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:: PC Perspective . News Archive
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.:News Archive ( 3/2008 )
Ryan Shrout | Source: General | Subject: Case and Cooling
Those of you expecting the 9800 GTX to be something wild and spectacular are probably going to be disappointed to find that the real magic isn't coming until July of this year with a 9900-series of cards.
According to our sources, GT200’s final product name and launch day have been set. Two NVIDIA GeForce card will use the core, they are 9900GX2 and 9900GTX. It is similar to today’s NV tactic: 9900GX2 just like todays 9800GX2, it is a two GPU product, and 9900GTX is a conventional single GPU product. Source mentions that both cards will be announce in July. In previous rumors, words have it that NV will improve G9X core by rolling out GT200. But detailed information still unknown.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Elite Bastards | Subject: Graphics Card
The HD3870 from AMD has enjoyed the most positive reception since ATI was absorbed by AMD. Along with the vanilla card came overclocked versions, as well as a Toxic model. Elite Bastards has manged to get their hands on a new flavour, the Sapphire HD3870 Atomic. This choice features built in watercooling and a modest overclock of 35MHz on the GPU and 31MHz for the RAM. It also comes with a reservoir and pump, so you do not need a watercooled rig to run this card, but a bit of free space will certainly help. Read on to see how it performed, and how much further they managed to push this card.
"Connected to the board and water block is a unit which contains the pump, reservoir, radiator and a 120mm fan for cooling. This fan is connected to the graphics board itself to both power the fan and allow for temperature monitoring so that fan speed is automatically adjusted dependant on the heat being produced by the GPU. When idling at the Windows Vista desktop, this fan often doesn't need to spin up at all, and even when running graphically intensive titles at factory clock speeds we only ever saw it needing to run at its lowest fan speed. While the noise from this fan coupled with the water cooler's pump is certainly noticeable at all times, I'd hesitate to call it 'loud' per se, its volume level seems pretty acceptable for the average system to me, although you may disagree if you're looking to produce a near-silent high-end setup." Here are some more Graphics Card articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: The Tech Report | Subject: Storage
Ryan is not the only one who thinks that ThermalTake's new external HDD enclosure is a great idea. The Thermaltake BlacXis also up for review on The Tech Report. If you missed this drive holder the first go around, you should give it a look. Even if you can't imagine why an external HDD review would be interesting, you aren't alone, The Tech Report felt the same way until they were sent this particular one for review.
"Normally we couldn't be less interested in external hard drive products. When you really get down to it, there isn't much to them, nor are there many differences between the various flavors on the market. All support the same mobile or desktop drive standards, have the same rough size and shape, and offer reasonably comparable performance. Some differ on whether they wrap drives in plastic or aluminum, and you can choose from a virtual rainbow of LED colors, but that's about it." Here are some more Storage reviews from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: VIA Technologies | Subject: Motherboard
Taipei, Taiwan, 28 March 2008 - VIA Technologies, Inc, a leading innovator and developer of embedded silicon and platform technologies, today announced the VIA NAS 7800 board, specifically designed to meet the needs of thin server and NAS segment system builders. Thin servers such as network attached storage are proving increasingly popular with small and medium sized enterprises looking for secure, energy-efficient data storage without investing in large, expensive and power-hungry corporate solutions. Boasting up to eight S-ATA II ports and two Gigabit ports, the VIA NAS 7800 combines extensive storage flexibility and a power-efficient, secure platform to meet these needs. Powered by a low heat, energy-efficient 1.5GHz VIA C7 processor, with an optional fanless VIA Eden™ sku, the VIA NAS 7800 board also features a proprietary MFX module for comprehensive wake-up scheduling, allowing IT managers to power servers down at nights or weekends for considerable savings on electricity usage. The VIA NAS 7800 uses a unique 19cm x 14.3cm form factor, same size as a standard optical disk drive, with I/O aligned to allow easy integration into standard drive-sized chassis or even in multiple configuration within a 1U server, offering an innovative approach to NAS systems for small and medium sized businesses. Complete system security is assured through the onboard TPM module for key generation and storage and the VIA PadLock Security Engine integrated directly onto the processor die, which when enabled provides ultra fast, military grade hardware encryption and decryption of data. "The VIA NAS 7800 is designed to address the needs of the modern digital work place, making it ideal for the new generation of thin server products for small and medium sized enterprise," said Daniel Wu, Vice President, VIA Embedded Platform Division, VIA Technologies, Inc. "VIA's segment specific products are spearheading targeted platforms with industry-leading power efficiency, security and reliability."
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Overclockers Online | Subject: Case and Cooling
The SilverStone KL02B-W has a huge side window, taking up the entire apart from the frame. The hard drive cage is tool-less, but unfortunately that is about the only thing that is on this case. A nice addition is the removable 120mm fan located directly in front of the hard drive cage, ensuring that your drives get a nice blast of cool air. Drop by Overlclocker's Online for the full story.
"With only a few warts, the positives outweigh the negatives. I love the look and solid feel of the case and the cooling performance is actually quite good and silent. The quick disconnect fan is a very innovative idea that I wouldn't mind seeing used in other cases. The tool less feature in the case, 5.25" bays, are really easy to use and hold the hardware solidly in place. While a purely personal opinion, I think the case has a clean and elegant look to it that would fit in any office or room. In the end Silverstone has a solid case, but could use a boost in a few areas." Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
Ryan Shrout | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Mobile
Laptop Magazine has posted a quick preview of the new version of the ASUS Eee PC that will be shipping with Windows XP rather than Linux. Not much as changed though...
Short On Storage Space
Sweet Surfing
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: TECHGAGE | Subject: General Tech
Creative and ASUS really aren't getting along very well. Creative and most consumers aren't too fond of each other either. With Vista's changes to the way it handles the sound processing to popping issues with XiFi's, Creative has been taking a beating. TECHGAGE looks into this battle and will be testing the EAX emulation under DS3D GX 2.0.
"Despite Creative being a leader in PC audio, their stature as such is being comprised with newcomers releasing superb offerings. To make matters worse, they've just added to the pile by banning modded X-Fi/Audigy drivers, a move that received an outstanding response from the community." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: Graphics Card
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - March 31, 2008 - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced it is advancing application performance with stunning imagery through the introduction of the first commercially available 3D workstation graphics card with DisplayPort support. The ATI FireGL V7700 professional graphics accelerator provides superior rendering speed, 3D performance and color fidelity for Computer Aided Design (CAD), Digital Content Creation (DCC) and Medical Imaging professionals. ATI FireGL V7700 delivers the top-quality image quality needed to create photorealistic visualizations of real-world objects and environments - like the design concept for a new aircraft or a home remodel - by providing designers with The Ultimate Visual Experience. "Imaging and 3D professionals require innovative, high-performance solutions and are increasingly turning to AMD to meet their real-world needs. The ATI FireGL family of workstation graphics accelerators is designed to deliver visible advantages and performance leadership at every price point, from entry level to ultra-high end," said Janet Matsuda, senior director of Professional Graphics at AMD. "This accelerator with DisplayPort support is the latest example of AMD's leadership in delivering new graphics technologies ahead of the competition." "The balanced power of the ATI FireGL product line has the accuracy and speed needed for medical imaging applications like mammography screening," said Albert Xthona, product manager for Digital Mammography at Barco. "For example, Mammography viewing uses 10-bit precision to help deliver the most information to the eye of the radiologist, and increasingly other medical applications will rely on 10-bit gray and 30-bit color rendering. With the additional speed offered by the PCI Express 2.0 interface, very large data sets are handled smoothly, saving time for busy medical staff." The new ATI FireGL V7700 workstation graphics accelerator with DisplayPort support brings The Ultimate Visual Experience to life. The card features a 10-bit display engine that can produce more than one billion colors at any given time, delivering unprecedented image fidelity at a lower cost. "Our customers are eager to adopt the latest standards like DisplayPort and PCI Express 2.0 that make their environments more productive while delivering next-generation display capabilities today," said Peter Chen, president, Exxact Corporation. "As an exceptional innovator and promoter of industry standards, it comes as no surprise to learn that AMD is the first to deliver a graphics card with DisplayPort support. Like most AMD innovations, we plan to implement the solution in earnest."
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Intel Press Room | Subject: General Tech
SANTA CLARA, Calif., March 31, 2008 - Intel Corporation today announced that the company has finalized and closed its transaction with STMicroelectronics and Francisco Partners to create a new independent semiconductor company Numonyx B.V. that will design, develop and manufacture NOR and NAND flash memory products. As part of the transaction, Intel has transferred the assets associated with its NOR flash memory business and certain assets related to the company's phase change memory initiatives to Numonyx in exchange for 45.1 percent ownership in Numonyx. ST Microelectronics acquired a 48.6 percent ownership interest in Numonyx. Francisco Partners acquired a 6.3 percent ownership interest in exchange for a cash investment of $150 million. As part of the overall transaction, Numonyx will receive $450 million of debt financing at closing from Intesa Sanpaolo S.p.A and Unicredit Banca d'Impresa S.p.A in addition to a $100 million committed revolving credit facility. The loan has a 4-year term and Intel and STMicroelectronics have each provided Numonyx and the banks with a guarantee of 50 percent of the indebtedness.
Intel estimates that it will record additional non-cash impairment of approximately $300 million related to the assets transferred to Numonyx and other costs associated with this transaction in the first quarter of 2008. Approximately 2,500 Intel employees are joining Numonyx as part of this transaction.
Ryan Shrout | Source: 3DCenter | Subject: Graphics Card
Hey, what do you do when you need to improve your corporate profits and you happen to notice the NVIDIA GPU market is saturated with a bunch of other companies? Apparently, you are supposed throw your hat into that ring as well. Honestly, with companies like BFG, EVGA and XFX really dominating the US market and struggling to differentiate from each other Abit is going to need some unique angle to make any kind of impact.
Second-tier motherboard maker Abit is preparing to begin selling Nvidia GPU-based graphics card, according to sources at channel vendors. Abit will join first-tier motherboard makers such as Elitegroup Computer System (ECS) and Foxconn (Hon Hai Precision Industry) in selling only Nvidia-based cards. However, although Nvidia's products are enjoying excellent demand and profitability in the market, first-tier graphics card makers including Evga, Zotac, XFX and Asustek Computer have already consumed most of the market meaning the late-comers, who do not have unique technologies with which to differentiate their products, will face difficulties in grabbing market share, noted sources at graphics card makers who make both AMD and Nvidia cards. Most graphics card makers would like to sell both AMD and Nvidia-based cards, however, the need to reach a high economic scale is stopping this from happening, according to sources at makers who produce only Nvidia-based cards.
Ryan Shrout | Source: Digitimes | Subject: Chipset
According to this report on Digitimes, Intel is delaying the P45 chipset until mid-June due to some compatibility issues with its primary x16 PCIe slot and modern graphics cards.
Intel is delaying the launch schedule of its P45 chipset from originally in May to mid-June, according to sources at motherboard makers. The delay of the chipset is due to problems over compatibility between the chipset's PCI Express x16 port and graphics cards, noted the sources, adding that Intel has notified them that the problem should be solved and ready to launch 2-4 weeks behind the original launch schedule. Some motherboard makers pointed out that the delay will give them more time to clear up their P35 inventory, however, the comparability problem will surely damage Intel's image over technological development. Intel will now announce the P45 chipset during Computex 2008, however, actual motherboard shipments will not begin until mid-June, noted the sources.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PC Perspective Forums | Subject: General Tech
At one point or another, all of us have strayed into unknown territory with our PCs. For some it was the switch to Intel from AMD, and the different ways that the system was set up. Others might be poking around at the strange beast bearing the name Linux, or teaching their brain how to parse HTML tags for the first time. Whatever it was that triggered it, we went searching through the internets for the information we needed, and we ended up in the PC Perspective forums. Most of us have stayed and we can repay the kindness of strangers by doing the same in turn, and helping out the forum newcomers with our hard earned knowledge ... and possibly leading the gullible on the occasional side trip.
Be it overclocking, or trying to figure out how much power you need to feed your system, or just some strange behaviour you have never seen before, make sure to share your questions or concerns and offer any advice you have. Even the ones who have been here from the start can't know everything. You can always lead by example, and show people just how much is possible. It's not all about the hard stuff either, there are plenty of gamers and those with other interests. You could go looking for a good argument, or try to cure cancer or find a ride to the stars. Just don't feed the weasel, he's got enough material as it is!
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AnandTech | Subject: Mobile
The Gateway P-6831 FX offers some impressive performance for a sub $1500 laptop. With a Core 2 Duo T5450, 3GB of Samsung DDR2-667,an nVIDIA GeForce 8800M GTS 512MB and a 17" screen with a native resolution of 1440x900. All that in a package that weighs under 10 lbs. AnandTech was really impressed at the value that this laptop offers, hopefully some of the other manufacturers will take the hint and offer some of their own.
"If you've ever looked at buying a gaming notebook, you have likely been very disappointed in the offerings that cost less than $2000. In fact, up until Gateway dropped the P-6831 FX on the mobile gaming market, we honestly haven't seen anything that would even qualify as a good midrange gaming notebook. Gateway didn't just break a $2000 price barrier, however. Available at locations like Best Buy for a mere $1350 (and currently with a $100 rebate), the P-6831 FX completely redefines the midrange gaming notebook. Let's look at how they managed to do this." Here are some more Mobile articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Madshrimps | Subject: Display
Buying monitors has change a great deal in a small amount of time. With three competing LCD types, a plethora of aspect ratios, response times and resolutions, it bears little resemblance to purchasing a CRT monitor. Drop by Madshrimps for some advice on choosing the technology that is best for your viewing needs.
"Before the LCD displays arrived, the choice of a monitor has been fairly easy. With CRTs you had screen size, refresh rates and price and you could be fairly sure that you did not have to worry about anything more. With LCDs, it is a different matter and this guide aims at helping you understand what the marketing gibberish means and what you really need to look for." Here are some more Display articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Corsair Memory | Subject: Storage
The new Corsair 16GB "GT" high performance Flash Voyager USB 2.0 drives are now available for review. Flash Voyager GT USB drives provide data transfer rates that are up to 4X faster than standard USB 2.0 drives. Whether transporting office files, pictures or even full-length movies, you can "store-n-go" faster with the Corsair GT USB line. The drive has been optimized to take full advantage of its advanced flash controller technology as well as the screened and hand-selected NAND flash chips.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: NordicHardware | Subject: Graphics Card
Not a bad score for a single card, although it is a bit of a Frankenstein
design. Three HD 3850's have been forced into cohabitation on a single card, with a watercooling "thingy" stuck on the end of the card to keep things from getting too hot. You can get a good look at the card at NordicHardware, as well as the results of a few other benchmarks they performed.
"Sooner than expected, we've been served some more information about the prototype triple-core card from ASUS. Radeon HD 3850 Trinity will sport three RV670 cores, all on separate MXM modules. Last we reported we did not know the exact specifications of the card, but those have been unveiled today." Here are some more Graphics Card articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Digitimes | Subject: General Tech
After gifting retailers with the X48 chipset, which resulted in those retailers having huge inventories of suddenly unattractive X38 based boards, Intel will not do the same thing with the P45. Intel will be delaying the release of the new chipset until mid-June and retailers are probably grateful they have a chance to start unloading P35 boards. The end user should also take heart, the near simultaneous release of the X38 and X48 helped motherboard prices to soar to the levels we are seeing right now.
"Intel is delaying the launch schedule of its P45 chipset from originally in May to mid-June, according to sources at motherboard makers. The delay of the chipset is due to problems over compatibility between the chipset's PCI Express x16 port and graphics cards, noted the sources, adding that Intel has notified them that the problem should be solved and ready to launch 2-4 weeks behind the original launch schedule. Some motherboard makers pointed out that the delay will give them more time to clear up their P35 inventory, however, the comparability problem will surely damage Intel's image over technological development. Intel will now announce the P45 chipset during Computex 2008, however, actual motherboard shipments will not begin until mid-June, noted the sources." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: ASUS | Subject: General Tech
The Xonar series driver update for DS3D GX 1.0 to DS3D GX 2.0 is our response to feedback/criticism favoring compatibility with games that feature EAX 5.0. DS3D GX 2.0 allows gamers to enable EAX sound options/schemes in games on Vista and legacy Windows XP. The solution involves:
1. Enabling EAX5.0 sound setting in games
The updated engine:
Our implementation is not a 1:1 reproduction of EAX 5.0. Rather, DS3D GX allows users the choice to universally access gaming audio effects that would otherwise be locked behind specific X-Fi cards and ALchemy-patched game titles. While we do respect the capability of a dedicated DSP processor to offload the CPU work, we believe performance differences will continue to diminish based on the power of today's popular CPUs. We also expect more game developers to adopt software DSP effects for their flexibility and universally guaranteed user experiences. That being said, ASUS will continue responding to customer requests with products that unite the best in consumer audio with the most innovative features.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Extremetech | Subject: General Tech
ExtremeTech takes a look at a piece of hardware that may be destined for destruction, the stand alone audio card. Audiophiles who are happy to drop $1000 on a studio grade card not included. Gamers and casual users on the other hand seem satisfied with onboard audio solutions, as they have come a long way. What would you say to Creative creating a software version of their XiFi?
"Back in January, we lamented the death of the sound card in a column. We speak with more users every day who simply use motherboard audio instead of buying a discrete sound card. Motherboard audio is far from perfect, of course. Implementations on low-cost motherboards can be quite noisy, even to the point of audible unpleasantness. On the other hand, integrated audio has become markedly better on premium motherboards. The motherboard designers have become savvier about EMI and other noise issues inside the PC case. The potential for electromagnetic interference inside a modern PC, with its multitudes of high megahertz and gigahertz chips, is pretty hostile to clean audio, but it's much better than a few years ago." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Virtual-Hideout | Subject: System
Bluegears' b-Envi Gaming/HTPC Enclosure gives you a choice in usage thanks to it's snazzy design. The perfect size for an HTPC system, it will also serve you well housing a system that you take to LAN Parties. Touch sensitive buttons and an integrated card reader and a 120mm fan are just some of the features this case has to offer. Drop by Virtual-Hideout for more.
"When I first looked at the b-Envi enclosure, I thought the front panel controls were either hidden or on the side of the bezel. Boy, was I surprised when I flipped through the manual and found out they were touch sensitive; I couldn't wait to try them out. The buttons work great, and there is even a little beep every time you push them." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Legion Hardware | Subject: System
It would be nice to be able to spend $1200 on your graphics sub system alone, but most people can't really afford a pair of 9800 GX2s. Many can't even afford to spend a full $1200 on the entire PC. Legion Hardware has been doing some hard core research, and have put together a budget conscious gaming PC for just under $1000. If that is your financial sweet spot, the check out this build.
Or, you could always drop by the PC Perspective Hardware Leaderboard, where the midrange will run you about $800 and the high end about $1300. "Realistically, for $900 US this is a very impressive gaming system, and while it will be capable of playing the latest games, keep in mind that the visual settings will need to be reduced in some areas. That said, games such as Company of Heroes and Unreal Tournament 3 played in all their glory without a problem at 1440x900 (19” LCD widescreen resolution). Games such as Crysis and World in Conflict did run best using medium quality settings, but even so these games still look impressive using these settings." Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: PC Perspective | Subject: Processor
Please put your hands in the air. Anyone? Anyone at all?
The TLB bug disappearing really isn't the big news when you look at AMD's B3 stepping Phenoms. The X4 9850 runs at 2.5GHz, the fastest quad core we have seen from AMD, and the MSRP is around $250, giving it a nice seat when talking about performance for price. Other improvements are the upping of the memory controller and system bus to 2000MHz. Get the full story from Ryan's review. "The new AMD Phenom X4 9850 is a great processor for its segment even though it is still not able to dominate in any fashion over the Intel quad-core options. Just as with the initial 2.3 GHz Phenom B2 launch, AMD still considers the Intel Core 2 Q6600 its primary competition, and I consider the Q9450 to be another potential threat as well. This new CPU is definitely getting AMD closer to its performance goals and any enthusiast or gamer looking for a ~$240 processor is going to have a fantastic experience with the 9850. The added performance and efficiency of the 2000 MHz memory controller and system bus add to the benefits of the 2.50 GHz clock rate producing the best fastest stock speed AMD quad-core CPU to date." Here are some more Processor articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Tech ARP | Subject: General Tech
If you are like many PC enthusiasts, the only way they are getting you to switch to Vista is to destroy every copy of XP in existence.
Life support is currently planned to be removed April 8, 2014, giving Microsoft almost enough time to get Windows 7 into beta, assuming that the date the Mayan calendar was set to end on was not picked because that is the official release day. In the meantime, SP3 is still coming out, saving everyone the joys of either rebuilding slipstreamed SP2 disks or installing the 60+ critical patches currently needed after an vanilla install of SP2. TechARP has compiled what we know about the release dates for SP3, and other assorted info.
"With the exception of Windows XP Media Center Edition and Windows XP Tablet Edition, Windows XP Service Pack 3 will be released in both standalone and integrated formats. It will be available in both CD and DVD formats, except for the Japanese language version which will only be in DVD format." Here is some more Tech News from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: Processor
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - March 27, 2008 - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the availability of the world's first energy-efficient desktop quad-core processor, providing customers with a cool and quiet digital media workhorse. With AMD Phenom(tm) X4 9100e quad-core processors, digital media enthusiasts and performance-hungry users can experience the powerful computing capabilities of a true multi-core architecture with a processor operating at a maximum of 65-watts. By coupling an AMD Phenom X4 9100e with an AMD 780 series chipset, AMD offers an efficient PC platform that plays Blu-ray movies and delivers a rich computing experience for casual gamers and multimedia enthusiasts. The processor gives consumers extensive multi-tasking capabilities like creating digital content while checking and writing e-mails and simultaneously downloading music files off the Web. AMD Phenom X4 9100e and AMD 780 series based PCs are ideal for consumers and business customers looking for cool, quiet, energy-efficient PCs. "By infusing energy-conscious design into everything related to AMD - facilities, products and alliances - AMD has emerged as a leader in establishing eco-friendly practices. The AMD Phenom X4 9100e processor is our latest endeavor to help customers reduce energy consumption and environmental impact," said Greg White, corporate vice president and general manager, desktop and embedded division, AMD. "Energy-efficient processors from AMD not only enable differentiated solutions but are extremely conducive to smaller and sleeker form factors like Home Theater PCs that take up less space and operate quietly. PCs such as this can also help reduce energy consumption and the associated environmental impacts of traditional PC form factors." "Consumers and businesses alike are requesting smaller, more elegant PCs that aesthetically complement home and office environments, offer lower noise for a better computing experience, and deliver the same performance of larger systems," said Jim McGregor, research director and principal analyst, In-Stat. "Energy efficient desktop processors like the AMD Phenom X4 9100e offer greater performance-per-watt over traditional desktop CPUs while addressing the growing concerns of end-users for more energy efficient and eco-friendly products."
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: Processor
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - March 27, 2008 - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced immediate availability of four new high-performance AMD Phenom(tm) X4 processors for PC users in search of the Ultimate Visual Experience. Led by the AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition processor, each CPU features true quad-core design, and when matched to AMD 790 series chipsets supports up to four award-winning ATI Radeon(tm) HD 3800 series graphics cards. This enthusiast PC platform, codenamed "Spider," energizes the latest PC gaming titles, speeds high-definition video playback, and delivers amazing performance for advanced productivity and multi-tasking.
"These new AMD Phenom X4 processors unlock even greater visual computing performance to showcase the unparalleled scalability of the AMD enthusiast platform," said Mario Rivas, executive vice president, computing solutions group, AMD. "Based on AMD's advanced true quad-core architecture, these processors are loaded with powerful performance features like next-generation HyperTransport(tm) 3.0 and energy-efficient innovations like Cool'n'Quiet(tm) 2.0 technology." Featuring the best quad-core desktop CPUs AMD has offered, these AMD Phenom X4 quad-core processors can improve performance for gaming and multi-threaded applications. The AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition is the top performer in the new line-up, with Clock Multiplier Control* for tunable performance that gives gamers and enthusiasts scalability and customizable performance levels to run multiple processor-intensive applications simultaneously. "As the worldwide leader in the PC industry, HP is pleased to be offering our customers the choice of AMD Phenom X3 and X4 based systems in our consumer desktop PCs," said Thi La, director of marketing, North America Consumer Computing, HP. "We are seeing a strong market demand for increased performance and multi-core capabilities." Consumers are now rapidly adopting quad-core processor-based desktops, as usage models expand to HD entertainment applications and gaming. AMD has responded with innovations like the AMD Phenom X4 processor and the "Spider" quad-core enthusiast platform, which commands both a high-performance and energy efficient market position at a compelling price. AMD Phenom X4 9000 Series Quad-Core Processors
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: AMD | Subject: Processor
SUNNYVALE, Calif. - March 27, 2008 - AMD (NYSE: AMD) today announced the availability of AMD Phenom(tm) X3 8000 series triple-core processors, providing gamers and digital media enthusiasts with exceptional performance at mainstream price points. AMD Phenom X3 processors are designed to improve multi-threaded application performance over dual-core processors at the same clock speed. As the world's only triple-core x86 processor, AMD Phenom X3 processors bring multi-core technology to a broader audience in search of desktop PCs that easily handle today's digital entertainment workloads. When paired with the AMD 780 series chipset, AMD Phenom X3 processors can deliver significant enhancements in gaming and high-definition experiences for mainstream PC customers. This AMD desktop solution can provide a full HD experience with support for the latest and most demanding formats, including VC-1, MPEG-2 and H.264 on a mainstream PC. With the AMD Unified Video Decoder (UVD), the solution can process HD playback on the better-suited GPU rather than the CPU so consumers may enjoy a smooth HD viewing experience-less lag, stalling and dropped scenes-in the latest Blu-ray titles. "In 2007, AMD committed to delivering AMD Phenom triple-core processors in Q1 2008 and today the company makes good on that promise," said Bob Brewer, corporate vice president, strategic marketing, AMD. "AMD understands that today's PC applications are best accelerated with a range of multi-core products from quad- to triple- to dual-core processors, and that's why we now deliver the broadest multi-core desktop lineup in the industry." AMD Phenom X3 processor and AMD 780G chipset based desktop PCs offer DirectX 10 game compatibility, so casual gamers can now enjoy enhanced gaming experience such as truly lifelike 3D graphics and dynamic interactivity in the latest game titles. Gamers looking to scale their performance with the addition of a discrete graphics card can accelerate their performance with ATI Hybrid Graphics Technology. This technology can harness the graphics power of both an ATI discrete graphics card and the motherboard GPU in tandem, delivering in some applications up to 70 percent improvements in 3D performance. In addition, the AMD 780G chipset is the second generation AMD chipset to feature AMD OverDriveTM, a simple user interface that brings performance tuning to the masses.
Ryan Shrout | Source: TG Daily | Subject: Graphics Card
If you have an AMD GPU in the 2000 or 3000 series' and have noticed any stuttering in your gaming, TGDaily let us know that AMD has released a hotfix for the issue today.
737-33033: ATI Radeon HD2xxx/HD3xxx: Intermittent stuttering issues seen when running various 3D applications
Ryan Shrout | Source: Digitimes | Subject: Processor
The upcoming line of Intel Atom processors, formerly announced just a couple weeks ago and making up the brains behind the new Diamondville platform, could start with prices as low as $29 according to a report at Digitimes. The piece also mentions Core 2-based Centrino processors at 2.16 GHz for $107 or so.
In order to defend its entry-level notebook market, Intel is planning to launch two 65nm Merom-based processors for its Centrino 2 platform (Montevina), according to sources at motherboard makers. The CPUs include the Celeron 585 with a core frequency of 2.16GHz priced at US$107 in thousand-unit tray quantities, and Celeron 575 at 2GHz and US$86. Both will support 667MHz FSB and feature 1MB L2 cache and a TDP of 31W. In additional news, Intel has also set the price for its Atom N270 notebook CPU (Diamondville) which forms part of the company's Basic Mobile Platform at US$44, the sources revealed.
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Overclockers Club | Subject: Memory
Or at least a bit higher on your Vista rating. With the wonderful drop in pricing that DDR2 is going through, 4GB kits are no longer something you have to sell a body part to afford. Many kits are appearing, and today Overclockers Club reviewed Mushkin's XP2 8000 Redline 4GB kit. Along with the increase in size has come a decrease in the amount of overclocking possible, and a loosening of the timings, but the scores still remain impressive.
"Getting the most out of the memory that is installed in high performance computers usually comes at a cost. That cost is the voltage needed for the results. Many times, the higher the voltage applied to the DIMMs, the better they perform, to a point. The Mushkin XP2 8000 Redline modules are no different. Whereas 2.3 or 2.4 volts usually is a good, even point on DDR2 memory, these did not want anything higher than 2.05 volts. Used to the "give 'er a bit more Johnny" school of thought, I tried 2.2 volts and did not get the desired increase I was after. So I settled on 1.98 volts for the final overclock. The Redlines ended up giving me 562MHz, 62MHz over the stock speed of 500MHz. I can hear the nay sayers jeering that 562MHz is low for DDR2 DIMMs. You have to realize that this is a four gigabyte set of modules. So 562 MHz is pretty decent and even better when the price point comes into play." Here are some more Memory articles from around the web:
Jeremy Hellstrom | Source: Neoseeker | Subject: Motherboard
The ASUS P5E3 Premium is built with Intel's new X48 chipset, and is premium in price as well as name. Neoseeker found a big difference in the overclocking ability when compared to it's predecessor, the X38. The technique that worked best for them differed, so you can't really expect to use the same settings you might on an X38. Read on to see what they found worked the best.
"I just recently finished the E8500 review on the X38 version of the board - and I was amazed there at the 4.27GHz I obtained. The X38 was usable up to 500MHz FSB, but I found that the X48 could be stabilized as high as 525MHz - albeit with a lower multiplier for the CPU, resulting in lower performance than the 9.5x460 speed I found to be the best performer. Therefore for the "best performance overclock" I backed down to a "mere" 460x9.5 setting." Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:
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