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Xigmatek Achilles S1284 HDT CPU Cooler
2008-05-07 02:00:00
Xigmatek has really made a name for themselves over the past year thanks to the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology that they have embraced. When Benchmark Reviews originally reviewed the HDT-S1283 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=81 Itemid=62) cooler we were absolutely astonished by the incredible results. Once again, we are the very first to test the newest hardware, and you'll be impressed to know that this product delivers the performance needed by overclockers while fulfilling the enthusiasts wish list for attractive features. Benchmark Reviews introduces the Xigmatek Achilles S1284 HDT CPU Cooler CAC-SXHH4-U02 and tests the performance against the top competitors.
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NZXT Alpha Classical Series Mid-Tower Case
2008-05-06 02:00:00
Fortunately, since the PC Enclosure market is roughly organized into three segments; entry/OEM level, mid-range and performance/enthusiast, all you need to do to begin your case search, is to figure out which segment of the market fits your systems needs and zero your search down to that particular segment. Someone looking to spend between $25.00-$75.00 on their future system's enclosure need not waste their time exploring the expensive performance/enthusiast segment of the market, and so forth. Well, if part of your criteria is that you are on a budget or a first time builder, then usually the place to start is at the entry and budget mid-range levels. Once there, while parusing the current multitude of styles and designs, your eye would almost certainly be caught by the entry-to-mid-range NZXT offering: the ALPHA. The first time you see it, you'll think, I bet that's what Darth Vader's desktop looks like. Today at Benchmark Reviews, we're going to find out if NZXT's l...
More About: Series , Classical , Alpha , Case , Tower

Noctua NH-U12P Heatpipe CPU Cooler
2008-05-03 02:00:00
Noctua has always fascinated me with their cooling solutions. They take the concept of product refinement to a new level, and often times simply tweak key areas of an existing design rather than reinventing the wheel. A perfect example of their research and development is found in the NH-U12P CPU cooler. This new product replaces their older NH-U12F model, and now features a NF-P12 cooling fan. Through the use of four heat-pipe rods configured in a U design, the NH-U12P borrows from the well-established performance record of many top-level coolers. Additionally, Noctua emphasises the complete experience beyond simply cooling the processor, and optimizes their products to operate with very low noise levels.
More About: Cooling , Cooler , Noctua

Samsung SyncMaster 245BW Widescreen LCD Monitor
2008-04-30 02:00:00
We have spent a lot of time at Benchmark Reviews talking about video cards recently - and with good reason. The discrete graphics segment of the market is currently afire with many outstanding price-to-performance options. When we looked at the offerings from the two biggest players, the NVIDIA GeForce 9800 GTX (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=154 Itemid=72) and A (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=147 Itemid=72)TI/AMD HD 3870 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=147 Itemid=72), we saw that game performance even when scaled to high resolution was simply outstanding. This begs the question; why with such low-cost entrance into owning cards capable of high-rez gaming, most users are still running a display of 19 or less? Monitor s are arguably the most important component for users, getting more usage than any other component of a PC. The only reasonable answer would have to be cost, as until recently displays above the 19 mark have been prohibitively expen...
More About: Samsung , Widescreen

Honeywell 22-Inch LCD Monitor MT-SY-HWLM2216
2008-04-25 02:00:00
Honeywell is brand new to the LCD monitor industry, which is why they called upon the expertise of SOYO. After making giant waves in the market with their 24-Inch DYLM24D6 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=93 Itemid=68) ultra-affordable widescreen LCD, SOYO was put to work building an up-scale version with premium features. The end result of their work became the Honeywell Arius product line, which features an integrated webcam, microphone, speakers, and USB ports. The Honeywell Arius MT-SY-HWLM2216 22-Inch WSXGA+ widescreen LCD monitor boasts a quick 2ms response time. Benchmark Reviews has be fortunate enough to test this monitor in our labs, and we find out just how well it performs for hardcore gamers and casual PC users alike.
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Xigmatek Red Scorpion S1283 HDT CPU Cooler
2008-04-23 02:00:00
Inheriting a design from the HDT-S1283 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=81 Itemid=62) it is derived from, Xigmatek's Red Scorpion S1283 offers some additional glamour to the already market-proven cooling solution. With Nickel-plated copper heat-pipe rods and a transparent orange fan with four white LED lights, the Red Scorpion not only performs well but also looks very attractive. Benchmark Reviews has long since been a believer of the excellent performance Heat-pipe Direct Touch coolers have offered, and since the Xigmatek HDT-S1283 has been a fan favorite for almost a year it will be interesting to see how the nickel plating will impact performance.
More About: Cooling , Cooler

Best Thermal Paste Application Methods
2008-04-20 19:15:00
Over the past several months, I have read an unreasonable number of discussion forum posts which offer inaccurate and often times incorrect information. It's not really all that surprising to read poorly conceived information on the Internet, which seems to be a anonymous means of passing off opinion for fact. As a general rule we don't let too many things go untested, and the advice of wanna-be experts is not doing the hardware enthusiast and overclocker community any good. In this article, Benchmark Reviews dispels myth and establishes fact on the topic of proper application of Thermal Interface Material (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=138 Itemid=62).
More About: Featured Articles , Methods , Application , Paste

Kingwin RVT-12025 HDT CPU Cooler
2008-04-15 02:00:00
There are times when Benchmark Reviews will test a product that seems very similar to another that we've already reviewed, with only subtle differences separating them. A much less common occurrence is when we see the exact same product, only wearing a different name. Kingwin is fortunate then to have built their RVT-12025 HDT CPU cooler from an award-winning mold. Designed from the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology created by Zaward, and later incorporated into the award-winning Xigmatek HDT-S1283 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=81 Itemid=62) CPU cooler, the new RVT-12025 is a chip off the old block... a very well established block.
More About: Cooling , Cooler

Thrustmaster RGT Force Feedback Pro Clutch Edition
2008-04-12 20:47:00
If you are in the market for a new steering wheel for your PC racing games, odds are you will be looking to either Logitech or Thrustmaster . Five years ago you would have had quite a few choices to pick from, now you are limited to a handful of models from one of two companies. Today Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at one of those options, the Thrustmaster RGT Force Feedback Pro Clutch Edition . On paper, this new wheel sounds great, but can it deliver when your trying to hold that perfect line through the corners. Let's take a closer look and find out.

OCZ Vendetta 2 HPT CPU Cooler OCZTVEND2
2008-04-08 23:33:00
Computer hardware is an ever-evolving industry, and since Moores law only applies to an exponentially growing transistor count then there should probably be another law for cooling. In the very recent past there have been two major trends which have accelerated the performance potential of CPU cooler. That first development was the use of heat-pipes to directly contact with the CPU surface; which resulted in the Heat-pipe Direct Touch technology. The second development is by no mean a new concept, just new to our industry in specific. For many years now heatsinks have been full of right angles, but very recently companies have begun to recognize the need to disrupt smooth airflow and reduce the laminar skin effect which allows air to travel just above the solid surface. Manufacturers like OCZ have used both of these trends in their new Vendetta 2 CPU cooler. Benchmark Reviews will see how much this effects the overall performance as we test OCZTVEND2 against a large segment of...
More About: Cooling , Cooler

Best CPU Cooler Performance - Q1 2008
2008-04-08 02:00:00
Benchmark Reviews strives to offer the overclocker and hardware enthusiast community solid evidence reflecting the true performance of computer products through rigorous testing and evaluation. We understand that many of our readers have been involved with other community websites for years, and take our test results personally; this was made clear to us when we released our 33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=138 Itemid=1) article. So then after months of planning and preparation, we have worked to achieve the most complete source of test results possible, offering irrefutable test results gathered in a controlled environment. The purpose of this article is to document our findings and declare the best and top-rated CPU coolers available as of Q1 2008 .
More About: Performance , Cooling , Cooler

ASUS Eee 8G PC 8GB SSD Notebook
2008-04-06 21:17:00
ASUS has created a huge wave in the sub-notebook portable Internet device markets with their Eee PC. Sub-notebooks are normally wonderfully exotic looking hardware for delightfully high prices. Well, exotic until one looks at the specs. The MacBook air is a great example - it looks like a killer machine until one looks at the combination of the lackluster specs and a price that makes even the most enthusiastic Mac fan blush. As for portable Internet devices, the Nokia N series is the first that comes to mind. Granted, they are really fantastic machines with excellent screens and software, but I am a bit old school I suppose. I still want a real keyboard. The Nokia N810 is close, but like my HTC TyTN, the keyboard is good for casual data entry and not suitable for long sessions of messaging, IRC or typing out documents or spreadsheets. The Nokia and other portable devices tend to also be pretty light on specifications, unless one is willing to pay the obscene price that OQO wants f...
More About: Laptop , Notebook , Asus

ZOTAC GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB Video Card
2008-04-01 02:00:00
On April 1st, 2008 NVIDIA will officially launch the GeForce 9800 GTX. It's been over sixteen months since the GTX series was last launched, and with such a successful debut of the 8800 GTX back in 2006 there is a lot of skepticism surrounding the new 9800 GTX. Enthusiasts may recall that the last time around NVIDIA launched their new generation of graphic cards with the GTX and GTS models, and later followed up with some mid-range offerings and one slightly faster Ultra . This time around though, the playbook looked a lot different. First came the lower mid-level 9600 GT, and then the ultra-high level though, the playbook looked a lot different. First came the lower mid-level 9600 GT, and then the ultra-high level GeForce 9800 GX2 (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=152 Itemid=1) which utilized two G92 GPU cores. Benchmark Reviews has been fortunate enough to test the performance of ZOTAC's new GeForce 9800 GTX 512MB video card in this article, model ZT-98XES2P-FSP.
More About: Video , Card , Video Card , Geforce

Gigabyte GV-NX98X1GHI-B GeForce 9800 GX2 Video Card
2008-03-26 01:00:00
The GeForce 9800 GX2 features 256 processor cores each independently operating at 1,500 MHz. Counting conservatively (2 flops per processor core), this amounts to an unprecedented 768 gigaflops of raw shading horsepower. In texturing performance, it can filter 76.8 billion pixels per second, or 190% more than the Radeon 3870 X2. In raw specifications across the board, it is vastly improved over its predecessor, the GeForce 8800 Ultra. But with a price of $599-$649, it launches at the same price as the GeForce 8800 GTX. With more than twice the shading power and a vastly improved PureVideo HD engine, the GeForce 9800 GX2 offers peerless 3D performance and great value for money.
More About: Card , Gigabyte , Video Card , Geforce

Mtron Pro 7000 2.5-Inch 16GB SSD SATA7025
2008-03-17 01:00:00
Mtron offers the Pro 7000 SSD as a high performance storage device designed to solve the bottleneck of computing system by traditional hard disk drives. The Pro 7000 SSD can be a drop-in replacement to hard disk drives without any additional software installation. Customers may benefit instantly from the SSD's high random access performance and solve the legacy problem of access time bottlenecks traditional to hard disk drives. Benchmark Reviews tests the performance of the Mtron SATA7025 Solid State Drive to see if it's worth the high purchase price.
More About: Storage , Inch

Introduction to Overclocking Guide for Beginners
2008-03-14 00:00:00
Overclocking is the technique used to increase the speed of a device beyond stock. ‘Stock' is the name given to the default specifications of a device. Once you have altered the device it is no longer considered stock unless it is returned to its initial specifications. Overclocking describes the alteration of clock speed above stock (hence the name overclocking) of any given device, usually RAM and CPUs, but also other components such as GPUs and PCI busses. When a devices clock speed is decreased from stock (or from an overclock), it is called underclocking.
More About: Introduction , Guide , Overclocking , Featured Articles

MemoRight GT MR25.2-064S 2.5-Inch 64GB SATA SSD
2008-03-14 00:00:00
For a little over a year now Benchmark Reviews has anxiously awaited the fabled Solid State Drive that could replace our current list of preferred Hard Disk Drives. Making this wait seem even longer was the fact that HDD manufacturers were constantly improving there product and adding new enhancements to the technology. First there was perpendicular storage, then came fluid bearings, and finally there was the increase in cache buffer DRAM. Performance has always been the hurdle that SSD's have had a tough time clearing, with read and write bandwidth creating the largest obstacles. Response time and reduced power consumption has been the key arguement for owning an SSD, but without the bandwidth throughput to measure up against HDD's they became an expensive niche item. That time has passed. After a long wait, Benchmark Reviews has discovered the MemoRight GT MR25.2-064S 2.5-Inch 64GB SATA SSD Solid State.
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QNAP TS-409 Pro 4-Drive SATA Gigabit NAS
2008-03-12 00:00:00
Times are a little tough right now for many small business owners, so any product that offers to save them money while still performing every function they require is sure to interest many of them. The task of providing an affordable product, that cuts overhead yet still performs up to par is not any easy undertaking. Most small businesses today have at least some level of data storage needs. It may be as simple as storing bookkeeping records, emails and customer contact information, it may involve storing legal documents or patient records, it may involve storing work product such as digital artwork or CAD drawings, or it may even involve hosting the company's retail sales website. The bottom line is that in today's business world it is hard to find a small business that doesn't have some need to store their digital data. This is where the Network Attached Storage servers come in and today Benchmark Reviews will be taking a close look at one of these NAS Servers, the QNAP T...
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Diamond Viper ATI Radeon HD 3870 512MB Video Card
2008-03-11 09:26:00
Benchmark Reviews recently reviewed the ZOTAC 8800GT ZT-88TES2P-FSP (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=38 Itemid=47), NVIDIA's very impressive answer to the HD3800 series. Though the NVIDIA beat ATI/AMD to market, the 8800GT release is a direct result of ATI/AMD's HD 3800 series. Today we'll be looking at one card responsible for the exceptional mid-range offering we are enjoying, the Diamond VIPER 3870PE4512 - ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 PCIE 2.0 512MB GDDR4 Video Card ; ATI/AMD's mid-range card that curiously happens to be their top performing single GPU card.
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Honeywell SecuraDrive 80GB USB 1.8-Inch Pocket Drive
2008-03-10 21:44:00
The Honeywell SecuraDrive portable USB hard drive is perfect for storing MP3 music files, videos files and photos, or for protecting sensitive and private data while on the go. Featuring Password Protection Technology, the SecuraDrive allows the user to allocate part or all of the hard drive's capacity to be public or private, with the private areas only accessible with the proper password, regardless if the SecuraDrive is lost or stolen. Benchmark Reviews tests the 80GB SecuraDrive FM-HWS80U2 for modern-day performance and reliability.
More About: Storage , Inch , Pocket

A-Data Vitesta DDR3-1600X CL7 PC3-12800 RAM
2008-03-07 22:36:00
Benchmark Reviews has amassed the largest collection of DDR3 memory modules anywhere, and we are now ready to showcase the thirteenth product of our High-Speed DDR3 Review Series (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=117 Itemid=67). In this article, we test the performance from A-Data 's Vitesta X series DDR3, and discover if this overclocker-specific system memory is built for the task. Rated for 1600MHz, Benchmark Reviews successfully pushes the AD31600X002GU well beyond its PC3-12800 rating without disturbing the low 7-7-7-20 clock latency.
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33-Way Thermal Interface Material Comparison
2008-03-03 23:30:00
Benchmark Reviews has seen a lot of products made for the purpose of delivering better performance. Some of these products exist for overclockers and enthusiasts, and often times help deliver performance out of otherwise tame hardware. Other products sometimes only deliver the empty marketing claim of improvements. Of all the products we have seen and tested, one particular category always stands out as the culprit for over-hyped promises: Thermal Interface Material (TIM). Of all the heatsink compounds and thermal pastes made and marketed, they must all only concentrate themselves to deliver the simple function of mating the CPU to the cooler with the highest thermal conductivity possible. Of course, some work better than others, and this is exactly what Benchmark Reviews intends to discover. Please join us for a comprehensive testing of 33 different TIM products.
More About: Comparison , Cooling

Mtron MOBI 3000 2.5-Inch 16GB SSD MSD-SATA3025
2008-02-25 00:00:00
Solid State Drives are not for everyone. Similar to the evolution towards DDR3 system memory, a gradual replacement of the Hard Disk Drive (HDD) by the Solid State Drive (SDD) is going to move very slow. The cost of purchase for SSD's is the primary cause, since most drives cost more than an entire computer system. Other factors include the restricted bandwidth available to flash-based SSD's. But what if the price was within reach? What if the data throughput was comparable? This is where Benchmark Reviews comes in to answer the tough questions, as we test the Mtron MOBI 3000 2.5-Inch 16GB SSD MSD-SATA3025.
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ZOTAC GeForce 8800 GT 512MB AMP! HDMI Video Card
2008-02-24 00:00:00
When you think of discrete graphics, your probably don't think low-end. It's very common, as with most things we can buy, for people to immediately shoot for the stars. In the video card world, this usually means discussing only the best money can buy, and this is the start of a bigger mistake. Very recently NVIDIA released their newest addition to the GeForce family: the 9600 GT. While it offers solid performance for the lower mid-range of discrete graphics, NVIDIA's 9th generation of video cards has only one offering thus far. Essentially, the latest is by far not the greatest. Since the remaining heavyweights are soon to be replaced by the upcoming GeForce 9800 GTX and 9800 GX2 in just another month, there seems to be a gaping hole left in the new lineup. This is where the market will continue to cling onto the tried and true mid-range solution: the GeForce 8800 GT. Not so long ago here at Benchmark Reviews, we offered a very unique comparison of the GeForce 8800 Graphics...
More About: Video , Card , Video Card , Geforce , Hdmi

QNAP TS-109 Pro SATA Gigabit NAS
2008-02-20 00:00:00
Network Attached Storage (NAS) is slowly emerging as a single storage unit that could be easily attached to your home or business network, and could be accessed easily over your local area network. Today at Benchmark Reviews we have the QNAP TS-109 Pro Turbo Station All-in-one NAS server. QNAP TS-109 Pro comes with laundry list of features and the ability to expand the storage capabilities through the on-board USB and eSATA ports. Please read on to explore the performance and capabilities of TS-109 Pro as we compare it to the previously tested NAS products from other manufacturers.
More About: Network

OCZ 64GB SATA 2.5" Solid State Drive OCZSSD64GB
2008-02-19 00:00:00
Benchmark Reviews has been hard at work trying to ride the wave of innovation into the next big technology. While Solid State Disks can now finally promise the best of both worlds (speed and capacity), they are still extremely expensive. OCZ is very well known for their drive towards high performance, yet in this article you will see a different side to them with their SSD product line. We have tested and used the new OCZ 64GB SATA Solid State Drive OCZSSD64GB, and we're ready with the results.
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Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 DES X48 DDR3 Motherboard
2008-02-18 00:00:00
Motherboards are at the heart of every computer, and their importance is central to stable system operation. No matter if you are a low-demand office worker who plugs away on letters or spreadsheets or if you are a high-performance hardware enthusiast who demands extreme frame rates from your video games, one component alone will determine your ability: the motherboard. Because everything rides on the system mainboard, it must be based on a solid and dependable foundation. Gigabyte isn't a new name to the industry, and for years now they have offered some of the most reliable and stable motherboard sold. In fact, over the past year there really only seemed to be two realistic options for motherboard manufacturers when you shopped for new hardware; and Gigabyte was one of them. In this article Benchmark Reviews challenges our reigning champion (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=139 Itemid=1) against the Gigabyte GA-X48T-DQ6 Ultra Durable 2 DES motherboard.
More About: Motherboard , Motherboards

SOYO 47-Inch LCD 1080p HDTV MT-SYXRT4791AB
2008-02-12 00:00:00
Don't let anyone have you believe that High Definition Televisions are the future. A more correct statement is that HDTV's are the present, the here and now, and have already been around for a few years. Unfortunately, not everyone is up to speed, and some are going to be very surprised by the changes in store ahead. You see, by the time this article is published there will be exactly one year remaining until D-Day (http://www.dtv.gov/) hits and the transition to an all-digital terrestrial broadcast begins. In past articles Benchmark Reviews gave you specific instructions (index.php?option=com_content task=view id=19 Itemid=1) on how to survive this digital transition, which offered a guide on how to smartly buy your first HDTV. However, in this article we test one of the better alternatives for step-up consumers who want to enjoy full high-definition content without falling into the money pit. Benchmark Reviews has cleared a space atop the entertainment center to inspect th...
More About: Monitor , Inch , Hdtv , Soyo

NZXT Cryo LX Aluminum Notebook Cooler
2008-02-06 00:24:00
Anyone who owns a laptop knows how hot they can get. To help remedy that problem manufacturers are now coming out with some well made and thought out solutions. The NZXT Cryo LX Aluminum Notebook Cooler is touted as the first notebook cooler to feature triple 120mm adjustable fans and a full 3mm aluminum frame. But will it do the job? The NZXT Cryo LX Aluminum Notebook Cooler is one of many new coolers on the market, and Benchmark Reviews tests to see if it sets itself apart from the crowd.
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GeForce 8800 Graphics Performance: GT vs GTS vs GTX
2008-01-25 03:00:00
Despite numerous reviews of every GeForce 8800 graphics card since NVIDIA first launched the series, many consumers are still left without any real information to compare their choices when shopping for their gaming system. Graphics performance is the most importance function of a video card, and Benchmark Reviews offers this comparison of the three most popular GeForce 8800 video card models on the market. Our tests will include benchmarks on the: ZOTAC 8800 GT vs. the FOXCONN 8800 GTS vs. the MSI 8800 GTX.
More About: Performance , Geforce