"HTPCs and media centres are growing in popularity as our houses become far more linked in terms of media. However, these systems can still be too expensive for some, or too big, too complicated; what's a guy to do? One option it seems is to get yourself a network media player. Today we're reviewing one such device, the AC Ryan Playon!HD."
AC Ryan PlayOn!HD Review - XSReviewsThe NZXT Vulcan is a mATX gaming case capable of holding large multi-GPU configurations with a convenient carrying handle. We tear it apart and fill it with hardware, to see if it lives up to its promise or turns up to be nothing but smoke and hot ashes
NZXT Vulcan @ techPowerUpAre you craving a racing game but can't ignore your innate desire to just blow things up? If so, Bizarre Creations' Blur might be just what you're looking for. It two awesome things, destruction and speed, and results in a title that's full of eye candy, a good online mode, and a difficulty level that's sure to challenge even the most hardcore racer.
Blur - Twisted Metal Meets Need for Speed? @ Techgage.com"When I saw the initial prototype pictures of this case floating around the web last year, my first thought was 'why would anyone buy that'? Then after seeing it first hand at CES, the look started to grow on me and by the time I have now finished working with it, I have become a bit more enamored with it. Unlike most cases on the market, you find a few things that just don't "fit" as they should. Things like holes being punched slightly off center, or the expansion brackets bowed out so you need to tweak them back into place to mount your video, sound, and NIC expansion cards. Side and front panels that just do not fit quite right! Those were things I did not find with the Level 10."
Thermaltake Level 10 Review @ OCCThe Intel P55 platform has been with us for a good while now, and it is a real sleeper, having the memory controller integrated with the CPU gives it a nice performance advantage over competing products, even higher priced ones. If it has any serious shortcomings, it's the number of PCI-e lanes that it supports. With a maximum of 16 lanes of PCI-e 2.0 available for graphics cards, there is no room for expansion, if additional devices require PCI-e 2.0 connectivity. Guess what the most common support chips for SATA 6Gb/s and USB 3.0 require? You got it, PCI-e 2.0. ASUS works their way out of this problem on the P7P55D-E Pro motherboard with a PCI Bridge from PLX Technology that takes some spare PCI Express 1.1 lanes, converts them into the required PCI-e 2.0 version, and serves them up to the latest NEC and Marvell controllers. Benchmark Reviews was intrigued by this latest combination and we're pleased to present a review.
ASUS P7P55D-E Pro Motherboard @ Benchmark ReviewsAfter our journeys were complete at COMPUTEX Taipei 2010, we had a couple days to do the tourist thing before we embarked on our next adventure. This time around, we hopped on the tour bus and made our away around to three Taiwanese electronics companies: GETAC, who makes rugged computers, GIGA-TMS, who work on RFID technology, and Champtek, who also create products based on RFID technology. On these tours, we were able to go behind the scenes and see where these gadgets and other technology tidbits are designed and made.
Futurelooks News Flash - COMPUTEX 2010 Flashback - Touring the GETAC, GIGA-TMS, and Champtek Headquarters in TaiwanFremont, California, USA, June 24, 2010 - Patriot Memory, a global pioneer in high-performance memory, NAND flash and computer peripheral solutions, today announced the immediate availability of the Viper II Series ‘Sector 7’ Edition to its family of Extreme Performance DDR3 memory. The Sector 7 Edition DDR3 is the ultimate performance memory solution for the Intel® X58 system platform and has been designed with overclockers, enthusiasts and gamers in mind. Sector 7 modules are compatible for use with Intel® ‘unlocked’ Core™ i7 and Extreme Edition Core™ i7 processors.
Looking for a CPU cooler that both looks great and still outperforms the competition? Your wait is over, as the Cooler Master V6GT combines a new thinking in CPU cooler design, yet doesn't compromise on cooling performance. It also packs a range of great features as standard, such as the use of a Double-V heatpipe design, twin 120mm DynaLoopTM PWM fans, a built in LED strip on the top and of course support for multiple CPU sockets.
"REVOLUTION85+ is an 80 Plus Silver power supply series from Enermax featuring modular cabling system, resonant switching and a synchronous design with DC-DC conversion. The manufacturer promises that units from this series are capable of delivering their rated power at 50º C, and up to 99% of the power can be pulled from the +12 V rails. Power supplies from this series are available in 850 W, 920 W, 950 W, 1020 W, 1050 W and 1250 W flavors. The 920 W and 1020 W are new addition to the series and have four +12 V rails, while the other models have six +12 V rails. Let's see how the new 920 W model performs in our tests."
Enermax REVOLUTION85+ 920 W Power Supply Review @ Hardware SecretsPocket-packed messenger bag updates the traditional flimsy collapsing laptop bag, with an easy to access shape holding design
Sierra Madre, California - (June 24, 2010) – Booq, a leading brand of premium laptop carrying cases and laptop backpacks for creative professionals, expands its stylish Mamba line with the addition of Mamba catch S/L. For years, messenger bags have been designed with flimsy exteriors that lose shape, collapse, and look sloppy when not packed to their limit. Whether travelling light or packed to the max, booq’s water-repellent ballistic nylon and innovative no flap design holds form and keeps you looking sharp. Available at booqbags.com and retailers throughout the country, booq combines sophisticated design and functionality to deliver high-quality bags and cases for the next generation of ambitious professionals.
"If you are using a mouse to browse this website and read this review then you're probably aware of how important an appropriate surface for your mouse can be. A good mousemat can be incredibly important if you're using a high DPI mouse as well. Every gamer knows the frustration of missing a vital headshot because their mouse wouldn't move as smoothly as it could have done.
Whilst Ozone are not exactly a well-known name yet in the world of computer peripherals they are quickly developing a cult following in the gaming world with their high end peripherals built with the hardcore gamer in mind. Let's see if this new Exposure mat can live up to their growing reputation."
With their new FreeAgent GoFlex ultra portable drive, Seagate now delivers the same high quality, dependable storage devices, but with the flexibility of not only interfaces, but of OS platforms. The newest generation brings both Mac and PC compatibility and the flexibility of not only USB, but Firewire800, and eSATA interfaces; all on the same ultra-portable platform.
Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex 500GB Ultra Portable Drive Review @ Bigbruin.comThe most commonly quoted solution to speeding up a computer is to add additional ram, fortunately Crucial has come out with a speedy 4GB Ballistix kit weighing in at DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800).
Crucial Ballistix DDR3 1600 4GB Kit @ TechwareLabs"If you're looking for a cheap, basic mouse to either game with or use for the desktop then you should highly consider the Microsoft SideWinder X3 as it offers great value for money while maintaining some of the features found on more expensive mice."
Microsoft SideWinder X3 Gaming Mouse Review @ Tweaknews"The Xclio Hovercraft is a pretty solid notebook cooler, providing strong cooling benefits as well as ergonomic benefits. The six fans allow for a good deal of airflow through the cooler and under the laptop. The Hovercraft can be powered through a USB port on either side of the cooler but cannot function as a USB HUB. While operating, the fans in the Hovercraft have a blue glow that is not very noticeable. The fans are a single color and cannot be changed to any other color."
Xclio Hovercraft Notebook Cooler Review @ OCCIf you're the kind of computer enthusiast whose case is always open, and you change components in your rig more often than you change your underwear, a "work bench" type of computer case might be something you could use. These open-air chassis make it easy to swap out components and access areas of your system like diagnostic LEDs and voltage measurement points. Of course, they also make it easy for the dirt and danger of the outside world to get to your system's expensive and delicate electronics, so they're not for everyone. Lian Li's new PC-T60 and PC-T7 Test Bench chassis (for ATX/mini-ATX and Mini-ITX motherboards, repectively) address this market with the brushed aluminum flair the company is known for, and Benchmark Reviews checks out the new Lian Li PC-T60 ATX/Mini-ATX Test Bench chassis in this review.
Lian Li PC-T60 PitStop ATX Tech Station @ Benchmark ReviewWhen Thermaltake first unveiled its FRIO CPU cooler, the company promised that it would be one of the best-performing models it's ever released. Now that we've had the opportunity to put our sample through our usual battery of tests, we can attest to that claim being true. To top it off, the FRIO even includes a fan speed control and reasonable price.
Thermaltake FRIO Overclocking CPU Cooler @ Techgage.comThis kit features 2x 2GB sticks that have 8-8-8-24 2T timings at 1.65v and while that doesn't appear to be all that exciting, the new finned Ballistix modules from Crucial throw an interesting twist into the bag by including software-capable temperature monitoring on their modules. We'll take a look at the memory, the software and see how well they stack up in a couple of light benchmarks. . .
Crucial Ballistix Finned DDR3-1600 with Temperature Monitoring - BCCHardware