Tech News

  • Huge Discounts on be quiet! Anniversary FX Hardware

    Published: Sunday, July 31, 2022 | By: Dennis

    Act fast!  These discounts are only valid until the end of September while supplies last!

    It is hard to believe that it is the 20th anniversary for be quiet!.  It seems like just yesterday I was meeting with them during Computex and excited to hear about another case and cooler brand breaking into the US market.  At the time I knew they had been around for a while but, didn’t realize how established the brand really was.

    For the 20th Anniversary be quiet is launching the FX line of products and consist of the following:

    Discounts of up to $30 USD can be found on the Pure Base 500 FX and Pure Loop 2 FX AIO cooler.  A $13 USD discount can be found on the popular Pure Rock 2 FX if running an AIO isn’t your thing.

    Pure Base 500 FX:
    MSRP: $149.90 USD

    • Based on the acclaimed Pure Base 500DX
    • Four preinstalled be quiet! Light Wings 120mm high-speed fans
    • External and internal ARGB LED lighting
    • ARGB and PWM fan hub included
    • Great air flow
    • USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C
    • Fits radiators up to 360mm
    • Space for high-end GPUs

    Pure Loop 2 FX
    MSRP: $129.90/139.90/154.90 USD depending on configuration

    • Based on Pure Loop, but with new and improved pump that supports PWM control
    • Available with 240mm, 280mm, 360mm radiator and up to 3 Light Wings PWM high-speed fans
    • ARGB illumination on the cooling block replaces white LED ring
    • Easy-to-access refill port with coolant bottle included in scope of delivery

    Pure Rock 2 FX:
    MSRP: $52.90 USD

    • Based on Pure Rock 2 Black
    • Light Wings 120mm PWM high-speed fan replaces Pure Wings 2 fan
    • 150W TDP
    • Four 6mm heat pipes
    • Asymmetrical tower construction to keep memory slots free
    • Easy top mounting
  • Funky Kit Review - Kingston Fury Beast RGB 32GB DDR5-6000 Memory Kit

    Published: Saturday, July 30, 2022 | By: Dennis

    Wait, hold the presses!  What the heck is this??  Kingston actually making "good" memory??  First, we have Micron abandoning a well-recognized retail brand with numerous world records all because their DDR5 DRAM is literal junk.  And, here we have Kingston stepping up with 6000Mhz DDR5 memory modules that are actually pretty good.

    What kind of world is this?  Oh, right.  it is the real world where the brave and intelligent actually get ahead.

    Kingston Fury Beast RGB 32GB DDR5-6000 memory kit delivers high performance, excellent stability, great overclocking potential, and you get all that in an aesthetically pleasing form, with amazing RGB illumination that gives a soul to your PC. Whether you are a gamer or PC enthusiast, you will be fully satisfied with what this memory series has to offer.

    The Kingston (formally HyperX, buy not HyperX cause HP) Fury Beast RGB appear to use heatspreaders from the previous generation and look pretty good.  I wonder if they have the IR Sync feature or, if they figured out how to actually get all of the RGB lights to blink at the same time. 

    Maybe Funky Kit has that answer, check out the review!

  • Antec DF800 FLUX Computer Case Review @ APH Networks

    Published: Thursday, July 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    There was a time when I loved Antec computer cases.  They were some of the best money could buy, the styling was spot on and the construction could rival some of the greatest projects in the known world.

    Sadly, things went a little sideways for Antec and when they started to lose market share we started to see the company scramble to catch up and they never quite recovered.  In my opinion their designs were either crap or worthless garbage so it makes me wonder what kind of case the Antec DF800 really is.. 

    The Antec DF800 FLUX is an airflow-focused performance case with flashy RGB LED case fans. 

    APH Networks has a great review of the Antec DF800 where they talk about all of the major features and try to cover the critical points that most YouTube channels are famous for.  In the end they give the chassis a decent score.

    I'm not sure I would be so nice and call out the super thin metal used to build the chassis and the super lazy expansion card slot retention screws being on the OUTSIDE of the chassis.  It might be able to move air around and you might be able to build in it but this case (and others like it) are the epitome of putting lipstick on a pig, it may look good but it is still rolls in its own crap.

    Be sure to check out the review for more information

  • Funky Kit Review - Desklab Ultralight Portable 4K Touchscreen Monitor

    Published: Thursday, July 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    Ok, so the "hook" phrase got me interested enough to click on the link and then the photo of the product got me interested to find out what the heck it is.

    If you find yourself needing a portable monitor and don't want to miss out on any features, then the monitor from Desklab is a great option to take a look at! 

    Basically, it is a Microsoft Surface tablet, without the tablet and options to allow for touch support and external video input.  e.g. a Monitor.

    What a novel idea.  Check out the review for more details.

  • eufy Security Video Doorbell Dual @ LanOC Reviews

    Published: Thursday, July 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    I have a love and hate relationship with smart home devices.  From the technical standpoint I love the automation aspects and the ability to program certain systems to react to situations and report back what they find.

    However, I do take issue with "how" smart home devices are being handled.  Most require an internet connection, even more require a service agreement and almost every one of them calls home so the data can be stored in the cloud.  Sadly, most smart home devices exist as a way for a company to make money and to do that you have to accept that certain aspects of what you are paying for will be out of your hands.

    Seems that is the world we live in and, if you are curious about what is happening in that world you can pick up a video doorbell camera thing and keep one eye on the prize while the other is casually looking out the window.

    It’s interesting how over the years the number of smart home devices in our home has grown with a majority of our lighting integrated, smart speakers in key rooms to control things and for music/questions, and we have a good set of security cameras outside to keep an eye on things all of the time and some inside for when we are away. But one of the most quintessential “smart home” devices the video doorbell still hasn’t been added into the mix. It isn’t that I haven’t wanted one, but for a long time I was holding out trying to find one that could integrate without Blue Iris camera setup but there haven’t been much for options, and companies have been trending more and more to their own ecosystems so I decided why wait any longer let's make the step. So let’s check out the eufy Security Video Doorbell Dual camera which has a second downward-facing camera to keep an eye out for and on packages.

    I find that video seems to be an integral part of the smart home package and for those living in "less than desirable" locations it is nice to finally record thieves in the act.  Sadly, you still cannot shoot them but, until then you can get an answer to that burning question of who stole my inanimate bedtime companion.

  • VIPER™ GAMING Launches World's First RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD

    Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    Built on the latest Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 controller. Designed to deliver unparalleled performance for gamers and creators. Now available in 1TB and 512GB.

    FREMONT, CALIFORNIA — June 14th, 2022 — VIPER™, a trademarked brand of PATRIOT™ and a global leader in performance memory, solid-state drives, and flash storage solutions, is proud to announce the market launch of its VPR400, the world's first RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD. A unique aluminum heat spreader has been included to keep the drive thermally stable while accenting the onboard RGB LEDs. This SSD is built using the latest Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 controller along with the highest quality 3D NAND memory chips, allowing the drive to provide the 4K Aligned Random Read and Write speeds up to 600K and 500K IOPs and Sequential Read and Write speeds up to 4,600MB/s and 4,400MB/s (1TB model). Now available in capacities of 1TB and 512GB.

    "The VIPER VPR400 has been crafted to deliver blazing speeds and performance for intense gaming and video content creation. VIPER understands that keeping high-speed SSDs thermally stable is the key to maintaining the storage unit's performance and longevity. "Said Roger Shinmoto, Vice President of VIPER GAMING.

    Onboard RGB is fully synchronizable with other VIPER GAMING RGB peripherals using the smart VIPER RGB 3.0 software, allowing users to customize their lighting profiles or choose any pre-programmed RGB lighting patterns.

    The VIPER VRP400 SSD is different from the traditional NVMe SSDs, which set performance restrictions that limit read and write data transfer speeds to maintain a workable operating temperature. Instead, the VIPER VRP400 supports the Thermal Throttling technology using a built-in thermal sensor and firmware to wisely manage the SSD operational performance and temperature. This technology can effectively prevent overheating while efficiently commanding the best performance under dynamic conditions.

    Backed by VIPER GAMING's 5-year warranty, the VIPER VPR400 RGB M.2 Gen 4x4 SSD is one of the best choices for gamers and video content creators who require ultra-fast bootup speeds and instantaneous access to files for superior productivity. The VIPER VPR400 will be available in late June at Amazon, Newegg, and more major retailers.

    VIPER VPR400 RGB M.2 PCIe Gen 4x4 SSD

    Capacity

    1 TB

    512 GB

    Model Number

    VPR400-1TBM28H

    VPR400-512GM28H

    Controller

    Innogrit IG5220 Gen4x4 Controller

    Form-Factor, Interface

    M.2-2280, PCIe 4.0x4

    Sequential Read

    4,600MB/s

    Sequential Write

    4,400MB/s

    3,600MB/s

    4K Aligned Random Read IOPS

    600K IOPS

    4K Aligned Random Write IOPS

    500K IOPS

    TBW

    800 TB

    400 TB

    O/S Supported

    Windows® 7*/8.0*/8.1/10

    *May require the driver

    Features

    Thermal throttling technology
    VIPER RGB APP 3.0 Sync up
    Aluminum shield

    Warranty

    Limited 5-year warranty

  • ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB OC Graphics Card @ Funky Kit

    Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    As the issues subside from the global chip shortage it will become easier to find AND purchase electronics.  For hardware enthusiasts that means video cards like the one featured in this review.

    The ASRock Radeon RX 6750 XT Phantom Gaming D 12GB graphics card is definitely worth considering, if you want a decent graphics card for 1440p gaming. It offers a slightly improved performance over the original RX 6700 XT, thanks to an overclocked GPU and faster GDDR6 ram running at 18Gbps

    I will admit that I don't know much when it comes to AMD based video cards but, based on the numbers this seems like a mid-range GPU with a nice factory overclock and GDDR6 memory.

  • Patriot Joins Forces with ACPI to Form Comprehensive Customer-Centric Compan

    Published: Tuesday, June 14, 2022 | By: Dennis

    FREMONT, CALIF. June 7, 2022 -- PATRIOT™, a global leader in performance memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals, and flash storage solutions, is pleased to announce Patriot has merged ACPI, integrating the resources and strengths of both parties. The merger has been in effect since May 1, 2022. With this new partnership, both companies will work in tandem with the ultimate goal of making the newly formed dynamic a force to be reckoned in this competitive industry. Backed by their synergized resources, extensive research and development, manufacturing, marketing, finance, and human resources, this dynamic duo will provide Patriot Group with professional products and solutions for customers.

    Patriot Group has garnered a reputation for designing, developing, manufacturing, and marketing high-performance memory and storage products and solutions. Its cutting-edge technology streamlines users and technologies of data applications for various verticals.

    The Patriot Group executes its mission across various industries and market segments via its three leading brands, Patriot, Viper Gaming, and ACPI. Patriot offers the latest consumer memory and storage technologies, including DRAM, SSD, and flash memory. Viper Gaming features cutting-edge overclock-ready DRAM, high-performance SSD, and ultra-modern and sophisticated gaming peripherals that appeal to hardcore gamers. ACPI is the group’s brand for industrial-grade storage solutions, providing flash storage devices for industrial applications and embedded systems with reliability and quality. Per the merger agreements, the combined entity will operate under Patriot Memory, Inc. and continue to market the Patriot, Viper Gaming, and ACPI.

    “Patriot is proud to team up with ACPI to broaden our customer base and bolster our already extensive suite of products. We are a customer-focused entity and always strive to be at the pinnacle of innovation to provide our clients with the best. With ACPI, Patriot Group is poised to redefine industries.” expressed Patriot Group CEO, Jance Lu.

    Patriot was pioneered in 1985, starting with its entrance into the DRAM OEM business. The company established itself as an industry leader with its consistency and dedication to providing high-quality products and solutions. Their recognition and bevy of loyal customers led them to rapidly scale into the Patriot Memory brand, introduced in 2004. Patriot continued to blaze a trail, and soon it became the tier 1 brand in the industry.  Following research and development success, Patriot VP4300 Gen4x4 M.2 SSD and Viper DRAM have become the best-selling products in the U.S.

    ACPI Digital was established in 2003 and transitioned into the ACPI brand by 2011. ACPI has focused on delivering the best in the B2B market, providing flash storage devices for industrial applications and embedded systems. In addition, ACPI has introduced the Power Shield function to all its product lines, giving data integrity to protect from sudden power outages.

  • Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Computer Soundbar Review @ APH Networks

    Published: Thursday, June 2, 2022 | By: Dennis

    The Creative Katana is an amazing peice of tech that can had full and rich sound to your desktop PC or mini home theater.  We have reviewed both Katana versions and found that The Sound Blaster Katana V2 is the same great sound bar that had fixed all the issues we discovered with the first version.

    The Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 continues to be a well-designed and well-built soundbar like its predecessor with noticeable positive changes in every area, but the sound quality has room for improvement for the price. 

    Be sure to check out our reviews of the Creative Katana and start slashing away at bad audio.

    Creative Sound Blaster Katana V2 Multi-Channel Gaming Soundbar Review
    Creative Sound BlasterX Katana Multi-channel Gaming Soundbar Review

  • Streacom DA6 Open Frame SFF Case

    Published: Wednesday, June 1, 2022 | By: Dennis

    The great thing about building computers is deciding what chassis to buy.  Since I still build full sized ATX computers I prefer to have a larger chassis to hold my watercooling gear while giving me enough air volume for proper cooling.  For others, there could be space constraints so choosing a chassis could require some additional checks and adjustments to internal components.

    I have noticed a dangerous trend in chassis design that has migrated away from the traditional box to a more open designs, sometimes with tempered glass and others with carbon fiber.  The scary part is that many of these designs have no real design.  For instance the designer might be trying to replicate the electric bike hobby they have been consumed with while others are simply trying to improve on something they are impressed with.

    The new DA6 from Streamcom is interesting in that I can see a number of external influences.  For instance the vertical Mini ITX design reminds me of the SilverStone FT03-MINI while the bars remind me of something In-Win did some 10 years ago with the D-Frame 2.0.  Together they look pretty good but also resemble a chrome kitchen chair from the 60’s

    With the DA6 we have an open-air chassis design that has all of the components in a vertical orientation.  This helps to save space and does give the chassis a nice curb appeal.  You'll get two handles at the top due to the looping pipes and full open-air cooling.  There are no provisions for external storage.  As Streamcom has correctly assumed, the advent of NVMe storage as removed any need for SATA drives on the Mini ITX platform.

    I have used open air test benches for many years and while they are amazing for testing out hardware platforms they are horrid at cooling and often require additional fans to ensure that cooler air is always moving across the components.  It would appear that you get provisions for a single external cooling fan which, should be just enough.

    Check out the DA6 on the Streamcom website,  Link is below