Hardware News

Inno3D GeForce GTX 670 iChill HerculeZ 3000 Graphics Card Review

June 29, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have reviewed the new Inno3D GeForce GTX 670 iChill HerculeZ 3000, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The design is simply stunning, with a gun-metal grey cooler and triple fan design that really means business from a first glance. The fact that it comes with a full metal shrouding and an Allen key simply shows the quality behind the materials used, and that Inno3D really put a lot of thought into the iChill series coolers that they bolted to this outstanding card.

Outstanding, due to the performance on offer, not just in terms of graphical power. The cooler is at the top of all of our tests, with noise output, power consumption and temperatures at super low levels. Generally after we’ve stressed a card, we find it hot to touch, but we had no nonsense with this card, and was easily able to touch it while it was busy stress testing in our benchmark suite of applications."


While the large cooler and factory overclock are impressive, both the Gigabyte 670 OC and Asus GTX 670 DirectCU II Top have just as impressive coolers and come with higher factory overclocks.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS GeForce GTX 680 DirectCU II TOP 2GB Graphics Card Review

June 29, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the high performance ASUS GeForce GTX 680 DirectCU II TOP graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"From a framerate standpoint the DirectCU II TOP places itself among elite company by bridging the gap between NVIDIA’s GTX 680 and the ultra high end GTX 690. Granted, the real world performance between a reference design and ASUS’ overclocked version isn’t extreme but the difference was enough to be noticeable in quite a few instances. This was mostly due to the DirectCU II heatsink granting the additional overhead necessary for the core to Boost well beyond its on-paper specifications.

From nearly every standpoint, the ASUS GTX 680 DirectCU II TOP represents the pinnacle of current single GPU graphics card design. It is fast, cool running, quiet, well designed and has more than enough features to make even the most jaded enthusiast happy. We really couldn’t have asked for more."


Even if it does take up three slots this is an excellent video card, check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Zalman CNPS14X Ultra CPU Cooler Review

June 29, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the Zalman CNPS14X Ultra, which is the larger version of the CNPS12X.

Let's see what they had to say:

"There is really two completely different ways to approach what I am about to tell you. The first direction I want to go is the way the cooler ships out of the box. For around $50 you are in fact getting a silent cooling solution that is sort of a pain to install. Nevertheless, this twin tower design of the CNPS14X Ultra Quiet cooler is exactly that.

There is a flip side to all of that stock let down of the cooler and that is when I strapped on the additional fans. Using three 135mm fans to cool the towers brings the performance levels up and made for a six degree gap over the out of the box testing."


While it may not be as impressive as the CNPS12X, it is a decent cooling solution for noise sensitive consumers.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightening Edition Graphics Card Review

June 29, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


TBreak have reviewed the high performance MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"At $600 the MSI N680GTX Lightning is one of the most expensive air cooled GTX 680 graphics card on the market, but it’s also the quietest and arguably the coolest of the bunch. The wealth of overclocking headroom provided on this custom GTX 680 is incredible.

To be sure it’s a luxurious item, but when you want the most performance out of a single GPU based card, why not also go for the aesthetic appeal of something that runs awfully quiet as well?"


Thanks to its Twin Frozr IV cooler and impressive factory overclock, this is is easily one of the best dual slot GTX 680 graphics card's on the market today. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Crucial M4 128GB SATA 6Gb/s SSD Review

June 29, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OC Inside have posted a review of the budget friendly Crucial M4 128GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drive, which features 500MB/s read and 175MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The enormously high speed of the SSD became clear with everyday tasks at the PC, because a Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate boot procedure took only unbelievable 7 seconds and the complete boot time inclusive BIOS post and Windows 7 start took thereby only approx. 22 seconds.

All in all is the new Crucial m4 128 GB SSD with the latest firmware a very good choice for users who search an inexpensive SSD with a very high reading performance.

The extra charge of about 10-15 Euro for the Crucial CT128M4SSD2 SSD with the data transfer Kit (article CT128M4SSD2CCA) is worth mainly for users who have no software for hard disk copy, or upgrade from a hard drive to an SSD without reinstall, or a notebook SSD upgrade via the USB port."


While it may not be the absolute fastest SSD available, it still is a great solution for budget minded consumers.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS Zenbook UX31A Prime Ultrabook Review

June 28, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tech Break have reviewed the lightweight ASUS Zenbook UX31A Prime ultrabook, which features a 13.3-inch 1600x900 display, dual-core/four-thread 1.9-3.0Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM, 240GB SSD and Intel integrated HD 3000 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Priced at AED 6299, the ASUS Prime is definitely the Ultrabook that an enthusiast will be looking at. With it’s full-HD 1080p IPS panel, it offers a display unlike any other Ultrabook and combine that with the speedy Core i7 CPU and a decent battery life and you pretty much have a clear winner in the higher-end of Ultrabooks. The fan noise is a bit of a shame but that doesn’t stop me from awarding the UX31A with our Editor’s Choice award. If I was getting an Ultrabook- this would be it."


This looks like a very good ultrabook which is both powerful and portable. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Carbide 300R Case Review

June 28, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Techgage have reviewed the budget friendly Corsair Carbide 300R mid tower case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"If I were in the market for a sub-$100 chassis, the 300R would easily be among my considerations. Corsair has long offered chassis that have struck my aesthetic fancy, and the attention to detail and internal design definitely help make this the complete package. It is truly unfortunate that there's no USB 3.0 to 2.0 internal cable included, so hopefully that means you won't need one for your own build, as adding $5 for the accessory box isn't great.

The 300R offers a great blend of design, aesthetics, functionality and other niceties (such as dual dust filters and many cable routing holes), making it well worth consideration for your next PC."


It may give up some of the features which help the rest of the Carbide series standout, but it does seem like a decent choice for budget minded consumers.

Click here to read the full review.

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SteelSeries SRW-S1 Racing Wheel Review

June 28, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


RB Mods have reviewed the high performance SteelSeries SRW-S1 racing wheel.

Here's an excerpt:

"This steering wheel feels very durable and solid overall, I bet my kid could play around with it without damaging it.

Both sides have rubber grips which feel comfortable even after a longer gaming session, although my arms got tired. Since it has no holder or stand your arms will get tired for awhile and it also has a learning curve. Other than this I don’t have much to complain about, I miss force feedback but I can live without it.

Sensitivity and responsiveness feel great, I thought in the beginning that it might not be fast enough but it feels great to play everything from Formula 1 to racing games to Dirt 2."


While it may force feedback, this seems like a terrific feature-rich steering wheel for those who do not want the additional hassle of pedals.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair GS800 V2 800W Power Supply Review

June 28, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have reviewed the more budget friendly Corsair GS800 V2 800W power supply, which is part of the company's entry-level Gaming Series (GS) power supply series.

Let's see what they had to say:

"In terms of build quality nothing has suffered though with the unit feeling solid due to the chassis used and the external paint job/wiring both being of a high quality... we especially liked the fact our ATX, 12v and PCIe wiring was all on individual cables. Internally the GS800 V2, like the original, is based on a CWT design and overall the build quality is good with no issues to note.

For performance we have a PSU which does well across the board and improves on the original version. We get slightly better electrical performance, noticeably better ripple results and lower noise thanks to the fanless operation up to about 25% load. Efficiency has also taken a bump up too, as has thermal performance which make this one of the more impressive units in the midrange/gamer marketplace."


This seems like an excellent power supply for the money.

Click here to read the full review.

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NZXT Havik 120 CPU Cooler Reivew

June 28, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Overclockers Online have posted a review of the relatively high-end NZXT Havik 120 CPU cooler.

Let's see what they had to say:

"NZXT has released a solid performer, and its name is the Havik 120. Designed bottom-up to outperform with class, its quad heat pipe design insures victory in the midrange performance HSF assemblies. Found at $50 CAD at major retailers, who wouldn’t consider such a heat sink for their gaming rig?"


This is a very good CPU cooler, but there are a number of other higher performing models in the same price range.

Click here to read the full review.

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Epic Gear Meduza HOST Gaming Mouse Review

June 27, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Madshrimps have reviewed the Epic Gear Meduza HOST gaming mouse.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Meduza features a design for right-handers and offers extra comfort by using an extended thumb rest, a ring finger support and an index finger rest. Thanks to the HDST (laser + optical) technology, we can be sure that we won’t have any problems with jittering, skips or drift or any type of surface.

Meduza also has software through which we can customize in detail its functionality; most of the settings seen here are also available on GUIs from other manufacturers; we would have preferred though to see a windowed GUI instead of Full Screen, but hopefully this feature will be added in the next driver revision. From the total of 7 buttons, 6 are fully programmable and by accessing the profile switcher, we will be able to navigate through the 5 gaming profiles."


This seems like an excellent gaming mouse, check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Dell XPS 13 13-Inch Ultrabook Review

June 27, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the lightweight Dell XPS 13 ultrabook, which features a 13.3-inch 1366x768 display, dual-core/four-thread 1.6-2.3Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and Intel integrated HD 3000 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The XPS 13 on the other hand can easily last for nearly six hours on a single charge (we actually pushed it to a stunning eight hours while writing this review), comes with one of the cleanest Windows installations we’ve come across in a long time, features a passable backlit keyboard, makes use of a surprisingly good touchpad and won’t burn your lap when used for extended periods of time. From its high strength palm rest to an underside that’s coated in a durable, scratch resistant finish, Dell’s choices here couldn’t have been better and highlight a sensible and well thought out design.

In many ways, Dell’s XPS 13 can be considered the quintessential Ultrabook. It takes all of the high points featured in competitors’ models while ignoring the faults and bundles them into an affordable, appealing package."


The Dell XPS 13 appears to be a excellent blend of portability and performance at price that is fairly reasonable.

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master Storm Stryker Full Tower Case Review

June 27, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the Cooler Master Storm Stryker full tower case, which supports XL-ATX motherboards.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The CM Storm Stryker is based around the successful Trooper model, supplied in a different colour and with an extra 2.5″ HDD cage supporting an additional 4x 2.5″ drives. The build quality of the case is without reproach, Cooler Master engineering standards have been consistently impressive throughout the last year.

The out of the box thermal performance is reasonably good and the default airflow configuration can cope with high end components, ensuring no issues with high end SLI and Crossfire systems.

There is also plenty of physical space for the biggest video cards currently available. It is also fully compatible with watercooling kits and several radiators could be fitted without a problem."


This seems like a fine addition to Cooler Master's Storm line of cases. Though the Storm Stryker will face stiff competition from the similarly priced BitFenix Shinobi XL.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS VE228H 21.5" LCD Monitor Review

June 27, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have posted a review of the ASUS VE228H, a fully-featured 21.5-inch LCD monitor.

Here's what they had to say:

"On the whole I am very impressed with the Asus VE228H LED backlit monitor, for general day to day use with work and photoshopping (which is where I’d use it more often) the screen was fantastic and I could easily use it for an extended period with comfort. The bright image was a benefit whilst using Photoshop to edit the images for this review along with the high contrast ratio.

At a wallet friendly price of only £131.99, the price may seem to good to be true, but this is no typo there. You really are getting a cracking little 22″ screen with a ton of features for under £140 and because of this I’ve got to hand it to Asus, they’ve done a great job."


This appears to be a good monitor with a very reasonable asking price. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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OCZ Vertex 4 128GB Solid State Drive Reivew

June 27, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have just tested the budget friendly Vertex 4 128GB SATA 6GB/s SSD, which is based on the Everest 2 controller and features 550MB/s read and 420MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"OCZ continues the Vertex legacy with their latest offering, taking the drive in a different direction with the Indilinx team at their side. Drives originally shipped with firmware 1.3 which left a lot to be desired on the performance side, especially on the 128GB model. Those issues have since been eliminated as firmware 1.4 delivers an extreme performance boost.

Performance aside, we have to give praise to the new five year warranty as well. Many had doubts about flash storage technology years ago but OCZ seems confident that their product will stand the test of time.

I've said it several times before but it's worth repeating: switching to a SSD for your boot drive is the single best upgrade you can do for your system, hands-down. I refuse to build a system without one now - yes, they are that good."


Thanks to some timely firmware updates, the Vertex 4 128GB is now an excellent, high performance drive at a very budget friendly price, check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Zalman Radeon HD 7950 VF3000 Graphics Card Review

June 26, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the Zalman Radeon HD 7950 VF3000 graphics card, which features a custom cooling solution.

Let's see what they had to say:

"I'm not shocked to see that Zalman has put together a strong video card that looks great. Considering Zalman's experience when it comes to cooling, you'd expect them to offer us something strong and as far as we're concerned, they've done that today.

Having a look today at the Zalman HD 7950-Z VF3000, we can see that the company know what to do. They're also ahead of many video card companies when it comes to cooling solutions because of the background they have in this business.

If Zalman can offer more quality products like the one we have here today, in a timely fashion and a reasonable price, they've got a good chance in this market. We'll be following them over the coming months to see what they bring to the table."


This seems like a fine addition to AMD's mid-range lineup. Though Zalman will face stiff competition from MSI, Saphire, and many others.

Click here to read the full review.

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Galaxy GeForce GT 640 OC Graphics Card Review

June 26, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the budget freindly Galaxy GeForce GT 640 OC graphics card, which features overclocked specifications and a custom cooling solution.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The one shining point for NVIDIA is that the GT 640 can support as many as 4 displays on a single card, though our Galaxy model only supported three. For NVIDIA, that is a good change of pace from being stuck in the dual display realm for years after AMD introduced Eyefinity. I am sure that more users will purchase the GT 640 with this feature as the ability to run three monitors at the same time is definitely an exciting prospect to those previously only using a single display.

The Galaxy GeForce GT 640 GC 1GB card brings the world of NVIDIA Kepler and the new GK107 GPU with features like triple display support, Adaptive Vsync and a pretty cool flip up cooler design for really easy cleaning."


This looks like an OK graphics card, though for slightly more you can have a AMD Radeon HD 7750 which will potentially have better performance and better cooling.

Click here to read the full review.

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Bitfenix Shinobi XL Full Tower Case Review

June 26, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the Bitfenix Shinobi XL full tower case which supports XL-ATX motherboards.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Ever since I received my Colossus from BitFenix, it never ceases to amaze me the things they think up and design. More directly trying the XL we just looked at, the original Shinobi was a win on the outside, but looking back now, the inside of the chassis as well as the feature set wasn't all that good compared to the way the Shinobi XL is put together.

The BitFenix Shinobi XL would be worth every penny, to be able to get a version of this chassis for around $150 is a steal. What really won me over in the end, is while this version does offer a window, there wasn't any flashy lights or annoying LED placements to blind you from across the room and this large volume of chassis is very well ventilated as it ships from the factory and gives you the ability to put three radiators inside the chassis if you plan correctly."


This is a very good case for the money, it sets itself part from the pack with four USB 3.0 ports, a SuperCharge port, superior watercooling support, XL-ATX motherboard support and impressive cable management.

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master Storm Sentinel Advance II Gaming Mouse Review

June 26, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


RBmods have reviewed the Storm Sentinel Advance II gaming mouse, which features an upgrade sensor suite and 128KB on-board memory.

Let's see what they had to say:

"I have been using this mouse now for about a week and am very happy with the performance. It was easy to install and the software really covers all aspects you would want to play around with. I had no lagg issues or delays while gaming, we gave it a shot with FPS games and strategy games to test it with two different type of game styles.

I love the shape of the mouse, it fits perfect in my hand and I like the fact that I can see the DPI and change it without having to access the software.

Overall a very nice mouse with one minor flaw, the left and right buttons feel a bit flimsy, you can pull them sideways with your fingers but that is the only issue I got with the Sentinel 2 Advance gaming mouse."


This is a big improvement over the orginal, and it seems like an excellent gaming mouse. With such a reasonable MSRP it should prove to be a strong competitor to offerings from Logitech, Microsoft, Razer, and SteelSeries.

Click here to read the full review.

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AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition Review

June 26, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the high performance AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition, which features 1000MHz base core clock and 6000MHz memory speed.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The HD 7970 GHz certainly isn't the fastest across the board but by that same token, the GTX 680 can no longer be considered the highest performing single GPU card in the world either. What we have here is a statistical tie so the consumer’s performance-oriented choice will ultimately come down to brand preference.

The HD 7970 was always a strong alternative to the Kepler-based products and it’s now received something of a face lift to make it even more appealing.

Performance per watt has certainly taken a step in the right direction, AMD’s Boost works when it has to and pricing is actually quite fair considering its framerate advantage at higher detail settings. In our opinion and with all other things being equal, the HD 7970 GHz Edition is the card to have for ultra high resolution gaming."


While it may use slightly more power and be a bit noisier, this is an excellent alternative to the GeForce GTX 680.

Click here to read the full review.

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Ozone Strike Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

June 25, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have posted a review of the Ozone Strike mechanical gaming keyboard, which features Cherry MX Black key switches.

Let's see what they had to say:

"What Ozone have supplied us with is not just another mechanical keyboard, but a keyboard that stays true to what they should be – function over form. The Strike is relatively plain in design, black with a few blood splatters to indicate that it has something more to it, but the quality and features packed into the keyboard is what makes it great to use.

The Strike is a perfect bargain mechanical keyboard, that is a great convincer to people contemplating making the jump to mechanical. Not only will you have a lovely gaming keyboard, but one that will also last due to it’s solid and quality construct. So, taking everything that we have seen and discussed about the keyboard, we are awarding the the Ozone Strike with not one, but two awards."


The Ozone Strike appears to be a great budget friendly mechanical keyboard. Though the feel of Cherry Black switches will not be right for everyone.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS VG278H 27" 3D LCD Monitor Review

June 25, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have posted a review of the ASUS VG278H, a 27-inch 3D LCD monitor with a 1920x1080 resolution, 120Hz refresh rate, and 2ms response time.

Here's what they had to say:

"To me 3D gaming is not a new experience and I’ve played on a few different setups including the older 3D Vision kit with the separate IR emitter, but wow, what a difference the larger glasses make. The depth portrayed in the image was far superior to what I have seen in any other situation, especially in Metro 2033 which is fully 3D Vision ready. What really made this clear was dust particles that are suspended in mid air in the tunnels within the Metro ‘world’. This takes the 3D experience right to the next level, and to beat this is going to be a tall order for the manufacturers involved.

Bottom line, if you’re really wanting to go all out and get the best experience possible, then buy the bundle – it really is worth it even though it is more than the top end cards of late."


If you're a fan of the NVIDIA 3D Vision 2 kit, then this might just be the monitor for you.

Click here to read the full review.

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G.Skill ARES DDR3-2133 16GB (4x4) Memory Kit Review

June 25, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have reviewed the high performance dual channel G.Skill ARES quad channel memory kit, which have timings of 11-11-11-30 @ 1.6v.

Let's see what they had to say:

"I really like that G.Skill has these low-profile modules along with all their other memory lines. Almost every larger aftermarket CPU cooler covers at least 2 of your DIMM slots so having good memory that will fit there is a plus!

Besides just being low profile the heatspreaders on the modules are very bright and vibrant. As I said they come in blue or orange, which you can match with the rest of your components. The black PCB of the modules go perfectly with the heatspreaders and when installed this kit will definitely stand out. Also this kit is XMP ready so all you have to do is go into the BIOS and enable the XMP profile. This get the kit running at the advertised 11-11-11-30 timings at 1.6v."


While the timings are a little loose, this looks like a excellent budget friendly memory kit for consumers who need DDR3-2133 speeds.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Radeon HD 7870 HAWK 2GB Graphics Card Review

June 25, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews have reviewed the MSI Radeon HD 7870 HAWK graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The MSI R7870 Hawk was really designed for overclocking, so in terms of functionality, that's where it should excel. It certainly holds up in this area. This is one of the best video cards for overclocking that I have ever laid my hands on. The GPU reactor helps funnel more power to the components, which are made to withstand heavy loads. With all this, I was able to get the R7870 Hawk stably to 1300MHz on the GPU and 1450MHz on the memory. I was able to get it to boot at 1400MHz and 1600MHz respectively, and I'll bet with a little more tweaking I could get it more stable at that point. The MSI R7870 Hawk is certainly an overclocker with tons of headroom."


If you are looking for an overclocking friendly 7870 then the MSI Hawk looks like a great option. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition Reviews

June 25, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Anadtech, Guru3D, Hardware Heaven, Hot Hardware, PC Perspective, Tech Spot, Toms Hardware, Tweak Town and VR Zone have reviewed the all new AMD Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition.


Let's see what they had to say:


Enjoy!
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MSI GT60 15.6-inch Gaming Laptop Review

June 22, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


RB Mods have reviewed the MSI GT70R gaming laptop, which features a 15.6inch 1920x1080 display, quad-core/eight-thread 2.3-3.3Ghz processor, 16GB of RAM, 7200RPM 500GB HDD, Blu-ray drive, and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M 1.5GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The biggest con with this laptop is that it cost about 1500$ which is way more than people can afford these days, for that type of money you can get a decent Apple laptop that is thinner and lighter than this one although not with the same hardware. If you are in the market for an awesome gaming laptop and you don’t care about weight at all this is your choice. It was the first MSI laptop we have looked at thus far and I am quite happy with the results, like every laptop on the market this one has its flaws but I will for sure recommend this awesome piece of hardware amd award it with our editors choice award for excellent performance and reliability."


Weight and 'unique' aesthetics aside, the GT60 appears to be one an excellent desktop replacement (DTR) gaming notebook.

Click here to read the full review.

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Asus Xonar Phoebus PCI-E Sound Card Review

June 22, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have just posted a review of the gaming orientated ASUS Xonar Phoebus sound card.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Starting with the build quality of the Xonar Phoebus we have a card which looks and feels great. A nice black multi-layer PCB is combined with a solid EMI shield and beneath it are high quality components from the likes of C-Media and Texas Instruments with premium audio capacitors also used as required. All of the connectors on the card feel solid and gold connector fans will be pleased to see them used here, even on the control pod which is a nice touch.

When in use the Xonar Phoebus is simple to set-up and the bundled control panel software easy to navigate and configure, just as it should be. Audio quality when gaming and watching movies was fantastic with excellent clarity, no noticeable hiss/interference and plenty of power when required."


The Xonar Phoebus is a top-notch sound card that should greatly appeal to gaming enthusiasts. However, audiophiles would be wise to opt for the unparalleled Asus Xonar Essence STX.

Click here to read the full review.

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Samsung Series 9 15-Inch Notebook Review

June 22, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The SSD Review have reviewed the sleek and stylish Samsung Series 9 notebook, which features a 15-inch 1600x900 display, dual-core/four-thread 1.7-2.6Ghz processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and integrated Intel HD 4000 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"If my swift nature in replacing the Toshiba Z830 for the Samsung Series 9 is any indication of my love for this new ultra, it is a good measuring stick. The Toshiba has been by my side through trips to California, Jamaica, Las Vegas, Germany, Amsterdam and most recently Taiwan and I have shown it off to countless people at lectures, conferences and technology shows.

The Samsung Series 9 just completed it’s first tech report and will see me through several more shows and travels. Our Associate Editor simply says it was necessary to get the bigger screen as I just turned 47. All in all, the Samsung Series 9 15″ Ivy Bridge Ultra just got removed from my ‘Must Have’ list and we are all the better for it."


Disappointing storage device aside, the Samsung Series 9 appears to be one very good ultrabook. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Roccat Savu Gaming Mouse Review

June 22, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have reviewed the new Roccat Savu optical gaming mouse.

Let's see what they had to say:

"On the hardware front we found the finish and build quality on the Savu to be excellent and to a very high standard. For a mid-range gaming mouse the Savu certainly feels like a higher end model and the soft touch finish of the surface is very comfortable to use, benefiting from no-sweat side grips.

With the Savu, ROCCAT have continued their streak of producing excellent products. The Savu is a mid-range gaming mouse, built to a very high quality and offering some of the features we see on the higher end products such as the Easy-Shift[+] system. Teaming the Savu with the Taito mouse mat creates quite the tag-team. Given the range of sizes that the Taito can be selected in there is a version to suit all tastes and desk space."


If you're a fan of small optical gaming mice, then this might just be the product for you. At the very least, it's worth a close look.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning Edition Graphics Card Review

June 22, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have reviewed the high performance MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The MSI GeForce GTX 680 Lightning is a very interesting product. The only thing original on the card is the GPU, MSI redesigned the rest from scratch. The PCB, the voltage circuitry, the usage of gold coated solid state chokes, copperMOS and nickel plated capacitors are just a simple indication of that.

It stretches well beyond PCB design and components usage though as the product also comes with that GPU reactor, we do have some doubt about the actual benefits from the Tantalum capacitors that are used to filter and stabilize GPU voltage but we surely do like them on there.

The GTX 680 Lightning has it all, the looks, the very nice factory overclock, the (relatively) low power consumption, downright excellent noise levels and obviously the performance to play any game really well."


Thanks to its Twin Frozr IV cooler and impressive factory overclock, this is is easily one of the best dual slot GTX 680 graphics card's on the market today. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master Cosmos II Ultra Tower Case Review

June 21, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tech Spot have posted a review of the high end Cooler Master Cosmos II Ultra Tower Case, which is the successor to the original Cosmos.

Let's see what they had to say:

"As for ease of use, this case wins hands-down. I love the easy-open side panel doors, the toolless 5.25" drive bay works perfectly and everything feels solid overall.

Speaking of solid, this case is flat out heavy at 48.5 pounds empty. Once you install your hardware, you probably shouldn't plan on any LAN parties unless you're well-conditioned.

If you're looking for a full tower system that's capable of holding a ridiculous amount of hardware, look no further than Cooler Master's Cosmos II. I've been using the competing and super capable Corsair 800D for over two years, but the torch has now been passed on - the Cosmos II is my new all-time favorite chassis."


This might just be the finest case ever produced and easily worth its high asking price. Even if you have no plans to buy a high-end case, definitely give this case a look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Thermaltake eSPORTS Shock One Gaming Headset Review

June 21, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have reviewed the Thermaltake eSPORTS Shock One gaming headset, which features a USB connector and includes virtual 5.1 DTS.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Tt eSPORTS SHOCK One Gaming Headset will produce sound through its 40mm drivers, and capture your voice with its microphone. Also, the SHOCK One is a pretty stylish, and would definitely get attention at LAN parties with the illuminating Tt logo on each ear cup. However, when it comes to frequency response, virtual surround sound, and mic quality, the SHOCK One is not as strong as similarly priced and featured headsets, such as the Corsair Vengeance 1500."


Although it's a little off-putting aesthetically, this does seem to be an OK gaming headset. Though one that is priced just a touch high for its abilities.

Click here to read the full review.

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Noctua NH-L12 CPU Cooler Review

June 21, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Big Bruin have reviewed the Noctua NH-L12 CPU Cooler, which is a horizontal, four heatpipe CPU cooling solution for both Intel and AMD systems.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Noctua NH-L12 heatpipe CPU cooler is an excellent choice for an HTPC or desktop system where space is at a premium. With the 120mm fan installed on top of the cooler it stands just 93mm (@3.7") tall, and if you can manage to run with just the lower 92mm fan installed you can get the overall height down to 66mm (@2.6"). This will fit a large number of cases, including some of the slimmer low profile units available. And considering its strong cooling performance, you may just want to use it in a full size system - even if you have room for a much larger tower style cooler."


It seems like it is a good CPU cooler for smaller systems, but may be too small for mainstream consumers.

Click here to read the full review.

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Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive Review

June 21, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have tested the mainstream Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drive, which is based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller and features 555MB/s read and 510MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"One of the first things we noticed when unboxing the Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SSD is the gold and black color of the SSD which was attractive and a little more fancy than most other drives we’ve seen. Kingston pulled out all the stops on this Enthusiast Line of SSD and has made the transition from using an old Spinner Hard Drive to the Speedy Solid State Drive very easy.

Kingston also typically includes one of the best accessory packages on the market, and it’s no different this time around with the HyperX 3K, as we got a mounting bracket, SATA cables, screwdriver, Acronis Cloning software, USB 2.0 travel enclosure and an USB cable to plug into the enclosure. Needless to say, this is the best package we’ve ever seen with an SSD, making it easy to take to work and bring home your data; portability is the name of the game with small storage devices."


This seems like another in a long line of very high performance SandForce-based SSDs. Though for a bit more you can have the Intel 520 Series 240GB model, which is slightly faster and has a longer warranty.

Click here to read the full review.

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Razer Tiamat 7.1 Gaming Headset Review

June 21, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have reviewed the Razer Tiamat gaming headset which feature true 7.1 surround sound capabilities.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Razer Tiamat is the world’s first true 7.1 surround sound headset, and boy have Razer set the bar high for any future true 7.1 headsets we may see. The headset oozed quality, not only in looks, but also performance wise. There was no compromise in the depth of the sound or quality of the different tones, which we though we may see from the smaller drivers. For gaming, music, movies and VoIP they performed flawlessly with almost perfect positioning, sometimes making you feel like you were actually there. One of the more noticeable features that we loved is the ability to switch between speaker and headset audio, a simple, yet overlooked issue with most of the headsets on the market."


While their multi-speaker arrangement does nothing for music, for moves and games these are an excellent option. Though you will pay a premium for their 'true' 7.1 surround sound abilites.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Radeon HD 7950 TwinFrozer III Graphics Card Review

June 20, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have reviewed the MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozer III Graphics Card, which features a 880MHz GPU core overclock and a custom cooling system.

Let's see what they had to say:

"On top of all of that, you’ll find this to be one of the most efficient, quietest and lowest temperature based Radeon 7950′s on the market, and that ticks all of the right boxes with us.

The 7950 really is a fantastic card, and we’re happy to shout that from the roof tops, and MSI have managed to harness the success of the 7950 core, and somehow make it even better. For us, taking a look at this card was an interesting experience, which has left us wanting more, and can only see us wanting to take a look at more cards in the MSI range, not just from the Twin Frozr series but from the whole product library, especially if this card is anything to go by."


While the Twin Frozer III cooler design has been superseded by the Twin Frozer IV on some higher end models, this is still one of the best Radeon HD 7950's on the market.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI GeForce GTX 670 Power Edition Graphics Card Review

June 20, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the new MSI GTX 670 Power Edition, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"In typical fashion we find ourselves extremely impressed with what MSI is offering us with the Power Edition version of the NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 670. It's overclocking ability and cooler help separate it from a lot of other video cards that try to stand out these days. One of the cool things, though, about the Power Edition here today is that outside of its overclocking ability, the clocks that MSI offer out of the box are one of the strongest on the market, which we have seen so far.

If you're not interested in doing the overclocking yourself and you just want something that is going to be faster than a reference video card out of the box, this is a really good option thanks to that 1019MHz core that comes out ahead of so many other brands. Combined with the Twin Frozr cooler, you've got yourself a really strong video card."


Thanks to its Twin Frozr IV cooler and excellent factory overclock, this is is easily one of the best GTX 670 graphics card on the market today.

Click here to read the full review.

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OCZ Vertex 4 256GB Solid State Drive Reivew

June 20, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews have just tested the mid-range Vertex 4 256GB SATA 6GB/s SSD, which is based on the Everest 2 controller and features 550MB/s read and 420MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The OCZ Vertex 4 SSD is a truly solid product, and the Indilinx Everest 2 platform delivers usable I/O performance rather than simply generating fast file transfer speeds. Consumers have been brainwashed into thinking SSDs are all about transfer speeds even though operational input-output performance is the most important metric. Most of us are using our computers to actually do things, instead of just moving things. The new dual-core Indilinx Everest 2 processor produces impressive SATA 6 Gb/s speeds while generating IOPS performance to support massive concurrent transactions like a database server might require. Additionally, the use of 25nm synchronous NAND flash components and large 512MB cache buffer ensure that power-users never have to wait for their programs to open or data to be fetched."


Thanks to timely firmware updates, the Vertex 4 256GB is now an excellent, high performance drive at a fairly reasonable price.

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master HAF XM Mid-Tower Case Review

June 20, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


RB Mods have reviewed the Cooler Master HAF XM mid-tower gaming case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Coolermaster HAF XM is one of the most interesting cases available at the moment. Its looks are appealing, has plenty of space for a midsized case, and has a unique x-dock feature for easy hard disk add/removal. Those who move hard disks from computer to another will respect that feature. It has USB3 front panel slots, large fans and does not resonate too much. These all make the HAF XM very promising and attracting. HAF XM uses large fans which were very silent in normal operation. Unfortunately replacing the 200mm fans might be a bit tricky as they are not as widely available as 120mm and 140mm fans. Last, but not least, HAF XM is reasonably priced."


This is an excellent mid-tower case. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Seasonic X-Series 460W Fanless Power Supply Review

June 20, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the Seasonic X-Series 460W fanless power supply, which is completely silent, has a fully modular design, and the highest possible 80PLUSR Gold efficiency rating.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The X-Series 460W Fanless Power Supply is another quality design from Seasonic, which we have seen used in other partner products such as the Silver Power SP S460FL a couple of months ago.

Technically, the design is exceptional. Noise suppression is as good as we have seen, peaking at just 25mV on the +12V rail at full load. The +3.3V and +5V output are just as impressive, peaking at 10mV/15mV respectively.

The fanless operation and pure modular design makes this power supply ideal for a media center build, or high grade, silent office machine. The excellent efficiency performance also ensures that the system can be left on 24/7 without excessively draining power at the socket."


This is certainly one of the best power supplies on the market for an always-on, silence-centric computer like an HTPC.

Click here to read the full review.

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Western Digital VelociRaptor 1TB Hard Drive Review

June 19, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the high performance Western Digital VelociRaptor 1TB hard drive, which features a 10,000RPM rotational speed, large 64MB cache, read/write speeds of 200MB/s, 1.4 million hours MTBF, five year warranty, and $319 MSRP.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Over the last decade or so, Western Digital has made a name for their VelociRaptor line as the premier solution for customers who want to stick with a spindle-based storage solution but want a high level of performance as well. However, the limitation of these once bleeding edge drives was one that SSD users should be all too familiar with: capacity. This new 1TB version goes a long way towards rectifying that situation without sacrificing the very things which made the VelociRaptor series a marquee brand.

The VelociRaptor 1TB is one hell of a drive. Western Digital has successfully combined high performance and large capacity into a product that may be geared towards enthusiasts but also provides a surprising amount of value. There may be larger HDDs and quicker SSDs but currently, there is no other storage solution that so effectively bridges the gap between these two extremes."


Although pricey, this is clearly the fastest consumer hard drive on the market. It may not match the performance of most budget SSDs, but it does offer a very attractive mix of performance and storage space.

Click here to read the full review.

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Thermaltake Level 10 GTS Mid-Tower Case Review

June 19, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have posted a review of the unique-looking Thermaltake Level 10 GTS mid-tower case.

Here's what they had to say:

"First off I have to admit the style of this thing is fantastic, the finish on the case is brimming with quality, there are no rattles to the fittings, every aspect of this case has been given a little bit of style and tweaking to make it really stand out, from the drive locking mechanisms, the quick release bays and especially the front panel, so a big win on style for the GTS.

With the amount of extra slots for installing additional cooling solutions and extra fans the airflow in this case is superb, even with just the standard fans installed there is plenty of airflow, again helped by the generous cable management keeping everything neatly out of the way."


While it is a much better value than previous Level 10 cases, there are a whole lot of options in the $100 - $120 range so definitely do your homework before choosing one.

Click here to read the full review.

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Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 FleX Edition Graphics Card Review

June 19, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have posted a review of the mid-range Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 FleX Edition graphics card, which features custom cooling, overclocked specifications and an enhanced Eyefinity port configuration.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The improvements with the Radeon 7950 make for a much more compelling argument this time around, as this is really the minimum you need to think about Eyefinity gaming with respectable framerates. And we saw that this card met the challenge for the most part.

Beyond framerates, it's important to note the temperature output of the 28nm manufacturing process, and specifically the load results. We know that Sapphire typically produces some excellent heatsinks, but we were pleasantly shocked at the load temperatures. Seeing such a drastic drop over the previous generation, including curren-gen competitors, is outstanding.

Sapphire 7950 FleX comes with a price tag of about $420, which is actually very well positioned against the AMD competition, particularly if you have any plans for Eyefinity gaming. Including the tech on the card itself is a smart move, and a good value."


This is a great card for those who need a multi-monitor setup for productivity reasons, but also want to do some serious multi-monitor gaming. Unlike most of previous FleX Edition models, the HD 7950 actually has the horsepower to make use of all those display outputs.

Click here to read the full review.

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Alienware M17x R4 17-inch Gaming Laptop Review

June 19, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the high-end Alienware M17x R4, a 17-inch gaming notebook which features a 17.3-inch 1920x1080 display, quad-core/eight-thread 2.3-3.3Ghz processor, 8GB of RAM, 64GB SSD, 500GB 7200rpm HDD and an AMD Radeon HD 7970 2GB GPU.

Here's what they had to say:

"The fourth revision of the Alienware M17X has been a very enjoyable machine to review, incorporating the latest high end components from both Intel and AMD.

This leads us nicely into discussing the AMD HD7970M. This discrete mobile graphics card is a gamers wet dream, delivering some incredible frame rates previously associated with Crossfire or SLI configurations. It only costs £160 more than the default GTX660M option and is certainly worth the investment.

If you are a gamer wanting a new high end desktop replacement with few compromises, then the Alienware M17X R4 is one of the best designed machines on the market. Just be sure to tick the AMD HD7970M box on the configurator."


This is clearly one of the most impressive gaming notebooks on the market right now, it really offers everything you could want in a desktop-replacement notebook.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Accelerator 30GB Solid State Drive Review

June 19, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The SSD Review have reviewed the budget friendly Corsair Accelerator 30GB Caching SSD, a companion solid state drive which is optimized for caching applications in conjunction with a standard HDD.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Corsair Accelerator series of SSD cache drives are clearly designed for those who want a no-hassle performance upgrade to their existing system. It comprises a perfect solution for the non-technical, mainly due to the one-step installation and ability to function with an existing OS drive, negating reinstallation/reformatting.

Performance, while not on par with a normal SSD, is still pretty substantial to say the least. While slightly slower than the 45GB and 60GB, the 30GB Accelerator still posts exceptional numbers. For the average user utilizing a normal hard-drive, the difference will be like night-and-day.

If you are looking to extend the life of your rig and exponentially boost its performance without having to tamper with your existing set-up, then the Corsair Accelerator is right up your alley!"


This seems like a great way to boost performace of an older system without spending all that much money. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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ASUS Zenbook UX31 Ultrabook Review

June 18, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the lightweight ASUS Zenbook UX31 ultrabook, which features a 13.3-inch 1600x900 display, dual-core/four-thread 1.7-2.7Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and Intel integrated HD 3000 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The ASUS Zenbook is one of those products that PC users just want to like. It is slim, well built, performs reasonably well and incorporates all of the design marquees that make the Apple competition “unique” without the high cost normally associated with fruit-labeled notebooks.

ASUS’ Zenbook is a wonder to behold, has great battery life, comes with a rare 2 year warranty, boasts enough connectivity options for almost everyone (though an HDMI adaptor would have been nice) and is actually one of the most versatile notebooks we have come across in a while. A high resolution 1600x900 screen that puts most other Ultrabooks to shame is particularly welcome here as well. Even its speaker system sets a new benchmark in the slim and light category with rich, vibrant tones."


This looks like a very good ultrabook which doesn't sacrifice too much versatility for portability. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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XFX Radeon HD 7850 Black Edition Graphics Card Review

June 18, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the mid-range XFXHD 7850 Black Edition video card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"We've always been happy with the Black Edition series from XFX and combining our love for the series with our love for the AMD Radeon HD 7850, a model that comes in at an excellent price point and offers great performance, we end up with a model that looks really strong.

Outside of the cooler, though, one of the main standout features for the video card is the strong overclock that XFX is offering us out of the box. Going through our benchmarks we could see at times the overclock was enough to push us from unplayable to playable numbers.

If you're looking for a video card under the $300 mark, the AMD Radeon HD 7850 is a really good option and if you're looking for something that moves away from the reference cooler and clocks well, the Black Edition version we've got here from XFX is a really good option you should consider."


With its custom "Double D' heatsink and factory overclocking, the XFX 7850 Black Edition is another fine addition to AMD’s mid-range lineup. Looking for something a little bit faster from AMD? Check out this roundup of factory overclocked Radeon HD 7870 graphics cards.

Click here to read the full review.

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Phanteks PH-TC14CS CPU Cooler Review

June 18, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the Phanteks PH-TC14CS, a downdraft-style CPU cooler with dual 140 mm fans.

Let's see what they had to say:

"It’s clear that Phanteks are targeting the big brands in the high-end air cooling market such as Noctua and Be Quiet! Their first cooler, the PH-TC14PE gave the Noctua NH-D14 a run for its money and this latest addition to their range, the PH-TC14CS, is also very impressive.

The PH-TC14CS combines an attractive aesthetic design with solid build quality. The array of colours available make it easy to coordinate a new system build with attractive side panel showcasing the components. This is sure to win the approval of the enthusiast community.

Our sample of the cooler was finished in black and looked very attractive indeed. Additionally, the low profile design of the cooler makes it ideal for use in a compact chassis or HTPC."


Down-draft coolers are a love it or leave deal and this model is no exception. Though considering this is only the company's second cooler, call me impressed.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Vengeance 2000 Gaming Headset Review

June 18, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have reviewed the Cooler Master Vengeance 2000 Wireless Gaming Headset.

Let's see what they had to say:

" In terms of comfort we found the Vengeance 2000 a nice headset to wear, even during extended playing or listening sessions. Although the headset is reasonably large it is not overly heavy and with all the padding along the headband and earcups we didn't experience any discomfort. The finish on the Vengeance 2000 is also high quality and the components are well thought out and constructed to a good standard.

The virtual surround sound effects work extremely well, with the headset giving us a very accurate reproduction of multi-channel 5.1/7.1 gaming audio. For instance, while playing Modern Warfare 3 we were quickly able to identify the location of enemy combatants, even when we could see them on screen.

Building on the solid foundation of the wired model the wireless Vengeance 2000 7.1 gaming headset is a quality product at a competitive price. Comfort, style and performance, the Vengeance 2000 has a little bit of everything."


If you are in the market for a new wireless gaming headset, this model is definitely worth a serious look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Medion Erazer X6821 15.6-Inch Gaming Notebook Review

June 18, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have reviewed the Medion Erazer X6821 gaming notebook, which features a 15.6-inch 1366x768 display, quad-core/eight-thread 2.3-3.3Ghz processor, 8GB of RAM, dual 500GB 7200RPM HDDs and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 670M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"By using a solid MSI design/chassis for their Erazer system Medion are off to a good start. It offers a decent port layout and solid feel. The lid and palm rest offer a passable representation of brushed metal and to be fair the LED lighting on this model is understated when compared to the MSI version, something which will please many.

Moving to performance Medion get much more right with a good balance of CPU and GPU hardware. The i7-3610QM isn't the fastest in the range but still offers great performance in productivity tasks and allows the GTX 670M to really fly. In each of the games tested the GPU was able to power through at the native resolution with ease and allowed us to game on an external, higher resolution screen too (all the more reason to include a higher spec model as standard)."


The Medion Erazer X6821 appears to be a decent gaming notebook with a much more subdued appearance than the MSI chassis would lead you to believe. Though the low resolution panel and 1-year warranty is a bit disappointing.

Click here to read the full review.

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Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 WindForce OC

June 15, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the new Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 WindForce OC video card, which features overclocked specifications and a custom three fan cooling solution.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Instead, you get class leading performance, a cooling solution that’s more fitting of a GTX 680 rather than its smaller brother and a board design that one ups nearly everything else currently available. And it doesn’t cost a penny more than NVIDIA’s $399 MSRP. Now that’s what we call a value added proposition.

The WindForce 3X may not boast a lifetime warranty, nor does Gigabyte offer any type of customer support advantage over their competition but from every other standpoint, this is the GTX 670 to have. For $399, you get performance that nearly equals a GTX 680, dead quiet acoustics and low temperatures. It may not be all that readily available but if you can find the GTX 670 WindForce OC, you certainly won’t be disappointed."


In a class filled with impressive cards the new Gigabyte GeForce GTX 670 WindForce OC really stands out. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Roccat Kone+ Gaming Mouse & Isku Gaming Keyboard Review

June 15, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tech Gage have reviewed the highly customizable Roccat Kone+ and Isku gaming mouse & keyboard.

Let's see what they had to say:

"While writing this review and during some heavy Battlefield 3 action, the pair performed great, even if I didn't. The Kone+ tracked extremely well and sat very comfortable in my large hand.

I also found no problems from a performance standpoint. Subjecting the keyboard to typical and non-typical keystroke combinations resulted in the correct input with no blocked commands.

I love the fact that I can switch between primary and secondary functions on the fly thanks to EasyShift+ on both the keyboard and the mouse thanks to ROCCAT Talk. This in itself offsets the cost for me.

These are two feature-rich products with well designed software. I can't wait to see where ROCCAT goes with its Talk functionality since it could could open the door to a whole slew of new possibilities."


If you're a fan of customizing every aspect of your gaming peripherals, then these might just be the right products for you. At the very least, the Kone+ is worth a close look.

Click here to read the full review.

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DV Nation RAMRod Gaming Desktop System Review

June 15, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have posted a review of the ultra high-end DV Nation RAMRod, a prebuilt custom desktop gaming system, which features a quad-core/eight-thread factory overclocked Core i7 3820 processor, 64GB of RAM, two 120GB SSDs, two 2TB 7200rpm HDDs and a AMD Radeon HD 6990 4GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The most obvious positive is the storage system - DV Nation takes all the questions out of the construction of the ultimate storage system for a buyer and ships the RAMRod ready to rock right out of the box. If you have a workload that can utilize intense and amazing storage speeds, then by all means you need to take a look at this PC. Gamers may fall in love with it, but truly, you don't need this kind of storage config to get the most out of your experience.

In the end I really enjoyed my time with the DV Nation RAMRod and it's great to see a custom system build that focuses on something other than overclocking performance and gaming, yet includes it in the mix at the same time."


This really is an excellent desktop gaming system. Though for slightly less you could have a AVADirect DGS gaming system with a faster processor and even better gaming abilities.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Ravager Mid-Tower Case

June 15, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Techware Labs have reviewed the MSI Ravager mid-tower case, which features a very unique color scheme.

Let's see what they had to say:

"MSI has put together a very good value case with the Ravager that definitely will appeal to gamers and case enthusiasts. The unique paint scheme stands out among the plain black cases on the market today. Also with four USB ports located on the top of the case (2x 2.0 and 2x 3.0) you get quick and easy connections without having to reach around the back of the computer which is simply inconvenient for nearly all users. The Ravager is an ideal case for the consumer who wants to start with a sturdy good looking platform to build upon. This is a great value/enthusiast case with an MSRP of $99 at the time of this review."


This seems like a decent case, with very 'unique' styling, but there are a whole lot of options in the $100 range.

Click here to read the full review.

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Kingston HyperX 3K 240GBSATA 6Gb/s Solid State Drive Review

June 15, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have tested the mainstream Kingston HyperX 3K 240GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drive, which is based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller and features 555MB/s read and 510MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Considering HyperX 3K 240GB has virtually the same performance as it’s more expensive sibling but comes to market with a lower price, it can be considered a success for Kingston. They wanted to release a budget-friendly drive without sacrificing performance and that’s exactly what we’ve been given. Giving up some theoretical lifespan in order to gain capacity seems like a reasonable compromise considering how quickly users seem to upgrade from one SSD generation to the next. Unfortunately, while the HyperX 3K 240GB SSD may indeed be less expensive than the original HyperX and even most of the competition, the SandForce SF-2281 controller with ONFi 2.0 NAND is the most common combination on the market today, and drives based on this technology are virtually interchangeable."


This seems like another in a long line of very high performance SandForce-based SSDs. Though for a bit more you can have the Intel 520 Series 240GB model, which is slightly faster and has a longer warranty.

Click here to read the full review.

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Asus R.O.G. Tytan CG8580 Desktop Gaming System Review

June 14, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have posted a review of the Asus Tytan CG8580 prebuilt desktop gaming system, which features a quad-core/eight-thread 3.5-3.9GHz processor, 16GB of RAM, 120GB SSD, two 1TB 7200rpm HDDs and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"First impressions of the Asus Republic Of Gamers Tytan CG8580 system are positive. It arrives in a huge eye catching box with a substantial accessory kit inside, including a complimentary high grade mouse and keyboard. These gaming products are higher quality than any other bundled items we have seen in recent years and deserve a special mention.

The overclocked Core i7 3770k when paired with the Asus GTX680 makes for a formidable system, perfectly suited to not only gaming, but 3d rendering and video encoding duties. With 16GB of 1600mhz memory, this machine is bulletproof for the considerable future."


Where it is a Republic of Gamers model it comes as no surprise that it is a great gaming system. Though expect to pay a premium for the 'R.O.G.' brand name.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASRock Z77 Fatal1ty Professional LGA1155 motherboard Review

June 14, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have reviewed the gaming orientated ASRock Z77 Fatal1ty Professional LGA1155 motherboard, which boasts numerous 'XFast' performance enhancement features.

Let's see what they had to say:

"ASRock stepped up their game a few years ago with much better product than the old days. The Fatal1ty series on both Intel and the AMD side is known for great performance, overclocking ability and the gamers choice without spending a boat load of cash.

The look of the Fatal1ty branding has not changed since its conception (and it shouldn't). The look is sexy and the crimson red with the black PCB always looks great. The Z77 chipset adds some new features such as PCIe 3.0 and USB 3.0 for better performance especially with the release of Radeon 7000 series and Nvidia 600 series graphics cards. The Z77 chipset maximizes the bandwidth on both PCI and USB sides with more lanes. ASrock also adds some attractive add on features such as XFast USB and LAN for even more performance on not only the gaming side but everyday multitasking use."


ASRock really are bringing their A game lately and the new Z77 Fatal1ty Professional is a fine upgrade to their already good Z68 model.

Click here to read the full review.

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Patriot Memory PBO Alpine Media Player Review

June 14, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews have reviewed the Patriot Memory PBO Alpine Media Player.

Let's see what they had to say:

"PBO Alpine is a dainty little device, occupying as much space as two decks of playing cards (and weighing about as much, too). The semi-gloss piano black finish looks great beside other home theater devices such as a HDTV, and the lightly textured surface helps to hide fingerprints when regularly handled. A subdued power LED shines dim enough to be unobtrusive, and helps maintain PBO Alpine's elegant appearance.

In summary, I'm extremely pleased with the Patriot PBO Alpine Media Player. I consider it very unfortunate that the device lacks an integrated wireless adapter, but not everybody will need or want this function. Regardless, PBO Alpine is a robust media player that has thoroughly impressed me with an ability to play every multimedia file type I could throw at it."


The Alpine PBO appears to be a nice upgrade to the original Patriot Box Office media player. Though that new ultra small remote looks to be a lot less user-friendly than the original's.

Click here to read the full review.

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Roccat Savu Gaming Mouse Review

June 14, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the new Roccat Savu optical gaming mouse.

Let's see what they had to say:

"First off I found my time using a 4000 DPI optical sensor to actually be more specific, accurate, precise, whatever you want to call it, to even the 8200 DPI laser offered in the CM Storm Sentinel Advance II we saw not too long ago. It is lighter and feels more agile in your hands and the simplicity of the one light in the back is something that looks really good as it sits there awaiting the game to load. In fact, the simplicity of its design is what makes me think that this mouse could be appreciated by anyone, as long as they don't have huge hands. As stated by ROCCAT, this is a medium sized mouse, unlike the Sentinel we just looked at, the Savu has a much smaller footprint."


If you're a fan of small optical gaming mice, then this might just be the product for you. At the very least, it's worth a close look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Carbide 500R Mid Tower Case Review

June 14, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have posted a review of the Corsair Carbide Series 500R mid-tower case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"From a design and visual perspective, the Corsair 500R has clean lines and an uncluttered look. The finishing of the graphite gray/black with the combination of the mesh grills really make this case stand out. Corsair designed this case for those who are looking for the sleek styling and straightforward aesthetics. Corsair as always set out to please an audience and with the 500R I think they have done a very good job.

There are a few minor niggles, but the positives far outweigh the detractions, and the features such as the built-in fan controller and white LED fans are a great touch that complement the contemporary styling.

Corsair continues to offer great products with demanding consumers in mind, and the 500R is no different here. Overall this case gets a strong recommendation from us."


This new case slots in nicely between the 400R and 600T, and as we have come to expect from Corsair, it is a great case for the money.

Click here to read the full review.

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HP Envy Spectre 14-inch Ultrabook Review

June 13, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OC Aholic have reviewed the ultra portable HP Envy Spectre ultrabook, which features a 14-inch 1600 x 900 display, dual-core/four-thread 1.6-2.3Ghz processor, 4GB of RAM, 128GB SSD and Intel integrated HD 3000 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"An elegant case, good battery life and decent design. Those are the three things the HP Envy 14 excels. Furthermore there is a very low noise level.

Equipped with a Core i5-2467M dual core CPU that has four threads, clocked at 1.6 GHz and Intels integrated graphics chip, the Envy 14 Spectre isn't the fastest notebook we've ever tested. But that's also not what it's been built for. Thanks to a quick SSD it feels very responsive.

Looking at battery life shows that the Envy 14 Spectre really has shows stamina. It takes more than four hours and fourty minutes until the device is going to shut down when you browse the web via using the integrated WiFi module.

If you should be looking for a luxurious Ultrabook and you're willing to spend about 1'400 Euros (est. CHF 1'599.-), the HP Envy 14 Spectre is a good choice, whereas you shouldn't be looking for the lightest Ultrabook."


While it certainly is not the lightest ultrabook available, the 4lb. HP Envy Spectre does offer a good balance of performance and portability at a fairly reasonable price.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Radeon HD 7770 Power Edition Graphics Card Review

June 13, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have reviewed the budget friendly MSI Radeon HD 7770 Power Edition, which features overclocked specifications and an upgradeable custom cooler.

Let's see what they had to say:

"In terms of features, this card is very impressive. With Military-class components normally reserved for expensive flagship cards, MSI is to be commended for putting such quality first in a card of this price range. Triple Voltage is great for those that want to extract more horsepower out of the card. And as for the transforming heatsink, we were pleasantly surprised to see how well it worked. Normally such ideas are more hype than function, but that's not the case here, as the different cooling configurations truly did work well, allowing users options for their particular setup. The dual fan setup provides the best performance, though the single fan option still provides great cooling."


Thanks to the upgradeable cooler, it is easily worth the reasonable price premium over a reference model.

Click here to read the full review.

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AVADirect DGS-I7-X79 Desktop Gaming System Review

June 13, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hot Hardware have posted a review of the ultra high-end AVADirect DGS-I7-X793SLICFX, a prebuilt custom desktop gaming system, which features a quad-core/eight-thread factory overclocked Core i7 3960X processor, 16GB of RAM, two 120GB SSDs, two 2TB 7200rpm HDDs and three NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M 2GB GPUs in Tri-SLI.

Let's see what they had to say:

"We said earlier that AVADirect came at us like an angry peacock with outstretched feathers, demanding we take notice, and that we did. What else can you do when a company sends you a fully loaded system with three high end graphics cards, an overclocked six core processor, and obscene storage configurations consisting of a pair of SSDs in RAID 0 and two capacious hard drives rocking a RAID 1 mirror? As expected, AVADirect's X79 Custom Gaming PC dashed through our gamut of benchmarks, in some cases breaking records that were set just a month or two ago. Without any visible bottlenecks, AVADirect's build crushed our gaming tests, topping 230fps in Far Cry 2 and, more impressively, breaking 90fps in Aliens vs Predator at a 2560x1600 resolution with all the settings cranked up."


This really is a phenomenal desktop gaming system. Though at $5,100 very few will ever afford it. Luckily, it is offered in more budget friendly configurations. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Rosewill RK-9000BR Gaming Keyboard Review

June 13, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews have reviewed the Rosewill RK-9000BR Mechanical Keyboard, which features Cherry MX switches.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Performance is about allowing the user to perform at their best without being held back by their peripheral. Thankfully, in that department the RK-9000BR goes far and above the call of duty. The Cherry MX Brown switches have a nice amount of haptic feedback that makes them extremely comfortable to type on. Even during a long gaming session, the RK-9000BR is extremely comfortable and really allows a player to be at their best for long periods without fatigue.

As with many other mechanical keyboards on the market the RK-9000BR is extremely well built with keys designed for 50 million key presses and a build quality well above the average keyboard that comes with many of the major manufactures machines on the market. Even better, Rosewill stands behind the RK-9000BR and its parts with a 3 years parts warranty should something go awry."


There are many, many, many mechanical keyboards on the market right now, so definitely do your homework before choosing one.

Click here to read the full review.

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Western Digital VelociRaptor 1TB Hard Drive Review

June 13, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the high performance Western Digital VelociRaptor 1TB hard drive, which features a 10,000RPM rotational speed, large 64MB cache, read/write speeds of 200MB/s, 1.4 million hours MTBF, five year warranty, and $319 MSRP.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Western Digital's VelociRaptor is the fastest consumer mechanical HDD on the market. This isn't surprising since every time WD revamps this product it easily takes this title.

All is not lost and the VelociRaptor should live on. We keep hearing about Western Digital working on hybrid drives, a mix between mechanical capacity and solid state performance. WD didn't pull out the hybrid card this round, but maybe with the next release we'll see a hybrid Raptor. That doesn't mean you can't take advantage of other hybrid solutions already on the market with the VelociRaptor, though. The Western Digital VelociRaptor 1TB is the ultimate HDD for use in an Intel's Smart Response Technology or NVELO's Dataplex.

Many users are starting to use tiered storage in their desktops with Windows installed on the boot drive and programs and storage residing on the D drive."


Although pricey, this is clearly the fastest consumer hard drive on the market. It may not match the performance of most budget SSDs, but it does offer a very attractive mix of performance and storage space.

Click here to read the full review.

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Origin EON17-S 17-inch Gaming Notebook Review

June 12, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the Origin EON17-S gaming notebook, which features a 17.3-inch 1920x1080 display, quad-core/eight-thread 4.4GHz factory overclocked processor, 16GB of RAM, dual 120GB SSDs, 1TB 5400RPM HDD and a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 675M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Origin EON17-S is, from a performance standpoint, one hell of a piece of kit. What sets the laptop apart is not the Extreme Edition processor or even the GTX 675M (which is fast, but also obtainable elsewhere). No, the real honors should be given to the pair of Corsair hard drives. It’s incredible how quickly software loads on this machine.

Of course, most other companies will let you configure solid state drives in RAID 0, as well. But they usually don’t let you replace the optical drive with a mechanical hard drive or offer a third hard drive option. That’s where the EON17-S stands out. You can enjoy insane speeds and still have plenty of room for your files.

If maximum performance is your goal, however, I can’t come up with any reason not to buy the EON17-S with RAID0 solid state drives and a GTX 675M."


Weighing in at 8.6lb the Origin EON17-S may not be all that portable, but it is a phenomenal desktop replacement (DTR) gaming notebook. Though for $3,500 it is a touch pricey.

Click here to read the full review.

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Visiontek Racer 240GB Solid State Drive Review

June 12, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Pure Overclock have posted a review of the high performance Visiontek Racer 2400GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drives, which is based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller and features Toshiba Toggle Mode NAND.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Today we had the opportunity to be one of the first sites to review and test the new VisionTek Racer Series 240GB SSD. It's a brand new series from VisionTek and the first ever SSD from a company we have known for years for the fast ATI/AMD video cards they manufacture.

The Racers Series 240GB did not disappoint, as the SSD came with everything you need for an installation. There was no need to upgrade Firmware and we couldn’t find any listed From VisionTek. With the latest SandForce SF-2281 controller and the Toshiba Toggle Model MLC NAND under the hood, the Racer is very fast.

The VisionTek Racer 240GB is very impressive with killer performance, and it's a great first release by VisionTek going up against the big companies on the market."


Thanks to its use of Toggle Mode NAND the Racer 240GB is very good SF-2281 based drive. While not unique in its abilities, it is impressive considering this is VisionTek's first ever solid state drive.

Click here to read the full review.

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ARCTIC MC001-BD HTPC Review

June 12, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweaktown have reviewed the ARCTIC MC001-BD, which is a compact HTPC system based on the Intel Atom dual core 1.8GHz D525 CPU and features 4GB of Ram, 500GB 7200rpm Hard drive, Blu-ray drive, onboard 802.11n WiFi, Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio support and a AMD Radeon HD 5430 512MB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"While I know it is tough to justify near $800 for what you have seen, this is a seriously easy system to install and use and along with the ease that the accessories offer in use and installation. There is no way you can get this small and sexy for your money, even if yours is a bit more capable. Ease of use and the compact nature of this MC001-BD and its accessories is what drives the pricing and if you want a simple way to connect media to the HTPC and offer an option to stream music anywhere you want to, this may very well be the sweet and simple solution to your needs."


If you want a sleek and quiet HTPC with a Blu-ray drive this would be a decent option. Though at nearly $800 it is getting a little pricey considering options from Zotac can be found for much less.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Stealth Mid-Tower Case Review

June 12, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have reviewed the mid-range MSI Stealth mid-tower case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"When I first saw this case I really did not expect much, but to my surprise this case really is feature packed and makes installing a system simple and easy. Again as I said my favorite part of the case are the blue accents everywhere. They really make the inside of the case pop and if you have matching components that makes things even better.

Another feature I did not expect to find on this case was all of the room behind the motherboard to route and hide cables. This is something you do not often find on mid tower cases, especially ones that are in this price range.

As far as cooling goes the case does come with two 120mm fans, which should suffice for most people, but if you want to add more fans there are room for 5 more."


This seems like a very good mid-tower case. Though it will face stiff competition at its existing price point.

Click here to read the full review.

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HIS Radeon HD 7850 IceQ X Turbo X Graphics Card Review

June 12, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have reviewed the mid-range HIS Radeon HD 7850 IceQ X Turbo X, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"For under 250 EUR HIS brings a really fun card to the mainstream market with the 7850 ICEQX TURBOX model. For that money you get to play your PC games at 1920x1080/1200 pretty darn well. Just set your image quality preference and the cards will push very nice framerates.

The HIS Radeon HD 7850 ICEQ TURBOX edition graphics card works out well. It does not have the best looks, that is the one remark I need to make. If you are not bothered by that them I find the 7850 ICEQ TURBOX edition to be a pretty nice product really. The overall package is good from noise to heat towards performance and features like monitor connectors. The product carries a factory set higher clock frequency making it a very decent gaming graphics card for anyone with a monitor up-to 1920x1080."


This looks like a very good, yet compact video card. If you are looking for a Radeon HD 7850 another good options is the MSI 7850 Power Edition.

Click here to read the full review.

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MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozer III Graphics Card Review

June 11, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the MSI Radeon HD 7950 Twin Frozer III Graphics Card, which features a 800MHz GPU core overclock and a custom cooling system.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The MSI card is a well built unit. Though it uses the reference PCB, I have found no issues with it. The TFIII cooler is still one of their best yet. Under heavy use and overclocked, the cooler was able to deliver sub 70C temperatures with a minimum of noise. The card has a lot of heft to it and is a fairly large unit. The solid construction and extra bracing that it has does not allow it to warp or bend when installed in a tower case.

Personally, if I were looking into purchasing a setup that would include multiple cards for use with multiple monitors, the MSI HD 7950 is pretty close to the top of the list.

We also saw that overclocking was quite robust, and it will quickly outpace that other card that is being offered at essentially the same price."


While the Twin Frozer III cooler design has been superseded by the Twin Frozer IV on some higher end models, this is still one of the best Radeon HD 7950's on the market.

Click here to read the full review.

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CyberPower Zeus Thunder 2500 SE Desktop Gaming System Review

June 11, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hot Hardware have posted a review of the Zeus Thunder 2500 SE, a prebuilt desktop gaming system, which features a quad-core/eight-thread 3.5-3.9GHz processor, 16GB of RAM, 120GB SSD, 1TB 7200rpm HDD and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"In all of our tests, the CyberPowerPC Zeus Thunder 2500 SE performed very well. Even though it took third place in most of our benchmarks, it did so behind two much pricier systems. With that said, it also routinely outpaced some other rigs, including the iBuyPower Erebus GT (which costs about $600 more). That’s impressive performance for a machine that costs just $1,899.

The company also did a great job selecting the NZXT Switch 810 case in our opinion, which offers attractive looks without the added expense of a heavily altered or full custom chassis, and actually contributes something to the system’s overall performance, as well.

You could scarcely find a better price-for-performance ratio than $1,899 for the Zeus Thunder 2500 SE, although if you’re not in love with the price, CyberPowerPC has eight other Zeus Thunder gaming rigs available, starting at $1,125."


This seems like a well designed system with respectable configuration options at a reasonable price. Though the included storage capacity is somewhat small by today's standards.

Click here to read the full review.

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Rosewill RK-8100 Gaming Keyboard Review

June 11, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have reviewed the budget friendly Rosewill RK-8100 gaming keyboard.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The best bang for your buck is a phrase I used at the beginning of this review to reflect what I thought the intention Rosewill had in designing and marketing this keyboard. After 2 weeks of using the device I can say another phrase is more appropriate; “You get what you pay for”.

The name to me, before this keyboard review, reflected good quality for a lower price not lower quality for a lower price.

I remember in the fall of 2005 I did a complete PC build for a friend of mine. During this build I purchased several things from Rosewill. One of those things was the slimmest, flattest keyboard I’ve ever seen. My friend made a specific request for a “thin keyboard” and this particular keyboard met all the requirements. He proceeded to use that keyboard for the next 6 years. It was a solid product."


There are many, many gaming keyboards on the market right now, so definitely do your homework before choosing one.

Click here to read the full review.

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Asus X79 Sabertooth LGA2011 Motherbord Review

June 11, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the high-end ASUS Sabertooth X79 LGA2011 motherboard, which is based on the Intel X79 Express chipset and supports the new Intel 'Sandy Bridge-E' LGA2011 processors.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The X79 Sabertooth lives up to its "TUF" name in both looks and performance. The integrated UEFI BIOS gave us plenty of options for configuring everything on our system and did it with a user friendly interface. The board's support for quad GPU graphics configurations from both NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossfireX is a huge plus and expected for high-end motherboards in this class. The X79 Sabertooth's bundled software was very stable and useful during testing and increased the overall value that consumers look for in all their PC hardware upgrades. Overall, the ASUS X79 Sabertooth has earned PC Perspective's Gold Award for original design, outstanding bundled software, and detailed overclocking features."


Like all Sabertooth series motherboards, this new model is a top-notch product and it should be near the top of your list if you're considering building a new LGA2011 system.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Obsidian 550D Mid-Tower Case Review

June 11, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have posted a review of the mid-range Corsair Obsidian 550D mid-tower case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Looking at the build quality first we have a solid chassis which is manufactured to a high standard. Each component fits well together and there are no rough edges or loose segments. A good selection of fans is fitted at the factory and always a sign of quality we have rubber liners on all of the wiring/tubing holes. In fact there is such an attention to detail on this case that as well as adding soundproofing throughout there are also rubber strips on the areas where the sides meet the main body to minimise noise/vibrations, a nice touch.

When it comes down to it though the aim of the 550D is silence and if it failed to deliver on that front it would be a disappointment. True to form though Corsair have delivered and this is one of the quietest cases we have tested to date, if not the quietest."


While this is clearly another excellent Corsair case, those who have a little more money to spend should take a look at the higher-end Obsidian 650D.

Click here to read the full review.

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Asus Z9PE-D8 WS LGA2011 Motherboard Review

June 8, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OCaholic have posted a review of the ultra high-end ASUS Z9PE-D8 WS workstation motherboard, which features dual XEON CPU support, four PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots and three PCI-E 3.0 x8 slots.

Here's what they had to say:

"At a first glance we can see that this motherboard from Asus is definitely more suitable for enthusiasts than servers/workstations. There are more features that fit the needs of enthusiasts and less for professional useres in the workstation/server area. Nevertheless this doesn't mean Asus failed doing a worksation/enthusiast motherboard. Indeed it has everything you like. There are for example seven full size PCIe Gen3 slots, an onboard 2D graphic processor - in case you need it -, a lot of SATA connectors and even an audio chip. We also liked the overclocking features like onboard reset/power buttons, postcode LED debug as well as a well furnished BIOS with a lot of options."


This is an amazing motherboard as it is one of the few to have four PCI-E x16 slots for graphics use with an additional three x8 slots to cover off anything else you may need. It might be a 'workstation' motherboard, but it would be perfect as a ultra high-end enthusiast model.

Click here to read the full review.

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TekRepublic TH Pro 7.1 Gaming Headset Review

June 8, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Modders Inc have posted a review of the TekRepublic TH Pro 7.1 gaming headset.

Here's what they had to say:

"The headset seems to be very well constructed and although very light, weighing in at only 7.4 ozs, I believe they are going to hold together very well. I must also say at this point that the light weight made wearing the headset for long periods of time somewhat enjoyable.

With everything said and done, I must say that I was very impressed with the quality of the Tek-Republic TH Pro 7.1 Surround Sound headset. The flexible mic boom, cushioned ear pads and lightweight design provide added convenience and prolonged listening comfort, at a very affordable Newegg price of only $44.99 (at time of review). I think one would be hard pressed to find a better suited headset for gaming and listening to music than the Tek-Republic TH Pro Virtual 7.1 Surround Sound Circumaural USB Gaming Headset."


This seems like a very gaming headset for the money. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Das Professional S Keyboard Review

June 8, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have tested the Das Professional S keyboard, which features a top-notch mechanical key switch design.

Here's what they had to say:

"In all honesty, if given half a chance, this keyboard would never leave my desk. Just like all the rest of you I am a fan of additional goodies, more specifically I prefer a backlit keyboard, but the feel and usage I had with this Das Keyboard has opened my eyes to what a mechanical keyboard is fundamentally all about. Without all the pomp and circumstance of fancy add-ons, I got to see what a typist's keyboard is all about. With the amount of typing I do, anything else I have currently is going to feel like mud.

I assure you, once you get used to the Model S Professional from Das Keyboard, you won't really care what they have to say about it, you will be too busy in typing bliss to even hear them bring it up."


If you have the money to spend on the best possible input devices, this keyboard should definitely be in your consideration list.

Click here to read the full review.

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Monster Digital Le Mans 400GB Solid State Drive Review

June 8, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


The SSD Review have just tested the high performance Le Mans 400GB SATA 6GB/s SSD, which is based on the SF2281 controller and features 550MB/s read and 420MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"A big issue that we are seeing with alot of the new entrants into the SSD realm is lack of innovation and shortsightedness. When it comes to product differentiation, there isn’t much between most manufacturers of LSI SandForce SSDs. With this full package approach, Monster Digital has really found a way to make the Le Mans step out of the pack.

The hefty amount of overprovisioning that is included with this SSD is key to longer endurance and superb long term performance. This will negate the performance degradation that is inherent in all SSDs, and keep this SSD running at top speed for years to come. This SSD running for years is also a guarantee, with Monster Digital warrantying the SSD for five years. This is a big vote of confidence in their product, and one that very few manufacturers are willing to match."


The accessories and NAND of the Le Mans SSD allow it to stand out and help make Monster Digital's first ever solid state drive a real winner.

Click here to read the full review.

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Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 FleX Edition Graphics Card Review

June 8, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have posted a review of the mid-range Sapphire Radeon HD 7950 FleX Edition graphics card, which features custom cooling, overclocked specifications and an enhanced Eyefinity port configuration.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Sapphire HD7950 Dual-X FleX Edition really is a monster card, ideal for an enthusiast user who wants to build a new rig to play the latest games in Eyefinity. We also feel it will be perfectly suited for a professional user who wants to power three or more high resolution screens.

With FleX technology, there is no need to spend extra for a Displayport screen, if you only want to run in a 3-way configuration. There is no demand for an active adapter, and the HDMI to DVI cable for the third screen is included in the box.

If the out of the box performance isn’t enough then we found that there was plenty of headroom on both core and memory. We managed to increase the core clock from 860mhz to 1039mhz, which increased the overall performance by a noticeable margin."


This is a great card for those who need a multi-monitor setup for productivity reasons, but also want to do some serious multi-monitor gaming. Unlike most of previous FleX Edition models, the HD 7950 actually has the horsepower to make use of all those display outputs.

Click here to read the full review.

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Dell XPS One 27 All In One System Review

June 7, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hot Hardware have posted a review of the Dell XPS One 27, a pre-built All In One system, which features a 27-inch 2560x1440 PLS display, quad-core/eight-thread 3.1-3.9Ghz processor, 8GB of RAM, 32GB SSD, 2TB 7200rpm HDD and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 640M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"If you have a preconceived notion that all-in-one systems lack any kind of adrenaline, it's time you revisited the form factor. As configured, Dell's XPS One 27 hit the ground running and never let up. The combination of an Ivy Bridge processor and NVIDIA Kepler graphics resulted in some impressive benchmark runs, including the ability to game at the 27-inch display's 2560x1440 resolution, though more demanding titles will require that you dial down the visual quality settings.

It doesn't boast a touch-capable screen, and that's because Dell opted to go with a high-quality Samsung PLS panel that's absolutely stunning. At 27 inches, it's Dell's largest AIO to date with a scintillating 2560x1440 native resolution. But it's not just about sheer size; the display is crisp and vibrant, offering superb viewing angles."


Though you do give up a certain amount of upgradeability with All In One designs, the XPS One 27 is a very solid system mated to an excellent 27 inch monitor. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Sennheiser PC 323D G4ME Gaming Headset Review

June 7, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


HardwareHeaven have posted a review of the Sennheiser PC 323D G4ME gaming headset.

Here's what they had to say:

"In terms of design the PC 320 series clearly takes a lead from the higher end headsets more than it does the PC 330 range and overall the product impresses in this area. The silver trim adds a little extra in terms of aesthetics but more importantly this is a very comfortable headset to wear. It is light enough to wear for long gaming sessions and hangs very well on the head with just the right amount of force around the ears.

For performance the PC 323D offers a value alternative to a true 7.1 headset and also gives us the same stereo performance as the PC 320 when we don't require surround. In games there is plenty of detail in the sound with gunfire precise and explosions deep."


This seems like a very good gaming headset, but you definitely want to compare it against the Corsair Vengeance 1500 headset.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Vengeance 2000 Gaming Headset Review

June 7, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the Cooler Master Vengeance 2000 Wireless Gaming Headset.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Corsair have set out to provide a wireless headset that was ultimately aimed at the gaming market, but in doing so, have been successful in creating a versatile product that delivers exceptional sound quality across the board. The Vengeance 2000 is well suited for music playback, movie soundtracks and excels with games by creating an immersive 3D experience.

At around £120 in the United Kingdom, it is certainly targeting the serious enthusiast gamer. To be fair to Corsair, adding in the wireless technology does add to the cost of development and production.

Ultimately, the Vengeance 2000 is a fantastic performing headphone, targeting a niche audience. It is certainly a high end product and as such won’t be targeting the mainstream gamer who would be unwilling to spend more than £50 on a headset."


If you are in the market for a new wireless gaming headset, this model is definitely worth a serious look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Asus P8Z77 WS LGA1155 Motherboard Review

June 7, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


OCaholic have posted a review of the high-end ASUS P8Z77 WS workstation motherboard, which features four PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots.

Here's what they had to say:

"With the P8Z77 WS, ASUS has a motherboard in its portfolio, which shows very solid benchmark results. The performance was very good concerning 3D Mark Vantage CPU, memory bandwidth, memory latency and SuperPi 1M/32M. Furthermore there are no performance glitches, which is really good for a board right after the launch of a new chipset.

Also in the overclocking part the P8Z77 WS Deluxe was a very convincing product. Therefore it's been childrens play to reach the clock wall of our test CPU. Furthermore the UEFI BIOS is very easy to use and one can quickly find the settings needed. These days ASUS makes some of the nicest BIOS not only when it comes to the structure but also when you look at the design."


Minor issues aside, this is a fantastic Z77 motherboard as it is one of the few to have four PCI-E x16 slots for graphics use. It might be a 'workstation' motherboard, but it would be perfect as a high-end enthusiast model.

Click here to read the full review.

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Thermaltake Frio Extreme CPU Cooler Review

June 7, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Techware Labs have reviewed the high performance Thermaltake Frio Extreme CPU cooler, which is the latest high performance version of the original Frio.

Let's see what they had to say:

"With the Frio Extreme, you get one of the best performing air coolers available, but at what cost? It is so large that it will not fit in most cases, and will cause clearance issues for a lot of RAM. It is heavy enough to begin really worrying about your computer if you haul it around to LAN parties. It is loud at 100% and at $100, you could nearly buy a water cooler for the same amount. For someone looking for the best-of-the-best air coolers, it is really going to come down to whether you like the look of this cooler more than the Noctua NH-D14 and are willing to pay the $10 premium."


This is an good CPU cooler, but its performance definitely comes at a price - high noise & compatibility issues. Though for less money you can have a Corsair H80 which will provide better cooling and offer less installation issues.

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master Storm Sentinel Advance II Mouse Review

June 6, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have reviewed the Storm Sentinel Advance II gaming mouse, which features an upgraded sensor suite and 128KB on-board memory.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Overall, my final thoughts on the CMStorm Sentinel Advance 2. I am more of a bigger mouse body type gamer, I like a full hand grip. This mouse provided me a ease to switching from my DeathAdder, I was able to really get used to this mouse almost instantly. The simple features of less is best for me works excellent. The OLED screen makes it unique and my own. The software basically allows 100% full customization with full range of this mouses functionality."


This is a big improvement over the orginal, and it seems like an excellent gaming mouse. With such a reasonable MSRP it should prove to be a strong competitor to offerings from Logitech, Microsoft, Razer, and SteelSeries.

Click here to read the full review.

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850W-100W Power Supply Review Roundup - Cooler Master, Enermax, Seasonic & More

June 6, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


BJorn3D, Kit Guru, RB Mods and Tweak Town have reviewed a few 850W to 1000W power supplies from Cooler Master, Enermax, Seasonic, Thermaltake & Xigmatek.

Let's see what they had to say:

  • BJorn3D: Enermax Revolution87+ 1000 watt PSU:

    "The Enermax Revolution87+ 1000 watt PSU is a capable product. It allows consumers to power their systems what ever their needs through the use of modular wiring connections. The modular wires are all contained in mesh sleeves. The connections on both ends of the wires are solid and tight making assembly easy. It supplies more than enough current for most configurations, including multi GPU systems. The Revolution87+ has multiple protection circuits, excellent Power Factor Correction, a nice looking finish, and solid casing. The finish is easy to scratch if not careful.

    At the MSRP of $239 USD this unit is a pretty good value. It can be found for both a little less and a little more than that. We found the Revolution 87+ to be a great PSU for building a custom system and would recommend it to our friends."

    Click here to read the full review.


  • Kit Guru: Seasonic Platinum 1000W Modular Power Supply Review:

    "It is difficult not to like the Seasonic Platinum 1000W Modular, it is one of the most capable, technically proficient power supplies we have ever tested. First impressions are positive, the bundle includes a wealth of cable ties, a case badge and a fantastic double sided storage pouch of high grade sleeved, long length, modular cables with gold plated connectors.

    The paint work and styling cues are all tied into the Platinum Certification and the appearance is elegant and well thought out. The Seasonic Platinum 1000W can support up to three high end video cards, each with dual 8 pin power demands.

    Technically we can find nothing to fault with the design. Seasonic have pulled out all the stops by creating a no compromises design."

    Click here to read the full review.


  • RB Mods: Thermaltake ToughPower Grand 850W Power Supply Review:

    "You will notice that the PSU is slightly longer than your standard pedestrian PC PSU. It did not create fit issues in any of the 3 chassis I tried it in. On the bottom is a massive 140mm fan, with a unique “flower petal” fan blade design. They claim that it’s patented, and reduces noise. I did not confirm the patent, but the device runs very quietly.

    Overall give this device serious consideration. It’s a contender, and quick forum looks indicate some users stretching this thing reliably closer to 1KW. Pair that with a 7 year OEM warranty on a high failure rate device and you’ve got an absolute prize. It’s somewhat pricey, yes. But you are getting the king in this range."

    Click here to read the full review.


  • RB Mods: Coolermaster Silent Pro M2 1000W:

    "So we were not able to fully load the PSU with our testing equipment but we can see a hint of how it performs since a lot of users dont run SLI and Crossfire setups so this is how it would perform for them most likely. Overall, a very nice PSU with good performance and low sound level. The only thing that would make me hesitate to buy it is the price which is quite high.

    I will give our recommendations to this PSU as the price can not really be counted as a con."

    Click here to read the full review.


  • Tweak Town: Xigmatek Centauro 1000-watt Power Supply Review:

    "All of that being said, Xigmatek's Centauro 1000W power supply is a good unit. It performs well, is priced somewhat competitively and has a decent list of features to go along with it. Unfortunately the unit lacks anything to really set it apart from the crowd and make it stand out in a market full of choices.

    If you're in the market for a good power supply that won't break the bank, but drive those dual GPU's that you just spent all your money on, you'll definitely want to give the Xigmatek Centauro 1000W unit a strong look."

    Click here to read the full review.

Enjoy!
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Visiontek GoDrive 60GB and Racer Series 120GB Solid State Drives Review

June 6, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have posted a review of the high performance Visiontek GoDrive 60GB and Racer Series 120GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drives, both of which are based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Visiontek have earned a reputation in America as a reputable AMD partner. Their portfolio expansion seems to have worked for them so far, however their latest venture into the Solid State market may raise a few eyebrows, as the competition is so fierce.

I really did like their Racer Series 120GB drive. Thanks to the expensive 24nm Toshiba Toggle MLC NAND flash it delivered a high level of performance with both incompressible and compressible data streams. It often equaled the performance of the excellent Patriot Wildfire drive, which is still a personal favourite of mine.

The Visiontek GoDrive 60GB is a decent performer although it won’t set the benchmark world alight. Compressible, sequential throughput is excellent however as this drive delivered a steady 516MB/s in the read test."


While both of these are high performance solid state drives, the more expensive Racer series is clearly superior thanks to its Toggle Mode NAND. Though for slightly more you could have a Intel 520 which is faster, comes with a longer warranty and will be easier to find.

Click here to read the full review.

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SilenX EFZ-120HA5 CPU Cooler Review

June 6, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the SilenX EFZ-120HA5 CPU cooler, which uses a 6 heatpipe and direct touch base configuration.

Let's see what they had to say:

"SilenX have created a great product for those of you who may want to upgrade from a reference cooling solution, it also wont cost you an arm and a leg. The EFZ-120HA5 sells for around £20 which makes it a very interesting, low cost option.

The cooler features solid construction and is designed to fit all the recent socket types from AMD and Intel. It uses three direct touch heat pipes and one quality ‘Effizio fan’ which provides a near silent experience."


While it may not be the most effective CPU cooler available, its combination of low noise and low price do make it attractive option.

Click here to read the full review.

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CyberPower Zeus Thunder 2500 SE Desktop Gaming System Review

June 6, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Think Computers have posted a review of the Zeus Thunder 2500 SE, a prebuilt desktop gaming system, which features a quad-core/eight-thread 4.7GHz factory overclocked processor, 16GB of RAM, 120GB SSD, 1TB 7200rpm HDD and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 680M 2GB GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"quIf you want a badass custom Ivy Bridge system that can play every game out there at the highest settings, can multitask like a monster, can handle pretty much everything you throw at it and looks awesome doing it then the Zeus Thunder 2500 SE from CyberPower is the system for you!

When it comes down to it CyberPower has put together a great system for any gamer out there. It can handle the latest games, you can do video editing on it, and of course it can do all of the basic tasks you would want. CyberPower offers a 3 year warranty on the system, but I’m sure it is going to last you longer than that!"


This seems like a well designed system with respectable configuration options at a reasonable price. Though the included storage capacity is somewhat small by today's standards.

Click here to read the full review.

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Samsung Series 5 12-Inch Chromebook Review

June 5, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the sleek and stylish Samsung Series 5 Chromebook notebook, which features a 12.1-inch 1366x768 display, dual-core/four thread 1.6GHz Intel N570 Atom processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB SSD and integrated Intel GMA 3150 GPU.

Let's see what they had to say:

"I used the Series 5 as my primary laptop for a weekend, just to see if I could. Surprisingly, my MacBook wasn’t missed. This plucky little Chromebook browses the web with equal confidence, has a keyboard that’s no slouch, and isn’t much worse when it comes time to playing games or video (admittedly, my MacBook is a couple years old). I don’t think anyone who’s likely to read this review would want a Chromebook as a primary system, but the Series 5 works well as a companion to a desktop computer.

Pricing is another piece of the puzzle that has found its place. Google has (mostly) made it clear that Chromebooks are not supposed to be a primary system. The pricing on Chromebooks when they were introduced betrayed this purpose, but now you can buy a Series 5 for just $300."


While it may not have the shear performance of an ultrabook, the Series 5 Chromebook does offer a good blend of style and performance at a great price. Though the Android based OS may leave some less than impressed.

Click here to read the full review.

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Lepa G1600-MA 1600-watt Power Supply Review

June 5, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the massive Lepa G1600-MA 1600 watt power supply, which has a fully modular design and 80Plus Gold certification.

Let's see what they had to say:

"There is little to say about the Lepa G1600-MA outside of "wow" or "amazing". When pulling off a power supply of this calibre, you must do it with pure perfection. Lepa has come so close to doing just that and most certainly taken the crown away from Ultra on every single level. The build quality on the Lepa G1600-MA is perfect, both inside out and. You simply couldn't ask for a better built unit. Most impressive is the soldering on the inside of the unit, something most will never see, but we were able to pop the top. The only real comparison I have is high dollar electronics that are used in race applications like Indy Car or even Formula One. I've taken apart a PI Research component before costing upwards of 20K and that is the level of quality Lepa has achieved."


While it unlikely many will ever 'need' 1600 watts of power, the Lepa G1600-MA seems to be an excellent 80Plus Gold power supply. Though expect to pay a premium for all that power.

Click here to read the full review.

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OCZ Vertex 4 128GB Solid State Drive Reivew

June 5, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have just tested the budget friendly Vertex 4 128GB SATA 6GB/s SSD, which is based on the Everest 2 controller and features 550MB/s read and 420MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Not taking a performance hit with any form of data can be such a vital prerequisite within specialised environments. We class OCZ’s Indilinx Everest 2 as the clear market leader for both mainstream consumer and professional industries.

IOPS performance from the Vertex 4 128GB is conjointly class leading, dominating any Sandforce 2281 drive we have tested in the last year. Both of our intensive 4k random tests indicate unshakable results between 80,000 and 90,000 IOPS. This drive can be safely incorporated into a demanding data based server environment without a possible compromise on ultimate throughput.

If you are in the market for a new Solid State Drive, there really is only one drive I would unreservedly recommend right now, OCZ’s Vertex 4."


Thanks to a timely firmware update, the Vertex 4 128GB is now an excellent, high performance drive at a very budget friendly price, check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Vengeance 2000 Gaming Headset Review

June 5, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Madshrimps have reviewed the Cooler Master Vengeance 2000 Wireless Gaming Headset.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Vengeance 2000 headset sports an elegant design, fits perfectly with the rest of the series; also, thanks to the choice of materials, the product is light and remains comfortable for hours. The Corsair's choice of charging the headset is USB, which is convenient considering that it does not sport a proprietary connector; a multi-colored status LED is present near the USB port, informing us at all times of the charging status.

The cups of this particular headset are large (housing 50mm drivers), cover the ear completely so people using glasses should not encounter any comfort issues; during testing time, the microfiber did not become sticky as it did after a while with other headsets which used leatherette for the earpads."


If you are in the market for a new wireless gaming headset, this model is definitely worth a serious look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Intel 'Ivy Bridge' Core i5-3470 CPU Review

June 5, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hot Hardware have reviewed the new Intel Core i5-3470, which is a quad-core/four-thread chip with partially unlocked multipliers. It has a 3.2Ghz default clock, can Turbo Boost up to 3.6GHz, has 6MB of L3 cache, a dual-channel DDR3-1600 memory interface, 16 PCI-E lanes, native support for PCI-Express 3.0 and USB 3.0, a low 77W TDP, and a HD Graphics 2500 IGP.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Although it is not targeted at the ultra high end market, the Core i5-3470 offers excellent performance nonetheless. The Core i5-3470’s somewhat lower clocks, smaller L3 cache, and lack of Hyper-Threading obviously lower its CPU performance versus Intel’s current flagship Ivy Bridge-based Core i7-3770K processor, but the deltas separating the two chips are relatively small in single- or lightly-threaded workloads.

The Intel Core i5-3470 should be available very soon at a price right around $184 (in 1K quantities). At that price, the Core i5-3470 should be a compelling option, although we expect street prices to be somewhat higher. The lower-end Core i5-3450, for example, is currently selling for $199. Prices are either going to drop a bit on lower-end Ivy Bridge-based processors or retailers are going to charge a small premium for the Core i5-3470. We’d bet on retailers charging a small premium for now."


This is an impressive mid-range processor, though hopefully a K version will be released soon and address the lack of overclocking potential.

Click here to read the full review.

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ASRock X79 Fatal1ty Champion LGA2011 Motherboard Review

June 4, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Secrets have posted a review of the new ASRock X79 Fatal1ty Champion, which is based on the Intel X79 chipset and supports the new Intel Sandy Bridge-E LGA2011 processors.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The ASRock X79 Fatal1ty Champion is the most complete LGA2011 motherboard money can buy. It has five PCI Express 3.0 x16 slots (although “only” four can be used at the same time) supporting both SLI and CrossFireX, 12 USB 3.0 ports, six SATA-600 ports, a professional-grade audio controller, two FireWire ports, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, a PLX PEX8605 chip to give bandwidth to the device that is requiring performance, and a special USB port called “Fatal1ty mouse port,” which has a polling rate that can be manually configured between 125 Hz and 1 kHz.

The main problem with this motherboard is, of course, its price. Costing USD 400, it is reserved for a select few who will need all the features it brings and who are fortunate enough to have the money to buy it. "


Even though many people have never considered ASRock before, this is a very impressive X79 motherboard and it is definitely worth a look.

Click here to read the full review.

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Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU Cooler Review

June 4, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardcore Ware have reviewed the high performance Thermaltake Frio OCK CPU cooler, which is a higher performance version of the original Frio.

Let's see what they had to say:

"What I found interesting is that the performance delta between the “High” and “Low” fan speeds was very small. Cranking the fan to outrageously loud speeds only cooled the CPU further by 3 celsius on our overclocked CPU. Granted, the VRM benefited from this greatly, but it would be much smarter to direct more airflow over that area of the case with larger, quieter fans. At full speed, the Frio OCK is, in my opinion, beyond the point of usefulness. It is just too loud, and not worth the meager increase in performance. Add to this the fact that the fan speed controller will be hidden away inside your case, you will probably just leave it at “Low” and forget about it."


This is a decent CPU cooler, but its performance definitely comes at a price - high noise output. There are better overall options in the form of the Cooler Master V6 GT, Prolimatech Super Mega, and Zalman CNPS 11X Extreme. The huge Noctua NH-D14 is also a top-notch option if it will fit in your case.

Click here to read the full review.

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Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Pro Gaming Keyboard Review

June 4, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the more budget friendly Cooler Master Storm QuickFire Pro Mechanical Keyboard, which features Cherry MX switches.

Let's see what they had to say:

"I found the Cherry MX Brown switches do have a better "feel" to them than the red's I started using in my reviews. There is a feel-able "bump" in the key travel midway down. This I think has some bearing on the fact that I am not hitting multiple keys at once.

Considering that every key on the QuickFire Pro is a Cherry MX Brown switch and this is where others saved money for the high-end aluminum top, if lighting isn't a must, you are getting a bit more bang for the buck with the CM Storm QuickFire Pro, as it is a truly mechanical gaming keyboard that has a few extra options in lighting and control without all the mess of adding a driver suite."


This seems like an excellent keyboard. Just be aware that the type of Cherry switches will vary depending on your geographic location.

Click here to read the full review.

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Corsair Vengeance C70 Mid Tower Case Review

June 4, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have reviewed the military inspired Corsair Vengeance C70 mid tower case.

Let's see what they had to say:

"A mid-tower chassis with the all green interior makes the chassis pretty cool. Features wise the C70 is complete in every way. The CPU back plate cutout for easy installation/replacement of CPU-coolers, two USB 3.0 connectors at the front side, plenty of grommet holes for cable routing, then there is a real good amount of room behind the motherboard for extensive cable management and then there are the dual 120mm radiator or fan mounts at the top.

As such C70 is all about small intricate details, good features and the more than obvious design. And that makes the C70 a very interesting chassis. You'll have plenty of airflow as the chassis has meshes everywhere."


As we've come to expect from Corsair, this new model is very good. Though the 'unique' styling of the C70 may be too 'loud' for some consumer's tastes.

Click here to read the full review.

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EVGA GeForce GTX 690 4GB Graphics Card Review

June 4, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have reviewed the ultra-high-end EVGA GeForce GTX 690 featuring two fully-fledged GeForce GTX 680 GPUs with a total of 3072 cores and a 4GB 2x256-bit 6008Mhz GDDR5 memory interface.

Let's see what they had to say:

"This is the uber-enthusiast segment versus a limited volume product. The cards would sell even if NVIDIA priced them at 2000 USD -- much like extreme sport-cars people will spend the extra dough for it. Graphics cards like shown today are for the cream of the crop gamers and hardware gurus out there -- the enthusiasts. If you can afford it all, you'll have a smile on your face like the Joker in Batman. So I'll end this review with nervous Joker like laughter, and head back to gaming.

The EVGA GeForce GTX 690 might be 100% reference, but they do top it off with a nice bundle. Also worth noting is EVGA's new global warranty policy, it recently changed. Under the new warranty policy, all products will have a minimum of 3 years warranty, and registration is now optional and fully transferable."


This is one amazing video card with some mightily impressive abilities. Though with such a large price tag, it certainly is not going to be for everyone.

Click here to read the full review.

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Intel 'Ivy Bridge' Core i7-3770K CPU Review

June 1, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Metku have reviewed the new Intel Core i7-3770K, which is a quad-core/eight-thread chip with fully unlocked multipliers. It has a 3.5Ghz default clock, can Turbo Boost up to 3.9GHz, has 8MB of L3 cache, a dual-channel DDR3-1600 memory interface, 16 PCI-E lanes, native support for PCI-Express 3.0 and USB 3.0, a low 77W TDP, and the much more powerful HD Graphics 4000 IGP.

Let's see what they had to say:

"We do CPU-reviews quite rarely, which makes them that more interesting. It's nice to every now and then check what sort of performance and features the latest platforms pack, and this time it was time to check out what's new on Intel's lineup. While the Ivy Bridge isn't really bringing any ground-breaking innovations to the mix, it's still a nice update from Sandy Bridge, bringing USB3-support, lower power consumption and updated graphics to the mix .The stock performance turned out to be impressive, but the easy overclocking and overclocked performance were what really made the i7-3770K enter a league of its own. Doing all this at very low power consumption and also packing integrated graphics capable of light gaming earns the i7-3770K our Editor's Choice-award."


As we all knew before hand, Ivy Bridge doesn't really perform all that much better on the CPU front. However, if you're building a brand new LGA1155 based system, this is definitely the processor to buy.

Click here to read the full review.

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Alienware M14x R2 14-inch Gaming Laptop Review

June 1, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have posted a review of the brand new Alienware M14X R2 gaming notebook, which features a 14-inch 1600x900 display, quad-core/eight-thread 2.6-3.6Ghz processor, 8GB of RAM, 40GB SSD, 500GB 7200rpm HDD and an NVIDIA GeForce GT 650M 1GB GPU.

Here's what they had to say:

"When we reviewed the original M14x we noted it had a solid body and high quality, branded internal components. The slightly rubberised finish was exceptional and there is minimal flex to the keyboard which has good backlighting. The same can be said of the latest version with Ivy Bridge compatibility.

From a design perspective the M14x is once again full of positives. A good selection of connectivity is available and the machine looks great in this form factor. The intake vent location is good and we can happily rest the system on our lap when gaming without their being any significant hot-spots. The ability to add an even higher spec i7 CPU to this reasonably compact machine is great. There are also some extra aspects such as easy to remove base panel which make maintenance and upgrades easy."


14-inches is the perfect size for a notebook since it is the ideal balance between usability and portability. The M14x R2 looks terrific, like all of Alienware's previous gaming notebooks, and it should definitely be at the top of your list if you want to do some serious gaming on the road.

Click here to read the full review.

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HIS Radeon HD 7870 IceQ Graphics Card Review

June 1, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have reviewed the HIS Radeon HD 7870 IceQ, which features a custom cooler.

Let's see what they had to say:

"With the temperatures and acoustic values we received, it does show that their should be quite a large scope for overclocking this card while maintaining some strong results on both fronts. Who knows, this may be something we will look at in the near future and be pleasantly surprised by, especially if we can push the performance levels of this card passed that of a 7950. Taking a look at how things compared to the 7950, the performance on this card wasn’t a million miles away, and an increase in both GPU clock and memory speeds should allow for some large increases in framerates, whilst keeping temperatures and noise to a minimum due to the fantastic IceQ cooler that has been slapped on."


This looks like a very good video card with loads of overclocking potential. Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Mach Xtreme Technology MX-DS Fusion 60GB Solid State Drive Review

June 1, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Overclocked Inside have just tested a pair of mainstream MX-DS Fusion 60GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drives, which are based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller and features 530MB/s read and 490MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The two Mach Xtreme Technology MX-DS Fusion 2.5" 60GB SATA3 SSDs MXSSD3MDSF-60G achieved at the SATA3 port as RAID-0 array nearly twice as high performance as in single operation without AHCI and the to date highest maximum ratings in ATTO benchmark.

The two Mach Xtreme Technology MXSSD3MDSF-60G 60GB MLC Solid State Drive with SandForce controller and 25nm Intel NAND were tested in a RAID array and reached pairwise as expected the almost double transfer speed compared to one SSD with the same RAID controller.

As long as one backup all data frequently and do not allocate the full SSD capacity and is dissatisfied with the performance of one single SSD, one can take of course nevertheless advantages from the SSD RAID 0 setup. "


This seems like another in a long line of very high performance SandForce-based SSDs. Though for RAID configurations the Crucial M4 line of solid state drives would be a better option thanks to their superior "idle time garbage collection" abilities.

Click here to read the full review.

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ADATA SX900 256GB Solid State Drive review

June 1, 2012 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have just tested the high performance ADATA SX900 256GB SATA 6Gb/s solid state drive, which is based on the SandForce SF-2281 controller and features 555MB/s read and 510MB/s write speeds.

Let's see what they had to say:

"ADATA did it right, the latest optimized firmware, the synchronous memory, the slightly bigger SSD sized thanks to a cut off in NAND provisioning and then the SF2281 simply hauls the proverbial toosh in sheer performance.

Interesting to see is that it is the first SSD that I know of to forfeit on over provisioning (7% of the flash NAND typically) as we have become accustomed to.

To keep the good spirit, ADATA will cover this product with a three year warranty. Let me wrap it up, I have every confidence in the stability and extreme performance of the SF2281 SX900 based products, and as such I wouldn't hesitate using an SSD like shown today. It is a powerhouse in terms of storage performance and as such comes recommended."


Using a SandForce based SSD without any over-provisioning is indeed a novel approach. Though for a bit more you can have the Intel 520 Series 240GB model, which is slightly faster and has a longer warranty.

Click here to read the full review.

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