Tech News
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Anker Solix EverFrost 2 40L Electric Cooler @ LANOC Review
LanOC Reviews recently reviewed and found the EverFrost 240L electric cooler to be a significant upgrade over the original design. The build quality felt sturdier with no molding flaws, the button mechanics were improved, and the new lid fan ensured more even cooling throughout. A handy feature allows you to pre-cool the interior for 15 minutes before loading contents. Its ability to cool down to near freezing without ice, coupled with a user-friendly temperature control and an interior light, makes it a genuinely portable electric fridge that functions seamlessly as a reliable backup during power interruptions.
"Two years ago Anker expanded their already wide range of products with their first battery-powered cooler, the EverFrost Powered Cooler, and I took a look at it. It had its issues, but it was useful and over the last two years I’ve been using it on trips and in between trips we keep it running in our basement to have a few cool drinks there and as a backup if the power goes out or if our refrigerator has any issues. Well, Anker hasn’t left things alone, this spring they introduced the EverFrost 2 lineup and I was able to take the EverFrost 2 40L along with us on our most recent drive to Florida and today I’m going to take a closer look at their new design to see what has changed and talk about what the experience has been like."
LanOC Review’s real-world testing included a road trip and basement use, where the cooler doubled as both refrigerator and freezer. Charging options include AC, car USB-C, and even solar panels. While it operates quietly most of the time, occasional compressor noise is expected. Optional accessories—such as trays, wheels, and spare batteries—offer versatility, though each adds significant cost. With a street price sitting around $799 to $899 for this 40 L size, the EverFrost 2 stands tall among battery-powered coolers, earning praise as both a versatile travel fridge and a ready power backup option.
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SCHENKER KEY 18 Pro (E25) Laptop Review @ TechPowerUp
TechPowerUp praised the Schenker KEY 18 Pro as a powerhouse for desktop-grade gaming in a portable form. It comes equipped with Nvidia’s RTX 5090 Mobile GPU and a stunning 200 Hz 4K+ display, delivering high frame rates in demanding titles like Elden Ring and Cyberpunk 2077. Under the hood, the laptop includes an advanced cooling system that keeps CPU and GPU temperatures under control during intense workloads. It also features a full keyboard, robust audio with dual tweeters, bottom-firing speakers and a subwoofer, and a solid port selection that supports a range of peripherals .
"The Schenker KEY 18 Pro is a huge high-end 18" gaming powerhouse. Thanks to the GeForce RTX 5090 Mobile GPU and the 200 Hz 4K+ display, this is what you want for gaming. Although it weighs nearly 4 kg, its larger size allows for better cooling, which helps maintain top performance."
During performance testing, the KEY 18 Pro delivered consistently high frame rates across multiple AAA titles and maintained stable thermals without excessive noise. Battery life was modest, especially under load, and reviewers noted only two USB Type-A ports and a bulky chassis limit portability. Despite these trade-offs, the laptop stood out as an excellent choice for gamers and power users who want desktop-level performance on the go and can handle the size and battery compromises. -
MSI MPG VELOX 300R AIRFLOW PZ Chassis @ Funky Kit
FunkyKit reviewed MSI’s MPG VELOX 300R Airflow PZ mid-tower, calling it a feature-rich case that focuses squarely on cooling capacity and easy assembly. The steel-and-mesh chassis measures 485 × 235 × 518 mm and supports ATX, Micro-ATX, Mini-ITX, E-ATX, and new reverse-connector boards like MSI Project ZERO. Out of the box, it includes two 160 mm ARGB front intakes with a dual-layer blade design, plus a rear 120 mm exhaust. Builders can fit up to thirteen 120 mm fans or three 360 mm radiators. Convenience touches abound: an EZ bracket system for AIOs and fans, a snap-and-lock PSU shroud, a pre-installed GPU support arm, and full-length dust filters. FunkyKit lists the street price between 149 and 199 US dollars, placing it in the mid-range for airflow-oriented enclosures.
" ... The MSI MPG VELOX 300R AIRFLOW PZ chassis offers plenty of cooling options and effortless assembly. Thanks to its 2 x pre-installed 160mm ARG fans with a dual blade design, it’s perfect for system builders and enthusiasts who wants to build powerful gaming rigs with good thermal performance.. "
During hands-on building and thermal testing, the VELOX 300R maintained low component temperatures while remaining pleasantly quiet, thanks to its high-flow front panel and spacious interior. Cable management proved straightforward, and the included hardware sped up installation. FunkyKit’s only real criticism was that the PCI-e slot bracket can be awkward to reach once a large GPU is in place. Overall, the reviewer concluded that the case delivers excellent cooling potential, solid build quality, and thoughtful quality-of-life features at a price most enthusiasts will consider fair -
Cooler Master Hyper 612 Apex CPU Cooler Review @ APH Networks
APH Networks took an in-depth look at Cooler Master’s Hyper 612 Apex air cooler, finding plenty to like in both design and presentation. The single-tower heatsink relies on six copper heat pipes and a pair of 120 mm Mobius PWM fans tucked under a magnetic top cover. At 127 × 114 × 159 mm it clears most RAM slots, and the bundle includes a tidy cardboard tool kit, CyroFuze thermal paste, and brackets for all current Intel LGA 1851/1700/1200/115x and AMD AM5/AM4 sockets. A five-year warranty rounds out the premium feel of what APH Networks describes as a surprisingly refined unboxing experience.
The Cooler Master Hyper 612 Apex air cooler offers high performance with sleek aesthetics at a very good price.
During hands-on testing the Hyper 612 Apex kept a Ryzen 5 5600X idling at 25 °C and topped out at 48 °C after 20 minutes of Prime95, matching the larger dual-tower be quiet Pure Rock Pro 3 while staying impressively quiet. APH Networks rated noise just 1 on a 0-10 scale at idle and about 3.5 at maximum fan speed, noting the sound remained a gentle whisper even up close. With cooling that rivals bigger, pricier heat sinks and acoustics that stay civil under load, the Hyper 612 Apex came away recommended as an effective, well-built option for mid-range and enthusiast systems alike. -
ASRock Phantom Gamming B850I Lightning WiFi motherboard Review @ Funky Kit
FunkyKit reviewed the ASRock Phantom Gaming B850I Lightning WiFi motherboard, highlighting its strong feature set in a compact Mini-ITX form factor. Designed for AMD’s AM5 platform, it supports Ryzen 7000, 8000, and upcoming 9000 series processors. The board features a 10+1+1 power phase design with 110A power stages and large aluminum heatsinks for effective thermal control. It also offers support for DDR5 memory up to 8200 MHz, one PCIe 5.0 x16 slot, and dual M.2 slots including one PCIe 5.0 and one PCIe 4.0 at the rear. Connectivity is well-rounded with Wi-Fi 6E, 2.5 GbE LAN, USB-C with DisplayPort, 13 USB ports in total, RGB headers, and BIOS Flashback functionality.
"... If you love Mini-ITX motherboards like me, and you want to build a mini PC powered by a Ryzen 9000 series processor, then the ASRock Phantom Gaming B850I Lightning WiFi motherboard is your answer. It's packed with features and offers good performance, plus you can get it at an extremely affordable price too. "
In performance testing, FunkyKit found the B850I Lightning WiFi to be stable, power efficient, and capable of handling high-end components without issue. It delivered consistent results with no throttling, making it suitable for both gaming and productivity. The cooling solution proved effective during extended use, although users with Gen5 SSDs may need to monitor temperatures closely. Overall, the board was praised for offering premium-level performance and connectivity at a competitive price point, making it a smart choice for small form factor builds using the latest AMD CPUs. -
2025 Summer Buying Guide - The Best Bluetooth Speakers under $150
The sub-$150 Bluetooth speaker market has grown increasingly competitive, with brands pushing the limits of what compact, wireless audio can deliver. Whether for immersive gaming, backyard parties, podcast listening, or just filling a room with rich sound, today’s best Bluetooth speakers offer a compelling mix of portability, durability, and well-balanced audio fidelity.
From an audiophile’s perspective, the sweet spot for sound quality and cost-performance now lies between $80 and $150. At this price point, speakers are expected to deliver crisp highs, balanced mids, and punchy but not overpowering bass, all while packing smart design features like waterproofing, stereo pairing, and extended battery life. This guide highlights five of the most popular and well-reviewed options on Amazon US, each with a unique edge and from a different brand to help you diversify your shortlist.
Top 5 Bluetooth Speakers Under $150:
1) JBL Clip 5 – Ultra Portable Rugged Sound
Results Provided by Amazon- Key Specs:
- IP67 waterproof and dustproof
- 12-hour battery life
- Integrated carabiner clip
- Overview: The JBL Clip 5 packs signature JBL Pro Sound into a compact, go-anywhere design. It’s built for those who need durable portability without compromising audio clarity. With over 3,000 reviews and a 4.8-star rating, it's a top choice for outdoor adventurers and daily commuters alike.
2) Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 – 360-Degree Sound in a Pocket
Results Provided by Amazon- Key Specs:
- IP67 waterproof, dustproof, and floatable
- 13-hour battery life
- 360-degree soundstage with podcast mode
- Overview: Delivering impressive volume and clarity for its size, the Wonderboom 4 is praised by RTINGS and audiophiles alike for its well-balanced sound and immersive output. A favorite for poolside listening, its rugged build and floating capability make it ideal for active lifestyles.
3) Sony SRS-XB100 – Compact Bass Enhanced Performer
Results Provided by Amazon- Key Specs:
- IP67 waterproof and dustproof
- Up to 16-hour battery life
- Passive radiator for enhanced low-end response
- Overview: Don’t be fooled by the small form factor. The XB100 delivers tight bass and clean vocals, making it a standout for value. Its minimalist design hides serious engineering, including a passive radiator and sound diffusion processor. It’s a go-to for casual listeners who appreciate deeper audio texture.
4) Anker Soundcore Flare 2 – Customizable Party Audio
Results Provided by Amazon- Key Specs:
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- 12-hour playtime
- 360-degree sound with BassUp technology and dual LED rings
- App-controlled EQ and lighting modes
- Overview: The Flare 2 caters to those who want more control over their listening experience. With user-customizable EQ, strong stereo imaging, and a vibrant LED light show, it’s perfect for home use or casual parties. It supports stereo pairing, making it ideal for creating a wireless mini soundstage.
5) Tribit StormBox 2 – Outdoor-Friendly 360° Sound Champion
Results Provided by Amazon- Key Specs:
- IPX7 waterproof rating
- Up to 24-hour battery life
- 34 W peak power with 360° sound
- Bluetooth 5.3, TWS stereo pairing, and app-based EQ
- Overview: The Tribit StormBox 2 punches above its price class with immersive surround sound, strong bass via XBass tech, and a full day of playback. Users praise its durability and performance, especially outdoors. TechRadar and Tom’s Guide recognize its value in rugged, outdoor settings.
Conclusion
Choosing a Bluetooth speaker today means balancing audio performance, portability, and durability while staying within a reasonable budget. The five picks featured above are not only Amazon best-sellers but also smart investments in sound quality and long-term reliability.
Whether you're upgrading your home setup, prepping for a weekend trip, or just want better music on the go, these speakers will deliver clear highs, confident mids, and satisfying bass, all under $150. Each brings something different to the table, and all are worthy companions for tech-savvy listeners who appreciate quality without overspending.
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BIOSTAR LAUNCHED AI-NONXS, NVIDIA BASED EDGE AI DEVELOPER KIT
Powered by NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX/Nano with Super Mode for Up to 2.5X AI Inference Performance
Taipei, Taiwan – BIOSTAR, a leading manufacturer of edge computing solutions, motherboards, graphics cards, and storage devices, is excited to introduce the AI-NONXS Developer Kit, a high-performance edge AI development platform engineered to accelerate edge AI deployment for system integrators and AI software developers.
Designed to support NVIDIA Jetson Orin NX and Orin Nano series modules, the AI-NONXS Developer Kit empowers users to efficiently build and deploy AI-powered solutions across a broad range of real-world applications. From smart manufacture, smart retail, and automated warehouses to smart cities, transportation, and smart agriculture, the AI-NONXS provides the computing power, flexibility, and reliability required for advanced edge systems.The AI-NONXS Developer Kit comes with a comprehensive set of industrial-grade interfaces, including 4 USB 3.2 Gen2 Type-A ports, 1 Micro-USB port, dual Gigabit Ethernet (1 x 1GbE and 1 x 2.5GbE with optional Power over Ethernet), and RS232/422/485, CANBUS, TPM (opt.), audio Line-Out/MIC-In and Speaker out. It operates within a wide temperature range of –20°C to 60°C and supports a flexible power input range of 12V to 20V, ensuring reliable performance in harsh environments. For visual input and expansion capabilities, the kit includes HDMI 2.1 (for Orin NX) or HDMI 1.4 (for Orin Nano), dual MIPI CSI connectors, and three M.2 slots (Key-M, Key-E, and Key-B) for storage, wireless communication, and modular upgrades.
With full support for Linux and NVIDIA JetPack 6.2 including its Super Mode performance profile, the platform enables on-device inference for modern AI workloads, such as large language models (LLMs), small language models (SLMs), vision-language models (VLMs), vision transformers (ViT), Stable Diffusion (text-to-image) and DeepSeek R1 etc.With Super Mode enabled, the AI-NONXS unlocks significant performance gains for advanced vision-based and multimodal applications. It offers full support for Vision Transformers (ViT), delivering up to 2X faster performance for improved image recognition accuracy, accelerated inference, and responsive real-time visual processing. Vision-Language Models (VLMs) also benefit from up to a 2.5X performance boost, enabling faster visual understanding, efficient multimodal integration, and real-time decision-making at the edge, making the AI-NONXS Developer Kit exceptionally well-suited for intelligent perception tasks across industrial and embedded environments.
The AI-NONXS Developer Kit delivers the intelligence and performance needed to drive next-generation edge AI solutions across a wide range of industries. In smart retail, it powers technologies such as automated checkout, real-time inventory management, in-store traffic analytics, and shopper behavior analysis. In smart manufacturing settings, it enables advanced visual inspection, predictive maintenance, and perceptive robotics.
For smart city infrastructure, the platform supports traffic flow optimization, number plate recognition, perimeter protection, and sensor fusion for real-time monitoring and control. Within transportation and logistics, it facilitates efficient fleet management, autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and intelligent cargo inspection. In agriculture, the AI-NONXS empowers applications like autonomous tractors, AI-powered harvesting, robotic pollinators, livestock health monitoring, and precision spraying, bringing powerful AI capabilities directly to the field.
With its compact industrial design, AI model versatility, and robust connectivity, BIOSTAR AI-NONXS Developer Kit is the ideal foundation for edge AI systems that require reliable, low-latency performance and maximum deployment flexibility.
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Lexar NM1090 PRO PCIe Gen5 NVMe 2TB SSD Review @ Funky Kit
FunkyKit reviewed the Lexar NM1090 Pro PCIe Gen5 NVMe 2TB SSD, showcasing it as one of the fastest consumer SSDs currently available. Built with the Silicon Motion SM2508 controller and 232-layer 3D TLC NAND flash, the drive offers impressive performance, reaching up to 14,000 MB/s read and 13,000 MB/s write speeds. It also includes a 2GB DRAM cache and SLC dynamic caching to maintain consistent throughput. The included aluminum heatsink with integrated fan proved effective in cooling, preventing thermal throttling during extended workloads and helping the drive maintain peak performance even under stress.
" ... The Lexar NM1090 PRO PCIE Gen5 NVMe 2TB SSD is yet another great product in Lexar's ever expanding storage lineup. It offers phenomenal read/write performance, plus you get a large 2TB storage capacity, with an impressive 5-year warranty too. "
In the benchmark testing, FunkyKit found the NM1090 Pro delivered top-tier results across both synthetic and real-world scenarios. Random read performance reached up to 2.1 million IOPS, which is ideal for multitasking, gaming, and creative applications. The drive also comes with a five-year warranty and is competitively priced at around 225 US dollars for the 2TB model. Overall, FunkyKit praised it as an excellent choice for power users looking to take full advantage of the Gen5 platform with strong thermal management and reliable high-speed storage. -
Micron Ships HBM4 to Key Customers to Power Next-Gen AI Platforms
Micron HBM4 36GB 12-high products lead the industry in power efficiency for data center and cloud AI acceleration
The importance of high-performance memory has never been greater, fueled by its crucial role in supporting the growing demands of AI training and inference workloads in data centers. Micron Technology, Inc. (Nasdaq: MU), today announced the shipment of HBM4 36GB 12-high samples to multiple key customers. This milestone extends Micron’s leadership in memory performance and power efficiency for AI applications. Built on its well-established 1ß (1-beta) DRAM process, proven 12-high advanced packaging technology and highly capable memory built-in self-test (MBIST) feature, Micron HBM4 provides seamless integration for customers and partners developing next-generation AI platforms.
A leap forward
As use of generative AI continues to grow, the ability to effectively manage inference becomes more important. Micron HBM4 features a 2048-bit interface, achieving speeds greater than 2.0 TB/s per memory stack and more than 60% better performance over the previous generation.1 This expanded interface facilitates rapid communication and a high-throughput design that accelerates the inference performance of large language models and chain-of-thought reasoning systems. Simply put, HBM4 will help AI accelerators respond faster and reason more effectively.Additionally, Micron HBM4 features over 20% better power efficiency compared to Micron’s previous-generation HBM3E products, which first established new, unrivaled benchmarks in HBM power efficiency in the industry.2 This improvement provides maximum throughput with the lowest power consumption to maximize data center efficiency.2
Generative AI use cases continue to multiply, and this transformative technology is poised to deliver significant benefits to society. HBM4 is a crucial enabler, driving quicker insights and discoveries that will foster innovation in diverse fields such as healthcare, finance and transportation.
"Micron HBM4’s performance, higher bandwidth and industry-leading power efficiency are a testament to our memory technology and product leadership," said Raj Narasimhan, senior vice president and general manager of Micron’s Cloud Memory Business Unit. "Building on the remarkable milestones achieved with our HBM3E deployment, we continue to drive innovation with HBM4 and our robust portfolio of AI memory and storage solutions. Our HBM4 production milestones are aligned with our customers’ next-generation AI platform readiness to ensure seamless integration and volume ramp."
Intelligence Accelerated: Micron’s role in the AI revolution
For nearly five decades, Micron has pushed the boundaries of memory and storage innovation. Today, Micron continues to accelerate AI by delivering a broad portfolio of solutions that turn data into intelligence, fueling breakthroughs from the data center to the edge. With HBM4, Micron reinforces its position as a critical catalyst for AI innovation and a reliable partner for our customers’ most demanding solutions.Micron plans to ramp HBM4 in calendar year 2026, aligned to the ramp of customers’ next-generation AI platforms.
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Memblaze PBlaze7 7940 30.72 TB SSD Review @ TechPowerUp
TechPowerUp examined Memblaze’s entry into the PCIe 5.0 enterprise market with the PBlaze7 7940 in its highest capacity 30.72 TB variant. The drive features a Marvell Bravera controller, paired with Micron’s 232-layer TLC NAND and a substantial 40 GB DRAM cache. It offers up to 14,000 MB/s sequential read, 9,700 MB/s write, 2.7 M IOPS random read, and 410 k IOPS random write. Designed with a U.2 form factor and aimed at data center applications, it delivers one drive write per day endurance (56,064 TBW) and a solid five-year warranty.
The Memblaze 7940 30.72 TB is among the most efficient Gen5 enterprise SSDs we’ve tested, offering strong performance and low latencies. While it doesn’t lead in every benchmark, it’s still one of the fastest high-capacity TLC drives we've reviewed, delivering great real-world speed, solid efficiency, and strong value for enterprise use.
When evaluated under benchmark and real-world workloads, the PBlaze7 showed consistently strong results. It matched or exceeded performance of smaller-capacity variants across most tests, maintaining high sustained speeds and low latency. During simulated server workloads like OLTP and email, it performed reliably, although peak random performance hovered just below the fastest Gen 5 enterprise SSDs. Under airflow conditions, it avoided throttling and reached sustained speeds close to 7 GB/s. It also proved efficient under load with better watt-per-GB performance than some rivals, though idle power usage was higher than lower-capacity models. At approximately $3,600 in bulk pricing, TechPowerUp praised it as a well-rounded package for high-density, high-performance enterprise storage needs
