Asetek Waterchill, NVIDIA news, Mouse Pads & More
Good evening HotHardware fans! How have you all been? I feel like I haven't done a news post in ages, but thanks to Matt's sustained efforts these past couple of weeks, it looks like my services weren't needed! He's been doing a heck of job, hasn't he folks? Don't think I won't be around, however. If I'm not doing news, I'm working on an article, or posting some miscellaneous information in my new blog! Make sure you check it out when you get a chance. For now though, it's time for a late-night sampling of hardware news...
Thermaltake Silent PurePower - TWV480 Power Supply Video Review @ 3DGameMan:
"The Tt Silent PurePower - TWV (Total Watts Viewer) PSU is 480 watts. The package includes more than most regular Power Supplies. Included are a 80mm case fan & a TWV device which shows real-time wattage use & controls up to two fans. This product is more than adequate for just about any power-hungry computer system. Watch the Video to find out more..."
Gigabyte PCU22-SE 3D Rocket Cooler Heatsink @ FrostyTech:
"The Gigabyte 3D Rocket Cooler (PCU22-SE) is a variation on the 3D Cooler Ultra design, with a couple of significant enhancements that make it an interesting option for mainstream users who just needs a multi-platform heatsink that works quietly. The Gigabyte PCU22-SE is configured to work on the socket 462/A AthlonXP, socket 478 & 775 Pentium 4, and socket 754/940/939 Athlon64 processors. That level of versatility inherently dictates some sacrifices are made to accommodate the different thermal requirements, and differently size CPU cores and heatspreaders. The obvious benefit for consumers is that with just one heatsink, you can cool any platform you may upgrade to in the near future. In practice, the PCU22-SE works best on processors with a larger core, like the Athlon64 and Pentium 4."
MonsterGecko PistolMouse FPS Review @ PimpRig:
"What's so special about the PistolMouse FPS? The most obvious is that it resembles a Sig Sauer P228. A nice little piece of heat, but not very much stopping power. It would have been much more cool to model it after a Mark XIX .50AE Desert Eagle, but I imagine that they were working within a size constraint."
Everglide Xtreme Mouse Pads Review @ Mikhailtek:
"Although vinyl, up close the front of each pad is very finely textured which helps with tracking. On the flipside, you can either opt for a thin 1.5mm non-slip backing or a slightly thicker, more textured 3mm back. Neither one really slips, but if I had to choose a more stable one I'd go with the latter. Also, the thicker pad has a layer of cushion between the two surfaces, so it's nicer on the wrists than the thin pad. Neither one can be rolled up due to the semi rigid vinyl matte top layer."
"Sponsoring over 30 large scale LAN parties, and providing numerous gaming clans with mouse pads to satisfy their needs while gaming; there is no doubt Steelpad is known around the world for its superior surfaces, but will the QcK+ live on and gratify the stringent needs of gamers?"
What are .bin files for? @ IceTeks:
"Many people wonder what .bin files are for. But really .bin files alone are not for something specific. They are basically general use binary files used in various applications. The most two popular usages are image burning and video game emulation."
NVIDIA's SLI - An Introduction! @ HEXUS:
"Currently, SLI allows you to accelerate rendering using two effective modes, which map to around four general cases of multi-GPU rendering. The first, SFR or split-frame rendering, has each graphics card render a portion of the screen, split horizontally. One card, the primary device on the PEG host, is responsible for the top section of the screen, the secondary device therefore responsible for the bottom."
Asus eXtreme EAX600XT Videocard Review @ PCStats:
"When it comes to videocards, a souped-up deluxe version that caters towards enthusiasts is usually the best bet. This is all well and good, but sometimes just a few extra features are all we really need. Overclocking is nice, but with a videocard forming the basis of a home theatre system, overclocking isn't a very important consideration. With that in mind, PCstats will be putting the Asus eXtreme EAX600XT videocard through its paces today. The card is based on the ATI Radeon X600XT graphics processor, which allows it to bridge the gap between PC and home entertainment with a little thing we like to call 'HDTV.'"
NVIDIA/Intel Cross Patent Licensing Editorial @ NeoSeeker:
"From what we know of Microsoft Longhorn and Avalon most integrated video solutions will not cut it which puts Intel in a bit of a bind if they do not devote a lot more time on improving both video hardware and drivers. Can Intel afford to spend a generation or more to nail down acceptable DX9 performance? Remember that NVIDIA's foray into DX9 with the NV3x family did not go particularly smoothly and they arguably know graphics better than Intel. They can potentially fast track this with NVIDIA's graphics expertise."
Asetek WaterChill Antarctica Water Cooling Kit Review @ ExtremeOverclocking:
"Asetek is well known for their vapor phase cooling solution dubbed VapoChill, however they also entered the water-cooling market a while back with their WaterChill products. Now, Asetek has taken water cooling a step further and developed their WaterChill Antarctica line with improved cooling and modular / upgradeable designs available in parts or in kits."
All right, that's going to have to do it for this installment. It's getting late, and I'm crashin' hard. Time to hit the sack...
