Cyber Snipa Dog Tags @ gideontech.com

Today we have the Cyber Snipa Dog Tags on the review block. What exactly are the "Dog Tags"? Well, you are in for a treat. The big thing about the Dog Tags is the USB thumb drive, which in our case is a roomy 4GB sample. There's more to the Dog Tags though. On the other tag, it holds a small pair of pliers, a philips and flat head screw driver, and a small LED light.

accessories
AcoustiFeet Case Feet @ tech-reviews.co.uk

cases
Hiper Anubis @ driverheaven.net
Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ insidehw.com

cooling
Gelid GC1 Thermal Compound @ dragonsteelmods.com
Noctua NH-C12P @ legionhardware.com
Thermaltake Bigwater 760i Liquid Cooling System @ thinkcomputers.org

displays
Samsung 2220WM-HAS @ benchmarkreviews.com
Samsung SyncMaster 2253LW @ bit-tech.net
Samsung SyncMaster 305T @ hardwarecanucks.com
Airlive AirView-2000 WiFi Projector Server @ techpowerup.com

inputs
Everglide DKTBoard @ driverheaven.net
Logitech G5 V2 Gaming Mouse @ tech-reviews.co.uk
Logitech VX Nano @ tech-reviews.co.uk

memory
Crucial Ballstix PC3-16000 2GB EPP @ hardwarelogic.com
G.SKILL F3-12800CL7D DDR3 @ rbmods.com
Corsair XMS3 DHX DDR3-1600 EPP 2.0 4GB @ thinkcomputers.org

motherboards
XFX 790i Ultra @ bjorn3d.com
ASUS P5Q3 Deluxe @ hardocp.com
Asus Striker II NSE @ i4u.com
Gigabyte MA-790FX-DS5 @ motherboards.org

processors
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @ aphnetworks.com
Core 2 Duo E7200 CPU @ hardwaresecrets.com

sound
HiVi Swans D1080MKII Speakers @ hardwaresecrets.com

storage
SanDisk Cruzer Micro 4GB @ madshrimps.be
Thermaltake BlacX SE SATA to USB Dock @ tweaktown.com

systems
Toshiba Satellite A305-S6845 Notebook @ hothardware.com

video
BFG 8800 GT OCX w/ ThermoIntelligence @ i4u.com
Verto GeForce 9600 GT @ legitreviews.com
Sapphire Radeon HD3870X2 Atomic Water Cooled @ modders-inc.com
XFX 9800GX2 Quad SLI @ xsreviews.co.uk

It's like clockwork with Intel; around six months before the release of a new processor, it's sent over to Intel's partners so they may begin developing motherboards for the chip. It was true with Northwood, Prescott, Conroe, Penryn and now Nehalem. And plus, did you really expect, on the eve of the two year anniversary of our first Core 2 preview, a trip to Taiwan for Computex without benchmarks of Nehalem? In the words of Balki Bartokomous, don't be ridiculous :)

Yeah, and even though it's late in the coming for Intel, I think they're moving too fast. This doesn't have to do with me supporting the underdog (I do, though) but rather the forced march that everyone else is impressed into to keep up with Intel. Chipset manufacturers can ramp up production, advance their development schedule, but the one group that can't possibly be sped up, and is more likely to lose efficiency, is the programmers. Sure, we'll all have boss hardware, and not a single God damn working driver to run with.

Back when the ticks and tocks were all just MHz escalation, no one was affected by Intel's "advances", and technologies like SLI and Cool'N'Quiet got invented. Given that technologies like HybridCF/SLI and automated overclocking are still in their fragile early days, I'm worried that the architecture race will flatten the development race, or more realistically, just delay it all.

Not that Intel can, should, or will change their pace, but there are negative consequences of their rapid expansion.

no but seriously he quoted balki

AMD
AMD's 'Puma' Platform Finally Launches @ ExtremeTech

AMD counts more than 100 different notebook PCs designed to use versions of the Puma platform. "This is double the design wins over any previous mobile launches," Leslie Sobon, director of product marketing at AMD, said in a phone interview. PC makers using Puma chips include Acer Inc, Asus, Dell Inc, Fujitsu Siemens Computers BV and Hewlett-Packard Co, she said... Most will be available in time for the back-to-school shopping season, and some will be available this week.

AMD's Puma prepares to pounce @ the Tech Report

The various components of the Puma platform will be largely familiar to those who know AMD's desktop products, but the big exception here is the new mobile processor design, code-named "Griffin." Griffin is a mix of old and new, combining a pair of K8-style execution cores with Phenom-style glue logic and power-saving measures. The chipset itself is manufactured on AMD's 65nm SOI process, and each core packs 1MB of L2 cache, for a total of 2MB L2 per chip.

Intel
Intel P45 / G45 Express Launch and Technology Preview @ Hot Hardware

Those four products are the G45 Express, G43 Express, P45 Express, and the P43 Express. As implied by this naming schema, these four products are very close in terms of features, capabilities, and performance. The P45 and P43 products are the “high-end†and “low-end†models which do not have integrated graphics support, while the G45 Express and G43 Express are the “high-end†and “low-end†models which do have Intel’s new integrated graphics engine, the X4500 / X4500HD.

Intel Eaglelake Pre-Launch Details! @ Tech ARP

This is confimed information as the Eaglelake chipsets have been in production since the middle of May. Motherboards based on the revision A-2 production silicon have already started shipping although they may not be available at some locales until mid-June. In fact, we saw one of these motherboards just last week. We will have more on this tomorrow.

Intel 4-Series Chipsets: G43, G45, P45 @ Techgage

All three chipsets use the Intel ICH10 or ICH10R chipset, with the “R†variant offering support for a technology called “Turbo Memoryâ€, which we’ll cover in detail later. There appears to be no difference between the ICH10 and the ICH9, except that the manufacturing process has shrunk to 65nm, reducing power dissipation. The northbridges themselves have also been transitioned to a 65nm process, for power savings and heat reduction.

A couple Intel X58 mobos up close and personal @ Tweak Town

Intel has the largest booth here in Nangang hall at Computex Taipei 2008 and they were showing off all their latest goodies including the obvious Atom based netbooks and other related products. On it’s Great Wall of 4 Series Motherboards, we spotted two Intel X58 samples on display to the public.

I know I've been beating a dead horse on this, but Puma needs to deliver the 8-hour laptop. Hybrid CrossFire isn't just icing on the cake, it's more like cheese on the damn pizza, and so far things have been quiet on the Hybrid SLI notebook front. So that was three metaphors in two sentences. Awesome.

And while some might be upset that Intel's already putting 3-series chipsets to bed, aside from performance, I think they were a little half-baked. While they're never going to land SLI, shenanigans aside, 16x + 4x CrossFire was a joke. I'm happy to see that this has been fixed; 8x + 8x is much better. Six! I rule!

Samsung HT-X810 @ digitaltrends.com

The Samsung HT-X810 was one of the coolest soundbars announced at CES 2008, mostly because of the 5.8GHz wireless subwoofer. That plus Bluetooth connectivity, a USB port, HDMI output, and an on-board DVD/CD player put it ahead of most competitors, and the glossy black styling matches Samsung's HDTV line (especially our 40-incher) perfectly. At nearly $700, it isn't an entry-level product, but it's a lean, mean home theater system that can eliminate a lot of the clutter of more traditional setups.

cases
USB 2.0 4 Port KVM Auto Switch @ dragonsteelmods.com
Hiper Osiris @ bigbruin.com
NZXT Tempest @ hardwaresecrets.com
NZXT Tempest @ ocia.net
Cooler Master CSX Gargoyle @ phoronix.com

cooling
Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler @ aselabs.com
CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler @ hardwarecanucks.com
GFXChilla by Coolink @ modders-inc.com
NorthQ 3580 Siberian Tiger Water Cooler @ ocia.net
Arctic Cooling Freezer 7 LP CPU Cooler @ tweaktown.com

displays
Samsung SyncMaster 2253LW @ bit-tech.net
Dell Ultrasharp 2408WFP @ hothardware.com
Lenovo L220X @ techgage.com
Digital Stream DTX9900 Digital to Analog Converter Box @ dragonsteelmods.com

memory
Mushkin 4GB Ascent DDR2 @ bjorn3d.com

motherboards
ASUS P5Q Pro @ insidehw.com
ASUS M3N78-EMH HDMI @ hardwarelogic.com
ASRock A780FullDisplayPort @ ocinside.de

power
Xilence XP450 @ modreactor.com
Corsair TX750W @ overclockersclub.com

storage
SuperTalent MasterDrive MX SSD 60GB @ legitreviews.com
Tagan Icy Box Docking USB/ eSata Enclosure @ pcfrags.com
Vantec NexStar-SX @ techwarelabs.com

video
Foxconn GeForce 9800 GTX OC 512MB @ benchmarkreviews.com
ASUS EN9800GTX TOP @ elitebastards.com
Twintech GeForce 9600GT XXT OC @ tweaktown.com

Zalman is mostly known from their high quality cooling solutions, but during the last months Zalman has expanded their product range to cover also other interesting products. New products are FG1000, their new mice, and couple of innovative monitors. It is true, that display markets are full of products, which differ only a little from each other. Zalmans monitors have some attributes which other manufacturers do not. Zalman provided us ZM-M220W 3d-monitor for test and now we will have a look at it.

I think the intro should read like this: "Hol-eee shitballs, a three-frickin'-dee monitor! No longer are 3D accelerated games castrated like a lonely, bespitupon beast of burden! So often have I drank myself into double vision, my chest weeping like a sub-standard wizard expelled from Hogwarts. No, Zagnuts has thrown off the shackles of my dimensionally-crippled displays, leading me unto their majesty and weirdo glasses. Jeepers, to think I didn't even care until now!"

wizard people, dear readers continued here

NorthQ Siberian Tiger Liquid Cooling System @ digit-life.com

The rest was pie: soon after the LCLC release, several European PC manufacturers chose this platform for their vanguard models. Last year it appeared in a family of gaming computers - HP's Blackbird 002. And recently it has turned up in the Predator gaming PC series from Acer.

cooling
GlacialTech Igloo 5750 Silent CPU Cooler @ hardwaresecrets.com
Scythe Shuriken Low Profile CPU Cooler @ overclockersclub.com
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler @ rbmods.com
Scythe Zipang 14cm fan "blow-down" CPU cooler @ silentpcreview.com
Thermaltake MaxOrb EX CPU Cooler @ tweaktown.com

displays
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP @ digitaltrends.com
Honeywell Arius 22-inch Widescreen LCD @ thinkcomputers.org

inputs
Reaper Edge Gaming Mouse @ fusionmods.net
Belkin Nostromo n52te @ i4u.com
Razer Lycosa Gaming Keyboard @ tech-reviews.co.uk
Razer Lachesis Laser Gaming Mouse @ xbitlabs.com

memory
GSkill PC2-6400 2x1GB 800mhz DDR2 @ dragonsteelmods.com
Super Talent DDR2 PC2-6400 800Mhz 2x1Gb @ dragonsteelmods.com
G.SKILL PC2-8500 4GB PI DDR2 @ virtual-hideout.net

motherboards
ASUS P5E64 WS Evolution @ insidehw.com
ASRock A780FullDisplayPort @ phoronix.com

power
Thermaltake Purepower RX 600W @ hardocp.com
Apevia Warlock Power 900W @ jonnyguru.com
Cooler Master M850 @ tech-reviews.co.uk

sound
ASUS Xonar D2X PCI-E Sound Card @ futurelooks.com
Plantronics Discovery 925 Bluetooth Earpiece @ legitreviews.com
Yuin OK1 Earphones @ techpowerup.com

systems
HP's 2133 Mini-Note @ techreport.com

video
Palit GeForce 9600 GT 1GB Sonic @ benchmarkreviews.com
Hauppauge WinTV HVR-1800 @ bjorn3d.com
NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Roundup @ firingsquad.com
Visiontek Radeon HD3870x2 Overclocked Edition @ overclockercafe.com
PALIT Geforce 9600GSO Sonic @ techwarelabs.com
ECS 8800GT 256MB @ virtual-hideout.net

First Look: MSI's Wind sub-notebook @ bit.tech.net

Having played with the Eee PC and quite frankly, finding it much too small to be comfortable, the 10-inch Wind was a real pleasure to use without crippling my hands into looking like a lobster claw (fingers all pinched together). The Wind will launch in plain white, but will also have the option of these cool tattoos. Now, not being one for art splashed over the cover of electronic gadgets I have to say (while reaffirming my masculinity here) that it looks awesome.

Desktop Atom 1.6GHz tested @ fudzilla.com

Intel is already selling a mini-ITX board called D201GLY, and this plaform has a Celeron 220 CPU. As we have one we decided to compare them, as this platform is fitted with a Conroe-L Celeron 220. We know this is a slower CPU, as it's only clocked at 1.2GHz, but in some tests it was more than twice as fast as the Atom N230. It scored 11.260x in Lame. As it's a single core CPU without Hyperthreading the benchmark runs within a single thread.

So while this may be a disappointment for lots of people, it makes getting a Mini Note now that much cooler--unless their next version is a dual-core Atom, which I have a hunch it will be, delayed as that could make it.

That and the Mini Note is, you know, smaller.

AudioEngine A2 @ Silent PC Review

There's little doubt that the Audioengine A2 is a gem. Its tiny size, appealing simple looks and operation, and well-thought out details exude an impressive level of quality. The real reward is when they're plugged in and the music turned on. It's hard to believe so much good sounding music can come from such wee speakers.

cases
Akasa Mirage-62 @ bit-tech.net
Silverstone KL03 @ motherboards.org
Raidmax Iceberg Elite @ techpowerup.com
NZXT Tempest @ xsreviews.co.uk

cooling
EverCool WC-202 Water Cooling Kit @ fusionmods.net
ThermalTake Water Temperature Monitor @ fusionmods.net
Coolink GFXChilla @ icrontic.com
ZEROtherm Zen FZ120 CPU Cooler @ legitreviews.com
Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler @ mikhailtech.com
Noctua NH-C12P CPU Cooler @ tweaktown.com

inputs
Cyber Snipa Stinger Gaming Mouse @ burnoutpc.com
Cyber Snipa Stinger Gaming Mouse @ techwarelabs.com
Cyber Snipa Stinger Gaming Mouse @ thinkcomputers.com

memory
GeIL PC2-8500 1066MHz EVO ONE 4GB @ 3dgameman.com

motherboards
ASUS Striker II NSE @ benchmarkreviews.com
ECS A780GM-A Black @ bigbruin.com

networking
D-Link DAP-1522 Bridge / Access Point Review @ extremetech.com
QNAP NVR-1012 Network Surveillance System @ hardwarecanucks.com

power
Hiper Type M 780W @ mikhailtech.com
X-Spice Kira CS 530W @ techpowerup.com

processors
AMD Phenom versus Athlon X2 @ pcper.com

sound
Atomic Bass Earphones @ i4u.com
Apple iPod Touch 8GB @ illuminandi.com
ASUS Xonar DX 7.1 Sound Card @ techgage.com

storage
Thermaltake BlacX SE Hard Drive Dock @ ocia.net

systems
Asus Eee PC 900 Ultra Mobile PC @ hothardware.com
Acer Aspire 6920G @ insidehw.com

video
ASUS HD EAH3870 @ bjorn3d.com
iChill GeForce 9600 GT ZEROtherm Hurricane @ guru3d.com
Asus EN9800GTX 512MB @ hardwarelogic.com
Inno3D iChiLL 9800 GTX Accelero Xtreme @ techspot.com
PALIT Geforce 9600GSO Sonic @ techwarelabs.com
ASUS EAH3850 X2 1GB @ thinkcomputers.org

A state judge in Albany, NY has found that Dell "has engaged in repeated misleading, deceptive and unlawful business conduct,including false and deceptive advertising of financing promotions and the terms of warranties, fraudulent, misleading and deceptive practices in credit financing and failure to provide warranty service and rebates."

In addition, the judge also found that Dell Financial Services "has engaged in repeated misleading, deceptive and unlawful business conduct, including false and deceptive advertising of financing promotions, fraudulent, misleading and deceptive practices in credit financing and improper debt collection practices."

So yeah, everyone who owns a computer should be willing to learn how to take it apart and put it back together, install Windows from scratch, and download up-to-date drivers, or (and I think this accounts for more people than will admit to it) buy a new computer every damn year.

At it turns out, everyone just so happens to know a guy. And I'm that guy. To the people who depend on that guy: bring him booze when he does stuff for you. A bottle or six-pack per day of being elbow deep in your machine is about right. If you think that's steep, think about this: that dust inside your PC? It's, like, your dandruff. Yeah, better make it two bottles.

Dual-core Atoms to enter mass production in July @ DigiTimes

Intel's first dual-core Atom will feature a core frequency of 1.6GHz and support Hyper-Threading-like technology allowing each core to process up to two instructions per clock cycle under certain circumstances. System TDP for the CPU and chipset combined will rise to 16W, from 12W for single-core versions.

MSI Atom motherboard up close @ Fudzilla

The CPU and Northbridge are cooled by a single large heatsink, whereas the Southbridge got its own little heatsink. More details, such as availability and pricing, should be revealed during Computex next week, as the official launch for the Atom 230 will happen during the show.

Up close with MSI WIND desktop in Taipei @ Tweak Town

As far as specifications go, we can tell you that models we saw on display in Taipei this afternoon were using a new Intel CPU, 1GB DDR2-533 memory, 160GB SATA hard disk drive, Gigabit Ethernet, DVD combo drive and 65-watt power adapter.

First Look: Intel's Atom CPU @ Tom's

We had a short time to test a mini-ITX Gigabyte GA-GC230D motherboard equipped with a 1.60 GHz Intel N230 Atom CPU. The motherboard is HyperThreading compatible and includes 945G/ICH7 support. The processor’s FSB speed is 533 MHz; it has 512 KB of Level 2 cache and is HyperThreading compatible.

ARM Not Afraid of Intel Atom Microprocessors @ X-bit Labs

Currently ARM powers about 98% of mobile phones sold worldwide, however, with the trend towards low-power computers and consumer electronics, ARM microprocessors can compete against Intel’s x86 chips on their territory, said chief exec of ARM Holdings, an IP company.

I've begun to appreciate the separation of the performance of desktop processors and the power consumption of these not-quite-embedded processors. I really like the idea of having a laptop for productivity with a gargantuan battery life and a gaming desktop that I can, you know, game well with. As unlikely as the two are to merge in the short-term, I've definitely decided to split my interests and go high-end desktop plus ultra-portable.

I'll say, though, MSI can't put out their GX400 soon enough.

Alienware Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center @ Think Computers

Home theater PC's have become very popular lately. It seems almost everyone I know has been taking their old computers and turning them into media machines. Well what if you want the best media machine money can buy?

cases
Thermaltake VH6000BWS Armor+ @ Overclockers Club
Glacialtech Altair A380 HTPC @ techPowerUp!
Bgears b-Envi HTPC @ Tweak Town

cooling
ZEROtherm ZEN FZ 120 CPU Cooler @ Think Computers
Spire Fourier IV CPU Cooler @ Techware Labs
Vizo Propeller II @ Modders-Inc

inputs
Logitech V220 Cordless Mouse @ Hardware Secrets

memory
OCZ PC2-8500 Reaper HPC DDR2-1066 4GB @ 3DXtreme

motherboards
Asus Striker II NSE @ APH Networks
Asus P5Q Deluxe @ bit-tech.net
Asus PQ5 Deluxe @ Bjorn3D
Asus P5N-T Deluxe @ Hard|OCP
Biostar TPower N750 @ Overclockers Online

power
BGears Tarantula 650W @ AMD Zone
Apevia Warlock 900W @ Hardware Logic
Tagan TG1100 BZ Series 1100W @ PC Freaks & Geeks

sound
Microsoft Zune 80GB @ Digital Trends
HiVi Swans S3W Speakers @ Hardware Secrets

storage
Liteon EZ-DUB External CD/DVD Writer @ OCIA
Corsair Flash Voyager GT 16GB @ Red & Blackness
QNAP Turbo NAS 409 Pro @ Techware Labs
MemoRight GT Series 32GB SSDs in RAID 0 @ Tweak Town

video
Asus EN9600GT Silent @ Elite Bastards
BFGTech GeForce 9800 GTX OCX @ Hard|OCP
Sparkle Calibre GeForce 9600 GT @ Inside HW
PNY Verto GeForce 9600GT @ Tweak Town
XFX GeForce 9800 GTX/GX2 Black Editions @ VR-Zone
MSI Radeon HD 3650 @ X-bit Labs

Hypersonic Avenger AG2 @ Legit Reviews

The Hypersonic Avenger AG2 is available in six colors and is built on the Intel Santa Rosa platform, which is the latest and greatest platform by Intel. The Hypersonic AG2 has a 12.1" WXGA TFT display with a glossy finish and a maximum resolution of 1280x800. Not bad for an ultra-portable customizable notebook that starts at $1,239!

cases
CoolerMaster Centurion 590 @ Motherboards.org
NZXT Tempest @ Think Computers
GlacialTech Altair A380 @ Tweak News

cooling
Apack Zerotherm FZ120 Heatsink @ Frosty Tech
Noctua NH-C12P Heatsink @ Icrontic
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler @ Harddware Canucks
ZEROtherm Zen FZ120 CPU Cooler @ Virtual-Hideout
CoolerMaster Z600 @ XSReviews

inputs
Logitech diNovo Mini @ Inside HW
Logitech MX 5500 Keyboard & Mouse Combo @ OCIA

memory
Aeneon XTune 2GB DDR3-1600 @ Big Bruin

motherboards
Asus P5Q Deluxe vs MSI P45 Diamond @ Overclock 3D
ECS A780GM-A AMD 780G @ PC Perspective
ASUS P5Q Deluxe @ Techgage
abit IP35P @ X-bit Labs

power
BFG ES 800W @ the Guru of 3D
OCZ EliteXStream 800W @ Benchmark Review
Hiper 880W Double Header @ Jonny Guru
OCZ EliteXstream OCZ800EXS 800W @ OCIA
Hurricane 1200W @ PC Freaks & Geeks

processors
Dual-Core Versus Quad-Core @ digi-life
Phenom X3 8450 @ Madshrimps

sound
Asus Xonar DX @ bit-tech.net
HTC Stereo Handsfree @ Dragon Steel Mods
SteelSeries 5H v2 USB Headset @ OCIA
Cyber Sniper Sonar 5.1 Headset @ Tech Knowledge Arena
mStation Orb 2.1 Stereo @ Techware Labs
Cyber Snipa Sonar 5.1 @ Tweak News

storage
Western Digital My Passport Elite 320 GB USB HDD @ Future Looks
Kingston DataTraveler HyperX 4GB USB Stick @ Madshrimps
Western Digital 750 GB Caviar SE16 @ TechARP
Raidsonic ICY BOX IB-MP303S-B multimedia player @ Tweak.dk

systems
Dell XPS 730 H2C Performance Gaming System @ Hot Hardware

video
XFX 9800GTX Black Edition @ Motherboards.org

Sony MDR-AS50G @ Digital Trends

Sony has a winner with its MDR-AS50G sport headphones: They're lightweight, they fit securely, and they sound good indoors and outside. Their in-ear design is definitely geared towards fitness nuts rather than commuters; they don't block out a whole lot of sound, which could be a plus or a minus depending on where you work out.

cases
Thermaltake Armor+ MX @ 3D Game Man
Logisys Clear Blue UV Acrylic @ Techware Labs
Thermaltake Kandalf @ Techware Labs
Hiper Anubis @ Motherboards.org
Antec Three Hundred @ Overclockers Online
Sigma La Vie @ Virtual-Hideout

cooling
OCZ Vendetta 2 CPU Cooler @ Big Bruin
Watercooling Radiator Shoot-Out @ bit-tech.net
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler @ digit-life
Koolance CPU-330 Water Block @ Legit Reviews
Nexus HOC-9000 CPU Cooler @ Mikhail Tech

inputs
SteelSeries Ikari Optical Gaming Mouse @ DSM
Saitek Cyborg Command Unit Keypad @ Future Looks
Saitek Cyborg Laser Gaming Mouse @ Think Computers

memory
Crucial Ballistix PC3-16000 (DDR3-2000) 2GB @ Overclock 3D

motherboards
Asus Striker II NSE @ APH Networks
ASUS P5E3 Premium WIFi-AP @n @ Motherboards.org
Asus' P5Q and P5Q3 Deluxe @ the Tech Report

power
Hiper Type RII 680W & Type M 780W @ 3D Game Man
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W @ Driver Heaven

processors
Intel Core 2 Duo E7200 @ Hot Hardware
AMD Phenom X3 8750 @ Inside HW

storage
Synology Disk Station DS107+ @ Modders Inc.
Silverstone MS05 2.5" HDD Enclosure @ techPowerUp!

systems
Acer Aspire Predator Gaming PC @ bit-tech.net
Asus U2E Laptop @ Computer Shopper
Toshiba Satellite A305-S6845 Laptop @ Computer Shopper
XPSP2 vs XPSP3 Performance Comparison @ DSM

video
ASUS 3870X2 @ Bjorn 3D
NVIDIA 3-way SLI @ I4U
Palit GeForce 9600GSO Sonic 768MB @ Techgage
EVGA e-Geforce 8800 GT KO @ Techware Labs
ASUS EN9800GTX Top 512MB @ Think Computers

Vuzix iWear VR920 @ Driver Heaven

While we are still a few years from being plugged into a chair and given the ability to be taught virtually the ways of 17th century Shaolin monks, there are products out there which are attempting to bring the VR experience to the everyday gamer.

accessories
iGo powerXtender @ DSM

cases
Antec Three Hundred @ ASE Labs
Cooler Master CSX Shag Wagon @ Big Bruin
Hiper Osiris @ Overclock 3D

cooling
Noctua NH-U12P CPU Cooler @ digit-life
Noctua NH-C12P Heatsink @ Frosty Tech
CoolIT Freezone Elite CPU Cooler @ Overclock 3D
Thermaltake DuOrb CPU Cooler @ Hardware Canucks
Thermaltake DuOrb VGA Cooler @ Hardware Logic
CM Z600 vs Scythe Ninja CU @ Madshrimps
Asus Triton 79 Amazing @ XSReviews

displays
BenQ X2200W 22" @ bit-tech.net

memory
Aeneon DDR3-1600 4GB XMP @ Benchmark Reviews
Aeneon Xtune DDR3-1600 2GB @ Think Computers

motherboards
Jetway JNC62K (GeForce 8200 on mini-ITX) @ bit-tech.net
Gigabyte GA-X48-DQ6 @ the Guru of 3D
Asus P5Q Deluxe @ Hot Hardware
Asus M3N-HT Deluxe/Mempipe @ Inside HW

power
CoolerMaster Real Power M700 @ Driver Heaven
Dynex 400W @ Hardware Secrets
Rosewill RD600N-2SB-SL-BK @ Hardware Secrets
ABS Tagan BZ900 900W @ Tweak Town

storage
ASUS BC-1205PT Optical Drive @ Benchmark Reviews
OCZ 32GB ATV Flash Drive @ Legit Reviews
Eagle Tech N and I Series HDD Enclosures @ OCIA
Thermaltake BlacX Hard Drive Docking Station @ Techware Labs
4GB USB Flash Drives Roundup @ X-bit Labs

systems
Asus Pundit P2-M2A690G Barebone @ BIOSLEVEL

video
Nvidia 9600GT Roundup @ CDRInfo
XFX 9800GTX Black Edition @I4U
Inno3D GeForce 9600 GT iChiLL Hurricane @ nV News
Diamond Viper Radeon HD 3650 1GB @ Tech Spot

Lian Li PC V1110 @ bit-tech.net

Cue the V1110 – it’s big, aluminium, spacious, thoughtfully put together and with edges so clean that we had to go have a bath (not together, thanks) before we felt worthy of touching it. It’s a return to form and…well, ok, we like it. Let’s leave the hyperbole at that and get right down to the gritty little details.

accessories
QPAD CT Gaming Surface @ OC Mod Shop

cooling
D-Tek FuZion v2.0 Waterblock @ bit-tech.net
Thermolab Nano Silencer & Micro Silencer @ Driver Heaven
Thermaltake V1 CPU Cooler @ Silent PC Review

memory
OCZ Flex II DDR2 PC2-9200 @ AnandTech
Aeneon DDR3-1600 4GB XMP RAM AXH860UD20-16H @ Benchmark Reviews
Corsair Dominator PC2-9136 4GB Memory Kit @ Hardware Logic
OCZ Reaper HPC PC2-8500 4GB Memory Kit @ Virtual-Hideout

motherboards
MSI P7N Diamond @ Overclockers Club
Biostar TF7150U-M7 @ Overclockers Online
Gigabyte X48T-DQ6 @ Techgage
Gigabyte GA-EP35-DS4 @ X-bit Labs

processors
AMD Phenom X3 8750 t-break

power
Enermax Pro 82+ (385W) @ Driver Heaven
Rocketfish 700W @ Hardware Secrets
Seventeam Hurricane 1200W @ Jonny Guru

sound
Aliph Jawbone 2 Headset @ CoolTechZone
SteelSeries Siberia Neckband Headset @ OC Mod Shop

storage
Vantec NexStar Hard Drive Dock @ MikhailTech
Western Digital Caviar GP 1 TB SATA HDD @ OCIA
Western Digital Raptor 150 Gb 10K SATA Hard Drive @ Techware Labs

video
Overclocked GeForce 9800 GTX Graphics Card @ digit-life
ASUS EN9600GT Silent @ Hard|OCP
Sapphire HD3870 512MB TOXIC Edition @ Hardware Canucks
Sapphire HD 3850 1GiB and HD 3870 ULTIMATE @ Hexus.net
XFX 9800 GTX Black Edition @ I4U
TwinTech and Vvikoo overclocked 9600GT, 5-way roundup @ Madshrimps
Gainward Bliss 9800GX2 @ Metku Mods
ECS 8800GT N8800GT-256MX @ Motherboards.org
Asus EN9800GX2 TOP @ Red & Blackness
Sapphire HD3870 X2 @ Techware Labs
BFG GeForce 9600 GT OC @ Tweak.dk

There is no obvious advantage to quad cores over dual cores, at least according to the graphics-based benchmarks. In order for the Q6600 to compete with the dual core E6750, the same clocking rate is recommended. If you wish to combine an E2160 with a Geforce 8800 or Geforce 9, you will need to overclock. Without a clock rate of at least 2400 MHz, you will lose a considerable amount of graphics performance, because the card is not fully loaded.

This shouldn't really come to anyone as a surprise: the prices have changed, not the rules. Also, I can't really agree with the Crysis benching, 'cause they use the GPU benchmark--like that reflects gameplay, I'm sure. But yeah. Buy a mainstream processor and a high-end video card if you can, and never the other way 'round.

the above image the search results of "the other way 'round," which was topical, but not punctuated, so stfu guy on the hexus.net forum. and your fx5700le, 9700 xt ftw!

CoolIt Dual Drive Bay VGA Cooler NV Reference @ Bjorn 3D

CoolIt Systems has a solution to tame those heat generating GPU workhorses that they call the Dual Drive Bay VGA Cooler NV Reference Series. It is a closed loop, factory sealed pre-filled system that offers maintenance free operation for SLI setups.

cases
NZXT Tempest @ Big Bruin
Lian Li PC-A09B Classical Series @ Benchmark Reviews
In-Win Metal Suit GD @ OCIA
Lian-Li PC V1010 @ Think Computers

cooling
Xigmatek HDT-S1283 and Red Scorpion CPU Coolers @ Madshrimps
Coolink ChipChilla @ Overclock 3D
Coolink ChipChilla @ XSReviews

memory
Aeneon XTune 2GB DDR2-1142 @ Big Bruin
OCZ Reaper HPC PC2-8500 4GB @ Virtual-Hideout

motherboards
Asus P5Q3 & Maximus II Formula @ bit-tech.net
EVGA nForce 750i SLI FTW @ Firing Squad
XFX 790i 3-Way SLI @ Hard|OCP
ASUS P5E3 PREMIUM @ HARDSPELL
DFI LanParty Dark X38 @ Ninja Lane
abit I-N73HD GeForce 7100 @ Tweak Town

power
NesteQ ECS5001 500W Modular @ Virtual-Hideout

sound
Cyber Snipa Sonar 5.1 USB Headset @ BIOSLEVEL

systems
Asus Eee PC 4G @ aph.networks
Alienware Area-51 ALX @ Hardware Logic
Asus C90S Laptop Barebones @ Tech Spot

storage
64GB SSD on the Desktop: Samsung and OCZ @ AnandTech
Hard Drive Performance Comparison Guide @ Tech ARP
LaCie Mini Hub 500GB External Hard Drive @ Think Computers
Lite-On DX-401S Blu-ray USB Drive @ Tweak Town

video
BFG Tech GeForce 9800 GTX OCX 512MB @ bit-tech.net
XFX 9800 GX2 Black Edition @ I4U
Albatron nVidia 9600GT-512x @ Legit Reviews
BFG GeForce 9600 GT OC @ Tweak.dk

It sounds like some cool stuff, if only it was ready to roll. It's just not. This stuff is very hard, technically speaking, and has already been delayed several times. I've had a micro-ATX motherboard with a 730a chipset for weeks now, waiting for the right BIOS and drivers to make it work.

Yeah, everything's cheap, everything's great, it benches faster than never ever before, and nothing God damn works.

actually, i have an asus m3n-ht deluxe and i haven't really hit any snags. maybe i'm doing something wrong

Zalman ZM1000-HP: Quiet KiloWatt PSU @ SPCR

You read right. It's a 1000W PSU, and it's quiet. Quiet enough to take on all comers. We never thought we'd say it, but it's even recommendable for silencers. Sheesh! Go on and read the review. Maybe you'll catch some errors to prove us wrong.

cases
Antec Twelve Hundred @ ExtremeTech
Cooler Master Centurion 590 @ Techgage

cooling
CoolIT Freezone Elite @ bit-tech.net
Thermaltake's DuOrb and V1 CPU Coolers @ Hard|OCP

power
ULTRA X3 800W Modular @ Tweak News

sound
ASUS Xonar D2 PM Sound Card @ X-bit Labs
OCZ SATA-II 32GB 2.5-Inch SSD @ Benchmark Reviews
Crucial 32GB SSD @ CDRinfo

systems
Toshiba Satellite M305 @ Digital Trends

video
Sapphire Toxic 512MB Radeon HD3870 @ Big Bruin
Gigabyte Radeon HD 3850 @ Legion Hardware
Palit GeForce 9600 GSO Sonic 768MB @ Tweak Town

MSI Wind Revealed: 10-Inch Mini-Notebook to Hit U.S. in June @ Laptop

MSIâ's Director of US Sales Andy Tung certainly thinks his company’s entry will shake things up. In our 40-minute interview, Tung shared that the Wind will: Come in two display-size variations: an 8.9-inch and a 10-inch. Only the 10-inch display will be available to the U.S. market. Be available starting June 3rd.

New Mini-Note Models are up with Custom Config as Well! @ HP 2133 Guide.com

HP has new Mini-Note models up as well as a custom config option! Check them out. In the comments Heather posted a chat she had with an HP rep which states that XP will come pre-loaded with XP and a Vista Business install CD so you can upgrade in the future.

c|net Reviews: Asus Eee PC 900 @ c|net

The 9-inch Asus Eee PC 900 adds a bigger screen and a larger capacity solid-state hard drive than its 7-inch precursor, but the new price has passed the point of an impulse purchase.

Hypersonic Avenger AG2 12" Notebook @ Techgage

While other sub-notebooks, such as the Lenovo X300 or the Apple MacBook AIR build for better battery life, Hypersonic packs a powerful Penryn processor along with lots of RAM and a large hard drive. That's the trade off, though. Better battery life or a faster machine?

All I want is a 12" laptop that can play Crysis on high for eight straight hours on battery. Is that too much to ask?

and it shouldn't cost more than a grand, right?