December 2005

12/28/05

Thursday Roundup - 12/28/05 @ 9:15 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Logitech Z-5500 5.1 Speaker System

Articles, News
- ULi Acquisition: A Killer Deal By NVIDIA at CoolTechZone.com
- Digital Trends Podcast: Happy Holidays! at Designtechnica

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Mobile GPU Comparison Guide Rev. 4.4 at ARP

System, Components
- Dressed to Kill: ASUS A8N32-SLI Deluxe Mainboard at X-bit Labs

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Thermaltake Blue Orb II CPU Cooler at BigBruin
- MGE XG Dragon Gaming Case at BigBruin

Input Devices
- Logitech diNovo Bluetooth Laser Media Desktop at Tweaknews.net
- Logitech G7 Cordless Laser Mouse at TweakPC (German)
- Xbox 360 Controller for Windows at TechGage

Miscellaneous Hardware
- ExcelStor GStor Plus GP1080 at HardwareZone

Games, Software
- MediainLinux v4.0 RC5 at Phoronix
- Nero 7 Ultra Edition at ThinkComputers
- Kakurenbo: Hide & Seek Anime DVD at ThinkComputers.org


Wednesday Roundup - 12/27/05 @ 9:38 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- MSI GeForce 7800 NX7800GTX-VT2D256E Video Card

Articles, News
- Digital Media 2005 Year In Review at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Sapphire Theatrix 550 Pro TV Tuner Review at AMD Review

System, Components
- Intel Extreme Edition 955 Processor at PCPerspective
- Intel Extreme Edition 955 Processor at Hothardware
- Intel Pentium Extreme Edition 955 & Intel 975X Express Chipset at Viperlair

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Sunbeamtech NUUO 550 Watt modular Power Supply Unit with Fan Controller at OC Inside

Input Devices
- Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse at ThinkComputers

Audio, Multimedia
- Denon S-301 Mini-System at Designtechnica

Games, Software
- Firefox 1.5 at PC Mechanic


XFX 6800 GS AGP - 12/27/05 @ 9:12 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
Benjamin sends word that XFX has posted a product page on their web site for the 8X AGP GeForce 6800 GS.

The XFX GeForce 6800 GS 8X AGP features a 256-bit graphics core clocked at 350MHz, a 256-bit memory interface, and 256MB of DDR3 memory that reaches a data rate of 1.1GHz. Available memory bandwidth tops out at 32GB/sec.


Intel Extreme 955 - 12/27/05 @ 11:04 am - By: MikeC - Source:
Today Intel launched the Intel Pentium Processor Extreme Edition 955. Due to hit retail on January, 16th for $999.00 this is Intel's 2nd generation dual core processor. Here are some of the reviews:

Viperlair
Legit Reviews
Hexus
X-bit labs


Tuedays Roundup - 12/27/05 @ 9:33 am - By: MikeC - Source:
Deals
- Asus Extreme N7800GT/2DHTV GeForce 7800 GT Video Card

Articles, News
- Digital Media 2005 Year In Review at The TechZone
- Corsair Flash Voyager: The Unbreakable Broke at Hardware Secrets
- Corsair Flash Linux's Difficulty with Names at XYZ Computing

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Gigabyte GeForce 7800 GTX at Noticias3D
- ASUS Extreme N7800GT Dual Graphics Card Review at CoolTechZone
- Chaintech GeForce 6800GS 256MB DDR3 SLI at Techniz
- GeCube Radeon X1800XT Graphics Card Review at Tweaktown

System, Components
- Denon S-301 Mini-System Review at Designtechnica
- CivilianLab Tech-Recon LT Covert Harness System at Futurelooks
- Innovatek Water Cooling Review at MVKTech

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse at ThinkComputers
- ABIT AN8 SLI Motherboard at Mvtech


Monday Roundup - 12/25/05 @ 9:58 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- eVGA e-GeForce 6800 GS Video Card

Articles, News
- BIOS Optimization Guide Rev. 8.6.3 at ARP
- Introduction To Hosted Applications at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ASUS Extreme N7800 GT 256MB (GeForce 7800 GT, PCIe) at HardwareZone
- Catalyst 5.13 comparison with X1800XT 512 MB at HardwareOC


System, Components
- ASRock 939Dual-SATA2 at Phoronix

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Scratch-Less Disc CD-R at Phoronix
- Quake 4: Major Updates UpsetChaps' Quake 4 Guide at UpsetChaps

Games, Software
- Half-Life 2: 64-Bit - Reason to get excited? at TechGage


Merry Christmas! - 12/24/05 @ 9:11 pm - By: MikeC - Source:





ULi Aquisition Interview - 12/23/05 @ 2:00 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
The Firing Squad has a brief interview with Drew Henry the General Manager in charge of the MCP product group at NVIDIA.

FiringSquad: What are the strengths that ULi will bring to NVIDIA?

Drew Henry: The acquisition will significantly enhance NVIDIA's core logic/MCP design team and overall business. It will also significantly strengthen NVIDIA's sales, marketing, and customer engineering presence in Taiwan and China, critical business and engineering hubs for the PC industry. In addition, NVIDIA will acquire a suite of products and technology that are complementary to our current MCP business. NVIDIA will also be able to leverage ULi's world class team for the design of future NVIDIA products.

Click the headline to read the full interview.


Friday Roundup - 12/22/05 @ 11:24 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- ViewSonic VX924 Black/Silver 19" LCD Monitor

Articles, News
- New Keyboard Layout? Get Real! at XYZ Computing
- Avivo still promising more than it delivers? at HEXUS
- Compression Comparison Guide Rev. 2.0 Part 1 at ARP
- Hot Hardware Holiday Buyer's Guide at Hot Hardware

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ATI All-In-Wonder 2006 PCI Express at Viperlair
- NVIDIA 1.0-8178 Linux Drivers at Phoronix

System, Components
- BenQ Joybook R53 Centrino Notebook at HardwareZone
- Workstation Processors Duel: AMD Opteron against Intel Xeon at X-bit Labs
- Crucial Ballistix PC3200 2x512mb at EclipseOC

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Thermaltake Mambo at techPowerUp!
- BFG Tech GeForce 7800 Series Copper Cooler at PenStar Systems
- GeIL Copper Thermal Compound at NGOHQ

Audio, Multimedia
- Gennum nXZEN Plus Bluetooth Headset at Legit Reviews
- Creative Zen Micro Photo at Windows A to Z
- Sicuro DEC-900 Cardbus TV Tuner with FM Radio at ThinkComputers


Thursday Roundup - 12/21/05 @ 10:05 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- AMD Athlon 64 X2 4200+ Dual Core Processor

Articles, News
- Corsair Announces Corsair BattleField 2 Infantry Cup Online Tournament at Corsair
- The Future of Computer Memory: 2GB+ at Legit Reviews
- Kudos and Calamities: The Death of NetBurst at PC Mechanic
- Gigabyte and TweakTown Giveaway – Show us your HTPC Mod! at Tweaktown

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Abit AW8 BIOS v15 at Phoronix
- SLi Nvidia GeForce Go 7800GTX Notebook Coming Soon... at Digital Reviews
- Gigabyte GV-RX18L256V-B Radeon X1800 XL 256MB at HEXUS
- ATI Catalyst Drivers of 2005 - The Ultimate Analysis! at Tweaktown

Audio, Multimedia
- GrandVision CoolDV J8 at HardwareZone
- ffdshow/Avisynth with Limited Sharpen how to guides for HTPC users at HardwareXL
- SilverStone PP02 Acoustic Cover at Phoronix
- The Amazing Samsung SPP-2020 Digital Photo Printer at FutureLooks

Miscellaneous Hardware
- mCubed miniNG 2 Channel Fan Controller at ThinkComputers
- Highpoint RocketRAID 2220 PCI-X SATA-II Controller at Tweaktown
- Mapower MAP-H31SS 3.5" eSATA External Enclosure at BigBruin


Wednesday Roundup - 12/20/05 @ 10:51 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Logitech G15 Backlit Gaming Keyboard w/ LCD

Articles, News
- What is Blu-ray Disc? at BFR
- Intel Digital Home Capabilities Assessment Tool at HEXUS
- Universal Virus Database at ThinkComputers

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Fanless Geforce 6600 and PureVideo Explained at HTPCnews
- Galaxy GeForce 7800GTX 512MB – An Affordable Option at Tweaktown
- NVIDIA 6800GS 256MB at techPowerUp!
- ATI All in Wonder Radeon X1800XL Multimedia PCI Express at Tweaknews
- ATI Radeon X1800 Crossfire at Beyond3D

System, Components
- ITX form factor mainboard with integrated ATI graphics at HEXUS

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Sharkoon Rainbow TC at Phoronix

Input Devices
- Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard at The TechZone

Audio, Multimedia
- The ButtKicker Gamer at Legit Reviews
- Logitech Z-4i 2.1 Speaker System at XYZ Computing
- LCD Panels with Response Time Compensation: 7 Monitors Reviewed at X-bit Labs

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Corsair Flash Voyager 4GB at Viperlair


Thermaltake Volcano 4005 Heat Exchanger - 12/19/05 @ 10:30 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: nV News Review
Brian Cochran has been reviewing the Thermaltake Volcano 4005 Heat Exchanger. As a self-contained water cooling solution it's sure to pique the interest of many people.


Tuesday Roundup - 12/19/05 @ 10:01 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- eVGA e-GeForce 7800 GT CO Video Card

Articles, News
- DVMT Mode BIOS Feature at ARP
- Intel Centrino DDR2 Investigation at Phoronix

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ATI X1000 (X1K) Series Video Card Roundup at Legit Reviews
- ATI Radeon X1800 XT Crossfire at Guru 3D

System, Components
- Intel 'Black Creek' 955X Motherboard at Viperlair
- Alienware Aurora 5500 at UK Gamer
- ASUS K8N-DL Opteron at Tweaktown
- Foxconn 6150K8MA-8EKRS – OEM monster takes on channel at Tweaktown
- G.SKILL F1-3200USU2-2GBHS PC3200 at techPowerUp!
- Corsair XMS TWINX2048-4000PT 2GB Dual Channel DDR at Big Bruin

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro CPU Cooler at Hardware XL
- Zalmann VF-700 AlCu reviewed on a X1800XL at PC Inpact
- ITC Metabox 740u in massive 3 part SCOOP at DigitalReviews
- Antec TrueControl 2.0 550watt Power Supply at Tweaknews

Input Devices
- X-Arcade Trackball at XYZ Computing

Audio, Multimedia
- NHJ MPM-201 30GB MPEG4 Personal Video Recorder at Big Bruin
- Creative Zen Vision:M, More Launch Details at UK Gamer
- D`zign DV-5 3.2MP Digital Video Camera at ThinkComputers
- Casio Exilim EX-S500 5.0 Mega Pixel Digital Camera at BFR

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Thermaltake Muse A2293 at Phoronix

Games, Software
- SmoothWall Express 2.0 at PC Mechanic


Monday Roundup - 12/18/05 @ 11:08 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe Motherboard

Articles, News
- We bring you the Sony PlayStation 3 at DataFuse
- FCC to Reverse Decision Regarding À la carte Cable Pricing at Designtechnica

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Sapphire Radeon X800 CrossFire Edition with Pure CrossFire Advantage at HardwareZoom
- ATI Radeon X1800 Crossfire at HEXUS

System, Components
- MSI K8N Diamond Plus (NVIDIA nForce4 SLI X16) at HardwareZone
- OCZ PC-4000 Gold Gamer eXtreme XTC DDR Memory Kit Pictorial at ARP

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Zalman 9500 CPU Cooler at Tech Gage
- Thermax Tech XtFlux-GA Thermal Grease at ThinkComputers

Audio, Multimedia
- Planex Communication Bluetooth Stereo Headset BT-01HSS at HardwareZoom

Games, Software
- Keynesis Portable Sweeper at ThinkComputers


Thursday Roundup - 12/15/05 @ 5:41 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Corsair 1GB PC3200 DDR DIMM Memory

Articles, News
- FastLaneHW.com News - Reviewer Application at FastLaneHW
- Competition: Win a Kingston Datatraveler II+Migo 512MB Flash Drive at PureOverclock
- The Future of Technology from Another Perspective at PC Mechanic
- Where Computer Interfaces Are Going at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Gigabyte 3D1-68GT at HardwareAsylum

System, Components
- Realm Systems BlackDog Portable Linux Server at XYZ Computing
- Corsair CMX1024-3500LLPRO at Guru3D

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- OCZ Modstream 520W at HardwareAsylum
- Jetart 3D Slot Fan at ARP
- Thermaltake Swing VB6000SNS ATX Computer Case at TweakNews
- Antec Neo HE 500W Power Supply at ThinkComputers

Audio, Multimedia
- Dolby Digital on the Fly from your PC with the X-Mystique 7.1 Gold at HTPCnews

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Datacolor SpyderTV Color Calibration Device at Futurelooks

Games, Software
- Steganos Security Suite 2006 at TechGage


Quad GPU SLI - 12/15/05 @ 2:17 am - By: MUYA - Source: Browsing
Tom's Hardware has 2 ASUS GeForce N7800GT Dual for some sweet QUAD GPU SLI action. Each card has 2 GPUs with 256MB allocated for each GPU but the cards do not draw from the system. Instead they have to be powered externally. Performance wise, even though there seems to be teething problems and lack of official support for Quad GPU SLI setup, the setup was almost twice as fast that Dual GTX SLI setup in F.E.A.R with soft shadows enabled. Seems if you have the money, this is the way to go! Click on the headline to read the preview

Enter Asus with its brand new Extreme GeForce 7800 GT Dual. This monster of a graphics chip sports two 7800 GT chips running in parallel. We'd like to note a few things that are special about this card. First, only 2000 samples of this my-card-is-faster-than-your-card graphics board exist, worldwide. Second, the THG lab received two of them. Third, although the cards lack the usual SLI connectors, two of these monsters can nonetheless be combined via SLI. That means we can now achieve Quad SLI with four GeForce 7800 GT chips and a total of 1 GB of video memory.


ULi Electronics - 12/14/05 @ 7:45 am - By: MikeC - Source: Email
NVIDIA TO ACQUIRE ULI ELECTRONICS, A LEADING DEVELOPER OF CORE LOGIC TECHNOLOGY

TAIPEI, TAIWAN and SANTA CLARA, CA, DECEMBER 14, 2005--NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA), the worldwide leader in programmable graphics processor technologies, today announced that it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire ULi Electronics Inc. (ULi), one of the PC industry’s most highly-regarded core logic developers. Headquartered in Taipei, ULi also has offices in Hsinchu; Shanghai; Shenzhen; and San Jose, California.

ULi is recognized for its innovative core logic technology as well as other multimedia and embedded products. The acquisition represents NVIDIA’s ongoing investment in its platform solution strategy, which leverages the acclaimed NVIDIA nForce® media and communications processors (MCPs) and NVIDIA® GeForce® and NVIDIA Quadro® graphics processing units (GPUs). Additionally, the acquisition is expected to strengthen the Company’s sales, marketing, and customer engineering presence in Taiwan and China.

Under the terms of the agreement, NVIDIA will pay 19 New Taiwan Dollars in cash for each outstanding ULi share and stock option, for a total of approximately $52 million (USD). The acquisition, which is expected to be completed in the first quarter of the Company’s fiscal year 2007, remains subject to the satisfaction of regulatory requirements and other customary closing conditions.

Alex Kuo, president and chief executive officer, ULi, will join NVIDIA as a senior executive responsible for MCP sales, marketing, and support functions in Asia. NVIDIA intends to supply ULi customers with current products for the foreseeable future.

Jen-Hsun Huang, president and chief executive officer, NVIDIA, stated: "Alex and his team have built a company admired for creating innovative products in the core logic arena. The acquisition provides an opportunity for NVIDIA to leverage a very talented engineering team in order to expand our MCP initiatives while building closer relationships with customers in Asia."


Wednesday Roundup - 12/14/05 @ 4:21 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe Motherboard

Articles, News
- Your A4-Size Business Companion: Choosing the Best Compact Notebook. Part II. at X-bit Labs
- Digital Addiction & The MMORPG phenomenon at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ATI Catalyst 5.12 Performance Analysis (X1K Edition) at TweakTown
- Gigabyte ATi Radeon X550 at Noticias3D (translated)
- eVGA e-GeForce 7800GT CO 256MB at Phoronix

System, Components
- ULi at it again, M1697 makes its presence known at TweakTown

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Thermalright SI-97 GPU Cooler Mod Guide Rev. 2.1 at ARP
- Silverstone Strider ST60F 600W PSU at NGOHQ
- Vantec 701A HDD Cooler at Tech Gage
- Zalman VF700-Cu LED VGA Cooler at HardwareZone

Input Devices
- Steelpad S&S at Maximum CPU

Audio, Multimedia
- Slim Devices v3 Network Media Player at Thinkcomputers
- Olympus SP-500 Digicam at Designtechnica

Miscellaneous Hardware
- OCZ Technology Rally 2GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive at Viperlair
- M7 Action – The Perfect Active Sports Accessory at Futurelooks
- USB Pocket Flash Drive Roundup at PureOverclock
- Motorola RAZR V3 at DataFuse
- Seagate Barracuda 500GB 7200.9 at Viperlair

Games, Software
- ZoneAlarm at PC Mechanic


12 Days of XMAS - 12/13/05 @ 7:13 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the sixth day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me,

A $99 GeForce 6600 DDR2 graphics card,

A Power Mac G5 workstation, featuring Quadro FX 4500

An Apple Powerbook G4 12" featuring GeForce FX Go5200,

A copy of Microsoft’s Age of Empires III,

Two GeForce 7800 GT GPUs for SLI,

And an ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


Tuesday Roundup - 12/13/05 @ 4:56 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Logitech G15 Backlit Gaming Keyboard w/ LCD

Articles, News
- The Pros and Cons of Broadband Internet Phone Service at BFR
- The Future Of Wireless Technology at The Tech Zone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ATI Catalyst 5.12 (December 2005) Performance Analysis at TweakTown
- ATI's Radeon X1800 CrossFire Edition graphics card at The TechReport

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Zalman ZM460-APS 460W Power Supply at ThinkComputers
- MGE XGBOX Dragon Elite Aluminum ATX Computer Case at TweakNews

Input Devices
- Func sUrface1030 Archetype Mouse Pad at Adrian's Rojak Pot
- Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard at ASEville

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Vantec Nexstar3 USB/eSATA Hard Drive Enclosure at BigBruin
- Antec ATX 12V Power Supply Tester at Legit Reviews
- Sony Ericsson W550i Walkman Camera Phone at HardwareZone

Games, Software
- What is it About Ubuntu? at XYZ Computing


12 Days of XMAS - 12/12/05 @ 5:58 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the fifth day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me,

A Power Mac G5 workstation, featuring Quadro FX 4500

An Apple Powerbook G4 12" featuring GeForce FX Go5200,

A copy of Microsoft’s Age of Empires III,

Two GeForce 7800 GT GPUs for SLI,

And an ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


Can You Run It? - 12/12/05 @ 3:17 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
NVIDIA has issued a press released announcing that their Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) are recommended by the creators of this seasons hot holiday PC games.

"Consumers need to know that the most coveted games for the holiday season are popular because they are fun and engrossing, but a big part of that is because they deliver higher picture quality—and that requires more graphics horsepower from your PC," said Ujesh Desai, general manager for desktop GPUs at NVIDIA. "It can be quite disheartening watching your child unwrap a game they have wanted for months, and then having them disappointed when their computer is not powerful enough to play it."

NVIDIA now features "Can You Run It?" at their nZone web site, which is an on-line system analysis applet that determines if your system meets the minimum hardware requirments of leading-edge titles such as Age of Empires III, Battlefield 2: Special Forces, Call of Duty 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, City of Villains, F.E.A.R., Quake 4, Serious Sam II, and World of Warcraft.

In order to make sure that an aging computer system won’t be the "Grinch" that puts a damper on the holiday fun, visit www.nzone.com and take advantage of the "Can You Run It?" feature. From the PC that the game will be run on, simply visit the nZone game page, click on the game on your shopping list, and start the automated "Can You Run It?" system analyzer tool.

The "Can You Run It?" tool analyzes the PC’s capabilities and compares the results to the minimum hardware requirements as defined by the game developer. Users will be notified of a "Pass" or "Fail" and can review the detailed analysis if hardware upgrades or other updates are necessary. For many games, you can even download a demo to try the game before you buy it.


Monday Roundup - 12/11/05 @ 9:04 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- eVGA 256-P2-N515-AX GeForce 7800 GT Video Card w/ Call of Duty 2

Articles, News
- Xtreme Resources Computer System Benefit Raffle Reminder at Xtreme Resources
- How To Crack Passwords at Teh TechZone
- Overclock Guide: Nvidia 7800gt Video Card at MadboxPC (translated)
- My space is your space: Myspace.com at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GS Preview at HEXUS

System, Components
- MSI K8N NEO2 PE Motherboard at MadboxPC (translated)

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- CoolJag JZC811C CPU Cooler at MadboxPC (translated)
- Evercool Nighthawk Universal VGA Cooler at ThinkComputers
- Arctic Cooling Freezer 64 Pro at PureOverclock

Audio, Multimedia
- Pinnacle PCTV 110i at AMD Review
- X-Micro Video MP3 400 - Convenient Movie and Audio Playback at TweakTown
- Sennheiser PC160SK Stereo Headset at HardwareZone
- Creative Zen Vision:M 30GB at ZenVisionM

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Nespresso Essenza C90 Espresso Maker at XYZ Computing

Games, Software
- Ark Linux v2005.2 at Phoronix
- UT2007 Will Spin on PlayStation 3 at DataFuse
- Overclock Software and Tools Roundup at OCInside


Friday Roundup - 12/09/05 @ 4:13 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- OCZ Technology Rally 512MB USB 2.0 Flash Drive

Articles, News
- Nvidia 6800GS AGP Arrives Next Week at The Inquirer
- Modern Games and Modern GPUs: The Grand Clash at X-bit labs
- Battle for Technology - Part 2 at PC Mechanic
- Digital Camera Buyer's Guide - 7 Insider Tips at The TechZone
- Chipset Serial ATA and RAID Performance Compared at The TechReport

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- XFX GeForce 6800 GS XXX Edition at Guru 3D
- XFX GeForce 6800 GS: Mainstream is Exciting at Overclockers CL
- XFX GeForce 6800 GS 256MB XXX Edition (PCIe) at HardwareZone
- Connect3D X1800XT at Cypriot Gaming Network
- Gigabyte X1800 XL im Test auf Technic3D (German)
- Speed a Little, Gain a Lot: ATI Mobility RADEON X1600 at X-bit labs
- ATI v8.20.8 Linux Display Drivers at Phoronix

System, Components
- Corsair PC4000 DDR500 TWINX2048-4000PT 2GB Dual Channel Memory Kit at Tweaknews.net

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Big Water SE... The Evolution of a System at Overclockers CL

Input Devices
- Saitek Pro Gamer Command Unit at TrustedReviews
- QPADR Gamer LowSense AIM & The LowSense Masterpad at HardwareXL
- Logitech G5 Laser Mouse at ThinkComputers.org
- Func Industries sUrface1030 Archetype at Maximum CPU

Audio, Multimedia
- Vantec AVOX Jukebox Multimedia Player at BigBruin
- Believe the Hypex, Class-D DIY Amplifier at Hardware Analysis
- Samsung HP-R4252 42 Inch Plasma TV at Tweaknews

Miscellaneous Hardware
- 2.5” Momentus Hard Drives from Seagate at X-bit labs
- Infrant ReadyNAS X6 X-RAID Network Storage at The TechLounge
- HP F2105 LCD Monitor at Designtechnica

Games, Software
- Helix v1.7 at Phoronix
- Nintendo Revolution in Close-Up, Specs at DataFuse
- Keynesis Lockngo and Lockngo Professional Software at ThinkComputers
- Xbox 360 - First Two Weeks Experience at Tech Gage


12 Days of XMAS - 12/08/05 @ 7:43 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the fourth day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me,

An Apple Powerbook G4 12" featuring GeForce FX Go5200,

A copy of Microsoft’s Age of Empires III,

Two GeForce 7800 GT GPUs for SLI,

and an ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


Thursday Roundup - 12/08/05 @ 5:48 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- Logitech G15 Backlit Gaming Keyboard w/ LCD

Articles, News
- Xbox 360, only 13GB Available Diskspace at DataFuse
- Return of Samurai Cooler. Super Simple Installation & Light-Weight at Scythe
- Top 10 Holiday Gadgets 2005 at FiringSquad

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Fastest Workstation in Town at 3DProfessor
- EVGA e-GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB at The TechZone
- Gainward PowerPack! Ultra/3550PCX GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB at Hardware Overclock Austria (translated)
- ATI X800 GTO AGP at Digital Reviews
- Mobile GPU Comparison Guide Rev. 4.3 at Adrian's Rojak Pot

System, Components
- OCZ Gold EL PC3500 GX at EclipseOC
- Fujitsu LifeBook P1510 at HardwareZone
- DFI Ultra LANParty UT nF4 Ultra-D at Viperlair

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Vantec MP4-7015-CF Mach 1 CPU cooler at Xtreme Resources
- Enermax Laureate Series Enclosures 3.5HDD and 5.25 CD/DVD at ThinkComputers

Input Devices
- IceMat 2nd Edition Black Mousepad at TechGage
- Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard at MetkuMods

Audio, Multimedia
- Dream'eo Enza 20GB Portable Media Center at Designtechnica
- LG LRM-519 Digital Media Recorder at Designtechnica

Games, Software
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire at Strategy Informer


12 Days of XMAS - 12/07/05 @ 7:25 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the third day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me,

A copy of Microsoft’s Age of Empires III,

Two GeForce 7800 GT GPUs for SLI,

and an ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


MSI NX7800GT Review - 12/07/05 @ 6:11 am - By: MaxPower - Source: MSI
Jonathan Martini has posted a review of the MSI NX7800GT-VT2D256E graphics card.

The MSI NX7800GT-VT2D256E is a solid NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT-based graphics card. While it doesn't stray from the reference design, MSI has supplied a diverse software bundle, which includes the acclaimed Chronicles of Riddick game along with a decent setup of VIVO cables and multimedia center software.

The graphics cards performed admirably throughout the entire test period and is capable of respectable increases in core and memory clock speeds. We were able to reach 480MHz on the core and 1.12GHz on the memory, which increased performance by 5-10%. And this was within the confines of a closed case without any additional cooling or modification performed on the graphics card.

Check the review out here.


Christmas Gift Guide - 12/07/05 @ 6:03 am - By: MaxPower - Source: N/A
I've put together a little gift guide for this Christmas season. There are many of these guides out there so I tried to present you with some unique options. Enjoy, and Merry Christmas!


Wednesday Roundup - 12/07/05 @ 6:02 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Various
Deals
- NEC ND-3550A Dual Layer DVD±RW Writer

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- GeForce 6800 GS at Beyond 3D
- ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 GPU Preview at Legit Reviews
- XGI Volari 8300 Graphics Card Pictorial at Adrian's Rojak Pot
- ASUS EAX1800XL 256MB & HIS Excalibur X1800 XL 256MB PCIe Graphics Cards at HEXUS
- ATI Catalyst 5.12 Beta 8.20 at techPowerUp!

Systems, Components
- Corsair Twinx2048 4000 DDR500 Memory at Ninja Lane
- OCZ Technology EL PC3500 GX Gold Edition Dual Channel Memory Kit at Tweaknews
- ASRock 939S56-M AMD Athlon 64 Socket 939 PCIe Motherboard at OCInside
- Gigabyte GA-K8NXP-SLI Mainboard at X-bit labs
- OCZ EL DDR PC-3200 Gold GX XTC 2GB Kit at MVKTech
- Abit AN8 SLI Motherboard at PC Modding Malaysia
- AMD Dual-Core Challenge - Intel No Show! at HardwareZone

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- I-Star Nitro AX Full Tower Case at XYZ Computing
- Thermaltake PurePower PST520W at Guru 3D
- Cooler Master Aquagate Mini R80 Water Cooler at Big Bruin

Audio, Multimedia
- iRiver H10 at Hardware Accelerated

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Targus Urban Series Messenger Notebook Bag at Futurelooks

Games, Software
- Spybot Search & Destroy at PC Mechanic
- CDV’s Hammer & Sickle PC Game at ThinkComputers


12 Days of XMAS - 12/06/05 @ 6:11 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the second day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me,

Two GeForce 7800 GT GPUs for SLI, and an ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


Tuesday Roundup - 12/06/05 @ 5:28 pm - By: MaxPower - Source: Email/Browsing
Deals
- SanDisk 1GB Memory Stick PRO Duo Card

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- NVIDIA Linux SLI at Phoronix
- BFG Technologies GeForce 7800 GTX OC 256MB PCI Express at Bona Fide Reviews

System, Components
- OCZ EL DDR PC-3200 2GB Gold GX XTC at techPowerUp!
- Sharp M4000 Laptop at Designtechnica

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Swiftech Storm G4 CPU Water Block at PC Modding Malaysia
- ABS Stealth ATX Chassis at Viperlair

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Scratch-Less Disc at CD Freaks
- A secret drawer for your laptop - at StashCard
- Corsair Voyager 4GB Thumb Drive at TechGage

Games, Software
- 1984 TV show about computer games at Internet Archive
- Protopage v2.0 released - with 30 new features including news feeds


12 Days of XMAS - 12/05/05 @ 4:30 pm - By: MikeC - Source:
The 12 Days of Christmas: NVIDIA Style

On the first day of Christmas, NVSanta gave to me

An ASUS P5ND2-SLI Deluxe nForce4 SLI Intel motherboard for free!


New EVEREST Version - 12/05/05 @ 4:10 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
The good news is that Lavalys has relesed version 2.5 of their EVEREST System Diagnostic Tool. The bad news is that they are discontinuing the development of the free EVEREST Home Edition. One of the many features of the Home Edition that I find especially useful is the Sensor readings.


New features of version 2.50:
  • CPUID Panel for a compact overview on main components
  • Disk Benchmark module
  • Selected list of folders can be scanned by the File Scanner feature
  • GUID, software publisher and software installation date listing for installed programs
  • Support for XML Style File
  • Support for the cutting-edge technologies: IA SSE4 instruction set, Fully Buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM) memory modules and HD DVD-ROM drives
  • Chipset information for Intel i975X, nVIDIA GeForce 6100 and 6150
  • DRAM:FSB ratio detection
  • Network adapter and FireWire controller PHY (Phyceiver) detection
  • PCI Vital Product data details
  • Anti -virus software support for McAfee VirusScan v10, Panda TruPrevent
  • Hardware Monitor Logging feature
The Corporate and Ultimate Editions can be purchased at a discounted price through January 31, 2006.


Monday Roundup - 12/05/05 @ 3:40 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
Deals
- MSI NX7800GT-VT2D256E Lite Video Card

Articles, News, Guides
- Gigabyte GeForce 6600 256MB DDR2 Contest at AusFX
- Desktop Graphics Card Comparison Guide Rev. 9.6 at ARP
- Four Days with Xbox 360 at FiringSquad
- Microsoft Plays "Big Brother" with Xbox LIVE at Hexus

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GT Review at ARP
- Gigabyte 6600GT Silent-Pipe II 256MB Review at Noticias3D (Spanish)
- Leadtek GeForce 6200 128MB Review at Hardware Secrets
- PowerColor Radeon X1800 XT 512MB Review at HardwareZone
- Zalman Fatal1ty FS-V7 VGA Cooler Review at Bigbruin.com
- NV Silencer on GeForce 7800 GTX 512MB at Hardwareoverclock Austria
- NVIDIA 1.0-8174 Performance Under Linux @ Phoronix
- Samsung 970P LCD Display Review at XYZ Computing

System, Components
- ABIT AN8-SLI Motherboard Review at bit-tech
- Asrock 939 Dual Sata2 Motherboard Review at UltimateHardware
- Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 HDD at TweakTown

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Antec ATX 12v Power Supply Tester at ThinkComputers.org

Audio, Multimedia
- Turtle Beach Montego DDL Sound Card Review at Techgage

Miscellaneous Hardware
- The Under $100 Techie Holiday Gift Guide at The TechZone

Games, Software
- Fraps v2.7.2 Released
- Peter Jackson's King Kong (PC) Review at Strategy Informer


X-Fi Elite Pro Review - 12/04/05 @ 10:30 am - By: MikeC - Source: N/A
Kyle Kerley, aka superklye, has posted a review of the Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Elite Pro.

The XTREMEMUSIC, Platinum and Fatal1ty FPS have similar features such as 24-bit/96KHz sound at a 109dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio and EAX Advanced HD 5.0. The Platinum and Fatal1ty include a remote control and a front drive bay adapter. The Fatal1ty steps up once more with 64MB of X-RAM.

Sounds good, right? Well, the Elite Pro has everything the Fatal1ty does and goes over the top for the all-in. Featuring a 116dB Signal-to-Noise Ratio and better quality DACs than the other cards, as well as the 64MB X-RAM and external breakout box, the Elite Pro is a true audiophile and home studio musician's dream come true.

Check out the review here!


Friday Roundup - 12/02/05 @ 5:22 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Email/Browsing
Deals
- Corsair 1GB PC3200 DDR DIMM Memory

Articles, News
- How To Take Control Of Your Inbox & Reduce Spam at The TechZone

Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- Optimize Your SLI Rig at PC Mech

System, Components
- Corsair DDR1 2GB Memory Roundup at Legit Reviews
- DFI nForce4 Infinity SLI Motherboard at Futurelooks
- DFI's LANParty UT RDX200 CD-DR motherboard at The Tech Report

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- Zalman ZM460-APS Ultra Quiet 460Watt Power Supply at Tweaknews

Input Devices
- Logitech G5 and G7 Laser Gaming Mice at XYZ Computing

Audio, Multimedia
- NeuNeo HVD2085 DVD Player at Designtechnica
- Canon DC20 DVD Camcorder at HardwareZone
- Altec Lansing XT1 Portable Speakers at ThinkComputers

Games, Software
- City of Villains at Strategy Informer


RivaTuner Updated - 12/01/05 @ 6:41 pm - By: MikeC - Source: Email
RiveTuner 2.0 RC 15.8 was released today and is available for download at Guru3D. NVTempLogger recently debuted and allows NVIDIA based GPU core and ambient temperatures to be monitored and logged.

The major updates to RivaTuner include:

  • Added ForceWare 81.xx and 82.xx driver families support

  • Added Radeon X1800 / X1600 / X1300 series support

  • Added Catalyst 5.10 and 5.11 drivers detection

  • Improved low-level refresh overrider module

  • Improved GeForce 7800 series support

  • Improved low-level fan control module

  • Improved driver-level fan control module

  • Improved driver-level overclocking module

  • Improved Direct3D / OpenGL tuning options for ForceWare drivers

  • Improved profile manager for the ForceWare's own application profiling engine

  • Improved low-level hardware monitoring module

  • Improved graphics subsystem diagnostic report module

  • Updated NVStrap driver v1.10

  • Updated RivaTunerStatisticsServer v1.4.0 bundled utility


512MB GPU Showdown - 12/01/05 @ 5:06 am - By: MikeC - Source: Email
GamePC compares the two fastest graphics cards on the market for a holiday GPU showdown. NVIDIA's green GeForce 7800 GTX 512 MB and ATI’s red Radeon X1800 XT 512 MB make for a festive comparison with lots of benchmarks and tests in areas like gaming, HD video playback, and power consumption. Who’s got the best high-end product for the holidays? Click the headline to find out!

This year has very much been the year of the G70. nVidia's GeForce 7 graphic architecture dominated high-end gaming systems for the good part of the year, with the high-end GeForce 7800 GTX and the slightly less exorbitant GeForce 7800 GT models. ATI has come back late in the game with their Radeon 10K series of cards, although ATI more or less missed an entire product cycle due to delays in their 90nm chip manufacturing technology.

nVidia took a gamble, opting to produce the G70 on “older” 0.11 micron manufacturing technology, but this gamble paid off big time, as nVidia was able to get great yields and high clock speeds on these complex GPU’s. Despite the initial delays, ATI has swung back hard in the last month, as their Radeon 10K products started shipping at unbelievably high clock speeds, made possible by their 90nm process technology, which has allowed them to catch up to nVidia's GeForce 7800 GTX, more or less.


Thursday Roundup - 12/01/05 @ 4:46 am - By: MaxPower - Source: Email/Browsing
Deals
- XFX PVT70GUDF7 GeForce 7800 GT Video Card - Retail at Newegg for $309 (Out of Stock)
- Verbatim DVD-R 4.7GB 8X BRANDED -100PK

Articles, News
- The Cheapest Computer is Enough at PC Mech
- GeForce 7800 GS PCI Express clarification from NVIDIA


Graphics, Drivers, Displays
- ASUSTeK A7G with ATI RADEON Mobility X1600 - First Hands-On Look! at HEXUS
- e-GeForce 7800 GTX BlackPearl 512MB at HEXUS

System, Components
- Seagate 500GB Barracuda 7200.9 Hard Drive at Adrian's Rojak Pot

Cases, Power Supplies, Cooling
- SinTek 600SLI 600W PSU at Viperlair
- MGE XG Vortec 500W at techPowerUp!
- Superpower XP01F PC Gaming Case at Hi-techreviews
- Mountain Mods Bob Slay Clear Acrylic Case at ThinkComputers

Audio, Multimedia
- Klipsch iFi iPod Speaker System at TWL News
- Coolermaster Musketeer 3 at Guru3D
- Logitech Z-5450 Digital 5.1 Speaker System at The Tech Zone

Miscellaneous Hardware
- Enermax Laureate (EB205U-S) at Phoronix

Games, Software
- Mozilla Firefox 1.5 Review at WindowsAtoZ
- Nintendo Revolution to be released May 9, 2006 at DataFuse
- Blitzkrieg II at Strategy Informer


 Visitors Are Online
Powered by Perlonline.com