Hardware Roundup: Friday Edition

Category: Video Cards, Motherboards, Cases, Memory, Operating Systems, Digital Photography/Video, Storage / Hard Drives, Mouse Pad
Posted: February 15, 2008 06:10AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Looking around the web today revealed several video card card articles.  We begin with a look at the ATI Radeon HD 3870 X2 from motherboards.org (also reviewed by OCC HERE).  ATI is certainly back in the game with their new 3800 series of cards, but how does it stack up against the green team?  Bjorn3D  has a look at the factory-overclocked Gigabyte 8800GT TurboForce which features a Zalman after-market cooler.  If you're in the hunt for a new video card, how do you decide which one to get amongst all the ones out there.  Take a moment to read the Sweet 16 Mid-range Graphics Cards Compared article at The Tech Report for more insight.  The 790FX is AMD's latest chipset designed to support their Phenom line of processors.  By now you're most likely aware of the issues the current processors are having with the TLB and the microcode fix available.  Viper Lair evaluates the MSI K9A2 Platinum AMD 790FX Motherboard and has a look at performance and the impact the fix has by toggling the fix on and off.  While AMD is still using DDR2 memory, Intel-based boards are moving towards the faster, yet still pricier, DDR3 format.  The Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1333 2GB Memory Kit from ThinkComputers is one such offering (see the OCC review HERE).  PC Perspective takes the Ultra m998 Mid-Tower ATX Case out for a spin and comes away liking what they saw (OCC review).  For something on the fun side, you can read about the Cyberlink YouCam at OCModShop.  Vitual-Hideout likes the Razer Destructor Gaming Surface (also reviewed by OCC HERE).  Tech ARP has just published its Hard Drive Performance Comparison Guide.  Finally, OCModShop shows us how to Solve File Copy Problems: Tweak Vista's Auto-tuning Network.

Hardware Roundup: Monday Edition

Category: Motherboards, CPU's, Gaming, Input Devices, Speakers/Headphones, Gadgets, CPU Cooling, Mouse Pad, Trade Shows/Conventions
Posted: January 21, 2008 06:27AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Today's roundup kicks off with the BlueAnt X5 Stereo Bluetooth Headset at Legit Reviews.  We have several items for you gamers today.  Performance and control are two features gamers look for in a mousing surface and the SteelSeries SP Pro Gaming Mousepad aims to offer a combination of both.  OCModShop lets us know if it delivers on those promises.  The X-Arcade Tankstick Dual Controller with Trackball from HotHardware might have you reminiscing about the all the quarters you spent at the arcade (see the OCC review here).  Not every game can be played with a mouse and keyboard and if you're a flight sim fan you need to check out the Saitek X52 Joystick at motherboards.org  (you can also read the OCC review here).  If you're still trying to decide which Intel processor to include in your next upgrade head over to Tech ARP for a look at their Intel Core 2 Performance Comparison Guide.  Much has been written about the current state of AMD's processor lineup and the Phenom vs. Core2 Quad debate so why would AMD offer another entry in the AM2 family?  See what Virtual-Hideout has to say about the AMD Athlon 64 X2 5000+ Black Edition CPU  (don't forget to read the OCC review as well).  TweakTown has the ATI Catalyst 8.1 Analysis - XP & Vista.  Bjorn3D reviews the ASUS Maximus Formula (Non-SE) based on Intel's X38 chipset.  Few enthusiasts ever choose to use a stock CPU cooling solution.  However, choosing the best alternative is always a trade off in price, performance and noise levels.  RBmods looks at the GlacialTech Igloo 5750 Silent CPU Cooler and sees if this dual-fan model is worhty of your consideration.  CES 2008 converage continues with Best of CES 2008 at Techgage.  ThinkComputers also brings us more CES 2008 goodies with Lunch@Piero’s, Cooler Master and Sands Expo.

Razer Unveils Professional Gaming Surface

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: January 9, 2008 10:04AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Razer -

Razer also showcased the Razer Destructor at CES. The Destructor is a gaming-grade surface co-developed with pro-gaming teams. Engineered for optical and laser mice, the Razer Destructor is coated in a highly reactive gunmetal finish. Gaming-grade optical mice can track up to 25% better on the Razer Destructor, and gaming-grade laser mice can track up to 37% better on the Razer Destructor when compared to other gaming-mousing surfaces which are designed specifically for extremely precise movements.  The ultra-wide size (350mm x 280mm) is ideal for continuous, rapid swipes and features a non-slip rubber base for firm grip on smooth surfaces.  The pad also comes with a premium lightweight protective case. The pad is expected to be available January 2008 for US: $39.99; Europe: €39.99.

Hardware Roundup: Monday Edition

Category: Video Cards, Memory, Cooling, Sound Cards, Power Supplies, Mobile, Gaming, Input Devices, Storage / Hard Drives, Mouse Pad
Posted: December 30, 2007 11:20PM
Author: Dale Shuck

The last day of 2007 yields an interesting collection of items from around the web so while you're waiting for the final countdown 'til 2008 have a look at what we found.  There are several guides out there today beginning with the Formatting and Partitioning a Hard Drive at PCSTATS.  Next up is the Sound Card Buying Guide and the NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Overclocking Guide, both from Tech ARP.  Madshrimps has an interview with the president of Razer titled Razer Prez Shares His Thoughts On The Gaming Market.  Moving along to the hardware arena we have the Tuniq Miniplant 950w PSU reviewed by Overclocker Cafe.  For notebook owners looking for additional connectivity options, check out the APIOTEK Laptop Accessory Cards at Motherboards.org.  DDR2 memory is still alive and kicking and currently provides a price advantage over DDR3 modules and TweakTown has the OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 ReaperX HPC 4GB Kit up for review.  While the Reaper series comes with a heatpipe cooling design, your current memory may be in need of some additional cooling help and that's where the Scythe Kama Wing Memory Heatsink reviewed by 3dGameMan comes in.  Speaking of cooling, TweakTown brings us a look at the OCZ Freeze Thermal Interface Material and compares its performance against several other offerings on the market.  Overclocker Cafe has a look at the HIS Radeon HD3850 IceQ3 TurboX and Madshrimps has the Cyber Snipa Tracer Mouse Pad for your reading enjoyment.  In the mobile department, Tech ARP has an overview of the Samsung SGH-D880 Dual SIM Mobile Phone.  The Logitech Wave Keyboard is an ergonomic board designed for extended typing sessions and you can find a review at Motherboards.org.

Tuniq Miniplant 950w PSU @ Overclocker Cafe
APIOTEK Laptop Accessory Cards @ Motherboards.org
Beginners Guides: Formatting and Partitioning a Hard Drive @ PCSTATS
Sound Card Buying Guide @ Tech ARP
OCZ DDR2 PC2-6400 ReaperX HPC 4GB Kit @ TweakTown
Scythe Kama Wing Memory Heatsink @ 3dGameMan
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Overclocking Guide @ Tech ARP
HIS Radeon HD3850 IceQ3 TurboX @ Overclocker Cafe
Cyber Snipa Tracer Mouse Pad @ Madshrimps
Razer Prez Shares His Thoughts On The Gaming Market @ Madshrimps
Samsung SGH-D880 Dual SIM Mobile Phone @ Tech ARP
OCZ Freeze Thermal Interface Material @ TweakTown
Logitech Wave Keyboard @ ThinkComputers.org

Review: SteelSeries S&S Mousepad Review

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: May 18, 2007 08:04AM
Author: Christopher Murphy

HardwareLogic - The Steelseries S&S is an extremely well balanced mouse pad. It’s got the surface area for all but the most demanding gamers, as well as a slick surface making it suitable for both high and low sensitivities. We tried very hard to find something glaringly wrong with this pad, but ultimately couldn’t. The only real gripe we can muster is that the rubber grip might peel off as time goes on, though it showed no signs of doing so during our testing. Retailing for R39.95 USD, the Steelseries S&S costs twice as much as the previously reviewed Steelseries QcK+.

Review: XTracPads Ripper

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: May 11, 2007 04:26AM
Author: Dale Shuck

techPowerUp - The XTracPads Ripper is the smaller brother of the Ripper XXL. The mouse pad series comes in three different sizes, all with a wide aspect ratio. The thin cloth pad is incredibly soft and comfortable, with the under-padding clinging to the table quite nicely. We give a few mice a hurl on the Ripper to see if the unique aspect ratio is just what a gamer needs.

Review: Rantopad Mouse Pads

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: May 1, 2007 02:00PM
Author: Ben Grantham

XSReviews.co.uk - "Rantopads aren’t particularly well-known, in fact this is my first insight into their products. Offering several types for different gamer’s tastes, there is sure to be one that suits your playing style."
XSReviews.co.uk has reviewed three different pads from Rantopad:
- Rantopad P4
- Rantopad Super C4
- Rantopad Mammoth

Review: Ideazon Fragmat

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 26, 2007 06:43PM
Author: Dale Shuck

techPowerUp - The Ideazon Fragmat rounds up the company's offerings with a unique mouse pad, which features a hard plastic surface with a thin but soft underlining. It is also available in multiple themes and is big enough for high and mid sensitivity gamers. We give the pad a test run and let you know if it is something for the crowd of all-round gamers.

Review: XTracPads Zoom

Category: Gaming, Mouse Pad
Posted: April 25, 2007 03:24PM
Author: Ben Grantham

TechPowerUp - The XTracPads Zoom is incredibly thin and lightweight. In fact it is thinner than the pad's own packaging. The Zoom is meant for speed and the low height should make it quite comfortable. We take a few mice for a spin and let you know if the hard surface stays in place and does the job.

Review: 21-Way Mousepad Roundup

Category: Input Devices, Mouse Pad
Posted: April 21, 2007 06:56AM
Author: Christopher Murphy

Madshrimps - In this large roundup we test 21 mousepads from RatPadz, Allsop, Compad, Nuke, Rantopad, Raptor-Gaming, Sharkoon and Steelpad, comparing their gliding performance, characteristics and overall look and feel...When I was offered to test a series of mouse pads I was quite sceptical at first, I had been using the smooth surface area of my desk for several years with an optical mouse and didn’t feel the need to go out and buy a mouse pad. However after only having tested one of the mouse pads I came to realize what I had been missing out on, my mouse responded better in games and applications, took less effort to move around and my overall experience was improved. As time passed by and I swapped mouse pads I noticed that not all are created equal and some do better at certain tasks than others. During a period of over 5 weeks I compared 21 mouse pads while I did AutoCad work, Photoshop manipulations, web browsing, Office work and of course gaming

Review: XTracPads Pro

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 19, 2007 06:47PM
Author: Dale Shuck

techPowerUp - The XTracPads Pro is a specialty mouse pad. The smooth surface and small size coupled with a great sense of accuracy make it perfect for RPG or real time strategy gamers. We take a close look at each of these attributes and its durability to see if it is the pro choice for these type of games.

Review: Steel Series Steelpad Qck Heavy Mouse Pad

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 19, 2007 03:54AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Tweak News - What can I say, it's a mouse pad, a HUGE mouse pad. It does its job and it does it well. Throughout my testing it held up to all the abuse I could throw at it, including a coffee spill, a little dabbing with a cloth and careful wiping it was good as new again. If you like cloth mouse pads and need a lot of room to move your mouse around then I can see no reason why you shouldn't get a SteelPad QcK Heavy.

Review: Flexiglow Cyber Snipa Tracer Mousepad

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 18, 2007 04:45AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Tweaknews - Anyone who is serious about gaming should take a closer look at the Tracer mouse pad. The ultra-slick surface is just the right size and performed great with both a laser and optical mouse. Movements were fast and precise without the mouse overly sliding around and because it's so thin I didn't experience wrist soreness like I have in the past with thicker pads.

Review: Nuke-Z N-2000 Mousepad

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 6, 2007 10:10AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Tech ARP - The Nuke-Z mouse pads come packaged in a black plastic tube, making it look like it houses some radioactive material. The N-2000 has the same logo printed on it. It is thick and features a smooth surface. The pad is constructed exactly like the Nuke-Z Z8 we had the pleasure of testing, thus only differs in size as it is geared toward the high sensitivity gamer. We take our mice for a spin on the N-2000 and let you know if its performance and proportions result in some great gaming performance.

Review: Nuke-Z Z8 Mousepad

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: April 3, 2007 05:00AM
Author: Dale Shuck

techPowerUp - The Nuke-Z mouse pads come packaged in a black plastic tube, making it look like it houses some radioactive material. The Z8 has the same logo printed on it. It it thick and features a smooth surface. The 270g weight and 3.9 mm thickness may not be liked by some and loved by others. We take our mice for a spin on the Z8 and let you know if it makes us glow green with joy.

Review: Rantopad Mammoth

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: March 29, 2007 06:13PM
Author: Dale Shuck

techPowerUp - The Rantopad Mammoth may look somewhat normal at first glance, with its square surface, normal size and black color. This plastic pad is quite different than the traditional variants out there. The bottom features a new anti-skid surface to keep it secure during gaming while the mouse surface is great. The Mammoth is not the biggest pad out there, but it is incredibly thin and offers some mammoth performance.

Review: QPAD XT-R Gaming Mouse Pad

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: March 27, 2007 04:52AM
Author: Dale Shuck

Virtual-Hideout - While I laugh at the marketing hype, and I know I’m never going to do anything more with the metal case, that doesn’t take away from the pad itself. Someone put some real thought into the XT-R. It’s easy to tell the difference between all the mice I have with the Qpad. The many European reviews praising the pad might seem a bit sensationalist, but they don't lie about anything.

Review: Icemat Second Edition

Category: Mouse Pad
Posted: March 16, 2007 05:10AM
Author: Dale Shuck

GideonTech - Over the years, there have been a number of companies that have come out with large and solid material mouse surfaces. Not to be left in the dust, Icemat went back to the drawing board and came up with a second edition of their flagship glass mouse surface, aptly named 'Second Edition'. Now aside from being larger at 10 x 12 inches, it also comes in a variety of colors to compliment your setup.