Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

ASUS B150 PRO GAMING/AURA Motherboard Review
ASUS Cerberus Gaming Peripherals Review – A Full Gaming Setup for Under £100!
ASUS Z170 Maximus VIII Extreme Assembly Review
Cooler Master Storm QuickFire XT (Cherry MX Green/Blue) Mechanical Keyboard Review
Dell Precision 15 5510 Mobile Workstation Review: Pro Power And Style
Dell XPS 13 Review: The best Windows laptop, updated
GAMDIAS EROS ELITE EQ Headset Review
Hot Keys Project Artisan Keycaps
How Seagate Tests Its Hard Drives
Kingston HyperX Savage 128GB USB 3.1 Gen 1 Flash Drive Review
LG V10 Review: A solid contender distracted with gimmicks
NZXT Manta Case Review
Ozone Neon Precision Laser Mouse Review
PNY CS1311 SSD Review (120GB/480GB)
Smanos X300 plug and play alarm system
Swiftech H220 X2 Prestige
Windows Phone Fans Will Not Give Up their Handsets Easily

ASUS B150 PRO GAMING/AURA Motherboard Review

When it comes to Skylake LGA1151 platform, the overwhelming bulk of our coverage has been focused on the Z170 chipset. The reasons for that are numerous, it is the only chipset on which overclocking is enabled, it supports the highest number of PCI-E lanes and PCI-E slots, it can handle more native USB 2.0/3.0 ports, and it also features RAID capabilities. These are all great selling points in favour of the Z170 PCH, but that single chip can cost motherboard manufacturers up to $47. That is a pretty hefty piece of the pie when you're trying to build a motherboard with a $100 to $130 price tag. This is where Intel's more mass-market chipsets come into play.

While there are numerous other consumer chipset options - Q170, H170, B150, H110 - it is the B150 PCH that has been most widely adopted by the motherboard industry as the lower-priced alternative to the Z170 models. While the end result is motherboards that cost less money, they also have less capabilities. As mentioned above, the biggest drawback is the total lack of overclocking, which is highlighted by the fact that even the memory speed is locked to DDR4-2133.

Another noteworthy restriction is the fact that the CPU's sixteen PCI-E 3.0 lanes cannot be split across multiple PCI-E slots, so they are all directed to the first PCI-E x16 slot that usually houses the graphics card. Not only does this preclude any multiple GPU configurations, but it means that the remaining PCI-E slots and high speed I/O interfaces must derive their PCI-E lanes from the B150 PCH. While the Z170 PCH has 20 of its own PCI-E lanes, the B150 only has 8, so there can be bandwidth constraints as you will see later on in this review.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

ASUS Cerberus Gaming Peripherals Review – A Full Gaming Setup for Under £100!

Picking the right gaming peripherals can be a tricky endeavour as there is a huge range of products from an equally large selection of gaming brands out there to choose from. Asus are one of the most established and recognisable gaming brands on the market today, and while they may be better known for their high-end graphics cards and motherboards, they’ve proven time and time again that they can make some great gaming peripherals too.

Today we’ll be taking a look at their Cerberus range, a budget friendly but feature packed range of peripherals that are sure to appeal to a wide range of PC gamers. We’ve got a mouse, a headset and a keyboard here today and what’s great about these devices is that all of them can be picked up for a total under £100, making them an attractive option for those on a tighter budget, with the added peace of mind of them being from a well-established brand name.

As you can see below, we’ve got a well-equipped membrane keyboard, with macro keys, LED lighting and more. As well as an optical mouse, which features an ambidextrous design, adjustable DPI and LED lighting. Finally, a powerful gaming headset equipped with 60mm drivers, support for PC, Man and PS4 and a detachable microphone. All of which can be snapped up for a total of just £96.89 (prices from Overclockers UK).

Read full article @ eTeknix

ASUS Z170 Maximus VIII Extreme Assembly Review

We review a new iteration in the Maximus VIII Extreme series, a new SKU called ASUS Z170 ROG Maximus VIII Assembly edition. The ROG team took the DNA of the Maximus VIII Extreme and added even more. Though it lacks the OC Panel this puppy is fitted with configurable LEDs. You will also see extras like a 10Gbit/s Ethernet adapter card, triple band AC WIFI and a rather cool audio breakout box. Being Z170 chipset and socket 1151 based obviously this motherboard can (well, must) be paired with late Skylake-S series processors. The big brother of the Hero comes with extended looks, AC WIFI, a VRM area that will make you wiggle and feel all tingly and then a dozen or so other features. It is one of the better Z170 products if you ask me, dressed for success and with added benefits like USB 3.1, multiple M.2 slots and the fastest DDR4 support, the product will impress.

A motherboard that promises to deliver a high amount of features and provide that Skylake processor the full infrastructure it needs for a kick-ass gaming PC. Dressed to kill and with added benefits like USB 3.1, multiple M.2 slots and the fastest DDR4 support, the product will shock and awe. These motherboards can (well, must) be paired with new Skylake-S series processors. We'll quickly dive into the two most important ones. Skylake Core i5 6600K and Core i7 6700K processors for the desktop platform have been released, we've tested both processors, yet have separate reviews on each of these processors. A new chip, a new package meaning both of them are Socket 1151. The new Skylake processors are energy efficient, quite powerful and need to be paired with a new motherboard series. For you guys that means the Z170 and H170 range. In this review we test the Core i7 6700K. An unlocked Skylake processor that has four cores and a slim 92W TDP, that is lower compared to Haswell with its 95W TDP thanks to the new and smaller 14nm fabrication process. The quad core CPU has 8 MB L3 cache and an integrated memory controller that supports both DDR4 and DDR3 memory. The Z170 and H170 series motherboards will all be offered with DDR4 though. For the gaming community two processors are the most important; the Core i7 6700K has four CPU cores with Hyper-Threading, 4.0GHz frequency, 4.20GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency. Then there is the Core i5 6600K with four cores, 3.50GHz frequency and a 3.90GHz maximum Turbo Boost frequency, both are based on the new LGA1151 socket package. Skylake is the code-name used by Intel for the 14nm processor micro-architecture under development and is the successor to the Broadwell architecture.

That ASUS Z170 ROG Maximus VIII Extreme Assembly then; the Maximus VIII Extreme is the expensive version, the Assembly I am afraid is even more expensive as it sits in the 575 EURO/USD price bracket - which is spicy to say the least. Obviously for the extra dough you will receive extra hardware like 10 GigE Ethernet powered by Aquantia and Tehuti Networks.

Read full article @ Guru3D

Cooler Master Storm QuickFire XT (Cherry MX Green/Blue) Mechanical Keyboard Review

When I was younger, I often wondered what would happen if I had a twin. I knew quite a few twins in my grade during elementary school. Some were identical, while others were fraternal. Having an identical twin would probably be the coolest, since it would mean having a second self, even if only physically. I could only imagine the number of pranks and jokes I would have with a twin. During the most recent Christmas, I found out the pastor of my church has an identical twin, as I could barely tell him apart from his brother, besides the fact one was wearing a suit, while the other was not. Of course, even though twins may look alike, and even act similarly, there still are differences between the two people. They may have different likes and dislikes, or different opinions on various things. In addition, it is quite common to see two twins put more effort into differentiating themselves from each other, just to prove their independent identity. When Cooler Master sent us their email about new products, I grew a little curious when their list included a product we have already seen before. I reviewed the Cooler Master Storm QuickFire XT back in 2013, and it came out with a pretty positive outcome. It was a budget full-sized mechanical keyboard with only the essential features, plus some extras, packed into the product. Fast forward three years forward, and Cooler Master has sent us once again another QuickFire XT, calling it a refreshed version. I thought I was seeing double, but I had to take a closer look. What has changed in three years for this late-twin product? Has Cooler Master kept the great formula of the original QuickFire XT with some new enhancements? Let us read on to find out!

Read full article @ APH Networks

Dell Precision 15 5510 Mobile Workstation Review: Pro Power And Style

To look at the Dell Precision 15 5510, you wouldn’t know that it sits in the middle of Dell’s workstation lineup. The laptop is thinner and sleeker than you might expect a workstation-class laptop to be and the premium carbon fiber palm rest gives the system a decidedly high-end vibe. But the Precision 15 5510 is actually Dell’s mid-range mobile workstation, and its price can start as low as $1,399.

Putting the power of a true workstation into a laptop is a tall order to begin with, but Dell makes the job even tougher with the Precision 15 5000 series, which is designed to be thin and light. Dell succeeds in creating a highly portable workstation, but there are inevitably sacrifices to be made with a machine of this type...

Read full article @ HotHardware

Dell XPS 13 Review: The best Windows laptop, updated

The revamped Dell XPS 13 includes just a handful of improvements: a new Skylake CPU, a USB Type-C port that supports Thunderbolt 3, and the option to get the laptop in gold. But considering the Broadwell-based Dell XPS 13 was our favorite laptop of 2015, we just had to get in the new model and see if it's still a class-leading device.

Read full article @ Techspot

GAMDIAS EROS ELITE EQ Headset Review

The GAMDIAS EROS ELITE EQ gaming headset features a lightweight design with an innovative cooling design, 7.1 surround sound, and an attractive $79.99 price tag. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we’ll take a look at just how comfortable this USB headset is, and whether or not it should be your next choice for gaming.

Read full article @ Benchmark Reviews

Hot Keys Project Artisan Keycaps

Almost a year and a half ago I took an in depth look at different ways that you can customize your mechanical keyboards. In that article we took a look at custom keycap sets, novelty caps, custom keysets, even ways to spice up your USB cable and keyboard case. While doing all of that I took a quick look at Artisan keycaps but at the time the only example we had were the molar keycaps and frankly the teeth creeped people out more than it peaked their interest. In the time between then and now I have been following the community and have picked up a few Artisan keycaps along the way that I found interesting. I’ve picked up keycaps from Martin at Hot Keys Project multiple times now and I thought it might be interesting to talk to Martin and find out a little about HKP and then check out their caps. He was nice enough to include a pair of caps along with my last order and answer a few questions I sent over as well. So let’s dig in and find out what Hot Key Project is all about.

Read full article @ LanOC Reviews

How Seagate Tests Its Hard Drives

Tom's Hardware gets a rare and in-depth look at how Seagate designs and tests its hard drives. Join us for a tour through the company's Longmont, Colorado R&D center.

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Kingston HyperX Savage 128GB USB 3.1 Gen 1 Flash Drive Review

USB 3.1 Gen 1 devices may just be renamed USB 3.0 ones but with read/write performance like the ones produced by the HyperX Savage 128GB flash drive should we really care?

Read full article @ NikKTech

LG V10 Review: A solid contender distracted with gimmicks

LG released a second handset last year that improved on its previous offering. The V10 packs some surprises like a second display and dual front camera. But, can this be enough to crown it king?

Read full article @ Neowin

NZXT Manta Case Review

Every feature of the Ferrari 458 is about creating pure speed. 597 hp are coaxed from the mid-engine mounted 4.5L V8; that power blasts its way through a 7 speed dual-clutch paddle shifted transmission where it is unleashed into the rear wheels to launch you up to orbit at 210 mph. Every aspect of the exterior of this modern day supercar is designed to lend itself to creating pure unadulterated speed. Meanwhile the exquisite interior reminds you that yes indeed you are certainly in a $243,090 Ferrari. It’s no surprise then that NZXT’s case designer took direct inspiration from the 458 for their first ever small form factor chassis, the Manta. From the flowing lines and curves to the recessed intakes the Manta says, I too want to go fast, I too am elegantly and intelligently put together. But does the Manta live up to the distinguished image of it’s role model? Do the years of hard work and design come together to create an object of perfection? Follow along as we take a close look at this brand new case!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Ozone Neon Precision Laser Mouse Review

The Neon mouse contains 128KB built-in memory to allow users to save up to 5 custom profiles, and gives the user options of four on-the-fly DPI levels ranging from 200 to 6400; each selection is indicted by one of four colors on the DPI switch LED. The Neon also offers a polling rate of 125/250/500/1000 Hz, and a response rate of 2 to 255 ms for each profile. The 1.8-meter braided USB cable provides a gold-plated connector for optimal data transfer that is ideal for those quick and precise work/game movements.

The provided customization software has an intuitive interface for the user to create, load, save or edit preferences for each profile; users can even trade their profiles with friends.

With the introductions over, let’s take a few moments to hook up this mouse unit to our test setup and engage in some work and especially play.

Read full article @ Neoseeker

PNY CS1311 SSD Review (120GB/480GB)

Yet again, we see a new entrant to the ultra-cheap, entry level SSD market. Aimed at those who are looking for a nice step up from a HDD, but have to pinch pennies, PNY has released a TLC packed contender, the CS1311 (http://thessdreview.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3d9b6193ffd32dd60e84fc74b&id=d4d8331483&e=312ec141fb) . Designed to help speed up the computing experience for the everyday user, it isn’t the enthusiast class drive which we typically crave for, such as PNY’s CS2211 we just reviewed (http://thessdreview.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3d9b6193ffd32dd60e84fc74b&id=453bf17028&e=312ec141fb) , but it is shouldn’t be overlooked simply due to the NAND it utilizes. With low price points and some decent performance numbers, the PNY CS1311 (http://thessdreview.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3d9b6193ffd32dd60e84fc74b&id=21f94d92f0&e=312ec141fb) just might be one of the better TLC options out there. Let’s get on with the review and see how PNY’s latest SSD fairs!

Read full article @ The SSD Review

Smanos X300 plug and play alarm system

While a smart home was once thought the preserve of the uber rich today with wireless apps and plug-in security systems, anyone can have a connected household. All you need is something like the Smanos X300 Plug and Play Alarm system, which bundles a motion sensor, door sensor and a remote control for simple access, with a fully functioning app.

Detect intruders as soon as they step into your home, get an alert when your child opens their bedroom door – or keep an eye on how often your pet leaves its bed in a given time period – there are plenty of uses for a smart home alarm system.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Swiftech H220 X2 Prestige

A new year, a new custom all-in-one liquid cooler from Swiftech. The H220 X2 Prestige looks to one-up the competition by not only offering exceptional performance but more customization options. The only question is whether you can you overlook its price.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Windows Phone Fans Will Not Give Up their Handsets Easily

A recent poll we conducted showed us that fans of the Windows Phone platform are not willing to give up on their handsets easily.

Read full article @ WinSupersite