Intel Dives in to Oil!
Subject: General Tech, Cases and Cooling, Processors, Systems, Shows and Expos | September 12, 2012 - 09:34 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: mineral oil, Intel
Intel has been dunking servers in oil for the last year and found the practice to be both safe and effective. Ironically it has been almost a year since we played around with mineral oil cooling – and when we did – we did not want to upgrade or fix anything. Intel agrees.
Intel inside, slick mess outside.
Often cooling a computer with a radiant that is not air focuses on cooling a handful of specific components and leaving the rest exposed to air. Gigabyte in their recent live presentation showed how the company reduced waste heat on the motherboard as it delivers power to the CPU as the latter likely receives more cooling than the former. With mineral oil you are able to more efficiently cool the entire system by immersing it in a better coolant than air.
This still makes Ken wake up in a cold sweat… is what we convince ourselves.
After a full year of testing servers, Intel has decided that oil immersion cooling should be utilized by more server hosts to cut costs over traditional air conditioning. In their test they used heat sinks which were designed for air and dunked them pretty much unmodified into the mineral oil dielectric. Apart from the mess of it – Intel engineers always carried cleaning cloths just in case – Intel seems to only sing praise for results of their study.
Of course Intel could not help but promote their upcoming Phi platform which you may know as the ancestor of Larabee.
Now the real question is whether Intel just wanted to shamelessly plug themselves – or whether they are looking so closely at alternative cooling solutions as a result of their upcoming Phi platform. Will we eventually see heat dissipation concerns rear their heads with the new platform? Could Intel either be sitting on or throttling Phi because they are waiting for a new heat dissipation paradigm?
Could be interesting.
Western Digital Hybrid Hard Drives: 5mm 500GB Sampling
Subject: General Tech, Systems, Storage | September 10, 2012 - 05:50 PM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: ultrabook, ssd caching, ssd, Hard Drive
Western Digital has been sampling 5mm-thin 2.5” hard drives designed for Ultrabooks. They have currently announced partnerships with Acer and ASUS to include these drives in future ultrathin laptops. Western Digital has currently only listed capacities of 500GB for the spindle portion of the drive but no word how much MLC flash will be included to cache most used files. The product will be discussed during the company’s investor day on the 13th of this month.
At this stage SSDs are pretty much the missing link to a fast and responsive computer.
Prices have dropped to under one dollar per gigabyte ($1/GB) a few months ago with some models reaching 70c/GB – and those are the good ones too. The massive drop in price is still about an order of magnitude more expensive than spindle hard drives and consumers are using whatever space they can get. Several solutions exist to balance the speed of SSDs with the storage effectiveness of HDDs.
One solution is to include both in a single drive and keep the most used data in the SSD cache. Western Digital has just released samples of 5mm-thin hybrid hard drives for OEMs to put in extremely thin laptops.
I wonder if they're feeling chip-er...
Users who purchase laptops often have the mistaken assumption that a faster processor directly leads to increased response. That is certainly the case when comparing an Intel Atom to an i5 – but an i3 will probably spend just as much time idle and awaiting instructions from the hard drive as an i5 would.
Western Digital has not broken the SSD market despite their long success with spindle storage. It makes sense that Western Digital will push into the market with the starting point from which they are most comfortable. Western Digital has been shipping SSDs for over two-and-a-half years at this point but never really gained any traction.
It looks like Western Digital is realizing that they need to mix SSDs with what they know best and do something innovative to get a unique hook in the market – buying just a little more time.
The drive which has been announced today will contain a storage capacity of 500GB with an undisclosed amount of MLC NAND flash memory caching the most used data. The hook to differentiate themselves from other hybrid hard drives is its size: 5mm compared to the more common 9.5mm.
The Ultrabook market could be a lucrative wave to ride for the time being and give them even more capital to invest future SSDs. Hopefully they will not wait for solid state storage to creep up on them twice. Fool you once…
Western Digital is expected to discuss and showcase this product more at their Western Digital Investor Day on this Thursday, September 13th, 2012.
ASUS Debuts "Powered by ASUS" Systems Through Award-winning System Integrators
Subject: Systems | September 5, 2012 - 06:18 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: asus
ASUS has just launched a new prorgam with popular system builders like Puget Systems and CyberPower to give enthusiasts the ability to order a system built around ASUS parts, not just for the branding but also for the theoretical compatibility between the components. Since ASUS makes such a wide variety of components these systems will include motherboards, graphics cards and sound cards on the interior as well as gaming headsets, monitors and even routers will all be sold as a package by these boutique outlets. You can also expect to see some savings on these parts compared to retail as well as the customizations you would expect from high end system builders. The PR is below and you can head straight to the new Powered By ASUS site here.
Fremont, California (September 5, 2012) - Working closely with its custom system integration partners, ASUS today formally launched its Powered by ASUS (PBA) program in North America. Powered by ASUS brings consumers familiar with the performance, design and reliability of ASUS components together with trusted system integrators. This program creates a new category of build-to-order PCs offering unique configurations that are stability tested and performance optimized with class leading ASUS components.
Timothy Lin, Director of Product Management at ASUS summed up the reasoning behind the new program by explaining “There are a lot of hardware enthusiasts and ASUS fans out there that do not build their own PCs, but want additional performance and features typically not available in off-the-shelf systems. Recognizing this opportunity we worked closely with the system integrators in developing the Powered by ASUS program. This unique program offers consumers the ability to custom configure a system utilizing a wide variety of high-quality ASUS components.”
System integrators that participate in the Powered by ASUS program offer custom configurations utilizing multiple ASUS components. The expansive list of available ASUS components includes motherboards, graphics cards, sound cards, optical disc drives, headsets, wireless routers, USB wireless adapters and monitors. ASUS encourages system integrators to utilize various hardware combinations based on their customers’ needs. This program highlights not only the benefits of using multiple ASUS components together in one system, but also the capabilities and expertise of each authorized system builder.
Strong Support From Partners
North American custom system integrators expressed strong support for the Powered by ASUS program:“ASUS has created a unique program that showcases their commitment to the industry by offering consumers more choices. Combining the ASUS brand promise with its wide range of products, the Powered by ASUS program can change the way consumers seek custom PCs. We applaud ASUS for moving the industry forward!” – Tim Chen, General Manager, iBUYPOWER
“We are honored to be a launch partner of the Powered by ASUS program. It allows us to offer configurations that are focused on design and innovation that make sense and provide lasting performance. It represents an important milestone in custom PCs and should encourage more consumer considerations.” – Eric Cheung, CEO, CyberPower
“ASUS motherboards have been our default choices for many years thanks to their superb engineering and rock solid reliability. The Powered by ASUS program takes our commitment to building cutting-edge PCs one step further by allowing consumers to experience more ASUS product innovations. We are excited to be a launch partner of PBA.” – Kelt Reeves, President, Falcon Northwest
“Our hand crafted systems would not be top shelf without ASUS motherboards found behind the rest of our carefully selected hardware. Even before our inception we've recognized the commitment ASUS has made to the industry to provide truly innovative, stable and performance dominant hardware. It is an honor to be a launch partner with the Powered by ASUS program, and we applaud ASUS for seeking to share an ecosystem of innovative products through its customer experience driven partners. – Adrian Hunter, CEO, Geekbox Computers
Launch Partners
To celebrate the launch of Powered by ASUS, during the month of September customers that purchase qualifying systems from authorized system builders will receive a complimentary, award-winning Xonar DSX sound card built into their system - a $59.99 USD value.To learn more about Powered by ASUS, go to http://pba.asus.com. System configurations and ASUS components available are subject to change at any time.
I say let the world go to hell
… but I should always have my tea. (Notes From Underground, 1864)
You can praise video games as art to justify its impact on your life – but do you really consider it art?
Best before the servers are taken down, because you're probably not playing it after.
Art allows the author to express their humanity and permits the user to consider that perspective. We become cultured when we experiment with and to some extent understand difficult human nature problems. Ideas are transmitted about topics which we cannot otherwise understand. We are affected positively as humans in society when these issues are raised in a safe medium.
Video games, unlike most other mediums, encourage the user to coat the creation with their own expressions. The player can influence the content through their dialogue and decision-tree choices. The player can accomplish challenges in their own unique way and talk about it over the water cooler. The player can also embed their own content as a direct form of expression. The medium will also mature as we further learn how to leverage interactivity to open a dialogue for these artistic topics in completely new ways and not necessarily in a single direction.
Consciously or otherwise – users will express themselves.
With all of the potential for art that the medium allows it is a shame that – time and time again – the industry and its users neuter its artistic capabilities in the name of greed, simplicity, or merely fear.
Introduction and Externals
Corsair manufactures a wide variety of components and peripherals for PC enthusiasts. They essentially target the most enthusiastic customers in whatever market they enter – breaking the ice with the coldest and harshest critics who are never above nitpicking faults and flaws. Despite tossing their first generation products to the sharks they perform uncharacteristically well for a new contender almost every time. They look before they leap.
The Corsair K60 and K90 were launched simultaneously and represent Corsair’s first attempt at producing a mechanical keyboard. Corsair has included media keys, a metal volume wheel, and a Windows-key lock on both keyboards if you find yourself yelling, “I HATE THIS KEY!” at your desktop because your game is now minimized and cannot receive your hatred.
Rubberized when down, not when up -- but stable either way.
I never said I wasn't one of the nitpickers.
Both keyboards are built around an aluminum chassis with a nonslip coating to each key. Each keycap has a sharply defined edges compared to the more round edges found on a Razer Blackwidow and other similar keyboards. Neither keyboard has rubberized tips on their ergonomic flaps although slipping has not been an issue in my testing.
Check in after the break to learn more about Corsair's first mechanical keyboards.
Has Microsoft Given the PC to Xboxers on a Silver Platter?
Subject: Editorial, General Tech, Systems, Mobile | September 2, 2012 - 02:20 AM | Scott Michaud
Tagged: consolitis, windows 8
Microsoft has announced that 40 Xbox Live games will ship for Windows 8 PC, laptops, and tablets on its October 26th launch date. Microsoft also continues to misunderstand why Games for Windows Live failed in the first place.
Xbox has all but become the quasi-official branding for Microsoft’s gaming initiatives.
Microsoft suffered a substantial black-eye from their Games for Windows Live initiative. While the service does not live up to its anti-hype it does illustrate how Microsoft lost their PC gaming audience: gamers who do not choose a console do not want a console. PC gamers might wish for a cheaper experience due to the lack of license fees; they might prefer the mouse and keyboard; or they might wish to play games for longer than a console lifecycle.
If they pass up your console platform – hand delivering it on a silver platter will still be a decline gesture.
Shattered Windows.
This time it seems more like Microsoft has given up trying to appease PC gamers. Rather than trying to satisfy the needs of the PC gaming audience (Seriously! It’s not that hard.) Microsoft would prefer to hand the PC gaming market to the console crowd and hope that they find some value to the platform.
This move seems just as risky to me as simply keeping PC gamers satisfied. The console model is designed around squirreling away as many license fees as you can possibly hide to appear less costly than the PC alternative – without actually being cheaper of course since otherwise who would pay the extra middleman? There is a lot of risk in transitioning to a new platform and they are betting their PC stronghold in the intersection between Apple fans and people who lock themselves in against PC gaming.
Or maybe the platter is served by Gabe Newell… dressed with a Tux.
Arctic's stylish new Trinity powered HTPC
Subject: Systems | August 31, 2012 - 02:56 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: trinity, SFF, htpc, Arctic MC101, amd, a10-4600m
There is a lot to like about the Arctic MC101 HTPC, from the brushed aluminium exterior to the Trinity based quad core A10-4600M and HD7660M graphics core that comes with the A10. Bjorn3D thought it was rather strange that the system ships without a remote control but thankfully it does have an IR sensor so a Windows Media Centre type remote will work perfectly. Connectivity is quite good, USB 3.0, combo USB 2.0/eSATA port, a headphone jack and a 4-in-1 memory card reader, along the front and sides. The back panel has even more, TV antenna, an audio out port, a line-in jack, SPDIF audio out, 4 USB 2.0 ports, two more USB 3.0 ports, HDMI-out and an ethernet port. At ~$750 it will set you back a bit to purchase and after reading Bjorn3D's review you may be willing to spend it.
"Arctic’s latest home entertainment system user an AMD A10-4600M APU, bringing a powerful combination of CPU and GPU in a tiny little box. Packed with WiFi, TV Tuner, 8GB RAM, and 1TB of storage, the MC101 brings us plenty of power for our media needs and is also able to deliver decent gaming performance."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Arctic MC101-A10 Home Entertainment Centre @ Kitguru
- Mede8er MED1000X3D review - 3D media player without Android @ Hardware.info
- 128-inch silver screen for your viewing room @ Hack a Day
- Pivos XIOS DS Media Play! Android Media Player @ Tweaktown
If you have to go back to school, do it with a new system
Subject: Systems | August 28, 2012 - 01:56 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: system build
The Tech Report has recently updated their systems guide and reminded many people about the upcoming beginning of the school year, except for those who've already started. While that might not be what you want to think about, considering building a new PC is certainly worth some thought. They've expanded their systems to include the "Dorm PC 2.0", a sub-$600 Mini-ITX system with a Core i3-2120 and an MSI Radeon HD 7770 which should not only stream your video but also let you get some late night gaming in as well. Check out all their system builds and don't forget to check out the Hardware Leaderboard here on PC Perspective which was just updated last week.
Not the Dorm 2.0 system
"We've updated our famous system guide to account for some of the latest hardware releases, including Nvidia's new GeForce GTX 660 Ti. In the spirit of the back-to-school season, we've also added the Dorm PC 2.0, a sub-$700 Mini-ITX system that has enough brawn to handle the latest games."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Orange OPC @ Kitguru
- AVADirect Quiet Gaming PC System Review Part II: Can Ivy Bridge and Kepler Make Up the Difference? @ AnandTech
- Lenovo ThinkCentre M92 Tiny System Review: Pint-Sized Power @ AnandTech
- Lenovo IdeaCentre H520s Review @ TechReviewSource
The Premise
Most IT workers or computer enthusiasts tend to ‘accumulate’ computer and electronics gear over time. Over the years it is easy to end up with piles of old and outdated computer parts, components and electronics–whether it’s an old Pentium machine that your work was throwing out, RAM chips you no longer needed after your last upgrade, or an old CRT monitor that your cousin wasn’t sure what to do with. Tossing the accumulated hardware out with the next trash pickup doesn’t even enter the equation, because there’s that slight possibility you might need it someday.
I myself have one (or two, and maybe half an attic…) closet full of old stuff ranging from my old Commodore 64/1541 Floppy disk drive with Zork 5.25” floppies, to a set of four 30 pin 1 MB/70ns SIMM chips that cost $100 each as upgrades to my first 486 DX2/50 Mhz Compudyne PC back in 1989. (Yes, you read that right, $100 for 1 MB of memory.) No matter if you have it all crammed into one closet or spread all over your house, you likely have a collection of gear dating back to the days of punch cards, single button joysticks, and InvisiClues guides.
Occasionally I’ll look into my own closet and lament all the ‘wasted’ technology that resides there. I’m convinced much of the hardware still has some sparks of life left. As a result, I am always looking for a reason to revive some of it from the dead. Since they’ve already been bought and paid for, it feels almost blasphemous to the technology gods not to do something with the hardware. In some cases, it might not be worth the effort, (Windows Vista on an old Micron Transport Trek2 PII-300 laptop doesn’t end well for anyone). In others cases, you can build something fun or useful using parts that you have sitting around and are waiting for a new lease on life.
Continue reading our look at building a legacy PC with existing hardware you might already have!!
Intel's take on the all-in-one PC
Subject: Systems | August 13, 2012 - 05:13 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: SFF, mini-itx, Intel, DH61AG, all-in-one
Intel's thin Mini-ITX is the same length and width as a regular mini-ITX board at 6.7" x 6.7" but it sports a thinner port cluster and horizontally stacked SO-DIMM memory slots to allow it to slip into a smaller place, perfect for an all-in-one build. That is why when you look at the system you will be hard pressed to see the case, as the motherboard is built right into the monitor. Unlike some other all-in-one systems, this one is user serviceable and to an extent is also upgradeable. If you are wondering how it performs then all you have to do is check out The Tech Report and all will be revealed.
"Today, we're going to be spending some quality time with an all-in-one PC based on Intel's Thin Mini-ITX standard. The individual parts are all available at retail, and the resulting machine is slim, slick, and surprisingly straightforward to put together."
Here are some more Systems articles from around the web:
- Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 Review @ TechReviewSource
- Cyberpower Fang III Black Mamba Review -the £4,000 system @ Kitguru
- LRDIMMs, RDIMMs, and Supermicro's Latest Twin @ AnandTech
- Dell Precision T1650 Workstation Review: Ivy Bridge Xeons Bring Performance @ AnandTech
- Palicomp Alpha Pulse Gaming PC @ Kitguru
- Guru3D Rig of the Month - July 2012
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