HardwareLogic posted Kingston KHX9600D2K2/1GB Memory Kit Review

When it comes to enthusiast memory, Kingston is not the first name that usually comes to mind. Although Kingston markets themselves as the "World's independent memory leader", that title takes into account their desktop, server, PDA, and burgeoning flash memory lines. When it comes to system memory, Kingston's HyperX line offers the enthusiast market some great performance options, however the price generally makes their memory unattractive to those trying to find a balance between price and performance.

Kingston KHX9600D2K2/1GB Memory Kit Review

Bit-Tech posted a review on the Cooler Master 830 Custom and 832 cases

The Cooler Master Stacker 830 is one of our all-time favourite cases. We review its new stable-mate, the Stacker 832, as well as an exclusive look at the Smooth Creations 830 with custom paint job.

Cooler Master 830 Custom and 832 cases Review



XSReviews has reviewed the Noctua NC-U6

After chatting with the Noctua rep at Channel Expo, we managed to get our hands on the Noctua NC-U6; a rather excessive chipset cooler. With 29 aluminium fins, and 2 dual heatpipes, this should give you a nice drop in temperature, and being passive, a drop in noise too.

Noctua NC-U6 Review

DragonSteelMods takes a look at the Internal Card Reader with USB 2.0 from USBGeek

Quite a few types of devices out there today use some sort of memory card to store their data on, be it music, photos, games etc. What I've always wondered is why don't computer manufacturers include card readers as a standard feature on their computers. Yes some do, but most don't, so what you need to do is go and buy a separate card reader for your system like the one I have today for review from USBGeek. The Internal Card Reader with USB 2.0 is just that, a card reader with a couple extra USB ports on it, no audio ports, no firewire, none of that stuff. How many people actually use all those ports anyway? I know I don't, but I do use a card reader all the time and my USB ports. So this product is simple but yet right on with what is needed by most people.

Internal Card Reader with USB 2.0 from USBGeek

3D Game Man posted a review on the Noctua NC-U6 Chipset Cooler

Noctua continues to show its commitment to excellence with their NC-U6 passive chipset cooler. Their excellent build quality continues to show presence. I would really like to see the Noctua line of products make their way to the main stream Americas. Their attention to detail and continuous quality show them as a best-of-breed product.

Noctua NC-U6 Chipset Cooler Review

HotHardware.com posted 8-Core Intel Xeon 'V8" Sneak Peek

Back in January at this year's CES show, Intel was giving the press glimpses of a rig in their booth dubbed the V8. It is essentially a dual-socket workstation platform outfitted with a pair of quad-core Xeon processors for a total of eight cores - hence the "V8". The enterprise platform that this box was built around is based on Intel's 5000X chipset, aka Blackford, and it supports up to 32GB of FBDIMM serial memory. HotHardware has a component build-up of a more current Intel V8 machine here, with preliminary benchmarks, pictures and more details on this 8-core dual Xeon powerhouse.

8-Core Intel Xeon V8 Sneak Peek - Dual Quads

GideonTech posted a review on the Super Talent DDR2 1000 (T1000UX2G4) 2GB memory

This week I was given a chance to look over a pair of Super Talent Technology Corporation's 2GB (2 x 1GB Dual Channel) DDR2 PC2 8000 T1000UX2G4 overclocked RAM for gamers. The timings for this set of memory is a tight 4-5-4-15 - compared to the common 5-5-5-15 variety. With 20 years under the belt, Super Talent stands behind their product. All ram modules are protected with a lifetime warranty.

Super Talent DDR2 1000 (T1000UX2G4) 2GB Review

Virtual-Hideout posted SAPPHIRE Pure Innovation HDMI PI-AM2RS690MHD Motherboard Review

This motherboard is not intended to be a serious overclocker, but instead to be an asset to the digital home environment. What I mean by that is it's better suited as a possible HTPC or as a medium to get digital content to a device with a HDMI connection.

SAPPHIRE Pure Innovation HDMI PI-AM2RS690MHD Motherboard Review

Bjorn3D checked out the Thermaltake LANBOX SFF Case

Computer hardwares are dedicated pieces of electronics which should definitely be treated with a great care. While many people will choose the best components that money can buy and have the best performance, yet often people overlooked one crucial piece of equipment which every computer system should have--an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). A computer should always be plugged into an UPS so when there’s a power outage, the important data will have a few minutes to be safely saved and the system can be shut down properly. An inappropriate system shut down can sometimes damage the system components and not to mention the hours of hardwork on your senior thesis could just be gone forever.

There are many selections of UPS on the market with different wattage, different software features, and different amount of connectors; however, all of them are essentially the same hardware--a battery with power sockets. For most users, a simple UPS with at least two connectors (one for the system and one for the monitor) for the power would be more than enough for a simple home system. Anyone who is looking to buy an UPS should check the power requirement of their system and be sure to buy the UPS with enough wattage (VA) that can provide enough time to save the unsaved files and properly shuts the system down. Today, we will be looking at the Ultra 850VA Power Protection Unit.

Thermaltake LANBOX SFF Case Review

Bjorn3D posted a review on the Ultra 850VA UPS

Computer hardwares are dedicated pieces of electronics which should definitely be treated with a great care. While many people will choose the best components that money can buy and have the best performance, yet often people overlooked one crucial piece of equipment which every computer system should have--an uninterrupted power supply (UPS). A computer should always be plugged into an UPS so when thereÂ’s a power outage, the important data will have a few minutes to be safely saved and the system can be shut down properly. An inappropriate system shut down can sometimes damage the system components and not to mention the hours of hardwork on your senior thesis could just be gone forever.

There are many selections of UPS on the market with different wattage, different software features, and different amount of connectors; however, all of them are essentially the same hardware--a battery with power sockets. For most users, a simple UPS with at least two connectors (one for the system and one for the monitor) for the power would be more than enough for a simple home system. Anyone who is looking to buy an UPS should check the power requirement of their system and be sure to buy the UPS with enough wattage (VA) that can provide enough time to save the unsaved files and properly shuts the system down. Today, we will be looking at the Ultra 850VA Power Protection Unit.

Ultra 850VA UPS Review

T-Break checked out the MSI K9AGM2 Motherboard

We look at the first motherboard to hit our labs with a built-in HDMI interface that sounds perfect for an HTPC setup. Based on the 690G chipset, this motherboard is capable of more.

MSI K9AGM2 Motherboard Review

techPowerUp posted a review on the Moneual LAB MonCaso 932 HTPC enclosure

The Moneual LAB MonCaso 932 series carries a price tag of just under $900, but features all the specifications to justify it. A 7" touchscreen LCD placed inside an incredibly solid all aluminum case, a great software and easy installation as well as the included keyboards are what you get for your money. We take a real close look at the case which costs more than most complete systems and let you know if it is worth it.

Moneual LAB MonCaso 932 HTPC enclosure Review

techPowerUp posted a review on the XTracPads Zoom

The XTracPads Zoom is incredibly thin and lightweight. In fact it is thinner than the pad's own packaging. The Zoom is meant for speed and the low height should make it quite comfortable. We take a few mice for a spin and let you know if the hard surface stays in place and does the job.

XTracPads Zoom Review

Chile Hardware published a comparison review between ECSPN2 SLI2+ and DFI ICFX3200-T2R/G.

Both of them are top of the line enthusiast motherboards being one designed for NVIDIA SLI and the last one for AMD/ATi CrossFire.

Read more (Spanish)
Read more (with translator)

3D Game Man posted a review on the Apevia X-QPACK2 SFF Case

If you attend a lot of LAN parties and you are carrying around your heavy and cumbersome tower case, it might be time for a Small Form Factor Case (SFF). The Aspire X-QPACK2 SFF Case comes in a variety of different colors, has 3 windows, excellent air circulation, comes with a removable motherboard tray and even includes a 500W PSU. This case is also all aluminum, which makes it very lightweight. Watch the video to find out more and check out the bloopers at the end.

Apevia X-QPACK2 SFF Case Review

Canucks of Hardware posted a round up of the latest and greatest CPU water blocks from Swiftech and D-TEK

The round up features the Swiftech APOGEE GT and APOGEE GTX, and the D-TEK Customs FuZion.

All three current heavyweight CPU blocks perform admirably and when it comes down to decide which block to purchase, price and aesthetics are going to be the deciding factor for most users given the close performance of these water blocks.

Water Block Roundup

Hardware Secrets took some pictures of two 512 MB DDR3 memory modules from Super Talent

We took a walk on Silicon Valley today and we could see what’s new at Super Talent. They showed us two working DDR3 memory modules (not just dummy samples) with 512 MB each. Let’s take a look on what they got.

DDR3 Memory Modules from Super Talent

Techgage posted a review of Cooler Masters first foray into graphics card air cooling

As their name suggests, Cooler Master is no stranger to cooling products. They were however new to graphics card cooling, but no longer thanks to their CoolViva Pro. We are taking their first GPU cooler for a spin to see if their legendary quality is carried over here.

Cooler Master CoolViva Pro Review

The TechZone reviews the SteelPad 5L Professional Gaming Mouse Pad

Other standard mouse pads may only be about 8 x 6 inches. The SteelPad 5L, by contrast, is nearly four times this size with overall dimensions of 380 x 280mm (15 x 11 inches). You could very easily cut this mousepad in half and have two very decently-sized, very usable pads. The rationale behind having such giant dimensions is that you will never need to lift your mouse off of the pad. You can span the entire width of your display with no trouble at all. Whether being so large is an advantage or disadvantage is largely (no
pun intended) a matter of personal preference. Speaking for myself, desk
real estate is at a premium, so there's no real reason for me to have a
mousepad quite this huge.

SteelPad 5L Professional Gaming Mouse Pad Review

OCC has published a new review of the Logitech MX 610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse

At first I was somewhat reluctant to actually see the contents of the box, was Logitech just trying to make me believe this was a "Lefties Only" mouse or is it just another ambidextrous mouse with buttons on the left side? Well low and behold, it's a true, left-handed mouse, and the buttons are right where I want them to be.

Logitech MX 610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse Review

CoolTechZone.com posted Motorola RAZR V3xx Platinum Review

Motorola just keeps pumping out the RAZR line with no end in sight whatsoever. The V3xx Platinum is a new member of the RAZR series, available directly from AT&T. Other than the updated theme, there isn’t anything noteworthy about the Platinum edition. It’s the same old, same old. We reviewed the original V3xx a while back and came away with a decent impression of the xx series.

Motorola RAZR V3xx Platinum Review

MadPenguin.org posted an article on the GNOME Mobile & Embedded Initiative

I can honestly say without reservation that the GNOME Mobile & Embedded Initiative (GMAE) is a novel idea, and I certainly support the hard work that has gone behind bringing GNOME to the mobile world. However, I can't help but feel like the desktop Linux world will likely be left out in the cold as their embedded siblings continue to embrace the Microsoft desktop platform. Will this initiative be enough to get developers to finally offer desktop Linux users the options for keeping their data in sync without hours of command line and config file editing? To date, I remain unaware of any successful, user-friendly instances where embedded Linux has given the time of day with regard to easy “syncability” to desktop Linux. Sure, there are a number of hacks, workarounds and other such solutions, but it’s not a simple solution. It just goes to show just how sad this whole thing really is.

GNOME Mobile & Embedded Initiative: A Viable Option for Carriers?

OCIA.net takes a look at the OCZ PC2-6400 SLI-Ready Dual Channel DDR2 Memory in their latest review

I want to take a moment and discuss the Enhanced Performance Profiles that are present on these modules. In a nutshell, if your are running an nForce SLI-based motherboard, the board will automatically detect the presence of EPP enhanced modules. These EPP modules are pre-programmed with advanced SPD (Serial Presence Detect) settings to boot at 800 MHz with timings of 4-4-4-15 1T. This is essentially a "noob" way to get the most out of your modules without having to fool with manually setting timings in the BIOS. Overclocking is slowly becoming more mainstream and this is yet another "automated" approach.

OCZ PC2-6400 SLI-Ready Dual Channel DDR2 Memory Review

Tweaknews posted a review on the Thermaltake Toughpower 1000W Cable Management Power Supply

The Toughpower 1000W from Thermaltake is a real monster! And I mean that in a good way. With best-of-class specs and a generous feature set with configuration options and some future proofing, this baby is tough to beat. The Toughpower line represents Thermaltake's flagship PSU offerings, and the 1000W is a worthy addition, building on a tradition of power, stability and cutting edge features.

Thermaltake Toughpower 1000W Cable Management Power Supply Review

Howtoforge published a guide about setting up VMware Server on Debian GNU/Linux 4.0

This tutorial provides step-by-step instructions about how to install the free VMware Server (version 1.0.2) on a Debian Etch system. With VMware Server you can create and run guest operating systems (virtual machines) such as Linux, Windows, FreeBSD, etc. under a host operating system. This has the benefit that you can run multiple operating systems on the same hardware which saves a lot of money, and you can move virtual machines from one VMware Server to the next one (or to a system that has the VMware Player which is also free). In this article we use Debian Etch (4.0) as the host operating system.

How To Install VMware Server On Debian 4.0 (Etch)

Linux.com posted a review on Silicondust's HDHomeRun

I have been a TiVo owner since almost day one; seven years with a Series 1 box. But TiVo's elimination of lifetime subscriptions has made me plan on migrating to a do-it-yourself DVR, probably running MythTV. As I spec out hardware, I am increasingly frustrated at the paucity of PCI slots bestowed on us by motherboard makers today. I want good sound, good NTSC, FM, and HDTV, and hopefully multiple tuners, but there is scarcely a mobo in sight that has that much room in the interior. However, I found an alternative in Silicondust's HDHomeRun, a standalone, dual-tuner HDTV receiver that streams video over the network, and supports Linux right out of the box.

HDTV reception and network streaming in a box

ClubOC posted a review on Uniblue Registry Booster 07

The Windows Registry is a lot like a liver. Hardly anyone knows what it does, just that life stinks when it has problems. So what do we do? We thank our lucky stars that there are well-paid people with white lab coats who know what they are doing. In this case, the white coats are from Uniblue, and their cure for cirrhosis of the registry is their new Registry Booster. Will the medication provide a cure for our ills, or will prove to be a placebo, like so many of those "enhancing" pills advertised on late-night infomercials? Take a look at Uniblue's new Registry Booster, over at ClubOC.

Uniblue Registry Booster 07 Review