Tech News

  • EK Launches QuantumX Delta TEC Water Block Featuring Intel Cryo Cooling Technology

    EK®, the leading computer cooling solutions provider, announces the release of its EK-QuantumX Delta TEC water block. With more than 15 years of experience as a leader in premium quality cooling solutions, EK, in collaboration with Intel®, has developed a next-level solution for enthusiasts seeking consistent thermal performance and enhanced overclocking on unlocked 10th Gen Intel Core™ desktop processors. ?  

    Since the start of EK, our goal was to create innovative and viable solutions for gaming and PC enthusiasts,” said Edvard König, Founder of EK. “I am proud to merge the consistent and proven performance of the EK Quantum cooling engine with Intel’s sub-ambient cooling technology to achieve the best computing and gaming experience imaginable. 

    The EK-QuantumX Delta TEC is exclusively powered by Intel Cryo Cooling Technology, a unique combination of hardware, software, and firmware designed to help unleash elite performance for gamers and overclockers.

    We are proud to have worked closely with Intel to bring the EK-QuantumX Delta TEC to market,” said Kat Silberstein, CEO Americas, EK. “One of EK’s core strengths is the ability to cultivate and grow strategic alliances with global silicon players. These alliances make it possible to leverage each other’s unique core strengths, bringing the best innovative solutions to market.
     

    EK-QuantumX Delta TEC is built using a purpose-designed large surface flow-through cooling engine together with Intel Cryo Cooling Technology, bridging aesthetic uniformity and near-silent operations with technological advancements in thermal solutions. The cooler is an exceptional application of cooling the CPU with sub-ambient temperatures by utilizing a Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) plate while continuously monitoring and adjusting temperatures dynamically, achieving an ideal operating environment for sustained gaming performance.

    Liquid coolers are unable to reach temperatures below ambient (room) temperature, but the EK-QuantumX Delta TEC is cutting-edge, as it actively cools the CPU to sub-ambient temperatures while extracting and dissipating the heat generated from the TEC plate through the traditional liquid cooling loop. ? 

    The EK-QuantumX Delta TEC utilizes an innovative two-pronged approach to mitigate thermal condensation, a byproduct that has plagued previous attempts of sub-ambient cooling. The cooler features a compact integrated insulation shroud that isolates all exposed cold surfaces from the environmental conditions inside the PC, while the Intel Cryo Cooling Technology continuously monitors and adapts to those conditions to minimize condensation risk generated by the cooling process.

    “Gamers and overclockers constantly push the envelope to get the absolute most performance they can out of their desktops,” said Brandt Guttridge, General Manager of Intel’s Desktop & Workstation Platform Marketing Group. “By introducing Intel Cryo Cooling Technology, and by collaborating with fellow technology leaders like EK, we’re taking thermal innovation to the next level to help meet the needs of this audience.”

  • Cooler Master Introduces the ML360 Sub-Zero

    LOS ANGELES, CALIF., October 26th, 2020– Cooler Master, a global leader in designing and manufacturing innovative gaming peripherals and computer components, is introducing the MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero, our revolutionary sub-ambient cooler featuring Thermoelectric Cooling (TEC).

    Together in collaboration with Intel®, the ML360 Sub-Zero utilizes TEC with Intel® Cryo Cooling to achieve sub-ambient temperatures for greater cooling capabilities. This collaboration addresses the diversifying and growing community of gamers and power users. Intel and Cooler Master have joined to provide the exceptional solution to deliver colder silicon for higher overclocking frequenices at lower voltages and with improved system stability, amplifying your potential and breaking overclocking barriers. With these higher processing frequencies, enthusiasts can push performance further whether it is for in game experience or professional content creation.

    The upgraded hardware features a water block with integrated TEC technology combined with the redesigned 2nd Generation pump, capable of achieving CPU temperatures previously unseen with any All-in-One (AIO) liquid cooler. The 360mm radiator works in unison with the enhanced pump to manage the full heat load of both the CPU and the TEC, delivering new overclocking experiences and gaming performance with ease.

    The ML360 Sub-Zero featuring Intel® Cryo Cooling Technology mitigates the problem of condensation inherent to sub-ambient cooling using advanced algorithms, software, and hardware monitoring to make this better suited for the everyday gamer. Compact design, minimal isolation, local environmental monitoring, and intelligent control allow users to take performance right up to the edge with minimal condensation risk, even for extended durations. The intelligent controller also optimizes power consumption during low workloads and provides comprehensive safety and self-diagnostic measures to ensure stability and performance.


    Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero

    • 2nd Generation Pump - Enhanced pump delivers higher liquid flow for exceptional
      heat removal
    • Thermoelectric Cooling - Integrated TEC device rapidly responds to variations in
      the CPU workload, cooling the CPU effectively and efficiently
    • IntelR Cryo Cooling Technology - Unique combination of hardware, software, and
      firmware designed to help unleash elite performance for gamers, overclockers, and
      content creators
    • Software Enabled - User-friendly software easily fine-tunes the TEC performance for
      a customized cooling solution
    • 360 mm Radiator - Enlarged surface area combined with three SF120 fans eliminate
      heat quickly and efficiently

    Availability:
    The MasterLiquid ML360 Sub-Zero will be available for preorder on 11/10/2020 for a starting MSRP of $349.99. For more information, please visit: http://www.coolermaster.com/

  • Funky Kit Review - Silicon Power A62 2TB USB 3.2 Gaming HDD

    With new gaming consoles coming out gamers are once again concerned with how and where they will get their games.  Gone are the days where you could buy the DVD and be happy with your purchase and instead you download what you need and store it locally.

    But, what happens when you fill up your console?  Maybe go get a job?, go outside? find a signafigante other?  Honestly, these are all great options but, I think Funky Kit and Silicon Power have a solution.

    USB storage.  Yes, you heard it here first, you can plug in an external storage device and get gamer ready storage.  I mean, ya, that isn't new at all. *roll*

    The Silicon Power A62 2TB USB 3.2 Gaming HDD  is a fast external HDD that offers high capacity and quiet operation. It's a perfect drive if we are looking for cost-effective storage for streaming or content creation. Considering all the advantages, the Stream S07 6TB External HDD is recommended by FunkyKit! 

    I am impressed with the 2TB storage option or maybe even a 6TB drive.  That is until someone gives it a short drop with a sudden stop. 

  • ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero @ TechPowerUp

    You can tell how comfortable a company is based on how they name products.  For some large corporations they shortcut the issues associated with long names and simply assign a number.  It is quick, easy and doesn't cause any backlash unless the model numbers are similar for completely dissimilar products.

    On the other hand when companies spend time to assign names to products you can get a wide range of results.  Take for instance ASUS, they have a naming template and certain levels of products might get a name like "Rampage" or "Hero".  This works great and allows users to quickly understand what they are looking at.

    And, then there are those who try to buck the trend and add things like "Ultra" or "Dark"  What does this even mean? and, most of all, "what/who is a Dark Hero??

    The ASUS ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero is a refresh of last year's award winning ROG Crosshair VIII Hero. With an even more powerful VRM, a sleek new look, and, most importantly, no chipset cooling fan, the ROG Crosshair VIII Dark Hero looks to be a worthy upgrade from last year's model.

    Accoriding to TechPowerUp, it is a worthy upgrade.

  • EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra @ TechPowerUp

    In what might be called the best video card you can currently "not" buy we have the EVGA RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra.  As far as names go that is pretty darn impressive and should indicate a beast of a video card with massive power managment and off the charts overclocking ability.

    oh wait..

    The EVGA GeForce RTX 3090 FTW3 Ultra comes with a massive triple-slot, triple-fan cooler that makes it the quietest RTX 3090 we've ever tested. Gaming noise levels are comparable to mid-range cards from a few years ago, but performance is like 300% higher, very impressive.

    I guess I was wrong. the only thing this card has going for it is noise control??  WTF people.

    Oh wait I get it..  WTF = FTW big grin smile

  • InWin 925 Full Tower Case Review @ ThinkComputers

    I was really impressed with this case when I saw it during Computex and CES.  It has great style with large tempered glass side panels and aluminum shell.  What it misses is being a practical case for system builders due to its size and weight but, nobody really cares about that right?

    All the way back in January of 2019 we got our first look at InWin’s massive 928 full tower case. This case was specifically designed for Intel’s Xeon 14″ x 14″ motherboards as well as offering massive cooling options and dual power supply support. When I saw the case I loved it, but it really was not practical for a normal ATX system. I think InWin knew that going in and they eventually released a smaller version, the 925. The 925 still has the sleek 4mm thick brushed aluminum exterior, dual tempered glass side panels, support for long graphics cards, tons of cooling support and much more! While we see so many mid-towers out there it is great to see a high-end full tower so let’s jump in and see what it is all about!

    Watch out for the popups!

  • G.SKILL Releases Dual-Layer Transparent Crystal Crown Keycap Upgrade

    (2 November 2020) – G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world’s leading manufacturer of extreme performance memory and gaming peripherals, is announcing the release of the Crystal Crown Keycap upgrade set, featuring a dual-layer design with a fully transparent lower half to enhance the luminosity of LED or RGB backlights of mechanical keyboards.

    Compatible with mechanical keyswitches with cross-shaped MX style stems and designed with a carefully selected font lettering for high legibility, the Crystal Crown Keycap set upgrades the experience and feel of a professional mechanical keyboard. Please follow the link below for the product trailer video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjFgH_XFzFw

    Availability & Pricing
    Available now on Amazon.com for $19.99 MSRP with a standard ANSI 104 NA English layout, each Crystal Crown Keycap set includes a keycap puller and a 2 year manufacturer warranty.

    Amazon.com Links
    Crystal Crown Keycaps Black
    Crystal Crown Keycaps White

  • Lexar Announces New Professional 1066x microSD UHS-I Card SILVER Series

    Key Features:

    • Professional-level performance for action cameras, drones, or Android™ smartphones
    • Leverages UHS-I technology to deliver read speeds up to 160MB/s (1066x)1
    • Quickly capture high-quality images and extended lengths of Full-HD and 4K UHD2 with write speeds up to 120MB/s
    • Load apps quicker with blazing A2 speed3,4
    • High-capacity options –– up to 512GB

    San Jose, USA, October 28, 2020 – Lexar®, a leading global brand of flash memory solutions, today announced the Lexar Professional 1066x microSDHC/microSDXC Cards SILVER Series.

    Designed for your action cameras, drones, and Android™ smartphones, the Lexar® Professional 1066x microSD™UHS-I Card SILVER Series lets you quickly capture and transfer high-quality photos, including Full-HD and 4K UHD video2 with speeds up to 160MB/s read, and up to 120MB/s write1. The card is U3, V30 and A23,4 rated for high-speed performance. This card gives you the speed and storage you need to capture more adventures on the go.

    Capture high-quality images and extended lengths of Full-HD and 4K UHD video with write speeds up to 120MB/s. This card is Class 10, UHS Speed Class 3 (U3) and Video Speed Class 30 (V30) giving you the performance you need to shoot faster and longer.

    With Application Performance Class 2 (A2) rating3, the Professional 1066x microSD™ UHS-I Card SILVER Series is also great for use with applications on your Android smartphone. Quickly run and store apps directly on the A2 memory card using an Android Adoptable storage enabled device4.

    “As action cameras, drones and smartphones become more essential for content creators, it’s our goal at Lexar to continue creating solutions that customers demand in order to create high-quality images and stunning 4K video. And with high-capacity options up to 512GB, users can rest assure they will have sufficient space to capture what they love most,” said Joel Boquiren, General Manager of Lexar. 

    Lexar® Professional 1066x microSDHC/microSDXC UHS-I cards SILVER Series is available this month for purchase online at an MSRP of $19.99 USD (64GB), $34.99 USD (128GB), and $59.99 USD (256GB) with 32GB and 512GB to be announced at a future date.

    Availability:

  • EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Series Available Now

    The EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 is powered by the NVIDIA Ampere architecture. Built with enhanced RT Cores and Tensor Cores, new streaming multiprocessors, and high-speed G6 memory, it gives you the power you need to rip through the most demanding games at 1440p resolution. Combined with the next generation of design, cooling, and overclocking with EVGA Precision X1, the EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 Series creates a definition for ultimate performance.



    The new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPUs, the 2nd generation of RTX, features new RT Cores, Tensor Cores and streaming multiprocessors, bringing stunning visuals, amazingly fast frame rates, and AI acceleration to games and creative applications. Powered by the NVIDIA Ampere architecture, which delivers increases of up to 1.9X performance-per-watt over the previous generation, the RTX 30 Series effortlessly powers graphics experiences at all resolutions, even up to 8K at the top end. The GeForce RTX 3090, 3080, and 3070 represent the greatest GPU generational leap in the history of NVIDIA.

    EVGA iCX3 Cooling Technology

    • ARGB GeForce RTX 30 Series LED - Vibrant, customizable range of color and brightness to light up your system.

    • Triple Fan Cooling - Three fans are installed on all air-cooled EVGA GeForce® RTX?? 3070 Series graphics cards to optimize airflow, increase cooling performance, and reduce fan noise.

    • Unified Copper Block for GPU and Memory - A unified copper block which EVGA has previously used on the HYBRID cooler solution and is proven to lower both GPU and memory temperatures.

    • Asymmetry Fan Arrangement and Design - Asymmetry fan layout to allow the airflow to cover nearly the entire heatsink increasing airflow for better heat dissipation.

    • Air-Through PCB - Carefully placed cut-outs in the PCB and backplate improve airflow and decrease exhaust recovery.

    • Through-Hole Heatsink Fins - The EVGA iCX3 heatsink features many L-shaped fins with hundreds of through-holes to allow cool air to run through the entire heatsink evenly and quietly.


    Built for EVGA Precision X1
    Built for NVIDIA GeForce RTX, EVGA Precision X1 is the next generation overclocking software to maximize and control your EVGA graphics card. With the new EVGA Precision for Game Bar widget, you can get instant access to monitoring and overclocking built right into Windows Game Bar. Want to overclock and monitor without even exiting your game? It’s all here.

    DXR (DirectX Ray Tracing)
    DirectX Ray Tracing allows games to simulate how light works in real life, providing incredibly realistic and beautiful graphic effects like global illumination, reflections, and shadows. GeForce RTX GPUs were designed from the start for the demands of ray tracking workloads. Specialized RT cores, found only on GeForce RTX graphics cards, provide billions of rays per second of performance, and up to 3X the frame rate with DXR games and applications. This makes ray tracing at real-time frame rates possible for the first time.

    DirectX 12 Ultimate
    DirectX is an API that enables developers to add amazing graphics effects to Microsoft Windows-based PC games. DirectX 12 Ultimate is the newest version of the API and new gold standard for the next-generation of games. DX12 Ultimate takes games to a whole new level of realism with support for ray tracing, mesh shaders, variable rate shading, and sampler feedback. GeForce RTX is the first and only PC platform with support for these game-changing features.

  • Noctua expands chromax.black line of CPU coolers

    Vienna, October 28th 2020 – Noctua today expanded its chromax.black line with all-black versions of the award-winning NH-D15S and NH-U9S CPU coolers: Staying true to the successful formula of the original models, the new chromax.black versions with their black fans and black coated heatsinks combine the same signature quiet cooling performance with a sleek stealth look.

    “Our chromax.black coolers have been very well received and we’re thrilled to expand the line-up with further models”, says Roland Mossig (Noctua CEO). “With the NH-D15S and NH-U9S, the chromax.black line now includes a top-tier dual tower model with excellent compatibility as well as a compact 9cm-class cooler that is ideal for space-restricted builds.”

    The new NH-D15S chromax.black and NH-U9S chromax.black are identical to the regular models except for the colour: Featuring black coated heatsinks, black fans with black anti-vibration-pads, black fan clips and black mounting parts, they are literally black from head to toe. Thanks to thoroughgoing optimisations of the coating material and process, the chromax.black models provide the same, renowned quiet cooling performance as their regular, non-coated counterparts.

    The NH-D15S is an asymmetrical single fan version of the award-winning NH-D15. Thanks to its asymmetrical design, the NH-D15S clears the top PCIe slot on most µATX and ATX motherboards. At the same time, the single fan setup and recessed lower fins guarantee 100% RAM compatibility with memory modules of up to 65mm height. Users who have sufficient room can also upgrade the cooler with either a 120mm or round 140mm fan on the front fin stack for further improved performance in dual fan mode.

    The NH-U9S is a compact premium cooler in classic 9cm size. Its asymmetrical design with 5 heatpipes provides strong quiet cooling performance and tanks to its 95x95mm footprint, the NH-U9S clears the RAM and PCIe slots on all current mainboards, including µATX and ITX. Combined with its 125mm height, this makes the NH-U9S a highly versatile solution with outstanding case, RAM and PCIe compatibility.

    In addition to the new CPU coolers, Noctua also introduced retail sets of its signature brown anti-vibration pads for 200, 140, 120, 92 and 80mm fans for customers who want to accent their chromax line fans and coolers with a slight touch of the classic Noctua colours. Each set contains 16 pads for up to two fans.

    Links
    Press release: https://noctua.at/en/noctua-expands-chromax-black-line-of-cpu-coolers 
    NH-D15S chromax.black: https://noctua.at/en/nh-d15s-chromax-black 
    NH-U9S chromax.black: https://noctua.at/en/nh-u9s-chromax-black 
    NA-SAVP1 anti-vibration pads for 140mm & 120mm fans: https://noctua.at/en/na-savp1 
    NA-SAVP3 anti-vibration pads for NF-A15: https://noctua.at/en/na-savp3 
    NA-SAVP5 anti-vibration pads for 92mm & 80mm fans: https://noctua.at/en/na-savp5 
    NA-SAVP6 anti-vibration pads for 200mm fans: https://noctua.at/en/na-savp6