Tech News
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Introducing the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC and XC BLACK
Published: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 | By: DennisIntroducing the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 gaming cards, designed to bring the best ray tracing gaming experience at an irresistible price for gamers and creators.
The new EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 brings the performance and efficiency of the NVIDIA Ampere architecture to more gamers than ever before and is the first 50-class desktop GPU to power the latest ray traced games at over 60 fps. The RTX 3050 comes equipped with 2nd generation RT cores for ray tracing and 3rd generation Tensor cores for DLSS and AI. Ray tracing is the new standard in gaming and the RTX 3050 makes it more accessible than ever before.
EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC / XC BLACK
The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 cards punch above their weight with the latest Ampere GPU, 8GB of GDDR6 VRAM, and a 14GHz memory clock to enable solid performance even at 1440p. The XC Series tradition continues with a shorter PCB, dual-slot cooling and a quiet, zero decibel fan mode, making the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 a perfect choice for the entry level gaming users.
EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC
The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC is designed for gamers ready for the next tier of performance. Efficiently designed to be cooled with two large fans and protected with an all-metal backplate, the EVGA GeForce RTX™ 3050 XC is carefully packaged into a short two-slot card for maximum compatibility with all types of gaming cases.EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC BLACK
The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC BLACK features a streamlined designed, letting its performance do all the talking. Excelling in games and productivity with 8GB of GDDR6 memory, the GeForce RTX™ 3050 XC BLACK offers creators and gamers everything in a small package without the need for a bulky cooler to ensure cool, smooth performance.The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC is designed for gamers ready for the next tier of performance. Efficiently designed to be cooled with two large fans and protected with an all-metal backplate, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC is carefully packaged into a short two-slot card for maximum compatibility with all types of gaming cases. The EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC BLACK features a streamlined designed, letting its performance do all the talking. Excelling in games and productivity with 8GB of GDDR6 memory, the GeForce RTX 3050 XC BLACK offers creators and gamers everything in a small package without the need for a bulky cooler to ensure cool, smooth performance.
Air-through PCB
Carefully placed cut-outs in the PCB and backplate* improve airflow and decrease exhaust recovery.
*EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 XC onlyTake control
EVGA Precision X1 gives you full control over your fans, overclocking, and monitoring.To learn more about EVGA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics cards, please visit https://www.evga.com/articles/01538.
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Cooler Master MasterLiquid PL240 Flux @ LanOC Reviews
Published: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 | By: DennisAIO coolers are pretty amazing and while some are concerned with reliability, I find that to be a non-issue. The only part that generally wears out are the fans and those are easy to replace.
Reliability is a double-edged sword for AIO makers. They are quite expensive and the droves of entitled penny pinchers do what they can to buy once and the vow to never buy again, unless something breaks then, they complain and demand their money back or abuse the RMA system.
For AIO Makers they need to strike a balance between offering a good product and creating new products that can get these tightwads to open their wallets and buy the next best thing.
LIke... the Cooler Master MasterLiquid Flux AIO Coolers. We reviewed the 360mm edition last month and LanOC has posted a review of the dual fan 240mm version for you to check out.
With Intel’s new CPUs moving to the LGA1700 socket and the new larger socket requiring a wider mounting bracket after Intel sticking with the same sized mounting hole for a very long time it has had me looking at changing up the cooling in a few of my systems and I’m sure I’m not the only one. Not only that, there are a LOT of options on the market. Everyone and their mom is now getting into the AIO market. Cooler Master has been around going back near the beginning for AIO coolers and they are one of only a few who often make their own designs rather than going with a standard OEM design so I’m interested in seeing what their new MasterLiquid PL240 Flus is all about. I’m also curious to see how it will perform on our new 12900K based test bench so let’s dive in and see how it does.
Of course, users can get all offended and play the "I shouldn't have to" card but. The point is if you build your own computer, you are obligated to do a few upgrades. Otherwise, you might as well become part of the HP Laptop mafia and STFU.
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Intel Core i5 12400 processor @ Guru3D
Published: Tuesday, January 4, 2022 | By: DennisWhen I was searching for an Alder Lake processor I was playing a hunch. Rocket Lake had just hit the market and Comet Lake is still being sold mainstream. On top of that Alder Lake was only being sold as a K edition unlocked processor (at least at the time). The technology is new and support is still trying to play catch-up so there was very little need to splurge on a Core i9
The Core i7 seemed like the sweet spot for me which translates to Core i5 being what "everyone" else will be buying.
With six performance cores and hyper-threading, the Core i5 12400 might be the most desired budget-friendly and properly performing Alder Lake series processor as a gaming platform. It offers heaps of tier1 performance, can be tied towards DDR5 memory and a cheaper B660 chipset.
I have often wondered if DDR5 really has a benefit on lower end parts. Real-world scaling can be hit or miss on the high-end due given that you can just power through using your CPU.
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Happy New Year and Welcome to 2022
Published: Saturday, January 1, 2022 | By: DennisMyself and everyone here at Hardware Asylum would like to wish you a Happy New Year. The world is a changed place, The 2020 Pandemic is still a major factor and while some say we have recovered I believe we are just "dealing" with everything. World travel is still a major issue and events that depend on foreign visitors have started to suffer.
Despite the global issues the operations at Hardware Asylum have continued. Review hardware is extremely difficult to obtain and the sudden drop in output only amplifies the issues that written sites, like Hardware Asylum, have encountered for the past 8+ years. Sadly, this will be the normal thing going forward. At least until mfgs figure out that YouTube and Twitch streamers are not a good source of unbiased reviews.
The one positive of this situation is that I am sitting on a MOUNTAIN of computer hardware from when I started Ninjalane and a good majority of it is now considered vintage and retro and my plans to revisit the Hardware Asylum Vault is still in the works and planned to take center stage once the Hardware Asylum YouTube channel starts to take off.
I am working hard to get some unique content posted with some retro themes centered on the time before I started doing reviews and running Ninjalane.com
Welcome to 2022, I hope this year serves you well.
It will be weird to skip CES this year (again). Due to the “situation” the show has lost many of the exhibitors and the mfgs I normally meet with all decided to stay home anyway.
Happy New Year
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Mad Catz R.A.T. DWS @ TechPowerUp
Published: Tuesday, December 21, 2021 | By: DennisOMG, the R.A.T.
This might be one of the most famous PC pointing devices in existence and.. I both loved and hated the awesome bit of tech at the same time.
Hint: static electricity + R.A.T. = Bad Time (Ironic the Mad Catz graphic, its like they knew you could cause your arm to go dead from the massive shocks this thing put out)
While it ushas almost the same shape and size as the wired R.A.T. 8+ ADV, the wireless R.A.T. DWS promises up to 200 hours of battery life, top-tier tracking thanks to PixArt's PAW3335 sensor, and particularly low-latency main button switches, along with several customization options.
Not sure I like the onboard battery but, the sensors seem pimp and if the 200+ hours of game time is real it could be a contender. I wonder how the adjustable weights factor in to the massive onboard battery situation?
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Shuttle XPC slim Barebone DL20N6 Review @ Madshrimps
Published: Monday, December 20, 2021 | By: DennisI have seen a plethora of Shuttle systems in my time as a hardware reviewer and yet, never reviewed anything from the company. I missed out on the Shuttle SFF cubes and they never made a modern motherboard (that I remember) but I would stop by their display during Computex. So, you can say I supported their existence.
However, this XPC Slim Barebones is something else.
The DL20N series from Shuttle is an impressive jump in performance versus the older DL10J, while the choice to have installed a Pentium N6005 4-core SKU while retaining the 10W TDP is great! The whole system is passively cooled, so it is virtually noiseless if we do install only SSDs as storage devices. We have found that using the chassis horizontally is not stellar for the nearby M.2 SSD, because it tends to share a bit of heat from the Intel SoC heatsink, but in vertical position the issue is fully solved so purchasing the vertical stand is a must in our book!
It's like one of those compact PCs you get from Dell. Super small and a great addition to any office environment and yet worthless because you cannot upgrade them. But, the XPC is barebones meaning that to use it you MUST upgrade it.
Its perfect!
Except for the Pentium N6004 Quad Core processor. That part kinda sucks.until you consider that the PC is mainly designed for Kiosks where you need a PC but, it needs to also be small.
Anyhow, check out the full review on the Shrimps!
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VIPER Gaming Announces the VIPER VENOM DDR5 Performance Memory Kits
Published: Thursday, December 9, 2021 | By: DennisThis enthusiast-grade DDR5 memory series brings better overclocking performance, frequencies from 4800MHz to 6200MHz, and will be available in Q1 2022.
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA — Dec 9th, 2021 — VIPER™, a trademarked brand of PATRIOT™ and a global leader in performance memory, solid-state drives, and flash storage solutions, is excited to announce the availability of the new VIPER VENOM RGB and non-RGB DDR5 high-performance DRAM modules which will be available in Q1 2022. The VIPER VENOM DDR5 memory modules provide enhanced speeds ranging from 4800MHz to 6200MHz with kit capacities of 16GB to 32GB equipped with the exclusive VENOM heat spreader design with an option for RGB illumination catering to both PC hardware enthusiasts and hardcore gamers.
"The VIPER VENOM DDR5 is our first DDR5 DRAM customized for enthusiasts and hardcore gamers who might be obsessed with aggressive performance and reliability. Our engineering team put exceptional effort into this VENOM DDR5 series to ensure it can have the best compatibility and reliability across Intel®’s latest platforms," said Roger Shinmoto, the VP of Patriot VIPER.
VIPER VENOM RGB DDR5 modules come with the stylish VENOM heatshield design with a new design to combine the LED light bar and the heatshield. The RGB light bar is an entirely new design with updated synchronization software and illumination patterns. The unique architecture of DDR5 has localized voltage adjustments based on a locked/unlocked PMIC (power management integrated circuit) and SPD HUB (serial presence detection), which provides simultaneous monitoring, threshold protection, intelligent voltage control, and power management to achieve more comprehensive voltage control. Furthermore, the on-chip ECC function enables active error correction to improve data integrity and enhance performance and stability. Each module is constructed with a ten-layer PCB to offer excellent signal integrity and unmatched stability with a physical height tailor-made to fit most CPU coolers in the market without interference.
The VIPER VENOM DDR5 Memory Series will be available Q1 2022 in major retailers worldwide with two packages with RGB and Non-RGB models.Product Specification
PN
Speed
CL
Voltage
PMIC
Config
RGB
Capacity
PVV516G480C36K
4800
36-36-36-68
1.1v
Locked PMIC
1Gx16
N
16GB kit
PVV532G480C36K
4800
36-36-36-68
1.1v
Locked PMIC
2Gx8/1Gx16(2R)
N
32GB kit
PVVR516G480C36K
4800
36-36-36-68
1.1v
Locked PMIC
1Gx16
Y
16GB kit
PVVR532G480C36K
4800
36-36-36-68
1.1v
Locked PMIC
2Gx8/1Gx16(2R)
Y
32GB kit
PVV516G520C40K
5200
40-40-40-77
1.1v
Locked PMIC
1Gx16
N
16GB kit
PVV532G520C40K
5200
40-40-40-77
1.1v
Locked PMIC
2Gx8/1Gx16(2R)
N
32GB kit
PVVR516G520C40K
5200
40-40-40-77
1.1v
Locked PMIC
1Gx16
Y
16GB kit
PVVR532G520C40K
5200
40-40-40-77
1.1v
Locked PMIC
2Gx8/1Gx16(2R)
Y
32GB kit
PVV516G560C36K
5600
36-36-36-70
1.2v
Unlocked PMIC
1Gx16
N
16GB kit
PVVR516G560C36K
5600
36-36-36-70
1.2v
Unlocked PMIC
1Gx16
Y
32GB kit
PVV532G560C36K
5600
36-36-36-70
1.2v
Unlocked PMIC
2Gx8
N
16GB kit
PVVR532G560C36K
5600
36-36-36-70
1.2v
Unlocked PMIC
2Gx8
Y
16GB kit
PVV516G620C40K
6200
40-40-40-76
1.25v
Unlocked PMIC
1Gx16
N
16GB kit
PVVR516G620C40K
6200
40-40-40-76
1.25v
Unlocked PMIC
1Gx16
Y
16GB kit
PVV532G620C40K
6200
40-40-40-76
1.25v
Unlocked PMIC
2Gx8
N
32GB kit
PVVR532G620C40K
6200
40-40-40-76
1.25v
Unlocked PMIC
2Gx8
Y
32GB kit
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GIGABYTE Z690 AORUS Pro Review @ Vortez
Published: Saturday, December 4, 2021 | By: DennisThe Alder Lake launch has been an interesting one. When the processor dropped everyone was tripping over Ryzen to talk about why it was awesome and a day later it was like nothing had ever happened.
I blame the chip shortage and a major reduction in media samples and/or the reallocation of samples to platforms that can provide a higher ROI. I sure hope that doesn't burn them in the long run.
In the spotlight today, we have the Z690 AORUS PRO. Designated as a mid-range model, PRO offers up a blend of top-performance features while seeking to deliver excellent results. Some of the headline features include 4x PCI Express Gen4 M.2 slots and a back panel which is peppered with USB ports – including USB 3.2 Gen2x2.
AORUS has been building some pretty amazing boards lately and the new Z690 line is really looking like a winner.
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ASUS ROG Cetra II Core Review - Bass Heads, Rejoice! @ TechPowerUp
Published: Saturday, December 4, 2021 | By: DennisBass Boom Bottom
Bass Boom Bottom
Seems that the TechPowerUp folks think an in-ear gaming headset can move enough air to satasify a basshead. I beg to differ, been there done that, got the t-shirt, won the contests.
The ASUS ROG Cetra II Core is a $90 in-ear gaming headset equipped with an in-line remote control with a built-in microphone, and am impressive bundle of supplied accessories. If you're a true bass head, this is a product you must consider.
I will admit that you can get bass from an in-ear headset and while these might have drivers enough to deliver bass there is always a tradeoff and is usually high-frequency response and clarity.
But, judging audio reproduction is VERY subjective and if the reviewer has no idea what real bass is, they likely have a different idea as to what true bass is.
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Holiday Giveaway - Enter to Win 1 of 3 Thermaltake Computer Cases!
Published: Tuesday, November 30, 2021 | By: DennisWith the holidays just around the corner and the start to a new year I teamed up with Thermaltake to give away three awesome computer cases.
Up for grabs are the following.
- Thermaltake Tower 100 Mini Tower Computer Case - Racing Green (1x ea)
- Thermaltake AH T200 ITX Micro Computer Case - Pink (1x ea)
- Thermaltake Divider 300 TG ARGB Mid Tower Computer Case - Black (1x ea)
Contest ends June 30th, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST and a Total 3 winners will be announced on July 1st, 2021.
Follow the instructions below to enter and good luck!
