Here today's reviews roundup with 30 new articles, including AMD A85 Series FM2 Motherboard Round Up Featuring ASUS, GIGABYTE and MSI, Dell Latitude 6430u: An Ultrabook That's All Business, Seasonic Platinum-660 660W Power Supply Review, New 3DMark Benchmark Highlights and First GPU Results, and Google Nexus 10 Review: Is 2560x1600 High-Definition Enough?



AMD A85 Series FM2 Motherboard Round Up Featuring ASUS, GIGABYTE and MSI @ Futurelooks

AMD brought their newest Piledriver architecture to their APU chips first with the release of Trinity. We have already looked at the Trinity chips themselves, so lets take a better look at the motherboards designed to support them. Today, our AMD A10-5800K APU will be paired with three great FM2 socket motherboards with three leading manufacturers and we’ve selected the MSi FM2-A85XA-G65, GIGABYTE GA-F2A85X-UP4, and ASUS F2A85-V PRO. May the best board win!

Read more: AMD A85 Series FM2 Motherboard Round Up Featuring ASUS, GIGABYTE and MSI @ Futurelooks

Wired2Fire Diablo Predator System review @ KitGuru

Is that old PC in your house getting you down? Are you in the market for a new Windows 8 gaming PC this year but finding that getting the time to build one is difficult? Enter Wired2Fire (http://www.wired2fire.co.uk/) , a UK system builder who have earned a reputation for high quality, competitively priced gaming systems.

Today we are looking at their latest Diablo Predator System, featuring an overclocked Intel 3570k, GTX660 graphics card, 8GB of Corsair memory and Asus P8Z77-V LX motherboard. Wired2Fire even throw in a 23.5 inch monitor, keyboard and mouse. All for £899 inc vat.

Read more: Wired2Fire Diablo Predator System review @ KitGuru

Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse Review @ Madshrimps

Logitech launched a mouse aimed at MMO gamers, combining a keypad with an ergonomic mouse design into a quite unique product, dubbed the G600

Read more: Logitech G600 MMO Gaming Mouse Review @ Madshrimps

Antec a.m.p. SP1 Bluetooth Speaker Review @ HH

As we have seen quite often in recent times well known manufacturers have seen moving into new areas as a wise move in this economic climate. Antec's approach to this has been the creation of a mobile brand which includes chargers and audio devices. One such device is the a.m.p. SP1, a compact Bluetooth speaker and speakerphone and it is the focus of our review today.

Read more: Antec a.m.p. SP1 Bluetooth Speaker Review @ HH

SilverStone Strider Plus ST60F-PS 600 W @ techPowerUp

Silverstone has a rich portfolio of PSU products, which became even richer with the addition of the Strider Plus 600 W unit: one of the shortest ATX PSUs available on the market. This one exploits a fully modular design, which greatly simplifies the installation process, something many users will appreciate.

Read more: SilverStone Strider Plus ST60F-PS 600 W @ techPowerUp

Wired2Fire HAL Review @ Techradar

The estates of Stanley Kubrick and Arthur C Clarke can rest easy, this isn't a PC named after the crazed machine that attempted to extinguish the crew of the Discovery One. According to Wired2Fire, this rig is named because of its dual-use functionality as a home and LAN party PC. So relax, it's not going to try to fire you out of the nearest airlock in a fit of resentment. This is a beautifully built little machine that doesn't skimp on the performance components. That size and spec mean it's as at home in, well, your home as it is at any LAN event you could name. So what's the spec? Well, it's an i5 - the 3570K running at 4.56GHz to be exact.

Read more: Wired2Fire HAL Review @ Techradar

StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Preview (PC) @ HardwareHeaven.com

StarCraft 2: Heart of the Swarm will be launched worldwide on 12th March 2013, and ahead of the game releases we decided to take a little look at what we can expect from this new expansion.

Read more: StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Preview (PC) @ HardwareHeaven.com

Dell Latitude 6430u: An Ultrabook That's All Business @ HotHardware.com

Ultrabooks are, in a word, cool. They're slim, flashy, and lightweight, yet they're rather powerful and offer users a laptop that can do it all in a form factor that begs to be touched and carried around (especially if it's a convertible ultrabook, in which case the unit can double as a high-powered tablet). Business-class laptops tend to be the opposite.

With all due respect, business machines are often almost comically boxy and dull, offering the bare essentials in terms of looks and performance. The Dell Latitude 6430u ultrabook falls somewhere in between...

Read more: Dell Latitude 6430u: An Ultrabook That's All Business @ HotHardware.com

AZZA Silentium 920 Case Review @ Hardware Secrets

The Silentium 620 is the latest mid-tower case from AZZA. It is targeted to silent computing and features sheets of foam to reduce the noise produced by the computer. Let's check it out.

Read more: AZZA Silentium 920 Case Review @ Hardware Secrets

BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

Based on AMD A85X Chipset, the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W motherboard supports the latest Socket FM2 'Trinity' APUs and is priced under $100. Biostar also optimized this particular board for high quality sound reproduction, so audiophiles are in luck! Read on to see how the BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W motherboard does when we put it to the test with an AMD A10-5800K APU!

Read more: BIOSTAR Hi-Fi A85W Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

Kingston HyperX Beast DDR3-2133 64GB Memory Kit Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Not that long ago Kingston announced a new entry into their HyperX line, Beast. The Beast memory kits are designed for users who want the largest capacity memory available, but still want that performance memory speed and quality. HyperX Beast is part of the Predator line so it is made for both power users and enthusiasts. As I said these kits are for people who want large capacities so the lowest capacity kit available is 16GB. Kingston was nice enough to send us the “big boy” of the line which is the KHX21C11T3FK8/64X kit. This a 64GB (8x8GB) kit running at 2133MHz with timings of 11-12-11 at 1.65v. So let's get started!

Read more: Kingston HyperX Beast DDR3-2133 64GB Memory Kit Review @ ThinkComputers.org

GIGABYTE Aivia Krypton Review @ Vortez

Hot on the heels of our review of the new Osmium mechanical keyboard we present to you the GIGABYTE Aivia Krypton Gaming Mouse and Krypton Dual-sided Mousemat. Designed very much for gamers, and utilising the same GHOST macro software as the Osmium mechanical keyboard, the Krypton changes up surfaces to extend choice for gamers compared to their previous market offerings.

The budget to mid-range sections of the market have up till now been amply served by the FORCE range of mice, most recently encompassing the FORCE M7 Thor, and until now the Aivia range has has been this sort of design, only more so. The Aivia Krypton is the latest of these gaming mice with few compromises from GIGABYTE, and is placed at a higher price point than their other wired options. Gaming profiles and user-adjustable DPI settings are something of the norm amongst mice in this price bracket, but in an exceptionally rare twist the ability to swap the mouse casters for a different speed of movement has been added. Combined with 8200DPI sensor and customisable weight package, the Krypton should be a formidable gamer peripheral.

Read more: GIGABYTE Aivia Krypton Review @ Vortez

Dune HD TV-303D Universal FullHD Network Media Player Review @ Nikktech

Standalone hardware media players have been around for around 5 years (and some of you know that I've been putting them through rigorous tests right from the beginning) but they really started to make DVD and Blu-Ray players obsolete roughly a couple of years ago when people started to realize that they can have the basic functionality of an dedicated HTPC system (mainly media file playback, file sharing and web surfing) at just a fraction of the cost and in many cases with superior image quality. Now looking back a few months i really can't remember when was the last time we had a hardware/network media player on our test bench so when a courier arrived at our door just over a week ago holding the latest TV-303D Universal FullHD Network Media Player by Dune HD i felt somewhat relieved to be on the receiving end of a newly released device which is not directly related to PC and smartphones.

Read more: Dune HD TV-303D Universal FullHD Network Media Player Review @ Nikktech

HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook 15t-4000 Review @ TechReviewSource.com

The HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook 15t-4000, besides having a long name, has a sleek design, a comfortable keyboard and a Thunderbolt peripheral port. It also has speedy performance thanks to its Intel Core i7 CPU and 8GB of RAM, but battery life is lacking.

Read more: HP Spectre XT TouchSmart Ultrabook 15t-4000 Review @ TechReviewSource.com

Seasonic Platinum-660 660W Power Supply Review @ HardOCP

Seasonic's new SS-660XP comes to us boasting high end PSU features in what we can consider a smaller wattage package than what we are used to seeing. This PSU has a fully modular design, great efficiency, optional Hybrid fan control allowing fanless, silent, and normal cooling modes. Does Seasonic have another winner?

Read more: Seasonic Platinum-660 660W Power Supply Review @ HardOCP

Toshiba Satellite P875-31P review @ The Inquirer

A powerful 17in laptop to replace your desktop

Read more: Toshiba Satellite P875-31P review @ The Inquirer

Hands on: Goal Zero's portable chargers @ Apple Insider

There are always a few solar charging products at the Macworld expo, and the 2013 show was no exception. Some of the companies have come and gone, but Goal Zero has continued to expand its charging products.

Read more: Hands on: Goal Zero's portable chargers @ Apple Insider

Hands on: PowerTrekk portable fuel cell charger @ Apple Insider

MyFC made headlines two years ago when it unveiled a portable fuel cell charger, the PowerTrekk, however the promise of a spring 2012 release has now turned into a spring 2013 target.

Read more: Hands on: PowerTrekk portable fuel cell charger @ Apple Insider

ECS NM70-I2 (V1.0) Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps

The NM70-I2 motherboard from ECS comes equipped with either the Intel Celeron 847 1.1GHz dual-core or the Intel Celeron 807 1.5GHz single core CPU, has Intel HD Graphics for video output, supports installation of two DDR3 memory modules and also comes with 4 SATA ports, one of them supporting the 6Gbps standard.

Read more: ECS NM70-I2 (V1.0) Mini-ITX Motherboard Review @ Madshrimps

Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB SSD Review @ Techgage

Kingston is no stranger to SSDs; in fact, over the last five years the company has offered the most diverse repertoire of drives available. Specifically, it’s utilized one or more generations of controllers from Toshiba, Marvell, JMicron, Samsung, and even SandForce, with its high-performance HyperX SSD series. To add to that list, it also has the unique distinction of being the only company ever authorized to sell SSDs with Intel controllers inside. With such a history behind it, it should be clear that Kingston isn’t just another name floating around the SSD market; rather, it’s one of the major players.

To start off the New Year, the company has ushered out a new line of budget SSDs, called SSDNow V300 – but there is something different about this one. It’s been a little over a year since Kingston introduced its flagship HyperX brand to the SSD market using the well-known LSI SandForce SF-2281 controllers – what’s new, is that the same controller can now be found inside this value-branded V300 offering as well.

Read more: Kingston SSDNow V300 120GB SSD Review @ Techgage

GIGABYTE Z77X-UD4H LGA1155 Motherboard Review @ Hardware Canucks

With the Ivy Bridge launch almost eight months behind us, many of the first generation of Z77 LGA1155 specific motherboards have now come and gone. What we are left with is the second wave which is always a little more polished and bit more feature-rich. With this is mind, we are excited to get our hands on the GIGABYTE Z77X-UD4H.

This new model has just about everything that you could want from a mainstream Z77 LGA1155 motherboard with a retail price of around $165. It features a digital 3D Power 8+2+1 phase power design, six USB 3.0 ports, an internal USB 3.0 header, four SATA 3Gb/s ports, four SATA 6Gb/s ports, two eSATA 6Gb/s ports, three PCI-E x16 slots (x16/x8/x4), 2-way SLI and 2-way CrossFireX, LucidLogix Virtu MVP virtualization support, a single gigabit LAN port, 8-channel HD audio codec, a dual-mode UEFI BIOS with two physical BIOS chips, and a revamped software package. That's all pretty standard stuff though.

The neat additions are the distinctive red onboard power button, voltage measurement points, POST code display, onboard BIOS switcher, ON/OFF Charge USB feature, Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header, and full complement of VGA, DVI, HDMI, and DisplayPort outputs.

Read more: GIGABYTE Z77X-UD4H LGA1155 Motherboard Review @ Hardware Canucks

Silverstone NT06-Pro Topdown SFF/HTPC CPU Cooler Review @ Hi Tech Legion

SFF and HTPC builds are seriously changing due to size changes in components. There are feature rich Z77 mITX boards out there changing the entire landscape of the form factor. Obviously, the shrinking footprint of graphics cards is spurring this along as well. We all know how enthusiasts love to tinker (myself included), so the next thing you know, we are seeing SFF builds with Core i7 3770Ks and 660 Ti solutions, many times with both overclocked. If you are a tinkerer, you overclock….it’s just force of habit. The thing is, if you tinker, you are going to need a way to keep those components cool, and SFF and cooling don’t always seem to go hand in hand.

Silverstone’s newest low profile offering, the NT06-Pro, packs a great amount of design and engineering into a very small physical form. Designed to meet the needs of SFF/HTPC builds, the Silverstone NT06-Pro stands a mere 83mm tall including the fan, but manages to get six 6mm heatpipes running through a copper base comfortably into that space. A horizontal aluminum fin array helps to dissipate the heat, while a 20mm slim 1000~2200 rpm 120mm fan handles the air movement chores. Unlike many slim fans we have seen, the Silverstone NT06-Pro fan is capable of ramping up to produce air movement similar to full width fans, topping out at 73.96 CFM. The NT06-Pro includes a versatile mounting kit compatible with Intel 775/1155/1156/1366/2011, as well as AMD AM2/AM3/FM1/FM2, with simple solid installation on both platforms.

Read more: Silverstone NT06-Pro Topdown SFF/HTPC CPU Cooler Review @ Hi Tech Legion

Prolimatech MK-26 Review @ OCC

The Prolimatech MK-26 is a humongous cooler design that also provides huge temperature decreases while operating silently when paired with the right fans. The instructions weren't always clear but covered the main issues so if you are good at putting things together then this won't be a problem. If you are a novice though, you might want to find a friend to help or have a second means of getting help. Installing the heat sinks for the memory and VRM is pretty typical (peel and stick), and only four spring-retention screws hold the heat sink to the card. Despite the massive size, this cooler is completely independent to the system with the graphics card: no cables being ran to auxiliary power or coolant lines or anything else.

Read more: Prolimatech MK-26 Review @ OCC

Samsung Series 7 Gamer (NP700G7C-S01) Gaming Notebook Review @ Custom PC Review

It seems like Ultrabooks have become the talk of the town lately, and while thin, light and portable are great characteristics to have for a notebook, we all know that those looking to play Battlefield 3 on the go at more than 3FPS want something a little bit bigger. This is why today we’ll be reviewing the Samsung Series 7 Gamer (NP700G7C-S01) gaming notebook.

The Samsung Series 7 Gamer is the most expensive notebook Samsung produces today and it definitely has the hardware to back it up. Powering its core is the ever so popular Intel Core i7-3610QM quad core processor running at 2.30GHz, but is capable of turboing up to 3.3GHz for maximum performance. In order to ensure there’s plenty of graphics performance to go around, Samsung has also equipped the Series 7 Gamer with a Nvidia GeForce GTX 675M as well to ensure that it runs all the latest games at resolutions higher than 1024×768. In addition, Samsung has also equipped the Series 7 Gamer with a whopping 16GB of DDR3, dual 750GB hard drives with an 8GB express cache, tons of connectivity, and more.

Read more: Samsung Series 7 Gamer (NP700G7C-S01) Gaming Notebook Review @ Custom PC Review

New 3DMark Benchmark Highlights and First GPU Results @ Legit Reviews

Futuremark today released the Windows version of the new 3DMark benchmark! This highly anticipated release has been delayed a number of times, but it appears to be complete and ready for release. We've recently been benchmarking the ASUS ARES II and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 690 video cards, so those are the two cards that we'll be showing off today! Read on to see which card runs the benchmark the fastest and to learn more about the benchmark utility!

Read more: New 3DMark Benchmark Highlights and First GPU Results @ Legit Reviews

Google Nexus 10 Review: Is 2560x1600 High-Definition Enough? @ Tom's Hardware

Google's Nexus 10 enables a 2560x1600 resolution on a 10" display, and features a powerful Samsung SoC. Can the affordable tablet take down Apple's iPad through superior hardware and better value? We apply our benchmark suite to answer those questions.

Google Nexus 10 Review: Is 2560x1600 High-Definition Enough? @ Tom's Hardware

HTC One X+ Review @ t-break

When the HTC One X came out last year, it was hailed as one of the must-have Android phones on the market. A solidly built phone with decent specs that was marred by occasional lags and an average battery life. Of course more high-end Android phones have come out since then, so in an attempt to remind users about the One X, HTC have released the One X+ with a refreshed battery and sporting the latest version of Android.

Read more: HTC One X+ Review @ t-break

G.Skill RipjawsX (F3-1600C9Q-32GXM) 1600MHz 32GB (4x 8GB) Memory Kit Review @ KitGuru

G.Skill's extensive range of Ripjaws memory kits has always covered the requirements of a wide user base. With that trend continuing to the present day, we will be taking a look at one of the company's high-capacity kits that targets mid-range users and gamers.

Read more: G.Skill RipjawsX (F3-1600C9Q-32GXM) 1600MHz 32GB (4x 8GB) Memory Kit Review @ KitGuru

Saints Row III PC Review @ eTeknix

Some of our readers may have noticed that the weekly game review has been missing these last few weeks, I’ve finally found not only the time to return to writing them but the time I need to play the games. There has also been a slight shortage of games to pick and play so this week I figured I would visit one of the games that I got included in the THQ Humble Bundle deal from a few weeks back.

Saints Row III isn’t exactly a new game yet it’s one that I have long over looked for a mixture of financial reasons and the fact that I have a stack of un-played and incomplete games that is starting to get a little too big for words. Either way I finally got around to not only buying this game but also putting in the time required to complete it, so have I been missing out or was I right to avoid the streets of Still Water for so long?

Well as many of you will know THQ has really gone the way of the dinosaurs and is no longer with us, but for its time they did put out some truly fantastic games, so too did the developers behind Saints Row III, Volition, Inc. who are well known for their work on Summoner, the first Saints Row game and the Red Faction series. For those of you who care about such things, Volation have been acquired by Koch Media (Dead Island, ArmA).

Read more: Saints Row III PC Review @ eTeknix

3DMark for Windows Launches; We Test It with Various Laptops @ Anandtech

After a two-year hiatus, Futuremark is back with a new version of 3DMark, and in many ways this is their most ambitious version to date. Instead of the usual PC graphics benchmark, with this release, dubbed simply 3DMark, Futuremark is creating a cross-platform benchmarkWindows, Windows RT, iOS, and Android will all be capable of running the same graphics benchmark, sort of. Todays release is for Windows only, and this is the most feature-packed of the 3DMark versions with three separate graphics benchmarks. With the 1.00 release now available and a press copy of 3DMark Professional, we decided to take a different approach from most other review sites: were going to focus on performance testing with laptops. We dont normally run 3DMark for our CPU and GPU reviews, but for laptops it can be a useful addition. The reason is simple: we dont usually have long-term access to these systems, so in six months or a year when we update benchmarks we dont have the option to go back and retest a bunch of hardware to provide current results. With that in mind, we grabbed some of the recently reviewed and not-yet-reviewed laptops to run some preliminary benchmarks with the latest 3DMark. Here are our thoughts on Futuremarks latest, which adds some useful new features to the mix.

Read more: 3DMark for Windows Launches; We Test It with Various Laptops @ Anandtech