Tech News December 2004

 

3R Systems Poseidon WCL-03 120cu WaterCooling Kit @ SystemCooling
SystemCooling :: Saturday, December 25, 2004

“Ever since I got my first water cooling kit I have been hooked on it, air cooling is just no longer an option for me. Today I will be looking at a kit that will be familiar to those of you who have been browsing around this page for awhile. The Poseidon WCL-03 120Cu water cooling kit is much like the 3R Systems Poseidon Water Cooling system reviewed here a few months back, except for one very important feature, this cooler uses a 120mm fan to cool the radiator. This system comes completely assembled and filled with coolant, which should really make the installation a lot easier, but will ease of assembly and good performance go hand-in-hand? Let’s find out.”

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Thermaltake Water Cooling Accessories Review @ OCCafe
Overclocker Café :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“The BigWater accessories live up to Thermaltake’s name in both form and function. The Refill Water Tank (reservoir) allows you to more easily bleed a system while giving you the ability to monitor water levels at a glance. The Flow Meter also adds ‘at a glance’ functionality to your system allowing you to ensure fluid is moving without staring in search of movement within your lines.”

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Mushkin PC2-5300 vs. Corsair PC2-5400 review @ MetkuMods
MetkuMods :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“With the latest chipsets there have been many new terms and technologies introduced to the public. In system memory this meant the introduction of DDR2 memory modules. With lower voltage requirements, 4-bit prefetch and enchanced registers the DDR2 is a step forward in terms of technology.”

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Ultra X-Connect 500W ATX Power Supply @ The Crucible
The Crucible :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“With a price of only $120 Canadian the X-Connect comes out shining, and not just because of it’s mirrored finish. With it’s good looks, stable voltages, quiet fans and modular design the X-Connect encompasses everything we could want in a quality power supply. ”

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OCZ ModStream Power Supply Roundup @ CoolTechZone
CoolTechZone :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“There is a new trend that recently emerged in the world of power supplies, the wireless trend. Yes, the industry is moving towards reducing the unnecessary wires from the power supplies to better assist in system aesthetics and overall heat dissipation. Personally, this is one of the impressive, long awaited changes that have happened to power supplies in a long time. Agreeably, the power of the units increased and manufacturers paid close attention to noise, thermal and exterior aspects, but the annoying wires were left untouched. Thankfully, the power supply manufacturers have introduced something that will leave many users delighted. The modular design of the power supply allows you to disconnect/connect the leads according to system requirements. For example, if you only need four molex connectors, you can simply leave the additional connectors in its original packaging, in return, reducing the wire clutter inside the system.”

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SilverStone TJ05 Case Review @ PCmoddingmy
PC Modding Malaysia :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“Overall, the TJ05 case is a great looking case with great performance. Being quite a big in size, it gave me a lot of room to work with along with the added weight. With the ability to support up to 5 case fans, the TJ05 provided exceptional ventilation but the bundled 120mm fans already did the job pretty well on its own. Unfortunately, LAN Party goers may have to leave this case behind due to its big size and heavy weight. Besides the SilverStone TJ05 can easily burn a hole in your pocket because it is more costly than other cases in the market. Considering the looks, performance and features of this case, I would say it’s worth the price you’re paying for it. The integrated Eudemon LCD fan controller and temperature display not only looks cool but it has great features too. Forget getting your tool box and get the TJ05 tool-less case instead!”

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A.C.Ryan LAN.Ranger CAT6 Network Cable Review @ Mikhailtech
Mikhailtech :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004
“In a nutshell, the LAN.Ranger is a CAT6 cable with silver EMI shielding beneath a clear shell. The cable also happens to be UV-reactive. For those unaware of CAT6, as the name implies it’s the 6th generation of twisted pair Ethernet cables. CAT5 is still the predominant type and supports Fast Ethernet (100Mbps). Although it usually contains 4 pairs of twisted copper wire, only two are utilized. CAT5 enhanced (CAT5e) supports short range Gigabit Ethernet (1000Mbps) by using all 4 pairs of wires. CAT6 also supports Gigabit Ethernet like CAT5e, but it allows for communications at twice the speed.”

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SunbeamTech Samurai Case @ InsaneTek
InsaneTek :: Wednesday, December 22, 2004

“Many might have heard of Sunbeam’s accessories for the computer but many do not know that they produce computer cases as well. They started in 2000 but have been quiet in the scene since. Sunbeam focuses on innovation in their products and brings a wide variety of mods for those craving a nicely designed case. Today, we’ll be looking at one of the few cases offered by Sunbeam, the Samurai. It might look nice to some, but looks can be very deceiving.”

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Text vs. Voice
Phoronix :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“The invention of what is now called a smart phone marries the functionality of the “texting” of a two-way pager, all the features of a cell phone and the IM and email capabilities of a computer. I do not have one of these devices yet, and personally, I switch from voice to text all day. I like text better than voice, but it seems like more and more with technology advancing the way it does in our age, that it will not be a logic option to communicate via text. Voice will eventually become the only option, especially once it is married with video in a portable way. I am sure a high school kid has no concept of what turning a knob to change a channel is, think of the future when your grandkids will look at you funny and ask, what is a keyboard?”

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Arctic Cooling NV Silencer 5 Video Card Cooler
SystemCooling :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“With today’s video cards, cooling has become as much of a concern as it is with CPU’s. A high-end GPU can approach the heat output of a pretty well-to-do CPU, and have operating temperatures much higher. Video card manufacturers, of course, put enough cooling onboard to keep things safe, but that’s about all, and what cooling prowess many stock coolers do possess comes at the expense of considerable noise. Arctic Cooling manufactures a line of GPU coolers designed to combat not only the heat issues, but noise issues as well, and we know from experiencing the original VGA Silencer that they have succeeded in the past on both counts. Today, we’re looking at one of their newest offerings, the NV Silencer 5, and we’ll find out if this new generation of Silencer is as good as the old one.”

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Asetek Black Ice Micro II Radiator Review
Techniz.co.uk :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“At the rear side of the radiator does have the built-in mounting brackets for two 80mm fan. So, you can either install the two 80mm fan on the front side or rear side according to your needs. You can also install four fan where two of them is for air intake and the other two is for exhaust if the radiator is not install to the chassis.”

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Tt Silent LGA775 Cooler Review
Overclocker Café :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“Cooling the Intel’s LGA775 CPU presents quite a challenge due to it’s high operating temperatures, and while the ideal solution would be to use water, not all of us are ready to make the jump, nor are there many, if any, water cooling kits available for this CPU. Thermaltake has jumped into the breech with a solid performer in the Silent 775. I can now place my stock Intel cooler back on the shelf.”

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Micron Rev5B “C” Memory Module Review
Tech ARP :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

” Since the advent of the Winbond BH5 chips about two years ago, no other memory chip has as large a claim to fame as the BH5. Those chips could run at 250MHz (500MHz DDR) at the tightest timings possible – 2-2-2-5!

Nothing else could match its performance… until the new Micron Rev5B “C” modules appeared! Let’s take a look at these amazing modules and why you should grab one today! ”

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Danger Den DDC-12V Water Pump Review
Madshrimps :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“If water cooling is in your blood, Danger Den needs no introduction. If you plan on making the transformation from air to water cooling, Danger Den is a company you may want to get to know better. Today were going to take a look at what may be the smallest 400l/h pump available, the Danger Den DDC-12V.”

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VisionTek XTASY X800 XT
Bjorn3D :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“PCI-Express continues to gain ground over AGP and will even more so once new Athlon64 chipsets (like nForce4) hit the shelves, but PCI-Express is still only really appealing to people who are getting the latest motherboards. Otherwise, there is no compelling reason to switch from AGP to PCI-Express.”

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StreetFire RBX1600
Designtechnica :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“The StreetFire RBX1600 home media device takes management of your music collection in a different direction. Instead of focusing on MP3s and video files, the developers at StreetFire Sound Labs have created a product which uses your PC, home network and a broadband connection to help manage your actual collection of CDs stored in up to four Sony MegaStorage CD changers.”

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Ultra 500W Titanium ATX PSU
ViperLair :: Tuesday, December 21, 2004

“The Ultra 500W Titanium ATX Power Supply may not have a modular cabling system, or flashy fans or windows, or even sleeved cabling for the most part, but it does have an excellent titanium mirror finish and good performance. Voltages are pretty much spot on, its quiet and bottom line it does its job.”

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Caffeine Compendium @ PimpRig
PimpRig :: Sunday, December 19, 2004
Got caffeine?? I know I’m close to worthless without the stuff. It looks like the guys at PimpRig are ready to get us charged up.

“You know it, you love it, and if you are anything like me, you live by it. Caffeine is one of a geek’s best friends and for good reason. I would venture to say that the majority of PC gamers out there have had their fair share of late night gaming sessions fueled by a number of Mountain Dews or, better yet, some Bawls. What some of you may not know is that there are a number of products on the market that packs caffeine into very easy to consume substances.”

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Scythe Kamakiri and FCS-50 CPU Coolers @ Systemcooling
SystemCooling :: Sunday, December 19, 2004

“Scythe has a well-earned reputation for innovative and unique heatsink fan (HSF) designs. In this review we will take an in-depth look at their new Kamakiri cooler along with one of their popular, established products, the FCS-50 CPU cooler. Both the new Kamakiri and older FCS-50 CPU coolers incorporate heat pipe technology to quickly and efficiently transport waste processor heat away from the CPU. Each cooler comes with universal mounting hardware that allows attaching it to either Intel (socket 370/478) or AMD (socket 754/939/940) platforms. The Kamakiri also includes Intel (socket LGA775) support”

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Antec TriCool @ Phoronix
Phoronix :: Sunday, December 19, 2004
The crew at Phoronix has whipped out another fan review and they are not just blowing hot air.

“With the overwhelming demand all of us place on our computers when we overclock them, it’s no wonder why we need to load our cases full of fans. In this review, we have to present the Antec TriCool LED fans, which not only will improve the airflow throughout your system, but also the overall looks of the machine”

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Mikhailtech & A.C.Ryan December 2004 Giveaway @ Mikhailtech
Mikhailtech :: Sunday, December 19, 2004

“There are 2 weeks left in our A.C.Ryan sponsored December 2004 Holiday Giveaway. It’s a guessing game and prizes include a Ryanpower2 CableFREE power supply and a LAN.Ranger”

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Vantec EZ SWAP 2 Removable Hard Disk Drive Rack @ Techniz
Techniz.co.uk :: Sunday, December 19, 2004

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Hardware Roadmaps For 2005
PCStats :: Friday, December 17, 2004
“Wondering what’s in store from the computer industry in 2005? PCstats had a look at some roadmaps from around the web that detail everything from AMD’s move to 90nm SOI manufacturing process on its ‘San Diego’ core, to the dual core Athlon64 FX ‘Toledo’ processors due in late 2005. The Intel and AMD roadmaps also cover the slew of motherboard chipsets to be released in the coming months, along with information on new and upcoming Videocard GPU’s. Each roadmap we looked over covers the anticipated tech releases from now until fourth quarter of 2005… which of course are open to change at any moment…”

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Single Drive and RAID 0 SATA NCQ Performance with Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.7
Bjorn3D :: Friday, December 17, 2004
“One important thing to note about NCQ technology is that it requires not only a drive that supports it but also host-side support, meaning the PC that the drive is connected to must have a controller capable of using NCQ. Today, only Intel’s 915 and 925 platforms have this feature, but AMD fans will have it when motherboards based on NVIDIA’s nForce4 hit the streets.”

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Corsair Flash Voyager USB Flash Drive Review @ Overclocker Cafe
Overclocker Café :: Friday, December 17, 2004

“Now, I didn’t appreciate how fast this was until I benched the SanDisk Micro. The graph below speaks for itself. To be quite honest, I was at a complete loss to explain the incredible difference between the two units. But in the end, whether its quality control, an exceptional random sample versus a so-so one, superior technology or just plain luck, it boils down to the Corsair unit kicked the living crap out of the SanDisk.”

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X-Ray Technology Mouse Pads @ OCIA.net
OCIA :: Friday, December 17, 2004

“Cracking the case (not literally) of the Thunder 8 reveals that it is packaged very well. These guys really take some pride in their product, which I like to see. I hadn’t looked very closely at the Thunder 8 pad online before receiving it, so I was pretty curious to see what the instruction manual was for.”

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Logisys Janus Gaming Case & 500W All Acrylic PSU
SystemCooling :: Friday, December 17, 2004

snip: “With everything said and done, I think Logisys has a nice little case and power supply. There are a few things I’d like to see changed on both items though. First, the case, the rear 120mm exhaust fan grill needs to be changed, something like what the Logisys Dracula Mid-Tower Case would be great. I like the rest of the case just the way it is, nice simple interior that is easy to work with is a big plus in my book. As for the external design, personally, I like it, but everyone has their own likes and dislikes. You’ll have to decide that part for yourself.”

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MSI SLI DBS @ Hexus
Hexus :: Friday, December 17, 2004
“Whilst the performance if an MSI SLI-DBS system may not quite parallel that of NVIDIA’s officially validated platform, the cost savings for running an MSI nForce4 Ultra based DBS SLI system will be significant when compared to an SLI rig based on an nForce4 SLI chipset, and we think that it’s likely to have a very high appeal and will help grow the NVIDIA SLI market.”

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Jetart Xcool NP3000 Portable Notebook Cooler Review Posted!
Tech ARP :: Friday, December 17, 2004

Quote – ” Jetart Technology produces many interesting notebook coolers. Their portable cooler range are made up of the Xcool NP5000, NP4000 and NP3000. We have already reviewed the NP5000 and the NP4000. So, today, we will take an in-depth look at the Jetart Xcool NP3000 portable notebook cooler! ”

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Digital Concepts CompactFlash Card Reader Review
Mikhailtech :: Friday, December 17, 2004

The reader itself is nothing special: a silver plastic case with a good grip and a label up front. It’s a single piece so if you have to get it open for some reason, you’ll have to pry it apart. There’s also a green power LED. The light doesn’t blink or change colors; it remains on as long as the reader has power, regardless of whether a card is inserted and/or is being read from/written to.

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