Tech News

  • Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Elite Duo X @ TechPowerUp

    Published: Thursday, July 30, 2026 | By: Dennis

    Storage has always been a bottleneck for motherboards and while NVME SSDs are still slow by comparison they are no longer a limiting factor when it comes to overall system performance.  CPU Boost has removed the overclocking headroom that hardware enthusiasts strived for leaving DRAM as the sole holdout in the quest for speed.

    The Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Elite Duo X impresses with CQDIMM support for ultra-high capacity DDR5 memory, reaching speeds of up to DDR5-8000 MT/s. With PCIe Gen 5 and Wi-Fi 7, this motherboard delivers solid performance for under $300, making it a standout choice for Intel enthusiasts seeking value and innovation.

    CQDIMM, or Clocked Quad Rank memory is a viable way to add more memory to a single DIMM allowing desktop systems to scale available system memory by double.  The Aorus Elite Duo X is one of the first motherboards to support Quad Rank memory, and yet looks like every other motherboard on the market. wink smile

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  • Keychron R5 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review @ APH Networks

    Published: Thursday, July 30, 2026 | By: Dennis

    This might be one of the best retro keyboards I have ever seen.  From a design standpoint the color is spot on along with the keycap color changes and only starts to fall apart with the attempt to make the keyboard smaller by moving the arrow keys down slightly. 

    The Keychron R5 is a retro-styled wireless mechanical keyboard that brings nostalgia and modern comforts into one package. 

    The keyboard is fully mechanical with three switch choices and supports all of the major connection options from Bluetooth, Wireless and the old reliable USB cable. 

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  • Lexar Products Now Available at Best Buy

    Published: Friday, July 17, 2026 | By: Dennis

    Consumers can now shop Lexar's high-performance memory storage solutions in-store and online at Best Buy.

    San Jose, Calif. – July 16, 2026 – Lexar, a global leader in memory and storage solutions, today announced the availability of its products at Best Buy.

    Consumers can now purchase a broad assortment of Lexar products at Best Buy, BestBuy.com and through the Best Buy app. The launch marks Lexar’s largest U.S. retail expansion to date and represents a significant milestone in the company’s long-term commitment to serving the needs of U.S. consumers.

    For 30 years, Lexar has helped capture, create and preserve what matters most,” said Van Baer, Lexar’s general manager for the Americas. “As demand for high-performance storage continues to grow, expanding into Best Buy significantly strengthens our ability to reach consumers wherever they choose to shop.

    Lexar offers a wide range of products geared toward different users including:

    • Photographers and content creators:Professional GOLD Series CFexpress™ 4.0 Type A and Type B Cards; Professional 2000x V90 SD Card; Professional 1667x V60 SD Card SILVER Series; Professional SILVER PLUS V30 microSDXC™ UHS-I Card.
    • Gamers:PLAY PRO microSDXC™ Express Card, including the world’s first 1TB microSD Express card.
    • Everyday consumers and laptop users:Lexar portable SSD solutions, including the SL500 Portable SSD; SL300 Portable SSD; DDR4 and DDR5 SODIMM laptop memory
    • Custom PC builders:NM790 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen 4 SSD; THOR 2nd Gen DDR5 Desktop Memory in both RGB and non-RGB options.

    To browse Lexar products currently available at Best Buy, click here.

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  • Game preservation leader agrees that piracy is the only preservation option for a discless future

    Published: Wednesday, July 8, 2026 | By: Dennis

    I remember a time when software developers encouraged people to make backups of the software you bought to ensure that you always had access.  This was during the early years of home computers before widespread Hard drive availability and the 5.25" and 3.5" floppy disks were known to become corrupted after repeated use.  

    The solution, make a copy of that floppy.

    It is funny how something innocent as making a personal backup would trigger a worldwide software piracy problem because society can no longer trust individuals to do reasonable things.  Honestly, I blame leaded gasoline along with a great number of socioeconomic factors in the modern world.

    Sony sees things differently and was one a pioneer in the physical media space and created some of the greats.  Remember the Compact Disk? Sony did that, Remember the DVD? yep, Sony did that too.  Blu-ray, the beloved optical storage system for the modern world? Yep, Sony created that.  Well, now Sony is pushing to kill these inventions and has created some backlash in the process.

    The biggest is PlayStation.  

    Sony drove another nail into the coffin of physical videogames today, announcing that it'd cease production of PS5 discs in 2028. The future of the leading videogame console is total digital licensing, and according to the director of the Video Game History Foundation, that means the future of preservation, for the moment, must be piracy.

    In addition, Sony announced earlier that they would stop releasing movies on Blu-ray, which hit me especially hard given that I prefer a physical copy of the movies I watch, no need to have Internet access, picture and sound quality is better and I don't need to be concerned if a streaming service has it available.

    It would seem that we all might need to embrace the ways of the software pirate if we want to preserve the things we love.

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  • Colorful iGame Z890 ULTRA-S W Review @ Vortez

    Published: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | By: Dennis

    This Z890 motherboard from Colorful is actually rather unique both in style and color.  Most major motherboard vendors have chosen either white or black but the Colorful iGame Ultra-S is a solid silver with some pink/red accent colors.

    The Colorful iGame Z890 ULTRA-S W arrives as the latest flagship entry in the company's distinctive ULTRA series, combining high-end Intel Z890 platform capabilities with a striking white aesthetic inspired by the brand's popular ULTRA W graphics cards. Designed to support Intel Core Ultra 200S Series processors, the ATX motherboard targets enthusiasts, gamers, and content creators looking for a premium platform that balances performance, visual appeal, and modern connectivity.

    According to the review, this is an incremental upgrade over a previous edition with a grip of new features and performance enhancements.

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  • DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII CPU Waterblocks

    Published: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | By: Dennis

    Thermal Grizzly is introducing the DeltaMate MPII series, a new line of premium water coolers for AMD and Intel processors. The version optimized for AMD’s AM5 socket is available now, and the Intel LGA1851 version will follow shortly. Both coolers are backwards compatible (the AM5 version with AM4, and the LGA1851 version with LGA1700). The design of the CPU water coolers is visually coordinated with other DeltaMate products, complementing them to form a stylistic ecosystem.

    DeltaMate-MPII-Series

    The premium CPU water blocks of the DeltaMate MPII series have been designed to the highest standards and are manufactured and assembled under strict quality controls. Only high-quality materials are used in production to meet the demands of hardware enthusiasts and set new industry standards:

    • The nickel-plated Ultra-High-Performance cold plate is milled from copper.
    • The solid nickel-plated housing with G1/4-inch ports is made of brass.
    • The viewing window is made of borosilicate glass, whose edges are sanded after cutting.
    • The cover is made of anodized aluminum.

    Stylish RGB LED lighting highlights the elegant design of the water block when illumination is desired. The RGB LEDs can be controlled via a 3-pin ARGB header (+5V/DATA/GND) through the motherboard.

    DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII AM5 Black

    The Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII AM5 Black is optimized for AMD’s AM5 socket. The cooler is also backward compatible with socket AM4. The hybrid structure on the nickel-plated copper cooling plate consists above the CCDs, meaning the Core Complex Dies with high heat output, of 25 microfins with a slot width and fin width of 0.2 mm each. This high number of thin fins provides a very large surface area on which the coolant can dissipate heat quickly and efficiently. In the upper area above the I/O die, 29 fins with a width of 0.4 mm are used for optimized flow distribution.

    The features of the DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII AM5 Black:

    • Ultra-High-Performance premium CPU water block for AMD socket AM5
    • Nickel-plated copper cooling plate with Ultra-High-Performance CCD microfins (0.2 mm)
    • Optimized flow distribution through I/O die microfins (0.4 mm)
    • Full-metal housing with an RGB-illuminated viewing window made of borosilicate glass
    • Particularly durable brass threaded inserts, including standard G1/4" ports
    • Included cover for optionally concealing all screws and the mounting system

    DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII Intel 1851 Black

    The Thermal Grizzly DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII Intel 1851 Black is optimized for Intel’s LGA1851 socket and is backward compatible with socket LGA1700. The microfins on the nickel-plated copper cooling plate are manufactured with a hybrid structure. Above the CPU tiles, the slot width and fin width of the 40 fins measure 0.2 mm each. This high number of thin fins provides a very large surface area on which the coolant can dissipate heat quickly and efficiently. Above and below the CPU tile area, a total of 30 fins with a width of 0.3 mm are used for optimized flow distribution.

    The features of the DeltaMate CPU Block - MPII Intel 1851 Black:

    • Ultra-High-Performance premium CPU water block for Intel socket LGA1851
    • Nickel-plated copper cooling plate with Ultra-High-Performance CCD microfins (0.2 mm)
    • Optimized flow distribution through CPU tile microfins (0.3 mm)
    • Full-metal housing with an RGB-illuminated viewing window made of borosilicate glass
    • Particularly durable brass threaded inserts, including standard G1/4" ports
    • Included cover for optionally concealing all screws and the mounting system

    Editor Note:  This CPU waterblock was CLEARLY designed by a car guy, specifically one who either drives a GTR or AUDI given the design similarities between the water channel and the various engine covers.  I guess we have finally run out of innovative designs. wink smile

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  • Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Elite Wi-Fi7 Plus @ TechPowerUp

    Published: Thursday, July 2, 2026 | By: Dennis

    Some would say that the Z890 was a failure, and from a performance and overclocking standpoint you would be right.  It still is a very strong platform for memory overclocking but, most gamers have migrated to the Ryzen platform for a better bang for their buck.

    I still believe in the Z890 and it pains me to say that many of the lower end motherboards are actually better than the unicorns and ultra high end that I love so much.

    The Gigabyte Z890 Aorus Elite Wi-Fi7 Plus is a budget-friendly motherboard for Intel's latest CPUs, priced under $300. It features PCIe Gen 5 support, no bandwidth sharing for smooth performance, tool-free M.2 heatsinks, and plenty of USB ports, making it a great choice for a high-performance build.

    The only thing you need to watch out for is onboard features and making sure they match your target build.

    Full ArticleVisit Website

  • Lexar Delivers Prime Day Savings of up to 50% on Popular Memory Cards, Flash Drives, and Portable SSDs

    Published: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | By: Dennis

    SAN JOSE, Calif., USA, June 22, 2026—Lexar, a global leader in memory and storage solutions, today announced it will participate in one of retail’s most famous sales events – Amazon Prime Day. From June 23-26, Prime members can save up to 50% on select Lexar memory cards, flash drives, and portable SSDs – making it the perfect time to stock up on storage for gaming, content creation, work, and everyday use.

    Key Features

    • PLAY BLUE microSD Card offers up to 2TB of storage for Nintendo Switch [1], smartphones, and tablets.
    • JumpDrive® M400 USB Flash Drive features a compact design and convenient keyring loop for everyday portability.
    • Solid State Dual Drive D500 combines USB Type-C® and USB Type-A connectivity for easy file transfers across devices.
    • Professional Go Portable SSD delivers high-speed performance and ample 2TB capacity in a compact, travel-friendly design.
    • High-Performance 800x PRO SD Card provides reliable performance for capturing and transferring photos and video.

    "At Lexar, we understand the importance of celebrating Amazon Prime Day with the best of the best in top tech deals,” said Lizette Lynch, Director of Brand Marketing at Lexar. "We’ve gone all out this year to provide the industry’s top offers – using this as an opportunity to give back to our most loyal customers.”

    Lexar’s Prime Day deals include:

    Lexar PLAY BLUE microSD Card: Designed specifically for Nintendo Switch [1], smartphones, and tablets, the PLAY BLUE microSD card provides up to 2TB of storage capacity for game libraries, downloadable content, videos, photos, and apps. With fast transfer speeds and reliable performance, users can spend less time waiting and more time playing, making it an ideal storage upgrade for gamers who need additional space without sacrificing performance.

    Lexar JumpDrive M400 USB Flash Drive: Combining portability with convenience, the JumpDrive M400 features a compact, low-profile design that easily fits on a keychain, in a pocket, or attached to a laptop bag. With up to 256GB of storage, it provides ample room for documents, photos, videos, and presentations, making it a practical everyday solution for students, professionals, and anyone who needs quick access to files on the go.

    Lexar Solid State Dual Drive D500: Built for today's multi-device workflows, the Solid State Dual Drive D500 is 4x faster than USB 3.01 and features both USB-C® and USB-A connectors, allowing users to seamlessly transfer files between smartphones, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. The solid-state design delivers fast performance and durability, while generous capacities provide convenient storage expansion and efficient file management across devices.

    Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD: Engineered for content creators, photographers, videographers, and mobile professionals, the Professional Go Portable SSD combines high-speed performance with a compact, lightweight design. Its 2TB capacity provides substantial room for large photo libraries, video footage, and project files, while its portable form factor makes it easy to take professional-grade storage wherever creativity happens.

    Lexar High-Performance 800x PRO SD Card: Designed for DSLR, mirrorless, and HD video cameras, the High-Performance 800x PRO SD cards deliver the speed and reliability needed to capture high-resolution photos and Full-HD video.

    Prime Day deals will be available from June 23 through June 26, while supplies last. Customers can visit the Lexar brandstore on Amazon to view all eligible products and pricing.

    For more information about Lexar products, visit Lexar.com.

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  • STORMCRAFT PC reveals mid-year RTX 50 Series gaming PC deals

    Published: Wednesday, June 24, 2026 | By: Eddie

    Select RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 prebuilt gaming PCs are available across Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and STORMCRAFT’s official webstore, with up to $1,100 in savings.


    CHINO, Calif. - STORMCRAFT PC,     a California gaming PC brand built by gamers and engineers, today announced its June Mid-Year Sales promotion featuring 30 total prebuilt gaming PC models across Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg and STORMCRAFT’s official webstore.

    The limited-time promotion highlights select STORMCRAFT systems powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 and RTX 5070 graphics, while the broader 30-model lineup also includes additional NVIDIA GeForce RTX configurations, AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT 16G and Intel Arc B580 graphics. The promotion gives gamers, creators, streamers and PC upgrade shoppers more ways to compare gaming desktops built with AMD Ryzen, Intel Core and Intel Core Ultra processors, DDR5 memory, Gen 4 NVMe SSD storage and advanced cooling. Select models feature promotional savings of up to $1,100, depending on retailer availability and offer timing.


    “At STORMCRAFT PC, our goal is to make powerful, reliable gaming desktops more accessible to players who want performance without the uncertainty of building from scratch,” said Frank Lee, CEO of STORMCRAFT PC. “This June promotion brings together several of our featured gaming PCs across major retail channels, while continuing to deliver the build quality, testing process and customer support that gamers expect from STORMCRAFT PC.”

    Every STORMCRAFT PC is built and tested in California with a focus on component quality, system stability, cooling performance and ready-to-play reliability. STORMCRAFT’s standard warranty includes 3-Year Labor, 2-Year Parts, 1-Year Ground Shipping Coverage for approved warranty repairs in the lower 48 U.S. states, and Lifetime Technical Support with direct access to the company’s expert SoCal technicians. Optional Gold and Platinum Extended Warranty plans are also available for customers who want longer labor, parts and shipping coverage, with Platinum coverage extending up to 4 years.

    Featured June Promotion Models:

    Amazon Prime Feature: STORMCRAFT FALCON FA780XDCB-570S1 Gaming PC

    Built for high-FPS gaming, streaming and multitasking, the FALCON FA780XDCB-570S1 pairs AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D performance with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 graphics.

    • Retail Price: $2,999.99
    • Promotion Price: $1,899.99
    • Savings: $1,100.00
    • Key Specs: AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 12GB GDDR7, 32GB DDR5 memory, 1TB Gen 4 NVMe SSD, Windows 11 Home
    • Warranty: 3-Year Labor, 2-Year Parts and Lifetime Technical Support
    • Product URL: https://amzn.to/4eBvVlG

    Best Buy Tech Fest Feature: STORMCRAFT FALCON FA149KFCC-57TB1 Gaming PC

    Built for gamers and creators who want high-clock Intel desktop performance with RTX 5070 Ti graphics, the FALCON FA149KFCC-57TB1 combines Intel Core i9-14900KF processing with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5070 Ti graphics, fast DDR5 memory and 2TB SSD storage.


    Newegg FantasTech Feature: STORMCRAFT PHANTOM PH265F0CC-580N1 Gaming PC

    The Newegg-featured PHANTOM PH265F0CC-580N1 is built for high-resolution gaming, content creation and AI-ready PC performance with Intel Core Ultra 7 and GeForce RTX 5080 power.


    STORMCRAFT Official Webstore Feature: STORMCRAFT WIZARD WI980XDCC-580W1 Gaming PC

    Available through STORMCRAFT’s official webstore, the WIZARD WI980XDCC-580W1 is an enthusiast-class gaming desktop featuring AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D gaming performance and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5080 graphics.

    Beyond the four featured systems, the full 30-model promotion includes a wider graphics lineup across NVIDIA GeForce RTX, AMD Radeon RX and Intel Arc configurations, giving shoppers more choices based on performance needs, preferred platform and budget.

    Select eligible systems may also qualify for limited-time retailer or brand-sponsored game bundle offers, where available and subject to applicable promotion terms.

    Pricing, promotion timing, bundle eligibility, extended warranty availability and product availability may vary by retailer and are subject to change without notice. Offers are available while supplies last.

    Full ArticleVisit Website

  • Noctua introduces NL-LC1 all-in-one liquid coolers

    Published: Tuesday, June 16, 2026 | By: Dennis

    Noctua today introduced its first all-in-one liquid CPU coolers. With first-class cooling performance, superb quietness of operation and industry-leading reliability, the new NL-LC1 series brings classic Noctua virtues to the world of closed-loop liquid cooling.

    “The performance headroom of liquid cooling has always been tempting to us, but we first had to make sure that acoustics and reliability met the strict standards that customers expect from a Noctua product,” said Roland Mossig, CEO of Noctua. “With the NL-LC1, we are proud to have achieved a level of thermal performance, acoustic refinement and dependability that sets a new standard.”

    The NL-LC1 series is based on Asetek’s renowned, premium-grade Emma V2 platform, which has established itself as a gold standard for both thermal efficiency and long-term dependability. What makes the NL-LC1 coolers unique is Noctua’s custom-engineered NL-PNA1 pump noise absorber: Leveraging a three-layer acoustic soundproofing structure and the tuned-mass damper effect, the NL-PNA1 reduces both air-borne noise and structure-borne vibrations, which can yield significant improvements in pump acoustics.

    For fine-tuning performance-to-noise characteristics, the NL-LC1 series pump integrates a mode switch that allows users to choose between three different pump speed profiles: While the pre-selected quiet mode guarantees that the pump will stay near-inaudible, the balanced mode provides extra performance headroom, and the manual mode gives users full control over the pump’s entire RPM range.

    Available in 240 (NL-LC1-24), 360 (NL-LC1-36) and 420mm (NL-LC1-42) form factors, the NL-LC1 coolers utilise Noctua’s award-winning NF-A12x25 G2 and NF-A14x25 G2 fans for cutting edge performance-to-noise efficiency. Working in tandem with the pump noise absorber, the G2 flagship fans are the second key factor to the NL-LC1 series’ unique capability of delivering first-rate thermals while running extremely quiet. To ensure a smooth, unobtrusive sound signature, the fans utilise a speed-offset to avoid undesirable harmonics phenomena such as periodic humming or vibration build-up due to beat frequencies.

    While the NL-PNA1 pump noise absorber comes with a magnetically attaching metal faceplate, users who require extra ventilation for VRMs, RAM modules, M.2 SSDs or other near-socket components have the option of replacing it with the NL-ACF1 auxiliary cooling fan that is available separately.

    Noctua’s proven SecuFirm2+™ mounting system not only enables easy installation, broad socket support and future upgradability, but also helps to improve thermal performance through optimised force transfer and offset mounting options.

    Topped off with the renowned NT-H2 thermal paste and Noctua’s usual 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NL-LC1 are a deluxe choice for customers who are looking for premium grade all-in-one liquid coolers that satisfy the highest demands in terms of performance, reliability and quietness of operation.

    Availability

    The NL-LC1 series coolers and the NL-ACF1 auxiliary fan are available as of today via Noctua’s official Amazon stores. Other sales partners will receive stock shortly.

    Full ArticleVisit Website
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