Hardware News

Seagate Laptop SSHD Thin 500GB Hybrid Drive Review

May 21, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Tweak Town have reviewed the innovative Seagate Laptop SSHD Thin 500GB, a 2.5" hybrid 500GB, 5400rpm hard drive with a 8GB MLC NAND chip on the drive's PCB.

Let's see what they had to say:

"As we saw in the review, synthetics don't paint the full picture for the Laptop Thin, as the drives caching algorithms aren't set to boost performance in any one benchmark, but rather in a daily use scenario. With my time I have had with the Laptop Thin drive, I have honestly enjoyed the experience. I do all of my normal activities without a noticeable decrease in performance and if my chassis wasn't built with a window, I would never know the difference between this and the SSD I normally use in practical terms.

So, saying it once again, the hard drive isn't dead, Seagate just reinvented it with the Laptop Thin SSHD."


This is a very interesting product, and the on-board 8GB SSD does reveal itself useful in a few workloads, but it the reduction in rotational speed from them previous generation is a big disappointment.

Click here to read the full review.

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NZXT H630 Ultra Tower Case Review

May 21, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have reviewed the new NZXT H630, a uniquely styled ultra tower case that supports E-ATX motherboards.

Let's see what they had to say:

"This chassis really is something quite special and it’s also quite a site to behold given it’s overall size and simple, yet bold design. Overall it actually looks fantastic in my opinion and it’s one of the best chassis I’ve ever worked with, it’s as simple as that.

Ok so it’s big white design does make it look like a desktop dishwasher at times, but NZXT have managed to make something simplistic (on the exterior only of course), with plain panels, a smooth white finish, that is quiet in terms of performance… but it’s freaking huge and stands out like a big white elephant, it’s an amazing battle between subtlety and showing off and I’m not sure who is winning, although I’ll take a guess at showing off."


This case has been designed to the nines, it really is quite impressive. Though the best feature is the asking price!

Click here to read the full review.


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MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming Edition Motherboard Review

May 21, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PC Perspective have reviewed the all new MSI Z77A-GD65 Gaming Edition Motherboard, which has many value added features such as onboard Killer E2200 NIC and Sound Blaster Cinema software.

Let's see what they had to say:

"After getting such stellar performance out of there Z77 MPOWER board, I had high expectations for the Z77A-GD65 Gaming board going into this review. I was not disappointed. From the initial unpacking, it is obvious that MSI squarely targeted this board at gamers and enthusiasts. Its appealing black and red color scheme and dragon branding is just the tip of the iceberg. MSI took their time with the Z77A-GD65 Gaming board layout and design, using top of the line components throughout and spacing everything perfectly. Even the massive Noctua NH-D14 cooler did not make the board sweat. Its performance was consistent with the other top Intel Z77 boards in both stock and overclocked modes. Additionally, MSI kept with their uniquely pleasant and easy to use UEFI BIOS design."


This looks like a feature packed motherboard at a great price, check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

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Gigabyte 650 Ti BOOST Windforce 2X OC Graphics Card Review

May 21, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have reviewed the mainstream Gigabyte 650 Ti BOOST Windforce 2X OC, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specializations.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Gigabyte WindForce 2X OC edition however raises the bar a little futher, it remains to be a small bump over reference but the Windforce 2X cooler is overall leading in its class, thus really good and incredibly silent. GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost cards in general are products that allow you to play your games at 1920x1080 and everyone of you guys by now will have upgraded towards a monitor with a resolution of 1920x1080/1200. That's where this card will be a nice fit as it balances out game quality and performance really well. Concluding, the extra factory overclock is fun but seems to make only a very small difference, but every little bit helps right? If this is what your budget allows you to spend then yeah, very much recommended is it is a good value product with one of the best coolers in this segment. The Gigabyte GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost OC WindForce 2X series will offer great value for money."


Thanks to its excellent custom cooler the Gigabyte 650 Ti BOOST Windforce 2X OC is easily one of the best 650 TI Boosts cards available.  Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

SteelSeries WoW: Legendary Edition Gaming Mouse Review

May 21, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


eTeknix have posted a review of the new SteelSeries WoW: Legendary Edition gaming mouse, which is customized Sensei [Raw] with a custom World of Warcraft branding.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Yet while it may cost less, it does feel “less” in some ways too. The sensor really isn’t fantastic and while your average gamer might not even notice, any truly serious gamer is going to want more accuracy in the form of a laser sensor, of course you can expect to pay an extra £20-£30 for a mouse that offers such a thing along side this many buttons.

The build quality isn’t too bad, but it is fairly basic and its essentially just moulded plastic, there is no flair here or polish that really makes it stand out. There is however a nice design on the top panel and it does feature some LED back lighting, but style is a subjective thing and lights and paintwork does little to change the overall build quality, which is on par with competing brands in this price range."


This is a decent enough mouse, but unless you are stuck on the WoW motif I would recommend checking out any of the numerous MMO centric mice already available.

Click here to read the full review.

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Intel 525 Series 120GB & 180GB mSATA SSD Reviews

May 20, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Canucks have reviewed the impressive Intel 525 120GB & 180GB Series mSATA solid state drives, which feature the familiar high performance SandForce SF-2281 controller and 25nm NAND.
 
Let's see what they had to say:

"It may sound obvious, but the reason for the 525 Series’ inevitable success is simple: Intel combined high-quality NAND with a good controller and used a heavily optimized firmware stack. In many ways, this product range is simply a miniaturized 520 Series which has been updated and modified to fit into the mSATA form factor. The approach may not be unique, but Intel has nonetheless created a class-leading product, one which will surely resonate with system integrators and home users alike. "


Frankly, these new 525 Series SSDs are definitely the best mSATA models on the market right now.

Click here to read the full review.

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Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 Case Review

May 20, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Benchmark Reviews have posted a review of the Fractal Design Arc Midi R2 mid-tower case, which is an updated to the very well reviewed original Arc Midi.

Let's see what they had to say:

"For me personally, the ARC Midi R2 is the right case at the right time. Josh from Fractal Design really knew deep down I would love it - I have no doubt about that now, as I really do enjoy the silence it offers and the style it offers, as it sits six feet to my left. As the chassis comes out of the box, it offers anything a builder would want. Plenty of room for various drives, removable hard drive bays, and a way to add in drives in another location once those are removed - the list just keeps going. The trio of 140mm fans offers a great mix of sufficient amounts of airflow, and with the fan controller set to 12V, the noise generated is just so slightly audible, in the 34 dB range. On top of that you are getting Fractal Designs thicker and sturdier cases, and you get the black and white theme that will match any build, no matter the color."


This looks like another well designed, fully featured, and surprisingly affordable mid-tower case by Fractal Design. I like it a lot.

Click here to read the full review.

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Mionix Naos 8200 Gaming Mouse Review

May 20, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


RBMods have posted a review of the Mionix Naos 8200 gaming mouse from little-known manufacturer Mionix.

Let's see what they had to say:

"When doing our testing with mouserate checker we ended up at an average of 1011Hz which is well above expected rates.
The mouse was excellent during our testing because the movements were precise and quick, while the mouse is comfortable to use for normal usage and also for gaming.
Some people might find the mouse to small but I’m pretty sure it will suit most of your needs. Overall a very nice mouse with excellent performance and an ergonomic shape.
I guess the only thing I miss is the weights to configure the mouse a bit more or perhaps a software for it."


If you want an exceptionally comfortable mouse, then this might just be the input peripheral you've been looking for.

Click here to read the full review.

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Samsung Galaxy S4 Smartphone Review

May 20, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have reviewed the impressive Samsung Galaxy S4 smartphone, which features a very large 5" 1080P screen, a quad-core Snapdragon 600 SoC , 2GB of RAM, a stylus with a ton of custom functionality, and the Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean operating system.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The S4 is one of the most expensive handsets around, if not the most expensive, and this may well be a barrier to those on the S3 looking to make a quick move to the new device. In our opinion the build quality is not as good as the HTC One which drops the value aspect a little. That said the screen quality is excellent and the device performance in the OS and apps is fantastic, industry leading in fact. The inclusion of a card slot is also appreciated. What would we chose if buying a handset today? For those who want a decent camera in a phone with great sound and exceptional build quality it is the HTC One. Users who need a camera with class leading images, expandable storage and performance which is a touch higher need to opt for the S4... neither handset offers the best of everything."


This is a very impressive device and a fantastic update. It might be a little large for most people, but the added functionality that Samsung have built into this smartphone is really worthwhile.

Click here to read the full review.


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PowerColor Radeon HD 7790 TurboDuo OC 1GB Graphics Card Review

May 20, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PureOC have posted a review of the enthusiast-oriented PowerColor Radeon HD 7790 TurboDuo OC 1GB graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The temperatures are quite good, the cooler exhibits low noise levels at load, and it should easily fit into any mid-tower or even mini-tower case setup, leaving us with a good impression overall. There’s no knockout punch here; the Radeon HD 7790 is simply expanding an AMD lineup that’s maturing rather well before the next generation is released. That should provide some measure of comfort that this card won’t be irrelevant the day after its purchased.

The retail price of $165 is a bit more expensive than a few of the competing 7790 cards, though the value overall is still very good when you consider there’s an A+ game title included for free. Competitors have the same, though, so there’s no bonus against other AMD partners. The colour scheme is very sleek though, and if you have a popular black-and-red theme inside your case, then getting this card might be worth the extra $10-15."


Although the Powercolor TurboDuo is an OK decent video card, the market is filled with just as good to better 7790's already.

Click here to read the full review.


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