Tech News
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HIFIMAN HE1000 Stealth Open-Back Headphones @ TechPowerUp
Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 | By: DennisThere is a very strange world out there when it comes to headphones. We have the "blue light specials" at your local big box store, a minefield of choices at Internet retailers and a variety of quality headphones designed for gaming, music and professional use.
Of those brands, there is one name that stands above as a pinnacle of price AND performance and that is HIFIMAN.
HIFIMAN updates its popular HE1000 V2 with stealth magnets! The new HE1000 Stealth takes on the more expensive HE1000se by offering a bassier sound and being easier on the ears while retaining the same excellent comfort and fit to make for a compelling premium headphones offering.
I'm not sure how you get "stealth magnets" but if they sound anything like, every other HIFIMAN headset then I'm on board, even if I cannot see them.
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MEK HERO Powered by ZOTAC GAMING Unleashes New Gaming PC Additions for Unparalleled Gaming Performance
Published: Tuesday, August 15, 2023 | By: DennisRedefining the Gaming Experience with Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse Themed ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4070, 4060 Ti, 4060 GPUs, and AMD Ryzen 5 7600MHz CPUs
Irwindale, California – August 9th, 2023 - ZOTAC USA Inc., a leading manufacturer of innovative gaming hardware solutions, today unveiled three new additions to its MEK HERO Gaming PCs: MEK HERO G3 A7647, A7646I, and A7646. The MEK HERO, powered by ZOTAC GAMING, features the Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse themed ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4070, 4060 Ti, and 4060 graphics cards, AMD’s latest Ryzen 5 7600 processors, offering unmatched gaming performance and stunning graphics that bring Gamers closer to their virtual adventures. The MEK HERO is expertly designed, assembled, and hand-tested in the United States. With a strong focus on gaming community engagement, seamless assembly, and top-notch customer service, MEK HERO is crafted to ensure optimal performance, durability, and an unparalleled gaming experience.
The MEK HERO is designed for Gamers who want a PC Gaming system with performance that does not sacrifice cost-efficiency for simplicity. Gamers can enjoy a smooth and responsive experience with the latest ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 40 Series graphic cards and AMD Ryzen 5 processor platforms, whether playing the newest game titles, streaming in high quality, or creating impactful content.
The three new MEK HERO Gaming PCs, G3 A7647, A7646I, and A7646, are equipped with a 240mm AIO CPU Cooler, 4x - 120mm high-performance Cooling Fans, an 80+ Gold Certified Power Supply to maintain system reliability and internal component stability when under heavy and demanding loads.
As a bonus, the MEK HERO G3 A7647, A7646I, and A7646 come with a Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse Inspired Accessories Bundle, adding flair and fun to the gaming experience. The bundle includes custom fan emblems, a set of decorative decals, and a three-pack of Ztorm figurines that are all themed after the movie and its characters.
"The MEK HERO Gaming PCs are one of ZOTAC's signature gaming products designed to cater to hardcore gamers. These Gaming PCs can handle even the most demanding game titles, offering reliable and durable system performance. The latest additions to this lineup feature the ZOTAC GAMING 4070 and 4060Ti graphics cards, skillfully paired with the AMD Ryzen 5 platform. Furthermore, the system undergoes meticulous testing and assembly by local engineers in the US, ensuring optimal cost efficiency and top-notch build quality," said Gary Lau, President of ZOTAC USA Inc.
MEK HERO Gaming G3 A7647 Spider-Man:Across the Spider-Verse Edition
The MEK HERO G3 A7647 is a premium Gaming PC that combines the power of the Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse themed ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card with the speed of the AMD Ryzen 5 7600MHz 6-core AM5 processor. This system delivers extreme performance and immersive gaming with unmatched quality. The MEK HERO G3 A7647 has 240 AIO liquid cooling, Kingston 16GB DDR5 system memory, NVMe SSD storage, and Windows 11 preinstalled.MEK HERO Gaming G3 A7646I Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Edition
If Gamers are looking for a powerful Gaming PC that can easily handle any game, look no further than the MEK HERO G3 A7646I. This system has a Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse themed ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4060 Ti 8GB graphics card and an AMD Ryzen 5 7600MHz 6-core AM5 processor that will deliver speed and power for buttery-smooth gameplay. The MEK HERO G3 A7646I has 240 AIO liquid cooling, Kingston 16GB DDR5 system memory, NVMe SSD storage, and Windows 11 already installed.MEK HERO Gaming G3 A7646 Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Edition
Featuring the Spider-Man™: Across the Spider-Verse themed ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 4060 8GB graphics card and AMD Ryzen 5 7600MHz 6-core AM5 processing, the MEK HERO G3 A7646 is a performance Gaming PC designed to deliver an immersive gaming experience with unmatched quality. The MEK HERO G3 A7646 Gaming PC comes preinstalled with 240 AIO liquid cooling, Kingston 16GB DDR5 system memory, NVMe SSD storage, and Windows 11.The MEK HERO team ensures that each MEK HERO Gaming PC is built with quality and care, providing 1-year parts and a 3-year labor warranty with lifetime access to ZOTAC USA tech support specifically for the MEK HERO series. The United States-based customer service team stands ready to provide swift and attentive support, ensuring every Gamers’ experience with MEK HERO is positive.
MEK HERO Gaming PCs are available on Amazon, Newegg, and The ZOTAC STORE.
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Cooler Master MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 Case Review @ ThinkComputers
Published: Monday, August 14, 2023 | By: DennisIs it just me or, have computer cases become "lost"
Now, hear me out, Back in the day everything in a computer case had a purpose. We had locations for hard drives and SSDs, we had external bays for optical drives and drive bay accessories, cooling was dictated by the location of internal components and RGB was an exception, not a rule.
These days we don't have external drive bays, internal bays have been reduced to the bare minimum, RGB is everywhere and case designers cannot figure out what to do with the extra space. 40% of a computer case is empty for 80% of users and somehow, they are getting BIGGER.
Well not the MasterBox TD500. I reviewed the first edition TD500 Mesh and found the case to be kinda "meh", there isn't anything special about it and reminds me of a poor attempt to copy another popular "mesh" design.
Seems mainstream written media gets paid by the article, and Cooler Master gets paid by the version.
It seemed for years the real sweet spot for PC cases was $100. With inflation and other factors that price has definitely gone up over the past few years. Well, Cooler Master still wants to give you a fully-featured solid PC case for right around that price. Introducing the MasterBox TD500 Mesh V2 which has a high airflow design, three included ARGB fans with an ARGB controller, a tempered glass side panel, watercooling support and so much more! Is this the case to do your next build in? Read on as we find out!
I cannot diss too much, there are plenty of users out there what would DIE for a low cost case from a name brand company and if I had to choose, I'd choose....
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Funky Kit Review - Patriot Viper VP4300 Lite 2TB M.2 PCIe 4.0 SSD
Published: Monday, August 14, 2023 | By: DennisIn what might be a strange variation of one of the fastest NVMe drives you can buy we have a review of the Patriot Viper VP4300 Lite.
Gotta lite?
The VP4300 Lite from Patriot is a well-designed SSD that combines all the best features for both gaming or standard use. It’s hard to find any disadvantages to this SSD, and the long list of advantages makes it one of the best and the cheapest SSDs on the market right now.
I was able to review the standard VP4300 drive back in 2021 and found it to be quite fast and the envy of the entire lab. In fact, I still can't find that drive. hummm.
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Razer Basilisk V3 X Hyperspeed @ TechPowerUp
Published: Monday, August 14, 2023 | By: DennisWhen is a mouse faster than the operator?? When it is being chased by a snake at Hyper Speed.
Ok, that was dumb but, it helps drive the point home that sometimes.... marketing is kinda stupid. Take for instance the Razor Basilisk X Hyperspeed. It’s almost like the actual product doesn't matter but, the name has to be catchy and get hardware site editors, like me, excited enough to make fun of it so YOU will eventually buy one.
Well, lemme help you out there, this is an AA battery powered wireless mouse with over 500 hours of battery life. Either that is super-efficient or, it doesn't work very well, in fact there is a pretty good chance that the batteries will explode and leak their nasty love juice all over your desk before they will run out.
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you will find out that when the voltage drops slightly the mouse will no longer work and will make you change the batteries long before the advertised interval.
Either way, check out the review if you want.
With the Basilisk V3 X Hyperspeed, Razer expands their line of AA battery-driven wireless gaming mice. Equipped with PixArt's PAW3369 sensor capable of 18,000 CPI and main button switches rated for 60 million clicks, the right-handed ergonomic Basilisk V3 X Hyperspeed offers up seven buttons, 2.4 GHz and Bluetooth connectivity, as well as up to 535 hours of battery life.
Or, pick up a wired/wireless logitech "G" mouse and stop being stupid. Its not like EVERY mouse maker isn't copying their design already.
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Phanteks Glacier C370I CPU Water Block @ TechPowerUp
Published: Monday, July 31, 2023 | By: DennisCooling trends with desktop computers hasn't changed much in the past 10+ years. We have aircooling for low-end computers where CPU and GPU heat is actually managable. Once you move into the mid-range we start to see AIO watercooling take over along with the emergence of the budget hardware enthusiast and their quest to min/max their performance.
This is where the DIY watercooling loops start to take over and continue into the high-end. There was a time when the performance if your CPU and GPU waterblocks actually mattered however, these days the microfin and pingrid arrays have leveled the playing field.
Phanteks updates its CPU water block line with the new Glacier C370 series. Today we examine the Intel-specific C370I that comes in black or white color options, uses an acrylic top with integrated LEDs for aesthetics, and a nickel-plated cold plate with tall fins to allow for a good balance of cost, flow restriction, and thermal performance.
If you are looking for a "name brand" Intel specific CPU waterblock with some RGB lights you might want to check out the Phanteks C370. As the name suggests this "SHOULD" be for the Intel Socket 370 but, it seems that was before the time of Phanteks, and likely their primary consumer market.
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Corsair MP600 Core XT 2TB Solid State Drive Review @ APH Networks
Published: Monday, July 31, 2023 | By: DennisDue to how poorly Corsair has treated written review sites I rarely go out of my way to promote their products but, this review from APH Networks caught my eye.
The Corsair MP600 Core XT 2TB is an affordable DRAM-less PCIe 4.0-based NVMe SSD from a reputable manufacturer, but can use a boost in performance and write endurance to be competitive in today's market.
Overall, the drive is pretty basic, sub standard specs, standard form factor and respectable 2TB storage capacity. The drive is PCI Express 4.0 and should be this amazing speed demon with horns and a crown of fire but, really is nothing more than a forgettable NVMe SSD that will likely be buried in subsidized OEM builds or "grandma's" computer when her son-in-law didn't get that sports car for his birthday.
If you want to find out more then check out the review!
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Creative Zen Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones with ANC Review @ Madshrimps
Published: Monday, July 31, 2023 | By: DennisI remember one CES, before the global freak out due to "things" happening, where almost every vendor was selling a white box version of some pretty nice In-Ear headphones (earphones). This was on the tails of the apple "Air Pods" that apple users loved and the rest of the world made fun of and it seemed that some "Me To" companies wanted to ride the hype train.
The only reason I remember this so fondly is because every single version was being sold as that companies "exclusive" and yet was clearly a white box since they all had the same design, same features and same color. To make matters more interesting, NONE of the companies were offering up review samples which basically confirmed the crowdsourced lie.
To test out the Zen Air, we did fire up some YouTube clips with music, but also vlogs and documentaries. The voices were crisp, with a good amount of bass for the small size of the drivers versus fully-fledged headphones; when listening to tracks via the dedicated SXFI App, the holography is quite amazing, because it makes you feel you are in a room with a dedicated, multi-speaker audio system and you will almost get to try and search where the sound is exactly coming from.
I am 100% certain that it is difficult to know if the Creative Zen Air True Wireless In-Ear Headphones with Active Noise Canceling are, white box earphones but, I am sure they likely sound pretty good regardless.
Check out the review if you are interested, or drop us a line if you would prefer a more personal review.
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White Edition EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB Fan
Published: Tuesday, July 18, 2023 | By: DennisEK®, the renowned manufacturer of premium liquid cooling solutions, is introducing a new version of the EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB fan, now available in a stylish white color. The latest EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB – White fan boasts a sleek white design, radiating clean and sophisticated aesthetics. It complements the existing Black version and offers new possibilities to liquid cooling enthusiasts, expanding their choices for visually pleasing PC setups.
The Quantum Impulse fans are a premium product equipped with EK’s most extensive RGB implementation to date. The frame of the fan has two zones illuminated by LEDs, with each zone containing 12 LEDs. Additionally, 6 LEDs in the motor hub illuminate the rotor. These fans deliver a well-balanced and optimized performance-to-noise ratio with an operating range of 400-1800 RPM.
EK-Quantum Impulse 120mm D-RGB
EK-Quantum Impulse fans are specially designed as 120mm PC radiator and case fans, prioritizing both stunning D-RGB effects and silent operation throughout their entire operational range. With a LED-lit zone encircling the frame on both sides of the fan, you can enjoy vibrant and diffused addressable RGB illumination regardless of the fan’s orientation. Also, the motor hub on the rotor is adorned with 6 LEDs, adding a touch of stylish aesthetics as it spins.
MagLev Fan Motor
EK-Quantum Impulse incorporates industry-leading designs, including the VAPO™ bearing and Magnetic Levitation (or MagLev) motor, known for their high effectiveness. These designs play a crucial role in maintaining the stability of the fan and preventing any wobbling issues, resulting in a longer fan lifespan.
The VAPO bearing introduces a magnetic effect to the bearing, known as magnetic levitation. This reduces noise levels and improves the stability of the fan’s shaft. Unlike traditional ball-bearing fans that tend to become louder over time, VAPO bearings are resistant to dust and do not dry out, ensuring reliable performance. These fans have an operating range of 400-1800 RPM, providing flexibility in various usage scenarios.
White Rubber Corners
The EK-Quantum Impulse 120 fan incorporates thick white rubber corners on both sides, effectively minimizing the transfer of vibrations to the rest of your PC. With a fan thickness of 26mm, the rubber corners extend by 1.5mm on each side, resulting in a total depth of 29mm. It’s important to note that these rubber corners compress when screws are tightened. Unlike fans with circular or incomplete frames, the square frame design of this fan significantly reduces the risk of side air leakage. The combination of these features ensures enhanced stability and an overall quieter operation.
EK-OmniLink Interconnect Ecosystem
Impulse fans, just like FPT fans, offer daisy-chaining capability, reducing cable clutter and simplifying cable routing by using the EK-OmniLink system. This feature utilizes an 8-pin Micro-Fit connector ecosystem, allowing all signal and power wiring for PWM and D-RGB to run on a single cable and connector. The connection ends in standard motherboard connectors, a 4-pin PWM for fan power, and a 3-pin 5V D-RGB.
With the EK-OmniLink design, cable clutter is effectively eliminated as multiple fans can be connected to a single PWM and D-RGB header, providing a streamlined solution. This design also allows for the easy removal of individual fans from the chain without disturbing the entire setup. In contrast, alternative solutions on the market rely on interlocking mechanisms that necessitate the removal of an entire fan link, making it challenging to create more space for tightening fittings on a radiator.
The Omni-Link interconnect ecosystem will be significantly expanded in the near future for additional benefits.
3-Zone LED Illumination on EK-Quantum Impulse 120 PC Fans
All EK-Quantum Impulse 120 fans boast a crucial feature: simplicity. They are designed to work seamlessly with the standard 3-pin 5V D-RGB connection. This allows you to easily connect a fan to any standard 3-pin 5V addressable RGB controller or take advantage of the compatibility with popular RGB sync technologies supported by major motherboard manufacturers.
To ensure a proper connection, align the arrow marking on the 3-pin LED connector with the +5V marking on the D-RGB (ARGB) header. This alignment guarantees a hassle-free setup and optimal functionality.
EK-Quantum Impulse 120 D-RGB Key Features
- Three Premium LED-Lit Zones
Unlike other EK fans, which have LEDs exclusively in the rotor, Impulse fans have additional LEDs on both sides of the frame. - MagLev and VAPO Bearing
The VAPO bearing adds a magnetic effect (magnetic levitation) to the bearing to reduce noise and increase shaft stability. - Square Frame for Airflow Focusing
The practical square shape of the fan frame provides optimal performance in either the pull or push regime without hydraulic losses, which ensures the optimal cooling capacity of your liquid cooling radiators. - Standard D-RGB Connectors
The Impulse fan’s D-RGB lighting does not require any additional fancy or expensive controller for you to enjoy vibrant light effects. A simple 3-pin 5V addressable D-RGB connection for standard controllers or any popular D-RGB (ARGB) sync technology from major motherboard manufacturers is all you need. - EK-OmniLink System
The ability to daisy chain fan power, D-RGB, and even pump power across a single cable gives you the ultimate flexibility while reducing cable clutter. All the cables are flat ribbon style with no additional sleeving for an even better cable routing experience.
- Three Premium LED-Lit Zones
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Thermaltake Celebrates Amazon Prime Day 2023 with Amazing Deals on Gaming Products
Published: Monday, July 10, 2023 | By: DennisSave up to 42% on popular items from gaming PCs, PC cases, coolers, and PSUs, exclusively for Amazon Prime members.
Walnut, California - July 10th, 2023 - Thermaltake, the leading PC Cases, Cooling, Power, and memory solutions brand, is excited to announce their special deals for Amazon Prime Day 2023. Amazon Prime Day is a two-day shopping event for customers with Prime membership on July 11th and 12th. Thermaltake has selected many of the best-selling gaming components for Amazon Prime members to enjoy, such as gaming desktop PCs, PC cases, AIO water coolers, CPU air coolers, cooling fans, and power supply units.
Thermaltake offers over 25 of their top-rated PC products for Prime Day, with up to 42% discounts. Two LCGS (Liquid Cooling Gaming System) models featuring Intel Core i5 and AMD Ryzen 5 platforms are available with discounts of 17% and 15%, respectively. Amazon Prime members can get up to 26% off on Thermaltake's most popular PC cases, such as Core P3, Tower 900, and Ceres 500. Cooling products like ToughLiquid 360 and ToughAir 510 are also on sale at 33% off, while builders looking to upgrade their PSU can do so with up to 29% special deals. Gamers, PC builders, and enthusiasts looking for high-quality components to enhance their gaming systems should take advantage of this opportunity.
"Tech enthusiasts and gamers can look forward to one of the biggest online shopping events of the year with Amazon Prime Day. Thermaltake is offering exclusive deals on its premium gaming products, from PCs and cases to coolers and PSUs," said Michael Guo, the VP of Sales and Marketing at Thermaltake USA. "Our products are engineered to deliver a reliable and performance-boosted gaming experience across our entire line of gaming desktops, Cases, cooling products, and ATX 3.0 PSU. We are grateful for the gaming community's support and want to reward them with these amazing Prime Day deals and discounts," he added.
The Prime Day exclusive deals include various Thermaltake best-in-class PC products. Here is the summary of the sales:
LCGS (Liquid Cooling Gaming System)
- Glacier i350 Liquid Cooling Gaming System for 17% off: Click Here
- Intel Core i5-10400F/RTX3050 GPU/DDR4 16GB/1TB NVMe SSD
- Glacier 360 Liquid Cooling Gaming System for 15% off: Click Here
- AMD Ryzen 5 5600X/RTX3060 GPU/DDR4 16GB/1TB NVMe SSD
PC Case
- Ceres 500 Black E-ATX mid-tower for 21% off: Click Here
- Tower 900 Black E-ATX full-tower for 26% off: Click Here
- Core P3 Black open frame E-ATX case for 23% off: Click Here
- Versa H18 Black M-ATX mid-tower for 20% off: Click Here
Cooling Product
- ToughLiquid 360 AIO cooler for 21% off: Click Here
- ToughAir 510 air cooler for 33% off: Click Here
- SWAFAN EX 12 RGB cooling fan (3 fan pack) for 20% off: Click Here
- Massive 20 RGB laptop cooling pad for 42% off: Click Here
Power Supply Unit
- ToughPower GF1 850W 80+ gold for 29% off: Click Here
- ToughPower GF A3 1200W 80+ gold for 10% off: Click Here
- ToughPower GF A3 1000W 80+ gold for 12% off: Click Here
To learn more about Amazon Prime Day Deals(7/11 & 7/12): https://amzn.to/44dDdpo
