Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including QNAP TS-670 6-bay SMB NAS Review, Beginners Guide: How To Install/Remove Intel Socket LGA1156 CPU and Heatsink, TDK TREK A26 Ultra-Portable Wireless Speaker, ASUS GTX 760 MARS Review (1600p, Ultra HD 4k), and Lian Li PC-Q30 Case Review: A Mini-ITX Chassis With Flair



QNAP TS-670 6-bay SMB NAS Review @ Madshrimps

In this review we will take a look on the powerful TS-670 NAS server from QNAP, which sports a Intel Celeron G550 at 2.6Ghz, 2GB of DDR3 SODIMM, but also 4 LAN interfaces which support Link Aggregation. While these specifications would recommend the product to be utilized only in enterprise environments, the NAS does not lose the multimedia functions by providing all necessary interfaces in order to use it as an entertainment system.

Read more: QNAP TS-670 6-bay SMB NAS Review @ Madshrimps

Fujitsu Lifebook E743 Review @ Techradar

IntroductionOver the past few years, the 'bring your own device' (BYOD) phenomenon has placed pressure on laptop vendors to raise their game. With employees taking their own slim, stylish models with top-end specs to match into the workplace, IT leaders are under pressure to kit out employees with similarly desirable products.Recognising this, Fujitsu is aiming to strike the middle ground between consumer-focused style and business practicality with its new series of configurable E-Series Lifebook Windows notebooks.Featuring a third-generation (Ivy Bridge) Intel Core i5 chip with integrated HD Graphics 4000, the E743 is internally similar to Lenovo's no-nonsense ThinkPad T431s and Toshiba's Satellite C50 models while aiming for the consumer styling of machines like Dell's Latitude 6430u.

Read more: Fujitsu Lifebook E743 Review @ Techradar

Toshiba Satellite P75-A7200 Review @ TechReviewSource.com

The Toshiba Satellite P75-A7200 is a desktop replacement laptop that allows you to expand and grow into with its free hard drive bay and two memory slots. It has a good-looking 17.3-inch display and good overall performance.

Read more: Toshiba Satellite P75-A7200 Review @ TechReviewSource.com

Beginners Guide: How To Install/Remove Intel Socket LGA1156 CPU and Heatsink @ PC Stats

Installing a socket LGA1156 Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processor into a fresh motherboard as part of a new PC build can be intimidating step, particularly if you've never worked inside a computer before. PCSTATS received a few emails from novice readers on this subject, so we thought it worthwhile to lay out the steps for you in this Beginners Guide.

Read more: Beginners Guide: How To Install/Remove Intel Socket LGA1156 CPU and Heatsink @ PC Stats

SilverStone Raven RV04 Computer Case Review @ APH Networks

I have always been a fan of customization. Customizing your house, for example, gives you the creative freedom to a certain extent to express who you are, make yourself feel truly at home, and to find solutions to various problems. Although cookie cutter templates give many people a good foundation as to how some things should look, most of the time, they simply don't work well for me in terms of what I specifically want. In my opinion, this concept is also very applicable in the world of computers and technology. Yes, every chassis should be designed in a specific way to optimize airflow, while minimizing the amount of material used, but that seems a bit too generic for me. Although the exterior design varies from tower to tower, the interior design is generally still the same. To keep everyone happy, SilverStone has developed cool cases for the regular hardware guys as well as the enthusiasts, and they have continued to do so by modifying and improving on their previous products. What we have here today is a case the redefines tradition yet again. The SilverStone Raven RV04 features a slick and subtle design, yet on the inside, the motherboard is rotated a full one hundred and eighty degrees for increased airflow efficiency. How well does this chassis hold up to APH Networks standards? Keep reading to find out!

Read more: SilverStone Raven RV04 Computer Case Review @ APH Networks

TwoHands II Tablet Stand Review @ TestFreaks

Today we have a quick review of another tablet accessory. The TwoHands II from Felix is a clip on stand that attaches to most any size tablet in either portrait or landscape orientations. It was created to be portable and easy to use. Created by Industrial Designer – Jung Tak, TwoHands II is designed to be simple to use while I being very utilitarian.

Unboxing

The TwoHands II arrives in a cardboard package with the device visualized through a plastic window. The box is sealed with a plastic band that has four fingers on each side similar to the one’s on the TwoHands II stand. An image of the Felix TwoHands II holding an iPad is seen on the lower half of the front. The back demonstrates the various angles the stand can rest at along with the maximal diameter and thickness of tablets that the stand is compatible with.

Read more: TwoHands II Tablet Stand Review @ TestFreaks

Google Nexus 5 Review, Premium Android Experience @ HotHardware

It almost goes without saying that the Google Nexus 5 is one of the most anticipated Android phones to launch in 2013, save perhaps for Samsung's Galaxy S 4. Previous generation Nexus devices from Google, whether phone or tablet, have proven to offer a lot of bang for the buck, excellent design and build quality and a pure representation of the Android OS. Not to mention Google regularly rolls out the most recent version of Android as well with these devices, sometimes well before it's available on products from other brands.

The previous generation Nexus 4, like the Nexus 5, was manufactured by LG, though the Nexus 4 didn't hit the mark like Google hoped it would. With their latest Nexus device, Google is hoping to rise above the noise in the now crowded 5-inch superphone space. The Google-LG design team has stiff competition this time around, though. The Samsung Galaxy S 4, the HTC One, Nokia's Lumia 1020 and even LG's own G2 are very impressive larger screen devices. And let's not forget, Google has the iPhone 5s to contend with this holiday shopping season as well.

Read more: Google Nexus 5 Review, Premium Android Experience @ HotHardware

be quiet! Pure Power L8 730W CM Review @ ocaholic

be quiet!'s Pure Power L8 CM 730W is a decent mid- to high-end semi-modular PSU that offers 80Plus Bronze certification and is produced by HEC (OEM). With the price of around US $100 it should not break anyones budget and still offer decent performance.

Read more: be quiet! Pure Power L8 730W CM Review @ ocaholic

MSI R9 270X Gaming @ LanOC Reviews

One of the best parts about a new video card launch is having the chance to be able to check out the differences between the same models from multiple companies. It seems like every company anymore has their own cooling design and their own names for each of the cards features. One of the companies who has performed well in all of our previous launches has been the Twin Frozr designs from MSI. Today I’m going to take a look at their R9 270X Gaming that features a Twin Frozr cooling design along with a few gaming features that help it stand out.

Read more: MSI R9 270X Gaming @ LanOC Reviews

TDK TREK A26 Ultra-Portable Wireless Speaker @ NikKTech

We are literally just a few weeks away from Christmas and since all of us here happen to consider that season as the best and most cheerful time of the year we’ve decided to spend a weekend on the mountain away from technology and more specifically computers and TV. Personally i like the idea since i do need some time off to relax but I’m not about to leave here entirely unprepared and so because of that for the past 2 weeks we've been doing our best to get our hands on as many portable devices as possible that can help us enjoy our time there while at the same time making us feel safer. TDK has been in the business of designing and manufacturing high performance wireless speaker systems for quite some time now but until just recently they didn't offer something really tiny in their product line. It seems however that TDK listens to their consumer base and so the latest TREK A26 Ultra-Portable Wireless Speaker is here to change that.

Read more: TDK TREK A26 Ultra-Portable Wireless Speaker @ NikKTech

X79 Charts: 18 Boards - ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition @ ocaholic

So far we've tested 18 X79 motherboards and we have to say that sometimes we got quite interesting results. What we've also done is, we have added power consumption values as well as a performance rating which allows quick comparision of which board performs best and which is the most energy efficient.

Read more: X79 Charts: 18 Boards - ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition @ ocaholic

Awesome BlizzCon 2013 CosPlay Pictures @ Legit Reviews

With the close of BlizzCon 2013, you are no doubt asking yourself, Where are the costume players? This year's BlizzCon had tons of Cosplay participants who clearly put in tons of time creating and building their costumes. Unlike in previous years, however, there were less Booth Babes that is male and female professional models dressing in scantily-clad outfits to promote a particular product “ and more homegrown, underground Cosplayers who came to play and compete. This is our coverage of those that came to Blizzcon 2013 to show off the costumes that they made!

Read more: Awesome BlizzCon 2013 CosPlay Pictures @ Legit Reviews

LSI SandForce Announces Next Generation SF3700 SSD Controller @ Legit Reviews

It's been a little over three years since we've seen a new controller from LSI SandForce and that was before the acquisition of SandForce by LSI. A number of competitors have released controllers that have really ratcheted up the competition so it's high time LSI answered the call. That answer comes with the in the form of their third generation SF3700 series controller that promises a host of improvements and innovations to help them attempt to regain the crown they wore for some time. With the SATA III interface not yielding much more in bandwidth, they'll need to do more than kick up read/write performance but rather focus more features. Not that performance improvements are absent. It mostly applies to enterprise applications but drive latency is much improved and claim tested client performance of 1,800MB/s in sequential reads (PCIe).

Read more: LSI SandForce Announces Next Generation SF3700 SSD Controller @ Legit Reviews

DxO Optics Pro 9 Review @ Techradar

DxO Labs specialises in lens and camera testing, image assessment and optical corrections, and DxO Optics Pro is the fruit of all this work. It uses unique correction profiles created for specific camera and lens combinations to correct a whole range of optical bugbears, including distortion, edge softness, chromatic aberration and corner shading (vignetting).These optical defects are a fact of life for most of us, because it's next to impossible for lens manufacturers to produce lenses which don't have some or all of these flaws, yet provide the zoom ranges we want and at prices we can afford!

Read more: DxO Optics Pro 9 Review @ Techradar

Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti OC Review @ Hexus

Not taking too kindly to being usurped in the graphics card performance stakes by the AMD Radeon R9 290X, Nvidia has just fought back with the GeForce GTX 780 Ti, which, by our reckoning, takes back the single-GPU crown that had previously belonged to the GeForce GTX Titan since February of this year.

Composed of an entire GK110 die - 2,880 shaders humming along in tandem - the GTX 780 Ti is the pinnacle of Kepler engineering. Nvidia's partners have naturally been keen to take advantage of this GPU with custom-cooled, pre-overclocked efforts of their own, and just over a week after the reference card's launch, we have Gigabyte stepping up to the plate with its OC model.

Read more: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 780 Ti OC Review @ Hexus

Phanteks Enthoo Primo Chassis Review @ FunkyKit

When a consumer is shopping for their next computer chassis, a number of traits can come into play to help make the final decision. Whether the consumer is focusing on cooling, functions, bling, aesthetics, or simplicity; there is a chassis for everyone. Often, the chassis that is chosen is an extension of that consumer's personality. Manufacturers are increasingly paying attention to these trends, thankfully, and the results are abundant and plentiful.
We have seen several chassis manufacturers come and go over the years and some of their ideas and features live on through other manufacturers' iterations. Chassis designs are ever-evolving as is the enthusiast. This is especially great and keeps the market fresh and appealing. New ideas or the perfection of trends will potentially attract enthusiasts and encourage the modding community. Lately, the market has been slow to introduce something special. However, a product has recently arrived at my doorstep that has captured my attention and even given me a WOW impression. I am most certainly not talking about the MMO variety of WoW either. I am talking about the Enthoo Primo from Phanteks.

Today we will be taking a look at the Enthoo Primo chassis from Phanteks, who is well known for their cooling solutions. It will be interesting to see what their debut chassis offering can bring to the game compared to other chassis in a market loaded with a variety of other options.

Read more: Phanteks Enthoo Primo Chassis Review @ FunkyKit

Steelseries FLUX In-Ear Pro Review @ FunkyKit

Steelseries has three main lines of audio peripherals: The Siberia line, H-line and the flux line. The Siberia line is their all round gaming line, the H-series is more geared to the Pro-gamer and then last but not least we have the Flux series, their mobile gaming headset line.

Read more: Steelseries FLUX In-Ear Pro Review @ FunkyKit

HIS Radeon R9-290X Review @ Guru3D

In this review we test the HIS Radeon R9-290X. The product is based on the reference design of the original Radeon R9-290X. These cards are little beasts. As such this in-depth review will cover the Volcanic Islands GPU architecture, Hawaii for the 290 series, we'll benchmark these cards with FCAT Frametimes, Ultra High Definition and of course, we'll check out game performance with the latest games next to power consumption and heat levels as well. This is one review you don't wanna miss!

Now before we begin with the new graphics cards, the first thing that you guys will need to get used to is the new naming schema. AMD ended with the Radeon HD 7000 and 8000 series graphics cards in 2013. Logic dictates that AMD would have continued with a series 9000. But hey now, we already have had the Radeon 9000 series many years ago (2003), oh and who doesn't remember the Radeon 9800 Pro right? As such it was time to bring in a new naming scheme, a bit more in line with AMD's APUs. R9 will be high-end and R7 will be mainstream and inevitably R5 being entry level. After that you'll notice products being tagged as 250, 260X, 270X, 280X and the coolest two of them all are the Radeon R9 290 and R290X.

Read more: HIS Radeon R9-290X Review @ Guru3D

Logitech G13 Advance USB Gameboard Reader Review @ OcInside.de

You like to do a thousand things at the same time while playing online games.
Jump and reload while overrunning the enemy hordes and post the teammate in the group the number of today's victories.
For a standard keyboard these functions are usually far apart and can not be assigned that easily.
Here Logitech offers a solution with their G13 Gameboard.
It is a little extra keyboard which is supposed to find its place next to the normal keyboard.
Full of features and options, it is an useful supplement for every gamer desk.

Read more: Logitech G13 Advance USB Gameboard Reader Review @ OcInside.de

ASUS GTX 760 MARS Review (1600p, Ultra HD 4k) @ KitGuru

Today we look at the latest graphics card from ASUS, the GTX 760 MARS. This solution comprises two GTX760's in an SLi configuration, all on a single PCB. ASUS have incorporated a hefty DIGI+VRM configuration featuring 12 phase power. They are promoting this card to go head to head against the flagship GTX Titan and GTX780Ti. So today we find out if it can!

Read more: ASUS GTX 760 MARS Review (1600p, Ultra HD 4k) @ KitGuru

ASUS ROG MARS 760 Review @ ocaholic

For this edition of ASUS MARS Graphics card, ASUS has thought about something different than their usual recipe. This time, there aren't two high-end chips but two GTX 760 mid-range GPUs. You can find these chips on one single PCB combined with a powerful and beautiful cooler. Other than that the GPUs received a really decent factory overclocking and we're curious to see what this card is capable of.

Read more: ASUS ROG MARS 760 Review @ ocaholic

Cooler Master Nepton 280L Review @ OCC

The Nepton 280L is up against four CPU coolers that are air cooled. Idle temps were all close as expected, except for the BigTyp Revo, which ran a few degress higher than the others. But the Revo pulls air down on the radiator and pushes it over the motherboard. The higher temps for the Revo are likely more of an airflow issue. And for the most part, the air cooled units held up rather well. Under normal usage, the 280L is quiet. Load it up and you know it is there. Not overbearingly loud, but you do know that the fans are moving some air. Of course most new motherboards now have the ability to control your fans with custom profiles, so you can tailor your fan operation to your liking.

Read more: Cooler Master Nepton 280L Review @ OCC

Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Telephoto Lens Review @ TechnologyX

First introduced back in July of 1992, the Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM medium telephoto lens has been the go to lens of portrait photographers for decades. It benefits from the solid build quality coupled with the low price and overall great image quality. Furthermore, it is lightweight, has pleasant bokeh, and has an extremely fast and accurate focusing system. However, it does have some drawbacks which include color fringing near wide open apertures and the minimum focusing distance is a little farther than I prefer.

Read more: Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM Telephoto Lens Review @ TechnologyX

NETGEAR R6250 Wireless AC Router Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

With the Wireless AC standard to be finalised in early 2014 now is a great time to start looking at Wireless AC tech for your home network. NETGEAR suggest the R6250, their latest AC router, is ideal for homes that have upwards of ten devices to connect. While that may seem a lot this is actually an easy target in todays connected world where set-top boxes, smart TV's, phones, tablets, laptops, desktops etc all want to access our content. So today we take a look at NETGEAR's latest offering the R6250 Wireless AC Dual Band Gigabit Router.

Read more: NETGEAR R6250 Wireless AC Router Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Cooler Master HAF Stacker Review @ Hardware Canucks

Cooler Master’s HAF Stacker series is one of the first unique case concepts we’ve come across in a long time. Sure there has been some great innovations in the past like the diminutive HAF XB and Enthoo’s awesome Primo which combined every highlight we could ever want in an enclosure. The Stacker on the other hand does things differently. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all solution, it allows you to customize your case with a modularized approach, adding or removing any elements or placing them in different configurations.

The Stacker concept is quite simple: there are three basic cases which can all be combined together or used separately. The base element of the Stacker equation is the 935, a mid tower case (dubbed the 925) which comes with an add-on secondary enclosure that is completely optional during your build but we ultimately recommend using it since it adds space. Cooler Master dubs this the first “mod tower” and we have to agree.

Read more: Cooler Master HAF Stacker Review @ Hardware Canucks

Xigmatek Aquila Micro ATX PC Chassis Review @ TechnologyX

Xigmatek is a name that has been around for a few years now making everything from CPU coolers to power supplies to fans to cases. Xigmatek has always made cases with unique styling that sets them apart from everyone else. Their latest release is no different. The Aquila is a small cube-like case that will hold a Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX system and boasts some unique features. Xigmatek was kind enough to send one over for us to check out so let's get to it!

Read more: Xigmatek Aquila Micro ATX PC Chassis Review @ TechnologyX

Cooler Master Nepton 140XL AiO Liquid CPU Cooler Review @ HiTech Legion

There is a bit of a “square peg, round hole” situation that exists in liquid cooling. What I am referring to is radiator sizes in relation to fan openings in cases. While there is an abundance of radiators based on 120mm form factor, it has been more prevalent for cases to use 140mm fans in recent years. While 140mm mounts in cases almost always have mounting for 120mm fans/rads, it is obviously not optimal. After all, surface area is one of, if not the largest determining factor in radiator performance and heat dissipation. It would only stand to reason to try to use all that is available.

While 140mm based rads are becoming more available in custom loops, AiO users have still been left with only one choice of single and dual 140mm, albeit with two brand names and fan choices. There has also been far less in the way of high static and flow 140mm fan choices, with most of the top name rad fans not even offered in 140mm variations. It’s been shown that many of the top end 120mm fans outperform almost any 140mm fan, but that requires adapters for mounting purposes. So, it leaves a bit of a quandary. Ideally, what would make sense is 140mm based AiO with native mounts for 120mm fans that would also allow it to mount in many cases with 120mm fan openings….

Read more: Cooler Master Nepton 140XL AiO Liquid CPU Cooler Review @ HiTech Legion

Enermax Giant Ostrog Mid-Tower Computer Case @ Modders-Inc

In the last twenty something years, since I’ve been tinkering with PCs, the computer case has changed considerably. We have seen the industry go from one extreme to another. Initially the computer case was beige and you didn’t have any options; there wasn’t any extra fans you could add to help cooling. It wasn’t until years later that the ol’ beige case went under the knife or dremel of a group of folks who called themselves modders. Modders cut up the case to add a window to show off the internals, added fans, added paint, and many other mods. Over the years the modding community has vastly influenced the manufacturing of PC cases and in today’s market rarely is a beige case even seen.

One of the early innovators and some of the most popular to be modded were the Enermax cases. Enermax introduced the Giant Ostrog case in 2013 and based on the design, they have come a long way from the early days, but does it differentiate itself enough from the rest of the crowd to stand out?

Read more: Enermax Giant Ostrog Mid-Tower Computer Case @ Modders-Inc

Tt eSPORTS CRONOS Gaming Headset Review @ Neoseeker

When it comes to PC gaming, it is easy to focus stringently on graphic fidelity as the sole advantage toward having an openly upgradable ecosystem. What most gamers forget is the platform's compatibility with a wide range of hardware and software specifically designed for audiophiles. Dedicated sound cards and native support for high-end output devices are just some of the benefits to this modularity, lending to a significant addition to the immersion factor across all games.

Thermaltake's Tt eSPORTS is one brand that heavily contributes to the PC gaming market, creating everything from mice and keyboards to headsets. It is a brand striving not only for performance, but for style as is significant in Asia where Thermaltake is based. Today, we have the Tt eSPORTS CRONOS gaming headset on review. Touted as a professional gaming headset, it promises premium sound quality through 40mm drivers, LYCRA fiber pads on the head band, a bendable microphone boom, and removable headset cables catering for both computers and mobile phones. The CRONOS is available in both black and white - we have the black version on review today.

I usually have high expectations for audio products, so the CRONOS definitely has some big shoes to fill. We haven't had the best of luck with some of the Tt eSPORTS gaming mice, so it will be interesting to see how the company's headsets fare.

Read more: Tt eSPORTS CRONOS Gaming Headset Review @ Neoseeker

Mionix Avior 8200 Gaming Mouse @ PureOverclock

When we last took a look at a gaming mouse from Swedish company Mionix, their Naos 8200 turned out to be an utterly sublime product that offered gamers a robust mouse in what was the most comfortable ergonomic design I’d ever laid hands on.

In what could only possibly be called a minor “knock” against the Naos, it’s a right-handed only design; no love for lefties so far. So when we heard that Mionix was coming out with a new mouse that was ambidextrous, we certainly had high hopes. There are compromises, of course, with an ambidextrous mouse rather than a dedicated-handed one, but Mionix seems to be pushing to find the best of both worlds with the Avior 8200, sharing many of the same features, and even similar design DNA, though it’s been adapted for lefties and righties.

Read more: Mionix Avior 8200 Gaming Mouse @ PureOverclock

Lian Li PC-Q30 Case Review: A Mini-ITX Chassis With Flair @ Tom's Hardware

Lian Li's PC-Q30 is not just a PC case, but an enclosure that serves as a showcase for the living room, including a unique shape and a large front window to show off the technology you cram inside. It’s sure to raise eyebrows and start some conversations.

Lian Li's PC-Q30 chassis is specifically designed to show off the guts of your PC in a place where everyone is going to see them. It boasts a unique shape, a large window, and, surprisingly, more space than you would think a small chassis could offer. At the very least, it's a conversation piece.

Because of its unique form factor and purpose, we thought we'd do more with this case than simply list off its pros and cons. With a little bit of effort, you can turn this thing into a striking little example of how proud you are to be a PC gamer.

Read more: Lian Li PC-Q30 Case Review: A Mini-ITX Chassis With Flair @ Tom's Hardware

Powercolor Radeon R9-270X Devil @ Bjorn3D

Powercolor is one of the AMD partners that you see from time to time and they are really known for such designs as the Devil series cards which really shot them into the limelight for the AMD camp about a year or so back now. Well today we have in hand a newer “Devil” based model in the R9-270X Devil. The Devil edition is always known as the extreme performance variant and this is no exception with the telltale triple fan cooler, red/black cladding and full backplate carrying the design to the upper echelon in the looks department and the performance department is no slouch either.

The R9-270X comes in at a retail price of $239.99 directly from Newegg at the time of this writing. this places it at the very top of the price stack for the 270X models which can range from around $199 for the most part. Then again as we have always seen the special edition models always can carry a price premium and well it has simply become common knowledge at this point.

Read more: Powercolor Radeon R9-270X Devil @ Bjorn3D

Seagate Business Storage 8-Bay Rackmount NAS review: 8 disks in 1U rack @ Hardware.Info

Seagate is one of the two big traditional hard disk manufacturers, which in the last couple years has been moving out of its comfort zone of internal hard disks. You can find external hard disks carrying the Seagate name, but also NAS devices. It wants to offer professional storage solutions as well, and the Seagate Business Storage 8-Bay Rackmount NAS (R8) we're taking a closer look at today is a perfect example.

Read more: Seagate Business Storage 8-Bay Rackmount NAS review: 8 disks in 1U rack @ Hardware.Info