Daily Reviews Summary 08/22/11

Some people believe that the X58 chipset is dead and buried. While it is clear that many enthusiasts are heading towards Z68 and P67 based motherboards, like some mass exodus, there are those who still believe that X58 still has a lot to offer. GIGABYTE have been at the forefront with regard to X58 motherboards releasing some excellent examples such as the magnificent GA-X58 UD3R and UD5 along with the ultra-gaming platform catering for multi GPUs, the UD9. They have continued this excellent repertoire more recently with some stunning quality motherboards of late, namely the G1 Guerrilla Sniper and Assassin boards. The motherboard we have for review today however is something even more special, even more niche, which has one unique selling point and one group in mind...overclockers.

My goal was to increase the memory frequency as much as I could while keeping the latency timings low. In my efforts, I was able to push this set to 2000MHz before receiving errors in Memtest86+ and losing stability. I did attempt to loosen the timings to 10-10-10-28 and push higher than 2000MHz, but it resulted in dropped performance. Thus, the overclocked tests were run with these modules at 2000MHz with stock latency timings

It feels like just yesterday that the name Asus was associated with motherboards and graphics cards; a big name to enthusiasts, but not to the consumer electronics market. Now, Asus has snuck into all kinds of mainstream markets, including laptops, Android tablets, and even wireless hardware. Today, we'll be taking a look at their Black Diamond� RT-N56U Wireless-N Router in combination with the USB-N13 Wireless-N Adapter.

With every other manufacturer well into their enthusiast SATA 6Gbps releases, it was only a matter of time until Kingston joined the fray. Their new HyperX series uses long-life, high performance Intel NAND with a SandForce SF2281 controller which makes it one of the best possible combinations available for enthusiasts.

The Razer Goliathus gaming mouse mat is available in two editions, Speed and Control. The Razer Goliathus Speed Edition mouse mat has a pliable, corrugated rubber base so the mat stays where you intended, and has a slick cloth weave top for precise speed control. The Goliathus has an anti-fraying stitched frame for durability and dimensions are: Space Saver - 270 x 213 x 3 (MM), Mid-Sized -- 355 x 254 x 3 (MM), Large -- 444 x 355 x 3 (MM) and Extended -- 920 x 294 x 3 (MM). We will be testing the Mid-Sized version.

In developing a chassis, companies like Cooler Master have to decide whether the focus will be on cooling or noise, because it's extremely difficult to have a chassis excel in both. The Silencio 550 proves this, because while it becomes the quietest chassis we've ever tested, it comes at the expense of higher temperatures.

NZXT added two mid-tower case offerings to its Tempest series today that feature custom solutions for dual-radiator watercooling systems and dual "touch-powered" 120mm front fans with removable filters. The Tempest 410 and Tempest 410 Elite are available for $79.99 and $89.99. Today, we are kicking the tires on the Tempest 410 Elite to ensure enthusiasts and overclockers get the most bang for their buck for their next mid-tower case upgrade.

We've reviewed several NZXT cases in the past and the quality and construction of their products have continiously improved. The Tempest 410 Elite is a great example of NZXT's commitment to giving gamers and enthusiasts great features at a competitive price point. Keeping a case's price below $100 is a difficult task, but NZXT found innovative ways to incorporate cool features and design elements without adding manufacturing costs.

This is the "gamer version" of the original Level 10 that took the world by the storm. Unique design got them several awards on the previous model but can this new GT bring them awards on other areas as well?

Today we get the opportunity to see a remake of a classic and well known CPU cooler. The Thermaltake Frio, which we reviewed over a year ago, now has a successor, the Frio OCK. With a revamped dual fan design and sleeker looks, it’s sure to be a hit. The Frio OCK comes equipped with dual 130mm fans, six 6mm copper heatpipes, and a Starcraft II design. Read on further to see what else is this successor has going for it.