Podcast #255 - AMD's 5 GHz Processor, 1080p Oculus Rift, and more news from Computex!

Subject: General Tech | June 13, 2013 - 02:33 PM | Ken Addison
Tagged: wwdc, video, titan, podcast, oculus rift, nvidia, FX, apple, amd, a10-6800k, 5ghz

PC Perspective Podcast #255 - 06/13/2013

Join us this week as we discuss AMD's 5 GHz Processor, 1080p Oculus Rift, and more news from Computex!

You can subscribe to us through iTunes and you can still access it directly through the RSS page HERE.

The URL for the podcast is: http://pcper.com/podcast - Share with your friends!

• iTunes - Subscribe to the podcast directly through the iTunes Store
• RSS - Subscribe through your regular RSS reader
• MP3 - Direct download link to the MP3 file

Hosts: Jeremy Hellstrom, Josh Walrath and Morry Teitelman

Program length: 57:27

1. Week in Review:
   1. 0:01:30 AMD Releases First 5 GHz Processor for Consumers, FX-9590 and FX-9370
2. News items of interest:
   1. 0:11:45 Win an AMD A10-6800K Richland APU + SimCity!!
   2. 0:13:00 Computex 2013: Intel Demos Baytrail Tablet, Haswell Ultrabook, Ivy Bridge Passive Tablet
   3. 0:15:00 Razer Blade Haswell Gaming Notebook is Damn Sexy, Powerful
   4. 0:17:15 Computex 2013: Gigabyte Preparing Custom GTX Titan With WindForce 450W Cooler... Some Assembly Required
   5. 0:22:30 AMD wants you to know there is a Radeon HD 7970 GHz Edition for $419
   6. 0:25:10 Computex 2013: New Haswell-Ready PSUs From SeaSonic Pictured
      1. OCZ Releases Haswell PSU Compatibility List
   7. 0:29:30 Computex 2013: The Comedic Return of the Ultra GPUs
   8. 0:33:30 Oculus VR Rift HD 1080p Prototype Headset Impresses
   9. 0:34:15 E3 2013: Monoprice Shows New 27-in and 30-in High-Res, Low Cost Monitors
   10. 0:36:30 NVIDIA Reiterates Dedication to Gaming on PC, Working with Developers
   11. 0:40:40
   12. WWDC 13: Dissecting Apple's New Hardware Changes. MacBook Air and the new Mac Pro.
       1. Apple introduces PCI-Express based SSD in new MacBook Air
3. 0:49:00 Hardware/Software Picks of the Week:
   1. Ryan: LA Traffic
   2. Jeremy: The mighty can of air
   3. Josh: The more I have used this, the better I like it
   4. Allyn: Cold Medication
   5. Morry: more pump for your pump - Swiftech MCP35X
   6. Scott: Now with 100% more compelling. Alienware X51
4. 1-888-38-PCPER or podcast@pcper.com
5. http://pcper.com/podcast
6. http://twitter.com/ryanshrout and http://twitter.com/pcper

The NZXT generation of self contained watercoolers

Subject: Cases and Cooling | June 13, 2013 - 08:03 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: nzxt, kraken, Kraken X40, Kraken X60

[H]ard|OCP recently tried out the two new Kraken coolers from NZXT, the non-i versions of the X40 and X60.  The smaller X40 will possibly be more popular as its smaller size will allow it to be used in conjunction with more cases but the X60 should not be shunned just because it is big.  You might shun it because of its higher price, arguably there are better coolers at the same price point.  The X40 on the other hand walked away with a gold award as not only does it perform well, its price is similar to some high end air coolers.  Check them out here.

"Pardon the cliche', but it must be done. NZXT RELEASES THE KRAKEN! Now since that is out of the way, we take a long [H]ard look at NZXT's new line of Kraken branded sealed system water coolers for your CPU. This type of cooler is quickly becoming the norm for many enthusiasts looking for a quick and easy cooling solution."

Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:

CASES & COOLING

• Thermaltake Water 3.0 Closed Loop Cooler Roundup @ AnandTech
• Noctua NH-U12S and NH-U14S Single Tower CPU Coolers Review @ Pro-Clockers
• Noctua NH-U14S & NH-U12S CPU Coolers Review @ Hardware Canucks
• Thermaltake Urban S31 Mid Tower Case Review @ HiTech Legion
• Cooler Master Seidon 120XL CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Enermax ETS-T40-White Cluster CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Phanteks PH-TC12DX Cpu cooler @ Rbmods
• Cooler Master Seidon 120M CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
• Cooler Master N200 Mini-Tower Case @ Kitguru
• GELID The Black Edition CPU Cooler Review: Man in Black @ X-bit Labs
• Scythe Mugen 4 review: finally a good successor to the Mugen 2 @ Hardware.info
• Noctua NH-U12S @ techPowerUp
• First 140 mm Fan Roundup: Noctua, Phanteks, Xigmatek @ SPCR
• Second 140 mm Fan Roundup: Antec, bequiet!, Corsair, Scythe @ SPCR
• Noctua NF-S12A Series Fans Review @ Pro-Clockers
• Silverstone Argon AR03 @ techPowerUp
• Cougar Spike @ techPowerUp
• Lian Li PC-Q12 mini-ITX Chassis Review @ Techgage
• Cooler Master N200 Review @ OCC
• Corsair Obsidian 350D Windowed Edition Case @ Kitguru
• CM Storm Scout II review: too little, too late @ Hardware.info
• ENERMAX HOPLITE ST ECA3261-W ATX Case @ Modders-Inc

MSI Just Game! Giveaway

Subject: General Tech | June 11, 2013 - 04:20 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: msi, facebook, contest

Head to their Facebook page for your chance to win!

Dell UltraSharp U2413 1920x1200 24-inch IPS Monitor @ $449.99

Subject: General Tech | June 13, 2013 - 02:54 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Dell's UltraSharp U2413 1920 x 1200 24" IPS claims a 6ms response time which makes it suitable for gaming, as well as offering superior colour support.  As it is a new model it supports HDMI, DisplayPort 1.2, DVI-D and mini DisplayPort inputs as well as acting as a 4-port USB 3.0 hub.

Top Deal

• Dell UltraSharp U2413 1920x1200 24-inch IPS Monitor (2013 model) for $449.99 with free shipping (normally $599.99 - use coupon code W7HWC5Q9S4V6VH ).

Additional Deals

• Dell Inspiron 15R 3rd Gen Core i7 Touchscreen Laptop for $749.99 with free shipping (normally $1,169.99 - use coupon code 0H9Q3PQ6L3744C ).
• Apple iPhone 4S [2-year AT&T contract] (Certified Like-New) for $49.99 with free shipping.
• Dell XPS 8700 Core i7-4770 3.4GHz "Haswell" Quad-core Desktop w/8GB RAM, Radeon HD 7570 & 23" UltraSharp Monitor for $849.99 with free shipping (normally $1,174.99 - use coupon code 0H9Q3PQ6L3744C ).
• 21.5" Dell S2240T 1080p Multi-touch LED-backlit LCD Monitor for $339.99 with free shipping (normally $399.99 - use coupon code $PX1BGTSZ3G635 ).
• 50% off Webroot SecureAnyWhere Products.
• Realspace Calusa Mesh Task Chair for $84.99 with free shipping (normally $189.99 - use coupon code 1SWS81789Z348C ).

Clover Trail+ versus ARM, the results may surprise you

Subject: General Tech | June 17, 2013 - 02:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: arm, clover trail, tegra 3

ARM might be in for more of a fight than we had thought if they want to keep their market share for the next generation of cellphones, assuming of course that they are sold in North America.  The Register posted about research recently done contrasting performance and power efficiency between several phone CPUs; the Lenovo K900 with a 2.0GHz Atom Z2580, a a Samsung Nexus 10 with a dual core 1.7GHz Cortex-A15, a Galaxy S4 phone running a "big.LITTLE" Exynos Octa with paired quad-core Cortex-A15 and Cortex A7 and even a Asus Nexus 7 with an Nvidia Tegra 3.  Those phones give a good representation of current generation technology and it seems that while the performance for the top phones was very similar, Intel's new ATOM did it with 2/3 the amperage, specifically an average of 0.85A  as opposed to the 1.38A of the second lowest competitor.  ATOM seems to have finally found a market segment it can do very well in as long as the price is right.

"The industry analysts at ABI Research pitted a Lenovo smartphone based on Intel's Atom-based Clover Trail+ platform against a quartet of ARM-based systems, and Chipzilla's system not only kept pace with the best of them, but did so using less power."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Optimized Binaries Provide Great Benefits For Intel Haswell @ Phoronix
• Samsung releases PCI-Express SSD for ultrabooks @ The Inquirer
• Intel 2014 Haswell-E to pack 8 cores, DDR4, X99 PCH and more @ VR-Zone
• Microsoft unleashes wave of Azure mobile updates @ The Register
• Critical Java SE update due Tuesday fixes 40 flaws @ The Register
• Blackberry 10.2 will support Android 4.2.2 Jelly Bean apps @ The Inquirer
• Android 5.0 Key Lime Pie to come in late October, also optimized for older phones @ VR-Zone
• Letting Bluetooth take the wires out of your headphones @ Hack a Day
• Adding WiFi to a kid’s tablet @ Hack a Day
• Intel bakes smaller, slower flash memory. Aah, now that's progress @ The Register
• TRENDnet AC1200 Dual Band Wireless USB Adapter (TEW-805UB) Review @ Madshrimps
• Computex 2013 Madshrimps Style @ Madshrimps
• AMD Today & Beyond Event @ SilverSpoon, Publika @ TechARP
• ModSynergy 10-Year Celebration Contest - USA and International Edition

New Seagate NAS Storage Solution Delivers Industry’s Highest Capacity and Best Performance

Subject: Storage | June 11, 2013 - 08:08 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Seagate, NAS

CUPERTINO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Seagate Technology (NASDAQ:STX) today took the wraps off its new Seagate® NAS HDD—a cutting-edge drive custom-built for always-on, one- to five-bay network attached storage (NAS) systems. Engineered with performance and reliability in mind, the new drives are available in multiple capacity points including a 4TB option—the industry’s highest capacity NAS hard disk drive (HDD) solution available—and strong industry support from nine NAS system partners.

“Today about 50 percent of NAS arrays are sold diskless meaning that customers are challenged with identifying and installing the right storage for their system. By developing a drive like NAS HDD, we’ve taken the guesswork out of it and made it easy for customers to identify the right drive for their system,” said Scott Horn, Seagate vice president of marketing. “By collaborating closely with a variety of partners who specialize in NAS systems, we’re making what was a confusing effort into a plug-and-play one.”

Featuring up to 4TB of storage the drive now enables NAS systems, such as those utilized in homes and small to midsize businesses (SMB), to provide up to 20TB of data in a five-bay NAS array. And with over 30 percent capacity improvement over competitive offerings, the NAS HDD 4TB drive delivers the highest capacity available on the market.

Cost effective drives built specifically for NAS solutions, the 4TB option has the capacity to store over 819,000 photos, 1 million songs or nearly 500 hours of high-definition (HD) video content—more than enough space for the average household. It is also ideal for small businesses with large enough capacities to support CAD files, medical images and databases.

“QNAP is thrilled to be teaming up with Seagate to offer our customers a high-performance storage solution optimized for NAS systems,” said Meiji Chang, general manager of QNAP. “The Seagate NAS HDD allows us to deliver the highest capacity storage offering on the market while providing our customers with a huge boost in performance and a reliable business level NAS solution for 24x7 operations.”

“Households and SMBs continue to generate a significant amount of data, and need fast and reliable storage solutions,” said John Rydning, IDC's research vice president for hard disk drives. “Rather than taking hours or days to transfer a large amount of digital content over the internet to a cloud storage service provider, Seagate’s new NAS HDD provides a high-capacity solution for fast data transfers and backups on-premise over local networks.”

Built to provide up to 10 percent performance advantage over the competition for 24x7 NAS applications, the NAS HDD is engineered for performance in always on applications and can support multiple HD video streams and user profiles. The drive boasts near silent acoustics operating below the range of audible sound for the human ear with as low as 1.9 bels, providing optimized acoustics for the home or SMB environment. It also features Seagate’s own NASWorks™ technology which improves drive reliability by supporting features that limit drive vibrations and support extended error recovery controls for better data integrity.

Seagate NAS HDDs are built and tested to provide industry-leading performance for small NAS systems. Key features of the NAS HDD include:

• Industry’s Highest Capacity NAS Drive—up to 4TB available, the NAS HDD offers a 30 percent capacity advantage over the competition.
• Best Performance for 1- to -5-bay NAS Systems—built and tested to provide industry-leading performance, NAS HDDs offer the industry’s highest throughput to deliver the performance demanded by NAS solutions.
• NASWorks—supports error correction via customized error recovery controls, power management and vibration tolerance for optimal performance and reliability in a 1- to 5-bay solution.
• Improved Vibration Tolerance—dual-plane balance supports the unique weighted motor design minimizing vibration that can be amplified in multi-drive systems improving the drive’s performance and system reliability.
• Advanced Power Management—supports multiple user-selectable power profiles that can optimize power usage for different workloads to minimize power consumption while maintaining high-availability performance.
• Quiet Drive Operation—enhances the end customer experience with near-silent acoustics for low-noise environments like living rooms or office spaces.

Designed with compatibility in mind, Seagate NAS hard disk drives have been rigorously tested by some of today’s top NAS providers and flawlessly integrated into their NAS solutions. For more information on the Seagate NAS HDD and qualified OEM partners please visit www.seagate.com/www/nashdd.

Apple turns over a new lead

Subject: General Tech | June 12, 2013 - 01:57 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: apple, wwdc

The Tech Report spent some time thinking about Apple's keynote yesterday and decided that it demonstrated a big change in Apple's corporate philosophy.  Over the past year Apple has been bereft of direction after spending so much time with a single person at the helm and at the keynote they finally seemed to have found a new set of core values to lead their business.  It seems that Craig Federighi is a much more personable leader, willing to stray from the script and poke fun at himself which is drastically different from the serious soliloquies which has represented Apple's pubic face for so long.  Read on to see what they think these changes could imply for the future of Apple.

"There was something different about Apple during yesterday's WWDC keynote. According to TR's Cyril Kowaliski, that something was Apple's new soul—a new identity based not on one man's ego, but on human ideals we can connect with."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Giving an RC tank a fire control computer @ Hack a Day
• iOS 7 interactive guide @ The Inquirer
• Toshiba announces Q series SSDs for laptop upgrades @ The Inquirer
• KEEP CALM and Carry On: PRISM itself is not a big deal @ The Register
• Computer Tips & Tricks Everyone Should Know @ TechSpot
• Symantec claims a Linux kernel exploit has been ported to Android @ The Inquirer
• Pandora to hit airwaves with terrestrial radio station buy @ The Register
• And the Winner of Next-Gen is: PlayStation 4 (Unless Microsoft Fixes Things) @ Techgage
• Disease Outbreak Threatens the Future of Good Coffee @ Slashdot

Second Opinion: Intel i7 4770K Desktop CPU (Haswell)

Subject: General Tech, Processors | June 17, 2013 - 08:11 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: haswell, Intel, Second Opinion

Ryan reviewed the Core i7 4770K earlier in the month and found it an impressive product. He was not able to properly test the CPU paired with a discrete GPU because of time restraints; we value results measured from direct monitor output, which takes longer than FRAPS and other software results. Still, Ryan believes that the boost in raw CPU performance justifies its existence in desktops without a funky "-E" tagged along for good luck.

For a second opinion, you could check NitroWare to see what a cynical Aussie thinks of Intel's latest offering. Of note, they compare software-measured frame rates between the on-chip GPU and those measured from a GTX 460 on Sandy Bridge, Ivy Bridge, and Haswell. He is nothing if not thorough, collecting his findings over 20 pages.

Ultimately he finds that if you are running Ivy Bridge, you will not benefit too much from the upgrade; Sandy Bridge users and earlier, on the other hand, might want to consider this platform... unless they are wanting to jump into the enthusiast-slot offerings coming up late this year and Haswell-E late the following year.

Also be sure to check back when we have our frametime measurements complete!

Alienware 14 Core i7 "Haswell" Gaming Laptop @ $1150

Subject: General Tech | June 12, 2013 - 01:10 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

There is another Haswell based notebook on sale today, though this one packs significantly more graphical power.  The Alienware 14 on special sports a i7-4700MQ with a top speed of 3.4GHz, 8GB DDR3-1600 and a GT750M to power the 1366x768 screen with a 750GB HDD for storage.  It also has a Killer NIC to help you out during fast paced gaming online either wired or on WiFi.

Top Deal

• Just-released Alienware 14 Core i7 "Haswell" Gaming Laptop w/8GB RAM, 750GB 7200RPM Hard Drive, GeForce GT 750M graphics for $1,149 with free shipping (normally $1,199 - use $50 coupon code BHW1L0MX0D?MCX ).

Additional Deals

• 256GB Crucial M4 2.5" SATA 6Gb/s SSD (CT256M4SSD2) for $184.99 with free shipping (normally $229).
• 14" Dell Inspiron 14z Core i7 Ultrabook w/8GB RAM, 500GB Hard Drive + 32GB SSD, 1GB Radeon HD 7570M & built-in Optical Drive for $749.99 with free shipping (normally $1,188.99 - use coupon code R8C7B72VL7JKD1 ). 24" Dell UltraSharp U2413 1920x1200 IPS Monitor (2013 model) for $458.99 with free shipping (normally $599.99 - use BOTH coupon codes $PX1BGTSZ3G635 and W7HWC5Q9S4V6VH ).
• HP Spectre XT 15t-4000 TouchSmart 15.6" Core i7 1080p Ultrabook for $1,049.99 with $9.99 shipping (normally $1,199.99 - use coupon code NEWPC150 ).
• Webroot SecureAnywhere Complete 2013 (5 User) for $29.99 (normally $79.99).

Want an new OS for your mobe? Try Ubuntu Touch ... soon

Subject: General Tech | June 11, 2013 - 03:19 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ubuntu touch

At Slashdot you can see some a preview of Ubuntu Touch, the new version of the OS meant to be used on cellphones and tablets.  Following the link will take you to a slideshow that displays some of the screens and dialogue boxes to expect from the new mobile OS, which will include a terminal program as you can see below.  Unfortunately there is little in the way of information as to what hardware will support this new mobile OS, but hey it's Linux and half the fun is getting it to run on hardware that it has never run on before!

"The first developer preview of Ubuntu Touch – aka 'Ubuntu for Phones and Tablets' – was unveiled just a few short months ago. And, just a few weeks back, it was announced that the team was shooting for having a fully functional (aka "can use it as your actual phone, on a daily basis") version by the end of May. May is now over, so Bryan Lunduke published some screenshots and analysis of the core features of the Ubuntu OS for smartphones and tablets."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• 2013 MacBook Air: PCIe SSD and Haswell ULT Inside @ AnandTech
• Xbox One vs PS4 specs comparison @ The Inquirer
• iOS 7 specs and features: Everything you need to know @ The Inquirer
• US$99 7-inch tablets may appear in 3Q13 @ DigiTimes
• Windows NT grandaddy OpenVMS taken out back, single gunshot heard @ The Register
• Chance to win bequiet! Pure Power L8 power supplies @ Kitguru

Freespace picked back up by Interplay ... almost good news

Subject: General Tech | June 12, 2013 - 02:37 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: freespace, gaming, interplay

Interplay were the original owners of the Freespace IP and sold it off to THQ, who did absolutely nothing with it and apparently did not see any value in it as THQ just sold it back to Interplay for a mere $7500.  This is not necessarily good news as Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN points out Interplay is not necessarily the healthiest company right now.  So far there is no news about future releases nor really anything apart from the transfer of ownership, but at least we know Freespace is still somewhat alive.

"Yes, Interplay, the company who’s only slightly more existent than THQ at this point. The publisher sealed the deal with a cool-as-an-airless-vacuum sum of $7500, which is a disturbingly small amount of my total yearly rent. If I moved someplace else, I could own Freespace. Right now. I will carry this regret to my deathbed."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Gaming

• No Force Can Prevent There Being A Warhammer 40K MMO @ Rock, Paper, SHOTGUN
• Metro: Last Light Review @ OCC
• Metro: Last Light Review @ Techgage
• The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing @ Kitguru
• 10 E3 Trailers You Don't Want to Miss @ Wired
• Borderlands 2 Step By Step Modding Guide @ TechwareLabs

50" Sharp Aquos LC-50LE442U 1080p LED HDTV @ $548

Subject: General Tech | June 17, 2013 - 01:28 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

The prices of large format 1080p TVs have dropped sharply from their initial release, however with an additional $200 off the 50" Sharp Aquos is an exceptional deal.  For those with a room large enough this deal from LogicBuy and Dell is a great excuse to finally get that big TV you have dreamed about.  Those wanting 3D support or a higher resolution are going to have to wait, or spend a wee bit more money for their TV.

Top Deal

• 50" Sharp Aquos LC-50LE442U 1080p LED HDTV + $200 Gift Card for $548 with free shipping (normally $748).

Additional Deals

• 14" HP ENVY 4t-1200 Core i3 Ultrabook for $401.24 with $9.99 shipping (normally $474.99 - use coupon code SVD8492 ).
• Dell Vostro 270s 3rd-gen Core i5 Quad-Core Slim Desktop w/1TB Hard Drive, Win 7 Professional for $499 with free shipping (normally $599 - use coupon code).
• 27" HP ENVY 27 IPS-panel LED-backlit LCD Monitor w/ Beats Audio for $375.99 with free shipping (normally $469.99 - use 20% coupon code MT2617 ).
• Dell Precision M4700 Mobile Workstation starting $1,019 with free shipping.
• Realspace Dorra Leather Task Chair for $59.99 with free shipping (normally $99.99).