Hardware News

SilenX IXTREMA Pro CPU Cooler Review

June 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Bjorn3D has posted a review of the SilenX IXTREMA Pro IXC-120HA2 CPU cooler.

Here’s what they had to say:

“At retail price of $59.95 USD, the SilenX IXC-120HA2 would be a great investment for those super-overclockers who wishes to stay with air-cooling instead of liquid cooling and still be able to achieve a substantial result. Compared to other heatsinks we have reviewed lately, like the Noctua NH-C12P, we can see that either cooler would be an excellent choice for any overclocker. If vertical space and noise is not a factor, choose the SilenX with two fans for the best overclocking result. However, if you need a quieter system and still wish to overclock, then go for the Noctua because of its much quieter fan.”

There are an impressive number of new high performance CPU coolers on the market, and the SilenX IXTREMA Pro is one of them (especially when 2 fans are attached). However, at $60, I find it a bit expensive when compared to the $35-40 Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI P45 Platinum Motherboard Review

June 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Overclockers Club has posted a review of the new MSI P45 Platinum motherboard.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“In 47 out of 67 benchmarks, the MSI P45 solution performed equally or better than the P45 comparison board, the Asus P5Q Deluxe. Against the X48-DQ6, the performance was equal to or better than the X48 based board in 40 out of 67 benchmarks. Overall, it outperformed both boards in only 9 out of 67 tests run. While this looks like a really poor performance, you have to look at the number of times the performance was equal to the comparison systems. What this shows is that the performance is very close across the board. The scientific benchmarks were really not the strong suite on the MSI offering when compared to the X48 based board. But the performance is not far off the pace considering closeness of most of the results.”


With its very impressive cooling solution, solid overclocking potential, and rich features list, the P45 Platinum is well worth its $180-190 price tag. However, there is still no consensus as to which motherboard manufacturer makes the best P45 Express-based motherboards, especially since many highly anticipated models have not yet reached the retail channel.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi Motherboard Review

June 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks has just reviewed the ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi motherboard.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“So to sum all this up we have to say that this board is excellent for users who want a solid upgrade for their aging systems or even for the enthusiast looking to gain that extra 30% in performance by running an overclocked system. Hybrid DDR2/DDR3 and CrossFire only make this board more attractive. Is the extreme overclocker that uses sub-zero cooling to produce global benchmark results going to buy this board? Probably not. But for a mainstream overclocking enthusiast, the ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi makes up for the few shortcomings with an abundance of features and the cheapest price on a X48 chipset board we have saw thus far. That said, we give this product our Dam Good Value Award.”


With its hybrid memory capabilities, and impressive features set, this is an ideal motherboard for those who aren’t quite ready to make the leap to DDR3, but who want to keep that option available.

Click here to read the full review.

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SOYO 26-inch LCD Monitor Review

June 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews has posted a review of the SOYO DYLM26E6, which is a 26-inch widescreen LCD monitor.

Here’s what they had to say:

“In conclusion, there's no other product made today that matches SOYO's value in the Pearl monitor series. Clean delivery and design for make the MT-NI-DYLM26E6 a very desirable widescreen LCD monitor for the price. Basic video connections will keep this out of HDMI or DisplayPort environments, but the refined TN LCD panel has evolved beyond previous quality and performance levels to deliver a picture that most would find comparable to more expensive panel technologies. The monitor stand and speakers are just as basic as the connections, but the overall package of features and functionality make the DYLM26E6 into a rough diamond. Get this monitor while it's still in stock because if the previous 24-Inch Topaz DYLM24D6 sale was any indication, this product will empty retailer inventory very quickly.”


While this is an excellent overall LCD monitor, there is one aspect that really sticks out, the viewing angles. If this monitor truly has 176°/176° viewing angles then it would be a breakthrough in TN panel technology, since the 170°/170°+ range has usually only been achievable with costlier MVA, PVA, and IPS panels.

Click here to read the full review.

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Zalman ZM850-HP & ZM1000-HP Power Supply Review

June 29, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Anandtech has taken an in-depth look at the modular Zalman ZM850-HP & ZM1000-HP power supplies.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The build quality is very good, as we have seen with other Enhance units already. The choice of components was good in most areas, though Teapo is average in terms of quality if reputation. From the performance side we saw a few small problems with the output stability, which dropped 3% to 4%. It's not a critical flaw, but neither is it the best performance we've seen. The little "noise suppressor" gimmick on the back didn't really impress us either, since we saw better results when it was switched off.

From the efficiency side these units put on a good show, reaching up to 87% with 230VAC input.”


These are two solid power supplies, but there are better options out there. For a 750W model, I would recommend the PC Power & Cooling 750W, and if you need 1000W, the Corsair HX1000W is the obvious choice.

Click here to read the full article.

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Graphics Card Review Roundup - ASUS, Foxconn, Sapphire & More

June 29, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Bjorn3D, Digit-Life, Guru3D, Hardware Secrets, Legit Reviews, and PC Perspective have reviewed ATI and NVIDIA graphics cards from ASUS, Foxconn, Sapphire, Vistiontek, and more!

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • Bjorn3D: Visiontek 4850:

    “With its 800 stream processors and 512 MB of GDDR3, the 4850 allows you to play games with the sort of high quality settings developers have in mind when they created it. ATI has really hit a home run here and I can't say enough positive things about. Even if you don't like ATI you have to be happy that they brought competition back. Don't believe me? Just look at the prices of the older 9800 GTX's out there. They have dropped dramtically in recent days, not to mention the rehashed 9800 GTX+. A card that owes its very creation to the ATI HD4850.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Digit-Life: Foxconn GeForce 9800 GTX / GX2 2x512MB:

    “Foxconn GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB is also a reference card with the same standard bundle (it's slightly overclocked, but it has a little effect on its performance, within a measurement error). As for the 9800 GTX itself, it's a slightly improved 8800 GTS 512MB. I already described this card in detail here. If you already have a 8800 GTS 512MB, it makes no sense to upgrade to this card.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Guru3D: ASUS Radeon HD 4870 review:

    “Now even if overall performance of the 4870 would be say 10% slower .. even then still it would win based on the price. AMD has roughly 400 million transistors less in it's 55nm product yet takes the advantage of clever architecture in combo with GDDR5. See GDDR5 has the ability to scale far in its clock frequency, real far; 6 maybe even 7 GHz. It's unquestionably very possible. In our overclock we already reached 4400 MHz, while the software didn't allow us to go higher, the memory likely could have.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Hardware Secrets: Sapphire HD 4850 Video Card Review:

    “AMD raised the performance of the new Radeon HD 4850 to a completely new level. Sapphire HD 4850 was between 6% and 91% faster than Radeon HD 3870 during our tests, depending on the game, resolution and image quality settings. The highest differences were found when we increased image quality.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Legit Reviews: ASUS EN9600GT TOP Video Card Review:

    “The Asus 9600 GT TOP edition is obviously not the fastest card in NVIDIA’s line up but that is not the goal here. As of this writing, the Asus 9600 GT is selling for $129 after a $20 Mail-in-rebate, which is an astounding value! You get a card with a great cooling, low-noise heat sink, and an overclocked card for the same price as a reference model. Though the performance differences weren’t that large compared to the reference card the heat sink easily makes this card the, forgive the pun, TOPS in its class.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • PC Perspective: NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Roundup - Gaming on the Cheap:

    “The 9600 GT might seem a tad bit less exciting after the most recent AMD and NVIDIA GPU releases, but you can't argue with a $130 graphics card that is able to perform as well as it did in our tests! Both the ASUS EN9600GT TOP and the XFX 9600 GT XXX cards were overclocked out of the box offering better performance than reference cards and the ASUS EN9600GT Silent should be a welcome addition to anyone's quiet-computing environment. Keep an eye on all three of these cards as the prices continue to fall over the summer and pick one up for for that second gaming system or even for your HTPC.”


    Click here to read the full review.

Enjoy!

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Thermalright TRUE Black 120 CPU Cooler Review

June 29, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Exactly one month ago, Thermalright announced the new TRUE Black 120 CPU cooler. Well, OverClock Intelligence Agency has just posted a brief review of this new product.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“I have long been a fan of Thermalright heatsinks and the TRue Black 120 has done nothing to change that; it does not disappoint in either appearance or performance. While technically it is no different physically than the Ultra-120 eXtreme, Thermalright has included two sets of fan clips and a tube of their newest thermal compound, the Chill Factor 2, to give a slight advantage to the TRue Black.”


Since this review does not compare the TRUE Black 120 to any other cooler, it’s quite hard to determine exactly how well it performs. However, the TRUEB120 (doesn’t sound as catchy does it?!) is effectively identical to the Ultra-120 eXtreme.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI P7N2 Diamond Motherboard Review

June 29, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has posted a review of the high-end MSI P7N2 Diamond, which is based on the NVIDIA nForce 790i SLI Ultra chipset.

Here’s what they had to say:

“790i is now set to really make a name for itself, since it’s the only chipset for Intel to really support the Core 2 range with any SLI support. NVIDIA has been very greedy with its SLI licensing to other chipset manufacturers. Since the GTX 200 series has finally landed, and its performance in SLI has proven to be good, 790i will go up in stock now.

MSI’s version of the 790i differs from the reference design, which is nice. After all, if all the boards are going to be reference clones, there’s no point in choosing a brand, just a board. The P7N2 Diamond is extremely powerful; its overclocking is impressive compared to the X48 chipset, but will it compare to a P45 chipset? - That we will have to see soon.”


Along with the ASUS Striker II series and the Foxconn Dreadnought, the P7N2 Diamond is one of the few nForce 790i-based motherboards that differs significantly from NVIDIA's reference design. While MSI products aren't known for their overclocking feats, this board reached an impressive 561Mhz FSB, which is the highest that I’ve seen among all reviewed 790i boards.

Click here to read the full review.

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Topower Launches PowerBird Power Supply Series

June 29, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


On Friday, Topower introduced the new PowerBird modular power supply series, which will be offered in 900W and 1100W models.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Topower Computer, an well recognized industry leader in enthusiastic and high reliability power supply, today unveiled the PowerBird power supply series for high caliber performance gaming systems. The PowerBird designed to offer the enthusiastic market an award wining computer power supply with cutting edge designs, the PowerBird is the power supply solution for those users that require a premium efficient and high stability solution for their leading gaming system. PowerBird PSU features fully modularized cable management that gives the greatest freedom of cable routing and customization, maximum 87% efficiency is one of the greenest and efficient high-wattage power supplies available in market, six +12V rails ensuring great safety and stable current which evenly distributed to graphics cards, processor, and the rest components.”


Topower is best known as the OEM manufacturer for a multitude of power supply models, and it will be interesting see how well they can market the products under their own brand name.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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Toshiba Qosmio x305 Gaming Notebook First Look

June 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Legit Review has posted a very brief look at the upcoming Toshiba Qosmio x305 gaming notebook, which is outfitted with the Top of the Line NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTX 1GB GPU.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Toshiba has some great looking notebooks in the Qosmio series, both in terms of the internal hardware and the overall look of the notebook. The Toshiba Qosmio x305 notebook will be released in mid-July and is already making ripples in the industry ever since it was announced and posted on the Toshiba website. The graphics on the Qismio x305 will be powered by the yet to be announced NVIDIAGeForce 9800M GTX graphics card, which has 1GB of video memory. For those that still want to game, but save some hard earned dollars we overheard that consumers can customize the notebook with the less expensive GeForce 9700M GT graphics card rather than the GeForce 9800M GTX.”


I can’t wait to see this notebook benchmarked, because it should provide some very, very impressive numbers.

Click hered the full article.

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G.Skill 64GB SATA II Solid State Drive Review

June 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks has posted a review of the new G.Skill 64GB SATA II solid state drive.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Going into this review we were very excited to see what the future of hard drives would be like, and for better or naught Solid State drives are the way of the future. Take this drive for instance, it is ultra light weight, uses almost no power and yet can trade blows with the best of the best (the Velociraptor) and have a good chance of winning. That’s pretty darn impressive when you think about it. Now impressive or not, we would have really liked to have seen the G.Skill break the 100MB/s barrier as this would have put any doubts about its performance to bed. However, 94MB/s is awfully darn close and with its low random access speed of .3ms it does have a lot going for it.”


A solid drive, but my advice is to hold off on your SSD purchases for at least 12 months. You will not only be rewarded with drastically reduced prices, but noticeably improved performance as well.

Click here to read the full review.

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Gigabyte GA-EP45 DQ6 Motherboard Review

June 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CPU3D has posted a review of the new Gigabyte GA-EP45 DQ6 motherboard, which is obviously based on the recently released Intel P45 Express chipset.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Overclockers will not be disappointed with this motherboard. There's plenty of BIOS options to get very juice out of your processor. In fact there are some otpions which I didn't even touch, which could help improve or achieve higher clock speeds. For our overclocking tests, we just used our usual basic procedures. In the end, I was able to overclock our Q6600 (B3 stepping) to a very impressive 3.0Ghz (6x500) with rock solid stability, all on air cooling. This was all done by small increases in voltage for both CPU, NB and memory. We lowered the multipler x6 and increased the CPU frequency to 500Mhz. For overclocking the Gigabyte GA-EP45 DQ6 easily matches the Asus, as one of the best motherboards for reaching those amazing clock speeds.”


Wow, Gigabyte really packed this motherboard with everything including the kitchen sink…an impressive cooling system, 12-phase power design, diagnostic LEDs, on-board power/reset switches, built-in security & backup features, Dynamic Energy Saver (D.E.S), ten SATA ports, 4 Gigabit LAN ports, 8 (+ 4) USB ports, etc. Not only is this a feature-filled model, but I have also seen a few overclockers achieve upwards of 600MHz FSB with it with regular air cooling, which is extremely impressive.

Click here to read the full review.

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NEC MultiSync 30-inch LCD Monitor Review

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The unbelievably fortunate folks over at Bit-Tech have posted a review of the flawless NEC MultiSync LCD3090WQXi 30-inch LCD widescreen monitor.

Here’s what they had to say:

“The NEC MultiSync LCD3090WQXi is an amazing screen that not only fits the bill for professionals, but will also appeal to those of us that want stunning image quality, a whole host of features and acres of desktop real estate. Of course, the price will undoubtedly put a lot of people off this screen, but I tell you, if I had £1,500 burning a hole in my pocket I know where I'd be spending it. Yes, it's expensive, but then so is a Ferrari F430 Scuderia – it's all about getting what you pay for.

And what you get for your money here is one of the best LCDs I've ever had on my desk. Going back to my Samsung SyncMaster 215TW—even though it's incredible—will be very hard indeed. There's nothing that will replace the sheer size of this display combined with the simply stunning image quality. I'm going to be a very sad man indeed.”


It’s expensive, but perfection always is. I want one!

Click here to read the full review.

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Zalman LQ1000 Z-Machine Hybrid Liquid Case Exclusive Review

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


XSReviews has posted an exclusive review of the new high-end Zalman LQ1000 Z-Machine Hybrid Liquid Case.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Undoubtedly the Zalman LQ1000 is a very nice case but also, it’s a good water-cooling solution for anyone wanting to enter the world of water cooling. The construction of the case is impressive, with thick aluminium panels and a quality construction – it’s a case built to last. One aspect where this case performs much better than its fellow competitors is in noise level, this thing is pretty much silent, but doesn’t lack in performance. This case really is what everyone wants; it’s a good size and looks very sleek.
Finding a fault on this case is pretty difficult. However, get ready to hold your chin, as it could now drop and smash your desk. That is, because of the price. Costing in at £399.99, it’s very expensive. The price of a computer alone! However, it is a whole water-cooling solution, which would cost you the best part of £200 - if you went for a relatively high end solution – this truly is a magnificent case, anyone who owns one would be hailed as a king. Well, maybe not that much… but still, they’d be pretty cool.”


This case looks exactly like the mutant love child of the Zalman Z-Machine GT1000 case and Reserator XT liquid cooling system, both of which individually retail for more than $380. If you look at it that way, the LQ1000’s ~$800 price might seem somewhat justifiable, but it’s still an unbelievably expensive product.

Click here to read the full review.

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Crucial Ballistix PC3-16000 2GB Memory Kit Review

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ThinkComputers have posted a review of Crucial’s most high-end memory kit, the Ballistix PC3-16000 2GB, which sports 9-9-9-28 timings at 1.9 volts.

Here’s what they had to say:

“It was a real bummer not to get to check the Crucial Ballistix out at DDR3-2000. As I mentioned earlier, there are only a few motherboards out currently that have the capability of DDR3-2000, and as far as I know, only the Asus Striker II Extreme will actually run memory at DDR3-2000 with solid stability, due to the mature BIOS.

I appreciate Brandon from Asus' help with this review, he went the extra mile for a motherboard that wasn't even designed to clock memory this high.”


The above quote is crucial (no pun intended), since as with all PC3-16000 memory kits, the limiting factor is definitely the motherboard. Quite simply, there are only a tiny handful of motherboards that are certified to support such high memory speeds, such as the ZOTAC NVIDIA 790i Ultra SLI and the ASUS P5E3 Premium.

Click here to read the full review.

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ZOTAC NVIDIA 790i Ultra SLI Motherboard Review

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Although ZOTAC is best known for its AMP! Edition graphics cards, the company also produces a wide range of NVIDIA-based motherboards. With that in mind, TweakTown has just reviewed the ZOTAC NVIDIA 790i Ultra SLI motherboard.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The performance of the board was right up there with the likes of the X48 chipset, so if you’re planning on an SLI setup for your NVIDIA chipset, the 790i isn’t going to disappoint as much as the 780i does.

Overall, the ZOTAC board is definitely worth your dollar. With a good software bundle as well as a few added extras like the wireless networking, you’re not going to be disappointed.”


Much like EVGA and XFX, ZOTAC wisely chose to stick to NVIDIA’s reference design for this motherboard, and the performance and overclocking results (550Mhz FSB) really speak for themselves. Although I haven’t been able to find this model for sale anywhere (at least in North America), I strongly suspect that it will retail in the $320 to $360 range, much like its aforementioned competitors.

Click here to read the full review.

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Twenty-Two Way CPU Cooler Roundup

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TechGage has tested an impressive twenty-two CPU Coolers with their Intel Core 2 Quad Extreme QX6850 processor.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The next surprise was the SilverStone NT08. For a still unknown product, it performed amazingly well. As of press time, the little information I could find for it did not state much and I am not even sure if they still plan on releasing it. If they do and release it for around $50, there will be a serious new contender for the top spot.

As for the Thermalright Ultra 120 Extreme and the Tuniq Tower 120, the results were pretty much as expected. These coolers trade blow for blow and are even still amongst the best possible air cooling-solutions to date. Considering the Tuniq Tower 120 can be had for $50 I must award it the overall editor's choice for our testing.”


If you are in the market for a CPU cooler, this is a must-read article. You may also be interested in this review roundup.

Click here to read the full article.

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Gigabyte & MSI Unveil Radeon HD 4800 Series Models

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Gigabyte and MSI have officially unveiled their new Radeon HD 4800 series graphics cards:

  • Gigabyte:

    “GIGABYTE UNITED INC., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards today is pleased to announce their latest GV-R4800 series graphics cards. The GV-R487-512H-B and GV-R485-512H-B are built on the highly anticipated ATI RadeonTM HD 4800 Series GPU, which utilizes second generation 55nm manufacturing process and GDDR 5 video memory architecture. It delivers best-in-class performance with new clock speed and break-through efficiency power management for tomorrow’s demanding applications. Additionally, the GIGABYTE GV-R487-512H-B and GV-R485-512H-B feature a wide range of the latest graphics technologies, including TeraScale graphics engine, CrossFireX™, UVD 2 and PowerPlay™, to prepare gamers for bandwidth-hungry games, incredible HD fidelity and 3D applications.”


    Press Release.

    Product Page: GV-R485-512H-B.

    Product Page: GV-R487-512H-B.


  • MSI:

    “MSI, a leading manufacturer of computer products, proudly unveils its latest R4800 series graphics cards for the game ethnic groups. MSI R4870-T2D512 and R4850-T2D512 support the DirectX® 10.1 framework of Windows® Vista™ Service Pack 1 and both have the 800 stream processor, which achieves the unprecedented levels teraflop (1000Gflops) computing capability. It is ten times higher than any high-end CPU. MSI R4800 series graphics card comes with the superb computing capability which can be converted to high-definition games special effects, and provide the extreme gaming experience.”


    Press Release.

    Product Page: R4850-T2D512.

    Product Page: R4870-T2D512.


All these models are obviously based on the reference design, but you should expect some special edition models shortly.

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BIOSTAR TPower I45 Motherboard Sets FSB World Record

June 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


In the hands of Youngpro, the BIOSTAR TPower I45 motherboard has achieved an FSB world record by reaching an amazing 725Mhz.

Here is some additional information:

"BIOSTAR Microtech Int'l Corp., a professional manufacturer of motherboards announces that a well-known overclocker nicknamed Youngpro broke FSB world record with 725MHz using TPower I45 Motherboard. Youngpro, who is based in Australia, first reached 685MHz, but then trumped his own record by using LN2 and broke the FSB world record by climbing to as high as 725MHz. He also managed to get his CPU up and running at a stunning 6GHz frequency. Below is the CPU-Z validation link of the latest FSB world record:

http://valid.x86-secret.com/show_oc.php?id=378175

At the same time, other overclockers worldwide use TPower I45 to challenge O.C. limitation targeting current world record. Such as Belgian Pt1t , who was the first to reach FSB 645MHz with air-cooling, but then he lowered the temperature and reached respectable FSB 675MHz and a peak clock of 6GHz with one core enabled. Thus, BIOSTAR TPower I45 is the world-class solution for overclockers. BIOSTAR TPower I45 is an amazing motherboard that offers more than you could imagine."




This is obviously an immensely impressive achievement. It will be interesting to see if this marks the beginning of a new BIOSTAR, one that makes a true effort to cater to the needs & wishes of the enthusiast community. We’ll have to wait and see!

Click here to read the press release.

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AMD Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5 Official Reviews (Updated!)

June 25, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks and HotHardware have posted the first official reviews of the highly anticipated AMD Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5 graphics card.

So without further ado, let’s see what they had to say:

  • Hardware Canucks: Palit Radeon HD4870 512MB Graphics Card Review:

    “When you look at the performance we received through nearly every one of the tests we put the HD4870 it becomes obvious that this card was built for a high image quality DX10 environment. What stunned me the most what how much a performance increase the inclusion of GDDR5 and a 125Mhz core bump have given this card over the HD4850. AA implementation comes without any problem at all and it regularly hands out a shellacking to its closest competitors once image quality is turned up. Indeed, in every AMD document I have seen, the HD4870 was supposed be competing directly with the 9800GTX. Well, they seem to have pulled a fast one on all of us since this card beats the 9800GTX until it is black and blue.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • HotHardware: ATI Radeon HD 4850 and 4870: RV770 Has Arrived:

    “Summarizing the Radeon HD 4850's and Radeon HD 4870's performance, thankfully, is quite easy. The Radeon HD 4850 is generally faster than the GeForce 9800 GTX and right on-par with or somewhat faster than the upcoming GeForce 9800 GTX+ in most applications. The Radeon HD 4870, however, is definitely a step up from the GeForce 9800 GTX+ and actually compares favorably to the $100 more expensive GeForce GTX 260. In fact, the Radeon HD 4870 was able to slightly outperform the GeForce GTX 260 in a couple of tests, including ET:QW and UT3.”


    Click here to read the full review.

With the HD 4800 series, AMD set out to establish a new standard in Bang for the Buck, and I think it’s clear that they have masterfully achieved this lofty goal. While NVIDIA dominated the market with its first-generation DX10 graphics cards, everything seems to be set for AMD to regain market share with these second-generation models, at least within the enthusiast community.


UPDATE:
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Mushkin Unveils New PC3-12800 High Performance DDR3 Modules

June 25, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Mushkin has just released its new HP3-12800 high performance DDR3 modules, which sport 8-8-8-24 timings at 1.8-1.9 volts.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Mushkin, Inc., a global leader in high-performance computer products, today announced the availability of HP3-12800 DDR3 modules aimed at the high-end gamer and enthusiast market which has begun the transition to DDR3 technology. The new offering combines high performance specifications with ample amounts of overclocking headroom at highly competitive prices.

“The Mushkin HP3-12800 modules will help to further propagate this transition with DDR2-topping performance at price levels buyers will view as an exceptional value,” said Brian Flood, Mushkin director of product development. “The value of these new parts is further enhanced by their remarkable overclocking ability, especially on 790i platforms.”

Rated for 800MHz (1600MT/s data rate) and 8-8-8 latencies, the HP3-12800 provides unmatched performance on all DDR3 enabled platforms while using 1.8V supply voltage. Especially suited to the serious and competitive gamer, the relatively low operating voltage for 1600MT/s data rate ensures high-reliability operation and low heat output, maintaining entire system stability during extended gaming sessions".


Part Numbers:

  • 991628 – 1GB HP3-12800 (DDR3-1600) 8-8-8-24 1.8-1.9V
  • 996628 – 2GB (2x1GB) HP3-12800 (DDR3-1600) 8-8-8-24 1.8-1.9V

  • 991629 – 2GB HP3-12800 (DDR3-1600) 8-8-8-24 1.8-1.9V
  • 996629 – 4GB (2x2GB) HP3-12800 (DDR3-1600) 8-8-8-24 1.8-1.9V


I can't wait to see how good these modules "remarkable overclocking ability" truly is, I will definitely be on the lookout for a review(s).

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BFG Announces Two Pre-Overclocked GeForce GTX 280 Models

June 25, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


BFG Technologies, the enthusiast-oriented motherboard, graphics card & power supply manufacturer, has just announced two pre-overclocked GeForce GTX 280 models, the OC2 and OCX.

Here’s what they had to say:

"Lake Forest, IL – (June 24, 2008) – BFG Technologies®, Inc., the leading North American and European supplier of advanced NVIDIA®-based 3D graphics cards, power supplies and other PC enthusiast products, announced today the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC2 and the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OCX factory overclocked graphics cards.

With the launch of each new NVIDIA graphics processing unit (GPU), BFG typically releases three increasing levels of factory overclock: OC™, OC2, and OCX. All BFG factory overclocked graphics cards go through extensive testing to find the right mix of speeds for the core, memory, and shader clocks that will produce the best performance and uncompromised stability at each level. As with all BFG Tech graphics cards, the BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC2 and OCX versions are backed with 24/7/365 free technical support and a lifetime warranty."


BFG GeForce GTX 280 OC2:
  • Memory: 1GB (1024MB) GDDR3
  • Core Clock: 650MHz (vs. 602MHz standard)
  • Shader Clock: 1404MHz (vs. 1296MHz standard)
  • Memory Data Rate: 2326MHz (vs. 2214MHz standard)

BFG GeForce GTX 280 OCX:
  • Memory: 1GB (1024MB) GDDR3
  • Core Clock: 665MHz (vs. 602MHz standard)
  • Shader Clock: 1458MHz (vs. 1296MHz standard)
  • Memory Data Rate: 2400MHz (vs. 2214MHz standard)

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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Lian Li Launches Tyr PC-X2000 HTPC/Gaming Case

June 25, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Lian Li has just launched the impressive Tyr PC-X2000 HTPC/Gaming full tower case.

Here’s what they had to say:

"Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the Tyr X2000 chassis designed originally to resemble a speaker, but later re-aligned to become the most unique HTPC/Gaming Chassis on the market today. With a sleek tall look aspiring to Tyr, the original Norse God of single combat and heroic glory, the slender beveled front panel signifies the armored helm of Tyr. The side panels accept 2x 5.25” Optical Device Drives and one 3.5” drive, which are inserted from either the left or right side, while the front face is for ergonomics and airflow, filtered by a removable nylon filter.

Lian Li is well known for craftsmanship and quality, and the Tyr X2000 is no exception. Embracing the new style, with an all black anodized interior, an easily removable front panel which hides 3x 140mm silent intake fans, protected by the removable and washable nylon dust cover. The top mounted multimedia ports include 4x USB 2.0 ports, 1x Firewire (IEEE1394), 1x E-SATA, and HD AC97 Audio ports. The patented tool-less latch allows easy access to the compartmented heat zones inside with a special VGA support bar to give added rigidity to extra long VGA cards. Other traditional Lian Li innovations have been improved upon such as the removable motherboard tray with holes for better CPU cooling and added anti-vibration couplings, as well as the specially filed and brushed finish to reduce sharp edges giving the case both style, and an aspect of safety.

More features include support for Extended ATX, ATX, and Micro-ATX motherboards, 8x PCI slots, water cooling support, 1x 140mm silent exhaust fan for the motherboard heat zone, 2x 80mm exhaust fans for the HDD bay heat zone and further support for 2x PSU’s (220mm long supported) with anti-vibration and insulated rubber strips on the mounting platforms. Specialized HDD mounting racks (supports 6x HDDs) with special handles which are attached to protect your HDD’s, while keeping them vibration free in their bay. The SATA back panel is a hot swap device which can support RAID 0 & 1.The case was designed with silence in mind, so specialized sound insulation material, combines with the 2mm thick aluminum alloy side panels to keep your system whisper quiet. Taking things to the extreme in comfort and convenience, Lian Li mounts the case on rubber pads to minimize any vibrations that could add to noise. Additional touches include vented PCI brackets which add to through flow of air and prevent heat buildup."


It sure sounds & looks impressive, so it will be interesting to see whether it can win over the reviewers.

Click here to check out the product page.

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XFX GeForce GTX 260 XXX Edition Review

June 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has posted a review of the brand new XFX GeForce GTX 260 XXX Edition graphics card.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“I do have to say that it’s surprising to see just how close the GTX 260 performs to the GTX 280 in resolutions up to 2560 x 1600. Only at 2560 x 1600 does the GTX 280 begin to show clear signs of a performance increase. Considering the price of the GTX 260 compared to the GTX 280, it could be considered quite the bargain.

There are a few things we have to wonder though; the HD 4870 is just around the corner which is going to come in cheaper again, and the 9800 GTX+ should also begin to show up in the next few weeks. While the GTX 260 looks like an attractive buy at the moment, NVIDIA could be making a mistake by releasing the GTX+ at a cheaper price which may offer extremely similar performance once again.”


If you were considering a GeForce GTX 280, but don’t have a display capable of 2560x1600 resolution, you may want to take a close look at the much cheaper GTX 260.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASRock & ECS P45 Motherboard Comparison

June 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CPU3D has just tested the ASRock P45R2000-WiFi and the ECS P45T-A motherboards, both of which are based on the new Intel P45 Express chipset.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Both manufacturers can now at least say they've managed to release their P45 based motherboard, designed and aimed at the mainstream maket. Whether these motherboards will actually appeal to this market remains to be seen ... If anyone, ASRock will probably come out on top. The ECS just doesn't cut it for me. So, out of the battle of the mainstream ... the winner is the ASRock P45R2000-WiFi.”


Considering the fact that there is only a $30 price difference between these two motherboards, the ASRock is definitely the better option. Not only does it support an impressive 2000Mhz FSB, but since it’s a hybrid model, it has both DDR2 and DDR3 memory slots. Furthermore, it comes packed with onboard WiFi, dual gigabit ethernet ports, SPDIF outputs, a FireWire port, two eSATA ports, etc. It also gives the impression of being a higher quality product due to the fact that it uses solid capacitors throughout, whereas the ECS uses a mix of solid and electrolytic capacitors.

Click here to read the full article.

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Intel Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 Processor Review

June 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


HotHardware has posted a review of the Intel Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 dual-core processor, which sports a 2.8Ghz clock speed and 6MB of L2 cache.

Here’s what they had to say:

“As we've noted in our benchmark tests, the Core 2 Extreme Mobile X9000 proved itself to be as fast as its desktop counterparts in many scenarios, all the while consuming less power as a complete system in our Dell XPS M730 notebook testbed. The new Intel mobile CPU offered its best showing under usage models like Cinebench 10, that took advantage of higher levels of multithreading, where cache coherency becomes more critical and larger amounts of L2 at the processor's disposal can pay off handsomely.”


If you are in the market for a Top of the Line gaming notebook, then this is absolutely the processor for you. However, be aware that the Core 2 Extreme X9100, which is clocked at 3066 MHz, will be released on or near July 14th.

Click here to read the full review.

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X-Spice Kira CS 630W Power Supply Review

June 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The fine folks over at JonnyGURU have posted a review of the X-Spice Kira CS 630W power supply…kind of.

Here’s what they had to say:

“The Kira 630W sample I was sent performed beautifully for an older group regulated design, and under normal circumstances I could easily see it scoring high enough to get a recommendation. But these are not normal circumstances, because I cannot tell whether or not I got a valid retail sample. If the folks at X-Spice are reading this, and I bet they are (at least, their lawyers probably are), I'd love to give you another shot at this and amend this review. But I need to be absolutely convinced that the next one is a retail sample the public can buy. Otherwise, we're just wasting each others' time, here.”


Once again, OklahomaWolf has produced an entertaining and brutally honest power supply review. If you take a look at the pictures on page 3, you can clearly see that something is not quite right…Hopefully, X-Spice will provide a proper retail unit for review.

Click here to read the full review.

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XFX GeForce GTX 280 XXX Edition Review

June 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has posted a review of the new XFX GeForce GTX 280 XXX Edition graphics card.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“XFX has done a good job with finding a very high clock on the memory, but it would have been nice to see the core be bumped to 700MHz out of the box. A little overclocking saw the card had no issue at 700MHz, so it does come as a little surprise that XFX didn’t aim for the 100MHz overclock on the core.

[…]

Unfortunately this all comes at a price, and the XXX edition from XFX is one of the more expensive GTX 280s on the market. That’s no real surprise though, since it’s also one of the highest clocked at the moment, but DIY overclockers will probably find themselves looking for a cheaper option. The good thing about the XFX offering, however, is that you’re guaranteed a 2500MHz memory clock, which is pretty attractive.”


Compared to the reference models (600Mhz core/1296Mhz shader/2200Mhz memory), the XXX Edition definitely has some impressive clocks (670Mhz/1458Mhz/2500Mhz), particularly the memory. However, the overclocked settings don’t really translate into noticeably improved performance in the benchmarks.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS Releases R.o.G Maximus II Formula Motherboard

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has officially unveiled its new Maximus II Formula, a DDR2 Intel P45 Express-based motherboard, which is part of the Republic of Gamers collection.

Here's what they had to say:

"FREMONT, CA (June 23, 2008) – ASUS®, worldwide leader in component and notebook design and manufacturing, today releases the ASUS ROG Maximus II Formula motherboard. Based on the Intel P45/ICH10R chipset and featuring an ASUS-exclusive SupremeFX X-Fi sound card, this cutting-edge motherboa rd equips gamers with the necessary performance and features for the ultimate gaming experience. Available immediately through authorize d ASUS North American dealers at an introductory MSRP of $289 USD, the new Maximus II Formula extends the ROG philosophy to deliver ground-breaking performance, uncompromised stability and unique features.

High-Fidelity Audio with ASUS SupremeFX X-Fi Sound Card

The Republic of Gamers is dedicated to delivering unsurpassed gaming experiences for serious gamers, starting with crystal-clear 3D surround sound. Each Maximus II Formula motherboard comes equipped with a SupremeFX X-Fi sound card that takes full advantage of the ADI 2000B audio codec, the Creative X-Fi suite, CMSS3D and the Crystalizer technologies. SupremeFX X-Fi natively supports the EAX standard to produce top-notch virtual 3D surround sound.

Boost CPU Performance with CPU Level Up

With CPU Level Up, gamers can overclock the processor with ease, gaining an additional competitive edge. Once in the BIOS, gamers need only select their desired CPU speed and the system does the rest , fine-tuning the processor and running it at the desired speed with uncompromised stability.

Extreme Engine Design for Exceptional Performance

ASUS’ legendary engineering produced the new ROG Extreme Engine – a next-generation multi-phase power design that provides additional overclocking headroom for extreme computing situations. Based on a 16-phase power design for the CPU, 2-phase for memory and 3-phase for the north bridge; the Extreme Engine provides users with additional voltage options in the BIOS. With only the best quality components, Extreme Engine helps dissipate the load among 16 capacitors as opposed to 8, resulting in more stable power distribution to the various components. This in turn results in a more reliable operating environment; while also improving power efficiency up to 96%. In addition, automatic power management technology ensures that less energy is wasted and less heat is produced."




I have been looking forward to this motherboard ever since it was first announced, it will undoubtedly be the pinnacle of P45-based motherboards.

Source: Email.

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ATI Catalyst 8.6 Performance Analysis

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The ATI Catalyst 8.6 drivers were released about a week ago, and TweakTown has just tested them out.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“While in the applications we tested there hasn’t been any notable gains with the HD 3870 X2 actually taking a hit in a few cases, the new drivers generally seem to be increasing performance in the promised sections for people.

What’s really interesting about this driver is if you take the time to read the performance improvements, they all revolve around DX10 improvements. It will be interesting to see if this is something we begin to see more of over the coming months; Vista has really picked up momentum in the gamers market with most people jumping onboard.”


Judging by all the benchmarks, these latest drivers are slightly slower than the Catalyst 8.5’s. Therefore, unless you are experiencing issues with your current drivers, there is no rush to update.

Click here to read the full article.

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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers

June 23, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky


Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). The charts were buzzing with activity this past week, racking up a total of 48 (!) new entries. So who did what? Let's take a look:

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
1. E81292 k|ngp|n
2. E69279 FUGGER ** XtremeSystems 3D Team **
3. E63688 Godfather [Guru3D]
5. E53508 {core2duo}werd Quad SLI 177.39 physX drivers
11. E45333 amd3001 XtremeSystems 3D Team
12. E44635 Mojoman - OCAU
16. E40087 SF3D 24/7 machine
20. E35066 Intel Core 2 Quad@3000Mhz, Nvidia GTX 280

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
1. P35703 k|ngp|n
2. P32949 CBGPCS/GTX280/NO VMODS
3. P30626 EVGA GTX 280 - jAkUp
4. P29547 Kinc & crotale ASUS ENGTX280 TOP Striker II Extreme
5. P28756 Godfather [Guru3D]
6. P27483 PR1-overclockers.at
7. P26790 [Team.AU] dinos22- 4GHz quad tripple SLI GTX280 stock
8. P26505 wkmgt
9. P25984 FUGGER ** XtremeSystems 3D Team **
10. P24066 iggster/1loudsuv
11. P23857 Untitled
12. P23842 Biohazard Annihilation 3-SLI 3.8 P
13. P23614 Untitled
15. P23474 XMSTRKRFTX
16. P23369 Untitled
18. P23102 {core2duo}werd Quad SLI 177.39 physX drivers
19. P23102 Untitled
20. P23008 Xenons Madness #2

New to the 3DMark Vantage - High Preset Top 20:
1. H26004 k|ngp|n
2. H24300 Kinc & crotale ASUS ENGTX280 TOP Striker II Extreme
3. H20967 Godfather [Guru3D]
4. H17605 FUGGER ** XtremeSystems 3D Team **
7. H15657 R3APER:http://uk.youtube.com/VirtuallyInfamous
8. H15378 breakmyheart
9. H15305 {core2duo}werd Quad SLI 177.39 physX drivers
12. H14176 SF3D 24/7 machine
14. H14101 Untitled

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
1. X18362 k|ngp|n
2. X15310 EVGA GTX 280 - jAkUp
3. X14587 Godfather [Guru3D]
4. X14346 PR1-overclockers.at
5. X12826 Untitled
6. X11734 3xgtx280
7. X11034 Untitled
8. X10510 Untitled
9. X9982 Untitled
12. X9046 Patrick
13. X9026 Untitled
14. X8897 SF3D 24/7 machine
20. X8354 {core2duo}werd Quad SLI 177.39 physX drivers

Looks like NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 280 line had a good launch. ;)

Anyways, keep up the great work guys and gals! And remember, you can keep track of the top scores throughout the week by visiting our Hall of Fame. Until next time!
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Scythe Announces Slim 100mm Case Fans

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Scythe has announced the new Kaze Jyu Slim 100mm case fans, which come with an extra mounting kit that converts them into hard drive coolers.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Scythe Co., Ltd (Tokyo, Japan) announces the new 100mm fan in super slim size! This product is originally equipped in the latest Scythe super slim CPU Cooler “Shuriken” to lower the overall dimension and weight of the CPU Cooler. This new case fan has super slim thickness (measured to be 100 x 100 x 12mm / 3.94 x 3.94 x 0.47 ic) to contribute the lower total height of your PC system. Just a case fan is simply not attractive for you? The item comes with the extra mounting kit for Hard Disk to conveniently convert this item as a Hard Disk cooler! Ideal replacement case fan for your HTPC system or simply to arrange your system to be more compact!”


Along with Noctua, Scythe makes some of the very best fans on the market, so this should be another quality model.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX+ Overclocking

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Legit Reviews has just tested the overclocking capabilities of the soon-to-be-released GeForce 9800 GTX+ graphics card.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Overclocking the GeForce 9800 GTX+ improves gaming performance across the board by 15% on average! The new 55nm 'refresh' that NVIDIA has completed on the G92 core didn't seem to have any negative impact on overclocking and the performance numbers are pretty solid as you can tell from our benchmarks. That is all we have on our end as it is the weekend and we plan on taking a couple days off before we bring you more video card reviews next week. It will be intersting to see how the ATI Radeon HD 4870 does compared to this card and the GeForce GTX 260! We have a busy week ahead, but the battle between ATI and NVIDIA make it worth the time and effort!”


Compared to stock (740Mhz/1836Mhz), they were able to achieve a 115MHz gain on the core and a 364MHz gain on the shaders, not bad at all! Also, I suspect that the results will get even better by the time these cards are available in the retail channel.

Click here to read the full article.

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Six-Way Antec Case Roundup

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


X-bit Labs has just reviewed six Antec cases, the Three Hundred, Nine Hundred, P182, NSK1380, NSK3480, and the Sonata Plus 550.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The Nine Hundred is meant for hot configurations. It won’t provide you silence or special conveniences but its 200mm fan is a weighty argument when it comes to pure cooling.

The Three Hundred is yet another system case for those who need very good cooling but it is simpler than the Nine Hundred. If you need good cooling rather than HDD cages and modular design, this system case is going to be appealing to you with its price, quality and cooling efficiency. But don’t forget to add a fan to the front panel!

The Sonata 550 Plus is just a good workhorse. It allows you to assemble a quiet and easy-to-use PC. Some people may find it a bit too expensive, but I guess it is worth the price.”


Antec definitely has an excellent (if slightly conservative-looking) lineup, and the Three Hundred, Nine Hundred, and P182 have characteristics that should satisfy just about any enthusiast.

Click here to read the full article.

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AMD Radeon HD 4850 Quad CrossFireX Tested

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has just tested the new AMD Radeon HD 4850 in four-way CrossFireX configuration. How does it perform? Let’s find out:

“Two cards really is the sweet spot for HD 4850s at the moment; we see some good gains over a single card and the cost is still relatively low compared to the competition. Now all we have to do is wait for the HD 4870 so we can see what that can do for us.

AMD have a winner on their hands with the HD 4850; just don’t expect to see the same value for money as you start climbing the ranks with three or four cards. It could still be a while before we see these kinds of setups represent any form of value for money, much like NVIDIA with their Tri SLI GTX 280 setup.”


At the moment, it would appear that the performance gains achieved with three or four graphics cards are quite minimal when compared to a simple two-way CrossFireX configuration. However, the drivers are still very immature, so who knows what we can look forward to in the coming months.

Click here to read the full article.

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CPU Cooler Review Roundup - Cooler Master, Kingwin, Xigmatek & More

June 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


DragonSteelMods, Hardware Canucks, Rbmods, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed CPU coolers from Cooler Master, Kingwin, SilenX and Xigmatek.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • DragonSteelMods: Kingwin Revolution RVT-9225 CPU Cooler Review:

    “The Kingwin Revolution RVT-9225 CPU Cooler is well made, easy to install and performs very well in comparison to other coolers.

    If you're looking for a small CPU cooler that provides very good cooling for your C2D or C2Q then you might want to consider the Kingwin Revolution RVT-9225 for you next build, or even an upgrade for your current cooler.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Hardware Canucks: Xigmatek HDT-S1283 CPU Cooler Review:

    “The Xigmatek HDT-S1283 really does prove that more heatpipes and more weight is not needed since from a performance point of view it has heralded in a new cooling era as it is simply in a league of its own. It easily leaves bigger, heavier and above all else more costly coolers in its dust. Why would anyone want to stick a full kilogram of copper onto their motherboard when almost half that will give you just as good results?

    Unfortunately, not everything is perfect with this unit. By relying on plastic pins, we feel that Xigmatek has really limited its true potential and it is a crying shame such a kick ass cooler is hobbled with such a cheesy mounting setup.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Rbmods: Silenx Ixtrema ICX-HA2 CPU Cooler Review:

    “The Silenx Ixtrema ICX-HA2 CPU Cooler is a solidly performing cooler that is well designed and definitely produces a lot of airflow yet without a lot of sound. The cooler is easy to install and does a great job of dissipating the heat. Its performance is on-par with some of the best air coolers are the market. However, it did miss in a couple of minor areas which prevent it from being a “perfect” cooler. But if you’re willing to look past the minor flaws, I suspect you’ll be happy if you choose this cooler for your next build.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Virtual-Hideout: CoolerMaster Hyper 212 CPU Cooler Review:

    “CoolerMaster has been cooling CPU's and other hardware for years, and in each of those years they come up with some rather unique cooling gear. The Hyper 212 is like having two coolers in one housing. The dual tower design creates additional surface area which aids in more efficient cooling. Another feature aiding in the cooling process is the ability to add a second 120mm fan. I didn't run the Hyper212 with a second fan, as I felt it wasn't necessary since I was pleased with the results from the single fan setup.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Virtual-Hideout: SilenX ICX-120HA2 Extreme CPU Cooler Review:

    “These days, any CPU cooler that can keep a processor under 30 C at idle and around 40 C at full load is actually a great performer. Anything just above is a good good performer. And anything near 50 C at full load is pretty much what I consider an average performer. The SilenX ICX-120HA2 CPU Cooler does in fact fall in the realm of a great performer. It's a unique cooler to this test bench given its new design and is surprisingly lighter in weight than its appearance suggests. The installation method and performance make it the optimal choice in the world of CPU coolers.”


    Click here to read the full review.


All of these coolers, aside from the Cooler Master, utilize their heatpipes as part of the base, and they all perform very well. Frankly, even the Cooler Master performs quite respectably, so no matter which of these four models you choose, you will not regret it.

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AMD Radeon HD 4800 Series Hotfix Released

June 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Wasting no time to improve their latest products, AMD has released a Hotfix for the Radeon 4800 series, which means both the HD 4850 and the yet-to-be-released HD 4870.

Here's what they had to say:

"This Hotfix improves overall performance and stability. The Hotfix includes the Display Driver and Catalyst Control Center."


To download the Hotfix Driver, please click on the links below:

Radeon™ HD 4800 Series Hotfix for Windows XP (32-bit and 64-bit included)

Radeon™ HD 4800 Series Hotfix for Windows Vista (32-bit and 64-bit included)


Any of you fortunate HD 4850 owners want to give it a try? Let's us know your results!

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ASUS Unveils ARES CG6155 Desktop System

June 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has unveiled the ARES CG6155, a new über-high-end gaming desktop system.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Taipei, Taiwan, June 19, 2008 – Catering to gamers who require only the best equipment, ASUS, world-leading producer of desktop PCs, has unveiled the new ASUS ARES CG6155 Desktop PC. This powerful piece of gaming hardware comprises an array of top-notch components to provide gamers with the performance and stability for their every gaming need. The unique exterior design is inspired by ancient and modern armor with both Eastern and Western influences, and presents an aesthetic appeal that exudes pure power!”




Specifications:

OS: Microsoft Vista Ultimate

CPU: Intel Core2 Extreme QX9650 (Overclockable up to 4.0GHz)

Chipset: NVIDIA nForce 790i Ultra SLI

Memory: Dual Channel DDR3 1333MHz up to 8GB

Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX280 3-Way SLI

HDD: Up to 4TB

Optical Drive: Blu-ray DVD

LAN: 2 x LAN 10/100/1000

Power Supply: 2 Kilowatts (Dual Power)

Accessory: Gaming Keyboard, Mouse, Mousepad, Headset


WOW...

Anyone want to guess how much this system is going to cost? My estimation: a kidney.

Click here to read the press release.

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G.Skill Introduces PC2-8800 Pi Series Memory Kits

June 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


G.Skill has unveiled its new PC2-8800 Pi Series DDR2 memory kits, which come in 4GB or 8GB capacities, and only require 1.8-1.9 volts.

Here’s what they had to say:

"G.Skill International Co. Ltd., a world leader in memory revolution, is unveiling today its PI-8800 with 4GB or 8GB of capacity. PI memory series especially designed for extreme speeds demander, provide stable and long-term performances. The elaborate heat spreader enables PI-8800 operating under 1.8 to 1.9 voltages. PI-8800 4GB or 8GB memories provide unique stability and long-term performance for ultimate memory users.

The Biggest Capacity of PC2-8800

The PC2-8800 PI modules are optimum for the latest cutting edge platforms and will be available in high-capacity 4GB(2GBx2) dual channel and 8GB (2GBx4) four channel kits. Not only for gaming but also for Photoshop or CAD applications, PI PC2-8800 is all you need.”


Wow, impressive speed, large capacity, low voltage, what’s not to like?

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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CoolIT Announces NV200 VGA Coldplate

June 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CoolIT has announced the NV200 VGA Coldplate, which is compatible with the new GeForce GTX200 series graphics cards:

Here’s what they had to say:

“CoolIT Systems announces the availability of the NV200 VGA Coldplate compatible with the new GeForce GTX280 and GTX260 cards recently announced by NVidia. The solution features a single slot, high performance liquid cooling solution that effectively cools the GPU, RAM, nVio Chip and VR that, when mated with CoolIT’s award-winning liquid cooling technology, provides extreme cooling to achieve optimal performance for the GTX280 in single card or SLI setup.”




Sounds promising, but it will be interesting to see how well it actually performs.

Click here to read the press release.

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MSI P45 Platinum Motherboard Review

June 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CPU3D has posted a review of the MSI P45 Platinum motherboard.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“ MSI have done a good job with the P45 Platinum. They successfully blended their innovative features with good performance and very good overclocking ability. It should appeal to a lot of mainstream users and even some enthusiasts.

The packaging and contents is what would expect from MSI. It comes with all the necessary cables, manuals, drivers on CD, USB/Firewire backplate and Crossfire ribbon cable. MSI are the only manufacturer we've come across, that give users a Crossfire ribbon cable with the motherboards. The MSI P45 Platinum is packed full of great features ... these include DrMOS, Circu-Pipe2 chipset cooling, Green Power, XpressCool and RapidBoost. All of these great innovative features add value to the whole package.”


The P45 Platinum can be found for as little as $190, and at that price it is really hard to fault. It offers good performance, a great cooling system, solid overclocking capabilities, and a wealth of connectivity features.

Click here to read the full review.

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Intel P45 vs. X48 CrossFire Performance

June 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Has the Radeon HD 4850’s impressive CrossFire performance motivated you to upgrade/build a new system? If so, you are obviously going to need a CrossFire-capable motherboard. However, which chipset should you choose? The recently released Intel P45 or the higher-end X48 chipset? Well, TweakTown has set out to answer this question.

Here’s what they had to say:

“This is really a very interesting article and is something people need to be taking note of. The first thing you need to be checking is if you're reading a review where Crossfire is being tested. Make sure that the board there using is a x16 / x16 motherboard. The results really do speak for themselves and it’s clear that there is a performance difference between a x16 / x16 configuration which the X48 offers, and the x8/x8 one on the P45.

If you’re really thinking about going down the Crossfire path, we would be highly recommending that you spend the extra money to go to an X38 or X48 based motherboard over the P45. Of course, if you’re not then it doesn’t really matter.”


If you plan on playing at 2560x1600, you should absolutely purchase an X48 motherboard, since there really is a noticeable performance difference.

Click here to read the full article.

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AMD Radeon HD 4850 Launched Early

June 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


No longer able to stem the flow of information (& premature retail sales), AMD has launched the Radeon HD 4850 today! There is still some information that is embargoed until June 25th, but nonetheless enjoy these reviews & performance previews:



Enjoy!

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AMD Radeon HD 4850 CrossFire Review

June 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Did the preview leave you wanting? Well, TweakTown has just posted an article entitled “Radeon HD 4850 In Crossfire at 4GHz”. Excited? Keep reading!

Here’s what they had to say:

“What's great about the HD 4850 isn't just the fact that it offers excellent value for money in Crossfire, but also that the performance you get is the difference between playing games at 1920 x 1200 and not. While the HD 4850 on its lonesome is probably best for gaming at up to about 1680 x 1050, if you really want to up the ante and get some 1920 x 1200 or 2560 x 1600 gaming in, going Crossfire is definitely the right thing to do.”


For about $400, a Radeon 4850 CrossFire configuration provides performance that is quite similar to the $600+ GeForce GTX 280. There is really nothing else that needs to be said.

Click here to read the full review.

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AMD Radeon HD 4850 512MB Preview

June 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Thanks to a retail mishap in Europe, PC Perspective have been freed from their non-disclosure agreement, and have posted a preview of the highly anticipated AMD Radeon HD 4850 512MB graphics card.

Here is a teaser:

“This rough preview of the AMD Radeon HD 4850 512MB should be enough to whet your appetite for more data on the entire HD 4800-series of GPUs as well as NVIDIA's mysterious GeForce 9800 GTX+. One thing is sure for now, the landscape of the mid-range to high-end GPU market is going to be shifting dramatically in the coming weeks and we are all in for an exciting, and probably bumpy ride.”


I’m not going to say anything to ruin the surprise, so go check it out for yourselves!

Click here to read the full article.

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ASUS MK241 22-inch LCD Monitor Reviews

June 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


HotHardware and I4U have reviewed the ASUS MK241 24-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which sports a 1920x1200 resolution, 2ms response time, and 3000:1 (dynamic) contrast ratio.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • HotHardware:

    “Overall, the MK241H is a good monitor that displays great-looking images. It includes a number of features that we could do without, but often such features are personal preference--one person's annoyance is another's benefit. The price is a bit steep, however, for a 24-inch display--and it makes us wonder how much more affordable it could be if it didn't come with the speakers and webcam/microphone.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • I4U:

    “If you are looking for a reasonably priced 24-inch display the ASUS MK241 is just that. It performs well for most home users and is great for small rooms where you need a LCD that can putt double or triple duty for watching movies and working on the PC.”


    Click here to read the full review.

The MK241H is a decent, but unremarkable display. If ASUS offered a cheaper, stripped down version with no camera, microphone, and speakers, it might be worth recommending. However, at $499 it goes head-to-head with the Gateway FHD2400, which is simply a better monitor in every respect.

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NVIDIA To Release GeForce 9800 GTX+ Graphics Card (UPDATED!)

June 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


UPDATE: PC Perspective is reporting that the 9800GTX+ is in fact the G92b! Now things are REALLY going to get exciting!


TweakTown is reporting that NVIDIA will be releasing a new GeForce 9800 series model, the brilliantly named GeForce 9800 GTX+.

Here are the details:

“The GeForce 9800 GTX+ takes the highly efficient G92-based GeForce 9800 GTX and offers unbeatable value for value conscious gamers.

Key product points:

  • GeForce 9800 GTX+ is the best single card price/performance at $229; the original GeForce 9800 GTX will transition to $199

  • Processor clock of 1836MHz and graphics clock of 738MHz

  • GeForce PhysX support! World’s only physics API for both the CPU and the GPU!

  • Support for CUDA-based applications, including Folding@Home and Badaboom video transcoding applications.

  • Support for 2-way and 3-way SLI”


Well, my predictions were fairly accurate. At $199, the GeForce 9800 GTX will definitely be a strong competitor to the Radeon HD 4850 when it comes to the all-mighty Bang for the Buck. The 9800GTX+ will certainly be an excellent value as well.

While this is a good move by NVIDIA, I am curious as to when we will finally see some G92b models, which is basically the G92 architecture shrunk to 55nm.

Click here to read the full post.

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ATI Catalyst 8.6 Drivers Released

June 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


A few days (or possibly hours…) before the release of the Radeon HD 4800 series, AMD has just released version 8.6 of the ATI Catalyst drivers. This latest update supports all Radeon 9500 and above graphics cards.

So what’s new in this release? For starters, it introduces CrossFireX QUAD support for OpenGL applications, which is a very welcome addition. It allows you to upgrade your Catalyst drivers without rebooting. It also resolves Windows XP and Vista-related issues in a multitude of games. Most importantly though, it provides some impressive performance improvements:

  • 3DMark Vantage:10 to 15% gains across all Radeon™ HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products, with larger gains in specific cases.

  • Call of Duty 4: Performance increases across all Radeon™ HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products, with gains as large as 35% in specific maps.

  • Call of Juarez DX10: Performance increases between 2 and 9% across all HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products

  • Company of Heroes (DX10 version): Performance increases between 4 and 10% across HD 36xx and HD 34xx products.

  • Lost Planet (DX10 version): Performance increases by 1 or 2 fps across all HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products, creating in some cases up to 20% increase.
  • Lost Planet (DX9 version): Performance increases between 2 and 20% across all HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products

  • Prey OpenGL: 3-5% gains across HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products.

  • Quake 4 OpenGL: Up to 8% increase across all HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products.

  • Shadermark 2.1: Minor improvements across all HD 3xxx and HD 2xxx products, with the largest gains appearing on HD 3650 (up to 9%)

If you are hesitant to install these new drivers, wait a few days for TweakTown to post their usual in-depth driver analysis.


Click here to download the official release notes (PDF).

Click here for the download links.

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Antec P182SE Special Edition Case Review

June 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective has posted a review of the Antec P182SE Special Edition mid-tower case, which is so reflective that you could use it as a mirror.

Here’s what they had to say:

“The Antec P182SE Special Edition advanced super mid-tower case will certainly appeal to a niche audience. If you like the clean lines and unique look that the mirror finished stainless steel front and side panels have to offer then Antec’s P182SE Special Edition may be the one of a kind case for you! The P182SE is a relatively compact mid-tower chassis and yet still provides 11 storage bays and is a big improvement over the original P180. The three bundled 120mm Tri-Cool fans can be adjusted to deliver the right balance of airflow to noise thanks to the integrated speed controls. However, if you’re not sold on a mirrored case, you may be happier with another enclosure like the ever popular Antec Nine Hundred gaming case.”


If the standard P182 is a little too conservative for your tastes, this P182SE should be right up your alley!

Click here to read the full review.

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Mushkin & Super Talent PC3-16000 Memory Kit Reviews

June 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Bjorn3D and HardwareLogic have reviewed PC3-16000 DDR3 memory kits from Mushkin and Super Talent.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • Bjorn3D: Mushkin Ascent DDR3-2000:

    “Performance: This RAM offers the best performance at every speed tested. For those of you able to push the limits of your FSB and hit 500 MHz then you can sit back and smirk knowing you have some of the fastest RAM available on the planet.

    Value: Not that it matters since you would pay any price to have the very best but in this case you may have to wait a bit. This RAM kit is not available just yet. Be sure to grab some when it is. You won't be sorry.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • HardwareLogic: Super Talent Project X PC3-16000 2GB Memory Kit Review:

    “The Super Talent Project X PC3-16000 kit is an exceptional product, one that's only been held back by the incredibly frustrating Asus Striker II motherboard we've been using. This kit isn't for everyone and requires a board and processor capable of supporting it, which at this point is a very short list. However, when the one real negative is that other products have a hard time keeping up, that can only be a good thing for Super Talent.

    While the Project X PC3-16000 will be considered expensive in an era when 4GB of DDR2 can be had for half the price, it should be comforting to know that there isn't currently a board made that can keep pace with this kit. Those looking for the best of the best should start looking long and hard at the Super Talent PC3-16000 2GB memory kit.”


    Click here to read the full review.


Unless you have an nForce 790i-based motherboard or a P5E3 Premium/WiFi-AP, there is really no point in purchasing PC3-16000 memory.

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In Win Powerman Commander 1200W Power Supply Review

June 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakNews has posted a review of the new In Win Powerman Commander 1200W power supply, which is the company’s first entry into the high-end PSU market.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“In-Win is surely going to turn some heads with the Commander – not only does it have a one of a kind look, it has demonstrated excellent stability and its four +12V rails are ready to power up any hardware thrown its way. I can see this being not only a good choice for today's gaming rigs, but it should easily last through another upgrade or two as well. Realistically, not many current systems out there are going to pull 1200W of power but in a few years this might be exactly what's needed. The modular cabling was convenient to work with and I like the color coded PCI-E cables. Best of all, rails were very stable during testing and it's important that a power supply perform as well as it looks. The Commander did just that.”


This is a pretty good product, however now that the Corsair HX1000W is available, there’s simply no reason to buy any other 1000W+ watt power supply.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution Motherboard Review

June 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


BigBruin has posted a review of the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution, a DDR3 X48-based motherboard.

Here’s what they had to say:

“In the end the ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution X48 ATX motherboard wound up being just about what I had hoped it would be... A high end motherboard equally well suited for serving in a workstation and a gaming rig. With all of the performance features, its slick styling, and the ample bundle of accessories, it is almost like someone at ASUS paid close attention to their market research!

The P5E64 WS Evolution has the ability to make current high end components shine in testing and real world use, but it is also prepared to accept upgrades to further enhance its performance. Support for Intel dual and quad core processors with 1600MHz frontside buses, up to 8GB of high speed DDR3 memory, and four x16 PCI Express expansion slots are just some of the features that let you know it is ready for business. The test system created around this motherboard was able to outshine some worthy competitors in benchmarks and games, and other new features ASUS has developed help keep it cool, quiet, and energy efficient.”


The P5E64 WS Evolution is a unique product, since it is the only consumer-oriented motherboard that has four mechanical PCI-E x16 slots (x16, x16, x4, x4). At $370, it is very expensive, but it’s in line with ASUS’s other DDR3 X48-based motherboard, the P5E3 Premium/WiFi-AP. So which should you choose? Well, the only downside of choosing the P5E64 is the loss of the Express Gate feature.

Click here to read the full review.

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Nokia Announces Two New Smartphones

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


On Monday, Nokia announced two very sleek E-series smartphones, the E66 and E71.

Here’s what they had to say:

“London, UK - Nokia introduced today the Nokia E71 and Nokia E66 - the latest email-optimized devices from the Nokia Eseries product range. The sleek Nokia E71 with full QWERTY keyboard and the stylish, slide-to-open Nokia E66 easily mobilize a broad range of personal or professional messaging needs, including Microsoft Exchange, the world's most widely adopted corporate email solution. Both devices are expected to begin shipping in key markets in July. The Nokia E71 and the Nokia E66 are expected to retail at EUR 350, before applicable taxes and subsidies.”



  • E66:



    “The Nokia E66 offers a premium look and feel with its stainless steel accents and smooth sliding design. Sharing the same key features as the Nokia E71, including an enhanced calendar, contacts and customizable home screen modes, the Nokia E66 offers unique additions, like an orientation sensor that automatically optimizes itself for full screen viewing or silences the ringer when the device is turned over. Available in grey steel or white steel version, the Nokia E66 leaves a lasting impression as a sophisticated business tool in a distinct design.”



  • E71:



    “With a stainless steel case, etched graphics and available in two colors - grey steel or white steel - the Nokia E71 bears the hallmarks of Nokia quality and craftsmanship. The cool metallic finish is complemented by the bright colour display, which showcases the Nokia E71 device's brilliantly simple user interface. Designed for both one-handed and two-handed use, the Nokia E71 pays special attention to ergonomics, as evidenced by its narrow shape and specially designed keypad.”



Although these are business-oriented devices optimized for email duties, they also feature HSDPA, WiFi, Assisted GPS (A-GPS), 3.2 megapixel autofocus camera, FM radio, and much more.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the Nokia E66 product page.

Click here to check out the Nokia E71 product page.

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Cooler Master Silent Pro M500 Power Supply Review

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Cooler Master’s recently announced Silent Pro power supply series has just been reviewed by CPU3D.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“I can't fault Coolermaster for introducing their new range of silent power supplies. It completes their catalogue for any user wanting a total silent solution for their PC. The Silent Pro M500 is ideal for any HTPC or mainstream user who wants silence. The power supply offers very good build quilty, excellent stabilty, it's certified 80+, features a modular cable management system AND comes with Coolermaster's 5 years warranty. All-in-all a very good buy. For the more demanding enthusiast user ... Coolermaster has a 700W version.”


The Silent Pro series is well-built, quiet, efficient, stable, and has a long 5-year warranty, what’s not to like?

Click here to read the full review.

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Case Review Roundup - Antec, Cooler Master, SilverStone & More

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Futurelooks, Metku, Modders-Inc, Motherboards.org, and TechwareLabs have reviewed ATX and mATX cases from Antec, Cooler Master, Sigma, SilverStone, and Tuniq.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • Futurelooks: Tuniq 3 Mid-Tower ATX Computer Case Review:

    “The Tuniq 3 Mid-Tower case is overall, a nice functional case. The black brush aluminum front panel is elegant and free of any oddities that might make your friends chuckle at you if they come over to borrow it. The multiple configurations of the Core Fan-Bracket allows you to create a more customized cooling system by allowing you better control over airflow through and over your internal components.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Metku: Silverstonetek SUGO SG03 MicroATX case:

    “Silverstone has aimed at markets of very small and stylish cases and have really hit the spot with the SG03. It's impossible to say how many potential buyers there are for this kind of cases, but if you're looking for a very small and light weight case then you better have a look at the SG03. For such a small case also having room for two 120 mm fans is a nice achievement that should be able to keep even hotter components cool. Also the clever HDD-cages deserve to be specially mentioned.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Modders-Inc: Sigma Unicorn Mid-Tower Case:

    “Overall the Sigma Unicorn Mid Tower ATX case is a decent case for the budget minded builder who wants a few extras already added, like 2 x 120mm fans (1 LED), 2 x 80mm Fans (1 LED), a side panel window and easy opening side panels. The case is well built and has a nice futuristic / brutish look to it.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Motherboards: Cooler Master CSX Warfare Stacker 830 Review:

    “Getting the bad out of the way first, there’s no escaping the price tag of the Cooler Master case. For those with a faint of heart the Cooler Master CSX Limited Edition Custom Painted Warfare Stacker 830 case is not for you as the price tag of $999 is just too much for all but the craziest enthusiast. The custom paint job is head and shoulders above anything you can buy pre-made without a doubt. The Warfare case is a collector’s item in some respects as only 200 have been made and each is different from the other. If you have 1000 bucks to spend on a case this is definitely one for you as the case comes with everything you could possibly need in a case and more.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TechwareLabs: Antec Twelve Hundred Gaming Chassis:

    “Overall, the Antec Twelve Hundred is the best designed case I've ever interacted with. There was a lot of thought behind every element or component. The extreme attention to detail can be seen on everything, from the 200mm fan in the back all the way down to the vibration reducing hard drive attaching brackets.

    This case is clearly aimed at high performance gaming, if you're not interested in showing your rig off to your friends and bringing it to LAN parties this case is not for you. It is well built and is slightly pricier than most cases, but the extra expense translates to extra features and a superb design.”


    Click here to read the full review.


Enjoy!

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Arctic Cooling Launches RC Turbo Module RAM Cooler

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Arctic Cooling has just launched the RC Turbo Module, a dual-fan RAM cooler.

Here’s what they had to say:

"The Swiss low noise cooling solution provider ARCTIC COOLING launched their latest RAM cooler ARCTIC RC earlier, providing a revolutionary RAM cooling solution for enthusiasts. To reinforce the cooling capacity of the ARCTIC RC, the company today launched the RC Turbo Module, a dual-fan cooler that reduces the RAM temperature even further!

Boost up the ARCTIC RC cooling performance

The ARCTIC RC increases the heat dissipation area significantly which drops RAM temperature from 78°C to 44°C. Compatible with the ARCTIC RC, the RC Turbo Moduleis equipped with two 60mm fans which spin at 1500 rpm. The fans provide direct air flow to the RAMs. This results in further temperature reduction to up to 37.8°C, wh ich is up to 74% better cooling compared with no RAM cooler. Such excellent cooling performance increases overclockability significantly."





Sounds promising, but we will have to wait and see what the reviewers have to say.

Click here to read the press release (PDF).

Click here to check out the product page.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 in Triple SLI Tested

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has just tested the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 in Triple SLI configuration.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“I have to honestly say that I thought SLI would be the savior of these cards. While I was testing them I was extremely happy with the results and they looked extremely impressive, but once you put them into your graphs and begin to get a better perspective of how it compares to the other setups, you realize just how disappointing the results are. For the most part the GTX 280 in SLI and GX2 in Quad SLI perform the same, bar WIC AA/AF 2560 tests and Vantage.”


The difference between SLI and Triple SLI is quite minimal, and it is impossible to logically justify spending $600 on another GeForce GTX 280 for such miniscule gains.

Click here to read the full article.

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EVGA Announces GeForce GTX 200 Series Waterblock

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Not one to waste any time, EVGA has just announced a GeForce GTX 260/280 waterblock, the Hydro Copper 16.

Here’s what they had to say:

“From the EVGA Engineering and Development labs, the EVGA Hydro Copper Waterblock Series was born. EVGA continues to intelligently innovate with the introduction of the next legend within the Hydro Copper Waterblock series: The EVGA Hydro Copper 16 Waterblock, for the GTX 280 and GTX 260 graphics cards.

Featuring a sleek-modern look and a full copper design, EVGA continues to incorporate only the best attributes that make up the Hydro Copper Waterblock Series. An extreme high flow path design with a unique, integrated pressure point allows the Hydro Copper 16 Waterblock to keep your GTX 280 or GTX 260 as cool as can be while under even the heaviest of graphical loads.

Exclusive only to EVGA, patent pending -flow technology aids in dispersing heat from GTX 280 and GTX 260 graphics processing unit (GPU). EVGA also provides full coverage with the addition of a heat-piped back plate that links with the Hydro Copper 16 Waterblock using patent pending "Co-op" technology.”


This looks like a high quality waterblock, and it is priced accordingly at $180.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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ASUS Crosshair II AM2+ Motherboard Review

June 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Overclock3D has posted a review of the ASUS Crosshair II AM2+ motherboard, which is based on NVIDIA’s nForce 780a SLI chipset.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“It's clear Asus have pulled out all the stops to bring the first SLI capable motherboard to the current AMD chipset. With new features such as Hybrid SLI and Geforce boost along with the usual crop of Asus gadgetry seen on their other high-end ROG boards, the Crosshair II sets the stage to be the perfect AMD platform whether you require all out power or indeed wish to hug a tree and shave some money off the electricty bill - the Crosshair II is quite capable of catering for both quarters.”


In the conclusion, the reviewer makes a good, though oft repeated point, that this excellent motherboard & chipset are really only limited by the current crop of AMD processors. In my opinion, the Crosshair II joins the M3A32-MVP Deluxe as the two best high-end AM2+ motherboards on the market, bar none. The ball is in your court AMD!

Click here to read the full review.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260/280 Officially Released!

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


After months of speculation, rumours and leaks, NVIDIA’s next-generation GT200 architecture has finally been released, and reviews of the highly anticipated GeForce GTX 260/280 graphics cards have now officially been posted.

So without further ado, here are the reviews:


There's no question that the GT200 is a very impressive chip, and it is an engineering triumph in many respects. In terms of sheer transistor count and computational power, it simply has no rival. It also represents NVIDIA’s first foray into the computing space, and it will be very interesting to see what developers can accomplish with CUDA. However, when it comes to gaming performance, the GeForce GTX 280 is simply overpriced for the performance it delivers. It does show brief glimpses of extraordinary performance, but for a $150 premium, it is not unreasonable to expect it to outperform the 9800GX2 in most games, and that is not currently the case.

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SilverStone TJ10 ESA Edition Case Review

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


3DGameMan has posted a video review of the SilverStone TJ10 ESA Edition case.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The SilverStone TJ10 ESA Edition Case improves on the regular TJ10 case in that it's ESA-certified. The Enthusiast System Architecture (ESA) is the industry’s first open-standard PC monitoring and control protocol for real-time communication and control of system thermal, electrical, acoustic and operating characteristics. This case is very well constructed, made from solid aluminum, has fantastic air circulation and the motherboard tray is removable. It's simply one of the best cases money can buy!”


I am not really convinced that this model is worth $40-50 more than the standard TJ10 simply for the ESA (Enthusiast System Architecture) controller, especially if you don’t have an ESA compatible motherboard (NVIDIA nForce 780i & nForce 790i). Also, while it is a great overall case, it has been overshadowed by the newer & more impressive TJ07.

Click here to check out the video review.

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Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Overclocking Report

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


MadShrimps has posted another one of their infamous processor overclocking reports, this time testing the overclockability of the dual-core Intel Core 2 Duo E7200.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The E7200 processor is a more than a decent overclocker. Even with the boxed cooler and a minimal voltage raise I was able to add more then 50% clock speed. 4 Ghz everyday stable with the boxed cooler is surely possible. You just need memory and a board that can handle just over 400 Mhz FSB. But most boards with some overclocking options can handle this. I also tested this CPU with the Asus P5K (about 85 euro) and that worked flawlessly.

But if you want to overclock the chip higher the motherboard could be the limiting factor. To reach 5 Ghz you already need more then 525 Mhz front side bus. This nowadays isn't that difficult anymore, but it's more difficult to find a board that can do that. Our Asus Commando priced at +/- 125 euro had no problems with that.”


Once again, they have achieved some impressive results, and it’s clear that the E7200 offers tremendous Bang for the Buck.

Click here to read the full article.

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NVIDIA GeForce 9800GTX & 9800GX2 Review Roundup

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


DriverHeaven, MVKTech, TrustedReviews, and TweakTown have reviewed GeForce 9800GTX’s and 9800GX2’s from ASUS, Gainward, and XFX.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • DriverHeaven: XFX GeForce 9800 GTX Black Edition Review:

    “We were very impressed by the performance of the card overall and the core and shader clocks take this GTX to a great performance level but despite this we still feel that XFX could have pushed the memory a little further than they have, though there is nothing to stop consumers doing this manually.

    Overall the GTX was already a great product; it has excellent 3D performance, good video features, runs quiet and is very well priced. The XFX Black Edition improves on this performance but still manages to retail an attractive price point and so is without doubt the best 9800 GTX we have seen to date.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • MVKTech: Gainward BLISS 9800 GX2 Dual-GPU Version:

    “The Gainward BLISS 9800 GX2 graphics card is an outstanding video card that promises to deliver outstanding performance for any game you throw at it. We showed that the GeForce 9800 GX2 version can handle gaming at incredible frame rates even at extreme high definition resolutions. So, if you are looking for a new GPU for an upgrade or fresh system build, you will find the Gainward BLISS 9800 GX2 very inviting as the performance is outstanding, and comes at a good price level compared to their competitors. By all means we can highly recommend the Gainward version of the GeForce 9800 GX2 for any gamer that wants to enjoy the latest games titles without losing out on any frame rate. It will give you an experience beyond your senses!”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TrustedReviews: Asus EN9800GX2 TOP:

    “In the mean time though, it's clear that if money is no object then this is certainly the card to go for. Yes, power consumption is quite high but then you can take advantage of HybridPower to run things more efficiently. Also, buying two 8800 GTS 512 cards and running them in SLI will get you similar performance and save £50 but then you're limited to a large SLI motherboard. Finally, while compatibility may be a problem, even if SLI isn't supported properly, just one of the internal cards will still give impressive performance in most of today's games. Indeed what the 9800 GX2 does is, once again, highlight how graphics hardware is waiting for games to catch up, rather than vice versa. With the exception of Crysis, and unless you run games at the absolute highest resolutions, any card over £200 will serve you just fine.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TweakTown: ASUS GeForce 9800 GTX TOP Edition:

    “While the more enthusiast orientated person will prefer to go for the cheapest card on the market and overclock it themselves, people who don’t want to have to worry about messing around with overclocking software will find the 9800 GTX TOP a treat. With great availability, a justifiable price and the performance of the dual GPU GX2 in some cases, it’s going to be an easy pick up for people who want to get a good bang for their buck.”


    Click here to read the full review.


I expect to see both of these models drop in price (& possibly receive a speed bump) shortly after the release of AMD’s and NVIDIA’s next-generation graphics cards, so keep your eyes open!

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MSI Reveals Intel P43 & P45 Motherboard Lineup

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


MSI has finally revealed their Intel P43 Express and P45 Express motherboard lineup, which comprises an impressive eight models in total.

Here’s what they had to say:

“MSI recently launched the MSI P45 mainboard series based on the new Intel P45 chipset. MSI offers a complete range from the mid-range segment to the high-end solutions. The MSI P45 series mainboards are equipped with server-class DrMOS which provides high power efficiency, more stable overclocking and lower temperatures. All the MSI motherboards have a zero noise solution with the MSI Circu-Pipe, Heatpipe or Heatsink.”


Models:

Click here to read the press release.

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OCZ Unveils New Diesel USB 2.0 Flash Drive Series

June 16, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OCZ Technology has just unveiled its new high-capacity Diesel USB 2.0 flash drive series, which will be available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB, and 16GB sizes.

Here’s what they had to say:

“OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the all-new Diesel USB 2.0 Flash drive that made waves at Computex earlier this month. OCZ’s latest offering harnesses a sleek and compact design coupled with high capacities you wouldn’t expect in such a small form factor. With reliability, affordability, and maximum storage capabilities, the OCZ Diesel is the affordable choice for students, professionals, and other on-the-go computer users.”


This is a mainstream flash drive model, so there’s nothing too special about, but it should offer an attractive gigabyte-per-dollar ratio. By the way, if you are more concerned with physical size than storage capacity, OCZ has also recently announced the Spyder series.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers

June 16, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky


Today we continue our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). Things were crazy-busy this past week, with a whopping 11 (!) new entires shaking up the charts. So who did what? Let's take a look:

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
2. E52625 No_Name &
3. E52267 Sampsa (www.muropaketti.com)
10. E42566 aForce

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
1. P23601 No_Name &
2. P23286 Foxconn Quantum Force Computex 2008
10. P20655 Sampsa (www.muropaketti.com)
13. P20097 aForce

New to the 3DMark Vantage - High Preset Top 20:
2. H16184 No_Name &
5. H14197 aForce

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
1. X9652 No_Name &
3. X8842 aForce

A big congrats to this week's chart climbers! Gotta love the tight competition. :D

Anyways, keep up the great work guys and gals. And remember, you can keep track of the top scores throughout the week by visiting our Hall of Fame. Until next time!
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Thermaltake Armor+ MX Case Reviews

June 14, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Bjorn3D and Hardware Canucks have reviewed the new Thermaltake Armor+ MX mid-tower case.

Here’s what they had to say:

  • Bjorn3D: Thermaltake Armor+ :

    “The Thermaltake Armor+ MX is destined for the Case hall of fame. The only feature missing that a few users might want would be a removable Motherboard tray. It's sharp looks, excellent ventilation and sound dampening steel chassis make it a good choice for anyone in the market for a Midtower.

    […]

    Out of the box I was impressed with it's statesmanship looks, 230mm side fan that provides a nice LED blue glow to the inside of the chassis, and dust filtering mesh drive doors featuring a quick release system that I've been wishing for the last few decades.

    Thermaltake has a winner with the Armor+ MX but they have my mouth watering for a full tower version of the Armor+ MX.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Hardware Canucks: Hardware Canucks: Thermaltake Armor+ MX mid-tower case:

    “The Thermaltake Armor+ MX is a very curious case which is hard to pin down and label. In some ways it is very user-friendly, and we can attest to the ease of use when it comes to the hard drive caddies and even the 5.25 bay mounting system. These two systems work as advertised and they really are tool free if you want them to be, yet still you have the option of more secure mounting and these really stand out for both their ease of use and good engineering. Other basic facets of installation are simple as well due to this case's good amount of interior room and cable routing options.”


    Click here to read the full review.


Two reviews, two distinctly different point of views. What do you think of this case?

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ASUS Eee PC 1000H & HP 2133 Mini-note Subnotebook Coverage

June 14, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Bit-Tech and TweakTown have posted first looks at two highly anticipated subnotebooks, the ASUS Eee PC 1000H and the HP 2133 Mini-note.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • bit-tech: HP's 2133 Mini-note sub-notebook:

    “The HP 2133 Mini-note Linux Edition is an incredibly good looking piece of kit, but is sadly a classic example of style over substance. Gorgeously designed and stunning to look at, the 2133 Mini-note seems to have it all at first glance. The keyboard is perfectly sized and the screen is bright and perky. It's so pleasurable to use that it could probably only be topped by an invitation to have a go on a jelly-covered bouncy castle with the half-naked celebrity of your choice.

    It's a bit disappointing then that this is all that the 2133 stands out for. Throughout our time with the notebook it slowly dawned on us that although the Mini-note wasn't a bad netbook, it certainly isn't the best. While it does manage to tick most of the right boxes and do everything it sets out to do, it just doesn't do those things as well or as fast as other products.”


    Click here to read the full article.


  • TweakTown: VIDEO unboxing of ASUS Eee PC 1000H!

    “TWEAKTOWN EXCLUSIVE We got word that the ASUS Eee PC 1000 and 1000H was to begin selling on Wednesday this week in Taiwan and we instantly set about trying to buy one.”


    Click here to read the full article.


  • TweakTown: Windows Vista on Eee PC 1000H - will it work? (video)

    “Alright folks, we’re back again!

    Windows XP is so yesterday... we couldn’t get really super downright excited about the new Eee PC 1000H until we installed Windows Vista Ultimate. So that's just what we tried to do...”


    Click here to read the full article.

So which do you find the most appealing? The PC 1000H looks like a nice upgrade over the Eee PC 900, but the 2133 Mini-note is really let down by its sluggish VIA C7-M processor. I am really hoping that an Intel Atom version is announced sooner rather than later.

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SilverStone Kublai KL03 Case Review

June 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews has just examined the SilverStone Kublai KL03 mid-tower case.

Here’s what they had to say:

“The packaging that it arrived in was top notch and the overall presentation of the product was about as good as it gets. It's also a very heavy case weighing over 30 pounds so it's not a case you would want to lug around to LAN parties if that's your thing. It's heft is what contributes to it's quality construction. The size of this case I believe adds to it's appeal for not only people wanting to install large video cards and power supplies but also those who may need or want to install an extended ATX style motherboard or just want very good air flow. It's not the lowest priced case in it's class but it does an outstanding job balancing cost with high quality construction and functionality.”


Although the Kublai KL03 may not be as awe-inspiring as some of the higher-end Temjin cases, it is still a force to be reknowned with. For example, I can’t think of another case in this price range (under $200) that offers hot-swappable hard drive cages. It is pleasing to the eye, has solid build quality, good cooling capabilities, and a user-friendly tool-less design. My only gripe is that I would opt for the non-windowed version of this case, since you wouldn’t have to see that unsightly 120MM side fan mount.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS Unveils World's Slimmest 22-inch LCD Monitor

June 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has unveiled the new LS221H 22-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which they claim is the world’s thinnest.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Catering to discerning users who require a robust performing yet sublime addition to their digital home devices, ASUS, producer of high-quality displays, today launched the LS221H LCD monitor. This ultra-slim 22" widescreen LCD monitor combines pleasing aesthetics with leather material, superb display capabilities, and features a 9H-hardness glass panel for scratch resistant protection.”




Specifications:
  • 22" widescreen LCD panel Optimal resolution: 1680x1050 WSXGA+
  • 2ms response time(gray-to-gray)
  • ASCR (ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio) 4000:1
  • 16.7 million display colors
  • 300nits brightness
  • 170°(H)/160°(V) wide viewing angles
  • 9H hardness protection glass surface
  • Splendid™ Video Intelligence Technology
  • 5 video preset modes and 3 skin-tone selections
  • Inputs: D-SUB, HDMI
  • 3-year system and panel warranty
  • 1-year zero bright dot warranty


This monitor certainly has impressive specifications, and the glass panel is definitely an interesting addition. It will be interesting to read what the reviewers think about this new model.

Click here to read the press release.

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Corsair Announces Flash Voyager Mini USB 2.0 Flash Drive

June 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Corsair has just announced the ultra-compact Flash Voyager Mini 4GB USB 2.0 flash drive.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Corsair, a worldwide leader in enthusiast computer and flash memory products, announced today the new ultra-compact USB drive, “Flash Voyager Mini” 4GB rubberized USB flash drive. The newest member of the award-winning Corsair Flash Voyager family, the Flash Voyager Mini is enclosed in all-rubber housing to protect valuable data against severe temperature, moisture, or physical abuse. The Flash Voyager Mini is ultra-sleek, 1/3 the size of regular USB drives, with a weight of only 5.4 grams -- as light as a piece of gum.”


The Flash Voyager Mini will retail for $30, which is a little expensive for a 4GB model, but are you obviously paying a premium for its tiny size. If you are in the market for a small USB flash drive, you should also consider the OCZ Spyder series and the Super Talent Pico series.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 Processor Review

June 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TechSpot has posted a review of the Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 dual-core processor, which sports a 2.53Ghz clock speed, 3MB L2 cache, 1066Mhz front side bus, and a very attractive price.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The Core 2 Duo E7200 looks to be the new must-have processor for budget users. At a little over $130, why wouldn’t that be? The level of performance produced by this low-end processor is incredible not only when compared to its direct AMD competition, but also other more expensive Intel processors.

Although the E8400 did have a clear advantage with its superior clock frequency, the E7200 was able to take on the Q6600 in a number of tests.

When you consider the fact that the Core 2 Duo E7200 was almost able to power a GeForce 9800 GX2 graphics card just as well as the E8400, the feat becomes even more impressive.”


This chip offers terrific Bang for the Buck, especially when you take overclocking into consideration. At $130-150, the E7200 really is a no-brainer for those who cannot afford an E8400 or Q6600.

Click here to read the full review.

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CPU Cooler Review Roundup - Noctua, Sunbeamtech, Thermalright & More

June 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CPU3D, Digit-Life, Guru3D, and Legit Reviews have tested CPU coolers from CoolerMaster, Coolink, Noctua, OCZ, Sunbeamtech, and Thermalright.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • CPU3D: Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer CPU Cooler:

    “In testing the Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer was able to beat the performance of the previously best air cooler I have reviewed. This in itself was very encouraging. I believe this can be attributed to the new design approach, which places the heatpipes in direct contact with the CPU surface. The overall size of the cooler was quite large, also facilitating efficient CPU thermal transfer. However, even with its large overall size, it’s lightweight and shouldn’t case any issues in bending the CPU socket, as some heavy coolers do.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Digit-Life: Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme and Ultima-90 Coolers:

    “We don't see any rivals in thermal efficiency to Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme. Its assemblies with reference fans Scythe Minebea and Noctua NF-P12 demonstrate excellent efficiency practically in all speed modes, which noise does not exceed the ergonomic level. And they combine their efficiency with a record-breaking efficiency-noise ratio. Thermalright Ultima-90 also performs well. It demonstrates decent High-End results, even though it has a compact design. They have minor usability drawbacks, of course. But both products can be safely recommended to all enthusiasts, who want to minimize operating temperatures of their quad-core processors for Intel LGA775 and AMD Socket AM2 platforms.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Guru3D: Heatpipe CPU cooler roundup:

    “See, if we'd break down the the price-perf ratio is, everything changes. So that's what you need to keep in mind. If you go for silence and optimal cooling the Noctua actually wins. If you just want a decent good priced cooler ... out of no-where the OCZ Vendetta 2 wins by a good margin.

    But each and any of these products tested today are simply put well above average; and with that in mind this pretty much sums up everything you guys need to know. Please again, understand that we tested under stringent overclocked conditions. All coolers really are way above average and are great products. We were just really curious how far it could handle an overclocked Quad Core processor, as much like you guys would like to know.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Legit Reviews: Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler Review:

    “The new NH-C12P cooler from Noctua is to be considered a high-end air cooler due to its hefty price tag of $70. Unfortunately, the old adage 'you get what you pay for' only partly applies here. The NH-C12P is very well built, and for an air cooler it is very, very quiet. As for the performance side of the cooler, this is where most expect to see their ‘bang for buck’. The cooler did perform close to the level of Noctua’s previous cooler, the NH-U12P, with our test system running at stock settings. This is perfect for those who need an extremely quiet cooler for a small desktop that can’t accommodate the larger tower coolers. As for the enthusiast that wants to push their system for all its worth, no matter what case it lives in, the NH-C12P is not for you. I think this is mainly due to the down draft style cooler. This style of cooler makes it harder, not impossible, to get the heat out of the case.”


    Click here to read the full review.


There are a bunch of top-notch CPU coolers in this roundup, so you if have been looking to buy/upgrade, you owe it to yourself to read these articles.

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PowerColor HD 4850 512MB Revealed & Benchmarked

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


One of the readers over at OCWorkBench has miraculously managed to purchase a PowerColor HD 4850 512MB in Hong Kong, way before the official June 23rd launch date. This individual kindly uploaded a bunch of pictures of the card, and has even posted a 3DMark06 screenshot!






You can be sure that heads are going to roll over this (not so little) accident.

If you are intrigued, click here to check out all the images.

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AMD & Havok Partner Up To Optimize Gaming Physics

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


AMD and Havok have just teamed up to improve physics processing on the AMD platform.

Here’s what they had to say:

“AMD and Havok today announced plans to jointly investigate the optimization of physics effects utilizing AMD’s full line of products.

With over 100 developers and 300 leading titles already using Havok’s physics engine - Havok Physics – the company has clearly defined its position as the leading developer of game physics. By working together, both companies are demonstrating their commitment to open standards and continued support for the needs of the game community.

[...]

Havok Physics scales extremely well across the entire family of AMD processors, including quad-core products such as the AMD Phenom™ X4. As part of the collaboration, Havok and AMD plan to further optimize the full range of Havok technologies on AMD x86 superscalar processors. The two companies will also investigate the use of AMD’s massively parallel ATI Radeon GPUs to manage appropriate aspects of physical world simulation in the future.”


So it appears obvious that AMD does not agree with NVIDIA’s attempt to make PhysX an open source industry standard. This will definitely make things more interesting (& less compatible), as we will be able to witness what each side can truly accomplish.

Click here to read press release.

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ATI Radeon HD 4870 Series Website Online!

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The official launch is getting closer…the promotional site for the ATI Radeon HD 4870 series is up & running.

There is not much in the way of new information, but the "Unleash One Tera" slogan clearly suggests that the HD 4870 or HD 4870 X2 will break the teraflop barrier.



It’s starting to get exciting!!

Click here to check out the website.

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Graphics Card Review Roundup - ASUS, BFG, ECS & More

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D, HardwareLogic, HEXUS, HotHardware, TechPowerUp, and TweakTown have reviewed ATI and NVIDIA-based graphics cards from ASUS, BFG, ECS, Inno3D, MSI, Palit, PNY, and XFX.

Here’s what they had to say:

  • Guru3D: XFX GeForce 9800 GX2 Black edition:

    “I also just have to mention this; for a 9800 GX2 to reach 700 MHz; wow... that's quite something. XFX make selections of their products, and are testing their product pretty rigorously, only with a very stringent and low-yield approach they select these black editions by first selecting the normal yields, then then the XXX editions ... and finally the gems that pass all performance, heat and stability tests combined becoming the Black Editions. This selection is what will make this more expensive. Here in the Netherlands the BE edition will cost you roughly 499 EUR and that's just a huge amount of money to be able to play games. Interestingly enough this actually is the launch price of the product as due to volume stock and availability the overall GX2 price now has dropped to roughly 430 EUR for the standard version.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • HardwareLogic: MSI RX3870-T2D512E OC Videocard Review:

    “Based solely on performance, the HD 3870 becomes a tough sell. In the single-GPU arena, it simply can't keep pace with Nvidia's newly released 9800GTX, instead sliding just behind the 8800GT when looking only at benchmarks. But that doesn't make the HD 3870 a dud. Quite the opposite, no other videocard offers as much bang for your gaming buck. For under $200, the MSI's RX3870-T2D512E OC provides PCI-E 2.0 support, DirectX 10.1 support, a Unified Video Decoder (UFD), HDCP and HDMI support, and playable framerates at high resolutions. And to top it off, AMD managed to cut the power draw down to a manageable rated TDP of 105W.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • HEXUS: Two overclocked GeForce 8800 GTs go head-to-head (ECS vs. Palit):

    “We've established that the Palit 8800 GT 512MB Sonic offers the same performance as the ECS, and whilst not completely silent is still inaudible in a typical system. It allows for impressive overclocking potential and comes with a nice bundle. But, again, £140 is GTS 512 territory, and if the Tomb Raider game doesn't add any value for you then it becomes a no-brainer to opt for the GTS 512. Another consideration is that Palit offers the 8800 GT with the same cooler and bundle, albeit with reference clocks, for £125, which may overclock to similar levels as this higher-clocked variant.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • HotHardware: GeForce 9600 GT Round-Up: PNY, MSI, ASUS:

    “When we compare just the three GeForce 9600 GTs in this round-up, the performance summary is relatively clear. The two 9600 GTs with reference clocks (the ASUS EN9600GT SILENT and the PNY Verto 9600 GT) are just a bit slower than the overclocked MSI N9600GT OC in most of the testing that we performed. It didn't take much logic to expect these results, though. What impressed us was how well the GeForce 9600 GTs fared against the GeForce 8800 GT 512MB.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TechPowerUp: Palit GeForce 9800 GTX 512 MB:

    “As most of you know, the GeForce 9800 GTX is based on the G92 GPU which is the same as used on the 8800 GT 512 MB and 8800 GTS. Even though NVIDIA calls this "GeForce 9" I don't really see much progress compared to "GeForce 8".

    Of course you will have the GeForce 9 bragging rights when choosing this product, which offers almost only slightly better performance compared to the GeForce 8 products.If you are an SLI fanatic, this card can also be used in triple SLI, which the GeForce 8 cards can't. Another unique feature is the support for HybridPower which completely shuts off your graphics card and renders on the integrated NVIDIA graphics of your motherboard (if you have such a motheboard). This helps to save a considerable amount of power.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TweakTown: BFG Tech GeForce 9800 GTX OCX 512MB:

    “I’ve been quite a fan of the 9800 GTX from the word go, this simply due to the plain fact that it’s brought good performance at a reasonable price. While the BFG Tech OCX is one of the more expensive 9800 GTX cards on the market, the lifetime warranty and healthy out-of-the-box overclock make it quite an attractive purchase.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • TweakTown: Inno3D GeForce 9600GT iChill Hurricane:

    “There isn’t an iChill product we haven’t been impressed with, and we can’t see that changing any time soon. We’ve got some good, fast cards on the market from them which have unique coolers that help them stand out from the pack.

    Availability on the card is good and the price isn’t something we would complain about. There’s no reason to be wary of installing the cooler as it’s an absolute breeze with no tools needed. So if you’re looking for a 9600GT that’s a little different, this could be one that’s worth buying.”


    Click here to read the full review.


That should keep you busy!

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Intel DX48BT2 'Bone Trail 2' Motherboard Review

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


X-bit Labs has posted a review of the Intel DX48BT2 'Bone Trail 2' motherboard, which is the successor to the original DX38BT ‘Bone Trail’.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“If we sum up everything from the very beginning, we will see that almost all the complaints had to do with the mainboard BIOS. Not even the actual BIOS functions but mostly convenience of their use. Intel DX48BT2 mainboard features very decent accessories bundle with a bonus fan retention frame, it has good PCB layout and excellent functionality. Of course, it can be sad to give up a favorite PS/2 keyboard, but it is not that big of a problem that can make you turn your back to Intel DX48BT2.

As for the BIOS that proved pretty inconvenient for overclocking needs, don’t take this mainboard to be an overclocker product (since we failed to overclock the CPU on it anyway) and it will be simply perfect. It is a good Intel mainboard, although it is not really meant for you. It is targeted for system integrators and specialists. The Security options in the BIOS are way too sophisticated for home use, although they will be very handy for corporate customers who never needed any overclocking functionality in the first place.”


Although the DX48BT2 is a full-featured, stable motherboard, it really disappoints when it comes to overclocking and BIOS usability. This wouldn’t be a huge deal if it was cheap, but at $260 it is not even the cheapest DDR3 X48-based motherboard on the market. In fact, there are three cheaper alternatives, the $200 ECS X48T-A, $240 ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi, and $250 MSI X48C Platinum.

Click here to read the full review.

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CPU Cooler Review Roundup - ASUS, OCZ, Thermalright & More

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews, Legit Reviews, OverclockersClub, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed CPU coolers from ASUS, OCZ, Thermalright, Thermolab, Xigmatek, and ZEROtherm.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • Benchmark Reviews: Vendetta 2 vs TRUE vs HDT-S1283: Best of the Best CPU Coolers:

    “Ultimately though, this article has to reach a large and diverse crowd of enthusiasts. My advice is this: identify your needs and estimate your budget, because I have covered the three best coolers for every configuration in this article. If your an overclocker who like to keep the peace, the Vendetta 2 offers great low-volume performance. If cost is an issue, the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 and its Kingwin RVT012025 clone are perfect. Finally, if time and money are readily available and noise isn't nearly as important as top-end cooling, the Thermalright Ultra-120 eXtreme is your best choice.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Legit Reviews:Thermolab Micro and Nano Silencer CPU Coolers:

    “I have some very mixed feelings about the Silencer coolers form ThermoLab, so let’s start with the good ones. The build quality of these two coolers is very good. The coolers are very quiet - mainly due to the fact that the fan didn’t run for the better part of the testing. Even with the fans hooked to a controller and forced to run, the sound levels were way better than the Intel retail boxed fan. The weight of the coolers are spectacularly light, at just half the weight of the stock cooler and perform better when used with a fan controller. The old adage towards coolers that ‘bigger is better’ could be getting dated after looking at these two coolers.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • OverclockersClub: ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler FZ120 Review:

    “The ZEROtherm Zen CPU Cooler has taken the towering heatsink design to the next level. ZEROtherm has decided to add a different feature when designing the Zen CPU Cooler by adding a honeycomb design to the fins in the middle of the heatsink, which will add to the surface area and make the dissipation of the heat more effective. Not only does it have the honeycomb design in the center of it, the Zen CPU Cooler is very large, allowing it to house a 120mm fan on it's front or back side. When you have the 120mm fan installed, the temperatures are average with the other coolers in it's class, however when you decide to take the 120mm fan off, the temperatures shoot up.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Virtual-Hideout: ASUS Lion Square CPU Cooler Review:

    “The whole appeal and theme adds a little something extra to the cooler. It goes against the common square cooler, but uses many of the similar features to do the same job. It's definitely one of the most well fabricated coolers around with obvious attention given to the quality of every piece. If one detail could be improved, perhaps it would be a little better lapping given to the base just to see if it would cool the processor a couple more degrees.”


    Click here to read the full review.


Enjoy!

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Intel Confidential Roadmap Revealed

June 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The sneaky fellows over at Expreview have managed to get a hold of Intel’s confidential CPU roadmap, and they have published it for all to enjoy.

Here’s what they had to say:

“This roadmap page features two yellow frames that two type of CPU are being announced. The first one is the Pentium E5000 and the other is Core2 Q8000.

In spite of its ‘Value’ positioning, the Pentium E5000 features 45nm technology, which is used in Value processors for the first time. And what surprises us most is that the chipsets of 945 series and 946 series will no longer support for this CPU. That is also the first one for value processors. Other parameters: 2MB cache and 800MHzFSB.

In the meanwhile Intel also announces Core2 Q8000, which features 45nm, 4MB cache, 1333MHz FSB.”


Click here to see the full roadmap.


On a similar note, Expreview has also posted another (likely) confidential slide that reveals that there will be a mainstream 2.66Ghz Bloomfield/Nehalem processor launching in Q4 2008, along with the higher-end 2.93Ghz and 3.2Ghz parts.

Click here to check it out.


Exciting stuff!

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Thermaltake ProWater 850i Liquid Cooling System Review

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


About a month ago, Thermaltake introduced the ProWater 850i as a more affordable alternative to the Big Water 760i. Well, TweakTown has posted a review of this new liquid cooling system.

Here’s what they had to say:

“The Thermaltake ProWater 850i is a step above the company’s entry level water cooling kits and is a good choice for those looking for stable performance with a low acoustic footprint. The fan is able to crank up to very high speeds, giving overclockers who are less worried about noise and more focused on performance the opportunity to let their system run wild.

The construction of the components in the system are above average quality and everything fits together nicely. Thermaltake has loaded the PW 850i with enough UV reactive tubing to ensure a smooth build while dressing up the look of what would otherwise be just another kitted water cooling system.”


For about $120, the ProWater 850i is a good introductory product for first time liquid cooling users. However, while it performs quite well, it can still be matched by a high-quality CPU cooler like the Sunbeamtech Core-Contact Freezer.

Click here to read the full review.

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OCZ Announces New Spyder USB 2.0 Flash Drive

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OCZ has just announced the new ultra-portable Spyder USB 2.0 flash drive, which will be available in 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB sizes.

Here’s what they had to say:

“OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the latest addition to its award-winning lineup of performance flash drives with the all-new Spyder, first debuted at Computex 2008. Undertaking exciting new endeavors in the flash memory market, OCZ is all about affordable, portable, and innovative style with this super-sleek and cap-less design that offers students and professionals highly reliable and high-capacity flash storage at an aggressive price point.”


Overall, this seems like a good product, but I couldn’t help but notice the short 2-year warranty. A little research revealed that all of OCZ’s ultra-portable USB flash drives come with 2-3 year warranties, whereas the larger performance models come with a lifetime warranty. Is there a reason to be concerned about the Spyder’s durability? I don’t know, but you may want to take that into consideration before choosing it over the ATV or Rally2 series.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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ASUS Unveils EN9600GT OC GEAR Graphics Card

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has just unveiled the new EN9600GT OC GEAR graphics card, which comes with the OC Gear 5.25" drive bay controller device.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Following the huge success of the EN8600GT OC GEAR and EAH3850 OC GEAR, ASUS, producer of exceptional graphical solutions, has once again introduced the world's first hardware based real-time overclocking device for graphics cards – the ROG (Republic of Gamers) OC GEAR, this time bundled with NVIDIA graphics cards in the form of the ASUS ROG EN9600GT OC GEAR/HTDI/512M. This new version of the OC GEAR will allow users to overclock the shader clock, memory clock, and GPU clock for greater graphical enhancements, and will provide users with up to 20% enhanced overclocking performance and gaming experiences. This powerful graphics card also utilizes the latest thermal solution – the Glaciator Fansink; that utilizes a unique fansink design to keep GPU temperatures cool.”


The 20% performance boost sounds promising, and the OC GEAR would come in handy as a fan controller/temperature monitor, but I suspect that this product will be prohibitively expensive compared to most other GeForce 9600GT models.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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ASRock & ASUS Motherboard Review Roundup

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


CPU3D and Hardware Canucks have reviewed Intel & Nvidia-based motherboards from ASRock and ASUS.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • CPU3D: ASRock Penryn1600SLIX3-WiFi Motherboard:

    “This board is quite stacked with features. Dual 16x PCI-E slots and one PCI-E 8x slot (for TRI-SLI), 7.1 HD audio, built in Wi-Fi, overclocking and system monitoring software that can be utilized under windows. Even support for new generation Intel CPU's. While the board didn’t clock as high as the Intel counterparts, it did clock high enough to make a considerable performance difference. Taking into consideration that you could build a TRI-SLI setup around it, that more than makes up for any CPU core clock difference. The CPU socket is quite spacious, and should allow for almost any large CPU cooler to be fitted with ease. ASRock even decided to throw in heatpipe cooling for both the North and South bridge.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • CPU3D: ASRock X48 TurboTwins-WiFi Motherboard:

    “The ASRock X48TurboTwins-WiFi+AP may not appeal to the hardcore extreme enthusiast, but for the rest of us mainstream user it's near perfect and offers great value for money. It does lack some of that WOW factor associated with big name brands ... but having said that, it does offer good performance with the added bonus of onboard WiFi, and support for both DDR2 and DDR3 ram.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Hardware Canucks: ASUS P5E3 Premium WiFi-AP @N X48 Motherboard Review:

    “With the bad comes plenty of good though, including dual PCI-E 16X slots for the ultimate CrossFire X gaming rig. The P5E3-Premium also boasts a silent cooling solution that again impresses with improvements to mounting hardware and the ability to really push the motherboard passively. Round that up with a full accessory package and enough software features to keep the geek in the house happy and you have a very well laid out, high performing motherboard that fills the high-end gaming segment very well. Just don't forget the sweet spot we talked about and keep the boards clocking high and the Performance Level low.”


    Click here to read the full review.

Enjoy the reading!

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Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB HDD Review

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


A little over six weeks ago, Western Digital announced a new high performance 10,000RPM hard drive. Well, Hardware Secrets has just posted a brief review of the much-discussed Western Digital VelociRaptor 300GB HDD.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“It is clear that 10,000 rpm hard disk drives are way faster than mainstream 7,200 rpm drives. During our tests VelociRaptor WD3000GLFS achieved a burst transfer rate between 78% and 91% higher and an average transfer rate around 71% higher than the one achieved by Seagate Barracuda 7200.10. So we are talking about a really high-end hard disk drive.”


The VelociRaptor is obviously an impressive hard drive, but its price/performance ratio leaves a lot to be desired. Aside from access times and IOPS, it arguably doesn’t offer enough performance benefits over the latest generation of 320-334GB/platter 7,200RPM drives to justify its $300 price tag.

Click here to read the full review.

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NZXT Reveals Khaos Full Tower Case

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


NZXT has just revealed the ‘ultra-premium’ Khaos full tower case.

Here’s what they had to say:

“NZXT, a company built on realizing the dreams of gamers worldwide, is proud to announce the Khaos, a high-performance premium gaming chassis in the NZXT Classic Series. Khaos features breakthrough design in every category effectively satisfying the needs of the most power hungry PC Enthusiasts and Gamers.”


  • Unparalleled Design – Following the success of the Lexa Chassis, NZXT took on the major feat of designing an ultra-premium chassis achieving “perfect symmetry” with matching curves and mirrored design.

  • Three channel cooling – Features two 120 mm fans for intake over 8 HDDs along with the first-ever three 120mm fan bracket is placed exactly before the video card and motherboards to ensure steady airflow.

  • Dual Power Supply Support – Designed for the power hungry PC enthusiast with future component upgrades in mind, the Khaos offers support for two power supplies. The user can split power usage between major components like the video cards and CPU with other components such as the hard drive, motherboard and floppy. NZXT even includes a specialized cable that will help start up the second PSU.

  • Thick Aluminum Build – Following the success of the NZXT Adamas, Khaos is built with high quality craftsmanship infused throughout the chassis and comprised completely of durable 2mm and 3mm thick aluminum.

  • Maximized Expandability – Khaos features 11 5.25” bays providing a large array of space for drives such as CD ROMS, Temperature Displays, and multi-format readers.

  • Convenience – Khaos comes standard with mounted rubber finished wheels for moving the chassis around the home. A handle is mounted at the back for comfort during movement. Khaos also features a flippable motherboard tray for easy access to components.


The Khaos is a striking case with impressive features, but it’s extremely expensive at $399. Is it worth it? That’s up to you!

Click here to check out the product page.

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MSI P45 Diamond Motherboard Review

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


T-Break has posted a review of the soon-to-be-released MSI P45 Diamond motherboard.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“The performance results posted by the MSI P45 are quite varied. One one hand it performs extremely well in Audio/Video Encoding applications while on the other hand, everyday-usage applications perform averagely. Gaming scores are also pretty good, comparable to the X48 and 790 chipsets from Intel and nVidia respectively. We'll wait for some more P45 boards to see how this chipset performs.

Apart from that, the MSI P45 Platinum features an impressive array of onboard features and the interesting CircuPipe and the water-cooled Northbridge block. The BIOS also offers very good overclocking and tweaking options- especially the Advance memory section where you have a lot of timings to tune up along with information through the X.M.P section.”


The P45 Diamond has an impressive features list, and a solid bundle, as has become the norm with MSI's Diamond series. According to the benchmarks, it performs quite well in audio/video encoding and in games, but disappoints in everyday applications. Hopefully, it is just an issue with an early bios.

Click here to read the full review.

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Lian Li PC-V2110 Full Tower Case Review

June 11, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tired of cheap plastic and steel mid-tower cases? Looking to move up to something a little more imposing? Well, Anandtech has posted a review of the high-end Lian Li PC-V2110 full tower case.
Let’s see what they had to say:

“For those that demand ultimate quality and class, the PC-V2110 qualifies as the stylish statesman of PC cases. It's ready to accept a hefty processor and high-end graphics card out of the box with no difficulty. If you're willing to add a few more extra fans, it can hold pretty much all the computer you want to throw at it. If you have the money to burn and find yourself partial to Lian Li quality and styling, you won't be disappointed with the V2110.”


Aside from its front door, the PC-V2110 is effectively identical to the PC-V2010, and that is good news, since the PC-V2010 is one of the best cases on the market.

Click here to read the full review.

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Western Digital Announces Caviar Black Series Hard Drives

June 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Western Digital has just announced its new Caviar Black series hard drives, which they claim are the fastest 3.5-inch 7,200 RPM HDDs on the market.

Here’s what they had to say:

“LAKE FOREST, Calif. - June 10, 2008 - WD (NYSE: WDC) today launched its new line of WD Caviar® Black™ 7200 RPM 3.5-inch SATA (Serial ATA) hard drives for high-performance desktop, workstation and multi-drive systems. Available in capacities of 750 GB and 1 TB, WD Caviar Black hard drives are part of a new family of WD product categories designed to simplify the buying experience for customers worldwide.”


Twice the cache than the excellent SE16 series, a dual processor design, a longer 5-year warranty, it certainly sounds promising. I can’t wait to see how it performs!

Click here to read the full press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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VoodooPC Unveils Envy 133 Notebook & Omen Desktop System

June 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


VoodooPC, the enthusiast arm of HP, has just unveiled the Envy 133 notebook and the Omen desktop gaming system, both of which are going to be highly exclusive products.

  • Envy 133:

    Now the Envy 133 is not a gaming system, instead it is being billed as a MacBook Air killer. The case is built entirely out of carbon fiber, which allows the unit to only weigh 3.4 pounds, while measuring a mere 0.7 inches thick. The system is packed with an Intel Core 2 Duo SP7700 1.8GHz processor, Intel GMA X3100 graphics, 13.3-inch LED-backlit display, 1,280 x 800 resolution, eSATA & HDMI & USB connectivity, and a hard disk or SSD option. Obviously, the Envy 133 won’t come cheap, with a $2,099 price tag.

  • Omen:

    Now unless you already own a VoodooPC, the Omen doesn’t apply to you, since you cannot buy it. That’s right, it is only available to existing Voodoo customers, at least initially. The Omen will utilize a custom 22-inch tall, all-aluminum case that features a unique built-in 7-inch, 800 x 480 display. As expected, the systems specifications are absolutely top-of-the-line, but so is the price, which starts at around $7,000.

For more information, click here to check out VoodooPC’s website.

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Tagan Black Pearl WCR Case Review

June 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OverclockersOnline has posted a review of the high-end Tagan Black Pearl WCR (Water Cooling Ready) full tower case.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Tagan has hit a lot of things right with the Black Pearl WCR case. From tool-less features to many small details for cable management, the Black Pearl WCR was extremely easy to work with. With pre-drilled holes for water cooling tubes and for a radiator, it easily appeals to water cooling enthusiasts.

While temperatures are decent, they could be improved with better performing fans though this could increase noise. Longer power supplies can get a little cramped and long cables are needed in order to utilize all of the hard drive bays.

Even with these minor faults, there are far more positive points going for the Black Pearl WCR to easily outweigh the negatives.”


As mentioned in the review, the $270 Black Pearl WCR is quite similar to the excellent $320 Lian Li PC-V2010, so it is really a matter of personal preference as to which case you like the most.

Click here to read the full review.

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Thermalright HR-01 Plus CPU Cooler Review

June 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


SilentPCReview has just tested the Thermalright HR-01 Plus CPU cooler.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“There is no compelling reason for a silent PC enthusiast to choose the Ultra-120 eXtreme over the HR-01 Plus. U120E is slightly more costly, its super low airflow performance is slightly worse, and it is both heavier and bigger. The HDT-S1283 is a stronger competitor due mainly to its light weight and low $35 price. However, if you want the very best low airflow cooler, the HR-01 Plus is unrivaled today. Its delivers top-notch performance with the least amount of airflow.”


This looks like an ideal CPU cooler for an HTPC, where silence is of utmost importance.

Click here to read the full review.

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500W-1200W Power Supply Review Roundup

June 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


3DGameMan, Anandtech, DriverHeaven, JonnyGURU, and XSReviews have posted reviews of power supplies ranging from 500W to 1200W.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • 3DGameMan: NorthQ Black Magic Flex 650W & 850W Power Supplies:

    ”Both of these power supplies are identical except for the specifications and connections. The 650W model is geared towards mid to high-end rigs and the 850W model is best suited high-end to hardcore computer systems. The NorthQ Black Magic Flex 650W & 850W Power Supplies offer clean efficient power, comes with a very quiet 135mm fan. They are both very compact and will fit in any ATX case on the market, including most HTPC and SFF cases. These PSUs has lots of leads, the main motherboards leads are hardwired into the PSU, but there rest modular sleek looking flex cables. As the name suggests, the cables are super flexible, which allows them to bend around almost anything. I love flex cables! Watch the video to find out more.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • Anandtech: PC Power & Cooling Silencer 500W:

    “The Silencer 500 leaves a great impression when it comes to external appearance and packaging, but the story changes once we begin testing with our Chroma. The performance isn't bad - in fact, it's quite good - but somehow the Silencer 500W does not have anything to do with silence when it comes to reasonable loads. The build quality is very good as always, though it seems the secondary capacitors could have been placed better and OST might have not have been the best choice. Our real complaint lies with the fan, however.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • DriverHeaven: SilverStone Zeus ZM1200M PSU Review:

    “The Silverstone Zeus 1200W unit is a remarkable unit when running the 12V merged and any power user will love it because it combines an excellent build quality with good aesthetics and very high performance. Silverstone has to revise the position of the rails merging switch as noted above. What’s the point of providing such a good feature to the end user but telling them that they are going to void their warranty if they try to use it? Most sensible people will think twice about voiding the warranty, since this is one of the most expensive PSUs currently available worldwide.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • JonnyGURU: NorthQ Black Magic Flex 850W PSU Review:

    “The NorthQ Black Magic 850W is a true sorcerer, managing to hand out fantastic performance in a package that competes in cost to other, less powerful units. However, these cost savings come at a price in the form of questionable capacitors and high 5VSB ripple and noise. It is this reviewer's opinion that brother Giant Connector is the better choice for the enthusiast among NorthQ's 850W offerings, but the Black Magic certainly is no devil worshipper to be shunned and burned at the stake. No recommendation this time, but they missed it by *that* much.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • XSReviews: Kingwin Mach 1 1000w Review:

    “The 1000W Kingwin Mach 1 is a very stable power supply with some of the best performing rails we’ve witnessed. As well as this, it also has very good PF ratings – again, some of the best we’ve seen. However, the Kingwin isn’t just about raw performance; in the noise department (an ever-growing importance for enthusiasts), it’s near silent – Mulnaz – and is sure not to be heard over the whirring from other fans installed in any system. Aesthetics wise, with a vibrant blue glow from its fan and modular sockets, it’s true to say, this unit is teh sex.

    The only downside to the Mach 1 is the efficiency, which to be honest, isn’t even that important. It’s not going to cost you a fortune to run and for only an extra £6 or so each year, this isn’t a factor which should hinder your decision.”


    Click here to read the full review.


Enjoy!

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ASUS Unveils M3A78 Series Motherboards

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has just unveiled the M3A78 series motherboards, which sport the AMD 780G northbridge and the new SB700 southbridge.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Catering to users who are looking for a powerful device to create an excellent home entertainment environment, ASUS, worldwide leader in motherboard production, has released the new ASUS M3A78 series. The new ASUS M3A78 series utilizes the AMD platform, and is equipped with exceptional support for analog/digital outputs – enabling the PC to be utilized as a home theater in the living room, and not just a computing tool in the study or bedroom. The M3A78-EM also comes with DisplayPort, a cutting-edge digital output ready for users to upgrade their monitors in the near future. Moreover, the M3A78 Series adopts an advanced new power design to support 140W powered CPUs – providing users with more flexible choices on CPU upgrades.”


Both of these models offer some tremendous HTPC features, and would also be ideal for mid- to low-end systems. I can’t wait to see what tangible benefits (if any) the new SB700 southbridge provides.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page: M3A78 PRO.

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ASUS Announces Maximus II Formula Motherboard

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


ASUS has just officially announced the Maximus II Formula, an Intel P45 Express-based motherboard.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Catering to gamers who want to enjoy the ultimate in gaming experiences, ASUS, world leader in motherboard production, has released the new ASUS ROG Maximus II Formula series motherboard. Equipped with an Intel P45 chipset and supporting DDRII memory, this cutting-edge piece of hardware provides exceptional gaming performances to suit gamers of today. It can also deliver outstanding audio quality through an innovatively designed SupremeFX X-Fi audio card; while the inclusion of the innovative CPU Level Up technology allows gamers to obtain flexible CPU boosts – without any complicated setups. Additionally, the Extreme Engine power design provides stable voltages for reliable operations – making this motherboard the ultimate gamer's choice.”


The Maximus II Formula is quite possibly going to be the pinnacle of Intel DDR2-based motherboards, since the next generation chipsets will supposedly only support DDR3 memory. I can’t wait to see what the reviewers have to say!

Click here to read the press release.

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Apple iPhone 3G Officially Announced

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2008 began today, and as expected, the iPhone 3G was officially announced. There's no reason to beat around the bush, the biggest change that this new model brings is obviously the addition of the much faster 3G radio with tri-band (850/1900/2100) HSDPA capabilities.

Here’s what Apple had to say:

“Apple today introduced the new iPhone 3G, combining all the revolutionary features of iPhone with 3G networking that is twice as fast as the first generation iPhone, built-in GPS for expanded location based mobile services, and iPhone 2.0 software which includes support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync and runs the hundreds of third party applications already built with the recently released iPhone SDK. In the US the new iPhone 3G is priced at a stunning $199 for the 8GB model, and just $299 for the 16GB model. iPhone 3G will be available in more than 70 countries later this year, beginning with customer availability in 22 countries—Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK and the US—on July 11.”


The iPhone 3G has been highly anticipated ever since the original iPhone was first revealed sans 3G radio, so it’s a pleasure to see the final product. The technical specifications are as expected (same CPU, GPU, screen, etc), thanks to the incessant rumours/leaks during the last 6 months, but the price drop is a particularly nice surprise. While it features essentially the same design as the original iPhone, the tactile matte aluminium back has been replaced with a glossy plastic one. It should be interesting to see how well it puts up with wear and tear...

So has Apple finally created the perfect device for you? Let’s hear your thoughts!

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the product page.

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Silverstone Ensemble EB01 & EB02 Audio System Review

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks has posted a review of the Silverstone Ensemble EB01 and EB02 audio system.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Overall we were very impressed with the sound quality produced by the SilverStone Ensemble audio system. This meshes well with the design intent of this product since it was designed to be a total solution for high quality stereo desktop audio for PC or Laptop use. The Ensemble system produced quality audio with good articulate bass, full midrange, shimmering high tones and huge soundstage all without a hint of distortion or noise. Although the individual units are meant to be complimentary to each other they each have features and functions that allow them to be used separately for certain audio tasks. For example, the EB01 DAC can be used to drive your favorite high quality headphones or active (amplified) PC speaker system while he EB02 amplifier can be used to amplify any sound source such as your PC or laptop sound card, MP3 player, CD player or any device with a line-level audio output.”


These two products are squarely aimed at the audiophile market, highlighted by the fact that they only output 2-channel audio. Together, they provide a good option for those who want to use traditional stereo bookshelf speakers as their main computer speakers.

Click here to read the full review.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 Exposed

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The fine folks over at VR-Zone have managed to get a hold of an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280, and have posted some close-up shots of the card.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Here are some close-up shots of a stripped down GeForce GTX 280 card for you guys to enjoy over the weekend. The markings on the IHS is labeled as G200-300-A2 and has a total of 16 Hynix 0.8ns GDDR3 memory chips.”


There’s not really much more to say, so click here to check out the pictures.

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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers

June 9, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky


Welcome back to our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). Things were pretty busy this past week, with a whopping five new entries vying for top spot. Where did they all land? Let's take a look, shall we?

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
10. E41805 Untitled
16. E33810 First (Entry)

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
4. P21666 CUSTOM BUILT PCS /SKULLTRAIL

New to the 3DMark Vantage - High Preset Top 20:
6. H14129 aForce
12. H12226 OC-team@netgiganten.se

New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
10. X7878 OC-team@netgiganten.se

A big congrats to this week's chart climbers! I bow to your benchmarking skills. :D

Anyways, keep up the great work guys and gals. And remember, you can keep track of the top scores throughout the week by visiting our Hall of Fame. Until next time!
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Everglide DKTBoard Keyboard Review

June 9, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


DriverHeaven has posted a review of the Everglide DKTBoard keyboard.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Thinking first about the design and layout of the DKTboard we were happy to see aluminium used for the top half of the chassis as there is little chance of damage to this section. The keys are only slightly taller than a laptop style keyboard and provide a fast and responsive typing experience. The key layout will be something that users either love or hate and overall we lean towards the former rather than the latter. It would be better to have a more standard ordering of the keys, such as having Print Screen, Scroll Lock and Pause Break grouped together, however following a few days of adjustment the unit is easy to use.”


This is a pretty slick looking keyboard, especially when key illumination is turned on. However, because of how squeezed the key layout is, I don’t think that it would be ideal for gaming purposes.

Click here to read the full review.

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Computex Taipei 2008 Final Coverage Roundup

June 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Yesterday was the last day of Computex Taipei 2008, so here is the final coverage:



Well that’s it for this year! I hope you have enjoyed the coverage.

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MSI N9600GT Hybrid Freezer Preview

June 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TweakTown has posted an in-depth look at the recently announced MSI N9600GT Hybrid Freezer graphics card.

Here’s an excerpt:

“The main thing I can’t get over however is the look of the cooler; it’s simply awesome with everything looking great, from the mesh over the fan to the plastic that covers the fins. We would have liked to have heard the fan spin up just to see what its noise levels are like, but we’re not exactly going to complain about the fact that under all the benchmarks we threw at it the fan didn’t once have the need to spin up.

Now we just have to hope that MSI go for a decent overclock, which we’re sure they will if past experience is anything to go by. The current crop of 9600GT OC cards from MSI come with a 700MHz core and 1900MHz DDR memory clock. Hopefully we see at least 2000MHz DDR on the memory clock with this new model, and maybe another 20MHz on the core to really make the card stand out.”


Along with the impressive cooler, this model has respectable 700Mhz core, 1680Mhz shader, 1800Mhz memory clocks, which makes it one of the fastest GeForce 9600 GT 1GB models on the market. At $210, it is inline with other 1GB models, but a fair bit more expensive than most 512MB models, and since the extra memory provides no tangible benefits, it’s hard to justify the extra cost.

Click here to read the full review.

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Crucial Ballistix PC3-16000 2GB Memory Kit Review

June 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Logic has posted a review of Crucial’s Ballistix PC3-16000 2GB memory kit.

Here’s what they had to say:

“Crucial is out front again with yet another outstanding kit targeting the cutting edge enthusiast crowd. While at this time very few motherboards can handle 2000MHz memory, this kit will keep you on the cutting edge for the foreseeable future. Sure the latencies are nothing spectacular at CAS 9, but the Crucial PC3-16000 kit was really held back by a finicky ASUS 790i motherboard (although we're really hoping the performance will improve as the BIOS matures).”


This is an excellent DDR3 memory kit, maybe one of the best. However, at $500 it is considerably more expensive than other PC3-16000 models, most of which retail in the $270-300 range. By the way, in order to achieve a stable DDR3-2000 memory speed, you need an nForce 790i-based motherboard or the ASUS P5E3 Premium, so keep that in mind before you splurge on one of these high-ends kits.

Click here to read the full review.

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Intel Nehalem To Allow Overclocking

June 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


A few weeks ago, there were rumours that Intel would prevent overclocking on some of its upcoming Nehalem processors. Well, TG Daily is reporting that these rumours are false.

Here’s an excerpt:

“Hot on the heels of AMD's overclocking secret, we can reveal that Bloomfield and Lynnfield, key processors of Intel’s upcoming Nehalem family, will indeed feature overclocking capabilities for up to eight CPU cores (16 threads).”


TG Daily is definitely above-average when it comes to the accuracy of their insider knowledge, so this should help alleviate some of the concerns that the enthusiast community had upon hearing the initial rumour.

Click here to read the full article.

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Samsung SyncMaster 305T 30-inch LCD Monitor Review

June 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks has posted a long-term review of the humongous Samsung SyncMaster 305T, a 30-inch LCD monitor.

Here’s an excerpt:

“With all of the beauty offered by the picture produced by the 305T, there are two areas where it really shines: playing games and in professional applications. It doesn’t matter which game you play since they all take on a whole new dimension when played at the drool-worthy resolution of 2560 x 1600 but there is one major trade-off with such a large monitor: graphics power. Don’t expect to play your favourite game on the 305T with any budget graphics card since it takes some serious horsepower to render all the pixels a 30” screen can display. While gamers are one portion of the market, on the completely opposite end are the professionals who use their computers for graphics work and this monitor will open up amazing realms of flexibility for them. Even though the color gamut is not as wide as some competing products; Photoshop, Maya and other programs benefit quite a bit from the extra screen space and thus productivity will increase.”


When judged for its image quality, the 305T has few peers. However, as a whole, this model is starting to show its age. The 305T was unveiled all the way back in October 2006, making it easily the oldest 30-inch LCD monitor still on the market. As a result, it lacks certain connectivity features, such as an HDMI port and HDCP compatibility, both of which have become prerequisites in high-end displays. It also lacks the video upscaling capabilities of competing products, such as the Dell UltraSharp 3008WFP and Gateway XHD3000. Having said that, I strongly suspect that Samsung has an updated model in the works, so it’s only a matter of time before it’s released.

Click here to read the full review.

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Hiper Anubis & Osiris Case Review

June 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


BigBruin and DriverHeaven has posted reviews of the Hiper Anubis and Osiris cases.

Let’s see what they had to say:

  • Bigbruin: Hiper Osiris ATX Tower Case Review:

    “The Osiris turned out to be one beautiful case. Hiper has really made an excellent product, with great attention to detail. It appears refined and polished, and in no way comes off as gaudy. No matter what side you look to you will find it blends perfectly with the rest.

    The finish is durable, the lines are clean, and the rivets and screws are all mounted flush with the surfaces. The entire case, inside and out, is anodized black with the exception of the motherboard tray, which appears to be Zinc plated. I could go on and on, as I found every aspect of the manufacturing of this case to be beautiful. All three 120mm fans worked well, while leaving room for water-cooling should you desire.”


    Click here to read the full review.


  • DriverHeaven: Hiper Anubis review:

    “The Hiper Anubis chassis really does look exceptionally cool when seen ‘in the flesh’. The black metal, which is actually military grade 6063-T5 alloy, oozes quality and little touches such as the method used to remove the side panel make using the product simple. On the whole the build quality of the case is first class with every edge and fit perfect both inside and out. Additionally the thermal performance, when combined with quality fans, is excellent.”


    Click here to read the full review.

These are two similar well-rounded cases, both inside and out, therefore it really comes down to personal preference.
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MSI Unveils K9N2 Diamond & K9N2 SLI Platinum AM2+ Motherboards

June 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


MSI has just announced two new AM2+ motherboards, the K9N2 Diamond and K9N2 SLI Platinum, which are based on the NVIDIA nForce 780a SLI and nForce750a chipsets, respectively.

Here’s what they had to say:

“NForce, the chipset from NVIDIA® supports multi-GPU SLI that is the first choice of many gaming mainboards. But multi-GPU SLI consumes high power levels and noise that most users worry about. Therefore, MSI hopes user can still enjoy extreme performance, and when the system does not require high performance, it consumes less power and maintains a low noise level. MSI has already come out with K9N2 Diamond and K9N2 SLI Platinum mainboards which are Hybrid SLI technology ready. K9N2 Diamond utilizes nForce780a chipset together with top performance specifications and supports 3-way SLI technology. While, K9N2 SLI Platinum utilizes nForce750a chipset, making this mainboard cost-effective. "K9N2 series mainboards are the best gaming choice on AMD platform", said Vincent Lai, MSI worldwide marketing director.”


The number of NVIDIA nForce 780a-based motherboards is still quite limited, but based on initial user reviews, the K9N2 Diamond is possibly the best one right now. Therefore, if you have anxiously been waiting to build a 3-way SLI AMD system, this is a good place to start.

Click here to read the press release.

Click here to check out the K9N2 Diamond’s product page.

Click here to check out the K9N2 SLI Platinum’s product page.

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BFG GeForce 8800 GT OCX Review

June 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


A few days ago, BFG announced two new overclocked graphics cards. Well, I4U has gotten a hold of one of the models, and has posted a review of the BFG GeForce 8800 GT OCX.

Let’s see what they had to say:

“If you are in the market for an NVIDIA 8800 GT, the BFG 8800 GT OCX is the card to shop for. The BFG 8800 GT OCX is simply the best performing 8800 GT that you can buy at any price.”


I am a little disappointed that this ‘review’ did not examine the new ThermoIntelligence Custom Cooling Solution, which one of the cornerstones of this particularly model. Hopefully, another site will take an in-depth look at this new cooler.

Click here to read the full review.

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Computex Taipei 2008 Coverage - Day 4

June 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


This is the before last day of Computex 2008, and it has been one of the best days yet!

Check it out:


  • CPU3D:



  • TweakTown:



    Cases galore, lots of memory products, some cool looking motherboards, and more…I can’t wait to see what tomorrow brings!?

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    Computex Taipei 2008 Coverage - Day 3

    June 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    This is now the third day of Computex 2008, so let’s see what else has been revealed:


  • Futurelooks:



  • PC Perspective:



  • TweakTown:



  • TechwareLabs:



    Aside from Thermalright’s case and Kingmax’s entry into the SSD market, there’s nothing too unexpected to report. However, I have it on good authority that tomorrow will be more exciting.

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    Intel "Nehalem" Quad-Core Processor Preview

    June 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Anandtech has bodly managed to sneak two pre-production “Nehalem” processors away from Intel’s careful supervision, and they have posted some initial performance numbers.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “First keep in mind that these performance numbers are early, and they were run on a partly crippled, very early platform. With that preface, the fact that Nehalem is still able to post these 20 - 50% performance gains says only one thing about Intel's tick-tock cadence: they did it.

    We've been told to expect a 20 - 30% overall advantage over Penryn and it looks like Intel is on track to delivering just that in Q4. At 2.66GHz, Nehalem is already faster than the fastest 3.2GHz Penryns on the market today. At 3.2GHz, I'd feel comfortable calling it baby Skulltrail in all but the most heavily threaded benchmarks. This thing is fast and this is on a very early platform, keep in mind that Nehalem doesn't launch until Q4 of this year.”


    Not that there was ever any doubt, but Intel’s next-generation processor architecture definitely seems to be a winner, even in the early & crippled form that we just saw. Starting saving up your pennies though, because this new platform surely won’t be cheap!

    Click here to read the full article.

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    NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Review Roundup - BFG & TwinTech

    June 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    TweakTown has reviewed two overclocked GeForce 9600 GT graphics cards, from BFG and TwinTech.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    • BFG Tech GeForce 9600GT OC2:

      “BFG Tech; while always having been a brand that has pushed overclocked cards, the company never really pushes its cards to the limit. With the release of the new OC2 and OCX models we thought that this would change, and it’s a bit disappointing to see that BFG hasn’t gone for the 700MHz core and 2000MHz DDR memory clock configurations a lot of other companies have used who are pushing a bit of a serious overclock.

      With that said though, BFG has done what they do best; create a midly overclocked card that gives us a nice little performance boost while offering a lifetime warranty and 24/7 tech support.”


      Click here to read the full review.


    • TwinTech GeForce 9600GT XXT OC Edition:

      “It’s been a while between cards from Twintech; and like the last one we looked at, this one also seems to be quite impressive. While there isn’t a whole lot going on in the package department, the aftermarket cooler is quiet and performs well. To top it off, the performance from the card on a whole is pretty good. It manages to give us a pretty consistent 10% performance increase over a stock 9600GT while keeping temps down by almost 10c as well.”


      Click here to read the full review.


    The TwinTech is significantly more impressive than BFG’s offering, due to its aftermarket cooler and its unprecedented memory clocks. So if you can find it, don’t hesitate to buy it.

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    Mushkin XP2-8500 Ascent 4GB Memory Kit Review

    June 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    About a month ago, Mushkin unveiled a series of new memory modules that utilize an advanced heat spreader design. Well, these new products have officially been released, and Bjorn3D has just posted a review of the Mushkin XP2-8500 Ascent 4GB memory kit.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “While we were unable to directly test the enhanced Vapor Chamber Interface” (eVCI) for fear of disrupting the vapor copper vapor barrier we feel the design is excellent and should provide excellent cooling when pushing this or other Ascent series meroy kits to their maximum performance level. When it comes to recommending this two fine 4GB DDR2 memory kits we feel it's the best performing 4GB kit we've seen to date! If you're planning on sticking with DDR2 for a while and need 4GB then we can heartily recommend the 4GB Mushkin XP2-8500 Ascent kit.”


    At $150, this kit is on par with the Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB, but with Mushkin you get the added bonus of a 3DMark Vantage Advanced license. You also get the rare privilege of knowing that each module is hand-tested, and can hit some impressive clock speeds (1146Mhz 5-5-5 at 2.0-2.1V).

    Click here to read the full review.

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    Super Talent MasterDrive MX 60GB SATA-II SSD Review

    June 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Exactly one month ago, Super Talent launched a series of somewhat affordable solid state drives. Well, Legit Reviews has now posted a review of the Super Talent MasterDrive MX 60GB SATA-II SSD.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    “The Super Talent MasterDrive is a great entry level SSD. For super freaks who do not want to spend upwards of $1000 dollars for some of the high end drives, its a great product. The load speeds are incredibly fast, with programs loading almost instantly. This drives only weakness is writing. Its no faster, and in some cases slower than a normal rotational 7200RPM hard drive. For those cursed with a laptop hard drive, that constantly parks the heads to save power, this hard drive is a godsend, as since it has not rotational parts, it is silent. If I was going to recommend a drive to someone, I would recommend this drive, if budget allowed.”


    While $410-420 is still expensive for 60GB, it is considerably cheaper than most 64GB solid state drives, which retail for a minimum of $800. Having said that, in my opinion, SSDs still don’t provide enough real-life performance benefits to warrant their price premium over conventional 7,200 & 10,000 RPM drives.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler Review

    June 4, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    HardwareCanucks has posted a review of the CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU cooler, a compact all-in-one system that utilizes a Peltier to achieve superior cooling performance.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “Well we don’t know about you but the numbers that the CoolIT Elite posted are jaw droppingly impressive. Sub ambient temperatures under full load at stock speeds? That is simply impossible to do with water cooling no matter which way you cut it. Even better was the fact that the unit was not that noisy for the amount of performance it was producing. We have be long-time fans (pardon the pun) of Panaflo fans, as they are serious performers that create very little bearing noise and the model used on the Elite is no exception. Yes, it can be considered loud, but the noise it creates is very easy to ignore and more importantly it easily fades into the background. When you contrast this with some other high performance fans the competition use, said competition really are left behind eating dust with a big old side dish of crow.”


    At $400 to $500, the Freezone Elite is an expensive product, especially when you consider that it only cools your processor, nothing else. However, short of a phase change cooler, which is not particularly ideal for 24/7 operation, you will not find a better CPU cooling solution.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    Computex Taipei 2008 Coverage - Day 2

    June 4, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    It is Day 2 of Computex 2008, and hundreds of new products have already been revealed.

    Let’s see what’s new:

  • PC Perspective:



  • TweakTown:



  • TechwareLabs:



    It is nice to see some Intel X58-based motherboards in the flesh, and that Acer G24 gaming LCD monitor looks extremely promising (if not a little flashy for my tastes!). However, there is still no juicy info on the Radeon HD 4800 series and GeForce 2x0 series, which is obviously what we are all waiting for!

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    Lenovo L220X 22-inch LCD Monitor Review

    June 4, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Techgage has just reviewed the Lenovo L220X 22-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which sports an impressive 1920 x 1200 resolution.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “What Lenovo gave up in features with the L220X, they compensated for in image quality, in spades. The L220X is, without a doubt, the sharpest and most accurate monitor I have ever seen. It's suitable for any type of work, making it capable of handling any task you throw at it.

    However, with its strengths considered, it's weaknesses may be more apparent. Even though the display's image quality is spectacular, some users will feel the pain of missing extra ports and features. Other 24" monitors have included far more display ports, memory card slots, and more, and we would have loved to see them included here.”


    The L220X features a highly desirable S-PVA panel, so colour reproduction and viewing angles are exceptional. It is very unusual for a 22” monitor to have such a high native resolution, but the advantage is extremely sharp image quality. Having said that, be aware that this model does not support 1:1 pixel mapping, so if you use any resolution aside from 1920 x 1200, it will be blurry.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    AMD Announces Mobility Radeon HD 3800 Series & More

    June 4, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Along with the “Puma” mobile platform, AMD has just announced the ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3800 series and two other mobile graphics technologies.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “AMD today announced the ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3800, tripling top-of-the line graphics performance in comparison to the previous generation ATI Mobility Radeon™ GPUs. Joining the previously announced ATI Mobility Radeon™ 3000 family, the new ATI Mobility Radeon HD 3800 series offers notebook manufacturers the ability to deliver fast graphics performance, energy-efficient 55nm graphics processor technology, amazing video playback, and, for the first time ever, ATI CrossFireX™ technology for a mobile graphics solution.”


    Click here to read the press release.


    Secondly, they have announced ATI PowerXpress:

    “AMD today announced that ATI PowerXpress™ users can double or triple the performance of the integrated graphics processor when plugged into a wall socket or extend their battery life by over an hour while on the go2. Previously announced earlier this year as a variant of ATI Hybrid Graphics Technology for notebook computers, ATI PowerXpress allows notebook users to manually or automatically switch between an ATI Mobility Radeon™ HD 3400 series discrete graphics processor and an integrated AMD M780G with ATI Radeon™ HD 3200 graphics without rebooting their notebook. ATI PowerXpress features can also be accessible and user configurable via the Catalyst™ Control Center.”


    Click here to read the press release.


    Lastly, they have unveiled ATI XGP (External Graphics Platform) Technology:

    “AMD today announced ATI XGP™ (External Graphics Platform) Technology, a new external PCI Express® (PCIe) 2.0 graphics platform, designed to deliver enthusiast-class desktop graphic performance and true multimedia upgradeability to notebooks. ATI XGP is an exclusive technology that capitalizes on PCIe 2.0 to deliver enthusiast-class graphics via a connected cable to an externally powered and cooled device. This unique innovation delivers up to 4.0 Gbyte/s in each direction in bandwidth communication between the notebook and external graphics, whereas previous consumer level external solutions were limited in graphics bandwidth.”


    Click here to read the press release.


    It is about time that AMD releases a worthwhile competitor to the NVIDIA GeForce 8800M series, and considering the significant delay, I seriously hope that it was worth the wait…

    The ATI XGP (External Graphics Platform) Technology certainly sounds promising, so hopefully it doesn’t end up like the ill-fated ASUS XG Station .

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    AMD Officially Unveils "Puma" Mobile Platform

    June 4, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    A few moments ago, AMD officially unveiled its long-awaited “Puma” mobile platform, which utilizes the “Griffin” mobile processor architecture.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “As a part of the new platform, AMD today also announced a new notebook processor and chipset, which together deliver the ultimate in HD visual performance on the go. The AMD Turion X2 Ultra Dual-Core Mobile processor includes top enhancements including AMD Independent Dynamic Core Technology, a new mobile-optimized memory controller, and power-optimized HyperTransport™ 3.0. The new mobile AMD 7-series chipset, AMD M780G and AMD SB700, features integrated ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics and delivers support for Microsoft DirectX® 10. The integrated graphics deliver up to three times the 3D graphics performance of comparable competitor graphics and offer ATI Avivo™ HD Technology for smooth video playback in hi-def format.”


    New Logo:



    This is big news! New processor series, new northbridges, new southbridge, new integrated graphics processors. AMD is clearly gunning for Intel’s delayed “Montevina” Centrino 2 platform. I'm extremely pleased that they decided to produce a mobile version of the terrific 780G chipset. I can’t wait to see some performance and battery life numbers!

    Click here to read the press release.

    Click here to check out the Puma Press Presentation (PDF).

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    BFG Announces Two 'OCX' Overclocked Graphics Cards

    June 3, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    BFG has just announced two new overclocked graphics cards, the GeForce 8800 GT OCX and GeForce 9600 GT OCX, both of which feature the ThermoIntelligence Custom Cooling Solution.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “BFG Technologies®, Inc., the leading North American and European supplier of advanced NVIDIA-based 3D graphics cards, power supplies and other PC enthusiast products, announced today the BFG GeForce® 8800 GT OCX™ and BFG GeForce® 9600 GT OCX 512MB PCI Express® 2.0 graphics cards.

    Each new OCX edition features the highest stable clock speeds and a ThermoIntelligence® custom cooling solution. The custom fansink enables the graphics processing unit (GPU) to operate up to 18° C and 30° C cooler than the stock 9600 GT and 8800 GT, respectively.”




    Click here to read the press release.

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    Computex Taipei 2008 Coverage - Day 1 [Updated]

    June 3, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Computex 2008 is now fully underway in Taipei, so here is some initial coverage from various sites:

  • CPU3D:



  • HotHardware.com:



  • PC Perspective:



  • TweakTown:



    UPDATE:

  • Futurelooks :


  • Techgage:


  • TechwareLabs:



    There has been nothing too surprising on Day 1, so let’s hope that tomorrow brings forth some exciting, never seen before products!

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    Belkin Nostromo Speedpad n52te Game Controller Review

    June 3, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Let’s continue the news coverage of unusual input devices, I4U has posted a review of the Belkin Nostromo Speedpad n52te game controller.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “The Belkin Nostromo n52te is the first Nostromo gamepad from Belkin that is powered by Razer. The cool blue backlighting will be readily identifiable to any gamer familiar with Razer products. The n52te is powered by Razer drivers and software also.

    The n52te has onboard memory that allows it to store macros and profiles for use on computers without software or drivers. The software allows macros of 42 characters in length to be programmed to any of the 15 buttons.”


    The Nostromo n52te is definitely one of the better game pads, if simply due to its superior software and ability to record complex macros.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator Tested

    June 3, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Overclock3D has just tested OCZ’s one of a kind Neural Impulse Actuator, which is a futuristic hands-free input device.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “For those of us who have absolutely no idea what the nia is, or why we're jumping around like school kids at the beginning of the summer holidays, the nia is most probably the most advanced device to make its way onto retailers' shelves in a LONG time. Capable of reading neuronal discharges in the brain, muscular signals and retinal movements, OCZ have marketed the device at gamers, claiming that the device can be used as a kind of brain-powered-joystick to compliment, and possibly even replace, the traditional keyboard or mouse during gaming. Not only this, but by cutting out a large portion of the time that the body would usually take to relay information from the eye down through the body to our hands and fingers, the nia is also reported to reduce reaction times by anything up to 60%.”


    Whether or not you have been following the development of this product, you should definitely check out this article since it is such a unique device.

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    ASUS Rampage Formula Motherboard Review

    June 2, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    TweakTown has just reviewed the ASUS Rampage Formula, an enthusiast-oriented Intel X48-based DDR2 motherboard.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “The Rampage Formula was extremely impressive; its overclocking was brilliant and the feature rich BIOS allows for maximum tweaking and overclocking. While we managed to only hit 525MHz, it’s possible with some more tweaking of the voltages and the GTL reference dividers that you’re likely to get some more speed out of the board. And with the latest 45nm CPU, overclocking becomes even easier.”


    The Rampage Formula is a tremendous motherboard, and if you are in the process of piecing together a new high-end DDR2 system, it is a terrific starting point. However, with the imminent release of the P45 Express chipset, and drool-worthy motherboards like the Maximus II Formula, those who can wait a bit would be advised to do so.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    NVIDIA Announces Tegra Mobile Platform

    June 2, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    By now, most of you have read Jen-Hsun Huang’s infamous statement that NVIDIA is going to “open a can of whoop ass” on Intel. Well some of the “can” has now been revealed, and it is surprisingly not graphics-related. NVIDIA has just announced the Tegra 600 and 650 mobile processors, which are aimed directly at Intel’s hottest new product line, the Atom processors.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “Today, NVIDIA Corporation introduced the Tegra family of processors, the world’s first single-chip computer capable of the rich high definition and internet experiences we’ve come to expect from our PCs, but on small pocket type devices. NVIDIA Tegra is a tiny computer-on-a-chip, smaller than a US dime (10-cent piece), designed from the ground up to enable the “visual PC experience” on a new generation of mobile computing devices while consuming the smallest amount of power.”


    It looks like NVIDIA is out to get a serious chunk of the ultra-mobile PCs/Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) market, which promises to skyrocket in the coming years. If the claimed performance and battery life figures are anywhere near accurate, this is going to be an extremely exciting and important product line that will vastly expand the capabilities of current mobile devices.

    Here is some coverage of this announcement:


    What are your thoughts? Anyone else excited?

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    Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers

    June 2, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky


    Welcome to the latest installment of our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). Things were fairly quiet this past week, but we do have a handful of new entries to share with everyone. So let's take a look at who did what, shall we?

    New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
    9. E43026 mtzki - 9800GX2 SLI testing - mato78.com

    New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
    12. P20082 mtzki - 9800GX2 SLI testing - mato78.com

    New to the 3DMark Vantage - High Preset Top 20:
    3. H14893 ASUS EN9800GX2 TOP | Striker II Extreme
    6. H14120 mtzki - 9800GX2 SLI testing - mato78.com

    New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
    1. X9123 Kinc | ASUS EN9800GX2 TOP | Striker II Extreme
    6. X8414 mtzki - 9800GX2 SLI testing - mato78.com

    A big congrats to this week's chart climbers! It's always great to see someone set a new 1st overall record. Gives us something to strive for. :D

    Anyways, keep up the great work guys and gals. And remember, you can keep track of the top scores throughout the week by visiting our Hall of Fame. Until next time!
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    ASRock A780FullDisplayPort Motherboard Reviews

    June 2, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    CPU3D and Phoronix have posted reviews of the ASRock A780FullDisplayPort, an AMD 780G-based mATX motherboard.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    • CPU3D:

      “As you can see the performance of the ASRock A780FullDisplayPort was on par, and most of the time exceeded the performance of the two other 780G boards. It would make a great workstation or HTPC board. Serious gamers will probably look elsewhere, but the integrated graphics would suit High Definition media well. The Hybrid Crossfire, while a great feature set, will only pair with lower end ATI graphics cards, which defeats the purpose of paring cards for maximum gaming ability.”



      Click here to read the full review.


    • Phoronix:

      “While both the ASRock A780FullDisplayPort and ECS A780GM-A v1.0 motherboards are virtually identical, the ASRock motherboard had shown a slight lead in a number of the pcqs-motherboard tests. ASRock was on top, but the performance wasn't dramatically different. The DisplayPort connection on the ASRock motherboard is a nice touch, but that will limit you to using the proprietary fglrx driver at this point. The other video output connections include DVI, VGA, and there is an included DVI to HDMI adapter, which is more than the ECS motherboard offering a lone analog VGA source. From our benchmarks of the Radeon HD 3200 / 780G, the performance of this IGP is comparable to the Radeon HD 2400PRO.”


      Click here to read the full review.

    This is definitely one of the most fully featured 780G motherboards, and it has an unprecedented number of video outputs (D-Sub, DVI-D, HDMI, Displayport). To my knowledge, this is the first motherboard to ship with DisplayPort capability, so it is perfect for a future-proof home theater PC.

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    G.Skill PC2-8500 4GB Memory Kit Review

    June 2, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Virtual-Hideout has posted a review of the G.Skill PC2-8500 4GB memory kit, which sports the new "Pi" series heat spreader.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    “All is well and has ended well. Yet, another good performing, great looking Dual Channel 4GB memory kit has passed the test. When dealing with larger capacity memory modules, the most important feature truly is stability. 4GB DDR2 memory isn't meant for the most up to date overclocking enthusiast. If that's your goal, then 4GB DDR3 is where you want to be. However, since DDR2 is still the most cost effective option, it's a worth while investment to pick up some G.Skill 4GB PI DDR2 memory for your system.”


    This is a pretty standard 4GB PC2-8500 kit, and with that in mind, it’s a little bit expensive when compared to similar kits like the OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPC.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    Honeywell Arius 22-inch LCD Monitor Review

    June 2, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    ThinkComputers has posted a review of Honeywell Arius 22-inch LCD monitor.

    Here’s an excerpt:

    “Even though this is not advertised as a gaming LCD the 2ms response time is perfect for playing all types of games. Also the color reproduction is awesome, high color backgrounds look spectacular. Also the backlighting on the display is not noticeable at all during gaming or watching movies. This has to be one of the better LCD's we have looked at lately.”


    I have read quite a few reviews on this monitor, and they have all been extremely positive, so if you can find it in-stock, don’t hesitate to buy it.

    Of particularly interest is the fact that the specifications claim 176º viewing angles, which is by far the highest that I have seen (or even thought possible) by a TN panel. If accurate, this is a tremendous leap forward, and it removes one of the greatest limitations that had plagued TN panel monitors.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    Intel Nehalem CPU & X58 Chipset Revealed

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Bit-Tech has posted some pictures and basic information regarding Intel’s upcoming Nehalem processor and X58 chipset.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    “MSI showed us how it is currently testing early versions of Intel’s next generation Nehalem architecture, which is based on the Bloomsfield CPU platform and Tylersberg chipset – the latter will be branded under the X58 nomenclature.

    First, the CPU and its new socket: while the roadmaps say the high-end Nehalem to be launched in Q4 will have up to eight cores, the one MSI had in its office was just a quad-core but with eight threads.

    The socket is still LGA, but instead of the 775 used on current boards, this one now features 1366 pins and is slightly rectangular – not Pentium Pro rectangular, but simply a stretched out square.”


    Although these are still very early pre-production parts, it is still exciting to see this future technology “in the flesh”.

    Click here to read the full article.

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    2PCOM PS964U CPU Cooler Review

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Founded by former Cooler Master employees, 2PCOM is a relatively new company that manufactures a wide range of computer peripherals. Are their products any good? Let’s find out! CPU3D has posted a review of the 2PCOM PS964U CPU cooler.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    “The performance of the 2PCOM PS964U CPU cooler is outstanding. It beat out the coolers it was compared to by a large margin. The concept of placing the heatpipes in direct contact with the top of the CPU, made a big difference during testing. Factor in the ability of this CPU to fit all the current socket platforms, and you have a winner.

    The only potential downside to the cooler, is that fact they didn’t include some sort of speed switch to control fan speed. However, most current motherboards support some type of temperature controlled CPU fan throttling, and even at full speed the fan is near silent anyways.”


    Considering its very compact size, the PS964U performs very well. The engineers definitely made a wise decision in choosing to utilize the heat pipes as the cooler’s base. While this particular model may not be the best choice for an overclocked quad-core processor, 2PCOM also offers the larger PS1264U, which should prove to be quite the performer.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    S3 Graphics Unveils Chrome 440 GTX Graphics Card

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    A little over 2 months after introducing the Chrome 430 GT, S3 Graphics has just unveiled the Chrome 440 GTX.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “The Chrome 400 GTX is the latest addition to the S3 Graphics Chrome 400 series, delivering exceptional graphics realism and stunning HD multimedia performance in optimized desktop and media PCs. Based on the low profile PCI Express® Gen 2 graphics card specification, the Chrome 440 GTX is ideally suited for PC users who wish to enhance their PCs to provide dual-stream Picture-in-Picture (PiP) 1080p Blu-ray Disc™ playback with the latest DirectX 10.1 / OpenGL 2.1 unified shader architecture. The Chrome 440 GTX uses the latest GDDR3 memory for optimized memory bandwidth and native HDMI connectivity for the latest digital displays.”


    The Chrome 440 GTX appears to simply be a higher-clocked (725Mhz vs. 625Mhz) version of the Chrome 430GT, with GDDR3 instead of GDDR2, but still sporting a measly 64-bit memory interface. At $69, it is priced a little higher than the competition, so it will have to perform substantially better than similar low-end models from AMD and NVIDIA for it to be worth recommending . By the way, this new model is available now at S3’s online store.

    Click here to read the press release.

    Click here to check out the product page.

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    AMD Radeon HD 4850 Pictured

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Ahead of Computex 2008, Bit-Tech has published pictures of an AMD Radeon HD 4850 reference graphics card.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “Visiting one of the many manufacturers here in stormy Taipei, we just happened to stumble across this little number sitting on the side. A few shots later (why is it the most important ones always have the most blur?) and we decided to ask around as to its story.”


    Commentary is kind of unnecessary, so click here to check out the pictures!

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    NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GSO & GT 512MB Review Roundup - Inno3D, Palit, XFX

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Guru3D, TechwareLabs, and TweakTown have reviewed GeForce 9600 GSO & GT graphics cards from Inno3D, Palit, and XFX.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    • Guru3D: Inno3D iChill GeForce 9600 GT ZEROtherm Hurricane review:

      “Despite of this small error in judgment on Inno3D's behalf, this product remains one of the best 9600 GT money can buy. The sound levels are so low that it's scary, the cooling is grand, the bundle even includes GRAW2 a full game and the warranty is set at three years. There's a lot of headroom to overclock thanks to that high performance cooler and it's pretty easy to squeeze another 10% maybe 20% performance out of this product bringing it close to the GeForce 8800 GT.”


      Click here to read the full review.


    • TechwareLabs: Palit 9600 Geforce GSO Sonic Review:

      “The results of PALIT’s Geforce 9600GSO Sonic as shown on the previous pages is quite impressive and a great value. The ability to over clock with the assistance the Vtune software provides those beginners out there with a very easy to use interface should be seen as a priceless feature. Though with this card being able to be over clocked, one may leave it set to the highest settings all the time, well that is what this reviewer thought. With the different graphic engines coded into different games, this reviewer found that adjusting the over clock settings for different games necessary to get the most frames per second. So, it is a good thing that the GSO comes with the Vtune software to adjust the clock settings on the fly. All this summed up, the Geforce 9600GSO is a great video card to include in your rig.”


      Click here to read the full review.


    • TweakTown: XFX GeForce 9600GT XXX Alpha Dog Edition:

      “The 9600GT from XFX is nothing short of blistering fast. It’s really able to nip at the heels of the more expensive 8800GT 1GB most of the time. Performance is what this card is all about and it does a damn good job at it. What’s also surprising is the impressive bundle; with a full version copy of Company of Heroes and a few extra goodies it really does stand out from the pack.”


      Click here to read the full review.


    If you are looking for some additional GeForce 9600GT reviews, you may be interested in this prior review roundup.
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    ASUS EAH3850 X2 1GB Review

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    ThinkComputers has posted a review of the ASUS EAH3850 X2 1GB, a dual-GPU graphics card.

    Let’s see what they had to say:

    “Overall, the Asus EAH3850 X2 would be an excellent upgrade from a single Radeon HD3850, GeForce 9800GT, or any earlier midgrade video card. Looking at the numbers it outperforms the 8800GT, and is just below the performance level of the 8800GTS. Both are still around, though the GTS is getting harder to find, and prices on both range from just under $200 to just over $300. I also couldn't compare it to a Radeon HD 3870, but that card performs just below the 8800GT.”


    The EAH3850 X2 is a good card, but it is simply too expensive when compared to most GeForce 8800GTS 512MB models. Having said that, with the imminent release of the Radeon 4800 series, anyone looking to upgrade would be well-advised to wait a bit.

    Click here to read the full review.

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    Akasa Mirage-62 Case Review

    June 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


    Bit-Tech has posted a review of the new Akasa Mirage-62, a brushed black anodised aluminium case.

    Here’s what they had to say:

    “Due to the similarities between this and the Eclipse-62, the Mirage was always going to be compared to its sibling, the Eclipse. However, when you look at the case on its own, you realise just what a good piece of kit it really is. Probably the best removable motherboard tray I've ever used, combined with rock solid build quality from the light and durable aluminium frame make a great base for a system build, and while the look of the case could be seen as a little boring, there's plenty of room for customisation.

    Although the component temperatures were admittedly a little disappointing, we feel the Mirage more than makes up for this slight stumble with simple brilliant noise levels, and its customisable, spacious and straightforward internal layout.”


    The Mirage-62 looks like a well-rounded mid-tower case, with some nice optional features like a side panel window, wheels, and fan ducts. If you don’t want the front door, Akasa also offers the Eclipse-62, which is quite a bit cheaper.

    Click here to read the full review.

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