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 ...
Asus Rampage III GENE
Today we are checking out the compact yet very powerful Asus Rampage III GENE motherboard, which is based on the MicroATX form factor. This motherboard boasts the Intel X58 chipset providing support for the latest Intel Core i7 processors and triple-channel DDR3 memory. However Asus has also included a number of modern features, such as USB 3.0 and SATA 6Gb/s support… The Asus Rampage III GENE is a very solid motherboard providing strong performance, impressive overclocking capabilities and up to ...
Lian Li Tyr PC-X2000F
Today we have the Lian Li Tyr PC-X2000F home theatre slash gaming PC case on hand to deliver an in-depth review. Unlike conventional computer cases the PC-X2000 series does not feature the external drive bays on the front of the case, while the size and shape is also quite unusual. However in true Lian Li form the Tyr PC-X2000F is a high quality aluminum case that takes a no frills approach… Whereas the original began life at $590 US this ...
AMD Radeon HD 6870
Today AMD is officially unveiling their new Radeon HD 6870 and 6850 GPUs, designed to deliver even greater value than previous generation products. Despite the naming scheme and the fact that these are next-generation products, they are not designed to be Radeon HD 5800 series replacments. Rather, these new Radeon HD 6800 series graphics cards are aimed at mainstream users… With the average GeForce GTX 460 (1GB) graphics card retailing for $229 US, the Radeon HD 6870 is set to ...
Cities XL 2011 GPU & CPU Performance In-depth
Today we are comparing various quality settings and hardware configurations using Cities XL 2011. In doing so we hope to try and help gamers determine what kind of settings they can adjust to maximize their performance and what possible hardware upgrades they could make if necessary to improve performance… While I am yet to spend much time playing Cities XL 2011, it certainly looks like a fun city building game that players can pour countless hours into. For the most ...
Crucial C300 256GB
Today we are finally getting to check out the Crucial RealSSD C300 based on a new Marvel controller which brings SATA 6Gb/s support and some seriously impressive performance. For this review we are checking out the biggest most costly model with the 256GB drive, and we plan to find out how it compares to leading SandForce based SSDs… If it is performance you want then the Crucial RealSSD C300 series is not going to disappoint, as it has demonstrated blistering ...
AMD Phenom II X6. X4, X2 and Athlon II X4, X2 update
Today AMD is replenishing its ranks with five new processors, which include an ultra inexpensive dual-core model and a modestly priced hexa-core processor. The most interesting processor included in this new release is the Phenom II X6 1075T which will be situated between the 1055T and 1090T Black Edition processors in terms of price and performance. The Phenom II X4 970 takes a very small baby step over the 965, as it offer just a 100MHz performance gain while previous ...
Inno3D GeForce GTS 450 iChill
Today marks the release of the fifth member of the GeForce 400 series, as Nvidia takes the covers off their new mid-range contender the GeForce GTS 450. Based on the new GF106 architecture, the GeForce GTS 450 sheds a lot of weight when compared to existing cards. The end result is a cheaper product that has very low power consumption and thermal output, the only question remaining is how well does it perform? Even without the minor factory overclocking, the ...
