Computex 2013: MSI Launches GS70 17" Gaming Notebook With GTX765M Graphics

Subject: Systems, Mobile, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 10:59 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: computex 2013, computex, nvidia, msi, kepler, Intel, haswell, gtx 700M, gs70, gaming notebook

A couple of weeks ago, MSI revealed the GX70 and GX60 gaming notebooks powered by AMD's latest Richland APUs and 8970M (and 7970M) discrete graphics cards. Today, the company added the GS70 notebook to its lineup, and it is the opposite in terms of underlying technology. Specifically, the GS70 is a 17" gaming notebook with an Intel Haswell processor and a NVIDIA GTX765M. The portable gaming machine is 22mm thick and weighs in at less than 5.7 pounds (2.6kg), which is a noticeably weight reduction versus the Richland-powered models.

Expert Reviews UK goes hands-on with a prototype of the MSI GS70 at Computex 2013.

The GS70 comes clad in glossy black and is constructed of aluminum. External features include a large 17" (likely TN) display with a resolution of 1920 x 1080, a SteelSeries-engineered multicolor backlit keyboard, and a large trackpad. Connectivity options include:

• 4 x USB 3.0
• 1 x RJ45 LAN jack
• 3 x audio jacks (with surround sound support)
• 1 x SD card slot
• 1 x HDMI
• 2 x mini DisplayPort

Internal specifications include a not-yet-named Intel 4th Generation Core "Haswell" CPU, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and a NVIDIA GTX 765M. The discrete GPU is based on NVIDIA's Kepler architecture and features 768 CUDA cores clocked at 850 MHz and up to 2GB of graphics memory clocked at 1 GHz on a 128-bit bus. The system also uses a Killer NIC networking card and MSI's own SuperRAID technology that pairs two solid state drives in a RAID configuration for pure performance. The system should be able to play all modern PC games, though some details will need to be turned down. Multi-display output is supported for up to three external displays as well.

Unfortunately, MSI has not yet announced pricing or availability for this notebook. I would expect it to (paradoxically, despite the naming conventions) cost more than the existing GX70 (due to the newer, and faster, technology used) which starts at $1,399.99 MSRP. Keep an eye out for reviews later this year if you are interested in a mobile gaming PC, as this one looks interesting. Until then, Expert Reviews UK has some initial impressions and additional photos in this article.

Super Talent Launches UltraDrive MX3 SSD In Both MLC and SLC Flavors

Subject: Storage | June 3, 2013 - 09:59 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: super talent, ssd, mx3, computex 2013, computex

San Jose-based storage manufacturer Super Talent has announced its new UltraDrive MX3 SSD. This new drive is the successor to the existing UltraDrive MX2, and is allegedly twice as fast. In an interesting twist, Super Talent is releasing the MX3 in both MLC and SLC flavors, to serve the consumer and enterprise markets simultaneously with the same branded drive and controller.

The MX3 is a SATA 3 6Gbps drive that is rated at 500MB/s reads and 400MB/s writes. The MLC version will come in capacities ranging from 64GB to 512GB while the SLC flash SKUs top out at 256GB. The chart below details the model numbers at each capacity point for both the MLC and SLC SKUs, depending on what you need.

In the press release, Super Talent CEO Abraham Ma stated the following:

“We are excited to introduce the MX3.  Not only does it offer a considerable upgrade in speed from its predecessor, the MX2, it is also an extremely reliable device that we believe fits the needs of our OEM and consumer customers.”

Pricing and availability have not been announced, however.

Stay tuned to PC Perspective throughout the week for more Computex 2013 news.

Inspur Readies Tianhe-2 Supercomputer With 54 Petaflop Theoretical Peak Performance

Subject: Systems | June 3, 2013 - 09:27 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: Xeon Phi, tianhe-2, supercomputer, Ivy Bridge, HPC, China

A powerful new supercomputer constructed by Chinese company Inspur is currently in testing at the National University of Defense Technology. Called the Tianhe-2, the new supercomputer has 16,000 compute nodes and approximately 54 Petaflops of peak theoretical compute performance.
Destined for the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, China, the open HPC platform will be used for education and research projects. The Tianhe-2 is composed of 125 racks with 128 compute nodes in each rack.

The compute nodes are broken down into two types: CPM and APU modules. One of each node type makes up a single compute board. The CPM module hosts four Intel Ivy Bridge processors, 128GB system memory, and a single Intel Xeon Phi accelerator card with 8GB of its own memory. Each APU module adds five Xeon Phi cards to every compute board. The compute boards (a CPM module + a APU module) contain two NICs that connect the various compute boards with Inspur's custom THExpress2 high bandwidth interconnects. Finally, the Tianhe-2 supercomputer will have access to 12.4 Petabytes of storage that is shared across all of the compute boards.

In all, the Tianhe-2 is powered by 32,000 Intel Ivy Bridge processors, 1.024 Petabytes of system memory (not counting Phi dedicated memory--which would make the total 1.404 PB), and 48,000 Intel Xeon Phi MIC (Many Integrated Cores) cards. That is a total of 3,120,000 processor cores (though keep in mind that number is primarily made up of the relatively simple individual Phi cores as there are 57 cores to each Phi card).

Inspur claims up to 3.432 TFlops of peak compute performance per compute node (which, for simplicity they break down as one node is 2 Ivy Bridge chips, 64GB memory, and 3 Xeon Phi cards although the two compute modules that make up a node are not physically laid out that way) for a total theoretical potential compute power of 54,912 TFlops (or 54.912 Petaflops) across the entire supercomputer. In the latest Linpack benchmark run, researchers saw up to 63% efficiency in attaining peak performance -- 30.65 PFlops out of 49.19 PFlops peak/theoretical performance -- when only using 14,336 nodes with 50GB RAM each. Further testing and optimization should improve that number, and when all nodes are brought online the real world performance will naturally be higher than the current benchmarks. With that said, the Tianhe-2 is already besting Cray's TITAN, which is promising (though I hope Cray comes back next year and takes the crown again, heh).

In order to keep all of this hardware cool, Inspur is planning a custom liquid cooling system using chilled water. The Tianhe-2 will draw up to 17.6 MW of power under load. Once the liquid cooling system is implemented the supercomputer will draw 24MW while under load.
This is an impressive system, and an interesting take on a supercomputer architecture considering the rise in popularity of heterogeneous architectures that pair massive numbers of CPUs with graphics processing units (GPUs).

The Tianhe-2 supercomputer will be reconstructed at its permanent home at the National Supercomputer Center in Guangzhou, China once the testing phase is finished. It will be one of the top supercomputers in the world once it is fully online! HPC Wire has a nice article with slides an further details on the upcoming processing powerhouse that is worth a read if you are into this sort of HPC stuff.

Also read: Cray unveils the TITAN supercomputer.

Computex 2013: Corsair Adds New Gaming Peripherals To Its Vengeance and Raptor Brands

Subject: General Tech | June 3, 2013 - 09:09 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: Vengeance K70, vengeance, raptor, corsair, computex 2013, computex

In addition to its new mid tower cases, Corsair is launching four new mechanical keyboards and two new gaming mice to the Vengeance and Raptor gaming lineups. The new gear includes Vengeance K70, Vengeance K65, and Raptor K50 gaming keyboards and the Raptor M40 and M30 mice. All of the new gaming hardware will be available later this summer.

Corsair Vengeance K70

Earlier this year, Corsair released a new K70 mechanical gaming keyboard using Cherry MX Red switches to complement its existing K60 and K90 keyboards (which Scott reviewed last year). At Computex, Corsair announced two new models that use different Cherry MX switches. Instead of the reds, the new models will use either Cherry MX Brown or Cherry MX Blue switches.

The K70 features a gun-metal anodized aluminum case with adjustable blue backlighting on a key-by-key basis. The keyboard features an anti-ghosting matrix with full key rollover and a 1000Hz polling rate. It will be available for purchase in July with a MSRP of $129.99.

Corsair Vengeance K65

The Vengeance K65 is a new, more compact, mechanical keyboard that utilizes Cherry MX Red switches. It has a full-size key layout, but the palm rest and extra horizontal space has been cut down to enable the K65 to fit on smaller desks. It retains the anti-ghosting, full key rollover and 1000Hz polling rate of the K70 mechanical keyboard along with a brushed metal aesthetic.

This mechanical gaming keyboard will be available in July for $89.99.

Corsair Raptor K50

Whie Corsair's previous keyboard products ahve been mechanical in nature, the new Raptor K50 uses membrane keys rather than the more expensive mechanical variety. In keeping with the gaming nature, the Raptor K50 features 18 programmable keys with 3 banks allowing for up to 54 total macros. It also has a Windows lock key that prevents accidental presses of the Windows key from interrupting your game session as well as six multimedia playback control keys.

Additionally, the Raptor K50 has customizable backlighting that can be adjusted to any number of RGB colors. It supports full key rollover and will be for sale starting in July for $99.99.

Corsair Raptor M40

Corsair is also releasing two new gaming mice to complement the new gaming keyboards. The Raptor M40 is a right-handed optical mouse with seven programmable buttons. It features adjustable weight, an Avago ADNS-3090 4000 DPI optical sensor, and DPI switching buttons.

The new gaming mouse will be available later this month for $59.99.

Corsair Raptor M30

Finally, Corsair is also launching a low-cost gaming mouse called the Raptor M30. This mouse is a less complex design, but it still packs a 4000 DPI optical sensor, six buttons, DPI switching, and red LEDs. It ergonomically favors right handed gamers.

The Raptor M30 will go on sale sometime this month for $49.99.

Corsair is taking full advantage of Computex to launch new products, with new gaming peripherals, cases, and memory coming out of Day 1 of the show! You can read more about the company's other product releases in the articles below.

Stay tuned to PC Perspective for more information as it develops!

Also read:

• Corsair Launches Two New Carbide-Series Mid Tower Cases @ PC Perspective
• Corsair Vengeance Pro DDR3 1866 MHz Memory Review @ PC Perspective

Computex 2013: Corsair Launches Carbide Air 540 and 330R Mid Tower Cases

Subject: Cases and Cooling | June 3, 2013 - 09:08 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: corsair, computex 2013, computex, carbide air 540, carbide 330r

Corsair is in attendance at Computex 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan this week to show off a number of new products. The latest product announcement is the release and availability of two new Carbide-series cases: the Carbide Air 540 and Carbide 330R.

Corsair Carbide Air 540 Mid Tower Chassis

The Corsair Carbide Air 540 is a dual chamber mid-tower ATX case that is optimized for maximum air cooling performance. The outside of the case is a boxy brushed aluminum affair with a stylized mesh grill running from the top panel to the front panel. The front panel IO ports sit below the two vertically-mounted 5.25” drives, and includes two USB 3.0 ports, two audio jacks, and power/reset buttons.

The case is split up into two chambers and uses the company's “Direct Airflow Path” techniques. The main (left) chamber hosts motherboards up to E-ATX in size along with PCI-E cards and two hot-swap 3.5” (2.5” drive compatible) drive bays. The second (right) chamber holds the ATX power supply, 5.25” drives, and SSD drive bay (which can hold up to four SSDs). The motherboard tray separates the two chambers, but Corsair has added a number of rubber cable routing grommets to aid in cable management and connecting devices  in the main chamber to power.

A magnetic (removable) front filter protects the case from dust. Cooling options include up to six 120mm or five 1400mm fans. Water cooling enthusiasts can instead opt for up to a 240 or 280mm radiator on top and a 360mm radiator in the front of the case.

In all, the case measures 16.5” x 17” x 18” (407 x 432 x 457mm). It is available now with a MSRP of $139.99.

Corsair Carbide 330R Mid Tower Case

The other case that Corsair is launching today is the Carbide 330R. This case focuses on quiet operation and utilizes Direct Airflow Path techniques and sound dampening material throughout.

The Carbide 330R is a compact mid tower case clad in brushed aluminum with tapered edges and sharp corners. The front panel has a brushed aluminum front door, two USB 3.0 ports, two audio jacks, and power and reset buttons. Corsair is optimizing this case for low-noise operation by adding sound dampening material on the top, side, and front panels as well as using rubber case feet to reduce noise caused by vibration.

The Carbide 330R supports motherboards up to E-ATX in size, ATX power supplies, four 3.5” (or 2.5”) drives (in tool free trays), and a single 5.25” tool-less drive bay.
Cooling options include:

• 2 x 120mm or 140mm front panel mounts
• 2 x 120mm or 140mm top panel fan mounts
• 1 x 120mm rear fan mount

Users can remove the top panel cover to reveal the two 140mm fan mounts to add a 240mm watercooling radiator though you do lose out on some of the sound dampening potential when you remove that top panel.

The Carbide 330R measures 19.5” x 8.3” x 19” (495 x 210 x 482mm). It is available now with a MSRP of $89.99.

An avalanche of Haswell motherboards

Subject: Motherboards | June 3, 2013 - 07:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: z87, socket 1150, Q87, Q85, haswell, H87, B85

Somehow the gang at Hardware.Info made it through 33 different Socket 1150 boards in time for the release date, not just Z87 but also H87, Q87, Q85 and B85 based boards from the five major motherboard suppliers.  They also tested 22 different USB 3.0 devices on the boards and saw errors generated in over half of the devices, something you should take note of if you plan to upgrade immediately.  The benchmark charts are something to behold, though the performance holds relatively stable on all of the boards showing that once again it is the features which make a board stand out against the competition.  There was one measure that separated the boards, power consumption varies greatly between these motherboards, attributable in no small part to the aforementioned features.

"Today Intel introduced the fourth generation of its Core processors, also known as Haswell. The desktop processors in the Haswell generation use a different type of processor socket, called Socket 1150. That means if you want to use one of the new processors, you will have to buy a new motherboard as well. Intel also created a new chipset series, the 8 series or Lynx Point, for desktop motherboards: the Z87, H87, Q87, Q85 and B85. Hardware.Info tested 33 of these new Socket 1150 Haswell motherboards, 26 with the Z87 chipset, four with H87 and three with B85. ASRock, ASUS, Gigabyte, Intel and MSI participated."

Here are some more Motherboard articles from around the web:

Motherboards

• ASUS Crosshair V Formula Z Motherboard Review @ OCC
• Gigabyte's 8-Series Haswell Motherboard Tour @ AnandTech
• Asus Z87 Maximus VI Extreme @ Kitguru
• Gigabyte Z87X-UD3H Motherboard @ Hardware Secrets
• MSI Z87 MPower MAX Motherboard Review @ Benchmark Reviews
• HiTechLegion Z87 Motherboard Round-Up @ HiTech Legion
• Asus Z87 Pro and Asus Z87 Plus @ LanOC Reviews
• MSI Z87-G45 Gaming @ LanOC Reviews
• MSI Z87-GD65 GAMING (LGA 1150) @ techPowerUp
• Gigabyte GA-Z87X-OC @ Kitguru
• GIGABYTE Z87X-UD3H Intel Z87 'Haswell' Motherboard Review @ Legit Reviews
• Asus Z87 Sabertooth @ Kitguru

You've met Haswell, but have you overclocked it?

Subject: Processors | June 3, 2013 - 06:53 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: haswell, z87, overclocking

If you haven't read your fill about Haswell's architecture you should cast your eyes onto Ryan's full review for an indepth look at the new design of Intel's Core processors.  If you have already done your homework and are now more interested in how well this new processor can overclock then heading to [H]ard|OCP will satisfy your curiosity.  When testing for the best overclock [H] utilized two different Z87 boards from ASUS to ensure we could see what the processor could do, not just what the motherboard was capable of but in the end the results were similar.  They also included a quick guide at the end for those wanting to apply an overclock without spending a lot of time in the BIOS.   Check it out here.

"Intel's clock keeps ticking and today lands on a "tock" in the development cycle. The new desktop Haswell processor represents a new microarchitecture built on the tried and true 22nm process technology that we have come to know and love with Intel's current Ivy Bridge microarchitecture. But what does Haswell mean for the computer enthusiast?"

Here are some more Processor articles from around the web:

Processors

• Haswell overclocked: the Core i7-4770K at 4.7GHz @ The Tech Report
• Intel's Core i7-4770K and 4950HQ 'Haswell' processors @ The Tech Report
• Intel Iris Pro 5200 Graphics Review: Core i7-4950HQ Tested @ AnandTech
• Intel Haswell 4th Generation CPU: i5-4670K and i7-4770K Review @ Madshrimps
• Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell @ techPowerUp
• Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell 3.5GHz Quad-Core CPU Review @ Legit Reviews
• Intel "Haswell" Core i7 4770K Review @ HCW
• The First Experience Of Intel Haswell On Linux @ Phoronix
• Intel Core i7 4770K Review @ OCC
• Intel Core-i7 4770K Haswell Processor Review @ Benchmark Reviews
• Intel Haswell i7-4770K & i5-4670K Review @ Hardware Canucks
• Haswell has USB 3.0 issues with 14 out of 22 tested USB drives @ Hardware.info
• Intel Core i7-4770K HD Graphics 4600 GPU Performance @ techPowerUp
• Intel i7-4770 Haswell @ LanOC Reviews
• Haswell Release Day Coverage @ Overclockers.com
• Intel Core i7 4770K / Core i5 4670K / Core i5 4430 review: Haswell test @ Hardware.info
• Haswell Debuts: Intel Core i7-4770K @ TechSpot
• Inside the Intel Haswell Microarchitecture @ Hardware Secrets
• Intel HD 2000/2500/3000/4000 Linux OpenGL Comparison @ Phoronix
• 45 processor group test: from Intel Celeron to Core i7, from AMD A4 to FX @ Hardware.info
• AMD A4-5000 - Kabini the mainstream APU @ Legion Hardware
• The Kabini Deal: Can AMD Improve the Quality of Mainstream PCs with Its Latest APU? @ AnandTech
• AMD A4-5000 Review: The affordable ultraportable APU @ Techspot
• AMD's A4-5000 'Kabini' APU @ The Tech Report

Computex 2013: Dell Shows Off XPS 11 Convertible Tablet With 1440p Display

Subject: Mobile, Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 04:21 PM | Tim Verry
Tagged: xps 11, windows 8, dell, convertible tablet, computex 2013, computex, 1440p

Dell is showing off a new XPS 11 convertible tablet PC at Computex. The new tablet takes cues from Lenovo's Yoga ultrabook and switches out the traditional Dell center hinge for a new Yoga-like 180-degree hinge that folds back until the display is on the opposite side of the keyboard. In another twist, Dell has opted for a flat keyboard with keys that have no physical travel. Instead, it offers adjustable haptic and audio feedback when typing.

Engadget goes hands-on with Dell's new XPS 11.

Dell has managed to create an 11.6” convertible notebook that is 15mm thick and less than 2.5 pounds. According to Dell representatives on the show floor, the XPS 11 will come with a high resolution 2560 x 1440 IPS touchscreen display, which is practically-unheard of for such a tiny form factor notebook. Even better, the tablet will come with a pressure sensitive active digitizer.

The XPS 11 will run Windows 8, and is likely powered by Intel's Haswell “4th Generation Core” processor. However, Dell has not yet announced any internal specifications and the device on the show floor is merely a prototype. In other words, the design and internal hardware is not yet finalized and subject to change.

Engadget managed to get some hands on time with the XPS 11 at Computex. Unfortunately, they were not allowed to try out the keyboard or use the digitizer. Judging by the hands-on photos they shot, the upcoming tablet will support USB 3.0, SD cards, audio and HDMI output.

The 1440p display is impressive and the new keyboard should allow the device be more ergonomic in tablet mode. I'm intrigued but skeptical about my ability to use this as a daily driver device with the flat, no travel, keyboard. At the very least, hopefully it spawns some competition for 11.6” devices with high resolution displays!
 

ASUS launches PQ321 monitor with 3840 x 2160 IGZO display

Subject: Displays | June 3, 2013 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: 4k, asus, 39, 31.5, PQ321

While they did fail to provide us with a price we do know that some time this month ASUS will be offering a 4K display for sale in North America, so you may not have to special order one from overseas anymore.  Of course as the two models are 39" and 31.5" you can expect a premium price as not only is 4K relatively new, the sizes of these monitors are also very new to the market ... at least for PCs.  The extra size does bring the pixel density down to 140 ppi but you will still have beautiful picture quality.

Taipei, Taiwan (30 May, 2013) — ASUS today announced the PQ321 True 4K UHD Monitor, a desktop display with a stunning Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 resolution that’s equivalent to four Full HD displays stacked side-by-side. The PQ321 has a 31.5-inch LED-backlit 4K Ultra HD display (140 pixels-per-inch) with 16:9 aspect ratio, and supports 10-bit RGB ‘deep color’ for vibrant images with more natural transitions between hues.

Cutting-edge IGZO panel technology
The ASUS PQ321 True 4K UHD Monitor uses cutting-edge Indium Gallium Zinc Oxide (IGZO) rather than traditional amorphous silicon for the active layer of its LCD panel. IGZO panels support much smaller transistors than amorphous silicon, which in turn gives much smaller pixels and the 3840 x 2160 resolution of the PQ321 is four times that of a 1920 x 1080 Full HD display.

176-degree wide viewing angles on both vertical and horizontal planes minimize onscreen color shift, while the 350cd/m² brightness rating and 8ms gray-to-gray response time ensure smooth, bright, and vibrant moving visuals. IGZO technology also gives reduced energy consumption compared to amorphous silicon and reduces bulk — at 35mm at its thickest point, the PQ321 is the thinnest 4K UHD monitor available today.

Comprehensive video inputs for UHD content
The ASUS PQ321 True 4K UHD Monitor features DisplayPort and US models offer dual-HDMI ports inputs with Picture-by-Picture support. Built-in 2W stereo speakers remove the need for additional desktop clutter and, in addition to being wall-mountable, the monitor stand offers full height, swivel, and tilt adjustment.

AVAILABILITY & PRICING
ASUS will be exhibiting the 39-inch and 31.5-inch True 4K UHD Monitor models at Computex 2013 in Taipei. The ASUS PQ321 True 4K UHD Monitor will be available in North America in the end of June.

OCZ Technology to Showcase its Leading Solid State Drives and Launch New Power Management Solutions at Computex 2013

Subject: Shows and Expos | June 3, 2013 - 03:02 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: ces 2013, ocz

OCZ has given us a teaser of what we can expect to see at CES 2013 and it is a wide variety of products indeed.  They will be launching new Fatal1ty branded PSUs, which will support Haswell's new power states, with a competition between himself and another professional gamer starting the function off.  New Vector and Vertex drives will be revealed for the consumer and enterprise users will be treated to new PCIe and SAS SSDs to bring new performance levels to databases.

SAN JOSE, CA—June 3, 2013—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ), a leading provider of high-performance solid-state drives (SSDs) and power management solutions for computing devices and systems, will showcase the Company's comprehensive storage solutions for client and enterprise computing along with announcing its new line of Fatal1ty Series power supply products at Computex 2013 in Taipei, Taiwan June 4 through June 8. OCZ solutions can be viewed at the main show floor this year at the Nangang Exhibit Hall, Booth K0309a.

Continuing to demonstrate its commitment to the enthusiast market, OCZ is unveiling the new Fatal1ty Gaming Series power supplies (PSUs) in updated 550W and 750W models designed to provide exceptional power solutions for gamers and enthusiasts, offering performance and reliability coupled with exciting new features. These latest PSUs feature premium components and heavy-duty protection circuitries with a fully modular cable management system to provide an organized case environment that maximizes airflow by eliminating unnecessary wiring, and utilizes specialized DC-to-DC converters for compatibility with Intel’s Haswell platform. Both models also feature a single +12V rail for exceptional power distribution, 80-Plus Bronze rating for high energy efficiency up to 85% at typical loads, along with 135mm load-controlled fans with the Fatal1ty Series of trademark glowing red LEDs for stylish yet silent operation in high-end gaming rigs.

To kickoff the launch of the exciting new power supplies, Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel will compete against fellow gamer and former sparring partner Kyle “relic” Mims in a special shootout to be held June 6, 7-11pm at the SPARK venue in Taiwan’s landmark Taipei 101 on June 6th. With a record of 12 World Titles in five different games, Wendel is one of the most successful and recognized professional gamers in history. In recent years Wendel has declined to compete professionally and instead stay focused on promoting video gaming globally in his role as a Gaming Ambassador, while concentrating on his Fatal1ty Gaming Gear enterprise which includes the latest OCZ power supplies. In this special event, press, partners, and invited attendees can get a firsthand look at the latest OCZ Fatal1ty Gaming Series power supplies, along with viewing the live head-to-head shootout between these two gamers.

For client storage, OCZ will demo its upcoming Vector PCIe SSD featuring exceptional IOPS, high bandwidth, and high capacities ideal for power users, content creation, and workstation applications. Residing directly on the PCI Express bus, the new Vector PCIe Series provides lower latency to data, faster file transfers and boot-ups, expanded storage capacities, and an even quicker, more responsive experience over the already blazing fast SATA III-based Vector SSDs. In addition, OCZ will showcase its current consumer SSD lineup with the recently launched Vertex 450 SATA III SSD Series which has already earned numerous accolades and praise from the global media for its high performance coupled with the latest 20nm flash geometry for mainstream computing applications.

OCZ will also be displaying its complete portfolio of enterprise storage solutions including the SATA based Deneva 2, Talos 2 SAS drive, and Z-Drive R4 PCIe SSD Series, featuring the newest ZD-XL SQL Accelerator that represents the convergence of enterprise hardware and software as one tightly integrated, optimized solution, ensuring that appropriate and readily available data is on SSD flash when a SQL Server needs it.

Revisting support the HD4000 graphics core on Ubuntu

Subject: General Tech | June 3, 2013 - 02:51 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: sandy bridge, Ivy Bridge, linux, ubuntu 13.04

The news might be heavily slanted towards Haswell right now but for Linux users improvements to Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge GPU drivers are still a major focus.  As there have been updates to the drivers as well as to Ubuntu, Phoronix felt it was time to revisit the performance metrics of the graphics on a Core i3 3217U.  While they did see improvements when you compare it to previous driver versions it seems that there is still some work to do as the performance still lags behind the Win7 driver.

"After yesterday's Intel Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge Linux graphics comparison using the very latest Intel Linux graphics driver, here are new benchmarks using the latest Windows and Linux Intel OpenGL graphics driver. Facing competition this morning is Microsoft Windows 7 Pro x64 and Ubuntu 13.04 with its updated open-source stack."

Here is some more Tech News from around the web:

Tech Talk

• Microsoft offers free keyboard covers for Surface RT @ The Register
• Benchmarking USB transfer speeds @ Hack a Day
• El Reg drills into Office365: Mass email migration @ The Register
• iPhones are vulnerable to a charger security attack @ The Inquirer
• BlackBerry stepping up purchases of parts and components, say Taiwan makers @ DigiTimes
• Microsoft's Xbox One Launch Event Replay @ NGOHQ
• Xbox One vs PlayStation 4: Upcoming Consoles Compared @ TechReviewSource
• LG may not cooperate with Google on Nexus 5 @ DigiTimes
• Computex 2013 Previen: An AMD comeback, Windows 8.1 and More Tablets @ Hardware Canucks

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.