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Friday, March 30th 2018
ZOTAC MEK1 Gaming PC (GTX 1070 Ti) Review
ZOTAC looks to dominate the gaming PC space with their MEK1. This mini-ITX based small form factor system packs a hell of a punch. Cramming an Intel i7 7700 and Nvidia Geforce 1070 Ti into an RGB-illuminated package, it even comes bundled with a mechanical keyboard and gaming-centric mouse.
Dell XPS 15 2-in-1 (9575) Laptop Goes Up for Order
The new XPS 15 2-in-1 laptops from Dell employ Intel's 8th generation 'Kaby Lake-G' processors with Radeon RX Vega M GL discrete graphics which features 4GB of HMB2 memory. The entry XPS model comes with an Intel Core i5-8305G processor, 8GB of DDR4-2400MHz memory, and a 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD for storage. It also sports a 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) InfinityEdge anti-reflective touch display with support for Dells' Active Pen Stylus and a full-size, backlit MagLev keyboard. The Intel Core i5-8305G model starts at $1,499.99. The higher-end models, on the other hand, use the more powerful Intel Core i7-8705G processor while conserving the exact FHD display and MagLev keyboard. A 256GB M.2 PCIe SSD serves as the primary storage across all models. The Intel Core i7-8705G with 8GB of memory starts at $1,699.99 and the 16GB variant at $1,799.99. And lastly, the XPS 15 with an Intel Core i7-8705G processor, 16GB of memory, and a 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160) goes for $2,199.99.
Dell consistently listed the XPS 15's memory as 'integrated'. After browsing through the service manual, we didn't find a section on replacing or upgrading the memory. Therefore, it's safe to say that the XPS 15 (9575) comes with memory soldered to the PCB. This shouldn't be a let down for most consumers as 16GB of RAM is more than sufficient by today's standards. However, prosumers might want to hold off for now until a 32GB SKU is released.
Dell consistently listed the XPS 15's memory as 'integrated'. After browsing through the service manual, we didn't find a section on replacing or upgrading the memory. Therefore, it's safe to say that the XPS 15 (9575) comes with memory soldered to the PCB. This shouldn't be a let down for most consumers as 16GB of RAM is more than sufficient by today's standards. However, prosumers might want to hold off for now until a 32GB SKU is released.
Intel's "Bitcoin Mining Hardware Accelerator" Patent Filling Published
A filed patent by Intel has shed some light on the company's idea to somewhere, along the fuzzy lines of the future, introduce a Bitcoin mining hardware "accelerator" to the market. The application itself, for a "Bitcoin Mining Hardware Accelerator With Optimized Message Digest and Message Scheduler Datapath" was originally submitted in September 2016, so it's not exactly a novel idea. However, the fact that it has just now been published doesn't really mean there hasn't been work behind closed doors at Intel towards development of working silicon of this technology.
In the filing, it appears it's Intel's intent to create a chip that could augment the existing Bitcoin mining process by increasing energy efficiency. As they themselves put it, "Because the software and hardware utilized in Bitcoin mining uses brute force to repeatedly and endlessly perform SHA-256 functions, the process of Bitcoin mining can be very power-intensive and utilize large amounts of hardware space. The embodiments described herein optimize Bitcoin mining operations by reducing the space utilized and power consumed by Bitcoin mining hardware."
In the filing, it appears it's Intel's intent to create a chip that could augment the existing Bitcoin mining process by increasing energy efficiency. As they themselves put it, "Because the software and hardware utilized in Bitcoin mining uses brute force to repeatedly and endlessly perform SHA-256 functions, the process of Bitcoin mining can be very power-intensive and utilize large amounts of hardware space. The embodiments described herein optimize Bitcoin mining operations by reducing the space utilized and power consumed by Bitcoin mining hardware."
CORSAIR Launches "STOP GPU ABUSE" Campaign With #GPURESCUE
Corsair, in a welcome, interesting and heartfelt marketing ploy, has taken its place on the side of gamers worldwide against the unintended, hear-wrenching abuse felt by graphics cards used for mining everywhere. The soft, unyielding music does a great job of just showing how much of a "crying out" these graphics cards that are being put to sweaty, inhuman, ever-worsening working conditions are releasing.
If you were as touched as other users (and Corsair marketers) in doing this video, there are a lot of ways for you to donate and contribute to the liberation of these shackled miners. For your donation, Corsair will buy back a mining-set graphics card, and send you a photo of your "adopted" GPU happily crunching frames inside a gaming computer - its real home. Just contribute via PayPal, your choice of credit card, venmo, or... Bitcoin?
[The video has been removed since]
If you were as touched as other users (and Corsair marketers) in doing this video, there are a lot of ways for you to donate and contribute to the liberation of these shackled miners. For your donation, Corsair will buy back a mining-set graphics card, and send you a photo of your "adopted" GPU happily crunching frames inside a gaming computer - its real home. Just contribute via PayPal, your choice of credit card, venmo, or... Bitcoin?
[The video has been removed since]
ASUS ROG Crosshair VII X470 Motherboard Leaked
ASUS' top of the line X470 motherboard for the upcoming AMD Ryzen 200 series of CPUs has seen some sexy leaked images of it on the web. The new motherboard features, among other things, full drop-in support for AMD'snew 2000 series CPUs - without the need for any BIOS fiddling. The software features are expected to be on par with its X370 counterpart, with some added magic dust thrown in for the sake of keeping things fresh.
Hardware-wise, though, there are some slight changes as well. The most relevant of these is the addition of a second M.2 slot, for users who want to take their builds based on this form-factor to another level - smaller drives than the usual 2.5" is always welcome - and they usually look much better as well. One of the M.2 slots features a pre-installed heatsink for better heat dissipation. Other features include 6 SATA III ports (a decline from the X370 version's 8 due to the inclusion of the extra M.2 slot) and two less USB slots (from a total of 14 in the X370 to 12 on the X470) in exchange for a PS/2 port... Arguably the strangest "improvement" to the design. The heatsink design has been slightly reworked as well, in an effort to keep things fresh, but the power delivery mechanism seems to be the same. Don't ruin what works, right?
Hardware-wise, though, there are some slight changes as well. The most relevant of these is the addition of a second M.2 slot, for users who want to take their builds based on this form-factor to another level - smaller drives than the usual 2.5" is always welcome - and they usually look much better as well. One of the M.2 slots features a pre-installed heatsink for better heat dissipation. Other features include 6 SATA III ports (a decline from the X370 version's 8 due to the inclusion of the extra M.2 slot) and two less USB slots (from a total of 14 in the X370 to 12 on the X470) in exchange for a PS/2 port... Arguably the strangest "improvement" to the design. The heatsink design has been slightly reworked as well, in an effort to keep things fresh, but the power delivery mechanism seems to be the same. Don't ruin what works, right?
Spec Ops: The Line is Free on Humble Bundle Store
Our friends from the Humble Bundle are back at it again, and this time they are giving away free copies of Spec Ops: The Line. For those who have never heard of the game, Spec Ops: The Line is a third-person military shooter published by 2K Games back in 2012. Players lead a small group of soldiers into a post-apocalytic Dubai for a reconnaisance mission. The game allows players to make decisions that will ultimately have an impact on the game's ending. Spec Ops: The Line normally costs $29.99 on the Steam, but you can get a free Steam key from the Humble Bundle Store. Better hurry up, though, since the offer ends on Saturday morning.
Synology Announces New RackStation RS2418+ and RS2418RP+ NAS
Synology Inc. today launched RackStation RS2418+/RS2418RP+, a 2U, 12-bay rackmount NAS providing easy-to-scale storage capacity with affordable total cost of ownership (TCO) for small- and medium-sized businesses. RS2418+/RS2418RP+ supports up to 144TB raw capacity in a single 2U chassis. The storage capacity can be further expanded up to 288TB when connected to one RX1217/RX1217RP, providing on-the-fly volume expansion.
"RS2418+/RS2418RP+ is designed to solve common IT challenges for small- and medium- sized businesses: budgets are tight, data volume is increasing rapidly, and IT staff is limited." said Jason Fan, Product Manager at Synology Inc. "RS2418+/RS2418RP+ is designed to solve these challenges. It offers scalable storage capacity with affordable TCO, at the same time providing versatile software applications which make it ideal to serve as a file server, a centralized backup target, or a hub-and-spoke backup target for distributed businesses."
"RS2418+/RS2418RP+ is designed to solve common IT challenges for small- and medium- sized businesses: budgets are tight, data volume is increasing rapidly, and IT staff is limited." said Jason Fan, Product Manager at Synology Inc. "RS2418+/RS2418RP+ is designed to solve these challenges. It offers scalable storage capacity with affordable TCO, at the same time providing versatile software applications which make it ideal to serve as a file server, a centralized backup target, or a hub-and-spoke backup target for distributed businesses."
Thermaltake Launches Pure Plus 12 LED RGB Radiator Fan
Thermaltake today announced the release of the Pure Plus 12 LED RGB Radiator Fan TT Premium Edition (3-Fan Pack). It features a silent yet powerful 120mm PWM fan and a digital 16.8 million colors LED ring that is designed with 9 addressable LEDs. The Pure Plus 12 RGB is a newly added member of the TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem that enables users to control the LED lighting and fan speeds via Thermaltake's patented TT RGB PLUS Software and TT AI Voice Control. In terms of the fan design, the Pure Plus 12 RGB utilizes hydraulic bearing and compression blades with 9 blades design, maximizing the cooling performance without sacrificing quiet operation. Thermaltake Pure Plus 12 LED RGB Radiator Fan TT Premium Edition (3-Fan Pack) is available on the TT Premium online shops. The product availability and price vary by country and region, please contact the local Thermaltake sales representative for further information.
Thermaltake TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem
TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem is the intelligent lighting system for PCs that combines the most advanced addressable LED lighting with Thermaltake's patented TT RGB PLUS Software. TT RGB PLUS ecosystem provides nearly unlimited possibilities for color play, light synchronization for games,, music, CPU temperatures or other TT RGB PLUS products; including case fans, CPU/VGA waterblocks, AIO CPU coolers, PSUs, LED strips and peripherals. The patented software allows users to change the light modes, colors, speeds, brightness, fan speeds, and even supports AI voice control in iOS and Android devices.
Thermaltake TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem
TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem is the intelligent lighting system for PCs that combines the most advanced addressable LED lighting with Thermaltake's patented TT RGB PLUS Software. TT RGB PLUS ecosystem provides nearly unlimited possibilities for color play, light synchronization for games,, music, CPU temperatures or other TT RGB PLUS products; including case fans, CPU/VGA waterblocks, AIO CPU coolers, PSUs, LED strips and peripherals. The patented software allows users to change the light modes, colors, speeds, brightness, fan speeds, and even supports AI voice control in iOS and Android devices.
Gamdias Intros Cyclops and Astrape Series PSUs
Known more for its gaming peripherals (input devices), Gamdias entered the power-supply market with the launch of its Cyclops X1 and Astrape P1 series. The Cyclops X1 is the more premium series of the two, and for now, only has a 1200W model. The Atrape P1 comes in 750W, 650W, and 550W models, with three 650W models based on cabling and efficiency. What's common between all Gamdias PSUs is RGB LED-illuminated fan, with a rear-panel switch to toggle lighting, a and "silent mode" switch that turns off the fan, which feels too closely placed to the main AC input switch (what could possibly go wrong?).
The Cyclops X1-1200P features 80 Plus Platinum efficiency, fully modular cabling, and enough juice and straws for an enthusiast build with up to four graphics cards (ten PCIe 6+2 and two 8-pin EPS). The Astrape P1-750G and P1-650G feature 80 Plus Gold efficiency, fully-modular cabling, and cabling for high-end builds with 2-3 graphics cards. The Astrape M1-650B has 80 Plus Bronze efficiency and completely fixed cabling, while the Astrape M1-650W and M1-550W only have 80 Plus (no extension) efficiency, and fixed cabling for a mid-range build with 1-2 graphics cards.
The Cyclops X1-1200P features 80 Plus Platinum efficiency, fully modular cabling, and enough juice and straws for an enthusiast build with up to four graphics cards (ten PCIe 6+2 and two 8-pin EPS). The Astrape P1-750G and P1-650G feature 80 Plus Gold efficiency, fully-modular cabling, and cabling for high-end builds with 2-3 graphics cards. The Astrape M1-650B has 80 Plus Bronze efficiency and completely fixed cabling, while the Astrape M1-650W and M1-550W only have 80 Plus (no extension) efficiency, and fixed cabling for a mid-range build with 1-2 graphics cards.
GIGABYTE Intros Brix S Powered by Pentium Silver J5005 SoC
GIGABYTE today rolled out a variant of its Brix S mini-PC barebone powered by Pentium Silver J5005 SoC (model: GB-BLPD-5005). This chip packs a quad-core "Goldmont Plus" CPU, and faster UHD Graphics 605 iGPU than the one which Celeron J4005 comes with. You add your own DDR4 SO-DIMM memory (up to 8 GB of dual-channel memory over two slots); and storage. Storage options include an M.2-2280 slot with PCIe gen 2.0 x2 wiring, and a 2.5-inch drive bay with SATA 6 Gbps interface (up to 9.5 mm-thick drives supported).
An included Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 card sitting in its own M.2 slot (other than the vacant M.2-2280 slot) provides dual-band 802.11 ac and Bluetooth 4.2. Wired networking is care of a Realtek RTL8111HS controller, putting out a GbE interface. The Realtek ALC255 HD audio codec puts out stereo audio with around 89 dBA SNR. USB connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two up front, including a type-C port). Display outputs include one each of mini-DisplayPort 1.2a and HDMI 2.0a. Measuring 46.8 mm x 112.6 mm x 119.4 mm (HxWxD), it supports VESA mounting. The company didn't reveal pricing.
An included Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 card sitting in its own M.2 slot (other than the vacant M.2-2280 slot) provides dual-band 802.11 ac and Bluetooth 4.2. Wired networking is care of a Realtek RTL8111HS controller, putting out a GbE interface. The Realtek ALC255 HD audio codec puts out stereo audio with around 89 dBA SNR. USB connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two up front, including a type-C port). Display outputs include one each of mini-DisplayPort 1.2a and HDMI 2.0a. Measuring 46.8 mm x 112.6 mm x 119.4 mm (HxWxD), it supports VESA mounting. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Biostar Intros TB250-BTC D+ Motherboard for Mining Builds
Biostar introduced the TB250-BTC D+ motherboard for crypto-mining builds. This board appears to be a re-brand of Colorful C.B250A-BTC PLUS V20. This is probably a case of Colorful piggybacking Biostar to reach markets it cannot (yet). The socket LGA1151 motherboard supports 6th and 7th generation Core "Skylake" and "Kaby Lake" processors, with basic I/O connectivity, and a single DDR4 SO-DIMM slot. The star attraction here are eight PCI-Express x16 slots with 2U spacing between them. One of these slots is electrically x16, the other are x1 (you only need x1 for mining). There are also eight 6-pin PCI-Express I/O ports, so the x16 slots are powered. The board is 195 mm wide, and 485 mm long, designed for mining cases, or something miners put together themselves. It is expected to be priced around $150.
Thursday, March 29th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Networking
Notebooks
Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX Tempered Glass Review
The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv mATX Tempered Glass takes the aging Enthoo Evolv as inspiration and gives it a fresh modern take. With its RGB elements, much better liquid-cooling support and a long list of refinements, you may not even recognize it anymore were it not for the same timeless design and excellent use of materials.
ASUS Slaps Intel Core i7-8750H Processor in Its Ultra-Thin Zephyrus GX501 Gaming Laptop
Similar to other laptop manufacturers, ASUS will also give their ROG Zephyrus GX501 the special Coffee Lake treatment. The new model (GX501GI EI005T) is powered by an Intel Core i7-8750H six-core processor that operates at 2.2 GHz with a turbo boost clock of 4.1 GHz. With 9MB of onboard L3 cache, the Core i7-8750H boasts a 45W TDP. The Zephyrus GX501 comes with 16GB of DDR4-2400 memory and a 512GB SSD. The 15.6-inch display on the Zephyrus GX501 features a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, 144 Hz refresh rate, and support for NVIDIA's G-Sync technology. Unfortunately, the laptop's very slim body forces ASUS to implement the Max-Q variant of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. Judging from the photographs of the latest Zephyrus GX501, the machine not only received a processor upgrade but also a slight facelift. It appears that ASUS has pushed the keyboard upwards closer to the display. The GX501GI EI005T was listed for 3499 Swiss francs at a Swiss retailer, which translates over to around $3657.
Acer Readies New Predator Helios 500 Gaming Laptop with Intel Core i9-8950HK Processor
The Predator Helios 500 is Acer's 17.3-inch gaming laptop featuring one of Intel's upcoming six-core mobile Coffee Lake processors. Consumers can choose between a Core i9-8950HK with a 2.9 GHz base clock and 4.8 GHz boost clock or the lower-spec Core i7-8750H that runs at 2.2 GHz base clock and 4.1 GHz boost clock. Independent of processor model, the Helios 500 comes with a Full HD 144 Hz IPS display with NVIDIA G-Sync support. The onboard NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 is responsible for graphics duties. The Helios 500's other specifications include 16GB of DDR4-2133 memory and a 256GB M.2 SSD for primary storage. In terms of connectivity options, consumers receive three USB 3.0 ports, two USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt support, HDMI port, DisplayPort, LAN port, and two audio connectors. The Intel Core i9-8950HK version costs 1999 PLN ($3500) while the Intel Core i7-8750H version goes for 8999 PLN ($2630).
Scythe Presents the Choten Top-Flow CPU Cooler with 120 mm in Height
The Japanese cooling expert Scythe extends its product portfolio by a new Top-Flow CPU Cooler model. The new Choten CPU Cooler is able to effectively cool the CPU as well as the surrounding components thanks to the Top-Flow design by pushing the air towards the motherboard. This air circulation has a positive effect on system stability and life span of the components. Great performance along with unrestricted compatibility to high-end memory modules have been among the key factors when designing the Choten. This has been achieved by applying the asymmetric heatsink design combined with high precision manufacturing and high quality materials. The Choten CPU Cooler is bundled with the Scythe Kaze Flex 120 PWM fan and assures an easy fit into the majority of PC chassis thanks to a total height of only 120 millimeters.
Scythe Choten utilizes a total of four high-quality 6 mm copper heatpipes which are connecting the solid copper-baseplate with the fin-stack. The copper parts, such as the baseplate and heatpipes are covered by a layer of nickel, which prevents corrosion and improves the quality further. Aligning the aluminium heatsink parallel to the baseplate has the advantage that the airflow of the attached fan is guided toward the mainboard. In result, all the components surrounding the CPU socket are able to benefit from this air circulation. Outstanding memory module compatibility is achieved thanks to the asymmetric heatsink design as well as the big clearance between the heatsink and the motherboard.
Scythe Choten utilizes a total of four high-quality 6 mm copper heatpipes which are connecting the solid copper-baseplate with the fin-stack. The copper parts, such as the baseplate and heatpipes are covered by a layer of nickel, which prevents corrosion and improves the quality further. Aligning the aluminium heatsink parallel to the baseplate has the advantage that the airflow of the attached fan is guided toward the mainboard. In result, all the components surrounding the CPU socket are able to benefit from this air circulation. Outstanding memory module compatibility is achieved thanks to the asymmetric heatsink design as well as the big clearance between the heatsink and the motherboard.
ASUS Announces the Lyra Trio Mesh Wi-Fi System
ASUS has announced Lyra Trio, a dual-band, three-hub mesh Wi-Fi system designed to deliver fast, secure and easy Wi-Fi connectivity throughout the home. Featuring high-bandwidth 3x3 MIMO technology for faster hub-to-hub communication and a unique pyramid antenna design that transmits the Wi-Fi signal vertically as well as horizontally for better reception across floors, Lyra Trio delivers ultrafast AC1750 Wi-Fi speeds in single and multi-story homes of up to 5400 square feet.
Lyra Trio provides always up-to-date protection with one-click firmware updates and AiProtection Classic cloud-based security powered by Trend Micro . These comprehensive security features safeguard online privacy and protect against internet threats for all devices connected to the network, even devices that do not have or are unable to run antivirus software - such as connected smart home devices. It also includes parental controls that can be configured with a smartphone to let parents easily manage the amount of time their children spend online.
Lyra Trio provides always up-to-date protection with one-click firmware updates and AiProtection Classic cloud-based security powered by Trend Micro . These comprehensive security features safeguard online privacy and protect against internet threats for all devices connected to the network, even devices that do not have or are unable to run antivirus software - such as connected smart home devices. It also includes parental controls that can be configured with a smartphone to let parents easily manage the amount of time their children spend online.
Samsung to Double NAND Memory Output Capacity in China
Samsung Electronics has announced last Wednesday that they are planning to double their NAND memory output capacity in china. The announcement, done at a groundbreaking ceremony in its Xi'an fabrication facility in inland Shaanxi Province, should see some $7 billion invested over the course of three years. With this investment in both facilities and machinery, Samsung expected production capacity to roughly double from current values to some 220,000, 300 mm 3-D flash memory wafers by 2020.
The motives for this increased Samsung investment in mainland China are being put forward as a way for the South Korean giant to temper relationships with China, one of its greatest importers of NAND memory. Further investment into China likely assuages the country's protectionist policies, since at least it receives something back from its import volume. By investing further into a second assembly line at its Xi'an fabrication facility, Samsung is also looking to reduce risk derived from over-condensed manufacturing facilities in South Korea.
The motives for this increased Samsung investment in mainland China are being put forward as a way for the South Korean giant to temper relationships with China, one of its greatest importers of NAND memory. Further investment into China likely assuages the country's protectionist policies, since at least it receives something back from its import volume. By investing further into a second assembly line at its Xi'an fabrication facility, Samsung is also looking to reduce risk derived from over-condensed manufacturing facilities in South Korea.
AMD Corrects Analyst's Cryptomining Revenue Estimate in Defense of Its Share Value
AMD has gone on to publicly call attention to what it considers to be erroneous information put forward by Susquehanna analyst Christopher Roland. The analyst's report, which prompted the reclassification of AMD and NVIDIA's share targets - and investment ratings. Looking to stem what could translate to lower confidence from investors in its share outlook for the future, AMD has now gone on to clarify that mining revenue actually accounts for single-digit amounts entering the company's coffers, and not the 20% previously mentioned by the analyst.
AMD was dealt a worse hand than NVIDIA on Cristopher Rolland's analysis, since the perceived AMD exposition to a negative downturn on the GPU cryptocurrency mining market (kickstarted by the expected entrance in the market of Ethereum-specific ASICs) was double that of NVIDIA (20% on the former versus 10% on the latter). As such, the company has tried to remind customers, investors, and would-be investors that they appreciate the time and attention that investors continue to pay to Blockchain and cryptocurrency, but "(...) we [AMD] would also like to keep it in perspective with the multiple other growth opportunities ahead for AMD." You can read the AMD statement in full after the break, under the title "The View from Our Corner of the Street".
AMD was dealt a worse hand than NVIDIA on Cristopher Rolland's analysis, since the perceived AMD exposition to a negative downturn on the GPU cryptocurrency mining market (kickstarted by the expected entrance in the market of Ethereum-specific ASICs) was double that of NVIDIA (20% on the former versus 10% on the latter). As such, the company has tried to remind customers, investors, and would-be investors that they appreciate the time and attention that investors continue to pay to Blockchain and cryptocurrency, but "(...) we [AMD] would also like to keep it in perspective with the multiple other growth opportunities ahead for AMD." You can read the AMD statement in full after the break, under the title "The View from Our Corner of the Street".
CORSAIR and Team Secret Announce 2018 Partnership
CORSAIR , a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced a major new partnership with Team Secret, a world-renowned esports organization with teams primarily located in Europe. Team Secret is one of the most successful DOTA 2 teams in history and will be equipped with CORSAIR gaming keyboards, headsets, mice, and mouse pads as they strive to capture the biggest prize in esports - The International DOTA 2 championship.
With a veteran roster featuring some of the world's best DOTA 2 players, Team Secret cemented their status as a team to beat with victory at the Shanghai Major in 2016 and have continued their dominance ever since, most recently triumphing with a clean sweep in DreamLeague Season 9 to take home a $125,000 prize.
With a veteran roster featuring some of the world's best DOTA 2 players, Team Secret cemented their status as a team to beat with victory at the Shanghai Major in 2016 and have continued their dominance ever since, most recently triumphing with a clean sweep in DreamLeague Season 9 to take home a $125,000 prize.
Mining, and not Gaming, Compelled ASRock to Enter the Graphics Market
When we first reported news of ASRock entering the graphics market with a focus on AMD Radeon GPUs, the story included a theory that crypto-currency mining was the primary driver behind the company's move. ASRock in its press-deck announcing its new Phantom Gaming series graphics cards late Wednesday, inadvertently confirmed that theory. While the cards are branded Phantom "Gaming," the press-deck slide detailing the lineup is prominently headlined "Mining" besides "Radeon 500 Series VGA." Our GPU Database curator also mentions that the cards' designs bear striking similarities to coolers from Chaintech, the OEM that supplies to Chinese VGA brands such as Colorful. Strangely enough, ASRock still went with "gaming" branding, and gave the cards proper display connectors, so it's hedging its bets on both gamers and miners.
Thermaltake Intros Versa H26 Tempered Glass Edition
Thermaltake today introduced the Versa H26 Tempered Glass Edition mid-tower chassis. A variant of the Versa H26, the case is characterized by a 4 mm-thick tempered glass window covering the entire left side panel. The case features a conventional dual partition layout, with the upper compartment housing the motherboard tray with room for graphics cards up to 31 cm long, and CPU coolers up to 16 cm tall. The bottom compartment houses the PSU bay with room for up to 22 cm long PSUs, and two 3.5-inch/2.5-inch drive trays. A rare sight here are two 5.25-inch drive bays that can stack up to three 2.5-inch drives. Ventilation includes three 120 mm front intakes, three 120 mm or two 140 mm top exhausts, and a 120 mm rear exhaust. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Boeing Hit by WannaCry Ransomware Attack, Denies Delivery Schedule Impacted
Boeing Commercial Airplanes is the latest victim of the "WannaCry" ransomware attack. The American aerospace giant confirmed that "a small number of" legacy computers tasked with automation of wing spar assembly machines were affected, at a company facility north of Charleston, South Carolina. The company denied that this incident impacts its delivery schedule. Boeing manufactures and delivers widebody commercial jets from its facilities in South Carolina, including its latest 787 Dreamliner, which has a massive order backlog of over 700 aircraft. The company is also manufacturing its next-generation 777-X aircraft there.
The guiding principle of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," resulted in countless manufacturing companies worldwide retaining old computers (or new computers with old software) which drive vital manufacturing equipment, and which are vulnerable to today's malware and ransomware. These computers fall prey to ransomware such as WannaCry. For a high-stakes operation like Boeing's, broken industrial computers result in cascading delays that cost not just the company, but also airlines relying on Boeing to deliver on time, to execute new routes or replace old aircraft. "WannaCry" is a ransomware that encrypts important files in your system, and makes you pay a ransom in untraceable crypto-currency, to decrypt those files.
The guiding principle of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," resulted in countless manufacturing companies worldwide retaining old computers (or new computers with old software) which drive vital manufacturing equipment, and which are vulnerable to today's malware and ransomware. These computers fall prey to ransomware such as WannaCry. For a high-stakes operation like Boeing's, broken industrial computers result in cascading delays that cost not just the company, but also airlines relying on Boeing to deliver on time, to execute new routes or replace old aircraft. "WannaCry" is a ransomware that encrypts important files in your system, and makes you pay a ransom in untraceable crypto-currency, to decrypt those files.
Wednesday, March 28th 2018
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Desktop PC
Gaming PC
Keyboards
Motherboards
Networking
Processors
NETGEAR Orbi RBK50 WiFi System Review
The Orbi RBK50 is a high performance mesh Wi-Fi system from NETGEAR that aims to provide the best-possible balance of performance, coverage area, and customization. Featuring a router unit and a satellite unit that look right at home at, well, home, it will also support all your smart devices via a tri-band setup alongside a dedicated wireless and Ethernet backhaul for no reduction in network speed.
G.Skill Readies a Sniper X Memory Variant Targeted at AMD "Pinnacle Ridge"
G.Skill is giving final touches to a Sniper X memory kit that could be the company's go-to product for AMD Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors, in the same way as the company's Flare X DDR4-3200 memory kits gained popularity among AMD Ryzen-based gaming PC builders. Flare X will still very much be compatible with "Pinnacle Ridge," but the Sniper X kit G.Skill has in store for the new processor, pushes up the memory speeds, taking advantage of increased memory clock limits of the new chips.
The new "Pinnacle Ridge" friendly G.Skill Sniper X kit will bear the model number F4-3400C16D-16GSXW. As you might tell from its model number, it is a DDR4-3400 MHz memory kit, which comes in 16 GB (2x 8 GB) capacity, and has a CAS latency of 16T. It ticks at 3400 MHz with 16-16-16-36 timings, and a DRAM voltage of 1.35V. The rest of the Sniper X series, announced in January, will come in speeds of up to 3600 MHz. AMD Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors are expected to feature higher maximum memory clock speeds.
The new "Pinnacle Ridge" friendly G.Skill Sniper X kit will bear the model number F4-3400C16D-16GSXW. As you might tell from its model number, it is a DDR4-3400 MHz memory kit, which comes in 16 GB (2x 8 GB) capacity, and has a CAS latency of 16T. It ticks at 3400 MHz with 16-16-16-36 timings, and a DRAM voltage of 1.35V. The rest of the Sniper X series, announced in January, will come in speeds of up to 3600 MHz. AMD Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors are expected to feature higher maximum memory clock speeds.
ASUS Intros VG255H Console Gaming Monitor
ASUS today introduced the VG255H, a 24.5-inch "console gaming monitor." The company is targeting this Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) monitor at console gamers, as a better alternative to TV. We guess ASUS is also hedging its bets on PC gamers transitioning over to consoles (who prefer gaming on a desk), in the wake of the crypto-plague pricing out affordable graphics cards. HDMI is the only digital input this monitor has, it has two HDMI 1.4a ports, and supports AMD FreeSync over HDMI.
Besides FreeSync, the gaming-grade credentials of this TN-film monitor are bolstered by 1 ms response time, 75 Hz refresh-rate, GameFast Input Technology (which works to reduce input lag), and ASUS GamePlus, a set of features that include OSD crosshairs, FPS counters, timers, and bezel compensation. Also included are six game genre-specific display presets. Besides HDMI, the monitor includes a D-Sub input. Its stand offers height, tilt, and 90° rotation. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Besides FreeSync, the gaming-grade credentials of this TN-film monitor are bolstered by 1 ms response time, 75 Hz refresh-rate, GameFast Input Technology (which works to reduce input lag), and ASUS GamePlus, a set of features that include OSD crosshairs, FPS counters, timers, and bezel compensation. Also included are six game genre-specific display presets. Besides HDMI, the monitor includes a D-Sub input. Its stand offers height, tilt, and 90° rotation. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Alliance for Open Media Announces the AV1 Royalty-free Video Format
Consumers' video expectations are being shaped by the brilliant images promised by 4K Ultra High Definition (UHD) video and beyond. However, the technical-based hurdles and data demands of higher quality video mean that the majority of users only have access to full HD or lower video technology. For nearly three years, the Alliance for Open Media (AOMedia) has been working in lock-step with its members, the world's best-known leaders in video, to develop a better quality internet video technology that benefits all consumers. Today, the Alliance is proud to announce the public release of the AOMedia Video Codec 1.0 (AV1) specification, which delivers cross-platform, 4K UHD or higher online video, royalty-free - all while lowering data usage.
Whether watching live sports, video chatting with loved ones, or binging on a favorite show, online video is becoming a bigger part of consumers' daily lives. In fact, video is so important to users that by 2021, 82 percent of all the world's internet traffic will be video, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index , 2016-2021. To remove many of the hurdles required by older, optical disc-era, video technologies, AOMedia developed AV1 specifically for the internet video-era, paving the way for companies to make more of the royalty-free, 4K UHD and higher video devices, products, and services that consumers love.
Whether watching live sports, video chatting with loved ones, or binging on a favorite show, online video is becoming a bigger part of consumers' daily lives. In fact, video is so important to users that by 2021, 82 percent of all the world's internet traffic will be video, according to the Cisco Visual Networking Index , 2016-2021. To remove many of the hurdles required by older, optical disc-era, video technologies, AOMedia developed AV1 specifically for the internet video-era, paving the way for companies to make more of the royalty-free, 4K UHD and higher video devices, products, and services that consumers love.
FinalWire Announces AIDA64 v5.97 Update
FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme 5.97 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Engineer 5.97 software, a professional diagnostic and benchmarking solution for corporate IT technicians and engineers; the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business 5.97 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Network Audit 5.97 software, a dedicated network audit toolset to collect and manage corporate network inventories.
The latest AIDA64 update implements 64-bit AVX-512 accelerated benchmarks, adds monitoring of sensor values on Asus ROG RGB LED motherboards and video cards, and supports the latest AMD and Intel CPU platforms as well as the new graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by both AMD and nVIDIA.
DOWNLOAD: FinalWire AIDA64 v5.97
The latest AIDA64 update implements 64-bit AVX-512 accelerated benchmarks, adds monitoring of sensor values on Asus ROG RGB LED motherboards and video cards, and supports the latest AMD and Intel CPU platforms as well as the new graphics and GPGPU computing technologies by both AMD and nVIDIA.
NVIDIA Temporarily Halts Self-Driving Tests in Wake of Recent Crashes
(UPDATE 29MAR2018, 14H34): It has been confirmed that the UBER vehicle that suffered the crash in Arizona, mentioned in this news piece, was indeed running NVIDIA hardware. However, this hardware capability was apparently acquired via of-the-shelf acquisitions by UBER, and didn't employ NVIDIA's DRIVE platform. The autonomous driving capabilities of the UBER vehicle were instead handled by NVIDIA hardware, handled fully via UBER's own, proprietary software stack. NVIDIA, thus, is looking to distance itself from the even as much as possible when it comes to its DRIVE platform, so as to avoid any unwarranted bad press upon the system on which they pin such high hopes for the market.
Even though NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has been delivering keynotes at this year's GDC that mainly focus on AI-driven workloads and system training, the company has decided to put a temporary stop to self-driving tests using its technology. This decision comes in the wake of the UBER crash, which killed a woman in Arizona just last week. To add some more heat to the mixture, it has just been announced that the NTSB is opening an investigation towards the accident involving a Tesla motor vehicle (although at the time, it isn't known whether the car was in self-driving mode or not).
Even though NVIDIA's CEO Jensen Huang has been delivering keynotes at this year's GDC that mainly focus on AI-driven workloads and system training, the company has decided to put a temporary stop to self-driving tests using its technology. This decision comes in the wake of the UBER crash, which killed a woman in Arizona just last week. To add some more heat to the mixture, it has just been announced that the NTSB is opening an investigation towards the accident involving a Tesla motor vehicle (although at the time, it isn't known whether the car was in self-driving mode or not).
Phanteks Announces Range of Digital RGB Products
Phanteks today announced the availability of the new Digital RGB product line up. Featuring High Quality and High Density LED chips for the smoothest color gradiants and vibrant colors. The controller lets you choose between the many stylish color profiles with an easy to use remote. Digital RGB from Phanteks is simply plug-and-play with the highest lighting quality.
ASRock Storms Into the Graphics Market with Phantom Gaming Series Graphics Cards
A leading global motherboard manufacturer, ASRock, is moving into the graphics card market with the Phantom Gaming range - a strong line up of AMD Radeon RX500 series cards, including the Phantom Gaming X Radeon RX580 8G, Radeon RX570 8G, the Phantom Gaming Radeon RX560 4G/2G and Radeon RX550 4G/2G. "ASRock finally expand into the graphics card field," said Mr. LL Shiu, ASRock Chief Executive Officer. "We are happy and proud to team up with AMD, our strong and reliable partner, and of course we look forward to bringing out more interesting and competitive products in future."
Cards offer advanced performance technology
ASRock Phantom Gaming series promises elegant design, flexibility for power users combined with user friendly control, and of course, outstanding performance. ASRock never compromises on product quality and performance, so these new products are packed with amazing features as well as the best components to ensure they meet everyone's expectations.
Cards offer advanced performance technology
ASRock Phantom Gaming series promises elegant design, flexibility for power users combined with user friendly control, and of course, outstanding performance. ASRock never compromises on product quality and performance, so these new products are packed with amazing features as well as the best components to ensure they meet everyone's expectations.
TPCAST Introduces Business Edition Wireless VR Adapter
TPCAST, the leader in wireless Virtual Reality (VR) and the first-to-market with a wireless VR solution for Head-Mounted Display (HMD), today announces the launch of its Business Edition (BE) Wireless VR Adapter for the North America market. The first version will be supporting the HTC Vive HMD and support for additional HMDs will be released during Q3 2018. The TPCAST BE Wireless Adapter simultaneously supports two to four users, while preserving the HTC Vive's high video quality and maintaining the latency under 2ms. The BE adapter is targeted to support multi-user VR activities across a variety of verticals including medical, automotive, real estate, training and other multi user VR applications. The product will be sold by TPCAST directly and will also be available through TPCAST's channel partners in Q2 2018.
The TPCAST Consumer Edition (CE) Wireless Adapter is the only PC VR Wireless Solution available in the market today and has been shipping in North America since November 2017. TPCAST technology is a breakthrough in the VR field, creating a wireless connection between the PC and the VR headset, providing VR users a unique, truly immersive experience. The TPCAST adapter attaches to the HTC Vive headset, replacing the need for the Vive's clunky umbilical cord. The TPCAST adapter has enhanced the VR user experience, providing consumers and enterprise users the freedom to walk, jump, and spin without worrying about the cable.
The TPCAST Consumer Edition (CE) Wireless Adapter is the only PC VR Wireless Solution available in the market today and has been shipping in North America since November 2017. TPCAST technology is a breakthrough in the VR field, creating a wireless connection between the PC and the VR headset, providing VR users a unique, truly immersive experience. The TPCAST adapter attaches to the HTC Vive headset, replacing the need for the Vive's clunky umbilical cord. The TPCAST adapter has enhanced the VR user experience, providing consumers and enterprise users the freedom to walk, jump, and spin without worrying about the cable.
Acer Unveils the Chromebook Tab 10
Acer today unveiled the first education tablet running Chrome OS, the Acer Chromebook Tab 10 (D651N). The new Acer Chromebook Tab 10 is designed for Acer's education customers and will be used in K-12 classrooms to expand and enhance student learning by bringing the speed, simplicity and security of Chrome OS into the tablet form factor.
"The Acer Chromebook Tab 10 combines advances in hardware and application support to enable more meaningful learning for an even wider range of K-12 students," said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer. "The new Acer Chromebook Tab 10 encourages students to discover new ways of understanding the world around them."
"The Acer Chromebook Tab 10 combines advances in hardware and application support to enable more meaningful learning for an even wider range of K-12 students," said James Lin, General Manager, Commercial & Detachable Notebooks, IT Products Business at Acer. "The new Acer Chromebook Tab 10 encourages students to discover new ways of understanding the world around them."
GIGABYTE Releases New G190-G30 1U 4 GPU Server
GIGABYTE continues to strengthen its HPC system portfolio by today releasing the G190-G30, a 1U 4 x SXM2 GPU server. Building on the advantages of our current 1U GPU-server range, such as an airflow optimized rack mount, large thermal envelope and uncompromised flexibility, the G190-G30 has been developed to accommodate 4 x NVIDIA SXM2 Tesla V100 or P100 GPU accelerators with NVLink interconnection.
Using NVLink technology allows for higher bandwidth, more links, and improved scalability over PCIe for GPU to GPU interconnection. For example, a single NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU can support up to six NVLink links with a signaling rate of 25 GB/second in each direction, equaling a total bandwidth of 300 GB/sec - 10X the bandwidth of PCIe 3. The higher bandwidth and reduced latency allows the G190-G30 to unlock multi-GPU interconnectivity bottlenecks for better performance in intensive parallel computing applications.
Using NVLink technology allows for higher bandwidth, more links, and improved scalability over PCIe for GPU to GPU interconnection. For example, a single NVIDIA Tesla V100 GPU can support up to six NVLink links with a signaling rate of 25 GB/second in each direction, equaling a total bandwidth of 300 GB/sec - 10X the bandwidth of PCIe 3. The higher bandwidth and reduced latency allows the G190-G30 to unlock multi-GPU interconnectivity bottlenecks for better performance in intensive parallel computing applications.
New "BranchScope" Side-channel CPU Vulnerability Threatens Modern Processors
In the age of cyber-security vulnerabilities being named by their discoverers, much like incoming tropical storms, the latest, which exploits speculative execution of modern processors, is named "BranchScope," discovered by academics from four US universities, Dmitry Evtyushkin, Ryan Riley, Nael Abu-Ghazaleh, and Dmitry Ponomarev. The vulnerability has been successfully tested on Intel "Sandy Bridge," "Haswell," and "Skylake" micro-architectures, and remains to be tested on AMD processors. It bears similarities to "Spectre" variant 2, in that it is an exploit of the branch prediction features of modern CPUs.
BranchScope differs from Spectre variant 2, in that while the latter exploits the branch target buffer, BranchScope goes after the directional branch predictor, a component that decides which speculative operations to execute. By misdirecting it, attackers can make the CPU read and spit out data from the memory previously inaccessible. The worst part? You don't need administrative privileges to run the exploit, it can be run from the user-space. Unlike CTS-Labs, the people behind the BranchScope discovery appear to have alerted hardware manufacturers significantly in advance, before publishing their paper (all of it, including technicals). They will present their work at the 23rd ACM International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems (ASPLOS 2018), later today.
BranchScope differs from Spectre variant 2, in that while the latter exploits the branch target buffer, BranchScope goes after the directional branch predictor, a component that decides which speculative operations to execute. By misdirecting it, attackers can make the CPU read and spit out data from the memory previously inaccessible. The worst part? You don't need administrative privileges to run the exploit, it can be run from the user-space. Unlike CTS-Labs, the people behind the BranchScope discovery appear to have alerted hardware manufacturers significantly in advance, before publishing their paper (all of it, including technicals). They will present their work at the 23rd ACM International Conference on Architectural Support for Programming Languages and Operating Systems (ASPLOS 2018), later today.
Enermax Announces Availability of Liqfusion 240 CPU Cooler
ENERMAX, a leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance PC hardware products, announces the launch of a new all-in-one liquid cooler series, LIQFUSION. At CES 2018, ENERMAX debuted the prototype of LIQFUSION; this closed-loop water cooler quickly gained media and visitors' attention to its beautiful and brilliant lighting effects. The durable ceramic pump, eye-catching ENERMAX RGB fans and waterblock with the unique flow indicator design make LIQFUSION as a one-of-a-kind cooler that has both performance and aesthetics.
LIQFUSION is equipped with an exclusive RGB-sync waterblock with patented flow indicator, which enables the user to easily monitor the status of coolant flow. Together with visually appealing ENERMAX addressable RGB fans, LIQFUSION can create unique, vivid RGB lighting effects.
LIQFUSION is equipped with an exclusive RGB-sync waterblock with patented flow indicator, which enables the user to easily monitor the status of coolant flow. Together with visually appealing ENERMAX addressable RGB fans, LIQFUSION can create unique, vivid RGB lighting effects.
Adobe and NVIDIA Announce Partnership to Deliver New AI Services
At Adobe Summit, Adobe and NVIDIA today announced a strategic partnership to rapidly enhance their industry-leading artificial intelligence (AI) and deep learning technologies. Building on years of collaboration, the companies will work to optimize the Adobe Sensei AI and machine learning (ML) framework for NVIDIA GPUs. The collaboration will speed time to market and improve performance of new Sensei-powered services for Adobe Creative Cloud and Experience Cloud customers and developers.
The partnership advances Adobe's strategy to extend the availability of Sensei APIs and to broaden the Sensei ecosystem to a new audience of developers, data scientists and partners. "Combining NVIDIA's best-in-class AI capabilities with Adobe's leading creative and digital experience solutions, all powered by Sensei, will allow us to deliver higher-performing AI services to customers and developers more quickly," said Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO, Adobe. "We're excited to partner with NVIDIA to push the boundaries of what's possible in creativity, marketing and exciting new areas like immersive media."
The partnership advances Adobe's strategy to extend the availability of Sensei APIs and to broaden the Sensei ecosystem to a new audience of developers, data scientists and partners. "Combining NVIDIA's best-in-class AI capabilities with Adobe's leading creative and digital experience solutions, all powered by Sensei, will allow us to deliver higher-performing AI services to customers and developers more quickly," said Shantanu Narayen, president and CEO, Adobe. "We're excited to partner with NVIDIA to push the boundaries of what's possible in creativity, marketing and exciting new areas like immersive media."
G.SKILL Achieves Dual-Channel DDR4-5000 MHz Memory Speed on Air-Cooling
G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is excited to announce the achievement of an unprecedented DDR4-5000 MHz memory in dual-channels. This major breakthrough is the world's first instance of two DDR4 RGB memory modules breaking the DDR4-5000 MHz barrier on just air cooling, when considering that this world-record class speed was only achievable under extreme liquid nitrogen cooling just two years ago. This massive technological feat is achieved with the high performance Samsung DDR4 B-die ICs, and running on the MSI Z370I GAMING PRO CARBON AC motherboard and the Intel Core i7-8700K processor.
Samsung Miniaturizes the Z-SSD to the M.2 Form-factor
Samsung unveiled an M.2 variant of its flagship high-performance Z-SSD. Targeted at workstations, HPCs, and AI servers, the Z-SSD lineup is built around Samsung's proprietary Z-NAND flash memory, that offer "up to 10 times" higher cell read performance than conventional 3D V-NAND (found on drives such as the 960 Pro). This performance is then traded off for the lowest possible latencies and response-times, which can help certain AI applications. The Z-SSD M.2 is built in the M.2-22110 (110 mm-long) form-factor, and features PCI-Express gen 3.0 x4 interface, and takes advantage of the NVMe protocol.
The drive appears to feature an 8-channel controller that's similar to the one that drives the company's PM983 SSD, and not quite the 16-channel controller found on the larger AIC variant of this drive. Available in capacities of 240 GB and 480 GB, the drive offers sequential transfer rates of up to 3200 MB/s reads, with up to 2800 MB/s writes; with an endurance of 30 DWPD. Like its larger siblings, the Z-SSD M.2 comes with a bank of capacitors to offer power-loss protection. The company didn't reveal availability or pricing information.
The drive appears to feature an 8-channel controller that's similar to the one that drives the company's PM983 SSD, and not quite the 16-channel controller found on the larger AIC variant of this drive. Available in capacities of 240 GB and 480 GB, the drive offers sequential transfer rates of up to 3200 MB/s reads, with up to 2800 MB/s writes; with an endurance of 30 DWPD. Like its larger siblings, the Z-SSD M.2 comes with a bank of capacitors to offer power-loss protection. The company didn't reveal availability or pricing information.
Logitech G Launches New PRO Gaming Headset
Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, today announced the Logitech G PRO Gaming Headset, offering esports-grade audio performance and features for professional and competitive gamers. The newest addition to the Logitech G PRO lineup of professional gaming gear, the Logitech G PRO Gaming Headset is lightweight, strong and extremely comfortable for extended gameplay. It features Logitech G Pro-G drivers for superior audio, premium leatherette ear pads for excellent noise isolation and a pro-grade condenser microphone for crystal-clear communications. With the clarity and quality of the most advanced gaming headset speaker, gamers can hear every approaching enemy footstep in super-efficient detail. The Logitech G PRO Gaming Headset has also been named the official headset of Electronic Sports League (ESL) CS:GO Pro League, ESL One and ESL Premiership, and will be the headset of choice for several top teams and players.
"As a leading gaming gear manufacturer, we develop what esport professionals, players and enthusiasts are looking for," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming. "The PRO headset was developed in close collaboration with TSM, G2 Esports and London Spitfire players. Our design includes features such as a tournament-grade mic and comfortable leatherette for the perfect headset for esports and pro gamers."
"As a leading gaming gear manufacturer, we develop what esport professionals, players and enthusiasts are looking for," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming. "The PRO headset was developed in close collaboration with TSM, G2 Esports and London Spitfire players. Our design includes features such as a tournament-grade mic and comfortable leatherette for the perfect headset for esports and pro gamers."
Philips Launches the 272B8QJEB PC Monitor: 27", QHD, IPS, 10-bit Panel
Philips today launched their newest QHD (2560 x 1440) monitor, the 272B8QJEB. It's a pretty run-of-the-mill affair, with an IPS panel, and support for low blue light and flicker-free technologies. When it comes to gaming, this monitor won't offer much: its 5 ms grey-to-grey response time, lack of any variable refresh rate technology make sure of that. Even in the luminance department this monitor fails to impress: the rated 250 nits don't set world on fire. Where this monitor might come in handy, though, is for professional environments, as it sports a true 10-bit panel with 12-bit source support.
This might be a good alternative for work environments, as it's expected it will go on sale for a relatively competitive pricing, as is the usual Philips way of doing things. There's support for 90 degree pivot, height, and tilt adjustments, and connectivity options are set at 1x VGA, 1x DVI (Dual-Link); 1x DisplayPort 1.2; and 1x HDMI 1.4. There's also a USB hub with 2x USB 3.0 ports (one of which supports Quick-charge functionality) and 2x USB 2.0 ports, with some audio inputs and outputs also thrown in for good measure.
This might be a good alternative for work environments, as it's expected it will go on sale for a relatively competitive pricing, as is the usual Philips way of doing things. There's support for 90 degree pivot, height, and tilt adjustments, and connectivity options are set at 1x VGA, 1x DVI (Dual-Link); 1x DisplayPort 1.2; and 1x HDMI 1.4. There's also a USB hub with 2x USB 3.0 ports (one of which supports Quick-charge functionality) and 2x USB 2.0 ports, with some audio inputs and outputs also thrown in for good measure.
Valve Uses over 1,700 CPUs to Catch CS:GO Cheaters
Valve was one of the first to run a centralized game distribution + multiplayer service, through Steam, and its in-house alternative to the Punkbuster anti-cheating software, in the form of VAC (Valve Anti-Cheating). Over the years, VAC has evolved to leverage newer technologies. Its latest avatar is VACnet, an AI deep-learning system built up of over 1,700 CPUs, to more intelligently sniff out cheaters. VACnet leverages CS:GO's player-operated replay system. It studies replays of players who have been reported for cheating, and studies their replays for patterns of cheating, such as wallhacks, aimbots, and more.
What makes this different from previous approaches to the problem is that the AI evaluates the behavior of the gamer through their inputs in a way only a human could, before this. It also makes up its own criteria for spotting cheaters, as it learns more about cheating, so creative and new cheaters are quicker to spot. The decision to suspend or ban players ultimate falls in the hands of humans. VACnet sniffs out the most probable cheaters, and reports its findings to human moderators that determine guilt, and hand out suspensions or bans. VACnet has the potential to increase "convictions" of cheaters by close to four fold.
What makes this different from previous approaches to the problem is that the AI evaluates the behavior of the gamer through their inputs in a way only a human could, before this. It also makes up its own criteria for spotting cheaters, as it learns more about cheating, so creative and new cheaters are quicker to spot. The decision to suspend or ban players ultimate falls in the hands of humans. VACnet sniffs out the most probable cheaters, and reports its findings to human moderators that determine guilt, and hand out suspensions or bans. VACnet has the potential to increase "convictions" of cheaters by close to four fold.
Tuesday, March 27th 2018
Today's Reviews
Motherboards
Far Cry 5 Benchmark Performance Analysis
Far Cry 5 takes the fight to crazy Christian fundamentalists in forgotten Montana who are just waiting for the US Government to collapse. We tested 15 cards using today's latest GameReady drivers with actual in-game gameplay for the most accurate picture. AMD Radeon performance results are impressive, often beating their NVIDIA counterparts substantially.
NVIDIA Announces the DGX-2 System - 16x Tesla V100 GPUs, 30 TB NVMe Memory for $400K
NVIDIA's DGX-2 is likely the reason why NVIDIA seems to be slightly less enamored with the consumer graphics card market as of late. Let's be honest: just look at that price-tag, and imagine the rivers of money NVIDIA is making on each of these systems sold. The data center and deep learning markets have been pouring money into NVIDIA's coffers, and so, the company is focusing its efforts in this space. Case in point: the DGX-2, which sports performance of 1920 TFLOPs (Tensor processing); 480 TFLOPs of FP16; half again that value at 240 TFLOPs for FP32 workloads; and 120 TFLOPs on FP64.
NVIDIA's DGX-2 builds upon the original DGX-1 in all ways thinkable. NVIDIA looks at these as readily-deployed processing powerhouses, which include everything any prospective user that requires gargantuan amounts of processing power can deploy in a single system. And the DGX-2 just runs laps around the DGX-1 (which originally sold for $150K) in all aspects: it features 16x 32GB Tesla V100 GPUs (the DGX-1 featured 8x 16 GB Tesla GPUs); 1.5 TB of system ram (the DGX-1 features a paltry 0.5 TB); 30 TB NVMe system storage (the DGX-1 sported 8 TB of such storage space), and even includes a pair of Xeon Platinum CPUs (admittedly, the lowest performance increase in the whole system).
NVIDIA's DGX-2 builds upon the original DGX-1 in all ways thinkable. NVIDIA looks at these as readily-deployed processing powerhouses, which include everything any prospective user that requires gargantuan amounts of processing power can deploy in a single system. And the DGX-2 just runs laps around the DGX-1 (which originally sold for $150K) in all aspects: it features 16x 32GB Tesla V100 GPUs (the DGX-1 featured 8x 16 GB Tesla GPUs); 1.5 TB of system ram (the DGX-1 features a paltry 0.5 TB); 30 TB NVMe system storage (the DGX-1 sported 8 TB of such storage space), and even includes a pair of Xeon Platinum CPUs (admittedly, the lowest performance increase in the whole system).
NVIDIA Announces World's Most Powerful Professional GPU - The Quadro GV100
NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang today announced to the world what is being touted as the world's most advanced GPU for professionals - the Quadro GV100. Based on NVIDIA's Volta architecture and sporting 5,120 CUDA cores, this is a behemoth of a professional graphics card, eclipsing all previous NVIDIA offerings by a wide margin.
The GV100 was built to usher in all kinds of workload performances - from machine learning and HPC to actually being the only professional graphics card actually capable of processing workloads around the just announced RTX raytracing suite. That alone is a boon that's sure to get these cards moving from the presses and unto professional's hands all the faster. The 5,120 CUDA cores join the 32 GB of HBM2 memory and up to 7.4 TFLOPs of power for double-precision rendering, 14.8 TFLOPs for single-precision workloads, 29.6 TFLOPs half-precision, and 118.5 TFLOPs for deep learning through its Tensor Cores. The previous high-end Quadro, the GP100, offered 10.3 TFLOPs for single-precision rendering.
The GV100 was built to usher in all kinds of workload performances - from machine learning and HPC to actually being the only professional graphics card actually capable of processing workloads around the just announced RTX raytracing suite. That alone is a boon that's sure to get these cards moving from the presses and unto professional's hands all the faster. The 5,120 CUDA cores join the 32 GB of HBM2 memory and up to 7.4 TFLOPs of power for double-precision rendering, 14.8 TFLOPs for single-precision workloads, 29.6 TFLOPs half-precision, and 118.5 TFLOPs for deep learning through its Tensor Cores. The previous high-end Quadro, the GP100, offered 10.3 TFLOPs for single-precision rendering.
Xiaomi Reveals the 15.6-inch Mi Gaming Laptop
Xiaomi held its Mi Mix 2S launch event at Shanghai, China a few hours ago where the Chinese giant revealed their first-ever gaming laptop. The Mi Gaming Laptop sports a clean, brushed aluminum chassis which measures 20.9mm at its thickest point. Being a gamer-oriented product, Xiaomi has added RGB lighting to four different zones around the laptop's body. The Mi Gaming Laptop features a 15.6-inch Full HD panel with a 72% color gamut and slim 9.9mm bezels. The keyboard also has its own RGB lighting and comes with features like 30-key rollover and five programmable keys. In terms of connectivity options, the Mi Gaming laptop provides users with four high-speed USB 3.0 ports, two USB-C ports, a HDMI port, and a 3.5mm jack with its own high-powered amp. Equipped with stereo 3W speakers, the laptop has also earned the Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio certifications.
For cooling, Xiaomi implemented their own 3+2 design for the heatpipes and four air exhausts. Xiaomi's solution relies on two fans to provide active cooling. The Mi Gaming laptop is powered by Intel's latest Kaby Lake Core i7-7700HQ processor and it's available in two versions. The base version carries a $960 price tag and comes with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 8GB of memory, a 128GB SSD and a 1TB hard drive. The high-end version goes for $1,440 and boasts an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, 16GB of memory, a 256GB NVMe SSD, and a 1TB hard drive. The Mi Gaming Laptop will go on sale in China from April 13.
For cooling, Xiaomi implemented their own 3+2 design for the heatpipes and four air exhausts. Xiaomi's solution relies on two fans to provide active cooling. The Mi Gaming laptop is powered by Intel's latest Kaby Lake Core i7-7700HQ processor and it's available in two versions. The base version carries a $960 price tag and comes with a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti, 8GB of memory, a 128GB SSD and a 1TB hard drive. The high-end version goes for $1,440 and boasts an NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, 16GB of memory, a 256GB NVMe SSD, and a 1TB hard drive. The Mi Gaming Laptop will go on sale in China from April 13.
Vinci 2.0 Offers the Industry's First Hands-Free Smart Wireless Headphones
Reinventing smart headphones for fitness enthusiasts everywhere, Vinci 2.0 introduces the industry's first smart in-ear, voice-controlled, hands-free noise cancellation headphones. Created to be the ultimate personal sports companion that offers the ability to make phone calls, track body vitals during exercises, and listen to music completely phone-free, Vinci 2.0 has already launched a successful Indiegogo campaign to transform the way consumers listen to music while exercising. Vinci 2.0 integrates music streaming, calls, and fitness tracking into a single device giving consumers an opportunity to work out phones and hands-free.
"At Vinci, we're focused on reinventing headphones and revolutionizing the music listening experience," said Cathy Cao, U.S. business director for Inspero Inc., the parent company of Vinci. "Vinci 2.0 is a very ambitious product. By integrating Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity to stay connected at all times, uniting audio streaming services into a completely standalone device, adding an interactive voice assistant and gesture control system, providing real-time music recommendation and personal smart coaching, while maintaining strong consideration on audio quality, comfort, security, and battery life, Vinci 2.0 is truly optimizing the user experience."
"At Vinci, we're focused on reinventing headphones and revolutionizing the music listening experience," said Cathy Cao, U.S. business director for Inspero Inc., the parent company of Vinci. "Vinci 2.0 is a very ambitious product. By integrating Wi-Fi and cellular connectivity to stay connected at all times, uniting audio streaming services into a completely standalone device, adding an interactive voice assistant and gesture control system, providing real-time music recommendation and personal smart coaching, while maintaining strong consideration on audio quality, comfort, security, and battery life, Vinci 2.0 is truly optimizing the user experience."
ASUSTOR Launches ADM 3.1 Today
ASUSTOR Inc. is launching ADM 3.1 today. This upgrade enhances and adds many features to meet the needs of customers from feedback. These include but are not limited to SSD Caching for accelerated hard disk performance, RAID scrubbing to keep hard drives healthy, Automatic RAID Repair, management of enterprise accounts and a new LDAP Client. Download ADM 3.1 today and experience the full range of new features.
Magewell to Debut the Ultra Stream HDMI Standalone Streaming Encoder
Expanding beyond its highly-acclaimed strengths in video capture and playout, Magewell will take the wraps off the company's first standalone, hardware-based streaming encoder in booth SU6324 at the 2018 NAB Show. Making live streaming production remarkably simple even for non-professional users, the new Ultra Stream HDMI enables customers to record or stream high-quality video from a variety of sources with one click using on-device buttons or an intuitive, accompanying smartphone app.
Magewell's capture products are renowned for outstanding ease of use, and the Ultra Stream HDMI continues this tradition. Designed for users who want to stream but may have very little technical knowledge, the encoder is ideal for everyone from church volunteers, teachers and gamers to corporate marketers and live event organizers.
Magewell's capture products are renowned for outstanding ease of use, and the Ultra Stream HDMI continues this tradition. Designed for users who want to stream but may have very little technical knowledge, the encoder is ideal for everyone from church volunteers, teachers and gamers to corporate marketers and live event organizers.
Input Club Launches Kira, the Ultimate Full-Size Mechanical Keyboard
Input Club, a computer hardware startup, is launching its new flagship mechanical keyboard -- Kira. Kira's condensed full-size layout, artistic RGB lighting and bespoke mechanical switches mark a step forward for typists around the world. Its Kickstarter campaignwent live on March 27, 2018.
Kira - a compact, full-size mechanical keyboard built without compromise.
Kira follows in the footsteps of the WhiteFox, a runaway success that generated $400,000 on Kickstarter. Coverage from Kotaku, The Verge, Tom's Hardware and many other publications propelled the WhiteFox into the media spotlight. Input Club's campaign was a grassroots effort from several enthusiast websites.
Kira - a compact, full-size mechanical keyboard built without compromise.
Kira follows in the footsteps of the WhiteFox, a runaway success that generated $400,000 on Kickstarter. Coverage from Kotaku, The Verge, Tom's Hardware and many other publications propelled the WhiteFox into the media spotlight. Input Club's campaign was a grassroots effort from several enthusiast websites.
The Razer Goliathus Soft Mouse Mat Is Now Powered By Razer Chroma
Razer , the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, today announced the Razer Goliathus Chroma, a multi-color LED version of Razer's bestselling and affordable soft mouse mat that gamers can now customize with up to 16.8 million color options and an array of lighting effects.
Following in the footsteps of the Razer Firefly, the original RGB mouse mat, the Razer Goliathus Chroma is the latest device to join the Razer Chroma family which includes the award-winning Razer DeathAdder Elite gaming mouse, the Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 gaming keyboard, the Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 gaming headset, and many more. The Razer Goliathus Chroma offers pre-set lighting effects such as spectrum cycling, breathing and reactive, as well as user customizable effects when it syncs seamlessly across Chroma-enabled products through Razer's Synapse 3 (Beta) software.
Following in the footsteps of the Razer Firefly, the original RGB mouse mat, the Razer Goliathus Chroma is the latest device to join the Razer Chroma family which includes the award-winning Razer DeathAdder Elite gaming mouse, the Razer BlackWidow Chroma V2 gaming keyboard, the Razer Kraken 7.1 V2 gaming headset, and many more. The Razer Goliathus Chroma offers pre-set lighting effects such as spectrum cycling, breathing and reactive, as well as user customizable effects when it syncs seamlessly across Chroma-enabled products through Razer's Synapse 3 (Beta) software.
CORSAIR Introduces Their iCUE Unified Software
CORSAIR , a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the early access launch of its new unified software, iCUE. Bringing together the full range of CORSAIR products into a single intuitive interface, iCUE powers everything from CORSAIR keyboards, mice and headsets to fans, coolers and PSUs.
iCUE users can instantly synchronize RGB lighting across all their compatible CORSAIR products with a single click, monitor system performance from a customizable dashboard, and control hardware temperatures with in-depth fan and pump speed adjustment. At the heart of everything CORSAIR, iCUE offers intelligent control, with unlimited possibilities.
iCUE users can instantly synchronize RGB lighting across all their compatible CORSAIR products with a single click, monitor system performance from a customizable dashboard, and control hardware temperatures with in-depth fan and pump speed adjustment. At the heart of everything CORSAIR, iCUE offers intelligent control, with unlimited possibilities.
NVIDIA Releases GeForce 391.35 WHQL Game Ready Drivers
NVIDIA today released the latest version of its GeForce software suite. Version 391.35 WHQL drivers are game-ready for "Far Cry 5," the week's biggest AAA game release. This includes game optimization, an SLI profile, and GeForce Experience optimal settings. The drivers also add SLI profiles for "WRC 7" and GRIP.
The drivers also introduce security updates for a staggering seven CVEs, mostly relating vulnerabilities discovered in the kernel-mode layers of the driver, and user-mode drivers for DirectX and OpenGL. NVIDIA discovered that certain specially crafted pixel shaders can cause infinite loops and denial of service (system hang), or escalation of privileges. Besides these, the drivers patch a memory leak found in NVIDIA Freestyle (custom shader tool), bugs with 3D Profile Manager, and a game freeze noticed on "Diablo III" when rapidly switching tasks on SLI machines. Grab the drivers from the links below.
DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 391.35 WHQL
The change-log follows.
The drivers also introduce security updates for a staggering seven CVEs, mostly relating vulnerabilities discovered in the kernel-mode layers of the driver, and user-mode drivers for DirectX and OpenGL. NVIDIA discovered that certain specially crafted pixel shaders can cause infinite loops and denial of service (system hang), or escalation of privileges. Besides these, the drivers patch a memory leak found in NVIDIA Freestyle (custom shader tool), bugs with 3D Profile Manager, and a game freeze noticed on "Diablo III" when rapidly switching tasks on SLI machines. Grab the drivers from the links below.
The change-log follows.
Foxconn Acquires Belkin for $866 Million in Cash
Foxconn Interconnect Technology Limited (FIT), a subsidiary of Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd., and Belkin International, Inc. (Belkin , Linksys , Wemo , Phyn brands) jointly announced today the signing of a definitive agreement under which FIT agreed to acquire Belkin International for approximately US$866 million in cash, creating a global consumer electronics leader.
Leveraging Belkin's strength in research and development capabilities and the consumer products channel, FIT is expected to further tap into premium accessories and the smart home market. The transaction would also fuel the growth of Belkin's portfolio of brands and products and supports further investment in research and development and engineering to expand FIT and Belkin's presence in the U.S. and key markets globally.
"FIT is excited to acquire Belkin and its capabilities in the premium consumer products space," said Sidney Lu, CEO, FIT. "Integrating Belkin's best-in-class capabilities and solutions into FIT, we expect to enrich our portfolio of premium consumer products and accelerate our penetration into the smart home."
Leveraging Belkin's strength in research and development capabilities and the consumer products channel, FIT is expected to further tap into premium accessories and the smart home market. The transaction would also fuel the growth of Belkin's portfolio of brands and products and supports further investment in research and development and engineering to expand FIT and Belkin's presence in the U.S. and key markets globally.
"FIT is excited to acquire Belkin and its capabilities in the premium consumer products space," said Sidney Lu, CEO, FIT. "Integrating Belkin's best-in-class capabilities and solutions into FIT, we expect to enrich our portfolio of premium consumer products and accelerate our penetration into the smart home."
Raidmax Intros the Zeta Mid-tower Chassis
Raidmax is on a spree of naming its new cases after letters of the Greek alphabet. Its latest creation is the Zeta mid-tower chassis, characterized by a tempered glass left side-panel, a bulged out metal right side-panel, and a perforated metal front, making for a mostly monochromatic design, when contrasted with its white LED-illuminated rear exhaust fan. Inside, you get a conventional horizontally dual-partitioned layout, with the bottom compartment almost entirely enclosed from the left thru the top.
The top compartment of the Raidmax Zeta serves up room for graphics cards up to 39 cm in length, and CPU coolers up to 16.5 cm in height. Besides room for a fairly long PSU, the bottom compartment holds two 3.5-inch drive bays, which can each also hold 2.5-inch drives. Two additional 2.5-inch drives can be mounted behind the motherboard tray, accessible from here. The bulge on the steel right side-panel adds a good 1 cm of extra crawlspace for thicker power and SATA cables to be routed. Cooling includes three 120 mm front intakes, three 120 mm top exhausts, and a 120 mm rear exhaust (fan included). Front panel connectivity includes two USB 3.0 ports, and HDA jacks. The case measures 466 mm x 218 mm x 475 mm (LxWxH). The company didn't reveal pricing.
The top compartment of the Raidmax Zeta serves up room for graphics cards up to 39 cm in length, and CPU coolers up to 16.5 cm in height. Besides room for a fairly long PSU, the bottom compartment holds two 3.5-inch drive bays, which can each also hold 2.5-inch drives. Two additional 2.5-inch drives can be mounted behind the motherboard tray, accessible from here. The bulge on the steel right side-panel adds a good 1 cm of extra crawlspace for thicker power and SATA cables to be routed. Cooling includes three 120 mm front intakes, three 120 mm top exhausts, and a 120 mm rear exhaust (fan included). Front panel connectivity includes two USB 3.0 ports, and HDA jacks. The case measures 466 mm x 218 mm x 475 mm (LxWxH). The company didn't reveal pricing.
The Darkness II Available for Free With Humble Bundle
I don't usually write on freebies, but I just had to cover this one, since The Darkness II is one of those hidden gems that I think everyone should get to experience at least once (preferably more). Humble Bundle has been having a free game party of sorts in the last few months, offering games in all directions, and some of those have been actual pearls. The Darkness II is one such, for players who want a story-driven experience. You don't just have to take my word for it - the game currently stands with a "Very Positive" rating on Steam. But yes, do take my word for it - this is a shooter (and more than that) with heart, and a story filled with heart-wrenching moments and interesting psychological outmaneuvers. Oh the asylum... If only we ever got the planned sequel...
AMD ASUS STRIX X470-F STRIX Motherboard Packaging Pictured
Whereas not the sexiest leak one can see these days, the packaging picture of ASUS' upcoming X470-F STRIX is nothing to scoff at. This ASUS motherboard is expected to enter ASUS' lineup in the same positioning as the X370-F STRIX motherboard from the previous generation, offering the same borderline functionality and features, with one or two design improvements thrown in for good measure. As a X470 motherboard, the ASUS X470-F STRIX should offer out-of-box support for AMD's upcoming Ryzen 2000 series of processors in the cleanest, more trouble-proof way possible.
Some small redesigns this X470-F STRIX has had over its X370 counterpart is that the southbridge heatsink has been extended to cover the top portion of the first PCIe x16 port - likely to house a second M.2 add-in slot, since that amount of heatsink over motherboard PCB would simply be wasteful. From the packaging, we can see that there are 3x PCIe x16 slots, two of which are reinforced. Some power delivery improvements have reportedly been done as well. The southbridge heatsink itself has seen a redesign, it seems, abandoning the angular look it had before - a step back, if you'll ask me. Expect this ASUS X40-F STRIX motherboard to be available from the Ryzen 2000 series' launch, on April 19th.
Some small redesigns this X470-F STRIX has had over its X370 counterpart is that the southbridge heatsink has been extended to cover the top portion of the first PCIe x16 port - likely to house a second M.2 add-in slot, since that amount of heatsink over motherboard PCB would simply be wasteful. From the packaging, we can see that there are 3x PCIe x16 slots, two of which are reinforced. Some power delivery improvements have reportedly been done as well. The southbridge heatsink itself has seen a redesign, it seems, abandoning the angular look it had before - a step back, if you'll ask me. Expect this ASUS X40-F STRIX motherboard to be available from the Ryzen 2000 series' launch, on April 19th.
Lian Li Announces Alpha Series Tempered Glass Chassis
Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd., world's leading manufacturer of aluminum chassis for enthusiasts and custom OEM/ODM case solutions is thrilled to announce its latest chassis for gamers and enthusiasts with the Alpha Series chassis. Designed to blend the clean aesthetics of a tempered-glass chassis but have the familiarity and ease of a traditional PC chassis, the Lian Li Alpha series is designed to deliver an easy, functional and modern chassis featuring the latest advancements in chassis technology, all in one clean chassis. The Alpha 550 chassis features Lian Li's Bora RGB fans that deliver excellent and stylish lighting that is sure to make any build pop with its astounding RGB lighting capabilities.
With four tempered glass panels, gamers and system builders can express themselves more and show-off their hard-earned investment in their PCs. Full view of the internal components lets you appreciate your build even more and even more if you're customizing your build. The included vertical GPU riser makes it even easier to show-off your GPU! The 4mm thick tempered glass panel gives a premium feel and adds a unique feel to the panel. Let your build speak for itself and show it off with the Lian Li Alpha series chassis.
With four tempered glass panels, gamers and system builders can express themselves more and show-off their hard-earned investment in their PCs. Full view of the internal components lets you appreciate your build even more and even more if you're customizing your build. The included vertical GPU riser makes it even easier to show-off your GPU! The 4mm thick tempered glass panel gives a premium feel and adds a unique feel to the panel. Let your build speak for itself and show it off with the Lian Li Alpha series chassis.
Monday, March 26th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Game Controllers
Graphics Cards
Keyboards
Monitors
Networking
Notebooks
EK-MLC Phoenix 360 Review
The MLC Phoenix from EKWB offers custom liquid-cooling performance with the plug-and-play functionality of a closed-loop cooler. Utilizing their QDC fitting, this modular unit overcomes one of the biggest hurdles for proper liquid cooling, which is building it all yourself. It's so easy even a noob can do it. Well, if they can afford it, that is.
NVIDIA, AMD to Face Worsening Investment Outlook as Bitmain Preps to Launch Ethereum ASIC
Analyst firm Susquehanna has cut AMD and NVIDIA's share price targets on the wake of confirmed reports on Bitmain's upcoming Ethereum ASIC. There's been talks about such a product for months - and some actual silicon steering as well that might support it. Susquehanna, through analyst Christopher Rolland in a note to clients Monday, cited their travels in Asia as a source of information.
This has brought confirmations that "(...) Bitmain has already developed an ASIC [application-specific integrated circuit] for mining Ethereum, and is readying the supply chain for shipments in 2Q18." And it doesn't seem Bitmain is the only company eyeing the doors of yet another extremely lucrative ASIC mining market: "While Bitmain is likely to be the largest ASIC vendor (currently 70-80% of Bitcoin mining ASICs) and the first to market with this product, we have learned of at least three other companies working on Ethereum ASICs, all at various stages of development."
This has brought confirmations that "(...) Bitmain has already developed an ASIC [application-specific integrated circuit] for mining Ethereum, and is readying the supply chain for shipments in 2Q18." And it doesn't seem Bitmain is the only company eyeing the doors of yet another extremely lucrative ASIC mining market: "While Bitmain is likely to be the largest ASIC vendor (currently 70-80% of Bitcoin mining ASICs) and the first to market with this product, we have learned of at least three other companies working on Ethereum ASICs, all at various stages of development."
Intel FPGAs Accelerate Artificial Intelligence for Deep Learning in Microsoft's Bing
Artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming industries and changing how data is managed, interpreted and, most importantly, used to solve real problems for people and businesses faster than ever.
Today's Microsoft's Bing Intelligent Search news demonstrates how Intel FPGA (field programmable gate array) technology is powering some of the world's most advanced AI platforms. Advances to the Bing search engine with real-time AI will help people do more and learn by going beyond delivering standard search results. Bing Intelligent Search will provide answers instead of web pages, and enable a system that understands words and the meaning behind them, the context and intent of a search.
Today's Microsoft's Bing Intelligent Search news demonstrates how Intel FPGA (field programmable gate array) technology is powering some of the world's most advanced AI platforms. Advances to the Bing search engine with real-time AI will help people do more and learn by going beyond delivering standard search results. Bing Intelligent Search will provide answers instead of web pages, and enable a system that understands words and the meaning behind them, the context and intent of a search.
MSI Launching Coffee Lake-Supporting H310-F PRO Mining Motherboard With 13 Expansion Slots
MSI is in the throes of launching a socket LGA 1151, Coffee Lake-based motherboard that's geared for cryptocurrency mining. Apparently looking to cater to the mining enthusiast that wants the latest silicon even in the CPU department of their mining setup, it's still hard to imagine something other than the upcoming Pentium or Celerons will ever make their way to this motherboard - not in any sane miners' mind, surely.
Despite Supporting Coffee Lake processors and including 1x PCIe x16 and 12x PCIe 1x slots, MSI has taken steps to reduce unneeded features as much as possible, as the usual workloads for this kind of hardware don't really require more than some basic inputs and outputs. A pair of Molex connectors allows for more power to be delivered to the graphics cards employed on this motherboard, and only 2x DDR4 DIMM slots - smart cost-savings for the market demographic. Everything else is as bare and minimal as possible - the 1x HDMI and 1x DVI video output, sound connectors, 2x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.0 slots... One can see the preparations for some more 5x PCIe x1 slots to be added to a motherboard - just not to this one, since it can't handle that many graphics expansion slots. Maybe on some upcoming motherboard that simply reuses this design and trades the H310 chipset for something a little beefier on that front?
Despite Supporting Coffee Lake processors and including 1x PCIe x16 and 12x PCIe 1x slots, MSI has taken steps to reduce unneeded features as much as possible, as the usual workloads for this kind of hardware don't really require more than some basic inputs and outputs. A pair of Molex connectors allows for more power to be delivered to the graphics cards employed on this motherboard, and only 2x DDR4 DIMM slots - smart cost-savings for the market demographic. Everything else is as bare and minimal as possible - the 1x HDMI and 1x DVI video output, sound connectors, 2x USB 2.0 and 2x USB 3.0 slots... One can see the preparations for some more 5x PCIe x1 slots to be added to a motherboard - just not to this one, since it can't handle that many graphics expansion slots. Maybe on some upcoming motherboard that simply reuses this design and trades the H310 chipset for something a little beefier on that front?
AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.4 Beta Drivers
AMD today released the latest Beta version of their Radeon Software Adrenalin driver package. Currently in the 18.3.4 version, these drivers from AMD add support for Ubisoft's Far Cry 5, ensuring the best possible experience and performance on the latest open-world title. Some graphical glitches on Final Fantasy XV - Windows Edition have also been fixed.
As an added bonus for cryptocurrency miners, this latest driver revision also fixes some issues with lower performance on some blockchain workloads. As always, you can download these drivers right here on TPU. Just follow the link below, and take a peek after the break for some more specific release notes.
As an added bonus for cryptocurrency miners, this latest driver revision also fixes some issues with lower performance on some blockchain workloads. As always, you can download these drivers right here on TPU. Just follow the link below, and take a peek after the break for some more specific release notes.
Canard PC Hardware's AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Printed Review is Out
The latest issue of Canard PC Hardware magazine came with a pretty detailed review of the AMD Ryzen 7 2700X processor. A Reddit member was kind enough to take photographs of the review and uploaded them to Reddit. The French publication's charts revealed the Ryzen 2700X's prowess in synthetic benchmarks. The processor comfortably sat at the top of the chart overcoming the previous Ryzen 7 1800X flagship processor by 14% and the Intel Core i7-8700K by 15%. Canard PC also compared Summit Ridge to Pinnacle Ridge in terms of Turbo frequency and memory latency. It wasn't a complete surprised that Pinnacle Ridge showed significant improvements over the previous architecture. However, the Ryzen 7 2700X wasn't able to close the gap with its rival. When using the exact DDR4-2666 memory, the Ryzen 7 2700X was 17 ns slower than the Intel Core i7-8700K. As for power consumption, the Ryzen 7 2700X consumed 13.2W more than the Ryzen 7 1800X.
Canard PC tested gaming performance using a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card at the 1440p resolution. While we saw the Ryzen 7 2700X's dominance in synthetic benchmarks, its real-world gaming performance was far less impressive. Although the Ryzen 7 2700X's performed 4% better than the Ryzen 7 1800X sibling, the processor fell behind the likes of the Intel Core i5-8400 by 1.3% and the more powerful Intel Core i7-8700K by up to 14.3%. One important detail to note about Canard PC's review is that they conducted their tests on an A320 motherboard. They claimed that X470 is practically identical to X370 except for a few cosmetic changes. Given that the A320 chipset doesn't support AMD's XFR 2 and Precision Boost Overdrive technologies, we think that it's possible that the Ryzen 7 2700X might perform better on a motherboard with a proper X470 chipset.
Canard PC tested gaming performance using a NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 Ti graphics card at the 1440p resolution. While we saw the Ryzen 7 2700X's dominance in synthetic benchmarks, its real-world gaming performance was far less impressive. Although the Ryzen 7 2700X's performed 4% better than the Ryzen 7 1800X sibling, the processor fell behind the likes of the Intel Core i5-8400 by 1.3% and the more powerful Intel Core i7-8700K by up to 14.3%. One important detail to note about Canard PC's review is that they conducted their tests on an A320 motherboard. They claimed that X470 is practically identical to X370 except for a few cosmetic changes. Given that the A320 chipset doesn't support AMD's XFR 2 and Precision Boost Overdrive technologies, we think that it's possible that the Ryzen 7 2700X might perform better on a motherboard with a proper X470 chipset.
First Screenshots of PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds' Upcoming 4x4 Map
PUBG Corporation has shared several screenshots of their upcoming 4 km by 4 km map for PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds. Due to its small nature, players can expect more intense shootouts and shorter matches. The map will feature a southeastern Asian environment. If all goes according to plans, players should be able to test the new map in early April. The developer hopes to return to their open development model and improve the map based on player feedback.
Transcend Launches New High-speed, Capacious SD and microSD Cards
Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a leading manufacturer of storage and multimedia products, announced today the release of the 500S and 300S series of SD and microSD cards. These memory cards, produced in capacities of up to 512GB and featuring transfer speeds of up to 95 MB/s*, are a ready-made solution for the storage needs of today's users. The gold 500S series, constructed of durable MLC flash, is ideal for action cameras and drones, while the silver 300S series SD cards are offered in capacities up to 512GB, and the microSD cards have been crafted with the smartphone market in mind.
Meeting A1 performance specifications
Transcend's 128GB 300S microSD cards meet the SD Association's latest Application Performance Class 1 (A1) standards for responsiveness, which call for performing 1,500 IOPS on random read operations and 500 IOPS on random write operations, and sequential speeds of at least 10 MB/s. The 300S series tops out at 95 MB/s read and 45 MB/s write speeds*, making it ideal for storing and running mobile apps.
Meeting A1 performance specifications
Transcend's 128GB 300S microSD cards meet the SD Association's latest Application Performance Class 1 (A1) standards for responsiveness, which call for performing 1,500 IOPS on random read operations and 500 IOPS on random write operations, and sequential speeds of at least 10 MB/s. The 300S series tops out at 95 MB/s read and 45 MB/s write speeds*, making it ideal for storing and running mobile apps.
Roccat Announces Availability of the Horde AIMO Membranical Gaming Keyboard
ROCCAT Studios added the Horde AIMO to the AIMO illumination series, setting a new benchmark for keyboards. Designed and engineered completely from scratch with a view to delivering a gaming-optimized keyboard that was more precise than the competition: The Horde AIMO features unique Membranical keys which combine the strengths of mechanical and the silent and softly padded feel of standard gaming keyboards. The Horde AIMO also boasts quick-fire macro keys, a configurable Tuning Wheel plus multi-zone RGB illumination customizable in 16.8M colors, making it the most feature-rich rubber dome keyboard on the market.
Membranical represents the best of both worlds between standard and mechanical keyboards. Its midway travel actuation point provides the most precise and responsive key stroke ever, with a fast yet silent typing feel. The island layout resists dirt for refined, low-maintenance gaming and mid-height keys with a precision fingertip design vastly improve key distinction. The Horde AIMO reduces the input lag of each keystroke, giving the gamer noticeable edge over the competition.
Membranical represents the best of both worlds between standard and mechanical keyboards. Its midway travel actuation point provides the most precise and responsive key stroke ever, with a fast yet silent typing feel. The island layout resists dirt for refined, low-maintenance gaming and mid-height keys with a precision fingertip design vastly improve key distinction. The Horde AIMO reduces the input lag of each keystroke, giving the gamer noticeable edge over the competition.
Drunk on GeForce Partner Program Koolaid, MSI Openly Slanders AMD Radeon
MSI was caught openly slandering AMD Radeon graphics processors in promoting its MSI Gaming Series notebooks featuring NVIDIA GeForce graphics chips. The company is a signatory of the draconian GeForce Partner Program (GPP) by NVIDIA which, in boilerplate regulator-baiting language, tells its add-in card (AIC) partners not to use the same gaming sub-brand (eg: ASUS ROG, MSI Gaming, GIGABYTE Aorus, etc.,) for GPUs from any other brand (i.e. AMD Radeon). When it's in effect, ASUS, for example, can't sell an ROG Strix-branded Radeon graphics card, MSI can't sell an RX Vega 64 Gaming X, and it's probably why GIGABYTE stripped the RX 580 Gaming Box of Aorus branding.
In one of its regional Facebook pages, an official Facebook page customer response handle was seen openly stating "NVIDIA currently are ahead in the GPU experience," (keyword being "experience" and not performance), suggesting that its competition is sub-par. The handle was responding to a question as to why the notebook didn't come with AMD Radeon graphics options. Facebook users were quick to torch the MSI handle with a flame-war, and MSI corporate redacted the post stating "We apologize for making an inappropriate comment. It did not represent MSI's official views."
In one of its regional Facebook pages, an official Facebook page customer response handle was seen openly stating "NVIDIA currently are ahead in the GPU experience," (keyword being "experience" and not performance), suggesting that its competition is sub-par. The handle was responding to a question as to why the notebook didn't come with AMD Radeon graphics options. Facebook users were quick to torch the MSI handle with a flame-war, and MSI corporate redacted the post stating "We apologize for making an inappropriate comment. It did not represent MSI's official views."
Koolance Intros CPU-400 series Water Blocks
Koolance rolled out the CPU-400 series CPU water blocks. The blocks are available in two main variants - the CPU-400I for Intel sockets LGA2066, LGA2011(v3), and LGA115x; and the CPU-400A for AMD sockets AM4, AM3(+), and FM2(+). The primary material is nickel-plated copper, with a mirror finish at the base. The top is made of POM acetal. According to its maker, the block's "standard G 1/4 BSPP threading will accept any Koolance fitting diameter up to 19 mm (3/4 in) OD compression style." The block weighs about 230 g. Available now, both the CPU-400I and the CPU-400A are priced at USD $89.99.
Sunday, March 25th 2018
Today's Reviews
Keyboards
Speakers
ASUS Intros VG258Q 25-inch Ultra Fast Gaming Monitor
ASUS introduced the VG258Q, a relatively cost-effective 25-inch gaming-grade monitor. Its Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution is nothing to write home about, but the 144 Hz refresh-rate, 1 ms response time (gray to gray), ASUS Extreme Low Motion Blur (TV-type stutter compensation feature), and support for AMD FreeSync technology, and TUV Rheinland-certified flicker-free LED back-lighting, could pique your interest. Other vital specs include a TN-film panel, 400 cd/m² maximum brightness, dynamic mega-contrast ratio, and ASUS GamePlus enhancements, which include presets specific to game genres, OSD crosshair, frame-rate counters, etc. Display inputs include DisplayPort 1.2a (needed for FreeSync), HDMI 1.4, and dual-link DVI-D. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Compulab Intros Mintbox Mini 2 PC based on Linux Mint
Compulab rolled out the Mintbox Mini 2, a smaller version of the Mintbox 2 the company rolled out way back in 2013. The Mintbox Mini 2 is based almost entirely on the Compulab Fitlet 2 mini-PC, but with Linux Mint with all device drivers pre-installed, and some exclusive branding. This box is based on the slightly older Intel Celeron J3455 SoC with embedded Intel HD Graphics 500 (and not the latest Celeron J4005). It's still claimed to be close to twice as fast as the AMD A4-6400T-based original. Besides the SoC, the storage specs appear to be identical - 4 GB RAM, 64 GB storage, but there are improvements on some fronts - dual-band 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2 WLAN (as opposed to 802.11 b/g/n on the original), and two wired GbE interfaces instead of just one. The Mintbox Mini 2 is priced at USD $299, just $4 more than the original Mintbox Mini, but a staggering $146 higher than the Fitlet 2. This is not because of the OS, but pre-installed RAM, storage, and WLAN module.
Intel H370 and H310 Chipset Motherboards Hit Shelves in Thailand
Ahead of their launch, motherboards based on Intel's cheaper H370 Express and H310 Express chipsets, hit the shelves in brick-and-mortar PC hardware stores in Thailand. Numerous pictures of ASRock-branded H370 and H310 motherboard models, namely the H370 Pro4, and the H310-HDV; GIGABYTE-branded Aorus H370 Gaming 3, and ASUS Prime H370-A, were posted to social media by PC buyers. Between March-April, Intel plans to launch cheaper H370 Express, B360 Express, and H310 Express chipsets, alongside newer Core i3 and Core i5 "Coffee Lake" quad-core and six-core SKUs; besides Pentium Gold and Celeron dual-core chips based on the silicon. The cheaper motherboards are expected to bring down the overall platform costs of 8th generation Core processors, which now require you to front over $100 on motherboards based on the expensive Z370 chipset. As with several generations of Intel chipset before it, cheaper chipsets lose out on key features such as CPU overclocking and NVIDIA SLI support.
AMD Ryzen 7 "2800X" Not Part of First Wave
AMD is preparing to launch its first wave of 12 nm Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors in April, with possible availability on the 19th. From all of the materials leaked to the web, it's becoming clear that the Ryzen 7 2700X will be the company's next flagship socket AM4 processor, with a "2800X" not being part of the first wave of "Pinnacle Ridge" chips. Adding further to the theory of the first wave of "Pinnacle Ridge" chips being led by the 2700X, is the leaked cover of the next issue of print magazine CanardPC, which screams "2700X," and includes a roundup of second-generation Ryzen parts from 2200G all the way through the 2700X. The 2700X, besides process and minor architectural refinements, also features higher clocks than the current company flagship in the segment, the Ryzen 7 1800X. It's clocked at 3.70 GHz base, with 4.35 GHz boost, and XFR 2.0 driving the clocks up even further, compared to the 3.60/4.00/4.20 GHz (base/boost/max-XFR) of the 1800X. For this reason alone, the 2700X will be a faster part.
AMD has the advantage of having sized up Intel's Core i7-8700K before deciding to lead with the 2700X. The possible 2800X will depend on Intel's short-term response to the 2700X. There were rumors late last year of a possible speed-bumped "Core i7-8720K." AMD's first wave of Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" will be as brisk as Intel's first "Coffee Lake" desktop processors, with just four SKUs - the Ryzen 7 2700X, the Ryzen 7 2700, the Ryzen 5 2600X, and the Ryzen 5 2600. Besides higher clocks, the chips could feature a minor IPC uplift (vs. first-generation "Summit Ridge") thanks to rumored faster (lower-latency) caches, support for higher memory clocks, updated Precision Boost algorithms, and XFR 2.0.
AMD has the advantage of having sized up Intel's Core i7-8700K before deciding to lead with the 2700X. The possible 2800X will depend on Intel's short-term response to the 2700X. There were rumors late last year of a possible speed-bumped "Core i7-8720K." AMD's first wave of Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" will be as brisk as Intel's first "Coffee Lake" desktop processors, with just four SKUs - the Ryzen 7 2700X, the Ryzen 7 2700, the Ryzen 5 2600X, and the Ryzen 5 2600. Besides higher clocks, the chips could feature a minor IPC uplift (vs. first-generation "Summit Ridge") thanks to rumored faster (lower-latency) caches, support for higher memory clocks, updated Precision Boost algorithms, and XFR 2.0.
Friday, March 23rd 2018
Today's Reviews
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Keyboards
Motherboards
Notebooks
Processors
Speakers
SSD
ASRock X299 PROFESSIONAL GAMING i9 XE Review
ASRock's updated X299 boards are here! First up we've got the ASRock X299 PROFESSIONAL GAMING i9 XE motherboard built with a beefy power section ready for pushing Intel's HCC (High Core Count) i9 CPUs, including the i9-7980XE. Aquantia 10G LAN and 5G Wi-Fi are both here too.
NVIDIA Sneaks Less Powerful GeForce MX150 Variant Into Ultrabooks
NVIDIA quietly launched the GeForce MX150 mobile GPU in May of last year. The team at Notebookcheck discovered that there are actually two variants of the GeForce MX150 in the wild - the standard 1D10 variant and the much slower 1D12 variant. Normally, this wouldn't raise any alarms. However, neither NVIDIA or the manufacturer distinguish the two variants from each other. Buyers who purchase an ultrabook or notebook with a GeForce MX150 are basically playing the lottery. They have no idea which variant is inside the product until they run an utility like GPU-Z to find out. But just how significant is the performance difference between the two variants? Let's look at Notebookcheck's findings.
Starting with the GeForce MX150's specifications, the standard 1D10 variant has a 1469 MHz core clock, 1532 MHz boost clock, and 1502 MHz memory clock. Notebookcheck first saw this variant in the MSI PL62 and Asus Zenbook UX430UN. They later discovered the underclocked 1D12 variant in the Lenovo IdeaPad 320S, ZenBook 13 UX331UN, Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3, HP Envy 13, and ZenBook UX331UA notebooks. The 1D12 variant has a 937 MHz core clock, 1038 MHz boost clock, and 1253 MHZ memory clock. Right off the bat, that's a 36 percent reduction in the core clock alone. According to the 3DMark and 3DMark 11 tests, consumers can expect anywhere from a 20 to 25 percent performance hit with the less powerful variant. The charts don't lie. Of the 13 notebooks tested by Notebookcheck, the five models equipped with the 1D12 variant of the GeForce MX150 are at the bottom of the list. Nvidia's move to sneak the 1D12 variant into thin and light notebooks was probably to meet the 10W TDP envelope as opposed to the original variant's 25W. Luckily, the 1D12 variant has only appeared in 13-inch notebooks.
Starting with the GeForce MX150's specifications, the standard 1D10 variant has a 1469 MHz core clock, 1532 MHz boost clock, and 1502 MHz memory clock. Notebookcheck first saw this variant in the MSI PL62 and Asus Zenbook UX430UN. They later discovered the underclocked 1D12 variant in the Lenovo IdeaPad 320S, ZenBook 13 UX331UN, Xiaomi Mi Notebook Air 13.3, HP Envy 13, and ZenBook UX331UA notebooks. The 1D12 variant has a 937 MHz core clock, 1038 MHz boost clock, and 1253 MHZ memory clock. Right off the bat, that's a 36 percent reduction in the core clock alone. According to the 3DMark and 3DMark 11 tests, consumers can expect anywhere from a 20 to 25 percent performance hit with the less powerful variant. The charts don't lie. Of the 13 notebooks tested by Notebookcheck, the five models equipped with the 1D12 variant of the GeForce MX150 are at the bottom of the list. Nvidia's move to sneak the 1D12 variant into thin and light notebooks was probably to meet the 10W TDP envelope as opposed to the original variant's 25W. Luckily, the 1D12 variant has only appeared in 13-inch notebooks.
GIGABYTE Announces ThunderXStation: Industry's First 64-bit ARMv8 Workstation
GIGABYTE Technology, an industry leader in high-performance servers, graphics and gaming platforms with a broad portfolio of workstation products, and Cavium, Inc., a leading provider of semiconductor products for enterprise, data center, cloud, wired and wireless networking, today announced the availability of ThunderXStation: the industry's first 64-bit Armv8 workstation platform based on Cavium's flagship ThunderX2 processor.
Workstations are standalone platforms with high performance CPUs, lots of memory and excellent graphics capabilities, widely used for advanced software development. ThunderXStation integrates dual socket ThunderX2 motherboard in a 4U tower suitable for office environments. Arm has a very strong ecosystem with millions of developers and is the processor of choice for a variety of verticals such as mobile, embedded and IoT. Arm software developers currently utilize binary translators and cross compilers resulting in increased development and debug cycles. By delivering native performance and eliminating the need for cross compilers, ThunderXStation simplifies software development for Arm and significantly improves time to solution delivery.
Workstations are standalone platforms with high performance CPUs, lots of memory and excellent graphics capabilities, widely used for advanced software development. ThunderXStation integrates dual socket ThunderX2 motherboard in a 4U tower suitable for office environments. Arm has a very strong ecosystem with millions of developers and is the processor of choice for a variety of verticals such as mobile, embedded and IoT. Arm software developers currently utilize binary translators and cross compilers resulting in increased development and debug cycles. By delivering native performance and eliminating the need for cross compilers, ThunderXStation simplifies software development for Arm and significantly improves time to solution delivery.
European Comission Fines Capacitor Producers In €254 Million Over Cartel Fraud
The European Comission has put out yet another fine to tech companies, joining some other multi-million dollar fines that have already been dolled out. The targets of the latest fine over cartel association and price manipulation is being pointed at nine Japanese capacitor manufacturers, which were found by the European Comission to have conspired towards unduly increasing capacitor pricing between the years of 1998 and 2012.
The companies named in the investigation aren't an exact match to those that were actually fined, though. Sanyo, Hitachi, Rubycon, ELNA, Tokin, NEC, Matsuo, Nichicon, Nippon Chemi-Con, Vishay Polytech, Holy Stone Holdings, and Holy Stone Enterprises, for instance, were named. However, Tokin, Elna, Rubycon, and Hitachi each received reductions in their respective fines for cooperating with the investigation. The largest single fine, totalling €97,921,000, was given to Nippon Chemi-Con. Sanyo, however, outsmarted all its competitors - the company dodged the fine altogether for bringing the matter to the attention of the Commission in the first place. This is an interesting tactic - proceeding to take part in a cartel, extract profits, and then turn over the cartel associates to regulating bodies at the price of immunity. A part of the ruling justifying the fines can be seen after the break.
The companies named in the investigation aren't an exact match to those that were actually fined, though. Sanyo, Hitachi, Rubycon, ELNA, Tokin, NEC, Matsuo, Nichicon, Nippon Chemi-Con, Vishay Polytech, Holy Stone Holdings, and Holy Stone Enterprises, for instance, were named. However, Tokin, Elna, Rubycon, and Hitachi each received reductions in their respective fines for cooperating with the investigation. The largest single fine, totalling €97,921,000, was given to Nippon Chemi-Con. Sanyo, however, outsmarted all its competitors - the company dodged the fine altogether for bringing the matter to the attention of the Commission in the first place. This is an interesting tactic - proceeding to take part in a cartel, extract profits, and then turn over the cartel associates to regulating bodies at the price of immunity. A part of the ruling justifying the fines can be seen after the break.
Humble Bundle Giving Away Free Copies of F1 2015
For the next 25 hours, Humble Bundle is offering Codemasters' F1 2015 racing title for free. Head over to their store to get your free copy now. If you don't have a Humble Bundle account already, registration is quick and easy. Then all you need to do is add the game to your cart and check out. Humble Bundle will send you an email with the product key to activate F1 2015 on your Steam account. Happy racing!
SteelSeries and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Announce Exclusive Partnership
Today, SteelSeries is proud to announce its official partnership with leading battle royale game, PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS (PUBG). With the announcement of the partnership, SteelSeries is announcing a PUBG QcK+ mousepad, with additional PUBG-branded peripherals and accessories coming later this summer. Today, SteelSeries and PUBG will also kick off the one-year Anniversary Celebration with a global campaign, giving away tons of SteelSeries gear as well as PUBG swag, codes and more.
"This partnership signals the coming of incredible products, meaningful integrations along with creative activities among the PUBG influencer and streamer communities," said SteelSeries CEO, Ehtisham Rabbani. "Together our brands are creating an opportunity for the battle royal community to connect their PUBG obsession with premium gear that is both innovative and designed for competitive esports."
"This partnership signals the coming of incredible products, meaningful integrations along with creative activities among the PUBG influencer and streamer communities," said SteelSeries CEO, Ehtisham Rabbani. "Together our brands are creating an opportunity for the battle royal community to connect their PUBG obsession with premium gear that is both innovative and designed for competitive esports."
Antec Launches the P6: Micro-ATX Chassis Featuring Glass Panel, Logo Projector
Antec Inc., a leading provider of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself market, presents the latest mid tower of their award-winning Antec Performance Series: the Antec P6. The case is now commercially available from 59€ (suggested retail price including VAT).
Light It Up
The latest addition to Antec's renowned Performance Series offers a smooth and streamlined appearance - ideal for a versatile micro-ATX build that fits every environment. The compact powerhouse measures 470mm x 200mm x 405mm (DxWxH) and is compatible with micro-ATX and ITX motherboards. The P6 supports VGA cards with a length of up to 390 mm and features a built-in LED logo projector to highlight the desktop set-up. The 4 mm tempered glass side panel makes it easy to show off the build.
Light It Up
The latest addition to Antec's renowned Performance Series offers a smooth and streamlined appearance - ideal for a versatile micro-ATX build that fits every environment. The compact powerhouse measures 470mm x 200mm x 405mm (DxWxH) and is compatible with micro-ATX and ITX motherboards. The P6 supports VGA cards with a length of up to 390 mm and features a built-in LED logo projector to highlight the desktop set-up. The 4 mm tempered glass side panel makes it easy to show off the build.
EPIC Games Shows off Homonymous Raytracing Proof of Concept Videos
EPIC delivered their "The State of Unreal" presentation at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco this week (which had a great deal much time devoted to raytracing technologies). EPIC Games has been at the forefront of graphics development for some years now. Their engines (alongside a few other key players in the industry) routinely push the boundaries of graphical fidelity. And naturally, something would be amiss if they weren't jumping on the raytracing bandwagon as well with some of the most impressive proof of concept videos I've ever seen in real-time generated graphics. The company took their time, then, to unveil their artistic interpretations of real-time ray tracing, motion capture and real-time facial animation mapping. Cue many videos, after the break.
Thermaltake Launches Pacific CL Series Copper Radiators
Thermaltake, a leading brand in PC cooling solutions, today released the latest copper radiator lineup - Pacific CL360, Pacific CL420 and Pacific CL480. Available in 360mm, 420mm and 480mm, the Pacific CL Series utilizes an extremely thick radiator with a high-density copper fin design and brass tank to assure the best cooling capacity. The radiators are lighter and more durable than most copper radiators on the market thanks to the stainless steel made side panels that guarantee durability as well as reduce the weight. The integrated G1/4" threads are optimized for easy installation while rigid connections ensure leak-resistant measures are in place. With an ideal mounting, fitting and flow set-up, the radiators meet your cooling needs in every way!
Thursday, March 22nd 2018
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Harddisks
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Mouse
Networking
SSD
CORSAIR K63 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review
CORSAIR joins the higher-end wireless keyboard market with the K63 Wireless, a TKL mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Red switches, configurable blue backlight, a reliable and powerful software driver, and fast wireless response times despite the industry standard encryption that has been built in for security. At $110, it aims to provide convenience, features, and performance without breaking the bank.
Mushkin Announces New "Source" SSD Product Line
Mushkin Enhanced MFG, an industry-leading designer and manufacturer of high-performance computer products, is announcing the Mushkin Source Series, a new line of solid state drives (SSDs) for the retail, e-tail, system integrator, and channel markets. The Source Series features a powerful, yet cost-effective design suitable for a wide-range of applications.
"The market has never been more ready for SSDs," says Brian Flood, Director of Product Development for Mushkin Enhanced MFG. "With the ultimate balance of value, capacity, and performance, the Source Series leverages all of the great benefits expected from an SSD without breaking the bank."
"The market has never been more ready for SSDs," says Brian Flood, Director of Product Development for Mushkin Enhanced MFG. "With the ultimate balance of value, capacity, and performance, the Source Series leverages all of the great benefits expected from an SSD without breaking the bank."
AMD Announces Radeon Rays and Radeon GPU Profiler 1.2 at GDC 2018
AMD announced at GDC widened support for Radeon Rays with Unity Lightmapper. Its open-source, high efficiency, high performance GPU-accelerated ray tracing software helps game developers to achieve higher visual quality and stunningly photorealistic 3D images in real-time. Radeon ProRender now supports real-time GPU acceleration of ray tracing techniques mixed with traditional rasterization-based rendering, to combine the value of ray tracing with the interactivity of rasterization.
For gaming, ray tracing is in its early stages. For professional applications, however, real-time ray tracing is a well-established rendering technique. Today, AMD is announcing ProRender support for real-time GPU acceleration of ray tracing techniques mixed with traditional rasterization based rendering. Now built on Vulkan, ProRender is continuing to enable developers to deliver interactive photorealistic graphics. We are actively engaging with professional developers to make real-time visualization a reality.
For gaming, ray tracing is in its early stages. For professional applications, however, real-time ray tracing is a well-established rendering technique. Today, AMD is announcing ProRender support for real-time GPU acceleration of ray tracing techniques mixed with traditional rasterization based rendering. Now built on Vulkan, ProRender is continuing to enable developers to deliver interactive photorealistic graphics. We are actively engaging with professional developers to make real-time visualization a reality.
Hitman Episode 2: Sapienza Free Until April 3
IO Interactive just released the Hitman Spring Pack on PC, PS4, and Xbox One. Players can redeem it for free starting from today until April 3. The Hitman Spring Pack includes the Sapienza location, which is basically Episode 2 of the six-episode saga. Apart from the story mission, players will also get access to the prequel, which includes two story missions, and other features. If you decide to purchase the full game later on, your progress will carry over without hiccups. PC owners can add the Hitman Spring Pack to their Steam library over at the game's Steam page. If you already own Episode 1 from the December giveaway, you might run into some problems when trying to redeem Episode 2. In that case, you can go to SteamDB and click the Free button to add Episode 2 to your Steam library.
Logic Supply Launches CL200 Apollo Lake-Powered Mini-PCs
Global computer hardware manufacturer Logic Supply has unveiled their CL200 Ultra Small Form Factor computer (www.logicsupply.com/cl200), built to power innovation at the network's edge. Surrounded by an ultra-durable cast aluminum enclosure, and configurable with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and 4G connectivity, the CL200 has been engineered to bring reliability to the Internet of Things.
"IoT and Edge projects require flexibility, connectivity and dependability," said Logic Supply Director of Engineering Michael Kleiner. "The CL200 is our smallest fanless system ever, and represents the next generation of IoT computing by combining connection flexibility and efficient performance in an affordable, highly-reliable platform."
"IoT and Edge projects require flexibility, connectivity and dependability," said Logic Supply Director of Engineering Michael Kleiner. "The CL200 is our smallest fanless system ever, and represents the next generation of IoT computing by combining connection flexibility and efficient performance in an affordable, highly-reliable platform."
PowerColor Announces the Red Dragon RX Vega 56
TUL has introduced the newest PowerColor Red Dragon RX Vega 56 8GB HBM2. This card complements the already successful Red Devil Vega cards offering a more valuable solution in an environment of rising prices without compromising performance, reliability, or cooling performance.
This card has a shorter PCB, mainly due to cooling efficiency. The Devil series has a much larger Cooling, which works amazingly well, but TUL wanted to have something more affordable yet having an extremely efficient cooling ability, which shortening the PCB helped to balance the lower cooling wattage dissipation compared to Devil card. In their testing, this card is the quietest card they've ever manage for Vega. It is powered by AMD's gaming VEGA architecture offering the blazing performance at the highest resolutions with uncompromised graphic details. PowerColor Red Dragon RX VEGA 56 features a GPU boost clock of 1478Mhz while clocking at 800Mhz on 8Gb 2048Bit of ultra energy efficient HBM2 memory.
This card has a shorter PCB, mainly due to cooling efficiency. The Devil series has a much larger Cooling, which works amazingly well, but TUL wanted to have something more affordable yet having an extremely efficient cooling ability, which shortening the PCB helped to balance the lower cooling wattage dissipation compared to Devil card. In their testing, this card is the quietest card they've ever manage for Vega. It is powered by AMD's gaming VEGA architecture offering the blazing performance at the highest resolutions with uncompromised graphic details. PowerColor Red Dragon RX VEGA 56 features a GPU boost clock of 1478Mhz while clocking at 800Mhz on 8Gb 2048Bit of ultra energy efficient HBM2 memory.
Corsair Launches 2018 Edition Hydro Series H60 Liquid CPU Cooler
Corsair today announced a new addition to its bestselling Hydro Series liquid CPU coolers, the Hydro Series H60, the H60 offers all the Hydro Series essentials to keep your CPU running fast, cool and quiet.
Fully updated for 2018, the new H60's 120mm radiator and multi-CPU socket mounting make it the ideal choice for those stepping up to liquid cooling for the first time, easily fitting into almost any enthusiast case to deliver performance CPU cooling. Finished with distinguished styling and ready to cool today's demanding processors, the H60 offers all the Hydro Series essentials to keep your CPU running fast, cool and quiet. Sharing the same next-generation Hydro Series design as the award-winning Hydro Series H150i PRO and H115i PRO, the H60's pump cap is LED backlit in white to add a touch of brilliance to your system. Inside, the H60's thermally optimized cold plate and low-noise pump efficiently transfer heat away from the CPU to be exhausted by the radiator and quickly expelled from the case.
Fully updated for 2018, the new H60's 120mm radiator and multi-CPU socket mounting make it the ideal choice for those stepping up to liquid cooling for the first time, easily fitting into almost any enthusiast case to deliver performance CPU cooling. Finished with distinguished styling and ready to cool today's demanding processors, the H60 offers all the Hydro Series essentials to keep your CPU running fast, cool and quiet. Sharing the same next-generation Hydro Series design as the award-winning Hydro Series H150i PRO and H115i PRO, the H60's pump cap is LED backlit in white to add a touch of brilliance to your system. Inside, the H60's thermally optimized cold plate and low-noise pump efficiently transfer heat away from the CPU to be exhausted by the radiator and quickly expelled from the case.
NVIDIA Expects Partners to Release 4K, 144 Hz G-Sync Displays With HDR in April
Reports have started doing the rounds that users might finally see NVIDIA's dream for 4K, 144 Hz gaming come to fruition as early as next month. NVIDIA's approach towards establishing a platform of a premium 4K gaming experience meant that manufacturers - of which ASUS and Acer are two of the foremost examples for this story - were forced to opt for a single panel solution, based on AU Optronics' M270QAN02.2 AHVA panel. This is because NVIDIA wanted gamers to be treated to a fully integrated solution, that boasted of features such as 3840×2160 resolution, a 144 Hz refresh rate, a 1000-nits brightness, a direct LED backlighting system with 384 zones, and feature a quantum dot film to enable HDR10 and coverage of the DCI-P3 color gamut.
However, with such stringent requirements, NVIDIA monitor partners would have to accept what constraints might arise from the panel manufacturer's side of the equation, which ultimately, resulted in a delay for the manufacturer's models - Acer Predator X27 and ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ - from a 2017 release date to what is now expected to be a firm, April 2018 one. Gamers might thus be in for the impending release of some of the best monitors in the industry when it comes to a premium, high refresh-rate gaming experience. Now, where are those mainstream OLED panels with at least 900 nits brightness I wanted to get my hands on?
However, with such stringent requirements, NVIDIA monitor partners would have to accept what constraints might arise from the panel manufacturer's side of the equation, which ultimately, resulted in a delay for the manufacturer's models - Acer Predator X27 and ASUS ROG Swift PG27UQ - from a 2017 release date to what is now expected to be a firm, April 2018 one. Gamers might thus be in for the impending release of some of the best monitors in the industry when it comes to a premium, high refresh-rate gaming experience. Now, where are those mainstream OLED panels with at least 900 nits brightness I wanted to get my hands on?
Intel Previews True Optane M.2 SSD Geared for Enterprise
At the Open Compute project Summit, Intel previewed their upcoming Optane SSD DC P4801X, the company's true M.2, Optane-based SSD for enterprise deployments. Intel has managed to reduce the footprint for their flagship, U.2 form-factor Optane SSD DC P4800X, while increasing the available NAND capacity from their current caching solutions (800p and 900p Optane SSDs).
The new, upcoming M.2 SSD's controller features a 7-channel architecture to improve performance as much as possible, deployed in 375 GB drives, through use of seven quad-die packages of 3D XPoint memory. For the moment, there are no pricing or performance metrics to be talked about. However, this solution marks the first in a general consumer-available form-factor, and could be prototyped for a future, mainstream-hitting Optane SSD.
The new, upcoming M.2 SSD's controller features a 7-channel architecture to improve performance as much as possible, deployed in 375 GB drives, through use of seven quad-die packages of 3D XPoint memory. For the moment, there are no pricing or performance metrics to be talked about. However, this solution marks the first in a general consumer-available form-factor, and could be prototyped for a future, mainstream-hitting Optane SSD.
4A Games' Metro Exodus to be First AAA Game to Feature NVIDIA's RTX Technology
After the world was introduced to the Microsoft and NVIDIA partnership to bring real time raytracing solutions to DirectX 12 via NVIDIA's RTX initiative, we now have confirmation of what is expected to be the first game studio - and AAA game experience - to feature the technology. In a post from their official Twitter account, 4A Games has announced that they are collaborating with NVIDIA to bring RTX's effects to their upcoming Metro: Exodus open-world video game.
The company further warned users to keep at attention towards the impending release of a proof of concept video to be released during GDC. 4A Games is one of those companies that has been delivering incredible experiences through and through, and has already dabbled with NVIDIA's technologies in the past (particularly with their first game, Metro 2033). Here's hoping that AMD can work its drivers into great performance levels in supporting this DX12 technology on their graphics cards as well.
The company further warned users to keep at attention towards the impending release of a proof of concept video to be released during GDC. 4A Games is one of those companies that has been delivering incredible experiences through and through, and has already dabbled with NVIDIA's technologies in the past (particularly with their first game, Metro 2033). Here's hoping that AMD can work its drivers into great performance levels in supporting this DX12 technology on their graphics cards as well.
ADATA XPG launches the Gaming SX8200 PCIe M.2 2280 SSD
ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash products, today launched the XPG SX8200, its fastest consumer SSD to date. It arrives in a compact M.2 2280 form factor and uses the ultra-fast PCIe3x4 interface to deliver up to 3200MB/s read and 1700MB/s write - which is perfect for gamers, overclockers, and PC DIY enthusiasts in pursuit of unsurpassed performance! SX8200 employs the latest 2nd generation 64-layer 3D NAND Flash for improved reliability and ships in capacities of 240GB, 480GB, and 960GB.
Wednesday, March 21st 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Networking
GeIL Super Luce RGB SYNC Gaming Memory Now Supports Most Motherboard Lighting Control Apps
One of the world's premier PC components and peripheral device manufacturers, GeIL, has announced that their popular Super Luce RGB Sync Gaming Memory Series now perfectly supports the ASUS AURA lighting control app allowing users to enjoy the seamless RGB lighting effects from the motherboard, RGB light strips, and the memory all in perfect synchronization. Super Luce RGB Sync Gaming Memory also supports GIGABYTE Fusion and MSI Mystic Light on selected motherboards.
"GeIL is a pioneer in the computer component and peripheral industry, and the company's team is proud to announce the streamlined functionality of their Super Luce RGB Sync Gaming Memory system. This highly anticipated platform offers gamers the lighting capabilities they demand," Said Jennifer Huang, VP of Global Sales and Marketing.
"GeIL is a pioneer in the computer component and peripheral industry, and the company's team is proud to announce the streamlined functionality of their Super Luce RGB Sync Gaming Memory system. This highly anticipated platform offers gamers the lighting capabilities they demand," Said Jennifer Huang, VP of Global Sales and Marketing.
Ubisoft Manages to Fight Off Vivendi's Hostile Takeover Attempt
Adding to today's Ubisoft-related news, a report via Polygon has placed the company as having finally bested Vivendi's hostile takeover attempt. if you'll recall, this is an on-again, off-again "love" affair from Vivendi towards Ubisoft, and was based on the fact that vivendi controlled the biggest stake in Ubisoft shares than any other shareholder, at 27.27%.
I say was, because Vivendi's share of Ubisoft is being divested by the former, following a deal that was signed between Vivendi and Ubisoft. The way this was done was as follows: Ubisoft itself is buying back as much as 8.1% of its shares from Vivendi from 2019 through 2021. Guillemot Brothers SE - which represents Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family - is buying an extra 2.7% of the company in a cash transaction with Vivendi. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan - an independent organization that administers pensions for about 318,000 teachers in Canada - is acquiring a 3.4% stake, and Tencent (the Shenzhen, China-based company that is the world's largest gaming company by revenue) is buying an additional 5% of the company.
I say was, because Vivendi's share of Ubisoft is being divested by the former, following a deal that was signed between Vivendi and Ubisoft. The way this was done was as follows: Ubisoft itself is buying back as much as 8.1% of its shares from Vivendi from 2019 through 2021. Guillemot Brothers SE - which represents Ubisoft's founding Guillemot family - is buying an extra 2.7% of the company in a cash transaction with Vivendi. The Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan - an independent organization that administers pensions for about 318,000 teachers in Canada - is acquiring a 3.4% stake, and Tencent (the Shenzhen, China-based company that is the world's largest gaming company by revenue) is buying an additional 5% of the company.
CTS-Labs Posts Ryzen Windows Credential Guard Bypass Proof-of-concept Video
CTS-Labs, following up on Tuesday's "Masterkey" exploit proof-of-concept video, posted a guide to bypassing Windows Credential Guard on an AMD Ryzen-powered machine. We once again begin in a privileged shell session, of an AMD-powered machine whose Secure Processor that has been compromised using admin privileges, by exploiting it using any of the 13 vulnerabilities chronicled by CTS-Labs. Mimikatz, a tool that is used by hackers to steal network credentials, should normally not work on a machine with Windows Credential Guard enabled. Using a modified version of Mimikatz, the CTS-Labs researchers are able to bypass Windows Credential Guard (which relies on hardware-level security features present on the processor), leveraging the AMD Secure Processor malware microcode they wrote.
The proof-of-concept video follows.
Ubisoft Welcomes Spring with Special Sale
Ubisoft is holding a special Spring sale over at their Ubi Store. The French video game publisher is offering discounts up to 75% on some of their games, DLCs, and other merchandise including clothing and collectibles. Titles from the Assassin's Creed, Tom Clancy, Far Cry, Splinter Cell, and Watch Dog franchises carry some juicy discounts. Some might find the Assassin's Creed Origins deal quite tempting as the game is currently at half-price. The Ubisoft Spring Sale isn't exclusive to the PC crowd. Console owners can get in on the fun as well. The majority of the discounts should be valid worldwide, although some might be restricted to certain regions. Here are a few of our recommendations.
CD Projekt Red Opens Wroclaw Studio to Help Develop Cyberpunk 2077
Located in the city of Wrocław, south-western Poland, the new studio will join forces with CD PROJEKT RED Warsaw and Cracow, and bolster development of Cyberpunk 2077 - the upcoming futuristic AAA role-playing game.
"Wrocław is one of the biggest and most technologically advanced cities in Poland and a playing field for serious creative talent. I think the scope of our current and future projects, as well as the overall package we're bringing in, will pull in people who were hesitant to move to Warsaw or Cracow." - says Adam Kiciński, President and Joint CEO, CD PROJEKT Capital Group. "The founding dev team of CDPR Wrocław is already pretty stellar, but I still can't wait to see what talents we'll discover in new people along the way." - Kiciński adds.
"Wrocław is one of the biggest and most technologically advanced cities in Poland and a playing field for serious creative talent. I think the scope of our current and future projects, as well as the overall package we're bringing in, will pull in people who were hesitant to move to Warsaw or Cracow." - says Adam Kiciński, President and Joint CEO, CD PROJEKT Capital Group. "The founding dev team of CDPR Wrocław is already pretty stellar, but I still can't wait to see what talents we'll discover in new people along the way." - Kiciński adds.
Experience High-Fidelity Gaming Audio with Sennheiser's New GSP 500 Gaming Headphones
Gamers want to be completely immersed in their game, where everything fades into the background and the world of the game becomes reality. For those chasing this ultimate thrill, Sennheiser has created the new GSP 500. The newest addition to the audio specialist's acclaimed gaming range, the new open acoustic headset is so comfortable that you barely notice wearing it, while its incredibly realistic, natural sound places you at the heart of the action. With improved ergonomics, microphone performance and exceptional durability, the GSP 500 ensures a brilliantly enjoyable gaming experience.
The GSP 500 features a new, improved open speaker system designed and manufactured by Sennheiser that delivers a natural sound performance, balancing excellent clarity with an enhanced low frequency response that adds excitement to the gaming audio. Specially positioned speakers within the ear cups channel the sound directly into the ears to ensure the best possible spatial representation and awareness of the gaming environment.
The GSP 500 features a new, improved open speaker system designed and manufactured by Sennheiser that delivers a natural sound performance, balancing excellent clarity with an enhanced low frequency response that adds excitement to the gaming audio. Specially positioned speakers within the ear cups channel the sound directly into the ears to ensure the best possible spatial representation and awareness of the gaming environment.
QSAN Introduces Three New Members of the XCubeNAS XN5000 Series
Today, QSAN Technology Inc. launched three new members of the XCubeNAS XN5000 Series: The XCubeNAS XN5008T, XN5008R, and XN5012R. These powerful and highly capable rackmount and tower servers provide businesses with fast data processing speeds and the option to scale data storage capacity as their business grows.
"These three new additions to the XN5000 Series offer SMB's and small enterprises the perfect high-performance, secure data storage solution," said Peggy Weng, NAS Product Manager at QSAN. "They provide premium comprehensive data protection and business services such as WORM, SED support, and multiple virtualization and data backup applications," added Weng.
"These three new additions to the XN5000 Series offer SMB's and small enterprises the perfect high-performance, secure data storage solution," said Peggy Weng, NAS Product Manager at QSAN. "They provide premium comprehensive data protection and business services such as WORM, SED support, and multiple virtualization and data backup applications," added Weng.
Seagate Unveils the 14TB Helium-Based Exos X14 Enterprise Hard Drive
Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ: STX), a world leader in data storage solutions, today unveiled its 14TB helium-based ExosTM X14 enterprise drive at the OCP U.S. Summit 2018 in San Jose, Calif. The Seagate Exos X14 delivers high performance and greater capacity for hyperscale data centers looking to efficiently and cost-effectively manage increasing amounts of data.
Enterprises across the globe face the daunting challenge of managing a massive increase in data volume as the world is expected to create 163 zettabytes of data in 2025, according to a study by analyst firm IDC and sponsored by Seagate. As the need for hyperscale and cloud storage rises to unprecedented levels, Seagate's Exos X14 hard drive is a direct response to customer demand for increased enterprise storage capacity and efficiency.
Enterprises across the globe face the daunting challenge of managing a massive increase in data volume as the world is expected to create 163 zettabytes of data in 2025, according to a study by analyst firm IDC and sponsored by Seagate. As the need for hyperscale and cloud storage rises to unprecedented levels, Seagate's Exos X14 hard drive is a direct response to customer demand for increased enterprise storage capacity and efficiency.
Crytek Reveals New CRYENGINE Royalty-Based User Model
Crytek has announced a new 5% royalty-based model for CRYENGINE, alongside a range of improvements, enhancements, new learning offerings, and full access to the editor source code. Developers around the world now have complete, uninhibited, and easy access to the power of CRYENGINE, and the opportunity to have their expertise with the engine recognized.
Creators who release games using CRYENGINE V will find development faster and easier than ever before and incur costs only after $5,000 is raised in revenue. An enterprise tier will also be introduced for custom support packages and royalty buyouts. Developers currently developing on CRYENGINE 5.0-5.4 can apply for a royalty exemption if they wish to stay on the current version and not take advantage of access to the editor source code. For more information, consult the CRYENGINE FAQ pages.
Creators who release games using CRYENGINE V will find development faster and easier than ever before and incur costs only after $5,000 is raised in revenue. An enterprise tier will also be introduced for custom support packages and royalty buyouts. Developers currently developing on CRYENGINE 5.0-5.4 can apply for a royalty exemption if they wish to stay on the current version and not take advantage of access to the editor source code. For more information, consult the CRYENGINE FAQ pages.
Fortigis Introduces Their Ultimate AI-Driven Security Router
Fortigis Inc., today announced the launch of Fortigis, a cloud-enabled privacy & security wireless Virtual Private Network (VPN) router that patrols and controls who connects to a user's Wi-Fi network. The Indiegogo campaign for Fortigis, which is being managed by the Launchpad Agency, has a funding goal of $50,000 USD, and features limited Super Early Bird Specials of $199 as well as several other rewards for backers.
Fortigis uses a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to provide users online privacy and anonymity by creating a secure and private network. The secure connection encrypts all of the user's incoming and outgoing web traffic so no one can trace their online activity, protecting them against identity theft, ad targeting and having their online transactions such as online shopping or banking hijacked.
Fortigis uses a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to provide users online privacy and anonymity by creating a secure and private network. The secure connection encrypts all of the user's incoming and outgoing web traffic so no one can trace their online activity, protecting them against identity theft, ad targeting and having their online transactions such as online shopping or banking hijacked.
Edifier Releases the S880DB Hi-Res Audio Certified Powered Speakers
Premium audio has never looked so suave than with Edifier's brand new speakers, the S880DBs. Crafted with a high tech interior and completed with a glossy white exterior and wood side panels, these speakers will bring both a beautiful ambience and stunning aesthetic to any room. Whether as a gift for a loved one, or a treat for yourself, a set of these speakers is sure to impress.
More Kick Than You'd Believe
Accredited with Edifier's first High-Res Audio certification, the S880DB speakers are designed for people who love audio. Equipped with a titanium-laminate tweeter unit, you can expect you beautifully detailed acoustic music to play through these speakers with incredible fidelity.
More Kick Than You'd Believe
Accredited with Edifier's first High-Res Audio certification, the S880DB speakers are designed for people who love audio. Equipped with a titanium-laminate tweeter unit, you can expect you beautifully detailed acoustic music to play through these speakers with incredible fidelity.
TRENDnet Introduces Compact USB-C HD Docking Station
TRENDnet, a global leader in reliable SMB and consumer networking and surveillance solutions, has announced it will introduce a Mini USB-C HD Docking Cube, model TUC-DS1. The compact USB-C docking station supports high-resolution HD video, and extends or mirrors your notebook's display.
TRENDnet's Mini USB-C HD Docking Cube allows you to connect multiple USB devices, and network your laptop all from a single cable. Easily manage multiple workstation devices such as USB storage, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, and HD monitor. Free up desk space with this compact USB-C docking station to make more room for what's really important to you.
TRENDnet's Mini USB-C HD Docking Cube allows you to connect multiple USB devices, and network your laptop all from a single cable. Easily manage multiple workstation devices such as USB storage, keyboard, mouse, printer, scanner, and HD monitor. Free up desk space with this compact USB-C docking station to make more room for what's really important to you.
Futuremark Showcases DirectX Raytracing Demo, Teases Upcoming 3D Benchmark Test
DirectX Raytracing (DXR) is a new feature in DirectX 12 that opens the door to a new class of real-time graphics techniques for games. We were thrilled to join Microsoft onstage for the announcement, which we followed with a presentation of our own work in developing practical real-time applications for this exciting new tech.
Accurate real-time reflections with DirectX Raytracing
Rendering accurate reflections in real-time is difficult. There are many challenges and limitations when using the existing methods. For the past few months, we've been exploring ways of combining DirectX Raytracing with existing methods to solve some of these challenges. While much of our presentation went deep into the math for our solution, I would like to show you some examples of our new technique in action.
Accurate real-time reflections with DirectX Raytracing
Rendering accurate reflections in real-time is difficult. There are many challenges and limitations when using the existing methods. For the past few months, we've been exploring ways of combining DirectX Raytracing with existing methods to solve some of these challenges. While much of our presentation went deep into the math for our solution, I would like to show you some examples of our new technique in action.
Thermaltake Unveils View 37 RGB Edition and View 37 Riing Edition
Thermaltake, a leading premium gaming tower manufacturer, announced the immediate availability of Thermaltake View 37 RGB Edition and View 37 Riing Edition Mid-Tower Chassis. Constructed with a gull-wing window panel for internal components show-off, the View 37 Series delivers a sleek look to complement its excellent cooling. View 37 RGB Edition is preinstalled with 3 built-in Riing Plus 140mm Hardware Control fans, a Riing Plus RGB controller and a PCI controller to deliver 256-color RGB illumination and unparalleled ventilation.
More custom RGB lighting possibilities are permitted thanks to its light synchronization with enthusiasts' favorite RGB motherboard brands: Asus AURA SYNC/ Gigabyte RGB Fusion/MSI Mystic Light Sync-enabled motherboards. As to View 37 Riing Edition, it features 2 built-in Riing 14 LED Blue fans to illuminate and dissipate heat more properly. The duet doesn't disappoint when it comes to cooling potential and flexibility, with its ability to accommodate up to 8 case fans, including up to two large 200 mm fans at the front.
More custom RGB lighting possibilities are permitted thanks to its light synchronization with enthusiasts' favorite RGB motherboard brands: Asus AURA SYNC/ Gigabyte RGB Fusion/MSI Mystic Light Sync-enabled motherboards. As to View 37 Riing Edition, it features 2 built-in Riing 14 LED Blue fans to illuminate and dissipate heat more properly. The duet doesn't disappoint when it comes to cooling potential and flexibility, with its ability to accommodate up to 8 case fans, including up to two large 200 mm fans at the front.
Samsung Introduces High-Density 6Gbps SATA SSD and 16Gb-64GB DDR4 RDIMM
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced that it is rolling out its PM883, the highest density datacenter SATA drive, at eight terabytes (TB). Samsung's new solid state drive (SSD) offering is the industry's first datacenter SATA drive to incorporate LPDDR4 DRAM modules and features a 6.0-gigabits-per-second (Gbps) 2.5-inch SATA interface.
The high-performance PM883 is expected to accelerate a transition in many existing enterprise datacenters to SATA-formatted SSD designs, with improved economies of scale through the use of advanced-generation V-NAND technology at higher densities.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to enable a high level of storage density with low power consumption, which thanks to the efficiency of our 64-layer V-NAND-based technology, allows us to double the capacity of current SATA storage," said Jim Elliott, corporate senior vice president, memory sales and marketing, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Our expanded lineup for the PM883 will offer up to 8TB to allow optimal use in existing enterprise and cloud storage systems."
The high-performance PM883 is expected to accelerate a transition in many existing enterprise datacenters to SATA-formatted SSD designs, with improved economies of scale through the use of advanced-generation V-NAND technology at higher densities.
"We are thrilled to have the opportunity to enable a high level of storage density with low power consumption, which thanks to the efficiency of our 64-layer V-NAND-based technology, allows us to double the capacity of current SATA storage," said Jim Elliott, corporate senior vice president, memory sales and marketing, Samsung Semiconductor, Inc. "Our expanded lineup for the PM883 will offer up to 8TB to allow optimal use in existing enterprise and cloud storage systems."
Tuesday, March 20th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Keyboards
Notebooks
Speakers
ADATA EMIX H30 + SOLOX F30 Bundle Review
ADATA recently boldly stepped into the crowded gaming headset market. Their first and currently top-of-the-line product is actually a bundle of three different devices - an analog gaming headset (EMIX H30), a 7.1-channel USB sound card (SOLOX F30), and a headset stand. We set out to find out whether it is worth the asking price of $200.
Initial AMD Technical Assessment of CTS Labs Research
On March 12, 2018, AMD received a communication from CTS Labs regarding research into security vulnerabilities involving some AMD products. Less than 24 hours later, the research firm went public with its findings. Security and protecting users' data is of the utmost importance to us at AMD and we have worked rapidly to assess this security research and develop mitigation plans where needed. This is our first public update on this research, and will cover both our technical assessment of the issues as well as planned mitigation actions.
The security issues identified by the third-party researchers are not related to the AMD "Zen" CPU architecture or the Google Project Zero exploits made public Jan. 3, 2018. Instead, these issues are associated with the firmware managing the embedded security control processor in some of our products (AMD Secure Processor) and the chipset used in some socket AM4 and socket TR4 desktop platforms supporting AMD processors.
The security issues identified by the third-party researchers are not related to the AMD "Zen" CPU architecture or the Google Project Zero exploits made public Jan. 3, 2018. Instead, these issues are associated with the firmware managing the embedded security control processor in some of our products (AMD Secure Processor) and the chipset used in some socket AM4 and socket TR4 desktop platforms supporting AMD processors.
Intel's 8-core Mainstream Coffee Lake-S Processor Spotted in the Wild?
A screenshot of what seems to be a higher core-count CPU from Intel has been doing the rounds, brought to us by the usual suspects. This supposedly marks the first appearance of Intel's new Coffee Lake-S processors, which should feature increased core-counts - gearing them towards stealing some of AMD's initiative. If you'll remember, the red team regained it in explosive fashion with their first generation Ryzen CPUs - and AMD is looking to double down on with the launch of their updated, 12 nm refresh Ryzen 2000 series just next month.
The new CPUs should be delivered alongside a new platform, Z390 - at the moment, a mirage that's been referenced here and there, but still has no concrete evidence towards its existence. However, it's expected that Z390 as a platform will be what Intel's Z370 was supposed to be from the very beginning - but never could. The idea that's been circulating, and which has some credit (though it should still be taken with a salty disposition), is that due to Intel's need to rush Coffee Lake out the door - so as not to compete against AMD's 8-core Zen-based CPUs with their usual cadre of 4-core, 8-thread processors - led the company to rush out the Z370 release. The idea for Z370 was simply for it to deliver, at all points in the minimum requirements, the correct power delivery hardware and mechanisms for the increased power draw that comes with the added cores. But it was, as such, absent of any real improvements - it can be interpreted, basically, as a re-branded Z270 chipset platform - and there's something to that claim, definitely. Thus Z390 will be the actual, originally planned platform for Intel's Coffee Lake CPUs, with all features - however fair that is for buyers of Intel's Z370.
The new CPUs should be delivered alongside a new platform, Z390 - at the moment, a mirage that's been referenced here and there, but still has no concrete evidence towards its existence. However, it's expected that Z390 as a platform will be what Intel's Z370 was supposed to be from the very beginning - but never could. The idea that's been circulating, and which has some credit (though it should still be taken with a salty disposition), is that due to Intel's need to rush Coffee Lake out the door - so as not to compete against AMD's 8-core Zen-based CPUs with their usual cadre of 4-core, 8-thread processors - led the company to rush out the Z370 release. The idea for Z370 was simply for it to deliver, at all points in the minimum requirements, the correct power delivery hardware and mechanisms for the increased power draw that comes with the added cores. But it was, as such, absent of any real improvements - it can be interpreted, basically, as a re-branded Z270 chipset platform - and there's something to that claim, definitely. Thus Z390 will be the actual, originally planned platform for Intel's Coffee Lake CPUs, with all features - however fair that is for buyers of Intel's Z370.
Rare's Sea of Thieves Now Launched For Xbox, Windows 10
Rare's latest (and first in a long time) original, full fledged video game has just been made available. Done under the umbrella of Microsoft, Sea of Thieves promises to bring back the fun in games, with a ludicrous setting and an entire design philosophy that just speaks "fun". The first-person, multiplayer co-op and player vs. player game has both sea and land fights, treasure and player hunting, so there's enough there to sate the tastes of different players altogether.
Sea of Thieves is part of Microsoft's Game Pass subscription, which means that for $9.99 monthly, users have the chance of trying out the game and playing it, no holds barred, with no additional payment (you can always purchase it for the usual asking price of $59.99/£49.99/€69.99 - and don't you just love the price differences across currencies?) This "Games as a Service" is being hailed as one of the solutions for triple-A game development, bringing companies like Microsoft steady streams of revenue they can then re-inject into their in-house game studios. Furthermore, Sea of Thieves is part of Microsoft's Play Anywhere program - meaning a digital purchase on either Xbox or PC will grant you the ability to play it on both platforms. So go out there and walk the plan, drink rum, shoot some cannons, and drink some gallons of salt water, you old sea dog!
Sea of Thieves is part of Microsoft's Game Pass subscription, which means that for $9.99 monthly, users have the chance of trying out the game and playing it, no holds barred, with no additional payment (you can always purchase it for the usual asking price of $59.99/£49.99/€69.99 - and don't you just love the price differences across currencies?) This "Games as a Service" is being hailed as one of the solutions for triple-A game development, bringing companies like Microsoft steady streams of revenue they can then re-inject into their in-house game studios. Furthermore, Sea of Thieves is part of Microsoft's Play Anywhere program - meaning a digital purchase on either Xbox or PC will grant you the ability to play it on both platforms. So go out there and walk the plan, drink rum, shoot some cannons, and drink some gallons of salt water, you old sea dog!
Marvell Introduces New NVMe Switch and SSD Controllers
Marvell, a leader in storage, networking and connectivity semiconductor solutions, today announced that it is launching innovative NVM Express (NVMe)-based chipset solutions that will accelerate the time to market for application-optimized data center SSD implementations. These new, highly-versatile building blocks can optimally address current and emerging workload storage requirements, spanning capacity, latency, performance, power and cost, to enable tailored SSD solutions for specific cloud and enterprise workloads.
The proliferation of cloud services and new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, is driving various workloads in the data center. These evolving and expanding workloads can have differing storage requirements that emerging SSD form factors are targeted to address. Marvell has developed innovative NVMe chipsets capable of powering the larger Enterprise Data Storage Form Factors (EDSFF), Next Generation Small Form Factors (NGSFF) and various customized form factors, providing the ability to increase storage capacity, performance and overall workload efficiencies.
The proliferation of cloud services and new technologies, such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, is driving various workloads in the data center. These evolving and expanding workloads can have differing storage requirements that emerging SSD form factors are targeted to address. Marvell has developed innovative NVMe chipsets capable of powering the larger Enterprise Data Storage Form Factors (EDSFF), Next Generation Small Form Factors (NGSFF) and various customized form factors, providing the ability to increase storage capacity, performance and overall workload efficiencies.
Xilinx Unveils Their Revolutionary Adaptive Compute Acceleration Platform
Xilinx, Inc., the leader in adaptive and intelligent computing, today announced a new breakthrough product category called adaptive compute acceleration platform (ACAP) that goes far beyond the capabilities of an FPGA. An ACAP is a highly integrated multi-core heterogeneous compute platform that can be changed at the hardware level to adapt to the needs of a wide range of applications and workloads. An ACAP's adaptability, which can be done dynamically during operation, delivers levels of performance and performance per-watt that is unmatched by CPUs or GPUs.
An ACAP is ideally suited to accelerate a broad set of applications in the emerging era of big data and artificial intelligence. These include: video transcoding, database, data compression, search, AI inference, genomics, machine vision, computational storage and network acceleration. Software and hardware developers will be able to design ACAP-based products for end point, edge and cloud applications. The first ACAP product family, codenamed "Everest," will be developed in TSMC 7nm process technology and will tape out later this year.
An ACAP is ideally suited to accelerate a broad set of applications in the emerging era of big data and artificial intelligence. These include: video transcoding, database, data compression, search, AI inference, genomics, machine vision, computational storage and network acceleration. Software and hardware developers will be able to design ACAP-based products for end point, edge and cloud applications. The first ACAP product family, codenamed "Everest," will be developed in TSMC 7nm process technology and will tape out later this year.
CTL Announces Three New Chromebooks
CTL, an Oregon-based company specializing in comprehensive personalized learning solutions, announced the release of three new models in a refresh of their best-selling NL-series Chromebooks all designed for use in K12 education. The CTL Chromebook NL7, the CTL Chromebook NL7T-360, and the CTL Chromebook NL7TW-360 each provide a variety of benefits to schools looking to invest in Chromebook Deployments.
All three education NL-series Chromebook models by CTL feature a rugged design including an IP41 drop rating, water resistant keyboards, and reinforced ports, hinges, and power plug. The NL series, which is CTL's premium line of Education Chromebook, also includes a tuck away handle for easy carrying, especially useful for carrying from class to class. This series also includes 32GB of storage and a DC-in USB-C Cable.
All three education NL-series Chromebook models by CTL feature a rugged design including an IP41 drop rating, water resistant keyboards, and reinforced ports, hinges, and power plug. The NL series, which is CTL's premium line of Education Chromebook, also includes a tuck away handle for easy carrying, especially useful for carrying from class to class. This series also includes 32GB of storage and a DC-in USB-C Cable.
Jabra Launches the Elite 65e Noise-Cancelling Wireless Earbuds
Audio and communications technology specialist Jabra announced today that it has expanded its Elite franchise, a family of headphones and earbuds engineered for superior sound to provide the best combined voice and music experience, with the Jabra Elite 65e. These neckband wireless earbuds are engineered for best-in-class wireless calls and music. They feature Jabra's leading Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) solution, providing two levels of noise cancellation and challenging existing products in the market.
Standing on a noisy train platform? Walking through a busy downtown street? Cancel out disruptive background sound with Jabra's unrivaled total noise cancellation solution - with optimized engineering for both active and passive noise cancellation. The Jabra Elite 65e also offers incredible conversation quality with three-microphone technology (two outer microphones used for optimizing transmitted audio and one microphone in the mic box) that creates a noise-blocking zone, ensuring your voice is conveyed with crystal-clear clarity.
Standing on a noisy train platform? Walking through a busy downtown street? Cancel out disruptive background sound with Jabra's unrivaled total noise cancellation solution - with optimized engineering for both active and passive noise cancellation. The Jabra Elite 65e also offers incredible conversation quality with three-microphone technology (two outer microphones used for optimizing transmitted audio and one microphone in the mic box) that creates a noise-blocking zone, ensuring your voice is conveyed with crystal-clear clarity.
Lite-On to Unveil Powerful New NVRAM Hybrid Solid-State Drive at OCP 2018
LITE-ON Storage, an established leader in the rapidly expanding solid-state drive (SSD) industry, said today it will demonstrate its latest enterprise drives, the NVRAM Hybrid SSD, during the OCP U.S. Summit 2018, kicking off here today.
The new LITE-ON NVRAM Hybrid drive, slated for release this spring, is a compact high-density drive with multi-namespaces. One of the namespaces can be dedicated to NVRAM drive and the other namespace to boot drive, fully utilizing the NAND portion of the drive. This drive has a dual-use feature such that it can serve as boot drive for server with the SSD namespace and as cache with the NVRAM part of the drive, resulting in reduced overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) with a better utilization rate.
"Customers tell us they need the most technologically advanced SSDs in their enterprises, but those storage solutions must also make financial sense," said Darlo Perez, Managing Director, LITE-ON Storage Group. "Our new NVRAM Hybrid SSD is capable of meeting today's demanding and time-sensitive data center requirements while maximizing TCO."
The new LITE-ON NVRAM Hybrid drive, slated for release this spring, is a compact high-density drive with multi-namespaces. One of the namespaces can be dedicated to NVRAM drive and the other namespace to boot drive, fully utilizing the NAND portion of the drive. This drive has a dual-use feature such that it can serve as boot drive for server with the SSD namespace and as cache with the NVRAM part of the drive, resulting in reduced overall Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) with a better utilization rate.
"Customers tell us they need the most technologically advanced SSDs in their enterprises, but those storage solutions must also make financial sense," said Darlo Perez, Managing Director, LITE-ON Storage Group. "Our new NVRAM Hybrid SSD is capable of meeting today's demanding and time-sensitive data center requirements while maximizing TCO."
NVIDIA Releases GeForce 391.24 WHQL Drivers
NVIDIA today released GeForce 391.24 WHQL software. The drivers add more optimization for "Sea of Thieves," and two new NVIDIA Freestyle post-fx filters - "Old Film" and "Tilt-Shift." The drivers address issues related to VR headsets from both HTC and Oculus, in which the headset would stop working after several application launches or resumption of system from hibernation. A bug that prevented Freestyle from being enabled on games that support it, is fixed. MPC-HC no longer stutters in the first couple of seconds of the video playback. A driver TDR error with Mozilla Firefox was fixed. A rare bug that caused stuttering on "Rise of Tomb Raider" when opening the in-game menu on GTX 1060, was fixed. Grab the drivers from the link below.
DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA GeForce 391.24 WHQL
The change-log follows.
The change-log follows.
Raijintek Intros the ZOFOS EVO Chassis
Raijintek's latest release the ZOFOS EVO is a case which has been designed to be practical; featuring the latest sound insulation, magnetic covers and the option for either a fully enclosed or windowed case. This full tower case supports up to EE-ATX motherboards, 470mm GPUs and up to three 360mm radiators for a comprehensive gaming system.
QNAP Rolls Out TS-x73 Series NAS with Quad-core AMD R-Series CPUs
QNAP Systems, Inc. today launched the cost-effective high-performance 4-bay (TS-473), 6-bay (TS-673), and 8-bay (TS-873) TS-x73 series NAS featuring an AMD RX-421ND quad-core CPU with Turbo Core up to 3.4GHz and two PCIe slots for installing a QNAP QM2 card, wireless network card or a graphics card to extend NAS functionalities. The TS-x73 series provides small and medium businesses with an ideal NAS solution to build a private cloud for applications including high-speed data transfer, backup/recovery, virtualization, media playback and graphics display.
The TS-x73 NAS series presents a budget-friendly solution by allowing users to add more value to their NAS based on their individual needs. Through the two PCIe slots, users can install a QNAP QM2 card to add SSD caching/10GbE connectivity for boosted performance; a wireless card with WirelessAP Station app to turn the NAS into a wireless access point; or even an PCIe bus-powered graphics card to enable 4K transcoding and HDMI output for a greater media multimedia experience," said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP.
The TS-x73 NAS series presents a budget-friendly solution by allowing users to add more value to their NAS based on their individual needs. Through the two PCIe slots, users can install a QNAP QM2 card to add SSD caching/10GbE connectivity for boosted performance; a wireless card with WirelessAP Station app to turn the NAS into a wireless access point; or even an PCIe bus-powered graphics card to enable 4K transcoding and HDMI output for a greater media multimedia experience," said Jason Hsu, Product Manager of QNAP.
TechPowerUp and Be Quiet! Win to Build Giveaway: The Winners
TechPowerUp and Be Quiet! brought you a chance to pick up either a Dark Base 700 case, or Straight Power 11 750W PSU, or both. Our Giveaway has ended, and we've picked three lucky winners from hundreds of entries. Dark Base 700 is among the quietest mid-towers in the market, and our review has shown that its acoustic dampening can significantly quieten the many noisy components your high-end build may have. The Straight Power 11 750W is its perfect match, with a design focus on low noise, without compromising on safe and clean power for your build. Without further ado, the winners:
- Srdjan from Madison, USA - wins both a Be Quiet! Dark Base 700 case and a Straight Power 11 750W PSU
- Mylous from Las Vegas, USA - wins a Be Quiet! Dark Base 700 case
- Christopher from Highland, USA - wins a Be Quiet! Straight Power 11 750W PSU
CTS-Labs Releases Masterkey Exploit Proof-of-Concept Video
CTS-Labs, the cyber security research firm that claims to have unearthed severe security vulnerabilities with AMD "Zen" CPU architecture, posted its first proof-of-concept demo video. This video deals with the "Masterkey" class of exploits, specifically Masterkey-1. The Masterkey class makes for 3 of the 13 vulnerabilities the firm discovered. As a quick refresher, Masterkey is an exploit of the Secure Boot feature, specifically getting around the feature's system integrity check on AMD "Zen" powered systems, by using a specially programmed system BIOS. Any privileged program (even from within Windows), can flash your system BIOS, and get around Secure Boot in the following system reboot (or even brick your system by writing a non-bootable BIOS image). The BIOS can then tinker with the ring -3 (minus 3) software running on Secure Processor, and survive reboots or OS re-installs. It would also be undetectable by traditional antivirus programs that can't have ring -3 access while running on top of an operating system.
In the video, we're shown a somewhat step-by-step process of infecting a TYAN-made server motherboard with a modified BIOS that has the Masterkey exploit. The demo BIOS by CTS, which has ARM Cortex A5-compatible code for the Secure Processor, makes it flicker its status code between "1337" and "7331" during POST, and go on to boot the OS as if nothing happened. It can be made to do anything once you've reached that far. CTS-Labs claims that it has a more elaborate shell code for Secure Processor that probably does more insidious things, but it won't be showing that to the public in this video. The objective of this demo appears to be to establish a proof-of-concept.
The video follows.
In the video, we're shown a somewhat step-by-step process of infecting a TYAN-made server motherboard with a modified BIOS that has the Masterkey exploit. The demo BIOS by CTS, which has ARM Cortex A5-compatible code for the Secure Processor, makes it flicker its status code between "1337" and "7331" during POST, and go on to boot the OS as if nothing happened. It can be made to do anything once you've reached that far. CTS-Labs claims that it has a more elaborate shell code for Secure Processor that probably does more insidious things, but it won't be showing that to the public in this video. The objective of this demo appears to be to establish a proof-of-concept.
TerraMaster Releases First 5-Bay D5 Thunderbolt 3 RAID Storage Device
Recently, TerraMaster officially released the latest generation of its thunderbolt product, the D5 Thunderbolt 3. This product adopts the latest Thunderbolt 3 technology, with a transmission rate of up to 40 Gbps. It supports the hardware RAID 0, 1, 5, 10 and other data backup technologies, which greatly improves file transfer efficiency and data security. Moreover, it is a medium specifically designed for photographers, video editors, and other media workers, to provide them with a large capacity, ultra-fast 5-bay RAID storage device.
In appearance, the D5 Thunderbolt 3 inherits the style of the previous TerraMaster storage series products by using a rugged, aluminium-alloy integrated housing. This is paired with a high-efficiency heat-control system, built in with intelligent temperature-controlled fans. With the Thunderbolt 3 dual interface and DisplayPort interface, you can connect 5 Thunderbolt 3 devices or display devices simultaneously. DisplayPort users can also connect it to the external 4K @ 60Hz high-resolution screens.
In appearance, the D5 Thunderbolt 3 inherits the style of the previous TerraMaster storage series products by using a rugged, aluminium-alloy integrated housing. This is paired with a high-efficiency heat-control system, built in with intelligent temperature-controlled fans. With the Thunderbolt 3 dual interface and DisplayPort interface, you can connect 5 Thunderbolt 3 devices or display devices simultaneously. DisplayPort users can also connect it to the external 4K @ 60Hz high-resolution screens.
Monday, March 19th 2018
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Keyboards
Monitors
Motherboards
Mouse
Networking
Speakers
SSD
BitFenix Enso Review
The BitFenix Enso is the classic wolf in sheep's clothing. It may look like an ordinary 70-80 USD chassis out there when turned off, but as soon as the addressable RGB lights turn on, it becomes apparent how much more the Enso offers while keeping the price enticingly low.
Cooler Master MasterMouse MM530 Review
The Cooler Master MasterMouse MM530 has amazing tracking performance because it uses the best-in-class PixArt PMW3360 sensor. With a price of $50, it is also more affordable than most competitors, even including fantastic software with great RGB customization options.
AMD Trims Prices of Current-gen Ryzen Processors
AMD on Monday, announced price-cuts across a bulk of its Ryzen 3-series, Ryzen 5-series, Ryzen 7-series, and Ryzen Threadripper processor models, based on first-generation "Zen" architecture, probably in preparation of its possible-April 19 launch of its 2nd generation Ryzen "Pinnacle Ridge" processors. The decision to trim prices of Threadripper SKUs indicates that AMD is either stepping up the heat on Intel's Core X family, or that one can expect a brisk roll-out of 12 nm "Pinnacle Ridge" silicon-based 2nd Generation Threadripper SKUs, even if not on April 19. The latest roadmaps put 2nd Gen Threadripper launch to the second half of 2018.
Intel "Hades Canyon" NUC Motherboard Pictured
Intel launched its "Hades Canyon" NUC way back in January 2018, but in the run up to its availability slated for Spring (very soon); the company shared a picture of its motherboard. The non-rectangular board is curved to the shape of the chassis, and is designed to utilize every square cm of precious PCB real-estate. The board has components soldered on both sides. The top side has the various slots (memory and M.2), ports, and headers; while the bottom side has the main Core i7-8709G MCM, the chipset, and some VRM components powering the two. Intel made sure some of the rear I/O ports utilize cutouts in the PCB, so they don't add a precious few millimeters. The NUC's main cooling system, inspired by gaming notebooks, takes up most of the bottom side of the chassis, making contact with the MCM, the PCH, and VRM.
AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.3 Beta Drivers
AMD today released the latest version Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition. Version 18.3.3 beta is the third release for this month, and features a major API update, in addition to game optimization. The drivers introduce support for the Vulkan 1.1 API. In addition, the drivers provide optimization for "Sea of Thieves," and "A Way Out." An intermittent stuttering issue was fixed with "Forza Motorsport 7." A system hang seen on "Star Wars Battlefront 2," on multi-GPU systems, was fixed. Also fixed are flickering and objects disappearing from the scene, with "Final Fantasy XV."
DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.3 Beta
The change-log follows.
The change-log follows.
Twitter Reportedly Looking Into Banning Cryptocurrency-Related Ads as Well
After Google has actually announced a change to their financial services-related ad policies that will ban all cryptocurrency-related ads that run through its advertising platform, reports now place Twitter as the next major service to follow suit. According to Sky News, the banning will affect the majority of ads relating to cryptocurrency products, services, and advice, cutting it diagonally and indiscriminately if services are actually legit or fakes. The publication says the decision comes "amid looming regulatory intervention in the sector."
Sky's sources say this ban will enter into effect within the next two weeks. If so, this is now the third major servie (after Facebook and Google) to ban all crypto-related content form its advertisements. That regulatory intervention is looming on the sector is putting it mildly; and it's high time that happened. The cryptocurrency market really is "being chilled", to quote Mike Lempres, chief legal and risk officer at Coinbase. And it's coming from all sides: regulatory bodies, general services, John Oliver shows, mainstream media, and even investors' own risk-assessment. It was bound to happen - the frenzy was getting quite old, really - and is an expected development. Let's hope this is just the beginning of a renewal of sorts for the cryptocurrency and blockchain world.
Sky's sources say this ban will enter into effect within the next two weeks. If so, this is now the third major servie (after Facebook and Google) to ban all crypto-related content form its advertisements. That regulatory intervention is looming on the sector is putting it mildly; and it's high time that happened. The cryptocurrency market really is "being chilled", to quote Mike Lempres, chief legal and risk officer at Coinbase. And it's coming from all sides: regulatory bodies, general services, John Oliver shows, mainstream media, and even investors' own risk-assessment. It was bound to happen - the frenzy was getting quite old, really - and is an expected development. Let's hope this is just the beginning of a renewal of sorts for the cryptocurrency and blockchain world.
Cyan to Celebrate 25th Anniversary of Myst Series With Updated Versions
The Myst series of videogames - or should that read "experiences?" - is likely one of the more recognizable names in the gaming industry. All of the Myst games were renowned for bringing players' imaginations inside virtual worlds through ambience, pacing, and interesting storylines steeped in mystery.
Now, Cyan, the original Myst games developer, has said that they intend to do something special as the Myst series completes its 25th anniversary. The idea is that players should be able to experience the same mystery and awe as when the games were first launched - though that may prove increasingly hard as the games' graphical engines age more and more. Expectations just aren't what they used to be. The plan is to releases updated versions for all Myst games this year - and look to round up the package with a limited, collector's physical edition that wraps the entire package. That is all of Myst for this year - but maybe there will be some new adventures post-2018.
Now, Cyan, the original Myst games developer, has said that they intend to do something special as the Myst series completes its 25th anniversary. The idea is that players should be able to experience the same mystery and awe as when the games were first launched - though that may prove increasingly hard as the games' graphical engines age more and more. Expectations just aren't what they used to be. The plan is to releases updated versions for all Myst games this year - and look to round up the package with a limited, collector's physical edition that wraps the entire package. That is all of Myst for this year - but maybe there will be some new adventures post-2018.
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X & Ryzen 5 2600 Review Popped Up Ahead of Time
Not sure whether intentional or an error, SiSoftware posted a review of the Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 5 2600 processors on their website. The creators of the popular Sandra benchmark suite has taken down the review for the meantime. Luckily, our good old buddies at VideoCardz have ninja reflexes and downloaded the graphs before SiSoftware removed them. In their review, SiSoftware pitched the upcoming Ryzen 7 2700X and Ryzen 5 2600 processors against AMD's previous Ryzen 7 1700X processor and Intel's Core i7-6700K Skylake processor.
The SiSoftware team evaluated CPU performance using a plethora of synthetic benchmarks. Unfortunately, they didn't evaluate gaming performance. Nevertheless, their review gave us a taste of what we can expect from the Ryzen 2000 series. The Ryzen 2000 series (or Zen+) officially supports DDR4 frequencies up to 2933 MHz which should help improve its performance. Similar to its predecessor, Zen+ processors possess the most cores and threads. Therefore, performance improvements depend hugely on IPC and clock speeds. While we're on the subject of clock speeds, Ryzen 2000 series' base clock is 9% higher while the Turbo/Boost/XFR frequency is 11% higher when compared to previous Ryzen chips. In terms of CPU performance, we can expect at least a 10% improvement in CPU-heavy benchmarks. All of this comes at a cost though. The TDP for Zen+ (105W) is 11% higher than the first-generation Ryzen processors (95W). Beefy cooling solutions are highly recommended especially if you plan to overclock these CPUs. Although Zen+ based processors' L1, L2, and L3 caches suffered no changes, latencies should show some improvement. AMD may launch the Ryzen 2000 series on April 19, so we won't have to wait long to get our hands on the new processors.
The SiSoftware team evaluated CPU performance using a plethora of synthetic benchmarks. Unfortunately, they didn't evaluate gaming performance. Nevertheless, their review gave us a taste of what we can expect from the Ryzen 2000 series. The Ryzen 2000 series (or Zen+) officially supports DDR4 frequencies up to 2933 MHz which should help improve its performance. Similar to its predecessor, Zen+ processors possess the most cores and threads. Therefore, performance improvements depend hugely on IPC and clock speeds. While we're on the subject of clock speeds, Ryzen 2000 series' base clock is 9% higher while the Turbo/Boost/XFR frequency is 11% higher when compared to previous Ryzen chips. In terms of CPU performance, we can expect at least a 10% improvement in CPU-heavy benchmarks. All of this comes at a cost though. The TDP for Zen+ (105W) is 11% higher than the first-generation Ryzen processors (95W). Beefy cooling solutions are highly recommended especially if you plan to overclock these CPUs. Although Zen+ based processors' L1, L2, and L3 caches suffered no changes, latencies should show some improvement. AMD may launch the Ryzen 2000 series on April 19, so we won't have to wait long to get our hands on the new processors.
Microsoft Releases DirectX Raytracing - NVIDIA Volta-based RTX Adds Real-Time Capability
Microsoft today announced an extension to its DirectX 12 API with DirectX Raytracing, which provides components designed to make real-time ray-tracing easier to implement, and uses Compute Shaders under the hood, for wide graphics card compatibility. NVIDIA feels that their "Volta" graphics architecture, has enough computational power on tap, to make real-time ray-tracing available to the masses. The company has hence collaborated with Microsoft to develop the NVIDIA RTX technology, as an interoperative part of the DirectX Raytracing (DXR) API, along with a few turnkey effects, which will be made available through the company's next-generation GameWorks SDK program, under GameWorks Ray Tracing, as a ray-tracing denoiser module for the API.
Real-time ray-tracing has for long been regarded as a silver-bullet to get lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows right. Ray-tracing is already big in the real-estate industry, for showcasing photorealistic interactive renderings of property under development, but has stayed away from gaming, that tends to be more intense, with larger scenes, more objects, and rapid camera movements. Movies with big production budgets use pre-rendered ray-tracing farms to render each frame. Movies have, hence, used ray-traced visual-effects for years now, since it's not interactive content, and its studios are willing to spend vast amounts of time and money to painstakingly render each frame using hundreds of rays per pixel.
Real-time ray-tracing has for long been regarded as a silver-bullet to get lifelike lighting, reflections, and shadows right. Ray-tracing is already big in the real-estate industry, for showcasing photorealistic interactive renderings of property under development, but has stayed away from gaming, that tends to be more intense, with larger scenes, more objects, and rapid camera movements. Movies with big production budgets use pre-rendered ray-tracing farms to render each frame. Movies have, hence, used ray-traced visual-effects for years now, since it's not interactive content, and its studios are willing to spend vast amounts of time and money to painstakingly render each frame using hundreds of rays per pixel.
Nimbus Data Launches Their 100TB ExaDrive DC100 SSD
Nimbus Data, a pioneer in flash memory solutions, today announced the ExaDrive DC100, the largest capacity (100 terabytes) solid state drive (SSD) ever produced. Featuring more than 3x the capacity of the closest competitor, the ExaDrive DC100 also draws 85% less power per terabyte (TB). These innovations reduce total cost of ownership per terabyte by 42% compared to competing enterprise SSDs, helping accelerate flash memory adoption in both cloud infrastructure and edge computing.
"As flash memory prices decline, capacity, energy efficiency, and density will become the critical drivers of cost reduction and competitive advantage," stated Thomas Isakovich, CEO and founder of Nimbus Data. "The ExaDrive DC100 meets these challenges for both data center and edge applications, offering unmatched capacity in an ultra-low power design."
"As flash memory prices decline, capacity, energy efficiency, and density will become the critical drivers of cost reduction and competitive advantage," stated Thomas Isakovich, CEO and founder of Nimbus Data. "The ExaDrive DC100 meets these challenges for both data center and edge applications, offering unmatched capacity in an ultra-low power design."
HTC Vive Announces Price of Vive Pro HMD at $799 and Reduces Vive Price to $499
HTC Vive today announced that the HTC Vive Pro Head Mounted Display (HMD) will be available for $799 with global pre-orders starting now. The company also announced a $100 price reduction for the current Vive full kit, bringing it down to $499 across the globe. All Vive Pro HMDs purchased by June 3rd, which will begin shipping on April 5th, will come with a free six-month trial to Viveport Subscription, where consumers can choose up to 5 titles per month from the more than 400 titles available.
"With the Vive Pro we are delivering the best quality display and visual experience to the most discerning VR enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR," said Daniel O'Brien, HTC Vive General Manager, US. "By lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you're a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there's never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available."
"With the Vive Pro we are delivering the best quality display and visual experience to the most discerning VR enthusiasts. Our goal has always been to offer the most premium VR platform available and to drive adoption for VR," said Daniel O'Brien, HTC Vive General Manager, US. "By lowering the price of the current Vive, we are making VR more accessible while expanding the potential market for developers. Whether you're a VR enthusiast or new to the platform, there's never been a better time to join the most complete VR platform available."
Razer Announces Partnership with Team Queso
Razer, the leading global lifestyle brand for gamers, and Spanish Team Queso, the first mobile-only esports team, today announced a new strategic partnership. The two-year deal will see Team Queso using the Razer Phone in their competitive games, as well as other Razer peripherals and equipment. The Razer Phone, the world's first smartphone designed for gaming, is the perfect handset for high-level mobile esports. The 120hz display, its Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor and 8GB of RAM give players the smoothest, lag-free gaming experience, essential for competitive mobile esports.
Team Queso competes in multiple different disciplines, including Clash Royale, Vainglory, Arena of Valor and Hearthstone, and number among their ranks some of the best national, continental and global players. Founded in 2017, with high profile teams and players from around the world, Team Queso are the current ESWC Paris Clan Wars champions, as well as strong favorites for the Vainglory8 League and a team to watch with Arena of Valor.
Team Queso competes in multiple different disciplines, including Clash Royale, Vainglory, Arena of Valor and Hearthstone, and number among their ranks some of the best national, continental and global players. Founded in 2017, with high profile teams and players from around the world, Team Queso are the current ESWC Paris Clan Wars champions, as well as strong favorites for the Vainglory8 League and a team to watch with Arena of Valor.
ASUS ROG Crosshair VII Hero Motherboard Packaging Teased
Leaks surrounding motherboards based on AMD's upcoming X470 chipset, which will accompany its first-wave of Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors, are on the rise. We now see a fairly clear picture of the retail packaging of ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) Crosshair VII Hero, specifically its "WiFi" sub-variant that includes a WLAN card. This board surfaced on benchmark database listings. There's no product image on the box, but the logos make things pretty cut and dry - AMD X470 chipset, socket AM4, support for NVIDIA SLI and AMD CrossFire; ASUS Aura Sync RGB LED management, and an unchanged Ryzen logo. We have confirmation of ASUS readying at least two ROG motherboards based on the X470 so far - the Crosshair VII Hero, and the Strix X470-F. It remains to be seen if the chipset also gets the company's coveted ROG "Extreme" treatment.
Intel Board Elects New Director and Extends Andy Bryant's Term as Chairman till 2019
Intel Corporation today announced that Risa Lavizzo-Mourey was elected to Intel's board of directors. Her election marks the fifth new independent director added to Intel's board since the beginning of 2016. The board also voted unanimously to extend Andy Bryant's term as Intel chairman in order to ensure board continuity and a smooth integration for new directors. Bryant became Intel chairman in May 2012 and will stand for re-election at the company's 2018 annual stockholders' meeting. If elected, he will continue to serve as chairman until the conclusion of the company's 2019 annual stockholders' meeting.
"Risa knows how to lead a large organization tackling complex issues, and brings extensive public-company board experience. I look forward to her fresh insights and perspective," said Intel Chairman Andy Bryant. "We've worked to make sure the board has the right skills and backgrounds to be strong stewards in our dynamic industry. I'm honored to continue serving alongside them, as Intel transforms to create more value for our customers and our owners."
"Risa knows how to lead a large organization tackling complex issues, and brings extensive public-company board experience. I look forward to her fresh insights and perspective," said Intel Chairman Andy Bryant. "We've worked to make sure the board has the right skills and backgrounds to be strong stewards in our dynamic industry. I'm honored to continue serving alongside them, as Intel transforms to create more value for our customers and our owners."
Toshiba Adds New Lineup of Data Center SSDs Featuring 64-layer BiCS Flash
Toshiba Memory America, Inc. (TMA), the U.S.-based subsidiary of Toshiba Memory Corporation, has enhanced its portfolio of solid-state drives (SSDs) for the data center with a new, 3D flash memory-based lineup of PCI Express NVMe and SATA SSDs in multiple form factors. The new CD5, XD5 and HK6-DC SSDs enable infrastructure managers to address performance and workload demands by offering robust performance and reliability with lower operating power for read-intensive applications such as NoSQL databases, big data analytics and streaming media.
"Demand for flash storage in data centers continues to grow rapidly - with capacity shipped into the enterprise expected to increase at a 58 percent CAGR through 2021," said Jeff Janukowicz, IDC Research Vice President for Solid State Drives and Enabling Technologies. "In order for hyperscale, virtualization, automation/orchestration and software-defined storage applications to thrive, cloud data centers must meet specific workload requirements. Toshiba's latest data center SSDs are designed to help customers address these demanding environments and realize the most value from their flash storage."
"Demand for flash storage in data centers continues to grow rapidly - with capacity shipped into the enterprise expected to increase at a 58 percent CAGR through 2021," said Jeff Janukowicz, IDC Research Vice President for Solid State Drives and Enabling Technologies. "In order for hyperscale, virtualization, automation/orchestration and software-defined storage applications to thrive, cloud data centers must meet specific workload requirements. Toshiba's latest data center SSDs are designed to help customers address these demanding environments and realize the most value from their flash storage."
Display Stocks Tank as Apple's Secret Display R&D and Manufacturing Facility Surfaces
Stocks of prominent display panel manufacturers such as LG Display, Sharp, and Samsung, tanked 4.4 percent on Monday, as reports emerged of Apple secretly developing its own screens and manufacturing them, for the first time. Apple has a secret Silicon Valley facility hiding in plain sight, located in Santa Clara. This facility is where cutting-edge research and development into micro-LED display panels is underway, along with small-scale manufacturing, just enough for Apple to rapidly prototype products under development, with new displays, before its display suppliers even have access to the technology.
Bloomberg comments that the facility is part of Apple's ambitious plan to bring development of key components of its products in-house. It also enables Apple to keep all new intellectual property obtained during the development to itself, so its suppliers can't bring IP they hold to their pricing negotiations with the company. Its R&D focus currently appears to be micro-LED technology, which will enable smaller and more pixel-dense screens, particularly for the Apple Watch.
Bloomberg comments that the facility is part of Apple's ambitious plan to bring development of key components of its products in-house. It also enables Apple to keep all new intellectual property obtained during the development to itself, so its suppliers can't bring IP they hold to their pricing negotiations with the company. Its R&D focus currently appears to be micro-LED technology, which will enable smaller and more pixel-dense screens, particularly for the Apple Watch.
QNAP Ships its First 3-bay TS-328 RAID 5 NAS
QNAP Systems, Inc. today rolled out the TS-328, the first quad-core 3-bay NAS that allows for building a RAID 5 array using only three drives. Compared with 2-bay NAS that only allow for building RAID 1 arrays, the TS-328 provides the choice of RAID 5 and can optimize available space while providing high data protection. The TS-328 provides feature-rich multimedia applications and video transcoding capabilities, and is an ideal solution for home users to centrally store, backup and manage files and data.
30% of QNAP NAS users prefer using RAID 5 arrays to benefit from optimized storage capacity, higher performance, and data protection. QNAP's first 3-bay NAS allows entry-level users to build a RAID 5 array on their NAS for a more cost-effective private cloud storage solution. The TS-328 also supports snapshots, allowing for users to quickly recover data in the event of accidental deletion/modification or ransomware attack.
30% of QNAP NAS users prefer using RAID 5 arrays to benefit from optimized storage capacity, higher performance, and data protection. QNAP's first 3-bay NAS allows entry-level users to build a RAID 5 array on their NAS for a more cost-effective private cloud storage solution. The TS-328 also supports snapshots, allowing for users to quickly recover data in the event of accidental deletion/modification or ransomware attack.
HyperX Expands FURY DDR4 and Impact DDR4 Product Lines
HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the addition of higher frequency memory modules to the HyperX FURY DDR4 DIMM and HyperX Impact DDR4 SODIMM product lines. FURY DDR4 DIMMs and Impact DDR4 SODIMMs both offer automatic Plug N Play overclocking functionality. FURY DDR4 is now available up to 3466 MHz and Impact DDR4 is now available up to 3200 MHz. Both product lines are available as single modules and as various kits configurations from 8 GB to 64 GB.
HyperX FURY DDR4 is a cost-efficient high-performance upgrade for Intel and AMD's latest platforms for faster video editing, 3D rendering, gaming and AI processing. It features Plug N Play which enables automatic memory overclocking at standard DDR4 1.2V settings. The new FURY DDR4 additions are available in black, red and white low-profile heat spreader colour options that feature the stylish signature FURY asymmetrical heat spreader design with black PCB.
HyperX FURY DDR4 is a cost-efficient high-performance upgrade for Intel and AMD's latest platforms for faster video editing, 3D rendering, gaming and AI processing. It features Plug N Play which enables automatic memory overclocking at standard DDR4 1.2V settings. The new FURY DDR4 additions are available in black, red and white low-profile heat spreader colour options that feature the stylish signature FURY asymmetrical heat spreader design with black PCB.
Thermaltake New TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem with TT AI Voice Control
Thermaltake, a leading brand in chassis, power supply units and cooling markets, is thrilled to launch TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem along with TT AI Voice Control, synchronizing all your gaming station color theme with your voice. TT RGB PLUS Ecosystem is the intelligent lighting system for PCs that combines the most advanced addressable LED lighting with TT AI Voice Control and the patented TT RGB PLUS Software.
TT RGB PLUS ecosystem provides unlimited possibilities for color play, light synchronization for games, music, CPU temperatures and other TT RGB PLUS products: Riing Plus LED RGB Radiator Fan Series, Pacific W4 Plus CPU Waterblock, Pacific V-GTX 1080Ti Plus Transparent GPU Waterblock Series, Pacific PR22-D5 Plus Reservoir/Pump Combo, Pacific RL360 Plus RGB Radiator and Pacific Lumi Plus LED Strips.
TT RGB PLUS ecosystem provides unlimited possibilities for color play, light synchronization for games, music, CPU temperatures and other TT RGB PLUS products: Riing Plus LED RGB Radiator Fan Series, Pacific W4 Plus CPU Waterblock, Pacific V-GTX 1080Ti Plus Transparent GPU Waterblock Series, Pacific PR22-D5 Plus Reservoir/Pump Combo, Pacific RL360 Plus RGB Radiator and Pacific Lumi Plus LED Strips.
ASUS AMD X470 Motherboard Layout Drawings and Specs Sheets Leaked
Hot on the heels of last week's possible ASUS ROG Strix X470 motherboard leak, the board layout drawings of at least three upcoming ASUS AMD X470 chipset motherboard models were leaked to the web. These drawings are typically part of the motherboards' user manuals. From these, we can make out that ASUS is using an identical PCB design for two products - the ROG Strix X470-F Gaming, and the Prime X470-PRO. The two have their I/O headers and ports at identical locations. ASUS will probably differentiate the two with different color schemes, heatsink designs, and a few ROG-exclusive software features on the Strix X470-F.
The third model is the TUF X470-PLUS Gaming. This product could be positioned a notch below the other two, it lacks one of the three PCI-Express x16 (electrical x4) slots, and uses Realtek-made gigabit Ethernet controllers, instead of Intel-made ones on the other two. The specs sheets of the Prime X470-PRO, which also appear to be sourced from the manuals, go into details of these specifications, most of which will be common with those of the ROG Strix X470-F. The specs sheet seems to suggest that the company's 2nd generation Ryzen "Pinnacle Ridge" processors support higher memory clocks.
The specs sheets follow.
The third model is the TUF X470-PLUS Gaming. This product could be positioned a notch below the other two, it lacks one of the three PCI-Express x16 (electrical x4) slots, and uses Realtek-made gigabit Ethernet controllers, instead of Intel-made ones on the other two. The specs sheets of the Prime X470-PRO, which also appear to be sourced from the manuals, go into details of these specifications, most of which will be common with those of the ROG Strix X470-F. The specs sheet seems to suggest that the company's 2nd generation Ryzen "Pinnacle Ridge" processors support higher memory clocks.
EU Plans to Add 3% Tax On Tech Giants' Revenue Based on Customers' Location
"Treat equally that which is equal, treat differently that which is different" seems to be the motto of the new EU proposal for increased taxation on tech giants. The proposal, which will be presented just this Wednesday (March 21st), could lead to increased taxation to tech giants that do business with EU customers by as much (or as little, depending on your point of view) as 3% of their gross revenue (the value still isn't final, but should stay within 1% and 5%). It isn't clear how the customer location business will be defined, but it seems that the EU believes its citizens provide increased revenues for companies than other citizens in other parts of the less developed world do.
This move specifically aims to capture real growth and value of digital-first companies, such as Facebook and Amazon. These are types of companies that the EU feels aren't being taxed proportionally (meaning, they currently provide less than they should to public coffers) to the true value they derive from the region. As most EU matters, any tax proposal will need the unanimous approval of all 28 current members before turning into law, so one country alone could block it.
This move specifically aims to capture real growth and value of digital-first companies, such as Facebook and Amazon. These are types of companies that the EU feels aren't being taxed proportionally (meaning, they currently provide less than they should to public coffers) to the true value they derive from the region. As most EU matters, any tax proposal will need the unanimous approval of all 28 current members before turning into law, so one country alone could block it.
ASMedia Remains AMD Chipset & USB Partner, Increases Revenues By 44.7%
ASMedia Technology, a tech company that's best known for designing high speed controllers (most recently, USB 3.1 Gen2, and AMD's X370 chipset), has posted tremendous increases in revenue and profits. The Taiwanese company distributed cash dividends per share in the order of $0.21 in late 2017, after achieving revenues of roughly $102 million, up 44.7% YoY (Year over Year).
While ASMedia is one of the implied companies in the latest AMD nightmare (the suspiciously timed and apparently interest-driven CTS flaw disclosure), AMD is keeping with ASMedia for its X470 chipset design and production. Which was to be expected - even if AMD wanted to change partners or develop the chipset in-house, AMD's Ryzen 2000 series and the accompanying motherboards' release is impending. The company is expected to continue its strong growth on continued shipment of USB 3.1 controllers, adding USB 3.2 controllers to its portfolio, and increased profits derived from the development of AMD's X470 chipset.
While ASMedia is one of the implied companies in the latest AMD nightmare (the suspiciously timed and apparently interest-driven CTS flaw disclosure), AMD is keeping with ASMedia for its X470 chipset design and production. Which was to be expected - even if AMD wanted to change partners or develop the chipset in-house, AMD's Ryzen 2000 series and the accompanying motherboards' release is impending. The company is expected to continue its strong growth on continued shipment of USB 3.1 controllers, adding USB 3.2 controllers to its portfolio, and increased profits derived from the development of AMD's X470 chipset.
ASRock Intros J5005-ITX Motherboard
While most Intel "Gemini Lake" SoC desktop motherboards are based on the cheaper Celeron J4005, a rare few, such as the ASRock J5005-ITX, implement the pricier Pentium Silver J5005 chip. What sets the J5005 apart from the J4005 is its quad-core "Goldmont Plus" CPU, and faster UHD Graphics 605 iGPU with higher clocks; which make the chip around 1.5 times pricier. Designed for machines with internal PSUs, the board draws power from a 24-pin ATX connector. A simple 2-phase VRM powers the 10W TDP SoC, and an aluminium heatsink keeps it cool.
The SoC is flanked by two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 8 GB of memory. Expansion slots include a PCI-Express x1, and an M.2 E-key slot meant for WLAN cards. Display outputs include HDMI 2.0, D-Sub, and DVI. Four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers), gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel HD audio, make for the rest of it. The board appears to be targeted at HTPC builders, as the UHD Graphics 605 appears sufficient for 4K UHD entertainment (10-bit HEVC encode/decode hardware acceleration). Given the $160 price of the SoC itself, we expect this board to be priced in the $200-250 range.
The SoC is flanked by two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, supporting up to 8 GB of memory. Expansion slots include a PCI-Express x1, and an M.2 E-key slot meant for WLAN cards. Display outputs include HDMI 2.0, D-Sub, and DVI. Four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers), gigabit Ethernet, and 8-channel HD audio, make for the rest of it. The board appears to be targeted at HTPC builders, as the UHD Graphics 605 appears sufficient for 4K UHD entertainment (10-bit HEVC encode/decode hardware acceleration). Given the $160 price of the SoC itself, we expect this board to be priced in the $200-250 range.
GIGABYTE Intros RX 580 Gaming Box
GIGABYTE today rolled out the RX 580 Gaming Box, an external graphics enclosure with a factory-fitted graphics card. The company's Gaming Box line of external graphics enclosures made their debut with Aorus-branded boxes based on GeForce GTX 1070 graphics cards. The company later launched an Aorus-branded GTX 1080 Gaming Box. The new RX 580 Gaming Box (model: GV-RX580IXEB-8GD) encloses a Radeon RX 580 8 GB graphics card, with its core clocked at reference clocks of 1257 MHz core and 1340 MHz boost, out of the box, although a software-toggled "OC Mode" spools up the boost clock to 1355 MHz. The memory is untouched, at 8.00 GHz (GDDR5-effective).
The enclosure takes in a Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) connection, with which it drives not just the graphics card, but also a 3-port USB 3.0 hub. A fourth (orange) USB 3.1 port lacks any data connection, but is a Quick Charge 3-compliant USB port, for charging your devices. Powering the enclosure is a 450W internal PSU with over 90% efficiency. GIGABYTE claims this meets 80 Plus Gold efficiency standards, although is not certified with the 80 Plus logo. Display outputs from the graphics card include three DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI 2.0. The enclosure features mesh side windows, and an RGB LED strip controlled with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion software. The company didn't reveal pricing.
The enclosure takes in a Thunderbolt 3 (40 Gbps) connection, with which it drives not just the graphics card, but also a 3-port USB 3.0 hub. A fourth (orange) USB 3.1 port lacks any data connection, but is a Quick Charge 3-compliant USB port, for charging your devices. Powering the enclosure is a 450W internal PSU with over 90% efficiency. GIGABYTE claims this meets 80 Plus Gold efficiency standards, although is not certified with the 80 Plus logo. Display outputs from the graphics card include three DisplayPort 1.4 and one HDMI 2.0. The enclosure features mesh side windows, and an RGB LED strip controlled with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion software. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Sunday, March 18th 2018
Viceroy Research and CTS-Labs Make Their Positions Known on "AMD Flaws"
In separate interviews with Vice Motherboard, Viceroy Research, the AMD stock short-seller that posted an obituary of AMD, and CTS-Labs, which claims AMD "Zen" architecture is infested with glaring security vulnerabilities; crystallized their financial positions on "AMD Flaws." CTS-Labs and Viceroy Research each went on record to state that they have no financial relationship with each other. "Viceroy [Research] is not a client of CTS[-Labs], and CTS[-Labs] did not send its research to Viceroy [Research]," said Yaron Luk, co-founder of CTS-Labs, but confirmed that his company's business-model involves sharing their cyber-security research with stock research firms (like Viceroy Research), which probably use the information to short tech stocks (a highly unethical though not yet illegal practice). "We are a for-profit company that gets paid for its research by a variety of research clients," Luk stated.
It's becoming increasingly clear that entities other than AMD had access to CTS-Labs' work, at least the report, if not the "research package," greater than 24 hours before public disclosure (i.e. before even AMD could see it), and one such entity, referred to as an "anonymous tipster" in the Motherboard report, "shared" the information with Viceroy Research, which quickly bought itself a shorting position against the AMD stock, and posted a 25-page doomsaying report to accelerate the fall of AMD stock (which isn't quite happening at the time of writing this post). Viceroy Research is brazen about its position on the matter. "We haven't hidden the fact that we short the stock," said Fraser Perring, founder of Viceroy. Cybersecurity guru Alex Stamos, who is associated with Facebook, without taking names, tweeted an ominous warning that short-selling fueled security research "is going to end in tears. Hopefully due to lost money, and not because naive researchers go to prison." Does this foretell new regulation by the SEC that renders Viceroy's position into a black-hole for their money? The SEC has taken a great interest in the behavior of tech corporations and investors around cyber-security research.
It's becoming increasingly clear that entities other than AMD had access to CTS-Labs' work, at least the report, if not the "research package," greater than 24 hours before public disclosure (i.e. before even AMD could see it), and one such entity, referred to as an "anonymous tipster" in the Motherboard report, "shared" the information with Viceroy Research, which quickly bought itself a shorting position against the AMD stock, and posted a 25-page doomsaying report to accelerate the fall of AMD stock (which isn't quite happening at the time of writing this post). Viceroy Research is brazen about its position on the matter. "We haven't hidden the fact that we short the stock," said Fraser Perring, founder of Viceroy. Cybersecurity guru Alex Stamos, who is associated with Facebook, without taking names, tweeted an ominous warning that short-selling fueled security research "is going to end in tears. Hopefully due to lost money, and not because naive researchers go to prison." Does this foretell new regulation by the SEC that renders Viceroy's position into a black-hole for their money? The SEC has taken a great interest in the behavior of tech corporations and investors around cyber-security research.
Friday, March 16th 2018
Today's Reviews
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Mouse
PSUs
Speakers
SSD
Nitro Concepts Series S300 Gaming Chair Review
The Nitro Concepts S300 is an affordable, very comfortable chair with quite a lot of features for its price. It is available in eight different color combinations to cover all tastes, and its dimensions are ideal for larger users.
ASUS ROG X470 Motherboard Shows Up Out of Nowhere
The folks at VideoCardz received a picture of a soon-to-be-released ASUS X470 motherboard from an unnamed sender. Judging by the motherboard's aesthetics and design, we suspect that it belongs to the Strix Series. Although there are no signs of the Strix branding on the motherboard, the rear I/O cover and the 8+2 phase VRM resemble the ones used on the ASUS ROG Strix X370-F Gaming motherboard. Initially, the "Republic" marking threw us off as ASUS isn't known for placing the Republic of Gamers branding on their previous Strix motherboards. The "Hybrid" marking remains a mystery though. The Chinese characters 玩家 that are located beside one of the memory slots literally translates to "Players", which certainly suggests that this will be a gaming-oriented motherboard. As of the time of this article, there are five confirmed X470 motherboards from ASUS: Prime X470-Pro, ROG Strix X470-F Gaming, ROG Strix X470-I Gaming, ROG Crosshair VII Hero, ROG Crosshair VII Hero (WI-FI), and TUF X470-Plus Gaming.
AMD Throws EPYC Jab at Intel Xeon Products on Cloudfest
Cloudfest is a summit of sorts, a running line of conferences and announcements that focus on the cloud side of computing. With the increasing market value and demand of cloud services and providers, it's no surprise that industry behemoths are in attendance. AMD is one such, and it took the opportunity to throw a slight jab at Intel. Making the best it can from its long-coming favorable position in the server market, AMD put up a banner with an EPYC pun, touting its 3.3x performance per dollar advantage versus the Xeon competition... and then some. Just take a look at the image for yourself. It's all in good sport... Right?
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds Goes Mobile
After being crowned as Steam's third best-selling game ever, PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG) is on its way to conquer the mobile world. Developed by LightSpeed & Quantum Studio and published by Chinese tech giant Tencent, PUBG Mobile has been soft launched in Canada. The game is now available for download at the Google Play Store. PUBG Mobile stays true to the PC version. It was developed on the Unreal Engine 4 and supports features that include 7.1 surround sound and in-game voice chat. For the time being, only the original Erangel map is in the mobile version. The minimum requirements consist of a smartphone with Android 5.1.1 and 2 GB of RAM. Although there is no mention of a minimum processor requirement, the developer states that the game is supported on more than 500 Android devices.
ASRock Releases a Teaser of Their Upcoming Phantom Gaming Graphics Cards Series
ASRock was rumored to enter the graphics card market as per a report by DigiTimes. The motherboard and soon-to-be graphics card manufacturer just released a teaser on their Japan Twitter account that confirms this rumor. The mysterious graphics card in the video belongs to their Phantom Gaming Series. Although the exact model wasn't revealed, DigiTimes's article stated that it's probably an AMD Radeon-based card. From what can be seen from the 30-second long video, the graphics card features a dual-slot design with a black and white theme. The graphics card apparently relies on two fans to provide active cooling and a single 8-pin PCIe connector for power.
The Crew 2 Set for June 29 Release
Today, Ubisoft announced that The Crew 2, the newest iteration in the revolutionary open world driving franchise The Crew, will launch on June 29th, 2018, for PlayStation4 computer entertainment system, the Xbox One family of devices and Windows PC. In addition, The Crew 2 has been enhanced with additional features for PS4 Pro systems.
Developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower, a studio based in Lyon, France, The Crew 2 will let players experience the thrill of American motorsports inside a fully redesigned USA. The game's playground pushes physical boundaries to let driving and open world fans test their skills, solo or with friends, in nonstop competition and exploration. From coast to coast, drivers will explore America and compete to become the greatest motorsports champion, by collecting a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats and planes, and dominating the motorsports scene on the land, on the water and in the air. Players will find challenges and inspiration among four different motorsports families: street racing, off-road, pro racing and freestyle, and will be given a broad set of options among a wide selection of vehicle types.
Developed by Ubisoft Ivory Tower, a studio based in Lyon, France, The Crew 2 will let players experience the thrill of American motorsports inside a fully redesigned USA. The game's playground pushes physical boundaries to let driving and open world fans test their skills, solo or with friends, in nonstop competition and exploration. From coast to coast, drivers will explore America and compete to become the greatest motorsports champion, by collecting a wide variety of exotic cars, bikes, boats and planes, and dominating the motorsports scene on the land, on the water and in the air. Players will find challenges and inspiration among four different motorsports families: street racing, off-road, pro racing and freestyle, and will be given a broad set of options among a wide selection of vehicle types.
CTS-Labs Responds to a TechPowerUp Technical Questionnaire
Yesterday, we had a very productive phone call with CTS-Labs, the firm behind the "AMD Flaws" critical security vulnerabilities exposé of the "Zen" microarchitecture. Our questions focus on the practicality of exploiting these vulnerabilities, and should provide more insight to the skepticism centered on needing admin privileges, flashing BIOS ROMs, and other localized hacks that would render any machine, not just "Zen" powered, vulnerable. Feel free to follow up with questions in the comments section, if we can help explain something.
GIGABYTE Expands Density Optimized Intel Xeon Scalable Server Range
GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd, an industry leader in competitive, high performance server platforms & embedded solutions continues to expand its Intel Xeon Scalable product family by adding three new density optimized systems: H231-H60, H261-H60, and H261-H61, giving our customer a wider range of choices to meet their ever increasing needs for efficiency in the server room.
Some Blockchain in My Voting, Please: Sierra Leone Implements Innovative System
Putting aside discussion of cryptocurrencies, bubbles, and the debated absence of intrinsic value, blockchain itself has a myriad of uses that are still in their exploration infancy. One such usage - one that was arguably first thought of by Philip K. Dick, albeit unknowingly - was the usage of such a system in voting, as a way to provide transparency and trust towards the system which (supposedly) materializes the will of the people.
When asked which country would be the first to implement a Blockchain-based election (which ran at 70% of the voting stations), Sierra Leone would likely be completely absent as an option. The country, which has a population of 7.4 million, has a known history of political and societal unrest, having seen multiple UN interventions in its (relatively) recent history. The company had no technological capacity to build such a blockchain-based voting system - and thus turned to an outside provider. Agora was the chosen company, which aimed to power Sierra Leone's presidential election through anonymously stored votes in an immutable ledger, thereby offering instant access to the election results. The wins come not only in counting speed and actual logistics and state spending improvements, though: the usage of blockchain obviously also ushers in transparency.
When asked which country would be the first to implement a Blockchain-based election (which ran at 70% of the voting stations), Sierra Leone would likely be completely absent as an option. The country, which has a population of 7.4 million, has a known history of political and societal unrest, having seen multiple UN interventions in its (relatively) recent history. The company had no technological capacity to build such a blockchain-based voting system - and thus turned to an outside provider. Agora was the chosen company, which aimed to power Sierra Leone's presidential election through anonymously stored votes in an immutable ledger, thereby offering instant access to the election results. The wins come not only in counting speed and actual logistics and state spending improvements, though: the usage of blockchain obviously also ushers in transparency.
Brainwavz Introduces its S0 IEM Noise Isolating Earphones
Global audio specialist Brainwavz, established in 2008 with a focus on offering high quality products at a competitive price, today announces the availability of its S0 IEM noise isolating earphones. The S0 IEM are the latest in the Brainwavz range of over 25 earphones and headphones and accessories and represent great value at £35.73 /$49.50.
The Brainwavz S0 earphones have been designed to provide a balanced sound signature with each part of the sound spectrum represented being both accurate and clear. The all metal housing and flat, tangle free cabling provides a sleek look, feel and long lasting durability (with no fear of tangling in a bag either!). The S0's will work with any genre of music and are sure to keep anyone happy whether they're listening to pop, classical, hip hop or rock.
The Clearwavz mic and remote use a high precision MEMS (Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System) silicon microphone with a three-button control. This enables users to make audio calls as well as audio playback and is far easier to control with maximum performance so making a phone call on the go could not be simpler.
The Brainwavz S0 earphones have been designed to provide a balanced sound signature with each part of the sound spectrum represented being both accurate and clear. The all metal housing and flat, tangle free cabling provides a sleek look, feel and long lasting durability (with no fear of tangling in a bag either!). The S0's will work with any genre of music and are sure to keep anyone happy whether they're listening to pop, classical, hip hop or rock.
The Clearwavz mic and remote use a high precision MEMS (Micro-Electrical-Mechanical System) silicon microphone with a three-button control. This enables users to make audio calls as well as audio playback and is far easier to control with maximum performance so making a phone call on the go could not be simpler.
Audeze Announces the Mobius Gaming Headset With Spatial Positioning Tech
Audeze, a company that prides itself in offering a premium sound solution for gamers, has launched their latest headset - the Mobius. The Mobius headset features 3D spatial positioning simulation, which takes the audio source and applies a number of Audeze technologies - their planar magnetic technology, for instance, combined with head tracking, room simulation, and sound localization technologies.
COLORFUL Announces Limited Edition Season Series Solid-State Drives
COLORFUL Technology Company Limited, professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and high-performance storage solutions is proud to announce the availability of its limited edition COLORFUL SL300 160G Spring L.E. solid state drive. Featuring an all-new pink frosted aluminum alloy shell, the COLORFUL Season series SSD is set to make a statement for builders who are looking to express themselves and create a stunning build featuring a pink color scheme or just want a snazzy pink SSD for their PC, the COLORFUL SL300 160G Spring L.E. is the only choice.
The COLORFUL SL300 Spring L.E. is based off the highly-commended SL300 series solid-state drives from COLORFUL. These SSDs feature a non-standard capacity due to newer 3D NAND flash specification which is the result of new developments in 3D NAND technology. This allows a large volume single BGA NAND flash chip to be created. For example, the COLORFUL SL300 Plus 160G uses a 4 die wafer array.
The COLORFUL SL300 Spring L.E. is based off the highly-commended SL300 series solid-state drives from COLORFUL. These SSDs feature a non-standard capacity due to newer 3D NAND flash specification which is the result of new developments in 3D NAND technology. This allows a large volume single BGA NAND flash chip to be created. For example, the COLORFUL SL300 Plus 160G uses a 4 die wafer array.
Thursday, March 15th 2018
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Harddisks
Headphones
Networking
Speakers
Crucial MX300 M.2 525 GB Review
With just $140 for the 525 GB version, the Crucial MX300 is one of the most affordable M.2 drives out there. Instead of NVMe, it uses the slower SATA interface, though. Our review will take a closer look at how much of a difference that really makes and whether the MX300 M.2 is a good alternative to 2.5" SATA drives.
AMD Ryzen 5 2600X Accidentally Listed on Amazon
Amazon Germany accidentally listed the upcoming AMD Ryzen 5 2600X six-core processor. According to the listing availability of the chip is scheduled for 19th April. The chip is priced at 248.93€ including taxes, which is in line with the launch SEP prices we saw in the leaked AMD press-deck posted earlier this month. The listing also mentions a handful specifications, such as the chip being based on 12 nm silicon fabrication process, and featuring clock speeds of 3.60 GHz, with 4.25 GHz turbo. Unlike with some of the higher end first-generation Ryzen retail packages, AMD will be including cooling solutions with all models of the 2nd generation Ryzen series. The Ryzen 5 2600X will include a Wraith Spire cooler, characterized by its RGB LED ring, and having a design focus on low-noise operation.
Valve Introduces Auto Resolution Scaling to Steam VR
Valve has announce that they've added a new rendering capability to their Steam VR environment which aims to improve image quality and frames per second in VR environments, while reducing processing load on both over and underpowered hardware. The auto resolution scaling feature they've introduced to Steam VR is nothing really new - it's been used in some games for a while now, and has recently begun attracting wide industry and game developer interest mainly on the back of the new, revised mid-gen upgrade consoles from Sony (the PS4 Pro) and Microsoft (Xbox One X).
The idea behind the auto resolution scaling is that developers (or users) can set a given frame rate target, and rendering resolution will be automatically adjusted so as to facilitate those FPS values to be achieved - wither by increasing rendering resolution (and thus image quality) in less work-intensive areas, or doing the reverse, and reducing rendering resolution in performance-hog stretches of games or experiences.
The idea behind the auto resolution scaling is that developers (or users) can set a given frame rate target, and rendering resolution will be automatically adjusted so as to facilitate those FPS values to be achieved - wither by increasing rendering resolution (and thus image quality) in less work-intensive areas, or doing the reverse, and reducing rendering resolution in performance-hog stretches of games or experiences.
Microsoft Rolling Out New "Speculative Execution" Bug Bounty Program
In a blog post, Microsoft has announced that it has decided to take the matter of finding critical bugs of similar nature to the Spectre/Meltdown flaws into its own hands - at least partially. Adding to its bug bounty programs, the company has now announced that a new pot of up to $250,000 is up for grabs until at least December 31st of this year.
The new bug bounty program is divided into four different severity/compensation tiers, with tier 1 flaws (New categories of speculative execution attacks) granting up to $250,000 in rewards for the "coordinated disclosure" of such vulnerabilities. The idea here is Microsoft is employing the knowledge and will of the capable masses that might find ways of exploiting vulnerabilities, and would choose to disclose them to Microsoft - getting the prize money, helping the tech industry in providing a timely, coordinated defense against these exploits, and saving vast amounts of funding (and time), by not having to do the bug bounty themselves.
The new bug bounty program is divided into four different severity/compensation tiers, with tier 1 flaws (New categories of speculative execution attacks) granting up to $250,000 in rewards for the "coordinated disclosure" of such vulnerabilities. The idea here is Microsoft is employing the knowledge and will of the capable masses that might find ways of exploiting vulnerabilities, and would choose to disclose them to Microsoft - getting the prize money, helping the tech industry in providing a timely, coordinated defense against these exploits, and saving vast amounts of funding (and time), by not having to do the bug bounty themselves.
Shadow of the Tomb Raider Announced: Lara Croft Returns on September 14th
Square Enix today announced that the final installment in the Tomb Raider origins trilogy is being released on September 14th this year. Moving on from their previous "timed exclusive" contract with Microsoft, which saw Rise of the Tomb Raider be first published on the Xbox family of devices, the latest game will be available for all platforms - PC, PS4 and Xbox - on release date.
The new game in the Tomb Raider series has moved hands, though, leaving Crystal Dynamics' studios (who is now working on an Avengers video game with Marvel), and was taken upon by Eidos Montreal - the studio best known for the latest (way better than they're given credit, by the way) Deus Ex games (Human Revolution and Mankind Divided). A full reveal of the game is expected next month, on April 27th - just two months before E3, which will certainly pave the way for even more content on the game. Square Enix is promising users they'll "Experience Lara Croft's defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider". Interesting, no? Look after the break for a preview teaser.
The new game in the Tomb Raider series has moved hands, though, leaving Crystal Dynamics' studios (who is now working on an Avengers video game with Marvel), and was taken upon by Eidos Montreal - the studio best known for the latest (way better than they're given credit, by the way) Deus Ex games (Human Revolution and Mankind Divided). A full reveal of the game is expected next month, on April 27th - just two months before E3, which will certainly pave the way for even more content on the game. Square Enix is promising users they'll "Experience Lara Croft's defining moment as she becomes the Tomb Raider". Interesting, no? Look after the break for a preview teaser.
Sneak Peek of Upcoming H370, H310, and B360 Motherboards from ASUS, ASRock, Gigabyte, MSI
Coffee Lake processors were launched along side the high-end Z370 motherboards. While the Z370 chipset certainly brings many innovative features to the table, different consumers have different levels of needs. Some consumers simply don't need all the bells and whistles that the Z370 chipset has to offer. That's why other mainstream chipsets like H370, H310, and B360 still hold their value, and many consumers are waiting for motherboards based on one of the aformentioned chipsets to come out. Unfortunately, Intel still haven't shared a concrete launch date with the public. But as online stores have started to list the new H370, H310, and B360 motherboards, our guess is that they will be available real soon. Since some of you are probably planning your next budget PC build with one of these chipsets, we've rounded up the images of the different models that are currently floating around the internet. You can get a sneak peek at the offerings from major manufacturers like ASRock, Gigabyte, and MSI. There are 29 models in total that range from the mini-ATX form factor to the conventional ATX form factor.
ASUS
ASUS
Fractal Design Expands Meshify C Line Up with New White Variant
Meshify strikes an aggressive pose in the Fractal Design lineup with unparalleled cooling performance and a defiant new look. Like diamond facets, the angular asymmetry of the Meshify C carves a space uniquely its own as a new dominant force in high-airflow design. Tempered glass completes the distinct, stealth-inspired aesthetic with exceptional style.
An open ATX layout with intelligent space utilization creates an unrestricted airflow path from the mesh front intakes directly through key components to exhaust, ensuring heat is never an issue. The Meshify C has a remarkably compact footprint with the high-end component support of a full tower, and with seven fan mounts and multi-radiator liquid cooling capability, it has the cooling capacity to match.
An open ATX layout with intelligent space utilization creates an unrestricted airflow path from the mesh front intakes directly through key components to exhaust, ensuring heat is never an issue. The Meshify C has a remarkably compact footprint with the high-end component support of a full tower, and with seven fan mounts and multi-radiator liquid cooling capability, it has the cooling capacity to match.
Hardware-based Protection Coming to Data Center and PC Products Later this Year: Intel CEO
Intel CEO Brian Krzanich penned (or signed) a blog post today where we went on to describe all of the steps his company took after knowing of the disclosed vulnerabilities by Google Project Zero (which gave Intel more than 24H notice). In the blog post, he acknowledges there's still much work to be done, but assures customers of security's importance to Intel. For one, 73 days after the vulnerabilities were made public, Intel is now done with software mitigations: all of Intel's last five years worth of CPUs now have in production patches.
The CEO also vowed that hardware solutions will be deployed on newly produced Intel processors by the end of 2018 - these will hit the company's next iteration of Xeon scalable processors (Cascade Lake) and will be deployed to 8th Gen Coffee Lake processors as soon as the second half of this year. The blog post follows.
The CEO also vowed that hardware solutions will be deployed on newly produced Intel processors by the end of 2018 - these will hit the company's next iteration of Xeon scalable processors (Cascade Lake) and will be deployed to 8th Gen Coffee Lake processors as soon as the second half of this year. The blog post follows.
CTS Labs Posts Some Clarifications on AMD "Zen" Vulnerabilities
CTS-Labs the research group behind the AMD "Zen" CPU vulnerabilities, posted an addendum to its public-release of the whitepaper, in an attempt to dispel some of the criticism in their presentation in the absence of technical details (which they shared with AMD and other big tech firms). In their clarification whitepaper, quoted below, they get into slightly more technical details on each of the four vulnerability classes.
ViewSonic Launches Its Kaby Lake-Powered NMP660 Chromebox
ViewSonic Corp., a leading global provider of visual solution products, introduces the ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox. Paired with the company's ViewBoard family of interactive flat panel displays or any ViewSonic display, the ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox can transform any Google classroom into a collaborative learning hub, or provide content management as a signage player and desktop virtualization solution for conference rooms. The ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox delivers a complete and secure Chrome OS and Google Play experience.
The ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox offers a quick out-of-the-box set-up, integrated Google management console and built-in security features, making it an ideal solution for educational and corporate environments. It can drive 4K content, and with the swift set-up, users can quickly access popular applications, websites and even games. Powered by Google Hangouts Meet, Google's video conferencing software, the NMP660 facilitate presentations, brainstorming, and decision-making - even when employees, clients, or students are spread across the globe.
The ViewSonic NMP660 Chromebox offers a quick out-of-the-box set-up, integrated Google management console and built-in security features, making it an ideal solution for educational and corporate environments. It can drive 4K content, and with the swift set-up, users can quickly access popular applications, websites and even games. Powered by Google Hangouts Meet, Google's video conferencing software, the NMP660 facilitate presentations, brainstorming, and decision-making - even when employees, clients, or students are spread across the globe.
Sharkoon Announces the TG5 RGB ATX Midi Tower with Controllable RGB LED Fans
Sharkoon has added a new version to the TG5 ATX PC Case launched in 2017: The Sharkoon TG5 RGB ATX Midi Tower. In addition to the tempered glass front and left side panel, the TG5 RGB ATX Midi Tower features four 120 mm RGB LED fans as well as a Sharkoon RGB LED strip. In total, six LED elements can be controlled via a 12V-G-R-B connector with the included 6-port RGB hub. The TG5 RGB is compatible with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, ASUS Aura as well as other common RGB capable mainboards. For mainboards without a 12V-G-R-B connector, the TG5 RGB comes with a manual color control.
The Sharkoon TG5 RGB is especially made for fans of flashy gaming PCs who want an individualized illumination from as many as 16.8 million colors. The tempered glass left side panel provides a clear view of the illuminated components inside the case. Thanks to the cable management system, the PC case can always make a tidy impression. The front panel is designed cable-free and can thus be removed easily without pulling on any cabling. The front has three pre-installed 120 mm LED fans, and another 120 mm LED fan is pre-installed on the rear panel. In addition, a RGB LED strip is provided for the case interior. The strip can be attached magnetically and by using its adhesive tape. In total, six LED elements can be connected to mainboards with a 12V G-R-B connector and controlled, using the included 6-port RGB hub - as long as the LED elements are compatible with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, ASUS Aura or other common RGB capable mainboards. For mainboards without a 12V-G-R-B connector, the TG5 RGB comes with a manual color control. This is equipped with switches, enabling the illumination of the fans and the strip in seven colors, including white. In order to strengthen airflow inside the case, the top panel provides room for up three 120 mm fans or two 140 mm fans. For water cooling, a 280 mm or a 360 mm radiator can be installed to the front of the case.
The Sharkoon TG5 RGB is especially made for fans of flashy gaming PCs who want an individualized illumination from as many as 16.8 million colors. The tempered glass left side panel provides a clear view of the illuminated components inside the case. Thanks to the cable management system, the PC case can always make a tidy impression. The front panel is designed cable-free and can thus be removed easily without pulling on any cabling. The front has three pre-installed 120 mm LED fans, and another 120 mm LED fan is pre-installed on the rear panel. In addition, a RGB LED strip is provided for the case interior. The strip can be attached magnetically and by using its adhesive tape. In total, six LED elements can be connected to mainboards with a 12V G-R-B connector and controlled, using the included 6-port RGB hub - as long as the LED elements are compatible with GIGABYTE RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light, ASUS Aura or other common RGB capable mainboards. For mainboards without a 12V-G-R-B connector, the TG5 RGB comes with a manual color control. This is equipped with switches, enabling the illumination of the fans and the strip in seven colors, including white. In order to strengthen airflow inside the case, the top panel provides room for up three 120 mm fans or two 140 mm fans. For water cooling, a 280 mm or a 360 mm radiator can be installed to the front of the case.
Logitech G Unveils New PC Gaming Speaker and Mechanical Keyboard With LightSync
Logitech G, a brand of Logitech, today announced two new additions to their family of high-performance gaming gear. The Logitech G560 PC Gaming Speaker is the first dedicated gaming speaker system with advanced Logitech G LIGHTSYNC, a technology that synchronizes both light and sounds to gameplay. Joining the speaker is the new Logitech G513 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard. The Logitech G513 also features LIGHTSYNC RGB, provides the choice of two Romer-G mechanical key switches and a premium palm rest for a comfortable experience. Logitech G continues to expand its range of high-performance gear that is purpose-built for the needs of gamers, and push innovation in RGB to new immersive levels.
"Our goal with these two products was to complement our G502, the world's best selling gaming mouse," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming. "With LIGHTSYNC technology we are able to add real intelligence to what RGB lighting can do - synchronizing audio and RGB lighting to on-screen gameplay. If you already own a G502, then the new G513 keyboard and G560 speakers with LIGHTSYNC are the perfect way to complete your desktop, and create a totally immersive solution."
"Our goal with these two products was to complement our G502, the world's best selling gaming mouse," said Ujesh Desai, vice president and general manager of Logitech Gaming. "With LIGHTSYNC technology we are able to add real intelligence to what RGB lighting can do - synchronizing audio and RGB lighting to on-screen gameplay. If you already own a G502, then the new G513 keyboard and G560 speakers with LIGHTSYNC are the perfect way to complete your desktop, and create a totally immersive solution."
FSP Introduces CMT230 and CMT240 Mid-Tower Cases
FSP, a worldwide leader in innovative, reliable enthusiast PC components, today unveiled the new CMT230 and CMT240 Mid-Tower cases. The CMT line has proven itself as one of the most trusted case series on the market over the years, offering modern design, flexible cooling options and easy setup for any mainstream gaming system. Both models offer plenty of cooling options to meet the demands of the most component-heavy systems. Where ergonomic design meets flexible ventilation needs, both elegant cases are the ideal solution for today's mainstream gaming systems and customization enthusiasts.
Refined style, blue LED lights and mesh front panel design (CMT230) or solid metal front panel (CMT240) with flexible ventilation options keep your components always running cool. Both models support up to six 120mm/140mm fans or up to two 280mm radiators for more cooling options to ensure that your cooling performance will no suffer even if you add more components to your system. The CMT230 comes standard with three blue LED fans, while CMT240 sports solid steel front panel with blue LED light bar. On top of that, our smart design and magnetic adhesion make it easy to always keep your PC dust-free and spend less time on maintenance.
Refined style, blue LED lights and mesh front panel design (CMT230) or solid metal front panel (CMT240) with flexible ventilation options keep your components always running cool. Both models support up to six 120mm/140mm fans or up to two 280mm radiators for more cooling options to ensure that your cooling performance will no suffer even if you add more components to your system. The CMT230 comes standard with three blue LED fans, while CMT240 sports solid steel front panel with blue LED light bar. On top of that, our smart design and magnetic adhesion make it easy to always keep your PC dust-free and spend less time on maintenance.
Power Outage at Samsung NAND Flash Plant Cuts March Global Output by 3.5%
A power-outage on 9th March, at one of Samsung's NAND flash manufacturing plants located in Pyeongtaek, Korea, will have a notable impact on global NAND flash production. It reduced the global NAND flash output for the month of March 2018 by 3.5 percent, a number that isn't insignificant, and translates into non-volatile memory for millions of devices. It also trims Samsung's output by 11 percent for the month. SIlicon fabrication is a highly sensitive process, and the power-outage is said to have damaged up to 60,000 wafers of NAND flash chips.
The impact of this event on global prices of NAND flash memory, and devices based on it, remains to be seen. Any inflation could be nipped in the bud by Samsung and other NAND flash makers significantly increasing production through this quarter. Samsung will begin expansion of its NAND flash plant in Xi'an, China, which currently outputs 120,000 wafers per month, and is expected to put out 320,000 wafers a month after the expansion.
The impact of this event on global prices of NAND flash memory, and devices based on it, remains to be seen. Any inflation could be nipped in the bud by Samsung and other NAND flash makers significantly increasing production through this quarter. Samsung will begin expansion of its NAND flash plant in Xi'an, China, which currently outputs 120,000 wafers per month, and is expected to put out 320,000 wafers a month after the expansion.
GIGABYTE Intros CMT2014 M.2 Slot Card
GIGABYTE today rolled out the CMT2014, an add-on card that converts a PCI-Express gen 3.0 x16 slot into four 32 Gbps M.2 PCIe slots, using PCIe lane-segmentation on the motherboard's end (it doesn't have any bridge chip on its end). This is similar in function, concept, and design to the ASRock Ultra Quad M.2, and the ASUS Hyper M.2, but lacks any mechanism to cool the drives. You get four M.2-22110 slots with PCI-Express gen 3.0 x4 wiring, two of these slots face forwards, and the others backwards.
If you have M.2-2280 (or smaller) drives installed on the slots that face backwards, you can physically (and irreversibly) break off a piece of the card to reduce its length from 21 cm to around 18.5 cm. Other features include power/activity LEDs for each of the four slots, and temperature sensors positioned where most SSDs have their controllers located. The company didn't reveal pricing, but to prevent RMAs from people who can't get it to work on their motherboards lacking lane segmentation, it mentioned that the card is only intended for Xeon "Purley" platform, for now.
If you have M.2-2280 (or smaller) drives installed on the slots that face backwards, you can physically (and irreversibly) break off a piece of the card to reduce its length from 21 cm to around 18.5 cm. Other features include power/activity LEDs for each of the four slots, and temperature sensors positioned where most SSDs have their controllers located. The company didn't reveal pricing, but to prevent RMAs from people who can't get it to work on their motherboards lacking lane segmentation, it mentioned that the card is only intended for Xeon "Purley" platform, for now.
Wednesday, March 14th 2018
Today's Reviews
Headphones
Networking
Notebooks
Phanteks Glacier C350i CPU Water Block Review
With Phanteks getting ready to launch new acetal top versions of their Glacier C350i CPU water block soon, we take a detailed look at the acrylic top version of the same. This was the product that launched their entry to custom water cooling - with aluminum side covers, integrated RGB lighting, a user friendly installation, and low coolant flow restriction providing a new, and yet fresh option for DIY enthusiasts.
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Rears Its Head On Geekbench
As we grow ever closer to the launch of AMD's 2000-series, details and scores are expected to be revealed in increasingly faster fashion. Today, some Geekbench benchmarks (reportedly) of an AMD 2700X CPU have appeared, shedding some light on the expected performance - and performance improvement - of the new AMD top-of-the-line CPU.
The Ryzen 7 2700X CPU that has been tested achieved scores of 4746 single core and 24772 multi-core, which show some interesting improvements over the original flagship Ryzen 7 1800X. The official Geekbench baseline scores for AMD's 1800X are 4249 and 21978, respectively, for single and multicore benchmarks. This means that the new 2700X, which is expected to carry an increased 100 MHz base (3.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz) and 350 MHz higher boost (4.35 GHz vs 4.0 GHz) over the 1800X, is pulling some additional performance from some micro-architecture refinements, and not just from the added clockspeed. The mobo used, an ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero motherboard, is a X370-series chipset motherboard, so while it supports the new AMD CPUs, it might not fully support all their SenseMI Gen 2 improvements. From what can be gleaned, the Ryzen 7 2700X ran at its default base frequency of 3.7GHz, and the accompanying 16GB memory ran at 2.4GHz.
The Ryzen 7 2700X CPU that has been tested achieved scores of 4746 single core and 24772 multi-core, which show some interesting improvements over the original flagship Ryzen 7 1800X. The official Geekbench baseline scores for AMD's 1800X are 4249 and 21978, respectively, for single and multicore benchmarks. This means that the new 2700X, which is expected to carry an increased 100 MHz base (3.7 GHz vs 3.6 GHz) and 350 MHz higher boost (4.35 GHz vs 4.0 GHz) over the 1800X, is pulling some additional performance from some micro-architecture refinements, and not just from the added clockspeed. The mobo used, an ASUS ROG Crosshair VI Hero motherboard, is a X370-series chipset motherboard, so while it supports the new AMD CPUs, it might not fully support all their SenseMI Gen 2 improvements. From what can be gleaned, the Ryzen 7 2700X ran at its default base frequency of 3.7GHz, and the accompanying 16GB memory ran at 2.4GHz.
Raspberry Pi Foundation Announces New, Pi 3 B+ Model - Same Price, Better Features
This article is devoted to all of the tech enthusiasts in our forums that just love to tinker with technology themselves. There are some pretty cool projects users can use their Raspberry Pis for - smart mirrors, home-made security systems, even Philips Ambilight clones for their PCs and televisions. The Raspberry Pi foundation has been making strides, in line with tech advancements ever since the introduction of their very first Raspberry Pi model, and have now announced yet another iteration of the popular compute platform: the Pi 3 B+.
The Raspberry Pi 3 B+ packs some improved hardware - it runs its quad core 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor at 1.4GHz (versus 1.2 GHz previously), and a dual-band controller that now supports 2.4/5GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 (up from 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 4.1). Other specs are unchanged: there's an Ethernet port, 4x USB 2 ports, a 40-pin GPIO connector, 1x HDMI video output, camera and touchscreen ports, stereo/composite video, and a microSD slot for its software and operating system. For these improvements, users will be requested to shell out exactly the same amount of greenbacks as before: $35.
The Raspberry Pi 3 B+ packs some improved hardware - it runs its quad core 64-bit Cortex-A53 processor at 1.4GHz (versus 1.2 GHz previously), and a dual-band controller that now supports 2.4/5GHz 802.11b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.2 (up from 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 4.1). Other specs are unchanged: there's an Ethernet port, 4x USB 2 ports, a 40-pin GPIO connector, 1x HDMI video output, camera and touchscreen ports, stereo/composite video, and a microSD slot for its software and operating system. For these improvements, users will be requested to shell out exactly the same amount of greenbacks as before: $35.
Google To Ban Crypto-Related Advertisements
Google has surreptitiously announced, via an update to its financial services-related ad policies, that cryptocurrency-related ads on its services will be banned before long. As both public and regulatory bodies have become increasingly aware of cryptocurrencies' successes and shortcomings, the company has decided to take a stance until the as-of-yet deeply unregulated cryptocurrency field becomes clearer for users, and is less of a metaphorical minefield. While blockchain is one of the most promising technologies in recent years, and is definitely here to stay, the path for cryptocurrencies is much less clear, and there have been enough warning shots fired across the bow.
As there are veritable cybernetic graveyards of scams and failed crypto endeavors that ruined millions of peoples' lives, Google won't be facilitating these events. As Google's director of sustainable ads, Scott Spencer, told CNBC, "We don't have a crystal ball to know where the future is going to go with cryptocurrencies, but we've seen enough consumer harm or potential for consumer harm that it's an area that we want to approach with extreme caution." The new approach will be brought upon initial coin offerings (ICOs), wallets, and trading advice alike, starting in June this year.
As there are veritable cybernetic graveyards of scams and failed crypto endeavors that ruined millions of peoples' lives, Google won't be facilitating these events. As Google's director of sustainable ads, Scott Spencer, told CNBC, "We don't have a crystal ball to know where the future is going to go with cryptocurrencies, but we've seen enough consumer harm or potential for consumer harm that it's an area that we want to approach with extreme caution." The new approach will be brought upon initial coin offerings (ICOs), wallets, and trading advice alike, starting in June this year.
Intel Celeron and Pentium Gold Coffee Lake Processors Spotted on Amazon
Amazon listed for a brief moment four upcoming Coffee Lake processors on their website. The crew over at Tom's Hardware managed to grab some screenshots of the processors right before the pages were taken down. The models in question belong to the Celeron and Pentium Gold families. The Celeron G4900 and G4920 are dual-core processors that lack hyperthreading. Both models are rated at 54W TDP. However, the G4900 operates at 3.1 GHz, while the G4920 runs at 3.2 GHz. Although Amazon didn't leak the pricing, we did some digging of own. According to Connection, the Celeron 4900 goes for $46.27 and the Celeron G4920 for $58.14. Similar to the Celeron models, the Pentium Gold G5500 and G5600 are also dual-core processors and possess a 54W TDP. However, the Pentium Gold models do come with hyperthreading. The G5500 runs at 3.8 GHz and the G5600 at 3.9 GHz. In terms of pricing, the Pentium Gold G5500 costs $82.06 and the faster Pentium Gold G5600 goes for $94.92.
Broadcom Gives Up on Acquiring Qualcomm
After being blocked via an executive order by President Trump, Broadcom has given up on their quest to acquire Qualcomm. The chipmaker will also be withdrawing the slate of independent director candidates that they were planning to nominate at Qualcomm's 2018 Annual Meeting of Stockholders. Although highly disappointed with the outcome, Broadcom respects President Trump's decision. The company also wants to thank the stockholders for their unconditional support during the entire process. With this whole Qualcomm takeover business out of the way, Broadcom will concentrate on their redomiciliation process.
OWC Launches Their Mercury Elite Pro Quad External Storage Solution
OWC, a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, is making drive juggling a thing of the past with the new OWC Mercury Elite Pro Quad. The new external storage solution offers four drive bays to provide massive amounts of storage from a single USB-C connection, with the flexibility to be utilized in Mac, PC and mixed Mac/PC environments. Designed for users who require high capacity storage with fast transfer speeds, the Mercury Elite Pro Quad is ideal for use by post- production firms, photographers, creative agencies, higher education programs, and small businesses.
Fujitsu's Latest LIFEBOOK U938 Wants to be Your Travel Companion
Fujitsu America, Inc. introduces the LIFEBOOK U938 - an enhanced version of its flagship ultra-mobile notebook designed for road warriors and frequent travelers. One of the lightest fully featured business notebooks on the market today, the LIFEBOOK U938 comprises powerful 8th generation Intel Core vPro processors, full size connectivity ports and enterprise-grade biometric authentication.
The 13.3-inch (33.8cm) LIFEBOOK U938 is just 15.5mm tall and has a starting weight of only 1.76 lbs. (799g). Despite its lightweight and slimline profile, it is packed with features including best-in-class connectivity options - with full size interfaces for HDMI, USB types A and C, audio combo, SD and a smart card reader. The U938 is equipped with a long battery runtime to ensure all-day productivity, making it the perfect travel companion.
The 13.3-inch (33.8cm) LIFEBOOK U938 is just 15.5mm tall and has a starting weight of only 1.76 lbs. (799g). Despite its lightweight and slimline profile, it is packed with features including best-in-class connectivity options - with full size interfaces for HDMI, USB types A and C, audio combo, SD and a smart card reader. The U938 is equipped with a long battery runtime to ensure all-day productivity, making it the perfect travel companion.
Cougar Launches the Panzer Evo Full-Size Tempered Glass Case
Cougar's latest release the Panzer Evo is a full size tower case that features a range of practical features, a comprehensive cable management system and support for up to E-ATX form motherboards with capacity for a total of four 390mm graphics cards. The Panzer Evo is a full size case coming in at 266 x 612 x 556 (mm) with screw less access to the internals allowing removal of the side panels and PSU cover without any tools. Inside you'll find support for six motherboard types and four double slot 390mm graphics cards.
The case can support Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, L-ATX, SSI-CEB as well as E-ATX motherboard form factors. Memory support provides space for up to six SSDs with the option to exchange two of those slots for 3.5" HDDs.
The case can support Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, ATX, L-ATX, SSI-CEB as well as E-ATX motherboard form factors. Memory support provides space for up to six SSDs with the option to exchange two of those slots for 3.5" HDDs.
CTS Labs Sent AMD and Other Companies a Research Package with Proof-of-Concept Code
CTS Labs, the Israel-based IT security research company behind Tuesday's explosive AMD Ryzen security vulnerabilities report, responded to questions posed by TechPowerUp. One of the biggest of these, which is also on the minds of skeptics, is the ominous lack of proof-of-concept code or binaries being part of their initial public report (in contrast to the Meltdown/Spectre reports that went into technical details about the exploit). CTS Labs stated to TechPowerUp that it has sent AMD, along with other big tech companies a "complete research package," which includes "full technical write-ups about the vulnerabilities," "functional proof-of-concept exploit code," and "instructions on how to reproduce each vulnerability." It stated that besides AMD, the research package was sent to Microsoft, HP, Dell, Symantec, FireEye, and Cisco Systems, to help them develop patches and mitigation.
An unwritten yet generally accepted practice in the IT security industry upon discovery of such vulnerabilities, is for researchers to give companies in question at least 90 days to design a software patch, harden infrastructure, or implement other mitigation. 90 days is in stark contrast to the 24 hours AMD got from CTS Labs. CTS Labs confirmed to TechPowerUp that it indeed shared its research package with AMD (and the other companies) just 24 hours prior to making its report public, but urged those disgruntled with this decision to look at the situation objectively. "If you look at the situation in the following way: right now the public knows about the vulnerabilities and their implications, AMD is fully informed and developing patches, and major security companies are also informed and working on mitigation."
An unwritten yet generally accepted practice in the IT security industry upon discovery of such vulnerabilities, is for researchers to give companies in question at least 90 days to design a software patch, harden infrastructure, or implement other mitigation. 90 days is in stark contrast to the 24 hours AMD got from CTS Labs. CTS Labs confirmed to TechPowerUp that it indeed shared its research package with AMD (and the other companies) just 24 hours prior to making its report public, but urged those disgruntled with this decision to look at the situation objectively. "If you look at the situation in the following way: right now the public knows about the vulnerabilities and their implications, AMD is fully informed and developing patches, and major security companies are also informed and working on mitigation."
DeepCool Intros Frostwin LED CPU Cooler with High DIMM Clearance
DeepCool today introduced the Frostwin LED, a dual fin-stack, tower-type CPU cooler. The cooler features two fin-stacks that hold on to two 92 mm fans in push-pull configuration, with provision for a third fan. Measuring 102 mm x 121 mm x 142 mm, the cooler has the height typical of a larger heatsink designed for 120 mm fans, and there's a design goal behind this. The fin-stacks are held high up from the motherboard, for additional DIMM and VRM heatsink clearance.
Four 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, with the two aluminium fin-stacks arranged along their ends. The two included 92 mm fans spin between 900 to 1,800 RPM when plugged into 4-pin PWM power inputs, or up to 1,600 RPM with 3-pin fan headers. At max speed, they push up to 80 CFM of air, with a noise output of 19 dBA, each. The fans feature blue LED lighting, with no control. The cooler weighs in at 740 g. It supports mainstream desktop CPU sockets, such as LGA115x and AM4.
Four 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, with the two aluminium fin-stacks arranged along their ends. The two included 92 mm fans spin between 900 to 1,800 RPM when plugged into 4-pin PWM power inputs, or up to 1,600 RPM with 3-pin fan headers. At max speed, they push up to 80 CFM of air, with a noise output of 19 dBA, each. The fans feature blue LED lighting, with no control. The cooler weighs in at 740 g. It supports mainstream desktop CPU sockets, such as LGA115x and AM4.
Stephen Hawking Has Died
Stephen Hawking, one of the brightest scientific minds of our time, has died. He was 76. The British theoretical physicist had overcome a debilitating disease to write some of the most popular books on the many mysteries of the universe, and had been regarded as the Einstein of this century. The greatest of Hawking's works include the unification of Einstein's theory of relativity with quantum mechanics. Hawking also discovered that black-holes can't be black, and emit radiation, which would come to be known as Hawking radiation
Linus Torvalds Slams Security Researchers Without Taking Names
Linus Torvalds has, without taking names, slammed the direction in which the IT security industry is going. The timing of Torvalds' comments is key. They come on a day when CTS-Labs published a press-release chronicling what they claim to be 13 critical security vulnerabilities with AMD "Zen" CPU microarchitecture. "It looks like the IT security world has hit a new low," Torvalds begins. "If you work in security, and think you have some morals, I think you might want to add the tag-line: "No, really, I'm not a whore. Pinky promise" to your business card. Because I thought the whole industry was corrupt before, but it's getting ridiculous," he continues. "At what point will security people admit they have an attention-whoring problem?"
CTS-Labs classified their 13 new discoveries into four categories, complete with a Meltdown/Spectre-esque graphics package, infographics, and a YouTube video with amateur-level green-screen stock footage behind the only 3 people the company has on its payroll. Their disclosures invited scorn from the public, particularly for not following the unwritten guideline of IT-sec industry that you have to give hardware/software manufacturers at least 90 days to respond/mitigate your findings before taking your work public. CTS-Labs gave AMD barely 24 hours. Some of the more skeptic voices suggest that these disclosures are part of a purpose-built stock shorting scheme that's currently engaged in devaluing AMD.
CTS-Labs classified their 13 new discoveries into four categories, complete with a Meltdown/Spectre-esque graphics package, infographics, and a YouTube video with amateur-level green-screen stock footage behind the only 3 people the company has on its payroll. Their disclosures invited scorn from the public, particularly for not following the unwritten guideline of IT-sec industry that you have to give hardware/software manufacturers at least 90 days to respond/mitigate your findings before taking your work public. CTS-Labs gave AMD barely 24 hours. Some of the more skeptic voices suggest that these disclosures are part of a purpose-built stock shorting scheme that's currently engaged in devaluing AMD.
Tuesday, March 13th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Keyboards
Motherboards
iKBC MF108 V.2 Keyboard Review
iKBC gave their already excellent keyboards a luxury makeover by cladding it inside five pounds of machined aluminum housing, and the new MF108 RGB V.2 keeps the excellent PBT keycaps with doubleshot legends and all onboard controls while offering new features, including a detachable cable and more switch options.
SteelSeries Arctis Pro + GameDAC Review
The $250 / €270 Arctis Pro + GameDAC is SteelSeries' new flagship gaming audio system. It consists of an amazing gaming headset based on an improved iteration of the Arctis 3, 5, and 7 and the GameDAC, a high-quality external USB sound card equipped with the ESS Sabre 9018Q2C DAC chip and a host of advanced features, fully usable and configurable without any drivers.
NVIDIA Turing GPU to Start Mass Production in Q3 2018
Despite not being backed by an official statement, NVIDIA's next-generation crypto-mining Turing graphics cards are expected to be revealed at GTC 2018 between March 26 to 29. According to DigiTimes's latest report, NVIDIA is expecting a drop in demand for graphics card later this year. In an effort to prolong the lifecycle of their current graphics cards, mass production for Turing won't start until the third quarter of 2018. Sources around the industry have also revealed that NVIDIA had a sit-down with AIB partners to address the current situation. In short, NVIDIA partners are now forbidden to promote activities related to cryptocurrency mining and to sell bulks of consumer graphics cards to cryptominers.
NVIDIA P102-100 Cryptomining Graphic Card Surfaces
The truth of the matter is that the cryptocurrency boom isn't losing strength yet, and graphics card manufacturers are more than happy to profit off this phenomenon. However, one must have the right tools to mine cryptocurrency effectively. NVIDIA is keen to provide cryptominers with the necessary hardware as they ready their latest GP102-100 card for launch. The GP102-100 should sound familiar to most enthusiasts since it employs the same GP102 chip used in the mainstream GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and GTX Titan Xp graphics cards. Nevertheless, NVIDIA made a few modifications in order to maintain the hash rate while lowering the price at the same time. In other words, we're basically dealing with a gimped version of the GP102 chip with less memory channels, shader cores, and memory.
The Inno3D P102-100 is the first model to show up in the wild. The card packs 3,200 CUDA cores clocked at 1582 MHz and 5 GB of GDDR5X memory operating at 10 Gbps across a 320-bit wide memory interface. Inno3D is utilizing their Twin X2 cooling solution to cool the card. This solution features five heatpipes to draw the heat away from the GPU and two fans to provide active cooling. Being a mining-oriented model, the Inno3D P102-100 lacks a bracket and display outputs. It also only requires four PCIe lanes to function. The Inno3D P102-100 has a 250W TDP rating and draws power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe power connectors. According to Inno3D, their card is capable of mining Ethereum with a hash rate of 47 MH/s which easily beats a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and GTX Titan Xp. Pricing is unknown at the writing of this article.
The Inno3D P102-100 is the first model to show up in the wild. The card packs 3,200 CUDA cores clocked at 1582 MHz and 5 GB of GDDR5X memory operating at 10 Gbps across a 320-bit wide memory interface. Inno3D is utilizing their Twin X2 cooling solution to cool the card. This solution features five heatpipes to draw the heat away from the GPU and two fans to provide active cooling. Being a mining-oriented model, the Inno3D P102-100 lacks a bracket and display outputs. It also only requires four PCIe lanes to function. The Inno3D P102-100 has a 250W TDP rating and draws power from a pair of 8-pin PCIe power connectors. According to Inno3D, their card is capable of mining Ethereum with a hash rate of 47 MH/s which easily beats a GeForce GTX 1080 Ti and GTX Titan Xp. Pricing is unknown at the writing of this article.
13 Major Vulnerabilities Discovered in AMD Zen Architecture, Including Backdoors
Security researchers with Israel-based CTS-Labs, have discovered a thirteen security vulnerabilities for systems based on AMD Zen processors. The thirteen new exploits are broadly classified into four groups based on the similarity in function of the processor that they exploit: "Ryzenfall," "Masterkey," "Fallout," and "Chimera."
The researchers "believe that networks that contain AMD computers are at a considerable risk," and that malware can "survive computer reboots and re-installations of the operating system, while remaining virtually undetectable by most endpoint security solutions," such as antivirus software. They also mention that in their opinion, "the basic nature of some of these vulnerabilities amounts to complete disregard of fundamental security principles. This raises concerning questions regarding security practices, auditing, and quality controls at AMD."
The researchers "believe that networks that contain AMD computers are at a considerable risk," and that malware can "survive computer reboots and re-installations of the operating system, while remaining virtually undetectable by most endpoint security solutions," such as antivirus software. They also mention that in their opinion, "the basic nature of some of these vulnerabilities amounts to complete disregard of fundamental security principles. This raises concerning questions regarding security practices, auditing, and quality controls at AMD."
The Raven Remastered is Out Today on PC/Mac and Consoles
The Raven - Legacy of a Master Thief, the classic whodunit adventure by KING Art, has been fully remastered and will be released on PC/Mac, PlayStation 4 and across the Xbox One family of devices including Xbox One X today. The game goes by the name of The Raven Remastered and does not only feature fully remastered animations, lighting and hair in full HD resolution, but also subtitles in French, Spanish and Simplified Chinese for the first time (already available in German, Russian, Polish and Italian).
About The Raven Remastered
London, 1964. An ancient ruby is stolen from the British Museum. At the crime scene: a raven feather. Is somebody trying to follow in the footsteps of The Raven, the legendary master thief who disappeared years before?
Constable Anton Jakob Zellner finds himself in the middle of the kind of murder mystery he so far only knew from reading his favorite crime novels. Nothing is what it seems. Everyone has something to hide. And the Raven is always one step ahead...
About The Raven Remastered
London, 1964. An ancient ruby is stolen from the British Museum. At the crime scene: a raven feather. Is somebody trying to follow in the footsteps of The Raven, the legendary master thief who disappeared years before?
Constable Anton Jakob Zellner finds himself in the middle of the kind of murder mystery he so far only knew from reading his favorite crime novels. Nothing is what it seems. Everyone has something to hide. And the Raven is always one step ahead...
SteelSeries Launches The Arctis Pro Headset Line With High-Fidelity and High-Res
These breakthrough, audiophile-level systems raise the stakes in premium headset performance for gaming and entertainment on PlayStation 4 consoles and PC. While the gaming graphics card and displays market continues to grow and push consumer expectations forward with beautifully immersive visuals, audio reproduction in speaker and headset solutions have fallen behind the curve. Today, SteelSeries introduces a breakthrough in gaming audio and an industry first with the introduction of the Arctis Pro Line.
Antec Presents New H₂O Kühler Models K120 and K240
Antec Inc., leading provider of high-performance computer components and accessories for the gaming, PC upgrade and Do-It-Yourself market, are launching new models of their renowned H₂O Kühler All-in-One Liquid Cooler series. The Kühler K120 and K240 are the newest generation of all-in-one closed loop liquid CPU coolers, and uniquely engineered to protect the CPU's performance and ensure its performance for years to come. The K120 and K240 are commercially available now for €45 (K120) and €65 (K240).
Aerocool Announces the Cylon Mid-Tower
Aerocool today introduced the world to yet another member of the famed Cylons, of Battlestar Galactica fame. This one, however, isn't a mindless killing machine; rather, it's supposed to provide users the room and style to keep their PC components inside of (so, I guess it could actually become a killing machine as well, should something like Skynet rise). The Cylon presents itself as an aesthetically pleasing mid-tower solution, sporting an acrylic side panel and RGB lighting. The diagonal RGB strip in the front of the chassis is the origin for the Cylon moniker: light effects can flow through the diagonal strip according to a users' preference in a myriad of styles, thus mimicking the Cylons' famed, flowing red lighting.
AOC Announces New Line of Professional Monitors: The P1 Series
AOC has been making waves with the overall quality and value proposition of each new line of monitors they launch - from the premium to the more budget-conscious offerings. Now, they're introducing a whole new line of monitors that leaves their gaming roots behind in favor of more professional-centric features.
The series will cover the 21.5"-27" range, and panel types will vary between TN and IPS panels according to diagonal and pricing. Starting in the 21.5", the AOC 22P1D is equipped with a 21.5 "TN panel with 1080 screen resolution. The 24P1 is a 23.8" monitor which upgrades the panel to an IPS solution, features a 16:9 screen ratio with 1080p resolution, and a three-frameless bezel. There will be another 24" monitor in the form of the X24P1, which keeps all the features and specs of the 24P1, but brings the screen ratio to 16:10. Rounding out the lineup, we've got the 27" 27P1 (which sports an IPS panel with 1080p resolution) and the flagship 27", Q27P1 (which also sports an IPS panel but increases the resolution to QHD (2560 x 1440).
The series will cover the 21.5"-27" range, and panel types will vary between TN and IPS panels according to diagonal and pricing. Starting in the 21.5", the AOC 22P1D is equipped with a 21.5 "TN panel with 1080 screen resolution. The 24P1 is a 23.8" monitor which upgrades the panel to an IPS solution, features a 16:9 screen ratio with 1080p resolution, and a three-frameless bezel. There will be another 24" monitor in the form of the X24P1, which keeps all the features and specs of the 24P1, but brings the screen ratio to 16:10. Rounding out the lineup, we've got the 27" 27P1 (which sports an IPS panel with 1080p resolution) and the flagship 27", Q27P1 (which also sports an IPS panel but increases the resolution to QHD (2560 x 1440).
NVIDIA Bracing for a Cryptocurrency Demand Drop
In what could bring cheers to PC gamers, and tears to miners, NVIDIA is reportedly wary of a possible drop in cryptocurrencies through 2018. This directly affects the company, since GPUs are used in mining various cryptocurrencies, which triggered inflation in prices of graphics cards from Q2-2017 to Q1-2018. Over the past couple of weeks, prices of popular high-end GPUs such as the GeForce GTX 1080 Ti have cooled, although not back to their original levels. NVIDIA's manufacturing division, which sub-contracts silicon fabrication to TSMC, is calculating the impact a cryptocurrency slump could have on its supply-chain, and are being conservative with their orders to the foundry. A drop in demand could leave the company with vast amounts of unsold inventories based on an old-generation architecture (Pascal, in the wake of Volta/Ampere), which could result in multi-billion-dollar inventory write-offs. According to a Digitimes report, NVIDIA has placed restrictions on its add-in card (AIC) partners on marketing cryptocurrency mining abilities of their graphics cards, and selling directly to large miners.
In addition to a slump in demand for cryptocurrencies, 2018 could see introduction of purpose-built crypto-mining ASICs that are tailored for popular cryptocurrencies. Purpose-built ASICs tend to be extremely economical for medium-thru-large scale miners, in comparison to GPUs. The third horseman is policy. While several governments around the world have developed an appreciation for blockchain technology for its resilience to tampering, fraud, and data-theft (which could be implemented in safekeeping government- and bank-records); governments are, understandably, anti-cryptocurrency, as it undermines sovereign legal tender issued by central banks, and aids tax-evasion. Several governments through 2017-18 have announced measures to crack down on cryptocurrency mining and use as tender. This has led to a further drop in public interest in cryptocurrencies, as large ICO investors are weary of losing money in a highly volatile market. Close to half the ICOs have failed.
In addition to a slump in demand for cryptocurrencies, 2018 could see introduction of purpose-built crypto-mining ASICs that are tailored for popular cryptocurrencies. Purpose-built ASICs tend to be extremely economical for medium-thru-large scale miners, in comparison to GPUs. The third horseman is policy. While several governments around the world have developed an appreciation for blockchain technology for its resilience to tampering, fraud, and data-theft (which could be implemented in safekeeping government- and bank-records); governments are, understandably, anti-cryptocurrency, as it undermines sovereign legal tender issued by central banks, and aids tax-evasion. Several governments through 2017-18 have announced measures to crack down on cryptocurrency mining and use as tender. This has led to a further drop in public interest in cryptocurrencies, as large ICO investors are weary of losing money in a highly volatile market. Close to half the ICOs have failed.
ADATA XPG Launches the Gaming SX950U 3D NAND SSD
ADATA Technology, a leading manufacturer of high performance DRAM modules, NAND Flash products, and mobile accessories, today launched the XPG SX950U 2.5" SATA 6 Gb/s Gaming SSD which utilizes the latest 3D NAND Flash memory and is driven by a high-speed SMI controller to reach large capacities of up to 960 GB with significantly higher read/write speeds up to 560/520 MB/s.
Furthermore, the SX950U is equipped with Intelligent SLC Caching and a DRAM Cache Buffer to provide an optimized and consistent performance. To ensure data integrity and the safety of data transmission, the SX950U features LDPC ECC and RAID Engine technologies, enhancing the stability of the system and extending the SSD's lifespan. For PC enthusiasts and gamers in pursuit of the optimal gaming experience, the SX950U is the ideal choice for improving system performance at an affordable price.
Furthermore, the SX950U is equipped with Intelligent SLC Caching and a DRAM Cache Buffer to provide an optimized and consistent performance. To ensure data integrity and the safety of data transmission, the SX950U features LDPC ECC and RAID Engine technologies, enhancing the stability of the system and extending the SSD's lifespan. For PC enthusiasts and gamers in pursuit of the optimal gaming experience, the SX950U is the ideal choice for improving system performance at an affordable price.
AMD On Track to Return to Athlon 64 Market Share Levels
Yesterday AMD held their "One Year Ryzen Anniversary" call which reiterated the company's success introducing Ryzen products and also provided insight into what's planned for 2018 and beyond.
When asked about market share status and goals, Jim Anderson, SVP and GM of Computing and Graphics at AMD, mentioned that their near-term goal is reaching levels that the company enjoyed during their early-2000s market-leadership that they had thanks to the Athlon64 processors, which were strong competitors to what Intel offered at the time. Specifically, Jim said "I don't see any reason we can't get back to historical share levels that AMD has enjoyed in the past." Back in the 2000s the company boomed on a market share above 20% for desktop and slightly below 20% for notebook, also thanks to Intel's weakness in driving technology forward.
When asked about market share status and goals, Jim Anderson, SVP and GM of Computing and Graphics at AMD, mentioned that their near-term goal is reaching levels that the company enjoyed during their early-2000s market-leadership that they had thanks to the Athlon64 processors, which were strong competitors to what Intel offered at the time. Specifically, Jim said "I don't see any reason we can't get back to historical share levels that AMD has enjoyed in the past." Back in the 2000s the company boomed on a market share above 20% for desktop and slightly below 20% for notebook, also thanks to Intel's weakness in driving technology forward.
Kingston Digital Announces New Canvas Series of Flash Cards
Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., a world leader in memory products and technology solutions, announced today its new series of 'Canvas' Flash memory cards. Canvas will offer three different variations in both SD and microSD cards: Select, Go, and React to suit consumers' needs.
With the Canvas line of memory cards, users and creators can choose the best storage medium available. The cards are designed to provide the reliability, flexibility and performance needed for any project. Along with tested durability, users will have the confidence to bring Canvas cards wherever their imagination takes them.
With the Canvas line of memory cards, users and creators can choose the best storage medium available. The cards are designed to provide the reliability, flexibility and performance needed for any project. Along with tested durability, users will have the confidence to bring Canvas cards wherever their imagination takes them.
FSP Announces the CMT330 and CMT520 Cases
FSP, one of the leading manufacturers of power supplies in the world is pleased to announce its new CMT 330 and CMT 520 mid-tower PC gaming cases. Ready for gamers of every budget, the CMT 330 and 520 offer the flexibility to integrate air, All-in-One, or custom liquid cooling. The CMT330 sets itself apart from the current industry trend by supporting two Blu-ray drives, or other 5¼" module currently on the market, and the CMT520 features a modern, tempered glass and RGB look while keeping a keen eye on airflow. Both CMT330 and CMT520 come with pre-installed fans to meet the basic need for air cooling. Both cases use the exact same internal layout to support larger ATX motherboards with 8 PCI express cards. Large (163 mm) CPU coolers, Graphics cards (423 mm), 4x 2½", and 2x 3½" drives fit in the cases with ease. A rich front panel with 2x USB 2.0, 2x USB 3.0, headphone and microphone jacks are standard.
The CMT520 is the new high-end, yet affordable PC Gaming case from FSP. It features four RGB fans that support Motherboard RGB control, like Asus Aurasync, Gigabyte RGB fusion, and MSI Mystic light. Those RGB fans shine behind the tempered glass front and side panels, and are beautifully reflected by the PSU shroud's Halo Cover, which mirrors the inside of your case. With airflow being a critical design in the CMT520, the front panel offers ventilation for cool air to enter the chassis, allowing both a front or top 360mm radiator to receive great cooling.
The CMT520 is the new high-end, yet affordable PC Gaming case from FSP. It features four RGB fans that support Motherboard RGB control, like Asus Aurasync, Gigabyte RGB fusion, and MSI Mystic light. Those RGB fans shine behind the tempered glass front and side panels, and are beautifully reflected by the PSU shroud's Halo Cover, which mirrors the inside of your case. With airflow being a critical design in the CMT520, the front panel offers ventilation for cool air to enter the chassis, allowing both a front or top 360mm radiator to receive great cooling.
Monday, March 12th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Game Controllers
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Memory
Motherboards
Networking
Storage
ASRock X299 Extreme4 Review
ASRock proclaims that their X299 Extreme4 motherboard is the ultimate X299 motherboard option for mainstream users that do not need a ton of PCIe slots. We put it to the test to see just how extreme the X299 Extreme4 really is.
President Trump Blocks Broadcom-Qualcomm Deal Through an Executive Order
US President Donald Trump blocked the potentially-$117 billion Broadcom-Qualcomm merger through an executive order. The White House considered damning observations by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), which had been studying potential national security implications of this merger. "There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that Broadcom Ltd. [by acquiring Qualcomm] might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States," wrote President Trump in the order.
Broadcom expressed shock and disbelief over the order. The company, in a statement, said that it "strongly disagrees that its proposed acquisition of Qualcomm raises any national security concerns." Qualcomm, meanwhile, battened down the hatches for any press comments. The American chipmaker had been wrestling an increasingly Broadcom-slanted board that was all but ready to sell the company to Broadcom at an undervalued price. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the Trump administration has shot down ten similar deals since it came to power, in which foreign companies - overwhelmingly Chinese in national origin - had attempted buy out American high-technology firms. Californian Intel is still in the foray to swallow Broadcom, as CFIUS doesn't concern itself with American companies buying out foreign firms.
Broadcom expressed shock and disbelief over the order. The company, in a statement, said that it "strongly disagrees that its proposed acquisition of Qualcomm raises any national security concerns." Qualcomm, meanwhile, battened down the hatches for any press comments. The American chipmaker had been wrestling an increasingly Broadcom-slanted board that was all but ready to sell the company to Broadcom at an undervalued price. According to data compiled by Bloomberg, the Trump administration has shot down ten similar deals since it came to power, in which foreign companies - overwhelmingly Chinese in national origin - had attempted buy out American high-technology firms. Californian Intel is still in the foray to swallow Broadcom, as CFIUS doesn't concern itself with American companies buying out foreign firms.
AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.2 Beta
AMD today released Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.2 Beta, its second significant driver release for this month. These drivers include heavier optimization for "Final Fantasy XV." This includes up to 4 percent higher frame-rates at 1080p compared to the older 18.3.1 drivers, when tested with a Radeon RX Vega 64; and up to 7 percent higher frame-rates at the same resolution, when tested with the RX 580 8 GB. It also fixes a stuttering issue noticed in the game, when rendering scenes with heavy particle effects. Grab the drivers from the link below.
DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.2 Beta
The change-log follows.
The change-log follows.
Qarnot Unveils Their QC-1 Crypto Heater
French company Qarnot has unveiled their QC-1 crypto heater, which is an extension of their Q.rad computing heater that was released in 2013. The new QC-1 allows consumers to mine cryptocurrencies and utilize the generated heat for heating their homes. It features a high-end passive cooling solution and noiseless design as the unit doesn't require the use of fans or mechanical hard drives. A pair of Sapphire NITRO+ Radeon RX 580 graphics cards are responsible for the cryptomining duties. Together, they can generate a hash rate around 60MH/s. In normal mode, the QC-1 produces 450W of heat. However, customers can activate the booster mode via the provided mobile app for another 200W which brings the total to 650W. The mobile app also serves as a tool for QC-1 owners to monitor the crypto markets.
According to the manufacturer, the QC-1 is capable of heating a 20 square-meter room. Qarnot is marketing their crypto heater as a plug-n-play device which customers can setup in 10 minutes. Installation consists of plugging the unit into the wall outlet and router and entering the crypto-wallet address into the mobile app. The QC-1 is designed to mine Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. The Qarnot QC-1 comes with a 1 year warranty. The unit currently costs 2900 euros which by today's exchange rate is $3575 plus another $300 shipping fee. If you order a QC-1 before March 20th, Qarnot will deliver the QC-1 to your doorstep before June 20th.
According to the manufacturer, the QC-1 is capable of heating a 20 square-meter room. Qarnot is marketing their crypto heater as a plug-n-play device which customers can setup in 10 minutes. Installation consists of plugging the unit into the wall outlet and router and entering the crypto-wallet address into the mobile app. The QC-1 is designed to mine Bitcoin, Litecoin, and Ethereum. The Qarnot QC-1 comes with a 1 year warranty. The unit currently costs 2900 euros which by today's exchange rate is $3575 plus another $300 shipping fee. If you order a QC-1 before March 20th, Qarnot will deliver the QC-1 to your doorstep before June 20th.
Vuzix Begins Mass Producing the dynaEdge AR100 Smart Glasses for Toshiba
Vuzix Corporation, a leading supplier of Smart Glasses and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies and products for the consumer and enterprise markets, is pleased to announce that the company has begun mass production of the world's first Windows-based smart glasses. First production shipments are expected to be delivered within approximately 30 days.
Vuzix entered into a development agreement with Toshiba in February 2017 to create a customized Window-based USB-C Type C AR smart glasses for Toshiba, which is a derivative product of the Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses. Over the past year the team at Vuzix created an entirely new Vuzix product for Toshiba, has delivered hundreds of engineering and development units and has begun volume manufacturing for Toshiba to fulfill the initial purchase order received by Toshiba as part of 3-year supply agreement, that has an expected minimum of $5,000,000 in purchases in the first 12 months, and which was previously announced by Vuzix in December 2017.
Vuzix entered into a development agreement with Toshiba in February 2017 to create a customized Window-based USB-C Type C AR smart glasses for Toshiba, which is a derivative product of the Vuzix M300 Smart Glasses. Over the past year the team at Vuzix created an entirely new Vuzix product for Toshiba, has delivered hundreds of engineering and development units and has begun volume manufacturing for Toshiba to fulfill the initial purchase order received by Toshiba as part of 3-year supply agreement, that has an expected minimum of $5,000,000 in purchases in the first 12 months, and which was previously announced by Vuzix in December 2017.
Bose Introduces the World's First Audio Augmented Reality Platform
This week at SXSW, Bose introduces Bose AR, the world's first audio augmented reality platform, and glasses to hear- a Bose AR prototype that launches the future of mobile sound. Bose also announces its SDK schedule date for developers, manufacturers, and research institutions, along with collaborations currently under way, and venture funding for related start-ups.
Unlike other augmented reality products and platforms, Bose AR doesn't change what you see, but knows what you're looking at- without an integrated lens or phone camera. And rather than superimposing visual objects on the real world, Bose AR adds an audible layer of information and experiences, making every day better, easier, more meaningful, and more productive.
Unlike other augmented reality products and platforms, Bose AR doesn't change what you see, but knows what you're looking at- without an integrated lens or phone camera. And rather than superimposing visual objects on the real world, Bose AR adds an audible layer of information and experiences, making every day better, easier, more meaningful, and more productive.
PNY Launches Their CS900 960GB SSD
PNY Technologies, leading manufacturer and supplier of storage solutions, launches its new high-performance SSD, the CS900 960GB. The SSD with 960GB storage capacity is the latest addition to the PNY CS900 family and provides a low-cost entry into the world of fast flash drives. It provides fast data transfers of up to 535 MB/s read and up to 515 MB/s write speed.
The CS900 is ideal for those looking for an affordable entry-level model that still has fast transfer rates and memory, and far exceeds the performance of standard hard disk drives (HDDs), which are often built into PCs and laptops. The SSD CS900 enables short boot times, faster program launches and basically increased system performance.
The CS900 is ideal for those looking for an affordable entry-level model that still has fast transfer rates and memory, and far exceeds the performance of standard hard disk drives (HDDs), which are often built into PCs and laptops. The SSD CS900 enables short boot times, faster program launches and basically increased system performance.
SilverStone Intros Mammoth Series MMS02 Water-resistant 2.5-inch Enclosure
SilverStone's new Mammoth Series MMS02 is an IP68-certified 2.5-inch SATA to USB enclosure that can protect your HDD or SSD from the elements (at least dust and water). It was first unveiled at the 2017 International CES, but is seeing a worldwide launch over a year later. You can enclose a 9.5 mm or 7 mm-thick 2.5-inch SATA HDD or SSD, which connects to a SATA 6 Gbps backplane internally. The enclosure then connects to the host machine over 10 Gbps USB 3.1 gen 2, so there's no bandwidth bottleneck. SilverStone even threw in UASP (USB-attached SCSI protocol) support, all thanks to a VIA Labs VL715 controller at the helm.
A single cable provides both power and host connectivity. 4.2 m long cables are included for both type-A and type-C ports. When not plugged in, simply slide over the connector shutter for water-resistance. When connected, it's designed to be spill-proof. The main body is made of aluminium, for better heat dissipation than plastic. Measuring 105 mm x 16 mm x 164.5 mm (WxHxD), or about the size of a poorly designed 5.5-inch smartphone, it dry-weighs 20 g. The company didn't reveal pricing.
A single cable provides both power and host connectivity. 4.2 m long cables are included for both type-A and type-C ports. When not plugged in, simply slide over the connector shutter for water-resistance. When connected, it's designed to be spill-proof. The main body is made of aluminium, for better heat dissipation than plastic. Measuring 105 mm x 16 mm x 164.5 mm (WxHxD), or about the size of a poorly designed 5.5-inch smartphone, it dry-weighs 20 g. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Philips Announces New Version of Brilliance 492P8 Curved Super-wide LCD Monitor
Today EPI, the North American brand license partner for Philips monitors announced that its Philips Brilliance 49-inch 492P8 Curved Super-wide LCD display will be coming to U.S. markets with a new QHD display in Q4 of 2018.
This week, the display earned a 2018 iF Design Award. One of the most important design prizes in the world, iF Design Awards are hosted by the world's oldest design association, iF International Form Design GmbH in Hannover. This award testifies to Philips' commitment to combine increasingly advanced viewing experiences with design excellence.
This week, the display earned a 2018 iF Design Award. One of the most important design prizes in the world, iF Design Awards are hosted by the world's oldest design association, iF International Form Design GmbH in Hannover. This award testifies to Philips' commitment to combine increasingly advanced viewing experiences with design excellence.
GLOBALFOUNDRIES Appoints Industry Veteran Tom Caulfield as New CEO
After more than four years as chief executive officer of GLOBALFOUNDRIES, Sanjay Jha will hand over the company's top position to Dr. Thomas Caulfield, senior vice president and general manager and a highly-respected industry veteran.
Caulfield joined GF in 2014 following a successful career with an impressive track record of results spanning engineering, management, operational leadership and global executive experience with leading technology companies including 17 years at IBM in a variety of senior leadership roles. During his tenure at GF, he successfully built and ramped the company's new 14nm production facility in upstate New York, the most advanced foundry facility and one of the largest public-private partnerships in the United States.
Caulfield joined GF in 2014 following a successful career with an impressive track record of results spanning engineering, management, operational leadership and global executive experience with leading technology companies including 17 years at IBM in a variety of senior leadership roles. During his tenure at GF, he successfully built and ramped the company's new 14nm production facility in upstate New York, the most advanced foundry facility and one of the largest public-private partnerships in the United States.
Toshiba Unveils First Windows-based Smart Glasses Solution
Toshiba's Client Solutions Division (CSD) a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced the first completely wearable Augmented Reality (AR) solution to combine the power of a Windows 10 Pro PC with the robust feature set of industrial-grade smart glasses. Designed for enterprise customers, Toshiba's new dynaEdgeTM AR Smart Glasses packages together the company's new dynaEdge AR100 Head Mounted Display (HMD) with its dynaEdge DE-100 Mobile Mini PC for a completely wearable PC system maximizing mobility, productivity and security without compromising flexibility.
Toshiba's new AR solution provides Document Viewing, Live Video Calls, See-What-I-See, Photo/Video Capture, Alerts/Messaging, Workflow Instruction and Barcode Scanning capabilities making it ideal for a variety of uses cases, including Maintenance, Remote Expert, Manufacturing, QA Inspection & Audit, Logistics, Training and Knowledge Transfer. Available in the second quarter with a starting MSRP of $1,899.99, the dynaEdge AR Smart Glasses is offered in various configurations with processor, memory and storage options as well as developer's kits for different industrial applications.
Toshiba's new AR solution provides Document Viewing, Live Video Calls, See-What-I-See, Photo/Video Capture, Alerts/Messaging, Workflow Instruction and Barcode Scanning capabilities making it ideal for a variety of uses cases, including Maintenance, Remote Expert, Manufacturing, QA Inspection & Audit, Logistics, Training and Knowledge Transfer. Available in the second quarter with a starting MSRP of $1,899.99, the dynaEdge AR Smart Glasses is offered in various configurations with processor, memory and storage options as well as developer's kits for different industrial applications.
Be Quiet! and TechPowerUp Announce Giveaway
Be Quiet! and TechPowerUp have come together for a chance for PC enthusiasts from the United States and Canada, to build a quieter PC. The company, which has a design focus on low-noise across its entire product lineup, is giving away two of its quietest products - the first lucky winner stands to win both a Be Quiet! Dark Base 700 case and a Be Quiet! Straight Power 11 750W power-supply; the second lucky winner stands to win a Dark Base 700 case, while the third lucky winner gets a Straight Power 11 750W power-supply (three winners in all). The giveaway is open from today, till 26th, 2018 23:59 UTC. Good hunting!
For more information, and to participate, visit this page.
For more information, and to participate, visit this page.
Spire Intros Frontier Plus CPU Cooler
Spire today introduced the Frontier Plus mainstream CPU cooler (model: SP994A2-B). This tower-type cooler is characterized by a side-flow channeling aluminium fin-stack design what pushes some of the fan's air-flow sideways through the fin-stack, to cool the CPU VRM, in addition to most of it going out through the rear side of your case. It otherwise features a conventional tower-type fin-stack design.
Two 8 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at an aluminium base (which has some heatsink ridges of its own); conveying heat through the fin-stack, which is ventilated by a 92 mm fan. This fan spins up to 2,200 RPM. The cooler measures 124 mm x 61 mm x 13.9 mm, weighing in at 254 g. Spire claims that the cooler can handle thermal loads of up to 120W. It supports only mainstream-desktop sockets of this generation - LGA115x and AM4. Available now, it's priced at 39.95€.
Two 8 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at an aluminium base (which has some heatsink ridges of its own); conveying heat through the fin-stack, which is ventilated by a 92 mm fan. This fan spins up to 2,200 RPM. The cooler measures 124 mm x 61 mm x 13.9 mm, weighing in at 254 g. Spire claims that the cooler can handle thermal loads of up to 120W. It supports only mainstream-desktop sockets of this generation - LGA115x and AM4. Available now, it's priced at 39.95€.
Intel Considers Buying Out Broadcom
In a sequence of events perfectly illustrated by the stock image below, Intel is reportedly mulling the acquisition of Broadcom, which is still making efforts to acquire Qualcomm; the Wall Street Journal reported late last week. Shares of Intel fell 1 percent on this report. A successful acquisition of Qualcomm by Broadcom would result in a seemingly-American silicon supergiant that could pose a threat to Intel's position in the industry, observes CNBC. Both Intel and Broadcom spokespersons refuse to comment the WSJ report, terming it as "deal chatter."
Broadcom recently swayed Qualcomm board its way ahead of a crucial vote for the acquisition, prompting a CFIUS investigation, by American regulators, which has the legal power to halt the acquisition if national security implications emerge. Taking advantage of this, and its relatively stable outlook despite the recent CPU vulnerability mess, Intel is looking to mop up a seemingly foreign Broadcom. Other industry giants such as Microsoft and Google have expressed extreme concern with the developments in this deal, particularly with Apple's "sway" over it.
Broadcom recently swayed Qualcomm board its way ahead of a crucial vote for the acquisition, prompting a CFIUS investigation, by American regulators, which has the legal power to halt the acquisition if national security implications emerge. Taking advantage of this, and its relatively stable outlook despite the recent CPU vulnerability mess, Intel is looking to mop up a seemingly foreign Broadcom. Other industry giants such as Microsoft and Google have expressed extreme concern with the developments in this deal, particularly with Apple's "sway" over it.
ASUS Intros MG248QE Gaming-grade 24-inch Monitor
ASUS today rolled out the MG248QE, an entry-level 24-inch gaming monitor. This monitor misses out on the coveted Republic of Gamers (ROG) branding by ASUS, but is still targeted at gamers, albeit on a tight budget, owing to is sub-$300 pricing. Don't stop reading at Full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels) resolution just yet - you get 144 Hz refresh-rate, 1 ms (GTG) response time, and support for AMD FreeSync. Many of ASUS' GamePlus features are carried over from its ROG monitor lineup, such as GameVisual game genre-specific display presets, OSD crosshairs, timers, frame-rate counters, and monitor-based bezel-compensation adjustments for multi-monitor setups.
Other vital specs of the ASUS MG248QE include a TN-film panel with 16.7 million-colors, 170°/160° (V/H) maximum viewing-angles, LED backlit illuimation with low blue-light, 350 cd/m² maximum brightness, 100000000:1 "ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio," and passive anti-ghosting that takes advantage of the panel's high refresh-rate. Display inputs include HDMI 1.4a, DisplayPort 1.2a, and dual-link DVI. Since this monitor is succeeding the company's VG248QE with a slightly refreshed feature-set (FreeSync and low blue-light), we expect it to sell at a similar price-point $250-$280.
Other vital specs of the ASUS MG248QE include a TN-film panel with 16.7 million-colors, 170°/160° (V/H) maximum viewing-angles, LED backlit illuimation with low blue-light, 350 cd/m² maximum brightness, 100000000:1 "ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio," and passive anti-ghosting that takes advantage of the panel's high refresh-rate. Display inputs include HDMI 1.4a, DisplayPort 1.2a, and dual-link DVI. Since this monitor is succeeding the company's VG248QE with a slightly refreshed feature-set (FreeSync and low blue-light), we expect it to sell at a similar price-point $250-$280.
Sunday, March 11th 2018
EK Releases Updated ASUS ROG Strix GTX 1080 Ti Water Block
EK Water Blocks, the Slovenia-based premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is further expanding its RGB portfolio by releasing the EK-FC1080 GTX Ti Strix RGB water block that is compatible with all the current ASUS ROG Strix GeForce GTX 1080 Ti models on the market. A while back, the GPU manufacturer had slight changes to the GPU PCB and now this full cover water block is compatible with all the PCB versions that are on the market.
This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas, thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under full load and high overclocks. EK-FC1080 GTX Ti Strix RGB water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas, thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under full load and high overclocks. EK-FC1080 GTX Ti Strix RGB water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
Corsair Obsidian 1000D Leaked to Amazon
It's been a while since Corsair pushed the upper end of its Obsidian series high-end PC cases. The Obsidian 900D has held the fort since 2013, but could be getting dated in the wake of newer standards such as tempered glass, RGB lighting, newer connectors, etc. Corsair is careful not to just make a mash of glass and RGB lighting; when designing its upcoming flagship case, the Obsidian 1000D super-tower (model: CC-9011115-WW), which leaked to the web thanks to an eager Amazon listing, in which it's priced at USD $500. The Obsidian 1000D retains the "for grownups only" styling of the series, with a beautiful combination of curved tempered glass, matte black aluminium, and subtlety in the amount of RGB LED lighting elements on use. The feature-set of this full-tower will blow any high-end case out of the water.
The front, sides, and top panels are made of curved tempered glass with aluminium inserts, and enough discrete air inlets for the countless fan mounts inside. The front-panel features four USB 3.1 type-A, and two type-C ports; in addition to audio jacks. Connectors are framed by RGB lighting diffusers. The case is highly modular, and you can either choose between storage-heavy configurations, or cooling-heavy configuration that frees up room for multiple liquid cooling loops. The rear I/O can be configured to be perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard with 8+2 slots, or parallel to its plane, with 5+2 slots. You can install E-ATX and everything smaller, but longer 10-slot form-factors such as HPTX and XL-ATX are a notable exclusion.
The front, sides, and top panels are made of curved tempered glass with aluminium inserts, and enough discrete air inlets for the countless fan mounts inside. The front-panel features four USB 3.1 type-A, and two type-C ports; in addition to audio jacks. Connectors are framed by RGB lighting diffusers. The case is highly modular, and you can either choose between storage-heavy configurations, or cooling-heavy configuration that frees up room for multiple liquid cooling loops. The rear I/O can be configured to be perpendicular to the plane of the motherboard with 8+2 slots, or parallel to its plane, with 5+2 slots. You can install E-ATX and everything smaller, but longer 10-slot form-factors such as HPTX and XL-ATX are a notable exclusion.
AMD's FreeSync Coming to Xbox Console Family
It's finally happening - a variable refresh rate (VRR) technology is hitting the mainstream. Microsoft's Larry Hyrb and AMD's Antal Tungler announced the coming of the feature to the Xbox family of consoles yesterday, on an Xbox live stream (follow the link for the correct time stamp). This move likely marks a turning point in the VRR landscape, as this is likely just the beginning of FreeSync support on consoles - while the PlayStation side of the equation has remained silent until now, the usage of AMD-powered graphics on that console also marks an opportunity for FreeSync to increase its market impact even more. Where does this leave NVIDIA's G-Sync? Well, it depends on the market development, but one thing is for sure: FreeSync already is a royalty-free solution, and is now in the process of receiving a much more relevant consumer base than G-Sync could ever dream of.
FreeSync 2 + HDR support was touted for the Xbox One X from its introduction, but has been absent post launch. Now, users on the Xbox Insider fast ring should receive an update in the next few days that delivers the technology to their Xbox One X and Xbox One S games consoles. Users of the original Xbox One will also receive FreeSync support, albeit on its gen 1 iteration - which is still the more relevant today. All in all, this likely means that console games will move away from their locked 30 or 60 FPS frame rates in favor of variable refresh rates - which, when paired with a FreeSync-capable monitor (or TV set) will bring much improved graphics smoothness.
FreeSync 2 + HDR support was touted for the Xbox One X from its introduction, but has been absent post launch. Now, users on the Xbox Insider fast ring should receive an update in the next few days that delivers the technology to their Xbox One X and Xbox One S games consoles. Users of the original Xbox One will also receive FreeSync support, albeit on its gen 1 iteration - which is still the more relevant today. All in all, this likely means that console games will move away from their locked 30 or 60 FPS frame rates in favor of variable refresh rates - which, when paired with a FreeSync-capable monitor (or TV set) will bring much improved graphics smoothness.
Friday, March 9th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Keyboards
Motherboards
Mouse
Mousepads
Processors
PSUs
SSD
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB ComputerBase (de)
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB HotHardware
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB Legit Reviews
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB SSDReview
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB Tech Report
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB Tom's Hardware
- Intel Optane 800p 58GB and 118GB Tweaktown
QNAP TS-431P2 4-Bay NAS Review
The QNAP TS-431P2 is a home NAS for demanding users, offering good performance along with increased storage capabilities. Its external looks are appealing as well due to its modern design with a white finish, so it won't look strange in a modern office or your living room.
CORSAIR K68 RGB Keyboard + PBT Keycaps Review
CORSAIR has taken last year's K68 and given it the magic of RGB backlighting. Featuring per-key 16.8M colors that can be controlled via their excellent CUE driver, or even onboard controls now, and keeping the IP32 dust and spill resistance, it is a budget friendly mechanical keyboard for those wanting Cherry MX RGB switches as well.
NVIDIA's New GPP Program Reportedly Engages in Monopolistic Practices
A report from HardOCP's Kyle Bennet aims to shake NVIDIA's foundations, with allegations of anti-competitive business practices under its new GeForce Partner Program (GPP). In his report, which started with an AMD approach that pushed him to look a little closer into GPP, Bennet says that he has found evidence that NVIDIA's new program aims to push partners towards shunning products from other hardware manufacturers - mainly AMD, with a shoot across the bow for Intel.
After following the breadcrumb trail and speaking with NVIDIA AIBs and OEM partners ("The ones that did speak to us have done so anonymously, in fear of losing their jobs, or having retribution placed upon them or their companies by NVIDIA," Bennett says), the picture is painted of an industry behemoth that aims to abuse its currently dominant market position. NVIDIA controls around 70% of the discrete GPU market share, and its industrious size is apparently being put to use to outmuscle its competitors' offerings by, essentially, putting partners between the proverbial rock and a hard place. According to Bennet, industry players unanimously brought about three consequences from Nvidia's GPP, saying that "They think that it has terms that are likely illegal; GPP is likely going to tremendously hurt consumers' choices; It will disrupt business with the companies that they are currently doing business with, namely AMD and Intel."
After following the breadcrumb trail and speaking with NVIDIA AIBs and OEM partners ("The ones that did speak to us have done so anonymously, in fear of losing their jobs, or having retribution placed upon them or their companies by NVIDIA," Bennett says), the picture is painted of an industry behemoth that aims to abuse its currently dominant market position. NVIDIA controls around 70% of the discrete GPU market share, and its industrious size is apparently being put to use to outmuscle its competitors' offerings by, essentially, putting partners between the proverbial rock and a hard place. According to Bennet, industry players unanimously brought about three consequences from Nvidia's GPP, saying that "They think that it has terms that are likely illegal; GPP is likely going to tremendously hurt consumers' choices; It will disrupt business with the companies that they are currently doing business with, namely AMD and Intel."
TSMC To Receive Strong Revenue Boost on the Back of Extra ASIC Sales in 2018
TSMC is the world's sole ASIC manufacturer for Bitmain - the world's largest ASIC vendor by far, commanding some 70% of the ASIC market share. DigiTimes is reporting that ASIC manufacturing will be a major part of bridging the 10-15% increase in revenue that TSMC's chairman Morris Chang expects for 2018, which will be mostly fed by high-performance computing (HPC), car-use electronics and Internet of Things (IoT) products.
One other interesting tidbit that DigiTimes is reporting on is that Bitmain might be increasing its ASIC orders from TSMC to bring a new Ethereum ASIC miner to market. Dubbed the F3, reports around the internet have placed these ASICs as leveraging TSMC's 28 nm process in a three-mainboard system. Each mainboard is reported to pack six purpose-built ASIC processors, each paired with 12GB of DDR3 memory. Whether or not this makes sense based on Ethereum's Casper update (moving from a Proof of Work to a Proof of Stake mechanism) remains to be seen. Considering the amount of work and investment that would be required towards the development of an Ethereum ASIC, though (a natively ASIC-resistant algorithm) may very well be an indicator that Casper may be longer off in the horizon than previously thought. Let's hope this is true, though; an Ethereum-geared ASIC, even if short-lived, would certainlydraw demand away from GPUs to these purpose-built systems, and there's been nary a time in the PC world where such an event was as needed as it is today.
One other interesting tidbit that DigiTimes is reporting on is that Bitmain might be increasing its ASIC orders from TSMC to bring a new Ethereum ASIC miner to market. Dubbed the F3, reports around the internet have placed these ASICs as leveraging TSMC's 28 nm process in a three-mainboard system. Each mainboard is reported to pack six purpose-built ASIC processors, each paired with 12GB of DDR3 memory. Whether or not this makes sense based on Ethereum's Casper update (moving from a Proof of Work to a Proof of Stake mechanism) remains to be seen. Considering the amount of work and investment that would be required towards the development of an Ethereum ASIC, though (a natively ASIC-resistant algorithm) may very well be an indicator that Casper may be longer off in the horizon than previously thought. Let's hope this is true, though; an Ethereum-geared ASIC, even if short-lived, would certainlydraw demand away from GPUs to these purpose-built systems, and there's been nary a time in the PC world where such an event was as needed as it is today.
AMD Product Roadmap Slides for 2020 Leaked - "Castle Peak" TR4 and "Dali"
Continuing with its trend of leaking AMD slides, Spanish website Informatica Cero has now published some purported company slides leading up to AMD's 2020 strategy. New information concerns the appearance of a new, value-oriented mobile APU in the form of "Dali" - let's hope performance on that is slightly more predictable than the particular style of the artist whose name it follows. Dali therefore joins AMD's "Renoir" APU and "Vermeer" CPUs (both expected in the 7 nm process) for AMD's 2020 roadmap. This is an interesting product, which AMD is likely positioning for tablets and ultraportables.
Another interesting tidbit is AMD's outlook for their Threadripper line of HEDT CPUs. The company is looking towards its 7 nm rendition of these powerhouse chips, codenamed "Castle Peak", to bring them, in a literal way, to that figurative peak. AMD compares Threadripper to a Monster Truck of computing, and is apparently hoping to introduce Castle Peak as early as 2019. AMD then plans to further refine these "process inflection point" products in a new generation to come right after, in 2020 (much like the company has done now with Zen and Zen+).
Another interesting tidbit is AMD's outlook for their Threadripper line of HEDT CPUs. The company is looking towards its 7 nm rendition of these powerhouse chips, codenamed "Castle Peak", to bring them, in a literal way, to that figurative peak. AMD compares Threadripper to a Monster Truck of computing, and is apparently hoping to introduce Castle Peak as early as 2019. AMD then plans to further refine these "process inflection point" products in a new generation to come right after, in 2020 (much like the company has done now with Zen and Zen+).
Marvell Launches Industry's First 400 Gbps Ethernet Chip
Marvell, a leader in storage, networking and connectivity semiconductor solutions, today announced the launch of the 88X7120, the latest offering in its Alaska C family of high-speed Ethernet physical layer (PHY) transceivers, designed to improve bandwidth and performance in the data center. The new transceiver is purpose-built to address the transition in hyperscale data centers from 25GbE (Gigabit Ethernet) and 100GbE to 50GbE, 200GbE and 400GbE as new applications like artificial intelligence and machine learning continue to drive exponential processing and I/O bandwidth demands. The 88X7120 addresses this I/O speed transition in hyperscale data centers with support of 16 ports of 50GbE, 4 ports of 200GbE and 2 ports of 400GbE, utilizing 50G PAM4 signaling.
Marvell provides a wide variety of products for data center applications and PHYs are a critical element in Marvell's strategy, as they form the backbone of high-speed data center interconnects. The new transceivers add to the Marvell portfolio of switches and other differentiated products targeted at the data center market, including scaling interconnect speeds to match the I/O throughput requirements in a cost-effective and power-efficient manner.
Marvell provides a wide variety of products for data center applications and PHYs are a critical element in Marvell's strategy, as they form the backbone of high-speed data center interconnects. The new transceivers add to the Marvell portfolio of switches and other differentiated products targeted at the data center market, including scaling interconnect speeds to match the I/O throughput requirements in a cost-effective and power-efficient manner.
Batman: Arkham and LEGO Batman Series Arrive on Origin Access
Electronic Arts announced that they've added six Warner Bros games to their Origin Access subscription service. The new titles belong to the Batman: Arkham and LEGO Batman series. This is an important feat for EA as it's the first time that a third-party publisher has allowed their games to join The Vault. According to EA, this is just the tip of the iceberg as they are planning to add five more games, including the award-winning indie title "The Witness", in the upcoming weeks. For those players who are interested in trying Origin Access, EA is currently offering a seven-day free trial from now through March 26, 2018.
Thrustmaster Launches Y-350CPX and Y-300CPX Limited Edition Far Cry 5 Headphones
Thrustmaster is thrilled to be channeling its expertise in gaming headsets into the world of Ubisoft's Far Cry for the upcoming game launch of Far Cry 5. The brand is releasing two multiplatform models, the Y-350CPX and Y-300CPX, allowing co-op teams to immerse themselves into the world of Far Cry 5 - the fictional Hope County, Montana.
Limited Far Cry 5 editions of two award-winning bestsellers
To meet the needs of all gamers, and particularly those who are fans of the Far Cry franchise, Thrustmaster is launching two limited-edition Far Cry 5 headsets for the arrival of this new opus on PS4, Xbox One and PC, thanks to an exclusive worldwide partnership with the game on the latest generation of platforms. Using these headsets, gamers will experience all the intensity of the action taking place in Hope County, Montana. Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance.
Limited Far Cry 5 editions of two award-winning bestsellers
To meet the needs of all gamers, and particularly those who are fans of the Far Cry franchise, Thrustmaster is launching two limited-edition Far Cry 5 headsets for the arrival of this new opus on PS4, Xbox One and PC, thanks to an exclusive worldwide partnership with the game on the latest generation of platforms. Using these headsets, gamers will experience all the intensity of the action taking place in Hope County, Montana. Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players will find that their arrival accelerates a years-long silent coup by a fanatical doomsday cult, the Project at Eden's Gate, igniting a violent takeover of the county. Under siege and cut off from the rest of the world, players will join forces with residents of Hope County and form the Resistance.
Ubisoft and Massive Entertainment Announce "The Division 2"
(Editor's Note: The original "The Division" launched to a warm reception from users that were looking towards another shared world, persistent shooter experience. However, some issues with the games' design and endgame content meant that after the initial interest, the games' playerbase rapidly dwindled. However, Massive Entertainment went through a myriad of patches and iterations on their formula for The Division, which ultimately landed the game on a position that Destiny 2 could envy. Here's hoping that The Division 2 will actually build upon the lessons learned with The Division, delivering the definitive shared-world shooter experience. The Press Release follows.)
What an incredible few years it's been for the team here at Massive! When we first began work on Tom Clancy's The Division, we knew we had something special and something we believed in so strongly that we wanted to make sure we got it right. We also knew we couldn't achieve that goal without your help.
What an incredible few years it's been for the team here at Massive! When we first began work on Tom Clancy's The Division, we knew we had something special and something we believed in so strongly that we wanted to make sure we got it right. We also knew we couldn't achieve that goal without your help.
G.SKILL Announces 5th Annual OC World Cup 2018
G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world's leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is excited to announce the start of the 5th Annual OC World Cup 2018, with the Online Qualifier stage beginning on March 13, 2018! This is one of the largest annual overclocking competition of its kind, with participating competitors from around the world and a massive total cash prize pool of $20,000 USD, where the champion will be taking home $10,000 USD in cash. The OC World Cup 2018 is open to the public, so join us and the next overclocking champion might be you.
The G.SKILL OC World Cup overclocking competition consists of three rounds: Online Qualifier, Live Qualifier, and Grand Finals. Once the Online Qualifier has concluded, the top 6 ranking participants will be invited to compete against each other in the Live Qualifier round, held live on stage at the G.SKILL booth during the first three days of Computex 2018, from June 5th to June 7th, 2018 in Taipei City, Taiwan. On the fourth day of Computex 2018, the top two contestants from the Live Qualifier will contend in a head-to-head deathmatch in the Grand Finals round for the Grand Prize of $10,000 USD and the title of "OC Champion of G.SKILL OC World Cup 2018."
The G.SKILL OC World Cup overclocking competition consists of three rounds: Online Qualifier, Live Qualifier, and Grand Finals. Once the Online Qualifier has concluded, the top 6 ranking participants will be invited to compete against each other in the Live Qualifier round, held live on stage at the G.SKILL booth during the first three days of Computex 2018, from June 5th to June 7th, 2018 in Taipei City, Taiwan. On the fourth day of Computex 2018, the top two contestants from the Live Qualifier will contend in a head-to-head deathmatch in the Grand Finals round for the Grand Prize of $10,000 USD and the title of "OC Champion of G.SKILL OC World Cup 2018."
Thursday, March 8th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Game Controllers
Graphics Cards
Mouse
Antec P110 Luce Review
The Antec P110 Luce is a clean chassis that combines some nifty lighting elements with a unique cable-management system and plenty of storage. Add the use of high-quality materials to the mix and you have yourself an extremely interesting chassis.
ASUS Announces ProArt PA32UC 32-inch UHD HDR Professional Monitor
ASUS today announced ProArt PA32UC, a 32-inch 4K UHD IPS professional monitor with Thunderbolt 3, a 100000000:1 ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) and a 178° viewing angle. ProArt PA32UC has an Ultra HD Premium certification, and it is capable of producing up to 1,000cd/m2 of brightness for an extremely lifelike HDR experience, as well as delivering a wide color gamut of 85% Rec. 2020, 99.5% Adobe RGB, 95% DCI-P3 and 100% sRGB for high-end video editing,
ProArt PA32UC also features advanced calibration technology that includes a 14-bit lookup table for color accuracy and 5 x 5 grid uniformity testing. Windows- and Mac OS-certified, every ProArt PA32UC is pre-calibrated to ensure color accuracy with a ∆E value below 2, providing an ideal performance for graphic designers, photographers, or anyone looking for high color accuracy.
ProArt PA32UC also features advanced calibration technology that includes a 14-bit lookup table for color accuracy and 5 x 5 grid uniformity testing. Windows- and Mac OS-certified, every ProArt PA32UC is pre-calibrated to ensure color accuracy with a ∆E value below 2, providing an ideal performance for graphic designers, photographers, or anyone looking for high color accuracy.
China's Tsinghua Unigroup to Manufacture 3D NAND Flash for Intel
In a bid to ensure sufficient supply of NAND flash memory to meet the growing demands of not just PC, but also smartphone markets, China's Tsinghua Unigroup and Intel are in talks to license-manufacture 64-layer 3D NAND flash, based on existing IMFlash Technologies designs. IMFlash is a joint-venture between Intel and Micron Technology. Tsinghua Unigroup is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Chinese Government's ambitious plan to invest RMB 1 trillion (USD $158 billion) over the next five years, to increase China's semiconductor self-sufficiency to 70 percent, by 2025.
The move will significantly increase supply of NAND flash memory, and is seen as a market threat to Korean NAND flash giants Samsung and SK Hynix, and Japanese Toshiba. IMFlash Technology released its first 64-layer 3D NAND flash to the market in 2017, and is currently developing a 96-layer 3D NAND flash chip, which, along with newer 10 nm-class silicon fabrication process, could double densities over the current 64-layer chips.
The move will significantly increase supply of NAND flash memory, and is seen as a market threat to Korean NAND flash giants Samsung and SK Hynix, and Japanese Toshiba. IMFlash Technology released its first 64-layer 3D NAND flash to the market in 2017, and is currently developing a 96-layer 3D NAND flash chip, which, along with newer 10 nm-class silicon fabrication process, could double densities over the current 64-layer chips.
SilverStone Products Now on PC Building Simulator
UK based independent game publisher, The Irregular Corporation, is delighted to announce that specialist gaming PC component manufacturer, SilverStone Technology, has joined the PC Building Simulator project as a partner.
In PC Building Simulator, players will be free to encase their parts in SilverStone's uniquely designed small form factor, HTPC, and tower cases from the classic RAVEN / Fortress series, the recently released Primera / Redline series, and the iconic Temjin TJ07 / TJ11 cases. These virtual rigs can also be powered with a PSU from the Strider Platinum, Essential and Strider Titanium Series. Once all the pieces are in place, players can keep their creation from overheating with a range of purpose-built air or liquid CPU coolers from application specific Nitrogon series to premium Heligon and Tundra series.
In PC Building Simulator, players will be free to encase their parts in SilverStone's uniquely designed small form factor, HTPC, and tower cases from the classic RAVEN / Fortress series, the recently released Primera / Redline series, and the iconic Temjin TJ07 / TJ11 cases. These virtual rigs can also be powered with a PSU from the Strider Platinum, Essential and Strider Titanium Series. Once all the pieces are in place, players can keep their creation from overheating with a range of purpose-built air or liquid CPU coolers from application specific Nitrogon series to premium Heligon and Tundra series.
Next Major Windows 10 Update Named "Spring Creators Update"
The next Windows 10 service pack major update has been named "Spring Creators Update." Windows Insider Program users toying with Build 17618 of the operating system spotted a listing of all the major updates of Windows 10 known to the build, when running "Get-VMHostSupportedVersion" in Power Shell. The last entry reads "Microsoft Windows 10 Spring Creators Update 1803." The version number (1803 in this case), often coincides with the public release date of the update. The Fall Creators Update 1709, released in 2017-09 (September) to Insiders. Going by that convenion, Spring Creators Update could see a "branded" Insider preview build this month, 2018-03 (March), with a public release usually 3-4 weeks after, presumably before Summer kicks in.
Activision Announces Call of Duty: Black Ops 4
Black Ops is back! In what represents a game-changing experience, Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 will revolutionize the top-selling series in Call of Duty history when it launches worldwide on Friday, October 12 for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Call of Duty fans can tune in Thursday, May 17, when publisher Activision, a wholly owned subsidiary of Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ: ATVI), and award-winning developer Treyarch host the community reveal to a worldwide audience.
Intel Announces Optane 800p Series M.2 NVMe Cache SSD
Intel today announced the Optane 800p series M.2 NVMe cache SSD. This series succeeds the original Optane Memory series, which came in 16 GB and 32 GB capacities. The new Optane 800p comes in 58 GB and 118 GB, and offers acceleration to a HDD or slower SSD-based machine, just like the original. It can also be used as a standalone SSD since it's big enough to hold an OS installation and some software. Intel also encourages buying two or more of these drives for NVMe RAID.
The drive is built in the M.2-2280 form-factor, and takes advantage of PCI-Express gen 3.0 x2 interface. Both the 58 GB and 118 GB variants have identical performance numbers from Intel: up to 1450 MB/s sequential reads, up to 640 MB/s sequential writes, up to 250,000 IOPS (8 GB span) random reads, and up to 145,000 IOPS (8 GB span) random writes. Endurance is where 3D XPoint memory begins to shine, both variants have their endurance rated at 365 TBW. Available now, the Optane 800p 58 GB is priced at USD $129.99, while the 118 GB variant goes for $199.99.
The drive is built in the M.2-2280 form-factor, and takes advantage of PCI-Express gen 3.0 x2 interface. Both the 58 GB and 118 GB variants have identical performance numbers from Intel: up to 1450 MB/s sequential reads, up to 640 MB/s sequential writes, up to 250,000 IOPS (8 GB span) random reads, and up to 145,000 IOPS (8 GB span) random writes. Endurance is where 3D XPoint memory begins to shine, both variants have their endurance rated at 365 TBW. Available now, the Optane 800p 58 GB is priced at USD $129.99, while the 118 GB variant goes for $199.99.
EK Announces Two RGB Versions of the EK-Supremacy EVO CPU Water Block
From the time it was first introduced in 2014, nothing has changed about the design of the EK-Supremacy EVO CPU water block. The block became a timeless piece that is recognized both for its distinctive looks and performance. While its performance is still not endangered, it kind of needed a small facelift. By popular demand of the market, EK Water Blocks, the Slovenia-based premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer is releasing two new RGB versions of the EK-Supremacy EVO CPU water block.
EK-Supremacy EVO RGB: This is a high-end, highly adaptable CPU water block, just as all the other EK-Supremacy EVO models so far. By combining jet plates and jet inserts, the cooling engine enables the water block to be fine-tuned for all mainstream Intel and AMD sockets for maximum performance. A high-flow design with low hydraulic restriction also allows this product to be used in setups using weaker water pumps or lower pump speed for added silent operation.
EK-Supremacy EVO RGB: This is a high-end, highly adaptable CPU water block, just as all the other EK-Supremacy EVO models so far. By combining jet plates and jet inserts, the cooling engine enables the water block to be fine-tuned for all mainstream Intel and AMD sockets for maximum performance. A high-flow design with low hydraulic restriction also allows this product to be used in setups using weaker water pumps or lower pump speed for added silent operation.
MSI's Upcoming GT83VR Titan Notebook is a Complete Powerhouse
MSI has always prided themselves for making over-the-top gaming notebooks. In this occasion, Greek eCommerce site Public.gr has listed what looks like MSI's next GT83VR Titan notebook. This model in question comes with an Intel Core i7-8850H six-core processor based on the Coffee Lake architecture. This processor operates at 2.6 GHz with the ability to boost up to 4 GHz on all six cores. It also possesses 9 MB of L3 cache. MSI has paired the Intel Core i7-8850H with 64 GB of high-speed DDR4 memory. They have also managed to cram a pair of NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080s into the small enclosure. Storage consists of two 512 GB NVMe SSDs configured in a RAID 0 array and a 1 TB 7200 RPM hard drive for secondary storage. The GT83VR Titan will also feature a 18.4-inch FHD display and a SteelSeries RGB mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX Brown key switches. Putting the specifications aside, the price tag is even more impressive. Public.gr listed the MSI GT83VR Titan for 6199 euros, which translates to a whopping $7,637.
H1Z1 Officially Goes Free-to-Play Today
H1Z1 recently left Steam Early Access after three years of diligent development. A new Auto Royale game mode was also included with the final game. Out of the blue, Daybreak Games made a big unexpected announcement today. H1Z1 will be a free-to-play title starting at approximately 10 AM Pacific Standard Time. Anthony Castoro, H1Z1 General Manager, commented that their ultimate goal is to attract more players to the game and convert H1Z1 into a must-watch eSport. As a sign of gratitude to the players who purchased and supported the game from the start, Daybreak Games will be recompensate them with a special "H1Z1 Appreciation Pack", which contains a Gasrunner Hoodie, a Bloom Survivor T-Shirt, a Splinter Camo ARV, 10 Victory Crates, and 10,000 Skulls. Consumers who purchased H1Z1 recently can request a Steam refund. According to Valve's rules, refunds are only eligible within 14 days of purchase, and the game has been played for less than two hours. Even if customers don't meet the requirements, they are still encouraged to submit a request, and Valve will evaluate it.
CTL Announces the CTL Chromebox CBx1
CTL, an Oregon-based company specializing in comprehensive K12 personalized learning solutions, announced today the release of its new CTL ChromeboxCBx1. In addition to CTL's popular line of rugged Chromebooks for education, the new CTL Chromebox CBx1 expands the CTL portfolio for classroom, digital signage, and corporate use. The CTL Chromebox CBx1 can also be bundled with CTL 22" touch or non-touch LCD monitors for the perfect out-of-the box all-in-one solution. The CTL Chromebox CBx1 will be available in April for qualified education and corporate customers at $199.00. The CTL Chromebox CBx1 will start at $329 when bundled with a CTL 22" monitor and at $399.00 when bundled with a CTL 22" touchscreen monitor.
Scythe Bundles New Ninja 5 CPU Cooler with Two Silent Kaze Flex 120 PWM Fans
Japanese cooling expert Scythe launches the 5th Generation of its legendary Ninja CPU Cooler Series. Scythe bundles the Ninja 5 with two Kaze Flex 120 PWM fans with the goal to offer a significantly more silent solution without compromising the high performance that users expect from the Ninja Series. This goal has been achieved by mounting the two fans using the Push/Push principle and setting the fan rotation limit to only 800 rpm. Outstanding RAM compatibility is assured even when used with LGA 2066 Mainboards with 8 RAM-Slots thanks to a new heatsink optimization. In addition to that, Ninja 5 is equipped with the third generation of the Hyper Precision Mounting System (H.P.M.S.) which further simplifies the installation procedure and supports all the major AMD and Intel sockets.
Upcoming Quake Champions Update Brings New Character and Game Modes
Quake Champions continues to grow and evolve in Early Access thanks to new content, features, and improvements driven by feedback from the community. Next Thursday, 15th March, id Software will roll out the next big free update for Quake Champions, delivering new ways to play and fun new looks. This will include the return of Instagib - the first new game mode added since closed beta - the introduction of 'No Abilities Mode' in custom games; a new 2v2 version of Ranked Play for competitive players and a variety of fresh seasonal cosmetics to commemorate the coming of Spring.
HyperX Releases Cloud Revolver Gunmetal
HyperX, the gaming division of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., today announced the addition of HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal gaming headset to its Cloud Revolver family. Featuring the same award-winning sound, comfort and durability inherent in Cloud Revolver, the new gunmetal edition offers the immersive audio profiles engineered in the Cloud Revolver family, creating a larger sound stage for FPS and open-environment gameplay, as well as concert hall-like audio experience when listening to music.
HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal uses 50mm drivers that directs sound into the ear for precise audio positioning and a clean, crisp sound with enhanced bass. The headset is versatile with its detachable noise-canceling microphone that is certified by TeamSpeak and Discord. The headset is designed to deliver ultimate comfort during long hours of gameplay with HyperX signature memory foam and premium leatherette on the ear cups and head band.
HyperX Cloud Revolver Gunmetal uses 50mm drivers that directs sound into the ear for precise audio positioning and a clean, crisp sound with enhanced bass. The headset is versatile with its detachable noise-canceling microphone that is certified by TeamSpeak and Discord. The headset is designed to deliver ultimate comfort during long hours of gameplay with HyperX signature memory foam and premium leatherette on the ear cups and head band.
Confessions of a Crypto Miner: CPU Mining
Welcome back to "Confessions of a Crypto Miner," my column about a crypto miner from 2013 trying to get caught up with the latest standards. I'm presently mining and reporting to you from a dual-GTX 1080 based rig mining zCash.
Today we are going to take a look at mining again - using the CPU in particular. CPU mining is the original form of mining cryptocoins.
Curious-looking Core i7-8670 Rears its Head
A curious-looking "Core i7-8670" processor surfaced on GFXBench benchmark online database, which features Intel UHD 630 iGPU. The processor's name breaks Intel's naming conventions of reserving the 87xx model number for Core i7 MSDT (mainstream desktop) SKUs, and 86xx for Core i5 SKUs, based on the 8th generation "Coffee Lake" silicon. The GFXBench information tab confirms that this is a 12-thread (6-core + HTT) CPU, and that its nominal clock speed is a mere 3.10 GHz. Its iGPU offers almost the same performance as the UHD 630 iGPU of the Core i7-8700.
AMD Readies Ryzen Threadripper SKUs based on "Pinnacle Ridge" Dies
Hot on the heels of this morning's big AMD Ryzen 2000-series slide dump, comes a new roadmap slide that gives a larger overview of how AMD is addressing various client processor market segments. It begins with the mention of a 2nd generation Ryzen Threadripper series launch within 2018. These chips presumably, are multi-chip modules of the company's new 12 nm "Pinnacle Ridge" silicon, and will be compatible with existing AMD X399 chipset motherboards through BIOS updates. The "Pinnacle Ridge" silicon supports higher clock-speeds, has several microarchitecture refinements, and a few new overclocker-centric features.
The better news is that company seems to be updating its HEDT processor lineup every year; and that the current Threadripper series isn't a one-off halo product like its Athlon64 FX "QuadFX" 2P platform. With "Pinnacle Ridge" based Threadripper 2000-series MCMs slated for 2018; 2019 will see the launch of the new "Castle Peak" HEDT processor. It's not known if this is an MCM. The spiritual successor to "Pinnacle Ridge" is "Matisse." This is Zen 2 based, and will have significant changes to the core design, presenting AMD with an opportunity to review the way it arranges cores. "Picasso" succeeds "Raven Ridge" as the company's Zen 2-based APUs. "Picasso," along with "Matisse" and "Castle Peak" could see AMD implement GlobalFoundries' new 7 nm silicon fabrication process, given its 2019 timeline. 2020 will see their refined avatars - an unnamed "Next-Gen HEDT" chip, "Vermeer," and "Renoir," respectively.
The better news is that company seems to be updating its HEDT processor lineup every year; and that the current Threadripper series isn't a one-off halo product like its Athlon64 FX "QuadFX" 2P platform. With "Pinnacle Ridge" based Threadripper 2000-series MCMs slated for 2018; 2019 will see the launch of the new "Castle Peak" HEDT processor. It's not known if this is an MCM. The spiritual successor to "Pinnacle Ridge" is "Matisse." This is Zen 2 based, and will have significant changes to the core design, presenting AMD with an opportunity to review the way it arranges cores. "Picasso" succeeds "Raven Ridge" as the company's Zen 2-based APUs. "Picasso," along with "Matisse" and "Castle Peak" could see AMD implement GlobalFoundries' new 7 nm silicon fabrication process, given its 2019 timeline. 2020 will see their refined avatars - an unnamed "Next-Gen HEDT" chip, "Vermeer," and "Renoir," respectively.
Intel Intros Two New NUCs Based on "Gemini Lake" SoCs
Intel today released two new barebones NUCs based on its latest "Gemini Lake" Pentium Silver and Celeron SoCs, the NUC 7 PJYH, and the NUC 7 CJYH. As their names might suggest, the PJYH is based on Pentium Silver J5005, while the CJYH implements Celeron J4005. The Pentium Silver J5005 packs a "Goldmont Plus" quad-core CPU clocked at 2.80 GHz, 4 MB of cache, and UHD Graphics 605 iGPU, while the Celeron J4005 features a dual-core "Goldmont Plus" CPU clocked up to 2.70 GHz, 4 MB cache, and UHD Graphics 600 iGPU.
As a barebones NUC, you're supposed to add your own memory, populating its two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots (up to 8 GB), and a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD. Networking connectivity includes 802.11ac WLAN, Bluetooth 5.0, and gigabit Ethernet. Display outputs include two HDMI ports. USB connectivity includes two each of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, from which one of the front USB 3.0 ports (yellow) has high-current (10A). There's also an SD card slot. A 65W power-brick runs the NUC. The two could be priced in the range of $299-$399.
As a barebones NUC, you're supposed to add your own memory, populating its two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots (up to 8 GB), and a 2.5-inch SSD or HDD. Networking connectivity includes 802.11ac WLAN, Bluetooth 5.0, and gigabit Ethernet. Display outputs include two HDMI ports. USB connectivity includes two each of USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, from which one of the front USB 3.0 ports (yellow) has high-current (10A). There's also an SD card slot. A 65W power-brick runs the NUC. The two could be priced in the range of $299-$399.
Wednesday, March 7th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Headphones
Keyboards
Mousepads
Notebooks
Final Fantasy XV Benchmark Performance Analysis
Square Enix has finally brought Final Fantasy XV to the PC, with vastly improved graphics, a large range of graphics options, and an optional 4K texture pack. We test the game on 15 graphics cards, take a look at VRAM usage, both with and without the texture pack, and investigate how well the game makes use of multiple CPU cores.
ASUS Intros Pro Series C624BQH 24.1-inch Monitor
ASUS released the first 16:10 aspect-ratio monitor in ages - the Pro Series C624BQH. This 24.1-inch monitor features many of the display innovations ASUS made in recent years, but comes with an eye-pleasing 16:10 aspect-ratio, and WUXGA (1920 x 1200 pixels) resolution, which should please professionals and gamers alike. Under the hood, is an IPS panel with 100% sRGB coverage, TÜV Rheinland-certified flicker-free LED backlighting, blue-light reduction, and an office-friendly stand that offers height, tilt, and 90° rotation.
The IPS panel offers 178°/178° viewing angles, 5 ms (GTG) response time, 60 Hz refresh-rate, 300 cd/m² maximum brightness, 1000:1 static- and dynamic mega-contrast ratios; and a matte-black surface. Inputs include DisplayPort, HDMI, D-Sub, and DVI. Other features include a multi-format card reader, two downstream USB 3.0 ports, and audio jacks. The company didn't reveal pricing.
The IPS panel offers 178°/178° viewing angles, 5 ms (GTG) response time, 60 Hz refresh-rate, 300 cd/m² maximum brightness, 1000:1 static- and dynamic mega-contrast ratios; and a matte-black surface. Inputs include DisplayPort, HDMI, D-Sub, and DVI. Other features include a multi-format card reader, two downstream USB 3.0 ports, and audio jacks. The company didn't reveal pricing.
EK Releases Full-coverage Water Block for ASUS ROG Strix RX Vega Series
EK Water Blocks, the Slovenia-based premium computer liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is releasing EK-FC Radeon Vega Strix water blocks that are compatible with the ASUS ROG Strix RX VEGA64. This kind of efficient cooling will allow your high-end graphics card to reach higher boost clocks, thus providing more performance during gaming or other GPU intense tasks.
This water block directly cools the GPU, HBM2 memory, and VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC Radeon Vega Strix water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. This kind of efficient cooling will allow your high-end graphics card to reach higher boost clocks, thus providing more performance during gaming or other GPU intense tasks. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
This water block directly cools the GPU, HBM2 memory, and VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC Radeon Vega Strix water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. This kind of efficient cooling will allow your high-end graphics card to reach higher boost clocks, thus providing more performance during gaming or other GPU intense tasks. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
Colorful Announces iGame SLI HB Bridge
Colorful Technology Company Limited, professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and high-performance storage solutions is proud to announce its iGame SLI HB Bridge that will fit perfectly with the aesthetics of COLORFUL graphics cards supporting SLI. The new iGame SLI HB bridges supports dual-link SLI mode that improves performance for graphics card that support NVIDIA SLI including the latest NVIDIA 10-Series graphics cards.
The new COLORFUL iGame SLI HB Bridge improve SLI performance when used with compatible NVIDIA 10-series Pascal GPUs that support High-Bandwidth SLI by delivering double the bandwidth of traditional SLI bridges. The iGame SLI HB Bridge also supports traditional SLI compatible graphics cards from NVIDIA. This increases overall performance from both GPUs and provides a smoother experience when playing demanding games that properly utilize NVIDIA SLI. Not only do you get improved, overall performance in higher resolutions, you also get higher framerates which compliment today's high-performance monitors.
The new COLORFUL iGame SLI HB Bridge improve SLI performance when used with compatible NVIDIA 10-series Pascal GPUs that support High-Bandwidth SLI by delivering double the bandwidth of traditional SLI bridges. The iGame SLI HB Bridge also supports traditional SLI compatible graphics cards from NVIDIA. This increases overall performance from both GPUs and provides a smoother experience when playing demanding games that properly utilize NVIDIA SLI. Not only do you get improved, overall performance in higher resolutions, you also get higher framerates which compliment today's high-performance monitors.
AMD Ryzen 2000 Series "Pinnacle Ridge" Roadmap Leaked
Ahead of its launch product roadmap of AMD's next-generation performance-thru-enthusiast segment socket AM4 processors, was leaked to the web. It indicates that AMD could launch its next-generation Ryzen 2000-series "Pinnacle Ridge" processors with no more than four SKUs initially. These include the top-dog Ryzen 7 2700X, followed by the Ryzen 7 2700; the Ryzen 5 2600X, and the Ryzen 5 2600. Both Ryzen 7-series SKUs are 8-core/16-thread chips, while both Ryzen 5-series SKUs are 6-core/12-thread. There's also pricing for each of the four. The clock-speeds are also revealed below.
The Ryzen 7 2700X is being launched at a SEP of USD $369, and positioned against Intel Core i7-8700K. This is followed by the Ryzen 7 2700 being priced at $299, and fielded against Intel's multiplier-locked Core i7-8700. The Ryzen 5 2600X is, obviously, positioned against the Core i5-8600K, and priced at $249; while the Ryzen 5 2600 is priced at an attractive $199, and looks to disrupt several of Intel's Core i5 6-core SKUs around its price-point. Unlike many of Intel's SKUs, all AMD Ryzen chips feature unlocked multiplier, SMT, and a cooling solution. That's right, even the top-dog 2700X and 2600X include coolers, as opposed to their predecessors. The 2700X includes AMD's new Wraith Prism, while the 2600X and the other two SKUs include a Wraith Spire.
The Ryzen 7 2700X is being launched at a SEP of USD $369, and positioned against Intel Core i7-8700K. This is followed by the Ryzen 7 2700 being priced at $299, and fielded against Intel's multiplier-locked Core i7-8700. The Ryzen 5 2600X is, obviously, positioned against the Core i5-8600K, and priced at $249; while the Ryzen 5 2600 is priced at an attractive $199, and looks to disrupt several of Intel's Core i5 6-core SKUs around its price-point. Unlike many of Intel's SKUs, all AMD Ryzen chips feature unlocked multiplier, SMT, and a cooling solution. That's right, even the top-dog 2700X and 2600X include coolers, as opposed to their predecessors. The 2700X includes AMD's new Wraith Prism, while the 2600X and the other two SKUs include a Wraith Spire.
Only Somewhat Classy: Coinbase Hit With Multiple Class Action Lawsuits
Coinbase, which is mostly regarded as one of the most transparent, well regarded cryptocurrency exchanges in the cryptocurrency world, is now being hit with class action lawsuits on themes it would really not like to be associated with. Readers should think on which one of these is worse: insider trading, or crypto theft. For a company that's apparently trying its hardest to become a bastion of transparent crypto trading, going so far as to share data on 13,000 customers to the IRS, these class action lawsuits, if proven, will do irreversible damages to the company's standing.
The insider trading class action lawsuit revolves around the introduction of BCH (Bitcoin Cash) to its staple of tradeable cryptocurrencies. Now, here's the thing: it's nigh impossible for a company not to do, or not to be accused of, to be more precise, of insider trading on this thing. It's almost guaranteed that the company would have invested on Bitcoin Cash in the early stages of its fork and spin-off from Bitcoin. And the company controls at which times they'll enable trading of the cryptocurrency on their platform - an announcement and move which would certainly increase awareness and trade volume on that cryptocurrency, both before and after it's been actually integrated into the exchange. This class action lawsuit is being headed by Jeffrey Berk, who's representing all customers that placed buy, sell or trade orders for BCH between December 19 and December 21, 2017.
The insider trading class action lawsuit revolves around the introduction of BCH (Bitcoin Cash) to its staple of tradeable cryptocurrencies. Now, here's the thing: it's nigh impossible for a company not to do, or not to be accused of, to be more precise, of insider trading on this thing. It's almost guaranteed that the company would have invested on Bitcoin Cash in the early stages of its fork and spin-off from Bitcoin. And the company controls at which times they'll enable trading of the cryptocurrency on their platform - an announcement and move which would certainly increase awareness and trade volume on that cryptocurrency, both before and after it's been actually integrated into the exchange. This class action lawsuit is being headed by Jeffrey Berk, who's representing all customers that placed buy, sell or trade orders for BCH between December 19 and December 21, 2017.
Globalfoundries: 7 nm to Enable up to 2.7x Smaller Dies, 5 GHz CPUs
Globalfoundries' Chief Technical Officer, Gary Patton, talked about the future he believes can be possible in future manufacturing processes, calling for particular attention towards the next step in the ladder at 7 nm. Apparently, the 7 nm process at Globalfoundries has received a shot in the arm from the integration of ex IBM engineering specialists (remember that IBM practically paid Globalfoundries to take its manufacturing division of its hands), and the company now expects better than foreseen technical specs and achievements of its 7 nm process.
While a move from 14 nm to 7 nm was expected to provide, at the very best, a halving in the actual size of a chip manufactured in 7 nm compared to 14 nm, Gary Patton is now saying that the are should actually be reduced by up to 2.7 times the original size. To put that into perspective, AMD's 1000 series processors on the Zeppelin die and 14 nm process, which come in at 213 mm² for the full, 8-core design, could be brought down to just 80 mm² instead. AMD could potentially use up that extra die space to either build in some overprovisioning, should the process still be in its infancy and yields need a small boost; or cram it with double the amount of cores and other architectural improvements, and still have chips that are smaller than the original Zen dies.
While a move from 14 nm to 7 nm was expected to provide, at the very best, a halving in the actual size of a chip manufactured in 7 nm compared to 14 nm, Gary Patton is now saying that the are should actually be reduced by up to 2.7 times the original size. To put that into perspective, AMD's 1000 series processors on the Zeppelin die and 14 nm process, which come in at 213 mm² for the full, 8-core design, could be brought down to just 80 mm² instead. AMD could potentially use up that extra die space to either build in some overprovisioning, should the process still be in its infancy and yields need a small boost; or cram it with double the amount of cores and other architectural improvements, and still have chips that are smaller than the original Zen dies.
ICY DOCK is the King of Optical Disc Drive Accommodations
It is safe to say having larger and faster data storage such as a 4 TB SATA SSD or even better, streamline 32 Gb/s NVMe SSD is an improvement over optical media in term of speed, size and popularity. However, to certain users, optical media's advantages of long shelf life and resistance to alteration on data are the key requirements to their mission critical applications.
Because of these demands, ICY DOCK came up with solutions for those who seek to replace existing slim optical drives with a faster drive system, along with those who still see utility in using optical media or have to deal with large amounts of optical media. ICY DOCK ODD/FDD solutions can help accommodate various builds ranging from a personal workstation to a large data center.
Because of these demands, ICY DOCK came up with solutions for those who seek to replace existing slim optical drives with a faster drive system, along with those who still see utility in using optical media or have to deal with large amounts of optical media. ICY DOCK ODD/FDD solutions can help accommodate various builds ranging from a personal workstation to a large data center.
Grand Theft PC: Thieves Made Away with 600 Cryptomining Computers
So, what's cheaper than building your own cryptomining rig? Stealing one, of course. With the humor aside, the Associated Press reported that around 600 cryptomining computers were stolen from multiple data centers in Iceland over the last three months. The first three thefts occurred in December, and the fourth took place recently in January. So far, the Icelandic authorities have apprehended 11 individuals, including a security guard, in connection with the series of heists. According to the publication, the stolen computers are estimated to worth almost $2 million. Unfortunately, the police haven't had any lucky locating the whereabouts of the stolen goods. However, they are actively monitoring electric consumption in the country, since cryptomining tends to require high power usage. They've also contacted local internet service providers, electricians, and storage space rentals to ask for their cooperation in reporting any abnormal requests for more power.
D-Link Launches New DMS-1100 Series Switches
D-Link today announced the DMS-1100 Series 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet Smart Managed Switches, a new family of cost effective Multi-Gigabit switches capable of servicing a range of network needs in any type of business. Featuring eight multi-speed 2.5 Gigabit access ports and two 10 Gigabit SFP+ uplink ports, the DMS-1100 Series switches are ideal for deploying multiple high-performance 802.11ac Wave 2 access points using 2.5 Gigabit connections, while providing 10 Gigabit wire-speed uplinks for optimal bandwidth when accessing the larger local area network (LAN).
Compliant with the new IEEE 802.3bz 2.5GBASE-T standard, the DMS-1100 Series switches provide 2.5 Gbps connections over conventional CAT-5e LAN cabling up to 100 meters. This allows IT professionals in SMB/SME environments to upgrade their network speeds without having to replace existing cabling, ultimately saving total cost of ownership (TCO) of upgrading 802.11ac Wave 2 APs and 2.5 Gigabit workstations. Each of the eight switch access ports automatically detect the speed needed by the attached device and set the rates accordingly. Available speeds for each DMS-1100 access port include 2.5 Gbps, 1000 Mbps and 100 Mbps.
Compliant with the new IEEE 802.3bz 2.5GBASE-T standard, the DMS-1100 Series switches provide 2.5 Gbps connections over conventional CAT-5e LAN cabling up to 100 meters. This allows IT professionals in SMB/SME environments to upgrade their network speeds without having to replace existing cabling, ultimately saving total cost of ownership (TCO) of upgrading 802.11ac Wave 2 APs and 2.5 Gigabit workstations. Each of the eight switch access ports automatically detect the speed needed by the attached device and set the rates accordingly. Available speeds for each DMS-1100 access port include 2.5 Gbps, 1000 Mbps and 100 Mbps.
Khronos Group Releases the Vulkan 1.1 Specification
The Khronos Group, an open consortium of leading hardware and software companies creating advanced acceleration standards, announces the release of the Vulkan 1.1 and SPIR-V 1.3 specifications. Version 1.1 expands Vulkan's core functionality with developer-requested features, such as subgroup operations, while integrating a wide range of proven extensions from Vulkan 1.0. Khronos will also release full Vulkan 1.1 conformance tests into open source and AMD, Arm, Imagination, Intel Corporation, NVIDIA and Qualcomm have implemented conformant Vulkan 1.1 drivers. Find more information on the Vulkan 1.1 specification and associated tests and tools at Khronos's Vulkan Resource Page.
"With enhanced developer tools, rigorous conformance testing and the public Vulkan Ecosystem Forum, Khronos is delivering on its goal to develop a complete and vibrant Vulkan ecosystem," said Tom Olson, distinguished engineer at Arm, and Vulkan Working Group chair. "Vulkan 1.1 is a response to prioritized industry requests and shows our commitment to delivering a functional roadmap driven by developer needs."
"With enhanced developer tools, rigorous conformance testing and the public Vulkan Ecosystem Forum, Khronos is delivering on its goal to develop a complete and vibrant Vulkan ecosystem," said Tom Olson, distinguished engineer at Arm, and Vulkan Working Group chair. "Vulkan 1.1 is a response to prioritized industry requests and shows our commitment to delivering a functional roadmap driven by developer needs."
State of Decay 2's PC System Requirements Revealed
State of Decay 2, the sequel to the multi-million selling State of Decay game, will be making its way to the PC and Xbox One on May 22. The Standard Edition will carry a $29.99 price tag and the Ultimate Edition will set you back $49.99. Consumers who purchase the Ultimate Edition will get receive four days of early access beginning May 18 and the "Independence Pack" and "Daybreak Pack" DLCs. Microsoft will also be rewarding consumers who pre-order State of Decay 2 between now and May 21 with some exclusive in-game goodies. State of Decay 2 is a Xbox Play Anywhere title, therefore, consumers will receive both the Xbox One and Windows 10 versions of the game upon purchase. They can access their game saves, achievements, and progression no matter which platform they game on.
in the first place, State of Decay 2 will only work on a Windows 10 64-bit operating system. The game occupies a mere 16 GB of hard drive space. The minimum system requirements include an Intel Core i5-2500 or AMD FX-6300 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 760 or Radeon HD 7870 graphics card. For the more demanding gamers who enjoy maxing out all the eye-candy, Microsoft recommends an Intel Core i5-4570 or AMD FX-8350 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380 graphics card.
in the first place, State of Decay 2 will only work on a Windows 10 64-bit operating system. The game occupies a mere 16 GB of hard drive space. The minimum system requirements include an Intel Core i5-2500 or AMD FX-6300 processor, 8 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 760 or Radeon HD 7870 graphics card. For the more demanding gamers who enjoy maxing out all the eye-candy, Microsoft recommends an Intel Core i5-4570 or AMD FX-8350 processor, 16 GB of RAM, and a GeForce GTX 960 or Radeon R9 380 graphics card.
ASRock to Enter the Graphics Card Market, Focus on AMD Radeon
ASRock could enter the graphics card market, according to a report by Taiwan-based industry observer DigiTimes. The company is reportedly enamored by the GPU-accelerated crypto-currency mining boom, and could develop a graphics card lineup that's mostly, if not entirely, based on AMD Radeon graphics processors. AMD Radeon GPUs are generally regarded as being more efficient at mining popular crypto-currencies.
This could indicate that ASRock's graphics card designs could be frugal, and purpose-built for mining. Like all other add-in board (AIB) partners, the company could start off with some reference-design cards, and then launch custom-designed ones. The company has seen success in recent times as a formidable high-end PC motherboard brand across both Intel and AMD platforms; in addition to its low-cost motherboard core business. It also diversified into industrial PC components, server motherboards, and consumer networking products, such as Wi-Fi routers.
This could indicate that ASRock's graphics card designs could be frugal, and purpose-built for mining. Like all other add-in board (AIB) partners, the company could start off with some reference-design cards, and then launch custom-designed ones. The company has seen success in recent times as a formidable high-end PC motherboard brand across both Intel and AMD platforms; in addition to its low-cost motherboard core business. It also diversified into industrial PC components, server motherboards, and consumer networking products, such as Wi-Fi routers.
Intel "Hades Canyon" NUC Armed with Vega M Plays Anything at 1080p
Intel's upcoming "Hades Canyon" NUC, the spiritual successor to the company's "Skull Canyon" NUC; will be one of the first commercial implementations of the "Kaby Lake-G" multi-chip module, which puts an AMD Radeon Vega M graphics part and a quad-core "Kaby Lake" die together on a package, along with 4 GB of HBM2 memory for the GPU, when they start shipping in Spring 2018, priced between $799-$999. Korean tech publication Playwares got its hands on one of these, and its testing suggests that it achieves the key design goal of Kaby Lake-G: to be able to play any of today's games at 1080p (with acceptable levels of eye-candy.)
Playwares put "Hades Canyon" through three of today's AAA game titles that take advantage of DirectX 12: "Rise of the Tomb Raider," "Tom Clancy's The Division," and "Total War: Warhammer 2." At default clocks, and 1080p resolution, "Rise of the Tomb Raider" puts out around 53 fps, with 45.36 fps (minimum, 99th percentile). When overclocked, the chip averages 59.11 fps, with 50.5 fps (minimum, 99th percentile). "The Division" averages 41.5 fps at default clocks, and 46.8 fps when overclocked. "Warhammer 2" is a lot more taxing on the chip - 27.3 fps average and 23 fps minimum at default clocks, and 30.1 average with 26 fps minimum, when overclocked. One has to take into account that the "Vega M" chip on the Core i7-8709G is significantly more powerful than the iGPU of AMD's Ryzen "Raven Ridge" APUs - 1536 stream processors, 96 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 1024-bit HBM2 memory; versus 704 stream processors, 44 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and system memory share.
Playwares put "Hades Canyon" through three of today's AAA game titles that take advantage of DirectX 12: "Rise of the Tomb Raider," "Tom Clancy's The Division," and "Total War: Warhammer 2." At default clocks, and 1080p resolution, "Rise of the Tomb Raider" puts out around 53 fps, with 45.36 fps (minimum, 99th percentile). When overclocked, the chip averages 59.11 fps, with 50.5 fps (minimum, 99th percentile). "The Division" averages 41.5 fps at default clocks, and 46.8 fps when overclocked. "Warhammer 2" is a lot more taxing on the chip - 27.3 fps average and 23 fps minimum at default clocks, and 30.1 average with 26 fps minimum, when overclocked. One has to take into account that the "Vega M" chip on the Core i7-8709G is significantly more powerful than the iGPU of AMD's Ryzen "Raven Ridge" APUs - 1536 stream processors, 96 TMUs, 32 ROPs, and 1024-bit HBM2 memory; versus 704 stream processors, 44 TMUs, 16 ROPs, and system memory share.
ASUS Intros Prime J4005I-C Motherboard
ASUS today introduced the Prime J4005I-C mini-ITX motherboard based on Intel "Gemini Lake" Celeron J4005 SoC. Built in the mini ITX form-factor, this board is targeted at low-power business desktops, such as POS kiosks. The board draws power from a combination of 24-pin ATX and 4-pin ATX power connectors. There are no PCIe add-on card slots; however, there's quite a bit of PCIe-based connectivity. The SoC is passively-cooled by an aluminium heatsink. It's wired to two DDR4 DIMM slots, which support up to 8 GB of dual-channel DDR4-2400 memory.
Storage connectivity on the Prime J4005I-C include two SATA 6 Gbps ports, and an M.2 (M-key) slot with PCIe gen 2.0 x2 wiring. A second M.2 (E-key) slot has gen 2.0 x2 wiring, for WLAN/Bluetooth cards. USB connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers). Legacy connectivity includes one LPT header and two COM ports (one RS232 in the rear panel, and another 9-pin header); display outputs include LVDS (ideal for kiosk displays and AIO desktops), D-Sub, and HDMI. Gigabit Ethernet and 6-channel audio make for the rest of it.
Storage connectivity on the Prime J4005I-C include two SATA 6 Gbps ports, and an M.2 (M-key) slot with PCIe gen 2.0 x2 wiring. A second M.2 (E-key) slot has gen 2.0 x2 wiring, for WLAN/Bluetooth cards. USB connectivity includes four USB 3.0 ports (two on the rear panel, two by headers). Legacy connectivity includes one LPT header and two COM ports (one RS232 in the rear panel, and another 9-pin header); display outputs include LVDS (ideal for kiosk displays and AIO desktops), D-Sub, and HDMI. Gigabit Ethernet and 6-channel audio make for the rest of it.
Tuesday, March 6th 2018
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Monitors
Motherboards
Notebooks
PSUs
Sound Cards
Speakers
Roccat Khan Pro Review
The Roccat Khan Pro claims to be the world's first Hi-Res Audio certified gaming headset. Does that make it sound better than its competitors in the extremely crowded $100 price bracket, where we can already find more than a couple of products with excellent audio performance?
Microsoft Pushes New Software-Based Spectre, Meltdown Mitigation Patches
The Spectre/Meltdown road is long and pocked with lawsuits and security holes as it is, and Microsoft is one of the players that's trying to put the asphalt back to tip-top, Autobahn-worth shape. The company has already improved users' security to the Meltdown and Spectre exploits on its OS side; however, hardware patches, and specifically BIOS-editing ones are much harder to deploy and distribute by the PC chain. That may be one of the reasons why Microsoft is now again stepping up with software-based mitigations for Intel-based systems, specifically.
The new updates introduce a software-based CPU microcode revision update, and work at the OS-level to plug some security holes on your Intel processors that might otherwise remain unpatched. The reasons for them remaining unpatched can be many: either Intel taking even more time to deploy patches to the still vulnerable systems; your OEMs not deploying the Intel CPU microcode revisions via a BIOS update; or the good old "I forgot I could do it" user story. Of course, being software based means these Microsoft patches will have to be reapplied should users format their Windows system. The update can for now only be manually downloaded and installed, and can only be applied to version 1709 (Fall Creators Update) and Windows Server version 1709 (Server Core), but that's definitely better than the alternative of forcing less knowledgeable users to try and find their way through BIOS updates. Of course, that is assuming OEMs will ever push BIOS updates to their products.
The new updates introduce a software-based CPU microcode revision update, and work at the OS-level to plug some security holes on your Intel processors that might otherwise remain unpatched. The reasons for them remaining unpatched can be many: either Intel taking even more time to deploy patches to the still vulnerable systems; your OEMs not deploying the Intel CPU microcode revisions via a BIOS update; or the good old "I forgot I could do it" user story. Of course, being software based means these Microsoft patches will have to be reapplied should users format their Windows system. The update can for now only be manually downloaded and installed, and can only be applied to version 1709 (Fall Creators Update) and Windows Server version 1709 (Server Core), but that's definitely better than the alternative of forcing less knowledgeable users to try and find their way through BIOS updates. Of course, that is assuming OEMs will ever push BIOS updates to their products.
Google Unveils 72-Qubit Quantum Computer - On the Verge of Quantum Supremacy
(Editor's Note: Quantum supremacy may still be some years away as researchers strive to surpass the challenges of keeping such exotic systems stable and error-free enough for them to provide actually useful in more complex calculations. As complexity increases, so does the system's stability decrease, so researchers have to come up with novel ways of not only expanding the scope of the quantum computer, but also stabilizing it. That quantum supremacy is some years away should elicit a sigh of relief from users, as it means that our current encryption techniques will be relevant for that much more time; however, it's really only a matter of time before quantum-based encryption schemes are necessary to maintain the status quo. Of course, general purpose computers will - and do - keep on evolving and increasing in performance as well, so quantum supremacy may find itself chasing the goose, so to speak, for a little more time.)
The goal of the Google Quantum AI lab is to build a quantum computer that can be used to solve real-world problems. Our strategy is to explore near-term applications using systems that are forward compatible to a large-scale universal error-corrected quantum computer. In order for a quantum processor to be able to run algorithms beyond the scope of classical simulations, it requires not only a large number of qubits. Crucially, the processor must also have low error rates on readout and logical operations, such as single and two-qubit gates.
The goal of the Google Quantum AI lab is to build a quantum computer that can be used to solve real-world problems. Our strategy is to explore near-term applications using systems that are forward compatible to a large-scale universal error-corrected quantum computer. In order for a quantum processor to be able to run algorithms beyond the scope of classical simulations, it requires not only a large number of qubits. Crucially, the processor must also have low error rates on readout and logical operations, such as single and two-qubit gates.
Swiftech Announces New Maelstrom D5 Reservoir Lineup
Swiftech today announced a new addition to their Reservoir Lineup. The Maelstrom D5 will be available in four different models with differing sizes (and thus capacity). The four new models carry the X50, X100, X200, and X300 product names, where the numerals indicate the height of the reservoir in mm. As the name implies, a D5 pump is being used on the base of the reservoir, and features speed control via pulse width modulation.
These reservoirs feature Swiftech's IRIS technology, which allows for some RGB goodness to ensue via the built-in ALED lighting system. On the longevity side of the argument, Swiftech is quoting a MTBF of 50,000 hours. If you were expecting price to scale nicely with the reservoir size, you're better of rethinking your stance: the X50 reservoir comes in at $145.95, while the X300 will set you back only $29 more at $174.95. However, not all use cases will be able to use the 300 mm behemoth, so Swiftech is covering all its basis - though charging a mean sum for it.
These reservoirs feature Swiftech's IRIS technology, which allows for some RGB goodness to ensue via the built-in ALED lighting system. On the longevity side of the argument, Swiftech is quoting a MTBF of 50,000 hours. If you were expecting price to scale nicely with the reservoir size, you're better of rethinking your stance: the X50 reservoir comes in at $145.95, while the X300 will set you back only $29 more at $174.95. However, not all use cases will be able to use the 300 mm behemoth, so Swiftech is covering all its basis - though charging a mean sum for it.
First Leaked Benchmarks of AMD's Ryzen 7 2000 Processor
A few days ago, we spotted AMD's upcoming Ryzen 7 2700X processor at the 3DMark playground. We got word today that our Korean buddies over at the Hardware Battle forums have leaked some benchmarks of a mysterious Ryzen 7 2000 processor. While the graphs don't explicitly state the model of the so-called "Future Processor", it's very likely that it's the Ryzen 7 2700X. First off, the clock speed matched the specifications from the previous 3DMark leak. HWBattle also compared it to the Ryzen 7 1700X numerous times which makes perfect sense considering that the Ryzen 7 2700X is the next successor to the throne. Initially, we projected the Ryzen 7 2700X to hit the 4.2 GHz mark thanks to AMD's XFR 2.0 (eXtended Frequency Range) and Precision Boost 2.0 technologies. However, HWBattle's sample reached 4.35 GHz which makes it even more impressive.
Comparing the Ryzen 7 1700X and 2700X side by side in AIDA64's memory benchmark, the latter was 11% faster in the memory latency test and 30% and 16% faster in the L2 and L3 Cache tests, respectively. The Ryzen 7 2700X's single thread performance was surprisingly strong as well. It surpassed the likes of the Intel Core i9-7980XE, i7-8700K, and Threadripper 1950X processors in the Dhrystone Aggregated-int Native benchmark. The Ryzen 7 2700X started to fall behind in multi-core performance, but it still managed to beat the Intel Core i7-8700K. We saw a similar scenario with the Physics test in 3DMark's FireStrike Ultra benchmark. The Ryzen 7 2700X once again annihilated the Intel Core i7-8700K.
Comparing the Ryzen 7 1700X and 2700X side by side in AIDA64's memory benchmark, the latter was 11% faster in the memory latency test and 30% and 16% faster in the L2 and L3 Cache tests, respectively. The Ryzen 7 2700X's single thread performance was surprisingly strong as well. It surpassed the likes of the Intel Core i9-7980XE, i7-8700K, and Threadripper 1950X processors in the Dhrystone Aggregated-int Native benchmark. The Ryzen 7 2700X started to fall behind in multi-core performance, but it still managed to beat the Intel Core i7-8700K. We saw a similar scenario with the Physics test in 3DMark's FireStrike Ultra benchmark. The Ryzen 7 2700X once again annihilated the Intel Core i7-8700K.
NZXT Expands Kraken X Series with New 360mm Kraken X72 AIO Liquid Cooler
NZXT today announces the expansion of its award-winning Kraken all-in-one liquid cooler line with the all-new Kraken X72. The first 360mm AIO liquid cooler from NZXT, the Kraken X72 delivers the series' most powerful cooling performance to date, with the stunning beauty and effortless customization the series is renowned for.
"Since the launch of our all-new Kraken series, we have heard from our community about the need for a more powerful solutions that can deliver the cooling performance required from higher TDP processors," says Johnny Hou, NZXT's founder and CEO. "The Kraken X72 is well-positioned to serve user's cooling needs in an ever-evolving market, all with the look the Kraken series is known for."
"Since the launch of our all-new Kraken series, we have heard from our community about the need for a more powerful solutions that can deliver the cooling performance required from higher TDP processors," says Johnny Hou, NZXT's founder and CEO. "The Kraken X72 is well-positioned to serve user's cooling needs in an ever-evolving market, all with the look the Kraken series is known for."
Wacom Announces Technologically and Ergonomically Improved Intuos Pen Tablet
Today, Wacom announced a new, significantly upgraded version of its Intuos pen tablet for creative beginners and enthusiasts. Bundled with software for drawing, painting and image editing, the new Intuos tablet offers an immediate start into digital art. Anyone interested in getting creative on a digital level will be able to enjoy a natural pen experience, improved accuracy and enhanced online navigation capability. Ambitious comic and Manga fans, hobby painters and photographers just need to download a software of choice to "get creative."
"Wacom has a legacy of providing state-of-the-art technology and full solutions to our customers," said Faik Karaoglu, Executive Vice President at Wacom's Creative Business Unit. "We know that only the combination of hardware and software allows for an immediate start. That is why we asked leading software partners to join us in the new pen tablet offer. We believe that our customers will love the new Intuos for its advanced technology and software options."
"Wacom has a legacy of providing state-of-the-art technology and full solutions to our customers," said Faik Karaoglu, Executive Vice President at Wacom's Creative Business Unit. "We know that only the combination of hardware and software allows for an immediate start. That is why we asked leading software partners to join us in the new pen tablet offer. We believe that our customers will love the new Intuos for its advanced technology and software options."
NZXT Introduces the New Kraken M Series of AIO CPU Coolers
NZXT today announces the expansion of its award-winning Kraken all-in-one liquid CPU cooler family with the new Kraken M Series. The new Kraken M22 delivers NZXT's signature RGB and infinite-mirror effects in a more affordable AIO CPU cooler.
"The reception for the Kraken X Series has been amazing. Our infinite-mirror and RGB lighting effects are a favorite among PC gamers looking to customize their rig," says Johnny Hou, NZXT's founder and CEO. "One of the biggest requests from our community has been to deliver that same signature look at a lower price point. The new Kraken M22 does exactly that."
"The reception for the Kraken X Series has been amazing. Our infinite-mirror and RGB lighting effects are a favorite among PC gamers looking to customize their rig," says Johnny Hou, NZXT's founder and CEO. "One of the biggest requests from our community has been to deliver that same signature look at a lower price point. The new Kraken M22 does exactly that."
CORSAIR Launches the New Carbide 275R Tempered Glass PC Case
CORSAIR, a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the launch of the new Carbide Series 275R PC case. Combining minimalist design, and a wealth of features that make building a great-looking PC easier than ever, the 275R is available in either black or white, and with a choice of tempered glass or edge-to-edge acrylic side panel. Simple and understated styling frame an un-interrupted view into your PC, while a wealth of cooling options allow the 275R to host the most ambitious PC builds. Finished with soft front accent lighting and tireless attention to detail, the 275R is styled for subtlety but equipped to standout.
AMD Project ReSX is an eSports Gamer Outreach by Making Radeon More Responsive
AMD's late-Monday release of the Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.1 has a big change not chronicled in its change-log, the first implementation of ReSX. Short for "Radeon eSports Experience," ReSX is the code-name of a major effort within the Radeon Software team to address some of the fundamental complaints competitive eSports gamers had been having with Radeon GPUs - click-to-response and frame-time. As an eSports gamer chasing a million-dollar price-pool, you'd want your graphics hardware to have the least frame-time (the most fluid output), the highest frame-rates, and of course the least click-to-response time (the infinitesimal amount it times for a click of your mouse to register as action, be sent to the game-server, and render on-screen, simultaneously.
AMD stated that has approached these problems from two fronts - by working with developers of the biggest eSports titles to optimize their game-engines for Radeon; as well as making under-the-hood changes to Radeon Software. The company is announcing not just marginally higher frame-rates in certain eSports titles, but also significant improvements to frame-time (99th percentile of), and lower click-to-response times. According to the performance numbers put out by AMD, while these improvements may not be double-digit percentage points difference, could still translate into a vastly improved gaming experience, according to AMD.
AMD stated that has approached these problems from two fronts - by working with developers of the biggest eSports titles to optimize their game-engines for Radeon; as well as making under-the-hood changes to Radeon Software. The company is announcing not just marginally higher frame-rates in certain eSports titles, but also significant improvements to frame-time (99th percentile of), and lower click-to-response times. According to the performance numbers put out by AMD, while these improvements may not be double-digit percentage points difference, could still translate into a vastly improved gaming experience, according to AMD.
Monday, March 5th 2018
Today's Reviews
Cases
Desktop PC
Keyboards
Monitors
Motherboards
PSUs
Speakers
SSD
Deepcool Captain 240EX RGB Review
Deepcool has taken their closed-loop coolers to the next level with the Captain 240EX RGB. Offering a good balance of price, performance, and features, it also capitalizes on the current industry trend of adding RGB lighting by featuring an RGB LED pump along with a bundled RGB LED strip for good measure.
Raijintek Intros Iris 14 Rainbow RGB 140mm Fans
Raijintek today introduced the Iris 14 Rainbow RGB 140 mm fans, the larger siblings of the Iris 12 Rainbow the company launched last year. These fans feature circular frames, and RGB LED diffusers along the perimeters of the frames. These diffusers project light from 21 diodes onto the frosted, translucent impeller. Raijintek is selling these fans in single-unit, 2-pack, and 3-pack SKUs. The fans feature hydraulic bearings, take in 4-pin PWM input, spin between 400 to 1,500 RPM, pushing up to 61 CFM of air, with a noise-output of up to 30.8 dBA. The lighting mechanism takes in standard 4-pin RGB headers. The 2-pack and 3-pack SKUs include a 6-port RGB LED hub and an RF remote-control. The company didn't reveal pricing.
AMD Releases Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.1
AMD today released its first Radeon Software Adrenalin Edition drivers for this month, version 18.3.1 beta. The drivers come with optimization for "Final Fantasy XV," and "Warhammer: Vermintide II." It also includes some fine-tuning for Dota 2 that delivers up to 6 percent higher frame-rates than 17.12.1 drivers, at 4K Ultra HD, when tested with an RX 580 graphics card. The drivers also fix application crashes with "Sea of Thieves," multi-GPU flickering seen in "Middle-earth: Shadow of War," and some color-corruption noticed with "World of Tanks" in certain multi-GPU configurations. Grab the drivers from the link below.
DOWNLOAD: AMD Radeon Software Adrenalin 18.3.1
The change-log follows.
The change-log follows.
Cougar Launches the PANZER-G Glass-Enveloped Chassis
Cougar has launched another tower chassis to its lineup in the form of the glass-clad PANZER-G. The PANZER-G makes its Cougar DNA known through its orange accents, which give an aggressive look to a pretty elegant case. The symmetry of the chassis has been achieved in a way that guides your eyes vertically through the chassis. It's a mix of industrialized glass, screws and alloy frames that's actually well put together, and the front glass panel and new generation Vortex fan LED design lends to the PANZER-G's subdued, yet clearly present, aesthetic.
Despite Disinterest in AMD Products, Dell Launches Ryzen-Powered Laptops
Dell may not believe in an imminent "AMD-Intel duopoly", even though the green team has some very interesting products in its portfolio. But even so, Dell has silently launched some Inspiron laptops that are powered by AMD's latest architecture. The total number of AMD-powered laptops reaches four in their Inspiron 17 5000 line, with a mix of AMD's latest Ryzen 3 and Ryzen 5 APUs with Vega integrated graphics.
Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition Denuvo Cracked Before Release
Initial speculations stated that Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition didn't employ Denuvo's anti-tamper technology. For starters, there was no mention of Denuvo anywhere in the EULA when the game went up for pre-order. It also wasn't present in the demo. However, five days prior to the official release, Square Enix updated the game's Steam store page and EULA stating that Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition indeed came with Denuvo.
Although Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition won't be released until tomorrow, consumers who purchased the title can pre-load the game beforehand. Since Steam preloads are always encrypted, warez group normally are forced to look elsewhere. For reasons unknown, Origin made available the unencrypted version of the game files. Chinese video game warez group 3DM was quick to act and got their hands on the unencrypted files. They later replaced the executable with the DRM-free one from the demo. What happened afterwards is history. A few users reported that they were able to advance as far as the ninth chapter without hiccups. According to one particular individual, he finished the game with the pirated copy, but it hasn't been confirmed yet.
Although Final Fantasy XV Windows Edition won't be released until tomorrow, consumers who purchased the title can pre-load the game beforehand. Since Steam preloads are always encrypted, warez group normally are forced to look elsewhere. For reasons unknown, Origin made available the unencrypted version of the game files. Chinese video game warez group 3DM was quick to act and got their hands on the unencrypted files. They later replaced the executable with the DRM-free one from the demo. What happened afterwards is history. A few users reported that they were able to advance as far as the ninth chapter without hiccups. According to one particular individual, he finished the game with the pirated copy, but it hasn't been confirmed yet.
Blizzard Celebrates StarCraft's 20th Anniversary with Many In-game Freebies
StarCraft officially turns 20 on March 31, 2018, and all throughout the month, we'll be celebrating this epic milestone alongside our epic community of players. Revisit the saga that introduced the world to iconic characters like Jim Raynor, Sarah Kerrigan, and Zeratul, and helped set the stage for esports as we know them today.
EK Releases RGB Water Block for GeForce Founders Edition Based Graphics Cards
EK the Slovenia-based premium PC liquid cooling gear manufacturer is expanding its RGB portfolio by releasing the EK-FC GeForce GTX FE RGB water block that is compatible with multiple reference design Founders Edition NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060, 1070, 1080, 1080 Ti, Titan X Pascal and Titan Xp based graphics cards. As known from before, the FE labeled GPU blocks come as a replacement to the old GeForce GTX 10×0 / TITAN X Series of water blocks.
EK-FC GeForce GTX FE RGB
This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas, thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC GeForce GTX FE RGB water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
EK-FC GeForce GTX FE RGB
This water block directly cools the GPU, RAM as well as VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas, thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC GeForce GTX FE RGB water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
SUPoX Introduces Professional Crypto Mining B250A-BTC D+ Motherboard
SUPoX introduces a professional crypto mining motherboard, SUPoX B250A-BTC D+, that takes advantage of the Intel B250 chipset for native 8-graphics card support to eliminate the need for riser cards. In addition, it can be used with server power supplies (single 12V rail PSU) which gives more options for scalable mining. Without the need for riser cards, the initial setup cost is lower (a savings of US$7-$10 per riser card) and lowers the overall power consumption. The mining rig is more stable as less heat and less clutter improves airflow, which ultimately prolongs the life of the mining system.
The Intel B250 chipset enables the B250A-BTC D+ to run up to eight native PCI-e X16 slots, which has many advantages over PCI-e bridge solutions. Miners can save on the cost of having to purchase multiple riser cards and have a more efficient overall system. It also has better reliability and stability, as additional riser cards run the risk of burnouts and capability issues that can affect the downtime of the mining rig.
The Intel B250 chipset enables the B250A-BTC D+ to run up to eight native PCI-e X16 slots, which has many advantages over PCI-e bridge solutions. Miners can save on the cost of having to purchase multiple riser cards and have a more efficient overall system. It also has better reliability and stability, as additional riser cards run the risk of burnouts and capability issues that can affect the downtime of the mining rig.
Kingspec Intros Z1 Series Portable SSDs
Chinese storage manufacturer Kingspec today rolled out the Z1 line of portable SSDs. These are essentially M.2 NVMe drives strapped onto a USB 3.1 to M.2 PCIe adapter. A star-attraction here is Kingspec's choice of pure SLC NAND flash. They don't directly plug into ports, but rather come with a USB 3.1 type-A to type-C cable, with a single cable being used for both power and host connectivity. The drive comes in 128 GB and 256 GB capacities. The 128 GB variant offers sequential speeds of 700-800 MB/s reads, with up to 550-600 MB/s writes; while the 256 GB variant is slightly faster, with 720-850 MB/s reads, and 620-750 MB/s writes. Their 4K random-access speeds at QD64 is rated at 33,000/42,000 IOPS (reads/writes) for both the variants. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Enermax Intros LiqFusion Line of AIO Liquid CPU Coolers
Enermax today debuted the LiqFusion line of all-in-one, closed-loop, liquid CPU coolers, with the LiqFusion 240, which as its name suggests, is the model with a 240 mm x 120 mm radiator. The design focus behind this series appears to be on more RGB LED bling compared to the older Liqtech series. The pump-block is cylindrical, and has a 3-dimensional RGB LED diffuser made of multiple diodes, which doubles up as an acrylic top, and gives you a perception of "spinning." There's a flow-indicator plumed along one of the coolant tubes.
Keeping up with the RGB LED bling of the pump-block, Enermax is including a pair of T.B. RGB 120 mm fans, which come with three diffuser rings along the perimeter of the fan-frame. These fans spin between 500-2,000 RPM, pushing 23.81-102.17 CFM of air, with noise-outputs ranging between 14 ~ 28 dBA, each. The block comes with pre-applied Dow Corning TC-5121 TIM. The cooler supports most modern CPU socket types, including AM4, AM3(+), FM2(+), LGA2066, LGA2011(v3), and LGA115x. The RGB LED lighting supports standardized 4-pin header. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Keeping up with the RGB LED bling of the pump-block, Enermax is including a pair of T.B. RGB 120 mm fans, which come with three diffuser rings along the perimeter of the fan-frame. These fans spin between 500-2,000 RPM, pushing 23.81-102.17 CFM of air, with noise-outputs ranging between 14 ~ 28 dBA, each. The block comes with pre-applied Dow Corning TC-5121 TIM. The cooler supports most modern CPU socket types, including AM4, AM3(+), FM2(+), LGA2066, LGA2011(v3), and LGA115x. The RGB LED lighting supports standardized 4-pin header. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Modders Get "Coffee Lake" Chips to Work Stable on Intel 100/200-series Chipsets
One of the greatest complaints enthusiasts had with Intel's 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" processors and their companion 300-series chipsets is their lack of compatibility with older 200-series and 100-series chipset motherboards, despite sharing an identical LGA1151 socket. Tinfoil hatters attributed this to Intel's synthetic platform-gating to ensure people buy new motherboards every two CPU generations; while Intel itself maintained that "Coffee Lake" chips have special electrical requirements that come with the increased core-counts, without explaining how that shouldn't exempt quad-core SKUs such as the Core i3-8100 and the i3-8350K from functioning on older platforms.
It turns out that "Coffee Lake" is pin-compatible with older LGA1151 motherboards based on 200-series and 100-series chipsets after all, as modders got some of these chips to work on the older platforms. Intel is using software to prevent Coffee Lake from working on older motherboards. This software comes in the form of the CPU's microcode, the iGPU's UEFI GOP driver, and certain Management Engine bootstraps on the side of the motherboard BIOS that lets it recognize the new chips. With the safe transplanting of these pieces of software, Overclock.net modders rootuser123, LittleHill, dsanke, elisw, Mov AX, and 0xDEAD; succeeding in not only getting the chips to work on older platforms, but also found ways to iron out several stability and compatibility issues. They've published a guide at this page.
It turns out that "Coffee Lake" is pin-compatible with older LGA1151 motherboards based on 200-series and 100-series chipsets after all, as modders got some of these chips to work on the older platforms. Intel is using software to prevent Coffee Lake from working on older motherboards. This software comes in the form of the CPU's microcode, the iGPU's UEFI GOP driver, and certain Management Engine bootstraps on the side of the motherboard BIOS that lets it recognize the new chips. With the safe transplanting of these pieces of software, Overclock.net modders rootuser123, LittleHill, dsanke, elisw, Mov AX, and 0xDEAD; succeeding in not only getting the chips to work on older platforms, but also found ways to iron out several stability and compatibility issues. They've published a guide at this page.
EVGA Removes Guest RMA Option - Register Your Card for RMA
EVGA in a potentially controversial move, removed the "Guest RMA" option from its aftersales support. The option allowed consumers to return their DOA or broken graphics cards back to EVGA for replacements, without having to register their products with EVGA (thereby giving their data to the company). Consumers now have to register their products, which entails creating an EVGA membership (volunteering information such as your name, address, telephone number, and e-mail address). Only after creating an account, and registering your product, will you be able to file a standard RMA request with EVGA, a graphics card vendor which otherwise built a reputation of having the best product warranty, RMA, and upgrade policies in the industry.
Sunday, March 4th 2018
ZOTAC Kicks off ZOTAC Masters Hong Kong with a US $300,000 CS:GO Tournament
ZOTAC Technology, a global manufacturer of innovation, today announced that the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS CS:GO 2018 Tournament will soon kick off with a series of ZOTAC CUP online qualifiers and with Regional Live Final Qualifiers that ultimately lead to the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS Grand Finals in Hong Kong.
This is the third and largest ZOTAC CUP MASTERS global tournament yet, following the success of ZOTAC CUP MASTERS DOTA 2 and ZOTAC CUP MASTERS: STARCRAFT REMASTERED in 2017. Never have the stakes been so high that the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS CS:GO Grand Finals Tournament will boast a prize pool of $300,000 USD - the largest prize pool in the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS history.
This is the third and largest ZOTAC CUP MASTERS global tournament yet, following the success of ZOTAC CUP MASTERS DOTA 2 and ZOTAC CUP MASTERS: STARCRAFT REMASTERED in 2017. Never have the stakes been so high that the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS CS:GO Grand Finals Tournament will boast a prize pool of $300,000 USD - the largest prize pool in the ZOTAC CUP MASTERS history.
NVIDIA to Host World's Top AI Experts at 2018 GTC
NVIDIA will host thousands of the world's leading AI experts at its ninth annual GPU Technology Conference (GTC) on March 26-29 at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang will deliver a keynote address on Tuesday, March 27, at 9 a.m. Pacific time to an expected 8,000 attendees representing the diverse, rapidly expanding AI and GPU computing community.
"GTC is where the world's leading researchers and business leaders learn how to harness the power of AI," said Greg Estes, vice president of Developer Programs at NVIDIA. "As GPU computing continues to drive the AI revolution, GTC is where you'll see the future take shape."
"GTC is where the world's leading researchers and business leaders learn how to harness the power of AI," said Greg Estes, vice president of Developer Programs at NVIDIA. "As GPU computing continues to drive the AI revolution, GTC is where you'll see the future take shape."
Saturday, March 3rd 2018
EK Announces Their RGB Water Block for AMD Radeon RX Vega Based Graphics Cards
EK Water Blocks, the Slovenia-based premium PC liquid cooling gear manufacturer is expanding its RGB portfolio by presenting a Full Cover water block for AMD Radeon Vega architecture based high-end graphics cards. Customers will be able to transform their graphics card into a beautiful, bright single slot card while the water cooling block will allow the GPU to reach higher frequencies, thus providing more performance during gaming or other demanding tasks.
EK-FC Radeon Vega RGB
This water block directly cools the GPU, HBM2 memory, and VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC Radeon Vega water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. This kind of efficient cooling will allow your high-end graphics card to reach higher boost clocks, thus providing more performance during gaming or other GPU intense tasks. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
EK-FC Radeon Vega RGB
This water block directly cools the GPU, HBM2 memory, and VRM (voltage regulation module) as water flows directly over these critical areas thus allowing the graphics card and it's VRM to remain stable under high overclocks. EK-FC Radeon Vega water block features a central inlet split-flow cooling engine design for best possible cooling performance, which also works flawlessly with reversed water flow without adversely affecting the cooling performance. This kind of efficient cooling will allow your high-end graphics card to reach higher boost clocks, thus providing more performance during gaming or other GPU intense tasks. Moreover, such design offers great hydraulic performance allowing this product to be used in liquid cooling systems using weaker water pumps.
Friday, March 2nd 2018
Today's Reviews
Accessories
Cases
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Mouse
Processors
Genius SlimStar 8008 Review
The Genius SlimStar 8008 keyboard and mouse combo is an inexpensive replacement to OEM peripherals, offering an overall enhanced user experience with 2.4 GHz encrypted WiFi connectivity and long battery life in addition to a well-designed software driver for added functionality.
Cooler Master Introduces the MasterAir MA620P and MA621P CPU Coolers
Cooler Master, a leader in PC cooling solutions, introduces the MasterAir MA620P and MA621P that pushes the performance of air cooling beyond AIO liquid cooling. Cooler Master's supercharged heatsink is a combination of two built heatsinks with CDC 2.0 technology and two MasterFan MF120R RGB that is able to transfer and dissipate heat at extremely efficient levels. The MasterFan MF120R RGB are also certified by ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and Asrock with their motherboard RGB sync.
Supercharged Dual Heatsink Dual ML120R RGB fans
MasterAir MA620P and MA621P TR4 edition supercharges your CPU cooling by doubling the surface area by combining two heatsinks each accompanied by two MasterFan MF120R RGB to ensure enough air pressure brings out the heat quickly enough to continually remove heat from the CPU. An optional 3rd fan is possible to take you to the next level.
Supercharged Dual Heatsink Dual ML120R RGB fans
MasterAir MA620P and MA621P TR4 edition supercharges your CPU cooling by doubling the surface area by combining two heatsinks each accompanied by two MasterFan MF120R RGB to ensure enough air pressure brings out the heat quickly enough to continually remove heat from the CPU. An optional 3rd fan is possible to take you to the next level.
Square Enix Holds Publisher Weekend Sale on Steam
Video game developer and publisher Square Enix is holding a Publisher Weekend Sale on the popular Steam platform. Discounts range from 20% to 90%. You can save big on some of their blockbuster titles which include Deus Ex: Mankind Divided, Just Cause 3, NieR:Automata, and Rise of the Tomb Raider. It is also noteworthy that both Tomb Raider and Final Fantasy franchises are part of sale as well. We've included a few titles that stand out, but don't forget to swing by the Square Enix Publisher Weekend microsite for other incredible offers.
Battlefield V Takes Players Back to World War II
If there's something that Battlefield 1 and Call of Duty: WWII have taught us, it's that nostalgia sells - and it sells a lot. The numbers don't lie. Battlefield 1 not only sold faster than Battlefield 4, but it also broke the 25 million players barrier not so long ago. Call of Duty: WWII didn't do too shabby either becoming the best-selling Call of Duty installment since Black Ops II. The ultimate goal for EA now is to keep the traction going and that's where Battlefield V comes in. Battlefield V, originally known internally as Battlefield 2, is the direct sequel to Battlefield 1, and as thus, the game's setting and story will take place in World War II. Hardcore Battlefield fans might recall that EA previously visited the World War II era in Battlefield 1942. However, the publisher has promised that Battlefield V won't a mere remaster but a completely new game from the ground up.
For better or worse, EA and loot boxes always seem to find themselves together in the same sentence. Anonymous sources have confirmed that Battlefield V will have loot boxes However, the loot boxes are limited to cosmetic items to customize your soldier just like in Battlefield 1 - so no worries there. EA has promised a playable "next Battlefield experience" this year at the E3 event in June. Battlefield V is expected to launch later this year.
For better or worse, EA and loot boxes always seem to find themselves together in the same sentence. Anonymous sources have confirmed that Battlefield V will have loot boxes However, the loot boxes are limited to cosmetic items to customize your soldier just like in Battlefield 1 - so no worries there. EA has promised a playable "next Battlefield experience" this year at the E3 event in June. Battlefield V is expected to launch later this year.
CORSAIR and Ubisoft Partner to Bring PC Lighting Integration to Far Cry 5
CORSAIR, a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced a strategic partnership with leading video game publisher Ubisoft, bringing custom PC and peripheral lighting integration to Ubisoft's highly anticipated Far Cry 5.
Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players must join the local resistance to take down a fanatical cult by any means necessary, be it shotgun, slingshot, or semi-truck. Far Cry 5 players on PC will be able to experience a whole new layer of immersion via their CORSAIR RGB products, which will dynamically adjust to more than 35 in-game lighting interactions. Whether you're exploring, being spotted by enemies, fighting for your life, fishing, or just watching the world go by, your entire CORSAIR setup will reflect the actions in-game.
Set in America, a first for the franchise, Far Cry 5 offers players total freedom to navigate a serene-looking yet deeply twisted world as the new junior deputy of fictional Hope County, Montana. Players must join the local resistance to take down a fanatical cult by any means necessary, be it shotgun, slingshot, or semi-truck. Far Cry 5 players on PC will be able to experience a whole new layer of immersion via their CORSAIR RGB products, which will dynamically adjust to more than 35 in-game lighting interactions. Whether you're exploring, being spotted by enemies, fighting for your life, fishing, or just watching the world go by, your entire CORSAIR setup will reflect the actions in-game.
Synology Introduces the 12-bay RackStation RS3618xs NAS
Synology Inc. today launched RackStation RS3618xs, a 12-bay rackmount NAS providing excellent performance, effortless capacity scaling and optimized virtualisation solutions for expanding businesses. RS3618xs is a 2U RackStation NAS powered by an Intel Xeon D-1521 quad-core CPU and 8GB DDR4 ECC UDIMM RAM, expandable up to 64GB. The four plug-and-play Gigabit Ethernet LAN ports can be expanded with higher performance 10GbE NICs through the PCIe 3.0 slot, providing over 3,900 MBps throughput and 143,500 iSCSI IOPS.
Besides the native 12-drive support, the storage capacity can be further expanded up to 432TB when connecting to two RX1217(RP), providing on-the-fly volume expansion. Its capability to support massive storage space on demand makes it ideal to serve as a virtualisation solution, a centralized file server, a backup target or iSCSI storage.
Besides the native 12-drive support, the storage capacity can be further expanded up to 432TB when connecting to two RX1217(RP), providing on-the-fly volume expansion. Its capability to support massive storage space on demand makes it ideal to serve as a virtualisation solution, a centralized file server, a backup target or iSCSI storage.
Alphacool Launches the Aurora XPX RGB Frame for Their Eisblock XPX CPU Coolers
The Alphacool XPX RGB frame is intended for users of the Eisblock XPX CPU cooler who are looking for the perfect lighting for their cooler. The RGB frame simply slides over the Eisblock XPX cooler and is then connected to the RGB controller. With an impressive 15 RGB LEDs evenly distributed over the XPX Eisblock CPU cooler, perfect lighting is guaranteed. The RGB controller lets you change not only the colors, but also add color effects like gradients, blinking, slow color changes, and much more. Many controllers also include a dimmer function. The Alphacool XPX RGB frame leaves nothing to be desired.
AMD Ryzen 7 2700X Spotted With a 3.7 GHz Base Clock, 4.1 GHz Turbo
AMD's next iteration on their very positively received Zen microarchitecture is preparing for take-off in the coming months, and as we draw ever close to the release date, more details are trickling in. This time, it's the appearance of a Ryzen 7 2700X (which supersedes the original Ryzen 7 1700X) on Futuremark's 3DMark database. The Ryzen 7 2700X was paired with an ASRock X370 Taichi motherboard (still considered one of the best ever to grace AMD's new AM4 platform), and its 8 cores and 16 threads are locked into a 3.7 GHz base and 4.1 GHz turbo clocks (respectively 300 MHz higher base and turbo clocks that the 1700X's).
The usage of AMD's XFR 2.0 (eXtended Frequency Range) and Precision Boost 2.0 could mean that the CPU is able, in certain scenarios, to turbo over the specified limit of 4.1 GHz, up to 4.2 GHz, thus delivering an even bigger boost to its performance. The usage of a 12 nm process means AMD has taken the power savings and increased frequency potential that comes from shrinking their original Zen microarchitecture, and put those to increased frequencies across the board, thus increasing their CPU's single-thread performance. Being an X chip,. AMD has kept the package TDP at a still respectable 95 W, much like its 1000 series Ryzens, though we know that this 95 W figure doesn't really spell out just how energy efficient these AMD CPUs really are.
The usage of AMD's XFR 2.0 (eXtended Frequency Range) and Precision Boost 2.0 could mean that the CPU is able, in certain scenarios, to turbo over the specified limit of 4.1 GHz, up to 4.2 GHz, thus delivering an even bigger boost to its performance. The usage of a 12 nm process means AMD has taken the power savings and increased frequency potential that comes from shrinking their original Zen microarchitecture, and put those to increased frequencies across the board, thus increasing their CPU's single-thread performance. Being an X chip,. AMD has kept the package TDP at a still respectable 95 W, much like its 1000 series Ryzens, though we know that this 95 W figure doesn't really spell out just how energy efficient these AMD CPUs really are.
SEC Starts Cracking Down on ICOs
Even as we reported, earlier this week, that there's a veritable digital grave of failed ICOs (either through bad management or by design) that have taken millions of dollars with them, news is breaking that the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) has started cracking down on these blockchain-fueled practices. According to the Wall Street Journal, citing "people familiar with the matter", the outfit has issued a number of subpoenas and information requests to technology companies and advisers involved in the ICO practices.
The SEC's intention here is to see whether or not any of these ICOs have been designed and offered in ways that contravene the established securities trading practices and regulations (heads-up: many of them most likely have). More specifically, the SEC is demanding information regarding the structure of ICO sales and pre-sales - where many of these actually fall apart in their transparency. According to former SEC commissioner Dan Gallagher, "We're seeing the tip of the iceberg ... there is going to be a ton of enforcement activity". Naturally, the very nature of the blockchain and ICO startups can simply build themselves up in ways that prevent them from ever being identified - after all, fake websites, media accounts, and white papers are all relatively easy to forge, and considering the current state of the cryptocurrency and ICO market (which has improved compared to last year), some users are always bound to be caught in the net.
The SEC's intention here is to see whether or not any of these ICOs have been designed and offered in ways that contravene the established securities trading practices and regulations (heads-up: many of them most likely have). More specifically, the SEC is demanding information regarding the structure of ICO sales and pre-sales - where many of these actually fall apart in their transparency. According to former SEC commissioner Dan Gallagher, "We're seeing the tip of the iceberg ... there is going to be a ton of enforcement activity". Naturally, the very nature of the blockchain and ICO startups can simply build themselves up in ways that prevent them from ever being identified - after all, fake websites, media accounts, and white papers are all relatively easy to forge, and considering the current state of the cryptocurrency and ICO market (which has improved compared to last year), some users are always bound to be caught in the net.
HaptX Ready to Introduce Haptic Feedback VR Gloves to the Market This Year
One thing that's missing in VR today (among all the other things that still require a couple or more generations to be fully developed) is actual physical interaction with the VR world. The world can be fully convincing from a graphical perspective - and that's hard enough to do already with VR's graphical processing requirements - but your mind being fooled solely by your visual senses can only go so far. Arguably, physical sensations as they relate to VR will be one of the next development steps towards a full-fledged, believable VR experience. HaptX has taken that challenge, and has developed their first generation VR glove to try and make that physical contact with VR worlds a reality.
ID-Cooling Intros the Tiny SE-812i Tower-type CPU Cooler
ID-Cooling introduced one of the smallest tower-type CPU coolers in recent times, with the SE-812i. This cooler is targeted at those who want a cheap quick-fix to the lack of a stock cooling solution with certain retail CPUs, but don't want to content with top-flow options. Its design is straightforward - two 6 mm-thick copper heat pipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, passing through a compact aluminium fin-stack, which is ventilated by an 80 mm fan.
The cooler can handle TDP of up to 95W, so you can pair it with chips such as the i7-8700K, just don't expect any overclocking headroom. The cooler only supports Intel LGA115x sockets for now, although an AM4-specific SE-812a could be in the works. The included 80 mm fan spins up to 2,200 RPM, pushing up to 28.7 CFM of air, with a noise-level of up to 23.3 dBA. Measuring 85 mm x 85 mm x 120 mm (WxDxH), the cooler weighs about 230 g.
The cooler can handle TDP of up to 95W, so you can pair it with chips such as the i7-8700K, just don't expect any overclocking headroom. The cooler only supports Intel LGA115x sockets for now, although an AM4-specific SE-812a could be in the works. The included 80 mm fan spins up to 2,200 RPM, pushing up to 28.7 CFM of air, with a noise-level of up to 23.3 dBA. Measuring 85 mm x 85 mm x 120 mm (WxDxH), the cooler weighs about 230 g.
Thursday, March 1st 2018
Today's Reviews
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Mouse
Networking
SSD
Silverstone FHP141 Fan Review
The Silverstone FHP141 is a 38 mm thick, 140 x 140 mm fan that can be mounted to a single 120 mm fan slot. By virtue of the added space to the motor and rotor, and some other tricks up its sleeve, it aims to provide an excellent balance of performance and noise for those low on radiator space.
Report: NVIDIA Not Unveiling 2018 Graphics Card Lineup at GDC, GTC After All
It's being reported by Tom's Hardware, citing industry sources, that NVIDIA isn't looking to expand upon its graphics cards lineup at this years' GDC (Game Developers Conference) or GTC (GPU Technology Conference). Even as reports have been hitting the streets that pointed towards NVIDIA announcing (if not launching) their two new product architectures as early as next month, it now seems that won't be the case after all. As a reminder, the architectures we're writing about here are Turing, reportedly for crypto-mining applications, and Ampere, the expected GeForce architecture leapfrogging the current top of the line - and absent from regular consumer shores - Volta.
There's really not much that can be gleaned as of now from industry sources, though. It's clear no one has received any kind of information from NVIDIA when it comes to either of their expected architectures, which means an impending announcement isn't likely. At the same time, NVIDIA really has no interest in pulling the trigger on new products - demand is fine, and competition from AMD is low. As such, reports of a June or later announcement/release are outstandingly credible, as are reports that NVIDIA would put the brakes on a consumer version of Ampere, use it to replace Volta on the professional and server segment, and instead launch Volta - finally - on the consumer segment. This would allow the company to cache in on their Volta architecture, this time on consumer products, for a full generation longer, while innovating the market - of sorts. All scenarios are open right now; but one thing that seems clear is that there will be no announcements next month.
There's really not much that can be gleaned as of now from industry sources, though. It's clear no one has received any kind of information from NVIDIA when it comes to either of their expected architectures, which means an impending announcement isn't likely. At the same time, NVIDIA really has no interest in pulling the trigger on new products - demand is fine, and competition from AMD is low. As such, reports of a June or later announcement/release are outstandingly credible, as are reports that NVIDIA would put the brakes on a consumer version of Ampere, use it to replace Volta on the professional and server segment, and instead launch Volta - finally - on the consumer segment. This would allow the company to cache in on their Volta architecture, this time on consumer products, for a full generation longer, while innovating the market - of sorts. All scenarios are open right now; but one thing that seems clear is that there will be no announcements next month.
Fractal Design Introduces the Meshify C Mini - Dark TG Micro-ATX Case
Meshify strikes an aggressive pose in the Fractal Design lineup with unparalleled cooling performance and a defiant new look. Like black diamond facets, the angular asymmetry of the Micro ATX Meshify C Mini - Dark TG carves a space uniquely its own as a new force in high-airflow design. Tempered glass with a distinctive tint completes the stealth-inspired black-on-black aesthetic with exceptional style.
An open Micro ATX layout with intelligent space utilization creates an unrestricted airflow path from the mesh front intakes directly through key components to exhaust, ensuring heat is never an issue. The Meshify C Mini - Dark TG has a remarkably compact footprint with the high-end component support of a larger tower, and with seven fan mounts and multi-radiator liquid cooling capability, it has the cooling capacity to match.
An open Micro ATX layout with intelligent space utilization creates an unrestricted airflow path from the mesh front intakes directly through key components to exhaust, ensuring heat is never an issue. The Meshify C Mini - Dark TG has a remarkably compact footprint with the high-end component support of a larger tower, and with seven fan mounts and multi-radiator liquid cooling capability, it has the cooling capacity to match.
BenQ Announces the EL2870U 27.9-inch 4K UHD HDR10 Monitor
BenQ, the internationally renowned provider of digital lifestyle devices, today introduces the BenQ EL2870U, our first 4K UHD monitor with 1ms response time designed specifically for Home Entertainment. The BenQ EL2870U Home Entertainment Monitor features High Dynamic Range (HDR) technology to increase the overall dynamic range between true black and bright white to duplicate what your eyes see in the natural world. Enhanced with the 4K Ultra High Definition resolution offered on the EL2870U, users will experience extraordinary clarity of fine details and textures for the optimal viewing experience, and enhanced screen real estate for visual-intensive work.
Not only does the EL2870U pursue brilliant image performance, it also offers features dedicated to offer a premium 4K Gaming experience. The incredibly fast 1ms Gray-To-Gray (GTG) response time on the EL2870U ensures a much more responsive and fluent in-game experience than a traditional 4K Television, particularly noticeable in first person shooter games. AMD Freesync technology effectively eliminates image tearing, broken frames, and choppy gameplay for a smoother gaming experience for users with an AMD graphics card. By offering High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) 2.2 support, the EL2870U is BenQ's premium choice monitor for 4K Gaming on the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro 4K Game consoles.
Not only does the EL2870U pursue brilliant image performance, it also offers features dedicated to offer a premium 4K Gaming experience. The incredibly fast 1ms Gray-To-Gray (GTG) response time on the EL2870U ensures a much more responsive and fluent in-game experience than a traditional 4K Television, particularly noticeable in first person shooter games. AMD Freesync technology effectively eliminates image tearing, broken frames, and choppy gameplay for a smoother gaming experience for users with an AMD graphics card. By offering High-bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP) 2.2 support, the EL2870U is BenQ's premium choice monitor for 4K Gaming on the Xbox One X and PS4 Pro 4K Game consoles.
AMD Bundles Far Cry 5 with Select Pre-Built Radeon-Powered Systems
AMD is partnering with Ubisoft to give away free copies of Far Cry 5 to consumers who buy a pre-built system powered by a Radeon RX Vega 64, RX Vega 56 or Radeon RX 580 graphics card. Upon purchase, the consumer receives a coupon code to redeem the digital copy at the AMD Rewards website. The coupon code is for the Standard Edition of Far Cry 5 which can be downloaded afterwards through Ubisoft's Uplay client. The promotion began on February 27, 2018 and will end on May 20, 2018. Do note that codes are available while supply lasts. Although the promotion is open worldwide, consumers must purchase the pre-built system from a participating vendor.
EK Water Blocks K-XTOP Revo D5 Pump Now Available
EK Water Blocks, the world-renowned premium liquid cooling manufacturer, is releasing the EK-XTOP Revo D5 RGB PWM pump unit and a stand-alone EK-XTOP Revo D5 RGB top to upgrade your existing trusty D5 pump. Meaning, the very popular and successful EK-XTOP Revo D5 PWM pump is now available with an integrated 4-pin 12V RGB LED strip and dense high-quality PET black sleeving on both the PWM and power cables as well.
Both products are compatible with popular RGB sync technologies from all major motherboard manufacturers. The arrow marking on the 4-pin LED connector is to be aligned with the +12V marking on the RGB header. You can easily remove the LED strip cover which is mounted with two screws to replace the LED strip with some other type LED strip.
Both products are compatible with popular RGB sync technologies from all major motherboard manufacturers. The arrow marking on the 4-pin LED connector is to be aligned with the +12V marking on the RGB header. You can easily remove the LED strip cover which is mounted with two screws to replace the LED strip with some other type LED strip.
Philips Announces Trio of New 27-inch Full HD FreeSync Monitors
MMD, the leading technology company and brand license partner for Philips Monitors, is announcing three new additions to the Philips E-line of consumer displays. Dubbed "E9", these models bring together outstanding design and extraordinary image performance for superior viewing and style. All three E9 narrow-border Full HD displays with Ultra-Wide Color technology deliver true-to-life visuals and immersive viewing angles for heightened convenience and enjoyment, whether at home or at work.
The new Philips E9 monitors all feature excellent 27-inch IPS LED wide view displays. Unlike standard TN panels, IPS provides superior image and color accuracy in addition to viewing angles of 178/178, making it possible to view the displays from almost any angle while enjoying remarkably crisp images and vibrant colors. These models are thus ideal not only for viewing photos, watching movies, and browsing the web, but also for professional uses that require color accuracy and consistent brightness. Ultra-Wide Color technology endows the E9 monitors with a particularly wide color gamut for deeper, more vivid, and more natural-looking colors, while the enhanced Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution results in phenomenal detail, brightness, and contrast for images almost real enough to touch. Furthermore, these monitors are easy on the eyes thanks to Flicker-Free technology, which regulates brightness and reduces flicker for more comfortable viewing, as well as Philips Low Blue Mode, which uses smart software to reduce harmful shortwave blue light for greater wellbeing.
The new Philips E9 monitors all feature excellent 27-inch IPS LED wide view displays. Unlike standard TN panels, IPS provides superior image and color accuracy in addition to viewing angles of 178/178, making it possible to view the displays from almost any angle while enjoying remarkably crisp images and vibrant colors. These models are thus ideal not only for viewing photos, watching movies, and browsing the web, but also for professional uses that require color accuracy and consistent brightness. Ultra-Wide Color technology endows the E9 monitors with a particularly wide color gamut for deeper, more vivid, and more natural-looking colors, while the enhanced Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution results in phenomenal detail, brightness, and contrast for images almost real enough to touch. Furthermore, these monitors are easy on the eyes thanks to Flicker-Free technology, which regulates brightness and reduces flicker for more comfortable viewing, as well as Philips Low Blue Mode, which uses smart software to reduce harmful shortwave blue light for greater wellbeing.
Thermaltake Intros H200 Internal USB Hub for Your Increasingly Complex Lighting
Thermaltake today introduced the H200, an internal 6-port USB 2.0 hub. Nothing exciting for 2018, right? Think again, this is one of those devices you didn't know you needed. It latches onto the inside of your case through a magnetized surface, draws power from a SATA-power connector, plugs into one of the 9-pin USB 2.0/1.1 headers of your motherboard, and puts out up to 6 USB 2.0 ports, three of which are type-A, and three 9-pin headers. The second ports on each of those 9-pin headers split to the type-A ports (disabled when something is plugged into the type-A port).
This device could come in handy to plug in your increasingly complex RGB LED lighting setups in the absence of RGB headers; or plug in the various internet ofthings components, such as your "smart" PSU, "smart" LED hubs, "smart" fans, etc. The type-A ports also let you plug in concealed hardware-keys to your expensive software, or even USB WLAN/Bluetooth dongles, so you don't have one sticking out from the back of your case. Measuring 76.8 mm x 21.6 mm x 64.7 mm (WxHxD), it is compact enough to be tucked away in the crawlspace behind the motherboard tray (i.e. if you're cool with a magnet close to sensitive components such as your CPU and memory). The company didn't reveal pricing.
This device could come in handy to plug in your increasingly complex RGB LED lighting setups in the absence of RGB headers; or plug in the various internet of
LG Releases the 38WK95C Monitor: 37", 3840x1600, 24:10, Ultrawide, FreeSync
LG has released a behemoth of a new monitor that aims to deliver the same image quality as a standard 4K panel in a much, much wider package. The 38WK95C is a 37" monitor with a staggeringly wide 24:10 ratio, which delivers its 3840x1600 pixels in an ultrawide field of view that's sure to be a powerhouse of a working environment. There's even FreeSync support, as is the case for many LG monitors, so that users who want to try and catch some gaming can do so at a buttery-smooth frame rate - if they can find some games that get around the ultrawide aspect ratio and can actually play with no distracting graphical glitches, that is.
The panel is an IPS affair with 5 ms gray-to-gray response time and 75 Hz refresh rate - somewhat adequate to the resolution this monitor will be used at. LG does seem to be back at their misleading HDR badges, though, as they claim HDR10 support, despite the fact that brightness is set at a pretty low 300 cd/m² brightness. The bare minimum that AMD considers for an entry-level HDR-capable display is 400 nits of brightness, so LG seems to be merely quoting support for HDR inputs - there's likely no real HDR image quality enhancement at play here. The panel is being quoted as being 10 bit (8-bit+FRC) color capable. As for inputs, there are 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x USB Type-C connectors; the monitor includes 2x 10 W speakers, a headphone jack and 2x USB 3.0 ports, and will enter the market at a $1,499 asking price.
The panel is an IPS affair with 5 ms gray-to-gray response time and 75 Hz refresh rate - somewhat adequate to the resolution this monitor will be used at. LG does seem to be back at their misleading HDR badges, though, as they claim HDR10 support, despite the fact that brightness is set at a pretty low 300 cd/m² brightness. The bare minimum that AMD considers for an entry-level HDR-capable display is 400 nits of brightness, so LG seems to be merely quoting support for HDR inputs - there's likely no real HDR image quality enhancement at play here. The panel is being quoted as being 10 bit (8-bit+FRC) color capable. As for inputs, there are 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.2 and 1x USB Type-C connectors; the monitor includes 2x 10 W speakers, a headphone jack and 2x USB 3.0 ports, and will enter the market at a $1,499 asking price.
Mobile Coffee Lake CPU Scores Rear Their Head on Geekbench
Intel is gearing up towards launching their mobile CPU solutions based on the current desktop architecture, Coffee Lake. These mobile CPUs will bring Intel's increased core and thread counts philosophy to the mobile crowds, thus increasing overall performance due to the extra two cores and four threads on the top of the line processors.
The CPU that was benchmarked on Geekbench is the i7-8750H, a six-core, twelve-thread CPU with a 2.2 GHz base clock and up to 4.1 GHz Turbo speeds. Its L3 cache department makes do with a pretty respectable 9 MB, and all of this is wrapped in a 45 W TDP package. As it comes to scores, these show expected gains over Intel's previous generation Kaby Lake Core i7-7700HQ - around 20% in single-thread workloads, and a more impressive 50% boost in multi-threaded ones. Two Quanta systems based on the i7-8750H managed single-thread scores of 4700 and 5008, and multi-threaded marks of 17,504 and 20,715. A HP system using the same chip scored 4980 in the single-thread test and 19,402 in the multi-thread benchmark. All in all, impressive gains in the processing prowess department, though these are overwhelmingly derived from the extra cores and threads, and not from some spectacular microarchitecture improvements.
The CPU that was benchmarked on Geekbench is the i7-8750H, a six-core, twelve-thread CPU with a 2.2 GHz base clock and up to 4.1 GHz Turbo speeds. Its L3 cache department makes do with a pretty respectable 9 MB, and all of this is wrapped in a 45 W TDP package. As it comes to scores, these show expected gains over Intel's previous generation Kaby Lake Core i7-7700HQ - around 20% in single-thread workloads, and a more impressive 50% boost in multi-threaded ones. Two Quanta systems based on the i7-8750H managed single-thread scores of 4700 and 5008, and multi-threaded marks of 17,504 and 20,715. A HP system using the same chip scored 4980 in the single-thread test and 19,402 in the multi-thread benchmark. All in all, impressive gains in the processing prowess department, though these are overwhelmingly derived from the extra cores and threads, and not from some spectacular microarchitecture improvements.
Cooler Master Announces MasterBox Q300 Series Cases
Cooler Master, an award-winning computer hardware manufacturer, today announces the release of the MasterBox Q300 Series. Size, build potential, portability and modularity are the essential traits of the two-case lineup.
Although both cases fit mATX motherboards, the MasterBox Q300P and Q300L are also able to support a full-sized ATX power supply and up to a 240mm front radiator. The Q300P and Q300L provides a platform for builders to create a small and portable gaming rig for LAN use with the power needed to support high-demand gaming sessions.
"Case options in the mATX market aren't as vast as our community would like," said Matteo Stracciari, Case General Manager at Cooler Master. "People that want a compact, customizable gaming case can look forward to the Q300 Series."
Although both cases fit mATX motherboards, the MasterBox Q300P and Q300L are also able to support a full-sized ATX power supply and up to a 240mm front radiator. The Q300P and Q300L provides a platform for builders to create a small and portable gaming rig for LAN use with the power needed to support high-demand gaming sessions.
"Case options in the mATX market aren't as vast as our community would like," said Matteo Stracciari, Case General Manager at Cooler Master. "People that want a compact, customizable gaming case can look forward to the Q300 Series."
ASRock Intros DeskMini GTX/RX with Z370 Chipset for 8th Gen Core Processors
ASRock updated its DeskMini GTX line of compact desktops with support for 8th generation Core "Coffee Lake" processors in the LGA1151 package (up to 65W TDP). At the heart of this machine is the new Z370M-STX MXM motherboard, which is slightly longer than the mini-ITX form-factor, to accommodate a PCIe gen 3.0 MXM slot. ASRock is selling the DeskMini GTX in three main variants based on the factory-installed discrete GPU, the DeskMini GTX 1060, the DeskMini GTX 1080, and the DeskMini RX 580. These use MXM cards of the GTX 1060 3 GB, GTX 1080, and the RX 580 8 GB, respectively, along with a fan-heatsink. The DDR4 SO-DIMM slots now support high-frequency modules up to 4000 MHz. This is still a bare-bones PC in which you add your own CPU, memory, and storage devices. The company didn't reveal pricing.
GIGABYTE Intros BRIX Mini-PCs with 8th Gen Core Processors
GIGABYTE today launched four new BRIX mini-PC models featuring 8th generation Intel Core processors. These include the GB-BRi5-8250, the GB-BRi7-8550, the GB-BRi5H-8250, and the GB-BRi7H-8550. The GB-BRi5-8250 and the GB-BRi7-8550 are built in a more compact 0.46L (34.4 x 112.6 x 119.4mm) chassis, while the GB-BRi5H-8250 and the GB-BRi7H-8550, come in a slightly taller 0.63L (46.8 x 112.6 x 119.4mm), with added room for a 2.5-inch drive bay. As their names suggest, the GB-BRi5-8250 and GB-BRi5H-8250 are powered by the Core i5-8250U processor (4-core/8-thread, 1.60~3.40 GHz, 6 MB L3 cache, 25W TDP); while the GB-BRi7H-8550 and GB-BRi7H-8550 implement the range-topping Core i7-8550U (4-core/8-thread, 1.80~4.00 GHz, 8 MB L3 cache, 25W TDP).
The 0.46L models offer two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, a 32 Gb/s M.2-2280 slot, a second M.2-2240 slot holding the pre-installed WLAN card, HDMI and mini-DP display output, two USB 3.0 type-A ports on the rear panel, and two USB 3.1 ports on the front-panel, including a type-C port; and network connectivity including a gigabit Ethernet connection driven by Intel i219-V controller, and Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 WLAN card with dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. Stereo audio makes for the rest of it. The 0.63L models simply add to this feature-set with a 9 mm-thick 2.5-inch drive bay that has SATA 6 Gb/s interface. All models feature VESA mounting, so you can tuck them away behind your monitor. The company didn't reveal pricing.
The 0.46L models offer two DDR4 SO-DIMM slots, a 32 Gb/s M.2-2280 slot, a second M.2-2240 slot holding the pre-installed WLAN card, HDMI and mini-DP display output, two USB 3.0 type-A ports on the rear panel, and two USB 3.1 ports on the front-panel, including a type-C port; and network connectivity including a gigabit Ethernet connection driven by Intel i219-V controller, and Intel Dual Band Wireless-AC 3168 WLAN card with dual-band 802.11ac and Bluetooth 4.2. Stereo audio makes for the rest of it. The 0.63L models simply add to this feature-set with a 9 mm-thick 2.5-inch drive bay that has SATA 6 Gb/s interface. All models feature VESA mounting, so you can tuck them away behind your monitor. The company didn't reveal pricing.
Apr 4th, 2025 08:39 EDT
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