Hardware News
ASUS & Sapphire Radeon HD 4830 Reviews
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews and Modders-Inc have reviewed Radeon HD 4830 graphics cards from ASUS and Sapphire.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews: ASUS Radeon HD 4830 Video Card EAH483:
"As with most Asus products, the EAH4830 is very well constructed. The heatsinks were firmly attached, with no noticeable movement or flex. Asus went with high quality capacitors, mosfets, chokes, and EMI shielding. All add up to great construction quality, which equates to better stability and a higher overclocking threshold.
Once in our test system, the EAH4830 performed admirably. With the stream processors reduced by 20% and clock speed down 50MHz compared to the HD 4850, I expected performance to suffer substantially. In all of our tests, however, the EAH4830 offered framerates close to the 4850, only differing an average of 10-12%. The factory overclocked memory certainly helped, and overclocking the GPU could easily close this gap. The only knock I have against this card is the lower performance per watt, with power consumption on par with the higher performing HD 4850. Fortunately, the Asus designed heatsink and fan helps keep the heat produced by this power consumption in check. "
Click here to read the full review.
- Modders-Inc: Sapphire HD 4830 Graphics Card:
"For the price it just can't be beat, lol, heck buy two and run them in CrossFireX for a killer gaming setup for a fraction of the higher end cards. I can only imagine what two Sapphire HD 4830's in CrossFireX would do .... Whew! "
Click here to read the full review.
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Cooler Master ATCS 840 Case Review
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Our friends over at DriverHeaven have posted a review of the high-end Coolermaster ATCS 840 case.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Upon first seeing the Coolermaster ATCS 840 in our offices, expectations have been high, the design and attention to detail has apparently been a prime consideration of the designers and engineering process. Internally we are pleased to report that the product is just as impressive and the performance testing verifies the cooling prowess.
Build quality is top notch, all the screw holes line up perfectly and nothing needs forcing into position. Additionally, vibrations are down to a minimum with almost everything fitting tightly and securely. The edges of the side panel do feel quite loose but they dont appear to cause any vibration problems with loud audio bass.
The ATCS 840 is very silent in operation, this is due to the use of three 230mm fans with one spinning at a mere 1,700 rpm. Even in a silent environment the ATCS is barely noticeable and will keep distractions to a minimum."
This is an impressive model from Cooler Master, a brand that many don't usually associated with high-end cases, but the $280 price tag is high for a steel case.
Click here to read the full review.
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AMD Motherboard Review Roundup
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
t-break have reviewed three AM2+ motherboards utilizing the AMD 770, 780G, and 790GX chipsets.
Let's see what they had to say:
- t-break: ECS A790GXM-A 'Black Series':
"The ECS A790GXM-A comes with a decent package and a plethora of BIOS options to play with for any AM2+ 140w CPUs. And we can go as far to say the HD 3300 is the fastest IGP with DirectX 10 capabilities in the market now. Still not satisfied? This motherboard can handle and today of todays PCI-e 2.0 cards and you could even install an HD 4870 on it and go hybrid with the IGP. And dont say you still want more. But if you do, the CrossFireX is ready on board with full x16 speeds on both slots!
The board manages to just edge past the Crosshair II motherboard on most of the tests."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: Sapphire 780G Hybrid CrossFire:
"The Sapphire 780G motherboard proved to us that the Mini ATX motherboard can not only be used for multimedia HTPCs, but can also serve as a hardcore overclocker and gaming motherboard thanks to the heatsink used to cool the MOSFETs for better stability.
The board packs some great features like the LED BIOS debus display and the two pairs of DIMMs that supports up to 16GB of memory. However, an HDMI port instead of the old 15-pin VGA port on the rear panel without having to use the DVI to HDMI converter wouldve been a welcome addition."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: Sapphire 770 PURE CrossFireX:
"The Sapphire 770 ATX motherboard with AMD 9600 Black Edition CPU laid down some impressive results and sported decent features. The Sapphire 770 motherboard supports a CrossFireX setup that really makes for a nice high-end motherboard experience on a budget board. It wouldve been so much better to have the CrossFireX setup use both card with x16 bandwidth."
Click here to read the full review.
Three widly different motherboards for those who want to go the AMD route. Personally, I wouldn't buy any of these since they don't appear to support the new Phenom II processors.
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Tsunami Power On 585W Power Supply Review
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D have posted a review of the obscure Tsunami Power On 585W power supply.
Let's see what they have to say:
"The Tsunami Power On 585w PSU is a budget PSU and nobody should expect more than that of it. Its "Cheap and cheerful".
However, having said that ... the PSU itself is very stable and seems to be very well built with a good quiet fan however with the good sides comes the bad, the cables from the PSU are very short so this PSU would be no good in a big case. The cables are braided and thats rare for a budget PSU the trouble is the braiding doesn't go anywhere near the end of the cables.
The Connections are spliced from other connections so there could be 3 connections from 1 wire this doesn't help with keeping a case tidy. The PSU isn't supplied with anything no kettle lead, screws or cable ties all of witch are supplied with more expensive PSU's and a good few cheaper ones too. Also it is SLI certified and it only has 1 pci-e connection so it would have to be with adaptors if more than 1 is needed."
With the over-abundance of affordable quality power supplies there is really no reason to skimp out on this most critical of components.
Click here to read the full review.
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Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GB Review
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
PC Perspective have just reviewed the impressive Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GB graphics card.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GB graphics card is an incredibly fast enthusiast solution that takes advantage of AMD's RV770 chip in a dual-GPU solution. AMD and Sapphire now have a card that is price competitive with the GeForce GTX 280 cards and is actually faster than NVIDIA's option in all of our gaming tests. Features like support for FOUR monitors on a single board will definitely help edge some people to Sapphire's solution as will potential support for quad-GPU performance using CrossFireX. Even though I am a bit disappointed that we aren't going to see mass promotion or other vendors offering this graphics card, Sapphire and AMD definitely have a winning product on their hands with the Radeon HD 4850 X2."
The Radeon HD 4850 X2 is truly excellent and it significantly outperforms the GeForce GTX 280 at very high resolutions...another hit for AMD.
Click here to read the full review.
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Patriot PC3-14400 2GB Memory Kit Review
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
APH Networks have posted a review of the Patriot Extreme Performance PC3-14400 2GB memory kit, which sports 8-8-8 1.9V and 7-7-7 2.0V SPD profiles.
Here's what they had to say:
"The Patriot Extreme Performance PC3-14400 2x1GB... hmm, I'm so tired after all my engineering midterms, quizzes, and assignments and whatnot lately, I don't even know how I should start this haha. Well, it looks pretty sweet *Ahem* Let me rephrase that. The "Patriot Aluminum Bladed Heat Shield Technology" headspreader conducts actually works quite well. After hours of overclocking tests at high voltages, it merely feels warm on the side. And judging from the uber hardcore contact tape (Well, it did destroy a stick when I tried to remove it, haha) -- I think it has done a pretty decent job. Moving onto our benchmarks, the Patriot Extreme Performance PC3-14400 2x1GB definitely proved capable and consistent across the board. The 8-8-8-20 specification is definitely a bit conservative -- I was able to bring it down a notch without sacrificing stability at all. It's competitive as a set of 'value performance DDR3 RAM'. It is also performance memory with Micron D9GTS chips at blazingly fast 1800MHz effective operating frequency, but priced a bit lower than the 'performance performance DDR3 RAM' that overclocks like mad. Chances are that you probably won't be overclocking enough to bring it past 1800MHz anyways. Either way, if you're looking for some competitively priced DDR3-1800 RAM with cool looking heatsinks that doesn't look overdone and works, the Patriot Extreme Performance PC3-14400 2x1GB is probably a very good choice."
I'm pretty shocked that this memory kit is actually manufactured with Micron D9GTS, which are arguably the best overclocking ICs on the market and are increasingly rare. It would be interesting to see if all units are built with the same chips.
Click here to read the full review.
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Silverstone Fortress FT01 Case Reviews
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews and JonnyGURU have reviewed the Silverstone Fortress FT01, a high-end aluminium mid-tower case.
Here's what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews:
"This not a budget case, nor is it a $1,000 rocket ship masquerading as a consumer product for enthusiasts. The value proposition has to be on the basis of looks and construction quality, in my opinion. The feature set isn't extraordinary, the airflow design lacks flexibility, and cable management is not up to class-leading standards. If these are minor or non-issues for you, the positive aspects of the design will make it a worthwhile purchase."
Click here to read the full review.
- JonnyGURU:
"The Silverstone Fortress FT01 is a well built and designed chassis. It offers large cooling fans that will affectively cool your hardware without the insane noise levels. The unique uni-body design of the chassis gives it a great look as well as offering a solid platform to build from. The chassis is available in four different options and will be sure to please anyone looking to build an outstanding Mid Tower PC. We wouldn't expect anything less from Silverstone."
Click here to read the full review.
A good-looking and well-built case, but lacking a decent cable management design.
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Gigabyte Motherboard Review Roundup
November 30, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech, Futurelooks, HotHardware, Techgage, and Viper Lair have reviewed a wide variety of motherboards from Gigabyte.
Let's see what they had to say:
- bit-tech: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3R Motherboard:
"We've had a far better experience with this board than we have had with the DS3R - it feels more stable, more reliable, it looks better and for £100 it's good value too. It's not the most feature rich P45 on the market - it's missing dual LAN and CrossFire - but not everyone wants those, and there are lots of different P45s on the market to cater for every possible whim. It still has a very useful eight SATA, great audio, a superb BIOS and plenty of PCI and PCI-Express for expansion - all these are genuinely useful additions and not marketing gimmicks or "nice idea, probably won't ever use" like Asus' Express Gate.
Does the extra ounce of copper make that much of a difference? It's very difficult to say - simple BIOS evolution, the redesigned layout or simply updated hardware could afford the improvements on their own, so it's hard to quantify the difference. At worst though, it's a marketing gimmick that Gigabyte loves to throw onto its "Ultra Durable" branding and it doesn't seem to cost any more."
Click here to read the full review.
- Futurelooks: GIGABYTE GA-EP45-DS5 Motherboard:
"In the end, we still have a decent motherboard that lives up to its claims. It is indeed power efficient, feature loaded, and a great foundation to any green performance PC. The price point this board is offered at makes it even more desirable, as it sports features only seen on the more expensive Extreme series boards. Overall this is a recommended motherboard, if you can find one in North America."
Click here to read the full review.
- HotHardware: Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P Motherboard:
"Gigabyte's EP45-UD3P performed well -- it placed right in line with other Intel and NVIDIA boards that we used for comparison -- but in general it was the best P45 board we've come across. Frame rates were the fastest recorded, even beating out the "gamer" intended MSI P45 Platinum. We were also able to get some large dividends from overclocking. Possibly due to the effects of the Ultra Durable 3 components, we achieved the highest overclock we've seen with the particular CPU we've been using over the past year or so."
Click here to read the full review.
- Techgage: Gigabyte EX58-UD5 Motherboard:
"When I first received this board, I wasn't expecting to be that impressed, but I was wrong. After all, so many motherboards prove to be very similar, and the main draw is usually the overall board design or overclocking-ability. Things were different here though. The EX58-UD5 is easily the best board of the three we've tested so far (we'll be getting down to testing the ASUS Rampage II Extreme soon, though), and based off of what we've seen here, I'd highly recommend it."
Click here to read the full review.
- Viper Lair: Gigabyte X48-DQ6 Motherboard:
"Truthfully, the only real fault we can find is the board is very expensive. It is very well built and comes with a plethora of extras, but the price can be a bit steep for some people, even if they do not have to spring for DDR3 memory. As DDR3 drops in price, it may be more feasible to buy some of that with a cheaper X48 package if you do not need all of the extras that comes with the Gigabyte X48-DQ6.
Otherwise, the Gigabyte X48-DQ6 is one of the best motherboards we've had the opportunity to test the past year. Except at the highest overclocks, stability was simply excellent and we did not experience one issue during testing and the build process. The board is a tad expensive, but it is very well built and does come with peripherals normally not included in cheaper, more basic packages. If you have plenty of DDR, this board is certainly worthwhile. "
Click here to read the full review.
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ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Edition Review
November 28, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Overclockers Club have posted a look at the ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Edition motherboard, which is based on the Intel X58 Express chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition has earned its overclocking wings. This is something it does quite well with a minimum amount of tweaking so even the novice can push the realistic limits on performance with a little patience. Leaning hard on the P6T I was able to get to a baseclock frequency of 210 that proved to be stable with only some Super Pi testing. In the end, a baseclock of 203 with a clock multiplier of 19 delivered a prime stable 3.87GHz on the CPU with 811MHz on the Qimonda memory with Turbo Mode disabled. The P6T performed better than the DX58SO in quite a few benchmarks but traded those wins for losses in about the same number of tests. What does that tell you? Both boards are great performers at stock speeds. Where the Asus separated itself from the Intel offering was on the overclocking front."
This is great motherboard, but unless you need onboard SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) support, the Gigabyte EX58-UD5 is arguably the better option if you don't mind the colour scheme.
Click here to read the full review.
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Cooler Master UCP 900W Power Supply Review
November 28, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech have posted a review of the impressive Cooler Master UCP 900W power supply.
Let's see what they had to say:
"This would make a fantastic PSU for Folders: it's exceptional efficiency at very high loads, which means that it will save you the maximum amount of money while you help to find cures for diseases. At a nominal 20 percent load the rest of us will be using for most of the time, it's no more efficient than any other PSU and without spending all day at load to recoup the cost difference through power efficiency benefits, you'll need to use the UCP 900W for several years to make up the extra money you'll spend on it.
While the graphs above might be very nice for a direct comparative, and paint the Cooler Master UCP 900W as a bloody awesome and very well engineered PSU (which it clearly is), the price premium simply outweighs the benefits of 80 Plus Silver certification. As a result, the UCP 900W doesn't do enough to justify the asking price, but if you are looking for one of the best PSUs on the market today, regardless of cost, it is definitely right up there."
This is a great power supply, but at $280 it's really expensive for a 900W unit. Instead, I would recommend the cheaper and arguably superior Corsair HX1000W, which is actuality is more of a ~1200W unit.
Click here to read the full review.
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Fifteen-Way Thermal Compound Roundup
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
X-bit Labs have just tested fifteen thermal compounds, which is the best? Let's see what they had to say:
"As for the winners, I can certainly single out liquid metal from Coollaboratory and Coollaboratory Liquid MetalPad with a few remarks regarding its proper use that should be taken into account. The new OCZ Freezer Extreme performed extremely well as a highly efficient, relatively inexpensive and very easy to work with. The good old Arctic Silver 5 still holds on to its leading position successfully, although now it has at least eight worthy competitors to worry about. Overall, it is very pleasing to see that there are more than 2-3 worthy thermal interfaces around. And of course, do not forget that thermal interface is simply a substance to fill into the micro-pores between the cooler base and the processor heat-spreader. You have to make sure that both these surfaces are very even, because no millimeter layer of thermal compound usually applied by newbies and several experienced testers out there will guarantee efficient cooling and objective cooler comparison."
A fantastic read for those who want to shave every last degree off of their CPU temps.
Click here to read the full article.
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OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPC 4GB Memory Kit Review
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews have posted a review of the OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPC 4GB memory kit.
Here's what they had to say:
"The Reaper HPC Memory kit has proven itself as shown in the test results. Its performance is on par with other performance memory with similar specifications. This memory tested very well and has excellent performance and speed, matched with its cooling it should provide years of performance trouble free operation.
The Reaper HPC held it's own against some stiff competition in the Corsair Dominators and in some cases surpassed them. I'm very impressed. In my system this memory with a speed rating of 1066mhz has room to spare as it would in any Core 2 Duo system with 400mhz FSB or less. In any stock Core 2 Duo system this RAM would be totally unnecessary and not worth the premium paid for it. With that said, if you are looking for some serious overclocking memory, this should fit the bill perfectly and be worth every penny. "
This is a good product, but it is almost twice as expensive OCZ's own PC2-8500 Platinum Edition 4GB kit and frankly it is not worth the price premium.
Click here to read the full review.
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Gigabyte EX58-UD5 Motherboard Review
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Techgage have posted a review of the very impressive Gigabyte EX58-UD5 motherboard, which is based on the Intel X58 Express chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
"When I first received this board, I wasn't expecting to be that impressed, but I was wrong. After all, so many motherboards prove to be very similar, and the main draw is usually the overall board design or overclocking-ability. Things were different here though. The EX58-UD5 is easily the best board of the three we've tested so far (we'll be getting down to testing the ASUS Rampage II Extreme soon, though), and based off of what we've seen here, I'd highly recommend it.
After using the ASUS P6T Deluxe, I was left impressed, but while still a great board, Gigabyte one-ups them in various regards. Some of the main benefits of the Gigabyte board are not features that will be used by many people, but they should still be mentioned. The ASUS board, for example, tops out at 12GB of RAM, while Gigabyte's board (and many others) can use upwards of 24GB. The second difference is that while the P6T Deluxe supports 3-way GPU configurations, Gigabyte actually gives you enough room to have three with dual-slot coolers."
If you have $300 to spend on a Core i7 motherboard, the UD5 should definitely be among your first choices as it's downright awesome.
Click here to read the full review.
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OCZ Introduces Fatal1ty Power Supplies Line
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
OCZ have recently revealed a new line of Fatal1ty power supplies ranging from 400W to 700W.
"OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra high performance and high reliability memory and components, today revealed the first power supply models under the Fatal1ty series, offering gamers stable and efficient power for their mainstream or high-end rigs. OCZ is dedicated to delivering premium power solutions, and the Fatal1ty series options are the first step to creating an exceptional gaming system for the unique power and cabling requirements of todays gamer.
These high-performance power supplies were co-developed with the expertise of Johnathan Fatal1ty Wendel, 12-time World champion, to meet the specific needs of fellow gamers. OCZ Fatal1ty Professional Series PSUs feature incredible performance to power the latest graphics cards and hard drives. To meet the needs of a wide range of gamers, OCZs Fatal1ty PSUs offer three configuration choices including a non-modular 400W, modular 550W, and a high-performance, +12V single-rail 700W edition.
OCZ and Fatal1ty are excited to introduce a complete series of new power supplies designed specifically for the entire spectrum of gamers, said Ryan Edwards, Director of Product Management for the OCZ Technology Group. No matter what level of gamer you are, or what type of system configuration you are running, these new PSUs are designed to pair perfectly with the latest graphics cards and offer clean, stable power for both single and dual GPU setups. The 80+ design makes the PSUs green and more efficient, and premium high reliability, silent LED lit fans ensure that consumers can stay focused on their game.
Having a powerful and consistent power supply is important to make sure all of my components run how they were built to run, said Johnathan Fatal1ty Wendel. I am really excited about working with OCZ and their PC Power & Cooling unit which is known to employ some of the best PSU engineers in the business.
All the Fatal1ty gaming-grade power supplies have superior features such as an 80+ Certification for ultimate efficiency, highly reliable MTBF, and 120mm LED fans. All units feature glowing red LED lights to further personalize and add style to your gaming rig. The Fatal1ty Professional 550W Modular and 700W Single Rail PSU also boast an SLI-Certification to run the latest graphics cards. Fatal1ty power supply products are superior in make and are ideal upgrades for gamers who need a computer system able to take on hours of non-stop gaming."
It will be interesting to see what the reviewers have to say about these new units, hopefully it's not just style over substance.
Product Pages:
- OCZ Fatal1ty Series 700W +12V Single-Rail.
- OCZ Fatal1ty Series 550W Modular.
- OCZ Fatal1ty Series 400W.
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Cooler Master Announces Sileo 500 Silent Mid-tower Case
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Cooler Master have just announced the new Sileo 500, a silent mid-tower case.
Here's what they had to say:
"Armed with its long tradition of technological innovation and impeccable craftsmanship in stylistic design, Cooler Master is proudly introducing its latest quiet mid-tower chassis. Sileo 500 is the supreme embodiment of silence and elegance.
The Promise of Quiet Computing
Sileo 500 is constructed with silent features in mind which includes: acoustic foam sound insulation material around the chassis, anti-vibration pads inside the detachable HDD trays, and noise reduction pads for the power supply, to insulate any possible system noise from escaping the chassis.
Elegant Design
The modern philosophy of life is simple, practical yet full of style. The exterior design of Sileo 500 focuses on minimalism and practicality. Aluminum bezel of the case and the sharp vertical LED front light create a characteristic and chic look for Sileo 500. There are subtle ventilation holes between side and front panels to achieve superior thermal solution. The design of spacious interior is to accommodate various computer components.
Ease-of-Use Design
Establishing a user-friendly environment has always been the key for the Cooler Master engineering team. Sileo 500 provides users tool-free 5.25 and 3.5 drive bays for easy installation and maintenance. There is also easy access front I/O panel with support for e-SATA.
This seems like a decent little case, and it will be interesting to see how much it retails for once it hits the channel.
Click here to check out the product page .
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Power Supply Review Roundup - In-Win, SilverStone, Zalman & More
November 27, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
BigBruin, CPU3D, Hardware Secrets, JonnyGURU, ThinkComputers, and TweakTown have reviewed power supplies from Bgears, In-Win, SilverStone, Thermaltake, and Zalman.
Let's see what they had to say:
- BigBruin: Thermaltake Toughpower QFan 650W Power Supply Review:
"The performance and near silent operation of this power supply are definitely top notch, making it worth considering for a mid-range gaming system or HTPC. The key is finding a good deal, and being sure that the arrangement of hard-wired and modular cables will work for your build.
All things considered, the Thermaltake Toughpower QFan 650W power supply earns the Bigbruin.com awards of "Recommended" and "Whisper Quiet"."
Click here to read the full review.
- CPU3D: In-Win Commander 1200W Power Supply:
"While some enthusiasts don't particularly like a modular cable management on a highend power supply ... I find this to work pretty well on the In-Win Commander 1200W PSU. As for looks, it isn't bad at all ... the "Commando Green" colour of the PSU makes it different from the competition. Overall, it is the performance, stability and features that will ultimately be the deciding factor ... and I'm pleased to say that the In-Win Commander 1200W have proven to be a real winner."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: SilverStone Decathlon 700 W Power Supply Review:
"SilverStone Decathlon 700 W is a very good power supply, really being able to deliver its labeled power at 50º C, featuring a full modular cabling system where even the main motherboard cable is connected to, outstanding voltage stability, very low noise level and very good efficiency, between 84% and 86% for most scenarios (at 100% load efficiency was 82%, which isnt bad at all). The presence of four 6-pin connectors and one 8-pin connector for video cards is also a very welcome feature, even though we think SilverStone should have used only 6/8-pin connectors."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Zalman ZM750-HP Power Supply Review:
"Zalman ZM750-HP is an excellent 750 W power supply. It can deliver up to 850 W at 50º C, has high efficiency (up to 90%) even when delivering its labeled power (85% at 750 W), electrical noise level inside specs and outstanding voltage stability, probably due to its thicker wires (16 AWG instead of 18 AWG). And what is great, it comes with a very attractive price tag for a 750 W product that can deliver what is promises and plus some more (Zalman says this unit can deliver up to 86% efficiency, but this is an understatement)."
Click here to read the full review.
- JonnyGURU: 2008 Supplementary PSU Roundup - Part 2:
"While the 650W Thermaltake doesn't quite manage to pull a recommendation out of my hat, it does come closer than any other in my four unit roundup thanks in no small part to simply being more powerful than the others. It manages to take nearly all the same basic components from the 450W and outperform it handily, making me think that perhaps these supplementary units do have some merit after all. I'd like to see the design refined a bit more to bring the ripple and stability in check a bit better, but all told this is not a half bad unit here."
Click here to read the full review.
- ThinkComputers: Bgears b-Tarantula 650 Watt Power Supply Review:
"The bgears b-Tarantula shows that there still can be a little innovation in a PSU, the modular setup is simple but practical. It would look much more clean in a case with the power supply in the traditional location, but it didn't look bad at all in my case with bottom-mounted PSU.
The cables are long enough for use in a full tower, not as long as some, but longer than others. They worked very well in the cable management department in my mid tower. Distances between the connectors was also nice, I have found some cables to not have a comfortable length between SATA connectors, for example.
During all of the testing, the PSU ran cool and quiet. The exhaust air never got what I'd call warm, much less hot. The massive heatsink array definitely does its job of dissipating heat."
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: IN WIN Commander Series 1200 watt Modular Power Supply Review:
"When all is said and done we look at a few of factors to decide whether or not a power supply of worthy of consideration. The first thing we take note of is features. The IN WIN Commander 1200 offers a modular design, plenty of connectors, ample cable lengths for larger enclosures and a unique take on the color scheme.
The next thing we need to know is the level of performance. In this case we saw all power levels above their rated levels and a minimal drop in voltage when the test system was placed under a load. The voltages were very stable and even the noise level was very acceptable."
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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Palit Revolution 700 Deluxe (HD 4870 X2) Review
November 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have posted a review of the monster-sized Palit Revolution 700 Deluxe graphics card, which is a custom Radeon HD 4870 X2.
Let's see what they had to say:
"So let's close this review, due to it's sheer size the Palit Revolution 700 definitely will not be everybody's cup of tea and for that reason alone this conclusion as a bit of a mixed bag really. But heck, I mean .. of John Rambo would have to carry around a graphics card instead of a gun, this would be it :) If you can live with the bulky size then you'll adore the better temperatures, fantastic performance and fairly low noise level it produces. The one thing we like to see here at Guru3D is innovation and product differentiation, and Palit certainly exceeded themselves with this product. Much appreciated."
If you can afford it, this is arguably the best graphics cards on the market right now!
Click here to read the full review.
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Tagan A+ Curbic Mid-Tower Case Review
November 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Legit Reviews have just examined the new Tagan A+ Curbic mid-tower case.
Here's what they had to say:
"Overall, the Tagan found a nice balance of budget building practice, style, and features. The Curbic looks very nice with the mesh front panel and blue LED fans. The case was surprisingly quiet for running two 180mm fans. On high they are very much in the range of what would be considered livable for a desktop; with the fans on low it was very quiet.
The Tagan Aplus Curbic is not yet available in the US, and has an estimated MSRP of $59.99 and should be available in retail stores before the holiday. The Curbic would be a very good fit for the user who wants an inexpensive, yet a nice looking, case. The Curbic is also very light weight for a steel case, and combined with the small size it would be very nice for a LAN box."
At $60 it is hard to find a serious fault this case...just make sure you don't use a tall heatsink!
Click here to read the full review.
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OCZ PC3-12800 6GB Triple Channel Memory Kit Review
November 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have just reviewed OCZ's PC3-12800 Gold 6GB triple channel memory kit, which is oriented towards the new Intel Core i7 platform.
Let's see what they had to say:
"OCZ's DDR3 PC3-12800 Gold Low-Voltage Triple Channel memory however is stinking fast and offers you some decent tweak potential. This is OCZ at it's best. Last but not least I just have to mention that the kit comes with a life-time warranty. At this price-level and with such timings this memory is really interesting to purchase. Sexy, that's the only word I need to describe this kit and it once again was a pleasure to see OCZ living up to it's reputation. "
Overall this seems like a solid triple channel memory kit, but at the moment it's hard to really determine which kit is the new 'benchmark' in this new product segment.
Click here to read the full review.
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OCZ Gladiator Max CPU Cooler Review
November 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Overclockers Online have posted a review of the OCZ Gladiator Max CPU cooler.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The goal OCZ's technicians had when developing this heatsink and fan combo was to make it silent without sacrificing cooling performance, and they managed to do just that. Regarding noise levels, I would have no problem using the Gladiator Max in a HTPC or a workstation PC - the fan is barely audible from a foot away, and is dead silent from a meter on. Though, before you buy it, realize that size may be an issue, as this heatsink is large ((L)63 x (W)120 x (H)165mm). There's only about an inch of clearance in a mid-tower box, and the cooler protrudes half an inch out of micro-ATX sized cases, meaning that it won't fit in many HTPC boxes. Overall, the performance is perfect for lower voltage processors, but I'd have second thoughts before popping this onto a quad-core system unless you really value quiet operation. There you have it, OCZ's "Gladiator Max" CPU heatsink and fan."
Overall this is a pretty good cooler, and you can check out another reviewer's opinion right here.
Click here to read the full review.
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Gigabyte EP45-DS3R Motherboard Review
November 26, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted a review of the surprisingly affordable Gigabyte EP45-DS3R motherboard, which is based on the mainstream Intel P45 Express chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
"To sum this all up, the features on the board work great and the ton of Gigabyte extras like EasyTune6, DualBIOS, and high speed CPU and memory support are icing on the cake. The price of the board (~$150) makes it a viable alternative to ASUS P5Q series and the DS3R meets or exceeds any benchmarks that have been set. Overclocking went smoothly and the downsides of the board are few and far between. For those looking for a reasonably priced P45 DDR2 board, that overclocks well and has plenty of features, we feel the EP45-DS3R would be a smart choice. For that reason and many others, Gigabytes EP45-DS3R receives Hardware Canucks DAM GOOD award."
When you consider its very cheap price, this is an excellent motherboard for those who don't want or need fancy bells & whistles on their motherboard. If you are building a new Core 2 Duo/Quad system on a budget, this model should definitely be near the top of your list.
Click here to read the full review.
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DDR3 Memory Review Roundup - Crucial, Elixir, Patriot & More
November 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech, Legit Reviews, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed DDR3 memory kits from Crucial, Elixir, Kingston, and Patriot.
Here's what they had to say:
- bit-tech: 4GB DDR3 Memory Roundup - Part 2:
"All in all, the Elixir is a unique, low power, low profile performance solution but its pitiful 12 to 24 month warranty and inability to overclock that far means the Corsair from Part One of this round up is a better value product.
The Patriot Viper memory, on the other hand, is certainly great performing and good looking, but the Viper heat "shields" are not technically as excellent as other solutions. What's more, the higher rated voltage means it struggles at the extreme fringes, unless that is, you're really prepared to throw a lot of cool air and voltage into it which is covered by a lifetime warranty anyway - the good thing is that although its rated voltage is high, it boots at up to 1,600MHz with just 1.65V, meaning that it'll be fine in an X58-based system."
Click here to read the full review.
- Legit Reviews: Kingston HyperX 3GB DDR3 2GHz Triple-Channel Memory Kit:
"All said and done, the performance of this memory kit was impressive and it was great to see that it was overclocking beyond 2.1GHz with no extra voltage. Another thing that should be pointed out when it comes to performance is that no active cooling is required at 2GHz since the kit uses just 1.65V! I tested the memory inside the ThermalTake Spedo Advance chassis, which has good airflow, and when I touched the modules while playing Far Cry 2 they were just warm to the touch. Not what one would expect for some memory modules that are running at 2000MHz. It makes you wonder how fast these triple-channel kits will become in 2009 now that the Core i7 platform is here."
Click here to read the full review.
- Virtual-Hideout: Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR3-1333 Memory Kit:
"Compared to the only 6-6-6 memory kit on hand, bandwidth performance is within about 15 Megabytes of each other. Both 1333 MHz kits are extremely strong performers compared to any other comparable memory. But, that alone isn't enough to convince the average user that this is the best kit of choice. What will help influence the choice in that direction is the obvious work Crucial put in the Ballistix Tracer PC3-10666 4GB Dual Channel Kit. The ICs used to build the kit are obviously better tuned than any others to grace the test bench."
Click here to read the full review.
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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers
November 24, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Getting back in the swing of things tonight, we continue our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). The charts were very quiet this past week, but we do have a single new entry to share with everyone. So who gets the sole spotlight? Let's take a look:
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
2. E54571 FUGGER ** XtremeSystems 3D Team **
Only one new entry, but what an entry! Congrats on the awesome score guys! :D
Anyways, keep up the great work everyone. 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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Chaintech & Intel Solid State State Reviews
November 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TweakTown have reviewed 64GB and 80GB solid state drives from Chaintech and Intel.
Here's what they had to say:
- Chaintech APOGEE 2.5" Solid State Disk:
"The Walton Chaintech APOGEE 64 GB SSD is a good choice for users that are able to live with the capacity. Personally it is difficult to recommend anything less than 128GB of storage space for enthusiasts to use with their notebooks. The APOGEE 64GB would make a great scratch drive in a desktop or even a decent boot drive where other, larger storage drives are available. Notebook users generally dont have the option to use two or more drives, so primary storage capacity becomes essential."
Click here to read the full review.
- Intel X25-M 80GB 2.5-inch Solid State Disk:
"To just come right out with it, Intel has perfected the MLC SSD and all of the others have been left behind.
Still, no matter how good Intels new X25-M is, there is the nagging price issue at hand. Many users may prefer to take the bad with the good with the low cost SSDs on the market and just live with a moment or two a day of poor performance. Those that are looking for a no compromise solution and have the wallet to back it up should get in line for the X25-M, because you will not find anything better at its price; MLC or SLC."
Click here to read the full review.
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ASUS & Gigabyte X58 Motherboard Reviews
November 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D, TechSpot, and TweakTown have reviewed Intel X58 Express-based motherboards from ASUS and Gigabyte.
Let's see what they had to say:
- CPU3D: Gigabyte EX58-Extreme Motherboard:
"What you get with the Gigabyte GA EX-58 Extreme is a high quality, feature laden, class leading motherboard. It truly excelled in the performance department and showed the potential of Tri Channel DDR 3 memory. Pushing the Intel Core i7 920 to 3.9Ghz demonstrated that the entry level offering is more than capable of matching the more expensive Extreme Edition. All in all the GA EX-58 proved itself to be a top class performer and deserving of our Editor's Choice Award."
Click here to read the full review.
- TechSpot: Asus P6T Deluxe Intel X58 Motherboard:
"The Asus P6T Deluxe is possibly the best motherboard we have seen so far this year, partly due to the evident hard work put in by Asus, and partly because the Core i7 platform is just so darn impressive. Asus helped make this motherboard special by including features such as the true 16+2 phase power design, Express Gate SSD, onboard SAS support, and many others.
The current Core i7 platform which includes the new Intel X58 chipset brings jaw dropping performance, but also SLI and CrossfireX support, and triple-channel DDR3 using 6 DIMM slots. Although we have yet to explore both Crossfire and SLI capabilities profoundly on the Core i7 platform, this is something that will be tested in the near future. For now the ability to use either technology on the Asus P6T Deluxe does exist and should peak the interest of gamers without tight budgets. "
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: ASUS Rampage II Extreme X58 Motherboard:
"With X58 now the hot topic, we are starting to see boards come in thick and fast and its of no surprise that the boards making their way out are enthusiast classed boards. So far Intel has only got three models on the market; two are standard versions along with an Extreme. With Core i7s high release price you can expect to pay big on the CPU and big on the boards.
Rampage II Extreme is the latest in the ROG series, something that ASUS really puts a lot of pride into. And with all that effort and R&D comes a price tag to match. However, if youre one who can afford a Core i7 along with dual GPUs then youre not going to care or skimp on the board. The Rampage II Extreme lives up to the same level of excellence that ASUS puts into all its ROG boards."
Click here to read the full review.
Frankly, all three of these motherboards are truly fantastic, which is really surprising for a brand new platform.
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Cooler Master HAF 932 Case Reviews
November 24, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Overclockers Online, Techgage, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed the impressive and affordable Cooler Master HAF 932 full tower case.
Here's what they had to say:
- Overclockers Online:
"With the HAF 932, Cooler Master has another outstanding full tower case in their arsenal. The HAF 932 lives up to the high air flow name and comes packed with plenty of features to help with a clean install. It has quickly become my favorite case to work on.
It's really hard to find any fault with the HAF 932 aside from it being heavy. However, this weight is due to the steel construction which gives the case strength. And while I dig the industrial styling of the case, I realize not everyone will so this may be a negative to some.
While many full tower cases are going for $200 or more, the HAF 932 can be had for around $160 US, making it an exceptional buy in my book."
Click here to read the full review.
- Techgage:
"All in all, I feel I must give this case a 9 out of 10. Once again I'm sitting here and just thrilled to have had fun building a PC. During my time as a reviewer, I have had the pleasure of working with all sorts of makes and models. Today, I can confidently state this is the most flexible chassis I've ever touched. Case modders may not like the fact that most if not all the work has been done for them, but the average Joe is sure going to appreciate it.
Any way you look at it, I feel that Cooler Master has knocked one out of the park with the HAF 932. With its immense interior and out of this world flexibility, you just cannot find anything else that will suit so many tastes. While the styling might be cold and industrial on the outside, it is well planned and lay out on the inside. If you want that hardcore mod feel to your next build and don't want to do the work then you have no need to look further."
Click here to read the full review.
- Virtual-Hideout:
"This is one of those few times when you'll hear me say it: Get this product! Though it requires a spot of it's very own in the room, and tends to be quite on the heavy side, this case manages to move a LOT of air in near silence (if the sound of air moving doesn't bother you).
Internally speaking, this case will last you through every upgrade from now, until that inevitable end of form-factor time, with support for the largest heatsinks (and the ability to swap them willy-nilly), the longest videocards, and well, um, hard drives. Couple this with the fact that it can fit a performance watercooling loop out of the box, while still holding on to a full fistful of hard drives, and even a pile of optical drives, it's hard not to love the HAF 932.
There is one problem, though. This isn't exactly a case that compliments everyone, and never talks behind someone's back. It's a design you're going to love, or hate. If you have a penchant for rugged looks, and wide, open expanses, then it's probably in your best interests to have this case rolling about your floors. I can safely say, you won't regret the purchase."
Click here to read the full review.
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Power Supply Review Roundup - Antec, Hiper, Lian Li & More
November 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D, DriverHeaven, Hardware Secrets, Modders-Inc, X-bit Labs have reviewed power supplies from Antec, ASUS, Chill Innovation, Hiper, Lian Li, Seventeam, and Topower.
Here's what they had to say:
- CPU3D: Asus U-75HA 750W Power Supply Review:
"I do like the Asus U-75HA power supply, Asus fans will love it ... but to be honest, I've seen better. Having said that, it does offer good performance, good stability, and with four +12V rails at 18A, it's more than enough to satisfy most mainstream users. If you're after a decent mainstream power supply with a good brand name ... then the Asus Asus U-75HA is worth considering."
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven: Chill Innovation CP-700M PSU Review:
"The Chill Innovation CP-700M appears to be a well designed product, capable of meeting the high demands of the hardware enthusiasts. It is based on a clean, efficient design and it is built with good quality components. The electrical performance of the PSU is very good overall and will not disappoint any enthusiast. Where this unit shines most is with the acoustics, being one of the quietest we have ever tested in its power range."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Antec Signature 650 Power Supply Review:
"This is so far the best power supply weve ever reviewed. It can not only deliver its labeled power at 50º C, but you will be able to pull up to 870 W from it. Under normal conditions i.e. pulling between 40% and 60% of the power supply labeled power you will see a fantastic 90% efficiency. Voltage stability and noise and ripple levels were outstanding.
This is a flawless power supply. We could list here its price as being the only flaw from this product, but when you think more about it, this isnt true at all, because its higher efficiency will make you to save on your electricity bill, and in the long run it offsets its higher cost."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Seventeam ST-550P-AG Power Supply Review:
"We were somewhat impressed by the performance of Seventeam ST-550P-AG in our tests. Even though this is a low-end product it could not only really deliver its labeled power at 50º C, but we could pull up to 630 W from it at 49º C. Not bad at all."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Topower TOP-1100P10 Power Supply Review:
"The main problem with Topower TOP-1100P10 (and consequently with Tagan models based on this project) is its +5VSB output, which cant delivered its labeled current and power. When we pulled 3 A from it half of the labeled limit noise level was above the maximum allowed. So the project for this specific output is flawed.
Besides that this unit could deliver a high efficiency if you pull up to 80% of its labeled power (880 W). Pulling its full load efficiency drops a lot but is still above 80%, which is the minimum we want from a power supply at full load nowadays."
Click here to read the full review.
- Modders-Inc: Lian Li Maxima Force 750 Watt Power Supply Review:
"So what can I say about the Lian Li MAXIMA force 750 watt power supply? I can say that it was able to run stable and cool even under the heavy heated conditions I threw at it. The voltages never decreased below the commonly known -5% rule and it performed as is stated it would. Built with quality parts and the forethought about overclockers and gamers I would say that Lian Li has a sound product with the MAXIMA Force PS-A750GB 750 watt power supply. With a MAXIMA Force PSU you will have all that you need today and for the future!"
Click here to read the full review.
- X-bit Labs: Hiper Power Supply Units Roundup:
"Thus, the new PSUs from Hiper pleased me a lot. They feature neat assembly, high wattage, stable operation, comfortable noise level and a good selection of connectors. I can recommend them for any PC configuration including advanced gaming stations with two top-end graphics cards. "
Click here to read the full review.
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AMD Phenom II Overclocking Preview
November 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
HotHardware, Legit Reviews, PC Perspective have posted coverage of AMD's recent Phenom II overclocking demonstration.
Check it out:
- HotHardware: AMD Sneak Peeks Phenom II, Overclocks To 5+GHz.
- Legit Reviews: AMD Phenom II X4 Processor Breaks 6GHz on LN2.
- PC Perspective: AMD shows Phenom II running over 6.0 GHz!.
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Keyboard & Mouse Review Roundup - Logitech, Microsoft, Wolfking
November 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Futurelooks, HardwareLogic, High Tech Reviews, t-break, and Tweaknews have reviewed keyboards and mice from Logitech, Microsoft, and Wolfking.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Futurelooks: Microsoft SideWinder X5 Mouse Review:
"In the end the Microsoft SideWinder X5 is an example of a product being improved based on overwhelming feedback. It shows Microsoft is definitely trying to make strides in the gaming peripherals market. Will they be successful? Thats beyond the scope of this review. Still its a symptom of what we see here. To get to the point, Microsoft has fixed problems with a somewhat flawed design and put out a great product at the same time. That definitely earns them a recommendation from us."
Click here to read the full review.
- HardwareLogic: Logitech MX Air Rechargeable Cordless Mouse Review:
"Overall, Logitech's MX Air rechargeable cordless mouse is a great accessory for any computer user. As a high-end peripheral, we are convinced this sleek piece of hardware will be displayed with pride with its sturdy build and quality design. Excellent features and easy-to-use software with a plethora of customizations convince us that shelling out the cash for this innovative beauty might not be such a bad thing, especially if you like to flaunt flashy accessories."
Click here to read the full review.
- High Tech Reviews: Microsoft Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000 Review:
"We have used the mouse and keyboard with our Home Theater PC for the better part of two and one half weeks and I have to say that there was a slight bit of getting used to it. I started off by having problems with the touch sensitive keys but after the first week that was no longer a problem. I thought not having a key pad would be killer but since we are using this as a HTPC keyboard and not a work keyboard the need to input a large group of numbers never arose.
The Bluetooth function worked perfectly as we were able to maintain contact from a distance of about 25 to 30 feet. We have pointed out some of the little problems we encountered but the biggest issue we had with this device is the cost. I can't foresee great numbers of people rushing out to buy this system as good as it is for a price ranging from $230 to $270 dollars."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: Logitech Desktop Wave Pro:
"While I can criticize the design, functionality wise, the MX1100 is as good as it gets. It has the usual five buttons, two on top and two on the sides along with the clickable Scrolling Wheel which can be switched between the free-flowing or the click scrolling modes. There are two additional buttons below the left-click for selecting the DPI- great for quickly switching between games or desktop usage."
Click here to read the full review.
- Tweaknews: Wolfking Warrior Xxtreme Gaming Keyboard Review:
"Unfortunately, I just wasn't able to find a practical use for the right side of the keyboard when playing any FPS game. All the keys I needed immediate access to were exactly where I needed them to be on the left side. Using the right side for one-handed typing proved to be too cumbersome and I found it easier to use a standard keyboard for any text input. So in conclusion, FPS gamers should stick to the original Warrior, while many RPG gamers will find the new XXtreme a welcome addition to their gaming arsenal."
Click here to read the full review.
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Evercool & Thermalright VGA Cooler Reviews
November 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Overclockers Online and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed VGA coolers from Evercool and Thermalright.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Overclockers Online: Evercool Formula 2 GPU Cooler Review:
"In the end, I was very impressed with the Evercool Formula 2's performance. Using only 2 heat pipes, it boldly kept the pace with the VF1000, which uses a total of 4 heat pipes. Though the build of this product felt somewhat cheap, installation was a breeze, and it looks pretty snazzy inside the tower"
Click here to read the full review.
- Virtual-Hideout: Thermalright TRad2 VGA Coolers Review:
"These heatsinks perform well, and despite their limited compatibility, they are very easy to install. Though I found the thermal tape given with the ramsinks to be a little on the side of lax, they still managed to keep the chips under their watch quite chilly - and that's an important start. Though, this review is unfortunately not with an entirely sunny outlook. Effectively speaking, it is impossible to use these heatsinks to cool a tri-SLI array, as well as normal videocards in multi card configurations on many motherboards. Yes, it can be done, but it's difficult as 92x10mm fans are very rare. But beyond these issues, this is a great product, a well supported, well though out, and all-round intuitive product. Despite it's flaws in versatility, the ability to silently cool a wide variety of videocards without eating up all of your expansion slots is irrefutable. It's truly worthy of a recommendation."
Click here to read the full review.
The Thermalright is a great thin-profile cooler, but I'm not as impressed by the Evercool since it only supports past generation graphics cards.
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Far Cry 2 Hardware Performance Analysis
November 23, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted an in-depth performance analysis of Far Cry 2 with a wide range of modern hardware.
Let's see what they had to say:
"As one of the top titles in 2008, Far Cry 2 has a lot to offer. Believe it or not, Ubisoft Montreal has achieved the pinnacle of game optimization, providing incredibly involved and immersive visuals that have very simple hardware requirements. Unfortunately, this has seemingly caused a lack of focus on the higher end, and more robust system users notice only minor improvements, with nothing revolutionary reserved for them. Our benchmarks bring to light some very interesting results. For the first time ever, DirectX10 arguably becomes the setting of choice; offering not only the benefits of lower system resources, it also manages to improve frame rates for many video cards - most notably the mid range and low end. nVidia and ATI maintain a healthy battle for the podium, with the multi GPU solutions obviously coming out ahead. Unfortunately for the owners of this much processing power, it is seemingly wasted, providing only minor improvements of single card solutions. The real winner here is the mediocre high end cards who trail by only single digit frames over video cards double in price."
If you are interested in Far Cry 2 and aren't sure which components work best with the game, you should definitely check out this analysis.
Click here to read the full article.
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CPU Cooler Review Roundup - Cooler Master, ThermalTake, Zalman & More
November 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Frostytech, Guru3D, Legit Reviews, ThinkComputers, and X-bit Labs have reviewed CPU coolers from Arctic Cooler, Cooler Master, Thermaltake, Xigmatek, Xilence, and Zalman.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Frostytech: Xigmatek Dark Knight S1283 Heatsink Review:
"In comparison to the originally Xigmatek HDT-S1283 model, the Dark Knight S1283 heatsink is nearly identical but a little less able at slower fan speeds. The dark nickel plating adds another layer for heat to cross, so it can slightly impede cooling. Still, Xigmatek's Dark Knight S1283 heatsink operates very well at full fan speed on both AMD and Intel test platforms, and would be a worthy heatsink for high performance cooling."
Click here to read the full review.
- Guru3D: Arctic Cooler Freezer Xtreme CPU Cooler Review:
"So, summing it up. For mainstream usage and people that do not plan really hardcore overclocks the Freezer Xtreme will do a splendid job. Next to the ease of use it's also really silent which is a major plus in my book. Combine these two facts with is very decent price and we can surely say that it's a Guru3D recommended product."
Click here to read the full review.
- Legit Reviews: Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler Review:
"We have to give the Cooler Master V8 CPU Cooler the innovation award as we have never seen a design like this. It also seems that this unique modular fin arrangement has something going for it as the V8 CPU Cooler did better than most of the coolers we have tested in the past."
Click here to read the full review.
- ThinkComputers: Xilence Xilent Blade Pro CPU Cooler Review:
"While Xilence isn't English speaking based brand I was still surprised to find their translations the best out of most of the foreign based companies. While this doesn't really matter I still think it's nice to know. While Xilence isn't quite the known brand over here in the U.S. they still have a full line of cooling products with many different applications. The Xilence Xilent Blade Pro is a well designed CPU cooler as everything seems to have a purpose. While it's not readily available in the U.S. I did manage to find it at a U.S. based company online for about $45. Overall I believe this CPU cooler is a reliable and efficient CPU cooler. Think Computers awards the Xilence Xilent Blade Pro CPU Cooler a 9 out of 10 score."
Click here to read the full review.
- X-bit Labs: Six CPU Coolers: Five for Modding and One for Cooling:
"If you really want to find a unique-looking cooling solution that will attract your friends attention, then any of the coolers we discussed today will be a good choice. However, if you intend to do some overclocking and efficient CPU cooling is another priority for you besides stylish looks, then we would recommend to check out Thermaltake MaxOrb (EX). It is not only a good modding solution, but also copes well with overclocked CPUs cooling. It is important, though, to keep in mind that is has some retention compatibility issues, before purchasing it."
Click here to read the full review.
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Hanns-G HG221AP 22-inch LCD Monitor Review
November 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech have reviewed the affordable Hanns-G HG221AP 22-inch widescreen LCD monitor, which sports a 1680 x 1050 resolution and 5ms response time.
Let's see what they had to say:
"On the whole, I've been pleasantly surprised at the HannsG HG221AP's performance in our battery of tests it's not only on a par many of the other 22-inchers we've seen recently, but it surpassed many of them when it came to image quality and/or colour vibrancy. That's not to say it's perfect though, and nor is it the best 22-incher on the market by a long stretch. But it is one of the cheapest.
The lack of digital connectivity is what really holds this display back we would have loved to see a DVI port included for example, but it was left out in order to keep the price low. We'd also wish for a slightly firmer stand and slightly better black levels, but aside from that there's very little to complain about given the price especially as it puts many other 22-inch TN+Film displays to shame."
If you are in the market for a cheap 22-incher and you can find Hanns-G monitors in your region, this model is definitely worth a look.
Click here to read the full review.
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HIS Radeon HD 4850 IceQ 4 TurboX Review
November 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D have reviewed the impressive HIS Radeon HD 4850 IceQ 4 TurboX 512MB graphics card.
Here's what they had to say:
"Overall, I'm very pleased with what the HIS ICEQ4 Radeon HD 4850 has to offer in terms of performance, features and of course value for money. Find you can find one ... it will probably cost you in the region of about £130 ($200), which I think is excellent value for money. My concerns for HIS, is the fact that the graphics card market is very saturated. Can they compete with bigger brand names ... only time will tell. But for now, the HIS ICEQ4 Radeon HD 4850 is, in my opinion ... an excellent buy for the mainstream gamer."
Although this is a very impressive Radeon HD 4850 model it does command a sizeable premium over reference models, and for a little bit more money you can have a Radeon HD 4870 512MB.
Click here to read the full review.
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NorthQ Siberian Tiger II Water Cooler Review
November 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
JonnyGURU have posted a review of the NorthQ Siberian Tiger II water cooler.
Here's an excerpt:
"Overall, the Siberian Tiger II did a great job at cooling our E8400 CPU. It gave us a 2C -3C lower idle and load temp when compared to the air coolers, and gave us a 5C - 6C lower temp than its little brother. Cooling performance is only half of the picture when it comes to water cooling, many users are also looking for the lower noise levels that can be achieved. The Siberian Tiger II brings a minimal noise level (< 20dBA) to the table with it. The only way you're going to make this thing loud is by adding a couple of screaming 120mm fans. The score here is 9.5/10."
Aside from the fact that it won't work in every type of case, this seems like a pretty solid self-contained water cooling kit.
Click here to read the full review.
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NVIDIA ForceWare 180.47 Performance Analysis
November 21, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TweakTown have posted a performance analysis of the recently released NVIDIA ForceWare 180.47 drivers.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The 180.47 drivers are a breath of fresh air for NVIDIA users; there are some excellent features in the new driver set, but we have to wonder how helpful they really are. The lack of PhsyX games is still making the whole PhsyX thing feel like a bit of a waste. Sure, there are more games coming, but as to whether or not these are games that we really want to play still remains to be seen.
While the multi monitor support in SLI is a very nice bonus, its also a feature that is only going to benefit a minority. There is also no denying that it should have been a feature that was implemented into a driver release a long time before todays one."
If you're playing the very latest games or have a multi-monitor SLI setup, these are definitely drivers that are worth your attention.
Click here to read the full article.
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OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator Review
November 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Secrets have reviewed the innovative OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator.
Here's what they had to say:
"Of course OCZ deserves kudos for developing the NIA. That is no small scientific and engineering feat. Its a great and revolutionary product that will amass some die-hard fans despite not being able to conquer the market due to its price and complexity. It feels like if one day we will truly control a videogame with our minds, the device will be heralded by its maiden achievement with due respect. But, unfortunately, the NIA isnt the neural implant the Neuromancer novel, the Matrix film and several other cyberpunk works had had promised us."
An interesting concept, but it's hard to envision that this will ever become a popular product.
Click here to read the full review.
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Graphics Card Review Roundup - ASUS, Sapphire, XFX & More
November 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech, Hardware Secrets, Legit Reviews, Overclockers Online, PC Perspective, and TheTechLounge have reviewed AMD and NVIDIA-based graphics cards from ASUS, Gainward, Sapphire, XFX, and Zotac.
Let's see what they had to say:
- bit-tech: Gainward's Radeon HD 4870 1GB Golden Sample:
"Despite delivering both excellent thermal and gameplay performance on the whole, we cant help but feel that the Gainward HD 4870 1024MB Golden Sample is a little bit of a letdown, especially considering the £30 price premium it carries over the stock HD 4870 1GB. For that extra fifteen percent of investment the in game frame rate returns are generally around the two to three percent mark thanks to the very conservative core overclock, which is pretty disappointing.
In those games that are able to utilise the more aggressive memory overclock, like Call of Duty 4 and Call of Duty: World at War, you will see a reasonable performance increase of close to ten percent, but sadly such applications are fairly limited, and thus so is the performance advantage offered by this card."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: GeForce GTX 260 with 216 cores Video Card:
"The addition of 24 processing engines made the new GeForce GTX 260 to be a slight faster than the older model on several scenarios but not on all of them. On Fallout 3 both cards achieved the same performance, on Unreal Tournament 3 the new card was faster (7%) than the old model only at 2560x1600, and on Call of Duty 4 and FarCry 2 both cards achieved the same performance level at 1680x1050, with the new model being 3% faster at 1920x1200 and 5% (CoD 4) or 6% (FC 2) faster at 2560x1600."
Click here to read the full review.
- Legit Reviews: XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Video Card:
"The XFX GTX 260 Black Edition is an incredibly impressive piece of hardware. It would have been nice to have a GeForce GTX 280 to compare this card to, but I suspect this card would give it a good run for its money. When you factor in overclocking, the GTX 260 Black Edition is an excellent choice for $329.99 at Newegg.com.
With the Double Lifetime Warranty, the XFX GTX 260 Black Edition carries one of the best warranties in the market. Couple that with the bundled game and this becomes quite a compelling package."
Click here to read the full review.
- Overclockers Online: Sapphire HD 4850 X2:
"One thing I didn't address in great detail is the card's HD capabilities. Sapphire has you covered with 4 DVI outputs and has even included a DVI to HDMI dongle. To top it off, the accessory pack includes DVD playback for you to fully enjoy every moment of your HD 4850 X2 when hooked up to a big screen TV. Overall, Sapphire is the first to market the HD 4850 X2 and it will certainly be a huge hit. If a single HD 4850 isn't good enough and the HD 4870 X2 is a little too rich for your blood, you will not be disappointed by the performance of Sapphire's HD 4850 X2."
Click here to read the full review.
- PC Perspective: ASUS EN9800GT Matrix 512MB:
"The ASUS ENG9800 GT Matrix 512MB graphics card is one of our favorite new low-to-mid-range graphics cards that you can pick up today for well under $150. If you are looking for an upgrade to an aging GPU of your own and don't have much money to spend, this overclocked G92-based product will fit the bill perfectly. "
Click here to read the full review.
- TheTechLounge: ZOTAC GeForce 9800 GT 512MB AMP:
"The performance gap between this 9800 GT and an overclocked 9600 GT is about an order of magnitude, which, seeing how the prices overlap, really makes me wonder if there's any room left in the market for the lesser budget card; really, the 9600 GT maintains undesirable traction--don't bother with it, get a 9800 GT. Game tests have Zotac's AMP! sticking with a 9800 GTX and even putting a good fight against Sapphire's Toxic 4850, all the while, consuming less power, making less noise, and in general, being cheap. "
Click here to read the full review.
There's a whole bunch of truly excellent mid-range graphics cards in this roundup, so check them out!
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RivaTuner v2.20 Released
November 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have just released version 2.20 of the popular RivaTuner graphics card tweaking utility.
Here's what they had to say:
"Guru3D's Rivatuner has been updated towards version 2.20 In this release we have included a huge number of new stuff to keep you busy, obviously support has been added as well as ForceWare GeForce drivers up-to 180.48 WHQL and AMD ATI Catalyst 8.11 support.
The biggest change and challenge for this release was to support Multi-GPU (SLI/CrossfireX) configurations.
With this release comes support for ATI Radeon HD 4600/4800 (RV710 and RV730) class graphics adapters and better GeForce GTX series 200 support (including GeForce GTX 260 Core 216) as well. We now also support much asked for proper fan control on AMD RADEON HD 4870 X2 series."
If you have an ATI Radeon HD 4000 series or GeForce GTX 200 series, this new release is definitely worth downloading.
Click here to download this latest version of RivaTuner.
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Intel Core i7-920 Quad-Core Processor Review
November 20, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews have just tested the new Intel Core i7-920 quad-core processor, which features a 2.66Ghz clock speed.
Here's what they had to say:
"We feel that given the superior standard performance coupled with excellent overclocking results we experienced with the Intel Core i7-920 it is an excellent value at Intel's MSRP of $284.00. As with any product that is both highly anticipated and new to the market the initial pricing by the first distributors to receive their shipments tends to be a little higher than the MSRP the first few weeks strictly due to supply and demand. NewEgg currently has the Core i7-920 (model BX80601920) in stock and their current price is $304.95. I have been watching the pricing steadily drop for the last three days and feel that it should be more in line with Intel's MSRP in short order. This processor although not as speedy as the Core i7-965 or 940 still brings quite a bit to the table. To the average consumer the price of the Core i7-920 will be quite satisfactory given the performance gains they can expect in return."
Although it carries a slightly premium at the moment, the Core i7-920 really does provide tremendous Bang for the Bang for those interested in optimal multi-threaded performance.
Click here to read the full review.
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Motherboard Review Roundup - P45, X48, X58 & More
November 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Driverheaven, Hardware Secrets, MadShrimps, and t-break have reviewed 780G, 790FX, P45, X48, X58-based motherboards from ASUS, DFI, and Gigabyte.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Driverheaven: Gigabyte EP45-DS3R Motherboard Review:
"The Gigabyte EP45-DS3R is an impressive board which offers great performance and features for under £90/$130. While the boards performance isnt groundbreaking, the overclocking capabilities should be more than enough for the general enthusiast and the rear panel has great connectivity as well as ATI Crossfire support. The lack of strong cooling on the board will restrict overclocking to some degree, but the P45 chipset is a great performer and has fairly cool running temperatures."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Gigabyte MA78GM-S2H Motherboard:
"Gigabyte MA78GM-S2H is a very well loaded motherboard for the usage it is targeted for: HTPCs or PCs for editing audio and video. What makes this an spectacular motherboard for these applications are the presence of three video outputs (VGA, DVI and HDMI supporting digital audio; only two of them can be used at the same time), the presence of an optical SPDIF output, Firewire ports (excellent for connecting digital camcorders based on this standard) and the impressive Realtek ALC889A codec, a rarity even on high-end motherboards."
Click here to read the full review.
- MadShrimps: DFI X48-T3RS review - redefining the high end?:
"And so we come to the last page of this article. As you probably might have guessed by now, the DFI UT X48-T3RS was a very mixed bag for us. On the one hand it makes a lot of promises: the board uses only top quality components, has an excellent layout, sports the (arguably) best cooling solution of its time, and uses Intel's very best chipset: the X48. Above all, the board supports the very best memory products out there, up to 2Ghz in an OC'ed condition (or at least, that is what the specifications are telling us). Finally, this board carries the best enthusiast name in the business: DFI, and has the bios signature of the very best engineer that walks the earth: Oscar Wu."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: ASUS M3A79-T Deluxe Motherboard:
"The Asus M3A79-T Deluxe motherboard is perfect for all AM2+ users to achieve great results in overclocking with the new AMD SB750 southbridge chipset. As the HDD performance is raised because of it, it can be faster in a Raid 0 configuration to give the users what they want with other features like AMD overdrive.
The performance of this board stacks up well against its counterparts. Thanks to the 790FX this board performs exceptionally well without having to shell out of the high end motherboard prices. One of the side effects while using an AMD 9850 CPU, we noticed the MOSFET temperatures rise slowly to hit a high 80C on our thermometer. This happens because the CPU is using the 140w power and the MOSFET heatsink has no fan on it. So we installed an 80mm fan on it to see the temperatures drop to a more acceptable 45C during full load."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: Asus Rampage II Extreme:
"As Intel marched on with the X58 featuring the new LGA1366 socket for the upcoming Core i7, Asus was quick to get their high end contender featuring the new chipset ready. Ready to be overclocked right out of the box and with extreme features like TweakIT and ProbeIT, the Asus Rampage II Extreme is taking high-end to a new high, just as they did with the Rampage Extreme.
Performance wise, compared to the Intel DX58SO, it is no doubt better even when compared to the LGA775 boards. We did also try overclocking this beast, but using the 965EE CPU, we could only hit a BCLK of 168 MHz. Were pretty sure Asus will do something about it with BIOS updates to get it to 200 MHz and beyond."
Click here to read the full review.
One motherboard for each of the best AMD and Intel chipsets on the market...and they are all good models!
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Patriot Viper PC3-16000 4GB Memory Kit Review
November 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Logic have posted a review of the dual channel Patriot Viper PC3-16000 4GB memory kit.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Patriot gives extreme enthusiasts another memory kit to drool over. With its high performance and large capacity, these Vipers are serious business. They rock an aggressive heat sink design with an intense color scheme that is bound to turn some heads. You get all this at a competitive price point and Patriot's lifetime warranty. Nice!
Unfortunately, only 790i motherboard owners can make use of EPP. You can still use this memory with other DDR3 compatible boards such as the X48, but the rated 2000MHz is not guaranteed. And although it is competitively priced among 4GB DDR3-2000 kits, having to pay over $300 for RAM is a tough pill to swallow.
If you are a 790i motherboard owner, you probably want the best you can get. This Viper memory kit represents one of the most desirable products you can add to your set up. If you are looking to get the most out of your high end system, Patriot's Extreme Performance Viper PC3-16000 memory should be very high on your list."
A decent but not spectacular PC3-16000 memory kit with hideous heatspreaders. On the plus side, it is priced fairly reasonably for a high-end 4GB kit.
Click here to read the full review.
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ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition Motherboard Review
November 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Techgage hace posted a review of the new Intel Core i7-compatible ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition motherboard, which is based on the Intel X58 chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Despite the fact that Core i7 just launched, the competition where motherboards are concerned is rather tight, with eight motherboards from five different manufacturers being immediately available, two being from ASUS. Though I can't speak on behalf of all the launch boards, I have little doubt that the P6T Deluxe is a superb choice for your Core i7 build.
The first important factor is the price, which at $299, sits in line with all of the other launch boards. Like all of ASUS' Deluxe boards, this one includes many features targeting both the consumer and enthusiast, in addition to a great design, huge peripheral connectivity abilities and overclocking potential that should please almost anyone."
The OC Palm aspect is a bit of a gimmick in my mind, so the regular ASUS P6T Deluxe is a better option for the budget-conscious. It's great to see so many quality X58 motherboards on the market already, and it makes me wonder how much better they can possibly get!
Click here to read the full review.
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DFI LANParty UT X58 T3eH8 Motherboard Review
November 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bit-Tech have posted a brief look at the promising DFI LANParty UT X58 T3eH8 motherboard, which supports the new quad-core Intel Core i7 series.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Has this perked your interest in DFI's X58 UT? Or are you waiting for a firm price, overclocking results and a comparative against the Asus Rampage II Extreme, Foxconn Renaissance and EVGA's X58? The enthusiast arena is heating up like a cook-off with the Devil, and who will win in the X58 war (or will no one because they will all be too expensive)?"
This is certainly an impressive motherboard, but the red sticker on the northbridge cooler really detracts from the overall look.
Click here to read the full preview.
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ASUS Rampage II Extreme X58 Motherboard Review
November 19, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
PC Perspective have posted a review of the incredible ASUS Rampage II Extreme motherboard, which is based on the new Intel X58 chipset and supports the new Core i7 processors.
Here's what they had to say:
"It's hard to really come to one single conclusion about the ASUS Rampage II Extreme motherboard. It is without a doubt the most impressive consumer motherboard I have ever tested in terms of sheer performance, features and overclockability. The high quality on-board audio, detailed BIOS, CPU tweaking options and even the on-board multimeter testing areas really stand out from the entire market of motherboards, not just the current X58 options. I still find it hard to recommend a $400+ motherboard to anyone but the most extreme of enthusiast. That being said, it's hard to NOT give this motherboard an Editor's Choice out of sheer awesomeness."
If you're building a Top of the Line system with overclocking in mind, this is the only motherboard you should be looking at.
Click here to read the full review.
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BFG GeForce GTX 260 OCX MAXCORE Review
November 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have just reviewed BFG GeForce GTX 260 OCX MAXCORE graphics card, which is the new & improved 216 stream processor version.
Here's what they had to say:
"With consumers pockets being pinched day in and day out by the steadily rising prices of darn-near everything, manufacturers far and wide are desperately looking for ways to distinguish their products from the competition. BFG seems to have done just that with their GTX 260 OCX MAXCORE. This card was able to surge ahead of the competition due to its overclocked core, shaders and memory resulting in some truly impressive framerates in every single game we tested. Even against the mighty HD 4870 512MB, this card is able to run the show from start to finish time and time again. If the fun would just stop there, the OCX MAXCORE would still be a resounding success but BFG adds in a Lifetime Warranty and Trade Up program for good measure. Unlike many other GTX 260 cards, BFG also equips all of their higher-clocked models with a complete package of all the accessories needed to use the OCX for HDMI audio and video. This can potentially turn this gaming card into a true multimedia powerhouse."
If you're in the market for a high-end graphics card but are also budget-conscious, you definitely owe it to yourself to check out this model from BFG.
Click here to read the full review.
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Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition Processor Review
November 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews have just tested the new ultra-high-end Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition quad-core processor, which features unlocked multipliers.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Well the day has finally arrived where the Intel Core series of processors aren't just hype, rumor, and innuendo anymore. Much of the marketing hype that was circulating before these processors were sent out for review has proven to be true and their new processor line is truly the fastest on the planet. We'll have to admit we were taken back by these processors raw power in CPU intensive applications as they cut through processes in record time that would have been much more challenging to their predecessors. Yes we're extremely impressed! The Intel Core i7-965 Extreme Edition is the kingpin of the lot and literally smokes all its competition. The Core i7-965XE processor in itself is enough to stir the very lifeblood of all that appreciate raw unadulterated computing power. Ok, so much for the enthusiast side of me, now it's time to put on my reviewer hat and come back down to earth and complete this review."
Although expensive, there's no denying the power of this processor in multi-threaded applications, nor the usefulness of unlocked multipliers for those who need optimal flexibility while overclocking.
Click here to read the full review.
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Cooler Master ATCS 840 Case Review
November 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews have reviewed the new Cooler Master ATCS 840 case.
Here's what they had to say:
"Computer cases are intended to be one thing above all else: constructed well. The factory staff at Cooler Master must have been on strict orders to polish their work for the ATCS 840, because it certainly showed. The RC-840 is an extremely well-constructed enclosure with a solid chassis capable of sustaining the worst accidents without warping the chassis. While the panels are not 6mm alloy and seams were not welded, the ATCS survives the most harsh handling.
One particular area of interest that really impressed be was product functionality. I'm completely sold on the motherboard tray cut-out which allows me to remove the backplate of a CPU cooler without having the remove the entire system. Even without this feature, the sliding motherboard tray would make for a decent second-favorite. Using 230mm cooling fans in three different locations of the RC-840 is a guaranteed way of ensuring Advanced Thermal Cooling, but the negative inner-case pressure might add-up to be too much for some exhausting video cards (such as high-end NVIDIA and ATI products). Tool-less drive bay trays and clips make installation a snap, and the removable fan filters should keep the innards nice and shiny."
Although it is expensive, this is one very impressive case. It has a good looks, solid build quality, and great functionality.
Click here to read the full review.
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Gigabyte GA-EX58 UD5P Motherboard Review
November 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have posted a review of the Gigabyte GA-EX58 UD5P motherboard, which is based on the new high-end Intel X58 chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
"So let me round it up. Gigabyte offers a really competitive, feature rich Core i7 compatible motherboard with the GA-EX58-UD5P. You'll absolutely like how much detail goes into the design. It's a perfect match for a perfect processor series. Next to being one of the most feature rich X58 products we tested so far we do believe it has massive tweaking potential as well. All this hardware love does come at a price though, expect to cough up somewhere between 269 EUR or 319 USD for the product, but it's a very nice infrastructure for your processor to sit comfortable and relaxed in. We enjoyed testing it. Recommended."
This is arguable the best "affordable" X58 motherboard on the market...it's pretty much perfect.
Click here to read the full review.
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AMD Radeon HD 4000 Series Review Roundup
November 18, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D, Metku, Modders-Inc, PCSTATS, PureOverclock, and XSReviews have reviewed AMD Radeon HD 4000 series graphics cards from ASUS and Sapphire.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Bjorn3D: Sapphire HD4870 Toxic:
"While the GTX-260 turned in better numbers in basically everything we put it through, during gaming we couldn't tell the difference between it and the Sapphire HD 4870 Toxic except of one or two exceptions when the Toxic tossed in a little stutter every now and then. The Sapphire HD 4870 Toxic made us just as happy as any of the other tested GPU's in gaming and surfing. When it comes to video cards, synthetic benchmarks are good for comparison, but living and gaming with a GPU is really where you want satisfaction."
Click here to read the full review.
- Metku: ATI HD4850 Roundup with non-reference cards:
"All of the HD4850 cards showed great performance and some promising overclocking results. The cooling also had been improved from the reference design, in all of the four cards that we had in our review. This way the cards are both quieter and cooler than they would have been with the reference cooler. These four cards have also been heavily overclocked, making these considerably faster than the reference cards."
Click here to read the full review.
- Modders-Inc: Sapphire Radeon HD4650 OC Edition 512mb GDDR3:
"In short this card isn't for everyone. As with all purchases be sure you really consider what your needs are now and what you think they might be in 6 months. This little card has some kick for the price and if you are in the market for a card and you've got a budget I would definitely put this on your list of cards to consider. If you are casual gamer, an HTPC user, or even looking to upgrade your existing system, this card is a pretty sweet card."
Click here to read the full review.
- Modders-Inc: Sapphire Radeon HD 4550:
"Folks, the $59.99 Sapphire HD4550 is, quite simply, a great card. You have to buy the card under the proper technical reasons (low power consumption, 1/2 height video solution, cool running, excellent HTPC performance on playback, HDMI and HDCP compliance) and not because you are wanting to play Bioshock/Farcry2/Crysis at the highest framerates.
This card excells at the market it is aimed squarely at, and I will unequivicably recommend this card for people who have gaming performance 2nd or 3rd down the list, and HTPC needs in the front. "
Click here to read the full review.
- PCSTATS: Asus EAH4850 HTDI/512M/A Radeon HD 4850 Videocard:
"Ultimately the Asus EAH4850 is an economical videocard with moderate overclocking capability for the gamer who wants to play the newest games at reasonable resolutions. There's not quite enough OC head room in it to turn it into a Radeon HD 4870 X2... but enough of a boost for a noticeable improvement when running Crysis at max image quality settings. Again, midrange videocards like the Radeon HD 4850 tend to be pretty good overclockers, usually sharing the same architecture as the high-end cards in the same family, but with lowered clock & memory speeds. "
Click here to read the full review.
- PureOverclock: Sapphire Radeon 4870 X2:
"Boasting stunning performance and excellent features in a sleek package, the Sapphire Radeon 4870 X2 is king of the hill for now, easily chewing through modern games for those consumers with higher-resolution monitors, high expectations, and high budgets."
Click here to read the full review.
- XSReviews: Sapphire HD 4830 512MB Review:
"The HD 4830 from Sapphire is a damn nice card for the money. It might not be the quietest one out there, but it's only slightly behind the 4850 on the performance scale, and with it's great overclocking ability, and don't forget you can always add a second, therefore running two of these bad boys, for around 2/3 of the cost of a GTX 280.
While there seems little reason to have the 4850, and the 4830, apart from the fact that those without that extra £20 will have a card to buy the 4830 did very well in our testing. So if you're looking for a new card around £100, then get the 4830, or if you have £120, get the 4550. There 'aint a lot of difference."
Click here to read the full review.
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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers
November 17, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Today we continue 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 eight of new entries. Where did they all land? Let's take a look:
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Entry Preset Top 20:
11. E43899 Smooth Creations HellCat, Nov 2008 i7 Launch
17. E35919 Klajd CompuLab Team ALBANIA
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
6. P29030 Bakalu@AMFORUM
11. P27491 Sampsa (Team Finland)
15. P25988 pro/Team.AU Vantage 4870x2 CFX
New to the 3DMark Vantage - High Preset Top 20:
8. H17642 Smooth Creations HellCat, Nov 2008 i7 Launch
20. H11091 Zach
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
11. X13301 Smooth Creations HellCat, Nov 2008 i7 Launch
A big congrats to this week's chart climbers! Looks like we have some new hardware making an appearance. Good stuff! ;)
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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Triple Channel DDR3 Memory Kit Reviews
November 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D and CPU3D have reviewed triple channel DDR3 memory kits from A-Data, Corsair, and Kingston. If you're in the market for an Intel Core i7 system, then this should definitely interest you.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Bjorn3D: Kingston HyperX Triple Channel DDR3 2000:
"Fielding the first Triple Channel kit that runs at 2000MHz is quite a feather in Kingston's hat. Getting 2000MHz at 1.65v is a technological marvel. We already knew Kingston's HyperX line was a hot item, but with this breakthrough, great scaling, and Kingston's legendary durability, we can see this kit becoming a must have for hard core enthusiasts. The Lifetime warranty is a big plus with the Core i7 platform just making market. With a kit that runs this fast, you'll be able to enjoy them for a long time to come, secure in the knowledge that a replacement kit is just an email away."
Click here to read the full review.
- CPU3D: Adata XPG DDR3-1600 Tri-Channel 3Gb Kit:
"When it comes to performance, these Adata XPG Tri-Channel DDR3-1600 3Gb kits are extremely good. What's more they offer pretty good overclocking ability too. However, the price is something of a stumbling block. It's not the fault of Adata but rather it's to do with the big players within the DRAM industry. They like to charge a price premium for any that's new. The high costs will reflect on other brands too ... especially Corsair, OCZ and Crucial. "
Click here to read the full review.
- CPU3D: Corsair Dominator Tri-Channel DDR3-1600 6Gb Kit:
"There is no question ... Corsair's Dominator Tri-Channel DDR3-1600 6Gb kits are well worth considering, if you're after excellent performance and good overclocking ability. In addtition, the DHX cooling technology, with its grooved heatspeader and optimised fins looks great and it effectively cools the modules during heavy load and overclocking. Corsair have delivered a great memory product suitable for all Core i7 users, including the hardcore enthusiasts and overclockers. The price is something they need to work on."
Click here to read the full review.
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Gelid Silent Spirit Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review
November 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D and TweakNews have posted a review of the new Gelid Silent Spirit Heatpipe CPU cooler.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Guru3D:
"As it turns out to be, next to looking pretty attractive, the Silent Spirit performs pretty adequate as heatpipe based CPU cooler. Surely it's not among the top dog coolers out there, but the price isn't either. In fact the Silent Spirit cooler for USD 35 / Euro 23 will get you FAR better cooling that the stock cooler and is actually quite competitive in the mid-range segment.
There's really nothing negative to report about the cooler at all. Very decent cooling, good aesthetics and very easy to install. If you are on a Socket LGA 775 platform there's no needs to fool around with nuts and bolts. There is GC-1 thermal compound pre-applied for you, you just seat and secure the cooler and you are good to go. Straightforward and simple."
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakNews: Gelid Silent Spirit Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review:
"Gelid has a very worthy product in the Silent Spirit, especially for the debut offering of a new company. The Silent Spirit easily bests the performance of the OEM cooler while being noticeably quieter, even at full speed. Also, the design allows some board-cooling options while being very easy to install. Add in the fact that the fit and finish is top-shelf and, at the right price, this cooler could be an excellent value. The Silent Spirit is relatively compact and lightweight and the PWM fan and fan mounting solution makes for a near-silent cooler that will fit in all but the smallest of chassis'."
Click here to read the full review.
This is pretty decent CPU cooler for $30, but the Sunbeamtech Core Contact Freezer is even better.
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ATI Catalyst 8.11 Performance Analysis
November 17, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TweakTown have posted a performance analysis of the recently released ATI Catalyst 8.11 drivers.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Even if youre not playing Far Cry 2, as always we would recommend you upgrade to the latest driver suite. While for the most part we dont really see any gains in the games we test, its clear that there are going to be some gains out there which is always important. Add in the fact that theres also a bucket load of bug fixes as usual and there isnt much to complain about."
Another insightful article. Overall, this seems like a worthwhile driver upgrade, at least if you have a Radeon HD 4870.
Click here to read the full article.
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Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P Motherboard Review
November 15, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have posted a review of the affordable and feature-filled Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P motherboard, which is based on the Intel P45 Express chipset.
Here's what they had to say:
"The Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P is probably the best motherboard to date for any penny-pincher enthusiast. Its performance is on par with boards selling at twice of asking price (the EVGA 790i FTW that was tested) and yet it has a much lower power consumption. In addition, the number of overclocking tweaks available on this board marvels the boards that are selling twice the price of what this board is asking. We cannot really verify the effect of the 2 oz copper that was used in terms of cooler components and better performance, as many of the effects are, in fact, internal and not something that can be measured. What we can say is that this board does run quiet cool and it does seem to help out with overclocking. The fact that Gigabyte includes a Dolby capable audio chip and the S/PDIF would make this board an excellent choice for those who wish to have an HTPC."
In my opinion, this is the best sub-$200 Intel DDR2 motherboard on the market...and the best part is that you can find it for under $130!
Click here to read the full review.
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650W-1000W Power Supply Review Roundup - Antec, Corsair, OCZ & More
November 15, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech, Hardware Secrets, JonnyGURU, Rbmods, TestFreaks, and TweakTown have reviewed 650W to 1000W power supplies from Antec, Coolmax, Corsair, GlacialTech, Lian Li, OCZ, and Tagan.
Let's see what they had to say:
- bit-tech: Lian Li's Silent Force 850W power supply unit:
"The end result is that the Lian Li Silent Force 850W does what it says on the tin perfectly well, and while it may not be the most efficient, it is still highly efficient and makes up for the slight difference with a complete lack of noise, a solid table of voltages and some good quality cable and connector choices. We do like the Lian Li Silent Force a lot, and for a first try it's a fantastic effort, but for our cash we'd plump for the more popular OCZ or BFG units, even if the BFG is expensive by UK terms, it seems our US brethren have it better than we do."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: OCZ EliteXStream 1000 W Power Supply Review:
"We were really impressed by OCZ EliteXStream 1000 W. It can really deliver 1,000 W at 50º C with one of the lowest ripple and electrical noise levels weve ever seen. Efficiency was always above 80%, being between 84% and 88% if you pull up to 800 W. Delivering 1,000 W efficiency drops to 81%, but is still above the 80% mark.
This is a tremendous product, especially when you compare it to the previous 1,000 W unit from OCZ, the ProXStream, which has a lousy efficiency (79% when you pull 800 W, only 74.5% when delivering 1,000 W), a small and noisy fan and a very serious heating problem due to its excess of components squeezed into a very small form factor combined with an inefficient fan."
Click here to read the full review.
- JonnyGURU: Antec NeoPower Blue 650W Power Supply Review:
"I have a confession to make: I expected this unit to fail. After all, it was built on the same platform as the two Trio 650W units jonnyGURU blew up back in the day. But, not only did this unit survive, it gave me better numbers up to and including a staggering 88% efficiency figure.
That's the good news. The bad news is, mine did have trouble holding that 3A 5VSB rail. It also exhibited more voltage fluctuation than I like to see from an indy regulated unit. So, all things considered, I'm going to toss out a 7.5."
Click here to read the full review.
- Rbmods: Coolmax CUG-950B 950W Power Supply Review:
"The Coolmax RM-750B 750W PSU delivers in all the categories that matter when it comes to choosing a power supply: silent operations, stable performance, and nice looking exterior. At ~$90 USD, the PSU offers a lot of bang for the buck. While this PSU is lacking some features present in other high-end power supplies, overall its solid design make it a quality choice for a power supply meeting todays demanding power needs."
Click here to read the full review.
- Rbmods: GlacialTech GP-AL 650A Powersupply Review:
"This is a really cool PSU, although it scared me when the fan did not turn on when the rest of setup had already logged in to Windows. I then read about the smart function which will keep the fan speed as low as possible to lower the noise. I have not found any official price for this but if we look at other Glacialtech PSU´s we see that the price is a tad below other competitors. The performance was rock stable and the noise levels as said are VERY low. Overall I am more than happy with it and the only con is the availability at the moment."
Click here to read the full review.
- TestFreaks: Corsair TX750W 750Watt Power Supply:
"As expected the Corsair TX750W performs very well under load, and is very stable, its an all around great PSU really.
The extra long cables are great for large cases and to even help route them to keep them out of the way, the fan is silent as well which is something most anyone can appreciate. "
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: ABS Tagan BZ1300 Modular Power Supply:
"While all sounds wonderful so far (and yes, it really is that good a power supply), all this goodness comes at a price. For those interested in the BZ1300, you can expect to shell out in the vicinity of $470US or thereabouts. While this is a rather expensive upgrade, it will provide you with an excellent source of power that should easily last you for years to come. For comparison purposes, this price point hovers between the middle and upper end of the range for quality power supplies between 1200 and 1300 watts. Of course, you are also getting a solidly manufactured PSU from Tagan, a tier 2 manufacturing company."
Click here to read the full review.
Frankly, the only models I would recommend in this lineup are the Corsair and Lian Li. The rest are either merely okay or simply needlessly expensive.
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PC Case Review Roundup - Antec, Cooler Master, Lian Li & More
November 15, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews, BigBruin, bit-tech, Bjorn3D, CPU3D, Hardware Logic, Overclocked Inside, and Viper Lair have reviewed PC cases from Antec, Cooler Master, Lian Li, NZXT, RaidMax, and SilverStone.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews: Antec MicroFusion Remote 350 Mini HTPC Enclosure:
"Antec is well known for their high quality cases and the MicroFusion 350 lives up to that reputation. There were no sharp edges and all components felt very durable and solid to work with. The manufacturing tolerances were also incredibly precise, as evidenced by the aluminum bezel and LCD. The only issues I ran into were a few tight-fitting components during installation, but once complete, they didn't inferfere with day-to-day use.
In terms of functionality, the MicroFusion 350 includes a number of extra features, including a built in LCD, 350W 80 Plus power supply, 3 case fans, IR receiver, and remote. The only thing that appears to be missing is a card reader. I'd also like to point out that this case only supports low profile expansion cards. While this is inherent to the "Mini HTPC Enclosure" classification, it could be an issue if you intend to run high end TV tuners or video cards."
Click here to read the full review.
- BigBruin: Lian Li PC-A77B Full Tower Chassis Review:
"I am definitely impressed with this Lian Li PC-A77B full tower chassis. Being a fan of simplistic yet useful design, this case has it all. The front of the case looks great with the meshed device bay covers, yet it has a basic look to it that I have come to enjoy. The top mounted I/O ports are in a great location to access while using the computer. Lian Li has designed this case to allow you to install your components in many different configurations, which makes customizing your setup very convenient."
Click here to read the full review.
- bit-tech: Antec's Skeleton chassis:
"The sad fact is though that the Skeleton has failed utterly in delivering any of these things and is in great danger of becoming a real white elephant for Antec. The build quality we've come to expect is still there, but the important design decisions seem to have missed out hugely important concerns like aftermarket coolers or tall graphics cards. The inability to support these products, which in the case of aftermarket coolers have been enthusiast bread and butter for years, borders on the unbelievable and is frankly an unforgivable omission."
Click here to read the full review.
- Bjorn3D: Cooler Master HAF-932 Case:
"One of the largest strengths with the Cooler Master HAF-932 is the airflow, and the silence. This case is dead silent except in the quietest environments, yet there is still plenty of airflow to keep even a high-end enthusiast computer well cooled. This case will not muffle loud hardware, so if the hardware sounds loud in an open-air testbed then it is going to be just as loud inside this case. Even so with a little prior planning this should not be an issue."
Click here to read the full review.
- Bjorn3D: Lian Li PC-V2010 Full Tower Chassis:
"To say that I was impressed with the Lian Li PC-V2010 would be an understatement. As a fellow reviewer told me recently, "Every enthusiast should own at least one Lian Li." I can attest that his statement was not misguided. The Lian Li PC-V2010 chassis is an impressive work of craftsmanship. There may be others like it, but there may be none better. Still, having said that, it is not perfect. But with a few minor tweaks it could be. I can only hope that the Lian Li design team is up to the challenge. Lian Li has set the bar extremely high with the PC-V2010."
Click here to read the full review.
- Bjorn3D: NZXT Whisper Case:
"The NZXT Whipser chassis is a well thought out chassis. Having separated the upper and lower "chambers" (upper for the motherboard, lower for the HDD's and PSU) is a good concept to help control heat and airflow. It also helps making cable management a lot easier. The Whisper case has a solid build to it. It did not bend or flex or, for that matter, twist too easily. Once all of the internal computer components were installed I did not have to worry about this chassis flexing when I moved it around the room. The sound dampening foam that was used on this chassis served its purpose well. As I kept my 4870X2 and 4870 fans ramped up to a 100% RPM's (these fans can be rather loud), once I buttoned up all the sides up on this chassis, my video cards fans went from screaming loudly to a low hum, almost to a whisper."
Click here to read the full review.
- CPU3D: Cooler Master ATCS 840 Aluminum Chassis:
"The smooth and clean lines of the Coolermaster ATCS 840 is what makes this chassis so appealing. Constructed of high quality brushed Aluminum ... it's light-weight, strong and looks great. What's more, the cooling performance is just as impressive. This is all thanks to the 3 massive 230mm fans included with the chassis ... two at the top with one at the of the chassis. There's also another 120mm fan at the rear, giving to a good air-flow system throughout the chassis. On average, we were getting between 2-3 degrees above ambient temperature during full load."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Logic: Antec Mini P180 Case Review:
"What's not to like about the Mini P180? Our biggest, gripe is the complete lack of an active intake cooling solution for this chassis. There's a place to install two 120mm fans. Why not populate them both and design the chassis so they cool your hard drives? The other issue is aimed directly at enthusiasts who enjoy their bling factor - you might want to turn elsewhere. There is no side panel window. There are no LED fans. The exterior might even be considered drab or boring to some folks that are used to over-the-top special effects. Whatever your tastes, you have been warned. And finally, at $160 street, you pay for every bit of this high end case, and no matter how well put together, that's a lot to ask for an mATX enclosure."
Click here to read the full review.
- Overclocked Inside: Silverstone La Scala SST LC02B HTPC Case:
"All in all the Silverstone SST-LC02 B especially impresses with its simple design and nice exterior finish. Additionally the low price is very interesting for a HTPC case with integrated power supply. This is a nice buying reason even if it's only used to build a media player for the living room with discarded computer components."
Click here to read the full review.
- Viper Lair: RaidMax Iceberg Elite Series Case:
"Raidmax delivers a hard blow to the competition with the Iceberg case. The exterior is very appealing in design as well as function. One of my favorite attributes is the use of the top of the case for the Power / Reset buttons along with USB / FireWire and audio. The Blue LED's are neither here nor there for me, some will like them, some will replace them. Tool-less entry is also a nice feature and one I will use frequently in my line of work. The inclusion of 2 rubber cover pass through holes is a bonus for anyone going down the water cooling path."
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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ViewSonic VLED221wm 22-inch LCD Monitor Review
November 15, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
bit-tech and ThinkComputers have reviewed the ViewSonic VLED221wm 22-inch LCD Monitor, which features an LED backlight.
Here's what they had to say:
- bit-tech:
"We had high hopes for this monitor, but unfortunately few/if any were met. Most of all, in this particular implementation, the benefits of LED technology are rather tough to spot. For static image quality, a decent PVA or IPS panel with a CCFL backlight still gives clearly superior results to the VLED221wm's TN-plus-LED combination.
This leaves it in a pretty tricky position because, if we ignore its price for a moment, the Viewsonic VLED221wm is certainly one of the better 22-inch TN screens currently available. It's more vibrant and satisfying than the average dull and dingy budget competitor.
But is it worth twice as much as a conventional 22 incher? In the end, the answer has to be no. It has too many flaws, including relatively poor pixel response and the poorly implemented and non-switchable dynamic contrast technology, and there are too few benefits of the LED backlight, for that."
Click here to read the full review.
- ThinkComputers:
"All in all this is the best LCD I have been able to take a look at. Anyone who purchases it will be pleased. When the VLED first came out in February it was $800, but now you can get it for around $450 online, which is still expensive for a 22-inch monitor, but you won't be disappointed in the performance. Overall ThinkComputers gives the ViewSonic VLED221wm 22-inch Widescreen LED Backlit LCD Monitor a 10 out of 10 score and our Editor's Choice Award!"
Click here to read the full review.
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G.Skill PC2-6400 4GB Pi Black Series Memory Kit Review
November 15, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Virtual-Hideout have posted a review of the G.Skill PC2-6400 4GB Pi Black Series memory kit.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Though G.Skill's kit managed to melt it's wax wings on the path to greatness, it still managed to impress a fair bit before it plummeted back to the earth. Though it managed only 1,000 MHz, this is still a 25% overclock, so to speak - something which is quite impressive on a kit that runs for under $90. Even if you don't intend to overclock, these modules pack a fair punch with their low latencies, great build quality, and oddly, lower cost than the rest of the flock. Considering these few graces, as well as the small tokens inside the package, I'd have to say that I recommend this kit to anyone looking for a quick fix in terms of a memory upgrade - something that will simply drop in and work - now that's peace of mind."
If you are in the market for an affordable and attractive 4GB DDR2 memory kit, this product is definitely worth a look.
Click here to read the full review.
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OCZ Gladiator MAX CPU Cooler Review
November 14, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted a review of the new high-end OCZ Gladiator MAX CPU cooler.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The OCZ Gladiator Max certainly is a very interesting cooler. We may not like its looks as much as the Vendetta 2's but this is a personal preference and we are sure a lot of people will actually prefer its more graceful lines to that of the stark lines of the Vendetta 2. Though when all is said and done a coolers looks will only get you so far; and when the heat is on and voltage is rising you want a cooler that can handle to heat with aplomb and this is one area the Gladiator Max would have been an absolute winner....if it had been released before the Vendetta 2.
No one can argue that this new cooler doesnt have very good cooling performance and lets face it: this is the name of the game. Without the ability to properly cool your CPU the Gladiator Max would be nothing more than a fancy paper weight. Unfortunately, its cooling is very good but it is not as good as the cheaper Vendetta 2s and quite honestly why would you pay more for less?"
A pretty good cooler, but OCZ has still not managed to surpass their own very impressive Vendetta 2.
Click here to read the full review.
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ECS X58B-A Motherboard Review
November 14, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have posted a review of the ECS X58B-A motherboard, which is based on the upcoming Intel X58 Express chipset.
Here's an excerpt:
"But the reality is simple, for seriously hefty overclocking, you need to look elsewhere. My advice to ECS is simple, focus on exactly this item, the BIOS versus tweakability. Once that improves, the stigma as an OEM manufacturer will be abolished.
Anyway, you have to agree with me, there's got to be a good market for both. Because not everybody would want to or can afford a 300 to 400 USD motherboard. So while the ECS overclocking BIOS features were a little sober, there's just nothing else wrong with the mainboard, from ground up you'll get all the X58 chipset features and a whole lot more than say, Intel's own X58 motherboard. So if the baseline performance of a Core i7 product is good enough for your humble self, I say why not? Really... it's fast... there is nothing, absolutely nothing I'd do or can say to get in your way to prevent you from purchasing this motherboard. "
This seems like a great little motherboard, and it offers much better value than most other X58 motherboards will. Frankly, off the top of my head, its only real competitor will be Intel's own DX58SO "SmackOver", which is sure to be a relatively affordable model as well.
Click here to read the full review.
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Altec Lansing VS3251 5.1 Surround Speaker System Review
November 14, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TweakTown have posted a review of the affordable Altec Lansing VS3251 5.1 surround speaker system.
Here's what they had to say:
"To offer some sort of final word here, its important to consider that these speakers have been designed primarily as a budget gaming system that offers good value and performance for console gamers or PC gamers alike.
They allowing the user to hear and feel all the action of
bullets whizzing by and explosions taking place in a real 5.1 environment, which for a $70 street price is outstanding value. I don't think that even buys a single Xbox 360 game, just to put things into perspective.
Movies and music are not great, so don't buy this system to relive the emotion of a great concert or a well recorded piece of music, because you will be disappointed by frequency response and tonal accuracy. To a lesser extent, film is the same, although I see no issues with enjoying any TV program or sitcom that is not recorded in high bandwidth like films are. Even casual radio listening would be fine here, as thats another heavily compressed medium.
Finally, I don't think AL has done a bad job at all in designing this system. As a PC or console gaming system, it does exactly what it says and for a great price!"
A decent but not spectacular speaker system. They may be affordable, but you can absolutely find a better alternative from Logitech.
Click here to read the full review.
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Gaming Mice Review Roundup - Logitech, Razer, Roccat
November 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
PlayIT3D, t-break, and TestFreaks have reviewed gaming mice from Logitech, Razer, and Roccat.
Let's see what they had to say:
- PlayIT3D: Roccat Kone Gaming Mouseþ:
"The Kone has got to be one of the best products I have tested in a while, the control system works so well with it. The colour controls are fantastic and is a sure fly way to give any hardcore gamer what he wants. For those of you who are looking around for the ideal mouse to help you out in any situation, the Kone is here to help you out! Even though the Kone has a £49.99 price tag on it. Thats not much for what youre actually getting with the mouse. Its GREAT VALUE, with great assents. I highly recommend this mouse to any PC gamer out there. Without a doubt."
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break: Logitech G9:
"Logitech took all the time in the world to get the G9 just perfect for todays applications or games, especially when it comes to gaming with 3200dpi. The weights provided with the package helps a lot in keeping the mouse steady depending on the force you exert to move it.
As the skills increase in gaming we noticed a slight difference from 2000dpi to 3200dpi in that, with the latter setting we were able to move around in games a lot smoother than 2000dpi which gives better steadiness while aiming in FPS games. This will indeed help a lot of hardcore gamers improve their skills with the G9.
We had a few gamers selected to give the G9 a try. Some reported to be unable to use the G9 steadily, while other found utter satisfaction with the G9. Our little research into this figured that users with broad, square palms will find the G9 very comfy and quickly adapt while for those with longer, rectangular palms will suffer a bit. The second set of users would do better using the longer and more slender G5 or G7 instead."
Click here to read the full review.
- TestFreaks: Razer Lachesis Gaming Mouse:
"The Razer Lachesis is an excellent gaming mouse that I believe any hardcore would just love, it's got tons of features and the ability to save several profiles for different games is something that any gamer will appreciate.
The Lachesis though is just that, a gaming mouse, and it seems not to be the greatest everyday mouse, I personally prefer a mouse that I can use for everything I do, and to me it seems the Lachesis is a bit jittery when using it for slow motions like copy and paste etc.
Click here to read the full review.
All three of these models are good products, and they defintely worth a look if you're in the market for a new gaming mouse.
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Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR3-1333 Memory Kit Review
November 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
BigBruin have reviewed the reasonably affordable Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR3-1333 memory kit, which sports devilishly tight 6-6-6 memory timings.
Let's see what they had to say:
"The bottom line on the Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR3-1333 memory kit is that it offers great performance right out of the box, and for those looking for more, they will gladly oblige. While they may not have the highest stock speed rating, even a novice overclocker should be able to get a few hundred extra MHz out of this kit. The sample provided for review was stable at 1700MHz with minimal effort, and may be on the verge of 1800MHz operation with some more tweaking. Looking at other review sites will show that this is about par for the course, with some people hitting 1600MHz, 1800MHz, or even close to 2000MHz with these modules.
Even if you are not interested in overclocking, the stock performance was nothing to complain about. The 6-6-6-20 timings are rather tight, and test results at 1333MHz were respectable. Couple the performance with the interesting light show put on by the Tracer LEDs, Crucial's limited lifetime warranty, and their 30-day money-back compatibility guarantee, and you have a very appealing memory kit on your hands."
Overall, this is another solid Crucial Ballistix memory kit, and it should definitely be near the top of the list if you are in the market for some DDR3.
Click here to read the full review.
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Overclocked Radeon HD 4870 X2 Comparison
November 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
HotHardware have tested and compared two factory overclocked Radeon HD 4870 X2 graphics cards from ASUS and MSI.
Here's what they had to say:
"As expected, the Asus EAH4870X2 TOP and MSI R4870X2-T2D2G-OC both outperformed a reference Radeon HD 4870 X2, nearly across the board. The only instance where the factory overclocked Asus and MSI cards didn't clearly outpace the reference card was in the CPU bound 3DMark06 default test. In the SM 3.0 / HDR tests build into 3DMark06, however, the Asus and MSI cards came out on the top. Overall, the Asus EAH4870X2 TOP finished just ahead of the MSI R4870X2-T2D2G-OC due to its slightly higher GPU and memory frequencies, but the performance deltas were minimal."
Overclocked or not, the Radeon HD 4870 X2 is a beast of card and it performs extremely well in most circumstances. Now if only AMD would work on reducing its ridiculously high heat output...
Click here to read the full review.
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Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro CPU Cooler Review
November 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
X-bit Labs have posted a review of the new Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro CPU cooler, which sports a very interesting design.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Well, I can conclude with all certainty that Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro represents one more highly efficient CPU cooling solution for overclocking needs. Yes, the new cooler is not cheap and not ultra-quiet, but it is undoubtedly efficient. It is a definite step forward from the good old Big Typhoon, but still not a jump forward, as many of you may have expected. In fact, we can hardly expect contemporary air cooling systems to reveal any revolutionary efficiency improvements.
Anyway, there is room for Thermaltake BigTyp 14Pro to improve. First of all, its heatsink effective surface could be larger and the upper and lower rows of heatpipes inside the heatsink could be shifted a bit. They could also try using a fan with side panels, i.e. framed fan, and make the heatsink plates of variable height on air flow entry."
It looks like Thermaltake have a real winner on their hands with the BigTyp 14Pro, I just hope that it's priced competitively with the new generation of 'heatpipe direct touch' heatsinks.
Click here to read the full review.
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ASUS Xonar Essence STX Preview
November 13, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted a brief look at the upcoming ASUS Xonar Essence STX, a new high-end sound card.
Here's an excerpt:
"This new high end card can be considered the "Concept Car" of the Xonar lineup since the Audio designers aimed this card squarley at the audiophiles and headphone nuts among us. Lets take a quick look at the features this card has to offer the audio community."
This new Xonar model certainly looks promising, hopefully it sounds as good as it looks!
Click here to read the full preview.
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Razer Moray Gaming Earbuds Review
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have posted a review of the new Razer Moray gaming earbuds.
Let's see what they had to say:
"We were surprised and pleased with the Razer Moray In Ear Gaming Earphones. They brought great sound to the table for the MP3 players we tested and provided a great gaming experience on the PC. They passively isolated noise in the surrounding environment, helping to keep us immersed in the game. They also remained comfortable the entire time we tested. The only problem we had with them was hearing people speaking to us during gaming. We liked that problem. Being able to remain in the game and focused made tracking down our foes and exterminating them easier."
A comfortable and portable design, great audio performance that suits both gaming and music, and an affordable $40 price tag...what's not to like?
Click here to read the full review.
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Top 132 Intel Socket 775 CPU Coolers Chart
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
FrostyTech have posted a chart detailing the Top 132 Intel Socket 775 CPU coolers.
Here's what they had to say:
"You've come to the right website - Frostytech.com answers all in this months' billboard-sized Top 132 Intel socket 775 heatsinks chart! Intel heatsinks are ranked according to their performance on a 150W heat load, ranging from -50°C to 50°C over ambient! The warmer heatsinks in the chart account for many of the low-noise coolers, sound level data can be found in each of the full 132 detailed reviews."
If you are in the market for a new CPU cooler, you owe it to yourself to check out this chart.
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Power Supply Review Roundup - Antec, BFG, Corsair & More
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
DriverHeaven, Hardware Logic, Hardware Secrets, PureOverclock, Rbmods, and Tech-Reviews have reviewed power supplies from Antec, BFG, Coolmax, Corsair, and Tagan.
Let's see what they had to say:
- DriverHeaven: Antec Signature 850W Power Supply Review:
"The Antec Signature 850W is a very high quality product with an amazingly high efficiency and very good overall performance. At the same time it is an appealing unit and the semi-modular design adds more prestige ... that said it is one of the most expensive products in its class. Hardcore enthusiasts will certainly love its extremely high quality and clean design, while at the same time overclockers will also admire the slightly overvolted 12V lines. The premium quality of the unit increases the retail price, but if you can afford it the Antec Signature 850W is certainly one of the best products you could possibly buy in its power range."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Logic: BFG LS-680W Power Supply Review:
"Starting from the top, this power supply has a lot going for it. BFG's lifetime warranty combined with its notoriously good customer support make a strong argument for any product from this company. Often times it is usually best that smaller, niche companies stick to what they do best but we're glad BFG has made the step into power supplies. We don't have to preach about how competition in the marketplace is good, but when competition exists among good, quality products, then it is even better. The generous bundle, completely sleeved cables, full array of connectors and large, quiet cooling fan all had a hand in earning the LS-680 the good score you see here.
Not to be a buzz-kill, but there also has to be a balance of views. With every good there comes a bad, it's just the way the world works. Although this PSU has a lot of great features, its biggest downfall was performance. It was by no means a poor showing unit, but it certainly wasn't jaw dropping. Efficiency was very good, but not great. Voltage regulation (especially on the -12V rail) was good, but not great. Noise was good, but noticeable as temperatures pushed into the mid to upper 50ºC range."
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Corsair HX1000W Power Supply Review:
"We are pretty confident that Corsair HX1000W is in fact a 1,500 W power supply that Corsair decided to label as a 1,000 W model because of efficiency. If Corsair had labeled this unit as a 1,100 W or greater unit it wouldnt achieve the minimum 80% efficiency at full load that is considered by todays standards the minimum a power supply should perform.
Speaking of efficiency, when you pull up to 80% (800 W) from this power supply you will see a terrific efficiency between 85% and 87% but when pulling 1,000 W efficiency drops to 81%. "
Click here to read the full review.
- PureOverclock: Tagan BZ 700:
"The Tagan BZ 700 is a power supply that delivers solid features and performance and does it in style as well. From a feature standpoint, the accessories included in this package are the most extensive and useful that Ive ever seen, and clearly Tagan has put quality and customer satisfaction at the very top of their list. A wide assortment of sleeved modular cables that support SLI/CrossFire setups, an easy-to-use and colour-coded PipeRock connection design, a scratch-resistant finish, and a beautiful flashy aesthetic further adds to the positives here. From a functional standpoint, the BZ 700 boasts excellent voltage regulation, very good efficiency, and a very quiet operation. It would have been nice to see the main ATX and CPU cables a bit longer to allow for better cable management in full tower cases. It would also be beneficial to consumers to offer a better warranty. These issues, however, dont really spoil what is otherwise an excellent power supply. "
Click here to read the full review.
- Rbmods: Coolmax CUG-950B 950W Power Supply Review:
"The Coolmax RM-750B 750W PSU delivers in all the categories that matter when it comes to choosing a power supply: silent operations, stable performance, and nice looking exterior. At ~$90 USD, the PSU offers a lot of bang for the buck. While this PSU is lacking some features present in other high-end power supplies, overall its solid design make it a quality choice for a power supply meeting todays demanding power needs."
Click here to read the full review.
- Tech-Reviews: Antec TruePower Quattro TPQ 850W Review:
"With the racing stripes and tight rails, the TruePower Quattro 850 isnt only a stunner but also an impressive performer. For someone who wants a quiet gaming PC, the silence of this unit would be greatly appreciated by many as well as the amount of power provided.
The cost too is quite reasonable. Not only are you purchasing the PSU itself, but as an added bonus, Antec have kindly included 3 years warrantee should anything go wrong.
This sums the Antec TruePower Quattro 850 to be an excellent addition for any gaming system."
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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Arctic Cooling Accelero TWIN TURBO VGA Cooler Review
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have posted a review of the Arctic Cooling Accelero TWIN TURBO VGA cooler.
Here's what they had to say:
"The Accelero Twin Turbo did exactly what I expected from a great manufacturer like Artic Cooling. This GPU cooler
kept my Hd4870 card cool and not only did it do that very well, it lightened up the total wieght of the video card itself. Also, it quietened down the video card fans. Installation of the Twin Turbo was real simple. It was not overly complictated and the instructions were very precise on what to do at what step and how to do that step (for instance, with my HD4870 I had to leave one memory sink off).
I couldn't find any real flaws with this product. So I will only point out things I felt Arctic Cooling can improve upon. Instead of putting the thermal paste on the GPU cooler's base, I would like to have a tube of thermal paste included."
This is effectively the Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev 2 with a Turbo Module pre-attached, and it is a great VGA cooler.
Click here to read the full review.
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GELID Silent Spirit Quad Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Futurelooks have posted a review of the promising new GELID Silent Spirit Quad Heatpipe CPU cooler.
Let's see what they had to say:
"CPU coolers like the GELID Silent Spirit can be hard for a reviewer to classify. They dont offer balls to the wall performance, and are usually made to fit a niche. Finding that niche is necessary to determine whether or not the cooler is successful. The GELID Silent Spirit is a mid-range cooler meant for ultra quiet systems that dont require maximum cooling performance. Its small size and overall design speak to this. So does it achieve what what was intended? Well its undeniable that the cooler wont hold up to the performance offered by a large fan based cooler. Still the Silent Spirit held its own against its main competition (Freezer 64 Pro), and even managed to best it in a couple areas. "
At $35, this is a good little cooler, and it should interest those who desire a very quiet cooling solution.
Click here to read the full review.
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ASUS P6T Deluxe Motherboard Reviews
November 12, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D, PC Perspective, and TweakTown have reviewed the ASUS P6T Deluxe and P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition motherboards, which are based on the Intel X58 Express chipset.
Let's see what they had to say:
- CPU3D: Asus P6T Deluxe (X58) Motherboard Review:
"Asus have produced yet another great product. The performance, features and overclocking ability is excellent. I really can't fault it ... except for price. Costing around £320 ($530), it's one of the most expensive motherboards I've ever reviewed. And you have to remember, you'll also need Tri-Channel DDR3 memory and of course, the new Core i7 processor from Intel. But having said that, if you're a true enthusiasts or a hardcore overclocker, price shouldn't be an issue. What makes the Asus P6T Deluxed so appealing and attractive is the fact that you'll be owning one of the best performing motherboard available on the market."
Click here to read the full review.
- PC Perspective: ASUS P6T Deluxe X58 Motherboard Review:
"Even with the high price, the ASUS P6T Deluxe looks to be a fantastic motherboard for early adopters of the Intel Core i7 processor by offering up a host of unique features as well as a BIOS that would make most enthusiast overclockers envious. The idle power consumption and CPU clock ratio issues are minor annoyances to anyone that is really going to be stressing the platform so I am hesitant to put any weight to those issues in my conclusion. The P6T Deluxe is clean, fast and feature-rich without a lot of clutter or an overly-ambitious box set. It might simply be the Core i7 honeymoon rearing its head, but I think the P6T Deluxe is a great first offering from ASUS."
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition X58 Motherboard Review:
"While the performance of Core i7 compared to the Core 2 processor has already been proven, its still too soon to say if Core i7 will take off like a screaming rocket or if it will take some time before its adopted. Core i7 is also one of those processors that requires a degree in rocket science to overclock; similar to Phenom. There are too many buses and dividers making this system work, but its still too soon to say if Core i7 has topped out in bus clocking or if it will go harder.
On that note, we have to give the ASUS board a huge rap; its extremely feature rich, has a reasonable overclock on offer at this early stage and with CrossfireX and SLI graphics support, there is something here for everyone."
Click here to read the full review.
Although very, very expensive, the P6T Deluxe models appear to be tremendously capable motherboards that literally have every feature that one could possibly desire. It will be interesting to see whether any other manufacturer can produce a model that competes with these impressive offerings.
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OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA) Review
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Legit Reviews have just tested the unique and innovative OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator (NIA).
Here's an excerpt:
"After spending a few weeks using the NIA on Vista Ultimate 64-bit with the new 2.001 NIA drivers, I experienced some good and bad with the NIA. I started off with the Pong game that is built into the OCZ NIA software bundle. Nice, simple and a good way to give your head a work out. In fact, after about 10 minutes of flexing my head to move the pong paddle up and down, I quickly developed a headache and decided to take a break. My accuracy was not that great in pong either. I had a hard time controlling the pong without spiking the Muscle signal and sending the paddle all the way to the top of the box.
After a few more attempts at Pong, I decided that it was time to just try a game. I pulled out a tried and true game, Half Life 2. I was able to consistently move backwards and stop by flexing my forehead and relaxing with the default profile supplied by OCZ. This is consistent with my experience in Pong by not being able to gradually move the pong up and down. I adjusted the headband repeatedly to try and determine where it best received my Muscle signal and I was eventually able to get the HL2 character to move in a forward direction."
This is undeniably a bit of a gimmick, but a dedicated gamer could certainly gain some worthwhile use from this device.
Click here to read the full review.
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Corsair & Elixir 4GB DDR3 Memory Kit Reviews
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D and TestFreaks have reviewed 4GB DDR3 memory kits from Corsair and Elixir.
Here's what they had to say:
- CPU3D: Elixir DDR3-1333 PC3-10600 4Gb Kit:
"No longer are 4Gb DDR3 memory kits expensive or out of reach for many users. Elixir have now produced affordable DDR3-1333 4Gb kits for the masses. If you're mainstream user who wants to use a 64-bit version of Windows and also wants the benefits of having 4Gb of installed ... then these Elixir DDR3-1333 4Gb kits are worth considering. For all you gamers and hardcore enthusiasts ... you might want to look elsewhere."
Click here to read the full review.
- TestFreaks:
CORSAIR XMS3 DHX 4GB DDR3 PC3-12800 1600Mhz Ram TW3X4G1600C9DHXNV:
"The results pretty much speak for themselves, the Corsair DDR3 1600Mhz kit is something to be reckoned with in terms of performance and even looks.
This kit can easily run at a lower latency of Cas8, with the overall timings of 8-8-8-20 at stock voltages, as at those timings there is a nice performance gain so there is no reason not to run at those timings. "
Click here to read the full review.
Neither of these kits are particularly remarkable, but they are solid offerings and are worth a look if you're in the market for 4GB of DDR3 system memory.
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G.Skill & Silicon Power Solid State Drive Reviews
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews and TweakTown have reviewed solid state drives (SSDs) from G.Skill and Silicon Power.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews: Silicon Power 32GB SLC SATA-II SSD:
"Based on the collection of benchmark tests we conducted, Silicon Power's 32GB SATA-II SSD settles in near the top of our performance charts. At this moment the SP032GBSSD750S25 model occupies the #4 position in our ranks, which is quite an improvement over their last generation product. With a sustained read speed of 121 MBps and sustained write at 88 MBps, the bandwidth available is quite enough to match the fastest Hard Disk Drives; but the additional benefit of an immediate response time makes all the difference in performance.
[...]
In conclusion, the Silicon Power SATA-II SLC Solid State Drive is a stark improvement over the past product line, and is very worthy of your consideration. Expect to enjoy extremely fast application opening and O/S boot times with this SSD, along with the perk of lower power consumption and relatively low heat output under load. The biggest drawback is going to be retail availability, and perhaps price. Until we see Silicon Power SSDs land on North American shores, this items will be relegated to Europe and Asia."
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: G.Skill FM-25S2-128GB 2.5-inch Solid State Disk:
"Here we are, just one week after looking at the Warp V2 that cost over 350 Dollars (after MIR) and see that the G.Skill FM-25S2-128GB performs just as well and is nearly 115 Dollars cheaper. I have to hand it to G.Skill for having the courage to take on the market and put out such a remarkable drive and undercut the competition by such a large margin. It would have been easy for G.Skill to undercut the others by 20, 30 or 40 Dollars and still have the same product and bank the extra money, but they went to the mattresses with the FM-25S2-128GB and set a new price performance standard. This was also the case with the G.Skill SLC drive we looked at a couple of weeks ago, G.Skill was able to out price the competitors."
Click here to read the full review.
G.Skill have created an extremely impressive SSD series, not only are they blisteringly fast, but they are relatively affordable as well.
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Vantec AeroFlox FX 92 & FX 120 CPU Cooler Reviews
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
DragonSteelMods and TechwareLabs have reviewed the Vantec AeroFlox FX 92 and FX 120 CPU coolers, which are obviously 92MM and 120MM models.
Let's see what they had to say:
- DragonSteelMods: Vantec AeroFlow FX 120 CPU Cooler:
"The Vantec AeroFlow 120 CPU Cooler is a well made, decent performing cooler that is quiet and easy to install.
In my testing I found that it can even work very well with no fan at all, so it could be the base of a nice quiet system, and even with the fan it's still very quiet in operation."
Click here to read the full review.
- TechwareLabs: Vantec AeroFlow FX 92:
"Vantec's AeroFlow FX 92 is an amazing cooler for the cost, only $37.99 or less in our realtime pricing below. The AeroFlow may not have the bling that some of the more expensive coolers do, but it more than makes up for it with effectiveness and cost efficiency. Vantec made a great design choice to use Pulse Width Modulation for controlling the fan. By using Pulse Width Modulation they allow the fan to provide a quiet and effective cooling solution for one of the most overworked components in any mainstream users PC. My only nitpick about the AeroFlow FX92 is that for the Intel LGA 775 chipset the mounting bracket used to mount the cooler uses the same annoying turn clips that the stock Intel cooler uses. Personally I hate that mounting solution because it can be a real pain to make sure that it makes a solid connection to the chip in order to provide a stable cooling solution. Other than that one nitpick I have no complaints over this cooler."
Click here to read the full review.
Vantec has done a very good job with this AeroFlow series, not only do the coolers perform well, but they are quiet and affordable.
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EVGA GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB Graphics Card Review
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted a review of the EVGA GeForce 9800 GTX+ 512MB graphics card, which is built on the 55nm manufacturing process.
Let's see what they had to say:
"When it was released, there were many people who lambasted the 9800 GTX+ for being just another take on a product that should have been left as it was. It is amazing how times change since now -a few months after this card made its first appearance- Nvidias answer to the HD 4850 has had time to mature driver-wise and has really found its niche in todays market. It performs extremely well in nearly every game up to reasonably high resolution and at around $230 before rebates (and currency fluctuations); it offers the perfect mix of price and performance for those of you on a budget. There really is a hell of a lot to like about the EVGA 9800 GTX+ and from where we are standing, there arent many negatives at all."
This article gives a new perspective on the Radeon HD 4850 vs. GeForce 9800 GTX+ debate, check it out for yourselves!
Click here to read the full review.
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Call of Duty: World at War Performance Analysis
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D have just tested the new Call of Duty: World at War game at 4 different resolutions and with 16 modern graphics cards.
Let's see what they had to say:
"I'm pretty confident that we again have a massive title here that's going to be a huge success. I'm also confident that the game won't be everybody's cup of tea. Most of us that have had a taste of COD 4 Modern Warfare, really would like to see more of that. It was new and awesome.
Personally, I however have had a great time thus far with the game. The performance should not really be an issue for any modern graphics card as we have shown you today. Mainly the reason behind this is of course that the COD4 graphics engine was used. Surely it has a coupe of tweaks here and there to improve the look and feel of the game. The reality remains though that the title still looks fantastic. The creators managed to give the game that important look and feel, so if you are into the genre, you'll absolutely love this title."
This certainly looks like a promising game, and it's nice to see that it performs well with a wide variety of current graphics cards.
Click here to read the full article.
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Best Memory Kit Configuration for the Core i7 Platform
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Techgage have just tested various memory kit configurations with the new Core i7 platform to find which settings perform the best.
Here's what they had to say:
"Bottom-line? If you are building a new machine for light work and don't have huge gaming in mind, then a 3GB kit should suit you. If you are a hardcore gamer or heavy multi-tasker, a 6GB kit is going to be the right fit. As for the overall frequency, I think our article speaks about that enough. Personally, given our results here, I'd recommend a DDR3-1066 7-7-7-20. Or if it's possible, find the same frequency with latencies of 6-6-6. I believe that a kit with those specs could even outperform the DDR3-1600 with 8-8-8, except with raw bandwidth."
Overall, memory speeds and timings don't really make a huge performance difference on the Core i7 platform. However, if you have the option, buying a low latency kit is likely to be cheaper and provide better Bang for the Buck.
Click here to read the full review.
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PC Case Review Roundup - Lian Li, NZXT, Zalman & More
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews, bit-tech, Bjorn3D, PCSTATS, PC Perspective, PureOverclock, and Tweaknews have reviewed PC cases from Cooler Master, Lian Li, NZXT, and Zalman.
Here's what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews: Cooler Master CM 690 NVIDIA Edition Case:
"I would definitely recommend this enclosure especially for those on a budget. The price isn't much higher than cases that have no real cooling options or tool less features. Other cases try to get your attention with silly lights and cheesy side windows, but still have a very generic and cheap look. The NV 690 NVIDIA edition makes a bit of a statement without a total generic look while providing good "out of the box" performance.The fans that are included are very quiet while providing decent airflow"
Click here to read the full review.
- bit-tech: NZXT Whisper chassis:
"After our time with it, the core build quality is mostly there, but the level of polish and attention to detail youd see from bigger names like Cooler Master, Lian Li, Akasa or Antec just isnt. This puts the NZXT in a very tough position, as its competing at a price point against higher quality cases from these very manufacturers and that's where it ultimately falls down. For the same money you can get a different case elsewhere with much better build quality, performance (in relation to cooling and noise), looks and features for less money, and its for this reason that we cant really recommend the NZXT Whisper."
Click here to read the full review.
- Bjorn3D: NZXT Guardian 921:
"This chassis provides looks, quality, and performance all-in-one, and is bound not to disappoint you! The NZXT Guardian 921 case is the perfect case for those wanting to build a budget system, but also want a very good looking case."
Click here to read the full review.
- PCSTATS: Cooler Master Stacker 830 SE Case Review:
" The Cooler Master Stacker 830 SE continues Cooler Master's tradition of solid cases. Along with its sleek cool look, the Stacker 830 SE was clearly designed for an enthusiast computer user. Internally the case is an absolute breeze to work with and with all the space available, you'll have room to fit even the biggest videocards."
Click here to read the full review.
- PC Perspective: Zalman GS1000 Professional Full-Tower Enclosure Review:
"Overall I like this case. The fit and finish is excellent and the blend of high-gloss (black or Titanium) and brushed aluminum finishes looks great. There is plenty of room inside to work along with good cable management. There are also plenty of drive bays along with three hot-swap bays for internal HDDs. The GS1000 has the potential for very good case cooling but you will most likely have to add more fans to take full advantage.
My main complaint with GS1000 is the price; its still relatively high considering the competition (Cooler Master, Antec, NZXT), especially considering only two case fans are included. "
Click here to read the full review.
- PureOverclock: Lian Li PC-7FW:
"With a modest departure from their traditional style aesthetic, Lian Li has proved they can strike a fine balance between sleek minimalism and contemporary flash in a mid-tower case. But as with most things, form follows function, and this is where the 7FW really shines; it is packed with features normally found in a high-end enthusiast full-tower case. The build quality and attention to details are outstanding, from the overall design layout to the smallest noise dampening vibration padding. The drive bay design is simple and sublime, the overall fit and finish is superb, and the quality is impeccable. The only blemish on an otherwise exceptional product is the lack of cable management accoutrements that are found in most other Lian Li cases. This issue is by no means a failure, but more of a missed opportunity for those people who really care about how their case looks inside, as well as how it functions."
Click here to read the full review.
- Tweaknews: Cooler Master HAF 932 Full-Tower ATX Case Review:
"With a handle that means High Air Flow the cooling performance of the HAF 932 comes under close scrutiny from the outset. With three 320mm and one 140mm fans included, I was expecting good cooling, but what I got was outstanding cooling with a very modest noise penalty. This is not an easy task to accomplish. More than one case manufacturer has discovered that simply adding a big fan to the sidepanel of a poorly ventilated case results in a noisy box with lackluster cooling performance, simply because there's no place for all that air to go. With the HAF, on the other hand, Cooler Master took what they've learned from their successful designs of the past, added a few new twists and turns, and brought a case to market that takes air cooling to the next level. They haven't left the liquid cooling crowd out in the cold either. The grommets are a nice touch, but we've seen that before. Cooler Master has also incorporated radiator/fan placements and fillport access into the HAF, once again upping the ante for case design."
Click here to read the full review.
Quite a few competent models in this roundup, check it out if you're in the market for a new case.
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Thermalright T-Rad2 VGA Cooler Review
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Legit Reviews have posted a review of the new Thermalright T-Rad2, a thin VGA cooler.
Let' see what they had to say:
"If you own a graphic card with an unbearably hot core then it might be time to drop a bit of coin on an aftermarket heatsink. This is imperative if you are one of the few enthusiasts that enjoy taking a soldering iron to your precious electronics. Priced at $52, the T-Rad2 is a bit on the expensive side considering how you'll most likely be attaching it to a card that costs two to three times the price of the heatsink.
[...]
The only major downside I can find with the T-Rad2 is the incompatibilities it has with certain video cards. Unlike a more generic card like the HR-03, the heatpipes on the T-Rad2 really do pose a problem and even on a proper card they are a close fit. My only concern over purchasing this heatsink is the ability to use it on future cards."
I am glad to see Thermalright focusing on designing thinner VGA cards, however I don't consider this model to be a great success. It costs twice as much as the Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev 2 and it performs almost identically, so clearly the choice is obvious.
Click here to read the full review.
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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers
November 10, 2008 - Joe "OuTkAsT-1" Topolnisky
Welcome back to our weekly look at the top 3DMark Vantage scores submitted to the online result browser (ORB). Heating up the charts this week, we have four new entries to share with everyone. So let's take a look at who did what, shall we?
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
8. P28084 sacha35 www.benchtec.co.uk
17. P25224 mortisboy = H.O.T =
19. P25187 Untitled
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Extreme Preset Top 20:
7. X15576 EtheEnthusiast
A big congrats to this week's chart climbers! Those are some awesome setups...consider me jealous. :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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AMD Radeon HD 4550 vs. NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT Graphics Cards Review
November 10, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have just tested the AMD Radeon HD 4550 and NVIDIA GeForce 9400 GT graphics cards, both of which are very affordable and ideal for HTPC's.
Here's what they had to say:
"There is no doubt which $50 card offers the most features and performance when comparing the HD4550 and GeForce 9400GT. The HD4550 is a really nice little card that would fit very well in an HTPC or a low-power PC. The gaming performance isn't stunning, even though it easily beats the GeForce 9400GT, and users that plan on doing anything more than casual gaming should invest in one of the slightly more expensive cards from either AMD (HD4650 or HD4670) or NVidia (GeForce 9600GT).
The GeForce 9400GT isn't a bad card for its price but simply does not offer anything special over the HD4550 except for the PhysX support. It will work in an HTPC, but the lack of 7.1-sound over HDMI is a big negative in our mind."
Regardless of whether you're a budget gamer or simply need a capable card for an HTPC, the Radeon HD 4550 is definitely the better choice. Another win for the HD 4000 series.
Click here to read the full review.
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Fallout 3 Performance Analysis
November 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TechSpot have just tested Far Cry 2 at a wide variety of settings and with 18 modern graphics cards.
Here's what they had to say:
"This won't be an issue for Radeon HD 4870 X2 owners who will still be able to play at 1920x1200 using the ultra high quality detail settings. But those running the older Radeon HD 3870 X2 will be somewhat upset after learning their single GPU performance is not very good. While Crossfire has yet to work properly in this title, we also believe that all Radeon cards should be performing a little better.
Take the Radeon HD 4850 for example, which often struggled to compete with the GeForce 9600 GT, a graphics card that is usually much slower in other games and also carries a lower price tag (for a reason). The budget oriented Radeon HD 4670 and 4650 cards should have also performed a little better we felt."
A great performance analysis, check it out for yourselves!
Click here to read the full article.
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AMD Graphics Card Review Roundup - MSI, Palit, Sapphire
November 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews, Bjorn3D, CPU3D, t-break, TheTechLounge, TweakTown, and XSReviews have reviewed AMD-based graphics cards from MSI, Palit, and Sapphire.
Let's see what they had to say:
"In conclusion, my final recommendation on the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 graphics card is good, but at the moment Sapphire has some fine-tuning to do on their drivers so gamers can get the most out of their product. Much like any other CrossFire set, the X2 series requires the Catalyst Control Center software to manage the combined efforts while the driver negotiates the application workload. Taking the expected price into consideration, you have to look at other comparable offerings. It's no surprise that CrossFire and CrossFireX are available on just about every single motherboard that fits an Intel or AMD processor; the same is hardly true for the SLI. So then it's down to price. Since NVIDIA submitted to ATI's price point, heavily-overclocked versions of both the GTX 280 and Radeon 4870 X2 are now offered around the same cost. At the end of this point there's really no decisive victory to be handed to the Sapphire 4850 X2 until the price settles."
Click here to read the full review.
"We were quite pleased with the performance of the Palit Radeon HD 4870X2! It churns out FPS like no other card we've tested, and does it consistently. We didn't discover any driver glitches or experience any problems with the GPU whatsoever. The 4870X2 tore up the synthetic benchmarks and scored well ahead of every GPU we had to throw against it.
We even ran it in TriFire with another 4870 and it was well behaved in CrossFire. We ran it on all our standard testing games and a few others (FarCry and Deadspace) and it ran well in all the games we tested. We kicked the fan up to 50%, which was almost silent, and temperatures were more than acceptable for a dual GPU single PCB card."
Click here to read the full review.
"In all our benchmarks, the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850x2 came out on top ... easily beating the Radeon HD 4870, which is based on ATI's higher-end single RV770 GPU. Although Radeon HD 4850x2 features a lower GPU clock rate of 625Mhz, it does however have 2 of them and what's more, there's also 2Gb of DDR3 ram that pumps out a total memory bandwith of 63.6Gb/sec. All of this increases the performance of the card. The good thing is ... all of our tests were done with default settings. I can't imagine what it would be like if you try to overclock it ... I'm sure it's goning to ROCK!!"
Click here to read the full review.
"Its apparent that the performance is the same as is it with the air-cooled cards but it does fare better in some games with the new drivers. The features and the cooling solution is perfect for water cooling beginners as far as installation is concerned as it takes no more than five minutes to get everything up.
We did try to overclock the card to compare it with the Zotac 9800GTX Zone edition clocks and cooling. We managed to achieve 860MHz on the core which was higher than the Zotacs 850Mhz on top of which the temperatures were 10C lower than the Zotac card too which leaves it at 28C on single and 32C on SLI during idle and 45C on single and 55C on SLI during load. There was no change between stock and overclocking temperatures at all."
Click here to read the full review.
If you're interested in ATI's best single-GPU video card, and want a quiet--if not silent--4870, without heat issues or overclocking limits, really now you know what your choice has got to be. However, without pricing set or availability, there're some variables I can't account for. The GTX 260 option does lurk, and the question of value will remain until this card hits the mainstream. For everyone's sake, I hope that it's soon.
The bundle has the bases covered, the looks of the card are stellar, and almost every other aspect is improved over the initially-released model. Now if only Sapphire would release a 1GB Toxic
Click here to read the full review.
"As usual, Palit has done a pretty impressive job here. The cooler does a good job of not only keeping the card cool, but doing it at a pretty reasonable noise level. While the switch is a bit on the pointless side of things, in the fastest mode the clocks arent too bad and help get a bit more performance."
Click here to read the full review.
"Well what can I say? The 4870 x2 is the new king of the hill when it comes to performance. It really is the fastest card I have ever tested, even beating some extremely fast SLI couplings. However, it's huge, bulky, pretty loud and the most expensive card around. If you can find one with an aftermarket cooler and have deep pockets and, you have enough space to fit it, you'll be very happy indeed. Oh, but don't expect any bundled games. Boo."
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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ASUS P6T Deluxe X58 Motherboard Reviews
November 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Guru3D and Hardware Secrets have posted reviews of the ASUS P6T Deluxe and P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition motherboards.
Let's see what they had to say:
"But with this article I hope at the very least you have a good idea of what the mainboard is all about. It's seriously one of the best motherboards we have ever had our hands on. Stability, speed, style, design, features... everything is just 99% right with this motherboard. There was only one thing I didn't like the positioning of; the three PCI-e x16 slots. It was deliberately done in a way that you cannot opt for 3-way SLI. See, ASUS would like you to buy the more expensive Asus X58 Rampage II Extreme for that. But if you are not planning on 3-way SLI anyway, you are good to go man.
Even so, the ASUS P6T DELUXE won't be cheap. Expect the normal version without the OC Palm to cost you roughly 299 USD / 270 EUR. If you decide to go for the Full Monty... with the Palm OC device you are looking at 349 USD / 315 EUR. That's an awful lot of money for any mainboard. Next to that of course the entire upgrade will empty your wallet, the memory needs to be purchased, ours was roughly 80 EUR / 100 USD per DIMM, you want three of these. The cooler is roughly 55 EUR / 65 USD. So sure, that adds up quickly."
Click here to read the full review.
"ASUS P6T Deluxe OC Palm Edition will surely be one of the most complete motherboards for the Core i7 processors. It will bring several advantages over the competition for you to build the fastest computer you can. The main advantages that this product will bring are:
- SLI support finally on a motherboard based on an Intel chipset. As explained, not all motherboards based on Intel X58 chipset will support this technology.
- The 2.5 overclocking display will be a must for the serious overclock enthusiast.
- Six memory sockets, allowing you to upgrade your memory and keeping your old modules installed for higher memory capacity at lower cost.
- Support for DDR3-1600 memories.
- On-board SAS controller will allow you to have 15,000 rpm SAS hard disk drives, making you to have the fastest desktop in town.
- Two hot swap connectors for you to install hard disk drives without needing to install individual cables on them.
- Sixteen-phase voltage regulator circuit will make your motherboard to run cool and have a higher life-span.
Click here to read the full review.
It definitely seems like ASUS hit another home run with this motherboard, and it's not even their most high-end model! I can't wait to see what the reviewers have to say about the Rampage II Extreme.
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Swiftech APOGEE GTX Water Block Review
November 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have reviewed the Swiftech APOGEE GTX water block.
Here's an excerpt:
"As you can see from the results charts, each new generation of the APOGEE has made an improvement on cooling performance. Some folks looking at the charts will say that 2°C isn't a big improvement, but it takes a lot of additional engineering and time to gain that much improvement at those CPU loads. Due to the higher flow restriction, I'm sure even better performance can be had from the GTZ by installing a higher pressure (Head Pressure) pump like Swiftech's own MCP 355 (with modded top) which has Nominal head of 15 ft (4.5 m) vs. 10 ft (3.1 m) from the MCP655. Even though the MCP655 has tons more flow, all that flow is a total waste if the pump doesn't have the pressure (Head) to push the water through the restriction of the block and other components."
Aside from the fact that it's quite restrictive, the APOGEE GTX is a good water block. However, it is getting increasingly difficult to find, so there is a strong possibility that Swiftech has a replacement right around the corner.
Click here to read the full review.
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Cooler Master HAF 932 Full Tower Case Review
November 7, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Canucks have posted a review of the new Cooler Master HAF 932 full tower case.
Here's what they had to say:
"When you take the HAF 932 as a whole it becomes a very attractive case at any price range. Its great cable management system, cut out for CPU backplates, great fans and even its great water cooling capabilities are so very rare these days that you will wonder how you ever did without an enclosure like this. The fact that all this comes in a case which is priced under $175 is simply amazing.
In the end, if you are looking for a near perfect case for your air or water cooling setups, the HAF 932 is probably what you are looking for. It packs in enough innovation for even the most jaded enthusiast to shake their head in wonder while remaining accessible enough that it won't be daunting for first-time builders. For this and all the reasons outlined above (and throughout this review) we here at HWC are proud to award this case not only the DAM INNOVATIVE award, but also our DAM GOOD award."
If you are into watercooling and you are looking for a new case, you would be hard-pressed to do better than this HAF 932. Definitely check it out for yourself!
Click here to read the full review.
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CPU Cooler Review Roundup - Cooler Master, Noctua, OCZ & More
November 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
DragonSteelMods, DriverHeaven, Futurelooks, Legit Reviews, and TweakNews have reviewed CPU coolers from Cooler Master, Gelid, Noctua, OCZ, and Tital Cool.
Here's what they had to say:
- DragonSteelMods: Gelid Silent Spirit CPU Cooler Reviewed:
"For their first attempt at CPU Cooling Gelid Solutions has done an admirable job with the Silent Spirit. It offers silence an good cooling performance in a small package.
Sure it's not the best performer out there today, but it can compete with the best of them, considering the fan is virtually silent it does an excellent job at keeping the CPU cool. Other coolers need a fast, loud fan to achieve the same level of performance that the Silent Spirit does."
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven: Titan Cool Idol NK75TZ CPU Cooler Review:
"The Titan Cool Idol NK75TZ is a very good but large tower cooler. The build quality is high, it is aesthetically appealing and the asking price is reasonable. Whoever has a large enough case and is shopping for a good tower cooler should put the Cool Idol into their shortlist as it is a very good performer, even while the fan is running at extremely silent speeds."
Click here to read the full review.
- Futurelooks: CoolerMaster V8 CPU Cooler Review:
"At the beginning of the review, I was a little concerned that the CoolerMaster V8 wouldnt be able to bring the muscle that would be a credit to its namesake. That concern was unfounded. The CoolerMaster V8 absolutely blows away the quality stock cooling solution provided by AMD. It also outperforms its other burly sibling, the CoolerMaster 212 CPU Cooler by a pretty impressive margin."
Click here the full review.
- Legit Reviews: OCZ Gladiator Max HDT CPU Cooler Review:
"The Gladiator Max can be found online for $45.99 +shipping. At this price the Gladiator Max could be considered an upper midrange cooler, and as our testing showed it fell in line with our other midrange coolers. Overall, the OCZs build quality of the Gladiator Max is very nice. The fins felt very sturdy and when I was handling it the thought I might bend a fin never entered my mind. The fan mounting is easy and straight forward, but I would suggest doing it outside of the case for added work room and reduced chance of a headache."
Click hered the full review.
- TweakNews: Noctua NH-U12P Intel/AMD Heatpipe CPU Cooler Review:
"With the NH-U12P, Noctua has brought one of those rare products to the market that can provide high performance cooling while still maintaining very low noise levels. The included low noise adapters are a nice touch and definitely add value, but even at full speed the fan is one of the quietest active CPU coolers I've come across. As a reviewer, you don't get to use the words top performance and quiet in the same sentence, but in the case of the NH-U12P, I'll do it without qualification.
The fit, finish and overall quality of this product are also top-notch. I'm very impressed by the attention to detail shown in packaging, with each application getting its own bag and manual. Installation is no more difficult than any other large cooler in this class and the mounting is very stable and secure."
Click hered the full review.
The Cooler Master, OCZ, and Noctua are all good products so check them out if you need a new CPU cooler.
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Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 CrossFireX Tested
November 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
TweakTown have just tested two Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2's in CrossFireX mode.
Let's see what they had to say:
"Having a closer look at performance, it doesnt come as any real surprise that adding a second card into the mix doesnt bring the largest performance gains. While weve seen good improvements over the past few months with a four GPU configuration, it doesnt offer the same value as going from one GPU to two.
The HD 4850 X2 helps add another price bracket into the market, but whats going to be so interesting now is how NVIDIA will respond. They have been quiet since AMD/ATI released the HD 4870 X2, which took the performance crown.
Sapphire has done a good job with the card here today; performance is good, cooling is excellent and a nice bundle is offered. All we need now is the card to hit the market and we have another winner of a card based on the HD 4800 series GPU."
The Radeon HD 4850 X2 is a good card, but as you can see in the gaming results, the drivers are simply not currently able to properly utilize its capabilities in a CrossFire configuration.
Click here to read the full review.
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Xigmatex Launches Cobra D984 CPU Cooler
November 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Xigmatek have just launched a new high-end CPU cooler, the Cobra D984.
Here's what they had to say:
Cobra D984 is a high end cooler and transfers the heat rapidly. Instead of a cooper base, Cobra D984 is designed with both Patented Fin connected to HDT base and H.D.T. Technology to provide efficient and outstanding cooling performance. Cobra D984, like other H.D.T. series coolers, is with the advantage of light weight, easy installation, anti-vibration, performance and user friendly.
The Cobra certainly looks like a promising design, and if past Xigmatek coolers are any indication, it should perform quite well.
Click here to check out the product page.
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EVGA nForce 790i SLI FTW Motherboard Review
November 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Anandtech have posted a review of the impressive EVGA nForce 790i SLI FTW motherboard.
Here's what they had to say:
"If SLI is "must have" status for you and you're thinking of using the 790i FTW in an everyday overclocked system, we'd advise you to go with the mature 790i Ultra instead. This is especially the case if you have a locked multiplier CPU that needs FSB overhead to overclock to a moderate or extreme degree. Everyday systems demand a board and BIOS that is stable under load and predictable on a daily basis, and we feel there are other boards out there that are far more accomplished in this regard.
While we're on the subject of dual graphics card use, we see no reason to overlook the "lesser" 750i chipset boards either. The 750i can do everything most of us need, with the added advantage of a lower price in comparison to the $300+ the FTW variant will currently cost you.
That leaves the 790i FTW with its final ace of triple SLI in full x16 glory, which is no doubt a powerful proposition. Mind you, those inclined for such expenditure are probably waiting to see what Nehalem can do, thus closing another potential sales angle for the 790i FTW."
Overall, this is a good model, but with triple SLI Core i7 motherboards right around the corner, you may want to wait before spending over $300 on it.
Click here to read the full review.
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Power Supply Review Roundup - Antec, Corsair, Lian Li & More
November 6, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D, DriverHeaven, ITreviewed, JonnyGURU, Overclockers Online, TestFreaks, TweakTown, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed power supplies from Antec, bgears, Corsair, Lian-Li, OCZ, Silver Power, and Xigmatek.
Let's see what they had to say:
- Bjorn3D: Silver Power SP-600A2C:
"The SP-600A2C is a power supply that, while fairly solid, seems overpriced for the features that you get. While this power supply is not yet available in the US, it has been available in Europe for some time now. The price point seems a little steep for a 600W power supply at just under $100 USD. This may be due more to the cost of computer components in Europe, which seem to be slightly higher than here in the US, and I don't think that I would pay that high a price for it. I did like the power supply overall but cost is still a big factor for many, many users."
Click here to read the full review.
- Bjorn3D: Silver Power SP-S850 Power Supply:
"Supporting Skulltrail notwithstanding, the SilverPower SP-S850, at 850 watts, provides plenty of good clean power. After using this PSU on a daily basis 24/7 for three weeks now, I'd say that it's been more than adequate and I'd recommend the SilverPower SP-S850 power supply to anyone (except maybe the most extreme enthusiasts using multiple high-end power hungry GPU's) looking for a good PSU zum günstigen preis (at a low price)."
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven: Corsair TX750 PSU Review:
"The Corsair TX750W isn't designed to offer much when it comes to aesthetics, but it certainly succeeds on delivering great overall performance. It is a very efficient product with an amazingly good electrical circuit. Even though it appears simple and crude, the design and build quality of this unit meet very high standards. Enthusiasts will not only like the great electrical performance of the TX750 but they will be drawn to its excellent thermal performance as well."
Click here to read the full review.
- ITreviewed: Lian-Li Silent Force Power Supply Unit Reviewed:
"With clean and stable power driving your PC via the Silent Force PSU - along with the multi-12V rails output and bead core protection for the PCI-e connectors and failsafe safety protections - the Silent Force PSU is one of the best quality power supplies on the market. The only downside is that the series maxes out at 850 Watts. If youre looking for a silent power supply for your PC, the PS-S850GE should definitely be at the top of your list - it even remains very quiet and cool even when the 135mm fan runs at over 1300rpm! This power supply will easily run all dual graphic card configurations with ease and is certainly equal to other power supplies in its class. However, if power is more important than quietness, check out Lian-Lis brand new Maxima Force series (among others). The only disappointment is that Lian-Li didnt go for a brushed aluminium finish, which would have looked much better in its cases."
Click here to read the full review.
- JonnyGURU: 2008 Supplementary PSU Roundup - Part 1:
"The Ultra Power Partner is a half decent alternative for those who already have a half decent 300W power supply, just bought a GTX 280, and need something to power said 280 without buying a whole new main power supply. Unfortunately, sloppy build quality along with no PFC and poor efficiency is enough to keep me from recommending it. Sorry Ultra.
[...]
The FSP Booster X3, being an older product, doesn't quite earn a recommendation due mostly to little things like heating up too much, performing just a bit worse for voltage regulation than the Ultra, and running those little 40mm demons just a bit louder; but I do feel the unit is overall the better product of the two I've looked at today."
Click here to read the full review.
- Overclockers Online: Antec Signature 650W Power Supply:
"In terms of performance, we have not seen anything quite like it; it held exceptionally well in all tests, and it was quiet. By the fourth and fifth tests, the fan speed did pick up, but was still by anyone's most discerning critique, still quiet. The unit also came with quite a number of nice perks: a beautiful finish, matching Molex connectors, lots of connectors, and sleeved wires. While for some computer systems nowadays, a 650W power supply truly may not be enough, but rest assured, Antec has that covered; the Signature series power supply is also available in a 850W variant."
Click here to read the full review.
- TestFreaks: bgears b-Tarantula 650Watt Power Supply:
"The bgears b-Tarantula power supply is a very good choice if youre in the market for a modular PSU, its not only stable but quiet as well.
The unique modular style of the b-Tarantula is very useful if youve got a cramped case or even a tight small form factor case, you can just bend the cables to connect them, and of course since its modular you only use what you need and wont have extra cable floating around your case."
Click here to read the full review.
- TweakTown: Xigmatek NRP-MC651 650 watt Power Supply:
"The Xigmatek NRP-MC651 offers you a lot of stable power for your upgrading dollars. All voltage rails were rock solid and even under load the rails did not drop to a point where you would begin to worry about stability. The modular design also gives you the ability to maximize the airflow in your enclosure. While not everyone worries about this, we enthusiasts do and the addition of a modular concept is always a big plus."
Click here to read the full review.
- Virtual-Hideout: OCZ ModXStream-Pro 600w Power Supply Review:
"It always makes me feel better knowing and being able to report that a PSU can live up to its recommendation. The OCZ 600 Watt ModXstream Power Supply is a very, very worthy choice. The price seems to be on par with the 600 Watt range, though just a bit on the top end at around $110. If anything makes it worth the buy, consider the efficiency and power produced."
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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AMD Radeon HD 4830 512MB Graphics Card Reviews
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CPU3D, DriverHeaven, and t-break have reviewed the affordable new AMD Radeon HD 4830 512MB craphics card.
Lets see what they had to say:
- CPU3D: ATI Radeon HD 4830 (512Mb DDR3) Sapphire vs HIS:
Would I chose HIS or Sapphire? Well, that's a tough question ... both card are very good and are virtually identical. Apart from the different BIOS, they are the same in terms of using the same GPU and the same clock speed on the DDR3 memory. HIS have been trying to capture a larger market share in Europe, while Sapphire are already here ... Personally, I prefer the Sapphire HD 4830. Their package is well presented and comes with a lot more. When I buy a Sapphire card ... I know what I'm getting.
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven:
ATI Radeon HD 4830 (Sapphire, Powercolor and HIS) Review:
The Radeon HD 4830 is a very impressive product due to the performance it offers for the price of approximately £99/$130. It did not win every benchmark in our review but other than Lost Planet Colonies it was never far away from the equivalent GeForce and considering it was up against the best 9800 GT on the market this is an impressive feat.
One of the more impressive results was the Far Cry 2 test where the 4830 is able to match the 9800GT frame for frame when using the latest Hotfix driver. So when we add in the excellent video acceleration features, DirectX 10.1 support and 7.1 audio it is clear to see that the 4830 is a card which should be given serious consideration.
Click here to read the full review.
- t-break:
ATI HD 4830:
The ATI HD 4830 with the reduced 640 shader processors compared to the 800 of its 4800 series relatives still managed to put up some decent performances when compared to the Nvidia 9800GT cards. The features remain pretty much the same as the rest of the 4800 family. The RV770 LE GPU on the 4830 opens doors to overclock to even higher clock speeds than the 4850. This makes the 4830 the best bang of the buck card right now.
Performance wise its a perfect deal, as a single card or two cards in CrossFire, the 4830 managed to outperform the 9800GT on most of the games. So if you really cant spend more on a high end card or want a CrossFire setup for less, this is the without a doubt the way forward.
Click here to read the full review.
This is pretty decent model and it should give potential GeForce 8800/9800GT buyers something else to consider.
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Far Cry 2 - NVIDIA SLI Performance Analysis
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Bjorn3D have just tested how NVIDIA's SLI technology fares in Far Cry 2.
Lets see what they had to say:
This is, however, a field where the biggest and brightest takes the day. Right now the biggest and brightest is NVIDIA SLI technology. NVIDIA has functional SLI drivers that scale well when optimized right, prove that SLI works.
Nvidia has also proven their willingness to go above and beyond to help game developers utilize the technology correctly. They've also shown their commitment to the SLI platform and their belief in it.
This isn't some over hyped promise or vaporware. These are real life results, in real life games that produce tangible desirable results. If this scaling is improved just a little bit, and the practice of optimizing games for SLI is adopted, it's going to be a very exciting time in gaming!
If you enjoy Far Cry 2 enough to warrant an upgrade, then the GeForce GTX 260 in SLI is definitely a top-notch choice.
Click here to read the full article.
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PC Case Review Roundup - Antec, Lian Li, SilverStone & More
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
CaseCritics, DriverHeaven, Icrontic, Itreviewed, High Tech Reviews, Techgage, TechwareLabs, Tweaknews, and Virtual-Hideout have reviewed PC cases from Antec, Arctic Cooling, NZXT, Lian-Li, Cooler Master, and SilverStone.
Heres what they had to say:
- CaseCritics:
Coolermaster CM690.
Its important to have a clean looking case. You dont want to look at messy cables when you open the side panel and you dont want to obstruct the airflow from the fans. The Coolermaster CM690 has a bunch of holes on the back of the motherboard to guide the wires from the power supply towards the hard drives, but its fair to say that even though there are some ways to route your wires, its still a tight fit to get everything into place. Especially if you are running a dual video card setup, with a bunch of 5 1/4 drives and 4 hard drives in place.
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven: Silverstone TJ10b-WNV Nvidia LE Chassis review:
With the TJ10, SilverStone have created a worthy successor to the TJ09. The case looks fantastic, build quality is excellent, and the thermal performance is great. The acoustics were impressive as well; due to the 120mm fans the case was fairly quiet, with the loudest source of sound being the CPU heatsink/fan.
The chassis is exceptionally solid and the build quality excels in all areas. One of the big pros with the case is the ease of installation. Nothing requires any force and components such as the hard drives are easily switched out in almost no time at all. Additionally, the entire case is able to be dismantled with just a screwdriver (save the motherboard tray) which leaves room for modders to play around with.
Click here to read the full review.
- Icrontic: Lian Li PC-C36 MUSE home theater case:
Lian Li has provided a solid entry into the home theater enclosure market with the PC-C36 MUSE. The enclosure features an attractive design that looks right at home in an entertainment cabinet, and runs almost silently. The MUSEs few shortcomings can be worked around through careful component selection. Unfortunately, a user who already has a mATX setup in need of a home should be aware of the limitations presented by the cases riser card configuration and slim cooling provisions.
Click here to read the full review.
- ITreviewed: Antec Skeleton Reviewed:
Antecs Skeleton represents the growing need for PC enthusiasts to have a quick and easy way to swap out components while maintaining cooling. A perfect case for those that never seem to get around to putting their machines cover back on, it looks great and is extremely easy to use. Its free-form open frame system lets you do pretty much what you like too - such as littering the chassis with six hard drives. For the regular PC user in a busy household its better to protect your components and shield yourself from their noise with a good mid-tower, but for the power user that constantly fiddles around swapping out parts, theres nothing else like it. The Skeleton is guaranteed to polarise opinions.
Antec Skeleton ReviewedClick here[/link] to read the full review.
- ITreviewed: Lian-Li PC-C32 Desktop/Rack Chassis Reviewed:
Lian-Lis PC-C32 is a bit of an odd ball. Its too big to be practically rack mounted, and the lack of any gamer style vents or flashy LED fans limits its appeal to home enthusiasts. The enclosure is certainly well built and easy to work with, plus its peppered with lovely finishing touches - every screw glides in effortlessly, everything slots in perfectly, and the rear-loading power supply is genius - but it lacks features. Most noticeable is that there are only two 5.25-inch drive bays and its reasonably loud when powered. You can of course use your own fans or purchase an additional cooling module, but thats not really the point. Those looking to build a HTPC might want to look closer (at least if youre looking for a subdued look), but the PC-C32 is a bit wasted unless it is rack mounted. A bit of an enigma this one...
Click here to read the full review.
- High Tech Reviews: Antec Skeleton Case Review:
The Antec Skeleton does and outstanding job of binging the temperature of both the case and the processor down to a more comfortable level and thereby prolonging the life of any components used in your system. Will everyone like the Skeleton, I doubt if they do, but those that look at the case with an open mind will be able to see the potential this device really has. it would make a perfect item for someone to have that does a large amount of system testing since you can very easily chance the components.
Click here to read the full review.
- Techgage: SilverStone FT01 Mid-Tower:
Overall, this case easily scores a 9 out of 10. It has far exceeded my expectations on every level. I do not give out ratings like this very easily. In fact, I believe this is the highest anything has scored in my eyes in some time. What it all boils down to is that you simply get what you pay for. I found pricing from $200 - 240 and can whole-heartily say that you will not be disappointed for spending your hard earned money here.
Any way you look at it, this case is a sure winner. If you don't need E-ATX size and you want drop dead silence and looks, this case will work great for you. I have had the pleasure of working with some really good cases before, but from here on out I feel I may be spoiled and expect too much in the future. If you are ready to build and have yet to pick a case, take this one very seriously. I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Click here to read the full review.
- TechwareLabs:
Lian Li PC - A77 Aluminum Computer Case:
As I mentioned in the beginning, aluminum cases come with a premium. I would say that buying this case is like buying a Mercedes Benz or a BMW. You pay for the brand, you pay for the premium, you pay for the features that are generally available in regular cars at a lower price. If you get the base BMW, you won't get all the nicer features (much like with Lian Li where you do not get a 5.25" to 3.5" conversion bezel that is sold separately). Despite the price, and despite the premium, we all still desire the luxury cars. The basic functions of a luxury car remain the same as those of any cheaper car - all of them will get you from where you are, to where you need to go. The difference is how you get there. The same concept can be applied to cases in that all of them can house your rig; but not all of them will do it with the kind of style and finesse that the PC-A77 from Lian Li can. If you feel like rolling deep on 22"s, then the $259.99 price tag from Sundial Micro doesn't seem as steep as it once was.
Click here to read the full review.
- Tweaknews: Arctic Cooling Silentium T2 Computer Case Review:
In short, while I liked a few of its features, the T2 doesn't do anything particularly well and certainly doesn't hit its target audience. If Arctic Cooling would have left gamers out of the equation, the T2 would have fared a bit better, but they didn't. Availability is limited and at around $160 US, it's no bargain, either. With that budget (ok, maybe a little more) I'm very confident that one could assemble a chassis with similar efficiency, better cooling, more convenience, better acoustic performance and a hell of a lot more style. Arctic Cooling has some of the best cooling products on the market, providing great performance at a reasonable price. If the T2 ECO 80 is any indication of their other case offerings, they should stick to what they know and leave the chassis market to others.
Click here to read the full review.
- Virtual-Hideout:
NZXT Whisper Case Review:
At present, extended ATX cases are very limited and cost a pretty premium. Only a handful are available with the cheapest coming in around the $100 mark and it doesn't have near the storage or expansion capabilities. Anything offering the same features or close to that of the Whisper are going to run you $170 and more. That's something definitely worth considering if you're in the market for a quiet, spacious super case like the NZXT Whisper.
Click here to read the full review.
Enjoy!
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ATI All-In-Wonder HD Video Card Review
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Legit Reviews have posted a review of the ATI All-In-Wonder HD video card, the legend is back.
Lets see what they had to say:
Overall I feel that the ATI AIW HD is a great card for the casual gamer that is looking to upgrade their aging video card and would like to add HD content playback to their system. The bundled software is wonderful for anyone not planning to use Vista Media Center. For those discerning customers that are planning use with VMC in a HTPC environment you will need to take into account the compromises I mentioned above, as youll need to purchase a remote and may want to invest in a higher quality indoor antenna if you live in an apartment and arent getting great reception. Those who own a home will likely be more interested in a roof antenna, but at that point were starting to push the value segment in visual quality and headed toward dedicated Home Theatre hardware. Companies like Diamond Multimedia offer two versions of the ATI Radeon All-In-Wonder HD with the standard version running $156 without a remote and a 'premium' version with a remote for $189. This is nice as many of you may already own a remote and some HTPC cases like the Moneual Lab MonCaso 932B already come with a nice remote.
The All-In-Wonder HD should appeal to those who want to do a bit of gaming with their HTPC and dont have to buy both a graphics card and TV tuner. With that in mind, I wish and hope AMD release a version based of the higher performance Radeon HD 4760.
Click here to read the full review.
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Thermaltake Spedo & Spedo Advanced Case Reviews
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Hardware Secrets and ThinkComputers have reviewed Thermaltake's impressive new cases, the Speddo and Spedo Advanced.
Heres what they had to say:
Thermaltake Spedo Advance Package is a full-tower case targeted to very exigent gamers that want the most complete and flawless case as possible, lots of fans and money isnt an issue. Here is a summary of what we found about this case.
This is a practically flawless case, being one of the most complete cases we ever reviewed. The overall quality of this product is impressive and should please even the most exigent user. The only way this product could be even better is if it were made of aluminum. But then it would come with an absurd price tag.
Click here to read the full review.
There are so many things about this case that other cases just don't have. First of all you rarely see cases that have a matching interior. It is nice to see that Thermaltake kept the black on the inside of the case, a good change from the boring steel color. Keeping with the black theme Thermaltake made all the fans black, included black screws, and even sleeved the fan power cables in black, a very nice touch.
This case sure has a lot of storage. Enough room for 6 hard drives and 7 5.25-inch devices, which is more than enough for the average user. And if you need more drive space you have the drive bay converters for that. I really like the tool-less design for both the 5.25-inch and 3.5-inch drives. The rectangular buttons on the hard drive trays really work well.
Click here to read the full review.
This is a good looking case, with a tool-less design, advance thermal chamber, removable hard drive bays, and a great cable management system. Its definitely worth a look.
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AMD Radeon HD 4850 X2 2048MB Graphics Cards Released
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Benchmark Reviews, bit-tech, DriverHeaven, and Hardware Secrets have posted reviews of the brand new AMD Radeon HD 4850 X2 2048MB graphics cards.
Lets see what they had to say:
- Benchmark Reviews:
Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 Video Card:
In conclusion, my final recommendation on the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 graphics card is good, but at the moment AMD has some work to do on the drivers. Much like any other CrossFire set, the X2 series requires the Catalyst Control Center software to manage the combined efforts while the driver negotiates the application workload. Taking the expected price into consideration, you have to look at other comparable offerings. It's no surprise that CrossFire and CrossFireX are available on just about every single motherboard that fits an Intel or AMD processor; the same is hardly true for the SLI. So then it's down to price. Since NVIDIA submitted to ATI's price point, heavily-overclocked versions of both the GTX 260 and Radeon 4870 are now offered around the same cost. At the end of this point there's really no decisive victory to be handed out until ATI refines the performance of their software.
]Click here to read the full review.
bit-tech: First Look: Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2GBþ:
"In terms of pricing, the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 is expected to retail at around £300, including VAT, which puts it in roughly the same price bracket as Nvidias GeForce GTX 280 it competes well with Nvidias flagship in scenarios where the drivers work and is often faster. Whats more, its not that much slower than the Radeon HD 4870 X2 in many scenarios only when the resolution increases to 2,560 x 1,600 will you see a more distinct performance difference. This is good especially when you consider that the Radeon HD 4870 X2 is retailing at close to £370 (inc. VAT) and it makes the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 an attractive option."
Click here to read the full review.
- DriverHeaven:
Sapphire Radeon 4850 X2 Review:
Apart from a couple of instances the Sapphire beats the GTX280 in the tests and performs particularly well at high resolutions with AA and AF enabled. With the resolution lowered the GTX280 is more competitive, however we feel that most enthusiast gamers in the market for this product will be looking primarily at high resolution / AF/AA performance, which is the 4850 X2's particular forté. Additionally, the card is a great overclocker and thermal performance is class leading ... Sapphire have even designed their own cooler which works extremely well as full load temperatures are lower than our "out of the box" experiences with the 4870X2 at idle.
Click here to read the full review.
- Hardware Secrets: Sapphire HD 4850 X2 Video Card Review:
As expected, Radeon HD 4850 X2 achieved a performance level between Radeon HD 4870 and Radeon HD 4870 X2 and being faster than GeForce GTX 280. Since Radeon HD 4850 X2 and GeForce GTX 280 cost the same thing if you are saving money to buy a GTX 280 you may want to change your mind towards the new Radeon HD 4850 X2, which is today our recommendation on the very high-end segment. The only problem is, of course, price (remember that besides the cost of the video card you also need a video monitor capable of running resolutions like 1920x1200 or 2560x1600, otherwise buying a card like this doesnt make sense). If you are an average user looking for a high-end video card with the best cost/benefit ratio, our recommendation stands with the regular Radeon HD 4850, which costs less than a half and will produce a performance that is considerable very high for most users.
Click here to read the full review.
This is a pretty mighty graphics card, however if it is priced at ~$400 then buying two HD 4850s will certainly be a better alternative.
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Intel Core i7 Reviews - Mega Coverage Roundup
November 5, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
As you all know, the media embargo on the new Intel Core i7 quad-core processors expired yesterday, and we now have impressive list of reviews for you to check out:
- Anandtech: The Dark Knight: Intel's Core i7.
- Benchmark Reviews: Intel Core i7 CPU & DX58SO X58 Platform.
- bit-tech: Intel Core i7 - Nehalem Architecture Dive.
- bit-tech: Intel's Core i7 920, 940 and 965 processors.
- Bjorn3D: Intel Core I7 965 (Nehalem).
- Bjorn3D: Intel Core I7 940 (Nehalem).
- Bjorn3D: Intel Core I7 920 (Nehalem).
- ChileHardware: Intel Core i7 Extreme 965.
- CPU3D: Intel Core i7 - 920 (Nehalem) Processor.
- DriverHeaven: Intel Core i7 and Asus Rampage 2 Extreme Review.
- Guru3D: Intel Core i7 920 and Core i7 965 review.
- Guru3D: Intel Core i7 Multi-GPU SLI and Crossfire game performance review.
- HardCoreWare: Intel Core i7 "Nehalem" Review.
- HardwareCanucks: Intel Core i7 Nehalem 920, 940 and 965 XE Processors Review.
- HardwareZone: Changing for the Future - Intel's Core i7.
- Hexus: Intel Core i7 and X58 chipset - all systems go. FSB not invited.
- Hexus: Intel Core i7 - everything that Core 2 should have been - performance numbers.
- HotHardware: Getting To Know Intel's New Core i7, Video Spotlight.
- HotHardware: Intel Core i7 Processors: Nehalem and X58 Have Arrived.
- Legion Hardware: Intel Core i7 940, 920 and 965 Extreme Edition.
- Legit Reviews: Intel Core i7 920, 940 and 965 Processor Review.
- MadShrimps: Intel Core i7 920 and 965 XE CPU Review.
- NeoSeeker: Intel Core i7 920 940 965 Review & Overclocking.
- Overclockers Club: Intel Core I7 Review.
- PC Perspective: Nehalem Revolution: Intel's Core i7 Processor Complete Review.
- SharkyExtreme: Intel Core i7-965 XE & Core i7-920 Review.
- t-break: Intel Core i7 Performance.
- Techgage: Intel Core i7 Performance Preview.
- TechReport: Intel's Core i7 processors.
- TechSpot: Intel Core i7 920, 940 and 965 Extreme Edition review.
- Tom's Hardware: Intel's Core i7: Blazing Fast, But Crippled O/C.
- Tom's Hardware: Core i7: 4-Way CrossFire, 3-way SLI, Paradise? : Tempered Expectations.
- TrustedReviews: Intel Core i7 (Nehalem) Architecture Overview.
- Trusted Reviews: Intel Core i7 Performance Analysis.
- TweakTown: Intel Core i7 - 920 (Nehalem) Processor.
- X-bit Labs: First Look at Nehalem Microarchitecture.
- X-bit Labs: New Hit from Remake King: Intel Core i7 Review.
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Top 20 3DMark Vantage Movers & Shakers
November 3, 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). Spicing things up this week, we had four new entries under the Performance Preset category, including a new first overall! So who took the crown? Read on to find out:
New to the 3DMark Vantage - Performance Preset Top 20:
1. P31605 OverclocKing@P6T Deluxe + HD 4870X2 CFX
13. P25426 Sampsa (Team Finland - www.overclocking.fi)
17. P25162 Untitled
20. P24360 Crossfire 4870X2's and QX9650
Wow! Now that's what I call setting the bar high. Great job! :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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Awardfabrik OverClocking Championship Event
November 1, 2008 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan
Our friends over at MadShrimps have posted their coverage of the Awardfabrik OverClocking Meisterschaft (AOCM) event.
Lets see what they had to say:
Overclocking events are starting to pop up more and more. In the past, overclockers did the actual benchmarking at home because it was more relaxed, you could do anything you want and there was an unlimited time frame. But ever since the overclocking community became more international due to forums such as XtremeSystems and OCXtreme, people are not staying at home to overclock anymore. Nowadays, many people meet up to overclock extreme and we can all agree that bench session became much more fun than when you're alone. Since a few months, there are even a number of international overclocking events, mostly organized by giant manufacturers. These events make people from around the globe to come together and talk about their most favorite hobby: benchmarking.
This weekend, the second edition of the AOCM has held in Minfeld, Germany. AOCM stands for 'Awardfabrik OverClocking Meisterschaft', which is the main forum of many German overclockers. Actually, the people who made the event possible are all crew members of the Awardfabrik website and forum, so this event was made by and made for the overclockers!
A nice little event, and congrats to Jowi69 for the new SuperPi 32M world record.
Click here to read the full article.
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- Awardfabrik OverClocking Championship Event
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