Reviews 52169 Published by

Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including Testing the Security of Your Website – Part 1, Cooler Master V700 Modular PSU Review, Alienware X51 R2 Desktop Gaming System Review, Samsung Galaxy Note 3, and AMD Introduces heterogeneous Queuing (hQ)



Testing the Security of Your Website – Part 1 @ Hardware Secrets
If you have a website, a blog, or a forum, it is very important to audit its security, in order to prevent people from exploiting it. In the first part of this tutorial, we will cover basic information and procedures that every website owner should know. Check it out.

Read more: Testing the Security of Your Website – Part 1 @ Hardware Secrets

Bitmore e-Storm LabyrinthX Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Review @ Benchmark Reviews
There are many things to consider when buying a portable bluetooth speaker. The Bitmore e-Storm LabyrinthX Super Bass Speaker (model# PAC 555SL) being tested by Benchmark Reviews today may not tick all of the boxes but it comes kind of close. The price is a little high for my liking but there are many more expensive bluetooth speakers on the market still. Maybe when the novelty wears off the prices might come down across the board and we will see better a better price to performance ratio.

Read more: Bitmore e-Storm LabyrinthX Bluetooth Wireless Speaker Review @ Benchmark Reviews

Nextbook Premium 8 HD Tablet Review @ TechwareLabs.com
Today we are taking a look at the Nextbook Premium 8 HD tablet, offering a 1.5 GHz dual-core processor, 1 GB of RAM, an 8-inch screen, 8GB of storage, front and rear cameras, and an HDMI-out port, all for around $100. Read on to find out how well it performs.

Read more: Nextbook Premium 8 HD Tablet Review @ TechwareLabs.com

Cooler Master V700 Modular PSU Review @ OCInside.de
The Cooler Master V700 is a fully modular power supply and enables an optimal adjustment of all internal PC cables.
The 80PLUS Gold power supply and the connecting cables are supplied each in a bag to have all necessary cables ready to hand for the next PC upgrade.
The first impression of the new 700 watt power supply is already excellent.
In the following review, we look at the modular Cooler Master V700 high-end PSU and compare the results with some power supplies from a wide variety of price range.

Read more: Cooler Master V700 Modular PSU Review @ OCInside.de

Thermaltake Commander F5 Fan Controller Review @ ThinkComputers.org
Today's product comes from a well-known company ThermalTake. As we all know, ThermalTake offers products from chassis, power supplies, coolers and storage. But what about cooling? Sure they also offer a wide variety of fans but what motherboard has enough headers to connect every fan. ThermalTake has developed a multi fan controller for your custom cooling needs. The Commander F5 fan controller offers five channels at 8w per channel. Read on to see if the Commander F5 holds up to the ThermalTake reputation.

Read more: Thermaltake Commander F5 Fan Controller Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Mach Xtreme Technology MX-ES Review @ Vortez
You’d be forgiven for being unfamiliar with Mach Xtreme and their range of products. Based out of Taiwan and relative newcomers having been around only since 2010, they’ve carved out a very strong niche by specialising only in higher performance flash memory devices for the enterprise and power user market.

As you’d expect for any company with a name like Mach Xtreme speed is their watchword and time their focus. By bringing fast storage and memory to the user they aim to increase the former whilst saving the latter. They currently specialise in SSDs encompassing a comprehensive range of form factors, High Performance and Affordable USB thumb drives, and System RAM.

Read more: Mach Xtreme Technology MX-ES Review @ Vortez

Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus Review @ TechReviewSource.com
The Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus goes toe to toe with the best premium ultrabooks, then tops it off with a jaw-dropping high-resolution display.

Read more: Samsung ATIV Book 9 Plus Review @ TechReviewSource.com

Alienware X51 R2 Desktop Gaming System Review @ Legit Reviews
Some say desktop computers are fading into a thing of the past, personally I prefer them over a laptop or tablet any day of the week. Laptops and tablets certainly have their place in today's on-the-go lifestyle we lead. In fact I'm typing this while sitting in a hotel room on a business trip on my laptop. Obviously there are some advantages to them, but desktop systems are my preferred system any day of the week. Dollar for dollar desktop systems offer more bang for the buck than a laptop, but laptops offer portability though you sacrifice performance. If you haven't guessed already, today we are looking at a full blown desktop system from Alienware, the X51 R2. The Alienware X51 desktop starts at only $699 but the sky is the limit as the X51 is fully customizable. Read on to see how it performs.

Read more: Alienware X51 R2 Desktop Gaming System Review @ Legit Reviews

Rosewill Armor EVO Full Tower Case Review @ Hardware Canucks
Rosewill’s Armor EVO is a rare case; while it utilizes the massive E-ATX form factor and incorporates a ton of interior space, the EVO actually costs less than most budget-conscious mid towers. Like many of their other enclosures, Rosewill is aiming to incorporate their usual blend of value and features while making large form factor cases accessible to a wider customer base. Will it work? That remains to be seen since we’ve seen both success and failure from this approach. Nonetheless, the EVO should appeal to gamers who don’t want to spend over $150 for an E-ATX enclosure.

Read more: Rosewill Armor EVO Full Tower Case Review @ Hardware Canucks

Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2/16X 2x8GB Review @ APH Networks
When it comes to talking about the latest RAM from Kingston, we must turn to the ANPV version of the Bible, also known as the APH Networks Paraphrased Version. Specifically, I want you to turn to Revelation Chapter 13, where John describes his vision of the beast. "My custom built PC stood on the edge of the desk. And I saw a HyperX Beast coming out of the shipping box. It had six teeth and two fins, with two metal plates on its integrated circuit memory chips, and on each module a Kingston branding. The HyperX Beast I saw resembled a G.Skill Ripjaws-X, but had color like those of the night, and a pattern like that of something we have not seen before. The motherboard gave the HyperX Beast its current and its voltage and had great importance. Both modules of the HyperX Beast were attached by two plastic clips at a right angle to the motherboard, and were connected using two hundred and forty golden pins. The custom built PC was started, and the motherboard worked with the HyperX Beast. The processor and hard drive swapped data with the HyperX Beast because the motherboard had given authority to it. People also overclocked the HyperX Beast and asked, "Who is like the HyperX Beast? Who can benchmark better against it?"" What can I say? For this reason, and in everything we know, we did what was described to see if the HyperX Beast is everything it claimed to be. Read on to find out what we have found!

Read more: Kingston HyperX Beast KHX21C11T3K2/16X 2x8GB Review @ APH Networks

Tt eSPORTS Cronos Gaming Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com
Today on our test bench we will be taking a look at a headset from the Tt eSports range which supports both the PC and smartphone/tablet platforms. Recently we have seen a couple of excellent headsets from Tt eSports, the Console One aimed at both the PC and console market and the Shock gaming headset. Both of these served a different market but delivered on value for money and performance so our hopes are high for this model.

Read more: Tt eSPORTS Cronos Gaming Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

VisionTek GoDrive 7mm 240GB @ PureOverclock
HWe’ve said for quite some time that the biggest performance increase you’ll see in a system upgrade these days is by moving to a Solid State Drive for your operating system, rather than running a traditional plattered hard drive. The improvements of an SSD, in our opinion, are nothing short of astounding. So scintillating is the difference that you’ll wonder how you ever survived without one.

As more consumers move to SSDs, the choices are many in terms of models and capacities. If you have need of a larger drive capacity, then budget certainly becomes a consideration for those who want something affordable without having to compromise performance. However, we also want smaller form factors these days as well, and for those who are productivity-oriented and need a notebook rather than a tablet, and media lovers who want a killer HTPC setup, smaller is simply better.

Read more: VisionTek GoDrive 7mm 240GB @ PureOverclock

SilverStone Tundra TD02 AIO Liquid Cooler Review @ OCIA.net
AIO or All-In-One liquid coolers have become very popular in recent years, offering better capability than top-of-the-line air coolers without all the noise typically associated with fast spinning fans and without the hassle and setup of custom liquid cooling loops. The Tundra TD02 features a dual 120mm brazed fin aluminum radiator that is 45mm thick. Coupled with that are two 120mm PWM-controlled fans and an all-metal housing pump with copper base and nickel-plated aluminum body.

Read more: SilverStone Tundra TD02 AIO Liquid Cooler Review @ OCIA.net

Asus R9 270X DirectCU II Top @ LanOC Reviews
Earlier this week I had the chance to take a look at Asus’s Matrix R9 280X Platinum, today I’m going to come back down to earth a little and check out their R9 270X DirectCU II Top. With a price that fits better into budget builds I’m curious how many of the features I saw on the Matrix will carry over into this card. I have high hopes for the card, but after seeing a few R9 270X’s from other manufactures I can say without a doubt that Asus has their work cut out for them. Let’s dig into it and see what it’s all about.

Read more: Asus R9 270X DirectCU II Top @ LanOC Reviews

A few thoughts on Nvidia's G-Sync @ The Tech Report
Fresh from Nvidia's Montreal 2013 event, our own Scott Wasson has written up a blog post with some thoughts about the company's G-Sync variable refresh rate technology. The post discusses G-Sync's effectiveness, its implications for game benchmarking, the possibility of a similar AMD effort, and how display technology could be further improved in the future.

Read more: A few thoughts on Nvidia's G-Sync @ The Tech Report

Kingston HyperX Predator 16GB 2400MHz Quad Channel Kit @ NikKTech
As we all know when choosing the right hardware components for a new system people tend to prioritize their significance based on their needs so although gamers always put extra weight on the graphics card so they can play all the latest game titles professionals do so on the CPU and the memory modules in order to have the best response times when using heavy applications and thus do their jobs more efficiently. However although memory modules don't play the most crucial role when it comes to gaming still no one can deny that they do help and because of that all the leading manufacturers are aiming to release the fastest DDR3 kits possible. Last time we had the chance to test the latest HyperX 10th Anniversary 16GB 2400MHz CL11 Quad Channel memory kit by Kingston which is without doubt amongst the best ones currently available for Intel X79 based mainboards. However it's not the only 2400MHz kit in the Kingston line of products and so today we decided to take a closer look at two of their HyperX Predator KHX24C11T2K2/8X 8GB 2400MHz CL11 Dual Channel memory kits strapped onto our X79 test rig.

Read more: Kingston HyperX Predator 16GB 2400MHz Quad Channel Kit @ NikKTech

Zalman MS800 Plus @ techPowerUp
Zalman may have lost some steam in recent times, but the MS800 Plus ends up being one of the best insider tips for a well-equipped chassis at a great price point. We took the MS800 Plus for a spin and found the chassis to include a lot of useful extras without being difficult on our wallet.

Read more: Zalman MS800 Plus @ techPowerUp

Samsung Galaxy Note 3 @ Neowin
Samsung has released the successor to its giant Note 2. The Note 3 is yet another phablet with massive dimensions and great functionality on paper - but is it good enough for your (enormous) pocket?

Read more: Samsung Galaxy Note 3 @ Neowin

HIS R9 280X iPower IceQ X2 Turbo Boost Clock 3GB Video Card Review @ Madshrimps
HIS has made available to the market the latest R9 280X from AMD in two revisions quite quickly, which are fitted with the efficient IceQ X2 two-slot cooling system. The HIS Radeon R9 280X IceQ X2 Turbo Boost card is available online for an affordable price and comes with a factory overclock of 50Mhz over the stock version; the VRM section has been also beefed up in order to be able to reach higher GPU frequencies.

Read more: HIS R9 280X iPower IceQ X2 Turbo Boost Clock 3GB Video Card Review @ Madshrimps

SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired On Ear Headphones Review @ TestFreaks
Good headphones are important if you like music I think and I don’t understand how people who spends hundreds of dollars on a media player can just accept and use the stock ones that come with it. It just makes no sense to me. The trend in headphones over the past year or so seems to be headphones with big names on them like Beats by Dre and Soul by Ludacris but now we have a new entry by 50 Cent and his SMS Audio line of products. Today for review I have the SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired On Ear Headphones which feature a foldable design making them very portable but they included a nice carrying case for you to help protect he headphones. The headphones come in a variety of colors so there’s one for your personal style. The Street by 50 one ear headphones feature 40mm drivers in them to offer a warm and well balanced sound and there’s even a removable audio cable with in-line remote and microphone. Read on…

Read more: SMS Audio Street by 50 Wired On Ear Headphones Review @ TestFreaks

Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro 27" LCD Monitor @ Anandtech
The first Monoprice display I looked at didnt fare well. While very affordable, it only offered a DVI input and very little in the way of controls. The worst sin was that the brightness control on the display just didn't work correctly. A step up from that model is their IPS-Glass. With HDMI, DSub, and DisplayPort inputs to go with a dual-link DVI input, it is far more flexible than the cheaper model. It also returns the display controls to the front of the monitor instead of the rear. As important as these changes are, it wont really matter if the issues found in the cheaper model exist here, so let's see if this second go with Monoprice fares any better.    

Read more: Monoprice IPS-Glass Panel Pro 27" LCD Monitor @ Anandtech

AMD Introduces heterogeneous Queuing (hQ) @ Bjorn3D
AMD today brings the latest implementation of the heterogeneous computing with the introduction of the heterogeneous queuing (hQ). As you may recall, AMD founded the Heterogeneous System Architecture (HSA) Foundation with other chipmakers and industry giants such as ARM, Qualcomm, and Samsung to promote a great utilization of various computing processors such as CPU, GPU, ...

Read more: AMD Introduces heterogeneous Queuing (hQ) @ Bjorn3D

Nokia Lumia 1520 hands-on: the weighty new flagship is here @ Engadget
Don't act like you didn't know this was coming. Nokia has finally removed the see-through shroud covering its latest high-end device, known as the Lumia 1520, here at Nokia World in Abu Dhabi. Thing is, it's not like any Windows Phone you've gazed upon before -- it's a top of the line smartphone ...

Read more: Nokia Lumia 1520 hands-on: the weighty new flagship is here @ Engadget