Tech News
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GIGABYTE Launches New X99 Champion Series Motherboards
Of course a day after I launch the Hardware Asylum Podcast about the Big XTU Challenge where I rag on the X99 SOC Force EOL I get this..
City of Industry, California, March 6th, 2015 – GIGABYTE TECHNOLOGY Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of motherboards and graphics cards is proud to announce today the addition of 4 new high performance motherboards to their comprehensive Intel® X99 chipsets offering with the X99 Champion series. The new motherboards consist of the X99-Gaming 5P, X99-UD4P, X99-UD3P and the already famous X99-SOC Champion.
“Since its launch in January, the GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion motherboard has become the undisputed performance leader for X99 motherboards with over 30 top overclocking scores under its belt including 10 World Records, commented Henry Kao, Vice President of GIGABYTE Motherboard Business Unit. “With the launch of our latest X99 Champion series of motherboards, we wanted to extend the same levels of performance leadership including support for the world’s fastest DDR4 memory to our X99 G1™ Gaming and Ultra Durable series motherboards.”
DDR4 memory modules are available at a stock frequency of 2133MHz, but memory vendors encode XMP profiles which can automatically modify the frequency and timings of the supported memory modules to work in par with your CPU. With the X99 Champion Series, GIGABYTE is offering a tested and proven platform that ensures proper compatibility with profiles up to 3200MHz, and exclusively 3400Mhz for the X99-SOC Champion.
Paired with DDR4 memory such as the Corsair® Limited Edition Orange Dominator® Platinum kit, which was custom designed for the GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion motherboard, users can take advantage of better responsiveness during gaming and faster operation execution in memory demanding works applications.
GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards also provide support for RDIMM memory which allows users to use greater density memory sticks up to 16GB per stick. This paired with a range of exciting features such as the GIGABYTE’s Amp-Up Audio, Killer™ E2200 or Intel® gigabit Ethernet controller and unique GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ features means that users can truly build a PC that brings them exceptional performance and durability.
Genuine All Digital Power Design
GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards use an all-digital CPU power design from International Rectifier® which includes both digital 4th Generation digital PWM Controller and industry-leading 3rd Generation PowIRstage™ controllers. These 100% digital controllers offer incredible precision in delivering power to the motherboard’s most power-hungry and energy-sensitive components, allowing enthusiasts to get the absolute maximum performance from their next generation Intel® Core™ processors.
IR Digital PWN and IR PowIRstage® ICs
This new generation of IR® digital power controllers and PowIRstage® ICs feature Isense technology, which provides more precise current sensing accuracy. This helps evenly distribute the thermal loading between the PowerIRstage® ICs, preventing the overheating of each individual PowIRstage®, resulting in longer lifespan and better reliability.
Server Level Chokes
GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards features Server Level Chokes.- Server level reliability
- High current capacity
- New design reduces heat created by power loss and provides efficient power delivery to CPU VRM area.
Long Lifespan Durable Black™ Solid Caps
GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards integrate the absolute best quality solid state capacitors that are rated to perform at the maximum efficiency for extended periods, even in extreme performance configurations. This provides peace of mind for end users who want to push their system hard, yet demand absolute stability.
6x (30?) Gold Plating
GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards come equipped with a 30 micron thick gold plating, 4 PCIe slots and over the DIMM slots, which means that enthusiasts can enjoy better connectivity, absolute reliability and longevity for the diverse connectors overtime, without having any concerns about corroded pins and bad contacts.
Creative® Sound Core3D™ Quad-Core Audio Processor Plus Creative SBX Pro Studio Audio Suite
Exclusive to the gaming motherboard of the X99 Champion series, the X99-Gaming 5P features the world’s first Quad-Core Creative Sound Core3D Audio Processor plus Advanced Creative SBX PRO STUDIO Audio Suite. SBX Pro Studio™ suite of audio playback technologies delivers a new level of audio immersion. Realistic surround sound, the ability to clearly hear specific sounds in a gaming environment are just a few elements of SBX Pro Studio that enhances the overall experience, be it movies, games or music.
Realtek ALC 1150 115dB SNR HD Audio with Built-In Reat Audio Amplifier
Featured across the other Champion motherboards is the Realtek ALC1150, a high-performance multi-channel High Definition Audio Codec that delivers an exceptional audio listening experience with up to 115dB SNR, ensuring users get the best possible audio quality from their PC.
The ALC1150 provides ten DAC channels that simultaneously support 7.1-channel sound playback, plus 2 channels of independent stereo sound output (multiple streaming) through the front panel stereo outputs. Two stereo ADCs are integrated and can support a microphone array with Acoustic Echo Cancellation (AEC), Beam Forming (BF), and Noise Suppression (NS) technologies. The ALC1150 incorporates Realtek proprietary converter technology to achieve Front differential output 115dB Signal-to-Noise ratio (SNR) playback (DAC) quality and 104dB SNR recording (ADC) quality.
Killer Networking
The GIGABYTE X99-Gaming 5P motherboard features the Killer™ E2200, a high-performance, adaptive gigabit Ethernet controller that offers better online gaming and online media performance compared to standard solutions. The Killer™ E2200 features Advanced Stream Detect technology, which identifies and prioritizes all network traffic to ensure important applications that require high-speed connectivity are prioritized over less important traffic.
Intel® GbE LAN with cFos Internet Accelerator Software
Additional GIGABYTE X99 Champion series motherboards feature cFos Speed, a network traffic management application which helps to improve network latency, maintaining low ping times to deliver better responsiveness in a crowded LAN environment. cFos Speed works in a similar way to an OS driver, monitoring network traffic packets at the application layer, allowing optimization and improved network performance for specific applications.GIGABYTE X99 Series Motherboard Models*
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Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog Review @ ocInside
I'm posting this because. reasons.
Some older gamer might still remember it ... one of the most famous joystick in the world was the Atari CX-40 - an orange button with a black handle. Nearly 30 years later, the technology has made great progress so that we can proudly present the latest generation of joysticks today - the Thrustmaster Hotas Warthog. In fact, it is a set of two devices. As the name implies, HOTAS means Hands On Throttle And Stick. So take your seat, bring your seat in an upright position, fasten your seat belt, stop drinking and smoking. We are now taking off !
Last time I played a game without a mouse and keyboard was back in the Mechwarrior 2 days and when I was done with that title all of the gear went into a box never to be seen again. Not sure I would be in the market for a "Thrustmaster" but, I can't speak for everyone.
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ZOTAC ZBOX EN760 Plus Review @ Vortez
Zbox might be the future, still doesn't have the raw horsepower of a desktop but can rival any portable computer out there.
EN760 Plus is a mini-PC which features a dual-core Intel processor, 8GB DDR3 and NVIDIA’s GTX 860M. Along with these components there are also many features which gamers and enthusiasts are likely to find useful. On paper EN760 Plus appears to be quite a capable machine, but will it be able to handle everything we throw at it?
I have seen demos of these machines playing high-end triple A titles but never bothered to check the specs. Seems like an important thing to do, maybe next time.
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Gigabyte X99 SOC Champion Reviews
Most enthusiasts would agree that X99 motherboard rumors have been rather flat since CES except for the new X99 SOC motherboard from Gigabyte called the Champion. or.. Gigabyte X99 SOC Champion if you like the long proper name. This motherboard is designed to replace the X99 SOC Force and goes back to the Gigabyte OC roots by giving you plenty of overclocking controls without the hardware bloat.
As I heard from Gigabyte the Champion is designed with memory overclocking in mind and should push X99 performance higher than ever. Assuming the system is properly overclocked and cooled with LN2. Not many review sites bother with LN2 anymore but, they aren't afraid to put the hardware thru their testing suite to give you an "accurate" assessment.
Web Reviews
- GIGABYTE X99 SOC Champion LGA 2011-v3 Review @ [H]
- GIGABYTE X99-SOC Champion Review @ Hardware CanucksI'm still waiting for my sample and when it arrives I plan to look at what changed between the Force and Champion editions and maybe, just maybe, do some LN2 testing and see just how good my 5960X really is.
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The Podcast of the Month @ Podcast Land
One of the side benefits to having a podcast listed on iTunes is that other sites tend to use that directory to create an index of active Podcasts. Podcast Land is one such site and they take things a step further and implemented a cleaver voting system (read: popularity contest) two determine a podcast of the month.
I was trolling /r/Podcast and noticed they feature the Podcast Land podcast of the month at the top of the subreddit for the entire month.
Here is a crazy idea. For those of you who like the Hardware Asylum Podcast, how about throwing down a vote to make it the podcast of the month over at Podcast Land.
Just enter an email address and press vote.
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EVGA GeForce GTX 960 SuperSC - Now Equipped with 4GB of GDDR5 Memory
March 3rd, 2015 – The EVGA GeForce GTX 960 delivers incredible performance, power efficiency, and gaming technologies that only NVIDIA Maxwell technology can offer. This is the perfect upgrade, offering 60% faster performance and twice the power efficiency of previous-generation cards*. Plus, it features VXGI for realistic lighting, support for smooth, tear-free NVIDIA G-SYNC technology, and Dynamic Super Resolution for 4K-quality gaming on 1080P displays. These new versions come outfitted with 4GB of high speed GDDR5 memory giving you higher texture qualities and better 4K performance!
The new EVGA ACX 2.0+ cooler brings new features to the award winning EVGA ACX 2.0 cooling technology. A Memory MOSFET Cooling Plate (MMCP) reduces MOSFET temperatures up to 11°C, and optimized Straight Heat Pipes (SHP) reduce GPU temperature by 5°C. ACX 2.0+ coolers also feature optimized Swept fan blades, double ball bearings and an extreme low power motor, delivering more air flow with less power, unlocking additional power for the GPU.
New Features:
- 4GB of High Performance GDDR5 Memory – Improved 4K gaming performance and higher texture qualities!
- dBi (dB Noise Inverter) – EVGA’s ACX 2.0+ fan turns off below 60C, generating 0dB of noise.
- MMCP (Memory MOSFET Cooling Plate) – Full size cooling plate makes direct contact with memory and MOSFETS, reducing memory up to 9°C and MOSFET up to 11°C.
- QSD (Quick Switch Dual BIOS) – Multiple integrated BIOSes allow you to switch to the secondary with the flick of a switch.
- OPT (Optimized Power Target) – The power target is precisely tuned for the perfect balance of thermal, power and performance, offering 33% more power over reference.
- SHP (Straight Heat Pipes) – Triple 8mm straight heat pipes offer 6% better heat dissipation than bent heat pipes with reduced thermal resistance.
Learn more about the EVGA GeForce GTX 960 4GB lineup here: http://www.evga.com/9604GB
See the EVGA GeForce GTX 960 SuperSC video overview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65mjPjodnnk
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10 Years of Techgage.com
I prolly shouldn't promote other hardware review sites this way but Rob Williams is a good friend of mine and I'm happy to see that he, and his website, is still alive and kicking after 10 long years.
To help celebrate the occasion it seems the familar yellow/orange site color has been replaced with a nice blended shate of blue and they may have some hardware promotions in the near future.
Rob, hats off buddy! May there be 10 more!
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Five GeForce GTX 960 cards overclocked @ The Tech Report
I had this article in the news inbox for about a month now wondering if I should post it with some comments or hit the /dev/null button and be done with it. As you can see I decided to give it some love and see what some people thought of the conclusions.
What I'm saying is that I should have the basics of this gig down pretty well by now. One would think.
Yet my attempt to cover a bunch of GeForce GTX 960 cards has left me flummoxed. I can't seem to get my head around how to approach it. Part of the problem is that I already looked at these five different flavors of the GeForce GTX 960 in my initial review of the GPU. I tested their power draw and noise levels, and I compared their performance. I then resolved to do a follow-up article to look at the individual cards in more detail, along with some overclocking attempts.
Seems simple, right? Yet as I sit here and attempt to pull together this article, I'm struggling to make it work.Basically the article was about Scott's quest to figure out what GTX 960 was the best and figured that overclocking would be the best way. As many of you know low end GPUs often are sold factory overclocked and you'll be hard pressed to find a "reference" design anywhere. That being said there is very little to compare against and given that each card is tuned for its factory overclock pushing the cards "further" isn't going to get you much.
Read: they are already maxed out.
I'm not surprised that Scott came up with nothing for his conclusion and basically said buy what you like. Now, as an overclocker I know that GPU and Memory quality a HUGE factors in pushing factory overclocked cards because they are already maxed out. Likewise PCB design helps the tuning process and can benefit if you wish to void your warranty and really see what they are capable of.
Bottom line: Most people looking to buy a GTX 960 are doing so because they cannot afford a GTX 970 and likely won't do anything to the card aside from installing it and maybe blowing out the dust. This begs the question of "Why?" and it comes down to competition on the shelf. EVGA has the highest core clock, lets buy that one, oh ASUS is the smallest, lets buy that one, wow MSI has a light up dragon, omg I need that.
These companies are giving you good performance on the dollar and the lack of performance gain from overclocking is actually a good thing, it means they actually did their job and delivered.
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GIGABYTE GA-X99M-Gaming 5 Review @ Vortez
I do like me some Gigabyte motherboards and I'm not just saying that cause I review them but, rather that they are pretty good.
(Wait I guess I literally just said that) doh!
Today, we get to look at the latest LGA2011-3 Socket X99 motherboard from GIGABYTE only this time it is far from the monolithic SOC Force we reviewed upon release. This time the motherboard is much smaller but still encompasses the Gaming-G1 branding so it will be interesting to see if this mATX motherboard still has what it takes to house Intel's finest range of processors or it is simply a diminutive but basic motherboard hoping to draw in consumers on the back of previous success and clever marketing.
Best thing about this motherboard is that it is tiny, MicroATX tiny and supports the new LGA2011v3 processors and single banks of quad channel DDR4 memory. The board also comes with Gaming G1 features assuming you buy into the marketing suggesting you need them for some reason.
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ASUS X99-DELUXE Motherboard Review @ Techgage
Typically the Deluxe motherboards are feature packed and often quite stable. There is no reason why the X99 variant should be any different.
The name “DELUXE” is often used on products that don’t quite deserve it, but when it comes to ASUS’ motherboards, the company makes sure that isn’t the case. Given that, it’s little suprise that the X99-DELUXE does in fact deserve its name, as it doesn’t just offer a slew of features and capabilities, it packs in extras we wouldn’t ever expect.
This review reminds me that it has been almost 3 years since I reviewed an ASUS product, (assuming you don't count the ASRock back in 2013), and it might be time to get back on that gravy train of awesome UEFI implementations and excessive design.
