Hardware Asylum CES 2025 Coverage
I would like to thank Yeyian Gaming for helping sponsor Hardware Asylum during CES 2025. The Consumer Electronics Show starts Jan 9th and runs through Jan 12th.
Yeyian Gaming offers an wide range of solutions for the PC gamer including pre-built PCs to fully customized gaming computers with an online configurator. Their builds feature the latest in computer hardware including Intel Ultra, AMD Ryzen 9 and the latest in Nvidia RTX.
Be sure to check them out at https://us.yeyiangaming.com and the Venetian Tower if you'll be attending CES 2025.
Tech News
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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.
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Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Computer Soundbar Review @ APH Networks
The Creative Katana is an amazing peice of tech that can had full and rich sound to your desktop PC or mini home theater. We have reviewed both Katana versions and found that The Sound Blaster Katana V2 is the same great sound bar that had fixed all the issues we discovered with the first version.
The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 continues to be a well-designed and well-built soundbar like its predecessor with noticeable positive changes in every area, but the sound quality has room for improvement for the price.
Be sure to check out our reviews of the Creative Katana and start slashing away at bad audio.
Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Multi-Channel Gaming Soundbar Review
Creative Sound BlasterX Katana Multi-channel Gaming Soundbar Review -
Streacom DA6 Open Frame SFF Case
The great thing about building computers is deciding what chassis to buy. Since I still build full sized ATX computers I prefer to have a larger chassis to hold my watercooling gear while giving me enough air volume for proper cooling. For others, there could be space constraints so choosing a chassis could require some additional checks and adjustments to internal components.
I have noticed a dangerous trend in chassis design that has migrated away from the traditional box to a more open designs, sometimes with tempered glass and others with carbon fiber. The scary part is that many of these designs have no real design. For instance the designer might be trying to replicate the electric bike hobby they have been consumed with while others are simply trying to improve on something they are impressed with.
The new DA6 from Streamcom is interesting in that I can see a number of external influences. For instance the vertical Mini ITX design reminds me of the SilverStone FT03-MINI while the bars remind me of something In-Win did some 10 years ago with the D-Frame 2.0. Together they look pretty good but also resemble a chrome kitchen chair from the 60’s
With the DA6 we have an open-air chassis design that has all of the components in a vertical orientation. This helps to save space and does give the chassis a nice curb appeal. You'll get two handles at the top due to the looping pipes and full open-air cooling. There are no provisions for external storage. As Streamcom has correctly assumed, the advent of NVMe storage as removed any need for SATA drives on the Mini ITX platform.
I have used open air test benches for many years and while they are amazing for testing out hardware platforms they are horrid at cooling and often require additional fans to ensure that cooler air is always moving across the components. It would appear that you get provisions for a single external cooling fan which, should be just enough.
Check out the DA6 on the Streamcom website, Link is below
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VIPER GAMING Attends DreamHack Dallas 2022
Hands-on activities for gamers along with exclusive sales on gaming products, walk-up onsite gaming tournaments with prizes and daily raffle giveaways.
FREMONT, CALIFORNIA — May 31st, 2022 — VIPER™, the trademarked gaming brand of PATRIOT™ and a global leader in performance memory, solid-state drives, and flash storage solutions today is announcing that the VIPER GAMING team will be attending DreamHack Dallas 2022 from June 3rd to June 5th, one of the most significant esports festivals in the world. VIPER GAMING will team up with MetaPC and CLX Gaming to showcase their case-modded PCs featuring VIPER memory and storage solutions as well as demonstrate the gaming performance of VIPER VENOM DDR5 and Patriot Signature DDR5 memory kits. The onsite activities include daily tournaments, a DreamHack-only special sale for VIPER GAMING peripherals, and a daily raffle during the event. Gamers and modders shouldn't miss this most expected esports festival of the year and participate in the raffle giveaway hosted during DreamHack. Online giveaways with multiple gifts and great deals will be run during each event day.
"DreamHack is looking to be one of the biggest esports events in the nation. So many activities during the event make it a great opportunity to get to know gamers and modders and their reactions to VIPER GAMING products. It is also a great chance to showcase how our VIPER VENOM DDR5 gaming systems can improve the gaming experience." said Roger Shinmoto, Vice President at VIPER GAMING.
The VIPER GAMING booth will feature walk-up gaming tournaments with prizes for the winners. The game titles will be: Slay the Spire, Mini Motorways, and Aim Lab. All gaming systems used for these tournaments will be equipped with best-selling gaming peripherals and empowered by the VIPER GAMING DRAM and storage solutions. Gaming PC builders, MetaPC (https://www.metapcs.com/), and CLX Gaming (https://www.clxgaming.com/) will be showcasing two of their latest case-modded gaming computers featuring Viper Venom DDR5 and Patriot Signature DDR5 memory. These machines and others will be available for onsite visitors to experience the power of the high-speed DDR5 performance on popular game titles.
Onsite and online raffle giveaways will be hosted each day. Onsite visitors who follow VIPER GAMING on social media will get a free ticket to join the raffle giveaway and have a chance to win VIPER GAMING peripheral prizes. Winners will be announced onsite and notified through VIPER GAMING's social media. VIPER GAMING will also host an online giveaway; details about the giveaway and instructions on how to enter can be found on the contest page: https://gleam.io/nz87C/dreamhack-dallas-2022-giveaway
Gamers who visit the VIPER GAMING booth during DreamHack will be able to purchase VIPER GAMING peripherals at a DreamHack-only price. (Credit cards only, no cash.) DreamHack will be hosted in Dallas, Texas, from June 3rd to June 5th, 2022, at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas, Dallas, TX, USA. More VIPER GAMING information can be found at https://viper.patriotmemory.com/.
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GeIL Launches the World’s First Active Cooling DDR5 Memory Equipped with Innovative RGB Dual Fans
GeIL EVO V DDR5 RGB Hardcore Gaming Memory featured a ground-breaking dual-fan cooling system that combines RGB illumination and next-generation active cooling design into a one-piece molded heatshield.
Frequencies from 4800MHz to 6600MHz and capacities of 32GB and 64GB.
Taipei, Taiwan —May 19th, 2022 -- GeIL – Golden Emperor International Ltd. – One of the world's leading PC components & peripheral manufacturers, is excited to announce the market launch of its EVO V DDR5 RGB Hardcore Gaming Memory kits providing high-frequency modules ranging from 4800MHz to 6600MHz and available in large kit capacities of 32GB to 64GB. The unique heat spreader design features active cooling and fascinating RGB lighting effects and is available in titanium gray or glacier white color themes.
GeIL EVO V DDR5 RGB Hardcore Gaming Memory offers unparalleled memory performance and stability to meet the intensive demand of hardcore gamers and overclockers across Intel’s latest platforms. GeIL has crafted a break-through cooling solution for EVO V modules that integrates a stunning RGB light bar and two micro cooling fans into a single molded aluminum heat shield. Most importantly, the physical height of the heat spreader allows it to be compatible with most CPU coolers on the market without any mechanical interference. The heat spreader comes in two color options, titanium gray and glacier white, perfectly matching the most popular color themes of high-end motherboards and desktop PC components. Two cooling fans are located in the heatshield's upper right and left corners and provide extra airflow to keep the modules operating in an ideal thermal range. The dual-fan cooling heatshield can provide approximately 45% more thermal dissipation than traditional.
Gamers and Computer enthusiasts have expected more from GeIL to improve their gaming experience, and our answer is the EVO V DDR5 RGB Hardcore Gaming Memory." Said Jennifer Huang, the VP of GeIL Memory. "The EVO V has established a new standard in heatshield design as we have created an active dual-fan “FANtastic” cooling system to keep EVO V within an ideal thermal range. The RGB illumination and fans are part of a one-piece heat spreader design that enhances overclocking performance and builds an eye-catching system.” She added.
The exceptional architecture of the DDR5 memory is based on locked/unlocked PMIC (Power Management Integrated Circuit), which can provide threshold protection, synchronized voltage monitoring, smart voltage control, and power management to achieve a more comprehensive voltage control under normal and overclocked conditions. Additionally, the on-chip ECC function enables active error correction to improve data integrity and enhance memory performance and stability. The GeIL EVO V supports the latest Intel® XMP 3.0 profiles for precision and stability to auto overclocking, giving users more accessible access to customize and tweaking memory performance. Each module uses strictly sorted ICs and memory chips to offer excellent signal integrity and system performance reliability.
Backed by the limited lifetime warranty, the GeIL EVO V DDR5 RGB Hardcore Gaming Memory will be available in July in major retailers worldwide with speeds from 4800MHz to 6600MHz at 1.10 to 1.35V and capacities from 32GB to 64GB.
Product Specification
Product Name EVO V DDR Generation DDR5 Frequency 4800MHz / 5200MHz (O.C.) / 5600MHz (O.C.) / 6000MHz (O.C.) / 6200MHz (O.C.) / 6400MHz (O.C.) / 6600MHz (O.C.) Kit Capacity 32GB / 64GB Module Capacity 16GB / 32GB Package Dual Pack CAS Latency CL 34~40 Operating Voltage 1.10V~1.35V Heat Spreader Colors Titanium Grey / Glacier White Compatibility Intel XMP 3.0 (O.C.) Country of Origin Designed & Made in Taiwan About GeIL
GeIL – Golden Emperor International Ltd. is one of the world's leading PC components & peripheral manufacturers specializing in making the most innovative products, from memory modules to gaming peripherals worldwide.
Established in 1993, GeIL has soon become one of the most trusted memory professionals in the industry. In 2000, with the vast knowledge of tweaking and producing some of the world's fastest DRAM modules, GeIL shook the PC enthusiast market and changed it for the better. The introduction of the first-ever RGB illuminated DDR5 modules, memory heat-spreader, and the dual-channel packaged memory kit are all innovative concepts that GeIL introduced in the PC DIY market. In addition, GeIL has focused on perfecting the technologies of IC testing, memory burn-in, and quality assurance for memory products across all market segments. GeIL memory is now trusted and distributed in over 50 countries worldwide.
