Reviews 51945 Published by

Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

Building A Personal Cloud With Seagate 12TB Hard Drives And Synology DS918+ NAS
Camorama 4K 360 Degree Camera Review
EVGA launches X299 Dark motherboard
Forza Motorsport 7 review: benchmarks with 23 graphic cards
Fractal Design Define R6 - Best PC case of 2017 (and no RGB!)
Fractal Design Define R6 Review
Fractal Design Define R6 Review
Fractal Design Define R6 Review
Fractal Design Define R6 Review
Fractal Design Define R6 Review
Fractal Design Define R6 Tempered Glass Case Review
GAMDIAS Hermes P2 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
IN WIN AURORA Addressable RGB PWM Case Fan Review
IN WIN POLARIS Silent RGB PWM Case Fan Review
Mistel MD870 SLEEKER Keyboard Review
SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega 64 NITRO+ Review
Scanner Sombre Review



Building A Personal Cloud With Seagate 12TB Hard Drives And Synology DS918+ NAS

A few weeks back, Seagate launched an array of 12TB hard drives targeted a variety of market segments, from desktops to workstations and high-performance Network-Attached Servers. The Seagate Barracuda Pro, IronWolf, and IronWolf Pro are fundamentally similar, but each drive is tuned for specific applications. The Barracuda Pro is designed for HEDT and creative professional platforms. The IronWolf targets Network-Attached Servers (NAS) with one to eight bays. And the IronWolf Pro is designed for the same segment, but with servers with up to 18 bays. We also enlisted the help of Synology, which offers and array of NAS solutions for virtually every market segment. We’ve got a 4-bay model on-hand -- the sleek DS918+ -- and filled it with a quartet of IronWolf 12TB drives to build a roughly 36TB array, that’s accessible from virtually anywhere...

Read full article @ HotHardware

Camorama 4K 360 Degree Camera Review

The Camorama is a novel single lens 4K 360 degree VR action camera that needs further refinement in its hardware, firmware, and software to unleash its full potential.

Read full article @ APH Networks

EVGA launches X299 Dark motherboard

Highly-praised by EVGA's in-house overclocker, Vince "K|NGP|N" Lucido, the EVGA X299 Dark is an E-ATX motherboard with a menacing all-black color scheme and lacks any RGB LEDs, which is quite rare these days. Specification-wise, it supports Intel socket 2066 Skylake-X and Kaby Lake-X CPUs, with support for up to 64GB of 4000MHz+ quad-channel RAM on Skylake-X or 32GB of 4133MHz+ dual-channel RAM on Kaby Lake-X CPUs.
The motherboard is made on a 12-layer PCB with a 16-phase Digital VRM, 100% solid state capacitors, a CPU socket with 300 percent higher gold content, and an external BCLK, all of which should ensure best possible performance and high overclocking potential. The VRM draws power from a pair of 8-pin EPS, angled 24-pin ATX and an additional angled 6-pin PCIe power connectors.

Read full article @ Fudzilla

Forza Motorsport 7 review: benchmarks with 23 graphic cards

Forza Motorsport 7 is ready to compete with Project Cars 2 on tracks. Both the games have their own audience where Forza Motorsport is a bit less about the race simulation and a bit more on the arcade elements. So, what hardware do you need to get the best Forza experience?

Forza Motorsport 7 is the tenth game in the Forza family, and will be available on Xbox One and One X as well as the PC. The game is developed by Turn 10 Studios and published by Microsoft Studios. Compared to the previous version – Forza Motorsport 6 – there aren’t just more cars and tracks, but also loot boxes are now in game.

The Forza Tech engine, that we know from Forza Horizon 3, is also used in this Turn 10 Studio’s game. According to the developers, they created the engine without having any specifications for the upcoming Xbox One X Project Scorpio hardware. Despite this, the developers say that the game runs really well on the final set of the Xbox One X hardware. This means they also had more time to spend designing the game content.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

Fractal Design Define R6 - Best PC case of 2017 (and no RGB!)

It’s been three long years since Fractal Design launched the Define R5 (https://www.kitguru.net/components/cases/leo-waldock/fractal-design-define-r5-chassis-review) so it feels like we are ending 2017 on a high with the launch of the Define R6, which has the look and feel of a case that belongs solidly in the Fractal Design product range. The new Define R6 has the same clean, crisp styling as other cases from Fractal Design and shares a number of features such as the liberal use of sound deadening material.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Fractal Design Define R6 Review

Fractal Design is going for the Define as today they released their new flagship Define R6 chassis. opens a new design era for FS, a very enticing chassis shows nice aluminum elements, tempered glass, a power supply compartment to hide your PSU, hidden drive and SSD cages and the ability to mount the most extravagant 420mm liquid cooling solutions.

Read full article @ Guru3D

Fractal Design Define R6 Review

Fractal's best chassis to date. Every high-end PC build starts with an inviting chassis, and though we've occasionally lamented the lack of innovation in this space, a number of manufacturers have picked up the pace in the second half of 2017. Cooler Master resurrected the HAF, NZXT unveiled its flagship H700i, Deepcool's Baronkase proved that high-end needn't break the bank, and be quiet! raised the bar with the excellent Dark Base 700.

Now it's time to turn our attention to Fractal Design's long-overdue Define R6. The Swedish company's track record of no-nonsense Scandinavian design has resulted in plenty of accolades over the years, and rightly so - whereas competitors have been quick to adopt a more modern, gaudy approach, Fractal tends to keep it simple with a common design language and features that most users will want.

Read full article @ Hexus

Fractal Design Define R6 Review

Fractal's best chassis to date. Every high-end PC build starts with an inviting chassis, and though we've occasionally lamented the lack of innovation in this space, a number of manufacturers have picked up the pace in the second half of 2017. Cooler Master resurrected the HAF, NZXT unveiled its flagship H700i, Deepcool's Baronkase proved that high-end needn't break the bank, and be quiet! raised the bar with the excellent Dark Base 700.

Now it's time to turn our attention to Fractal Design's long-overdue Define R6. The Swedish company's track record of no-nonsense Scandinavian design has resulted in plenty of accolades over the years, and rightly so - whereas competitors have been quick to adopt a more modern, gaudy approach, Fractal tends to keep it simple with a common design language and features that most users will want.

Read full article @ Hexus

Fractal Design Define R6 Review

About two years ago the Swedish company Fractal Design presented their Define R5 case. Meanwhile they're launching the Define R6 which should be the next step in evolution of their Define series. Like the previous model, the new R6 has been equipped with sound-absorbing material and a well thought tool-less system. The Define R6 is a case suitable for EATX motherboards and the level of modularity you get is actually impressive.

Read full article @ ocaholic

Fractal Design Define R6 Review

Fractal Design is launching their updated flagship chassis, the Define R6 today. With the sixth generation of the case, things have changed considerably and Fractal Design has one again managed to come up with some nice features to set itself apart from the competition with the R6.

Read full article @ TechPowerUp

Fractal Design Define R6 Tempered Glass Case Review

Fractal Design’s Refine series focuses on providing a sleek and silent case that doesn’t cut corners with regards to quality and design. Previous releases like the Define R5 have been very popular with users wanting a high-end feature set that is paired up with near-silent operation. Today we are taking a look at Fractal Design’s latest case in the Define series, the R6. The Define R6 has been designed from the ground up and incorporates many of the features that the Define series is known for, like sound-dampened side panels, tons of fan filtering, and ModuVent technology, and adds popular new features like seamless tempered glass, and a built-in fan hub. Can the R6 continue to carry the torch for Fractal Design and their Define series? Let’s find out!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

GAMDIAS Hermes P2 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Gamdias is one of those companies which is not afraid to try new things. While some ideas have worked better for them in the past than others, we have seen that sometimes imaginations run wild, while other times, designs conform to the mold everyone else uses. With what we are about to see, the former description is where we are at today. In this latest product the hit the desk at TweakTown, we are given one of the largest keyboards to play with, but there are things afoot in this design that we did not see coming from them. The second to carry the Hermes name, this keyboard has certain things we expect to find. Following in the series usually tends to bring forth new things as well, and in this instance, there has been a major change to the Hermes this time around. Rather than asking Cherry, Kailh, or many of the other mechanical switch makers to full an order for them, in this instance, Gamdias opts for the rare optical, mechanical switch. We know of two others that use this technology, one of which was recently reviewed, and with optical, mechanical switches, the feel is not unlike all the rest. The major benefit from such a device is that a light beam is broken to actuate the switch rather than bent metal contacts coming together. Optical switches also benefit from a longer lifespan due to less moving parts, and there are no connectivity issues, as the light beam is broken or it isn't, there is no in between. The next addition we have for you today is the Hermes P2 RGB Optical Mechanical Gaming Keyboard from Gamdias. With features such as RGB LEDs, multimedia keys, on-the-fly Macro recording, various profile, a built-in wrist rest, and a metal keycap puller, the Hermes P2 appears to be a stand-up product. As with all thing reviewed here, we try to reserve our findings until the end of the review, but if you do not mind a larger keyboard, Gamdias is offering something well worth your attention. With that said, we should move into the specifications, so that we can get on our way to show what you will get from Gamdias.

Read full article @ TweakTown

IN WIN AURORA Addressable RGB PWM Case Fan Review

It appears that one new set of RGB fans was not enough for In Win, as they have also released the Aurora RGB Fans at the same time as the Polaris RGB Fans. That being said, we are looking at a set of fans which can be controlled via motherboard RGB headers, albeit just ASUS and MSI motherboards at this time, or you can connect a hub and address the colors and patterns via software this time around. The fans are entirely different, but connectivity is similar, just with more parts to address now. If RGB fans with various modes and an additional pair of RGB LED strips are what you are looking for, you may want to look to In Win to help dress up your next build. The Aurora fans are to be sold much like the Polaris fans, where you need to initially buy the AURORAFAN-3PK in black and red or black and white, and then add onto it with the AURORA-1PK fans. The single-pack fans will not work fully without the 3-pack parts. These fans are 120mm in size, and only draw 0.84W at 0.5A per fan. The Aurora fans will spin in a range of 800 to 1400 RPM, but with software, there is a Turbo Mode, which pushes the fans to 2000 RPM. In normal situations, these fans will top out at 40.26 CFM and 1.50 mmH2) of pressure, but using Turbo Mode raises the CFM to 57.64 and 2.77 mmH2O, which is impressive. Although, in normal operation, the sleeve bearing fans will deliver 23.7 dB(A) into the room, in Turbo Mode, the noise level jumps to 39.2 dB(A). The Aurora fans are rated to spin for 36,000 hours, and are fully covered by a two-year warranty.

Read full article @ TweakTown

IN WIN POLARIS Silent RGB PWM Case Fan Review

In Win, like many other companies is making the push to impress with new RGB fans to add to any chassis or even a CPU air cooler, but are doing it in a way in which we have never before seen employed. One of their new offerings, which we will be discussing in this review is the Polaris Series of fans. From what we can gather, there are three variations in the Polaris fans; the Polaris LED, Polaris RGB and Polaris RGB Aluminum fans. The Polaris LED fans are offered with white, red, green, and blue LED options, not all at the same time, of course, each color is offered in its own set of fans. The Polaris RGB fans work with motherboard control from ASUS, MSI, GIGABYTE, and ASRock, and so do the Polaris RGB Aluminum fans, but they do have an aluminum frame surrounding the blades rather than the clear plastic of the Polaris RGB. Specifically speaking of the Polaris RGB silent case fans, we find that they can be purchased in 2-pack or 1-pack packaging. However, it is important to note, that the single fan packages will not work without the twin pack, but fans can all be daisy-chained together. These fans are currently offered in 120mm size only but are built of PBT plastic and polycarbonate, and each fan will only draw 1.2W at 0.10A. These fans which are geared for silence will spin in a range of 500-1280 RPM, delivering just 43.31 CFM of airflow, with 1.26 mmH2O static pressure. These sleeve bearing fans are wire free out of the box, as the Polaris fans also come with an assortment of cables which source power and RGB signal, and also have much shorter cables which link each fan to the next one in line. Along with 35,000 hours of runtime, the Polaris RGB fans are backed with a two-year warranty.

Read full article @ TweakTown

Mistel MD870 SLEEKER Keyboard Review

Mistel is aiming to get their name out in a bold way, but via a keyboard that is anything but bold. The MD870 SLEEKER is a keyboard built to outlast nearly every component in a PC thanks to the use of a thick aluminum case, PBT plastic and internal steel plate. Add in a subtle white lighting effect, and you have a keyboard that is fit to be used in any environment.

Read full article @ TechPowerUp

SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega 64 NITRO+ Review

SAPPHIRE is the brand of choice when it comes to the best custom Radeon graphics cards made, so when the company reached out to me asking if I would like to review their first custom Radeon RX Vega 64 graphics card, I of course jumped at the opportunity. SAPPHIRE's new Radeon RX Vega 64 NITRO+ Limited Edition is the company's new flagship Radeon RX Vega graphics card, packing their next generation cooler: Turbine-X. Vega is a hot monster as it is, so I'm looking forward to seeing how that new 'enhanced TRI-X cooling' keeps not just the Vega 10 NCU cool, but the 8GB of HBM2 that also runs incredibly hot. The card is being launched right now, with the card available in most markets around the world that sell SAPPHIRE products. As for the price, we're looking at $659 for the SAPPHIRE Radeon RX Vega 64 NITRO+ and $569 for the RX Vega 56 variant.

Read full article @ TweakTown

Scanner Sombre Review

I started this review by saying that Scanner Sombre is the kind of game I would need to see a review of. I still believe that, and I hope what I have written provides the information others may be looking for. It is a game of exploration that has a twist to the mechanic I cannot remember experiencing before. That is something I both appreciate and enjoy. Because of how atypical the game is, it is almost odd to think about recommending it, but I do recommend it. It is an interesting and I feel enjoyable game of exploration. It does help that the retail price is only $11.99, especially with how short it is, but if you already enjoy games like Dear Esther, I think this too is a game you can enjoy. (And, for the record, I do like Dear Esther.) The graphics and style look good and the gameplay is interesting in its mechanics and execution. The story has some dark elements to it, and while I do not want to spoil anything, I will say that I was able to correctly guess some of it. Nothing wrong with that though, at least not for me, especially as I am kind of use to guessing stories. The exploration is the key, and that is satisfying.

Read full article @ OCC