Today's reviews roundup brings a mix of high-end audio gear and budget-friendly mini PCs that might save you some cash. Readers looking to upgrade their rig or find better peripherals can skip the marketing fluff and see where the actual value lies within these tech hardware reviews. The following summaries cover performance benchmarks, design flaws, and real-world usability for everyone from gamers to office workers.
Audio: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro PCIe Sound Card review
Computers: Review of the NiPoGi E3B Mini PC - A Clone Featuring the Embedded V2748
Cooling: Tryx Stage 360 AIO Review: Luxurious, unique, and quiet
Headphones: AirPods Max 2 Review: Better Sound and ANC, Same Design Frustrations
Input: MCHOSE A7 V2 Ultra Review
Gaming: Crimson Desert Performance Benchmark Review
Motherboards: ASRock B860 Challenger WIFI White Motherboard Review
Power: MSI MAG A1000PLS PCIE5 ATX v3.1 PSU Review
Storage: TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro review: A cool all-aluminum Thunderbolt 5 SSD enclosure
Video: YoloLiv YoloCam S3 Review: A 4K powerhouse, Wanbo Vali1 Pro projector review: Google TV Android 14 and MEMC projector
Audio:
The Guru of 3D: Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro PCIe Sound Card review
In an era where motherboard audio has reached a level many would consider “good enough,” the launch of the Creative Sound Blaster Audigy FX Pro raises an important question: does a dedicated internal sound card still make sense in 2026?
Computers:
IgorsLAB: Review of the NiPoGi E3B Mini PC - A Clone Featuring the Embedded V2748
You are not mistaken, we already had the E3B in for testing. Now NiPoGi is launching a refreshed version, instead of the 6-core 7430U with Zen 3 architecture, an 8-core V2748 from the Zen 2 generation is being used. What this processor from 2020 can still deliver today, we will take a detailed look at below.
Review of the NiPoGi E3B Mini PC - A Clone Featuring the Embedded V2748
Cooling:
Tom's Hardware: Tryx Stage 360 AIO Review: Luxurious, unique, and quiet
Setting the stage for quiet cooling and eye-catching looks.
Headphones:
MacRumors: AirPods Max 2 Review: Better Sound and ANC, Same Design Frustrations
The $549 AirPods Max 2 are set to launch tomorrow, and ahead of the debut of the new over-ear headphones, Apple sent a pair for MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera to check out. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. With the new H2 chip in the AirPods Max, Apple says Active Noise Cancellation is 1.5x better than the ANC in the prior-generation model, and ANC is indeed clearly improved. More exterior noise is eliminated than before, plus audio quality has changed.
AirPods Max 2 Review: Better Sound and ANC, Same Design Frustrations
Input:
TechPowerUp: MCHOSE A7 V2 Ultra Review
Modeled after the Logitech G Pro X Superlight, the 58 g, ambidextrous A7 V2 Ultra comes with PixArt's PAW3950 Ti sensor, Omron mechanical switches, 8000 Hz wired and wireless polling, along with extensive battery life owing to a 500 mAh battery.
Gaming:
TechPowerUp: Crimson Desert Performance Benchmark Review
Crimson Desert is one of the RPG highlights this year, offering a blend of expansive open-world exploration and dynamic combat. In our performance review, we examine its graphical fidelity, VRAM usage, upscaling options, and how well it runs across a wide range of modern GPUs.
Motherboards:
Wccftech: ASRock B860 Challenger WIFI White Motherboard Review
The Intel LGA 1700 platform was launched three years ago in 2021, and it has since seen a total of 3 generations of CPUs: Alder Lake (12th Gen), Raptor Lake (13th Gen), and Raptor Lake Refresh (14th Gen). We have seen at least three generations of motherboards, first with the 600-series, which had Z690 as the top SKU, and then two generations of 700-series based on the top Z790 chipset, which included a soft refresh for the 14th Gen lineup.
Power:
Hardware Busters: MSI MAG A1000PLS PCIE5 ATX v3.1 PSU Review
The MSI MAG A1000PLS PCIE5 has enough power to support a potent gaming PC or a workstation. Like its 1200W sibling, it features a comprehensive protection suite, including 12V-2×6 protection and fan failure protection.
Storage:
Neowin: TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro review: A cool all-aluminum Thunderbolt 5 SSD enclosure
Last summer, you may remember we reviewed the D1 SSD Plus disk enclosure that supported up to Thunderbolt 4 speeds (40 Gbps). Well, TerraMaster is back with another disk enclosure, this time supporting up to Thunderbolt 5 speeds (80 Gbps). I was offered the chance to take a look at it and put it through its paces; it's (still) a palm-sized enclosure that supports a single M.2 SSD with USB 4 support.
Video:
Tom's Hardware: YoloLiv YoloCam S3 Review: A 4K powerhouse
Literally — this webcam requires a USB 3.0 port to function.
EnosTech.com: Wanbo Vali1 Pro projector review: Google TV Android 14 and MEMC projector
Wanbo Vali1 Pro with 900 ANSI lumens, Google TV Android 14, MEMC, HDR10, and 260-inch display. Easy setup with smooth performance for everyday use.
Wanbo Vali1 Pro projector review: Google TV Android 14 and MEMC projector - EnosTech.com
