Sunday, January 15th 2023

This Week in Gaming (Week 3)

Three weeks into the new year and another week without any big game releases, although SEGA/Atlus is about to release updated versions of Personal 3 and 4, which ends up being the most well known game releases this coming week. That said, there are a couple of other potentially interesting games coming out, so check out the full list for more details on those.

WW2 Rebuilder / Monday January 16
It's 1945. It's the end of World War II, the war that left a mark. Now people like you have to leave their hometowns to rebuild their countries. Motivated by different reasons, they get set on the same quest - to repair and renovate places completely destroyed during the war.
Friday, January 13th 2023

Today's Reviews

Audio
Cases
CPU Coolers
Headphones
Memory
Motherboards
Mouse
Processors
PSUs
SSD
Corsair M65 RGB Ultra Wireless Review

Corsair M65 RGB Ultra Wireless Review

With the M65 RGB Ultra Wireless, Corsair cuts the cord on one of their most popular models. Sporting a durable aluminium frame, Marksman sensor capable of 26,000 CPI, optical switches, weight-tuning system, alleged 2000 Hz wireless polling, and up to 120 hours of battery life using Bluetooth, the M65 is exceptionally rich on features.
Quick Look: iKKO Heimdallr ITB03 Portable DAC/Amplifier

Quick Look: iKKO Heimdallr ITB03 Portable DAC/Amplifier

iKKO adds to its portable DAC/amplifier line with the new Heimdallr ITB03 that offers both wired and wireless connectivity on top of 3.5 mm SE and 4.4 mm BAL outputs. It also sports an OLED screen with physical buttons to make for a complex but rich menu system with digital filters and operating modes alike.

KeysOff Winter Sale: Get Jaw Dropping Prices on Genuine Software

KeysOff Winter Sale is live! Get some of the hottest discounts on the coolest software to help you maximize your PC building budget. Get Genuine Windows 10 Pro at just $6.22 when you buy a 2-PC pack, or $7.35 on its own. The latest and greatest Windows 11 Pro can be had for $10.45. Save big on annual 365 subscriptions by picking up Office 2021 Professional for just $26.25. Better yet, combine it with your preferred edition of Windows to save even more.

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Please check out great deals on system utilities.

ASUS Announces its Latest Vivobook Classic Series

ASUS today announced six of the latest models in its popular Vivobook Classic series of everyday laptops, led by the updated Vivobook 14 OLED (X1405), Vivobook 15 OLED (X1505) and Vivobook 16 (X1605). These are accompanied by new versions of the affordable Vivobook 14 (X1404), Vivobook 15 (X1504) and Vivobook 17 (X1704).

Smooth performance is delivered by up to 13th Gen Intel Core H-series processors with 16 GB RAM and up to a 1 TB SSD. Quiet and efficient cooling is provided by the dual-vented cooling system with an IceBlade fan and up to two heat pipes. The long-lasting up to 50 Wh battery gives users more freedom, and there's up to WiFi 6E for ultrafast connectivity. Other helpful design features include the latest ASUS AI noise-canceling audio technology for crystal-clear communications, and there are bundled productivity-enhancing ASUS apps including GlideX, MyASUS and ScreenXpert.

XGIMI at the 2023 International CES: RS Pro 2 and MoGo 2 Pro

Home- and portable projectors specialist XGIMI showed off its two bestselling compact short-throw projectors at the 2023 International CES, the RS Pro 2, and the MoGo 2 Pro. The RS Pro 2 is designed for premium home-projection needs, with 2,200 ANSI lumens brightness, a lossless optical zooming mechanism, 4K Ultra HD native resolution, automated keystone adjustments, and smart TV features. The projector is designed for screen-sizes ranging between 30-inch to 300-inch (100-inch recommended by the manufacturer). The projector also integrates a 2.1-channel speaker set designed by Harman-Kardon. On sale now, the RS Pro 2 can be had around the $1,449-mark but it currently just planned for the Asian market. The MoGo 2 Pro is the latest version of XGIMI's award-winning ultraportable projectors. It packs a 350 ANSI Lumens LED light source, and can project Full HD (1920 x 1080) video with autofocus and keystone adjustments, onto a small-medium size screen.

Cooler Master Shows Off Cooling X, a Unique Prebuilt with Whole-body Liquid Cooling

Cooler Master at the 2023 International CES showed off the Cooling X, a patent-pending unique desktop PC architecture by the company where the liquid cooling of the CPU and GPU isn't confined to a couple of closed loop AIOs, but rather a giant liquid-cooling loop that even involves the side-panels of the case itself, that double up as additional heat-dissipation surfaces. Notice how some compact fanless cases use extruded-aluminium body panels that double up as heatsinks, to cool the hot components? The Cooling X re-imagines this, where instead of dissipating heat from a heatpipe, the extruded-aluminium body panels have coolant channels, so some of the heat from the liquid-cooling loop is dissipated. These panels supplement a conventional liquid-cooling radiator that's located along the rear panel, which has active ventilation. The liquid-cooling loop cools the processor and GPU.

For its compact dimensions of just 266 mm x 149 mm x 371 mm (LxWxH), the Cooling X prebuilt packs some mighty high-end hardware—an AMD Ryzen 9 5950X 16-core processor, and a Radeon RX 6800 XT GPU up to 64 GB of dual-channel DDR4-3200 memory, two 2 TB M.2 NVMe SSDs, and a homebrew 850 W 80 Plus Gold SFX power supply. For now Cooling X is just a codename, and Cooler Master intends to take this concept forward with high-performance gaming/creator prebuilt desktops sold under its own marquee.

Cooler Master Keyboards at 2023 CES: MasterKeys MK770 and CK721 in New Colors

Cooler Master introduced several new color schemes of its MasterKeys MK770 and CK721 mechanical gaming keyboards at the 2023 International CES. The MK770 has a unique 99-key layout that retains the Numpad, squeezes the arrow keys between the main QWERTY key-cluster and the Numpad, and relocates the insert/delete/home/end/page-up/page-down cluster. This is essentially a full-size keyboard, but only 38 cm in length (comparable to some TKL keyboards). The MK770 supports three kinds of connectivity—USB (including type-C), wireless over Bluetooth 5.1, or wireless over a low-latency proprietary 2.4 GHz RF.

The MK770 comes with hot-swappable Kailh Box V2 mechanical switches, a gasket mounted construction, PBT doubleshot keycaps with four distinct colors per color-set; and pre-lubed stabilizers for the keycaps. You get individual-key RGB lighting, a multi-function customizable wheel, and a 4000 mAh battery (the company didn't mention battery life on a full charge). In the USB and 2.4 GHz RF mode, the keyboard offers a 1000 Hz interface polling-rate, which drops down to 125 Hz in Bluetooth mode. A 512 KB onboard memory stores lighting and macro data. The four color sets the MK770 are offered in are: cyan+magenta+gray; mint-green+forest green+off-white; an Attack on Titan theme; and Fruity Pebbles theme. The CK721 Sakura Limited Edition is a 65% format mechanical gaming keyboard that uses TTC mechanical switches, PBT doubleshot keycaps, a 3-way digital dial, RGB lighting for each key, and triple interface just like MK770 (USB, Bluetooth, and 2.4 GHz RF). A 2,000 mAh battery provides up to 73 hours of use without lighting.

Cooler Master New Case Fans at 2023 CES: MasterFan Halo2 and Mobius Series

Cooler Master at the 2023 International CES introduced several new case fans for various use-cases—case ventilation, air-heatsinks, and liquid-cooling radiators. The MasterFan Halo2 is the brightest and most striking of these, and the company is including them with some of their latest Hyper-series CPU coolers. They will be sold in standalone kits, too. The Halo2 gets its name from its two ARGB LED lighting zones—one along the bore of the frame, and the other inside the impeller hub. There are a couple of upgrades of the original MasterFan Halo series from 2020, including enlarged fan blades, a redesigned hybrid frame structure that minimizes frame footprint without sacrificing the fan's axial airflow; and updated motor driver IC. The MF Halo2 comes in 120 mm and 140 mm sizes; and in black- and white color trims. Both sizes feature rifle bearings that are rated for over 160,000 hours of operation.

The MasterFan MF140 Halo2 features up to 1,600 RPM of speed, up to 58.5 CFM airflow, at up to 2.53 mm H₂O static pressure, and up to 27 dBA noise output. The MF120 Halo2 turns at speeds of up to 2,050 RPM, pushing up to 51.88 CFM of airflow, at up to 2.89 mm H₂O static pressure, and up to 27 dBA noise output. The fans take 4-pin PWM for their main function, and 3-pin Gen 2 ARGB for both their lighting zones.

Cooler Master MasterLiquid Atmos AIO Liquid CPU Cooler Features User-replaceable Block Covers

At the 2023 International CES, Cooler Master showed off a unique all-in-one liquid closed-loop CPU cooler that features user-replaceable pump-block covers, the MasterLiquid Atmos. The top cover of the pump-block comes off, so you can replace it with something with a different shape or color. Examples of these covers include a frosty-white cover made of recycled plastic resin, or a tinted acrylic diffuser. Underneath is a white silicone diffuser for an ARGB lighting element. The lighting extends to the included Cooler Master Sickleflow ARGB fans.

The MasterLiquid Atmos model shown at CES was the ML360 Atmos, featuring a 360 mm x 120 mm radiator with a trio of Sickleflow ARGB fans. These fans come pre-installed on the radiator, to minimize packaging waste. The ML360 Atmos uses a dual-chamber pump-block, which features CM's Gen 2 ARGB lighting. The company didn't go into the technical details of the fan, but mentioned its top speed to be 2,400 RPM. The MasterLiquid Atmos series comes in two variants, 240 mm and 360 mm. Among the CPU socket types supported are LGA1700, LGA1200, AM5, and AM4.

MINISFORUM HX99G 6900HX + RX 6600M Mini PC Goes on Sale

Minisforum introduced a new variant called HX99G in its Neptune portfolio today. It is an upgraded version of the first member, the HX90G (5900HX processor + RX6600M GPU), which was announced in May 2022 before going up for sale in September 2022. The Neptune HX99G looks practically identical to the HX90G. Measuring 205 x 203 x 69 mm (8.1" x 8" x 2.7"), both models feature 45 watts, 8-cores/16-threads graphics and the same laptop-class discrete GPU. However, it updates the Ryzen 9 5900HX with a faster Ryzen 9 6900HX and replaces the two DP ports with two speedier USB4 ports.

R9 6900HX integrates all eight cores based on the Zen 3+ microarchitecture. It's clocked at 3.3 (guaranteed base clock) to 4.9 GHz (max boost). Ryzen 6000 brings a slew of technological advancements, like support for USB 4, PCI-E Gen 4, DDR5-4800MT/s, WIFI 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. The other AMD performance component is the RDNA 2 graphics architecture Radeon RX 6600M (GDDR6 8 GB) with a TDP of up to 100 watts. Users can expect to utilize the full performance of this dedicated GPU to handle professional-class photo and video editing as well as content creation. Also, this GPU packs enough firepower to hit 60 frames per second at 1080p (depending on the specific game and settings).

NZXT Announces H9 Series ATX Cases, C1200 PSU, and Duo RGB Fan

NZXT, a leader in PC gaming hardware and services, today announces mid-tower ATX cases, the H9 Flow and H9 Elite, the C1200 power supply, and the RGB Duo fans. The H9 Series features two new ATX compatible cases that will be the latest and largest options featured in NZXT's mid-tower lineup; they feature enough room for up to ten fans and direct airflow to cool off the most powerful video cards. The H9 Flow and H9 Elite are flexible to suit any type of build due to their large size, radiator support, and color schemes. For people who want to focus on thermal performance, the H9 Flow is designed to give you optimized cooling thanks to a mesh top panel. The H9 Elite is designed for people who want to build an RGB focused PC with some additional benefits, such as NZXT CAM support and a glass top panel to show off RGB lighting components.

A perforated mesh top panel gives the H9 a greater focus on cooling performance. In addition, the case comes equipped with four 120 mm F Series Quiet Airflow fans to supplement airflow further. With superior airflow, the H9 Flow is the perfect case for people who want to build a system with the latest components with greater cooling requirements. The H9 Elite is an elegant way to accommodate builders who want a large tempered glass enclosure to show off their RGB builds, whether they want to share their setup on social media or their stream. With tempered glass on three sides for an uninterrupted look, a top radiator/fan, and with three included RGB Duo fans with an NZXT RGB and Fan controller V2, it is a perfect case to show off premium components.

Cooler Master Power Supplies at 2023 International CES: GX III, V Gold, V SFX Gold, and V SFX Platinum

Cooler Master brought a wealth of new power supplies at the 2023 International CES, to match the anticipated growth in PSU upgrades with the advent of the ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen 5 standards. The GX III series will be the main workhorse for Cooler Master in its gaming-grade modular PSU lineup. Boasting 80 Plus Gold efficiency, the GX III comes in capacities ranging between 550 W and 1250 W, and cram in a half-bridge APFC, DC-to-DC switching, LLC, and a fan which offers zero-RPM mode up to a certain load. The 650 W, 750 W, 850 W, 1050 W, and 1250 W models include a 600 W-rated 12VHPWR connector, while the 550 W model includes a 450 W-rated 12VHPWR. Two EPS (CPU power) connectors are standard across all models. Depending on the model, you get two to six 6+2 pin PCIe power connectors. Cooler Master is backing the GX III series PSUs (along with most other PSU models it's launching at CES), with a 10-year warranty.

The V Gold i series features an interesting brushed-gold design element on the body. These 80 Plus Gold-rated modular PSUs come in 750 W and 850 W models. What sets these apart from the GX III series is their semi-digital control, with the PSUs interfacing with the MasterPlus software over USB, for real-time monitoring and basic control. Both models include one 16-pin 12VHPWR connector capable of 600 W continuous power, two 8-pin EPS, three 6+2 pin PCIe power, twelve SATA power, and a couple of legacy power connectors.

Cooler Master Hyper 212 Halo Series Brings the Iconic 212 up to 2023 Standards

The Cooler Master Hyper 212 series over the years has become synonymous with aftermarket CPU cooling, as possibly the most popular custom CPU cooler. The company modernized it over the years with new heatsink and fan technologies, and it's has undergone a major design- and tech overhaul with the new Hyper 212 Halo. It retains the conventional aluminium fin-stack (type-U) design, with four 6 mm-thick copper heatpipes making direct contact with the CPU at the base, conveying heat to an aluminium fin-stack heatsink that's been capped off with a die-cast aluminium top-plate. The included 120 mm Halo fan features rifle-bearings rated for over 160,000 hours, and features two sets of addressable-RGB LEDs—along the bore of the fan-frame, and the impeller hub. The fan turns at speeds ranging between 650 to 2,050 RPM, pushing up to 51.88 CFM of airflow at 2.89 mm H₂O static-pressure, and 27 dBA maximum noise output. As part of its design modernization, the Hyper 212 Halo gets support for the latest Sockets LGA1700 and AM5.

NexiGo Aurora PJ90 is a Unique Ultra Short-Throw Projector for Space-Constrained Environments

NexiGo Aurora PJ90 is one of the few jaw-dropping UST (ultra short-throw) projectors we've come across at the 2023 International CES. This device can project onto a screen as large as 150-inch, from a very short throw distance (think a TV console right underneath the screen), with a very sophisticated automated keystone adjustment mechanism. What you get is a pristine 4K Ultra HD with HDR10 projection at up to 120 Hz refresh-rate, up to 2,500 ANSI lumens brightness, and in-built 60 W (RMS) Dolby Audio 2.1 speakers; along with a fully-fledged Android TV package, and HDMI 2.0 input. If you're in a space-constrained environment like a studio apartment, this is the one to get; however, get ready to fork out USD $2,100.

Audio-Technica Makes a Big Push into the Game Streaming and Competitive Gaming Audio Segments

Known more for its audiophile-grade headphones, Audio-Technica this CES announced a big push into two distinct markets—the creator market led by game streamers; and the competitive gaming market. For creators and game streamers, the company announced variants of its popular headphones such as the ATH-M50x, with attached 10 mm condenser microphones, turning them into streaming-grade headsets, such as the ATH-M50xSTS (analog) and the ATH-M50xSTS-USB (USB). The company also revealed standalone microphones for streaming sets, in the form of the ATR-2100x-USB, the AT2020USB-X. For the podcasting and radio-show communities, the company launched the AT2040 and AT02020, a set of boom armature-suspended high-grade mics.

Gamers are in for a treat, as Audio-Technica is now firmly into the gaming headset territory, with the ATH-G1 (wired analog) and ATH-G1WL (wireless). Both feature 45 mm high-end drivers from the ATH-M40x, a sound-stage that's tuned for a variety of gaming use-cases, weight reductions wherever possible, to improve extended use, and an in-line volume stock. The wireless version comes with buttons on the earcup, uses a proprietary 2.4 GHz RF wireless tech, and its battery offers 15 hours of use on a full charge. The ATH-G1 is priced at $169, and the ATH-G1WL at $249. The ATH-GDL3 is a wired analog headset for console gaming, with similar 45 mm drivers and a gaming soundstage, but is considerably lighter, and priced at $129.

Audio-Technica Unveils ATH-WB2022 Flagship Wireless Headphones with Wooden Chambers

Premium personal audio solutions maker Audio-Technica at the 2022 International CES showed off its flagship wireless headphones, the ATH-WB2022. This $2,700 pair of ultra-luxury headphones features wired + wireless dual-use mode, a 9-hour wireless playback ability on a full-charge, and the company's most premium 45 mm drivers. A high-end integrated DAC + OPAMP circuit power the headphones in wireless mode. The ATH-WB2022 is technically a headset, and packs a 10 mm condenser microphone. It's most striking aspect has to be its true-wood chamber design that helps produce more natural sounding notes. Positioned as a 60th Anniversary limited-edition product, the ATH-WB2022 could make it to lifestyle catalogs.
Thursday, January 12th 2023

Today's Reviews

Graphics Cards
Headphones
Keyboards
Motherboards
Networking
SSD
Epomaker EP75 Triple Mode Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review

Epomaker EP75 Triple Mode Wireless Mechanical Keyboard Review

Today we look at the Epomaker EP75 that features pretty much everything you can expect in a $150 keyboard including unique keycaps and switches, lubed stabilizers and foam dampening, extensive customization options, plenty of RGB lighting, and even hybrid wireless connectivity. The best part? It costs far less than $150!
NETGEAR Orbi RBK863S Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System Review

NETGEAR Orbi RBK863S Tri-Band WiFi 6 Mesh System Review

NETGEAR has updated its popular Orbi WiFi 6 mesh systems with the all-new RBK860 series that gets several new features compared to the previous generation. Today we examine the triple pack RBK863S that uses one router and two satellites to provide excellent and secure performance across a long operating range.

EK Announces Direct Die Cooling for Intel 12th and 13th Gen Core Processors

EK, the premium liquid cooling hardware manufacturer, is launching the Direct Die product series aimed at delidding and achieving the ultimate cooling of the LGA 1700 socket-based Intel CPUs from the 12th generation Alder Lake and 13th gen Raptor Lake families. Kitguru teamed up with EK to investigate the potential benefits of direct die cooling for Intel's Alder Lake CPUs to achieve the best possible thermal performance on a daily basis. After publishing the first video announcing this collaboration, EK was overwhelmed by the response from Kitguru's audience. In order to bring these products to market, EK reached out to Der8auer, a renowned expert in delidding and direct die applications.

EK has prepared a total of four products to start this Direct Die series: two CPU water blocks (one Limited Edition), a delidding tool, and an upgrade kit for existing EK-Quantum Vector² LGA1700 water blocks. So far, these products are aimed at Intel's LGA1700 socket and 12th and 13th-generation Intel Core CPUs. Delidding is the process of removing the integrated heatspreader (IHS) to reduce the distance between the CPU core die and the coldplate of the CPU cooler. Another benefit involves the removal of an entire layer of thermal transfer from the CPU die to the IHS. The delidding process enables a direct heat transfer from the CPU core to the water block. All this results in a significant reduction in overall thermals and less thermal difference between CPU cores. The procedure is typically performed by experienced enthusiasts because it involves a physical modification of the product that voids the CPU warranty. For a more in-depth explanation, please refer to this EK's blog post on delidding.

MSI Launches the Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless Gaming Mouse

MSI, a leading global computer brand for gamers, has announced 2 new additions in the lightweight gaming mouse series—Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless and Clutch GM31 Lightweight (wired version). As the successor of the award-winning Clutch GM41 Lightweight Wireless, the Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless is a better fit for gamers with small to medium-sized hands. The Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless is packed with a ton of features including state-of-the-art low latency wireless technology, up to 110 hours of battery life, a charging dock, and other various features that provide performance boosts to your gameplay.

Lightweight, Small, yet Ergonomic
Utilizing the same lightweight plastic material as its predecessor, the Clutch GM31 Lightweight Wireless weighs in at an ultra-light 73 g. This results in rapid yet effortless movement, delivering outstanding gameplay with each move. The small ergonomic chassis makes the mouse a better choice for gamers with small to medium-sized hands and provides excellent comfort in most grip styles. It also features gaming grade 100% pure PTFE mouse skates which have a single-directional surface texture and double-cut edges that make each move faster and more precise.

Synology Unveils DiskStation DS723+, a Capable Storage Device with a Small Footprint

Synology today announced the new 2-bay Synology DiskStation DS723+, the smallest expandable option in its lineup of all-in-one solutions for home offices and small businesses. Powered by the versatile Synology DiskStation Manager (DSM) operating system, the DS723+ offers comprehensive solutions to protect and manage business data, easily collaborate on documents, access files remotely, and monitor physical assets, all within a compact desktop format.

"This new unit delivers impressive performance and capability for its size," said Michael Wang, Product Manager at Synology. "With its extremely compact form factor, it will certainly appeal to those that have smaller storage requirements but don't want to give up on the convenience of centralized storage and the possibility to scale in the future."

QNAP Introduces TVS-h874 NAS with 12th Gen Intel Core i9 Sixteen-core, i7 Twelve-core Processor and Intel Core Hybrid Technology

QNAP Systems, Inc., a leading computing, networking, and storage solution innovator, today launched new high-performance TVS-h874 QuTS hero NAS models that incorporate 12th Gen Intel Core i9 sixteen-core, i7 twelve-core multi-thread processors with Intel Core Hybrid Technology for optimal computing performance and smooth multiple virtual machine (VM) operation. Integrating the reliable ZFS-based operating system, PCIe Gen 4 expandability, M.2 NVMe SSD caching, and 2.5GbE/10GbE connectivity, the TVS-h874 assists businesses in building high-performance storage environments for hosting multiple VM, application servers, and running business data backup/restore applications.

"The new TVS-h874 models adopt Intel Core Hybrid Technology, combining Performance-cores and Efficient-cores," said Andy Chuang, Product Manager of QNAP, adding "The Performance Hybrid Architecture intelligently allocates CPU cores to different tasks, thus increasing the performance of the new TVS-h874 models by 3.55 times compared with previous models."

Intel Launches Core i9-13900KS 8P+16E Flagship Processor at $700

Intel today formally launched the Core i9-13900KS "Raptor Lake" flagship desktop processor. At an MSRP of USD $700, the i9-13900KS is positioned a notch above the $590 i9-13900K, which it replaces as the top 13th Gen Core desktop part you can buy. The i9-13900KS features the same 8P+16E core-configuration as the i9-13900K, but at increased clock speeds and power limits. It is the world's first 6 GHz processor, with its maximum boost frequency set at exactly 6.00 GHz, up from 5.80 GHz of the i9-13900K. This is not just a minor +200 MHz speed bump, but backed by increased power-limits, which enable improved multi-threaded boost-frequency spread thanks to the Adaptive Boost Technology carried over from the previous-generation i9-12900KS.

The 8 "Raptor Cove" P-cores of the i9-13900KS are clocked at 3.00 GHz base with up to 6.00 GHz boost, compared to 3.00/5.80 GHz of the i9-13900K, while the E-core frequencies are left untouched at 2.20 GHz base and up to 4.30 GHz boost. The big change here is the processor base power value, which is now set at 150 W, compared to 125 W of the i9-13900K, and while the maximum turbo power value is the same 253 W, Intel has changed the way its power headroom is utilized to support improved boost frequency spread across the P-cores. It seems like Intel hasn't sampled tech publications this processor, and the handful publications that have posted their reviews today using processors sourced from friendly retailers, report increased power-draw, and the need for large aftermarket cooling solutions even at stock frequencies. The i9-13900KS is being offered as an overclocking-friendly chip to those who know what they're doing and can handle extreme cooling solutions.

Corsair RMx Shift Series PSU Reimagines the Modular PSU

It's scary how nobody else thought of this. Imagine a modular PSU whose connectors are not at its tail end, but one of the sides that usually face right side-panel of your case, vastly minimizing cable clutter. That's the new Corsair RMx Shift series. All of the PSU's modular connections, including a 24-pin ATX, a couple of 4+4 pin EPS, a 16-pin 12VHPWR, six-odd 6+2 pin PCIe power, and a dozen SATA power connections, all wire out from the longer right side panel of the PSU (when oriented with its intake fan facing down). In most "cases," this would open up the connectors right below the motherboard tray, from where you can easily access them, without having to wrestle with them as you would on conventional modular PSUs. The RMx Shift includes new Corsair type-5 modular cables, and we expect these to be right angled, so further minimize cable clutter from having to bend these cables against the side-panel of your case. Pictured below are the RM1200x Shift, a 1200 W model with 80 Plus Gold efficiency, and the shorter RM850x Shift, its 850-Watt sibling.

Razer Wolverine V2 Pro Wireless Controller for PlayStation 5 Pictured

At the 2023 International CES, Razer unveiled its latest Wolverine V2 Pro wireless controller for PlayStation 5, an officially licensed aftermarket controller for the console. This is an evolution of the Wolverine V2 the company unveiled in 2021, but designed for PS5 instead of the Xbox, which means you get all of the buttons, triggers, and touchpad of the Sony DualSense controller. The controller features Razer's proprietary HyperSpeed low-latency wireless technology. Among its unique features are the mecha-tactile action buttons with much lower actuation times and 3 million-press endurance; the company's HyperTrigger pull-locks, an 8-way microswitch D-pad, six remappable buttons and and replaceable thumbsticks to match different game genres. At $250, the Wolverine V2 Pro sells at a $50 premium over the new Sony DualSense Edge, but promises superior ergonomics, more game genre-specific configurability, and a lower-latency wireless interface.

ASRock Industrial Releases Upgrades in Industrial Motherboards with 13th Gen Intel Core Processors

ASRock Industrial is pleased to introduce a range of upgrades in industrial motherboards powered by 13th Gen Intel Core Processors (Raptor Lake-S) with up to 24 cores and 32 threads, supporting Intel W680, Q670, and H610 chipsets. Featured as the first DDR5 ATX motherboards, the IMB-1714, IMB-X1714, and IMB-1713 are brand-new selections while encompassing upgraded support for the 12th Gen Intel CPU motherboards lineup through BIOS update. They guarantee computing power with performance hybrid architecture and enhanced AI capabilities, rich IOs and expansions for up to PCIe Gen 5 slots, quad displays 4K@60 Hz, USB 3.2 Gen2x2 (20 Gbit/s), triple Intel 2.5 G LANs, multi-M.2 Key M, ECC memory, TPM 2.0, and more. The 13th Gen Intel CPU motherboards cover comprehensive form factors, including Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX for diverse Edge AIoT applications, such as factory automation, kiosks, digital signage, smart cities, medical, and more.

13th Gen Intel Core Motherboards for Upgraded Performance
The upgraded motherboards feature 13th Gen Intel Core i9/i7/i5/i3 processors (Raptor Lake-S) with performance hybrid architecture, plus up to 24 cores and 32 threads that boost compute-intensive edge performance. They leap up to 1.04x/1.34x/1.25x faster in single-thread/multi-thread/CPU image classification inference performance compared to 12th Gen Intel Core processors. Leveraging its engineered flexibility and power, the new 13th Gen Intel Core motherboards run up to DDR5-5600 memory module for higher bandwidth, and PCIe 5.0 for additional expansion while supporting engaging video and digital signage experiences with Intel UHD Graphics driven by Xe architecture.

SK hynix Obtains Industry's First Validation for 1anm DDR5 DRAM on the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processor

SK hynix Inc. (or "the company", www.skhynix.com) announced today that its DDR5 product for servers using 1anm, the fourth generation of the 10 nm process technology, has been validated on the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor (formerly codenamed Sapphire Rapids) for the first time in the industry. "The validation of the 1anm DDR5 compatibility by Intel for its newest processor that supports DDR5 for the first time is monumental," SK hynix said. "We will seek a fast turnaround in the semiconductor memory industry by actively responding to the growing server market through DDR5, which is already in mass production."

The validation of the company's 1anm DDR5 product, which adopts 1anm technology using the EUV lithography process, is for 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, Intel's latest server CPU launched on January 10th. The 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor has been cited as a key to a turnaround in the industry, given that the launch of a next-generation server CPU requires server replacement and thus, results in a rapid increase in demand for high-performance memory chips. Experts predict that DDR5, expected to meet customers' such needs, will soon become the flagship product in the server DRAM market.

TSMC Announces Fourth Quarter '22 Results

TSMC today announced consolidated revenue of NT$625.53 billion, net income of NT$295.90 billion, and diluted earnings per share of NT$11.41 (US$1.82 per ADR unit) for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2022. Year-over-year, fourth quarter revenue increased 42.8% while net income and diluted EPS both increased 78.0%. Compared to third quarter 2022, fourth quarter results represented a 2.0% increase in revenue and a 5.4% increase in net income. All figures were prepared in accordance with TIFRS on a consolidated basis.

In US dollars, fourth quarter revenue was $19.93 billion, which increased 26.7% year-over-year but decreased 1.5% from the previous quarter. Gross margin for the quarter was 62.2%, operating margin was 52.0%, and net profit margin was 47.3%. In the fourth quarter, shipments of 5-nanometer accounted for 32% of total wafer revenue; 7-nanometer accounted for 22%. Advanced technologies, defined as 7-nanometer and more advanced technologies, accounted for 54% of total wafer revenue.

Samsung Electronics Unveils High-Performance PC SSD That Raises Everyday Computing and Gaming to a New Level

Samsung Electronics today announced production readiness of a high-performance PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, the PM9C1a. Integrated with a new controller based on Samsung's cutting-edge 5-nanometer (nm) process and the company's seventh-generation V-NAND technology, the PM9C1a will provide elevated computing and gaming performance in PCs and laptops.

"Our new PM9C1a SSD will deliver a robust combination of superior performance, greater power efficiency and increased security, which are the qualities that matter most to PC users," said Yong Ho Song, Executive Vice President of Memory Solution Product & Development at Samsung Electronics. "We are committed to creating storage that satisfies the diverse and changing market requirements as we continue to advance innovation in the PC SSD space."

AMD Software Adrenalin 23.1.1 for Radeon RX 7900 series Released

AMD for the past couple of weeks, has been releasing exclusive driver updates for the Radeon RX 7900 series, with which it hopes to iron out some glaring launch-time bugs for these cards. The latest from this driver branch is the Adrenalin 23.1.1 for RX 7900 series (these drivers won't work with older Radeon GPUs, for which drivers are released in the main trunk). AMD promised to release updates for all other GPUs. Version 23.1.1 addresses an intermittent driver timeout issue when applying Auto Overclock performance tuning; a driver timeout or crash may occur when playing "Valheim" with the Vulkan API, which has been fixed. With the latest "Witcher 3: Wild Hunt" update, a crash or driver timeout may occur with ray tracing enabled, which has also been fixed. Performance degradation observed after applying Factory Reset settings, has been fixed.

An AMD employee has confirmed on Reddit that a driver for owners of older graphics cards will be released soon.

DOWNLOAD: AMD Software Adrenalin 23.1.1 for Radeon RX 7900 series

Cooler Master MA826 Stealth and Hyper 662 Halo Dual Fin-Stack Coolers Detailed

At the 2023 International CES, Cooler Master showed off two of its latest premium dual fin-stack (type-D) air CPU coolers, the MasterAir MA826 Stealth, and the Hyper 662 Halo. The MA826 Stealth is, unsurprisingly, the more upmarket of the two, and measures 162.2 mm x 150.6 mm x 165.6 mm (LxWxH). A nickel-plated copper base makes contact with the processor. From here eight 6 mm-thick composite-material "superconductive" heatpipes make their way to two aluminium fin-stacks, which are then ventilated by two Mobius series fans—a 120 mm "push" fan, and a 135 mm conveyor fan located between the two fin-stacks. The two stacks are capped off by a die-cast aluminium top-plate. Both fans feature loop dynamic bearings that are rated for over 200,000 hours operation.

The Hyper 662 Halo leads the company's immensely popular Hyper series that's synonymous with aftermarket CPU cooling. This cooler comes in all-white and all-black trims, and is visibly smaller than the MA826 Stealth. It features the same nickel-plated copper base, but with six heatpipes making their way to the two fin-stacks, and a pair of 120 mm fans handling the ventilation. The fans feature two ARGB LED zones (along the bore of the frame and inside the impeller hub), which is where the Holo name derives from. Both coolers support the latest CPU socket types, including LGA1700 and AM5.

Philips Introduces New 40-inch Ultrawide PC Monitors

Professionals around the world are undoubtedly setting ambitious goals for the coming twelve months. Seeking to provide users with solutions designed to meet their evolving needs, the Philips monitors portfolio welcomes two all-new models equipped with a rich variety of features that are sure to please: the Philips 40B1U5600 and the Philips 40B1U5601H. Both models offer the easy connectivity of USB-C technology, the superb picture quality of an UltraWide QHD resolution with HDR, the convenience of MultiClient Integrated KVM, and even a headset hook, making them the ideal choice for dynamic professionals who want to make 2023 their most productive year ever.

ENERMAX Introduces a Range of New Products Including its First ATX 3.0 Power Supply at CES 2023

ENERMAX, an industry-leading force dedicated to design extreme performance computer power supplies and cooling solutions, announces a range of new products at CES 2023 designed for the increasing power demands of new graphic cards including its first ATX 3.0 power supply, the Revolution ATX 3.0; and a fully upgraded 80 PLUS Gold certified power supply, the Revolution D.F. 2; the high-performance CPU AIO liquid cooler series, the AQUAFUSION ADV and the next-generation mesh panel gaming PC case with superior ventilation potential, the Marbleshell MS31 & MS21.

Revolution ATX 3.0 series is ENERMAX's first power supply that is fully compatible with Intel ATX 3.0 specification. To prepare for the next-gen graphics cards, the series is designed with one native PCIe Gen 5 12+4 pin 12VHPWR connector with power output up to 600 W, an extra one dual 8 pin to 12+4 pin (12VHPWER) cable will also be included for gamers and creators to install up to 2 of the latest NVIDIA graphics cards to enjoy the most advanced performance.

TEC Makes a User-friendly Comeback as the Cooler Master ML360 Sub-Zero Evo AIO CLC

Cooler Master is working with Intel to bring TEC cooling back to the PC mainstream under an Intel-designed standard. Back in the 2010s, the professional overclocking scene was pervaded with various sub-zero cooling methods including liquid-nitrogen or dry-ice evaporators, refrigerated cooling solutions, and an exotic technology called TEC (thermoelectric couple). A TEC based cooler relies on the Peltier Effect, where high-voltage is passed through a TEC plate that has a cool side, and a hot side. The cool side makes contact with the processor/GPU through a base-plate, whereas the hot side is cooled by a liquid-cooling loop. The net result would be that the cool side ends up considerably bringing down temperatures, sometimes even below 0°C. The only drawback for TEC solutions were the need for liquid cooling (for the hot side), and that the TEC mechanism itself is very power-hungry.

The new MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero Evo AIO implements the Intel Cryo Cooling Technology specification that blends TEC technology with a user-friendly all-in-one, closed loop liquid cooling solution. The TEC contributes to the cooling by bringing down CPU temperatures to low-double digits, while the AIO CLC handles the hot-side of the TEC. This part of the cooler uses Cooler Master's most advanced pump-block, and a 360 mm x 120 mm radiator with a trio of the company's high static-pressure Mobius series fans. The cooler is designed for Intel Socket LGA1700. In the pictures below, you see the ML360 Sub-Zero Evo, with its four key components as per the Intel specification: the radiator, the condensation controller, the block (with the TEC), and the pump.
Wednesday, January 11th 2023
G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6800 CL34 2x 16 GB Review

G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6800 CL34 2x 16 GB Review

G.SKILL is once again pushing the boundaries of high performance memory with the newest generation of DDR5. These new Trident Z5 kits range from 6800 MT/s to 8000 MT/s. Equipped with a 6800 MT/s XMP profile, using modest CL34-42-42-108 timings, G.SKILL is ready for those new Intel Z790 motherboards. Tag along as we check out the G.SKILL Trident Z5 RGB DDR5-6800 and test our hands at some serious high frequency overclocking!
Dream Machines DM7 Switch Duo Review

Dream Machines DM7 Switch Duo Review

The DM7 Switch Duo is one of the few mice not released by ASUS that allows one to conveniently swap the main button switches. Other than that, the ambidextrous DM7 Switch Duo comes with PixArt's PAW3370 sensor, up to 72 hours of battery life, and Kailh GM 8.0 switches by default.

NVIDIA Pairs 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors with H100 GPUs

AI is at the heart of humanity's most transformative innovations—from developing COVID vaccines at unprecedented speeds and diagnosing cancer to powering autonomous vehicles and understanding climate change. Virtually every industry will benefit from adopting AI, but the technology has become more resource intensive as neural networks have increased in complexity. To avoid placing unsustainable demands on electricity generation to run this computing infrastructure, the underlying technology must be as efficient as possible.

Accelerated computing powered by NVIDIA GPUs and the NVIDIA AI platform offer the efficiency that enables data centers to sustainably drive the next generation of breakthroughs. And now, timed with the launch of 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, NVIDIA and its partners have kicked off a new generation of accelerated computing systems that are built for energy-efficient AI. When combined with NVIDIA H100 Tensor Core GPUs, these systems can deliver dramatically higher performance, greater scale and higher efficiency than the prior generation, providing more computation and problem-solving per watt.

Cooler Master ORB-X and DYN-X Detailed: Step Aside Tables and Chairs, Purpose-built Gaming Furniture is Here

Cooler Master thinks that the gaming furniture should just be tables, desks, or chairs with certain gamer-specific functions or comforts, but entirely purpose-built rigs that work to improve immersion. The company over 2022-23 has been on a mission to bridge the gap between the conventional desktop, and a pro-grade simulator, with the 2022 announcement of the ORB-X, and the 2023 unveiling of the DYN-X. The ORB-X is a specialty gaming furniture that combines a desk and seat. You're supposed to install a curved gaming monitor on its top armature that envelopes you when you're seated; while a tray slides out with your input devices. The whole setup barely takes more space in your room than a payphone booth would, but promises hours upon hours of uninterrupted gameplay as you feel like Giger's Space Jockey. The DYN-X is a set of rigging for a DIY race simulator. The first portion of it is a set of stands that can hold on to three curved gaming monitors that you can span a single display-head across, for an immersive motorsport or flight simulator experience. The second portion of it is a race-sim "rollcage" that features race sim input devices.

Memory OEM Datotek Showcases Latest Products: Gen 5 NVMe SSDs and DDR5 Memory

Taiwan-based memory products OEM Datotek has been in business selling flash memory and DRAM products since 2004, with one of its most notable clients being HP. At the 2023 International CES, the company showcased its latest-generation memory products spanning not just HP-branded flash drives, but also flash drives under its own marquee, besides M.2 NVMe and 2.5-inch SATA SSDs; and PC memory spanning DDR5 and DDR4 generations. The company sells various vanilla (JEDEC spec) DDR5 and DDR4 memory modules in both standard U-DIMM and SO-DIMM form-factors. For gamers and enthusiasts, the company has the Ares line of premium DDR5 and DDR4 memory products, which come in overclocked speeds such as DDR5-6000 or DDR4-4000, including with RGB LED illumination.

Among its SSD products are a new PCIe Gen 5 NVMe SSD under the Ares brand, Gen 4 NVMe drives under the Ares Dark Sword brand, and various Gen 3 NVMe SSDs under the main Datotek brand. We also spotted several USB 3.2 portable SSDs, as well as 2.5-inch SATA 6 Gbps ones under the main brand. The idea here is to attract more brands for OEM partnerships the way rival Biwin makes SSD and DRAM products for various top brands (such as HP and Acer).

TYAN Refines Server Performance with 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors

TYAN, an industry-leading server platform design manufacturer and a MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation subsidiary, today introduced 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor-based server platforms highlighting built-in accelerators to improve performance across the fastest-growing workloads in AI, analytics, cloud, storage, and HPC.

"Greater availability of new technology like 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors continue to drive the changes in the business landscape", said Danny Hsu, Vice President of MiTAC Computing Technology Corporation's Server Infrastructure Business Unit. "The advances in TYAN's new portfolio of server platforms with features such as DDR5, PCIe 5.0 and Compute Express Link 1.1 are bringing high levels of compute power within reach from smaller organizations to data centers."

Formovie Exhibits S5 and V10 Portable Home Projectors at CES

Formovie brough its two latest portable laser home projectors to CES. These include the cuboidal S5 laser projector; and the cylindrical V10 4K UHD projector. The V10 has an Apple HomePod-inspired shape, which actually serves a function. Besides being a portable projector, the V10 packs an omnidirectional 2.1 speaker system not unlike the HomePod. It measures 200 mm x 200 mm x 210 mm (WxDxH), weighing about 3.8 kg.

The V10 offers a 4K Ultra HD native resolution, and uses an LED light-source with up to 2,500 ANSI lumens maximum brightness, and a 1.27:1 throw-ratio. The V10 is suitable for screen-sizes ranging between 60-inch to 150-inch, and has automatic keystone adjustments. The projector supports dual-band WiFi and a smart TV OS. Besides it, inputs include HDMI 2.1 with analog output, and you get two USB 3.1 ports for mass-storage devices.

Sheetak Announces Product Line Expansion with CENTUM C3 Multi-Stage Cooler Based on Novel Patented Thermoelectric Device Structures

Sheetak is expanding their flagship CENTUM product line, based on newly patented thermoelectric device structures, that offer the highest temperature difference with significant increases to cooling power and COP. These new trailblazing CENTUM C3 chips are now available for sample orders. High-volume manufacturing will start in Q2 2023 at Sheetak's Austin facility.

CENTUM C3 chips have been characterized, using standard thermoelectric testing methods, and demonstrate significant increases in maximum temperature differentials, cooling power, and efficiency (COP). The new chips attain temperature differentials more than 115°C for 2-stage coolers with hot-side at 50°C, and more than 160°C for 4-stage devices. The performance and cost metrics are unchallenged by other commercially available products.

AIC Introduces Server Systems Powered By 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors

AIC Inc., (from now on referred to as"AIC"), a leading provider in enterprise storage and server solutions, today unveiled its new server systems powered by 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors (formerly codenamed Sapphire Rapids). The new server platforms are designed to accelerate performance across the most in-demand workloads that businesses rely on including enterprise, storage, AI and HPC.

The newly launched AIC servers, SB102-HK, SB201-HK and HP202-KT, are designed to offer superior processing performance and energy efficiency by leveraging the innovative features of 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors. With built-in accelerators, the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors optimize the utilization of CPU core resources and feature enhanced memory bandwidth with DDR5, advanced I/O with PCIe Gen 5 and Compute Express Link (CXL) 2.0/1.1, and the ability to accelerate PyTorch real-time inference performance by up to 10x using Intel Advanced Matrix Extensions (Intel AMX) compared to the previous generation. The new AIC servers are empowered by advanced security technologies from 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, allowing them to protect data and unlock new opportunities for business collaborations.

Inspur Announces G7 Server Platform Supports the Latest 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors

Inspur Information, a leading IT infrastructure solutions provider, announced that its G7 server platform fully supports 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable Processors. The 16 servers making up the brand-new lineup are industry-leading in terms of performance, openness, intelligent operation & maintenance, and sustainability. Compared with the previous generation of Intel-based products, these servers have 61% higher performance and up to 30% higher computing performance per unit of power consumption. The server platform is designed to be deployed in general-purpose computing, critical computing, AI, and other application scenarios.

Inspur Information's brand-new G7 platform was designed with green technology, open-source solutions, security, and intelligence as priorities. It is an industry-leading example of system design, energy efficiency, and operation & maintenance management. G7 servers support diversified computing, with the most comprehensive product lineup in the industry. With a focus on green energy, this product line supports cold plate and immersion cooling schemes, and has unique cooling designs such as T-shaped radiator and advance heat detection with intelligent regulation, which all work together to reduce energy consumption by up to 30%. The new series also supports cloud operation and maintenance for intelligent fault diagnosis with an accuracy rate up to 95%.

MSI Shows off its QD-OLED Displays at CES

Back at Computex 2022, MSI first announced the MEG 342C QD-OLED display, which finally appears to be ready to hit retail, as the company was showing off it, alongside its upcoming MEG 491C QD-OLED display, which was teased back in November. MSI revealed some additional details of the 34-inch MEG 342C QD-OLED, beyond the fact that it's using a curved 1800R, 3440 x 1440 resolution panel with a 175 Hz refresh rate. As such, we now know the monitor has an unspecified DisplayPort input, a pair of HDMI 2.1 inputs, a USB Type-C input with DP Alt mode support and 65 W USB Power Delivery support, as well as a USB-B upstreams port and four USB-A downstreams ports. MSI has also kitted out the monitor with OLED Care, which the company claims reduces image sticking and burn-in. Other features include a built in KVM, PBP and PIP support as well as a VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 certification, although the monitor has a peak brightness of 1000 nits. The MEG 342C QD-OLED is said to have an MSRP of around US$800.

The MEG 491C QD-OLED appears to be based on the same QD-OLED panel as Samsung's OLED G9. The model on display at CES was apparently non functional, which suggests that we might have to wait another six months before it becomes available, if the MEG 342C QD-OLED is anything to go by. The monitor sports the same 1800R curvature as the Samsung OLED G9 and obviously has the same 5120 x 1440 resolution and 240 Hz refresh rate. MSI didn't share much else in terms of specifications, so we're going to have to wait for the actual launch to find out more, including what will probably be a prohibitively high price tag.

iBuyPower Trace Gaming Case and Peripherals at CES Hands On

At the 2023 International CES, the lifestyle PC case brand HYTE shared its booth with its parent brand iBuyPower, a leading prebuilt gaming PC vendor, which showed off a premium mid-tower case under its own marquee rather than under HYTE. The new iBuyPower Trace 7 Mesh can be purchased as a standalone case, or you can buy prebuilt gaming desktops featuring it. The ATX mid-tower features a conventional horizontally-partitioned layout with an airy mesh front-panel. The case is tested to support many of the newer-generation graphics cards with 3+ slot thickness and 16-18 cm height. Among the fan-vents included with the case are three 120 mm along the front, with room for a 360 mm radiator, two 120 mm top exhausts that can hold onto a 240 mm radiator, and a 120 mm rear exhaust.

Among the two new gaming peripherals released by iBuyPower are the Chimera K7 gaming keyboard, and the Chimera M7 gaming mouse. The two will be part of the Chimera KM7 combo, which can be added to your iBuyPower build, or sold piecemeal. The Chimera K7 is a membrane-type gaming keyboard with 24 RGB lighting zones that can be controlled via the HYTE Nexus software; while the Chimera M7 is a palm grip-optimized pseudo-ambidextrous wired mouse with an RGB diffuser that makes up the top grip. The HYTE Nexus software is used for fine-tuning the performance and lighting of this mouse.

Level Up Ethernet Connectivity with NEXCOM's New High-Performance Network Appliance

NEXCOM, a leading supplier of network appliances, launched a new platform based on the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processor - the NSA 7160. This high-performance 2U rackmount is a long-awaited enhancement of NEXCOM's well-established cyber security product line. NSA 7160 is equipped with the latest Intel technologies, featuring eight PCIe Gen5 extension slots for LAN modules, built-in accelerators, CXL1.1 and supports installation of RunBMC module & full-height full-length (FHFL) card.

NEXCOM's NSA 7160 is intended for network security and 5G network applications, with cutting-edge features like multi-core computing performance, high memory capacity, high-speed I/O interface, and improved Intel QuickAssist Technology (Intel QAT) hardware acceleration for both enterprise and telecommunication applications. By leveraging 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable processors, NSA 7160 accelerates performance across the fastest-growing workloads and delivers value across multiple applications.

Lenovo Unveils Next Generation of Intel-Based Smart Infrastructure Solutions to Accelerate IT Modernization

Today, Lenovo unveiled 25 new ThinkSystem and ThinkAgile server and hyperconverged solutions powered by Intel's 4th Generation Xeon Scalable Processors as part of its recently announced Infrastructure Solutions V3 portfolio. Designed to help accelerate global IT modernization for organizations of all sizes, the integrated solutions deliver advanced performance, efficiency and management capabilities specifically optimized for complex workloads, including mission-critical, AI, HPC and containerized applications.

"In today's competitive business climate, modern infrastructure solutions that generate faster insights and more efficiently enable complex workloads from the edge to the cloud are critical across every major industry," said Kamran Amini, Vice President and General Manager of Server & Storage, Lenovo Infrastructure Solutions Group. "With the performance and management improvements of the Intel-based ThinkSystem V3 portfolio, customers can reduce their IT footprint by up to three times to achieve greater ROI and more easily transform their infrastructure with one seamless platform designed for today's AI, virtualization, multi-cloud and sustainable computing demands."

HYTE Y40 Up Close: Truly a Next-Gen Case for Next-Gen Hardware

At first glance, the HYTE Y40 may seem like a short and stout Micro-ATX tower, but up close, it's actually an ATX mid-tower that just so happens to look stout, and ready for the latest generation of CPU cooling solutions and 4-odd slot graphics cards. The Y40 retains HYTE's essential design language of making sure the front-left panel seems like a contiguous glasshouse. The case is horizontally partitioned, with the bottom compartment having the PSU- and drive bays, while the upper compartment has a spacious motherboard tray. This is where things get very interesting.

The HYTE Y40 is unconventional in that all the 7 expansion slots of its motherboard tray are half-height (low-profile), while there are four full-height vertical slots, which is where you're supposed to install your graphics card. HYTE includes a PCI-Express 4.0 x16 riser with the case. All other expansion cards need to be half-height. Most aftermarket non-graphics add-on cards these days, such as WLAN cards, 10 GbE cards, USB/Thunderbolt cards, or even some sound cards, are half-height and include low-profile brackets anyway. The case is much longer than the motherboard tray itself, which opens up room for a 280 mm radiator mount along the plane of the motherboard tray. The Y40 offers clearance for graphics cards up to 4 slots thick, up to 94 mm tall, and up to 42.2 cm in length (the ASUS ROG Strix RTX 4090 should fit). There's also room for CPU coolers up to 18.3 cm in height.

innocn Shows Off Mini-LED, Fast IPS, and Curved OLED Gaming Monitors at CES

New entrant innocn showed off five new gaming monitors at the 2023 International CES, of various shapes and sizes, and with various display panel technologies. The 27B8U is a stunning, no-nonsense, 27-inch planar monitor with 4K Ultra HD (3840 x 2160 pixels) resolution, standard 60 Hz refresh rate, and 0.03 ms response time from its OLED panel. The 32A6U is another planar beauty, albeit larger at 31.5-inch panel size. It features an IPS panel with mini-LED backlighting, and 2,304 local dimming zones. This one, too, has a 60 Hz refresh-rate. The S48A8V-S is a 48-inch "large-format" gaming monitor with an OLED planar panel that has 4K Ultra HD resolution, 138 Hz refresh-rate, and 0.03 ms response time.

Things get interesting with the company's curved gaming monitors, starting with the 45E3R, a 44.5-inch curved super-ultrawide monitor with 32:9 aspect ratio for the VA panel that has a native resolution of 5120 x 1440 pixels, 1500R curvature, and 120 Hz refresh-rate. The 34E7R has a more conservative 21:9 aspect ratio on its 34-inch, 1500R curved panel, but a much faster VA panel with mini-LED illumination that offers 2,304 LDZs, and 165 Hz refresh-rate. The 34E9R is the most advanced curved gaming monitor from the lot, with a 34-inch 1800R-curved OLED panel, 3440 x 1440 pixels resolution, 175 Hz refresh-rate, and 0.03 ms response time.

HYTE Unleashes the Potential of its Unique Y60 Case Design with Touchscreens and Distro Plates

HYTE started out as a DIY retail channel brand for the unique case and peripheral designs of gaming PC builder iBuyPower, but has grown into a unique brand on its own. Their most iconic product, the Y60 case, stands out for its "corner plot" design, where the front-left corner of the case has been carved out into a corner-facing side. In most trims of the Y60, this would be a tempered glass panel; and some of the newer themed variants, this is an additional surface for air—either decals or stained-glass/prints. At the 2023 International CES, the company unlocked two unique uses for this corner panel.

The first of these is a touchscreen that spans the entire height of the panel, and connects to your graphics card like any other display, and takes up a USB header for the touch input. The possibilities for this screen are endless—scroll through Windows 11 Start widgets, use a hardware monitoring app, as a game HUD, or what have you. The second of these is a really groovy distro-plate + pump device designed by iBuyPower. You no longer need to cover the entire front-panel with one of these, can they can take up the corner panel. The coolant ports of the plate are optimally located for builds using this case. The company even designed HYTE branded fittings to go with these.

Team Group Announces JEDEC-standard DDR5-6400 Memory with Client Clock Drivers

World-leading memory brand, Team Group, has announced new breakthroughs in the Team Group ELITE U-DIMM DDR5 Standard Memory. To ensure compatibility with next-generation platforms, Team Group has pioneered the first high-performance 6400 MHz spec per JEDEC definitions for consumers to enjoy upgraded performances with ease in the DDR5 generation.

To ensure a stable performance of 6400 MHz and above of the DDR5, Team Group has adopted the new CKD (client clock driver) components designed to strengthen, buffer, and steadily output high-frequency signals from the CPU to DDR5 memory kits, effectively ensuring high frequencies while supporting reliable high-speed transmissions. Team Group is dedicated to R&D and working simultaneously with motherboard manufacturers for rigorous compatibility testing, offering high-quality and highly compatible memory products for desktops and laptops to consumers around the world, fulfilling user demands for PC, laptops, or other small systems.

Wizmax Micronics PC Cooling at CES: MA Frigate and MA Falcon CPU Coolers, Warp Shield Heatsinks

Wizmax by Micronics introduced a handful new CPU coolers and purpose-build heatsinks at the 2023 International CES. The CPU cooler lineup is led by the MA Frigate series. The MA4 Frigate, a thick single aluminium fin-stack tower-type cooler. Five 6 mm-thick copper heatpipes make direct contact with the CPU at the base, conveying heat through a thick aluminium fin-stack, which is ventilated by a custom-design 130 mm fan. With this fan in place, the cooler measures 132 mm x 95 mm x 156.4 mm (WxDxH), weighing 990 g. The fan turns at speeds of up to 1,500 RPM, pushing up to 71.7 CFM of airflow at 1.9 mm H₂O static-pressure. The MA4 Frigate is rated for handling thermal loads of up to 210 W.

The Wizmax MA6 Frigate is the larger sibling, with a type-D dual fin-stack design. Six 6 mm-thick nickel-plated copper heatpipes make indirect contact with the CPU through a copper base, conveying heat to two fin-stacks, which are ventilated by a pair of 140 mm fans in push-pull arrangement. One-third of the fins in the two fin-stacks are made of copper, and the rest aluminium. Each of the two 140 mm fans turns at speeds of up to 1,500 RPM, pushing up to 83 CFM of airflow at 2.2 mm H₂O. With the fans in place, the cooler measures 146 mm x 165 mm x 165 mm (WxDxH), weighing 1.6 kg. The MA6 Frigate is rated for 250 W thermal loads. Both coolers support the latest CPU socket types, including AM5 and LGA1700.

Wizmax Micronics New 2023 Power Supplies at CES: Amped Up for ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen 5

Wizmax by Micronics showed off four new PSU lines at the 2023 International CES. At the top of the stack is the Astro II Gold, a monstrous high-end PSU with 1650 W continuous output, 80 Plus Gold switching efficiency, ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen 5 standards compliance, and a patented digital-VRM voltage controller by Micronics. Other internal features include DC-to-DC switching a 135 mm fluid-dynamic bearing fan Zero RPM mode up to a certain electrical load, and fully-modular connectivity that includes two 16-pin ATX 12VHPWR connectors with 600 W continuous output each, twelve 6+2 pin PCIe power, two 4+4 pin EPS, and fourteen SATA power connectors.

The Astro II Platinum is technically positioned a notch below the Astro II Gold 1650 W, but is more efficient. The Astro II Platinum comes in 1300 W, 1000 W, and 850 W variants. The 1300 W variant offers two 16-pin 12VHPWR connectors (each 600 W), while the 1000 W and 850 W ones offer one such 16-pin connector. The three get their names from the 80 Plus Platinum switching efficiency on offer, besides a feature-packed AC receptacle with Surge 4K and ESD 15K tolerance, and fluid-dynamic bearing fans with zero RPM up to a certain load.

An Introduction to Wizmax, a New Gaming PC Hardware Brand Storming the Gates of CES

Wizmax is a brand that came out of nowhere, with a strong presence at the 2023 International CES, debuting several new DIY gaming PC products, spanning cases, CPU coolers, case fans, peripherals, and power supplies. Wizmax is making inroads to western markets, and has its origins in South Korea, where it was started as a DIY channel brand by electronics OEM giant Micronics, which has been in business since 1996. While it works to set up a more organized distribution network, Wizmax is selling through a brand store on Amazon, with their lineup currently focused on gaming peripherals.

EK Pro Releases 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPU Water Blocks

EK, the leading liquid cooling gear manufacturer, is announcing the availability of two high-performance liquid cooling solutions for the Intel "Sapphire Rapids" processor family. These single-socket LGA4677 water blocks are specifically designed to cool the 4th Gen Intel Xeon Scalable CPUs that are optimized for advanced workstation professionals and go up to 60 cores.

EK is quite experienced with demanding needs of heavily threaded, I/O intensive workloads across the industries like Architecture, Engineering and Construction, Media and Entertainment, and Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. This enabled them to create the EK-Pro CPU WB 4677, a water block designed to provide sufficient thermal headroom to maximize the performance benefits of Intel Turbo Boost Technology while maintaining healthy processor operating temperatures. EK aimed to create a liquid cooling solution that enables customers to operate at peak performance unrestricted by any thermals.

be quiet! Launches Dark Power 13 ATX 3.0 Power Supplies

be quiet!, market leader for PC power supplies in Germany since 2007, introduces its first full ATX 3.0 compatible power supply series: Dark Power 13. Consisting of three models with 750, 850, and 1000 watts, Dark Power 13 directly replaces its predecessor Dark Power 12. All models offer full ATX 3.0 compatibility for next-gen graphics card compatibility and an improved frameless Silent Wings 135 mm fan, while retaining the extraordinary 80 PLUS Titanium efficiency and performance. Enthusiasts can rely on an Overclocking Key, which combines the four 12 V rails into one with higher power output, ideal for overclocked processors or graphics cards.

Dark Power 13 includes full support for the ATX 3.0 standard, which observes the power specifications defined by PCI Express 5.0. Compared to ATX 2.X, which supports high load peaks but does not define a maximum above the nominal power of the power supply, ATX 3.0 defines clear target values - specifically, the PCIe connection for the graphics card must allow load changes of up to three times the power consumption. Dark Power 13 is designed to handle these extreme transient loads with ease. ATX 3.0 power supplies with 450 watts or more also require a new 12VHPWR connector, which is able to deliver significantly more power. All Dark Power 13 models support up to 600 watts of power on the 12VHPWR connector, while still offering four "traditional" PCIe 6+2 connectors for full graphics card compatibility.

Lian Li Announces Uni Fan SL Infinity 140: Bigger and More Hypnotic

LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of chassis and PC accessories, adds the 140 mm format to the UNI FAN SL INFINITY series. The SL INFINITY 140 offers the same limitless lighting style with an infinity mirror at the front and sides, and thin angular RGB strips at the front and rear. The SL INFINITY 140 delivers much-improved airflow with a maximum of 72.7 CFM, 2.88 mm H2O of air pressure; noise levels reaching only 28 dBA while running at 1600 RPM, or completely inaudible at 0 RPM with the Start/Stop function in L-Connect 3. The SL INFINITY 140 is fully compatible with the SL INFINITY controller hub, giving users the flexibility of using different combinations of daisy-chained clusters of 120 mm or 140 mm fans in their build. Similar to the 120, it comes equipped with the improved connecting mechanism of removable interlocking keys and a multidirectional power module cable.

The SL INFINITY 140 features 40 LEDs which are dispersed perfectly to provide continuous lighting at the fan blades and around the LIAN LI medallion in the back. The front fan axis offers a glimpse into the first infinity mirror ring which has been carefully designed to create a deep, hypnotic infinity effect with 0.5 mm between each layer of light. The second infinity mirror is surrounded by an aluminium trim located on both sides of the frame. With the L-Connect 3, users can decide between preset light effects or combine center and side light strips for a customized look.
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Jan 15th, 2023 22:56 EET change timezone

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