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EDGE Memory’s diskGO Pocket USB 3.0 SSD Offers Storage On The Go

Users who travel and need to transfer large amounts of data from place to place may want to check out EDGE Memory’s new portable storage product, the diskGO Pocket USB 3.0 SSD. Smaller than a credit card, the DiskGO Pocket is one of the smallest SSD-based storage products on the market. Equipped with a SandForce controller and able to transfer data at USB 3.0 speeds (up to 10x faster than USB 2.0), the DiskGO Pocket’s mSATA solid-state drive comes in three storage capacities: 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB. Note that if you just want to take an mSATA SSD you already own and turn it into an external storage device to add space to UltraBooks or other systems, you can get a separate diskGO Pocket enclosure and use it with your existing SSD.

GIGABYTE Radeon R9 270 Overclock Edition

If you find most versions of the R9, AMD’s new flagship GPU line code-named “Hawaii,” roo rich for your budget, but you crave Big Red’s cards, you’re probably going to love the R9 270. The 270 is AMD’s most affordable member of the R9 family, and for under $200 it’s in a sweet spot in terms of affordability and power. GIGABYTE’s take on the GPU, the Radeon R9 270 Overclock Edition, squeezes out additional performance by overclocking the GPU to 950MHz (975MHz Boost) and adding the WINDFORCE 2X cooling system. The system includes dual 100mm fans tied to pure copper heat pipes to dissipate heat and provide powerful airflow. The $179.99 card ships with GIGABYTE OC GURU II overclocking software and 2GB of GDDR5 memory, and it requires a 500W power supply.

ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q Review

The monitor is one of the handful of components that can make a real, tangible difference for gamers. Qualities such as high refresh rates, rapid response times, and widescreen aspect ratios can help you more easily target your enemies, outpace your opponents, and survey the landscape for exactly the right location and moment to strike. The ASUS ROG SWIFT PG278Q has all of these features, but it’s more than that. ASUS saw fit to initiate this display into its Republic of Gamers, a club that admits no scrubs. How did the pass muster? Oh, how about being the first WQHD 144Hz 1ms G-SYNC monitor in the world? For a monitor, that’s the equivalent of wrestling an alligator . . . while riding a great white shark.

We usually don’t mention the exterior design elements of monitors, but the matte charcoal black finish and triangular and trapezoidal shapes on the back, base, and stand lend theROG SWIFT PG278Q a cool aesthetic that’s reminiscent of other ROG components we’ve tested. The red ring around the monitor’s base pulses with light (yes, you can turn it off), and fussy gamers will also appreciate this monitor’s height, tilt, swivel, and pivot (for portrait or landscape viewing modes) adjustability.

The 2,560 x 1,440 resolution display ASUS turns to for the ROG SWIFT PG278Q is a high quality
TN (twisted nematic) LCD panel that’s capable of supporting faster than 60Hz refresh rates. The Turbo Key display button behind the right edge of the screen lets you quickly alternate between 60Hz, 120Hz, and 144Hz refresh rates. Although the higher refresh rates enable this display to draw frames at pace with a fast graphics card, the best way to eliminate screen tearing and frame stutter is to use a variable refresh rate, whereby the graphics card effectively dictates how often the screen drawsan image. NVIDIA G-SYNC display technology is how the ROG SWIFT PG278Q is able to manage this bit of technical wizardry. (A GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST or higher is required.)
If you’ve noticed that this monitor only supports DisplayPort, that’s directly the result of G-SYNC, which doesn’t work over HDMI or DVI.

When it comes to gaming tech, this monitor is packed with more than an insane number of pixels. It’s also NVIDIA 3D Vision-ready, features GamePlus technology (which can superimpose one of four different crosshairs overlays or an onscreen timer), and supports Ultra Low Motion Blur, which is an imperceptible backlight strobing effect that can cut down on motion blur at the monitor’s lower refresh rates.

The physical buttons on the back right edge of the screen let you make adjustments on the fly. There’s also a unique five-way joystick that makes moving through the OSD easy and intuitive, so you can get back to your game as quickly as possible. Another feature that’s particularly appealing to
those of us who play across multiple screens is the ultra-thin 6mm bezel. After several extended gaming sessions, Blu-ray movies, and a handful of hours spent performing other tasks, we can
verify that this monitor was undeniably built from the ground up to be easy on the eyes no matter what job you have for it. If you’re willing to shell out on a high-end graphics card, you need to pair
it with a monitor that can keep up. In our experience, the ROG SWIFT PG278Q absolutely can.

Specs:27-inch (2,560 x 1,440); 16:9 aspect ratio; Pixel pitch: 0.233mm/109 PPI; Brightness: 350cd/m²; 16.7 million colors; Max refresh rate: 144Hz; 1ms response time (GTG); 6mm bezel; Tilt, swivel, pivot, and height-adjustable stand; Ports: DisplayPort 1.2, 2 USB 3.0 ports

Crucial DDR4-2133 CL15 @ 1.2V - Review

Crucial DDR4-2133 CL15 @ 1.2V - Review

Intel’s Haswell-E processors and the X99 chipset are the first consumer platform that can take advantage of DDR4. Compared to DDR3, the new memory standard provides a lower operating voltage and the potential for higher frequencies. For example, DDR4 modules are designed to operate at 1.2V, while the DDR3 standard calls for an operating voltage 1.5V. DDR4 memory frequencies have debuted at 2,133MHz; when DDR3 hit the scene, the fastest speed it could muster was 1,066MHz. Of course, DDR3 kits running at 2,133MHz have been available for years, but let’s give DDR4 a little time. If you check out our X99 motherboard round in this issue, you’ll see that motherboard manufacturers are already preparing for fast frequencies, as all four of the boards supports DDR4-3000.

Crucial’s DDR4-2133 CL15 @ 1.2V (part number CT4K4G4DFS8213) 16GB kit is our first chance to take a ride on the DDR4 expressway. The four 4GB sticks can work with the X99’s quad-channel memory architecture, which gives Haswell-E CPUs simultaneous access to all four modules. Previous benchmarking with Intel’s X79 chipset, which also uses a quad-channel architecture, has shown that quad-channel kits yield a sizeable bandwidth increase over memory kits used in a dual-channel setup.

The modules run at 1.2V to comply with DDR4’s new power requirements, and Crucial indicates that it’s added other efficiency measures to further improve power usage. The end result is a set of memory that’s up to 40% more energy-efficient than comparable DDR3. The reduced power consumption will also help to lower the amount heat that the
modules generate. Crucial uses 15-15-15-36 timings on the modules, which are on par with other entry-level 2,133MHz kits.

The sticks are part of Crucial’s DDR4 desktop memory lineup, which uses a plain design without heat spreaders. For a more customized look and tighter timings, Crucial will be offering its Ballistix Sport DD4 line.At press time, Crucial was selling this 16GB kit for $267.99, which works out to $16.75 per GB. Those looking for a larger capacity quadchannel kit can purchase a 32GB kit (8 x 4GB) for $519.99, which is $16.25 per GB.

To test the memory, we installed the Crucial DDR4-2133 kit on a system with Intel’s Core i7-5960X and a GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI. We used SiSoftware 2014 Lite SP1’s memory benchmarks to test the 16GB kit’s speed. The Memory Bandwidth test produced speeds of 42.3GBps (Integer) and 43.13GBps (Floating). In the Cache & Memory Latency test, Crucial’s 16GB DDR4 kit checked in at 41.4ns. Lastly, we ran the Cache Bandwidth test, where the memory produced a speed of 333.92GBps.We used the Crucial DDR4-2133 CL15 @ 1.2V kit in our motherboard roundup, and it was rock solid during all of our benchmarking. If you’re looking for a respectable set of DDR4 to start a Haswell-E and X99 build, this kit is a perfect starter.

Specs:Capacity: 16GB (4 x 4GB); Timings; 15-15-15-36; Frequency DDR4-2133 (PC4-17000); Voltage: 1.2V; Unbuffered; Non-ECC; Limited lifetime warranty

Test system specs:Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X; Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI; GPU: PNY XLR8 GeForce GTX 780 Ti Customized Overclocked; Storage: 240GB Intel SSD 730 Series; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

Deepcool Maelstrom 240 Review

Closed-loop liquid-coolers have rapidly evolved in recent years, and manufacturers often add custom touches to their all-in-one coolers. On the Maelstrom 240, Deepcool includes a pump that uses a closed impeller. The design helps to increase flow rate and reduce vibration and noise. Based on the pump’s impressive 2,800rpm speed, we’d say that the closed impeller certainly helps circulate coolant through the cooler. Deepcool also adds a zirconia ceramic bearing, which has an estimated life span of 120,000 hours, to ensure that the pump will last. There’s more to this closed-loop CPU cooler than its overpowered pump, though.

With a 240mm radiator, the Maelstrom 240 can easily handle the current crop of high-end processors, and the heat they produce. To dissipate heat from the radiator, Deepcool bundles two of its Gamer Storm GF120 PWM fans that operate from 600 to 2,200rpm. At maximum speed, each GF120 generates an impressive 91.12cfm.

The fans’ noise level maxes out at 39.3dBA, but at 600rpm, their expected noise level is a mere 17.6dBA. Japanese fluid dynamic bearings help reduce fan noise and extend the fan’s life. Deepcool anticipates the fans will last for 100,000 hours.

The rubber fan blades on the GF120 have curved ridges near their edges to centralize airflow, which improves static pressure. Deepcool rates the GF120’s maximum air pressure at 3.71mm/H20. The red blades should stand out inside a case, and if they get dusty, the fan impeller detaches for easy cleaning. Deepcool also decorates the pump with a LED outline of the Gamer Storm logo, which lights up when the PC is running.

One of the more inventive additions to the Maelstrom 240 is a fan hub that controls up to four PWM fans. The fan controller is particularly useful if you plan on installing the GF120 fans above the top vent of your case. This configuration often requires you to route fan cablesthrough openings far away from available fan headers. The fan hub’s extension cable will help you to reach those previously
inaccessible fan headers and give you some extra PWM fan connectivity.

The Maelstrom 240 is compatible with current Intel and AMD processors, thanks to a universal backplate and multiple mounting brackets that support a variety CPU sockets. We installed the CPU cooler onto an Intel Core i7-4790K (Socket LGA1150). After removing the existing CPU cooler, the installation was quick and easy: It took us only five minutes to get the Maelstrom 240 up and running.

We monitored temperatures on the Maelstrom 240 using Core Temp. At idle, Intel’s Core i7-4970K (running at stock clocks) ran at a maximum temperature of 30 degrees Celsius. Next, we pushed the processor by running POV-Ray 3.7 on all cores for 10 minutes, which produced a maximum temperature of 82 C. Finally, we ran Prime 95’s Small FFT test on all cores and threads; the CPU hit a maximum temperature of 96 C in this demanding benchmark.

The Maelstrom 240 operates extremely quiet in idle, and the included fans pick up plenty of speed to deliver performance cooling when your PC is under load. We like the look of the Gamer Storm logo on the pump, as well as the red fans. This CPU cooler would go well with the red and black color schemes found on many gaming motherboards. Deepcool even backs the closed-loop cooler with a five-year warranty, so you’ll have some peace of mind to go along with the quality performance.

Specs:Materials: Copper (waterblock), aluminum (radiator); Socket Compatibility: IntelLGA1150/1155/1156/1366/2011, AMD AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/FM1/FM2/FM2+; Pump: 2,800rpm, 12V; Fans: 2 120mm PWM (600 to 2,200rpm); Radiator dimensions: 27mm x 274mm x 120mm (HxWxD); Warranty: 5 years

Test system specs:Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K; Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK; GPU: PNY GeForce GTX 780 XLR8 Overclocked Series; Memory: 8GB ADATA XPG V2 DDR3-2400; Storage: 128GB Crucial RealSSD C300; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

Tesoro Tizona Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Very few of us will ever find ourselves competing in the League of Legends World Championship. Most of us will never reach the top rungs of the StarCraft II ladder. And that’s OK. Being a pro is not a prerequisite for using prolevel gear; when we’re on the field of battle, we want to have every possible competitive advantage. Victory can still be sweet even without a dump truck of cash waiting at the end of the match. Tesoro wants you in the W column and sends the Tizona Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard to help get you there.

Spanish literature buffs might be familiar with the name “Tizona.” According to the epic poem, “Cantar de mio Cid,” Tizona was one of the swords El Cid used when he fought during the Moorish invasion of Spain. The other sword? Colada, the namesake of the Tesoro keyboard we reviewed last month. Basically, El Cid preferred to dual-wield for PvP—if Tesoro wants to name its peripherals after this guy’s blades, you won’t hear any argument from us.

You also won’t hear much noise when typing on this keyboard. Our Tizona’s gaming-grade mechanical keyswitches are of the Brown variety. For quick refresher, Brown keyswitches give you a tactile bump without the ear-splitting report of Blue switches. We like the Brown switches well enough, but “the best” mechanical keyswitch is a matter of personal preference. Thankfully, the Tizona also comes in Black, Red, and Blue keyswitch variants.

As far as performance is concerned, typing or gaming on the Tizona is solid. It takes a few minutes to get used to the lack of a numeric keypad (more on that in a minute), but once our fingers adjusted,
they were flying across the board. The tactile feedback was exactly what we expected from Brown mechanical keyswitches; the action was crisp, quick, and clean as we typed. The Tizona was equally responsive for gaming, and with keyswitches that are rated for 50 million keystrokes, you’ll be gaming on this keyboard for a long time before they wear out.

A trio of thumb keys just below the Spacebar add versatility. For general PC use, you can quick-launch IE, media playback software, and email, respectively. When you toggle Game Mode, those thumb keys function as “/,” “*,” and “-,” giving you a few extra keybinds to work with.

Our Tizona didn’t include a numeric keypad, but check out the keyboard’s right edge. Tesoro makes a matching numpad ($39.99, or $109.99 if you buy two together) that mates with the USB
port on this edge; it’s a simple but so, so sensible implementation. Attach the numpad during business hours, then remove it when it’s LAN party time. This way, you can have a small, portable keyboard when traveling, and then you can clamp on the numpad when you want a full-sized keyboard.

The Tizona is exactly like the sword it’s named after—precise, effective, deadly. You want a weapon like this by your side.

Specs:Interface: USB; Cable length: 5.9 feet; Switch type: Mechanical (tactile, quiet), 6-/N-key rollover; 1,00MHz polling rate; One-year warranty

GX Gaming SP-i250G Speaker Review

We talk a lot in CPUabout good audio setups for gaming, movies, and music on your PC; there are some great headsets and 2.1- and 5.1-channel speaker sets with surround sound, subwoofers, and the whole nine yards that will take your PC leisure time to the next level. But what if you are away from your PC and need more than the sound coming from your notebook, tablet, or phone’s tiny, underpowered speaker(s)?

GX Gaming, a company that by the way makes some of the aforementioned headsets and speakers (see our review of the GX Gaming Mordax headset elsewhere in this issue), has the answer. The company’s SP-i250G portable stereo gaming speakers will put your notebook or mobile device’s speakers to shame and are both eminently portable and simple to use. Together they weigh less than half a pound, and each of them measures less than 3 inches across and just over 1.5 inches high, so you won’t have any trouble finding a nook or cranny for them in your laptop bag/backpack/gym bag. GX Gaming provides a carrying pouch for each speaker, as well.

GX Gaming designed the speakers to charge via USB, but you can connect them to your favorite device’s 3.5mm audio out jack for playback. (The single cord bundle, which ends in gold-plated plugs all the way around, also includes the USB plug for charging, and branches off into two lines ending in Mini-USB plugs for the speakers.) You turn each speaker on individually by twisting the middle portion of the speaker module clockwise. You can adjust the volume by twisting further or tone things down if need be by twisting the unit counter-clockwise. Of course, your device’s volume control has a big role to play, as well.

Once everything is connected and playing, the 3-watt SP-i250G speakers gamely do their job, pumping out a great deal more sound than your phone or tablet is capable of, and in many cases producing more sound than even a pair of laptop speakers. We tried them out in a variety of usage scenarios, including a few types of music and several phone and tablet games, and although you’re not likely to confusetheir sound with that of GX Gaming’s SW-G2.1 or SW-G5.1 speaker sets, they provide plenty of highly portable sound and did a great job of boosting the sound of several popular mobile game apps.

GX Gaming also provides a bit of a light show; the diminutive speakers sport thin LED rings that run all the way around them just above the base and just below the rotating middle cover/power and volume control. When the speakers come on, the light rings randomly cycle through several colors. Finally, there’s a red LED power indicator on each unit to the left of the Mini-USB charge/aux in port that comes on when the speakers are low on power or are charging; this light goes off when the
speakers are fully charged.

GX Gaming recommends using its SPi250G portable stereo gaming speakers with handheld gaming systems (Sony PSP, Nintendo DS), iPhones and other smartphones, iPads and other tablets,
notebook PCs, and MP3 players.

Specs:Drivers: 40mm neodymium; Frequency response: 100Hz to 20kHz; Signal-to-noise ratio: 80dB; Controller: power and volume controls on each speaker; Connector: gold-plated USB for charging, gold-plated 3.5mm audio plug; Battery capacity: 470mAh

PNY LEGO USB Flash Drive Review

We have reached peak LEGO. The evidence is overwhelming: The plastic brick factory hauled in $2.03 billion in the first half of 2014, putting it a 1x1 brick ahead of Mattel as the top toy maker in the world, and earlier this year “The LEGO Movie” grossed almost half a billion dollars on a meager $60 million budget. That’s good news for the LEGO Group, creative children, creative man-children, and Chris Pratt. It’s probably even a positive development for those weirdos who actually prefer Mega Bloks.

But we digress. PNY, hoping to capitalize on LEGO mania, recently introduced a 16GB USB flash drive that hides within the confines of a standard 2x4 LEGO brick. Naturally, the PNY LEGO USB Flash Drive has a cap-less design; a slider underneath the drive summons the USB connector (this particular USB drive does its business over a USB 2.0 interface) when you need to connect the drive and shuffle your data this way and that. When you’re all done, the USB connector retreats back into its shell,and the LEGO USB Flash Drive returns to looking almost exactly like an unassuming LEGO brick. (There’s a small plastic loop on one end of the block to attach the included lanyard if you want to add this flash drive to your keyring.) PNY also includes a bonus 2x4 LEGO brick, a $0.30 value.

Because we are who we are, we decided to test this little flash drive masquerading as plastic masonry. We plugged the LEGO Flash Drive into a test system featuring Intel’s new Core i7-5960Xwunderchip, a GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI, and 16GB of DDR4-2133. We started by running CrystalDiskMark’s Sequential Read and Write tests, since the vast majority of a flash drive’s typical workload will be sequential. Then, we ran a couple of timed file transfers—the first being a monolithic Ubuntu ISO (984MB), and the second being a 2.5GB folder stuffed with an assortment of Office docs, images, and videos. These files were stored on a 240GB Intel SSD 730.

In CrystalDiskMark, the drive posted 19.36MBps and 9.72MBps reads and writes, respectively. We
transferred the ISO from SSD to flash drive in 1:00.13 (minutes:seconds, 16.36MBps), and then transferred it back in 1:51.51 (8.82MBps). Our folder of mixed files flew from the SSD to the flash drive in 5:47.23 (7.78MBps) and made the return trip in 10:58.15 (4.11MBps).

So, the LEGO USB Flash Drive works just fine as a USB 2.0 thumbdrive, but let’s be honest: Throughput isn’t the reason you buy a drive like this. You do buy a drive like this because now you
can actually download the Death Star plans to your LEGO Star Wars Tantive IV. That’s this flash drive’s real piece of resistance.PNY’s LEGO USB Flash Drive might be the first bricked drive we wouldn’t mind owning.

Specs:Capacity: 16GB; Interface: USB 2.0; Dimensions: 0.22 x 0.5 x 1.2 inches (HxWxD)

Test system specs:CPU: Intel Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition; Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5 WIFI; RAM: 16GB Crucial DDR4-2133; Graphics PNY GeForce GTX 780 Ti Customized Overclocked; Storage: 240GB Intel SSD 730; Windows 8.1 Enterprise

MSI Interceptor DS200 GAMING Review

We all know that when it comes to PC gaming, input matters. If you’re going to spend a weekend at a LAN party with a mouse, for example, things like precision, comfort, and the ability to customize the device to your liking become more than just marketing bullet points. And if you’ve ever shopped for a gaming mouse, you probably also know that there are some really great gaming mice out there, and there are also a bunch of “gaming” mice whose only qualification is a backlit logo or an edgy color scheme.

Within minutes of getting our hands on MSI’s Interceptor DS200, we knew that it was the real deal.

First off, it’s extremely comfortable to use. The DS200 has the perfect combination of angular control surfaces and smooth, rounded contours that make it effortless to move with precision but so comfortable that you will never find yourself thinking about it. Like the best gaming mice we’ve used (including a few that cost a couple times more than this one does), within the first couple hours it becomes an extension of your hand.The silver underside houses welldesigned skid pads that let the mouse glide quickly where you want it, and the outershell on top has just a hint of texture so that it won’t slip. MSI packs a separate container in the box that holds eight 2.4g weights (there’s a compartment on the bottom of the mouse that contains eight matching receptacles), so you can finetune the DS200’s weight until it’s just right for you. All nine of the mouse’s buttons are within easy reach. MSI even put in overtime designing the scroll wheel, giving it a rubberized texture that makes it grippy and soft at the same time.

Second, let’s talk precision: The DS200 is so ridiculously precise that it will make most users’ current mice seem unbearably slow and sloppy by comparison. MSI gave it an 8,200dpi multi-setting sensor that you can adjust on the fly with the arrow buttons at the top of the mouse. You can also adjust the DS200’s polling rate from within the included configuration software, with options ranging from 125
to 1,000Hz.

Last but not least, the Interceptor DS200 is fully customizable. You can program specific functions for each of its nine buttons, you can program or record macros for specific in-game functions, and you can choose from a wealth of color options for each of its RGB LED-litsurfaces. (You can choose a different color for each backlight on the mouse if you want to, and there are several.) All of these settings are available in the easyto-use configuration utility, which also lets you create a custom set of any and all of these settings options and then save it to one of five profiles. In other words, you could choose the speed and polling rate you like best for your favorite FPS, record a few crucial macros, and then assign that particular profile a custom color combination so you will recognize it at a glance. Then you can do the same for your favorite MMO, your favorite RTS, etc.

Other nice touches include the MSI Interceptor DS200’s braided nylon cord, its gold-plated USB plug, and its ability to bind a number of Windows functions to its buttons, so that even when you’re not gaming, this mouse can save you time and effort. In short, this is one of the most comfortable and useful mice we’ve used in a long time, and at a price that frankly surprised us. If you’re in the market for a quality gaming mouse, be sure to give this one a look before you buy.

Specs:Sensor: 8,200dpi laser; Polling rate: 125 to 1,000Hz; Body type: Right-handed; 9 buttons; 5 profiles; 16 million color RGB backlight; Weighted: Yes; Interface: USB

STEIGER DYNAMICS LEET Reference Review

Living Room PC

STEIGER DYNAMICS endeavors to bring you the most immersive entertainment experience possible with exquisite, high-end PCs designed for use in the comfort of your living room. This company’s handcrafted living room PCs are much more than your average HTPC. For example, the LEET Reference Living Room PC sent to us features two EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN Z graphics cards. STEIGER DYNAMICS CEO Martin Gossner says, “This kind of graphics horsepower allows for ultra-quality native 4K gaming with constant 60-plus frame rates, and doing this on a large-screen 4K TV with real surround sound is the most immersive form of gaming possible.” Of course, the LEET Reference delivers media center functionality, too, so you can watch live TV and Blu-ray Discs and stream multimedia.

A great living room PC starts with an elegant case. STEIGER DYANMICS engineers its own chassis, and the LEET is a full aluminum case made from a one-piece, 0.2-inch-thick shell. The exterior is hand-brushed, and then all the parts are anodized to produce the final color and striking finish. The unit’s looks certainly blend in with modern A/V receivers and pre-amps. At the front

of the case, STEIGER DYNAMICS installs a 7-inch screen that runs its LEET Monitor App that you can use to customize the display. It can do things like show movie and music titles or display current CPU and GPU clocks and temperatures.

We installed the LEET Reference into our home theater setup, and from eight feet away, the screen’s text was perfectly clear and readable. For control, STEIGER DYNAMICS includes Media Center remote, and obviously, the rigcan work with a wireless keyboard and mouse, as well. The LEET Reference supports control via smartphone or tablets with a compatible app, such as Remote Pad or Splashtop. STEIGER DYNAMICS even shipped us their Couchmaster Lapdesk for comfortable control of the mouse and keyboard for long gaming sessions. It seems that STEIGER DYNAMICs has a solution for everything, when it comes to remote control.

The case, display, and remote control would be part of any LEET build, but clearly, this is not a basic system. STEIGER DYNAMICS designed this rig provide us with the best possible LEET Reference. And boy, it’s a powerhouse. This rig sports an Intel Core i7-5960X overclocked to 4GHz, two EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN Z graphics cards in SLI, and 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws 4 at 2,600MHz. The

flagship Intel processor and 16GB ofmemory help to make this LEET Reference a great tool for video encoding and working from your couch. Gossner says that the Core i7-5960X is “especially helpful when converting Blu-rays or editing photos and videos on your 4K TV, which is an amazing and completely new way to work.”

STEIGER DYNAMICS liquidcools all of its LEET PCs, and this build features a custom loop for the processor and graphics cards. The use of liquid cooling is more than just about performance, because STEIGER believes that the most important thing for a living room PC is how quiet it runs. The company co-developed this liquid-cooling setup with Swiftech, and ASUS provides custom UEFIs with increased fan ranges to keep the system nearly silent under most loads.

In our build, STEIGER DYNAMICS uses green tubing, and you can see the entire interior through the acrylic top panel. The internals are also illuminated with purple LED strip lights. We thought

the purple LEDs looked great when we turned off the lights in our entertainment

room. You can choose between 11 colors of tubing and five colors of chassis lighting. STEIGER DYNAMICS also custom sleeves the power cables (all cables were sleeved in black in our build), and the sleeved cables were neatly routed for a clean look.

Audiophiles will appreciate the variety of sound processing choices available. All options support lossless audio—even the onboard audio on the ASUS ROG RAMPAGE V EXTREME in this build. There are couple of choices with discrete sound cards, including one with a DB25 connector, if that’s more your style.

This LEET Reference will make a great PVR, because STEIGER DYNAMICS provided three 3TB Western Digital Red hard drives in RAID 5 for distributed parity. Gossner notes that the drives are certified to run 24/7, “which is perfect for people using our system to replace their NAS or home server.” The OS is installed onto two 120GB Kingston HyperX 3K SSDs configured in RAID 0 for

blazing load times.Brace yourselves for these benchmark results, as the numbers are like nothing we’ve tested before. Just some of the crazy fast scores include well over 100fps in Metro: Last Light (114.75fps) and Aliens vs. Predator (128fps) when tested at 2,560 x 1,600. 3DMark Professional’s Fire Strike Extreme test delivered a score of 10943, while PCMark 8 generated a score of 5020. POV-Ray 3.7 hit 3220.24 pixels per second. Compare these scores to our X99 roundup, which is a fairly speedy test bench itself, and you’ll see the performance differences.

Our test LEET Reference is a performance dynamo, and we love the look and great functionality STEIGER DYNAMICS integrates into the chassis. The LEET Reference is ideal for gamers looking to take more advantage of the big screen and comfy couch in the entertainment area. It’s also a good fit for HTPC users with discriminating tastes, thanks to the refined appearance and media center functionality. And, of course, you can custom configure the build to match your budget and exact multimedia and gaming requirements. Once you getthis system set up, we think the hardest part might be getting away from the couch.

Specs:Processor: Intel Core i7-5960X @ 4GHz; Graphics Cards: EVGA GeForce GTX TITAN Z; Motherboard: ASUS ROG RAMPAGE V EXTREME; Memory: 16GB of G.Skill Ripjaws 4 DDR4-2600; Storage: 120GB Kingston HyperX 3K SSD (2x; RAID 0), 3TB Western Digital Red (3x; RAID 5); PSU: Seasonic SS-1250XM; OS: Windows 8.1 Professional with Windows Media Center

GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK REVIEW

Let’s face it, power users can be very tough on their components, especially the motherboard. We use big-time hardware that generates a lot of heat, then we overclock it, generating more heat. We ratchet up voltages, overclock more, and hope that everything holds together. It goes without saying that the motherboard, ground zero for this punishment, needs to be tough.

The GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK is part of GIGABYTE’s impressive Black Edition lineup. To gain entry into this club, the motherboard had to pass a 168-hour stress test. Of course, this Z97-based motherboard also boasts GIGABYTE’s Ultra Durable components. The GAZ97X-UD3H-BK isn’t just about durability, though. GIGABYTE adds SATA Express and M.2 connectivity, network traffic management, and a rear audio amplifier to support highquality headphones.

We’ve talked about GIGABYTE’s Ultra Durable technology at length in the past, but a quick refresher never hurt. High-quality capacitors are one of the key Ultra Durable components. GIGABYTE uses black solid state capacitors that can operate at maximum efficiency for at least 10,000 hours. GIGABYTE also loads this motherboard with twice the copper found in typical PCBs, so it’ll be able to handle higher power loads and better dissipate heat.

GIGABYTE makes sure the sockets and ports are protected,
too. For instance, the CPU socket is gold-plated to avoid corroded pins.
GIGABYTE guards the USB and LAN ports from electrostatic discharge by including a dedicated protection filter. The PCB’s integrated circuits also feature anti-surge protection. Now, onto the fun stuff.

If you’re planning on a multi-GPU setup, know that the GA-Z97XUD3H-BK supports three-way CrossFire or two-way SLI. The bottom PCI-E x16 slot shares bandwidth with the board’s three PCI-E x1 slots, and when that bottom PCI-E x16 slot is populated, all of the x1 slots will be unavailable.
The PCI-E x1 slots are nicely arranged. There’s one x1 slot above the top PCI-E x 16 slot and two below it. This slot layout should ensure that two of the x1 slots are always available, even if you install two dual-slot graphics cards. GIGABTE also throws in a legacy PCI slot.

If you have high-speed DDR3, you’ll be able to use it on the GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK. The motherboard can handle up to 32GB DDR3 clocked at a staggering 3,100MHz. Of course, GIGABYTE also provides support for Intel’s XMP memory configurations. For storage, you’ll find six 6Gbps that support RAID 0/1/5/10. And, as previously mentioned, you’ll be able to use a SATA Express or M.2 storage device, but not both at the same time; on the GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK, the two interfaces share bandwidth. When you install an M.2 SSD, the motherboard will disable the SATA connectors 4 and 5, which are the ports co-opted by the SATA Express port.

To give you more control over your network traffic, GIGABYTE provides cFos Speed, which is an application that works hand in hand with Intel’s Gigabit LAN controller. GIGABYTE indicates that the cFos Speed app functions like a network driver, so it’ll work with specific applications to optimize network performance. According to GIGABYTE, cFos should help reduce ping times, which is crucial for online gaming.

If you’re a gamer (or anyone would appreciates good sound, really), you should like the audio capabilities integrated into the GA-Z97XUD3H-BK. It all starts with Realtek’s ALC1150 high-definition audio codec. The ALC1150 codec supports highquality voice capture, as it can work with
microphones that use echo cancellation, beamforming, and noise suppression technologies. A high-capacity amplifier is built into the GA-Z97X-UD3H-BKto drive up to 600-ohm loads for crisp, clear sound with professional headphones. The GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK minimizes audio distortion, too, thanks to a dedicated section of PCB for the audio components. GIGABYTE has even separated the left and right audio channels to eliminate crosstalk between the stereo channels.

The GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK muscled through our bevy of benchmarks with no problems. We tested the motherboard with Intel’s new Core i7-4790K, 8GB of ADATA XPG V2 DDR3-2400,
and a PNY GeForce GTX 780 XLR8 Overclocked Series. The motherboard posted good marks in processor-intensive tests, including 891 points in Cinebench 15 and 1796.04 pixels per second in
POV-Ray 3.7. In our game tests, which we ran at 2,560 x 1,600, the GA-Z97XUD3H-BK delivered 51.8fps in Aliens vs. Predator and 49fps in Metro: Last Light.

Thus far, we’ve been impressed with GIGABYTE’s lineup of Z97 motherboards. The GA-Z97X-UD3H-BK is built to last, and there are plenty of features to please gamers and enthusiasts alike. Priced at $169.99, the GA-Z97X-UD3H is well within reach for most power users. If you have Devil’s Canyon is on your radar, then you’d better put this motherboard there, too.

Specs:Max memory: 32GB (DDR3-1600; DDR3-3100 max OC); Slots: 2 PCI-E 3.0 x16, 1 PCI-E 2.0 x16, 3 PCI-E x1; 1 PCI; Storage: 1 SATA Express, 1 M.2, 6 6Gbps SATA; Rear I/O: 1 HDMI, 1 DVI-D, 1 VGA, 1 Optical S/PDIF, audio I/O, 4 USB 3.0, 4 USB 2.0, 1 Ethernet, 1 PS/2; Form Factor: ATX; Warranty: 3 years

Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K; GPU: PNY GeForce GTX 780 XLR8Overclocked Series; Memory: 8GB ADATA XPG V2 DDR3-2400; Storage: 128GB Crucial RealSSD C300; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

GX Gaming Mordax Review

The gaming headsets we’ve reviewed in the past several months all ship with either a USB connector or a phono plug connector. Powered amplification, LED lighting, and some virtual surround sound features are possible with the former headsets. With the latter, you aren’t restricted to only using them with a PC. GX Gaming’s Mordax universal amplified gaming headset stands apart thanks to its inclusion of both connector types.

The dirty little secret for most of us is that, while we love PC gaming, we are also big fans of games in general, regardless of the platform. The Mordax is unique in that we can use it with a PS3, Xbox 360, Mac, and, of course, PC. When plugged into a PC or Mac, the Mordax uses the USB connector to transmit audio and power the internal amp. If you want to use the phono plug witha smartphone, tablet, or other analog audio device, you’ll need a power source for the headset’s USB connector. RCA cables and a 2.5mm headphone cable are also bundled for connecting the Mordax to a game console.

When it comes to sound quality, the powered amp really delivers. The 40mm drivers in the Mordax absolutely hum with deep bass, and midrange and higher frequency sounds come across with a rich clarity you’ll not get with an unpowered headset. Frequency response is a wide 20Hz to 20kHz, and sensitivity is rated at 117dB. The omnidirectional flexible mic is detachable and has a 100Hz to 10kHz frequency response and a -54dB sensitivity (+/-3dB).

The Mordax features large oval cans with pleather-covered foam cushions. Thepadded headband is similarly outfitted, and you can add about an inch of length to either side with a gentle tug. Both cans have a shiny black plastic finish, with the GX Gaming logos and a U-shaped piece of green plastic to add some color. The unit is comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. We also like the in-line volume and mute controller. This part also features a PC/GAME switch, which
lets you switch between USB-based or analog audio sources.

If you’re looking for a headset that can do double duty for a game console or PC, out of the box, then the GX Gaming Mordax should be at the top of your list.

Specs:Drivers: 40mm neodymium; Frequency response: 20Hz to 20kHz; Sensitivity: 117dB; Impedance: 32 ohm; Mic sensitivity: -54dB +/-3dB; Mic frequency response: 100Hz to 10kHz; In-line volume control; Cable length: 10 feet; Connectors; USB, phono; Extras: Removable flexible microphone, built-in amplifier, RCA cable, 2.5mm phono cable

IntelCore i7-5960X Extreme Edition Review

We’ve known for quite a while that there would be a Haswell-based Extreme Edition processor that brings quad-channel memory support and more than twice as many PCI-E lanes as the recently launched Devil’s Canyon processors. Despite our utter lack of suspense regarding its existence, however, the Core i7-5960X Extreme Edition still impressed us once we put it through its paces.

Perhaps knowing how much we’ve been anticipating the launch of this processor and platform, Intel shipped the 5960X (and an Intel 730 Series SSD) in a nifty, hand-painted, hexagonal Containment Unit, which dramatically lights up and reveals the goods with some serious sci-fi flair.

The 5960X is a 22nm chip that consists of 2.6 billion transistors and measures 356mm2. This is an octo-core processor with Hyper-Threading enabled, giving it the muscle to handle 16 threads at once. If you regularly work (or play) with applications that can utilize more than a handful of threads, then this processor was built with you in mind. When compared to Intel’s quad-core Corei7-4790K, this processor offers up to 79% more multithreaded performance.

The core clock of this chip is set to what at first seems like a modest 3GHz, especially considering that fact that last year’s Ivy Bridge-E Core i7-4960X is clocked at 3.6GHz and has a 4GHz Turbo Boost clock. But don’t forget there are 33.3% more cores under the heat spreader of this beast, and the maximum TDP is 140 watts, a mere 10 watts higher than that of the 4960X. With Turbo Boost 2.0 technology, this processor will ramp up to 3.5GHz when there’s room in its thermal envelope to do so. The chip also features a large 20MB Intel Smart Cache shared between all cores and SSE4.2, AVX 2.0, and AES instruction set extensions.

Other features that will surely appeal to power users include 40 available PCI-E 3.0 lanes to support up to four discrete graphics cards (contingent on motherboard support for four-way CrossFireX and/or SLI). DDR4 and quad-channel memory also come along for the ride, and Intel supports DDR4-1333/1600/2133 for a maximum theoretical memory bandwidth of 68GBps.

During testing, we noticed that scores between the Haswell-E Core i7-5960X and the Ivy Bridge Core i7-4960X were not very different when the benchmark was largely dependent on another component (such as in the game tests). Regarding CPUbound tests however, the new processor pulled ahead impressively, scoring 14% better in Cinebench 11.5 and 23% better in POV-Ray 3.7. Memory bandwidth is still very similar compared to Ivy Bridge-E, but this will change in Haswell-E’s favor as faster and lower-latency memory becomes available next year.

If you’re currently running an Ivy Bridge-E system, you won’t see huge leaps in performance unless you’re consistently saturating a dozen threads with the applications you run. On the other hand, for those who have reached the upper limits of what a dual-channel/quad-core platform can deliver, upgrading to the Core i7-5960X makes a lot of sense.

Specs:Clock speed: 3GHz (base), 3.5GHz (turbo); 8 cores; Unlocked multiplier; Socket LGA2011-v3; Quad-channel memory; 20MB Intel Smart Cache; Hyper-Threading; Turbo Boost; 22nm; 140W Max TDP

Test system specs: Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-X99-UD5; Graphics: PNY XLR8 GeForce GTX 780 Ti Customized Overclocked; RAM: 16GB Crucial DDR4-2133; Storage: 240GB Intel 730 SSD; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

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