Tuesday Reviews

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Many companies could not care less about what their customer base has to say about certain products. Thankfully, Logitech does not fit into this mold like Microsoft does. When I informed some people I know about the G15 keyboard, the initial reaction was the uselessness of the LCD. Many of them wanted the extra programmable keys which would be a huge timesaver for many people. The LCD was the sticking point. It seems as though Logitech has heard some of the cries of users and released the G11. What is it? It is the G15 without the LCD. If you already read through my G15 review, skip the LCD section and you have read this.

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This low cost heat column powered heatsink from TTIC fits AMD AM2/S939 without much hassle. Its compact size and light weight might discourage you at first sight, but do not let looks deceive you, the NPH AM2 is quite a capable heatsink.

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Once upon a time not long ago, the computer had only one heatsink dwelling deep inside its case. Some readers might remember the good old days when the most you had to worry about for system cooling was getting a heatsink with a fan that actually worked. Then as systems improved, so did system cooling with it. Before long, case fans were added, and even the motherboard chipset came equipped with a heatsink. As progression would dictate, it wouldn't take but a few moments in time before there was a heatsink on everything that produced heat; including the system and video RAM.

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The Cyber Snipa 2 is quite compact for the number of buttons it gives you. It has a quality feel to it; to put this observation into perspective, it weighs as much as low cost full sized keyboards at a fraction of the size. There is a key on the Cyber Snipa 2 to fill the needs of any possible FPS game bind and the wrist wrest is thin but comfortable.

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Fresh from Thermaltake, let me introduce the new Mozart TX Case. This is not a standard case, in fact, it is larger than any case I have used at home to date. Not only is it very tall, but it is cube style and thus much wider than a standard case. Also available are four expansion kits which can turn it into a full blown media center.

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The ECS P965T-A is a solid board on what is now arguably the fastest platform for near any task, provided you've got the right CPU of course. ECS has given this board a lot to make it appealing to your average user, but has also left a lot out that would have otherwise made it a real winner for the enthusiast. The board has been incredibly stable and performs well, but until something more is done to this boards BIOS what you see is what you get.

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ATI's new X1900 XT 256 MB is designed to fit into the price range that is bound by the X1900 GT on the lower end and the X1900 XT 512 MB on the upper end. In order to bring the card's price down ATI chose to reduce the total memory size from 512 MB to 256 MB. Also a bit slower memory is used. We test how big the performance difference to the more expensive X1900 XTX with 512 MB is.

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Our objective here is to compare efficiency of using dual-channel = DDR2-800 memory bandwidth, when accessed by both CPU cores versus a = single core. We decided to run the tests not only on AMD AM2 platforms, = but also on modern platforms based on Intel Core 2 Duo processors for = comparison...

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As many of you will have picked up due to its name, this cooler is not, strictly speaking, a new cooler by Scythe. It is actually an improvement on a modern day classic. The Ninja Plus B is basically the same as the Ninja and Ninja Plus updated with support for AMD's recently released socket, the AM2. The Ninja Plus really tamed the AMD socket 939 and socket T (Intel 775) processors so we assume the Plus B wont have any problems with the much cooler running AM2 processors. Let's see how well it does against the top two air-cooling kings of Pro-Clockers!

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The layout of this motherboard is very well designed with quite a bit of detail given to making room for two monster video cards. Of course if you don't have two monster video cards you'll get to use the abundance of expansion slots otherwise you'll likely be down to a single 1x PCI Express slot and one regular PCI.

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The Tarantula is what Razer calls the first definitive keyboard created by gamers for gamers. Though is not close to being the first keyboard designed for gaming, it will be interesting to see what Razer was able to do in order to optimize their keyboard for competition. Based on their experience with mice, the Tarantula is definitely something to keep an eye on if you don't think a standard keyboard offers all the gaming features you would like. Right now there is considerable competition in the input device market, especially by companies looking to get as much money as they can out of demanding consumers. No one is more demanding of their equipment than gamers, but just piling on extra features is not enough to make a successful product. It will be interesting to see how well Razer was able to balance ease of use with innovation.

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The Radeon X1650 XT delivers superior mainstream performance with industry-leading image quality and best-in-class HD video in the $149 market segment. With ATI's new, easy to use plug-and-play CrossFire configuration the X1650 XT might be one of the best gaming and home theater graphics cards choices on the market today. Read on as Legit Reviews tries a pair of these GPU's in CrossFire and as a single card to see how it performs.

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Using a TEC/Peltier for CPU cooling is nothing new, water cooling lovers have been doing it for years, the MACS Triumph is a TEC powered unit for the air cooling folks, it performs best at high CPU wattage, something overclockers tend to unleash is current and older processors. Let's find out if the Triumph can keep successfully keep your CPU and its own TEC cool.

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Their new CNPS9700 LED cooler is the real deal. It's got performance, even easier installation and virtually universal compatibility. With outstanding fit and finish, a big aggressive presence and the blue LED fan, it also has great looks and would be an excellent upgrade for the stock cooler. The design could result in lower case temperatures as well, providing there's an exhaust fan in the vicinity. Overclockers can have some fun with this cooler, and in silent mode, the quiet computing crowd will be very happy as well.

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The Abit AB9-Pro is thus far the fastest Intel board I've tested, CPU and peripheral hardware being equal. Oveclocking went well, especially once we updated the BIOS. Whether overclocked or stock, the AB9-Pro was rock solid during testing. Out of the box, once everything was hooked up, the system ran like a champ. Those of you with extensive storage needs should be very happy with the nine SATA connections available.

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Intel has the D975XBX2 desktop motherboard on their site, which usually means the board should be available at retailers very soon. The first official production boards for the Intel D975XBX2 Bad Axe 2 motherboard will be Rev502 and Rev503. Legit Reviews talks about some of the revision changes and tries out the most recent BIOS on the latest enthusiast board from Intel.

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Spire has joined forces with world renowned designer Pininfarina to = develop and introduce a truly unique state-of-the-art chassis to = technology enthusiasts and professionals worldwide. Pininfarina, most = acclaimed for the Ferrari and Maserati, has fashioned a revolutionary = case that has transformed the traditionally vapid PC case into a = sophisticated and aerodynamic PC power house. The exclusive Spire = Pininfarina chassis was designed with functionality, creativity and = opulent style in mind.

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A little while ago Thermaltake released the Big Typhoon CPU cooler. It was a really great CPU cooler and performed well. Now Thermaltake has just released the updated version of the original Big Typhoon, the Big Typhoon VX. The Big Typhoon VX has been outfitted is a fan control knob right on the top of the cooler for easy fan speed switching. The Big Typhoon VX has also been updated to fit AMD's new AM2 specification, so let's take a look!

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Super Talent has recently introduced some new heat spreaders and really quick 1000MHz DDR2 overclocked memory kits for the gaming enthusiasts. Legit Reviews takes a look at their 2GB kit (T1000UX2G4) and run it at 1GHz with 4-5-4-15 timings and see how the latest and greatest memory from Super Talent does. If you've never heard of Super Talent or are looking for some 1GHz memory read on!

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Beginning of 2006 until now was all about 90 nm chips. Just recently ATI released their first .08µ chips codenamed R580+ (Don't get fooled though; R580 is X1900 XT, meaning it's been out but manufactured using 90 nm process, the plus sign is my own remark to distinguish the two) and RV535 (X1650). Throughout this year the company brought us many interesting products with phenomenal performance / price ratio: X1650 PRO, X1900 GT, X1800 GTO to name a few. Die shrink to 80 nm was just an experiment before ATI rolls out the big (small) guns based on 65 nm silicon. On October 17th ATI had released RV570, X1950 PRO also based on 80 nm process. The chip itself brings nothing new as it's heavily based on R580+. To be frank it's basically X1900 GT with faster clocks, internal Crossfire support and cheaper price tag.

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If you want to change your desktop look, either by simply replacing a simple theme, or modifying your desktop to a radical degree, Object Desktop 2007 is the program suite to have. Aside from the graphical features, the host of other useful and powerful programs makes this a package that stands out from the rest. Object Desktop has become one of my must-have program suites, and is one of the first things installed on a new rig or after a reload of Windows.

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The new ATI Radeon X1300 XT is based on the RV530 GPU core which is used on the X1600 series. That alone should bring quite a nice performance boost. On top of that Sapphire has added GDDR3 memory and a healthy clock increase. There is no need to run an overclocking software on your system, the increased clocks are stored in the BIOS. In our testing we saw a huge performance difference to the X1300 and almost no difference to the X1600 series.

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Now nearly 10 years old, the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences (AIAS) is the best kept secret videogame enthusiasts have never heard of. Operating similarly to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the non-profit professional organization is composed of thousands of individuals who work in the interactive entertainment biz. The goal of the collective artists, musicians, programmers, publishers and game designers who make up its membership: To promote awareness of the art and science that goes into creating the countless digital diversions we all hold so dear.

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I am sure that many of our readers have heard of NZXT. They are fairly well-known computer case manufacturer. NZXT has been making some cool looking midrange cases. However, they are moving toward enthusiasts' area with their latest line of cases, Crafted Series. Today, we are going to take a look at the first product in the Crafted Series, the Zero. Zero is a full tower aluminum case that is targeted for enthusiasts and gamers who need lots of expansion and need great cooling solutions to keep the system running cool. The name Zero is somewhat unique and attention catchy. Does this case live up to it's unique name? Let's take a closer look at Zero and see if the case is just as unique as the name implies.

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ECS has been making great strides from top to bottom on their Motherboard lineup. We have seen their Elite division and their budget division increase in not only quality but delivering what the consumer wants. If you are looking for a budget board, that performs well with a Intel Core 2 Duo at the helm, the ECS P965T-A could be calling your name.

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Overall the improvements made to the 5H are quiet all right. They made the padding thicker which makes them a lot more comfortable, so that's a good thing. Technical wise they are just as good as the 5H, but I find these a lot more comfortable. Overall a job well done.

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The Akasa Mirage 62 can simply be described as the Hummer of PC cases - wide, big, black. The front looks sweet, but the interior looks even sweeter. Black interior and a mirror finish mainboard tray just ask for a window panel to be used. This case delivers everything you may need, from total access to your parts to all the space you could ever need - even for QuadSLI and 1kW power supply. So if you can afford the $150 price tag, this case is for you.