Here today's reviews and articles, including Haswell overclocked: the Core i7-4770K at 4.7GHz, ASUS GTX 670 Direct CU Mini Review, Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2055) Review, Sandisk Extreme II 120 - 240 and 480 GB SSD review, and Five Z87 Motherboards Under $220



Haswell overclocked: the Core i7-4770K at 4.7GHz @ The Tech Report

After studying Haswell's architecture and taking the chip through our benchmark suite, we gave overclocking a shot. Our findings suggest that Haswell requires beefier cooling to overclock than the previous generation, and it may have less clock headroom, as well.

Read more: Haswell overclocked: the Core i7-4770K at 4.7GHz @ The Tech Report

Exclusive Asus Z87 Maximus VI Extreme Video @ KitGuru

As the vast array of mainboards arrive in the market, one thing is for sure: There will be no shortage of choice with Intel's Haswell technology. A while back, KitGuru cameras were invited into the heart of Asus' HQ to find out more about the world's number one mainboard manufacturer's upcoming designs. We're starting at the top with the Asus Maximus VI - Extreme version.

Read more: Exclusive Asus Z87 Maximus VI Extreme Video @ KitGuru

Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets

The Z87X-UD3H is a top mid-range motherboard from Gigabyte based on the new Intel Z87 chipset, targeted to socket LGA1150 processors based on the new “Haswell” microarchitecture. Let’s check it out.

The Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H is a top mid-range socket LGA1150 motherboard targeted to the "Haswell" processors (fourth-generation Core i3, Core i5, and Core i7 processors). Let's see what this motherboard has to offer.

Read more: Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets

i3DSpeed, May 2013 @ iXBT Labs

The i3DSpeed project is dedicated to testing performance of a large number of graphics cards under Windows.

Traditionally, we offer you performance diagrams of popular graphics cards and inform about the best price/performance deals in the market.

Read more: i3DSpeed, May 2013 @ iXBT Labs

Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 Review @ ThinkComputers.org

Lenovo has been making headlines with their IdeaPad Yoga. It is a tablet convertible that can be used as a laptop as well. There are 11-inch and 13-inch models. While the larger 13-inch model has the choice of Intel Core processors, the 11-inch does not and is rather powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 3 platform. Today we will be taking a look at that unit which does offer a very sleek and slim design, responsive 11.6-inch touchscreen, Lenovo's patent-pending hinge design that allows the screen to flip completely over and it is running Windows RT. Let's check it out!

Read more: Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 Review @ ThinkComputers.org

ASUS GTX 670 Direct CU Mini Review @ KitGuru

Today we are looking at a new video card from ASUS – The GTX 670 Direct CU Mini. This is a compact graphics card that should be powerful enough to play the latest Direct X 11 games on a 1080p monitor. This cute little card only measures 170mm and requires a single power connector. We will find out how it handles and whether it is worth the considerable asking price.

Read more: ASUS GTX 670 Direct CU Mini Review @ KitGuru

Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2055) Review @ TechReviewSource.com

Though it still has a couple of faults, the new version of the Acer C7 Chromebook is faster, longer lasting, and better all around. All this and its very low price tag makes it the best inexpensive Chromebook on the market.

Read more: Acer C7 Chromebook (C710-2055) Review @ TechReviewSource.com

EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Superclocked ACX Cooling Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

The EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Superclocked with ACX Cooling is supposed to be one of the best enthusiast graphics cards available. We take this custom cooled and factory video card by EVGA and put it to the test! The EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Superclocked with ACX cooling comes with a base clock of 967 MHz a boost clock of 1020 MHz, so it should be a performer! Read on to find out!

We haven't been impressed by an add-in board partners card in some time, but that quickly changed after we spent some time with the EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Superclocked with ACX Cooling video card (part number 03G-P4-2784-KR). What you get for an extra $10 over the cost of the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 reference design is downright amazing. You get a video card that performs right around 9% faster than the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 with stock speeds and is faster than NVIDIA GeForce GTX Titan video card more often than not...

Read more: EVGA GeForce GTX 780 Superclocked ACX Cooling Video Card Review @ Legit Reviews

Sandisk Extreme II 120 - 240 and 480 GB SSD review @ Guru3D

SanDisk today releases their all new Extreme II series SSD, which we benchmark and review. These SSDs, for the bigger part, are made in-house by SanDisk themselves including the PCB design and the actual NAND storage flash memory. The end result is a blazing fast SSD series that even surprised us when it comes to raw read performance. The SSD series has been developed alongside a Marvel controller tied to SanDisk NAND flash memory, it is amongst the fastest drives we have ever tested!

While stability and safety of your data have become a number one priority for the manufacturers, the technology keeps advancing in a fast pace as it does, the performance numbers a good SSD offers these days are simply breathtaking. 450 to 500 MB/sec on SATA3 is the norm for a single controller based SSD. Next to that, in the past year NAND flash memory (the storage memory used inside an SSD) has become much cheaper as well. Prices now roughly settle at just under 1 USD per GB for the end-user. As such, SSD technology and NAND storage have gone mainstream. The market is huge, fierce and competitive, but it brought us where we are today offering nice volume SSDs at way more acceptable prices.

Combined with with very fast performance, SanDisk figured, let's take the Marvell Monet (88SS9187-BLD2) controller and combine it with their own and latest 19nm NAND flash memory. Combined with their own highly evolved firmware that forms the essence that is the Extreme II series. The Extreme II is a SATA 3 (also known as SATA 6G, SATA 6 Gbps and SATA 600) SSD that has been beefed up to shock, awe and conquer. The device passes 500 MB/s in both read and writes (depending on the volume size of the SSD).

Read more: Sandisk Extreme II 120 - 240 and 480 GB SSD review @ Guru3D

Gigabyte U2442F Ultrabook Review @ XSReviews

Gigabyte is best known for their production of PC components like motherboards and graphics cards, but the company also has a line of laptops. Today we’re going to be looking at one such laptop, which is something of an oddity in the Windows 8 world: it does not employ a touch screen, but it does include a Nvidia 650M discrete graphics card. This should make it a stronger gaming laptop than the Windows 8 notebooks we’ve looked at in the past, which all relied on integrated Intel HD 4000 solutions. Combined with an i7 processor, 128 GB SSD and 8 GB of RAM, we’re looking at a very powerful machine indeed. Let’s take a closer look.

Read more: Gigabyte U2442F Ultrabook Review @ XSReviews

Hardware Canucks Tours Lian Li’s Factory in Taipei @ Hardware Canucks

Taiwan’s Lian Li has spent a lot of money ensuring that they can build high-quality cases. While the company’s competition has largely outsourced the manufacturing process to the Mainland, Lian Li manufacturers in an industrial suburb of Taipei.

Regardless of the heated competition, Lian Li’s cases are still known as some of the best around and often make their way into high-end PC builds. With this success has come with possibility of expansion. For example, the LanCool line which includes the extremely popular Dragonlord enclosure remains under Lian Li’s auspices but they produce a less expensive series of cases.

Read more: Hardware Canucks Tours Lian Li’s Factory in Taipei @ Hardware Canucks

Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ HiTech Legion

When it comes to computer memory, it is laughable now to think that people thought 640KB would be enough for everyone. It is also funny now to look back and think that the Apollo 11 lunar lander had the computing power of all but 0.043 MHz with 64KB of memory. We have definitely come a long way and it was all incremental but when placed in the context of history, the result is almost too difficult to believe. While several generations of Intel processors have come and gone in the last 6 years, DDR3 is still the memory module standard but new platforms require new sets of modules for optimized performance.

The Corsair Vengeance Pro series of memory modules are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 8GB kits (2x4GB) to 32GB (4x8GB) with speeds starting at 1600MHz all the way to 2933MHz. The Corsair Vengeance Pro memory kits are optimized for use with the 4th generation Intel Core Haswell processor and are compatible with Ivy Bridge and Sandy Bridge platforms as well. For stable and easy memory overclocking, all Vengeance Pro modules are equipped with XMP 1.3 profiles so setting the rated speeds in the UEFI is merely a few clicks away. Each module measures 135mm x 44mm x 6mm and will come with non-user upgradeable accent clips in a variety of colors including black, silver, blue, red, and gold. As with all Corsair memory modules, the Corsair Vengeance Pro series comes with a limited lifetime warranty

Read more: Corsair Vengeance Pro 2400MHz DDR3 Memory Kit Review @ HiTech Legion

ASUS Crosshair V Formula Z Motherboard Review @ OCC

The boards components are of the highest quality, to deliver ultra high overclocking ability with enough options to keep the most hard core overclocker busy for weeks, trying to get another 20MHz out of their favorite CPU. For the true geek among us, there is the ROG connect, whereby you can OC your rig on a separate machine via the included ROG connect USB cable with less CPU interruption, lessening the chance of crashes, while trying out the limits of your machine. For the hardcore, close to absolute zero overclocker looking for a place on HWbot, there are serious onboard accommodations in the form of the LN2 switch to take the cold bug out of play, as well as the 'Slow Switch' to slow things down so you can make them go fast. Many boards give a tip of the hat to exotic cooling and overclocking, however the CVF-Z is the real deal when it comes to actually bolting a pot to a motherboard for that record attempt.

Read more: ASUS Crosshair V Formula Z Motherboard Review @ OCC

SanDisk Extreme II Series 120GB, 240GB and 480GB SSD Review @ Legit Reviews

SanDisk follows up on it's high performance SSD Extreme series with its launch of the Extreme II drives that take advantage of the newest Marvell 88SS9187 controller. They kick performance up overall to compete with some of the hottest drives on the market. Have a look at the article to see if it flies or flops on our test bench.

SanDisk has done a really nice job on the Marvell 88SS9187 controller firmware by squeezing out some great performance. Of course SanDisk has a great deal of expertise when it comes to flash memory storage solutions and holds over 4,500 patents. We saw sequential reads hit a touch over 520MB/s and writes clear the 520MB/s mark on the larger SanDisk Extreme II drives...

Read more: SanDisk Extreme II Series 120GB, 240GB and 480GB SSD Review @ Legit Reviews

Five Z87 Motherboards Under $220, Reviewed @ Tom's Hardware

Intel's Haswell architecture displaces Ivy Bridge in its desktop line-up, bringing with it yet another new CPU interface. We tested six motherboards that claimed to be ready for your overclocking efforts, and included the five survivors in today's review.

Read more: Five Z87 Motherboards Under $220, Reviewed @ Tom's Hardware