Tech News

  • ThundeRobot ML903 NearLink @ TechPowerUp

    Published: Thursday, May 9, 2024 | By: Dennis

    I have seen quite a few computer mice in the years of doing product reviews.  They are one of those "needed" products that people either get stupid excited over or really couldn't give a crap.  Thing is, the mouse is still one of the primary devices for interacting with a PC and arguably one of the most important components of a proper gaming rig.  So, while there are zealots out there I'm not sure they would find an ambidextrous wireless mouse with a PixArt PAW3396 sensor all that interesting.

    Unless they are left handed wink smile

    The ambidextrous ML903 is among the first mice debuting Huawei's NearLink technology. In addition, it comes with wired 8000 Hz and wireless 4000 Hz polling, PixArt's PAW3395 sensor, Kailh main button switches, and a 600 mAh battery, all wrapped into a 68 g package.

    It seems that this mouse is also one of them "light" mice that could blow away at the slightest sneeze from across the room.

    Thing is, I have a hard time thinking a mouse you can buy off of Aliexpress can be all that good.

  • Thermaltake Launches LCGS Spring Sale with Premier Saving on High-Performance Pre-built Gaming Desktops

    Published: Thursday, May 9, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Experience supreme gaming performance with Thermaltake top-selling LCGS featuring INTEL® Core™ 14th Gen CPUs as well as NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 40 and RTX™ 40 Super GPUs 

     WALNUT, CALIFORNIA, May 7th, 2024 — Thermaltake USA, a leader in PC case, cooling, power, and memory solutions, proudly launches the Spring Sale, running from May 7th to May 31st. This promotional event spotlights four exceptional Thermaltake LCGS (Liquid Cooled Gaming Systems) desktops, outfitted with the latest INTEL® Core™ 14th and 13th Gen CPUs, as well as NVIDIA® GeForce™ RTX™ 40 and RTX™ 40 Super GPUs, engineered to deliver unparalleled gaming power and performance. 

    Throughout the Spring Sale, enthusiasts can seize remarkable offers, including special pricing and a complimentary bundle featuring the Thermaltake ARGENT K5 RGB Gaming Keyboard and ARGENT M5 RGB Gaming Mouse, valued at over $200, or a free ToughRam XG RAM upgrade from 32GB to 64GB with any purchase of an INTEL® Core™ 14th Gen gaming desktop. Additionally, all gaming PCs powered by INTEL® Core™ 14th Gen CPUs will come with a copy of the Star Wars Outlaws™ PC game. Shoppers can also enjoy a $100 discount on select LCGS equipped with INTEL® Core™ 13th CPUs using the promo code "INTELSPRING100".

    “We are delighted to offer our gaming community the most advanced and powerful gaming solutions during this year’s Spring Sale," said Michael Guo, Vice President of Thermaltake USA. "Our carefully selected lineup of LCGS desktops embodies our commitment to delivering exceptional performance and gaming experiences. This sale is not just about great deals as a token of gratitude to the gamer community; it’s about upgrading the gameplay and achieving new heights in gaming excellence.”

    LCGS

    Special Price

    CPU

    GPU

    Free Bundle Offer

    Reactor i90 -Black

    $3,699.99

    Intel® Core™ i9-14900KF

    NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4090

    - Free ARGENT K5 RGB Gaming Keyboard Cherry MX Blue,   $179.99 Value  


    - Free ARGENT M5 RGB Gaming Mouse, $69.99 Value


    - A copy of  Star War Outlaws™ PC game 

    View i4770

    $1,899.99

    Intel Core™ i7-14700KF

    NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070

    - Free ToughRam XG RAM Memory Upgrade (32G to 64G)  $100 Value

    - A copy of  Star War Outlaws™ PC game 

    Apollo i4780

    $2,799.99

    Intel® Core™ i7-13700KF

    NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4080 Super

    Enjoy $100 off at checkout. Use code INTELSPRING100.

    Reactor i470T

    $2,499.99

    Intel® Core™ i9-13900K

    NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4070 Ti Super

    Enjoy $100 off at checkout. Use code INTELSPRING100.


    The selected LCGS desktops offer unparalleled performance enhancements, ensuring minimal latency and maximum frame rates for an unbeatable gaming experience. Gamers can immerse themselves in smooth, detailed visuals and enhanced gameplay across the most demanding modern titles. 

    All Thermaltake products are backed by a comprehensive warranty policy, ensuring peace of mind with every purchase. The specifics of the warranty may differ based on the product category. For detailed information about our warranty coverage and to review the full policy, please visit the Warranty Policy Page.

    To learn more about the Spring Sale, please visit https://thermaltakeusa.com/collections/gaming-pc.  

  • YEYIAN GAMING Spotlights Amazon Gaming Week 2024 with Exclusive Deals on Pre-built Phoenix Gaming PCs and Hussar Plus PC Cases

    Published: Monday, April 29, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Featuring up to $300 off Gaming PCs Equipped with NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 4000/4000 Super Series Graphics Cards

    San Diego, California, April 29th, 2024 – YEYIAN GAMING, a leader in the design and manufacture of innovative pre-built gaming PCs, peripherals, and computer components, is thrilled to announce exclusive promotions for Amazon Gaming Week 2024, running from April 29 to May 5. This key event in the online retail calendar, tailored explicitly for PC enthusiasts and gamers, offers significant savings opportunities. YEYIAN Gaming has handpicked five of its top-selling gaming desktops to feature discounts of up to $300, along with special deals on two PC cases from the prestigious Hussar Plus series.

    The featured Phoenix and Tanto gaming systems are equipped with cutting-edge NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX™ 4000 and 4000 Super series graphics cards, as well as high-performance processors from INTEL® Core™ i9, Core™ i7, and AMD Ryzen™ 7. Additionally, the YEYIAN Hussar Plus ATX mid-tower gaming PC case offers a sleek, spacious design that supports standard ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini-ITX motherboards. Compatible with the latest NVIDIA and AMD graphics cards, it features a tempered glass side panel and advanced cooling options to accommodate multiple fans and AIOs. These promotions provide a fantastic opportunity for gamers to significantly upgrade their setups and enhance their gaming experience during one of the year's most anticipated sales events.

    "We are excited to deepen the collaboration with Amazon for Gaming Week 2024, an event that is tailored and captivates gamers worldwide," said Frank Lee, Vice President of YEYIAN Gaming. "This year, we are delighted to offer significant discounts across some of our most popular gaming desktops. Through this partnership with Amazon, we can provide these advanced models with the latest technology to a broader audience at unparalleled prices. At YEYIAN Gaming, we strive to exceed the gaming community's expectations through continuous innovation and superior quality. These promotions represent a fantastic opportunity for gamers to upgrade their setups with high-performance technology, making elite gaming more accessible than ever."

    Gaming PC Exclusive Deals

    Phoenix Gaming Desktop PC:

    $300 off coupon for PM49KSD-4901U Gaming PC: click here

    • Intel® Core™ i9 14900KF/RTX 4090/Z790/64GB DDR5/2TB NVMe SSD/360mm AIO/1000W Platinum PSU 
    • Free Game: Star Wars Outlaws™  

    $200 off for PM49KFC-48S1U Gaming PC at now $2,899: click here

    • Intel® Core™ i9 14900KF/RTX™ 4080 Super/Z790/32GB DDR5/2TB NVMe SSD/360mm AIO/850W Gold PSU
    • Free Game: Star Wars Outlaws™  

    $300 off for PG780DC-47Y1U Gaming PC at now $1,899: click here

    • AMD Ryzen™ 7 7800X3D/RTX™ 4070 Ti/B650/32GB DDR5/1TB NVMe SSD/360mm AIO/750W Gold PSU

    $100 off coupon for PG49KFC-47S1U Gaming PC: click here

    • Intel® Core™ i9 14700KF/RTX™ 4070 Super/Z790/32GB DDR5/1TB NVMe SSD/360mm AIO/650W Gold PSU
    • Free Game: Star Wars Outlaws™  

    Tanto Gaming Desktop PC:

    • $200 off coupon for TA24F0B-4601U Gaming PC: click here
    • Intel® Core™ i7 12700F/RTX™ 4060/B660/16GB DDR5/1TB NVMe SSD/650W Gold PSU

    PC Case Exclusive Deals 

    • Enjoy 12% off for the Hussar Plus ATX gaming PC case, tempered glass side panel, white edition,  now $74.99: click here
    • Enjoy 13% off for the Hussar Plus ATX gaming PC case, tempered glass side panel, black edition,  now $69.99: click here

    For more details on Star Wars Outlaws™, please visit https://us.yeyiangaming.com/yeyian-and-intel-presents-star-wars-outlaws

    For warranty information, please visit https://us.yeyiangaming.com/warranty-information

  • KLEVV Bolt V DDR5-6800 32 GB CL34 @ TechPowerUp

    Published: Monday, April 29, 2024 | By: Dennis

    I met with the KLEVV folks one year during Computex.  They had some good stuff but nothing really special, in fact it was rather basic and designed for the mainstream.

    Makes me wonder how these new Bolt modules will work out.

    KLEVV has brought the Bolt series to DDR5. Targeting PC gamers, the Bolt V is a low-profile memory kit that keeps the lights off, but is no slouch either! Follow along as we benchmark and compare this memory kit on both Intel and AMD systems.

    DDR5-6800 isn't bad though, I have seen faster. happy smile

  • GravaStar Sirius P5 Combo Earphones Review @ Madshrimps

    Published: Sunday, April 28, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Ok, so, what I find interesting about this product AND the review.  The title says they are Earphones (ear buds) but, the article snip doesn't really "sell" it to me.  In fact I was really confused as to what I was seeing.

    Was this some sort of fancy zippo lighter?? was it a space frame to hold your phone?? 

    Armed with that I went to check out the review and... three pages in, I was still confused but, I can honestly say the packaging is quite amazing.

    After connecting the Sirius P5 set to our Samsung S24 smartphone, we started listening to various TV shows via Plex, YouTube videos but also listened to some music: the earphones sound really good, with an impressive amount of bass for such small drivers, while the voices are delivered with clarity. The capacitive controls on each earbud do allow actions such as answering phone calls, audio track skipping, play/pause, volume control or we can also activate the voice assistant. If we are playing games, there is also a mode which minimizes latency to about 48ms, which is great!

    I'm not one for Ear Buds but, for those who are, these might be interesting to check out.

  • EnGenius Now Shipping the FitXpress Gateway: Redefining Site-to-Site VPN Connectivity

    Published: Sunday, April 28, 2024 | By: Dennis

    The XG60-FIT FitXpress Gateway is a perfect connectivity solution for small businesses with multiple branches or remote workers. It's simple to set up and packed with advanced security and management features, making it flexible enough to meet the needs of business owners and service providers

    COSTA MESA, Calif., April 22nd, 2024 -- EnGenius, a leading innovator in connectivity solutions, is excited to announce that the new FitXpress Security Gateway is now ready for purchase. This advanced security gateway is explicitly designed for small businesses, branch offices, and work-from-home (WFH) environments, providing simple installation, unparalleled efficiency, and reliable security to the market. This solution provides SMBs with an easy-to-use connectivity solution and offers a comprehensive range of features that empower service providers to deliver an efficient and secure solution for a wide range of use cases. 

    Complete and Seamless Security Solution 

    One of the XG60-FIT Gateway’s distinctive features is to simplify connectivity between two or more physical locations to create a secure network connection for small businesses. Small businesses can seamlessly collaborate, share resources, and communicate across geographical locations. The XG60-FIT Gateway offers a streamlined auto-VPN setup to remove the complexity for users of varying levels with a rapid 900 Mbps speed to connect branch offices or remote workers, enabling efficient communication. EnGenius has also incorporated a VPN self-healing capability that automatically monitors connectivity and corrects issues, providing peace of mind for business owners and network administrators. 

    Optimized Remote Connectivity with SecuPoint 

    The SecuPoint VPN client feature on the gateway allows for secure and easy remote connections with automatic VPN networking managed in the cloud. EnGenius's SecuPoint simplifies SSL VPN setup with auto-configuration and flexible certificate authentication, enhancing network administrators' efficiency.  This feature allows remote workers to access corporate networks safely and securely with encryption. SecuPoint VPN provides unified device connectivity with multi-platform support for Windows, Mac, iOS, and Android. It removes the complexity of remote VPN setup, enabling businesses to run hassle-free. 

    Streamlined Management through FitXpress Platform 

    Gateway XG60-FIT can be easily managed through the FitXpress platform, which helps small business owners handle operations without the need for IT staff. It offers complete visibility, control, and insightful data to make informed business decisions. FitXpress is a comprehensive network management system that simplifies the installation, configuration, and monitoring of EnGenius network devices, letting business owners focus on their operations rather than dealing with network issues. It provides an intuitive web portal and app enabling remote network management from any location, which enhances network security and operational efficiency for small businesses. 

    The XG60-FIT gateway comes with additional key features for connection flexibility and reliability.  

    • Dual-GbE WAN and Dual-GbE LAN ports for maximum performance.  
    • Enhanced connectivity through dual-WAN load balancing.  
    • WAN and cellular failover mechanisms provide continuous connectivity without interruptions. 
    • Dedicated 2 GE LAN Ports, optional 3rd LAN, and 1x SFP uplink for flexible connectivity. 
    • Seamless integration with existing network gateways and routers via passthrough functionality. 
    • High-performance dual-core 2.1 GHz processor for greater speed and power.  
    • Cloud-based management unifies EnGenius Fit Gateways, Wi-Fi Access Points, and Switches.  

    The XG60-FIT Gateway, with an MSRP of $375, is now available for immediate shipping through the EnGenius Store and EnGenius authorized partners. Discover more about the XG60-FIT.

  • Thermaltake Elevates Gaming Rigs Nationwide with Smart BM3 and ToughPower GF A3 PSUs Available at Best Buy Retail Stores

    Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Explore Thermaltake ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen5 Power Supply Units – Delivering Exceptional 80Plus Efficiency and Game-Changing 12VHPWR Connectivity.  

    WALNUT, CALIFORNIA, April 24th, 2024 — Thermaltake USA, a leading provider of PC case, cooling, power supply, and desktop memory solutions, today announced the nationwide release of the Smart BM3 Bronze and ToughPower GF A3 Gold series power supplies at Best Buy stores. These cutting-edge products are designed to meet the needs of the most demanding gaming and graphic setups, offering power ratings from 650W to 1200W. Featuring full ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen5 compliance and equipped with the revolutionary 12VHPWR connector, these power supplies are ready to support the most advanced graphics cards available on the market.

    "Best Buy has been a pivotal partner for Thermaltake as we strive towards sustainability. Through our collaborative efforts, significant milestones that benefit both the industry and the environment have been achieved," said Michael Guo, Vice President of Thermaltake USA. "We are excited to introduce six new models from our prestigious PSU series, each designed to prioritize energy efficiency and environmental responsibility. These models, certified with the eco-friendly 80Plus Gold rating, underscore our commitment to green computing. The launch of these PSUs at Best Buy marks a significant step in Thermaltake's mission to innovate and provide tailored solutions that promote sustainability in the gaming industry."

    Smart BM3 Bronze Transforms Gaming Setups with Advanced ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen5 Support

    Gamers and PC builders can now elevate the gaming experience with Thermaltake Smart BM3 Bronze power supplies, available in 850W, 750W, and 650W models to support the next generation of entry-level graphics cards. With its semi-modular design and 80+ Bronze efficiency, the Smart BM3 Bronze series offers an affordable solution that meets its target audience's budget needs without compromising performance. Each power supply includes modular low-profile flat black cables and a native 12+4-pin PCIe Gen5 connector that adheres to the latest ATX 3.0 standard, ensuring future-proof compatibility and a streamlined build process.

    Highlighting durability and quiet operation, the series features high-quality Japanese 105°C/221°F main capacitors and a 120mm ultra-quiet fluid dynamic bearing fan further enhanced by Smart Zero Fan technology to minimize noise during low to medium loads. This attention to detail extends to the precise DC-to-DC design for stable electrical output and comprehensive hardware protection mechanisms such as OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, SCP, and OTP. Despite their robust functionality, these power supplies are designed with a compact footprint of 150mm(W)x86mm(H)x140mm(D), making them an ideal choice for space-conscious setups.

    ToughPower GF A3 Gold: Precision-Engineered for Next-Generation Gaming PCs with ATX 3.0 and PCIe Gen5 Capabilities

    ToughPower GF A3 Gold series power supplies, offered in 1200W, 1050W, and 850W models, are expertly engineered to meet the demands of next-generation PCs. These power supplies are fully equipped for PCIe Gen5 and ATX3.0 specifications, ready to handle the most advanced graphics cards on the market. With their compact design, the ToughPower GF A3 Gold units are specially crafted to fit seamlessly into constrained PC cases, providing robust, streamlined solutions for any graphically demanding PC builds.

    ToughPower GF A3 Gold series emphasizes reliability and top-tier performance and supports a native 12+4-pin PCIe Gen5 connector, ensuring compatibility with future GPU releases. The exceptional voltage regulation aligns with Intel’s stringent standards, guaranteeing consistent power delivery. These PSUs boast an impressive hold-up time of over 17 milliseconds and operate continuously at a warm 45°C/122°F without compromising efficiency or output. At the core of the design is a 120mm ultra-quiet fluid dynamic bearing fan, providing optimal airflow quietly. Coupled with high-quality Japanese 105°C/221°F main capacitors and a robust DC-to-DC design, the ToughPower GF A3 Gold series promises precise electrical output and complete hardware protection, featuring OCP, OVP, UVP, OPP, SCP, and OTP, securing your system's safety and longevity.

  • Noctua introduces NH-L12Sx77 low-profile CPU cooler

    Published: Wednesday, April 24, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Back in 2012 I reviewed a pretty amazing heatsink from Noctua,  I didn't realize it at the time but the compact design of the NH-L12 allowed it to be installed in my development server that has been running 24x7+365 with the cooler for the past 12 years.  Not only has it performed extremely well but has required on maintenance and delivers a level of cooling that is hard to be at those service levels.

    The new Noctua NH-L12Sx77 appears to have a similar design but comes with a slim 120mm fan and no secondary making the cooler much shorter.

    Noctua today introduced its new NH-L12Sx77 low-profile CPU cooler for compact, powerful yet quiet Small Form Factor systems. The NH-L12Sx77 is a slightly taller variant of the award-winning NH-L12S, offering improved cooling performance as well as enhanced motherboard and RAM compatibility.

    “Our NH-L12S is a popular choice for compact builds in cases like the Fractal Design Terra or Louqe RAW S1, but due to its height of only 70mm, RAM compatibility and clearance for tall motherboard components are limited. At the same time, many of these cases offer a bit of extra space”, explains Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “This is where the new NH-L12Sx77 steps in: It makes use of that extra space in order to provide enhanced compatibility and even better cooling performance, which comes in handy when building powerful gaming or productivity setups.”

    I have never had much luck getting slim 120mm fans to last longer than a few weeks, mostly due to the bearings wearing out.  With any luck the Noctua edition can do better.

  • Intel’s “Gaudi 3” AI accelerator chip may give Nvidia’s H100 a run @ ArsTechnica

    Published: Monday, April 22, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Last week Intel announced their new AI Accelator chip they call Gaudi 3 as an alternative to the Nvidia H100.  Of course, as you now Nvidia showed off their Blackwell system which basically took the H100 to an entire new level.

    Compared to Nvidia's H100 chip, Intel projects a 50 percent faster training time on Gaudi 3 for both OpenAI's GPT-3 175B LLM and the 7-billion parameter version of Meta's Llama 2. In terms of inference (running the trained model to get outputs), Intel claims that its new AI chip delivers 50 percent faster performance than H100 for Llama 2 and Falcon 180B, which are both open-weights models.

    What I find interesting about this new chip is that it was basically created because NVIDIA held the market share in AI processing and, is something that NVIDIA held for a VERY LONG time.  It wasn't until ChatGPT and freely available LLMs hit the headlines that the AI race started to heat up.

    I still remember when AMD told the world that their GPUs were better at playing games because they were dedicated to visual processing.  Well, joke has been on them because the focus of the NVIDIA GPU was never be only on video games ever since the launch of CUDA.  Combine that with Intel trying to enter the GPU market, and failing and we start to see a real push towards AI processing, and getting their piece of the pie.

    On paper the Guadi 3 looks really impressive, HBM memory + massive processing core makes the chip faster on a hardware level but, they are still years behind on the software front and it would be pretty easy for NVIDIA to lock them out.  Although, that might be the point, when NVIDIA locked out AMD from using SLI, they went full bore into Crossfire development and, in some ways created the better product.

    As you can imagine, investors are not as tech savvy and basically are pulling their stakes in NVIDIA stock because they are no longer a "sure bet".  Combine that with "me to" style of investing and one high-level investor selling their stake and you get a literal cascade of sell offs as a result.

    I guess whatever is good for the investors is good for the market.  Even if this Intel chip fails to sell, the damage was done leaving NVIDIA to do what it has always done, march on and take over.

  • Funky Kit Review - Corsair MP700 2TB PCIe Gen 5×4 NVMe M.2 SSD

    Published: Sunday, April 14, 2024 | By: Dennis

    Corsair has been a name that I once praised, their products where extremely good and they seemed to have the needs of the hardware enthusiast dialed.  Then, something changed, they refocused their marketing efforts moving away from traditional written media to video and more mainstream options.  While I was upset by the shift, it seems to have paid off for them.  I would start seeing Corsair products in more builds and by folks who had no idea what they were doing but, loved doing whatever they did.

    It would seem that things over at Corsair have started to humble a bit and, I would fully expect to start seeing more written reviews, including one from Hardware Asylum.

    If you need a fast PCIE Gen5 SSD so that you can load your favorite software or games at lightning speeds, then look no further. The Corsair MP700 gives super fast read and write speed of up to 10,000 MB/s, plus it comes with a 5-year warranty. It’s perfect for any desktop PCs or laptops that supports PCIE Gen 5 SSDs.

    I'm glad to see that Gen5 SSDs are starting to make the rounds, you don't get much in a real world performance boost but, it hits you in the "feels" pretty good.