by Stuart Davidson | 23/05/2013
The GPU landscape will be changing soon which means that current generation parts have received a discount to make them more attractive so there may well never have been a better time to consider something like a GTX 680, so today we have one of the latest designs for review. ZOTAC's GTX 680 AMP! Edition.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/05/2013
Now OCZ are bringing to market a new Vertex drive using more than a little tech from their Vector series of enthusiast SSDs. Today the Vertex 450 launches and we have the 256GB model in our test system to see where it fits into the current market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/05/2013
Today NVIDIA launch the GTX 780 graphics card and we have the ZOTAC branded version on our test bench. We'll be putting it through a selection of real world tests against overclocked 680 and 7970 cards to see how it does in titles like Crysis 3, Metro:Last Light and GRID 2.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/05/2013
Normally when a company releases a 512GB USB 3.0 drive we would assume that it was a 2.5" form factor model, often using a mechanical drive but occasionally containing a SSD. Kingston havent taken that route though and instead have managed to fit half a gigabyte of storage into a much more compact package. So compact in fact that they include an attachment so that it can be carried about with us along with our keys.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/05/2013
The ZOTAC ZBOX ID89 Plus contains the usual selection of 2.5in hard drive, wireless-n wi-fi and the like but manages to include support for dual channel memory and arrives kitted out with a Core i5 CPU. All in a chassis not much bigger than most external drive enclosures.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/05/2013
Today we take a look at ADATAs SX300 mSATA SSD, the 256GB model and will find out how it compares to a desktop SSD as well as a competing mSATA model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/04/2013
Today we take a look at what the Seagate Barracuda 4TB drive has to offer in a selection of tests while also finding out how easy (or hard) it is to set up a large capacity drive like this in Windows 8.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/04/2013
Today sees the release of a new GTX Titan from ZOTAC, the AMP! Edition. This is the highest clocked air cooled Titan we have seen so far and we will be putting it up against the 7990 as well as the GTX 690 in a selection of the latest games which include Bioshock: Infinite, Crysis 3 and Tomb Raider. Of course as always we will look at GPU Computing, Media Playback, power, thermal, and acoustics as well as overclocking.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/04/2013
Today we have one of Toshiba's latest solid state drives for review, the THNSNH256GCST, which is ideal for desktops and portable systems thanks to its compact 7mm casing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/04/2013
Looking to diversify their business even more ZOTAC recently released the RAIDBOX, a compact USB 3.0 enclosure which allows us to install two mSATA hard drives then RAID them for enhanced performance/data protection. Today we have a sample on our test bench, along with two high spec 256GB mSATA drives from ADATA.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/04/2013
Today we take the 7990 through a selection of real world gaming tests which include Crysis 3, Bioshock Infinite, Far Cry 3, Assassins Creed 3, StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Battlefield 3, Tomb Raider, DOTA 2, SWTOR, F1 2012 and Borderlands 2. Mix that with the latest 3DMark, Heaven Benchmark, GPU computing, Media playback and all the usual power/thermal and overclocking tests... add frame latency and we have quite a lot to get through today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/04/2013
So it is always great when we see a portable drive that contains an SSD and uses USB 3.0, both of which should remove the USB 2.0 connector and mechanical drive bottlenecks which we regularly see. Thats where the MiniStaion SSD Edition enters, but Buffalo havent stopped there, they also provide a Thunderbolt interface for Mac users (and those who have an appropriate motherboard for PC).
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/04/2013
Now Scythe are back with a new range of products and one of the newest is the Ashura tower cooler. Today we test it against a range of coolers on our socket 2011 system to find out how it might enhance our thermal performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/04/2013
Since the 800D Corsair have cemented their place in chassis design with impressive models at each point. Today though the review NDA lifts and we are back at the enthusiast end of the case market with the Obsidian 900D. Can Corsair meet, or exceed the quality, design and features of the 800D? lets find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/04/2013
Today we see Crucial attempt to drive the SSD market forward with the introduction of a SSD which has a capacity up to 960GB (so the best part of 1TB) while maintaining a price point which competes with 512GB models from the likes of Samsung and OCZ. Can the new M500 compete in performance as well as cost? In a selection of synthetic and real world tests we find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/04/2013
Recently Corsair added a new model at the top end of their Hydro range of factory sealed liquid coolers. The H110 increases the radiator and fan size over the H100/H100i and looks to enhance performance while doing so. Today we have a H110 connected to our system and will see how it performs in standard and heavily overclocked scenarios using our i7-3960X.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/03/2013
NVIDIA is looking to fill a bit of a gap in the middle of their product stack with a new model, the GeForce GTX 650Ti Boost and on our test bench we have an overclocked model. Well be putting it through a selection of the latest games, including Crysis 3, Tomb Raider and StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/03/2013
Designed to replace the 7850 1GB in the AMD 7000 series, so between 7770 and 7850 2GB, this new product is AMDs attempt to offer a mainstream GPU with exceptional price to performance ratio.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/03/2013
There are a large number of consumers out there looking for the best price performance ratio and OCZ feel that one of the best ways to satisfy those needs is to take the an older (but not necessarily outdated) range and tweak the model to minimise costs. Enter the Vertex 3.20...
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/03/2013
Today we are going to look at GPU reviews specifically (and may venture back into other categories in the future as motherboard reviews for example are also a mess in the review industry), taking a look at what WE feel makes for a quality review and why.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/03/2013
Today we have the 256GB version of the Ultra Plus connected to our test system and will find out how it compares to numerous alternative models.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/02/2013
Today we take the GTX Titan through a selection of real world gaming tests which include Crysis 3, Aliens: Colonial Marines, Far Cry 3, Assassins Creed 3, Hitman: Absolution, StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm, Battlefield 3, Skyrim: Dragonborn, DOTA 2, SWTOR, Mass Effect 3, F1 2012 and Borderlands 2. Mix that with the latest 3DMark, Heaven Benchmark, GPU computing, Media playback and all the usual power/thermal and overclocking tests...
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/02/2013
For anyone looking to build their own compact system, whether it be a desktop or maybe a HTPC, Cubitek offer the Mini Cube. Compatible with Mini-ITX boards and featuring enough space to route wiring behind the motherboard tray... as well as fit in a GTX 690 this could be the solution to a number of consumers builds.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/02/2013
The Razer Blade (or New Razer Blade as we are now on a second revision) is a high end Ultrabook aimed at gamers. With a mobile i7 CPU, GeForce GTX 600 series graphics and a unique touch screen track pad it offers something that little bit different to the norm. Today we put it through a selection of real world tests including Crysis 3 and StarCraft 2 Heart of the Swarm.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/02/2013
Now Plextor have built a mSATA SSD around the latest Marvell controller and hope to offer desktop like SATA 6GB/s in the compact form factor. Today we find out how it compares to an existing mSATA SSD as well as some desktop models.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/01/2013
Recently Dell updated their all-in-one range to include the XPS One 27 inch (with optional touch screen). Providing a resolution of 2560x1440, i7 CPU and GeForce 600 series graphics on Windows 8 this could be the ideal home and office solution for those wanting to save space with a stylish chassis.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/01/2013
Sapphire recently released the AMD A8 based Edge VS8 mini-PC and now we get a chance to see what ZOTAC's latest generation of system can offer in comparison. The ZBOX ID83 Plus takes us into Ivy Bridge in a system which is comparable in size to a decent router, let's find out how it performs...
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/01/2013
Today we take a look at three entry level liquid cooling solutions. They are the Seidon 120M from Cooler Master, Corsairs H55 and the Antec Kuhler 620 V4. All are aimed at the 45-55 ($60-70) price point but which offers the best performance, features or ease of use?
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/01/2013
Now, proving once again that they don't just do black boxes Antec are releasing the GX700. With a price tag of $60 and military styling can Antec prove that cheap and cheerful can also be stylish and functional?
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/01/2013
We will be taking EVGAs latest GTX 670, the FTW Signature 2 Edition and putting it head to head with the ASUS 7970 DirectCU2 to find out how each performs in games such as Far Cry 3, Assassins Creed and Hitman Absolution. Of course this will all be real world gaming and the usual GPU computing, media and power/thermal testing will be thrown in too.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/01/2013
For all that big tower coolers and closed loop liquid coolers have their uses, there is also a significant market out there for compact, low noise models. Noctua are looking to fill that gap with the NH-L9i which aims to be a replacement for the stock Intel model, or an ideal product for SFF and HTPC use.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/01/2013
With their Ballistix Sport VLP (Very Low Profile) modules Crucial are looking to offer a value packed product which appeals to consumers who need low voltage, compact memory in high capacities.
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by Stephanie Goody | 09/01/2013
Today we take our second look at Tahiti LE with the Sapphire 7870 XT (With Boost) and in this article will be maxing out its core and memory speed then checking how it performs in games like Far Cry 3, Assassins Creed 3 and Hitman Absolution against a max OC 660 Ti.
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by Stephanie Goody | 08/01/2013
Today we have the latest SSD from PNY attached to our test system, the XLR8 Pro, putting it up against the best that Samsung and OCZ (amongst others) have to offer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/01/2013
Plextor's SSD range is the subject of our review today and we are going to look at the M5 Pro, one of the first drives around to use Marvell's newest controller. How does it stack up against the likes of OCZ's Vector and the Samsung 840 Pro? Let's find out...
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/12/2012
Today we have another set of extreme modules from Kingston in our test system and with the "Beast" model name this 32GB kit had better impress. We will be putting the Beast sticks through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to find out how these 2400MHz modules perform.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/12/2012
The focus of today's review is the Macho Rev.A (BW) a chunky tower cooler which looks to balance price and performance. With support for Intel and AMD sockets we will be pushing our i7 to 5.0GHz to see how the Macho handles extreme conditions.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/12/2012
Sapphire are back with their latest generation of mini-PC, the EDGE VS8. Based around AMDs A8 APU we get quad core processing and DirectX 11 graphics, all in an ultra-compact chassis.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/12/2012
PowerColor are taking the Tahiti GPU, usually used in 7900 series cards, and pricing/configuring it at 7870 level. Call it Tahiti LE, 7950 Light... or 7870 Myst with PCS+ cooling. Today we take a look at how it performs in games like Far Cry 3, Assassin's Creed 3 and Hitman Absolution.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/12/2012
MSI's latest foray into the gaming/enthusiast laptop marketplace is the GT70 Dragon Edition. With components including the latest Ivy Bridge i7 CPU, SSDs in RAID, GTX 675MX Graphics and 16GB of memory in a 17" chassis... and some great extra specifications, today we find out whether the system can play the likes of Far Cry 3 and Hitman: Absolution.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/12/2012
So what happens when ThinkPad meets UltraBook? Well we get a system like the X1 Carbon from Lenovo with rapid charging, premium carbon fibre construction (with roll cage) and the latest Core CPUs from Intel... and today that is the focus of our review.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/11/2012
Earlier this year we saw OCZ release the Vertex 4 and Agility 4 SSDs, a mix of Marvel and Indilinx inside they offered some impressive performance along with OCZs decent software suite and excellent support. Today sees the first product to market which combines the Indilinx and PLX teams knowhow. The Vector series of SSDs is, other than NAND flash, a 100% in house design and we will be putting it up against the best drives currently available from Samsung, Intel and OCZ themselves.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/11/2012
The product we have received from be quiet! today is the Dark Rock Pro 2 cooler their flagship model which promises ultra-high performance with virtually silent operation. Let's find out if it achieves this goal...
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/11/2012
With a 17inch form factor, the latest i7 CPU, SSD and dual GPUs the P722 looks to pack as much performance in a desktop replacement system as possible. Today we will be putting one through its paces in a selection of synthetic and real world tests, including the Crysis 3 Alpha to find out if it is an attractive purchase.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/11/2012
In the last few months the SSD market has started to evolve again. Now we have drives which feature a wide range of controllers from various manufacturers that all look to offer the best balance of price/performance or features. Today we are taking a selection of the best and putting them up against each other in a Windows 8 environment.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/10/2012
Now six months on from the Z77 launch manufacturers such as Gigabyte are launching their new generation of products based around the chipset. The top model in Gigabytes family is GA-Z77X-UP7 and we have one on our test bench today. It will be put through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to establish how it compares to a first generation Z77 product.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/10/2012
Now a year on from the FX-8150 launch AMD are back with a revision of their performance orientated CPUs. The new FX-8350 revises the cores used and bumps up the speed for a product which again is designed to maximise price and performance for those looking to spend about $199 on a chip. We will be taking a look at the new chip in a selection of real world and synthetic tests against the FX-8150 and i5-3570K along with a look at the benefits of AMDs recently launched 12.11 beta driver which promises much improved 7000 series performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/10/2012
The focus of today's review is one of SilverStones latest coolers. From the Heligon series the HE01 supports all recent CPU sockets and has one of the chunkiest bundled fans we have seen, as well as the option to install two more on the heatsink if we wish.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/10/2012
One company very much out to appeal to an enthusiast audience, whether they are on a mainstream or high end budget is Inno3D. With their iChill range of cards we get custom PCBs and proper enthusiast cooling; 3 fans on a 660 Ti and factory installed liquid cooling on a GTX 680... sounds great to us. Today we take a look at both models in a selection of real world gaming tests including Battlefield 3, F1 2012 and Borderlands 2.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/10/2012
The GTX 650 Ti is available in two models, 1GB or 2GB, and today we have a selection of overclocked 2GB models on our test bench. We will be testing the 2GB Overclocked GTX 650 Tis against the comparable Radeon in a selection of games including Borderlands 2, Dishonored and Battlefield 3.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/10/2012
Almost all of us have spare drive bays on the front of our PCs and a fair number of us have either got spare parts kicking about or have run out of space inside our system for hard drives. Icy dock are looking to solve several problems such as these with their drive racks/cages which are designed to add storage space to our otherwise empty front of case bays. Today we have three different models on our test bench to see how they perform.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/09/2012
Today AMD are allowing previews of their latest APU range based around gaming performance. So we have taken the top model, the A10-5800K, combined it with the ASUS F2A85-V Pro and some high spec components before throwing the system at a selection of the latest games. How does the new platform deal with Borderlands 2, F1 2012 and more? Read on to find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/09/2012
One company out to match and maybe even exceed Alienware in offering a compact alternative to Ultrabooks is Eurocom. Their Monster system manages to pack in an i7 CPU and impressive GeForce 600 series GPU into an 11" form factor and today we have one on our test bench.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/09/2012
It has only been a few weeks since the launch of the GTX 660 Ti but again NVIDIA are ready with a new card, two in fact, the GTX 650 and GTX 660. Today we will be focusing on the GTX 660 and looking at a couple of overclocked models using resolutions from 1920x1080 to 5760x1080. As always the latest games such as Max Payne 3 and Sleeping Dogs are covered and a little SLI is thrown in too.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/09/2012
With the release of the Vengeance C70 case we see for the first time the Corsair case designers getting to think outside the box. Employing a military theme the C70 gets a thorough look on our review bench today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/09/2012
In the mainstream arena one of the key products of the moment is the Radeon HD 7770, a card designed to offer an excellent price to performance ratio. For those who are on a limited budget keeping costs to a minimum can mean money spent elsewhere and with their FleX Edition Sapphire look to facilitate multi-screen gaming at minimal cost. Today we have their new Radeon 7770 FleX Edition (GHz Edition) on our test bench, but is 5760x1080 gaming achievable with it?
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/08/2012
Recently AMDs partners were given the ability to design and release their own 7990 products (or 7970 X2 if you like). This would see two 7900 series GPUs on one PCB and every design would be different, PCB layouts, power spec, outputs, coolers... the works. One of the first to market with a 7990 is PowerColor with their Devil 13 card. This is as Extreme as Radeons currently get and today we put it head to head with the GTX 690 to find out which is best in the latest games.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/08/2012
One of the latest systems to be released in the Ultrabook category is Lenovo's U410 which has a hefty advertising campaign behind it and GeForce GPU inside. Today we have one on our test bench and will see how it compares to the last generation system to see what the Lenovo offers in real world use.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/08/2012
The success of Corsair's more recent products hasn't meant they are neglecting their memory range and recently they announced some new enthusiast sticks. Called Dominator Platinum the new range see's Corsair head to 3000MHz modules and today we have the 2666MHz rated 16GB kit in our test system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/08/2012
First up today is the Z77 FTW, a high end board for socket 1155 CPUs. With plenty of enthusiast features. We will also be taking a look at EVGA's factory overclocked GTX 670, two in fact, in the latest games including Max Payne 3 and Counter Strike Global Operations.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/08/2012
NVIDIA are ready to launch their latest 600 series GPU, the GTX 660 Ti and we have three factory overclocked models on our test bench today. First up is the EVGA SuperClocked, then the Palit JetStream and finally the Zotac AMP! We will put each up against overclocked versions of the GTX 670, 7950, 7870 and 560 Ti (448) in a selection of real world gaming tests including Max Payne 3 and Battlefield 3 to see where the GTX 660 Ti fits in.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/08/2012
One of the first manufacturers to get a 7970 GHz Edition to market is Sapphire and they haven't held back on their Toxic version. With 6GB of memory, custom cooler, redesigned PCB, improved build quality and a heavy overclock this is about as extreme as a 7970 gets.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/07/2012
Recently Xigmatek launched a new revision of their Dark Knight cooler, the Night Hawk Edition. Releasing a Dark Knight product at the moment has obvious advantages and today we find out if it lives up to the high quality we have come to expect from Xigmatek products.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/07/2012
On our test bench today is the latest product from the ASUS RoG brand, their Maximus V Formula motherboard. We will be comparing it to another Z77 board in a selection of real world and synthetic tests to find out how ASUS look to improve on the base design and how far they have pushed the enthusiast feature set... watercooled heatsinks anyone?
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/07/2012
The latest case in the HAF range is the XM model, a mid-tower which takes the overall design of the HAF X and shrinks the dimensions. Today we have a HAF XM on our test bench and will be looking in at it in detail to see if Cooler Master have another high quality case on the market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/06/2012
Since their first SSD Intel have taken a few approaches to building the devices. Initially they went with their own controllers within the drives and it is fair to say that those drives were some of the best in early generations. Since then we have seen them dabble with updated controllers under their own brand, try out Marvell and more recently release a Sandforce based drive in the form of the 520 series.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/06/2012
With a refined manufacturing process and a tweaked firmware/bios AMD are today launching a revised 7970 known as the GHz Edition, or XT2. We will be comparing that card to an overclocked, custom design GTX 680 and will dispense with the niceties, clocking our i7-3960X CPU at 5.0GHz and firing the resolution up as high as 5760x1080.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/06/2012
Today we have the new 11" model of the MacBook Air on our test bench and will find out if this Ivy Bridge based machine offers a desirable balance of portability and power for those looking at a compact system for their mobile needs.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/06/2012
Recently AMD announced their next generation of APUs with Trinity branding heavily featured. This new range of chips enhances performance and features and first to market is the mobile range, followed later in the year by desktop parts. Today we have AMDs reference mobile platform on our test bench to find out how the new A10 range performs in a selection of real world tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/06/2012
Sometimes in the technology industry there can be a real gap between what a product offers and what consumers need... or that until a consumer experiences something it seems like an unnecessary expense, or not worthwhile. Something which it would seem very much falls into one or both of those categories is multi-display gaming, either AMD Eyefinity or NVIDIA Surround.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/06/2012
Today we look at one of Corsairs most recent case designs, the 550D, which looks to bring ultra-low noise operation to the high quality build normally associated with their range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/06/2012
The Medion Erazer, in its latest incarnation, packs in Intel's Ivy Bridge platform along with NVIDIAs latest GTX 670M GPU and plenty of memory. We will be putting it through a selection of tests which include real world gaming, media and productivity tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/05/2012
Now featuring Ivy Bridge CPUs and NVIDIA 600 series GPUs the M14x is back and today we will be putting it through a selection of real world tests which include media encoding and playback as well as gaming. We'll be putting this i7 based laptop up against the original model in a selection of those tests to find out how much extra performance we can get and whether the system can game satisfactorily a its native resolution.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/05/2012
It seems each manufacturer is going to take its own unique approach to building a card around the GTX 670 GPU with some going for compact models and others heading for larger PCBs with significant cooling solutions and overclocks. Inno3D fall into the second category and it is their custom GTX 670 which we have on our test bench today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/05/2012
Today we see the first Vapor-X 7000 series card in the shape of a Sapphire Radeon HD 7770 Vapor-X OC Edition. This enhanced version of the 7770 runs at significantly higher clock speeds than the reference model on both core and memory and combines this with a dual fan, vapour chamber cooler and we will be putting it head to head against the GTX 560 in a selection of real world gaming and multimedia tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/05/2012
The GTX 670 takes the features of the GTX 680 and tweaks the configuration to hit a lower price point while still being competitive. We have two custom, factory overclocked GTX 670 cards on our test bench and will be putting them up against overlocked versions of the GTX 680, GTX 570, 7970 and 7950 to find out how each enhanced model performs when paired with an i7 CPU at 5.0GHz.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/05/2012
Today we will be putting the MSI GTX 680 Twin Frozr through a selection of real world media, computing and gaming tests with titles such as Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim to see how it compares to an overclocked Radeon 7970.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/05/2012
CPUs like the i7-3960X sit at the top of Intel's product stack and if we are looking to build a top of the range system based around that CPU we need a quality board to maximise our features and performance. ASRock aim to deliver this with their X79 Extreme9 and today it is on our test bench as we put it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests. Can it offer as much as the newer Z77 boards, or maybe even more? Let's find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/05/2012
Today we get to look at the GTX 690, NVIDIAs dual GPU Kepler part, and will be putting it up against some of the best custom GTX 680 and Radeon 7970 cards along with CF and SLI configurations in the latest games such as Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim. GPU computing and HD playback will of course make an appearance and to top it off a card like this needs to run on a beefy CPU, so it's time to take the i7-3960X to 5.0GHz...
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/05/2012
Today we update the battle between the 680 and 7970 by taking two of the most impressive models, both custom factory overclocked, and put them head to head in real world gameplay which includes Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim as well as media playback and GPU computing... enter the PowerColor HD 7970 PCS+ (Vortex 2) and Gainward GTX 680 Phantom.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/04/2012
Based on a well-known OEM design Sharkoon have added their own tweaks to the WMP series before setting it at a very attractive price. Today we review their 600w modular model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/04/2012
Today Intel launch their CPU range and we are combining the i7-3770K with Gigabytes rather impressive looking G1.Sniper 3 and G1.Sniper M3 to find out if these components can make the ultimate Ivy Bridge System. Testing will of course include synthetic and real world, with the likes of 3DMark 11 and Battlefield 3 making an appearance with the GeForce GTX 680.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/04/2012
Based on a familiar chassis the GT683DXR offers high end mobile speakers, a full HD screen and powerful CPU/GPU combination. Did we mention the dual hard drives in Raid 0 or 8GB of DDR3-1333, upgradable to 32GB? No. Well read on to find out what MSI can offer for the mobile enthusiast.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/04/2012
Corsair are now offering their take on the solid state cache drive technology with the release of the Accelerator. With capacities of 30-60GB they aim to offer a solution for those even on a minimal budget. Today we put it head to head with the competition, Crucials Adrenaline, to see who comes out on top.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/04/2012
Dell were one of the first manufacturers to release an Ultrabook with up to date specification and today we have that model on our test bench. The XPS 13 mixes premium materials with some impressive specifications to try and tempt users away from more restrictive devices and into the world of performance mobile computing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/04/2012
One manufacturer pushing DDR3 to ever higher specifications is GeIL and their latest range, called Black Dragon, features some rather attractive styling and LEDs as well as speeds well in excess of 2000MHz. We have the quad channel kit in our test system today and will find out what it offers in a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/04/2012
The idea behind the Crucial Adrenaline and Nvelo's Dataplex software is that we drop in the SSD and use it as a high speed cache which allows our system to perform faster while using an existing mechanical drive for storage. Today we take a look at this solution to find out if it is the ideal solution for those who might not have the budget for a high end/capacity SSD.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/04/2012
At Cebit ZOTAC were giving select press a glimpse of a product which would soon hit the market, a new ultra compact ZBOX sytem which would be their smallest yet, but the claim was that performance would not be impacted. Today that ridiculously small system launches and we find out if the ZBOX Nano XS Plus (AD11) lives up to ZOTAC's claims.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/04/2012
Today we have the official Z77 launch and can talk about the boards based upon it without restrictions. So we have gathered a bundle from ASRock, ASUS, ECS, Intel and MSI to compare and find out which offers the best features and performance on Intels new chipset.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/04/2012
ZOTAC have added a new model to their product catalogue and redesigned their chassis around added functionality. Today on our test bench we have the ZBOX AD05 Plus Blu-Ray, a compact, slim chassis for those who want a compact media system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/04/2012
Today we have two of the new Vertex 4 drives on our test bench and will be comparing it in real world and synthetic test against drives based on the latest Sandforce, Marvell and Samsung controllers.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/03/2012
The Palit GTX 680 JetStream is a factory overclocked 3 slot, triple fan cooled card which aims to show the competition how a GTX 680 should be done. We will be putting it through a selection of real world gaming tests including Battlefield 3, Mass Effect 3 and Skyrim as well as overclocking it to the limit...
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/03/2012
Today's case falls into the entry level gamer category and is the Thermaltake V3 BlacX Edition. Tt have tried to pack as many features as they can into this case including USB 3.0 and SSD support while keeping costs at a minimum so let's see how they have done.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/03/2012
Based on a custom design the XFX Radeon R7850 Black Edition Double Dissipation is factory overclocked and has a familiar look to the more expensive 7900 series XFX cards. Today we will take a look at it in a selection of the latest games to find out what it offers over a standard design. Additionally we will be taking a look at the various anti-aliasing modes available on the XFX card and how they affect performance and image quality.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/03/2012
We have already taken a look at single GPU performance and now it is time to update that article with a look at SLI, featuring ZOTAC's version of the GTX 680 in titles such as Mass Effect 3 and Battlefield 3 with single screen and surround gaming as well as Stereoscopic 3D testing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/03/2012
Take one ASUS GTX 680 2GB, overclock it to its limit... add one MSI R7970 Lightning, the highest spec AMD card around and overclock it to breaking point. Thrown in comparisons at 1920x1080 and 5760x1080 mixing with the latest games such as Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3 and SW: The Old Republic. Check cards are piping hot before completion and you have todays review.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/03/2012
Today we take a detailed look at gaming performance of the GTX 680 in titles such as Mass Effect 3 and Battlefield 3 with single screen and surround gaming as well as Stereoscopic 3D testing. Added to that is GPU computing and media playback performance along with thermal, power, noise and overclocking results. Want to see how the GTX 680 does against the 7970 at its maximum overclock, or the GTX 580 OC 3GB we have that sorted too...
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/03/2012
Sitting at the top of OCZ's recently announced Champ1on Series of Fatal1ty PSUs is the 80Plus Gold Certified 1000w model with modular cables and very distinct styling. We have that very version on our test bench today and will find out if gamers should be putting it at the top of their shopping list for new system builds... after all we all need a new system with AMD and NVIDIA throwing out new GPUs almost weekly.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/03/2012
Today we will put two of the top models, Sapphires OC Edition and XFX's DD Black Edition head to head in order to find out what they offer mainstream gamers looking for top performance in the latest games... including Mass Effect 3, Battlefield 3 and Skyrim.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/03/2012
Today we have the most extreme 7970 we have received yet, the MSI Radeon 7970 Lightning. On paper MSI have taken this GPU to a whole new level with extra PCB's, voltage read points, power phases and top of the line components so we are going to do the same. Rather than bench the card at its impressive factory overclock we are taking it to the limit, its maximum stable overclock to see how it compares to the reference design as well as an overclocked, 3GB GTX 580.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/03/2012
Today we have a Sapphire 7970 OverClock Edition card on our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of real world gaming tests, including Battlefield 3 and Mass Effect 3 to find what Sapphire can do with their own design.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/03/2012
We have one of the first retail 7800 cards available to us in the form of Sapphires 7850 OverClock Edition. Today we will be putting it head to head with the GTX 560 Ti Overclock in order to find out which comes out on top. Tests include Battlefield 3, Skyrim and The Old Republic along with the usual media, GPU computing and power/temperature results.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/03/2012
Antec realise that to some people a case is just the thing that holds their components and so have low cost options which look to provide Antec quality and features with minimal price. One of those budget friendly cases is the new "One" chassis which we have on our test bench today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/03/2012
Today AMD launch the 7800 series and allow us to look at their reference cards with partner availability to come later (around March 19th). With the same features as the 7900 series yet a significantly lower price today we find how well they compete with the 7950 and 6870 while looking in detail at the comparison with NVIDIAs GTX 560 Ti and GTX 570.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/03/2012
Today we take a look at the Windows 8 Consumer Preview, how to install it, what the basic OS experience is and how it performs, compared to Windows 7 on AMDs latest FX CPU and Radeon 7700 series GPU.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/03/2012
Corsair realise that not everyone needs, or can afford, a high end chassis and for that reason they have been releasing various models over the past couple of years which target price points below the Obsidian 800D. Each has been impressive and the most recent is the Carbide 300R, Corsairs first sub $90/60 case, which we have on our test bench today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/02/2012
G.Skill have recently released their latest enthusiast modules in the form of RipjawsZ and today we have the 2133MHz, 16GB kit on our test bench. Let's take a look at them...
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/02/2012
On our test bench today we have the high end Alienware X51 configuration. It boasts an i7 CPU and GTX GPU in its specifications and we will be putting it through a selection of synthetic and real world tests, including Mass Effect 3, before taking a look at what the performance could be should the user upgrade to an SSD and Radeon 7900 card.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/02/2012
Today on our test bench we have the latest performance desktop from Alienware. The Aurora R4 features many of the impressive design aspects from the previous version such as motorised top vents and liquid cooling mixed with an updated X79 chipset and the latest i7 socket 2011 CPUs. We will be taking a detailed look at the system as well as performance in synthetic and real world testing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/02/2012
In this article we will look at Sapphire's 7770 Overclocked model which features a custom design and shall put it up against its direct competition from NVIDIA in the form of a GTX 560. As always we will be focusing on real world testing, including the latest games such as Battlefield 3 and some classics like World of Warcraft before moving on to media, power and thermal performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/02/2012
At the top of XFX's 7770 range is the "Jet Black" version of their usual Black Edition Overclocked model with this revision featuring heavily overclocked core and memory, well in excess of the AMD reference design. Today we have one on our test bench and will be putting it up against the GTX 560, also overclocked, in a selection of real world tests including Battlefield 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/02/2012
Today we have the HIS Radeon HD 7750 on our test bench and will be putting it up against the GeForce GTX 550Ti in a selection of the latest games as well as media and GPU computing tasks. Is it the ideal solution for 1680x1080 gamers... or maybe even 1920x1080 users? Time to find out...
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/02/2012
Recently NVIDIA made the biggest change to their 3D Vision ecosystem, probably since launch, with the release of 3D Vision 2. A combination of the latest range of 3D displays with updated hardware and advances made in the driver enhance the experience.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/02/2012
Intel are today releasing the new 520 series based on SandForce technology. Today we have one of those new drives on our test bench and will be comparing it in real world and synthetic tests against drives based on the latest Sandforce, Indilinx, Marvell and Samsung controllers.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/02/2012
Sharkoon offer a range of PC cases and today we have one of their most recent models on our test bench. The midi sized T9 Value Edition aims to offer a mix of style and functionality for gamers on a budget and today we find out if that is possible for around 50.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/01/2012
Regardless of the reason for its "late" arrival the 7950 launches today and one of our launch day cards is Sapphires 7950 Overclock. With a custom PCB and cooler this factory overclocked card has two different BIOS profiles and is without doubt one of the more interesting models available. We will be putting it up against overclocked versions of the GTX 580 3GB, 7970 and 6970 to find out how each performs on Intel i7/X79 @ 5.0GHz.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/01/2012
XFX are back with the 7950 Black Edition, another 7900 series product which features a custom design and factory overclock. We will be putting it up against the GTX 580, 7970 and 6970 in a selection of real world tests, including Battlefield 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic to find out whether it impresses.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/01/2012
To complete the set of 7950 articles for today we have a HIS system set up and configured on an i7/X79 build and will be looking at CrossFire performance of AMD's new card in a selection of games which include Battlefield 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic at resolutions up to 5760x1080 (Eyefinity).
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/01/2012
The Core i7-3820 will be released soon and already available to buy is the i7-3930K. We will be taking a look at both to determine where they sit in comparison to the older i7-990X, AMD FX-8150 and Intel i7-2700k in a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/01/2012
A number of years ago FSP started producing retail power supplies for desktop PCs and during 2011 released their 80 Plus Gold Certified range of PSUs. There are two ranges available in the Aurum range, standard and semi-modular and today we have the 650w version of the modular PSU on our test bench.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2012
First up on our test bench is the HIS Radeon HD 7970 3GB. We will be putting it up against the best of the last generation in a selection of real world tests which include Battlefield 3, Star Wars: The Old Republic and Skyrim… all at 5760x1080. In addition to this we will also look at GPU computing and media performance as well as power and thermal performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2012
Today we are finally able to talk about partner cards and so have paired up PowerColor's hardware in our test system and have retested the latest games such as Battlefield 3 and Star Wars: The Old Republic with single and dual GPU's on the latest drivers and game patches. What does the PowerColor 7970 and CrossFire offer us? Let's find out...
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2012
With the only 'launch day' 7970 that features an enhanced cooler and factory overclock in hand we decided to put it up against overclocked GTX 580 3GB and Radeon 6970 cards to see what the performance looked like...
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2012
What better to do with Sapphires 7970 than round up single and dual results then add in some tri-7970 action in games like Star Wars: The Old Republic. That not enough? Then we also take a look at their new X79 board and even throw in an attempt at Quad-7970... would it work? Let's find out!
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/01/2012
Today Cooler Master return to the Cosmos family with the launch of the Cosmos 2. This ultra tower chassis features aspects which remind us of the original Cosmos from 2007 but Cooler Master have brought it right up to date with more advanced features and an evolved design. We have one on our test bench so let's see what the case has to offer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/01/2012
MSI are expanding their range of X79 products with today's launch of an enthusiast board which aims to be the best motherboard a consumer can buy for Intel's new high end CPUs. We have one on our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/12/2011
This article documents the process of choosing components for the new Windows Home Server 2011 box, from the low wattage Intel CPU, through the motherboard, PSU, memory and drives before looking at the setup process and how the OS looks and works in day to day use.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/12/2011
With the release of the A8-3870K AMD have a processor which is aimed very much at those who love to tweak and overclock but can't quite afford the higher cost of AMD or Intel's other components. Today we take a look at the potential of the A8-3870K on its own and in dual graphics mode to see what it offers for Skyrim, StarCraft 2 and Star Wars: The Old Republic players.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/12/2011
Today we take a detailed look at the Radeon HD 7970 in the latest games, including Star Wars: The Old Republic and Batman: Arkham City. Added to that is GPU computing performance as well as 1080p playback tests and power, thermal and noise testing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/12/2011
This review focuses on DUAL GPU performance comparing 2x Radeon 7970 with GTX 580 in SLI... and a little GTX 590 and Radeon 6990 performance thrown in for good measure. So let's see how the 7970 does running CrossFire in games such as Arkham City and Battlefield 3.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/12/2011
Not everyone can afford 1000w+ units, especially Platinum certified products which always come with a premium so to cater for the mainstream Enermax has just released their Revolution87+ 850w model and we have one on our test bench today. Can it impress us as much as their new enthusiast models?
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/12/2011
The Gigas is a compact chassis for Micro-ATX and mini-ITX boards. Aimed at those who want something stylish but with plenty of flexibility and airflow lets find out if it is another success story for Xigmatek.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/12/2011
The Lian Li PC-TU200 is a compact case which is designed to offer maximum flexibility, performance, ruggedness and portability.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/12/2011
When it comes to PSUs Thortech may not be a brand which comes to mind immediately. In fact to many people they may not come across as a company competing in the high end of the PSU arena but with the release of their 1000w Thunderbolt Plus Thortech are aiming to do exactly that.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/12/2011
One of the manufacturers taking advantage of the new Intel architecture is Patriot with their latest Division 4 Viper Xtreme kit. This quad channel product has high quality heatsinks and tight timings aims to appeal to those looking to kit out their new high end system with 16GB of memory.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/12/2011
Yesterday Sapphire launched their latest motherboard, the Pure Black 990FX which is based on the latest high end AMD chipset and Socket AM3+. Today we have one on our test bench and will be pairing it with an FX 8-core CPU and 16GB of memory to find out how it compares to one of the better competitors out there. In addition to that we will also take a look at Sapphires new 6450 Flex Edition which should be ideal for those looking to maximise their productivity.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/12/2011
The EUROCOM Panther 3.0 desktop replacement is available with components such as the X58 chipset, Core i7-990X hex core CPU, dual HD6900 series or GTX 580 graphics, triple channel memory... And that's before we even consider three fast SSD's in RAID0.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/12/2011
One of the latest systems to be released by Cyberpower is the LAN Party Evo Commander, a compact system aimed at gamers and those who want decent productivity performance. We have one on our test bench today so let's take a look at what Cyberpower can offer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/12/2011
Today we are looking at two memory kits from GeIL which are designed for the Sandy Bridge platform. The Evo kit offers speeds above 2100MHz for the high end user and the Enhance modules are more mainstream, though guaranteed to overclock.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/12/2011
Today's review product comes from the high end of the performance spectrum and is a kit designed for Intels X79 platform, though it will also work on dual channel boards. With an advertised speed of 2400MHz we put the latest Kingston HyperX modules through a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/11/2011
Today we are looking at the latest SSD range from Corsair, the Performance Pro. Using a Marvell controller rather than Sandforce the Performance Pro offers a different approach to the majority of drives on the market. We'll find out how it compares with models based on the latest Indilinx, Samsung and Sandforce products in this review.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/11/2011
Enter the GTX 560 Ti 448 Core, a limited edition of the GTX 560 Ti with additional CUDA processors in the GPU. Give these cores to manufacturers and let them create custom models and on paper there are some very interesting products to consider. Today we have four of the cards in our system with models from ASUS, GIGABYTE, MSI and ZOTAC all looking to persuade consumers to part with their hard earned money.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/11/2011
Today we have the latest Seasonic release on our test bench and being their first Platinum unit with a rating of 1000w it has a high standard to achieve.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/11/2011
OCZ are back with yet another model in their SSD family and this time we see the results of using a controller which is based on Indilinx technology, something which hasn't really been present in high end drives for some time now. We'll be putting the Octane SSD through a selection of tests including real world and synthetic to see how it compares to models using the latest Samsung, Marvell and Sandforce controllers.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/11/2011
Today we have a brand new PSU from XFX on our test bench and on paper it is something pretty special. The XFX 1250w Black Edition Full Modular is a gold certified unit which has a number of new design features which should enhance performance... so let's get started.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/11/2011
Sapphire today announced their low profile compatible, single slot Radeon 6670. We have one on our test bench and will be looking at its performance in the latest titles, including Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3 and Skyrim as well as video tasks to find out how well it fits the needs of gamers and media enthusiasts.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/11/2011
Updated: ASRock Extreme4 results added. Intel Core i7-3960X Processor and X79 Chipset featuring: ASUS Rampage IV Extreme, ASRock X79 Extreme4, MSI X79A-GD68 8D, ECS X79R-AX and Intel DX79SI Extreme Series Motherboards.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/11/2011
One manufacturer who is pushing the 6970 to new limits is PowerColor. Famous for their PCS++ range they are no strangers to enhancing Radeons but this new card, the Devil 13 edition, goes further than ever before. Today we will be putting the Devil 13 up against an overclocked GTX 570 in Skyrim, Modern Warfare 3, Battlefield 3, Human Revolution and F1 2011 to find out how they compare.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/11/2011
PC Power & Cooling are today launching the Silencer MK3 series in wattages ranging from 400-600w. We have the 600w model on our test bench so let's find out if the latest Silencer model finds that nice balance of price, quality and performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/11/2011
Today's review product is the latest to come from the ECS Black Series range and is their take on AMD's 990FX chipset. This AM3 board is ideal for use with the new FX (Bulldozer) range of 8-core CPUs and features some excellent functionality such as support for SATA3, USB 3.0, Crossfire and SLI.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/10/2011
Updated: Battlefield 3 performance added.
Today we have a custom GTX 560 Ti on our test bench and this model from Palit aims to offer enhanced gaming and thermal/noise performance along with adding a little extra style to the system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/10/2011
The XPS 14z takes its style from the 15z we reviewed back in July and packs as much of it into the smaller chassis as is possible, giving us some extra performance over the Inspiron 14" model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/10/2011
The Inspiron 14z as it is known features a second gen Core i5 CPU and some good on paper specifications. Today we have one on our test bench to find out what this model has to offer for those who don't need a 15"+ system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/10/2011
Today we have one of the first samples of the OCZ ZT 750w PSU on our test bench to find out if it can hit that balance of performance and cost which appeals to the mainstream consumer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/10/2011
Designed to cater for those who want AMDs best APUs but without the cost of a high end motherboard A55 products are the ideal option and today we have one of those boards on our test bench. The GA-A55-DS3P from Gigabyte aims to provide a solid APU based system at a very low cost, let's see how it does...
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/10/2011
Today we get to see for the first time how the top model in AMDs new FX range of CPUs, previously known as Bulldozer, performs against the existing Intel equivalent as we put the two CPUs head to head. Not only that though we will test their entire platform, testing gaming, USB 3.0, SATA 6Gb/s and PCIe performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/10/2011
Today's review product see's OCZ attempt to find a middle ground between the capacity of a mechanical drive and the speed of an SSD. That product is the RevoDrive Hybrid a PCIe based model which is part flash memory and part 1TB 2.5" hard drive.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/10/2011
The H100 is the new high end model in Corsairs Hydro range of liquid coolers and today we put it head to head with the H80 and Antec 920 to see how each compare.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/10/2011
For those looking at a flexible Micro-ATX or Mini-ITX case one of the chassis SilverStone offer is the Temjin TJ08-E. This compact tower is designed to offer maximum flexibility with some cutting edge features and today we have one on our test bench to review.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/10/2011
The G74Sx is a 17.3" enthusiast machine featuring Core i7 CPU and GTX 500 Series graphics along with a long list of other impressive features. Today we have a sample on our test bench to find out whether ASUS can compete in this area of the market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/09/2011
One of the major manufacturers offering a Sandforce based SSD is Patriot with their Wildfire range of drives and today we have one attached to our system, putting it head to head with Intel's 510 model and the recently released Samsung 830 Series.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/09/2011
The 830 Series SSDs use Samsungs latest performance architecture, bringing the products into SATA 3 territory and taking on Sandforce and Marvell for the enthusiast user market. Can they succeed? Let's find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/09/2011
The ZOTAC A75-ITX WiFi and ASUS F1A75-I Deluxe are both Mini-ITX motherboards that are packed with features as well as support for the latest A8/A6 range of desktop APUs from AMD. We will be putting these two boards head to head in order to find out what they offer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/09/2011
Today we have the 80 Plus Gold Certified High Current Pro 850w model attached to our PSU testing equipment to find out if it offers an attractive balance of price, performance and power for those who don't need to go over 1000w.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/09/2011
Today we have one of Fractal Designs latest models on our test bench. The Arc Midi is aimed at those who require impressive performance and plenty of flexibility with minimalistic looks. Let's find out if this goal has been achieved.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/09/2011
Today we have a case from BitFenix on our test bench, the Shinobi. From a range which offers various models to suit different tastes this low cost model has a number of impressive features on paper. Let's find out if BitFenix can find that middle ground between low cost and functionality/performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/09/2011
Today on our test bench we have the TX750M, a new addition to the TX range of high performance PSUs from Corsair. Aesthetically it is similar to the rest of the TX range however this time round Corsair have reduced the number of hard wired cables and introduced modular sockets for wiring that may not be essential.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/09/2011
Thermaltake have continued to evolve their products and one of the latest released is the DH 202 Touch chassis. Designed for home theatre use the DH 202 Touch features some high class styling and combines it with a 7" touch screen on the front panel. Today we take a look at that case in detail.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/09/2011
As with any product though there is always room for an upgrade here, a tweak there and that is exactly what Enermax have done to create the Platimax range. Building on the excellent foundations of the MAXREVO design is a unit which is 80 Plus Platinum certified and today attached to our test rig we have the 1200w model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/08/2011
A few weeks ago we covered the Corsair Force Series GT drive, a performance tuned model based on Sandforce technology. Today we have the Force Series 3 drive on our test bench, a drive that aims to target a lower price point while still offering excellent performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/08/2011
While the netbook form factor may be on the decline the hardware inside has other uses, for example it is easy to build a feature packed compact system for general computing and media use. That is something Acer has tried to achieve, in a stylish and somewhat unique way with the Revo mini PC. Today we have an Acer Revo on our test bench to find out what it can offer to set itself apart from other compact systems.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/08/2011
Today we have the XPS 8300 based on H67 and 2nd Generation Core CPUs (SandyBridge). With prices starting at 429/$699 the XPS 8300 is advertised as offering great multi-tasking performance and decent gaming/media features. Let's find out if Dell has achieved that.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/08/2011
Today we have the higher specification RevoDrive model, the X2 attached to our test system and will be putting it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests to find out if OCZ can meet their claims of 1500MB/s speed and 230k IOPS.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/08/2011
Today we are taking a look at Enermax's latest high end PSU. The MAXREVO 1350w is designed for enthusiasts and those who want a PSU that will last them through a number of high end upgrades.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/07/2011
Today we have the Fatality Z68 Professional Gen 3 which is a board which works with today's PCIe 2.0 based hardware but also includes all the components required to support future 1155 CPUs and PCIe 3.0. For anyone looking to buy a board that will last through their next few upgrades this could well be the product to go for so let's put it through our usual test suite...
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/07/2011
Today we have the HX1050 attached to our custom test station and will find out whether it continues the trend of high quality PSUs from Corsair.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/07/2011
Today we have the A6-3650 on our test bench along with the Sapphire Pure Platinum A75 motherboard to find out how these models fit into the current marketplace. We'll be running each through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to see just who each appeals to.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/07/2011
The GTX 580M is available in Alienware's M18x and M17x systems with the M17x also offering the option of a 3D enabled display. We took a look at the M17x R3 back in February and today we revisit it, equipped this time with the GTX 580M to find out in a selection of real world gameplay just how fast NVIDIA's GPU is...
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/07/2011
Today we have the follow-up to Sapphire's original mini-PC on our test bench, the Edge-HD2, which is an enhanced model which comes bundled with Windows 7.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/07/2011
The latest range of SSD's from Samsung is the 470 Series with models available in 64, 128 and 256GB. Today we have the largest model attached to our main test PC and will compare it to models from Intel and OCZ in a selection of synthetic and real world tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/07/2011
Today we will be putting the M14x through a selection of real world tests which include media encoding and playback as well as gaming. We'll be putting this i7 based laptop up against an i5 model in a selection of those tests to find out how much extra performance we can get and whether the system can game satisfactorily a its native resolution.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/07/2011
Today we have the latest and greatest from Corsair and Antec connected to our test system as we put the H80 and Kuhler 920 head to head in order to find out which is best. Can Corsair (and CoolIT's) latest design beat the critically acclaimed Asetek/Antec model?
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/07/2011
HIS are bucking the trend for custom 6950s today with a new version of the 6970, the IceQ Mix. While it has a name which could make people think of a cold drink it is actually a rather interesting take on the 6970 featuring a large, low noise custom cooler and the first real attempt we have seen at implementing Lucids HydraLogix 200 controller on a graphics card.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/07/2011
Today we will be putting the 6950 PCS+ Vortex 2 and its unique cooler through a selection of real world gaming, multimedia and GPU computing tasks to see how it stacks up against some of the best competitor cards on the market.
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by Stuart Kerley | 12/07/2011
Recently Cooler Master expanded their HAF range further with the release of the HAF 932 Advanced, a refreshed version of the popular HAF 932 which has been around for a while now. Today we have the Advanced version of the HAF 932 on our test bench so let's find out whether it is a worthwhile evolution of the original.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/07/2011
Today we are going to look at Intel's mainstream chipset and put 5 different memory kits through their paces in a selection of real world and synthetic tests on Z68.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/07/2011
The Force GT is the latest in Corsair's range of SandForce based SSDs and features a tweaked architecture which should benefit reading and writing of music and video files (uncompressible data). Today we will be putting the 120GB model through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to find out how it compares to an alternative model which is also tuned for OS use rather than maximum IOPS.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/07/2011
Dell are back with the XPS 15z, a slimmer, higher specification model which combines an aluminium chassis with 2nd Generation Core CPU and GeForce GPU in a portable form factor which Dell states is the thinnest 15" PC available, anywhere. Today we have the XPS 15z on our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests to find out if the great features and performance of the XPS 15 has been continued in this new model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/07/2011
Taking the foundations of their DirectCU II GTX 580 ASUS have further enhanced the design, aiming it at enthusiasts with the addition of voltage read points, on-board buttons for fan and power adjustments and making it part of the Republic of Gamers brand. So today we have the Matrix GTX 580 Platinum on our test bench and will be finding out in a selection of real world gaming tests, including Crysis 2 with DX11 and high res textures and GPU computing, whether this is now the ultimate GTX 580... or maybe even the best single GPU product ever released...
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/07/2011
The latest to market with a board which is a little different to the norm is ASUS with their Maximus IV Gene-Z and today we will be putting this SLI and Crossfire compatible M-ATX enthusiast board through its paces in a selection of real world and synthetic tests to find out if it can match an ATX alternative from one of ASUS key competitors.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/07/2011
Today we are going to look at building a compact, stylish system based on Intel's Z68 chipset in ITX form (The Zotac Z68-ITX) and the Core i3-2100.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/06/2011
Today we have the A8-3850 APU running on Gigabytes A75-UD4H motherboard and will be putting them through a selection of tests to find out how they compare to the equivalent i3/Z68 system. Whether you are interested in media conversion, playback or gaming performance this article will demonstrate where the A8 and A75 fit into the current market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/06/2011
The AMD Radeon 6950 is a card which has been available for nearly 7 months but that doesn't seem to be stopping manufacturers from tweaking the design to suit their needs and one of the latest to do so (again) is Sapphire. In the form of a custom PCB, custom cooler model with a bundle designed to please even the most demanding consumers we have the Sapphire Radeon 6950 DiRT 3 Edition.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/06/2011
Today we have the Gigabyte 990FXA-UD7 on our test bench and will be comparing it to the ASUS Crosshair V Formula as we find out which board offers the best performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/06/2011
Today we are looking at a drive which OCZ hope will find a slightly more value orientated place in the market, the Agility 3. Based on the same controller as the Vertex 3 range we still get the same great features however the other internal components have been tweaked slightly. We will be putting the drive through a selection of tests to find out how it compares to one of the main competitors, the Intel 510 Series.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/06/2011
Today we will be taking a look at three different approaches to socket 1155 products as we review a board based on H67 (mini-ITX) and to larger models which use the P67 and Z68. Each will be put through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to establish how they perform in a variety of scenarios which will assist anyone thinking about buying a socket 1155 product in the near future.
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by Stuart Kerley | 08/06/2011
Last autumn we took a look at a new mid-tower case from Corsair, the 600T. We were very impressed with the design, build quality and performance of this case.
Never a company to rest on their laurels Corsair recently release a special edition version of the 600T case, this time in white. Let's find out if the special edition white 600T is just as good as the original, or if Corsair has managed to improve it.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/06/2011
Today we will take a look at the ECS HDC-I and combine it with a case designed for cool and silent running, the Fractal Design Define Mini. We will show the build process, components paired with these two items and performance in tasks such as Blu-Ray playback and video streaming. If you are thinking about building a low power, quiet HTPC or all-purpose system this article should help in the decision making process.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/06/2011
Today we take a look at one of Noctua's most recent coolers, the NH-C14, pairing it with Intel's high end i7-990X CPU to find out how high we can take the CPU on air cooling.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/05/2011
Today we will be taking a look at two AMD 990FX boards and comparing them to a similarly spec'd Z68 system to find out what the new boards offer in today's marketplace. As always we will be focusing on motherboard specific tests such as USB3, PCIe and SATA 6Gb/s tests with a few more general benchmarks thrown in for good measure.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/05/2011
Like any manufacturer Lian Li are always trying to evolve their product range and meet the needs of consumers and the latest high end chassis to be released by them is the PC-P80N, a HPTX compatible tower with 6 pre-installed fans, support for 39cm graphics cards, 11 expansion slots and much more. On paper the PC-P80N looks great, can it live up to these impressive first impressions.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/05/2011
Today on our test bench we have the GTX 560 iChill from their Freezer X Series. What does that mean? It means a triple slot cooler, custom PCB and factory overclock and we will look at how the card performs in some of the latest games, such as DiRT 3, The Witcher 2 and Portal 2. The tests don't stop there though as we will, as always, take a look at media playback, 3D Vision performance and GPU computing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/05/2011
Now Sapphire are expanding their 6670 range with the introduction of the (silent) Ultimate Edition and today we have that version of the card on our test bench. We will be running it through a selection of real world tests which include DiRT 3 and The Witcher 2 as well as HD playback with GPU computing rounding things off.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/05/2011
Today's review product is the 240GB Max IOPS edition of the Vertex 3 and we will be putting it up against Intel's 510 series and Crucials M4/C400 series SSDs with a similar capacity in a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Kerley | 23/05/2011
Today we will be looking at a new mid-tower case from Cooler Master, the Silencio 550. As the name suggests, the Silencio 550 is a chassis aimed at those who require quiet operation. Hopefully Cooler Master can achieve this while retaining their usual level of build quality.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/05/2011
Today we have the launch of Intel's new socket 1155 chipset, the Z68 which brings with it a plethora of new motherboards. On our test bench we have two separate approaches; the first is Gigabyte's enthusiast Z68X-UD7-B3 and the second, the ASUS P8Z68-V Pro which is aimed at mainstream consumers. Let's find out how they compete against the P67 and 890FX...
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/05/2011
Today we have one of Prolimatech's latest products on our test bench. The Genesis is a tower style cooler with a twist and we will be finding out how it compares to another high end cooler as well as the reference design model in a selection of tests.
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by Stuart Kerley | 04/05/2011
Today we will be looking at the newest entry in the Obsidian range of cases from Corsair, the 650D. Unlike the 700D or the top of the range 800D, which are both full tower cases, the new 650D is a mid-tower case which should make it suitable for a larger number of consumers.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/05/2011
Today we have the Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition on our test bench and will see how it compares to one of the latest Intel CPUs as well as existing AMD models in a selection of synthetic and real world tests which include Blu-Ray 3D, 3DMark and media conversion.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/04/2011
Antec know that high end PSUs are not within the reach of everyone's budget though and so there are lower specification models in the family which have a more understated design with lower power rating and price. Today we have one of those models, the High Current Gamer 620w, attached to our test centre and will establish whether Antec have been able to maintain their high standards at the lower price point.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/04/2011
Today we have two of the new value orientated Radeons on our test bench, the Sapphire 6570 and 6670. These cards are more than just rebranded reference designs thanks to their Arctic Cooling coolers and redesigned PCB's so let's take a look at how they perform in some of the most popular games around, as well as GPU computing and media related tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/04/2011
Today we have another of ASUS' models on our test bench, the B3 revision Sabertooth P67 and will be putting it through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to establish how it compares to the competition.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/04/2011
Today Alienware is launching a number of new machines including a new revision of the M11x the R3. We have one of the first samples on our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of real world gaming, media and productivity tests to find out if the latest model retains the high level of build quality and performance we saw in the last revision.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/04/2011
UPDATE: SLI Testing has now been added to our coverage.
The M18x as the name suggests is an 18" model and we have been putting one of the first samples through its paces over the last few days. Join us as we find out through a selection of real world tests what Alienware can do when they have an 18" chassis to play with.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/04/2011
Today Xigmatek are launching the Elysium, a case with HPTX compatibility and we have one of the first samples on our test bench to find out if it has the quality and features to compete with other high end models.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/04/2011
Today we have one of the 320 Series SSDs connected to our test system and will find out what it offers and whether it can compete with its main competition, a SandForce based model of similar capacity, ina selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Kerley | 13/04/2011
Today the latest product in CM Storm's range launches and it is a new mid-tower gaming case, the Enforcer. We have reviewed a number of cases from Cooler Master in the past however this is the first case from CM Storm that we have reviewed so we shall see if CM Storm have been able to carry the quality of their peripherals over into a chassis.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/04/2011
Intel's recently released 310 Series SSDs take a different approach to the other models in their product catalogue. The 310 series is based on a mini-PCIe technology, is a similar size to a laptop Wi-Fi adapter but still claims desktop like performance. Today we take a look at the 80GB model to find out what it offers the market in a selection of real world and synthetic tests against a standard 5400rpm laptop drive.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/04/2011
Today we have the latest release from NZXT on our test bench, the H2. From their Classic Series it is designed to minimise noise and maximise cooling potential while looking stylish. Let's see if it can achieve these goals.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/04/2011
Earlier in the week we took a look at AMD (and Sapphires) new midrange DirectX 11 GPU and commented at the time that the refresh of lower end parts from 5000 to 6000 series was taking some time. The 6790 filled the gap in the 6000 series at around 110 which left the sub 100 mark to populate and today we get a taste of one model that AMD has to offer in that area with a look at the 6450 which will hit retail in a couple of weeks time.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/03/2011
It would be fair to say that the AX and TX2 ranges are premium products with great performance but a price which might be a little too high for some budgets. Enter the new GS range of PSUs from Corsair which are designed to provide over 80% efficiency and solid voltages for a more mainstream price. Let's see if the 800w model can meet the high expectations we have of Corsair products.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/03/2011
Soon after the Colossus hit the market BitFenix announced their second case, the Survivor and today we have that mid-tower on our test bench. We'll be finding out whether it is the ideal solution for anyone looking at a high quality compact chassis and whether BitFenix have taken on some of the key learning's from Colossus.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/03/2011
Today we have one of Crucials new SSDs, the 256GB m4, connected to our P67 system and will be running it through a selection of real world and synthetic tests to establish how it compares to the Intel 510 series and OCZ Vertex 3. In addition to that we will also throw in the C300 and a first generation SandForce drive to see where this new model sits.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/03/2011
Since this reviewer started testing components there has been little change in the way we connect external storage devices. USB, primarily 2.0 has been the main connection method with some manufacturers dabbling with eSATA, Firewire and even LAN connectors with varying success. Finally though it looks like we will be moving on from the 30MB/s cap of USB 2.0 as pretty much every device from low cost net tops to high end motherboards now come through our labs with USB 3.0 connectivity.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/03/2011
Earlier this year Enermax announced new models in their case range and one of those was the Hoplite, a mid-tower model which is aimed at enthusiasts and gamers who are looking for a high level of build quality and features on a reasonable budget. Today we have one of those cases on our test bench so let's see how it looks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/03/2011
The GX660R is available in various flavours, including Core-i7 based builds and comes with the same high-end Dynaudio speakers that were used in the GT660 with the graphics also receiving an upgrade to AMD's DX11 enabled Mobility 5870... That "R" in the model name, that's for RAID. In theory that all sounds like a system with a high end price tag but MSI have decent spec builds starting at a little under 999 which seems too good to be true. Let's find out if it is...
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/03/2011
Today we have a sample of Intel's new 510 series SSD connected to our test system. The latest range from Intel brings their SSD platform right up to date with high end specifications and today we will find out how it compares to models such as Crucials C300, Corsairs F240 and even the OCZ Vertex 3 in a selection of synthetic and real world tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/03/2011
The ZX Series 850W is the first model in OCZ's new range of Gold Certified PSUs, a fully modular unit it is designed for high efficiency and low noise operation. Let's see if OCZ can achieve these goals.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/03/2011
Today we take a look at a product which a year ago we wouldn't have thought possible, a cooler which is co-produced by CoolIT and Corsair... the H60.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/03/2011
2009 was the last time we looked at a new model, the Silencer 910w, which was another award winner and since then things have been a little quiet on the PCP&C front. That is something we rectify today as back in December they announced a new model in the range, the Silencer 760w and we have one connected to our test station.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/02/2011
On our test bench are two models from Corsairs new TX V2 range of enthusiast PSUs. The TX V2 range goes through the same certification as the modular AX and HX range of PSUs that Corsair use for their high end products but feature fixed cables rather than modular versions which gives the V2 a better price to performance ratio. Lets find out if Corsair can keep up their fantastic record for high quality power supplies.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/02/2011
Just about a year ago OCZ released their latest high performance SATA SSD, the Vertex 2 which was based on SandForce's latest controller. That drive was a huge success, surpassing the performance of its main competitor at the time, drives based on Indilinx controllers. Today we see the successor to that product launch, the Vertex 3 which runs on SandForce's latest controller and we have a 240GB sample on our test bench to find out how it compares to products currently on the market in a selection of real world and synthetic tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/02/2011
On our test bench is a product from Sapphire which contains a NVIDIA GPU... yes, NVIDIA. The Edge-HD is a small ATOM/ION system which Sapphire say could be the smallest PC in the world. We will be putting it though a number of real world tests which include Blu-Ray playback, GPU media encoding and power use to find out whether it meets the needs of the average consumer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/02/2011
Today we will be putting the M17x R3 with its Sandy Bridge components, 120Hz screen and 3D Vision kit through a selection of real world tests to find out how it compares to a desktop P67 system, the original 2009 model M17x and the R2 from 2010.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/01/2011
One of the first manufacturers to announce their APU based system was MSI and today we have that very product, the E350IA-E45, on our test bench. In a selection of predominantly real world tests including media encoding, gaming and HD playback we will look at the performance of the new platform and find out who the consumers are who will benefit most from the first Fusion models.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/01/2011
Time and the market moves on and their competitors have launched models with new design goals such as bottom mounted PSU, multiple USB 3.0 etc so it was time for a refresh from Lian Li. Today we have the result of that work on our test bench, the X2000F brings Lian Li's high end chassis right up to date while refining the design. Let's find out if it meets the needs of consumers in 2011.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/01/2011
Today in the latest of our Sandy Bridge articles we take a look at another aspect, performance when overclocked in a selection of synthetic and real world tests. To do this we will be using the MSI P67A-GD65 which has an excellent one touch overclock feature. Ideal for novice overclockers who want some extra performance and value from their system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/01/2011
Today we have two ASRock P67 based boards on our test bench and will be putting them through a selection of real world and synthetic tests. To keep things interesting for those who have already seen a number of P67/Sandy Bridge articles, in this review we will put the ASRock systems up against the similarly priced X58 / Core i7-950 combination.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/01/2011
Today we have one of the first high end P67 based boards on our test bench. With their Maximus IV Extreme ASUS hope to deliver a board which exceeds anything else on the market and we will be testing it in a selection of synthetic and real world tests to establish how good it is.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/01/2011
The subjects of our review today are the H67H2-M Black Deluxe and H67H2-I which are two boards from the m-ATX and mini ITX product families at ECS. We will be running each through a selection of synthetic and real world tests, including Blu-Ray 3D and GPU computing to see how they compare to the reference Intel board.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/01/2011
The Phenom 2 X4 975 Black Edition is the new high end model in AMD's four core CPU range and they are aiming it at the sub $200 price range for enthusiasts and gamers. Today we have one on our test bench and will see how it compares to the latest Intel CPUs as well as an existing AMD model in a selection of synthetic and real world tests which include Blu-Ray 3D, gaming and media conversion.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/01/2011
On our test bench today we have an evolution of the Core architecture in the form of Intels Sandy Bridge components. These Include the P67 and H67 chipsets and two CPUs, one from the i5 range and the other from the i7.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/01/2011
Today on our test bench we have the latest product from Western Digital. The Caviar Green 3TB drive has the highest capacity of any desktop drive on the market at the moment and today we will look at how easy it is to set up along with the performance that can be achieved in single drive and RAID 0 modes.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/12/2010
On our test bench today we have one of the first cards to tweak the GTX 570 design. Gainwards GTX 570 GLH Edition features their own cooler and a factory overclock to enhance the performance over reference cards. We will put it through a selection of real world tests which include Black Ops, stereoscopic 3D gaming, Blu-Ray 3D and GPU computing to see how it compares to the reference model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/12/2010
Today on our test bench we have the Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium HD, the latest high end soundcard from Creative which sets out to be the best audio card available for consumers. Aimed at audiophiles and featuring top of the range components with specifications such as the best signal to noise ratio Creative has ever achieved we will find out if this is the must have sound card of the moment.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/12/2010
UPDATED: Overclocking Analysis
The Radeon EAH6870 DirectCU is a factory overclocked model which claims to run cooler than the reference model and certainly looks different. We will be running it through a selection of real world tests to find out how it performs in gaming, multimedia and GPU computing tasks. These include Blu-Ray 3D, Stereoscopic 3D gaming and the latest releases such as Black Ops and H.A.W.X. 2.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/12/2010
On our test bench is a GTX 570 from Gigabyte and the Radeon 6970/6950 from Sapphire. We will be overclocking each of these and putting them head to head against each other and an overclocked Radeon 5870 to find out how the new cards compare in this scenario. As always real world gameplay will be used, including Black Ops and HAWX 2 and just for fun we will throw in 3DMark 2011 Professional.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/12/2010
Today the Radeon 6970 and 6950 hit the market and we have XFX branded models on our test bench. We will be putting the 6900 series through a selection of real world gaming, CPU computing and stereoscopic 3D tests against the GTX580 and 570 to see where these new products fit in the market. Added to that are 2-way and 3-way CrossFire testing and a look at the power, noise and thermal performance of the cards to ensure a thorough evaluation of the latest and greatest from AMD.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/12/2010
As DDR3 has evolved the opportunity for manufacturers to create high performance 12GB kits has drawn closer and today one of the major players in this industry, Corsair, have sent us their new DDR3-1600 12GB triple channel kit to test. In fact we have two of these and thanks to a very aggressive price they should be within reach of most consumers building (or upgrading) an X58/i7 based system. Are they worth buying? Let's find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/12/2010
Today AMD are launching the latest version of their X6 CPU in the form of the Phenom 2 X6 1100T Black Edition. This new CPU is the fastest 6-core AMD chip to be released and comes in at a price which is almost identical to Intels quad core i7-950. For that reason we will be putting the two head to head in order to find out which performs best in a selection of tests from Gaming to media playback and encoding.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/12/2010
Not everyone can afford the highest specification, fastest graphics card though and for that reason, less than a month on, NVIDIA are launching the GTX 570. On our test bench we have a model from Inno3D which is factory overclocked and we will be putting it through its paces in a selection of real world tests which include Black Ops, Stereoscopic 3D gaming, GPU Computing, Blu-Ray 3D playback and we will even throw in a quick look at 3DMark 2011 Professional.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/12/2010
Today's review product is Dells new 15" XPS, the L501X which retails for just 549 in the UK at the moment and also has a $100 discount in the USA. We will be putting the system through a selection of real world tests which include Blu-Ray 3D playback, media encoding and gaming to find out whether this new system makes the ideal winter purchase.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/12/2010
In the next few days stock of the revised XFX Radeon HD 6850 Black Edition will be landing at a store near you and today we have one of the very first samples on our test bench. With a brand new dual fan cooler and factory overclock can it compete with a top of the range GTX 460? We will find out as it is put through a selection of real world tests which include Black Ops, F1 2010, Blu-Ray 3D and GPU computing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/12/2010
On our test bench today we have one of the latest products from ASUS, the P7H55-M/USB3. Based on Intel's Socket 1156 and the H55 chipset this Micro-ATX board includes the latest features such as SATA 6GB/s and USB 3.0. We will be putting it through a selection of real world tests to find out how well it performs against a comparable H57 model when using the Core i5-655K.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/11/2010
Today we have a custom-built performance system on our test bench; aimed at consumers who want a good base specification with potential for future upgrades the Fusion Challenger retails for 699 and features a Core i3 CPU at 4.0GHz and plenty of configuration options during the purchase process.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/11/2010
Running on our test bench today we have one of Antec's latest PSU's a 900w model from their new High Current Gamer range. This is a product designed to offer high current, efficiency and excellent cooling so let's see what Antec's latest SLI and CrossFire certified range can do.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/11/2010
One of the latest chassis models released by NZXT is the Phantom, a case designed to provide excellent cooling potential with their usual stand-out design. We have the white model on our test bench today and will find out if it meets the needs of the enthusiast/gamer market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/11/2010
On our test bench today is one of the first samples of Dell's Inspiron One range. With a 23" multi-touch screen, Core i5 CPU, Radeon graphics and Blu-Ray we have an impressive system on paper. We will be putting the Inspiron One through a selection of real world tests which include touch screen gaming (StarCraft 2), media conversion and Blu-Ray playback. Videos of the system in action will of course also be available.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/11/2010
Cryo describe the Rapier as an entry level system and at first glance it could be with a Core i3 processor and P55 motherboard as some of its main components. When we consider that this i3 CPU is actually running at 4.48GHz things get a little more interesting though, so let's look at what Cryo can do for under 800.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/11/2010
In this article we have decided to take a look at how one of the more desirable 5770s on the market performs in 5 of the most recent games (Black Ops, Fallout New Vegas, Medal of Honor, Civilization V and F1 2010). Our aim is to see how it plays at the highest "normal" resolution of 1920x1080 with maximum in-game detail. Can the 5770 be the ideal solution for serious gamers on a budget?
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/11/2010
Based in Taiwan BitFenix are a reasonably new company however some of their key employees have a huge amount of experience in creating enthusiast products for other manufacturers. Their new venture started a couple of months ago with the Colossus case with many of the initial reviews focusing on the original black model. However, like many manufacturers, BitFenix are also offering a white version of the case and it is that model which we have on our test bench today.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/11/2010
Sapphire rarely does anything half-heartedly though and the focus of today's review is their take on an enhanced 6850. This is more than just a new cooler and factory overclock though as they have completely changed the product to enhance its performance and overclocking potential.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/11/2010
Today's comparison is the GTX 580, overclocked to the fastest speed we have seen advertised by a manufacturer on standard air cooling against the 6870 in Crossfire with the same highest overclock rule. In addition to that we will also add the 5970, in full. Each of the cards will be tested in a selection of the latest games including Call of Duty: Black Ops, F1 2010 (DX11 Patch) and Fallout: New Vegas with the latest patch.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/11/2010
Today we have not one, not two but three GTX 580's on our test bench and we will be running them through a huge amount of real world testing to show everyone reading the complete picture of GTX 580. It's all here in comparisons which include the GTX 480, Radeon 5870, 5870 Crossfire, 5970 and 6870.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/11/2010
On our test bench today we have two cards from the 150-165 price range which sit on either side of the NVIDIA and AMD divide. Those products are the Inno3D GTX 460 OC and PowerColor's Radeon HD 6850 and we will be putting each through a selection of real world tests to find out what their strengths and weaknesses are.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/11/2010
We will be putting the RevoDrive X2 up against the original and one of the top performing SSDs on the market, Crucial's SATA 6GB/s based C300 256GB to find out how they compare in a selection of synthetic and real world tests. By the end of the review you will know exactly how OCZ's latest product will affect your daily PC use and productivity.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/11/2010
Today we have one of the top end GTX 470's on our test bench, the Gigabyte GTX 470 Super Overclock. It features custom PCB, cooler and the fastest core we have seen on a GTX 470 to date. We will be putting it through a selection of tests including Medal of Honor, Fallout New Vegas (3D Vision), F1 2010 (DX11 Patch) and 3D Blu-Ray playback to find out how much Gigabyte have improved on the reference design.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/10/2010
Today we will put the Zino HD 410 through a selection of tests including Blu-Ray and MKV playback, encoding and even some gaming to find out whether this model meets the needs of consumers looking for a new mini-system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/10/2010
With Novatech's background we always have to take note when they release a new product and yesterday at an event in London they presented the nTablet to journalists. We attended the launch event where the overall feeling towards the nTablet was positive however more importantly we have had the opportunity for the last week to use one of the first sample of the system in day to day use, let's take a look at the product and how it performs...
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/10/2010
Today we have a number of brand new AMD 6800 Series cards on our test bench and will be putting them through a selection of real world tests including standard gaming, Eyefinity gaming, Stereo 3D gaming using the latest Zalman 3D monitor, 3D Blu-Ray playback and GPU computing to see where they find themselves in the marketplace.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/10/2010
Today's review product is the more consumer friendly evolution of the Z-Drive; the RevoDrive takes the idea of SSDs built on a PCB, combined in RAID and connected to the system via PCIe at a more affordable price. We will be putting the RevoDrive up against one of the top performing SSDs on the market, Crucial's SATA 6GB/s based C300 256GB to find out how the two compare in a selection of synthetic and real world tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/10/2010
Once again the designers at Antec have been given the chance to attack the case market with a novel product and that goes by the name of the LanBoy Air. This new case from Antec sticks with a reasonably standard layout but the chassis itself is modular with massive airflow thanks to the majority of the chassis being perforated.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/10/2010
In the last few months the budget end of the storage market has moved on as a result of the high end changing and now we have low cost versions of the Sandforce and Marvell drives available. So today we take a look at models from Corsair and Crucial, as well as two low cost alternatives from Intel and OCZ to establish whether they are worthwhile purchases for those looking to try an SSD.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/10/2010
Today ASRock are back with their latest mini-PC, the Vision 3D. Based on Intel's H55 chipset and NVIDIA's Fermi based GT425M graphics this model gives consumers a simple way to add a Blu-Ray 3D based HTPC to their home cinema. Today we put that system through a selection of real world tests including Blu-Ray 3D playback, media encoding and gaming to establish if this system offers more than just 3D capability.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/10/2010
Today we have Zotac's GeForce GT 430 Zone Edition on our test bench and have run it through a selection of real world tests to establish where it sits in the current market. Tests include gaming, 3D Vision, PhysX, CUDA (GPU Computing) and 3D Blu-Ray playback so by the end of this article we will know exactly what NVIDIA's new budget GPU is capable of.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/10/2010
Today we have one of the ZBOX systems on our test bench and have run it through a selection of real world tests including HD playback, GPU computing and media encoding to find out whether it can meet the needs of consumers looking for an all purpose mini-system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/10/2010
We have two of PowerColor's Radeon 5870 PCS+ cards on our test bench. We will be running them through 1920x1080 and 5760x1080 tests in a number of the latest games, including Medal of Honor, Civilisation 5 and F1 2010 to see what the user experience is like (Eyefinity videos included). In addition to this we also look at GPU computing and HD playback to get a full overview of the PowerColor model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/10/2010
Today we have the first products in a new range of PSUs from XFX on our test bench. These models, aimed at the value conscious consumer who doesn't like to compromise, should be in-stock across the web tomorrow but are they worth buying?
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by Stuart Davidson | 01/10/2010
In addition to the ASRock Extreme6 we also have Intel's latest i7-970 CPU to test. So join us as we put some ultra-high end kit through its paces in real world testing which includes SATA3 and USB 3 performance, CrossFire Eyefinity and 3-Way SLI 3D Vision Surround gameplay in addition to our standard tests which include encoding and media playback.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/09/2010
Today we return full circle to Cooler Masters range of cases with the new HAF 912 Plus, a compact ATX model which is designed to be flexible while offering excellent cooling potential. Let's find out if it lives up to the standard of their other recent products.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/09/2010
When we last looked at an OCZ product, the Vertex 2, we awarded it our Gold Award and scored it 9/10 and 10/10 in every aspect. So when we saw that they were one of the first manufacturers to release an SSD based on USB 3.0 technology we were keen to try it out. Today we have that SSD connected to our test bench and will be putting it through a selection of tests, including the all-important real world transfer test to find out how it compares to USB 2.0 based mechanical and flash based devices.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/09/2010
Today we have one of Novatech's latest systems on our test bench. The Revolution is a midrange desktop with 6-core AMD processor and Radeon 5700 series graphics. Can it live up to the high expectations generated by the recent Which report? Let's find out in a selection of real world tests ranging from Gaming to High Definition playback and media conversion.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/09/2010
Today AMD are releasing their lastest batch of CPUs which include hex, quad and dual core models. We have one of each and have run them through a selection of real world tests including media playback, encoding, gaming and productivity tasks to find out where they sit in the current market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/09/2010
Today we take a look at how to set up a 3D Vision Surround system and then run it through a selection of real world gaming tests to find out the performance level we can achieve on the latest driver.
We will include a full selection of 5760x1080 screenshots, 5760x1080 gameplay videos and all of this running on three Asus VG236H screens with Zotac's GTX 480 AMP! Edition in SLI.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/09/2010
Today we will be putting three GTS 450s through their paces in a selection of real world gaming tests which include PhysX and 3D Vision. In addition to that we also take a look at the GPU Computing potential and fire up a Blu-Ray 3D title to check out the acceleration performance offered by the GTS 450.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/09/2010
Today on our test bench we have Corsair's latest product the 600T case, their entry into the mid-tower marketplace. Designed with gamers and overclockers in mind the 600T takes many of the features that made Corsairs larger models a success and fits them into a smaller, more streamlined chassis. Let's find out if they have succeeded in making another class leading product.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/09/2010
The Silent Pro Gold 800W is a model in Cooler Masters new high end PSU range and features some unique design elements and 80 Plus Gold Certification. Let's find out if Cooler Master have what it takes to compete in this area.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/09/2010
Today on our test bench we have the GTX 460 Beast Edition which on paper exceeds any GTX 460 we have tested to date. We will be running it through a set of real world gameplay tests which include DirectX 9, 10 and 11 titles, PhysX, 3D Vision, 3D Blu-Ray and GPU Computing to establish just how good it is.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/08/2010
Today we get the chance to put sample 0021 of the Black Edition Limited run through its paces. Tests will cover 5760x1080 Eyefinity gaming, GPU computing, HD playback and the usual selection of single screen gameplay... is this the most extreme 5970 ever? Can it play the latest games including Mafia 2 and StarCraft 2 at 5760x1080? Let's find out...
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/08/2010
Recently Enermax have been refreshing the Revolution 85+ series and we have the 920w model on our test bench, let's see if the series continues to impress.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/08/2010
There is one CPU from Intel which has remained at its price point without a refresh for some time now. That CPU is the Core i5-750 originally released in September 2009 it was long due a refresh and just a few weeks ago Intel made that move, releasing the Core i5-760. Today we have that very CPU on our test bench to find out how it compares with the older model and the direct competition from AMD at $200, the 1055T.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/08/2010
Today on our test bench we have the latest model in Corsair's PSU range, the Professional Series Gold AX850. This is Corsair's new flagship product and considering how well their previous PSU's have performed it has a lot of expectation placed on it.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/08/2010
Today ASRock are back with an updated model from their 330HT, based on Intel's Core i3/HM55 platform, which aims to take performance into the arena of a full desktop PC whilst maintaining the same footprint as their last generation ION system. Can it be done? Let's find out as we take the Core 100HT-BD through a selection of real world tests including StarCraft 2, media encoding and high definition playback.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/08/2010
The 5850 PCS+ is a factory overclocked model with enhanced cooler and we will be putting it thorough a selection of real world tests, including StarCraft 2, to establish how it compares to the best 5830 on the market. In addition to this we will also take a look at how both cards perform in the recently released Mafia 2 and Lost Planet 2 benchmarks before concluding with some 3D Blu-Ray playback and GPU computing tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/08/2010
Today Zotac are releasing their "AMP! Edition" of the GTX 460 and hope that its redesigned cooler and enhanced specifications will appeal to enthusiasts on a budget. Todaywe take a look at that card and find out in a selection of real world tests how it compares to the standard GTX 460 as well as a couple of Radeons in the same price range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/08/2010
Today we have the XFX Radeon 5830 XXX Edition on our test bench and it will be put through its paces in a selection of real world gaming, multimedia and GPU computing tasks. As always these will feature DirectX 11 titles such as Alien Vs. Predator but we have also updated our test suite to include a first look at Mafia 2, Lost Planet 2 as well as StarCraft 2 and 3D Blu-Ray.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/08/2010
Today Seasonic release the next PSU in their X-Series range, the X-400FL which aims to bring the same exceptional quality and performance to a new market segment. We have one of the first samples on our test bench so let's find out if it meets our expectations.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/08/2010
When Cooler Master offered us their latest high end chassis we jumped at the chance to test it.
So today on our test bench we have the HAF X, a model aimed at enthusiasts and gamers. Can it live up to Cooler Masters high standards?
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/08/2010
Today we have another 5770 on our test bench and while it uses an enhanced cooler that is not the cards main feature, Sapphires 5770 FleX Edition offers a refined Eyefinity experience. Read on to find out what they have changed and how it offers a significant improvement over other Radeon cards.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/08/2010
On our test bench today we have the H70 and we will be putting it through its paces against the H50, CoolIT Vantage and Tuniq Tower 120 Extreme to establish where Corsairs latest product sits in the marketplace. Have they improved on the H50 and more importantly can they give us a strong reason to choose the H70 over products such as the Tuniq Extreme and CoolIT Vantage?
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/08/2010
On our test bench today is Alienwares new M11x, an 11.6 inch laptop featuring Core i5 CPU and Nvidia Optimus technology. We will be putting it through a selection of real world tests including StarCraft 2, media transcoding and HD playback to establish how good it really is.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/08/2010
Today from PowerColor and Gigabyte come two Radeon 5750s which offer passive heatsinks and a few more twists. Will these make an ideal HTPC card; can they even game successfully without active cooling? Today we find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/08/2010
Today on our test bench we have the latest model in Corsair's PSU range, the Professional Series Gold AX1200. This is Corsair's new flagship product and considering how well their previous PSU's have performed it has a lot of expectation placed on it.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/08/2010
On our test bench today we have one of NZXTs new models, a micro ATX based case which is designed for high cooling performance, portability and can even fit in cards such as the Radeon 5970/5870 and GeForce GTX 480/470.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/07/2010
Today we look at CoolITs new high end cooler, the Vantage A.L.C. In this review we will discover how it compares to the H50 in terms of performance and also look at it in detail to find out what features it has which could take processor cooling to a new level.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/07/2010
Todays roundup features the ASRock Extreme 3, ASUS Rampage 3 Extreme, ASUS Rampage 3 Gene, Gigabyte X58A-UD9, MSI Big Bang Xpower and ASUS P6X58D-E boards. We look at media performance, memory performance and more.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/07/2010
Not everyone can afford the high end 800D chassis from Corsair and to cater for some of those users Corsair have launched the 700D which features many of the same design aspects at a lower price point. Today we find out if the 700D can live up to Corsairs reputation for award winning products.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/07/2010
The enthusiast cooling market really is a busy place at the moment, despite reviewing coolers from Gelid, Akasa, Noctua, Spire, CoolIT and Xigmatek in the past few months there is still a large selection out there which may appeal to consumers. Today, for the second time in as many weeks, we have a selection of the newest on our test bench allowing us to see which is the most appealing in a very crowded marketplace.
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by Grace | 20/07/2010
Todays review product is named after "Midgard" - home of mankind and protected by Thor, God of thunder, and his hammer. The Midgard is a high performance case designed to offer enthusiast-grade functionality and performance at a very low retail price, lets find out what it is like.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/07/2010
Today we get the chance to look at the OMNI A.L.C. for the first time and what better card to start with than the GeForce GTX 480, one which would very much benefit from aftermarket cooling. Can the Omni give us CoolIT's usual level of quality and provide performance that GTX 480 users have been looking for, let's find out...
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/07/2010
Today sees the launch of the GeForce GTX 460 despite a name which is close to the existing GTX 465 the GTX 460 is based on a new class of Fermi/GF100 GPU. Today we find out how it compares to the existing GTX 400 range, the GTX 200 series and its direct competition, the Radeon 5830.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/07/2010
We will be combining the ARES with a Core i7-980X overclocked to 4.25GHz and running it through a selection of real world tests including gaming and Blu-Ray 3D playback to find out how well it compares to the standard 5970 and 2x480 in SLI.
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by Grace | 07/07/2010
Today we are going to have a look at the P193. Antec changed the marketing motto of this case to "a class of its own". The P193 is larger than its predecessor and also boasts new features when compared to the older model. In this review we will examine the new P193 and see how much of an improvement over the P190 it is.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/07/2010
In June 2009 Alienware/Dell launched the M17x, their first co-developed machine. On launch day we provided a world-exclusive preview of the new machine and today it is time to take a more in-depth look at the features and performance of the latest version of the M17x which contains Intel Core i7 technology.
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by Stuart Davidson | 30/06/2010
StarTech were founded in 1985 and since then they have been providing a wide range of IT and A/V products to a diverse range of customers from education to industrial and beyond. They claim that their products offer uncompromising quality and workmanship with sales backed by free, live pre and post purchase support. For those who prefer email support StarTech offer guaranteed responses within 2 hours.
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by Stuart Davidson | 20/06/2010
Todays review includes SandForce, Indilinx and Toshiba based SSDs mixed in with the Seagate 6GB/s and VelociRaptor mechanical models then just for good measure a high spec 2.5" mechanical drive is added to ensure we have a complete picture of the real world performance available at each market segment.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/06/2010
On the ATI based side we have Sapphire's 5970 Toxic 4GB and the Asus Matrix 5870 Platinum. From NVIDIA partners we have Zotac GTX 480's, Gigabyte and Palit GTX 470's and Gainward GTX 465s which allow us to compare single GPU and SLI based setups. We will be covering real world gameplay, PhysX, 3D Vision, GPU computing, High Definition / 3D media playback and power/noise readings in this review to establish which products are worth purchasing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/06/2010
In 2009 GELID released GC-Extreme in an attempt to counter Arctic Cooling's MX-3 paste. Since then AC have changed their name to simply Arctic and today a box arrived from Arctic containing their new MX-4 paste. Today we hope to see where the crown lies.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/05/2010
To tie in with Computex 2010 Nvidia is today launching the GTX 465 which brings the same GF100 architecture and features which were present in the GTX 480 and 470 to a new price point, sub $300/255. We will be running the new card through a number of real world tests including DX 9/10/11 gaming, 3D Vision, PhysX, CUDA and 3D movie Playback to establish how it fits into the current marketplace; including comparisons with cards such as the GTX 285, 470 and Radeon 5000 series.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/05/2010
Today Intel aims to satisfy the needs of enthusiasts on a budget with the release of the Core i7-875K and Core i5-655K, two processors on Socket 1156 which feature unlocked multipliers.
We will be running each through a selection of real world tests to establish how they compare to the latest offerings from AMD, and finding out how well they overclock using the unlocked multiplier.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/05/2010
Today we have Kingstons HyperX DDR3-2400 which give huge potential memory bandwidth.
Kingston dont just do extreme speed though, they also produce a very interesting product further down their catalogue. Their LoVo sticks offer some very competitive performance at settings far below the reference 1.65v.
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by Henry Butt | 17/05/2010
Thermaltake is renowned for producing some of the best PC cases and power supplies on the market.They have a very wide range of cases designed to suit the whole spectrum of users from the most budget-minded to style-conscious performance users. Today we are going to look at the Thermaltake V3 Black Edition case which is designed for performance users on a budget.
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by Grace | 13/05/2010
NVIDIA's long awaited high end products have finally been released, satisfying the ever-craving performance enthusiasts. However the release of the high end cards does not mean that NVIDIA lost interest in the mainstream market where the majority of gamers and users wants to combine performance with value. Today we are going to test the performance of three NVIDIA GT 240 GFX cards, which even though they are all based on the same GT 215 core, are very different from each other.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/05/2010
Today on our test bench we have CoolITs latest product, the ECO A.L.C. which shares the same design ethic as the Domino but revises many aspects in the hope of a product which will be preferable to the H50. We will be running each through a selection of tests on our Intel Core i7-980X CPU to find out which is the best choice for those wanting a simple, easy to use liquid cooler.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/05/2010
Dell has recently released their refreshed Adamo XPS, a machine which follows a similar design ethic to the original but aims to increase performance to ensure it is competitive in the current market. Today we have an Adamo XPS on our test bench and will see, in a selection of real world tests, what the latest high end Dell machine can do.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/04/2010
Today we find out how Sapphire's Radeon 5870 2GB TOXIC compares to the GTX 480 in a selection real world gaming, media and GPU computing tasks. In addition to this we will also cover noise levels, power use and overclocking to find out which enthusiast product is worth purchasing.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/03/2010
So today one of the most discussed graphics card launches of all time takes place; join us as we take a look at the real world performance of the GTX 480 covering DirectX 9, 10, 10.1 and 11 gaming, GPU Computing (CUDA), High Definition playback, PhysX, 3DVision, gaming with 32x anti-aliasing and even 3D-DVD playback. If thats not enough then how about internal and external temperature readings, power use then some overclocking?
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by Grace | 18/03/2010
Today we have another notebook cooler from Akasa for review, the Orion. Akasa markets the Orion as a stylish solution, but it is much simpler and cheaper than the Everest and not nearly as flexible.
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by Henry Butt | 16/03/2010
Today we are going to look at Novatech's latest gaming laptop, the X1 CA, which boasts a massive specification alongside a number of other exciting features. It is very similar in design to the X1 Pro that we reviewed a while back but has been updated with an Intel Core i7 Mobile CPU and DDR3 RAM.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/03/2010
Today sees the release of Intels latest CPU, the Core i7-980X Processor Extreme Edition. While the model number may be similar to the existing i7-975 this release is more than "just another speed-bump". Today we take Intels new high end processor through a selection of real world productivity, media and gaming tests to establish how much of a step forward it is from the existing product range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/03/2010
Today on our test bench we have the latest chipset from AMD which they hope will be attractive to consumers, offering many of the features present on the 785G and adding to this functionality such as SATA 6GB/s. We will be finding out how boards from Asus, Foxconn and Gigabyte perform in a selection of real world gaming, multimedia and productivity tasks to find out which is worth your hand earned cash.
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by Stuart Davidson | 25/02/2010
Today we get to see the final (for now) piece of the puzzle in the Radeon 5000 range, the 5830. We will be running the card through a selection of real world gaming tests as well as GPU computing tasks and HD playback to find out how it compares to the 5770, 5850 and GTX 275.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/02/2010
Today we have a product on our test bench which aims to fill the SATA3/USB3 gap in AMDs high end product line. We will be running the Gigabyte GA-790FXTA-UD5 through a selection of real world tests to find out whether this is the board that AMD users with a need for the latest features have been waiting on.
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by Grace | 22/02/2010
Today we will take a look at a product from Chill Innovation, a Danish company. The ChillDesk MiniXL CD-110XL is a notebook cooler and is the companys first effort to diversify into the cooling products market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/02/2010
On our test bench today we have a version of the Radeon HD 5850 which has received the Toxic treatment. We will demonstrate how it compares to the reference design 5850 and the GeForce GTX 285 in a selection of real world gaming, multimedia and GPU computing tests.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/02/2010
Today we will be taking a look at Sapphires 5570 to see where the new GPU fits into the market in a selection of real world gaming tests, GPU computing tasks and high definition playback. In addition to this we will also take a look back at two other products in the value area, the XFX 5670 and HIS 5450...
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/02/2010
Today we have two sets of memory from G.Skill on our test bench, the high performane Pi series DDR3-2200 and a 1.35v set from the Eco series running at DDR3-1600.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/02/2010
Today we will be running Sapphires version of the card through a selection of real world gaming scenarios as well as GPU computing tasks and media playback tests. Read on to find out how the card compares to the main competitor in the same price range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/02/2010
Today we continue our trend of Alienware exclusives by reviewing one of the first M11x samples. With the M11x Alienware take advantage of the new GeForce GT 335M GPU with the intention of building the worlds first 11" gaming system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/01/2010
Today we have one of the latest models released on our test bench, the ASRock ION 330HT-BD is one of the highest specification ION/ATOM systems we have seen to date. We will be running it through a selection of real world tests to find out if it can become the centre of a home theatre environment.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/01/2010
Today we have two different models of the 5770 on our review bench. Each offers enhanced performance and aftermarket cooling and we will be running them through a selection of real world benchmarks in both gaming and GPU computing tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/01/2010
Today ATI/AMD are launching the first sub $100 (512MB) and $120 (1GB) DirectX 11 capable products in the shape of the Radeon 5670.
We will be running the latest addition to the Radeon range through a selection of real world gaming and media tests to find out how it fits into a very competitive marketplace which includes the GT 240, GTS 250 and Radeon 5750.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2010
Today we are taking a look at Dells latest offering in the mini desktop market. The Zino HD has some impressive specifications on paper with promise of great media features and high performance in other tasks.
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by Henry Butt | 06/01/2010
Today we are going to look at the Novatech V14 CULV laptop that aims to bridge the gap between netbooks and the more powerful full-size notebooks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/01/2010
Today we're taking a look at the Core i5-661 processor along with the new H55/57 chipsets which feature Intel's new onboard graphics chip.
Roundup: Intel DH55TC, Gigabyte P55A-UD3R, ECS H55H-M, Asus P7H57D-V Evo and MSI H57M-ED65.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/12/2009
On our test bench today we have Tuniq's latest CPU cooler, the Tower 120 Extreme which sits at the top of their product catalogue and offers enhanced performance and CPU compatibility.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/12/2009
Today we take a look at the latest in Alienware/Dells desktop range, the Aurora ALX and run it though a selection of real world tests including gaming at 2560x1600, Photoshop, media encoding and overclocking to find out if their impressive run of form continues.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/12/2009
Today we have one of Thermaltake's latest coolers on our test bench. The Contac 29 is a hugely flexible CPU cooler which is aimed at the mainstream market, let's find out how it compares to the standard Intel box cooler.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/12/2009
Back in September Intel released the Core i5-750 and i7-870 along with their latest midrange chipset, the P55. At launch we were very impressed by the excellent value for money offered by the i5-750, especially when Turbo Boost is enabled and there was no shortage of P55 boards to combine with it. Since then Gigabyte and Asus have been expanding their P55 range and between them they have now 36 different models for users to choose from.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/11/2009
Today we have the latest model in the Sapphire Vapor-X family on our test bench, the 5750. We will be taking a look at how it compares to the reference model in areas such as thermal performance, overclocking, GPU computing and real world gameplay. Can the Vapor-X 5750 live up to the reputation of the previous models?
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by Zardon | 20/11/2009
Today we will be taking a look at the new HIS and Sapphire 5970's and as they sent us two of the cards apiece we felt it would be a good time to to cover Crossfire X configurations - for those of you rich enough to be able to afford two of these monster graphics cards. We also overclock our watercooled Core i7 processor to 4.1 ghz and the memory to 1800mhz to mirror a real life environment for a potential customer of two of these high end boards - we want CPU limiting at a minimum.
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by Stuart Davidson | 18/11/2009
Today we will be taking a look at the Powercolor Radeon HD 5970 2GB and putting it through its paces in a selection of real world gaming tests, including the recently released Modern Warfare 2. In addition to this we will cover GPU computing and high definition playback as well as having a play with the surprise inclusion of an official voltage tweaking tool. This little application may well make this product a favourite with enthusiasts who want to get the most from their purchase.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/11/2009
The first XPC was released in 2001 and since then Shuttle have continually been upgrading the range to utilise as many desktop features as possible into a compact chassis. One of the latest models to be released is their Core-i7/X58 based system the SX58H7 and today we have one on our test bench to find out if Intels latest architecture is a viable option in a small form factor.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/11/2009
Today we look at the new AMD processors - the revised Phenom II 965 Black Edition and the Athlon II X3 435. We also look at the DFI DK-790FXB-M3H5 and the stunning new Sapphire Vapor X 5870 and watercooled Powercolor 5870 LCS.
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by Zardon | 29/10/2009
Do you like small PC's but don't want to compromise? Then look no further because we have one of the finest systems in our labs today. How does a watercooled Core i7 with a 1.6ghz overclock inside a custom made carbon fibre Lian Li chassis sound?
Now we have you salivating .. make sure you check this out ...
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/10/2009
Today we have Gigabytes GTX 275 Super Overclock in our labs which takes nVidias GTX275 to a whole new level. To make things even more interesting we have paired this impressive card with Nvidias 3D Vision kit, today we see if the latest development in display technology is ready for the mainstream market.
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/10/2009
Today we have one of LanCools latest cases on our test bench, the PC-K62 which is manufactured in Taiwan and part of the Dragon Lord family.
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by Stuart Davidson | 14/10/2009
Today we have a product on our review bench which is Corsairs latest foray into a new area. The Obsidian 800D is an enthusiast orientated PC chassis which at first glance has the makings of a fantastic product. Today we find out if Corsair has yet another success on their hands or if their latest product expansion is a step too far.
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by Stuart Davidson | 13/10/2009
These two products are priced to target (and undercut) the GTS 250 and GTX 260. Can ATI take control of the mainstream graphics market? Read on to find out as we put all of these cards through their paces in a selection of the latest games as well as high definition media playback and GPU computing tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/10/2009
Despite Nvidia having a strong product catalogue rumours have been rife in the last week or so about the future of their mid and high range products. It is business as usual in the budget range today however as we see the launch of a new card in the sub $79 price range. This isnt just a cut down version of a different card though; for once we have a budget model which brings something a little different to Nvidias product range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/10/2009
Due to the positive experiences we have had with Arctic Cooling products in the past we always look forward to their latest releases and today we have three such items on our review bench. For AMD CPUs there is the Alpine 64 Pro, mainstream GPUs get the Accelero L2 Pro and the GTX 260/275/280 get their own version of the Accelero (Xtreme GTX280).
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/10/2009
A couple of weeks ago on launch day we looked at the Radeon 5870 and found it to be a very impressive card. Today we have a follow-up article where we will look at the 5870 offerings from a selection of ATIs partners as well as the 5850 to see which cards are worth your hard earned cash. In addition to this full CrossFire results for both cards will be provided as well as GPU computing and media playback performance figures.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/10/2009
Somewhat surprisingly around the same time as the GC-2 launch Gelid also released another paste, GC-Extreme. Today we take a look at their latest thermal compound to find out how it compares to the GC-2 and market leading MX-3.
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by Stuart Davidson | 29/09/2009
Today we have two cards from either end of the price spectrum on our test bench to find out what each has to offer. For those who feel their onboard sound is has issues, or anyone with high quality headphones/speakers this article should assist in finding the ideal purchase.
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by Zardon | 24/09/2009
OCZ have just released their latest Agility EX drive which differs from anything we have reviewed in the past because it is the first SLC based SSD drive aimed at a price point to target the mass enthusiast market. While Single Level cell (SLC) and Multi Level Cell (MLC) are similar in design, MLC flash costs considerably less to produce and allow for higher storage density. The benefits with SLC flash drives are that they provide faster write performance and greater reliability ...
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/09/2009
In order to take full advantage of Microsofts latest DirectX we require hardware which supports features such as Shader Model 5 and today we bring you the launch of the worlds first publically available DX 11 hardware, the Radeon 5870.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/09/2009
Today we look at the new M15x from Alienware - they are one of the first companies to introduce Intels Core-i7 architecture in the mobile marketplace. Back that up with an impressive graphics processor from Nvidia and the new Intel PM55 chipset and we have a very interesting and theoretically capable product.
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by Grace | 17/09/2009
Today we are going to have a look at a rather interesting product, the Everest notebook cooling station. As its name suggests, the Everest is a stand for notebooks designed to serve as a cooler.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/09/2009
Today Intel are releasing CPUs based on the Nehalem architecture but with prices and specifications designed to appeal to mainstream consumers. Today we will be putting two of these models through their paces and comparing them to existing i7 CPUs as well as AMDs top Phenom 2 model and the best Core 2 CPU. In addition to that we will cover various memory configurations and throw a handful of the more interesting P55 based motherboards into the mix with two aftermarket coolers.
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by Zardon | 06/09/2009
SilverStone are well known in enthusiast circles as being one of the most exquisite designers of modern day computer chassis. Today we are taking a look at their Raven RV02 Chassis - the followup to the RV01 - which we reviewed way back in April of this year. Silverstone have taken onboard specific criticisms of the original case, such as the front door mechanism and the top panel design and have opted for something quite different, yet equally as radical.
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by Stuart Davidson | 26/08/2009
Asus have just rewritten the Nvidia rulebook with the release of their 1 grand video card - the Asus MARS. Its basically two 285's on one board with 4GB of high performance ram. Asus sent us TWO of these limited edition boards and we put them in a watercooled system to see just how many frames they can deliver with all the modern gaming titles.
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by Zardon | 14/08/2009
The drive we are looking at today is the long awaited Intel replacement which is built on the 34 nanometer manufacturing process - this has the long term benefit of helping to reduce the costs to manufacture therefore meaning less cost to the consumer - well thats the theory anyway.
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by Zardon | 08/08/2009
Does the combination of high end AMD X4 955 Processor with Coolit Domino, fast OCZ DDR3 memory and ATI 4890 graphics get you excited? If not, then check you have a pulse.
Today we will find out if the Slayer Elemental really is a kick ass gaming machine or if it is just another run of the mill system build hiding behind an attractive flash web site.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/08/2009
A few months down the line and two further companies have brought to market drives based on Samsung and Indilinx controllers. Today we take a look at those products to see what Corsair and Crucial offer us. Also included in this review is an updated SSD from OCZ which takes their excellent Indilinx based Vertex range and enhances the performance to create the Vertex Turbo.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/08/2009
Despite the number of reviews we have published on this site in the last few years we occasionally come across a company whose products we have never used or tested. Evercool are one such company and when they offered two of their very reasonably priced air coolers for review we were more than happy to see what this company could offer.
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by Stuart Davidson | 04/08/2009
Arctic Cooling hope to continue their successful line of GPU cooling products, read on to find out if the Accelero XTREME 4870X2 is up to the task of cooling ATIs dual GPU monster.
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by Stuart Davidson | 31/07/2009
Today we have one product from each of the mainstream and high-end GeForce families on our test bench to see what performance each offers for its price point. Read on to find out what can be achieved through a simple upgrade as we test each in a selection of the latest games and GPU computing applications.
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by Nathan Marks | 30/07/2009
Today we are going to be looking at the Novatech X1 Pro, a desktop replacement packed with the most powerful laptop components on the market such as a quad core processor and GTX280M graphics cards in SLI.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/07/2009
As well as looking at the usual aspects such as build quality, features and thermal performance we will also be taking a look at how fast we can make a system in this chassis. Are two high spec graphics cards and the Core-I7 useable? Read on to find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 15/07/2009
First up on the review bench is the top model in the Asus P6T desktop family, the P6T Deluxe V2, it competes against two high performance boards from Foxconn, the FlamingBlade and BloodRage GTI. Read on to find out which best meets your requirements in regards to performance and functionality.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/07/2009
Today we have two different approaches to the Ion platform on our test bench. The first is from ASRock and is a full prebuilt system and the second, from Zotac, is a motherboard/CPU combination which allows the end user to build a machine to their specifications.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/07/2009
We are one of the few sites to get a sample of this processor which isn't being sold in the market. We overclocked it on Vapo and managed to get over 6GHZ out of it - which makes it the fastest AMD CPU we have ever tested...
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/06/2009
Since then GC-1 and MX-2 have been competing for our hard earned money but things are about to get a little more interesting as both manufacturers are refreshing their product line. Gelid have GC-2 heading to stores across the world now and we have an exclusive preview of Arctic Coolings MX-3 which aims to be the best performing compound available.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/06/2009
Today we have a selection of hot and sexy SSD drives featuring models with various new controllers from Indilinx and Samsung as well as Intels award winning X25-M. Just to make things a little more interesting there is even a model which features a customised version of the old JMicron 602 controller.
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by Stuart Davidson | 16/06/2009
In the past few months it has been clear that memory manufacturers have mastered high specification triple channel kits with those like Corsairs Dominator-GT really impressing us. So today we have two more kits on our test bench from OCZ and G.Skill, both of which are capable of running at 2000MHz. Added to this we have a set of memory from Kingston which is one of the few that favours volume over extreme speed, their product gives us three 4GB sticks in one kit for a total of 12GB.
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by Nathan Marks | 15/06/2009
Today well be looking at the Sony P series netbook computer. Weve reviewed a plethora of netbooks to date including offerings from Dell, Asus and MSI but the Sony P brings a little something special to the table.
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by Stuart Davidson | 03/06/2009
Nehalem EP used the same D0 core as that found in the new 920 which left the top performing 965 processor on the older C0 revision. Rather than change the CPU to bring it up to date Intel are once again pushing the market forward with the release of the Core-i7 975 Extreme Edition and we will be putting it through its paces in a selection of mainly real world tests to establish how much of an improvement it is over the existing models in the range.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/06/2009
Since the Phenom CPUs were launched we have seen a number of models become available with performance regularly increasing and more recently the addition of support for DDR3 but there was no sign of energy efficient versions. That changes today with the launch of the Phenom 2 X3 705e and Phenom 2 X4 905e. Also we have our first look at a dual core Phenom 2 and secondly there is the new Athlon 2 model which brings DDR3 support to the older family of CPUs.
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by Nathan Marks | 29/05/2009
Purchasing a new computer is never an easy task with countless manufacturers offering systems of various configurations. It takes a little something special to stand out among such a crowded theatre and today were going to take a look at a system from Kobalt Computers.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/05/2009
Today we have three flash drives on our test bench, all of which target a different part of the market. Do any of them suit your needs? Read on to find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 22/05/2009
Since the release of Core-i7 there has been a steady release of performance motherboards which allow consumers the opportunity to create a great high specification system. In the past getting the best performance always meant using ATX boards even though technology in just about every other area has been getting more compact.
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by Zardon | 20/05/2009
Recently we reviewed the dual CPU Nehalem EP platform and when we heard that Coolit had a system planned we gave them a call. Today we have a review of the 'WS 240' which is based on the Domino A.L.C. - abeit with some important changes. Is this another killer product from Coolit?
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by Grace | 19/05/2009
OCZ have targeted the SSD market in a more aggressive manner than any other manufacturer in the last 12 months, they also halved the retail prices with the release of the Core series, followed by the release of the Core V2 series which utilized a second revision JMicron controller a month later.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/05/2009
The Corsair Cooling ICE T30 is the most extreme memory cooler available, but just how high will it allow us to push modules? today we find out.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/05/2009
There has been a steady stream of processor releases from AMD in recent times. Whether it is revisions of triple and quad core models or the addition of DDR3 parts to the product line there has always been something new to look at regularly. Two weeks ago we took a look at the latest high end Phenom 2, the 955 and now AMD have another release for us to cover. The Athlon X2 7850 Black Edition.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/04/2009
Today AMD release the latest AM3 processor, the 955 Black Edition, the first to have a real chance of competing with the 940 in that all important enthusiast market. Combined with a high specification 790FX based motherboard and ATI GPU it creates what could be AMDs most powerful system ever. Today we take a look at the latest performance figures from the AM3 (Dragon) platform using the 955, MSIs new 790FX-GD70 and XFXs 4870 X2. Is it finally time for AMD users to make the switch to DDR3?
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by Stuart Davidson | 21/04/2009
For some time now Cooler Master has been releasing larger than life CPU coolers which rarely disappoint and are always competitively priced. Recently they announced the V10, a cooler which features a design inspired by supercharged engines which purportedly cools CPUs with TDP up to 200w.
Is it a step too far, or not far enough? Read on to find out as we compare it to the current market leader, CoolITs Domino A.L.C.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/04/2009
Today we take a look at several of the cards based on the GT200 core as well as a GTS 250 to see which offer the best value for gaming and GPU computing tasks. For anyone considering the purchase of a GeForce product in the next few months this article is essential reading.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/04/2009
Today we will be putting a selection of 4890s up against the GTX 275 in the latest games at resolutions up to 2560x1600. We will also run each of the cards through a selection of GPU computing tasks as well as completing our test suite with some CrossFire tests and overclocking/thermal performance.
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by Stuart Davidson | 27/03/2009
In October last year Intel released processors based on the socket 1366 architecture and with these came a requirement for redesigned heatsink install methods. Essentially the distance between corners of the heatsink increased (as did the processor footprint) and existing high end coolers were no longer compatible with new motherboards.
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by Stuart Davidson | 19/03/2009
Today Sapphire becomes the first GPU manufacturer to attach 2 GB of DDR5 to their Radeon 4870 making it one of the most impressive models available in terms of paper specifications. They have their own PCB design and a cooler based on the Vapor-X technology which we have seen on a few of their previous cards. We are lucky enough to have one of these new cards on our test bench and have run it through a number of real world tests so be sure to read our review !
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/03/2009
Today we have three SSD's on our test bench from Intel, Patriot and Super Talent. Each has a different capacity and cost but all will be placed through a selection of synthetic and real world tests to establish which drive is ideal for consumers first leap into the SSD market.
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by Nathan Marks | 11/03/2009
We recently looked at the Thermaltake Spedo, a full tower gaming case which had a strong design base but was poorly executed in a few areas. Thermaltake have been around for a number of years now so we were a little disappointed to see a product from them that lacked the refined finish we expect. Today we are looking at another chassis from them, the Thermaltake Element S. This case is targeted at professionals and hopefully will rate a little better than the Spedo.
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by Stuart Davidson | 02/03/2009
Over the last week or two there has been heated debate online regarding the latest graphics card from Nvidia. This kind of discussion is usually reserved for the latest high end product but in this case it is a mainstream model, the GTS 250.
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by Stuart Davidson | 24/02/2009
The one thing which was missing from the AMD line-up was support for DDR3 which Intel have been providing for quite some time, today we look at the first couple of CPUs which resolve that issue.
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/02/2009
As our i7 launch article demonstrated there were some massive increases to be had from the new triple channel memory architecture in both theoretical and real world tests. Since the release of i7 and X58 motherboards a large number of triple channel kits have hit the market and today we have three of the more impressive versions on our test bench. Each will be put through a selection of real world tests to find out which of them is worthy of your hard earned cash.
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by Grace | 13/02/2009
The most aggressive company in the SSD market most likely is OCZ, who released no less than six new series of SSD drives during the past seven months. Today we will have a look at one of their mainstream series SSD models, the Apex 120GB. We are going to see how well the latest mainstream MLC SSD drive from OCZ can perform in this review.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/02/2009
Not content with being known for great Nvidia based products XFX recently announced a range of Radeon graphics cards and Intel motherboards, all of which are designed to take on the best products in their marketplace. Today we have the first of their cards on our test bench, the Radeon HD 4870 1 GB XXX which is a factory overclocked model.
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by Stuart Davidson | 10/02/2009
In the second of todays XFX articles we take a look at the Radeon HD 4650. Those reading who have already seen our 4870 XXX article will know that XFX have already made a good impression with that product in their new ATI range. We will find out if this winning streak continues as we run the card through a selection of tests including gaming, Overclocking and Blu-Ray playback.
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by Stuart Davidson | 28/01/2009
During CES 2009 Nvidia launched the latest cards in their GeForce range, the GTX 285 and 295. The 285 is essentially a refresh of the existing GTX 280 with a reduction in the core size and reduced power requirements. The GTX 295 is their latest dual GPU design, the first card since the 9800 GX2 to support Quad SLI. Rather than rush out a half assed review to meet Nvidias tight timescales for this launch, we opted to delay our article and ensure it was as informative as we could make it.
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by Nathan Marks | 21/01/2009
Today we are taking a look at the Dell Mini 9, a machine which offers a similar specification to its competitors in an attractive shell. Dell are one of the largest PC manufacturers in the world and so we expect good all round quality for a reasonable price.
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by Grace | 14/01/2009
NZXT were founded only 4 years ago in L.A. California, they managed not only to quickly earn a good reputable worldwide but to easily compete with some of the most well known companies in the field. Today we will have a look at one of their latest products, the Whisper full tower case. According to NZXT the Whisper is a step up from the Hush, the silent midi tower case we reviewed several months ago.
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by Stuart Davidson | 09/01/2009
Last month we took a look at a selection of boards which were released around i7 launch time, some of which were very impressive. Today we have four more X58 based boards from MSI, ECS and Foxconn and we will run each of the boards through a selection of real world tests including media encoding, Photoshop and gaming as well as some overclocking. By the end of this review you should be in no doubt which board best suits your needs when building a new Core i7 system.
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by Stuart Davidson | 08/01/2009
Today we will be taking a look at the latest processor in the Phenom family, the Phenom 2 X4 940 Black Edition. This CPU will be AMDs highest performing processor until the DDR3 variants reach the market later this year. Through a selection of benchmarks including media encoding, Photoshop and gaming we will establish how good the Phenom 2 is, and whether it is worth the upgrade for existing Phenom users.
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by Stuart Davidson | 23/12/2008
CoolIT have taken their experience with OEM designs and the rigorous quality and performance standards involved in these builds and used them to create a product which they claim is high performance, feature rich, universally compatible, indestructible, simple-to-install, fail-safe, long lasting and last but not least, extremely affordable.
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by Nathan Marks | 21/12/2008
Today we're going to look at the Cyberpower Gamer Infinity i7 Poseidon, a pre-overclocked, watercooled i7 system. With a promising spec sheet this system looks like it will pack an impressive punch. If you like the system after reading our review then we have a special offer, just for DriverHeaven members!
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by Stuart Davidson | 17/12/2008
It comes as no surprise to us that there are also versions of the 4870X2 hitting the market with extreme cooling solutions in addition to enhanced speeds. Today we will run two of the most interesting through a selection of real world tests, including gaming at 2560x1600 and Blu-Ray playback to find out how good the 4870 X2 can get.
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by Nathan Marks | 12/12/2008
Today were going to look at the latest in the series of Lamborghini products, the VX3 laptop. Unlike the previous machines in the series, this latest addition to the line has shrunk down to a 12.1” laptop, slightly bigger than the netbooks floating around the market but smaller than any high performance laptops weve seen. It really is an ideal size for a potent combination of portability and speed.
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by Stuart Davidson | 12/12/2008
We have to admit to being a little surprised a few weeks ago when AMD emailed us to say our review sample of the new high-end Athlon CPU was on its way. 2006 was the last time we had such an email and since then the Phenom line of processors has been AMDs focus, with a limited number of Sempron models released into the budget marketplace. Today we are looking at the 7750 Black Edition, quite a jump from the current highest model, the 6400+.
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by Stuart Davidson | 11/12/2008
Today we have three boards (Intel, Gigabyte & Asus)on our review bench and we will be running them through a selection of tests, mainly in real world scenarios, to establish which deserves to be the basis for your new Core i7 system. Whether you are an overclocker, video editor, Photoshop professional or gamer... this is the article to read.
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by Nathan Marks | 21/10/2008
Today were going to look at the MSI Wind U100 Series, a smart looking subnotebook aimed directly at the successful EEE PC market.
After Asus revealed the Eee PC back in 2007, there were bound to be some who would follow suit and release their own ultra portable notebooks. With hotspots appearing throughout cities all over the world the market is becoming ripe for cheap, ultraportable, easy to use computers to perform basic tasks.
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by Stuart Davidson | 07/10/2008
Given the recent domination of the CPU market by Intel it seems strange to think that they have any need to release new CPU models. Today we look at a hot new motherboard from Asus which supports the upcoming Intel Nehalem platform.
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by Zardon | 24/08/2008
It is not often we review a Macintosh product on DriverHeaven and although we are late to the table we felt it would be an interesting novelty for our readers to have a look at probably the sexiest laptop ever made, the MacBook Air.
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by Grace | 10/08/2008
OCZ have made the boldest move lately with the release of their new Core Series SSD drives. The OCZ Core Series not only uses the latest SLC technology (which is currently the fastest commercial design), but their retail prices are half any other similar SSD drive at the time of their launch.
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by Grace | 14/07/2008
Hard drives are constantly getting larger and cheaper as the technology improves, but their speed increases only marginally each year because they are limited by their inherent mechanical nature. No matter how efficient an algorithm or the overall design might be, the rotational speed of the platters is not going to increase much further.
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by Stuart Davidson | 06/03/2008
Yesterday we brought you coverage from various companies at Cebit and today we have been trawling the show looking in more detail at a few of the larger manufacturers. Here are some of the highlights.
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by Stuart Davidson | 05/03/2008
Driver Heaven has been out and about at Cebit 08, here are some of the highlights from our wanderings on Day 1. Drop by our forums to let us know what you think looks great or even what you think looks completely pointless!
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