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News Search Results for: memory Second Generation NVIDIA ION Announced @ legitreviews.com [Mar-02-10] (0 Comments) The next generation of the NVIDIA ION architecture brings some much needed changes in order to bring forth the performance desired by low-power, low-performance mobile users. While we have heard the ION 2 name bounced around leading up to the launch, it seems NVIDIA is just referring to the platform changes as the next generation of NVIDIA ION. So for those researching which netbook to purchase, keep in mind that NVIDIA ION netbooks and nettops featuring an Intel Atom N2xx or N3xx processor have the previous generation of ION with shared graphics and system memory. NVIDIA ION systems with an Intel Atom N4xx, D4xx or D5xx processor would have the new generation of NVIDIA ION with dedicated graphics memory instead of sharing with the system memory... Kingston MobileLite G2 @ aselabs.com [Feb-18-10] (0 Comments) Most consumer electronic products that use flash memory have moved to SD/SDHC media and with the convergences comes products that can be smaller and portable. Kingston produced an update to the original MobileLite brand of portable card reader known as the MobileLite G2 and this is the focus of the review. OCZ Fatal1ty DDR3-1600 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Feb-16-10] (0 Comments) OCZ introduced their latest Fatal1ty Edition Memory kit in early 2010. The difference between this DDR3 system memory kit and the Mushkin PC3-12800 6GB Kit @ rbmods.com [Feb-09-10] (0 Comments) Mushkin sent us a sample of their new DDR3 memory kit. We got a sample of their Tri channel kit with 3x2GB Ram kits at 12800 speed and 7-9-7-24 timings. What can we do with this kit and our Core i7 920 Cpu? Lets have a closer look. Jetway NC63-330-LF Mini-ITX Motherboard Video @ eteknix.com [Feb-09-10] (0 Comments) Today we are looking at the Jetway NC63-330-LF Mini-ITX motherboard.This particular board comes with an Intel Atom 330 dual-core 1.6GHz processor, has 2 DDR2 slots supporting upto 8GB of DDR2 memory modules of speeds upto 800MHz. It uses the Nvidia ION chipsetand has integrated graphics that supports DirectX10. This board also has integrated HD sound and Gigabit Lan.A perfect board for HTPC users. Jetway NC63-330-LF Mini ITX Motherboard Unboxing Video @ eteknix.com [Feb-02-10] (0 Comments) Today we are unboxing the Jetway NC63-330-LF Mini ITX motherboard.This motherboard sports an Intel Atom 330 dual core CPU, has 2 DDR2 800 memory slots and is perfect for an array of different applications, including as a Media Centre HTPC with its VGA, DVI and HDMI outputs as well as HD sound. SanDisk 8GB Gaming Memory Stick Micro (M2) for Sony PSP Go @ legitreviews.com [Jan-23-10] (0 Comments) Today, we look at the 8GB version of the SanDisk Memory Stick Micro (M2) designed specifically for Sonys PlayStation Portable Go or PSPGo handheld electronic gaming system. The SanDisk M2 is not only an ultra-small IC recording media designed for the PSPGo, but it is also designed to work for the growing storage needs of highly compact, multifunctional mobile phones and cameras. The M2 card that we have today is designed to offer an easy way of storing downloadable games, movies, TV shows, pictures, comics, and music. Our package included a Memory Stick Micro M2 to Memory Stick PRO Duo adapter which allows gamers to go back and forth between Memory Stick M2 and Memory Stick Duo compatible slots... Mushkin Volta 600 W Power Supply @ hardwaresecrets.com [Jan-23-10] (0 Comments) Mushkin, a traditional memory manufacturer, decided to also enter on the power supply market. Lets test their forthcoming Volta 600 W model. OCZ @ techwarelabs.com [Jan-15-10] (0 Comments) For the year of 2010 the main concentration of the memory companies has been the SSD (Solid State Drive). In fact the responses to solid state memory products has been so positive that even the major companies are starting to develop interesting product solutions for both the consumer market and the enterprise market. OCZ Technologies, one of the industry giants has also adopted the change towards solid state and this time around is introducing many improvements to already existing SSD products as well presents new revolutionary products which generate speeds that quite frankly may just seem ungodly. OCZ plan to go back to their roots @ eteknix.com [Jan-14-10] (0 Comments) OCZ are a very well established company when it comes to highly overclockable memory with fantastic performance and stability. So lord only knows what they were thinking when they thought they would try something new. Sapphire HD 5870 Vapor X - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jan-08-10] (0 Comments) TheATI 5 series Direct-X 11 capable graphics cards are flooding on tothe market with numerous versions and models spanning a wide range ofprice / performance ratios. The 5700 series (5770 & 5750) havebolstered the budget options but ATI have continued to push ahead withthe top-end performance cards with the 5970 being the front-runner sofar it would seem.The 5870 was the first card to hit the shop shelves and Sapphire hasbeen keen to include it into their Vapor-X range. Featuring a customcooler, the card has a 20MHz boost for the RV870 core and a larger50MHz increase on the memory clock. The tweaked version aims to improveupon the already highly-praised original 5870 released back in theautumn so let’s take it for a spin... Galaxy and Palit GeForce GT 240 - More 40nm from NVIDIA @ pcper.com [Nov-30-09] (0 Comments) The difference between the two GT 240 cards is significant though -both in terms of performance, power and price. The Galaxy card was by farthe most efficient and will come in a good $30 less expensive than thePalit card. The Palit card though is far and away the better performer -the difference built on the use of GDDR5 memory (rather than GDDR3) andhigher core and shader clock speeds. Kingston HyperX DDR3-2000 CL8 KHX2000C8D3T1K3/6GX 6GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Nov-26-09] (0 Comments) The HyperX line-up of memory hasnt always been the first choice by enthusiasts; not to say that the memory is poor in anyway, its just that the likes of Corsair, OCZ and G.Skill usually push their memory modules faster and work on a lower quantity at the high-end by vigorously hand picking each memory chip that is put onto a memory module. These memory makers strive for the absolute bleeding edge of memory technology, while Kingstons HyperX brand sticks to a more moderate level, but they are relatively still fairly high at the top end.Kingston is no slouch here today, though; no, not at all. In our hands we have a Kingston HyperX DDR3-2000 triple-channel 6GB memory kit with a cache latency rating of 8-8-8-24 at 1.65 volts and it also comes with Intel XMP support to allow for easier overclocking on Intel X58 Express based motherboards that are teamed up with a Core i7 processor. DirectCompute Benchmark 0.35 with OpenCL support @ ngohq.com [Nov-24-09] (0 Comments) Our very own Pat has released a new version ofhis DirectCompute Benchmark. This small tool now allows you tobenchmark both DirectCompute and OpenCL general-purpose computing APIsby calculating tons of FFT-like data and some memory transfers. Thisversion adds full OpenCL support, shaders profile selection, versionsreporting and some basic results validations. Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P @ technic3d.com [Nov-19-09] (0 Comments) The Gigabyte GA-MA790FXT-UD5P Mainboard arrived Technic3D. The GA-MA790FXT-UD5P introduces Gigabyte Ultra Durable 3 technology on la test AMD socket AM3 platform with featuring 2 oz copper PCB and furthe r helps to reduce the system temperature and dramatically enhance the performance. Based on AMD 790FX chipset, the GA-MA790FXT-UD5P supports the generation of 45nm AMD Phenom II series processors, integrated DD R3 memory controller, HyperTransport 3.0 technology links and dual PCI Express 2.0 graphics interfaces (running at x16 and x16) for ATI Cros sFireX support. We check this on Windows 7 and Kubuntu 9.10 AMD Radeon HD 5970 2GB - AMDomination @ pcper.com [Nov-18-09] (0 Comments) The new AMD Radeon HD 5970 graphics card takes PC gaming performanceto a completely new level by combining a pair of Evergreen-based GPUs on asingle PCB, 2GB of GDDR5 memory and plenty of headroom for overclocking.For a single card system, the performance that the HD 5970 provides issimply unmatched but that does not mean the card is without its slightmisgivings. Kingston SSDNow V 40GB Boot Drive SSD @ benchmarkreviews.com [Nov-11-09] (0 Comments) For years, Kingston has sold system memory upgrade kits to help boost personal computer performance. Installing RAM is a simple process, DirectCompute Benchmark 0.25 @ ngohq.com [Nov-07-09] (0 Comments) Pat has released a new version of DirectComputeBenchmark. This tool allows you to benchmark DirectX 11 latestgeneral-purpose computing feature by calculating tons of FFT-like dataand some memory transfers. DirectCompute is an application programminginterface (API) that takes advantage of the massively parallelprocessing power of a modern graphics processing unit (GPU) toaccelerate PC application performance. Be advised that DirectX 11 andthe latest display drivers are required to run this benchmark. Asus EAH 4890 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Nov-04-09] (0 Comments) Withthe recent arrival of the new ATI Radeon HD 5 series graphicscards causing a great deal of interest, the previous best performingsingle GPU from ATI – the 4890 – has been left by the way side alittle. Although, on the whole, the ATI DX11 GPU launches have been agreat success for ATI, many users will still be sticking to the 4series, if not older, cards and as ATI seeks to monopolise theDirectX11 Market with nVidia’s Fermi Technology lagging far behind,it’s definitely a good time to be investing in a 4890 or other 4 seriesGPU. To further the lure of the 4890, ASUS have been quick to beef up thecard with a unique cooler allowing for increases to both the memory andcore frequencies. Being part of the “Formula” series is essentiallyequivalent to Sapphire’s Vapor-X or XFX’s XXX Edition cards whereby thestock 4890 is overclocked and tweaked to ultimately create a better,more unique card. Let’s take a look. First DirectCompute Benchmark Released @ ngohq.com [Nov-04-09] (0 Comments) A forum member by the name of Pat has recently releaseda new benchmark tool for DirectCompute. This tool allows you tobenchmark DirectX 11 latest general-purpose computing feature bycalculating tons of FFT-like data and some memory transfers.DirectCompute is an application programming interface (API) that takesadvantage of the massively parallel processing power of a moderngraphics processing unit (GPU) to accelerate PC applicationperformance. Be advised that DirectX 11 and the latest display driversare required to run this benchmark. Cooler Master Sentinel Advance Gaming Mouse @ modders-inc.com [Nov-02-09] (0 Comments) This technological marvel utilizes the latest innovations incutting-edge technology:5600 DPI twin laser, rapid fire mode, internalSentinel-XT memory and our patented security, Storm GuardT. The SentinelAdvance is designed for one purpose and one purpose only - to search anddestroy. Overpower your enemies with speed and precision beyond theirimagination. Conquest is at your fingertips - Sentinel Advance. Sandisk UltraBackup USB Flash Drive @ techwarelabs.com [Oct-30-09] (0 Comments) We all have at least one type of portable memory storage unit laying around the house filled with music, work, pictures, videos or what have you. But now those guys from Sandisk have created the first flash drive with a Hands-on with the Viewsonic ViewBook Pro in Taipei (video) @ tweaktown.com [Oct-21-09] (0 Comments) At the event, Viewsonic launched a slew of new notebooks, but notably missing were any new netbooks or nettops. There was talk of an NVIDIA ION based netbook being launched today, but that wasnt to be either.We managed to go hands-on with the brand new ViewBook Pro notebook. It is Viewsonics CULV notebook that comes with an Intel Core 2 SU7300 processor and 2GB of RAM, with the option to upgrade to 4GB of DDR3 memory. Viewsonic claims 8 hours battery life, but that can be extended to a maximum of 12 hours by adding in a secondary battery in the optical drive bay area. DFI LanParty BI G41-T33 Motherboard @ legitreviews.com [Oct-16-09] (0 Comments) Today we have the opportunity to take a look at another board in the LanParty series from DFI. The LanParty series has always been a favorite of mine because of the tweaking options and the overclocking ability that they have. The board we get to look at today, though, was one that most would not think would belong in that series of boards. It is a micro board, uses the older LGA775 socket coupled with DDR3 memory, and has the G41 chipset that sports the GMA X4500 on-board graphics chip... Zotac MAG ION Nettop @ techpowerup.com [Oct-07-09] (0 Comments) Zotac is well known for their graphic cards, but the company goes one step further and applies their engineering skills we have come to love in form of their mini-ITX boards and poured them into their first NVIDIA ION Nettop. The Zotac MAG packs a dual core Atom 330 with an ION platform, 2 GB of memory and 160 GB of hard drive space along with a few other surprises. All for an extremely competitive price tag. G.Skill RipJaws DDR3 Kit @ technic3d.com [Oct-03-09] (0 Comments) The G.Skill RipJaws 4GB DDR3 1600 CL7 Memory-Kit arrived Techn ic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against th e CSX Diablo, OCZ and G.Skill Trident Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ult imate 64 Bit and the Foxconn Bloodrage Mainboard. You can see 1.760 MH z (1,65V) with 9-9-9-24 (2T) in the following Review. NVIDIA Fermi Next Generation GPU Architecture Overview @ pcper.com [Oct-01-09] (0 Comments) From a gaming angle, which is obviously one of our primary targetsat PC Perspective, we don’t yet know how the Fermi architecture will apply.While I am doubtful that NVIDIA will be sharing any information about newproducts, frequencies, etc during the GPU Tech Conference today, if we findanything out we will be sure to share it. But even if clock rates remainthe same as we currently have on the GT200 the architecture should performdamn well – after all we moved from 240 SPs to 512 SPs and have a new GDDR5memory bus that is 384-bits wide. Nanya Elixir DDR3 1600 @ technic3d.com [Sep-25-09] (0 Comments) The Nanya Elixir 6GB DDR3 1600 CL9 Memory-Kit arrived Technic3 D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the C SX Diablo, OCZ and G.Skill Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 B it and the Foxconn Bloodrage Mainboard. You can see 1.730 MHz (1,5V) w ith 9-9-9-28 (2T) in the following Review. AMD Radeon HD 5870 Video Card Overclocking @ legitreviews.com [Sep-24-09] (0 Comments) Wasting no time, we started ratcheting up both the GPU and memory speed. At default voltage, we were able to reach a maximum stable overclock of 935MHz GPU and 1280MHz Memory. This is a gain of 85MHz and 80MHz respectively. We were able to get the card to run at 950MHz but would lock up midway through the second 3DMark Vantage test. With a little more voltage 950-1000MHz should not be a problem on the ATI Radeon HD 5870... OCZ Eclipse Gaming Mouse @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-23-09] (0 Comments) After the huge model Behemoth, the memory maker releases a smaller mouse that is both affordable and competitive. See how it fared in our test. Biostar TA785GE 128 M Motherboard @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-16-09] (0 Comments) Biostar TA785GE 128 M is a micro ATX socket AM2+ motherboard with on-board video based on the new AMD 785G chipset featuring dedicated 128 MB video memory. Lets take a look on its performance. Kingston HyperX DDR3 4GB 2133MHz Memory @ legitreviews.com [Sep-14-09] (0 Comments) if you are into overclocking, the Kingston 2133MHz HyperX T1 memory kit (KHX2133C8D3T1K2/4GX) has got you covered. We were able to reach 2200MHz by just upping the base clock of the system. Reaching 2300MHz was as easy as setting primary timings to 9-9-9. With very little tweaking and minor voltage adjustments, we hit 2400MHz! Getting big numbers from this memory was extremely easy. This is by far, the fastest memory Ive had the pleasure of testing. Sure, you can get higher bandwidth numbers on a Triple Channel X58 system, but in terms of raw MHz I havent had anything else that can touch it! QNAP TS-809U-RP Turbo NAS @ itpro.co.uk [Sep-10-09] (0 Comments) This 2U rack appliance has eight lockable hot-swap bays supporting allthe latest SATA high-capacity drives. Its specification looks good aswell as you have a 2.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo teamed up with 2GB of DDR2memory making this one of the best specified appliances at this pricepoint. Intel Core i5 750 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Sep-08-09] (0 Comments) Theintroduction of the Core i7 range of processors late last year wasthe beginning of the Nehalem family. The processors have had a mixedreception and it is fair to say that although the new series has beenimpressive performance wise, the pricing was and still is too much formany users. After all, the LGA1366 socket requires not only theprocessor but also an X58 motherboard and triple channel DDR3 memory. The Core i5’s aim is to offer what the i7’s couldn’t – an affordablemid-range CPU. The C2D and Pentium processors still make up asignificant amount of the market but the Nehalem micro-architecture isexpected to take over gradually. As a rule of thumb, the i7 series is high-end intended for hardcoreenthusiasts, Core i5 is mid ranged with the Core i3’s (yet to bereleased) aimed at entry level customers. Without further ado, let’stake a better look at the CPU on offer today. Introducing the Core i5750. OCZ Behemoth Gaming Mouse @ hardwaresecrets.com [Aug-21-09] (0 Comments) The memory maker expands its line of gaming mice with a huge model for big-handed gamers. Check out our test. Windows 7 vs. Vista CPU & Memory Performance Comparison @ tweaktown.com [Aug-21-09] (0 Comments) We've had a good look into the VGA side of things when it comes to Windows 7. However, while for many people that's the most important section, it's not all of it. Today we'll be having a closer look at how some of the other components in our system run under the new operating system due out in just a few months. Today we'll be looking at two core components; the memory and the CPU. Well be using a triple channel memory configuration with our Core i7 920 processor clocked at 4GHz. We'll be running our testbed through our standard memory benchmark line-up which does a good job of testing both the memory and CPU. AMD Phenom II X4 965 3.4GHz AM3 Processor @ tweaktown.com [Aug-20-09] (0 Comments) While its not the runaway success, K10 really is a great value product. Its a quad core processor with an on-die memory controller that not only supports DDR2, but also DDR3. Its a perfect bridge processor for AM2+ users who want to keep their current boards and memory, but get a new processor. Phenom II gives you the option of a dual channel DD2 memory controller now with the ability to go to a dual channel DDR3 memory controller by simply putting the processor into an AM3 board with DDR3 memory support, something Intel hasn't bothered to do. Its DDR3 all the way with them. Just recently we had a look at the Black Edition 955 Phenom II processor with unlocked multipliers. Today we have been sent AMD's latest addition to its speed bin. Clocking in at 3.4GHz, this processor is the fastest clocked model to come from AMD, even when including the Athlon X2 line. Let's see how well it does. AMD Phenom 955 II x4 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Aug-17-09] (0 Comments) AMDfirst launched the 955 Black Edition and 945 CPUs back in April bothbased on the 45nm Phenom II technology. With Intel seemingly forgingahead in terms of performance with its i7 series, AMD’s new productsaim to compete more with Intel’s quad-core range and should offer acheaper upgrade for users with an AM2+ platform as the AM3 CPUs arebackwards compatible with AM2+ sockets.The 955 BE, of which we are taking a look at today, is a Black Editionproduct, which in effect means that the CPU features a unlockedmultiplier; a huge plus for the overclockers. A dual DDR2 and DRR3memory controller is also crammed into the chip.The 900 series of AMD processors are all quad-core CPUs with a 6MB L3cache, 2MB larger than the 800 series and the stock speed of the 955 BEwas the fastest until it was superseded very recently by the 965 BEwhich clocks in at a whopping 3.4GHz. However, today we focus on the955, let's check it out. Intel DP55KG Kingsberg Motherboard P at Quakecon 2009 @ legitreviews.com [Aug-15-09] (0 Comments) The Intel Extreme Series DP55KG 'Kingsberg' motherboard is the highest end motherboard that Intel will be offering with the P55 Express chipset. The board has a very clean layout and features six phase power management. Right now there is a debug port located just to the left of the blue SATA header, but that will be removed on the production boards. The board features a x16 PCI Express slot and a x8 PCI Express slot for graphics cards and has been licensed to support both ATI CrossFire and NVIDIA SLI multi-GPU technology. The board has a pair dual-channel DDR3 memory slots as these boards do not use triple-channel like the Intel X58 Express platform does. The motherboard also features on-board Bluetooth and has a location for an antenna to be attached... World-Exclusive:MSI N275GTX Lightning GTX 275 1792 MB @ techpowerup.com [Aug-15-09] (0 Comments) MSI's latest addition to their Lightning Series is the N275GTX Lightning with 1792 MB memory and a new Twin Frozr II dual 80 mm fan cooler. Being targeted at overclockers it is overclocked out of the box of course. All this sounds like a noisy card? Nope, on the contrary, the card is actually the quietest card in its performance class, by far. QNAP TS-239 Pro Turbo NAS @ pcreview.co.uk [Aug-14-09] (0 Comments) The QNAP TS-239 Pro is a next generation model based on the Intel Atom platform which includes even more features suited to an office environment (such as iSCSI). This NAS includes two drive bays (providing up to 4TB storage) and the unit size has been reduced substantially to a mere 214x175x115mm.This little NAS includes a 1.6Ghz atom CPU, 1GB DDRII memory and two gigabit LAN ports – which is much more powerful than many competing devices. Not only does this improve the performance of some elements (such as the PHP/MySQL server), but it ensures that a larger number of clients can use the NAS without performance degradation. Similar to other QNAP variants there are 12 primary functions which the NAS unit can perform. Flash Memory Summit Coverage - Part 1 @ tweaktown.com [Aug-13-09] (0 Comments) The Flash Memory Summit in Santa Clara, California is taking place this week at the Santa Clara Convention Center. This event is the premier expo where expert attendees learn about the latest developments in flash memory, learn to design with the latest flash chips, find new tools for developing flash applications, hear about the latest market trends, find new ways to replace disks in applications, identify new applications for non-volatile memory and find new methods for reducing power consumption.Our good friend and fellow storage enthusiast Jason Aikins from DVNation is not only speaking at the Flash Memory Summit, but he is also reporting for TweakTown as well. The Day 1 coverage was so detailed and large that we decided to pull it from the news section and make an entire article with the information he provided. Kingston HyperX Memory Fan @ legitreviews.com [Aug-12-09] (0 Comments) Kingston introduced the HyperX memory cooling fan at the beginning of summer to ensure that memory kits are kept nice and cool. Designed with the gamer and PC enthusiast in mind, its dual 60mm fans optimize airflow around the modules to help memory run at peak performance for longer periods of time. Decreasing the temperature of the modules also increases the lifespan of them and how far they can be overclocked. A memory fan is often overlooked when building a gaming PC and it really shouldn't be... ASRock X58 Extreme Core i7 Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Aug-09-09] (0 Comments) Originally ASRock was to help in the entry to mainstream market while ASUS would concentrate on the high-end and enthusiast market. This worked very well at first, but it is becoming more and more a standard to integrate high-performance features and overclocking into even your basic boards. The X58 Extreme is one of these boards; it is meant for the Core i7, features overclocking and also high-performance memory support. It is also a subtle jab at GIGABYTE who has their own X58 Extreme mainboard. The X58 Extreme is a scaled down version of the X58 Supercomputer from ASRock, with a correspondingly scaled price. Sapphire Radeon HD 4890 2GB Vapor-X Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Aug-09-09] (0 Comments) We saw Sapphire really mix it up recently with the HD 4890 ATOMIC version of the card. The company hasn't stopped there, though, now choosing to do even more with the model. ATI partners really don't have the range of graphics cards to play with like NVIDIA ones. What this means is that we tend to see companies offer more variants of the same model. The main feature to the HD 4890 we're looking at today is the extra memory which brings the card to 2GB. We've never been a huge believer of such huge memory amounts on graphics cards; there tends to be a point where performance flattens out. With that said, though, we'll find out what else Sapphire is able to offer us with the HD 4890 2GB Vapor-X today. Inno3D GeForce GTS 250 iChiLL FreezerX 1GB Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Aug-09-09] (0 Comments) It really does seem weird to be looking at models which are considered quite old now. The funny thing is that while the GTS 250 might have been out for a while, it's still a very current model. A few years ago this wouldn't have been much of a surprise, but with the recent releases of so many cards over the past 18 months it just seems funny that the GTS 250 is still a very current model. Today we'll be looking at a card from Inno3D and like most companies they've really been able to mix it up because of the age of the card. The biggest advantage to working with cards that have been around for a while now is that there are plenty of options when it comes to cooling. We also find that a lot of companies know where theyre at when it comes to overclocking, so if they choose to go down that path a good few MHz can be extracted out of the core and memory. GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 285 2GB OC Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Jul-31-09] (0 Comments) Like most NVIDIA models, the GTX 285 is beginning to feel a bit long in the tooth. While there's really nothing wrong with the card, it feels like we've been testing the model for ages now. We went from this rapid release of graphics cards that saw models coming out once a month to nothing new for an extensive period. That doesn't mean we can't see companies mix models up and this is what GIGABYTE has done. By doubling the memory on the GTX 285 from 1GB to 2GB, GIGABYTE hopes to make the model a bit more exciting. Corsair TR3X6G1600C7 Memory Kit @ rbmods.com [Jul-30-09] (0 Comments) Today we are taking a look at the our first tri channel ddr 3 kit.Corsair was kind enough to send us a 6Gb kit of their 1600MHz memory. Withtimings/latency at 7-7-7-20 we are looking at quite decent timings so it isgoing to be interesting to see what we can do with it when it comes to theoverclocking part of this review. MSI 770 C45 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jul-29-09] (0 Comments) MSIare a big brand when it comes to motherboards and they've receivedworld wide regard for their P35 motherboards. Since then, noteverything has gone their way, though, with some critics disappointedwith their P45 range in part down to the BIOS configuration.However, MSI have never been one to roll over and they have comefighting back with their AM3 boards. Although AMD’s 45nm processors andDDR3 memory has now been out for a while, they are still very much‘new’ and the launch of MSI’s 770-C45 motherboard coincided nicely withthe release of the new hardware. AMD, although perhaps not fully competing with Intel on performance,have introduced some great bang for buck CPUs which coupled with theplummeting price of DDR3 seem like a great combination. That then begsfor a suitable motherboard to step forward and be counted. Enter MSI’s770-C45. Although looking down the list of specifications, it mightlook a little thin on the ground in term of features, if the hype isanything to go by, this could be a great piece of kit. ASUS P7P55D Deluxe P55 Lynnfield Motherboard P @ pcper.com [Jul-28-09] (0 Comments) Though we did not have a motherboard here to do extensive hands-ontesting, I did find some interesting overclocking information about theLynnfield CPU and the ASUS motherboards that I thought I would share.First up is in regards to memory speeds:apparently Lynnfield CPUs that runat 2.8 GHz and 2.93 GHz will be able to run memory at 1600 MHz at stocksettings while the 2.66 GHz parts will only be able to push 1333 MHz. Usingthe custom built ASUS DRAM Overclocking Profiles though all the Lynnfieldprocessors will be able to run the DDR3 memory at speeds up to 2133 MHz! OCZ Reaper HPC 6 GB DDR3 1866 MHz CL 8 Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jul-28-09] (0 Comments) OCZ expands the Reaper series with the HPC tri-channel kit. This one runs at 1866 MHz and offers CL8 right out of the box. The heatspreader design with heatpipe cooling looks menacing, but will it manage to keep cool under pressure when we push the memory to the limit and reap some praise? Patriot Viper II PC3-16000 6GB DDR3 Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-24-09] (0 Comments) Recently we had a look at a PC3-12800 kit from Patriot that sat in the company's G Series lineup. Today we're kicking it up a notch; not only are we looking at the PC3-16000 kit from the company, but also checking out what's going on in the top of the line Viper II series. Priced at $264.99 U.S. over at Newegg, the kit we have with us today is far from cheap, but hopefully it's able to stand out from the pack. The Viper series has always been the pinnacle of performance for Patriot and today we intend to find out if that goal continues to hold true with the latest memory we've got from the company. G.Skill Trident PC3-16000 6GB DDR3 Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-22-09] (0 Comments) G.Skill was one of the first memory companies to really show up as a competitor in the performance market after companies like Corsair and OCZ and dominated for a number of years. As time goes on we've seen more and more companies enter the market meaning that there's more competition than ever. What this ultimately means for everyone is we get faster, better and cheaper memory. Today we'll be checking out a 6GB PC3-16000 kit from G.Skill that sits in the companys Trident series. We haven't seen anything from this series before so hopefully it can impress us. Of course PC3-16000 means that our memory is clocked at a whopping 2000MHz which well and truly places it in the high end segment. Beast Computers Breed EVO - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jul-22-09] (0 Comments) BEAST,founded in 2005, was formed with the idea of creating a trustedidentity that could be relied upon for gaming and also providing greatsupport. Describing their computers as ‘beasts’ instead of just a rig,the company clearly has faith in their products using only the highestquality of components.Today, we have one such beast here to take for a spin; the Breed Evo.It uses the new Intel i7/LGA1366 platform and incorporates a GTX 295,water-cooling, 1600MHZ DDR3 memory and a D0 stepping of the i7 920processor. This along with all the other specifications make forimpressive reading but can the Breed Evo produce a beast of aperformance to warrant the high price tag and fend off the challenge ofmy own custom i7 rig? Let’s see what happens. Patriot Gamer Series PC3-12800 6GB DDR3 Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-20-09] (0 Comments) I'm actually quite a fan of PC3-12800 memory. I feel that it's a good speed for people who are hoping to get a bit more power from their memory modules without having to spend the massive amounts of money that PC3-16000 modules tend to carry with them. Priced at just over $100 U.S., the Patriot PC3-12800 6GB kit which sits in the Gamer Series lineup from the company is what we're going to be looking at today. What we intend to find out is if you can still get some serious performance from your RAM without having to spend the massive amounts of money that tends to come with ultra low latency modules or extremely high specd 2000MHz kits. GEIL Ultra Series PC3-14400 6GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-14-09] (0 Comments) PC3-14400 isn't a number we typically see. What we tend to find is most companies promote their higher end PC3-16000 kits or the more standard overclocked modules, the PC3-12800 ones. What PC3-14400 kits offer us over something like a PC3-12800 kit is a bit more performance and a small jump in price while not going to the extreme that PC3-16000 kits tend to carry. Today we'll find out if it's worth spending an extra few dollars moving from PC3-12800 or if you're simply better off just splurging out big on a PC3-16000 kit which carries with it an extra 200MHz. OCZ Blade PC3-16000 CAS 7 6GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-09-09] (0 Comments) As we move up in MHz the one thing that we have to sacrifice is the latency or timings of the modules. At first we saw PC3-16000 kits launch with timings of 9-9-9-24, but as time has gone on we've seen companies improve upon that. The Dominator GT kit we looked at from Corsair just recently carried with it an 8-8-8-24 setup while also still being able to keep to that 1.65V maximum we want to see. OCZ has kicked it up another notch, though. The low latency, low voltage kit we have with us today carries with it the same 2000MHz clock speed but some even more aggressive timings. We can see on the new OCZ Blade series modules that the company is able to offer us a very impressive 7-8-7-20 setup. Sapphire HD 4770 512MB - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jul-08-09] (0 Comments) Thetop end graphics cards from both Intel and ATI are becoming moreand more expensive and with the current economic crisis, the two don’texactly go hand-in-hand. As a result, ATI have come up with the 4770with a price point of around £80 which should appeal to a much widerrange of users. The card is also ATI’s first to be manufactured using a40 nanometre manufacturing process and contains 826 milliontransistors, 640 shader processing cores and 512MB of GDDR5 memory onthe R740 core. A-DATA X Series Ver 2 PC3-12800 6GB DDR3 Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-07-09] (0 Comments) It's been a while since we've seen anything from A-DATA, but like most memory companies they've also decided to ramp up their memory in the MHz department with the release of a PC3-12800 memory or 1600MHz kit. Not only has the company decided to release a 1600MHz module, they've also mixed it up by adding a fancy cooler to the setup to really help the company stand out from others. It also helps cement the company as not only one that makes plenty of memory for people who want standard JEDEC specs, but also with the ability to be in the systems of the more hardcore users. Fujifilm FinePix A150 Digital Camera @ hardwaresecrets.com [Jul-07-09] (0 Comments) Review of the Fujifilm FinePix A150 digital camera, an inexpensive 10 megapixel with an embedded 20 MB memory. Modders-Inc Podcast @ modders-inc.com [Jul-03-09] (0 Comments) During this one we talk about the Corsair TEC Memory Cooler, rantson how nothing seems to change about PC's, Left 4 Dead 2, World of Warcraftis a drug, how to come up with ideas on creating your case mod, the thermalpaste review over at Benchmark Reviews, and the Nipple Case. MSI Wind U100 Netbook Overclocking Guide @ legitreviews.com [Jul-01-09] (0 Comments) Once the dynamic overclock setting has been enabled you then must pick the percentage of the overclock. You can select a CPU overclock of either 8%, 15% or 24%, for a maximum overclock of 2GHz. Once the percentage picked you just load the operating system like normal and use the Wind U100. When you are ready for a little more processor power you just need to press Fn+F10, and 'Turbo' mode will be enabled. You have to be plugged into AC power for the setting to work and you should see one of the above icons when you enable or disable the feature. Our MSI Wind U100 was unstable with an overclock of 24% due to instability of the memory module. That means the highest overclock that could be reached was 15%, which is still a great overclock on the Intel Atom N270 processor.... World-Exclusive:Sapphire HD 4730 512 MB @ techpowerup.com [Jul-01-09] (0 Comments) Sapphire's new HD 4730 is based on the RV770 GPU which is used on the HD 48xx Series. Such a choice had to be made because the availability of the HD4770 GPU is extremely limited at this time - while customer demand is up. Sapphire offers their card with 640 shaders and 512 MB GDDR5 memory at an extremely competitive price point of only $79. But is that enough to take over that market segment? ASUS Radeon HD 4890 Voltage Tweak Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Jul-01-09] (0 Comments) The Voltage Tweak model from ASUS is something we've heard about for a while now. The idea behind it is that ASUS gives the user even more control of the card when it comes to overclocking. Not only do you have the ability to overclock the standard clocks like memory and core, but you also have the ability to adjust the voltage. You may be wondering what this exactly means; it gives you the ability to adjust the voltage to higher levels which in turn gives you the ability to run the card at even higher speeds, much like you do with a CPU where adding more voltage gives you the ability to obtain higher clock speeds. AMD Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition Processor @ legitreviews.com [Jun-30-09] (0 Comments) For our liquid nitrogen testing we insulated the motherboard with a combination of artist eraser and Vaseline and mounted our K|ngp|n F1EE liquid nitrogen pot on top of the CPU with a dab of Arctic Silver Ceramique for the thermal compound. After pulling the pot down to around -188 Celsius we began our runs starting with 3DMark 2006. We were using a Gigabyte MA790FXT-UD5P with two Corsair Dominator GT 1866C7 2GB modules, two AMD HD4870x2 video cards at 822MHz core 950MHz memory, and a single Corsair HX1000 PSU powering the entire system. We had to push the vcore up to 1.8v to achieve the following 6.6GHz screen shot on the AMD Phenom II 42 TWKR Black Edition processor... Patriot Duplicator 16GB SDHC Card @ bigbruin.com [Jun-17-09] (0 Comments) This review will focus on an SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) card from Patriot Memory. This card can be used like any other SDHC card, but it also includes software that allows the user to automatically back up their data. The Patriot Duplicator SDHC card is available in 8GB, 16GB and 32GB sizes, and we will be taking a look at the 16GB version. OCZ Vertex EX Series 120GB SLC SSD @ legitreviews.com [Jun-15-09] (0 Comments) Today, we have a special treat for our readers. Our very first SLC NAND Flash based Solid State Drive review! The recently released OCZ Vertex EX is designed to deliver unparalleled performance and reliability, featuring the latest-generation architecture and SATA interface utilizing single-level cell NAND flash memory for unmatched overall system responsiveness and stability for enterprise grade server solutions. With speeds up to a 260MB/s read and 210MB/s write, the Vertex EX series is clearly one of the fastest drives that money can buy today.... Sharkoon Rush FireGlider Laser Gaming Mouse @ tweaktown.com [Jun-15-09] (0 Comments) These days you really cant release a mouse unless it has a laser in it somewhere, even if its just to blind annoying co-workers with. Today we take a look at Sharkoons FireGlider laser mouse.Sharkoon has gone all out it seems to ensure that this mouse has all the features you would need. The mouse even has a program memory to remember your macro and DPI settings so you can plug it into another system wherever and still maintain the same functionality. SanDisk 16GB SDHC Netbook Memory Card @ legitreviews.com [Jun-13-09] (0 Comments) If you were an early adapter of a netbook computer, you have likely found that the storage space available on your netbook to be inadequate. Many of the Asus Eee PC 700 and 900 netbooks shipped with just 4GB Solid State Drives (SSDs) inside, which doesn't last long at all in this age of digital media. Since these netbook models don't use or offer a traditional 2.5 Gigabyte GA-MA770T-UD3P Motherboard @ legitreviews.com [Jun-11-09] (0 Comments) The GA-MA770T-UD3P uses Gigabyte's famed Ultra Durable 3 technology on this budget friendly AMD socket AM3 platform. This technology brings 2 oz copper PCB and further helps to reduce the system temperature and dramatically enhance the performance. Based on AMD 770 chipset, the GA-MA770T-UD3P supports all the 45nm AMD AM3 Phenom II series processors that feature DDR3 memory controllers and HyperTransport 3.0 technology. To top all that off the board also features Easy Energy Saver technology to help conserve power and be green friendly. Not a bad list of features considering this board retails for just $79.99 shipped at Newegg! Add in one of the $87 AMD Athlon II 250 3.0GHz dual-core processors and you have a motherboard and processor for under $170.. Galaxy GeForce GTX 275 OC 896MB @ pcper.com [Jun-10-09] (0 Comments) The Galaxy GTX 275 OC takes the very popular GPU offering and tweaksit slightly with overclocked core, shader and memory speeds and includes ahigher performing custom cooler design that will allow you to push the GPUeven higher if you want to. In fact, if you are paying the premium pricefor this model, I would actually SUGGEST you take advantage of the newcooler to get some additional performance out of the card. [News] Thermaltake V9 Black Edition Case @ virtual-hideout.net [Jun-08-09] (0 Comments) The Thermaltake V9 Black Edition was designed to be quite awindstorm, but also to be very quiet because no one wants the sound of a boxfan sitting next to them. You'll immediately notice the huge 230mm intakefan located on the left side panel. This is positioned to blow cool airdirectly onto the entire motherboard area, including CPU, memory, graphics,etc. This will be especially crucial when building a high performance dualgraphics rig, and/or overclocking your components. Add to this the same huge230mm exhaust fan located directly above the motherboard/CPU area, butinstead this time it's on top of the chassis. This is designed to suck thehot air being expelled from the red hot CPU/Chipset/Memory area of themotherboard. So cool air in the side, it gets hot and exhausts right out thetop. A potent combination of airflow it is and a must for today's ultra fastgaming rigs. ASUS Mars GTX 295 - what GTX 295 should've been @ nordichardware.com [Jun-02-09] (0 Comments) ASUS has endowed each GPU with 2GB memory buffer and 512-bit memorybus, which means that Mars GTX 295 has a total memory buffer of no lessthan 4GB and a memory interface of a total of 1024-bit. None of theseachievements have been seen before with a retail graphics cards, evenless with ASRock M3A790GXH/128M 790GX Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jun-01-09] (0 Comments) ASRock has been one of the up and comers in the motherboard market. Originally slated to be an OEM only producer, ASRock found that just building plain boring boards may make you a few bucks, but mainstream users are now wanting more and more on their systems and are turning more towards high-end and enthusiast boards. To this end the ASRock company has started to put a lot of investment into producing new and more impressive boards. ASRock has a lot of Intel boards now, but equally they have supported AMD just as much and today we have a new board for the AM3 based processors using DDR3 memory and powered by AMDs mainstream 790GX chipset, which has a lot of goodies in itself such as an IGP for budget users. GIGABYTE MA790GP-UD4H 790GX Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [May-27-09] (0 Comments) AM3 is AMDs big cash cow now and while this CPU isnt really able to compete with the Intel Core i7 on performance, its price point really has a major plus amongst the more budget conscious users, especially in the global financial crisis. Saving as many dollars as you can really means a lot more than it did the same time last year and to this end AMD really has a leg up here. The other big plus, and this is where I personally really thank AMD, is that they have not just thrown away their older users. AM3 based processors can be run in any AM2+ based board thanks to its dual mode memory controller. AM3 CPUs have a dual channel DDR2 and a dual channel DDR3 memory controller. This means that you can slap one of the newest AMD Phenom II processors in your already setup AM2+ boards and continue to use your existing hardware and later on you an upgrade to an AM3 board with DDR3 and newer technologies and still keep your CPU; its just that simple and AMD has really thought of everything. OCZ Neutrino 10" DIY Netbook @ legitreviews.com [May-26-09] (0 Comments) On March 30, 2009, OCZ Technology unveiled the Neutrino netbook, their latest Do-It-Yourself (DIY) solution for consumers looking to save a buck and do some sweat equity themselves. This netbook got the attention of many when it first was announced because it was the very first DIY netbook to be available to consumers. The OCZ Neutrino DIY netbook not only cuts costs it also lets consumers fine tune this netbook by being able to choose and install their own memory module, storage drive, and preferred Operating System (OS) into this Intel Atom processor powered 10.1 netbook. Not too shabby considering one of these chassis can be picked up for around $236.01 shipped. This a fair price for a 10.1 Message-ID:MIME-Version:Content-Type:X-Mailer:Thread-Index:Content-Language:X-Source:X-Source-Args:X-Source-Dir; @ X-Source-Args:X-Source-Dir; [May-23-09] (0 Comments) If you'd have asked me what OCZ made, up until a couple of years agoI would have said memory, but they seem to make all sorts of interestingthings and fortunately I've been made aware of this (and even have theprivilege of testing some of their stuff!). Today We are looking at theirBehemoth dual laser gaming mouse Intel Pine Trail (Next-Gen Atom Platform) & Moblin Updates @ pcper.com [May-21-09] (0 Comments) The base microarchitecture of the Pine Trail processor remainsunchanged from the current Atom CPU though (HyperThreading remains as well)today we might see frequency increases when this product is launched.Interestingly, unlike the forth coming 32nm Westmere product, the Pine TrailAtom processor will in fact integrate the CPU cores, memory controller andintegrated graphics on a single 45nm die, not just a single substrate. Technic3D/OCZ 6GB 1600 CL6 @ technic3d.com [May-16-09] (0 Comments) The OCZ 6GB Kit DDR3 1600 CL6 Platinum Series arrived Technic3 D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the C SX Diablo Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and the Gigabyte EX58-Extreme Mainboard. You can see 1.680 MHz (1,65V) with 6-6-6-24 ( 1T) in the following Review. Is it worth upgrading your notebook to an SSD drive? @ tweaktown.com [May-13-09] (0 Comments) OCZ sent me one of their fancy new Hypersonic notebooks around this time last year and today it is still quite a powerhouse for what I do with it, especially considering its size. People often mistake it for a netbook, but then see how quick she runs with its speedy Intel mobile Core 2 Duo T9300 and 4GB of memory. I usually upgrade notebooks regularly (once a year), but this baby still delivers quite a punch. But what could we do to give it extra boost?We decided to run some tests and see if it would be worthwhile or not upgrading our notebook from a standard notebook hard disk drive to a shiny new SSD - in particular, the Intel X25-M 80GB SATA drive. And don't worry, we upgraded to the latest Intel firmware for its X18 and X25 series of SSD drives, which is designed to improve performance. Verbatim SecureDigital Class 6 32GB @ rbmods.com [May-08-09] (0 Comments) Today we are going to take a look at a Verbatim SD memory card fromVerbatim. This is a 32Gb SD card which is supposed to be a bit faster thanstock cards. Verbatim is well known for their high class storage media likedvd=B4s and cd=B4s so it's going to be interesting to see if this device cankeep up with the high quality Verbatim has delivered before. Sapphire Radeon HD 4770 CrossFireX Performance @ benchmarkreviews.com [May-08-09] (0 Comments) The Sapphire Radeon HD 4770 introduces the 40nm RV740 GPU paired to 512MB of DDR5 video frame buffer memory, and a double-height cooler Technic3D/CSX Diablo 6GB 2000 @ technic3d.com [May-06-09] (0 Comments) The CSX Diablo 6GB Kit DDR3 2000 CL9 arrived Technic3D. Techni c3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the OCZ Platin um 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and the Gigabyte E X58-Extreme Mainboard. You can see 2.044 MHz (1,7V) with 9-9-9-24 (1T) in the following Review. Laptop Memory Expansion Options @ hardwaresecrets.com [May-06-09] (0 Comments) One thing the savvy user must pay attention when buying a laptop is the memory expansion capabilities from the model he or she chose. Practically all laptops today allow you to add more memory. However, this expansion can be cheaper and easier to do on some models. Let's see why. PowerColor HD 4890 PCS 1 GB @ techpowerup.com [May-01-09] (0 Comments) PowerColor is one of the first board partners to release an overclocked, custom designed HD 4890. Instead of the AMD reference cooler a solution from Zerotherm is used. The clock speeds have also been bumped to 950 MHz core and 1100 MHz memory. Due to their improved PCB, PowerColor has managed to position their HD 4890 PCS at the price that normal reference cards go for:$249. AMD Radeon HD 4770 @ techpowerup.com [Apr-28-09] (0 Comments) Today AMD released the world's first GPU that is produced in a 40 nm process. The HD 4770 is aggressively priced around ~$100 and offers great performance for your hard earned dollars. In our testing realized out that the card performs almost on par with the HD 4850. With the amazing 30%+ memory overclock we got on our sample, the HD 4850 will be surpassed easily. OCZ Blade DDR3 6GB 2000MHz CL7 Memory @ legitreviews.com [Apr-24-09] (0 Comments) When it comes to pricing the OCZ Blade DDR3-2000 7-8-7-20 6GB Triple Channel memory kit will set you back a cool $415 shipped, which is a high price to pay in this day and time. The OCZ Blade DDR3-2000 9-9-9-30 6GB Triple Channel memory kit retails for just $134.99 shipped after a $20 rebate. Is paying an extra $280.01 for CL7 versus CL9 timings worth it? To many it may not be, but to those looking to build the fastest system and have the money to spend then it sure is... Technic3D/Mushkin 12GB CL9 @ technic3d.com [Apr-22-09] (0 Comments) The Mushkin 12GB Kit DDR3 1333 CL9 (EM3-10666) arrived Technic 3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the OCZ Platinum 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and the Gigabyte EX58-Extreme Mainboard. You can see 1.600 MHz (1,5V) with 9-9 -9-24 in the following Review. Caustic Graphics Ray Tracing Acceleration Technology @ pcper.com [Apr-21-09] (0 Comments) These new algorithms attempt to find order in what we all see as therandomness of ray tracing and they attempt to drastically increase thememory locality for efficiency reasons and the founders decided thatrequired a custom co-processor. But they seem to have played the gameintelligently by continuing to utilize hardware where it is most efficient:the Caustic card will handle only the operations that modern components areinefficient at yet they still leverage the power of the GPU for pure shadinghorsepower. Galaxy GeForce GTX 285 2GB Tri-Fan Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Apr-17-09] (0 Comments) It's good to see that not long after the launch of a new high-end product a company has come out and mixed it up a bit. While it's not uncommon for us to see higher end ATI cards make this transition quickly, it seems that NVIDIA partners tend to take longer or sometimes not even bother at all. Of course, it doesn't help with the obscure PCB design on some of their cards like the GTX 295; fingers crossed that the rumors of a new single PCB dual GPU card is true. We're not here to talk about that today, however. What we have with us is a GTX 285 which in the looks department manages to stand out from the pack. If that wasn't enough, Galaxy thought they would also take the time to strap on 2GB of memory. Aerocool AVN 1000 Hard Drive Cooler @ pro-clockers.com [Apr-17-09] (0 Comments) To computer performance extremists and fetishists like myself, heatis literally a four letter word. To eek out the most bang for the buck, onehas to keep their rig as chilly as possible. Processors, video cards, powersupplies, chipsets and memory pretty much come with cooling schemes builtin, built on or wrapped around. One of the most overlooked components in amodern computer is the hard drive and yet some models can clock well over a100 degrees Fahrenheit. This is nearly the equivalent of placing a spaceheater inside your computer. Cases usually come equipped with front coolingfans to blow over hard drives to keep temps lows, but for people who want tokeep their hard drives chilly, there is the AeroCool AVN 1000 passive harddrive cooler. Galaxy GeForce GTX 275 Overclocked Tri-Fan Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Apr-14-09] (0 Comments) It hasn't taken long for NVIDIA partners to start spicing up the GTX 275. Come launch day we already saw that Gainward had opted for aftermarket cooling. Galaxy has kicked up a notch, though; this not only by including a pretty mean cooling setup on the card, but also taking the time to increase the core and memory clock.While the card was designed to compete directly against the HD 4890, what we're seeing is that in the retail channel the GTX 275 is slightly more expensive. While this might be a bad thing considering the fact that the GTX 275 is designed to compete head to head with the HD 4890, it isn't really, as that little bit of extra cost carries with it that little bit of extra performance. Technic3D/Mushkin 6GB DDR3 1600 CL7 @ technic3d.com [Apr-07-09] (0 Comments) The Mushkin 6GB Kit DDR3 1600 CL7 (XP3-12800) arrived Technic3 D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the P atriot Viper 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and the Biostar TPower X58 Mainboard. You can see 1.671 MHz (1,65V) with 7-8-7 -20 in the following Review. G.Skill Triple-Channel 1600 MHz 6 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Apr-03-09] (0 Comments) G.Skill offers a full range of tri-channel memory kits at speeds of up to 2000 MHz. We are taking a look at their red kit rated at 1600 MHz and CL9. Even though this memory is on the lower end of the line-up, it manages to surprise with good overclockablity and the possibility of tighter timings. 64 bit vs 32 bit? @ w7forums.com [Apr-02-09] (0 Comments) Not only are there going to be several Windows 7 editions, but you will also need to decide if you are going to run a 32 bit or 64 bit version of the operating system. If your CPU is more than a few years old there is a good chance that you can only run the 32 bit version of Windows 7, however if you have a modern processor you may have to decide between each version.The 32 or 64 bit architecture refers to the memory address length that can be referenced by the processor. This also has an impact on the maximum amount of memory that can be utilised, which is 4GB for a 32 bit CPU (but in reality the maximum accessible ram is closer to 3.4 GB due to other hardware allocations). SanDisk Sansa slotMusic Player @ hardwaresecrets.com [Apr-02-09] (0 Comments) Review of the SanDisk Sansa slotMusic player, an MP3 player that is based on microSD memory cards, not requiring a PC connection to work. Sapphire HD 4890 1 GB GDDR5 @ techpowerup.com [Apr-02-09] (0 Comments) Sapphire's new HD 4890 comes with 1 GB of GDDR5 memory and yet unseen clock speeds offering much better performance at a competitive price. Will that be enough to beat NVIDIA's new GeForce GTX 275 ? PowerColor HD 4890 1 GB GDDR5 @ techpowerup.com [Apr-02-09] (0 Comments) AMD has just announced the availability of their latest HD 4890 graphics card series which is based on the new RV790 GPU. The highlights of RV790 are considerably higher clocks speeds and 1 GB of fast GDDR5 memory on all boards. Corsair 6GB DDR3-1866 Dominator GT Memory @ legitreviews.com [Apr-01-09] (0 Comments) For the average consumer the Corsair DDR3-1866 Dominator GTs would be overkill; for the price of this one kit you could purchase 12GB of decent DDR3-1600C7. But those 12GB of DDR3-1600C7 may only overclock to the stock speeds of this Dominator GT kit. This is what you are more or less paying for - the binning process Corsair has undertaken to insure these kits are stable at 1866MHz... Technic3D/G.Skill 6GB 1600 CL9 @ technic3d.com [Mar-31-09] (0 Comments) The G.Skill 6GB Triple Channel Kit DDR3 1600 CL9 (F3-12800CL9T -6GBNQ) arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Ov erclocking against the Corsair Dominator 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vi sta Ultimate 64 Bit and the Biostar TPower X58 Mainboard. You can see Low-Voltage 1.400 MHz (1,5V) with 9-9-9-24 and Command Rate 1 in the f ollowing Review. ZOTAC GeForce GTX 295 1792MB Video Card @ thetechlounge.com [Mar-30-09] (0 Comments) =22The GTX 295 is, like ATI's HD 4870 X2, two cards in one. It has two GPU s, connected by an onboard PCI-Express bridge, in SLI fashion. The GPUs ar e modified GTX 260s, architecturally identical, clocked at the same frequen cies, although slightly-cut improved memory bandwidth (the GPUs of the 295 have 589-bit memory interfaces unlike the 260-216s with 448-bit interfaces) . So there are two questions I have about this card:is it worth the pric e hike over two GTX 260s, and who is this card tailored for?=22 SanDisk Extreme III 4GB SDHC Flash Card @ legitreviews.com [Mar-29-09] (0 Comments) The SanDisk Extreme III memory SDHC was designed from the ground up for DSLR camera users as the card features read/write speeds of up to 30MB/second. This means that when shooting in rapid succession (your cameras continuous shooting mode) the memory card should be able to keep up! Once you are done with your photo shoot you can then offload the photo/video content you shot at record rates with a card reader like the SanDisk ImageMate Multi-Card USB 2.0 Reader/Writer that supports cards of this speed. To top it all off the Extreme III also has write protection security feature that will not allow anyone to erase your files unless authorized. SanDisk Extreme III Secure Digital cards are available in 2GB, 4GB, 8GB and 16GB capacities, but today we are taking a closer look at the 4GB version... HIS HD 4870 IceQ4+ Turbo 1 GB GDDR5 @ techpowerup.com [Mar-25-09] (0 Comments) In addition to the long and complicated name, the HIS HD 4870 IceQ4+ Turbo features twice the memory compared to the AMD HD 4870 reference design. The clock speeds have also received a boost, now running at 770 MHz core and 1000 MHz memory out of the box. Last but not least, HIS replaced the AMD cooler with their own IceQ cooling system. Neoseeker s the OCZ PC3-16000 Reaper 6GB memory kit @ neoseeker.com [Mar-20-09] (0 Comments) With Intel's Core i7 slowly but steadily gaining ground, more and morepeople are looking into lightening fast DDR3 memory kits. The latest triplechannel on the market are rated between 1066 MHz for entry level kits andover 2000 MHz in the top-end market. With the latter being theoreticallytwice as fast and carrying an equally impressive price tag, you can be leftwondering whether the investment is worth it or not. Then, there are thosekits clocking at a very reasonable 1600 to 1866 MHz which, thanks toconstant price drops, are actually selling at a somewhat reasonable price. Technic3D/Patriot Viper 6GB 1600 CL8 @ technic3d.com [Mar-15-09] (0 Comments) The Patriot Viper 6GB Kit DDR3 1600 CL8 (PVT36G1600LLK) arrive d Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking aga inst the Mushkin 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate 64 Bit and the Biostar TPower X58 Mainboard. You can see 1.731 MHz (1,65V) with 9 -9-9-24 and Command Rate 1 in the following Review. Super Talent Luxio 64GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive @ legitreviews.com [Mar-12-09] (0 Comments) Super Talent is well-known and respected when it comes to memory products and currently holds over 200 patents in Flash and DRAM technology. Their latest USB flash drive is called the Luxio and at 64GB is one of the largest capacity USB drives available. Considering it wasn't long ago when 60GB was more than ample for an OS installed hard drive on a system, that's an incredible amount of storage in a small package. There are even some laptops and netbooks shipping today with only 60GB drives. To put it in perspective, this is enough storage to hold nearly 20,000 six megapixel photos. Impressive for a device weighing a mere ounce and can be found online for roughly $139.99... Palit GeForce GTS 250 2GB Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Mar-10-09] (0 Comments) We recently saw Palit announce that they would be offering the GTS 250 in three forms, 512MB, 1GB and the model we have here today, 2GB. I have to say, this amount of memory sounds quite excessive for a graphics card that barely makes it into the higher end spectrum of the market. Today we'll be having a look at the Palit GTS 250 against a number of cards. The main card we want to compare it against is the Galaxy GTS 250, which while carrying a clock speed a few MHz lower than the Palit in both the shader and core department, the main difference is the fact that we see an extra 1GB of memory on the latter card. Gigabyte GA-MA790GP-DS4H AM2+ Motherboard @ legitreviews.com [Mar-09-09] (0 Comments) The GA-MA790GP-DS4H is an unusual board in that it works both as an enthusiast overclocking platform and a meek desktop platform. The board has extensive support for overclocking but includes features like an integrated HD3300 GPU and SidePort connected GPU memory to enable HD video playback. Today, we'll test the integrated GPU along with some beefier discrete GPUs and overclock Phenom II further than we have before.... G.Skill Triple-Channel 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Mar-09-09] (0 Comments) With 64-bit Operating Systems nearing popularity as Windows 7 approaches, the 4GB system memory barrier is going to be a relic of the Palit GeForce GTS 250 2048 MB @ techpowerup.com [Mar-03-09] (0 Comments) Today NVIDIA released their GeForce GTS 250 Series which is based on the G92 graphics processor that has already been used on a number of GeForce 8 and GeForce 9 designs. While NVIDIA's reference design comes with 1 GB of memory, Palit has chosen to create a card that comes with 2 GB of VRAM. Corsair Memory Designs Enthusiast ATX Case @ legitreviews.com [Mar-03-09] (0 Comments) If you take a look at this picture you can see spots for three 120mm fans located at the top of the Corsair case. These will be spaced for a triple 120mm radiator and will even come pre-drilled for the radiator! Corsair has also included water cooling cutouts in the back, so water coolers should be highly interested in this case as you should be able to mod it very easily. Something else that is very interesting is that the Corsair case comes with four hot swappable hard drive caddies that slip into a standard SATA backplane. The corsair case can hold six 3.5 Corsair XMS3 Dominator 6GB 1600 CL8 @ technic3d.com [Feb-27-09] (0 Comments) The Corsair XMS3 Dominator 6GB Kit DDR3 1600 CL8 (TR3X6G1600C8 D) arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclo cking against the G.Skill 1600 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate an d the Foxconn X58 Mainboard. You can see 1.805 MHz with 9-9-9-24 and C ommand Rate 1 in the following Review. [News] Kingston HyperX PC3-16000 3GB Tri-Channel Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-26-09] (0 Comments) The new HyperX 2000 MHz Triple Channel 3GB Kit is perfect forextreme gamers that play titles like Command & Conquer, Supreme Commander,or even Farcry 2. It's also the right amount of memory for XP Pro and Vista32-bit users who realistically don't need more than that. 64-bit users willwant something a little larger which we hear is already well under way andshould arrive very soon. In the meantime, if your I7 is going to be your newextreme gaming system and need the fastest memory available, this is thecurrent memory of choice. This is HyperX at its best! TechwareLabs s the Crucial PC2-8500U DDR2 1066Mhz RAM @ techwarelabs.com [Feb-23-09] (0 Comments) One of the most critical components inside your computer is the RAM. With Vista using so many resources its almost necessary to have 4GB. Join Matt as he takes a look at the Crucial DDR2-1066 PC2-8500. Will this cost effective high speed kit get the job done? Or will it send our computer flying out the window on flames? Join us as we take a look. Sapphire HD 4670 GDRR4 @ pro-clockers.com [Feb-23-09] (0 Comments) Taking a look at the HD 4670, this is not the same HD 4670 wereviewed some months ago. This is a new and improved HD 4670 when has beenpacked with GDDR4, which is a technology jump from the GDDR3 on the oldermodel. What we will be looking at besides the performance increase from thenew memory is the new and quieter dual slot active cooler which sits atopthe 750MHz GPU core. Sit back and read on as we take the new HD 4670 for ahefty round of tests. Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Feb-21-09] (0 Comments) In the $300 price segment, the Sapphire Radeon HD 4850x2 can't be accused of bringing a knife to a gunfight; with 1600 Stream processors, 2GB of GDDR3 memory running at 993MHz, and two GPU's clocked at 625MHz all packed on the massive 11 1/4 [News] OCZ HydroFlow Waterblock @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-21-09] (0 Comments) For better or for worse, OCZ has always been one of the moreadventurous companies to service the needs of the enthusiast. While othercompanies focused solely on producing memory, OCZ had already begun theirsimple forays into cooling, and power supplies. Today, their lines extendout to a few, slightly more exotic locations, namely pre-built phase changecooling, and even a neural interfacing device. Yet, as with any company thatdoes not specialize in these exploratory fields, OCZ's alternate productsremain a niche interest. In this spirit, we're looking at their HydroFlowwaterblock - the company's first step towards a performance liquid coolingsolution. If OCZ's reputation as a memory manufacturer has anything to dowith this little waterblock, then there's plenty in store for us. Let's getwet, intrepid readers. OCZ Summit Series 250GB SSD P - New Samsung MLC @ pcper.com [Feb-16-09] (0 Comments) The cache on the OCZ Summit drive is really what will help it standout from previous solid state offerings. While having cache on board withstandard hard drives has been the norm for many years, it was long thoughtthat the speed of flash memory negated the need to have dedicate memory ondrives for performance reasons. After all of our experience with JMicroncontroller and the very slow writes they were famous for, we have learnedthat cache is still a technology SSDs can take advantage of. Kingston HyperX T1 3GB & 6GB 2000MHz DDR3 Memory @ legitreviews.com [Feb-16-09] (0 Comments) Compared to more conventional heat spreaders, this HyperX T1 kit is much taller. You can see in the photos that there are plenty of ribs in the heat spreader to utilize every bit of airflow it can get. At 2000MHz, any extra cooling you can get is welcome to ensure that you maintain stability under an enormous load. Our kits today come set up with XMP, or Xtreme Memory Profile. By choosing one of the two XMP profiles in BIOS, your memory is automatically configured to run optimally on a Core i7 system. Our Kingston HyperX T1 kits have XMP profiles of either 1866MHz or 2000MHz.... OCZ 6GB Triple-Channel 1333 MHz DDR3 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Feb-16-09] (0 Comments) System memory is one of the most over-looked hardware components in computer systems, and with applications demanding greater memory PCPer Hardware Leaderboard @ pcper.com [Feb-14-09] (0 Comments) Here is our biggest change this month:the Mid-Range Leaderboard nowsports a shiny new Intel Core i7-920 processor! Along with that come someother changes like the inclusions of the MSI X58 Platinum motherboard and3GB of OCZ DDR3-1333 memory for an unbelievably low price after mail-inrebate. The slowest part on this system might be the GeForce 9800 GTX+graphics card so if you have some extra cash during your build that would becomponent I would look to replace. ASUS M4A79T Deluxe Motherboard @ legitreviews.com [Feb-13-09] (0 Comments) Using the same ASUS Triton 81 CPU Cooler that I used on the MSI DKA790GX Platinum motherboard the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe motherboard reached an HT clock frequency of 294MHz, which is 1MHz shy of our previous best for this specific AMD Phenom II X4 810 processor. This put the final clock frequency at 3.82GHz, which is an overclock of 1,222MHz. The ASUS M4A79T Deluxe was also able to run 8GB of Corsair DOMINATOR DDR3 memory at 1333MHz with CL9 timings like a champ. Even increasing the memory frequency up to 1600MHz the board would still run four 2GB DDR3 modules with no stability issues, which is a good sign that the BIOS is already pretty solid on this motherboard... Intel 32nm Westmere CPU and Roadmap Updates @ pcper.com [Feb-11-09] (0 Comments) This slide shows the design of the first 32nm Westmere product thatuses two physical chips on a single substrate - the processor cores arebuilt on the 32nm process technology while the graphics and memorycontroller are built on the current 45nm technology. While it might seemodd to see a mix of both 32nm and 45nm products on the same chip, we shouldnote that the graphics chip is actually seeing a drop from 65nm to 45nmprocess. Intel 32nm Westmere Desktop Processor Roadmap Exposed @ legitreviews.com [Feb-11-09] (0 Comments) The first Intel 32nm Westmere products will feature both a processor core and an integrated graphics & integrated memory controller on a single processor. What makes this design so interesting is that the processor core is 32nm and that the memory controller and integrated memory controller are on a separate 45nm die. Intel has perfected the 45nm process since they have been doing it so long they have made the gates inside the processor perform better. Since the integrated graphics and memory controller is located on a separate die it is rumored that you can adjust the power settings and clock frequencies better than on one die. Intel took their current 65nm integrated graphics technology and shrunk it down to 45nm and added all the performance tweaks to get even more performance... TechwareLabs Editorial:What is Memory and How it is Used? Memory Hierarchy Explained. @ techwarelabs.com [Feb-10-09] (0 Comments) Your out buying a processor and RAM, and you keep hearing this word memory being thrown around. Everything from your processor, to your RAM, and even your video card has memory. Why do you need so much and what are the differences in the memory? Join Brad as we take a look at the hierarchy of computer memory. Corsair Dominator 6GB DD3 Memory Kit TR3X6G1600C8D @ benchmarkreviews.com [Feb-03-09] (0 Comments) Today, we at Benchmark Reviews will be presenting our findings for the Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D memory kit which is a 6144 MB kit of 1600 OCZ Platinum DDR3-1333 Triple Channel @ pro-clockers.com [Feb-02-09] (0 Comments) DDR3 has been around for some time, but with the changing of socketsand newer north bridges there is no choice but to get DDR3 if you want toupgrade to the current standards. If you want the onboard memory controllerof the X58 chipset you will want a kit of triple channel DDR3. The firsttriple channel kit we will be testing here at Pro-Clockers will be from ourfriends at OCZ. We received a kit from the Platinum series rated at 1333MHz. Spire SP331CB USB CombiPod Card Reader @ rbmods.com [Feb-02-09] (0 Comments) Nowadays you can find memorycards almost everywhere. Digital cameras,mp3 players, PDA:s , mobile phones and even some laptops use them as theirstorage device. Having a card reader in your computer can boost datatransferring from the memory card significantly. Spire has provided us theirnewest USB2 card reader which we will have a look. Thecus N4100PRO NAS @ legitreviews.com [Jan-30-09] (0 Comments) The Thecus N4100PRO uses an AMD Geode LX800 processor and 256MB of DDR memory for powerful data-processing capabilities. The N4100PRO has the capacity for four 3.5 G.Skill's F3-12800CL8T-6GBHK Tri-Channel DDR3 memory @ bit-tech.net [Jan-30-09] (0 Comments) */If we are going by US prices, at the end of the day we think the G.Skill F3-12800CL8T-6GBHK with its Samsung HCF0 ICs have slightly more overhead than the Elpida-based Corsair DHX+ modules we looked at earlier this week - if your Core i7 CPU can stretch, the memory should accommodate. It may not have anything like the funky and more importantly, moddable (but also patented), DHX+ heatsinks on the Corsair but a case with good airflow should keep the G.Skill cool enough. Moreover, they have a lifetime warranty to cover mishaps and being low profile they're less likely to chance interference with a large CPU heatsink. ASUS M4A79T Deluxe Motherboard Pictures - Socket AM3 @ legitreviews.com [Jan-27-09] (0 Comments) While we've had a number of engineering sample motherboards floating around our test bench in recent weeks the ASUS M4A79T Deluxe motherboard is the first retail motherboard to show up at our door step. The ASUS M4A79T Deluxe motherboard packaging states that it is designed for the new AMD AM3 processor series. It also says that the board uses 100% Japan-made solid capacitors that have a VRM of 57 years at 65C as well as other features like anti-surge protection, DDR3 Memory, Quad CrossFireX, Express Gate, and an 8+2 phase power design. It is clear that this AMD 790FX chipset powered board is loaded with a ton of interesting features, so let's open the box and see what it comes with... Intel Core i7 Memory Performance @ bit-tech.net [Jan-26-09] (0 Comments) */Intel has made a system that for the most part alleviates the need for [News] VH Attends PDXLAN 13 @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-25-09] (0 Comments) When you go to any PDX event, you'll see vendor booths whichincluded Patriot Memory, Antec, DangerDen, Intel, and usually one gamesponsor who offers a free licensed copy of a decent game title. Last event,everyone received Front Lines:Fuel of War. This time, we all got a copy ofCall of Duty:World at War. (SWEET!) As usual, there were many, many eliteand customized systems for browsing pleasure. Sure, some are proprietary.But, with a little creativity, they look much better. The customized casecontest awarded $1500 to its creator. Only, actual customized cases/systemswere entered in to the event. AXP 2.5/3.5 SATA HDD to eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Dock Station @ rbmods.com [Jan-21-09] (0 Comments) With todays need of more drive space and easy access to USB ports andmemory readers forces us to have alot of extra devices on the table. AXP hasfound a solution to this by combining 2,5/3,5, USB and a card reader intothe same device. This devices can easily take care of all your media with aquick plugin function and E-SATA interface. Lets have a closer look to seehow this device will perform and how it actually looks like. Running 12GB of DDR3 Triple Channel Memory on Intel Core i7 Platforms @ legitreviews.com [Jan-18-09] (0 Comments) Armed with two Corsair DOMINATOR 6GB 1866MHz CL9 memory kits with the AIRFLOW fan I set out to see how easy it would be to run 12GB of memory on an Intel Core i7 desktop system. These TR3X6G1866C9DF memory kits retail for $449 each and are fastest Core i7 triple channel memory kit that Corsair has to offer. Since these kits go through the tightest screening and binning at Corsair I figured that a pair of these kits should provide not only the best chance at getting 12GB of memory running, but also the best performance should overclocking be in order... [News] Patriot Viper PC3-12800 6GB Tri-Channel Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-11-09] (0 Comments) However, when the Patriot Viper PC3-12800 6GB Triple Channel Memoryis pushed to its full potential, there's a huge amount of memory bandwidthavailable which the I7 can use with things like audio and video formatting.It's actually quite surprising to see just how fast the kit is in both dualand triple channel mode. To give you a good idea, formatting an 8GB videofile came close to matching the Skull Trail's performance which I had ondemo at PDXLAN. The difference here is that the Skull Trail is two physicalCore 2 Quad Extreme 1600 MHz FSB processors versus a single Extreme 965 withHyperthread making virtually 8 cores. Corsair TEC-Based Cooling Solution for Memories @ hardwaresecrets.com [Jan-09-09] (0 Comments) During CES 2009 Corsair displayed their forthcoming TEC-based water-cooling solution for memory modules. We were able to take a good look on this system. Corsair and MSI @ legitreviews.com [Jan-08-09] (0 Comments) At the Corsair Memory hotel suite we got our first look at the highly anticipated thermoelectric (TEC) TEC cooled Corsair DOMINATOR GT DDR3 memory modules. Thermoelectric cooling uses the Peltier effect to create a heat flux between the junction of two different types of materials. One side of the Peltier cooler acts as a cold plate as the heat is transfered to the other side, which is known as the hot plate. All this is done by the flow of electrical current and it has worked very well for over a hundred years as the technology was discovered in 1834... Corsair Dominator 1600MHz 6GB Triple-Channel Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Jan-05-09] (0 Comments) The Corsair Dominator 6GB PC3-12800 DDR3 triple channel memory kit was a fun memory kit to review as it features a revised heat spreader and some Samsung ICs that were friendly to overclocking. The memory performance seen on Intel Core i7 platforms never gets old and is just as impressive today as it was when I saw it for the very first time. It was only a matter of time before Intel moved beyond dual channel technology and it seems that the time was right other than the fact that the country is in a recession.... [News] Kingston 2GB HyperX PC3-16000 DDR3 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-24-08] (0 Comments) Kingston's new 2 GHz memory kit joins the ranks offering stabilityand dependability as we've all grown to expect. Kingston is already in avery select group of vendors to offer professional and enthusiast memory.Despite their market position, the HyperX PC3-16000 2GB Kit weighs in at astaggeringly low $125 price tag. If that's not low enough to entice you toupgrade from your older P4 or lack luster DDR2 based Core 2 Duo board, thenI don't know what will. It's stable, it's affordable, it's Kingston, andit's time you stepped up. Asrock AOD790GX/128M @ pro-clockers.com [Dec-23-08] (0 Comments) The 790GX brings a lot to the table in form of features andperformance for the dollar. The main feature would definitely be theintegrated Radeon HD 3300 graphic chipset. Sharing up to 512MB of memory anyboard possessing this integrated GPU will be a simple source for moderategaming. And if gaming isn't your cup of tea but visual performance is, thenhow about support for multi-display setup without the use of an additionalvideo card? Yes, the 790GX packs a lot and we will begin our coverage of thechipset with the Asrock AOD790GX/128M. Corsair TX850 Power Supply @ jonnyguru.com [Dec-17-08] (0 Comments) Once upon a time, a small company known for memory decided tofollow in the footsteps of another company known for memory and startproducing power supplies. In the months and years since then, Corsair hasgone on to be one of the most highly regarded companies out there when itcomes to releasing good quality units at a good price. Vizo Armada II RAM Cooler @ rbmods.com [Dec-12-08] (0 Comments) As computer performance increases, the need to cool the internal components of the computer becomes greater. While we focus a lot of attention on the CPU, video card, and case fan cooling solutions, another cooling product that is starting to become more prominent are RAM/memory coolers. Vizo, makers of a wide range of computer components, as released a new product, the Armada II RAM cooler, which offers a cooling solution for RAM sticks. Read on to find out if it makes a noticeable difference in performance. MSI Radeon HD 4830 512MB OC Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Dec-10-08] (0 Comments) Tucked away under the cooler on the MSI Radeon HD 4830 are the eight Samsung memory ICs that make up the 512MB for the 256-bit frame buffer. Notice that the 4 + 1 phase power design uses solid capacitors and solid state chokes. This helps reduce loading and provides more stable and power and a longer lifespan. Not all the capacitors are solid state though, as the video card has five electrolytic capacitors... =?windows-1252?Q?Folding_at_Home_Contest_-_Win_One_of_Two_2GB_Kingston_Memory_Kits_ @ bigbruin.com [Dec-08-08] (0 Comments) In order to promote the Bigbruin.com Folding at Home (F@H) team, we're giving away a set of Kingston HyperX system memory. The winner will have their choice of either a 2GB 1150MHz DDR2 dual channel kit or a 2GB 1600MHz DDR3 dual channel kit. The contest is simple... In order to win you must first be a registered member of the Bigbruin.com forum. Entrants must then contribute at least 5000 points to the Bigbruin.com F@H team (#13848) between December 07, 2008 and December 30, 2008. MSI's Eclipse SLI X58 motherboard @ bit-tech.net [Dec-08-08] (0 Comments) */This board is killing me because I want to like so much as the MSI team has clearly put in incredible effort and risk into designing the Eclipse SLI. Since just the P45 generation six months ago, so much has changed for the better which we need to give MSI credit for - the GreenPower core is excellent, the D-LED 2 is a good evolution, the board looks fantastic, it's stable with 12GB of memory and it's finally got a compelling market niche. The problem is that it's only 95 percent of the way there and it still needs attention to tidy up the loose ends - the BIOS and the software needs work, the cooling isn't wonderful, the D-LED 2 can evolve further, the X-Fi is either love or hate and the GreenPower Genie can go in the bin. QNAP TS-509 Pro @ techpowerup.com [Dec-06-08] (0 Comments) QNAP's latest NAS device is built around a full featured PC. As processor a Socket775 1.6 GHz Celeron is used. Upgrading the SO-DIMM memory should be easy too since QNAP was so kind to leave a memory slot unpopulated. The new hardware greatly improves the processing power resulting in much better transfer rates over the dual Gigabit interfaces. Picking The Right Memory Kit For Intel Core i7 Platforms @ legitreviews.com [Dec-03-08] (0 Comments) I was hoping that at the end of testing one speed grade would stand out as the obvious choice, but to be honest, since the performance is close to linear that really isn't the case. With the world wide economy in a recession many consumers have a tight budget, so in the end only buy what you can afford. Also keep in mind that with processors like the Intel Core i7-920 and Intel Core i7-940 have a maximum memory speed of 1066MHz that can't be increased unless you overclock the base clock. That means the only consumers to need higher clock speed memory are those lucky enough to purchase an Intel Core i7-965 Extreme processor... Gigabyte's Radeon HD 4850 1GB (GV-R485MC-1GH) @ bit-tech.net [Nov-28-08] (0 Comments) */There are some clear benefits to the additional 512MB of graphics memory present on Gigabyte's Radeon HD 4850 1GB graphics card in some titles, but they're not there in others. Over time, the industry trend is definitely moving towards more graphics memory - that trend has existed for years now and it's not going to change any time soon - but the improvements on the Radeon HD 4850 1GB aren't quite as profound as they are on the Radeon HD 4870 1GB. OCZ Reaper OCZ2RPR10664GK DDR2 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Nov-26-08] (0 Comments) With DDR3 getting all the attention lately it's easy to overlook DDR2 performance memory. There are many very good reasons to consider DFI's LANParty JR P45 T2RS motherboard @ bit-tech.net [Nov-24-08] (0 Comments) */The DFI LANParty JR P45 T2RS tries to bridge the gap between enthusiast and the average Joe Martin user and gets stuck at what it does best - offering the end user a chance to endless abuse the CPU-northbridge and memory, while entirely forgetting that it needs a variety of features to compete more competently in the P45 arena. [News] Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR3-1333 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-24-08] (0 Comments) DDR3 is fast becoming the new standard as all things computerchange. Memory makers know that some standards don't have to be exceeded,but improved rather. Here is a good case and point. I have here a CrucialBallistix Tracer DDR3 1333MHz 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit. It's not, 1600MHz, or 1800 MHz, but a solid supported 1333 MHz. What's so special aboutit? Check out the specs and I'll sum it up for you after. 4GB DDR3 Memory Roundup - Part 2 @ bit-tech.net [Nov-21-08] (0 Comments) All in all, the Elixir is a unique, low power, low profile performance Kingston HyperX 3GB DDR3 2GHz Triple-Channel Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Nov-20-08] (0 Comments) All said and done, the performance of the Kingston HyperX DDR3 2GHz 3GB triple-channel memory kit was impressive and it was great to see that it was overclocking beyond 2.1GHz with no extra voltage. Another thing that should be pointed out when it comes to performance is that no active cooling is required at 2GHz since the kit uses just 1.65V! I tested the memory inside the ThermalTake Spedo Advance chassis, which has good airflow, and when I touched the modules while playing Far Cry 2 they were just warm to the touch. Not what one would expect for some memory modules that are running at 2000MHz. It makes you wonder how fast these triple-channel kits will become in 2009 now that the Intel Core i7 platform is here. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC3-12800 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Nov-19-08] (0 Comments) Crucialhave always been one of the more popular high-end memorymanufacturers, with their Crucial Ballistix kits being an overclockersfavourite. However, Crucial do another kit, known as the BallistixTracer sporting black heatspreaders and fancy LED lighting. Let's seeif they're as good as we hope. XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Nov-18-08] (0 Comments) Considering how the XFX GeForce GTX 260 Black Edition already has a significant overclock I wasn't expecting much in the way of overclocking headroom. That being said, the results were incredible. I was able to get the core up to 739Mhz, the shaders up to 1557MHz, and the memory up to 1285MHz. This was a 73MHz core overclock, 153MHz shader overclock, and a 286MHz memory overclock. Sapphire Radeon HD4650 OC Edition 512mb GDDR3 @ modders-inc.com [Nov-18-08] (0 Comments) Are you looking for a budget graphic card for your HTPC withenough kick to really game with? A graphic card that is energy efficient butalso has enough power to play the latest and greatest games. If that's notenough for you how about you throw in 320 stream processing units, up to 1GBof memory and support for Microsoft DirectXR10.1 games, the ability to watchBlu-Ray movies and play HD content. Well Sapphire Tech has done just thatwith the HD 4650 OC edition graphics card. Not possible you say? Hardware Leaderboard Update @ pcper.com [Nov-16-08] (0 Comments) The Dream Leaderboard gets the Core i7-965 Extreme Edition processorselling for just over $1000 as it comes with fully unlocked overclockingsupport and the top speed of 3.2 GHz stock. I chose the Gigabyte EX58-UD5motherboard for this system mostly due to the fact that it was the ONLYboard showing up when I made this update, though it is still a featurepacked and competent solution. The only other change here was to the memorysystem that gets a bump up from 4GB to 6GB thanks to the triple-channelmemory controller integrated on the CPU. [News] G.Skill F2-6400CL4D-4GPI-B DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-13-08] (0 Comments) Though G.Skill's kit managed to melt it's wax wings on the path togreatness, it still managed to impress a fair bit before it plummeted backto the earth. Though it managed only 1,000 MHz, this is still a 25%overclock, so to speak - something which is quite impressive on a kit thatruns for under $90. Even if you don't intend to overclock, these modulespack a fair punch with their low latencies, great build quality, and oddly,lower cost than the rest of the flock. Considering these few graces, as wellas the small tokens inside the package, I'd have to say that I recommendthis kit to anyone looking for a quick fix in terms of a memory upgrade -something that will simply drop in and work - now that's peace of mind. Choosing the Best Memory Kit @ techgage.com [Nov-10-08] (0 Comments) Can't decide onthe right memory kit to pick up with your brand-newCore i7 PC upon release? This article was designed for you. We aren'tcomparing brands here, but are rather comparing densities andfrequencies against each other to see if there's any point at all inpurchasing a higher-end kit. You might just be surprised at our results. =?windows-1252?Q?Sapphire_Radeon_HD4850_X2_2048MB_Graphics_Card__ @ bigbruin.com [Nov-07-08] (0 Comments) Sapphire is back again with another specialty graphics card based on a high end ATI Radeon GPU. The newly released Sapphire Radeon HD4850 X2 2048MB graphics card incorporates a pair of Radeon HD4850 graphics processors and 2048MB of GDDR3 memory on a custom PCB to create one serious looking piece of equipment. Sapphire Radeon HD 4850 X2 2048 MB @ techpowerup.com [Nov-04-08] (0 Comments) Being priced at reasonable $419, the Sapphire HD 4850 X2 is designed to take some market share from NVIDIA's GTX 280. The card features 2 GB of GDDR3 memory and comes with a custom designed cooling solution. Even though you would expect very little overclocking from a dual-GPU card, we saw an amazing 15% performance increase from overclocking without touching any fan settings. bit-tech's Hardware Buyers' Guide for November 2008 @ bit-tech.net [Nov-04-08] (0 Comments) */Phew! it's been a busy month here in the bit-tech offices, with October full of fantastic new hardware launches, and November set to be just the same. With the launch of Intel's Core i7 we'll doubtless be seeing a major shake up of the high end and ultra high end recommended hardware as the range of processors and accompanying motherboards and memory start to make thier way into the market. Nehalem Architecture Dive @ bit-tech.net [Nov-03-08] (0 Comments) */Well, as far as we know Intel is committed to the socket for the foreseeable future, there are multiple CPUs available from launch with a few more planned, but don't expect the wealth of choice currently available for LGA775. We don't know how well Lynnfield will perform in comparison to both LGA775 and LGA1366, but while the PCI-Express-CPU-Memory transfer will be more efficient there will be less memory bandwidth to play with. How important either of these factors are in Nehalem - compared to Penryn - will provide a key to the answer of how important the Lynnfield launch will be and whether it will be worth waiting a long time until Q309 for an overhaul upgrade. Nehalem on OCAU @ overclockers.com.au [Nov-03-08] (0 Comments) ---The changes we get with Nehalem are similarly radical and as far reaching as the change from Pentium 4 to the Core microarchitecture in June 2006. Intel has not only redesigned the microarchitecture but also the system architecture - most importantly the way the processor cores are communicating with each other, the memory subsystem, and peripherals.--- Patriot Extreme Performance Viper Series PC2-8500 4GB Memory @ modders-inc.com [Oct-31-08] (0 Comments) The Extreme Performance Enhanced Latency modules are designed tooperate at 1066MHZ with 5-5-5-15 timings. They utilize Patriots Viper HeatShields with integrated ACC (Aluminum Copper Composite) technology. They aredesigned for maximum performance and stability under extreme overclockingconditions. So let's dig in and find out. Galaxy GeForce GTX 260+ 896MB Graphics Card @ pcper.com [Oct-30-08] (0 Comments) The new KFA2 Galaxy GTX 260+ is showing itself to be formidablecontender in the mainstream performance graphics market. By using the new,upgraded GTX 260+ (aka GTX 270, etc) GPU the KFA2 brand is able to take thata bit further by pushing up the clock rates of the core, shaders and memoryby about 13% producing a much faster than stock graphics card. In mytesting the Galaxy card was able to beat out the highly overclocked EVGAGeForce GTX 260 FTW card and was ALMOST on par with the BFG GTX 280 1GB cardin many cases. Asus 9800GT Matrix Videocard @ rbmods.com [Oct-28-08] (0 Comments) Another day another review and today we got Asus latest 9800GT Matrixcard on the bench with DirectX 10 support and 512 mb DDR3 video memory sothis should be a interesting review as we are going to compare it vs someother high performing cards on the market right now. AVADirect Custom Overclocked Gaming System @ pcper.com [Oct-27-08] (0 Comments) On the other hand, none of the above mentioned system builderswill let you select components with such detail as AVADirect does on theirwebsite. There are MANY different cases that you can choose from, allkinds of memory vendor brands as well as very specific CPU coolers. Ifyou are an experienced enthusiast that is familiar with brands like CoolerMaster, Thermaltake and others, then you have an advantage in being ableto select from these groups for AVADirect to build your computer from. Sapphire HD 4550 Video Card @ pro-clockers.com [Oct-27-08] (0 Comments) And if you are one of these people that don't need the biggestbaddest video adapter on the market just something that will get you by andplay your videos at a clean crisp rate then the Sapphire HD 4550 may be upyour alley. The HD 4550 is no bottom of the line GPU but a card that boasts512MB of DDR3 memory at 900MHz and a 600MHz core. At $60 you will not haveto settle with just what will get you by as the card supports Crossfire andHDMI with 7.1 audio support. But with all this being said how will the HD4550 stack up on the ladder of other cards offered by Sapphire and ATI. Thermaltake Ram Orb Memory cooler (+ Gskill DDR3 1800) @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Oct-22-08] (0 Comments) Thermaltake have sent us some of their aftermarket RamOrb RAM coolers, but the package that we were sent for this review was rather unusual, in being that Thermaltake have partnered with GSkill and the RamOrbs came installed complete with 2GB DDR3 at 1800Mhz of GSkill memory (which was a very nice realisation when it was discovered). OCZ Reaper HPC DDR2 PC2-8500 4GB @ modders-inc.com [Oct-17-08] (0 Comments) We will be doing our testing on Vista 64 and also seeing how wellit works with our E8400 test rig. We know that OCZ has shown to offer someoutstanding memory in the past and hope to see the 4GB kit hold up. [Affiliates News] ATP ProMax II SDHC Class 6 2GB @ aphnetworks.com [Oct-16-08] (0 Comments) Here's some food for thought:Why bother with a 2GB SDHC cardand sacrifice compatibility advantages of a regular Secure Digital memorycard? If you already know the answer, carry on. If you don't, I won't keepyou waiting for all too long. Although Secure Digital High Capacity -- orotherwise SDHC -- cards have the same physical format as a standard SD card,they are not backwards compatible with drives that don't specifically supportSDHC. The reason behind this is different memory addressing methods. SD1.xcards uses byte addressing, while SD2.0 uses sector addressing whichtheoretically allows maximum capacity of up to two terabytes. Compatibilityand technical issues aside, SDHC cards may yield much better file performancecompared to SD cards; and SDHC cards are thus classified into Class 2, 4, or6 depending on their minimum write speed by the SD Association. Yes, it maybe weird that we have a 2GB sized ATP ProMax II Class 6 SDHC cards for ourtests today, as this product scales all the way up to 8GB according to ATP'sproduct page. That aside, let's take a close look at the ATP ProMax II SDHCClass 6 2GB, and then we'll put it to the tests. Palit Radeon HD 4850 Sonic @ bit-tech.net [Oct-14-08] (0 Comments) */We have to say we really like the Palit Radeon HD 4850 Sonic - the cooling solution performs incredibly well and the PCB redesign has enabled Palit to keep the price of this card down at around 120 (inc. VAT), which makes it an attractive proposition considering the factory overclock. Of course, it would have been nice of Palit to overclock the memory a big further, but we understand why it hasn't done this - all of the Radeon HD 4850s we've seen have been able to run at clock speeds in excess of 685MHz, but memory is a little harder to guarantee to certain clock speeds without bumping the price up. Will Current Performance Memory Kill New Intel Core i7 CPUs? @ legitreviews.com [Oct-09-08] (0 Comments) All of the memory companies we talked to informed me that they will have triple channel memory kits ready when the platform would launch, but none would give a specific date when this would happen. I also didn't find one company that hurt or ruined a processor by running higher than 1.65V on the memory kits, and a good number of the above memory companies said they are testing at voltages above 1.65V. What does this mean to enthusiasts and gamers around the world? It means that everything is fine and that these new triple channel memory kits are going to be the right choice for an Intel X58 Express platform... 4GB DDR3 1,600MHz to 1,800MHz memory roundup - Part @ bit-tech.net [Oct-08-08] (0 Comments) The G.SkillF3-12800Cl7D-4GBPI is a solid product with greatperformance potential and overclocking that's good value compared tothe competition. We like the Pi heatspreaders and the lifetime warrantyoffered by G.Skill, although on the whole it's not an extra specialproduct.If you're interested in the super high end and want 2x2GB of memory -keep an eye out of the G.Skill F3-14400CL8D-4GBGT1 InWin Commander 750w - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Oct-07-08] (0 Comments) Inthe past, overclockers had a core set of components they needed tofocus on to guarantee stability and performance:CPU, motherboard,memory and GPU. One often overlooked aspect of the intrepid systembuilder was the PSU. However, as products have become more highpowered, with GPUs especially needing hundreds of watts just on theirown, PSUs have become far more important. With that in mind, InWin havesent over their Commander 750w PSU. Let's see how it holds up. A-Data Vitesta Extreme Edition DDR2 4 GB 800+ MHz CL4 @ techpowerup.com [Oct-06-08] (0 Comments) A-DATA's 4 GB Vitesta Extreme Edition DDR2 memory kit offers great performance at a low price of only $75. The memory can even run CL3 at the specified 800 MHz, with a small voltage increase and scales up to DDR2-1066 at CL5. =?windows-1252?Q?Sapphire_Toxic_Radeon_HD4870_512MB_Graphics_Card__ @ bigbruin.com [Oct-06-08] (0 Comments) In terms of single GPU performance, the Radeon HD4870 set the bar pretty high, and the Sapphire Toxic Radeon HD4870 512MB graphics card had its work cut out for it to do much better. With a factory overclock of 30MHz on the GPU and 100MHz on the memory, the Toxic version generally did perform better, but not always by much. Keelog USB Keylogger @ rbmods.com [Oct-06-08] (0 Comments) Every now and then, the idea of knowing what your friend might typeon his computerpops in mind. Keelog has provided us their newest product Keelogger FlashUSB keylogger, which saves everything you type on your computer to tiny USBflash memory and allows you to read it whenever you want. The currentproduct line includes PS/2 and USB keyloggers with 2MB, 512MB or 2GB ofmemory. Mushkin XP3-16000 Ascent 2GB DDR3 Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Sep-20-08] (0 Comments) Through the DDR and DDR2 days Mushkin kits came thick and fast with high speed, high capacity and low latency modules designed for both Intel and AMD platforms. Now we have the dawn on the DDR3 revolution coming and it wont be long before we really start to see DDR3 hit its peak. The kit we were supplied with contained two pieces, 1GB in density. The modules are designed to run at PC3-16000 or 2000MHz using 9-9-9-24 timings at 1.9v. These are the specs for use on 790i SLI chipsets and not guaranteed to run on the Intel chipsets. However, we arent content to just follow the rules here. CSX Diablo3 2000 Overclocking Analysis @ nordichardware.com [Sep-12-08] (0 Comments) What makes CSX different from most other manufacturers is that theyare going against the flow and cut through all of the details that haveno affect on the performance and are at the same time very clear withwhat circuits they are using. You don't have to go through data sheetsor keep track of revisions, CSX prints the original product code righton the memory. Kingston HyperX XMP-1800 2GB DDR3 Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Sep-12-08] (0 Comments) Kingston is one of the big wigs when it comes to producing memory modules. Kingston HyperX memory modules have made some impressive strides; the DDR2 modules are amongst the highest quality out there. And with DDR3 showing clock frequencies up to the 2000MHz range now, Kingston is on the front line of clock power.Today Kingston enters the XMP market with the highest clocked XMP kit we have seen thus far, that being 1800MHz. Lets see how it compares to our OCZ XMP 1600 modules. Technic3D/Chaintech Apogee GT Blazer 4GB DDR3 PC1800 @ technic3d.com [Sep-11-08] (0 Comments) The Chaintech Apogee GT Blazer 4GB DDR3 PC1800 Kit arrived Tec hnic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the OCZ Gold 1333 Memory Kit on Windows Vista and the XFX nForce 790i Ultra SLi Mainboard. You can see 1.920 MHz with 8-8-8-24 in the follow ing Review. ECS A790GXM-A Black Series Motherboard @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-11-08] (0 Comments) ECS A790GXM-A is a socket AM2+ motherboard with on-board video based on AMD 790GX chipset, featuring dedicated video memory, two PCI Express 2.0 x16 slots, HDMI output and more. Check it out. Aeneon Xtune PC3-12800 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Sep-09-08] (0 Comments) Thanksto the lowered pricing of memory these days, it's not uncommonfor relatively unknown companies to throw down the gauntlet for thebigger boys and this is a good thing, as it keeps the market leaders ontheir toes at the very least. With that in mind, today I have a kitentitled the XTune from Aeneon which is interestingly a subsidiary ofQimonda, the chip makers. Their reputation has always been relativelygood when it came to memory chips, so how will their own brand of kitstand up to the flack? Let's find out. PQI 8 GB Class 6 SDHC @ techpowerup.com [Sep-09-08] (0 Comments) PQI's newest class 6 SDHC card is aimed at those looking for a cheap and fast storage card. Being a competitively priced class 6 card it is definitely worth considering if you are looking to upgrade your camera or other write intensive devices' memory. OCZ Flex II 4GB PC2-9200 DDR2 Memory @ legitreviews.com [Sep-09-08] (0 Comments) The OCZ PC2-9200 Flex II 4GB memory kit steps up the game for 4GB memory kits. No longer does 4GB have to be associated with slow and loose timings. Focusing solely at the performance available, this kit really does give you the flexibility to choose between tight timings or high frequencies with appreciable read, write, and copy bandwidth across the board. Factor in the overclocking, Extended Voltage Protection, and the Xtreme Liquid Convection heatsink and you've got a well rounded memory kit... [News] ECS GF8200A Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Sep-09-08] (0 Comments) So, rather than skimp on features, ECS has been providing theirlatest Black Series affordable motherboards with many of those seen on moreexpensive solutions. A while back, we had the pleasure of checking out theAM2+ supporting A780GM-A Motherboard with the AMD 790 Chipset. While itencountered a few glitches with random memory kits, it wasn't all badresults. Stability wasn't an issue and there were decent integratedfeatures.Today, the ECS GF8200A Motherboard featuring the Nvidia Geforce 8200 andMCP78S Chipset, has finished the usual rounds of pummeling and testing tosee if it's a better solution than the last. Point of View GeForce 9400 GT 1024 MB Wall-E Edition @ techpowerup.com [Sep-08-08] (0 Comments) NVIDIA's new GeForce 9400 GT Series is based on the same G96 GPU that is also used on the 9500 GT. The 9400 GT has half the shaders however, which seriously limits the uses of the card in a gaming PC. On the other hand this greatly reduces the heat output which allows a completely passive solution. Point of View differentiates their card by using 1 GB of video memory and bundling a full version of the Wall-E game. Leadtek GeForce 9600 GSO 384MB Extreme Video Card @ thetechlounge.com [Sep-06-08] (0 Comments) It shouldn't take too long to guess that this is the same card as an 8800 GS, right? I mean, same clock speeds, same memory bus, same wonky 384MB of RAM. Yep, it's just a re-badged GS. There aren't any updates or added features, either, not a hint of HybridSLI; it's an attempt by NVIDIA to consolidate their three different video card series. Can you hear my head shaking? It totally is. Given that this is an old, cut down card, can it be worth it? First, yeah, 'course someone's going to like it, and it's one of the cheaper GSOs, too. And Leadtek's is special, with its factory overclock and stylin' custom cooler. But it's results are the real interesting bit:for a budget card, it's future-proof. Vizo Mirrorbox Card Reader @ techpowerup.com [Sep-05-08] (0 Comments) The Mirrorbox is an all-in-one card reader, able to handle every card you throw at it. It has a stylish black housing with compact dimensions and everything to get access to those holiday images on that memory card. CSX Diablo 2000MHZ DDR3 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Aug-28-08] (0 Comments) Overthe last year or so, the price of DDR2 memory has completelybottomed out, meaning many gamers and hardware enthusiasts have stuckwith it, and by and large ignored the newer technology, DDR3. However,as prices of the new range start to come down, people are taking moreof an interest. Today I have a kit from a little known company calledas CSX, who've been kind enough to let us test their Diablo kit. A 2GB,2GHZ pair of sticks, that come with a huge heatsink, with D9 chipsunderneath. Can they reach their rated 2000MHZ speed? Let's find out. Technic3D/Zotac Nitro P @ technic3d.com [Aug-27-08] (0 Comments) The Zotac Nitro arrived Technic3D. The Nitro is based on a VF D display and is connected to the computer via a USB port. The actual benefit of this device however is the fact, that users can change the shader and memory clock of their (Zotac) graphics card by simply press ing some buttons - even while playing a game or using any other applic ation causing a need to the performance of the graphics card increase (or decrease it again later on). Once you reached settings out of the card's limits you can reset it to its defaults with another button. We have check this with a Presample from the Nitro and a Zotac 9800GTX i n the Preview. Inside Nehalem Microarchitecture @ hardwaresecrets.com [Aug-27-08] (0 Comments) Nehalem is the codename of the new Intel CPU with integrated memory controller that will reach the market next month and that will be called Core i7. Everything you need to know about this CPU is here. Inside the Nehalem:Intel's New Core i7 Microarchitecture @ pcper.com [Aug-26-08] (0 Comments) I mentioned before that Intel is using Nehalem to mark the return ofHyperThreading to its bag of weapons in the CPU battle; the process isnearly identical to that of the older NetBurst processors and allows twothreads to run on a single CPU core. But SMT (simultaneous multi-threading)or HyperThreading is also a key to keeping the 4-wide execution engine fedwith work and tasks to complete. With the larger caches and much highermemory bandwidth that the chip provides this is a very important addition. Everything You Need to Know About The QuickPath Interconnect (QPI) @ hardwaresecrets.com [Aug-26-08] (0 Comments) QuickPath Interconnect is the name of the external bus used by the Intel forthcoming CPUs with integrated memory controller, like the Core i7. In this tutorial we will explain how this bus works. [News] Patriot Viper 2GB DDR3-2000MHz Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-25-08] (0 Comments) The crucial link in the chain for getting the best performance fromthe Patriot Viper PC3-16000 2GB Memory Kit is whether or not yourmotherboard and processor can handle Front Side Bus increases. If yourNvidia or Intel chipset based motherboard can't give you something upwardsof at least 1600 MHz FSB, then you won't really be tapping in to the bulk ofthe memory's potential. Nvidia 790i users can at least expect great thingsfrom the BIOS memory and CPU Bus Link option. A quick change to a memorysetting or two and you're running at 2000 MHz. But, again, you'll get muchbetter results if you at least tap in to your processor's 1600 MHz FSBpotential. Intel Reveals More About Nehalem @ techgage.com [Aug-20-08] (0 Comments) Intelopened up about their Nehalem architecture at this summer's IDF,and while we are unable to talk about performance data, what we cantalk about is of great interest. Read on as we take a brief look atTurbo Mode, HyperThreading, CPU and Memory overclocking, thetriple-channel memory controller and much more. Corsair 2GB DOMINATOR DDR3 2133MHz Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Aug-18-08] (0 Comments) The Corsair TW3X2G2133C9DF memory kit is a very impressive memory kit that was found to be 100% stable at these insane clock frequencies. Running at 2133MHz is no joke and it's still beyond what most platforms today are capable of running. To be honest the nForce 790i SLI is pushed nearly to its limits running memory this fast! Mushkin XP2-6400 4GB CL4 Kit @ techpowerup.com [Aug-16-08] (0 Comments) Mushkin has also jumped the 4 GB DDR2 memory bandwagon and is offering these kits at tighter than usual latencies. This kit runs at 4-4-4-12 at 2.0 - 2.1V. ECS P45T-A Intel P45 Chipset Motherboard @ pcper.com [Aug-15-08] (0 Comments) The stock performance of the board was right were it should be. Eventhough it utilized memory bandwidth that was about 33MHz slower (DDR2-800vs. DDR2-1066), it was not enough to cause more than slight variances inbenchmark numbers. I would have liked to see ECS include support for thefaster FSB and Memory speeds, as the chipset clearly seems to support it onalmost all the other P45 based products. Why ECS choose not to follow suiteremains a mystery to me. Kingston HyperX 2GB PC3-14400 Memory Kit with Intel XMP @ legitreviews.com [Aug-14-08] (0 Comments) The Kingston HyperX KHX14400D3K2/2GX memory kit is a very nice kit of 1800MHz memory as you can see from the benchmarking results. The Micron ICs that are used on the module can easily reach 2GHz with CL8 timings and are also able to reach tight CL7 timings at 1800MHz with a slight voltage boost. Enthusiasts are looking for modules that allow them to adjust timings and overclock, which is exactly what these HyperX modules have been designed to do... Sapphire AMD Radeon HD 4870 X2 2GB - AMD's Triumph @ pcper.com [Aug-13-08] (0 Comments) There is little room to debate that the new AMD Radeon HD 4870 X22GB is the best performing graphics card on the market. By combining thepower of a pair of RV770 GPUs along with 2GB of GDDR5 memory, the R700design is able to run away from NVIDIA's GeForce GTX 280 1GB card handily.Our various game tests proved this - Crysis, Call of Duty 4 and GRID showedbig gains for AMD's new card at resolutions 2048x1536 and 2560x1600 thoughthey were minimal at 1600x1200. Sapphire Radeon HD 4870 X2 in Crossfire @ tweaktown.com [Aug-12-08] (0 Comments) Its hard to turn around and say that the HD 4870 X2 is one of the most anticipated cards of recent times, due to the plain fact that there have been so many cards released over the last three months. While some had thought that the new HD 4870 would become the fastest single card solution on the market, the price AMD launched the card at gave indication that the chances were going to be pretty slim.Fast forward a few months and weve got a new card that sits at around the same price of the GTX 280. Its packing two HD 4870 cores on a single PCB, the same core speed and memory speed as its single card brethren and hopefully a whole bunch of extra performance. Sapphire HD 4870 X2 2048 MB @ techpowerup.com [Aug-12-08] (0 Comments) Today AMD released their new HD 4870 X2 graphics cards. They are based on two RV770 GPUs on one PCB. With a total of 1600 shaders and 2 GB GDDR5 memory the card has excellent chances to achieve the goal Corsair Dominator XMS3 DDR3-1600C9 Memory @ pcper.com [Aug-09-08] (0 Comments) Most readers would consider memory modules to be moving the way of acommodity item for a gaming or enthusiast PC - we aren't quite there yet butare getting closer. That is why products like the Corsair XMS DDR3-1600C9kits are going to become more and more popular - these are memoryconfigurations that are both fast and easy to install. There islittle-to-no legwork necessary by the end user to reach these speeds andthat is what MOST users want. The Silent Release of the 740G @ pcper.com [Aug-09-08] (0 Comments) The greatest strength of this platform is likely the powerconsumption. At idle, with 2GB of memory, a 500 GB HD, a BD drive, and a X24050e, the system was pulling a very meager 55 watts from the wall. At fullload it was pulling 91 watts. If we consider that the Atom and Nanoplatforms that Ryan tested last week were around the same idle power, it isimpressive to think that a comparatively fast dual core processor with afairly robust integrated graphics portion is sitting in the same area atidle, and at full bore it is about 20 watts higher than the Nano with itsVIA/S3 Chrome based chipset. Sapphire HD4870 512MB @ modders-inc.com [Aug-08-08] (0 Comments) The use of the GDDR5 memory, increased bandwidth, DirectX 10.1 anda 55nm GPU it sounds like it should place this card in the higher end of the [News] Kingston HyperX 3GB Notebook Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-06-08] (0 Comments) Today I have for review a new product from Kingston. It's a 3GB(2x1.5GB) HyperX DDR2-5300 Low Latency (4-4-4-12) memory kit designed fornotebook installations! Now you don't have to be limited to your desktop rigto have great brand name and performance memory. My current laptop, an HPDV9500T had 2GB DDR2-667Mhz and now runs on this 3GB Kingston kit. Let's seehow I got there... Supermicro X7DWA-N Motherboard @ pcreview.co.uk [Aug-06-08] (0 Comments) I had the opportunity to spend some time testing and evaluating this motherboard with two sets of CPUs and two types of memory. First using two X5482 Harpertowns (3200/12mb/1600) and 4x2 gig of Transcend DDR2-800 FB-Dimms, and later on using two E5450 Harpertowns(3000/12mb/1333).This EATX board is built using the newest 5400 Seaburg chipset with 1600FSB support built in. The layout is a typical EATX 12x13” design and like previous versions uses 24, 8 and 4 pin connections to the motherboard. With this new series, a 4 pin Molex connector is added to the board for users with higher power needs. There are 8 Dimm slots for quad channel memory support (up to and including DDR2-800 FB-Dimms) for a maximum of 64 gigs. The board comes boxed with 6 SATA cables, I/O shield, IDE cable, and an excellent manual and Cd with all needed software and drivers. Technic3D/G.Skill PI PC28800 4GB @ technic3d.com [Aug-06-08] (0 Comments) The G.Skill DDR2 PI Serie PC2 8800 CL5 4GB Kit arrived Technic 3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against othe r Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate SP1 and the Asus P5K (P35) Mai nboard. You can see 1.180 MHz with CL5 in the following Review. OCZ ReaperX HPC 4GB PC2-6400 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Aug-05-08] (0 Comments) Big as a whale and about to set sail, Benchmark Reviews brings you a review of OCZ's overclocker grade, heatpipe-equipped ReaperX HPC 4GB OCZ DDR3 1600 MHz Platinum EB Ed. 4GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Aug-05-08] (0 Comments) OCZ is offering a full line-up of DDR3 memory. Their Platinum Series was always known for their great price/performance ratio and this Enhanced Bandwidth kit is no different. It offers tighter timings at 1600 MHz than the competition, at a lower price point. So can it give us some serious bang for our buck? ASRock P45R2000-WiFi P45 DDR2/DDR3 Motherboard @ thinkcomputers.org [Aug-04-08] (0 Comments) Our good friends at ASRock feel your pain. Building practicalsolutions for tough problems into motherboards is what they are best knownfor, and they have just released what may be the answer to your problems, anIntel P45 board capable of running both DDR2 and DDR3 memory. This isn't anew idea, a few companies did the same thing with the P35 last year. Mostattempts were less than awesome, but ASRock's board was clearly the bestattempt. With this experience under their belts, ASRock has released theP45R2000-Wifi. Will it be the solution for those wanting a gradual crossoverfrom DDR2 to DDR3? Keep reading to see! Eye-Fi Wireless SD Card ed @ thetechlounge.com [Jul-31-08] (0 Comments) I'm of two minds on this wireless SD card. It's clever, unique, relatively inexpensive, and essentially universal. It's pretty, in a memory card sort of way. It has a couple of flaws that would be far from deal-breakers if, as a whole (hardware and software) it just did more. Without raw image support, this Eye-Fi creation will never be the memory card for professionals. Without open wireless networking support, it won't help the traveling photographer. The direct-to- online photo service feature is cool, but indiscriminate, posting every underexposed, blurred up-nostril without remorse. Crucial Ballistix Tracer 4GB DDR2 Memory Kit @ benchmarkreviews.com [Jul-31-08] (0 Comments) For the power hungry overclocker and the bling-happy enthusiast, Benchmark Reviews brings you a review of Crucial Technology's 4GB [News] Kingston 4GB PC2-6400 HyperX Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jul-29-08] (0 Comments) When it comes to our computers, we'd love to always have the biggestand the best. However, reality indicates that isn't always possible. Butthat also doesn't mean we have to G.Skill F2-8800 Pi Series DDR2 CL5 4GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jul-28-08] (0 Comments) The G.Skill Pi Series goes a completely different route, than other high-end memory today. Instead of pushing the envelope on voltage, it gives you some crazy performance at default or close to default DDR2 voltage. Corsair TX750W Power Supply @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-28-08] (0 Comments) Corsair is one of those companies no matter what they venture into itwill be a success. Not only are they one of the most successful memorymanufacturers but last month we took a look at their Voyager 32GB flashdrive and it too was a big hit. Corsair has of lately broaden their range ofproducts to include power supplies. The HX received great awards from aroundthe web. based on the same tech that made the HX a hit the TX series is sureto be a benchmark in the world of power supplies. The unit that we will betaking a look at today is the 750 watt model. According to Corsair the TX isdesigned to give you maximum amount of power with the maximum of protectionbut at a minimum amount of money spent. upgrading memory voids the warranty @ bit-tech.net [Jul-24-08] (0 Comments) For those who don't know, even though MSI has left a slot freeformemory upgrades, the problem MSI faces is that it doesn't include aspecific flap for the memory like every other laptop - you literallyhave to take the whole thing apart to get to the free memory slot (orhard drive if you want to do that too). The level of complexity ingetting it back together correctly is far beyond OCZ Reaper HPC PC3 12800 @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-24-08] (0 Comments) We all know OCZ as the company that never stops. It seems like everyday I am receiving some kind of press release from them. Just recently therewas a P.R. notice to introduce a new line of ram kits under the Fata1tybranding. Yet another line to add to their vast array of memory. That isgood news for some as you can continue that black and red theme you havegoing on. Our test subject today is from a more familiar line know by OCZfans, which is the Reaper series. The Reapers are known by its trademarkblack heat spreaders and copper heat pipes. Today we will take the ReaperPC3 12800 for a ride on our test bench and see what kind of potential theyhave. Corsair 4GB DDR3 1600MHz CL9 Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Jul-20-08] (0 Comments) The Corsair TW3X4G1600C9DFNV memory kit was found to be a solid performing memory kit that was a joy to work with and overclock as it did nearly everything I wanted it to do. This was my first time trying out the Samsung ICs and I'm very impressed by what they can do when it comes to both frequency and timings. They do seem to like a ton of voltage, which might scare some off, but for others it won't be a big deal... Corsair XMS3 DHX 1600MHz 4GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-17-08] (0 Comments) Well before NVIDIA had any plans for DDR3, EPP or Extreme Performance Profile DDR2 memory was making its way into the mainstream. These modules were really designed to work with 680i chipsets, since any AMD solutions have the memory controller moved to the CPU, this eliminated any offerings NVIDIA can give.EPP has made its way into DDR3 with EPP 2.0; this being the DDR3 variation. Today we have Corsairs monster 4GB DDR3 kit (2x2GB) supporting EPP 2.0. Lets see how it copes. Everything You Need to Know About Dual Channel @ hardwaresecrets.com [Jul-17-08] (0 Comments) Everything you need to know about dual channel technology, which is used to double memory transfer rate. Includes how it works, how to set it up, how to calculate transfer speeds and more. A-DATA Gaming Series DDR2-800 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jul-16-08] (0 Comments) Today I will be looking at a DDR2 4GB kit marketed towards gamers,the A-DATA Gaming Series DDR2-800 5-5-5-12. A-DATA probably isn't your firstchoice for high-performance memory, but in a mere 7 years, they have becomethe second largest vendor of memory modules in the world. Will the GamingSeries memory impress? Read on to see. [News] Patriot Viper 4GB PC3-12800 (1600MHz) Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jul-16-08] (0 Comments) If you're spending your hard earned cash on the new DDR3 standard,then you expect nothing short of stable, dependable performance whetheryou're using a 32-bit or 64-bit system. The memory must be reliable if youjust play games or if your system is a serious number crunching SETI beast.The Patriot Viper 4GB PC3-12800 Dual Channel Memory Kit thoroughly testedhere offered nothing short of those expectations. The memory is fullybackward compatible with your 1066 MHz and 1333 MHz Core 2 series Intelprocessors. The extra performance gained from the memory's timings at lower6-6-6-18 setting should be a pleasant bonus which also equates to plenty ofbandwidth. Technic3D/Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3 1600 EPP2.0 @ technic3d.com [Jul-15-08] (0 Comments) The Corsair XMS3 4GB DDR3 1600 EPP2.0 Kit arrived Technic3D. T echnic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against the OCZ 1 .800 Memory Kit and the Dominator Series on Windows Vista Ultimate S P1 and the Zotac nForce 790i Mainboard. You can see 1.800 MHz with CL 10 in the following Review. A-DATA Vitesta DDR3-1600X 2GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-15-08] (0 Comments) Intel added what it termed XMP or Extreme Memory Profiling to its X38 and X48 chipsets; this in terms of technology is the same as NVIDIAs EPP which adds extra instructions into the memory SPD, allowing the memory to tell the system how fast it can run, what extra voltages it needs and what timings can be used for certain extreme profiles.Today we have A-DATAs Vitesta Extreme Edition DDR3 modules designed for XMP with a rating of 1600MHz; the fastest that Intel currently supports on its X series chipsets. Lets see how well it performs. Gigabyte EP45-DQ6 Intel P45 Motherboard @ thinkcomputers.org [Jul-14-08] (0 Comments) Today I will be looking at Gigabyte's latest mainstream LGA775motherboard, the EP45-DQ6. Based on the P45 chipset, and utilizing DDR2memory, this board boasts advanced energy-saving features, something we allhave to think about nowadays. Will this motherboard really save energy? Willit have the overclocking features and capabilities that we enthusiastsrequire? Read on to see... Crucial Ballistix Tracer Red DDR2-800 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jul-12-08] (0 Comments) Yes, DDR2 is still a viable platform, and still suits well over halfof the enthusiast community just fine. But to put it bluntly, in the past,the PC industry has had no problem creating a new technology, and making theold obsolete, regardless of how we, the enthusiasts, feel about it. Yet herewe are, over a year into DDR3, and we steadily are seeing new DDR2 memoryand motherboards. Today I will be looking at Crucial's latest DDR2 modules,the Ballistix Tracer DDR2-800 4 gig kit. Besides a capability of 4-4-4-12timings, in a market that has seen DDR2 4GB kits for quite some time, whatcan Crucial do to make a PC2-6400 memory kit interesting enough for us totake notice? Read on to see! A-DATA SDHC Class 6 Eee PC Edition 8GB @ aphnetworks.com [Jul-11-08] (0 Comments) So here's the deal, guys:You bought an Asus Eee PC, and you got all the 'oohs' and 'ahhs' from your non-geek friends who've never seen such a thing you ever wanted. What now? One of the biggest 'problems' faced by majority of Eee PC users with regards to current generation Asus Eee PCs comes down to storage capacity limitations of the subnotebook's flash SSD -- with configurations starting at 2GB and the higher end (Read:More expensive) models consisting of a 4GB Silicon Motion solid state disk, it's not hard to imagine that you're running low on disk space even after an nLited installation of Windows XP, plus a few programs to boot. I have an Asus Eee PC 4G; and with a somewhat slimmed down version of Windows XP Professional, Microsoft Office 2000 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) with minimal features, Foxit Reader, Firefox, Windows Live Messenger, Wavelab Lite -- just to name a few off my head -- already used up 2.5GB. How about some multimedia files such as music, videos, and pictures? Good luck with that. Well, thankfully, Asus had considered that already with the Eee PC and incorporated a SD/SDHC card slot that's can accommodate a card fully engaged into the unit with no edges left sticking out. It's very convenient, and solves the storage problem fairly well. But what card are you going to use? A-DATA presents to you their solution. The A-DATA SDHC Class 6 Eee PC edition cards are designed for this very purpose. My Eee PC is white in color, and these white colored cards will fit the scheme just perfectly -- along with a performance of excellent read and write performance, how will it step up to its task? Let's jump right into our A-DATA SDHC Class 6 Eee PC Edition 8GB flash memory card review. [News] Kingston 2GB DDR3-1600 HyperX DDR3 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jul-10-08] (0 Comments) Surprisingly, Kingston was a little conservative on the specs. Thememory can operate freely at 8-8-8-24 timings as well as stock. This wasachieved without any extra memory voltage. It's a nice extra bonus not inthe specifications. Overclocking is somewhat limited which isn't surprising.The ICs are pretty much already well tuned and operating at what Kingstonfeels is optimal. Again, the memory in all its 1600 MHz splendor is going tobe enough for power users. Also, if your current motherboard isn't quite upto the 1600 MHz FSB, you can still enjoy great performance at lowerfrequencies and timings. Aeneon XTune DDR2-1142 2GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jul-07-08] (0 Comments) XTune is Aeneon's brand of enthusiast level memory modules. While our first encounter with the XTune was less than fantastic, we dont reject companies from coming back with new products to try out. Today we have the newest addition, being a DDR2 package. Thats right; DDR2 still lives and its definitely not going anywhere soon.The kit sent to us is the DDR2-1142MHz overclocked pack with 2x1GB modules for a total of 2GB in Dual Channel; ideal for both Intel and AMD. These modules arent rated for Phenoms 1066MHz memory controller, but that shouldnt stop it from working with a bit of a boost in memory voltage. How To Replace Memory Heat Spreaders @ tweaktown.com [Jul-02-08] (0 Comments) Welcome to another session of void-your-warranty, as today we will look at upgrading the stock heat spreaders on a pair of Kingston DDR2 memory modules.What we will do here is run through a step-by-step of removing the plain flat aluminum spreaders that come with most RAM modules and upgrading them with some Nexus HXR-550B Heat-Pipe memory coolers. Diamond HD 4870 512 MB GDDR5 @ techpowerup.com [Jul-01-08] (0 Comments) AMD's new Radeon HD 4870 is the first graphics card to feature GDDR5 memory. GDDR5 offers twice the memory bandwidth over previous GDDR generations which helps the HD 4870 gain a nice performance advantage over the HD 4850. Toshiba Qosmio x305 Gaming Notebook @ legitreviews.com [Jun-28-08] (0 Comments) The graphics on the Qismio x305 will be powered by the yet to be announced NVIDIAGeForce 9800M GTX graphics card, which has 1GB of video memory. For those that still want to game, but save some hard earned dollars we overheard that consumers can customize the notebook with the less expensive GeForce 9700M GT graphics card rather than the GeForce 9800M GTX. NVIDIA hasn't said much about this un-released graphics card, but they did have the Toshiba Qosmio x305 notebook on display at a Microsoft Corporation event this week called the Games for Windows Presents:The Big Picture... Crucial Ballistix PC3-16000 2000MHz @ pro-clockers.com [Jun-27-08] (0 Comments) Crucial being one of the most realized and a respected name in memoryreproduction has graciously offered a set of Ballistix PC3-16000 forreviewing. With 9-9-9-28 timings being rather high latency can we adjustedwith a little tweaking and voltage. But hitting 2000MHz isn't something manyof us have seen from other own system. But Crucial today will give us thatopportunity. Fingerprint protected Personal Data Manager @ rbmods.com [Jun-26-08] (0 Comments) Today we are taking a look at a USB memory stick from N-trance. Theyhave sent is their latest fingerprint protected USB memory stick which alsohas software that allows you to backup the information you have on thedrive. You can also run Skype and Miranda straight from the drive whichgives it alot of functions in just one single drive. Crucial Ballistix DDR3-2000 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jun-26-08] (0 Comments) Yes, you read the title correctly, DDR3-2000. Isn't that incredible,that memory operating speed has climbed that high in such a short time?Think about it, one year ago, we were beginning to see the first DDR2-1066modules being released. Today, all memory manufacturers offer a DDR3-1600module, many offer a DDR3-1800, and over the past month the more prominentof them have released a DDR3-2000 module. Considering PC3 system memory hasonly been out for about a year, I don't think that we've come close toseeing the limits of DDR3. HIS Radeon HD 4870 CrossFire Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Jun-25-08] (0 Comments) The Radeon HD 4870 is the first retail graphics card to use GDDR5 memory and the 512MB of memory uses Qimonda branded ICs. GDDR5 introduces features and functions that go beyond previous GDDR standards and enables GDDR5 to operate at data rates up to 6 Gbps, three times the performance of todays high speed GDDR3. The memory ICs feature adaptive power management, error compensation, adaptive interface timings and date eye optimization. The ICs being used are part number IDGV1G-05A1F1C-40X, which are entry level GDDR5 chips and are rated for just 4 Gbps. ATI has them clocked at just 3.6 Gbps, so these should have some overclocking head room left in them... ZOTAC NVIDIA 790i Ultra SLI Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jun-25-08] (0 Comments) The 790i is the first chipset from NVIDIA to be re-designed totally. 790i has its own PCI Express 2.0 controller built into the chipset along with a new memory controller for DDR3 memory with support for EPP 2.0, and today we have ZOTACs high performance motherboard to play with.ZOTAC has definitely made its mark with us. While our first board we received from them based on the GeForce 8300 chipset failed to impress, the 790i Ultra SLI board really got us going. AMD Radeon HD 4870 and HD 4850 - Mid-range GPU mix up @ pcper.com [Jun-25-08] (0 Comments) The darling of all of this might be the $199 HD 4850 card - eventhough it is using GDDR3 memory it has a very strong showing in our testsand is itself able to compete with the HD 3870 X2 card. If it weren't forNVIDIA's recent price drop on the 9800 GTX and 9800 GTX+ cards to $199-229the HD 4850 would have been the run-away victor; NVIDIA obviously caughtwind of the performance of RV770 and made adjustments in pricing to makethemselves competitive again though. In truth the performance of bothoptions is pretty much neck and neck - with a slight edge going to AMD's newRV770-based HD 4850 card. XFX GeForce GTX 280 XXX Edition @ tweaktown.com [Jun-24-08] (0 Comments) If the GTX 280 AMP! Edition from ZOTAC wasnt enough MHz for you, we might have the card for you today. XFX is back once again, carrying with it some pretty mean speeds on the new GTX 280 XXX Edition.While the XFX GTX 280 does come in 30MHz lower on the core compared to the ZOTAC offering, it does carry with it a significantly higher 200MHz DDR memory clock. Lets find out if that makes up for the reduced core speed. OCZ Vendetta 2 Heatpipe Touch CPU cooler @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Jun-23-08] (0 Comments) OCZ have been known for high performance memory for quite some time. Somewhat recently they have expanded into other areas of computer hardware, such as power supplies and cooling.2 Today we will be taking a look at OCZs new CPU cooler, the OCZ Vendetta 2. Overclocking The NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX+ Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Jun-22-08] (0 Comments) The highest settings we could get stable with the GeForce 9800 GTX+ were 855MHz on the core and 2200MHz on the shaders. That is 55MHz higher on the core and 175MHz higher on the shaders than what we could reach on the old 65nm G92 core. For those that like percentages the overclock is roughly 6% higher on the core and 8% more on the shaders, which is significant, but nothing over the top. Usually with die shrinks overclocking performance stays close to the same, even more so when no major architecture changes are made. It should be noted that the memory overclocked better on the GeForce 9800 GTX+ and it seems NVIDIA has moved over to Hynix branded GDDR3 memory ICs. The GDDR3 memory IC's on the new GeForce 9800 GTX+ card were Hynix H5RS5223CFR-N2C, which are rated 1200 MHz (GDDR3-2400) 0.8NS with 1.5V. These are the same memory IC's that were found on the GeForce GTX 280 cards we reviewed last week... Splitting the Atom:Inside the Asus Eee PC 901 @ bit-tech.net [Jun-18-08] (0 Comments) Getting in isrelatively easy, providing you know where to look. You'llfirst need to remove the battery and take out all the screws on theunderside (there should be 13 in total), including the one for the flapthat hides the non-warranty voidable removable parts.Once that's out, take out the 16GB SSD and the single DDR2 memorymodule - note if you want to upgrade you'll have to replace this DIMMwith a bigger one since there's only one socket available in the 901.We're still keen to try this 16GB SSD in another notebook and we'd loveto know how much of the 901's BOM (bill of materials) is taken up bythe SSD. To the left of the SSD slot and above the DIMM socket, there is theWireless 802.11n module. Both antennas are connected to it - they runup and around the 8.9 MSI P45 Platinum Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jun-18-08] (0 Comments) Today we have an early market sample of MSIs P45 Platinum which is their top of the range board, this designed to compete with both ASUS and GIGABYTEs ultra high-end P45 offerings. While it doesnt have the full retail packaging included, weve confirmed with MSI that its the final revision board in our labs. For our comparison today, we are pitting the MSI P45 Platinum against our oldest but most impressive P35 board we have, GIGABYTEs P35 DQ6. Both are based on DDR2 memory which make these systems equally matched apart from the change in chipset. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC6400 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jun-17-08] (0 Comments) Memoryexperts ‘Crucial’ have sent us a number of RAM kits in the past – allof which have proved to overclock very well. A new member of Crucial’svast family is the red Ballistix Tracer. This kit is of the performancerange of Crucial's line up and includes LED’s which NVIDIA GeForce GTX 280 and GTX 260 Unleashed @ hothardware.com [Jun-16-08] (0 Comments) =93The high-end 280 card is powered by NVIDIA's 1.4 billion transistor GT200GPU, produced on TSMC's 65nm process node and is the largest, most complexchip TSMC has ever manufactured. Beyond just a larger number of streamprocessing units, the GT200 also supports three times the number of threadsin flight, as NVIDIA's previous G80, at any given time. It also has a newscheduler design that is up to 20% more efficient, along with a wider512-bit memory interface with improved z-cull and compression technology.Perhaps what's most interesting about this GPU however, are its twooperational states, one as a 3D Graphics processor and another standardcompute mode configuration. NVIDIA's new behemoth chip not only lights upthe gaming benchmarks but also can be specifically reprogrammed for moreefficient general purpose GPU (GPGPU) computing usage models like Foldingand supports atomic read-modify-write operations in memory.=94 Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler @ tweaktown.com [Jun-16-08] (0 Comments) Over the past year I have looked at several high performance heatsinks from various manufacturers. The mould has stayed the same for nearly all of the coolers; build it tall and put large 120mm fans that push the air to the top or rear of the case and hope a case fan removes the air quickly. This is a very efficient way to cool a processor, but it leaves pockets of air around the motherboard. Thermaltake has responded to the complaints of the motherboard manufacturers in a big way; theyve brought the Orb design back into the big leagues. This time its as a twin fan that will not only cool your processor, but your memory, back side of your graphics card and motherboard as well. [News] QNAP TS-409 Pro Turbo NAS @ virtual-hideout.net [Jun-15-08] (0 Comments) For my own introduction to Qnap, they have sent the TS-409 pro. Itis a 4 bay NAS, with all those basics I've just mentioned. The guts of itare powered by a 500MHZ CPU, with 256MB of ram, and 8MB of flash memory forthe operating system. 500 Mhz might not seem like a lot these days, but thelow power usage, optimized design is more than enough when you pair it upwith a custom light Linux installation. Kingston 2GB 800MHz HyperX FB-DIMM Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Jun-13-08] (0 Comments) The Kingston 800MHz HyperX FB-DIMMs are hands down the most innovative cooling design that we have seen Kingston bring to market. The design is flawless and the modules run cooler than any other FB-DIMMs that we have seen. For those that want even better cooling, simply place a fan on the modules like we did and you'll notice another massive temperature reduction. When it comes to building a high-end enthusiast platform using the Intel Skulltrail motherboard having the right memory modules is critical and Kingston should be the top brand on the short shopping list... GIGABYTE GeForce 9600GT TurboForce 1GB @ tweaktown.com [Jun-12-08] (0 Comments) Only just the other day we looked at the GIGABYTE 9600GT TurboForce 512MB; today we look at the 1GB version of this card. While weve never been a huge fan of 1GB mid-range cards, the GIGABYTE TurboForce version carrying with it a hefty core and memory increase seemed to help the card out a little bit more. It made sense that we include the 512MB version of the card in our testing today. Weve also included the Sapphire HD 3870 Ultimate which is a passively cooled card as well. Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler @ pro-clockers.com [Jun-12-08] (0 Comments) Basically, they took two cooler units and fused them together. Notonly does it cool the processor, but also surrounding components like memoryand chipsets. We know that Thermaltake makes some great coolers, but howdoes this new one stack up against units like the Ultra-120 and ScytheZipang? Samsung SC-MX10 Digital Camcorder @ thinkcomputers.org [Jun-10-08] (0 Comments) Digital cameras revolutionized the consumer photography scene and itseems that we are currently undergoing a similar revolution in the arena ofdigital videos. Up until now, most digital camcorders have been tooexpensive for the average consumer. With products like the Samsung SC-MX10Flash Memory Camcorder, it just got a heck of a lot easier for Joe Public totransform into the next Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese. Oh, I guess youshould have some movie-making talent before you can make that leap. Corsair XMS3 DHX DDR3-1600 EPP 2.0 Certified 4GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jun-06-08] (0 Comments) Today I will be looking at one of Corsair's latest system memoryproducts, the TW3X4G1600C9DHXNV, a PC3-12800 4 gig kit verified at DDR3-16009-9-9-24 @ 1.8v, and sports nVidia's EPP 2.0 nForce certification, alongwith Corsair's DHX patented heat spreaders. Will the XMS3 prove to be thestrong, stable, trustworthy product that we have come to expect from memorybearing the Corsair sails? Read on to see! MSI N9600GT Hybrid Freezer Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Jun-06-08] (0 Comments) Its always nice to see companies mix it up with new coolers, and the Hybrid Freezer seems to have some pretty cool technology behind it. It makes sense that theyre installing it on the popular 9600GT series of card, and in this case MSI has decided to install it on a card carrying with it 1GB of GDDR3 memory for added appeal. While weve looked at so many 9600GTs, you have to admit that weve seen such a huge variety of different models; some excellent clocks, some excellent connectivity and some pretty funky aftermarket coolers. Core 2 Duo E7200 CPU @ hardwaresecrets.com [Jun-06-08] (0 Comments) Our review of Core 2 Duo E7200, a dual-core CPU manufactured under 45 nm process running at 2.53 GHz, 1,066 MHz FSB and 3 MB L2 memory cache that will be released on the second half of 2008. G.SKILL F3-12800CL7D DDR3 Memory @ rbmods.com [Jun-06-08] (0 Comments) Today we look at the new DDR3 kit from Gskill. The F3-12800CL7D seemsto be a middle class memory kit from Gskill that is supposed to perform verywell, it is also equipped with a new heatsink that is also supposed tooutperform the old design Gskill uses. Check out the rest of the review tosee what speeds we can boost this ram kit to. Diamond Viper HD 3870 1GB Video Card ed @ thetechlounge.com [Jun-04-08] (0 Comments) Under the heatsink is a whole lot of GDDR3, which in itself doesn't mean much--you can find a pile of budget cards with a gig of RAM, the extra memory incapable of boosting their meager performance--but the 3870 is plainly able to fill its frame buffer. If it were truly a budget card, it would come off as sheer marketing; with a high-end card like this, it really does make a difference. The last great ATI card was the HD 2900 XT, a spectacular misfire. But despite it's ridiculous power consumption, sub-par video processing, and tremendous heat with the blower to match, it still beat out the 512MB HD 3870. I hoped that this redesigned 3870 would have what it takes to finally put out the year-old performance despot. And it does, in almost every way. ASUS Rampage Formula X48 Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jun-02-08] (0 Comments) Today we have one of the latest ROG boards to come from ASUS, this particular board based on the new X48 Express chipset. It packs in as many features as you can possibly imagine, so with little time to spare lets see how it stacks up. Today we have the ASUS Rampage Formula up against the Maximus Extreme and X38-DQ6 motherboards. The X38-DQ6 supports DDR2 while the Maximus Extreme uses DDR3 memory. [News] G.SKILL PC2-8500 4GB PI DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [May-31-08] (0 Comments) The G.Skill PC2-8500 4GB PI Memory is another strong performing dualchannel memory kit. Stability is top notch and the kit is very reliableunder pressure. At full load, the memory keeps its composure and pumps outthe bandwidth. Thanks to the new spreaders, it was only slightly warm to thetouch and looks pretty sweet. It's also very nice to see that the heatspreaders haven't added much extra weight to the modules. Corsair Flash Voyager GT 16GB @ rbmods.com [May-28-08] (0 Comments) Flash memory has gotten bigger the past year and we have reviewedsizes up to 32 GB already. Today we are going to look at the Flash VoyagerGT with 16GB of memory and since it is the GT line it's supposed to be a bitfaster than the ordinary Voyager from Corsair. This line of flash memoryhave shown itself to be extremely durable and still has been able to performwell. We have tested the Voyager line before with boiling them, droppingfrom high hights, freezing, and even hitting them with a hammer and theyhave been able to withstand this treatment. Lets see what type ofperformance we can expect from this. Lenovo ThinkPad X300 Series Notebook @ tweaktown.com [May-26-08] (0 Comments) The X300 notebook has an Intel Core Duo SL7100 (1.2GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB) CPU. The monitor is a 13.3 WXGA+ TFT (LED backlight). There is a 3x3 UltraConnect II which is a connectivity suite offering wireless LAN, UWB (UltraWide Band), Bluetooth and numerous wireless WAN choices including a system that utilizes native GPS functionality that is built into the X300. The hard drive is unique in that it is a solid state drive (SSD) 64GB in size. What this means is that the hard drive is not a rotating disk in the traditional sense, but rather comprises of several chips with addressable memory arrayed in a specific format to prolong the usability of the SSD drive. ASUS EN9800GTX Top 512MB Video Card @ thinkcomputers.org [May-23-08] (0 Comments) If you are like me, and have been happy with mid-range cards, spenda few hours at your favorite game played at the highest settings, using AA,and higher resolutions while using an upper end card, and you'll probablyrealize that you've been in denial for all of this time. Today I will belooking at the Asus EN9800GTX Top, a factory overclocked version of nVidia'slatest top-of-the-line single-GPU video card, with 512mb of DDR3 memory.Will this video card finally make me realize that rather than beingpractical when buying mid-range cards, I've just been cheap? Read on andsee! Palit GeForce 9600GSO Sonic 768MB @ techgage.com [May-23-08] (0 Comments) On a budget andneed the best bang for the buck? NVIDIA's new 9600 GSOmight be the answer, despite not being that different from a 9600 GT.We are taking a look at Palit's Sonic version of the card, which comespre-overclocked, doubles the memory and includes adapters for both HDMIand VGA. Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1600 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [May-21-08] (0 Comments) A few months ago I reviewed the Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1333 2GB kit fromQimonda. It was an impressive pair of memory modules from a company we'dnever heard of. The kit was very flexible, gaining tighter timings at lowerclockrates, and overclocked reasonably well, all at the PC3 standard of1.5v. Today I will be looking at Aeneon's latest PC3 kit, their DDR3-16002GB kit. It is rated at DDR3-1600, CL9, once again at the standard 1.5v.Will this new kit impress us as well as the earlier kit did? Continuereading to see. Chaintech GeForce 9600GT OC 512MB @ tweaktown.com [May-21-08] (0 Comments) Chaintech have really expanded from the line of graphics cards, now doing products like memory and flash products as well. What they no longer do however are motherboards. It wasnt all that long ago we were impressed with fancy cooling solutions and the general performance of Chaintech products. Well have to see if the 9600GT is able to do anything for us. >From first glance the Chaintech offering didnt do a lot for us, but upon throwing it in our system we where pleasantly surprised with what happened. Before we get into that though, lets find out what theyve done with the package and have a closer look at the actual card. [News] OCZ Reaper HPC PC2-8500 4GB Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [May-17-08] (0 Comments) Well one thing is for certain, the OCZ PC2-8500 4GB Dual ChannelReaper HPC Memory is fully compatible with the Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS3P andASUS Blitz Formula Motherboards. The memory is definitely capable ofexceeding it's rated specs. Given the complexities and obstacles associatedwith a 4GB kit, 1066 MHz is a worthy achievement in its own right. The 4GBReaper kit remained completely stable throughout testing as well as passedseveral hours of further scrutiny from our trusty RST PRO 2 provided byUltra-X. If there were any type of weaknesses in the memory, the RST PRO 2would have definitely found them.>From 800 MHz 4-4-4-12 to 1150 MHz 5-5-5-15, you get sweet 2 x 2GB DualChannel memory kit built with quality ICs backed by OCZ's Lifetime Warranty.Performance is top notch with excellent results for the most avid gamer orapplication guru. Vista users will also appreciate the larger capacityallowing their system to stretch its legs fully without worrying aboutsystem resources. This is the largest 4GB overclocking memory kit thus farI've had the pleasure of testing and now understand its hidden benefits. Ihighly recommend this kit the next time your seriously considering a DDR2upgrade. [News] EXCLUSIVE:VH Visits the Intel Hawthorn Farm Campus @ virtual-hideout.net [May-17-08] (0 Comments) Over the last couple years, I've been attending various LANs andtech events looking for that other side we rarely get to see. InfernaLAN isjust one of the many events sponsored by INTEL and wide variety of vendorsand integrators including Patriot Memory, Corsair, BFG, S3 Graphics,IBuyPower, PowerPC, and Alienware. It was here that I met many of Intel's finest incognito. These guys taketheir personal systems as seriously as any enthusiast, cooled with thelatest DangerDen water cooled blocks and assembled in some of the sweetestcases created by man. I thought that if they are this much fun and caredenough about what they do to show off all these demo systems, then I reallyneed to see what it is they do.Well, a couple weeks after, I received a call with an invitation to visitIntel's mysterious Hawthorn Farm Campus where much of the desktopmotherboard and processor magic happens. The dates were picked, testhardware assembled, and the tour schedule set. Lexar Gaming Edition 2GB SD Card and 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo @ rbmods.com [May-15-08] (0 Comments) With flash memory getting cheaper and capacity getting larger, itmakes more sense than ever to purchase a new card for your gaming system orfor any other device that takes it. What makes these cards special is thatthey feature free downloadable Xploder Lite software, meaning that theyessentially, and I quote, give Game Testing 2GB versus 4GB of Memory on Vista 64-bit @ legitreviews.com [May-13-08] (0 Comments) Our average frame rate increase of 1.6% in nine games was slightl y higher than the 1.1% shown by Corsair in the three games they tested, b ut our test system was a little newer and we were running Vista SP1. Some thing else that we noted while running the benchmarks is that game loadin g times were also significantly enhanced by installing 4GB of system memo ry. While load times was not the focus of this article we noted that Cry sis v1.21 loaded 54.1% faster (14.28s versus 22.00s) on the initial level load. After the level was loaded and then restarted (as if one died and started over) the load times were within a hundredth of a second... Sapphire HD 3650 OC ATi Video Card @ pro-clockers.com [May-13-08] (0 Comments) Sapphire has been around long enough to know how to put out a greatvideo card. Just a few weeks ago we took a long look at the Toxic 3870 whichis an overclocked 3870 with a single slot cooling system. Yeah that was agood one. But now we are here to take a look at the budget HD3650 fromSapphire. But this budget card has an added punch to its core and memoryclocks as it is overclocked as well, just like the Toxic 3870. System Memory Technology Explained @ benchmarkreviews.com [May-12-08] (0 Comments) These are uncertain financial times we live in today, and the rise and fall of our economy has had direct affect on consumer spending. It Palit GeForce 9600GT 1GB Sonic Video Card @ thinkcomputers.org [May-12-08] (0 Comments) Today I will be looking at the Palit 9600GT 1GB Sonic. The 9600GT isnVidia's latest mid-range GeForce card, and rather than the reference 512gigs of DDR3 memory, Palit has opted to add a full gig of memory, along witha heatpipe cooler, to this card. How will it stand up against the lastgeneration of GeForce mid-range cards? Continue reading to see... Patriot Viper DDR3-1866 2GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [May-09-08] (0 Comments) Patriot has been one of the newer companies to come on board at T weakTown to supply us with their high performance memory for testing, and so far we have been pretty impressed with their line of high performance memory. Once again they have come on board to send us their new series o f DDR3 modules. Today we have Patriot's Viper Fin DDR3 2GB dual channel memory kit. The sticker on one side of each memory module contains info on the module s. The kit we received was rated for speeds of 1866MHz or 933MHz core spe ed with timings of 8-8-8-24 at a maximum voltage of 1.9v. The modules are all RoHS which means they are manufactured with lead free solder. S3 Chrome 430 GT Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [May-07-08] (0 Comments) S3 hasn't stopped releasing graphics cards, but we just don't seem to hear much about them anymore. Hopefully that's going to change with the release of the Chrome 430 GT. It's a low-end card that seems to be capable of taking on the big boys at NVIDIA and AMD. Trying to fire up GPU-Z just resulted in an error due to none of it being able to be recognized, though the core comes in at 625MHz and there is 2 56MB of GDDR2 memory running at a speed of 500MHz DDR. We have a 64-bit i nterface, 64nm core, PCI Express 2.0 support, Direct X 10.1 and Open GL 2 .1 support. OCZ ReaperX HPC DDR3-1333 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [May-07-08] (0 Comments) In a few short years, OCZ has really made its mark in the PCenthusiast world. They have branched out into power supplies, CPU coolers,thermal compound, peripherals, flash media, they even have a newphase-change cooler for those extreme overclockers that need sub-zero temps.But, OCZ's forte is still high-performance system memory. Today I will belooking at OCZ's latest offering in the ReaperX series, the ReaperX PC3-1066(DDR3-1333) 2 gig kit. Will the DDR3 ReaperX prove to be the awesomeoverclocker that its DDR2 little brother is? Read on and see... OCZ PC2-6400 ReaperX HPC 4GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [May-06-08] (0 Comments) The OCZ ReaperX HPC memory series is the newest variant of the heatpipe cooled memory available from the manufacturer. Its new design improves on the cooling with dual heatpipes and finer fins to keep the parts cool. In our testing we saw excellent performance going all the way to DDR2-736 at 3-3-3-12. ECS GeForce 8800 GT 256MB Video Card - N8800GT-256MX @ legitreviews.com [May-05-08] (0 Comments) The ECS N8800GT 256MB packs in double the memory with an availabl e BIOS update giving you the performance of a true 8800 GT 512MB. The ext ra memory along with a nearly silent heat sink/fan combo and a $169 price tag assures it to be a great success! A-DATA S701 & SDHC Eee PC Editions @ techpowerup.com [May-03-08] (0 Comments) A-DATA's S701 & SDHC card Eee PC Edition are themed flash storage parts which go especially nice with the ASUS Eee PC subnotebook. The SDHC card is a Class 6 Device which means it can offer write speeds up to 6 MB/s. Both come at no price premium over the non-EeePC branded variants. Diamond Radeon HD 3870 1GB Graphics Card @ pcper.com [May-01-08] (0 Comments) In a couple of cases, mainly in Bioshock and World in Conflict, theextra frame buffer made a noticeable impact on our gaming experience andallowed us to play much more comfortably at the 1920x1200 settings than onany other single-GPU AMD graphics card. In the rest of the titles we playedthrough the 1GB card offered no benefits over the 512MB versions - and thiswas surprising in cases like Call of Juarez that are heavily dependent onmemory subsystem performance. Exclusive MSI Wind notebook photos here @ tweaktown.com [Apr-29-08] (0 Comments) Over the past month or so MSI's Wind notebook has been widely d ocumented over the web but until down specific details and photos have be en hard to come by. U100 will be MSI's first major fighter against Eee and in an exclusive internal document seen by TweakTown, it claims 6 out of 9 design specification wins against the 7=94 Eee PC.Shipping in mid to late May, the U100 ships with your choice of Windows X P or Linux and will get its power from an Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor bas ed on a motherboard using the 945GMS + ICH7M chipsets. It supports up to 2GB of DDR2 667 memory and includes an 80GB 2.5=94 SATA hard drive. It sp orts a 10=94 WSVGA LCD with a wide screen resolution of 1024 x 600 which MSI claims is going to be much better for web surfing compared to Eee. MS I makes notable mention of the 12=94 wide keyboard which should be much e asier to work with compared to smaller keyboards =96 each letter key meas ures 17.5mm wide and the touch pad is 54mm wide. Ultra m998 ATX Mid-Tower Enclosure @ tweaktown.com [Apr-29-08] (0 Comments) Anyone who has tinkered with computers for any amount of time will immediately know the name Ultra. With a number of products that cover case fans and lights, designer cases, DVD products, hard drive coolers, media drives, complete memory solutions, memory coolers and power supplies, these folks can provide you with a large selection of upgrade items. Today we will be taking a look at one of their system enclosures, the m998. It is a mid-tower design based around the ATX standard and has some features that may be a little different than what you have seen in the past. DIAMOND Radeon HD 3650 1GB Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Apr-28-08] (0 Comments) What's different about the Diamond HD 3650 from Diamond is that it carries with it a massive 1GB of memory. We're not really big on hu ge amounts of memory added to a mid-range card, but we'll have to see i f Diamond is able to do anything with the HD 3650 here today that impress es us. Diamond does something that is quite common when companies increase the a mount of RAM on lower end models. Instead of using 1GB of GDDR3, they'v e dropped back to GDDR2. ASUS Radeon HD 3850 X2 1GB hits PCPer @ pcper.com [Apr-24-08] (0 Comments) The estimated price on the ASUS EAH3850 X2 1GB card is $349 and itshould be available starting sometime next week. That price tag places thecard between the HD 3870 single-GPU cards (some of which have come out with1GB of memory as well) and the dual-GPU HD 3870 X2s. This is indeed an areathat AMD needs to address as they have no other GPU options for gamers inthe $250-$350 range. Hopefully we'll see the the HD 3850 X2 1GB models frommore vendors causing a price drop closer to $300. OCZ ReaperX HPC PC3-10666 Enhanced Bandwidth 2x1GB DDR3 RAM @ aphnetworks.com [Apr-24-08] (0 Comments) How much would you pay for roughly 2% performance increase on your latest gaming rig? $100? $200? How about $600? Even the most hardcore computer enthusiasts for the past year have been struggling with this question -- and if you've been following the technology trend, yes, I am talking about DDR3 memory. According to our tests last year, DDR3 memory provided little advantage with original, first generation Core 2 CPUs in combination with Intel's first consumer chipset that supports DDR3, the P35. As DDR2 became mainstream last generation, it is inevitable to all extents that DDR3 will be in the position of DDR2. The question is only whether it'd be sooner or later. Currently, DDR3-1333 RAM is available in the market at press time that it retails for as low as $120. Combined with newer processors and chipsets that takes better advantage of faster memory (Meaning that, it's much more than 2% performance over DDR2 now), more users are becoming more willing to jump the boat. On the other hand, there's also the overclocking crowd that's more interested in DDR3 RAM because the price of most DDR3 sets is now within affordable margins. While the OCZ ReaperX is not $120 right now, what it offers is Micron's latest D9GTS ICs that has gained excellent reputation from enthusiast crowds for excellent overclocking. How does this set of RAM step up against the rest? Let's put it through our tests and we'll see how it goes. Diamond Radeon HD 3870 1GB Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Apr-22-08] (0 Comments) First and foremost, if you're playing at extreme resolutions of 2560x1600 a single ATI Radeon HD 3870 is clearly not going to cut it. It is able to provide playable frame rates in some situations but is bes ted by the Nvidia 8800 GTS in most of those same situations. When it come s to performance compared to a standard 3870 with 512MB, our 1GB version really didn't show much improvement in our short battery of test, but I believe that the performance is being held back more by the actual GPU t han an increase in memory bandwidth and size can help. Our testing at suc h a high resolution should have given the Diamond 3870 1GB a chance to sh ine... NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT Voltmodding Article posted @ techpowerup.com [Apr-18-08] (0 Comments) NVIDIA's Geforce 9600 GT is quite an exceptional midrange card that offers excellent overclocking potential. Since the cards run at a relatively low voltage there is some extra overclocking waiting to be unleashed by raising the card's voltages. The GPU voltage mod we present in this article uses a new method which will not be affected by the card's overvoltage protection. Also we describe an easy to do modification to increase the memory voltage. Intel Core 2 Quad 9300 Processor @ legitreviews.com [Apr-18-08] (0 Comments) Intel has a winner on their hands with the Core 2 Quad Q9300 proc essor. At $285.99 shipped to your door it is priced higher than any AMD P henom quad-core processor, but rightly so as our benchmarking showed it o ut performing Phenom in every benchmark except memory bandwidth. Not too shabby for the entry level 45nm quad-core processor! Our top overclock wa s over 1GHz higher than the stock frequency and that pushed the final clo ck frequency to 3.5GHz! ASUS EN8800GT 1GB Graphics Card @ tweaktown.com [Apr-18-08] (0 Comments) You did your research and you've discovered that the 8800GT con tinues to be one of the best value for money cards when it comes to good mid-range performance. The thing is, you wouldn't mind kicking it up a notch in the memory department if you had the choice. Well, we might have found the card for you here today. ASUS has recently released an 8800GT that is packing 1GB of GDDR3 memory. However, it's n ot uncommon for a bump in memory to do nothing more than make you feel a bit better about your system. Really, there's only one way to find out if the extra memory does anything for your gaming experience, and that is to run it through a multitude of tests. Asus P5E-VM @ neoseeker.com [Apr-17-08] (0 Comments) With a video card, I was able to boot into the Windows desktop at 535MHz x6 - but it was not stable; I think giving even more voltage to thenorthbridge would stabilize it, but frankly, I was worried about frying thenorthbridge. But 500MHz x 8 is stable, with the memory running at 5-5-5-15,when I use a video card. Patriot Viper PC3-14400 DDR3 Memory @ rbmods.com [Apr-16-08] (0 Comments) Another DDR3 kit hits our test bench and this time it is a kit fromPatriot. We got their latest Viper kit that we will put vs some fastperformers from both Corsair and Supertalent. We are going to twist and turnthis ram kit to see how it performs in Superpi and Everest among other testprograms. We are also going to put this kit vs the otheres in a overclockingtest to really see how well it performs so stay tuned. Unboxing the Asus Eee PC 900 @ bit-tech.net [Apr-15-08] (0 Comments) Another cool feature is the Macbook Air-esque (I just diedinside)multi-touch trackpad, so you can use two fingers to zoom and scroll.While the scroll works in everything, the zoom function is currentlylimited to Works, StarSuite 8 and Adobe Reader.There's also a new OS option:Windows XP Home. That will make the extramemory and storage evaporate, although it is now open to a wealth ofother software and more immediately familiar to non-Linux users.Included in the package are Microsoft Works, Intervideo DVD XPack andSun StarSuite (databases, spreadsheet, presentation, illustration andword processing– basically a “slim” Microsoft Office). The problem with the XP versionis that despite the larger screen resolution, you still have to scrollup and down the desktop - that's not ideal.The 20GB Linux model pictured below should retail for £329 in the UK,which is only a modest increase in price considering the advantages.Our resident games expert, Joe, recently spent £250 on an Eee PC and isnow regretting it – the extra screen room makes a huge difference andthe added storage is a definite boon. The Windows XP version will onlyship with 12GB of hard drive space but will retail for the same price.Because of this, we'd absolutely suggest buying the Linux version andthen shoehorning XP into the 20GB model. Sapphire Radeon HD 3650 GDDR3 512MB @ pcper.com [Apr-12-08] (0 Comments) When the Radeon HD 3650 card was first released we were a littleunderwhelmed by the specifications as it seemed that nothing had beenimproved upon when compared to the previous, RV600-based HD 2600-series ofcards. And in fact that is the case:performance remains mostly the samewhile power consumption has dropped and thus heat output too. That doesn'tmake the HD 3650 a home run though as NVIDIA's answers to the card continueto stack up and perform better - the 8600 GTS with half the frame buffer waseasily outpacing the Sapphire HD 3650 card with 512MB of GDDR3 memory evenwhen overclocked. Verbatim Desktop Mouse Roundup @ rbmods.com [Apr-10-08] (0 Comments) Verbatim is well known for their high quality CD and DVD media. Inthe last few years they have decided to expand their product line intovarious computer accessories. For example they have started selling externalHDD, memory cards, USB flash drives, and even mice. For today's test werecieved a couple of Verbatims latest's mice which we will take a closerlook at. Diamond HD 3650 1024 MB DDR2 @ techpowerup.com [Apr-09-08] (0 Comments) Diamond's latest HD 3650 card features a huge video memory of 1 GB, but uses only slow DDR2. For media PC systems an extra HDMI output has been added which natively supports HDCP and audio. We run this card through our benchmarks and check whether the extra memory can make a performance difference. AMD Phenom X4 B3 Stepping Analysed @ tweaktown.com [Apr-08-08] (0 Comments) It has since taken some time for AMD to come up with a new additi on to its CPU portfolio. Already attempted once, AMD had to re-design som e of the CPUs due to a hardware problem that results in errors if the add itional cache memory is used; today AMD has corrected this and released w hat is now known as the =93B3=94 stepping revision of its Phenom Processo rs, the first series of CPUs to support the K10 architecture. First off, before we get into our Phenom processor, we wanted to have a b it of a look at the K10 architecture that AMD is hoping will save it from Intel's Core architecture that has managed to severely hamper AMD's sales as the top performance CPU. Corsair TX750 750W Power Supply @ thinkcomputers.org [Apr-07-08] (0 Comments) Corsair is best known for its memory products-DIMMs and flash-but ithas a solid line of power supply units, as well. The company sentThinkComputers its TX750, a 750W unit with a single 60A 12V rail-powerfulenough for a GeForce 8800 GTX. While non-modular, the cables are sleeved andhave quick-release connectors. We tested this device with a five-yearwarranty-results within. Diamond Radeon HD 3870 1GB with 512-bit bus @ nordichardware.com [Apr-04-08] (0 Comments) But, Diamond has managed to squeeze in 1GB memory, which no other HD 3870 has, but then we haven't even touched the biggest news yet; the 512-bit memory bus. The 1GB version has eight 64-bit memory chips, and for that to work you need a 512-bit bus. [News] Penryn and Bone Trail at InfernaLAN @ virtual-hideout.net [Apr-02-08] (0 Comments) Now, a little bit on the motherboards using the processors. The twolatest motherboards to support Penryn are the Bone Trail and Skull Trail.The BT is a single socket platform, while the ST is a dual socket. Themotherboards get powerful chipset upgrades including DDR3 and XMP BIOSsupport. So, the boards now fully support DDR3 and 1600MHz Front Side BusXMP profiles for some crazy overclocking. This is good news for users with1333 and 1600MHz DDR3 memory since a simple, quick BIOS setting instantlybrings your system's extra power online. GIGABYTE X48T-DQ6 DDR3 Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Apr-02-08] (0 Comments) X38/X48 chipsets are the first chipsets to come out with true spl it PCI Express architecture. This time they are both running a 16/16 conf iguration. Added to this is the fact they are running PCI-E 2.0 specs as well as being XMP memory module ready; we now have a good overall platfor m. X48 adds to the already impressive array of features the X38 has along with much better overclocking support and official support for the 1600M Hz FSB. Today we have GIGABYTE's new X48 based board with DDR3 memory support. Following the naming lines, anything with DDR3 support gets a =93T=94 add ed to the name, so today we have the GIGABYTE X48T-DQ6. This is GIGABYTE' s top of the range high performance board. How will it stack up against o ur already tested MSI X48 Platinum and ASUS' P5E3 Premium WiFi? - Let' s get down to it and find out! EVGA e-GeForce 9800 GTX @ nvnews.net [Apr-01-08] (0 Comments) And the GeForce 9800 GTX? In summary, after having tested the GeForce 9800 GTX under Windows XP, I will state that it performs on par with the previous generation GeForce 8800 GTX. That is until its 512MB of video memory (VRAM) becomes exhausted. Although not necessarily a drawback, it is a consideration that the informed consumer needs to realize before making a purchase - especially when two (SLI) or three (3-way SLI) graphics cards are being considered. Bigbruin.com 5th Birthday Party Give Away @ bigbruin.com [Apr-01-08] (0 Comments) Bigbruin.com turns five years old on April 1st. While it might seem funny, this is not an April fools joke. There are three ways in which to win, and a total of five winners will grab a prize from the following list of items: Patriot Viper Series 2GB PC3-12800 DDR3 Memory Kit, ASUS EAH3870 TOP 512MB Overclocked Radeon HD3870 Graphics Card, ASUS EAH3850 TOP 256MB Overclocked Radeon HD3850 Graphics Card, CoolIT Prize Pack - USB Beverage Cooler, PCI Cooling Booster, and RAM Fan, and two $25 Best Buy Gift Cards. US Modular Cold Fusion DDR2-800 2x1GB Memory Kit ed @ thetechlounge.com [Apr-01-08] (0 Comments) US Modular's enthusiast parts are all recent additions to their portfolio. In fact, the Cold Fusion RAM is their first big, branded push into the profitable arena, and it's kicking off with the DDR2 reviewed here. While they're mostly known for their portable hard drives and USB flash drives, US Modular has been making system memory in California long enough to know how to bin the good stuff and slap some swanky blue heatspreaders on it. Of course, in order to make a name for themselves, this memory will have to fly. Does Cold Fusion have what it takes to stir up the ranks? [News] Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB PC3-12800 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Mar-30-08] (0 Comments) Crucial has been all over the market as of late with new capacityFlash Cards, USB drives, Solid State Drives, and especially PerformanceDRAM. I've been thoroughly testing and experimenting with their latestBallistix DDR3 PC3-12800 2GB Dual Channel Kit, or DDR3 1600MHz memory. Andyes, this kit does scream at 1600MHz. Read on and see. AMD Phenom X4 9850 Processor - Long Awaited B3 @ pcper.com [Mar-27-08] (0 Comments) The new AMD Phenom X4 9850 is a great processor for its segment eventhough it is still not able to dominate in any fashion over the Intelquad-core options. Just as with the initial 2.3 GHz Phenom B2 launch, AMDstill considers the Intel Core 2 Q6600 its primary competition, and Iconsider the Q9450 to be another potential threat as well. This new CPU isdefinitely getting AMD closer to its performance goals and any enthusiast orgamer looking for a ~$240 processor is going to have a fantastic experiencewith the 9850. The added performance and efficiency of the 2000 MHz memorycontroller and system bus add to the benefits of the 2.50 GHz clock rateproducing the best fastest stock speed AMD quad-core CPU to date. OCZ CPU Cooler Roundup @ techgage.com [Mar-26-08] (0 Comments) OCZ is well known for their memory and power supplies,but we thought we'd see just how well their current fleet of CPUcoolers held up. We pit the Vendetta, Vendetta 2, Vanquisher and eventhe old-school Vindicator against our QX6850 to see what each one ismade of. OCZ Rally2 Turbo 4GB USB Flash Drive @ aphnetworks.com [Mar-25-08] (0 Comments) OCZ really knows how to take advantage of the performance market. OCZ is well known for producing legendary overclocking memory, popular power supplies, performance flash memory products, and even more so for improving such products. Many years ago, the original OCZ Rally USB flash drive gained immense popularity amongst enthusiasts and consumers alike. When the OCZ Rally2 came out a couple years ago, it was even faster than its predecessor -- we've already reviewed the original first revision and were quite impressed by the speed (Although a bit less with its access latency due to UT161 controller problems). From what we can see, we are quite glad that OCZ fixed the latency issues with their flash drives in the past year or so. Recently, OCZ released another dual channel flash drive to the Rally performance flash drive family -- the OCZ Rally2 Turbo. The manufacturer claims that it can hit up to 35MB/s in read performance. How is the turbocharged dual channel Rally2 going to perform? That's something we are really interested to find out. DDR3 with both EPP 2.0 & XMP support "is possible" @ bit-tech.net [Mar-24-08] (0 Comments) Terry Groth, a Product Marketing Manager at Crucial Technologyhas revealed to bit-techduring a conversation at this weekend's i33 LAN party that making DDR3memory modules that support both EPP 2.0 and XMP is definitely possible.However, Groth later added that having modules supporting both Nvidia'sand Intel's extended memory performance profile standards Gigabyte X48-DQ6 Motherboard - DDR2 X48 Solution @ pcper.com [Mar-22-08] (0 Comments) The Gigabyte X48-DQ6 is a great performing motherboard and the X48chipset again proves that Intel knows how to design a product for theirCPUs. The motherboard implements the DDR2 memory controller rather than theDDR3 one that the X48 offers and while that may limit the memory performancein its most basic functions, the benefits of being able to get much morememory (4GB vs 2GB) at faster speeds for less money should make up for it. First Look:Nvidia's nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset @ bit-tech.net [Mar-19-08] (0 Comments) Nvidia is pushing hard on the platform front with itstechnologyportfolio – ESA, EPP 2.0 and SLI are all core Nvidia productsassociated with the nForce 790i Ultra SLI motherboard and this launch.While some are open standards, so no royalties are claimed when usingthem, it doesn't mean all is well for the ultra-high-end user.To say the cost of upgrading to use the nForce 790i (Ultra) SLI issignificant is certainly an understatement:on top of one of the mostexpensive motherboards ever sold, you'll need super expensiveperformance DDR3 memory (with EPP 2.0) to make the most of it. Thenthere's the fact that running at over 1,600MHz limits the board to justtwo DIMM slots, so running 4GB in 2x2GB has just gone from sellingorgans to selling your children as well. There is a value add with all manners of SLI support, but you can getthat with plenty of other nForce 7-series boards, although in this casethe north bridge is tweaked to use SLI better. ESA is entirely optionalif you want to invest in it or not and again provides an upgradefeature choice – that said, we expect this more to be jumped upon bycompanies that build complete systems, rather than end users.It was designed to be too expensive and a niche product, so don't getyour knickers in a twist. While you may care about that because youwant the latest and greatest, Nvidia doesn't. And you can bet yourcotton socks that the top Futuremark slots will all consist of nForce790i SLI boards going forwards – that’s prime marketing material aboveall else. Be wary of what's coming out in the next few months too:there's notelling what else Nvidia will launch in the summer on the Intel front,because it has promised a chipset that sports Hybrid SLI support, andwould you want to spend all that money on a new board and not haveaccess to these new technologies? Well, maybe not in actual fact,because those running a 30 Details on the Forthcoming Intel Nehalem Processor @ hardwaresecrets.com [Mar-18-08] (0 Comments) Learn about the new features of Intels Nehalem processor, a CPU that will have an integrated memory controller and will be launched by the end of this year. Crucial Ballistix Tracer Red PC-6400 4GB kit @ bit-tech.net [Mar-17-08] (0 Comments) In the past, weve found Crucial memory to be a bit moreexpensiveregardless of the type you buy, and even though you get free deliverywhen you buy from Crucial direct, its often difficult to find acomparison elsewhere because there are few other stores stocking it.You are paying for the Kingston HyperX DDR3-1625 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Mar-12-08] (0 Comments) Kingston is one of the oldest names in the PC world, and they arethe largest manufacturer of system memory purchased by third party buyers. Iremember hearing of Kingston in the late 1980s, a time when most PCs onlyhad a megabyte or two of system memory, and I used their memory in my firstRAM upgrade about a decade later. Recently I reviewed the Kingston HyperXPC3-11000 2 gig kit. Kingston considers it an entry-level enthusiast DDR3HyperX kit. Today I will be looking at the PC3-13000 HyperX 2 gig kit, whichat present, is considered the VVIKOO GeForce 8800 GT Max 1024 MB @ techpowerup.com [Mar-12-08] (0 Comments) Even though the GeForce 8800 GT has already been out for a while, it still has the punch to play all the latest games. The VVIKOO 8800 GT Max 1 GB comes with the Zalman VF1000 pre-installed and also features double the video memory. But is there any performance to be gained by going from 512 MB to 1024 MB of memory? Technic3D/Corsair Dominator DDR3 1800 @ technic3d.com [Mar-12-08] (0 Comments) The Corsair Dominator Twin3X2048 1800C7DFIN DDR3 2GB Kit arriv ed Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking ag ainst the OCZ 1.800 Memory Kit on Windows Vista Ultimate and the Asus P5E3 Deluxe WiFi Mainboard. You can see 1.860 MHz with 7-7-7-20 in the following Review. Alpahcool LC-Display 240x128 Pixel blue neg. black @ rbmods.com [Mar-12-08] (0 Comments) It was quite sometime ago I reviewed something from Alpahcool but Iam glad they got in touch with us again and sent us their new LC display toreview. This little display can show you the following features; CPU,CPU-load, Networking Stats, Memory use, Winamp Titles, News-Feeds (i.e.BBC-World), Game Stats, Email details. My question is can you ask forsomething else and does it actually do all this? Well lets check out and seewhat we come up with in the review. Alpahcool LC-Display 240x128 Pixel blue neg. Black @ rbmods.com [Mar-12-08] (0 Comments) It was quite sometime ago I reviewed something from Alpahcool but Iam glad they got in touch with us again and sent us their new LC display toreview. This little display can show you the following features; CPU,CPU-load, Networking Stats, Memory use, Winamp Titles, News-Feeds (i.e.BBC-World), Game Stats, Email details. My question is can you ask forsomething else and does it actually do all this? Well lets check out and seewhat we come up with in the review. A-Data Vitesta DDR3-1600X CL7 PC3-12800 RAM @ benchmarkreviews.com [Mar-10-08] (0 Comments) Benchmark Reviews has amassed the largest collection of DDR3 memory modules anywhere, and we are now ready to showcase the thirteenth ECS GeForce 9600GT Accelero 512MB @ tweaktown.com [Mar-07-08] (0 Comments) As the 9600GT cards continue to roll on in, we see lots of varian ts trying to stand out from the pack. The latest card to rock up in the l abs is an offering from ECS that carries with it an Accelero S2 made by A rtic Cooling. We've compared the ECS 9600GT against the Galaxy 9600GT which is slight ly lower on the core and a fair bit lower on the shader clock. The Galaxy memory clock does come in a little higher though. Powercolor HD 3650 Xtreme 512 MB @ techpowerup.com [Mar-07-08] (0 Comments) AMD's new HD 3650 is basically an improved version of the 2600 XT without any major technological advances other than a smaller die size resulting in cheaper cards. PowerColor's HD 3650 Extreme comes equipped with 512 MB of fast GDDR3 memory and runs at higher clocks than the AMD reference design. [News] Patriot Viper PC2-6400XLK 2GB Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Mar-07-08] (0 Comments) So, what can you do to improve the current DDR2 4-4-4-12 memorykits? How about, improve the kits with better ICs and improve the memorytimings by lowering them to 3-4-3-8. Of course, this has only been achievedat the factory with 800MHz DDR2 ICs. Patriot has been the first to bring you4-4-4-12 2x2GB memory kits, now they are the first to give us some 3-4-3-8kits. This is good news for straight shooter computer users. Check out thenew Patriot 2GB PC2-6400XLK Viper Memory Kit. Patriot Memory PC2-9200 2GB EP DDR2 Kit @ tweaktown.com [Mar-06-08] (0 Comments) The sticker on one side of each module contains the full specs of the memory modules; these are rated for PC2-9200 or 1150MHz with timings of 5-5-5-12 and a maximum voltage rating of 2.3v. Our test system is identical to the one used in the PC2-6400 test setup, this time however we are using the PC2-9200 memory and the Geil. For our stock setup we used 800MHz memory dividers. Patriot Memory PC2-6400 4GB LL DDR2 Kit @ tweaktown.com [Mar-04-08] (0 Comments) DDR2 is still kicking, and today we have a new kit from Patriot m emory who have come through with a bang in the last six months with new m odules hitting the shelves. We have been given their latest PC2-6400 4GB kit with low latency timings on offer. Each module has a sticker on one side that includes the model number, spe ed rating and timings. These modules are designed for a 4-4-4-12 rating a nd support up to a maximum of 2.2 volts under the manufacturer's warran ty. Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1333 2GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Feb-29-08] (0 Comments) Aeneon memory is a division of Qimonda, a German memory manufactu rer which is also a division of Infineon Technologies. While Infineon has been around for quite some time, Aeneon hasn't made any major jumps in to the DRAM market, so it's about time we see a new player come in. Aeneon has rated these modules for 1333MHz with a timing rating of 8-8-8- 24, which is about normal for 1333MHz modules. The SPD doesn't support Intel's XMP setup, but this doesn't stop them from running on X38/X48 chipsets. The Sea of Grey @ bit-tech.net [Feb-29-08] (0 Comments) It's clear that Nvidia had really struggled to compete with theRadeonHD 3850 ever since its launch and, in fact, it was the first time ithas struggled to compete with AMD for some time. Nvidia didn't knowwhat to do with the Radeon HD 3850 256MB when it launched, because theGeForce 8800 GT 256MB was taking longer than expected to get to market.I was even offered a BIOS that would disable 256MB of memory on one ofour GeForce 8800 GT 512MB reference cards, just so that Nvidia didn'tlook as bad. This was something I turned down – Complete GeForce 8800 GS/GT/GTS Voltmodding Article posted @ techpowerup.com [Feb-29-08] (0 Comments) Our latest voltmod article contains detailed instructions how to modify the GeForce 8800 GS/GT/GTS for higher voltages to increase the overclocking potential. Included modifications are GPU Voltage, Memory Voltage, Reverse Memory Voltage and Overcurrent Protection. Asus EN8800GTS (NVIDIA 8800GTS) TOP 512MB @ aphnetworks.com [Feb-27-08] (0 Comments) First came the 8800GTS, along comes the 8800GT, and then... the 8800GTS? Welcome to NVIDIA's latest naming scheme. With the original 8800GTS 320MB and 640MB is the 90nm G80 core; the latest wave of 8800 series cards include the 65nm G92 8800GT and 8800GTS -- typically distinguished by its nominal memory configuration of 512MB on board. The NVIDIA GeForce 8800GT was quite a margin faster than the original G80 based 8800GTS -- the Asus factory overclocked 8800GT TOP at 700/1000 is even faster. How about the G92 based 8800GTS, commonly known as the 8800GTS 512MB perform? Or, better yet, how will the Asus 8800GTS TOP, aggressively clocked and pretty much the fastest graphics card in its family at 740/1035, pull out on our benchmark graphs today? Besides that, we'll examine the noise factor as well as power consumption today. Let's jump right into the Asus EN8800GTS TOP 512MB review right now. Palit GeForce 8800GT Super+1GB @ techgage.com [Feb-27-08] (0 Comments) We've been fans of NVIDIA's 8800 GT since launch, andPalit helps us remember why. Though utilizing reference clocks, theSuper+1GB doubles the competitions memory, but as we found out, it'sdifficult to see a difference. Overclocking yields far better results,and luckily, this card delivers there as well. Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Processor @ legitreviews.com [Feb-26-08] (0 Comments) The Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 that we specifically looked at in this article did very well in the benchmarks and consistently beat the AMD Ph enom 9600 Black Edition quad-core processor. This goes to show how well t he Wolfdale core has been developed and also how bad of a position AMD is in when it comes to processors. When it came to overclocking, the 45nm W olfdale processors do great and hitting 500MHz FSB is easily possible, wh ich means 2GHz DDR3 memory kits can be finally released and companies lik e Corsair Memory have already launched such products... Mtron MOBI 3000 2.5-Inch 16GB SSD MSD-SATA3025 @ benchmarkreviews.com [Feb-26-08] (0 Comments) Solid State Drives are not for everyone. Similar to the evolution towards DDR3 system memory, a gradual replacement of the Hard Disk G.SKILL DDR2 PC2 8500 (8 Layers PCB) Memory @ rbmods.com [Feb-24-08] (0 Comments) Today we take a look at a DDR2 kit from Gskill. We got their new 8500kit that seems to perform quite well according to some other reviews I haveseen. We are going to compare this vs our previous DDR2 kits that haveperformed the best. We are also going to try to boost this kit a bit to seehow it performs under heavy overclocking. Kingston HyperX DDR3-1375 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Feb-22-08] (0 Comments) Kingston's 20 year history is packed with numerous awards from thelikes of Fortune, Inc, and Forbes magazines, and for the last four years,they were ranked the #1 memory module manufacturer for the third-partymemory market. They have been extremely successful at building qualityproducts, and taking care of their employees considering the numerous EVGA e-GeForce 9600 GT SSC @ nvnews.net [Feb-21-08] (0 Comments) Today we have news to share as NVIDIA is launching its first Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) based on the GeForce 9 Series - the GeForce 9600 GT. Building on the success of the unified architecture present on the GeForce 8, the GeForce 9 Series features enhanced compression technology, which reduces the amount of data that passes through the memory bus. Graphics cards with the GeForce 9600 GT are targeted at the mainstream segment with a suggested price between $169 and $189. HIS Radeon HD 3850 IceQ3 TurboX 512 MB @ techpowerup.com [Feb-20-08] (0 Comments) The HIS Radeon HD 3850 IceQ3 comes with a high end dual slot cooler, 512 MB of fast GDDR3 memory and increased clocks at a price tag of $199. This winning combination gets very close in performance to the much more expensive HD 3870 and can even surpass it when overclocked. PowerColor Radeon HD 3850 Xtreme PCS 512MB @ bit-tech.net [Feb-18-08] (0 Comments) AMD's partnershaven't been afraid to play around with the Radeon HD 3850 to createcards that mix things up a bit – that's exactly what PowerColor hasdone here with its Radeon HD 3850 Xtreme PCS 512MB card. First andforemost, there's the clock speed increase, which takes this card tosomewhere right in between the standard Radeon HD 3850 and Radeon HD3870 cards at a price that's competitive. Not only that, but the cardhave twice as much video memory on-board—something that this class ofcard can definitely benefit from in many scenarios.And then there are the display output options. While they're not to mypersonal tastes as an avid multi-monitor user, they are different andit gives the user a choice on the market. That said, I can't help butfeel PowerColor should have at least indicated that the card featuresnative HDMI (instead of dual DVI) on the box, because from looking atthe packaging alone, one would assume the card comes with dual DVI anda DVI-to-HDMI adapter. Clearly, that isn't the case though.In terms of competition for the PowerColor Radeon HD 3850 Xtreme PCS512MB, there is currently Nvidia's GeForce 8800 GS 384MB, which hitsroughly the same price point. This provides adequate competition forthe Radeon HD 3850—it's faster in some cases, but quite a bit slower inothers—but for the time being I'd probably opt for the Radeon HD 3850with 512MB of vRAM. Those of you that follow the industry closely willsurely know what's coming soon though, and we'll be answering thatquestion when the time comes.PowerColor's factory-overclocked Radeon HD 3850 is a good buy at under£120 (inc. VAT) if you can live with the different display outputconfiguration but, in saying that, I can't help but feel like I'mrepeating myself over and over at the moment. I guess that's becausethe mid-range has never been as strong as it is today – there are justso many good purchases out there and that means it's a good time to bea PC gamer building a new system. Sapphire Pure CrossFireX PC-AM2RD790 motherboard @ bit-tech.net [Feb-15-08] (0 Comments) The first board we received had quite serious issues, and whileweaccept this happens sometimes things only half got better when wereceived a new board. At first the old board had serious overheatingissues – the aluminium heatsink would get far too hot and it wouldrequire active cooling otherwise our 125W AMD Athlon 64 X2 6000+ wouldlock up when it was running our benchmarks. Thankfully, this secondboard didn't suffer the same problems – the heatsink gets warm, but nownot to the point where it starts glowing red.What has remained is the finicky memory issues that cause Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1333 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Feb-15-08] (0 Comments) Though the memory manufacturers are still designing and building newDDR2 memory modules, DDR3 memory is here and being used. There are plenty ofmotherboards out there that utilize DDR3 memory, and new modules are beingintroduced monthly. No, you have probably not yet heard of Aeneon. Aeneon isa division of a German company Qimonda, the world's third largestmanufacturer of DRAM, part of Infineon Technologies AG. So, there is reallynothing new about Aeneon but the name. [News] Foxconn G33M-S Micro-ATX Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-14-08] (0 Comments) I have really grown to like the Foxconn G33M-S a lot. It's a goodlooking board with an excellent feature set and has proven to be extremelyreliable. The integrated Intel chipset will more than satisfy your basicgraphics needs like surfing the web, checking email, and even some lightgaming. However if you're looking for a bit more graphics power you can addany PCI-e graphics card and really unleash this m-ATX powerhouse. Do like Idid and add an 8800 series graphics card, a couple gig of memory and adecent Core 2 Duo CPU and you'll have a stable and powerful small formfactor system that packs a punch. Sapphire HD 3850 1024 MB @ techpowerup.com [Feb-14-08] (0 Comments) AMD's Radeon HD 3850 Series has been on the market for a while now. Add-in-Board Partners are constantly looking for ways to seperate themselves from the competition and that's why Sapphire has engineered a Radeon HD 3850 with 1024 MB of GDDR3 memory and faster core clock out of the box. But can a card like this really benefit from 1 GB of video memory? [News] Thermaltake DuOrb VGA Cooler @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-12-08] (0 Comments) The foot print of the DuOrb is much smaller and lighter than thestock heat sink which is always a nice result. And, the DuOrb does lookbetter adding a bit more flash to a pricey graphics card with a somewhatboring stock cooler. Unfortunately, the included video memory sinks areplain gray, aluminum. This doesn't do the cooler justice and steals away abit of its potential. Matching copper sinks would definitely compliment theDuOrb better and keep the look more balanced. The Thermaltake DuOrb VGACooler is otherwise a good performer and would make your 8800 seriesgraphics cards stand out. Due to the limited designs of stock VGA coolers,it's nice to have a better option made from copper. If you need bettercooling and your current card configuration just can't keep up, give theDuOrb some consideration. Zotac GeForce 8800 GT 512MB AMP! Edition @ bit-tech.net [Feb-12-08] (0 Comments) There is a lot to like about Zotac's GeForce 8800 GT AMP!Edition – theheatsink has some subtle improvements that help to keep the temperaturecomparable with a standard-clocked GeForce 8800 GT at noise levels thatare going to be inaudible in a chassis. It's also the fastest GeForce8800 GT we have tested to date and, from looking around, there doesn'tseem to be any 8800 GTs clocked faster than this – at best, there areequals out on the market. That maybe explains the overclocking problemswe encountered.At these elevated clock speeds, the Zotac GeForce 8800 GT AMP! Editionoften rivals the more fully featured GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB in theperformance stakes—something it manages to do with just a single slotcooling solution. That's an impressive feat in and of itself.CCL Online appears to be the only place selling this card at £182.64(inc. VAT)– a price point that makes it a worthwhile purchase. Other places havebeen asking for between £195 and £200 – at this price, the card is tooexpensive. The problem is that now you can pick up BFGTech's GeForce8800 GTS 512MB OC for under £200 (inc. VAT), it's hard to recommendZotac's GeForce 8800 GT 512MB AMP! Edition if the two are comparablypriced. The reason for this is that the 8800 GTS's superior shader horsepoweris likely to outlast the Zotac 8800 GT AMP! Edition's higher fillratesand slightly higher memory bandwidth. That said, the fact that oneUK-based retailer is selling this card at a competitive price is a goodenough reason to recommend it but on the provision that you don’t paymuch more than CCL's £182.64 asking price for it.Of course, the GeForce 8800 GTS's dual slot cooling solution is no goodif you've got a case—like a Shuttle XPC—that demands a single slotcard. In that scenario, Zotac's GeForce 8800 GT AMP! Edition is a goodchoice at a higher price, but you'll need to make sure your chassis hasenough airflow to keep this card's temperature under control overextended gaming sessions. The Secrets of PC Memory:Part 4 @ bit-tech.net [Feb-10-08] (0 Comments) For better signal quality at higher speed grades, DDR3 adopts asocalled “Fly-by” architecture for the commands, addresses and clocksignals. This effectively reduced the number of stubs and signallinglength from the DDR2 T-Branch architecture to a more elegant andstraightforward design. The Fly-by topology generally connects the DRAM chips on the memorymodule in a series, and at the end of the linear connection is agrounded termination point that absorbs residual signals, to preventthem from being reflected back along the bus.We recently asked Aaron Boehm, an Application Engineer at Micron abouthow important the Fly-by topology is to DDR3. He said that the Fly-bydesign was “veryimportant in DDR3. Probably one of the biggest advantages of moving tothe Fly-by topology is that we are able to achieve a much faster slewrate for the signal. This gives us a bigger data-eye, which is veryimportant in DRAM.” The Secrets of PC Memory:Part 3 @ bit-tech.net [Feb-08-08] (0 Comments) When users overclock their computer memory, they are literallycompressing the size of the Data Eye and changing the waveform atmultiple levels by running at a higher frequency and as a result, moredata can be transmitted over a set period. However, this takes awaypre-established safety margins. It’s a “Dark Art” because overclockers cannot observe or visualise themulti-dimensional factors at play; instead, they are looking for signsin stability, the general “feel” of the system and good old trial anderror as each factor can and will interact and influence countlessothers, settling a new wave equilibrium.Generally, raising DRAM voltage allows for faster memory speed, “but that also depends on the architecture of the chip too” explainsBrett Williams, Senior Marketing Manager in Computing at MicronTechnology. “If the voltage is designed to be regulated, then increasingthe external voltage might not do anything for the chip because youhave got a regulator on the chip that is keeping the core at a specificvoltage. If the chip is unregulated, when you increase the externalvoltage, it goes right into the core and increasing the core voltageallows the part to operate faster.”As enthusiasts, we often enjoy the power of having various DRAMtweaking configurations exposed in the motherboard BIOS. While they maybe useful, average users at home do not have an intimate understandingof most functions in order to establish a basis to make effectiveperformance improvements. Intel SkullTrail P - Dual Core 2 Extreme QX9775 Processors @ legitreviews.com [Feb-06-08] (0 Comments) When it comes to performance the Intel Skulltrail platform is han ds down the fastest platform that we have ever looked at. With the dual 3 .2GHz Core 2 Extreme QX9775 quad-core processors in the system it consist ently outperformed the other test systems in multi-threaded tests that co uld take advantage of the eight cores. The only two areas that the Skullt rail platform didn't shine was in memory bandwidth and gaming. The DDR2-8 00 FB-DIMMs just don't provide the memory bandwidth needed to compete wit h DDR3 memory kits and it shows where memory bandwidth does come into pla y. When it comes to gaming it's not the fact the board is only PCI Expres s 1.0, it is because the games are not optimized to run on eight cores. I n reality many games are designed to run on just three cores as many game s are now written with consoles in mind... The Club @ bit-tech.net [Feb-06-08] (0 Comments) Don’t be fooled by the guns and the explosion – it’s been madeclear to us over the course of this review that The Club isn’t actuallya third person shooter at all. Really, it’s a very cleverly disguisedbeat-em-up; Tekken with all the regular moves left out and justthe special combos remaining. The whole game feels like Soul Calibur in the twenty-firstcentury and the proof is in the short character biographies, thecombo-centric gameplay and the booming voice that yells “Finn!Fight!” at the start of every round.Unfortunately, like most beat-em-ups, The Club is also alove-it-or-hate-it affair and it doesn’t surprise me to hear that thedevelopers refer to it as ‘The Marmite Game’. The experience playershave with The Club depends more on the gamers themselves thanthe game and, just as some people love Virtua Fighter but hate Deador Alive, so too will players of The Club become divided. Personally, I can see the game isn’t for me – the forced practice andrepetition of levels in order to get high scores and an unequalledlevel of perfection just doesn’t interest me. I can still see theappeal and craftsmanship in the game though and the level of polish onsome of the levels is truly extraordinary.If practice makes perfect is your motto and you love honing your skillsto a razor edge then The Club could be the best investment you make all year. If you’rethe type of gamer to learn all the cool combos in Soul Caliburor you can manual forever in the latest Tony Hawk’sthen this is the game for you – it’s complex, but approachable and agreat proving ground for your skills and memory. On the other hand, ifyou prefer games that you only need play once or with stories thatoccupy more than the head of a matchstick, then you may want to give TheClub a miss. It’s not a bad game by any measure – but it isn’t foreveryone. Corsair Flash Voyager 32GB USB Flash Drive @ rbmods.com [Feb-02-08] (0 Comments) We have reviewed most of Corsairs flash drives in the past and theyhave performed very well and been able to take a beating in our tests. Todaywe have a 32 GB version, yes a 32 GB version of their popular Flash Voyagerdrive family that we are going to take a look at. Will the bigger memoryslow the drive down, and is it more sensitive to beating than the older 8 GBversions we have looked at? HIS Radeon HD 3850 IceQ 3 TurboX @ tweaktown.com [Feb-02-08] (0 Comments) It's been a while since we've seen anything from HIS which is a bit of a shame as their IceQ series of cards have been one of the more stand-out models of ATI based graphics cards.As we mentioned earlier, this particular model not only carries with it a n aftermarket cooler but also increased core and memory clocks. TI Radeon HD 3870 X2 Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Jan-28-08] (0 Comments) The core frequency on the R680 is higher than that on an RV670, w hich is a shocking move. The ATI Radeon HD 3870 has a core clock of 775 M Hz while the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 has been increased up to 825 MHz. This might have been down as the memory clock was decreased from 2.25GHz GDDR 4 to 1.8GHz GDDR3. The ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2's cooling fan operates at 36 dBA, which is just slighting higher than the 34dBA seen on the Radeon HD 3870. The boards peak power usage is also 91W higher than the Radeon HD 3870 at 196W under full load. Having two RV670 cores on one board doubles many things like the frame buffer size and the math processing power, bu t the power consumption does not double. [News] OCZ 4GB Reaper X HPC PC2-6400 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-28-08] (0 Comments) The kit I received was the 4GB kit, or 2x2GB PC2-6400, that runs at800MHz and has a timing rating of 4-4-3-15. The modules will run thosetimings at 1.8v - 2.1v and handle up to 2.2v without voiding the EVP(Extended Voltage Protection) warranty. The 4-4-3-15 timings are really goodfor DDR2. With such tight timings I wouldn't expect high overclocking ratesat the stock timing; but loosened up, the result might be impressive. ATI Radeon HD 3450, 3470 and 3650 p @ bit-tech.net [Jan-23-08] (0 Comments) Starting with RV635, AMD has decided that instead of havingseparatePro and XT cards like it did in the Radeon HD 2600 series, it wouldstick with just one model name in the Radeon HD 3650 series. AMD’s IainMcNaughton explained that the company looked at the mainstream segmentand asked itself “what can we do that is different and disruptive toour competitors, while offering more value to our customers?”Despite only offering one model name, there are stilltwo products that fit under this name – both share the same engineclock, which is set at 725MHz (slower than the Radeon HD 2600 XT’sengine clock), and the same number of stream processors as the RadeonHD 2600 series cards (120 stream processors or 24 five-way superscalarshader units) – both also feature a 128-bit memory interface.The number of texture units and raster operators hasn’t changed either,meaning there are still just eight texture units and four rasteroperators (or ROPs). What has changed architecturally now though isthat there is support for DirectX 10.1, PCI-Express 2.0 and ATIPowerPlay at a high level... at a much lower level, I've heard (butstill waiting for confirmation) that AMD has added double precisionsupport at one quarter speed, but it’s not exposed in current 3Dgraphics APIs.RV635 also uses fewer transistors—a total of 378 million—than the RV630chip, which itself featured a pretty massive 390 million of the littleblighters. AMD says that it has made some optimisations during the dieshrink, which should help to improve performance per clock andefficiency a little bit when it’s compared to the ASIC it’s replacingat the same clock speed. ATI Radeon HD 3450 and Radeon HD 3650 Video Cards @ legitreviews.com [Jan-23-08] (0 Comments) The ATI Radeon HD 3650 is the direct replacement for the ATI Rade on HD 2600 Pro as you can tell from the chart above. The ATI Radeon HD 36 50 is active cooled with a core clock of 725MHz and a memory clock of 800 MHz and will be available with two kinds of memory ICs - GDDR3 and GDDR2. The slower and older GDDR2 memory chips will be used on the $79 price p oint cards, while the $99 cards will feature faster GDDR3 memory ICs... Diamond Radeon HD 3850 512MB Ruby Edition Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Jan-22-08] (0 Comments) Diamond Multimedia doubled the on-board GDDR3 memory from 256MB t o 512MB on the Diamond Radeon HD 3850 512MB Ruby Edition Video Card, whic h should significantly help frame buffer performance in gaming, but that isn't all they did. They also tossed the old single slot cooler and went with a larger and improved cooling system that lowered temperatures acro ss the board. To top it all off they designed their own PCB! As you can see, Diamond went back to the drawing board and came up with a video car d that should impress most of the ATI fans out there... MSI X48 Platinum Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jan-22-08] (0 Comments) We have already tested the X48 chipset in its DDR2 variant (that' s right, because it's a direct descendant of the X38 it keeps the dual mode memory controller); the DDR2 version has already managed to produce some better scores than the X38 DDR2 thanks to its increased FSB support. Today we are moving onto X48 in DDR3 form.MSI has graciously provided us with their new X48 Platinum motherboard wh ich is designed to be an ultra overclockable and feature-rich model. How it stacks up is the subject of today's review. PCPer Podcast #20 and Hardware Leaderboard @ pcper.com [Jan-18-08] (0 Comments) The biggest update is the move from the 640MB 8800 GTS to the newer,G92-based 8800 GTS 512MB card from BFG. These are cheaper, perform better,and are just overall better products. Lower prices never hurt either. Ialso decided to move to 4GB of memory on this system as well, if onlybecause we could get it for under $100! Diamond Multimedia HD 3850 Ruby Edition 512MB @ techpowerup.com [Jan-18-08] (0 Comments) Diamond has designed their HD 3850 Ruby Edition with additional cooling performance in mind. Their cooler is a custom dual-slot solution which does quite a good job at keeping the card cool. In addition to that the memory has been doubled to 512 MB of GDDR3. NVIDIA GeForce 9600 GT:G94 Arrives Early @ pcper.com [Jan-18-08] (0 Comments) What do we know about the 9600 GT? Not a whole lot yet, but enoughto be dangerous. Based on the as-yet-unseen G94 chip that is built on theG92 design but has fewer stream processors but the same 256-bit memory bus.These cards also feature 512MB of on-board memory though I have heard rumorsof a 256MB version that probably won't see the light of day. ASUS P5K3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Intel P35 Motherboard @ benchmarkreviews.com [Jan-18-08] (0 Comments) Market forecasts predict DDR3 memory poised to replace its predecessor DDR2 as the main volume product for 2008. Already aware of this, Ray Tracing and Gaming - One Year Later @ pcper.com [Jan-17-08] (0 Comments) The question may arise, why can't these acceleration structures beused in rasterization? Well, they are, to a certain extent, but at a lowerprecision. Some games have one such coarse-grained structure for renderinggraphics, a different one (at a different resolution) forcollision-detection and yet another one for AI (sometimes created bydifferent third-party infrastructure suppliers). Besides taking up morememory than necessary, one problem in using these three separately computeddata structures is the effort to keep them consistent. GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Roundup - Albatron, eVGA and XFX @ legitreviews.com [Jan-16-08] (0 Comments) The Albatron, EVGA and XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB video cards are all gr eat cards that can play all the current games and overclock like no other . As you saw from the testing the different core clock, memory clock and shader clock frequencies vary from card to card and did impact performanc e. Higher clock frequencies did improve performance as the XFX card took the lead in nearly every single benchmark... Foxconn X38A Digital Life Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Jan-16-08] (0 Comments) Today we have a new board from Foxconn who are always trying to push further into the motherboard sector. If you want to get ahead today, you have to be creative or reduce costs as much as possible without sacrificing features.Foxconn has been one of the first to give an X38 based motherboard both DDR2 and DDR3 support on the same board. In total you get four DDR2 memory slots which are coloured dark blue and yellow. Two light blue DDR3 memory slots are also included to allow you to upgrade to DDR3 later down the track if you so desire. Technic3D/CSX Diablo 1200 DDR2 Memory @ technic3d.com [Jan-16-08] (0 Comments) The CSX DDR2 PC9600 2GB Kit arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against other Memory Kits on Wi ndows Vista Ultimate. You can see 1.260 MHz in the following Review. Corsair TX750W Power Supply @ rbmods.com [Jan-16-08] (0 Comments) About a year ago, we had the chance to review a power supply fromCorsair, who is typically known for their memory and cooling products. Atthat time, we were impressed with their performance and quiet operations.Corsair has continued to develop power products in the meantime and has sentus one of their newer supplies, the Corsair TX750W Power Supply. Will thissupply prove that Corsair is serious about becoming a player in the powersupply market? We will attempt to answer that question in this review. G.Skill 4GB PC6400 - XSs - Corrected Link @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jan-15-08] (0 Comments) There are several performance memory companies outthere, some more well known than others. Perhaps one of the lesserknown brands when compared to the likes of Corsair or OCZ, is G.Skill.In the past they have put together some of the best overclocking kitsaround and hopefully the one I have with me today will be no exception. G.Skill 4GB PC6400 - XSs @ xsreviews.co.uk [Jan-15-08] (0 Comments) There are several performance memory companies outthere, some more well known than others. Perhaps one of the lesserknown brands when compared to the likes of Corsair or OCZ, is G.Skill.In the past they have put together some of the best overclocking kitsaround and hopefully the one I have with me today will be no exception. Supertalent ProjectX 2GB DDR3-1800 Memory Kit @ rbmods.com [Jan-14-08] (0 Comments) When things named ProjectX drops down the mailbox or are delivered to [News] OCZ 2x1GB DDR3-1333 Gold Edition Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-08-08] (0 Comments) Since some users don't need the lower latencies, higher latenciescan afford them a bit more avid performance at lower price. A good case andpoint is the new OCZ DDR3-1333 Gold Edition 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit. OCZhas obviously been paying attention to the market comments and has donesomething to help their fans that are looking to make the move to DDR3. Itisn't that there aren't many DDR3 kits to choose from, it's more that therearen't a great deal of DDR3 boards circulating yet. And there hasn't been alarge enough performance boost from DDR3 boards that can draw people out tospend that pretty penny required to upgrade their motherboard and memory kitto tap in to their Core 2 Duo's hidden potential. XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition @ nvnews.net [Jan-08-08] (0 Comments) The hot new graphics cards right now are based on the affordable 8800GT chipset from nVidia. I recently received an XFX 8800GT Alpha Dog Edition graphics card for review. This card came in at standard 8800GT clocking with 256MB of DDR3 memory. Gigabyte HD 2600 Pro 512MB @ thetechlounge.com [Jan-08-08] (0 Comments) I've said before that the HD 2600 Pro should be passed over in favor of theXT for anyone who wants to play video games, or the HD 2400 XT for peoplejust interested in having a discrete graphics card without all that gamingmalarkey. But then, Gigabyte has put together a compelling package with theHD 2600 Pro. A memory bump to 512MB, a clockspeed bump of 5%, passivecooling, component and S-Video out, and Neverwinter Nights 2-a popularsequel by a big developer. PNY DDR2 XLR8 PC2-9384 2GB Memory Kit @ tweaktown.com [Jan-07-08] (0 Comments) Intel still supports DDR2 quite readily, and even X38 and upcomin g X48 motherboards will both have DDR3 and DDR2 memory controllers as opt ions on select boards, so you still have the flexibility there depending on what board you get.Today we are testing out another somewhat unknown company to us; while we have heard of PNY before, we haven't seen them in the extreme memory r ange which they are pushing for today with the new PC2-9384 DDR2 memory k it we have been sent. Corsair, Kingston, OCZ, Super Talent DDR3 1800MHz Memory Kits @ legitreviews.com [Jan-06-08] (0 Comments) When it comes to DDR3 a 2GB kit will set you back anywhere from $199 for a 1333MHz kit to over $500 for an 1800MHz kit. Obviously, DDR3 memory is still for early adapters and enthusiasts, but prices are expec ted to drop significantly as the year goes on. Intel is getting ready to release more chipsets that support DDR3 memory with the Intel X48 Expres s chipset and NVIDIA is rumored to support DDR3 for the first time with t heir nForce 790i SLI chipsets. With both of these chipsets soon becoming the main component of their flagship performance platforms, it will lead to improved DDR3 memory sales. So, before those chipsets come out Legit Reviews gathered together four 1800MHz DDR3 memory kits from the leading memory companies here in North America. Corsair, Kingston, OCZ and Supe r Talent are familiar names here on Legit Reviews for good reason - they all make great enthusiast memory... Nexus HXR-5500 RAM Cooler @ rbmods.com [Dec-25-07] (0 Comments) As computer performance increases, the need to cool the internalcomponents of the computer becomes greater. While we focus a lot ofattention on the CPU, video card, and case fan cooling solutions, anothercooling product that is starting to become more prominent are RAM/memorycoolers. Nexus, makers of a variety of silent PC components, has released anew silent RAM cooler, the Nexus HXR-5500 RAM cooler. Will this solutionprove to be silent yet remain functional? Let's find out. Crucial Ballistix DDR3 1600 MHz CL8 2GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Dec-20-07] (0 Comments) The Ballistix DDR3 1600 MHz CL8 Kit is Crucial's only enthusiast DDR3 offering at the moment and as such it has been placed right in the middle of the MHz and CL rating spectrum. The memory kit does actually manage speeds of almost 2 GHz and tighter timings at the stock speed of 1600 MHz. Corsair Flash Padlock @ rbmods.com [Dec-20-07] (0 Comments) In today's age of identify and data theft, you have to be concernedabout the security of your data, especially when using a flash drive thatcan be easily misplaced or stolen. But what options are available to makeflash drives secure? Corsair, well-known manufacturer of high-quality memoryproducts, might just have the solution with the Corsair Flash Padlock. Howdoes this product compare to other methods of flash drive data security?Let's find out. AMD Phenom Processor Update - Memory Bandwidth @ legitreviews.com [Dec-20-07] (0 Comments) Not much has been going right for AMD in recent weeks, but I'm ha ppy to say one of the most popular benchmarks used in testing processors wasn't ready for Phenom when the media hacked apart the poor processor ap art on launch day. It seems SiSoftware Sandra XII was not correctly opti mized for the Phenom processors! We contacted SiSoftware after we were in formed by AMD that nearly every memory bandwidth score on the internet wa s incorrect. Why AMD waited weeks to let us know this is beyond me, but nothing is shocking in this industry... Patriot Memory PC3-15000 (1866 MHz) DDR3 @ tweaktown.com [Dec-19-07] (0 Comments) Companies are spitting DDR3 out left, right and centre now, and t hat is something that can only benefit the end user. The more modules tha t come to us, the cheaper they become. We have already seen the big playe rs hitting speeds in the 1600-1800 MHz range, and that's just the begin ning for DDR3. The back of the package has some artwork along with a few details of the memory's specifications; the speeds are given as DDR3 of 1866MHz using 1.9v on the memory to achieve this speed. According to these speeds the m odules run an 8-8-8-24 timing profile. bit-tech's Hardware Awards 2007 @ bit-tech.net [Dec-19-07] (0 Comments) At bit-tech, were incredibly lucky to get our hands on almostevery enthusiast-orientated product that matters. With the Christmasfestivities starting next week, its about time we looked back at themany products that have come across our desks this year in order tocome up with our top hardware products of the year.Despite the industry moving at breakneck speeds sometimes, some of theproducts weve chosen for this article were released early on in theyear... or maybe even last year in some cases, but theyve still made amassive impression on the market over the course of 2007. If anything,that is a testament to how much of an impression these products made onus over the course of the year.Over the course of this article, well cover everything from cases,chipsets, cooling, CPUs, graphics, memory, motherboards and much more.So read on for our pick from the years slew of enthusiast kit... The Secrets of Memory:Part 2 @ bit-tech.net [Dec-17-07] (0 Comments) Major changes are expected in 2010 and 2011 as the industrymoves into45nm fabrication, 450mm wafer, 45 micro metre wafer thickness and 3Dchip packaging technology. There are many concerns made by companieswhen technology goes through a paradigm shifts, mostly related to thecosts of equipment replacement or retooling, and the degradation ofelectrical properties in some materials at 45nm or smaller. As the industry moves into 45nm and beyond, there will be moreelectrical resistances and electronic scattering effects. As circuitrydimension is reduced, electricity has more trouble flowing because ofgreater resistance in the smaller copper wiring, raising the risk ofdefects or compromising signal integrity.In addition to improving the ‘interconnect’ wiring conductivity,another interesting way to improve current flow is to reduce thetransistor resistive nature. Manufacturers use advanced materialscience to improve the fundamental die circuitries and in 2007, Toshibawas able to get 35 percent higher current flow from a transistor byusing a different material configuration and dispersing doping agentsin the boundary surface between the transistor electrodes and siliconsubstrate. There has also been some basic research into using Carbon Nanotubes(CNT) as the fundamental circuitries and interconnects. It is regardedas one of the promising elements in sustaining Moore’s Law well into2020. According to, Philip G. Collins, and, Phaedon Avouris, inScientific American (December 2000 issue), metallic nanotubes can havean electrical current density more than 1,000 times greater than metalssuch as silver and copper. Using Carbon Nanotubes is challenging on a few fronts for starters, thefabrication and circuitry layout processes are extremely complicated.Various manufacturing techniques have considered including print-on andgrowth approaches, but both are still extremely young and don't yetdirectly relate to the application in mass production ofsemiconductors. Sapphire ATI Radeon HD3870 @ modders-inc.com [Dec-17-07] (0 Comments) The Sapphire HD3870 offers several great features such as 512MBof GDDR4 memory, HDMI support, DirectX 10 support, HD support, and CrossfireX support to name a few. Universal abit IP35 Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Dec-13-07] (0 Comments) Today we are looking at the ABIT IP35 Off Limits board based arou nd the Intel P35 chipset and DDR2 memory. It's a scaled down version of the IP35 Pro Off Limits board we tested a while ago. ABIT has gone for a blue PCB with blue and black expansion slots, along w ith blue and black memory slots. The board measures 30x24cm so it's of the full extended ATX sizing and will require a good case to be installed into. Technic3D/OCZ XTC Memory Cooler @ technic3d.com [Dec-12-07] (0 Comments) The OCZ XTC Memory Cooler arrived Technic3D. The XTC (Xtreme T hermal Convection) Cooler attaches to your motherboard's DIMM socket r etention levers. While the fans cool your system memory, glowing LED f ans illuminate your memory subsystem. Cools DDR1 or DDR2 memory module s and Improves overclocking performance on all memory modules? See t hat in the following Review. OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Reaper CL3 Edition @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Dec-10-07] (0 Comments) From OCZ today we have a 2GB 800Mhz memory kit to review. Whats so special about that you ask? Well this is the Reaper CL3 Edition, the ones with the fancy heatpipe on the top for super cooling goodness, and super tight CL3 latencies for excellent performance, so lets take a look at them shall we Crucial Lanfest 2 GB DDR2-800 Kit @ techpowerup.com [Dec-10-07] (0 Comments) Crucial's Newegg Lanfest 2K7 Special Edition memory kit is an extreme overclocking kit at its best. With stellar looks and the potential to simply shatter the rated specifications, this kit definitely won't fail to please the overclocking needs of any PC enthusiast and at a great price to boot. DFI Infinity Blood Iron P35-T2RL @ tweaktown.com [Dec-08-07] (0 Comments) We have been blessed to review a number of amazing boards from DF I's top shot line up; today we slow it down a bit as we look at one of their more mainstream oriented designs. As part of the Infinity series, the Blood Iron Infinity P35-T2RL motherbo ard is based on the popular Intel P35 chipset supporting DDR2 memory. How does it stack up as a more cost-effective mainstream board? [News] ASUS P5E3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-07-07] (0 Comments) Who here wouldn't want the latest and greatest motherboard fromAsus? Yup, I would too. In the crosshairs of this review will be the P5E3Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n with the new X38 chipset. The Intel X38 Express Chipsetsupports new dual-channel DDR3 memory technology, next generation dualX16PCI Express 2.0 and Intel Extreme Tuning to unleash exceptional performancein today's gaming applications. The redesigned Intel X38 Express ChipsetMemory Controller Hub (MCH) architecture significantly increases overallsystem performance through the optimization of available bandwidth with thenew 1333 MHz system bus and reduction of memory access latency with IntelFast Memory Access. These technology breakthroughs result in optimizedsystem architecture with built-in intelligence, greatly improving systemmemory performance. That is just on the chipset alone; what about the otherfeatures? Powercolor HD 3850 Xtreme 512 MB @ techpowerup.com [Dec-07-07] (0 Comments) PowerColor's new HD3850 Xtreme is full of customization compared to the reference design. Instead of two DVI ports it has one DVI and one HDMI port which supports HD video playback with HDCP and digital audio straight off the GPU. In addition to that a custom cooler by Zerotherm ensures that the card stays cool no matter what you throw at it. Another bonus is that the memory size has been doubled to 512 MB of 1.0 ns GDDR3 memory. Super Talent Project X DDR3-1800 2x1GB RAM @ aphnetworks.com [Dec-07-07] (0 Comments) When Super Talent announced their Project X series of DDR3 RAM a few months back, it sounded pretty astonishing -- but at this presentation I expected it to arrive at an astonishing price relative to other sets of DDR3 RAM in the market right now. Surprisingly, Super Talent's Project X paired with Micron's excellent D9GTR ICs with sharp aluminum heatsinks is also a sharp combination with a relatively aggressive price -- at least for memory in this market segment. I've seen other DDR2-1600 RAM costing more than the Project X DDR3-1800 -- something that we don't see every day. Super Talent has been highly regarded amongst enthusiast in the past, and combined with overclocking preferred Micron D9GTR ICs, as well as a relatively lower price compared to other DDR3 RAM, I'm sure that it will live up to its reputation. But will this be a winning combination if you are in the market for performance DDR3 RAM? We'll find out today. GeCube Radeon HD 3850 X-Turbo III 512 MB @ techpowerup.com [Dec-06-07] (0 Comments) AMD's new Radeon HD 3850 has been a major upgrade in both performance and efficiency. GeCube has taken the reference design and increased the clock speeds. They also doubled the available memory to 512 MB GDDR3 and use a two slot cooler on the card. But can this yield enough performance to warranty a $30 price premium? We compare it to 17 other video cards. ASUS M3A32-MVP DeLuxe/WiFi-AP Motherboard @ hardwaresecrets.com [Dec-05-07] (0 Comments) We took a look on this high-end socket AM2+ motherboard based on the new AMD 790FX chipset, featuring four x16 PCI Express slots supporting CrossFireX, an 802.11g access point, passive heatsinks for the memory modules and much more. ASUS ROG Series X38 DDR3 Maximus Extreme @ tweaktown.com [Dec-05-07] (0 Comments) X38 is now here, and it's still a mixed bag in regards to how i t performs. So far there aren't really any performance breaking feature s of the chipset, it's basically a P35 but with better Crossfire suppor t and a few novelties such as XMP memory profiles.Today we are testing out the ASUS Maximus Extreme board which is designed to be the most impressive board ASUS has ever put out to market. [News] ATP Petito & Tough Drive USB Flash Drives @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-04-07] (0 Comments) ATP is one such provider of flash drive memory. They offer highdensity and high capacity flash media memory products which includescomputer memory modules. They were kind enough to send us two of theirnewest solutions, the Petito 2GB and Tough Drive Mini 2GB Flash Drives.These are USB 2.0 compatible, Water Proof, offer durable Dependable Storage,built in Security Protection, and are Windows Ready Boost capable for Vistausers. [News] Kingston 2x1GB DDR2-533 Notebook Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-01-07] (0 Comments) Sometimes in the pursuit of a new laptop one of the limiting factorsis the price, and sometimes to save on price we will sacrifice the extra,but often needed memory. We all know that some manufacturers will charge upto $200 additional dollars for an extra 1GB of memory. But why spend thatadditional money when you can simply head on over to the Kingston websiteand get that larger memory kit at a cheaper price and a good chance atspeeds being faster. For my application this was true:my laptop wassupplied with 2x 512mb of DDR2 400; Kingston supplied me with 2x 1GB of PC2533, or model number KTH-ZD8000A/1G. Laptop memory can be verymodel-specific, and the Kingston website has a very user-friendly system toget the correct memory for your needs. EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GT KO - Overclocked G92 Goodness @ pcper.com [Nov-30-07] (0 Comments) The new EVGA e-GeForce 8800 GT KO graphics card performed about howwe expected it to:slightly faster than the reference 8800 GT we had testedearlier. In several cases that performance difference was as high as 10-12%on the average frame rate but in other cases the performance gap wassomething like 5-6%. Results obviously depend on the game title and much ofits bottleneck in performance is on the shader units and clock speeds versusthe memory system. NVIDIA GeForce 8800GTS 512MB G92 Tested @ tweaktown.com [Nov-29-07] (0 Comments) Getting down to the nitty gritty there are some key details we should make mention of. Based on the new G92 core, we have the standard features to come with it such as PCI Express 2.0, a 65nm die and 1:1 texture addressing units:texture filtering units.These are the features we know to be standard across all of the upcoming 8800GTS G92 based graphics cards, but as far as model specifics go we have in this case 512MB of GDDR3 memory. That 512MB comes clocked in at 1940MHz DDR while the core and shader clocks come in at 650MHz and 1625MHz respectively. Tight Timings On DDR3 Memory Is Possible! @ legitreviews.com [Nov-28-07] (0 Comments) The days of saying DDR3 memory can't run tight timings are long gone now that memory kits can run 1333MHz with 4-4-4-12 timings with a li ttle extra voltage. It just goes to show that it is possible to run tigh t CL4 or CL5 timings on DDR3 and it is likely that upcoming memory IC's m ight be able to improve on the frequencies at which these tight timings c an be run. The Corsair WIN3X2048-1800C7DFIN G DDR3 memory kit is the only DDR3 kit that I have seen run CL4 memory timings above 1333Mhz... [News] Patriot PC2-6400LLK 4GB Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-28-07] (0 Comments) One thing that can always make a computer operate like a new machineis memory. If you've ever used your system with the bare minimum amounts ofmemory or just enough to get the job done, then you've held your system backand probably noticed lots of lag. Plenty of system memory means your machinewill perform much smoother with little or no lag. This is especially truewith today's Windows XP Pro or Vista running these huge new games likeCrysis and Call of Duty 4. The larger the data amount, the quicker theaccess and read times seem due to the extra memory. quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ bigbruin.com [Nov-27-07] (0 Comments) Going into this review I had no idea of what to expect. I wasn't particularly familiar with Aeneon and honestly didn't expect their memory to be able to outperform similar kits from the likes of Kingston and Crucial. With the ability to run at tight timings and overclock nicely, this kit made a solid impression and is definitely worth keeping your eyes out for. [News] G.Skill 2x1GB PC3-12800 DDR3-1600 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-27-07] (0 Comments) G.Skill has once again been gracious in sending us one of their moreextreme memory kits. The G.Skill DDR3-1600 2x1GB Dual Channel Memory Kit isaimed at offering the more serious enthusiast some very capable memory thatwill be able to keep up with the most serious of overclocked processors andstill be quite capable when even faster processors arrive. You read correct.Processors will undoubtedly continue to increase in frequency and will soonsurpass the 1333MHz Front Side Bus. Most DDR3 kits to reach the shelves thusfar are 1066MHz and higher. This means Core 2 Duo users with the 1066 or1333 FSB processors finally have memory modules to match. As you'll see,1600MHz DDR3 has a lot to offer faster cores. Crucial Ballistix 2GB 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Nov-26-07] (0 Comments) The 1600MHz dual channel memory kit comes rated with 8-8-8-24 at 1.8V and it was able to run either a command rate of 1T or 2T with no issues at this clock frequency. This is due to the fact that Crucial's 1 600MHz memory kits use highly screened Micron ICs that have been found to offer great timings and high clock frequencies. With an Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 processor running at 450MHz Front Side Bus, we were able to reach 1800MHz at 2.20V with 7-7-7-20 1T timings on the 1600MHz Crucial Ballisti x DDR3 memory kit... G.Skill DDR2 and DDR3 Memory Kits @ tweaktown.com [Nov-24-07] (0 Comments) PC system memory is always getting faster and faster, especially with the introduction of the DDR3 memory standard. JEDEC has ratified it, Intel P35 and X38 chipsets are supporting it and we are now seeing it co me from all the major players. We have seen Mushkin, OCZ, Corsair and Kin gston all producing memory based on DDR3 technology, but we haven't see n the last of DDR2 just yet. Today we are going to test Both DDR2 and DDR3 from G.Skill, a 1000 MHz DD R2 4GB kit and 1600 MHz DDR3 2GB kit. How will they fair? We will pit the DDR3 against our just recently tested OCZ memory and the DDR2 against ou r Geil memory which has broken over 1200 MHz. Core 2 Extreme QX9650 @ hardwaresecrets.com [Nov-24-07] (0 Comments) Core 2 Extreme QX9650 is the most high-end desktop CPU available today, being a quad-core CPU manufactured in 45 nm process, running at 3 GHz internally and 1,333 MHz externally, featuring 12 MB L2 memory cache and the new SSE4 instruction set. Is it really faster than older quad-core CPUs? Check it out. Gigabyte adds Xmas lights to motherboard (video) @ tweaktown.com [Nov-22-07] (0 Comments) Ok, ok, we tricked you, it's not actually Christmas lights, but we can't exactly tell you what the lights in the video below are for a s yet, but this is an exclusive preview of a new technology that will be featured on just about every new motherboard from Gigabyte starting with their X48 boards which will arrive in Q1 2008.It might not look like much in the video and we're sorry about the lens glare, but the conditions where we shot this video were far from ideal, as the room was some 40-odd degrees warm as the boards were being stress tested. The first board is revision 1.1 of Gigabyte's X48 board and we' re not quite sure what the second board was, as it was too dark to make o ut the model name, but it's a combo board as you can see from the ammount of memory slots. A-DATA Extreme Edition DDR2 800+ 2x1GB RAM @ aphnetworks.com [Nov-21-07] (0 Comments) While the memory market is highly saturated, there's always a demand for RAM in the computer industry. Whether you are a computer enthusiast or a casual user, everyone knows what RAM is; and everyone has a rough idea of its importance inside personal computers. In this sense, what separates ideals of the casual user from the enthusiast is that, while the former will typically look at nothing much beyond capacity and price, the latter will demand properties such as overclocking and performance in addition to its price tag. With the A-DATA Extreme Edition DDR2 800+ dual channel kit, A-DATA promises enthusiast performance and features at a somewhat casual user's price. Will it live up to its name, and compete against more prominent brands in this segment such as OCZ and Corsair? We've put this very set to the tests to see if it's a pair of DDR2 that you want to dump some cash on your next upgrade. OCZ PC2-6400 ReaperX 4GB DDR2 Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Nov-21-07] (0 Comments) OCZ's newest line of ram sports these new heat shields but that isnot all. Probably the most important factor of the new Reaper X is not thenewest but these kits are a whooping 4 gigs. So, for you Vista users youwill have all the ram you would need for MS's newest OS to run itssmoothest. For the extreme overclocker the new heat spreaders allow you pumpthese modules with up to 2.2 volts of juice without voiding the warranty.And for the individuals that want tight timings? How does 4-4-3-15 sound?Is there more this new ram have to offer? Read the article. Asus C90S upgradable laptop @ neoseeker.com [Nov-21-07] (0 Comments) The Asus C90S laptop is a distinctive new breed of portable computing withits user upgradeable hardware. Of course there are those laptop componentsthat are simple enough for the end user to swap out themselves; hard drive,optical drive and memory. Typically though, the processor and graphics cardare static, soldered into place for the life of that system. The Asus C90Showever allows the end user to easily upgrade both the desktop processor andgraphics card within. Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 - An Early Performance P @ pcper.com [Nov-19-07] (0 Comments) What is interesting with these graphs is the improvement in theSiSoft Sandra memory performance; whereas the Athlon X2 processors havecontinually had a HUGE advantage here the new QX9770 with a 1600 MHz FSB and1600 MHz DDR3 memory is able to break into those same performance levels. OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 Titanium with XMP @ tweaktown.com [Nov-16-07] (0 Comments) Since then we have seen several speed increases. When DDR topped out at 400MHz we saw DDR2 memory make its debut, this added new technolog ies to increase speed along with lower voltage requirements and the same Dual Channel status. Now the torch has been passed to DDR3, and while sti ll in its infancy it's gained the big blue giants approval, and even so me modifications as well. Intel has brought to the DDR3 memory table what it likes to call Extreme Memory Profile, or XMP for short. What is it and how does it work? Today we find out with our first XMP memory modules from OCZ Technology. bit-tech Feature:The Secrets of PC Memory:Part 1 @ bit-tech.net [Nov-16-07] (0 Comments) *Ryan Leng and bit-tech investigate memory technology to give you a detailed, but easy to digest read, into one of the most fundamental parts of a PC. Ryan currently works as a consultant memory researcher on behalf of many popular computing companies and knows the DDR family like the back of his hand - in this first part we cover the basics about PC memory and will continue to cover far more detail about the architecture, its strengths and limitations and why we've ended up with memory vendors fast tracking DDR3.* bit-tech Feature:The Secrets of PC Memory:Part 1 @ bit-tech.net [Nov-15-07] (0 Comments) *Ryan Leng and bit-tech investigate memory technology to give you a detailed, but easy to digest read, into one of the most fundamental parts of a PC. Ryan works doing research into memory compatibility for several well known companies - we go from the basics to in vast depth later on how exactly PC memory works, what limitations there are in each generation and how they are being overcome.* PowerColor Radeon HD 3850 Xtreme @ ngohq.com [Nov-15-07] (0 Comments) Today thanks to PowerColor we have the opportunity to test one of AMD's newest GPU's - The Radeon HD 3850. This version is not a stock HD 3850 card. The card we received from PowerColor is their Xtreme edition with 512MB of GDDR3. The Xtreme edition is a factory-overclocked card, equipped with a ZEROtherm VGA Cooler to offer better cooling performance. The reference Radeon HD 3850 card has 320 stream processors; the core is clocked at 670 MHz and has 256MB of GDDR3 memory clocked at 1.66 GHz. The PowerColor Radeon HD 3850 Xtreme's core is clocked at 720 MHz and has 512MB GDDR3 memory clocked at 1.8 GHz. bit-tech :BFGTech GeForce 8800 GT OC 512MB @ bit-tech.net [Nov-12-07] (0 Comments) We continue tobe impressed by Nvidia’s GeForce 8800 GT and in the grand scheme ofthings, and BFGTech’s overclocked card continues that trend. Admittedly, the BFGTech 8800 GT OC is only a few frames per secondfaster than the reference card in most scenarios, but the benefit ofthe BFGTech card is that it comes with a decent warranty and, fromexperience, good customer services too.At around £182 (inc. VAT) with free delivery for active bit-tech forummembers, it’s not the cheapest GeForce 8800 GT available - but it’swell-placed in the middle of the pricing matrix. XFX’s Alpha Dog XXXEdition, which comes with 670MHz core and 1950MHz memory clocks is allthe way up at £223 (inc. VAT), while the cheapest stock-clocked GeForce8800 GT we’ve seen is around the £165-mark.Ultimately, it depends what you’re after and, if you don’t mind waitinga few days, BFGTech’s GeForce 8800 GT OC2 should be available to buy onOverclockers UK for around £195 (inc. VAT). This card comes clocked at675MHz core, 1674MHz shader and 1950MHz memory – you can achieve thiswith a bit of overclocking on the 8800 GT OC, but is it worth saving£10 to potentially void your warranty?On the whole, BFGTech’s GeForce 8800 GT OC card delivers and it earns arecommendation from us, but we’d like pricing (on the whole) to settledown to more respectable levels. At the very least, we’d like theprices to come down to the levels we were told the GeForce 8800 GT wasexpected to hit in the run-up to its launch back on the 29th October. I guess we’re not going to see prices settle down until the demandstarts to drop off a little though, so it's a case of either get onewhen you can, or wait a while until the demand shrinks – supply isvery short at the moment it would seem, as everywhere we’ve looked, allGeForce 8800 GTs are on backorder. Asus EN8600GT OC Gear 256MB Graphics Card @ pcper.com [Nov-10-07] (0 Comments) The ASUS EN8600GT OC Gear really didn't impress us with itsperformance prowess, but it did have a host of other features and optionsthat distracted us enough to make us feel pretty good about this graphicscard. While the card's GPU and memory clocks are much lower than other8600GTs available, gamers definitely have the option and opportunity tooverclock this card past what vendors have achieved. Asus EN8600GT OC Gear 256MB Graphics Card @ pcper.com [Nov-10-07] (0 Comments) The ASUS EN8600GT OC Gear really didn't impress us with itsperformance prowess, but it did have a host of other features and optionsthat distracted us enough to make us feel pretty good about this graphicscard. While the card's GPU and memory clocks are much lower than other8600GTs available, gamers definitely have the option and opportunity tooverclock this card past what vendors have achieved. OCZ Platinum PC3-12800 Enhanced Bandwidth 2x1GB DDR3 RAM @ aphnetworks.com [Nov-09-07] (0 Comments) It's been ages since we've last reviewed some RAM. Memory modules are always interesting products to review -- and from that sense we actually have two RAM reviews in addition to this one coming up within the next month or so; in which one is provided by A-DATA and the second one coming from Super Talent. That aside, what's important is that we'll be taking a look at OCZ's Platinum PC3-12800 Enhanced Bandwidth Edition 2x1GB DDR3 memory (Long name, isn't it?). Yes, that's right -- our first spotlight review on next-generation DDR3 RAM. Last month, we compared the DDR3 Asus P5K3-Deluxe against its DDR2 counterpart, the Asus P5K-Deluxe, as well as benchmarks done on this very pair of RAM in our Asus P5E3-Deluxe/WiFi-AP@n motherboard review last week. Needless to say, we've got tons of experience with these OCZ modules -- and today we'll tell you everything we know about it. Hardware attributes, benchmarks, overclocking, you name it! bit-tech :Gigabyte X38-DS5 & X38T-DQ6 @ bit-tech.net [Nov-06-07] (0 Comments) Simply ignore DDR3-based X38 boards for the time being becausethere isliterally no extra performance on offer - this is very likely notunique to Gigabyte though. Even then, as a top of the range DQ6 board,I don't feel the box package and the overclocking capabilities arewhere they should be. There's nothing over and above the DS5 apart fromdifferent capacitors, a few more power phases and a Gigabit Ethernetsocket. The GA-X38T-DQ6 is a good, stable board at stock speeds but I'dstill buy the GA-X38-DS5 which does the same for less, without theextra burden that is the cost of DDR3 memory at the moment.If you feel the overwhelming desire to buy an X38 board over P35, thenthe Gigabyte GA-X38-DS5 should certainly be one to consider even ifyou're not that cost concious. It performs very well, has plenty offeatures, is super stable and has the same BIOS options as the DQ6.However, it's not a great overclocker like an X38 should be and offersvirtually no performance advantage over cheaper P35-based boards. Technic3D/Mushkin XP2-6400 2GB DDR2 @ technic3d.com [Nov-06-07] (0 Comments) The Mushkin XP2-6400 2GB DDR2 Kit arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4-3-10 and Overclocking against other Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate. You can see 1080 MHz in the fo llowing Review with 2,1V. Mushkin XP2-6400 (DDR2-800) 2x1GB Memory Kit ed @ thetechlounge.com [Nov-01-07] (0 Comments) Mushkin has been on the enthusiast scene for over a decade, andconsistently produces memory at better timings and higher clockspeeds thanthe majority of competing memory manufacturers. Their devotion has neverbeen widely heralded; they're predictable in a market that champions flashand innovation, even when that same stuff is, more often than not,ridiculous and temporary. Does Mushkin's consistency ensure anotherabove-average kit? Western Digital Scorpio 250GB 2.5" HDD @ tweaktown.com [Nov-01-07] (0 Comments) Memory modules are shrinking in physical size, but again the amou nt of memory per stick is increasing giving you even more power out of yo ur PC. With the development of graphics technology getting better we star t to see high-end graphics in tiny packages as well. The one thing that h as its limitations is the storage. Today we are testing out one of the newest HDDs to come out for the lapto p market, Western Digital's Scorpio HDD with an amazing 250GB capacity, this being one of the largest 2.5=94 HDDs on the market. Biostar P35 T Series TP35D3-A2 Deluxe @ tweaktown.com [Oct-30-07] (0 Comments) We have been given the chance to review Biostar's new T series board based around the P35 chipset supporting DDR3 memory. P35 has been t he real show card for Intel and just about everyone has been jumping on t he bandwagon; and who can blame them? DDR2 or DDR3 on the one chipset alo ng with CrossFire certification makes it a real go'er. So sit back and strap into that favourite chair of yours, because here we go again at TweakTown with the Biostar T Series TP35D3-A2 Deluxe. Memory Cache Quiz @ hardwaresecrets.com [Oct-30-07] (0 Comments) We've just posted a memory cache quiz at our Test Your Skills section, PQI Intelligent Drive i810 USB Flash Drive @ rbmods.com [Oct-28-07] (0 Comments) USB flash drives have become the device of choice for transferringdata between computers and other devices. Nowadays, companies are creatingUSB drives in all different shapes and sizes. PQI, makers of a variety ofmemory products, have created a USB drive, the Intelligent Drive i810, whichis claimed to be the smallest USB drive in the world. Will this drive be anintelligent choice for your computer? Let's find out in today's review. [News] Mushkin 2x1GB HP3-10666 DDR3 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-28-07] (0 Comments) Given the state of the DDR3 supplies and how the market iscontinuing to speed up with more and more variations of kits available, itwas no surprise when we received Mushkin's Enhanced HP3-10666 2GB Memorykit. This is the beginning launch of their DDR3 memory line following uptheir very successful DDR2 memory which we've been privileged to test. Giventhe history of their memory modules, we expect something formidable none theless. Thanks in part to ASUS, we have a motherboard well tuned and testedthat can support these modules. OCZ DDR3 PC3-10666 Gold Edition Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Oct-26-07] (0 Comments) Browsing around the likes of Newegg and other major online retailersthe cheapest you will see a set of DDR3 at two gigs would just under $350.Like all new things, you will pay a premium for it. But with the premiumcomes some incredible bandwidth as well. Most enthusiasts will tell you thatbandwidth is not everything, latencies and timings plays a major role inperformance as well. In the end however, you cannot stop technology. So,DDR3 is in and DDR2 is on its way out the door. One company that is alwaysone of the first to do anything new when it comes to ram is OCZ. OCZ for themost part has dominant the DDR and DDR2 scene. Chances are that they will bethere right in the middle of the DDR3 movement as well. To get the movementstarted OCZ has been cool enough to send us over some DDR3-1333MHz forinitial testing. 1333MHz is the lowly ends of the DDR3 spectrum as well,there are already samples of DDR3-1800 surfacing. For starters let usintroduce you to the OCZ DDR3 PC3-10666 Gold Edition. 1333MHz speed and somerelaxed timings of 9-9-9-26 is what you get with the new kit. OCZ DDR3 PC3-14400 Platinum 2 GB @ techpowerup.com [Oct-24-07] (0 Comments) OCZ's new DDR3 1800 memory kit is geared towards early adopters, overclockers and enthusiasts that always want to have the latest and the greatest. We tested the 2 GB kit and were surprised how well balanced overclocking is. You are free to run aggressive CL5 timings at lower clocks or go full out, up to 1850 MHz. PQI S721 microSD Memory Card + Card Reader @ rbmods.com [Oct-23-07] (0 Comments) Managing all the various types of memory cards, such as CompactFlash, SD, microSD, etc, can leave you with a pile of card readers and aheadache if you lose the one that can read the card you want. PQI, makers ofa wide range of memory products, sent us their latest 1GB microSD productthat offers a couple of extra features that might make your use of microSDcards a little easier. Will those extra features allow the card to stand outin the crowd? Let's find out. High-Speed DDR3 Overclocking and Series @ benchmarkreviews.com [Oct-22-07] (0 Comments) Now that most manufacturers have tooled up for long-term DDR3 production, there are only a few companies still releasing high-performance system memory for the DDR2 platform. With the Kingston APAC Media Tour 2007 in Taiwan @ tweaktown.com [Oct-20-07] (0 Comments) Yesterday Kingston held a media tour for the APAC press and Tweak Town was there to bring you the latest news from Kingston as well as a lo ok into how they manufacture memory modules, flash memory and USB keys. Kingston is currently celebrating its 20th anniversary and the company is thriving. Kingston is one of the more well known memory manufacturers in the world, although the company doesn't actually make its own memory c hips. ASUS Eee PC goes on sale (we have pics!) @ tweaktown.com [Oct-19-07] (0 Comments) After hunting through many Taipei backstreets, we managed to find one for $13,900 NTD - more expense than usual, since these things are almost as rare as gold at the moment. After contacting a company official at ASUS, the Taiwanese company expects shortage issues as the device is so popular.The model we picked up was the 701 version which includes a 4GB solid state hard drive and 512MB DDR2 memory with Intel CPU and chipsets. It also comes with a built-in camera, 4 cell 5200 mAh battery which provides up to 3.5 hours of life but there is no optical drive. Apevia X-QPack 2 @ techpowerup.com [Oct-19-07] (0 Comments) The Apevia X-QPack 2 is the successor of the original X-QPack. Notable changes include the full size 500W power supply by placing a slightly longer front cover unto the chassis. A 8 cm fan has been added in the front of the case to actively cool your memory. Apevia also added a few more colors and one with a camouflage design. [News] ASUS Blitz Formula & Blitz Extreme Motherboards @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-19-07] (0 Comments) ASUS has been gracious in providing us with two enthusiast mindedsolutions for both DDR2 and DDR3 utilizing the same P35 chipset, in theBlitz Formula and Blitz Extreme. Why would ASUS consider offering the twooptions? Well in a nut shell, it simply saves you some money since newmemory standards are always costly at the start and some users would like toreally maximize their DDR2 based system. ASUS is well aware of this and feltthat there was no reason why both kinds of memory module owners couldn'thave a little bit of cake and ice cream. The only question you would need toask yourself is, which flavor ice cream you would like. quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ bigbruin.com [Oct-18-07] (0 Comments) Serious enthusiasts should be able to make good use of system memory like the Crucial Ballistix 2GB PC3-12800 DDR3. Even though things are constantly evolving, you have to assume memory with such a high frequency and tight timings should keep a modern system humming along nicely for quite a while without showing signs of age. Corsair 3GB (2GB + 1GB) DDR2 667 Mac Notebook Memory Upgrade @ legitreviews.com [Oct-16-07] (0 Comments) The Corsair 3GB Mac Upgrade Kit was perfect for me. It scored well in our testing, made the machine run faster, and gave me the ability to be productive in a multi-OS environment. Corsairs ram has a life time warranty, which means a lot when you know it is backed by a company like Corsair... Win an ECS Elitegroup AM2 Motherboard @ bigbruin.com [Oct-16-07] (0 Comments) Up for grabs in week seven of Bigbruin.com's Pro Football Pick 'Em is a brand new ECS Elitegroup RS485M-M ATI RS485 Socket AM2 motherboard. RS485M-M supports AMD Socket AM2 Athlon 64 FX/Athlon 64 X2 Dual-Core/Athlon 64/Sempron processors with 64-bit architecture. Features 2000 MT/s HyperTransport technology and dual-channel DDR2 800 memory support. [News] GIGABYTE GA-P31-DS3L Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-15-07] (0 Comments) Intel has two chipsets in the P3x family, the Intel P35 Express andthe P31 Express. The P35 Express is designed for higher performanceplatforms, with support for DDR2 or DDR3 memory and the ICH9 seriesSouthbridge. The P31 being tailored for budget systems, only supports DDR2memory and features Intel's older ICH7 series Southbridge. However the P31has one major advantage price. Today I'll be reviewing Gigabyte'sGA-P31-DS3L platform based on the Intel P31 chipset. Let's dig in and seehow this board stacks up. OCZ Platinum r2 DDR2-800 2GB Memory Kit ed @ thetechlounge.com [Oct-15-07] (0 Comments) OCZ plays the high-end game almost exclusively, and has innovation andperformance marks to back up the company's rep. Given all that, theirPlatinum series is about as vanilla as they scoop. No SLI EPP features, noVista certification, no extreme heatspreaders or water blocks; just sleek,downright minimalist looks, and a bar they, themselves, have set high. quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ bigbruin.com [Oct-12-07] (0 Comments) PC3-11000? That's right, PC3-11000, or 1375MHz DDR3. PC3-11000 memory seems to be a creation unique to Kingston, a leader in system memory and flash memory products that has been in business since 1987. What they have done reminds me a bit of Spinal Tap, as my initial thought was that they took a 1333MHz module and turned the dial beyond 10, right up to 11. ASUS P5K Motherboard - P35 on a Budget @ tweaktown.com [Oct-11-07] (0 Comments) So far we have looked at a few P35 boards both based on DDR2 and DDR3 memory technologies from the major players like GIGABYTE, ASUS, MSI, Universal abit and even from the more unfamiliar companies like Foxconn and ECS. All of these offer a pretty good design and feature set dependin g on what your intent is. Today we are looking at another ASUS P35 board for the more mainstream/bu dget sector. We looked at the P5K-E Deluxe board which had everything you 're going to want built onto the board including Wireless USB Ethernet. Today we take a look at the ASUS P5K, the mainstream version with a few missing features. How does it stack up? Let's have a look. Interview with Intel's Memory Guru, Christopher Cox @ techgage.com [Oct-08-07] (0 Comments) Recently, most of the buzz around Intel's technologiesfocus on 45nm and X38, but what about memory? We sit down with Intel'sChristopher Cox to learn more about XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles) andalso get a glimpse of what's in the future for memory. Super Talent VIDEGO24T MP4 Series Player @ tweaktown.com [Oct-06-07] (0 Comments) In the days of new iPods, Zens and Sansas, TweakTown were sent th e latest portable media player from a slightly less well known player in the market, Super Talent. You might be more familiar with Super Talent as a system memory manufacturer and more specifically so for its overclocki ng products. Super Talent also produces a range of SSD drivers, USB drive s, SD and MMC cards, and as it happens MP3 players and PMPs. From our experience, it's always worth going with the slightly better k nown and well established brands when you're picking up something like this, though at times we've been proven wrong but don't get fooled in to buying something just because it's cheap. Asus P5K3-Deluxe/WiFi-AP P35 motherboard @ aphnetworks.com [Oct-04-07] (0 Comments) It's been quite a few months since we reviewed the Asus P5K-Deluxe; in which we wrote about in June of this year. Today, months after images of Asus' P35 chipset based boards were released on several enthusiast websites, we've finally got a chance to take a look at Asus' first generation DDR3 boards. Actually, we've had this board since mid-July -- unfortunately we did not have any DDR3 RAM at our disposal until good old FedEx dropped off some OCZ Platinum PC3-12800 Enhanced Bandwidth memory at our doorstop (Without our approval, by the way, but good thing no one took it!) a few days ago. Now that we got a chance, let's examine the P5K3-Deluxe and benchmark it against its DDR2 brother, the P5K-Deluxe. The answer we want to obtain today is, what kind of performance gain are you expecting from DDR3 over DDR2? While you may already know the results partially, it's always interesting to see what the future has in store for us, today. [News] Patriot 2x1GB PC3-15000 1866MHz DDR3 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-04-07] (0 Comments) Well, I was sitting here one afternoon contemplating what couldpossibly be any better than an 1800MHz DDR3 memory kit that could help memelt down my E6600 and whichever motherboard to further compliment such afeat. To my surprise, Patriot Memory stepped up to the plate in good formwith something better. As if 1800MHz wasn't plenty of speed right now, thisteam has been busy finalizing and currently offering the Patriot PC3-150002GB Kit. If you calculate that out (which can sometimes cause headaches),that's 1866MHz of raw memory frequency. How much memory bandwidth andperformance does that offer? Let's find out! OCZ DDR3 PC3-12800 2GB 1600MHz Memory Kit @ legitreviews.com [Oct-03-07] (0 Comments) The 2GB DDR3 PC3-12800 (1600MHz) Platinum Series Kit is one of te n 2GB DDR3 memory kits (by five different memory companies), that I have been able to test in recent weeks. It is also the first 2GB DDR3 memory k it that can hit 2GHz on with full stability at 2000MHz with 8-8-8-24 timi ngs, which has been a mark that I have been trying to reach for some time now. Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave @ thetechlounge.com [Oct-02-07] (0 Comments) As a keyboard snob, I have to preface this with a forewarning:I hateergonomic keyboards. I find that they tweak my tendons (or don't tweak themenough) and muss with my muscle memory. They cause me to make typos and myfingers feel crammed together. I don't like scaled-down keyboards orkeyboards that are missing keys due to the fact that most people don't usethem. I use 'em all, even insert. (OK, maybe not scroll lock, but I'd useit in a pinch if I, er, knew what it did.) The truth is that the firstkeyboards and their mechanical predecessors needed little improvement. Mygrandmother, who shakes holding a pen, can still type faster than I canspeak. Competitive typers all use straight keyboards, and rely on pianist'sreflexes and ruler's-edge posture to crack out pages. The ergonomicmultimedia keyboard does what an army of secretaries can't do:they makeusing a computer friendly. Win a Crucial 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit @ bigbruin.com [Oct-02-07] (0 Comments) Up for grabs in week five of Bigbruin.com's Pro Football Pick 'Em is a 2GB dual channel memory kit from Crucial. Specifics can not be provided at this point, because Crucial was cool enough to leave it open ended. You won't get stuck with a memory kit you might not be able to use, as they will work with you to select the appropriate DDR or DDR2 kit from their Crucial or Crucial Ballistix product lines. Asus EN8600 GTS 256MB Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Sep-28-07] (0 Comments) The Asus EN8600GTS in our possession is 100% reference, coming wi th a GPU clock speed of 675 MHz, 1.45 GHz Shader clock, and 2.0 GHz memor y. The 256 MB of memory rides a bus that is only 128 bits wide, yet is st ill capable of 32 GB/s transfer rate. As you can see in the photo above, we have the =93Stalker=94 sticker attached to the heat sink on the card. The rest of the card is... bit-tech :Kingston KHX11000D3LLK2/2G and OCZ PC3-10666 Platinum Edition DDR3 memory @ bit-tech.net [Sep-27-07] (0 Comments) Overall, the Kingston performs better in 2D applications whenit'srunning at 1,333MHz with its default timings, whereas the OCZ seems torun better at 1,066MHz with lower latencies. On average there's acouple of memory heavy situations, like Xvid encoding, where theKingston is just simply faster than the OCZ. This isn't reflected in 3Dwhere the OCZ is the faster memory across all the games we've testedhere.So which one is better? We'd have to say neither of them are in thegrand scheme of things. If you do a lot of intensive 2D work then theKingston is more likely to suit you and if you're a gamer, you mightfind that the OCZ is a better choice.It's hardly surprising that they both overclock virtually identicallyas well, considering they use the same DRAM chips - the Kingston canhandle fractionally lower latencies but the OCZ does 8MHz more at thetop end. ~1,430-1,440MHz from 1,333MHz modules is hardly that much toshout about, but at least both of them are consistent. Compared to the engineeringsample Corsair DHX modules, which managed to achieve 1,520MHz, but thatwas at CAS-9 which negates almost any frequency advantage. John Beekley of Corsair Memory in 2007 @ legitreviews.com [Sep-26-07] (0 Comments) Good gawd, man, where did you spot those?!? OK, I guess I'll sp ill the beans... This is a new product line called the NANOMATOR that we think will take the Apple market by storm... [News] OCZ 2x1GB PC3-12800 1600MHz Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Sep-18-07] (0 Comments) The OCZ DDR3-1600 2GB Platinum Series Enhanced Bandwidth Memory Kitis one such kit intended to offer the DDR3 enthusiasts a low voltage optionthat can easily support memory frequencies past their stock 1066 or 1333MHzFront Side Bus processors. You've probably seen previous, very successfulPlatinum Series modules that turned heads and produced some of the bestperformance results. With DDR3 modules fast arriving in full production,it's once again necessary to raise the bar and draw the users who reallywant the best possible results. Let's see what the OCZ DDR3-1600MHz kit hasto offer. 2gb kit of OCZ Flex PC2-6400 CL3 Competition - XSs @ Jon \ [Sep-18-07] (0 Comments) Anothermemory competition but this time it's a kit of OCZ PC2-6400 2gbFlex memory. This kit has inbuilt water cooling capabilities and hugeair cooled heatsinks. Designed to be the overclocker's dream, thesemodules are not something to be scoffed at. Corsair and Super Talent:Is DDR3 Ready for the Enthusiast? @ pcper.com [Sep-18-07] (0 Comments) First, we know now that both Corsair's and Super Talent's high speedmemory kits are able to outpace the latest DDR2 memory setups when they arerun at the 1800 MHz+ speeds they are rated at. The deficit that is acceptedby increasing the latencies on the modules to reach these speeds was lessthan we expected and allowed the memory to run at such high speeds. Thelatency results showed that even in the random access cases that the higherspeeds with slower latencies is the highest performing setup for the timebeing. Patriot Extreme Performance PC2-9600 @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Sep-18-07] (0 Comments) I decided to give the results from the Patriot in both 1200mhz and 1000mhz at 4,4,4,10 on everest due to the scale of memory performance increase and although the read was less at 1000mhz we saw for the first time in Everest a copy exceed 8000 on the score. OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Edition @ modders-inc.com [Sep-17-07] (0 Comments) OCZ has become a preferred vendor because of its Extended VoltageProtection warranty that covers the memory even if the memory voltage isbumped higher than stock. The OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Edition is readyto push any system that can handle the 1066MHz modules, but can it handlebeing pushed back? How The Memory Cache Works @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-13-07] (0 Comments) In this tutorial you will learn everything you need to know about cache memory in an easy to follow language. OCZ Stealth X Stream 600 Watt PSU @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Sep-13-07] (0 Comments) For this review I will be looking at some hardware from possibly one of the best-known names in the PC hardware industry. That company being OCZ and the hardware in question is the OCZ Stealth X Stream 600watt power supply. Whilst most people associate OCZ with memory, rightly so as their memory is some of the best available, OCZ also manufacture cooling products and power supplies too Biostar 8600 GTS 512 MB GDDR3 @ techpowerup.com [Sep-11-07] (0 Comments) Biostar is the first manufacturer to put 512 MB of fast GDDR3 memory on a GeForce 8600 GTS card, which usually comes with 256 MB. Since GDDR3 memory is expensive, the card retails for around $50 more than the regular variant. Are 256 MB additional video memory worth the price difference? First look at Gigabyte's GA-X38T-DQ6 motherboard @ bit-tech.net [Sep-11-07] (0 Comments) Gigabyte's GA-X38T-DQ6 is a board we've found great favour in.We'vefound it very hard to fault the layout if you choose a heatsink thatdoesn't need to be bolted to the motherboard and even as an engineeringsample it's worked flawlessly throughout our testing. There has beensome niggles with the Ethernet adapters but the retail boards areworking as expected and should be shipping very soon. It's been a fantastic board to work with even in this early stage, butfrom the looks of pre-orders, it will be expensive at around £190.Therefore only time will tell if the bundle, stability and extrafeatures due from Intel make it worth the while. Nvidia could command aprice premium on the nForce 680i SLI because it had EPP and SLI, but isCrossFire and Intel's Extreme Memory held in the same regard? At leastthe X38 chipset should provide a diverse range of motherboard options,unlike the nForce 680i SLI, and being an Intel chipset we'd expect itto be far more reliable as well. ASUS P5E3 Deluxe X38 with an air-cooled QX6850 sets a new memory bandwidth record @ nordichardware.com [Sep-10-07] (0 Comments) Besides the P5E3 Deluxe we also have Corsair's new DDR3 Dominator memory and it is working flawlessly at 2,000 MHz with 7-6-5-15 1T timings. With some assistance from the cold Swedish Autumn night and an extreme airflow, we managed to push Intel's QX6850 to 4,470 MHz and reach a memory bandwidth read speed of 13,425 MB/s, a new record. [News] Super Talent Exelerator 2GB Ready Boost @ virtual-hideout.net [Sep-10-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent offers a wide assortment of memory modules from flashdrives to the latest in DDR3 technology. Some of the other technology theyhave are dedicated ReadyBoost modules for Windows Vista. The particularReadyBoost module I will be reviewing is the 2GB Exelerator which boastspeeds of up to 166x. This particular module uses a 9pin header thatconnects to a 9pin USB header on the motherboard. A-DATA Extreme Edition 1200+ 1GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Sep-08-07] (0 Comments) A-DATA is joining the band wagon of 1200 MHz memory with their Extreme Edition memory. Many manufacturers have displayed memory at these speeds at Computex this year. The kits are available in 1 or 2 GB variants and come with the new, cleaner heatspreader. This Extreme Edition memory is the first to manage 1200 MHz at default voltage with no problems at all. Akasa Combo Card Reader @ tcmagazine.com [Sep-07-07] (0 Comments) While the large variety of supported memory formats can easily deem Akasa=E2=80=99s reader as =E2=80=98useful=E2=80=99, and the presence of additional USB ports can boost its importance, one of the dev ice=E2=80=99s best selling points is speed. Transferring data on and off portable players, digital cameras or mobile phones, equipped with the app ropriate memory cards can be excruciating slow, even with the grand advan cements of today=E2=80=99s technology, but all that discomfort can be ad dressed and partially solved by the Akasa reader. WinFast PX8600 GTS TDH Extreme Video Card @ modders-inc.com [Sep-04-07] (0 Comments) The new Leadtek/WinFast PX8600 GTS TDH Extreme graphics card withthe GDDR3 memory clocked to 1000(2000)Mhz and the GPU set to 710Mhz it isset to be a real screamer for the money, but can it do it? We put this newcard through some hard testing and it came out without a scratch. HIS HD 2900 XT 1GB GDDR4 in Crossfire @ tweaktown.com [Sep-02-07] (0 Comments) The HD 2900 XT is a great card; don't let those haters tell you otherwise. At launch there was no denying that it lagged behind the comp etition, and sure AA and AF performance isn't the best but thanks to AM D keeping on top with driver releases the card continues to improve every month. Originally there was supposed to be an XT/XTX combination of the HD 2900 but for some reason it never really happened, instead there has been a ne w incarnation of the XT which not only comes with a jaw dropping 1GB of m emory on it but also carries GDDR4, the latest graphics card memory to hi t the market. Crucial Ballistix Tracer DDR2-800 2GB Memory Kit @ thetechlounge.com [Aug-31-07] (0 Comments) Good RAM wouldn't be good if it didn't have rows of flashing lights underits heatspreader. Wait, that makes no sense. RAM is good when it, and,therefore, your computer, blazes. It should be about lower latencies andhigher bandwidth, not Blinken- and ground lights. But are the two mutuallyexclusive? If we apply rice theory, spinners and lights may be added to anyvehicle (import or domestic--although it's pretty hard to be impressed by apimped-out Taurus) and imply, but are not evidence of, high performance. OK,so hear me out--there's a place where that metaphor comes back to fit, ferrills. Real racecars don't have lights and junk. That's heavy. Canhigh-performance RAM have lights? Will the extra stuff and/or heat weighdown the memory just as surely as would a tail fin lovingly crafted fromBondo? Foxconn G33M motherboard - Intel GMA3100 @ tweaktown.com [Aug-30-07] (0 Comments) Intel's platform design has usually been behind that of the ret ail market, Intel's onboard graphics are quite basic and can't really handle much in the way of 3D applications; not to mention they're also a a memory hog, stealing as much bandwidth as possible. With the Intel 3 series chipsets, things have changed; thanks to Vista ne w features are required to get a motherboard certified for Vista validati on, and Intel is definitely one to strive for this. The G33 chipset is th e latest instalment from Intel, and it's designed for the Vista environ ment using its onboard graphics system, the GMA3100. ASUS P5K3 Premium / WiFi AP @ insidehw.com [Aug-30-07] (0 Comments) Intel's newest P35 Express chipset brought along support for bothDDR2 and DDR3 memory modules. As DDR3 modules are still not widelyinteresting because of their high price, ASUS decided to celebrate its 18thbirthday in a specific manner by introducing P5K3 Premium/WiFi APmotherboard which has 2 GB of DDR3 memory - integrated! Asus P5K3 Premium part 2 @ bit-tech.net [Aug-29-07] (0 Comments) The performance in 2D testing favours slightly betterin the wayof the Premium, and even at 1,500MHz it doesn't really extend the leadthat much. Also, it's not like you can't just buy some 1,500MHz memoryand drop it in a Deluxe, however it seems to be tailored more topreferring lower latency memory like the 1,066MHz DDR3 at 6-6-6-15instead of 1,333MHz at 7-7-7-20.Overclocking is not outright superb, although it is certainly capableand stability is much the same story. In all it feels like a veryaverage board for Asus and one just not worthy of the price tag:it canbe had for £140 more than an already expensive product combination, itonly comes with a three year warranty on the memory and if just one ofthe 32 chips go the whole board has to be returned. Hats off for theinnovation and having the balls to make a product like this, but Iwonder if Asus will actually sell enough to recoup at least thedevelopment costs? I think this should be chalked down to GECUBE's Dual GPU Gemini 3 - Sneak Peek! @ tweaktown.com [Aug-28-07] (0 Comments) Remember the Gemini 3 from GECUBE? If not, let us refresh your me mory. The Gemini 3 is the second dual GPU card from GECUBE, the previous one was the Gemini 2 and it was based on a pair of Radeon X1650 XTs. The Gemini 3 features a pair of Radeon HD 2600 XT GPUs and they're clocked at 800MHz. Each GPU is paired with 256MB of 500MHz DDR2 memory (1GHz effe ctively). This might not sound like anything all too remarkable so far, but it seem s like GECUBE will beat all the other AMD partners that are working on du al GPU cards, this by simply being the first to market. GECUBE is expecti ng the Gemini 3 to be available in retail some time next month, but we we ren't given an exact launch date or a price for that matter. Palit HD 2600 XT - Speed vs Memory @ tweaktown.com [Aug-28-07] (0 Comments) In a war that has spanned over decades which has caused tension b etween the enthusiast and the noob, we all ask what's better; more memo ry or more speed. Palit continue to expand the =93Super=94 and =93Sonic=94 line up with each new release from AMD. The latest participants to the e pic battle is the HD 2600 XT, coming standard with 256MB of GDDR3 memory Palit have taken it upon themselves to offer three models.There's the standard model which we don't really care about, because everyone knows that standard is boring. We then have the Sonic which is a n overclocked 256MB GDDR3 card, and in the other corner we have the Super which comes in at stock clocks but carries with it 512MB of GDDR3 memory . XFX nForce 680i SLI Motherboard - 1333 FSB Support @ pcper.com [Aug-22-07] (0 Comments) The only feature missing is support for DDR3 memory which several ofthe P35 motherboards we have tested use. There is no doubt that DDR3 willbe faster than DDR2 at some point, but for now, the performance differencesaren't very big but the price differences are! DDR3 is still very hard tofind and when you do locate it, be prepared to pay a premium. So, maybehaving the 680i chipset with DDR2 support isn't so bad after all. Corsair Survivor 8GB Flash Drive @ gideontech.com [Aug-22-07] (0 Comments) The front of the package describes a few of the extreme highlights that come with this flash memory drive. Features like anti-shock and water-resistant operation are main selling points. The water resistant feature is a nice one to anyone that has washed their flash drives by accident in the washer or having your kids throw it into the fish tank. Crucial DDR2-800 2GB Memory Kit (CT12864AA80E.16FD) @ thetechlounge.com [Aug-22-07] (0 Comments) We're getting into the hardware reviews something fierce, and now is a goodtime to start a series of memory articles. Let's begin with the basics:DDR2-800. Also known as PC2 6400 RAM, 800MHz DDR2 is the most common memorystandard, which balances tight timings and high bandwidth perfectly. Andbecause DDR2-800 is universal to AMD and Intel alike, it sets the baselineagainst which all other RAM is compared. In the spirit of introducing thisseries on RAM, I've reviewed the plainest, greenest, no-frills, all-stockDDR2 I could find:Crucial's 2x1GB non-Ballistix DDR2-800 kit. And I wasvery pleased by it. Sparkle Calibre P850+ 8500GT 512MB @ techgage.com [Aug-21-07] (0 Comments) Having trouble deciding on which entry-level GPU to pickup? Sparkle'sCalibre series might make your decision easier with it's P850+. Inaddition to DX10 support and a unique LED-readout, it offers anadditional 200MHz on the core and 320MHz on the memory over reference8500GTs. Kingston DDR3-1066MHz @ insidehw.com [Aug-20-07] (0 Comments) Although the DDR2 standard reached its peak, its successor, DDR3, isslowly starting to and in time probably will take its place. We testedKingston's DDR3 memory running at 1066MHz and tried to find out if youshould switch to the new memory yet. GIGABYTE P35T-DQ6 (DDR3) ed @ tweaktown.com [Aug-16-07] (0 Comments) Intel's P35 chipset has already made a hug e impact on the market, turning the Core 2 series of CPU into King of the PC platform. 1333MHz FSB, DDR3 memory and Crossfire already have it goin g strong. When X38 makes its debut, we will see Intel move into extreme p erformance with extreme memory, extreme turning and dual full-speed x16 P CI-Express lanes for Crossfire graphics, and hopefully SLI as well. Today we are looking at GIGABYTE's first DDR3 offering for the high-end market. Under the Dual Quad 6 series of boards, the P35T-DQ6 is designed to carry on from the P35-DQ6. The big difference? Let's have a look an d find out. Danger Den DD-29XT HD 2900 XT Waterblock @ techpowerup.com [Aug-14-07] (0 Comments) Danger Den is considered to be one of the best companies around when it comes to high performance watercooling hardware. Taking a similar approach used on their previous Tyee waterblock, Danger Den designed a full coverage waterblock for the Radeon HD 2900 Series, the DD-29XT. The waterblock and can cool both the GPU, Memory and Voltage Regulators efficiently and promises dramatic results. [News] Kingston HyperX PC3-11000 DDR3 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-12-07] (0 Comments) This is where Kingston Technology has come to answer the call. Oneof those kits could very well be the Hyper X KHX11000D3LLK2/2G Dual ChannelKits. It's based on their newest performance Hyper X DDR3 series intendedfor the upscale and more serious enthusiast who want to tap in to theirprocessor's unseen performance. At 1375MHz, it operates at a frequencyprevious DDR2 modules just couldn't quite achieve mainly due to powerrequirements and related heat causing too much instability. Have a look atKingston's latest signature Hyper X DDR3 1375MHz modules. Technic3D/ XFX 8800 Ultra XXX @ technic3d.com [Aug-11-07] (0 Comments) The XFX 8800 Ultra XXX arrived Technic3D. The Graphic Card XFX NVIDIA 8800 Ultra XXX with 675 MHz Core, 1.150 MHz Memory and 1.667 M Hz Shader better than others High-End Graphic Cards? Technic3D will se e that, on Windows Vista, in the following Review. Alienware Area-51 7500 Desktop System @ thinkcomputers.org [Aug-10-07] (0 Comments) When you think of hardcore gaming machines Alienware comes to mind.They make some of the best systems for serious gamers who are willing tospend the money to get the best gaming performance possible. Today we willbe looking at Alienware's Area-51 7500 desktop system that features an IntelCore 2 Quad Q6600 CPU, 2 728MB NVIDIA GeFoce 8800 GTX video cards in SLI,and 2GB of memory all inside of a very sleek looking case. Let's take alook... OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Titanium EPP 2x1GB @ eclipseoc.com [Aug-10-07] (0 Comments) The current DDR2 memory market has some stiff competition. Does OCZ's Coolit Systems Beverage Chiller, PCI Cooling Booster, and RAM Fan @ pro-clockers.com [Aug-09-07] (0 Comments) The Coolit RAM Fan and PCI Cooling Booster both are geared towardcooling PCI cards and systemmemory, while the Beverage Chiller is aimed at folks who want to keep theirdrinks ice cold while working at their computers for hours at a time.Let's take a quick look at these three accessories, and see if they truly doprovide the solutions users are looking for. Diamond Multimedia Viper HD 2900 XT 1GB GDDR4 @ pcper.com [Aug-09-07] (0 Comments) The second problem that Diamond faces with the 1GB model is that, inmost of our tests, doubling the amount of memory to 1GB and moving to GDDR4versus GDDR3 modules didn't have a dramatic effect on performance.Certainly it had much less impact than I had initially hoped to see. Thereare still a couple games in our testing suite that did see SOME performanceimprovements such as Supreme Commander and Oblivion. [News] ASUS P5K3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-09-07] (0 Comments) The bottom line is very simple. This is an extremely solid performerand offers a great deal all around from the BIOS to the design. Everythingabout the board says performance and stability. Overclockers will definitelyenjoy playing around with the motherboard. It affords a nice array ofsettings, features, and options that are all but guaranteed to show you whatit can do. Just make sure your memory, power supply, and CPU cooler are upto the task. The ASUS P5K3 Deluxe WiFi-AP Edition Motherboard is a perfectlybalanced enthusiast board for any and every type of desktop user. Geil, Kingston & OCZ @ tweaktown.com [Aug-04-07] (0 Comments) We have been prattling on about DDR3 and the Intel platform fo r some time now. It has only been a few months since DDR3 hit the shore, but its already starting to be produced in mass, especially by the enthus iast companies such as OCZ, Micron, Mushkin, Corsair, Geil and so on. Today we have three DDR3 memory kits on test; OCZ's DDR3-1333MHz, Geil' s DDR3-1066MHz and Kingston's DDR3-1375MHz. DDR2 to the Max High-end kits Tested @ tweaktown.com [Jul-31-07] (0 Comments) Today we have DDR2 memory modules topping out at 1200MHz DDR2 or 600MHz clock speeds, and this is using only around 2.4v which is withi n the safe zone. With even more time, cooling and voltage adjustments, mo re can be possible. We have five different memory kits for your viewing pleasure, all of them designed to run at speeds beyond DDR2 800MHz for the Athlon 64 X2s and a lso Intel's P965 and P35 chipsets which have memory support for 800MHz and beyond. Kingston HyperX 2GB DDR2-800 Ultra-Low Latency RAM Kit @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-27-07] (0 Comments) With DDR2 and DDR3 speeds increasing every quarter, system memorylatencies have also had to keep up in the never-ending race for highermemory performance. Most of today's high-end DDR2 memory kits run at CAS 4and 5, but Kingston has taken us back to ultra low latencies with theirHyperX 2GB DDR2-800 kit that runs at 3-3-3-10! I guess the real question wewill answer in this review is:What matters more - higher bandwidth or lowerlatency? OCZ Reaper HPC PC2-8500 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jul-25-07] (0 Comments) We all know OCZ for impressing us with great looking heatspreaderson their memory modules. We have seen them on the Crossfire Edition modules,the Special Ops Urban Elite modules, and the original Special Ops editionmodules. Besides just making modules that look great OCZ has improved thecooling with their new patent-pending cooling solution called Reaper HPC.This solution uses heatpipe technology to dissipate heat. Read on to learnmore about this technology and check out the Reaper HPC modules. [News] Patriot 2x1GB PC2-9200 1150MHz Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Jul-25-07] (0 Comments) The benefits of buying these high frequency memory kits is that youcan expect the very best memory modules used to build them and they oftenrun at higher stock frequencies without degrading the memory kit. We've seensome insane overclocks and memory performance from various PC2-7200,PC2-8500, and PC2-9200 memory kits. Patriot Memory is currently working tobring some extreme memory kits that will definitely peak your interests. Inthe meantime, one of those kits happens to be their new PC2-9200 ExtremeMemory Kit. Have a look at this kit before you go off buying some withfancier heat sinks. Writing for the LCD:FPS games @ bit-tech.net [Jul-23-07] (0 Comments) One thing which is constantly interesting about thefirst-personperspective is how prominent it is in games compared to movies andwritten stories. In games, practically every other title is a FPS gameand almost all of the major releases for the last five years have usedthe FPS template in some way, from Half-Life 2 and Preyto the upcoming Haze and Crysis, yet in cinema thereare hardly any movies which harness a first-person view and the onlyones in recent memory are The Blair Witch Project and Doom,the latter of which doesn't really count in our opinion since it justcopies the game. In books however the first-person perspective is more commonly used,though not a majority, so it seems odd that it's so prevalent in moderngaming culture.The reason for this is most likely that games are an interactive mediumand therefore recognise that the first-person perspective is the mostnatural one to use when presenting an environment from the viewpoint ofa single character. Books and movies meanwhile choose generally toseize a third-person point of view as it frees them from the verydifficulties which Rob pointed out earlier on; a third-personperspective allows the writer of a book or movie the opportunity to cutaway to some off-screen action a lot more fluidly. iriver clix gen 2 / clix Rhapsody @ thetechlounge.com [Jul-23-07] (0 Comments) The Clix player is a 4 gigabyte model in line with other such players asthe iPod nano, Sansa e200 series, and other flash memory-based portablemedia players. iriver may not have the market share of the aforementionedApple product or the distinction of being the inventor of solid state memory(like Sandisk), but they always pull out great designs that match and evensurpass the feature sets of the big name players. I'm hoping the ClixRhapsody will keep giving them a run for their money and that it lives up toall my self-imagined hype. takeMS MEM-Drive 1Gb Firewall and 4Gb Mini Hi-speed USB Drives @ tekbunker.com [Jul-22-07] (0 Comments) I can only say that the company is oriented to consumers - and giving them the best ratio between price and performance. takeMS in their product portfolio have memory modules, USB-flash products, multimedia/mp3 players and flash cards. Crucial 2GB Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 memory kit @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-20-07] (0 Comments) Wow, what a difference a few months makes. In February, you couldn'tpurchase a 2GB DDR2-800 memory kit for less than $250. Nowadays, with theprices of memory decreasing almost every day, you can easily buy a 2GB DDR2kit for almost $200. These price drops shouldn't make consumers think thatthese more Technic3D/Razer Tarantula @ technic3d.com [Jul-19-07] (0 Comments) The Razer Tarantula Gamer Keyboard arrived Technic3D. A Keyboa rd for Pro Gamer with Onboard Profile Memory, Media center keys, 10 pr ogrammable gaming hotkeys and more with add-on accessories? Technic3D will see that in the following Review. OCZ DDR2 Memory Group Test @ bit-tech.net [Jul-16-07] (0 Comments) Without doubt,OCZ is one of the most popular performance memorysuppliers. Having also recently acquired PC Power and Cooling who isrenowned for its top quality PSUs, OCZ is slowly becoming an all roundbrand for enthusiasts. Its memory range can appear at the moreflamboyant end of the market, more so than Corsair's DHX technology butperhaps not quite Team Group Xtreem. Its range includes the FlexXLC, which comes complete with a hugeheatsink and included watercooling option, along with the latest Reapermodules that include a heatpipe to lift the heat from the heatspreadersup into the case cavity where there's greater airflow. OCZ Interview @ tcmagazine.com [Jul-13-07] (0 Comments) OCZ. Three letters that manage to summarize a whole co mpany and its ideals. Nothing is =E2=80=98stock=E2=80=99 to them and no m atter that the product, they simply want to squeeze every bit of performa nce available. What started off as a memory manufacturer with a soft spot for PC enthusiasts has now become an important player in almost all the markets it has entered - memory, power supply, flash and cooling. But, as you might have guessed, OCZ is not about to stop here and, as always, it is aiming high. World-Exclusive:Winchip DDR3 1600 MHz 1 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jul-13-07] (0 Comments) DDR3 P35 boards and the new memory standard were a big topic at CeBIT and all major memory manufacturers showed DDR3 up and running at Computex. One of these companies is Winchip with their DDR3 1600 MHz CL8-8-8-15 memory. We take a first look at the new memory to let you know, what it holds in store. Albatron Mini-ITX KI690-AM2 ed @ tweaktown.com [Jul-11-07] (0 Comments) We have already seen one of their boards based on the 754 sock et and GeForce 6150 chipset, and while adequate for a basic setup its lac k of dual channel memory and HDMI features make it a bit obsolete for a H D media center in today's market.With that said, we now have the latest installment from Albatron, the KI6 90-AM2. By its name it gives away a couple of secrets. Mushkin XP2-6400 2 GB CL4 Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jul-10-07] (0 Comments) Mushkin is well known for the solid memory kits they make. Today we have the Mushkin XP2-6400 2 GB on our test bench. These modules are specced to run at DDR2-800 at CL4. With a price of $150 for 2 GB this kit is sure not the cheapest, but it comes with Micron D9 memory chips. In our testing we saw very nice voltage scaling up to DDR2-1136 at CL5. Crucial PC2-8500 CL5 Ballistix DDR2 RAM @ benchmarkreviews.com [Jul-09-07] (0 Comments) Everyone always wants good stable system memory, but not everyone wants to pay the price. When computer enthusiasts build or upgrade a system, RAM purchases are often relegated to the Crucial 2GB Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 DDR2 Memory Kit @ hardwarexl.com [Jul-09-07] (0 Comments) Last week I got the chance to play with 2GB of Crucial Ballistix Tracermemory modules, rated at DDR2-1066 on 5-5-5-15 timings. First thing Inoticed was the Heatspreader, black with a thick shiny carved edge aroundit. As if the sixteen led's weren't enough bling-bling:-) Instead ofstarting slow by benchmarking it with the default timings/settings I jumpedstraight to see how it would perform overclocked. Not the best way to reviewbut then again why not go Ballistix:-) Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 DDR2 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Jul-07-07] (0 Comments) The last time we looked at Ballistix tracer memory from Crucial itperformed great and received our Editor's Choice Award. This time we aretaking a look at the faster PC2-8500 memory running at 1066MHz. If youdidn't check out our review of the PC2-6400 Ballistix Tracer memory theactual modules feature two rows of eight PNY XLR8 8800 GTX OC @ hothardware.com [Jul-06-07] (0 Comments) The PNY XLR8 8800 GTX OC has a list price of $579.99 and it is oneof the more affordable factory overclocked 8800 GTXs currently available.The XL8 has its core, shader, and memory clock frequencies all overclockedat the factory so it's ready to rumble right out of the box. It receives a100MHz (200MHz effective) memory overclock, 108MHz shader overclock and anice 46MHz overclock to its core. While 46MHz doesn't seem like a whole lot,consider that it makes the XLR8 9MHz faster than a stock 8800 Ultra. Winchip DDR2 1200 MHz 2 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jul-05-07] (0 Comments) Winchip is a well known brand in Asia and is now entering the European market with their memory products. The company has a long history in the OEM sector, while the heatspreader of their PC2-9600 memory looks quite unigue. The 2 GB memory kit, which costs $199, can manage an impressive 1240 MHz at CL5-5-5-15 on our testbed. OCZ PC2-9600 Reaper FlexXLC Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-05-07] (0 Comments) Well we all know that OCZ is great at making ram. During the highdays of DDR, they gave us the VX series that with some voltage maintain somepretty tight timing with high FSB. And then there were the VX2 lines thatgraced the DDR2 period. But for the overclockers and water-cooled rigowners, OCZ has given us the likes of the FlexXLC line. With copper/aluminumheatsink, water barbs and 1200MHz operating frequency, OCZ may have giventhe world some of the fastest memory on the planet. Super Talent DH Series 200x 1 GB @ techpowerup.com [Jul-04-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent has taken their classic enclosure for USB 2.0 flash memory and stuffed it with a 200x device. This means it should be one of the fastest memory sticks out there with more than 30 MB/s. These benchmark results together with the sturdy aluminum casing make this a rock solid choice. Gigabyte GA-P35C-DS3R @ techgage.com [Jul-03-07] (0 Comments) Gigabyte, like others, released a slew of motherboards utilizing Intel's P35 chipset when it was first announced. The P35C-DS3R is unique to their line-up though, since it will accept both DDR2 and DDR3 memory. We pit the boards performance using both types of memory against our recently reviewed ASUS P5K and P5K3. Super Talent DH series 4GB Pen Drive @ tweaktown.com [Jul-01-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent might not be the first memory brand that springs to mind; although they have a wide range of competitive products and we' re taking a quick look here at what they're claiming is the world's f astest USB 2.0 memory key. It's always amusing when you get sent a prod uct for review that claims world's fastest, since they rarely are. The Super Talent DH series of USB memory keys are =93Ultra-fast 200x=94 and t hey have a claimed read speed of 30MB/s. We tested out the 4GB version bu t the DH series comes in sizes ranging from 512MB to 8GB. PQI Traveling Disk i221 @ techpowerup.com [Jun-30-07] (0 Comments) Looking for a tough durable quick transfering memory stick? PQI's new Traveling Disk series might be a good place to start looking. Today we have the pleasure of reviewing a sample of the Traveling Disk series, and we'll see how well it stacks up compared to other drives. ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT 256MB @ thetechlounge.com [Jun-28-07] (0 Comments) ATI is changing pace from their flagship by releasing their DirectX 10mainstream cards within recent memory of NVIDIA's mainstream release.NVIDIA's mainstream release was memorable if bitter; the advantages of theunified shader architecture that made the 8800-series of video cards sopowerful didn't have the same puissance once it was cut down forthe masses. Made people sad. So a lot of people are excited about thesemainstream cards. Not everyone wants a video card that costs $400 or more,and for a while there, the options were:buy a crappy mainstreamcurrent-generation card, or buy an aging card from way back when, that yeah,plays games as good (if not better) but doesn't have the features andconsumes a lot of power, puts out a lot of heat, and makes all the noiseassociated with high-end parts. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-6400 2GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Jun-28-07] (0 Comments) Today we take a look at the Ballistix Tracer PC2-6400 2GB kit from Crucial Technology. For those who haven't heard of the Tracer range, these modules feature eye catching blue backlighting and activity LEDs, making this RAM an excellent choice for making your PC really stand out! With most modern games using more and more memory and at the same time needing loads of bandwidth, this memory would be great for high-end gaming systems. Powercolor Radeon HD 2400 Pro @ techpowerup.com [Jun-28-07] (0 Comments) Powercolor's Radeon HD 2400 Pro uses AMD's new RV610 GPU with 256 MB of DDR2 memory. With its special video acceleration features and low-profile PCB design the card seems to be a good choice for small form factor media PC systems. ATI Radeon HD 2600 XT @ techpowerup.com [Jun-28-07] (0 Comments) The HD 2600 XT is AMD's new midrange flagship card which is based on the RV630 GPU. This is the first time that a midrange card comes equipped with GDDR4 memory - 256 MB in our case. AMD's new card comes with features such as DirectX 10 support and full HD video acceleration by dedicated hardware called UVD. But is this enough to beat NVIDIA's new products? [News] Crucial 2x1GB Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Jun-28-07] (0 Comments) For any of you that have read my previous review of the CrucialBallistix Tracer PC2-6400 memory kit, you know just how much I love thismemory. The look, the performance and now the price for DDR2 is justunbeatable. I gave it an easy Editors Choice award back then and I havepretty much been using that kit in my personal rig until a new package fromCrucial arrived recently; the PC2-8500 Ballistix Tracer Kit! Same bling,higher speeds. Other than the higher stock speed rating, there is absolutelyno difference from the PC2-6400 kit I already reviewed. In fact, my guessit's the same exact kit just hand selected to overclock nice and stable at1066...or more DDR-3 Gaming Performance Analysis @ tweaktown.com [Jun-26-07] (0 Comments) DDR-3 makes the decision even harder as it carries an extreme cost at the moment but do those dollars actually translate into extreme gaming performance? Technically speaking, in pure megabytes per second, it is fast, thanks to the attainable speeds 1500MHz double data rate and beyond which can be achieved, without too much effort. However, the big issue with DDR-3 memory right now is the fact that its latency is high, much higher comparatively to more finely tuned DDR-2.What does this all really mean for the gamer, though? Are we going to be pushing an extra 1FPS? Maybe 10? It all remains to be seen. Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 - 1333 MHz FSB P @ pcper.com [Jun-25-07] (0 Comments) My final overclock came in at 3.84 GHz - a full 44% frequencyincrease! I kept our memory speeds lower in order to keep it out of theequation. Obviously we are talking about some serious processing power hererunning these dual core processors at nearly 4 GHz -- something I was nearlyable to reach but the board wouldn't quite make. A-DATA RB19 Flash Drive 2 GB @ techpowerup.com [Jun-22-07] (0 Comments) A-DATA is expanding their rugged flash memory line-up with the RB19. It features a thick rubber casing and is not just water resistant, but completely water proof. The green/gray USB stick looks quite nice and does have a very solid impression. We benchmark the flash drive and even drop it in a glass of water, to make sure it can deliver flawlessly after the dive. Kingston HyperX KHX9600D2K2/2G DDR2 memory @ bit-tech.net [Jun-21-07] (0 Comments) For the priceyou simply cannot do better than the Kingston HyperXPC2-9600. So what if they run really hot? They do the job just finewith the right settings and they work perfectly well and even in excessof what they're rated at. You've also got a lifetime warranty and freetechnical support. They don't have EPP or look pimped out and they should ifyou're buying performance memory. But then again, there becomes a pointwhere you just forego all the extras and setting for the pure saving. They maybe not as absolutely fast as the equivalent speed Corsairmemory, but they certainly aren't slow, and for a few hundred notessaving I wouldn't complain. You're still buying a pair of sticks with agood brand, and it's a price we'd certainly pay. VIZO Master Panel II Multi-Function 5.25" Panel @ pro-clockers.com [Jun-20-07] (0 Comments) Multi-function panels have really taken off over the past couple ofyears. These handy devices put most of the I/O ports people use on a dailybasis right on the front of your PC. Many of us are used to pulling our rigsout from under our desks to plug our devices into the back of our computers,but VIZO's Master Panel II gives us a break by developing a panel that putsmany of these ports right at our fingertips. The Master Panel II gives usfront panel connections to USB 2.0, fans, firewire, eSATA, RCA, audio, andeven supports many common memory cards used today. TwinMOS @ techpowerup.com [Jun-20-07] (0 Comments) TwinMOS is has a very diverse range of products on display. You may only know the brand due to their computer memory products, but there is more. You will find all types of very interesting flash based memory cards as well as USB sticks at the booth. TwinMOS even manufactures Apple iPod speakers and car GPS units. Qimonda @ techpowerup.com [Jun-20-07] (0 Comments) You will not find any overclocked DDR2 or DDR3 memory at the Qimonda booth. They have focused on special products like memory embedded on a mainboard or SODIMM to DIMM adapters. DDR memory and the full range of DDR3 memory - including DDR3 SODIMMs can be viewed at their booth Corsair TWIN2X2048 8500C5 2GB DDR2 Memory @ hardwarexl.com [Jun-17-07] (0 Comments) I got the chance to review 2GB of Corsair Twin2x2048 8500C5 memory, sadlythe review had been published for 2 days, afterwhich the website went downdue to database problems of our old cms we where using at the time. And Itotally forgot to backup the review (and the complete database). This mademe decide to to it all over again. So here they are 2 sticks of Corsair8500C5 memory modules stated to work at 1066Mhz? Well lets see what they aremade of. Team Group @ techpowerup.com [Jun-17-07] (0 Comments) Team Group is showing off some amazing DDR2 and DDR3 memory using heatpipe cooling. They are also one of the few to have a running quad channel 8 GB DDR2 system at their booth. Besides that you will find a few interesting memory sticks as well as DDR2 1300 MHz and DDR3 at 1333MHz. Winchip @ techpowerup.com [Jun-15-07] (0 Comments) Winchip may not be well known in Europe or the Americas, but have made a name for themselves in Asia. They are trying to break into the european market and have some very interesting and well performing memory on display at their Computex booth. Corsair @ techpowerup.com [Jun-14-07] (0 Comments) At Corsair you could see the world's fastest DDR3 memory running at 2000 MHz, that's 1000 MHz real clock. Also several shipping DDR3 products were on display in addition to a static demo of ATI's new RD790 chipset motherboard. Elixir @ techpowerup.com [Jun-14-07] (0 Comments) Elixir has a fancy yellow booth, showing off various DDR3 1066 or 1333 MHz modules for notebooks and desktops. Their demo system is running the new memory at 1600 MHz, while you will also find DDR2 sticks running 1066 MHz at default voltage on display. Technic3D/Mushkin HP2-6400 4GB @ technic3d.com [Jun-13-07] (0 Comments) The Mushkin HP2-6400 DDR2 4GB Kit arrived Technic3D. Technic3D will see as good they are with Overclocking against other Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate and Check the 4GB on 32 Bit Software A-DATA @ techpowerup.com [Jun-13-07] (0 Comments) A-DATA is showing off a lot of different and very innovative flash memory devices. You will find tiny memory sticks as well as rugged ones at their booth. All new DDR2 1200 MHz and DDR3 memory is also on display, while their new line-up of digital picture frames is being shown off for the first time. [News] OCZ 1GB 80x Secure Digital Dual Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jun-13-07] (0 Comments) With the OCZ SD Dual connection system, I no longer have to worry ifI have my card reader with me or if the closest computer has the propermedia slots. Instead, I just pop the top cover off and use a free USB porton the closest computer I can get a hold of. It definitely makes my lifeeasier, and it can for you as well Corsair Flash Survivor 8Gb Memory Stick @ rbmods.com [Jun-13-07] (0 Comments) Today we are taking a look at another memory stick from Corsair.Corsair is most known for their ram kits, but lately they have beenproducing durable and fast flash memory sticks also. Their latest creationis called Survivor and is a 8Gb memory stick with a durable brushed steelcasing, will this drive pass our tests and how well does it perform vs itsolder brother Voyager GT? quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ bigbruin.com [Jun-11-07] (0 Comments) While they may be best known for the high performance, enthusiast grade memory, they do offer products for mainstream use. I thought it might be interesting to step away from the bleeding edge of performance and have a look at memory OCZ Technology considers appropriate for Memory and storage technologies @ pcper.com [Jun-10-07] (0 Comments) In particular, hard drives have been a bottleneck on manycomputing operations for years and as the last mechanical device withmoving parts (besides fans) in the in a PC, seeing solid-state drivesactually become available is exciting. Yes, the need for platter-baseddrives will continue for a long time as capacity for storing lots of datawill only increase and SSD will need to catch up over time. DigiMate III Digital Wallet @ thinkcomputers.org [Jun-10-07] (0 Comments) Portable hard drive enclosures are nothing new, we have reviewedquite a few, but the DigiMate III is more than just a 2.5-inch hard driveenclosure. It features a 12-in-1 card reader that you can actually transferfiles from memory cards to your installed hard drive without a computer.This is the perfect device for photographers who take a lot of pictures andfor someone who wants a card reader and hard drive all in one. Let's take alook at the DigiMate III Digital Wallet. OCZ Technology GameXStream 1010w PSU @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Jun-07-07] (0 Comments) A lot has changed over the last year or so, with OCZ expanding tosell not only memory but coolers and mice as well, not to add the fact theyalso offer a extensive range of PSU's. Which brings us to what we arelooking at today, The OCZ GameXStream 1010w PSU GeIL @ techpowerup.com [Jun-07-07] (0 Comments) GeIL is showing off three systems, one running DDR3, another DDR2 PC2-9200 CL4-4-4-12 and a third with a whooping 8 GB quad channel kit of their new Black Dragon series DDR2. You will also find notebook and Macintosh memory at their booth. A small assortement of USB flash devices rounds up GeIL's offering. PQI @ techpowerup.com [Jun-06-07] (0 Comments) PQI is a well known memory and flash storage manufacturer. They have a great booth at Computex and are showing off incredibly small and innovative USB storage devices, high performance DDR2 memory as well as DDR3 DIMMs. Their Intelligent Stick Mini and Card Drive have some incredible dimensions and capacities with 4 GB and 32 GB respectively. ASUS P5K3 Deluxe WiFi-AP @ techgage.com [Jun-04-07] (0 Comments) Intel's P35 chipset was only just released, but ASUSalready has sevenmotherboards which utilize it. We are taking a look at one of their topmodels, the P5K3 Deluxe. This board utilizes DDR3 memory and has WiFicapabilities built-in. It also turns out to be a great overclocker. content-type:x-google-sender-auth; @ dragonsteelmods.com [Jun-03-07] (0 Comments) USB thumbdrives are very popular, the main reason is their portability,they make it extremely easy to transport data from one place to anotherwithout having to carry a CD or DVD with you. One of the best things aboutUSB thumbdrives is that they can be re-used over and over again, unlike a CDor DVD, unless of course you get the RW variety, still though Cds/DVDs arebig and bulky to carry with you, as are external hard drives. Capacities forthumbdrives are growing constantly, as is the speed at which they transferdata,now with Vista here, there is even more use for these with ReadyBoost.Today for review I have the fastest USB drive I have tested or owned, it isfrom Super Talent, makers of numerous memory solutions, so read on to checkit out... [News] OCZ 2x1GB PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Jun-02-07] (0 Comments) If the concept works for motherboards, CPU, and VGA coolers, why noton memory modules? The OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Memory is such acreature now utilizing the heat pipe design accompanying some very capablePC2-6400, PC2-8500, and PC2-9200 memory modules. Being the power hungry userI am, it was an excellent treat to receive the kit in the mail. Allow me togive you a quick informative tour of what it can do. EVGA 8800 Ultra Superclocked @ pureoverclock.com [Jun-02-07] (0 Comments) The card we're testing is not a basic reference model, it's EVGA'stop of the line part, the 8800 Ultra Superclocked. This is one of thefastest cards on the market, with yet further increases in clock speeds --650MHz on the core, and 2250MHz on the memory, so let's see if these extraclocks are worth the extra cash over the price of a GTX. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 2GB DDR2 Memory Kit @ bigbruin.com [May-30-07] (0 Comments) You get what you pay for Zotac GeForce 8800 GTX OC Edition @ techpowerup.com [May-30-07] (0 Comments) Zotac's new GeForce 8800 GTX OC Edition comes factory overclocked with clocks of 630 MHz core and 1000 MHz memory. This is a nice increase over the standard NVIDIA clocks, especially if you consider the small $20 premium and that you don't lose your warranty. For users who are not willing to spend a lot of money for a GeForce 8800 Ultra this card seems to be a viable alternative. Mushkin HP-580 AP Power Supply @ techpowerup.com [May-30-07] (0 Comments) While Mushkin is traditionally a high performance memory manufacturer they also have several power supplies in their lineup. Today we take a look at the Mushkin HP-580AP which offers 580W of power output as the name suggests. For a sub $100 price you get sleeved cables, a modular design and Rail Fusion which keeps your system stable, even if you go beyond the rated maximum load. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 memory kit DDR-2 not dead yet @ tweaktown.com [May-29-07] (0 Comments) DDR-3 is now coming to the desktop thanks again to Intel. DDR-3 in its early form has been shown to not only outperform DDR-2 at clock for clock speeds (something DDR-2 could not do over DDR-1), but DDR-3 is able to clock higher than DDR-2 could ever dream of, in fact we managed 1500MHz DDR-3 speeds in our recent tests.Today we are stepping back from DDR-3 and looking at some DDR-2 modules from Crucial Technology. While DDR-3 is the future for Intel platforms, DDR-2 is still the mainstream product for Intel as well as the only memory technology currently supported by AMD and its Athlon 64 processors which have memory controllers on the CPU. [News] Mushkin 4GB HP2-6400 (2x2GB) DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [May-27-07] (0 Comments) Yes it's true that 2GB is plenty of RAM but 4GB is twice as nice,and with the price of this kit just under $350, the question is simplyanswered; the performance outweighing the price. Not too many people are inthe market for a 4GB kit of RAM but if you are a gamer, video editor, orlooking for something to brag about.... OCZ Acquires PC Power & Cooling @ techgage.com [May-26-07] (0 Comments) This acquisition means a lot for OCZ, most notably thatthey are reallyfocusing on pushing out quality power supplies, not just memory. As itstands, their current PSU line-up will remain unchanged, but ratherPCP&C will simply take the highest-end spot in their line-up. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-8500 @ overclockersonline.net [May-26-07] (0 Comments) Esthetics and appearance aside, these modules are prettysolid...okay, so they are extremely satisfying. You are basically gettingthe fastest binned memory from the manufacturer who makes the most importantcomponent in any other kit of memory rated at the same speed or higher. I ama bench marker and out-right performance is all that impresses me withmemory. The 3-4-3 overclocking of this memory has me very impressed and Ihave had some good kits at those timings. the bonus with this kit is that itclocks at 5-5-5 as well as some of the PC2-9200 modules out there. OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 SLi-Ready Memory @ modders-inc.com [May-24-07] (0 Comments) The OCZ name is well known when it comes to memory. Offering topnotch performance and outstanding overclocking capabilities, it is hard tobeat. OCZ's PC2-6400 SLi-Ready memory modules are programmed to boot at800MHz DDR2 with timings of 4-4-4 1T. DDR-2 vs. DDR-3 Memory An exhaustive look @ tweaktown.com [May-24-07] (0 Comments) The release of the P35 chipset from Intel has marked DDR-3 memory coming to the mainstream market. While pricey at the moment and not looking all that attractive when it comes to timings, we find ourselves in the same position as at the launch of DDR-2 which came with a high price tag and pretty ordinary looking specs out of the gate.With a bunch of motherboards along with some DDR-3 memory from our friends at Corsair, we are going to dive in and have a look at exactly what an upgrade to DDR-3 is going to do for us at this point in time but is it worth jumping straight on the bandwagon right now? Maybe we should wait it out for a bit? Is the P35 a worthy upgrade from the P965? This and more will be answered as we look through a number of different setups and benchmarks in this article. Mushkin XP2-8500 4 GB @ techpowerup.com [May-24-07] (0 Comments) Mushkin's XP2-8500 4 GB DDR2 memory is the only kit on the market that can run DDR2-1066 in a 4 GB configuration. While other manufacturers have to use CL6 @ 800 MHz, Mushkin can use CL5 @ 1066, at around 2.30 V. Having 4 GB of system memory may soon be the recommended configuration when running the memory-hungry Windows Vista. The only drawback of this memory is its price:$679. Crucial 2GB kit Ballistix DDR2 PC2-8500 memory module @ rbmods.com [May-21-07] (0 Comments) The Pc2-8500 memory kits are slowly turning into the standard kits on OCZ Trifecta 2GB Secure Digital Memory Card @ thinkcomputers.org [May-21-07] (0 Comments) With so many electronic products using so many different memorycards it is a pain to carry all of them around. And you also need a cardreader to read all of these different cards. Well OCZ has come up with asolution to this problem. They have taken 3 of the most popular types ofmemory cards and put them into 1 device. The OCZ Trifecta is a microSD, SD,and USB drive all in one. Patriot DDR2-1150/PC2-9200 2 GB Memory Kit @ hardwaresecrets.com [May-21-07] (0 Comments) Our review of Patriot PDC22G9200ELK, a 2 GB PC2-9200 memory kit rated at 1,150 MHz with 5-5-5-12 timings. Check it out. OCZ DDR2 PC2-9200 Reaper HPC Edition @ overclockersonline.net [May-21-07] (0 Comments) The performance of these Reaper HPCs at 5-5-5 certainly was brightenough to blind me without glasses. I still can't get over how well theyscale above DDR1200 with such small amounts of voltage. Obviously theability for these crazy high clocks to continue rising just isn't there. Isaw with my P5B-Dlx that it simply couldn't handle dual-channel memory pastDDR1280 although the memory seemed more than willing. It appears as thoughthe tortoise has caught up to the hare and is going to pass him...until thenew round of chipsets come out which has already begun. TakeMS 667/800 DDR2 Memory Kit @ tekbunker.com [May-17-07] (0 Comments) The real treasure is in little blue box, and we have received two kits of 1Gb DDR2 modules! One kit is Pc5300 (DDR2-667) and the other is PC6400 (DDR2-800). My hands were a bit shaking the first time I've opened the blue-box:-), hey it's not everyday situation that you can hold 4 gigabytes of ram, right? MSI PC2008 in Taipei Event Exclusive (Part 2:Upcoming Santa Rosa NB) @ tweaktown.com [May-16-07] (0 Comments) Robson technology or Turbo Memory is also part of the new Centrino Duo platform, although as this is still rather expensive, it is unlikely that most notebooks will ship with a Turbo Memory module fitted. It will also be interesting to see what impact Turbo Memory has on overall system performance, as ReadyBoost did not prove to be a huge hit. Other news includes support for draft 802.11n wireless networking, again something that only higher-end models are likely to ship with. SATA 3Gb/s is part of the new ICH and this should allow for somewhat improved performance. Intel has also added support for Intel Matrix RAID, which is interesting, so we might see a lot more notebooks with twin hard drives in the near future.On the integrated graphics side of things, a new GMA has been developed, the X3100, which according to Intel offers twice the performance in 3DMark06. It also adds Vista Premium certification, HDMI support and better video playback performance for high-definition content. At the same time as Intel launched the new Centrino platform, Nvidia also announced its GeForce 8M series of graphics cards, which are mobile versions of the 8400 and 8600 series. These are already available in several Centrino Duo models from MSI as well as other manufacturers and this is the route to go down it you really intend to play games on your notebook. So let us take a look at what was on at the show. MSI GeForce NX8800GTX OC Liquid Water cooling vs. the 8800 Ultra @ tweaktown.com [May-15-07] (0 Comments) We have not seen MSI venture to water cooled cards before and the 8800 GTX is still of a bit of an untapped market for this. Asus has an Aqua model which uses the aging Tide Water system from Thermaltake. This particular system is not too quiet, takes up a load of room, and is generally pretty inefficient. The only other company to have a water cooled card is BFG Tech but its version is a bit more hardcore, it is only for people who already have a water cooled system in their case.MSI on the other hand seems to use its own design which unlike the Tide Water looks to cool everything from the GPU to the memory and unlike the BFG Tech is an all in one system making it a good option for people who do not really know what they are doing. MSI GeForce NX8800GTX OC Liquid Water cooling vs. the 8800 Ultra @ tweaktown.com [May-15-07] (0 Comments) We have not seen MSI venture to water cooled cards before and the 8800 GTX is still of a bit of an untapped market for this. Asus has an Aqua model which uses the aging Tide Water system from Thermaltake. This particular system is not too quiet, takes up a load of room, and is generally pretty inefficient. The only other company to have a water cooled card is BFG Tech but its version is a bit more hardcore, it is only for people who already have a water cooled system in their case.MSI on the other hand seems to use its own design which unlike the Tide Water looks to cool everything from the GPU to the memory and unlike the BFG Tech is an all in one system making it a good option for people who do not really know what they are doing. Thermaltake Mini Typhoon Value Pack @ thinkcomputers.org [May-12-07] (0 Comments) The Thermaltake Mini Typhoon CPU cooler has been out for some timenow. They have just recently upgraded this cooler with a value pack thatincludes 2 50mm fans that attach to the Mini Typhoon and can be angled tocool your memory, northbridge, or other parts of your motherboard. This is areally unique idea, we will have to see how effective it really is. The MiniTyphoon itself features 6 heatpipes, and all copper design, and a silent RXtype flow fan. Corsair Flash Voyager GT Fastest USB pen drive in the world? @ tweaktown.com [May-10-07] (0 Comments) Not only have the devices themselves got a lot smaller and faster, but these days there is a lot of extra functionality such as encryption or the ability to run applications from your memory key and you can even get ruggedized drives for those of us that have a habit of dropping things.With Windows Vista a new use for USB flash drives was introduced ReadyBoost and we are going to put the Flash Voyager GT to the test in that to see if it makes a difference. We will also be measuring the drive's performance in real world file copy tests and using HD Tech and comparing it against two other drives, the previous-generation Flash Voyager, and the SanDisk Cruzer Micro. So let us move on to the results and see if the Corsair Flash Voyager GT lives up to expectations. USB Drives For Ready Boost @ hardwaresecrets.com [May-10-07] (0 Comments) Last time we visited Super Talent they showed us some special USB drives for Ready Boost, Windows Vista caching mechanism that at least in theory improves the PC performance. So what is special about them as any USB drive or memory card can be used for Ready Boost? What is different about them is the fact that instead of using the standard 4-pin USB connector, they use the 10-pin motherboard header connector and thus are targeted to be installed inside the PC (and not outside), directly on the motherboard. MSI P35 Platinum Motherboard Retail Bearlake hit the shelves @ tweaktown.com [May-10-07] (0 Comments) Now motherboards based on Intels P35 chipset are hitting shop shelves in Taiwan and other places around the world, we are able to start testing and providing reviews.Today we have been given the first of what we hope to be many retail boards based on the Bearlake P35 chipset. It is set to replace the Intel P965 chip as the mid-range monster with some updated features and specs such as support for upcoming 45nm Wolfdale and Yorkfield processors, PCI Express 2.0, updated ICH9 Southbridge as well as support for DDR-3 memory. A-DATA My Flash PD16 8 GB @ techpowerup.com [May-10-07] (0 Comments) The A-DATA MyFlash PD16 is a very solid and spacious USB 2.0 memory device with capacities of up to 16 GB. It features a lifetime warranty and can be used for Vista ReadyBoost. The aluminum/plastic construction makes it a bit heavier than other memory sticks, but also adds to the durability. We take an all around look and benchmark the PD16 to see if it performs as good as it looks. 4GB of memory, how do you use it all? Mushkin XPS2-8500 Tested @ tweaktown.com [May-09-07] (0 Comments) Back when 32-bit CPUs were first released, the first being the 386-series for the x86 architecture, registrable and accessible memory size increased up to 4GB. While you can plug 4GB into any 32-bit CPU system it will not all be addressable. Why this is, we will elaborate on later.Today we are going to give you the low-down on the whys of 4GB memory setups and how you can get beyond the 4GB limit, which is not hard with today's technology. Mushkin 4GB XP2-8500 @ techgage.com [May-09-07] (0 Comments) Mushkin is the only memory company right now to offer4GB extremeperformance kits, with their top-end offering on our test bench today.Despite the fact that it already has high stock speeds, we weresurprised to find out that it still had a lot of overclocking headroom. Corsair Dominator 8500C5DF:Overclocking @ nordichardware.com [May-08-07] (0 Comments) Thanks to Micron's memory circuits, there's a lot of headroom for fiddling with memory settings to find a setting that fits the system's configuration, like FSB and CPU speed. If you can access high voltages, there's a lot of potential for overclocking these circuits far beyond their specified speeds. MSI NX8800GTS-T2D320E-HD OC @ nvnews.net [May-08-07] (0 Comments) With prices below $300, the power of the best NVIDIA has to offer is now available for everyone. With the only difference between the two GTS models being the amount of GDDR3 RAM (640MB vs. 320MB) the sub-$300 price is attractive and reasonable. MSI took the reference design and upped the ante by increasing the core and memory clock speeds in their NX8800GTS-T2D320E-HD OC offering. The increase in raw speed on the card served as a good reminder that the marketing hype of Gainward 8800GTS 640MB Golden Sample SLi @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [May-07-07] (0 Comments) Today we have a treat for you as I will be reviewing the Gainward8800GTS 640mb Bliss Golden sample in SLi, this is one of the latest GeForcechipsets on the market, holding a massive 640mb of RAM on each card. Whichadds up to a total of 1280mb of GFX memory which should be more than enoughto play the latest games on the market, as well as some future titles. Addto that they are also the golden sample editions with a GPU clock speed of550 and 1760 I am expecting great things. [News] CoolIT Systems PCI Cooling Booster and Ram Fan @ virtual-hideout.net [May-05-07] (0 Comments) Overclockers will find the extra cooling a great benefit especiallyin regards to the memory modules. And extreme overclockers typicallyunderstand that reaching those insane frequencies require a few sacrificesone of which is noise. There is just no way to get around the noise if yoursystem is dependent on good air flow... Twintech GeForce 8600 GTS @ techpowerup.com [May-04-07] (0 Comments) Twintech's new GeForce 8600 GTS is based on the NVIDIA reference design using the G84 GPU. It comes with 256 MB of fast GDDR3 memory clocked at 1 GHz, the graphics processor runs at 675 MHz. This is the first DirectX 10 card for the midrange segment with its price tag of around $210. OCZ Technology PC2-6400 Titanium EPP-Ready Dual Channel DDR2 @ bigbruin.com [May-04-07] (0 Comments) The performance of the OCZ Technology PC2-6400 Titanium EPP-Ready Dual Channel DDR2 was impressive and the enthusiast targeted features made possible through EPP were definitely welcomed. In addition to EPP, these modules support OCZ's EVP (Extended Voltage Protection), which allows the voltage to be raised to 2.3V without impacting the lifetime warranty. All in all, this is a memory kit for the present and the future. Super Talent T1000UX2G4 2 gig Memory kit @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [May-04-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent are not a small company but rather a very experiencedone with 20 years under it's belt so the kit we are looking at today, theT1000UX2G4 2 gig PC8000 1000mhz with 4,5,4,15 timings should return a goodperformance hit over the recently reviewed Corsair dominator 1066 kit welooked at.. MSI P6N SLI Platinum Motherboard @ viperlair.com [May-04-07] (0 Comments) From a performance, stability and overclocking stand point, some of it depends on the BIOS you use. At time of writing, the latest 1.22 BIOS is still beta, but if you want the most from the board, this is the BIOS revision to use if you are overclocking. Standard performance with the original BIOS is quite good, especially in the memory department. CPU performance does fall slightly behind the likes of the 975x chipset in synthetic tests, but most multimedia applications don't suffer noticeably as a consequence. Gaming performance is excellent. OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPC Memory @ pro-clockers.com [May-03-07] (0 Comments) Damn man! OCZ is at it again with some new memory and a new style ofcooling. For those who need a refresher course on OCZ ram cooling, firstthey hit us with the XTC heat spreaders and then out of nowhere came theFlexXLC. All great memory that added some style and finesse, along withadvanced cooling to ram modules. But just when you figure they could not addanother twist to their lineup OCZ presents us with the Reaper HPC lineup.The specs of the new memory are PC2-8500 with 5-5-5-15. Is this new memoryin your future? Well, for about $300 it could be. But read the article andsee if it is worth it. Corsair Flash Voyager GT 8GB Memory stick @ rbmods.com [May-01-07] (0 Comments) Is it a flash light? No, is it a Bluetooth dongle? No it's actuallythe latest flash memory from Corsair we are going to talk about. About ayear ago we reviewed the Corsair FlashVoyager and today we will look at the Flash Voyager GT with a whole whooping8GB of memory. The old stick was able to resits most durability tests, willthis do the same and can it also perform better than the old one? Lets findout. [News] 3 Days Left in the SuperTalent Ram Giveaway @ virtual-hideout.net [Apr-28-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent has teamed up with Virtual-Hideout for the month ofApril in order to giveaway three (3) PC2-6400 DDR2 overclocking memory kits!That's right, 3 chances to win one of these fantastic prizes! You don'tneed to visit the forums, or register or anything to enter. Simply enteryour email into the box below and you're entered! OCZ Technology ProXStream 1000W Power Supply @ bigbruin.com [Apr-27-07] (0 Comments) OCZ Technology has been manufacturing enthusiast quality memory for many years, and they have recently expanded their presence in other enthusiast markets. Their previous power supplies have generally been met with high praise in reviews, and they have now returned with a 1000W unit of their own, the ProXStream. Mushkin XP2-8500 2GB DDR2 RAM Kit @ rbmods.com [Apr-26-07] (0 Comments) Today we are focusing our review on a new memory kit from Mushkin.They sent us a sample of their latest XP2-8500 which we will compare vs someother high performing memory kits on the market. Mushkin is well known fortheir high performing ram kits so this will most certainly be veryinteresting to see if they can live up to their name on this ram kit also. DDR3 Memory Modules from Super Talent @ hardwaresecrets.com [Apr-26-07] (0 Comments) We took some pictures of two 512 MB DDR3 memory modules from Super Talent, take a look by yourself. Super Talent DDR2 1000 (T1000UX2G4) 2GB @ gideontech.com [Apr-26-07] (0 Comments) This week I was given a chance to look over a pair of Super Talent Technology Corporation's 2GB (2 x 1GB Dual Channel) DDR2 PC2 8000 T1000UX2G4 overclocked RAM for gamers. The timings for this set of memory is a tight 4-5-4-15 - compared to the common 5-5-5-15 variety. With 20 years under the belt, Super Talent stands behind their product. All ram modules are protected with a lifetime warranty. Internal Card Reader with USB 2.0 from USBGeek @ dragonsteelmods.com [Apr-25-07] (0 Comments) Quite a few types of devices out there today use some sort of memory card to store their data on, be it music, photos, games etc. What I've always wondered is why don't computer manufacturers include card readers as a standard feature on their computers. Yes some do, but most don't, so what you need to do is go and buy a separate card reader for your system like the one I have today for review from USBGeek. The Internal Card Reader with USB 2.0 is just that, a card reader with a couple extra USB ports on it, no audio ports, no firewire, none of that stuff. How many people actually use all those ports anyway? I know I don't, but I do use a card reader all the time and my USB ports. So this product is simple but yet right on with what is needed by most people. Kingston KHX9600D2K2/1GB Memory Kit @ hardwarelogic.com [Apr-25-07] (0 Comments) When it comes to enthusiast memory, Kingston is not the first name that usually comes to mind. Although Kingston markets themselves as the Solid State put to the test Team 16GB 2.5-inch IDE Solid State Drive @ tweaktown.com [Apr-25-07] (0 Comments) Several years ago companies started releasing USB pen drives which have reinvented the way stored data could be transported. USB pen drives (and other flash products, such as memory cards used in your digital camera) use NAND non-volatile flash memory, which is able to store and retain data even without power, making this type of memory very versatile. Pen drives were expensive at first release but now you can pick up a 1GB drive for just a few dollars, and flash memory prices are constantly decreasing. Not too long ago, some smart chap had the idea of replacing the aging hard disk drive bound with problems such as heat, size, weight, noise and mechanical failure with solid state technology. Instead of using a hard drive with moving parts, why not create a new type of drive, which is solid state and more reliable, using flash memory chips?It has been said that, within the next ten years, SSD (Solid State Drives) will replace the aging hard drive, and in the interim HDD / SSD hybrids are likely to increase in popularity as the storage technology of choice. Today we get our first look at SSD technology as we check out Team Group's 16GB 2.5-inch notebook solid state disk. At 16GB the drive is not a monster when it comes to total storage capacity, but as we take a look at this pre-production product it should give us a good introduction to the potential of SSD technology. Sapphire X1650XT 256 PCI-E Graphics Card @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Apr-24-07] (0 Comments) Once I had got the stock results from both the 7600gt and theSapphire X1650xt (stock for my 7600gt is 560Mhz Core and 1400Mhz memory asit comes pre overclocked) I decided to see how well the X1650xt over clocks.To do this I used Ati's Overdrive feature from within the Catalyst ControlCentre to auto detect the highest clocks possible. I mean who is going toleave things stock these days when the drivers come with a built inOverclocking tool? Super Talent T1000UX2G4 2GB PC2-8000 Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Apr-23-07] (0 Comments) When you think of enthusiast memory Super Talent does not come tomind, but they do offer many different enthusiast modules. Today we will belooking at the T1000UX2G4 which is a 2GB kit of their 1000MHz enthusiastmemory. We will be putting it up against some other name brands in thememory business to see just how well it performs. Read on for the review. Transcend 2GB DDR2-667 Mac Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Apr-23-07] (0 Comments) Throughout its long and proud history, Apple computer systems havewidely been considered the standard for graphics professionals and webdesigners. But, some programs like Photoshop CS, Illustrator, and even Final Cut Studio have madesystem memory upgrades a critical necessity to have these programs functionat their highest performance levels. Many manufacturers make proprietarymemory for the Mac, but today we have a 2GB DDR2-667 RAM kit from Transcendthat hopefully will turn heads without breaking our pocket books. Thismemory kit should really kick our Macbook into high gear. Super Talent T1000UX2G5 PC2-8000 Memory @ hardwarelogic.com [Apr-22-07] (0 Comments) With Microsoft's Vista operating system and newer games like Supreme Commander sucking up system resources, 2GB of system memory is no longer a luxury, it's is fast becoming a necessity. However, not any 2GB kits will do the job, save for those running systems from Dell, Gateway, etc. For them, they'll probably never know the difference or benefits of a quality memory kit. But for those who pride themselves on benchmarking and fine tuning their systems to the cutting edge, only high octane components will do. Super Talent T1000UX2G5 2GB PC2-8000 DDR2 Memory Kit @ bigbruin.com [Apr-20-07] (0 Comments) The Super Talent T1000UX2G5 2GB PC2-8000 DDR2 Memory Kit performs great at its advertised speed of 1000MHz and fairly relaxed timings. Using more aggressive timings (4-4-4-12) allowed this memory to operated error-free up to 1075MHz, and changing the timings back to the default 5-5-5-15 allowed the memory to run stably at 1200MHz. Sapphire X1950 Pro Dual @ techpowerup.com [Apr-17-07] (0 Comments) Sapphire's X1950 Pro Dual is the world's first video card that uses two ATI RV570 GPUs on a single PCB. The board comes with 2x 512 MB of GDDR3 memory for a price of $399. In our testing the card shows that it has to potential to narrow the performance gap to NVIDIA's lineup until R600 is released. Crucial 2GB kit (1GBx2), Ballistix Tracer DDR2 PC2-6400 memory @ rbmods.com [Apr-14-07] (0 Comments) Everyone looks at the latest memory kits on the market these days toget maximum performance, but to get that you have to being will to part withquite a bit of money. However, there are still good choices when it comes tothe OCZ PC2-6400 CL 3 DDR2 - FlexXLC Edition @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Apr-14-07] (0 Comments) For this review I am going to be looking at a new piece of hardwarefrom OCZ. It is a product that OCZ are, probably, most well known for a newmemory solution, not just ANY memory though this is one of the sets from thewater cooled Flex XLC series, yes that's right its WATER COOLED as standard.As I am a fan of OCZ's memory I have some pretty high hopes for the FlexXLC. Verbatim Store 'n' Go 4GB USB Drive @ techpowerup.com [Apr-11-07] (0 Comments) The Verbatim Store 'n' Go memory sticks occupy the budget end of the entire Store 'n' Go series. They offer size and quality over performance and features, but have a smaller price tag than the other Store 'n' Go variants. 4GB at $30-35 may not sound bad, so we take a close look the USB stick and see if the savings are worth it. Crucial Technology Announces 1066MHz Ballistix & Ballistix Tracer Memory @ tekbunker.com [Apr-10-07] (0 Comments) FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE [News] OCZ 2x1GB PC2-6400 Flex XLC DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Apr-10-07] (0 Comments) OCZ felt there was a customer base willing to pay for a good,reliable CAS Latency 4 memory kit that sports the FlexXLC RAM Sink sincetheir flagship PC2-9200 FlexXLC Kit requires a prettier penny. After usingthe memory for a local INTEL sponsored LAN party, it definitely drew somevery curious users looking for something new to add to their extreme gamingsystems. OCZ Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse @ xyzcomputing.com [Apr-09-07] (0 Comments) OCZ is a company that is known for its memory, but has expanded to one that more broadly caters to enthusiasts. They don't only make memory, but also power supplies, cooling equipment, and video cards, so the addition of an input device to the mix may seem strange at first, but is not that much of a jump for them. They are a company that is very much in touch with the hardware community and if they think say can make a better mouse then it is probably worth checking in to. The product in question is the Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse. I first saw this product a couple months back at CES when it looked ready but apparently still need further development or manufacturing. The product is finally here and it is selling for about $34-40 depending on whether you get the smaller, mobile size (tested) or the large, desktop size. The two models are essentially the same, though the mobile size, as you will see, is quite small. Technic3D/oVerkill.OC Picture and Video @ technic3d.com [Apr-09-07] (0 Comments) Technic3D goes with the German Overclocking Team oVerkill.OC o n CeBIT 2007. We brake on the Enermax Booth new German Records with BF G Graphic Cards, Kingston Memory and Enermax PSU. Every Day extreme Ov erclocking with -100=B0C and more. You can see on Technic3D 124 Pictur e and a Video. Does ReadyBoost Really Improve Performance? @ hardwaresecrets.com [Apr-06-07] (0 Comments) ReadyBoost is a technology brought by Windows Vista that allows any piece of flash memory like pen drives and memory cards to be used as a disk cache improving, in theory, the system performance. However so far we were not able to see any performance improvement on our system. Lets explore the subject. ReadyBoost on the Run @ xyzcomputing.com [Apr-04-07] (0 Comments) One of the best uses of ReadyBoost is on a notebook, where memory is expensive, sometimes hard to install, and there are not as many memory slots as on a desktop. ReadyBoost is not a replacement for additional system memory but it can help out, especially at times when your system could use more memory. The only problem with this is keeping a USB drive hanging out of the side of a laptop is a surefire way to create a problem- either by the drive catching on something and being ripped from the socket, the system being pulled to the ground after getting snagged on a passerby, maybe just getting left behind when moving your laptop from one place to another. Luckily there is solution. Corsair Dominator 9136C5D and 10000C5DF memory ed @ bit-tech.net [Apr-03-07] (0 Comments) If money is no object and you want the absolute best money canbuy thenthere is simply no alternative available to Corsair's PC-10000Dominator memory. It's how Corsair has targeted this memory and how wehave skewed the final scores accordingly. You are simply not going tobe concerned with the poor value score if you are thinking of buyingeither of these memory kits.But for those very few who are confused and wondering what to throw alarge chunk of money at in a new system, then there are just too manyother factors, like motherboard choice, that overrule any pureperformance increase from just memory alone. You could make someeducated buying decisions and concentrate on building a more balancedsystem with better-value performance increases. That's not to say youdon't need performance memory, because of the cumulative effects itprovides as a fundamental system resource. [News] Kingston 2GB DataTraveler Reader & 1GB ReadyFlash @ virtual-hideout.net [Apr-02-07] (0 Comments) The thought of adding a media card reader into a USB flash drive isjust another way to simplify our cluttered lives. With Kingston andMicrosoft working together, the DataTraveler ReadyFlash was created usingthe next generation of memory technology. The Windows ReadyBoost featureprovides users with.... [News] Super Talent April 2007 Ram Giveaway @ virtual-hideout.net [Apr-01-07] (0 Comments) Super Talent has teamed up with Virtual-Hideout for the month ofApril to giveaway (3) PC2-6400 DDR2 over clocking memory kits valued around$200 each! That's right, 3 prizes and 3 chances to win! Just stop by anddrop your email into the box and click submit to enter! It's that easy! All Opteron Models @ hardwaresecrets.com [Mar-31-07] (0 Comments) A series of quick reference tables containing the main specs of all Opteron processors released to date. Updated to include models supporting DDR2 memory. Crucial Ballistix Tracer PC2-6400 DDR2 2GB Memory Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Mar-30-07] (0 Comments) The last time we took a look at some Ballistix memory from Crucialwas way back in August when we reviewed the Ballistix DDR2 PC2-5300 memory.This time we are checking out some Ballistix memory, but it is the TracerBallistix memory which features two rows of eight A look at Penryn, Nehalem and Intel's Future @ bit-tech.net [Mar-29-07] (0 Comments) Say goodbye to the northbridge, because Nehalem will integratethe memory controller into the CPU core.Intel is finally ready to do what AMD has been doing for years with theK8 architecture - incorporate an on-die memory controller, to lowermemory access latencies, reduce power consumption of the whole platformand make designing future motherboards far easier.This could be be a marketing nightmare for Intel’s PR and the greencamp is going to be rolling around the floor in fits of glee at thisnews, but respect to Intel for ultimately biting the bullet and makingthe right choice. That said, Intel was in a similar situation when itcreated the Pentium M and had to convince the market the MHz wasn’t theonly performance rating that mattered after years of preaching thecontrary – and that turned out to be one of the most successful movesfor Intel in recent history. Alienware Area-51 7500 @ hothardware.com [Mar-29-07] (0 Comments) Like other Alienware systems, the Area-51 7500 has many configurableoptions, such as processor, operating system, memory, chassis color, harddrive, and much more. You can spend anywhere from $2,199 for the defaultoptions, which don't include a monitor, to over $10,000 if you maxeverything out. articles::Intel drops Nehalem bomb. Integrated memory controller and graphics to come in '08. @ hexus.net [Mar-29-07] (0 Comments) Integrated memory controllers, new system architectures,boosted Core microarchitecture performance were just some of thetopics covered. Read on to find out how Intel is planning to executeits CPU roadmap for the next 18 months, and why some of it might comeas a shock. Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5DF - XMS2 Dominator @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Mar-24-07] (0 Comments) Today we are looking at a DDR2 8500 kit from the new range ofDominator kits, what is so different about the Dominator series as thatCorsair went out and totally redesigned the heat spreader (more on thislater) they also sent over one of their memory fan coolers as well to helpkeep things cool. [News] Patriot 2GB PC2-6400 DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Mar-23-07] (0 Comments) the Patriot Extreme modules can currently be found for under $200with some rebates floating around that make the memory well worth the buy.If you're looking for a great Albatron @ techpowerup.com [Mar-23-07] (0 Comments) Albatron is showing off the AMD 690G ITX board up and running at their booth. You will also find an Intel P33 based mainboard with two 24 pin power connectors and a full size G35 based ATX board. The company is also letting visitors take a close look at their newest addition - DDR2 memory modules with golden chip heat spreaders. AMD R600 retail Radeon X2900XTX better photos immerge! @ tweaktown.com [Mar-22-07] (0 Comments) It took a lot of convincing but we have finally been able to secure real photos of AMDs upcoming Radeon X2900XTX graphics card based on their R600 core and codenamed Dragonshead 2.It will come with 1GB of GDDR-4 memory but other items such as clock speeds have not been confirmed yet more details here from our previous AMD roadmap update on R600 - details confirmed! news story. The only thing we seemed to screw up on was the launch date, which is looking more and more likely to be sometime in May, but nobody seems to be 100% sure at this stage.The folks at AMD and ATI went to great lengths to stop pictures being leaked onto the web but with some angry partners, it was only a matter of time until something solid was discovered. nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 640MB vs. 1280MB in SLI mode @ tweaktown.com [Mar-21-07] (0 Comments) We have had a look at the 320MB nVidia GeForce 8800GTS graphic card offering a few times here at TweakTown in the past - we have looked at it in its stock form, overclocked and in SLI. Its a fantastic card and doesnt disappoint but in our first article we mainly focused on how it compared against the 640MB in single card configuration. Today we are going to be re-focusing on this situation but when the cards are used together in SLI mode.With in excess of 1.2GB of memory on offer when the 640MB cards are enabled in SLI mode, you have to wonder are we simply at a point of overkill. Are the 640MB cards for non-SLI and the 320MB cards for SLI? These are some of the questions we hope to answer today. Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-10000C5DF @ hothardware.com [Mar-21-07] (0 Comments) In PC enthusiast circles, Corsair is a name that needs nointroduction. For years, the company has consistently produced some of themost sought after, high speed memory modules available at the time. TheirXMS line of DDR memory was incredibly popular when it was released, as werethe company's Pro and Xpert modules. Today it's Corsair Dominator memorykits that are enticing PC enthusiasts, thanks to their innovative coolingsolution and high-performance. XFX GeForce 8800GTS 320MB XXX (Factory Overclocked) @ tweaktown.com [Mar-19-07] (0 Comments) The particular variant we are looking at is the XXX edition which has the highest core and memory speed - the other OC version from XFX is the Extreme edition which has slightly higher clock speeds than the base model but lower than XXX edition. There is also of course a default (base) model although we have seen the performance of that from the MSI GTS 320MB product offering already.Lets continue on and see what XFX have for us package wise before we check out the card and then later its performance. It is actually worth spending more on the factory overclocked edition or is it a waste of money? AMD roadmap update on R600 - details confirmed! @ tweaktown.com [Mar-15-07] (0 Comments) The big daddy of them all, the Radeon X2900XTX (codenamed Dragons Head 2 in 9.5 size XTX configuration with GDDR4 memory), is due to hit shop shelves on 30th of March 2007 but its still unsure if they will actually make that date. Samples were already delivered to AMDs partners last week and many companies will likely have R600 live demos on display at CeBIT. The Radeon X2900XT (codenamed Cats Eye also measuring 9.5 but with GDDR3 memory and reduced clock speeds about 15% below XTX) will hit shop shelves on 19th of April. Dragons Head 2 is actually already well into production and product will be delivered to AIBs in just a few days from now. After a grand total of 13 revisions, it seems like AMD have finally got things right and are satisfied with production output revision A13 it is. Technic3D/Crucial Ballistix PC-8000 2GB Kit @ technic3d.com [Mar-14-07] (0 Comments) The Crucial Ballistix PC-8000 2GB Kit arrived Technic3D. Techn ic3D will see as good they are with 5-5-5-15 and Overclocking against other Memory Kits on Windows Vista Ultimate. You can see 1.160 MHz in the following Review. CeBIT 2007 coverage from Taiwan (Part 1) DDR-3, SSD and R600 @ tweaktown.com [Mar-13-07] (0 Comments) We managed to get the low down on Intels upcoming P35 Bearlake chipset with native 1333 FSB and DDR-3 memory support. We got our first look at some brand spankin new DDR-3 memory modules. Albatron was showing working nVidia MXM modules along with some fancy Mini-ITX motherboards. TEAM Memory showed us 64GB and 128GB IDE and SATA Solid State drives. MSI were showing a range of new products including a portable device capable of picking up digital TV on the run. ABIT showed us a range of their upcoming Intel Bearlake motherboards and the list goes on.Put your seatbelt on for Part 1 and prepare yourself for the ride! We are bringing you this content about a full day before CeBIT Germany 2007 begins and well ahead of any other publications. Part 2 will be online March 14th covering everything else that wasnt covered here. Sapphire Radeon X1950GT Testing 256MB vs. 512MB memory @ tweaktown.com [Mar-12-07] (0 Comments) When we had a look at the Palit Radeon X1950GT 512MB the other week, we noticed that at the higher resolutions, it would put up more of a fight against the higher clocked 256MB graphics cards, such as the Radeon X1950PRO and GeForce 7900GS.With the new Sapphire Radeon X1950GT 256MB in hand, it was clear what we wanted to find out - does the extra memory really come in handy? We saw that the cut back to 320MB on the GeForce 8800GTS had quite the impact on performance and it often mentioned that 512MB can be handy on the right card as long as it had the GPU power to back it up. NGO ATI Optimized Driver v1.7.2 @ ngohq.com [Mar-12-07] (0 Comments) The NGO ATI Optimized Driver is a modified version of the ATI Catalyst driver. The main purpose is to satisfy the users with better performance, image quality and compatibility. The NGO ATI Optimized Driver can enhance your experience in games, multimedia and general usage. This project is especially suited for enthusiasts and gamers that want to have the best gaming experience.This driver includes ATI Control Panel and ATI Tray Tools by Ray Adams (Optional). We've preferred to include Control Panel over Catalyst Control Center due to the lower memory usage and flexibility. You can use ATI Tray Tools to take full control and to adjust advanced features while the Control Panel will give you basic control options. With ATI Tray Tools you can create game profiles and assign specific settings for each application. XFX 7600 GT Fatal1ty Video Card @ modders-inc.com [Mar-09-07] (0 Comments) XFX recently took the 7600 GT to a new level by introducing thefastest factory clocked 7600 GT video card yet. They teamed up with Fatal1tyto create this XFX 7600 GT Fatal1ty Professional Series card. There areseveral companies that have done this in the past like Abit, Creative, andZalman. The XFX 7600 GT Fatal1ty card comes in with a 650Mhz core clock, anda 1.6 Ghz memory clock straight out of the box. Foxconn N68S7AA-8EKRS2H nForce 680i Motherboard @ tweaktown.com [Mar-09-07] (0 Comments) Intel has its own very solid P965 and 975X chipsets along with its upcoming Bearlake P35 and X38 series chipsets with DDR-3 memory support among other things and should show up in the May and June time frame. SiS has new ones coming out, VIA even has started to look into Core 2 and even AMD/ATI has chipsets currently on the market and even working on new ones for their competitors processor platform. nVidia though at this time is the biggest player for Core 2, especially for Dual Graphics SLI.Today we are looking at another contender for the Core 2 market using the nVidia nForce 680i chipset being Foxconn with their obscurely named N68S7AA-8EKRS2H motherboard. Foxconn has been known in the past for the more budget conscious boards, not wanting to take on the big boys like MSI, ASUS, Gigabyte and the likes who really push overclocking to its limits but it seems like they mean business now and are ready for the challenge. [News] Corsair Nautilus GPU Water Blocks @ virtual-hideout.net [Mar-07-07] (0 Comments) The Nautilus helped achieve and maintain the test video card'shighest most stable overclock by keeping the GPU and video memory down to a46 C temperature without any noise. Performance like this is synonymous withCorsair. If you find yourself requiring this particular change of pace, thenthe Corsair Nautilus SLI-VGA Water Blocks is a very easy choice. OCZ Flex XLC Hybrid Water-Cooled Memory Kit @ hothardware.com [Mar-07-07] (0 Comments) With the release of their Flex XLC modules, OCZ is offering aproduct which is substantially more flexible than most other enthusiastclass memory modules on the market. They can be air-cooled or water-cooled.They'll run at lower clock speeds with tight timings, or at high clockspeeds with more relaxed timings. The Flex XLC modules are unique,efficient, and from what we've seen thus far, the pricing is in line withother high-end modules. OCZ PC2-8500 Platinum @ nordichardware.com [Mar-06-07] (0 Comments) Today we see DDR2 on all performance platforms, at the same time we're seeing that DDR2 has started replacing DDR on the low end systems as well. We've earlier looked at the memory performance of AMD's AM2 platform and now it's time to examine the performance of its Intel counterpart. Super Talent DDR2-1000 PC2-8000 RAM Kit @ rbmods.com [Mar-06-07] (0 Comments) With the release of more power-hungry applications like the new Vistaoperating system and faster processors, there's no doubt that the need forfaster memory modules is growing. Super Talent, a fairly new company to thememory scene, has sent us one of their DDR2 kits, a 2GB PC2-8000 kit, thatpromises maximum performance in stressing environments. Will it stand up tothe competition? Read on to find out. Verbatim Store 'n' Go 4GB U3 Smart Drive @ techpowerup.com [Mar-04-07] (0 Comments) The Verbatim Store 'n' Go U3 is a Smart Drive with the U3 Launchpad included on the memory stick. The addition of the software and improved performance cost the end user around $10 USD more, when compared to the basic Store 'n' Go 4 GB variant available. We benchmark the Verbatim U3 Smart Drive and let you know if the performance and software are worth the small price premium. Sapphire Radeon X1950 GT @ hothardware.com [Mar-03-07] (0 Comments) Sapphire clocks the Radeon X1950 GT at levels which are close to,but slightly lower than the Radeon X1950 Pro. While the Radeon X1950 Profeatured the RV570 GPU clocked at 580MHz with 1.4GHz GDDR-3 memory, theRadeon X1950 GT features the RV570 at 500MHz with 1.2GHz GDDR-3 memory.While a 500MHz GPU clock may seem quite high for a mid-range part, keep inmind that this GPU features 36 pixel shaders, which is 3/4 that of thehigh-end Radeon X1950 XTX. OCZ Equalizer 2500 DPI Laser Gaming Mouse @ pureoverclock.com [Mar-02-07] (0 Comments) The popularity of super-high performance mice aimed at gamers andhardware connoisseurs has grown exponentially, and it's Razer who are mostnotably responsible for much of this. So perhaps it's interesting to see oneof the leaders responsible for the birth of overclockable memory, OCZ, havea stab at the buzz peripheral of the moment - the revered 'gaming' mouse. GoldenMars microSD Memory Card @ rbmods.com [Mar-02-07] (0 Comments) Like many things in the computer world, flash memory has gottenfaster and smaller as the technology has improved. For example, SecureDigital cards can now be found in Palit Radeon X1950GT "Super" and ATI Catalyst 7.2 @ tweaktown.com [Mar-01-07] (0 Comments) OK! We are being a little harsh and a little inaccurate but lets have a look at what exactly the Radeon X1950GT is before we continue to criticize. Its a about the same price as a regular nVidia GeForce 7900GS 256MB but cheaper than the Radeon X1950PRO with 256MB and 512MB of memory. It makes it somewhat of a questionable release since its only marginally cheaper than the 256MB PRO.Lets get into and find out what the new Radeon X1950GT from the folks at Palit has to offer against its competitors and if its actually worth buying or if its just an excuse for AMD and ATI to kill over supply problems of the RV570 chip. Technic3D/Foxconn 8800 GTS @ technic3d.com [Mar-01-07] (0 Comments) The Foxconn 8800 GTS Overclocked arrived Technic3D. The Graphi c Card with the 8800 GTX clock from 575 MHz Core and 900 MHz Memory be tter than others OC High-End Graphic Cards? Technic3D will see that, w ith Overclocking, in the following Review. OCZ Equalizer Laser Gaming Mouse @ proclockers.com [Feb-28-07] (0 Comments) But if you thought that they were keeping it to cooling and videocards and the numerous memory modules they produce you are quite wrong.During the last CES, they announced that they will be giving us even more.And one of those promised products is the OCZ Equalizer. The Equalizer is agaming mouse that is aimed at taking down the likes of Razer and Logitech.The Equalizer boasts some pretty interesting features that many a gamerwould find useful. Will you? Lets check it out. Kingston vs OCZ DDR2-800 Memory head to head @ bit-tech.net [Feb-26-07] (0 Comments) It's hard to justify the more expensive memoryconsidering the testswe've shown - does simply better looking memory warrant the extra cost?Well there’s no doubt the OCZ looks fantastic in a case, providing youhave a means of seeing them. You’d think it was secretly stealing theprints right off your fingers considering how easily the surface picksthem up. The extra fins do keep the modules much cooler than theKingston when you crank up the voltage, but this makes it all the moredifficult to understand the need for integrating watercooling. Danger Den Tyee GPU Waterblock @ techpowerup.com [Feb-24-07] (0 Comments) Danger Den is one of the most established players in the watercooling business. Their new Tyee GPU Waterblock has been designed specifically for the ATI Radeon X1800/X1900 Series and can cool GPU, Memory, Voltage Regulator and CrossFire Encoder Chip with just one block. Even though its installation is a bit complex, it shouldn't be a problem for more experienced users. Technic3D/XFX NVIDIA 8800 GTX XXX @ technic3d.com [Feb-24-07] (0 Comments) The XFX 8800 GTX XXX arrived Technic3D. The Graphic Card XFX N VIDIA 8800 GTX XXX with 630 MHz Core and 1.000 MHz Memory better than others OC High-End Graphic Cards? Technic3D will see that, with Overcl ocking, in the following Review. OCZ ProXStream 1000 watt Power Supply @ tweaktown.com [Feb-23-07] (0 Comments) Fast forward more than half a decade and you will see that the business plan of OCZ hasnt changed much. While the pre-overclocked components arent their bread and butter anymore, they still create a product line that is specifically aimed toward the enthusiast crowd. They have expanded their lineup to include such items as high-performance memory, flash media, video boards and power supplies, just to name a few of the new items.This brings us to todays article, the ProXStream 1000 power supply. As the name implies, it is rated at a whopping 1000 watts of power and reportedly has some features that OCZ feels will set it apart from the other guys. So relax a bit as we delve deeper into the latest high-end PSU from OCZ. While past accomplishments are nice, it wont mean anything for this piece. Well run this thing through the gauntlet and see how it performs. OCZ PC2-9200 Flex XLC Memory - Passive and Liquid Cooled @ pcper.com [Feb-22-07] (0 Comments) =93If you are in the market for the ultimate enthusiast memorysolution, OCZ Technology's Flex XLC modules fit that bill perfectly.=A0Offering not only superb passive cooling, the XLC cooling solution cansupply even lower memory temperatures with the option for liquid cooling.=94 EVGA e-GeForce 8800GTX KO ACS3 768MB @ techpowerup.com [Feb-22-07] (0 Comments) While most GeForce 8800 GTX cards are all based on the same product, with the exact same specs, EVGA has taken the 8800 GTX a step ahead. They cherry picked cards that can run high GPU and memory speeds and engineered a card that is running at higher clocks right out of the box. In our testing we see about 10% increased performance, especially at high resolutions with demanding games. OCZ XTC Memory Cooler @ techpowerup.com [Feb-18-07] (0 Comments) OCZ's XTC Memory Cooler is a plug-on cooling module for your motherboard's memory modules. With people pumping more and more voltage through their memory, temperature becomes a concern and often limits the maximum overclock. In our testing we saw about 20°C decrease in memory temperature and increased overclocking capability. EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB Superclocked @ pcper.com [Feb-16-07] (0 Comments) The EVGA GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB Superclocked graphics card takes thereference speeds and just throws them out the window. The clock rates of576 MHz core, 1350 MHz shader and 1700 MHz memory are well beyond whatNVIDIA set out for the original 8800 GTS line up. In many cases thisoverclocked EVGA model is able to outperform the current flagship from ATI,the X1950 XTX, and is also able to put the pressure on its own big brother,the 640MB version of the 8800 GTS. GeForce 8900GTX and 8950GX2 Pricing and Information @ tweaktown.com [Feb-15-07] (0 Comments) News just hit our bench about upcoming information regarding nVidias upcoming G80 based graphics cards. We want to first clearly state that were not sure if the information is accurate and at best it would just be estimated prices.Our friends over at OCW seem to be talking to the right people here in Taiwan and have a bunch of information regarding the most expensive GeForce 8950GX2 that will be sold for $599 USD. It is rumored to be a dual GPU solution much like the 7950GX2 and will come with a total of 512MB GDDR-4 memory per GPU. News@Technic3D /Mushkin XP2-8500 DDR2 Memory @ technic3d.com [Feb-15-07] (0 Comments) Mushkin offers a Memory PC 8500 DDR2 2 GB Dual Kit. Technic3D will see as good they are with 5-5-4-12 and Overclocking against other Memory Kits. You can see 1.180 MHz in the following Review. Brando Workshop 55-in-1 Card Reader @ thinkcomputers.org [Feb-14-07] (0 Comments) Card readers are simple devices that are very helpful for Photographers and anyone who uses any type of card media. With alldifferent devices using so many different types of memory cards it is a pain to have card readers for each different type of card.That is why card readers have become very popular. They can read many different types of memory cards and are powered by USB so theyare easy to use and travel with. Today we will be looking at the mother of card readers, the Brando 55-in-1 card reader. XFX GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB & 8800 GTX XXX Editions @ hothardware.com [Feb-13-07] (0 Comments) XFX's GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB XXX Edition sports higher GPU andmemory frequencies, which will give it a marked advantage over Biostar V7603GS21 GeForce 7600 GS V-Ranger @ techpowerup.com [Feb-13-07] (0 Comments) The Biostar V7603GS21 V-Ranger is based on NVIDIA's GeForce 7600 GS but comes at a higher memory clock. In addition to that Biostar added some changes to the PCB to allow software to change the GPU and memory voltages, which allows much better overclocking of the card. In our testing we could increase the core clock by 63% and the memory clock by 20% which made the card play in a completely different performance league. EVGA e-GeForce GTS 320MB Superclocked @ nvnews.net [Feb-13-07] (0 Comments) In this review we examine the performance of the GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB against the 512MB GeForce 7900 GTX in order to determine the areas where less video memory has an impact on performance. Armed with the freeware utility program VidMemWatcher, we were able to determine the memory requirements in the games we tested. After the results were tallied we found that under certain conditions, the e-GeForce 8800 GTS 320MB Superclocked graphics card could be a diamond in the rough. nVidia GeForce 8800GTS 320MB Halving the memory @ tweaktown.com [Feb-12-07] (0 Comments) They shouldnt have changed the name anyway, since it is an 8800GTS with just less memory. Fortunately they didnt do something stupid like call it the 8850GT which does nothing but cause panic to everyone who owns a new graphics card.Palit have come to the party today and shown us the 320MB version of the 8800GTS - were going to have a quick look at it and the package before we gets stuck into what really matters, and of course what we really want to know. Are we sacrificing much by loosing 320MB of memory? Corsair TWIN2X2048-8888 and Asus 7900GS @ neoseeker.com [Feb-10-07] (0 Comments) Because it simply screamed when the right balance of FSB/CPU/memory speedwas achieved, and because I was able to hit a scorching 1131-4-4-4-12setting. A-DATA DDR2 1066+ 2 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Feb-09-07] (0 Comments) The A-DATA Vitesta DDR2 1066+ 2 GB memory kit is an excellent choice for overclockers who are looking to maximize their clock rates and performance. Even though it is specified to run at CL5, we had no problems running at CL4 above DDR2-1000 - CL3 is possible as well at reduced clock rates. What makes this versatile memory kit even more attractive is its fair price of $365. Memory Overclocking Guide @ eclipseoc.com [Feb-09-07] (0 Comments) So, it's time to tweak your memory to get maximum performance out of it Corsair XMS2 Dominator PC2-10000 World's Fastest RAM @ tweaktown.com [Feb-07-07] (0 Comments) Today we are taking a look at the worlds fastest DDR-2 production memory and its from Corsair. Rated at PC2-10000, its able to run at 625MHz using a total of 2.4 volts and possibly even more if you are lucky enough. Can it truly dominate the competition, though?Lets have a look and see what a 2GB dual channel memory kit worth about $750 USD or $1000 AUD down under actually provides. News@Technic3D /GelL DDR2 PC 9280 Memory @ technic3d.com [Feb-06-07] (0 Comments) GeIL offers a Memory PC 9280 DDR2 2 GB Dual Kit with low laten cy timings and 1160 MHz. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4- 4-12 and Overclocking against other Memory Kits. PCI-E x1 Graphics Performance with Galaxy GeForce 7300GT @ tweaktown.com [Feb-06-07] (0 Comments) There are three key reasons why a PCI-E x1 graphics card can work and well show you why. Today we are checking out a GeForce 7300GT that utilizes DDR-3 memory and PCI-E x1 slot. Were going to have a look at what environments this could work in before we have a closer look at the card itself.While were at it though, we will also have a look at it from a performance perspective in a low-end graphics card environment - is PCI-E x16 nothing more the marketing mumbo jumbo like AGP 8x vs. 4x (1056MB/s vs. 2112MB/s respectively) back in the day or is there actually a performance difference? Considering there is a total of 500MB/s of bandwidth (Single Data Lane - Both Directions) available on x1 slots compared to that of the huge 8000MB/s of bandwidth compared to x16 slots, it will be interesting. [News] Kingston 2x1GB PC2-9200 & PC2-9600 DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-05-07] (0 Comments) Well I really don't know what else to say. This review would compareto taking a Ferrari for a spin and going [News] G.Skill 2x1GB F2-6400CL4D-2GBHK DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Feb-03-07] (0 Comments) For those who don't feel the need to overclock, as well as for thosewho are looking for RAM that is highly overclockable, these tests are vital.In this case, the H sort of lives up to its Hi-Performance title, as I wasable to get 1012MHz at 2.3v and this was stable while running Prime95 x2 Corsair Dominator Memory - New Heatsinks and Cooling @ pcper.com [Feb-02-07] (0 Comments) The new Corsair Dominator memory modules are one of the mostunique cooling solutions we have seen for system memory since the firstheat spreaders were added many, many moons ago. The new heatsinktechnology is a step above what anyone else can offer overclockers, andthe memory chips themselves have been hand selected to get greatoverclocking speeds with low timings. GoldenMars USB Flash Drive @ rbmods.com [Jan-29-07] (0 Comments) Nowadays, flash memory cards are everywhere:in mp3 players, phones, cameras, Nintendo Wiis, etc. With file sizes continuing to grow, the speed and performance of the cards are becoming more important. GoldenMars, makers of a wide range of PC peripherals and memory products, has sent us one of their Thermalright HR-07 Memory Module Cooler @ bigbruin.com [Jan-29-07] (0 Comments) The HR-07 is nothing like any memory cooler I have seen, and the double heatpipe design is quite foreign looking to me. The concept of the design makes sense though, and what you have is a heavyweight heatspreader with a heatpipe on either side that draws heat up to a pair of cooling fins that will be situated in the moving air inside a typical system. CES 2007 Wrap Up- OCZ, MSI, Fujitsu, and More @ xyzcomputing.com [Jan-27-07] (0 Comments) This last article is going to be a quick wrap up of some of the things that were not covered previously. Most of them are things we would have liked to cover in a full article, but time constraints make that impossible. After all, no one wants to be reading about CES in the February. The highlights of what is covered in this article include OCZ's 2000W external power supply unit and laser gaming mice, as well as SuperTalent's 4GB DDR2 registered memory DIMM, and some very shiny gear at MSI and Transcend. GeCube X1950 Pro Champion Edition @ techpowerup.com [Jan-27-07] (0 Comments) The Radeon X1950 Pro series is one of the hottest selling video cards at the moment. It is competitively priced and can run all current games without breaking a sweat. Gecube has engineered a special TEC cooled solution for improved overclocking. In our testing we saw amazing clock increases of 20% on both the core and memory for a final clock of 682 MHz / 816 MHz. Super Talent 2x1GB PC2-8000 @ overclockersonline.net [Jan-25-07] (0 Comments) My main interest with memory is the overclocking and how well the memory runs at a range of timings. The T1000UX2G4 showed a distinct ability to run tight timings ridiculously well. The overclocking results at the timings of 3-3-3-8/3-4-3-8 and 4-4-4-8 are the best I have seen, without a doubt. There isn't much else to say except that the Super Talent T1000UX2G4 are sure to continue to turn heads everywhere they go, as they have here today. MSI P965 Platinum Motherboard Great OC without huge price @ tweaktown.com [Jan-25-07] (0 Comments) Intels P965 chipset has really shown us lately there is really no great point in getting a more expensive 975X chipset based motherboard but why? P965 has native DDR-2 800 memory support, its FSB overclocking potential is usually higher and it supports more peripherals on the ICH8 Southbridge. With Crossfire reorganisation from ATI, it has all the features of the 975X and more.MSIs second P965 motherboard they have sent us left a much sweeter taste in our mouths. The cheaper P965 Neo that was originally sent to us really should not have been considered, however, we can say that the P965 Platinum has some major pull here and its quite a capable product. And its really not that much more expensive than the Neo version. Silent Storm 700W quad 12v PSU @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Jan-22-07] (0 Comments) To really test the Silent Storm 120 I ran some demanding programs onall parts of the system. The CPU was clocked up to 3.0GHz. 3dMark 05 wasused to stress the GPU while Prime95 was used on both cores to stress themand the memory. At the same time a DVD was written to from the hard disk tostress the file system. OCZ FlexXLC Edition DDR-2 PC-9200 Memory - Chilled to Perfection @ tweaktown.com [Jan-19-07] (0 Comments) Companies like OCZ, Corsair and Crucial have really made some names for themselves with modules breaking into the 1000MHz+ DDR barrier, and today we are about to show off some of the latest enthusiast memory from one of these companies, namely OCZ.Today we have the FlexXLC Edition memory modules designed to run at 1150MHz DDR or 575MHz out of the box using a few memory voltage tweaks along with some really innovative cooling. So come and see just what OCZs latest memory modules have to offer. Crucial 2GB kit (1GBx2), Ballistix 240-pin DIMM, DDR2 PC2-8000 @ rbmods.com [Jan-19-07] (0 Comments) DDR is old, that's what the manufacturers claim and we can really see it on the market also. Review sites review only DDR2 and the manufacturers have finally been able to push down the timings on the ram kits and at the same time done the same with the price. Therefore DDR2 has taken over the memory market, but what should you get then? Today we might have something on your hands that actually looks like a good choice. Crucial sent us their latest 2GB kit named Ballistix which runs at a 5-5-5-15 latency, we are going to look at these and compare them to other 8000 memory out on the market so stay tuned. Corsair @ thinkcomputers.org [Jan-16-07] (0 Comments) On the last day of the show I headed up the Corsair's suite at the Bellagio. I really was not sure what to expect other thanjust some new memory, but Corsair has some really cool new products coming out this year that you should definitely know about. Iwas very impressed with Corsair's new flash memory products, so let's take a look! Mushkin @ thinkcomputers.org [Jan-16-07] (0 Comments) Our friends over at Mushkin were nice enough to invite us up to their suite at the New York New York hotel to take a look atsome of their new products for 2007. Mushkin will be adding new products to their Memory and Power Supply line as well as releasinga new CPU cooling solution. So let's take a look and see what Mushkin has to offer in 2007. [News] Kingston 2x1GB PC2-5300 FB-DIMM Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-15-07] (0 Comments) Unlike DDR2, where you can only have 8GB of memory per channel,FB-DIMM allows for up to 192GB of RAM per channel! (That might actually beenough for Vista!) It also allows for more bandwidth per channel too, 40GBsvs. 10GBs for DDR2. However both of those numbers are theoretical.... OCZ PC2-9200 FlexXLC @ overclockersonline.net [Jan-15-07] (0 Comments) As mentioned, these modules certainly showed that they are not justall show and no go. The overclocking results on both my AM2 and C2D systemsreally impressed. The DDR1280 achieved on my P5B-Dlx is by far the fastestthat motherboard has ever run memory and I don't expect many kits to matchthat frequency any time soon. For high frequency operation, this isdefinitely one of the kits to have. If you are in the market for memory thatruns tighter timings at lower frequencies, don't run the other way, the OCZPC2-9200 FlexXLCs held their own at 3-3-3-8 and 4-4-4-8 respectively. Sapphire X1950 Pro Dual Spy Pics At CES - X1950 Pro 1GB CrossFire @ hothardware.com [Jan-12-07] (0 Comments) In addition, the card also employs a full 512MB per GPU for a totalof 1GB per card. Since traditional Radeon X1950 Pro configurations aresetup with 256MB of on board memory, the GPU complexes should scale a littlemore robustly at high res with high levels of AA. Sapphire expects tolaunch this in the next month or so but we having feeling it will be alimited release type of product. Word is a $399 price point is beingtargeted. And as you can see, there are CrossFire edge connectors on the topside of the card, so quad CrossFire is a possibility. Sapphire is supposedlyworking on quad functionality now. Patriot Memory Extreme Performance 2GB DDR500 DC Kit @ techniz.co.uk [Jan-11-07] (0 Comments) The Patriot Memory Extreme Performance 2GB DDR500 DC Kit is veryoverclockable RAM. Furthermore, it comes with a premium aluminum heatspreader. This pair of DDR PC4000 is able to run at 500MHz with the timingof 3-4-4-8 even at default CPU speed. As for the overclocking performance,with the slightly changed the timing and increase the memory voltage, theRAM was able to hit 252MHz which is equal to DDR504.... CES Day 3 Coverage @ thetechlounge.com [Jan-11-07] (0 Comments) Today we have even more coverage from the CES showfloor, press events andour meetings with companies at their various press conferences. Some ofthe highlights include Sandisk's new portable media players and flashmemory devices including a flash-based laptop hard drive, Zing's softwareon the Sansa Connect, Velocity Micro and Alienware's systems andSennheiser's new headsets. Sandisk Press Conference:New Media Players and Memory Devices @ thetechlounge.com [Jan-11-07] (0 Comments) Sandisk was announcing a whole slew of new products for 2007 with a heavybias towards portable media players. Although, being Sandisk, they alsohad some innovative memory products. Notably their work on solid statedrives (SSDs) for notebook computers. Earlier this week Sandisk announce a32GB SSD 1.8 drive meant to replace standard hard drives. The UATA 5000is currently available to original equipment manufacturers and should bepopping up in notebooks soon. An impressive video of sub-40 second Vistaboot up times followed. Even more impressive was the time-lapsed video ofa SSD Vista boot up followed by a drop-shock test and subsequentre-install of the SSD and re-boot of Vista. [News] OCZ 2x1GB PC2-9200 Flex XLC DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Jan-09-07] (0 Comments) OCZ did well in choosing the best Micron D series modules whichcontribute to the memory's ability in breaking and setting some new records.Coupled with any flagship 965X, 975X, and 680i chipsets, the Flex XLCbecomes a very powerful tool. Crucial Ballistix 2x1GB PC2-5300 @ overclockersonline.net [Jan-05-07] (0 Comments) As I mentioned in the opening, this was our first experience with akit of memory from Crucial here at Overclockers Online and I don't think wecould have had better modules to look at. I had big expectations from thismemory after I saw that the IC's they used were the famous D9GMH and thoselofty expectations were surpassed in all aspects of overclocking. OCZ PC2-6400 2GB ATI CrossFire Dual Channel Memory @ thinkcomputers.org [Jan-03-07] (0 Comments) There are many factors that go into choosing memory for your computer. From how much ram to what speed etc. If you are agamer you want quality memory that will work at the highest level of performance with your video card(s). That is where OCZ's ATICrossFire certified memory comes in. This memory is tested and qualified under ATI's renowned certification program. This ensuresthat gamers get the highest quality and compatibility possible for their CrossFire system. These modules also feature special ATIheatspreaders that any ATI fanboy will appreciate. OCZ PC2-6400 ATI CrossFire Certified 2 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Dec-31-06] (0 Comments) When deciding on components for a new system, users are often worried about incompatibilities with the memory of their choice. OCZ has teamed up with ATI to bring you CrossFire certified memory. This means that you can install this memory on any CrossFire certified motherboard and it is guaranteed to work. In our testing the modules performed very well over a wide range of timings from CL3 to CL5. To distinguish this memory from their other products OCZ colored the heatspreader in a beautiful ATI red which looks mighty good. [News] *Updated* ASUS Striker Extreme NVIDIA 680i SLI Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-29-06] (0 Comments) Now, I recently updated to the new official 505 BIOS listed on ASUS`website. That did not fix either the sound or memory issues for me. I thencontacted ASUS and was sent an unofficial 701 BIOS after I explained myissues. The 701 BIOS also did nothing to fix either of these issues. So thewait continues....*sigh*. G.SKILL F2-6400CL6D-4GBMQ 4 GB Kit @ techpowerup.com [Dec-28-06] (0 Comments) The G.SKILL F2-6400CL6D-4GBMQ are one of the first 2x 2 GB DDR2 memory kits that let you run high frequencies, DDR2-800 in this case. In our review we will point out the difficulties you will experience when installing 4 GB of memory on 32-bit platforms. Is this $500 memory kit the solution to a smooth Windows Vista experience? Super Talent DDR2 T1000UX2G4 Overclocking Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Dec-26-06] (0 Comments) Super Talent' newest overclocking ram entitled T1000UX2G4 whichboasts 1000 MHz of bandwidth at some pretty impressive timing. And with newmemory comes new heat spreaders. Super Talent changed from their trademarksilver clothing to some sweet blue aluminum threads. So, let's see if thelatest from Super Talent is all show and some go. Biostar 7600GS (V7603GS21) @ overclockersonline.net [Dec-22-06] (0 Comments) The Biostar E-Gate 7600GS is a ground breaking video card but notbecause of the hardware, but because of the software that it comes with. TheBiostar V-Ranger software is the first of its kind and we saw from theoverclocking section that the ability to increase memory and core voltagehas its advantages, being able to do it so easily from software is just theicing on the cake. Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 750GB - Perpendicular recording @ tweaktown.com [Dec-22-06] (0 Comments) The hard disk is simply the slowest part of the computer system. CPUs can transmit data in the form of gigabits per second, memory bandwidth goes over 5GB/s and graphics cards can handle data in the order of 38GB/s across its memory buses. But the trusty hard disk in most cases cannot deliver sustained data faster than about 60MB/s, simply put, going for the faster CPU isnt going to be able to speed up your load times on games if you cant get the data off the disk quickly enough.In recent years, the advancement of the hard disk has started to become a major part of the PC industry with Serial ATA replacing the older Parallel standard that was used for over 10 years. Native Command Queuing or NCQ for short sped up the way the data is read off the drive, and now with perpendicular recording coming into the frey from companies like Seagate, we are now starting to see speed increases as much as what a magnetic recording device is capable of. HIS Radeon X1950 Pro IceQ3 Turbo @ hothardware.com [Dec-22-06] (0 Comments) Today, we will be looking at HIS' take on ATI's mid-range beast, theRadeon X1950 Pro IceQ3 Turbo. This card comes with higher core and memoryspeeds than the original specs call for, and it sports a large heatsink/fandesigned by Arctic Cooling. [News] OCZ 2x1GB PC2-8500 NVIDIA SLI Edition DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-20-06] (0 Comments) If you're looking for a solid high performance memory kit to usewith your new NVIDIA SLI 590 or 680i chipset board, I have no problems withrecommending this OCZ PC2-8500 NVIDIA SLI Edition DDR2 Memory Kit. OCZ 2GB DDR2 PC2-6400 Special Ops Edition Urban Elite Memory @ bonafidereviews.com [Dec-20-06] (0 Comments) Tis' the season to upgrade and what better way to take part in the festive spirit than to buy a pair of memory sticks decked out in army camouflage that will most likely be used by someone to go on a massive killing spree in Quake 4. Nothing says Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah like a no-scope head shot from across the map while in mid-air. OCZ PC2-6400 Titanium Series @ pro-clockers.com [Dec-15-06] (0 Comments) With the industry rapidly growing and changing, OCZ has been one ofthe few companies that have led a charge with the newest forms of DDR2technology. With this being said they were kind enough to send over theirnewest memory from their Titanium series, OCZ2T8002GK. This kit consist oftwo one gig sticks of DDR2 800 rated at 4-4-4-15 at a command rate of 1Twhen using it in a EPP compliant board or 5-4-4-15 at 2T when used in anon-EPP board. Today, we will see how well these DDR2 800 Titanium piecesperform on today's best overclocking Intel based boards. Sapphire X1950XT 256MB @ tekbunker.com [Dec-15-06] (0 Comments) Today I am reviewing my recently purchased the Sapphire 256 MB X1950XT PCI-Express Graphics card. This graphics card is very similar to the X1900XT, only featuring some higher speed 256mb 1.0ns memory that has a stock speed of 1800 MHz. Like the X1900, it features 48 pixel shaders and features HDCP support. Abit AB9 Pro 965P Motherboard @ pcper.com [Dec-13-06] (0 Comments) After some initial stability and RAM compatibility issues that wereresolved in the v1.5 BIOS update, the Abit AB9 Pro faired better in most ofthe benchmarks used here. This is no surprise as the main benefit of P965chipset over the P945 is the added Core 2 Duo support and a slightlyimproved memory controller. This improvement gives a slight lead to the AB9Pro in the majority of the benchmarks. If you looking for a Core 2 Duo boardwith loads of SATA support, the AB9 Pro fits the bill. News@Technic3D /G.Skill F2-6400CL5D-2GBNQ Memory @ technic3d.com [Dec-13-06] (0 Comments) G.Skill offers a Memory PC 6400 DDR2 2 GB Dual Kit with a good Price. Technic3D will see as good they are with 5-5-5-15 and Overcloc king against other Memory Kits. OCZ DDR2 PC2-8500 Platinum SLI-Ready Edition Dual Channel Memory @ rbmods.com [Dec-11-06] (0 Comments) More demanding games and software forcees the hardware manufacturers to make faster products, of course the ram is an important part of the computer and today we will review one of these memory kits from OCZ. Their memory has performed extremely well in our previous tests and it will be interesting to see if this new PC2-8500 Platinum kit can do the same. We are going to compare it vs another OCZ kit in both normal use and overclocking to see how well this one does. Mushkin HP2-6400 Memory @ modders-inc.com [Dec-06-06] (0 Comments) With DDR2-800 still in the early stages, PC users have to often paya lot more for the latest and greatest memory products. The Mushkin HighPerformance (HP) Series memory is just what the doctor ordered. Mushkinoffers the HP2-6400 at an affordable price with all the features enthusiastswant. Crucial Ballistix 2GB PC2-5300 @ aselabs.com [Dec-06-06] (0 Comments) As I am sure most of you know Crucial is a name that you can trust. I have personally used Crucial and Micron memory since I have built computers back when I was much younger than I currently am. It was not until recently that Crucial began to offer chips that had overclocking potential in the brand lines. This started with the new Ballistix line of RAM. In the past, Crucial had a stance that their RAM was for stability and not for overclocking, even though many people used it for both. Crucial RAM is rock solid, if you run it at the rated specs. Remember that overclocking is a variable thing; we shall see how Crucial stands up with their 2GB kit of PC2-5300. EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2 @ hothardware.com [Dec-06-06] (0 Comments) As you would expect form a card with a pair of G71 GPUs and 1GB offrame buffer memory running in tandem, the EVGA e-GeForce 7950 GX2 performedmuch like a pair of GeForce 7900 GT cards running in SLI mode. The EVGAe-GeForce 7950 GX2 was clearly much faster than any of the other single-GPUbased cards we tested, and it traded the top spot in most tests with the7900 GT SLI setup. HIS X1650 XT IceQ Turbo Dual DVI 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express Video Card @ bonafidereviews.com [Dec-06-06] (0 Comments) After reviewing HIS' X1950 Pro Turbo card just the other day we now take a look at their X1650 XT. You may think that the X1650 XT is just a slightly higher clocked X1650 Pro but you would be wrong. Yes the XT does have a tad increase in clock speed over the Pro version, 5MHz in core speed and 60MHz in memory speed, but the biggest difference is in the physical structure and architecture of the card. [News] Mushkin XP2-8500 2x1GB DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Dec-06-06] (0 Comments) The IC's used in this kit are the undisputed kings of OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Gold GX XTC Rev 2 @ rbmods.com [Dec-01-06] (0 Comments) With the release of the latest processors from AMD and Intel, the demand for higher performing RAM is increasing, especially for gaming rigs. OCZ, well-known in the memory market, has always been up to the challenge, providing end-users with top-quality and stable memory. Today we'll be looking at one of their latest products in the Gold series, the OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Gold GX XTC Rev 2 2GB Kit. Let's find out if the memory is worth its weight. Buffalo FireStix 2x512MB PC6400 5-5-5 @ overclockersonline.net [Dec-01-06] (0 Comments) Throughout the extensive overclocking and testing of these modules, Icould not come up with anything to complain about. They look great, theyperform as they should, and they have plenty of overclocking headroom forthe enthusiasts out there. Again, without a retail price anywhere it is hardto give a very concrete judgment but something tells me that these modulesshould be a part of anyone's buying decision if you're in the market for a1GB memory kit. I can hardly wait to get my hands on a 2GB kit of some hotFireStix. Palit GeForce 8800 GTX @ techpowerup.com [Dec-01-06] (0 Comments) NVIDIA's new G80 GPU is the first to implement DirectX 10 support and Shader Model 4.0. Palit is one of NVIDIA's board partners who is selling the GeForce 8800 GTX. The card comes with 768 MB of video memory and can will run whatever you throw at it at highest resolutions with maximized settings. We test the card against the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX, X1900 Crossfire and the Geforce 7900 GTX. News@Technic3D /Super Talent T800UX2GC4 DDR2 800 Memory @ technic3d.com [Nov-29-06] (0 Comments) Super Talent offers a Memory PC 6400 DDR2 2 GB Dual Kit with g ood Timings. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4-3-15 and Ove rclocking against other Memory Kits. Intel P965 Shootout Part 2 Gigabyte, ABIT and Biostar @ tweaktown.com [Nov-27-06] (0 Comments) The Intel P965 chipset has really impressed us in the fact that it may be classed as the mainstream chipset compared to the older and more expensive 975X chipset but its features and performance surpass the enthusiast 975X chipset with DDR2-800 memory support, high FSB overclocking potential and now with Crossfire support, its hard to consider a 975X chipset.We had already planned to do this second part roundup but waiting for all of the motherboards to come into our labs was a bit of a push back affair. After nearly two months of waiting we now have four more boards to put on our chopping blocks two from Gigabyte, one from ABIT and one from Biostar. Corsair HX620W Power Supply @ octools.com [Nov-27-06] (0 Comments) If Corsair can make great memory modules, they have now proven that they can also make great power supplies. The packaging is impressive, the design elegant, and the performance superb. Add to that the quietness of the unit, you got yourself one of the best power supplies in its class money can buy. Sapphire X1650 Pro 256 MB @ techpowerup.com [Nov-26-06] (0 Comments) If you are looking for a cheap video card that will keep you running until Vista and DirectX 10 are out you may want to look at the Sapphire X1650 Pro. The card will run most games on high details at 1024x768 without taking a sweat. It comes equipped with fast GDDR3 memory and the fan is temperature controlled to keep the noise levels down. [News] Super Talent 2GB PC2-8000 DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-23-06] (0 Comments) Super Talent recently revamped the looks of all their overclockingkits with new blue heatspreaders. And let me tell you these are some beefyheatspreaders. The kit I'll be checking out today is rated for 1000MHzoperation at an aggressive 4-5-4-15 and a respectable voltage of 2.2v. OCZ Launches Water Cooled Memory Modules - FlexXLC @ legitreviews.com [Nov-22-06] (0 Comments) Just a couple days ago OCZ Technology announced that they will soon be offering a PC2-9200 DDR2 memory kit that operates at 1150MHz and has the option of being water cooled. This is significant for three reasons. The first is that the OCZ PC2-9200 FlexXLC 2x1GB kit is the fastest 2GB kit of memory that is in production for the retail market, which means that OCZ is still a contender when it comes to the world's fastest memory... News@Technic3D /OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Special Ops Edition Urban Elite @ technic3d.com [Nov-21-06] (0 Comments) OCZ offers a memory PC 6400 DDR2 Special Ops Edition Urban Eli te 2 GB Dual Kit with a new heatspreader. Technic3D will see as good t hey are with 4-4-3-15 and Overclocking nVidia nForce 680i SLI Chipset - Core 2 Enthusiasts Dream? @ tweaktown.com [Nov-21-06] (0 Comments) When nVidia announced its first 500 series chipset for the Intel platform, the market was looking forward to a chipset that could perform, after seeing how well the AMD variants worked. We were all expecting to get our Core 2s blazing on the 500 series for Intel; unfortunately, nVidia dropped the ball here. While a new MCP was introduced, the Northbridge or SPP as its known from nVidia was the same C19 chip that was used on the nForce 4 SLI Intel Edition, the same woeful memory controller and overclocks followed yet still remained fairly popular due to SLI support.Learning from this mistake, nVidia took its 500 series for Intel and threw them down the toilet and started to work on the 600 series, which would be the first new chipset for Intel platforms using completely new and improved silicon. Kinc pushes GeForce 8800 GTX over 900MHz GPU! @ nordichardware.com [Nov-20-06] (0 Comments) Kinc has shown that the card overclocks well and now even that it overclocks really well. As the first person he has managed to push the card over 900MHz GPU, from 575MHz at stock, while the memory was running at 1240MHz up from 900MHz. That GDDR3 would be an disadvantage has proven to be somewhat of an overstatement. Quad-Core Core 2 Extreme - GeForce 8800 GTX SLI NF680i Ultimate @ hothardware.com [Nov-16-06] (0 Comments) We know you're out there. Come out from behind the network switch panelnow and fess up. Step away from the stack of Red Bull empties and pull offyour head-set. You're thinking the same thing we were, frankly. What canall this new-found horsepower do for me when we put together the fastest,most capable components money can buy? Take a Core 2 Extreme QX6700, dropit into a bleeding edge nForce 680i motherboard, install 2Gigs of highperformance memory, add not one - but two - GeForce 8800 GTXs in SLI mode,and overclock the stuffing out of everything -- shaken not stirred, thanksvery much. If you've got the coin to belly up to the bar, we've got justthe concoction the doctor ordered. Read on thirsty speed freaks. Thisarticle is for you. Buffalo RUF2-S Series 4 GB USB Flash Drive @ thinkcomputers.org [Nov-13-06] (0 Comments) The ability to store large amounts of data on an ultra portable device is something that anyone could find useful. Astechnology improves, memory becomes smaller and faster, providing the user access to quickly store large files. The Buffalo RUF2-SSeries 4 GB flash drive does just that. With 4 GB of storage space, the Buffalo flash drive can hold a plethora of data with someroom to spare. Also, this flash drive is among one of the fastest drives we have tested at ThinkComputers. So read on to find outhow well it performs. [News] Crucial Ballistix Tracer 2GB DDR2 PC2-6400 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-13-06] (0 Comments) This Crucial Ballistix Tracer is without a doubt the best lookingmemory I've ever seen. It's also some of the best performing memory I'veever used. During testing and overclocking, I had not a single issue withthis memory. It runs great at stock and overclocked speeds. And it does allthis while looking fantastic. Dell PC2100 SODIMM 512MB CL2,5 @ rbmods.com [Nov-11-06] (0 Comments) Ever sat on your laptop and thought it is just to slow? What can you do about it? Laptops are very limited when it comes to upgrades but you are able to upgrade the ram in a laptop without any problems. Usually you need to remove two screws and pop in the new ram. As you might have realized already we are taking a look at some laptop memory provided by Geeks.com. We got ourselves a new 512Mb ram stick to test. I thought that we should compare this to the original ram in the laptop and see what type of speed difference we can see between them. Corsair DOMINATOR Modules Get 18K Gold Plated @ legitreviews.com [Nov-10-06] (0 Comments) Celebrating the companys 1 millionth shipment in 2006, Corsair is currently offering 5 custom 2GB DDR2-8888 gold-plated DOMINATOR memory kits as contest prizes. These modules are rated to operate at 1111MHz at impressive timings of 4-4-4-12 2T. The PC2-8888 modules also feature the best IC's that Corsair can find, so computer memory doesn't get any better than the TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF kit. What the press release fails to mention is that these gold plated modules are actually plated with real gold. After getting all the details from Corsair it was found that these modules are 18 Karat gold plated! [News] Buffalo FireStix PC2-9200 1GB DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-07-06] (0 Comments) If you're looking to squeeze every ounce of bandwidth out of yourhigh performance gaming machine, you can't go wrong with the fastest memorycurrently on the market... this Buffalo FireStix PC2-9200 running at ascorching 1150MHz!! Crucial 10th Anniversary 2GB PC2-5300 Memory @ thinkcomputers.org [Nov-06-06] (0 Comments) I'm sure by now all of you have heard of Crucial. If you haven't crucial makes some of the best memory out there today andtheir memory advisor is great for finding the best ram when your ready to upgrade. They recently celebrated their 10th anniversary.In recognition of this they have released a special edition of their PC2-5300 module. This special edition features an exclusiveheat spreader that you will not find on any other Crucial modules, so let's take a look. [News] OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Special Ops Urban Elite 2GB Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Nov-05-06] (0 Comments) It is compact, agile, and highly motivated! It's the OCZ DDR2PC-6400 Special Ops Edition Urban Elite memory modules which can achieve anyobjective. The memory performs its duties and exceeds where many otherPC-6400 memory modules fail. When comparing price, performance, and itspresentation, the Urban Elite memory is a unique and very worthy alternativeto any other comparably priced PC-6400 DDR2 kit on the market. Crucial DDR2 PC2-5300 Ltd edition 2 gig kit @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Nov-03-06] (0 Comments) We don't really like loosening the timings here at Xtreme due tothe fact that there are higher speed looser timing modules that are withinbudget of the lower speed lower latency kits, so the only other thing wecould do was go backwards. This resulted in some pretty interesting resultsas the ram was able to run at 667 at 2.3v with timings of 3, 4, 4, 8 whichwas pretty impressive I thought until it hung after 4 hours of stress test,I loosened the Cas out a bit to compensate so the memory was running at 4,4, 4, 8 but this did not prove so fruitful as a few checks on a couple ofbenchmarks proved it to be quite a bit worse than the ram at 667 with 3, 3,3, 12. content-type; @ reviewdesk.com [Nov-01-06] (0 Comments) Dynex is a small company, owned by Best Buy, that makes products to sell inBest Buy stores. As far as I know, you can't get Dynex products anywhereelse (except maybe eBay) and they're usually entry-level in whatever theymake. I bought this Dynex All in 1 Memory Card Reader for one reason, andone reason only:because it's cheap. [News] Abit SG-95 Micro-ATX LGA775 Motherboard @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-31-06] (0 Comments) Having 7.1 channel High Definition Audio should reasonably attractanyone looking for the small form factor home theater solution or computer.Factor in the benefits of better dual processor and memory support, it willbe more than capable for almost any system requirement not to mention keepyou more up to date with newer.... Sapphire Radeon X1300 XT OC Edition @ techpowerup.com [Oct-27-06] (0 Comments) The new ATI Radeon X1300 XT is based on the RV530 GPU core which is used on the X1600 series. That alone should bring quite a nice performance boost. On top of that Sapphire has added GDDR3 memory and a healthy clock increase. There is no need to run an overclocking software on your system, the increased clocks are stored in the BIOS. In our testing we saw a huge performance difference to the X1300 and almost no difference to the X1600 series. [News] Mushkin 2GB HP2-6400 DDR2-800 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-26-06] (0 Comments) The quality of memory used in this particular HP2-6400 kit isevident by the superb overclocking potential. Obtaining 1000mhz from an800mhz kit is proof these are indeed high performance memory modules. Add tothat the good looking blue aluminum ATI Radeon X1900 XT 256 MB @ techpowerup.com [Oct-25-06] (0 Comments) ATI's new X1900 XT 256 MB is designed to fit into the price range that is bound by the X1900 GT on the lower end and the X1900 XT 512 MB on the upper end. In order to bring the card's price down ATI chose to reduce the total memory size from 512 MB to 256 MB. Also a bit slower memory is used. We test how big the performance difference to the more expensive X1900 XTX with 512 MB is. Corsair Hx 620W Power Supply @ rbmods.com [Oct-24-06] (0 Comments) Corsair who are mostly known for their high quality ram have now released a new power supply to match up with the ram. Todays high speed ram sticks need a good power supply with stable rails to be able to overclock well and who would know this better than a memory manufacturer? Well this is what we are here testing, we will test this vs other high performing power supplies on the market and share our thoughts with you. ATI Radeon X1950 Pro CrossFire GPU @ legitreviews.com [Oct-17-06] (0 Comments) ATI has clocked the core on the X1950 Pro at 575MHz and the 256MB of GDDR3 memory at 1.38GHz, which are aggressive for a card with a $199 price tag. The core on the X1950 PRO is manufactured on an 80nm fabrication process, and is completely different in almost every way imaginable from the existing Radeon X1950 video cards as we will show you later in this article. ATI has been impressed by the cores made on the 80nm process and told Legit Reviews that the average overclock on the core has been 100MHz from what they have seen and been hearing back from those that are lucky enough to have a card already. HIS Radeon X1300XT IceQ Turbo 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express Video Card @ bonafidereviews.com [Oct-16-06] (0 Comments) Just last week we review HIS' new X1650XT graphic card. The X1650XT is a part of a new lineup of cards recently released that also included the X1300XT and X1950XTX. Today we have a second card from this lineup - the HIS X1300XT. This X1300XT features dual DVI outputs along with a overclocked core and memory speeds right out of the box. It comes clocked at 587MHz core and 1.38GHz memory by default with no tweaking needed. MSI K9N SLI Platinum & Foxconn C51XEM2AA @ pureoverclock.com [Oct-14-06] (0 Comments) Not so long ago Nvidia launched the nForce 500 chipset's for AMD'snew DDR2 capable socket AM2. By now you should all be aware of the minimalperformance increases DDR2 has brought to the A64 architecture and it's lowlatency on-die memory controller, but from my perspective the most difficultaspect of the AM2 and nForce 500 launch is leaving behind the oh-so maturemotherboard choices available for s939 in place of brand new 'unproven'boards, so to speak. With that point made, anyone who's eying up AMD'srecent and significant price drops across the board will be asking onequestion - which AM2 board will rock my world? [News] Kingston HyperX DDR2-8500 4x512mb (2GB) Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Oct-13-06] (0 Comments) Kingston and ASUS have worked together to ensure that these twoproducts work well together and they've done their homework. 1066MHz at 2.2vis very reasonable considering many memory companies are asking for2.1v-2.2v for 800mhz kits! Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe Motherboard @ pcper.com [Oct-10-06] (0 Comments) The Asus M2N32-SLI Deluxe BIOS is much like the BIOS on the AsusCrosshair board we tested a while ago, bringing enough options to the enduser to simply overwhelm them. However, the organization of the BIOS menusallows even beginning users to find the important BIOS features they need toadjust without overwhelming them with 30+ memory timings on a singlescreen. HIS X1650Pro IceQ Turbo Dual DVI 256MB GDDR3 PCI Express Video Card @ bonafidereviews.com [Oct-09-06] (0 Comments) Today in the BFR labs we have our first X1650 video card to review. The X1650Pro, along with the X1300XT and X1950XT, have just recently been released by ATI as a follow up to the orginal X1600, X1300, and X1900 lineup. These new editions are a slightly enhanced version of their respective predecessor featuring higher core and memory speeds. This X1650 Pro features a core speed of 625MHz and memory clock of 1.4GHz effective compared to the X1600 Pro's core/memory speed of 500MHz/800MHz. Patriot DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 1 GB Memory Kit @ hardwaresecrets.com [Oct-07-06] (0 Comments) We reviewed one of most high-end DDR2 memory modules available in the market today, Patriot PDC21G8500ELK, which is a 1 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 memory kit, able to officially run up to 1,066 MHz at 5-5-5-16 timings. Check it out. News@Technic3D / G.Skill F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ Memory @ technic3d.com [Oct-06-06] (0 Comments) G.Skill offers a memory PC 6400 DDR2 F2-6400PHU2-2GBHZ 2 GB Du al Kit with a black heatspreader. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4-4-12 and Overclocking OCZ PC2-6400 Special Ops Edition Urban Elite 2GB Kit @ bigbruin.com [Oct-05-06] (0 Comments) Before we get to benchmarking, let's see how well the OCZ Special Ops Edition Urban Elite DDR2-800 can be overclocked. I would not consider myself an expert overclocker, and might expect more experienced overclockers to get better results that I did, but things went pretty well, anyway. Everest was reporting the memory operating at 1020MHz DDR2. 220MHz faster than the rated speeds isn't a bad bump, and it equates to a 27.5% increase! Corsair HX620 Modular Power Supply @ thinkcomputers.org [Oct-03-06] (0 Comments) Recently we took a look at the HP-550 from Mushkin. It was one of the first power supplies that Mushkin has released.Following the trend of memory companies jumping into the power supply market Corsair has just released the HX620 Modular PowerSupply. The 620 indicates that it is a 620W power supply, which is aimed at the hardcore and enthusiast crowd. The HX620 features anactive PFC, double forward switching circuitry, triple 12V rails, and a modular design. We will see if Corsair can make a successfuljump into the power supply market. Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5 2GB DDR2 Memory Kit @ xyzcomputing.com [Oct-03-06] (0 Comments) This time we are going to be a testing a 2GB kit from Corsair. The TWIN2X2048-8500C5 is a dual channel 2x1024MB kit from Corsair aimed at performance enthusiasts. This memory is best paired with Nvidia's nForce 590 SLI chipset motherboards, like our Asus M2N32 SLI. This is the memory industry's first mass-produced DDR2-1066 2GB kit so performance seekers should take notice. We are going to test it out and see just what it can do in our rig. Biostar Sigma Gate 7300GT 256MB DDRIII @ overclockersonline.com [Oct-03-06] (0 Comments) This is the second 7300GT I have reviewed in as many months and since the last was a DDRII model, I was expecting better performance out of the DDRIII model. Not only was the memory faster but the core also comes clocked higher out of the box. Despite this elevated expectation, the Biostar Sigma Gate 7300GT 256MB DDRIII never let me down in the slightest bit. Inno3D GeForce 7900 GS @ nvnews.net [Sep-28-06] (0 Comments) The overclocking results were so spectacular that I had to make them the focus of this review. Starting with the stock speed of 450MHz core/1320MHz memory, an optimal speed of 557MHz/1568MHz was achieved with the overclocking applet in the new ForceWare control panel! With RivaTuner, I was able to push the memory up to 1600MHz for a 24% increase on the core and 21% increase in the memory clock speeds! Terascale Processing Brings 80 Cores to your Desktop! @ pcper.com [Sep-27-06] (0 Comments) You should not think of this merely as SMP on a single die; theseare vastly different cores with new platform requirements and softwarerequirements. How so? How about memory bandwidth needs of 1.2 Terabytes/scompared to the 12 GB/s in current SMP symptoms? And what about latencylevels of only 20 cycles for a terascale core compared to 400 cycles on amodern SMP system? Now you see the scales we are talking in here and thesignificance (and hurdles) these designs introduce. quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ bigbruin.com [Sep-27-06] (0 Comments) Given the no frills appearance of these modules, I had fairly low expectations for overclocking, and pretty much any gain was going to exceed them... Without touching the timings at all, and with only an increase in voltage from 1.80V to 1.85V, this kit was able to climb to DDR2-960 speeds. Although unstable at 1000 MHz, I did get into Windows, and can tell that with a bit of tweaking, and perhaps some more voltage, these modules could handle it. Another thing that might help with overclocking is some sort of cooling. Many may find heatspreaders to be all about presentation, but slapping a set on these memory modules might be worth the money! Sapphire Quietly Launches an AGP Version of X1300XT @ ngohq.com [Sep-27-06] (0 Comments) The AGP market has been heating up a lot recently. Only a few weeks ago we reported that nVidia is planning to introduce an AGP version of 7300GT with DDR2 memory. Now it seems that Sapphire is ready to release a shipment of a RADEON X1300XT AGP card to a few distributors, according to a worldwide distributor. SanDisk Sansa e270 6GB MP3 Player @ ukgamer.com [Sep-27-06] (0 Comments) Of course with their memory expertise and manufacturing capacity and the worldwide explosion in portable, Flash based music players it was pretty much a dead cert that they'd end up dipping a toe and introducing their own line of multimedia players, though even with their obvious advantages in the field they still faced the same hurdle faced by every other manufacturer trying to get noticed....the iPod. Robson Technology Overview @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-27-06] (0 Comments) The next Centrino platform (Santa Rosa) will feature an integrated disk cache using flash memory in order to speed up disk access and also save energy, codenamed Robson. Learn how it will work. Thermaltake Aqua RX R-1 @ techpowerup.com [Sep-26-06] (0 Comments) Thermaltake's Aqua RX R-1 is a waterblock for memory modules. Overclocking the memory, in most cases, is unavoidable when you want to reach a higher CPU speed. Sometimes, the memory might limit your CPU overclock, and that's when you start thinking about cooling your memory, to achieve even higher clocks. Watercooling memory is still in its infancy, but products capable of cooling the memory well are slowly making their way to the market. OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 Special Ops Edition Urban Elite Memory @ pro-clockers.com [Sep-26-06] (0 Comments) Once again we have a new memory product from OCZ. It seems that thesepeople never rest. I guess if they aren't in the forums helping people thatare in the labs cooking up some new products to satisfy our overclockingappetites. Well we were fortunate enough to be sent the latest creation fromOCZ. The SOE Urban Elite Series of DDR2 boast another colorful set of heatspreaders. Camouflage anybody? We all know that looks are one thing but howis the performance. ATP MicroSD/Reader Combo @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-22-06] (0 Comments) A brief look on ATPs memory card manufacturing process and on their MicroSD/Reader Combo, a set containing one micro SD card, one adapter to transform it into a mini SD card, another adapter to transform it into a regular SD card and a USB reader. Mushkin HP-550 Enhanced Power Supply @ thinkcomputers.org [Sep-21-06] (0 Comments) We mainly know Mushkin for making memory not power supplies. We have seen many memory companies like OCZ and Corsairsuccessfully jump into the power supply market. We will see if Mushkin can do the same. Today we will be taking a look at the HP-550power supply. From what Mushkin tells me this is more of a budget power supply for the normal user. We will see how it stacks upagainst the Antec SmartPower 2.0 500W power supply. OCZ PC2-8800 (1100MHz) Gold Edition Memory @ legitreviews.com [Sep-21-06] (0 Comments) The OCZ DDR2 PC2-8800 Gold Edition memory kit does exactly what it's rated to do and performs very well in all the benchmarks that we threw at it. We were able to reach 1111MHz with aggressive 4-4-4-12 2T timings, but needed to increase the voltage so high that it voided the lifetime warranty to hit stability. At these speeds we were able to get the modules to perform the same as the Corsair XMS2 DOMINATOR PC2-8888 kit, but at the cost of our warranty. When we kept the timings loose and ran the modules at 2.42V (our motherboard didn't have 2.40V) we were able to get the 1100MHz modules up to 1140MHz with 100% stability at 5-6-6-15 timings. What do you get the Modder who has everything? Vantec Slot Protectors @ ocmodshop.com [Sep-19-06] (0 Comments) The inside of a computer case is often covered in dust. Moreimportantly, dust can settle inside unoccupied PCI and RAM slots. Overtime, the dust build-up can become significant enough to cause contactproblems with newly installed PCI cards or extra RAM memory. WithVantec's PCI/RAM Slot Protectors, you can easily prevent dust fromsettling inside your PCI/RAM slots. Additionally, the Vantec PCI/RAMSlot Protectors are UV-Reactive, a perfect accessory for systems withwindowed cases and UV lighting. nVidia nForce 500 Series for Socket AM2 - What's new nVidia? @ tweaktown.com [Sep-18-06] (0 Comments) Today Socket AM2 is AMDs new weapon for the Athlon 64 and Sempron series of K8 processors. While new chipsets arent required to run these processors, since there is no memory controller on the chipset itself, nor any change to the Hypertransport link that connects the CPU to the Northbridge, nVidia has taken the new AM2 chipset to revamp its K8 portfolio with the new nForce 500 series chipsets for AMD and soon to be released for Intel Core 2 processors. Rivet HARMONY Stereo Headset Lanyard @ atruereview.com [Sep-17-06] (0 Comments) What once was a premium feature found only on flagship phones, moreand more cell phones these days feature media playback capabilities. Couplethis with continually plummeting prices of flash memory cards, using yourcell phone as a legitimate music player is not that bad of an idea. As withany legitimate music player, the stock headphones that come with them areusually pretty bad in terms of audio quality. With media playing cellphones, you would be lucky to have them come with a stereo headset (asoppose to mono), let alone good quality ones. Luckily, just as there arethird party headphones on the market, there are also third party stereoheadsets for cell phones. In this review, I will take a look at the HARMONYStereo Headset Lanyard from Rivet. Will the Rivet HARMONY allow you tofully embrace your media capable cell phone as a music player? Read on andfind out. Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF @ hothardware.com [Sep-16-06] (0 Comments) We have to give credit where credit is due, and praise Corsair fordelivering and innovative, high-performance product in the DominatorTWIN2X2048-8888C4DF memory kit. The R&D put in to develop DHX and thetweaked PCB seems to have paid off, as the Dominator TWIN2X2048-8888C4DFmemory kit is the fastest currently available. At almost $600 though, thisis some expensive stuff. We suppose if money is no object, overclockerscan't do much better than the Dominator TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF kit, but we knowmany of you are cringing at the idea of spending $600 for 2GB of memory,when slightly lower performing kits are available for half the price. Corsair XMS2 DOMINATOR PC2-8888 Memory @ legitreviews.com [Sep-16-06] (0 Comments) The DOMINATOR TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF memory kit that we have reviewed today is by far the fastest production memory available from any company. Corsair has raised the bar when it comes to performance memory. Not only did they increase the frequency of their flagship part they also lowered the timings and temperatures at which the modules operate. To make things better they have room to overclock. Being able to hit 1.2GHz at default voltages with C4 timings is very impressive. If you want to have the ultimate memory kit for your dream machine the answer is simple - Corsair PC2-8888 modules are what you need... OCZ Secure Digital Dual- USB and SD in One Memory Card @ xyzcomputing.com [Sep-15-06] (0 Comments) The SD Dual is an upgrade from the Mini-Kart, with one important change- the addition of a Secure Digital interface. The Dual has a USB 2.0 connection on the other side of the card under a removable cover. This means the device can be used with SD card readers or a USB slot without the aid of any other products. The most likely use of this will be as and SD memory card in a digital camera and then to use the USB interface in order to allow the card to work with as many computers as possible. XFX GeForce 7950GT Extreme World Exclusive! @ tweaktown.com [Sep-13-06] (0 Comments) While at first due to the naming scheme you might think that the card is a dual core solution, much like the GeForce 7950GX2, it certainly is not that. It is designed to sit above the older GeForce 7900GT as far as performance goes (which of course means its faster then the new 7900GS that was released only last week) and as far as pricing goes, its going up directly against ATIs new Radeon X1900XT 256MB. It comes with 512MB worth of fast GDDR-3 compared to just 256MB on the 7900GT and has its core and memory clock speeds have increased quite a healthy margin. MIME encoded twice @ ocmodshop.com [Sep-13-06] (0 Comments) Compact and Versatile Unit Allows Multiple USB Devices, WiredControllers and Flash Memory Cards to Simultaneously Connect to the Xbox360 MSI K9N nForce 570 SLI Platinum @ nvnews.net [Sep-11-06] (0 Comments) On the whole, I am very pleased with the MSI K9N SLI Platinum nForce 570. The board has a plethora of features, and considering that it can be found for less than $130, the deal is quite awesome; it brings nForce 5, socket AM2, DDR2 memory and SLI to the masses for a very affordable price. Intel Core 2 "Conroe" Memory Settings Guide @ tweaktown.com [Sep-11-06] (0 Comments) Intels Pentium 4 architecture was one of the most bandwidth hungry - if you shoved DDR into it with a 400MHz rate with extremely low latencies, the system would perform worse then if it had 433MHz memory with higher latencies. Pentium 4 was just so memory hungry that higher MHz was better than lower latencies. Mushkin Redline Xp2-8000 2x1GB memory kit @ rbmods.com [Sep-11-06] (0 Comments) With all memory manufacturers going for DDR2 these days it's not weird that all sites slowly are starting to get samples of DDR2 with lower timings and better speeds. We got a sample from Mushkin this time, they sent us a kit that comes from the Redline series that has performed extremely well as normal DDR, therefore it will be interesting if they have been able to get the performance and speeds also on their new DDR2 kit. Crucial Ballistix DDR2 PC2 8000 (1000Mhz) 2 gig kit @ xtremecomputing.co.uk [Sep-09-06] (0 Comments) Obviously there are better 2 gig kits on the market with tightertimings, but in this price range the memory is spot on with the crucialbeing nearly a whole 1/3 cheaper than the lower latency modules. That for medespite the lower timings of the pricier kits makes this kit ideal for thosethat want speed but are on a tighter budget. :VIA EPIA CN13000 @ hexus.net [Sep-09-06] (0 Comments) Join us to see if the latest CN13000 EPIA, with 1.3GHz C7processor and support for DDR2 memory, is worth the readies for folksthat know they'd like one. Link:http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6625{http://www.hexus.net/content/item.php?item=6625} Mega DDR-2 Memory Roundup Finding an Overclocking King @ tweaktown.com [Sep-09-06] (0 Comments) SyncMAX, TwinMOS and A-DATA we also have to give some credit to, as these modules simply performed quite well for their price and performance bracket they fell into. Super Talent did a good job of performance but still wasnt exactly what we were fully hoping for. Our real disappointment was the Kingston HyperX which we found to be the least performing memory, though we didnt have Core 2 to test the RAM on at the time, maybe it simply isnt the right companion for the AM2 platform. Alienware Aurora m7700 @ ukgamer.com [Sep-09-06] (0 Comments) Firstly let me put this one to rest. As a machine to lug around all day, everyday the Aurora is hopeless. In terms of weight, carrying a bag of bricks would provide a similar experience and as for battery life, you may as well keep a box of rubber bands ready wound up. However there's a very good reason as to why the Aurora is like this. What it packs underneath that glossy plastic fascia is pure power, both in terms of processing capability and memory. NVIDIA GeForce 7900 GS GPU @ pcper.com [Sep-06-06] (0 Comments) Scheduled to be on sale today for $219.99 with a $20 MIR, this 7900GS model is clocked at 480 MHz core and 700 MHz memory speeds, a slightoverclock compared to the stock reference speeds of 450 MHz and 660 MHz,respectively. The card features two dual-link DVI outputs and a singleHDTV/VIVO output for connecting your PC to your television. The slick blackPCB coloring comes standard as well. HEXUS.eXclusive::Corsair Dominator TWIN2X2048-8888C4DF memory @ hexus.net [Sep-05-06] (0 Comments) Recently a plane flew over HEXUS.towers, dropping a packagefor us. We were being dominated, or were we the ones that would bedoing the Dominating? Join us as we give Corsair's fastest evermemory modules a workout, analysing performance, overclocking and ofcourse, the new cooling solution. Corsair HX620W Power Supply @ hardwaresecrets.com [Sep-05-06] (0 Comments) Corsair, well-known memory modules manufacturer, has recently entered the power supply business. We completely disassembled their most high-end model, HX620W, to take a look. Check it out. News@Technic3D / G.Skill PC 4200 DDR2 F2-4200PHU2-2GBNV 2 GB Kit @ technic3d.com [Sep-03-06] (0 Comments) G.Skill offers a memory PC 4200 DDR2 F2-4200PHU2-2GBNV 2 GB Du al Kit with a green heatspreader. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-4-4-12 and Overclocking Vizo Mirrorbox 32-in-1 Card Reader @ thinkcomputers.org [Aug-31-06] (0 Comments) Card readers are very essential now a days especially since digital cameras no longer come with card readers and there areso many different types of memory cards out there. You can get card readers that are stationary in you computer, but I preferportable ones that you can take with you while you are on a trip or even over to a friends house. Today I will be looking at theVizo Mirrorbox 32-in-1 card reader. It is extremely compact which is nice for traveling so let's take a look. [News] OCZ PC2-8800 2x1GB DDR2 Memory Kit @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-31-06] (0 Comments) The OCZ PC2-8800 2GB Gold XTC Dual Channel Memory may be theequivalent of OCZ's VX2, and Platinum modules. The memory is definitelyequipped to reach the 1100Mhz rating and being that it has quality memorymodules also operates at better, tighter memory timings. Voltage scalabilityof 2.2 to 2.4 volts is also a plus as some memory modules require 2.4 orhigher to even come close... ATI Radeon X1950XTX @ nordichardware.com [Aug-31-06] (0 Comments) The X1950XTX comes with two new features, a new cooler and new memory. Is Corsair DHX Technology 'Dominator' Overview and Interview @ legitreviews.com [Aug-30-06] (0 Comments) In case you missed it on Monday Corsair Memory unveiled the latest innovation in high performance module design, Dual-path Heat Xchange (DHX) technology. From the outside it looks like Corsair changed their heat spreader, but it's a bit more complex than a minor heat spreader switch! The ATI Radeon X1950XTX Video Card @ legitreviews.com [Aug-23-06] (0 Comments) The X1950XTX is without a doubt the fastest card ever to wear the ATI badge. The extra memory helps it shine running AA or HDR games at higher resolutions. This is important for the longevity of the card and should give it a little more lifespan as more and more titles debut with HDR and advanced shaders. It hauls ass and keeps quiet which is exactly what ATI was lacking on their last few flagship video cards. ATI Radeon X1950 XTX @ techpowerup.com [Aug-23-06] (0 Comments) The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX is a refresh of the X1900 series and is the first video card to use GDDR4 memory. Another major change is the new cooling system which was designed to reduce noise while keeping temperatures down. ATI's new flagship card is clocked at 600 MHz GPU and crazy 1000 MHz effective memory clock. Read our review to find out how this card performs. News@Technic3D / Mushkin Redline XP 2-8000 DDR2 Dual Kit Memory @ technic3d.com [Aug-23-06] (0 Comments) Mushkin offers a memory XP 2-8000 DDR2 Dual Kit with a red hea tspreader, the Redline. Technic3D will see as good they are with 4-5-4 -11 and Overclocking :ATI Radeon X1950 XTX 512MiB @ hexus.net [Aug-23-06] (0 Comments) With the same clock speed as X1900 XTX then, it's down to thenew memory and a tweaked memory controller to give the X1950 XTX theedge. We can expect scenarios where memory bandwidth is gobbled up tosee a gain with the new product. This includes high resolutions andwhere anti-aliasing & anisotropic filtering are cranked up, or to putit another way, the kinds of scenarios you'd subject a card like thisto. Sony Computer Entertainment Europe Announces New Price for PlayStation 2 @ ocmodshop.com [Aug-22-06] (0 Comments) PlayStation 2 Price Reduced to ?129, Memory Card to ?19.99 [News] G.Skill F2-6400CL4D 2GB DDR2 Memory @ virtual-hideout.net [Aug-21-06] (0 Comments) What do we think of this 2GB PC 6400 Kit that can be found for$199.00? There is really nothing bad to say about this memory. The kit isonly rated to 800 MHz at 4-4-4-12 timings, but held up to 900 MHz withtypical voltage changes. OCZ GameXStream 700W @ techpowerup.com [Aug-19-06] (0 Comments) OCZ is well known for their great overclocking memory. But they also had a PSU product a long time ago. Now the power supply line of products gets a refresh with new products. The first of them is the OCZ GameXStream 700W which is designed with gamers in mind. It is SLI Ready and certified by ATI for use with Crossfire. Corsair CMPSU-620HX PSU @ hothardware.com [Aug-16-06] (0 Comments) Over the course of the last few years, Corsair has expanded theirproduct line to address additional markets beyond memory modules. Here, theindustry has also seen water-cooling units under the COOL brand as well asflash memory drives launched under the Flash Voyager USB brand name. Today,we find Corsair venturing into yet another enthusiast market segment withthe launch of the company's first ever series of power supplies. OCZ Tempest CPU Cooler @ thinkcomputers.org [Aug-16-06] (0 Comments) When you hear the name OCZ you instantly think high performance memory, but OCZ does make other products such as powersupplies and cooling products. Today we will be taking a look at the OCZ Tempest CPU cooler, which is one of OCZ's first mainstreamCPU coolers. The Tempest features 4 heatpipes, small design and a cool blue LED fan. We will see if OCZ can male an impact in thecooling market like they have done to the memory market. Crucial Ballistix DDR2-5300 2GB Kit @ thinkcomputers.org [Aug-15-06] (0 Comments) Crucial is one of the world's leading memory manufacturers. If you have Crucial in your machine people know you have aquality rig and you value performance. Today for review I have 2 gigs of Crucial Ballistix DDR2 PC2-5300 for review, running at lowlatencies of 3-3-3-12. I'm going to put it up against some Corsair and Super Talent DDR2 and see what we get for results. Supertalent 2GB memory kit @ rbmods.com [Aug-15-06] (0 Comments) Supertalent is still fairly new on the memory market but they have already got some very good ratings in reviews they have been in. We recieved a sample of their new kit, X35B2GC2, that we will be comparing to some other well performing brands to see what type of performance we can get out of this kit. I always find it very fun to review products from new companies on the market because of being uncertain how well or bad they actually will perform so stay tuned to see our testing results. World-Exclusive:Thermaltake W2 GPU waterblock @ techpowerup.com [Aug-13-06] (0 Comments) Watercooling is becoming very popular these days due to several reasons. With water you can cool just about anything in your PC. People usually start with watercooling their CPU, then move on to GPU, through chipset watercooling and may end at memory or MOSFET cooling. On our testbed today is the Thermaltake W2 waterblock. If you are in search of silence, and need a GPU waterblock, then read on! TWIN2X2048-8500C5 (DDR2-1066/PC2-8500) 2 GB Memory Kit @ hardwaresecrets.com [Aug-10-06] (0 Comments) We reviewed the most high-end DDR2 memory modules available in the market today, Corsair TWIN2X2048-8500C5, which is a 2 GB DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 memory kit, able to officially run up to 1,066 MHz at 5-5-5-15 timings. Check it out. Corsair Readout USB Flash Memory Device @ metku.net [Aug-09-06] (0 Comments) USB Flash Memory Devices are quite common these days. With ever increasing capacity, these devices are starting to eat away the market share of portable hard drives. But what sets these USB storage devices apart? We have seen different colors, shapes and sizes, virtually indestructible ones, with and without finger print identification etc.Corsair decided to take things one step further. This time we are reviewing a very unique product from them that adds a display to an USB Flash Memory Device. You may wonder what it is used for so go ahead, read on and find out. AMD brings DDR-2 support to Athlon CPU platform @ tweaktown.com [Jul-31-06] (0 Comments) AM2 is a new socket and hence it does add one new feature to the mix for AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Sempron based on this new socket - that being DDR-2 memory support. Today we are going to pit an AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800 AM2 against a similarly clocked Socket 939 CPU to see just what, if any, gains come from the new memory interface for AM2 based processors. Crucial Ballistix Tracer Memory @ extensivemods.com [Jul-30-06] (0 Comments) We have ram in the workshop today! No I don't mean a Ram truck ora mountain ram, I'm talking about random access memory from Crucial Ram.Crucial in two respects, one being the name of the company and the otherbeing it's crucial to have for your PC. Crucial Technology is a well-knowncompany and is a subsidiary of Micron Technology Inc. (which is also one ofthe largest memory manufacturers in the world). Crucial is known for makingtop of the line performance memory for the enthusiast builder along with lowpriced memory for the budget builder. Now they've they decided to throw somememory into the fray that has a little bling for the modders out there.Today I have one of Crucials 1G DDR2 PC2-5300 w/LEDs Ballistix Tracer Ram kit. Now this won't beyour ordinary performance review on ram, my contact over at Micron wanted areview done on the bling bling factor. Put on your shades and see if thisram will add a little bling to your life or at least your case. TEAM Group Factory Tour RAM Production from Start to Finish @ tweaktown.com [Jul-27-06] (0 Comments) Today in this article well show you the production stages of a memory module from the very beginning until the point where it is ready to be shipped off to the customer. Well also show you how memory is tested for stability before testing along with how heat spreaders are installed on TEAMs range of Xtreem memory modules. Intel 925X Express Chipset @ techdomain.com.au [Jul-26-06] (0 Comments) Taking advantage of this new I/O system technology, and advances in DDR SDRAM memory, Intel has brought out a new range of chipsets, the 900 series. All chipsets and motherboards in the 900 series use PCI-Express technology. There are two distinct chipsets so far in this range, the mainstream 915 Express chipset and the performance/enthusiast aimed 925X chipset.I will be taking a look at the very appealing performance Chipset labeled the 925X, or Alderwood. This chipset includes the new PCI-Express technology along with DDR2 memory support, Intel Matrix Raid Storage, and the PCI-Express x16 graphics card interface. There is also support for all the latest Pentium CPUs with the new LGA775 socket. Foxconn C51XEM2AA 8EKRS2H @ overclockersonline.com [Jul-25-06] (0 Comments) This review was as much about the Foxconn C51XEM2AA-8EKRS2H, as it was about the new NVIDIA 590 SLI chipset, and I was a bit disappointed to see very little, if any, advantage of the 590 SLI chipset when compared to the older nForce4. That said, there is very little drawback going to the new 590 chipset as driver availability is there for 32-bit and 64-bit Windows, and the performance did show some signs of optimism. The most impressive results come in the overclocking section, especially with the memory. Sitecom USB On-The-Go Copy Box CN-131 @ techdomain.com.au [Jul-25-06] (0 Comments) If you ever found yourself running out of room on your camera's memory card, or you needed to quickly copy some information from one usb device to another without the hassle of powering on your pc, then the Sitecom USB On-The-Go Copy Box might just be for you! OCZ Tempest CPU Cooler @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-24-06] (0 Comments) There was a time awhile back that OCZ was a big name in the coolingarena. Products like the Dominator and the Eliminator sat atop many socket Aand 370 processors and motherboards. OCZ had moved now to dominating thememory market. We could sit and write about OCZ accomplishments in memoryall day long. But it seems that they are gearing themselves to reestablishtheir name in the cooling market again. The Tempest is the first productreleased under the cooling category in this new era. Will it keep up withthe Zalmans and the Scythes of today? Let's see. Super Talent T1066UX1G5 DDR2 PC8500 @ pro-clockers.com [Jul-20-06] (0 Comments) Super Talent is no stranger to the world of making high performancecomponents. Being around for the pass twenty plus years they have producedtheir fair share of high overclocking memory. Super Talent also producesmany other things that one may take a liking to like MP3 players, flash drives and digitalmedia. All of the items mentioned in the last sentence are all great and allbut there isn't anything that overclockers like more than great overclockingram. So, Super Talent was generous enough to send over some of their newT1066UX1G5 DDR2 PC8500 ram. Does it meet an overclocker's needs? Let's see. Corsair 2GB PC2-6400 C3 DDR2 Memory @ legitreviews.com [Jul-18-06] (0 Comments) After reviewing ten enthusiast brand lines from eight companies I feel confident to call Corsair's PC2-6400C3 memory line the ultimate enthusiast memory on the market today. Thanks to ability to run super tight CL3 timings up over 880MHz and CL4 timings well over 1.1GHz these modules will give gamers and overclockers ample room to best optimize their system performance. Corsair made the smart move to use Micron D9 IC's on their PC2-6400C3 modules and thanks to super tight screening they are able to produce these kits in volume... Jetart VC3600 VGA Cooler @ techdomain.com.au [Jul-18-06] (0 Comments) The VC3600 is a VGA cooler compatible with nearly all NVIDIA & ATI VGA cards. It has a full copper heatsink and uses a precision welding technique for the fins. The two-sided inhaling blower fan built in wind tunnel not only cools GPU and Memory chipsets, but also exhausts heat from the case at the same time to reduce system temperature. XFX 7600 GT XXX Edition @ pcper.com [Jul-12-06] (0 Comments) Since the memory is about 14% faster while the GPU is 5% faster thanstock speeds, in some areas that are compute bound, the XFX model will belimited to a 5% gain while in areas that are memory bandwidth bound, thecard could go as high as 10-12% faster, depending on the specific gamingscenario. Since the memory is about 14% faster while the GPU is 5% fasterthan stock speeds, in some areas that are compute bound, the XFX model willbe limited to a 5% gain while in areas that are memory bandwidth bound, thecard could go as high as 10-12% faster, depending on the specific gamingscenario. Integrated vs Budget ATI and Nvidia Video Cards @ legitreviews.com [Jul-12-06] (0 Comments) So what we did learn here? That integrated video is slower compared to even the least expensive cards on the market including an add-in board with the same name. The X300 was much faster while the 6200TC was easily capable of doubling the performance of the integrated video in all but one situation. It's really important to point out that the integrated video and the ATI card in this test are using the same GPU, but they are clocked at different speeds and have much different ways of accessing the memory, which is why there is such a difference in our tests. This should illustrate just how much more efficient an add-in board is. Super Talent's 2.5" IDE Flash hard drive @ techreport.com [Jul-12-06] (0 Comments) IDE Flash hard driveIN AN ATTEMPT TO improve performance and extend battery life, mobile hard drive manufacturers are working on hybrid designs that combine flash mem ory with traditional platters. Flash memory's fast access times, low weig ht and power consumption, and lack of moving parts make it ideal for mobi le environments, which is perhaps why Microsoft has made hybrid drives a requirement for Windows Vista Premium certification starting in June of 2 007.Of course, the first hybrid hard drives aren't even expected to become av ailable until early next year. However, you don't have to wait six months to get flash memory in a 2.5 quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ ngohq.com [Jul-11-06] (0 Comments) At Computex 2006, we had the chance to see a new memory module from GeIL. EVO ONE is its name, and it is the enthusiast's wet dream. These days, memory plays an important role in running today's games and applications. However, some motherboards can be a bottleneck when it comes to high performance memory. Most of the motherboard manufacturers today are drawing voltage from the 3.3v rail to power memory modules. Only one manufacturer is using the 5v rail, which allows the user higher overclocking, and that's DFI. Even with DDR2, the voltage is pretty limited on many motherboards. quoted-printable encoded unnecessarily @ ngohq.com [Jul-11-06] (0 Comments) At Computex 2006, we had the chance to see a new memory module from GeIL. EVO ONE is its name, and it is the enthusiast's wet dream. These days, memory plays an important role in running today's games and applications. However, some motherboards can be a bottleneck when it comes to high performance memory. Most of the motherboard manufacturers today are drawing voltage from the 3.3v rail to power memory modules. Only one manufacturer is using the 5v rail, which allows the user higher overclocking, and that's DFI. Even with DDR2, the voltage is pretty limited on many motherboards. Mushkin XP-650 Enhanced PSU @ gruntville.com [Jul-10-06] (0 Comments) Enter Mushkin. That's right; the company who's known the w |