Here a roundup of today's reviews adn articles, including Can Legacy Dual-Core CPUs Drive Modern Graphics Cards?, AMD Bulldozer FX-4130 Review, Razer Chimaera 5.1 Surround sound gaming headset, Super Talent Technology PCIe & Mini PCIe FDMs, and Razer Blade (R2) Gaming Laptop Review



Can Legacy Dual-Core CPUs Drive Modern Graphics Cards? @ HotHardware

A few weeks back, we examined whether a new GPU like the GeForce GTX 660 could breathe new life into an older quad-core gaming system built in mid 2008. The answer, we concluded, was definitely yes -- but many of you of you asked us to reconsider the question, this time using a dual-core Core 2 Duo.

We've done so. And just for fun, we've added overclocked CPU results into the mix as well.

Read more: Can Legacy Dual-Core CPUs Drive Modern Graphics Cards? @ HotHardware

Enermax Ostrog Midi Tower PC Case Review @ NikKTech

So far 2013 hasn't been any different compared to 2012 and so many people i know have a really hard time spending money on PC hardware and who can blame them with the current state of the economy? However you don't necessarily need to pay much to get something good and PC cases is perhaps the only area where casual users can cut down on the cost and not notice any serious impact in the overall performance of their systems. Personally I've always favored full towers because of their interior space since that means making my job/life easier when working with them (it also means that i can fit even the largest components in them) but for casual users and gamers midi towers like the latest Ostrog by Enermax which we have here with us today not only cost significantly less but can also come in handy when placed in tight spaces.

Read more: Enermax Ostrog Midi Tower PC Case Review @ NikKTech

AMD Bulldozer FX-4130 Review @ Vortez

AMD are giving their budget end of the FX CPUs a bit of a bump in performance and today, we are going to be examining what the differences are. There is an obvious increase in clock speed from 3.8GHz to 3.9GHz which is always a good thing, and AMD have a trick up their sleeve to make it more attractive to the budget builders. It is a completely unlocked chip, just like any other Black Edition CPU which AMD produce, but when compared to the older brother, the FX-4100, it comes with a much better stock cooler which AMD claim to make it overclock that much further on the stock cooler.

We are going to be putting the FX-4130 up against the FX-4100 to show the difference in performance which this CPU is said to have at stock speeds. This will be down to small tweaks which AMD have made to the processor as well as the faster clock speed at which it runs. AMD say that there is a 3% to 9% increase in various aspects of computing and we want to find out for ourselves whether this is indeed the case.

Read more: AMD Bulldozer FX-4130 Review @ Vortez

Razer Chimaera 5.1 Surround sound gaming headset @ Rbmods

If you are in the market for a good headset there are only so many companies available, one of them is Razer which is well known for their high end gaming accessories. They sent us their Chimaera 5,1 headset that we are going to review today. This headset works for both a PC and on a Xbox 360 but the price tag is quite steep since even Newegg sells them for around 180$ so expectations are obviously high. Lets get on with the review!

Read more: Razer Chimaera 5.1 Surround sound gaming headset @ Rbmods

Corsair H100i CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets

This time we are reviewing the Corsair H100i, a sealed liquid cooling system for CPUs, with a 240 mm radiator cooled by two 120 mm fans and featuring the "Corsair Link" USB interface that allows the computer to control and monitor temperature, pump, and fan speed. Check it out!

Read more: Corsair H100i CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets

Thermaltake Chaser A31 Gaming Case @ Warp2Search

Chaser A31 has an e-sports appearance and outstanding protection designs that characterize a unique personality. Take a look at the side, the transparent windowed panel offers the best inner view for built system see through. Since gaming hardware produces a lot of heat, therefore this enclosure is built for maximum cool with a perforated front bezel with two 120 mm fans at front and rear.

Read more: Thermaltake Chaser A31 Gaming Case @ Warp2Search

Super Talent Technology PCIe & Mini PCIe FDMs @ Warp2Search

Bypassing the SATA speed bottleneck, Super Talent’s PCIe and mini PCIe FDMs offer huge performance gains with the ability to deliver read speeds up to 350 MB/sec and write speeds up to 220 MB/sec. The ultra-compact form factor is just right for solutions where space is limited, such as embedded applications, industrial PCs, all-in-one PCs, notebooks and netbooks.

Read more: Super Talent Technology PCIe & Mini PCIe FDMs @ Warp2Search

ASUS ROG Maximus V Extreme Intel LGA1155 @ techPowerUp

ASUS's monsterous ROG flagship is here! The ASUS Maximus V Extreme is built for the hardcore overclocker, with its sights firmly set at knocking the competition off of the top overclocking global records. Packed full of overclocking features and options, I get to see if I can make this lion purr. Turns out, it's easier than I had hoped.

Read more: ASUS ROG Maximus V Extreme Intel LGA1155 @ techPowerUp

ADATA DashDrive Elite 500GB HE720 External Drive Review @ Legit Reviews

Are you looking for an external hard drive that is thin for easy portability? The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 is the world's thinnest USB 3.0 external hard drive at just 8.9mm thick. That is slim enough to easily fit in your pant pocket, purse or laptop bag! This 500GB external hard drive also features a One touch backup function which automatically backs up and synchronizes data. ADATA sent over the ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 500GB external HDD for to check out, so read on to learn more about it and to see how it performs!

The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 500GB external hard drive was found to have solid performance, but you can quickly figure out that this drive isn't about performance, it is about the form factor. ADATA wanted to create the thinnest external hard drive in the world and at 8.9mm, they were able to do just that with the HE720. The WD My Passport Edge 500GB hard drive is 12.8mm thick, which makes it nearly 44% thicker than the ADATA HE720...

Read more: ADATA DashDrive Elite 500GB HE720 External Drive Review @ Legit Reviews

Razer Blade (R2) Gaming Laptop Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

The Razer Blade (or New Razer Blade as we are now on a second revision) is a high end Ultrabook aimed at gamers. With a mobile i7 CPU, GeForce GTX 600 series graphics and a unique touch screen track pad it offers something that little bit different to the norm. Today we put it through a selection of real world tests including Crysis 3 and StarCraft 2 Heart of the Swarm.

Read more: Razer Blade (R2) Gaming Laptop Review @ HardwareHeaven.com

Corsair Carbide Series 500R Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org

I've said this before, but I am going to say it again Corsair has really made a name for themselves over the past few years. Not that long ago we only knew them for memory and now they are a top name when it comes to power supplies, cases and gaming accessories. Their entry into the case market was great and every Corsair case that I've reviewed I've enjoyed. There really has not been much I have not liked about Corsair cases. They have unique designs, good cooling and none of the unneeded crap we find on so many other cases. Today we are taking a look at the top case in their Carbide Series the Carbide 500R. This mid tower case features a sleek design, 4 included fans, USB 3.0 and 2.5-inch hard drive support, a fan controller and much more. Did I mention this case has a MSRP of $129.99. Let's check it out!

Read more: Corsair Carbide Series 500R Case Review @ ThinkComputers.org