Fear Not The Command Prompt, File Listings (Windows XP)
PC Mechanic :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Here are a few quick tips you can do from the command prompt in Windows XP (this will actually work in all versions of Windows since 3.1): Getting a listing of every single frickin’ thing on your hard drive in a single text file Command: DIR /S C:\*.* > C:\all.txt This will write a text file of every […]
Gear Up at Techgage City of Heroes Style!
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
NCsoft gave us a whack of stuff to give away to you, our loyal readers, and that’s what we are doing throughout the month. This week, we are offering up some sweet City of Heroes and Villains swag, so fill out the form and enter! Did we mention we have Capes?!
ASUS EN9800GTX 512MB
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
It’s not too often that the fastest single-GPU available is also affordable, but the 9800 GTX is just that. At just over $300, it delivers incredible performance at all resolutions and also turns out to be amazingly overclockable. It’s just too bad that the 8800 GTS 512 is not much slower…
Thecus N1200 Single-Drive NAS
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
The first-ever NAS we took a look at was a dual-bay Thecus N2100. We are returning to those roots today by now taking a look at the single-bay N1200. We were pleased to see that Thecus once again delivered a well-built NAS that’s not only strudy, but packs in numerous useful features as well.
Gigabyte 9600 GT 512MB
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
If on the lookout for a good GPU at a great price, it’s easier than ever. NVIDIA’s 9600 GT packs a punch and retails for well under $200. We are taking Gigabyte’s stock-clocked solution for a spin to see how it stacks up against our other models. And yes, it overclocks like a beast.
Logitech diNovo Mini
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Logitech surprised us at CES with the launch of their diNovo Mini media keyboard, which is not much larger than a cell phone. But despite its size, it packs in the functionality, and is even supported by the Playstation 3. Are we impressed? Let’s just say that once again, Logitech has pulled it off.
Maxtor Shared Storage II 1TB
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
We were so impressed with the Central Axis upgrade for the Shared Storage II at CES that we thought we’d check out the NAS itself prior to the official launch of that software. With 1TB of storage, will the SSII warrant a purchase, with it’s higher price point?
ASUS WL-520gU Wireless Router
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Need a new router but not ready to take the 802.11n plunge? We’re taking a look at a brand-new ASUS model that boasts tried and true 802.11g and offers it at a great price. It lacks in certain ways, but makes up for it in others, such as with the inclusion of a real print server.
ASUS EN8800GTS TOP 512MB
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
NVIDIA’s 9-series might be brand-new, but the 8-series should not be overlooked. Most 8800 GTS 512 cards cost less than the 9800 GTX, and can be easily overclocked to overpower it. In the case of this pre-overclocked ASUS card, the 9800 GTX doesn’t have a fighting chance.
SteelSeries Ikari Laser Mouse
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
SteelSeries feels their competition is doing things wrong, but does that mean they are doing things right? After taking a look at their Ikari laser mouse, we can wholeheartedly say “yes”! The Ikari is catered for gamers, and it shows. Simply put? The Ikari is the best mouse we’ve ever laid our hands on.
Creative: Doing Little to Please Consumers
Techgage :: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Despite Creative being a leader in PC audio, their stature as such is being compromised with newcomers releasing superb offerings. To make matters worse, they’ve just added to the pile by banning modded X-Fi/Audigy drivers, a move that received an outstanding response from the community.
ASUS Eee PC Review
Digital Trends :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“The tiny Asus Eee PC uses a 4 or 8GB solid state hard drive and fits in the palm of your hand. ”
AMD’s Phenom X4 9750 and 9850 Black Edition processors reviewed
Tech Report :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
At last, AMD is shipping two new Phenoms worthy of your attention. The TLB erratum is toast, clock speeds are up, and prices are down. Come see how the Phenom X4 9750 and 9850 Black Edition match up against Intel’s strongest offerings.
Solio H1000 Universal Hybrid Charger Review 
OCIA :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“When it comes to saving money, I am all ears. Throw in some environmental benefits and you are well on your way to a great product. Today I will be taking a look at a product that incorporates both of these features into a single device, the Solio H1000 Universal Hybrid Charger. This portable battery charger draws it energy directly from the sun, thanks to an integrated solar panel and stores this power for up to a full year using an internal 1000mAh lithium ion battery.”
ASUS WL-520GU Wireless Router Review
Think Computers :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“ASUS wowed ThinkComputers in January 2007 within its WL-500W, an pre-802.11n router with USB ports for mass storage devices or a printer. ASUS recently released a 125 Mbps 802.11g router with a USB port for a printer, called the WL-520GU. This router is Vista-ready and features an easily configurable Bandwidth-On-Demand feature for Quality of Service adjustments. ThinkComputers investigates…”
AMD B3 Phenom X4 9850
Hot Hardware :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
AMD has finally gone into full production with a new mask spin of their Phenom processor now dubbed the Phenom X4. The new flagship 2.5GHz Phenom X4 9850 is representative of a new revision of the native quad-core Phenom silicon that resolves the well known TLB errata. Quad-core Phenom X4 processors based on the new B3 revision silicon should be hitting store shelves in the not too distant future. In addition to resolving the TLB bug, AMD is also unveiling some higher clocked Phenoms and tri-core and low-power models too.
We’ve got AMD’s latest and greatest Phenom processor, the Phenom X4 9850, on the test bench and have our findings posted for you all right here.
Corsair VX450W Power Supply Review
Hardware Secrets :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Corsair is a traditional memory manufacturer they gained a lot of respect in the industry with their power supplies – we reviewed HX620W and TX750W and they are terrific products. But how the entry-level series from Corsair, dubbed VX, performs? Today we will take the most inexpensive power supply from Corsair, VX450W, and completely disassemble it and see if it can really deliver its labeled power.”
Vizo Uranus Review
XS Reviews :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Vizo have sent plenty of bits and bobs my way over the last couple of years and one area of products they keep making and keep improving on is their HDD enclosures. Today I have one such product, the Uranus (that’s yur-uh-nus, not…) which has a sleek blue finish. Will it live up to Vizo’s reputation? Let’s find out.”
Antec Mini P180 mATX Case review
Metku Mods :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“The original P180 case was launched already three years ago and has since been replaced by a new and improved P182 model. The P1-series also includes the P190, which is a larger case including same design features as the P180, but it also offers room for EATX-motherboards and dual power supplies. Now the performance 1 series also includes a long awaited mATX-case – say hello to the P180 Mini!”
Rosewill RX81-MP External USB/eSATA 3.5 Review
OCC :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“One thing I would like to point out, is that if you use the eSATA connection, you may have to alter the drive a bit. During testing I could not get the computer to recognize the drive in the BIOS. I tried for hours until something told me to remove the back port shield from the enclosure because it didn’t look like the eSATA cable was going all the way in. As soon as I did this it worked fine. On the RX81-MP enclosure sent to me for testing, the back plate was too thick to allow the cable to go all the way in, and the hole was not big enough to allow it to pass. I tried several eSATA cables and neither worked with the back plate on.”
Cooler Master Aquagate Max Review
i4u :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Today we are checking out one of the first NVIDIA ESA certified liquid cooling systems on the market. The system is called the Cooler Master Aquagate Max.
The only really bad part about this system is that Cooler Master uses simple screw on compression fittings. That means if you ever need to remove the system to change cases you will have to drain the fluid. A few bucks worth of quick connect fittings like Corsair uses in its Nautilus system would have made the Cooler Master Aquagate Max much more user friendly in that respect.”
bgears b-Envi Gaming/HTPC Enclosure Review
Virtual Hideout :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“When I first looked at the b-Envi enclosure, I thought the front panel controls were either hidden or on the side of the bezel. Boy, was I surprised when I flipped through the manual and found out they were touch sensitive; I couldn’t wait to try them out. The buttons work great, and there is even a little beep every time you push them.”
RAID Explained
Techware Labs :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
RAID can be one of the most difficult to understand concepts in computers while at the same time offering the greatest boost in performance for your system. For those seeking an explanation of what raid is, how it works, and which one is right for you, we have created a guide to step you through it in a single page.
Thermaltake Bigwater 760i Water Cooler Review
Legit Reviews :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“For my first venture into water I learned a lot, and the main thing is that it’s not nearly as hard or complicated as I thought. That may be due to the Thermaltake Bigwater 760i kit, but either way the whole process was very easy. It took all of 30 minutes to do the pre-install and fill the system, the long part was the bleeding the air from the system and leak test. I chose to do this out of the case for the fact it was easier to fill the tank and work the bubbles out of the lines. That and the nagging thought of a leak…”
Crucial Ballistix Tracer Red DDR2 4GB PC2-6400 Review 
ASE Labs :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
” Remember that the Tracer series from Crucial is very mature. I even reviewed the original set of black modules last year. These new red modules mark a trend in computing that Crucial is good to follow. The fact of the matter is that people like personalization. I’m guilty of that myself. I know that these modules are hardly better than the normal Ballistix breed, but the fact that it is red and has lights adds something of value to people. Red is my favorite color and I would naturally gravitate to these in a computer I would build. ”
Zalman ZM1000-HP 1000w PSU Review
Driver Heaven :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
Zalman have released several high end units lately and today we will examine the most expensive unit they currently produce, the ZM1000-HP. There are a few things about the ZM1000-HP which make it unique but the most important of them is the cooling system. Zalman have used their expertise with cooling to create a heatpipe system able to keep the powerful 1000w power supply cool and silent at the same time.
Accelero Xtreme 2900 VGA Cooler
Bjorn 3d :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
One positive result with the release of new graphics cards from AMD and NVIDIA is that older models usually drop in price. AMD’s first DirectX 10 card, the HD2900XT might no longer be the fastest card out there but it still packs a lot of punch. While it works well it has two “faults”: the card runs quite hot and the fan is pretty loud. Arctic Cooling has the solution for this problem. The Accelero Xtreme 2900 promises not only to cool the GPU more than 20C lower than the stock cooler but also make the card run much more silent.
OCZ CPU Cooler Roundup
Techgage :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
OCZ is well known for their memory and power supplies, but we thought we’d see just how well their current fleet of CPU coolers held up. We pit the Vendetta, Vendetta 2, Vanquisher and even the old-school Vindicator against our QX6850 to see what each one is made of.
The Problem with the Software Industry
Technibble :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Did you know that Norton Internet Security was once a good piece of software? I even had it myself. There was once a point in time when it was fast and stable and was the internet protection package to have.
So what happened to it? Well, that can be answered with another question. How do you keep on selling the perfect product? How do you get the person who brought Norton Internet Security last year to want to buy the same thing again this year? With new features of course. However, this is also the problem with the software industry.”
OCZ Platinum PC3-12800 2GB Memory Kit Review
Hardware Logic :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Just as DDR2 went through a maturation process, DDR3 is finally beginning to realize its promise. And with kits from the top contenders already pushing the 2GHz barrier, those looking (and who can afford) to make the jump from DDR2 to DDR3 are taking notice. Up to this point, many scoffed at the idea of spending several hundred dollars “upgrading” to a DDR3 based system, and for good reason. DDR2 compatible motherboards based on INTEL’s P35 or NVIDIA’s 680i have, for the most part, served their masters well. Coupled with the retail pricing landslide that’s grabbed hold of DDR2 chips in recent months, yesterday’s builds have clung to life longer than many in the industry could have predicted, or hoped.”
Antec Truepower Quattro TPQ-1000 Review
OCC :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“The Antec Truepower Quattro 1000 watt power supply has earned its stripes, literally. With the racing inspired looks, the ability to start up and run a power hungry system with nary a hiccup speaks volumes about the power supply. If a power supply is struggling with a load, many times you can hear the fans or the water pump changing pitch during operation. I heard none of that with this power supply. In fact I never heard it at all. The ADDA fan used in the Quattro is 80 mm in size and rated at 40dba , 3400RPM and roughly 44CFM. The testing showed the airflow output under load right at 39 to 40CFM, meaning the fan was close to full song at this load level. Not once did I hear the fan spool up and become noisy.”
Zalman ZM360B-APS Power Supply Review
Hardware Secrets :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“Zalman has a complete line of power supplies from 360 W to 1,000 W. We decided to take a look on the simplest model, ZM360B-APS, which costs only around USD 60. Even though it is an entry-level power supply, it features active PFC, a 120-mm fan and two video card power connectors, so things looked pretty spec-wise. But can it really deliver its rated 360 W? Is this a really good product for Average Joe? Let’s see.”
Thermaltake Muse R-Duo RAID Enclosure Review
OCIA :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“There are a number of devices Thermaltake offers that you might not be aware of. For example, last month we reviewed a unique data retrieval product from them, the BlacX hard drive dock, which allows users to easily hot-swap SATA drives from a convenient desktop base unit. Today I have another of Thermaltake’s newer storage solutions for review, the Muse R-Duo RAID.”
Ultra m998 Computer Case Review
RB Mods :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
Most ATX cases on the market nowadays come with a fairly standard set of equipment and have similar layouts. It’s rare that you find a case that offers a variety of unique features. Ultra, makers of a wide range of computer components, has developed a new case, the Ultra m998 Computer Case, which offers a number of unique features. Will the case prove to be a winner? Read on to find out.
Core 2 Quad or Core 2 Extreme?: Which processor is right for me?
Techware Labs :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
With all the releases of processors its nearly impossible to keep track of them and even harder to select the one thats right for you. We take a look at the Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Extreme and explain the differences to help you make a decision between two different examples.
XFX MG-630i-7159 Motherboard
Bjorn 3d :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
In late September 2007, XFX announced the introduction of three new small-form factor motherboards with integrated GeForce® 7 series Graphics. Billed as the “most affordable—and graphically intense—triplets ever delivered”, the boards include the XFX nForce® 630i with GeForce® 7150, nForce® 630i with GeForce® 7100, and nForce® 610i with GeForce® 7050.
All three are microATX form factors with support for a full range of Intel socket 775 CPUs from Celeron to Core 2 Quad. They can each handle up to 4 GB (2 x 2GB) of DDR2 memory. Some of the major differences other than the obvious chipsets include a 1066 MHz Front Side Bus (FSB) and support for 667 MHz DDR2 on the nForce 610i/7050, whereas its more robust siblings (630i/7100 and 630i/7150) both sport a 1333 MHz FSB and native support for 800 MHz DDR2. Additionally, both flavors of the 630i include onboard DVI and HDMI ports for high definition output while the 610i has only a VGA port.
For the purpose of this review, our focus is the “big brother” of these triplets – the XFX nForce® 630i with GeForce® 7150 integrated chipset (MG-0630I-7159). Let’s get started:
Thermaltake BlacX HDD Docking Station
techPowerUp :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
For those users out there that are constantly swapping around parts, Thermaltake introduces the BlacX HDD Docking Station. This USB 2.0 device is a variation of a hard drive enclosure that lets the user plug a bare drive into an opening on top, and then eject the drive with a push of a button. The BlacX is so simple and easy to use, anyone with extra drives laying around should think about picking one of these up.
Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Interface Material
Tweak Town :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
“When you think of Noctua, you generally think of cooling. After all, these folks have been in the business of making cooling solutions for quite some time. Taking this into consideration, it should come as no surprise to see this Austrian company getting involved in the TIM race. After all, what good is a high-end cooler without a quality material to work as an intermediary?
Of course, getting into the middle of a heated market of thermal interface material could prove a challenge. There have been many newcomers hitting the streets with their own special goop and most have sent the vaunted Arctic Silver compound to the curb, so we will need to see if the cooling specialists at Noctua can keep up, or even surpass, the other guys.”
Western Digital’s Caviar SE16 640GB hard drive
Tech Report :: Thursday, April 03, 2008
When Western Digital introduced its GreenPower line with the terabyte Caviar GP last year, we wished aloud that the drive’s new 250GB platters would make their way into a performance-oriented model. The GP wasn’t even particularly slow—in fact, it was the fastest terabyte drive at the time. But by dialing back the GreenPower’s spindle speed to close to 5,400RPM in a bid to improve energy efficiency, WD effectively left some performance on the table. We’ve been waiting to get that performance back ever since.
Unfortunately, it seems Western Digital had no plans to sate our desire for a terabyte Caviar with 250GB platters spinning at a full 7,200RPM. Instead, the company has almost done one better by launching a new batch of 7,200-RPM Caviars that pack an impressive 320GB per platter. These new drives are only available in capacities up to 640GB, so they won’t challenge for the terabyte crown. With prices hovering around $130 for the 640GB model, however, this latest crop of Caviar nails the cost-per-gigabyte sweet spot that most enthusiasts covet.
The question, of course, is how this new Caviar SE16 640GB measures up. Can Western Digital’s new Caviar models match up with Samsung’s best-in-class SpinPoint F1? And with only two platters, does this new SE16’s noise levels and power consumption compete with energy-efficient drives like the Caviar GP? Keep reading to find out.
