CES 2013: NZXT Phantom 630 Case

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Shows and Expos | January 8, 2013 - 04:45 PM |
Tagged: nzxt, ces 2013, CES

Am I the only one who thinks the slanting between the metal and the grating on the front of that case looks like a play on The Phantom of the Opera?

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NZXT wants the Phantom 630 to be the case for the desires of every enthusiast. While you can never satisfy the type to cram an i7 into a toaster, the 630 does seem to have a nice feature checklist and a lot of nooks and crannies to hide your components. To illustrate their design in a single bullet point: you can fit not one, but two SSDs behind the motherboard tray to keep them out of the way. The rest of the drives are installed in bays which can be rearranged in different configurations.

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The case is also designed with water cooling in mind. NZXT claims support for both 3x120 and 2x120 radiators. Unfortunately, liquid cooled machines are a foreign concept to me so I am not sure how difficult those radiators are to fit in conventional cases. I mean, I figure that a 3x120 radiator is over a foot long because I understand the metric system, but I have never experienced the struggle of trying to stick it somewhere. That said, I assume if you are in to sort of thing you could decide for yourself immediately. Also included is a 30Watt single-channel fan controller integrated into the case.

The Phantom 630 will be expecting to retail for $179.99 when it comes to market in Matte-Black, Gunmetal, and White options.

Press release after the break

Coverage of CES 2013 is brought to you by AMD!

PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!

Source: NZXT

Corsair's compact Carbide case keeps cards cool

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 8, 2013 - 12:51 PM |
Tagged: Carbide Series 200R, corsair, mid-tower

Corsair may refer to the Carbide 200R as a compact mid tower system but as you can see below [H]ard|OCP shoved in triple SLI, even if they are only GTX 280's.  The PSU is located at the bottom of the system and has an opening directly under it with a removable filter that you don't need to lift the case to get at.  This case is definitely aimed at air-coolers as you can mount 2 fans in the top of the case and on the side panel and 1 in the front, bottom and rear of the case.  Check out the full review here.

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"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy and Corsair looks to remedy that with its Carbide Series 200R; or something like that. Outside of the motherboard installation, no tools required is the message Corsair is looking to get across about this compact size "mid-tower" case."

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

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Source: [H]ard|OCP

Corsair Releases the Kraken: 900D Engulfs All

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 8, 2013 - 11:37 AM |
Tagged: corsair, 900D, obsidian, big case, kraken, swallows 650D, CES, ces 2013

Corsair had quite a few announcements this CES 2013, but none were as big as this one.  The rumors had been swirling about a massive case in the bowels of the Corsair headquarters, and today we get to see the reality of the situation.

It truly is a monster.

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The Obsidian 900D is so large a previous gen 650D can fit inside it.  It supports up to two power supplies, 15 fan mounts, 15 potential drives (when buying an optional, extra cage), four removable dust filters, and five watercooling point mounts.

Have I mentioned this is a big case?

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It is built entirely out of a steel and cast aluminum frame, which is good considering how big this case is.  Hopefully there will be enough lateral stiffness so the case does not warp or bend once it is fully loaded.

Availabilty and price are still a bit up in the air, but expect it the first half of this year.  Expect it to be pricey.  Overkill at any price?  Sign me up.

Coverage of CES 2013 is brought to you by AMD!

PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!

Source: Corsair 900D

CES 2013: Corsair Raptor Yields Apter Adapters

Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Shows and Expos | January 8, 2013 - 09:00 AM |
Tagged: raptor gaming, corsair, ces 2013, CES

Corsair purchased German peripheral company, Raptor Gaming, in the middle of last August. Today Corsair announced the availability of a whole line of Raptor products to complement their well-known Vengeance series. Now Corsair has two whole product lines to populate with goodies.

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The Raptor line currently consists of PC gaming keyboards, mice, and headsets. The line should be available immediately in both the United States as well as Raptor’s home country of Germany.

The main advantage of the Raptor product line is that they contain “more conventional materials”, as per Corsair’s description, to broaden their price spectrum. As an example, while the Vengeance line of keyboards is mechanical, the Raptor should be based on membrane-dome technology found in the common keyboard.

If you are not in the US or Germany, other regions should be added within the next 6 months.

Press release after the break.

Coverage of CES 2013 is brought to you by AMD!

PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!

Source: Corsair

FSP's new Raider series of PSUs

Subject: Cases and Cooling | January 7, 2013 - 04:52 PM |
Tagged: PSU, FSP RAIDER, 750w

FSP has been making PSUs for a long time now, usually providing decent quality components that might not stand out against other companies flagship models but that do a decent job for what they are needed for.  That is repeated in the Raider series as they chose a non-modular design and only four 6+2pin PCIe connectors though it does have an 80 PLUS Bronze rating, both of those choices helped keep the price down as it is currently $80 on NewEggPrice is not everything as [H]ard|OCP proved when they put this PSU through their torture tests and watched it provide voltages well out of specifications as well as offering poor support.

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"With single GPU and CPU enthusiast desktop computer systems coming down in power, mid-level power supplies are once again becoming the sweet spot. FSP claims its new RAIDER series PSU is the "best choice in performance." We put its RAIDER 750 watt unit to the test to see if it is the best choice for you."

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

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Source: [H]ard|OCP

Brace Yourself: The PC Perspective CES 2013 Coverage is Coming!

Subject: Graphics Cards, Networking, Motherboards, Cases and Cooling, Processors, Systems, Storage, Mobile, Shows and Expos | January 5, 2013 - 10:47 AM |
Tagged: CES, ces 2013, pcper

It's that time of year - the staff at PC Perspective is loaded up and either already here in Las Vegas, on their way to Las Vegas or studiously sitting at their desk at home - for the 2013 Consumer Electronics Show!  I know you are on our site looking for all the latest computer hardware news from the show and we will have it.  The best place to keep checking is our CES landing page at http://pcper.com/ces.  The home page will work too. 

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We'll have stories covering companies like, Intel, AMD, NVIDIA, ASUS, MSI, Gigabyte, Zotac, Sapphire, Galaxy, EVGA, Lucid, OCZ, Western Digital, Corsair and many many more that I don't feel like listing here.  It all starts Sunday with CES Unveiled and then the NVIDIA Press Conference where they will announce...something.

Also, don't forget to subscribe to the PC Perspective Podcast as we will be bringing you daily podcasts wrapping up each day.  We are also going to try to LIVE stream them on our PC Perspective Live! page but times and bandwidth will vary.

Coverage of CES 2013 is brought to you by AMD!

PC Perspective's CES 2013 coverage is sponsored by AMD.

Follow all of our coverage of the show at http://pcper.com/ces!

Manufacturer: Thermaltake

Introduction and Features

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The latest addition to Thermaltake's Soprano Series of enclosures is the New Soprano VO900.  It’s a full-featured mid-tower case that is specifically designed for quiet operation. The New Soprano uses sound-dampening foam on both side panels, a brushed aluminum door to close off all the exposed front drive bays, and comes with two quiet fans to keep the noise down and still provide good case cooling.

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The New Soprano VO900is finished in classic black inside and out and comes with a front I/O panel that incorporates USB 3.0 ports and a top mounted HDD hot-swap Docking Station that supports both 2.5" and 3.5" HDDs.

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Thermaltake Soprano VO900 Mid-Tower Case Key Features:

• Elegant streamlined design with black finish inside and out
• Brushed aluminum front door panel
• Sound-dampening foam on both side panels for quiet operation
• (1) 200mm Blue LED fan on front intake (600~800 rpm)
• (1) 120mm rear exhaust fan (1000 rpm)
• Removable front and bottom mounted dust filters
• Supports both ATX and Micro-ATX motherboards
• Two USB 3.0 ports on front I/O panel
• (4) 5.25" and (1) 3.5" exposed drive bays (behind front door)
• (5) 3.5"/2.5" internal HDD bays (with four removable trays)
• Top-mounted HDD hot-swap Docking Station (2.5" & 3.5")
• Innovative tool-free 5.25" and 3.5" drive bay mounting
• Cable-Clear cable management
• Support for liquid cooling systems
• Audiophile-style foot pads

Continue reading our review of the Thermaltake New Soprano VO9000 Case!!

Fractal Design Launches Define XL R2 Chassis

Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 19, 2012 - 10:58 AM |
Tagged: pc case, fractal design, chassis, atx case

Fractal Design recently introduced a new model to its Define XL series with the Define XL R2 that comes in either Black Pearl or Titanium Grey. The new case supports motherboards as large as XL-ATX and is packed with features for a relatively cheap $130 price.

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See more photos and specifications after the break.

Manufacturer: Corsair

Introduction and Features

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As promised, Corsair recently added four new power supplies to their AX Series including two new digital models, the AX860i and AX760i. The AX860i and AX760i PSUs bring most of the great features of Corsair's flagship AX1200i Digital ATX PSU (DSP control, Platinum efficiency, all-modular cables, and 7-year warranty) to PC gamers and enthusiasts who don't need a 1200W PSU and are looking in the range of 760 and 860 watts.  Both the AX860i and AX760i incorporate Digital Signal Processing to deliver extremely tight voltage regulation, clean and efficient power with the ability to make real-time adjustments to various internal parameters.  The included Corsair Link software can be used to monitor and adjust performance, noise (fan speed), and Over Current Protection (OCP) settings.  The Corsair AX860i and AX760i Digital ATX power supplies have been certified 80Plus Platinum for efficiency and come with all modular cables. 

In addition to the two new digital power supplies, Corsair is also revamping the traditional analog AX Series line with the addition of the AX860 and AX760 models, which include 80 PLUS Platinum certification, all-modular cables, and significantly lower noise levels than previous models.

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Corsair AX860i Digital ATX PSU Key Features:

• Digital Signal Processor (DSP) for extremely clean and efficient power
• Corsair Link Integration for monitoring and adjusting performance
• 860 watts continuous power output (50°C)
• Dedicated single +12V rail with user-configurable virtual rails
• 80Plus Platinum certified, delivering up to 92% efficiency
• ZVS / ZCS technology for high efficiency
• Independent DC-to-DC converters
• Ultra quiet 120mm double ball bearing fan
• Silent, Fanless mode up to ~30% load
• Self-test switch to verify power supply functionality before installation
• High quality capacitors for uncompromised performance and reliability
• Fully modular cable system
• Conforms to ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92 standards
• Universal AC input (90-264V) with Active PFC
• Over-current, over-voltage, under-voltage and short circuit protection
• Dimensions: 150mm (W) x 86mm (H) x 160mm (L)
• 7-Year warranty and legendary Corsair customer service

Please continue reading our Corsair AX860i Digital PSU review!

EVGA's 1500W PSU comes with a few strings attached

Subject: Cases and Cooling | December 14, 2012 - 04:01 PM |
Tagged: modular psu, kilowatt, superNOVA NEX1500 Classified, evga

It is never a good sign when a company does not want to send their hardware to review sites for testing and the ECGA superNOVA NEX1500 Classified PSU is no exception.  [H] purchased one out of pocket to test and they what they saw did not impress them very much.  One of the less than useful features they found was on the 12V rail, or rather on the eight 12V rails, each of which is rated at 20A.  The connectors are certainly impressive, with 16 PCIe connectors, 12 SATA and a very thick power cord, which of course leads to a lot of cable clutter.  Add to that the mislabelled PCIe lines and the need to register a user to be able to download the software to try to fix that problem and you can see why [H] failed this drive.  At least it didn't burst into flames in the torture test, although it may have caused some hearing loss.

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"EVGA did not want to send us one of its 1500W PSU beasts to review, so we went out and bought the $450 behemoth so we could put it through the HardOCP PSU grinder. EVGA clearly states that NEX1500 PSU is all about "no compromises," but we suggest that compromises are exactly what you will be making; more than a few too."

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Source: [H]ard|OCP