December 2006

"Today I'll be looking at a brand new controller design from Logitech known as the 'ChillStream'. As the name implies, this product is made to cool. But how? It's just a gamepad. Looks can be deceiving and although this looks like just a quality gamepad, it's actually a quality gamepad with a fan built in to deliver a cool breeze (or a chilled stream of air) to the users palms allowing you to game for hours and hours and avoid C.G.P.S (clammy gaming palm syndrome). Let's take a closer look at this unique new product from Logitech.”

The Akasa integral fusion combines two devices into one sleek functional device - an USB hard drive enclosure and a multi format card reader. It may not be the fastest enclosure for your money and the software may be a bit crude, but it gets the job done - that is what counts.

"Now, I recently updated to the new official 505 BIOS listed on ASUS` website. That did not fix either the sound or memory issues for me. I then contacted ASUS and was sent an unofficial 701 BIOS after I explained my issues. The 701 BIOS also did nothing to fix either of these issues. So the wait continues....*sigh*."

"Scanning through ABIT's product lineup of late is like reading the menu at an enthusiasts restaurant - it's easy to see that ABIT is taking its new role seriously and producing performance oriented motherboards that may just rival the great LanParty series from DFI. Heat pipe based chipset cooling systems that operate silently, board level motherboard cooling fans, a peppering of LEDs for that special effect, outstanding voltage options in the BIOS and good overclocking ability - ABIT has crossed its i's and dotted its t's."

"Storage. Something that I always find myself short on and needing more of. Backups, that's the other word that I dread to hear, as when it comes time to backup that critical data, it can take hours or even days depending on the amount of data. Let alone the giant pile of CD/DVDs that you have to store, label, and then hunt through, if you ever need something. Synology has come to my rescue with the DS-106e, an all-in-one home backup and SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) server solution. According to the spec sheet on this baby, it comes loaded with tons of features to make our lives easier. Synology may not be a very well known company, but they have a very strong lineup of backup solutions and various NAS's. The DS-106e is one of the latest additions to this strong lineup. Today I will be taking a look at this unit and testing it to see if it's really worth its price, as well as whether or not it's actually useful for what it claims to do."

Todays Cpu´s tend to get quite hot even though both Intel and Amd work to make cooler cpu´s. For this you need a good cpu cooler that is able to keep your computer cool and stable.
These are not to hard to find but most people have another criteria they want to look for and that is low noise. Getting a good performing cooler with a high speed fan is not hard but finding one that actually do perform well under low fan speeds is a bit harder. Coolermaster have sent their latest creation to us, the Mars looks like a big ball with a fan mounted in the middle of the heatsink. We will see how well this perform vs a Zalman cooler and how it works under normal usage and also gaming so stay tuned.

I was impressed with the performance and despite a slightly awkward installation process, the Noctua NC-U6 is easily my favorite chipset cooler that I have looked at thus far. The Noctua NC-U6 cools incredibly well without the use of a fan, mounts extremely securely to the chipset, has a relatively small footprint for the its abilities, and is very well priced to boot. Anyone looking to improve cooling and/or eliminate noise from their system should keep the Noctua NC-U6 near the top of their shopping list.

"Not everyone wants to lug around a honking media player, yet you might want a player with enough storage space to hold most of your tunes. We have put together a list of our favorite MP3 players, all small in size and with an affordable price tag. Sure, there are cheaper players out there, but none of them come as close to these three when it comes to features. We hope you will agree."

Today that may all change and I may be procuring this reference sample as my new reference memory to use as I will be reviewing the Redline XP2-8000's big brother, XP2-8500. This time we'll testing the memory's performance with an Intel Core 2 Duo based system whose components are tried and true and should easily be able to push the XP2-8500 to its potential and beyond. Please join me to see if we have another winner on or hands or just another contender.

Sunnyvale, CA—December 28, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced their exciting return to the world of graphics cards. Leveraging a strong expertise in high performance overclocking memory and the unique needs of PC enthusiasts, OCZ is prepared to deliver a differentiated GPU solution to gamers and enthusiasts with the launch of the OCZ NVIDIA GeForce® 8800 GTX 768MB PCI Express®.

Separating OCZ’s GPU from the rest is the stringent requirement for the highest level of performance and stability. Each and every 8800 GTX card offers more overclocking headroom by means of premium GDDR3 memory and an advanced screening process in which only the best complete cards make it into the systems of worldwide gamers.

Based on the ground-breaking NVIDIA GeForce 8 unified architecture, the OCZ 8800 GTX delivers an incredibly realistic gaming and visual experience thanks to a wealth of unparalleled features. As the world’s first DirectX® 10 compatible GPU, the 8800 GTX with full Shader Model 4.0 support and NVIDIA Quantum Effects™ enhances graphics quality and realism to unprecedented levels.

"The graphics sector is currently the technology sector with the most direct impact on the gaming experience," commented Dr. Michael Schuette, VP of Technology Development at OCZ Technology. "It has become a logical step for OCZ Technology to get back in the game, and naturally, we are doing it with the highest end solution currently available. The OCZ 8800GTX is a limited edition of hand-selected GeForce 8800 GTX, featuring a 1350 MHz 128bit stream processor and a core clocked at 575 MHz, interfaced with the frame buffer consisting of 1800 MHz GDDR3 through a 384 bit wide data path. What sets the OCZ 8800GTX apart from the competition is the uncompromised commitment to delivering the highest possible headroom for overclocking that all OCZ products are known for."

With the addition of OCZ Geforce 8800 GTX GPUs to an industry leading line-up of OCZ SLI-Ready power supplies and memory, OCZ provides the total solution for the hardcore gamer. As a premium OCZ product, the OCZ 8800 GTX is backed by a Lifetime Warranty for unparalleled piece of mind.

The Ratpadz doesn't pick up dust or lint and is washable should it ever get dirty. A bit of warm soapy water or glass cleaner and you'll have a clean pad after a few wipes. You can also toss it in the dishwasher along with the dirty dishes. With proper care, the Ratpadz XT should last over 5 years. When you divide the cost of the pad over 5 years, the Ratpadz XT is really economical when you consider how many cloth mouse pads you'll used over the same time period.

"OCZ's GameXStream 850W power supply packs a lot of power and stability into a compact package that will make a lot of gamers and other power users very happy. Their three-year PowerSwap warranty program makes the package even more attractive. The handsome satin finish, sleeving and blue LED fan give the OCZ850GXS a very definite eye appeal and the performance is outstanding."

"The Gigabyte GA-945PL-S3 motherboard is an affordable Intel platform of complementary technologies for consumers on a budget. Best suited to the upcoming 'Conroe-L' Celeron processor, the GA-945PL-S3's system bus runs at 800/533MHz FSB. "

“To date, I have reviewed about 90% of the VIZO product line, and as long as they are coming out with new items I will be here waiting for a sample to review. Speaking of review samples, this is what brings us here today. VIZO sent out a new product for laptop computers. The product is named XENA, a notebook cooler/stand that has some first-of-its-kind features included, like a spot for a 2.5" SATA hard drive that slides into the notebook cooler and can be used to back up data via a USB link.”

“Antec is not afraid to show its design prowess and incredible attention to detail when it markets a new case to enthusiasts. The established hardware supplier continually wows builders with stunning designs and convenient amenities built into its cases. The Antec Nine Hundred is no exception. Its dark and grilled appearance, along with its incredible size and cooling potential, make the case simply exude awesomeness. However, looks aren't everything-this case is missing some conveniences, an omission that may cost it top marks. Read on for the review.”

We’ve just posted a new article at HotHardware.com where we evaluate the features and performance of two Asus-built, ATI-based graphics cards, the Radeon X1950 XTX-based EAX1950CrossFire and the X1950 Pro-based EAX1950Pro. Head on over to the site and take a look…

"Even though the inner front fascia is made from durable ABS plastic, it sports an almost metal like finish. The main front door is constructed from aluminum and it is similar in styling to the Cooler Master Wave Master Mid-Tower Case. The smaller black door is made up of a combination of plastic and mesh material. This door can open independently to facilitate the swapping of the hard drives enclosed in the SATA back plane. The mesh allows for air to enter and cool the hard drives. This is the only location for fresh outside air to enter the case through the front."

I was a watercooling neophyte and somewhat fearful, so I started out by reading how-to’s and tutorials on watercooling and then reviews on watercooling related products such as waterblocks or watercooling kits. After I got a feel for the basics of watercooling and what it’s all about, I began to frequent some of the hardware forums on the Internet. As my reading continued and I digested the various thoughts and opinions on watercooling techniques and equipment, my own conclusions were formulating.

"I think it looks great, cools great, can be adjusted from silent to OMG!, and also can be easily configured to face any direction (north, south, east or west). It's a no-brainer to award the Zalman CNPS9700 NT the Editors Choice Award!"

"Each year brings its fair share of bozos and its stars. Those that brought out the bozos (or bought them) know it and we don’t want to rub salt in their wounds during the holiday season (well do that right before CES instead). This week we’ll chat about the products that stood out in our minds as ground breaking and spectacular in a number of categories."

“There are so many great speaker systems for your PC, from 2.1, 5.1, even 7.1 systems, but to use them to their full potential you need a top of the line sound card. This is the dilemma a lot of people face when going out to get a new set of speakers. Well Altec Lansing has solved your problems with the FX5051 5.1 Speaker System. The system is able to deliver 5.1 surround sound without a 6-channel sound card, without any sound card at all! The FX5051 uses USB to bring surround sound to any computer without a sound card.”

2006 has been an exhilarating year, probably even the busiest in recent times for hardware developments in the C.E and computing space. To sum up this eventful year, we've selected 100 of the finest products that best capture technology advances and record setters of the year.

As today’s processors crank out more performance and heat, you really need to pay attention to the temperature of your CPU and therefore the performance of your CPU cooler. Rosewill, makers of a wide range of computer components, has developed a new CPU cooler, the RCX-Z3, which certainly has a size advantage over much of the competition. But how will it perform? Let’s find out in today’s CPU cooler review.

"Adding to a list that already includes names like Diamondback, Krate, Copperhead, and Death Adder....Razer, the king of creepy names, introduces yet another gaming peripheral that promises to catch the eye, if not the heart of the diehard gamer. Today, HL takes a close look at Razer's Tarantula Gaming Keyboard"

Back in May, we published an article and report about many issues reported on the latest Creative Labs product – The Sound Blaster X-Fi. A few weeks later Creative released information and blamed DDR Dual Channel for these related issues. And, after a few months, they changed their version and blamed Nvidia’s nForce4 for these issues, instead. Nvidia never responded to us about their side in the story, but they denied it on a chat.

"With the ASUS EAX1950PRO and EAX1950PRO CROSSFIRE being under $200 each, the budget gamer will love its performance and price. Plus, for the same price as a 1950XTX, you can buy two 1950PRO's and run them in Crossfire mode"

Mad Moxx has been providing pre-modded cards to their customers for several years now. Their GeForce 7900 GTO Burstfire is a GeForce 7900 GTO, overclocked to 7900 GTX speeds. In our benchmarks we saw that performance is identical to the 7900 GTX, at a much lower price. What makes the Mad Moxx product special is that you retain your warranty and the GTX overclock is tested and guaranteed.

"In a turn of events roughly about as surprising as Britney Spears' and Kevin Federline's recent divorce, there's one question I'm inevitably asked more than any other this holiday season: "Which of the next-generation videogame systems – PlayStation 3, Wii or Xbox 360 – do you recommend?" "

Striker Extreme release BIOS version 0505
1. Support Max LDT Frequency from 5X to 8X
2. Fine tune CPU Temperature detection code
3. Fixed some default value can't save when using BIOS Profile function.
4. Enable adjustments for tRD and TrFC item
5. Enhance DDR667 memory compatibility
6. Enhance performance for Corsair CM2X1024-9136C5D
7. Fixed CPU Voltage max option drops to 1.60V when set Multi-Language option to 'Tri Chinese' , 'Sim Chinese' or 'Japanese'.

"If you're looking for a solid high performance memory kit to use with your new NVIDIA SLI 590 or 680i chipset board, I have no problems with recommending this OCZ PC2-8500 NVIDIA SLI Edition DDR2 Memory Kit."

"Is the Ratpadz any different?. If you want a good comparison to something you might already have, think indestructible cutting board, or armor plating, and you'll get a good idea on how sturdy it feels (that's a plus btw)"

I can't say it in any simpler way. The Freezone does one awesome job of keeping the Core 2 Duo processor very, very cool. The thermoelectric coolers easily keep the blue water reservoirs very cold as well as the water flowing through them. The black heat sink does its job as well and doesn't even get hot to the touch. The exhaust air coming out the back of the case seemed only slightly warmer than the ambient air.
The Freezone can cool so much better than any stock water cooling kit on the market. This unit is completely capable of cooling a processor, dual video cards, and chipset, AND any other blocks you want to throw at it. Could CoolIT Systems design a multi cooler block system? They are fully capable and I like to think so. With the release of the CoolIT Systems Eliminator hitting the market shelves, you can find the Freezone around the web for around $270 which is a great price.

The "Great Man" theory of history is usually attributed to the Scottish philosopher Thomas Carlyle, who wrote that "the history of the world is but the biography of great men." He believed that it is the few, the powerful and the famous who shape our collective destiny as a species. That theory took a serious beating this year.

To be sure, there are individuals we could blame for the many painful and disturbing things that happened in 2006. The conflict in Iraq only got bloodier and more entrenched. A vicious skirmish erupted between Israel and Lebanon. A war dragged on in Sudan. A tin-pot dictator in North Korea got the Bomb, and the President of Iran wants to go nuclear too. Meanwhile nobody fixed global warming, and Sony didn't make enough PlayStation3s.

KEEPING YOUR DATA safe is pretty much the most important thing in this world of digital data. Being mobile with your data is even more important. Five years after coming to market in a form of Fujitsu-Siemens USB drives with eight and 16 megs of capacity, USB sticks have covered the market in all shapes and sizes. Christmas shopping lists by many magazines also show USB drives. However, not all drives are made the same

Meridian, Idaho, and Glasgow, UK, 14th December, 2006 – Crucial Technology today announces the immediate availability of 512MB and 1GB microSD™ memory cards to round out its extensive line of flash memory solutions. Crucial’s new microSD cards are designed for use in today’s mobile devices, such as cellular phones with memory-hungry multimedia features like built-in music players and digital cameras. Crucial’s microSD cards are removable and reusable, not only allowing more memory-intensive files to be stored over and above the integrated memory capability, but also enabling files to be transferred to other devices.

Crucial’s microSD cards are shipped with a Secure Digital™ (SD) adapter, enabling the microSD card to be inserted into a variety of larger, SD-compatible devices, including digital cameras, handheld computers, and digital music players.

“Crucial’s new microSD card broadens our current flash memory product offering and allows our customers to enjoy the continued growth of the mobile lifestyle”, said Crucial Technology Product Manager Ben Thiel. “The extra storage our microSD cards provide, and their versatile usability, when combined with the standard SD adapter, enables users to share their music files or video clips with friends and then display them on their computers.”

The microSD card is the smallest memory card with worldwide availability, measuring about 38 percent of the area size of miniSD and 21 percent of the area size of a standard SD card.

Sunnyvale, CA—December 14, 2006—OCZ Technology Group, a worldwide leader in innovative, ultra-high performance and high reliability memory, today announced the availability of a 720W configuration in the EvoStream power supply family. This 100% modular PSU is equipped with EZMod technology to allow complete customization of your power system by utilizing only the cables you require. Ideal for the high-power user, the 720W EvoStream combines leading-edge technology for high power users with a classic, sleek look that enthusiasts and system builders enjoy including in their PCs.

As gamers and system builders continue to enhance their PCs with high-end components, power supplies are expected to remain stable for extensive amounts of time at elevated performance levels. The EvoStream line incorporates superior PSU technologies. By using a high-end core and advanced circuit design, Evostream PSUs ensure all your vital PC components are supplied a stable and vigorous source of power in even the most intense computing environments. OCZ pushes the envelope to controlling ripple noise, producing the cleanest power for high-end systems.

All OCZ EvoStream power supplies come backed with an industry-leading three year OCZ PowerSwap Warranty for the ultimate peace of mind.

For more information on the OCZ EvoStream Power Supply series, please visit our product page here

"The SST GD01MX is without a doubt a very attractive looking HTPC enclosure. The aluminum front bezel is not cluttered with stuff you don't want to see, allowing it to blend in nicely with an entertainment setup."

all of you who will be attending CES this January that Zalman will be giving out 2 complete systems at the end of the event. One of the systems will be a HTPC based on our HD160XT and the other will be a gaming PC based on our Fatal1ty FC-ZE1 case. All you need to do is stop by our booth any day to enter to win.

08 December - City of Industry, CA – High speed processors, large capacity hard disc drives, all these components provide a better and faster computing experience but still generate a lot of heat, therefore perfect cooling is key. Spire is an outstanding leader in this field of business and a proven name-brand in thermal products. Proudly presenting yet another successful thermal product, the VertiCool IV processor cooler.

Main Features:

* All Copper High-density Tower Heat Sink
* 4 thermally improved copper heat-pipes
* Ball bearing 90mm blue translucent fan
* Silent; Manually controlled PCI Fan Control
* Universal Clip for 775 and K8 sockets
* Rubber-Screw Fan vibration absorption; 4 rubber screws to hold and absorb any fan vibration

"We've really pushed the boundaries with the new VertiCool IV" said, Sidney Chen, Thermal Product Manager for Spire. The mother of all gaming coolers stands a magnificent 123mm high and is pure 100% copper. Not only that but it's bristling with new technology from the full copper heat-pipes to it's ultra quiet 90mm fan. We're not one to brag but we know we've hit a winner with this cooler.

"The ABIT IL9 Pro LGA775 Motherboard is the most basic budget user motherboard to be offered for those who want a few extra features beyond the typical budget platform. It provides reliable performance and extra features such as SATA II and 8-Channel High Definition Audio."

With processors becoming more and more powerful, they will tend to generate more heat. The air cooling solutions are showing the after affect of this, typically being larger and louder to offer adequate cooling for the faster processors. Ultra recently released a new line of coolers targeting the faster processors while trying to keep the size of the cooler manageable. The X-Wind coolers are available in three basic sizes (Aluminum 90mm, Copper 90mm, and Copper 120mm)

The abit SG-95 is a mATX board which targets budget segments. It features SiS 622 and 966L chipsets. It has some nice features such as 16x PCIe support for latest graphic cards, HD audio, DDR2 667 support, and SATA RAID support. Well, the question remains, is this a good choice if you just want a board that works and maybe with the option to upgrade to the newer Core 2 Duo? Read our review and find out.

One of those no-frill motherboards is the IL9 Pro. This is a motherboard based on the older but newly improved Intel 945 chipset, now labeled 945P. All boards offer support for Intel’s current beast, the Core2 Duo and up to four gigs of ram. If you take into account just these two features, the board has room for upgradeability if you choose not to go the Conroe route just yet. Another advantage this board holds is that it is priced right for the budget minded person.

"The Viewsonic makes a real feature of its built-in speakers, which are quite evidently underneath the logo. Round the back you’ll find DVI and D-Sub ports, along with an audio input for the speakers. There’s no HDCP compliance listed for the DVI socket in the documentation, which will be a problem if you plan to watch HD DVD or Blu-ray on your PC."

"Gigabyte GA-965P-DS3 is a socket 775 motherboard targeted to new Core 2 Duo family, as it is based on the new Intel P965 chipset. One of the main advantages of this new chipset is the unofficial support for DDR2-1066/PC2-8500 memories, feature present on this motherboard from Gigabyte. Let’s see how this new Gigabyte motherboard performed against competitors from ASUS and MSI."

Gathering seven top of the line GeForce 8800 GTX cards in our labs, we present to you this buying guide to help you decide which is the right card for your budget and package preferences. Read on to find out our favorites.

At this point in time 19" LCD displays are very common and they can be had quite cheaply. Among those available there wide spectrum- from those that are extremely inexpensive to those that are not as affordable but have performance advantages or an improved base. The Samsung name carries a price premium in and of itself, but most of their models bring something more to the table than an average 19" LCD. The 931BF has a few interesting selling points, such as a 2ms response time and Samsung's MagicTune display technology. On the surface this product does not look any different from a number of other models, but it should be interesting to see how Samsung has set their product apart from the rest.

"The original Scythe Silent Box has been discontinued, in its place this superior, lower cost Quiet Drive will take over the task of keeping your hard drives quiet and cool. Can this compact box reduce high pitched noises or will it melt your HDD platters? Find out in this review."

I think the price is a bit high, even for what you get, but you know if there's only a couple things you should spend the extra money on it's the power supply and the motherboard to base the rest of your high powered gaming system off. Sure you can pick up a competitors new 680i SLI motherboard for a lot less money, but you won't get the ASUS exclusive features like the on-boards LED's, the Q-Connector, the LCD Poster, the EL back plate, the silent copper heatpipe cooling solution and 8-Phase power design among others.

"Gigabyte, a name that has been around in the industry for years. Ranging from one side of the hardware spectrum to the other, Gigabyte is defiantly not a new name in the computer industry. Today we will be taking a look at a seeming revival of their old line, earlier this year we reviewed a card that used their "Silent Pipe" cooling. The x1600 Pro that we are looking at today has a revival of the Silent Pipe, dutifully dubbed "Silent Pipe 2". While usually not crowned as the king of performance Gigabyte does one thing, and that is manufacture a solid mid-market product, hopefully this x1600 Pro will fill the slot for ATI based mid market performance, with the addition of the "Silent Pipe 2" it is bound to be a sneaky competitor as well."

"The NeoDigits X5000 DVD player outsmarts the competition by adding media streaming capabilities through either WiFi or Ethernet. That’s right, this DVD player will not only play your favorite DVDs, but it will also wirelessly connect to your home PC to play movies and music through your home theater. Now this is not really something new in theory, there have been other DVD players that do this (KiSS, Gateway), but the NeoDigits X5000 has some features that differentiate it from the others; audiophile circuitry. The X5000 has a sticker price of just $599 "

As Christmas approaches:

abit is spreading some joy into the air by offering everyone a chance to enter into our giveaway.

To those that have an abit product, you will be given additional entries!

So the more abit motherboards you have, the more chances you will get to enter!!

There will be 100's of prizes including 4 abit iDome Digital speaker sets featuring the world's purest PC Digital sound.

These fantastic speakers are bundled with the Airpace access point, designed for ease of use and are fully featured to stream music to your iDomes wirelessly.

From ECS comes another top-range nForce 680i SLI motherboard. The PN2 SLI2+ is unlike the regular Extreme series as ECS opts to market a reference NVIDIA board instead. The good news is that users can look forward to an overclocking BIOS, robust performance and full features.

"The ASRock Conroe 945G-DVI is a formidable and decent looking platform for your next Home Theater. ASRock has done much better than anticipated with the included features, integrated peripherals and stability."

"For those that do not want to break the bank just for a pair of performance memory sticks, we've got a promising PC6400 DDR2 2Gb kit from OCZ, let's find out how it stacks up to the competition."

Apevia is the new company name of Aspire. The Apevia X-Cruiser sports three gauges with blue light as well as a window for a small price tag. While the inside is quite simple and does not feature anything out of the ordinary, the outside look of the case did bring a smile to our face, especially considering the price tag and multiple color choices available.

The OCZ Technology EvoStream Modular SLI Power Supply is only available with a power rating of 600W, however it has quad 12V rails which allow the user to have a multi-GPU system. It also has some impressive features including modular cables, 75% efficiency, Active PFC, and various voltage protections. Let's take a look at the EvoStream and see if it is a good choice for the "performance-minded and high-power user" target user.

“We all know them, our one friend who is completely obsessed with their PC's audio performance. They generally spend hundreds on the top of the line sound cards, the best studio quality head phones, and a completely absurd amount on 5.1 and 7.1 surround sound audio systems. As computer graphics get more and more realistic the quality of the computer's sound must improve now and many of us have seen that onboard audio simply cannot deliver without a massive cost of PC performance. Auzentech has recently released the X-Meridian 7.1 which is capable of delivering audio that will make your audiophile friend start drooling.”

Meridian, Idaho, and Glasgow, UK, 12 December, 2006 – Crucial Technology, a division of Micron and one of the world's leading memory upgrade providers, today announced an easy-to-use online tool that evaluates a user’s PC to determine if their system can handle the memory requirements of the Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Basic, Premium, and Ultimate operating systems.

Crucial’s innovative System Scanner tool analyzes the user’s current system components and compares it to Microsoft’s minimum system specifications for the Windows Vista operating system. In just one click, the tool tells a user what memory is already installed in their PC or notebook, compared to what it will need to run the Windows Vista OS. Additionally, the scanner displays guaranteed-compatible memory upgrades to maximize the Windows Vista OS experience.

“Many users have no idea whether or not their computers and laptops are prepared to handle the memory-intensive requirements of the Windows Vista OS,” stated John Egan, Crucial’s Web marketing manager. “The Crucial System Scanner tool takes all of the guesswork out of preparing for the Windows Vista OS upgrade.”

Microsoft has announced that it will launch the Windows Vista OS to consumers in early 2007. Touted as Microsoft’s most powerful operating system to date, it has a wealth of new features and enhancements that require considerably more memory than its predecessors. Upgrading memory is an affordable, effective way to get a system ready for the Windows Vista OS, and the Crucial System Scanner tool makes determining these memory needs simple. The tool is free and available at http://www.crucial.com or http://www.crucial.com/uk by clicking the “Am I Vista Ready?” button.

Today we get to look at another ASRock motherboard that takes the mATX form factor, although this one is of the AMD socket AM2 variety. How will ASRock do they do with their AM2 board? How will it stack up against other AM2 boards? Let's take a look at the ASRock ALiveNF6G-DVI and see what they have to offer for users that are looking for a mATX board under $70!

"As you can see in the benchmark results, the Sapphire X1950Pro performed quite well and is really competitive with the X1950XTX, which has 512MB of GDDR4 RAM versus the Pro model of 256MB of GDDR3. I feel that with an extra 256MB of RAM, this would've beaten the X1950XTX."

"Folks, it's a flash drive and not a super computer, and with 1GB of storage you can transfer files easily from computer to computer. The main reason for the review is to see how fast it can transfer that data, because, of course, the one who can do it the fastest gets the bragging rights."

“A little while ago we took a look at the Cooler Master Eclipse CPU cooler. While it had a very unique design its' cooling was not up to par with other coolers out there. Well today we are going to check out the Hyper TX from Cooler Master, which has a fairly basic design, but offers exceptional cooling and easy installation. Sorry to all you Intel fans out there, but we are taking a look at the AMD version. Cooler Master does make an Intel version that will fit Intel CPU's including the new Core 2 Duo's. So let's take a look.”

"In this article, PCstats will explain how Windows XP's various 'Safe Modes' work, how you access them and how they can help you troubleshoot various software and operating system issues. Now, isn't this a handy topic!? Safe Mode has been a component of the Windows operating system since the days of Windows 95. The basic idea is to allow the user (or technical support worker) access to the windows interface without loading any unnecessary drivers or software."

The clear Yin Yang Case combines the beauty of colors with the contemporary sense of clarity in the form of ancient Chinese Yin Yang curve. With a clear front door, it adds more protection for your valuable drives and more elegance and style. The light transparent color gives the case a fresh look in the beige dominated PC world. You have to see it to appreciate its beauty.

"Equipped with a new generation of design and components, the Element ST40EF continues SilverStone's stride toward more efficient power supplies, with higher than 80% efficiency across all loading conditions."

If you think any of your readers may be in the market for some type of NAS device, an article we’ve just posted up at HotHardware will be of interest. We’ve just put up an article that details the features, installation, and performance of a pair of Linux-based, barebones NAS servers, the QNAP Turbo Station TS-101 and TS-201. These little boxes not only add storage to a network, but incorporate standalone BitTorrent functionality, internet Radio support, and a multitude of other features. Come by the site and check them out…

"For anyone needing large amounts of memory and easy portability, the Mega-Kart would be a very smart buy. Although it costs a bit more money, you have to remember the capacity it is squeezing into its small package."

"As far as the numbers are concerned, the EvoStream 600 is designed to handle a continuous load of 600 watts. It makes use of four 12v rails, each of which are rated at 15A. While this isn't the beefiest setup on the block, it will be sufficient for all but the most hardcore systems. Our test system runs a pair of hungry video cards and no issues were noted even under load. The 5v rail is rated at 30A and the 3.3v rail is rated at 20A, so even older Athlon based systems should be well provided for."

It was about this time last year that I had a most enjoyable time playing with NVIDIA’s new 7800GTS 512MB’s in SLI. As you may recall finding a power supply that would run those 2 cards turned into a nightmare. Several high end power supplies could not keep my system from shutting down. In the end I turned to PC Power and Cooling and got a 1KW from them to solve my problem. That power supplied worked flawlessly and earned a Golden Bear Award from Bjorn3D.

Now I have a new configuration, running XFX 8800GTX cards in SLI along with a few other power hungry system goodies. The XFX 8800GTX(s) each require 2 PCI-E power connectors. I almost went with the PC Power and Cooling 1K Quad for this system, but was just a little concerned that the power supplied on each rail might not be adequate to meet the needs of the extremely power-hungry 8800GTXs. After discussing the mater with the professional staff at PC Power and Cooling, I decided to try out their brand new 1KW-SR.

"The rest of the mouse, I like quite a bit. I still prefer the Copperhead, but with the nicer feel and extra weight, it is a very close fight. The Copperhead’s onboard driver-less macros and better customization (both in options and usability) keep it ahead. I do happen to have 2 computers at my desk right now..."

"What's it like to overclock a videocard with full control over the voltage fed to the Geforce 7600GS GPU, and GDDR2 memory? Pretty darn cool! You can play it safe and overclock with the default voltage settings (for GPU/memory) of course, but the real fun happens when you open up a tool called the "V-Ranger" and key in some pretty serious voltage adjustments. There is enough room to manoeuvrer with the voltage values, that mainstream and hard core overclocking enthusiasts alike will be satisfied... again, all from the comfort of your Windows XP desktop."

Overall I was pleased with the Cooler Master Mars. The size and design of the Mars compliments installation on a number of motherboards and the mounting hardware included with the Mars makes it a snap to install on AMD or Intel. Performance wasn't quite were I was hoping in the AMD testing but the C2D from Intel responded quite well to the Mars.

“Computers have really changed over the few years, gone are the days when a simple "duct-mod" meant that your cooling needs were more than met. Today's computers generally require a lot of cooling but at the same time the cooling must be efficient otherwise the noise level would be unbearable. Ultra has recently released the Ultra Grid ATX case that includes a slick paint job, stylish looks, and a 500 watt V-Series Power Supply which should be able to meet the needs of most mid level users without breaking their budget.”

Looking for a simple solution to backing up your computer’s system or critical files? Vizo, makers of a wide range of computer peripheral products, has released a new series of hard drive enclosures offer such a solution. Today, we’ll be looking at the Vizo Uranus 3.5” SATA HDD enclosure that offers a one-touch backup solution. Read on to find out more.

"This week we were given an exclusive opportunity to visit the GeCube office here in Taipei and test out their unreleased, highly anticipated and upcoming Gemini 2 dual GPU Radeon X1650XT graphic card. In the CPU game, everyone is talking about Quad but in the VGA game, Dual cards are on the mind at the moment. According to the product managers and marketing folks from GeCube who we talked with throughout our visit, the product is almost finished and will be ready and for sale early next year – that is, very early January, as long as everything goes to plan. That’s good news as GeCube as well as Gigabyte and ASUS (and the former XGI and probably many others behind closed doors) have tried producing dual GPU graphics cards in the past but they didn’t really turn out as planned."

The next generation of mid-range graphics cards are just around the corner, so should you even consider purchasing a GeForce 7600GT or Radeon X1650XT graphics card? Currently the average 7600GT costs just $130, while the X1650XT is closer to $150. At these prices both present very affordable upgrade solutions, and while we can not predict the future something tells us that we won't see DirectX10 cards this affordable until at least the end of next year.