Computex 2013: Gigabyte Launches U21M Convertible Tablet With An Intel Haswell CPU

Subject: Systems, Mobile, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 01:33 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: windows 8, u21m, Intel, haswell, gigabyte, convertible tablet, computex 2013, computex

Gigabyte launched its U21M convertible tablet at Computex this week. The Windows 8 PC is an 11.6” convertible notebook that is 20mm thick and weights approximately 3.28 pounds (or 3.06 lbs without HDD). It is powered by an Intel Haswell CPU with HD4000 processor graphics and it runs the full x86-64 version of Windows 8.

The notebook features a black and slate gray colored chassis that has a brushed metal texture over the top of the keyboard deck and display bezel. Design wise, it is reminiscent of Dell's Latitude XT series with more curves. The U21M uses a similar center 180-degree hinge that allows the display to be rotated around and then laid flat against the keyboard to enable tablet mode. There are no face function buttons on the display bezel aside from the Windows key, however.

Gigabyte has made ample use of the 11.6” form factor by designing a keyboard that stretches from one side of the system to the other. The six-row keyboard looks to be well laid out with good spacing between the keys and no real key placement oddities. key travel may be an issue though as the keys are close to the metal, as it were.  Below the keyboard is a large touchpad with hardware mouse buttons.

The display itself is an 11.6” capacitive touchscreen with a resolution of 1366 x 768. There does not appear to be digitizer/stylus support on the U21M, however. Above the touchscreen is a 1.3MP webcam. It also features two 1.5W speakers.

External IO options include:

• 2 x USB 3.0
• 2 x USB 2.0
• 1 x VGA
• 1 x HDMI
• 1 x RJ45 (Gigabit Ethernet)
• 2 x Audio
• 1 x SD
• 1 x SIM card slot

Internally, the U21M does not disappoint, with an Intel Haswell CPU, up to 8GB of DDR3 memory, and either a 128GB or 256GB mSATA SSD plus an optional mechanical hard drive up to 1TB. There is no discrete GPU, however. The system will rely on the Haswell CPU's processor graphics, though Gigabyte has not announced specific chips so the iGPU used is unknown. Wireless connectivity options include 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0 + LE, and a built-in 3.5G radio. The system uses a respectable 7.4V, 40Wh Lithium-Polymer battery.

Gigabyte has not yet released pricing or availability dates, but you can find all the specifications along with additional photos on this product page.

My thought on this system is that it might be a good upgrade once my Dell Latitude XT finally dies on me (heh). It should definitely be faster and get much better battery life than my current convertible tablet, that's for sure! I'll be on the lookout for reviews, but what do you think about the U21M so far? If only it came in blue...

Dell Inspiron 14z Core i7 Ultrabook @ $750

Subject: General Tech | June 3, 2013 - 01:24 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: deals

Todays deal is a true Ultrabook, with an SSD for fast boot and resume and a price tag under $1000.  While you might feel a bit cramped with only 32GB of SSD there is a 500GB HDD for you to keep your files and programs on.  As well the i7-3517U has decent inbuilt graphics but with HD 7570 backing it up you can also expect decent gaming performance.

Top Deal:
14" Dell Inspiron 14z Core i7 Ultrabook w/8GB RAM, 1GB Radeon HD 7570M & 500GB Hard Drive + 32GB SSD for $749.99 with free shipping (normally $1,188.99) http://www.logicbuy.com/deals/dell-inspiron-14z-ultrabook/41593.aspx

Additional deals:

• HP Dual Hinge Notebook Stand & USB 2.0 Port Replicator Bundle for $79.98 with free shipping (normally $149.98 - use coupon code LOGICBUY20 ).
• 3TB Western Digital Red 3.5" SATA 6Gbps Internal Hard Drive (WD30EFRX) for $139.95 with free shipping (normally $169.95).
• Dell XPS 8500 Core i7-3770 3.4GHz Quad-Core Desktop w/8GB RAM, 1TB Hard Drive & Radeon HD 7570 for $649.99 with free shipping (normally $874.99).
• Dell Precision T3600 Xeon E5 3GHz Quad-core Tower Workstation w/8GB RAM & 23" UltraSharp Monitor for $1,049.99 with free shipping (normally $1,471.42).
• 10.1" Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 16GB Android 4.1 Tablet (Refurbished) for $239.99 with free shipping (normally $269.99).
• Herman Miller Semi-annual Sale: 15% off Aeron Chair - starting $534.65 with free shipping (normally $679).

Western Digital shrinks 1TB 2.5" WD Blue HDD down to 7mm

Subject: Storage | June 3, 2013 - 08:15 AM | Allyn Malventano
Tagged: western digital, wdc, Blue, 7mm, 1TB

Today Western Digital continues their push for smaller and thinner mobile hard drives by releasing a 1TB revision to their 7mm Blue series of mobile devices:

Looking at the new spec sheet, the new 1TB Blue carries increased cache (16MB) and reduced Drive Ready time (2.8 sec) as compared to their previous 9.5mm 1TB models.

Press blast after the break.

Computex 2013: Acer Liquid S1 Is a Quad Core 5.7" Phablet With 2,400mAh Battery

Subject: Mobile, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 06:36 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: tablet, smartphone, phablet, mediatek, liquid s1, computex 2013, computex, android 4.2.2, acer

During Computex Acer announced its new Liquid S1 smartphone. In fact, the term smartphone may not be enough to do the nearly tablet-sized 5.7” Liquid S1 justice, and Acer has even dubbed it a “phablet”.

On the outside, the Acer Liquid S1 has a massive 5.7” touchscreen with 720p resoultion surrounded by an aluminum side grip and a front 24mm and 8MP rear camera. The smartphone/tablet/phablet (heh) weighs in at 195g.

The new mobile device is powered by a quad core MediaTek SoC clocked at 1.5GHz, 1GB RAM, 8GB storage, and a 2,400mAh battery that Acer claims will last “all day.” The Liquid S1 runs Android 4.2.2, and offers a stock experience apart from Acer's multitasking Float UI and Cloud Docs document software. Other features include DTS StudioSound audio, dual SIM card slots, and a microSD card support (maximum of 32GB).

Wireless connectivity options include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 3G radios as well as wireless display and wireless printing technology.

The Liquid S1 smartphone will be available in either matte black or white across Asia and Europe for 329 Euros. It is set for release sometime in the third quarter of this year (Q3'13). US users wanting a large smartphone (or small tablet) will need to either import the Acer model or look elsewhere as the company has not yet expanded its mobile offerings to this side of the pond, excluding laptops of course.

G.Skill Launches 32GB DDR3 3000MHz TridentX Series Memory

Subject: Memory | June 3, 2013 - 05:50 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: xmp, overclocking, memory, haswell, G.Skill Trident X, G.Skill, ddr3 3000, ddr3

G.Skill is a company known for its DDR3 memory products and overclocking contests. It recently unveiled a new 32GB DDR3 RAM kit under its TridentX series that is clocked at an impressive 3,000 MHz!

The new G.Skill DDR3 3000MHz 32GB (4 x 8GB) memory kit is aimed at enthusiasts running Intel Haswell processors on Z87 motherboards. It features CAS12 latencies and can be run at 1.65V. It also supports Intel's XMP (Extreme Memory Profiles) standard, which will allow the motherboard to automatically configure the RAM for the full 3000 MHz clockspeed, though it requires a slight CPU overclock as well.

In G.Skill's own benchmark tests, the company managed to run its new 32GB TridentX memory at 3,000 MHz with CAS latencies of 12-14-14-35-CR2 at 1.65V. The Memtest Pro benchmark run was done on a system with an Intel Core i7-4770K and an ASUS Maximus VI Extreme Z87 motherboard. The Intel chip was running with a bus speed of 102.32 MHz and a multiplier of 39 for a total 3.99 GHz core clockspeed with all cores under load. Considering the i7-4770K is only rated for a maximum of DDR3-1600 memory, seeing it running DDR3 at 3GHz is impressive!

The new 32GB (4x8GB) TridentX kit is joined by  8GB (2x4GB) and 16GB (4x8GB) kits that are all rated for DDR3-3000 speeds. The kits continue to be covered by G.Skill's lifetime warranty. The company has not announced pricing or availability, but expect to pay a hefty premium for this super-fast RAM. Think upwards of $1,750 considering the existing 32GB DDR3-2933 C12 G.Skill kit is going for $1,700 on Newegg.

Computex 2013: ASUS Releases More Information On VivoPC and VivoMouse HTPC System

Subject: Systems, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 04:50 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: vivopc, vivomouse, htpc, computex 2013, computex, asus

ASUS unleashed a barrage of product announcments at its opening keynote at Computex 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan earlier today. Two of the products shown off in slide form at the event were the HTPC-oriented VivoPC and VivoMouse. After the event, ASUS posted a press release that went into a bit more detail on the two devices. However, while the company has provided specifications and a tentative Q3 2013 release date, it has not yet announced pricing information.

The ASUS VivoPC is a small form factor HTPC clad in an angular brushed aluminum textured chassis. It measures 190 x 190 x 36.2mm and is large enough to accomodate a single 3.5" or 2.5" hard drive. The hard drive and memory can be easily replaced and the PC serviced by lifting up the (lockable, via a switch on the back) lid. It will come equipped with an as-yet-unnamed Intel processor with integrated processor graphics (likely Haswell, since ASUS did not mention a SKU or series and Intel has not had its keynote yet), DDR3 memory, and an 802.11ac wireless radio. It is unclear whether or not ASUS intends to sell both barebones and fully-configured SKUs, but as mentioned previously at leas the memory and HDD or SSD can be purchased seperately.

Rear IO options include:

• 2 x USB 3.0
• 4 x USB 2.0
• 1 x SD card slot
• 1 x RJ45 LAN
• 1 x S/PDIF
• 2 x Audio jacks
• 1 x HDMI
• 1 x VGA
• 1 x Power button
• 1 x top cover lock switch

ASUS' preferred input method is, of course, their own recently-announced VivoMouse accessory, which is a large remote-control sized mouse with a large circular touchpad. The mouse has a 1200 DPI sensor and the touchpad supports 3-point multi-touch. It operates over the 2.4GHz RF frequency band, which is nice to see as it eliminates the need for an IR sensor and line of sight to the VivoPC box. The ASUS VivoMouse measures 135 x 78 x 25.5mm.

Personally, I think that I would rather have a WMC remote (such as the remote with qwerty keyboard and mini-trackpad on one side and media controls on the other that was Allyn's hardware pick on the podcast awhile back) with hardware buttons, but I have to admit that the VivoMouse at least looks stylish and people that also run Windows apps on their HTPCs might find having a large multi-touch touchpad useful.

Pricing has not yet been announced, but ASUS has stated that users should expect both the VivoPC and VivoMouse accessory to be available sometime in Q3 2013.

Stay tuned to PC Perspective for more Computex 2013 coverage!

Computex 2013: ASUS Keynote -- Transformer Pad Infinity, FonePad Note, MEMO Pad HD7, VivoPC, Router RT-AC68U, Transformer Book Trio

Subject: General Tech, Networking, Systems, Mobile, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 04:20 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: computex, asus

ASUS wants to kick off Computex with a barrage of product announcements. Seriously, there were 6 products announced in the span of 20 minutes with no two product from the same category. Devices range from tablets and convertibles to routers and mice.

The company started off with the new Transformer Pad Infinity. This updates their line of separable hybrid laptop/tablets with NVIDIA Tegra 4.

Raw specifications:

• NVIDIA Tegra 4 SoC
• 2560x1600 10.1-inch display
• USB 3.0, Bluetooth, 4K out via HDMI
• 6MP (I think, could be 16MP) rear, 1.2 MP front cameras

Up next was the FonePad Note. A page from Samsung's playbook, both in name and in functionality, the FonePad is a 6" phone with a stylus pen. Coming off our recent Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 story, this device will also be powered by an Intel Atom Z2560 SoC. These could be the start of many high-profile design wins for Intel.

Raw specifications:

• Intel Atom Z2560 SoC
• 2GB RAM
• 6" 1080p SuperIPS+ display, thin border
• 8MP rear, 1.2MP front cameras
• Front-facing stereo speakers
• Stylus Pen

And then we get the MEMO Pad HD7. This 7-inch 1280x800 HD tablet is designed to be cheap. It will be available for $149 in 16GB capacity for America, and a smaller $129 8GB version for emerging markets.

Raw specifications:

• ARM Cortex A7 quad-core SoC
• 7-inch 1280x800 HD IPS display (10-point multitouch)
• 5MP rear, 1.2MP front cameras
• Bluetooth, GPS, stereo speakers
• (starting at?) 16GB ($149) USA, 8GB ($129) emerging markets

We briefly leave mobile devices to head towards a desktop computer. The VivoPC is designed to be easily upgraded, "Just lift the lid and replace the harddrive and memory". This is being positioned as a home theater PC running Windows 8. We currently have no further specifications.

Raw Specifications:

• 802.11ac
• It's got a lid?

And of course, with the discussion of an 802.11ac device we clearly need to move on to routers. The ASUS Router RT-AC68U, while a slight bit literal of a name, is supposedly the first dual-band 802.11ac Router. I am not exactly sure what the second band would be, but I am only the messenger. Regardless, this router is apparently capable of performance up to 1.9 Gigabits per second.

And then we cannot have all of these HTPC devices without an input method, can we? Enter the ASUS VivoMouse. This device allows you to more comfortably control your PC from your couch, as far as I can tell.

Last, but with a bang, ASUS announced the Transformer Book Trio. As you can guess, the Trio name comes from its three form factors being wrapped up into a single product: it's a notebook, a tablet, and a desktop PC. Do not worry, I will not make an iPhone announcement keynote joke; that one has already been well overplayed.

The trick is that the Trio is actually two fully functional computers with one running Android and the other Window 8. Both devices are powered by an x86 Intel-based processor, however: the main PC runs a Core i7-4500U processor and the tablet runs an Atom Z2580.

A main selling feature is that, when base is separated from screen, both devices are simultaneously useable. If you attach the base to an external monitor it will function like a desktop PC.

Raw specifications:

• Intel Core i7-4500U (base), Intel Atom Z2580 (tablet)
• Full HD multitouch IPS display
• Windows 8 (base), Android Jelly Bean (screen)
• 1TB HDD (base), 64GB flash (screen)
• Fully compatible with Google Play and Windows Stores

Well, that's it. We will probably have a bit more analysis coming up soon. But, for now, I need to get off of Taipei time.

Computex 2013: Acer's Refreshed Aspire S3 Has Solid Internals, Odd Keyboard Layout

Subject: Mobile | June 3, 2013 - 04:09 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: acer, computex 2013, aspire s3, haswell, gt700m, nvidia, Intel, gt735m

Acer is showing off a refresh of its Aspire S3 notebook at Computex in Taipei this year that will integrate the latest technology from Intel and NVIDIA. The new Acer Aspire S3 (not to be confused with the existing model) is a 13.3” notebook that measures 0.7” thick and weighs in at 3.63 pounds.

The Aspire S3 will come with a Gorilla Glass lid that is available in either red, white, or yellow according to The Verge. External IO options include Thunderbolt, HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports, a LAN port, and an audio jack.

The red colored lid model in particular looks nice, though I have my doubts about the rather cramped-looking keyboard. Acer has performed some strange key acrobatics in order to fit all the needed keys into five rows. For example, the tilde key has been moved to the right of the caps lock and the delete key is at the bottom of the keyboard to the right of the right-hand Alt button. I'm not entirely sure what Acer was thinking there (that is solely my opinion/first impression though, I have not had any hands-on time with it).

Internal hardware will include as as-yet-unnamed Intel Haswell processor, a NVIDIA GT735M (384 CUDA cores at 889 MHz with an unknown capacity 1GHz memory on a 64-bit bus), and a 1TB laptop hard drive (spindle speed not listed). It should be a decent performer and the Haswell CPU should get good battery life. If this comes in at or around the original Aspire S3's $650 price tag, and as long as the keyboard passes muster with the review sites, it might be a good buy if you don't need something super thin and/or lightweight.

Unfortunately, Acer has not yet talked about pricing or availability for the 13.3" Aspire S3 notebook.

Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1: Intel inside an Android?

Subject: General Tech, Graphics Cards, Processors, Mobile | June 3, 2013 - 03:00 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: Intel, atom, Clover Trail+, SoC, Samsung, Galaxy Tab 3 10.1

While Reuters is being a bit cagey with their source, if true: Intel may have nabbed just about the highest profile Android tablet design win possible. The, still currently unannounced, Samsung Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 is expected to embed Intel's Clover Trail+ System on a Chip (SoC). Samsung would not be the largest contract available in the tablet market, their previous tablets ship millions of units each; they are a good OEM vendor to have.

Source: BGR India

Samsung is also known for releasing multiple versions of the same device for various regions and partners. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 and Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 did not have a variety of models with differing CPUs like, for instance, the Galaxy S4 phone did; the original "10.1" contained an NVIDIA Tegra 2 and the later "2 10.1" embed a TI OMAP 4430 SoC. It is entirely possible that Intel won every Galaxy Tab 3 10.1 tablet ever, but it is also entirely possible that they did not.

Boy Genius Report India (BGR India, video above) also claims more specific hardware based on a pair of listings at GLBenchmark. The product is registered under the name Santos10: GT-P5200 being the 3G version, and GT-P5210 being the Wi-Fi version.

These specifications are:

• Intel Atom Z2560 800-933 MHz dual-core SoC (4 threads, 1600 MHz Turbo)
• PowerVR SGX 544MP GPU (OpenGL ES 2.0)
• 1280x800 display
• Android 4.2.2

I am not entirely sure what Intel has to offer with Clover Trail+ besides, I would guess, reliable fabrication. Raw graphics performance is still about half of Apple's A6X GPU although, if the leaked resolution is true, it has substantially less pixels to push without being attached to an external display.

Maybe Intel made it too cheap to refuse?

Computex 2013: ASRock Teams Up With BMW To Create New SFF M8 Chassis

Subject: General Tech | June 3, 2013 - 01:28 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: SFF, m8, Lan Box, computex 2013, case, bmw, asrock

New PC cases seem to be popular at Computex this year, and ASRock may have just blown away the small form factor competition with its compact BMW Group-designed “M8” chassis.

The new “M8” case was designed by a BMW Group consultancy firm called DesignworksUSA. They have created a compact metal case that will be right at home at a LAN party or on many enthusiasts' desks. The case is a large square with cut-off corners and indented side panels. It is designed to show off the PC internals with a large octagonal side window, and can be stood upright or laid out horizontally. Carrying handles are integrated into the corners as well, making it easier to carry to LAN parties. The front of the case includes the “A-Command” button which is basically a large home theater-style volume control dial with an integrated OLED screen. The dial can adjust audio volume and fan speeds while the OLED display reports on system temperature, time,  and usage (presumably HDD or CPU activity indicators).

The case has a rather clean and sharp look that shows a bare metal side and a glossy black front panel. The BMW Group has added red accents to the front panel and side windows. In an interesting twist, according to the press release, the side panels are magnetic which enables easy access to the internals.

The small form factor (SFF) M8 case will be used by ASRock to create a custom gaming PC. The internal specifications have not yet been announced, however.

This is definitely a unique design that is likely to be popular among the enthusiast and gamer crowd. You can find more photos of the M8 case on the BMW Group website.

What do you think of this BMW-inspired PC chassis?

Computex 2013: ASUS Hosting Computex Livestream Tonight

Subject: General Tech | June 2, 2013 - 11:55 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: livestream, gaming, computex 2013, asus

ASUS will be kicking off Computex 2013 with a livestream where the company will likely announce new products. The theme for the event is "We transform". The press conference will be held at 38 Songren Road Xinyi District, Taipei, 101 Taiwan, but for those not in attendance the livestream is in approximately 3 hours and allow enthusaists and press to cover the event from afar.

If you are a 'night owl,' insomniac, or just plain excited about new ASUS gear feel free to tune into the livestream at this link (or via the embedded stream below the break) and discuss any announcements in the comments below!

The livestream and press conference starts at 3:00am ET (3:00pm local Computex time).

I am expecting to see some new motherboards, graphics cards, and PCs from ASUS to complement the launch of Intel and NVIDIA's new CPU and GPU components. Perhaps we will finally see the launch of the rumored RAIDR PCI-E SSDs. It should make for a good show, so tune in if you can!

While you are waiting for the live stream to start, feel fee to check out Morry's review of the ASUS ROG Maximus VI Extreme Motherboard, a new Z87 motherboard!

New Silvermont Atom Chips Will Use Pentium and Celeron Branding

Subject: Processors | June 2, 2013 - 11:32 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: silvermont, pentium, Intel, haswell, celeron, atom, 22nm

In addition to the impending launch of Intel's desktop Haswell processors, the company is also working on new Atom-series chips based on Intel's Silvermont architecture. Ryan Shrout wrote about the upcoming Atom architecture a few weeks ago, and you can read up on it here. However, in short, Atoms using the Silvermont architecture are 22nm SoCs with a Hyper Threaded, dual-module quad core design that comes with burst-able clockspeeds and up to 2.5x the performance of chips using the previous generation Saltwell architecture. Intel is promising up to a 50% IPC (instructions per clock) increase, and 4.7x lower power versus previous generation Atom CPUs.

A block diagram of Intel's upcoming Silvermont architecture.

With that said, over the weekend I read an interesting article over at PC World that hinted at these new Silvermont-based Atom processors taking up the Pentium and Celeron branded CPU mantle. In speaking with Intel employee Kathy Gill, the site learned that Intel will be using the Silvermont architecture in code-named Bay Trail-M and Bay Trail-D processors for notebooks and desktops respectively. The Bay Trail code name isn't new, but Intel's use of the Pentium and Celeron branding for these Atom chips is. For the past few generations, Intel has re-purposed lower-tier or lower binned Core processors as Pentiums or Celerons by disabling features and/or clocking them lower. It seems that Intel finally believes that its Atom lineup is good enough to serve those low-end desktop and notebook CPU purposes under the budget brand families.

Kathy Gill further stated that "we aren't ready to disclose additional details on Haswell plans at this time,” which does not rule out Haswell-based Celeron and Pentium chips. It does not confirm them either, however.

After a chat with PC Perspective's Josh Walrath on the issue, I'm not certain which direction Intel will take, but I do believe that Intel will (at least) favor the Atom chips for the Pentium and Celeron brands/lines because the company will see much better profit margins with the Silvermont-based chips compared to Haswell-based ones. On the other hand, Intel would lose out on the ability to re-brand low binning Core i3s as Pentium or Celeron CPUs. Further, going with both architectures would complicate matters and invite a good amount of brand confusion for many consumers in spite of allowing a mix of better profit margins and re-purposing chips that otherwise wouldn't make the cut (admittedly, Intel probably has to artificially limit some number of chips to keep up with the volume of Pentium and Celerons needed, it's difficult to say to what extent though).

Hopefully we will know more about Intel's Bay Trail CPUs and branding plans at Computex later this week.

What do you think of this move by Intel, and will the Silvermont-based Bay Trail chips be up to the task?

AIDA64 Version 3.00 Released

Subject: Processors | June 2, 2013 - 10:43 PM | Morry Teitelman
Tagged: Kabini, haswell, FinalWire, aida64

Courtesy of FinalWire

Today, FinalWire Ltd. announced the release of version 3.00 of their diagnostic and benchmarking tool, AIDA64. This new version updates their Extreme Edition and Business Edition of the software.

Courtesy of FinalWire

Origin PC Integrating Haswell CPUs and GTX 700M Hardware Into New PCs

Subject: Systems, Mobile | June 2, 2013 - 07:18 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: quadro k1000m, origin pc, nvidia, kepler, Intel, haswell, gtx 700M, gaming, eon17-s, eon15-s

Origin PC has announced that it will be integrating Haswell CPUs and GTX700M GPUs into its line of gaming notebooks and desktops. Specifically, Origin PC will add Haswell CPUs to its Genesis, Millennium, and Chronos desktop PCs. Origin PC is also outfitting its EON gaming laptops with both Haswell CPU and GTX700M GPU upgrades. And to sweeten the pot (if only slightly), Origin is bundling a voucher for Grid 2 with each Haswell-equipped Origin PC order.

Both the EON15-S and EON17-S gaming laptops feature Intel Haswell processors, NVIDIA GTX700M or Quadro K1000M mobile graphics cards, and up to five storage drives when the optical drive is removed. The laptops are even able to have an independent RAID of two mSATA SSDs and two hard drives or SSDs along with a non-RAID storage drive in the optical bay—that's a lot of storage for a laptop!

The laptops come with customizable display lids available in red, black, silver, or a custom air brush as well as back-lit keyboards and touchpads. As the SKU names suggest, the EON15-S has a 15.6” display while the EON17-S has a 13.3” display. Origin PC is further offering factory overclocking for the Haswell processors and GTX700M graphics cards. The company claims up to a 20-times power reduction during idle thanks to the more power-efficient hardware.

Unfortunately, all this new tech comes at a premium, and the EON15-S and EON17-S gaming notebooks start at $1,722 and $1,784 respectively. As far as the desktops go, there is also a slight bump in price depending on the Haswell chip you select during the customization process. Upgrading to an Intel Core i7-4770K on the GENESIS desktop costs an extra $193, for example.

You can find more information on the Origin PC website.

Galaxy's Factory Overclocked GTX 770 Graphics Card Is Now Available for $400

Subject: Graphics Cards | June 2, 2013 - 12:43 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: nvidia, gtx 770, graphics card, gk-104, galaxy

Galaxy recently made its custom factory overclocked GTX 770 graphics card available. The new card is not the fastest GTX 770, and doesn't quite embrace the supa-pipe as much (as Josh would say), but it looks to be a good deal all the same, giving you a quieter HSF and a decently-overclocked Geforce GTX 770 GPU for $399.99.

The Galaxy GeForce GTX 770 2GB (77XPH6DV6KXZ) takes NVIDIA's GTX 770 GPU with 1,536 GK-104 based CUDA cores and overclocks it to 1110 MHz base and 1163 MHz boost clockspeeds. The 2GB of GDDR5 memory is only clocked at the reference 7010 MHz, however.

The card has the same video outputs as other GTX 770 cards: two DL-DVI, one HDMI, and one DisplayPort output. The card with its dual slot, dual fan cooler is 10” in length and requires a 600W PSU at minimum (not solely for the GPU). It needs one 8-pin and one 6-pin PCI-E power connector.

Galaxy provides a two year warranty for the card. It is available now for around $400 at various retailers.

Read more about other factory overclocked GTX 770 graphics cards at PC Perspective!

Computex 2013: NZXT Launches Silent, Tool-less H230 Mid Tower Case

Subject: Cases and Cooling | June 2, 2013 - 12:07 AM | Tim Verry
Tagged: nzxt, mid tower, h230, computex 2013, case

NZXT has kicked off the Computex 2013 coverage with the announcement of a new H230 mid-tower ATX case. Continuing the tradition of the H-series, the H230 is a minimalistic white or black design that incorporates sound dampening material and tool-free internal bays.
The outside of the case is simplistic, with vents and three 5.25” bays  on the front. In keeping with the silent intentions, there is no case window here. Brushed aluminum case feet lift the case off of the floor. Two USB 3.0 ports and a single microphone audio jack are available as front IO.

The H230 is constructed of steel with some plastic parts. It measures 195mm x 447mm x 502mm and weighs 7.25kg (approximately 16 lbs.). There are two SKUs, CA-H230I-W1 in white and CA-H230I-B1 in black.

Internally, the H230 mid tower case features tool free drive bays that can accommodate up to 6 3.5” drives and 3 5.25” drives. It can fit GPUs up to 290mm in length with the hard drive cage installed or up to 400mm with the drive cage removed. Heatsinks up to 158mm in height are supported as are motherboards up to full ATX in size (with 7 PCI expansion slots). A bottom mounted PSU slot and cable management routed behind the motherboard tray are also features. Cooling options include up to two 120mm front intake fans, a single 120mm bottom intake fan, and a single 120mm rear exhaust fan. NZXT provides the 120mm exhaust fan with the case. In the press release, NZXT states that “Our designers had one goal in mind while crafting the H230: create an affordable, silent chassis with all of the necessary essentials for a clean, functional build. ”

The new H230 case comes with a 2-year warranty and has an MSRP of $69.99. More information is available on the H230 product page.

The full press release is below:

Zotac Announces Factory Overclocked GTX 770 Cards, AMP! Edition Is Fastest So Far

Subject: General Tech | June 1, 2013 - 10:50 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: zotac, gtx 770, gk-104, gaming

Not to be left out, GPU partner Zotac has announced its own set of graphics cards based on NVIDIA's GK-104 GTX 770 GPU called the GTX 770 and GTX 770 AMP! Edition. Both cards come with Zotac's custom dual fan cooler and have some impressive factory overclocks. In fact, the GTX 770 AMP! Edition is the fastest factory clocked GTX 770 so far, and is the only card to feature overclocked memory.

The Zotac Geforce GTX 770 features a GPU base clock of 1059 MHz and a GPU boost clock of 1098 MHz. It will be available with either 2GB or 4GB of GDDR5 memory. In either memory configuration, Zotac is keeping the GDDR5 at the stock clockspeed of 7010 MHz.

Meanwhile, the GTX 770 AMP! Edition has GPU clockspeeds of 1150 MHz base and an impressive 1202 MHz boost. However, the GTX 770 AMP! does not only feature an overclocked GPU, but overclocked memory at 7200 MHz.

The chart below compares the two Zotac graphics cards.

Both of the Zotac graphics cards also come with a Splinter Cell game bundle that includes three (digital download) games:

• Splinter Cell: Double Agent
• Splinter Cell: Conviction
• Splinter Cell: Blacklist (will be release later this summer)

As far as pricing and availability, the GTX 770 (ZT-70301-10P) is on sale now at Newegg for $400, but the 4GB GTX 770 and GTX 770 AMP! have not yet been released by the looks of it, and Zotac has not announced official pricing or ship dates yet. More information can be found here. The AMP! Edition has some impressive factory overclocks, and the benchmarks should be interesting.