A case that towers over the competition

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 28, 2006 - 03:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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At 7kg (15lbs), 72cm tall (almost 2.5 ft) and 36cm wide and deep (1.2ft), it is hard to imagine using Thermaltakes Mozart Tx as an HTPC case.  Fitting both full ATX/BTX and mini ATX boards, it is very versatile, but when you are easily able to fit 10 120mm fans into the case, it seems more likely the case will be stuffed with top of the line, heat pumping components.  Legion Hardware loved it, and want you to love it too.

Open Source goes to Cape Town

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 28, 2006 - 11:55 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The VIA pc-1 is a client and server set up, running a flavour of Ubuntu Linux which lets youth in Cape Town program Open Source applications, under the tutelage of University students.  The idea is to enable them to produce software that is usable in their lives, as well as giving them a lot of knowledge in the basics of programming.

80 Plus, and what it means when it comes to PSUs

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2006 - 02:16 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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SPCR likes to talk about PSU that are certified 80 Plus.  As taken from the website, that means "The 80 PLUS® performance specification requires power supplies in computers and servers to be 80% or greater energy efficient at 20%, 50% and 100% of rated load with a true power factor of 0.9 or greater."

The problem being that they are very hard to find.  The 500W Zalman ZM360B-APS is an 80 Plus PSU, though there are other issues that SPCR discovered while reviewing this power supply.

A quiet hurricane

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2006 - 12:15 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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techPowerUp reviews the full sized XLCIO A380, whose pair of 250mm fans move a lot of air very quietly.  Combine that with the "toolless installation" that is becoming very common and a fairly low price tag, and you have the basis of a good gamming system that won't drown out a vacuum cleaner.

Feeling left out of the loop when it comes to Vista?

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 25, 2006 - 11:53 AM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Well, you don't have to feel like that any longer, Microsoft has opened up a beta version that anyone can download and install.  The Inquirer has the link straight to the download page for the DVD.  It will take a while to finsh, so don't hold your breath, and whatever you do, don't overwrite your main copy of Windows, use a spare HDD!

Buying big fans won't help much if you don't know how to use them

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 21, 2006 - 02:54 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Technibble reveals the theory behind airflow in cases and how to best utilize it.  Without getting incredibly technical, they show why a sealed negative case is the worst possible situation and why unsealed positive is the best way to go ... plus explaining what those terms mean.

The cool ionic breeze be more tangy than salty

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 19, 2006 - 12:04 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Thar be a new way to be keeping your PC cool.  Tha scurvy dogs at
Slashdot be noticing some bright swabs tearing apart an ionic air
purifier.  They be puttin' in in tha front of thar PC in place o' tha
intake fans.  They be using charges both negative and positive ta be
movin' air 'round.

Prettty up your PSU

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 18, 2006 - 02:00 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Real men learn how to braid too ... as long as it's the cabling from a PSU.  (Female techies, laugh at them if you already know how to do this!)   VIA Arena shows you how to clean up the cabling in your PC once and for all.

Blue light special on turbines

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 14, 2006 - 01:34 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Gideontech reviews the Aerocool Turbine 2000 120mm LED Fan, which happens to have 16 blades.  It claims to provide about 37CFM at just under 20dBA.  Head over to check out this fan, and it's blue LEDs.

Gigabyte returns to watercooling

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 12, 2006 - 06:11 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Legion Hardware looks at Gigabyte's 3D Galaxy 2, the follow up to their original watercooling system.  Find out what improvements they've made, and if they can successfully carry over their expertise in making motherboards to cooling them.

Power roundup, PSU shootout

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 11, 2006 - 05:54 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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OCZ, Sharkoon and Silverstone have each sent their toughest PSUs to Madshrimps, to participate in battle for top spot.  It looks to be a close battle, as each has 4 12V rails, with 750W total from Silverstone and 700W even from the other 2.

The return of the peltier

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 11, 2006 - 03:25 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The Titan Amanda TEC is up for review at Virtual-Hideout.  Combining heatpipes and a Thermo-Electric cooler (aka a peltier device), you get some serious cooling power.  It is really not necessary for low power systems, this is designed for serious overclocking, and also manages to draw 50W off of your 12V rail, when cooling at full power.

Spire's new case loves showing off it's insides

Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 6, 2006 - 02:14 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Hi-Tech Reviews looks at the Pininfarina, the new stylish case from Spire.  Not only attractive looking, it may well be one of the easiest cases to work in.

Socket 939 roundup

Subject: Cases and Cooling | August 31, 2006 - 05:19 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The Tech Lounge wants to help you get a little more life out of your s939 system.  By rounding up all the heatsinks they can find and comparing them, they'll help you buy one of the best ones, tweak your multiplier up a bit.  Overclock it far enough, and you might even feel like you have a new system.

"AM2 has revitalized AMD's K8 architecture. Core 2 has spurred the competition fiercely. Socket 939

has lost its leg up. Or has it?

Overdrawn at the capacitor bank

Subject: Cases and Cooling | August 31, 2006 - 03:46 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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Madshrimps look at 2 products from Clever Power, a CPU stabilizer and a VGA booster.  Both are essential huge banks of capacitors, which massage the electrical flow to your components into a perfect sine wave.  If you are having random power related problems, you owe it to yourself to check these out.

Pushing the limits of MP3 players ... or sanity?

Subject: Cases and Cooling | August 29, 2006 - 06:26 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The people at DailyCE are as confused as I am over the soon to be released MP3 player, the Vibex from Trekstor.  With a remote control and an FM Tuner, a docking station and more, you have to wonder if we are going a little overboard.  Mind you this is the company that also proudly proclaims to have made the world's most expensive MP3 player:
"The casing of the organix is cast in 750 gold (18 karat) and adorned with 63 diamonds (one-karat)"

Not the size, but how you use it

Subject: Cases and Cooling | August 29, 2006 - 12:14 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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The Ultra Grid case may seem tiny, at 19.5" deep, 7.5" wide and 16.7" tall, but don't let it's size fool you.  This motherboard will fit ATX boards, and even comes with 2 120mm fans.  Drop by Pro-Clockers for the full review of this compact, well laid out case.

The best power costs a little more

Subject: Cases and Cooling | August 28, 2006 - 01:41 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
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3dGameMan reviews PC Power & Cooling's answer to Crossfire and SLI systems, the Silencer 750W.  With more than enough power to keep your cards going, and a very high efficiency, you do get your $400+ worth.