Hardware News and Reviews

AMD Ryzen 5 3400G APU

Think Computers review the AMD Ryzen 5 3400G APU, a budget CPU (with built in GPU) which would be very suited to entry level gaming machine:

On the gaming-side I was very surprised by the 3400G. In the past with integrated graphics they were there, but you really couldn’t play anything you actually wanted to play with them. With the 3400G I was playing many of the games I play on a daily basis like Apex Legends and it was very playable and enjoyable. It did take me a little bit to get used to playing at 1080p and lower frame rates (I normally game with a 2080 Ti and 144 Hz monitor), but after a few rounds I was doing just fine. If you look at our graphics results we were able to get between 40 and 65 FPS in most esports titles at 1080p and those numbers only go up if you move down to 720p.
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https://thinkcomputers.org/amd-ryzen-5-3400g-apu-review/
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by Ian, Oct 8, 2019 at 3:28 PM

QSAN XCubeNAS XN7008RE NAS

NikkTech check out the QSAN XCubeNAS XN7008RE NAS, an 8-bay 2u rack device which utilises a Intel Core i3-7100 dual-core processor:

Even though the XCubeNAS XN7008RE is far from the top of the line model in the 2U rackmount line of NAS servers by QSAN still its specifications are nothing short of impressive so under the hood we find the 7th generation Intel Core i3-7100 dual-core processor (clocked at 3.9GHz / 3MB Smart Cache / 51W TDP) together with two 4GB DDR4-2133 memory modules (8GB - expandable to 64GB). The XN7008RE also features a total of 8 drive bays (up to 200 via expansion units) which can accommodate both 2.5"/3.5" drives and can be configured in RAID 0/RAID 1/RAID 5/RAID 5 + hot spare/RAID 6/RAID 10/RAID Z3/RAID 60/JBOD with support for up to 128TB of total storage (this is calculated based on the highest capacity models at the time of this review - 16TB / up to 3200TB with expansion units). Other features include a total of 5 USB ports (1xUSB 2.0 / 4xUSB 3.0), 4 RJ45 Ethernet ports, HDMI output (for service/debug purposes), two PCIe expansion slots (x4/x8), two SAS 12Gb/s ports and two 250W replaceable/redundant power supply units. Finally, just like with all NAS models by QSAN to date the XCubeNAS XN7008RE runs a 128-bit ZFS (Zeta-byte) file system via a custom Linux kernel (QSAN Storage Management v3) and is covered by a 3 year limited warranty.
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Read the rest here:
https://www.nikktech.com/main/artic...0324-qsan-xcubenas-xn7008re-nas-server-review
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by Ian, Sep 13, 2019

Biostar Racing X570GT8 Motherboard

TomsHardware review the Biostar Racing X570GT8 Motherboard, an X570 chipset based board with 3 x m.2. slots:

The Biostar X570GT8’s $230 MSRP places it in the lower range of all X570 boards. We had an overall positive experience in building and testing, although our overclocking results were just a tik lower than the other X570 motherboards we looked at so far.

Performance was where we expected it to be, trading blows with other X570 boards, so no complaints there. The BIOS is a little different than the other AIBs, with the tweaking section (O.N.E) at the far right instead of the left side where we normally see it. If you are using multiple PCIe NVMe drives, the three full speed slots and heatsinks are a welcome sight.
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https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/biostar-x570gt8-atx-motherboard,6282.html
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by Ian, Aug 19, 2019

Gigabyte Aorus CV27F Monitor

Hot Hardware review the Gigabyte Aorus CV27F monitor, which supports FreeSync-2 and has a native resolution of 1920 x 1080 (Full HD):

Out of the box the CV27F has a premium feel. Both the stand and base are made of a powder-coated hefty metal, and assembly is a snap. The top and side bezels are relatively small, but there's just enough space at the top for us to comfortably mount our Logitech C525 webcam without overlapping the top few rows of pixels. The bottom bezel is a bit bigger, and has an Aorus logo emblazoned across the center. There's a tiny, low-power LED to indicate when the display is on, though it can be disabled is you don't like the distraction. We didn't feel the need to turn it off, however, since the output is pretty dim.
Read more at https://hothardware.com/reviews/aorus-cv27f-review-27-165-hz-curved-gaming-bliss#Fg6kHSPikQQFkJBW.99
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https://hothardware.com/reviews/aorus-cv27f-review-27-165-hz-curved-gaming-bliss
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by Ian, Aug 12, 2019

Palit GeForce RTX 2060 Super JS

Hexus review the Palit GeForce RTX 2060 Super JS graphics card, which retails for over £430, but is somewhat overshadowed by the 2070:

We're of the opinion that RTX 2060 Super cards need to be priced below, or as close to, £400 as possible, and Nvidia's partners have every right to feel aggrieved; when the elegant and well-engineered Founders Edition comes to market first at £375, a subsequent £430 Palit Super JS becomes a much harder sell. It's an unusual turn of events, we've personally bemoaned AMD's lack of innovation on its own RX 5700-series reference cards, however we imagine the red team's partners will be grateful.

Pricing aside, those who prioritise cooling performance can rest assured that Palit's design hits the right notes. The large 292mm shroud extends well beyond the underlying PCB, the dual 95mm 'Turbo Fan 2.0' fans tout six-pole motors, there are five copper heatpipes traversing the full-length aluminium heatsink, and the whole thing weighs almost 1.3kg. As you might have guessed, you'll need to set aside three expansion slots just to be able to fit it in.
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Read the rest here:
https://hexus.net/tech/reviews/graphics/132839-palit-geforce-rtx-2060-super-js/
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by Ian, Jul 25, 2019

AMD Ryzen 5 3600

TechPowerUp review the AMD Ryzen 5 3600 CPU, which looks like it will be one of the most popular processor choices we've seen in many years. The review is very detailed, so it's worth a read if you're considering an upgrade:

The Ryzen 5 3600 and 3600X are 6-core/12-thread processors designed to replace the 2600 and 2600X from the product stack. With the 3rd generation Ryzen processor family, AMD has taken the multi-chip module (MCM) approach to building these processors, which are both similar and dissimilar to the Ryzen Threadripper. They're similar in that the CPU cores are spread across two separate dies to achieve core counts of up to 16. They're dissimilar in that there's a second kind of die, the I/O controller.
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In this review, we have with us the Ryzen 5 3600, a 6-core/12-thread processor launched at the same $199 price as the 2600 and over $50 cheaper than the Core i5-9600K. Besides SMT and similar IPC to Intel, these processors offer the latest PCI-Express gen 4.0 bus, which doubles bandwidth for graphics cards and SSDs that support it. Unlike Core i5 parts at this price-point, such as the i5-9500, the Ryzen 5 3600 offers an unlocked base-clock multiplier making it capable of CPU overclocking. A big payoff from the switch to 7 nm is that the Ryzen 5 3600 can enjoy clock speeds as high as 3.60 GHz with 4.20 GHz boost without budging from its 65 W TDP. The 2600X, which comes with similar clock speeds, has its TDP rated at 95 W.
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Read the review here:
https://www.techpowerup.com/review/amd-ryzen-5-3600/
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by Ian, Jul 19, 2019

Logitech G MX518 (Legendary)

TechPowerUp review the Logitech G MX518 (Legendary) mouse, which earns an "editors choice" award:

The Logitech MX518 is a mouse that doesn't need an introduction if you have been an avid PC gamer for some time. If not, here's some trivia for you: The series first showed up in 2002 with the debuting MX500 model, which can be considered as the grandpa of this line of Logitech gaming mice. It was very successful, but only its third iteration, the MX518, became an absolute legend. I'm sure many readers still use their original MX518 to this day. It was made to last, and it did last for many years. It had two more direct successors in the G400 and G400s, but the latter was discontinued after the G402 first showed up. Needless to say, many people were upset since the G402 was way different in terms of ergonomics, which had it provide an entirely different feel. Logitech realized this—better late than never—and the G MX518 (or MX518 Legendary) was born. It features exactly the same shape as the original models, but uses Logitech's flagship HERO sensor, which is capable of 16,000 CPI resolution, a 1000 Hz refresh rate, and self-calibrating lift-off distance. The cable, mouse feet, and some surface materials also got updated, and the weight is a tad lower than on previous iterations.
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by Ian, Jun 24, 2019

ASRock Z390 Steel Legend

Guru3D take a look at the ASRock Z390 Steel Legend motherboard, compatible with 8th or 9th Gen Intel processors:

The Steel Legend series is similar to what ASUS is doing with TUF. ASRock has opted for extensive cooling of the motherboard with associated controllable LED lighting. The top pcie x16 slot is additionally protected with a steel bar. The motherboard comes with more expensive Nichicon 12K Black capacitors that in theory should last longer. There are two full m.2 expansion options on the PCB as well as six sata 6 Gb/s ports available. For the audio, a Realtek ALC1200 chip was chosen. The network is provided by a single Intel I219V. The Z390 Steel Legend from ASRock is a distinct motherboard.
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by Ian, Jun 19, 2019

Ryzen 5 1600 vs. Core i5-7600K

Tech Spot have published an article looking at how the Ryzen 5 1600 compares with the Core i5-7600K two years after their initial launch. Here's a snippet:

This is a comparison we've been wanting to put together for some time. With Computex 2019 out of the way and the full confirmation of 3rd-gen Ryzen, before that hits us here's an updated comparison between the Ryzen 5 1600 and Core i5-7600K. It’s time to see which processor offers gamers the best performance in 2019.

When the R5 1600 was first released, you could easily argue in favor of the 7600K as the better gaming CPU. The vast majority of games performed better on the Core i5-7600K and often much faster in what we considered older games at the time. However, for newly released 2017 games they were more evenly matched and in a few core-heavy titles such as Ashes of the Singularity, the Ryzen CPU was a little faster or in Battlefield 1 it was overall more consistent.
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by Becky, Jun 10, 2019

Audioengine A2+ Wireless Computer Speakers

Tech Power Up have reviewed the Audioengine A2+ Wireless Computer Speakers, and here's a snippet:

Audioengine is known for their active speakers in different varieties. Over the past couple of years, their smaller desktop-oriented speaker setups have gained a lot of popularity, and with the release of the A2+ Wireless, they are sure to build on that. The A2+ Wireless is based on the design of the first A2 and adds Bluetooth connectivity. On top of that, they also have USB-in, so you can access the internal DAC with a cable if you have a stationary setup. You also get a set of RCA inputs, which is convenient in some setups.

Also available for the A2 design are the DS1 desktop stands which helps you get monitors pointed correctly in a desktop setup.
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by Becky, Jun 7, 2019

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