Tech News
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ASUS and Noctua announce ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition graphics card
Taipei/Vienna, October 4th 2021 – ASUS and Noctua today announced the ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 Noctua Edition: the world’s first graphics card to use Noctua fans and a tailored heatsink that has been co-engineered by Noctua. Allowing for a reduction in noise levels of up to 15dB(A), this refined cooling setup makes the Noctua Edition the quietest card in its class and the perfect choice for customers who demand serious GPU performance without sacrificing quietness of operation.
“Using our extensive thermal R&D experience, we’ve created a new GPU heatsink that's tailor-made for the performance characteristics of their state-of-the-art NF-A12x25 fans,” said Kent Chien (Corporate Vice President and General Manager of the ASUS Multimedia Business Unit). “Our teamwork gives noise-conscious gamers and Noctua enthusiasts a unique graphics card that maximizes heat dissipation per decibel of noise emitted, all in a package that coordinates perfectly with other Noctua products in a DIY PC.”
“Customers have been asking us to create GPU cooling solutions for quite some time, so we’re excited and honoured to team up with ASUS in order to make this happen. Using our NF-A12x25 fans and fine-tuning the heatsink for use with them, we’ve managed to achieve a significant boost in performance-to-noise efficiency”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “ASUS’ GeForce RTX 3070 was certainly an outstanding card already, but we’re confident that the further improved cooling solution of the Noctua Edition will be the cherry on top for noise-conscious customers.”
Measured side by side, the improvements of the Noctua Edition are substantial with a massive reduction in noise levels of 15dB(A) at medium fan speeds and 9dB(A) at maximum fan speeds. When used in cases with good ventilation and at moderate ambient temperatures of 24°C or lower, the card will keep its fans at very low speeds even at 100% GPU load. In such a typical setting, the Noctua Edition achieves a reduction in noise levels of 5.7dB(A) as compared to the standard version. Registering at only 12.6dB(A), it is not only quiet but near inaudible. This enables customers with well-ventilated cases and moderate ambient temperatures to play games or run other GPU intensive tasks in almost complete silence.For more information -
Thermaltake and Studio F. A. Porsche Announce a Design Collaboration on the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair
A Pursuit in Uncharted Experience
Walnut, California-September 30th, 2021-Thermaltake, the leading PC DIY premium brand for Cooling, Gaming Gear, and Enthusiast Memory solutions, is delighted to announce a new collaboration with Studio F. A. Porsche, a union where exclusive functional design meets with cutting-edge gaming peripheral technology. Thermaltake and Studio F. A. Porsche has reimagined the traditional gaming chair and took it to the next level regarding aesthetic design, quality, and engineering. Together, Thermaltake and Studio F. A. Porsche has created a premium gaming chair that is not only exclusively designed for gamers. The new ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair is also an excellent fit for the working professional. It will be available in six colors allowing users to select the best chair for their taste.
"The new ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair is more than just a gaming chair – our goal was to find the perfect balance of refined ergonomics, convincing comfort, and outstanding aesthetics. The result of this collaboration with Thermaltake defies any categorization – it is both a sporty gaming chair as well as an advanced office chair, executed in the best possible way", says Christian Schwamkrug, Design Director and Deputy Managing Director of the Studio F. A. Porsche.
"We are excited to have collaborated with Studio F. A. Porsche to develop a highly refined and expertly executed gaming chair— the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair draws inspiration from the comfort & luxury of top-tier sports car seats and combines it with the multi-functionality of a professional gaming chair. This versatile real leather gaming chair is perfect for the modern office, gaming room, and home space, "says Kenny Lin, Thermaltake Founder & CEO.
New Style Design: inspired by high-end race cars
Designed by Studio F. A. Porsche, the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair combines the best of both worlds - the aesthetics of a racing bucket seat with the functionality and elegance of a modern lounge or office chair. The design ingenuities are inspired by high-end race cars and translated to a gaming chair. Firstly, the side integrated aluminum alloy handles are designed for tilting and elevating. The left-side handle can adjust the seatback up to 126°, and the right-side handle can alter seat height in between 16.1" - 20.8" (41 – 53 cm).Furthermore, the seated part features a built-in wire-control mechanism that guarantees superior functionality and gives a neat overall appearance. In addition, the E700 features a class-4 gas spring for height adjustments, a premium grade 5-star aluminum alloy base, and large 3" caster wheels covered by PU to ensure stability, reliability, and safety. Lastly, located at the front middle of the chair is a Thermaltake logo plate in polished metallic silver aluminum finish, which is both unique and sophisticated.
Iconic Colors: light up your space
On the foundation of functionality, Thermaltake adds another exciting addition to the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair by offering a whole range of multicolored options, including Glacier White, Flaming Orange, Ocean Blue, and Racing Green offering vivid colors and a highly scratch-resistant surface with minimal color fade. Storm Black and Space Gray represents the finest quality through a subtle and elegant matte finish, and the calm tone is simple but classic. Despite the color, a refined chair can light up your space and bring ambiance to your gaming stations, and bling to your office. Users can create their styles with these unique colors no matter the situation.Superlative Comfort: For a satisfying user experience
The ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair is fully covered by genuine real leather with 1 - 1.1 mm thickness complimented with delicate stitching over the entire seat and headrest. The seated area is constructed with perforated leather for extreme heat dissipation and ventilation. High-density molded foam provides firm body support while maintaining a sedentary posture and even weight distribution. Additionally, the unique one-piece curved-back chair design allows users to achieve full-body immersion by either sitting straight up or relaxing in four lockable angles, 107°, 113°, 119°, 126°. In comparison, the quad-directional armrest adjustments provide support for the forearm and help to relieve wrist pressure. Pushing both the function and aesthetics to another level, the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair is more than just a chair; it is the perfect fit for you to immerse yourself in virtual adventures or working environments for hours.Features of the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair:
Premium Genuine Leather
It is fully wrapped by genuine leather with 1 - 1.1mm thickness over the entire seat and headrest. The genuine leather is known for its durability, moisture resistance, and easy maintenance, and embroidered with elegant red stitching and unsurpassed breathability design for optimal aeration and style.Race Car inspired Side Handles
Designed to reflect a race car, the integrated side handles can be tilting and elevating, allowing users to find the perfect posture! The left side handle positions the seat back up to 126°. The right side handle adjusts the seat height between 16.1 - 20.8" (41 - 53cm).Polished Aluminum Logo
The Thermaltake logo plate located in the front middle is aluminum polished, be unique!First-Class Seating Experience
The one-piece curved-back design intends to appear aesthetic and futuristic; additionally, its formation provides a full-body immersion, imitating a first-class seating experience.Perforated Leather Seat Design
Perforated leather offers breathability to achieve heat dissipation and ventilation.Versatile Adjustments
Four-directional armrest movements in height and width for optimal support of the forearm to relieve wrist pressure and muscle strain.Adjustable Headrest
Integrated headrest with lift adjustment up to about 1.9" (5cm).High-Density Molded Foam
The genuine leather gaming chair is packed with high-density molded foam of 143.3lbs/ft³ (65kg/m³). High-density and premium foam offer even weight distribution and firm body support while maintaining a sedentary posture.Sit Straight or Relax
Sit back in four lockable angles: 107°, 113°, 119°, 126°.Class-4 Gas Spring
Class-4 gas spring for maximized safety and reliability during height adjustments.5-star Aluminum Base & Caster Wheels
Premium grade 5-star aluminum alloy base with large 3" (7.5cm) caster wheels for enhanced stability. Suitable for soft and hard floors, without scratching the floor.Recommended Measurements
- Height: 5’6” – 6’2” (170cm – 190cm)
- Weight: 331 lbs (150kg)
Thermaltake ARGENT E700 gaming chairs will be available in the middle of October at the Thermaltake USA web store.
To learn more about the ARGENT E700 Real Leather Gaming Chair, please visit:
Glacier White:
Space Gray:
Storm Black:
Flaming Orange:
Racing Green:
Ocean Blue: -
Intel Confirms AIB Partners Are Building Custom Arc Alchemist Graphics Cards @ Hot Hardware
In the broad spectrum of the PC Hardware world there are several truths.
One, when upgrading your processor, you will almost always need a new motherboard and the only thing stopping motherboard makers from fusing the CPU to the PCB is because it is cheaper.
Two, there is such thing as a perfect case design and much like a motherboard it is paired with the hardware. Everyone complaining about cases, case cooling and case design has picked the wrong case for their hardware platform.
Three, nobody wants a stock video card, the only reason stock video cards exist is because of OEMs and that consumers are penny pinching tight asses who what the cheapest price, NOT the best deal.
Knowing this I am surprised to see a news headline indicating that Intel confirms that board partners will be able to build custom versions of Arc Alchemist graphics cards. Most of the time a "custom" graphics card indicates an aftermarket cooler and maybe a tweaked VRM and memory layout however, I'm not sure how far Intel will allow things to be pushed. Maybe they allow some extreme overclocking with dynamic frequency adjustments and full voltage control OR maybe they follow the NVIDIA lead and lock everything down.
Unless plans change between now and then, the answer is yes, Intel's hardware partners will offer up custom models rather than just sticking with Intel's reference design. This is the same approach AMD and NVIDIA take with their graphics cards—they each launch their own models (NVIDIA calls them Founders Edition), while AIB partners can decide whether to stick with reference designs, or offer up custom-cooled and overclocked variants. Or both.
It will be interesting to see what finally comes out of the Intel camp when the Arc is released.
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Shurikey Gear Hanzo Keyboard @ TechPowerUp
Are you looking for a compact keyboard but can't seem to find one with a arrow pad? Well, look no further the Shurikey Gear Hanzo has your fingers covered in up arrow, down arrow right arrow and left arrow clickness.
Shurikey Gear is a new brand with ties to Varmilo and focuses on bolder ideas with more fun ventures promised. Their first keyboard, the Hanzo, is a 65% form factor unit that adopts a retro-industrial design, comes in three themes with unique color combinations, and uses the new Varmilo EC V2 switches.
I guess they are calling it a 65% form factor, I call it just another flat keyboard with gimmick keys and fresh new design. The logo is nice too.
The project launched on Indegogogo, giving you a chance to back this project if you find it of interest.
Shurikey HANZO EC V2 Mechanical Keyboard -
Crucial Ballistix 32GB DDR4-3600 CL16 Memory Kit @ Funky Kit
For years I talked about how Crucial was just down the street, I could literally throw rocks at their building and they rarely supported me with review product, or even answered my emails. Of course, that has changed but, not after quite a bit of work and getting the right connections.
It would seem that Funky Kit has picked up a better connection than me given their review of the Crucial Ballistix 32GB DDR4 3600Mhz CL16 Memory Kit in Red and the distance that memory needed to travel just to be tested and written about.
The Ballistix 32GB DDR4-3600 memory kit is yet another exceptional product from Crucial. It's inexpensive but performs great, and gives you amazing overclocking potential. Every gamer or overclocking enthusiast will be fully satisfied with its results.
With DDR5 on the horizon and a new set of processors and chipsets due to be released I suspect there will be very few DDR4 reviews in the future which will eventually be replaced with DDR4 vs DDR5 - What is the difference and should you care.
The quick answer is... You will have no choice, if you want to use the new platform you will need to use the new memory.
On a side, and somewhat related note, I'm not a fan of the new Ballistix heatspreader design.
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Zotac GeForce RTX 3090 AMP Extreme Holo Graphics Card Review @ ThinkComputers
GeForce RTX 3090 from Zotac. Now that, is an amazing score! Though, it makes you wonder if the card is any good??
It has been a while since we’ve reviewed a graphics card here at ThinkComputers. In that time we have seen a few lower-end launches, but as of right now the RTX 3090 remains as the top dog in NVIDIA’s consumer lineup. At launch there were only a few models available from different NVIDIA add-in board partners, but since then some really awesome high-end models have been released. One of those is Zotac’s RTX 3090 AMP Extreme Holo, which sits at the top of their RTX 3090 product stack. This card features Zotac’s highest factory overclock on a 3090 at 1815 MHz GPU Boost. In addition to that you have a 16+4 power phase design, Zotac’s IceStorm 2.0 triple-fan cooling solution, a very cool holographic design on the side of the card, and some interesting RGB lighting. Is this the ultimate RTX 3090? Read on as we find out!
From a visual standpoint the Zotac AMP Extreme is on point, the design is solid and the cooler can rival many of the awesome MSI designs. Zotac has also been pretty good with the RGB lighting and with curb appeal like that the card has to be good right?
I guess I'll have to get one to find out, or you can check out the review.
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ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade 2 TB @ TechPowerUp
By now everyone should have realized that storage performance is based on several factors. Interface, Controller and storage medium. The Interface has been standardized in modern PCs between SATA and PCI Express based and the storage medium is speaking mostly about "how" the bits are being captured. This is either NAND or Magnetic media.
The third factor is often what determines actual performance and that is the controller. Get 10 drives from different manufactures lined up and then group them by controller and you'll get a nice curve jumping between groups.
It would seem that ADATA has finally gotten on board to offer an "affordable" PCIe 4.0 drive and likely skimped on the controller but, it can be put into a PlayStation 5 so, that is a thing.
At $300 for the reviewed 2 TB version the ADATA XPG Gammix S70 Blade is one of the most affordable PCIe 4.0 SSDs available today. Despite its low price it offers compatibility with Sony's PlayStation 5 and performance is comparable to Samsung 980 Pro, WD Black SN850 and Corsair MP600 Pro.
$300 bones isn't bad for good storage.
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Funky Kit Review - ASRock B550 PG Riptide Motherboard
In my entire hardware review career I have only reviewed a single ASRock motherboard. It was the ASRock Z87 OC Formula Overclocking Motherboard and was actually quite good. Sadly, (well not really) I gave it away as one of the prizes in a website promotion giveaway and made an entire family happy.
Thing is, getting that board was like pulling teeth and after the review went live they ghosted me. I didn't think the review was that bad but, maybe it was.
Funky Kit has a pretty good review up on the ASRock B550 PG Riptide that might be worth checking ouf if you are in to the whole "AMD" thing and don't mind "B" grade chipsets.
If you're planning to build a AMD-based gaming PC, and want an affordable motherboard that does the job ... then the ASRock B550 PG Riptide is your answer. It offers great value for money with good performance, and a decent amount of features to match.
The board is pretty bare but, as I have been told you can't see the fancy covers once the solid side panel goes on.
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SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB CPU Cooler Review @ APH Networks
Check out this "hook"
The SilverStone Hydrogon D120 ARGB is a high performance, high compatibility cooler with cool ARGB lighting at a competitive price
I have been testing this cooler for the past couple weeks and I am so far really impressed with thew Core i9 10900k Comet Lake performance and it does a great job at keeping temperatures in check thanks to the dual tower cooling and independent 120mm ARGB fans.
Look for our review of this cooler in the next couple days!
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Noctua announces free-of-charge mounting upgrades and updated CPU coolers for LGA1700
Vienna, August 17th 2021 – Noctua today announced that it will provide free-of-charge mounting upgrade kits for Intel’s upcoming LGA1700 platform, enabling customers to keep using existing CPU coolers on the new 12th generation Intel Core CPUs (Alder Lake-S). Additionally, most of Noctua’s current multi-socket cooler models will soon include LGA1700 mounting hardware and the popular NH-L9i low-profile coolers will come in new, dedicated LGA1700-revisions.
“We have offered free-of-charge mounting upgrade kits to our customers ever since AMD introduced AM2 in 2006, and we’re proudly continuing this tradition with Intel’s upcoming Amber Lake-S processors and the LGA1700 socket”, says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “Customers will be able to upgrade most Noctua CPU coolers since 2005 at no additional cost, so even 15-year-old coolers can be used on the latest processors!”
The new NM-i17xx-MP83 and NM-i17xx-MP78 SecuFirm2™ mounting kits will allow Noctua coolers with both 83 and 78mm mounting pitch to be upgraded to LGA1700. True to the SecuFirm2™ tradition, the kits combine outstanding reliability, optimal contact pressure and easy, straightforward installation with a fixed-strut backplate that doesn’t require any pre-assembly or adjustment. Detailed motherboard compatibility lists that indicate which coolers are compatible with individual LGA1700 motherboards will be provided in the Noctua Compatibility Centre (NCC) once the motherboards become available.
For our chromax.black line coolers, both the NM-i17xx-MP83 and the NM-i17xx-MP78 will also be available in all-black editions. All kits will be available free of charge via Noctua’s website once LGA1700 CPUs and motherboards start selling. A proof of purchase of both an eligible Noctua CPU cooler and either an LGA1700 CPU or an LGA1700 motherboard will be required. Depending on the country, express shipping options may be available but will be subject to service charges. Alternatively, customers who need the kits urgently will be able to purchase them on Amazon starting in mid-October for a suggested service charge of EUR/USD 7.90.
“Using a CPU cooler across several platform generations instead of buying a new heatsink for each generation is not only economical, it also helps to reduce unnecessary waste and save precious resources”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “By upgrading rather than replacing your cooler, you’re actively contributing to a more sustainable PC industry!”
In addition to the free mounting upgrade kits, Noctua is in the process of updating most current multi-socket coolers to include LGA1700 mounting hardware. For some models, the updated coolers are already shipping, so customers who buy new coolers will soon receive units that include LGA1700 mounting parts. Other models will be available in the updated variant shortly. Customers who still receive models without included LGA1700 mounting can always get the free upgrade kits in order to make their coolers compatible with the new socket. An approximate timeline detailing which model will be updated when is linked below.
Due to severe compatibility restrictions, there will be no upgrade kit for NH-L9i series coolers. Instead, Noctua will introduce new, dedicated revisions for LGA1700 both of the regular NH-L9i and the chromax.black version. The new NH-L9i-17xx and NH-L9i-17xx chromax.black will be officially released in October.
Links
NM-i17xx-MP83: https://noctua.at/en/nm-i17xx-mp83-mounting-kit
NM-i17xx-MP78: https://noctua.at/en/nm-i17xx-mp78-mounting-kit
NM-i17xx-MP83 chromax.black: https://noctua.at/en/nm-i17xx-mp83-chromax-black-mounting-kit
NM-i17xx-MP78 chromax.black: https://noctua.at/en/nm-i17xx-mp78-chromax-black-mounting-kit
Socket compatibility overview (Noctua Compatibility Centre): https://ncc.noctua.at/socket-compatibility-overview
FAQ: 83mm (NM-i17xx-MP83) vs. 78mm (NM-i17xx-MP78) mounting pitch, which kit do I need? https://noctua.at/en/productfaqs/productfaq/view/id/245
Timeline of Noctua coolers to include LGA1700 mounting hardware: https://noctua.at/en/productfaqs/productfaq/view/id/247
FAQ: How can I check if my Noctua CPU cooler already includes LGA1700 mounting parts?: https://noctua.at/en/productfaqs/productfaq/view/id/246
About Noctua
Designed in Austria, Noctua’s premium cooling components are internationally renowned for their superb quietness, exceptional performance and thoroughgoing quality. Having received more than 6000 awards and recommendations from leading hardware websites and magazines, Noctua’s fans and heatsinks are serving hundreds of thousands of satisfied customers around the globe.
