Tech News

• Phanteks Glacier C370I CPU Water Block @ TechPowerUp

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, July 31, 2023

  Cooling trends with desktop computers hasn't changed much in the past 10+ years.  We have aircooling for low-end computers where CPU and GPU heat is actually managable.  Once you move into the mid-range we start to see AIO watercooling take over along with the emergence of the budget hardware enthusiast and their quest to min/max their performance.

  This is where the DIY watercooling loops start to take over and continue into the high-end.  There was a time when the performance if your CPU and GPU waterblocks actually mattered however, these days the microfin and pingrid arrays have leveled the playing field.

  

  Phanteks updates its CPU water block line with the new Glacier C370 series. Today we examine the Intel-specific C370I that comes in black or white color options, uses an acrylic top with integrated LEDs for aesthetics, and a nickel-plated cold plate with tall fins to allow for a good balance of cost, flow restriction, and thermal performance.

  If you are looking for a "name brand" Intel specific CPU waterblock with some RGB lights you might want to check out the Phanteks C370.  As the name suggests this "SHOULD" be for the Intel Socket 370 but, it seems that was before the time of Phanteks, and likely their primary consumer market.

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• Corsair MP600 Core XT 2TB Solid State Drive Review @ APH Networks

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, July 31, 2023

  Due to how poorly Corsair has treated written review sites I rarely go out of my way to promote their products but, this review from APH Networks caught my eye.

  

  The Corsair MP600 Core XT 2TB is an affordable DRAM-less PCIe 4.0-based NVMe SSD from a reputable manufacturer, but can use a boost in performance and write endurance to be competitive in today's market.

  Overall, the drive is pretty basic, sub standard specs, standard form factor and respectable 2TB storage capacity.  The drive is PCI Express 4.0 and should be this amazing speed demon with horns and a crown of fire but, really is nothing more than a forgettable NVMe SSD that will likely be buried in subsidized OEM builds or "grandma's" computer when her son-in-law didn't get that sports car for his birthday.

  If you want to find out more then check out the review!

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• Creative Zen Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones with ANC Review @ Madshrimps

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, July 31, 2023

  I remember one CES, before the global freak out due to "things" happening, where almost every vendor was selling a white box version of some pretty nice In-Ear headphones (earphones).  This was on the tails of the apple "Air Pods" that apple users loved and the rest of the world made fun of and it seemed that some "Me To" companies wanted to ride the hype train.

  The only reason I remember this so fondly is because every single version was being sold as that companies "exclusive" and yet was clearly a white box since they all had the same design, same features and same color.  To make matters more interesting, NONE of the companies were offering up review samples which basically confirmed the crowdsourced lie.

  

   To test out the Zen Air, we did fire up some YouTube clips with music, but also vlogs and documentaries. The voices were crisp, with a good amount of bass for the small size of the drivers versus fully-fledged headphones; when listening to tracks via the dedicated SXFI App, the holography is quite amazing, because it makes you feel you are in a room with a dedicated, multi-speaker audio system and you will almost get to try and search where the sound is exactly coming from.

  I am 100% certain that it is difficult to know if the Creative Zen Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones with Active Noise Canceling are, white box earphones but, I am sure they likely sound pretty good regardless.

  Check out the review if you are interested, or drop us a line if you would prefer a more personal review.

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• White Edition EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB Fan

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Tuesday, July 18, 2023

  EK®, the renowned manufacturer of premium liquid cooling solutions, is introducing a new version of the EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB fan, now available in a stylish white color. The latest EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB – White fan boasts a sleek white design, radiating clean and sophisticated aesthetics. It complements the existing Black version and offers new possibilities to liquid cooling enthusiasts, expanding their choices for visually pleasing PC setups.

  

  The Quantum Impulse fans are a premium product equipped with EK’s most extensive RGB implementation to date. The frame of the fan has two zones illuminated by LEDs, with each zone containing 12 LEDs. Additionally, 6 LEDs in the motor hub illuminate the rotor. These fans deliver a well-balanced and optimized performance-to-noise ratio with an operating range of 400-1800 RPM.

  EK-Quantum Impulse 120mm D-RGB

  EK-Quantum Impulse fans are specially designed as 120mm PC radiator and case fans, prioritizing both stunning D-RGB effects and silent operation throughout their entire operational range. With a LED-lit zone encircling the frame on both sides of the fan, you can enjoy vibrant and diffused addressable RGB illumination regardless of the fan’s orientation. Also, the motor hub on the rotor is adorned with 6 LEDs, adding a touch of stylish aesthetics as it spins.

  MagLev Fan Motor

  EK-Quantum Impulse incorporates industry-leading designs, including the VAPO™ bearing and Magnetic Levitation (or MagLev) motor, known for their high effectiveness. These designs play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the fan and preventing any wobbling issues, resulting in a longer fan lifespan.

  The VAPO bearing introduces a magnetic effect to the bearing, known as magnetic levitation. This reduces noise levels and improves the stability of the fan’s shaft. Unlike traditional ball-bearing fans that tend to become louder over time, VAPO bearings are resistant to dust and do not dry out, ensuring reliable performance. These fans have an operating range of 400-1800 RPM, providing flexibility in various usage scenarios.

  White Rubber Corners

  The EK-Quantum Impulse 120 fan incorporates thick white rubber corners on both sides, effectively minimizing the transfer of vibrations to the rest of your PC. With a fan thickness of 26mm, the rubber corners extend by 1.5mm on each side, resulting in a total depth of 29mm. It’s important to note that these rubber corners compress when screws are tightened. Unlike fans with circular or incomplete frames, the square frame design of this fan significantly reduces the risk of side air leakage. The combination of these features ensures enhanced stability and an overall quieter operation.

  EK-OmniLink Interconnect Ecosystem

  Impulse fans, just like FPT fans, offer daisy-chaining capability, reducing cable clutter and simplifying cable routing by using the EK-OmniLink system. This feature utilizes an 8-pin Micro-Fit connector ecosystem, allowing all signal and power wiring for PWM and D-RGB to run on a single cable and connector. The connection ends in standard motherboard connectors, a 4-pin PWM for fan power, and a 3-pin 5V D-RGB.

  With the EK-OmniLink design, cable clutter is effectively eliminated as multiple fans can be connected to a single PWM and D-RGB header, providing a streamlined solution. This design also allows for the easy removal of individual fans from the chain without disturbing the entire setup. In contrast, alternative solutions on the market rely on interlocking mechanisms that necessitate the removal of an entire fan link, making it challenging to create more space for tightening fittings on a radiator.

  The Omni-Link interconnect ecosystem will be significantly expanded in the near future for additional benefits.

  3-Zone LED Illumination on EK-Quantum Impulse 120 PC Fans

  All EK-Quantum Impulse 120 fans boast a crucial feature: simplicity. They are designed to work seamlessly with the standard 3-pin 5V D-RGB connection. This allows you to easily connect a fan to any standard 3-pin 5V addressable RGB controller or take advantage of the compatibility with popular RGB sync technologies supported by major motherboard manufacturers.

  To ensure a proper connection, align the arrow marking on the 3-pin LED connector with the +5V marking on the D-RGB (ARGB) header. This alignment guarantees a hassle-free setup and optimal functionality.

  EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB Key Features

  • Three Premium LED-Lit Zones
    Unlike other EK fans, which have LEDs exclusively in the rotor, Impulse fans have additional LEDs on both sides of the frame.
  • MagLev and VAPO Bearing
    The VAPO bearing adds a magnetic effect (magnetic levitation) to the bearing to reduce noise and increase shaft stability.
  • Square Frame for Airflow Focusing
    The practical square shape of the fan frame provides optimal performance in either the pull or push regime without hydraulic losses, which ensures the optimal cooling capacity of your liquid cooling radiators.
  • Standard D-RGB Connectors
    The Impulse fan’s D-RGB lighting does not require any additional fancy or expensive controller for you to enjoy vibrant light effects. A simple 3-pin 5V addressable D-RGB connection for standard controllers or any popular D-RGB (ARGB) sync technology from major motherboard manufacturers is all you need.
  • EK-OmniLink System
    The ability to daisy chain fan power, D-RGB, and even pump power across a single cable gives you the ultimate flexibility while reducing cable clutter. All the cables are flat ribbon style with no additional sleeving for an even better cable routing experience.
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• Thermaltake Celebrates Amazon Prime Day 2023 with Amazing Deals on Gaming Products

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, July 10, 2023

  Save up to 42% on popular items from gaming PCs, PC cases, coolers, and PSUs, exclusively for Amazon Prime members.

  Walnut, California - July 10th, 2023 - Thermaltake, the leading PC Cases, Cooling, Power, and memory solutions brand, is excited to announce their special deals for Amazon Prime Day 2023. Amazon Prime Day is a two-day shopping event for customers with Prime membership on July 11th and 12th. Thermaltake has selected many of the best-selling gaming components for Amazon Prime members to enjoy, such as gaming desktop PCs, PC cases, AIO water coolers, CPU air coolers, cooling fans, and power supply units.

  

  Thermaltake offers over 25 of their top-rated PC products for Prime Day, with up to 42% discounts. Two LCGS (Liquid Cooling Gaming System) models featuring Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 platforms are available with discounts of 17% and 15%, respectively. Amazon Prime members can get up to 26% off on Thermaltake's most popular PC cases, such as Core P3, Tower 900, and Ceres 500. Cooling products like ToughLiquid 360 and ToughAir 510 are also on sale at 33% off, while builders looking to upgrade their PSU can do so with up to 29% special deals. Gamers, PC builders, and enthusiasts looking for high-quality components to enhance their gaming systems should take advantage of this opportunity.

  "Tech enthusiasts and gamers can look forward to one of the biggest online shopping events of the year with Amazon Prime Day. Thermaltake is offering exclusive deals on its premium gaming products, from PCs and cases to coolers and PSUs," said Michael Guo, the VP of Sales and Marketing at Thermaltake USA. "Our products are engineered to deliver a reliable and performance-boosted gaming experience across our entire line of gaming desktops, Cases, cooling products, and ATX 3.0 PSU. We are grateful for the gaming community's support and want to reward them with these amazing Prime Day deals and discounts," he added.

  The Prime Day exclusive deals include various Thermaltake best-in-class PC products. Here is the summary of the sales:

  LCGS (Liquid Cooling Gaming System)

  • Glacier i350 Liquid Cooling Gaming System for 17% off: Click Here
  • Intel Core i5-10400F/RTX3050 GPU/DDR4 16GB/1TB NVMe SSD
  • Glacier 360 Liquid Cooling Gaming System for 15% off: Click Here
  • AMD Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX3060 GPU/DDR4 16GB/1TB NVMe SSD

  PC Case

  • Ceres 500 Black E-ATX mid-tower for 21% off: Click Here
  • Tower 900 Black E-ATX full-tower for 26% off: Click Here
  • Core P3 Black open frame E-ATX case for 23% off: Click Here
  • Versa H18 Black M-ATX mid-tower for 20% off: Click Here

  Cooling Product

  • ToughLiquid 360 AIO cooler for 21% off: Click Here
  • ToughAir 510 air cooler for 33% off: Click Here
  • SWAFAN EX 12 RGB cooling fan (3 fan pack) for 20% off: Click Here
  • Massive 20 RGB laptop cooling pad for 42% off: Click Here

  Power Supply Unit

  • ToughPower GF1 850W 80+ gold for 29% off: Click Here
  • ToughPower GF A3 1200W 80+ gold for 10% off: Click Here
  • ToughPower GF A3 1000W 80+ gold for 12% off: Click Here

  To learn more about Amazon Prime Day Deals(7/11 & 7/12): https://amzn.to/44dDdpo

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• Lexar to Offer a Range of Exceptional Products at Great Prices during Amazon Prime Day

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, July 10, 2023

  From camera cards to SSDs, DRAM to USB drives, Lexar will offer a variety of products at unbeatable prices, up to 60% off

  San Jose, CA, USA, July 6th, 2023—Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is excited to announce great deals on must-have memory products for Prime Day. Prime members can save up to 60% off on a variety of products from the Lexar portfolio, including USB drives, camera memory cards, SSDs, and more.

  

  “Prime Day is always an exciting time to find fantastic deals and we’ve made sure there are deals on a variety of our products so that whether it’s Mom looking for a dual drive for her phone, a professional looking for a great deal on photography gear, or a small business stocking up on SSDs for its team, they’re sure to find a great Lexar solution at a really attractive price,” said Joey Lopez, Director of Brand Marketing.

  Key Features

  • Great deals on memory cards, SSDs, DRAM, and more
  • Up to 60% off list price
  • Amazing savings for consumers, professionals, SMBs, and more
  • Prime Day deals start July 11

  Whether Prime members are looking to upgrade their laptops, supplement their camera gear, or add more storage to a device, the Lexar Prime Day deals have something for every need. Below are just a few of the fantastic deals that customers can snag during Amazon Prime Day. They will find even more by visiting the Lexar store on Amazon during Prime Day.

  Photography and Videography

  Professional photographers and videographers have relied on Lexar’s quality and reliability for years and, during Prime Day, pros and enthusiasts alike have a chance to grab some of these go-to products at terrific prices.

  Lexar Professional 2000x SDHC™/SDXC™ UHS-II Card GOLD Series

  Ideal for high-quality photos, extended lengths of Full-HD and cinema-quality 8K video, this card delivers up to 300MB/s read and up to 260MB/s¹ write speeds. The Lexar Professional 2000x SD cards will be up to 40% off list price.

  Lexar Professional 1667x SDXC™ UHS-II Card

  Quickly capture and transfer high-quality photos and Full-HD and 4K video with write speeds up to 120MB/s and read transfer speeds up to 250MB/s.¹ During Prime Day, the Lexar Professional 1667x SD card will be up to 34% off list price.

  Lexar Professional CFexpress™ Type A Card GOLD Series

  With read speeds up to 900MB/s, write speeds up to 800MB/s¹, and a VPG400 rating, professionals can capture with the confidence that they’ll never miss a frame. Offered up to 30% off list price.

  Lexar Professional CFexpress™ Type B Card GOLD Series

  Blazing-fast performance to capture cinema-quality video with speeds up to 1900MB/s read and up to 1500MB/s¹ write. The 256GB Lexar Professional CFexpress Type B Card GOLD Series will be offered for more than 35% off list price.

  Gaming

  Lexar PLAY microSDXC™ UHS-I card

  Avoid slow load times with read speeds of up to 150MB/s¹ and fast A1 or A2-rated performance², so you can play more of what you love without missing a beat. Offered at more than 51% off list price.

  Lexar ARES DDR5 OC Desktop Memory

  Lexar ARES RGB DDR5 Desktop Memory in 6000MT/s with CL32 delivers the performance that gamers and content creators require to meet their challenges head-on. Look for this product at more than 43% off list price.

  Lexar Professional NM800 PRO M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

  Designed for hardcore gamers and creative professionals, the Lexar Professional NM800 PRO M.2 2280 NVMe SSD provides maximum performance with speeds up to 7400MB/s read and 5800MB/s write¹. It’s also PS5™-compatible and comes in a heatsink version as well. The NM800 Pro SSD series will be offered at up to 56% off list price.

  Computer Memory and Storage

  From lightning-fast gaming memory to workflow-accelerating SSDs, Lexar has a range of Prime Day offerings to improve users’ computing experience.

  Lexar NM620 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD

  This drive offers next-level performance that puts you in the computing fast lane with speeds up 3500MB/s read and 3000MB/s write¹. Look for it at 40% off list price.

  Lexar NS100 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD

  This easy upgrade gives users faster boot-ups, application load times, and data transfers turning a tired computer from dinosaur to dynamo with read speeds of up to 550MB/s.¹  This product will be offered for more than 45% off list price

  Lexar NM710 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen4x4 NVMe SSD

  With quick transfer speeds of up to 5000 MB/s read and 4500 MB/s¹ write, this compact SSD boosts users computing experience with Gen4x4 performance for faster, more efficient load times. For Prime Day it will be offered at more than 25% off the list price.

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• SilverStone FARA 512Z @ TechPowerUp

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Thursday, June 29, 2023

  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.

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

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Thursday, June 29, 2023

  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
  • …
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• Noctua presents NA-VC1 24V DC to 12V DC step-down voltage converter

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2023

  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.

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• Galax GeForce RTX 4060 Ti EX White @ TechPowerUp

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Wednesday, June 21, 2023

  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 ??

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