Tech News

• Thermaltake Announces INTEL Pre-Summer Sale with Exclusive Bundles and Discounts

  Published: Monday, June 10, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Get Ready for Summer with Exceptional Deals on High-Performance TT Gaming Pre-built Desktop PCs

  Walnut, California, June 10^th – Thermaltake USA, a leader in PC case, cooling, power, and memory solutions, proudly announces its INTEL Pre-Summer Sale, running from June 1 to June 30. This promotion offers exceptional deals on a selection of high-performance gaming desktops powered by INTEL® Core™ series CPUs, including the Reactor i90 - Snow, Reactor i80S - Snow, Avalanche i477T, and Reactor i460T. Each model is equipped with top-tier INTEL® Core™ processors and powerful NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 4000 series graphics cards designed to deliver superior gaming experiences. The sale features exclusive bundle offers and significant discounts, such as free peripherals, memory upgrades, and substantial price reductions. This is an unparalleled opportunity for gamers and PC enthusiasts to upgrade their setups with cutting-edge Intel-powered systems, ensuring enhanced performance and reliability for all their gaming needs.

  

  “Our collaboration with INTEL on this promotion exemplifies our commitment to the gamer community, allowing us to integrate their cutting-edge processors into our high-performance gaming desktops. The Reactor i90 - Snow, Reactor i80S - Snow, Avalanche i477T, and Reactor i460T are prime examples of this synergy, offering unparalleled power and efficiency. These systems, available at exceptional prices during our INTEL Pre-Summer Sale, provide an excellent opportunity for our customers to enhance their gaming experience with the latest INTEL technology," said Michael Guo, Vice President of Thermaltake USA.

  Promotional Highlights:

  1. Reactor i90 – Snow
  2. Reactor i80S – Snow
  3. Avalanche i477T
  4. Reactor i460T

  Thermaltake's INTEL Pre-Summer Sale presents an excellent opportunity to upgrade to cutting-edge gaming desktops. Each system is engineered for superior performance and features INTEL’s latest processors and high-end components, ensuring an exceptional gaming experience.

  Backed by the Thermaltake USA warranty, the TT Gaming desktop PCs are now readily available for purchase on the Thermaltake webstore and Amazon.

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• LIAN LI Redefines PC Case Layout with the SUP-01 Compact Tower

  Published: Thursday, May 30, 2024 | By: Dennis

  May 30th, 2024, Taipei, Taiwan – LIAN LI Industrial Co. Ltd., a leading manufacturer of chassis and PC accessories, launches the SUP-01, a small tower case that revolutionizes the conventional layout of standard PCs. Engineered with three distinct airflow chambers, each dedicated to essential components—GPU, CPU’s AIO, and motherboard. The SUP-01 positions the GPU at the center of the front panel on a fully adjustable bracket, and accommodates up to a 360 AIO behind the motherboard tray for enhanced cooling efficiency. A non-tinted tempered glass panel on the left side offers a clear view of the main chamber which supports up to regular ATX motherboards and ATX back-connect motherboards, and the PCIe riser bracket with built-in diffused LED strips. Additional LED strips decorate the top edge of the PSU chamber along both the left and front sides of the case. Available in black and white, the SUP-01 retails at an MSRP of $149.99.

  
  • 45L tower with a compact footprint and cooling performance on par with LANCOOL 216
  • 3 airflow chamber design with front-facing upright graphics card, a dedicated main chamber for the motherboard, and AIO radiator and fans mounted in the right side chamber
  • Comes with 3 pre-installed 120mm PWM fans in the right side chamber
  • Airflow focused with steel mesh panels at the front, top, right side, and rear
  • Supports back-connect ATX motherboards
  • Built-in RGB strip along front and left side panel, and on PCIe riser bracket

  A Revolutionary Concept
  ?The SUP-01, with its compact 45-liter enclosure, challenges traditional PC designs by offering a smaller footprint without compromising high-end hardware compatibility. By integrating only the core components, users can swiftly assemble a thermally efficient computer comparable to the LANCOOL 216. Placing the GPU in an upright position at the front of the case enables fresh air intake for optimal GPU performance. The adjustable bracket allows precise positioning of the GPU, both vertically and horizontally, maximizing airflow and aesthetics. The SUP-01 features LED strips along the front and left side of the case, along with an additional strip on the PCIe riser bracket. These strips can be conveniently controlled via the built-in Mode and Color buttons, offering six preset modes and eleven colors for customization.

  3 Airflow Chambers
  ?The SUP-01 boasts three separate airflow chambers for efficient cooling. The GPU positioned at the front acts as an intake, while 3 pre-installed 120mm PWM fans serve as exhaust behind the motherboard tray, creating the first airflow chamber. For the CPU, an AIO with a radiator and fans mounted behind the motherboard tray creates the second airflow chamber, supporting up to a 280/360mm AIO. Additionally, a 120mm fan can be mounted at the rear of the case to cool motherboard components such as RAM, CPU power delivery, and M.2 storage.

  Modern Compatibility?
  The motherboard mounting tray accommodates ATX back-connect motherboards, as well as standard ATX, M-ATX, and MINI-ITX motherboards. Equipped with a PCIe 4.0 riser cable mounted on a pre-installed bracket, the SUP-01 supports GPUs of up to four slots thick with a maximum length of 400mm at the front. Storage options include provision for up to two 3.5” HDDs or 2.5” SSDs in the PSU chamber, while an additional two 2.5” SSDs can be mounted above the PSU shroud in the main chamber, adorned with an elegant mirror cover.

  Availability?
  The SUP-01 is available for pre-order on May 30th, 2024, at an MSRP of $149.99 for the black and for the white version.

  For more information on the SUP-01, please visit: https://lian-li.com/product/sup-01/?

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• Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck HOTAS System Review @ APH Networks

  Published: Thursday, May 30, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Simulators have become rather popular in recent years and while they have been around since the beginning of the computer revolution the interfaces used to control them has been cost prohibitive.  Sure, if you are training to land on the moon or learning how to fly fighter jets you will get a near 1:1 but, for the weekend gamer a joystick just won't cut it.

  

  The Turtle Beach VelocityOne Flightdeck is a good entry-level HOTAS system for the casual flying enthusiast. 

  I'm not so much a flying enthusiast but, I do like checking out the latest in gaming gear and this one looks pretty good.

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• MSI Project Zero to Debut DDR5 CAMM2 Memory

  Published: Thursday, May 23, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Not long ago Crucial sent out a press release announcing their entries into the CAMM2 memory space.  This new memory form factor is designed to replace SO-DIMM modules with the promise of delivering higher memory throughput while also reducing Z-Height footprints.

  This is an important distinction given that mobile devices are getting more powerful by the day but are suffering in the size department.

  MSI Project Zero is a new motherboard form factor that utilizes both sides of the motherboard PCB.  CPU Socket, expansion slots are positioned on top while power and data connections are placed on the back.  This creates the ultimate in cable management while also creating a semi-closed ecosystem for system builders and DIY'ers.

  

  MSI and Kingston are previewing the next revolution in memory design, the DDR5 CAMM2. Featured on a Z790 PROJECT ZERO PLUS, the Kingston FURY Impact DDR5 CAMM2 prototype module demonstrates the compact size, thin profile, and potential OC performance.

  This is not the first time we have seen Laptop memory on a desktop motherboard and while running SO-DIMM modules would actually decrease performance the new CAMM2 modules should be on par with traditional DDR5 SDRAM.

  We will get an opportunity to see these motherboards and CAMM2 memory during Computex 2024 and, for once, I cannot wait

  On a semi related note, much like Project Zero there is a good majority of the population that just doesn't "get it",  The comments attached to the MSI twitter post are a major indication of this.  Some would say "that is the cost of progress" while others would say "that is what you get for announcing a stupid idea".  It will be interesting to see which one is correct and if their M.2 cooler was is indication it will be a popcorn moment for sure.

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• 3DMark Steel Nomad launches… for free!

  Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Time to move on

  Since Time Spy launched in 2016, there’s been a truly gigantic number of submitted results:

  Almost 48 million.

  Over time, the average Time Spy score has approximately quadrupled. This, alongside game and hardware technology developments over the last eight years, meant that Time Spy was starting to show its age, and a new non-ray-traced benchmark was needed.

  

  We’re not fully retiring Time Spy just yet, but we suggest you use our latest benchmarks to get the best benchmarking experience on modern hardware.

  Steel Nomad strides into town

  Steel Nomad is a non-raytraced, cross-platform GPU benchmark that uses graphics technologies just like your favorite new game titles.

  

  Running at a native 4k resolution, it improves upon Time Spy with more modern implementations of graphics technologies and is roughly three times heavier for your PC than Time Spy, and almost seven times heavier than Fire Strike. You can see this is not reflected in the data from a high-end GPU from 2024, as CPU bottlenecking is negatively impacting frame times in Fire Strike and Time Spy.

  
  Steel Nomad launches today on Windows and Windows-on-Arm using the DirectX 12 and Vulkan APIs, Android using Vulkan, and iOS using Metal. As a cross-platform benchmark, we’ll be releasing support for new APIs and platforms throughout the year. Also, due to popular demand, we’ve brought back sound for this benchmark.

  Stay tuned for information on macOS soon! As for Linux gamers, unfortunately you’ll have to wait a bit longer, but we are still committed to releasing 3DMark Steel Nomad for you as well.

  PC gaming is more accessible, portable and flexible than ever. Desktop rigs are pushing more frames than ever, laptops are capable of comfortably playing top-end games, phones and tablets have the power to deliver full gaming experiences, and we’ve seen the rise of portable handheld gaming PCs in recent years.

  With so many hardware configurations, Steel Nomad arrives alongside Steel Nomad Light, letting gamers, reviewers, and enterprises test all their gaming hardware in a non-ray-traced gaming workload.

  With the addition of these two benchmarks, the 3DMark application provides a complete set of benchmarks for testing modern gaming hardware in both raytraced and non-raytraced gaming situations.

  

  	Very Heavy	Heavy	Medium	Light
  Ray-tracing	Speed Way(Windows only)	Port Royal(Windows only)	Solar Bay(cross-platform)
  Non-ray-tracing	Steel Nomad(cross-platform)		Steel Nomad Light (cross-platform)	Wild Life Extreme(cross-platform)

  Explorer mode, you’ll be able to explore the benchmark scene and toggle or change graphics settings. Hidden in the world are several secret locations for you to find and many Easter eggs referencing the last 25 years of 3DMark Benchmarks. We recommend enabling sound for the full experience. Explorer mode for Steel Nomad and Steel Nomad Light is available for everyone who has purchased 3DMark.

  Available now

  3DMark Steel Nomad is available as a free update to all 3DMark users. 3DMark is available to purchase on Steam, the Epic Games Store, or directly from UL Solutions for $34.99. To celebrate the launch of Steel Nomad, 3DMark will be 75% off for one week.

  The 3DMark App is free on the App Store and Google Play store

  Full ArticleVisit Website

• G.SKILL to Showcase New DDR5 Memory, PC Case, AIO CPU Cooler, Gaming Peripherals, and Host LN2 Overclocking Events, PC Mod Systems at Computex 2024

  Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  (21 May 2024) – G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world’s leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to showcase multiple new products at Computex 2024, including new DDR5 memory, peripherals, and PC cases for PC enthusiasts. G.SKILL will also host two major annual extreme overclocking events at the G.SKILL Computex booth – the 10^th Annual OC World Record Stage 2024 and the 8^th Annual OC World Cup 2024 – as well as the 4^th Annual G.SKILL Extreme Mod Stage 2024 to showcase creative system mods. G.SKILL sincerely invites you to come visit our booth at Nangang Exhibition Center, Hall 1 (TaiNEX 1), 1F, Booth J0601a during Computex from June 4 to June 7, 2024.

  10^th Annual OC World Record Stage 2024

  

  G.SKILL OC World Record Stage has been a highly anticipated overclocking event in the extreme overclocking community. It’s a great venue where the world’s top professional overclockers gather at the G.SKILL Computex booth and try to achieve as many overclocking records as possible using liquid nitrogen (LN2) for extreme cooling. This year, this extreme overclocking event features high-end performance motherboards from ASRock, ASUS, GIGABYTE, and MSI, the latest Intel platform, and G.SKILL DDR5 memory.

  8th Annual OC World Cup 2024 Competition - $40,000 USD Total Prize Pool

  

  G.SKILL OC World Cup offers one of the largest total cash prize pool in the overclocking community at $40,000 USD for the overclocking competition event. The top 9 extreme overclockers who qualified from the Online Qualifier Stage will compete live at the G.SKILL Computex booth, using G.SKILL DDR5 memory and 14^th Gen Intel® Core™ processors. Over a course of 4 days, the overclockers will compete for the title of OC Champion, who will be awarded with a grand prize of $10,000 USD. The OC World Cup 2024 award ceremony will be held at the G.SKILL booth around 2:30PM on June 7. Come witness overclocking history in the making and be part of the excitement! The following list is the breakdown of prizes:

  • OC Champion: $10,000 USD
  • 2nd Place: $6,500 USD
  • 3rd Place: $5,000 USD
  • 4th Place: $4,200 USD
  • 5th Place: $3,400 USD
  • 6th Place: $3,000 USD
  • 7th Place: $2,800 USD
  • 8th Place: $2,600 USD
  • 9th Place: $2,500 USD

  G.SKILL Extreme Mod Stage 2024

  This year, G.SKILL will showcase 12 creative PC mod systems, including builds featuring concept cases from talented modders and professionals from around the world. Come to see the latest thematic creative works of PC modding at the G.SKILL booth at Computex 2024.

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• Noctua launches HOME product line for home, office and multi-purpose ventilation

  Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  I remember seeing a concept for Noctua Home during a Computex visit and at the time I didn't pay too much attention.  First of all, it was just a concept so, who knows if any of it will actually become a product and Second, the concept of personally cooling using computer fans is not a new idea and was something we have all done at one point or another.

  Well, it would seem that Noctua is ready to launch their HOME product line which not only takes an innovative approach to personal cooling and ventilation but does so using the superior Noctua fans we have come to love.

  

  Noctua today launched its new HOME product line for home, office and multi-purpose ventilation. Starting with two fan sets and nine modular accessory products that enable Noctua fans to be used for various cooling tasks outside the realm of PC cooling, the new HOME line is all about leveraging Noctua’s award-winning fan technology in novel fields of application.

  
  
  “Noctua originates from the PC cooling market, but our fans’ award-winning performance, quietness of operation and long-term stability are just as useful in various other applications” says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “Our industrial clients as well as tech-savvy DIYers have already been using our fans for applications beyond the PC cooling space for many years, so the new HOME line marks the next step in leveraging our technologies for a wider scope of cooling demands and making them more accessible for a broader audience.”

  The primary device is a directional airflow amplifier shroud that will accelerate airflow and ensure that the air is going where you want it.  Computer fans inside a chassis can use the walls of the case to direct airflow but, when operated in open air the effective range is almost non-existent.  This airflow amplifier resolves this issue.

  You will also get a voltage adapter and several options for noise isolation

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• Sharkoon SKILLER SGM35 & SKILLER SGM50W | Wired and Wireless Gaming Mice

  Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2024 | By: Dennis

  Pohlheim, 21 May 2024 – Sharkoon Technologies, an international supplier of high-performance, high-quality PC components and peripherals, now presents the SKILLER SGM35 and the SKILLER SGM50W. These are two gaming mice with an ambient underside illumination and an ATG4090 sensor. The SKILLER SGM35 is operated with a wired connection while the SKILLER SGM50W can also be used wirelessly and is supplied with a charging station.

  

  The Right Connection for Any Application
  After a long while since Sharkoon's last wireless mouse, the SKILLER SGM50W marks the manufacturer's return to gaming mice that can be conveniently operated via a 2.4 GHz cable-free connection. The SKILLER SG50W's specifications state a battery life of 70 hours. For recharging, the mouse can be placed on the supplied charging station, which also has handy slot for stowing the USB nano receiver. If the mouse has to be used even if its battery is discharged, it can also be charged directly via the computer's USB port and operated as usual at the same time. However, if the gaming mouse is to be used mainly with a stationary PC at home, and wireless operation is not a necessity, the identically looking SKILLER SGM35 provides a solution that is purely wired.

  Precision and Control
  To ensure precision and control, both mice are equipped with PTFE mouse feet and have an ATG4090 sensor with up to 6,400 DPI. Both mice also have six buttons that, in most games, can be freely assigned. No special software is, however, required for these mice.

  Designed for all types of grip
  The SKILLER SGM35 and the SGM50W also both have an identical shape that has been specially designed to support all common grip types and to be ideal for use with hands that are either large or particularly small. To further optimize handling and protect the buttons from grease, wear and tear, the left and right mouse buttons are made of high-quality PBT.

  A Special Look
  Both mice models are available in either black or white. The white versions especially catch the eye due to prominent highlights in black. A highlight is also provided by the RGB illumination, which is evenly diffused from under the mice through their transparent undersides. All the effects can be adjusted directly on the mice.

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• Silicon Power XPOWER Zenith RGB 2x32GB DDR5 6000MHz Memory Kit Review @ Madshrimps

  Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | By: Dennis

  The DDR5 memory landscape has started to flatten out with the major players all having rather fast memory modules in their catalog including XPower.

  These 6000Mhz memory modules are your typical RGB enabled sticks and come in kits of 64GB with 2x32GB modules included.  Heatspreader design has changed quite a bit since the initial launch of DDR5.  Most companies were content with offering the maximum amount of cooling despite DDR5 not needing heatspreaders at all.  

  Most modern designs have followed the Corsair model and will be smooth as glass.  Sometimes that glass is formed over organic textures while others may have a more angular shape.  Point is, the days of elaborate heatsink designs has started to sunset.

  

  The XPOWER Zenith RGB DDR5-6000 64GB memory kit from Silicon Power does impress regarding total capacity, tighter timings used for both XMP and EXPO profiles but also with the fact we can overclock the modules further in order to obtain some extra performance. The RGB lighting offered by the modules is not tied to a specific platform, but supports most known motherboard utilities: BIOSTAR was not listed as compatible, but their utility could control the modules just fine!

  Funny how BIOSTAR wasn't supported, isn't that company the "everything of everything?"

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• Funky Kit Review - ASRock Phantom Gaming B760I Lightning WiFi Motherboard

  Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 | By: Dennis

  You don't see too many motherboard reviews these days.  Something about low margins, poor marketing budgets and lack luster performance advantages.  Thank you, Intel, for making your processors so good that the subsystem doesn't matter.

  Funky Kit has a ASRock Phantom Gaming B760I review posted.  ASRock is one of those companies that tries to be amazing but is tied too much to the ASUS shadow to succeed.  Of course, I can say that since they don't send me products to review anymore and likely never will.  (However, Computex is coming up, I'll see what I can do to crack the ASRock knut.)

  

  I have to admit, I'm pleasantly surprised by the features and performance the ASRock Phantom Gaming B760I Lightning WiFi has to offer, especially in such a small and compact mini-ITX motherboard. It offers good performance, decent overclocking ability and it's perfect for compact PC project builds, mini-PCs and more. 

  I do like me some MiniITX motherboard action, despite what the pot smoking states say about selling computer systems that don't meet (or are exempt from) their power, save the planet, requirements.

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