PC Components, Peripherals And Gadget Reviews And News
Dig into our deep-dive product reviews and news of PC components from processors, to motherboards, graphics cards (GPUs), sound cards, and storage, along with other gadgets and peripherals that complete the computing experience. Whether you're a DIY PC enthusiast builder or just looking to read-up on what should be inside or connected to your next pre-built PC, here's where you'll find all the nuts and bolts sorted on what makes modern computer systems tick, as well some of the best user interface devices to go with them.
Although desktop dual-core processors from AMD are on the horizon, engineers there are still hard at work refining their single-core processor designs. The latest revision to the Athlon 64 core, internally code named "Venice", recently made it way onto the mass market, carrying a "Rev. E" moniker. With the...
Read more...
Over the past several years, NVIDIA has not only made a name for themselves in the Desktop Motherboard Chipset business but they have also cultivated a profitable and highly successful business unit in this area as well, commanding approximately 48% market share in the AMD Athlon 64 based market segment. With design wins at virtually...
Read more...
A few months ago, we assessed the performance of a pair of GeForce 6800 GTs and a pair of GeForce 6800 Ultras running in SLI-mode, and were impressed by the platform's performance. We did have some concerns over driver support and the TCO of the platform, however. NVIDIA's current SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology requires a specific...
Read more...
In July of 2004, AMD released their latest economy class processors in the form of the Sempron line. The initial release was predominantly Socket A-centric, with only one Socket 754 solution being offered. Since that day, the Socket A Sempron family has grown to incorporate 7 flavors, yet the socket 754 Sempron line only recently...
Read more...
While we have already taken a look or two at NVIDIA's current mainstream offering, the GeForce 6600, in the past, today we've got a completely new take on this card with Albatron's PC6600U Trinity Series. While the basic technology behind the PC6600U remains largely the same as past cards, the core clock and memory speeds have been raised...
Read more...
It's been a little over six months since ATI first announced the All-In-Wonder X800 XT, but in the months following the announcement the card never made it onto retail shelves. It's no secret that ATI has struggled through some supply issues recently with their high-end GPUs. Since the time that we were first introduced to the card, ATI has...
Read more...
Five plus years ago, there weren't many "must have extras" to include on your do-it-yourself list of desired PC components, minus that relatively expensive Sound Blaster and a pricey, yet affordable, 3D Graphics card. In fact there weren't too many extras to consider in a configuration other than perhaps an optical drive of some...
Read more...
Back in December 2004, NVIDIA introduced their latest evolution in the budget graphics card market with the release of TurboCache technology. The focus with TurboCache was both system resource utilization and economics, in an effort to deliver a quality business-class/casual gaming video card at the lowest possible price point. ...
Read more...
Over the years, Abit has cultivated a well deserved reputation for building some of the most overclockable, and feature rich motherboards available. So, anytime a new core-logic chipset is released, knowledgeable enthusiasts inevitably wonder what Abit has in store. Abit tends to incorporate features that make their motherboards...
Read more...
Refinements and performance optimizations in PC motherboard designs often track chipset re-spins and tweaks, as a new base architecture matures. Intel is absolutely famous (or shall we say infamous) for releasing a new chipset only to set sail with a re-spin or further characterization of the product, just a few months later. ...
Read more...
If you are looking to add a TV tuner card to your computer, there are a broad range of choices currently available, ranging from economical solutions to high-end cards that offer more advanced capabilities. However, if you are looking for a TV/Video card combination, there are fewer choices, namely NVIDIA's Personal Cinema, S3's OmniChrome...
Read more...
When Intel released the first batch of Pentium 4 processors based on their Prescott core, which were built using a .09 micron manufacturing process, analysts found that the CPUs generated more heat and consumed more power than similarly clocked Pentium 4 processors based on the .13 micron Northwood core. These...
Read more...
Back on December 1, 2004 ATI officially announced their latest flagship GPU, the Radeon X850 XT Platinum Edition. The GPU powering the Radeon X850, previously code named R480, is an evolutionary product designed to improve yields and hit higher clock speeds than the older R423 GPU used on PCI Express variants of the Radeon X800. ...
Read more...
In recent months, Intel's i915G/P and i925X chipsets have taken center stage as the premier chipsets for the Intel P4 desktop platform. With the new "Grantsdale" and "Alderwood" chipsets came the next major shift in computer technology. The latest designs employ the newest Pentium 4...
Read more...
NVIDIA's SLI technology (Scalable Link Interface), which allows two PCI Express GeForce 6800s or 6600s to work in tandem to increase performance, has been getting a ton of press these past few months. So much press that it has some PC enthusiasts wondering what ATi has been up to and what the Canadian-based graphics giant would do to...
Read more...
With a majority of the market focusing their attention on high-end graphics cards, many forget about the consumers who are seeking a low-cost upgrade or replacement part. These consumers are often willing to sacrifice performance when looking for cards with price points that are substantially lower than enthusiast-class boards. ...
Read more...
Using the sheer number of "NVIDIA vs. ATi" articles posted on-line or published in every popular computer magazine as a gauge, it would be easy to surmise that these two rivals battled each other for dominance in the desktop 3D graphics space alone. Numerous head-to-head comparisons between NVIDIA's GeForce 6 series and ATi's...
Read more...
Choosing a recordable DVD drive has always been somewhat of a difficult task. There was a bit of initial uncertainty as some wondered which format would win out, DVD+R or DVD–R. After all, each format has its advantages. In the end, however, unlike the Beta vs VHS battles of the early 80s, this war was quelled...
Read more...
Almost five months have passed since AMD and Intel released new flagship processors. Back in June, AMD launched its Athlon 64 FX-53 and Athlon 64 3800+ processors, and Intel officially took the wraps off of its LGA775 platform and the 3.6GHz Pentium 4 560, along with a few lower-speed processors and a pair of supporting chipsets. ...
Read more...
With the advent of Personal Video Recorders or the "PVR", TV and Multimedia industries have entered a new realm of technology. The ability to pause, rewind, and record live TV all with the click of a button is not only cool, it is extremely convenient. Let's be honest, how often do you have the time to catch your favorite...
Read more...
It seems that high-end graphics cards are always in the lime light upon the initial launch of a new graphics processor architecture from any of the major players. Although there's a limited number of potential consumers, relatively speaking, for these flagship enthusiat-class boards, they pave the way for their more modestly priced siblings,...
Read more...
With much anticipation and fanfare, the next generation in video card interface has arrived. PCI Express, the successor to AGP, is now available on a number of Intel-based boards starting with the 900 series chipset. VIA, SiS, and others are sure to follow in the coming months. It's still uncertain when the other OEM...
Read more...
