GMC R-4 'BULLDOZER' Case Review
Driverheaven posted a review on the GMC R-4 'BULLDOZER' Case

Not too long ago they released their patented R series cases, the only tower chassis products utilizing a perpendicular ODD mounting design. Today we will have a look at another R series case, the R-4 Bulldozer. The R-4 Bulldozer is a tower case designed to house a full gaming ATX system, but with the minimum possible dimensions. We will examine its advantages and downsides in the following review.

GMC R-4 'BULLDOZER' Case Review

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Processor Review
iXBT Labs has posted a review on the AMD Phenom II X4 940 Processor

First of all, these tests show that the competition in the CPU market is growing interesting again. Phenom II is evidently a success. Moreover, in a number of tasks we can speak about it even without mentioning prices.

AMD Phenom II X4 940 Processor Review



Akasa Nero AK-967 CPU cooler review
Elite Bastards posted a review on the Akasa Nero AK-967 CPU cooler

Akasa (naturally) also provides the cooling fan for the Nero, a 120mm affair complete with PWM support so that its rotation speed can be controlled by CPU temperature. This gives it a variable speed of between 500 and 1,500 RPM, and a maximum noise level of 24.6 decibels, while pushing up to 50.54 CFM of air.

Akasa Nero AK-967 CPU cooler review

G.Skill Titan 256GB SSD Review
bit-tech published a review of the G.Skill Titan 256GB SSD

Frankly we're amazed by how quickly the SSD market is moving forwards and a drive that just a few months ago was a unappealing has now, though some clever engineering, been turned into an absolute star performer that's able to match and for the most part better a drive that, just a month ago, was one of the best available. Will 2009 be the year of the SSD? If the Titan is anything to go by, it certainly looks like it!

However, it's also something of a warning for the future -- just how much faster and larger will SSDs get in the next three months, let alone a year? The investment of $500 into an SSD is a big one, and while we're unashamedly excited by the technology and the benefits it might offer (especially as Windows 7 is being optimised to better take advantage of SSDs), we can't help but advise caution. Looking at past emergences of new technologies early adopters rarely get the best deal (//or even a fair one, eh, HD DVD owners?) and while the Titan is both an excellent performer and fairly spacious, it won't be very long before another SSD arrives to stake its claim.

For now though, this is a wonderful bit of kit, finally combining speed in every area with a capacity that doesn't neuter the usefulness of the drive. The Titan would be just as at home in a high-end gaming machine (with the appropriate drive adapter) as it would an ultra-portable notebook, high performance laptop or HTPC, and for those willing to pay the premium, it earns a recommendation.

G.Skill Titan 256GB SSD Review

SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5 PCI-E Video Card Review
TestFreaks.com posted a review on the SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5 PCI-E Video Card

So yes this is a review of the Sapphire HD4870 with 512mb of ram, but it's also a comparison of what differences, if any there are between having 512mb or 1gig of ram on your video card. I'm comparing the Sapphire 4870 512mb to my Diamond 4870 with 1gig of ram to figure out if it's worthwhile to double the ram or not. Both card run the same 750Mhz Core Clock and 900Mhz memory clock, and both have the 256bit memory interface, they pretty much the same except for the onboard memory.

SAPPHIRE ATI Radeon HD 4870 512MB GDDR5 PCI-E Video Card Review

Windows 7 Up Close and Personal
HotHardware.com takes a look at Windows 7

When Windows Vista first hit the scene, it was quite a departure from Windows XP. It had been a while since a major desktop operating system release from Microsoft, and consumers along with many businesses, were slow to adopt. Add to that the new and sometimes cumbersome security features, plus reports that Vista was slower as a gaming platform, and you had an equation for low initial adoption. Even as service pack 1 was released adoption was still less than stellar, prompting Microsoft to launch new marketing campaigns in an attempt to sway public opinions (think Mojave).

As news about Windows 7 leaked to the public, many wondered what type of improvements it would offer. That curiosity changed to a fervor when Microsoft announced the first public beta of Windows 7 was to be released. The scheduled release date was surrounded by such anticipation that when it was time to deliver, Microsoft could not handle the download demand for the their latest version of Windows. After a small delay the public finally has access to the first beta of Windows 7. We here at HotHardware have been experimenting and testing it and have compiled a first look, replete with plenty of screen shots and benchmark comparisons between Windows 7 and Vista as installed on the same hardware platform...

Windows 7 Up Close and Personal

Samsung 2263DX 22"+7" LCD Display System Review
DreamWare Computers posted a review on the Samsung 2263DX 22"+7" LCD Display System

The 2263DX is a step away from the ordinary when it comes to consumer level LCD monitors. It features a 7" companion screen which attaches to the primary one via a swing arm, an integrated 3.0MP webcam (wow!), built-in mic and built-in stereo speakers. Samsung's aim with this one is to not only cut back on the number of extra peripherals on your desk but also to increase productivity by allowing applications to run on the secondary screen while you keep working on the primary one. Considering that I used to have a dual monitor setup in the past using a lower resolution 7 inch secondary monitor as well which was similar to this setup, the 2263DX is actually a bit of a dream monitor for someone like myself. Let's dig a little deeper into just what this setup is capable of!

Samsung 2263DX 22"+7" LCD Display System Review

Rosewill Conqueror Case Review
Hardware Secrets posted a review on the Rosewill Conqueror Case

Conqueror (a.k.a. RPS-01) is an entry-level mid-tower case from Rosewill with some interesting features usually found only on more expensive models, like meshed bay covers with dust filters, three 120-mm fans and two removable hard disk drive cages. Let's take an in-depth look on this case.

Rosewill Conqueror Case Review

CoolIT Domino A.L.C. CPU Cooler Review
Techgage.com posted their look at CoolIT's latest liquid cooler

If you want to get rid of that air CPU cooler, but find water-cooling too complicated and expensive, CoolIT might have just what you're looking for. Their Domino A.L.C. is designed to offer greater cooling-abilities over air, while retaining reasonable noise-levels. Best of all, it's inexpensive, at $80, and won't hold back your impressive overclocks.

CoolIT Domino A.L.C. CPU Cooler Review

AXP 2.5/3.5 SATA HDD to eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Dock Station Review
Rbmods posted a review on the AXP 2.5/3.5 SATA HDD to eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Dock Station

With todays need of more drive space and easy access to USB ports and memory readers forces us to have alot of extra devices on the table. AXP has found a solution to this by combining 2,5/3,5, USB and a card reader into the same device. This devices can easily take care of all your media with a quick plugin function and E-SATA interface. Lets have a closer look to see how this device will perform and how it actually looks like.

AXP 2.5/3.5 SATA HDD to eSATA/USB 2.0 Combo Dock Station Review

DDR2 Memory Comparison Test
InsideHW.com did comparison of four DDR2-1066 dual channel memory kits

We have decided to perform comparison test of memory modules that are certified at 533MHz or more precise at DDR2-1066 standard. We provided for this test several Dual Channel kits with 2x1GB capacity. Choice for this module speed came as consequence of the fact that most motherboards support 1066 standard. Capacity of 2GB RAM memory became standard also so our decision was actually led by these facts. We wanted to compare and determine what memory gives the best performances at default settings and of course, to determine overclock margin for each module. As you can see in table with specifications, tested modules have three the most popular chips lately.

DDR2 Memory Comparison Test

GELID Silent Spirit CPU Cooler Review
TweakTown posted a review on the GELID Silent Spirit CPU Cooler

This time around, we are looking at the GELID Silent Sprit, the latest of GELID’s products to surface. This coolers small footprint and lower clearance makes it a good candidate for HTPC’s and m-ATX users. With the 90mm fan that comes supplied with the Silent Spirit, I would expect this cooler to hold its own against the rest of the group.

While I would lay money on the fact that this cooler isn’t designed with the overclocker in mind, here at TweakTown we pull no punches when testing our coolers; they all get equal abuse in our testing. With that being said, I think it’s about time to get a look at the Silent Spirit and strap it to the test rig and see just how well GELID does.

GELID Silent Spirit CPU Cooler Review

Chieftec AEGIS Mid Tower Review
OCC has published a new review on the Chieftec AEGIS Mid Tower

Overall, the Chieftec AEGIS was slightly disappointing. With a name like Chieftec, I would have hoped for a product with more cooling ability (they didn't include any fans), and better noise / vibration dampening. Every time one of my hard drives had to make a seek, I could hear it. Also, the fans on my CPU and GPU were much louder than in the Cosmos. This of course could be a side effect of not having the additional fan noise to muffle these sounds. All these little things combined together made me not really enjoy using the case. However, there were some cool features, like the screwless design of the expansion slots and drive slots. Also, there are a lot of places for fans to be placed which would make the biggest of the negatives in with this case disappear.

Chieftec AEGIS Mid Tower Review

Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse Review
The TechZone has posted a review of the Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse

The trouble with many notebook mice is that they lack the same level of functionality as their desktop counterparts. When taking on a smaller form factor, these smaller mice tend to lose extra buttons and things that make full-sized mice so much nicer. Thankfully, this is not the case with the VX Nano. With the exception of the zoom slider, the VX Nano can do just about everything that the larger VX Revolution can do. it's almost up there with the MX, despite being about half the size.

Logitech VX Nano Cordless Laser Mouse Review

BFG GTX 285 OCX 1GB Video Card Review
Hardware Canucks has posted a review of the new BFG GTX 285 OCX 1GB video card.

With the GTX 285 we will see the gradual phasing out of the GTX 280 and indeed, we are seeing the telltale signs of this with the outgoing cards retailing for significantly discounted prices. This in effect has been putting some major pressure on the GTX 285 launch since the cards are very similar spec-wise but you can find the GTX 280 for more than $100 less if you care to look around a bit. That $100 may not seem much to some of you but when you have the price of a brand new HD 4670 separating two very similar cards, not many people will look at the more expensive option.

BFG GTX 285 OCX 1GB Video Card Review

ACard's ANS-9010 Serial ATA RAM disk
The Tech Report posted a review on ACard's ANS-9010 Serial ATA RAM disk

We haven't heard much about RAM disks since Gigabyte's i-RAM, but now ACard has one that supports up to 64GB of DDR2 memory, has dual SATA ports, and even sports a CF slot for backups. Keep reading to see how it fares against the fastest SSDs around.

ACard's ANS-9010 Serial ATA RAM disk

Thermaltake V9 Review
PureOverclock posted a review on the Thermaltake V9 case

Today we're looking at Thermaltake's new mid-tower case, the V9. It looks eerily familiar, seeming to channel the essence of another successful gamer tower, the Antec 900. Whereas the 900 did have some design issues, it would appear that Thermaltake has set about to correct and avoid those issues, while also offering consumers a less expensive alternative for their hardware needs. We'll take the V9 for a test drive and see whether Thermaltake has been successful in its version.

Thermaltake V9 Review

ASUS My Cinema-U3100Mini HDTV Tuner Review
Benchmark Reviews posted a review on the ASUS My Cinema-U3100Mini HDTV Tuner

Come February 17, 2009, most major broadcast stations in the US will make the final switch from analog to digital broadcasts and this has been coming for a long time. This switch will affect the computer user two-fold. The analog video tuners that people bought long ago will not pick up broadcasts any longer. But, at the same time, it's a great opportunity for HTPC and media center builders to develop a digital TV recorder and viewer for their computers. The ASUS My Cinema U3100Mini steps into place as a portable digital TV tuner and recorder with the ability to accept both ATSC signals over the air as well as QAM signals through coaxial cable connections. Does the ASUS My Cinema U3100 Mini deliver?

ASUS My Cinema-U3100Mini HDTV Tuner Review

BFG Tech MX 680w Modular Power Supply Review
OCIA.net has posted their review of the BFG Tech MX 680w Modular Power Supply

BFG Technologies is a proverbial newcomer to the power supply market, although their claim to fame began in 2001 with their highly successful line of video cards. Since then, they have expanded to include motherboards, power supplies and even full systems. Today we will be taking a look at one of their modular power supplies, the BFG Tech MX 680w Modular PSU. The MX Series represents the modular version of the LS series which we took at look at last year.

BFG Tech MX 680w Modular Power Supply Review

NZXT Avatar Gamers Mouse Review
The Guru of 3D posted a review on the NZXT Avatar gamers mouse

Recently NZXT released their first mouse to the market. A mouse for gamers. And after saying that, this is immediately where I realize why we hardly review keyboards and mouse's etc .. I mean, good gawd.. it's just the most subjective thing to do.

Anyway, it's called the NZXT Avatar, have a peek .. then browse to the next page where we'll show you it's functionality and specifications. Then we'll show you a nice photo-shoot, some subjective experiences .. followed by a conclusion.

NZXT Avatar Gamers Mouse Review

BFG GTX-295 Review
Bjorn3D takes a look at the BFG GTX-295

BFG has been a favorite among computer enthusiasts for quite a while now. Known for their high quality cutting edge Nvidia GPU's and high efficiency power supplies, many an enthusiast has browsed the BFG site longing for that massive GPU that would complete their gaming shrine. Since the introduction of the GTX-200 series things have been really exciting in the GPU world.

We've been seeing GPU power steadily increase to the point where even seasoned veterans are excited to the point of lunacy. Each new GPU grants increased graphics and parallel computing power like we've never seen. Then along comes the GTX-295, putting SLI onto a single card and making it possible for anyone with a single PCI-E 16x slot to run SLI on one GPU on any platform, not that we'd recommend running the BFG GTX-295 on anything less than a high end Dual Core or Quad. We'd really recommend Core i7 or Phenom 2 to drive one of these beasts. With graphics running this high end you need a good CPU to prevent bottlenecking. Once you have the platform to run this beast on, the results are stunning. So far, no game we've seen, including the GPU killer Crysis, slows this beast down enough to become unplayable. Frames fly by and game play is so smooth that it makes your mouth water. The biggest problem we've had with the BFG GTX-295 so far is keeping people away from it. Once they see the graphics power of this beast they're hooked.

BFG GTX-295 Review