Tech News
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Intel's Smart Response; SSD Caching Tested @ Techgage
Published: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 | By: DennisOne of the exciting new features found on the Z68 is a technology called Smart Response. Funny thing is Silverstone released this technology last year and never really took off. Lets hope Intel has better luck.
Interested in faster-than-mechanical performance but don't want to splurge on a big SSD? Intel has a tech for that, and it meets you half-way by utilizing a modestly sized SSD for caching purposes, used in conjunction with any HDD you want for total storage. Read on as we cover both the setup process and our real-world test results.
Personally I think this is a great thing and with some board makers putting SSDs onboard only makes the prospect even tastier.
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NL: Review Block - Zed68Ex Reviews (Z68X mobos)
Published: Monday, May 16, 2011 | By: DennisWe will be seeing a bunch of Z68 enabled motherboards over the next couple weeks as stocks and samples improve. Here is a round up of Z68 motherboards from the news inbox.
- ASUS P8Z68-V Pro @ Bjorn3D
- ASRock Z68 Pro3 (Intel Z68) Motherboard Review
- ASUS P8Z68-V Pro Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
- ASRock Z68 Extreme 4 (Intel Z68) Motherboard Review @ Kitguru
- OC3D: Gigabyte Z68X UD5 B3 ReviewStay tuned, more to come including some UD7 benchmarks and such.
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Installing a Computer in a Car @ OCIA
Published: Monday, May 16, 2011 | By: DennisEver wondered how to install a computer into a Van? (not down by the river btw)
I mulled over multiple options for nearly a week before deciding that I wanted to install a PC in place of the current setup. A computer would allow me to add all of my MP3s as well as replace the unsightly TV / VCR combo. The PC would open up nearly all types of digital video formats as well which would certainly come in handy for passengers during a road trip.
There are several other good quotes in the article along with a few good laughs
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The dark side of Dubai - Johann Hari
Published: Monday, May 16, 2011 | By: DennisI recently read an article saying that Dubai was one of the places you needed to visit before you die, or in this case before it crumbles back into the desert it was created from. Don't get me wrong I have always been interested in Dubai and what they were doing over there but there comes a time in any economic development when you have to pull back and decide if you want to show off or try to do more with your investment dollar.
In a way Dubai is like a modern day ancient city created to attract travelers from around the world and give them a taste of how things could have been back in the old world.A South African PR girl shows me around its most coveted rooms, explaining that this is "the greatest luxury offered in the world". We stroll past shops selling £24m diamond rings around a hotel themed on the lost and sunken continent of, yes, Atlantis. There are huge water tanks filled with sharks, which poke around mock-abandoned castles and dumped submarines. There are more than 1,500 rooms here, each with a sea view. The Neptune suite has three floors, and - I gasp as I see it - it looks out directly on to the vast shark tank. You lie on the bed, and the sharks stare in at you. In Dubai, you can sleep with the fishes, and survive.
This is a long article and I urge you to read the last section, even if you don't read anything else.
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World's oldest computer recreated in Lego
Published: Monday, May 16, 2011 | By: DennisThis might be a little old but is still really cool showing how Andrew Carol recreated an acient computer using lego parts.
The computer does the calculations required to determine eclipses and has been recreated many times since its discovery in the 1900's but this appears t be the first time it has been done using Lego parts.
The idea came from journalist Adam Rutherford who had seen a Babbage Difference Engine built by Carol and got in touch. "I asked him if he'd heard of the mechanism, and if he thought it was doable in Lego," says Rutherford. "A few weeks later, he sent me some pictures of a demo version he'd knocked up. It was stunning."
I am always amazed at what people build out of Legos,
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PLAYSEAT Office - Elite @ LanOC Reviews
Published: Friday, May 13, 2011 | By: DennisNothing in the world will ever get me to give up my Aeron chair but that's not to say I don't have room for other chairs in the office, and this one just moved to the top of the list.
You've built yourself a custom PC sparing no expense, you have two or three monitors setup on your desk, but yet something doesn’t feel right. That office chair you picked up just isn’t cutting it when compared to the rest of your setup. Up until now there just hasn’t been a chair that fits the bill and can truly be called 'epic'. A few years ago I spotted a chair that met those standards at PLAYSEAT’s booth and I wasted no time trying to get one in to check out. This November, after far too long in development, they offered that chair up for sale on their website. This has to be one of the coolest items we will cover all year, don't miss out!
Of course after someone sees this review they'll buy some racing seats off ebay and start modding, maybe they will turn out better, maybe not.
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NL: Review Block - 5/12/2011
Published: Thursday, May 12, 2011 | By: DennisJust a quick review block spanning across 4 product types.
Memory
- G.Skill Sniper 8GB 1600MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ BigbruinVideo Cards
- HIS 6850 IceQ X Turbo Graphics Card @ Viperlair
- Gigabyte Radeon HD 6870 1GB SOC Graphics Card Review @ APH Networks
- MSI Radeon HD 6950 2GB Twin Frozr III PE OC'ed Video Card ReviewMotherboards
- GIGABYTE Z68X-UD7-B3: Z68 Chipset With Smart Response @ Bjorn3D
- Gigabyte G1.Assassin Socket 1366 Motherboard @ Pro-Clockers
- Gigabyte GA-P67A-UD4-B3 @ techPowerUp
- OC3D: Gigabyte Z68X UD5 B3 Preview
- ASUS Maximus IV Extreme @ PureOverclockCases
- OC3D: Silverstone Raven RV02-E White Ltd Edition Review -
Lamptron FC8 Fan Controller Review @ Techgage
Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 | By: DennisIt is good to see Lamptron is still around and making excellent fan controllers.
A couple of months ago, we took Lamptron's FC Touch fan controller for a spin, and were left extremely impressed with its ease-of-use and aesthetics. But what about those who don't care for touch capabilities, and are fine with knobs? Enter the FC8, a clean-looking and high-performing option; offering eight channels at 30W each.
I might have to get one of these, and then promply mod in a bunch of fans so I can be in complete control.
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Thermaltake Armor A60 System Enclosure reviewed in Metku
Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 | By: DennisWe reviewed this case a few months ago and found it to be very nice. Good placement of drive cages and the build quality was ok. I wasn't keen on the side mounted hotswap bay but that is not to say it isn't usable.
Overall then the Armor A60 is a pretty similar case with the A90 we saw earlier. Anyway all the changes between these two models are for the better and especially the sideways hot swap bay seems like a nice touch
Be sure to check out our review of the Thermaltake A60, and A90 for that matter.
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First-tier motherboard makers to ship nearly 400,000 Z68-based motherboards in May
Published: Wednesday, May 11, 2011 | By: DennisThe bulk of May shipments of Z68 motherboards will come from Gigabyte Technology, said the sources, noting that Asustek Computer is expected to ship 30,000 Z68 models in May, while Micro-Star International (MSI) and ASRock combined will ship only 15,000 units.
Additionally, Gigabyte plans to launch over 20 models of Z68-based motherboards before the end of June, including models that will support m-SATA onboard technology, the sources indicated.Its no wonder there was a rumormill about Gigabyte and their production stop of P67 and H67, given the diversity of Z68 models and volume in which they are shipping it makes sense.
