Here a roundup of todays reviews and articles:

ADATA XPG V3 3100MHz 8GB DDR3 Memory Kit Review
Aerocool Dead Silence DS200 Review
Aorus Thunder M7 MMO Gaming Mouse and Thunder P3 Gaming Mouse Pad Review
Biostar Hi-Fi Z97WE (Intel LGA1150) Review
Dell PowerEdge T20 Mini Tower Server Review
Digital Storm Vanquish II (Level 4) Gaming PC Review
GAMDIAS Hephaestus GHS2000 Headset Review
Guru3D Rig of the Month - July 2014
JBL Synchros S700 Headphones Review
Motorola Moto G on Republic Wireless Review
Noctua PPC2000 and Redux Series: Color Us Impressed
NZXT H440 Mid-Tower Case Review
Samsung 845DC PRO Review (400/800GB) - Class Leading Speed and Endurance
Sony Xperia E1 Review
Synology Embedded DataStation EDS14 Review
Thermaltake Urban T81 Case Review
Understanding Graphics Cards

ADATA XPG V3 3100MHz 8GB DDR3 Memory Kit Review

Gone are the days of being on the cutting edge of memory with DDR3 running at 2133MHz! These days running 2133MHz memory is pretty much considered the norm for a high end gaming rig. If you’re looking to be on the bleeding edge of memory speeds you’re going to be limited to only one or two kits. Today we have one of the fastest kits available on the market to put through the paces, the ADATA XPG V3 DDR3 3100MHz 8GB memory kit. Read on to see if this big dollar kit is worth nearly a thousand dollars.

Read full article @ Legit Reviews

Aerocool Dead Silence DS200 Review

Dead Silence DS200 is the latest silent ATX solution from Aerocool. Introduced at the last Computex few months ago, the case is a strong reminder to the ITX model and is made mainly in soft touch material. DS200 is not just perfect for who loves the silence since it offers plenty space of cooling solutions even for water cooling systems.

Read full article @ ocaholic

Aorus Thunder M7 MMO Gaming Mouse and Thunder P3 Gaming Mouse Pad Review

Computer customization and modding has become such a widespread trend, that almost everyone can have a computer that reflects something appealing to them. Whether the modifications are to increase efficiency of the computer as well as the case, or just to increase the aesthetic appearance, it is something that we see many users doing to customize their computing experience. We all have our own interests, a favorite game, or movie, or perhaps something that interests us outside of the world of computers, and we showcase our love of whatever it may be, by modifying our computer case. Some even go to the extent of modifying their peripherals to match their overall themed mod. Some users may not see the need for modifications to an already great manufacturer design, while some find this customization helps accentuate the hard work you have put into it.

Read full article @ HiTech Legion

Biostar Hi-Fi Z97WE (Intel LGA1150) Review

Looking for a decent board to push that shiny new Pentium G3258 in an HTPC? Biostar has what you need in the Hi-Fi Z97WE, an affordable option that offers great audio and a high-level feature set you'd not expect for so cheap.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

Dell PowerEdge T20 Mini Tower Server Review

The new baby of the Dell server family, the PowerEdge T20, is designed for small businesses looking for a platform for shared storage and to host applications such as email, web and database servers. Alternatively it could be used as a departmental or branch server where it faces stiff competition from arch-rival HP with its ProLiant MicroServer Gen 8.Small choicesThe days when you could more or less specify your own Dell server from an extensive list of options are long gone, especially when it comes to entry-level systems like the PowerEdge T20. Some buyers may be disappointed by this but it does make life easier with just the one freestanding mini-tower chassis available for the T20 fitted with a single 290W power supply.Neither as well-built or compact as the MicroServer Gen8, the Dell chassis is of workmanlike construction with a removable side panel giving plenty of access to the internals, including a compact mini-ATX motherboard mounted towards the bottom of the tower. Up to six SATA hard disks can be accommodated inside the casing with metalwork provided to accommodate two 3.5-inch disks at the bottom and two more in the top of the tower. Unfortunately the disks can't be hot-swapped and the two at the top are only accessible by removing the front panel. Moreover, although a further two 2.5-inch drives can be fitted in the space otherwise used to take an optical drive, the on-board controller only has four SATA ports which means fitting an additional adapter if you want to use all the available bays.

Read full article @ Techradar

Digital Storm Vanquish II (Level 4) Gaming PC Review

Digital Storm’s latest offering, the Vanquish II, features some excellent components inside, but none is quite the top end. Performance will take a hit to be sure, but so does the cost.

Digital Storm offers four base configurations of the Vanquish II. Level 1 costs a mere pittance (relatively speaking) at $699, while the Level 2 ($779) and Level 3 ($979) give users three Vanquish II systems to choose from under $1,000. It’s the Level 4 that we’re evaluating today, and at $1,259 the question is, did Digital Storm find the right balance of performance and price?

Read full article @ HotHardware.com

GAMDIAS Hephaestus GHS2000 Headset Review

The GAMDIAS Hephaestus Multi-Sensorial Gaming Headset (GHS2000) is a feature packed headset promising big sound in a big package. The Hephaestus sports virtual 7.1 surround, built-in cooling, and a unique feature called the blast source identifier. The headset also sports leather ear pads and headband, allowing for a very comfortable gaming experience during long sessions.

Read full article @ Benchmark Reviews

Guru3D Rig of the Month - July 2014

We just adore hardware. And sometimes some you guys really make a PC that really stands out. We ask you to answer a few simple questions and send in photo's of your rig. Each month we'll have a look at the entries and perhaps pick you and post your PC with photo's and everything here at Guru3D.com Here you can find out what you need to do and win a nice prize package courtesy of Corsair.

Read full article @ Guru3D

JBL Synchros S700 Headphones Review

It’s been a long time since I’ve been treated to a real nice set of cans, my last pair being from House of Marley are nice enough and suit my style but have some limitations in the sound department. JBL are well known for producing quality sound gear so the Synchros S700 were a natural progression for me in search of the ultimate headphones. They are available in both black and white, I’m glad I got the one to match perfectly my Galaxy S4 which I’ll be using for most of my listening. I wanted something that not only sounded amazing, they looked cool too. But I didn’t want what everyone else had. At around $300 they won’t break the bank either.

Read full article @ TestFreaks

Motorola Moto G on Republic Wireless Review

For those not familiar with Republic Wireless, they are a North Carolina based Mobile Virtual Network Operator (MVNO). They differ from the other MVNO's out there by offering hybrid calling. Hybrid calling allows you to use existing Wi-Fi networks for calling, text and data. If you are not within range of a Wi-Fi network, in all but the cheapest plan your phone automatically switches over to Sprint's network.

In the case of the Motorola Moto G phone used in this review we are limited to 3G service, but if you opt for the more expensive Moto X you would get 4G LTE coverage where available. While enabling Wi-Fi calling is not new, the purpose is. For instance, T-Mobile offers Wi-Fi calling to supplement poor signal quality, especially indoors. Republic Wireless is offering hybrid calling so that they can offer very competitive rates; starting at just $5/month and topping out at $40/month for unlimited talk, text, and 4G service. But the truth is the real cost savings is on data use. By utilizing these Wi-Fi networks for data whenever possible saves big money for everyone. Below is a chart of available service levels and their costs (more information here).

Read full article @ Bigbruin.com

Noctua PPC2000 and Redux Series: Color Us Impressed

As much as I try to ignore the looks of a component and stay with what actually performs, I am sometimes guilty of letting aesthetics win out. It rarely happened just a few years ago when there was no window on the side of my case. But, the fact is, more cases have windows, more builds have themes and color schemes, and more people want the looks to match the performance. One of the biggest casualties in this has been Noctua. Very few will argue that they are among the best performing fans ever to hit the market, and a majority of enthusiasts will argue that they are unparalleled in many applications. However, their brown and beige color scheme wasn’t exactly complementary in most themes. While people have clamored for at least a black series, it hasn’t happened due to Noctua’s unique materials being resistant to coloring and Noctua being unwilling to put out a product that is not perfect.

Read full article @ HiTech Legion

NZXT H440 Mid-Tower Case Review

Over the past couple of years NZXT has really set the bar when it has come to computer case design, not only on the outside, but on the inside as well. One of their newest cases the H440 also hopes to do the same. Its extremely sleek design is made possibly by completely removing optical drive bay cases from the case, which make way for an all-new storage system. Inside we see new things like a steel power supply cover that has a NZXT logo on it and even two solid state drive mountings that can be seen through the large side panel window. NZXT really thought out every aspect of this case. Will it impress? Read on and find out!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Samsung 845DC PRO Review (400/800GB) - Class Leading Speed and Endurance

At the 2014 Samsung SSD Global Summit, Samsung showcased its latest consumer SSD, the 850 PRO. Just like the 840 PRO before it, we loved the 850 PRO’s performance and technological advances. In fact, it is probably the best SATA 3 (6Gbps) drive on the market. As an enterprise reviewer, I expected the normal 6-12 month wait before the 850 PRO would spawn an enterprise cousin, as we have seen with the Samsung SM843 and 845DC EVO. That 12 month wait was closer to 12 minutes as Samsung surprised all in attendance with their announcement of the 845DC PRO, alongside the 850 PRO.

Read full article @ The SSD Review

Sony Xperia E1 Review

The Sony Xperia E1 is a cheap phone – about as affordable as Sony makes. It's small, doesn't have all that many cutting-edge features and can't afford to be quite as stylish as its big brother the Sony Xperia Z2.However, there are benefits to a phone like this. As it is not covered in glass you don't have to worry so much about it shattering should you drop the thing. And even if something bad does happen to the little Xperia E1, you won't have to cry for too long. You don't need to take out a mortgage to buy one of these. It slots in right at the bottom of Sony's Android Xperia range, below the Sony Xperia M2 and the top dog Xperia Z2.

Read full article @ Techradar

Synology Embedded DataStation EDS14 Review

Small enough to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, the diminutive Synology EDS14 is unlike any other NAS appliance you're likely to come across. Not least because it doesn't have room inside for any disks, just a couple of USB ports for external disk attachment and a slot to take high-speed flash memory cards.It's also fanless and very rugged, allowing it to go where other NAS servers can't. Moreover, add one or more IP cameras and Synology's Surveillance Station software, and it makes a robust and very usable video surveillance platform.Something of a TardisDon't be fooled by the lack of inches as inside the EDS14 there's room for a 1.2GHz Marvell Armada 370 processor plus 512MB of RAM. There's also space for a pair of Gigabit network ports as well as those two USB ports, one of which is USB 3.0.

Read full article @ Techradar

Thermaltake Urban T81 Case Review

HThermaltake shook up the market a few years ago with the release of the Level 10 chassis. It took everything we knew about what a computer case was supposed to look like, and tossed it out a window. It won Thermaltake (sometimes referred to as TT) many accolades and awards for design and innovation. The down side to this was the Level 10 set a high level of expectation that Thermaltake could not live up too with follow up cases. It is hard to please everyone and even harder to please the most hard core enthusiast as they set the tone for what makes for a great case.

When faced with such a monumental task as this, it is good to take a step back and reset. The Urban series of chassis is exactly that, a reset of Thermaltake’s design team. The days of boisterous designs are being replaced with sleeker lines and more modern curves. This is an effort to attract gamers, water cooling and overclocking enthusiasts with this new Urban series of chassis. The flagship model, the Urban T81, will be put to the test in this review. We will attempt a build that should please all three segments.

Read full article @ PureOverclock

Understanding Graphics Cards

Have you ever shopped for a graphics card before? Maybe it was your first graphics card, maybe you didn’t buy a card and decided to stick with the integrated graphics that accompanied your fancy motherboard. Maybe you went out upgraded to the new AMD Radeon R9 295X2. Whether you are a graphics guru or new to the graphics market, this article is a good place to start. This article serves the purpose of giving you a basic understanding of the underlying components and aspects of a graphics card to be cautious of when heading onto Amazon for a graphics upgrade.

Read full article @ TechnologyX