NZXT Guardian ATX Tower Case by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

hardCOREware.net reviewed a NZXT Guardian ATX Tower case. Here's a snip: "You've seen one, you've seen them all right? Standard beige or grey cases, with a power button, a reset button, and a pair of LED's. Man, I wish I had an iMac, those are so cool! Oh, wait! It's not 2001 anymore! As PC enthusiasts, we have a TON to choose from! Classy looking aluminum cases, crazy alien head cases, and this new case which looks to be inspired by Transformers! NZXT is the newest case manufacturer on the block, and they have one nice looking case. Let's see how it performs!"[time=1079096966

Olympus C-5060 Digital Camera by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

Bytesector.com posted a review of the Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom Digital Camera. Here's a short description: “Big, bulky and black; that's how I see the Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom digital camera. This is no pocket sized camera, and it shouldn't be either since it is feature packed. With a 5.1 mega pixel capacity, 14x zoom, rotating view-finder and attachable wide conversion lens, this camera out perfoms many. Sounds great doesn't it, now let's see if it is…"[time=1079097058

Arctic Silver 5 Review by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

Techware Labs has just publish a review of the all-new Arctic Silver 5. Take a quote: "Thermal grease is a critical and necessary component of any current computer system. One of the first companies to put forth research and development of a thermal grease with advanced thermally conductive properties was Arctic Silver. Back in the day, Arctic Silver 1 used real silver to deliver real cooling results. In the labs we take a look at the new, 99.9% pure silver, Arctic Silver 5."[time=1079097203

Aerocool HT-101 AMD/P4 HSF Review by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

Viper Lair took a look at Aerocool's latest heatpipe solution and see if it's performance is as impressive as its looks. "The single fan performance is slightly better (1-2°C) than I've seen with a Thermalright SLK-800 and Swiftech MCX462+ using Delta 68cfm fans. The superconductor tubes are for real, and likely the major reason why we see the HT-101 do so well today."[time=1079097281

Samsung SyncMaster 173P LCD Monitor Review by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

Overclockers Club took a look at the Samsung SyncMaster 173P LCD Monitor. Here is a quote from the review: "Everyone has heard of LCD monitors, many own them and the rest of us envy their desk space, but what makes an LCD monitor so desirable? Are they an improvement over CRT? Well, Samsung's monitors are among the best in the world, so the standards are being set high today as we dive into the world of LCD monitors. Today we'll be looking at a brand new LCD monitor from Samsung that has not yet been released, the SyncMaster 173P. The SyncMaster 173P was built with the following three things in mind; Slim, Simple, and Stylish. This monitor is one slick piece of work. From the silver bezel, to the beveled edges and trim, to the simple, understated but sleek fashion, this monitor has good looks. However, good looks can only go so far, want to know how the SyncMaster 173P stands up against fast action games?"[time=1079097360

8 Video Cards Roundup by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

At Allround-PC.com you can read a video cards roundup with eight ATI and NVIDIA items. Here's a snip: "ATI has launced two new Radeon XT models and NVIDIAs GeForce series has become bigger."[time=1079097633

Logitech MX 510 Performance Optical Mouse by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

Bjorn3D.com posted a review of the latest mouse from Logitech, the MX 510 Performance Optical Mouse, which as you probably guessed is a new version of the MX 500 featuring a new and improved MX Pptical Engine and a cool new paint job. Here's a quote: "I had absolutely no problems using the MX 510 during general app use and during hours of gaming. It has many nice improvements over the MX 500 (and the entire first generation MX family for that matter) thanks to the new MX Optical Engine. You can't deny that it's one of the best performing mice around. Plus, it's also one of the best looking. The red, 'reflex finish' looks awesome."[time=1079097755

Tagan TG480-U01 480W ATX / EPS Power Supply Review by CrackMaster , March 12, 2004

OcPrices.com have released a review of the Tagan TG480-U01 480W ATX / EPS Power Supply. Take a quote: "Power Supply reviews may not be the most exciting components in the world, but arguably are one of the most important. Today we are looking at a 480W model by a company called Tagan. Tagan may not be a name you are used to hearing, but after this review you may well alter your opinion as to which PSU you choose in your next PC."[time=1079098472

NES Home Theatre PC System Modification by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

Futurelooks reviewed the NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) Home Theatre PC System. Here's a snip: "This Nintendo Entertainment System is more than meets the eye! It is a Home Theatre PC System in disguise! Check out how a mild mannered console system from days gone by takes on new life!"[time=1079024669

Thermalright SLK-948U Heatsink Review by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

CoolTechZone posted a review of the Thermalright SLK-948U Heatsink. "Cooling is one of the major concerns for an enthusiast. We like to overclock our processors to ultimate speeds but for those of us who can't afford water-cooling kits, it's hard to reach the unbelievable speeds. For affordable thermal solutions, we turn to air-based heatsinks. We want something that works just as well as some of the affordable water-cooling kit."[time=1079024780

Thermal Integration TI-RV104N Heatsink by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

At FrostyTech you can read a review of the Thermal Integration TI-RV104N Heatsink. "The forked-fins of this extruded aluminum heatsink make it pretty evolutionary for its class; especially considering Intel's recently announced bifurcated reference heatsink for the socket 775 Tejas-FMB1. The 'sun' shape of the Thermal Integration TI-RV104N, with copper in the center surrounded by aluminum, is a hint of what you can expect when computers make the switch to socket 775 - only the heatsink will be about 80mm in diameter. With a diameter that large, it leads me to wonder if plans aren't also in the works to come out with a Socket 754 Athlon64 version based on the TI-RV104N. In any case, it is too early for that so let's get started and see how the Thermal Integration TI-RV104N performs thermally, and acoustically!"[time=1079024847

Evercool "Magic Cooler" MAG-01 Heatsink by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

3dXtreme posted a new review of the Evercool “Magic Cooler” MAG-01 Heatsink. Here's a clip: "Today at 3DXtreme we have the great pleasure of reviewing the “Magic Cooler” MAG-01 Heatsink by Evercool. Yet again Evercool has given us the chance to voice our opinion about one of their new products in their product line. The MAG-01 is versatile enough to carry out multiple CPU applications while keeping performance differences to a minimum. This “Magic Cooler” has many different applications by having the ability to be installed on many different socket types..."[time=1079024940

Zalman External 5.1Ch USB Sound Card by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

3dGameMan.com posted a video review of the Zalman External 5.1Ch USB Sound Card (ZM-RSSC). "The Zalman External 5.1 Channel USB Sound Card (ZM-RSSC) is an ideal product for anyone who has basic 2 channel audio on their notebook or desktop computer system. Adjusting each channel is simple with the volume controls for the center, subwoofer, front and rear speakers. It's very easy to install, configure and offers great sound quality. Watch the Video to find out more..."[time=1079025038

Kingston HyperX PC4000 Memory Kit by CrackMaster , March 11, 2004

Tweaknews.net posted a review of the Kingston HyperX PC4000 1Gig dual channel memory kit. Here's a snippit: "When it comes to memory, there are several manufacturers on the market to cater to your current requirements. But, if you are on a mission to find "quality" memory, there are only a handful that you should be selecting from and I can assure you, Kingston should definitely be on your short list. The PC4000 dual channel kit reviewed today performed exactly as it should with no instability or problems of any kind. Just insert them in your motherboard, adjust your BIOS settings accordingly, and enjoy the performance."[time=1079010476

GeForce FX 5500 Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

NVIDIA is 'replacing' well ... renewing some of their products as we speak, among the new products is the GeForce FX 5500 well new ...Guru of 3D posted a review of the GeForce FX 5500 video card. Here's a snip: "Gaming wise, what you can expect from the card is that you'll be able to play most older games perfectly fine. Even quite a few of the newer games will have no big problems with this card under two condition. The first; you need to stay at 1024x768 maximum and secondly you do not enable Antialiasing features as the card simply does not have enough processing power. It's not at all bad though."[time=1078942988

VIA EPIA ME6000 Mini-ITX Motherboard Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Tweaknews.net posted a review of the VIA EPIA ME6000 Mini-ITX motherboard. Here's a snippit: "I am quite happy with the Epia ME6000. Certainly, there are a couple things that I would have liked to see done differently. The ability to handle faster DDR would have been nice, not to mention the availability of more USB headers on the motherboard. And were it possible, an AGP slot would propel this motherboard much further for HTPC users. Lastly, the file transfer on this system is quite slow. However, let's stack that against the boards strong points… low power consumption, fanless for ultra-quiet operation, geared toward HTPCs and multimedia users, 6 channel sound, embedded MPEG-2 decoder, DDR support up, and the list goes on."[time=1078943105

Plantronics Audio 90 Headset Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

GruntvillE.com posted a review of the Plantronics Audio 90 headset. Take a quote: “Often, people grab the cheapest set at the local retail store, overlooking the most important aspects, sound and comfort. There are many options available and there are also many different price ranges. Music lovers need intense, high-quality sound. Gamers need good sound, comfortable fit and a microphone. For $200 you can get headsets that sound like you are sitting front row at a concert or make that rocket launcher blow your eardrums as you run for your life. Wow, $200! That’s the price of a good video card! Not everyone has that kind of money to shell out, and price shouldn’t stop the gamers and music lovers from having a performance headset that’s comfortable. So that leaves many of us searching for the headset that falls into this category.”[time=1078943184

Swiftech MCX478-V Heatsink by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

The Pentium 4 is very overclocking friendly, but still emits a fair amount of heat. When the going gets tough, you'll want to consider a name overclockers trust. That's why Viper Lair reviewed Swiftech MCX478-V Heatsink. "Another interesting observation is with the slower Enermax fan, the MCX478-V is only 1°C warmer than the MCX4000 with the Tornado. It looks like Swiftech achieved their goal of good performance with less noise."[time=1078943307

Minitar 802.11g 54mb Wireless Network Bundle by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

OCAU took a look at a few 54mb/sec wireless networking components from Minitar. Is it time to throw out the ethernet cable all over your house? A snip: "Wireless networking would have to be one of the coolest things to come to maturity over the last year or so. Quicker video cards and larger hard drives are all well and good, but they don't even approach the sheer convenience of being able to run a network around your home or office without expensive in-wall cabling or the old tape-cables-to-the-floor approach. Of course, the traditional problem with the widespread 802.11b 11mb/s standard has been the speed. Minitar have a few components based on the newer 802.11g standard at 54mb/s, which brings it closer to the speed of wired networks - most of which are 100mb/s Ethernet."[time=1078943418

Western Digital Raptor WD740GD Hard Drive by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

TweakTown posted a review of the Western Digital Raptor WD740GD Hard Drive. "Today we are playing host to Western Digital's Raptor WD740GD 74.8GB Hard Drive which includes an impressive list of features such as 10,000 RPM, SATA connectivity and Command Tag Queuing and it is the fastest consumer level Hard Drive we've tested. We compare it against two Seagate 7,200 RPM PATA and SATA drives."[time=1078943487

SilverStone Nimiz SST-TJ03 Aluminum Case by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

SystemCooling published review of the SilverStone Nimiz SST-TJ03 aluminum case. Here's a snip: "Creating the ultimate case is not easy. It’s a fine balancing act between quality, workmanship, features, price and performance. Many times we see cases succeed greatly in a few of these areas but fail miserably in others. In today’s review we’ll be taking a look at SilverStone’s flagship case the SST-J03 “Nimiz”. Will the SST-J03’s all aluminum construction; quality, features and value make it the ultimate case?"[time=1078943557

Fantasy Mini Mouse Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Adrian's Rojak Pot has just posted the Fantasy Mini Mouse review! Here's a quote: " Although all notebooks come with either a touch pad or a trackpoint, many notebook users still prefer to use a mouse whenever possible. Hence, you will find a selection of mice that were specially designed for notebook use. These notebook mice tend to be smaller and lighter. They also come with shorter cables or "tails" to reduce tangles. But today, we will take a look at a notebook mouse that uses a retractable cable - the Fantasy Mini Mouse!“[time=1078943651

OCZ PC3200 Platinum 2Gb Dual Channel DDR Kit by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Club Overclocker reviewed an OCZ PC3200 Platinum 2Gb Dual Channel DDR Kit. "It was just a year or two ago when we wondered what it would be like to have 1 full gig of memory in our desktop systems. Now 1gb of memory is pretty common, especially in gaming systems. But what if were to double that? I'm talking about two 1gb sticks of DDR running in Dual Channel goodness! Not the ECC stuff for servers, regular non ECC RAM for desktop systems. Well, this year we are seeing the 1gb sticks of DDR pop up around the net. They are not exactly cheap, but they are finally available in quantity. OCZ has stepped up to the plate and is now offering 1gb sticks of memory. I have to say I was pretty happy the day a pair of 1gb memory sticks showed up in the mail! 2gigs of memory...Sounds crazy, but fun! Let's get to it!"[time=1078943723

S3 DeltaChrome S8 & S8 Nitro Preview by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

HotHardware.com posted a preview of the S3 DeltaChrome S8 & S8 Nitro. "Like a blast from the past, S3 has re-entered the market recently with the announcement of their new line of DX9 Class Graphics Processors dubbed "DeltaChrome". We've taken two of their mid-range reference boards, the DeltaChrome S8 and DeltaChrome S8 Nitro, for a spin and have performance and image quality metrics for you in a number of gaming scenarios. This is a "pre-release" showcase of the current state of S3's new DeltaChrome Graphics Processor.[time=1078943851

Arctic-Cooling Coolers Video Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

3dGameMan.com posted a video review of the Arctic-Cooling Coolers (4ProL & 2L). "These Arctic-Cooling Coolers look great with the blue LED 80mm fan and offer good cooling performance at a very low price. The 4ProL cooler is designed to fit the Socket 478, is all aluminum with a smooth base and has a great clip design. The 2L cooler fits the Socket 462 and is aluminum with a smooth copper base. However, the clip design on the 2L requires the use of the screwdriver for installation and removal. Watch the Video to find out more..."[time=1078943956

Graphic Card Cooler Roundup by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Madshrimps.be tested a variety of VGA coolers in different situations, how do they stack up against each other? Take a quote:"With modern graphic cards producing as much heat as a modest desktop processor, 3rd party graphic card coolers have changed from being an exotic piece of aluminum owned by geeks to a necessity for silent/cool computing. We tested 7 popular VGA coolers to see which one would suit your needs best, whether you are searching for silence or extra performance."[time=1078944025

Installing RAID on Desktop PCs by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

At PCStats.com you can read a beginners guide about installing RAID on desktop PCs. "Hard disks are mechanical devices with moving parts, and as such will break down eventually, compromising any data stored on them that is not backed up. One technology that was developed to deal with this pair of issues is RAID (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks). The idea is to use multiple hard disks in the same system to provide both increased performance (by dividing up data so multiple disks can process different parts of it at the same time) and increased reliability by writing the same information to multiple disks at once. This technology filtered down to the enthusiast level a while ago, and has become a common feature on many motherboards, as well as an integral part of newer operating systems such as Windows 2000 and XP professional. In this guide, we will explore how the different implementations of RAID technology function, and how you can make your own RAID setup using a hardware RAID controller, or the software RAID function built into Windows XP Profes! sional."[time=1078944115

MSI PT880 Neo-LSR Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Nordic Hardware tested MSI PT880 Neo-LSR, a VIA PT880 mainboard. Here's a snip: "Intel has been sitting calmly on the chipset-throne for a long time with their stable, fast and very overclockable circuits. Third party manufacturers like SiS, VIA and nowadays also ATi have had a really hard time making chipsets for Intel CPUs profitable. As if it isn't enough that Intel already controls almost the entire market, the silicon giant from Santa Clara leaves nothing but crumbles for the competition. Among others, licenses has to be negotiated back and forth which Taiwanese VIA has experienced a several times."[time=1078944270

Kingwin KT-424-BK-WM All Aluminum Case by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

Overclockers Club took a look at the Kingwin KT-424-BK-WM All Aluminum Case. Here is a quote from the review: "It's been a few months since we've taken a look at a case around here, and it's been even longer since we've seen anything from Kingwin. Today we get to kill two birds with one stone with a review of the Kingwin KT-424-BK-WM Case. The Kingwin KT-424-BK-WM is a black case made from an all aluminum construction. It features a clear acrylic glass window, front media ports, 3x case fans, slide out motherboard tray, and a rather unique anti-shock absorber system for hard drives. Can the KT-424-BK-WM give the Lian Li PC-70 a run for it's money?"[time=1078944352

Shuttle ST62K "Zen" Review by CrackMaster , March 10, 2004

LostCircuits posted a review of Shuttle ST62K "Zen". Here's a snippet: "Small form factor systems are getting smaller again. The latest addition to Shuttle's repertoire does not even feature a power supply unit anymore, instead an external power brick is supplied with the ST62K a.k.a. Zen. Elimination of the PSU fans lowers the overall noise level below that of any system we have come across, the Smart Fan utility does the rest to keep both CPU temperatures and exhaust noise in check. Aside from these mundane issues, a great deal of redesign has taken place on the mainboard level with a more economic layout to encompass even the omission of the most fundamental distinction between a PC and a Mac: the floppy drive interface."[time=1078944462

HiS Excalibur Radeon 9600XT Turbo by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Guru of 3D reviewed the Excalibur Radeon 9600XT Turbo from HiS. Here's a snippet of the 15 page review: "What HiS produced here is a very interesting product, nice overclocking potential, at default equipped with faster memory compared to reference design, nice cooling and of course a decent software bundle with that additional Half-Life 2 coupon. Combine all that an you are looking at a very tasty product my friends."[time=1075304749

SilverStone Eudemon SST-FP52 Controller by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

System Cooling tested a SilverStone Eudemon SST-FP52 controller. Here's a snip: "Many companies try to get you to buy their product with flashy lights, shiny plastics and flat out gimmicks. And although some of the products might look good a first glance you will quickly get tired and or annoyed by the overpowering look. If quality, simplicity and contemporary styling work for you then today’s review of the SilverStone Eudemon front control and temperature display panel will be right up your alley."[time=1075304806

AeroCool DP-102 HSF Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

GruntvillE.com posted a review of the AeroCool DP-102 HSF. Take a quote: “The Heat Sink itself has a super unique design. There are about 36 copper disk-shaped fins attached to a copper base (or Superconductor Tube). The design is pretty cool and is very eye-catching, but the mounting brackets for the fans are kinda flimsy. They are aluminum to help reduce the weight, but this also makes them a bit bendable. The bottom copper base of the Heat Sink was not covered by any protection. I think this is careless on AeroCool’s part. They throw all the little parts in the container and then stick the base into some kind of foam bottom.”[time=1075304868

HIS Excalibur 9600SE Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Got Apex? bundled up against subzero temps and posts up an icicle covered review of the HIS Excalibur 9600SE. Here is a quote: "For me, this is a great HTPC card. It's cheap, it's powerful enough, and it has VIVO functionality. It works in a business environment as well, though the 9200SE is a slightly more attractive card to IT departments, because IT departments are cheap when it comes to their users. Oh yes we are too. It's true, we do actually hate you guys. If your IT department says otherwise, they lie. Yes, we do lie."[time=1075304972

ASUS SCB-2408-D portable combo drive by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

HardwareZone.com posted a review of the ASUS SCB-2408-D portable combo drive. Here's a clip: "ASUS' latest portable combo drive had won a Germany design award with its sleek and small design. The question is will it win our hearts or will it turn out to be a tiny white elephant?"[time=1075305460

Enermax Noisetaker EG425P-VE 420W PSU by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Extreme Overclocking has just posted a review on the Enermax Noisetaker EG425P-VE 420W power supply. Here's a quote: "Enermax is a well known and respected name in today's highly competitive power supply business. Innovation and creativity have kept Enermax at the top of the list, boasting a plethora of features that can't be found in ordinary power supplies. The noisetaker line of power supplies from Enermax have certainly raised the bar with features such as smart fan operation, separate 12V rails, and serial ATA connectors."[time=1075305582

HL2 9600XT Bunclle Editorial by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

TweakFactor posted an article in which they discuss about the muted circumstances of Half-Life 2 being pulled from a lot of 3rd party 9600XT cards. "While it is understandable that the unexpected additional cost of bundling a game may throw a wrench into the plans of manufacturers financially it would be nice to see them try to remedy the situation and be more forthcoming and explicitly state whether or not their particular card includes the bundle. How can this be done? Powercolor has taken a step in the right direction by offering some of their customers the coupon even after they have apparently decided to opt out of the plan."[time=1075305750

Ten games, one stick! by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Dan's Data reviewed one of those Atari Classics 10-in-1 TV Games joystick gadgets. Here's a clip: "Yes, I know - last year's news. _Early_ last year. But I've measured the power consumption, peered at the circuit boards, and inserted my usual hundred million questionably relevant links. That's got to count for something, right?"[time=1075305846

DFI 865PE Infinity Motherboard Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

ClubOC tested a DFI 865PE Infinity motherboard. "DFI has quickly made a name for themselves as a producer of top quality, enthusiast motherboards. DFI has been in the motherboard business for quite a while, but they have just recently started motherboards for the mainstream overclocking crowd. Their LAN Party series of motherboards have taken the overclocking community by storm. DFI has another series of boards that are a little less known, the infinity series. What exactly is the Infinity series? Well if you open the LAN Party spec page and the infinity spec page and compare them, you will see that their spec sheets are identical. This board is for the people that want the performance of the LAN Party series, but don't want the LAN Party package."[time=1075306076

Gigabyte GN-WLBZ201 USB/802.11b Dongle by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

At PCStats.com you can read a review of the Gigabyte GN-WLBZ201 USB/802.11b Dongle. "Now here's a new idea! For the GN-WLBZ201 Gigabyte has combined two of the most popular USB accessories; memory keys and wireless network adaptors into a single product. On one hand this makes a lot of sense. After all, it's not like the components of either the NIC or the memory key themselves take up much space, and it saves you the hassle both of paying for them separately and of plugging them in separately. Certainly a boon for mobile users. On the other hand, it's an odd combination which may not function as smoothly as a separate network adaptor and memory key would."[time=1075306156

IdeaZon Zboard Crossfire by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Viper Lair took a look at a customizable keyboard designed with the gamer in mind. "From a gamer's perspective, with the proper key set, this keyboard does simplify things by laying out the keys in a logical manner. Whether you use the predefined setup, or you customize it, the Zboard can be a useful device. Like we mentioned earlier, you can setup "zones" for commonly pressed keys, so your favorite keys are always nearby."[time=1075306238

Swiftech MCX462-V HSF & MCX159-R Chipset Cooler by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

OCIA.net checked out the Swiftech MCX462-V and MCX159-R Chipset Cooler in their latest review. Below is a direct quote from the review: "The installation of the heatsink was much easier than I expected. I would rate it as the easiest heatsink installation I have experienced with an Athlon. The two clips are independent of each other and not dependent on that leaf spring style clip that many of us have grown to detest. The clip is a 3 prong clip on each side, a definite quality move."[time=1075306347

Athenatech A106 Mini Case with LCD by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

3dGameMan.com posted a video review of the Athenatech A106 Mini Case with LCD. "The Athenatech A106 Mini Case has many excellent features; it's very stylish and is affordable. Something very distinctive about this case is that it has a small blue LCD at the front which displays; data/time/alarm, temperatures, fan information, etc. Considering its small size, the overall design works well and allows for easy hardware insulation. A definite consideration for a Home Theatre Personal Computer. Watch the Video to find out more..."[time=1075306405

Dr Thermal Sandwich Heatsink Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Overclockers Club has completed a review on the Dr Thermal Sandwich heatsink. Here is a quote from this review: "This has to be one of the most unique looking bases I have ever seen on a heat sink. In one of the emails I received from T.I.T.I they called this the sandwich cooler and now I see why they call it that. You can clearly see in the pictures that aluminum and copper are sandwiched together to create the base of the heat sink, with the part of the base that touches the core looks to be solid but upon closer inspection it is sandwiched pieces of copper, and is held together with screws. The base had a very good finish and felt very smooth."[time=1075306483

SystemGuide Winter 2003-2004 by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Madshrimps.be presentes the Winter SystemsGuide of 2004! Here's a quote: "The goal is again to present 4 systems that can serve as reference to build your own new system. Everything can and may be changed to fulfil your own needs and according to the possibility of laying your hands on the components we propose. Family, Low/High and a 64-bit PC."[time=1075306574

SilenX <14dBA 400W PSU Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Neoseeker reviewed a SilenX's 400W powersupply. Featuring an actively cooled design that is less than 14dBA while in operation, SilenX boasts some impressive numbers that actually hold up to scrutiny under real world situations. "A subjective and unscientific test with my head down near the different powersupplies picked out the Enermax as being definitely audible and louder than both the AOpen and the SilenX. The Enermax could clearly be heard from a meter away. The AOpen was fairly quiet but audible also. The SilenX at a meter qway could not be heard. Even with my ear beside the exhaust vent it was very very quiet."[time=1075306718

CoolerMaster Musketeer LLC-U01 by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

8Balls Hardware tested CoolerMaster Musketeer LLC-U01. Here's a snippet: "CoolerMaster has been very well known for their line of high-end aluminum computer casing spanning from the ATCS series to the current line of cases which include among others the very sexy Praetorian and WaveMaster chassis. CoolerMaster also delved into providing cooling solutions for both OEM and commercial purposes. To stay competitive in the current market, new products have to be introduced to maintain interest and visibility compared to competing brands."[time=1075306869

NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 GPU Review Rev. 2 by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Adrian's Rojak Pot has posted Revision 2.0 of The NVIDIA GeForce FX Go5200 GPU Review! Here's a quote: "NVIDIA has questioned the validity of this review because of the Go5200's low core and memory speed as well as its small memory size in the test notebook. However, I believe that testing the GPU as it was configured by the notebook manufacturer is the right thing to do."[time=1075306954

Crucial PC3200 DDR400 Memory Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Tweaknews.net posted a review of the Crucial PC3200 DDR400 memory. Here's a snippit: "Crucial offers a fantastic product for mainstream users. Its memory is stable and reliable. It is not meant to overclock, yet I was still able to get a nice boost without damaging the modules. The temperatures remained warm (not hot) even without the use of heatspreaders." [time=1075307023

Inno3D GeForce FX 5700 Ultra Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

The battle for the middleweight crown in VGA cards really is THE one to be one. On one hand you have the high end cards with the high end price tags and other the other the low end cards that simply won't satisfy your need for speed. Inno3D has entered the fray with their version of the GeForce 5700 Ultra in this review at the Overclocker Cafe'. Offering solid high end performance at a reasonable price the 5700 Ultra just may be THE card to have. Here's a snip of the review. "We have said before that the old speed rule of raw horse power no longer dominates the choice of upgrades. The 5700 Ultra has the raw power to take its counterpart but it really shines once the eye candy is turned on. With an anticipated street price of around $175, the Inno3D Tornado is THE card to have for the gamer wanting performance but restrained by the financial limits 95% of us share."[time=1075307121

Zippy EL-715 Keyboard Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

GideonTech posted a quickie review on an EL powered keyboard from Zippy. Night time typing can't get any better than this, or can it? Snip: "So this model is real nifty with all the pretty lights, but how does it work? Will it give you carpel tunnel? Well, maybe, maybe not. Since it is a slim keyboard, anyone with oversized fingers will have a tough time. When I first started using it, it took a good few hours on IRC typing non-stop to get used to it. I constantly made typing mistakes and whatnot. I also noticed the keys had this problem of sticking. It didn't go away until after about 10 hours of use, it's now..."[time=1075307239

Shuttle ST61G4 XPC Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

HotHardware.com posted a review of Shuttle’s recently released ST61G4 XPC. Here's what they told us: "The ST61G4 is powered by ATi’s RS300 chipset, which is centered around the excellent Radeon 9100 IGP. The ST61G4 is also equipped with Shuttle’s new SilentX 250W power supply, which puts out more power than any previous XPC, while running at near silent levels. There are a few other interesting aspects to this XPC as well."[time=1075307317

Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Bytesector posted a review of the Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth. Here's a short description: "The growing trend of wireless paraphernalia is steadily increasing and with costs de-creasing. With systems like Bluetooth being developed and adopted, the future is going wireless. A good place to start is with your mouse. The Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer for Bluetooth is a great place to start. This five-button, fully programmable mouse is a great package. The fact that it is Bluetooth enables it to do so much more. When considering buying a wireless mouse, this is a candidate that should be near the top of your list, but if you’re on a budget, you may need to sacrifice a little."[time=1075307392

DFI LAN Party NFII UltraB Review by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

LostCircuits posted a review of the DFI LAN Party NFII UltraB motherboard. Here's a quote: "An old rule of thumb from racing states that any race car runs best just before it breaks. If the same rule is applied to any PC platform, it would say that any platform evolves to its highest potential just before it reaches the end of life phase. The above statement is actually a self-fulfilling prophecy since in almost all cases will there be an evolutionary improvement of any product until a point is reached where the returns are so diminishing that it is easier and more economic to start from scratch."[time=1075307536

Explanatory article about PSUs by CrackMaster , January 28, 2004

Have you ever wondered how a modern PSU works, or why it's even needed in your computer? Then you should read Nordic Hardware's explanatory article about PSUs. "It is not very obvious how a power supply works. Some years ago the PSU's were very large and bulky, fat transformers and capacitors as large as soda cans. The technique has fortunately improved, and today we use a technique called Switching. The technique means that you increase the frequency of the voltage before it is being converted to the voltage levels you want."[time=1075307701

Xbox Modding – What You Need to Know by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

TweakTown posted the first part of a modding article on Xbox. Here's a quote: "Microsoft Xbox console modding has been a part of a world for some time now. We suspect though that not everyone is aware of the quite legal benefits of modding your console can bring. Interested? Read on and find out what some soldering and circuitry boards can provide for your experience."[time=1074007315

WinXP SP2: Security? by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

At ipKonfig.com you can read an article about WinXP SP2. Take a quote: "There's been quite a delay for Windows XP Service Pack 2, with good reason: overwhelming security holes found within the Windows operating system. Turn your head for only a few moments, and another patch is released under the "Critical" heading in of Microsoft's Windows XP Update tool. It gives us great concern that despite the money we've spent so many cumulating holes open us up to the world of the unknown."[time=1074007555

iRock! 150VM Voice Recorder by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

Looking for a recorder that can also play MP3s? Viper Lair took a look at a nifty gadget that even 007 would want. "Overall, the 150VM functions well with only a few minor niggles here and there. Obviously if you're looking for an MP3 player you're better off with a dedicated player, but as a voice recorder with MP3 and Alarm/Clock capabilities it performs very well indeed."[time=1074007637

Vantec LapCool Notebook Cooler Review by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

3dGameMan.com posted a video review of the Vantec LapCool Notebook Cooler. "The Vantec LapCool Notebook Cooler is a very unique product and does assist in cooling. There are two 70mm fans which can be adjusted so the amount of cooling and noise can easily be controlled. Also, there is a very handy 4 port USB 2 hub at the back. One significant drawback of this product is it's too small and light and will cause most notebooks to topple over. Watch the Video to find out more..."[time=1074008740

Enermax UC-A8FATR4 Fan Controller Review by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

OCIA.net checked out the Enermax UC-A8FATR4 Fan Controller in their latest review. Below is a direct quote from the review: "The package came with a healthy supply of adhesive labels for labeling the thermal probes as well as a 3 pin adapter for the CPU fan that allows you to control the speed of the CPU fan and keep track of the fan RPMs. I placed my thermal sensors on my RAM sink, my CPU Cooler, and my video card cooler. I was impressed with the accuracy as the temps all registered within 2-3 degrees F at idle when compared to the temps registered in motherboard monitor."[time=1074008804

Shuttle AN50R review by CrackMaster , January 13, 2004

Nordic Hardware tested an nForce3 150 based mainboard from the renowned manufacturer Shuttle. The board has, among other things, support for AMD's Athlon64 processors with the Socket 754 interface. "Today, Shuttle is perhaps most known for its neat and small barebones. What many people might not think of is that Shuttle also manufacturers, and has done for quite a while, "ordinary" mainboards. We will in this review take a look at one of Shuttle's new creations, namely the AN50R, which is based on the nForce3 150 chipset."[time=1074008909