Tag Archives: modular

Aorus Thunder K7 Mechanical Keyboard + Macro Keypad Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction

Aorus are back on eTeknix again today, following a long hiatus from our last review of theirs, the rather stunning Aorus Thunder M7 Gaming Mouse. In the office today, we have their new flagship gaming keyboard, the Thunder K7, and it’s packed to the brim with high-end features that are sure to excite professionals, gamers and well, many other people too!

  • World’s 1st Mechanical gaming keyboard with detachable Macro keys
  • Superior CHERRY MX Mechanical Key-Switch
  • Absolute Anti-Ghosting Multi-Key press Capability
  • AORUS Macro Engine

Equipped with a split design that allows you to not only detach the number pads completely and turn the main keyboard into an 80% width design, you can also attach the number pad on the left side of the keyboard and use it as a macro pad, or for any other purpose for that matter, and even then, you can also use the number pad all by its self if you really wanted! Of course, a funky modular design isn’t the only thing you can expect from this keyboard today. Equipped with Cherry MX Red switches, N-key rollover, anti-ghosting, LED lighting, macro engine, detachable wrist rest, and more, the K7 is sounding like strong competition for many other high-end keyboards on the market today.

The box for the Thunder K7 is absolutely huge, it may actually be the biggest keyboard box we’ve ever seen, and not by any small margin either!b There’s a huge image of the keyboard don the front, as well as a badge telling us this is the orange light edition, not the blue one in the big picture.

Around the back, a quick rundown of the main features, such as the modular design, Cherry switches, and the powerful macro engine.

The box opens up to reveal just why it’s so big in the first place. The keyboard is exceptionally well padded and the main keyboard, number pad and wrist rest are all separated by thick foam to ensure they stay secure in transit. Each component is wrapped in plastic bags to keep them dust free and there’s a large plastic shell over the top over everything to protect it from damage.

In the box, the keyboard, which comes hard-wired with a good quality USB cable and custom USB 2.0 gold-plated head, as well as a secondary cable for when you’re using the number pad independently.

The detachable wrist rest is pretty durable and has a good width to it. It is worth pointing out, however, that it’s the full keyboard size, so may look ridiculous if you’re using it in 80% mode.

There are some rubber grips on the bottom to keep it in place, but you’ll notice the lack of clips as the whole unit connects to the keyboard magnetically.

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Corsair Releases New SFX SF600 and SF450 PSUs

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Building compact high-performance systems can be troublesome in many areas, not because people lack the skills, but because there was a lack of components to do so on the market. We’ve seen an increase in compact motherboards and graphics cards that still deliver great gaming and workstation performance, but there has been a shortage of quality power supplies with high ratings, actually there’s kind of only been one up until now.

We already had a little preview during our visit to CES in January and now Corsair is ready to release their new SFX power supplies with proper certification and a fully modular connection system. The two new power supplies are the Corsair SF600 and SF450 that come with 600W and 450W respectively.

Compact system builds have an additional challenge besides the component size and that is the available cable routing space. With that in mind, it’s great to see that the new SF600 and SF450 power supplies come with a fully modular cable system. You can detach all cables from the unit itself for easy cable routing while building and minimize the cables in the chassis to only those you need.

Corsair is well known for their power supplies and they didn’t skimp out on their new SFX series either. The units are fully 80Plus Gold certified for an optimal efficiency and less heat generation. Speaking of heat, the Corsair SFX PSUs are built with a 90mm fan featuring Zero RPM Fan mode. The fan is only turned on when it is needed and only spins as fast as it is needed. The small you make something, the better the build quality has to be.

The small you make something, the better the build quality has to be in order to have a long lifespan. That’s taken care of in the SF-series by the use of 100% Japanese capacitors and the units are backed by Corsair’s well-known 7-year warranty.

The SF450 is available immediately worldwide from Corsair’s worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors. The SF600 will be available shortly and is available immediately for pre-order. The MSRP is set to $89.99 and $119.99 respectively, excl. Tax.

 

LG G5 Bridges the Gap Between Modular Phones and Reliable Hardware

Posted on by Gareth Andrews
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LG are a company known for many things, such as the 98 inch 8K UHD Television they showed off at CES this year. One of the things many people own that LG does well is their mobile phones, offering reliable and dependable hardware for your everyday use, but even LG are not blind to the latest crazes that are coming along, the most recent one being modular phones like the Ara.

Modular phones like the Ara are said to be the next stage in development because you will be able to pick your favourite parts for the phone and clip them together, just like when you are building a Lego house. It would seem LG wants to help you bridge the change from the brick you hold to the new snap and click design in their LG G5 mobile.

The G5 smartphone looks like any other smartphone at the moment, a large screen and minimal physical buttons on the phone. What’s new about the G5 though is the decision to go with a metal body, something that does nothing but to help you keep the phone alive for longer. The G5 will also feature a 2,800 mAh battery, something that tends to last most phone users through the whole day. If this isn’t the case for some reason though the G5 will bring back the concept of a swappable battery, an idea that should never have left mobile phones in my opinion.

If this wasn’t enough the phone will feature an “expansion slot” an area that means you can quickly add a module to enhance the phone just the way you like it. Going out for a day with the family at the zoo? Take the CAM Plus module, with autofocus, exposure lock and made to feel just like that DSLR everyone is lugging around, all with the added bonus of another 1,200 mAh of battery power for your phone.

Going to a party? Take the Hi-Fi Plus Module, offering support for high-definition audio files, the perfect companion for your latest album. If this wasn’t enough the phone will be joined by several “companion” devices, such as the 360 cam, giving you the ability to capture 360-degree photos and videos using just your phone.

With all these features and a step towards modular upgradable phones, LG could be onto a winner with the G5.

SilverStone Releases Compact Titanium Certified PSUs

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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The power supply is one of the parts of your system where you never should cheap out as it’s the backbone of your system that supplies anything with power. SilverStone now released three new models in the Strider Titanium series, the ST60F-TI, ST70F-TI, and ST80F-TI, that not only come with great specs and impressive titanium certification, they are also very compact and fully modular at the same time.

The new Strider power supplies meet the strict 80 PLUS Titanium efficiency rating where they have to stay above 90% efficiency, even at very low load conditions. This is a tricky thing to achieve and that is why we mostly have seen large units with this certification. SilverStone cracked this and are now offering these ratings for the Strider 600W, 700W, and 800W power supply units in a compact size.

The new units are only 150mm deep and at the same time they come with a fully modular cable system. This allows for the usage in any ATX compatible case with ease and it also allows you to make a great cable management. Speaking of cables, the new Strider units come with flat cables that should make the overall cable routing easier. They have better flexibility and allow for tighter folding.

SilverStone’s ST60F-TI, ST70F-TI, and ST80F-TI are built around a single +12B rail design which allows it to deliver the best possible power to all connected components. It has a ±3% regulation and low ripple & noise performance for high stability. The PSUs are built with all Japanese capacitors and rated for 24/7 continuous power output. Overall, some amazing looking power supplies.

These world’s smallest fully modular ATX power supplies with 80 PLUS Titanium efficiency will be available starting next week for an MSRP of $161.70 USD for the ST60F-TI, $178.75 USD for the ST70F-TI and 195.80 USD for the ST80F-TI.

Microsoft Patents a Modular Computing Device

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Microsoft applied for this patent as far back as July last year and it was now published just a few days ago. Microsoft has now patented a “modular computing device” that would enable people to put together the exact PC components they want instead of purchasing a completely new system.

Yes, you are completely right with your initial thought. We already have that, it’s called PC parts. We review and post news about those every day here at eTeknix. But that isn’t what we are talking about here, these are modules rather than individual PC components. You might remember Razer’s modular PC called Project Christine or Acer’s Revo Build Mini PC and this new patent is in the same regards.

While the Christine and Revo Build never turned into any real products, there is a good chance that Microsoft has bigger plans for this, especially considering this patent. Microsoft is also taking it one step further and adding everything as module options including the display. This is something that reminds of Google’s Project Ara and its block system, just on a bigger scale.

The stackable hardware connected to the display using a hinge can contain a removable battery, a processor, a graphics card, memory, storage, speakers, and a wireless communication element. There could even be a gesture recognition component or a holographic projection unit. Each of these components can also have housings that are connected magnetically and are swappable.

I really love this idea and I hope that it will turn into a real product line. I most likely wouldn’t purchase it myself, but it would allow every normal user without any knowledge to upgrade his or her system part for part instead of throwing the entire thing in a trashcan and purchasing a completely new device. It would save a lot of costs for those people, but most importantly, it would save a lot of trash. Why should you upgrade more than what’s outdated and don’t waste resources?

“In this way, the computing device may be altered and changed readily by a user in an intuitive manner without requiring detailed knowledge of the hardware.”

Aerocool Reveals Xpredator PSU Price and Availability

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Aerocool recently revealed the new line of 80Plus Gold certified Xpredator power supplies, but at the time, they didn’t reveal the availability nor the pricing. We now have both these information at hand and will naturally share them with you. The new Aerocool Xpredator 550W, 650W, 750W, and 1000W models will be available at e-tailers and retails starting this week for a price of €75.00, €83.00, €88.50, and €139.00 Euro respectively.

With these four capacity options and a very reasonable price tag for a power supply unit with a gold rated efficiency, these PSUs should become quite popular despite that Aerocool mostly is known for their cooling options and PC chassis. The Xpredator Gold Series power supply units feature a modular design for easy cable management and convenience and the PSU also comes with some removable cable straps for further improvement in the cable management options. They use a single 12 Volts rail for high compatibility and extremely high current output. The maximum voltage deviation of the single rail is at ±3% thanks to the DC-to-DC design.

Aerocool installed a 120mm fan in the PSU which helps with the cooling and noise generation and the top model even comes with a 140mm. The PSUs support both the ATX12V v2.4 as well as EPS v2.92 so you can use them in all your setups. The main 20+4P and CPU 4+4P cable straps are up to 600mm long and sleeved. The removable cable straps, on the other hand, are utilizing black flat cables. You also get all the protections that you’ll want, including OVP, OCP, OPP, UVP, SCP, and SIP.

Corsair HX750i Fully Modular Platinum Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction & Packaging

Corsair is one of the most recognisable brand names in the PC market. They’ve huge a vast range of chassis, peripherals, storage, memory, power supplies and more! As well as years of history with consumers and a fiercely loyal fan base that has served them pretty well too. Their power supplies are some of the most popular around, especially their budget friendly models, which have been a prime choice with system builders around the world.

Today, we’ll be taking a look at their HX750i, a high-end 80 Plus Platinum rated unit that will be well suited to powerful single GPU systems and even some dual-GPU systems. The extremely efficient power delivery is certainly appealing, but will come at a premium, but you’ll also find Corsair Link, fully modular cables, a Zero RPM fan mode, a 7-year warranty and more, so Corsair is certainly doing a lot to tempt you to invest in a high-end unit.

“HXi Series power supplies give you extremely tight voltage control, virtually silent operation, and a fully modular cable set. With all Japanese 105°C capacitors, they’re a great choice for high performance PCs where reliability is essential. 80 PLUS Platinum efficiency reduces operating cost and excess heat, and together with Zero RPM Fan Mode technology, gives you virtually silent operation.” – Corsair

The packaging is really nicely designed, with a clear image of the PSU on the front, showing off those fully modular connectors.

Around the back, a few technical details about the efficiency and the zero RPM fan mode.

In the box, you’ll find a large and durable component bag, which houses all of the cables for the PSU. This is handy for storing any you’re not using, should you need them in the future.

You’ll also find a user manual, warranty guide, an AC power cable, a few cable ties and the PSU mounting screws; everything you’re likely to need to get set up.

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Cooler Master V750 Modular Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction

Cooler Master is one of most recognisable and well-respected names in the PC component market. Over the years, Cooler Master has created some of the best power supplies, coolers and chassis around, not forgetting their gaming division CM Storm, which has delivered some very impressive headsets, keyboards, mice and much more too! With all that in mind, I am very excited to see another Cooler Master product in the office today, their brand new V750 power supply, which promises premium performance in a tidy and compact form factor.

“V Series power supplies feature the most stable and efficient power supply unit in its class thanks to exclusive 3D circuit design and Silencio FP technology. The V Series has fully modular flat cables with energy-saving 80PLUS Gold/Platinum ratings all delivered in a compact design smaller than most Power Supply Units (PSUs) in its class. The V series family is available in V550, V650, V750, V850, V1000 and V1200 watt variants perfect for gamers, enthusiasts and even system builders.” – Cooler Master

The V750 uses a unique 3D circuit design, Cooler Master’s own Silencio FP fan technology, fully modular flat cables, 100% Japanese capacitors and much more. The overall quality is reflected in the fact that this tidy, 150 x 140 x 86, form factor still delivers 750W of power at an 80 Plus Gold efficiency

There are three models available, the 550W, 650W and the 750W. We have the 750W at our disposal today, but all models come with 100-240Vac, good active PFC, >100,000 hours MTBF and are backed up by a reassuring 5-year warranty.

The box is very similar to previous Cooler Master designs and features a nice picture of the PSU, as well as a quick run down of the major features; 750W, Japanese Capacitors, 5-year warranty, Silencio fan and 80 Plus Gold.

Around the back, a run-down of the included cables and performance, but we’ll take a closer look at those ourselves in a moment.

In the box, you’ll find a nice cable storage bag, a collection of cable ties, four mounting screws and the mains adaptor.

 

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Seasonic XP2 Platinum 660W Fully-Modular Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction & Packaging

Seasonic is one of the most established names in the power supply industry, not only do they make many of their own very high quality products, they’re also an industry leader for manufacturing high-end PSUs which are used and sold by a whole host of other brands; there’s a good chance you own a Seasonic PSU and don’t even know it. Seasonic products have proven to be award winners many times before, not only from us here at eTeknix, but in reviews all around the world. The unit we have today is a mid-range 660W unit, so I’m not expecting earth-shattering performance, but it does have a few features that are worth getting excited about.

The SS-660XP Active PFC F3 PSU comes with an 80 Plus Platinum efficiency, which should make it very cost-effective to run in your system. It also comes with a powerful +12V single rail design, an active/hybrid fan design and fully modular cables.

Special Features

1. 80PLUS® Platinum Certified Super High Efficiency
2. 7 Years Warranty
3. DC Connector Panel with Integrated VRM [Voltage Regulator Module]
4. DC to DC Converter Design
5. Active Power Factor Correction [99% PF Typical]
6. Conductive Polymer Aluminum Solid Capacitors
7. Highly Reliable 105°C Japanese Aluminum Electrolytic Capacitors
8. Gold Plated High Current Terminals
9. Tight Voltage Regulation [±2%]
10. High +12V Output
11. Dual Sided PCB Layout
12. Seasonic Patented Hybrid Silent Fan Control
13. Sanyo Denki San Ace Silent Fan
14. Ultra Ventilation [Honeycomb Structure]
15. Full Modular Cabling Design
16. Multi-GPU Technology Support
17. All-in-One DC Cabling Design
18. Easy Swap Connector
19. Universal AC Input [Full Range]

The packaging is nice and simple, with a stylish image of the PSU on the front, and some small branding for the 80 Plus Platinum efficiency, Haswell Ready and the 660W power rating.

Around the back, you’ll find a quick explanation of what 80 Plus Platinum means, as well as some details on the hybrid fan mode, which we’ll take a closer look at in a moment.

Inside the box, another box! Although this one houses all the additional cables for the PSU.

There’s also a mains power cable, owner’s manual, velcro cables ties, plastic pull-cable ties, four PSU screws and a small “Powered by Seasonic” sticker.

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Enermax DIGIFANLESS 550W Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction & Packaging

The latest Enermax power supply landed in the eTeknix officer recently and while I admit, it can sometimes be difficult to get excited about a power supply, I am very much so about this one. The DIGIFANLESS packs two important features, as the name would suggest; it’s fanless and it is digital. Fanless power supplies are an incredible addition to your system, especially if you’re trying to build a completely silent rig, as the removal of the fan means you’ll never hear a single noise from the unit and that’s certainly no bad thing!

Despite being passively cooled, the DIGIFANLESS still promises to churn out two very impressive figures. The first is that it’ll run up to 550W, which is more than enough for a single GPU system and a powerful CPU. The second is that it will deliver 80 Plus Platinum rated levels of efficiency. Let’s just recap, digital monitoring, passive cooled silent performance, 80 Plus Platinum, 550W of power and if that’s not enough to open your eyes wide, he’s the classic “but that’s not all” sales pitch. It also has fully modular, has individually braided premium grade cables, all Japanese capacitors, is rated to run 24/7 and comes with a 5-year warranty! Enough dancing around, let’s jump right in and take a closer look!

The packaging is really nicely designed, giving a good rundown of the specifications and I’m already getting a nice “premium” vibe here.

Around the back, a nice run down of all the cables, the digi features, the high-quality capacitors and more.

Normally the packaging isn’t something I talk about too much, but the DIGIFANLESS was so well packaged, I just had to take a quick picture.

In the box, you’ll find the mains power cable, the digital link cable, the owner’s manual and a protective storage bag.

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SilverStone SX600-G SFX Series Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction & Packaging

Silverstone is well-known for their high-end products, having created some very impressive power supplies, coolers, chassis products and a whole lot more over the years. One of their strongest areas is certainly in the power supply market, even more so when you look at smaller form factor units such as SFX. The benefits of SFX units are obvious, as they’re much smaller than ATX PSUs, which makes them great for slim and compact chassis designs, such as the RVZ01 which Silverstone produces. These slim chassis are often designed for compact workstations, or HTPC use and more recently “Steam Machine” style rigs. Squeezing a massive graphics card into a compact chassis isn’t impossible, but powering a monster GPU is not so easily accomplished with a tiny power supply and that’s where the new SX600-G comes into play.

The SX600-G packs an impressive range of features, such as 600W 80 Plus Gold Efficiency power delivery, more than enough for even the most powerful graphics cards on the market today, with some power headroom for overclocking of your CPU and GPU alike. In true TV infomercial style “but that’s not all”, this unit also features an intelligent semi-fanless design, allowing for zero RPM operation in low load or cooler environments, 100% modular cables, a powerful single 12V+ rail, and dual PCI-E 8/6-pin connectors; in short, this unit almost sounds too good to be true.

The packaging is nicely designed, with lots of bright colours and a good photo of the product, as well as a quick run down of the main specifications.

All the technical stuff is around the back of the box, not much interest to most consumers, but in short the PSU promises to be efficient and provide stable power output; pretty much what any PSU should do really.

In the box, you’ll find a few bits of documentation, an SFX to ATX adaptor bracket, some mounting screws and the AC power cable.

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Cooler Master MasterCase Pro 5 Chassis Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction

I wonder how many of you have noticed how Cooler Master stopped launching new products for quite a while? It’s been ages since they brought out a new chassis, a new power supply, a new peripheral. If you didn’t notice, we certainly did and it wasn’t until Computex 2015 when we finally found out why the team at CM had gone so quiet; they were cooking up something big, very big! 2015 marks the year when Cooler Master take the PC component market by storm with their Maker concept. They’ve re-tooled everything they do, getting back to their core concepts of design, function and a whole lot more.

Why have one chassis when you can have all the chassis you need in one? The Maker series is moddable by its very nature, need it for NAS, need it for a gaming system, HTPC, LAN rig, office rig, rendering station, its really up to you. Cooler Master will provide you with the parts and configuration options you need to achieve a more personal build all by yourself and really make your rig yours. At least, that’s the promise, but we’ll find out today just how much of this has been achieved.

Cooler master said they channeled their MAKER SPIRIT to design a case that:

1. Gives absolute control over how a case looks and functions through a flexible, modular system.
2. Introduces an eco-system of accessories and add-ons that provide the ability to Customize. Adjust. Upgrade.
3. Was designed in collaboration with a community of makers and power users to inspire self-expression.
4. Redefines the way PCs are designed, made, bought, and used

There’s three editions of this chassis, each with their own unique features and of course, the ability to upgrade any of the lower models to the higher models by buying the extra bits.

Brace yourself, specification overload is coming! The MasterCase 5, Pro 5 and no doubt the TBD Maker 5, come with support for extensive water cooling, air cooling, motherboard sizes, lots of storage, long graphics cards, dust filters and more!


Check out the very interesting video below for more information on how “Maker” works.

We have in our hands today the MasterCase Pro 5, which means we have the same core chassis as the 5, but with the Pro parts pre-fitted. That’s right, you can buy the base model and upgrade anytime! Or you can jump right in and buy the Pro. Of course, the whole concept here is that you can tweak either of them to suit your needs and make the MasterCase into whatever you like.

First impressions of the chassis are very promising and despite the design featuring a lot of strong angles, the chassis still manages to look smart and sleek. There’s a huge side panel window on the left side, perfect for showing off your build.

The right side panel is just a blank panel, but just like the left panel, it is mounted with a pair of easy access thumb screws.

The angular design of the front panel looks really nice, still fresh and modern, but still unmistakably a Cooler Master design. There’s a pair of 5.25″ drive bays, as well as a huge ventilated section for any front mounted cooling.

Around the back, you’ll see a handle section at the top, matching the one near the front of the top panel; should make carrying you rig to LAN events a lot easier! This is an ATX chassis, so you’ll also find 7 expansion slots on offer; more than enough room for a multi-GPU configuration.

There is a 120/140mm fan mount at the back, with height adjustable mounting and a 140mm fan pre-installed.

There’s a removable bracket at the back to help with mounting the PSU from the rear of the chassis,

As well as a slide out dust filter, which will help provide your PSU with clean air.

The top panel is very sleek-looking and slopes gently towards the back of the chassis. There’s a huge amount of ventilation here and that’ll be great for any top mounted cooling, or removing heat from your system passively.

The front panel is nicely laid out with an almost symmetrical appearance. There’s a pair of USB 3.0 ports, but there’s also quite a lot of space here that could have been put to use; more USB ports perhaps?

The underside features two extra-large and full-width feet, which means the Master Case feels very stable overall. It’s helped even further by four tough rubber strips; two on each of the feet.

The PSU dust filter is a good size and fits in pretty snug. It’s washable too, so maintenance of the filter will be nice and easy.

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GitHub’s Text Editor Finally Receives Its First Stable Release

Posted on by Gabriel Roşu
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A great development text editor comes from the guys over at GitHub. Its name is Atom and if you’ve never heard of it, I suggest you download it and give it a try. I’ve been using it for some time now and for what it has to offer, I don’t think I’ll change to another IDE any time soon.

Atom has been getting a lot of beta releases up until now, but even with its stable 1.0 release, the GitHub development team still says it’s not quite ready yet. The software is completely customizable and modular. This means you can tweak its interface and theme as much as you want and even add packages and third-party plugins to make it work with your projects.

In addition to the above, it features a development-friendly API, so you can contribute to the vast pool of packages it offers yourself. However, the best part about it is that the piece of software is free and available under the MIT license.

Should you decide to use it, I would recommend downloading the Script package as a ‘must have’ tool. The package lets you compile script on-the-fly directly in the text editor, which is what makes Atom so powerful. It does have compiling limitations on some coding languages, but it extremely useful and constantly updated. While Script works well with Atom on Mac, I got it to compile on Windows too, but there’s some work to be done on the latter OS before you can get it to compile.

If you are interested in downloading the Atom text editor, head on over to its website where you can also get some extra info on it.

Thank you LifeHacker for providing us with this information

EVGA Introduced Three New SuperNOVA P2 PSUs

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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EVGA has a lot of great hardware in their line-up already and there is no shortage of power supply choices either, but that doesn’t mean that more can’t be added and as such they’ve just introduced the 850 watt, 750 watt, and 650 watt versions of the award-winning P2 power supply series.

These new power supply units feature 80 Plus Platinum rated efficiency, and clean, continuous power to every component. These units get the most of out the power you supply them with, with 92% efficiency on 115VAC and 94% efficiency on 240VAC.

They are 100% modular and thereby allow you create the optimal cabling for your system, without any unnecessary cables cluttering your space.

The ECO mode ensures whisper silent operation where the fan completely stops under low and medium loads. It will only spin up when needed. The fan uses a double ball bearing system to ensure that it will last as long as the unit itself. And durability isn’t an issue with these power supplies as they are built with 100% Japanese capacitors and come backed by an amazing 10-year warranty.

Multi-GPU setups with Nvidia SLI and AMD Crossfire aren’t any problem either and everything is well protected thanks to the heavy-duty protections that include OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), OCP (Over Current Protection), OPP (Over Power Protection), and SCP (Short Circuit Protection).

Corsair RMi Series RM1000i Fully-Modular Power Supply Review

Posted on by Peter Donnell
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Introduction & Packaging

The latest range of Corsair PSUs are here at last! The new RMi series is something of an upgrade, offering higher quality components, higher performance and more features compared to the last generation; pretty much everything you would expect from the latest range of anything tech related. Corsair has a rock solid reputation in the system building market, delivering popular and competitive products from CPU coolers, chassis, power supplies and more, so we’re hoping to see them put up a good fight on our test bench today.

The RMi series has a lot in common with the current RM series PSU units, as it still offers all the high-end features you would expect; 80 Plus Gold Certification, fully modular cables, Zero RPM fan modes (up to 40% load), silent component selection (reduced coil whine) and LLC resonant mode topology w/ DC to DC (improves efficiency and voltage regulation). However, the RMi series is setting the bar even higher, with a 7 year warranty, all Japanese capacitors, full output at 50c, a fluid dynamic bearing fan, digital output for additional Corsair Link monitoring capabilities, as well as additional Corsair Link control capabilities, which includes custom fan profiles and the ability to toggle the +12v rail from multiple to single rail modes.

“Corsair RMi Series power supplies are fully modular and optimized for silence and power efficiency. Zero RPM Fan Mode means that the fan doesn’t spin until the power supply is under heavy load, and the fan itself is custom-designed for low noise operation even at high loads. 80 PLUS Gold rated efficiency saves you money on your power bill, and the flat black cables are fully modular so you can enjoy fast, neat builds. The Corsair RMi Series is built with high-quality components, including all Japanese electrolytic capacitors, and is guaranteed to deliver clean, stable, continuous power, even at ambient temperatures as high as 50°C. Users can also install Corsairs Link software to monitor power usage and fan speed. With 650W, 750W, 850W and 1000W models available there is a Corsair RMi power supply suitable for potentially any PC configuration.” – Corsair

Packaging and Contents

The RM1000i offers up, you guessed it, 1000 watts of power. There’s a nice and clear image of the PSU on the front of the box, as well as a quick run-down of the major features on the rest of the packaging, such as the 80 Plus Gold certification and semi-passive cooling design.

In the box, you’ll find the manual, warranty guide, power cable, screws and a few cable ties to help you keep everything neat and tidy.

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Corsair Displays RMi Series PSU at Computex 2015

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Computex 2015 – Corsair is showcasing their PSUs among other things at this year’s Computex and we stopped by to take a look. On display is the RMi Series with 1000W, 850W, 750W, and 650W models.

The RMi series are high-performance power supplies with gold certification for efficiency. They are built with high-end Japanese capacitors and the fans use high-end fluid dynamic bearings.

The RMi series is fully modular, allowing you to create the best possible cable management.

Corsairs Digital Link allows you to connect the digital PSU to your system for temperature and output monitoring.

On display was also a 600W SFX PSU featuring a 92mm fan and modular cable sets.

Specifications

  • 80 PLUS Gold certified: High-efficiency operation for less excess heat and lower operating costs
  • 100% all Japanese 105°C capacitors: Premium internal components ensure solid power delivery and long-term reliability
  • Zero RPM Fan Mode: Allows for virtually silent operation at low and medium loads
  • Configurable +12V rail options: Can be run in the default multi-rail +12V mode, or toggled to single-rail operation
  • Corsair Link Digital: Advanced desktop application lets users monitor and log fan speed, voltages and power consumption, as well as control fan speed and toggle the +12V rail from multi-rail to a single +12V rail
  • Seven-year warranty: A guarantee of reliable operation that will last across several system builds
  • Suggested Retail Prices:
    – 650W – $129.99 MSRP
    – 750W – $139.99 MSRP
    – 850W – $159.99 MSRP
    – 1000W – $189.99 MSRP

Thermaltake Presents DPS G 1600W Power Supply @ Computex 2015

Posted on by Rikki Wright
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Computex 2015 – We have stopped by the Thermaltake stand to take a look at what they have to offer and the brand new Toughpower DPS G 1600W power supply has really caught our eye.

Featuring a 140mm fan, digital monitoring and 80PLUS Platinum efficiency rating; this is set to be a huge contender for the high-end market. The power supply will then feature all of the typical Thermaltake power supply features such as a huge 12v rail, Japanese capacitors and a fully modular cabling design.

We look forward to taking a closer look at this product in a future review. We will keep you updated with and news of events that happen during the remainder of Computex 2015.

Thermaltake Announces Core X9 Snow Edition Chassis

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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Thermaltake has launched a Snow White edition of their gorgeous Core X9 e-ATX cube case. The case is particular suited for liquid cooling setups, but that doesn’t stop you from using it for something else, a file server for example, or whatever comes to your mind.

The cube design allows for endless stackability, so the height of your ceiling is your only limitation, next to maybe your wallet size when it comes to expanding to more and beyond.

Users can customize the chassis for the best viewing presentation with interchangeable window and I/O panel design. The dual chamber concept is made to improve the cooling performance and the efficiency, but also to allow you to display your expensive components even better. You have the bottom chamber for drives and PSU and the top chamber is used for your motherboard, graphics cards, and other add-ons.

The case is fully modular and you can take everything apart. A 3 +9 drive bay concept design for accessory and storage devices makes setting up the best storage solution on the market super easy and flexible. In addition, a customizable 5.25” & 3.5” drive bay feature enables users to freely interchange the 3.5” hard drive cages to suit their particular needs.

Even when you build a high-end system full of components you’ll have plenty of spare space inside. Pay attention to the amount of fans built into this case in the demo shot below, that are enough fans to make one or another artist jealous. There is room for graphics cards up to 590mm length and tower CPU coolers up to 250mm. Even the biggest PSUs will fit with the spacious 200m room in that area.

I could just keep on writing about this chassis, because I think it’s one of the most amazing ones ever built – may it be the black or this new Show White version – but if you’d like to know even more, then I’d recommend to check out the official product page where you can find all the details and extra information you might be looking for before making your final purchasing decision.

Moscase: The Swiss Army Knife iPhone Case

Posted on by Rikki Wright
1

The typical phone case is just a piece of hardened plastic that wraps around the edges of your phone to add a bit of protection. Okay some have a little kick stand or card pockets to add a tiny bit more functionality, but the end result is the same.

Moscase however, is a $150,000 crowdfunded initiative that looks to make a simple case for the iPhone 6 and 6Plus. This simple case then has a removable backplate to expand the functionality of what was once a simple phone case.

The idea is to keep the phone as a phone, but the case as a sort of swiss army knife, where you can swap the back for something else; such as additional speakers, a breathalyser or solar charger.

“The device comes in two parts. The bumper without a backplate can sense your pulse, temperature, and body impedance AKA how fat you are. It costs $129 and comes with a “passive” backplate. A model with one “active” backplate costs $219. I think the e-ink solution is the coolest, allowing you to read on the back of your phone, saving your battery for more important work.”

This sounds like a bit of an attempt of trying to make the iPhone something that can compete with Project Ara.

Would you be willing to shell out that sort of money for a phone case? What about the practicality of carrying around all those additional backplates? Let us know in the comments.

Thank you to TechCrunch for providing us with this information

Sharkoon Announces Two New SFX PSUs With 80 Plus Rating

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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When you build a small form factor system then you’ll also need a small power supply and it’s great to see more feature rich PSUs arrive. Today it is Sharkoon that introduced two new SFX PSUs with 80 Plus rating and even include an ATX mounting frame for cases that don’t support these smaller PSUs. The two new units are the SilentStorm SFX Gold 500W and the SilentStorm SFX Bronze 350W, and the names kind off give away their specifications.

The SilentStorm SFX Gold 500W comes with an 80 PLUS Gold certification, a thing that’s not that common yet in the SFX form factor. Compact systems need effective and efficient power too, so this is great to see. The unit offers an outstanding efficiency of over 90 percent at 50 percent load and meets the strict requirements of the independent 80 PLUS Initiative.

The SilentStorm SFX Gold 500 PSU is a fully modular unit, allowing you to have an even better setup in your tiny case. You still get two 6+2 pin PCIe connectors, four SATA, two Molex and one Berg connector next to the obligatory CPU and motherboard connectors.

 

 

The quiet 120mm fan should reduce the noise output significantly over cheaper units while still keeping it all cool. It is compatible with Intel Haswell CPUs and backed by a three-year warranty. The suggested retail price is €79.90.

The second new unit isn’t quite as powerful, but it also costs about half of the Gold certified. The SilentStorm SFX Bronze can provide your system with 350W or 450W of power depending on version. It is only 80 Plus Bronze certified, but that isn’t without either. The unit offers over 85 percent efficiency at 50% load and meets the strict requirements of the independent 80 PLUS Initiative.

This unit only has one 6-pin PCIe connector, two SATA, two Molex and one Berg connectors next to the CPU and mainboard connectors. The 450W model comes with one more SATA connector and a 6+2 pin PCIe connector. The unit is kept cool by an 80mm fan and come backed by a three-year warranty.

The Sharkoon SilentStorm SFX Bronze series is available starting at a suggested retail price of €49.99.

The power supplies also feature over power, over voltage, under voltage as well as short circuit protection to keep all your components as safe as possible.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVm88oHixZQ

EVGA Introduced SuperNOVA 650 GS and 550 GS Power Supplies

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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EVGA has introduced the two new power supplies to their award-winning GS lineup, the SuperNOVA 650 GS and 550 GS, and they’re said to come at a more affordable price. The new PSUs offer great performance with their 80 Plus Gold certification and completely silent operation under low loads as well a being completely modular.

The PSUs are built with high-quality Japanese capacitors to provide the 80 PLUS Gold certification with 90% (115VAC) / 92% (220VAC~240VAC) efficiency or higher under typical loads. That coupled with the low noise generation of the Teflon Nano-Steel Bearing fans could make them a great choice.

They are also fully Modular to reduce cable clutter in your case and improve the airflow. Of course the PSUs are ready for both NVIDIA SLI & AMD Crossfire setups and feature the ECO mode button that also could be labeled silent mode instead. The protections include OVP (Over Voltage Protection), UVP (Under Voltage Protection), OPP (Over Power Protection), and SCP (Short Circuit Protection).

 

The new SuperNOVA 650 and 550 PSUs are backed by a 5-year warranty and EVGA customer support. No word on pricing or availability yet.

Thanks to EVGA for providing us with this information

 

Love Customized Tech? Now Customize Your Own Keyboard!

Posted on by Joe Dincer-Ubl
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With all the keyboard options available, and some I didn’t even know existed, there are always those who can’t find that perfect fit. Now, thanks to students from Tokyo University, finding that keyboard is now a bit easier.

Named “Tricky”, this prototype modular keyboard is meant to be small and purpose-built for specific inputs. And we do mean small, only six keys per board, although you can latch together other sets and build a more expansive keyboard. Each key is designed to be reprogrammed or removed at your convenience giving you the best option for what you need. With the keys remembering the function assigned to them, you can rearrange them as you please so that you can be sure you have that perfect layout. And don’t worry about forgetting which key is where, as the key-caps are customizable too.

Now how much will this cost you ask? According to the Kickstarter page, each set of six keys costs $139, which is about the same as a full size or ten keyless mechanical. This means if you wish to build a fairly expansive keyboard, be ready to dish out for it. For those interested, here is the Kickstarter link.

Source: Gizmodo

ENERMAX Introduces Silent Digifanless 550W PSU

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
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On the occasion of the company’s 25th anniversary, ENERMAX introduced the new Digifanless 550W power supply, the first digital and fanless power supply from ENERMAX. The new PSU isn’t just digital and fanless, it also comes with a 80 Plus Platinum certification and a peak efficiency of 93%.

Digifanless is equipped with a digital interface to read out and control the most essential power values via the brand-new ZDPMS software, including voltage, current, efficiency, and temperature. A great PSU also needs flexibility, so the Digifanless has a fully modular cable management with individually sleeved wires.

It is built with Japanese electrolytic 105°C capacitors, heavy-duty MOSFETs, and a high-density array of aluminium heatsinks to ensure the passive cooling and a continuous 24h full power output at 40°C ambient temperature.

European sales are starting in Week 13 right after CeBIT in Hannover, 16th to 20th of March, where the units will be sold for around €200.

Thanks to ENERMAX for providing us with this information

Concept Turns Old Smartphone Parts into High Spec PC

Posted on by Ryan Simmons
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Many of us update our phones at increasingly regular intervals now, often once every one or two years. While many of us sell our phones, the buyers of secondhand devices don’t keep them too long either. Quite often they end up in landfill. So what do we do to solve this? Should we all buy modular phones like the concept proposed by Google and others? Well one company in Finland thinks that is indeed the way to go, but wants to take it even further.

The Puzzlecluster is a concept put forward by Circular Devices, a Finnish company that is developing the Puzzlephone, a modular smartphone similar to Google’s Project Ara. Their cluster concept would utilise the discarded modules used in the phones to make high spec PCs and as time progresses, supercomputers.

The idea is beautifully simple – the Puzzlecluster is essentially a case that can take old components from modular smartphones. It’ll allow you to keep adding old CPUs, building up the power of the system the more you add. The machine could be repurposed as a PC, or as you add more and more CPUs, it could become a high spec PC and eventually a server or mini supercomputer.

It’s an interesting concept, one that will hopefully someday come to fruition.

Source: The Verge

Roccat Announces New Gaming Peripherals

Posted on by Bohs Hansen
2

ROCCAT is well known for their gaming products and they aren’t shy to try out new things like the ROCCAT Phobo concept that made its debut in 2012 as a gaming keyboard with slot-integrated smartphone. Continuing this, ROCCAT announced the new Ryos Phobo keyboard. The base concept is still the same, combining a good gaming keyboard with smartphone technology connected via two Bluetooth channels. The wireless Ipuri setup allows you to place your phone anywhere on the desktop to suit your setup and preferences. Cherry MX Switch Mechanical keys, two USB ports and a ten-key-less design make the Ryos Phobo a powerful but compact gaming keyboard.

“When concepting Phobo, we knew we had a strong vision,” explains René Korte, CEO and Founder of ROCCAT. “Still, we brought it back to the drawing board to expand and perfect the design.”

Those already interested in the new Ryos Phobo keyboard will have to wait a little while as “we’re looking at a Q3 2015 drop date” for this out of the ordinary keyboard.

 

ROCCAT is showed off the mechanical keyboard lineup with the Ryos MK FX and, Ryos TKL FX, both with Cherry MX Switches and RGB LEDs. The difference between the two models whether you want the numpad or not, AKA Ten-Keys-Less.

The new Nyth gaming mouse is expected a little bit earlier than the keyboard with a Q2 2015 date. The Nyth is a modular MMO gaming mouse that fluidly transforms into OBA and FPS layouts thanks to custom button placement and interchangeable side-parts. Those lucky enough to own a 3D printer will also be able to print, and create their own parts for the mouse.

“Our growing file library of 3-D printed buttons and side-parts will ensure Nyth users get value out of Nyth years past what anyone else is offering today,” effuses René. “It’s adaptable and great fun to play with. Much like the human fingerprint, almost no Nyth will be the same as another once users bring their creative customizations into the picture.” 

The new ROCCAT’s Kave XTD 5.1 Analog headset is the last of the new peripherals showed, and it is also the one that will be available first with a Q1 2015 date. It comes with noise canceling technology and in-cable remote as well as a 25% weight reduction.

Thanks to Roccat for providing us with this information

Seasonic Release ECO 430W Power Supply

Posted on by Chris Smith
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Taiwan-based power supply manufacturer Seasonic has just announced their launch of two new skews – set to be on sale in mainland China in the coming weeks.

Their first announced product is the ECO430, being given a 80PLUS 230VEU certification, this PSU is marketed at those who are looking to save a little extra on their power bills. For those who are unaware, an 80PLUS Bronze rating means that the power supply efficiency rate is that of 85% or above – signifying that at least 85% of the power that is drawn in through the wall socket can be distributed throughout your PC components.

This unit comes with your standard 120mm FBD bearing fan alongside Rhine temperature control technology. By looking at the images provided, it doesn’t look like this model is modular (news sources were unable to confirm) – but modular capabilities is something that we don’t often see in a budget-level power supply. The ECO430 does however feature a flat 24-pin Motherboard cable to help a little with your cable management capabilities.

The announced release price for this product is 399 yuan ($65 US), which see’s it competing with budget ‘eco’ offerings including Thermaltake’s TR2, FSP’s 400w, The Corsair CX500 and Antec’s Neo.

There is no set plan of release in the Western world as of yet – we will report if the story develops. Looking at the links provided above, will this Seasonic unit be worth the extra $10 US for a 430w offering when compared to the Corsair CX500 which comes in at $55 US?

 

Images courtesy of Chiphell

Pebble to Push new Modular Smart Watch in 2015

Posted on by Chris Smith
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2015 will see smart watch manufacturer Pebble release their next generation highly customizable product choices. Not only will they reportedly contain the ability to be strapped to your wrists via a plastic, metal case or leather strap – but advanced customization options are ticking in the pipeline.

Pebble was introduced to the world thanks to a Kickstarter campaign reaching great success, ensuring they could begin pitting their best against the plethora of smart watch offerings by multi-billion dollar tech companies such as Apple, Samsung, ASUS and LG.

Following the high-profile release of Apple’s first smart watch, Pebble have decided to entice customers to their brand by providing alternatives in styling, features and operation to these big-name competitors. The next models of Pebble watches will feature many secret developments in design and application, but unfortunately it’s very hard to get information out of them at this stage as to any specifics.

The most popular rumor is that of Pebble releasing modular smart watches, giving users the ability to do things such as change their wrist bands on-the-run and utilize different watch faces. It’s a smart concept as it then creates a product to suit many different users needs. Imagine a watch that you can dress up for a job interview, then simply change the fact and strap for a dance in a dingy nightclub.

At this stage there isn’t any more information available to us, including no set release date or pricing structure – we will report as the story develops here on eTeknix.

Image courtesy of Chiphell