News just arrived that AMD is ending the Mantle API and directing developers to start working towards DirectX 12 instead. I’m sure the thought that comes to everyone’s mind is, “What on earth is going on!?!” When I first saw the end to Mantle, even I was slightly disappointed but as that segued into the appeal to start using DirectX 12, I felt the rush of excitement again. It may not seem like it, but I have a feeling this is really good news for what’s in store for the future of gaming. Let’s review what’s been happening in the API world a bit. A couple years back, Mantle starts claiming how it can boost performance on AAA titles and as results start flowing in, the potential for the gaming industry looked promising even if more work was needed. Fast forward to GDC 2014 and Microsoft announces DirectX 12 coming to the next version of Windows. What everyone was scratching their heads at was the inclusion of AMD, along with NVIDIA, INTEL and QUALCOMM, as one of the major supporters for the new Microsoft API. Why would AMD support something that was seemingly in direct competition with Mantle? Now, it looks like AMD saw potential to get in on the ground floor, which not only allowed them to make sure performance was going to reach their standards, but also allowed them to determine if they needed to spend resources keeping Mantle in the mix if their GPUs could benefit just as well from DirectX 12. So is this good news? At first, it ...

Introduction Noctua brought us something that might seem a little unexpected to those of us who know their fan reputation. At first glance, 80mm and 92mm fans appear to be somewhat of a waste of effort when larger fans are not only quieter, but provide better airflow as well. That’s until we remember that there are still server chassis’ and home theater PCs that can use exceptional cooling as well but lack the larger form factor cases. We’ll dive into the fans soon but before we do that, let’s take a word from the designer of our products today.  

Tesoro Announces the Excalibur Spectrum Mechanical Keyboard: Key-by-Key Customizable Backlighting in North America Game in Your Own Spectrum of Colors March 3, 2015, Milpitas CA, USA – Tesoro Technology USA Inc., announces the Excalibur Spectrum mechanical keyboard, featuring individual key-specific customizability in 16.8 million colors. Full Spectrum, Full Customization The Excalibur Spectrum allows gamers to individually customize virtually any color, to any key. With 8 different LED effects, such as dimming, full zone, trigger, ripple, firework, radiation, rainbow wave, and per key customized mode as well as 5 levels of brightness and 5 distinct profiles to store them, there are endless combinations for a truly unique configuration. Switchable N-Key Rollover / USB 6 Key Rollove rAllowing gamers to switch between N-Key Rollover (NKRO) and USB 6 Key Rollover, the Excalibur Spectrum has no ghosting or jamming issues to speak of, it polls keystrokes at a fast 1000Hz to ensure precision. With a quick set of hotkeys, gamers can jump between PC and Gaming modes to prevent any compromising accidental key strokes, and stay competitive. Instant Recording / 512kb Built-in Storage Gamers are able to instantly program macros on the Excalibur Spectrum with the help of newly designed software. Built-in storage gives players the freedom to carry their preferences with them, even on different computers, preventing any tedious reprogramming. Built to Last, Designed for Play The Excali...

 ADATA Launches OTG microReader A Smarter Way to Share Taipei, Taiwan – March 3, 2015 – ADATA® Technology, a leading manufacturer of high-performance DRAM modules and NAND Flash application products, today launches the OTG microReader, which combines microUSB and standard USB connectors to share files among different devices such as mobile phones, tablets and PCs, making it an extremely convenient tool for sharing and backing up data in your mobile life.  Use It Simply By Sliding Thanks to its OTG (On-The-Go) design, the microUSB interface connects directly to mobile devices running Android 4.0 or higher without the need for a cable or an adaptor; and its standard USB 2.0 head connects to any desktop or laptop computer’s USB port. If you want to switch the connectors, just press and slide out the desired connector. The OTG microReader supports all microSD, microSDHC and microSDXC cards. Simply insert the card into the base of the standard USB connector, connect to your device and access to the data directly. To eject the card, just slide another button on the back and remove the card.   Compact, Easy-to-Carry  With its slim profile, the OTG microReader won’t interfere with other USB devices you are using your PC. Thanks to its capless design and strap hole, the OTG microReader is easy to carry without worrying about losing an end cap. There are two configuration options to choose from – the OTG microReader and the OTG microReader with a microSDHC or ...

ENTHOO EVOLV itx Walnut, California, March 2, 2015 – Phanteks introduce their first Mini ITX, a budget oriented chassis that uses metal exterior, to their EVOLV lineup in the Enthoo Series. The case has many useful features, such as a unique Bracket solution for a radiator on top and a multi-functional mid plate bracket for a reservoir, pump, and SSD/HDD. The Enthoo EVOLV ITX retains the minimalist design from the original EVOLV and features a metal exterior. The case measures at 9.1 x 14.8 x 15.6 inchesand is equipped with 1x PH-F200SP fan, front I/O port, 1x SSD Bracket, and 2x 3.5” removable HDD bracket. The EVOLV ITX is capable of high end video card up to 13 inches in length and supports serious water-cooling. The EVOLV offers a unique bracket solution for the radiator to be mounted on top without any conflicts between the radiator and memory. Extra storage is possible with the included Drop-N-Lock SSD bracket and a Multifunctional mid plate Bracket which allows for mounting reservoir, pump, and SSD/HDD. There are many upgrade options for the EVOLV ITX. Accessories like, the 3.5” HDD bracket (PH-HDDKT_01), SSD Brackets (PH-SDBKT_01/PH-SDBKT_02),Pump Bracket (PH-PUMBKT_01), and the PWM hub (PH-PWHUB_01) are all compatible with the EVOLV ITX. Unleash Unlimited Possiblities “Features such as being very versatile, having a spacious and clean interior and of course making it very easy to build water-cooling systems is what the Enthoo Series is all about.” Sai...

Introduction     A few months ago we were invited to review a new gaming mouse from the folks at Cougar: the 700M. The 700m was adjustable, customizable and a pleasure to use. One of the 700m’s advertised features was the ability to interact with other Cougar devices using something called Fusion. This got our attention pretty quickly because what gamer does not want all of his/her peripherals on the same page? It was also somewhat shocking to see Cougar jump headlong into this already saturated market space; however, they have done well by offering competitive products that cover each market segment. The 600M & 600k are a step down from the 700 series products, but they still offer top of the line features; the 500M & 500k offer mid range pricing, and more recently, the 200K and 200M cover the entry level. At the end of the 700M review we mentioned we would be covering the 700k Mechanical keyboard so we could experiment with Fusion. The 700K is the flagship of Cougar’s recently released gaming oriented peripherals. In this review will be focusing on the 700k mechanical keyboard to find out if it is as good as advertised. Brand philosophy Passion X Innovation With utmost passion COUGAR is keen to provide most innovative solutions that 100% meet customer needs. Thinking differently and adopting new trends while constantly focusing on functionality and user-oriented product improvements, that is our foremost corporate culture. COUGAR is always s...

  Introduction: The Raidmax Atomic Mini-Tower case comes in a very small but stylish cube design, adorned on five sides in a black brushed aluminum finish. Three black acrylic glass windows surround the exterior giving the Atomic a very suave gorgeous look. The Raidmax Atomic is equipped with one 120mm exhaust fan at the back, offering the option to add an AIO 120mm water cooling system within it. The Raidmax Atomic, was built to house a Mini-ITX motherboard, and was introduced to the public for the first time during Computex 2014. Could this be the perfect HTPC case? Read on to see if the Atomic from Raidmax is just what you have been looking for. About Raidmax: Raidmax founded in 1988 with the mission of providing the best Solutions: specifically, meeting your requirements for innovative designs, excellent performance and quality products. Known worldwide, the name Raidmax is not only a case designer but also the perfect manufacture for the budget minded. You can simply spend a little but you receive higher quality than you expect. It has been more than 10 years since Raidmax began its work on its unique product lines. The name of Raidmax is synonymous to gaming design and budget cases. In the United States alone, when we hear the name Raidmax we considered it as one of the best second tier brands.

Venturi Series of fans are launched! Venturi Series Fans The Venturi Series of fans delivers high quality design and construction bringing forth a leading performance fan series with built-in rubber vibration dampening corners coupled with top quality electronics and materials. Venturi fans are ideal for high pressure or high airflow usage scenarios featuring detailed engineered elements that contribute to a low-noise yet a maximum performing solid fan. Venturi High Flow Series Fans The Venturi High Flow Series fans, HF-12 and HF-14, are optimized for low-restriction airflow environments, making them an excellent choice for computer case fans, or other low-restriction usage scenarios. Designed with a variety of performance-increasing and noise-reducing features, these fans can move an amazing amount of air compared to other fans at the same, minimal noise level. The HF-14 comes with two sets of solid vibration-dampening rubber corners: one for standard 140mm fan hole spacing (125mm) and one compatible with the standard 120mm hole spacing (105mm). The Venturi High Flow Series fans are ideal for those looking for a perfect balance between high performance and low noise built from sturdy, high quality materials. Venturi High Flow Key Features Featuring true FDB-bearings, providing silent operation coupled with a long lifespan Equipped with a counter-balancing magnet in the hub that reduces the axial tension on the bearing, further protecting the longevity of the bearing Dense...

Introducing Bitfenix AEGIS Intro: AEGIS features a beautiful rounded shield-inspired front with the same ICON logo display featured on Pandora, and a sporty fresh design all around. It comes in black, white and 3 vibrant colors (red, blue, yellow) and supports an impressive amount of fans and radiators: up to 8 120mm fans or 5 140mm fans, dual 280 radiators and even a dual 360 build is possible with slim rads. The 3 tool free storage cages are modular and can be moved around or taken out all together, in which case there is still a hidden 2.5″ slot behind the PSU and a “show off” 2.5″ slot next to the mainboard tray. Besides some nice dust filters on the top, front and bottom, it comes with a built in fan controller, a stylish PSU cover, a rubber padded pump bracket and last but not least a neat Reservoir bracket, that let users attach a reservoir or pump/res combo to a 240 or 360 radiator. Bold Design Bitfenix ICON™ Logo Display AEGIS features an even larger 2.8″ ICON color Display than Pandora Simple Plug n Play USB cable and Drag and Drop app to customize the Case Logo Open Source – ready for custom apps and scripts MATX Performance Up to 8 120mm Fans or 5 140mm fans – there is no air standing still in this case! And thanks to Magnetic and clip-on dust filters all around, dust bunnies are banned for life Watercooling Ready AEGIS supports a 360+240 loop or a dual 280 radiator combo! Pumps and reservoirs can be installed on the ...

Introduction Noctua… When we hear the name Noctua, the first thing that normally comes to mind is the color brown. We all recognize this color as Noctua’s trademark design for its fans. However, we also have come to know that Noctua holds a strong place in the CPU air cooling category. The popular NH-D14 and NH-D15 model CPU Coolers are some of the top performing units available, and hang in there even with some of today’s top performing all in one water cooling units. But if you know anything about those monster heatsinks, they are massive in size and for anyone looking to fit them into smaller, more compact chassis, that is out of the question. It turns out that Noctua does offer a wide range of smaller coolers that can fit those needs, but you do sacrifice some performance due the smaller design. Today, we are going to be look at a 2 new coolers by Noctua that are meant to replicate its popular D15 twin tower design and a new single tower platform. If we have learned anything from Noctua’s quality and performance, we can probably expect to see the same great results, but we are gonna put these to the test and find out. So with that said, we proudly introduce the Noctua NH-U9S and the NH-D9L CPU Air Coolers. Before we move into the details of both coolers, let’s talk a little bit about who Noctua is: “Noctua comes from a cooperation of the Austrian Rascom Computerdistribution Ges.m.b.H. with the Taiwanese cooling specialist Kolink In...