|
 |
 |
 Processors |
 Motherboards |
 Chipsets |
 Memory |
 Graphics Cards |
 Storage |
 Cases and Cooling |
 Mobile |
 Systems |
 Displays |
 Shows and Expos |
 .:Latest Topics |
:: PC Perspective . News . System
View news by Subject:
 .:System News
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Techware Labs | Subject: System
The Popcorn Hour C200 bills its self as a Network Media Tan, theoretically able to manage anything you could accomplish by building your own HTPC, but without needing to set it up. Once you strip off the marketing speak, what you are left with is a NAS optimized for local networked media sources as well as YouTube, Blip.tv, Revision 3 and the like. The list of supported formats and sources on the second page of the Techware Labs review is impressive and you can catch a video of the interface in action in the full review. Overall they felt that this is a great device; hampered by beta firmware. "One of the best way to save money and still get a kick ass home theater set up has always been three words, “build it yourself”. Now the company Saybas is changing that and hopefully for the better with the Popcorn Hour C200. The Popcorn Hour C200 is a Network Media Tank that promises to pack a wallop when it comes to home theater set up’s. Thanks to Saybas you now have the option to purchase one of their sleek looking Popcorn Hour C200 units and still have enough in your budget to purchase a few of the latest blockbusters. Ladies and gentleman follow me as I review Saybas’s Network Media Tank, the Popcorn Hour C200." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Legit Reviews | Subject: System
Leadtek has an interesting new product, the PxVC1100 MPEG-2/H.264 Transcoding card based around the Toshiba SpursEngine BXA32110 chipset. It is designed specifically to provide Inter-transcoding between H.264 and MPEG-2 and up-convert SD/DVD video to HD like quality. Legit Reviews testing showed a 50% speed increase in DVD transcoding and a noticeable difference in video quality and file size. They do have a warning of an incompatibility with the new Intel P55 and X58 chipsets. You must use the PCIe slot that who's lanes are controlled by the ICH10. "Compared to even the latest CPU and Graphics hardware, the Spurs Engine held its own. Though testing different encoding/transcoding types and programs can be quite a headache, it’s easy to see that the Leadtek WinFast PxVC1100 is an MPEG-2/H.264 transcoding card can benefit those who do large amounts of this type of work. While there are only a couple of different formats to be used, they process very quickly and have outstanding quality. I have seen a lot of questions about taking SD quality video and converting to an HD format and most are answered with “don’t waste your time because it will be the same quality.” Well with the Spurs Engine, that answer can be thrown out. While taking SD quality video and reaching the quality of an original HD source would be impossible, the content was very clearly much higher quality than the source. Best of all was that this process was quick, encoding at about 20% faster than real time playback..." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: TechReviewSource | Subject: System
Apart from the obvious lack of Apple Genii, TechReviewSource has spotted a different reason to visit one of the two stores that opened in the USA. Microsoft sells Signature Series computers that come with a minimum of preinstalled bloatware. Bing is probably the most offensive thing on the computer, they don't even load it with trial MS Office software, according to the information on the link. Microsoft might not be the first brand to come to your mind when buying a new system, but maybe they should get at least some of your attention when shopping.
"One thing we hate about buying a new Windows-based computer is all the "bloatware" that comes with it. PC makers lower the cost of their computers by including trialware software from software makers, most likely security software and productivity software. Most users won't want any of this software because it expires after a short period of time or it is software they simply don't need. Microsoft is selling in its two retail and online stores that do not contain any of this bloatware and making the computer buying experience more streamlined and customizable for the user." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Techware Labs | Subject: System
If you have yet to play with recording and playing TV via a TV tuner card on a PC, perhaps the Haupauge HVR-1800 TV Tuner Card might change your mind. For ~$90 you will get a TV Tuner card that can handle ATSC HD (the over the air HDTV standard in North America), clear braodcasted QAM digital TV channels if you are lucky enough to live in an area where they are broadcast and a 125 channel cable ready TV tuner built-in
for analog signals. That will give you more flexibility than a cable box provided by your cable provider along with everything that the box provided originally. Drop by Techware Labs to see it.
"The notion of a personal Home Theater PC (HTPC) is becoming more prevalent lately. Many ideas can go into the planning of an HTPC. Will it be able to stream video across the network? Will it act as a central media hub? Will it be able to view online videos? The most important question being, will it be able to record and playback TV? This is where Hauppauge shines. Hauppauge has been producing quality TV tuner cards for quite some time now. In the Linux community, their cards are near synonymous with MythTV. So does their latest addition, the WinTV-HVR-1800, have the goods to make it into your next HTPC build? Read on, and we'll tell you." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: The Tech Report | Subject: System
If the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard doesn't quite meet your standards or if you are simply looking for a second opinion on recommendation, The Tech Report has just updated their system setups, specifically for Windows 7. You will notice several similarities, especially in the graphics subsystem, though their top of the line rig doesn't sport three HD 5870s. Check out the systems, peripherals and alternatives.
"Windows 7 is upon us, as is a whole line of DirectX 11 graphics processors from AMD. Come see how we've updated our system guide to account for these new products and other changes in the hardware landscape." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: techPowerUp! | Subject: System
A.C. Ryan might not be the first name you think about when you are looking for a DVR but perhaps it should be. They have made HDD cages for a while now and branched out from that with the PlayOn! DVR TV. USB 2.0 and HDMI as well as as wireless or wired network connectivity offer a range of ways to get media on or off of the HDD as well as capturing live broadcast TV. Read on at techPowerUp to see if A.C. Ryan has found a sweet spot between HTPCs and a NAS device.
"The A.C.Ryan PlayON! DVR TV combines the benefits of a media player with the ability to record and playback analog and DVB-T signals and act as a wired or wireless NAS. It is capable of streaming and playback of up to 720p video as well as audio and pictures. To top things off, the PlayON! DVR TV also acts as an Internet radio for your living room." Here are some more HTPC Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Think Computers | Subject: System
The colour scheme is a little off and it is unlikely to pick up a warhorse or any other type of mount in the near future, what the iBUYPOWER Gamer Paladin E870 i7 PC does do is hit 20,533 in 3dMark06. Think Computers liked a lot of things about this prebuilt system but perhaps one of the best features was the extra software that came with the PC; there was almost no bloatware whatsoever. Do keep in mind the price, while the basic rig is $1739, the one that Think Computers tested runs you $2675.
“When it comes to gamers they want the newest and most powerful gaming systems out there. They really only have 2 choices, build a gaming PC themselves or get a custom gaming PC built for them. There are really only a few of reliable, well known custom builders out there and today we will be taking a look at a system from once such builder, iBUYPOWER. They have sent us their brand new Gamer Paladin E870 gaming system that sports an Intel Core i7 870 processor, 2x Radeon 4890's, 8GB of memory and liquid cooling. Let's take a look..." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: InsideHW | Subject: System
The Verbatim MediaStation HD DVR
is an all in one digital video recorder, with many input and output ports, including antennae. It is not quite able to produce 1080p, but 1080i is certainly a step up from SD. The model that InsideHW tested had a 1TB drive, though it is possible to downgrade to a 500GB disk if you need. In the end they were a little disappointed as they had originally thought this to be a successor to the previously released MediaStation Pro; once they realized the HD would offered in addition to the Pro they felt a bit better.
"Predecessor of this device we reviewed in January and mentioned it few times since it was, at that time, one of the best of its kind. We are of course talking about Verbatim MediaStation Pro . At this year’s IFA we saw new MediaStation HD and had high hopes, as it looked like we got improved successor of already very good MediaStation Pro. Well, new MediaStation HD has arrived in our test lab, but this time we have mixed feelings about it…" Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Think Computers | Subject: System
It looks just like just a touchscreen LCD, but hidden behind that screen is a fairly powerful desktop system. The overall power and heat limitations that an all-in-one system imposes have been avoided thanks to the usage of a dual core 1.6GHz Atom 330 and the onboard Intel GMA 950 GPU. Think Computers were impressed by the power offered, HD movie playback was good at the worst but they were disappointed that Shuttle did not take advantage of the touchscreen, there was no custom software installed on the system at all.
"Intel's Atom platform has been a huge success since it has launched, without the Atom chip you probably wouldn't know what a netbook is! With its huge success many companies are creating all types of different products based on the Atom. With this comes the nettop, a small form factor, inexpensive, low-wattage desktop computer. Today we will be looking at one of the most powerful nettop's out there the Shuttle X50. It features the Atom 330 dual-core processor, 1GB of memory and a 15.6-inch touch screen display." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: The Tech Report | Subject: System
The Tech Report has revisited their line up of recommended system builds, thanks to the new season's processors. AMD still rules their Econobox, with the highly overclockable
Phenom II X3 720 BE and the HD4850. The Utility Player gets an update with a nice Lynnfield processor on a Gigabyte GA-P55-UD3R while the Sweeter Spots uses a Gigabyte GA-P55-UD4P and a faster Lynnfield CPU. The Double Stuff system is of course the most impressive build, 12GB of DDR3-1600 along with a few other twinned components will get you ahead of the pack and for only $2,600!
"In this edition of the system guide, we update our Utility Player and Sweeter Spot builds with Intel's new Lynnfield processors, juice up the Econobox with a triple- core processor, and more." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Technologies | Subject: System
Taipei, Taiwan, September 22, 2009 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the first ever Mini-ITX board to feature a dedicated on-board graphics processor and dual HDMI ports. The VIA VB8003 is ideally suited for a range of advanced digital media applications, supporting the latest advanced HD codecs and DX10.1 graphics. A wide range of connectivity options are available, including four display configurations using the VIA VB8003's two HDMI, DVI and VGA ports. The VIA VB8003 takes advantage of the 'VIA Trinity' platform, the codename for a unique combination of 64-bit VIA Nano processor, VIA VX800 media system processor and a dedicated S3 Graphics processor; producing a perfect blend of Hi-Def video playback, DX10.1 graphics and multiple display connectivity, all within a ruthlessly low, industry-leading thermal envelope. The VIA VB8003 Mini-ITX board can utilize the integrated graphics of the VIA VX800 MSP in tandem with the dedicated S3 Graphics processor to offer developers the widest possible variety of multi-display configurations, including dual-HDMI, LVDS, DVI and VGA technologies. Powering HD content playback across as many as four uniquely configured displays, with supported resolutions of up to and beyond 1080p, the VIA VB8003 is a HD powerhouse, ideal for a range of next-generation digital interactive devices and digital signage applications. "The VIA VB8003 is the first Mini-ITX board to harness the unique performance efficiency of theVIA VB8003 VIA Nano processor combined with a dedicated HD capable DX10.1 graphics processor," said Daniel Wu, Vice President of VIA Embedded, VIA Technologies, Inc. "We are confident that the HD adept VB8003 will be massive hit with developers of the latest digital multimedia devices, making it easier than ever to employ high resolution, compression intensive content across multiple displays." About the VIA VB8003
On-board I/O includes dual HDMI, a DVI port, VGA port and two RCA jacks, dual Gigabit Ethernet RJ-45 ports, four USB 2.0 ports, serial and PS2 ports. Storage includes two S-ATA ports, a 40-pin IDE and a type 2 Compact Flash slot. The S3 Graphics 435 ULP Graphics Processor
Featuring the ChromotionHD engine, a fully programmable video architecture with true HD quality 1080p playback on the latest HD standards including Blu-ray Disk, H.264, VC-1, WMV-9, MPEG-2/4 and AVS, the S3 Graphics 435 ULP offers stunningly smooth HD playback at resolutions of up to 2560 x 1600 pixels. 
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Bjorn3D | Subject: System
ASUS bills their M4A78-HTPC/RC HTPC motherboard as a basis for which to build a Dream HTPC. It's a well laid out 780G based mATX board that comes with a remote plus a USB IR-receiver. Four DDR2 slots with dual channel capability, 5 SATA channels, a single IDE as well as the ability to provide your sound card with a separate power supply to reduce noise. Drop by Bjorn3D for a look at what features should not be left off of an HTPC motherboard. "In today's crowded market it is important to try to make your product stand out in some way. The ASUS M4A78-HTPC/RC on the surface is just another micro-ATX motherboard with the AMD 780G/SB700 chipset but as its name implies there is more to it than that. In fact the ASUS M4A78-HTPC/RC is marketed as the motherboard to use when “Building the Dream Home Theater PC”. With a special mode to keep the system quiet, improved sound as well as the software “Home Theater Gate” it sounds like ASUS might have created the perfect motherboard for us htpc-builders. Keep reading on as we pick this motherboard apart to see if ASUS can back up their claims or if it just falls flat." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Benchmark Reviews | Subject: System
MSI has broken away from the netbook market long enough to create an all in one desktop PC. The MSI Wind Top AE2010 AIO looks to be a 19" 1600x900 TFT touchscreen LCD at first glance, but hidden inside is a full PC. An AMD Athlon X2 Dual Core 3250e powers it, with 4GB DDRII @ 533MHz
on the board its self, no memory upgrades for this machine. Graphics are handled by the AMD RS780G and SB710, the HD3200 gets 128MB of Side Port DDR3 to help it out. Benchmark Reviews tried it against Atoms and Ions and even a Dell to see how its performance measured up, which you can see here.
"Desktop computers are making a resurgence, and have exploited the compact nature of newer technology to provide the best of both worlds. Netbooks are the popular item for travelers, but they don't get the job done for full time workers and students. Notebooks are nice, and meet halfway, but have their own limits too. Behold the nettop. It's a compact desktop computer with a notebook profile. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the MSI Wind Top AE2010-02SUS All-In-One touch screen desktop computer against an Intel Atom-equipped ASUS Eee PC netbook, Core 2 Duo notebook, and NVIDIA ION desktop system." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Technologies | Subject: System
Taipei, Taiwan, September 15, 2009 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator of power efficient x86 processor platforms, today announced the VIA EPIA-P720 Pico-ITX board, which takes advantage of the latest VIA VX855 media system processor to deliver stunningly smooth playback of the latest HD video formats for next-generation digital interactive devices. "VIA continually strives to offer customers compelling product designs that open up new worlds of possibility," said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "The VIA EPIA-P720 enables a new class of extremely compact embedded devices that can comfortably handle the most demanding video playback whilst remaining entirely fanless. No other compact platform currently offers these features in tandem." Today's digital interactive devices give users a more immersive and enhanced experience, employing high quality, high resolution video content. Using the latest video compression technologies, like the increasingly popular H.264 codec, HD media playback usually requires a substantial processing overhead, negating the possibility of a completely fanless compact system. With the VIA EPIA-P720, the VIA VX855 MSP takes the video decompression burden from the central processor, applying industry-leading hardware acceleration for the most compression-intensive codecs, including H.264, VC1, WMV9 and MPEG 2/4, at display resolutions up to 1080p. The VIA EPIA-P720 also boasts several display connectivity options including native HDMI, VGA and LVDS support. The VIA EPIA-P720 - Small yet Powerful
A highly integrated, all-in-one chipset, the VIA VX855 MSP is specially designed to provide flawless hardware acceleration for the latest HD video codecs including H.264, WMV, VC1 and MPEG 2/4 at high bitrates and display resolutions of up to 1080p. The VIA Chrome9™ HCM 3D integrated graphics core boasts full DirectX 9.0 support and a 128-bit 2D engine with hardware rotation capability. The VIA EPIA-P720 uses a specially designed I/O add-on-board, the VIA P720-A, which complements the native HDMI port to add a VGA port, a Gigabit LAN port and two USB 2.0 ports. The VIA Vinyl HD audio codec provides 6 channel, DTS capable audio with S/PDIF support. Storage is provided in the shape of an onboard 44-pin IDE connector and one S-ATA port. On board pin headers provide support for an additional 4 x USB 2.0 ports, an LPC connector, SMBus connector, PS/2 support, audio jacks, LVDS, 4 pairs of DIO and two UART ports.
For more details about the VIA EPIA-P720 please visit:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: InsideHW | Subject: System
The ASUS O!Play HDP-R1
is a tiny little Linux based HD Media Player, with both eSATA and USB as well as a network connection available for you to provide the media by. Outputs include HDMI, composite AV and S/PDIF optical to give you a choice in how you connect the device into your AV setup. The list of supported codecs is impressively long; InsideHW could not find anything it would not play. Engadget found one for sale in Taiwan for $169, but is hard to guess what price we will see in the North American market.
“ASUS O!Play arrived in our test lab as first device of this kind made by ASUS and in area where WD TV is considered to be one of the best devices in Home Entertainment segment. Of course we were very interested to see how newcomer will prove himself. Our previous experience with similar devices shows that manufacturers often made mistakes that significantly diminished usability of their devices…” Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Silent PC Review | Subject: System
A small brushed aluminium box that resembles a high end receiver hides inside of it just enough space for an HTPC. The Luxa LM100 has a simple front panel with a small LCD display and a cover hiding firewire and other connectors. Cooling comes in the form of several 50mm fans and any CPU heatsink you desire, as long as it is shorter than 10.2cm. Check out SPCR's final verdict in their review here.
"SPCR's exploration of new mini-IXT cases continues: The Luxa2 LM100 Mini is as far as you'll get from a junky beige box - it is downright beautiful. It's a highly priced, high quality, low profile Shuttle-like enclosure with a sturdy and elegant aluminum body, a small LCD display and remote control. How fares it against the more pedestrian boxes from Antec and Silverstone that we've reviewed recently?" Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AnandTech | Subject: System
The ASUS AT3N7A-I is Inspiring Innovation, Persistent Perfection and will Perfectly suit your digital lifestyle. It is also an Atom based system with 8 USB ports,1 PS2 port, HDMI and VGA out, coax/optical out, eSATA, Ethernet and has six 1/8” jacks for analog audio out. ASRock also has as new Ion machine out, a complete system with a mini-ITX case, power supply, 2GB of memory, DVD drive and a 320GB hard drive. Find out how they compare to each other, as well as a Zotac unit over at AnandTech. "ASUS tested the waters with its value manufacturing brand earlier this year. ASRock put out an Ion system based on the Intel Atom 330 processor; note the use of the word system. The ASRock Ion differed from the Zotac Ion motherboard in that it was a barebones system complete with mini-ITX chassis, external power supply, 2GB of RAM, slim optical drive and 320GB hard drive. All you needed to add was an OS." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Digital Trends | Subject: System
At first glance, the HP Pavilion Slimline s5160f seems like an HTPC system; small and slim build, Blu-ray drive, TV tuner and a wireless mouse and keyboard combo. Inside the machine you find a Core2 Quad Q8200 and 6GB of DDR3-1066 which offers a bit more power than you might expect, making word processing and surfing a strong possiblity. The main downfall of the system is the NVIDIA GeForce G210 graphics card, you won't be gaming on the Slimline but you'll have no problem with streaming video. If you are looking for a machine powerful enough for a machine used productively with the ability to play HD Blu-ray movies after the work day is done, take a look at this recent review from Digital Trends.
"HP pitches its Pavilion Slimline s5160f desktop PC as 'made for multimedia.' But if your definition of multimedia includes hardcore games, steer a wide berth around this machine. It’s a capable enough computer for digital photography, music, TV, and movies, but it doesn’t have the graphics horsepower that state-of-the-art games demand." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Gamepyre | Subject: System
The ASUS My Cinema EHD3-100 Dual Hybrid TV Card is a PCIe card, giving it that extra bandwidth necessary for HD video. It can handle both digital and analog signals, in case you have elderly appliances that are not up to handling digital input. Its dual nature comes from the ability to let you watch one program while recording another to your PC or a TiVO and other PVRs. Gamepyre was quite impressed with the quality provided by this card, though they did run into some difficulties with console gaming and thought it was time to include HDMI.
"The functionality of the card and quality of video is very good to great depending on the signal being captured. Watching TV and recording your favorite series is done easily and quickly with the EHD3-100 Dual Hybrid TV Card. The only thing the card is actually missing would be an HDMI input, but I know that will be in a later model as HDMI capture is still in its infancy. If you want high quality capturing with lots of functionality then the EHD3-100 Dual Hybrid TV Card is a great choice. The ability to setup and connect more then one input at a time is convenient. The setup and install of the software and card are easy enough that I am sure that most users will have no problem setting this unit up. Asus has done an excellent job in replacing my previous card with their new card EHD3-100 Dual Hybrid TV Card. Good job Asus and I look forward to that HDMI version down the road." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PCStats | Subject: System
Having just updated the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard early this week with various components like MSI's new flagship X58 motherboard, a sub $200 HD4890 and some incredible deals on DDR3; it seems only appropriate to offer other choices. PC Stats has finished updating their three system recommendations. Their budget and mainstream PCs are both AMD machines, the X2 245 powering the $500 machine and the X4 920 inside of the $1000 build. The $2000 machine is where you will find the Core i7.
"Not sure what PC hardware is worth getting in these tough economic times? PCSTATS Shoppinglist for August 2009 has recommendations for three price points - $500, $999, $2000 - to help put you on the right path no matter what your budget." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: The Tech Report | Subject: System
nMEDIA has been making a name for themselves making HTPC cases, with their 2000B model being up for review at The Tech Report. The B in this model name denotes a black finish, there is also an S model if silver is more your thing. Standing 17" x 16.4" x 6.6" should give you enough room for cooling and components without being so large as to look awkward in a living room entertainment centre and they use drop down panels to hide the two drives. Drop by TR to see if the inside is as good as the outside.
"A home theater PC needs an attractive enclosure, and nMedia offers a rather affordable one in the HTPC 2000B. Looks aren't everything, though, so we've tested the 2000B to see where it shines and where it fumbles." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Guru of 3D | Subject: System
SmoothCreations is gaining a big name in the enthusiast crowd, as most systems are done just right. Quality builds with seriously powerful components are just part of the parcel, there is also the incredible paint jobs that grace the outside of their cases. New at the Guru of 3D is the LANShark, sporting a skull motif and side panel made entirely of acrylic. Inside you find an i7 965, a GTX 295 and 6GB of OCZ DDR3-1600 and a Rampage II Gene motherboard, though you can customize the parts if you plan on ordering one. The CPU is cooled via a Cool It Pure H2O
and the rest of the components are cooled with fans, which did not stop the overclocking of this beast. Check it out here.
"SmoothCreations delivers another thrilling custom computer. The LANShark is small, light, and fast. While it is plenty fast, its overclocking potential is limited by its cooling, however. The aim towards durability may compromises its full speed, but the custom paint job totally makes up for it. Of course, the mind fills with catch-phrases, tag lines, cliches, and one-liners. The oppression of a fertile mind! I just got a text message from Cptn. Obvious, “It’s Shark Week at Guru3d.com…” That's a bit obvious, though. Or something obscure and old school like, 'Knock, knock… it’s LANShark!'" Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: System
SIGGRAPH 2009, NEW ORLEANS, LA - Aug. 4, 2009 - Increasing the momentum and industry support for its 3D professional graphics accelerators, AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced its newest solution for content creators and computer-aided designers (CAD) who demand mobility: the ATI FirePro M7740 graphics accelerator, set to power Dell Precision M6400 Mobile Workstations. Designed with digital content creators, CAD, and engineers in mind, the Dell Precision M6400 brings swift real-time graphical rendering and brilliant color representation to the forefront of large model design work, all while giving professionals excellent performance capabilities for multitasking and multi-threaded applications. The new offering provides design professionals with the high performance and reliability that is synonymous with the ATI FirePro family of graphics accelerators.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: iXBT Labs | Subject: System
Giving people the information need to build better gaming machines is the main focus of tech review sites, with better file servers and other, perhaps more profitable, PC purposes running a distant second. iXBT has decided to break the mold by putting together an article on how to build a better office PC. Over a dozen CPUS, ranging from a $31 Sempron to a $220 C2 Quad, 7 different motherboards and even 3 discreet AMD graphics cards along with 1GB of both DDR2-1066 and DDR2-800. Drop by for a look at what the various configurations offer in terms of productivity.
"Unlike gaming PCs, office configurations are chosen with the help of universal benchmarks. In practice, the most adequate tests for office hardware these days are SYSMark 2007 and PCMark Vantage. We compiled the results obtained in these benchmarks with different processors, graphics cards, and memory sizes. Traditionally, there's an interactive configuration calculator for your convenience." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: hardCOREware | Subject: System
There is no rule stating that an HTPC has to be cramped, it is just that most people prefer it that way. The SilverStone Sugo SG04 mATX Case is a little different, being the only mATX case that will let you slip in multiple 10.5" graphics cards. If you so wish to run dual GTX 280s, in SLI, you can. Even if you have no plans for multiple GPUs, this case also gives you a lot more freedom when you are choosing components. You don't have to hunt down 1/2 height cards or agonize over storage options, there is some room to manoeuvre there. hardCOREware feels this case is targeted at the LAN gamer, but there are those who will desire a little overkill even in their HTPC.
"We have just published our review of SilverStone's latest mATX SFF case: the Sugo SG04. A lot of time has passed since we reviewed the SG01, but the cases remain quite similar. The main advantage of the SG04 is that it supports full-length 10.5" video cards. This includes the GTX 260 and Radeon 4870. In SLI. Granted, installing such a system in a tiny case is not going to be easy, but it's there if you need it. This makes the SG04 quite possibly the smallest case that supports full-length video cards." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: 3DCenter | Subject: System
Although the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard has just been updated, it is never a bad idea to get a second opinion. This time try PC Stats, and their 3 current recommended systems. Their $500 budget system is based around an Athlon X2 7750 BE with an HD4850 and 2GB of DDR2-800. The $1000 mainstream features a 3GHz C2D E8400 with an HD4890 and 4GB of DDR2-1066. Lastly the $2000 performance machine has a Core i7 920, a GeForce 285GTX and 6 GB of DDR3-1600 in triple channel.
"Not sure what PC hardware is worth getting in these tough economic times? PCSTATS Shoppinglist has recommendations for three price points - $500, $999, $2000 - to help put you on the right path no matter what your budget." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Benchmark Reviews | Subject: System
Sitting roughly 8"x7"x3", the ASRock Nettop ION 330 really couldn't be any smaller and still provide the features that it does. Sporting 5.1-channel analog audio, Gigabit Ethernet, six USB 2.0 ports, an analog VGA D-Sub port, HDMI 3.1 and TosLink, it can serve up your media in a variety of ways. The dual core 1.6GHz Intel Atom N330 is paired with an NVIDIA 9400m GPU which allowed a 1668%
advantage over the Asus Eee and Dell Inspiron in the Cinebench OpenGL test. You can see it in action at Benchmark Reviews.
"NVIDIA Recently unveiled their ION platform, which combines a GeForce 9400m GPU to the Intel Atom mobile processor. The synergistic effect of GeForce and Atom processors have combined to deliver true high-definition performance beyond any mobile platform before it, allowing more range from 'NetBook' and 'NetTop' products. A dual -core 1.6GHz Intel Atom N330 CPU and NVIDIA GeForce 9400M GPU are packaged onto a Mini-ITX DDR2 AMCP7A-ION motherboard to create the ASRock ION, and ultra-efficient NetTop system. Delivering an compact HTPC or desktop computer alternative with native HDMI high-definition playback capability and powerful computing power isn't easy, and Benchmark Reviews discovers how well the ASRock NetTop ION 330 performs against mobile competitors using the Windows 7 Operating System." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Hardware Zone | Subject: System
When you are building a system around a Core i7 and an X58 motherboard, you tend to think big when it comes to the case. The heatsinks used on Core i7's often hit 6", which can severely limit your choices of case. Hardware Zone is thinking the exact opposite as they review the Shuttle SX587H.
Shuttle has designed this case as they do all their others, so it sits in about the same size range as a toaster oven, and could possibly function as one. Drop by for a look at the specs and see how Shuttle managed to cool it here.
"Shuttle, the popular barebones manufacturer, has just released the SX587H Pro Station, a barebones system featuring the latest Intel X58 chipset supporting the fastest Core i7 processors. We check it out to see if Shuttle has missed out on anything in this attempt to shrink an X58 machine." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Digital Trends | Subject: System
Do you have an old laptop or desktop system hiding away somewhere; which you plan to do something with, at some time in the future? Why not turn it into an HTPC system? Sure, it is nice to go out, pickup an Atom + 9400M motherboard and a sweet Shuttle HTPC case and put together a brand new system, but you could always do that sometime in the future and give the ancient one away. Watch as Digital Trends turns an old Dell laptop with a 2.66GHz P4, 512MB of RAM, and a GeForce FX Go 5200 card, choose OS and software and sits back watching 720p content on their TV.
"We've experimented with any number of home media servers that will stream YouTube, play movies across a home network, and stream music from a library of connected home storage appliance. And they're nice if that's all you ever want to do. But for ultimate flexibility, nothing beats a true home theater PC. Using a fully functional PC, you throw away all the limitations of a traditional set top box, building up a box that does exactly what you want it to, the way you want it to." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Guru of 3D | Subject: System
It is not just a pretty face, the Guru of 3D's rig of the month also sports a Q9650 over clocked to 4.2GHz
thanks to some serious TEC cooling, and a GTX295 that has been pushed fairly hard as well. The case its self has not undergone any heavy modifications, you don't need to know how to drill out acrylic to make something this nice. Head to the Guru of 3D for some serious inspiration.
"It's time for a new update of the rig of the month, Like a jelly fish transparent on the outside, but fascinating on the inside sums up Art Reyna, Jr's PC really well, making it the Rig of The Month June 2009. At the age of 29 Art is a Call Center worker by day, graphic designer and drummer by night. Meet his rig and all inside info right here." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
|
.:Latest News
.:Latest Reviews
|
 |
Legal - Contact - Advertising |  |
