Reviews 51952 Published by

Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including ASUS HD6770 1GB DirectCU Silent Review, HP ProBook 4430s Review, and Vantec SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI-e Host Card Review



ASUS HD6770 1GB DirectCU Silent Review
Vortez posted ASUS HD6770 1GB DirectCU Silent Review

The HD6770 is little more than a rebranding exercise sadly as it offers virtually the same performance save for some video enhancements as the older HD5770, both being Juniper core examples so it is odd that ASUS have gone to the trouble to design a passively cooled card which by today's standards, is old technology. Obviously they believe there is a demand for such a product and while I do agree that silent cards are always going to be sought after, performance is also a primary attraction when choosing a graphics card and in that respect I hope ASUS have not overlooked this key aspect.
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ClipFlip Application Review
Tech-Reviews.co.uk posted ClipFlip Application Review

Everyone wants to make a bit of money on the side, and with the new ClipFlip app you can do just that! The way you make money is simple. You just open up the app, film a short video and upload it. And then within 48 hours they will offer you a price for that clip.
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HP ProBook 4430s Review
TechReviewSource.com posted a review on the HP ProBook 4430s

The HP ProBook 4430s is an affordable and stylish all-purpose laptop that suits the needs of a home or small business user. It has decent performance, although not the best, but the 14-inch display has really great quality. We were disappointed at HP's decision to not include the latest USB 3.0 connectivity.
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Corsair Carbide 500R Mid-Tower Case Review
Legit Reviews posted Corsair Carbide 500R Mid-Tower Case Review

When Corsair hit the market with the start of their gaming focused cases, the Obsidian 800D, it quickly won many industry awards and became the watercooler's case de jour. Since then, Corsair has released several other cases that copied many of the best features from their flagship to hit all price points in the enthusiast market. Corsair sent us one of the latest from their Carbide series, the 500R in trendy white to allow us to see if how it stacks up against the mighty 800D and others on the market today.

We really liked working with the Corsair Carbide 500R as the design was very well thought out. The fit and finish were excellent with great paint work and the black and white theme is very attractive. Airflow is a non-issue in this case with more options than the majority of users would even consider or require. The cable routing was easy and the rubber grommets really add a polished look when you are done building in this case. The bonus integrated fan controller and LED on/off switch was a nice touch on the I/O panel but we really appreciated the inclusion of USB 3.0 ports on the front. Corsair was even thoughtful enough to include the conversion cable to USB 2.0 to extend the compatibility...
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Raidmax RX-1200AE High Efficiency Bronze Power Supply Review
TechwareLabs posted a review on the Raidmax RX-1200AE High Efficiency Bronze Power Supply

Picking out a power supply for a build can often be a daunting task. Wattage, plugs, fan size, efficiency, and name brands are all deciding points. Raidmax, a trusted brand in power supplies, has sent us their 1200AE Bronze power supply. Lets take a look at different efficiency certifications and where the 1200AE stacks up.
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AeroCool X-Predator Evil Review
Overclock3D have just published a new article titled: AeroCool X-Predator Evil.

Here we take a look at the X-Predator "Evil Black" edition. A Huge Beast of a case from AeroCool.
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V-MODA Vibrato Remote Earphones Review
ThinkComputers.org posted a review on the V-MODA Vibrato Remote Earphones

I only started using earphones or earbuds as many people call them a few years ago. So many people think that all earphones are the same and will use the ones that come with their device. I did that for quite some time before I tried a different set of earphones and since then I’ve been trying all different types of earphones. Today we have a set of earphones on the more expensive end coming in at $130. These zinc-alloy earphones feature 8mm V-MASQUE drivers, BLISS 3.0 (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicone) hybrid silicone fittings, Kevlar® reinforced cables and a 24K gold plated plug. Let’s check them out and see if they will be the next earphones you own.
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Thermaltake Overseer RX-I Computer Case Review
Benchmark Reviews posted a review on the Thermaltake Overseer RX-I Computer Case

In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the Thermaltake Overseer RX-I, which demands a higher premium but at the same time packs in more goodies and features. In my previous article I asked what you want from a case and how much are you willing to spend, well today we have a case for those willing to splash a bit more cash in return for some great features. The Overseer has front panel USB 3.0, e-Sata, and a 2.5"/3.5" HDD/SSD dock all conveniently located whether your case is on the floor or on your desk. Inside the case you have room for tall CPU coolers (up to 177mm) and long video cards (up to 344mm), cable routing is catered for and HDD installation will look neat too. When you have all of your gear installed there will still be room to spare, Thermaltake have once again made provisions for a 120.2 (240mm) watercooling radiator and you won't be short of space to mount a pump and reservoir either.
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Scythe Ninja 3 Silent Edition CPU Cooler Review
Hi Tech Legion posted a review on the Scythe Ninja 3 Silent Edition CPU Cooler

The Scythe Ninja 3 Silent Version takes a radically different approach to silent cooling. Scythe designed the Ninja 3 to be an effective air cooler in a fanless state, while reaping benefits through adding fans. The cooling tower of the Ninja 3 has some very distinct differences from what you are accustomed to seeing. There are four entirely separate fin arrays with a total of eight heat pipes running through them. This separation allows for more heat dissipation, naturally. Each of the eight heatpipes is topped with a polished silver bolt for a more aggressive look, and the top of the tower itself is imprinted with a black flame pattern to round out the Ninja 3's styling. Included in the Ninja 3 Silent Version is a fixed speed 800rpm fan to enhance cooling in virtual silence. The Ninja 3 is a large cooler at 120 x 145mm with a height at 160mm with fan installed, so be sure to check your case for proper fit.
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Seagate Barracuda 3TB Review; A 1TB / Platter Monster is Unleashed
Hardware Canucks posted a review of the new Seagate Barracuda 3TB.

Platter size may not mean much to everyday consumers but storage enthusiasts know that larger platters are usually a ticket to first class performance. Previously, large capacity drives used 750GB disks to achieve their required space but Seagate's new Barracuda 3TB is the first with three 1TB platters. Coupled with a very fast controller, this new drive has what it takes to literally blow the doors off the competition.
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Vantec SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI-e Host Card Review
circuitREMIX posted Vantec SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI-e Host Card Review

The USB, or Universal Serial Bus, standard is currently the most popularly used external interface for computer systems. It is used as an interface for devices ranging from input devices like mice and keyboards, to storage devices. It's only natural and inevitable that an integral technology like USB would advance with a new version. Being an industry standard for external connectivity, its new version should be backwards compatible with old versions, but it still should be a progression forward. That's what USB 3.0 is today. While the connectors used and the data signal are backwards compatible, USB 3.0 is a huge step forward in terms of performance. While this means little for low bandwidth hardware like input devices, it's important for storage devices like external hard drives and flash drives Realistically, USB 2.0 storage devices topped out in the 30MB/s range, while eSATA and Firewire 800 left those devices in the dust. Now with USB 3.0, the USB standard is competitive again. Today we'll be looking at an add-in card that allows you to easily add USB 3.0 compabilities to a computer system. The add-in card is Vantec's SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI-e host card (UGT PC312). It's a PCI-e 2.0 1x card that adds two USB 3.0 ports.
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OCZ RevoDrive Hybrid 100GB (PCIe SSD + 1TB HDD) Review
TechSpot posted OCZ RevoDrive Hybrid 100GB (PCIe SSD + 1TB HDD) Review

It's been almost three years since I tested my first solid-state drive and that first impression has lasted to this day. Anyone that has used an SSD in their computer will tell you that it completely transforms performance. By removing the 6ms+ delay associated with hard drives, almost everything loads snappier -- often instantaneously.

For that reason, we have maintained for years that the single most important upgrade you can make to an enthusiast-grade machine is adding an SSD for your operating system and applications. The key downside to SSD technology is its cost per gigabyte, which is significantly higher than traditional mechanical hard drives.

Although SSDs are quicker and more reliable today, their price relative to mechanical drives has only improved slightly. For example, the Crucial m4 128GB costs $1.56/GB, the OCZ Vertex 3 120GB is set at $1.75/GB, while Intel's SSD 510 Series 120GB is going for $2.33/GB. Meanwhile, 2TB HDDs are available for as little as $0.04/GB.

There have been many attempts over the years to bring SSDs down to mainstream pricing but we're still a ways off. Hoping to nab a slice of the hybrid market, OCZ has launched its RevoDrive Hybrid, which fuses a 100GB SSD to a PCB alongside a 1TB 2.5" hard drive and connects using the PCI Express 2.0 x4 bus. At $500, this solution is priced at a peculiar $0.50/GB. It isn't exactly an entry-level product but that's significantly less than any SSD.
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Zowie Hammer USB Headset Review
PureOverclock takes a look at the Zowie Hammer USB Headset

Established in only recent years, Zowie is striving to make their mark in the gaming arena. Today we will be looking at a their Hammer USB series gaming headset. Simple in design, form and function, it seems Zowie is keeping things unpretentious with this new design. This can be good or bad, as we've seen on some other USB headsets out there. Coming with a $70 price tag, let's see what Zowie has to offer in the Hammer.
http://www.pureoverclock.com/article1389.html]Read more[/url]

DIY Guides: How To Install/Remove AMD Socket FM1 CPU and Heatsink
PCStats posted a guide about installing/removing AMD Socket FM1 CPU and Heatsink

Installing a socket FM1 AMD A8-series processor into a motherboard is not too difficult, unless you've never done anything like this before and in that case a little guidance is called for. Here at PCSTATS we've had our share of troubles with computer hardware and received a good deal of questions from readers who aren't entirely confident they can install an AMD CPU into a fresh motherboard. We thought we'd run off a quick DIY Guide illustrating the procedure for installing a socket FM1 AMD processor for the benefit of our readers.
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Antec KÜHLER H2O 620 & 920 watercooling units review
Metku took a closer look at the Antec Kuhler watercooling lineup - H2O 620 & 920.

We're already familiar with the world of all-in-one water coolers. New is the manufacturer, because after reviewing coolers by Corsair and CoolIt, we finally take a look at the ones made by Antec.
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MSI 990FXA-GD80 Motherboard Review
iXBT Labs posted a review on the MSI 990FXA-GD80 Motherboard

MSI 990FXA-GD80 is currently the highest-end in company's Socket AM3+ series. As such it has and supports everything MSI can offer today. Still, the motherboard is practical and reasonable enough nonetheless, without features you could classify as marketing padding, and will attract those who need the best in technology.
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OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD Review
XSReviews has a new review of the OCZ Vertex 3 240GB SSD

Another day, another review, another SSD. Here we have the Vertex 3 from OCZ, with a healthy capacity of 240GB. It comes with the latest 2200 series controller from Sandforce, support for SATA III 6GBps data transfer and some very impressive read/write sustained speeds.

Let's see how it performs with our short battery of tests.
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ASUS USB-N10 and USB-N13 Wireless N Network Adapters Review
Bigbruin.com posted a review on the ASUS USB-N10 and USB-N13 Wireless N Network Adapters

One area where people might not necessarily think of ASUS is networking hardware. Whether you need a router, switch, or adapter - and whether you want to go wired, wireless, or over power lines - they have a few choices for you to consider. In this review we're going to take a look at two of their compact wireless N network adapters; the USB-N10 and the USB-N13.
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SpeedLink Medusa NX 5.1 Headset Review
eTeknix.com posted a review on the SpeedLink Medusa NX 5.1 Headset

Today is the turn of a headset, but from a company you have probably not heard of much or even at all, in fact excluding this one recent news story then they have not been mentioned on this site. This is mainly due to them being very focused on their own german market.

That is not to say they are a small company, in fact Speedlink have one of the largest collections of products I have ever seen. To put this into perspective under 'Headsets' they have 31 different products - although several are the same model in different colours, this is
still a lot of products.
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Seasonic Platinum-1000 1000 W Review
techPowerUp checked out the Seasonic Platinum-1000 1000 W PSU

Seasonic entered the Platinum party late since they wanted to make a big and well planned entrance. After many rumors, spy photos and lots of unconfirmed data Seasonic's Platinum series is finally released and is ready to fight for the crown. The stronger of the two fresh units, the Platinum-1000W, will be the test subject of today's review.
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Cougar Evolution Review
Oerclock3D have just published a new article titled: Cougar Evolution Review

We take a look at the latest gamer inspired chassis from Cougar. Can they make cases to match their quality PSU's?
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