IT-Code-News: IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 9/8/2014

Sunday, September 7, 2014

IT News Head Lines (TweakTown) 9/8/2014

TweakTown

Destiny on Xbox 360, PS3 has limited time upgrade to current-gen
When Destiny launches on the 9th of September on the Xbox 360 and PS3, gamers who purchased it will have a limited window to upgrade their last-generation copies to current-generation consoles.

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Activision and Bungie have announced a "digital upgrade" for Destiny, that will see Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers moving over to the Xbox One and PS4 with their copies of Destiny, for a limited time. We should see the end date for this migration offer on January 15, 2015, so you've got a decent chunk of time to upgrade and keep your copy of Destiny for the new consoles.
Better yet, when you move over from the previous-gen consoles to the current-gen with your copy of Destiny, any season passes, DLC and whatever else you've collected along the way will make the trip to your new console.

Russian documentary shows Western WW1 propoganda, uses TF2 poster
A documentary on Western, state-run propaganda used during World War I is being shown on Russia's Channel One, where the doco used a fan-drawn poster from Team Fortress 2.

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The poster was drawn during a publicity campaign back in 2009 when TF2 was rolling out with a new update, which saw a backstory for the conflict between two of its classes: Soldier and Demoman. The posted itself says "Join Team Demoman TODAY" instead of the usual "Join the Marines" that the posters would've said all that time ago. Blogger Nikita Likhacehev spotted the posted in the documentary, which has now ended up being reported about online.

Samsung Gear VR available for pre-order, priced at $249
A few days ago we were introduced to the Samsung Gear VR headset, a mobile VR headset that is powered by the Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Oculus VR, the makes of the Oculus Rift, were instrumental in the design, technology and path of the Gear VR, but now you can pre-order the headset for yourself, at $249.

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The Gear VR uses the 5.7-inch QHD Super AMOLED panel as its display, which should provide a clearer picture than the Full HD-based Oculus Rift DK2 unit. The pre-orders were spotted on Mobile Fun, with the retailer defining itself as a 'Samsung Authorized Dealer'. We don't know when Gear VR will launch, but I think we'll see the start of it next month.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980, GTX 970 spotted in ASUS, GIGABYTE models
It looks like NVIDIA is all set to launch its next-gen GPU, which should be skipping the GeForce GTX 800 series and moving onto the GTX 900 series with two GPUs to be launched at first.

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According to Synnex, an international distrbutor of PC hardware, ASUS is preparing two GeForce GTX 900 series cards. First, we have the reference GeForce GTX 980 with what should arrive as the reference cooler for the GTX 980, then a second model: the STRIX GTX 970. This model should feature ASUS' custom cooling setup, the DirectCU II. We will see a quieter, cooler card with factory overclocking applied.

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Then we have two entries for the GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 900 series, also from Synnex. The first model is the GeForce GTX 980, another reference card, backed up by a custom GTX 970. GIGABYTE's GeForce GTX 970 G1 Gaming card should also feature a custom-designed cooling solution, and overclocked. Both the GTX 980 and GTX 970 cards are listed with 4GB of RAM across a 256-bit bus, so we're not going to see massive changes in the skipped-a-generation GPUs at the GPU-hungry 4K resolutions, and above.
Both of the GTX 970 options sound like some cheap, fast, and cool GPUs perfect for an SLI setup. Then the question remains, why aren't we seeing custom GX 980s? According to VideoCardz.com: "AIBs were unable to finalize the designs until GTX 980 development was finished. So technically 'at launch' only GTX 970 should be available with custom-made flavor. Custom GeForce GTX 980s still needs some work, so add extra week or two before seeing more cards with (hopefully) full GM204 silicon. (It doesn't mean you won't be seeing renders or engineering samples, we're talking about availability in stores)."
We should expect NVIDIA to launch these GPUs in the coming weeks, according to all of this rumored information coming out in higher amounts. But what is the justification of NVIDIA skipping the GTX 800 series? These new chips won't be 16nm, but most likely tuned 28nm which the current GTX 700 series is built on. Right the current specifications, the GTX 980 will be toe-and-toe against the GTX 780 Ti, so we can expect some confusion there. The next thing to wait for is the full GM210 chip, which should be much more powerful than the GM204 that the GTX 980 will arrive with.

Small 2014 RC asteroid will fly by Earth in close-up on Sunday, Sept 7
The 2014 RC asteroid will pass by Earth on Sunday, September 7, with closest approach estimated to take place at 2:18 p.m. EDT, as it flies over New Zealand. Astronomers believe it measures around 60 feet in size, and was initially spotted in late August by the Catalina Sky Survey located close to Tucson, Arizona.

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The asteroid won't be detectable by the naked eye, but amateur astronomers using telescopes should be able to see it sail by, assuming there is clear weather, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
At its closest, 2014 RC will be around 25,000 miles away from Earth, and should bypass the geosynchronous ring of communications and weather satellites that orbit our planet. 2014 RC shouldn't pose a threat to Earth or satellites in orbit, but will give researchers a great opportunity to learn about asteroids.

Intel outlines Core M processor for 2 in 1 systems, available soon
Intel has dominated the PC and server CPU markets, but has struggled to keep up in emerging businesses, though expects its Core M will help shake things up. The platform is able to offer greater CPU and GPU performance, thin, fanless PCs, and increased battery life - and is ideal for 2 in 1 devices. The Intel Core M processor will be used by Acer, ASUS, Dell, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo and Toshiba, with some models available as soon as next month, according to Intel.

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Due to a manufacturing glitch that pushed back Core M, there will be only around 20 Core M notebooks from OEM partners available in time for Christmas. Core M is the fifth-generation of Core processors, titled Broadwell, cutting down from 22nm to 14nm.
"We've been on a multi-year mission to address end-user requirements and transform mobile computing," said Kirk Skaugen, Intel SVP and GM of personal computing, in a statement. "The introduction of Core M marks a significant milestone in that journey. Core M is the first of a new product family designed to deliver the promise of one of the world's thinnest laptops and highest performance tablets in a single 2 in 1 device."

Samsung unveils Google Android-powered printers during IFA
During the IFA 2014 technology expo in Berlin, Samsung has unveiled office printers powered by the Google Android mobile operating system. The multi-function printer (MFP) models are aimed towards businesses and corporations, using a familiar Android control panel that should make it relatively easy to work with.

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The company plans to kick things off with ten new MFP models, described as the "first printers of their kind" to use Android. Known as the Smart MultiXpress printers, pricing and availability of the new printers weren't released. Samsung wanted to make it easier for users to set up the printers and use them without the need of a PC or laptop, and included NFC support.
"As Samsung continues to strive for user-centered innovation, the introduction of the first Android OS-equipped MFPs will enhance Samsung's smart office experience for business customers and allow for greater multidimensional and advanced printing technologies," said Dr. KiHo Kim, Samsung EVP of Printing Solutions, in a statement.

Official: HealthCare.gov website hacked, but no data theft reported
The HealthCare.gov website was hacked by cybercriminals, but no data was taken, according to the Obama Administration when it informed Congress. The incident was simply described as "an intrusion on a test server" related to HealthCare.gov. The security breach took place in July and wasn't discovered until late August.

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It seems the test server was using a default password that was never changed - and shouldn't have been connected to the Internet in the first place. To make matters even worse, regularly scheduled security scans never occurred as they should have by administrators. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and other federal investigators are now trying to determine who is responsible.
"Our review indicates that the server did not contain consumer personal information, data was not transmitted outside the agency and the website was not specifically targeted," said Aaron Albright, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services spokesperson. "We have taken measures to further strengthen security."

Baidu developing smart chopsticks, able to tell if food is safe
Chinese search giant Baidu is developing smart chopsticks that will be able to assist consumers to better protect them from food poisoning and tainted water. Dubbed the Baidu Kuaisou, the chopsticks can connect to a smartphone or PC wirelessly, and the app notifies diners whether the food is safe to consume.

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Baidu Kuaisou isn't ready for mass production quite yet, but should prove to be easy to use for customers - a light on the chopsticks display a blue or green color depending if food is safe or not.
"In the future, via Baidu Kuaisou, you'll be able to know the origin of oil and water and other foods - whether they've gone bad and what sort of nutrition they complain," said Robin Li, Baidu CEO, during a recent speech.
Similar to Google and other major tech companies, Baidu is trying to diversify and expand its product offerings to consumers. It might be a colossal flop, but shows that Baidu is continually evolving and wants to diversify its offering to consumers.

BlizzCon Virtual Ticket, the virtual version of being at BlizzCon
If you wanted to attend BlizzCon but couldn't make it, Blizzard has your back with its announcement of the BlizzCon Virtual Ticket. The BlizzCon Virtual Ticket allows people to access live streams of BlizzCon 2014's opening and closing ceremonies, panels, interviews, costume and talent contests and much more.

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The virtual ticket will also give users access to in-game items for a bunch of Blizzard's games, including World of Warcraft, StarCraft 2, Diablo 3, Hearthstone, and Heroes of the Storm. BlizzCon Virtual Ticket holders will also have access to online store merchandise from October 17 to November 11.
The ticket itself will cost you $39.99, which is the same price as the DirecTV BlizzCon 2014 pay-per-view option. BlizzCon 2014 kicks off at hte Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, California from November 7-8.

NVIDIA files patent infringements against Samsung and Qualcomm
Things just got messy between NVIDIA and Samsung, with NVIDIA suing the South Korean giant over alleged patent infringements. NVIDIA has included Qualcomm in its lawsuit, which has been filed with the US District Court in Delaware, as well as with the International Trade Commission.

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Bright Side of News' Anshel Sag reports: "NVIDIA is alleging that Samsung's devices that use Qualcomm's chips are infringing upon NVIDIA's own technologies that have been patented. Not just that, but by filing a complaint with the ITC, NVIDIA is seeking that such devices that infringe upon these patents be banned from importation and sale within the United States." What is worse, is that NVIDIA is claiming that Samsung is infringing on their patents on some of hte most popular handset on the market, and some of which were just announced by Samsung a couple of days ago.
These include the Galaxy Note 4, Galaxy Note Edge, Galaxy S5, Galaxy Note 3, and Galaxy S4 as well as the Galaxy Tab S and Galaxy Note Pro... that's a lot of Galaxies. NVIDIA continues, claiming that Samsung's Exynos processors violated seven different patents, as well as Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors. The Snapdragon processors in question are include the Snapdragon S4 (using the Adreno 225), Snapdragon 400 (using the Adreno 305), Snapdragon 600 (using the Adreno 320), Snapdragon 800 and 801 (using the Adreno 330), and Snapdragon 805 (using the Adreno 420).
This is a big deal, as it sees NVIDIA going after the strongest company in the mobile market right now: Samsung. But as Sag says in his article on BSN, NVIDIA "could theoretically sue Apple, Imagination Technologies, ARM and virtually any smartphone or SoC manufacturer in the world for patent infringement based upon these claims." NVIDIA suing Samsung is an interesting choice, as it will most likely see Samsung never putting one of NVIDIA's chips in its devices in the future.

Pirated copies of The Sims 4 makes things a pixelated mess
The Sims 4 has now been launched, and as you can imagine, there are pirated copies being downloaded. The pirated versions of The Sims 4 has seen EA use some anti-piracy measures, where the pirated version of The Sims 4 seeing a massive injection of pixels, making it look like a retro mess.

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The pixels kick in when a Sim steps into the shower, or gets naked for whatever reason. But the pirated versions of the game will see pixels continue to expand and blur, where it will eventually cover the entire screen. The results? What you see in the screenshot above. EA has had many customers already complain on The Sims 4's official forums about their "broken" copy of the game, but EA has said that they have no plans to help these customers enjoy their pirated version of the game, and to just purchase the legit copy if they don't like their pixelated experience.

Xbox One exclusive Ryse: Son of Rome comes to PC on October 10
Until now, Ryse: Son of Rome has been an Xbox One exclusive, but Crytek's game will be hitting the PC on October 10. It will be priced at $39.99 for those who pre-order it through their local retailer, or Steam, where they'll receive an exclusive digital copy of the official soundtrack.

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Ryse: Son of Rome will arrive on the PC with all of its downloadable content, as well as support for resolutions of up to 4K. When it comes to the digital version of the game, Crytek will be taking care of it, while Deep Silver will be looking after the retail release. Carl Jones, director of business development at Crytek says: "We are bringing the Ryse experience to PC, with 4K resolution support."
Jones continues: "4K gaming is another leap in graphics quality for PC gamers and Ryse is the perfect showcase for what's now possible in high-end PC games. We've given our team the opportunity to show what Cryengine can really achieve, without compromising quality, thanks to the incredible hardware available now to PC gamers. Ryse will be a benchmark PC graphics showcase this year and probably for a long time in future. Our community asked for a Ryse PC version, and we have the means and technology to deliver this title with the highest quality possible."

Epic Games announces Unreal Engine 4 is free for schools, universities
Epic Games has just announced that educational organizations, such as schools and universities, can gain access to Unreal Engine 4 for faculty and students, right here, for free.

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General manager of Unreal Engine, Ray Davis, says: "Nothing is stopping students from honing the skills needed to enter the range of fields using Unreal Engine technology, from entertainment software and film to visualization, healthcare simulation and military training. Students who know Unreal Engine technology have a huge advantage when it comes to job placement."

Exclusive: iPhone 6 Air confirmed, and a closer look at the iPhone 6
After a few leaked photos, it seems that LUXA2 is one of the first in the world to unveil the first legidimate shots of Apple's forthcoming iPhone 6. The shots come courtesy of a look of LUXA2's accessories for the iPhone 6, such as a new 'Elite Leather Stand Case' for the iPhone 6.

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The second shot is of the purported iPhone 6 Air, a surprise for us as that's what we might expect from Apple - two models, the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Air. The second shot shows off the iPhone 6 Air High Clear.

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My gut tells me this isn't fake, as the e-mail is from a company I deal with quite a lot. It fully states 'LUXA2 Debuts Exciting New Accessories for iPhone 6," so not only are we getting confirmation of the iPhone 6 - which we know is coming - but the tease of the iPhone 6 Air is huge. Previously, we thought it was going to be called iPhone 6+ or iPhone 6 Plus, we you've just read it here first: iPhone 6 Air confirmed.

The lines begin to form for the iPhone 6, over a week out from release
The iPhone 6 launches in just five days time, but over a week out from its announcement (and not its release date) eager Apple fans are already lining up at Apple's flagship store in New York City.

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Apple is poised to unveil its iPhone 6 next week, with two devices to be unveiled - a 4.7-inch and 5.5-inch iPhone. The 4.7-inch iPhone should be available starting September 19, ten days after its announcement, while the 5.5-inch version might be launched at a later date. But with IFA 2014 kicking off, Apple has a mountain of competition to fight off, with the new Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge smartphones from Samsung. Sony has announced its new Xperia Z3 smartphone, and that's not counting the Galaxy S5, HTC One M8 and more that are already here, and purchased by millions of consumers around the world.
Rumor has it that we will also see Apple unveil its new iWatch at the event on September 9, as well as a full unveiling of its next mobile OS, iOS 8.

Project Cars will slide onto gamers' rigs on November 18
Project Cars is one of the best-looking games in development right now, with a confirmed release date for gamers across the world of November 18. Project Cars will be released on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

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A huge crowd-sourcing campaign took place, with Slightly Mad Studios explaining Project Cars as "the most authentic, beautiful, intense and technically-advanced racing game on the planet." Nintendo Wii U owners will also receive the game, but it won't be happening until next year.

Dell announces its new 5K display with a resolution of 5120x2880
Dell has just taken the wraps off of its new 5K monitor, with a resolution of 5120x2880 - yes, you read that right - higher than 4K. Dell will be selling its new UltraSharp 27 Ultra HD 5K Monitor for $2500 when it launches in the holidays.

All of these pixels will be firing onto a 27-inch screen, with 16W integrated Harmon Kardon speakers, and six USB ports, too. Dell's UP2715K monitor will use two DisplayPort 1.2 ports, with the company running the monitor from a single NVIDIA Quadro K5000 card at the event. There are 70% more pixels on Dell's new 5K display than a 4K panel, which is an insane amount of pixels. The video above from Maximum PC shows off the 5K panel.

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Almost 30,000 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts created following beheadings
Since the video of U.S. journalist James Foley being executed by Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) surfaced on August 20, there have been more than 28,000 pro-ISIS Twitter accounts created. Twitter has purged user accounts that shows ISIS-related violent photography or videos, which led ISIS to embrace other alternatives, but there are still plenty of pro-ISIS statements on Twitter.

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Following 24 hours after the second U.S. journalist, Steven Sotloff, was murdered by ISIS, 10 percent of references to the video were positive. Both videos have shocked the west, intimidated ISIS rivals, and has called for increased military action against the group, operating in Iraq and Syria.
Embracing social media has been a great strategy for ISIS, as there have been more than 60,000 pro-ISIS accounts created since May. Using Twitter and other social networks gives ISIS direct access to journalists and potential recruits, including a growing number of American, British and western European residents picking up arms in the Middle East.

CheapAir allows customers to pay with Dogecoin, Litecoin
Online travel agency CheapAir became the first in its industry to accept bitcoin, and now has opened up Dogecoin and Litecoin payment options. Since embracing bitcoin in November 2013, CheapAir has generated $1.5 million in cryptocurrency sales, which is why the company has decided to support Dogecoin and Litecoin.

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When consumers typically think of cryptocurrencies, bitcoin is the first that comes to mind - but Litecoin, Dogecoin, and scores of others are gaining a strong following from consumers and businesses. Customers purchasing via cryptocurrencies can still mix-and-match flights from multiple airlines, and is still supported by the CheapAir Price Drop Payback offering.
"We try to make travel as easy as possible for customers, and letting people pay the way they want to pay is a big part of that," said Jeff Klee, CheapAir CEO, in a statement. "Bitcoin, Litecoin and Dogecoin represent promising technologies that can make transacting online faster, easier, less expensive, and more secure. We admire cryptocurrency early adopters and we're thrilled to support them."

Buy a Microsoft Xbox One, get any game title for free during promo
Consumers interested in purchasing a new game console, take note: Microsoft is offering a promotion from September 7 to September 13 in which any game is available for free with an Xbox One console purchase. Best Buy, GameStop, Amazon, Wal-Mart, Toys 'R Us, and other major retailers are expected to support the promotion.

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Most free game promotions force gamers to choose from a pre-determined selection, but Microsoft hopes offering more freedom will help boost sales. However, the game must be available during the week-long promo - and doesn't apply to games scheduled for release later this year - and won't apply to refurbished consoles or used games.
Xbox One hardware sales drastically trail the Sony PlayStation 4 game console, but this could help Microsoft close the gap. Also worth noting, Bungie's release of Destiny takes place on September 9, so this could help entice consumers to purchase an Xbox One instead of a PS4.

Apple supplier in China accused of workplace labor violations
Catcher Technology, a company based in Taiwan that operates factories in China for Apple, has been accused of labor rights and workplace violations. Catcher Technology manufactures metal casings for the Apple iPad, and employees worked a large amount of overtime and were forced to handle toxic chemicals without proper safety procedures or training.

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Apple pointed out worrisome problems in the factory in April 2013, but the problems have only worsened since then, according to a China Labor Watch report. Apple is planning to send inspectors to the facility, located in the eastern city of Suqian, to ensure workplace laws are enforced.
Companies that use manufacturing facilities based in China used to turn a blind-eye to workplace violations - but increased pressure has called for Apple, Samsung, and other corporations to ensure their partners are operating more fairly. However, reports of illegal workplace behavior continue to surface, sometimes at a startling pace.

McAfee finds 80% of business users unable to identify phishing attacks
The use of social engineering, typically leading to phishing attacks, remains a major threat against enterprise networks, according to the McAfee Labs Threats Report: August 2014. Using its own McAfee Phishing Quiz, 80 percent of participants were unable to identify at least one of seven phishing emails - and the human resources and finance departments scored poorly.

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Stolen data from compromised websites, especially following Heartbleed, shows how vulnerable unpatched websites can be - only serving as a treasure trove for cybercriminals. In addition, there were a number of new malware attacks and network threats that companies struggle to defend against.
"One of the great challenges we face today is upgrading the Internet's core technologies to better suit the volume and sensitivity of traffic it now bears," said Vincent Weafer, McAfee Labs SVP. "Every aspect of the trust chain has been broken in the last few years - from passwords to OpenSSL public key encryption and most recently USB security."

G.SKILL releases fastest DDR4 3333MHz memory kit on market
RAM manufacturer G.SKILL announces it has released the fastest DDR4 3333MHz memory kit on the market, with the Ripjaws 4 series providing a total capacity of 16GB (4GB x 4), offering even faster bandwidth for PC enthusiasts and gamers alike.

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The 288-pin SDRAM is rather pricey, currently available for pre-order on Newegg for $579.99, but will be popular among consumers building a new gaming rig. The RAM will be released on September 5 in black, and will be released worldwide shortly after.
The Ripjaws 4 3333MHz has been optimized for the Intel X99 platform and uses an aluminum heat spreader design to help keep the memory cool. XMP 2.0 support makes it easier for consumers to overclock the RAM, along with 1.35V ultra-low voltage to keep an energy-efficient footprint.

Isis Wallet renamed Softcard to avoid links to Islamic terrorist group
The Isis Wallet mobile payment system has changed its name to Softcard as the company doesn't want to share the same name with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) terrorist group in Syria and Iraq. Company officials noted that it was thinking of a name change over the summer, saying it doesn't want any confusion related to the group that has ramped up its use of brutal tactics to scare rivals and attract new recruits.

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Softcard is currently backed by Verizon Wireless, AT&T and T-Mobile, and hopes to move forward and continue operating normally. The company said the Isis Wallet will work the same following the name change, and mobile users will see the app update without any major feature changes.
"Our search for a new name has been rooted in our founding vision: to use the power of the mobile phone to help consumers find a safer and better way to shop, pay and save," said Michael Abbott, Softcard CEO, in a statement. "But we also wanted a name and visual identity that had the power, flexibility and simplicity to define our category."

Vantec NexStar HX USB 3.0 Edition External Storage Enclosure Review

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Back in March of this year, we took a look at the NexStar HX eSATA model. Turning the clock forward a few months, we are now back in the lab with the latest from the NexStar line-up, the HX with USB 3.0 support.
The NexStar line-up of storage enclosures seems to be one of the most popular coming out of the lab at Vantec. It seems every few months these solutions get a refresh, whether it's the internal components used, or a new outer shell. The difference this time around tends to be the hardware inside.
While the last HX was a decent solution, it topped out at 250 MB/s, so back to the drawing board and five months later, we have the latest HX powered by the ASMedia 1153e. Compatibility of the HX extends to Windows, OS X and Linux 2.6+.
MSRP of the Vantec NexStar HX is listed at $39.99 with a one-year warranty.

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Scope of delivery for the HX includes, a USB 3.0 cable, power adapter, and reading materials.

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This time around, Vantec has opted to produce the HX in two distinct designs. On the left, we have the bare aluminium model, while the right, we have the anodized black model.

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The backside is quite similar to the last model minus the eSATA port. Here we have the power switch up top, while the USB 3.0 port in blue as usual resides below.

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As you can see, the NexStar HX holds your standard 3.5" hard drive quite snug, and its tool less for easy installation.

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To test the performance of the HX, we installed a Seagate 600 Pro 200GB SSD. As you can see above, the performance of this revision is much improved over the 250 MB/s we peaked at with the original NexStar HX.
While the external design of the Vantec NexStar HX didn't change this time around, the internal components used make for a world of difference. By using the latest and greatest USB 3.0 controller available, the ASMedia 1153e, Vantec has put the HX in another storage tier. Build quality, like last time, is great - we still have the rigid plastic internals wrapped with aluminium for added durability.
Performance as you know by now was much better this time around. With the latest HX, we were able to touch 438 MB/s read and 398 MB/s write, much improved over the 250/250 we achieved last time with the eSATA version.
PRICING: You can find the Vantec NexStar HX USB 3.0 Edition 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 Vantec NexStar HX USB 3.0 Edition retails for $38.93 at Amazon.
Canada: The Vantec NexStar HX USB 3.0 Edition retails for CDN$40.99 at Amazon Canada.

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Samsung EVO 32GB and 64GB MicroSD Memory Cards Review

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Over the past few months, we have seen microSD cards come through the lab from many top-tier vendors. Today, we add Samsung to that list, with our review of the 32GB and 64GB EVO microSD memory card solutions.
The EVO line-up of memory cards from Samsung are purpose built memory solutions for the average consumer that wants storage capacity for shooting video or a large amount of photos. The EVO boasts a life proof design, which includes water, temperature, magnet, and x ray resistance. Marketing numbers for the EVO line-up of microSD cards includes 48 MB/s transfer speeds with a UHS I speed class.
MSRP for the Samsung EVO in the 32GB capacity is set at $26.99, while the 64GB model sits at $49.99, and each with a ten-year warranty.

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Packaging for each of these cards carries the capacity in large print. At the bottom, we find the Speed Class 10 designation along with UHS I.

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The 32GB Samsung EVO comes with a USB to microSD adapter to aide in transferring your photo and video to your PC without the need for a card reader.

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Moving to the 64GB model, we find it packaged with a SD to microSD adapter.

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The 64GB Samsung EVO microSD is factory formatted with the exFAT file system, the usable capacity after formatting is 58.5GB.

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The 32GB Samsung EVO microSD is factory formatted with the exFAT file system, the usable capacity after formatting is 29.2GB.

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Our first test included the 64GB Samsung EVO. Here we found the card capable of 46 MB/s read and 19 MB/s write.

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Next up we have the 32GB Samsung EVO. Here we found the card capable of 46 MB/s read and 19 MB/s write as well, so there is no difference (or very little) in performance between both memory cards.

TweakTown image samsung_evo_32gb_and_64gb_microsd_memory_cards_review

Price/performance for the Samsung EVO micro SD cards found both solutions towards the bottom of our chart, the 64GB model doing just slightly better than the 32GB.
The Samsung EVO microSD cards in each of the capacities tested here today are more capacity driven solutions than that of high performance cards we typically see in the lab. With that being said, the Samsung EVO memory cards carry a great amount of build quality, and once again backed by a ten-year warranty to aide in the overall value of the package.
Performance of these cards was on par with marketing specifications. In testing each of these cards, we found both to reach 46 MB/s read and 19 MB/s write. Over on price/performance, the cards found a spot towards the bottom of the chart due to the fact we have typically seen high performance cards come through the lab.
PRICING: You can find the Samsung EVO 32GB and 64GB MicroSD memory cards 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 Samsung EVO 32GB MicroSD memory card retails for $17.99 at Amazon, and the Samsung EVO 64GB MicroSD memory card retails for $36.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The Samsung EVO 32GB MicroSD memory card retails for CDN$20.79 at Amazon Canada, and the Samsung EVO 64GB MicroSD memory card retails for CDN$43.79 at Amazon Canada.

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TweakTown image samsung_evo_32gb_and_64gb_microsd_memory_cards_review

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Raidon Runner GR2660 RAID Storage Enclosure Review

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Over the last few months, we have seen plenty of plug and play storage solutions come through the labs here at TweakTown. With that, we have also seen quite a few 3.5" storage enclosures, but we really have not seen many 2.5" enclosures supporting RAID.
Today, we get our first look at the GR2660 from Raidon. The GR2660 is a dual bay RAID enclosure supporting 2.5" solid state drive or hard drives.
Additionally, The GR2660 utilizes tool-less installation allowing easy setup of your storage solution. For connectivity, the Raidon device uses USB 3.0 with UASP support, while RAID modes include 0, 1 and JBOD. Compatibility of the Raidon Runner extends to Windows, OS X, and Linux.
MSRP for the Raidon Runner is listed at $134.99 with a one-year warranty.

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Scope of delivery for the Raidon Runner includes a USB 3.0 cable, power adapter, along with reading materials.

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The front of the Runner houses both bays each with LEDs for activity.

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The back of the Raidon is where you will find all the connectivity and RAID option switches. The default setting is RAID 1.

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In our first run through testing, we set the Raidon for RAID 0 with two Toshiba SSDs. Results in this mode came in at 408 MB/s read and 402 MB/s write.

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Moving over to RAID 1, we did not lose much performance at all. With our Toshiba SSDs, the Runner produced 408 MB/s read and 392 MB/s write.

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Lastly, we swapped over to JBOD and gave the Raidon another run through CDM. With JBOD, we were able to achieve 408 MB/s read and 402 MB/s.
The Raidon Runner is a rather decent drive enclosure for those wanting a RAID solution for spare 2.5" drives. The RAID switches worked without issues and the overall build quality seemed to be quite solid.
Performance of the Runner was rather good as well. We were able to reach 408 MB/s read in all three RAID modes with our Toshiba SSDs. In fact, the only thing holding the Raidon back from maxing out USB 3.0 is the JM561 RAID controller.
Overall, the Raidon is a pretty solid device thanks to its aluminium construction, and adding to that, performance that would be perfect for adding two high capacity 2.5" hard drives in a RAID 0 or even RAID 1 if you are looking for redundancy.
One downfall I did find with this enclosure was its availability. In fact, I could not find this enclosure anywhere in the USA at the time of this review.

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TweakTown image raidon_runner_gr2660_raid_storage_enclosure_review

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G.Skill Ripjaws4 DDR4-3000 16GB Quad-Channel Memory Kit Review

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The other day we got the chance to check out our first DDR4 kit in the form of the Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4-2800 16GB Quad-Channel kit and found ourselves really impressed with what Corsair was offering. Today we're looking at our second kit which comes from G.Skill. We've mixed our RAM reviews up a little with the introduction of DDR4 by adding in graphs to make comparison easier, and an extra benchmark to see the difference in a real-world environment.
While the Ripjaws name isn't anything new to us, the addition of the 4 to help let you know it's a DDR4 kit is. When it comes to the overall design, we don't have anything too crazy going on, with the Ripjaws cooler being something that we've seen before. The red heat sink looks great set against the black PCB.

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Taking a look at the modules, you can see that the Ripjaws4 logo is on both sides, although on one side, it's slightly covered with a sticker that gives us a rundown on some of the main specifications. Let's move in a little closer and see just what exactly we're dealing with here today.

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The F4-3000C15Q-16GRR gives us a fairly good idea with just what exactly we're dealing with. Out of the box, this G.Skill kit includes a 3000MHz DDR memory clock with a 15-15-15-35-2T @ 1.35v timing setup. This is both a little faster than the 2800MHz DDR kit we looked at the other day, along with being also slightly more aggressive on the timings front. One of the larger differences is the fact that this kit requires a higher 1.35v, instead of the Corsair kit that needed just 1.2v.
Heading into the BIOS, it was time to see if 3000MHz DDR was going to be possible. Moving onto the ASUS X99 Deluxe that we just reviewed the other day, ASUS has told us that thanks to the new OC Socket, the requirement for a strong Internal Memory Controller (IMC) on your CPU isn't as large. Considering the Corsair kit we looked at the other day also carried with it a second XMP profile for 3000MHz DDR, we weren't really expecting any issues as we loaded this kits' XMP profile up.

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With the first and only XMP profile set, we found ourselves getting into Windows without a problem. Loading up CPU-Z to make sure everything was correct, you can see above that it was indeed running at 3000MHz DDR with a 15-15-15-35-2T setup. Firing up our benchmarks, we had everything work without a single issue. With that not being an issue, we headed back into the BIOS to see if we could get some more performance out of the kit.
With this being the only XMP profile, everything from here out had to be done manually to get a higher clock speed. We tried simply moving to the next divider, which would've brought it in at 3200MHz DDR. Unfortunately, upon saving the settings and rebooting, our system wouldn't boot back up.
Heading back into the BIOS, we moved to the 3000MHz DDR divider again and started to mess around with the BCLK to see just what we could get out of the kit. After a bit of time going backwards and forwards, we ended up with a 130 BCLK with the 3000MHz DDR divider. Looking below, you can see this results in a 3118.5MHz DDR RAM clock, or 3119MHz DDR, as illustrated in our graphs.

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The last thing we wanted to do before we get into the performance side of things is see what kind of CPU performance we can add into the mix. While we didn't have much luck in our initial testing on the ASRock X99X Killer motherboard, we fortunately managed to have a bit more luck pushing the CPU multiplier up to 31x. Combined with the 130 BCLK, our i7 5960X EE was running at 4029MHz, while the RAM remains at 3119MHz DDR 15-15-15-35-2T @ 1.35v.

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Taking a look above, you can see how performance looks under AIDA64. Moving away from the stock 2133MHz DDR clock, you can see big boosts in both the read and copy performance. Moving further north in the clock speeds department, you can see at 3119MHz DDR that the number increase a little more. At the same speed, but with the CPU coming in nearly 500MHz higher, you can see that overall performance doesn't change much as CPU overclocking even on the X99 platforms continues to not really effect memory bandwidth that much.

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When it comes to looking at performance under HandBrake, you can see a nice performance jump as we move to 3000MHz DDR with an increased core clock. Moving to 3119MHz DDR then brings even further performance as the increase BCLK means that the CPU clock comes in slightly higher as well. The biggest gains come as we move our CPU to over 4GHz, though.
This is a really attractive kit from G.Skill thanks to its price tag that sits under $400. Considering we're dealing with 16GB Quad-Channel kit that carries an out of the box clock of 3000MHz DDR, this is really impressive. While it isn't exactly a cheap kit by any means, it is one of the more competitively priced ones on the market. So much so that stock seems to be an issue at the moment as it's selling out quite quickly.
The new Intel Haswell-E platform continues to be quite the investment with the main three items associated with it costing some serious coin. Saying that, though, it doesn't mean that you still can't get some great valued components when it comes to those core items. If you're going to jump on the Haswell-E bandwagon, this G.Skill memory kit is one that you should consider.

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TweakTown image g_skill_ripjaws4_ddr4_3000_16gb_quad_channel_memory_kit_review

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ASUS X99 Deluxe (Intel X99) Motherboard Review

Introduction of the ASUS X99 Deluxe

While we would've loved to have been further into our pile of X99 motherboards, the combination of new RAM hitting us alongside AMD's release of a new mid-range video card means we've been extremely busy here the past few weeks. However, over the next few weeks, you're going to see a number of DDR4 RAM kits, and X99 based motherboards, along with a couple of R9 285 2GB cards that we've received from partners.
Along with these products, we also hope that we can check out the other two Haswell-E based processors that launched alongside the very expensive i7 5960X EE. For now, though, it's all about another X99 motherboard that had me saying "wow" as soon as it was unboxed.
Today we're checking out the first ASUS X99 motherboard to come through our doors, the ASUS X99 Deluxe. This was a highly discussed motherboard leading up to the launch of Haswell-E, as companies said it was one of the most mature motherboards coming to the market. Today we're really looking forward to seeing if such praise rings true. ASUS has implemented some really cool features on this board, so let's not delay! Let's dive in closer to see exactly what's offered in the ASUS X99.

Package - What comes inside the box

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Looking at the front of the box, we get a really good idea of just what the motherboard looks like, as it takes up majority of the box. We'll cover the motherboard itself in more detail on the next page, though. As for the rest of the box front, you can see we've got the ASUS logo, model, mention of 5-Way Optimization, and the standard array of logos across the bottom.
Opening up the box, you can see we've got a ton of information across the top regarding to some of the main features that are being offered. The first bit explains the 5-Way Optimization feature, which brings a CPU performance boost, all-around energy efficiency, precise digital power, comprehensive cooling control, and turbo performance.
Below that information we have mention of Wi-Fi GO!, which allows total control and Media Streamer support, making your PC a digital hub. On the right hand side, you can see mention of Turbo App, which gives you the ability to overclock your CPU, and prioritize game data across your network. We've also got Crystal Sound 2 to improve audio, and we finish off with Turbo LAN via a Dual Gigabit Ethernet setup.

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TweakTown image asus_x99_deluxe_intel_x99_motherboard_review

With the box now open, we move to the bottom, which gives us our first look at the motherboard. Due to the anti-static back, though, we can't see too much. Turning the box over gives us another look at the motherboard, along with the main specifications. The right side gives us a brief run down on 5-Way Optimization. Below that, we have a bit on the new ASUS O.C. Socket, which is one of the bigger features being discussed. With a number of extra pins on the socket, ASUS says the new socket is specifically engineered to provide the ultimate performance with stable voltage to your CPU, maximum bandwidth for both your CPU and DDR4, and just the most extreme performance overall.
We're really looking forward to seeing just what kind of performance we're able to get out of this board. Looking to the right of the board, you can see via the CPU and DRAM boost, you can get an extra 60% and 12.5% boost respectively. Across the bottom of the box, we have some information on the fan extension hub, HYPER M.2 X4 Card, and Wi-Fi technology. We'll cover this in greater detail soon, as we're now opening the box and diving into the bundle.

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Opening up the box, you can see a pretty standard affair in terms of the bundle. We've got the normal paperwork included, along with a driver CD, and a quick installation guide. We've got a cool looking ASUS O.C. Adrenaline sticker, and below that you can see our rear I/O plate. Across the bottom, you can see eight SATA III cables are included in the bundle.

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Moving into the rest of the bundle, you can see a few new items that we haven't seen before. Starting from the right, the wireless antenna, 3-Way SLI Bridge, and EZ Connectors are all regular occurrences. Next to all of that, we've got a M.2 bracket, and we'll show you where this fits into the motherboard on the next page. Next to the M.2 bracket, we've got a cable and a fan extension hub, which go hand in hand.
We saw this on the back of the box, and it's designed for people who require even more fan headers than what's offered on the board. It's a cool little addition to the motherboard, and while not for everyone, some people are going to appreciate an extension hub that can be located closer to their water cooling setter, especially in larger case.

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One of the big extras included in the bundle is the addition of the Hyper M.2 x4 card. Using the card in a PCIe x4 slot, you can add a M.2 x4 drive for some serious storage performance. Overall, ASUS has put together quite a nice bundle. Now, let's see what the board offers.
PRICING: You can find the ASUS X99 Deluxe 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 ASUS X99 Deluxe retails for $398.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The ASUS X99 Deluxe retails for CDN$559.54 at Amazon Canada.
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HIS Radeon R7 260X iCooler 2GB Video Card Review

Introduction of the HIS R7 260X iCooler 2GB

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Recently you've seen a heavy focus on the higher-end of the market as the new Intel X99 platform has launched. You're seeing a bunch of high-end motherboards, along with expensive CPUs, and of course, a ton of DDR4 memory kits.
While we all love this kind of stuff, the fact remains that it's simply out of reach for so many people due to the cost associated with it. Today, we're kicking everything down a notch, and looking at a video card that falls into the R7 series from AMD. I must admit, it's been a while since we've had a chance to look at a R7 based card. More than likely, this will be before the last two updates to our benchmark line up.
Today, we're taking the time to check out the HIS R7 260X 2GB from HIS. At just over $100, it's a card that AMD moves in quantity. With a bunch of driver updates since the last time we looked at a R7 card, and a whole lot of new benchmarks, it will be interesting to see just how the card performs these days.
Is a bit over $100 enough to get a smooth gaming experience? Well, that's exactly what we intend to find out today. Outside of this particular card, we've got a few other R7 based cards that we've planned to knock over in the next few weeks. So, if this one isn't for you, maybe we have something that is. Anyway, let's leave it at that, and see just what we've got going on today with the HIS R7 260X iCooler 2GB.

Package - What comes inside the box

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TweakTown image his_radeon_r7_260x_icooler_2gb_video_card_review

The HIS R7 260X iCooler 2GB falls well and truly into the mid-range category when it comes to video cards, and as usual, that means that we're dealing with a smaller box designed to make shipping the models throughout the world more cost-effective.
Looking at the front of the box, you can see the HIS logo across the top, while the bottom gives us the model, and gives mention that the card carries 2GB of GDDR5. Just above the middle of the box, on the right hand side, you can see the iCooler logo.
Turning the box over, you can see we've got a bit of a blurb across the top of the card, along with some of the main features below, including the connectivity options that are offered. Apart from a bit more information on the main AMD features and the system requirements, we don't have a whole lot going on here.

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After opening up the box and diving inside the package, you won't find much at all. In our little HIS folder, you can see a driver CD, Quick Install Guide, and a case sticker. Considering the price point of the bundle, this is a pretty standard offering.
PRICING: You can find the HIS R7 260X iCooler 2GB 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 HIS R7 260X iCooler 2GB retails for $124.32 at Amazon.
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Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX Chassis Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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Thinking back to when we first laid our eyes on the Carbide Series Air 540, we knew Corsair was onto something good. There was just so much to like in that chassis. The main feature of Air 540 design was the dual chambered layout. This layout allowed the motherboard, GPUs, and some of the cooling options to be visible through the large side window, while the PSU, wiring, storage, and even more cooling options were to be found in the second compartment. This shrunk the height of the chassis considerably, and caused the chassis design to lean toward a cube since it is much wider than a typical chassis. Along with the attractive interior, the exterior of this chassis was simplistic, with venting done in a way that really made these cases stand out in the crowd.
As soon as that design was released, we had a strong feeling that Corsair would be back with yet another chassis design for the Carbide Air Series; and we were correct. This time around, Corsair is giving their Small Form Factor clients something to seriously consider when looking for a chassis. Of course, we have seen many SFF chassis designs, including everything from the Lian-Li Suitcase that is still one of the tiniest SFF designs we have ever seen, on through the more popular Prodigy and Prodigy M designs. However, with what Corsair brought forth with this SSF design, the typical boundaries associated with the Small Form Factor naming have been stretched.
The chassis we have today is indeed the little brother to the very successful Air 540, even despite its long winded name. Today we will be looking over the Carbide Series Air 240 Arctic White High Airflow Micro-ATX and Mini-ITX PC Case. In this design, we find almost everything that made the original such a hit with builders, gamers, and modders. Of course, with a slight size reduction to this new release, certain things had to be omitted, but that does not in any way mean that you should count out the Air 240 prematurely, as this chassis is still very impressive in its smaller form.
The Air 240 comes in two color choices, there is black, and then there is the arctic white version we received. Both versions weigh in at 5.6 kilograms, are 397mm in length, 260mm in width, and stand 320mm tall. We also see that Corsair lists the form factor as a Micro-ATX chassis, but it will house the smaller Mini-ITX motherboards as well.

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The main frame of the chassis and most of the components inside are made of steel, but there are also rubber grommets, plastic trays for storage drives, and of course, the top, front, and bottom are all skinned with ABS plastic panels. One other thing to note about this design that does not show up on the list is that this chassis omits any kind of optical bay drive slot.
On the inside, the left half, or the main compartment of the chassis, is where the motherboard is held. This side also offers four expansion slots with a swing-plate locking system toward the rear of the chassis, and above that there is room for an optional pair of 80mm fans. The top of the chassis on this side offers room for a pair of 120mm fans, with one supplied in this location.
The front of the chassis also offers room for a pair of 120mm fans, and both locations are supplied with fans here. The floor of the chassis will also house a pair of 120mm fans, and both the front location and the floor will allow for radiator and AIO support. As far as roominess is concerned, there is 290mm of length for video cards, and only 120mm of room for anyone planning to air cool their CPU in this chassis.
The right side of the chassis offers a three bay rack in the front, right at the top, and this is removable. There is another location to mount this rack in the floor, and that is where three 2.5" drive bays are. To the back of the chassis, again at the top, there is another three bay rack; this rack houses 3.5" drives, but the trays are also drilled for more 2.5" storage as well.
The lower half of the right side is completely open, but the rear of the chassis features the PSU location. The PSU will be installed on its side here, with a maximum length set at 225mm. The side panel that covers this area is ventilated to allow the PSU fan some fresh intake. Toward the front of the chassis there is also a location for a 120mm fan to add a bit of airflow for the storage drives.
On top of all this chassis can do, how well it does it, and just how slick a finished build looks inside of it, we also really dig the pricing. For less than $100, you are going to get either a black or white chassis that is only similar to one other chassis on the planet as far as aesthetics and layout are concerned. The only other similar chassis to come to mind is the Node, and its aesthetics and layout are not quite the same; it doesn't have the flair that the Carbide Air Series cases offer. In every venue we considered that had stock of this chassis, we found they are sticking to the MSRP listed on the Corsair site, which is $89.99. That is only $10 more than the Prodigy released at. If you like small, but aren't in the market for the tiniest case available, then Corsair has just the case you have been hunting for, and at a really great price point.
PRICING: You can find the Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 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 Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 (Arctic White) retails for $83.60 at Amazon, and the Corsair Carbide Series Air 240 (Black) retails for $89.99 at Amazon.
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Fractal Design Core Series 3300 Mid-Tower Chassis Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

$TweakTown image fractal_design_core_series_3300_mid_tower_chassis_review$

While technically we should have been bringing forth the Core 3500 with window for review, we received an email from Fractal, stating that there were some inconstancies in the chassis. So, Fractal asked us not to go forward with the review, as they pretty much recalled the line for a while until the kinks could be worked out, and the chassis perfected for their customers. That is something all of us can appreciate, and shows just how "stand-up" this company really is. What we were given instead is no less impressive, although it does lack a few items like a fan controller, and option for a window. The chassis we are about to see is slightly longer, the storage has been changed, and it lacks grommets inside, but even with that list ahead of it, this chassis is still well-worth your attention.
The Core Series of cases from Fractal Design has been around for quite a while, as it ran through the Core 1X00 cases, into the Core 2X00 versions, and now we are into the third series. Somewhere along the lines we seemed to have missed out on the previous two editions of the chassis in its various forms, but today is a new day as we delve into the Core Series from Fractal Design. We don't know what to really expect outside of getting a very solid chassis with the black and white theme that we have seen in all of our other Fractal Design cases.
So, why would we expect those things to change any time soon? This is more of a builder series chassis in concept and design, but that does not mean it is not capable of housing more advanced and powerful systems.
So, rather than us bringing you the Core 3500, we are taking a look at its smaller sibling, the Core 3300. You may be thinking that we are looking at the lower-end of the barrel from the Fractal Design lineup, but get that thought out of your mind, because Fractal has brought a quality product to the table. Fractal's Core 3300 delivers smooth elegance on the outside, great ventilation and water cooling options, and takes a different approach to storage mounting on the inside, and does all of this at a really good price point. While it may lack a few things its larger companion was to offer us, considering the price this chassis is available at, you will not be disappointed in what you are about to see. So, let's get up close and personal with the Core Series 3300 mid-tower chassis from Fractal Design.

$TweakTown image fractal_design_core_series_3300_mid_tower_chassis_review$

$TweakTown image fractal_design_core_series_3300_mid_tower_chassis_review$

Out of the gate, when looking at the specifications, we see something not typical to a mid-tower chassis, and that is that this 233mm wide by 451mm tall by 517mm deep chassis will not only hold Mini-ITX, Micro-ATX, and ATX motherboards, but it shows that 295mm wide EATX boards will also fit. The rest of the inside consists of a pair of 5.25" bays at the top, and rather than a typical drive rack, they have used a plate that will house three 2.5" drives and three 3.5" drives at the same time. On top of that, two 2.5" drives can be mounted to the back of the motherboard tray too.
At the back we get seven expansion slots, and a PSU location with rubber supports under it and a gasket at the back -both isolate it as much as possible. There are some limitations, if you want to call them that. The CPU cooler can be 185mm in height, the PSU can be 170mm if you plan to install a fan in front of it, otherwise it is unlimited, and video cards have no real limit with the new drive rack orientation. Along with the chassis' seventeen pound weight while empty, we also see that they list the 22mm of room behind the motherboard tray to hide wiring.
Cooling is handled well in this mid-tower. Fractal has designed this chassis with room for a pair of either 120mm or 140mm fans in the front. This also means radiator support for 30mm radiators. Thicker radiators can be installed, but that will encroach on the room needed for the 3.5" drive storage. The rear of the chassis offers a single fan location, again for either 120mm or 140mm fans, and can also house a single fan radiator.
The top is just like the front, and so is the 30mm radiator thickness specification. This time the specification is due to motherboard clearance, and if the top of the motherboard is free of obstruction, thicker radiators can be used. The bottom offers a single fan location, as does the left side panel, and just like all the others, they are drilled for 120mm and 140mm fans. Of those seven fan locations, the top front location, and the rear exhaust location have been filled with 140mm R2 Series fans.
At first, as we looked around, we were seeing a lot about the Core 3300 and its $99.99 MSRP. To us, that seems a bit expensive for a chassis like the Core 3300, even if it's well designed and thought out. However, if you shop around as we always try to do, you can save yourself a fairly good chunk of change. Some listings, well most of them, try to beat the MSRP, and are offering out the door pricing in the $75 range. Amazon.com currently has the lowest price listed, as we are seeing it there at $67.99 with free shipping. Now that is a price we can really appreciate. With what this Core 3300 mid-tower offers, we feel this price is definitely justified.
PRICING: You can find the Fractal Design Core 3300 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 Core 3300 retails for $67.99 at Amazon.
Canada: The Core 3300 retails for CDN$70.54 at Amazon Canada.
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Toshiba THNSNJ480PCS3 HK3R Enterprise SSD Review

Introduction

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There is a surprising amount of potential in the venerable Toshiba when we look at the overall enterprise storage market. Toshiba created NAND, giving them the most experience with NAND flash products. The position of their storage division as a piece of a much larger engineering and electronics conglomerate is also a considerable strength. A diversified portfolio always helps smooth out market fluctuations and intense competitions.
The datacenter continues to change with the disruptive explosion of flash into high performance slots, but Toshiba also has another advantage in their HDD experience. HDDs and flash products will live a complementary existence for many more years to come. Toshiba's flash and hard drive production gives them a real advantage over larger HDD manufacturers who source their NAND from outside suppliers. Toshiba is the only HDD manufacturer with the advantage of an in-house NAND supply, while others scramble for NAND supplier agreements. As the shift continues, this additional path for growth could allow Toshiba to broaden their penetration into the datacenter.
Pairing all of these advantages with a clear strategy moving forward is the key, and Toshiba recently announced the goal of expanding their HDD market share to 20% and SSDs up to 30% by 2016. These lofty goals are realistic and attainable; Toshiba recently accomplished a 70.5% quarter over quarter jump in CQ2 2014.
The HK3R is a good example of a springboard product that gives Toshiba access to a growing market. The read-intensive HK3R is geared for low-duty applications such as boot volumes, read-caching, error-logging, content delivery networks, VOD, and media streaming.

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The Toshiba HK3R THNSNJ480PCS3 comes in capacities of 120 GB, 240 GB, and 480 GB, in the familiar 2.5" form factor. The HK3R utilizes the Toshiba TC358790XBG controller, and features random speeds of 85,000/12,000 4k read/write. The random read speed is on par with the 845DC EVO, and beats the M500DC and the DC S3500. The random write speed is also acceptable, though the M500DC leads the pack in that respect. The HK3R provides a 500 MiB/s sequential read rate, but a notably slower 270 MiB/s sequential write speed (measured with 64KiB). In our testing, the HK3R performs within a much higher performance envelope with 128k sequential data.
One of the advantages of using an enterprise-class SSD is the inclusion of power loss protection. The use of client SSDs in the datacenter is declining as the fabs have moved into the read-intensive space, and nearly all of the SSDs in this segment now offer power loss protection at competitive price points. The enterprise SSDs in this segment also offer enterprise-centric firmware that offers end-to-end data protection for enhanced data protection.
One of the differentiators for Toshiba is their Quadruple Swing By Code (QSBC) ECC error correction technology. This allows them to provide a UBER rating of one per 10E17, matching Samsung and Intel offerings, and beating Micron's one per 10E15. The HK3R offers up to one DWPD (Drive Write per Day) of endurance, which outstrips the Samsung 840DC EVO and Intel DC S3500, but falls behind the Micron M500DC. The difference in the UBER ratings might be another differentiator for those looking at higher endurance SSDs for read-centric applications.
The growing read-centric SSD market has attracted the NAND fabs, making it nearly impossible for any competitors without NAND fabrication capability to compete. This intense competition for slots creates great value for customers, so let's take a closer look at the Toshiba HK3R.
PRICING: You can find the Toshiba HK3R (THNSNJ480PCS3) 480GB Enterprise 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 Toshiba HK3R (THNSNJ480PCS3) 480GB Enterprise SSD retails for $623.14 at Amazon.
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Alpenfoehn Himalaya II CPU Cooler Review

Introduction, Specifications, and Pricing

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This last cooler is Alpenfoehn's flagship cooler, and is currently the best cooler they have to offer for the time being. With that in mind, we should not have to take any special considerations such as "it's a nice cooler considering its size and tiny fan," or "it looks, cool but doesn't really perform all that well." When it comes to the cream of the crop in any company's cooler line, it should be everything we need, and more. A top-of-the-line product like this should leave us with that warm and fuzzy feeling of having a great product at the end of the review.
As we progressed through our Alpenfoehn samples, we did see some real progress in performance as the coolers got newer. This leads us to believe that our latest sample should be more than capable, and could even break into AIO thermal ranges. Since all of these Alpenfoehn coolers are so readily able to accept a second fan, we will also be testing this cooler with a push/pull setup using the extra 140mm fan Alpenfoehn sent us. You will want to stick around for this, because our testing may just reveal one of the largest discrepancies we have ever seen between our stock results and our push/pull setup results.
All told, we do not expect any disappointments from the Alpenfoehn Himalaya II. This single tower cooler is similar to a few others we have seen over the years, but it also shares some of its flare with the Brocken 2. On top of all of the glitz and glamour, this cooler is based off of Wing Boost 2 140mm fans, which we found to be very quiet at full speed. Could this cooler actually be the culmination of fixed issues we found in our previous endeavors with Alpenfoehn? Will it be a great performer, and still remain silent? If you want the answers to these questions, then continue reading, as we are about to show you one of the few coolers that can give us everything we need, and then some.
Just as we saw with the other three coolers, specifications are not Alpenfoehn's strong suit. Once again, we start with the part number and measurements. Here we found the Himalaya II stands 172mm in height, and 146mm in width. The Himalaya is 56mm thick, and will total 92mm in thickness with the addition of a fan and the rubber plugs in play. This tower features fifty wide fins with five shorter fins at the bottom, all of which are 0.35mm thick. A 140mm fan is used to cool the heat dumped into the fins by the six, 6mm diameter, nickel plated heat pipes. The heat pipes draw heat from the CPU via the solid, polished, nickel plated base. This entire structure, along with the included fan, comes in at a combined weight of 842 grams that will hang from the motherboard. This is great considering most flagship coolers are in the range of 1000 to 1200 grams in weight.

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The fan that accompanies the Himalaya II is a lot like the standard Wing Boost 2 140mm fans we saw on the Brocken 2. The main difference between the two is that this fan frame offers a white trim ring, and the sticker on the hub has been changed; otherwise, it is the same fan. This time we see the fan is rated at 1200 RPM, and at that speed, it is capable of delivering 108 cubic meters per hour of air flow. Converting this number to CFM is pretty easy; we just take the cubic meter value, and multiply it by 0.589, which gives us a rating of 63.6 CFM. Since we already had the matching fan that we used to do multi-fan testing on the Brocken, we obviously will be strapping it to the back of this cooler for dual fan results as well.
The biggest downfall to Alpenfoehn products for most of our readers is still availability. Of course, with the ease of the internet these days, you can easily find a buddy to help you out by shipping one overseas. However, we do strongly urge Alpenfoehn to strike while the iron is still hot; getting better distribution on this side of the pond could prove very profitable.
Getting on Google and searching over-the-pond listings yielded a reference price for the Himalaya II. We found this cooler listed for 36.66 EUR before VAT, and with a quick conversion to USD, that comes out to just less than $61 U.S. dollars. Considering most other flagship coolers that perform well come in the range of $80 to $100 or more, there is already inherent value in the Himalaya II. Rest assured, with the testing results you will soon see, this cooler is definitely worth it.
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