Monday, September 15, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 9/16/2014

TweakTown



Into the Storm (2014) Cinema Movie Review
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It's easy to dismiss Into the Storm as just an artistically-deprived updated version of the 1996 disaster film Twister, but that comparison does no service to either films. Besides, that film was released 18 years ago - entire franchises have lived, died and been rebooted in shorter periods. Into the Storm isn't just about updated visual effects, it attempts to update the story to be more relevant for today's always connected, YouTube centric audiences. But does that mean it's a necessarily better film? Read on.
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In small town Silverton, Oklahoma, a once in a generation storm is brewing, bringing single minded storm chaser Pete (Matt Walsh) and his team of videographers Jacob (Jeremy Sumpter) and Darryl (Arlen Escarpeta) and meteorologist Allison (Sarah Wayne Callies) to town. However, their preparedness, including their fully kitted out, tank-like vehicle, is at sheer odds with the town that will soon be pummeled by violent weather patterns.
When the storm cell forms directly in the path of a school leaving ceremony, Pete must decide to either put aside his own aims, or join with school vice Principal Gary Fuller (Richard Armitage) and assist the civilian population.
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Despite their impressiveness in the day, computer graphics circa 1996 were only just beginning to come into their own, with pioneering titles such as Jurassic Park only three years old. As such, Twister's visual effects look kind of hokey today, with the digital seams obvious to even the most casual of viewers.
Conversely (and despite a very low budget of $50 million), Into the Storm's CG effects sequences are undoubtedly spectacular and utterly convincing, and for good measure too, for they undoubtedly serve as the film's raison d'être.
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Director Steven Quale isn't a well known quantity, but he's had a hand in a surprising amount of well-made films, mostly thanks to his friendship and long running professional relationship with the legendarily demanding James Cameron, which saw Quale work as assistant director on Avatar and Titanic, and a production assistant on Terminator 2, True Lies and The Abyss. He also directed 2011's unmemorable Final Destination 5, proving that he's more adept at crafting great visual effects sequences. Unfortunately, he hasn't picked up Cameron's penchant for creating memorable characters or scripting.
Mercifully, the 90 minute run time of Into the Storm means that it's all over reasonably quickly, but the format, which alternates between 'found footage' and traditional storytelling gets tiresome quickly. Exceedingly dumb too is the southern hick comedy relief duo, which doesn't provide comedy - only serving to grate.
TweakTown image into_the_storm_2014_cinema_movie_review
It's not that Into the Storm is rubbish; the stunning visual effects are, well, stunning. But short of that, there is simply no compelling reason why the film should exist. Now, if someone would just remake Twister...
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ASRock EP2C612D16FM (Intel C612 and DDR4) Server Motherboard Review

Introduction

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Today we are going to look at the ASRock EP2C612D16FM dual-socket motherboard that is ready to run the new Haswell-EP processors and DDR4.
We have in the lab the newly released Haswell-EP processors and DDR4 ready to roll with this motherboard. ASRock Rack is releasing its new EP2C612D16FM motherboard, which is geared to handle a large amount of storage devices on a small form factor, dual-socket platform.
The EP2C612D16FM is designed to fit into a case that has the main storage bays up front, and includes a series of four edge connectors that make connecting to the backplane simple and clean. We have not yet seen what these new systems will look like fully assembled, but this design does look promising, and should make a nice compact system that allows more drives to be installed in front bays.
TweakTown image asrock_ep2c612d16fm_intel_c612_and_ddr4_server_motherboard_review
Here we have the block diagram of how this motherboard is laid out. The Haswell-EP platform can handle 40 PCIe lanes, and as you can see on this motherboard, these are used to connect to the four edge connectors at the front of the motherboard. The Mezzanine expansion slot is geared for additional network expansion. The C612 chipset feeds plenty of USB and SATA ports to support a large array of storage devices. Let's get started by looking at the ASRock EP2C612D16FM motherboard.

Packaging

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Here we can see the front of the retail box. The EP2C612D16FM motherboard comes with a simple retail box that can be used for many different types of motherboards. We think the white box under the word "Workstation" will eventually have a product description, or a label of some kind placed on the outer area.
TweakTown image asrock_ep2c612d16fm_intel_c612_and_ddr4_server_motherboard_review
The back of the retail box is also of a generic type.
TweakTown image asrock_ep2c612d16fm_intel_c612_and_ddr4_server_motherboard_review
We get our first look at the contents of the retail box for the EP2C612D16FM motherboard. The kit provides all the cables needed to connect this motherboard to your devices.
TweakTown image asrock_ep2c612d16fm_intel_c612_and_ddr4_server_motherboard_review
Opening the retail box, we can see the accessories on the top. The parts list for the retail box is as follows:
  • ASRock Rack EP2C612D16FM / EP2C612D16FM-N Motherboard (ATX Form Factor: 12.0-in x 10.5-in, 30.5 cm x 26.7 cm)
  • Support CD
  • User Manual
  • 4 x SATA3 Cables (50cm)
  • 2 x MiniSAS Cables(6G) (60cm)
  • 1 x I/O Shield
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VisionTek Radeon R9 290 Video Card - Circuit and Overclocking Guide

Introduction

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VisionTek is a provider of AMD video cards, and specializes in their products and delivery primarily inside the United States. VisionTek not only offers the basic AMD lineup, but they also really spice up their extreme high-end offerings with built-in water cooling blocks, and even kits to water cool their customized video cards.
This type of commitment to the ultra-high-end really makes VisionTek shine in a way other graphics vendors don't typically shine. Today I will look at one of VisionTek's consumer level video cards with a really hefty cooler, and take it through my process of analysis.
TweakTown image visiontek_radeon_r9_290_video_card_circuit_and_overclocking_guideTweakTown image visiontek_radeon_r9_290_video_card_circuit_and_overclocking_guide
The VisionTek R9 290 features the AMD Hawaii GPU, and is basically a standard R9 290 4GB card in terms of what features it offers, including the GPU and memory clocks, which are stock at 947MHz on the core and 1250MHz on the memory (5000MHz GDDR5 effective). However, many manufacturers have taken to upgrading the heat sinks, as AMD has locked down much of the voltage control of these GPUs.
VisionTek has done a really nice job in this regard, the heat sink utilizes some really huge heat pipes, and there are two fans on the radiator. Not only does VisionTek provide a really hefty cooler, they also provide a backplate for extra protection. R9 290s aren't cheap products, and thus this level of protection shows how much VisionTek cares about its products' endurance. The backplate also gives it a nice look considering GPUs' sit upside-down in most cases.
PRICING: You can find the VisionTek R9 290 for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The VisionTek R9 290 retails for $388.63 at Amazon.
Canada: The VisionTek R9 290 retails for CDN$576.81 at Amazon Canada.
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SanDisk Ultra II 240GB SSD Review - SanDisk TLC NAND Flash takes shape

Introduction

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The consumer SSD market is about to make another significant change. Samsung released the 840 EVO SSD over a year ago with the industry's first 3bits per cell NAND flash (TLC). It took some time, but a year later, Micron released its TLC competitor product, 16nm MLC flash. At Flash Memory Summit last month, we previewed Toshiba's TLC flash paired with a Silicon Motion controller, but this month we get to test the first non-Samsung retail SSD with TLC flash, SanDisk's Ultra II.
TLC flash is cheaper to manufacture on a capacity basis since each die holds more data. The initial wafer costs are the same regardless of the flash for the most part, so adding more data capacity per square inch reduces the overall cost. In turn, it also means flash makers can produce more flash capacity and that too reduces the cost to consumers.
At the time of writing, the SanDisk Ultra II 240GB SSD with 550 MB/s sequential read performance and 500 MB/s sequential write performance sells for just $99.99 at some e-tail outlets. Clearly TLC flash is doing what it's designed to do, reduce the cost of SSDs.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability

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At the time of writing, SanDisk has two Ultra II products on the market and an additional two more on the way. You can currently purchase the 120GB and 240GB models at Amazon, Newegg and other online shops, and the larger 480GB and 960GB models will follow in mid-October. The two smaller capacity drives use 4-channel Marvell flash controllers, while the two larger capacity drive use 8-channel Marvell flash controllers. All four capacity sizes rate at the same 550 MB/s sequential and 500 MB/s sequential write performance. Random performance escalates as the capacity increases. The 240GB model we're testing today measures 91K random read IOPS and 83K random write IOPS. On the next page, we'll discuss how the Ultra II with X3 (SanDisk marketing speak for TLC) flash is able to achieve these high performance numbers.
TweakTown image sandisk_ultra_ii_240gb_ssd_review_sandisk_tlc_nand_flash_takes_shape
Newegg currently shows the Ultra II 128GB at $79.99 and the 240GB model at $109.99. The price for the 240GB model has gone back and forth between $99.99 and $109.99 depending on the e-tailer. Newegg offers free shipping on this series.
TweakTown image sandisk_ultra_ii_240gb_ssd_review_sandisk_tlc_nand_flash_takes_shape
Newegg also shows the two large capacity models, but lists the release date as 10/16/2014. The 480GB model is just $219.99. If that price isn't crazy enough, the 960GB model has it beat on a cost per GB basis, just $429.99. To keep the Ultra II prices as low as possible SanDisk only includes a 7mm to 9.5mm adapter shim. The Ultra II SSDs do carry a three-year warranty.
PRICING: You can find the SanDisk Ultra II 240GB SSD for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The SanDisk Ultra II 240GB SSD retails for $110.95 at Amazon.
Canada: The SanDisk Ultra II 240GB SSD retails for CDN$199.99 at Amazon Canada.
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Angelbird SSD2go Pocket 512GB External SSD Review
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As solid state drives have rapidly taken over the internal storage of modern PCs, we have noted a shift in the market where using these solution as external storage has become viable as well. Over the last year, we have seen many vendors release a portable SSD solution - for instance, ADATA with the SE720, Transcend with the ESD200 and LaCie has the P9223 Slim.
Earlier this year, we had the chance to look at our second product from Angelbird when the SSD2go Pro made its way through the lab, and today, we finally get our hands-on the latest from Angelbird, the SSD2go Pocket.
For the longest time, Angelbird's products filled a niche market for enthusiasts wanting the highest possible performance, while cutting no corners on quality. This led to products that while offering great performance and reliability, priced many consumers out of the market. With the SSD2go Pocket, Angelbird is looking to change this bringing their first external solution to market that while keeping with the same high standards for quality, lowers the cost of ownership by quite a bit.
Specifications of the SSD2go Pocket have the drive offering 420 MB/s sustained read and 300 MB/s sustained write, while capable of delivering 36K random write IOPS. The SSD2go Pocket will be made available in 128GB, 256GB and 512GB capacities, along with several color options including Silver, Blue, Red and Black. Along with the specifications mentioned above, the SSD2go Pocket is the first external SSD to support both TRIM and SMART in Windows and OS X.
MSRP of the Angelbird SSD2go Pocket is set at $179.99 for the 128GB model, $259.99 for the 256GB model and $439.99 for the 512GB model. Each carries a three-year warranty.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Packaging for the SSD2go Pocket is rather simple. We have the Angelbird white and blue covering the box with a window to the drive in the center.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
The back of the packaging divulges a few specifications for the drive, along with a number of uses.
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Here we have our first hands-on with the drive. The USB cable used is similar to the quality we found when we reviewed the SSD2go Pro, where each wire in the cable is independently shielded.
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On the edge of the drive, we have the USB 3.0 port, with a small activity LED to the right.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Before we start running through benchmarks and test results, I wanted to show the software that is included with the drive, the first of which is Bitwig Studio, a high performance music creation solution for all platforms including Windows, OS X and Linux.
Next we have Parallels Desktop that allows OS X users to run Windows seamlessly on their Mac. Last, we have System Reflection, a professional backup software suite for Windows and OS X, utilizing this software you can clone your OS to the SSD2go Pocket and then boot from it.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
On to testing, where we first ran the drive through sequential read with IOMeter. As you can see, the SSD2go Pocket did quite well here at 438 MB/s.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Moving over to sequential write, we found the drive offering 394 MB/s.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Price/Performance for the Angelbird was pretty good as well. With the drive's average performance hovering just over 400 MB/s and its excellent pricing at 0.85 cents per GB, the SSD2go Pocket took the top spot in our chart.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Moving over to OS X, the Pocket was able to maintain the same performance. Here we have Black Magic Design showing 427 MB/s read and 385 MB/s write.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
In our 720p workload, the SSD2go Pocket was able to touch 450 MB/s read, while the write speed hovered around the 380-390 MB/s mark.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
Moving on to 1080p, we found the drive again around 450 MB/s read quite consistently, while write speed jumped up slightly to 400 MB/s.
TweakTown image angelbird_ssd2go_pocket_512gb_external_ssd_review
The 4K workload allowed the Pocket to touch over 450 MB/s for the first time in our testing. Write performance stuck around the 400 MB/s mark, as seen previously in the 1080p testing.
With this SSD2go Pocket being the third drive to come through the lab from Angelbird, you quickly realize when you get a drive like this how much attention to detail goes into the product. I often tell people it's kind of like the feeling you get when you purchase a Noctua CPU cooler, or your first high-end chassis - you can tell the amount of work that goes into a product the first time you hold it in your hands.
With the SSD2go Pocket, there are a few firsts for the external SSD market. The Pocket introduces both TRIM and SMART support over USB 3.0, and if that isn't enough for you, it also includes overload protection, EMS and ECC capabilities.
Performance of the SSD2go was quite good. We were able to achieve 438 MB/s read and 394 MB/s write on our Windows platform, while installing the drive on our MacBook Pro netted us 427 MB/s read and 385 MB/s write.
In our price/performance chart, the Angelbird SSD2go Pocket managed to take top honors where just a week ago the OWC Envoy Pro was sitting. This is due in part to the performance and also the aggressive pricing Angelbird has deployed with this new model.
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Overview of Supermicro's DDR4 Intel Xeon C612 Server Motherboards

An overview of Supermicro's new DDR4 Xeon Server Boards

While we have all been waiting for the release of the new Intel Haswell-EP processors, Supermicro has been busy with their new line of X10 motherboards to support these new CPU's. We made a trip over to Supermicro last week, and picked up a good sampling of what Supermicro has in store for us.
The timing of the new processor release and samples has been very tight, and not all material was ready for us to do complete reviews. There was also not enough time for complete motherboard testing, so for now we will just be looking at the new boards provided to us.
We have had a chance to do some basic tests, and everything looks good so far, but we'll save that for later when we can really dig into these boards. Let's get started, and see what these motherboards have to offer.

Supermicro X10DRC-T4+

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This is a very large motherboard, and fits in line with another one from Supermicro that we reviewed before, the Supermicro X9DR7-TF+ (Intel C602J).
Maximum memory expansion with quad 10GBASE-T and SAS3 HW RAID.
Key Features:
  • Dual EP E5-2600 v3 (Socket R3), QPI up to 9.6GT/s
  • Intel C612 Chipset
  • 24 DIMM, 1.5TB Reg. ECC DDR4 up to 2133 MHz
  • Two PCIe 3.0 x16, three PCIe 3.0 x8, one PCIe 2.0 x4 (in x8 slot)
  • 10-port SATA3, six ports USB 3.0
  • 8-port LSI 3108 SAS3 controller
  • Dual x540 10GBASE-T (four ports)
  • 13.68" x 13" Form Factor
With maximum memory expansion capabilities, the X10DRC-T4+ can be loaded with up to 1.5TBs of DDR4. You would need to get 24x 64GB DIMMs for this, which might be hard to find at first.
A large number of SATA ports (10) gives this board plenty of storage capabilities, also throw in the 8-port LSI 3108 SAS3 controller, and you have a powerful storage system at your control. Dual x540 10 GBASE-T (four ports) gives ample network connections right out of the box. If that's not enough, then six PCIe slots allow for plenty of network expansion.

Supermicro X10DAi

TweakTown image overview_of_supermicro_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
Next, we have the X10DAi, which is a fully equipped workstation motherboard that can sport three GPUs of your choice.
Key Features:
  • Dual HSW EP E5-2600 v3 (Socket R3 up to 160W), QPI up to 9.6GT/s
  • C612 Chipset
  • 16 DIMM, 1TB Reg. ECC DDR4 up to 2133 MHz
  • Three PCIe 3.0 x16, two PCIe 3.0 x8, one PCIe 2.0 x4 (in x8 slot)
  • Ten SATA3, eleven USB Ports (six USB 3.0)
  • Intel dual i210 GbE
  • 7.1 HD audio
  • Thunderbolt AOC support
  • 12" x 13" E-ATX Form Factor
This motherboard can handle up to 160W processors which allows it to run the E5-2699 v3 (16-core) CPU's. Having ten SATA ports is very common on the new platforms, so you should have no issues with storage options.
This board also includes eleven USB Ports, and six of those are USB 3.0; this allows a large number of external devices to be connected. We always seem to need more USB ports on our workstations, and the X10DAi is equipped to handle that. 7.1 HD audio and Thunderbolt AOC support are included to round out the features on the X10DAi.

Supermicro X10DRG-Q

TweakTown image overview_of_supermicro_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
The X10DRG-Q is a GPU workhorse that allows up to four GPU's of your choice.
Key Features:
  • Dual socket R3 (LGA 2011) supports Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 family; QPI up to 9.6GT/s
  • Intel C612 Express chipset
  • Up to 1TB ECC DDR4 2133MHz;16x DIMM sockets
  • 4x PCI-E 3.0 x16, 2x PCI-E 3.0 x8 (1 in x16), 1x PCI-E 2.0 x4 (in x8)
  • Intel i350 Dual port GbE LAN
  • 10x SATA3 (6Gbps); RAID 0, 1, 5, 10
  • Integrated IPMI 2.0 and KVM with Dedicated LAN
  • 5x USB 3.0 ports, 4x USB 2.0 ports
  • 7.1 HD Audio with optical S/PDIF
  • 15.2" x 13.2" (38.6cm x 33.5cm) Form Factor
Just like the motherboards we listed before, the X10DRG-Q also has ten SATA3, but these can be used in RAID 0, 1, 5, and 10. A total of nine USB ports (five USB 3.0) gives plenty of ports for external devices.
For rack mount systems, Integrated IPMI 2.0 and iKVM allow easy access to system administers.

Supermicro X10DRi-T

TweakTown image overview_of_supermicro_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
The Supermicro X10DRi-T is a general-purpose motherboard that replaces the X9DR3/i-F SKU, which is a high volume motherboard for Supermicro.
Key Features:
  • Dual EP E5-2600 v3 (Socket R3), QPI up to 9.6GT/s
  • Intel C612 Chipset
  • 16 DIMM, 1TB Reg. ECC DDR4 up to 2133MHz
  • Three PCIe 3.0 x16, three PCIe 3.0 x8
  • Ten port SATA3, six ports USB 3.0
  • Dual port Intel X540 10GBASE-T
  • 12" x 13" E-ATX Form Factor
As a general-purpose motherboard, the X10DRi-T can fill many roles. It fits into a typical Supermicro 4U tower case for workstations, or can be installed in 2U and 3U server cases for storage and other applications.
Install two Haswell-EP processors, DDR4, GPUs, Network and Storage cards, and with the new features of the Supermicro X10 platform, this motherboard can be the base of very powerful systems that are sure to sell well.

Final Thoughts

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The new Haswell-EP processors and chipsets add many features to motherboards that increase performance and options on motherboards.
Supermicro has added these new features to update the X9 series of motherboards that create better value for the new line. Depending how invested you are already in the X9 line, or picking out new systems, the X10 series offers a lot of bang for your buck. The addition increase in features and performance makes upgrading a no brainer in our opinion.
We will be completing our reviews of these motherboards soon, and will find out just how they perform. So, stay tuned for reviews on these boards.
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BitFenix Phenom Mini-ITX Chassis Review

Introduction, Specifications and Pricing

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After having a virtual wall of BitFenix cases in the last month or so, we have finally arrived at the bottom of the pile with the last chassis BitFenix has recently released. The main idea with this design is that it takes all of the fundamentals that made the Prodigy a huge success. Unfortunately, despite the success of the Prodigy, we have seen a lot of hater talk in the past about the perceived notion that the handles are flimsy, cheap, or even unnecessary. Of course, there are those out there that just like things a bit more on the subtle side, and really have liked what the Prodigy brought forward on the interior, but for some reason or another, just were not sold on the exterior. We know it wasn't for a lack of color choice, because the Prodigy eventually came in almost every color under the sun.
For whatever reason you passed on the Prodigy when it was released, or since then, this most recent SFF BitFenix design may just sway you in their favor. BitFenix is taking another crack at this design aesthetically to try to sway those that were on the fence to come and party in their yard. If you already own a Prodigy, you may have been waiting for a return to this idea. The funny thing is that we just looked at the Core V1 from Thermaltake, and really liked what they had going on in that design, and there just so happens to be many external similarities to both the Thermaltake Core V1 and this BitFenix chassis. Even so, some major design differences are very apparent. It is nice to have the Core V1 fresh in our minds for comparison to the newest SFF chassis from BitFenix, along with many other Mini-ITX chassis designs that have crossed our photo booth over the years.
Today we are going to have a look at the latest Mini-ITX chassis to be offered from BitFenix, the Phenom Mini-ITX. So far in the lineup, there are only black and white versions of this chassis, both of which are trimmed in black. We can only assume this chassis will also be available in a multitude of flavors as time passes and customer interest develops. Yes, at the heart of it all, this is a Prodigy on the inside, but with a refreshing of the exterior to a sleek and smooth aesthetic approach. We feel this Phenom Mini-ITX case will be much more welcomed in HTPC use, or out in the kitchen for the kids to be using; wherever really, as this version will blend in much easier with any setting.
The specifications chart covers all of the majors things we need to concern ourselves with. We find the chassis is made mostly of steel, has plastic in the drive trays and in the front bezel, and we see the SofTouch coating has not been lost on this chassis either. There are color options of black on black, and white on white, but all of the images of the chassis show a white version with black logo and mesh. We also see that this Mini-ITX chassis measures 250mm wide, 330mm in height, and 374mm in depth.
TweakTown image bitfenix_phenom_mini_itx_chassis_review
Inside and around the chassis, you will find it offers room for six 3.5" drives, but an astounding eleven 2.5" drive bays. Also, while there is no mention of the 5.25" bay that is installed on the inside, this is due to the Phenom having a smooth front bezel with no access for this bay. There are two expansion slots in the back to fill, and if you swing from the back around to the right front edge of the chassis, there you will find the front I/O panel with two USB 3.0 ports and HD audio connections.
Cooling options are really good in this design. The front of the chassis ships with a single 120mm fan installed. However, there is room for a second fan once the ODD bay is removed, and to make it more secure, the chassis ships with fan brackets to allow screws to be used in the 5.25" bay at the top of the fan. The top of the chassis offers the same thing, with room for a pair of 120mm fans. This also means that with some adjustments, both the front and the top of the chassis are fair game for water cooling as well. Lastly, as far as cooling is concerned, there is a 120mm fan installed in the back of the chassis, but this location is also drilled for 140mm fan usage.
As we typically do, we scoured the internet to try to find the best deal for the chassis on hand. As we looked around for the Phenom Mini-ITX chassis, we found it readily available almost anywhere you would typically spend your hard earned money. On the lower-end, we found Newegg.com with a listing just shy of $90, including shipping costs. We also thought we had a great find over at Amazon, where they are showing the Phenom Mini-ITX for $79.99; that was until we realized that they are also asking $23 to ship it. The worst of it is, we also saw pricing well into the $120 range at quite a few places, so buyers: beware when looking to obtain this chassis. For our evaluation today, we will be going with an average of everything we saw, which is closer to the $100 mark; to be honest, at this price, things better be good.
PRICING: You can find the BitFenix Phenom Mini-ITX chassis for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The BitFenix Phenom (BLACK) retails for $79.99 at Amazon, and the BitFenix Phenom (WHITE) retails for $85.87 at Amazon.
Canada: The BitFenix Phenom (BLACK) retails for CDN$149.09 at Amazon Canada, and the BitFenix Phenom (WHITE) retails for CDN$149.09 at Amazon Canada.
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MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC (Intel X99) Motherboard Review

Introduction of the MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC

We've been really impressed with the new X99 platform from the second we looked at it. Performance shows us it's got some serious power, and it truly stands out in a league of its own. While that is great and everything, all this power comes at a cost, and it's not a low one. Everything that revolves around the new platform carries a hefty price tag with the cheapest processor - the i7 5820K carries a price tag of $389.
It doesn't stop there! X99 motherboards also start at quite a high price point, and go upwards of $500. Another thing to consider is you're not able to bring over the DDR3 from your previous build. Instead, you're on the hook for a new set of DDR4 modules that also carry quite the price tag. Still, once everything is up and running, you will realize that it's all money well spent, as you will have a truly beautiful system that is capable of handling so much.
When it comes to building a new X99 system, one of the toughest decision is going to be which motherboard you buy. We've already looked at some fantastic options from both ASUS and ASRock, and we've got more in the pipeline to look at, including an offering from EVGA, and multiple offerings from GIGABYTE.
However, today is all about our first X99 motherboard from MSI. As the name suggests, the MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC is part of the popular GAMING Series from MSI. We've loved the GAMING Series since it was first introduced, and truly enjoy how MSI has given a common name between their video cards and motherboards. There's really not much else we need to say; instead, we should get right into the swing of things to see if MSI can keep up with the other X99 boards we've looked at.
So far, the GAMING Series motherboards from MSI have impressed us thanks to a good list of features, and an aggressive price point. Let's see if Intel's new high-end X99 chipset can help MSI follow the trend that has been set.

Package - What comes inside the box

TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
Looking at the front of the box, we don't see a whole lot going on. We've got the MSI logo across the top, along with a few of the main features, including Streaming Engine, Audio Boost 2, and Killer E2200 networking.
Upon opening the box, we can see some of those main featured explained a bit more, with a big mention of the Streaming Engine across the top. The Streaming Engine brings hardware encoding when streaming. Combined with a two-year premium license of XSplit Premium, you've got a motherboard designed for gamers who want to show off.
Moving downward, you can see we've got a push in Speed, which brings M.2 Gen3 x4, and the Gaming APP to make overclocking easy. Sound brings Audio Boost 2, and Sound Blaster Cinema 2. Finally, we finish up with Stability, which brings Military Class 4 components, and board protection.
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
Moving to the other side of the box, we get a good look at the motherboard. Of course, we'll dive into that much deeper on the next page. As for the back, you can see MSI highlights some of the main features again, which include the Streaming Engine Audio Boost 2.0 and M.2 Gen3 x4 connector, along with 4-Way Multi GPU, and DDR4 support. Finally, we finish off with a mention of Intel Wi-Fi AC support, Killer LAN, and the main specifications of the board across the bottom, including an I/O overview.
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
Moving into the bundle, we've actually got a fair bit included. You can see we've got a ton of paperwork, with some covering the board, and some covering the software and other GAMING Series products. We've also got a door hook, two Driver CDs, and some SATA cable labels. Moving past those, you can see six SATA III cables are included along with our rear I/O backplate, two SLI connectors, V-Check cables, and a pair of EZ connectors to round things off.
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
TweakTown image msi_x99s_gaming_9_ac_intel_x99_motherboard_review
Moving through the rest of the bundle, we've got a back plate for an eSATA drive, along with the appropriate cables, and two wireless antennas to complete our bundle. All in all, you can see MSI has got quite a decent bundle going for the X99S GAMING 9 AC.
PRICING: You can find the MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC retails for $428.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The MSI X99S GAMING 9 AC retails for CDN$591.31 at Amazon Canada.
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Overview of GIGABYTE's DDR4 Intel Xeon C612 Server Motherboards

An overview of GIGABYTE's new DDR4 Xeon Server Boards

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
GIGABYTE is ready with its new line of server motherboards that utilize the Intel C612 chipset, Haswell-EP processors, and DDR4, and shows them off with their latest press release.
GIGABYTE has also added a few innovative features on this new line up, so let's look at GIGABYTE's new platform features.

DDR4 Memory Performance Edge

On Intel's previous server platforms, by design, the maximum supported memory frequency has always automatically downgraded with more DIMMs added. As this trade-off between performance and capacity represents a dilemma to many memory-hungry server applications, GIGABYTE offers a unique solution. All GIGABYTE motherboards based on the LGA 2011-3 socket support, by default, a maximum frequency of 2133 MHz in any memory configuration.
TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards

Easy BIOS Update

Because updating the version of a BIOS can be a troublesome experience, GIGABYTE has developed an integrated function (no utility to install) that allows you to update the BIOS of your motherboard(s):
  • Without having to install CPU(s), memory, drives, operating system, etc.
  • Without having to power on the system (but a power supply must be connected)
  • One board at a time via standard IPMI 2.0 web interface
  • Multiple boards simultaneously via command line

Intel Xeon Processor E5-2600/1600 V3 Product Families

Based on the Haswell microarchitecture, these new Intel processor families bring a new set of performance enhancing features. In addition to the usual boost in frequencies and core numbers, the Intel Xeon E5-1600/2600 V3 families are the first in the server industry to support the brand new DDR4 memory technology. Moreover, these new processors include encryption performance, overhead reduction features, and technologies improving run time and migration VM integrity.

DDR4 Server Memory Support

The Intel Xeon E5-1600/2600 V3 families are the first generation of server processors to support exclusively the new DDR4 technology on the market. Still built on a quad channel architecture, these new memory modules feature an increased stock frequency of up to 2133MHz, and a lower voltage of 1.2V per module. Together, these two main improvements can deliver a large bandwidth performance boost to memory intensive applications, but also considerable energy savings to large-scale server deployments.

GIGABYTE MW50-SV0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
The MW50-SV0 is GIGABYTE's first workstation motherboard supporting the Intel Xeon processor E5-2600/1600 V3 product families. Eager to offer the most flexible product for the largest number of workstation applications, GIGABYTE has included on this motherboard all the features required to reach that goal.
Notably, it features a mezzanine card slot with four PCIe lanes, with custom mounting sockets to receive one of GYGABITE's proprietary LAN controller cards. Positioned right between the board's CPU socket and its rear I/O, it can add more LAN ports (including 10GbE fiber ports) to the standard interface, and fit into a larger range of possible network scenarios.
Moreover, it includes comprehensive audio connectivity with five audio jacks, an optical S/PDIF output on the rear panel, a front audio header, an S/PDIF-In header, and an S/PDIF-Out header on the board.
Key Features:
  • 8 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 2 x GbE LAN ports (Intel I210 controller)
  • 1 x GbE LAN port (Intel I218 controller) supporting Intel vPro
  • Rear I/O add-on card slot
  • 3-way and 2-way NVIDIA SLI & AMD CrossFireX support
  • 1 x mSATA 6Gb/s slot
  • 13 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports

GIGABYTE MU70-SU0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
While having twelve memory DIMMs on an ATX form factor is already quite uncommon, being able to run all of them at full speed is definitely unique! This means this motherboard can receive up to 768GB of DDR4 memory running at 2133MHz frequency. The MU70-SU0 is therefore an ideal platform for any server running memory intensive applications.
Moreover, this motherboard uses a mezzanine card slot with four PCIe lanes, with custom mounting sockets to receive one of GIGABYTE's proprietary LAN controller cards. Positioned right between the board's CPU socket and its rear I/O, it can add more LAN ports (including 10GbE fiber ports) to the standard interface and fit into a larger range of possible network scenarios.
Key Features:
  • 12 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 4 x GbE LAN ports (Intel I210 controller)
  • Rear I/O add-on card slot
  • 1 x mSATA 6Gb/s slot
  • 9 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

GIGABYTE MD30-RS0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
The main interest of the MD30-RS0 is the presence of two 2011-3 sockets on an ATX form factor without doing any trade-off on other features. This board still provides eight memory DIMMs, a large storage platform, and various full-length PCIe slots.
In addition to its ten SATA III 6Gb/s ports, the MD30-RS0 has two Mini-SAS 6Gb/s connectors that can be activated with the addition of GIGABYTE's proprietary CRA220-8 add-on SAS card, providing at the same time RAID 0/1/1E/10 levels for these ports.
In spite of its very packed placement, this board still uses standard sockets, and not narrow ones. Therefore, users have a larger choice of available cooling devices to install on this board.
Key Features:
  • 2 x LGA 2011-3 sockets on an ATX form factor
  • 8 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 2 x GbE LAN ports (Intel I210 controller)
  • 10 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • Up to 8 x SAS 6Gb/s ports
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

GIGABYTE MD50-LS0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
This model offers all the standard features expected from a professional board dedicated to running standard server applications, and is an ideal entry point into dual socket hardware.
In addition to its ten SATA III 6Gb/s ports, the MD50-LS0 has eight SAS 6Gb/s ports that can be activated with the addition of GIGABYTE's proprietary CRA220-8 add-on SAS card, providing at the same time RAID 0/1/1E/10 levels for these ports.
With both of its sockets completely offset, the board's processors are able to receive equally cold airflow without disturbing each other's thermal levels, and the operating efficiency of the CPUs.
Key Features:
  • 8 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 2 x GbE LAN ports (Intel I210 controller)
  • 10 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • Up to 8 x SAS 6Gb/s ports
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

GIGABYTE MD60-SC0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
This motherboard is a beefed up version of the MD50-LS0, with a larger memory platform and an onboard 10GbE fiber network solution. In the context of virtualized environments always getting more popular, and asking for more and more resources from the networking side of a system, this motherboard is ready for high-performance virtual applications thanks to its high-end Intel 82599ES controller. Capable of load balancing, FCoE support, and low latency transfers, this solution simplifies a network's topology while boosting its overall performance.
Key Features:
  • 16 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 1 x QSFP+ port supporting two 10GbE outputs via split cable
  • 10 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • Up to 8 x SAS 6Gb/s ports
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

GIGABYTE MD70-HB0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
This model integrates a LSI SAS 3008 controller directly on the motherboard, which provides eight SAS 12Gb/s ports. This controller also features the LSI DataBolt technology that makes the aggregation of lower bandwidth drives into 12Gb/s data streams possible. For users already owning SATA/SAS 3Gb/s or 6Gb/s drives, this means the benefits of a 12Gb/s bandwidth can be enjoyed without having to make a large investment in new SAS 12Gb/s drives.
Key Features:
  • 16 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 2 x 10GbE BASE-T LAN ports (Intel X540 controller)
  • 8 x SAS 12Gb/s ports
  • 10 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

GIGABYTE MD80-TM0

TweakTown image overview_of_gigabyte_s_ddr4_intel_xeon_c612_server_motherboards
This model is at the top end of this new lineup, and it can accommodate the maximum amount of memory offered by the Intel Xeon E5-1600/2600 V3 families with twenty-four DDR4 memory DIMM slots. This motherboard also features an onboard M.2 slot, which can receive M.2 SATA SSD cards up to 6Gb/s, or M.2 PCIe SSD cards up to 10Gb/s.
Key Features:
  • 24 x DDR4 DIMM slots
  • 2 x 10GbE BASE-T LAN ports (Intel X540 controller)
  • 8 x SAS 12Gb/s ports
  • 10 x SATA III 6Gb/s ports
  • Onboard M.2 slot
  • ASPEED AST2400 remote management controller

Final Thoughts

GIGABYTE has come out with an impressive lineup of server motherboards that look to be very good performers. The new C612 chipset and E5-2600 v3 processors add many new features to server platforms, and this new line up of motherboards from GIGABYTE takes advantage of them, and adds a few new ones.
The new BIOS updating feature allows you to flash without the need of a processor, memory, drives, or even an OS installed, and completely through IPMI, and adds flexibility to server management to keep everything updated. We are really looking forward to testing these new motherboards in our lab.
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Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4-3200 16GB Quad-Channel Memory Review
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
The other day we got a chance to look at a 3000MHz DDR4 16GB G.Skill memory kit and found ourselves extremely impressed with the product that G.Skill offered. If that wasn't quite extreme enough for you, the kit we've got from Corsair might just be right up your alley as we look at the company's first DDR4 Dominator Platinum kit to grace our labs.
This isn't our first Corsair DDR4 memory kit we've looked at. The first wasn't part of the higher-end Dominator Platinum range that we have here today and was instead part of the new Vengeance LPX series. The 2800MHz DDR4 16GB Kit also did a great job of impressing us as it offered both some excellent performance and a strong price tag that makes it attractive to people thinking about building an Intel X99 based system.
While both kits did a good job of impressing us, today it's time to kick it up a notch and take a look at not only the fastest kit we've received to date, but also the fastest kit we've currently got sitting our labs. While we've got a couple of other DDR4 kits to look at over the next few weeks, none of them carry the same kind of clock speeds as the kit we've got here.
Taking a look at the kit for the first time, you might notice an overall familiar look as its part of the popular Dominator Platinum series. We've got a black and silver theme, which looks good, and if you look closely, you can see we've got a black PCB, which looks great offset against the heat sink color to make quite a stealthy looking kit of RAM.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
When it comes to the overall design, there's not too much going on that's different to what we've seen before. While both sides have the Corsair logo, you can see that one shows the Dominator Platinum logo, along with mention that the kit is DDR4 and comes with a clock speed of 3200MHz DDR.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
Moving in closer, we get a good idea with what exactly is going on with the CMD16GX4M4B3200C16 kit. Starting from the left, you can see we've got a 16GB kit on hand that consists of 4x 4GB modules, all of which come in at a massive 3200MHz DDR with a 16-18-18-36-2T setup requiring 1.35v. Not only is this kit a solid 400MHz DDR faster than the 2800MHz DDR kit we looked at from Corsair, but it also carries with it the same timings as it, which is what makes it impressive.
While normally we would move on from here into covering how everything worked, before we do that, we've got one more thing to look at which is included in the bundle. Corsair has included the latest Dominator Airflow Platinum LED fan. It looks awesome and is more suited to the kit as its black and silver design is similar and matches well.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
With that said, we didn't use it today. It looks great and everything, but the decision to include just one in a kit of memory that would require two if you want to make full use of it is a little weird.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
Deciding to not use the fan since we couldn't cool both sides, we thought that we might run into some issues when it came to the kit running at stock - especially since we use an open air case and an AIO water cooling unit that doesn't really offer direct airflow over anything. Combining that with the fact we're also using a kit that comes with a 3200MHz DDR default clock, I wasn't sure if this was going to be the easiest kit to get up and running.
Heading into the BIOS and setting the XMP Profile to 1, we saw our system boot up straight away. Getting into Windows without a problem, we headed straight to CPUz to make sure that everything was running as it should be. Looking below, you can see we're indeed in Windows with our kit running at 3200MHz DDR with a 16-18-18-36-2T setup.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
With that not being an issue, we made sure our benchmarks ran without a problem. Testing both AIDA64 and HandBrake, our system completed without a single problem. So with that all working without an issue, it was time to head back into the BIOS and see if we could get some more performance out of the kit.
With the next option for speed via the divider being 3400MHz DDR, we selected it, but didn't expect it to work, as that is a very high memory clock. With no surprise, the system didn't boot up. Heading back into the BIOS, it was time to move the divider back to the 3200MHz DDR setting, and see what we could do by moving our BCLK up.
Messing around, we eventually ended up with a 102 BCLK, which gave us a slight memory boost. From the stock 3200MHz DDR, we got to a slightly higher 3264MHz DDR. Any higher with the BCLK and we had trouble with our system booting. Looking below, though, you can see we have the same 16-18-18-36-2T setup that is seen at the stock 3200MHz DDR clock.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
With that all up and running, we had just one last thing to do - head back into the BIOS to see how far we could push our CPU clock up to. Messing around with the voltages and the divider, we ended up pushing our i7 5960X EE divider up to 42x. Combined with the BCLK that brings our CPU clock in at 4283MHz, all while the Corsair Dominator Platinum kit remains at 3264MHz DDR with the same 16-18-18-36-2T timing setup.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
So with everything up and running without a problem, it's time to look at the kind of performance we're able to get out of the kit. Taking a look above, we can see how our 3200MHz kit compares to the 2800MHz kit. Looking above, you can see a nice little bump in Read and Copy performance which is increased as we go higher up the MHz table. Throwing CPU overclocking into the mix gives us a slight performance boost, but nothing that you'd get all that excited about. You can see the kind of performance increase we see over the stock 2133Mhz DDR number, though.
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
Taking a look above, you can see moving up in both the speed of our memory and CPU improves performance quite significantly. You can see the difference between the kit at 3200MHz and 3264MHz is about 3% extra performance. The biggest gains here come from our strong CPU overclock which help boost performance a further 20%.
3200MHz DDR is quite a strong speed when it comes to RAM and if we're honest, it's more than most people need. This isn't a kit for everyone, while we don't know 100% the price tag on it, we can tell you that it's going to carry with it a premium. The kind of user that looks at a kit like this is the kind of user who buys an ROG based ASUS motherboard, Extreme Edition processor and has a serious storage setup that consists of two or more SSDs in RAID 0. You simply put all the pieces together, set the XMP profile and then push your multiplier up a bit and don't worry about it anymore.
Combining all this with a massive three or four GPU setup and you have yourself the ultimate PC that is sure to last a good while. One of the biggest issues when it comes to memory at this speed is knowing that your CPU's Internal Memory Controller or IMC can handle it. Thanks to the new OC Socket that is on the ASUS boards, we didn't run into a single issue. ASUS say that thanks to the unique socket design, the ability to get over 3000MHz DDR is much higher. While we would normally just pass this off as marketing hype, we've never had this kind of success when it comes to overclocking memory so high.
The Corsair Dominator Platinum DDR4-3200 16GB Quad-Channel memory kit is no doubt part of what will make the ultimate system. If you have the need for speed, this is what you should be looking at buying. We just wished that Corsair had included a second Dominator Airflow Platinum LED fan in the kit so both sides of the memory could be cooled.
TweakTown image 6/6/6660_1234_corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review.png
TweakTown image corsair_dominator_platinum_ddr4_3200_16gb_quad_channel_memory_review
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Alpenfoehn Brocken ECO CPU Cooler Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

TweakTown image alpenfoehn_brocken_eco_cpu_cooler_review
To understand the cooler we are about to show off from our box-o-coolers from Alpenfoehn, you are going to need to know a bit of the history behind this cooler. First, Alpenfoehn started off with one of their original cooler designs, the Brocken. The original Brocken used a 120mm fan to cool the tower; in this cooler, the fins were solid from side to side. After some time, Alpenfoehn released a second generation of Brocken that utilized a 140mm fan and a split tower design, which they named Brocken 2. We happen to have that cooler as well, but we will save that for phase three of our Alpenfoehn cooler reviews.
Today we will be looking at the third cooler in the Brocken line, the Brocken ECO. There must have been some feedback with concerns surrounding the dimensions of the Brocken 2 following its release, because the newer Brocken ECO is a more compact design. In addition to reduced dimensions, the Brocken ECO is also aimed at reducing cost, and features a 120mm fan rather than a 140mm fan. Despite being more compact than the Brocken 2, the Brocken ECO is intended to stay within the same thermal range as the Brocken 2.
Alpenfoehn opted to keep most of what made the Brocken 2 such a hot seller, so the Brocken ECO has a lot of the same things that the Brocken 2 offered. There is still a split tower design to the fins, and it also still uses the tightly spaced layout that eliminates aluminum between the pipes in the base. The coolers even use the same type of fans.
The major changes to the design are more subtle. For instance, the Brocken ECO has one less heat pipe than the Brocken 2. The ECO also has a lack of any plating to the fins, and the lack of a top cover, so the pipe tips are exposed on the ECO. On top of these changes, the Brocken ECO is shorter, thinner, and it's not as deep as the original designs were.
Now that you have a good sense of how the Brocken line has progressed, we should jump into our review, and see just what sort of performance this cooler doles out. We can also see what a much larger cooler design than the Sella will offer in terms of audio and thermal results, so we can determine if it is worth the cost increase to get a larger Alpenfoehn cooler. Let's get to it.
The chart provided below shows us that the Brocken ECO is 65mm thick, and once you add 25mm more for the fan, it's 90mm in total. The ECO is 126mm wide, and it stands 150mm tall from bottom of the base to the tips of the heat pipes. This cooler is comprised of four 6mm diameter copper heat pipes that run from the aluminum base that help secure them, up into the stack of 45 aluminum fins on either side. Each fin is 0.40mm thick. The base of the cooler where it makes contact with the CPU uses what Alpenfoehn refers to as "Gapless Heat pipe Direct Contact," or "Gapless H.D.C." This is where the heat pipes are laid right next to each other, rather than having bits of aluminum between them.
TweakTown image alpenfoehn_brocken_eco_cpu_cooler_review
To cool the pair of towers in the Brocken ECO, there is a single 120mm fan shipped along with the cooler. Alpenfoehn was also kind enough to send along another 120mm fan to match it, so we could do some dual fan testing, and see how much more efficient this design can be. These 120mm PWM fans are capable of speeds of up to 1500 RPM, and deliver 111.14 cubic meters of air flow. For those not willing to look up the conversion, that is roughly 65 CFM pushing through these stacks. We see no audio measurements in the charts, but rest assured, Alpenfoehn coolers are designed with silence in mind.
At the bottom of the chart, we see the Brocken ECO is capable of mounting to all the Intel sockets still worthy of a new cooler, from LGA775 through LGA2011. In terms of AMD, anything from AM2 through socket FM1 are fair game. The last bits on the chart cover the supplied TIM, four fan clips, anti-vibration measures, and the manual.
Again, with all of these Alpenfoehn samples, cost is not a prohibitive factor; it is availability that kills things for North American buyers. Using a bit of Google-fu and looking at other sources, we were able to locate current pricing on the other side of the pond. Just like the Sella, we found the ECO at OCUK, where they list the cooler for a measly £24.95. At this time, currency conversion places the cost around $42; it is hard to look past a cooler like this. It may not be the most compact cooler Alpenfoehn offers, but the Brocken ECO has definitely raised an eyebrow with the performance it offers.
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Sapphire Radeon R9 285 2GB Dual-X in CrossFire Video Card Review

Introduction of the Sapphire R9 285 2GB Dual-X in CrossFire

TweakTown image sapphire_radeon_r9_285_2gb_dual_x_in_crossfire_video_card_review
The other day we got a chance to test the performance of the new Sapphire R9 285 2GB Dual-X that AMD had just launched. While we liked what Sapphire and AMD offered, we weren't all that impressed with how AMD named the model, or how they are handling it on a whole. If you want to take a closer look at what exactly I mean, then I recommend you head over to the review, and read the first and last page of it.
There's really no need to say a whole lot here, as we really just covered the R9 285 2GB in a fair bit of detail the other day. Normally after our introduction we'd move on to the packaging, and then take a closer look at the card. However, we won't be looking at the card today, as we only just looked at it the other day.
We will take a look at the package, though, since when we got the Sapphire card from AMD, it came with no package to speak of; now we have come packaging information to share with you. We will also fire up GPU-Z today, to make sure everything looks right while we are covering the cards in our graphs today. So, let's get into it and see what Sapphire is doing as far as the bundle goes.

Package - What comes inside the box

TweakTown image sapphire_radeon_r9_285_2gb_dual_x_in_crossfire_video_card_review
TweakTown image sapphire_radeon_r9_285_2gb_dual_x_in_crossfire_video_card_review
Looking at the front of the box, you can see the overall design is pretty standard with the model indicated across the top, the brand shown in the middle, and some of the main features noted across the bottom. Included in the main features are the facts this card is an OC Edition, it carries 2GB of GDDR5, and it offers the Dual-X cooling solution. Turning the box over, you can see we've got a bit of a blurb on the left side of the box, while the right hand side expands on some of those main features like the Dual-X cooling solution, and FleX multi-monitor technology.
TweakTown image sapphire_radeon_r9_285_2gb_dual_x_in_crossfire_video_card_review
TweakTown image sapphire_radeon_r9_285_2gb_dual_x_in_crossfire_video_card_review
Moving onto contents of the box, you can see a very standard setup here, with our leaflet for the Sapphire Select Club, Driver CD, DVI to VGA connector, two Molex to 6-Pin PCIe power connectors, and a HDMI cable to round off our cables and connectors. Along with all of this, you can see that Sapphire has also included a mouse pad in the bundle. We've not been a fan of this mouse pad since Sapphire started adding it, because it's really cheap feeling. On the other hand it is free, so it's tough to complain too much about it.
PRICING: You can find the Sapphire R9 285 2GB Dual-X for sale below. The prices listed are valid at the time of writing, but can change at any time. Click the link to see the very latest pricing for the best deal.
United States: The Sapphire R9 285 2GB Dual-X retails for $259.99 at Amazon.
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Tt eSPORTS Verto Gaming Headset Review

Introduction

Tt eSPORTS is a name that most of you should've heard of by now, with the company having a slew of gaming orientated products built with some great design, power and quality. Tt eSPORTS by Thermaltake has quite a range of gaming gear, ranging from mice, keyboards, and headsets, to mouse pads and even LAN bags.
TweakTown image tt_esports_verto_gaming_headset_review
Their latest gaming headset is the Verto, a budget gaming headset with a very unique design. Tt eSPORTS has a massive range of headsets for gamers, with 20 different headsets in total. Some of them are the same headset, but with different color schemes, but the first one that I've tested from the company as the new Audio Editor of the site, is the Verto, so let's get right into it.

What's In The Box

Instead of the usual unboxing pictures, I decided to do a full unboxing using my Google Glass headset. This gives you a unique view through my point of view, while I unbox the Tt eSPORTS Verto headset for the first time.
On the pictures side of things, let's have a look at, around, and inside of the Verto box.
TweakTown image tt_esports_verto_gaming_headset_review
On the front of the box, we have a black-and-red design through and through - from the Verto box, to the Verto headset itself - the theme is great. On the front, we see that the Verto is "mobile device ready", has an auto adjusting headband, a fold-flat design, and an inline volume control.
TweakTown image tt_esports_verto_gaming_headset_review
On the back of the box, we have a rundown of what the Verto has on it, with its adjustable headband, and much more. On the right, we have a full feature list. Below that, we have full technical specifications.
TweakTown image tt_esports_verto_gaming_headset_review
In the box, we have the PC cable, 3.5mm cable that you can use with your audio player or smartphone/tablet, a warranty policy, a leather carry bag and the Verto headset itself.

Specifications, Pricing and Availability

Tt eSPORTS has conjured up quite a headset with the Verto, starting with its fold-flat design, self-adjusting headband, detachable cable, and much more. We're driving it through a 3.5mm jack and not USB, for those who are keeping count. We have two 40mm neodymium magnet speakers, frequency response of 10Hz - 22KHz, 32 ohms +/-15% and sensitivity 98dB SPL/mW at 1KHz.
The cable provided with the Verto is detachable from the headset, and is 1m (3.2 feet) long. The second cable in the box is designed for mobile devices, which is simply a 3.5mm to 3.5mm jack without the controller in the middle.
Tt eSPORTS is pricing the Verto quite competitively, at just $79.99. The company has other, cheaper headsets, but this is being aimed at the mid-range market, something that I think it kicks above its weight in. The Verto should be available in either late September or October in the US.
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Available Tags:ASRock , Server , Radeon , SSD , DDR4 , Intel , Xeon , Motherboards , MSI , GAMING , CPU Cooler , CPU , Sapphire

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