Tech News

  • SilverStone FARA 512Z @ TechPowerUp

    The SilverStone FARA series is an interesting one and filled with a good number of different case configurations to fit different markets and consumer style requrements.  The FARA 512Z is one of the newest cases in the lineup and has some rather high-end features.

    The SilverStone FARA 512Z is a compact chassis that allows four slot vertical GPU mounting with the appropriate riser cable. Shipping with three ARGB fans and a fully featured IO in combination with an ARGB controller & PWM hub, there is a lot to discover.

    FARA cases, as with ALL SilverStone computer cases, are quite afforadable and easy to build in.

  • Already had coffee today? Get your own Alphacool coffee mug!

    Coffee, tea, cocoa - or would you prefer a cold drink? This product can do more. The Alphacool mug is the perfect companion for every day. This great must-have is not only for enthusiasts. All Alphacool fans can enjoy their favorite drink in line with the company's philosophy of "Smart and efficient". In combination with coffee, the mug ensures a good start into the day.

    The design of the mug captivates with its clean looks in the Alphacool style. The deep black glaze contrasts visually with the excellent beautiful and bright technical drawings, which show some products of the new Core series. The ergonomically designed handle provides enough comfort to safely lift the Alphacool mug and prevent your hand from burning on the hot mug body.

    The Alphacool mug is available now in the online store.

    Features:

    • Volume: 375ml
    • Material: ceramic
    • Color: black

    Compatibility:

    • Coffee
    • Tea
    • Cocoa
  • Noctua presents NA-VC1 24V DC to 12V DC step-down voltage converter

    Vienna, June 20th 2023 – Noctua today presented its long-awaited NA-VC1 24V DC to 12V DC step-down voltage converter that allows running standard 12V fans in 24V environments such as 3D printers or industrial and automotive applications. With a maximum operating temperature of up to 60°C, integrated protection against short-circuits, reverse polarity, overcurrent and overheating, the NA-VC1 is as bulletproof as a voltage converter can be. At the same time, its neat, ultra-compact and lightweight design makes it easy to integrate into virtually any environment.

    “Customers have been using our 12V fans in 24V environments such as 3D printers for a long time, but often had to resort to cheap, poor quality step-down converters in order to do so”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “As these cheap converters can pose a serious safety hazard, we have created our NA-VC1: A compact, safe and dependable solution for running 12V fans in 24V environments.”

    Many 3D printers are 24V-based (e.g. Creality Ender 3 and CR-10, Anycubic Mega, etc.) and use 40 or 60mm fans for cooling the hot-end or the printed part. The NA-VC1 makes it possible to use standard 12V fans such as the NF-A4x10 PWM, NF-A4x20 PWM or NF-A6x25 PWM in order to achieve quiet, efficient cooling on such printers.

    The NA-VC1 is barely larger than a standard 4-pin fan connector (31x16x8.5mm) and weighs only 6g. As a result, it can simply be interconnected between the fan cable and the power source, with no need for extra fixation in most applications.

    Supporting a total output power of 9W, the NA-VC1 is fit to run single fans with high power draw or multiple lower power fans that are connected to the device using optional splitter cables (NA-SYC1 or NA-SYC2) or fan hubs like the NA-FH1.

    Designed to operate in challenging environments, the NA-VC1 is internally protected against short-circuits, reverse polarity, overcurrent, and overheating by a resettable fuse. It will shut down automatically for protection and can be reset by disconnecting it from the power source in a safe operating temperature (<60°C). Unlike many cheap voltage converters, the NA-VC1 has been carefully tested for product safety and EMC compliance. Carrying CE, UKCA and UL certifications and meeting all applicable standards (EN 62368-1, EN 55035 and EN 55032), it is a safe, quality device through and through.

  • Galax GeForce RTX 4060 Ti EX White @ TechPowerUp

    I've always wanted to mess around with some of the OC friendly Galax cards, I've seen them run during Computex and the results are pretty amazing.  Sadly, they are a China centric brand and rarely sell in the USA.

    This "Squid Games" version of the RTX 4060 Ti is pretty interesting.

    The Galax GeForce RTX 4060 Ti EX White is a factory overclocked custom design that comes at no price increase over NVIDIA's $400 MSRP. Thanks to its color theme this card will fit very well into an all-white build, and it has enough horsepower for 1080p gaming at max details and beyond.

    So the real question is..  Which is better: Squid Games - or- The RTX 4060 Ti ??

  • ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Taichi White 24GB OC Graphics Card @ Funky Kit

    I don't normally say this but, there are some "white out" system builds that actually look pretty good.  I never understood the reason behind building a system that is completely white AND I'm sure many of the builders are just trying to replicate a build they saw somewhere.  Thing is, when they are done correctly they look pretty good and this card from ASRock seems to be a good match for those types of builds.

    Not only does the ASRock Radeon RX 7900 XTX Taichi White OC look great with its all-white design and center ring LED fan, but it also offers excellent performance thanks to its overclocked GPU. It easily beats the GeForce RTX 3090 and RTX 4070 Ti in most benchmarks, and I’m more than happy to say, it’s perfect for any hardcore gaming enthusiasts who want an all-white graphics card to match their all-white PC build.

    On a side note, I find it annoying that AMD keeps renaiming their cards using numbers from previous generations.  For instance I have severa 7900 cards, and they are pretty good but, I have no idea what a 7900 XTX is, and at this point I am afraid to ask.

  • PFU America, Inc. Launches RICOH Portable Monitor Series for the Future of Work on the Go

    New ultra-lightweight RICOH Portable Monitor Series provides vivid picture quality with 15.6’’ OLED display and touch functionality

    Sunnyvale, California — June 14, 2023 — PFU America, Inc., the U.S.-based subsidiary of PFU Limited and the leader in digital transformation solutions, today announced the launch of the RICOH Portable Monitor Series. Designed as an easily accessible, portable extra screen for enhanced creative collaboration, the new RICOH monitors feature vivid picture quality, a touch screen for drawing and writing, and the option of wired or wireless connectivity.

    The RICOH Portable Monitor Series is available in two versions – a 150 wired model and the battery-powered 150BW wireless model. These new monitors are the world’s lightest compared to other 15.6 inch touchable OLED products currently on the market, with the wired model weighing in at just over one pound – including the integrated stand, and despite having a touch display – with a super-slim bezel of less than one-fifth of an inch. Both monitors feature a 15.6’’ OLED display with exceptional image quality, including better contrast, higher brightness and rapid response time. Built for portability, two USB-C inputs near the center of the device enable easy connectivity to video display, or so that two devices connected wirelessly, such as a PC and a smartphone, can be connected at the same time, enabling switching between displays at the touch of a button. An integrated stand, cable management, and two integrated speakers make it easy to set up and manage power, input, and speaker controls.

    “We are thrilled to introduce these new portable monitors, as we continue to transform the future of the workplace through new edge devices and digital services,” said Daisuke Kutsuwada, President and CEO, PFU America, Inc. “The RICOH Portable Monitor Series will enable our customers to improve productivity, collaborate more efficiently, and co-create across business environments, including in office, at home and during travel.”

    The RICOH Portable Monitor Series features an intuitive monitor interface with 10-point touch functionality, so that users can draw, swipe, write and annotate. An optional stylus enables precise sketching and easy navigation. Equipped with an integrated battery, the 150BW model offers wireless touch-back capabilities and can be connected wirelessly to Windows, Android, MacOS, and iOS[1] devices. The integrated stand can be easily adjusted to place the monitor horizontally, vertically, or at any optimal angle to best enable writing mode.

    Featuring a 15.6” OLED display, RICOH Portable Monitor Series provides high-definition, high-contrast vivid picture quality. With a panel certified for Eye Care, harmful blue light is reduced by 62%[2] compared to conventional displays.

    The RICOH Portable Monitor Series is available now. For more information, please visit https://www.pfu-us.ricoh.com/portable-monitors.

  • COMPUTEX 2023 Best Choice of the Year Awarded to MSI Z790 GODLIKE

    Best Choice Award Winners To Be Announced on May 30th & Displayed at the Best Choice Award Pavilion During the Exhibition

    Taipei, Taiwan, May 30th, 2023 - The Taipei Computer Association (TCA), the leading industrial organization in Taiwan and promoter of Asia’s leading B2B ICT exhibition, has stated COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2023 officially begins on Tuesday, May 30th with the morning announcement of COMPUTEX 2023 Best Choice Award Winners at Taipei Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1, 4th Fl., M Area Lobby.

    The exhibition event open from Tuesday May 30th to Friday June 2nd, 2023, where guests and visitors are welcome to join the Best Choice Award Pavilion booth No. L0307a to view the winning products.

    Of the 37 products awarded this year, the highest honor, Best Choice of the Year Award, has been bestowed upon the MSI Z790 GODLIKE motherboard for its outstanding design, performance, and technical innovation.

    This year, the Best Choice Awards focused on 15 categories, including: Vehicle Tech & Smart Cockpit, metaverse & XR applications, AI, ESG and more. The categories follow the current global ICT trends and are judged by an independent jury panel recruited from government representatives, academicians and research analysts to ensure neutrality and that the products truly represent the best of COMPUTEX TAIPEI 2023.

    COMPUTEX Best Choice Award 2023 Winners’ List
    Official Website: https://bcaward.computex.biz/

    With the strongest show of trust and commitment to the international exhibition, a wide range of industry-leading global ICT companies have joined COMPUTEX 2023 to launch their latest solutions and exhibit their product catalogues. The official award of COMPUTEX, the Best Choice Award, has continued to be a reliable product procurement guide. This year, the winners of a Best Choice Award include, Acer Incorporated, ADATA Technology Co., Ltd., Amaryllo International, Inc., ASRock Inc., ASUSTek Computer Inc., AVerMedia Technologies, Inc., CHT Security Co., Ltd., Compal Electronics, Inc., Cypress Technology Co., Ltd., ELAN Microelectronics Corp., Frore Systems, FSP Technology Inc., Graid Technology, Inc., Jorjin Technologies Inc., K-Best Technology Inc., Maktar Inc., Micro-Star International, Mobile Pixels Inc, NVIDIA Corporation, Onyx Healthcare Inc., oToBrite Electronics, Inc., Quanta Cloud Technology, Realtek Semiconductor Corp., Trans Electric Co., Ltd, and Voltronic Power Technology Corporation.

  • Thermaltake Unveils the CTE Series and Matcha Green Products at COMPUTEX 2023

    aipei, Taiwan-May 30th, 2023-Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Case, Power, Cooling, Gaming peripherals, and enthusiast Memory solutions, is excited to be back at COMPUTEX. Thermaltake Founder & CEO Kenny Lin unveiled the latest Gaming Station at the opening press conference: the CTE C700 Mid-Tower Snow Chassis, the SWAFAN EX RGB PC Cooling Fan, the TOUGHRAM XG RGB D5 7200 memory, ARGENT gaming peripherals, and the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair- Matcha Green Edition.

    Thermaltake CEO & Founder Kenny Lin- Kickoffs with a Keynote
    “This year marks Thermaltake’s 24th year in the industry. Thermaltake started as a PC Cooling expert, and this year we have gone back to our roots- focusing on new thermal advancements.    CTE stands for Centralized Thermal Efficiency, and its purpose is to provide high level thermal performance to critical components,” said Thermaltake CEO & Founder Kenny Lin.

    Thermaltake Introduces a New Color Option- Matcha Green
    Thermaltake is ready to deliver the latest chassis, power, cooling, memory, and gaming solutions to PC DIY enthusiasts, modders, and gamers worldwide. At COMPUTEX 2023, Thermaltake is pleased to reveal a variety of Matcha Green products, including the Ceres 300 TG ARGB Mid Tower Chassis, The Tower 200 Mini Chassis, the TH280 V2 ARGB Sync All-In-One Liquid Cooler, the SWAFAN EX12/14, ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair, etc., adding a fashionable color option to these lineups. The Thermaltake COMPUTEX 2023 Exhibition is from May 30th to June 2nd, so don’t miss the chance to admire these beautiful matcha green products up close.

    Product Highlights

    • Ceres 300 TG ARGB Matcha Green Mid Tower Chassis
    • The Tower 200 Matcha Green Mini Chassis
    • TH280 V2 ARGB Sync All-In-One Liquid Cooler - Matcha Green Edition
    • SWAFAN EX12/14 RGB PC Cooling Fan Matcha Green TT Premium Edition
    • ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair (Matcha Green) Design by Studio F. A. Porsche

    With the mission to “Deliver the perfect user experience”, Thermaltake has been constantly launching new products to meet the demand for high-performing PCs for hardcore gaming, professional streaming, and video editing. Like Thermaltake’s theme for COMPUTEX 2023, “Stay Cool, Game On,” our products are born to be “cool”. Be cool in the way of exceptional thermal performance; be cool in the way of a stylish appearance. Now Thermaltake releases chassis, coolers, and a gaming chair in a matcha green, elevating your setup to a new level. The colors are taken from nature and matcha, bringing you a sense of peace and comfort. Matcha green gear can not only show the aesthetic taste of gamers but also represent that gamers can calmly play each game to achieve the best gaming experience!

    Come by Thermaltake’s COMPUTEX booth(#M0120) to see the new matcha green series products. Utilize matcha green to create a unique and fashionable space for both work and play! 

  • Cooler Master Announces MasterHUB and MasterControl: Transformative Products to Enhance Gaming, Streaming and Creative

    TAIPEI, Taiwan, May 31, 2023 — Cooler Master, a leading innovator in PC components and peripherals, announces two groundbreaking products, the MasterHUB and MasterControl. These products redefine the boundaries of hardware and software integration, offering an unparalleled user experience for gamers, streamers, and content creators.

    The MasterHUB is a modular hardware platform designed with a broad range of functionalities to cater to the varied needs of creators, gamers, and streamers. This transformative device allows users to seamlessly monitor, control, and predict usage behavior and applicational needs. MasterHUB integrates seamlessly with MasterControl, offering a plethora of controllable and viewable features right on the device.

    "With the MasterHUB and MasterControl, we aim to resolve user pain points, increase efficiencies, and bring technology to life," says Jimmy Sha, CEO, Cooler Master. "These devices offer intuitive designs, support customization, and allow users to fully immerse themselves into the environment they desire."

    Coupled with the API integration for wide software support and an SDK for user customization, the MasterHUB and MasterControl become powerful tools for any tech enthusiast. The journey begins with the system environment in 2023, expanding to room environment support in 2024, and broadening to entire smart home automation by 2025.

    Cooler Master is set to launch MasterControl in the middle of July. MasterHUB will be available in late November.

    MasterHUB will be available in three starter kits exclusively on Amazon USA: Streamer, Video, and Photo. Nine modules will be available for individual purchase and customization on the CMODX website. These products will make their debut at COMPUTEX 2023.

    With the growth in the esports industry, which is projected to reach an audience of 640 million by 2025, the MasterHUB and MasterControl are poised to revolutionize the gaming and streaming industry. The introduction of these products comes at an opportune time when the demand for advanced, personalized technology solutions is on the rise.

  • Gainward GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GHOST @ Guru3D

    Gainward..  Now there is a name I haven't heard in a LONG time.  happy smile

    Funny story,  I was a HUGE supporter of Gainward, they were a TW brand who offered customized and hot-clocked versions of popular video cards.  Their marketing graphics were eye catching and the PCBs and heatsinks often followed a "red" theme.

    Shortly after the company peaked they were purchased by some company in the EU and everything went to shit.  Case in point, this RTX 4060 Ti Ghost, which appears to be the reference PCB with a custom cooler,  no fancy graphics and nothing to let consumers know that this is a special card from a special company.  (Or what used to be a special company)

    In this review we take a ghost for a spin, Gainward has introduced their Gainward GeForce RTX 4060 Ti GHOST. Based on a close to MSRP product it comes with 8GB of graphics memory and a 399 USD price tag.

    PC Hardware is a balancing act of making a desireable product, establishing a brand and making it affordable enough for consumers to actually "want" it.  As it would turn out, once you attain greatness, along comes a larger company, with no imagination, to simply buy the name to shore up their own line of products.

    This happened with Hardware Review sites some 10+ years back, funny thing is the guy buying up the websites and domains never did anything with them which makes you wonder why people/companies even bother.