Tech News
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Focal Bathys Bluetooth Active Noise Cancelling Headphones @ TechPowerUp
Published: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | By: DennisWow! I am surprised on several levels. First who knew there was an audiophile quality audio brand in France?!?. Seems they have been in business for over 40 years and make some top notch gear. Second, You can actually buy them here in the US. and Third they are not cheap as the headphones featured in this review are $800 dollars and other designs are over 2 Grand!!. (Well I am assuming USD, Focal if French and TechPowerUp is German so... ya)
Seems I learn stuff I should already know every day LOL
Focal enters the competitive wireless ANC headphones market with the all-new Bathys. It is a $799 audiophile-centric set of over-ear, closed-back headphones with hybrid ANC, physical controls, app-based customization, and even a dedicated USB DAC mode that aims for a punchy and satisfying sound you can take on the go.
From a design perspective these headphones look amazing and seem to have "borrowe4d" or "influenced" some of the design queues found in most every other headphone maker on the market.
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Cougar Puri Mini Mechanical Gaming Keyboard @ Funky Kit
Published: Wednesday, November 9, 2022 | By: DennisThe interesting thing about "small" keyboards is, they are everywhere and gamers seem to love them. Not only do they take up less space on your desktop but tend to feature higher quality components because there are less components to deal with.
Funky Kit has their review of the Cougar Puri up and while Cougar isn't a well known brand in the US they do have some quality products available.
The Cougar Puri Mini is a keyboard that offers great quality and performance for a respectable price tag. The small compact size offers plenty of features for such a small size. This would be a great keyboard to take on the go!
For a similar keyboard check out our review of the Yeyian Spark 2000.
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SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7P Wireless Gaming Headset Review @ Madshrimps
Published: Sunday, November 6, 2022 | By: DennisGaming headsets have come a long way in recent years and no longer depend on your PC or what sound card you have installed. Instead, they rely on USB adapters which do two major things. They first send audio information to the headset to support surround sound and other audio functions and second open up options for wireless connectivity and the premise of this review.
When compared to the Arctis Nova 3, the Nova 7P sports a very similar sound signature, since it is using the same set of custom speaker drivers, 40mm with a frequency response between 20 and 22kHz. We tested the headset in both multimedia content and games, and we really enjoyed the combination of crisp highs and great sounding lows, even when using the default EQ. The price difference exists because of the WiFi/BT convenience, which does even allow listening to two sound sources at the same time, the great battery life during a single charge (38 hours) with fast charge support and overall, we are getting increased liberty of movement given the operating range.
Steelseries is a rather popular brand and, while I am not a fan of the design the overall specs look pretty good.
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Cooler Master Announces The CK720 65% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard
Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | By: DennisIt would seem the popular reign for the 104 key keyboards is coming to an end, at least in the gaming space. For gamers the 10-key pad is rarely used and tends to take up space on their gaming desks and this is where a keyboard like the CK720 65% keyboard comes into its own.
Not only do you remove the excess bulk but can get your mouse and keyboard closer together for a more ergonomic hand position.
Cooler Master today launches the first mechanical gaming keyboard with design and customization in mind. The CK720 65% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard was made for enthusiasts in mind yet it is still approachable for anyone wanting more from their keyboard. Building upon the success of the CK721 gaming keyboard,
the CK720 65% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard integrates several new features:
- Hot-swappable switches
- Enthusiast-level Kailh Box V2 switches pre-installed
- New Cooler Master Stabilizers optimized for minimal rattle and pre-lubed for smoother travel
- 2 separate Silicone Dampening Pads: on the PCB and on filling the bottom cover for noise absorption and satisfying sound signature
- PBT doubleshot keycaps for more durability
- Precision Three-way Dial Control Knob
- Two-step kickstand
- Per key RGB backlighting
I would be interested to see how many gamers would take advantage of the "hot swappable" switch design AND, if they do, how abusive was that gamer to their gear?
Check out the product page for more information on the Cooler Master CK720
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G.SKILL Announces Up to DDR5-7800 for 13th Gen Intel Core Desktop Processor & Z790 Platform
Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | By: Dennis(20 Oct 2022) – G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world’s leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce new extreme overclocked performance DDR5 DRAM specifications up to DDR5-7800 under the Trident Z5 family. Designed for use with the latest 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processor and Intel® Z790 chipset platform, these new flagship specifications mark a new era of DDR5 performance.
Extreme Overclock Performance with DDR5-7800
Pushing the memory performance to the limits of the latest 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processor and Intel® Z790 chipset platform, G.SKILL is announcing new DDR5 memory specifications up to a blazing speed of DDR5-7800 at CL38 with 32GB (2x16GB) kit capacity, under the flagship Trident Z5 family. Refer to the screenshot below to see the DDR5-7800 memory kit validated on the Intel® Core™ i9-13900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard:Ready to Overclock at DDR5-7600
For those who can't wait to get started with high overclock memory performance on the latest computing platform, the G.SKILL DDR5-7600 CL36-46-46-121 32GB (2x16GB) memory kit is now listed on some retailers, and has also been validated under the Intel® XMP 3.0 program. Refer to the validation screenshot below to see the DDR5-7600 memory kit tested with the Intel® Core™ i9-13900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Hero motherboard. For more product information, please visit the G.SKILL product page at: https://www.gskill.com/product/165/374/1665644764/F5-7600J3646G16GX2-TZ5RKHigh Kit Capacity 64GB (2x32GB) at DDR5-7400
For those looking for higher kit capacity at 64GB (2x32GB), G.SKILL is pushing the overclock memory speed to an astounding DDR5-7400. Please see the screenshot below to see the high-capacity DDR5-7400 64GB (2x32GB) memory kit validated on the Intel® Core™ i9-13900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard:DDR5-8000 CL38 Tech Demo – the Overclocking Potential of DDR5 Memory
Dedicated to developing ever faster overclocking memory kits, G.SKILL is pushing the boundaries of memory overclocking potential with the latest 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop platform. As a technical demonstration, G.SKILL is revealing the achievement of reaching a blistering, ultra-fast DDR5-8000 2x16GB memory kit operating with a low latency timing of CL38-48-48-125 with the Intel® Core™ i9-13900K desktop processor and ASUS ROG Maximus Z790 Apex motherboard.New Trident Z5 Specifications for Z790 Platform
The Trident series product line is synonymous with noteworthy overclocked performance, and these new additions are no exception. Intended for use with the latest 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop processor and Intel® Z790 chipset platform, these new specifications under the Trident Z5 RGB and Trident Z5 series offer options with high-capacity or high-frequency. See a list of DRAM specifications below:
Intel XMP 3.0 Support & Availability
Supporting Intel XMP 3.0 memory overclocking profiles for easy overclocking via the motherboard BIOS, these new memory specifications for the 13th Gen Intel® Core™ desktop platform will be available via G.SKILL worldwide distribution partners. -
Noctua confirms AM5 heatsink compatibility and announces free-of-charge upgrades
Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | By: DennisI have been reviewing Noctua coolers since the very beginning and find them to be some of the highest quality coolers you can buy short of a custom watercooling loop. Sure, you can pick up cheap coolers and expect them to do a good job however, what you won't get is the ability to migrate your cooler from one platform to another.
The Noctua mounting system is truly universal allowing just about any cooler to fit on any CPU provided that you have the correct base and mounting rails. For those of you looking to upgrade to the latest AM4 processor system you can now upgrade your system and keep your exceptional cooler in your build.
Vienna, September 22nd – Noctua today confirmed that all its CPU coolers and mounting-kits that support AMD AM4 also support the upcoming AM5 socket, except the NH-L9a-AM4 low-profile cooler and the NM-AM4-L9aL9i mounting-kit. For the latter, Noctua announced the new NM-AM5-L9aL9i kit that will be available free-of-charge from end of October. Mounting upgrade kits for older heatsink models that do not yet support AM4 will also be provided to customers at no additional cost.
Of course, if you don't have a Noctua cooler and are looking to pick one up keep in mind that when the AM5 comes out, you'll likely get another upgrade opportunity using the same great Noctua cooler.
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Noctua presents NA-TPG1 thermal paste guard for AMD AM5
Published: Tuesday, October 25, 2022 | By: DennisVienna, October 6th 2022 – Noctua today announced its new NA-TPG1 thermal paste guard for AMD’s latest AM5 based Ryzen processors. When the mounting pressure of the cooling solution is applied, excess thermal paste will be squeezed outwards. With AM5 CPUs, this excess paste tends to accumulate in the cut-outs at the sides of the heat-spreader and may become difficult to remove. Simple and risk-free to apply, the NA-TPG1 prevents this undesired phenomenon.
“While there’s no denying that AMD’s new Ryzen 7000 processors perform fantastic, we found that the cut-outs at the side of the heat-spreader tend to attract thermal paste that can be challenging to clean off” says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “This is where our new thermal paste guard steps in: it’s a simple yet highly effective tool for keeping your new Ryzen 7000 series CPU nice and clean.”
Made from highly heat-resistant polycarbonate and forming a tight seal around the edges of the CPU’s heat-spreader , the NA-TPG1 is simple and risk free to apply and remove. Despite its simplicity, it is highly efficient at preventing thermal paste from accumulating in the cut-outs at the sides of AM5 CPUs.
The NA-TPG1 will be available in a separate set with ten NA-CW1 cleaning wipes (NA-STPG1) as well as with new AM5 editions of Noctua’s award-winning NT-H1 and NT-H2 thermal pastes. All three products are scheduled to become available in December.
The manufacturer’s suggested retail price will be EUR/USD 7.90 for the NA-STPG1, EUR/USD 9.90 for the NT-H1 3.5g AM5 Edition and EUR/USD 13.90 for the NT-H2 3.5g AM5 Edition.
Links
NA-STPG1 thermal paste guard and cleaning set:
NT-H1 3.5g AM5 Edition:
NT-H2 3.5g AM5 Edition: -
Cooler Master Introduces Synk X, a Cross-platform Haptic Chair for Immersive Entertainment
Published: Monday, October 3, 2022 | By: DennisTAIPEI, TAIWAN – Setting a new trend in elevating user experience of immersive entertainment, Cooler Master introduces Synk X – a cross-platform immersive haptic chair for a new level of immersion.
Feel Your Imagination
Presenting an amplified immersion for lifelike entertainment experience, Cooler Master Synk
X creates a new way of immersing in the imaginary world. By converting sound waves into
vibrations and providing real-time tactile experiences, Synk X does not simply immerses, but
engages users in the virtual surrounding and atmosphere like never before.Immersive Entertainment:
Any kind, anytime, anywhere Synk X appeals to various groups of enthusiasts and gamers by supporting a variety of content types and hardware platforms such as TV, PC, game console, and mobile device to match differing hobbies or styles. Users get the privilege of choosing any Bluetooth device they like without any constraint due to device compatibility. Additionally, the built-in long-lasting powerful battery along with a highly stable rolling base can set users free from the hassles of keeping the chair plugged-in during operation, providing uninterrupted extended entertainment durations.
Customized Settings, Personalized Experience
Customization is also supported to match each and every user’s personal need: the ergonomic design featuring a 135º posturebracing backrest, adjustable armrests ,and a two-stage retractable leg rest delivers multiple settings for seat height, seating position, and reclining angle based on user’s choice. An all-in-one control interface is integrated for selecting audio sources, vibration levels, and eadphone volume, making the operation easy and intuitive without complicated settings or APP requirements.
Besides providing a new immersive experience, Synk X also delivers a smart tech appearance with a streamlined exterior design to add modern delicacy to people’s daily life. In short, Synk X perfectly blends lifelike entertainment into a modern tech lifestyle.
Designed for sensing the tension in a battle game, engaging in the adventurous journey from a film, or grooving with the musical beats, Synk X aims to bring users a new and ultimate entertainment experience.
Please visit here to find out more about this whole new immersive experience brought by
Synk X! Product Page: https://www.cmodx.com/synk-X/ -
COLORFUL Presents Intel Z790 Series Motherboards for 13th Gen Intel Core CPUs
Published: Monday, October 3, 2022 | By: DennisSeptember 28th, 2022 Shenzhen, China – Colorful Technology Company Limited, a professional manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards, all-in-one gaming and multimedia solutions, and high-performance storage, proudly presents its lineup of Intel Z790 Series motherboards for the Raptor Lake-based 13th generation Intel Core processors. COLORFUL presents a selection of ATX and micro-ATX motherboards under the enthusiast-class CVN Series and all-rounder micro-ATX BATTLE-AX Series motherboard. The COLORFUL Z790 Series motherboard lineup will feature DDR5 and DDR4 memory support in distinct motherboard models.
CVN Z790D5 GAMING FROZEN and CVN Z790D5 GAMING PRO
The CVN Z790D5 GAMING FROZEN and CVN Z790D5 GAMING PRO motherboards are designed for enthusiasts looking into maximizing the performance out of the 13th generation Intel Core processors with its 16+1+1 (55A) power phase and 6-layered PCB design. Both motherboards comes with four PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots for NVMe SSDs
Key Features
- Support for 12th Gen and 13th Gen Intel Core Processors
- Intel Z790 Chipset
- 16+1+1 Power Phase Design
- DDR5 memory support, up to DDR5-6400 (OC)
- 4X PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots
- 2.5 GbE LAN + Wi-Fi 6 (GAMING FROZEN)
CVN Z790M FROZEN D5
The CVN Z790M FROZEN D5 micro-ATX motherboard is a compact powerhouse, ideal for enthusiasts that wants a smaller build without compromising on performance and features. The CVN Z790M FROZEN D5 motherboard features a 12+1 power phase design for modest overclocking. It comes with three PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots offering plenty of NVMe SSD support. This motherboard is also fitted with Realtek 2.5 GbE LAN and Wi-Fi 6.
Key Features
- Support for 12th Gen and 13th Gen Intel Core Processors
- Intel Z790 Chipset
- 12+1 Power Phase Design
- DDR5 memory support, up to DDR5-6400 (OC)
- 3X PCIe Gen4x4 M.2 slots
- 2.5 GbE LAN + Wi-Fi 6
DDR4 Memory Support: CVN Z790 GAMING FROZEN and CVN Z790M FROZEN
COLORFUL also presents the CVN Z790 GAMING FROZEN and CVN Z790M FROZEN motherboards, both featuring DDR4 memory support for builders looking into a cheaper way to upgrade to the new Intel 13th generation platform. Builder have an ATX motherboard option with the CVN Z790 GAMING FROZEN and a compact micro-ATX option with the CVN Z790M FROZEN motherboard.
For more information, please visit the COLORFUL Technology website at http://en.colorful.cn/
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Intel 13th Gen Core Processors Revealed: Raptor Lake Unleashed @ Hot Hardware
Published: Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | By: DennisIntel is kicking things up with their announcement of the 13th generation Core processor, commonly called Raptor Lake. The new processor is not a complete departure from the Alder Lake design and more of a "Tock" release where the design has been refined for better performance and better market support.
The socket will remain the same however there will be a new chipset and series of motherboards to support the new processor.
Raptor Lake remains a hybrid architecture with a mix of P (Performance) and E (Efficiency) cores. The P-cores in Raptor Lake, however, will boost to considerably higher frequencies. The P-cores in the first salvo of high-end 13th Gen Core processors will boost up to 5.8GHz, and at an event held in Israel a couple of weeks back a special-edition SKU that will boost to a full 6GHz was teased. The number of E-cores in 13th Gen Core will be increased as well – up to 2X is some models. And the L2 cache for both the P- and E-cores is larger too. There will be 2MB of L2 available per P-core (that’s double what’s in Alder Lake) and 4MB per E-core cluster. All told, the combination of higher clocks, more cores, and more cache – along with some additional tuning within the design – results in a 15% uplift in single-threaded performance and a 41% uplift in multi-threaded workloads.
I was a little skeptical when Alder Lake launched since it took a radical departure from what we have come to expect from a processor. As I started using and experimenting with the processor I have come to accept this as the new standard, both in performance and efficiency. By the looks of it Raptor Lake takes that concept a step further and once again proving that Hardware is way ahead of Software.
