Tech News

• Intel Xe-HPG DG2 GPU Engineering Sample Pictured

  Published: Friday, April 9, 2021 | By: Dennis

  For years Intel has been trying to break into the GPU market and while almost EVERY Intel CPU comes with a graphic processor they are not gaming ready video devices and designed mostly to compliment systems deployed into the enterprise space.

  

  Well, it would seem that Intel has finally started making some headway into the GPU space should have something ready by the end of the year.  If the rumors are true this could be a super tastey video card and even if it cannot complete with the NVIDIA flagship it will have a profound impact on the lower end market segment.

  The card features 512 Execution Units and will be the flagship model for Intel's upcoming Xe-HPG lineup reportedly targeting performance between the RTX 3070 and RTX 3080. The final product is rumored to feature a base clock of 2.2 GHz along with 16 GB GDDR6 memory and a 256-bit bus. The sample has a TDP of 275 W with 8 + 6 pin power connectors up from original targets of 225 W - 250 W. 

  These specs make is seem like they are going after NVIDIA so I'll be sitting here watching to see what unfolds.  Be sure to check out TechPowerUp and the Moores Law is Dead channel for more information related to this story.

  Never know it could be completely fake.

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• Patriot launches Supersonic Rage Pro USB 3.2 Gen.1 Flash Drive

  Published: Tuesday, March 23, 2021 | By: Dennis

  USB 3.2 Gen.1 with high IOPS and fast read and write, making it the best solution for boot drives. Now available in capacities from 128GB to 512GB.

  FREMONT, CALIFORNIA, March 18th, 2021 – PATRIOT™, a global leader in performance memory, SSDs, gaming peripherals, and flash storage solutions, is proud to announce the market launch of the new Supersonic RAGE series, Supersonic Rage PRO USB 3.2 Gen. 1 flash drive today. This USB 3.2 Gen.1 flash drive supports UASP mode to ensure the fastest data Read and Write speeds. The RAGE PRO series USB drive comes with an LED activity indicator and features a high-quality aluminum-coated housing for extra protection and better thermal performance. The USB drive is available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB. It operates completely driver-free on Windows 10/8/7/Vista/XP/2000, Linux, AndroidOS, ChromeOS, and Mac OSX and later. The Supersonic Rage Pro USB 3.2 Gen.1 flash drive is the ultimate solution for consumers who demand massive multi-platform data storage with excellent reliability.

  

   "Improving user experience is always a top priority when we start to design new products. Every detail is inspected as it could be the one that pushes this product beyond the competition," said Roger Shinmoto, Vice President of Product Development. "From the inside out, the Supersonic RAGE PRO USB 3.2 Gen.1 flash drive is a next-gen portable USB storage solution for all users while offering performance benefits to our more demanding customers who need it most," he added.

  FEATURES:

  • USB 3.2 Gen. 1 compliant (backward compatible with USB 2.0)
  • Up to 420MB/s Read
  • Up to 8,000 4K Random IOPs
  • Aluminum coated housing gives the better thermal and solid body
  • Supported UASP mode provide fastest response read and write
  • LED light indicator
  • Plug and Play, driver free
  • Compatible with Windows 7/8/10, Linux 2.4 and Later, Mac OSX and later

  The Supersonic RAGE PRO series supports UASP mode (USB Attached SCSI Protocol). This mode allows for faster Read/Write speeds from removable storage devices. Compared to traditional USB 3.0 BOT, the UASP mode will boost overall performance with 70% faster read and 40% faster Write speeds at its peak. The Supersonic RAGE PRO delivers 420MB/s in Read speed and up to 8,000 4K Random IOPS. The Rage Pro is also optimized as a boot drive for Windows OS and other operating systems, while the extra IOPS and random 4K read and write speed provides excellent reliability and faster boot times. The Rage Pro can also be an alternative solution when users need an independent rescue drive for laptops and desktops. The LED indicators allow users to visually confirm when data is being processed and is entirely plug-and-play compatible.

  The Supersonic RAGE PRO USB 3.2 Gen.1 flash drive will be launched in major US retailers and available in 3 capacities: 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB, all backed by Patriot 5-year Warranty.

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• Lexar Announces New NQ100 2.5 SATA III

  Published: Monday, March 22, 2021 | By: Dennis

  San Jose, USA, March 17, 2021 — Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, today announced the new NQ100 2.5” SATA III (6Gb/s) SSD. The NQ100 solid-state drive is an easy upgrade for users looking to improve the performance of their laptop or desktop computers.

  

  Key Features:

  • Boost your computer’s performance for faster startups, data transfers, and application loads
  • Fast performance, easy upgrade
  • Shock and vibration resistant with no moving parts
  • Three-year limited warranty

  Improve your system’s performance and enjoy faster startups, data transfers, and load times for applications. Boasting read speeds of up to 550MB/s, the Lexar NQ100 SSD will refresh your laptop or PC for a faster experience. The NQ100 SSD is also shock and vibration resistant, making it more reliable and durable than a typical hard drive. It is also cooler, quieter, and more energy efficient than traditional HDD.

  “Lexar is dedicated to expanding our SSD portfolio and continue to offer high-quality solid-state drives for various computing needs. The new Lexar NQ100 SSD provides customers with an easy yet cost-effective way to boost PC performance, and with capacity options ranging from 240GB-960GB, users can easily expand storage for their content-driven lifestyles," said Joel Boquiren, General Manager of Lexar. 

  NQ100 SSD is available this month for purchase online at an MSRP of $30.99 USD (240GB), $52.99 USD (480GB) with 960GB to be announced at a future date.

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• TerraMaster Introduces D2-310 2-Bay RAID Storage with USB 3.1

  Published: Monday, March 22, 2021 | By: Dennis

  Empowering creative professionals in small home and office setups with 5Gbps SUPERSPEED+

  March 16th, 2021 Shenzhen, China - TerraMaster, a professional brand that specializes in providing innovative storage products, introduces the D2-310 2-bay RAID storage with USB 3.1 5Gbps port for small home and small office setups. The D2-310 features a high-speed USB 3.1 Gen1 SUPERSPEED+ 5Gbps Type-C that’s compatible with Windows and Mac systems. The highly-compatible, high-speed Type-C connector deliver speeds of up to 410MB/s, allowing users to copy 1GB videos in just 2~3 seconds.

  

  Competitively priced at $159, the D2-310 is perfect for creative professionals like video editors, graphics designers, and animators working at home and in small offices. Its two bays support 2.5” and 3.5” SATA drives and up to 36TB storage capacity (2x 18TB 3.5” HDDs). It uses a sturdy aluminum enclosure with superb temperature management and low noise.

  Designed for Professionals
  For professionals that demand high-speed, high-capacity, and secured storage, the D2-310 is the perfect storage solution for your valuable work files whether you are using a Windows or Mac computer. The USB 3.1 Gen 1 5Gbps SUPERSPEED+ Type-C connection can deliver a maximum read speed of 410MB/s and maximum write speed of 400MB/s using SSDs. Users can have up to 36TB of storage. Users can also select one of the four support storage modes including RAID 0, RAID 1, JBOD, and SINGLE to fit their needs.

  Designed to Fit Your Needs
  For professionals that work with sensitive data such as financial records and corporate records, the D2-310 comes with the necessary safety features to secure your data at all times. Use RAID 1 mode to automatically secure stored data with a mirror backup. For professionals like video editors and content creation that need speed, RAID 0 mode offers faster speeds, reducing copy time significantly to boost productivity.

  Learn more about the TerraMaster D2-310 2-bay RAID storage at TerraMaster

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• AMD Will Not Artificially Limit Radeon 6000 Crypto Mining Performance @ Hot Hardware

  Published: Monday, March 22, 2021 | By: Dennis

  With all of this talk about crypto consuming the entire supply of gaming GPUs it really puts some perspective into the power of money and why get rich quick schemes actually work. 

  At least for one person.

  You see when you drive the promise of money into the minds of people and then make it extremely easy to obtain said money, they do whatever it takes to make that one thing happen.  Spend over a grand on a video card and in a year they might be able to pay it off.  Pick up a second and halve that prospect. 

  This sort of model rarely happens in the world and is a powerful motivator.  So, what happens when a company releases a product that has been designed for a single purpose which doesn't include crypto.  For business types and crypto miners they would say it is a failure while gamers might hail it as the second coming.

  Enter the Radeon 6000, the card that is so sub-standard it is only good at playing games.

  The quick and simple answer is a resounding "no." According to AMD Director of Product Management Nish Neelalojanan, "[AMD] will not be blocking any workload." While that is good news at face value, AMD doesn't exactly need to put an actual hardware/software limiter on GPUs like the Radeon RX 6700 XT and Radeon RX 6800 XT to limit the appeal to cryptocurrency miners. The company's design choices during development mean that RDNA 2 GPUs are a relatively poor choice from a performance/efficiency angle.

  We can thank the power of CUDA and AI for why NVIDIA cards work well to solve complex math problems and how a product that is too good will keep it out of the hands of gamers until the next product release.

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• Noctua presents redux line CPU cooler and second fan kit

  Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2021 | By: Dennis

  Vienna, March 16th 2021 – Noctua today presented the NH-U12S redux, the first CPU cooler within its redux line of products. True to the spirit of the redux line, the NH-U12S redux takes the proven concept of the original, award-winning NH-U12S and reduces it to its essential core: a quiet, quality-made 120mm cooler with streamlined accessories that is highly compatible, easy to install and accessibly priced. With the NA-FK1 second fan kit, the NH-U12S redux can be upgraded to a push/pull dual-fan configuration for further improved performance.

  

  “Our redux line fans have earned an excellent reputation for providing trusted Noctua quality without breaking the bank”, says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “Today, we’re proud to present our first redux line CPU cooler, which does exactly the same thing. We’re confident that the NH-U12S redux will be a perfect choice for anybody who has always wanted a Noctua heatsink but couldn’t quite justify the investment.”

  The NH-U12S redux is a streamlined, accessibly priced version of the iconic NH-U12S that has established itself as a benchmark for slim, highly compatible 120mm CPU coolers. The redux version uses the same proven heatsink layout that guarantees 100% compatibility with tall RAM modules as well as excellent case and PCIe compatibility. Thanks to the popular NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM fan that supports automatic speed control through the motherboard, it provides high performance under load and runs whisper-quiet at idle. At the same time, Noctua’s renowned, professional SecuFirm2™ mounting system and the pre-applied NT-H1 thermal compound make installation a breeze. Backed up with Noctua’s trusted 6-year manufacturer’s warranty, the NH-U12S redux is a smart, affordable choice for a quiet, high-quality 120mm cooler.

  Just like with Noctua’s more expensive coolers, future mounting upgrade kits for the NH-U12S redux will be provided free of charge if technically possible, making it a safe long-term investment.

  Users who would like to further improve the cooling efficiency of the NH-U12S redux can do so with the newly introduced, optional NA-FK1 kit that contains a second NF-P12 redux-1700 PWM fan, fan clips, anti-vibration pads, a y-cable and Low-Noise Adaptors. By upgrading the cooler to a push/pull-style dual-fan setup, the NA-FK1 makes it possible to achieve even better performance or to reduce noise levels by having two fans running at lower speeds.

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• March of the Gamer Giveway from Viper Gaming and Hardware Asylum

  Published: Monday, March 15, 2021 | By: Dennis

  Spring is in the air and it is time to clean up those gaming rigs, blow out the dust and why not refresh a couple gaming peripherals with some help from Viper Gaming. 

  

  Up for grabs are the following.

  1. Viper Gaming V380 RGB Virtual 7.1 Gaming Headset x 1pc 
  2. Viper Gaming V770 RGB Mechanical Gaming Keyboard x 1pc

  Contest end March 31st, 2021 at 11:59 PM PST and a Total 2 winners will be announced on April 1st, 2021.

  Follow the instructions below to enter and good luck!

  Hardware Asylum and Viper Gaming March Of The Gamer Giveaway

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• Lexar Announces New NM620 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD

  Published: Sunday, March 14, 2021 | By: Dennis

  San Jose, USA, March 10th, 2021 — Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, is proud to announce the new NM620 M.2 2280 PCle Gen3x4 NVMe SSD. The NM620 is a perfect solution designed for content creators and gamers who want to maximize the speed of their PCs and be able to handle intensive workload.

  

  Key Features:

  • High-speed PCIe Gen3x4 interface: 3300MB/s read and 3000MB/s write¹- NVMe 1.4 supported
  • M.2 2280 form factor
  • Get 6x the speed of a SATA-based SSD³
  • 3D NAND
  • Features LDPC (Low-Density Parity Check)
  • Shock and vibration resistant with no moving parts²
  • Five-year limited warranty

  Enjoy 6x the speed of SATA SSDs with speeds of up to 3300MB/s read and 3000MB/s write, so you can improve overall workflow. Supported by PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe 1.4 technology standard and built with the latest 3D NAND flash, the NM620 puts you in the computing fast lane and offers impressive performance even for demanding creative workstations and gaming experiences.

  For added efficiency, its reduced power consumption and cooler operation makes the battery life last longer than a traditional hard drive.Also, the NM620 is built to last with no moving parts, unlike traditional hard disk drive. On top of that, it’s also shock and vibration resistant, making it one robust and reliable SSD².

  “We are excited to announce the new Lexar® NM620 M.2 2280 PCIe Gen3x4 NVMe SSD to our family line of SSD products. With speeds of up to 3300MB/s read, it is the perfect solution for creators and gamers who want to speed up their workflow. The impressive heat dissipation allows you to complete your workflow smoothly,"
  ~ Joel Boquiren, General Manager of Lexar.

  Lexar NM620 M.2 2280 PCle Gen3x4 NVMe SSD is available this month for purchase online at an MSRP of $89.99 USD (512GB), $159.99 USD (1TB).

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• Zadak Spark RGB 1 TB @ TechPowerUp

  Published: Sunday, March 14, 2021 | By: Dennis

  Zadak is a new company for me, never heard of them before but it seems they are making 1TB RGB "somethings" that have been reviewed over at TechPowerUp.  Might be interesting to check out., at least to figure out what "spark" is.

  

  The Zadak Spark RGB M.2 SSD comes with a gorgeous RGB implementation that neatly synchronizes with all the big motherboard brands. In the motherboard software, the SSD will show up as an additional, individually controllable RGB element, no additional cable is required.

  Oh, so M.2 drives...  We checked out a M.2 from an unknown company called the Asura Genesis Xtreme and it was pretty good.  RGB showing through the heatspreader and really good performance.  The only issue was getting the drive to work on systems that followed the standard M.2 spec and didn't allow room for "extra" heatspreaders.

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• HyperX Cloud II Wireless headset review @ DVHardware

  Published: Saturday, March 13, 2021 | By: Dennis

  When it comes to affordable gaming headsets the HyperX Cloud II is pretty good both from a sound quality and fitment standpoint.  You can check out the review over at DV Hardware for more information.

  

  For a company that had never made a gaming headset before 2014, HyperX really took the market by storm. Millions of unit sales later, HyperX has ranked in the US as the best-selling PC gaming headset brand for several years now. One of the company's best-selling products is the sub-$100 HyperX Cloud II -- the original launched in 2015 and now there's a wireless version of this classic. The original received rare reviews at the time, it's still available and has been sold millions of times. The Cloud Wireless II gaming headset builds upon this legacy by cutting the cord -- the new model offers 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, up to 30 hours of battery life, and 20 meters of wireless range. But is it as good as the original? Read on to find out!

  I'm not sure I would fully agree with the way this review was introduced but, there is some truth to it all.

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