Our Most Recent Reviews
Asus Z77 Roundup
When doing all of our Ivy Bridge launch prep we spent a LOT of time benchmarking and testing a whole collection of boards. You guys have seen our reviews of the Intel and Gigabyte boards. When it came time to write about the four different Asus Z77 boards I realized that most of you are not going to want to read through a lot of information that we would cover over and over on each review. We decided to roundup all four of the boards and cover them together. This way we can get to the point a little quicker, saving you time, as well as giving us a chance to talk more about the differences between the variety of boards that we tested.
ASUS P8 Z68-V/GEN3
Perhaps one of the most daunting tasks after making the decision that you do not wish to purchase an off-the-shelf computer is attempting to figure out which components go in the machine. There are fun aspects, like the graphics card and processor, and then there are the not-so-fun aspects, like the motherboard (at least in my opinion). Why do I think it is a whole lot of not fun? There are so many out there to choose from, with all sorts of features. When shopping you will likely come across the ASUS board that I am going to review today. Arguably, it is one of the better all-around boards out there, with features like good integrated graphics and killer sound. But to a gamer that generally does not mean squat. Does the ASUS P8 Z68-V/GEN3 board have what it takes to function as a serious gaming component? Read on to find out!
XFX R7750 Black Edition DD
Not everyone is looking to spend $500 on their video card, in some cases that is the total budget for a build. When you are up against a wall trying to pack the best performance you can get into a budget build you still want to get the most performance you can out of your video card. That’s where cards like the XFX R7750 Black Edition Double Dissipation come into play. XFX has taken the styling and cooling from their high end cards and combined it with the price of budget cards like the HD 7750. Today we are going to take a look at how those two things do combined in XFX’s R7750 Black Edition Double Dissipation.
Sapphire HD 7770 Vapor-X
Earlier this year when AMD introduced the HD 7770 we took a look at cards from both Sapphire and XFX. Although we were impressed with the cards performance it was a little ill-timed due to AMD still clearing out discounted back stock. Three months later we are able to revisit the situation with today’s release of Sapphires new HD 7770 Vapor-X. With Sapphires Vapor chamber cooling technology along with a nice overclock over the reference design, the Sapphire HD 7770 Vapor-X could be a great option for a gamer on a limited budget. Let’s take a look.
Motherboard Sizing
When we got in a few oddly sized dual CPU motherboards from EVGA and Asus I posted up a few pictures on our forums and on Facebook. The problem was that even though they looked large there wasn’t any prospective. So we tossed in a couple other boards to give everyone a little perspective. This lead us to digging out even more motherboards to put together all of the standard motherboard sizes all together for everyone to be able to see the differences. Along with the picture we also have a breakdown on the dimensions of each size standard; I hope this helps everyone as some point. Sometimes it can be hard to understand all of the different motherboard sizes and how they all relate.
Android to the Maxx, DROID Razr Maxx
The list of different Android based phones available at any time is both overwhelming and frustrating. It’s almost impossible to get good feedback from friends who have the same phone because of this. So it’s rare than you have any one phone that manages to stand out. Doing something different is the only way to do this normally, but most times this ends off coming off as gimmicky or just lame. When Motorola introduced the Droid Razr Maxx it caught my attention right away. This was just before our trip out to San Francisco for the GTX 680 Editors day, what a better way to put the Maxx’s proposed batter life to the test!
Lian Li PC 100 “The Hammer”
We have had a few different Lian Li chassis come through the LanOC Offices and there hasn’t been a time that we haven’t been impressed with the new and interesting features Lian Li always seems to slip in. When they wanted to ship over their new case “The Hammer” PC 100, we signed up right away. We had seen the case previewed from a few shows prior and this time around Lian Li took a new perspective with its design, I was very interested to see how their changes worked out. Let’s jump in and see what it’s all about!
Nvidia GTX 670
When Nvidia launched Kepler with the GTX 680 I was impressed with the launch price of the card but even at such a great value it is still out of reach for some people. Just because you can’t afford the top card doesn’t mean you don’t want to experience Kepler’s performance. Of course it was only a matter of time before we saw Nvidia filling in the gaps in their product line, starting first with the GTX 690 then going to the next step down from the GTX 680, the GTX 670. Today we get to have a look to see how the performance compares to both the GTX 680 as well as AMD’s offerings. We are also very curious how it compares to the GTX 580, a card that has found its way into most of our office PC’s.
ioSafe Rugged Portable
So you do the smart thing, you backup your data from your laptop and your home PC to an external or network drive and go on with life feeling confident that you have gone well and above what most people do. For the most part, you did. What about when you’re traveling, have you seen how much abuse a device can take when on the go? For some people, and I know I’m one of them, some of the data you carry with you while traveling is more important than the laptop or device that you actually carry it on. In that situation you need a way to not have to worry about your data, no matter the situation, and to have a guarantee to back it up as well. The folks over at ioSafe focus specifically on this crowd. Not only do they offer products that are according to them build to handle almost anything, but they back it up with data recovery if something does happen. Today we are going to take a look at that Rugged Portable hard drive to see what all of the fuss is about, without any more buildup, let’s dig in.
Cooler Master Storm Trigger
Just two years ago the only mechanical keyboards you would find were from companies like DAS keyboard trying to create a nitch market. Over the past two years things have really exploded with every manufacture you can think of introducing their own mechanical keyboards. Cooler Master has been especially aggressive with multiple unique designs like their Quickfire series. What they did lack was a full featured mechanical keyboard with full backlighting, until now. Today they officially introduce their Storm Trigger, although it you look around the board was available Globally before now. With full backlighting it falls into a small category of Mechanical Keyboards with very little competition. I am excited to see how it performs.
Cooler Master HAF XM
The topic of cleaning your computer out came up last week on our forums and it got me thinking about how often I really need to clean out my computer. As it turns out it’s not very often anymore. All because of improvements in case design like fan filters. You don’t really see them on low end cases yet but they have been slowly trickling down. At CES this year we had a chance to get our hands on one of Cooler Master’s upcoming chassis, the HAF XM. A mid-range case packed with the features we have come to love from their high end HAF line. Today we are going to dig into the final product and see how it came out.
Gigabyte Z77X-UD3H
Z77 boards come in all shapes, sizes, colors, and prices. Just about every manufacture has a whole lineup of boards covering the whole range to make sure you can find what you are looking for. Gigabyte is no different; they have a whole selection of boards that will fit your needs. Today we are taking a look at their Z77X-UD3H, one of their budget boards. It may not be a high end board but it is still packed with features. I am curious how it will perform now that the cat is out of the bag with Ivy Bridge. Let’s jump in and see what it’s all about.
Progeny of the Award Winning Vibrato, MAKER turns BLISS 3.0 and rare materials into Supernatural Sound and Immortal Durability
Los Angeles – September 8, 2011 – V-MODA, the oldest and original maker of high-quality lifestyle headphones, announces the launch of True Blood® MAKER, a limited edition Zinc Metal in-ear headphone developed in partnership with HBO® for its wildly original, Emmy®- and Golden Globe®-winning series.
The True Blood MAKER headphones feature minimal, yet elegant nuances – from the black Zinc Metal coffin pendant to the blood red transparent jewel – make for a rare combination of solid sophistication and sinister styling. The 400 limited edition headphones are individually numbered and a perfect collector’s item for those whose lives begin at night.
The headphones are available for purchase for a limited time for an MSRP of $150 at V-MODA.com, the HBO online store at www.store.hbo.com, and the HBO Shop® located at 42nd St. & 6th Ave. in New York City.
“V-MODA is the original maker of the modern headphone industry and through the years has turned nearly 3 million high-end headphones. Like an older vampire who is stronger and has gained more powers over the years, V-MODA has amassed unique experiences in fusing rare materials, quality, ergonomics, sound and durability,” said Val Kolton.
Masterfully crafted and re-engineered utilizing patented die-casting metal processes and Kevlar-reinforced fabric cables, MAKER is destined to be a museum-quality masterpiece. Its unique geometric design, usually only seen on fine relics or watches, adds an element of timeless elegance. The exclusivity is a triumph to over seven years of R&D in ergonomics and precision metals founded upon a philosophy to break away from the circular designs many other headphones are spellbound by with traditional plastics and regular “turned” aluminum.
“V-MODA’s materialEDGETM is a combination of industrial-age materials, advanced ergonomics and professional-grade acoustics bespoke for beings with supernatural senses. The materials are those the immortals would cherish,” added Kolton.
MAKER’s critically acclaimed sound delivers vibrant bass, vivid mid-range and vivacious highs, and was tuned alongside legendary producers, musicians and DJs across the world. The sound experience is a balance of its high-fidelity 8mm V-MASQUE drivers for consistency and its BLISS 3.0 fittings that transform the sound. V-MODA discovered that “the fit is the sound,” so perfect sound requires shape shifting the fit to the individual ear and speaker driver. MAKER’s revolutionary BLISS 3.0 fittings, also a result of years of R&D, resulted in a patent-pending conical shape and hybrid-silicone that creates greater comfort, sound and stability for the masses, even for those with “tiny ear syndrome”.
MAKER features:
• Zinc Metal die casting for a unique shape, feel, durability with minimal acoustic resonance(Patented)
• ACTIVE FLEX detachable sport ear hooks for a secure fit for gym, running and sport use(Patent-Pending)
• REVAMPED BLISS 3.0 (Bass Level Isolating Soft Silicone) hybrid silicone fittings reduce outside noise and enhance stability, sound and comfort. Includes four pairs of black silicone fittings (XS, S, M, L) (Patent-Pending)
• One-button microphone universally compatible with all iPhone®, Android™, Windows, iPad®, iPod®, Blackberry™, tablets, notebooks, audio devices and smartphones with a 3.5mm port
• Two-year V-MODA premier warranty
• Immortal Life Replacement Program – 50 percent off lifetime discount to replace consumer-damaged headphones
• Italian-designed Carrying pouch
For more information, visit V-MODA.com, twitter.com/VMODA, and facebook.com/VMODA.
ABOUT V-MODA
V-MODA is the true music lifestyle brand that is distinguished by its fashion-forward design, unparalleled quality and unequivocal passion for music and materials. Led by professional DJ and Chief Visionary Officer, Val Kolton, V-MODA products blend the spirit of Italian design, the essence of music, and the charisma of Hollywood. Together with design extraordinaire Joseph Bucknall, the world?s most influential producers, musicians and DJs, V-MODA is constantly challenging the norm and forging the remix revolution. For more information, please visit V-MODA?s website, V-MODA.com.
ABOUT HBO LICENSING & RETAIL
HBO Licensing & Retail officially licenses the HBO® brand for the development and merchandising of innovative product lines inspired by the network’s award-winning programming. With products created around classic series like the The Sopranos® and Sex and the City® to current hits like True Blood® and Entourage®, items include fashion apparel, jewelry, digital and CD soundtracks, games, books as well as exclusive, premium collections in partnership with upscale, designer brands. Merchandise can be purchased in retail stores nationwide, at http://store.hbo.com, and at the groundbreaking HBO retail hub, the HBO Shop®, located at 42nd and 6th Avenue in New York City. HBO Licensing & Retail products are also sold internationally across Europe, Asia and Australia.
Be sure to add/follow us on your favorite social networks
