http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/front-large.jpg
Intel Core i7-4770K Haswell Processor Review
Just a year ago Intel launched their Ivy Bridge processors and now a year later we have another platform launch from Intel. The 4th Generation Core Haswell processors are the “tock” to Intel’s “tick” and “tock” release schedule. A “tock” represents a new architecture and a “tick” represents a process refinement. So Haswell brings with it a new architecture, but is still built on the same 22nm process as Ivy Bridge. Intel has introduced a new LGA1150 socket with Haswell and a new chipset so you will not be able to throw this processor in an older motherboard, you will have to buy a new one. Today we are taking a look at the top of the line Haswell desktop chip the Core i7-4770K. Of course the “K” denotes that it is an unlocked processor. This is a quad-core processor that has a default clock speed of 3.5 GHz and a turbo frequency that goes all the way up to 3.9 GHz.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/front3.jpg
XSPC AX Radiator Desk Stand Review
One of the biggest limiting factors in what you can do with watercooling is how much room you have in your case. With so much equipment to pack in for watercooling alone, space ends up being one of the chief concerns for builders and modders. And the single biggest limiting factor: how much radiator one can fit. Radiators are large, bulky, and inflexible in how they need to be installed. This can easily lead to the builder having to sacrifice cooling surface for space. There is a solution to this problem though; external radiator stands. And if you have chosen to use XSPC’s AX series of radiators, then you’re in luck. Today we will be looking at the AX Radiator Desk Stand from XSPC.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/phantom630.jpg
Win a NZXT Phantom 630 Case!
It is summer time and it is the perfect time to give you, our readers some free hardware! We have teamed up with our friends at NZXT to give away a brand new NZXT Phantom 630 Case! This Ultra Tower not only looks good it has room for quite a lot inside like long graphics cards, XL-ATX Motherboards, 8 hard drives and a lot of watercooling! Like many of our contests we will be running this one on Facebook and it is extremely easy to enter!
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/reactormod.jpg
Case Mod Friday: ReactorMod
Welcome to another Case Mod Friday showcase! This week we have a builders ReactorMod build. Here is what he had to say about it: It's a modded Chieftec BX-03 case. I wanted to make it look like it's quite old and kinda shabby. I was thinking about this build for quite a long time, so I managed to collect some cool stuff that I've found on a nearby scrap yard (e.g. switch or steel sheet that I used to make the radiator cover). I also used some spare parts that I had lying around.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/front2.jpg
Enermax Triathlor FC 550W Power Supply Review
Enermax is a brand whose strong product is their power supplies, especially when it comes to the high-end spectrum. Their Platimax and MAXREVO units are some of the best out there. But these units are not cheap in terms of cost. Enermax knows not everyone has a ton of cash to throw at a new power supply so they have created the Triathlor series of power supplies. There are actually the Triathlor and Triathlor FC units. The Triathlor units are lower wattage and non-modular and the Triathlor FC units are higher wattage and are modular. Today we are checking out the Triathlor FC 550W unit which is 80PLUS Bronze certified and offers quiet operation.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/front1.jpg
SilverStone ARM22SC ARM Two Dual LCD Monitor Mount Review
We mainly know SilverStone for their cases and for good reason, they are high quality and look great. What if SilverStone took that same quality and put it into a LCD monitor mount? Then you would have what we are reviewing today which is the ARM Two ARM22SC dual LCD Monitor Mount from SilverStone. LCD arms are a great addition to any computer setup, especially if you are using a multi-monitor system. The ARM22SC is constructed with robust aluminum alloy and steel so this is a heavy duty piece of hardware. It will support two displays with VESA mounts. Read on as we get this installed and see how it transforms our desk.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/XIOS_DS_main2.png
Win a Pivos XIOS DS Media Player!
Pivos is a company we have been working with lately and they make some pretty cool little media players. We have already reviewed their XIOS DS media player and it is a very unique device. Pivos was nice enough to give us one to give away to our readers! Just like all of our contests this one is very easy to enter and we will be running it on Facebook? So what are you doing get out there and get your entry in!
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/blackandwhite.jpg
Case Mod Friday: Black and White
Welcome to another Case Mod Friday showcase! This week we have Christian Black and White build. Here is what he had to say about it: Well this is the first time I do something like this, and it really is interesting the world of case modding the project is BLACK AND WHITE and really was a design chosen because I began to paint the cabinet only and one thing leads to another as in all cases and was thinking of some ideas for covers.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/hdd-history.jpg
The History Of The Hard Drive
In 1953, engineers in IBM's California-based laboratory invented the very first hard drive. Since that first disk drive, technological advances have been made at an astonishing rate, with data capacity increasing and size and price decreasing exponentially, year on year. 60 years on, the hard drives of today are unrecognizable from the first models, which took up an entire room. Hard drives today are measured in terms of gigabytes and terabytes, rather than megabytes-an amount of data that would have been almost unimaginable in the early history of computers. Here we take a look back at the evolution of the hard drive as it grew from 5MB to 4TB.
http://www.thinkcomputers.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/front.jpg
Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 Review
Lenovo has been making headlines with their IdeaPad Yoga. It is a tablet convertible that can be used as a laptop as well. There are 11-inch and 13-inch models. While the larger 13-inch model has the choice of Intel Core processors, the 11-inch does not and is rather powered by the NVIDIA Tegra 3 platform. Today we will be taking a look at that unit which does offer a very sleek and slim design, responsive 11.6-inch touchscreen, Lenovo’s patent-pending hinge design that allows the screen to flip completely over and it is running Windows RT. Let’s check it out!

Post Tagged with: "PC Gaming"

Gaming Friday: 20 Years of Epic Games

Gaming Friday: 20 Years of Epic Games

I’m sure by now you have heard of Epic Games, they are the creators of the very popular Unreal series, the Unreal Engine that powers many PC games and one of the most popular franchises on the Xbox 360, Gears of War. If you did not know Epic just turned 20 years old (damn that makes me feel old!) and decided to give away a pretty sweet soundtrack. We decided for this week’s Gaming Friday article we would a look back at the past 20 years of Epic Games.

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: DotA 2

Gaming Friday: DotA 2

Many games have since been made emulating DotA’s basic principle, and an entire genre has been created in its honor. MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) games have grown at a phenomenal rate, and an example of success is League of Legends. Enter DotA 2. The first true successor to the original custom map is currently in-development by Valve and in closed beta. More people are added frequently, with online numbers reaching around 30,000 people at any time of the day.

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: Pittco Iron Storm XIII Lan Party

Gaming Friday: Pittco Iron Storm XIII Lan Party

This past weekend we had the pleasure of attending Pittco’s Iron Storm XIII Lan Party!  This 42 hour event hosted about 150 gamers and started April 20 and concluded on April 22nd.  They had official tournaments for Counter-Strike: Source, League of Legends, Starcraft II, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, Halo Reach and many more.  Besides just the tournaments there was quite a lot of gaming going on as well as other fun.  Read on to see what the event was all about!

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: Getting to Level 20 in Realm of the Mad God

Gaming Friday: Getting to Level 20 in Realm of the Mad God

Just a few weeks ago we talked about Realm of the Mad God, the “co-op fantasy mmo shooter” from Wild Shadow Studios.  Even since then a lot of us here at ThinkComputers have been playing the game.  I myself have unlocked all of the character classes, had many level 20 characters, explored many of the dungeons and even defeated Oryx a few times.  Even though I’ve had some awesome characters with great gear I ended up dying and when you die in the game you are permanently dead.  This is a real bummer, but it does keep the game interested.  When you start a new character the first thing you want to do is get back up to level 20 so in this Gaming Friday I will be going over some of the easiest way to reach level 20.

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: Payday The Heist

Gaming Friday: Payday The Heist

Have you ever thought about robbing a bank, c’mon I know you have.  This is just one of the scenarios that you are able to play out online with friends or in single player mode on Payday: The Heist.  This first-person shooter is unlike others where you are fighting in a war, against aliens, or in some arena.  Here you are able to play the bad guys and break the law and six action-packed and thrilling scenarios, one of which is robbing a bank.  Read on to see what this game is all about!

+Continue Reading

Digital game distribution company Desura releases Linux client

Digital game distribution company Desura releases Linux client

Linux gaming isn’t something we here at ThinkComputers often cover, but when big things happen, we like to mention them! Yesterday, Desura, a digital distribution channel for video games, released a Linux version of its network client. It’s the culmination of months of hard work by Desura team and its beta testers.

+Continue Reading

A Look Back: 3dfx Graphics Cards

A Look Back: 3dfx Graphics Cards

I don’t know about you but when I first started to build my own computers all I wanted inside was a 3dfx graphics card. I’m not sure what it was, the awesome advertisements in PC magazines, the high price, or just the hype. Luckily I was able to build a few systems with 3dfx graphics cards before they went bankrupt and were eventually acquired by Nvidia. 3dfx definitely helped change PC gaming. 3dfx will probably always be remembered by computer and gaming enthusiasts so today we take a look back at the 3dfx graphics cards.

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: Battlefield 3 Beta

Gaming Friday: Battlefield 3 Beta

I’m not a huge PC gamer, I’m sure that if you have been reading the Gaming Friday articles you already know that. I guess that I have just been waiting for a good game to come out for me to really get back in to it. I was a huge fan of the original Battlefield series, I played it a lot during LAN parties and if you had a good group of people together it was a lot of fun. After the first game I really never got in to the other games in the series. Well a couple of weeks ago this video came out and I knew I had to check the beta out when it was opened up.

+Continue Reading

Gaming Friday: Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

Gaming Friday: Warhammer 40K: Space Marine

Before this week I could not tell you the last time I was actually excited for a PC game and the last time I purchased a PC game.  Even when StarCraft 2 came out it was sort of meh to me.  I had first heard of Warhammer 40K: Space Marine after someone showed me a gameplay video on YouTube.  After seeing it I went right out and downloaded the demo which was available on Steam.  I played the demo over and over again wanting more action!  The game was released this week and I made sure to get it!  Read on to find out more about this awesome 3rd person shooter!

+Continue Reading

MillionManLan 10

MillionManLan 10

I attended Lanwar’s MillionManLAN LAN party in Louisville, Kentucky last month. The four day event started August 4 and ended August 7. More than 300 gamers attended, bringing their own PCs and gaming consoles. They competed in several tournaments on many platforms, with the winner or winning team taking home a prize from the several hundred dollar prize pool.

+Continue Reading