Crucial m4 512GB
Today we are revisiting the Crucial m4 Solid-State Disk using the latest firmware, to see how it compares to the competition in terms of value and performance. This time we have the premium 512GB model on hand, so we are keen to see how half a terabyte of m4 handles itself… Today the Crucial m4 is even better as firmware updates have fine-tuned the performance, allowing it to better compete with the speedy SF-2281 drives. The 512GB version of the ...
Synology DiskStation DS212j and DS212+
Today we are checking out two of the newest desktop NAS (Network Attached Storage) solutions from Synology, which are part of their growing Disk Station x12 series. The budget orientated DS212j is designed to deliver the feature rich DSM 3.2 software as a cost effective 2-bay device, while the more costly DS212+ focuses on performance… The DS212+ on the other hand shares the exact same design as its predecessor the DS211+. The DS212+ does receive a 25% higher clocked processor, ...
AMD FX-8150, FX-8120, FX-6100 and FX-4170
Today AMD is launching for the first time its new FX processor series based on the Bulldozer microarchitecture. Designed from the ground up, these new processors are geared towards mainstream users. The range will include processors with up to eight cores, while six and four core models will also be available… Even so, when we ran our encoding benchmarks, which focus on tests capable of using all eight cores, the FX-8150 didnt exactly shine. The Core i5-2500K was slightly faster ...
HIS Radeon HD 6970 IceQ Turbo
Today we have the long-awaited HIS Radeon HD 6970 IceQ Turbo which has been redesigned from the ground up. Sporting what HIS call a black hole impeller, this new graphics card receives a big upgrade in the cooling department, stated to deliver 23 degrees lower temperatures. Not only is the 6970 IceQ Turbo cooler and quieter, but it is also faster thanks to a tiny factory overclocking… The HIS Radeon HD 6970 IceQ Turbo is a fantastic product and is ...
Prolimatech Genesis
Prolimatech, who became well known for their high performance Megahalems air-cooler, are attempting to evoke some of that magic with their latest creation, known simply as Genesis. This new CPU cooler is intended to address a key weakness of heatsinks that use the tower design, by providing down draft over the motherboard for cooling critical system components… In terms of performance anticipate nothing but the very best, as we found the Genesis provided the same level of performance as the ...
Inno3D GeForce GTX 560 Ti OC
Today we have the Inno3D GeForce GTX 560 Ti graphics card on display featuring factory overclocked core and memory frequencies for even greater performance. Inno3D has also taken the liberty of enhancing the cooling set-up by dumping the single fan Nvidia reference design for a dual-fan set-up of their own… As is so often the case with Inno3D products the availability of the GeForce GTX 560 Ti OC is poor, which is a shame because this is a very good ...
Kingston HyperX Max 3.0 64GB
Today we have the 64GB version of the Kingston HyperX Max 3.0 for review which is essentially a portable SSD that uses the USB 3.0 interface for maximum performance. This pocket size drive not only stores massive volumes of data but it can also move it every quickly making for potentially the ultimate external storage solution… Our experience with the Kingston HyperX Max 3.0 64GB tells us that this is a very well made product featuring a high-quality SSD inside, ...
Intel Core i5 2500K and Core i7 2600K (Sandy Bridge)
Today Intel is launching their 2nd generation Core processor series which has become well known as Sandy Bridge, the architectures codename. This new architecture is exciting because it takes the Core design to the next level, providing a level of performance and efficiency previously unseen. Intel has supplied us with samples of the Core i5 2500K and Core i7 2600K, which we put through a battery of tests… The Sandy Bridge architecture is very exciting as it incorporates so much ...
Corsair Force 60GB & Nova 64GB
Today we are looking at two inexpensive Solid-State Drives from memory maker Corsair, which are built using the infamous SandForce SF-1200 and Indilinx Barefoot controllers. Known as the Force 60GB and Nova 64GB, these drives are priced well under $150 US and provide a reasonable amount of storage given their price tags… Picking between these two SSDs is difficult based on the performance data, we could really go either way. In terms of pricing there is even less separating these ...
Thermalright Silver Arrow
Finally we were able to get our hands on the mighty Thermalright Silver Arrow for a round of testing and the results will not disappoint. This big air-cooler comes bundled with a pair of equally big 14cm fans which help the Silver Arrow achieve new heights without creating a mini tornado inside your case… Pricing aside we were very impressed with the Thermalright Silver Arrow, as it matched our previous air-cooled record using an overclocked Intel Core i7 965 Extreme ...
