Tuesday, March 29, 2011

HEXUS.net - Review :: Gigabyte GeForce GTX 590 review, with a twist : Page - 1/15

NVIDIA proudly proclaims the GeForce GTX 590 graphics card to be thefastest in the world. Our review of the card paints a different picture, with AMD's Radeon HD 6990 just ahead, but there's little denying that GTX 590 is one fast beastie.

It transpires that only a handful of NVIDIA's many partners have the right to market the card in each territory. Motherboard giants Gigabyte, ASUS and MSI all get a look-in, which is interesting insofar as the trio all market AMD's Radeon HD 6990, as well.

Gigabyte has done rather well with its NVIDIA line-up in recent months, with the non-reference GTX 460 SO and GTX 560 SO cards deserving of particular attention.

But the twin-GPU GeForce GTX 590 is a different kettle of fish, as all partners are tied to the reference design for the foreseeable future. One reason for this is the complexity of the cooling used, and it will take a while for partners to figure out how to better the impressive reference heatsinks.

Zotac NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 - Quad SLI Review - Introduction

Zotac NVIDIA GeForce GTX 590 - Quad SLI Review - Introduction:

Earlier today we took a look at the new GeForce GTX 590 for the first time, comparing it to the GTX 580 and Radeon 6990 in a selection of real world scenarios. At that time there was no driver available which allowed us to look at quad SLI however that has now changed and we have spent the majority of the day testing Zotac's model on driver version 267.84. So let's take a look at how the GTX 590 in SLI compares to the Radeon 6990 in CrossFire with games such as Crysis 2, Dragon Age 2 and Shogun 2."

Cooler Master Test Bench V1.0 Open Air Chassis Review :: TweakTown USA Edition

Introduction

With the random products I receive sometimes, like memory with a cooler or even better, for graphics card coolers, what I have found is that tinkering with components inside my cases has become a real pain in the rear end. This alone had sent me on the quest for the simplest design that would fit my needs and take up the least amount of room possible. I had thought of a Lian Li motherboard tray and just laying things out on a table, but that just doesn't work for me. I already had the Banchetto 101 and the Lian Li Pit Stop, but while they were both excellent products in their own right, they just weren't what I was looking for.

Gigabyte Aivia M8600 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review - Introduction

Gigabyte Aivia M8600 Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

Back in October 2010 we took a look at the Aivia K8100 keyboard from Gigabyte. That high end gaming product was the result of the Gigabyte design team being let loose to create the best product they could. At the end of the review we noted that the build quality and design were of a very high level and that the board performed well so it was a great start to the Aivia range. Now, 5 months later we see the release of a new device in the product family. The Aivia M8600 is a new wireless gaming mouse from Gigabyte, a high end model with a number of innovative features that set it aside from the competition.

Let's take a closer look at what the Aivia M8600 has to offer.

GIGABYTE Aivia M8600 Wireless Macro Gaming Mouse Review :: TweakTown USA Edition

First impressions last. That's the first thing you'll think of when looking at the GIGABYTE Aivia M8600 Wireless Macro Gaming Mouse. It's quite striking to look at; to hold on the other hand is a different argument. I use as my everyday mouse a Razer Mamba and it's quite curved; the GIGABYTE Aivia M8600 mouse has a high ridge where your palm rests which can be annoying - you may ask why I'm starting off with a negative?

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Zotac GeForce GTX 580 AMP! Edition - Components - Reviews - ITP.net

The GeForce GTX 580 is the latest high-end GPU from nVidia and being a key nVidia partner, Zotac is among the first companies to have SKUs on the market.

To date Zotac has released two different cards based on the GTX 580. The card on test here, like Zotac's other AMP! Edition cards, ships factory overclocked. The GPU runs at a clock frequency of 815MHz whereas the standard GeForce GTX 580 GPU ticks along at 772MHz.

The GPU's core isn't the only component that received Zotac's overclocking treatment, the core's shaders and the card's memory have also been tweaked. So whereas the standard shader clock and memory frequency is set at 1,544MHz and 4,008MHz respectively, the AMP runs at 1,630MHz and 4,100MHz.

Comparing the GTX 580 to its predecessor the GTX 480, both GPUs are quite similar and this isn't surprising given both GPUs are part of nVidia's 'Fermi' family. That said a closer look at both GPUs reveals a number of differences; the GTX 580 packs 512 stream processors to the GTX 480 GPU's 480. And whereas the texture address/filtering units on the GTX 580 stand at 64/64 respectively, its predecessor offers 60/60. The new GeForce also includes support for OpenGL 4.1 while the older GPU is limited to OpenGL 3.2.

In terms of similarities, both GPUs rely on a 384-bit memory bus, ship with 1.5GB of graphics memory, are comprised of three billion transistors and are manufactured using a TSMC 40nm process. The GTX 580 also supports nVidia SLI support.

One of the biggest problems we had with the GTX 480 when it was first launched and indeed even up to when nVidia launched the GTX 580, was that it ran extremely hot while offering only a marginal improvement in performance over its predecessor.

Thankfully, the GeForce GTX 580 doesn't suffer from the same difficulties. Running our benchmarks on the card starting with Tom Clancy's H.A.W.X the card managed framerate results of 195fps, 152fps and 133fps at 1024 x 768, 1680 x 1050 and 1920 x 1200 pixels. The GTX 480 on the other hand managed figures of 167fps, 119fps and 100fps. Firing up World in Conflict the Zotac spat out figures of 98fps, 84fps and 79fps to the 480's 79fps, 76fps and 69fps. Moving to the DirectX 11 Heaven v2.0 benchmark the card managed figures of 94.2fps, 66.6fps and 62.6fps to the GTX 480's 87.5fps, 58.9fps and 62.6fps. Impressive.

Throughout testing the GTX 580 maintained its composure in terms of both heat and noise. While the new GeForce GPU still consumes over 350-watts of power running at full tilt and thus runs quite warm to the touch, the card is nowhere near as noisy.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

[M] Coolermaster USNA 95 laptop/mp3 charger tested in PSU test-lab

Introduction and closed-up look

Do they still need introduction? Coolermaster has been around for more than a decade now and last few years you should certainly have spotted some of their quality build power supplies and CPU heatsinks, or is it maybe one of their many pc-cases that has caught your attention? Well today we’re once again being invited by Coolermaster to visit the PSU test-lab in Venlo in order to evaluate an upcoming entry level power supply (off course I cannot yet tell you about), but just before we left it was this weird cable which drew my attention. When I asked about what it is used for, René (the test-lab supervisor) came along with a slim laptop battery charger which apparently also wears the Coolermaster brand. With few more time left we obviously took this device for a small efficiency test and report back to our users what we found of this product. But first, let’s talk USNA 95…

A closer look

The USNA95 is Coolermasters latest Ultra Slim Notebook Adapter which can deliver up to 95 Watt combined power. “Combined?” Yes, this power converter is a 2-in-1-solution for both your notebook and iPod/mp3/cellphone, to be more precise: the USNA95 is a 90W notebook adapter with 5W USB charger integrated. That’s practical not because you can now charge a second notebook through the USB-port, no, because of the high level of integration in many of today’s gadgets and other mobile machinery a USB charger has become a common thing and so it is most handy to have one integrated in your notebook adapter. Buy 1 charger for multiple appliances!

[M] Coolermaster USNA 95 laptop/mp3 charger tested in PSU test-lab

Introduction and closed-up look

A closer look

- CoolerMaster USNA95 unit
- User Manual
- Base of Tips + 9xTips
- Cable Clip
- AC Cable Cord
- DC Cable Cord
- Bag

Solar-Powered Wireless Keyboard Is a Sunny Delight | Product Reviews | Wired.com

Everything about Logitech’s new solar-powered keyboard screams “green” — except maybe its black and white case. Constructed of PVC-free plastic, packed in recyclable packaging with no included paper manual, and using only available light to power itself, it’s as friendly to the environment as a piece of computer hardware is likely to get.

Two solar panels at the top of the keyboard work to keep the internal battery charged, even in low indoor ambient light. When I took it out of the box, the battery was more than 50 percent charged after spending just 15 minutes in direct sunlight. After dark, the light from a 100-watt overhead bulb was able maintain the charge. The thing is anorexic when it comes to power consumption — Logitech says the keyboard will stay charged for three months in total darkness.

A free downloadable Solar App (Windows-only), which you can activate by the touch of a dedicated key, brings up an on-screen lux meter. It shows how much power is left before you’ll need more light, and it tells you what kind of power you’re drawing from the currently available light source. The same “check light” key also has a tiny indicator above it that glows red or green depending on whether a charge is needed.

Beyond those wins, the streamlined, one-third-of-an-inch-thick keyboard also happens to be extremely comfortable to type on. The keys are chiclet-style and concave, and you get a resilient key feedback that’s not mushy or too firm. If the minimalist, flat design is ergonomically uncomfortable for you, the two belly-side kickstand legs pop open to add a slope if desired.

Like other Logitech input devices, the Solar Keyboard comes with a tiny Unifying USB receiver, Logitech’s proprietary wireless controller. The little nub is tiny enough that you never need to remove it from your notebook, and it can connect up to five other Logitech Unifying-ready mice and keyboards without the hassle of multiple receivers.

The top row has the typical Function keys, but like the F1 to F12 keys on most other keyboards, these do double duty. When combined with an Fn key (like those found on notebooks) they can be programmed to launch your browser, e-mail client, web shortcuts, calculators and desktop widgets, or control media playback and system volume.

But for just the convenience — make that luxury — of not having to hassle with changing batteries in a wireless device, Logitech’s solar keyboard is a worthy consideration. Especially since typing on it is as smooth as buttah. All the other features are merely gravy.

Gravy of the vegetarian, organic, good-for-you-and-the-Earth variety, but gravy nonetheless.

WIRED All you need is some sunshine. No battery hassles or sudden lost connections. Sleek, nearly flat design doesn’t hog desktop real estate. Mini-USB transceiver can connect additional Logitech input devices.

TIRED While flat slab design looks cool, typing on it may be uncomfortable for some (kickstand legs help). Keeping with the “green” theme, there’s no paper manual and the setup info on the box is minimal. Software downloads are Windows-only.

AMD Fusion APUs Accelerate More Than 50 Leading Software Applications

- Software developers embrace new family of processors to enhance PC computing experiences -

SUNNYVALE, CA —3/7/2011

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced growing support from the PC software community with more than 50 mainstream applications currently accelerated by the new AMD Fusion Family of Accelerated Processing Units (APUs). The groundbreaking AMD Fusion APUs, available in PCs since early this year, help remove hardware barriers to allow software developers to deliver the most immersive computing experience possible.

Leading software companies including Adobe, ArcSoft, Corel, CyberLink and Microsoft offer applications that demonstrate exceptional visual performance, power efficiency and speed on PCs that are powered by AMD Fusion APUs as a result of such features as stutter-free HD video playback, breakthroughs in computational horsepower to handle the most demanding applications,¹ DirectX 11-capable graphics and all-day battery life.² AMD Fusion APUs, including the currently available AMD C-Series, E-Series and Embedded G-Series processors, accelerate applications ranging from video creation and playback, to 3D graphics and DirectX®11 games.³

“The huge number of applications that are ideally suited to benefit from the performance and stunning graphics offered by AMD Fusion processors is testament to our close collaboration with leading software developers,” said John Taylor, director of Client Product and Software Marketing, AMD. “We anticipate doubling the number of applications in the next few months as we approach the launch of the A-Series “Llano” APU, the next member of the AMD Fusion family that is designed to enable more than 500 GFLOPs of parallel processing power in mainstream notebooks and desktops.”⁴

Although some developers are skilled at leveraging parallel programming for high-performance computing applications, most mainstream PC software previously has been limited to relying on either the CPU or GPU. AMD Fusion APUs help remove these limitations by incorporating multi-core CPU (x86) technology, a powerful DirectX®11-capable discrete-level graphics and parallel processing engine, a dedicated high-definition video acceleration block, and a high-speed bus – all on a single die. This design brings supercomputer-like performance to everyday computing tasks to allow applications to take full advantage of the available processing power of both the CPU and GPU, and do so faster than previous designs in the same class.¹

"Whether you're making an HD movie or watching one, you want great software powered by a processor that offers the speed, responsiveness and battery life you need to accomplish your goals," said Shawn Cadeau, senior vice president, Global Marketing, Corel. "By taking advantage of the advances forged by AMD Fusion APUs, Corel software products like WinDVD and VideoStudio Pro X4 will provide consumers with a more immersive, enjoyable and creative video experience. AMD is a great partner and we look forward to continuing to work together to break down barriers and drive consumer adoption of video on the PC."

“The visual performance that consumers can experience when running our PowerDVD application on APU-powered systems is nothing short of stunning, due in large part to the DirectX 11-capable graphics, AMD’s Unified Video Decoder and HD 2.0 features of the APU,” said Alice H. Chang, chief executive officer of CyberLink. “We’re excited to work side-by-side with AMD to deliver this unparalleled computing experience and anticipate consumers to embrace the evolution of PC technology.”

A broad range of applications can be accelerated by AMD Fusion APUs, including popular software from such leading companies as:

New generations of desktop, notebook and tablet PCs, as well as HD netbooks based on AMD Fusion APUs also offer the VISION Engine from AMD. Selecting a PC equipped with the VISION Engine and software from AMD partners means Internet browsing is a fast, application-like experience; 1080p HD video playback is gorgeous, smooth and quiet; standard definition video looks high-definition; 2D content can be converted into stereoscopic 3D; even the most graphics-intensive websites load quickly; manipulating HD content is fast and easy; and 3D gaming at HD resolutions is fast and life-like.⁵

AMD Fusion Developer Summit

As a leader in heterogeneous computing and a champion for industry standards, a key initiative for AMD is to help software developers learn how to leverage the potential performance improvements offered by the latest hardware technology and APU-based PC platforms. To that end, AMD will host the AMD Fusion Developer Summit to discuss industry standards and explore how to best optimize applications for heterogeneous computing.

The inaugural AMD Fusion Developer Summit (AFDS) will be held June 13-16, 2011 in Bellevue, Washington. AFDS will gather developers, academics and emerging innovators to learn more about heterogeneous computing, APU technology, parallel processing and developer programs like the AMD Fusion Fund.

Supporting Resources

AMD Extends Graphics Performance Lead, Launches World’s Fastest Graphics Card… AGAIN!

AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 utilizes sophisticated AMD PowerTune intelligent power management technology, delivers native support for wraparound 5x1 gaming with AMD Eyefinity technology

SUNNYVALE, Calif. —3/8/2011

AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the launch of the fastest graphics card in the world, the AMD Radeon™ HD 6990, packing so much raw performance it delivered a new single graphics card world record score of P11865 in the industry standard 3DMark11 benchmark¹. AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards are available immediately from retailers worldwide, with select models starting at US $699 MSRP.

Designed for the power gamer, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards include AMD’s second-generation, Microsoft DirectX® 11-capable architecture, advanced image quality features for the best looking games, and AMD PowerTune intelligent technology to enable higher clock speeds and faster gaming. The AMD Radeon HD 6990 offers the ultimate in immersive HD gaming and computing with native support for up to five displays using AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, with six display support possible via DisplayPort 1.² components available for purchase later this year.³ The AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards also feature a dual-BIOS toggle switch, allowing enthusiast gamers to unlock the card and rev up the clocks and voltages for even more performance.⁴ Finally, AMD HD3D technology provides a cutting-edge stereoscopic 3D gaming and movie experience, thanks to HDMI 1.4a support.⁵

“Packing more raw performance than any consumer graphics card ever created, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 provides the latest for the ultimate gaming advantage,” said Matt Skynner, corporate vice president and general manager, GPU division, AMD. “Coupled with AMD Eyefinity multi-display technology, AMD PowerTune power management and AMD HD3D, this card is so powerful it can take on even the most demanding ultra-enthusiast tasks.”

Leading Graphics with second-generation DirectX 11-capable Technology

New AMD PowerTune technology: Designed to perform real-time intelligent power management, AMD PowerTune technology on the AMD Radeon HD 6990 automatically enables higher clock speeds and faster performance in the hottest games.¹
Increased memory for higher image quality: With 4GB of ultra-fast GDDR5 memory, gamers can enjoy superior detail in their favorite games, even on up to five simultaneous displays.
The Ultimate Visual Experience™: As AMD’s most advanced DirectX® 11-capable GPU, AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processors also enable an exceptional game play experience in DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, DirectX® 10.1 and OpenGL titles in single card or multi-card AMD CrossFireX™ configurations.⁶
Improved image quality: Advanced anti-aliasing features enable dramatically enhanced image quality for intensely realistic gaming. Enhanced-Quality Anti-Aliasing (EQAA) uses a new sampling technique to help improve visual quality, while Morphological Anti-Aliasing (MLAA) uses DirectCompute acceleration to provide anti-aliasing on any DirectX® 9, DirectX® 10, or DirectX® 11 application.

An Immersive Gaming Experience with AMD Eyefinity Technology and Advanced Display Options

Simple, flexible, affordable multi-display computing with AMD Eyefinity technology: Providing an expanded and more immersive field of view, AMD Eyefinity technology continues to be the most affordable multi-display solution available, offering dozens of possible configurations of up to five simultaneous displays.² New to the AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics processor is the ability to configure up to five monitors in portrait mode. Making innovative technologies more affordable and accessible than ever before, the AMD Eyefinity Validated & Ready Testing Program helps ensure a seamless customer multi-display experience, with more than 70 tested and validated AMD Eyefinity-compatible titles for the greatest assurance of quality and interoperability. Continued industry leadership in multi-display computing: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards offer support for both DisplayPort 1.2 features and HDMI 1.4a, offering enthusiasts incredible multi-monitor configuration options, flexibility in display selection, and new DisplayPort audio features.

Faster Applications and Brilliant Video with AMD EyeSpeed Technology

AMD EyeSpeed visual acceleration technology lets you do more, faster: Tapping the tremendous power of the AMD Radeon HD 6990, enthusiasts will enjoy clearer and more vibrant videos, as well as improved performance and new features in top media, entertainment and productivity applications with AMD EyeSpeed technology.⁷
Incredible compute capabilities: Featuring leading support for IEEE 754 double precision floating point ops, the AMD Radeon HD 6990 is equipped to dominate computationally intense workloads.
Enhanced video quality features: AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards feature Unified Video Decoder 3 (UVD3), a dedicated video playback accelerator that helps users get the most out of HD video, online video and Blu-ray™ 3D, while enjoying a range of video quality improvements such as advanced post-processing and scaling, dynamic contrast enhancement, color correction and more.
3D entertainment choices with AMD HD3D technology: AMD continues to deliver a broad and affordable selection of 3D solutions with AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics cards, featuring AMD HD3D technology, backed by AMD’s open 3D initiative for stereo 3D gaming and movies.³

Supporting Resources

Images: Images of the AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 graphics card
Product page: Learn more about the AMD Radeon™ HD 6990 graphics card
Twitter: Follow AMD graphics news on Twitter at @AMDGraphics
Facebook: Become a fan of AMD on Facebook

About AMD

AMD (NYSE: AMD) is a semiconductor design innovator leading the next era of vivid digital experiences with its ground-breaking AMD Fusion Accelerated Processing Units (APU). AMD’s graphics and computing technologies power a variety of solutions including PCs, game consoles and the servers that drive the Internet and businesses. For more information, visit http://www.amd.com.

AMD, the AMD Arrow logo, Radeon, and combinations thereof, are trademarks of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. Other names are for informational purposes only and may be trademarks of their respective owners.

The score of P11865 was achieved using a passively cooled AMD Radeon HD 6990 graphics card, AMD Catalyst 11.4 drivers, Windows 7 64-bit operating system, Intel Core i7 Extreme 990X, ASUSTek Rampage III Extreme Motherboard and DDR3 memory. This score exceeds the previous highest single (1x GPU) Nvidia GeForce GTX 580 score as well as the highest AMD Radeon HD 5970 (2xGPU) 3DMark 11 Performance score from hwbot.org:
http://www.hwbot.org/rankings/benchmark/3dmark11_-_performance/rankings

Highest single card Nvidia GeForce 580 = P9213http://www.hwbot.org/community/submission/2113441_romdominance_3dmark11___performance_geforce_gtx_580_9213_marks

Highest single card AMD Radeon HD 5970 graphics card (dual GPU card) = P9643

http://www.hwbot.org/community/submission/2115439_atomel_3dmark11___performance_radeon_hd_5970_9643_marks
AMD PowerTune technology is an intelligent power management technology native to certain AMD Radeon™ HD GPUs, which enables higher clock speeds as compared to previous generations of ATI Radeon™ and AMD Radeon™ graphics products. AMD PowerTune Technology may not be implemented on all AMD Radeon HD 6990 offerings – please check with the card manufacturer.
AMD Eyefinity technology works with games that support non-standard aspect ratios, which is required for panning across multiple displays. To enable more than two displays, additional panels with native DisplayPort™ connectors, and/or DisplayPort™ compliant active adapters to convert your monitor’s native input to your cards DisplayPort™ or Mini-DisplayPort™ connector(s), are required. Support for six simultaneous displays may require complementary products compatible with DisplayPort 1.2 Multi-Stream Transport. Maximum number of configured displays may vary - check with your component or system manufacturer for specific model capabilities and supported technologies. SLS (“Single Large Surface”) functionality requires an identical display resolution on all configured displays.
AMD’s product warranty does not cover damages caused by overclocking, even when overclocking is enabled via AMD hardware or software.
AMD HD3D is a technology designed to enable stereoscopic 3D support in games, movies and/or photos. Requires 3D stereo drivers, glasses, and display.
AMD CrossFireX™ technology requires an AMD CrossFireX Ready motherboard, an AMD CrossFireX™ Bridge Interconnect (for each additional graphics card) and may require a specialized power supply.
AMD EyeSpeed technology is a set of technologies designed to improve video quality and enhance application performance. Full enablement of some features requires support for AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing (APP) technology and/or AMD’s Universal Video Decoder (UVD). AMD Accelerated Parallel Processing technology works with applications designed to take advantage of its GPU acceleration capabilities. Not all products have all features and full enablement of some capabilities and may require complementary products.

Contact Information

Dave Erskine

AMD Public Relations

905-882-2600 x8477

dave.erskine@amd.com

Monday, March 7, 2011

‘World’s first overclocking’ motherboard from Gigabyte now available in ME | t-break: Tech @ Its Fastest

Gigabyte GA-X58A-OC is designed by overclockers, for overclockers, apparently.

Local distributor Golden System Middle East has announced the launch of Gigabyte GA-X58A-OC, the “world’s first overclocking” motherboard. The motherboard is “designed by overclockers, for overclockers”, the company says. Considering overclocking in motherboards have been going around for a good number of years now, we are not quite sure what they mean by it being the ‘world’s first’ to do that. But that’s what the PR says, people.

Anyway, the extreme overclockable motherboard features support for LGA 1366 socket CPUs, and takes advantage of the X58 chipset platform to support triple channel DDR3 memory, 6 core 12 thread CPU support, and 4-way CrossFireX and 3-way SLI.

“We are happy to launch the world’s first Overclocking motherboard for our customers in the Middle East. GIGABYTE invests a lot in innovating new technologies and the GIGABYTE GA-X58A-OC is yet another example of the company’s commitment to offering the latest and best technologies to its customers. We are confident our customers in the region will be thrilled with the design and overclocking features of the new GIGABYTE GA-X58A-OC motherboard,” says Mr. Iman Mozaffari, Senior Product Manager, Golden Systems Middle East.

“The GIGABYTE X58A-OC introduces some really exciting and unique overclocking technologies like the PWM frequency switcher, a full range of onboard hardware OC buttons, onboard SATA power connectors for stable multiple graphics configurations, and DualBIOS™ switcher that up until now have just been ideas discussed in private OC forums and messages,” commented HiCookie, GIGABYTE In-house Overclocking Expert. “Tweaking features aside, we have also adopted high current components such as POScaps and MPFC (Max Power Ferrite Core) Chokes that allow overclockers to bench more reliably and with more power so they are able to smash more world records. As an avid overclocker myself, having the freedom to help design a board specifically for overclockers has been a dream come true, and I really hope that overclockers enjoy benching on this board as much as we enjoyed making it!”

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Zotac unveils new mini-PC - PC Hardware - News & Features - ITP.net

Zotac International, a leading manufacturer of graphics cards, motherboards and mini-PCs, has unveiled its new Zotac ZBOX AD02 series mini-PCs, powered by the AMD E-350 APU platform.

The Zotac ZBOX AD02 series is designed to deliver rich high-definition video playback capabilities and 3D visuals in a compact form factor.

The AMD E-350 APU gives the Zotac ZBOX AD02 series dual processor cores for quick system responsiveness and multi-tasking abilities.

Integrated AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics enable compatibility with the latest Microsoft DirectX 11 titles for stunning 3D visuals on the Zotac ZBOX AD02 series.

"Zotac continues to expand our award-winning ZBOX mini-PC series. Our latest ZBOX AD02 series takes the powerful AMD E-350 APU Platform with Discrete-Class AMD Radeon HD 6310 graphics and packs it into our compact and customisable ZBOX chassis," said Carsten Berger, marketing director, ZOTAC International. "The result is the perfect synergy of CPU and GPU performance that makes for an outstanding high-definition computing experience that uses very little energy while generating very little heat or noise."

The Zotac ZBOX AD02 is in an easily customisable barebones format with a tool-less chassis design, access to the internal components is by two thumb screws. Support for 2.5-inch hard drives and two DDR3 SO-DIMM slots are designed to allow users to equip the Zotac ZBOX AD02 to their liking.

A Zotac ZBOX AD02 Plus ships equipped with a preinstalled 250GB hard drive and 2GB of DDR3 SO-DIMM memory - both Zotac ZBOX AD02 and AD02 Plus models let users select their operating system of choice and is ready for Microsoft Windows 7 operating systems.

The Zotac ZBOX AD02 series feature USB 3.0, USB 2.0 and eSATA connectivity for plug and play connectivity to external devices.

Gigabyte GN-TB100 Dual Core Android Tablet | Netbooknews - Netbooks, Netbook Reviews, Smartbooks and more

Back at CES Gigabyte joined the tablet game with the S1080 featuring the Intel Atom N570 processor, capacitive touchscreen, and a suite of touch-friendly applications. As expected they are also joining the Android game with the Gigabyte GN-TB100. It features a 10.1 inch, 1280 x 800 capacitive touchscreen display and a dual core NVIDIA Tegra 2 processor. It’s not due out until July, and this is by no means their final design the prototype has a rather large screen bezel which I suspect will shrink by the time the tablet goes on sale.

The prototype has up to 1GB of RAM, up to 32GB of storage, and 802.11b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.1, and 3G connectivity. It has a 5MP rear-facing camera and a 1.3MP camera on the front. And the display is an IPS screen which should offer decent viewing angles.

For now the tablet is running Android 2.2, but it will likely run Google Android 3.0 Honeycomb by the time it hits the streets this summer.

Thursday, March 3, 2011

GIGABYTE shipping new B3 P67 and H67 motherboards, available as early as this week - VR-Zone.com

GIGABYTE shipping new B3 P67 and H67 motherboards, available as early as this week - VR-Zone.com: "GIGABYTE shipping new B3 P67 and H67 motherboards, available as early as this week"

GIGABYTE has announced on Friday that they have begun shipping motherboards with the new B3-stepping Intel P67 and H67 Express chipsets. The products are expected to be available as early as this week, when shipments start to clear customs in markets around the world.

All new motherboard, retail packaging and product name

The new 'B3' motherboards from GIGABYTE have been redesigned and renamed so that they can easily be distinguished from the older B2 versions through the signature ‘B3’ at the end of the model name. For example, the GA-P67A-UD7 has been replaced by the GA-P67A-UD7-B3 and the GA-H67A-UD3H by GA-H67A-UD3H-B3. The new model name is highly visible on the retail box, PCB, in the BIOS at start up and on applications such as the GIGABYTE 6 Series SATA Check utility and CPU-Z.

Also, the new B3 version 6 Series motherboard packaging features a large B3 Stepping logo that users will easily be able to identify.

GIGABYTE 6 Series SATA Check Utility

Before chipset replacements were ready, GIGABYTE rolled out a 6 Series SATA Check utility to help optimize SATA performance by identifying the problem-free white SATA 6Gbps ports on B2-stepping chipsets, while advising users not to use the affected SATA 3Gbps ports. As the new 'B3' motherboards start to ship, GIGABYTE has released an updated 6 Series SATA Check utility that also identifies the chipset and its stepping (either B2 or B3).

Motherboard model name as PC boots

Another way to identify a B3 stepping chipset motherboard is to look for the motherboard model name as the PC boots.

Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 Fusion motherboard - Bjorn3D.com

CONCLUSION

So was the AMD Fusion APU worth waiting for? As a replacement for the Intel Atom/ION platform, the E-350 APU certainly works well, though we did expect the CPU part to perform a bit better than just 20% faster than the aging Atom N330. In some ways the E-350 seems to have the same issue as the Atom/ION combo: an imbalance between the power of the CPU and the GPU. In fact, considering that the HD6310 GPU is even faster than the ION GPU, the imbalance feels even more pronounced. Anyone expecting to use the E-series of APU for gaming will be disappointed since the CPU part bottlenecks the performance. It does work for casual games and older games, but anything modern is simply unplayable.

We anticipate tha the E-350 APU will really shine as a Windows HTPC component once AMD, Cyberlink, andArcsoft allow HD sound bitstreaming working. The image quality is great on our Samsung 40" TV, and even with just DTS sound, the sound quality through our Denon 1611 is impressive.

As for the actual GIGABYTE E350N-USB3 motherboard, we do not have any major complaints. GIGABYTE has managed to create a nice motherboard with an impressive amount of features considering the small size. It would have been nice to have a USB3.0 header on the motherboard, but since basically no other motherboard, regardless of size, has it this feature, it's not fair to expect it on this one. The same goes for the limited overclocking features. The E-350 APU isn’t exactly made for overclockers so while it would have been nice had it included more settings for overclockers, we are happy with what we got. The fan impressed us with its low noise levels.

OUR VERDICT: Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3

Performance	8
Value	8
Quality	8
Features	8
Innovation	8

We are using a new addition to our scoring system to provide additional feedback beyond a flat score. Please note that the final score isn't an aggregate average of the new rating system.

Total

Pro	Cons
Performs very well for this type of system Suitable for entry-level/casual gaming Both USB3 and SATA 6 Gb/s PCI-E-slot Quiet fan Low power consumption Plays 1080p video wihtout any problems HD-audio bitstream support Flash Player 10.2 brings GPU-rendering	Heatsink needs a fan unless case has good ventilation We expected a bit more from the CPU Not suitable for more than entry-level/casual gaming HD audio bitstream needs software support Linux drivers still not at the same high standard as NVIDIA's ION drivers, making this currently less suitable for a Linux-driven HTPC.

Summary: The Gigabyte GA-E350N-USB3 is a great motherboard that comes with lots of nice features. This should be a great base for a Windows HTPC system. It earns the Bjorn3D Silver Bear Award.