Here a roundup of the latest reviews and articles:

1080p NVIDIA Linux Comparison From GeForce 8 To GeForce 900 Series
5 of the most popular Linux gaming distros
Acer Predator X34 G-SYNC Monitor Review
Aorus X7 Pro-Sync Review
Basic Solid State Drive Features Explained
Corsair Strafe RGB Cherry MX Silent
COUGAR 450k Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. M Wireless Keyboard Review
MyDigitalSSD BP5e Bullet Proof 5 Eco 240GB SSD Review
Razer Leviathan Mini Review

1080p NVIDIA Linux Comparison From GeForce 8 To GeForce 900 Series

Earlier this week I carried out an OpenGL performance comparison of NVIDIA GPUs going back 10 years that included 27 different graphics cards from the GeForce 8 series through the latest-generation GeForce 900 Maxwell graphics cards. In this weekend article are some complementary tests from this comparison with the OpenGL benchmarks at 1920 x 1080.

The OpenGL benchmarks done earlier this week for the 27-way GeForce graphics card comparison were done at 2560 x 1600. That resolution was used since all of the cards going back to the GeForce 8 series could mode-set to that resolution with the Samsung SyncMaster 30 display as the highest supported by all of the graphics cards tested. I didn't use the more common 1920 x 1080 as that would leave many of the newer NVIDIA GPUs more CPU bound in not being able to fully stress the Kepler and Maxwell graphics cards that can now even handle 4K gaming in many instances with ease. However, with the 2560 x 1600 testing, it's rather stressful for the older NVIDIA GeForce 8/9 graphics cards where 256~512MB of video RAM was common. So in honoring the feedback of some that were curious about 1920 x 1080 so that the older GPUs could cope better, I ran some follow-up tests.

Read full article @ Phoronix

5 of the most popular Linux gaming distros

A gaming distro, by definition, is host not only to a large variety of games, or software that allows one to play games, but it also has drivers and support for essential devices such as graphics cards and controllers.Unlike most other genres of Linux distributions, gaming distros aren't a thriving bunch. But this isn't because Linux users dislike games, instead it's due to the fact that this niche category is almost redundant thanks to most modern desktop distros. Almost all desktop distros are equipped nowadays with drivers for the majority of modern graphics cards, which means that just about any distro can be turned into a gaming station.

Read full article @ TechRadar

Acer Predator X34 G-SYNC Monitor Review

So here we are with another gaming monitor review and this time the focus is on one of today’s most easily recognizable displays: Acer’s Predator X34. This is a truly stunning monitor that has moved the bar forward by including elements like a dramatically curved IPS panel, a high refresh rate and G-SYNC. It hasn’t done so in a particularly affordable way but for gamers who have a top-end system, Acer may have a perfect fit.

Not that long ago we took a long hard look at Acer’s XR341CK and walked away impressed with what it had to offer consumers. Its combination of FreeSync, gorgeous IPS display, 34-inches of curved real-estate, and an overdriven panel with a refresh rate of 75Hz (instead of 60Hz) was rather impressive to say the least. For all intents and purposes, the Predator X34 we are reviewing here today is the same product even though it has a few more tricks up its sleeve; namely a higher refresh rate and G-SYNC instead of AMD’s FreeSync.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

Aorus X7 Pro-Sync Review

Aorus, the high-end brand created by Gigabyte, has put a lot of work into the X7 Pro-Sync and the result is an exceptionally slender laptop that packs a severe gaming punch. The chassis only measures 22.9mm thick at the widest point behind the lid hinge, near the exhaust vents. Measure the thickness in the region of the touchpad and you’ll get a figure around 14.5mm which is absurdly thin.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Basic Solid State Drive Features Explained

When we report on storage news as well as in our reviews, we use a lot of terms and features that might not be familiar to everyone. The words and acronyms sound good and you chose your products based on whether they are present or not. But what do they actually mean? That is something that I’ll try to explain a little more today. I think there is a little bit for everyone here, whether you’re an advanced system builder or new to the area.

First I’ll start out with the basic features that are present in almost any storage drive these days, whether it’s a flash drive, hard disk drive, or solid state drive, and then slowly move on to the more exclusive features further down.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Corsair Strafe RGB Cherry MX Silent

By now a lot of you have most likely picked up or at least tried a mechanical keyboard. After years of membrane keyboards being the norm, mechanical keyboards have burst back on to the scene over the last few years. This is great, but have you ever been in the same room or office as someone typing on a loud mech with blue or greens? I love them, but man it’s enough to drive you crazy. For me I’ve stuck with Cherry MX Browns or Clears on my personal keyboards whenever possible for my wife’s sanity. Even then people have tried O-Rings and other options to keep things toned down. Well Cherry recently introduced a new silent switch and for the first six months it is only available from Corsair. Lucky for us we got the new Corsair Strafe RGB Cherry MX Silent in. Not only does that give us a chance to check out the new key switch, but it’s also our first look at the RGB cherry switches and the Strafe as well.

Read full article @ LanOC Reviews

COUGAR 450k Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

What do you look for when out in the market searching for your next gaming keyboard? Durability both in terms of overall build quality and type of used switches? Features such as lighting systems, USB ports, macro keys, LCD/VFW screens and ergonomic designs? Well i guess for most gamers out there the obvious answer is all of the above or at least most so it definitely makes sense that lately most companies are focused in the design, development and manufacture of mechanical gaming keyboards with rich feature sets. However with the market currently overflowing with a very large number of both membrane and mechanical based keyboards it was really just a matter of time for some manufacturers to try and use the best of both worlds and Cougar is the very first at the finish line with their brand new 450k Hybrid Mechanical Gaming Keyboard.

COUGAR products are designed by COUGAR GERMANY, a professional R&D engineering team and COUGAR is part of the “HEC/COMPUCASE” Group. The unique combination of the world-famous German skills of designing the best products worldwide and HEC/s power and long-time experience to produce the best high quality products created innovative masterpieces in PSU history. The PC upgrading and DIY market is changing rapidly and is growing more and more. Professional user are asking for more than only stable and silent PSU/s, they want efficient and energy saving products without compromises in quality. COUGAR GERMANY created such products! COUGAR GERMANY combines the features of innovation and evolution to create efficient, powerful and unique products like “COUGAR POWER”. The purpose of COUGAR GERMANY is the satisfaction of the customer, reaching it by creating most valuable, advanced products. COUGAR – YOUR POWER!

To "create" the hybrid switches of the 450k hybrid mechanical keyboard COUGAR basically placed plastic yet quite durable mechanisms ontop of membranes in order to "mimic" the feeling you get with keyboards using Cherry MX (probably Black) mechanical switches. Another good thing with this design is that thanks to the materials used all switches are sealed thus effectively rendering the keyboard splash proof (don't submerge it into water however). And that's not all you're getting with the 450k since it also packs quite a few interesting features as well including programmable keys and macros, three onboard profiles indicated by three different backlight colors for the keys (red, green and yellow - there are also breathing and rotate effects available), 26 key anti-ghosting, 1000Hz polling rate (1ms response time) and multimedia keys (not dedicated ones). For an "entry-level" keyboard the 450k sure seems to offer much so let's see for ourselves just how good it is.

Read full article @ NikKTech

Mad Catz S.T.R.I.K.E. M Wireless Keyboard Review

S.T.R.I.K.E. M is a cool looking mobile keyboard which features smaller than usual keys, meaning that some time is needed to get accustomed with. While the product connects to the devices via Bluetooth technology, we do have one device cycle button for jumping from one device to another in just a couple of seconds, without the need of additional configurations of software. Multimedia keys are fitted on the top left side and quite a bit of functions like ESC and F-keys are accessible while working with the Fn key. For even better flexibility, we can see one OFN (Optical Finger Navigation) button on the top right side, which is accompanied by the mouse left/right buttons; an extra set of mouse buttons is also available on the left, which helps when holding the product in both hands.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

MyDigitalSSD BP5e Bullet Proof 5 Eco 240GB SSD Review

In today’s storage review, I’m taking a closer look at a solid state drive from a company that we don’t test quite as often, but it isn’t the first MyDigitalSSD drive have tested either. The newest MyDigitalSSD drive is the BP5e that stands for Bullet Proof 5 Eco and it is a 7mm slim solid state drive that will fit into pretty much any system for a performance boost over a mechanical hard disk drive. The new BP5e series comes in capacities from 240GB and up to 960GB, and the large size is one that becomes more and more popular due to decreasing prices. I’m however taking the 240GB drive for a spin today, a perfect entry-level drive.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Razer Leviathan Mini Review

The Razer Leviathan was one of the most innovative products Razer has put out in the past five years, only falling behind the Nabu Smartband and Razer Blade laptop in terms of significance to the company's future.The full-size, four-driver soundbar not only offered a complete range of sound, from a meaty bass to clear mids and highs, but it also did so for half the cost of the competition. Perhaps more importantly, though, it offered Razer an opening into the living room space that the company quickly followed up on, with products like the Forge TV, an Android TV micro-console, and accessories like the Razer Wild Cat Xbox One Controller. Just as loud and comparatively pricey, the $179 (£149/AU$269) Razer Leviathan Mini, a portable Bluetooth speaker version of the TV-tethered soundbar, follows in its progenitor's footsteps.

Read full article @ TechRadar