Here a roundup of today's reviews and articles:

ADATA Premier SP610 256GB SATA Solid State Drive Review
Adata XPG 2933 MHz DDR3 Review
AMD officially announces Radeon R9 285
ASRocks X99 OC Formula Motherboard in Pictures
ASUS H97-PRO GAMER Motherboard
Asus RT-AC68U Review
ASUS Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 Sound Card
August 2014 peripheral staff picks
Cooler Charts: 27 Models tested - update Cryorig R1 universal
Fujifilm X30 Review
Haswell-E prices leaked in Holland
HIS R9 290 iPower IceQ X2 OC 4GB GDDR5 Video Card Review
ioSafe 214 Fire and WaterProof NAS Video Review
Roccat Kone Pure Military Edition Review
Satechi Smart Travel Router Review
Seasonic X-Series 1050W Power Supply (SS-1050XM2)
Transcend SSD370 128GB SSD
Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse Review
Wireless Headphones and High End Motorcycles
XTracGear Ripper Mousing Surface Review
Z97 & Z87 Motherboard Charts: 42 Models tested - Update Gigabyte H97-D3H

ADATA Premier SP610 256GB SATA Solid State Drive Review

ADATA has recently, they launched their latest SSD featuring a new controller. As part of their Premier series, this new controller helps ADATA service customers who need bang for buck performance, positioned just below their Premier Pro line. The Premier series gets a new model dubbed the SP610, which comes in a range of sizes. The SP610 sports a new Silicone Motion (SMI) controller which is something we haven’t yet had the opportunity to evaluate, but it does allow ADATA to drop the price for a more competitive offering. Today, we’re going to be putting the SP610 256GB SSD through its paces for you.

Read full article @ Futurelooks

Adata XPG 2933 MHz DDR3 Review

DDR3 memory modules you can choose plenty from, the cheap but dull all green Kingston Value memory for example works absolutely fine. Then the regular mainstream DIMMs, then step it up a little and say high-frequency memory is a hint faster and often cooler looking inside your PC with the fancy designs and heatspreaders. Then there's enthusiast grade memory for the performance enthusiasts, which is what we will look at as Adata has released V3 of their XPG series memory. The two DIMMs we received from them clock in at an amazing 2933 MHz, considering that a lot of you run your memory at 1333 or 1600 MHz, that's nearly double the memory frequency. But how will that relate to performance?

Stylish RAM memory for the people that need fast performance, the people that build their own PCs, perhaps customize it a little. In that mindset ADATA released new XPG memory kits. Not cheap, but pretty cool with great looks and frequencies rating up to even PC3-23400 (2933 MHz) that can be enabled with a simple XMP profile in ther BIOS.

Now we just received a dual channel kit rated PC3-23400 (2933MHz) at CAS latency 12, and sure this has to be the coolest looking memory kit anno Summer 2014. The end results will be very interesting as we'll simply take this memory seated on a Core i7 4770K / Z97 chipset setup and evaluate it to the baseline performance of other chipsets/processors and their respective reference baseline performance.

Read full article @ Guru3D

AMD officially announces Radeon R9 285

AMD has now officially announced its newest AMD Radeon R9 285 graphics card based on the Tonga Pro GPU with 1792 Stream Processors. The new R9 285 will replace the old, Tahiti Pro based R9 280 graphics card and compete directly with Nvidia's GTX 760 graphics card once it launches on September 2nd with a $249 price tag.

As detailed earlier from various rumors, the new Radeon R9 285 is based on AMD's newest and more power-efficient 28nm Tonga Pro GPU. The GPU packs 1792 Stream Processors, 112 TMUs, 32 ROPs and a 256-bit memory interface which will be paired up with either 2 or 4GB of GDDR5 memory. The reference clocks for the AMD R9 285 are set at 918MHz for the GPU and 1375MHz (5.5GHz effective) for the memory.

Read full article @ Fudzilla

ASRocks X99 OC Formula Motherboard in Pictures

To add another element to the current whirlwind of X99 motherboard shots being released, ASRock has now lifted the lid on its high end overclocking motherboard, the X99 OC Formula. Similar to other OC Formula motherboards, this model is designed by ASRock’s in-house overclocker former world #1 Nick Shih. With the yellow and black livery, ASRock is keen to promote its use of 12 power phases capable of supporting up to 1300W. While regular users will come nowhere near to 1300W, extreme overclockers have (with previous platforms) hit 500W-700W while using liquid nitrogen to push the processors. Given ASRock’s recent push for overclocking records, it makes sense to design a product that can compete. Alongside this feature, ASRock still wants to have a motherboard that regular end-users can use 24/7 with high-end overclocks.

Alongside the new socket, the motherboard will offer 8 DIMM slots and 10 SATA 6 Gbps ports. Instead of SATA Express it looks like there is two M.2 slots, one PCIe 2.0 x4 (sharing lanes with the black slot) and one PCIe 3.0 x4, both supporting up to 110mm drives. Next to the Purity Sound 2 is a half-height mini-PCIe slot, suggesting that there may be a WiFi edition or users can add their own WiFi module. The PCIe slots should allow 4-way Crossfire and SLI, with a central PCIe slot (PCIe 2.0 x4?) that will allow an additional PCIe card for two-way setups.

Read full article @ Anandtech

ASUS H97-PRO GAMER Motherboard

The ASUS H97-PRO GAMER is a mid-range socket LGA1150 motherboard based on the new Intel H97 chipset, supporting the fourth and the forthcoming fifth generation Core i processors. It brings high-end audio codec, six SATA-600 ports (allowing one SATA Express connection), and six USB 3.0 ports. Let's take a good look at it.

Read full article @ Hardware Secrets

Asus RT-AC68U Review

Much like its RT-AC66U precursor, Asus's RT-AC68U Dual Band Wireless AC1900 Gigabit Router resides at the high end of the consumer router category. That said, the high price equates to remarkable performance, compliments of some upgraded internal components.This router incorporates Broadcom's new BCM4709 Wi-Fi chipset, the cornerstone of which is a 1GHz, dual-core ARM Cortex A9 processor with 802.11ac support, theoretically up to 1.3Gbps. The chipset also offers accelerated 802.11n data rates of up to 600Mbps, thanks to Broadcom's proprietary TurboQAM technology.TurboQAM ups the speed of each of the router's three data streams to 200Mbps. It is important to note that this isn't good news for everyone. While most homes today do have a large number of devices that operate on the 2.4GHz frequency, these devices need to have TurboQAM-compatible clients to achieve maximum performance. As it stands, you'll still see a decent performance boost on this frequency, but we'll get to the benchmarks shortly.

Read full article @ Techradar

ASUS Xonar Essence STX II 7.1 Sound Card

ASUS marked their entry into the high-end sound card market with the Xonar Essence ST some years ago. Today, we will take a good look at the new STX II. The STX II brings new op-amps and a more precise clock generator to the table; the latter should lower jitter. The STX II also bolsters 7.1 outputs through a small break-out card.

Read full article @ techPowerUp

August 2014 peripheral staff picks

In this second edition of the peripheral staff picks, we've reworked the display section with the latest 4K and G-Sync monitors in mind. We've also updated the other sections to account for price fluctuations, changes in product availability, and findings from our latest round of reviews. The result should be, we hope, a more informative and up-to-date resource for your back-to-school shopping needs.

Read full article @ The Tech Report

Cooler Charts: 27 Models tested - update Cryorig R1 universal

In our comparison tables, you can find test results regarding 21 recent air and watercoolers. Furthermore we do not comment the benchmark values. The idea and also the goal is to present to you a market overview which helps you choose the right cooler.

Read full article @ ocaholic

Fujifilm X30 Review

The Fujifilm X20 is one of our favourite compact cameras of recent times, so the news that it has been upgraded is pretty exciting. However, as the lens, sensor and processing engine of the X30 are the same as the X20, image quality is not expected to change.

The most significant change made with the X30 is the fact that the optical viewfinder has been replaced by an electronic unit, in fact it's the same EVF as is found in the popular Fuji X-T1. This means that it has 2.36million dots and magnification of 0.62x and gives a clear view. Unlike the X-T1, however, the X30's screen can't show a magnified view next to the full scene to allow precise manual focusing at the same time as image composition. On the plus-side, though, the shooting data displayed in the EVF rotates when the camera is turned for upright shooting to make it easier to read.

Fuji has also increased the size of the screen on the back of the camera, it's now a three-inch, 920,000-dot device instead of the 2.8-inch 460,000-dot unit on the X20. The X30's screen is also mounted on a tilting bracket to make it easier to compose images from above or below head height.

Read full article @ Techradar

Haswell-E prices leaked in Holland

A Dutch retailer has leaked the pricing of Intel’s upcoming Haswell-E processors. The leak was unearthed by German tech site Hardware.net.

The enthusiast line starts with the Core i7-5820K, a six-core part clocked at 3.3GHz. It features 15MB of L3 cache and a TDP of 140W. The price is €376.

The Core i7-5830K is listed at €562. Just like the Core i7-5820K it is a 140W six-core, but it is clocked at 3.5GHz and it has 40 PCIe lanes compared with 28 lanes on its cheaper sibling.

Read full article @ Fudzilla

HIS R9 290 iPower IceQ X2 OC 4GB GDDR5 Video Card Review

By using a proven high-quality cooling system and also adding a few bonuses like a custom backplate, HIS is releasing a pre-overclocked R9 290 which trades punches with the Nvidia GTX 770. While the factory overclock is quite mild, we will be able to raise the clocks even further in order to enhance the gaming experience even more.

Read full article @ Madshrimps

ioSafe 214 Fire and WaterProof NAS Video Review

CRYORIG launches onto the CPU cooler market with a bang. Their R1 cooler is build to cool down the hottest of CPU out there, weighing over 1000 gram and equipped with 2x140mm fans this product means business, let's see how it does!

Read full article @ Madshrimps

Roccat Kone Pure Military Edition Review

Today we take a look at Roccats new revision of the Kone Pure mouse. The Military Edition with Camo Charge finish and just to be thorough we are throwing in Roccats Camo Charge gaming surface too.

Read full article @ HardwareHeaven

Satechi Smart Travel Router Review

When someone thinks of a router they think of that rather large box with antennas that connects to your network for internet access, at least I do, but technology let’s us make things smaller and smaller. Today for review I’ve got the Satechi Smart Travel Router and it’s small, can easily fit in your hand and since it’s small you can take it with you, hence the name of course. It’s much more than a router though, it also has a USB port in it for charging but more importantly is that it’s a world power adapter that can be used in more than 150 countries so all of your stuff can get power wherever you are. The router is a router obviously, but it’s also a repeater, an access point and a client which means it can turn other devices into wireless ones, or enable wireless access for them. So read on to learn more…

Read full article @ TestFreaks

Seasonic X-Series 1050W Power Supply (SS-1050XM2)

Today we look at the new X-Series 1050W power supply from Seasonic, a refresh on the older model which was hot news back in 2012. This new model is a pure modular design with 80 Plus Gold Certification and has received a handful of upgrades for 2014.

Read full article @ KitGuru

Transcend SSD370 128GB SSD

Over the last couple of years or so we’ve looked at many Solid State Drives that feature various technologies in the attempt to boost speed and performance. Some have been successful, some have not. But there’s no mistaking the fact that SSDs are becoming increasingly popular with each passing month. Big improvements in controller technology and performance increases have also been accompanied by dropping prices, making these drives far more affordable to consumers who want to experience life in the fast lane on their computer.

Today we have the Transcend SSD370 in a 128GB capacity for a closer look.That’s not a terribly flashy name for a drive, but we care less about the marketing and more bang for our buck. How about $70 for this SSD, including a rather impressive accessory package?

If you’re looking for a very affordable speed upgrade for a notebook or HTPC with a slim form factor SSD, the Transcend SSD370 128GB might be just the thing you need. Let’s dive in and find out.

Read full article @ PureOverclock

Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M Hybrid Gaming Mouse Review

Just about 2 years ago we took a look at the original Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M gaming mouse. While we liked the mouse, it did have its issues, especially with comfort. Well Tt eSPORTS has once again collaborated with BMW DesignworksUSA to bring you the Level 10 M Hybrid gaming mouse. The biggest change we see with this mouse is that it is not just a wired mouse anymore it is a wired and wireless mouse, hence the name “Hybrid”. The mouse has also been built with new improved ergonomics, features a 8200 DPI laser sensor, 9 macro keys, 5 different gaming profiles and much more. Is this the perfect gaming mouse for you? Let’s find out!

Read full article @ ThinkComputers.org

Wireless Headphones and High End Motorcycles

As was mentioned in the previous Main Show Darren was recently incapacitated which gave him a lot of time to figure out how to play games away from the PC. One of the challenges was how to play games and have fun without disturbing others who need to work and otherwise need it to be quiet. Darren’s solution was to get a new pair of headphones. While is previous set, the Sony MDR-IF540R, was nice it had some limitations, mostly in range. To replace them he bought a pair of Sennheiser RS120 and so far hasn’t looked back.

There is some interesting dialog in this segment. You won’t want to miss it.

Read full article @ Hardware Asylum

XTracGear Ripper Mousing Surface Review

Lately, I have been looking for a new vehicle to replace my old 2002 Toyota Corolla. After searching online and looking high and low throughout the city for cars that I liked, there were still three or four models that I had my eye on. It was a contest between the Toyota Corolla Sport, Toyota Camry SE, Honda Accord Sport, and Lexus IS 350 AWD F-Sport. Although they do not all necessarily compete each other -- considering their price and intended market -- this short list became what we looked out for in the past few weeks. Each vehicle's unique characteristics attracted my attention as a potential client. However, without much explaining, the winner in terms of aesthetic pleasing-ness took my attention straight to the Lexus. Personally, I am into the sleek-looking fast-going cars; however, my parents’ preferences and priorities were totally different. This being said, we had to eliminate the (my) idea of purchasing the IS 350 AWD F-Sport, for “safety reasons”, so to say. In the end, it was practical considerations that won over; loosely quoting what Editor-in-Chief Jonathan Kwan wrote in his Western Digital Red WD40EFRX 4TB review back in June of this year. As such, for our family, the question boiled down to, would it be the newly designed sleek, reliable Corolla, or the comfort and spaciousness of the Camry? Either has its merits, and size does matter. For practical considerations and size selection when buying a mousepad, the same goes. Will the XTracGear Ripper be that sleek, smaller but reliable mousepad, or will it be the bigger and more comfortable alternative? Read on to find out!

The brown corrugated box containing the Ripper was sent to us along with the recently reviewed Carbonic, and the to be reviewed latest revision of the Ripper XXL from Salt Lake City, Utah to our APH Networks office located in Calgary, Alberta. First shipped with the United States Postal Services, it was then handled by Canada Post once it reached Canadian borders. The box itself was damage free, with the Ripper nicely tucked in between the other two products sent along to be evaluated.

Read full article @ APH Networks

Z97 & Z87 Motherboard Charts: 42 Models tested - Update Gigabyte H97-D3H

In our comparison tables, meanwhile you find benchmark values regarding 41 recent Z97 and Z87 motherboards. Furthermore we do not comment the benchmark values. The idea and also the goal is to present to you a market overview which helps you choose the right motherboard.

Read full article @ ocaholic