Reviews 51923 Published by

High Power Rock Solid 1200w Power Supply Review
DriverHeaven posted a review on the High Power Rock Solid 1200w Power Supply

There have been a plethora of 1kw power supplies released recently from many of the leading power supply manufacturers. Today we will take a look at a unit from a company not so well known among technology enthusiasts, Sirtec. They are not a new company, they have been designing and manufacturing PSUs for quite some time now although you might not have heard of them because their units can be commonly found in OEM systems and pre-installed in cases of many system and chassis manufacturers.

Sirtec have recently launched the "High Power" division, parallels of which could be made with Micron and Crucial; a branch of the main company marketing and selling products under their own umbrella. Sirtec's move is very bold since they have already registered several patents and have a large product range. Today we will take a look at the most powerful Sirtec unit, the High Power RockSolid 1200W (HPC-1200-G14C) the specifications of which are quite promising.
High Power Rock Solid 1200w Power Supply Review

First look at the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)
Bit-Tech takes a first look at the Extensible Firmware Interface

With MSI just beginning to trial its first motherboard with an EFI BIOS, we have a first look at the *Extensible Firmware Interface*, what it will bring to the table and whether it's worth getting excited about - if you could post a link on your site that would be very much appreciated.
First look at the Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI)



ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 R5.0 Motherboard Review
Hardware Canucks posted a review of the new ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 R5.0 motherboard.

The subject of this review is ASRock's new Core 2 Duo (LGA 775) ready motherboard called the 4Core1333-eSATA2 R5.0. This motherboard is based on a heavily tweaked Intel P31 & ICH7R chipset architecture and has been modified so it can support just about any C2D processor from the older 800MHz FSB to the newer 1333MHz FSB CPU's.
ASRock 4Core1333-eSATA2 R5.0 Motherboard Review

Xigmatek NRP-HC1201 1200W Review
techPowerUp posted a review on the Xigmatek NRP-HC1201 1200W

Xigmatek's new NRP-HC1201 power supply offers 1200W of power with support for up to six VGA power connectors. Juice is delivered over four 12V rails with up to 36A per rail. Of course the usual features like long and fully sleeved cables and 80+ high efficiency are present as well.
Xigmatek NRP-HC1201 1200W Review

Genius G-Pen F610 Drawing Tablet Review
DragonSteelMods posted a review on the Genius G-Pen F610 Drawing Tablet

Although typing on a keyboard is inherent to the computing experience, sometimes you may want to push the keyboard away and pick up a pen to write or draw using your computer. Genius has a slew of new Pen/Tablets available and today we will look at the G-Pen F610. This tablet features a 6"x10" working area and includes twenty nine programmable Hot Key buttons.
Genius G-Pen F610 Drawing Tablet Review

ATI Radeon HD 3870X2 1 GB Review
InsideHW.com posted a review on the ATI Radeon HD 3870X2 1 GB

Just as we predicted some time ago that the Radeon
HD 2600XT Dual is going to open the portal to the multi-GPU development, it is coming true. The very next step ATI has made shows a huge advancement compared to the one-month old newborn. Ladies and gentlemen, we present you with ATI Radeon HD 3870X2 graphics card. For now, this is the best graphics card in the entire market and the most complete choice one can get for his/her money. As the author of these lines would gladly carry this baby home, the award we will give this card is fully deserved.
ATI Radeon HD 3870X2 1 GB Review

Ideazon Reaper Edge Gaming Mouse Review
3DXtreme.net posted a review on the Ideazon Reaper Edge Gaming Mouse

Ideazon has put out a mouse to compete with the other big players and does so with style. Ideazon has added another must have gaming accessory to their ever growing product line.
Ideazon Reaper Edge Gaming Mouse Review

Crucial 4GB (2GB x 2) DDR2-6400 800MHz SODIMM RAM Review
I4U NEWS reviews the Crucial 4GB (2GB x 2) DDR2-6400 800MHz SODIMM RAM.

Today we are looking at 4GB of PC2-6400 SODIMM RAM from Crucial for use in a notebook computer. To get the full benefit from 4GB of RAM, you need to have a 64-bit OS. I was very impressed with the performance of the Crucial 4GB DDR2 PC2-5300 RAM in my Vista Ultimate machine. I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone running Vista seriously consider a RAM upgrade, it can make a huge difference in your performance.
Crucial 4GB (2GB x 2) DDR2-6400 800MHz SODIMM RAM Review

Ultra Aluminum Hard Drive Cooler Review
3D Game Man posted a review on the Ultra Aluminum Hard Drive Cooler

This cooler actually does work. It lowered our drives temperatures down a whole single degree both at idle and at load. Now this obviously is not a huge performer. This cooler, while building upon a great passive theory, does not hit the target when it comes to real world cooling. As for sound absorption, there really wasn't any, but then again, there wasn't any addition noise created by the drive cage.
Ultra Aluminum Hard Drive Cooler Review

Nvidia GT and GTS Showdown: XFX, Zotac and Gainward
DriverHeaven published a comparison review between 3 video cards from XFX, Zotac, and Gainward

XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512mb XXX
Zotac 8800 GTS AMP! Edition 512mb
Gainward Bliss 8800GT PCX Golden Sample 1 GB

With a new graphics card launch the initial batch of cards is followed by a flurry of enhanced models and the 8800 GT and GTS are no different. In today's review we will be taking a look at some of the more impressive enhanced models that are available, the first two products are supplied by XFX and Zotac and are factory overclocked GTS models.

XFX are highly experienced in this area and while Zotac are relatively new to this sector this has not stopped them impressing us with previous overclocked models. In fact their 8800 GT AMP! Edition is still the fastest GT branded card we have tested. The third product in this review is Gainward's 8800 GT Golden Sample. Gainward have enhanced clock speeds on this particular card and have chosen to attach an impressive looking cooler and one gigabyte of memory. The heat is on ...
Nvidia GT and GTS Showdown: XFX, Zotac and Gainward

Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro Intel Heatsink Review
FrostyTech posted Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro Intel Heatsink Review

The Alpine 7 Pro retails for less than $15CDN ($15USD), and comes with a pre-installed patch of thermal compound. This is a no-frills heatsink, but it makes some concessions towards lower noise production. In tradition Arctic Cooling fashion, the Alpine 7 Pro is equipped with a fan suspended on rubber shock absorbing posts. The fan is suspended on Fluid Dynamic Bearings, is PWM controlled and rotates from a whisper quiet 500RPM to a moderately audible 2000RPM. Weighing it a 480 grams the Alpine 7 Pro is entirely aluminum, and covered by a 6 year warranty. The real question is whether the Alpine 7 Pro can stand up acoustically, and thermally.
Arctic Cooling Alpine 7 Pro Intel Heatsink Review

CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler Review
Techgage posted a review of CoolIT's latest TEC-based CPU cooler, which includes the new MTEC control module.

During CoolIT's CES-presence this month, the Freezone Elite was unveiled. In addition to offering stellar performance comparable to the original, the new MTEC control center is thrown in as well. This self-regulating module proved to do a fantastic job, making the Elite a superb cooling solution.
CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler Review

AMD ATI Radeon HD 3650 and 3450 Refresh Launch
HotHardware.com posted an article on the AMD ATI Radeon HD 3650 and 3450 Refresh GPUs

Today AMD is officially unveiling the Radeon HD 3650 and the Radeon HD 3450 / 3470, which are based on the 55nm RV635 and RV620 GPUs, respectively. Like the RV670 that came before them, the RV635 and RV620 are competitively priced DirectX 10.1 compliant GPUs that offer full UVD support. Built on the same advanced 55nm manufacturing process technology, these new cards should drop in cost effectively and with cool-running thermal characteristics.
AMD ATI Radeon HD 3650 and 3450 Refresh Launch

OnAir Solutions GT USB HDTV Receiver/Recorder Review
OCC has published a new review of the OnAir Solutions GT USB HDTV Receiver/Recorder

The OnAir GT has multiple input connections to maximize its ability to bring you the best programming available. The first is the coaxial connector which allows you to scan for digital/analog over-the-air broadcasts from your local area using the included antenna, or you can connect the cable from your cable TV provider to view that programming. The second is the A/V in connector, which allows you to input not only S-video devices but virtually anything that has RCA outputs, such as DVD players, gaming consoles, and even that camcorder you just got for Christmas.
OnAir Solutions GT USB HDTV Receiver/Recorder Review

A quick look at SanDisk's Sansa Clip MP3 player
The Tech Report posted a quick look at SanDisk's Sansa Clip MP3 player

Always obsessed with finding the right tool for the job, I've long run not one, but two MP3 players. The first—currently an 80GB iPod—is responsible for storing my vast MP3 archive of almost 450 albums ripped with the most anal quality settings possible. Being able to carry around this extensive library of tunes is fantastically convenient, making the iPod perfect for toting around town and even better for traveling. I'll even take the iPod skiing, which isn't terribly jarring, and it does just fine at the gym as long as I'm lifting weights and not otherwise bouncing the fragile hard drive around. But if I'm running or navigating one of my bikes down technical singletrack littered with roots, rocks, and other bits of bone-jarring nature, I tend to shy away from anything with a spinning hard drive.

This is where my secondary MP3 player comes in. Here, I'm looking for something small, lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and with flash storage that won't mind being rattled around. Capacity doesn't matter much, since if I'm riding my bike or out running, I only need the loud, energetic, thrashy subset of my MP3 archive that makes me go faster.

For the last while, a Creative Zen Nano has filled in as my flash-based MP3 player, and it's largely been good. However, a couple of years of mud, dust, rain, and sweat finally took its toll on the Nano, leaving me searching for a new flash-based player to abuse during my workouts. Since I've been reasonably happy with my iPod, I thought it would be only fair to consider the latest shuffle. That is until I saw the price. $79 for a 1GB player that doesn't have a screen? Surely you jest.

It didn't take me long to find something better in the form of SanDisk's Sansa Clip. Like the shuffle, it's tiny and has an integrated clip. More importantly, it costs $20 less, yet packs twice the capacity and a gorgeous OLED display. And I'm just getting started.
A quick look at SanDisk's Sansa Clip MP3 player

Tuniq Miniplant 950watt Power Supply Review
TweakTown posted a review on the Tuniq Miniplant 950watt Power Supply

Enter the Tuniq Miniplant, a 950 watt power supply that is aimed at those who want that extra kick for a performance level system. There are, however, many high-end power supplies currently on the market so our goal is to help you determine if this product is capable of putting out quality power in your own system.

This particular unit produced some of the highest voltage levels I have ever seen. Though nothing is at a range that would be detrimental, rest assured that you will have power to spare with this beast. Add to this the standard sized footprint and we have ourselves a very impressive power supply.
Tuniq Miniplant 950watt Power Supply Review

Patriot Viper 4GB DDR2-800 (PVS24G6400LLK) Review
HardwareLogic.com posted a review on the Patriot Viper 4GB DDR2-800 (PVS24G6400LLK) memory kit

We're still not ready to proclaim Vista a must-have upgrade, but as DirectX 10 titles continue to hit the market, the days of XP could be numbered among the gaming community. Factor in DDR2's rock bottom pricing, and 4GB kits have suddenly become a viable option, helping to negate the concerns over jumping onto Microsoft's resource hungry OS.

But despite deliciously low prices, gamers (and the overclocking enthusiasts who are synonymous with this crowd) aren't willing to bite on just any kit of RAM, instead showing an appetite for low latency modules. The reward for such selectivity typically manifests in better performance at stock speeds, along with a reasonable amount of frequency headroom. Or at least that's what we've become accustomed to in a 2GB world.

Today HardwareLogic plays with Patriot Memory's 4GB Extreme Performance Viper Series DDR2-800 kit. Slithering along at 800MHz with 4-4-4-12 timings, these DIMMs look promising on paper, but do they pack enough bite in a real-world setting?
Patriot Viper 4GB DDR2-800 (PVS24G6400LLK) Review