ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Review
techPowerUp! posted a review on the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX

The ATI Radeon X1950 XTX is a refresh of the X1900 series and is the first video card to use GDDR4 memory. Another major change is the new cooling system which was designed to reduce noise while keeping temperatures down. ATI's new flagship card is clocked at 600 MHz GPU and crazy 1000 MHz effective memory clock. Read our review to find out how this card performs.

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Review

Fedora Core 6 Beta 2 Review
GNUMan posted a review on Fedora Core 6 Beta 2

Since the release of Fedora Core 5 back in March, it has quickly gained some popularity, and now with the pending release of Fedora Core 6 in early October we have to wonder what will be incorporated in the final release.

Fedora Core 5 was welcomed with the new software installer that got rid of the necessity to have Yum Extender installed to easily update, install and remove software and help make the distribution a little bit more user friendly.

Fedora Core 6 Beta 2 Review



Movie Maker and DVD Maker in Windows Vista
Nick White published an article on Movie Maker and DVD Maker in Windows Vista

The other week I sat down with Program Manager Chris Hugill from the Windows Live team to discuss his involvement in the design and development of Windows Movie Maker and Windows DVD Maker, technologies found within Windows Vista that are his primary area of responsibility. What I learned really blew me away, as I thought I knew most of what there was to know about these applications!

In particular, Chris brought me up to speed on the design intentions behind Windows Movie Maker, stating that the team's main goal from design-time forward was to create a user-centric application that made it incredibly easy for people like pre-teens and moms to create a movie and offload it to a DVD in no time. In fact, one of the design metaphors underlying their original thinking was to create an application akin to Notepad – think of it as a “Mediapad” in terms of its simplicity and ease of use. The application was envisioned to work out of the box with little to no set-up or tweaking and a minimum of ramp-up time to get started actually producing a movie. In other words, to make creating a DVD Video pretty much as easy as printing.

Movie Maker and DVD Maker in Windows Vista

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX CrossFire, 256MB X1900 XT, X1650 Pro, and X1300 XT
HotHardware posted an article on the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX CrossFire, 256MB X1900 XT, X1650 Pro, and X1300 XT

ATI is officially announcing five new members in their Radeon X1K family of the products today, the Radeon X1950 XTX (standard and CrossFire Editions), the 256MB Radeon X1900 XT, the Radeon X1650 Pro and the Radeon X1300 XT. We outline the specifications and features of all of ATI's new cards, and benchmark the high-end products in single-card and dual-card CrossFire configurations. We've got standard and XHD resolutions covered and compare the new Radeons' performance to the best NVIDIA currently has to offer. Head on over to the site and take a look.

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX CrossFire, 256MB X1900 XT, X1650 Pro, and X1300 XT

OCZ Technology Tempest CPU Cooler Review
Bigbruin.com posted a review on the OCZ Technology Tempest CPU Cooler

OCZ Technology's latest entry into the CPU cooling market provides an excellent option to enthusiasts with any of the latest processors from AMD or Intel! It represents what we expect from OCZ; high quality and high performance. I hope OCZ continues to work in the CPU cooler field, and look forward to their next cooler to see what improvements they can come up with.

OCZ Technology Tempest CPU Cooler Review

Powercolor ATI X1950XTX 512Mb Video Card Review
Madshrimps put up a Powercolor ATI X1950XTX 512Mb Video Card review

ATI is back with a vengenance, the X1900 series was craving for extra memory bandwidth and the X1950 delivers, Powercolor send us their X1950XTX for a thorough gameplay evaluation, read on to find out if this new video card is a 7950GX2 killer, and if the new cooler is "all that"

Powercolor ATI X1950XTX 512Mb Video Card Review

Ark Linux 2006.1 Review
ExtremeTech posted a review on Ark Linux 2006.1

Ark is an offbeat, KDE-based distro looking for a niche.

Ark Linux 2006.1 Review

All Core 2 Duo Models
Hardware Secrets posted a references table of all Core 2 Duo Models

Intel has finally launched a successor for Pentium 4. Its name is Core 2 Duo and it is the first desktop CPU to use the new Core microarchitecture. In this tutorial we will list all Core 2 Duo and Core 2 Extreme models released so far and will talk about their main features.

All Core 2 Duo Models

ATI Radeon X1950XTX Video Card Review
Legit Reviews posted a review on the ATI Radeon X1950XTX Video Card

The X1950XTX is without a doubt the fastest card ever to wear the ATI badge. The extra memory helps it shine running AA or HDR games at higher resolutions. This is important for the longevity of the card and should give it a little more lifespan as more and more titles debut with HDR and advanced shaders. It hauls ass and keeps quiet which is exactly what ATI was lacking on their last few flagship video cards.

ATI Radeon X1950XTX Video Card Review

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX 512MB PCI-Express Preview
The Tech Lounge put up an ATI Radeon X1950 XTX 512MB PCI-Express preview

For weeks now there have been rumors swirling around the great intarweb about ATI’s upcoming high-end video card refresh – and today is the official launch date. The Radeon X1950 XTX (R580+) is practically identical to the X1900 XTX (R580) except that it uses GDDR4 clocked at 2GHz rather than GDDR3 at 1.55GHz. Yes, this is the first video card to use GDDR4. The physical amount of memory remains the same at 512MB. ATI is also launching the X1950 XTX Crossfire Edition, which sports exactly the same specifications as the standard X1950 XTX, and for the same price as well - $450 (estimated street price). But they’re not stopping there, they're also unveiling the X1900 XT 256MB, X1650 Pro and X1300 XT.

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX 512MB PCI-Express Preview

ATI Chips Comparison Table
Hardware Secrets published an ATI Chips Comparison Table

With more and more graphics chips being released every day it became very complicated for the user who does not follow the video card market to know the differences among all ATI graphic chips in the market today. To facilitate knowing and understanding the difference among major ATI chips, we have compiled the following table

ATI Chips Comparison Table

ASUS Geforce 7950GX2 Review
3DAvenue.com has posted a review of the ASUS Geforce 7950GX2, comparing it to a X1900XTX in both single and Crossfire setups.

Coming from running a Crossfire X1900XTX system for the past month or two, I was quite concerned when I first fired up my system with the 7950GX2 installed - concerned because the system was almost dead silent in comparison, even with the side panel of the case off. I initially thought I forgot to plug the power cable in because my ears are used to the jet engine like startup noise two X1900XTX's produce. So much so that when I gave a glimpse to the CPU fan as I bent over to check the power cable, I had to double take as what I saw was a happily spinning CPU fan, followed by the ever welcoming startup "beep" from the PC speaker.

ASUS Geforce 7950GX2 Review

HIS 1900XTX 512MB CrossFire Video Cards Review
3D Game Man posted a review on the HIS 1900XTX 512MB CrossFire Video Cards

The HIS X1900XTX and X1900 CrossFire Edition Video Cards make an unbelievable combo for the hardcore gamer. They both come with a 256bit memory interface, 512MBs of GDDR3 memory, 16 pixel pipelines, 8 vertex engines, 48 pixel shader processors, and the pixel fill rate is 10GPixels/s. When they are combined it equals insane gaming performance. This ATI CrossFire setup has a very high droll factor!. Watch the Video to find out more...

HIS 1900XTX 512MB CrossFire Video Cards Review

Budget System Building Guide Summer 2006
Madshrimps has posted a review on the Budget System Building Guide Summer 2006

Looking to upgrade your PC? Now would be a good time, with fast hardware available at affordable prices we take an in-depth look at how you can speed up your machine without breaking the piggy bank

Budget System Building Guide Summer 2006

ATI X1950 XTX Review
OC Workbench posted a review on the ATI X1950 video card

The Radeon X1950 Series is a continuation of the successful Radeon X1900 Series. The Radeon X1950 Series are the first products to offer GDDR4 memory at the consumer level. With high speed GDDR4 memory, gamers can achieve even higher performance, especially at ultra-high quality settings and resolutions.

Just like its predecessor, the Radeon X1950 series offers 48 powerful pixel shader processors which provide the fastest performance in games and other 3D applications that make extensive use of pixel shaders. Other features exclusive to ATI's robust Radeon X1000 line of products include AvivoT Technology, 3DC+, full precision rendering and many more.

There are two versions to the X1950 graphics card. The first is the standard card and the other is the CrossFire edition aka master card. Both cards have a core speed of 650MHz and a memory speed of 2GHz. It has 48 Pixel Shader processors and 8 vertex shaders. The X1950 Series promises faster performance than Quad Sli with only half the processors for ultimate gaming experience. It also supports high Dynamic range +AA, Super AA. It also supports the latest HD Video formats and VISTA drivers.

ATI X1950 XTX Review

SteelPad QcK+ Mousing Surface Review
APH Networks checked out the SteelPad QcK+ Mousing Surface

I found it pretty funny that the SteelPad QcK+ is nearly identical to the Corepad Eyepad XL's mousing surface area. So I dug through both manufacturer's sites and discovered that the SteelPad QcK can be directly compared to Corepad's Eyepad M, with SteelPad's QcK Mini to the Corepad Eyepad S; since their dimensions are 'coincidently' nearly the same with a few millimeters here and there difference. The only 'noticeable' difference is that the Eyepad series from Corepad is slightly thinner and lighter, while SteelSeries' products seem to be thicker but feels more 'solid' (As in 'durable'). Who is copying whom? Who knows.

SteelPad QcK+ Mousing Surface Review

Desktop CPU Comparison Guide Rev. 1.2
Tech ARP posted rev. 1.2 of their Desktop CPU Comparison Guide

There are so many CPU models that it has become quite impossible to keep up with the different models or even remember their specifications!

Therefore, we decided to compile this guide to provide an easy reference for those who are interested in comparing the specifications of the various desktop CPUs in the market, as well as those already obsolescent or obsolete.

Currently covering over 570 desktop CPUs, this comprehensive comparison will allow you to easily compare up to 14 different specifications for each and every CPU!

Here are the updates:-

- Added the Voltage specifications for Intel Core 2 Duo E6300,
E6400, E6600, E6700 & Core 2 Extreme X6800.
- Simplified the listing of the Instruction Sets for all AMD and
Intel processors.
- Total CPUs : 573

Desktop CPU Comparison Guide Rev. 1.2

Freespire 1.0 Review
GoTux! published a review on Freespire 1.0

I headed over to the Freespire site and grabbed the latest stable build which at the time of this writing was 1.013. I was greeted with two available versions of the OS. The completely OSS version without the proprietary drivers, software and codecs, and the one with all of the above. I chose the proprietary version. I chose this one because while i am a avid supporter of OSS I think that the two can coexist, and need to in order to make the world a happy place ( and my machine to function properly while giving me a rich desktop experience).

Freespire 1.0 Review

Razer Copperhead Mouse Review
Hardware Logic posted a review on the Razer Copperhead Mouse

It's all about the tools of the trade, and when it comes to competitive gaming, one of the most essential tools is the mouse. No, a rodent can't compensate for an underpowered rig, but it can offer a significant advantage, or disadvantage, depending on your mouse of choice. Razer has built a living on this philosophy, and today we look at their flagship pedigree, the Copperhead.

Razer Copperhead Mouse Review

TwinMOS TwiSTER PC2-6400 Memory Review
Hardware Logic posted a review on the TwinMOS TwiSTER PC2-6400 Memory

The tides have turned in the world of PC memory. With AMDs AM2 socket adopting DDR2, such is now the desktop standard, and will be found in any new PC you buy. With this adoption came a second generation of DDR2. The main difference of the new DDR2 is EEPROM (Electricly Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory). EEPROM basically stores configuration information for the memory.

TwinMOS TwiSTER PC2-6400 Memory Review

Thermaltake Bigwater 735 Liquid Cooling Review
R&B Mods checked out the Thermaltake Bigwater 735 Liquid Cooling kit

Thermaltake has developed a new watercooling kit, the Bigwater 735, which appears to be a newer, upgraded version of their previously released Bigwater kit. We have been previously impressed with ThermaltakeÂ’s attention to detail and high quality products. Will this latest offering provide similar results? Let’s see.

Thermaltake Bigwater 735 Liquid Cooling Review

Albatron KM51PV-AM2 Geforce 6150 Motherboard Review
PC Stats posted a review on the Albatron KM51PV-AM2 Geforce 6150 Motherboard

The Albatron KM51PV-AM2 is one such microATX motherboard which fulfills multiple usage roles. The KM51PV-AM2 is based on the nVIDIA GeForce 6150 and nForce 430 chipsets, and as such it supports all current socket AM2 AMD Athlon64/FX/X2 and Sempron processors. The bargain basement prices of the AMD Sempron 64-bit processor are genuinely the best suited for the KM51PV-AM2 motherboard, but for the purposes of comparison we'll be benchmarking with a slightly more powerful AMD CPU.

Albatron KM51PV-AM2 Geforce 6150 Motherboard Review

The Secrets of DaVinci: The Forbidden Manuscript PC Game Review
ThinkGaming.org published a game review on The Secrets of DaVinci: The Forbidden Manuscript

DaVinci is quite popular lately so we expected a video game didn't we? Well the game I have for review today is nothing like the movie at all, it actually has nothing to do with the movie. The Secrets of DaVinci: The Forbidden Manuscript is a work in collaboration with the Chateau du Clos Luce, Leonardo DaVinci's last residence; many experts were brought in to bring an extra level of realism to the game to make sure the graphics/settings were exactly like the time of Leonardo. I have to say the game is very good graphically, and it is interesting if you are into the point and click style of games.

The Secrets of DaVinci: The Forbidden Manuscript PC Game Review

OCZ Tempest Review
Neoseeker has published a review of OCZ's Tempest CPU cooler

Now when it comes to the construction and engineering of the OCZ Tempest cooler, attention was paid to almost every detail. The most obvious aspect of the tempest is its 36 stamped aluminum fins. The OCZ label is stands proudly on the side of each, bringing the total surface area of all to 2,300 square centimeters -- roughly. OCZ didn't include this measurement, so I had to calculate this myself. As is expected from a quality product, every fin is highly polish to maximize air flow and reduce the settlement of dust.

OCZ Tempest Review

MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD Review
nV News posted a review on the MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD

The NX7900GT absolutely blew me away. No matter what I threw at it, the NX7900GT chewed it up, spit it out, and wanted more.

MSI NX7900GT-VT2D256E-HD Review

Logitech MX Revolution Laser Mouse Review
Techgage posted a review of the new MX Revolution laser mouse

The successor to the popular MX1000 mouse is finally
here and it promises to improve on old favorites and introduce some new features. Here we have an upgraded scroll wheel capable of plowing through long documents with a simple flick of the finger, an advanced application
switcher and a much more comfortable thumb rest. which is replacing the MX1000 as the top mouse from Logitech. The Revolution has a sleeker shape, is more comfortable to hold, and includes an alloy scroll wheel.

Logitech MX Revolution Laser Mouse Review

Kingston HyperX DDR2 800 SLI-Ready 2GB Kit Review
XYZ Computing has posted a new article on the Kingston HyperX DDR2 800 CL4 SLI-Ready 2GB Kit

If you are in the process of building or planning to build an AM2 computer you should make sure to choose your RAM carefully. While buying DDR2 is not much different from getting standard DDR, there are a few aspects which need to be considered. Though most of the players are the same, the numbers have all changed, and there is one very interested feature which has been thrown in the mix, SLI certification. SLI Ready memory features Enhanced Performance profiling, something which is only currently compatible with the 590 SLI chipset but has a number of interesting performance implications. The memory we are looking at today is the Kingston HyperX KHX6400D2LLK2/2GN, a 2GB DDR2 800 (PC2-6400) memory kit which is SLI Ready and designed for high performance. There are currently a number of great DDR2 memory kits available so let's see if Kingston's high end kit can stack up to some of the competition.

Kingston HyperX DDR2 800 SLI-Ready 2GB Kit Review

Logitech G3 Laser Gaming Mouse Review
The TechZone has posted a review of the Logitech G3 Laser Gaming Mouse.

The new Logitech G3 Laser Mouse allows gamers to executes lightning-quick movements with extreme precision. As with the feature-rich Logitech G5 gaming mice, the Logitech G3 Laser Mouse engine delivers 2000 dpi laser precision, uses full-speed USB, processes 6.4 megapixels of images per second, and can accurately track 45 inches of movement per second. And it's ambidextrous - good for both right and left handed users.

Logitech G3 Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard Review
Virtual-Hideout has posted a review on the Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard

Saitek recently released the Eclipse II, the successor to the original Eclipse, and have added a few improvements over the original. While there's no LCD, they've added multimedia controls, plus a dimmer to change lighting levels (instead of just preset brightness levels), and have also enabled the keyboard to glow either in blue, red, or purple. The Eclipse II seems to feature all the good that the original did, plus more - can it live up to the hype?

Saitek Eclipse II Illuminated Keyboard Review

Logitech Cordless Desktop S530 Laser Review
CoolTechZone.com has posted a review on the Logitech Cordless Desktop S530 Laser

There’s a limited supply of peripherals that are available for the Macintosh platform. That’s not to say you can’t use many of today’s keyboards and mice, by limited, we mean there aren’t very many of them available that won’t look out of place. The aesthetics of the Mac are special, and to properly compliment their sleekness, you must have a duo that goes well with the platform. That’s exactly what Logitech is hoping to accomplish with its Cordless Desktop S530 Laser for Mac duo.

Logitech Cordless Desktop S530 Laser Review

2-power XCell 70 universal laptop battery review
HEXUS posted a review on the 2-power XCell 70 universal laptop battery

2-power thinks it has the answer that mobile warriors have been looking for, that is, an external, universal battery that works on the majority of current laptops and is packaged with a universal adapter to boot, so two sources of power from 2-power.

2-power XCell 70 universal laptop battery review