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Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

4K Video Editing PC - November 2015
750-850 watt power supply units: 39 models tested
Alienware Steam Machine Review
Amazon Fire tablet (2015) Review
AOC Q2577PWQ 25″ IPS Monitor Review
Asus RP-AC56 802.11ac wireless extender review
Corsair RMx Series 1000 W
G.SKILL RIPJAWS MX780 Gaming Mouse Review
GIGABYTE Z170X-Gaming 7 Review
HTC One A9 Review: Unlocked With Android Marshmallow
IN WIN 805 Mid-tower Computer Case Review
Lian Li PC-Q10WX Review
O2 Hurricane 220+ MPH Canless Air Industrial Yellow Rechargeable Duster Review
OSRAM LIGHTIFY ZigBee Smart Connected Lighting Review
The Best CPU for the Money: Core i3 Skylake Tested
ThermalTake Cronos Go Gaming Headset Review
THL 2015A Smartphone Review
Toshiba Canvio Desk 4TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive Review
Turcom AcoustoShock Rugged Bluetooth Speaker Review
Turtle Beach Ear Force PX24 Multi-Format Gaming Headset Review
Vertagear SL4000 Gaming Chair Review
Z170 Charts: 12 Boards - ASUS Maximus VIII Impact



4K Video Editing PC - November 2015

A few years ago, your PC just couldn't be fast enough for digital video processing. By now every average PC is able to process Standard Definition (PAL 720x576) as well as HD Ready, but technology doesn't stand still. By now just about every smartphone can record in HD or Full HD and the new frontier is Ultra HD, also known as 4K. This resolution and the 'accompanying' codec HEVC / H.265 require seriously powerful hardware.

That's the reason why a powerful PC can still really make a difference. You need a fast processor, lots of storage capacity, and good monitor able to display 4K resolutions.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

750-850 watt power supply units: 39 models tested

Even the most advanced computer set ups with a single graphics card will run on a 650W power supply without any issues. However if you want to have a multiple graphics card set-up, you will need more power. The power supplies that we have tested, have that and more.

We have earlier discussed both the 500-550W power supply units and the 600-650W ones as well, now is the time to discuss the 750-800W category. These are the units you would need to have in a system with two higher end graphics cards. In this test we have looked at fifteen 850W units, two 860W, one 800W and nineteen with 750 wattage, one 760W and one 730W unit.

As we mentioned, we have tested a total of 39 models of power supply units, and cutting to the chase, none of them were classified as bad. Even with a few that were a bit less quiet at continuous output and a few with a higher than ideal ripple, the results were good for every one of the tested units. Does this mean that you can buy whichever one and it will not matter? The differences are in formats (important for building the system), amount of available connections and the price.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

Alienware Steam Machine Review

The term Steam Machine is something we’ve been hearing for a while now, but the actual real Steam Machines are only coming out now. A Steam Machine is meant to bridge the gap between a console gamer and traditional PC gamer. It brings the Steam experience and Steam’s vast library of games to the living room. Even if you are a traditional PC gamer there are times you just want to sit in front of the TV and play some games. Many people have already done this by building their own HTPC system, but these are bulky and more often than not underpowered. Steam Machines are designed to be smaller than most current-generation consoles, which means you can easily add them to your home theater setup. A true Steam Machine is powered by SteamOS and comes with an official Steam Controller. Today we are looking at Alienware’s Steam Machine (model: ASM100-2980BLK) which is powered by an Intel Core i3 processor, NVIDIA GeForce GTX GPU with 2GB of memory, 8GB of DDR3 memory, and a 1 TB hard drive. Come on this adventurewith us as we see what Alienware’s Steam Machine and the SteamOS is all about.

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Amazon Fire tablet (2015) Review

Even for £50, Amazon's dinky slate disappoints. THE HIGHER END of the tablet market is moving towards sprawling, extravagant productivity slates (see the current rumble going on between the iPad Pro and Surface Pro 4) but Amazon has instead looked downwards, serving up the latest Fire tablet, a £50, 7in device designed mainly with entertainment in mind.

Fifty quid for a fully-featured tablet? You'd need a heart of granite to not at least have a look at it. The bad news is that we have had a look at it, and as wallet-friendly as it may be it's not exactly a wondrous sight.

Read full article @ The Inquirer

AOC Q2577PWQ 25″ IPS Monitor Review

I’ve never really been a fan of buying a monitor, I tend to only look at three key aspects; screen size, resolution and the overall appearance. While that is generally a good way to choose a monitor, there are a multitude of other features that require your attention depending on your intended use.

If you are a gamer or avid video editor, the response time and refresh rates would be of key interest to you to ensure that there is little input lag from your input device and that there is little screen tearing. Professional photograph editors may be less interested in those features, where the contrast ratio, brightness and available colours are more important.

Today we have the professional grade AOC Q2577PWQ. This monitor is one of the best-looking units I’ve seen with a brushed metal base and matching lower bezel on the monitor itself. The looks aren’t let down by poor features either, this monitor comes packing a very respectable 25″ 2560x1440p@60hz IPS panel and AOC’s own Flicker Free technology to give the best possible viewing experience.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Asus RP-AC56 802.11ac wireless extender review

The RP-AC56 is a 2×2 802.11ac wireless extender, designed to compete with and outperform typically affordable offerings. It’s an upgrade from Asus’ older AC750 model, and comes with a nifty music streaming function, for wireless audio playback from a tablet or smartphone.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Corsair RMx Series 1000 W

Corsair adds to its portfolio with yet another PSU line, the RMx series - the RMi line without the digital interface or an FDB fan in order to reduce cost. Today, we will test and compare the RM1000x to the competition in its category.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

G.SKILL RIPJAWS MX780 Gaming Mouse Review

For those not yet familiar with G.SKILL, they are a company most recognized for their computer memory including value and high performance products. Long-time computer hardware enthusiasts such as ourselves find G.SKILL's move into gaming peripherals a bit of a surprise though we have seen other companies that specialize in memory do the same. We have reasonable expectations that the RIPJAWS MX780 gaming mouse we have for review isn't some cheap stab at the growing gaming peripheral market.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

GIGABYTE Z170X-Gaming 7 Review

So far on our Intel Z170 quest we’ve looked at a wide-range of motherboards from ASUS, MSI and ASRock but have yet to examine the expertise of GIGABYTE; until today.

In our hands today is GIGABYTE’s Z170X-Gaming 7; an Intel Z170 motherboard from the G1 Gaming lineup which seeks to provide gamers and enthusiasts with a whole host of cutting-edge features such as Thunderbolt 3, dual-M.2 slots, Creative Sound Core3D and much more. Join us as we explore this new offering and see how it matches up to the rest of the competition.

Read full article @ Vortez

HTC One A9 Review: Unlocked With Android Marshmallow

HTC has been accused of copying Apple’s iPhone 6/6s design with its latest smartphone, the One A9. That’s not exactly a fair accusation however, since the iPhone 6 has many of the same design aesthetics as some of HTC’s previous One flagship phones, particularly the One M7 which launched in 2013. Regardless of where the design inspiration for the One A9 originated, one thing is certain: the One A9 is a good-looking smartphone with an all-metal unibody design and four attractive colors, which include Deep Garnet, Carbon Gray, Opal Silver, and Topaz Gold.

All drama aside, the HTC One A9 is a mid-range handset that is powered by Qualcomm’s octa-core Snapdragon 617 processor and features a 5-inch edge-to-edge Full HD AMOLED display that’s covered in Gorilla Glass 4...

Read full article @ HotHardware.Com

IN WIN 805 Mid-tower Computer Case Review

The IN WIN 805 is a see-through skeleton case structure; maybe easiest comparable look wise with them flashy full acrylic cases from a decade back. A see-through case is a challenge for any case modder as the cable management has to be top notch, this of course because every flaw will be visible. Instead of using acrylic panels on an aluminum body IN WIN went flat out by including three tempered 3mm glass plates. Words nor pictures can exactly describe how great this mid tower chassis looks. This IN WIN 805 is available in three different front bezel colors: standard black, red and gold. The versions that include the USB 3.1 (type-C) in the front bezel also feature an illuminated IN WIN logo. The standard USB3.0 version has got this LED logo function trimmed.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

Lian Li PC-Q10WX Review

The PC-Q10WX from Lian Li appears to be a rather interesting mini-ITX case. Despite of its small size it offers plenty of space and flexibility on the inside, which means you can install high-end graphics cards as well as an ATX power supplies. In addition the build quality is excellent and the case has almost entirely made from aluminum and apart from that there is a large plexi glass side panel. Therefore this small cube could be perfectly suitable for HTPC builds as well as very small LAN party rigs.

Read full article @ ocaholic

O2 Hurricane 220+ MPH Canless Air Industrial Yellow Rechargeable Duster Review

If you have a computer chances are you’ve got a canned of compressed air nearby to keep things clean, I know I do, I’ve got a few of them but they’re not the best product on the market for sure. Canned air is expensive and it’s not exactly environmentally friendly and it can be dangerous if use improperly. I’ve been searching for something to replace canned air and I bought the O2 Hurricane Industrial rechargeable duster and it’s not a bad product overall, it won’t replace canned air but I’ve found I buy less of it now. Read on to learn more..

Read full article @ Technogog

OSRAM LIGHTIFY ZigBee Smart Connected Lighting Review

OSRAM's LIGHTIFY lighting system provides customized lighting solutions for your home and even outdoor spaces while allowing you the flexibility of using your existing smart home hub that's compatible with ZigBee or by using the OSRAM LIGHTIFY Gateway with their custom LIGHTIFY app for Android or iOS. We're going to take a look at the OSRAM LIGHTIFY lighting system kit which includes the LIGHTIFY Gateway and one standard 60-watt equivalent tune-able bulb and also their LIGHTIFY Tune-able 65-watt Flood light.

http://geekinspector.com/2599/reviews/hardware/osram-lightify-zigbee-smart-connected-lighting]Read full article @ Geek Inspector[/url]

The Best CPU for the Money: Core i3 Skylake Tested

The FX-8320E has been AMD's go-to option for budget quad-core computing without integrated graphics for a few months now. But the landscape has shifted on Intel's side with the arrival of its new Skylake-based Core i3 and Pentium processors. After being disappointed in August by the marginal performance between Skylake and Haswell Core i7s, we're interested in seeing how the i3-6100 stacks up against the older i3-4360, as well as the i5-4430 and the overclocked FX-8320E.

Read full article @ Techspot

ThermalTake Cronos Go Gaming Headset Review

As time moves forward, it seems there is a cycle in the size of devices and their accessories. First they get smaller and smaller and then for some reason, we as consumers want the devices to get larger. When it comes to taking music with us on the go, I find that most ear bud style headsets miss the mark … Read more.

Read full article @ Modders-Inc

THL 2015A Smartphone Review

The newly released THL 2015A smartphone is a lower-specced version of their previous 2015 model which now features a MTK MT6735 SoC at 1.3GHz, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage, a HD screen and a battery of 2700mAh. The camera sensor on the back is a Sony IMX135 Exmor RS 13MP and while it can shoot good quality photos during day time, the night shots are quite disappointing because of the excessive LED flash bleeding inside the frame.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

Toshiba Canvio Desk 4TB USB 3.0 Desktop External Hard Drive Review

Whether it's CPUs, graphics cards, hard disk drives, solid state drives, mainboards, peripherals, consoles, media players, LCD screens and pretty much everything in the electronics industry there's one constant that applies to all regardless. When the newest models get released prices of the previous generation ones (and the ones before) take a serious hit. Because of that although currently we even have 8TB external 3.5" Desktop HDDs in the market (even higher capacity models in RAID) what are really popular amongst most consumers are the previous generation 4/5TB models which have become very affordable after having their prices cut more than just once. Toshiba released their latest Canvio Desk line of Desktop USB 3.0 hard drives a while back and again although the top of the line model features 6TB of available capacity today we're taking a look at the 4TB one.

Read full article @ NikKTech

Turcom AcoustoShock Rugged Bluetooth Speaker Review

Portable speakers have been around for decades and one of the best advances in these devices has been the addition of Bluetooth technology. Now instead of needing to carry around cords or having docks for specific devices, audio can be transmitted wirelessly from any Bluetooth capable device such as a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Today we will look at one such speaker from a company called Turcom. They have recently released a rugged Bluetooth speaker called the AcoustoShock, a wireless speaker designed to be tough while advertised as providing premium sound quality that does not skimp on bass.

The Turcom AcoustoShock Bluetooth speaker includes an integrated microphone to allow hands-free conversations as well as the battery capable of providing eight hours of play back time. In addition these speakers are designed to withstand most any water exposure other than submersion.

Read full article @ Technogog

Turtle Beach Ear Force PX24 Multi-Format Gaming Headset Review

The latest headset from Turtle Beach is here at last! The market may be packed with brands and products right now, but from a consumer perspective, it never hurts to have more choice. The PX24 is certainly an appealing product, not only because it comes from a well-known brand name, but because it promises exceptional value for money that simply cannot be ignored.

“The Ear Force ® PX24 is a multiplatform gaming headset featuring Turtle Beach’s innovative Ear Force SuperAmp™ battery powered in-line amplifier which delivers amazing audio from all devices.”

With a feature packed in-line controller, audio processing, multi-format support and so much more, you would expect this headset to be quite expensive, but it’s actually a perfectly reasonable £69.99, so colour me very interested, let’s see what this headset can do!

Read full article @ eTeknix

Vertagear SL4000 Gaming Chair Review

We have been asked for our opinions on gaming/racing chairs plenty of times throughout the year, though we had yet to review one. Today, that changes as we are taking a look at the SL4000 Racing Chair from Vertagear – a newcomer to the market. Is the chair worth its £215 asking price?

Read full article @ KitGuru

Z170 Charts: 12 Boards - ASUS Maximus VIII Impact

In our comparison tables, meanwhile you find benchmark values regarding 12 recent Z170 motherboards. Furthermore we do not comment the benchmark values. The idea and also the goal is to present to you a market overview which helps you choose the right motherboard.

Read full article @ ocaholic