Hardware News

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.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

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.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

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.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

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.


Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not

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.


Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

Storm Skorpion Mouse Bungee Review

May 17, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


PureOC have reviewed the reasonably priced Storm Skorpion Mouse Bungee, a simple solution to sticky mouse cords.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Skorpion bungee does a great job at keeping the mouse cord from hanging up on the edge of my desk. The bungee is heavy enough that it doesn’t slide around on you and the rubbery feet help keep it planted. The design of the Skorpion is very unique as well. CM Storm decided to give it an edgy gamer styling and it looks great.

The CM Storm Skorpion can be found over at Amazon.com for just $17.00 with free shipping and carries a 2-year warranty. For that price it’s a no-brainer to solve your cord-catching problems and for this particular niche product we give it our Pure Overclock’s Editor’s Choice Award."


While not everyone likes to use mouse cord controller 'solutions' the CM Storm Skorpion appears to be one of hte better ones.  Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required). 

Fractal Design Tesla R2 1000W Power Supply Review

May 17, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have reviewed the reasonably priced Fractal Design Tesla R2 1000W power supply, which features a reasonably asking price and 80PLUS Gold certification.

Let's see what they had to say:

"If you need a very high output power supply and are shopping with a limited budget, then the Fractal Design Tesla R2 1000W is a decent buy. At only £130 inc vat it certainly will appeal to the audience who chase high wattage figures.

The unit is well made, constructed from a high quality metal outer shell which has received silk screening for the logo presentation, rather than simple stickers. We like how they have suspended the fan with rubber screws to decouple it from the power supply case itself, reducing vibrations and lowering noise levels. Overall emissions are low and only in the last 20% of power output does the fan spin up significantly."


With its solid performance and great asking price this non-modular power supply is undoubtedly a great addition to Fractal Design's PSU lineup.  Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).    

Asus Z87 1150 Motherboard Line-up Preview

May 17, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Kit Guru have just posted a preview of Asus's upcoming Z87 Motherboard Line-up which supports the upcoming 'Haswell' socket 1150 Intel processors.

Let's see what they had to say:

"Judging by the information that we gathered from Asus’ Z87 press conference, it is clear that the company is taking the motherboard market very seriously with its 8 series chipset products, and is aiming to cater for every market.

According to Asus marketing maestro, Miodrag Relic, Z87 could represent the company’s largest motherboard line-up with the possible number of unique models in the region of thirty.

Even with the bold colour change for its main line-up of boards, unique fan header design, new and improved wireless connectivity, interesting ROG features, and updated TUF components, by far the biggest news for Asus’ Z87 launch is the introduction of two brand new models."

While all of these models are exciting the new Deluxe, ROG and Sabertooth are real standouts.  Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.


Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).


MSI Radeon HD 7790 Turbo OC 1GB Video Card Review

May 17, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Guru3D have posted a review of the enthusiast-oriented MSI Radeon HD 7790 Turbo OC 1GB graphics card, which features a custom cooler and overclocked specifications.

Let's see what they had to say:

"The Radeon HD 7790 1GB as tested today works out well, the cooling performance is nice, the noise level's very low, we had a 3rd party cooled SKU at hand and that thus says nothing about reference measurements. Overall we can certainly recommend the Radeon HD 7790 based products if that is what your budget allows you to purchase. We are now slowly entering the phase where entry level cards reach Full HD resolutions. I need to add this little note alright; AMD's Never Settle Reloaded promotion continues. At participating retailers beginning 02 April, 2013, gamers will be able to receive a free copy of BioShock Infinite with a purchase of their new AMD Radeon HD 7790 graphics card.

MSI has a terrific offering with their OC card. Totally silent and it keeps the GPU very cool. These cards are great for entry level to mainstream gaming and tagged with an interesting price."


With its custom heatsink and factory overclocking, the Turbo OC is easily worth the price premium over stock models.  Check it out!

Click here to read the full review.


Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

Logitec G700s Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

May 17, 2013 - Patrick "MACMAC" MacMillan


Hardware Heaven have posted a review of the Logitech's latest gaming orientated G700s wireless mouse which features 8200DPI sensor and 13 programmable buttons.

Let's see what they had to say:

"For those who are familiar with the G700 the G700s will at first glance seem very similar and that is no bad thing. The original model was a lovely mouse which felt great in the hand however there were a few little niggles which stopped it from scoring as high as it could. The surface was one but the "s" fixes that and the new coatings used on this version of the mouse are much improved.

So that brings us to value where the G700s is priced to compete with other mid-high end gaming mice and given the quality and features (including the wired/wireless hybrid design) plus 3-year warranty we feel that Logitech have this aspect pretty much spot on.

An evolution of the G700, Logitech's G700s takes an already impressive mouse and improves it in a number of key areas. Without doubt our favourite gaming mouse at this time."


High asking price or not the G700s is an excellent MMO centric mouse.  However, with so many already excellent choices to choose from you will have to do your homework before choosing any new mouse. 

Click here to read the full review.

---

Please head over to our discussion board to talk about this news (registration not required).

Recent posts

Choose year

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2013