It’s been a weird week so far, I’ve been busy not here working on a job site. I’ve always been having weird dreams and actually nightmares, I can’t remember the last time I had a nightmare and I’ve had three since Sunday, really weird. I’ve got a few articles coming up I’ve been working on, big ones and small ones. Today I’ve got this news posting for you and a few other things coming up, and then I’ve got to run later. Tomorrow kids are off so that will be fun, but I’[ve got to get some reviews up. Another case review, along with a couple headphones, and a graphics tablet and more, so read the news and come back later for some other new stuffs…

Storage / Memory Related:

Kingston HyperX Beast 16GB 2133MHz Memory Kit

ADATA DashDrive Air AE400 Wireless Storage Reader and Power Bank Review

Kingston SSDNow E100 Enterprise SSD Review

WD My Passport Ultra 1TB Portable Storage Drive Review @ Legit Reviews

Mushkin Chronos GO Deluxe 1.8″ SATA 3 SSD Review

KingFast F3 Plus Series KF2510SCF Enterprise SSD Review

Kingston MobileLite Wireless Portable Card Reader Review

Kingston DataTraveler HyperX Predator 512GB USB 3 Flash Drive (DTHXP30) Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Crucial M500 480 GB

Icy Dock FlexCage MB975SP-B Tray-Less 5 x 3.5" HDD Dock Review

Toshiba 256GB THNSNH256GCST Review @ Vortez

Plextor M5M 256GB mSATA SSD Video Reviewd

Kingston MobileLite Wireless Card Reader Review @ Legit Reviews

Audio / Video / Video Cards:

AMD Announces Radeon HD 8970M Mobile GPU

Steelseries Siberia V2 – Frost Blue Edition

XFX R7790 Black Edition 1GB Graphics Card

Audiofly AF78 Dual Driver Headphones Review

Edifier Predator 2.1 Speaker System review

Astro A40 Audio System 2013 Edition Xbox, PS3 and PC Headset Review

Sapphire Radeon HD 7790 2GB OC Edition Video Card Review

Mobile Related:

Luxa2 P1 7000mAh Portable Battery and Charger Review @ Pro-Clockers

Jabra Drive Bluetooth In-Car Speakerphone Review @ ModSynergy.com

Genius DVR-FHD590 Vehicle Recorder Product and Video Review

Schenker XMG P502 Pro Laptop Video Review with Kaeyi Dream @ HardwareHeaven.com

Top Features of the Samsung Galaxy S4 @ ThinkComputers.org

Samsung Galaxy Note 8.0 Review

PC Cooling:

Phanteks PH-TC12DX

Enermax ELC120 Cooler Review on Technic3D

SilverStone Argon Series AR03 CPU Cooler Review @ Pro-Clockers

PC Cases:

Cooler Master N200 Case Video Review

AZZA Silentium 920 Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org

NZXT H630 Ultra Tower Case Video Review

Cooler Master N200 @ LanOC Reviews

Cooler Master N200 Case Review

Cooler Master N200 Case Review @ Ninjalane

Power Supplies/ Related:

Fractal Design Tesla R2 1000W PSU Review

Enermax MaxRevo 1500W @ PureOverclock

SilverStone Strider Gold ST65F-G 650W Power Supply Review @ APH Networks

Motherboards:

Asus Z87 Motherboard Line-up: Debutant Models Within

Brace Yourselves: An Onslaught of ASUS Z87 Motherboards is Coming @ Techgage

Gigabyte Z77X-UD5H Motherboard Review: The Editor’s Choice

Assorted:

Asoka PlugLink PL9760-Q2 500Mbps Dual Ethernet Powerline Adapter @ NikKTech

Titan Dragon Army Gaming PC Video Review with DaveChaos @ HardwareHeaven.com

Genius EasyPen F610E Graphics Tablet

Budget Hackintosh PC Build Project @ Benchmark Reviews

ASUS PCE-AC66 Dual-Band 802.11 AC PCIe Wireless Card Review

Asoka PlugLink PL9760-Q2 500Mbps Dual Ethernet Powerline Adapter @ NikKTech

Shuttle Slim-PC DS61

Gaming:

Defiance Review: Resistance is Not Futile @ Techgage

CM Storm Skorpion Mouse Bungee and Control-RX Gaming Surface @ PureOverclock

Mad Catz M.O.U.S.9 Wireless Mouse @ NikKTech

Sleeping Dogs Benchmarked with AMD Eyefinity in Portrait at 3240×1920

CM Storm QuickFire Rapid with Cherry MX Green Switch Review @ Techgage

CM Storm Recon Gaming Mouse @ PureOverclock

Tt eSPORTS THERON Battle Ready Gaming Mouse @ NikKTech

Mionix Ensis 320 Luna Mousepad

Injustice: Gods Among Us Xbox 360 Review

TteSports Black Element Combat White MMO Gaming Mouse Review

News for Thursday May 16th 2013 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

We will be looking at the Impact Snap with Cover Case for the iPhone 5. This is a minimalistic hardshell case with a leather front cover that protects the phone’s front screen while giving the case a more sophisticated appearance.

The product arrives in clear plastic box with the case visualized within. On the back is an image of the case along with a description of its features. A QR code links to the Tech21 website.

Opening the package we find just the case itself. Tech21 offers the Impact Snap with Cover Case in four colors – black, blue, purple and white. For our review we will be looking at the blue version.

The case is composed of a polycarbonate back that houses the iPhone 5. The inner portion of the case has two orange rubbery panels to secure the iPhone 5 in place and a honeycomb pattern in the center. Whether this is a structural implementation or just for design that is unknown.

Looking at the outer portion of this section we see off the left-hand side an attached leather flip cover. The case is open on three sides allowing access to the dock connector, speakers and headphone jack on the bottom, the volume and mute switch on the left-hand side and the power button on top. The right-hand side of the iPhone 5 is protected by the case.

On the back is an opening for the camera and flash along with the Tech21 Impactology logo embossed on the bottom.

The front of the cover is smooth leather with stitching on the periphery that is the same color as the case and cover. The inside cover is a velvety material with the D3O logo on the bottom.

Overall the Impact Snap with Cover case is a very low profile case for the iPhone 5. It only adds a slight amount of bulk to the phone’s form factor.

Specifications and Features

Impact Snap with Cover

Blue – iPhone 5

The Impact Snap with Cover for iPhone 5 is the ultimate impact protection case, integrated with D3O® and 100% Impactology approved thanks to our obsessive research and development.

With its minimalistic, yet revolutionary, hard shell polycarbonate casing, the Impact Snap with Cover simply clips on to the back of your iPhone 5 to provide high-impact protection. Meanwhile, an additional, leather flip cover protects the phone’s front screen. Access to all ports and function buttons are retained when the Impact Snap with Cover is securely attached to your phone.

What is impactology?

Originally devised in response to increasing customer demand, few have gone further than Tech21 in turning impact protection into a science. Our technology is testimony to the innovative scientific thinking and inspirational commitment that informs everything we do.
Impactology is a defining seal of approval, so you’ll know that when surrounded by one of our cases your mobile device, tablet or laptop has the highest standard of impact protection available.
Technological advances are never achieved by copying your competitors. Impactology makes a difference because Tech21 is the only brand dedicated enough to turn protection into more than just a veneer.

How does it work?

Impactology combines advanced science and pioneering innovation to deliver a unique, new level of protection for mobile devices, tablets and laptops. However, you don’t need to be a mad scientist with a PhD to see exactly how effective it can be.
It’s all about the molecules inside the revolutionary D3O Impact Material. In everyday use, the molecules flow freely, but upon shock or impact they lock together – absorbing the impact force and spreading the shock evenly across the surface of the material. That means your device stays in one piece, no matter how hard the impact!
What makes Impactology unique is the secret ingredient D3O Impact Material used within our designs. It’s composed of a non-Newtonian polymer with an intelligent molecular structure. So clever in fact, that it has been adopted worldwide by the military for its power in impact protection on the battlefield.
We call it IMPACTOLOGY …the science in protection.

Why do you need it?

A day without your mobile phone, tablet or laptop can have a dramatic effect on your life, business and livelihood!
Impactology was born through our passion to evolve with the ever-changing needs of our customers, who demand the best protection for their mobile electronic devices.
Only Impactology gives you this unique level of advanced protection. It’s the culmination of years of research, development and testing that, frankly, borders on the obsessive. We continually strive to find fault by stress testing, analyzing and looking for new ways to advance the levels of protection.
Through our dedication and passion, you’ll discover that the mobile electronics that add value to your day are always in safe hands with Impactology.

Price: $49.99

Installation of the iPhone 5 involves inserting the right edge of the iPhone 5 into the case and then pressing down. The four corners of the Impact Snap with Cover should lock onto the iPhone 5.

To remove the iPhone 5 simply lift the top left and bottom left corners of the case off the iPhone 5.

Once housed within the Impact Snap with Cover, the iPhone is securely in place while providing access to all of the buttons and controls.

The flip cover rests over the phone’s screen until you’re ready to use it. This cover flips all the way back keeping it out of the way when you are actively working with your iPhone 5.

There is plenty of room around the camera on the back of the case.

While the design of the case is elegant, I couldn’t help being reminded of an old school calculator when the cover was closed, while others may look at it as a small notebook.

In terms of protection, the Impact Snap with Cover provides plenty of coverage as all sides of the iPhone 5 are protected especially when the case is closed.

Having a cover also keeps prying eyes away from your phone when private texts or messages pop up on the screen. Also as a Smart Cover user on my iPad, I’ve becpme spoiled with the instant on and off features of that cover, unfortunately this case does not offer that feature, in fact no iPhone 5 cover cases do.

The polycarbonate back feels solid and looks like it can take a fair amount of punishment. The leather cover on the other hand is more prone to getting scuff and damaged, but the point of a case is to protect its contents, which is what the Impact Snap with Cover does.

Conclusion

The Impact Snap with Cover from Tech21 is an excellent compromise between style and protection. The case is low profile enough that your iPhone 5 still feels like a phone and not a large brick like some other cases.

I generally do not like iPhone cases with covers as I find they usually get in the way. However, the Impact Snap with Cover does an excellent job of making the cover feel unobtrusive.

If you are looking for a well-designed and solidly constructed iPhone 5 case then the Impact Snap with Cover is a pretty good option.

Pros:
+Good protection
+Protects screen
+Offers additional privacy

Cons:
-Cover does not lock down

Grades:
Overall
Design / Aesthetic
Value / Price
Performance / Usage

To learn more about our review policy please visit this page HERE.

Review of Impact Snap with Cover Case for iPhone 5 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Geneva, the Switzerland based award winning sound system company is pleased to announce the newest member of its legendary family: the Geneva Sound System Model S Wireless. Simple yet sublime, the original Model S upheld the Geneva tradition of combining superb musical fidelity with unique-high concept design. Today, the new Model S Wireless offers even more with completely re-engineered components, higher-grade electronics, speaker drivers and the convenience of instant wireless connectivity for a more impressive sound experience.
“Like the original Model S – which won the 2010 International Design Magazine Consumer Products Award – the new Model S Wireless is remarkably easy to operate and visually stunning, with a timeless style that fits any décor,” says Chuck Vath, Managing Director of Geneva Lab USA. “Its sleek lacquered sides, clean lines, and effortless setup lift it above the world of lackluster visuals and perplexing gadgetry.”
With the touch of a button, one can stream music wirelessly to the Model S from an iPhone, iPod, or any Bluetooth-enabled smartphone, tablet, or laptop. Featuring patented true stereo technology, wide frequency range, and exceptional audio, the Model S offers full-sized fidelity in a tabletop system. It amplifies and transforms music, giving it unparalleled depth, detail, and warmth.

As compact, beautiful, and versatile as its predecessor, the new Model S Wireless is designed to earn the highest marks in its class around the world and includes the following features and functions:
•    A: FM Radio: digital tuner with 6 presets (DAB+ version also available)
•    B: Digital clock with alarm
•    C: Built-In Wireless: Bluetooth A2DP for high quality audio streaming
•    D: Stereo line-in jack for external audio inputs like PC, Game Console or TV
•    E: Touch light controls: backlit, touch-sensitive
•    F: Two 3” full range speakers
•    G: Two Class AB amplifiers
The Geneva Model S Wireless is available in black, white or red finishes for $299.95 MSRP at www.genevalab.com.

Geneva Lab Unveils the Model S Wireless Speaker is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

The Case Scenario Alexis Mabille Bowtie iPhone 5 case collection, now available, reinvents your style with a fashion-forward, protective case. Incorporating the timeless bowtie on a high-tech device is the best way to mix past and present on a functional and stylish electronic accessory.

The Alexis Mabille one piece, hard, clip-on case protects the iPhone 5 and allows easy access to all ports and camera on the device without compromising its refined, couture touch – a nod at tradition.

The Alexis Mabille Bowtie iPhone 5 cases are available in two sleek colors – pink on white and blue on yellow – for $35 at Maison 24.

Alexis Mabille Bowtie Case Collection Now Available for iPhone 5 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Noctua today presented a new revision of its much acclaimed NH-U12DX and NH-U9DX quiet CPU coolers for Intel Xeon workstations and servers. The new i4 models support LGA2011 (both Square and Narrow ILM), LGA1356 and LGA1366 based Xeon platforms and now come with PWM fans for automatic speed control. Fitted with the professional SecuFirm2™ mounting system and bundled with Noctua’s industrial-grade NT-H1 thermal compound, the NH-U12DX i4 and NH-U9DX i4 form complete premium quality packages for quietly cooling Xeon based workstations and servers.
"Builders of quiet workstations and servers still have trouble finding quality cooling solutions for Intel’s LGA2011 socket with Narrow ILM mounting", explains Mag. Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO), "so we’ve decided to update our DX line of coolers to work with both Square ILM and Narrow ILM based LGA2011 platforms. At the same time, we’ve added PWM control and switched the U12 version to the new, slimmer layout of the NH-U12S, which not only provides better performance but also ensures easier access to the RAM slots, which was another long time request from our industry partners."
Supporting Intel’s LGA2011 (both Square and Narrow ILM), LGA1356 and LGA1366 Xeon platforms, the SecuFirm2™ mounting included with the NH-U12DX i4 and NH-U9DX i4 has been custom designed for system integrators who require both perfect contact pressure and quick, convenient installation.
Both the NF-F12 120mm fan of the NH-U12DX i4 and the two NF-B9 92mm fans of the NH-U9DX i4 now support PWM for fully automatic speed control. In addition, the maximum fan speed can be reduced using the supplied Low-Noise Adaptors for even quieter operation.
Thanks to its slim design with only 45mm fin depth, the NH-U12DX i4 ensures easy access to the RAM slots. When installed parallel to the slots, it will not overhang the memory on LGA1356, LGA1366 and LGA2011 Square ILM even with two fans installed, thus providing full compatibility with tall RAM heatsinks.
While the superior cooling performance of the NH-U12DX i4 makes it ideal for quiet workstation builds, the 125mm height of the NH-U9DX i4 makes it fully compatible with standard 4U server cases.

Pricing and availability The NH-U9DX i4 and NH-U12DX i4 will be available shortly at suggested retail prices of EUR 59.90 / USD 64.90 (NH-U9DX i4) and EUR 69.90 / USD 74.90 (NH-U12DX i4).

Details NH-U12DX i4: http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=66
Details NH-U9DX i4: http://www.noctua.at/main.php?show=productview&products_id=67

Noctua Intros Intel Xeon Coolers is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

The first deal is WinX DVD Ripper software for only $11.95, it’s normally $59.95.

The second deal is a few things in a pack called the Summer Holiday Video pack that includes:

WinX DVD Ripper Platinum
WinX HD Video Converter Deluxe
Air Playit
WinX DVD Copy Pro

As a bonus you can get their Blu-ray Decrypter software for free, but that’s only to the first 30 buyers of the pack per day….

Here’s the link for you to check it out yourself: http://www.winxdvd.com/specialoffer/summer-promo.htm

Digiarty Summer Promotion is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Synology is one such brand that markets NAS servers designed for home offices ranging up to large scale businesses. From our experience they have proven to be one of if not the best designers of network attached storage devices. While their hardware is top notch its their interface – DiskStation Manager (DSM) the OS of their NAS servers that makes these boxes special.

The Synology DiskStation DS713+ is the latest version of their small and medium size business oriented NAS. This model replaces the impressive Synology DiskStation DS712+, which we reviewed last year.

This NAS has advertised speeds of 202.3 MB/sec reading and 135.84 MB/sec writing speed under RAID1 configuration in a Windows environments via Link Aggregation. In addition, the DS713+ now has USB 3.0 ports that were found on their consumer DS213 models.

Besides upgrading the hardware with a dual-core Intel Atom D2700 processor clocked at 2.13GHz using 1GB of DDR3 memory. Synology has also updated DSM to version 4.2.

Synology uses an interface that should feel familiar to most Windows and Linux users since it is built on the Linux platform. New features found in DSM 4.2 include QuickConnect which bypasses port forwarding for the DS Cloud, DS Photo+, DS File and DS Audio, Cloud Station 2 that allows syncing of nearly unlimited shared folders for file sharing, for files up to 10GB, DS Photo+ which allows automatic upload your photos from your mobile device to your DiskStation.

For the business and power user, DSM 4.2 provides support for Amazon Glacier, an affordable backup to the cloud, LUN Clone and LUN Snapshot to help increase Admin productivity, VMware vSphere 5 VAAI certification, as well as certification for Windows Server 2012 on x86 models such as the Synology DS713+.

The best part of DSM 4.2 is a free upgrade for other Synology NAS box owners.

Synology DiskStation DS713+ Review

Synology shipped us a unit preloaded with two 1-TB hard drives packaged in a plain brown cardboard box as opposed to the standard Synology packaging. Checking online we see for its retail packaging Synology has switched to the green and white box as seen with the DiskStation DS213.

The Synology DS713+ is offered as a bare unit or with drives preinstalled. On the website is a list of compatible hard drives if you wish to buy a bare model. As a dual drive unit the Synology DS 713+ tops out at eight terabytes. Synology offers expansion bays with two and five bays. For instance the Synology DX513, a five bay expansion unit that allows up to 28 TB to be run off the DS713+. For even more capacity you can use external drives via the free USB 3.0 ports on the back.

Opening the box we find the Synology DiskStation DS713+ sandwiched between two foam inserts along with the power cord, AC adapter, two LAN cables, installation disk, Quick Start Guide and screws.

The unit is composed of matte black metal with glossy black plastic panels on the front and rear. Synology’s design aesthetic has always aimed for a minimal and professional style and this NAS keeps that trend going. The Synology DS713+ feels right at home on one’s desk or tucked away in a corner.

The Synology DS713+ measures 15.7 X 10.35 X 23.2 cm and weighs 3.7 lbs without hard drives installed. Its predecessor, the DS712+ came with an Intel Atom D425 single core processor clocked at 1.8GHz and 1 GB of DDR3 memory while this version packs a 2.13 GHz dual-core Intel D2701Atom CPU using the same amount of RAM.

In terms of appearance, the form factor of the DS713+ looks almost identical to its last year’s DS712+. In fact when the two devices stand side-by-side the only differentiation between the front panel and sides is the Synology logo printed on the top front of the DS712+.

On the front of the NAS are two drive trays with hex locks to keep the hard drives locked into place. While not the most secure locking mechanism, these locks should deter any accidental or intentional removal of hard drives. Synology provides two keys for locking and unlocking these bays.

Our review box came preinstalled with two Seagate Barracuda 7200 RPM models. Adjacent to the right side drive are LEDS for Status, LAN1, LAN2, along with a USB Copy button, USB port and Power button.

Here is a look at the inside of the Synology DS713+ without the drives in place where you can see the motherboard and a single laptop size stick of 1 GB DDR3. According to some online research the 1GB DDR3 memory module can be upgraded to a 2GB stick such as the Kingston KVR1066D3S8S7/2G.

The sides of the DS713+ have the Synology embossed name with a mesh underlying it to help provide additional airflow.

On the back of the Synology DS713+ we find a 92mm fan with a noise level of 19.2 dB (A), dual Gigabit Ethernet ports, eSata port, reset switch, a Kensington lock port and an AC input. The newest additions to this back panel are two USB 3.0 ports. Now you can take advantage if the faster USB spec when attaching additional storage to the NAS.

For those who wish to increase their storage capacity the available eSATA port can connect to either the five bay expansion DX513 or the two bay DX213.

Four rubber feet on the bottom keep the Synology DS713+ from sliding around

Review of Synology DiskStation DS713+ is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Otterbox Commuter Series Case for HTC One Review

The Otterbox Commuter Series case comes in a plastic box with a nice big window on the front and some information on the back for you to read about the case inside.

Inside you’ll find the case in a clear plastic tray for protection.

The case comes with a small user manual and a small black folder.

Inside that little black folder you’ll find the screen protector that Otterbox included along with instructions, cleaning cloth and a squeegee.

The Commuter Series case I got for review is black, but you can also get it in a white and gray color. The inside of the case is rubber to protect the phone from bumps and drops and pad it basically.

The back of the case is textured for grip and has a semi-gloss look to it. The back is hard plastic to protect the phone inside.

The Commuter case comes in two parts, the rubber soft inner case and the hard outer case.

Review of Otterbox Commuter Series Case for HTC One is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Happy Monday, yep the day everyone hates is here, the weekend is over and it’s time to get back to work. Fun-fun, I’ve got stuff to do, a lot of stuff to do actually, but it just seems there isn’t enough time to do it. So it’s time for the news and review from our friends from around the world. So read on and see what’s new everywhere else and check back later for some new stuff from us!

Storage / Memory Related:

Western Digital My Passport Enterprise 500GB USB3.0 External Hard Drive Review

Western Digital My Book Live 1TB Personal Cloud Storage Review

SilverStone DS322 Dual-Bay RAID Enclosure Review

OWC Envoy Pro EX USB 3.0 Bus-Powered Portable SSD Review

Intel 525 Series 120GB & 180GB mSATA SSDs

Seagate SSDH Thin 500GB hybrid drive review

Toshiba MK3001GRRB 300GB SAS 6Gb/s HDD @ NikKTech

PNY Prevail Elite 240GB SSD Review

Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 256GB SSD Video Review

Crucial M4 256GB SATA III SSD Review @ PCSTATS

PQI Tiffany 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive Review

Kingston Wi-Drive 64GB Review

Seagate Desktop HDD.15 4TB vs WD Black 4TB Hard Drive Review @ Legit Reviews

120GB OCZ Vertex 3.20 Solid State Drive @ Benchmark Reviews

Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 G3 32GB Flash Drive Review @ Legit Reviews

LSI MegaRAID 9271-8i PCIe Raid Controller

Audio / Video / Video Cards:

Diamond HD7790 Graphics Card

PowerColor Radeon HD 7790 TurboDuo 1GB Video Card Review

Sapphire 7790 Dual-X @ PureOverclock

MSI GTX 650 Ti Boost TwinFrozr Gaming 2 GB

Diamond BV750 Low Profile 7750 Graphics Card

MSI Radeon HD 7790 OC Edition: Mid-Range Graphics Performance

Y-Cam Bullet HD 1080 Review @ Vortez

Ultimate Ears Personal Reference Monitors

Eagle Tech ET-ARHP300FS-BK Urban Zen Headphones @ NikKTech

Mobile Related:

Cooler Master NotePal A200 Dual Fan Laptop Cooling Pad Review

Gigabyte U2442F 14-inch Ultrabook Review

Targus 10.2" Tablet Bag With Pockets Review

Mobility Digest Review: Otterbox Defender Series Case for HTC One

Tipster Details Rumored Motorola X Smartphones, Droid Blast Sharing Feature

Cooler Master NA 90 Notebook Power Adapter Video Review

Thermaltake GOrb II Portable Laptop Cooler Review

Blackberry Q10 Review at HardwareHeaven

PC Cooling:

EK Waterblock LT 360 Kit Review

Primochill 240mm CTR Reservoir @ PureOverclock

Thermaltake Water 3.0 Pro CPU Cooler Review

SilverStone Argon AR03 CPU Cooler Video Review

XSPC RayStorm 750 RS240 Watercooling Kit Review @ ThinkComputers.org

PC Cases:

Cougar Spike Mini Tower case

Thermaltake Chaser A41 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

InWin G7 Mid Tower Chassis Review

Power Supplies/ Related:

Corsair CX600M Review at HardwareHeaven

Cooler Master V Series 1000W PSU Review

NZXT HALE90 V2 1000-Watt 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply Review

Motherboards:

ASUS Z77 Sabertooth motherboard

Assorted:

Ozone Blade Review @ Vortez

PQI Air Card Video Review

ModRight Xtreme Super Large Anti-Static Mod-Mat at Modders-Inc

Power2U AC/USB wall outlet @ LanOC Reviews

Casio G-SHOCK GA-110-1AER Watch @ NikKTech

Plugging into the Puzzle @ Techgage

Gaming:

Thermaltake Knucker Plunger Gaming Keyboard @ Benchmark Reviews

Tt eSPORTS THERON Battle Ready Gaming Mouse @ NikKTech

Watch_Dogs Preview and Developer Interview (Video) At HardwareHeaven

Logitech G19s Gaming Keyboard Review

8 Free to Play Games That Are Too Good to Be True

News for Monday May 13th 2013 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Seagate Technology plc (NASDAQ:STX), a worldwide leader in storage solutions, today announced its new portfolio of flash-memory solutions. The company took the wraps off its first client solid state drive (SSD) and its next-generation enterprise SSDs. Featuring the Seagate^® 600 SSD, Seagate^® 600 Pro SSD, and the Seagate^® 1200 SSD, the new line of drives are engineered to deliver ultra-fast speed and high data integrity. Rounding out the portfolio, Seagate also announced the new Seagate^® X8 Accelerator, a storage class memory PCIe card powered by Virident enabling the company to offer all key interfaces including SATA and SAS solutions.

“We are pleased to announce these new flash memory products. With these new drives, Seagate solidifies its commitment to the flash-based storage market by delivering enterprise SSDs and server-side solutions as well as client solutions,” said Gary Gentry, senior vice president and general manager of Seagate’s solid state drive business. “By adding more SSDs to our family of hard disk and solid state hybrid drives, we now have the broadest portfolio of storage products in the industry, delivering one-stop shopping for our customers and partners. And we’re just getting started. Seagate is committed to becoming a premier supplier of both solid state drives and storage class memory products. We have put in place a winning strategy for developing multiple high value, flash based products and solutions for our customers.”

Seagate 600 SSD: Faster Performance with 6Gb/s SATA

The ultimate laptop upgrade, the Seagate 600 SSD delivers faster boot up speeds, shorter application load times, and improved system responsiveness for the ultimate performance. Laptop users can boot up nearly four times faster and load applications more than two times faster than with a standard hard drive, greatly reducing the amount of wait time to access content[1].

“SSDs continue to be among the most popular product categories on Newegg.com as more consumers increasingly turn to them to deliver more speed, faster boot up times and superior performance,” said Patrick Chung, vice president of global product management at Newegg. “Seagate’s new line of SSDs, including the new 600 SSD, will be a great addition to our existing assortment. We’re excited to introduce the new SSDs to our customers and look forward to continuing our strategic partnership with Seagate.”

“Over the years, Seagate has been a valued partner contributing a vast array of storage solutions to our comprehensive selection of IT products,” says Lionel Garcia, vice president at Tiger Direct. “Seagate’s products are in high demand among our customers and we’re excited to add their new SSD to our assortment. As consumer demand for greater speed and shorter boot up times continues to rise, the new 600 SSD will provide customers with the ultimate performance they crave.”

Fast and as easy to install as a hard disk drive upgrade, the Seagate 600 SSD is available in multiple z-heights including an industry-first, diminutive 5mm-high drive making it ideal for most ultra-thin devices as well as standard laptop systems. The drive features up to 480GB of capacity and comes in a 2.5 form factor. It also incorporates a 6Gb/s SATA interface for fast data transfer rates and easy connection.

Seagate 600 Pro SSD—Fast Performance, Low Power with 6Gb/s SATA

A low power server and storage solution, the Seagate 600 Pro SSD is ideal for cloud system builders, hyperscale datacenters, cloud service providers, content delivery networks, and virtualized environments. An entry-level enterprise SATA SSD, the 600 Pro SSD combines fast performance and lower power delivering best-in-class performance efficiency and IOPS/watt value.

“By incorporating Seagate’s SSD technology into our product offerings we are able to address customer demand for greater speed, short, consistent response times, and greater enclosure and power efficiencies,” said Paul Poynter, CTO Rorke Data, an Avnet business unit. “As we continue to drive PC innovation in today’s markets, we look forward to integrating this enterprise SSD technology into our Rorke product line providing our discerning customers with the ultimate in performance and value.”

Engineered with efficiency in mind, the 600 Pro SSD features the industry’s highest IOPS/watt to improve system performance while reducing power and cooling costs for transaction-hungry datacenters and cloud enterprise applications. Utilizing 2.8 watts typical operating power, the drive reduces energy by automatically adjusting the power consumption to workload I/O levels— using less power for lighter workloads. The drive is also equipped with the intelligence to deliver high-data integrity, safeguarding against unexpected power loss and undetected corruption when a device is powered off.

The Seagate 600 Pro SSD is available with up to 480GB capacity and comes in 2.5-inch form factor. It is equipped with a 6Gb/s SATA interface for fast data transfer rates and easy connection to existing SATA infrastructure.

Seagate 1200 SSD— Ultra-Fast Speed, Consistent Performance with 12Gb/s SAS

Designed for demanding enterprise storage and server applications with complex, write-intensive mixed workloads, such as high-performance computing and data analytics, the Seagate1200 SSD delivers the ultimate in speed, consistent performance and the highest levels of data integrity.

Built to deliver ultra-fast data access, the drive uses algorithms that optimize performance for frequently accessed data by prioritizing which storage operations, reads or writes, occur first and optimizing where it is stored. The result is improved performance to help close the gap between processor and data access.

It incorporates a dual port 12Gb/s SAS connector providing 100 percent faster interface speed, over previous generations, for twice the I/O bandwidth while ensuring the highest level of reliability, availability and scalability. The drive is also backwards compatible with 6Gb/s SAS environments.

The 1200 SSD leverages Seagate’s existing enterprise expertise and manufacturing excellence to deliver high levels of data integrity, manageability, testing and support. It also safeguards data against unexpected power loss and protects data from undetected, unintentional corruption.

The Seagate 1200 SSD is available with up to 800GB capacity and comes in either a 1.8-inch or 2.5 inch form factor.

Seagate X8 Accelerator— Application Performance Turbocharged

The Seagate X8 Accelerator, powered by Virident, delivers memory-class performance and storage-class capacity with enterprise reliability and data integrity in a single, low profile PCIe card. Providing industry-leading performance, with up to 1.1 million IOPS, the X8 Accelerator boosts server performance with ultra-fast speed that is up to 2X faster than the closest competitor and closer to DRAM performance than storage.

Boasting high storage capacity (up to 2.2TB) in a small footprint (HHHL half height half length) the X8 Accelerator fits in any server. The card’s x8 PCI Express Gen-2 interface enables it to deliver maximum application performance in database and virtualization applications such as Microsoft© SQL Server, Oracle Enterprise Server, MySQL, and VMware.

For more information on Seagate’s entire portfolio of flash memory products visit http://seagate.com/www/ssd/.

Seagate Launches SSDs is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Almost one year ago, BitFenix launched the Prodigy – a mini-ITX chassis that makes no compromises. Today, BitFenix is pleased to announce two new members to the Prodigy line up – Prodigy Green and Prodigy Blue. Sporting two exciting new colors and a window side panel, these two new models take the awesome features and styling of the original Prodigy and revamp it for a new year.

New Colors, New Options

The flexibility offered by this mini-ITX dynamo sparked the creative fires of builders everywhere, resulting in a virtual avalanche of unique builds. Prodigy Green and Blue, with their standard window side panels, make it easy for users to show off their creations. And with two luscious color options – Vivid Green and Cobalt Blue – Prodigy Green and Blue owners will have no trouble attracting attention at the next LAN party.

Of course, these new models come with all the same features that made Prodigy the mini-ITX case of choice for thousands of users around the world. From the clean, uncluttered design to the choice materials like FyberFlex™ Composite and SofTouch™ Surface Treatment, Prodigy Green and Blue users will experience the same BitFenix quality that has brought the original Prodigy to the top of the charts.

On the inside, users will find plenty of room for up to five 3.5" HDDs or 2.5" SSDs, as well as long graphics cards up to 320mm in length. Removing the BitFenix FlexCage™ gives room for the thickest 240mm radiators, and the standard ATX power supply cage enables builders to power their mini-rigs with choice PSUs.

BitFenix fans around the world will be able to get their hands on Prodigy Green and Prodigy Blue beginning late May once they arrive on store shelves.

 

For more information on Prodigy Green and Prodigy Blue, please visit http://www.bitfenix.com.

BitFenix Launches Green and Blue Prodigy mini-ITX Cases is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Lots of storage related reviews this week I see, plenty of SSDs were reviewed over the last few days specifically the newest ones from Seagate and from what I see they’re pretty good. So yep it’s time for the news, so why don’t you read it and see what’s going on around the world of tech and I’ll get some other work done. I’ve got a few more reviews coming, not sure if I’ll have time today to get one up, but I’ll try, so check back later for that and some more regular tech news as well…

Storage / Memory Related:

Patriot Supersonic Magnum 256GB USB 3 Flash Drive Review

Corsair Neutron 128GB and 256GB (2013 Hynix Edition) SSD Review

PQI i-mini USB 3.0 32GB

Seagate Desktop HDD.15 4TB Review @ Techgage

Transcend StoreJet 25A3 750GB @ PureOverclock

ADATA XPG DDR3 2133 Memory Kit at Modders-Inc

Seagate Pro 600 Enterprise SSD Review

Seagate 600 SSD ST480HM000 480GB SSD Review

Seagate 600 SSD 240GB RAID Report

Seagate 600 SSD ST240HM000 240GB SSD Review

Seagate’s 2013 Consumer and Enterprise SSD Product Overview

Seagate 600 SSD Review (480GB)

Samsung 840 SSD 250 GB

Synology DiskStation DS213j Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Silicon Power Armor A80 1TB USB 3.0 Portable Drive

Toshiba DT01ACA300 3TB Hard Disk Drive Review

ADATA SX300 mSATA 256GB SSD Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Kingston HyperX 10 Year Anniversary 16GB 2400MHz DDR3 Memory Video Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

QNAP TS-669L 6-Bay NAS Review

Teratrend TS231U Dual Bay USB 3.0 / eSATA Enclosure Review

Corsair SSD Toolbox Software Overview – Better than Never

iStarUSA BPN-DE340SS Storage Bay Adapter Review @ NikKTech

VisionTek Data Fusion PCI-Express 240GB @ PureOverclock

Audio / Video / Video Cards:

Asus GTX 670 DirectCU Mini 2GB Graphics Card Review

Eagle Tech ET-ARHP300FS-BK Urban Zen Headphones @ NikKTech

ASUS GTX 650 Ti Boost DCII

Ineo Alien Vibes W601 Speaker System Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Nikon D3200 Camera Review

Alienvibes W601 2.2 Channel PC Speaker System

Ineo AlienVibes W601 Speaker System @ Benchmark Reviews

XFX Radeon HD 7790 Black Edition 1GB Video Card Review

Mobile Related:

Noreve Sony Xperia Z Leather Case (Tradition – 21038T) Review

Samsung 5-Series NP540U3C-A01 13.3-inch Ultrabook Notebook Review @ PCSTATS

HTC One Smartphone Review: Android Empowered

Acer Aspire S7-391 Touchscreen Ultrabook Laptop Review

Best Skins Ever Total Body Skin for iPhone 5, Nexus 4 Video Review @ APH Networks

Cooler Master Notepal A200 Laptop Cooler Video Review

Acer Aspire S7-191 Touchscreen Ultrabook Laptop Review

ASUS VivoTab Smart ME400 10.1 inch Windows 8 Tablet Review @ Legit Reviews

Spire Power Bank 4000 Battery Charger Review @ Legit Reviews

Caselogic SLR Sling Camera Backpack Review @ ThinkComputers.org

bCODA CODA One Hands-free Speakerphone

PC Cooling:

Noctua NH-U14S CPU Cooler Review

Noctua NH-U12S And NH-U14S CPU Coolers @ PureOverclock

Phanteks PH-TC14PE

Fractal Design Adjust 108 Fan Controller @ Benchmark Reviews

be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 Review

Noctua NH-U12S CPU Cooler Review

PC Cases:

Corsair Obsidian 350D Micro-ATX Chassis Review

Silverstone Redline Series RL04 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

In Win D-Frame Case Review

Corsair Obsidian 350D Review @ Vortez

Enermax Ostrog ECA3250-BW Series Midi Chassis Review

Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX PC Case Review

Aerocool Xpredator case

Fractal Design ARC Midi R2 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

Corsair Obsidian 350D Case Review

Power Supplies/ Related:

Cooler Master V1000 Power Supply @ LanOC Reviews

Cooler Master V Series V1000 1000W Power Supply Overview @ Pro-Clockers

Be Quiet! Dark Power Pro 10 850W BN603 PSU Review

Cooler Master V1000 1000-Watt 80 PLUS Gold Power Supply Review

Corsair CX600M Review @ Vortez

Enermax NAXN ADV 650 W

Motherboards:

Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UD4H Motherboard BUG Update

Assorted:

Wolf 15 Piece Watch Box @ NikKTech

ZOTAC ZBOX ID89 Plus Mini-PC Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Buffalo AirStation N600 Dual-Band Wireless Router Review @ Legit Reviews

Intel’s 22nm Atom: Silvermont, Bay Trail Break Cover

Not Like a Fine Wine: Windows Activation Still a Piece of Junk After All These Years @ Techgage

Wi-Ex zBoost SOHO DataBlast YX550-VLTE-AWS

Top 5 Google Chrome Productivity Extensions @ ThinkComputers.org

9 Alternatives To Skype For VoIP And Video Chat @ ThinkComputers.org

Gaming:

GX Gaming KMH 100 Gaming Kit Review @ ThinkComputers.org

ROCCAT Hiro Gaming Mousepad Video Review

ROCCAT Kone XTD Gaming Mouse Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Corsair M95 MMO Gaming Mouse Review

Logitech G500s  @ LanOC Reviews

Razer Nostromo Gaming Keypad Video Review with DaveChaos @ HardwareHeaven.com

AVerMedia Live Gamer Portable Capture Card Review

Logitech G500s Laser Gaming Mouse Review @ Techgage

News for Thursday May 9th 2013 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Cooler Master Seidon 120XL CPU Water Cooling System Review

The Seidon 120XL comes in a nice big and sturdy box with  big picture on the front and information on the back.

When you open the box you’ll be greeted with everything nicely and safely arranged in a cardboard tray.

Once you unpack the box you’ll find two fans, instructions, the Seidon 120XL itself and a bag full of bags and accessories.

Here’s the contents, more bags and accessories.

There are two brackets included, one for AMD and one for Intel.

The same goes with the mounting brackets, one set for AMD and one set for Intel installations.

Included in the bag you’ll find a double ended 4-pin fan adapter so you can connect two fans to one fan header on your motherboard.

Cooler Master was kind enough to include a tube thermal compound as well, it’s a small tube but more then enough for a few applications of it.

In the five smaller bags you’ll see more installation hardware, specifically screws for the mounting brackets and fans installation.

There are two 120mm fans included, but they also include rubber vibration dampeners for each of them. The two fans are model a12025-24rb-4cp-f1 which have a maximum speed of 2400rpm and a minimum speed of 600rpm, they are both PWM fans so they can be controlled automatically by your motherboard as the need arises.

Review of Cooler Master Seidon 120XL CPU Water Cooling System is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

Cooler Master, a leading creator, innovator and manufacturer of desktop components and more, today announced the entrance of the top performing V Series Power Supply (PSU) line to North American markets.

Developed to be the highest quality, Cooler Master carefully sourced every aspect of the V Series PSU line to produce a high-efficiency and stable power supply. This operational stability includes being highly efficient even at low loads – far exceeding the parameters of the breadth of operational efficiency exhibited by a typical 80 Plus Gold PSU. A single, powerful rail platform channels the full power of V Series PSUs with outstanding voltage stability, ripple suppression and efficiency. These higher quality components include the highest grade Japanese electrolyte and solid capacitors, a custom PCB interface, and high quality 42mm transformers. All of which are among a few of the integral parts that make the V Series a great power supply.

 

An oft overlooked feature, V Series PSUs include a premium 135mm Fluid Dynamic Bearing (FDB) fan. This bearing type offers superior performance at lower noises while lasting far longer than the typical PSU fan. The real-world result is that V-series PSUs are extremely quiet, even under full load while still keeping cool.

 

When considering ease of use and ability to manage cables, fully modular flat ribbon cables are among the best. These give users the ability to compress and arrange their cables in clean and compact ways not possible with traditional and individually sleeved cabling – saving time and enabling builds with the best possible airflow.

Haswell Ready

Supports 4th Generation Intel Core Desktop Processor C6/C7 Power States allowing the processor to go from C0 (active) to C7 (Deep Power Down Mode) which helps provide maximum power savings.

The V Series will be available in 700W, 850W, and 1000W models. Price and availability may vary based on region. This release is meant for the U.S. and Canada regions only. Please consult your local Cooler Master Representative for more information.

Full product details can be found at: V Series

Cooler Master Launches V Series Power Supplies is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog

3DMark now works correctly on systems with up to four GPUs.
That one short line in the release notes really doesn’t do justice to the amount of work that went into this update. For the last few months our programmers have been poring over the engine code, trying to understand why 3DMark was not returning accurate results from systems with three or four GPUs. What we initially thought was a minor driver issue turned out to be far more complicated and we are truly sorry that it has taken so long to fix.
The good news is that the various problems have been found and fixed. With this update 3DMark is now able to test everything from low-end laptops to the most extreme gaming PCs imaginable.
This update also adds Ice Storm Extreme, a more intense version of the Ice Storm test designed for the latest mobile devices. You can compare Ice Storm and Ice Storm Extreme scores from Windows and Android devices, and soon you will be able to compare Windows RT and iOS devices too.
————
What’s New in 3DMark v1.1.0 for Windows
This update adds the Ice Storm Extreme test and fixes issues when testing systems with multiple GPUs. 3DMark scores will increase slightly on systems with two GPUs and significantly on systems with three or four GPUs.
NEW
The Ice Storm Extreme benchmark test has been added to 3DMark Advanced and Professional Editions. Ice Storm Extreme is a Direct3D feature level 9 benchmark test for Windows tablets, ultrabooks and notebooks. Ice Storm Extreme raises the rendering resolution from 720p to 1080p and uses higher quality textures and post-processing effects in the graphics tests to create a more demanding load for the latest mobile devices. You can compare Ice Storm and Ice Storm Extreme scores from Windows and Android devices.
FIXED
- 3DMark now works correctly on systems with up to four GPUs.
- Fixed the issue caused by Windows update KB2670838, which added partial DX11.1 support to Windows 7.
- Fixed a problem with the bloom post-processing effect when using very high rendering resolutions in custom settings.
DOWNLOAD
3DMark v1.1.0 is now available to download from many of our mirror partners. People with the Steam edition of 3DMark will get the update automatically.
http://www.futuremark.com/support/downloads

3DMark Gets Updated to v1.1.0 is a post from: Testfreaks | The Blog