Kitguru readers have great taste in hardware, of that there is no question. Many of you will already have a high performance laptop, probably for gaming duties. Those of you who have tried to use a high performance machine on their lap will generally agree that it can get really …
Read More »Alienware M17x R3 Laptop Review (Core i7 2630QM / 256GB SSD)
Alienware are an iconic system builder. For years they have been building radical, futuristically styled machines which have featured in many high profile TV shows and movies. Several years ago Dell took over the brand, incorporating them as their high end, customised system builds. Today we are looking at the …
Read More »Sapphire HD6870 Toxic Edition Review – the fastest HD6870 available?
Sapphire have a well earned reputation as one of AMD's finest partners. Their Vapor X and Toxic Edition cards command a small price premium while offering significant advantages in all key areas. Today we are looking at the as yet unreleased HD6870 Toxic Edition with custom Vapor-X cooler and ‘out …
Read More »Intel says STOP BUYING OUR NEW SYSTEMS
OK, it has arrived. Following on from Intel's very open and honest revelation yesterday morning, the channel has been waiting to hear what the full extent of Intel's advice is – and it has just arrived. KitGuru reveals all. The message is clear. “Intel Recommends Channel Customers Stop Building and …
Read More »Intel plays down impact of Sandy Bridge chipset fault
“There's never a good time to have a problem, but if you're going to experience an issue then at the start of a transition is as good a time as ever”. That's Intel's opinion. But is it realistic? KitGuru investigates. Intel's experienced very few problems during its existence. To be …
Read More »Enermax Hoplite Mid-Tower Case Review
Enermax are well known for producing some of the best quality power supplies on the market and have recently produced a range of flashy LED fans which Zardon tested a few months back. But they also produce a range of PC cases, one of which they have sent us to …
Read More »Global Foundries ready to step up production for AMD
Following yesterday's announcement from Intel that there is a problem with the chipset necessary to support the 2nd generation Core processors, codenamed Sandy Bridge, a lot of eyes have turned to AMD. KitGuru's been asking the important questions. Yesterday, we were all struggling to remember the last time that Intel …
Read More »Hardware flaw stops shipment of Intel chipsets – channel prepares for worst
Intel has announced today that there is a flaw in the 6 series chipsets which accompany the new Sandybridge processor family. With the cost of this issue likely to top $700m very quickly, KitGuru has been investigating. At the very least, there will need to be a massive re-engineering effort, …
Read More »VisionTek Killer HD 5770 Combo Graphics-Network Card Review
Today we are going to be looking at a hybrid graphics/network card, featuring an amalgamation of technology from AMD and Bigfoot Networks. This card from VisionTek combines a 1GB HD5770 with a KillerNic 2100 to offer lower ping times with decent mainstream gaming performance. Focusing on high end graphics solutions …
Read More »Thermaltake opens new office, prepares new designs
While producing iconic designs like the Level 10 chassis, Thermaltake has been located in a small office on the outskirts of Taipei. Alongside a growth in the company's ambition, CEO Kenny Lin recently decided that he needed to grow the office. Champagne bottles at the ready, KitGuru sent a spy …
Read More »Synology DiskStation DS1511+ Review
KitGuru has reviewed many NAS systems in the last year and we have covered most of the previous range from Synology. Today we are looking at the new flagship product aimed at the small and medium sized business market. With support for up to 15 drives via additional Synology DX510 …
Read More »MSI AMD Fusion Platform System Prototype – world first exclusive
First there was the promise, that Fusion was the future. Then, at CES, AMD revealed the combination of CPU and GPU that it calls an APU. Today, Kitguru has in its lab the world's first AMD Fusion Platform prototype from MSI, exclusively for our reader's delight. It is a model/concept …
Read More »So where is AMD Fusion hiding? The search begins.
It has been 5 years and a global saturation programme to convince us that the “Future is Fusion”. Now the product has launched, where is it hiding? KitGuru dons a safari costume, picks up a set of high-powered binoculars and goes in search of AMD Fusion. In contrast to the …
Read More »Volvo issues official warning on C30, S40 & V50
Not sure how many KitGuru readers would buy a new Volvo, but just in case you do, we wanted to flag an email that's been sent from Volvo HQ. Following the Toyota brake safety issue, you can't be too safe and it's always better to have all of the facts. …
Read More »MSI CX623 Laptop Review – Core i5/Geforce 310M
MSI have a wide range of laptops for the enthusiast user and today we are looking at the rather sexy multimedia based CX623, complete with Core i5 460m, LED screen and nVidia 310M. In a perfect world, everyone would be equipped with a £3,000 laptop, but sadly in the real …
Read More »Asus M4A89GTD Pro/USB3 Motherboard Review
Even after the launch of Sandy Bridge from Intel, there are still a lot of users out there who will opt for an AMD based system so it is our duty, as Gurus of Kit, to review some of the latest and greatest AMD based motherboards. Today we are going …
Read More »Fractal Design Define XL Case Review
We've recently reviewed a number of mid-range cases that fall in the just over £100 mark from the likes of Corsair and Lian Li which impressed us greatly. So when we were offered a similarly-priced case from a lesser known manufacturer, we jumped at the chance so we could see …
Read More »G SKILL RipjawsX F3-17066 CL7D 2133mhz (Sandybridge) Review
With the release of the stunning new Sandybridge platform from Intel, memory manufacturers are releasing kits designed specifically to maximise system performance. Today we look at a stunning new 4GB kit from GSKILL which operates at 2133mhz while maintaining the tightest possible timings. In the past, getting memory close to …
Read More »AMD releases latest (not) Stream SDK
Parallel processing is something which graphics cards do amazingly well and which regular CPUs are only slowly waking up to. AMD's developer kit has just been updated, so KitGuru decided to (in GPGPU's honour) multi-task by typing this story, while biting our nails, catching up on One Tree Hill and …
Read More »ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Profess1onal Series Motherboard Review
ASRock are stepping up their game. It has taken a lot of time persuading the enthusiast audience, but in the last year we have seen the company develop and progress, especially with their motherboard designs. Today we are looking at the ASRock P67 Fatal1ty Professional motherboard, which is targeted at …
Read More »Asus M4A87TD/USB3 Motherboard Review
We recently looked at one of Asus' high end M4A90GTD Pro/USB3 motherboards that impressed us with its extensive feature set and strong performance. The only drawback of this board was the high price which put it out into the ‘deeper wallet' category. So we were excited when Asus offered us …
Read More »Frio OCK beats Noctua NH D14? Check these pics!
One of the biggest surprises of 2010 was the CPU cooling launches by Thermaltake. While the company has created some of the neatest looking coolers you're likely to see (think V1), the cooling capability was not always there (think V1). The Contac29 and Frio changed that dramatically in 2010, but …
Read More »Which tablet should you buy in 2011?
2010 seemed like the ‘Year of the Tablet', however we are positive that in 2011 sales figures are going to soar to new heights. With many companies stepping up and offering an alternative to the iPad which one you should be buying? CES 2011 showcased many new designs, from Android …
Read More »Arctic Cooling S361 Speakers Review
There is no doubting that 2010 was a turning point for Arctic Cooling, they focused on enhancing their portfolio and released a steady flow of products throughout the year. KitGuru reviewed a wide cross section of their product catalogue and were often impressed with the focus on quality products at …
Read More »HIS HD6850 ICE Q X Review – the ultimate HD6850 ?
The HD6850 has been a strong seller for AMD since it was released last year, combining great gaming performance at a very competitive price point. Today we are looking at the new HIS HD 6850 which is supplied in a pre overclocked state and features a high performance ‘Ice Q …
Read More »Razer Imperator Laser Gaming Mouse Review
Here at KitGuru we get excited every time a plain brown box arrives in our offices as we know that there is likely to be some exciting new tech within. In this case, the tech isn't new to the market but that doesn't mean the contents of the box are …
Read More »KitGuru folding team crack the top 1000.
In such a short space of time, our little folding @ home team has went from nothing into the top 1000. I would like to to thank everyone for their time, effort and dedication to this project. Not only is it putting Kitguru in a good light, but it is …
Read More »HIS Radeon HD 5450 Silence PCIe 1x/16x Review
The AMD HD5450 has proven to be a popular card with the enthusiast HTPC audience, due to the low pricing and media acceleration capabilities. This particular series has also been adopted by the business audience who value a low cost strategy with support for multiple monitors. The HIS HD5450 Silence …
Read More »Cooler Master Turbine Master Fan Review
Every performance enthusiast system needs high levels of cooling. An unfortunate side effect is that many fans on the market today can generate excessive noise. There is nothing you will regret more than buying a handful of cheap fans online without research. Unless you want to end up with a …
Read More »Dell Vostro 130 Review – the svelte business laptop
There are a plethora of laptops aimed at the business user, many of which fall into the ‘grey, boring and clunky category'. Dell are trying to shake this market up by offering a rather sexy alternative which stands out in a crowded market. No longer will a sharp dressed executive …
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