Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including Crysis 3 (PC) Video Review, Samsung PNE7000FF Review, Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 512GB SSD Review, Coolink Corator DS LGA2011, and Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX Case



Crysis 3 (PC) Video Review with Kaeyi Dream @ HardwareHeaven.com

Kaeyi Dream takes a look at Crysis 3 after attending the launch event

Read more: Crysis 3 (PC) Video Review with Kaeyi Dream @ HardwareHeaven.com

Cooler Master Silencio 650 Review @ XSReviews

Cooler Master have been around since 1992 and when it comes to building cases, Cooler Master know what they’re doing.

Today I’m looking at the Cooler Master Silencio 650 which is described by Cooler Master to be “extremely silent” and “wonderfully simplistic”. Let’s find out whether these statements are correct.

Read more: Cooler Master Silencio 650 Review @ XSReviews

Samsung PNE7000FF Review @ TechReviewSource.com

With companies like Samsung, Panasonic, and LG continuing to release new models, it's safe to say the death of plasma HDTVs has been greatly exaggerated. The Samsung PNE7000FF line of Smart TVs are a great example of why plasma technology continues to hang on in a market dominated by LCD-based products.

Read more: Samsung PNE7000FF Review @ TechReviewSource.com

Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 512GB SSD Review @ Myce

Plextor has been causing quite a stir in the SSD market over the last couple of years. They have quietly been building their standing as a serious player in the SSD market. I believe this is largely due to their reputation for building solid and reliable SSDs, based on mature SSD controllers, and their own proprietary firmware. Not only that, but Plextor SSDs also perform extremely well.

The last time we reviewed a Plextor SSD here on Myce was back in March 2012, where we took a look at the 256GB M3 SSD. It was found to be a reliable SSD, and performed excellently. Today I’m taking a look at Plextor’s latest and greatest consumer grade SSD in the shape of the new Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 512GB SSD.

For the Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme, Plextor is still using a Marvell SSD controller, although the M5 Pro uses the newer 88SS9187 incarnation, with their own proprietary firmware, and Toshiba’s new 19nm toggle 2 MLC NAND.

Read more: Plextor M5 Pro Xtreme 512GB SSD Review @ Myce

Fractal Design Define XL R2 Case Review @ Hardware Secrets

Fractal Design is releasing a new version of its Define XL full-tower case, dubbed the Define XL R2, targeted to users who want to build a high-end yet quiet computer. The first version received our "Golden Award." Let's see what is new and if the revamped model also deserves our recommendation.

Read more: Fractal Design Define XL R2 Case Review @ Hardware Secrets

ADATA DashDrive Air AE400 Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Wireless storage is becoming increasingly popular, I cannot tell you how many wireless hard drives we saw at CES this year. Wireless storage is great as you do not need to be physically connected to the drive to access it and think about how many wireless devices you have in your house. How many of those devices do you take with you on a daily basis? For me I take my laptop, iPhone and Kindle with me everywhere. With limited storage space on these devices I want to be able to take my media with me and access it from all of these devices at the same time. We have already taken a look at devices like Kingstons Wi-Drive and Patriots Gauntlet Node that give you this ability. Each device has its limitations though. Today we are taking a look at a device from ADATA that everyone should add to their mobile arsenal. The DashDrive Air is a wireless storage reader and power bank that gives you that mobile storage as well as the ability to charge your devices and so much more! Read on as we take a look!

Read more: ADATA DashDrive Air AE400 Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Cooler Master CM Storm Sentinel Advance II Gaming Mouse @ Modders-Inc.com

The CM Storm Sentinel Advance II is a welcome update to the Sentinel Series. The updated sensor is more accurate during game play. Cooler Master did not change the overall look or the ergonomics of the mouse in the latest update. They made a comfortable mouse better.

Read more: Cooler Master CM Storm Sentinel Advance II Gaming Mouse @ Modders-Inc.com

Evo Labs E-250 Case Review @ KitGuru

Today we are going to look at a budget-friendly case for those users who are looking to build a reasonably compact system with limited funds. Evo Labs is a budget-focused brand from UK based distributor Target Components, which aims to deliver customers more bang-for-buck than better known brands such as Thermaltake and Antec.

Read more: Evo Labs E-250 Case Review @ KitGuru

Coolink Corator DS LGA2011 @ techPowerUp

The Cooling Corator is a competitively priced cooler for Intel's LGA2011 socket. Not only pricing is good, but it also provides decent cooling performance at relatively low noise levels.

Read more: Coolink Corator DS LGA2011 @ techPowerUp

Samsung 840 120GB SSD Review @ HardOCP

The 120GB Samsung 840 Series SSD features the powerful 8-channel MDX controller and TLC NAND. While this value SSD comes at a very good price, it also features much lower speeds than its larger capacity brethren. We put this value SSD through our suite of steady state tests to see if it can pass muster.

Read more: Samsung 840 120GB SSD Review @ HardOCP

AZiO L3VETRON GM2000 Gaming Mouse and AZiO L3VETRON Mech5 Mechanical Keyboard Review @ OCC

Mechanical switches are becoming the typical switch in most gaming or enthusiast builds - at this point just having the mechanical switch isn't enough to warrant such high dollar signs. That is where I feel the L3VETRON Mech5 was a major let down. It reminded me of the toy that looked super in the box until you saved up your money to buy it and find out what crap it actually was. The features of a movable number pad as well as the little Macro keypad do deserve some merit in the overall review. Although I'm not big on using macros the ability to choose to have them is nice while not massively increasing the standard layout of the keyboard. The removable ability and varied placement of the number pad was by far my favorite part of all of the AZiO products today. Just the ability to customize my layout in a LEGO sort of manner was like being a kid all over again - loved it.

Read more: AZiO L3VETRON GM2000 Gaming Mouse and AZiO L3VETRON Mech5 Mechanical Keyboard Review @ OCC

AZiO Levetron GM-2000 Mouse Review @ Hi Tech Legion

The sensible answer is of course a balance between the two ideas. Extra features are always welcome but not if the main functionality is compromised. Established brands also sometimes get complacent and rely on the name recognition alone to justify higher prices with lesser features so it always puts a smile in my heart whenever a smaller, ambitious company offering more for less pops up on the radar to challenge established standards. AZiO has been making waves in the gaming community recently with their unique yet affordable Levetron line and one of their offerings is an entry-level gaming mouse called the GM2000.

The AZiO GM2000 gaming mouse uses an optical sensor and features an ergonomic design. The AZiO Levetron GM2000 has on-the-fly DPI adjustment capability and can switch between 800, 1600, and 2000 DPI levels. On the left side, the AZiO Levetron GM2000 mouse has back and forward buttons for convenient navigation or as additional inputs while gaming. Requiring no software or drivers for full functionality, the AZiO Levetron GM2000 gaming mouse is plug-and-play, fully compatible with Windows XP through 8 as well as MAC OSX 10.2 or greater. Aimed at budget enthusiasts, the AZiO Levetron GM2000 gaming mouse carries a 3-year warranty.

Read more: AZiO Levetron GM-2000 Mouse Review @ Hi Tech Legion

MyDigitalSSD BP4 Slim 7 Series SSD Review (240GB) @ SSD Review

The MyDigitalSSD Bp4 is available in capacities of 60, 120, 240 and 480GB and is called the ‘Slim 7 Series’ as it is a 2.5″ notebook drive that is only 7mm in height, making it suitable for todays new ultrabook designs. Performance of the BP4 is listed on the site at 560MB/s read and 530MB/s write with up to 80,000 IOPS at 4k aligned write disk access. The is a SATA 3 (6Gbps) SSD that is fully backwards compatible to SATA 2, has a three year warranty and is one of the lowest price SSD releases we have come across yet. We can find its price right now for $159.99 for the 240GB we are reviewing today, placing it at 0.66/GB. The 120GB version also has an excellent price at $89.99 with the 60GB following behind that at $59.99.

Read more: MyDigitalSSD BP4 Slim 7 Series SSD Review (240GB) @ SSD Review

Corsair Neutron GTX 240GB SSD Review @ Techgage

It isn’t every day tech writers get surprised, but heads were certainly turned (including mine) when Corsair announced its 4th generation SSDs based upon the controller from some unknown controller company. Yet, apparently this “unknown” company has been producing and selling both disk and flash-based drives in the enterprise market for years, ever since its inception in 2004. The Neutron just happens to be the first consumer-focused SSD to feature a Link_A_Media Devices’ chip housed inside. Reportedly, Corsair has signed an exclusive distribution agreement and will be the only company for the time-being to offer SSDs powered by a LAMD controller.

The launch of the Neutron family utilizing an unheard-of controller was an especially bold move from Corsair, yet it is also welcome to see. Currently, SandForce SSDs are still by far the most prevalent type on the market and there simply are not many publicly-available controller alternatives that exist beyond Marvell and Samsung for performance SSDs. Even Intel has migrated to using SandForce in its main consumer SSDs. Despite this, Corsair has somehow managed to pull the metaphorical rabbit out of a hat, launching not just a completely new choice in SSDs, but a new premium offering that is capable of hanging with the best-performing SSDs currently on the market. This is no small feat.

Read more: Corsair Neutron GTX 240GB SSD Review @ Techgage

Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX Case @ Benchmark Reviews

Everything is getting smaller. With today's emphasis on efficiency and mobility, and processors that do even more with much less power consumption, it is a trend that will probably continue. With the success of enclosures such as the BitFenix Prodigy and Coolermaster's Elite 120 Advanced, it is great to see other manufacturers embrace this trend and put their own innovations and ideas into the small form factor market. Choices are always a good thing for a customer, and Fractal Design brings their own blend of ITX with the Node 304. In the following pages, Benchmark Reviews will take a closer look at the ideas featured in the Fractal Design Node 304 FD-CA-NODE-304-BL Mini-ITX tower computer case.

ITX and small form factor cases have always intrigued me. It is fascinating to watch different manufacturers take on different thermal and layout challenges that are always a result of cramming lots of performance into a very small space. The question for me (and for most enthusiasts) becomes "how much power can I cram in this thing?" While Fractal Design imagines the Node 304's purpose to be a file server, HTPC or powerful gaming system, my first question when looking at SFF enclosures is "what's the biggest graphics card I can fit in that thing?" followed quickly by "will it keep everything cool enough?" Given my experience with a Silverstone FT03 Mini, I can say I'm already excited by the big open filtered intake on the side and its benefits for cooling a powerful GPU. Let's take a closer look at what else can fit in the Node 304.

Read more: Fractal Design Node 304 Mini-ITX Case @ Benchmark Reviews

Sapphire Vapor-X CPU Cooler @ PureOverclock

We're all aware of Sapphire and their Vapor-X technology. They've been implementing said Vapor-X technology on video cards since the 3870 with great success. Can the Vapor-X technology be adapted for CPU cooling as well? It sure can.but will it perform the same way it does on their graphics cards? Well lucky for us Sapphire sent us one of their new Vapor-X Universal CPU coolers to test and find out. So without further adieu let's take a look!

Read more: REVIEW: Sapphire Vapor-X CPU Cooler @ PureOverclock