without a fan - but that doesn't mean it's intended to be used in an entirely passive manner. Rather, Thermalright expect you to install your own 120mm fan on the SI-128SE heatsink... call it BYOF. The SI-128SE cooler itself is big, a 120x120mm fin array hovering like SkyCity over a compact base connected via four 8mm diameter heatpipes. The Thermalright SI-128SE's many fins are perforated with lots of little vents, a technique borrowed from Thermalright's HR-series. Accommodating AMD K8 754/939/940/AM2/AM2+ and Intel socket 775 processors." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:04 PM (EST) |
Today there is no longer a "need" for cloth mousepads, and they really only survive because people have grown familiar with how they feel. Choosing the right mousepad for you is a matter of personal preference. Twitch gamers may prefer ultra-slick polycarbonate or aluminum surfaces, as today's optical and laser mice glide effortlessly on them. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:03 PM (EST) |
NVIDIA is updating its product stack again this morning, this time with a newly designed GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB card based on the 65nm G92 GPU. This new GTS features 128 stream processors, up from 96 in the original GTS, but its memory bus width has been cut down to 256-bits. This new configuration gives the GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB an interesting performance profile. We’ve got a couple of retail-ready GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB cards in the labs from Asus and XFX and put them through the wringer with some current DX10 titles. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:03 PM (EST) |
Today NVIDIA announced their new GeForce 8800 GTS 512 MB which is based on the G92 GPU that has already been used on the GeForce 8800 GT. To our excitement our testing revealed that this $299 card can almost beat the much more expensive GeForce 8800 GTX while generally being quieter and less power hungry. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:02 PM (EST) |
When it was first released the GeForce 8800 GTS was a very attractive product. It included all of the features present on the more expensive GTX and was smaller, which meant it could fit in a standard PC case. In the year since the product first appeared two launches have occurred which had an impact on how appealing the GTS was. The first of those launches was the Nvidia 8800 GT. This new card brought functions such as PCI-Express 2.0 and High Definition video acceleration into the mainstream market, two features which were missing in the GTS. The next launch was ATI’s Radeon HD 3870. Although the 3870 was not as fast as the 8800 GTS the lower price point, PCI-Express 2.0 support and HD acceleration made it worthy of consideration for many people. |
Patriot Extreme Performance 2GB PC2-9600 DDR2-1200MHz Review @ OCC |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:02 PM (EST) |
"Now this is the part that excites me. I love being able to see how far you can push a piece of hardware past its rated limits. However, this is also where I was disapointed. No matter how hard I tried — and I tried for hours — I could not get this memory to go beyond 1200MHz. I upped the voltage to the breaking point of safe limits, I loosened up the timings to see if it would be stable ... but no matter what I did, the memory would not pass memtest86+ for me to even try to boot into Windows without hosing my system. I was expecting even a little overclock, but nothing, not even 5MHz. I would expect for being an "Extreme" set of RAM that it would be able to overclock easy, but this was not the case." |
Tuesday, December 11 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:25 AM (EST) |
"HDMI video cards have been growing and growing in the market place thanks to the pickup of high definition TVs. While a lot of TVs still carry a VGA port which for the most part does an excellent job, the ability to also have the sound go to the TV with just the one cable is bliss to a lot of people. |
Rosewill RX81-CW-US Hard Drive Enclosure Review @ ThinkComputers.org |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:24 AM (EST) |
“With the recent release of the Rosewill RX81 series hard drive enclosures Rosewill was nice enough to supply us with the RX81-CW-US for this review. This hot-swappable enclosure is one of the first that I've seen to be both external and be equipped just for a single hard drive. This slim enclosure certainly is a handy enclosure with its screw-less, quick and easy installation. The RX81-CW-US supports both USB and eSATA connections and don't worry it does come with an eSATA bracket for those of us who aren't lucky enough to have an eSATA port on their case or motherboard.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:24 AM (EST) |
Rugged thumb drives are nothing new, but they are from the folks at OCZ. They recently released their ATV and ATV Turbo drives, ranging from 2GB - 16GB, and have huge promises strapped to them. We put one of each through a battery of "real-world" tests as well as our normal performance testing. |
Gigabyte 3D Galaxy II Water Cooling System Review @ OCModShop |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:24 AM (EST) |
It is a basic copper watercooling block with loads of pins to increase the effective cooling surface. The top again is made of a kind of hard plastic, and again with solid hard plastic fittings running side to side, now again the same remark about the block as I did for the pump, it has no loose fittings, which seems more prone to snapping and cracking when using other clamps than the ones provided. |
Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Silent Heatsink Review @ Frostytech.com |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:22 AM (EST) |
"The Glacialtech Igloo 5610 Silent heatsink is identical the Igloo 5610 PWM model in all ways, except that the two coolers use different fans. The Igloo 5610 Silent that Frostytech is testing in this review has a nice and quiet fixed-speed fan, the previous model a louder PWM fan. Both heatsinks are compact LGA775 compatible CPU coolers and suitable for office PCs." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:22 AM (EST) |
This machine is the first of its type to include an AGEIA PhysX processor along with its pair of GeForce 8700 GTs running in SLI mode, multiple hard drives, and top notch LCD. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:22 AM (EST) |
"Nexus is known for their silent 120mm fans, today we have their latest product in for test, an ATX case build for silence, with 2x120mm fans and foam padding it aims to keep the noise down, but can it keep a high end system cool at the same time?" |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:21 AM (EST) |
"The most that I could get out of this card was the core clock at 850MHz from the stock 777MHz and the memory at almost 1300 from the stock 1126. I re-ran all of the benchmarks with the overclocked settings. The overclocking took place with the newest drivers installed. The overclocked results are denoted by "Overclocked" in the graphs." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:21 AM (EST) |
"The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ3 is a compact 7-megapixel digicam with a 10x zoom, a large 3-inch LCD and optical image stabilization." |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:20 AM (EST) |
The Blu-ray format is now becoming more and more prominent, and in a recent survey, Blu-ray discs are actually selling more than HD-DVDs. So, it's only natural that Asus have released their Blu-ray rom drive. Thanks to Asus and our CPU3D review team, we take a look at the BC-1205PT Blu-ray rom. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:20 AM (EST) |
Leveraging on their success with the CM690, CoolerMaster introduces a new chassis aimed at enthusiasts who expect nothing less than the extraordinary. Stepping up to the plate is the CoolerMaster Cosmos which makes its entrance into an already burgeoning enclosure industry. It is an industry where manufacturers strive to separate themselves from the next by offering new features and unique innovations to entice the unwary enthusiast into a purchase. With the introduction of the Cosmos, CoolerMaster hopes to redefine what it means to own an enthusiast level enclosure. |
Posted by Nathan @ 6:20 AM (EST) |
The registry is one of the most important parts of Windows. Inside it we find settings that make both Windows and other programs tick. Anyone who has delved into it knows it is a dark and scary place and one you usually try to stay out of unless you really need to change one of those settings Microsoft would wish you did not try to change. Over time the registry, just like Windows in general, has a tendency to fill up with unneeded content, many times left by uninstalled programs that do not know it is not polite to leave stuff behind. Registry cleaning programs have been around as long as the registry has existed. A quick search for "Registry" and "Clean" over at Tucows.com results in several hundreds of results so it is obvious that this is a lucrative niche. |
Monday, December 10 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:58 PM (EST) |
I am fast becoming an Ultra fanboi. Over the last few months, I've had the chance to review enough Ultra products that I've quickly developed admiration for their company. One after another, Ultra releases quality cases, power supplies and hard drive enclosures and many other computer peripherals. From a reviewers point of view, Ultra seems to be dedicated to providing the computer enthusiast community with the highest quality products money can buy. Not long ago, I had the chance to review the Ultra X3 1000 watt power supply and I was blown away. Today, I'm working with his little brother, the X3 600 watt. Let's see how he fares in his big brother's shadow. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:57 PM (EST) |
Crucial's Newegg Lanfest 2K7 Special Edition memory kit is an extreme overclocking kit at its best. With stellar looks and the potential to simply shatter the rated specifications, this kit definitely won't fail to please the overclocking needs of any PC enthusiast and at a great price to boot. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:57 PM (EST) |
Smaller displays don't need to lack features, and ASUS proves this with their PG221 22-inch wide-screen. It boasts such specs as 2ms GTG, 2000:1 and stellar design. Where its unique though, is with it's large subwoofer. Yes, we said subwoofer! Do the features make up for it's higher price? |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:56 PM (EST) |
I am fast becoming an Ultra fanboi. Over the last few months, I've had the chance to review enough Ultra products that I've quickly developed admiration for their company. One after another, Ultra releases quality cases, power supplies and hard drive enclosures and many other computer peripherals. From a reviewers point of view, Ultra seems to be dedicated to providing the computer enthusiast community with the highest quality products money can buy. Not long ago, I had the chance to review the Ultra X3 1000 watt power supply and I was blown away. Today, I'm working with his little brother, the X3 600 watt. Let's see how he fares in his big brother's shadow. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:56 PM (EST) |
" We've reviewed quite a few fans here at DragonSteelMods lately and today we've got yet another one, but this one is a bit different, it's from Noctua. At first glance the NF-P12 looks like other Noctua fans, but upon closer inspection you'll notice it has what appears to be serrated fan blades. The serrations are called Vortex-Control Notches actually and they help to keep the NF-P12 running quietly and efficiently at all of the available speeds." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:55 PM (EST) |
Spiderman - Friend or Foe will make an excellent gift this holiday season. If your kids love Spiderman, then they will love this game, and love you for getting it for them. Furthermore, this game can be enjoyed by adults as well. Activision did a great job of putting this game together, but once again, let me just say that if you just don't like Spiderman, there is nothing that Activision can do to make you enjoy this game. |
Thermaltake iXoft Notebook Cooling Pad Review @ Virtual-Hideout |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:55 PM (EST) |
“To be perfectly honest, I really thought the iXoft was going to end up like so many other items that are based on great ideas: just a great idea, but not much truth to it... you know, the whole "if it sounds too good to be true" shebang. As you can see from the results in the table above, was I ever wrong! I don't know about you, but I really like the idea of using my laptop - IN my lap - without burning myself. I mean, seriously: would you rather have something almost 104° or 73° against your skin? The last time I checked, 104° is about as hot as the water that comes out of the kitchen sink. Unless you've lost all sense of feeling, 104° is way too hot for anyone to handle against their skin for any more than a second or two. 73° is more like the ocean in Hilo, Hawaii at this time of year. Hmmmm... I don't see much of a choice here.” |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:55 PM (EST) |
"The PX8600GT has two DVI outputs and a single S-video out port. It can support two Dual-Link DVI's with 2560x1600 resolution. Of course, it also has SLI capabilities that can deliver up to 2x the performance of a single GPU configuration by allowing two graphics cards to run in parallel." |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:54 PM (EST) |
The Ultra m998 is so named for the exalted m998 HMMWV (better known as the Humvee): a lightweight, high performance, four wheel drive, air transportable & droppable, land mobility system. For comparison: the Ultra's m998 is constructed mainly of lightweight aluminum and plastic parts, sports four optional castors (wheels), a removable motherboard tray, the ability to remove every panel, and also boasts a roomy interior. In concept at least the m998 sounds akin to its name sake's description. Benchmark Reviews however wants to see if Ultra's m998 Aluminum Mid-Tower ATX Case ULT40069 can live up to this legendary reputation, so we've taken this baby for a test drive. |
Posted by Nathan @ 4:54 PM (EST) |
"All in all, we might have sounded a little too harsh - this case is top-quality nevertheless. The potential issue here is that the target market is a little too narrow for the case to sell well. In our opinion, the only users that might find interest in this case are: one, hardcore overclockers with one or more high-end GPUs and likely a water-cooling system, and two, those users who don't think twice about paying a lot for excellent design, which this case really has." |
Sunday, December 9 2007 |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:36 PM (EST) |
Marketing hype or a typo, OCZ's FreeZe performs right there with the best high performance thermal paste products available today. That is nothing to scoff at. Priced at $5, it is a bit cheaper than other products in this class making it a bit more attractive. As we have shown in this review and in the past, high end thermal paste for the no holds barred rig is a must and OCZ has something to fit the bill. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:36 PM (EST) |
"But now, one year since the introduction of the Core 2 Duo with several new interesting products on the way, it looks as if DFI is finally making its way back to the spotlight. One of the motherboards introduced by DFI this summer is the DFI LanParty UT NF680i SLI-T2R, a motherboard which I've been granted the opportunity to have a closer look at." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:36 PM (EST) |
Antec has taken one of their most popular mid-size cases and has given it a complete face-lift adding what we consider to be some elegant lines and handy features. If you would like to learn more about this classy case which would look great in your office or living room, come check out our review today. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:35 PM (EST) |
"Seems like there's always something new coming from the folks over at Thermaltake. It's no wonder, with an ever-expanding product line that now includes air and liquid cooling, computer cases, power supplies, external storage enclosures and fans and other case accessories. Today I'll be taking a look at the LANbox, a small form factor, portable "cube" case from their desktop series." |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:35 PM (EST) |
"We have been blessed to review a number of amazing boards from DFI’s top shot line up; today we slow it down a bit as we look at one of their more mainstream oriented designs. |
Posted by Nathan @ 7:34 PM (EST) |
"When you decided to buy a new cooler, you forgot the heatpaste didn’t you? You ended up with the stock generic white stuff that does the job, but hardly excels. Well today I have a product to help you lower the all-important CPU temperature for overclocking bliss; the Tuniq TX-2 heatpaste. |
