Tech News
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With all due respect to ECS, a rant about non-feature features @ PCStats
Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 | By: DennisPeople that know me will often comment on how I like to call "bullshit" when it comes to computer users being stupid and while my attitude is a little more reserved when it comes to my online presence there is no doubt that I will fully support a story like this one at PCStats.
A look across the battle field of desktop PCs will tell you that Gigabyte is currently pushing Intel Thunderbolt connections, ASUS and it's exceptionally knowledgeable JJ Guerrero are driving overclocking into new territories, MSI is struggling to hold on by investing in high quality board components... and ECS is calling a bent piece of aluminum which blocks airflow from the CPU fan from impinging against the back side of a videocard and memory, a dust shield.
We all know that dust will happen regardless of what snake oil you apply or how fast your fans run but there are steps you can take to prevent excessive build up. A vertical strip of metal doesn't seem to be one of them.
I remember having to justify my projects in college and one thing that process taught me is that you can do anything you want provided you can justify its existence AND convince your peers (or professors) that it was a good thing. When I see things like "thermal armor" or "military spec components" I am saddened knowing that a similar peer group had to approve of such features and that eventually end users (and reviewers) would be required to sip the Kool-Aid, else justify them wrong and deal with the fall out.
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GALAXY GeForce GTX 660 Ti GC 3GB SLI Review @ [H]
Published: Wednesday, October 31, 2012 | By: DennisOne of the most powerful things you can do with a modern GPU linking more than one of them together to get more power. This is the principle of the modern super computer and can do wonders with gaming performance when combined with a linking technology such as SLI.
We already know that a GTX 660 Ti can easily double its performance in two way SLI but how does that help in surround gaming? The [H] has the answer, in their own words.
We've got something special for you; SLI and Surround gameplay! Two GALAXY GeForce GTX 660 Ti GC 3GB video cards in SLI in NV Surround resolutions for your gaming pleasure. We will find out how this setup performs, compares, and even overclocks. If you want an affordable SLI solution with great gaming performance, you'll like this.
Galaxy is a EU company but don't let that stop you from checking out the article, it's not their fault they no longer sell Gainward products in the US.
Oh wait, it is
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Windows 8: The convertible OS @ TR
Published: Monday, October 29, 2012 | By: DennisIf you are thinking about making the jump to Windows 8 you might want to do it soon, I hear that MS is going to pull the plug on the whole operation, recall the back stock and wait for Windows 9.
j/k
TechReport takes a look at what Windows 8 might do best, run on a convertible tablet.
After spending a week with Microsoft's touch-friendly OS, one thing is clear. Windows 8 is perfect for convertible tablets. Here's why:
I don't know about you but while I am curious I would be a little scared to blow away my Infinity Pad install just to try our RT.
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NL: Review Block - Cases Coolers and a Headset?
Published: Monday, October 29, 2012 | By: DennisJust a quick review block to prove that I do still post review news.
Kickin Coolers for Hot Chill Action
- Sharkoon Darkglider @ HW-Journal
- Zalman CNPS9900DF CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
Cases and Chassis
- Bitfenix Prodigy mini-itx case @ Rbmods
- AzzA Solano 1000 Case Review @ OCmodshop
Headset
- Plantronics GameCom 780 7.1 Surround Sound Headset Review @ NikKTechThese are kinda fun, except for the whole putting them together part.
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HighSpeed PC Top Deck Tech Station Review @ ThinkComputers
Published: Monday, October 29, 2012 | By: DennisI have been looking for a top notch test bench for years and eventually have come to the conclusion that nobody has ever gotten the test bench design down. the Top Deck from HighSpeed PC comes close but is too tall for my needs and doesn't seem all that strong.
"If you are testing motherboards, video cards or power supplies it is extremely annoying to keep on installing and removing them in cases. That is why test benches and hardware workbenches were created. Today we are taking a look at one such product from HighSpeed PC. It is their Top Deck Tech Station. This computer workbench supports mITX, mATX, ATX, eATX, and XL-ATX motherboards, has 4-Way SLI support with 10 expansion slots, and even has support for 2.5-inch hard drives! Of course it easily allows you to change out components and gives you full access to your motherboard and video cards. Read on to see if this is the perfect test bench for us!"
Based on this quote I went to check out the review. If you can get past the popovers and stupid video ads that prevent you from switching pages you'll find a pretty good break down on what makes up this test bench.
Sadly, I didn't see any LN2 testing or action shots showing a 4-way SLI setup on an XL-ATX motherboard. */shame*
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Gigabyte Z77X-UP7 Intel Z77 Motherboard Review
Published: Sunday, October 28, 2012 | By: DennisHowever you look at it this motherboard is quite insane and also setting records on HWBot. (Those records are generally processor related but you've gotta have a good motherboard to make it all happen)
If you are in the market for a new system based on the Z77 platform then today's review product will be of interest. The Gigabyte Z77X-UP7 motherboard is a flagship product set to target the wealthy high end enthusiast audience who want to accept no compromises. Is this the ultimate Z77 motherboard?
UltraPower is the way of the future, more power and less heat. All of that translates into better stability and better performance. The question is. Should you have one and does it stack up against other boards in the segment?
The review is 24 pages long and TLDR so I cannot tell you based on the review but I can say there is no comparison.
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Windows 8 Review - Part One: The Things I Hate @ Techgage
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2012 | By: DennisYou know I like the prospect of Windows 8 but there are things about it that tell me to just sit this release out and wait for the better one. Hearing some of the complaints in this article and knowing they mirror my own just reaffirms this.
Heck even overclockers are against Windows 8 because its slower at running benchmarks.
You've heard it here first: Microsoft is about to release a new version of Windows. Called "Windows 8", the OS aims to change the way we use our computers, and it's been built from the ground up with touch in mind. Like all other OS releases, there's both things to admire and things to complain about. First, we'll tackle the latter.
Although as a hardware reviewer I will likely get a copy of Windows 8 just for testing and much like in the Vista days I'll use it on the test bench and that will be it.
Speaking of, where the heck is my disk?!?
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Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 Motherboard Halloween Review @ PureOverclock
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2012 | By: DennisWhat to see the hottest most extreme Z77 motherboard on the planet?!?
Enter the Gigabyte GA-Z77X-UP7 complete with super mega phase pwm and new Ultra Power 7 technology.
Even though market conditions are still relatively slow, companies like Gigabyte have a full line of Z77 motherboards to choose from. So, which one will fit the bill for a top tier system? Perhaps Gigabyte will be able to take a nice chunk of the marketshare with products like this uniquely designed GA-Z77X-UP7. Let’s get this Halloween treat into the Pure Overclock lab and see what it has under the hood. Also, don’t be scared of the monsters! We have an exotic cooling performance surprise a bit later that will surely keep those beasts at bay!
Look for our review of this awesome motherboard soon. If I get some interest there might even be some cold LN2 action in the review.
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Gigabyte HD 7970 Super Overclock Review @ Hardware Canucks
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2012 | By: DennisIt is quite sad to know that high-end Gigabyte video cards are so hard to come by. Maybe it is a little performance anxiety related to the new cooler design or just the knowledge that mainstream cards sell better.
For whatever the reason we can always hope that more GBT will represent with overclockers across the globe.
The Gigabyte HD 7970 Super Overclock will likely prompt heated debates, not for performance but rather due to the heatsink Gigabyte is using. In the place of their well known coolers, a new WindForce -dubbed the "5X"- has been designed and it uses five tiny, rather loud fans to pull air through a triple slot fin array. Innovative? Insane? We'll let you be the judge.
If you happen to be lucky enough to win one of these bad boys, you'd best hold on to this little chuck of hardware history.
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PowerColor Devil 13 HD 7990 @ PureOverclock
Published: Thursday, October 25, 2012 | By: DennisI have been meaning to post this review for quite some time. What do you get when you combine two GPUs on a single card, throw in a massive heatsink and slap on a $1000 price tag??
While it’s no secret that AMD doesn’t officially have a dual-GPU card in its lineup, PowerColor has bucked the trend and blazed a new trail here with their own design for the 7990. This Limited Edition Devil 13 certainly looks monstrous, and it’s got an accessory package second to none, but it also comes with a stratospheric price tag of about $1000 that will target all but the most diehard and well-heeled. Let’s dive in and take a closer look at the PowerColor Devil 13 HD 7990 and see how it fares against Nvidia’s dual GPU offering.
Ya, something like that.
