News Archive
Friday, December 31st 2010
Today's Reviews
Desktop PC
Keyboards
Memory
Motherboards
Notebooks
Processors
Sparkle Announces GeForce GTX 570 V-Go Graphics Card
After the successful launch of the World's First Independent Produced GeForce GTX 580 V-Go Graphics Card, SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today announced the GeForce GTX 570 V-Go Graphics Card, becoming the world's first manufacturer who can independently produce high-end graphics cards using Fermi 2.0 architecture. "V-Go, the series is represent the independent produced graphics cards, inherit the expertise spirit on graphics cards manufacturing for 16 years" said Kevin Wang the General Manager of SPARKLE ."We are pleased with the new high level of SPARKLE R&D and production capabilities. As another masterpiece of V-Go series, GeForce GTX 570 V-Go Graphics Cards inherit the blood of Fermi 2.0 Architecture also has a better price advantage."
AMD Revising Radeon HD 6900 Series PCB
AMD is planning a revised Radeon HD 6900 series reference-design PCB. It is reported that the delays which short-supply of TI-made driver-MOSFETs caused have been tided over with, giving AMD the opportunity to redesign the PCB to make use of the more cost-effective yet high-performance VRM circuitry. AMD is reported to have used expensive Volterra-made digital PWM chippery in a last-ditch effort to release the Radeon HD 6900 series in time for the X'mas shopping season, after TI-made VRM components couldn't make it to foundry-partners in time (which caused the launch delay in November, 2010). The redesigned PCB with its new TI-made driver-MOSFETs (DrMOS) could also present an opportunity for AMD to patch the Radeon HD 6950, making stream processor unlocking using BIOS flash impossible, notes the source. This development surfaced after water-cooling major Swiftech announced that it delayed the launch of its Radeon HD 6900 series full-coverage water block because AMD is revising its PCB design.
AMD FX Making a Comeback, to Challenge Intel Core i7 Extreme Edition
Come 2011, and AMD is looking to give Intel its much awaited fightback at all market segments of consumer processors including the enthusiast-grade models. It will be made possible with AMD's new Bulldozer architecture, which gives the processor a much higher degree of inter-core integration, sharing of common components, higher instructions per clock-cycle, and Advanced Vector Extensions (AVX). AMD's Bulldozer "Zambezi" desktop chips will be reportedly available in two ultra high-end SKUs: the 8-core AMD Vision Black FX, and performance segment AMD Vision Ultimate FX. AMD suspended the use of "FX" identifier with its Phenom and Phenom II series processors, because it couldn't compete in higher-end market segments, and didn't want to dilute the "FX" identifier. It was replaced with "Black Edition" to help identify models with unlocked BClk multipliers. AMD's Vision Black FX processors will be competitive with Intel's highest-end processors, including Extreme Edition models.
Intel Readies Pair of New X58 Extreme Series Desktop Boards
Intel's Desktop Board division is readying two new high-end socket LGA1366 motherboards under its Extreme Series line. The company's last high-end LGA1366 motherboard, the DX58SO "SmackOver", was released more than 25 months ago in November 2008, when the first Intel Core i7 processors came to be. The new motherboards are up to date in terms of features. They use the latest Rev. 13 X58 northbridge, all solid-state capacitors, support the latest LGA1366 processors out of the box, and feature USB 3.0 and SATA 6 Gb/s support. The two motherboards consist of DX58SO2 "SmackOver II", and its "lite" variant, the DX58OG.
The DX58SO2 uses digital PWM CPU power circuit, a sporty blue heatsink cluster over the northbridge, VRM area, and southbridge, with heat spread between the northbridge and VRM using a heat-pipe. It features six internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, and two eSATA 3 Gb/s ports, two USB 3.0 ports, 8-channel HD audio, and expansion slots that include three PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (x16/x16/NC or x16/x8/x8), two PCI-E x1, and one PCI.
The DX58SO2 uses digital PWM CPU power circuit, a sporty blue heatsink cluster over the northbridge, VRM area, and southbridge, with heat spread between the northbridge and VRM using a heat-pipe. It features six internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, and two eSATA 3 Gb/s ports, two USB 3.0 ports, 8-channel HD audio, and expansion slots that include three PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (x16/x16/NC or x16/x8/x8), two PCI-E x1, and one PCI.
Galaxy Readies its First Consumer SSDs
Graphics card specialist Galaxy Tech is venturing into other kinds of gaming PC hardware. The company is ready with its first line of solid-state drives. The Galaxy SATA line of SSDs come in the 2.5" SATA 3 Gb/s form-factor, in capacities of 32 GB, 64 GB, 128 GB, and 256 GB. The SSD controller supports the TRIM garbage collection feature. Typically, these drives give read/write speeds of 240 MB/s (read) and 210 MB/s (write). The company did not give out any further information, but we hope to hear more at CES.
Kingston Readies HyperX Genesis DDR3 Memory Series for Sandy Bridge
Memory major Kingston Technology is ready to greet Intel's 2011 Core processor family with a new line of DDR3 memory kits tailored for it. The HyperX Genesis, as it's called, combines faster, lower-latency, and lower-voltage DDR3 memory with a new sporty-looking heatsink design that keeps the modules cool while maintaining standard module height. The heatsink is basically two sheets of metal interlocked at the top, with rows of holes to draw in convectional air currents, to cool the heatsink. Kingston's new HyperX Genesis series is expected to be out in early January, 2011.
A video presentation showing the modules from almost all angles follows.
Prepare for Motherboard Price-Hike
With the entire PC motherboard industry concentrated in Taiwan and China, it is valid to say that PC prices are pretty-much pegged to Taiwan's economy. Following a wave of labor-reforms in China and Taiwan coupled with deficit of skilled labor, and inflation added to the mix; key motherboard manufacturers are finding it difficult to cope with competitive motherboard pricing. A much smaller contributor to this is Intel's decision to phase out cheap G31 chipsets, making manufacturers buy slightly costlier G41 ones for the most common motherboard models.
Industry sources told Digitimes that the big three in the motherboard industry - ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI, will be hiking prices of their motherboards shortly, to cope with increasing raw-material, labor, and component costs. The price-hike is likely to increase prices by 10% on average in the next three months. Some higher-end models could increase by as much as 20%, if labor costs in China continue to rise. Another factor here is bulk manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs), who have hiked their prices following increase in price of high-grade copper by a whopping 50% (from US $6000 /ton to $9000 /ton).
Industry sources told Digitimes that the big three in the motherboard industry - ASUS, Gigabyte and MSI, will be hiking prices of their motherboards shortly, to cope with increasing raw-material, labor, and component costs. The price-hike is likely to increase prices by 10% on average in the next three months. Some higher-end models could increase by as much as 20%, if labor costs in China continue to rise. Another factor here is bulk manufacturers of printed circuit boards (PCBs), who have hiked their prices following increase in price of high-grade copper by a whopping 50% (from US $6000 /ton to $9000 /ton).
AMD Mobility Radeon HD 7000 Series Reality by Q4-2011
Shortly after finishing off the top-order of its Radeon HD 6000 series desktop discrete graphics processors (GPUs), AMD is letting out information about its first line of GPUs built on the 28 nanometer fabrication process. The first products carrying the Mobility Radeon HD 7000 series brand identifiers are notebook GPUs in the MXM 3.0 form-factor. AMD is planning an entire lineup top-to-bottom to address almost all mobile computing market segments. At the very low end of course would be its Fusion accelerated processing units with GPUs embedded. On top of that is what follows.
The lineup begins with "Wimbledon", an ultra high-end mGPU. It has a 256-bit wide high-speed GDDR5 memory interface, 2-4 GB of dedicated memory, and 65W TDP. The DirectX 11 GPU will be about 25% faster than "Blackcomb", the Mobility HD 6000 series flagship. This is slated for Q2-2012. Next up is the high-end "Heathrow" mGPU, which has a 192-bit or 128-bit (selectable between variants) GDDR5 memory interface, 1-3 GB of dedicated memory, up to 45W TDP, and 30% higher performance compared to "Chelsea". This is slated for Q4-2011 (this should tell you that Radeon HD 7000 series will be in existence towards the end of 2011).
The lineup begins with "Wimbledon", an ultra high-end mGPU. It has a 256-bit wide high-speed GDDR5 memory interface, 2-4 GB of dedicated memory, and 65W TDP. The DirectX 11 GPU will be about 25% faster than "Blackcomb", the Mobility HD 6000 series flagship. This is slated for Q2-2012. Next up is the high-end "Heathrow" mGPU, which has a 192-bit or 128-bit (selectable between variants) GDDR5 memory interface, 1-3 GB of dedicated memory, up to 45W TDP, and 30% higher performance compared to "Chelsea". This is slated for Q4-2011 (this should tell you that Radeon HD 7000 series will be in existence towards the end of 2011).
Thursday, December 30th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Notebooks
PowerColor Announces Water Cooling-Ready Radeon HD 6970 LCS Graphics Card
TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, announces the world's first liquid cooling solution for the HD6970 series. The PowerColor Liquid Cooling Solution (LCS) HD6970 2GB GDDR5 is once again working with renowned cooling manufacturer EKwaterblocks to bring the ultimate cooling solution to the HD6970. The offering aims to provide extraordinary thermal performance to enhance overclocking ability while allowing optimum system stability.
The PowerColor LCS HD6970 has a full water block mounted on the card, fully covering the key components which can be dissipate the heat from the copper base design. This allows the reduction of GPU temperatures under 50°C even under full load. PowerColor packages a high-flow 3/8" and 1/2" fittings (barbs) to maximize water flow with captured o-rings to prevent leakage. Gamers can customize their own liquid cooling system using these two fittings.
The PowerColor LCS HD6970 has a full water block mounted on the card, fully covering the key components which can be dissipate the heat from the copper base design. This allows the reduction of GPU temperatures under 50°C even under full load. PowerColor packages a high-flow 3/8" and 1/2" fittings (barbs) to maximize water flow with captured o-rings to prevent leakage. Gamers can customize their own liquid cooling system using these two fittings.
Schiit Introduces Lyr, High-Power Hybrid Headphone Amplifier
Schiit Audio introduced the Lyr headphone amplifier today, a high-power hybrid design producing 6W RMS per channel into 32 ohms-10X more power than a typical headphone amplifier. Lyr is aimed at power-hungry orthodynamic headphones, as well as other difficult-to-drive designs.
"The popularity of orthodynamic headphones such as the Audeze LCD-2 and HiFiMan HE-4, HE-5, and HE-6 has created a need for very high-power headphone amps," said Jason Stoddard, Co-Founder of Schiit. "Lyr exceeds the power needs of these low-impedance, low-efficiency headphones, while also being easy on the wallet."
"The popularity of orthodynamic headphones such as the Audeze LCD-2 and HiFiMan HE-4, HE-5, and HE-6 has created a need for very high-power headphone amps," said Jason Stoddard, Co-Founder of Schiit. "Lyr exceeds the power needs of these low-impedance, low-efficiency headphones, while also being easy on the wallet."
Fractal Design Launches Define Mini PC Case
As the name implies, Define Mini is the smaller sibling of the acclaimed and award winning Define R2/R3 case. Being a Micro ATX version of Define R2/R3, it offers a number of interesting functions with a very stylish appearance. It's a case focused on low noise level, without neglecting other important features such as cooling, expandability and ease of use. The Define Mini excels in including a lot of features in a small size!
The Define series is reaching new heights in combining stylish, contemporary design with maximum functionality and noise absorbing features. The minimalistic, yet stunning front panel design, fitted with noise absorbing material on the inside, creates an aura of exclusivity.
The Define series is reaching new heights in combining stylish, contemporary design with maximum functionality and noise absorbing features. The minimalistic, yet stunning front panel design, fitted with noise absorbing material on the inside, creates an aura of exclusivity.
Koolance Intros Radeon HD 6900 Series Compatible VID-AR697 Full-Coverage Water Block
Water-cooling specialist Koolance announced its full-coverage water block that's common for AMD Radeon HD 6970 and Radeon HD 6950 graphics accelerators. The VID-AR697 from Koolance measures 6.25" x 5.75" x 0.62" (15.9cm x 14.6cm x 1.6cm), weighing 1.5 pounds (680 g). Its primary material is nickel-plated copper, with acetal top. Tailored for AMD reference-design PCB, it offers full-coverage, cooling all heat producing components including the GPU, memory chips, and VRM. It uses a 0.5 mm micro-fin array over the GPU for better heat dissipation. The block uses standard G 1/4 BSP threading. The Koolance VID-AR697 is priced at US $114.99.
Foxconn Channel Ready with Quantum Force P67 Motherboard
OEM major Foxconn's very own channel brand is ready with its first high-end socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel P67 Express chipset, supporting upcoming "Sandy Bridge" processors. The motherboard falls into Foxconn Channel's gamer and overclocker oriented Quantum Force brand. The Quantum Force P67 from Foxconn uses bleeding-edge components such as digital PWM offering precise voltage control for the processor, multi-phase VRM for the four DDR3 memory slots, and is rich in connectivity options.
The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 14-phase digital PWM circuit using independent single-phase PWM inductors made by CPL, and memory using a 2-phase VRM. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8/x8 with both populated), three PCI-E x1, and one PCI. Both ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI are sure to be supported. Storage connectivity includes two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, four internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two eSATA 3 Gb/s, and one ATA connector supporting up to two IDE devices.
The LGA1155 socket is powered by a 14-phase digital PWM circuit using independent single-phase PWM inductors made by CPL, and memory using a 2-phase VRM. Expansion slots include two PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8/x8 with both populated), three PCI-E x1, and one PCI. Both ATI CrossFireX and NVIDIA SLI are sure to be supported. Storage connectivity includes two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, four internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two eSATA 3 Gb/s, and one ATA connector supporting up to two IDE devices.
Wednesday, December 29th 2010
Today's Reviews
Accessories
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Processors
Sound Cards
Mach Xtreme MS-DS 120 GB SSD Review
Mach Xtreme is a fairly new player to the memory and storage market. Their new MX-DS 120 GB SSD is based on the popular SF-1222 chip from SandForce which means it delivers leading performance without breaking the bank. In our review we test how it fares against other SSDs using SandForce and other controllers.
Zowie EC2 Gaming Mouse Review
Zowie a relatively unknown gamer brand recently released two new mice. The mice all feature the same 2000 DPI infrared sensor and are available in two different surface textures. Featuring a design that resembles that of the late great IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0, this 2000 DPI gamer mouse could be the next big thing amongst old school gamers. We put it to the test and see how it stacks up against the best gaming mice out there.
LucidLogix GPU Virtualization to Reform Entertainment PC Power Consumption
The pioneer of multivendor/multi-GPU graphic solutions, LucidLogix today announced ground-breaking GPU virtualization software designed for Intel Sandy Bridge platforms. With this technology, next generation PCs will dynamically balance the advanced power-efficient, built-in media features of Sandy Bridge processor graphics with the high-end, DirectX 11 3D performance features of discrete GPUs, while significantly reducing the power drain of traditional entertainment desktops.
Called Virtu, the Lucid GPU virtualization software is able to assign tasks in real time to the best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features considerations, with no need for additional hardware. If high end graphics power is needed for applications like DirectX 11, high-resolution 3D gaming, the system will assign the job to the discrete GPU. If not, the discrete GPU automatically goes into idle mode, while heat drops, fan speed slows down and GPU utilization goes down to zero, resulting in a green, power-efficient, long-lasting system.
Called Virtu, the Lucid GPU virtualization software is able to assign tasks in real time to the best available graphics resource based on power, performance and features considerations, with no need for additional hardware. If high end graphics power is needed for applications like DirectX 11, high-resolution 3D gaming, the system will assign the job to the discrete GPU. If not, the discrete GPU automatically goes into idle mode, while heat drops, fan speed slows down and GPU utilization goes down to zero, resulting in a green, power-efficient, long-lasting system.
Muskin Intros New Low-Latency DDR3-1600 MHz Memory Kits
Mushkin Enhanced (Mushkin) released two new DDR3-1600 MHz (PC3-12800) memory kits bearing the company's Radioactive-themed FrostByte heatspreaders. The release includes a 4 GB (2x 2 GB) dual-channel kit best suited for socket LGA1156 systems, and a 6 GB (3x 2 GB) triple-channel kit, best suited for LGA1366 systems. The modules operate at 1600 MHz with timings of 7-9-7-24, with module voltage of 1.65V. Backed by a lifetime warranty, the 4 GB kit is priced at US $67.49, and the 6 GB one at $101.49.
New Intel Solid-State Drive 310 Series Offers Full SSD Performance in 1/8th the Size
Intel Corporation announced today the Intel Solid-State Drive (Intel SSD) 310 Series, an ultra-small solid-state drive (SSD) that delivers Intel X25-class award-winning SSD performance, but in one-eighth the size. Measuring 51mm-by-30mm and only 5mm thick, the Intel SSD 310 is a fast, ultra-compact SSD that brings flexibility, ruggedness and scalability to innovative form factors and devices. It can enable highly responsive dual-drive notebooks, innovative single-drive tablets and low-power, rugged embedded industrial or military applications. When paired with a high-capacity hard disk drive (HDD) in a dual-drive system, the Intel SSD 310 can improve overall PC system performance by up to 60 percent.
A solid-state drive uses no moving parts, and thus is more durable and reliable than a mechanical HDD, while using less power and providing better system responsiveness. The Intel SSD 310 Series contains 34 nanometer (nm) Intel NAND flash memory and is available in an m-SATA form factor in 40 gigabyte (GB) and 80GB capacities.
A solid-state drive uses no moving parts, and thus is more durable and reliable than a mechanical HDD, while using less power and providing better system responsiveness. The Intel SSD 310 Series contains 34 nanometer (nm) Intel NAND flash memory and is available in an m-SATA form factor in 40 gigabyte (GB) and 80GB capacities.
Toshiba Ready with AMD Fusion ''Brazos'' NB550D 10.1-inch Netbook
Toshiba joined the small but growing group of PC manufacturers ready with a netbook powered by AMD's upcoming Fusion "Brazos" platform. Revealed by Toshiba Germany, the NB550D is a 10.1-inch netbook driven by AMD C-50 Fusion APU with two processor cores clocked at 1.00 GHz, carrying AMD Radeon HD 6250 DirectX 11 compliant graphics. It is backed by 1 GB of memory, 250 GB of storage, connectivity that includes WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth 3.0, and gigabit Ethernet. The unit itself weighs 1.32 kg, comes in three bezel color options: orange, green and brown. It embeds a VGA webcam, and is powered by a 6-cell battery. At full charge, the battery can run the netbook for up to 9.5 hours. It comes with Windows 7 Starter pre-installed. It should be released along with most other Fusion Brazos netbooks, in Q1-2011.
Colorful Announces iGame GTX 460 Limited Edition Graphics Card
Colorful, one of the biggest AICs in Asia, announces a limited edition GeForce GTX 460 graphics card, to commemorate iGame series have been founded for 2 years. iGame460 is one of the successful graphics cards in 2010, the cooler is used the Shark-inspired Bionic Design, both noise level and thermal performance are controlled pretty well, and the design won the KAPOK prize which is an weighty industry design award in China.
The GPUs of iGame460 limited edition have been chosen, and only 50 pieces are provided in total, each of them has exclusive serial number. It has 8 pieces Hynix DDR5 memory, which is the world's first 256MB (2Gb) capacity of each module and 6Gbps of the speed. On the PCB, there are 2 BIOS chips are installed so that it has two different clock modes (Normal/Turbo). In Normal mode, the clock keeps as the same as the reference edition and runs at 675/1350/3608MHz; but in Turbo mode, the clock is boosted to set 890/1780/4000MHz, users can select the mode they like by press the button on the bracket near by the mini HDMI port.
The GPUs of iGame460 limited edition have been chosen, and only 50 pieces are provided in total, each of them has exclusive serial number. It has 8 pieces Hynix DDR5 memory, which is the world's first 256MB (2Gb) capacity of each module and 6Gbps of the speed. On the PCB, there are 2 BIOS chips are installed so that it has two different clock modes (Normal/Turbo). In Normal mode, the clock keeps as the same as the reference edition and runs at 675/1350/3608MHz; but in Turbo mode, the clock is boosted to set 890/1780/4000MHz, users can select the mode they like by press the button on the bracket near by the mini HDMI port.
MSI to Integrate Killer NIC with Motherboards?
MSI announced a partnership with Bigfoot Networks, the company behind the Killer NIC series of accelerated network interface cards (NICs). The immediate results of this would be the motherboard major bundling Killer NICs with some of its high-end motherboards. MSI also hinted that it could work to integrate the Killer NIC logic onto motherboards. Knowing how MSI was the first to be out with a LucidLogix Hydra Engine motherboard, the idea of integration of Killer NIC onto one of its future motherboards doesn't seem far-fetched.
"We are pleased to be working with MSI," said Michael Howse, CEO of Bigfoot Networks. "The Killer 2100 gaming network card is a perfect complement to the MSI Big Bang family of mainboard solutions that will give gamers a competitive edge in online play." Andy Tung, VP of MSI USA says "MSI mainboards with Military Class components provide a great backbone for any gaming system and the Killer 2100 network card is a way to improve performance and get one step ahead of the competition."
"We are pleased to be working with MSI," said Michael Howse, CEO of Bigfoot Networks. "The Killer 2100 gaming network card is a perfect complement to the MSI Big Bang family of mainboard solutions that will give gamers a competitive edge in online play." Andy Tung, VP of MSI USA says "MSI mainboards with Military Class components provide a great backbone for any gaming system and the Killer 2100 network card is a way to improve performance and get one step ahead of the competition."
OWC Announces Mercury Pro Qx2-4 12TB RAID Storage Solution
Other World Computing (OWC), a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, announced today it has expanded the OWC Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 desktop hardware RAID storage line storage capacity to 12TB by utilizing four 3TB high performance hard drives in the Qx2's four hot swappable drive bays. In addition to offering massive storage/backup capacity in a desktop sized footprint, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Qx2 features a "Quad Interface" of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, and eSATA ports and four selectable Hardware RAID settings - 0, 1, 5, 10 - for high speed, highly reliable Plug and Play use with Macs and PCs.
Tuesday, December 28th 2010
Today's Reviews
Accessories
Graphics Cards
Keyboards
Notebooks
MSI Shows off R6970 and N580GTX Lightning Graphics Cards
MSI did a lot more than showing off its AMD Fusion "Brazos" Wind U270 notebook at today's press-meet in Taiwan. The company seems to have spilled its entire load for CES, just days ahead of it. Today's exposé included two new ultra-high end graphics cards under the company's Lightning series. The R6970 Lightning is based on AMD Radeon HD 6970, and the N580GTX Lightning, of course, on NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580.
Both cards look nearly identical because their most peculiar part, the cooling assembly, is mostly the same. The Twin Frozr III from MSI combines slick looks with certain enhancements with the fan blade design (to improve noise to airflow ratio). Under the shroud is what looks to be a dense aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed using several heat-pipes, including 8 mm thick ones. While the cooler more or less respects the 2-slot width, it increases the height of the cards by a good inch.
Both cards look nearly identical because their most peculiar part, the cooling assembly, is mostly the same. The Twin Frozr III from MSI combines slick looks with certain enhancements with the fan blade design (to improve noise to airflow ratio). Under the shroud is what looks to be a dense aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed using several heat-pipes, including 8 mm thick ones. While the cooler more or less respects the 2-slot width, it increases the height of the cards by a good inch.
Patriot Announces Viper Xtreme, Division 2 and G2 Memory Kits for 2nd Gen. Intel Core
Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today announces two new memory series' designed for the 2nd Generation Intel Core processor platforms - Viper Xtreme Series, Division 2 Edition and the G2 Series high-speed DDR3 memory kits.
The Patriot Memory Viper Xtreme, Division 2 memory kits are designed for the extreme enthusiast looking to push the limits of DDR3 memory technology and is the perfect companion for lightning-fast 2nd Generation Intel Core processor platforms. G2 Series memory kits are also created for the 2nd Generation Intel Core processor platform but are intended for the serious PC gamer looking for increased system performance for the gaming edge at a cost conscious price.
The Patriot Memory Viper Xtreme, Division 2 memory kits are designed for the extreme enthusiast looking to push the limits of DDR3 memory technology and is the perfect companion for lightning-fast 2nd Generation Intel Core processor platforms. G2 Series memory kits are also created for the 2nd Generation Intel Core processor platform but are intended for the serious PC gamer looking for increased system performance for the gaming edge at a cost conscious price.
MSI Readies AMD Brazos-Powered Wind 12-inch Notebook
MSI jumped on the AMD Fusion "Brazos" bandwagon by showing off its first implementation based on the new platform. The company held a press-meet in Taipei well ahead of CES in hopes of giving its latest creation some exclusive exposure ahead of the mega event. The Wind U270 from MSI, is a 12-inch ultra-portable driven by AMD Fusion "Zacate" E-350 dual-core accelerated processing unit (APU), the x86-64 processor cores are clocked at 1.60 GHz, and feature the latest instruction sets. The APU embeds AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics that's DirectX 11 compliant, featuring UVD 3.0 video acceleration. The third key component is 4 GB of DDR3 memory.
The Wind U270 uses MSI's tried and tested 12-inch Wind chassis with Chiclet keyboard. Other hardware specifications include 320 GB (500 GB optional) hard drive based storage, WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, display connectivity that includes D-Sub, and HDMI; two USB 3.0 ports, card reader, and VGA webcam. Although battery life isn't mentioned, the notebook features an Eco mode that conserves power.
The Wind U270 uses MSI's tried and tested 12-inch Wind chassis with Chiclet keyboard. Other hardware specifications include 320 GB (500 GB optional) hard drive based storage, WiFi b/g/n, gigabit Ethernet, display connectivity that includes D-Sub, and HDMI; two USB 3.0 ports, card reader, and VGA webcam. Although battery life isn't mentioned, the notebook features an Eco mode that conserves power.
PQI Unveils the S725 Ninja Flash Card Reader
PQI is aimed for those who care about operating simplicity and can't stand inconvenience by creating a tailor-made design for consumers on a budget by announcing the arrival of the S725 Ninja Flash Card Reader. This model features a slim, flowing exterior shape accompanied by a unique structural design. The front-end serves as the USB transfer interface, and when the micro SDHC/SD memory card is inserted in the back-end slot, it can provide a normal card reader data transmission functional. Also, its unique back-end secure-cap design completely protects the memory card and its great looking exterior while simultaneously resolving the problem of easily misplacing your memory card.
What's more, the S725 can also be used as a travel disk for storing data. With its agile 360° swiveling action, it offers a secure-cap design alongside dual functionality. With a built-in strap, it can also be used as a mobile phone ornament or hung from a bag as an accessory. Light and portable, it offers exactly what is needed- simplicity and convenience. The S725 and micro SDHC/SD card are sold as a package, so the price and user-friendly perks can be enjoyed in just a single purchase. This new product comes cloaked in a staid, understated black and a shape giving off an air of lightness and mobility. This little Ninja has the features and neat form to differentiate it from the competition both in functionality and user friendliness.
What's more, the S725 can also be used as a travel disk for storing data. With its agile 360° swiveling action, it offers a secure-cap design alongside dual functionality. With a built-in strap, it can also be used as a mobile phone ornament or hung from a bag as an accessory. Light and portable, it offers exactly what is needed- simplicity and convenience. The S725 and micro SDHC/SD card are sold as a package, so the price and user-friendly perks can be enjoyed in just a single purchase. This new product comes cloaked in a staid, understated black and a shape giving off an air of lightness and mobility. This little Ninja has the features and neat form to differentiate it from the competition both in functionality and user friendliness.
LG Intros New XNote with Ultra-Slim Bezel
LG Electronics announced the latest member of the XNote series, the XNote P210. Its biggest selling point is its size. While it's the size and shape of a notebook with a 11.6-inch screen, it actually features a larger 12.5-inch screen. This is made possible by using an extremely slim bezel (the portion surrounding the actual display area of the screen). The screen resolution isn't mentioned, though it bears an "HD" badge. In all likelihood, it could have a resolution of 1366 x 768 or 1280 x 720 in the worst-case.
Measuring 299 x 192 x 20.9 mm, the XNote P210 weighs 1.3 kg. It is driven by an Intel Core i5 470UM dual-core processor clocked at 1.33 GHz featuring Turbo Boost and HyperThreading. Other hardware specs include 4 GB of DDR3 memory, Intel HD graphics with dynamic frequency, and 320 GB hard-drive based storage. Connectivity include WiFi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 3.0. Windows 7 Home Premium x64 comes pre-installed. Slated for February, the XNote P210 is expected to be priced at around US $1,100.
Measuring 299 x 192 x 20.9 mm, the XNote P210 weighs 1.3 kg. It is driven by an Intel Core i5 470UM dual-core processor clocked at 1.33 GHz featuring Turbo Boost and HyperThreading. Other hardware specs include 4 GB of DDR3 memory, Intel HD graphics with dynamic frequency, and 320 GB hard-drive based storage. Connectivity include WiFi b/g/n, and Bluetooth 3.0. Windows 7 Home Premium x64 comes pre-installed. Slated for February, the XNote P210 is expected to be priced at around US $1,100.
Super Talent Intros 32 GB Express Duo USB 3.0 Flash Drive
Super Talent backed up release of its DuraDrive MT SSD series with a new 32 GB variant of the Express Duo USB 3.0 flash drive. The 32 GB variant is priced at US $59, twice that of the 16 GB variant (priced $29). Measuring 67.8 x 17.2 x 7.7 mm, and launched in early November, the Express Duo presents an "affordable" range of flash drives that use the faster USB 3.0 interface. The 32 GB Express Duo offers read speeds of 67.3 MB/s and write speeds of around 24 MB/s. "The USB 3.0 Express DUO has been our best selling USB 3.0 flash drive to date. We are please to offer the larger capacity 32GB at such an aggressive price point. With USB 3.0 prices like these, there's simply really no reason to buy a USB 2.0 flash drive anymore," said COO of Super Talent CH Lee.
Super Talent Intros UltraDrive MT Series SSDs
Super Talent introduced its newest line of solid state drives (SSDs), under the UltraDrive MT series. The 2.5-inch form-factor SSDs make use of SATA 3 Gb/s interface, and are driven by an optimized Indilinx Barefoot controller. The drives make use of either SLC or MLC NAND flash chips. The read/write speeds on the UltraDrive MT is rated at 255 MB/s reads and 250 MB/s writes. The latest version of the Barefoot controller which is used in these drives support the TRIM garbage-collection feature that maintains write performance over time. UltraDrive MT should be available in typical capacities from 32 GB to 256 GB. The pricing, however, is not known.
Monday, December 27th 2010
Today's Files
Today's Contests
Today's Reviews
Accessories
Motherboards
Notebooks
Rambus and Renesas Electronics Sign Patent License Agreement
Rambus Inc., one of the world's premier technology licensing companies, announced today it has renewed its patent license agreement with Renesas Electronics Corporation (TSE:6723). Renesas Technology Corp. and NEC Electronics Corporation, merged in April 2010 to form Renesas Electronics. This agreement covers the use of Rambus patented innovations in a broad range of logic integrated circuit (IC) products offered by Renesas Electronics. Specific terms of the agreement are confidential.
"This license with a global leader of the semiconductor industry represents continued validation of the strength of our patent portfolio," said Sharon Holt, senior vice president and general manager of the Semiconductor Business Group at Rambus. "We have enjoyed a long and positive relationship with Renesas Electronics, and we are pleased to renew this important agreement with one of the top five semiconductor companies."
"This license with a global leader of the semiconductor industry represents continued validation of the strength of our patent portfolio," said Sharon Holt, senior vice president and general manager of the Semiconductor Business Group at Rambus. "We have enjoyed a long and positive relationship with Renesas Electronics, and we are pleased to renew this important agreement with one of the top five semiconductor companies."
PowerColor Announces Custom-Design Radeon HD 6970, HD 6950 Graphics Cards
TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today announces its own design HD6900 series solution. Featuring all the latest technology, the PowerColor HD6900 series includes the HD6970 and HD6950. The HD6970 clocks at 880MHz core speed and 1375MHz memory speed, easily accelerating your PC with up to 2.7 teraFLOPs of computing power. The HD6950 clocks at 800MHz core speed and 1250MHz memory speed, enabling the demanding gamers to be flawlessly presented.
The PowerColor HD 6900 series has equipped with unique dual fan cooling solution; built with two ultra big 9.2cm cooling fans and 8ø heat pipes, it can easily dissipate heat produced from the GPU, easily cools down the temperature in a low-noise working environment. The latest series also takes advantage of power efficient features, consuming only 190W at load, enabling immersive HD gaming experience in the minimal power consumed.
The PowerColor HD 6900 series has equipped with unique dual fan cooling solution; built with two ultra big 9.2cm cooling fans and 8ø heat pipes, it can easily dissipate heat produced from the GPU, easily cools down the temperature in a low-noise working environment. The latest series also takes advantage of power efficient features, consuming only 190W at load, enabling immersive HD gaming experience in the minimal power consumed.
TechPowerUp GPU-Z v0.5.0 Released
TechPowerUp today introduced version 0.5.0 of GPU-Z, our popular graphics subsystem diagnostic utility that provides you with detailed tech-specs of your installed graphics processors, and lets you monitor clock speeds, voltages, temperatures and fan speeds. Version 0.50 adds full-support for Radeon HD 6950 and Radeon HD 6970. It fixes several stability and reliability issues, including fillrate roundoff errors, improved voltage monitoring support for GeForce GTX 570, some crashes and freezes.
DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.5.0
A complete list of changes follows.
A complete list of changes follows.
Gigabyte Intros New Q2005 Pine Trail Driven 10.1-inch Netbook
Gigabyte rolled out the new Q2005 10.1-inch netbook. Based on the Pine Trail platform, the Q2005 is driven by Intel's dual-core Atom N550 processor, aided by up to 2 GB of memory, Intel GMA 950 graphics, HDD options including 250, 320, and 500 GB; and connectivity including WiFi b/g/n, optional Bluetooth 3.0, and gigabit Ethernet. Other features include an 8-in-1 card reader and VGA webcam. The 3-cell battery is standard, but a longer-lasting 6-cell battery can also be opted for. The company did not give out pricing.
Galaxy GeForce GTX 460 Hall of Fame Edition Graphics Card Pictured
First reported in October, Galaxy's GeForce GTX 460 HOF (Hall of Fame) edition graphics card seems to have finally taken shape, with the company giving out pictures of the card with its cooling solution installed. The card sports a milky-white colored PCB that makes use of 1 Gigabit memory chips and digital PWM power circuitry that makes use of proadlizers to condition power.
Its cooling solution makes use of an aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed using four copper heat pipes, cooled by a single 80~90 mm fan. The card makes use of a 6+2 phase digital PWM power circuit that allows software voltage control. Out of the box, the card is clocked at 850/1700/1000 MHz (4 GHz GDDR5 effective), core/CUDA cores/memory. More pictures can be found at the source.
Its cooling solution makes use of an aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed using four copper heat pipes, cooled by a single 80~90 mm fan. The card makes use of a 6+2 phase digital PWM power circuit that allows software voltage control. Out of the box, the card is clocked at 850/1700/1000 MHz (4 GHz GDDR5 effective), core/CUDA cores/memory. More pictures can be found at the source.
Dell Cuts Price of Adamo, Gives Specs. Update
Dell's iconic ultra-portable, the Adamo, got a much-needed specifications update, along with a welcome drop in price of the base model. The 13-inch 0.65" thick notebook now starts at US $899 (earlier $1100), and features faster hardware, including Intel Core 2 Duo SL9600 processor clocked at 2.10 GHz (compared to the much slower Core 2 Duo SU9300 1.20 GHz), Intel X4500 graphics, 4 GB of memory, a 128 GB SSD storage, and connectivity that includes WiFi b/g/n and Bluetooth 2.1 EDR. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium x64 pre-installed.
BenQ Intros 27-inch Display with VA Panel and LED-Backlit
BenQ announced a new 27-inch LED-backlit LCD monitor, the EW2730V. It makes use of a vertical-alignment (VA) panel with LED-backlit illumination, giving viewing angles of 178/178 degrees. It offers full-HD resolution (1920 x 1080), with a contrast ratio (static) of 3,000:1. VA panels are said to offer better color reproduction compared to TN-film panels. The monitor looks to be very slim, with a piano-black bezel and a brushed metal stand that has the display connectivity. Unfortunately that the biggest picture on the web, of this mysterious display.
Sunday, December 26th 2010
Today's Reviews
Motherboards
Foxconn P67A-S Intel P67 Preview Review
Foxconn details one of their upcoming P67 motherboards for the Sandy Bridge Platform that will be released in January next year. The P67A-S is a mainstream part for the enthusiast who does not want to spend hundreds of dollars but still aims to get as much functionality as possible.
Gigabyte Teases with Another G1-Killer X58 Motherboard Poster
As reported last month, Gigabyte has been working on a premium motherboard brand targeted at high-end gaming PCs, rivaling the Republic of Gamers (ROG) series from ASUS and Big Bang/XPower from MSI. One of the first products in this lineup is called "G1-Killer", and as it turns out is a socket LGA1366 motherboard based on the Intel X58 chipset. Gigabyte continues to tease us with new "cutout" pictures of the upcoming product. The latest poster shows a portion of the motherboard revealing the heatsink over the southbridge area, which is shaped like a 5.56 magazine, with even a round sticking out. One can also faintly see the six memory slots, four PCI-Express x16 slots, eight SATA ports (probably six 3 Gb/s and two 6 Gb/s). Said to be unveiled at CES 2011, the G1-Killer range is expected to start at US $299.
AMD Radeon HD 6950 Can be Unlocked to HD 6970
Looks like Santa brought an extra present for us hardware enthusiasts this year. Thanks to a less secure locking method AMD's new Radeon HD 6950 can be unlocked to a full blown HD 6970 with a few mouse clicks.
As detailed in our article, you can safely perform the flashing process from within Windows. In case something goes wrong it is easier than ever to recover the card thanks to AMD's new Dual-BIOS feature.
We tested the unlock on three HD 6950 cards: one AMD engineering sample, one HIS media sample and one ASUS retail card. All of them unlocked perfectly and run at HD 6970 speeds now. More success reports are compiled into a table at the end of the modding article.
As detailed in our article, you can safely perform the flashing process from within Windows. In case something goes wrong it is easier than ever to recover the card thanks to AMD's new Dual-BIOS feature.
We tested the unlock on three HD 6950 cards: one AMD engineering sample, one HIS media sample and one ASUS retail card. All of them unlocked perfectly and run at HD 6970 speeds now. More success reports are compiled into a table at the end of the modding article.
Friday, December 24th 2010
Today's Contests
Today's Reviews
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Notebooks
Thermaltake Max 5G- Active Cooling 3.5 inch External Hard Drive Enclosure
Thermaltake, leading DIY chassis and storage enclosure brand, presents all users the world's first storage enclosure solution with dual-fan design, the Thermaltake Max 5G. With the dual 80mm fans, the Max 5G can effectively exhaust heat out of the storage enclosure to lower the internal temperature and thereby ensuring data integrity during file transfers between the external hard disk and your computer, as well effectively prolonging lifetime of your installed hard drive. Besides dual fans the brand new Max 5G also sports blue LEDs that give the Max 5G its special looks. The two LEDs can easily be turned off by a convenient switch on the back of the enclosure, light it as you like. Due to its slim size of 14.5*20.7*4.7 cm and 405g the Max 5G is convenient to carry along for people on the move.
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year from TechPowerUp!
Another year is drawing to a close and we would like to wish all our readers a merry Christmas with sleds full of hardware, gadgets and other fancy gifts and hope you all will have a great and memorable time with family and friends. This year has been another great one for TechPowerUp! thanks to you all! Enjoy the holidays and have a pompous start into the new year!
I also want to take the opportunity to thank the entire TechPowerUp! team for the incredible jobs they are doing. It is unbelievable the amount of time and dedication they put into the site and community! It would simply not be the same without all of you!
I also want to take the opportunity to thank the entire TechPowerUp! team for the incredible jobs they are doing. It is unbelievable the amount of time and dedication they put into the site and community! It would simply not be the same without all of you!
Gigabyte Intros M7650 Wireless Desktop Mouse
Gigabyte is readying a new compact wireless mouse, the M7650. Available in glossy black and pearl white, the M7650 is kidney-shaped with two extra buttons on its left-side, a larger left-click button, and a slanted rubberized scroll-wheel, making it best-suited for right-handed users. It measures 104 (L) x 66 (W) x 38 (H) mm, and runs on two AA-sized batteries. With typical alkaline batteries and usage, the mouse should run for 5 months before needing a battery change. The mouse uses a 1000 dpi optical sensor for precise tracking. It uses a 2.4 GHz nano receiver, with a range of up to 10 meters. The company did not give out pricing details.
Kingmax Announces First DDR3-2400 MHz Memory Module Without Heatsink
The world-famous DRAM module manufacturer KINGMAX presented overclocking DDR3 2400MHz Nano Gaming RAM. It is the unique and the only one DRAM module can be operated at 2400MHz without conventional heat sink. Instead of adding conventional heat sink, Nano Gaming RAM adopts the nano thermal dissipation technology（NTD Tech）to improve thermal performance by 10%. Its bandwidth can reach up to 19.2GB/sec under low voltage which means the performance will be more conspicuously improved in 3D shooting games that involve more rigorous requirements for speed.
Heat dissipation is always the key issue for the stability of system operation. Particularly in overclocking or 3D games, high temperature may easily cause the instability of operation. Targeting the overclocking and game market, KINGMAX DDR3 Nano Gaming Ram adopting NTD Tech increases the effect of heat radiation, it not only keeps the working temperature far lower than conventional heat sinks, but improves thermal dissipation performance by 10%, thereby effectively maintaining low temperature and high stability. In other words, only NTD Tech can replace conventional heat sinks and only Nano Gaming Ram can allow overclocking enthusiasts and gamers to feel free to challenge the overclocking limit.
Heat dissipation is always the key issue for the stability of system operation. Particularly in overclocking or 3D games, high temperature may easily cause the instability of operation. Targeting the overclocking and game market, KINGMAX DDR3 Nano Gaming Ram adopting NTD Tech increases the effect of heat radiation, it not only keeps the working temperature far lower than conventional heat sinks, but improves thermal dissipation performance by 10%, thereby effectively maintaining low temperature and high stability. In other words, only NTD Tech can replace conventional heat sinks and only Nano Gaming Ram can allow overclocking enthusiasts and gamers to feel free to challenge the overclocking limit.
Thursday, December 23rd 2010
Today's Contests
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Monitors
Motherboards
Mousepads
Multimedia
Netbooks
Acer Readies AMD Fusion ''Brazos'' Powered Aspire One Netbook
Acer will be one of the first adopters of AMD's "Brazos" Fusion platform for its netbooks. The company is developing a new 10-inch Aspire One model, the Aspire One 522, which makes use of AMD Fusion C-50 "Ontario" dual-core processor clocked at 1.00 GHz, with TDP of under 9W, and AMD Radeon HD 6250 graphics embedded. The x86-64 processor cores are based on the "Bobcat" architecture, feature the latest instruction sets, while the graphics core supports DirectX 11 and UVD 3.0 video acceleration.
The 10.1-inch screen features a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, which can be extended onto a HDTV or a monitor using HDMI. Most other features including connectivity are similar to existing Aspire One netbooks. The battery can provide 6 hours of usage on full charge. Acer is expected to unveil this powerful netbook in early 2011.
The 10.1-inch screen features a native resolution of 1280 x 720 pixels, which can be extended onto a HDTV or a monitor using HDMI. Most other features including connectivity are similar to existing Aspire One netbooks. The battery can provide 6 hours of usage on full charge. Acer is expected to unveil this powerful netbook in early 2011.
Micron Technology, Inc., Reports Results for the First Quarter of Fiscal 2011
Micron Technology, Inc., (Nasdaq:MU) today announced results of operations for its first quarter of fiscal 2011, which ended December 2, 2010. For the first quarter, the company had net income attributable to Micron shareholders of $155 million, or $0.15 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.3 billion. The results for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compare to net income of $342 million, or $0.32 per diluted share, on net sales of $2.5 billion for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, and net income of $204 million, or $0.23 per diluted share, on net sales of $1.7 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2010.
In the company's Memory segment (which excludes Numonyx and other non-reportable segments), revenue from sales of DRAM products was 19 percent lower in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 23 percent decrease in average selling prices partially offset by a 5 percent increase in unit sales volume. Revenue from sales of NAND Flash products was up slightly in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 20 percent increase in unit sales volume partially offset by a 15 percent decrease in average selling prices. The company's gross margin for its Memory segment was 26 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to 37 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, primarily due to the decreases in average selling prices, partially offset by decreases in manufacturing costs.
In the company's Memory segment (which excludes Numonyx and other non-reportable segments), revenue from sales of DRAM products was 19 percent lower in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 23 percent decrease in average selling prices partially offset by a 5 percent increase in unit sales volume. Revenue from sales of NAND Flash products was up slightly in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010 due to a 20 percent increase in unit sales volume partially offset by a 15 percent decrease in average selling prices. The company's gross margin for its Memory segment was 26 percent in the first quarter of fiscal 2011 compared to 37 percent in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2010, primarily due to the decreases in average selling prices, partially offset by decreases in manufacturing costs.
MSI launches R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition Graphics Card
Internationally renowned graphic card and mainboard manufacturer MSI today officially launches the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition graphic card equipped with the latest AMD Radeon HD 6850 GPU. Apart from being the first Radeon HD 6850-based graphic card supporting triple over-voltage functions, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the 6+1 power system to improve power supply quality and stability. Also the critically acclaimed Cyclone thermal solution can reduce the GPU temperature by up to 14°C and lower noise by 4dB versus the reference design under full-speed operations. MSI also introduces the exclusively developed P/S Switch for users to adjust fan speed between the Performance Mode and Silent Mode. The former emphasizes an enhanced cooling power; while the latter stresses on quiet operations.
With the P/S Switch, power users can switch from one mode to another to meet their needs at different times. In terms of materials, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the latest Military Class II materials exclusively from MSI. In addition to the Hi-C tantalum caps and solid caps, these include the SFC high-performance choke to ensure the best power supply quality and stability. Overall, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is one of the most powerful Radeon HD 6850-based graphic cards with the most functions and highest quality.
With the P/S Switch, power users can switch from one mode to another to meet their needs at different times. In terms of materials, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is equipped with the latest Military Class II materials exclusively from MSI. In addition to the Hi-C tantalum caps and solid caps, these include the SFC high-performance choke to ensure the best power supply quality and stability. Overall, the R6850 Cyclone 1GD5 Power Edition is one of the most powerful Radeon HD 6850-based graphic cards with the most functions and highest quality.
A-Data Intros XPG Gaming Series 4 GB DDR3-1600 SODIMM Module
A-Data expanded its high-performance notebook memory lineup with a new XPG Gaming Series DDR3 SODIMM module that's capable of PC3-12800 specifications, with low DRAM voltage. The 4 gigabyte module can operate at DDR3-1600 MHz speeds with latencies of 9-9-9-24, and voltage ranging between 1.35V and 1.4V. The module packs its PC3-12800 settings into an XMP profile, which can be activated on notebooks that support XMP. It is available as a 4 GB single piece, or in an 8 GB (2x 4 GB) dual-channel kit. The company did not give out pricing information.
Thermaltake Announces Ultimate Gamer Kit Bundle
Thermaltake announced a limited period hardware bundle offer for the X'mas shopping season. Dubbed the Thermaltake Ultimate Gamer Kit, Thermaltake is offering its Level 10 gamer chassis, a Tt eSports Black gaming mouse, a Tt eSports Shock gaming headset, and a Tt eSports Challenger Pro gaming keyboard, in a bundle with free shipping for US $799. Individually, these parts cost $849.99 for the Level 10, $49.99 for the Black, $79.99 for the Shock, and $79.99 for the Challenger Pro (totaling $1059.96 + shipping). In all, a $260 value. The deal should be available on leading online stores between 23rd to 27th of this month.
HIS Announces First PCI DirectX 11 Graphics Card with Native HDMI Output
HIS today introduces the HIS 5450 Silence 512MB (64bit) DDR3 PCI graphics card, powered by the Radeon 5400 GPU with core speed up to 650MHz and memory speed up to 1,000MHz. Loaded with complete DirectX 11 support, it has multi-monitoring solution with the best business and multimedia applications. With the silent passive cooling heatsink implemented, HIS Radeon HD 5450 Silence is our ultimate media center companion at a value price.
The HIS 5450 Silence PCI card is built as high-profile capable single-slot design with two low profile brackets included, making it possible to fit them in both full-height and half-height PCI Slots. With stunning high definition entertainment from your PC, gamers will enjoy the ultimate immersive gaming experience with innovative "wrap around" multi-display capabilities.
The HIS 5450 Silence PCI card is built as high-profile capable single-slot design with two low profile brackets included, making it possible to fit them in both full-height and half-height PCI Slots. With stunning high definition entertainment from your PC, gamers will enjoy the ultimate immersive gaming experience with innovative "wrap around" multi-display capabilities.
SuperTalent 2nd Gen DuraDrive SSD now available in SATA 3 Gb/s
Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced a SATA version of their new DuraDrive series SSDs.
Right on heels of our resent announcement of ZIF and PATA interfaces, the new DuraDrive AT2 now completes this family line by offering the same industrial grade durability, reliability and performance with the SATA II interface. The DuraDrive was designed for use in environments considered "too harsh" for a standard drive.
Right on heels of our resent announcement of ZIF and PATA interfaces, the new DuraDrive AT2 now completes this family line by offering the same industrial grade durability, reliability and performance with the SATA II interface. The DuraDrive was designed for use in environments considered "too harsh" for a standard drive.
Wednesday, December 22nd 2010
Today's Reviews
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
- PowerColor PCS+ HD 5870 TweakNews
- Sapphire HD 6850 XSReviews
- AMD Radeon 6870 Red and Blackness Mods
- XFX HD 6950 2GB Motherboards.org
- HIS HD 6950 2GB Tweaktown
- XFX HD 6970 2GB Motherboards.org
- Sapphire HD 6970 Bad Company 2: Vietnam Edition Motherboards.org
- ASUS EAH6970 Overclock3D.net
- Zotac GTX 580 Futurelooks
Keyboards
Motherboards
Notebooks
SSD
A-DATA S599 128 GB SSD Review
A-DATA's S599 128 GB SSD uses the well-established SandForce SF-1222 controller. This results in a high-performance solution - actually it is the fastest SandForce drive we tested so far. Excellent performance and an outstanding price of $225 make this one of the best SSDs available on the market at this time.
Akasa Venom Review
Akasa made an attempt to spice up product design by giving one of its latest CPU coolers a mean toxic-yellow color scheme, backed by a well-equipped heatsink design. Can the Akasa Venom strike a sweet-spot between looks and performance?
Sparkle Announces GeForce GTX 460 1GB ''Sabrina Edition'' Graphics Card
SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today announced the SPARKLE GeForce GTX 460 Sabrina Edition, using the "Sabrina" who is the chief actress in the cognominal movie in the shaping of life and love with full of dreams as the prototype, providing the best Christmas gift for users.
Christmas is coming, a lot of people will buy their holiday gifts for relatives and friends with their blessing. For many people, will stay at home and watch a cozy movie with his family in Christmas eve to enjoy a memorable holiday. Of course, a high-definition graphics card is naturally essential for watching movies at home. Available on this Christmas season, the SPARKLE GeForce GTX 460 Sabrina Edition are essential for the ultimate Blu-ray movie experience on a Desktop PC or notebook computer.
Christmas is coming, a lot of people will buy their holiday gifts for relatives and friends with their blessing. For many people, will stay at home and watch a cozy movie with his family in Christmas eve to enjoy a memorable holiday. Of course, a high-definition graphics card is naturally essential for watching movies at home. Available on this Christmas season, the SPARKLE GeForce GTX 460 Sabrina Edition are essential for the ultimate Blu-ray movie experience on a Desktop PC or notebook computer.
Transcend Ships mSATA and Half-slim Solid State Drives for Small Form-factor Devices
Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend), a global leader in storage and multimedia products, today announced the addition of low-profile mSATA and half-slim solid state drives (SSD) to its industrial product line. The new small footprint SSDs are designed especially for applications where a small form factor is desired, such as thin and light notebooks, netbooks, tablets, GPS, and mobile internet devices (MID).
No bigger than a business card, Transcend's two new SSD modules offer greater design flexibility and cost savings compared to most SSDs which typically use the larger 2.5" form factor. Despite their compact size, the mSATA and half-slim SSDs feature a high-bandwidth SATA 3Gb/s interface that helps to bring the performance advantages of SSDs to notebooks, mobile devices and other embedded storage applications.
No bigger than a business card, Transcend's two new SSD modules offer greater design flexibility and cost savings compared to most SSDs which typically use the larger 2.5" form factor. Despite their compact size, the mSATA and half-slim SSDs feature a high-bandwidth SATA 3Gb/s interface that helps to bring the performance advantages of SSDs to notebooks, mobile devices and other embedded storage applications.
Transcend Adds 750GB Shockproof Portable Hard Drives
Transcend Information, Inc. (Transcend) today announced the new 750GB capacity to its StoreJet 2.5" Portable Hard Drives. Featuring abundant storage capacity and a unique shock-resistant construction, the new larger StoreJet 25D2, StoreJet 25M2, StoreJet 25D3 and StoreJet 25M3 drives are perfect for users who need more space for storing and backing up important files.
The passport-sized StoreJet 25D2 is sleek and stylish with a mirror-like high gloss outer finish, yet it is also remarkably tough and rugged. Under its seemingly delicate case is an advanced internal hard drive suspension system that helps prevent damage caused by accidental slips or falls during travel. The StoreJet 25D2 is also offered in chic white, making it a perfect complement to Mac computers.
The passport-sized StoreJet 25D2 is sleek and stylish with a mirror-like high gloss outer finish, yet it is also remarkably tough and rugged. Under its seemingly delicate case is an advanced internal hard drive suspension system that helps prevent damage caused by accidental slips or falls during travel. The StoreJet 25D2 is also offered in chic white, making it a perfect complement to Mac computers.
Auzentech Announces Market Availability of X-Meridian 7.1 2G Sound Card
Auzentech, Inc., announced the immediate availability of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 2G, the second generation of the Auzen X-Meridian 7.1. The original Auzen X-Meridian 7.1 was a game-changing high-performance audio card which marked the dividing line between audio that sounds great, and audio that sounds perfect. It was the world's first custom-designed audio card based on C-Media CMI 8788 chipset, and received rave reviews for its audio quality. Now, the award winning Auzentech audio development team and chipset manufacturer C-Media have teamed up again.
With the X-Meridian 7.1 2G, Auzentech has taken what many consider the greatest sound card of all time and updated it with the best of today's technology, making the X-Meridian 7.1 2G more than simply the must-have PC Audio solution for audiophiles-it's a feast for the ears. Under the hood, the new X-Meridian 7.1 2G has been upgraded with new Advanced Driver Software Architecture (ADSA) for the C-Media CMI8788 Oxygen HD PCI Audio Processor. Features include Dolby Digital Live Real-Time Content Encoder, DTS CONNECT and Xear3D sound technology.
With the X-Meridian 7.1 2G, Auzentech has taken what many consider the greatest sound card of all time and updated it with the best of today's technology, making the X-Meridian 7.1 2G more than simply the must-have PC Audio solution for audiophiles-it's a feast for the ears. Under the hood, the new X-Meridian 7.1 2G has been upgraded with new Advanced Driver Software Architecture (ADSA) for the C-Media CMI8788 Oxygen HD PCI Audio Processor. Features include Dolby Digital Live Real-Time Content Encoder, DTS CONNECT and Xear3D sound technology.
EVGA Intros Power Boost Gadget to Improve PCI-E Power Stability
EVGA released what it claims to be a handy little accessory that can increase PCI-Express slot power, improving overclocking stability of graphics cards installed. Called the EVGA Power Boost, the gadget is a tiny PCB that fits into the power-line notch of any PCI-Express slot (x1 thru x16), and draws in an auxiliary 12V line directly from the power supply unit. The little PCB draws in power from a standard Molex power connector, adding it to the motherboard's 12V line. EVGA also gave out a detailed HD video showing users exactly how to install the device, because inserting it into the wrong part of the PCI-Express slot will fry the motherboard. EVGA is asking $20 for it.
NVIDIA Readies GeForce GTX 560 to Counter Radeon HD 6950
NVIDIA is readying a new GPU to counter the Radeon HD 6950. Released earlier this month, reviews suggest that the HD 6950 managed to slip into a sweet-spot between GeForce GTX 470 and GeForce GTX 570/Radeon HD 5970, giving buyers an option for around $300. NVIDIA's counter to this is named GeForce GTX 560, it is based on the new 40 nm silicon. While specifications-wise, this GPU is identical to the GF104, it is redesigned to allow high-clock speeds with lower power draw, the same secret-sauce that went into making GF110 is applied here.
The GeForce GTX 560 features 384 CUDA cores, 32 ROPs, and a 256-bit wide memory interface that connects to 1 GB of memory. The new GPU has bolstered high GPU clock speeds, with 820 MHz core, 1640 MHz CUDA cores, and 4000 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory, churning out 128 GB/s memory bandwidth. NVIDIA however, isn't in a hurry with its release, it has the GTX 560 slated for some time in January, 2011.
The GeForce GTX 560 features 384 CUDA cores, 32 ROPs, and a 256-bit wide memory interface that connects to 1 GB of memory. The new GPU has bolstered high GPU clock speeds, with 820 MHz core, 1640 MHz CUDA cores, and 4000 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory, churning out 128 GB/s memory bandwidth. NVIDIA however, isn't in a hurry with its release, it has the GTX 560 slated for some time in January, 2011.
Tuesday, December 21st 2010
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Networking
Notebooks
Processors
Sound Cards
SSD
Akasa noir S 2.5" USB 3.0 Review
USB 3.0 enclosures seem to become more affordable by the minute and the noir S combines a stylish brushed Aluminum shell with the new, speedy interface. We take the unit apart and give it a run for its money to see how the no-frills USB 3.0 enclosure performs.
AMD Catalyst 10.12 Performance Analysis Review
In this article we will investigate how much the HD 4870, HD 5870, GTX 285 and GTX 480 have gained over the lifetime of their driver releases. We also put this in contrast to what the latest AMD Catalyst 10.12 driver update can deliver.
Razer Intros Goliathus Extended Series Mouse Surfaces
Razer unveiled a pair of gigantic mouse mats under the Goliathus Extended series. The most peculiar thing about these is its "extended" width of 920 mm (36.2"). Available in two variants: Control and Speed, Goliathus Extended measures 920 x 294 x 4.3 mm. The Control Edition variant features a heavily textured surface that provides maximum control, while the Speed Edition features a more smoother cloth weave for swift movements. The pads are rubberized below for grip with the surface they're on. Both are limited edition products from Razer, with the company making just 10,000 pieces of each variant. Both are priced at US $39.99 from the company's online store.
Gigabyte Makes WindForce 3X Cooler Standard for GV-N480UD-15I Graphics Card
Gigabyte made the WindForce 3X GPU cooler a standard issue for its base-model GeForce GTX 480 graphics accelerator. Featured on factory-overclocked GTX 480 graphics cards by the company, WindForce 3X is a double-slot GPU cooler that makes use of three fans to cool a large aluminum fin array that spans along the entire area of the card. The GV-N480UD-15I Revision 2.0 features this change. The initial version made of use NVIDIA's reference cooling assembly over Gigabyte's own Ultra Durable VGA blue PCB.
Elpida Begins Sample Shipments of 30nm Process 4-Gigabyte DDR3 SO-DIMM
Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), today announced it has begun sample shipments of its newly developed 30nm process 4-gigabyte DDR3 SO-DIMM. The new memory module was built using currently available advanced 30nm process DRAM manufacturing technology and is composed of sixteen 2-gigabit DDR3 SDRAMs. It achieves a high density of 4 gigabytes.
Compared with Elpida's 40nm DRAM module, the new product uses 20% less operating current and 30% less standby current consumed by PC systems, and as a DRAM module it achieves one of the lowest levels of current consumption in the industry. The new eco-friendly DRAM product provide an effective power-saving response to today's need for a longer battery life for notebook PCs, netbooks, tablet PCs and other handheld electronic devices.
Compared with Elpida's 40nm DRAM module, the new product uses 20% less operating current and 30% less standby current consumed by PC systems, and as a DRAM module it achieves one of the lowest levels of current consumption in the industry. The new eco-friendly DRAM product provide an effective power-saving response to today's need for a longer battery life for notebook PCs, netbooks, tablet PCs and other handheld electronic devices.
PQI Releases the SDXC Class 10 Ultra High Spec Memory Card
PQI, an industry leader with one of the top ten brands of flash memory cards in the world, has just released the all-new SDXC Class 10 memory card. With its large storage capacity and high transfer speeds, the SDXC Class 10 answers the call of current market requirements for higher resolutions by providing the capability to support large volumes of high resolution video, images, and music file storage. The PQI SDXC Class 10 memory card smashes SDHC's former high capacity limit of 32GB by doubling capacity to 64GB and upgrading the Class 10 SD 2.0 interface to high speed SD 3.0 specifications in one fell swoop. These advances yield even more outstanding transfer speed performance, and with the exFAT file system format, it can easily reproduce the file interoperability of desktop computers and portable media devices using other operating systems. PQI's latest product delivers the perfect combination of capacity, speed, and compatibility to easily satisfy the high demands of Full HD digital video recorders, high-end, ultra-high resolution single lens cameras, HDTV, Blu-ray disc players, mobile phones, car-based GPS systems, and other specialized entertainment applications.
Sandy Bridge IMCs Support 8 GB DIMMs
Intel's next-generation 2011 Core Processor Family "Sandy Bridge" isn't very far from launch. Among several interesting architectural features surfacing about the new generation of processors, fresh reports suggest that the dual-channel DDR3 memory controller supports twice the amount of memory as the previous generation. A user has been able to populate each of the four DDR3 DIMM slots on a MSI P67A-GD65 motherboard with high-density 8 GB modules to achieve 32 GB of total memory. The memory controller is able to detect the memory amount and run it properly on a Windows 64-bit variant that supports over 16 GB of memory (Professional/Server series/Ultimate). If the trend keeps up, future LGA2011 processors with their massive quad-channel DDR3 memory controllers will give consumers access to 64 GB of memory, capacities that are the luxury of only high-end servers.
Samsung Sampling High-performance MLC-based Solid State Drives for Enterprise Storage
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in advanced semiconductor technology solutions, announced today that it has developed and started sampling 100, 200 and 400 gigabyte (GB) multi-level-cell (MLC) solid state drives (SSDs) for use as the primary storage in enterprise storage systems.
"As more and more server makers are adopting SSDs for use in eco-friendly platforms that consume less electrical power, the need for high-density SSDs in the server market is growing rapidly," said Byungse So, senior vice president, memory product planning & application engineering team, Samsung Electronics. "While Samsung is already well situated in the SSD market for enterprise servers with high-performance SSDs using single-level-cell (SLC) NAND flash memory, we are now expanding our line-up to include high-density SSDs using MLC NAND flash memory."
"As more and more server makers are adopting SSDs for use in eco-friendly platforms that consume less electrical power, the need for high-density SSDs in the server market is growing rapidly," said Byungse So, senior vice president, memory product planning & application engineering team, Samsung Electronics. "While Samsung is already well situated in the SSD market for enterprise servers with high-performance SSDs using single-level-cell (SLC) NAND flash memory, we are now expanding our line-up to include high-density SSDs using MLC NAND flash memory."
Lian Li Releases the ''HUGE'' PC-A04 Mini-Tower Chassis
Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd. maker of high-end, all-aluminum computer chassis since 1983, has launched a new PC case, the PC-A04. Even though the PC-A04 is the size of a mini-tower chassis it is extremely versatile and allows users to mount up to seven 3.5" HDDs, Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX motherboards and even high-end graphics cards. The PC-A04 divides HDDs between two cages, one that holds three HDDs and one that holds four HDDs. All of the HDD mounts are tool-less and come with anti-vibration thumb screws. The design of the PC-A04 allows users to mount these two cages facing the right, left, or backwards direction with either one on top of the other. This innovative feature, allowing multiple configurations, permits space for VGA cards up to 370mm long.
Two, 120mm intake fans on the front panel and one 120mm exhaust fan on the top panel keep internal temperatures cool and stable. All three fans are protected by air filters to prevent dust from entering the chassis. Lian Li also included a space on the back panel for users to mount a fan speed controller. Another thermal feature of the PC-A04 is the air-filtered vents directly beneath the tool-less, anti-vibration PSU mount, located at the base of the chassis to increase airflow.
Two, 120mm intake fans on the front panel and one 120mm exhaust fan on the top panel keep internal temperatures cool and stable. All three fans are protected by air filters to prevent dust from entering the chassis. Lian Li also included a space on the back panel for users to mount a fan speed controller. Another thermal feature of the PC-A04 is the air-filtered vents directly beneath the tool-less, anti-vibration PSU mount, located at the base of the chassis to increase airflow.
TRENDnet Launches First to Market 450Mbps Wireless Access Point
TRENDnet, a best-in-class wired and wireless networking hardware brand, today announces the launch of the first to market 450Mbps Wireless N Access Point, model TEW-690AP, which supports Access Point, Wireless Distribution System (WDS), and Repeater mode functionality.
Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology with three spatial streams per antenna, generates a maximum theoretical wireless throughput of 450 Mbps and exceptional wireless coverage.
A Gigabit Ethernet port maintains high performance wired connections. Advanced features include 4 SSIDs per wireless band, unique encryption for each SSID, WMM Quality of Service (QoS) data prioritization, WPA2-RADIUS encryption, and a convenient on/off power switch.
Advanced Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) antenna technology with three spatial streams per antenna, generates a maximum theoretical wireless throughput of 450 Mbps and exceptional wireless coverage.
A Gigabit Ethernet port maintains high performance wired connections. Advanced features include 4 SSIDs per wireless band, unique encryption for each SSID, WMM Quality of Service (QoS) data prioritization, WPA2-RADIUS encryption, and a convenient on/off power switch.
Monday, December 20th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Gaming PC
Graphics Cards
Harddisks
Headphones
Keyboards
Memory
Monitors
Mouse
Mousepads
MP4Nation Brainwavz M2 In-ears Review
MP4Nations Brainwavz M2 is the slightly odd name for a set of mid-end in-ears. Despite the name, the in-ears boast a wealth of small innovations that makes them very competitive at their respective price point.
Zalman CNPS9900 MAX Review
Zalman and its unique fin-ring type heatsinks ruled the roost once upon a time, but things changed with the advent of tower-type coolers. Zalman continued to innovate with a redesigned CNPS9900 MAX, even after going tower-design with the CNPS 10 series. Exactly what made Zalman go back to its traditional design?
Mach Xtreme FX USB 3.0 Flash Drive 64 GB Review
Mach Xtreme has managed to bring a USB 3.0 flash drive to market with some very interesting performance numbers coupled with a very affordable price. We push the stick through our benchmarks to see if it manages to stay Xtreme or just fizzles into oblivion.
Zotac Announces GeForce GTX 570 AMP! Edition Graphics Card
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today amplifies your gaming experience with stunning visual realism and clarity with the GeForce GTX 570 AMP! Edition.
Supercharged for extreme gamers, the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 AMP! Edition delivers outstanding performance in the latest Microsoft DirectX 11 powered titles with hardware tessellation enabled for a flawless gaming experience.
Supercharged for extreme gamers, the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 AMP! Edition delivers outstanding performance in the latest Microsoft DirectX 11 powered titles with hardware tessellation enabled for a flawless gaming experience.
Futuremark Intros 3DMark v1.01 Update
Futuremark today introduced the first major update to 3DMark 11, the company's latest 3D graphics benchmark. The update introduces some critical stability improvements that's general to all variants of 3DMark 11, and a few fixes specific to some variants. To begin with, the 3DMark v1.01 fixed a bug with the SystemInfo component that prevents the Physics and Combined tests from running; crashes related to absence of DirectX 11 API and .NET; an updated SystemInfo component, etc.
DOWNLOAD: 3DMark 11 v1.01 Update
A complete list of changes follows:
DOWNLOAD: 3DMark 11 v1.01 Update
A complete list of changes follows:
Gigabyte Intros New Value Micro-ATX Case
Gigabyte rolled out a new value micro-ATX case, the GZ-MK01. Measuring 180 x 360 x 435 (W x H x D) mm, it weighs 3.9 kg. It's made entirely of SECC and ABS plastic. Typical to micro-ATX cases, the GZ-MK01 features two 5.25", one exposed 3.5", and four internal 3.5" drive bays. There are four expansion slots. The motherboard tray is mostly open, letting you pass through cables and handle coolers with backplates. Front-panel is basic, consisting of two USB and audio ports. The only fan is the 80 mm rear exhaust, with provision for two side intakes, and one front intake. Gigabyte did not give out pricing, though one can expect it to be very affordable.
Point of View Announces GeForce GTX 570 TGT Beast Edition Graphics Cards
Point of View the leading European manufacturer of an exclusive range NVIDIA based 3D processor boards, advanced netbooks as well as fancy 7" and 10" Tegra tablet computers and additional enthusiast PC products, announces today that it is first to market with a water cooled GeForce GTX 570 3D processor board, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 570 "Beast"M featuring a solid 9mm slim-line AquaCopper water cooling block. The POV/TGT GeForce GTX 570 "Beast" already started shipping at a recommended retail price of €499 (TGT-570-A1-BST-W).
In addition, Point of View and TGT are offering a silently air-cooled solution running at identical frequencies priced at € 449. Hand-selected by TGT, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 570 "Beast" is running at an unprecedented 841 MHz core clock "out of the box", 1682 MHz shader clock and 3960 MHz DDR-5 memory clock honoring TGT's efforts to optimize and balance both, enhanced core clock settings and rock solid stability.
In addition, Point of View and TGT are offering a silently air-cooled solution running at identical frequencies priced at € 449. Hand-selected by TGT, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 570 "Beast" is running at an unprecedented 841 MHz core clock "out of the box", 1682 MHz shader clock and 3960 MHz DDR-5 memory clock honoring TGT's efforts to optimize and balance both, enhanced core clock settings and rock solid stability.
Gainward GTX 570 Phantom Graphics Card Pictured
Gainward is readying a new GeForce GTX 570 non-reference design that features an innovative new cooling solution, which earns the card its name - the Gainward GTX 570 Phantom. The cooler makes use of a black aluminum fin array, to which heat is fed by six heat pipes. Instead of fans on its obverse side blowing air onto the PCB, there are three fans on its reverse side, drawing air from the aluminum fin array, and onto the PCB. The PCB also seems to be a non-reference design.
The Gainward GTX 570 Phantom uses overclocked speeds of 750 MHz core, 1500 MHz CUDA cores, and 3900 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory. Like every other GTX 570, it's based on the new 40 nm GF110 silicon, features 480 CUDA cores, and connects to 1280 MB of memory over a 320-bit GDDR5 memory interface. Display connectivity is similar to some AMD Radeon graphics cards: two DVI, one HDMI and one DisplayPort. Pricing and availability is not known.
The Gainward GTX 570 Phantom uses overclocked speeds of 750 MHz core, 1500 MHz CUDA cores, and 3900 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory. Like every other GTX 570, it's based on the new 40 nm GF110 silicon, features 480 CUDA cores, and connects to 1280 MB of memory over a 320-bit GDDR5 memory interface. Display connectivity is similar to some AMD Radeon graphics cards: two DVI, one HDMI and one DisplayPort. Pricing and availability is not known.
FinalWire Announces AIDA64 v1.50
FinalWire Ltd. today announced the immediate availability of AIDA64 Extreme Edition 1.50 software, a streamlined diagnostic and benchmarking tool for home users; and the immediate availability of AIDA64 Business Edition 1.50 software, an essential network management solution for small and medium scale enterprises.
The new AIDA64 update implements AVX-optimized benchmarks for the upcoming Intel Sandy Bridge processors, adds a brand new video encoding benchmark, and supports the latest AMD and NVIDIA graphics processors.
The new AIDA64 update implements AVX-optimized benchmarks for the upcoming Intel Sandy Bridge processors, adds a brand new video encoding benchmark, and supports the latest AMD and NVIDIA graphics processors.
SuperTalent Unveils Second Generation DuraDrive SSD
Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced their new DuraDrive series SSDs. The new DuraDrive ET2/ZT2 represents the next generation of industrial data storage solutions by offering enhanced durability, reliability and performance. The DuraDrive was designed for use in environments considered "too harsh" for a standard drive.
The DuraDrive series utilized Solid State Disk technology, meaning it performs faster, use less power, offers greater reliability, generate less heat, and require less cooling than their HDD counterparts. By carefully selecting the finest components available, including an advanced industrial controller and premium NAND flash, we are able to further enhance shock, vibration and temperature specifications making the DuraDrive ideal for mission critical markets. The DuraDrive also has optional support for the Secure Erase features required for many Military and Industrial applications. With ECC/EDC support, bad bit management firmware and patented wear leveling technology, this drive offers extreme reliability and endurance; even in the most demanding of environments (-40°C to 85°C ).
The DuraDrive series utilized Solid State Disk technology, meaning it performs faster, use less power, offers greater reliability, generate less heat, and require less cooling than their HDD counterparts. By carefully selecting the finest components available, including an advanced industrial controller and premium NAND flash, we are able to further enhance shock, vibration and temperature specifications making the DuraDrive ideal for mission critical markets. The DuraDrive also has optional support for the Secure Erase features required for many Military and Industrial applications. With ECC/EDC support, bad bit management firmware and patented wear leveling technology, this drive offers extreme reliability and endurance; even in the most demanding of environments (-40°C to 85°C ).
Friday, December 17th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
Cooling
Graphics Cards
- Sapphire HD 6850 Toxic Radeon3D.org
- AMD HD 6950 CrossFireX Guru3D
- PowerColor HD 6970 2GB Overclock3D.net
- AMD HD 6970 2GB Tweaktown
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 HardwareSecrets
- Inno3D GTX 460 OC 1GB eTeknix
- Inno3D GTX 460 OC XtremeComputing
- Sparkle GTX 465 Test Freaks
- ASUS GTX 580 Technic3D (de)
- GTX 570 vs. HD 6970 vs. HD 6950 vs. HD 5870, All OC'ed HardwareHeaven
Memory
Motherboards
Processors
Speakers
Cubitek XL-Tank Preview Review
Exclusive, in-depth preview of a brand new player in the Aluminum Case market: Cubitek. The Tank Series of cases aim to bring some turmoil into the strong grip exerted by Lian Li and we have the chance to take a quick look at one of their cases, set to be released in Q1 2011.
Alpenföhn Announces the Sella Compact CPU Cooler
With "Sella" Alpenföhn presents a new CPU cooler. Due to the compact size "Sella" offers a perfect compromise between variable applications and excellent cooling performance. The heatsink is based on the award-winning HDC-Technology (Heatpipe Direct Contact). This technology enables a direct heat dissipation through the heatpipes to the aluminium fins which ends up in high thermal performance at a compact size.
The Alpenföhn engineers equipped the cooler with a super silent 92mm PWM fan with a speed range of only 900 - 2.200 rpm. Depending on using the Silence or Power Mode noise and performance can be adjusted to your needs. The "Tool free" mounting system offers highest contact pressure and ensures a solid and safe mounting.
The Alpenföhn engineers equipped the cooler with a super silent 92mm PWM fan with a speed range of only 900 - 2.200 rpm. Depending on using the Silence or Power Mode noise and performance can be adjusted to your needs. The "Tool free" mounting system offers highest contact pressure and ensures a solid and safe mounting.
EVGA P67 Classified Motherboard Looks Ferocious
EVGA unveiled its next enthusiast-grade motherboard, the P67 Classified. The board is designed for upcoming "Sandy Bridge" processors from Intel in the LGA1155 package, and uses the Intel P67 Express chipset. EVGA's main design goes seem to be: 1. giving the processor a strong VRM that helps with overclocking; and 2. to expand the board's PCI-Express resources using an nForce 200 bridge chip. The CPU is powered by a 12-phase VRM that draws power from two 8-pin EPS connectors. Knowing EVGA, the CPU socket is of premium-grade, with higher gold content on the pins. The four DDR3 DIMM slots are powered by a 3-phase VRM. The main ATX power connector is angled for better aesthetics.
Expansion slots include six PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x16/x8;x1;x16/x8;x8;x16/x8;x8), making the board capable for 4-way SLI. A single PCI-E x1 is tucked away on top. Connectivity includes two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, four internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two front-panel and two rear-panel USB 3.0, 8-channel HD audio, two gigabit Ethernet controllers, FireWire, and eSATA. The board supports a plethora of overclocker-friendly technologies, including EVGA's EV-Bot module. One can expect more information once Intel's upcoming processors are out.
Expansion slots include six PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x16/x8;x1;x16/x8;x8;x16/x8;x8), making the board capable for 4-way SLI. A single PCI-E x1 is tucked away on top. Connectivity includes two internal SATA 6 Gb/s, four internal SATA 3 Gb/s, two front-panel and two rear-panel USB 3.0, 8-channel HD audio, two gigabit Ethernet controllers, FireWire, and eSATA. The board supports a plethora of overclocker-friendly technologies, including EVGA's EV-Bot module. One can expect more information once Intel's upcoming processors are out.
Zotac Readies New GTX 580 Extreme Edition Graphics Card with Strong VRM
Zotac is flexing its engineering muscle again. Known for several novelty high-end non-reference design graphics cards, Zotac's latest work is based on the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 580, and revolves around backing the GPU and memory with a strong VRM. So complex is its VRM circuit, that it extends the PCB's height by a good one inch. The VRM consists of over 16 phases, making use of high-grade chokes, capacitors, POSCAPs, and proadlizers. Power is drawn in from 8-pin and 6-pin power connectors.
To cool the beast, there's a monolithic aluminum heatsink that runs through all corners of the PCB, cooling MOSFETs and memory chips. The GPU is cooled by a 2+ slot air cooler that makes use of two 120 mm fans blowing air onto a dense aluminum fin array. This cooler can be detached, and a universal water block for the GPU can be used without having to worry about cooling other components. Although the clock speeds aren't known, one can expect them to either be high, or moderately high leaving a large overclocking headroom. Zotac will brand this card "Zotac GTX 580 Extreme Edition".
To cool the beast, there's a monolithic aluminum heatsink that runs through all corners of the PCB, cooling MOSFETs and memory chips. The GPU is cooled by a 2+ slot air cooler that makes use of two 120 mm fans blowing air onto a dense aluminum fin array. This cooler can be detached, and a universal water block for the GPU can be used without having to worry about cooling other components. Although the clock speeds aren't known, one can expect them to either be high, or moderately high leaving a large overclocking headroom. Zotac will brand this card "Zotac GTX 580 Extreme Edition".
OWC Announces Bus-Powered Mercury Elite-Al Pro Dual Mini Portable Storage Solution
Other World Computing (OWC), a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, announced today it has expanded its award-winning storage solution line with the new Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini bus powered portable hardware RAID storage solution. Featuring 14 pre-configured models with hardware RAID-1 "mirrored" redundancy for "live activity" data protection; or RAID-0 "stripe" for maximum data transfer speed, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini contains two 2.5" hard drives or OWC Mercury SSDs for up to 2.0TB of capacity, a "Quad Interface" of FireWire 800, FireWire 400, USB 2.0, & eSATA connections for Plug and Play data transfer speeds up to 300 MB/s with Mac and PC computers.
Measuring the approximate size of a portable CD player - 5.6" (D) x 6.1" (W) x 1.1" (H) - the bus powered (no AC adapter needed) Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini's unique flat side by side two drive design enables it to fit into laptop, photography, and other gear carrying bags easily and without adding any bulk. With 14 models offering two 2.5" SATA hard drives with up to 2.0TB of capacity or two award-winning OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSDs with up to 800GB of capacity, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini delivers big storage performance in an under two pound, fanless solution.
Measuring the approximate size of a portable CD player - 5.6" (D) x 6.1" (W) x 1.1" (H) - the bus powered (no AC adapter needed) Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini's unique flat side by side two drive design enables it to fit into laptop, photography, and other gear carrying bags easily and without adding any bulk. With 14 models offering two 2.5" SATA hard drives with up to 2.0TB of capacity or two award-winning OWC Mercury Extreme Pro SSDs with up to 800GB of capacity, the Mercury Elite-AL Pro Dual mini delivers big storage performance in an under two pound, fanless solution.
Thursday, December 16th 2010
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Keyboards
Mouse
PSUs
Sound Cards
Razer Lachesis 5600 DPI Gaming Mouse Review
Razer has just released a revamped version of their old Lachesis mouse. The revision features a much newer Philip Twin-eye laser sensor which is capable of producing coherent tracking at up to 200 IPS, at a maximum resolution of 5600 DPI. We put it to the test and see if this specification-monster is good in real life application.
Razer Releases the Razer Scarab Gaming Mat
Most of the time, sequels to great movies suck. Normally, sequels to great books suck. Sometimes, sequels to great games suck. But what doesn't ever suck are sequels to Razer products. They just keep getting better. Razer, the world's leading high-end precision gaming brand, wants you to know that your gaming doesn't have to suck anymore thanks to the release of the Razer Scarab; the next generation hard gaming mouse mat. Featuring a Razer Fractal 2.0 surface coated in light grey, the long-awaited sequel to the Razer Destructor takes superior tracking to an explosive new level.
"With this sequel, we focused on enhancing the Fractal surface coating so that gamers will improve their game even further. It's all you need to win in life," said Robert "RazerGuy" Krakoff, president of Razer USA, "And in PC games of course. The Razer Scarab is for gamers who prefer hard surfaces, high performance areas, effortless swipes and absolute tracking."
"With this sequel, we focused on enhancing the Fractal surface coating so that gamers will improve their game even further. It's all you need to win in life," said Robert "RazerGuy" Krakoff, president of Razer USA, "And in PC games of course. The Razer Scarab is for gamers who prefer hard surfaces, high performance areas, effortless swipes and absolute tracking."
Sharkoon Intros New USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Targets Price-Performance Sweetspot
Sharkoon is ready with a new fast flash drive that can read and write data at 130 MB/s. The Flexi-Drive Extreme Duo from Sharkoon makes use of the USB 3.0 interface and SLC NAND flash with its optimized memory management to achieve those speeds. The first model in the series offers 16 GB of storage, in a form-factor that's very compact by USB 3.0 flash drive standards. It measures 68 x 21 x 9 (L x W x H) mm, weighing a little over 12 g. The 16 GB Sharkoon Flexi-Drive Extreme Duo is priced at €50, and is available now.
AMD Releases Catalyst 10.12a Hotfix Update, Adds Radeon HD 6900 Series Support
AMD today released the first hotfix update to the recently released Catalyst 10.12 driver suite. A hotfix is an interim update before the next driver release. The new hotfix introduces two important things: first, it adds official support for the newly-released AMD Radeon HD 6970 and AMD Radeon HD 6950 graphics cards; and second, it adds a new Eyefinity mode that lets you use all five display outputs on the HD 6000 series graphics cards (i.e. two DVI, two mini-DP, one HDMI) for a 5 x 1 Eyefinity configuration.
DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 10.12a Hotfix Update
DOWNLOAD: AMD Catalyst 10.12a Hotfix Update
New JEDEC UFS Standard Offers Promise of Ultra-Fast Device Performance
JEDEC Solid State Technology Association, the global leader in the development of standards for the microelectronics industry, today announced that it is moving towards publication of the next-generation flash memory standard, Universal Flash Storage (UFS). Major progress achieved at recent JEDEC committee meetings provides visibility on the anticipated UFS interface, which has been designed to be the most advanced specification for flash memory-based storage in mobile devices such as smart phones and tablet computers. Developed to help address the ever-increasing demand for improved device performance, UFS has been designed to initially enable data throughput of 300 megabytes per second (MB/s), and support command queuing features to raise the random read/write speeds. The standard will be finalized for public use within the next three months.
An explosion of data-intensive applications for mobile devices is driving the need for versatile storage solutions, and currently available flash storage options might not have the span to match overall system performance planned for future generation platforms. UFS will provide a dramatic change in architecture to increase performance while maintaining the benefits of low power consumption offered by existing solutions such as e•MMC.
An explosion of data-intensive applications for mobile devices is driving the need for versatile storage solutions, and currently available flash storage options might not have the span to match overall system performance planned for future generation platforms. UFS will provide a dramatic change in architecture to increase performance while maintaining the benefits of low power consumption offered by existing solutions such as e•MMC.
Fractal Design Announces Arc Series of ATX Mid-Tower Cases
Today, Fractal Design announced the Arc Series of cases. The new Fractal Design Arc Series of cases create a niche of their own; a combination of stellar performance and cooling options with stylish, minimalistic looks and an overall understated elegance. This new Arc Series Midi Tower format offers plenty of cooling options, up to 8 fans of various sizes can be installed. Unique for its small size, it also offers room to mount a thick, dual 120mm radiator in the top panel.
Elegant top and front panels are both easily removable and pre-fitted with fan filters to ensure a dust free interior. The sleek black interior is matched and contrasted with white expansion slots and HDD trays. Similar to the Define Series, all the HDD trays are fitted with anti-vibration silicon grommets. The upper HDD cage is removable and rotatable, which enables support for even the longest graphic cards.
Elegant top and front panels are both easily removable and pre-fitted with fan filters to ensure a dust free interior. The sleek black interior is matched and contrasted with white expansion slots and HDD trays. Similar to the Define Series, all the HDD trays are fitted with anti-vibration silicon grommets. The upper HDD cage is removable and rotatable, which enables support for even the longest graphic cards.
Green House Intros 32 GB PicoDrive N Flash Drive
Green House expanded its PicoDrive N series of USB flash drives with a new 32 GB model. This USB 2.0 compliant flash drive offers 32 GB of storage in a form-factor measuring 54.1(W) × 18.0(D) × 8.1(H) mm, weighing a little over 7 g. It is security-enhanced with access password protection, and bundles a trial version of Kaspersky Internet Security 2011. It is set for market release in mid-December.
Hitachi GST Ships First One Disk, 7 mm Thick 500 GB Hard Drive
Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (Hitachi GST) today announced its new 500GB, 5,400 RPM Travelstar Z5K500 drive - the industry's highest capacity, one-disk, 7 millimeter (mm) z-height hard disk drive (HDD).
According to IDC, 500GB, mobile 2.5-inch drives represent 22 percent of the market today, with this capacity growing 42 percent annually from 2010 to 2013. Offered in a complete family of 500GB, 320GB and 250GB, which satisfies more than 77 percent of today's capacity needs in the portable PC market, these drives are the industry's only second-generation family of 5,400 RPM, 7mm z-height drives, which are designed as a direct replacement for standard 2.5-inch, 9.5mm drives in everything from external drives to laptops, netbooks and blade servers. All this combined puts the new Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 drive family in the industry sweet spot of opportunity in the mobile 2.5-inch market.
According to IDC, 500GB, mobile 2.5-inch drives represent 22 percent of the market today, with this capacity growing 42 percent annually from 2010 to 2013. Offered in a complete family of 500GB, 320GB and 250GB, which satisfies more than 77 percent of today's capacity needs in the portable PC market, these drives are the industry's only second-generation family of 5,400 RPM, 7mm z-height drives, which are designed as a direct replacement for standard 2.5-inch, 9.5mm drives in everything from external drives to laptops, netbooks and blade servers. All this combined puts the new Hitachi Travelstar Z5K500 drive family in the industry sweet spot of opportunity in the mobile 2.5-inch market.
Wednesday, December 15th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
Graphics Cards
- HIS HD 5450 Silence 1GB PCIe x1 Eyefinity Tweaktown
- HIS HD 6950 2GB eTeknix
- Sapphire HD 6950 2GB Hi Tech Legion
- Sapphire HD 6950 2GB Modders-Inc.
- Sapphire HD 6950 2GB Ninja Lane
- Sapphire HD 6950 2GB Tweaktown
- PowerColor HD 6970 2GB Benchmark Reviews
- Diamond HD 6970 XOC Hi Tech Legion
- Sapphire HD 6970 BF:BC2 Vietnam Edition LAN OC
- AMD HD 6970 2GB Overclockers.com
- Sapphire HD 6970 2GB PureOverclock
- AMD HD 6950 2GB T-Break
- AMD HD 6970 2GB TechSpot
- Sapphire HD 6970 2GB Tweaktown
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 Guru3D
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 HardwareCanucks
- XFX HD 6970 and HD 6950 HardwareHeaven
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 Hartware (de)
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 HotHardware
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 Legit Reviews
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 NeoSeeker
- HIS HD 6970 and HD 6950 Overclock3D.net
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 Overclockers Club
- XFX HD 6970 and HD 6950 PureOverclock
- AMD HD 6970 and HD 6950 Rage3D
- ASUS ENGTX460 Direct Cu LostCircuits
- Palit GTX 570 Sonic Platinum Guru3D
Keyboards
Motherboards
Thermaltake Introduces TR2 Bronze Mainstream PSU Series
Thermaltake, leading computer DIY components brand, introduces the brand new TR2 Bronze series of mainstream power supplies. With the 80 Plus Bronze certification these power supplies offer up to 88% efficiency and the 99% Active Power Factor Correction guarantees lowest power loss. The TR 2 Bronze series comes in six wattage models thereby catering to individual user needs. The 380W, 450W 500W, and 600W models are specifically targeting mainstream setups, while the TR2 700W and 800W models are certified for 2-way NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX supporting more demanding enthusiast and gaming configurations.
The entire series use a dedicated single 12V rail with built-in PCI-E 6pin and PCI-E 6+2pin connectors for support of all high end graphic cards available on the market today.
The entire series use a dedicated single 12V rail with built-in PCI-E 6pin and PCI-E 6+2pin connectors for support of all high end graphic cards available on the market today.
Sparkle Announces GeForce GTX 580 V-Go Graphics Card
After the successful launch of the world's most powerful single graphics card- GeForce GTX 580, SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today announced the world's first independent produced GeForce GTX 580 V-Go Graphics Card, becoming the world's first manufacturer who can independently produce high-end graphics cards using Fermi architecture. "We are pleased with the new high level of SPARKLE R&D and production capabilities." said Kevin Wang, General Manager of SPARKLE. " Our mission is to provide the best graphics cards products and services to DIY players and professionals with expertise spirit on garaphics cards manufacturing for 16 years."
Since the release date, there's no independent produced GeForce GTX 580 graphics card from AIC, because it is very difficult to pass the extreme rigorous tests and verification conducted by NVIDIA. All the GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards which users now can buy in market are the reference boards, by definition all brands GTX580 series graphics cards are identical. As NVIDIA's add-in-cards partner and global strategic partner, with the strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities, SPARKLE took the lead in passing the NVIDIA original product performance testing, thermal performance and noise testing, product reliability/compatibility testing, burn-in and a series of strict validation, to become the world's first AIC manufacturer which can self-produce the GeForce GTX580 reference boards.
Since the release date, there's no independent produced GeForce GTX 580 graphics card from AIC, because it is very difficult to pass the extreme rigorous tests and verification conducted by NVIDIA. All the GeForce GTX 580 graphics cards which users now can buy in market are the reference boards, by definition all brands GTX580 series graphics cards are identical. As NVIDIA's add-in-cards partner and global strategic partner, with the strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities, SPARKLE took the lead in passing the NVIDIA original product performance testing, thermal performance and noise testing, product reliability/compatibility testing, burn-in and a series of strict validation, to become the world's first AIC manufacturer which can self-produce the GeForce GTX580 reference boards.
Zalman Releases GS1200 ATX Full-Tower Chassis
Zalman pleased to inform that the GS1200 is now available for order. Its mesh design with two large 200mm fan provided delivers powerful cooling and excellent air flow at once. On top, to maximize user's convenience and faster data transfer, front USB3.0 port is adopted. Top cover HDD Docking deck which makes convenient addition of the HDDs possible is another ideal feature of this new generation case to satisfy enthusiast's requirement.
Club3D Intros its Radeon HD 6900 Series Graphics Cards
Club3D announced its latest high-end graphics cards based on AMD's new Radeon HD 6970 and HD 6950 graphics processors (GPUs). Both cards stick to AMD reference board design and clock speeds. The HD 6970 from Club3D carries the model number CGAX-69748, features 1536 advanced stream processors, 2 GB of 5.5 GT/s GDDR5 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface, with clock speeds of 880 MHz core and 5500 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory. The HD 6950 (CGAX-69548) features 1408 advanced stream processors, 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, and clock speeds of 800 MHz core and 5000 MHz (GDDR5 effective) memory. Both cards are expected to feature standard pricing.
KINGMAX Unveils Stylish and Sporty-looking PD33/PD30 USB Flash Drives
Following the trend of notebook designed like sports car, now there are also flash drives designed like sports car available on the market. KINGMAX, the global leading manufacturer of memory and flash products, has recently released the PD-33 USB flash drive; the product design concept came from the sports car's streamlined design and stunning automotive color of the body. Applied automotive refinish coatings along with low-key black surface shows sporty and smart look. With the capless retractable design, it is easy to use and protects the connector and no longer to worry about the loss. PD-33 comes in the capacity of 2GB to 32GB with the color of sparkly orange and eagle gray. In order to wide-ranging colorful choices, pure white series of PD-30 are also available with the color of sparkly orange, lightning green and silver.
VIA Announces EPIA-P830 Pico-ITX Embedded Platform
VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA-P830 Pico-ITX board for advanced portable and network connected embedded applications. The VIA EPIA-P830 features the VIA Nano E-Series processor and the latest VIA VX900 media system processor with additional support for dual Mini-PCIe modules, bringing a wealth of 3G and wireless connectivity options.
"Modern enterprise environments in healthcare, logistics and fleet management require more connected and portable devices that don't hold back on multimedia ability," said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "The VIA EPIA-P830 addresses these needs, creating the most complete Pico-ITX board on the market with great HD video performance and a variety of display and network connectivity options."
"Modern enterprise environments in healthcare, logistics and fleet management require more connected and portable devices that don't hold back on multimedia ability," said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "The VIA EPIA-P830 addresses these needs, creating the most complete Pico-ITX board on the market with great HD video performance and a variety of display and network connectivity options."
MSI Announces its Radeon HD 6970 and Radeon HD 6950 Graphics Cards
The pursuit of extreme performance is always the most important consideration for top power users when selecting computer components, and competing manufactures always strive to be the best in the flagship product market. Because of this, world-renowned video card and mother board manufacturer Micro-Star Intl Co. Ltd., in collaboration with graphics processing unit manufacturer AMD, is proud to announce two brand-new R6900-series video card today. The new MSI R6970-2PM2D2GD5 and R6950-2PM2D2GD5 graphics cards, based on AMD's flagship HD6900 GPU , includes an industry-leading 2GB 256-bit GDDR5 large capacity video memory buffer, satisfying the enthusiast's thirst for high-resolution graphics performance. Additionally, with specially marked packages users can receive a free Advanced Version of 3DMark11, allowing the full DirectX 11 experience to be enjoyed. You can also upload your results onto their official website and compare your results against users from around the world.
PowerColor Announces its Radeon HD 6900 Series Graphics Cards
TUL Corporation, a leading manufacturer of AMD graphics cards, today launches the latest enthusiast graphics solution: the PowerColor HD6900 series. The PowerColor HD6900 series is the most advanced architecture to date. Consuming only 190W under the most demanding game titles and increasing performance at any given power by taking advantage of AMD PowerTune technology, the latest series enhances anti-aliasing ability to deliver the best image quality in minimal performance change.
PowerColor's HD6900 series includes the HD6970 and HD6950. The HD6970 clocks in at 880MHz core speed and 1375MHz of memory speed, while the HD6950 clocks in at 800MHz and 1250MHz GPU and memory clock speeds. Both are equipped with the latest 2GB GDDR5 memory buffer, offering more than 2.25 teraFLOPs of computing power; perfect for massive multi-monitor high-res gaming.
PowerColor's HD6900 series includes the HD6970 and HD6950. The HD6970 clocks in at 880MHz core speed and 1375MHz of memory speed, while the HD6950 clocks in at 800MHz and 1250MHz GPU and memory clock speeds. Both are equipped with the latest 2GB GDDR5 memory buffer, offering more than 2.25 teraFLOPs of computing power; perfect for massive multi-monitor high-res gaming.
Sapphire HD 6900 Delivers Top Performance and Features
SAPPHIRE Technology, the largest manufacturer and supplier worldwide of graphics solutions based on AMD technology has just added two new models bringing higher performance and new features to the recently launched HD 6000 series. The new SAPPHIRE HD 6970 uses a new GPU architecture from AMD which features dual graphics engines in one chip with 24 SIMD engines and a total of 1536 stream processors with 96 texture units, providing massively parallel computing power for graphics and other accelerated applications. Its core clock speed of 880MHz, together with a dedicated high speed interface to 2GB of GDDR5 memory running at 1375MHz (5.5Gb/s effective) delivers the highest performance in this series. New Tesselation engines bring up to three times the performance of the previous generation, and new Enhanced Quality AA and filtering modes bring the highest image quality ever achieved.
HIS Announces its Radeon HD 6900 Series Graphics Accelerators
Today, Hightech Information System (HIS) Limited have the pleasure to announce the HIS 6970 & 6950 graphics card. Loaded with our all-in-one technology - HD3D, Eyefinity 4, EyeDefinition and EyeSpeed, the new HIS Radeon HD 6970 & 6950 deliver flawless image quality and unbelievable performance, making it the ultimate solution for enthusiast gamers. HIS 6950 2GB GDDR5 accelerate advanced PC gaming by running at 800MHz core clock speed and 5,000MHz memory clock speed. HIS 6970 supplies with the same 2GB GDDR 5 but higher core clock speed at 880MHz and higher memory clock speed at 5,500MHz.
Powered by the top-of-the-line 6900 GPU, HIS 6970 & 6950 not only offer incredible HD gaming performance on all the latest games and DirectX 11 support, but also makes multi-tasking easier with features like EyeDefinition and EyeSpeed technology. What's more? The immersive HD gaming experience is brought the next level by AMD Eyefinity 4 Technology. This revolutionary multi-display technology allows you to expand your visual real estate across up to 4 displays with innovative "wrap around" capabilities to maximum your field of view with incredible sharpness and clarity.
Powered by the top-of-the-line 6900 GPU, HIS 6970 & 6950 not only offer incredible HD gaming performance on all the latest games and DirectX 11 support, but also makes multi-tasking easier with features like EyeDefinition and EyeSpeed technology. What's more? The immersive HD gaming experience is brought the next level by AMD Eyefinity 4 Technology. This revolutionary multi-display technology allows you to expand your visual real estate across up to 4 displays with innovative "wrap around" capabilities to maximum your field of view with incredible sharpness and clarity.
Super Talent Introduces 500 GB USB 3.0 Hard Drive for $99
Super Talent Technology, a leading manufacturer of Flash storage solutions and DRAM memory modules, today announced their newest USB 3.0 entrant, the USB 3.0 Storage Pod. With 3x the available power and a theoretical throughput that is 10x faster than its predecessor, USB 3.0 was made for external storage. Super Talent's new USB 3.0 Storage Pod unlocks the true performance of modern hard drives and enables them to reach speeds that were previously only obtainable on the SATA bus, yet remain fully backward compatible to the millions of USB 2.0 enabled products; something that eSATA was never able to do.
"The USB 3.0 Storage POD is going to change the perception of external storage. No longer should an external USB drive seen simply as second-class storage. Now you can upgrade the storage capabilities of your existing system without opening the case and in a convenient form factor that you can take with you anywhere"., - CH Lee COO of SuperTalent.
"The USB 3.0 Storage POD is going to change the perception of external storage. No longer should an external USB drive seen simply as second-class storage. Now you can upgrade the storage capabilities of your existing system without opening the case and in a convenient form factor that you can take with you anywhere"., - CH Lee COO of SuperTalent.
HighPoint Launches Industry's 1st PCI-E 2.0 x16 SATA Port Multiplier HBA Series
HighPoint Technologies announces an exciting update to the RocketRAID 2700 SATA Host Adapter Series with support for Port Multiplier (PM) storage enclosures. This is the industry's first PCI-E 2.0 x16 SATA Host Adapter to support PM enclosures. The RocketRAID 2700 SATA PM Series is designed for customers who place a premium on storage expansion and performance but demand affordability.
OWC Announces DIY SSD Kits with Industry's Fastest SSDs to 480 GB
Other World Computing, a leading zero emissions Mac and PC technology company, announced today the OWC Do-It-Yourself (DIY) SSD Storage Upgrade Kit priced starting at $109.99 MSRP. Available in fourteen configurations with capacities up to 480GB, the OWC DIY SSD Kits let you upgrade your Mac or Windows laptop to the industry's fastest solid state drives (SSDs) available on the market today.
With the OWC DIY SSD Storage Upgrade Kit, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and PC laptop users can make their computers faster than new with incredible SSD performance by upgrading their computer's internal hard drive with the industry's fastest SSDs from OWC. They can then continue to use their 'old' drive by installing it into the provided OWC enclosure for a 'new' pocket-sized portable external drive, saving money and the environment by re-using their 'old' hard drive instead of throwing a perfectly good drive into a landfill or just letting the drive sit idle and unused. By purchasing the OWC DIY SSD Kit, customers will also save up to 40% versus buying all the included components separately.
With the OWC DIY SSD Storage Upgrade Kit, MacBook, MacBook Pro, Mac mini, and PC laptop users can make their computers faster than new with incredible SSD performance by upgrading their computer's internal hard drive with the industry's fastest SSDs from OWC. They can then continue to use their 'old' drive by installing it into the provided OWC enclosure for a 'new' pocket-sized portable external drive, saving money and the environment by re-using their 'old' hard drive instead of throwing a perfectly good drive into a landfill or just letting the drive sit idle and unused. By purchasing the OWC DIY SSD Kit, customers will also save up to 40% versus buying all the included components separately.
Tuesday, December 14th 2010
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Desktop PC
Mousepads
Processors
ASUS Radeon HD 6950 CrossFire Review
In this review we will look at the performance of two Radeon HD 6950 cards running in CrossFire. This delivers a massively powerful graphics solution that is over 25% faster than NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 and also beats AMD HD 5970. At $600, this setup also manages to deliver maximum price/performance when looked at from a high-end graphics angle.
HIS Radeon HD 6970 2 GB Review
AMD's new Radeon HD 6970 comes with an improved shader architecture that promises more performance with less transistors, consuming less power. Another interesting aspect is the inclusion of a power limitation system that ensures maximum performance when needed and avoids damage to the graphics cards.
HIS Radeon HD 6950 2 GB Review
HIS Radeon HD 6950 is a new option in the $300 upper midrange graphics card segment. It has enough power to play the latest titles in Full HD resolution. Thanks to improved geometry and tesselation engines it also promises to deliver increased performance in latest titles compared to the Radeon HD 5870.
Verbatim Store'n'Go 320 GB Review
There are literally thousands of choices out there when buying a pre-configured external hard drive. With many factors to account for, like warranty duration, price, looks, size or performance, the choice is hard. We take a look at the Verbatim Store'n'Go 320GB which is available in loads of different colors, to see if it delivers on all of these aspects.
Corsair Launches Low Voltage 2133 MHz DDR3 DIMMs
Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced the launch of a new, highly overclocked, low voltage memory kit. This 4GB Dominator GT memory kit, implemented using a matched pair of 2 GB DIMMs, is guaranteed to operate at 2133MHz, with latency settings of 9-11-9-27, and at a memory voltage of only 1.5V.
"We have seen an increasing number of requests from overclockers for memory that can achieve high clock speeds at lower voltages," stated Thi La, Vice President of Memory Products at Corsair. "At 2133MHz, this 4GB memory is the world's fastest commercially available memory at 1.5 volts."
"We have seen an increasing number of requests from overclockers for memory that can achieve high clock speeds at lower voltages," stated Thi La, Vice President of Memory Products at Corsair. "At 2133MHz, this 4GB memory is the world's fastest commercially available memory at 1.5 volts."
Synology Launches Budget-Friendly, Business-Grade NAS DiskStation DS211+
Synology America Corp. today launched the DiskStation DS211+, a high-performance and full-featured 2-bay NAS server for office and enthusiast users to share files, centralize backup, and protect data. The latest addition to the professional class of DiskStations comes with Synology's distinctive DiskStation Manager (DSM) 3.0 software to provide an intuitive interface for managing the server.
As part of the revamped design, the DS211+ offers hot-swap drive bays, which will help businesses to minimize downtime in the event of a drive failure. Priced around $400, this is the first DiskStation to offer this feature at this price point. For photographers, it also offers an integrated SD card reader, making for easier transfers to the NAS.
As part of the revamped design, the DS211+ offers hot-swap drive bays, which will help businesses to minimize downtime in the event of a drive failure. Priced around $400, this is the first DiskStation to offer this feature at this price point. For photographers, it also offers an integrated SD card reader, making for easier transfers to the NAS.
MSI's AMD Fusion ''Brazos'' Powered CR650 Notebook Pictured
MSI will be among the first to release notebooks based on AMD's ambitious "Brazos" mobile platform, that takes AMD's Fusion accelerated processing units to notebooks, at price points that will strike a sweetspot between performance-crippled netbooks and entry-level notebooks. At the center of MSI's first such notebook, the CR650, is an AMD Fusion E-350 dual-core processor, supported by AMD Mobility Radeon HD 6300 series graphics.
With a screen size of 15.6-inches, the MSI CR650 is a typically sized widescreen notebook with features and product design (styling) very much into notebook domain. It looks to pack several multimedia features such as D-Sub and HDMI video output, high quality HD audio with some enhancement DSPs, a high-definition webcam, and Color Film Print Technology that adds clarity to images close to analog displays such as film projection and CRTs (less pixellation). The Fusion APU combines a dual-core processor with a GPU, and low-latency memory controller. Not much more is known about the CR650 at this point.
With a screen size of 15.6-inches, the MSI CR650 is a typically sized widescreen notebook with features and product design (styling) very much into notebook domain. It looks to pack several multimedia features such as D-Sub and HDMI video output, high quality HD audio with some enhancement DSPs, a high-definition webcam, and Color Film Print Technology that adds clarity to images close to analog displays such as film projection and CRTs (less pixellation). The Fusion APU combines a dual-core processor with a GPU, and low-latency memory controller. Not much more is known about the CR650 at this point.
Nexus Announces Snowy White SM-7000W Silent Click Wireless Mouse
After the popular SM-7000B (black), Nexus now introduces the same mouse but only in white. The Nexus SM-7000W (white) has the same specs, same silence just snowy white. The SM-7000W (Silent Mouse White) is an advanced 2.4 GHz wireless optical mouse which connects to your PC, MAC or laptop with a super small nano receiver and has a 1000/1600 DPI selection button.
The Nexus Silent Mouse has a comfortable size and is an excellent mouse for desktop use. But also for laptop users it is very suitable. Especially because of the small nano receiver you plug it in a USB port and leave it there. It is so small that you do not need to take it out...you just forget its there.
The Nexus Silent Mouse has a comfortable size and is an excellent mouse for desktop use. But also for laptop users it is very suitable. Especially because of the small nano receiver you plug it in a USB port and leave it there. It is so small that you do not need to take it out...you just forget its there.
OCZ Subsidiary PC Power and Cooling Announces Silencer 760W PSU
OCZ Technology Group, Inc., a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs), memory modules, and power supplies for computing devices and systems, has launched the new Silencer 760 power supply from PC Power & Cooling, OCZ's PSU (power supply unit) subsidiary. Built for best-in-class stability and reliability for today's high-end gaming systems and professional workstations, the Silencer line has proven itself as one of the most trusted PSU series on the market for more than 20 years.
"The PC Power and Cooling Silencer power supplies have long been regarded as a top-quality solution by system builders and clients who require the very best performance and dependability," said Charlie McMenomey, Product Manager at OCZ Technology Group. "Building on the proven core architecture of the original series, the new Silencer 760W further raises the bar with an 80 PLUS Silver efficiency, exceptional reliability and the power output to meet the demands of power users."
"The PC Power and Cooling Silencer power supplies have long been regarded as a top-quality solution by system builders and clients who require the very best performance and dependability," said Charlie McMenomey, Product Manager at OCZ Technology Group. "Building on the proven core architecture of the original series, the new Silencer 760W further raises the bar with an 80 PLUS Silver efficiency, exceptional reliability and the power output to meet the demands of power users."
Gigabyte Also Intros HD 6870 OC Graphics Card with WindForce 3X GPU Cooler
Gigabyte also rolled out a new performance-segment Radeon HD 6870 graphics card that is optimized for overclocking, and is overclocked out of the box as well. The GV-R687OC-1GD from Gigabyte features the company's in-house PCB and cooler designs. The PCB looks to be around 10-inches long, and makes use of Ultra Durable VGA+ construction. The WindForce3X GPU cooler makes use of a large aluminum fin array and three 80 mm fans to keep the card cool.
The GPU is clocked at 915 MHz against reference speeds of 900 MHz, and memory at 1050 MHz (4200 MHz GDDR5 effective). The card features 1 GB of GDDR5 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface. Display connectivity includes two each of DVI and DisplayPort; and one HDMI. Gigabyte did not announce its price.
The GPU is clocked at 915 MHz against reference speeds of 900 MHz, and memory at 1050 MHz (4200 MHz GDDR5 effective). The card features 1 GB of GDDR5 memory across a 256-bit wide memory interface. Display connectivity includes two each of DVI and DisplayPort; and one HDMI. Gigabyte did not announce its price.
Silicon Power Announces New Ultra-Micro Stylish USB Card Reader
With the popularization of modern digital handheld devices mobile streaming is becoming increasingly important for end-users. Leading flash memory manufacturer Silicon Power released ultra-micro "Stylish USB reader & microSD/SDHC Combo Pack" to the end-users all over the world. The reader is aimed at the strong need of mobile streaming. Consumers can easy carry their favorite video, photo or music through this tiny card reader.
The weight of Stylish USB reader is less than 3g. New USB reader features elegant design and combines pure white and sky blue colors. From outside to inside, Stylish USB reader gives you a whole new experience of mobile storage. The combo pack of one mobile card and a card reader does not require any cables, just plug into your PC then backup your data or plug your card and you're good to go! Silicon Power Stylish USB reader has compact size, users can easily attach it to the purse, keychain or cell phone. The combo pack does not only read your mobile card, but also can be used as expandable USB flash drive. It brings the entertainment and enriches your daily life.
The weight of Stylish USB reader is less than 3g. New USB reader features elegant design and combines pure white and sky blue colors. From outside to inside, Stylish USB reader gives you a whole new experience of mobile storage. The combo pack of one mobile card and a card reader does not require any cables, just plug into your PC then backup your data or plug your card and you're good to go! Silicon Power Stylish USB reader has compact size, users can easily attach it to the purse, keychain or cell phone. The combo pack does not only read your mobile card, but also can be used as expandable USB flash drive. It brings the entertainment and enriches your daily life.
Colorful Announces Single-Slot iGame GeForce GTS 450 Buri-SLIM Graphics Card
Colorful, one of the biggest AICs in Asia, announces their new product - a single-slot GTS450, named iGame450-1024M Buri-SLIM. We had seen the PCB of this item before, which quipped 3+1 phases VRM, all high-C POSCAP capacitors onboard, and driven by ONSENMI MOSFET. And the chocks attract many peoples' eyes- they are threaded installed on the PCB. And also, the PCB is ventilated, so it could improve the thermal performance for the components on the PCB.
Today, we are glad to see Colorful announces the full sample. The card uses a cooper base radiator. The air is leaded to left-top side by the vents which are tightly installed on the cooper base, and the exhaust will be radiated from the vents on the cooler cover and top side.
Today, we are glad to see Colorful announces the full sample. The card uses a cooper base radiator. The air is leaded to left-top side by the vents which are tightly installed on the cooper base, and the exhaust will be radiated from the vents on the cooler cover and top side.
Gigabyte Intros New Cheap DDR3-Based HD 5670 Graphics Card
Gigabyte introduced a new Radeon HD 5670 based graphics card that is intended to be cost-effective. Carrying the model number GV-R567D3-1GI, it makes use of 1 GB of DDR3 memory instead of GDDR5. The 1 GB of memory is clocked at 800 MHz (1600 MHz DDR), installed across a 128-bit wide memory interface. The standard HD 5670 features 1 GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 1000 MHz (4000 MHz GDDR5 effective). The HD 5670 GPU is clocked at 775 MHz. Based on the 40 nm Redwood core, it features 400 stream processors. Other features specific to Gigabyte's design include a silent double-slot cooler that makes use of an 80 mm fan, and display connectivity that includes one each of DVI, D-Sub, and a gold-plated HDMI port. Gigabyte did not give out a price, though one can expect it to be a little lower than that of the standard HD 5670.
Toshiba Introduces Enterprise-Class Solid State Drive Family
Extending its position in the enterprise storage market, Toshiba Storage Device Division announces its new family of enterprise-class solid state drives (SSDs). Developed to meet the market's demand for higher performance and lower power consumption, the new MKx001GRZB series combines Toshiba hard disk drive (HDD) expertise and its leadership as the inventor of NAND flash technology. The 2.5-inch small form factor drives use the latest 32 nanometer (nm) enterprise grade single-level cell (eSLC) NAND flash memory from Toshiba and 6 Gb/sec Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) interface. Samples will be available for customer qualification in the first quarter of 2011 and volume production will begin in the first half of 2011.
"Toshiba offers the industry's most comprehensive range of storage technologies and the resulting synergies distinguish us as a world-class total storage provider," said Joel Hagberg, vice president of enterprise marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "Toshiba stands alone in the market as the only SSD supplier that is vertically integrated for NAND flash and has deep enterprise HDD expertise. We possess one of the world's largest and most advanced NAND flash fabs, our own controller and firmware design teams, critical interface technologies, and established relationships with every major enterprise server and storage OEM. As a result, Toshiba is uniquely positioned to engineer solid state drives that deliver the performance, endurance, and reliability required for business critical applications."
"Toshiba offers the industry's most comprehensive range of storage technologies and the resulting synergies distinguish us as a world-class total storage provider," said Joel Hagberg, vice president of enterprise marketing at Toshiba Storage Device Division. "Toshiba stands alone in the market as the only SSD supplier that is vertically integrated for NAND flash and has deep enterprise HDD expertise. We possess one of the world's largest and most advanced NAND flash fabs, our own controller and firmware design teams, critical interface technologies, and established relationships with every major enterprise server and storage OEM. As a result, Toshiba is uniquely positioned to engineer solid state drives that deliver the performance, endurance, and reliability required for business critical applications."
Monday, December 13th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Input Devices
Memory
Motherboards
PSUs
SSD
Akasa Baymaster AK-ICR-10 Review
The Akasa Baymaster combines a 2.5 inch hot-swap bay with an array of slots for different memory cards - all in a very compact 3.5 inch drive bay. You even get two different colored front, so that the affordable device looks good in every case.
AMD Introduces Catalyst 10.12 and 10.12 Preview Featuring Redesigned Control Center
AMD today released its latest version of the AMD Catalyst software suite, Catalyst 10.2 WHQL, as well as unveiled a Catalyst 10.2 Preview driver that lets you use the latest version Catalyst Control Center (CCC) that features a more functional user interface. The new CCC features a reworked UI that allows easier adjustment of 3D settings and image quality; makes setting up multiple displays easier; and helps adjust power settings to optimize battery life (on notebooks).
Apart from that, Catalyst 10.2 introduces DivX Accelerated support for AMD Radeon HD 6800 series GPUs; support for OpenGL 4.1, including new ARB extensions introduced with OpenGL 4.1; and an updated AMD Stream v2.3 API.
DOWNLOAD:AMD Catalyst 10.12 for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit, Windows 7/Vista 32-bit, Windows XP 32-bit, Windows XP 64-bit
A complete list of changes follows:
Apart from that, Catalyst 10.2 introduces DivX Accelerated support for AMD Radeon HD 6800 series GPUs; support for OpenGL 4.1, including new ARB extensions introduced with OpenGL 4.1; and an updated AMD Stream v2.3 API.
DOWNLOAD:AMD Catalyst 10.12 for Windows 7/Vista 64-bit, Windows 7/Vista 32-bit, Windows XP 32-bit, Windows XP 64-bit
A complete list of changes follows:
AMD Cayman Taken Apart, PCB Pictured
We've seen quite a few pictures of the AMD Radeon HD 6970 from its exterior, including some finer details observable. For the first time, we're getting to take a peek inside, thanks to a Chinese website that looks to be auctioning off an HD 6970 ahead of launch for a quick buck, if we're not terribly mistaken. The PCB shot reveals many details about the GPU and its board design:
Images Courtesy: Taobao.com
- To begin with, the GPU indeed has a 256-bit wide memory interface, counting the memory chips on the obverse side, and looking at the size of the GPU package.
- The size of the die, and taken that Cayman is a 40 nm GPU, indicate that Cayman is not much bigger than Cypress, it should be about 400~500 million transistors higher compared to Cypress.
- Given the roughly 2500 million transistor count, the stream core count of 1536 seems more realistic. AMD is said to be using an architecturally superior VLIW4 stream processor design that increases performance per mm² die area.
- The board uses a high-grade 6+2+1+1 phase digital PWM voltage regulation design, draws power from 8+6 pin power connectors.
- The reverse side of the PCB has no memory chips, so AMD might be using 2 Gbit memory chips to get 2 GB of total memory
Seagate Delivers First One Terabyte 2.5-inch Enterprise HDD
Seagate today introduced Constellation.2, the industry's first 2.5-inch enterprise-class hard drive to reach a record 1TB capacity. The Constellation.2 drive is designed for server storage applications and offers a solid combination of high capacity, leading 6Gb/s performance, superior data integrity, and best-in-class low power consumption.
The Constellation.2 drive is designed for system builders and OEMs who want to offer competitive, feature-rich, bulk storage solutions for a sustainable future. The Constellation.2 drive is fit for use in a range of applications in Directed Attached Storage (DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN) environments, from small-to-midsized businesses to the largest enterprise data centers storing and hosting data to the cloud.
The Constellation.2 drive is designed for system builders and OEMs who want to offer competitive, feature-rich, bulk storage solutions for a sustainable future. The Constellation.2 drive is fit for use in a range of applications in Directed Attached Storage (DAS), Network Attached Storage (NAS) and Storage Area Network (SAN) environments, from small-to-midsized businesses to the largest enterprise data centers storing and hosting data to the cloud.
ADATA Introduces S102 Economical USB 3.0 Flash Drive
ADATA Technology, the worldwide leading manufacturer in high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today introduced its new series USB 3.0 flash drives, available immediately.
The new USB 3.0 standard interface is picking up speed among users and manufacturers. ADATA is listening to the requests of early adapters, who are eager to see this new standard incorporated into a wide range of products. This launch of the S102 USB 3.0 flash drive, which uses the native USB 3.0 controller chip, is ADATA's competitively priced entry into this relatively new market segment. It provides consumers with a compelling reason to upgrade, and will likely cause more people to say an official goodbye to USB 2.0.
The new USB 3.0 standard interface is picking up speed among users and manufacturers. ADATA is listening to the requests of early adapters, who are eager to see this new standard incorporated into a wide range of products. This launch of the S102 USB 3.0 flash drive, which uses the native USB 3.0 controller chip, is ADATA's competitively priced entry into this relatively new market segment. It provides consumers with a compelling reason to upgrade, and will likely cause more people to say an official goodbye to USB 2.0.
Ground Store Decks Up XFX Radeon HD 6900 Series Graphics Cards
Ground stores almost all over have begun decking up their shelves with Radeon HD 6900 series graphics cards, disregarding launch dates set by AMD. Earlier today, an enthusiast from Germany showed off pictures of Radeon HD 6970 graphics card made by PowerColor that he bought off a store. A more recent set of pictures show a ground store in Asia decked up with XFX Radeon HD 6900 series graphics cards, ready to sell. Perhaps stores feel that the launch date is a couple of days too late to have much impact on X'mas sales, and that it's better to sell stock as it comes. XFX has Radeon HD 6970 and Radeon HD 6950 2 GB graphics cards up for sale, both cards stick to the AMD reference design, except a small aesthetic change, the rear panel sports an XFX-designed air exhaust vent.
ASUS Intros Radeon HD 6870 DirectCu Graphics Card
ASUS rolled out its second AMD Radeon HD 6870 graphics card, and its first non-reference design one: the HD 6870 DirectCu. The card features two features that make it supposedly better than the reference design, the Direct Cu GPU cooler, and a refined PCB design that make use of high-grade components. To begin with, the DirectCu GPU cooler combines a GPU base in which copper heatpipes make direct contact with the GPU die, conveing heat to a dense aluminum fin array which is cooled by a quiet fan.
The PCB makes use of "Super Alloy" voltage regulation components, such as Super Alloy chokes, Super Alloy capacitors, and Super Alloy MOSFETs, that not only increase durability, but also result in a cooler operation. The card is also factory-overclocked slightly, with the GPU running at 915 MHz but memory staying at 4200 MHz GDDR5 effective. Display connectivity includes two DVI, and one each of DisplayPort and HDMI. Other features include Super Hybrid Engine (which manages clock speeds based on load), and Voltage Tweak (which allows adjustment of voltages). ASUS' new card is yet to be priced.
The PCB makes use of "Super Alloy" voltage regulation components, such as Super Alloy chokes, Super Alloy capacitors, and Super Alloy MOSFETs, that not only increase durability, but also result in a cooler operation. The card is also factory-overclocked slightly, with the GPU running at 915 MHz but memory staying at 4200 MHz GDDR5 effective. Display connectivity includes two DVI, and one each of DisplayPort and HDMI. Other features include Super Hybrid Engine (which manages clock speeds based on load), and Voltage Tweak (which allows adjustment of voltages). ASUS' new card is yet to be priced.
Scythe Announces Kro Craft Rev. B Speakers
The Japanese cooling specialist Scythe EU GmbH hereby officially announces the launch of an improved version of the Kro Craft Speaker. This revised version of speakers will be available either individually or in different sets. The combination of a well aligned aluminum concave bass / mid-range speaker together with a soft dome tweeter are perfectly matched and cover a frequency range between 58 Hz and 20 kHz with up to 2*20 W input. In the new revision B the bass / midrange driver is equipped with a larger magnet. This upgrade results in a crystal-clear midrange and richer and more precise bass. To especially cover the low frequency range Scythe developed the "Flow Guided Bass Reflex Structure" which allows a more authentic reproduction of low notes. The rigid gold plated connectors are improving the signal quality and can be used with "Banana Connectors". This set was tuned to provide high musical enjoyment for a low budget.
PowerColor Radeon HD 6970 Pictured
With its launch not too far, AMD partners are busy sending their Radeon HD 6970 samples to reviews. It is inevitable then, that some would actually post pictures of those on the web ahead of launch. Some such pictures made it to HardwareLuxx.de, which shows PowerColor Radeon HD 6970 in fresh out of its retail box. The card, and the box itself, reveal quite a bit about the HD 6970. To begin with, Radeon HD 6970 (and HD 6950), are high-end single GPU graphics cards based on AMD's new "Cayman" high-end GPU. The HD 6970 is about as long as a Radeon HD 5870 (which it's intended to replace), and retains product design carried forward from the HD 6800 series graphics cards.
The HD 6970 from PowerColor sports 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, perhaps some of the memory chips are located on the reverse side of the PCB, which is why a back-plate is used to cool them. The top side of the card reveals the power connectors: one 8-pin, and a 6-pin PCI-E power; two CrossFire bridge fingers, and a tiny switch. It is rumored that this switch lets users select between two BIOS ROM chips present on the cards; one chip is programmable, and partners can store an overclocked profile, while the other is not programmable, and stores the AMD reference profile. It gives users a nice fallback in case they brick the card with a bad BIOS.
The HD 6970 from PowerColor sports 2 GB of GDDR5 memory, perhaps some of the memory chips are located on the reverse side of the PCB, which is why a back-plate is used to cool them. The top side of the card reveals the power connectors: one 8-pin, and a 6-pin PCI-E power; two CrossFire bridge fingers, and a tiny switch. It is rumored that this switch lets users select between two BIOS ROM chips present on the cards; one chip is programmable, and partners can store an overclocked profile, while the other is not programmable, and stores the AMD reference profile. It gives users a nice fallback in case they brick the card with a bad BIOS.
Friday, December 10th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Keyboards
Xigmatek Aegir SD128264 Review
Xigmatek makes sure each new product has a little something new to look out for, often these turn out to be as revolutionary as the "Heatpipe Direct Touch" (HDT) itself. With the Aegir SD128264, Xigmatek claims to have taken HDT to the next level (quite literally), and added a second level of heatpipes that draw heat from the CPU. Will this innovation bear fruit?
XFX Custom-Design Radeon HD 6850 Reaches Stores
XFX' in-house design AMD Radeon HD 6850 accelerator, was released to the markets, carrying a price tag of US $195. The card uses a custom high-performance dual-fan GPU cooler that makes use of a large aluminum fin array to which heat is conveyed by 8 mm thick copper heatpipes. The card also makes use of AMD reference speeds: 775 MHz core, and 1000 MHz (4000 MHz GDDR5 effective) memory. It draws power from one 6-pin PCI-E power connector, can pair with another HD 6800 series graphics card over CrossFireX, and includes display outputs of two DVI, an HDMI, and a DisplayPort.
Logitec Intros Classy and Efficient External HDDs
Japanese company Logitec introduced a new stylish external hard drive, the LHD-ENx000U2HLW. It comes in two variants based on capacity: 1 TB (LHD-EN1000U2HLW), and 2 TB (LHD-EN2000U2HLW ). Measuring 35×183×120 mm, the drives weigh 850 g, and make use of silent WD Green hard drives inside, which makes complete use of the USB 2.0 bandwidth the drive relies on, and keeps the overall unit's power consumption down to 10W. The unit also features a passive air convection system to cool the insides. The 1 TB model is priced at ¥11,800 (US $140) and the 2 TB one at ¥17,800 ($212).
Kingston Releases New Data Traveller Mini Fun G2 Flash Drive Series
Kingston Digital, Inc., the Flash memory affiliate of Kingston Technology Company, Inc., the independent world leader in memory products, today announced the release of DataTraveler (DT) Mini Fun Generation 2 (G2) USB Flash drive.
The DT Mini Fun G2 marks the next generation of a Kingston favorite. It features a miniature design in great colors, which makes the drive ideal for home, school and travel. This versatile Flash drive also features a rugged silicon housing and comes with a key loop to attach the drive to a backpack or bag. DT Mini Fun G2 is available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB with each capacity offering a different color combination.
The DT Mini Fun G2 marks the next generation of a Kingston favorite. It features a miniature design in great colors, which makes the drive ideal for home, school and travel. This versatile Flash drive also features a rugged silicon housing and comes with a key loop to attach the drive to a backpack or bag. DT Mini Fun G2 is available in 2GB, 4GB and 8GB with each capacity offering a different color combination.
Sharkoon Announces Decoupling Frame for 2.5 and 3.5 Inch Hard Drives
Sharkoon introduces the new "Vibe Fixer" model to their hard drive decoupler series: The Sharkoon Vibe Fixer PRO is a wide adjustable, versatile standby adapter and decoupling frame for hard drives and SSDs in both 2.5 and 3.5 inch format and fits into either a 3.5 or 5.25 inch mounting bay. The smaller 2.5 inch drives can be mounted into either frame setting, the user has the freedom to choose the purpose of the remaining free PC slots.
The operating noise of rotary hard drives are effectively decoupled from the housing due to a total of eight rubber buffers positioned in the frame. Thanks to the pre-drilled holes for an 80mm or 120mm fan, the Sharkoon Vibe Fixer PRO can expand to fit an active hard drive cooler. The decoupling frame measures 156mm x 98/144mm x 32mm (L x W x H). In shipping you will find instructions, mounting rails and an extensive supply of screws including rubber bolts for use on an optional fan to ensure a vibration free assembly.
The operating noise of rotary hard drives are effectively decoupled from the housing due to a total of eight rubber buffers positioned in the frame. Thanks to the pre-drilled holes for an 80mm or 120mm fan, the Sharkoon Vibe Fixer PRO can expand to fit an active hard drive cooler. The decoupling frame measures 156mm x 98/144mm x 32mm (L x W x H). In shipping you will find instructions, mounting rails and an extensive supply of screws including rubber bolts for use on an optional fan to ensure a vibration free assembly.
Arctic Cooling Announces Freezer 11 LP CPU Cooler
The compact-sized Freezer 11 LP brings low noise cooling into low profile and HTPC Systems. With a height of 53mm only, the cooler squeezes into even most tiny PC cases. With dimensions of 115(L)*106(W)*53(H)mm, having a weight of only 255g, the Freezer 11LP is extremely compact. It fits virtually into any low profile PC case and is the ideal choice for any HTPC system.
Equipped with an ultra-quiet 92mm PWM fan and two copper heatpipes, the Freezer 11 LP offers a maximum cooling capacity of 90W. The dual high performance 6mm heatpipes efficiently dissipate the heat from the CPU into the block consisting of 50 aluminum fins.
Equipped with an ultra-quiet 92mm PWM fan and two copper heatpipes, the Freezer 11 LP offers a maximum cooling capacity of 90W. The dual high performance 6mm heatpipes efficiently dissipate the heat from the CPU into the block consisting of 50 aluminum fins.
SilverStone's Latest Cases to Feature Front-Panel USB 3.0, Debuts in Milo ML03
SilverStone Technology, one of the premier companies in computer chassis design, announces the immediate availability of its latest HTPC (home theater personal computer) chassis in the Milo ML03. The product also introduces the first application of USB 3.0 internal connector in a retail computer chassis.
The slim Milo ML03 is an affordable and versatile chassis with a profile of 105mm height and 340mm depth for easy integration into any living room furniture. It can accommodate up to three 3.5" hard drives or five 2.5" HDD/SSD on its smartly designed drive cages that mounts either size without use of adapters. For cooling, the ML03 has slots for up to four 80mm fans for users to build a quiet system with low power components or a powerful HTPC with 140W CPU. There are also small touches to improve integration including pre-cut hole for VGA (D-SUB) connector, Kensington lock support, and an additional full size expansion slot for installing extra motherboard I/O, fan controller, or other accessories.
The slim Milo ML03 is an affordable and versatile chassis with a profile of 105mm height and 340mm depth for easy integration into any living room furniture. It can accommodate up to three 3.5" hard drives or five 2.5" HDD/SSD on its smartly designed drive cages that mounts either size without use of adapters. For cooling, the ML03 has slots for up to four 80mm fans for users to build a quiet system with low power components or a powerful HTPC with 140W CPU. There are also small touches to improve integration including pre-cut hole for VGA (D-SUB) connector, Kensington lock support, and an additional full size expansion slot for installing extra motherboard I/O, fan controller, or other accessories.
Crucial Announces Ballistix DDR3-1866 and DDR3-2000 Memory with Thermal Sensors
The popular Crucial Ballistix line just stepped up a gear. Announcing Crucial Ballistix with Thermal Sensor memory modules now in speeds of DDR3-1866 MHz in capacities of 2GB, 4GB kits (2x 2GB) and 6GB kits (3x 2GB), and DDR3-2133 MHz modules in capacities of 2GB or 4GB kits (2x 2GB). This high performance RAM incorporates the new thermally improved finned design and built-in thermal sensor. Available in dual and three channel kits, these memory modules are designed for the Intel Core i5 and Core i7 systems. And coupled with the recently announced Crucial Ballistix Active Cooling Fan, this is one "cool" kit of memory.
HIS Introduces First Silent Radeon HD 5450 with ATI Eyefinity Technology
HIS today unveils the HIS 5450 Silence 1GB (64bit) DDR3 PCIe x1 Eyefinity graphics card, offering the best features and functionality in their class with AMD Eyefinity technology. Powered by the Radeon 5400 GPU, HIS 5450.
The HIS 5450 Series is designed to give you stunning high definition entertainment from your PC, no matter Blu-ray/HD DVD discs or other HD sources. Gamers will enjoy the ultimate immersive gaming experience with innovative "wrap around" multi-display capabilities. In addition, the HIS 5450 Silence 1GB is built as high-profile capable single-slot design with two low profile brackets included, making it possible to fit them in both full-height and half-height PCI Slots.
The HIS 5450 Series is designed to give you stunning high definition entertainment from your PC, no matter Blu-ray/HD DVD discs or other HD sources. Gamers will enjoy the ultimate immersive gaming experience with innovative "wrap around" multi-display capabilities. In addition, the HIS 5450 Silence 1GB is built as high-profile capable single-slot design with two low profile brackets included, making it possible to fit them in both full-height and half-height PCI Slots.
MSI Big Bang Marshall P67 Motherboard with Lucid Hydra Pictured
MSI is readying a new high-end socket LGA1155 motherboard based on the Intel P67 chipset, geared for overclocking, that features the LucidLogix Hydra Engine chip, that gives out no less than eight PCI-Express x16 slots (electrical lane configurations may vary). The Big Bang Marshall is an XL-ATX motherboard, it makes use of a strong 18-phase CPU VRM that makes use of DrMOS, solid-state chokes, and POSCAP capacitors. The four DDR3 DIMM slots support dual-channel DDR3-2000 MHz memory. The PCI-E 2.0 x16 link from the processor is wired to the Lucid Hydra chip, which controls all installed graphics card, irrespective of make and generation, and creates a multi-GPU array with it. This means that you can pair AMD Radeon graphics cards with NVIDIA GeForce ones, and can even mix and match different GPUs of the same make.
That aside, the Big Bang Marshall features four SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, two USB 3.0 ports, dual gigabit Ethernet, 8-channel HD audio, and tons of overclocker-friendly features such as OC Genie, consolidated voltage measurement points, and a feature-rich BIOS. The board is slated for release after Intel's early-January launch of the 2011 Core processor family, which starts off with quad-core Core i7 and Core i5 processors.
That aside, the Big Bang Marshall features four SATA 6 Gb/s and four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, two USB 3.0 ports, dual gigabit Ethernet, 8-channel HD audio, and tons of overclocker-friendly features such as OC Genie, consolidated voltage measurement points, and a feature-rich BIOS. The board is slated for release after Intel's early-January launch of the 2011 Core processor family, which starts off with quad-core Core i7 and Core i5 processors.
Thursday, December 9th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cooling
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Memory
Nettops
Networking
Processors
Fractal Design Define R3 Review
Fractal has updated the Define chassis once more. The R3 revision comes with an interesting list of upgrades and features. We take it for a spin to see if it can keep up with the modern times and if it manages to impress in the light of stiff competition in the same price segment.
Lenovo Takes Multimedia Computing to New Heights with Three New Idea Products
Lenovo today introduced the IdeaPad Y460p, IdeaPad Y560p and IdeaCentre K330, which all sport high-performance processors and are packed with multimedia features. The new PCs are perfect for young adults who seek the ultimate multimedia experience for watching movies, listening to music and playing games.
"Lenovo is continuously expanding its product line to provide consumers with the latest advancements in multimedia and entertainment capabilities," said Dion Weisler, vice president, business operations, Lenovo. "The Y460p, Y560p and K330 all feature speedy performance and advanced processing in a sleek form factor. Immense storage and high-quality graphics make these ideal for those looking for a superior and easy multimedia experience."
"Lenovo is continuously expanding its product line to provide consumers with the latest advancements in multimedia and entertainment capabilities," said Dion Weisler, vice president, business operations, Lenovo. "The Y460p, Y560p and K330 all feature speedy performance and advanced processing in a sleek form factor. Immense storage and high-quality graphics make these ideal for those looking for a superior and easy multimedia experience."
Matrox Introduces New Mac-Friendly DualHead2Go DP and TripleHead2Go DP
Matrox Graphics Inc. today announced connectivity improvements to the Matrox DualHead2Go DP Edition and TripleHead2Go DP Edition Graphics eXpansion Modules (GXMs) benefitting Apple Mac notebook and desktop users. The DualHead2Go DP and TripleHead2Go DP products now come packaged with a Mini-DisplayPort to DisplayPort cable that allows Mac users to connect these external multi-monitor modules directly to the mini-DisplayPort output of their systems to swiftly drive multiple monitors or projectors. Mac professionals and enthusiasts now benefit from the convenience of a true plug and play platform while experiencing the productivity-enhancements gained across an advanced dual- or triple-monitor workspace. In addition, an upcoming firmware release will enable the support of a dual 1600x900 resolution on DVI monitors, further expanding the list of supported resolutions for greater flexibility when choosing displays.
Patriot Memory Announces Supersonic USB 3.0 Flash Drive Series
Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash, storage and enthusiast computer products, today announces the Supersonic USB 3.0 flash drive series with a native single-chip USB 3.0 controller. The Patriot Supersonic series breaks away from typical USB 3.0 flash drive and delivers blazing-fast performance with its Quad-Channel technology in a miniature ultra-light form factor.
The Patriot Supersonic series eliminates performance bottlenecks introduced when using a separate USB 3.0 bridge chip by integrating a native USB 3.0 flash memory controller. This results in a smaller footprint and higher performance than bridge based solutions - see chart below.
The Patriot Supersonic series eliminates performance bottlenecks introduced when using a separate USB 3.0 bridge chip by integrating a native USB 3.0 flash memory controller. This results in a smaller footprint and higher performance than bridge based solutions - see chart below.
MSI Unveils the N570GTX-M2D12D5 Graphics Card with Free 3DMark 11 Advanced Edition
Following the release of the N580GTX-M2D15D5, the fastest single GPU graphics card in history, world-renowned mainboard and graphics card maker MSI today unveiled the second member of the GeForce 500 series, the N570GTX-M2D12D5 graphics card. Using NVIDIA's latest 40nm process, the MSI N570GTX-M2D12D5 features a 480 CUDA core GeForce GTX 570 GPU, support for DirectX 11, and NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround technology. In addition, it also features high-speed 1280MB GDDR5 graphics memory, which puts t on the same level of performance as the champion of the previous generation, the GTX 480.
GPU overvoltage is supported via MSI's award-winning Afterburner software. In addition, a purchase of select N570GTX-M2D12D5 graphics card with 3DMark 11 packaging or with a 3DMark 11 sticker on the package right now will include one free 3DMark 11 Advanced Edition coupon! Not only do you get to fully experience the ultra-astonishing effects of DirectX 11, but you can also upload your scores to compare the performance of this powerful graphics card with other gamers.
GPU overvoltage is supported via MSI's award-winning Afterburner software. In addition, a purchase of select N570GTX-M2D12D5 graphics card with 3DMark 11 packaging or with a 3DMark 11 sticker on the package right now will include one free 3DMark 11 Advanced Edition coupon! Not only do you get to fully experience the ultra-astonishing effects of DirectX 11, but you can also upload your scores to compare the performance of this powerful graphics card with other gamers.
Radeon HD 6900 Series Products Listed on European Store
A French online store listed AMD Radeon HD 6900 series graphics cards. Both branded by MSI, the Radeon HD 6950 part carries the model number R6950-2PM2D2G5, and packs 1 GB of GDDR5 memory, while the Radeon HD 6970 carries the model number R6970-2PM2D2GD5, and packs twice the amount - 2 GB GDDR5 memory. Besides the memory amount, the other only significant specification is the list price, €398.22 for the HD 6950, and €496.02 for the HD 6970. So far, both SKUs are known to be high-end single GPU cards. AMD's elusive HD 6900 series graphics cards will be launched next week.
Disney Announces High-Tech Daft Punk-Inspired TRON: LEGACY Headset by Monster
Disney Consumer Products (DCP) today announced its collaboration with electronics powerhouse, Monster Cable, and specialty toy maker, Medicom Toy, for new Daft Punk-inspired TRON: LEGACY electronics and toys. The Grammy Award-winning musical duo Daft Punk have composed the much-anticipated soundtrack - released Tuesday, December 7 from Walt Disney Records - for Walt Disney Picture's TRON: LEGACY, opening nationwide December 17, 2010 in Disney Digital 3D.
The stylish and specially lighted Daft Punk Edition TRON headphones by Monster, a leader in manufacturing and design of high-performance headphones and A/V accessories, are designed as the ultimate headphones for gaming, music and home cinema and will be released beginning today at major electronics retailers with a special surround-sound mix of the TRON: LEGACY original motion picture soundtrack. Known for its signature KUBRICK and BE@RBRICK figures, specialty toy maker Medicom Toy will release in late December the Series 21 BE@RBRICK assortment, followed by the 400% BE@RBRICK two-pack and KUBRICK two-pack in mid-January, both designed to match the TRON: LEGACY suits which appear in the film during a musical cameo featuring Daft Punk.
The stylish and specially lighted Daft Punk Edition TRON headphones by Monster, a leader in manufacturing and design of high-performance headphones and A/V accessories, are designed as the ultimate headphones for gaming, music and home cinema and will be released beginning today at major electronics retailers with a special surround-sound mix of the TRON: LEGACY original motion picture soundtrack. Known for its signature KUBRICK and BE@RBRICK figures, specialty toy maker Medicom Toy will release in late December the Series 21 BE@RBRICK assortment, followed by the 400% BE@RBRICK two-pack and KUBRICK two-pack in mid-January, both designed to match the TRON: LEGACY suits which appear in the film during a musical cameo featuring Daft Punk.
Gigabyte AMD Fusion ''Brazos'' Mini-ITX Motherboard Pictured
The first motherboard that brings the AMD Fusion "Brazos" platform to nettops was pictured, the GA-E350V-USB3, which is a mini-ITX motherboard that makes use of AMD Fusion E-350 accelerated processing unit (APU), and Hudson M1 chipset. AMD is targeting the nettop and HTPC markets with such motherboards, also as competitors to Atom and new Pentium Dual-Core (LGA1156/LGA1155) desktops. The GA-E350V-USB3 makes use of Gigabyte's Ultra Durable 3 construction that makes use of a PCB with 2x copper layers, solid-state capacitors, low RDS (on) MOSFETs, and ferrite core chokes.
The board uses a 3+2 phase power design. The Fusion E-350, like the Intel Atom, is hard-wired to the board, and cooled by a small fan-heatsink. It connects to two DDR3 DIMM slots for single-channel DDR3-1800+ MHz memory. The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8). The Fusion APU packs two x86-64 cores clocked at 1.60 GHz, and an AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics processor that features 80 stream processors, and clock speed of 500 MHz. Connectivity include four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, 8-channel HD audio, two USB 3.0 ports, display connectivity includes DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. Pricing and availability are not known, as AMD didn't officially launch the platform.
The board uses a 3+2 phase power design. The Fusion E-350, like the Intel Atom, is hard-wired to the board, and cooled by a small fan-heatsink. It connects to two DDR3 DIMM slots for single-channel DDR3-1800+ MHz memory. The lone expansion slot is a PCI-Express 2.0 x16 (electrical x8). The Fusion APU packs two x86-64 cores clocked at 1.60 GHz, and an AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics processor that features 80 stream processors, and clock speed of 500 MHz. Connectivity include four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, 8-channel HD audio, two USB 3.0 ports, display connectivity includes DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. Pricing and availability are not known, as AMD didn't officially launch the platform.
RunCore Readies 1 TB 3.5'' SATA SSD
Flash storage specialist RunCore is readying a new 3.5" SATA solid state drive (SSD) that provides 1 TB of storage. The drive uses two SandForce SF-1200 controllers in internal RAID 0, the internal RAID controller makes use of SATA 6 Gb/s interface with the host, giving the drive transfer speeds of up to 500 MB/s. The two SSD units inside the drive are set to run in RAID 0, which is abstract to the host. The company is yet to finalize a release date or price.
Zotac Announces GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition Graphics Card
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today introduces the tweaked and tuned ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition graphics card. The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition is engineered for maximum gaming performance.
An overclocked graphics processor and memory amplifies the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition to uncharted performance heights for a stunning visual adventure with smooth-as-butter frame rates. Support for Microsoft DirectX 11 with hardware tessellation technology enables the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition to bring landscapes and in-game objects to life with phenomenal realism.
An overclocked graphics processor and memory amplifies the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition to uncharted performance heights for a stunning visual adventure with smooth-as-butter frame rates. Support for Microsoft DirectX 11 with hardware tessellation technology enables the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition to bring landscapes and in-game objects to life with phenomenal realism.
Western Digital Intros Caviar Blue HDDs with SATA 6 Gb/s Interface
Western Digital (WD) announced a new line of Caviar Blue line of 3.5" SATA hard drives that make use of the SATA 6 Gb/s interface. Caviar Blue strikes a balance between performance and energy efficiency, it's a middle-ground between the performance-oriented Caviar Black, and energy efficiency-oriented Caviar Green. The drive uses a spindle speed of 7200 RPM. The new lineup of Caviar Blue drives also support 4K sectors, also known as Advanced Format. The drives are available in capacities of 250 GB, 320 GB, and 500 GB, which feature 16 MB cache; 750 GB and 1 TB, which feature 32 MB cache. Fairly standard pricing which are on par with prices of existing price per gigabyte of Caviar Blue drives, can be expected.
Wednesday, December 8th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cooling
Graphics Cards
- MSI GT 430 HardwareSecrets
- Sparkle GTS 450 1GB Think Computers
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Benchmark Reviews
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Bjorn3D
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Guru3D
- Gigabyte GTX 570 Guru3D
- NVIDIA GTX 570 HardOCP
- NVIDIA GTX 570 HardwareCanucks
- Inno3D GTX 570 HardwareHeaven
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Hi Tech Legion
- EVGA GTX 570 Hi Tech Legion
- NVIDIA GTX 570 HT4U.net (de)
- NVIDIA GTX 570 MadBoxPC (es)
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Motherboards.org
- NVIDIA GTX 570 NeoSeeker
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Overclock3D.net
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Overclockers Club
- EVGA GTX 570 SuperClocked Rage3D
- Zotac GTX 570 T-Break
- NVIDIA GTX 570 Tech Report
- Gainward GTX 570 Tweaktown
Memory
Motherboards
Nettops
Processors
PNY Announces XLR8 GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Card
PNY Technologies, a global leader in flash memory cards, USB flash drives, solid state drives, high speed HDMI cables, computer memory upgrade modules, consumer graphics cards, and professional workstation graphics cards, today announced the XLR8 GeForce GTX 570 1280MB GDDR5 graphics card.
PNY's XLR8 GeForce GTX 570 Enthusiast Edition offers incredible performance and stunning gaming effects. With cutting-edge Microsoft DirectX 11 technology and full support for all the premium GTX gaming technologies, such as NVIDIA Surround, 3D Vision, PhysX, and SLI, the GTX 570 screams performance. PNY's latest graphics card also features the new innovative thermal design for a quiet gaming experience. The GTX 570 delivers a fully immersive stereoscopic 3D experience, for the ultimate in PC gaming.
PNY's XLR8 GeForce GTX 570 Enthusiast Edition offers incredible performance and stunning gaming effects. With cutting-edge Microsoft DirectX 11 technology and full support for all the premium GTX gaming technologies, such as NVIDIA Surround, 3D Vision, PhysX, and SLI, the GTX 570 screams performance. PNY's latest graphics card also features the new innovative thermal design for a quiet gaming experience. The GTX 570 delivers a fully immersive stereoscopic 3D experience, for the ultimate in PC gaming.
Galaxy Launches its GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Card
Galaxy Microsystems, a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of NVIDIA based graphics solutions, announced today the launch of the Galaxy GeForce GTX 570 graphics card with the world's fastest DirectX 11 GPU.
"Maximum settings! With today's DirectX 11 games, that's what it's all about. But you shouldn't have to sacrifice performance OR pay a small fortune." said Shane Vance, US Sales, Galaxy. "With the new Galaxy GTX 570, you get the performance, the life-like realism, all at a price that you can afford, from the company that's been custom developing graphics cards for more than 10 years."
"Maximum settings! With today's DirectX 11 games, that's what it's all about. But you shouldn't have to sacrifice performance OR pay a small fortune." said Shane Vance, US Sales, Galaxy. "With the new Galaxy GTX 570, you get the performance, the life-like realism, all at a price that you can afford, from the company that's been custom developing graphics cards for more than 10 years."
Leadtek Releases New WinFast GTX 570 Graphics Card
After releasing the WinFast GTX 580 with great sales in November, Leadtek Research Inc., known globally for its extreme visual graphics technology development, today unveiled the new WinFast GTX 570 graphics card for the upcoming holiday season. Like the GTX 580 which features high performance, lower power consumption and noise, the DX11 GPU offers gamers maximum resolution and a quieter environment. The WinFast GTX 570 features a high core clock speed of up to 732MHz. With 480 cores and 1280MB of GDDR5 memory, paired with a 320-bit interface, its graphics card power is lower than GTX 470, only 219 watts.
Gigabyte Rolls Out Overclocked GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Card
Gigabyte graced NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 570 launch with a reference design graphics card model. Carrying the model number GV-N580D5-15I-B, Gigabyte's card features factory-overclocked speeds of 772 MHz (core), 1544 MHz (CUDA cores), and 1002/4008 MHz (memory/GDDR5 effective), against reference clock speeds of 732/1464/3800 MHz. Based on the 40 nm GF110 GPU, the GeForce GTX 570 features 480 CUDA cores, and connects to 1280 MB of memory over a 320-bit GDDR5 memory interface Gigabyte's GV-N580D5-15I-B is priced at US $359.99.
EVGA Announces Duo of GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Cards
EVGA started off its GeForce GTX 570 lineup with two models, the 012-P3-1570-AR, which is a base model that sticks to NVIDIA reference clock speeds, and 012-P3-1572-AR, which features level 1 "SuperClocked" (factory-overclocked) speeds. Both models are based on NVIDIA's reference board and cooler designs. The base model sticks to NVIDIA reference clock speeds of 732/1464/3800 MHz (core/CUDA core/GDDR5 memory), and is priced at US $349.99, while the SuperClocked card uses clock speeds of 797/1594/3900 MHz, and is priced at $369.99.
Lian Li Announces New Tyr PC-X500FX Chassis
Lian Li Industrial Co. Ltd. maker of high-end all-aluminum computer chassis since 1983, is pleased to release the Tyr PC-X500FX computer case. An upgrade to Lian Li's Tyr PC-X500 released in 2008, the new chassis is a direct result of Lian Li's commitment to listening and giving consumers what they want.
In there review of the 2008 release OverClock3D.net said "This chassis is crying out for a windowed side panel to show all the goodness off." Lian Li couldn't have agreed more and have added a side panel window to the Tyr PC-X500FX to show off its all-black, anodized aluminum interior. Reviewers called for more HDD room and they got it: The new case has tool-less, rubber suspension mounts for six 3.5" internal HDDs, as well as one internal 2.5" HDD. Two tool-less, external 5.25" ODD bays can be placed on either the right or left side panel, giving users the flexibility to place the PC-X500FX in virtually any location they want. There are eight, tool-less PCI expansion slots, room for graphics cards up to 315mm long, and the ability to mount ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX motherboards onto the motherboard tray. The tool-less PSU holder has been moved to the bottom of the chassis, right above a ventilation hole covered by a dust filter, to improve the thermal design of the PC-X500FX. There is 215mm of space available, or, with an expansion rack, 280mm for long PSUs.
In there review of the 2008 release OverClock3D.net said "This chassis is crying out for a windowed side panel to show all the goodness off." Lian Li couldn't have agreed more and have added a side panel window to the Tyr PC-X500FX to show off its all-black, anodized aluminum interior. Reviewers called for more HDD room and they got it: The new case has tool-less, rubber suspension mounts for six 3.5" internal HDDs, as well as one internal 2.5" HDD. Two tool-less, external 5.25" ODD bays can be placed on either the right or left side panel, giving users the flexibility to place the PC-X500FX in virtually any location they want. There are eight, tool-less PCI expansion slots, room for graphics cards up to 315mm long, and the ability to mount ATX, Micro-ATX, or Mini-ITX motherboards onto the motherboard tray. The tool-less PSU holder has been moved to the bottom of the chassis, right above a ventilation hole covered by a dust filter, to improve the thermal design of the PC-X500FX. There is 215mm of space available, or, with an expansion rack, 280mm for long PSUs.
Noctua Intros New AMD Opteron Coolers with G34 Support
Noctua today updated its DO line of CPU coolers for AMD Opteron based servers and workstations. The new NH-U12DO A3 and NH-U9DO A3 coolers come with two of Noctua's renowned premium quality fans, achieve further improved quiet cooling performance and support AMD's socket G34 platform.
"Our DX and DO line of coolers for Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron have made a name for themselves in the professional server and workstation market, but recently, many of our industry clients have requested support for the latest G34 based Opteron CPUs", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "The new A3 models now allow us to satisfy this demand and we're confident that many G34 builders will be relieved to hear that there's finally a quiet cooling solution for this platform."
"Our DX and DO line of coolers for Intel Xeon and AMD Opteron have made a name for themselves in the professional server and workstation market, but recently, many of our industry clients have requested support for the latest G34 based Opteron CPUs", explains Mag. Roland Mossig, Noctua CEO. "The new A3 models now allow us to satisfy this demand and we're confident that many G34 builders will be relieved to hear that there's finally a quiet cooling solution for this platform."
Tuesday, December 7th 2010
Today's Reviews
Cases
Cooling
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Memory
Motherboards
Processors
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Benchmark Reviews
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Bjorn3D
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition eTeknix
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Guru3D
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition HardwareCanucks
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition HardwareHeaven
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Hi Tech Legion
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Hi Tech Legion
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition HotHardware
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Legit Reviews
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition LostCircuits
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition NeoSeeker
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Overclock3D.net
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Overclockers Club
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Overclockers.com
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Planet 3DNow! (de)
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition PureOverclock
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Rage3D
- AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition TechSpot
PSUs
ASUS GeForce GTX 570 Review
Today NVIDIA launches their new GeForce GTX 570 graphics card which is based on the new more power efficient Fermi technology that we saw on the GTX 580, too. ASUS' GTX 570 is a full reference design implementation, the only difference is a small clock speed increase of 10 MHz.
Palit GeForce GTX 570 Sonic Platinum Review
NVIDIA's new GeForce GTX 570 complements the GTX 580 at more affordable price levels. It offers the same reduced power consumption as its big brother without compromising performance. Palit's GTX 570 is a custom design with a unique thermal solution and substantially increased clock speeds out of the box.
Inno3D Announces its GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Accelerator
Inno3D is excited to announce the launch of the Inno3D GeForce GTX 570. The GTX 570 boasts an amazing 480 CUDA cores,a 320-bit interface to 1.28GB of onboard GDDR5 RAM, and clock speeds of 732MHz and 1464MHz. GTX 570 continues with the redesigned from the ground up architecture to deliver the best performance on DX11 - adding dedicated engines in the GPU to accelerate key features like tessellation.
Game performance and image quality has received a tremendous boost, enabling film-like geometric realism for game characters and objects. Geometric realism is central to the GTX 570 architectural enhancements for graphics. In addition, PhysX simulations are much faster, and developers can utilize GPU computing features in games most effectively.
Game performance and image quality has received a tremendous boost, enabling film-like geometric realism for game characters and objects. Geometric realism is central to the GTX 570 architectural enhancements for graphics. In addition, PhysX simulations are much faster, and developers can utilize GPU computing features in games most effectively.
Palit Microsystems Announces Duo of GeForce GTX 570 Accelerators
Palit Microsystems Ltd, the leading graphics card manufacturer, releases the most anticipated products of the year: Palit GTX 570 and GTX 570 Sonic Platinum. Featuring massive DX11 performance, dual fan thermal solution with the new mercury design and 4 video outputs, Palit GeForce GTX 570 Series will bring you a whole new level of gaming experience.
With 480 CUDA processor cores and the architecture enhancement on GF110 chipset, Palit GTX 570 Series deliver an outstanding DX11 performance that's 25% higher than previous generation. However, the enormous factory overclock of 800MHz and 1280MB of 2000MHz makes Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum the king amongst GTX 570 Series. The performance of Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum can boost 6% higher than non-OC GTX 570 in DX11. Even more, Palit GTX 570 Sonic Platinum runs up to 8 % faster in DX10 than non-OC version. Built from GeForce GTX GPU, Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum also incorporates all the latest gaming technologies like CUDA, PhysX, NVIDIA Surround, 3D Vision and SLI. Palit GTX 570 Sonic Platinum is the most suitable gaming rig for enthusiast gamers.
With 480 CUDA processor cores and the architecture enhancement on GF110 chipset, Palit GTX 570 Series deliver an outstanding DX11 performance that's 25% higher than previous generation. However, the enormous factory overclock of 800MHz and 1280MB of 2000MHz makes Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum the king amongst GTX 570 Series. The performance of Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum can boost 6% higher than non-OC GTX 570 in DX11. Even more, Palit GTX 570 Sonic Platinum runs up to 8 % faster in DX10 than non-OC version. Built from GeForce GTX GPU, Palit GTX570 Sonic Platinum also incorporates all the latest gaming technologies like CUDA, PhysX, NVIDIA Surround, 3D Vision and SLI. Palit GTX 570 Sonic Platinum is the most suitable gaming rig for enthusiast gamers.
Point of View Announces GeForce GTX 570, and TGT Series GTX 570 Accelerators
Point of View - known for its range of NVIDIA based 3D Graphics cards, Netbooks and other PC products - announces today the new GeForce GTX 570 graphics card accompanied with two TGT/POV Overclocked variants: the POV GeForce GTX570 Charged and Ultra Charged. The GeForce GTX570 is the 1st wingman of the worlds' fastest graphics card and contains all the next generation features which were recently launched with the flagship GTX 580 card. This GeForce 500 series graphics card really pushes the envelope by a GPU, PCB and cooling system optimization.
A 'vapor chamber' based cooler ensures fast and efficient heat dissipation whilst the PCB has been restructured for energy leaks. The result: more performance, less heat and lower noise level. Point of View's newest enthusiast graphics card has a native support for DirextX 11 technology including hardware tessellation acceleration. The hardware tessellation acceleration techniques in the GeForce GTX570 will definitely boost in game detail to an absolute maximum.
A 'vapor chamber' based cooler ensures fast and efficient heat dissipation whilst the PCB has been restructured for energy leaks. The result: more performance, less heat and lower noise level. Point of View's newest enthusiast graphics card has a native support for DirextX 11 technology including hardware tessellation acceleration. The hardware tessellation acceleration techniques in the GeForce GTX570 will definitely boost in game detail to an absolute maximum.
Colorful Announces iGame GTX 570 Graphics Card
Colorful announces GeForce GTX 570 at first time after the NDA, it about one month after releasing factory overclocked GTX 580. Though Colorful GTX570 is based on reference edition, they overclocked the card from 732/3800MHz to 750/3900MHz in order to tweak better performance and make some differences with other brand.
The GTX570 has 1280MB memory capacity, with 320bit bandwidth, and equips 480 CUDA core (SP), full support for DirectX11 and CUDA3.0. GTX570 will instead of the position of GTX480, but the TDP of GTX570 is about 20Watt lower than GTX480, and it is set to 229Watt.
The GTX570 has 1280MB memory capacity, with 320bit bandwidth, and equips 480 CUDA core (SP), full support for DirectX11 and CUDA3.0. GTX570 will instead of the position of GTX480, but the TDP of GTX570 is about 20Watt lower than GTX480, and it is set to 229Watt.
Club3D Announces its GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Card
Club 3D B.V. is pleased to announce the introduction of the next generation gaming video card. The NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 supports DirectX 11, CUDA , and Nvidia PhysX technologies to provide the best experience on your favorite games.
With NVIDIA 3D Vision technology you can now use two Gefore GTX 570 cards in NVIDIA SLI configuration to project across three displays with NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround technology. The new card features an impressive 732 Mhz clock speed with 1280 MB GDDR5 memory and a 320 bit memory interface. A new and innovative thermal design has been implemented to provide a quieter and cooler operation while performance has been increased.
With NVIDIA 3D Vision technology you can now use two Gefore GTX 570 cards in NVIDIA SLI configuration to project across three displays with NVIDIA 3D Vision Surround technology. The new card features an impressive 732 Mhz clock speed with 1280 MB GDDR5 memory and a 320 bit memory interface. A new and innovative thermal design has been implemented to provide a quieter and cooler operation while performance has been increased.
Zotac Unleashes GeForce GTX 570 Graphics Card
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today unveils the new ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 graphics card for demanding gamers. The ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 graphics card delivers a stunning graphical experience without sacrificing performance or features for flawless high-resolution gaming.
Powered by a new graphics processor with 480 unified shaders, the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 has abundant power to render beautiful hardware tessellated visuals using Microsoft DirectX 11 technology for unmatched clarity and realism. A large 1280MB frame buffer feeds the graphics processor with high-quality textures at lightning-fast speeds via an ultra-wide 320-bit memory bus for crystal clear visual details that rival reality with the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570.
Powered by a new graphics processor with 480 unified shaders, the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570 has abundant power to render beautiful hardware tessellated visuals using Microsoft DirectX 11 technology for unmatched clarity and realism. A large 1280MB frame buffer feeds the graphics processor with high-quality textures at lightning-fast speeds via an ultra-wide 320-bit memory bus for crystal clear visual details that rival reality with the ZOTAC GeForce GTX 570.
Futuremark 3DMark 11 Released
3DMark 11, the new DirectX 11 benchmark from Futuremark was released today. 3DMark 11 is the latest in the long-running series of graphical benchmarks used by millions of gamers and enthusiasts worldwide. Designed for testing DirectX 11 hardware in the latest gaming PCs, 3DMark 11 includes Futuremark's signature high-end, real-time graphics across six all new benchmark tests.
NVIDIA SLI Technology and Intel Sandy Bridge Form the Ultimate Gaming PC
NVIDIA today announced that NVIDIA SLI technology has been licensed by the world's leading motherboard manufacturers -- including Intel, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI and EVGA -- for use on their Intel P67 Express Chipset-based motherboards designed for the upcoming Intel Sandy Bridge processors.
As a result, customers who purchase a SLI-certified P67-based motherboard and a Sandy Bridge processor can equip their PCs with a single or a dual combination of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, including the recently released GeForce GTX 580 GPU and GTX 570, the world's fastest DX11 GPUs. 3-way SLI is also available on supported platforms.
As a result, customers who purchase a SLI-certified P67-based motherboard and a Sandy Bridge processor can equip their PCs with a single or a dual combination of NVIDIA GeForce GPUs, including the recently released GeForce GTX 580 GPU and GTX 570, the world's fastest DX11 GPUs. 3-way SLI is also available on supported platforms.
NVIDIA GeForce GTX 570 GPU Gives Gamers Explosive Performance and Quiet Gaming
Hot on the heels of last month's successful launch of the GeForce GTX 580 graphics processing unit (GPU), NVIDIA today announced the immediate availability of the GeForce GTX 570 -- the newest addition to its GTX 500 Series of DirectX 11 (DX11) GPUs designed for PC gaming enthusiast platforms. The GeForce GTX 570 brings a new level of DX11 price/performance to the enthusiast PC gaming market while maintaining quiet acoustics and is available starting today from the world's leading add-in card partners, including ASL, ASUS, Colorful, ECS, EVGA, Gainward, Galaxy, Gigabyte, Innovision 3D, Jetway, Leadtek, MSI, Palit, Point of View, PNY, Sparkle, Zotac and others.
Business Samsung Readies Green Memory With Advanced Chip Stacking Technology
Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., the world leader in advanced memory technology, today announced the development of an eight gigabyte (GB) registered dual inline memory module (RDIMM) based on its advanced Green DDR3 DRAM. The new memory module, which has just been successfully tested by major Samsung customers, delivers superior performance, in particular because of its use of a three-dimensional (3D) chip stacking technology referred to as 'through silicon via' (TSV).
"At Samsung, we're well positioned to accommodate early market demand for our state-of-the-art TSV technology as the industry continues to forge forward with even further advances in bonding technology to enable greater performance and operational efficiency," said Dr. Chang-Hyun Kim, senior vice president and Samsung fellow, memory product planning & application engineering at Samsung Electronics. "Our 40nm-class* RDIMM being announced today marks the introduction of a more advanced eco-friendly 'Green Memory' product line up utilizing 3D-TSV technology that is expected to enhance the leadership of Samsung and our allies in server and enterprise storage."
"At Samsung, we're well positioned to accommodate early market demand for our state-of-the-art TSV technology as the industry continues to forge forward with even further advances in bonding technology to enable greater performance and operational efficiency," said Dr. Chang-Hyun Kim, senior vice president and Samsung fellow, memory product planning & application engineering at Samsung Electronics. "Our 40nm-class* RDIMM being announced today marks the introduction of a more advanced eco-friendly 'Green Memory' product line up utilizing 3D-TSV technology that is expected to enhance the leadership of Samsung and our allies in server and enterprise storage."
MSI IM-PV-C with Intel Atom Pineview for Low Power and High Performance
MSI, the global leading brand in motherboard, announces the latest mini-ITX motherboard, IM-PV-C, to IPC market. IM-PV-C is designed the latest Intel Atom processors N455/ N475/ D425/ D525 and the Intel ICH8M chipset which is an ideal low power and high performance solution for industrial applications.
MSI IM-PV-C comes to meet the requirements of a low power platform, especially in power input design. MSI IM-PV-C supports ATX and wide range DC 12V ~ 24V inputs as the different BOM option. For supporting high resolution video, MSI debuts IM-PV-C with great 3D graphics performance for a high definition up to 1080P videos.
MSI IM-PV-C comes to meet the requirements of a low power platform, especially in power input design. MSI IM-PV-C supports ATX and wide range DC 12V ~ 24V inputs as the different BOM option. For supporting high resolution video, MSI debuts IM-PV-C with great 3D graphics performance for a high definition up to 1080P videos.
Sunbeamtech Introduces Twister 120 CPU Cooler
The computer chassis and cooling accessory manufacturer, Sunbeamtech from Taiwan has just added a new product into their CPU cooler family, the Twister 120. In the never ending battle to tame the CPU heat, it is not possible to keep on increasing the size of the heatsink. Sunbeamtech took an innovative approach and came up with the ISO-Turbo Technology which incorporates 2 fans that are spinning in opposite direction. Compared to the traditional approach, the ISO-Turbo Technology provides higher airflow efficiency which translates to higher heat dissipation capability.
Sunbeamtech also includes a Rheosmart PCI controller to provide you the flexibility to either use the onboard PWM for automatic control of the fan speed or manually by hand using the turn knob. This addition really extends the control you have over the CPU cooling.
Sunbeamtech also includes a Rheosmart PCI controller to provide you the flexibility to either use the onboard PWM for automatic control of the fan speed or manually by hand using the turn knob. This addition really extends the control you have over the CPU cooling.
Team launches F108 for Christmas 2010
The atmosphere of Christmas is everywhere as the end of 2010 is drawing near. Team Group Inc launches the F108 Christmas Edition to celebrate this global festival. The brand new sharp red package followed by Christmas bell and snowflake patterns express Team's decoration for Christmas spirit. Along with the Christmas totem, which exclusively designed for the F108 Christmas Edition, F108 is a perfect Christmas present to express endearing concerns and the warm wishes in cold winter.
The small, colorful and cute F108 is a beloved flash for young people. With crafty design, Team fuses sharp red metallic appearance with Christmas tree and snowflakes to express the warm blessing in Christmas. The F108 is launched in five models by capacity ranging from 2GB to 32GB. Consumers can choose their heart-felt Christmas present for their friends according to their budget. This collectible flash is also great Christmas present for you. In addition to the lifetime warranty from Team, the ultra-durable F108 is your great companion for storing the precious moments for life!
The small, colorful and cute F108 is a beloved flash for young people. With crafty design, Team fuses sharp red metallic appearance with Christmas tree and snowflakes to express the warm blessing in Christmas. The F108 is launched in five models by capacity ranging from 2GB to 32GB. Consumers can choose their heart-felt Christmas present for their friends according to their budget. This collectible flash is also great Christmas present for you. In addition to the lifetime warranty from Team, the ultra-durable F108 is your great companion for storing the precious moments for life!
Sharkoon Announces QuickPort XT Series HDD Docks
Sharkoon redesigns their QuickPort hard drive docking station: The "SATA QuickPort XT" model of the new series is available for the first time in white and features a new design plus an additional Backup function. The application stays the same: With the sturdy table adapter, external SATA hard drives and SSDs can be connected directly to the computer without any prior time-consuming installation. When the disk is inserted into the slot, the system immediately recognizes it as an authorized drive.
For the new series Sharkoon has revised the design: With the housing having a new flattened forward design, the XT model looks slimmer. The measurements: 130 x 100 x 63 mm (W x L x H). Besides the new look, Sharkoon has integrated a One Click Backup Feature for Windows systems (XP, Vista, 7) and provides a CD containing the software for fast and convenient data protection. On the front of the device an LED strip shines during operation and hard drive access, on the back is a 12V power supply and an on/off switch.
For the new series Sharkoon has revised the design: With the housing having a new flattened forward design, the XT model looks slimmer. The measurements: 130 x 100 x 63 mm (W x L x H). Besides the new look, Sharkoon has integrated a One Click Backup Feature for Windows systems (XP, Vista, 7) and provides a CD containing the software for fast and convenient data protection. On the front of the device an LED strip shines during operation and hard drive access, on the back is a 12V power supply and an on/off switch.
NEC Readies 30-inch MultiSync IPS Monitor
NEC is readying a new addition to its MultiSync IPS monitor series, the PA301W. This 30-inch monitor sports a native resolution of 2560 x 1600, and is best suited for graphics professional use, as it features a 10-bit IPS panel, built-in 14-bit LUT, 107% Adobe RGB coverage, 1000:1 static contrast ratio, and 6 ms response time. It features standard CCFL-illumination with 350 cd/m² brightness. Backed by a 3-year warranty, the MultiSync PA301W is expected to cost €2259.
AMD Introduces Phenom II X6 1100T BE, X2 565 BE, Athlon II X3 455
AMD rolled out three new processors today, the six-core Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition, Athlon II X3 455, and the Phenom II X2 565 Black Edition. The new flagship of AMD's processor lineup, the Phenom II X6 1100T, is based on the AM3 socket, supporting DDR3 and DDR2 memory on older AM2+ motherboards. It carries a nominal clock speed of 3.30 GHz, is based on the 45 nm "Thuban" silicon, features 512 KB of L2 cache per core, and 6 MB of L3 between all six cores. It features the TurboCore technology, which bumps clock speed by a few hundred MHz when it senses high load. As a Black Edition chip, it features an unlocked bus multiplier. Despite its increased clock speed, the 1100T has a TDP of 125W. This chip goes for US $265.
Next up, is the Phenom II X2 565 Black Edition. Clocked at 3.40 GHz, the X2 565 is based on the Callisto silicon (which is Deneb with two cores locked), featuring 512 KB of cache per core, and 6 MB shared L3 cache. This one has a TDP of 80W, and is priced at US $115. Lastly, there's the Athlon II X3 455, a triple-core chip based on the "Rana" silicon (which is Propus with one core locked), it lacks an L3 cache, but features 512 KB L2 per core. With a TDP of 95W, this one goes for $87.
Next up, is the Phenom II X2 565 Black Edition. Clocked at 3.40 GHz, the X2 565 is based on the Callisto silicon (which is Deneb with two cores locked), featuring 512 KB of cache per core, and 6 MB shared L3 cache. This one has a TDP of 80W, and is priced at US $115. Lastly, there's the Athlon II X3 455, a triple-core chip based on the "Rana" silicon (which is Propus with one core locked), it lacks an L3 cache, but features 512 KB L2 per core. With a TDP of 95W, this one goes for $87.
Monday, December 6th 2010
Today's Reviews
Graphics Cards
Headphones
Motherboards
Mouse
Notebooks
PSUs
Elpida and Rambus Sign Patent License Agreement
Rambus Inc., one of the world's premier technology licensing companies, today announced that it has renewed their patent license agreement with Elpida Memory, Inc., Japan's leading global supplier of Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM). This agreement covers Elpida's range of memory products including SDR, DDR, DDR2, DDR3, LPDDR, LPDDR2, GDDR3 and GDDR5 DRAM.
"We are extremely pleased to have licensed another one of the top three memory companies. This agreement continues our licensing momentum and renews a winning partnership that has produced best-in-class memory solutions for customers," said Sharon Holt, senior vice president and general manager of the Semiconductor Business Group at Rambus. "Elpida's customers now have the full benefit of licensed products using our patented innovations to enrich the consumer experience of electronic systems."
"We are extremely pleased to have licensed another one of the top three memory companies. This agreement continues our licensing momentum and renews a winning partnership that has produced best-in-class memory solutions for customers," said Sharon Holt, senior vice president and general manager of the Semiconductor Business Group at Rambus. "Elpida's customers now have the full benefit of licensed products using our patented innovations to enrich the consumer experience of electronic systems."
EVGA GeForce GTX 570 Pictured
EVGA is ready with its stock of GeForce GTX 570 graphics accelerators. Canadian online store NCIX.com listed one of its GTX 570 models at a pre-order price of $414 CAD (US $411). What these pictures also reveal is that NVIDIA's reference board design of the GTX 570 is exactly the same as that of the GTX 580, with just two memory chips removed (128 MB x 10, instead of 128 MB x 12); and the GTX 570 GPU configuration. GeForce GTX 570 has 480 CUDA cores, it connects to 1280 MB of GDDR5 memory over a 320-bit wide memory interface.
Patriot Introduces 16GB and 32GB LX Series MicroSDHC Class 10 Memory Cards
Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer peripheral solutions today announced the addition of 16GB and 32GB LX Series microSD High Capacity (SDHC) cards. These large capacity cards meet SD Associations Class 10 specifications enabling them to deliver high performance to today's smartphones and other digital devices.
"Today's mobile devices have evolved from simplistic phones to multi-functional tools capable of handling email, music, photos and more," says Meng Jay Choo, Patriot's Flash Product Manager. "Smartphones have become a part of our everyday lives letting us connect with each other. Adding 16GB and 32GB storage solutions let consumers expand the capabilities of these devices."
"Today's mobile devices have evolved from simplistic phones to multi-functional tools capable of handling email, music, photos and more," says Meng Jay Choo, Patriot's Flash Product Manager. "Smartphones have become a part of our everyday lives letting us connect with each other. Adding 16GB and 32GB storage solutions let consumers expand the capabilities of these devices."
Thermaltake Introduces Armor A30 Compact Gaming Chassis
Thermaltake, leading DIY chassis brand, is launching their latest edition to the popular and award winning ARMOR series of PC cases. The entirely black ARMOR A30 sports the familiar "bulletproof" armor design concept with metal mesh elements lending the ARMOR series an extremely stylish and powerful appearance that attracts gamers and enthusiasts alike. The top and front blue LED-fans enhance the overall combat ambience. It's small dimensions of 266 (H) x 291 (W) X 456 (D) cm make it an ideal solution for small form factor systems (Micro ATX and mini ITX), while still allowing for enough room to house the most powerful graphics cards available on the market today (e.g. AMD Radeon HD 5970 and NVIDIA GTX460). Demanding LAN party goers can now set up a truly powerful gaming machine that is still small enough to be portable and stylish at the same time.
ASUS Develops New Feature-Rich GeForce GTS 450 Overclocked Graphics Card
ASUS is designing a new GeForce GTS 450 graphics card that is factory overclocked, and makes use of some innovative new features. To begin with, the card is clocked at 810 MHz for the core, 1620 MHz CUDA cores, and 902 MHz (3608 GDDR5 effective) for memory. It makes use of a 4-phase VRM with POSCAP capacitors, an EMI shield, and GPU Guard technology that increases durability. On the other side of the coin ofcourse, there's the VoltageTweak feature that lets you adjust voltages to optimize an overclocked speed profile. Display outputs include one each of DVI, D-Sub, and full-sized HDMI, The GTS 450 is based on the GF106 GPU, it features 192 CUDA cores and connects to 1 GB of memory over a 128-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface.
NVIDIA Announces GeForce GT 540M Notebook GPU
NVIDIA introduced the GeForce GT 540M notebook GPU, the first GPU in our GeForce 500M family of notebook GPUs. OEMs are launching these Optimized notebooks with GeForce GT 540M GPUs and dual-core "Arrandale" CPUs in order to hit mainstream price points sooner, ahead of Huron River dual-core platforms that will not be released until later in 2011. It is available immediately in China from Acer, and will be available worldwide next month.
With GeForce GT 540M, we are taking an already proven architecture and using the maturity of the manufacturing process to create GPUs with higher clock settings while staying in the same power envelope. As a result, the GeForce GT 540M delivers a significant increase in fill-rate and memory bandwidth, which ultimately translates to better overall performance.
With GeForce GT 540M, we are taking an already proven architecture and using the maturity of the manufacturing process to create GPUs with higher clock settings while staying in the same power envelope. As a result, the GeForce GT 540M delivers a significant increase in fill-rate and memory bandwidth, which ultimately translates to better overall performance.
TechPowerUp Giving Away 3DMark 11 Keys
TechPowerUp is celebrating the launch of Futuremark 3DMark 11, the company's next-generation 3D graphics benchmark. We will be giving away four keys of 3DMark 11 Advanced Edition, the variant that is tailored for gamers and overclockers alike. To stand a chance to win, simply post in the comments why you love visiting TechPowerUp. Keep your post as concise as possible. We will announce four lucky winners on launch-day of 3DMark 11.
Some terms and conditions: 
Some terms and conditions:
- Only one post allowed per user.
- Participants can edit their entries
- Thread will be closed on 7th December 2010, at 11:59 PM CET (Central European Time).
- All members are allowed to participate
Friday, December 3rd 2010
Today's Reviews
Game Controllers
Graphics Cards
Keyboards
Memory
Motherboards
Notebooks
AVG Update Cripples Windows
Yesterday an update to the popular antivirus suite AVG left many users computers unable to boot. After rebooting, as requested by the AVG updater, Windows crashes while trying to load certain AVG drivers. The error message reads "STOP: c0000135 The program cannot start because %hs is missing from your computer". Since the culprit drivers load even during safe mode there is no way to boot Windows. AVG recommends using the AVG rescue disc located here. After booting from the disc users should use midnight commander to rename their AVG folder, usually located at C:\program files (x86)\AVG, to any other name and then booting windows normally. However, any bootable flash drive or CD with an OS that can access NTFS file systems can be used to accomplish this task. I used a bootable Ubuntu flash drive.
TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.4.9 Released, PowerColor Giveaway Returns
TechPowerUp today released GPU-Z version 0.4.9, our comprehensive graphics subsystem information and monitoring utility that lets you get important details about the installed graphics hardware in your computer, and lets you monitor parameters such as clock speeds, voltages, temperatures, fan speeds, and usages (on supported GPUs). The latest version of GPU-Z adds support for NVIDIA's upcoming GeForce GTX 570 graphics card, support for detection of PCI-Express 3.0 bus interface, detection of some new upcoming entry-level AMD Radeon HD 6000 series GPUs, and a large number of stability and reliability updates.
With this version, PowerColor and TechPowerUp return with the PowerColor Hardware giveaway. This time we're giving away some even cooler next-generation graphics cards, including two upcoming high-end PowerColor Radeon graphics cards, two PowerColor HD 6870 PCS+, and two PowerColor HD 6850 PCS+ graphics cards. To participate, simply download the latest GPU-Z, and click on the "PowerColor Giveaway", follow the instructions.
DOWNLOAD: TechPowerUp GPU-Z 0.4.9
A list of changes follows.
With this version, PowerColor and TechPowerUp return with the PowerColor Hardware giveaway. This time we're giving away some even cooler next-generation graphics cards, including two upcoming high-end PowerColor Radeon graphics cards, two PowerColor HD 6870 PCS+, and two PowerColor HD 6850 PCS+ graphics cards. To participate, simply download the latest GPU-Z, and click on the "PowerColor Giveaway", follow the instructions.
A list of changes follows.
GeForce GTX 570 Pricing Surfaces
British retailer YoYo Tech, which claims to be "famously first for Fermi", started giving out the pricing of NVIDIA's upcoming enthusiast graphics card, the GeForce GTX 570. The card, according to this retailer, is priced at £299 (GBP), including 17.5% VAT, that's £246.6 excluding it. Direct conversion to USD would yield $384. Based on this, we can garner a guess that the US pricing could be somewhere between US $350 and $400. The GeForce GTX 570 is NVIDIA's upcoming graphics card based on the 40 nm GF110 GPU, it features 480 CUDA cores, and 1280 MB of GDDR5 memory over a 320-bit wide memory interface. More details about the GPU can be read here.
Point of View and TGT Announce GeForce GTX 580 ''Beast'' Overclocked Graphics Card
Point of View the leading European manufacturer of an exclusive range NVIDIA based 3D processor boards, advanced netbooks as well as fancy 7" and 10" Tegra tablet computers and additional enthusiast PC products, announces today that it is first to market with a water cooled GeForce GTX 580 3D processor board, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 580 "Beast" featuring a solid 9mm slim-line Copper Water Cooling block. The POV/TGT GeForce GTX 580 "Beast" already started shipping at a recommended retail price of € 729.
Hand-selected by TGT, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 580 "Beast" is running at an unprecedented 855 MHz core clock "out of the box", 1710 MHz shader clock and 4104 MHz DDR-5 memory clock honoring TGT's efforts to optimize and balance both, enhanced core clock settings and rock solid stability.
Hand-selected by TGT, the POV/TGT GeForce GTX 580 "Beast" is running at an unprecedented 855 MHz core clock "out of the box", 1710 MHz shader clock and 4104 MHz DDR-5 memory clock honoring TGT's efforts to optimize and balance both, enhanced core clock settings and rock solid stability.
LG Intros E2290V Ultra-Slim Monitor
LG introduced what it claims to be the slimmest PC monitor in the world, which is just 7.2 mm thick. The E2290V from LG is a 21.5-inch full HD (1920 x 1080 pixels resolution) monitor that is able achieve its low thickness thanks to LED backlit. Panel specifications include 2 ms response time, dynamic contrast ratio of 10,000,000:1, and brightness of 250 cd/m². Display inputs include DVI, D-Sub, and HDMI. It is priced at €329.
TRENDnet Releases the 300 Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge
TRENDnet, a best-in-class wired and wireless networking hardware brand, today announces the launch of the 300Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge, model TEW-640MB, which provides a high performance wireless connection for all networked media center devices.
The stylish 300Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge connects your favorite Ethernet-ready gaming console, network television, receiver, media controller, and DVR to a lag-free high-speed wireless n network. No need to place your media center near a hardwired Internet connection-cut the cables and experience the high definition connection quality of TRENDnet's 300Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge, model TEW-640MB.
The stylish 300Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge connects your favorite Ethernet-ready gaming console, network television, receiver, media controller, and DVR to a lag-free high-speed wireless n network. No need to place your media center near a hardwired Internet connection-cut the cables and experience the high definition connection quality of TRENDnet's 300Mbps Wireless N Media Bridge, model TEW-640MB.
Seagate Intros Barracuda Green 5900.3 Series 1.5 TB and 2 TB SATA 6 Gb/s Hard Drives
Seagate introduced new Barracuda Green 5900.3 series high-capacity, energy-efficient hard drive models, in capacities of 1.5 TB and 2 TB. As the name suggests, these drives have spindle speeds of 5900 RPM (which is where the energy efficiency comes from), other specifications include 4K sector size (Advanced Format), 64 MB cache, and SATA 6 Gb/s interface. The Seagate Barracuda Green 5900.3 is priced at US $118.9 for the 1.5 TB model, and $149.99 for the 2 TB model.
Thursday, December 2nd 2010
Today's Contests
Today's Reviews
Cases
CPU Coolers
Keyboards
Motherboards
Speakers
SilverStone Readying Strider Gold Series High-Efficiency Modular PSUs
SilverStone is readying a new series of PSUs under the Strider Gold banner. As the name might suggest, PSUs in this series are 80 Plus Gold compliant, yielding extremely high efficiency. Models in the series consist of 750W, 850W, 1000W, and 1200W. The PSUs feature completely modular cabling, a single +12V rail design, active PFC, over current, over power, over voltage, over temperature, under voltage, short circuit, and no load protection mechanisms; and 100,000 hours MTBF. All models are cooled by a 135 mm fan that has a noise output (depending on load/temperature) of 19 to 36 dBA.
Inno3D iChill Black Edition GeForce GTX 580 Graphics Card Pictured
Inno3D is ready with a new high-end graphics card based on NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 580 graphics processor, which comes with a factory-fitted water cooling system. Dubbed the iChill Black Series GTX 580, the card makes use of a pre-fitted water-cooling loop consisting of a full-coverage water block, and tubing leading up to a pump/reservoir/radiator unit that uses one 120 mm fan. The loop can be detached at the card's end. The iChill card is bound to feature some factory-overclocked speeds, coupled with quite some headroom courtesy water-cooling. Its exact pricing and availability are not known. Based on the 40 nm GF110 GPU, the GeForce GTX 580 is NVIDIA's fastest GPU, it features of 512 CUDA cores, and 1536 MB of memory over a 384-bit wide GDDR5 memory interface.
ZOTAC Unleashes Duo of AMD 800 Series Mini-ITX Platforms
ZOTAC International, a leading innovator and the world's largest channel manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, today unleashes a duo of mini-ITX platforms designed for optimal energy-efficiency, home theatre PC and powered by AMD 800 series chipsets - including the world's first AMD mobile-on-desktop platform - the new ZOTAC M880G-ITX WiFi - and the socket AM3 compatible 880G-ITX WiFi.
Powered by AMD 800 series chipsets, the ZOTAC M880G-ITX WiFi and 880G-ITX WiFi platforms deliver a premium AMD experience in a mini-ITX form factor with USB 3.0, SATA 6.0 Gb/s and 802.11n WiFi technologies. High-performance integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 series graphics processor enables stunning visuals with Microsoft DirectX 10.1 technology.
Powered by AMD 800 series chipsets, the ZOTAC M880G-ITX WiFi and 880G-ITX WiFi platforms deliver a premium AMD experience in a mini-ITX form factor with USB 3.0, SATA 6.0 Gb/s and 802.11n WiFi technologies. High-performance integrated ATI Radeon HD 4200 series graphics processor enables stunning visuals with Microsoft DirectX 10.1 technology.
GlacialTech Launches New, Elegant M- Flit Series Laptop Cooling Pads
The new GlacialTech Cooling Pad is the best way to keep your laptop cool. In order to achieve the best cooling performance, GlacialTech redesigned the four types of M-Flit series Cooling Pad in the title of S1, M1, L1 & Z1 which fit laptop up to 17 inches to include a patent-pending Air Flow Wing, repositioned fan, and wave shape. This combination of features optimizes circulation to let hot air flow up and away from your laptop. The USB-powered Cooling Pad can be used comfortably on a desk or in your lap. The M- Flit series has a very minimalistic metal and plastic design that looks good in any home or office. Its thin aluminum & plastic body features a mesh pattern, with plenty of holes to let air flow into the bottom of your notebook, while its back props the pad (and your notebook) up at about a perfect-degree angle, both to increase airflow and to give users a better typing position.
One might wonder how prolonged use of notebooks could effect on the upper thigh of the human. It can give first degree burns. Therefore, using laptop until it heats up would not only result in severe health disorder but can also damage the laptop in general. The tiny wirings and connections on the boards within the laptop are also sensitive to changes in temperature. Using the laptop for a long time after it is already heat up can cause these wirings and connections to melt could lead to the malfunctioning of the laptop.
One might wonder how prolonged use of notebooks could effect on the upper thigh of the human. It can give first degree burns. Therefore, using laptop until it heats up would not only result in severe health disorder but can also damage the laptop in general. The tiny wirings and connections on the boards within the laptop are also sensitive to changes in temperature. Using the laptop for a long time after it is already heat up can cause these wirings and connections to melt could lead to the malfunctioning of the laptop.
NVIDIA BIOS Editor (NiBiTor) Version 5.9 Released
NVIDIA BIOS Editor (or NiBiTor), got its timely update, the application is now at version 5.9. NiBiTor allows enthusiasts to extract and manipulate with the VGA BIOS from a supported graphics card. With each new release, the a number of new GPUs are added to the supported products list, bugs fixed, and stability improved. The GPUs added to the list with this release include:
DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA BIOS Editor (NiBiTor) v5.9
- GeForce GTS 450
- GeForce GTS 360M
- GeForce GT 310M
- GeForce GTX 285M
- GeForce GT 240M
DOWNLOAD: NVIDIA BIOS Editor (NiBiTor) v5.9
Corsair Announces Additions to Force SSD Series: F90 and F180
Corsair, a worldwide designer and supplier of high-performance components to the PC gaming hardware market, today announced two additions to its award-winning Force Series SSD family. The new models include the F90 and F180 Force Series SSDs, with densities of 90GB and 180GB respectively.
These latest additions to the Corsair Force Series are built using the Sandforce SF-1200 SSD Processor, which provides exceptional performance, including read speeds of up to 285 MB/sec and write speeds of up to 275 MB/sec, with a 4K random write throughput of up to 50,000 IOPs. This is the same level of performance as that of enterprise-level SSDs, and results in unmatched system responsiveness.
These latest additions to the Corsair Force Series are built using the Sandforce SF-1200 SSD Processor, which provides exceptional performance, including read speeds of up to 285 MB/sec and write speeds of up to 275 MB/sec, with a 4K random write throughput of up to 50,000 IOPs. This is the same level of performance as that of enterprise-level SSDs, and results in unmatched system responsiveness.
Sony Develops Hybrid FPA Technology, Lowers LCD Response Times
Sony Corporation has developed "Hybrid FPA (field-induced photo-reactive alignment)", a new liquid crystal alignment technique which enables a significantly faster response time for liquid crystal displays. Fast responses of less than 3ms have been achieved in test cells through this technology. Aside from contributing to 'picture quality enhancement in 3D and high frame rate video', this technology will improve 'product stability' during the display panel manufacturing process as well as after long-term use. Additionally, this technology will achieve production efficiencies by reducing the manufacturing process and time.
Sony previously developed the "FPA *1" high-speed liquid crystal response alignment technique based on vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal modes. One method for improving liquid crystal response time is to generate pre-tilt of the liquid crystal molecules. "FPA" technique uses the alignment layer developed by Sony and maintains pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules by irradiating UV while applying voltage in manufacturing process. This facilitates the stable and even alignment of the liquid crystal molecules *2, thus achieving improvements in both liquid crystal response time and the contrast ratio. In addition, this has made it possible to eradicate the Mura (uniformity problem) in the display as well as to eliminate the 'sticking image' that can occur after long-term use.
Sony previously developed the "FPA *1" high-speed liquid crystal response alignment technique based on vertical alignment (VA) liquid crystal modes. One method for improving liquid crystal response time is to generate pre-tilt of the liquid crystal molecules. "FPA" technique uses the alignment layer developed by Sony and maintains pre-tilt of liquid crystal molecules by irradiating UV while applying voltage in manufacturing process. This facilitates the stable and even alignment of the liquid crystal molecules *2, thus achieving improvements in both liquid crystal response time and the contrast ratio. In addition, this has made it possible to eradicate the Mura (uniformity problem) in the display as well as to eliminate the 'sticking image' that can occur after long-term use.
Verbatim Unveils New Portable Hard Drives for Mac Users
For the first time Verbatim is launching an external hard drive which has been specifically created for the Mac community: the Verbatim Store 'n' Go Mac Portable Hard Drive. The sleek, minimalistic design in a black or white glossy finish will fit with any MacBook. It comes with a combination of FW800 and USB 3.0 SuperSpeed and HFS+ formatted, while a second version offers USB 3.0 SuperSpeed interface and FAT32 for PC users as well. Both models are available in stores with storage capacities of 500GB. The 1 TB version will be available in Q1 2011.
ASUS P8P67 WS Revolution Motherboard Pictured
ASUS unveiled its new workstation-grade socket LGA1155 motherboard that supports 2011-series Core i3/5/i7 processors, as well as, upcoming Xeon LGA1155 processors, the P8P67 WS Revolution. It is packed to the brim with features. To begin with, the CPU is powered by a 16+2 phase digital VRM, the socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots for dual-channel memory, supporting speeds of over DDR3-2200 MHz. There are four PCI-Express 2.0 x16 slots, supporting 3-way SLI/CrossFireX, probably using a bridge chip such as the NVIDIA nForce 200, and three PCI-E x1.
Storage features include four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and four SATA 3 Gb/s. Connectivity features include two Intel GbE controllers, 8+2 channel HD audio, two USB 3.0 ports, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Other features include a system diagnostics card, EPU energy-efficiency processor, TurboV Processing Unit (TPU), and Quick Gate instant-on OS. ASUS will announce pricing when it most probably releases this board in January.
Storage features include four SATA 6 Gb/s ports, and four SATA 3 Gb/s. Connectivity features include two Intel GbE controllers, 8+2 channel HD audio, two USB 3.0 ports, and a number of USB 2.0 ports. Other features include a system diagnostics card, EPU energy-efficiency processor, TurboV Processing Unit (TPU), and Quick Gate instant-on OS. ASUS will announce pricing when it most probably releases this board in January.
Micron Unveils Innovative Flash Memory Devices That Extend the Life of NAND
Micron Technology, Inc. today introduced a portfolio of high-capacity flash memory products that will lengthen the life of NAND for years to come. By integrating the error management techniques in the same NAND package, the new Micron ClearNAND devices alleviate the challenges traditionally found in NAND process shrinks. Micron's ClearNAND portfolio extends the opportunities for more advanced NAND process generations to be used in enterprise servers, tablet PCs, portable media players, and dozens of other consumer applications.
"The pace of NAND scaling is largely responsible for the incredible growth and success the industry has seen to date, and for helping to create new flash-based storage solutions," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "While the advantages in NAND scaling are evident, so are the challenges with the technology becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. Micron's ClearNAND products remove this management burden for our customers and extend the life of this all-important technology."
"The pace of NAND scaling is largely responsible for the incredible growth and success the industry has seen to date, and for helping to create new flash-based storage solutions," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "While the advantages in NAND scaling are evident, so are the challenges with the technology becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. Micron's ClearNAND products remove this management burden for our customers and extend the life of this all-important technology."
Rambus Files ITC Complaint Against Broadcom, NVIDIA, LSI, STM, Freescale, etc.
Rambus Inc., one of the world's premier technology licensing companies, today announced it has filed a complaint with the United States International Trade Commission (ITC) requesting the commencement of an investigation pertaining to products from Broadcom Corporation, Freescale Semiconductor, Inc., LSI Corporation, MediaTek Inc., NVIDIA Corporation and STMicroelectronics N. V. The complaint seeks an exclusion order barring the importation, sale for importation, or sale after importation of products from Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, NVIDIA and STMicroelectronics that infringe certain patents from the Dally1 family of patents, and of products from Broadcom, Freescale, LSI, MediaTek and STMicroelectronics that infringe certain patents from the Barth family of patents. In an earlier investigation requested by Rambus, the ITC found that these same Barth patents were valid and infringed by NVIDIA products, and issued an exclusion order in July of this year.
"We have been attempting to license these companies for some time to no avail. One of the respondents frankly told us that the only way they would get serious is if we sued them. Others pursued a strategy of delay rather than negotiate a reasonable resolution," said Harold Hughes, president and chief executive officer at Rambus. "Rambus has invested hundreds of millions of dollars developing a portfolio of technologies that are foundational for many digital electronics. There is widespread knowledge within the industry about our patents including their use in standards-compatible products accused in these actions. In fairness to our shareholders and to our paying licensees, we take these steps to protect our patented innovations and pursue fair compensation for their use."
"We have been attempting to license these companies for some time to no avail. One of the respondents frankly told us that the only way they would get serious is if we sued them. Others pursued a strategy of delay rather than negotiate a reasonable resolution," said Harold Hughes, president and chief executive officer at Rambus. "Rambus has invested hundreds of millions of dollars developing a portfolio of technologies that are foundational for many digital electronics. There is widespread knowledge within the industry about our patents including their use in standards-compatible products accused in these actions. In fairness to our shareholders and to our paying licensees, we take these steps to protect our patented innovations and pursue fair compensation for their use."
Fatal1ty-branded LGA1155 Motherboards in the Making
Leading professional gamer Fatal1ty has branded all kinds of PC hardware, including peripherals, headsets, sound cards, graphics cards, and even motherboards made by erstwhile Abit. Motherboards with the Fatal1ty branding are making a comeback, this time under the charge of ASUS. It is reported that a new manufacturer is designing some socket LGA1155 motherboards based on the Intel P67 chipset using the Fatal1ty branding. The company will show off its latest motherboards at CES 2011, which will also be the time when Intel unveils its 2011 Core processor family. Socket LGA1155 processors, coupled with Intel P67 platform is the key segment that targets gamers.
UPDATE: The board in question is made by ASRock, it's called Fatal1ty P67. It features a high-end VRM, 3-way NVIDIA SLI/CrossFire capability, a high-grade 16-phase digital CPU VRM, a unique USB port that automatically steps up polling rate of gaming mice, THX audio, four SATA 6 Gb/s, and two USB 3.0 ports. Fatal1ty detailed the board himself, in the TweakTown article linked below.
UPDATE: The board in question is made by ASRock, it's called Fatal1ty P67. It features a high-end VRM, 3-way NVIDIA SLI/CrossFire capability, a high-grade 16-phase digital CPU VRM, a unique USB port that automatically steps up polling rate of gaming mice, THX audio, four SATA 6 Gb/s, and two USB 3.0 ports. Fatal1ty detailed the board himself, in the TweakTown article linked below.
Wednesday, December 1st 2010
Today's Contests
Today's Reviews
CPU Coolers
Graphics Cards
Motherboards
Notebooks
Processors
PSUs
Speakers
Active Media Products Ships Mini Red Pop Can USB Flash Drive
Active Media Products, a leading manufacturer of SSDs and USB drives, today announced a new pop can shaped USB 2.0 flash drive. This unique new style of USB drive is shaped exactly like a standard cola can, in miniature. Active Media Products VP of Sales, Jerry Thomson commented, "so do we call it a soda can, a cola can or a pop can? Whatever you call it, this is one cool USB drive that will make an excellent Christmas gift." It measures merely 1.7 inches tall and 0.8 inches in diameter. The volume of the Pop Can drive is less than half an ounce, or about 96% smaller than a real 12-ounce pop can. The Pop Can USB Drive's very small form factor means it won't add bulk to a keychain, and it will easily slide into a pocket. The red finish recalls vintage cola colors.
Sparkle Announces New Low-Profile GeForce GT 430 with 512 MB Memory
SPARKLE Computer Co., Ltd., the professional VGA card manufacturer and supplier, today announced New Edition of SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card, bringing unparalleled levels of price/performance to mainstream users. Exquisitely made cooling fan, which has high performance thermal compound ensures optimal thermal dissipation even after years of use.
Using NVIDIA's next generation GF108 chip architecture. The SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card are designed with unparalleled levels of price/performance. With more than 2x the DirectX 11 geometry processing power over competing product, the SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card dominate the competition and offers amazing game realism on the latest DirectX 11 titles like Civilization V. Equipped with the latest industry leading technologies including NVIDIA 3D Vision, NVIDIA PhysX, high performance NVIDIA GeForce drivers, and more, the SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card has everything mainstream users need to spoil their senses.
Using NVIDIA's next generation GF108 chip architecture. The SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card are designed with unparalleled levels of price/performance. With more than 2x the DirectX 11 geometry processing power over competing product, the SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card dominate the competition and offers amazing game realism on the latest DirectX 11 titles like Civilization V. Equipped with the latest industry leading technologies including NVIDIA 3D Vision, NVIDIA PhysX, high performance NVIDIA GeForce drivers, and more, the SPARKLE GeForce GT 430 512MB Graphics Card has everything mainstream users need to spoil their senses.
Spire Launches the Sentor 6004 Professional PC Case
The Sentor 6004 pc case is a high-end, versatile and strong chassis. Well thoug ht out complete tower structure ensuring both maximum performance and computing satisfaction for the professional user, enthusiast and gamer alike. Every element of the Sentor 6004 has been engineered to provide maximum cooling performance. Up to nine (9) LED 12cm fans can be mounted throughout the chassis, ensuring unbeatable cooling. The meshed aluminum front panel and meshed side panel allows unrestricted fresh air intake which is mandatory for today's extremely hot Micro-processors, Graphic cards and Data Drives.
The spacious internal design enables flexible and neat assembly. Neatly guided and tie cables to the drive cage and mainboard plate modular notches. Sufficient room is available for the installation of water-cooling and long 320mm Graphic-cards. The Chassis is pre-applied with rubber grommet holes for feeding the external water-cooling tubes. In total ten (10) universal drive bays with tool-free support ensure easy and simple installation of your devices. Two drive cages with direct cooling and tool free mounting for five (5) 5.25-inch and five (5) 3.5-inch data / optical drives provide massive storage capabilities. Anti-vibration mountings and application of low speed cooling fans can make this the silent power machine you have been looking for.
The spacious internal design enables flexible and neat assembly. Neatly guided and tie cables to the drive cage and mainboard plate modular notches. Sufficient room is available for the installation of water-cooling and long 320mm Graphic-cards. The Chassis is pre-applied with rubber grommet holes for feeding the external water-cooling tubes. In total ten (10) universal drive bays with tool-free support ensure easy and simple installation of your devices. Two drive cages with direct cooling and tool free mounting for five (5) 5.25-inch and five (5) 3.5-inch data / optical drives provide massive storage capabilities. Anti-vibration mountings and application of low speed cooling fans can make this the silent power machine you have been looking for.
NVIDIA Introduces NVS Business Graphics Solutions
NVIDIA announced today the immediate availability of the NVIDIA NVS 300 Business Graphics Solution, a graphics processor designed for the enterprise that delivers exceptional visual fidelity across up to eight displays while consuming minimal power. With nearly 25 percent more efficient power utilization, the NVS 300 graphics processor is designed for mission-critical applications ranging from command and control centers, to securities trading floors, to digital signage installations.
The NVS graphics processor brand has become the standard for multi-display business computing environments because it is easy to deploy, cost-effective and power efficient. The NVS 300 graphics processor simplifies IT administration, offering the most versatile display connectivity available in a low-profile, space saving graphics card design. Regardless of the display type (LCD, DLP or plasma) or system type (standard tower PC, workstation or small form factor system), the NVS 300 delivers the best image quality, supporting VGA, DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI at resolutions as high as 2560x1600.
The NVS graphics processor brand has become the standard for multi-display business computing environments because it is easy to deploy, cost-effective and power efficient. The NVS 300 graphics processor simplifies IT administration, offering the most versatile display connectivity available in a low-profile, space saving graphics card design. Regardless of the display type (LCD, DLP or plasma) or system type (standard tower PC, workstation or small form factor system), the NVS 300 delivers the best image quality, supporting VGA, DVI, DisplayPort and HDMI at resolutions as high as 2560x1600.
VisionTek Announces Killer 2100 HD 5770 Combo Graphics-Network Card
VisionTek Products and Bigfoot Networks today announced the launch of the VisionTek Killer HD 5770, the world's first single-card, PCI Express solution combining Bigfoot Networks Killer E2100 game networking technology and AMD Radeon HD 5000 graphics family technology to supercharge mainstream PCs for online gaming.
The Killer HD 5770 is a one-card, one-slot solution that combines leading-edge graphics and networking to give consumers explosive HD gaming performance for today's hottest online titles. The Killer HD 5770 card uses the AMD Radeon HD 5770 graphics processing unit (GPU) to deliver Microsoft DirectX 11 support, multimonitor setup and 7.1 audio via HDMI output. The Killer HD 5770 card also uses the Killer E2100 platform to deliver blazing-fast Gigabit Ethernet networking optimized for online gameplay. The Killer E2100 platform is a new, embedded version of the award-winning Killer 2100 gaming network card developed by Bigfoot Networks.
The Killer HD 5770 is a one-card, one-slot solution that combines leading-edge graphics and networking to give consumers explosive HD gaming performance for today's hottest online titles. The Killer HD 5770 card uses the AMD Radeon HD 5770 graphics processing unit (GPU) to deliver Microsoft DirectX 11 support, multimonitor setup and 7.1 audio via HDMI output. The Killer HD 5770 card also uses the Killer E2100 platform to deliver blazing-fast Gigabit Ethernet networking optimized for online gameplay. The Killer E2100 platform is a new, embedded version of the award-winning Killer 2100 gaming network card developed by Bigfoot Networks.
Transcend Ships 8GB Dual-channel Memory Kits
Transcend Information Inc., a worldwide leader in memory and storage products, today launched an 8GB aXeRam DDR3-2000 memory kit that contains two identically matched 4GB memory modules. With a combination of high capacity, high clock speed and exceptionally low voltage of just 1.6V, the new modules are ideal for hardcore gamers, overclockers and professional users reap the benefits of a 64-bit operating system.
64-bit processors have become mainstream in mid-range and high-end systems due to their ability to support memory capacities larger than 4GB, which is essential for memory-hungry applications such as HD video editing, large databases, virtual server farms, etc. With 8GB of total capacity, a clock frequency of 2000MHz and timings of 9-11-9-24, Transcend's newly released dual-channel kit is a comprehensive memory upgrade solution-especially for systems with modern processors running more advanced operating systems.
64-bit processors have become mainstream in mid-range and high-end systems due to their ability to support memory capacities larger than 4GB, which is essential for memory-hungry applications such as HD video editing, large databases, virtual server farms, etc. With 8GB of total capacity, a clock frequency of 2000MHz and timings of 9-11-9-24, Transcend's newly released dual-channel kit is a comprehensive memory upgrade solution-especially for systems with modern processors running more advanced operating systems.
Eizo Intros its First 3D Monitor that Allows Naked Eye 3D Viewing
Eizo released its first 3D monitor that doesn't require you to put on any kind of 3D glasses. The DuraVision FDF2301-3D is a 23-inch full-HD (1920 x 1080 resolution) monitor lets you see stereoscopic 3D video with your naked eye. It is an LED-illuminated LCD monitor that includes bidirectional backlight to provide several 3D viewing modes including Side by Side, Anaglyph, and Frame Sequential. Display inputs include two DVI-D and one VESA Stereo Sync port.
BitFenix Unleashes Colossus Venom and Window
Today, BitFenix released the Colossus Venom and Colossus Window, two new variants of its award-winning Colossus enthusiast full tower PC chassis. "After releasing Colossus, BitFenix fans from around the world offered their own personal suggestions on some new and interesting modifications for the full tower, and Colossus Venom and Colossus Window are the results of that feedback," says David Jarlestedt, BitFenix Product Manager. "With Colossus Venom and Colossus Window, we hope to appeal to an even broader number of users by offering a wider selection of chassis based on a proven design."
At this past Gamescom 2010, BitFenix demoed a Colossus with eerie green LED lighting, a striking design that turned many heads at Europe's largest video gaming show. After a flood of user emails asking if a green variant would be offered for sale, BitFenix decided to make it happen with Colossus Venom Edition. Colossus Venom Edition uses the same design as the original Colossus, but allows users to select between green or red lighting at the push of a button. This new color choice gives Colossus Venom Edition an ominous new look, perfect for intimidating the competition during late-night gaming sessions. Of course, all the original Colossus features have been retained, such as the proprietary BitFenix SofTouch coating, BitFenix S3 Storage Compartment, and two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, making Colossus Venom Edition the perfect chassis for the hardcore gaming enthusiast.
At this past Gamescom 2010, BitFenix demoed a Colossus with eerie green LED lighting, a striking design that turned many heads at Europe's largest video gaming show. After a flood of user emails asking if a green variant would be offered for sale, BitFenix decided to make it happen with Colossus Venom Edition. Colossus Venom Edition uses the same design as the original Colossus, but allows users to select between green or red lighting at the push of a button. This new color choice gives Colossus Venom Edition an ominous new look, perfect for intimidating the competition during late-night gaming sessions. Of course, all the original Colossus features have been retained, such as the proprietary BitFenix SofTouch coating, BitFenix S3 Storage Compartment, and two SuperSpeed USB 3.0 ports, making Colossus Venom Edition the perfect chassis for the hardcore gaming enthusiast.
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