Tech News

  • Happy New Year Everyone

    Published: Sunday, December 31, 2006 | By: Dennis

    Just wanted to wish everyone a happy new year from us here at Ninjalane. Watch them fingers when lighting off fireworks and be sure to wear proper clothing if you plan to drink in the great outdoors.

    See ya all in 2007!

  • Day of the Ninja - Dec 5th

    Published: Tuesday, December 5, 2006 | By: Dennis

    As some of you may know today is the Annual Day of the Ninja. So grab your ninja garb and have fun acting like a ninja. big grin smile

    Be sure to visit the Ask A Ninja Site and the official Day of the Ninja site for more information and funny stuff about ninjas.

  • ASUS Striker Extreme Motherboard Review @ Motherboards

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    "ASUS has traditionally launched motherboards on NVIDIA chipsets, AMD (ATI) chipsets, Intel chipsets, Via chipsets and even SiS chipsets, if the board is worthy. Today they have launched their latest high-end motherboard, the Extreme Striker motherboard, based upon NVIDIA's new nForce 680i chipset. This is review of the new ASUS Striker Extreme board and the features of the 680i chipset."
    Ya know black and copper make for a really good color combo but the thing that still amazes me is the triple 16x PCIe slots that adorn the new 680i. Just seems to be a little excessive. wink smile

  • Cooler Master AquaGate Viva Review @ Virtual-Hideout

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    Price shouln't be an option when looking for a good watercooler but as it was mentioned in the review this cooler is pretty darn slick for 70 bux.
    "It's lightweight, looks decent, and constructed well enough that it performs admirably and will easily replace any stock cooler in terms of looks and performance. All this considering its current price tag of $70.00, it's an even more enticing alternative to noise and stock performance."
    Wouldn't mind getting my hands on one myself.

  • Akasa AK-961 Socket 775 Heatsink Review @ Frostytech

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    Its too bad Alpha isn't making CPU coolers anymore. sad smile
    "The Akasa AK-961 heatsink is designed for socket 775 Intel Pentium 4/D and Core 2 Duo processors. The AK-961 heatsink's fan spins at speeds of 500-3400RPM, which is slightly more than the AK-960E can muster. Also, the fan on the AK-961 is internally illuminated with blue LEDs and the motor is suspended from the frame; an open fan frame style which yields quieter operation and better airflow at really low impeller speeds. Akasa's AK-961 heatsink is made from a collection of very thin stacked aluminum fins with zippered interlocking tabs, three copper heatpipes, and a small block of copper at the base."

  • Koolance PC4-1020BK Watercooled Case Review @ HardOCP

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    "When we reviewed this chassis in its previous form as the PC3-720BK we were left wanting. There was a major design flaw that kept the PC3-720BK from performing at the levels we expect from a high end cooling system. Basically it was a simple fix; reverse the fan direction so that the radiator receives ambient air rather than pulling from the heated air inside the case. That is exactly what Koolance did. Then they added another fan, increased the radiator size by a third, and dramatically upgraded the pump."
    Can't say that I've ever used one of these cases but I did recently make my own version that you can see in the Ninjalane Message Forum. A full article is pending with some never before seen photos. big grin smile

  • A look at aftermarket chipset cooling @ AOA Forums

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    It is a little known fact that "universal" aftermarket chipset cooling is pretty much non-existant meaning that what coolers are available have a very limited application. For instance Intel systems usually have an unobstructed northbridge but the mounting loops prevent aftermarket installations. AMD systems use mounting holes but chipset location is often obscured by the video card.

    Of the coolers out there none are very small so you need to ensure you have plenty of space.
    "Not satisfied with what’s been given, seeking even more performance, or just seeking silence, an enthusiast needs some options, and quite a few companies are willing to provide. Today we look at four of these options, three passive coolers, and one active cooler. Let’s take a look"
    I'm personally not impressed with any of the coolers in this review, they are all rather large and the mounting methods are poor at best.

  • NL: Review Block - GeForce 8800

    Published: Sunday, November 19, 2006 | By: Dennis

    XFX appears to be the most reviewed GeForce card around however Foxconn is hitting the ground pretty hard with a slick looking card.

    - Foxconn GeForce 8800 GTX @ Elite Bastards
    - XFX GeForce 8800 Graphics Cards @ TweakTown
    - XFX Geforce 8800 GTX @ TweakPC
    - XFX 8800 GTS and 8800 GTX review @ DH
    - XFX GeForce 8800 GTX Video Card Review @ Motherboards

    Too bad all of the current 8800 cards are based on the reference design, but then again why reinvent the wheel.

  • NL: Review Block - Memory

    Published: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 | By: Dennis

    Here are a few memory related reviews

    - Corsair Dominator PC8888C4 Review @ MadShrimps
    - Corsair DOMINATOR Modules Get 18K Gold Plated @ Legit Reviews
    - Crucial 10th Anniversary 2GB PC2-5300 Memory @ ThinkComputers

    Corsair Press
    Corsair Sets a New Standard in Performance Memory, Unleashes the TWIN2X2048-9136C5D DOMINATOR 2GB Kits
    "“Corsair continues to deliver the fastest memory optimized for today’s and tomorrow’s platforms. Our close relationship with NVIDIA allows us to stay ahead of the competition with new speed grades. By combining the new 1142MHz memory modules from Corsair and the new NVIDIA nForce 680i SLI MCP-based motherboard, we have a winning combination of hardware that elevates the end users’ overall PC experience.” said John Beekley, VP of Applications Engineering. “We are proud to deliver yet again another industry leading memory solution for performance users.”"

  • Biostar introduces TF680i SLI Deluxe motherboard

    Published: Wednesday, November 15, 2006 | By: Dennis

    "Biostar Microtech International this week unveiled the TF680i SLI Deluxe motherboard for Intel desktop processors using the LGA 775 socket.

    According to Biostar, the TF680i SLI Deluxe is able to work with existing and future CPUs with an FSB (front-side bus) operating at a 1333MHz frequency. The motherboard also has three PCIe x16 slots. Two of them are electrical x16 slots for true dual-graphics SLI configuration. The remaining one is an electrical x8 slot for additional GPU expansion."

    I think we will be seeing a lot of this chipset over the next couple of months.