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Crucial Announced as Platinum Sponsor of Popular LANFest Gaming Series
Fremont, CA , July 26, 2010 — Lexar Media, a leading global provider of memory products for digital media, today announced that Crucial is a Platinum sponsor of LANFest Sponsored by Intel. The sponsorship gives LANFest event attendees an opportunity to win excellent prizes such as Crucial Ballistix memory and Crucial solid-state drives, plus unique Crucial swag, including Crucial “Memory Hawg” T-shirts and limited-edition Crucial Snuggies™. Crucial is a longtime supporter of the LAN (local area network) gaming community, sponsoring PC gaming events across North America, the United Kingdom, and Europe.  Link

Crucial RealSSD C300 256GB
"Slow secondary storage has been the biggest persistent gripe about PC gaming for quite a while now. While CPUs, RAM, graphics cards and system busses have all been improving at a steady rate; hard drives have stayed more or less stagnant for the past decade. Enter the solid state drive. At its most basic level, a SSD has the same basic structure as a USB flash drive: a bunch of NAND flash memory chips, a controller to tie them together, and an interface that talks to the outside world. Where a SSD pulls ahead is, naturally enough, in the performance of those three components. Today we'll be looking at the RealSSD C300 256GB SSD from Crucial. Taking advantage of the still-uncommon SATA 6.0 GBps interface, this drive promises to deliver blisteringly fast performance."  Link

Gigabyte X58A-UD9 review
"X58 motherboards are a dime a dozen nowadays, but it takes a truly exceptional board to stand out from the crowd, especially if you’re being asked $700 (AED 2,400) for it! I mean, at that price this thing has to be a monster, feature filled to the brim, allowing you almost limitless overclocking possibilities and future proofed for at least half a decade. Gigabyte’s latest flagship motherboard, the X58A-UD9 is just that, except that it won’t be the biggest and most expensive motherboard on the planet in half a year."  Link

ASUS Crosshair IV Formula Motherboard
"ASUS Crosshair IV Formula is undoubtedly an original and interesting product. Its features, like GameFirst and ROG Connect, are actually useful and may come in handy. The bundle includes everything you need, and then a bit more."  Link

MSI 890FXA-GD70 AMD 890FX Motherboard Review
"Overall I am thoroughly impressed with the MSI 890FXA-GD70 motherboard. Why you may ask. It does exactly what it is supposed to do with out complaining. Sure the performance was slightly behind that of the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula, but it isn't the kind of performance difference you will notice on a day to day basis. What you may notice on a day to day basis, is the price difference. At the time of this writing the MSI 890FXA-GD70 is $179.99 after rebate. That puts the MSI 890FXA-GD70 thirty bucks below the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula. That's an extra thirty bucks you can invest into a better graphics card or processor..."  Link

Intel Core i5-655K Processor
"Many years ago, overclocking was not limited by Intel/AMD like nowadays. As it is usual, when they see they can make extra money from the consumers by limiting their features to those who pay more, they don't hesitate to take advantage of that. In the last years, the Intel made it a little bit "impossible" for those who want to buy a CPU with unlocked multiplier. Intel was limiting that feature to the Extreme Edition CPUs. AMD took this as an opportunity to approach consumers with a feature their competition wouldn't give and so the AMD Black Edition CPUs appeared. AMD has been kindly enough to offer Black Edition products for each segment in the market, and that means you can find a BE (Black Edition) CPU for less than $100. Intel is striking back with a pair of new processors which feature an unlocked multiplier without the $999 tag. Today, Benchmark Reviews will analyze the Intel Core i5 655K Unlocked CPU which basically is a Clarkd! ale based 2-cores/4-threads processor with Intel HD graphics and specially aimed at overclockers. Is the unlocked multiplier good enough to pay that little extra or isn't it worth it? Is it better to overclock with multiplier or should I to raise the BCLK? Those answers and more will be covered as Benchmark Reviews tests the Intel Core i5-655K Clarksdale processor, model BX80616I5655K."  Link

Aerocool VS-9 Case Review
"Today we are looking at the VS-9 case from Aerocool.  The VS-9 is part of Aerocool's Performance Gaming System (PGS) line of cases.  PGS lets you choose your case based on 5 categories, Compact, Ultimate gaming, Aluminum, Professional and Value.  The VS-9 falls into the Value category.  We've all heard the old saying, "You get what you pay for."  Let's take a look at the VS-9 and see what kind of quality and features Aerocool can pack in a value case."  Check it out here at the Club

Corsair Professional Series Gold AX1200 Power Supply Review
"Corsair is well known for producing some of the best PC power supplies on the market today and the AX1200 continues that trend. The Corsair Professional Series Gold AX1200 power supply delivers clean DC outputs, with excellent efficiency and good voltage regulation. Under normal operating conditions (below 600W load) the AX1200 is relatively quiet. The AX1200 comes with an excellent assortment of all-modular cables that can support the latest CPUs and multiple, high-end video cards. And let’s not forget active PFC, universal AC input and Corsair’s 7-year warranty! "  Link

Thermaltake Armor A90 Review
"Today HardwareLogic is looking at the Thermaltake Armor A90, another new product in Thermaltake's Armor range of midrange PC cases.  It offers a stealth fighter-esque exterior design, but does it have quality and practicality to back up the looks?"  Link

MSI Big Bang XPOWER Motherboard
"Enthusiast motherboards are designed to squeeze every bit of performance out of your hardware. MSI releases their Big Bang XPOWER motherboard. Does it have the power to impress us, or will it just be another flash in the pan?"  Link

Aerocool PGS Vx-R Case
"The PGS Vx-R represents the budget model from Aerocool's new lineup of casings. Despite the cost-conscious market segment, the company has implemented features that are more often found in higher-end casings. There are certain areas where the cost-cutting measures taken by the company shows, however overall the case represents some of the best bang-for-buck you can have from a cool casing such as the Vx-R."  Link

G.Skill release DDR3 48GB at 1,900 MHz CL8
"Taipei, Taiwanー23th July 2010ーG.Skill International Co. Ltd., manufacturer of extreme performance memory and solid-state storage with solid quality, has today released the world’s only hand-picked, hand-tested, ultra-high capacity DDR3 memory kit for workstations: 48GB (4GBx12) of 1,900MHz CL8 1.65V with G.Skill's popular Ripjaws series heatsink.

Designed exclusively for EVGA’s best in class Super Record 2 (SR-2) motherboard, which features dual Intel Xeon LGA1366 CPU sockets and 12 DDR3 memory slots, G.Skill has been able to match its masterpiece of 48GB DDR3 precisely to this board, making it performance for performance-hungry workstation users. Furthermore, based on G.Skill lab’s internal test results, advanced users capable of understanding sophisticated BIOS adjustments will be able to reach 2,000MHz CL8 with the G.Skill Ripjaws 48GB DDR3 kit..."  Link

ASUS Rampage III Gene (X58 Express) Motherboard
"There is no doubt that the ASUS Republic of Games line-up is one of the best on the market. Sure, you can get a good board from this company or that, but as far as a single line goes, you would be hard pressed to find better than the Republic of Gamers. We have had the pleasure of testing out most of the current crop and are now able to take a look at another one.

This time on the bench is the Rampage III Gene. The RIIIG (as we will call it moving forward) is the little brother to the Rampage III Extreme. It is an X58 based Micro ATX board with some of the same features of the much larger RIIIE. You also get a few extras that are not found on the RIIIE; these extras seem geared exactly towards the LAN party crowd."  Link

Intel's Xeon 5600 processor
"As you may know, Intel has enjoyed a resurgence in its server and workstation processor business over the past several years, due in no small part to regular and effective refinements to its core CPU technology. The introduction of the "Nehalem" quad-core Xeons last year was the biggest step forward the firm has taken in many years, with a whole new system architecture nicely complementing a revamped processor microarchitecture. The results were major gains in scalability, performance, and power efficiency compared to the prior generation of Xeons—along with renewed strength for Intel's competitive standing versus its main rival, AMD."  Link

ASUS Crosshair IV Formula 890FX Chipset Motherboard Review
"Without a doubt in my mind the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula motherboard is a force to be reckoned with. The ASUS Crosshair IV Formula is one of the best looking motherboards I have tested, but looks always take a back seat for me when it comes to computer components. Performance is king, and the ASUS Crosshair IV Formula easily takes the crown today! For the most part performance across the board was above and beyond that of either of the AMD 890GX chipset boards that were compared today..."  Link

Foxconn H55MX-S Motherboard Review
"Foxconn H55MX-S is priced under the psychological threshold of $100. Naturally, it has but basic functionality and isn't meant to be overclocked. At the same time, it has a few advantages you don't normally find in products cheaper than a hundred bucks."  Link

Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD6 Intel P55 Express Motherboard Review
"Gigabyte's flagship GA-P55-UD6 motherboard has just been ousted from its position as the company's top Intel P55 Express-based platform! What could Gigabyte possibly replace this motherboard with... but itself? Meet the Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD6, a special revision of the original P55-UD6 motherboard that adds next generation features to Gigabyte's already double-stuffed flagship motherboard."  Link

ASRock 890GM Pro3 (AMD 890GX) Motherboard Review
"We have had more than a few ASRock board in the lab. We have even had the folks from ASRock stop by to talk to us about their products. So it comes as no surprise that ASRock has been one of the ones to send out their IGP carrying AM3 boards that are claiming full support for the Phenom II X6. As we have found out, though, not all boards that support the X6 can do so with style.

ASRock claims that their 890GM Pro3 can do so and lists some other nice features to boot. Features like core unlocking, Turbo Core, Turbo overclock setting (Turbo30, 50 and 60) and more. You get all of this for only $117 from Newegg.com."  Link

Gigabyte H55N-USB3 ITX Motherboard Review
"Gigabyte introduced a new ITX mainboard based on the H55 chipset that also features USB3.0 onboard. We tested the board to see if ITX boards are finally grown up and can be used to build an all-round system."   Link

ClubOverclocker welcomes everyone from the Wiregrass CompTIA class.
After reviewing hardware for the last 13 years, I've decided to get my A+ and Security+ certifications.  I've been putting them off for years.  If you get your certification after Dec 31, 2010 you will have to re-test every three years.  So, I thought this was a good time to do it.  Now on with the news.

Call of Duty Anyone?

Click for full screenshot 1920x1280

Just wanted to let you know I rock at Call of Duty: World at War.  I play just about every night on the TBG server.  Join up and try to beat me.

Gigabyte GTX 465 1GB
"When the GTX 400 series cards launched in March 2010, consumers were greeted with a new architecture that met our expectations, and Nvidia lovers finally had an alternative to the ATi HD 5000 series. Nvidia stole back the single GPU performance crown, also made their footprint on tessellation with very impressive results. CUDA cores were increased, overall performance was increased, now Nvidia lovers finally had a DirectX 11 card to purchase. Aside from power draw and heat output, the only real negative trait the GTX 400 series had was pricing.

With the GTX 470 going for $349 MSRP and the GTX 480 going for $499 MSRP, Nvidia was lacking a Fermi powered card in the mainstream $250 price range. ATi has a $239 MSRP HD 5830, and Nvidia had nothing to answer with. However, things were looking great for Nvidia because hardcore enthusiasts finally got the card they had waited over 6 months for and the performance crown was back in Nvidia’s camp. Unfortunately for budget gamers, they were left without any Fermi offering to purchase. Now, a full two months after Fermi’s appearance, Nvidia released the GTX 465, which has an unexpected launch MSRP of $279."  Link

AMD Athlon II X4 640 CPU
"Today we will take a look at the AMD:s newest consumer class quadcore cpu. AMD Athlon II X4 640 is a 3.0GHz processor and we will be taking a look at how well it performs against AMD Phenom II X4 and the older AMD Athlon II X4 635. Let's have a closer look at it."  Link

Zalman ZM-NC3000U Notebook Cooler
"Zalman is once again in the spotlight here at Benchmark reviews, returning today with the ZM-NC3000U notebook cooler. Regular visitors may remember the ZM-NC2500 Plus notebook cooler from Zalman was reviewed here not to long ago. While the function is the same, the design is very different. The Zalman ZM-NC3000U notebook cooler sports a big 220mm centre mounted fan and has a sand blasted, anodized aluminium vented surface surrounded by a glossy black outer bezel, which makes for a very nice look indeed. We aim to see in this review if this design difference will offer any more performance over its younger brother, so join us now as we examine the design and analyze the capabilities of the Zalman ZM-NC3000U notebook cooler."  Link

Thermaltake Armor A90 Computer Case review
"If you think us computer/electronic reviewers are some kind of epic technogeeks with out-of-this-world powers composed of a completely different set of DNA than the general consumer, then you are only viewing a small part of a big picture. Yes, we do work with many different manufacturers to various extents in a wide variety of such products -- but for the most part, we are often no different than yourself in being (pretty hardcore) computer enthusiasts. And when it comes to the topic of being a computer enthusiast, to be honest I have been pretty disappointed in the computer cases that have been released in the past few years. Fundamentally, I have a few guidelines when it comes to selecting my chassis of choice (Other than the Thermaltake Level 10, which is the only computer case in this market today that is awesome enough to be the exception to everything I am going to list). The product has to be a mid-tower in classical motherboard configuration for a large unobstructed left sided window, standard 120mm or 140mm front and rear fans only, stylish but clean panel designs, and excellent construction quality all around. Preferred personal features that are not stringent requirements come down to aspects such as aluminum panels and decent sound-proofing. A few years ago, computer cases that fit this bill were not hard to find. Antec has them. Cooler Master has them. SilverStone has them. Thermaltake has them. And so on. But lately, it seems every manufacturer has jumped the boat to exquisitely large enclosures combined with an obsession with slapping on loud unorthodox sized cooling fans in every corner, overdone face designs in the name of 'gaming', and so-called innovations that simply put me off. If there is a manufacturer that held true to my philosophy of case designs, it would be Lian-Li. But other than clean conservative aluminum designs, is there anything else that may also appeal to people like me? Let's take a look at something that takes a shot at being different in a good way: the Thermaltake Armor A90."  Link

Sapphire HD5550 Overclock Edition
"A few days ago we looked at the HD5670 Ultimate card from Sapphire. Today we will be following that review up with its little brother, the HD5550 overclock edition. This card has 320 Stream Processors and 512GB of the latest DDR5 memory. It has clock speeds of 650MHz core and 1000MHz (4GHz effective) for the memory. This is up from the typical 550MHz core. The card sports a heatsink and fan combo from Artic cooling to keep it cool and silent. Let's check it out to see how well it performs."  Check it out here at the Club

Sapphire HD5670 Ultimate 1GB
"Today, we are looking at the HD5670 Ultimate Edition.  This card has 400 Stream Processors and sports 1GB of the latest DDR5 memory.  It has clock speeds of 775MHz core and 1000MHz (4GHz effective) for the memory.  What makes this card special, is its massive passive cooling system.  It delivers the same performance as fan cooled models, but with a totally silent heatpipe cooler, making it the fastest silent cooled graphics card available today.  Let's check it out to see how well it performs."  Check it out right here at the club

Gigabyte 890FXA-UD7
"It has been a while since I played with a top end AMD CPU. Sure I've played with a few AMD CPUs here and there, but they were mainstream CPUs and not AMD top end counter parts. Even then, I was limited to what I could do because they were not my personal CPU. Well, my dad picked himself up an AMD 1055T Thuban six core CPU, and I happened to have one of Gigabyte’s flagship motherboard, the 890FXA-UD7.
The 890FXA-UD7 has four unique features that I personally like to see on a motherboard. One of these features is the use of SATA 3 (SATA 6 Gb/s), USB 3 and USB Power 3 (Gigabyte’s very own '333' design). This motherboard is one of the few motherboards that can fully support AMD/ATI’s four-way CrossfireX. You just have to make sure you have a large enough chassis. Because the 890FXA-UD7 is so huge, out of four different chassis I had floating around here, the only chassis that could remotely fit this motherboard was the Raven RV-02 from Silverstone (review can be found HERE). But even then, it was a tight fit."  Link

ASUS ARES 4GB Limited Edition Video Card Review
"The ASUS ARES is the fastest, most expensive and heaviest graphics card that we have ever benchmarked here at Legit Reviews. What is there not to like about it? If you have $1200 burning a hole in your pocket this right here is the ultimate video card in the market today. This is one of those products that is reserved for those that want the ultimate video card at no matter what the cost is..."  Link

\Sapphire HD 5550 Ultimate Edition Videocard Review
"Sapphire's Ultimate Edition HD 5550 is a videocard that has the structure and poise of a good videocard, but is lacking in a couple fundamental foundation elements to be deemed anything "Ultimate"."   Link