Here a roundup of todays reviews and articles:

5 Free Image Editing Solutions Worth a Look
ASRock X99 WS Review
Asus X99 Deluxe motherboard reviewed
ASUS X99 Deluxe Review
ASUS X99 Motherboard Launch Coverage
ASUS X99-Deluxe LGA2011-v3 Motherboard Review
Asus X99-Deluxe Review
Core i7 5960X Haswell-E Review DDR4 Performance
Corsair Graphite 380T
Corsair Graphite 380T Review
Corsair Graphite 380T Review
Corsair Graphite Graphite 380T Review
Corsair Graphite Series 380T Review
Corsair Vengeance LPX 2,800MHz DDR4 Review
Corsairs Graphite Series 380T case reviewed
DDR4 Roundup featuring Corsair, Crucial and G.Skill
G.Skill Ripjaws 4 3,000MHz CL15 DDR4
Get a quick overview of all USB devices
Gigabyte X99-Gaming 5 Review
GIGABYTE Z97X-UD3H Black Edition Motherboard Review
Haswell-E arrives, bringing a $999 8-core desktop CPU with it
Intel Core i7 5960X Extreme Edition Review
Intel Core i7 5960X Haswell-E (8-core) CPU Review
Intel Core i7 5960X Haswell-E Processor Review Featuring The Gigabyte X99 Gaming 5
Intel Core i7-5960X (22nm Haswell) Review
Intel Core i7-5960X 8-Core Haswell-E Processor Review
Intel Core i7-5960X CPU Review: Haswell-E Debuts
Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition Review
Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Processor Preview
Intel Core i7-5960X Haswell-E Processor Review
Intel i7 5960X Review; Haswell-E Arrives
Intel i7-5960X and X99 Review
Intel i7-5960X and X99 Review
Intel updates Core i7 line with its first eight-core desktop chip
Intels Core i7-5960X processor reviewed
MSI X99 Motherboards Launched: XPower, MPower, Gaming and SLI PLUS
MSI X99S Gaming 9 – MSI brings gaming to a new level
Scan 3XS X99 Micro Review
Sentey Crimson Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review
SteelSeries Sensei Wireless Laser Mouse Review
The Intel Haswell-E CPU Review: Core i7-5960X, i7-5930K and i7-5820K Tested
Tt eSPORTS CRONOS Gaming Headset Review
Workshop XPEnology: Build your own Synology
X99 Charts: 5 Boards - ASUS X99 Deluxe

5 Free Image Editing Solutions Worth a Look

Adobe Photoshop has long been the gold standard for image editing among professionals and photo enthusiasts. But for the average user who just wants to touch up the occasional photo, it can be hard to justify the cost and it probably does more way than you really need or care to do. There are plenty of free alternatives and we've rounded up our picks.

Read full article @ Techspot

ASRock X99 WS Review

With the X99 WS, ASRock already has an X99 motherboard ready for launch day and this particular model comes with a reasonable feature mix. It doesn't take long until you see that ASRock did not overexaggerat equipping this board with additional chips, which is something that's reflected in the price. Let's have a look then if ASRock did a good job with their X99 WS.

Read full article @ ocaholic

Asus X99 Deluxe motherboard reviewed

Haswell-E is finally here, and so is a new wave of motherboards based on its X99 companion chip. We've spent some quality time with Asus' X99 Deluxe, which combines all the goodness baked into the platform with a luxurious array of additional features.

Read full article @ The Tech Report

ASUS X99 Deluxe Review

With the X99 Deluxe, ASUS for sure has one of the most interesting boards ready at launch. First of all they're suprising with a new color scheme and as always with the Deluxe, there are countless features. A quick look reveals for example that there are two SATA Express ports as well as an M.2 x4 SSD slot. At this point we're already really curious to find out what this board is capable of.


Read full article @ ocaholic

ASUS X99 Motherboard Launch Coverage

The run-up to the launch of Intel’s new X99 chipset has been very similar to that of Z97 in that nothing has been kept a secret. Everything about the new chipset, the new CPUs and the different motherboards vendors will produce has been exposed to the press in recent weeks. However, ASUS have been one of the vendors who have done a fairly good job at keeping a lid on things: leaks from the ASUS camp have been few and far between. Yet launch day is finally here so we can share all about the new ASUS X99 motherboards. We were invited to attend an ASUS X99 technical seminar in London where ASUS revealed their X99 line-up which consisted of four motherboards. These four motherboards will be the initial offerings from ASUS at launch but we may see other models launch a little later down the line. On show were three ASUS X99 motherboards that will be part of their Channel Series and a solitary motherboard from the Republic of Gamers series – the hotly anticipated Rampage V Extreme. Interestingly, the release of the ASUS Rampage V Extreme motherboard means we will probably not see an Extreme SKU on the Z97 chipset but that’s a story for later on, first let’s dive into each of the motherboards shown off by ASUS and then take a look at some of the new features ASUS are bringing to the market with their X99 motherboards.

Read full article @ eTeknix

ASUS X99-Deluxe LGA2011-v3 Motherboard Review

It'€™s finally here, the day we’ve been waiting for! Intel has now officially launched the latest LGA2011 platform on the new Intel X99 chipset! That’s not all though, they are also launching the Intel Core i7-5960X, Intel Core i7-5930K, and the Intel Core i7-5820K! While all that is exciting, right now I have the pleasure of showcasing the first of the Intel X99 motherboards to come across my bench, the ASUS X99-Deluxe! The ASUS X99-Deluxe is currently the lowest cost Intel X99 motherboard from ASUS at $399. Read on to see how it performs.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Asus X99-Deluxe Review

Everything and the kitchen sink. The X99 chipset has been launched to coincide and support the new Haswell Extreme (HSW-E) processors that you can read all about here. The chipset is newsworthy insofar as it supports DDR4 memory and ships with an updated southbridge featuring more SATA ports. There's not a whole lot else that's new, truth be told, but motherboard manufacturers remain keen to support it with a raft of boards.

The reason for the interest in X99 stems from the length of time since the last high-end desktop refresh - X79 was launched almost three years' ago while X58 traces routes back to November 2008.

First out of the X99 gate is Asus. Starting at around £200, four boards are to be made available from today. The best of the non-enthusiast band is the X99-Deluxe, retailing at £275, and we have it in for review.

Read full article @ Hexus

Core i7 5960X Haswell-E Review DDR4 Performance

With Haswell-E, Intel is not just launching a few new high-end desktop CPUs but a completely new platform. In combination with X99 and DDR4, Haswell-E is big step forward for Intel. On top of all this there are now eight core CPUs available for endusers, which is something enthusiasts as well as professionals have been waiting for.

Read full article @ ocaholic

Corsair Graphite 380T

Corsair is aiming to take the Graphite series on the road with the Graphite 380T. A compact Mini-ITX chassis with a solid grip and sweet looks, it certainly has the specs to be an awesome LAN-gaming rig. But all this comes at a fairly high price - will the Graphite 380T manage to make each cent count?

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Corsair Graphite 380T Review

No doubt you are beginning to lose track of all the cases that Corsair has in its range but honestly, the Graphite 380T is easy to remember. You see it is Mini-ITX and it has a handle on the top, and the sample we have here is yellow and black in colour, rather like a wasp or hornet only with fewer wings. As it happens I was expecting either a black case with red lighting or a black and white model with white lighting, so you have avoided a weak joke about zebras by the narrowest of margins.

Read full article @ Kitguru

Corsair Graphite 380T Review

Corsair has been dominating different markets in the last few months with an onslaught of product releases and they are yet to continue into September. Today, the memory giant is releasing yet another computer chassis under the Graphite Series.

380T is Corsair’s latest computer chassis to offer dedicated Mini-ITX support. This dainty computer case is packed with useful features such as a three-speed fan controller, integrated carry handle, and support for high-performance graphics cards and a 240mm radiator. It doesn’t end there either, Corsair supply this new offering in a choice of three colours – black, white or yellow.

Read full article @ Vortez

Corsair Graphite Graphite 380T Review

That Corsair can make some pretty awesome hardware is not a secret, and that the manufacturer can make some pretty dandy PC cases isn't a secret either. We've been looking into their Carbide and Obsidian series chassis, but they do have that other series as well, the Graphite Series. Two new product will launch over the next few weeks, the first we review is the Graphite 380T from Corsair. Based on the original ideas of Corsair's R&D the designers wanted to put a mini-ITX compatible chassis with awesome looks, functionality and ease of use on the Mini ITX market as that is becoming a very popular form factor offering extreme power at a small form factor. As such the Graphite Series has been updated with model 380T we review the yellow mini tower case. Albeit being min, the 380T houses up to four 3.5in/2.5in drives and a full-length graphics card with ease.

So the Corsair design team came up with a new edition series chassis, the Graphite Series 380T mini tower chassis as reviewed today. Our yellow and black colored beast can house a lot of kit for a chassis of this size, for example up to four 3.5in/2.5in drives, which can be either HDDs or SSDs, depending on your preference of course. One of the more intricate details of the chassis are the easy to remove side panel doors, and even a fan controller and extra LEDs are included. Then there is the design, we think its a brilliant look actually, though taste does differ, of course. You'll spot two USB 3.0 ports you will also stumble into a pair of fans, front side with white LEDs of course, for that enticing visual impression. A Corsair AF-140 140mm and AF120 120mm fan are included to ensure you get great cooling straight out of the box. Though a bit of a tight fit, also a host of cooling options are available despite its small size; you can fit up to five fans or a 240mm water-cooling radiator such as Corsair’s H100i.

The Graphite Series 380T is made of steel with molded ABS plastic accent pieces and is coated black on the inside and yellow in the outside. The chassis will be available in multiple color options though.

Read full article @ Guru3D

Corsair Graphite Series 380T Review

Meet the smallest member of Corsair's eye-catching Graphite Series. Corsair's chassis guru, George Makris, was keen to show off the company's latest wares at Computex in June, and we're now starting to see the various cases make their way to retail. The Carbide Series Air 240 was first to arrive, and left us suitably impressed, but up next is the one that has really been catching our eye: the Graphite Series 380T.

It's no secret that the Graphite Series is one of our favourite Corsair product lines to date. The original 600T, dating way back to 2010, is still a preferred choice for test platforms around these here parts as a result of its quick-release side panels and sleek, curvaceous exterior. And, though it's now a few years old, the 600T still looks terrific in white.

But Corsair hasn't yet been able to build on the 600T's momentum, so it's fair to say there's a lot riding on the 380T and 780T additions. After all, last year's 230T was far too basic and this year's 760T struggled to capture the imagination.

Read full article @ Hexus

Corsair Vengeance LPX 2,800MHz DDR4 Review

Find out if faster memory benefits the Intel X99 platform. The biggest innovation of the Intel X99 platform is the introduction of DDR4 memory. It has been a long time coming, too, as the new memory standard was mooted to be introduced in 2012, but with chipset support not available due to the joint procrastination of Intel and AMD, memory vendors had no choice but to keep talking about technology without having a working platform to build it into.

Now, though, Intel has greenlit DDR4 for the consumer segment via the launch of the long-awaited X99 chipset. Introduced three years after X79, X99 also brings support for the new Haswell Extreme (HSW-E) processors. You can learn all about DDR4 right over here.

The initial batch of DDR4 kits is based around four modules each supporting a 4GB capacity. The 16GB kits range from 2,133MHz speeds, the minimum mandated by governing body JEDEC, through to 3,000MHz-plus. Entry-level kits start at £170 or so, increasing to a barely palatable £650 for a 32GB (4x8GB) package of 3,000MHz memory.

Read full article @ Hexus

Corsairs Graphite Series 380T case reviewed

Corsair's Graphite Series 380T is a supercar-themed Mini-ITX case designed for the PC enthusiast. Does it live up to its billing? We loaded it up with our Casewarmer build to find out.

Read full article @ The Tech Report

DDR4 Roundup featuring Corsair, Crucial and G.Skill

Our DDR4 samples for this round-up come from Corsair, Crucial and G.Skill, let’s see what the new technology has to offer when paired with an i7-5960X.

Read full article @ HardwareHeaven

G.Skill Ripjaws 4 3,000MHz CL15 DDR4

A prime candidate for super-fast DDR4 RAM. Hot on the heels of the Intel X99 platform announcement comes news of DDR4 support from a wide range of vendors. Most had pre-announced their kits, much like G.Skill, but now we can take a closer look and examine performance of the new memory standard.

More details can be found here, and G.Skill comes armed to the DDR4 party with numerous kits encompassing 2,133MHz to 3,200MHz speeds. All are available from today, we're informed.

Read full article @ Hexus

Get a quick overview of all USB devices

The Windows Device Manager may have its uses but it is certainly not the best tool when it comes to displaying a quick overview of installed hardware devices or in this case USB devices.

While you can find some information there, especially if you click a lot to look at detailed information, it is simply not suitable when it comes to a quick assessment of connected or installed hardware.

USB Device Tree Viewer has been designed to provide Windows users with such an overview for all USB-related devices on the system.

Read full article @ gHacks

Gigabyte X99-Gaming 5 Review

The right X99 motherboard for the discerning buyer? Launching a week earlier than anticipated, the premier Intel X99 chipset, home to the new Haswell Extreme (HSW-E) processors, is now available from a wide range of partners. We've already seen Asus provide a feature-rich, overclocking-friendly board in the X99-Deluxe, so now it's the turn of Gigabyte to try and outdo its Taiwanese rival.

Coming to market with seven boards from today, we've chosen the mid-level X99-Gaming 5 for review appraisal.

We're glad to see Gigabyte retains eight DIMM slots for this model. Users should be able to add 32GB of DDR4 2,133 memory for approximately £350. Simple colour coding makes it easy to know which modules go where. The slots are spaced far enough away from the LGA 2011-v3 socket as to make it easy to remove memory without dismounting coolers. Gigabyte could take a leaf out of MSI's book and remove much of the superfluous branding in evidence, bringing an even cleaner look to the board.

Read full article @ Hexus

GIGABYTE Z97X-UD3H Black Edition Motherboard Review

This is that time again readers! We recently put the GIGABYTE Z97X-SLI through our review channel and this time we will be test driving the Z97X-UD3H-BK to see just what the Black Edition offers for about $40 USD more in price. What does that mean? Well for starters we get a very overclocking friendly UEFI BIOS, a motherboard that sports a 2x copper PCB design, a more highly efficient MOSFET design, and long lifespan Durable Black Solid caps; just to name a few. All of these features add up to a very solid platform for extreme gaming as well as overclocking.

Other differences include trading a PCI slot for an additional PCIe x16 slot (triple graphics support), we split/gain a serial port for a mouse/keyboard, we trade two internal USB 2.0 headers for two external USB 2.0 connectors, and a parallel port header for a Trusted Platform Module (TPM) header. Many of the Z97X-UD3H-BK's attributes are also very familiar such as the wonderfully designed layout of the motherboard itself. Last but certainly not least is the sexy signature color scheme.

Read full article @ FunkyKit

Haswell-E arrives, bringing a $999 8-core desktop CPU with it

Intel updates its enthusiast platform with more cores and DDR4.

Read full article @ ArsTechnica

Intel Core i7 5960X Extreme Edition Review

Intel's X79 Extreme series platform has been out for a while now, but technology has started passing it by. In the three years since the X79 Extreme series platform was introduced, there have been three mainstream performance chipsets (Z77, Z87, and Z97) along with two sockets (1155 and 1150) that have added functionality, while we only got a refresh on the original X79 platform last year. The time has finally come for Intel to take the wraps off what has been more or less known for a while now with the introduction of the X99 platform and new Haswell-E processors.

Today Intel launches its new flagship processor, the Core i7 5960X, as the top processor in its product stack. Basic specifications on the Core i7 5960X are eight physical cores and, with Hyper Threading support, 16 threads of processing power. Also launching today with the 5960X will be the Core i7 5930K (a six core, 12 thread processor) and the 5820K that takes a step up from the 4820K with an additional pair of cores to make it a six core, 12 thread processor. While the 5960X has 20MB of dynamically shared cache, the 5930K sees only 15MB and the 5820K sees a further drop to 10MB of cache. Another key difference that sets these processors apart is that the Core i7 5820K sees a reduction in the amount of PCIe lanes to 29 PCIe lanes instead of the 40 seen on the 5930K and 5960X.

With the new platform and X99 chipset we see a new socket rather than the familiar LGA 2011 socket, with a revision to the socket labeled as LGA 2011-v3. While the socket is still a 2011 pin socket, earlier Exteme Edition socket 2011 CPUs are not compatible. To further separate the platforms, Intel has introduced DDR4 memory support and usage on the latest Hawell-E Core series processors as a way to further boost memory performance, albeit at the cost of some latency due to the change in voltage applied to the DIMMs and the timings that can be run with currently available memory ICs. It is much like what we saw with DDR3 DRAM as the process and ICs matured.

Read full article @ OCC

Intel Core i7 5960X Haswell-E (8-core) CPU Review

With eight cores, 16 threads, 20MB of cache, 40 PCIe lanes, and an out-of-the-box operating frequency of up to 3.5GHz, Haswell-E’s flagship – the 5960X – is a powerhouse in all senses of the word.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Intel Core i7 5960X Haswell-E Processor Review Featuring The Gigabyte X99 Gaming 5

The Intel Core i7 5960X, codename Haswell-E, is probably 2014′s worst kept secret. As I am writing this review the full specifications, pricing and pictures of just about every X99 board in existence have already been made public and the NDA is still a few days off. Product launches like this make me wonder what purpose NDAs even serve when they appear to not be worth the paper they are written on. Anyway, politics aside, today we can present your our Intel Core i7 5960X review – at least pretend to be surprised! Intel’s High End Desktop Platform is about to get its first core upgrade since the transition from X48 to X58 when Intel made the leap from 4 to 6 cores, that occurred in 2010. Nearly 4 years later and Intel’s HEDT is making the shift from 6 cores to 8 cores with Haswell-E. What’s special about Haswell-E apart from the increased core count? Well the X99 platform Haswell-E brings support for DDR4, SATA Express and M.2 (just like Z97 offers), up to 40 PCIe 3.0 lanes and of course 8 core CPUs. If you’re in the market for an upgrade this certainly isn’t going to be cheap, new memory, new storage drives, a new CPU, probably a new power supply…..but I digress. Let’s dive straight into the goodness of the Core i7 5960X. Today we are chucking it on a brand new test system, powered by Gigabyte’s X99 Gaming 5 X99 motherboard and 32GB of Crucial’s fresh-off-the-production line DDR4-2133.

Comparing Intel’s Core i7 5960X to the Core i7 4960X and Core i7 3960X shows some striking similarities. They obviously all share the LGA 2011 package but there are subtle differences. Notably the Core i7 5960X uses a different integrated heat spreader design to the other two.

Read full article @ eTeknix

Intel Core i7-5960X (22nm Haswell) Review

Bring out the beast. The true enthusiast wants the best of everything. Nowhere is this notion better illustrated than in the PC space. How many of you have played around with online configurators and 'built' a dream machine?

There will always be conjecture on whose memory or graphics card you should use for the ultimate desktop platform. Arguably what's beyond discussion is the brand of CPU. AMD will admit privately that rival Intel has the high-end space sewn-up, particularly with the many-core Extreme chips that are Xeons in a different guise.

It's been almost a year since Intel debuted the $999 Core i7-4960X - a six-core, 12-thread monster hewn from third-generation Ivy Bridge technology. Yet the next generation of silicon, codenamed Haswell, has been doing the mainstream rounds since June 2013, with Intel mixing and matching architectures as it sees fit.

Read full article @ Hexus

Intel Core i7-5960X 8-Core Haswell-E Processor Review

Intel today launched three new high-end Haswell-E processors for the brand new Intel X99 chipset based platform that was also launched today along with the new LGA 2011-v3 socket. This means that you'€™ll have to get a new motherboard with an LGA 2011 v3 socket, but your old LGA 2011 CPU cooler will still work as the CPU cooler mounting holes remain the same. This new platform also ushers in support for DDR4 memory! So, in addition to the new processor, chipset and socket, there is a major advancement with regards to the DRAM! Read on to see how it performs!

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Intel Core i7-5960X CPU Review: Haswell-E Debuts

We have been eagerly anticipating the release of processors based on Intel’s Haswell-E microarchitecture for quite some time. After about three years of incremental performance improvements at the ultra-high end, as Sandy Bridge-E was eventually replaced by similarly clocked Ivy Bridge-E based processors, the rumored specs of Haswell-E were enticing. Unlike Sandy Bridge-E and Ivy Bridge-E, which maxed out at 6 cores (12 threads) with desktops variants, Haswell-E would be an 8-core machine (16 threads), featuring execution units based on Intel’s latest microarchitecture. Assuming similar clocks, the speculation was that the additional cores and newer microarchitecture would translate into significant performance and efficiency gains, which would be welcome improvements to say the least.

Well, we can stop speculating now, because Haswell-E is here. Today, Intel is officially launching the Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition and we’ve had the opportunity to take it for a spin in an array of brand new X99-based motherboards...

Read full article @ HotHardware.com

Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition Review

The appeal of Intel's high end desktop/workstation platform has waxed and waned over the years. Strong in the X58 era, it recieved a new lease of life three years ago with the release of Sandy Bridge-E and X79, which as a platform was just as impressive as the mainstream Sandy Bridge/P67 earlier that year. Performance was excellent, overclocking was easy, life was good.

Perhaps unsurprisingly in retrospect IvyBridge-E failed to make a significant impression. Benefits over SandyBridge-E were marginal, as you would expect from a 'tick' revision in Intel's roadmap, but repurposing X79 also meant that few features were added to complement the release. Whilst excellent in isolation, as a progression the die-shrink to 22nm never set the world on fire. Lucky for Intel that little competition in this arena has been sparse for some time.

Read full article @ Vortez

Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Processor Preview

Intel has upped the ante for LGA2011 systems with the new LGA2011-V3 specification, comprising the new X99 chipset and Haswell-E CPUs. The top-end Core i7-5960X is Intel’s first consumer 8-core CPU and boasts an amazing 20 megabytes of on-chip cache and a new quad-channel DDR4 memory controller. As with the original “Sandy Bridge Extreme” Core i7-3960X CPU, the new Haswell-E systems will be very expensive. Benchmark Reviews does the work so you can see if they make sense for you.

Read full article @ Benchmark Reviews

Intel Core i7-5960X Haswell-E Processor Review

We have been hearing about Intel’s next-generation Haswell-E processors for some time now and they have finally arrived. For people running older HEDT (high-end desktop) systems it has been quite a while waiting around for an upgrade. The Haswell-E HEDT (high-end desktop) lineup is at hand and it is made up three high end enthusiast processors, the Core i7-5960X, Core i7-5930K, and Core i7-5820K. Today we are going to be taking a look at the flagship processor of this group or as I call it the big daddy of the bunch, the Core i7-5960X. This extreme edition processor features 8 cores, 16 threads, 20 MB of L3 cache, a 40-lane PCI-Express root complex and DDR4 support. This will be Intel’s first 8-core desktop processor as well as the first consumer platform to support DDR4 memory, so it is a very exciting time for people looking to upgrade to the newest offering. The Core i7-5960X will have a base frequency of 3.0 GHz and a turbo frequency of 3.5 GHz. This processor is not for the faint of heart though; it has an MSRP of $999! ThinkComputers is excited to get this tough guy on the test bench and see what he can do!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Intel i7 5960X Review; Haswell-E Arrives

Only 18 months ago, Intel’s enthusiast platform was on the chopping block. While X79 and Sandy Bridge-E did well and Ivy Bridge-E was on the horizon, the desktop PC market was in a downturn and the continuity of interest for ultra-high-end platforms was in doubt. And yet here we are reviewing Haswell-E and Intel’s first 8-core 16-thread enthusiast processor, the Core i7-5960X. So what happened? A resurgence in the desktop space has created a rapid succession of roadmap updates, adding processors like Devil’s Canyon, the Pentium Anniversary Edition and a now full Haswell-E lineup.


While Intel may have been a bit cautious in bringing Haswell-E to the market, there’s no denying that we have seen a relatively constant progression in terms of technology, if not performance. However, due in no small part to a lack of true competition from AMD, the actual speed of change has slowed down a bit. While the trademark tick / tock process is still very much alive we are no longer seeing massive performance uplifts from one generation to the next. Rather, Intel is focusing on both processing and TDP efficiency while also optimizing their instructions per clock ratio.

In many ways the original Haswell architecture moved things to another level in nearly every respect and Haswell-E alongside the upcoming server-oriented Haswell-EP will capitalize on its internal changes. Naturally, those original Haswell processors will remain around at lower price points since Haswell-E is supposed to offer something they can’t: a ridiculous amount of parallel processing horsepower and a platform that’s been designed for high end computing.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

Intel i7-5960X and X99 Review

This is our review of the Intel Core i7-5960X and we will be running it on one of Gigabytes latest X99 boards along with some of Corsairs DDR4-2800MHz, 16GB of it to be exact.

Read full article @ HardwareHeaven

Intel i7-5960X and X99 Review

This is our review of the Intel Core i7-5960X and we will be running it on one of Gigabytes latest X99 boards along with some of Corsairs DDR4-2800MHz, 16GB of it to be exact.

Read full article @ HardwareHeaven

Intel updates Core i7 line with its first eight-core desktop chip

Available immediately, the latest Core i7 Extreme Edition (codenamed Haswell-E) are the first desktop chips to support DDR4 memory, in addition to being the first eight-core desktop processors from Intel.

The 22nm parts boast 2.6 billion transistors, and offer up to 79 percent more multi-threaded compute performance when compared with existing four-core chips, Intel said.

Only one of the new line-up actually has the full eight cores, and this is the top-end Core i7-5960X, which has a base clock speed of 3GHz, or 3.5GHz with Intel's Turbo Boost Technology.

Read full article @ V3

Intels Core i7-5960X processor reviewed

Haswell-E has arrived. With eight cores, 20MB of cache, and quad channels of DDR4 memory, it looks to be the fastest desktop CPU in history--and not by a little bit. We've tested the heck out of it and have a huge suite of comparisons going to back to the Pentium III 800. Just, you know, for context.

Read full article @ The Tech Report

MSI X99 Motherboards Launched: XPower, MPower, Gaming and SLI PLUS

With the X99 and Haswell-E platforms being launched today, MSI is coming to market officially with four models on sale with another coming soon. We took a look at the MSI X99S SLI PLUS when it was leaked earlier this month, and I have since learned that the release price will be $230, making it a very attractive model at the lower end of the X99 pricing bracket.

The other models from MSI are the X99S Gaming 9 AC, the X99S Gaming 7, the X99S XPower AC and the X99S MPower (the MPower being released later). You may notice that all these names start with ‘X99S’, which MSI says indicates the presence of SATA Express. It may be one of their defining naming characteristics going forward, but it seems that MSI is keen to support this storage technology in advance of retail drives coming to the market. MSI is also supporting ‘Turbo M.2’ on all its models, which means PCIe 3.0 x4 connectivity for future drives. Some motherboards will support up to 2280 sized drives, whereas others will go all the way to 22110. MSI is also keen to point out that all its motherboards will come with dual USB 3.0 headers.

Read full article @ Anandtech

MSI X99S Gaming 9 – MSI brings gaming to a new level

Hot on the heels of the ASUS board our second X99 to arrive is what we see today and its MSIs flagship gaming model the X99S Gaming 9 which is the top of the gaming board spectrum.

We have seen gaming boards from MSI a few times now so we kinda know what to expect and with the gaming 9 it looks to have even more tricks up its sleeve as it has the usual suspects such as the Killer gaming network, WiFi AC support, Gaming Peripheral ports and the such, but a new item here in the Streamning engine really peaks my interest.

Read full article @ Bjorn3D

Scan 3XS X99 Micro Review

Core i7-5820K in a small-form-factor powerhouse. The arrival of a new enthusiast processor from chip giant Intel tends to send a re-energising shockwave throughout the industry. Such parts are seen as a critical opportunity for a massive array of partners, all of whom are looking to profit from the potential of Intel's very latest technology.

Riding the wave of Haswell-E, system integrators are this week lining-up to introduce high-end turnkey PCs based on the Core i7-5820K, Core i7-5930K or Core i7-5960X. Said chips tout six or eight cores, with hyper-threading to boot, and come to market with a new supporting chipset and long-awaited DDR4 memory. Opportunity beckons, and Scan Computers is racing out of the gate with the 3XS X99 Micro.

As the name suggests, this isn't your typical full-blown enthusiast tower, as Scan seems keen to prove that today's high-performance platforms lend themselves well to small-form-factor builds. And thanks to Haswell-E, they don't come any more powerful than this.

Read full article @ Hexus

Sentey Crimson Pro Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

It seems lately the market has become flooded with mechanical keyboards and that can be a good thing or a bad thing as there’s just a lot of choices and like any product not all are created equal. There was a time when you had to search high and low for a mechanical keyboard but they’ve become extremely popular. Up for review today I have an excellent product, one that I’ve come to love honestly, it’s the Crimson Pro mechanical gaming keyboard from a company called Sentey and it features Cherry MX Black switches. The Crimson Pro has plenty of features that gamers and non gamers can appreciate I’m sure. This keyboard features red LED backlighting behind all of the keys and you can even re-program the keys to do most anything you want and even disable them or program macros to them. The Crimson Pro comes with a carrying case and a bit of gamer swag and it even has built-in USB ports and audio jacks. Read on to learn more…

Read full article @ TestFreaks

SteelSeries Sensei Wireless Laser Mouse Review

Some questions have obvious answers. For example, what is the difference between a dress and a skirt? Uhh... actually, I am a guy, so I really did not know the difference until someone told me three months ago. As it turned out, my colleague Aaron was no exception; he actually found out just last week. If you have not searched up the difference yet, basically, a dress is full body, whereas a skirt only covers up to the waist. Therefore, to make reword this into a question with an obvious answer those of the male gender will understand, what is the difference between a wired network and a wireless network? If you answered one has wires and one does not, congratulations, this is not a trick question -- my Electrical Engineering professor who taught a third year course in communication systems will have to agree with you (This was actually a real question that appeared on a quiz and the midterm when I took it a few years ago). Judging by the same logic, as we come together today to review the SteelSeries Sensei Wireless, one could say this is just the wireless version of the APH Recommended SteelSeries Sensei reviewed by Devin Chollak in December 2011. I mean, they called it the Sensei Wireless for a reason. Apparently, unlike the obvious-question-has-obvious-answer I proposed earlier, the SteelSeries Sensei Wireless is not just a wireless version of the SteelSeries Sensei, even though it is, indeed, wireless. Instead, it is the wireless version of a modified and upgraded SteelSeries Sensei. Featuring an improved sensor and more durable switches in addition to cutting the cord, is this the mouse to rule them all? You have questions, we got answers.

Our review unit of the SteelSeries Sensei Wireless came in a medium sized, brown corrugated cardboard box from the company's American offices in Chicago, Illinois, USA. On one lazy July afternoon, UPS dropped off the package on our doorstep here in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. We have not exactly been expecting it at the time, so it was a nice surprise for the day. With the heat now mostly behind us, and I am playing "Wake Me Up When September Ends" by Green Day once more, I unboxed the mouse, and got to work. Using the Standard service, it was really beat up when it got here, but at least everything is safe and sound inside.

Read full article @ APH Networks

The Intel Haswell-E CPU Review: Core i7-5960X, i7-5930K and i7-5820K Tested

Today marks the release of Intel’s latest update to its Extreme processor line with a trio of Haswell-E models including Intel’s first consumer socketed 8-core product. This is the update from Ivy Bridge-E, which includes an IPC increase, a new X99 chipset, the first consumer platform with DDR4 memory, and a new CPU socket that is not backwards compatible. We managed to get all three CPUs ahead of launch to test.

Read full article @ Anandtech

Tt eSPORTS CRONOS Gaming Headset Review

August is without doubt the hottest month of the year where i live but this year things got even hotter since during the past 10 days we witnessed the introduction of the redux versions of Metro 2033 and Metro last light, the closed beta of The Crew by Ubisoft and the latest alpha version of Star Citizen by Cloud Imperium (Chris Roberts). So as I’m sure you can all understand we took this great opportunity to test several game peripherals we have here ranging from gaming mice and mousepads to gaming keyboards, headsets and even 4k resolution gaming LCD screens (upcoming reviews). A while back Tt eSPORTS launched the CRONOS a rather unique looking stereo gaming headset aimed towards casual users and gamers on a tight budget and as you can see from the title today we are going to take a closer look at it.

“Challenge is the game” highlights the philosophy to bring out gamers’ addiction in gaming and the ambition of reaching to the extreme. Tt eSPORTS, a gaming obsessed division from Thermaltake, is uniting gamers from all over the world in a unique & fascinating eSPORTS culture, inherited the spirits of Thermaltake, is an energetic, powerful, bold and intelligent challenger who never says “no” to the extreme competition. We do not only provide gamers the ultimate gaming gears but also fulfills the passion to achieve the ultimate success. Thermaltake has been a well-known brand in the gaming & DIY market for PC Chassis, Coolers and Power Supplies PSU for many years. The brand personality of unique, aggressive, vivid and stylish makes Thermaltake an expert in creating exciting things and fascinating environment for gamers and enthusiasts. Tt eSPORTS inherited the brand personality with unique and creative design by observing users’ behaviors and requirements. The fan cooling design on Tt eSPORTS Challenger keyboard demonstrate the brand spirit. It is the worldwide first keyboard with fan cooling function that could dry your hand sweats and blow tension away during cut-throat competition.

The CRONOS (Father of the Greek Mythology Gods) is a full sized gaming headset and so because of that Tt eSPORTS decided on using 40mm stereo neodymium magnet drivers that feature a frequency response of 20Hz-20KHz with 32Ohm impedance and 117db (+_3dB) sensitivity. Personally i prefer the larger 50mm drivers over 40mm ones since they offer higher volume and bass levels but since the CRONOS belongs in the entry level product line by Tt eSPORTS i really didn't expect to see something like that. The CRONOS also comes ready with a rather long Omni-directional boom microphone which is placed on the exterior of the right earcup (features a frequency response of 100Hz-10KHz with 2.2KOhm of impedance and -54dB (+-3dB) sensitivity) and a very nice illumination theme via multiple LEDs in each earcup and at the tip of the microphone. So although the CRONOS seems to be a budget-friendly headset we can't wait to put it to the test.

Read full article @ NikKTech

Workshop XPEnology: Build your own Synology

Here at Hardware.Info, we regularly discuss the choice between a NAS and a custom built home server. Both have their advantages and disadvantages. But what if you could have the best of both worlds? The hobbyists behind XPEnology, that allows Synology's Disk Station Manager software to operate on a standard x86 system, have exactly that in mind. We got started with XPEnology and will explain how you can do so yourself.

With regard to software, those who are going to build their own home server or NAS system can of course choose between multiple operating systems. While you can install a standard desktop or server version of Windows or Linux, there also exist various specialized operating systems for this for this purpose. Examples include FreeNAS, OpenMediaVault, and Amahi Home Server. There's no accounting for tastes, but the functionality, interfaces, and particularly the usability of these solutions certainly won't be liked by everyone. Installing them can be a bit cumbersome, especially if you want more than just the standard functionality.

A NAS, on the other hand, has a number of clear advantages. They're typically a lot more energy efficient than PCs and are also compact, allowing you to put them in the meter cupboard, for instance. More importantly, you can start using them right ouf of the box, and installing applications is as easy as putting an app on your smartphone. Naturally, this does mean that the desired application has to be available. For brands such as Asustor, Thecus, Qnap, and Synology, the selection is larger in this regard than it is for manufacturers with a stronger focus on the basic tasks of network storage and backups.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

X99 Charts: 5 Boards - ASUS X99 Deluxe

So far we've tested 5 X99 motherboards and we have to say that sometimes we got quite interesting results. What we've also done is, we have added results gathered with Right Mark Audio Analyzer in order to chek the quality of the onboard audio.

Read full article @ ocaholic