Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles, including Mobile CPU Comparison Guide, ASUS RT-AC66U Wireless 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router Review, CM Storm QuickFire XT Mechanical Keyboard Review, FreeBSD Can Compete With Ubuntu Linux, Windows 8, and HTC One Case Roundup 13 Tested and Compared



Mobile CPU Comparison Guide Rev. 9.9 @ Tech ARP

There are so many mobile CPU models that it has become quite impossible to keep up with the different models or even remember their specifications!

Therefore, we decided to compile this guide to provide an easy reference for those who are interested in comparing the specifications of the various mobile CPUs in the market, as well as those already obsolescent or obsolete.

Currently covering 858 mobile CPUs, this comprehensive comparison will allow you to easily compare 19 different specifications for each and every CPU. We hope it will prove to be a useful reference. We will keep this guide updated regularly so do check back for the latest updates!

To make it easy to compare the specifications, we split it up into three sections for your convenience. Just click on Split List to access them. However, if you prefer to compare all the CPUs for each company in a single table, we also have a single list which can be accessed by clicking on Full List. Just click on the company and the type of list you prefer.

Read more: Mobile CPU Comparison Guide Rev. 9.9 @ Tech ARP

ASUS RT-AC66U Wireless 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router Review @ Benchmark Reviews

The ASUS RT-AC66U 802.11ac wireless router builds on the success of the RT-N66U model that Benchmark Reviews also tested recently. ASUS has been busy looking to the future, and the new IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. While its not officially approved, it does appear to be stable, and there are products on the market already from all the serious players in wireless networking. While 802.11n was a step forward, and many of us have been appreciative of the additional legroom that the 5GHz band allows, there is still plenty of room for improvement in Wi-Fi performance. The ASUS RT-AC66U looks great sitting on the shelf, better than the majority of routers on offer today, but its the higher throughput and expanded signal coverage thats going to win over most consumers.

Read more: ASUS RT-AC66U Wireless 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router Review @ Benchmark Reviews

PowerColor HD 7870 Devil 2048 MB @ techPowerUp

The PowerColor HD 7870 Devil is a highly overclocked custom design that comes with a triple fan cooler and software voltage control. Priced at $240, it sits right in the sweet-spot segment of cards that provide a decent gaming performance without breaking the bank.

Read more: PowerColor HD 7870 Devil 2048 MB @ techPowerUp

Google Nexus 7 2nd Generation Tablet Review @ Legit Reviews

We ran out and purchased the 2013 Nexus 7 from Best Buy on July 26th and have been using it daily since we picked it up from the store. There are tons of Nexus 7 reviews already online, but we wanted to spend a few days actually using it rather than staying up all night and just posting up a 'quickie' on a product that we never really used. Read on to see what we think and how it performs against the original!

Read more: Google Nexus 7 2nd Generation Tablet Review @ Legit Reviews

CM Storm QuickFire XT Mechanical Keyboard Review @ Techgage

There’s no question that Cooler Master, through its gaming-oriented Storm brand, has one of the largest and most diversified product lines around when it comes to mechanical keyboard offerings. Even if you ignore the fact that most of its current offerings are available in a selection of the various Cherry MX switch types, CM Storm has (starts counting fingers) six different models of mechanical keyboard if you count via distinct model numbers.

The new QuickFire XT is just the latest to join the line-up.

Just as we mentioned in our news item from earlier this month, you can look at the new QuickFire XT as a QuickFire Rapid with a 10-key number pad added. As far as this reviewer is concerned, this is what Cooler Master should have issued straight out of the gate as its debut model in the mechanical keyboard marketplace. On the other hand, I do understand why the company issued the compact QuickFire Rapid sans 10-key pad instead: Its follow-up models, the QuickFire Pro and the Trigger, are both full-size planks. Product diversity aids marketing and promotes better sales, I guess.

Read more: CM Storm QuickFire XT Mechanical Keyboard Review @ Techgage

Sentey SDP850-SS Power Supply Review @ Hardware Secrets

The Sentey Solid Power SS series of power supplies has 550 W, 650 W, 750 W, and 850 W models, all with the standard 80 Plus certification. Today we are going to dissect the 850 W model (SDP850-SS), which uses a resonant configuration in its primary and DC-DC and synchronous designs in its secondary, features that are usually only seen on high-efficiency power supplies with at least the 80 Plus Bronze certification. Let's see if we were surprised by this product.

Read more: Sentey SDP850-SS Power Supply Review @ Hardware Secrets

The least-timely, shoddiest review of Final Cut Pro X @ The Tech Report

If you look at The Tech Report's main blog page, you'll notice a blurb describing each of the columns. In describing The MacHole (and more specifically its author, me), TR proprietor Scott Wasson wrote, "As TR's first self-described Mac blogger, Jason Fox joins us to cover the wonderful world of Apple products, with a focus on multimedia and video editing." As any medium-time reader of this sporadically published blog knows, I have pretty much ignored this specification and run roughshod over Scott's dream of having a moderately serious Mac blog on TR. But seeing as how I possess certain disc film negatives from seventh-grade homeroom involving an Atari ST and a marmoset, this arrangement shall remain.

My proclivities for ill-focused technological rambling aside, I do, in truth, enjoy video editing. My first exposure to real editing (as opposed to taping up broken splices on dad's old 8-mm reels) came in 1995 when I mistakenly entered the ad industry as a copywriter. This was during the big shift from online to offline editing. It was fun to watch and direct, but I was not allowed to play with the very expensive toys, even if I was technically the client. Smart move on their part.

In late 1999, Apple released iMovie and changed the way we edit poorly lit kids' birthday parties forever. It was easy to use and, thanks to the Ken Burns Effect, abuse. I used it at work to make a couple of new business pitch videos and rough TV spots (visual storyboards, if you will). But, as I often did, I craved more power, more control, more garbage mattes. So when Final Cut Express debuted in 2003, I ponied up the biggish bucks and went to town—if you consider being hunched over a Walmart computer desk with a dual-533MHz PowerMac G4 and a 16-inch LCD to be "town." A couple of years later, when I thought I was getting serious about shooting, I went all-in for Final Cut Studio, since I needed a version of Final Cut that supported 24p (FCE did not), along with DVD Studio Pro.

Read more: The least-timely, shoddiest review of Final Cut Pro X @ The Tech Report

FreeBSD Can Compete With Ubuntu Linux, Windows 8 @ Phoronix

Yesterday I published results that show NVIDIA's Linux driver is very competitive with Microsoft Windows 8 when it comes to OpenGL gaming performance. It turns out that the NVIDIA BSD driver, which is still mostly shared common code with Linux and Solaris and Windows, pairs very well with FreeBSD's Linux binary compatibility layer. The NVIDIA BSD performance is very good for OpenGL as shown in this article with a comparison of Windows 8 vs. Ubuntu 13.10 vs. FreeBSD 9.1. In fact, for some OpenGL workloads the Linux games are running faster on FreeBSD/PC-BSD 9.1 than Ubuntu!

FreeBSD (and some other BSD distributions) offer Linux binary compatibility support for being able to run native Linux binaries on BSD. This feature was covered at length two years ago on Phoronix when talking about FreeBSD as a fast Linux gaming platform. The binary compatibility relies upon a FreeBSD kernel module for Linux plus ported Linux run-time libraries (pulled from Fedora 10 RPMs at present). That aforelinked Phoronix article has more details on the Linux emulation / binary compatibility support for those interested in the low-level details.

Read more: FreeBSD Can Compete With Ubuntu Linux, Windows 8 @ Phoronix

Rosewill Line Glow Mid Tower Case Review @ HiTech Legion

Budgeting is really hard to accomplish, whether you are looking for a new vehicle or computer components. I now, personally, I always have to include a little bit of wiggle room in my budget just because I tend to go overboard with certain things. So many times I say to myself, well it is just 10 dollars more than the lower level version. Unfortunately, those ten dollars add up when you are talking about ten or twelve parts. It is a little bit different with cars, since everything is set up as packages, but the temptation is always there to go up to the next package. I want all the features, even if I am not going to use them.

I guess that comes with being one of those people who always wants the best quality stuff. Sometimes, though, money is tight and you just have to rein those feelings in and purchase the parts you can afford and will get you by. Luckily, for consumers in the computer market, there always seems to be a budget option that will suffice for the moment. In the end, sometimes, it is important to make a sacrifice and buy the items that fit in your budget rather than over extending yourself and regretting it later.

Read more: Rosewill Line Glow Mid Tower Case Review @ HiTech Legion

How Rayman Legends Is Made - Ubisoft Studio Tour Video with Kaeyi Dream @ HardwareHeaven.com

Kaeyi took a trip alongside InTheLittleWood to Montpellier, France to visit the Ubisoft Studios. Here she got see how Rayman legends is made as well as playing the game set to launch on August 30th.

Read more: How Rayman Legends Is Made - Ubisoft Studio Tour Video with Kaeyi Dream @ HardwareHeaven.com

HTC One Case Roundup 13 Tested and Compared @ TestFreaks

The HTC One is the best Android phone out there today, at least I think it is, I love it and I’m very happy with it. The One looks beautiful, it’s thin and lightweight but it’s not what I would call rugged. Those good looks will quickly go away if you drop the phone sadly. I’ve been reviewing cases for the HTC One, quite a few of them, so right now I’ve got thirteen of them for you ranging from inexpensive, thin and lightweight and up to totally rugged and fully protective and everything in between. I’ve got what I think is a nice representative sampling of the cases that are out there today that will fit any budget and or any need. What I’ve got for you today is thirteen mini reviews essentially with my thoughts and observations for each one. So read on…

Read more: HTC One Case Roundup 13 Tested and Compared @ TestFreaks

Prolimatech Magnetic Pin review @ DV Hardware

Prolimatech is headquartered in Taiwan and made its debut in the computer enthusiast market in 2008. Since then, the company has released several top tier processor coolers, as well as a line of graphics cards coolers, memory cooling solutions, case fans and thermal compounds.

In this review we'll be taking a look at a whole different product from Prolimatech; the Magnetic Pin. This product is designed to magnetically attach fans to your case. It's made from rubber so it should dampen vibrational noise and the magnets should allow for very easy installation and removal of fans.

The Magnetic Pins ship in very tiny boxes, each box contains four pins.

Read more: Prolimatech Magnetic Pin review @ DV Hardware