Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

AMD Unveils GPU Architecture Roadmap: After Polaris Comes Vega
ArmA 3 - AMD and NVIDIA GPU Performance Scaling
ASRock E3V5 WS Review
ASUS ROG G20BM Review
ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q Curved GSYNC monitor review
BenQ SW2700PT vs Dell UltraSharp UP2716D review: AdobeRGB battle
Cooler Master 'Master Keys Pro S' Cherry MX RGB Keyboard Review
Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L Keyboard Review: Spectrum Ad Infinitum
EVGA Z170 Classified K Motherboard Review
Fedora, Gnome 3 & extensions - A quest of usability
GAMDIAS Hephaestus Almighty Gaming Headset Review
iClever Magneto Wireless Headphones Review
Microsoft Surface Book Review
Motorola Moto X Pure Edition Review
Radeon Pro Duo spearheads AMD's push for VR dominance
Razer BlackWidow Chroma (Origin PC Edition) And BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 Review
Samsung 950 PRO SSD RAID-0 Performance
The Great Linux Mint Heist: the Aftermath
Tom Clancy's The Division: Graphics & CPU Benchmarks
WinToHDD: install Windows without DVD or USB
Zalman ZM-K700M

AMD Unveils GPU Architecture Roadmap: After Polaris Comes Vega

Although AMD’s GDC 2016 “Capsaicin” event was primarily focused on game development – it is the Game Developers Conference, after all – AMD did spend a brief moment discussing their future GPU plans. For the first time in many years, AMD has published a GPU architecture roadmap.

Plotting perf/watt against the years, AMD’s roadmap unveils two new architectures: Vega, and Navi. Essentially everything there is to know about these architectures is in this slide – AMD is being tight-lipped regarding further details – but this map gives us some tantalizing new information to work with.

Read full article @ Anandtech

ArmA 3 - AMD and NVIDIA GPU Performance Scaling

On the following pages we're going to have a close look at how ArmA 3 performs in combination with different graphics cards. For that purpose we're testing the three different resolutios 1080p, 1440p as well as 2160p at ultra settings. The goal of this article is to tell you which is the most suitable graphics card for ArmA 3.

Read full article @ ocaholic

ASRock E3V5 WS Review

ASRock has really upped its game over the last few years. A decade ago, the company was most successful at the budget end of the market. But that image has long gone. Recently, we looked at a decidedly high-end X99 chipset board in the shape of the ASRock X99 WS-E/10G (http://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/james-morris/asrock-x99-ws-e10g-motherboard-review/) . This time, we are putting a more modest Intel C232 board, the E3V5 WS, through its paces. This is still aimed at workstations, but smaller, less powerful units.

Read full article @ KitGuru

ASUS ROG G20BM Review

After great success for many years in the graphics card and motherboard sectors, the ASUS ROG team has been using their expertise and wisdom to design and build desktop computers for gamers on the move. The G20 gaming PC was introduced in 2014 and the reception was very positive, up until this point all of the configurations which are available have involved Intel and NVIDIA-based components, but with today’s edition the focus is entirely on AMD.

The G20BM utilises the AMD FX-770K, 12GB of DDR3 and AMD’s R9 370. That isn’t a typo – rather than use the R7 370, ASUS are using a special edition R9 variant which boasts increased shaders to deliver even better performance. The real emphasis with G20BM is on portability – being able to transport this unit to and from places and have it merge into the surrounding environment.

We’ve seen how Intel-based systems can cope with the latest gaming titles and our benchmark suite, but can an AMD-based unit perform well too? Let’s find out!

Read full article @ Vortez

ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q Curved GSYNC monitor review

In this review we test the new ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q monitor, it's big and curved, just the way we like it. Big, as it is 34-inches combined with a proper 3440x1440 (21:9 aspect ratio) pixel resolution. The PG348Q is a 60Hz monitor that can manage refresh frequencies up-to 100Hz (activated through an OSD OC mode). Combined with fresh looks and G-SYNC you can eliminate stutter and tearing while gaming with a GeForce graphics card as well. The ASUS PG348Q uses a 34” AH-IPS (Advanced High Performance In-Plane Switching) panel from LG Display, it offers great image quality.

The ASUS ROG Swift PG348Q is G-SYNC compatible, with a good dynamic range as well, at 30 to 100Hz (in overclocked modus). Nvidia has G-SYNC and AMD offers FreeSync, technologies which eliminate the problems that come with V-SYNC (both on and off) versus what is displayed on your monitor. Basically the technology is based on Adaptive Sync, a technology that was developed for the mobile market years ago. But with monitors not being compatible nobody paid any attention to it. So, you all know that when NVIDIA announced G-Sync shortly thereafter AMD realized that they already had something similar available, hidden and harbored deeply as a technology with a purpose for laptops. So the graphics card is running a dynamic device that outputs its frames in a varying FPS, the problem is that your monitor has a static refresh-rate (Hz), these two don't really match together. To gain the maximum out of your graphics card you can turn off V-SYNC on your monitor but that will result in multiple rendered images per shown frame, the overlapping difference is what you guys see as screen tearing. With V-SYNC activated a somewhat similar thing happens as the graphics card tries to stay as close to 60 FPS as possible, however if incapable of sustaining 60 FPS (or Hz), you can see an effect that we call soft sync stuttering. Soft sync stuttering is relative, honestly. Screen tearing however is just a nasty thing. So the biggest culprit is tearing. Consider then that the hardcore FPS gamer obviously wants extremely high FPS and for these frag-masters the alternative is simply to disable V-SYNC. However, if you have that same 35 FPS framerate at 60 Hz, you'd see visible screen tearing. Heck, this is why framerate limiters are so popular as you try to sync each rendered frame in line with your monitor refresh rate. But yeah, these are the main reasons for all sorts of screen anomalies. Ever since the start of the 3D graphics revolution, we simply got used to these sync stutters and/or screen tearing. To compensate we have been purchasing extremely fast dedicated graphics cards to be able to match that screen refresh rate as close as possible. Over the years the industry tried to solve problems like v-sync stutter or tearing basically in two ways. The first way is to simply ignore the refresh rate of the monitor altogether, and update the image being scanned to the display in mid cycle. This you guys all know and have learned as "V-Sync Off Mode" and is the default way most FPS gamers play. If you however freeze the display to 1 Hz, this is what you will see, the epitome of graphics rendering evil, screen-tearing. We have taken this for granted for many years, screen-tearing and V-SYNC stutters. Anno 2016 there are now solutions for it, as this monitor shows. With G-SYNC you are tied to the latest and thus brand specific Nvidia GeForce graphics cards.

Read full article @ Guru3D

BenQ SW2700PT vs Dell UltraSharp UP2716D review: AdobeRGB battle

Even though there is a wide variety of monitors available we do not see them often: monitors with a larger-than-average standard colour display. Not that weird, because these are primarily used by (semi-)professional photographers. Nevertheless the advanced amateur photographer can benefit from using such a monitor. Therefore it is probably for the best that the amount of affordable AdobeRGB-monitors with WQHD-resolution available on the market is increasing. Most recently with the Dell UltraSharp UP2716D and the BenQ SW2700PT; the subjects of this test.

For most users a monitors that can show the sRGB colour space is more than enough. Almost all of the conventional software, including operating systems, are optimized for this. Browsers for example are configured in sRGB. Photographers that use more advanced cameras can find it useful to use a larger colour space, otherwise known as wide gamut. More expensive models automatically use AdobeRGB. Especially when the end result is going to be printed, it would be a shame to have to ‘go back’ to a smaller colour space; hereby practically throwing your ‘colourinformation’ away. However, if you want to work using the AdobeRGB colour space you need a proper monitor and you should adjust your workflow to do so.

Read full article @ Hardware.Info

Cooler Master 'Master Keys Pro S' Cherry MX RGB Keyboard Review

While there has been no shortage of RGB keyboards over the last year, there has been a distinct lack of RGB keyboards with Cherry MX switches. Fortunately, it looks like that is starting to change as Cooler Master is launching two new keyboards today- the Master Keys Pro S and Master Keys Pro L, both of which make use of Cherry’s RGB switches. Today, we are taking a look at the S model, which makes use of a ten keyless compact design.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L Keyboard Review: Spectrum Ad Infinitum

The Cooler Master MasterKeys Pro L is a full-size keyboard that defies convention with its bright Cherry MX RGB LED backlight on a traditional conservative frame. This dichotomy is inherent in the MasterKeys Pro L's design for it is comfortable for both work or play; as a productivity workhorse or as a PC gaming controller. It has NKRO over USB … Read more.

Read full article @ Modders-Inc

EVGA Z170 Classified K Motherboard Review

When EVGA first announced their Z170 motherboards they had the Z170 Classified at the super high-end and the Z170 FTW filling out the mainstream. Since there was quite a large gap between those two boards, EVGA recently announced the Classified K, which will sit in the middle of the two.  This motherboard has many of the great features you would expect from a Z170 motherboard like 2-way SLI support, dual M.2 slots, SATA Express, USB 3.1, and isolated audio components.  EVGA has also added Killer E2400 gaming networking, their own 6-layer PCB, on board power, reset, and clear CMOS buttons and much more.  This should be the perfect motherboard for someone who does not need all of the features that the Z170 Classified has, but wants something a little more powerful and feature-rich than the Z170 FTW board.  Let’s jump in and take a look at what the Z170 Classified K is all about!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Fedora, Gnome 3 & extensions - A quest of usability

Let us commence to start the week with a cushty little review of Gnome 3 extensions, tested in Fedora 23, covering overview, Gnome integration, several examples including device, media, workspaces, and window behavior, the use of Gnome Tweak Tool, other tips and tricks, and more. Have fun.

Read full article @ Dedoimedo

GAMDIAS Hephaestus Almighty Gaming Headset Review

Greek mythology is full of all sorts of surprises. I have always been interested in it, just because some of the stories are just crazy. I read the Percy Jackson series a few years back, which is a good start to learning some of the basic stories, but there were some changes, since the setting of the book is so different. In my first year of university, I took a course on Greek mythology as one of my options. The course was more source based, and so I was very surprised at all the different stories, and how unbelievable they were. There were so many different deities with an even bigger range of strange responsibilities, as well as extremely creative ways of how they all came into being. I have read up a bit on other mythologies, such as Egyptian and Norse stories, but I did not find them nearly as interesting as Greek mythology. One of the important deities in the Greek pantheon is Hephaestus, who is the god of the forge. He was known for his metalwork, and for this, he crafted the weapons of the deities. Borrowing from the name from the god of the forge, today we have the Hephaestus Almighty headset from GAMDIAS. All of their products feature names from different deities in Greek mythology, such as the Hermes Lite and Erebos Lite keyboard and mouse combination Technical Editor Aaron Lai recently reviewed. Read on to find out if the GAMDIAS Hephaestus Almighty is worthy of its name!

Read full article @ APH Networks

iClever Magneto Wireless Headphones Review

Bluetooth devices are really a dime a dozen in today’s world, whether it is a speaker, battery, keyboards, etc. Almost every manufacturer has gotten into the bluetooth game. One aspect of bluetooth technologies that has really made our lives easier since the adoption is wireless headphones. Today, we have the privilege of looking at the iClever Magneto Wireless Headphones, which are a more stylish rendition of the previous and more sporty version we reviewed previously.

Similar to the IC-BTH02, the stylish IC-BTH04 comes in a plain cardboard box, listing nothing but the manufacturer and SKU on it’s exterior.

Read full article @ TechnologyX

Microsoft Surface Book Review

Has Microsoft come up with the 'ultimate' 2-in-1 laptop solution?

Read full article @ The Inquirer

Motorola Moto X Pure Edition Review

The Moto X Pure Edition’s software is purely Android, its attractive styling is purely Motorola, and its customization options make it purely yours.

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Radeon Pro Duo spearheads AMD's push for VR dominance

At its Capsaicin press event during GDC, AMD took the wraps off a range of software, hardware, and development projects meant to show the company's readiness for trends like DirectX 12 and virtual reality, including the Radeon Pro Duo graphics card.

Read full article @ The Tech Report

Razer BlackWidow Chroma (Origin PC Edition) And BlackWidow Ultimate 2016 Review

We review the full-featured Razer BlackWidow Chroma (Origin PC Edition) and the slightly less full-featured Razer BlackWidow Ultimate.

Read full article @ Toms Hardware

Samsung 950 PRO SSD RAID-0 Performance

Samsung’s 950 PRO m.2 PCI-E SSD set new performance records for a consumer SSD, blasting through the limits of SSDs tethered to the old SATA interface. What could be better than one of these blazing-fast solid state storage monsters? Two of them in RAID 0! In this article, Benchmark Reviews explores the outer limits of storage performance with a pair of 512GB Samsung 950 PRO SSDs on our MSI Z170A Gaming M7 test system.

Read full article @ Benchmark Reviews

The Great Linux Mint Heist: the Aftermath

In a shocking move, cyber criminals recently hacked the Linux Mint Web server and used it to launch an attack against the popular distro's user base.

Read full article @ Linux Journal

Tom Clancy's The Division: Graphics & CPU Benchmarks

The Division is set in an open world with immersive and destructive environments based on a mid-crisis Manhattan. Built upon the Snowdrop Engine, Ubisoft aims to take graphics fidelity to the next level with a focus on dynamic global illumination, destruction and a number of cutting edge visual effects, especially on the PC version.

Read full article @ TechSpot

WinToHDD: install Windows without DVD or USB

WinToHDD is a new program by the guys who created WinToUSB and EasyUEFI which lets you install or clone Windows without DVD or USB access. Modern versions of Windows come with options to reset the PC, and while that may help at times, sometimes they may not resolve issues that you are experiencing.

Read full article @ gHacks

Zalman ZM-K700M

Zalman has been making value-oriented keyboards for some time now. The ZM-K700M is their first attempt at a high-end keyboard. It is completely driverless and manages to offer extensive lighting effects and macro support, but is that enough to justify a $140 price tag?

Read full article @ techPowerUp