TechREACTION » The Duke

[Review] Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus

The Duke — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:25:26 +0000

Today, we are tossing the Cooler Master Elite 431 on our review bench and putting it through the paces. The new Elite 431 Plus builds upon Cooler Master expertise in budget case market, while still trying to deliver high-end features. The Elite 431 Plus features a classic black Cooler Master design with clean, yet attractive, lines. It has also been designed to keep your components inside the case cool with plenty of additional cooling fans, but it can also be fitted with large CPU coolers, such as their Hyper 212 Plus. Cooler Master believes that just because something is affordable, it doesn’t have to lack features or be a “budget” product. We will be sure to hold them to this while we go through our testing! Read on …

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Next: A look at the Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus

[Review] Corsair Voyager GT 32GB USB 3.0

The Duke — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:00:57 +0000

Standard USB 3.0 flash drives are fast. Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 is touted to be even faster with its data transfer rates. The portability and convenience of USB drives has always meant putting up with delays while waiting for files to copy, but with USB 3.0, that should be thing of the past. Chances are that you’re still using at least one PC that hasn’t yet been upgraded to USB 3.0. Flash Voyager GT has you covered, as it is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 as well. The finger-friendly ergonomics of the Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 will make it easy to use and keep in your hand from slipping out. Corsair’s proprietary all-rubber housing is extremely durable, for worry-free transport of your valuable data. The Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 is water-resistant also, for all you klutzes out there. Enough with the niceties, lets’ get on to figuring out how well, or not so well, the Voyager GT will do.

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Next: Speed Tests, Conclusion

[Review] Antec Three Hundred Two

The Duke — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 05:27:53 +0000

Three Hundred, the previous well-liked case by Antec, is back with a chassis designed to handle today and tomorrow’s high-performance systems. The Three Hundred Two, is touted to be the next standard in affordable gaming cases. This new chassis from Antec is supposed to be built for gamers from the inside-out. With tool-less 5.25″ & 3.5″ drive bays, a large cable management compartment and two front panel USB 3.0 ports with an internal connector, the Three Hundred Two will hopefully be the rightful heir to the Gaming Series legacy. However, it still needs to pass our testing before we approve any of the praise this case has already received. Read on …

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Next: A look at the Antec Three Hundred Two

[Review] Cerwin-Vega XD3 Desktop Speakers

The Duke — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:07:11 +0000

With over 50 years of speaker system know-how for concerts, movies, public address and clubs, Cerwin-Vega has been around the block. When creating the XD3 speaker for desktop and computer applications the goal is to optimize the sound output while keeping the enclosure small. Clarity is critical, especially for those producing multimedia or analyzing tracks. Signal purity must be maintained by using low noise amplifiers that don’t disappoint when the volume is set on high.

Powered desktop speakers like the XD3 must also fully integrate with your entire sound system and outboard accessories. The XD3 has the capability to handle multiple inputs, you can switch instantly between your computer as a source or other more portable platforms such as iPods, phones and other media players via the 1/8″ stereo Auxiliary input. The XD3 also has a convenient headphone jack which allows you to easily plug-in headphones without getting behind your computer. How well will they actually stack up in our testing? Read on and find out …

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Next: XD3 Speakers and Installation

[Review] Corsair Carbide 500R

The Duke — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 18:41:19 +0000

The 500R from Corsair promises even more flexibility over the 400R. It adds a 200mm fan mounted on the side panel’s mesh screen for extra GPU cooling, a multi-channel fan controller, and removable and relocatable hard drive cages. The ability for the user to move and remove hard drive cages not only improves airflow, it also allows you to install graphics cards of up to 452mm in length. The Carbide Series are modeled from the Obsidian and Graphite Series which are acclaimed for their ease of use and performance-oriented engineering, and this philosophy is still used in the Carbide Series.

The 500R has support for USB 3.0 and 2.5” SSDs is built-in, while thumb screws on the side panels and tool-free drive installation should mean quick and easy installation of your hardware. Corsair has also integrated dust filters, which can be quickly removed for easy maintenance, keeping your system as clean as possible. Now that the love fest is over, let’s see if the Corsair 500R actually lives up to the same high standard we hold for all of Corsairs products.

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Next: A look at the Corsair Carbide 500R

[Review] Bitfenix Raider

The Duke — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 01:46:16 +0000

Bitfenix comes to us today with their new creation which could possibly be a serious contender, the Raider. The first chassis to offer four USB 3.0 ports, the Raider is ready for any future peripherals you might want to throw at it, offering all the high-speed connectivity you need. The integrated fan controller manages up to five fans, allowing you to customize your system’s cooling profile to suit the task at hand. The Raider also sports filtered intakes, tool-free drive locking mechanisms, rubber grommets and plenty of space behind the motherboard tray. A removable hard drive cage wall means that Raider even accommodates expansion cards up to 38cm in length. The Raider is also coated in the signature BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface Treatment for a quality matte finish and one-of-a-kind feel. How well does all this add up?

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Next: A look at the Bitfenix Raider

[Review] Enermax Briskie

The Duke — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 14:00:27 +0000

The Briskie keyboard is equipped with a durable membrane key stroke technology with up to 10 million key strokes lifetime. It ensures a smooth and comfortable typing experience, even over a longer period of time. The height can be adjusted in two steps to match your needs. To avoid damage caused by accidental spills and to ease the keyboard cleaning, Enermax further applied a spill-resistant structure.

The Briskie mouse is designed for prolonged, ambidextrous use. The ergonomic shape offers an excellent grip and control. The mouse is also equipped with a DPI adjustment button, giving you four adjustable resolutions (800/1000/1200/1600 dpi). For easy portability, a wireless receiver can be snapped into the bottom of the mouse. We will be putting the combo through the paces and see how well it does when we are finished playing with it.

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Next: The Enermax Briskie, Usage, and Conclusion.

[Review] Rosewill Thor V2 White Edition

The Duke — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 10:01:53 +0000

Today we have the new Thor V2 White Edition in hand, which has plenty of features jammed into it. The Thor supports up to XL-ATX Motherboard (13.5” x 10.3”) / SSI-CEB (E-ATX) (12″ x 10.3″) along with a mostly tool-free installation. The Thor V2 has also updated the USB 3.0 connections, adding one more than the original, and reorganizing the top I/O section. The massive inside supports up to a 330mm (12.99″) video card, along with having a 230mm front intake fan to help keep your hardware nice and cool. There are a lot more features the Thor V2 sports, but we will save those for the actual review. So, sit back, relax, and read on.

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Next: A look at the Thor V2

[Review] Cooler Master Storm Trooper

The Duke — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 05:25:54 +0000

The Cooler Master Storm Trooper includes features that are often coveted by gaming enthusiasts in that it has full dust filter coverage, a fan controller, an external SSD drive hot-swap dock and two modular hard drive cages. These features give CM Storm Trooper the ability to adapt easily to configurations ranging from workstation to water-cooled gaming configurations. The CM Storm Trooper is the first in its class to include an ultra-strong carrying handle, allowing a gamer to travel with relative ease. The CM Storm Trooper is also the first full tower chassis with two 90 degrees rotatable 4-in-3 HDD modules. The bottom SSD drive cage can be removed to allow space for a 240mm water cooling radiator or 2 x 120mm fans.

There are two extremely sturdy handles, lying beneath the top facade, that are directly attached to the steel frame. Adding to this rugged build, the exterior is covered in a damage-resistant rubberized coating which will protect the case from damage or scratches during transport. The CM Storm Trooper supports high-end hardware including XL-ATX board, multiple GPUs in SLI or Crossfire, and up to 14 hard-drives for future upgrades. We will be taking a look at all these options and seeing just how well they work with the Trooper. Read on …

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Next: A look at the Cooler Master Storm Trooper

[Review] Bitfenix Outlaw

The Duke — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 17:43:33 +0000

A new release from Bitfenix, the Outlaw, packs a slightly different punch than anything else from Bitfenix. With its inverted motherboard tray, the Outlaw accepts even the longest graphics cards with ease, while enhancing graphics card cooling. Plenty of optional fan locations will help keep the rest of your system cool, while a native SSD mount on the bottom of the case will help you keep up with new technology. With plenty of connectivity and their signature BitFenix SofTouch™ Surface treatment, the Outlaw is looking to be a top performer in the mid-price range segment. We will be seeing just how well the Bitfenix performs during our testing, so sit back and read on.

TechREACTION » The Duke

[Review] Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus

[Review] Corsair Voyager GT 32GB USB 3.0

Packaging:

Specifications:

[Review] Antec Three Hundred Two

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Antec Three Hundred Two

[Review] Cerwin-Vega XD3 Desktop Speakers

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

[Review] Corsair Carbide 500R

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Corsair Carbide 500R

[Review] Bitfenix Raider

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Bitfenix Raider

[Review] Enermax Briskie

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

[Review] Rosewill Thor V2 White Edition

Packaging:

Specifications and Features:

Next: A look at the Thor V2

[Review] Cooler Master Storm Trooper

Packaging:

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Next: A look at the Cooler Master Storm Trooper

[Review] Bitfenix Outlaw

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Next: A look at the Bitfenix Outlaw