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A mid-weight PSU from Seasonic, the Platinum 660W

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 14, 2013 - 05:47 PM |
Tagged: rosewill, PSU, Platinim 660, modular psu, 80plus platinum

If the 1000W Rosewill PSU that Lee just reviewed is more power than your system needs, [H]ard|OCP has a slightly less powerful 660W 80Plus Platinum PSU you could consider that Lee has also looked at.  At $150 it is fairly expensive for a 660W PSU, but a 7 year warranty and a Platinum efficiency rating do not come cheap.  With four 6+2 PCIe connectors and up to 55A on the 12V rail and an unparalleled peak change of 0.01v this will solidly power several GPUs.  [H] was so impressed that they couldn't think of a PSU to contrast against, this unit is miles ahead of the competition when it comes to the purity of the voltages provided.

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"Seasonic's new SS-660XP comes to us boasting high end PSU features in what we can consider a smaller wattage package than what we are used to seeing. This PSU has a fully modular design, great efficiency, optional Hybrid fan control allowing fanless, silent, and normal cooling modes. Does Seasonic have another winner?"

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

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Rosewill Tachyon Series 1000W Power Supply Review

Author:
Date: February 13, 2013
Subject: Cases and Cooling
Manufacturer: Rosewill
Tagged: Tachyon-1000, Tachyon Series, rosewill, 80plus platinum

Introduction and Features

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Rosewill continues to expand their power supply lineup with the introduction of four new units in the Tachyon Series. All Tachyon Series power supplies are certified 80Plus Platinum to deliver maximum efficiency. We will be taking a detailed look at the Flagship Tachyon-1000 in this review.

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Tachyon Series 1000W PSU Key Features:

• 80Plus Platinum certified
• Continuous 1000W output @50°C
• Single powerful +12V rail – ideal for Gaming Systems
• SLI & CrossFire Ready – six 6+2 pin PCI-E connectors
• Modular cable design
• Mesh sleeving on all cables for easier cable routing
• Silent 140mm fan with Auto Fan Speed Control
• Fanless operation at low power
• Active PFC with Universal AC input (100-240V)
• Protection Circuits: OC, OV, OP, UV, and SC Protection,
• Safety and EMI Approvals: cTUVus, FCC, CE, ROHS
• 5-Year Warranty

Please continue reading our Rosewill Tachyon power supply review!

Corsair updates their self contained watercoolers and not just with an 'i' at the end

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 13, 2013 - 07:20 PM |
Tagged: corsair, Hydro Series, H80i, H100i, watercooling, Corsair Link

The updated Hydro Series coolers, the H80i and H100i both feature all new tubing that might not be much more flexible than the previous models but offers improved flow rates.  As well these coolers are now able to be controlled via Corsair's Link technology, allowing you to either set the LED colour displayed or to use it as a real time temperature indicator.  As you would suspect the H100i is the larger of the two units, the H80i being 120 x 38 x 152mm and the H100i measuring 275 x 120mm x  27mm with both supporting up to four fans via the Link software.  [H]ard|OCP saw an improvement from the previous models which you can read about in their full review.

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"Corsair updates its aging H80 and H100 performance liquid CPU coolers, with the new H80i and H100i models. Changes include a new cold plate design, smooth outer diameter no-kink tubing designed to further limit evaporation, and newer designed fans claiming better static pressures, and quieter operation."

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

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

21lbs of aluminium from Lian Li

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 7, 2013 - 04:01 PM |
Tagged: full tower, Lian Li, PC-A76

If you need a lot of space for your system the Lian Li PC-A76 is a good choice, at 220 x 585 x 615mm (8.6 x 23.0 x 24.2"), 11 expansion slots, two 5.25" internal drive bays, a dozen 3.5" drive bays and three 2.5" SSD mounting locations.  This is not a case that is going to fit in a small location and if you don't really need the space you might want to consider something a bit less monolithic.  On the other had a quad SLI/Crossfire system with 20TB of storage space would look lovely in this case.  [H]ard|OCP was a little disappointed with the lack of extras in the case but for a professional system this has both looks and utility.

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"Lian Li is a name that is surely known inside enthusiast computer hardware circles. The company has produced cases for desktop computer builds nearly as long as there have been builders. Its new PC-A76 is all aluminum, weighing in at 21lbs, and makes you think it should be all that and a bag of chips."

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

CASES & COOLING

Source: [H]ard|OCP

Seasonic Gold Series X-750 Power Supply Review

Author:
Date: February 6, 2013
Subject: Cases and Cooling
Manufacturer: Seasonic
Tagged: X-Series, SS-750KM3, seasonic, S2FC/S3FC

Introduction and Features

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Seasonic has built a stellar reputation for producing some of the best PC power supplies on the market today. In their relentless pursuit to continuously improve their products, Seasonic has recently upgraded the X-650, X-750 and X-850 units to provide quality performance for PC enthusiasts who seek reliability, tight voltage regulation, and high efficiency. The following list details the specific enhancements and differences between the earlier KM2 models and the new X-650/750/850 KM3 models.

• 12V Line Regulation improved to ±2% instead of ±3%
• S2FC/S3FC Selector Switch allows end user to select fan control mode of choice
• Flat Black DC Cables: easier to install, better airflow, and good appearance
• Increased number of CPU/PCI-E cable options
• New KM3 models use Full Bridge topology versus Half Bridge in KM2 for better reliability and efficiency
• MOSFETs relocated to Daughter Card instead of main PCB for improved efficiency, cooling and safety
• KM3 uses High Current Connectors (9A, 85°C) for added security and reliability

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Seasonic 80Plus Gold X-Series Features

80Plus Gold The X-Series Gold 650/750/850 power supplies are certified in accordance to the 80PLUS organization's Gold standards, offering performance and energy savings with up to ≥90% efficiency and a true power factor of greater than 0.9 PF.

Full Modular Design (DC to DC) The Seasonic X-Series power supplies feature an integrated DC connector panel with onboard VRM (Voltage Regulator Module) that enables not only near perfect DC-to-DC conversion with reduction of current loss/impedance and increase of efficiency but also a fully modular DC cabling that enables maximum flexibility of integration and forward compatibility.

Please continue reading our Seasonic X-750 Gold power supply review!

Win FREE Stuff! Seasonic M12II 850 watt and 750 watt PSU up for grabs!!

Subject: Editorial, Cases and Cooling | February 5, 2013 - 12:55 PM |
Tagged: seasonic, PSU, power supply, m12ii, giveaway, contest

We know that our readers love to win free stuff, and who can blame you?  Building PCs can sometimes be a burden on your wallet and we do our best to help that by showing you the best deals and occasionally having contests like this!

Our good friends at Seasonic wanted to offer up a couple of power supplies for our community and we were obviously excited to facilitate!  Here are the goods you can win:

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Seasonic M12II SS-850AM 850 watt Power Supply ($130 value - Newegg Link)

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Seasonic M12II SS-750AM 750 watt Power Supply ($120 value - Newegg Link)

Seasonic M12II Bronze Series has been the ever-popular power supply series of the semi modular category. Now Seasonic extends the semi-modular series by introducing M12II Bronze 650/750/850 to provide consumers a larger selection in the entry level 80PLUS Bronze certified category.

The M12II Bronze new models have built in a full protection feature including OCP, OPP,OTP, OVP, SCP & UVP and meet worldwide safety and environmental standards. The all-new M12II-650/750/850 units are the new leaders in the 80 PLUS Bronze category and another great addition to the Seasonic Retail power supply family.

If you are looking to build a new PC or upgrade your current system, either of these two power supplies will make a great backbone for all the other components. 

How do you win? 

  1. Visit your favorite PC Perspective pages like our YouTube channel, Facebook page and Twitter account.  You should subscribe, like and follow us, you know...if you want to.  We'd appreciate it!
  2. Also, stop by the Seasonic Facebook page and give it a look - they are always posting contests and giveaways there!!
  3. Leave a comment here on this post telling us what you would be able to do better if your system was powered by one of these power supplies!

We'll pick a winner on Wednesday the 13th of February, so get your entries in NOW!  A big thank you goes out to Seasonic for supporting PC Perspective and for supporting our loyal readers!

Source: Seasonic

Fractal Design Integrates USB 3.0 Support Into New Core 3000 USB 3.0 ATX Chassis

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 5, 2013 - 09:21 AM |
Tagged: usb 3.0, mid tower, fractal design, core 3000 usb 3.0, Core 3000, atx case

Fractal Design has taken its budget-friendly mid-tower Core 3000 case, and updated it with USB 3.0 support on the front IO panel. The new SKU is aptly named the Fractal Design Core 3000 USB 3.0.

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The new case is essentially an upgrade to the Core 3000. It is a black case with white accents on the drive carriages and PCI expansion slots. The front panel of the case features two optical disc drive bays and a dust filter covered by a mess grill. The top of the case holds an exhaust port and a new front IO panel. The IO panel includes two audio jacks, power and reset buttons, power and hard drive activity LEDs, two USB 2.0 ports, and two USB 3.0 ports.

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The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has room for two 5.25” drives and up to six 3.5” or 2.5” drives (with the top drive cage being removable). Seven PCI expansion slots, a CPU cutout, and cable management/routing holes are all standard features of the Core 3000 USB 3.0 case.

On the cooling front, the mid tower chassis comes equipped with three Silent Series R2 fans out of the box along with a total of seven fan cutouts. By default, there is one 140mm 1,000 RPM intake fan in the front, one 120mm 1,200 RPM exhaust fan in the back, and one 140mm 1,000 RPM fan attached to the top of the case.

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The available fan positions are as follows:

  • Front of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
    • 1 x 140mm fan
  • Top of the case:
    • 2 x 120mm or 140mm fans
  • Rear of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
  • Side of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan
  • Bottom of the case:
    • 1 x 120mm fan

The Core 3000 USB 3.0 case has a MSRP of $74.95 in the US. All in all, it looks to be a decent case for the price. You can find more information on the product page.

Source: Fractal Design

Tranquil PC Launches £99 Fanless Case For Intel NUC Platform

Subject: Cases and Cooling | February 3, 2013 - 06:14 AM |
Tagged: tranquil, nuc, fanless, case

Tranquil PC, a case manufacturer and system integrator based in the UK, recently announced a new aluminum chassis for Intel’s NUC motherboards. The new chassis acts as a heatsink and will keep your NUC system running cool without needing case fans. Tranquil is offering two versions of the case – the NUC-BY and NUC-YE – which are compatible with both the D33217CK (Thunderbolt-equipped) and D33217GKE (Gigabit Ethernet-equipped) Intel NUC boards respectively.

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The two Tranquil NUC cases are nearly identical, but they differ in the IO cutouts offered (naturally). The cases measure 110 x 164 x 47mm and resembles a black heatsink with its horizontal fins and brushed aluminum design. The chassis is reportedly able to keep the Next Unit of Computing (NUC) system 5 to 15 degrees centigrade cooler than the reference Intel NUC case that uses an active fan. Hopefully, the case-as-a-heatsink design will help to mitigate the overheating problems that many reviewers (including PC Perspective) have run into when performing network transfers to the SSD over Wi-Fi.

 

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It is a streamlined design with port only the expected port cutouts and a rubberized power button on the rear of the device. No LED-lit logos or extra buttons to speak of. You can, however, have Tranquil laser-engrave a custom message onto the chassis for an additional fee.

The front of the case features a single USB port while the rear IO will depend on your particular NUC board. The D33217CK board includes one Thunderbolt, one HDMI, two USB 2.0 ports, and a 65W DC power input jack. On the other hand, the D33217GKE motherboard has a DC-in jack, two USB 2.0 ports, two HDMI outputs, and a single Gigabit LAN jack. Additionally, the Tranquil cases have a cutout for an externally-mounted Wi-Fi antenna (as the aluminum casing is not well-suited to housing an internal antenna).

 

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Both Tranquil NUC cases are available now for a base price of £99. A VESA mount adds an additional £17. Further, VAT and shipping charges may apply depending on where you are ordering from. In USD, the Tranquil cases have a base price of $155.62. While I do not get charged VAT, I do have to pay shipping, and it is not cheap at approximately $33 to ship to the mid-west US. In my case, ordering one NUC case and having it shipped to Illinois would cost $207.41. Ouch.

The Tranquil PC NUC case with its brushed aluminum and fanless design is extremely nice. Unfortunately, that build quality does not come cheap, and will add to the overall cost of putting together your NUC system. If you have the money for it though, it looks to be one of the best cases available for the new 4” x 4” NUC motherboards.

More information is available on the Tranquil PC website.

Source: Fanless Tech

EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750G Gold Power Supply Review

Author:
Date: February 1, 2013
Subject: Cases and Cooling
Manufacturer: EVGA
Tagged: NEX750G, EVGA SuperNOVA, 120-PG-0750-GR

Introduction and Features

EVGA was founded in 1999 with headquarters in Brea, California. They currently specialize in producing NVIDIA based graphics adapters and Intel based motherboards and they are continuing to expand their product line to include enthusiast grade power supplies, starting with the NEX1500 last year and now adding the SuperNOVA NEX750G and NEX650G models.

Back in September 2012 we reviewed the SuperNOVA NEX1500 digital power supply that delivered 1500 watts of power and came bundled with EVGA’s SuperNOVA software that allows monitoring all of the power supply’s functions in real-time from your desktop. We liked the NEX1500, especially the SuperNOVA monitoring software, so when EVGA asked us to review the new SuperNOVA NEX750G Gold, we said yes and assumed it would incorporate similar features to the flagship SuperNOVA NEX1500. While the NEX1500 PSU was targeted towards an elite few with deep pockets, the new NEX750G and NEX650G models are aimed at more mainstream, cost-conscious consumers. And to our disappointment, neither of the new power supplies feature digital control, so they can't be used with EVGA's SuperNOVA monitoring software.

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Here is what EVGA has to say about the new SuperNOVA NEX 750G Gold PSU: “The EVGA NEX750G Gold PSU is a premium quality power supply intended to meet the needs of the most demanding enthusiasts systems. Designed with enthusiast needs in mind the NEX series is the best choice to power next generation enthusiast computers. Combining 750W of continuous power with exceptional performance, stunning efficiency, and cutting-edge design and features, the NEX750G Gold is what you need to take your system to the next level.

You can also count on EVGA to provide the utmost reliability and performance, with 100% Japanese capacitors and a durable dual-ball bearing fan. The NEX750G Gold is designed from start to finish to be the best choice for today's most demanding enthusiast computers. Bring you’re a-game with the NEX750G Gold power supply!"

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Please continue reading our review of the EVGA SuperNOVA NEX750G PSU!!!

If you aren't whitening your case, it is yellowing ...

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 31, 2013 - 01:29 PM |
Tagged: Retr0bright, DIY, ultraviolet, crest

Back in the ancient days of computing before cases came in all colours of the rainbow, we made due with a standard creamy white colour, which over time became a shade of yellow usually associated with Bingo halls or greasy spoon diners.  While white or cream coloured cases have gone out of style, there are still systems which are housed in nasty yellow stained plastic cases and Hardware Secrets can tell you how to whiten them to the colour TV commercials would have you believe your teeth should be.  The trick is called Retr0bright and uses both a hydrogen peroxide bath and UV lighting to restore cases to a more appealing white.  The process isn't perfect, make sure you read their caveats before beginning your project.

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"Plastic parts of older computers become yellow or brown over time, so you end up with a computer that looks yellow or brown instead of white or gray. In this tutorial, we will show you how to restore old plastic parts to their original color by using a homemade peroxide-based solution called Retr0bright."

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

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Source: Hardware Secrets

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