Rawa Rontex: May 2011

Saturday, May 21, 2011

MSI Z68A-GD80

Here are the first pictures of MSI Z68A-GD80 (B3), the company's first socket LGA1155 motherboard based on intel new Z68 PCH. Intel is weeks away from launching the Z68 PCH, which is a middle-ground between P67 and H67. P67 let you overclock, while it didn't feature Flexible Display Interface (FDI); H67 featured FDI, but didn't let you overclock. Z68 features FDI, it also lets you overclock to the potential of P67. MSI's Z68A-GD80 makes use of the B3 revision of the Z68 PCH. It intends to offer loads of overclocking features, ample discrete GPU expansion, as well as FDI connectivity to let you use the processor-embedded graphics.

The LGA1155 socket supports 2011 Core i5/i7 "Sandy Bridge" processors. The LOTES-made socket on the Z68A-GD80 is powered by a 15-phase VRM that uses "solid-state" chokes that don't buzz on load. The VRM is cooled by two heatsinks that share heat over a heat pipe. The socket is wired to four DDR3 DIMM slots that support dual-channel memory. Expansion slots include three PCI-Express x16 (electrical x16/NC/x4 or x8/x8/x4), two PCI-E x1, and two PCI.

Storage connectivity includes four SATA 3 Gb/s ports, three SATA 6 Gb/s ports (two from PCH, one from a 3rd party controller), and one eSATA 6 Gb/s. FDI display connectivity includes DVI and HDMI. Other connectivity features include 8-channel HD audio, USB 3.0 (two rear-panel, two by internal header), dual gigabit Ethernet, USB 2.0, and FireWire.

Overclocker-friendly features include OC Genie 2, memory optimizer technology, auxiliary 6-pin power input for additional electrical stability, consolidated voltage measure points, and likely a feature-rich BIOS.

taken from : www.techpowerup.com

Gigabyte GA-X58A-OC

The GIGABYTE X58A-OC features a new VRM design called OC-VRM, which includes a combination of highly conductive POScaps, 50A rated MPFC (Max Power Ferrite Core) Chokes, and Driver-MOSFETs, which combined, are able to deliver higher current to the CPU, with better efficiency and lower temperature. OC-VRM also allows users to overclock the PWM frequency via an onboard switch, for real-time adjustment.

These models use an Intel Z68 Chipset, however, it DOES NOT support the Intel^® HD Graphics function built into the Intel^® Core™ processors. A discrete VGA card is required for graphics output.

GIGABYTE Z68 series motherboards provide all the advanced overclocking features users have come to know and love about the GIGABYTE P67 series motherboards including increasing processor core ratios, increasing DDR3 memory ratios and increasing power and current limits. In addition, GIGABYTE Z68 motherboards also allow users to increase the graphics core clock speed, for even greater graphics performance.

ASRock launched it's z68 based chipset for intel sandy bridge processor to compete with other mainboard brand

here are for full spec :

Continuing its legacy of leadership, ASUS offers consumers a range of new motherboards based on the Intel® Z68 Express chipset. The ASUS P8Z68 Series and ROG Maximus IV GENE-Z motherboards all have numerous powerful features that fully exploit the performance benefits of Sandy Bridge technology without compromise, packing more features and new innovations onto the Z68 platform while maintaining unmitigated performance and reliability.
ASUS is the only motherboard manufacturer able to integrate diverse new technologies in tandem on its Z68-based motherboards on launch. These include the universal implementation of LucidLogix Virtu™ switchable graphics to harness the capabilities of Intel® Quick Sync Video for faster video transcoding and the extreme performance of the latest NVIDIA® and AMD graphics cards, along with Intel® Smart Response Technology to accelerate hard drive performance and reduce energy consumption.

Take control and master your experience with Intel® Z68 Express Chipset and 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor based PC’s. This platform delivers the most flexibility and performance for the LGA 1155 socket, providing all the tools necessary to customize your PC experience. The Intel Z68 Express Chipset is the first product to enable performance tuning with access to the built-in visual features of 2nd generation Intel® Core™ processor family.

ASUS today launched the GTX 560 DirectCU II TOP graphics card, based on the powerful NVIDIA® GTX 560 released earlier this year. The ASUS GTX 560 DirectCU II Top is pre-overclocked and combines exclusive features such as DirectCU II cooling and Super Alloy Power technology. With these advantages, the GTX 560 DirectCU II TOP is designed to be pushed to its maximum, allowing users to enjoy a fantastic gaming experience.

MSI 3TB+ INFINITY TECHNOLOGY

Taipei, Taiwan, MSI, the world-renowned motherboards and graphics cards manufacturer, has officially launched the unique technology to support hard drives larger than 3TB – 3TB+ Infinity; not only breaking through the limit of traditional BIOS, but also enhancing the utilization of hard drives efficiently. In addition to supporting the latest 3TB hard drives,

PALIT CUSTOM GTX 580 3GB

With double memory size , Palit GTX580 3GB provides2.5X faster performance than 1.5GB version in the hottest title StarCraft II on a 30" monitor with 2560x1600 resolution. Featuring the incredible performance, custom design and the powerful GTX gaming technologies, Palit GTX 580 3GB expends the gaming experience to extremity!

GAINWARD GTX 570 GLH

When NVIDIA launched the GTX580 a few months back the only cards available on launch day were reference models with the main difference between each being the sticker used on the heatsink. The recent GTX 570 launch was a similar affair however some manufacturers did take the opportunity to perform some overclocking on the cards at the factory. Really though all of the launch day cards were the same PCB with the same cooler and the end user could manually overclock to the same level as the factory overclocked model easily.

Gainward's Phantom edition is featured with innovative revolutionary cooling technology, reinforcing the heat dissipation efficiently. The Gainward GTX 560 Ti 2048MB Phantom is set at default GPU clock appearing to be 822MHz, while its shaders and memory is at 1645MHz and 4008MHz respectively.

OCZ VELODRIVE PCI-E SSD

PCI-E Storage Tiering Device Offers Greater Performance and Flexibility While Utilizing Less System Resources

SAN JOSE, CA—April 28, 2011—OCZ Technology Group, Inc. (Nasdaq:OCZ), a leading designer, manufacturer and distributor of high-performance solid state drives (SSDs), today unveiled the VeloDrive PCI-Express SSD. Designed to meet the needs of small- to medium-sized businesses (SMBs), enterprise clients and system integrators, the VeloDrive optimizes high-performance computing and storage applications, providing unparalleled versatility and simplified integration.

Made official just a few hours ago, the Nvidia GeForce GT 520 GPU has made its way into a wide number of graphics cards, and Inno3D also added two such solutions to its lineup, one featuring no less than 2GB of video memory.

ASUS today announced the launch of the new self-designed HD 6770 DirectCU and HD 6750 Formula graphics cards. Both are equipped with the ASUS-exclusive Super Alloy Power technology that delivers a 15% performance boost along with a lifespan that is 2.5 times longer than conventional graphics cards. The HD 6770 DirectCU features copper pipes that are in direct contact with the GPU to offer a 20% cooler performance than reference graphics cards, while the HD 6750 Formula’s integrated aerodynamic cover and micro surface treatment technology achieves a cooling

(April, 2011, Taipei) MSI, the global leading brand of All-in-One PCs, has released its new touch model- Wind Top AE2070 in response to the increasingly demand of touch capability. The perfect 20-inch, multi-touch LCD screen with MSI proprietary "Wind Touch 4" smart user interface and value-added software allow you to connect social networks and embrace the digital life all at one move of your finger tips. The built-in Intel 2nd generation Dual-core Processor G620 and Intel HD Graphics 2000 deliver breathtaking graphics performance you can enjoy seamless videos and vivid image in the best response time. Wind Top AE2070 also provides hardware upgrade options so you can customize the AE2070 with Intel Core™ i3 CPU or NVIDIA GeForce GT540M high-performance graphic card based on your own need. Experience the revolution of all-new touch control technology from now on!

Innovative Interface for Synchronizing Social Networks: Wind Top AE2070 comes with MSI's proprietary “Wind Touch 4" user interface to provide full touch control support. The web browser is equipped with dedicated tabs and menu buttons for social networking websites by default so you can surf the web and keep in touch with your friends through Facebook and Twitter at the same time without having to open another window.

The Wind Touch 4 smart user interface also consolidates diverse popular programs. The most commonly used "Music" and "Photos" are always shown in interchangeable windows while other applications and games are available through a semi-hidden rotating menu. The calendar on the home screen offers digital sticky notes to make it even easier to keep track of important tasks and dates. When connected to the Internet, the desktop background in the Wind Touch 4 can automatically display the local weather and time. A cloudy sky would be shown when the weather is overcast while a night scene would displayed during the evenings -to make it an interesting state of interactivity.

Perfect Chipset Combinations: The Intel® H61 high-speed chipset and the second generation 32-nm technology integrates the CPU and GPU into a single chip for improved adaptive performance and onboard graphics capabilities. The AE2070 comes standard equipped with the dual-core G620 CPU which can be upgraded to the Intel Core™ i3 CPU clocked at 3.1GHz with 4-way multitasking support as needed. Special Intel® Smart Cache technology distributes the workload to each core as necessary to optimize the performance of the computer.

Balanced High Quality Audio-Visual Performance: The Wind Top AE2070's standard 20" screen supports resolutions up to 1600 x 900. The integrated Intel HD Graphics 2000 graphics can also be supplemented with the optional NVIDIA GeForce GT540M discrete graphics card so that whether you are enjoying HD movies, new HTML5 websites, or running the latest DirectX11 games, you can enjoy even smoother and clearer imagery. In addition, the two 3W speakers on the Wind Top AE2070 support SRS Premium Sound. The cinema-grade audio quality delivers everything a user could ask for and provides an exceptional balance between high-quality Audio-Visual effects.

10X Faster Transfer Rates and Super Charger: USB 3.0 ports are provided which are backward compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1. Tests have shown that USB 3.0 can reach transfer rates of up to 4.8 Gbps. This means that 1GB data from USB flash can be transferred to PC in just 3.3 seconds, it's around 10 times faster than USB 2.0, greatly speeding up transfer times of digital files. The 'Super Charger' is an exclusive MSI feature that allows USB 3.0 devices to be charged while the computer is turned off. Charging times have been reduced by 40% to let you to stay on the move with your high-performance peripherals.

Hardware Upgrade Options: The 500GB 7200rpm high-speed hard disk enables you to store large amounts of digital content. 2GB of DDR3 memory is sufficient for the general computing needs of most users and can be upgraded to up to 8GB to satisfy advanced users. The Wind Top AE2070 also comes with a Tray-in DVD Super Multi and 6-in-1 card reader. The ease of data access makes it easier for you to edit and process videos, music, photos, and more multimedia files.

AE2070 Spec

LCD Panel	20" 1600 x 900
Touch Screen	Multi Touch (Optional)
Operating Systems	Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
Processor	Intel® Core™ i3-2100/Dual Core G620
Chipset	Intel H61
System Memory	DDR3 2GB, 1333 MHz, (2G*1)/ Max. to 8GB
Graphics	Integrate Intel HD Graphics 2000 Discrete : nVIDIA GeForce GT 540M (Optional)
Wireless Networking	802.11 b/g/n WiFi
Hard Drive	500GB 3.5" SATA II
Optical Drive	Tray-in DVD Super Multi
Speaker	2 x 3W speaker with SRS Premium Sound
Webcam	0.3M Webcam with Microphone
Rear/Side I/O	HDMI out x1; 2* USB 3.0(1 for Super Charger); 4* USB 2.0 Mic in x1, Earphone out x1
Slots	Mini-PCI-E 2x(1xWiFi)
KB/MS	USB Keyboard and Mouse
Card Reader	6-in-1(XD, SD ,mini SD ,Micro SD, MMC, MS)
Adapter	120W
Wall Mount	Support standard VESA Wall Mount, optional wall mount kit
TV tuner card	USB interface(optional)
Dimension	513.2mm* 392.1mm* 87.7mm

taken from : www.msi.com

ANDROID BENCHMARK : NVIDIA TEGRA 2 WINS AT ALL

This is the fastest Android phone for now, but others Tegra 2 handsets are coming...

The LG Optimus 2X has landed in our office, and we were curious about the actual performance of the NVIDIA Tegra 2 SoC (system on a chip), so we ran a series of benchmark – the same that we used in recent reviews, and they confirmed what handset makers have been telling us “off the record”: Tegra 2 is the fastest silicon available in (volume) production today.
Interestingly, I suspect that those numbers don’t represent the full potential of the chip – particularly for the dual Cortex A9 CPU cores, and the graphics processor (GPU).

NVIDIA CUDA 4.0

The last time we discussed CUDA and Tesla in depth was in September of 2010. At the time NVIDIA had just recently launched their lineup of Fermi-powered Tesla products, and was using the occasion to announce the 3.2 version of their CUDA GPGPU toolchain. And though when we’re discussing the fast pace of the GPU industry we’re normally referring to NVIDIA’s massive consumer GPU products arm, the Tesla and Quadro businesses are not to be underestimated. An aggressive 6 month refresh schedule is not just good for consumer products it seems, but it’s good for the professional side too.

Intel today published Product Change Notification PCN110593, which notifies its customers about fan cable wires modifications on boxed microprocessors. The most interesting part in the document (for us) is the list of boxed CPUs, affected by the change. In addition to many Pentium, Core i3 / i5 / i7 and Xeon parts, that are already in production, the document contains several upcoming models:

AMD LLANO TO USE HD 65XX & 66XX

As the title indicates, AMD's Llano line of APUs will feature an embedded GPU with the AMD Radeon SKU of HD 6550

Several reports are indicating that AMD's upcoming line of Llano Fusion accelerated processing units (APUs) will feature the Radeon HD 6550 graphics core.
When launched, the Llano line is expected to compete with Intel's current LGA 1155 Sandy Bridge line featuring quad-core chips and Intel's HD 3000 series integrated graphics. But unlike Intel's Sandy Bridge platform where the processor die is fused with an integrated graphics northbridge into a single die, the silicon part of the Radeon HD 6550 will be integrated with the rest of the APU, allowing the GPU to assist the x86 cores with serial processing loads.

According to a new report from EETimes, Intel could soon become one of the main manufacturers of the processor used to power iPad, iPod touch and and iPhone.
Currently, the iOS devices processors are designed by Apple, but since Apple does not have any factory, it relies on Samsung and TSMC to build them. Things could change soon, as Intel is giving signs that it may start its own foundry business, in order to build non Intel-branded processors.

AMD continues to add new members to the second generation Phenom II line of microprocessors for desktop computers introduced about two years ago. The 45 nm based quad-core processor is clocked at 3.7 GHz. Labeled Phenom II X4 980 Black Edition, the newer version is priced at $195.

OCZ FATAL1TY EDITION DDR3 PC3-10666

The OCZ Fatal1ty memory kits feature aggressive latencies, high densities, and blazing frequencies to help DirectX-10 PC games reach their full potential on the latest platforms.

Creative may now dominate the sound card market with even competitors like Auzentech using its technology, but thankfully the company still has its eye on innovation. While most sound cards are designed to be fitted in older, slower PCI slots, the Fatal1ty Pro uses the company's latest EMU20K2 chip which has been tweaked to add native PCI Express support. As a result it will happily sit in a x1, x4 or x16 PCI-E slot, meaning that it'll still be useable in the future, long after the slower PCI bus has gone the way of the dodo.

GIGABYTE 890 FXA UD5 AM3+ SUPPORT BULDOZER

Although we are still a few months away from the launch of AMD's Zambezi line of desktop processors, some motherboard makers have already announced solutions built around the AM3+ socket and Gigabyte's GA-890FXA-UD5 is one of the first such products to reach retail.

The GA-890FXA-UD5 was actually launched by Gigabyte quite a while ago, but the AM3+ version of the motherboard is based on the 3.1 revision which adds support for Bulldozer desktop processors as well as for 2000MHz DDR3 memory (via overclocking).

Crosshair IV Extreme and M4A89TD PRO/USB3 support AMD AM3+

AMD’s new AM3+ CPU is a complete microarchitecture redesign from previous AMD CPUs, and offers better performance over the previous generation. As such, ASUS is committed to provide continuous support for the latest technologies, and is the first to market for a product solution for user’s needs. Current ASUS 890FX and 890GX series motherboards can be upgraded to enjoy the extra performance offered by future AM3+ CPUs. ASUS will also be releasing*** the AMD 8-Series Chipset motherboards based on 880G and 870 as well as the 760G Chipset on the AM3+ socket for increased selection so users can enjoy AM3 and AM3+ CPUs.

ASROCK 890FX DELUXE5 FOR AMD'S BULLDOZER

The latest ASRock Real AM3+ socket motherboards were solidly built with AM3+ CPU power solution and all AM3+ related hardware components that provide users an advanced and efficient computing choice, So there is an ASRock 890FX deluxe5 full spec :

MSI'S AM3+

EVGA GEFORCE GTX 590 CLASSFIED HYDRO COPPER QUAD SLI (2 PACK)

Need to cool off a bit more? Step up to the plate with the EVGA GeForce GTX 590 Classified Hydro Copper and experience super low graphics card temperatures and maximum overclocking ability. This water block is a full cover, end to end block, and the glowing EVGA logo make it one of the most sleek looking waterblocks on the planet. The innovation does not stop at stability an appearance however; the base plate is made of chrome plated electrolytic C110 copper, and the 0.6mm thin pin matrix provides optimal thermal transfer to ensure the lowest temperatures possible.

AMD BULLDOZER VS INTEL SANDY BRIDGE

This is the question of the year, is AMD Bulldozer faster than Intel Core i7? Or you could be asking, is Bulldozer faster than Sandy Bridge. Based on the some of the early indications and some rumoured leaks, I could give some very early insight of what to be expected from AMD next generation CPU architecture.

The XFX Radeon™ HD 6990 creates the ultimate in intense, immersive HD gaming with raw performance, Dual GPU, 4 GB GDDR5 high-speed memory and an impressive array of ground-breaking features, giving even the most hardcore gamers an extra boost of adrenaline to take the game to the next level.

Immerse yourself with the XFX Radeon™ HD 6990 enabling DirectX 11 gaming on up to four simultaneous displays utilizing up to four Mini-DisplayPort 1.2 outputs, as well as Stereoscopic 3D gaming and Blu-ray 3D playback with AMD HD3D technology – all from a single graphics card.

One of NVIDIA's largest partners, Galaxy, is even ready with a highly overclocked model with its core running at 1 GHz (900 MHz reference), and 1150 MHz (1025 MHz reference) memory speed. Galaxy's card will use the HOF (Hall of Fame) identifier, which is supposed to indicate the company's highest level of factory-overclock speeds.

MSI GEFORCE GTX 570 TWIN FROZR III POWER EDITION

MSI introduces its GeForce GTX 570 Twin Frozr III Power Edition with Propeller Blade technology.

Leading international graphics card and motherboard maker MSI has now released the N570GTX Twin Frozr III Power Edition graphics card. The new graphics card not only features the latest Twin Frozr III dual fan cooling module but also exclusive Propeller Blade technology for 20% more airflow. Under full load, these reduce the GPU temperature by 18˚C and fan noise by 7.7dB compared to the reference board. The popular Power Edition architecture from R6950 Twin Frozr III Power Edition has also been retained. The use of 6+1 phase power supply and Triple Overvoltage support enhances overclockability and stability, increasing the overclocking potential by 22%1! For consumers looking for great cooling, overclocking potential and stability, the N570GTX Twin Frozr III Power Edition offers the perfect balance between performance and cooling. 20% More Air Flow with Exclusive Propeller Blade Technology

MSI R6970 LIGHTNING

AMD’s HD6970 has been a popular card since it was launched and some partners have been releasing modified versions based on the AMD reference design. Today we are looking at a rather spectacular design from MSI which features the latest update on their high performance Twin Frozr cooler.

Rawarontex has looked at many of the Twin Frozr designs in the past, and we have found that they always deliver class leading cooling performance while emitting very little noise.
The MSI R6970 Lightning Twin Frozr III graphics card has the newest version of the cooler with improved heatpipe design and the world’s first 18 Phase PWM design. With a generous overclock to 940mhz, is this the best HD6970 available on the market today?

XIGMATEK LOKI SD963

On the test bench today is Xigmatek's mid-compact Loki SD963 heatsink. The Xigmatek Loki SD963 stands 134mm tall, weighs 430 grams, comes equipped with a 92mm fan mounted on rubber vibration absorbing fan posts and will support a second 92mm fan if desired (not included). The 92mm PWM fan scales in speed from a moderately audible 2800RPM to 1200RPM. The heatsink is compatible with Intel socket 775/1155/1156/1366 and AMD socket AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+ processors. Over the next few pages Frostytech will tell you if the Loki SD963 is worth its weight in aluminum, or junk for the recycling bin. Let's begin.

Since the release of the P67 chipset for Intel's Sandy Bridge processors, the interest of the consumer market has shifted away from the X58 chipset. However, the majority of hardcore computer enthusiasts still remain faithful to their older Core i7 systems for several valid reasons. The primary reason is that unless equipped with NF200 chip, the P67 chipset is only able to support up to 16 PCI-E lanes, which can be split into (x8/x8) configuration for SLI/CrossFire. In comparison, the X58 chipset supports 32 lanes, meaning both PCI-E slots can run at x16, providing a sigificantly higher threshold for the bandwidth. While a regular computer user might not notice the difference between 8x and 16x PCI-E performance, those that use SLI or CrossFire set ups with dual GPU graphics will notice a slight drop in performance. In addition, LGA 1366 socket is able support 6-core processors, while the LGA 1155 socket can only support 4-core processors.

Since NVIDIA unleashed the GeForce GTX 590 just days ago, it is no surprise to see its various partners show off their own solutions, and Inno3D has now joined the fray with a stock-clocked version of it.

One might say that consumers have been waiting for NVIDIA to unleash a dual-GPU, DirectX 11 video card for many months.
In fact, it could be seen as odd that it only now happened, considering the fact that AMD had its first one out way back on 2009 and has since revealed a second one. It was also found that, according to reviews, the new GTX 590 came out slower compared to the Radeon HD 6990 (the successor to the HD 5970), although it was described as “the best dual GPU product ever built” by its makers anyway.

Granted, the dual-GF110 card has other advantages, like a lower noise output, albeit it still takes up a lot of space. Inno3D presented a card of its own now, whose two GF110 chips work at 607 MHz each, while the 3 GB of GDDR5 VRAM are clocked at 3,414 MHz.
Meanwhile, the 1,024 CUDA cores feature a shader frequency of 1,215 MHz, while the memory interface is of 768 bits (384 bits per GPU).
All in all, the Inno3D GeForce GTX 590 has a memory data rate of 2,414 Mbps and a bandwidth of 327.7 GB/s.
Needless to say, 3D Vision Surround is supported, at a resolution of 5760 x 1080 pixels even, as are Quad SLI and PhysX. The price was not mentioned, but it shouldn't be too different from the $699 that NVIDIA imposed for its original.

taken from : news.softpedia.com

Saturday, May 21, 2011

Thursday, May 5, 2011

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Monday, May 2, 2011

Sunday, May 1, 2011