Tech News

• ReKTGlobal Acquires Steve Aoki Co-owned Esports Powerhouse Rogue

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Thursday, January 18, 2018

  Esports infrastructure services company ReKTGlobal acquires top Las Vegas-based esports organization.

  LAS VEGAS – January 17, 2018 – ReKTGlobal, the fastest-growing business authority in esports and competitive gaming, today announced its acquisition of the Las Vegas-based esports organization Rogue.

  ReKTGlobal is an esports infrastructure company that bridges the gap between the multi-billion-dollar business of traditional sports and the burgeoning business of esports and competitive gaming. The company connects professional sports and entertainment businesses – from teams and venues to brands and media companies – with esports leaders, aiming to bring the esports industry to its full potential.

  Rogue, known for yielding champions in multiple games—including Overwatch, CS:GO and H1Z1--was founded in May of 2016, in Las Vegas, Nevada. The company quickly became a top esports organization in North America, with a global presence in several of the world’s most popular games. Over the past year and a half, Rogue has strategically expanded its roster to include teams in CS:GO, Rocket League, H1Z1, Vainglory and Rainbow Six Siege.

  Rogue’s rapid success and growth attracted an early investment from Grammy-nominated producer, DJ and EDM entrepreneur Steve Aoki. Also a Las Vegas local, Aoki took an active role in promoting Rogue’s teams and brand locally as well as internationally. His massive social media reach and cultural influence helped Rogue continue its upward trajectory and quickly expand its industry footprint, leading to additional investment from the sports, media and technology worlds.

  Rogue will now be joining ReKTGlobal, which will provide the necessary resources and infrastructure for Rogue to take its expansion to a new level. The acquisition has already attracted new investors, sponsors and other global strategic partners looking for the right opportunity to invest in esports as it grows into a $1-billion industry. ReKTGlobal will retain all current Rogue employees and staff, and focus on expanding the esports organization’s scope. ReKTGlobal aims to upgrade current teams with top players, enter new games and pursue Overwatch and League of Legends franchises in the future. The organization will expand and share offices from Las Vegas to New York City.

  “ReKTGlobal will take Rogue to the next level,” said Rogue co-owner, Steve Aoki. “We share the same passion and vision, and we’re going to continue to build Rogue as an esports powerhouse through new sponsors, partners and by most importantly, winning.”

  “The combination of Rogue and ReKTGlobal is unstoppable. We have all the right elements to dominate the industry: a champion esports team, a passionate fan base, exciting and genuine content, events and activations, deep roots in both esports and traditional sports, connections to the right sponsors and partners, and the best management in the industry,” said ReKTGlobal founder Amish Shah.

  "Rogue is still a young company, and with all the growth we've experienced over the past year and a half, maintaining a solid infrastructure for the organization will be crucial. ReKTGlobal will provide the resources and opportunities Rogue needs to support what we have already built and expand in the ways we have always wanted,” said Rogue CEO and Cofounder Derek Nelson.

  “This is a very exciting moment in the history of Rogue,” said Rogue President and Co-founder Frank Villarreal, an esports veteran who has built championship teams in multiple organizations across every genre of esports.

  “Frank Villarreal is known as the ‘moneyball’ guru of esports,” said ReKTGlobal Vice President of Esports Kevin Knocke. “He has a special power and the right formula for creating and sustaining championship teams. Together with ReKTGlobal, there will be no stopping Rogue.”

  “With such cohesive teams that have competed at the highest level and won for so long in multiple games, Rogue is the ‘plug-and-play’ opportunity for brands, partners and others looking to enter or broaden their support and involvement in esports,” said ReKTGlobal CEO and Co-founder Dave Bialek. “ReKTGlobal and Rogue offer a dynamic 360-degree solution.”

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Thermaltake New Pacific CL Copper Radiators Series

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Wednesday, January 10, 2018

  Deliver the Ultimate Performance for Your Liquid Cooling Gaming PCs   

  Las Vegas, United States-January 10^th, 2018-Thermaltake, a leading brand in PC cooling solutions, today released the latest copper radiator lineup – Pacific CL360, Pacific CL420 and Pacific CL480 along with 7 most advanced liquid cooling products at CES 2018,located at the Venetian Hotel Veronese 2402 Suite from January 9 ^th (Tue) to 12 ^th (Fri). Avaliable in 360mm, 420mm and 480mm, the Pacific CL Series ultilize an extremely thick radiator with copper, brass fins, and stainless steel made side panels to reduce the weight and assure the best cooling capacity and durability. The integrated G1/4" threads are optimized for easy installation while rigid connections ensure leak-resistant measures are in place. The following are 7 new cooling products displayed at the booth. The Pacific C-PRO 16mm OD Compression Fitting is custom made to simplify the installation of PETG tubing, and is available in 6 different colors. The Tt Premium Ice Blue UV Concentrate Coolant is a ready-to-mix and UV reactive blue dye for Thermaltake C1000 series coolants. The Pacific M4 RGB CPU Water Block is a 256-color RGB waterblock designed for the ASUS X299 TUF MARK I/MARK II motherboards and ASUS Aura Sync, along with three water cooling kits – Pacific M360 Plus Liquid Cooling Kit, Pacific M360 Liquid Cooling Kit and Pacific M240 Liquid Cooling Kit. 

  All the products will be available on TT Premium online shops soon. The product availability and price vary by country and region.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Crucial Announces MX500 Solid State Drive

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Tuesday, January 9, 2018

  The next-generation drive is built on quality, speed, and security

  Tech Specs:

  • Micron® 2^nd Generation 64-layer 3D TLC NAND
  • Sequential reads/writes up to 560/510 MB/s
  • Random reads/writes up to 95K/90K IOPS
  • Capacities up to 2TB
  • 2.5-inch and M.2 Type 2280 form factors
  • 5-year limited warranty

   Key Highlights:

  • Great price/performance ratio and superior reliability
  • 45 times more energy efficient than a typical hard drive
  • Dynamic Write Acceleration delivers faster saves and file transfers
  • Integrated Power Loss Immunity preserves saved work in the event of an unexpected power loss
  • AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption keeps data safe and secure from hackers and thieves
  • Exclusive Data Defense guards against data corruption
  • Adaptive Thermal Protection limits temperatures within the drive
  • Compatible with the Crucial® Storage Executive tool for easy drive maintenance
  • Easy installation with a step-by-step guide at crucial.com/ssd-install
  • Free Acronis® True Image™ HD software included for easy data migration

  Boise, ID – JANUARY 9, 2018 - Crucial, a leading global brand of memory and storage upgrades, today announced the availability of the Crucial® MX500 SSD. The new drive features second generation Micron® 3D NAND technology and is 45 times more energy efficient than a typical hard drive. Available in capacities up to 2TB in the 2.5-inch form factor and up to 1TB in the M.2 form factor, the MX500 has sequential reads/writes up to 560/510 MB/s and random reads/writes up to 95K/90K IOPS.

  “This next generation MX500 SSD features a stackable 64-layer, 256-gigabit component. Micron’s floating gate NAND is designed with CMOS Under the Array (CUA), which allows us to minimize the footprint of the die. At 59 square millimeters, it’s among the world’s smallest 256-gigabit die,” said Jon Tanguy, Crucial Senior SSD Product Engineer. “Our engineering team has incorporated this leading-edge NAND technology in an SSD that includes all the advanced features Crucial customers have come to expect to keep their data safe.”

  Crucial also directly addresses two of the scariest issues for first-time SSD buyers: moving files and installation. Upgrading from a traditional hard drive is easy with the MX500 thanks to the data migration and cloning software included with each drive. And the Crucial SSD Install Guide helps new installers with directions for every step of the process.

  “We’re excited about our next generation of SSD drives and the near-instant performance and lasting reliability that comes with them,” said Jonathan Weech, Crucial Senior SSD Product Manager. “Users can rest assured that their data, family videos, travel photos, music, and other important documents are stored safely on the MX500.”

  The MX500 advanced features include:

  • Dynamic Write Acceleration for faster saves and file transfers.
  • Hardware-based encryption tokeep personal files and confidential data secure.
  • Integrated Power Loss Immunity to avoid unintended data loss when the power unexpectedly goes out.
  • Exclusive Data Defense to prevent files from becoming corrupted and unusable.
  • Redundant Array of Independent NAND to protect data at the component level.

  Crucial SSDs have been established, proven, and tested for over seven generations of drives. The MX500 is backed by a five-year limited warranty³ and supported by the Crucial® Storage Executive software tool for easy drive maintenance. The 2.5-inch version of the MX500 is available for immediate purchase at Crucial.com or through our global channel partners, while the MX500 M.2 version will be available in Q1’18. For more information about the whole Crucial SSD portfolio, visit crucial.com/ssd.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Cooler Master Announces New Case Lineup for The First Half of 2018

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, January 8, 2018

  Las Vegas, Nevada January 8, 2018 - Cooler Master, a Taipei-based leader in designing and manufacturing computer components and gaming peripherals, announces their latest additions to the MasterCase and MasterBox series, as well as the refresh of the iconic Trooper SE and Stryker SE cases.

  MasterCase H500M
  Looks meet performance with the MasterCase H500M. Equipped with two, different, front panels the H500M allows users to swap between a mesh styled panel or a combination mesh and tempered glass panel, depending on preference for look or function. The mesh front panel supplies two 200mm addressable RGB fans with maximum airflow while the tempered glass option prioritizes aesthetics and compliments the rugged bar structure. The windowed PSU cover, cable covers, and support for radiators up to 360mm makes this case a perfect fit for any evolving dream build. Additionally, the front I/O of the MasterCase H500M is equipped with a Type-C USB port, four USB 3.0 ports and two 3.5mm jacks allowing users to connect all their devices without having to search for the needed space.

  MasterCase H500P Mesh White
  The MasterCase H500P Mesh White will impress users with its clean, elegant looks and impressive performance. Two 200mm RGB fans stand behind the mesh front panel while two optional 200mm fans can adorn on the top, providing users with the needed airflow for a cool(er) running system.

  Armed with a tinted tempered glass side panel and transparent top panel, RGB illumination will be clearly visbible. The rugged, futuristic look and the structured bar design are inspired by Cooler Master’s former High AirFlow series. With options such as built-in vertical graphics card mounting, a customizable PSU shroud, and various cable covers, users can personalize their build while keeping it clean. Radiators, up to 360mm, are fully supported both in the top and front of the MasterCase H500P Mesh White enabling users to build a system that looks clean with performance that is even cooler.

  MasterCase MC-Series, Remastered: Get More, Pay Less
  With the launch of the MasterCase series in 2015, Cooler Master set new standards for internal and external case modularity. The FreeForm™ Modular System gives the user absolute control over how their case looks and functions.Based on Community Feedback, the new MasterCase MC-series is a further developed line of cases that offers even more freedom for layout flexibility.

  The modular upgraded frame allows the partition plate and M-Port to be reallocated or removed. The MasterCase MC500M and MC500Mt models come, out of the box, with an RGB partition plate. The RGB partition plate will be available as an accessory, as well, so users can upgrade the standard steel partition plate in the other models with the new RGB version.

  Additionally, each individual model is equipped with a light grey tinted tempered glass side panel and received additional upgrades on the specifications like the I/O panel functionality and cable covers for clean building. All MC-series cases will also have 360mm support brackets for a front radiator.

  MasterBox Q300P and Q300L
  The MasterBox Q300P is a portable option in the lineup of the brand new MasterBox Q-series from Cooler Master. This series might be small in size, but it excels in functionality and modularity without compromising thermal performance. Four removable handles and the DarkMirror front and top panels make the chassis easy to transport and stand out from the rest. Although the size wouldn’t tell, the MasterBox Q300P supports a standard ATX PSU which is not commonly seen in the market with this size.

  Due to the cube design of the frame, you can turn and rotate this chassis in multiple positions. The I/O panel can be adjusted to six different locations, three options at each side of the case. Two RGB fans are pre-installed in the front of the case that lets users decide which setup and color theme fits best. The combination of the portable design and the unique, exchangeable, aesthetic makes the MasterBox Q300P the perfect choice for gamers and creative builders.

  The MasterBox Q300L is a simpler option in this lineup of the MasterBox Q-series. The special pattern design on the magnetic dust filter will make the chassis stand out from the rest. The combination of a practical design and the unique customizable outlook makes the MasterBox Q300L the perfect choice for office and home usage.

  Trooper SE / Stryker SE Refresh
  Users will now be able to arm themselves with the new Trooper SE or Stryker SE and build their own gaming experience. The edge-to-edge light grey tinted tempered glass side panel provides a clear view of any battle station and two additional PCI slots at the rear give users the option to mount their graphics card in a vertical position. Users can make their system even more outstanding by mounting up to four SSDs in a vertical position, as well. Equipped with X-Dock, these cases give you an easily accessible external 2.5” storage hot swap bay for quick action. Enhanced water cooling support for up to a 360mm radiator in the front and a 240mm on the top, together, with the fan speed controller with LED indicator, will ensure performance will not suffer.

  MasterBox MB500
  A semi-meshed front panel with ventilation holes on top will allow more airflow from the two pre-installed 120mm RGB fans in the front and one 120mm RGB fan in the rear. The excellent thermal performance and aggressive outlook of the MasterBox MB500 make it a perfect choice for gamers and PC enthusiasts. The spacious interior and two chamber design allow users to assemble their case faster and cleaner. The MasterBox MB500 can support up to a 360mm radiator, 400mm in length graphics card, 160mm in height CPU cooler and 180mm in length PSU. Users can show off their unique build through the 4mm thick edge-to-edge tempered glass side panel.

  MasterBox TD500L
  The MasterBox TD500L will stand out from the rest with its three dimensional, diamond-cut design on the front bezel and side panel. This uniquely shaped edge-to-edge side panel will create special lighting effects from different viewing angles, but also gives users a clear view inside their system.

  The full black coated interior is the perfect canvas for a build while the PSU cover and 19mm width space behind the mainboard tray provides plenty of space for cable management. The MasterBox TD500L can hold up to six 120mm fans, provides front, top and rear radiator placement support and ensures users won’t have to compromise on performance. Graphics card support for up to 407mm allows you to equip yourself with the latest graphics cards for your cutting-edge system build.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Sennheiser sets new audiophile standard with launch of HD 820

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Monday, January 8, 2018

  THE GAME CHANGER for closed-back Audiophile headphones

  Wedemark/Las Vegas, 8 January 2018 – Sennheiser is redefining the limits of audiophile sound – with the new HD 820 which will first be showcased at CES. The closed-back dynamic stereo headphones deliver astonishingly transparent sound, thanks to a unique glass transducer cover that minimizes resonances – an innovation that ensures an incredibly realistic and natural sound field.

  With a more than 70-year history of setting performance standards in sound, Sennheiser is once again redrawing the map with the creation of the HD 820. The new circumaural dynamic stereo headphones shatter expectations of what was thought possible from a closed-back model and set a new benchmark in sound quality for this type of design.

  

  “Whether on the move, at work or at home, the passionate audiophile will always want to appreciate their music to the full,” said Axel Grell, Portfolio Management Consumer at Sennheiser. “Usually, high-end headphones require an open-back design, which has placed limits on where you can enjoy true audiophile sound. The HD 820 is a game changer that delivers exceptional sound while insulating the listener from their environment. I consider them to be the most transparent-sounding closed-back headphones in the world.”

  The HD 820 establishes a new reference standard for its class, with an incredibly realistic and natural sound field. This breakthrough performance has been achieved through a special innovation: Over each of the legendary Sennheiser Ring Radiator transducers are unique glass covers. Revealing the acoustics within, the patent-pending curved Gorilla glass serves to reflect the sound waves from the rear of the transducer to two absorber chambers, which results in minimal resonance.

  Engineering an unparalleled listening experience
  Manufactured in Germany, the headphones feature a robust metal headband with an inner damping element, and silver-cladded OFC cables and gold-plated plugs. Meanwhile, the ear pads have been handcrafted from high-quality non-allergic synthetic leather and microfiber to cushion and insulate the listener from ambient noise. Together, these carefully selected components and materials delight every sense while producing an unparalleled listening experience.

  Complete the Sennheiser audiophile experience
  Sennheiser’s HDV 820 amplifier for dynamic headphones is the perfect companion to the HD 820. With its consistently symmetrical signal processing and extremely low harmonic distortion, the amplifier ensures unadulterated and perfect music enjoyment when paired with audiophile headphones. A specially tuned symmetrical, impedance matching cable with low capacitance is included with the HD 820 to guarantee seamless performance from this audiophile duo.

  Sennheiser’s HDV 820 amplifier for dynamic headphones is the perfect companion to the HD 820.

  Both HD 820 and HDV 820 feature Pentaconn connectors – the new standard for balanced outputs. This offers a lower contact resistance than all other connections for headphones to produce minimal distortion and a more transparent sound reproduction.

  The new HD 820 will be available from early summer 2018 for 2,399 EUR/2,399.95 USD (MSRP).

  CES 2018 takes place in Las Vegas from January 9 to 12. To experience and learn more about HD 820 and other product news, visit Sennheiser in South Hall 1, Booth 20606.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Mining XMR Monero With AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition Cards @ Legit Reviews

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Wednesday, January 3, 2018

  Funny how GPU mining has spread, even hardware review sites are getting onboard and a quick look at the Disqus comments proves that zealots in the crypto world are taking notice.  Sadly, only to poke holes in whatever is being reported by quoting and sending people to "other" websites.

  For instance, consider this interaction (not a direct quote)

  Some Reader: "Oh hey, ya saw your review of the EVGA DG-77, how is the cooling?"
  My Reply: "Good man, I didn't see any reason to be concerned"
  Some Reader: "Well, this video I watched on YouTube says the cooling sucks so you have to be wrong because everything on YouTube is correct"
  Me: *shakes head*

  First of all.  Why bother asking me how the cooling is when you are already convinced that it is bad because of a YouTube video.  On top of that the video in question is more of an opinion piece than a review where they have NOTHING good to say about the product.  In that environment, yes the author will do whatever they can to make it look bad.

  Second, the case has a F*uk1n glass plate over the fans!!  What do you expect?  Open air cooling performance??  Pfft use your brain people.

  Oh.. getting back to the article at Legit Reviews.  Seems good. You (s|c)ould check it out.  In fact here is a super confusing quote to help seal the deal.

  AMD Radeon RX Vega graphics cards do very well on the CryptoNight proof-of-work algorithm and miners are using them to mine Monero, Electroneum, Sumokoin, Bytecoin and Karbo. This is because the profitability is better on those coins than Ethereum that uses the Ethash proof-of-work algorithm. It’s tough to find an AMD Radeon RX Vega 64 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 graphics card due to this. That is why we turned to the readily available AMD Radeon Vega Frontier Edition to do some manual labor in the mines.

  Whoa, talk about keywords. 

  At one point I considered adding CryptoMining to my video card benchmarks however the numbers change based on the difficutly making it pretty inaccurate.  2k Hashes (or whatever) might be realistic at the time of the review but, a week later that might drop due to difficulity increases.  Heck framebutter size can impact performance where the miner will simply stop if the hash gets too big.  #TWSS

  #notmymoney

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• The Criminal Underworld Is Dropping Bitcoin

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Tuesday, January 2, 2018

  The beginning of the end?  Seems that way.

  In monero’s case, criminals are snapping it up because bitcoin’s underlying technology can work against them. Called blockchain, the digital ledger meticulously records which addresses send and receive transactions, including the exact time and amount -- great data to use as evidence. Match an address to a crime and then watch the bitcoin universe carefully, and you can see the funds disappear and reappear in other locations.
  
  

  Sleuths have developed databases and techniques for digesting that information to eventually nab wrongdoers. Say, for example, a coffee shop in Berkeley is known to have a certain bitcoin address, and a wallet used by an extortionist transfers the same amount there every morning at 9 a.m. Police can stop by and make an arrest.

  It was only a matter of time before smart people figured out a way to track the blockchain.  Sure it doesn't point to a single user but, the wallet does.  That is a lot of data to sift through but with the right software it isn't difficult.

  In researching this story I went to check out Monero and as you would expect it is setup much like Bitcoin with dedicated software and websites setup to create wallets and distribute software.  There is even a developer network who charge for the mining software. 

  I have said this many times.  Digital currency is the ultimate multi-level marketing and it is bound to come crashing down.  Of course the folks at the top will be cashing in and all the poor suckers buying into the hype will end up losing everything. 

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• TechPowerUp's Best of 2017

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Thursday, December 28, 2017

  I should do one of these.  Anyone dare me to look back on 2017 and tell you what was great about it?

  #didntthinkso

  Before we say farewell and adieu to 2017, join the editors of TechPowerUp on a trip down the memory lane as we look back at each of our specific review categories. The first annual TechPowerUp Best of article aims to recognize products that held up to the hype, and in some cases even managed to surprise and over-deliver.

  If you have been paying attention this year it should be pretty easy to figure out what was great and what really didn't live up to expectation.  I'm really surprised to see Core i7 8700K on the list despite the lack of availability and motherboard options.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• EwinRacing Flash Series Ergonomic Office Chair Review @ Bigbruin

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Thursday, December 28, 2017

  Gaming chairs are one of those items that you are always curious about but never brave enough to try.  Many reviews are deeply seeded with opinion that it is difficult to know if the chair is good or if the review is bad. 

  Well, it would seem that Bigbruin feels the same way.

  

  I have never reviewed a chair before, but I have sat in plenty of them, so I would say I am fairly qualified to share my opinion. The EwinRacing Flash Series chair is definitely very comfortable, and overall has a very high build quality. There is plenty of adjustability to it, and the inclusion of both a lumbar and a neck pillow are welcome touches. I also appreciate that it can accommodate such a range of user heights / weights, as I am quite often left with chairs maxed out and still wishing for a little more room! Not with this chair, as it can go so high that my feet are left dangling.

  I'm actually quite impressed with the EwinRacing chairs.  They seem to pull in all of the stuff that makes a great gaming chair and then stacks on crazy build quality to push things over the top.  Do you need an alloy caster base and reinforced chair frame?  Not really but, by gum, if I can get a chair with that stuff it will become a decision point for sure.

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• Caselabs Bullet BH8 Unboxing Video @ Modders-Inc

  

  By: Dennis Garcia | Published: Wednesday, December 27, 2017

  Video and Hardware Reviews have been a thing since the days of "Another Kickass Review",  I never felt they were all that effective but were fun to watch.  For those that remember the Kickass time you might get a chuckle.  If not you might as well go back to your YouTube and support the unsustainable marketing engine.

  Modders-Inc has posted a video review of the CaseLabs Bullet BH8.  This is a standard sized computer case that looks more like a test bench than traditional tower.  there isn't anything wrong with that and given the absense of external drives we might see more designs like this.  Of course if you really want a tower case, then you might as well go back to watching your YouTube videos cause this bit if news is not for you.

  Have you ever wanted a case that is custom made and created by someone that understands the issues you have when updating your system? Caselabs to the rescue with the Bullet BH8! Created in the USA and by a small private company that knows what it is like to not be able to put a system together just the way

  Caselabs has been one of the go to vendors for the many of the show builds you see on YouTube (again for those who don't bother reading anymore).  Caselabs chassis are quite large and assemble using screws over the traditional rivets you see in just about every computer case in the world.  Personally I find this werid but then again they have never trusted us enough to send over a sample.

  Be sure to check out the video over at Modders-Inc.

  Full ArticleVisit Website