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Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

AMD A10-7890K APU Review
ARCHOS 70b Helium Tablet Review
ASRock H170M Pro4S And H170M-ITX/ac Motherboard Reviews
Blackbird VX-2SSD USB 3.1 Type-C Media Dock Review
CRYORIG A40 Ultimate Review
CRYORIG M9i CPU Cooler Review
Cyberpower Infinity X55 Pro Gaming PC Review
Elgato Eve Energy Wireless Power Sensor & Switch Review
GIGABYTE Z170X-Gaming 3 Motherboard Review
InWin 909 E-ATX Aluminium & Tempered Glass Chassis Review
Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Review: Flexibility Means Business
MSI GL62 6QF-628 Gaming Notebook (GTX 960M)
Tesoro Kuven A1 Pro Real 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset Review



AMD A10-7890K APU Review

Earlier on March 1st, 2016, AMD announced several new processors with updated thermal solutions. As noted in the official summary image below, one of those updated processors is the A10-7890K APU, the fastest released by AMD at 1.02 TFLOPS theoretical compute performance. The unlocked A10-7890K APU is paired with the AMD "Wraith" cooler, giving the user an option for out-of-the-box overclocking without the added expense of an aftermarket heatsink/fan.

As shown in the second image below, the A10-7890K APU is positioned in the mainstream/online segment of AMD's desktop product lines. Integrating discrete Radeon R7 class graphics, the A10-7890K APU is designed to handle production software loads, games with a responsive performance, and media playback for enhanced viewing.

AMD’s fastest APU to date will be available in a new box (see the third image below) that also bundles the AMD Wraith cooler. We are going to test the A10-7890K APU on a Gigabyte F2A88X-UP4 motherboard provided by AMD along with a set of 16GB DDR3-2133 RAM, then compare those results to the AMD FX-4350 CPU mounted on a MSI 970 Gaming motherboard with a set of 16GB DDR3-1600 memory.

Read full article @ Neoseeker

ARCHOS 70b Helium Tablet Review

Recently there has been a definite trend to having bigger mobile devices. Smartphone flagships are well over 5 inches in size now, and tablets are getting bigger too – just take a look at the 13.3 inch iPad Pro. It is refreshing, then, to see ARCHOS buck the trend with its 70b Helium tablet.

Read full article @ KitGuru

ASRock H170M Pro4S And H170M-ITX/ac Motherboard Reviews

Today, we're looking at two more H170-chipset motherboard samples, both from ASRock. Are they worthy of consideration, particularly in comparison to the H170 boards previously reviewed?

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Blackbird VX-2SSD USB 3.1 Type-C Media Dock Review

If you are one of the lucky few users that have a Thunderbolt 3 Type-C port on your PC or MacBook you might be wondering how you can utilize that port. The folks over at Atech Flash Technology have come up with a compact dual bay SSD docking station called the Blackbird VX-2SSD that takes advantage USB Type-C connector and thanks to using USB3.1 Gen2 technology it has the ability to reach super fast transfer rates of up to 10Gbps! This means that you can more quickly move your data around if you are willing to spend $149.99 for the drive-less enclosure...

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

CRYORIG A40 Ultimate Review

ALCs (All-contained Liquid Coolers) are now regarded as a mainstay in the cooling market, bridging the gap between air cooling and custom water-cooling. For newcomers CRYORIG, the A-Series is a bold step into an especially competitive arena. Will they be able to rise to the challenge?

Today we’ll be putting CRYORIG’s A40 Ultimate under the spotlight. The A40 Ultimate is a 240mm all-in-one liquid CPU cooler which has the added bonus of arriving with a supplementary 70mm airflow fan designed to assist with easing off those temperatures for the motherboard MOSFETs or memory. This liquid cooler also benefits from Asetek’s 5th generation pump so we’re anticipating good things from today’s observation.

Read full article @ Vortez

CRYORIG M9i CPU Cooler Review

CRYORIG burst on to the cooling scene not that long ago and every cooler we’ve seen from them has been pretty impressive.  The coolers we’ve reviewed from CRYORIG have been their high performance coolers, but what about someone who just needs a basic cooler?  Something better than the stock cooler that comes with their processor?  When it comes to a basic cooler there are a few things we believe it needs to have.  First and most importantly it needs to have better performance than a stock CPU cooler that ships with the processor.  Secondly it needs to be easy to install, no one wants a complicated install process, especially a first time builder.  And finally, it needs to be affordable.  CRYORIG thinks that they have a cooler that fits these specifications in their M9 CPU Cooler.  They say it is 33% cooler than the Intel stock cooler, it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes to install, and currently the cooler is selling for $25.99 at our favorite online retailer.  Seems too good to be true?  Let’s jump in and see what the M9i is all about!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Cyberpower Infinity X55 Pro Gaming PC Review

Cyberpower is one of most respected system integrators worldwide and quickly gained a superb reputation for their commitment to impeccable customer service. The company’s vast buying power means consumers can choose from a massive range of components and construct a system which suits their individual requirements. This level of flexibility is astounding and ensures the end-user receives a product with the best possible specification. Upgrades are listed using high-resolution images and include a brief outline of the pricing variation when selecting various parts. Of course, there are pre-configured options with a default configuration to help simplify the buying process. Cyberpower’s slick website manages to catch your imagination and become fascinated by the company’s custom PC range.

The latest PC to arrive for review purposes is the Cyberpower Infinity X55 Pro sporting an Intel i5-6660K processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM and XFX AMD Radeon R9 390 8GB. Cyberpower has utilised the Corsair H55 all-in-one CPU cooler to achieve a hefty 4.5GHz overclock. In terms of storage, there’s a high-performance 240GB SSD and 1TB mechanical disk. The Corsair VS 650W is a non-modular 80 plus white power supply with enough wattage to easily cope with demanding applications. This impressive specification is housed in the extremely unusual Corsair 600C chassis. Priced at £999, I’m fascinated to see the performance numbers in relation to other products under the £1000 mark.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Elgato Eve Energy Wireless Power Sensor & Switch Review

Today we are taking an in-depth look at the Eve Energy, the wireless power sensor and switch, a small white power adapter that allows you to monitor consumption, remotely control that electronic and track power trends with that device. What more could you ask for from a smart home device? Let's find out!

Read full article @ TechnologyX

GIGABYTE Z170X-Gaming 3 Motherboard Review

It has been exactly two years since GIGABYTE transitioned their gamer-oriented motherboards from the G1-Killer Series moniker to the G1 Gaming Series. This change was not merely a rebranding, since they also got rid of the lime green accents and gun-related flourishes and replaced them with a more conventional black and red colour scheme. Thanks to a special focus on aesthetics, audio, and networking, the end result has been motherboards that have consistently been well-received by consumers and reviewers alike.

When it comes to current Gaming G1 Series motherboard, GIGABYTE's LGA1151 lineup ranges from the tiny Z170N-Gaming 5 to the flagship Z170X-Gaming G1, which retails for over $480 USD / $600 CAD. The GIGABYTE Z170X-Gaming 3 that we are reviewing today retails for about $150 USD / $180 CAD, which makes it the most affordable ATX-sized Z170 model in this product line. This motherboard is positioned directly below the Z170X-Gaming 5 that we reviewed earlier. That higher-end model carries a roughly $15 USD / $40 CAD price premium and features certain extras like a DisplayPort output, a second gigabit LAN port, a nicer matte black PCB, onboard energy-saving and overclocking buttons, and debug LED display.

The Z170X-Gaming 3 features a 7-phase CPU power design, three steel-reinforced PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots with support for 2-way SLI or 3-way CrossFireX, three PCI-E 3.0 x1 slots, six SATA 6Gb/s ports or three SATA Express ports, and an impressive pair of full-speed M.2 connectors that support transfer rates of up to 32Gb/s. There are two high-speed USB 3.1 Type-A and Type-C ports courtesy on an Intel Alpine Ridge controller, up to seven USB 3.0 ports, and up to six USB 2.0 ports. There's also a gaming-oriented Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2201 gigabit LAN controller and its powerful Killer Network Manager utility. Those who plan on making use of Skylake's integrated graphics will be glad to see a solid assortment of DVI-D, HDMI 1.4, and VGA video outputs.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

InWin 909 E-ATX Aluminium & Tempered Glass Chassis Review

Building an extreme gaming rig, enthusiast grade workstation of simply a system that offers some akin to installing a work of art in your office space can be quite an expensive endeavour. The InWin 909, the latest addition to their already quite extensive selection of premium chassis, looks like the perfect chassis for the job, and while it comes with a bit of a hefty price tag, the sheer volume of aluminium and tempered glass, as well as the extensive component support on offer looks set prove that you really do get what you pay for.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Yoga Review: Flexibility Means Business

Today's ThinkPad X1 Yoga evolution promises to extend the ultra-functional 2-in-1 form factor to a roomier 14 inch size while maintaining the X1 Carbon's thin profile and, of course, carbon-fiber construction. The ThinkPad's design takes shape more targeted to the work at hand, rather than eye candy. If the X1 Yoga here is going to carry that torch it needs to let you work efficiently and comfortably.

The review unit we received is a good candidate to meet those expectations. As configured, our notebook rocks an Intel Core i7-6500U processor, 8 GB of 1866MHz DDR3 memory, a 512GB SATA3 solid state drive, and an upgraded 1440p IGZO IPS display...

Read full article @ HotHardware

MSI GL62 6QF-628 Gaming Notebook (GTX 960M)

MSI has a solid entry to mid-range gaming laptops in the GL62 6QF-628. Packed with an Intel quad-core Core i5 6300HQ, GeForce GTX 960M 2GB dedicated graphics processor, and a host of other features, it delivers solid value for gamers on the go.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Tesoro Kuven A1 Pro Real 5.1 Surround Sound Gaming Headset Review

Last week we talked about some of the latest space RTS PC games to hit the market and how we'd use them to test some of the gaming peripherals we have here. What we didn't account for was the time it would take for us to thoroughly test each peripheral and also write full reviews so things took a little bit longer than expected especially since Battlefleet Gothic Armada (and Dark Souls III although obviously not an RTS) also proved to be quite interesting (not hard to lose track when you play a game you like). Now we did focus a bit more in testing several input devices like keyboards and mice but since audio is equally important we also used several gaming headsets including the Kuven A1 Pro by Tesoro which promises to deliver accurate positioning audio thanks to its true 5.1 surround sound feature.

The Approach of Tesoro in the design and manufacturing its products is based on providing unparalleled quality, features, design, and pricing. Computer peripherals have become an integral element of both the gaming and overall computing experience. This has created a demand for peripherals that go beyond the norm and break with conventions of design and production. Our main products include keyboards, mice, and headsets. Matching premium parts and innovative engineering design, our products offer users a truly unique user experience without a single compromise. By breaking the pattern, breaking the rules, Tesoro is able bring innovation to new levels and offer game-changing products.

Although the market is flooded with 5.1 and 7.1 virtual surround sound headsets there aren't really that many true 5.1/7.1 surround sound models and the reason has to do mostly with cost rather than available technology. For good or bad the main market share is not audiophiles and demanding gamers but rather casual users so at the end of the day manufacturers have to choose between launching an affordable stereo headset (dual drivers) with the ability to produce 5.1/7.1 virtual surround sound (via a 3D USB soundcard) or a more "expensive" true 5.1/7.1 headset featuring several smaller drivers in each earcup that can deliver a more realistic surround experience. The Kuven A1 Pro belongs in the second category since it features one 40mm subwoofer (frequency response of 20Hz-400Hz with 32Ohm impedance and a power rating of 100mW), one 30mm center driver (50Hz-20KHz/64Ohm/50mW) and two (front/rear) 30mm drivers (50Hz-20KHz/32Ohm/50mW) in each earcup (8 drivers in total). It also features a unidirectional microphone (100Hz-10KHz frequency response with 2.2KOhm impedance and -44dB sensitivity) and a control station which can be used to switch between channels, mute the speakers and microphone and control the volume.

Read full article @ NikKTech