Tech News
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Asylum Review Block: All Memory All the Time
I've been working on a memory review for the past couple weeks and with any luck it should get posted in the next couple days. Until then check out some of these DDR4 based memory reviews from around the web.
Web Reviews
- Crucial Ballistix Sport DDR4 2400Mhz Memory Review @ Hardware Slave
- Crucial Ballistix Elite DDR4-2666 16GB Memory Kit Review @ Hardware CanucksYep, both Crucial based reviews. I'm both jealous and sad at the same time.
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MSI GeForce GTX 960 GAMING Overclocking Review @ [H]
Gaming is as gaming does and the MSI gaming does pretty good. Of course when you compare it against the EVGA GTX 960 SSC it can be a little slow.
We push the new MSI GeForce GTX 960 GAMING video card to its limits of performance by overclocking to its limits. This NVIDIA GeForce GTX 960 GPU based video card has a lot of potential for hardware enthusiasts and gamers wanting more performance. We compare it with other overclocked cards to see if the GTX 960 can keep up.
I do like the overclock they were able to get and how the core clock was set in the 1440Mhz range with a Boost clock of 1557Mhz. The memory clock is similar to what I was able to get on the EVGA so from an overclocking standpoint they seem to be comparable.
Go Samsung!
I would be interested to see why the boost clock didn't scale the same. Maybe MSI dialed it back to get higher core clocks and appease those who share GPUz screenshots.
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Synergy of Style and Design: A Review of the Corsair Graphite 780T @ Techgage
Don't get me wrong here but, as a designer, I am often torn between what "is good design" and when "a design that is good". I will agree that the Corsair 780T looks good but in terms of design, it is a mangled copy assembled from other famous cases you can already buy.
All too often, design and style exist in conflict with each other. Form follows function, as the saying goes. But sometimes, we see products which are as beautifully-styled as they are well-designed. Corsair’s Graphite 780T full-tower becomes a perfect example of this – it’s great looking and functional. Let’s check it out.
Thing is, design is in the eye of the beholder and what might look like a jumbled mess to some might be a perfect match to someone else. And, it also helps to have a good marketing message.
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Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-2666 16GB Memory Review @ Hardware Canucks
When X99 was released Corsair was nice enough to send me this very same kit for the motherboard reviews. Not only did the memory clock well but offered some amazing out of box speed.
Of course some of that is just DDR4 vs DDR3 so take the speed thing as the benefits of upgrading.
Corsair's Vengeance LPX series is supposed to combine oveclocking potential, performance and pricing into a perfect option for Haswell-E DDR4 users.
A few other benefits of the LPX series is the lower profile heatspreaders and the shiny red anodizing making it perfect for that red and black motherboard you just bought.
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EVGA GeForce GTX 980 K|NGP|N Edition with ACX 2.0 Cooler
February 1st, 2015 – The rumors are true, the worlds most advanced GeForce GTX 980 has arrived. The EVGA GeForce GTX 980 K|NGP|N graphics card is meticulously designed for the extreme overclocker. With a 14+3 power phase design, this new digitally controlled VRM can deliver up to 600A of current, all delivered through 3 power inputs, 8pin + 8pin + 6pin. ACX 2.0+ keeps the card running cool, and the ability to go single slot, (with included single slot bracket) makes this one of the sleekest graphics card designed to date.
Vince "K|NGP|N" Lucido is an extreme overclocker who has achieved many 3DMark World Records with EVGA hardware. He contributed to the design of the GTX 980 K|NGP|N Edition graphics card with EVGA, and had this to say:
"The power designs for both the GPU and memory on the EVGA GeForce GTX 980 K|NGP|N graphics card should allow some insane overclocking and some of the highest clockspeeds seen to date. Also, with the new multi-color LED cooler, you can customize the look of the card to fit any system."
Built for Overclocking
- Customizable Lighting – Full color control allows you to fine tune the LED colors to your liking using EVGA PrecisionX 16.
- 14+3 Phase Fully Digital VRM – Improved efficiency and power capacity and an average of 28C cooler operating temperature.
- Single Slot Ready – Included single slot bracket allows you to convert to a true single slot card with waterblock.
- 12 Layer PCB – Robust PCB layout with extra copper for smooth power delivery.
- ACX 2.0+ Cooling & Metal Shroud – Improved cooling with lower fan power consumption and 400% longer fan lifespan. All surrounded in a premium metal shroud.
- EVBot Onboard – Allows robust tuning and control over all aspects of the graphics card.
- Included Backplate – Built on backplate with backlighting allows full control over brightness and color.
- MMCP+ - Memory MOSFET cooling plate provides direct contact with memory and MOSFETs reducing temperature. MMCP+ comes in two separate pieces, allowing you to cool the GPU separately while still using the MMCP on the MOSFETs.
- OTS – Onboard thermal sensors allow for automatic realtime extreme overclock tuning to achieve the highest overclocks possible.
- QST – Quick Switch Triple BIOS allow you to switch to the second or third with the flick of a switch.
- SHP – Straight Heat Pipes offer 6% better heat dissipation than bent heat pipes with reduced thermal resistance.
- dBi – EVGA’s ACX 2.0+ fan turns off below 60C generating 0dB of noise.
Learn more about the new EVGA GeForce GTX 980 K|NGP|N graphics card here: www.evga.com/kingpin
About EVGA
EVGA is the #1 NVIDIA authorized partner in channel sales throughout North America and UK. Based on the philosophy of intelligent innovation, market knowledge, and the real time operation, EVGA continues to identify the need in the market place and providing the solution to that need. By offering product differentiation, 24/7 tech support, a 90 day Step-Up program, and other customer focused programs, EVGA is a clear leader in all categories: etail, retail, distribution, and system integration. With headquarters in Brea, CA, EVGA’s global coverage includes EVGA GmbH in Munich, EVGA LATAM in Miami, and EVGA Hong Kong. For further information online about EVGA, visit: www.evga.com -
Crucial Ballistix Elite DDR4 16GB 2666MHz Memory Kit Review @ Legit Reviews
Crucial appears to be bringing back the Ballistix brand in a big way. Sadly the lights appear to be gone and the styling might be a little bland but 2666Mhz is pretty good.
DDR4 memory isn't exactly mainstream just yet, but that isn't keeping the memory makers from releasing hundreds of memory kits to the market. There are over 200 memory modules listed online at Newegg, so there isn't a shortage of DDR4 memory modules online. Next week Crucial will be introducing the Ballistix Elite DDR4 series of memory modules (product website), which is the premium line for Crucial. Crucial Ballistix Elite DDR4 memory modules start at 2666MHz to ensure users have improved responsiveness, increased frame rates, and optimized latencies.
I keep saying that I need to walk down to the Crucial building and ask for a kit and tour of the office. Would anyone be interested in seeing that?
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NVIDIA Responds to GTX 970 3.5GB Memory Issue
As I'm working a GTX 970 review I am reminded of some things that have been uncovered in the Maxwell generation. In this case there is a performance issue under extremely high memory usage. When addressing more than 3.5GB of memory the GTX 970 will run slower than a GTX 980 under the same conditions.
Having read the explanation over at PCPer I'm in full agreement with Josh.
A few days ago when we were presented with evidence of the 970 not fully utilizing all 4 GB of memory, I theorized that it had to do with the reduction of SMM units. It makes sense from an efficiency standpoint to perhaps "hard code" memory addresses for each SMM. The thought behind that would be that 4 GB of memory is a huge amount of a video card, and the potential performance gains of a more flexible system would be pretty minimal.
I believe that the memory controller is working as intended and not a bug. When designing a large GPU, there will invariably be compromises made. From all indications NVIDIA decided to save time, die size, and power by simplifying the memory controller and crossbar setup. These things have a direct impact on time to market and power efficiency. NVIDIA probably figured that a couple percentage of performance lost was outweighed by the added complexity, power consumption, and engineering resources that it would have taken to gain those few percentage points back. ~ Josh Walrath PCPerIt makes sense that cutting down the GPU would have an impact on how the framebuffer is being used and might explain "why" chips are cut down the way they are. It might also explain why most Nvidia graphics cards only came with 3GB/6GB of memory framebuffer.
Either way the performance problems are only under extreme conditions and while the GTX 970 might be a good price match most gamers the conditions that cause the performance issues are likely best suited for GTX 980 cards anyway.
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SilverStone Raven RV05 @ techPowerUp
The Silverstone Raven 5 is a case that you either love or hate. At first I was rather upset that Silverstone would release a Raven case without an external 5.25" drive bay however, after doing the review the Raven 5 I realized that the intent of the case was more to push the boundaries than to rehash a traditional design.
The SilverStone RV05 is the latest Raven mid-tower chassis with a 90°-turned internal layout. Sporting the same elaborate looks as all other cases in the family, it aims to please the mainstream with its compact size and interesting price tag. Will the RV05 capture our heart or instill fear?
Raven 5 does go back to the traditional 90 degree motherboard orientation and is designed to be a premier aircooling case. However, what makes the Raven 5 interesting isn't the position of the motherboard but rather the size of the case and what Silverstone did to get there.
On a side note: I feel that tower style cases still need external drive bays for optical drives, fan controllers, water reservoirs and even additional storage. The numbers may claim that nobody uses optical drives anymore but in the casemodding world things are a little different.
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Corsair Hydro Series H100i All-In-One CPU Liquid Cooler @ [H]
This is a bit of a blast from the past kind of review.
We continue today reviewing the older Corsair Hydro Series AIO coolers on our modern testing platform. Two years ago the Corsair H100i proved itself to be a solid value when it comes to sealed liquid All-In-One CPU coolers, but how does it perform a couple of years later? We take a look at what the H100i gets you with today's hardware.
Having tested several coolers over the years I can say that unless your AIO cooler is down on liquid or has gummed up fans the performance will be the same "now" as it was "then". The trick is getting the mounting hardware for the new platforms and some of the Corsair AIO coolers had the worst in the industry.
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Neat Video of Thermal Conductivity in Action @ Frostytech
Most everyone knows how heat transfers and that certain materials work has heat conductors while others work as insulators. Here is an interesting video showing you thermal conductivitiy in action. With a twist.
Frostytech has a neat video showing the fundamental difference in heat conductivity between solid copper and a heatpipe. Picked this up at Computex a while back. Note how quickly the top of the heatpipe increases to 56.1C in the 60seconds after submersion into the cup of hot water!
The video is show you the effects of a heatpipe in warm water compaired to a solid copper rod.
You'll need the faceballz to watch this one.
