ID-Cooling may be a new brand, but they made a splash with their introduction of the ultra-compact T60-SFX chassis. As one of the most compact Mini-ITX cases out there and consisting of nothing but aluminum while featuring a unique shape, we were eager to get our hands on it.
Fractal Design has for the first time worked with Seasonic, and the outcome is the Edison Modular series. Today, we will take a detailed look at the Edison M with 650 W capacity, the second-strongest unit of the series. It features Gold-certified efficiency, a semi-modular cabling design, and an FDB fan.
With 3x DP, 2x DVI and 1x HDMI outputs, Gigabyte's GTX 960 G1 Gaming features the most complete output configuration. The card is also overclocked out of the box, and a powerful triple-fan thermal solution keeps it cool, yet it stays very quiet in gaming states and will stop the fans completely with idle and light loads.
The In Win D-Frame Mini is a smaller, updated version of the original D-Frame. It actually improves on the compatibility, comes fully assembled, and looks sleeker than the original. Forget looking at the price - the D-Frame Mini is not a sensible buy. Look at it from a design perspective as that is where it really shines.
Another dragon flies ashore! MSI's "high-end" Intel Z97 motherboard, the MSI Z97 GAMING 9 AC, swoops down onto my testbench after a long trip to me. The MSI Z97 GAMING 9 AC is MSI's answer for the ultra-dollar gamer, but does it breathe fire or just puff smoke out its nose?
Palit's GTX 960 Super JetStream is the highest-clocked GTX 960 we are reviewing today. It also comes with an overclock on the memory for that little bit of extra speed. The card is cooled by a dual-fan, triple-slot cooler that stops the fans in idle and light gaming.
With a single GTX 960 threatening to shake up the mid-range the way its bigger siblings did, the question on everyone's mind is whether two GTX 960 cards can measure up to single, bigger GTX 900 series cards, and on the cheap.
EVGA's GTX 960 SSC is built upon the company's famous ACX Cooler for extremely low noise levels, and it turns itself off completely while idling. The card is also overclocked out of the box with a sizable overclock that helps it gain 5% performance over the NVIDIA reference design.
MSI's new GeForce GTX 960 Gaming comes overclocked out of the box. Just like previous MSI Gaming cards, the board runs extremely quiet, emitting almost no noise while gaming, and it also turns off its fans in idle. With a price of $200, MSI has chosen to go with NVIDIA's reference-design pricing.
The ASUS GTX 960 STRIX OC is a custom variant of the GTX 960 that comes with an overclock out of the box on both GPU and memory. It is also the only card that features a backplate. Like all other boards, it will completely turn off its fans in idle and light gaming for the perfect noise-free experience.
Reeven looks to impress with their small-form-factor friendly Steropes low-profile CPU cooler. At just 60 mm tall, this diminutive cooler may lack size, but it certainly doesn't lack style. Offering solid performance and low noise, it might be just what you need for a SFF or HTPC.
The SilverStone RV05 is the latest Raven mid-tower chassis with a 90°-turned internal layout. Sporting the same elaborate looks as all other cases in the family, it aims to please the mainstream with its compact size and interesting price tag. Will the RV05 capture our heart or instill fear?
Tired of your smart TV's horrible interface? Looking to add Wi-Fi and digital media options to your home theatre? Want Windows in your living room? ECS's LIVA X is the cost-effective, silent solution to meet those needs, as well as the basic compute needs of most Internet users. With added storage-expansion options and more CPU power, the new LIVA X is the mini PC many have been waiting for.
SilentiumPC hits it out of the park with the Grandis XE1236, bringing top-tier performance and low noise levels to an unheard-of budget friendly price. With the ability to improve performance even further using a third fan, this heavy-weight CPU cooler towers over its competition.
The Phanteks Evolv aims to transform what a mATX chassis should be capable of. Catering to the liquid-cooling crowd without compromising on air-cooling capability, the Evolv comes with the great feature set we have come to expect from Phanteks - all while combining quality with an enticing price.
Fractal Design is breaking into the all-in-one liquid cooler market with the Kelvin S24. Featuring anti-kink coils for the tubing along with G 1/4" fitting support, this fully expandable pre-filled water cooler is shaking things up.
With 3x DP, 2x DVI and 1x HDMI, Gigabyte's GTX 980 G1 Gaming features the most complete output configuration. The card is also overclocked out of the box, and a powerful triple-fan thermal solution keeps it cool. In our testing, we also found Gigabyte to have massively increased the power limit, which overclockers and voltmodders will find beneficial.
The Cooltek C3 aims to be an affordable, 100% aluminum chassis, attractive to both HTPC users and those looking for a compact chassis for fairly potent hardware. It also comes in two colors, and you can have your pick of a solid or windowed side panel.
The ASRock X99 Extreme11 is a true storage monster. With 18 built-in SATA ports, Eight of which are capable of SAS 12 Gb/s, the LSI 3008-equipped ASRock X99 Extreme11 is a wet dream for those of us whose heart skips a beat for ultra-fast, high-density storage capability.
The Fractal Design Define R5 is the fifth generation of this series, once again with updated features, looks, and functionality to meet the needs of those who want a quiet system and those looking to install a lot of liquid-cooling. It manages to impress in nearly every way with its unique and functional approach and great material mix.
Synology recently introduced the DS415+. This four-bay NAS mostly targets SMB users and is the first to use an Intel Rangeley quad-core CPU, which allows for very high performance in every possible usage scenario.
QPAD's newest gaming mats are put to the test. The new UC series is the simple soft-performance mat, while the FX-series seeks to bridge the gap between the harder hybrid mats and the soft top mats. Both are available in five different sizes, so you can get one that fits your needs. Prices start at a very reasonable €10 for the smallest ones.
The Lian Li PC-O5SX is for those who want to show off their hardware in an elegant way, while using their system for more than just media playback. With an intricate interior that can house powerful enthusiast-grade hardware, a great mixture of materials, and an industrial look, the PC-O5SX aims to combine the best of both worlds - design and function.
MSI's GTX 970 Gaming is probably the best GTX 970 on the market. It comes overclocked out of the box, with an amazing noise-less cooler for light gaming, one that is also extremely quiet with even the most demanding titles. Temperatures are great, too, so you should definitely consider this card if you are in the market for a GTX 970.
Silverstone aims to dominate the Steam-powered HTPC/Gaming arena with the Raven RVZ01 as it may hold a large GPU of up to 330 mm in size - all while aiming for the golden middle between performance, cooling, and expandability. With a sub-100 USD price tag, the chassis may just be what you need if you are out to build a cool-looking but small gaming power house.
