Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

A Look At Corsair’s Carbide 600C Inverted Full Tower Chassis & Our New Workstation Test PC
Aeotec DSA03202-V1 Z-Wave Minimote Review
Alienware 13 R3 (Amazing OLED screen with QHD resolution)
AMD reveals uniquely designed Ryzen Threadripper packaging
ASUS ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING Motherboard Review
Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Review
BiCS FLASH Preview With Toshiba XG5 NVMe SSD
Cougar Conquer Aluminium/Glass Case Review (The $300 case)
Cryorig H5 Universal CPU Cooler Review
Entry-level PC - July 2017
Gigabyte AORUS RX 580 GTR 8 GB
Gigabyte AORUS RX 580 GTR 8 GB Review
GIGABYTE X299 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard Review
Hands On: HP Spectre x360 15 Product Shots and Initial Impressions
Logitech BRIO
Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Wireless Gaming Mouse Review
NZXT Kraken X42 Review
Rogue Wave Software's Zend Studio
Speedlink Fieris Illuminated Gaming Mousepad Review
Tesoro A3 Tuned In-Ear Pro Earphones Review
Watercool HEATKILLER IV PRO CU-NI CPU Waterblock Review

A Look At Corsair’s Carbide 600C Inverted Full Tower Chassis & Our New Workstation Test PC

A couple of months ago, I refreshed Techgage‘s gaming GPU test rig, using Corsair’s Crystal 570X mid-tower chassis to wrap the gear up in. Some people called me crazy because I chose to use a chassis that’s a bit harder than others to work with, and while that’s absolutely true, I feel the aesthetic value of it negates the extra seconds a part swap might take. As a chassis with four glass sides, the biggest hassle with the 570X is keeping it smudge-free; but still, it’s proven worth it so far.

Our gaming GPU test rig wasn’t the only one that was in need for an overhaul; or rather, the only one that had to be built. In the past, I tested all workstation GPUs we’ve come in contact with in the same rig as the gaming GPUs, which can cause obvious issues at times. Ultimately, it’s best to have multiple test rigs for each major component we take a look at, so a workstation GPU test rig also had to be built.

Read full article @ Techgage

Aeotec DSA03202-V1 Z-Wave Minimote Review

The Aeotec DSA03202-V1 Z-Wave Minimote is definitely a budget friendly choice in the Z-Wave remote controller market, but it is still quite a capable little device. While I am now using each of my two in vehicles to control lighting and garage doors as I approach the house, Inside the house, maybe have one in your bedroom, living room, kitchen, etcetera to provide you with convenient, low cost access to a number of your smart home's features.

Read full article @ Bigbruin.com

Alienware 13 R3 (Amazing OLED screen with QHD resolution)

Thankfully the review sample we were sent by Alienware is the Big Kahuna with the OLED screen and a mighty QHD resolution of 2,560×1,440 which is a heck of a lot of pixels packed into a 13.3-inch screen. The screen brightness is 400 nits and it has touch control.

Rounding up the specification we have GTX 1060 graphics and an increase to 16GB RAM so it is fair to say the appeal of this particular Alienware 13 R3 stands or falls on the OLED screen (Spoiler alert – it looks amazing).

Read full article @ KitGuru

AMD reveals uniquely designed Ryzen Threadripper packaging

And a report from Japan says Threadripper will launch on 10th August 2pm BST, 6am PST. AMD has taken to Twitter to tease us with its eye catching Ryzen Threadripper processor packaging. The retail product packaging is really unique and probably not something that you will casually throw into your recycling bin. There is talk that certain Ryzen Threadripper processors will come bundled with an AiO cooler, and with this sizable packaging that would indeed be a possibility. The original Twitter picture is pleasingly clear and large but while you can see inside the box, all that is revealed through the plastic window is the processor heatspreader.

Read full article @ Hexus

ASUS ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING Motherboard Review

If you’re in the market for an Intel X299 motherboard, the ASUS ROG STRIX X299-E GAMING motherboard could very well be the one for you. It offers a huge array of expansion ranging from the latest and greatest USB 3.1 ports to the ultra-fast M.2 connectivity options. The question is, though, is this board worth your money at £300/$300?

I’m going to start out with mentioning that ROG always beef up their audio solution, and there is no exception with this board. It features the ROG FX Supreme audio, which uses the S112A audio codec, which is pretty much a shared feature with Z270 ROG boards too. It has decent audio, but it is very similar to other brands that also have pretty good audio solutions these days.

The board itself is a great looker, with its black PCB and mostly monochromatic design on the heatsinks. It’s great to see that ASUS are now well and truly steered away from the fancy colours, along with all of the other vendors. It was a personal gripe of mine, but I did thoroughly enjoy the red and black ROG boards of the past. The bumblebee, as I called it in my own mind, was also a stunner. Being this way is far better, though!

Read full article @ Play3r

Autonomous SmartDesk 2 Review

In the realm of the PCMR, everyone boast about their extravagant sets ups from the $6000 gaming PC, to the $2000 dollar peripheral setup and even their gold stitched gaming chairs are upwards of $400 dollars. However with all this brow flexing and chest pounding, everyone seems to forget the foundation that is your gaming command center, the desk.

Read full article @ Modders-Inc

BiCS FLASH Preview With Toshiba XG5 NVMe SSD

Today we see the future of client storage first hand with the Toshiba XG5 NVMe SSD featuring 64-layer BiCS TLC NAND.

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Cougar Conquer Aluminium/Glass Case Review (The $300 case)

When Cougar offered us their brand-new Conquer case to review, my first thought was ‘what on earth is that?!’ Upon further inspection, I discovered the Conquer is in fact a computer chassis, made almost entirely from glass and aluminium, that looks as if it has just landed from outer space. Its emphasis on premium materials, as well as its unique appearance, mean it doesn’t come cheap, though, as this puppy will set you back $299.99.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Cryorig H5 Universal CPU Cooler Review

We reviewed the Cryorig H5 Ultimate CPU Cooler come time ago liked it enough to give it a Recommended award and 4.1 out of 5. We now are looking at the Cryorig H5 Universal CPU Cooler, a slightly different type of cooler to the H5 Ultimate, still boasting rich features such as Hive Fin, a Jet Fin and turbulence reduction system.

So, what’s the difference? Well, from a specification point of view, only the type of fan used differs between the H5 Ultimate and Universal. This has a knock-on effect, as you would presume, to a couple of other areas. The H5 Universal uses the XT140 fan instead of the XF140 found on the H5 Ultimate. The XT140 fan is a slimmer fan allowing for probably unlimited RAM memory module compatibility, but at the cost of some thermal performance.

Cryorig’s microsite for the H5 Universal states “Limitless” for its “RAM Height Limit” specification, whereas the H5 Ultimate states “30 ~ 35 mm (Fan position adjustable)”. Cryorig have resolved RAM height limitations by using a slimmer fan, which shouldn’t interfere with most RAM memory modules.

Read full article @ Hardware Slave

Entry-level PC - July 2017

Our guidelines for the Entry-level PC category are as follows. The entire computer system, excluding OS, should not exceed £420. Its primary, but not only, function is to provide a smooth and enjoyable online experience. This means that the cheapest processors won’t be enough, as modern web pages and internet applications do demand some processing power.

Additionally, the system has to be able to efficiently perform internet-related tasks. This includes basic photo editing (cropping and resizing to upload or send a photo) and extracting compressed files. At the same time the necessary background programmes need to be active, such as a virus scanner, a firewall, and anti-spyware software. The computer also needs to be able to efficiently run word processing software and administrative programmes.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

Gigabyte AORUS RX 580 GTR 8 GB

The AORUS RX 580 XTR is Gigabyte's highest clockest Radeon RX 580 variant. The large overclock out of the box ensures that the card can beat GTX 1060 6 GB. Also included is the crucial idle-fan-off feature and adjustable RGB lighting.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Gigabyte AORUS RX 580 GTR 8 GB Review

The AORUS RX 580 XTR is Gigabyte's highest-clocked Radeon RX 580 variant. The large overclock out of the box ensures that the card can beat the GTX 1060 6 GB. Also included is the crucial idle-fan-off feature and adjustable RGB lighting.

Read full article @ TechPowerUp

GIGABYTE X299 AORUS Gaming 7 Motherboard Review

GIGABYTE's X299 AORUS Gaming 7 is GIGABYTE's second most expensive X299 motherboard on the market, but it's also $100 cheaper than their top of the line X299 AORUS Gaming 9. I reviewed the X299 AORUS Gaming 9 a few weeks ago, and I was impressed by the motherboard, just not quite with its price tag. The X299 AORUS Gaming 7 isn't too different than the Gaming 9, it doesn't have the huge back panel integrated IO, the rear metal shield, or three M.2 shields, but there is also another big difference. The Gaming 7 holds a secret in its circuitry that sets it apart from the Gaming 9, in that it offers more lanes for 3-way multi-GPU configuration (x8 more), but it also doesn't offer SLI for 16 lane CPUs, it also doesn't have the same audio as the Gaming 9. Let's take a look at how the X299 AORUS Gaming 7 stacks up.

Read full article @ TweakTown

Hands On: HP Spectre x360 15 Product Shots and Initial Impressions

The latest member in the HP Spectre x360 series of devices nicely evolves the products lines heritage that has made it such a popular line of hardware.

Read full article @ WinSupersite

Logitech BRIO

For almost forever now the webcam market has been extremely stagnant. That’s not to say that there haven’t been great options out there. Last December I took a look at the Logitech C922 Pro Streaming Webcam and loved it. The problem is the C922 is really just the C920 that has been on the market for 5 years and it is very similar to the C910 that it replaced. So in my C922 review, I mentioned how badly I wanted to see 4k webcams and to finally see webcams take advantage of the bandwidth that USB 3.0 gives us. Well not long after that Logitech introduced the BRIO a 4k USB 3.0 webcam with a whole list of improvements. I’m not going to take all of the credit, only most of it, clearly the short paragraph last year was the motivation they needed. Anyhow, I begged and they promised to send one over and they did just that. So today we are going to check out the BRIO and see if it is all that I had hoped!

Read full article @ LanOC Reviews

Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

Some people drive a modest vehicle because its no more than a tool to reliably get them from point A to B. Having a modest price tag doesnt hurt and surely part of the purchasing decision. Other people want to reliably get from point A to point B as well, but they want to do it with a little more comfort and style and will shell out some extra cash to do so. And then there are those that want that same reliable trip but want comfort, style and performance price be damned. The latter individuals are the ones that are going to want to pay attention here. No, we aren't going to talk about cars but rather a gaming mouse, at least in intent but can be so much more. It's the Logitech G900 Chaos Spectrum wireless gaming mouse to be exact. It lures you in with its fancy looks and impressive specs then gut punches you with its price tag. At $150 MSRP, it's one of the most expensive mice on the market though with its successor just announced (yeah, we're a little late to the party), you can now find it online for a Benjamin but is it worth it? That's what you're about to find out.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

NZXT Kraken X42 Review

We review the NZXT Kraken X42 Series Liquid cooler, the little brethren of that X62 we reviewed. The smaller model is nearly as good as its big brother though. This revision CPU cooler is compatible with CAM software. This allows you to program, customize and monitor this all-in-one liquid cooling solution for your processor. Armed with two PWM fans and a nice 280 mm radiator the performance should be really good, and with the CAM software you can monitor temperatures, adjust cooling performance and customize LED lighting directly from your desktop.

Read full article @ Guru3D

Rogue Wave Software's Zend Studio

The quick pitch for Rogue Wave Software's Zend Studio, recently updated to version 13.6, is "the PHP IDE for smarter development". Zend Studio 13.6, says Rogue Wave, offers 3X faster performance in indexing, validation and searching of PHP code, and it allows users to code faster, debug more easily and leverage the massive performance gains in PHP 7.

Read full article @ Linux Journal

Speedlink Fieris Illuminated Gaming Mousepad Review

Aye up Play3r people. Look down at your desk, do you have a mouse mat or as the latest industry buzzword goes a ‘Gaming Surface’? I reckon you probably do, even if you’re not a gamer a decent mat enhances mousing around be it editing video or images, accurate tracking is improved with something decent under the mouse.

Speedlink have been around for decades providing a variety of peripherals, often found in supermarkets their budget range has been a great help for anyone with that sudden keyboard failure on a Sunday lunchtime. Of course, they are not only in the budget market, they have a premium gaming range that is well priced, albeit very red.

I don’t often get to review mouse mats, as they are generally a run of the mill item unless you are incredibly particular about the material and tracking capabilities, you will find any mat from a decent brand more than suitable for the normies among us. Speedlink have sent through something with a little extra though, an LED illuminated mat which offers more than run of the mill. Before we get to the pretty pictures let’s have a look at those specs, yes it really has a spec sheet.

Read full article @ Play3r

Tesoro A3 Tuned In-Ear Pro Earphones Review

The Tesoro A3 Tuned In-Ear Pro are budget earphones with great build quality.

Read full article @ APH Networks

Watercool HEATKILLER IV PRO CU-NI CPU Waterblock Review

At first I thought to test the Heatkiller IV on the AMD Ryzen CPU, which is really popular recently. However, Ryzen does not need any special cooling and won’t overclock higher even on the best water cooling what you could see in our previous reviews.

Recently Skylake-X has appeared in our redaction and it’s much more demanding platform so I decided that the real challenge for the Heatkiller IV will be the i9-7900X processor.

Stay with us and on the next pages of this review you will see what I have on my mind.

Read full article @ Funky Kit