In the second part of this series, we presented some initial tests to illustrate how CPU and graphics can affect different types of performance in a PC workstation. In this third part, we focus down on one particular, industry-standard benchmark that puts a workstation through a range of tests with …

While Intel's High-End Desktop (HEDT) CPUs are fast and fun, it's on the mainstream platform where the chip manufacturing company really shifts volumes to gamers and DIY enthusiasts. Multiplier-unlocked Core i5 and i7 variants of the latest mainstream micro-architecture are the popularity champions on an annual basis; an affordable platform …

Nowadays virtually all makers of mainboards offer motherboards with various exotic colours, including white or even silver. Makers of memory modules have traditionally been more conservative and typically such products come with black heat spreaders and PCBs. However, Crucial, a division of Micron, decided to release something for modders, who …

Lenovo offers its YOGA 15 Ultrabook in a number of different versions (we count at least five SKUs) however the fundamentals remain the same. This convertible laptop is built around a magnesium-alloy frame and boasts a heavy-duty Dragontrail display with a Full HD resolution IPS touch screen panel. The most …

High-end graphics cards for desktop PCs represent only a tiny fraction of the whole market of discrete graphics adapters, but as integrated graphics processors become more powerful and end-users cease to buy entry-level solutions, producers of standalone adapters need to refocus their businesses. Demand for entry-level and mainstream personal computers …

2015 is the year of the Solid State Drive. The technology has advanced to the limit of the SATA 3 interface, and prices have never been more competitive. SK hynix are keen to cement their position in this market and regular readers will be aware of our reviews of their …

Don't have time to build your own PC? Want a nice compact, good looking system featuring one of the latest AMD Fury graphics cards? The OCUK ‘Evolution Wrath' System might just tickle the taste buds. This system features an Intel Core i7 4790K @ 4.5GHz, Z97 Motherboard, Up to 16GB …

With DDR4 prices being driven down in preparation for the launch of a mainstream chipset supporting the memory type, now can be considered a good time to bag a high density quad-channel kit. Combining a quartet of 8GB DIMMs in a quad-channel configuration with an operating frequency of 2400MHz and …

Fractal Design offers its new Mini-ITX Node 202 either as a bare case or paired with its Integra SFX 450W PSU. When you consider how few SFX PSUs there are on the market it probably makes sense to go for the combo package, if only to save yourself hassle. This …

KitGuru has reviewed a wide selection of partner GTX980 Ti's in the last month and today we take a look at the new PNY GTX980 Ti XLR8 OC Edition which is due for release soon in the United Kingdom. This card ships with out of the box overclocked speeds and …

Today we take a look at the latest high end solution from Palit, the new GTX980 Ti Super JetStream. This card ships with a custom cooler, out of the box clock enhancements, and the price point has dropped to £539.99 inc vat. How does it compare to leading GTX980 Ti …

Asmedia and Intel Corp. have started to reduce prices of their USB 3.1 controllers in a bid to gain market share. Intel Corp.’s “Alpine Ridge” chip offers Thunderbolt 3 in addition to USB 3.1, but Asmedia’s controller is significantly cheaper to make and can be sold a very low price. …

Apparently, the problems of Advanced Micro Devices with its latest Radeon R9 Fury-series graphics cards may be significantly more serious than whining cooling system or limited overclockability. If a new media report is to be believed, then the company cannot supply enough boards to its partners. It is not a …

Today we take a look at AMD's second graphics card based on the 28nm ‘Fiji' Silicon. The Sapphire Fury card is the first to hit our labs, and it features a new version of their highly acclaimed ‘Tri-X' cooling solution. To reduce the retail price against Fury X – the …

We have reviewed many GTX980 Ti partner cards in recent weeks and today the MSI GTX980 Ti Gaming 6G makes a somewhat belated appearance in our labs. This high end board is actually one of the cheapest flagship, overclocked Ti's currently available – hitting the £599.99 inc vat point – …

As fashions and technology have changed in the PC industry over the past few decades, systems have invariably become smaller. That means that while you can get yourself a monstrous double sized desktop gaming system from the likes of Chillblast, you can also order much smaller form factor machines with …

Today we take a somewhat belated look at the latest AMD flagship, the R9 Fury X. This graphics card has been designed to tackle Nvidia in the high end, specifically their similarly priced GTX980 Ti. The Fury X is the first consumer GPU equipped with Stacked High Bandwidth Memory (HBM) …

Today we take a look at the new Solid State Drive from SK hynix – the SC300 – in 256GB capacity.  This drive is due to be launched in the United Kingdom over the coming weeks and faces stiff competition from many more established brands.  SK hynix have many years …

Today we look at a sub £300 graphics card from AMD partner Sapphire. The R9 390 Nitro is a model from Sapphire's new range and features Black Diamond Chokes and a large triple fan cooler to keep temperatures in check. The card ships in an overclocked state and is priced …

Today we take a look at one of the latest graphics cards from Sapphire – the new R9 390X featuring the latest version of their Tri-X cooling system. This top level graphics card ships in an overclocked state and features a custom triple cooler – shipping with 3x 90mm dual …

A little while ago we had a look at the Acer Liquid Jade – the first device in Acer's Liquid Jade smartphone range. Today we are looking at the Liquid Jade S, the successor to the original Liquid Jade. With a new octa-core processor, and higher RRP to match, is …

Elitegroup Computer Systems has once again denied plans to stop making own-brand mainboards for the DIY [do-it-yourself] market. This is the second time this year when the company makes such denial. “We [ECS] feel regret to learn the untrue report from DigiTimes,” said Sunny Yang, the president of ECS, in …

Last night, we got wind of some market rumours suggesting that Nvidia was considering cutting down the price of the GTX 980Ti a bit in light of the release of AMD's Fury X. Now today, Overclockers UK has announced a slew of deals on GTX 980Ti graphics cards, with models …

Elitegroup Computer Systems has reportedly announced that it will not actively promote its own-brand mainboards aimed at the DIY [do-it-yourself] market going forward. The company will continue to produce motherboards for its clients, but will eventually quit the market of platforms for enthusiasts. ECS used to be one of the …

The Dell Vostro 15 3549 is described as an affordable business laptop, and on paper the specifications certainly seem to suggest we have the makings of a decent portable PC. There is a Broadwell-U CPU, 4GB RAM and a 15.6″ HD display – along with a fairly standard 500GB hard …

When it comes to performance processors for the consumer market, Intel's Haswell-E chips are the fastest around. With such great performance potential are enthusiasts who want to squeeze every last bit of juice out of their system in order to break world records. That's where MSI's X99A XPOWER AC motherboard …

MSI's mid-range Z97 motherboard is the first to market with on-board USB 3.1 in the connection's Type-C form. With the port providing transfer rates of up to 10Gbps and support for new reversible USB Type-C devices, can MSI's Z97A Gaming 6 prove itself as a good option for users wanting …

Nvidia's GTX980 Ti has stormed the performance benchmarks in the last couple of weeks and now modified, partner cards are hitting retail. We have already looked at the excellent EVGA model last week, and today we analyse the new Gigabyte G1 Gaming version which features a beautiful new cooler with …

We had a chance to take a look at ASRock's USB 3.1 implementation with the company's excellent X99E-ITX/ac motherboard and a custom USB 3.1 RAID testing card. How does ASRock's 10Gbps USB 3.1 solution fare? USB 3.1 has been a huge talking point for the past few months. We have …

Retrofitted with Gigabytes new pin-enhanced socket, the X99-Gaming 5P is targeting enthusiast gamers with an eye for multi-GPU configurations and an ear for high-quality audio hardware. Can the red and black-themed design appeal to gamers shopping for a mid-priced X99 motherboard? Branded as part of the G1 Gaming series, Gigabyte's …