Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including AMD Radeon R9 290 reviews, Seagate 600 480GB SSD, Not All Viruses Are Viruses: 10 Malware Terms Explained, Gigabyte Force K7 Keyboard Review, and ASUS Z87-Deluxe/Quad review: first Thunderbolt 2.0 motherboard



AMD Radeon R9 290 Video Card Review @ HardOCP

It is time now to look at AMD's Radeon R9 290. This lower-cost R9 290 series video card packs a punch, not only in performance, but also in price. Watch it compete with the GeForce GTX 780, and win while being priced lower. This is the value you have been waiting for with gaming performance.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 Video Card Review @ HardOCP

The AMD Radeon R9 290 Review @ Anandtech

Launching today is AMD's Radeon R9 290, the obligatory lower-tier part for AMDs new flagship video card lineup. Making the usual tradeoffs for a lower-tier part, AMD is cutting down on both the number of functional units and the clockspeeds in exchange for a tantalizingly lower price of $399. But with their eyes distinctly on winning the price/performance battle, has AMD sacrificed too much elsewhere in the name of incredible performance? Read on to find out.

Read more: The AMD Radeon R9 290 Review @ Anandtech

Radeon R9 290 is messing with Nvidia's head again @ Fudzilla

We can’t escape the feeling that a few AMD execs had a get-together a few months ago to come up with new ways to mess with Nvidia’s head.

First they decided to hype Hawaii and they put a lid on leaks. Expectations were running high and AMD decided to go for a high-profile launch in Hawaii. Best of all – the product lived up to expectations. The R9 290X is selling well and it offer better value for money than Nvidia’s high-end products, although the green team leveled the playing field with recent price cuts, at least to some extent.

Read more: Radeon R9 290 is messing with Nvidia's head again @ Fudzilla

Cooler Master HAF Stacker 935 Computer Case System Review @ Benchmark Reviews

Cooler Master's HAF Stacker 935 modular case system is an innovative new entry in the computer case market. Enthusiasts can configure the multiple, stackable modules of this system to build the ideal enclosure for their system (or systems). Whether it's providing storage for water cooling or extra drives, or just housing multiple systems in a compact space, the HAF Stacker system is versatile enough to handle pretty much anything you can throw at it. Cooler Master calls these new cases a mod tower expandable system and says they're a better case ecosystem.

Read more: Cooler Master HAF Stacker 935 Computer Case System Review @ Benchmark Reviews

Tt eSPORTS Dracco Captain Pro Gaming Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Today we have the Tt eSports Dracco Captain gaming headset on our test bench to find out if this 'studio quality' product offers a desirable solution for enthusiast gamers.

Read more: Tt eSPORTS Dracco Captain Pro Gaming Headset Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Review: Seagate 600 480GB SSD @ Custom PC Review

It’s been quite an interesting turn of events over the past couple years in the storage industry. Whereas practically everyone has turned their sights onto the exploding SSD market, both of the largest hard drive manufacturers Seagate and Western Digital were for the most part never to be seen. Although both companies dabbled a bit in the enterprise SSD space and SSD caching solutions, they never really focused their efforts in SSD technology and instead doubled down on traditional hard drives especially in the consumer space.

With 2011, 2012 and soon 2013 becoming record years for SSD growth all while the hard drive market stagnates, it’s no wonder that the big boys are finally looking to get a foothold in the emerging market. While Western Digital is still a bit silent on the consumer side, they’ve been making huge moves on the enterprise side acquiring a ton of smaller enterprise flash storage companies this year. In March they acquired Skyera, in June they acquired STEC, in July they acquired Velobit and most recently in September they acquired Virident bringing in tons of experience and IP to the mix. Seagate on the other hand is also making big moves and in May of this year, they introduced a complete line of SSDs ranging from consumer oriented products to the enterprise.

Read more: Review: Seagate 600 480GB SSD @ Custom PC Review

Philips 242G5 144Hz LCD Gaming Monitor Review @ eTeknix

As we have seen recently, there are a huge number of components that make up any system setup and unfortunately there is one key component that many people fail to put any attention to, thus making that gloriously expensive graphics card not give as good as it can. This of course is the monitor that we spend every minute looking at whilst using the system for whatever the task may be – whether it be office work, watching a film, image editing or even gaming. What these panels do for each task has a major impact on our user experience as a whole. If the image that we see is not crisp and defined with a great balance of colour, brightness and vibrancy, in the long run there is the chance of the poor image having an effect on the eyes or in the mind of a gamer, this can have a detrimental effect on the outcome of a game.

On the market there are so many generic ‘all-round’ performing monitors that are designed to perform for any task with reasonably good results, but nothing special. As we have seen recently though, there are many panels as well that are built for a specific user group in mind and this was a prime case when I looked at the ProArt PA249Q from Asus not too long ago. This panel is optimised for professional users who perform tasks such as image and video editing, where the need for precise colours and a definitively sharp display is fundamentally important.

Read more: Philips 242G5 144Hz LCD Gaming Monitor Review @ eTeknix

VidaBox OpenSqueeze Solo Review - A Logitech SqueezeBox Replacement @ Madshrimps

The OpenSqueeze Solo streaming media player is VidaBox's solution for the discontinued Logitech SqueezeBox community and fans. We compare this little box which has some unique and interesting feature to other popular solutions for getting audio sources played through your favorite speaker set.

Read more: VidaBox OpenSqueeze Solo Review - A Logitech SqueezeBox Replacement @ Madshrimps

Not All Viruses Are Viruses: 10 Malware Terms Explained @ Howtogeek

Most people seem to call every type of malware a virus, but that isnt technically accurate. Youve probably heard of many more terms beyond virus: malware, worm, Trojan, rootkit, keylogger, spyware, and more. But what do all these terms mean? These terms arent just used by geeks. They make their way into even mainstream news stories about the latest web security problems and tech scares. Understanding them will help you understand the dangers your\ hear about. Malware The word malware is short for malicious software. Many people use the word virus to indicate any type of harmful software, but a virus is actually just a specific type of malware. The word malware encompasses all harmful software, including all the ones listed below. Virus Lets start with viruses.

Read more: Not All Viruses Are Viruses: 10 Malware Terms Explained @ Howtogeek

Powercolor R9 290X OC Review @ OCC

Cooling the card down is a large cooling solution that at times seems less than adequate, especially when running in Quiet mode. Temperatures quickly skyrocket to 94 °C on this card before clock speeds start dropping. This is particularly troubling when you run this card in a sealed case. You get some thermal dump into the case, which hopefully is well ventilated with more than just a pair of low CFM fans, or your gaming bliss could be short lived. While AMD states 95 °C is OK, I found out otherwise as this card would decide enough was enough and shut down at random times in games, which is a concern that needs to be addressed. Usually after the thermal limits had been reached and had been running under load for any time with a fan speed of less than 55%. Again not a PowerColor problem, but something I am wondering is indicative of the higher operating temperatures on the reference design. I hope that the non-reference designs from AMD's board partners remedy the cooling concerns to maintain the thermal headroom needed for optimum performance, because currently it's quite clear that NVIDIA cards run cooler and quieter than this current flagship from AMD.

Read more: Powercolor R9 290X OC Review @ OCC

Samsung 840 EVO 750GB @ PureOverclock

We’ve seen many solid state drives over the past few years, and many have been memorable, and many have been forgettable. But it’s always exciting to see new technologies emerge that push the boundaries of performance, features, and even pricing. New controllers, better memory, improved longevity, and faster performance are the hallmarks of this progression, though lately we haven’t seen many SSDs that have furthered the cause.

We think that may change today as we look at the Samsung 840 EVO SSD. While its grey and black finish is rather plain looking, and its internals don’t look terribly unique, it’s what you can’t physically see that’s absolutely tantalizing.

Read more: Samsung 840 EVO 750GB @ PureOverclock

AMD Radeon R9 290 Review: Hawaii Just Got Cheaper @ HotHardware.com

This has been an exciting few weeks in the GPU space, to say the least. AMD has released a new line-up of cards that cover the entire spectrum, from entry-level, affordable products, to ultra-powerful, high-end solutions, targeted at hardcore gamers. We've also seen NVIDIA react to AMD's recent releases with significant price cuts on the GeForce GTX 770 and GTX 780, new game bundles, and the announcement of the GeForce GTX 780 Ti, which will be available very soon. In less than a month, the entire GPU landscape has changed, and the metamorphosis isn't quite complete just yet.

Today AMD is officially releasing the Radeon R9 290. This card was originally slated to do battle with the GeForce GTX 770, but due to NVIDIA's price cuts, AMD decided to move the R9 290 upmarket at the 11th hour. Instead, thanks to a few tweaks that came via a last minute driver drop that improves performance, the Radeon R9 290 is poised to take on the $499 GeForce GTX 780...

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 Review: Hawaii Just Got Cheaper @ HotHardware.com

AMD Radeon R9-290 and 290 Crossfire reviews @ Guru3D

Last week we have shown you a review on the R9-290X model of AMDs new impressive flagship graphics cards. This week we will have a look at its little brother, as we review the AMD Radeon R9-290. The new second to best flagship product has been long awaited and anticipated. Where the X model stays in line with the competition's GeForce GTX Titan, the more regular Radeon R9-290 will compete with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 780. Now we have all seen the very competitive pricing from AMD with the X model, 499 EUR incl VAT is roughly what AMD is aiming for. That however might be a hundred EUR too steep for many of you. As such the R9-290 will be the more affordable enthusiast class product. Priced at 399 EUR it is going to command and conquer. Yes these cards are beasts in terms of price, performance and product positioning. This in-depth review will cover the Volcanic Islands GPU architecture, Hawaii for the 290 series, we'll benchmark these cards with FCAT Frametimes, Ultra High Definition and of course we'll check out game performance with the latest games next to power consumption and heat levels as well.

Before we begin with the new graphics cards the first thing that you guys will need to get used to is the new naming scheme. AMD ended with the Radeon HD 7000 and 8000 series graphics cards in 2013. Logic dictates that AMD would have continued with a series 9000. But hey now, we already have had the Radeon 9000 series many years ago (2003), oh and who doesn't remember the Radeon 9800 Pro right? As such it was time to bring in a new naming scheme, a bit more in line with AMD's APUs. R9 will be high-end and R7 will be mainstream and inevitably R5 being entry level. After that you'll notice products being tagged as 250, 260X, 270X, 280X and the coolest two of them all are the Radeon R9 290 and R290X.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9-290 and 290 Crossfire reviews @ Guru3D

AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

What happens when you take an AMD Radeon R9 290X video card and disable four compute units, lower the core clock speed just a smidge and slash the price by $150 dollars? You end up with the lower cost AMD Radeon R9 290 graphics card. The new Radeon R9 290 features same exact Hawaii GPU that is found on the Radeon R9 290X and supports all the new stuff like AMD TrueAudio, Mantle, DirectX 11 and OpenGL 4.3. Read on to see how it performs!

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

AMD Radeon R9 290 Review @ Techspot

Remaining unopposed for months, Nvidia's $1,000 GeForce GTX Titan, $650 GTX 780 and $400 GTX 770 had the high-end market pretty well stitched up earlier this year. Although AMD's Radeon HD 7970 GHz was available at $450, it proved slower than the GTX 770, while the company's dual-GPU HD 7990 was somewhat pointless because two 7970s were faster, cheaper and easier to cool.

With the enthusiast community demanding a response, AMD answered last month by delivering Titan-like performance for nearly half the price. At $550, the new Radeon R9 290X is set at the same rate as the HD 7970 when it debuted two years ago. With its age-old adversary swinging full force, Nvidia's back hit the ropes and it quickly countered by slashing prices across its affected upper-tier products.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 Review @ Techspot

AMD Radeon R9 290 Graphics Card Launch Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Today AMD fill the gap between R9 290X and R9 280X with the R9 290 and are pretty confident that, with the latest driver, it will have enough to match the GTX 780 so we will be taking a look at the two in games such as Battlefield 4, Batman: Arkham Origins and Total War: Rome 2 to establish whether AMD are correct in their claims.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 Graphics Card Launch Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

AMD's Radeon R9 290 graphics card reviewed @ The Tech Report

Less than two weeks ago, AMD introduced the Radeon R9 290X to good reviews and much fanfare. Here's hoping you didn't buy one, because the just-introduced Radeon R9 290 is really the one to get. Read on to find out why.

Read more: AMD's Radeon R9 290 graphics card reviewed @ The Tech Report

AMD Radeon R9 290 4 GB @ techPowerUp

AMD is launching their new Radeon R9 290 today. It comes with slightly weaker specifications than the R9 290X, but can compete with its bigger brother in benchmarks. Thanks to the fantastic price of just $399, the card is also extremely affordable.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 4 GB @ techPowerUp

AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB Review @ Hardware Canucks

With the R9 290X released alongside the R9 280X, R9 270X and R7 260X, October 2013 has been a banner month of AMD’s graphics division. Not only was NVIDIA caught flat-footed with cards that were suddenly deemed overpriced (in some cases by a significant amount) but with an impressive lineup of games being released this holiday season, the new Radeon lineup couldn’t be better positioned. Now, we’re about to see yet another launch from AMD in the form of their R9 290 4GB and this one may be the most important of them all.

The R9 290 4GB is very much the lynchpin in AMD’s lineup since it targets gamers who can’t afford or don’t want to spend the $549 demanded by the R9 290X. It also acts as a bridge product between AMD’s Titan killer and the rebranded R9 280X which is slightly more efficient and boasts better overclocking headroom than its bigger brother. NVIDIA’s lineup is also ripe for the picking since, even with their latest price reductions, the GTX 770 and GTX 780 may still not live up to the price / performance ratio offered by the R9 290.

Read more: AMD Radeon R9 290 4GB Review @ Hardware Canucks

AMD R9 290 Review (1600P, 4K and CF) @ KitGuru

A couple of weeks ago AMD launched their R9 290X GPU which took the market by storm outperforming both GTX Titan and GTX 780 in the majority of situations. Just ahead of the GTX780 ti release from Nvidia AMD unleash their more affordable high end partner card, the R9 290. How does this card fare against the other high end solutions available today?

Read more: AMD R9 290 Review (1600P, 4K and CF) @ KitGuru

Gigabyte Force K7 Keyboard Review @ APH Networks

When Soviet mathematician Pyotr Ufimtsev published his paper "Method of Edge Waves in the Physical Theory of Diffraction" in the Moscow Institute for Radio Engineering journal in 1964, it showed the world radar signature is actually a function of the edge configuration of the object, rather than the traditional understanding of it being related object's size. The crucial part about his work, and what the US military was particularly interested in, was Ufimtsev was able to demonstrate radar cross section calculations across an aircraft wing's surface and leading edge. This means by exploiting the principles presented in the paper, even large planes can be made almost invisible to radar, giving friendly forces a huge tactical advantage over enemy territory in battle. Of course, Ufimtsev's research was almost a decade ahead of its time; airplanes designed based on his stealth theory is not aerodynamically stable enough to fly until more advanced flight control computers were made available in the 1970s. Fast forward to 2013, with modern home desktop computers more powerful than virtually anything available four decades ago, where else does stealth design, computational power, and battle advantage come in? Apparently, rather than taking it to the skies over the Persian Gulf, Gigabyte thinks it should be no further than your latest gaming rig and a copy of Battlefield 4. The Gigabyte Force K7 is a "stealth gaming keyboard" promising to deliver ultra short travel, scissor based key actuation, three color backlighting, anti-ghost keys, and dynamic volume and backlight control. Will this keyboard give you an advantage over the noobs, or will it fly under the radar of true enthusiasts? We took one in to find out.

Read more: Gigabyte Force K7 Keyboard Review @ APH Networks

Noctua NH-L9i Low Profile Heatsink Review @ FrostyTech

Noctua's low profile NH-L9i heatsink stands 36mm tall so it will fit into the smallest of small form factor chassis. The NH-L9i is designed to cool Intel socket LGA115x (1155/1156/1150) processors only, which is a departure from the one-size-fits-all approach we're used to from heatsink manufacturers. The Noctua NH-L9i heatsink weighs 420 grams and is built around a large, triangular copper base plate, two 6mm diameter copper heatpipes and aluminum fins. Every part of this heatsink has been nickel plated so all the joints are soldered to maintain low thermal joint resistance.

Read more: Noctua NH-L9i Low Profile Heatsink Review @ FrostyTech

CoolerMaster Glacier 240L @ LanOC Reviews

Having recently reviewed a cadre of big block, multi-heat pipe air coolers it is about time to switch things up and today that is exactly what we will do by taking a look at an AIO water-cool solution enthusiasts have been anticipating. Back in July, many were troubled by the news that Swiftech would be ceasing sales on its popular H220 AIO/DIY hybrid cooling kit due to a patent dispute. While some chose to import units, others simply took the news in stride and searched elsewhere for their cooling hardware. Today is the day that all ends as Cooler Master have partnered with Swiftech to bring us a spiritual successor in the form of the Glacier 240L.

Read more: CoolerMaster Glacier 240L @ LanOC Reviews

Halite Video Purifier by Salt Labs Review @ TestFreaks

Almost one year ago now I reviewed the DarbeeVision Darblet HDMI Video Processor and I thought it was a great device but one of my chief complaints was and still is that it’s rather ugly and apparently a company called Salt Labs agrees with me on this as they’ve sent me of the Halite Video Purifier based on the Darblet. The device is virtually the same as the Darblet but it just looks a whole lot better now. The Halite essentially reprocesses your video, any video, movies, games or TV and add further depth cues to it for enhanced depth and realism, and I found that it can make everything just look better overall. The Halite can improve video quality on lower resolution videos and one of the things I love about it is that it can bring things in the background more into focus. The Halite isn’t only for videos, but it does have a gaming mode so it can even enhance your gaming experience. Read on to learn more…

Read more: Halite Video Purifier by Salt Labs Review @ TestFreaks

Fractal Design DEFINE XL R2 Chassis Review @ MissingRemote

When one is considering what chassis to use for their home theater or server build, a lot of factors come into play. In the past a traditional home theater PC build contained a small or desktop (horizontal) style chassis to help blend in with the AV stack, but that has evolved as the demands for storage and silence--as well as big screen PC gaming--has grown in importance. The Fractal Design Define XL R2 does not fit under the SFF category, as it is a full size ATX with tons of bells and whistles. The attraction for our needs is that the Define XL R2 does not sacrifice noise nor aesthetics to achieve its mission. Suitable for either the living room or closet (although what a shame that would be as it is quite attractive), we will be analyzing the merits of it to see if it is suitable of a person with more than your average HTPC needs.

Read more: Fractal Design DEFINE XL R2 Chassis Review @ MissingRemote

TRENDnet AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router @ NikKTech

Since I've always had more than just 1 computer at my place when DSL first arrived into this country although everyone i knew chose the normal low-cost ADSL modems i opted for the more powerful and expensive modem/router combination so i could give access to all my systems without much fuss. Well to this day I've never stopped using modem/router models (the Netgear i have now is the 7th in line) but something strange has happened and so for the past 2 years for unknown reasons (to me at least) all the well-known network solutions companies out there have shifted their focus towards the design and manufacture of standalone router models. Of course as you can all understand i am not too fond of that cause i can't upgrade my modem/router with a newer model but since the latest 802.11ac (AC1750) Wi-Fi protocol has been introduced in routers we had to take a closer look and the TEW-812DRU AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router by TRENDnet was the first to arrive on our doorstep.

Read more: TRENDnet AC1750 Dual Band Wireless Router @ NikKTech

PowerColor R9 290X OC 4 GB @ techPowerUp

PowerColor's Radeon R9 290X is built on AMD's reference design, using a 30 MHz overclock on the GPU. Coming at reference design pricing, the decision whether this card is worth the money is really a no-brainer.

Read more: PowerColor R9 290X OC 4 GB @ techPowerUp

BitFenix Ronin Mid-Tower Case Review @ Legit Reviews

BitFenix is a fairly new name to the enthusiast case market, however their cases have been getting a lot of attention as providing great cases for budget builders. Their main focus is on building high quality enthusiast grade cases, offering a multitude of features while keeping the price down. The case that we are looking at today from BitFenix is called Ronin. Ronin features a dark, stealthy design with wide hardware compatibility to suit your ever changing gaming rig.

Read more: BitFenix Ronin Mid-Tower Case Review @ Legit Reviews

Kingston SSDNow E50 Enterprise SSD Review (240GB) @ The SSD Review

Nearly a year ago, we reviewed the Kingston SSDNow E100 200GB and found it to be exquisite. It could even be one of the finest MLC-based second-gen LSI LSI SandForce drives we raved. That's pretty high praise for an enterprise SSD. Since that time, a lot has changed in the enterprise market. As we have discussed in previous reviews, a new category of enterprise SSDs has emerged; one that combines the low costs of MLC devices with enterprise SSD features, such as power loss protection. With its new SSDNow E50, Kingston is the latest company to venture into this market.

Read more: Kingston SSDNow E50 Enterprise SSD Review (240GB) @ The SSD Review

ASUS Xonar U7 Review @ Vortez

Using external sound cards is a common practice for those who desire higher quality audio from their notebook or even desktop when there are space or technical restrictions in place limiting their options available. Till recently, the only available audio processing via USB from the Xonar camp was the lightweight U3, or the ultra high end Xonar Essence DACs that require the sale of essential body parts and organs to afford. The Xonar U7 offers 7.1 surround sound, S/PDIF out and a headphone amp for maximum versatility in a lightweight and compact case.

Read more: ASUS Xonar U7 Review @ Vortez

Western Digital My Passport Slim (WDBGMT0010BAL) 1 TB Portable Hard Disk Drive Review @ Tech ARP

Western Digital has a wide variety of external storage products for both the PC and Mac markets. The external drives are available in both large desktop and smaller portable formats. Under the portable segment alone, Western Digital offers four drive families for the PC, and three drive families for the Mac.

Today, we are going to take a look at their latest portable hard disk drive for the PC market - the 1 TB Western Digital My Passport Slim (WDBGMT0010BAL).

It boasts the following features :

*- Ultra-slim, metal design
- Durable enclosure protects the drive inside
- Ultra-fast transfer rates
- USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility
- Automatic backup software
- Local and cloud backup
- WD Security (with AES 256-bit encryption)
- WD Drive Utilities*

Now, let's find out how this new portable hard disk drive fares against its competitors!

Read more: Western Digital My Passport Slim (WDBGMT0010BAL) 1 TB Portable Hard Disk Drive Review @ Tech ARP

Phanteks Enthoo Primo Full Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org

If there is one area of the PC world that is difficult to release something unique in, it would be cases. While it might seem that the possibilities are limitless, the truth is there are a very tight set of requirements to which builders must conform. These guidelines result in manufacturers churning out case after case that are essentially the same thing. Sure they may add this plastic bit here, or convert something else to be more tool less there, but at the core they are the same. This has had both positive and negative effects. The case mod scene comes from the desire for individuality in this sea of indistinguishable parts and has resulted in some impressive builds. However, many are left building their machines within the strict confines allowed by their cases. Fortunately for those of us looking for something unique and appropriate there are still some companies thinking outside the box. Today we will take a close look at the Phanteks Enthoo Primo full tower case and see if Phanteks is one of these companies.

Read more: Phanteks Enthoo Primo Full Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Apple iPad Air Review @ TechReviewSource.com

The iPad Air is Apple's attempt to make the tablet disappear. The result is an unusually slim, well-built platform for the best array of apps in the business.

Read more: Apple iPad Air Review @ TechReviewSource.com

ASUS Z87-Deluxe/Quad review: first Thunderbolt 2.0 motherboard @ Hardware.Info

ASUS sent us the Z87-Deluxe/Quad, a Socket 1150 motherboard for Haswell processors that includes about every type of connector you could wish for. The most exotic one? Thunderbolt 2.0.

Thunderbolt is the interface that combines PCI-Express and DisplayPort in one cable. Thunderbolt is capable of up to 10 Gigabit/s in both directions which makes it perfect for very fast storage solutions. Devices can be passed through or daisy-chained. Thunderbolt has become a standard feature on many Apple products, but it's taking more time to gain a foothold with PCs. There are a few high-end motherboards with a Thunderbolt controller and many of the limited number of Thunderbolt peripheral devices don't have Windows drivers. Nevertheless, the standard is gaining traction in the world of (semi-)professional video editing. And here the arrival of Thunderbolt 2.0 is especially important.

Thunderbolt 2 has two main advantages compared to version 1. The DisplayPort part has been upgraded to DisplayPort 1.2, which includes the Multi-Stream Transport (MST) feature. This is important for 4K monitors because they combine two DisplayPort signals which is only possible with version 1.2. It's not entirely new. The Redwood Ridge Thunderbolt controllers used for current Haswell systems with Thunderbolt also support DisplayPort 1.2.

Read more: ASUS Z87-Deluxe/Quad review: first Thunderbolt 2.0 motherboard @ Hardware.Info

Thermaltake Massive 14² Notebook Cooler Review @ Funky Kit

Laptop performance has become increasingly impressive over the last several years, especially once you consider everything that is cramped into such a small space. However, as I found out earlier this year, not all stock notebook cooling solutions are created equal or capable of keeping those critical components cool during intense gaming sessions. The great news is that manufacturers like Thermaltake have an aftermarket cooling solution for that burning laptop of yours.

Read more: Thermaltake Massive 14² Notebook Cooler Review @ Funky Kit