Tech News
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MONTECH Launches High Airflow ATX Case SKY ONE LITE
July 25, 2022, Taipei, Taiwan – MONTECH, an innovative PC components and peripherals brand, announces the SKY ONE LITE. The newest addition to the SKY series offers top cooling performance at a great value with a fine mesh front panel, 3 pre-installed 120mm high airflow fans, and an all-around anti-dust design. The SKY ONE LITE is equipped with modern and functional features such as a removable quick connect ARGB front panel, top I/O including a USB Gen 2 Type C port, and an easy swivel tempered glass side panel. And for the first time, a Frost White edition, which is completely white themed with white duster filters, grommets and silver screws. The SKY ONE LITE is available in Black US$69.99 and Frost White US$72.99.
High-End Performance
The SKY ONE LITE’s design provides the best airflow for high-end PC hardware. At the front, the fine mesh panel consists of 1.5mm diameter mesh holes spaced at 2.25mm apart, providing a 40.3% open area ratio for higher airflow yet prevents dust from entering the case. In addition to unrestricted openings at the top (filtered) and back of the case, 3 pre-installed 120mm high airflow fans (2 at the front, 1 at the rear) for ideal cooling performance. Users also have the option to upgrade cooling with up to 3x 120/140mm fans or up to 360mm radiator at the front, 2x 120/140mm fans or up to 280mm radiator at the top, 2x 120mm fans above the PSU shroud, and 1x 120mm fan or radiator at the rear.Compelling Front Panel and I/O
The SKY ONE LITE’s front panel balances functionality and aesthetics. In addition to its fine mesh design, the panel sports an 18 LED ARGB embedded vibrant light strip at the center, and an ARGB backlit MONTECH logo at the top. Powered via a contact pad, this means no messy cables for easy removal of the panel. Located at the top of the case, users can find the LED control buttons to quickly change between the 21 built-in light effects, or pass the lighting control to the motherboard RGB software. Located at the top of the front panel, the SKY ONE LITE offers a modern array of I/O including 2x USB 3.0, 1x Audio, and 1x mic port, as well as 1x USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port.Hinged Tempered Glass and Hardware Compatibility
Displaying the PC gracefully, the left side of the SKY ONE LITE is equipped with a tempered glass panel featuring a zero drill hole design to improve its sturdiness. Mounted on hinges, the panel can be quickly swiveled open and even removed for complete and safe access to the PC’s high-end hardware, which includes support for graphics cards of up to 350mm in length, CPU coolers of up to 170mm in height, ATX PSUs of up to 180mm, and up to 3x 2.5” SSDs and 2x 3.5” HDDs.Frost White Edition
The SKY ONE LITE is available in Frost White edition, an all-white design on the interior and exterior. The chassis has a high-quality white coating that is whiter than the standard white cases. The interior features white rubber grommets, white fans, and white dust filters. On the exterior, the SKY ONE LITE features a white frame, a white pull-tab for the side glass panel, and even silver screws.For more information
SKY ONE LITE Black:
https://www.montechpc.com/en/products_detail.php?nid=281&s_ok2=SKY ONE LITE Frost White:
https://www.montechpc.com/en/products_detail.php?nid=283&s_ok2= -
Huge Discounts on be quiet! Anniversary FX Hardware
Act fast! These discounts are only valid until the end of September while supplies last!
It is hard to believe that it is the 20th anniversary for be quiet!. It seems like just yesterday I was meeting with them during Computex and excited to hear about another case and cooler brand breaking into the US market. At the time I knew they had been around for a while but, didn’t realize how established the brand really was.
For the 20th Anniversary be quiet is launching the FX line of products and consist of the following:
Discounts of up to $30 USD can be found on the Pure Base 500 FX and Pure Loop 2 FX AIO cooler. A $13 USD discount can be found on the popular Pure Rock 2 FX if running an AIO isn’t your thing.
Pure Base 500 FX:
MSRP: $149.90 USD- Based on the acclaimed Pure Base 500DX
- Four preinstalled be quiet! Light Wings 120mm high-speed fans
- External and internal ARGB LED lighting
- ARGB and PWM fan hub included
- Great air flow
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C
- Fits radiators up to 360mm
- Space for high-end GPUs
Pure Loop 2 FX
MSRP: $129.90/139.90/154.90 USD depending on configuration- Based on Pure Loop, but with new and improved pump that supports PWM control
- Available with 240mm, 280mm, 360mm radiator and up to 3 Light Wings PWM high-speed fans
- ARGB illumination on the cooling block replaces white LED ring
- Easy-to-access refill port with coolant bottle included in scope of delivery
Pure Rock 2 FX:
MSRP: $52.90 USD- Based on Pure Rock 2 Black
- Light Wings 120mm PWM high-speed fan replaces Pure Wings 2 fan
- 150W TDP
- Four 6mm heat pipes
- Asymmetrical tower construction to keep memory slots free
- Easy top mounting
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US Senate passes CHIPS Act 2022, bans recipients from expanding advanced chip capacity in specific countries
This is really big news and is designed to help companies design and manufacture the technology that is developed in the US. Currently many semiconductor designs are actually produced in Taiwan and China which not only increases the chance of Intellectual Property theft but also removes an important revenue stream from the United States.
The chips act is designed to change that.
The Senate on July 27 passed CHIPS and Science Act of 2022, bipartisan legislation in a vote of 64-33. A total of US$52.7 billion will be spent as a 5-year incentive for developing domestic semiconductor manufacturing capabilities and other programs.
In the legislation, section 103 stipulates that recipients of Federal incentive funds are prohibited from expanding or building new manufacturing capacity for "certain advanced semiconductors in specific countries that present a national security threat to the United States." Though China is not specifically mentioned therewithin, media such as CNBC and Reuters have interpreted that the CHIPS Act is to boost US production in competition with China.
Within the US$52 billion funding, US$39 billion is allocated over 5 years to subsidize the domestic chip manufacturing capacities; US$2 billion is provided to focus on legacy chip production to advance economic and national security interests; US$6 billion may be used for the cost of direct loans and loan guarantees.
As with most things in the US, this is just a loan so, it will eventually need to be paid back making the whole process more of an investment for the future with a "bail out" option when things eventually go sideways.
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Funky Kit Review - Kingston Fury Beast RGB 32GB DDR5-6000 Memory Kit
Wait, hold the presses! What the heck is this?? Kingston actually making "good" memory?? First, we have Micron abandoning a well-recognized retail brand with numerous world records all because their DDR5 DRAM is literal junk. And, here we have Kingston stepping up with 6000Mhz DDR5 memory modules that are actually pretty good.
What kind of world is this? Oh, right. it is the real world where the brave and intelligent actually get ahead.
Kingston Fury Beast RGB 32GB DDR5-6000 memory kit delivers high performance, excellent stability, great overclocking potential, and you get all that in an aesthetically pleasing form, with amazing RGB illumination that gives a soul to your PC. Whether you are a gamer or PC enthusiast, you will be fully satisfied with what this memory series has to offer.
The Kingston (formally HyperX, buy not HyperX cause HP) Fury Beast RGB appear to use heatspreaders from the previous generation and look pretty good. I wonder if they have the IR Sync feature or, if they figured out how to actually get all of the RGB lights to blink at the same time.
Maybe Funky Kit has that answer, check out the review!
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Antec DF800 FLUX Computer Case Review @ APH Networks
There was a time when I loved Antec computer cases. They were some of the best money could buy, the styling was spot on and the construction could rival some of the greatest projects in the known world.
Sadly, things went a little sideways for Antec and when they started to lose market share we started to see the company scramble to catch up and they never quite recovered. In my opinion their designs were either crap or worthless garbage so it makes me wonder what kind of case the Antec DF800 really is..
The Antec DF800 FLUX is an airflow-focused performance case with flashy RGB LED case fans.
APH Networks has a great review of the Antec DF800 where they talk about all of the major features and try to cover the critical points that most YouTube channels are famous for. In the end they give the chassis a decent score.
I'm not sure I would be so nice and call out the super thin metal used to build the chassis and the super lazy expansion card slot retention screws being on the OUTSIDE of the chassis. It might be able to move air around and you might be able to build in it but this case (and others like it) are the epitome of putting lipstick on a pig, it may look good but it is still rolls in its own crap.
Be sure to check out the review for more information
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Funky Kit Review - Desklab Ultralight Portable 4K Touchscreen Monitor
Ok, so the "hook" phrase got me interested enough to click on the link and then the photo of the product got me interested to find out what the heck it is.
If you find yourself needing a portable monitor and don't want to miss out on any features, then the monitor from Desklab is a great option to take a look at!
Basically, it is a Microsoft Surface tablet, without the tablet and options to allow for touch support and external video input. e.g. a Monitor.
What a novel idea. Check out the review for more details.
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eufy Security Video Doorbell Dual @ LanOC Reviews
I have a love and hate relationship with smart home devices. From the technical standpoint I love the automation aspects and the ability to program certain systems to react to situations and report back what they find.
However, I do take issue with "how" smart home devices are being handled. Most require an internet connection, even more require a service agreement and almost every one of them calls home so the data can be stored in the cloud. Sadly, most smart home devices exist as a way for a company to make money and to do that you have to accept that certain aspects of what you are paying for will be out of your hands.
Seems that is the world we live in and, if you are curious about what is happening in that world you can pick up a video doorbell camera thing and keep one eye on the prize while the other is casually looking out the window.
It’s interesting how over the years the number of smart home devices in our home has grown with a majority of our lighting integrated, smart speakers in key rooms to control things and for music/questions, and we have a good set of security cameras outside to keep an eye on things all of the time and some inside for when we are away. But one of the most quintessential “smart home” devices the video doorbell still hasn’t been added into the mix. It isn’t that I haven’t wanted one, but for a long time I was holding out trying to find one that could integrate without Blue Iris camera setup but there haven’t been much for options, and companies have been trending more and more to their own ecosystems so I decided why wait any longer let's make the step. So let’s check out the eufy Security Video Doorbell Dual camera which has a second downward-facing camera to keep an eye out for and on packages.
I find that video seems to be an integral part of the smart home package and for those living in "less than desirable" locations it is nice to finally record thieves in the act. Sadly, you still cannot shoot them but, until then you can get an answer to that burning question of who stole my inanimate bedtime companion.
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VIPER™ GAMING Launches World's First RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD
Built on the latest Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 controller. Designed to deliver unparalleled performance for gamers and creators. Now available in 1TB and 512GB.
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA — June 14th, 2022 — VIPER™, a trademarked brand of PATRIOT™ and a global leader in performance memory, solid-state drives, and flash storage solutions, is proud to announce the market launch of its VPR400, the world's first RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD. A unique aluminum heat spreader has been included to keep the drive thermally stable while accenting the onboard RGB LEDs. This SSD is built using the latest Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 controller along with the highest quality 3D NAND memory chips, allowing the drive to provide the 4K Aligned Random Read and Write speeds up to 600K and 500K IOPs and Sequential Read and Write speeds up to 4,600MB/s and 4,400MB/s (1TB model). Now available in capacities of 1TB and 512GB.
"The VIPER VPR400 has been crafted to deliver blazing speeds and performance for intense gaming and video content creation. VIPER understands that keeping high-speed SSDs thermally stable is the key to maintaining the storage unit's performance and longevity. "Said Roger Shinmoto, Vice President of VIPER GAMING.
Onboard RGB is fully synchronizable with other VIPER GAMING RGB peripherals using the smart VIPER RGB 3.0 software, allowing users to customize their lighting profiles or choose any pre-programmed RGB lighting patterns.
The VIPER VRP400 SSD is different from the traditional NVMe SSDs, which set performance restrictions that limit read and write data transfer speeds to maintain a workable operating temperature. Instead, the VIPER VRP400 supports the Thermal Throttling technology using a built-in thermal sensor and firmware to wisely manage the SSD operational performance and temperature. This technology can effectively prevent overheating while efficiently commanding the best performance under dynamic conditions.
Backed by VIPER GAMING's 5-year warranty, the VIPER VPR400 RGB M.2 Gen 4x4 SSD is one of the best choices for gamers and video content creators who require ultra-fast bootup speeds and instantaneous access to files for superior productivity. The VIPER VPR400 will be available in late June at Amazon, Newegg, and more major retailers.
VIPER VPR400 RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD
Capacity
1 TB
512 GB
Model Number
VPR400-1TBM28H
VPR400-512GM28H
Controller
Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 Controller
Form-Factor, Interface
M.2-2280, PCIe 4.0x4
Sequential Read
4,600MB/s
Sequential Write
4,400MB/s
3,600MB/s
4K Aligned Random Read IOPS
600K IOPS
4K Aligned Random Write IOPS
500K IOPS
TBW
800 TB
400 TB
O/S Supported
Windows® 7*/8.0*/8.1/10
*May require the driver
Features
Thermal throttling technology
VIPER RGB APP 3.0 Sync up
Aluminum shieldWarranty
Limited 5-year warranty
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ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC Graphics Card @ Funky Kit
As the issues subside from the global chip shortage it will become easier to find AND purchase electronics. For hardware enthusiasts that means video cards like the one featured in this review.
The ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB graphics card is definitely worth considering, if you want a decent graphics card for 1440p gaming. It offers a slightly improved performance over the original RX 6700 XT, thanks to an overclocked GPU and faster GDDR6 ram running at 18Gbps
I will admit that I don't know much when it comes to AMD based video cards but, based on the numbers this seems like a mid-range GPU with a nice factory overclock and GDDR6 memory.
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Patriot Joins Forces with ACPI to Form Comprehensive Customer-Centric Compan
FREMONT, CALIF. June 7, 2022 -- PATRIOT™, a global leader in performance memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals, and flash storage solutions, is pleased to announce Patriot has merged ACPI, integrating the resources and strengths of both parties. The merger has been in effect since May 1, 2022. With this new partnership, both companies will work in tandem with the ultimate goal of making the newly formed dynamic a force to be reckoned in this competitive industry. Backed by their synergized resources, extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing, finance, and human resources, this dynamic duo will provide Patriot Group with professional products and solutions for customers.
Patriot Group has garnered a reputation for designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing high-performance memory and storage products and solutions. Its cutting-edge technology streamlines users and technologies of data applications for various verticals.
The Patriot Group executes its mission across various industries and market segments via its three leading brands, Patriot, Viper Gaming, and ACPI. Patriot offers the latest consumer memory and storage technologies, including DRAM, SSD, and flash memory. Viper Gaming features cutting-edge overclock-ready DRAM, high-performance SSD, and ultra-modern and sophisticated gaming peripherals that appeal to hardcore gamers. ACPI is the group’s brand for industrial-grade storage solutions, providing flash storage devices for industrial applications and embedded systems with reliability and quality. Per the merger agreements, the combined entity will operate under Patriot Memory, Inc. and continue to market the Patriot, Viper Gaming, and ACPI.
“Patriot is proud to team up with ACPI to broaden our customer base and bolster our already extensive suite of products. We are a customer-focused entity and always strive to be at the pinnacle of innovation to provide our clients with the best. With ACPI, Patriot Group is poised to redefine industries.” expressed Patriot Group CEO, Jance Lu.
Patriot was pioneered in 1985, starting with its entrance into the DRAM OEM business. The company established itself as an industry leader with its consistency and dedication to providing high-quality products and solutions. Their recognition and bevy of loyal customers led them to rapidly scale into the Patriot Memory brand, introduced in 2004. Patriot continued to blaze a trail, and soon it became the tier 1 brand in the industry. Following research and development success, Patriot VP4300 Gen4x4 M.2 SSD and Viper DRAM have become the best-selling products in the U.S.
ACPI Digital was established in 2003 and transitioned into the ACPI brand by 2011. ACPI has focused on delivering the best in the B2B market, providing flash storage devices for industrial applications and embedded systems. In addition, ACPI has introduced the Power Shield function to all its product lines, giving data integrity to protect from sudden power outages.
