Here a roundup of today's hardware reviews, including AMD Radeon R7 260 1GB Video Card Review, NETGEAR R7000 Nighthawk Smart AC1900 Wi-Fi Router Review, EVGA Bronze 600 W, Power Practical USB Practical Meter with Fast Charge Cable Review, and ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition Intel X79 Motherboard Review



AMD Radeon R7 260 1GB Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

The AMD Bonaire XT GPU was first used on the AMD Radeon HD 7790 video card in March 2013 and then more recently on the AMD Radeon R7 260X video card in October 2013. The AMD Radeon HD 7790 and the R7 260X are both affordable mainstream graphics cards aimed at those looking to spend under $150. If spending that much is still a bit much, AMD today released the Radeon R7 260 video card at $109.99. AMD slashed the retail price of the Radeon R7 260X by a fair amount (21%), but also cut or disabled a fair number of things on the video card. Read on to find out what the cuts were and how this card performs.

Read more: AMD Radeon R7 260 1GB Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

Nest Learning Thermostat Review @ Techspot

Like many of you, I never really gave much thought to something as basic as my thermostat. So long as it kicked on the heater or air conditioner when I needed it to, I was happy. Nonetheless I’ll admit I was a bit intrigued when I read about the Nest Learning Thermostat when it was announced back in October 2011 but even then, the thought of purchasing one never really crossed my mind.

I followed Nest and the success they were having with their connected thermostat over the course of the past two years and after making the decision to replace all incandescent light bulbs in my apartment with energy efficient LED units, I also decided it would be as good a time as any to see exactly what the Nest was all about.

The Nest Thermostat is currently in its second revision and has been for a little over a year now. When asked about a possible third generation unit, a representative for Nest’s PR agency told me they had nothing to share on the subject and were instead focusing their efforts on the Nest Protect. Fair enough.

Read more: Nest Learning Thermostat Review @ Techspot

AMD Radeon R7 260 Preview: Affordable DX11 GPU @ HotHardware.com

AMD is closing out the year with yet another new GPU announcement, though this one isn't quite like the last few we've brought you. If you've been hanging around here for any length of time recently, you've probably read about the semi-new Radeon R9 and R7 series cards that AMD launched back in early October. If that wasn't enough, the company soon followed up with the truly new, ultra-powerful Radeon R9 290X, based on the GPU formerly codenamed Hawaii. And then a few days after that, the slightly tamer Radeon R9 290 hit the scene, and at a very aggressive price point to boot. There's also been a bit of drama since then due to some significant performance variability between R9 290 and 290X series cards, but that's still playing out.

In the meantime, AMD wants to bring its GCN architecture, Mantle support, and TrueAudio engine down to ever lower price points, with a new member of the Radeon R7 family, dubbed the Radeon R7 260. As its name suggests, the Radeon R7 260 is very similar to its big brother, the R7 260X, which itself is similar to the previous-gen Radeon HD 7790...

Read more: AMD Radeon R7 260 Preview: Affordable DX11 GPU @ HotHardware.com

AMD Radeon R7 260 Graphics Card Launch Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

In mid-January AMD and their partners will begin retailing the R7 260, a part designed to take on the GTX 650 Ti from NVIDIA. Today they are allowing reviews/previews of the reference model and so in this article we find out how they compare in some of the latest games including Battlefield 4 and Batman: Arkham Origins.

Read more: AMD Radeon R7 260 Graphics Card Launch Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

In Win 904 Case @ PureOverclock

In Win has just released their brand new 904 case today. This full aluminum case features tempered glass sides and a solid frame. This allows for stability by design while giving your PC that high-tech, industrial look that’s popular. It also comes with a hidden ODD bay and four USB 3.0 ports. It only supports two internal fans and limited radiator sizes, but perhaps that’s to be expected to create this work of art. The split design in the back assists in managing your cables at the rear going to your I/O board, completing the package.

Will this new case hold up to the In Win name and potentially start a new trend? Read on to find out.

Read more: In Win 904 Case @ PureOverclock

NETGEAR R7000 Nighthawk Smart AC1900 Wi-Fi Router Review @ MissingRemote

Nothing can deliver the raw capability of Gigabit Ethernet when it comes to pushing large amounts of data around the home. Unfortunately, in many homes it just is not practical to pull Cat-6 through the walls, so other methods must be found to enable the demands of a fully functional media consumption network. Where many other low-installation-effort home networking technologies have failed, 802.11AC’s 1300Mbps of theoretical bandwidth is tantalizing. With more than enough headroom to deliver stutter free streaming it holds tremendous promise, but whether the technology can really deliver was still open even after our first look. Today we have another chance to examine it however – this time with NETGEAR’s $199 Dual-band AC1900 R7000 Nighthawk Smart Wi-Fi Router. The R7000 is particularly interesting not only because its dual-core 1GHz processor and USB 3.0 support represents the current state-of-the art in Wi-Fi appliances, but because the underlying Broadcom 4709 Communication Processor (which makes that possible) marks a shift from MIPS to ARM for this market segment. Of course that change is only meaningful if the R7000 can deliver the stability, feature set and performance demanded by the home media enthusiast.

Read more: NETGEAR R7000 Nighthawk Smart AC1900 Wi-Fi Router Review @ MissingRemote

ASUSTOR AS-608T NAS Server @ NikKTech

With most people out in the market looking to find a cost-effective NAS server for home/office use (media playback, downloading and IP surveilance are the three primary reasons most people want them for) we naturally tend to do our best to get entry/mid-end solutions on our test bench mostly. However from time to time we also have to cater to the needs of the more demanding consumers and enterprise users who are after high-end models packing enough punch and features for a variety of heavy uses. ASUSTOR may just be around for roughly 2 years but through their very good products so far they've made it quite clear that they are here to stay so it was just a matter of time before people started to ask from us to test their top NAS Servers. Well we obviously listened and so today we will be taking a very thorough look on their latest 8-bay NAS Server the AS-608T.

Read more: ASUSTOR AS-608T NAS Server @ NikKTech

EVGA Bronze 600 W @ techPowerUp

Besides the SuperNOVA series, which includes high-end and mid-level PSUs, EVGA also rolled out the Bronze series addressing budget-oriented users. Today, we will take a look at the 600B unit with 600 W capacity, a single +12V rail, and a non-modular cabling system which contributes greatly to its low price.

Read more: EVGA Bronze 600 W @ techPowerUp

CM Storm Ceres-300 Headset @ LanOC Reviews

The gaming headset market is flooded but conventional wisdom has always been that if you want quality sound and a comfortable fit you are going to have to pay a little bit more for it. Today, however, we review an introductory model from Cooler Master that promises all the performance and comfort you’d expect in a mid-range headset at a price tag of under $30. The Ceres 300 is a follow-up to the Ceres 400 and comes with a more streamlined look and feel. Everything you’d expect to see in a head twice the price seems present but we will put it to the test to see if the Ceres 300 is truly worthy of praise.

Read more: CM Storm Ceres-300 Headset @ LanOC Reviews

Power Practical USB Practical Meter with Fast Charge Cable Review @ TestFreaks

Until recently I never really thought about USB ports. I mean I use them all of the time, mostly for charging my phone and other devices and USB flash drives, so they’re just there ready for me to use them as I need to. I’ve never wondered or I guess really cared as to how well they actually perform their duty like charging my phone. Recently a company called Power Practical has a Kickstarter campaign for a little gadget called the Practical Meter which was fully funded and more and now it’s available for purchase. The Practical Meter is a small flash drive like device that allows you to test any USB port and it tells you how much power that port will provide for charging. You might think that most all USB ports are the same but you’d be wrong as I found out through my testing with the Meter. So today for review I have the Power Practical Meter and a three in one USB fast charging cable that comes with it. So read on…

Read more: Power Practical USB Practical Meter with Fast Charge Cable Review @ TestFreaks

Turtle Beach Ear Force i60 Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Today on our test bench we have a product from Turtle Beach, the Ear Force i60. A Bluetooth wireless headset the Ear Force i60 is aimed very squarely at the Apple market being compatible with iPhones, iPads and the Mac range. It is also compatible with PCs of course and will also work with other brands of handset... and even airplane entertainment systems.

Read more: Turtle Beach Ear Force i60 Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Killzone: Shadow Fall PlayStation 4 Review @ eTeknix

Killzone was one of the hottest games for the PlayStation 2, and the epic sequel that was Killzone 2 followed it with a great force. The series had a slow, gritty and powerful vibe that is a far cry from the frantic run and gun of games like Call of Duty and I absolutely love it. The Third entry in the series came on the PlayStation 3, a graphical juggernaut and it offered some brutal gameplay and hardcore online play, however I didn’t really love the game and it fell into many of the typical tropes that most of last generations shooter did, as a result it just didn’t excite me and I didn’t really feel compelled to keep playing.

Read more: Killzone: Shadow Fall PlayStation 4 Review @ eTeknix

ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition Intel X79 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

ASUS recently launched their new flagship for their LGA2011 product stack, the Rampage IV Black Edition. The ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition is the newest Intel X79 motherboard from ASUS and features, well just about everything under the sun! Since the ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition is an Intel X79 motherboard, it uses the LGA2011 socket and all the perks that go with it. Read on to see how it performs!

Read more: ASUS Rampage IV Black Edition Intel X79 Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews

Patriot FUEL+ 7800mAh Mobile Rechargeable Battery Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Patriot is known for their RAM and flash storage. Although, mobile accessories is a huge market and can’t be ignored. FUEL+ is Patriot’s entry into the mobile rechargeable battery category featuring seven different models ranging from 1500mAh to 9000mAh. Our review unit is 7800mAh, near the top end of the FUEL+ line. It can simultaneously charge two devices with its 1A and 2.5A output USB Type A ports, includes blue battery status LEDs, and Patriot is so confident about their FUEL+ products, they provide a two year warranty. If you’re looking for a mobile rechargeable battery, continue reading to see if Patriot’s FUEL+ 7800mAh is a good fit.

Read more: Patriot FUEL+ 7800mAh Mobile Rechargeable Battery Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Corsair Vengeance 2100 wireless headset review @ Guru3D

Today we test and review the all new Corsair Vengeance 2100 wireless headset. The Vengeance 2100 is an updated model from the 2000 series and comes with nice big 50mm drivers and revised USB drivers that now include Dolby surround sound, capable of offering 16-bit/48 KHz playback. All new is a Dolby Pro Logic IIx certification and a new color theme; all black. Over the years Corsair has moved from being a memory company towards a much more diverse entity targeted at gamers. Memory, SSDs, power supplies, chassis', keyboards, mouses, cooling and sure, audio products as well. On the audio front we have reviewed the SP2500 speakers for example which was their first attempt in the audio market, with good success. Last year the first headsets arrived with amongst them the mighty Vengeance 2000. Today we look at the updated and now all black 2100.

Corsair added a new model and it's 100% wireless. The new model name is the Vengeance 2100 Wireless 7.1 Gaming Headset which proclaims to be a 7.1 surround wireless gaming headset that brings in realistic multi-channel-like gaming audio. The battery charge can bring you the comfort of 10 hours of usage. Next to that, the drivers used in combination with a software suite produce audio at a level that makes the V2100 exceptional to listen to.

Read more: Corsair Vengeance 2100 wireless headset review @ Guru3D

AMD Radeon R7 260 review: AMD's affordable trump card @ Hardware.Info

We tested quite a few new cards in the AMD R7 and R9 series ever since AMD launched them a few months back. Today AMD introduced the Radeon R7 260, an affordable version of the existing R7 260X. In terms of pricing, it's positioned somewhere in between Nvidia's GeForce GTX 650 and 650Ti. Can it also compete in terms of performance?

Read more: AMD Radeon R7 260 review: AMD's affordable trump card @ Hardware.Info

Sitecom Wi-Fi Router X8 AC1750 WLR-8100 and Wi-Fi USB 3.0 AC1200 WLA-7100 Adapter Review @ Madshrimps

The X8 AC1750 router from Sitecom is concurrent dual band and supports the latest AC standard; this is the first router which has entered in our lab to feature both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 interfaces and all antennas are internal. The router can be paired with the new AC1200 WLA-7100 Wi-Fi adapter in order to achieve transfer speeds over 200Mbps.

Read more: Sitecom Wi-Fi Router X8 AC1750 WLR-8100 and Wi-Fi USB 3.0 AC1200 WLA-7100 Adapter Review @ Madshrimps

MSI Z87I Gaming AC Motherboard and GTX 760 GAMING ITX Review @ Guru3D

We review, test and benchmark the MSI Z87I Gaming AC motherboard and GTX 760 GAMING ITX. Oh you will need a magnifying glass alright as as this is the smallest fully fetched Z87 motherboard you will ever see. The Z87I Gaming AC is made on a Mini-ITX form factor, that means you can seat a processor as powerful as the Core i7 4770K onto a motherboard that is 17x17 CM. Amazing really, especially when you will learn it still has a fully fetched PCIe x16 slot, KillerNIC Gigabit Ethernet, WIFI, USB 3.0 and heck even four SATA 6 Gbps ports. To make things even tastier we pair it with a GeForce GTX 760 GAMING ITX graphics card, and the combo... well it's just awesome.

So 17x17 CM gets all this:

Suports 4th Gen Intel Core/Pentium/Celeron processors for LGA 1150 socket
Supports DDR3-3000(OC) Memory
USB 3.0 + SATA 6Gb/s
Military Class 4: Top Quality & Stability
Military Class Essentials: Total Protection for Military Class Motherboards
OC Genie 4: Overclock in 1 Second
Click BIOS 4: Easily Fine-tune Your System
4K UHD Support: Ultra-high Definition Visual Experience
3 Digital Display Outputs: DisplayPort/HDMI/DVI Support
PCI Express Gen 3: World's 1st PCI Express Gen 3 Motherboard Brand
USB Audio Power: A Break Through in USB Audio Quality
Command Center: Control & Customize Your PC Settings
Fast Boot: Quickly Boot Up & Enter OS in A Few Seconds
Wi-Fi 802.11n, Bluetooth 4.0, Intel Wireless Display

Read more: MSI Z87I Gaming AC Motherboard and GTX 760 GAMING ITX Review @ Guru3D