Tech News
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Creative Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB Sound Card Review @ Madshrimps
With the increase of mainstream acceptance of PCs infiltrating the family rooms and offering competition where game consoles typically claimed sole dominance, adding an external sound cards/controllers to your setup can offer a convenient way to give your sound quality a boost. Or they're generally small enough to go mobile as well, and give your laptop a little quality nudge while on the road.
Sound Blaster Omni Surround 5.1 USB card from Creative is a nice addition on systems which not support installation of internal solutions, being available on both Windows and OS X platforms. Even if the device has a small footprint, we do get connectivity for 5.1 systems, optical, but also integrated dual-microphone array along with an extra 3.5mm jack Mic-in and Line-in.
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XSPC Razor R9 290/290X Full Cover Cooling Block Review @ HiTech Legion
There's no denying that this current generation of video cards are some of the hottest around, both figuratively and literally. While water cooling these cards traditionally has been the working realm of the enthusiast, manufacturers now appear to have started embracing more mainstream use of this effective cooling option through aftermarket bolt-on water blocks, to just having it plumbed and ready to go straight out of the factory (in the case of the new 295X for example).
AMD’s new R9 290 and 290X have proven to be hot running components and XSPC has a full cover Razor Block set to cool them down. The XSPC R9 290/290X Razor is installed simply on any reference design, and targets not only the GPU, but the VRM and memory as well for a complete cooling solution. The heart of the Razor is a solid copper contact plate with liquid channeling to all major PCB components and direct contact on the PCB side.
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Asylum: Review Block - Video Cards
As the days count down until Computex, AMD appears to have been busy, and we've seen their video cards getting a lot of attention and press time recently as they respond to NVIDIA's launch of the 780 series. So we've lined them up and popped the hoods to give you a glimpse at the newest generation of AMD hardware in store for you.
AMD Radeon R9 295X2 8 GB @ techPowerUp
MSI Radeon R9 290X Lightning 4 GB @ techPowerUp
MSI R9 290X LIGHTNING Review @ Vortez
Sapphire Vapor-X R9 280X (Refresh) Video Card Review @ HiTech Legion
Sapphire Radeon R9 270 2GB Dual-X Edition Video Card Review @ HiTech Legion
GIGABYTE GTX 750 Ti OC Review @ Vortez -
PNY Optima 240GB SSD Review @ Tweaktown
Slow booting PC got you in the dumps? Well, good news is on the way. PNY has a few new rebates offered on their value branded Optima 256GB SSD drives to give that computer a swift kick in the pants, without putting a large dent in that tax return.
PNY has the two lowest priced 256GB class SSDs on Newegg. One we've seen before and the other is new. Chris tells us about the new SMI controlled Optima.
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Buy EVGA GeForce GTX - Get Watch_Dogs!
Do you remember video cards used to come bundled with video games? EVGA remembers and is offering a copy of "Watch Dogs!" when you buy select EVGA branded video cards GTX 660 and above.
April 29th, 2014 - In a world of smart technology, you need smarter weaponry—GeForce GTX graphics cards. Now for a limited time, you can get Watch_Dogs free with purchase of an EVGA GeForce GTX graphics card (GTX 660 and above).
Take your fight to the streets with a whole new level of performance, ingenuity, and technology including exclusive NVIDIA® TXAA™ antialiasing for stunning graphics, HBAO+, and 4K Surround™ for the most immersive experience. Also, share your greatest Watch_Dogs moments with GeForce Shadowplay™ and get one-click settings optimization and driver support with GeForce Experience™ technology.
Watch_Dogs™ on GeForce GTX. The Way It’s Meant to be Played..
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: http://www.evga.com
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Vantec NexStar 6G 2.5" Hard Drive Enclosure Review @HiTech Legion
With SATA hot-swap drives gaining ground in the US, manufacturers are getting creative in offering portable solutions to fit between the current large external drives and the smaller flash drives.
The Vantec NexStar 6G 2.5” SSD hard drive enclosure is the perfect middle ground. The NexStar (M/N: NST-266S3) by Vantec allows users to put in whichever size SSD fits their own needs best, and supports USB 3.0 speeds of 6GB/s using the latest UASP protocols for Windows 8. The NexStar is made of aluminum and has a plastic tray which slides out to attach the SSD, and measures 120 x 77 x 15.5mm (LxWxH).
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Feenix Nascita Mouse and Dimora Mousepad - BCCHardware
So a discussion came up recently as to the moniker of "gaming gear", and what traits or features set those items apart and above from just normal every-person gear. When the dust settled, we might have had better luck settling on what the best kind of cookie is, (chocolate chip) or something less controversial.
Does a mouse need more buttons than your keyboard, a software suite to rival Microsoft Office, the body design of an Italian supercar, enough processing power and memory that we could conceivably overclock it, or is the essence something simpler then that? This also appears to be the question that Feenix, a new peripheral manufacturer, poses with their inaugural launch of the Nascita gaming mouse.
When it comes to performance, both the Dimora pad and the Nascita mouse score 10/10. Both performed great. I didn’t have any issues with tracking with this pair or any combination of anything else. There was no mouse lag and the buttons are very responsive. DPI adjustment works instantly and I like the fact that you can change the sensitivity on the fly.
The points that were readily agreed on were, that it was responsive enough both in tracking and clicking that we didn't feel that the hardware was a factor in our performance. As for any other features, personal preferences and what game/class/mode/character/role was being played were factors. -
Gigabyte BRIX Pro Mini-PC Review @ Madshrimps
Just like the Mini Cooper, and more recent Fiat 500 invasion, compact is apprently the new cool. The small form factor PC emergence over the last year as we reported couldn't have been more pronounced than at the most recent CES event in Las Vegas. Since seeing the BRIX for the first time there, apparently a new hot-rodded version has been released - the BRIX Pro.
Does size really matter? On some human levels it might, though a different trend has been observed in the PC market over the last year. Compact is the key word, featuring mITX sized motherboards and idem ditto enclosures. These compact PCs are playing a more and more important role in every manufacturers' lineup: Mini PCs, NUCs, they are all amongst us now. For most users the bundled power is more than plenty as the size maters the most. Nevertheless combining the raw power of a desktop setup inside a mini sized housing is a step in another direction. Gigabyte is having big success with their BRIX boxes, time to step up one level. Today we are going to test one of these Gigabyte supercharged versions: the BRIX Pro.
I do feel that there is a growing niche for these, especially as device interconnectivity continues to flourish and the PC starts to find itself in new spots like the family room, where the bulk of a full or half-tower chassis footprint may not fit in modern entertainment centers. -
AMD Radeon R9 295X2 8GB and R9 290X 4GB Video Cards in CrossFireX
This honestly sounds like the premise to every Buddy Cop movie made in the last 20 years. "Two video cards, one a professional who likes to work solo, the other a dedicated by-the-book kind of card. They're going to be partnered together for the case of their careers!"
We throw a HIS Radeon R9 290X 4GB in with the new R9 295X2 8GB and see what kind of magic we can make happen. Let's take a look at the gaming numbers now!
Cinema silliness aside, it's a good read, and worth a look to see how well two powerhouse cards handle everything that can be thrown at them. -
Mionix Avior 7000 Gaming Mouse Review @ Madshrimps
With optical sensors now reaching sensitivities and polling rates once only accessible by laser, I wonder how long before the two sensor technologies are virtually indistinguishable from one another? Or are they nearly there now? Food for discussion.
Along with the Naos 7000, Mionix has also launched an ambidextrous model baptized Avior 7000. This product shares all the good features from the Naos, including the Avago ADNS-3310 IR-LED Optical Sensor which tracks with a maximum DPI of 7000, 128Kb of on-board memory for storing profiles, 4 rubber coating layers or illumination control via software.
It's also a pleasant sight to see more ambidextrous designs released into the wild, and it doesn't look half bad either. Very sleek design traits shared with other competitive mid-range gaming mice we've seen and reviewed.
