Tech News
-
MSI Z97M GAMING Motherboard Review @ PCGameware
You hear me saying this a lot but, this is a pretty good board. As you know we reviewed the B series gaming and MiniITX Z97I Gaming version of this motherboard and found them to be feature packed and very stable.
We first saw this design with the MSI Z97 GAMING 5 and it not only looked great, but performed so well that pcG James gave it our prestigious Platinum award! So when offered the opportunity to take a look at the smaller MSI Z97M Gaming Motherboard, how could I say no?
While the news is filled (or not) with X99 reviews keep in mind that the Z97 editions are still good and considerably more affordable.
-
Asylum: Review Block - Core i7 5960X Extreme X99 Release
I have been getting some flak for "not" posting any news about the new Haswell-E and X99 launch. Well, per the usual there were a ton of empty promises prior to the launch and it would seem in an attempt to accommodate these developments things kinda feel off the table. Anyhow, as many of you already know the processor and chipset have been released and they are good. Sadly, I must say the news is just "creeping" out. Like, way slow.
Maybe it has to do with yet another $1000 processor coupled with a new memory system that isn't cheap either. (It’s new, give them a break). What is weird is that despite the $2000 entry fee for the X99 you can get a motherboard as a fairly reasonable price. Boards are also coming out in MicroATX form factors along with some the multi GPU monsters.
Motherboards
- MSI X99S Gaming 9 – @ Bjorn3d
Processor
- Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition Review @ Vortez
- Core i7 5960X - 5930K and 5820K processor review @ Guru3D
- Intel Haswell-E Core i7-5960X CPU & X99 Chipset @ [H]
- Intel Core i7-5960X Haswell-E Review on Technic3D
- Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition Review: Intel’s Overdue Desktop 8-Core Is Here @ Techgage
- Intel's Core i7-5960X processor reviewed @ TR
- Intel Core i7-5960X “Haswell-E” Processor Review @ ThinkComputers
- Intel i7-5960X Haswell-E @ LanOC Reviews
- Intel i7 5960X Review; Haswell-E Arrives @ Hardware CanucksKeep watch here, there will be some exciting stuff on the Hardware Asylum podcast and maybe some up close photos of the X99 Classified from EVGA.
-
MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC Review @ Vortez
And the PC arms race takes another leap forward, with the release of the X99 "Haswell-E" chipset. The new X99 boards will see native support for the new DDR4 memory, at the cost of no longer being compatible with the older DDR3 sticks.
MSI is showcasing some of the changes they've made preparing for the Haswell-E on their X99S version of their popular Gaming-9 motherboard. Along with the standard staples we normally see, like the Realtek 7.1 audio, and Killer Gigabit LAN controller, it also comes with ten 6Gb/s SATA ports, room for four discreet cards for multi-GPU applications, and support for six USB 3.0 ports (two included on the board), just for starters.
After so much speculation we can today reveal Intel's X99 chipset, more specifically, the X99S Gaming 9 AC motherboard from MSI. MSI are widely regarded as one of the most overclocking friendly manufacturers and so our review will focus heavily on this area. While the Gaming 9 is not the flagship motherboard or even the flagship 'series' (this tag goes to the XPower range - soon to be reviewed by us), a motherboard's prowess is quite often judged not just by the abundance of features but by its ability to take your components to the edge without falling over in a smouldering mound of silicon and plastic.
-
Sapphire R7 250 Ultimate Review @ PureOverclock
Essentially a revised and slightly improved version of the older HD 7750, sacrificing the single fan cooling configuration for a monster heat pipe and sink cooling solution. As home theatre systems and media centers continue to grow in popularity, I see cards silent cards like this finding that growing niche to fill.
Looking for something that’s silent and can provide better gaming than integrated graphics? Today we’re looking at a discrete solution that can offer more graphical prowess than any integrated solution. Its other defining characteristic is that it can do this in total silence. We are referring to the Sapphire R7 250 Ultimate silent GPU. It’s a passively-cooled graphics card that might work for you.
-
GIGABYTE Z97X-Gaming G1 WIFI-BK Motherboard Review @ Techgage
In the Computex 2014 edition podcast we talked about the new Black Edition testing room at the Gigabyte factory and this review at Techgage is proof that a motherboard can survive 7 days of torture and still function.
In fact you get a 5 year of warranty from this service.
Our last two Z97 reviews involved some petite motherboards, so it’s time to go all-out – something GIGABYTE’s Z97X-Gaming G1 WIFI-BK helps us pull off. Its name implies that gamers are the target here, and as you’d expect from its $350 price tag, it’s packed with features. What more reason do you need to read? Come on in.
Personally, I'm not a fan of the black edition testing methods but, this is real world marketing at its best. Gigabyte products are good and the Black Edition testing is a reflection of that.
-
Asylum: Review Block - A little bit of everything a whole lot of nuttin
It has been awhile since I have posted a review block and it felt like a good time to start again. Sadly for reasons only to google this post may never get indexed but, meh we got some good stuff here.
You will find something you like here
- Verbatim Store 'n' Save 1TB USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive Review @ ModSynergy
- AMD Radeon R9 290: Gallium3D vs. Catalyst Drivers @ Phoronix
- Intel Haswell Core i7-4790K vs. i7-4770K Comparison @ techPowerUp
- Intel Haswell-E and X99 Chipset Preview @ ThinkComputers
- PNY GeForce GTX 760 XLR8 OC Video Card Review @ [H]
- HIS R9 290 iPower IceQ X2 OC 4GB GDDR5 Video Card Review @ Madshrimps
- Kingston HyperX Fury 240GB SSD Review @ Hardware CanucksOf course there is more to come and with any luck it will have a 9 and X in the name.
-
ZOTAC Shrinks Mini-PC Further with New Pocket Sized ZBOX PI320 pico
New ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico delivers a superb computing experience in a compact and versatile form factor
HONG KONG – Aug. 27, 2014 – ZOTAC International, a global innovator and manufacturer of graphics cards and mini-PCs, today shrinks the mini-PC further with the pocket-sized ZBOX PI320 pico. The new ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico delivers a superb quad-core Windows 8.1 with Bing computing experience in a compact and versatile form factor.
“ZOTAC is a major innovator when it comes to miniaturizing the traditional PC. We began our push towards smaller and smaller mini-PCs with the ZBOX nano form factor and followed up with the ZBOX nano XS,” said Tony Wong, CEO, ZOTAC International. “Now with the all-new ZBOX PI320 pico, we have created our smallest mini-PC that can fit in your pocket.”
The pocketable form factor measures in at 115.5mm x 66mm x 19.2mm, which is roughly the same size as a small smartphone. Thanks to the tiny size, the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico is the perfect mini-PC for any room in a house, specialized installations, and for seasoned travelers on the go
At the heart of the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico is an Intel Baytrail quad-core processor with Intel HD Graphics technology for snappy system responsiveness and stunning high-definition video playback capabilities. The very energy-efficient processor is cooled with a fan-less heatsink that generates zero noise for an excellent silent computing experience.
Microsoft Windows 8.1 with Bing is preinstalled on the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico mini- PC for instant out-of-box use. Just unbox the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico, plug it in, connect peripherals, and power it on.
The ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico ships with 2GB of DDR3L memory and 32GB solid-state storage with a micro SDXC slot to instantly increase storage up to 128GB. External expansion is available via three USB 2.0 ports on the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico.
A single HDMI output that’s capable of up to 1080p resolution enables the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico to easily connect to most LCD monitors and displays. High-speed 10/100 Ethernet, 802.11n Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 4.0 technologies ensure the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico delivers fast networking performance with and without wires.
It’s time to experience versatile and pocketable computing with the ZOTAC ZBOX PI320 pico. -
Corsair Carbide Air 240 Chassis Review @ Techgage
I have a feeling that this case will be very popular in the coming year. As some of you may know the X99 is due to be released shortly and several motherboard makers are releasing MicroATX board designs. Combine that with dual top in cards and you'll need a case that can handle the heat.
Hot on the heels of the Corsair Carbide Air 540 comes its little brother, the Air 240. It boasts the same unique interior layout, but in a smaller footprint, and all without sacrificing flexibility and cooling performance. Read on to see if good things really do come in small packages.
Sadly I checked the expansion slot layout and much to my surprise they limited the Air 240 to the typical four slots. I guess that rules out any a top end gaming builds given the standard dual slot cooler designs.
Seriously, I sometimes wonder what case designers are thinking.
-
Seagate Ships World’s First 8 Terabyte Hard Drive @ HotHardware
I remember back in the late 90's discussing the idea of a terabyte of storage capacity with near reverence. Like winning the lottery, that amount was nearly unfathomable to comprehend. Fast forward twenty years, and here we are with 1 TB flash drives on our keychains, like fashion accessories. What modern wonders do we dream of today, that in the next twenty years we'll see as commonplace I wonder. One thing you wont have to wait that long for though... commercially available 8TB 3.5" drives, courtesy of Seagate.
"As our world becomes more mobile, the number of devices we use to create and consume data is driving an explosive growth in unstructured data. This places increased pressure on cloud builders to look for innovative ways to build cost-effective, high capacity storage for both private and cloud-based data centers," said Seagate vice president of marketing Scott Horn.
-
Twitch confirms sale to Amazon
Well looks like I was wrong along with the rest of the speculative world. Google may have been in line to buy Twitch.tv but instead it was Amazon who actually put in the order and spent the money.
$970 Million to be precise.
The Twitch CEO, Emmett Shear, had this to say.
Today, I’m pleased to announce we’ve been acquired by Amazon. We chose Amazon because they believe in our community, they share our values and long-term vision, and they want to help us get there faster. We’re keeping most everything the same: our office, our employees, our brand, and most importantly our independence. But with Amazon’s support we’ll have the resources to bring you an even better Twitch
I personally want to thank you, each and every member of the Twitch community, for what you’ve created. Thank you for putting your faith in us. Thank you for sticking with us through growing pains and stumbles. Thank you for bringing your very best to us and sharing it with the world. Thank you, from a group of gamers who never dreamed they’d get to help shape the face of the industry that we love so much.Be sure to check out the full press release on this Twitch page.
The question remains, "What is Amazon going to do with a service dedicated to gaming?" Well, a couple things come to mind.
- Amazon Prime
- Amazon Advertising
The rest remains to be seen along with what changes they plan to make in the future.
