Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS Graphics Card Review Rev. 3.0
Tech ARP updated their Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS Graphics Card Review

If you have been waiting for NVIDIA to release a cheap, mid-range DirectX 10 graphics card, you need wait no longer. The new NVIDIA GeForce 8600 GTS offers not only the same unified shader technology and DirectX 10 support, it also comes with a spanking new video processor that can completely take over H.264 decoding.

Today, we revisit our review of the Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS. We retested with the latest Windows Vista driver and along with some new DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 games.

This will give us a better gauge of its performance with larger monitors that are becoming particularly common as well as an examination of the GeForce 8600 GTS' DirectX 10 capabilities.

Join us as we take a look at one of the first GeForce 8600 GTS cards to hit the market - the Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS. Based entirely on the reference card, this card is representative of the other GeForce 8600 GTS cards in the market.

Sparkle GeForce 8600 GTS Graphics Card Review Rev. 3.0

Antec NeoPower 650 Blue Review
Bjorn3D take a look at the Antec NeoPower 650 Blue PSU

Lately, it seems like power supplies have been a hot topic at many of the major review sites, including here at Bjorn3D. We reviewed three units in October, two in November and will have at least one in December. I think this is due to the fact that many companies have finally realized that PC enthusiasts really do care about the power being fed to their components. And while there are many long-standing companies bringing new lines of power supplies out on to market by the masses, not many of them have the history that Antec possess. The Antec NeoPower line features power supplies ranging from 380 watts to 650 watts, all with three 12V rails, modular cable designs and high efficiency in mind. The NeoPower 650 Blue clocks in at 650 watts and features blue LED lighting to spruce-up the inside of your case. Follow along to see just how the NeoPower 650 Blue performs.

Antec NeoPower 650 Blue Review



Unreal Tournament 3 (PC) Review
Gaming Heaven posted a review on Unreal Tournament 3

After it seemed like the UT series was about to become the next Fifa (you know, a new revision every year with hardly any new features added to the mix) with the 2003 and 2004 releases, things got quiet. It took 3 years for the next installment to be finally ready and thankfully Epic decided to drop the release year naming convention and returned to a more standard, numerical naming. But is that big III behind the Unreal Tournament name and logo all that this new version delivers, or did the upgrade to the Unreal Engine 3.0 bring more?

Unreal Tournament 3 (PC) Review

SilverStone Temjin TJ-10 PC system case Review
HEXUS.net posted a review on the SilverStone Temjin TJ-10 PC system case

We expected to see the SilverStone Temjin TJ-10 at CeBIT 2007 back in March but the case wasn't there. Fast forward and it's finally arrived. So was it worth the wait or will Silverstone disappoint us?

SilverStone Temjin TJ-10 PC system case Review

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 Review
The Guru of 3D posted OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 review

OCZ recently released a SLI ready DDR2 800 kit of memory, not that special yet true; they released a 4 GB kit rated PC2-6400 with pretty tense timings. And that is interesting as the larger your RAM modules tend to get storage size, the more latency they'll get, making them slower in response times. Today's tested memory has pretty nice timings at 5-4-4-15 making this the largest yet really fast 4GB kit DDR2 memory available.

OCZ SLI-Ready Edition 4GB PC2-6400 DDR2 Review

Ultra Products X3 600-Watt Power Supply Review
Modders-Inc.com has a new review online, this time on the Ultra X3 600-Watt Power Supply

The Ultra Products X3 600 Watt modular power supply has a lot going for it. They have a very high-end look to them with the high-gloss finishes. Along with that they add in the 100% modular design that allows for easy installation, and excellent cable routing.

Ultra Products X3 600-Watt Power Supply Review

Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse Review
Playreaction published a review on the Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse

Microsoft are back with their own personal line of gaming accessories, with a collection of various devices for any kind of gamer. The Sidewinder series was the 'de facto' for gamers back in the day when the genre was still not a mainstream culture, making it an easier chore with technologies like Plug and Play on the now obsolete Gameport. But in this era, many companies are putting the term gaming in almost any ridiculous device around. Our job is to make sure that the devices reviewed here are given the fair judgment from gamers perspective.

Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse Review

AMD Phenom X4, Intel X48 and Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770
Digit-Life posted a comparison review between AMD Phenom X4, Intel X48, and Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770

Today we test the new generation of platforms from Intel and AMD. The first is represented by the 3.2 GHz quad-core Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770 processor with a new 45-nm Yorkfield core and the Intel X48 chipset. The second is represented by the engineering sample of the newest 2.4 GHz AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processor.

AMD Phenom X4, Intel X48 and Intel Core 2 Extreme QX9770

Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1,250W Power Supply Review
PC Perspective posted a review on Cooler Master's latest high-end power supply can deliver up to 1,250W quietly and efficiently

Cooler Master has done an excellent job of bringing to market one of the best high output power supplies available today. The Real Power Pro 1,250W power supply's voltage regulation, line regulation and cross-loading regulation are all very good. The overall efficiency is excellent and AC ripple noise suppression is good, especially on the +12V outputs. Under normal operating conditions (below 600W load) the Real Power Pro 1,250W is very quiet.

Cooler Master Real Power Pro 1,250W Power Supply Review

Ultra 7-Port USB 2.0 Buddy Hub Review
OCC has published a new review of the Ultra 7-Port USB 2.0 Buddy Hub

From a performance standpoint, there is not really a great difference between the USB port on the computer and the ports that the Buddy Hub provides. The scores were close on the read side, while the write benchmark showed a performance deficiency. While I had the network adapter connected to both computers, I printed a test file to the network connected printer and all four times I ran it, the file printed correctly each time.

Ultra 7-Port USB 2.0 Buddy Hub Review

GeCube Radeon HD 3850 X-Turbo III 512 MB Review
techPowerUp posted a review on the GeCube Radeon HD 3850 X-Turbo III 512 MB

AMD's new Radeon HD 3850 has been a major upgrade in both performance and efficiency. GeCube has taken the reference design and increased the clock speeds. They also doubled the available memory to 512 MB GDDR3 and use a two slot cooler on the card. But can this yield enough performance to warranty a $30 price premium? We compare it to 17 other video cards.

GeCube Radeon HD 3850 X-Turbo III 512 MB Review

SilverStone Temjin TJ07 Review
3DXtreme.net posted a review on the SilverStone Temjin TJ07

I have wanted a SilverStone TJ07 ever since Maximum PC used one for their Dream Machine a few years ago. The elegance, the beauty, the curves - it's just a beautiful looking Case. Today 3DXtreme is getting the opportunity to take a look at the SilverStone Temjin TJ07...

SilverStone Temjin TJ07 Review

ATI Radeon HD 3870 CrossFire Video Card Review
Legit Reviews takes a look at the ATI Radeon HD 3870 CrossFire Video Card

The ATI Radeon HD 3870 was a solid performer in all of the benchmarks we tested and was able to run all the DirectX 10 game titles we threw at it with no problems at all. The CrossFire drivers still need some help on certain games, but hopefully that will clear up in the next couple driver releases. The Radeon HD 3870 was hands down a faster card than a Radeon HD 3850, but you'll pay for the extra performance. Is the Radeon HD 3870 worth the extra $60...

ATI Radeon HD 3870 CrossFire Video Card Review

Thermaltake Mozart Tx Dual-ATX Tower Case Review
Madshrimps posted Thermaltake Mozart Tx Dual-ATX Tower Case Review

Thermaltake has been around as long as most of us can remember. This is a compliment to product innovation, expansion and longevity. Today we test a PC chassis poised to change the shape of things to come...

Thermaltake Mozart Tx Dual-ATX Tower Case Review

Razer Lachesis Mouse & Lycosa Keyboard Review
3D Game Man posted a review on the Razer Lachesis Mouse & Lycosa Keyboard

The Razer Lachesis mouse has a sleek design that's very comfortable to hold and comes with nine programmable hyperesponse buttons. There's the main left and right click Ultra-large non-slip buttons, two buttons on the left side, two buttons on the right side, two buttons at the top and a scroll wheel button. This mouse is kinda large and might not fit some hands. The Razer Laycosa keyboard is black, constructed from plastic and has a sleek design but is rather large since it is a full size keyboard. The included wrist rest adds to the size and does offer comfort when gaming for an extended period, but it can be removed if preferred. One of the first things you'll notice about this keyboard is that the keys are backlit. This is fantastic for dark rooms while gaming or watching movies. Note the backlight can be always on or turned off and there's a gaming WASD key cluster lighting option. Watch the video to find out more and check out the bloopers at the end.

Razer Lachesis Mouse & Lycosa Keyboard Review

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Heatsink Review
FrostyTech posted Coolermaster Hyper 212 Heatsink Review

The Coolermaster Hyper 212 is a 60mm tall heatsink, and it's comprised of just the right mix of copper heatpipes and aluminum cooling fins. I'll save you the trouble of skipping to the end of this review - the Hyper 212 performs within the top 10 best Intel and AMD heatsinks currently in the Frostytech reference list. Each list is nearly a hundred heatsink models long, so that's quite a feat for this 710 gram puppy. The Hyper 212 heatsink supports AMD socket 939/AM2/AM2+ and Intel socket 775 processors.

Coolermaster Hyper 212 Heatsink Review

GlacialTech IGLOO 5610 Silent & IGLOO 5610 PWM CPU Coolers Review
DragonSteelMods posted a review on the GlacialTech IGLOO 5610 Silent & IGLOO 5610 PWM CPU Coolers

I've got two CPU coolers up on the review block today from GlacialTech. You might be wondering why I'm reviewing two CPU coolers at the same time but that's because they are basically the same coolers just with different types of fans on them.

The GlacialTech Igloo 5610 Silent CPU Cooler features a silent fan that run at 1600RPM, while the Igloo 5610 PWM features a fan that can be controlled via the BIOS if your motherboard supports it to run from 800RPM to 2600RPM allowing you full control over the cooling and overall noise level of your system.

GlacialTech IGLOO 5610 Silent & IGLOO 5610 PWM CPU Coolers Review

Cooler Master Hydra 8800 Hybrid GPU Cooler Review
Hardware Canucks posted an in-depth review of the new Cooler Master Hydra 8800 Hybrid GPU Cooler.

With the Hydra, Cooler Master looks to be offering the best of both worlds: it has a fan for air cooling while there are a pair of nozzels for water cooling. According to Cooler Master you can use either air OR water cooling or both at the same time to lower your temperatures even more. This is quite unique but at about $70-$80USD, this cooler does represent a significant investment considering it is very close in price to a number of popular GPU water blocks.

Cooler Master Hydra 8800 Hybrid GPU Cooler Review

AMD Athlon 64 5000+ X2 Black Edition Review
Neoseeker published a review of AMD's Athlon 64 5000+ X2 Black Edition CPU.

Getting to 3.2GHz with the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition was trivial. No need to do anything except change the multiplier to 16 - and presto, you have a X2 6400+! But moving beyond 3.2GHz... now that was a journey. But in the end, it was a succesful journey. The best stable overclock I was able to achieve was a very pleasing 3.396GHz. This was achieved by running the chip at 12x283MHz, and the memory 849MHz.

AMD Athlon 64 5000+ X2 Black Edition Review

Cooler Master Real Power 1250 Review
OCC has published a new review of the Cooler Master Real Power 1250

This unit is a beast when it comes to cables, as well as power. One thing you will never have to worry about is not having enough connections to power your dream rig. This power supply supports Quad SLi configurations and has all the latest plugs for any piece of hardware currently on the market. The main connectors consist of a standard 24-pin motherboard connector, a 4-pin +12v CPU connector, and an 8-pin +12v CPU connector for newer motherboards.

Cooler Master Real Power 1250 Review

Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W Modular Power Supply Review
ThinkComputers.org posted a review on the Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W Modular Power Supply

Out of all of the 1000W+ power supplies that we have checked out there was one that stood out among all of the rest, the Thermaltake ToughPower 1000W Modular Power Supply. Today we have its big brother the ToughPower 1200W. It is basically the same power supply just beefed up with 200W more power. We will see if the extra 200W affects the performance of the ToughPower or if it will be flawless just like the 1000W. Read on to find out.

Thermaltake Toughpower 1200W Modular Power Supply Review

Spire Pininfarina SP-ATX-PALU/S Computer Chassis Review
Futurelooks checks out the Spire Pininfarina SP-ATX-PALU/S Computer Chassis

So are you tired of the same old boring computer case? Ready for something sexy, curvy, and drop dead gorgeous? And yes, I am talking about a computer case. How about one that is designed by the famous Italian design firm Pininfarina (the same company that designed the Ferrari Enzo)? Teaming up with Pininfarina, Spire has introduced the SP-ATX-PALU/S case and on first glance, this case is amazing. But is this case all show and no go? Well, let’s find out.

Spire Pininfarina SP-ATX-PALU/S Computer Chassis Review

Phenom TLB workaround benchmarked
The Tech Report benchmarked Phenom processors with TLB workaround

We have been following the story of a chip-level problem in AMD's quad-core Opteron and Phenom processors all week. This bug--CPU makers prefer to call them errata--can cause system hangs in specific, rare circumstances. This sort of obscure problem is not really uncommon in microprocessors, but CPU makers are often able to fix them on the fly with little impact to the end user. This particular erratum is especially unfortunate because the fix for it involves sacrificing a substantial amount of performance.

This week's developments have included the revelation that this bug affects all "Barcelona" quad-core Opterons, leading to a "stop ship" order on quad-core Opterons to most customers. The erratum also affects all speed grades of Phenom processors, which are still shipping to PC makers and resellers. AMD admitted the presence of the erratum prior to the Phenom's public introduction, but the firm's initial statements gave many the impression that the erratum affected only the 2.4GHz version of the Phenom, which it had decided to delay. In truth, all current Phenom variants have the bug, and systems with those processors will have to be patched and suffer the accompanying performance penalty.

One thing we haven't known is exactly how that performance penalty would look--until today. We can now offer you some preliminary benchmarks that demonstrate the impact of the BIOS-based workaround for the problem.

Phenom TLB workaround benchmarked

Logitech G9 Laser Gaming Mouse Review
Virtual-Hideout posted a review on the Logitech G9 Laser Gaming Mouse

While Logitech is no slouch when it comes to mice, (they've been making mice for over 20 years) they have been facing increasing competition from other manufacturers who also have mice heavily marketed towards gamers.

With the market awash in so many gaming mice, each seemingly offering the same features such as extra buttons, adjustable DPI and accurate laser tracking, Logitech decided to go back to the drawing board and come up with something that would stand out in the crowd. The result was the G9, the successor to the G5 and G7 mice.

Logitech G9 Laser Gaming Mouse Review

Hiper Type M 4M630 PSU Review
Driver Heaven posted a review on the Hiper Type M 4M630 PSU

Hiper were first known within enthusiast cycles for their Type-R PSU series released back in early 2005. We reviewed two of these units a few weeks ago and found them to be good products. That said, the Type-R units were marketed firmly at enthusiasts and could not compete against aggressively priced units in the value conscious sector. To address this Hiper introduced the Type-M series back in early 2007. We have a Hiper Type-M 630W unit for review today.

Hiper Type M 4M630 PSU Review

Abit IX38 QuadGT Review
Bit-Tech has published a review on the Abit IX38 QuadGT

Abit loads its IX38 QuadGT with digital power regulation, fancy looks and buttons and an awesome BIOS, but has the silicon enhancement worked out well? Let's find out...

Abit IX38 QuadGT Review