Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

Acer C720 and C720P Chromebook Review
Athlon 5150 CPU Review
BlueLife Hosts Editor for Windows Review
Creative Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Card Review
Crucial DDR4-2133 32GB Memory Kit Review
Far Cry 4 Graphics Features Performance Review
Gaming Gear: Cougar 600K Mechanical Keyboard & 600M Mouse Review
Hands-on review: Canon Connect Station CS100
HP Stream 11 Review: When entry-level computing isn't so bad
Make Android look like Windows Phone
Seasonic 1050 Snow Silent Edition Platinum PSU Review
SilentiumPC Grandis XE1236
SilverStone SST-SX600-G 600W Power Supply Unit Review
The Best Case Mods of CES 2015
Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G 750W
Western Digital Sentinel DX4200 16TB Windows Storage Server Review

Acer C720 and C720P Chromebook Review

Theres a Chromebook for virtually every need and budget. And while weve been looking at some of the newer form factors (like the all-in-one desktop), its time to go back to basics. Smooth performance and a budget friendly price is this the Chromebook youre looking for? At the end of this review, youll be able to enter a giveaway for a chance to win the Acer C720 and C720P (we have one of each to giveaway).

Read full article @ MakeUseOf

Athlon 5150 CPU Review

Recently, we reviewed the Sempron 2650, which is a low-TDP CPU (or APU), comparing it to the "Bay Trail-D" Celeron J1800 CPU, since both are the most inexpensive dual-core desktop processors from AMD and Intel, respectively. We also tested the A4-5000, and the Pentium J2900, which are quad-core CPUs for the same market segment. Today, we bring you the review of the Athlon 5150, a quad-core processor that also competes in the same market share. Let's check if is it faster than the other low-cost processors we tested so far.

Read full article @ Hardware Secrets

BlueLife Hosts Editor for Windows Review

The Windows Hosts file allows you to redirect hostnames. That sounds awfully technical but think of it as a beats-everything-else solution to set hostname targets. Examples? You can redirect any domain name on the Internet to another IP address.

Read full article @ gHacks

Creative Sound Blaster ZxR Sound Card Review

Creative Labs is perhaps the most well-known sound card vendor amongst PC gamers. Their Sound Blaster product family includes the longest running series of consumer sound cards out there and has been talked about by gamers for years. Typically we come across remarks that praise the high quality audio and unmatched proprietary virtual surround processing of Sound Blaster card, but hit-or-miss driver stability which fortunately we didn't experience. Recently, we've gotten the opportunity to review the entire Sound Blaster Z-series, Creative's most recent generation of desktop cards, to share if they're right for you. This review focuses on the flagship Sound Blaster ZxR.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Crucial DDR4-2133 32GB Memory Kit Review

Although less known nowadays, generic-looking Crucial modules ruled the enthusiast memory market from the late 1990s until the early 2000s. These innocuous green memory sticks not only often overclocked better than anything else on the market, but they were usually much cheaper than competing offerings that were pre-binned, had fancy black PCBs, and even fancier heatspreaders. One of the reasons for this streak of success is the fact that Crucial is basically the retail arm of Micron, one of the oldest and most respected semiconductor manufacturers around, and thus usually have first or even sole access to Micron ICs.

Crucial currently has an impressive twenty-eight DDR4 offerings, but unusually - and perhaps brilliantly - they are one of the few companies offering not only quad-channel but dual-channel DDR4 memory kits as well. While that might seem weird, it is an affordable way of buying into the LGA2011-3 platform without having to spend a ton of money of a full quad-channel kit. Yes, performance will obviously be degraded but not nearly as much as you might expect. We might have to test this out in the future, but for now our interest is still in the company's full-blown quad-channel memory kits.

The memory kit that we are reviewing today doesn't seem special at face value - other than the fact that it's large at 32GB and DDR4 based - but we will definitely find out whether it has some of that old school Crucial magic. The Crucial CT4K8G4DFD8213 is a quad-channel 32GB DDR4 memory kit that features four 8GB modules clocked at DDR4-2133 with 15-15-15-36 timings at a low 1.20V. This is essentially identical to the formal JEDEC DDR4 specifications. It might not be as exciting as the G.Skill DDR4-3000 model that we previously reviewed, but it promises to be highly compatible and it is the most affordable 32GB DDR4 memory kit on the market at around $420USD/$450CAD. Also, you do get a lifetime warranty, which is something that Crucial pioneered in the memory market.

Read full article @ Hardware Canucks

Far Cry 4 Graphics Features Performance Review

If you haven't done so already, make sure you take a moment to read our Far Cry 4 Graphics Features Performance Review. This article is a must read for anyone wanting know how the graphics options affect the performance of your video card.

We evaluate NVIDIA GameWorks graphics options in Far Cry 4 for performance, and which causes the greatest impact for GeForce GTX 980, AMD Radeon R9 290X and even last generation's GeForce GTX 780. We wanted to know exactly what Godrays, Soft Shadows, HBAO+, Fur, and AA do to FPS performance in Far Cry 4.

Read full article @ HardOCP

Gaming Gear: Cougar 600K Mechanical Keyboard & 600M Mouse Review

Since launching its first mechanical gaming keyboard, Cougar has continued releasing PC gaming devices ranging from the ultra affordable to the relatively expensive. On the upper end of things, Cougar's flagship 700K fetches $150, but for folks who can't quite justify the price Cougar has developed the 600K we have in house for review. Along for the ride is Cougar's 600M gaming mouse, which is surprisingly well-equipped for $60.

Read full article @ Techspot

Hands-on review: Canon Connect Station CS100

The Canon Connect Station CS100 finally went from concept to reality at CES 2015. Canon originally showed the prototype device at Canon Expo 2010, a once-every-five-years event that showcases new technologies and upcoming concept designs. Now, nearly four-and-a-half years later, the Connect Station makes its debut. But is it it too little too late?Maybe. And maybe not. While we've seen numerous attempts at media stations and media streaming devices that connect to our televisions, the Connect Station one is the first to support wireless transfers using NFC as the hand-off mechanism. While the wireless connectivity may sound gimmicky, the truth is it's a highly useful feature that considerably opens up the appeal of the CS100. The CS100 is set to cost $299.99 (£199, about AU$370) when it launches in June. The compact, square device weighs 20.11 ounces (570g) and measures 6.13 x 2.01 x 6.13 inches (155.6 x 51.1 x 155.6mm). It's designed to look like it fits right in with the black components of your living room stack. SpecsInside sits a 1TB hard disk drive, and presumably a processor of some sort, though Canon's not talking about what the guts of the box are beyond the disk drive itself. At front, behind a rubberized flap that you can pull off, sits the CompactFlash and SDXC slots. At the rear are a gigabit ethernet connection, an HDMI port and a USB 2.0 port.

Read full article @ Techradar

HP Stream 11 Review: When entry-level computing isn't so bad

With Chromebooks slowly creeping into the low-end notebook space, Microsoft has positioned itself to combat this entry-level threat with the likes of the HP Stream 11 - but is it any good?

Read full article @ Neowin

Make Android look like Windows Phone

Phone makeover: Here be a long article explaining how to transform the Android operating system to look and feel like Windows Phone, including launcher, home screen, contacts, dialer, messaging, notifications, and lock screen changes, plus other tips and tricks, and more. Make your smartphone that much more visually pleasing. Enjoy.

Read full article @ Dedoimedo

Seasonic 1050 Snow Silent Edition Platinum PSU Review

Today we peek at the Seasonic 1050 Snow Silent Edition Platinum power supply series. It's 1050W, Platinum certified, really silent, modular and can be spotted for just 235 EUR. Hell they even throw in a 7 year warranty. That just oozes value, features and lifespan for your enthusiast grade all black and white PC build. The trend lately is making the most energy efficient models. Platinum is what you want, however it's often expensive if you stick to the top brands like Enermax, Corsair, and so on.

Today we're testing probably what is amongst the better power supplies we have had in our hands, and it comes from a bit of an underdog, Seasonic. You probably all have heard of them but they are not really that known. See Seasonic is primarily an ODM, (Original Device Manufacturer) which means the pure product ends up in a lot of PSUs from NZXT, Cooler Master, Corsair and so on.

Seasonic just released a new model, all white with black cabling. it is a 1050W Platinum certified model that is very silent, modular and can be spotted for just 235 EUR. Seasonic will even throw in a 7 year carry-in warranty. That all makes a lot of sense as a secure investment.

Read full article @ Guru3D

SilentiumPC Grandis XE1236

SilentiumPC hits it out of the park with the Grandis XE1236, bringing top-tier performance and low noise levels to an unheard-of budget friendly price. With the ability to improve performance even further using a third fan, this heavy-weight CPU cooler towers over its competition.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

SilverStone SST-SX600-G 600W Power Supply Unit Review

Everything seems to be getting smaller and smaller nowadays (oh miniaturization) from the very obvious everyday things like clothes and cars and up to electrical and electronic devices of all kinds. Of course PC hardware couldn't be far behind (although it actually seems to be leading the "pack") and so lately we've seen many manufacturers produce really small/compact CPU coolers, graphics cards, mainboards, PC cases, power supplies and even complete systems. Power supplies however have always been amongst the first thing people tend to check out when starting to build a brand new system from scratch and that goes double for mATX/mITX configurations. Well today we're going to take a look at what could be the solution for people after compact SFX form factor PSUs with adequate power outputs, the SST-SX600-G 600W by SilverStone.

Founded in 2003, SilverStone is an established leader in its field, with an elite team of engineers; we started our quest of providing products that create inspirations. We have since expanded the lines of products as well as types of products we produce, giving our customers a wide selection of choices. With distribution centers in different areas of the globe, SilverStone products can be seen all over the world, not just for computer users but also for home entertainment use. Providing leisure with integration of advanced technologies that is functional and making them enjoyable to use. Here at SilverStone Technology, we continue to pride ourselves in providing the highest level of standards in designing and manufacturing computer enclosures, power supplies, and accessories. Our pursuit for the first class aesthetic appeal is relentless; our teams of devoted engineers are constantly searching for the best technologies that suit end-users with different needs and will make our products as technologically sound as they are beautiful.

The SilverStone SST-SX600-G 600W SFX form factor power supply unit is the first of its kind to arrive here so the very first things that impressed us all after opening its box was not only its tiny size but also the very good build quality and its modular design (aside its very good specifications and features). Of course due to the very compact size of the SFX form factor we don't expect to see much higher wattage units anytime soon (if we see any and modular at that) but 600W should be more than just sufficient for mATX/mITX systems (some may even say overkill). As a matter of fact even the 80 Plus Gold certification was a surprise to us since the only PSU some of us were aware until now that could come even close to the SST-SX600-G in terms of size only featured an 80 Plus Bronze certification. That being said from paper to real use things can be different so let’s move forward with our review of the SST-SX600-G 600W SFX form factor PSU.

Read full article @ NikKTech

The Best Case Mods of CES 2015

CES is a great place for companies to show off their products. What a better way to draw attention to their products by having them in a custom build or case mod. This year at CES we saw quite a lot of different case mods and some that really impressed us. So without further ado we present to you the Best Case Mods of 2015 gallery! Enjoy!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Thermaltake Toughpower DPS G 750W

When I was putting together the last few parts for our In Win D-Frame Mini build I knew I wanted to stick with a black and red theme and get a power supply that matched the performance of the rest of the build. Going with a Thermaltake Power Supply really was the only option to get both. So they were kind enough to send over their Toughpower DPS G 750 Watt power supply. While it fit everything I needed, it also peaked my curiosity. I mean, this is a power supply that comes with software. So today, beyond taking a look at the power supply itself, I will also be taking a closer look at the included software to see what it is all about and find out If it is something you really need or if it is marketing fluff.

Read full article @ LanOC Reviews

Western Digital Sentinel DX4200 16TB Windows Storage Server Review

Western Digital has been expanding its presence in the network attached storage market, with a handful of products intended to appeal to the home user, as well as few more intended to appeal to small to medium businesses. A few years back they launched the Sentinel DX4xxx series of 4-bay Windows storage servers, and in this review we will be taking a look at the latest offering in this series - the 16TB Sentinel DX4200, which is shown in the promotional image below.

Read full article @ Bigbruin.com