Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

Acer launches new Predator gaming range in London
Asustor AS1002T NAS Review
ASUSTOR AS6202T NAS Review
Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Review
Case Mod Friday: HEX GEAR R40 Engineering Station
Corsair Scimitar RGB Moba/MMO Gaming Mouse Review
Dell XPS 15 (2015) hands-on review
FSP Aurum PT 1,200W Review
Gigabyte P55W V4-CF1 Gaming Laptop
Hands-On Dell's XPS 15 4K Inifinity Edge Beauty And Precision 15 At Dell World 2015
How to fix Windows 10 activation problems
MSI GE62 6QD Apache Pro Gaming Laptop Review
Patriot Ignite 480GB Solid State Drive Review
Sony Xperia Z5 Compact Review
Streacom FC5 Alpha Fanless Chassis Review
TechPowerUp 120 Hz Build Guide
Thermaltake ToughPower Grand Platinum 850W Power Supply Unit Review
Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 450 Wireless Gaming Headset Review
Vagrant & CoreOS clusters and networking

Acer launches new Predator gaming range in London

Traditionally, Acer’s reputation was built on cramming as many cool-sounding technologies as possible into a simple chassis with a low price. The global downturn in 2008 caused a rethink at this $11 billion corporation and, since then, there has been a much greater focus on design aesthetics. Last night’s launch of the new Predator range of gaming systems showed a clear direction for future models. KitGuru was on hand in a noisy warehouse to get the lowdown from Acer expert Simon Gaines.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Asustor AS1002T NAS Review

The market for NAS servers is highly competitive with names like Synology, QNAP, Netgear, Thecus and ASUSTOR being the more known brands in the consumer segment.

They all have one thing in common though, NAS servers are expensive for your average end-user. With that in mind ASUSTOR decided to fab a price competitive product. They ripped out the removable trays, there's no LCD display, you get only two USB 3.0 connectors, no HDMI, nope ... you simply get the basics. Remember for a decent NAS server that actually performs well you have to pay anywhere from € 400 to € 600, for this AS1002T you pay, and read it well, € 199,- (189 USD).

And guess what? It's performing just as fast as a high-end NAS. Read/Write speeds over your Gigabit connection are in the 100 MB/sec range, and thanks to clever software caching of the ADM management software, the NAS OS remains very fast as well. Heck even a quick try with NZBGET (inside the NAS software suit) resulted into 17 MB/sec downloads while the content unpacks and PARs as fast as my PC does. Crazy stuff to observe really, as this little NAS unit only has 512MB RAM and a 1 GHz dual-core ARM (Marvell ARMADA-385) ARM v7 processor.

Read full article @ Guru3D

ASUSTOR AS6202T NAS Review

Breaking into the network attached storage (NAS) industry is no easy task these days, as competition for users’ data storage is fierce. Thankfully for ASUSTOR, they entered the industry in 2011. With the NAS industry growing by leaps and bounds, the products that a company must offer to potential customers must provide a plethora of additional services and features to stand out from the crowd. Gone are the days of NAS units only providing basic file sharing capabilities. We are now living in a world where NAS units often come with a robust user interface and the ability to run multiple advanced services like media streaming, file downloading, and even virtual machines.

Read full article @ Bjorn3D

Beats Powerbeats2 Wireless Review

The reputation of now Apple-owned Beats by Dre was set in stone years ago, thanks to the big impression made by its iconic over-ear headphones. But that doesn’t mean the company has been standing still since. If one of its latest efforts, the Powerbeats2 Wireless, is any indication, it shows that Beats is unafraid to expand into other headphone form factors. These in-ear headphones are geared for the active individual, built with a lightweight design and wireless capabilities that the lifestyle demands. However, at the high price of $199 (£169, AU$259), Beats’s fitness earphones can’t quite outpace the more affordable competition.

Read full article @ TechRadar

Case Mod Friday: HEX GEAR R40 Engineering Station

Welcome to another Case Mod Friday showcase! This week we have p0Pe's “HEX GEAR R40 Engineering Station” build. Here is what he had to say about it, "So, as many of you know, I started my own company a year ago with A buddy, which we named HEX GEAR. Since I do all of the 3D work on these cases, I naturally need a quite powerfull workstation, and I of course wanted that workstation to be in one of our R40 cases."

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Corsair Scimitar RGB Moba/MMO Gaming Mouse Review

It’s been a while since we last took a look at a so-called MMO gaming mouse and though the glory days of MMORPGs have past, there is still life in some of the largest MMOs out there. World of Warcraft’s reported 5.6 million subscriptions from this past August is still impressive which goes to show that MMO mice are still relevant. Corsair adds the Scimitar mouse to its Corsair Gaming collection which follows the precedent established by the Razer Naga mouse which was released in 2009 – a grid of twelve thumb buttons. That one feature alone was enough for Razer’s CEO, Min-Liang Tan, to raise a stink over the Scimitar’s announcement last August when he stated on social media “If I see yet another company ripping off the Naga again I’m going to throw up.” A further note, the Scimitar is not Corsair’s first MMO mouse – the Vengeance M90 was released back in 2012.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Dell XPS 15 (2015) hands-on review

We take a look at Dell's recently updated XPS model. AUSTIN: DELL UPDATED ITS XPS laptop line-up earlier this month, giving the consumer devices a significant performance boost, including the addition of Intel Skylake processors and up to 1TB of storage.

But what's most interesting about the upgrades is that the firm added an edge-to-edge 'Infinity edge' display to the XPS 15, fitting a 15.6in screen into the size of a typical 13in notebook, making what Dell claims is "smallest 15in laptop on the planet".

We got to take a closer look at the updated system at Dell World 2015 to see just how much difference this major update makes.

Read full article @ The Inquirer

FSP Aurum PT 1,200W Review

Platinum power needn't cost the earth. Ready for an industry secret that's hardly a surprise? Most so-called power-supply unit (PSU) manufacturers don't do any, well, manufacturing themselves. The normal route to a retail presence is to partner up with a company who has genuine manufacturing capabilities in Taiwan or China and have them build PSUs to your specification.

This specification usually isn't very different from the base platform, thus enabling new supplies to come to market quickly and without too much of a price premium.

But what if the original equipment manufacturers, known as OEMs, decide they want a retail presence of their own? They have the technical know-how, evidently, so it's a case of subtle marketing that doesn't take the shine away from other companies who use their designs.

Read full article @ Hexus

Gigabyte P55W V4-CF1 Gaming Laptop

Gigabyte has loaded the P55W v4 with a stack of quality hardware that should appeal to gamers who want decent performance without blowing a fortune. The CPU is Intel Broadwell Core i7-5700HW allied to 8GB of DDR3L and the graphics chip is Nvidia GTX 970M. The 15.6-inch screen is a Full HD 1920×1080 IPS panel, and when you add that lot together you’ve got all the hardware you need to play modern games at decent frame rates.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Hands-On Dell's XPS 15 4K Inifinity Edge Beauty And Precision 15 At Dell World 2015

A definite perk of writing about technology is getting to attend events and spending hands on time with bleeding edge products. We've been fortunate to do that on several occasions, including today at Dell World 2015 where the OEM is making several news announcements and showing off some cool products.

One of those products is the XPS 15, Dell's hot new Ultrabook with a gorgeous 15.6-inch 4K resolution Infinity Edge display. It sports the same near-borderless design as the XPS 13 that impressed us earlier this year, but in a larger form factor that's perhaps easier on the eyes and better suited to users that prefer larger screens. We also spent some up-close time with Dell's Precision 15, the company's thinnest and lightest workstation product. You wouldn't know it's a workstation just by looking at it though, which is by design -- part of Dell's focus was sprucing up the design language so that it looks as nice as it functions...

Read full article @ HotHardware.com

How to fix Windows 10 activation problems

If you're lucky, you'll install or upgrade to Windows 10 and the system will activate automatically, or as soon as you type in the 25-character product key – that confirms that you have a legal copy of Windows that you're entitled to use, which will get security updates and new features. But for some users, Windows 10 isn't activating properly. Here's how to fix that.

Read full article @ TechRadar

MSI GE62 6QD Apache Pro Gaming Laptop Review

MSI’s GT and GE gaming laptop range have been a phenomenal success due to the feature-rich package, astonishingly-high build quality, and affordable pricing compared to the competition. The combination of class-leading components in a cool and quiet chassis creates a wonderful laptop experience which legitimately rivals large full-tower PCs without having to make too many concessions. Furthermore, each unit is designed with portability in mind opting for a sleek profile and surprisingly light weight even with the battery installed. MSI’s design team managed to maintain a slim profile without impacting on battery life or cooling proficiency. As a result, the final build is perfectly balanced and feels like a meticulously planned piece of equipment.

The latest addition to MSI’s gaming laptop series, is the GE62 6QD. This model features Intel’s latest Skylake mobile architecture and high-bandwidth DDR4 memory. In this particular configuration, the unit is bundled with an i7-6700HQ, 8GB DDR4-2133MHz RAM and the remarkably efficient GTX 960M chipset. This works splendidly with the 1920×1080 PLS panel and provides enough graphical horsepower to tackle demanding 3D tasks. In terms of storage, the laptop includes a 128GB M.2 boot drive, and 1TB 7200 RPM mechanical data disk. As you might expect, MSI incorporates an expansive software suite containing tools to monitor the core components or stream like a professional with the free 1-year XSplit license. Overall, the main specification and premium extras make the GE62 6QD an exciting prospect and I expect to see fairly impressive benchmarks given the reasonable price point.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Patriot Ignite 480GB Solid State Drive Review

It has been quite a while since we had any of Patriot’s drives on our test bench and it is as such a pleasure to be able to put the 480GB capacity Patriot Ignite through the paces. The Patriot Ignite is available in several versions and capacities, both M.2 and 2.5-inch form factors and it is also available in various capacities.

Patriot named the drive Ignite because that is its goal, to ignite and enhance your computers performance. The more traditional form factor and SATA3 connection makes it compatible with almost any system and would be a great upgrade from a traditional mechanical disk drive.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact Review

The Xperia Z5 Compact stands alone: Sony is the only Android manufacturer making a small high-end phone right now. That means that it could be the last stand for compacts. If the Z5 doesn't deliver, it's likely to be the last time we see top specs in a scaled-down form factor, for a while at least.But it does deliver. Like the Xperia Z3 Compact before it, the Xperia Z5 Compact puts an impressive array of features comfortably into the palm of your hand, and makes you wonder why no other brands are interested in this niche. Not everyone wants a giant phone, and could be blamed for wanting to use their whole screen without going double handed?

Read full article @ TechRadar

Streacom FC5 Alpha Fanless Chassis Review

The FC5A case from Streacom has a super thin and slick design, offering a completely silent system for daily work but much better to get integrated in your home cinema systems. Has a highly professional look so it can be placed in any living room.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

TechPowerUp 120 Hz Build Guide

Gaming at a refresh rate of 120 Hz can be as much of a revelation as 60 Hz is, to people moving from 24-30 Hz consoles. We will piece together a kickass 120 Hz, 1440p gaming desktop with adaptive-sync technology.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Thermaltake ToughPower Grand Platinum 850W Power Supply Unit Review

Leaving out computers and gadgets studying about airplanes and more specifically jet fighters has always been one of my hobbies. I never did try to enter the air force of my country especially since even up until today it doesn't use any of the airplane models I’d love to learn how to fly with but that hasn't stopped me from visiting various joint exhibitions abroad to check them out up close and personal. Roughly two months ago i managed to attend one such show and although i didn't get the chance to approach the new models i went there for i did talk to some engineers about the long history of the those two legendary fighter lines that got updated recently. What surprised me and is also why I’m even mentioning this was the amount of research and weight engineers give to the engines used in those aircraft since they consider those to be their heart. Likewise I’ve always believed that the heart of a computer system is the power supply unit so as soon as i came back i started working on the latest model by Thermaltake the ToughPower Grand Platinum 850W.

The beginning of every myth and legend is about dreams and desire: the challenging, creative and combative features of Thermaltake Group create an exciting and fascinating user experience to share with everyone, while allowing users to enter a selfless state in terms of function and potential. Thermaltake Group's 3 main brands: Thermaltake, Tt eSPORTS and LUXA2 have been merchandising throughout the world, and have successfully established 6 business footholds in areas such as Europe, America, Oceania, Japan and China, with 95 regional distributors and over 4000 premium retailers. All product planning is orientated by observation of global PC peripheral market and understanding of consumer demands. Thermaltake creates direct contact opportunities with resellers and consumers by participating major global ICT exhibitions and trade shows every year, and develop innovative marketing strategies for the promotions of new products. Meanwhile, Thermaltake incorporates the composite marketing system by making branch offices and regional distributors both the distribution channel and technical support or service center to provide instant support; by maintaining close contact with end users, we manage to strengthen corporate competitiveness and create the momentum for the growth of accomplishments. With its outstanding wisdom and strength Thermaltake Group is recruiting creative talents to build a cultural brand for the enjoyment of entertainment, e-Sports, technology and lifestyle!

As the name clearly states the ToughPower Grand Platinum 850W is a 80 Plus Platinum certified power supply unit that features a maximum/peak power output of up to 1020W, fully modular design (future-proof), flat modular cables (increased airflow levels and easier routing), ultra-quiet 140mm fan, Japanese primary capacitors, single +12V powerful rail (70A) which can use almost 99% of the units total rated power output (840W) and the usual array of electrical protections we find in high-end models (OVP/OCP/SCP/OPP). The ToughPower Grand Platinum line of power supply units currently includes 650, 750, 850, 1050 and 1200W models and could be the last line prior to Thermaltake introducing their 80 Plus Titanium certified line. ToughPower models have been around for roughly a decade now if i recall correctly (some early models didn't make it far but most were welcomed by enthusiasts, overclockers and gamers) so let's take a closer look and see what Thermaltake has to offer now.

Read full article @ NikKTech

Turtle Beach Ear Force Stealth 450 Wireless Gaming Headset Review

When Barack Obama was re-elected in 2012 for his second term as the President of the United States, I posted a status on Facebook saying, "I guess you could say... he is Barack". Now, if you have talked to me before, you will probably know about my adoration of puns. I even throw them into my reviews when I see an opportune moment. Puns are my way of making both a joke and a point at the same time. My friends respond to my puns generally in three different ways. One is in the form of a complete laughter. These people are either observing my punning ways for the first time, or they actually find these kinds of jokes funny. Next is a mixed form of dissatisfaction and pleasure, often shown by a palm to the face with a smile, or a chuckle followed by a sigh. These people know my word play antics, but they can survive the corniness. Finally, there are those who flat out reject my puns. They put their palm to my face and say "No" or "Stop". Unfortunately, these so-called friends miss out on these jokes altogether, or they have heard my word plays too many times. Joking aside though, I think puns are actually quite intelligent, since it takes a bit of context, wording, and delivery to make it work. If it is missing any one of these aspects, the pun does not reach its full potential. So when Turtle Beach sent us their latest headset with the name of Ear Force Stealth 450, I thought their series line was at least a play on words, tying between "Ear Force" and "Air Force". However, I could only wonder how I would respond to this pair of gaming headphones. Would it illicit a response of joy, dissatisfaction, or a mix of the two? And was my assumption of the word play correct? I guess we will only find out as I continue on in this review!

Read full article @ APH Networks

Vagrant & CoreOS clusters and networking

I've written a tutorial explaining how to setup a CoreOS cloud cluster using Vagrant, with discovery service configuration, basic and advanced networking via localhost and SSH connection to spawned instances, port forwarding, troubleshooting, other tips and tricks, and more. Enjoy.

Read full article @ Dedoimedo