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Learn about the latest developments in PC hardware and enthusiast computing. We cover processors, graphics cards, chipsets, desktop and mobile systems, tablets, input devices and more.


AMD to start bundling free games with APUs later this month

AMD to start bundling free games with APUs later this month
  • Posted April 4, 2013, 5:00 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Gaming, Hardware
  • AMD is reportedly prepared to take its "Never Settle" promotion to the next step by extending it to other product lines. According to Hardware Luxx, shoppers who opt for one of the company's APUs will be rewarded with free game…

Google's Nexus 7 refresh pegged for July, might drop Nvidia Tegra

Google
  • Posted April 3, 2013, 9:27 AM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware, Mobile Computing
  • According to sources speaking with Reuters, Google plans to launch its next-generation 7-inch tablet this July and it could get even more aggressive on pricing. Based on current information, the search giant could be targeting an aggressive $149 starting rate,…

The History of the Modern Graphics Processor, Part 2: 3Dfx Voodoo, the game-changer

The History of the Modern Graphics Processor, Part 2: 3Dfx Voodoo, the game-changer
  • Posted April 3, 2013, 3:34 AM by Graham Singer | Filed in TechSpot, Hardware With Video
  • Launched on November 1996, 3Dfx's Voodoo graphics consisted of a 3D-only card that required a VGA cable pass-through from a separate 2D card to the Voodoo, which then connected to the display. Voodoo Graphics revolutionized personal computer graphics nearly overnight and rendered many other designs obsolete, including a vast swathe of 2D-only graphics producers.

    The 3D landscape in 1996 favoured S3 with around 50% of the market. That was to change soon, however. It was estimated that 3Dfx accounted for 80-85% of the 3D accelerator market during the heyday of Voodoo’s reign. Later on Nvidia would revive with the RIVA series and eventually land their greatest success with the first GeForce graphics card.

Hybrid Memory Cube stacks DRAM for 15x the bandwidth of DDR3

Hybrid Memory Cube stacks DRAM for 15x the bandwidth of DDR3
  • Posted April 2, 2013, 4:42 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware, Industry News Breaking News
  • After only 17 months in development, a group of the world's largest memory makers has announced a new solution that is expected to greatly improve performance over standard DDR3 and DDR4 DRAM while simultaneously reducing power consumption.

Razer Edge Gaming Tablet Review: A full-blown PC trapped inside a tablet

Razer Edge Gaming Tablet Review: A full-blown PC trapped inside a tablet
  • Posted April 2, 2013, 1:30 PM by Mike Fahey | Filed in TechSpot, Hardware With Video
  • Like many PC gamers, I've often wished a machine capable of putting the power of a gaming rig in a portable device. Gaming laptops are lovely and have their place, but that place is often on top of a desk. After a week with Razer's new Edge gaming tablet, I realize what I really wanted was to play Bioshock Infinite in the bathroom without burning my thighs. All hail Razer, deliverer of dreams.

    Razer's only review guidelines before sending along a Razer Edge loaner was that I not tell them I used it in the bathroom. I am a review guideline freedom fighter, deep in the trenches, pants around my ankles, balancing a $1,499 gaming tablet on the side of the tub before redeploying to less secluded front. And why not? I don't have to stop playing until the batteries run out.

Ivy Bridge driver update brings 10% performance boost, OpenCL 1.2

Ivy Bridge driver update brings 10% performance boost, OpenCL 1.2
  • Posted April 1, 2013, 5:30 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware, Software
  • Folks who rely on the HD 4000 integrated graphics engine inside some Intel processors can reportedly look forward to a performance boost in the near future. Speaking at a media event during GDC 2013, the company touched on its effort…

Nvidia announces five new Kepler-based GeForce 700M GPUs

Nvidia announces five new Kepler-based GeForce 700M GPUs
  • Posted April 1, 2013, 12:00 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Mobile Computing, Hardware
  • Nvidia has expanded its notebook graphics lineup with a handful of new models that should be rolling out in systems from major vendors over the coming weeks and months. All five new parts are members of the Kepler-based GeForce 700M…

WOF: What was the first graphics card you ever owned?

WOF: What was the first graphics card you ever owned?
  • Posted March 29, 2013, 5:00 PM by Jose Vilches | Filed in Weekend Open Forum, Hardware
  • We want you to take a trip down memory lane with us and tell us about the first graphics card you ever owned, as well as the games you were playing at that time. If you remember your entire graphics card purchase history to this day, we also want to hear about it!

Foxconn to build Google Glass in the US, report says

Foxconn to build Google Glass in the US, report says
  • Posted March 28, 2013, 6:30 PM by Shawn Knight | Filed in Hardware
  • Google’s upcoming augmented reality visor is set to enter production in the coming weeks. What’s more, the hardware will be the first from Google to have been manufactured in the US (unless you count the very short lived Nexus Q…

Razer Edge Pro met with mixed opinions as reviews hit the web

Razer Edge Pro met with mixed opinions as reviews hit the web
  • Posted March 28, 2013, 2:00 PM by Shawn Knight | Filed in Hardware, Gaming
  • Reviews of the long-awaited Razer Edge Pro are trickling in today as the Intel-powered gaming tablet is set to launch this weekend. Overall the slate is billed as a very capable portable device but according to at least a few…

AMD showcases dual-GPU Radeon HD 7990 at GDC

AMD showcases dual-GPU Radeon HD 7990 at GDC
  • Posted March 27, 2013, 1:00 PM by Shawn Knight | Filed in Gaming, Hardware
  • AMD launched the Radeon HD 7790 late last week to cover the mid-range market which left many looking to see when the company was planning to tackle the high end. We now have some solid answers as AMD showcased the…

Infographic: What happens when your computer turns on

Infographic: What happens when your computer turns on
  • Posted March 27, 2013, 11:00 AM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware
  • Ever wonder what's happening after you press the power button on your PC? Sure, you're greeted by an esoteric beep, your flashy liquid cooling loop and meticulous wire routing become illuminated through the side window, your aftermarket case fans release a dull whir...

Stealth launches book-sized LPC-480 PC with mobile Core i7

Stealth launches book-sized LPC-480 PC with mobile Core i7
  • Posted March 27, 2013, 8:00 AM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware
  • Stealth has unveiled a new ultra-compact system that is said to be its most powerful and technologically advanced small form factor offering to date. Geared toward commercial and industrial applications -- or enthusiasts who appreciate the engineering behind a hardcover…

The History of the Modern Graphics Processor, Part 1

The History of the Modern Graphics Processor, Part 1
  • Posted March 27, 2013, 2:53 AM by Graham Singer | Filed in TechSpot, Hardware With Video
  • The evolution of the modern graphics processor begins with the introduction of the first 3D add-in cards in 1995, followed by the widespread adoption of the 32-bit operating systems and the affordable personal computer.

    While 3D graphics turned a fairly dull PC industry into a light and magic show, they owe their existence to generations of innovative endeavour. Over the next few weeks we'll be taking an extensive look at the history of the GPU, going from the early days of 3D consumer graphics, to the 3Dfx Voodoo game-changer, the industry's consolidation at the turn of the century, and today's modern GPGPU.

Tablets to outship desktops this year, notebooks next year

Tablets to outship desktops this year, notebooks next year
  • Posted March 26, 2013, 5:30 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Industry News, Hardware
  • According to the latest data from IDC, global shipments of smart connected devices exceeded a billion units in 2012, an increase of 29.1% from the previous year and representing a value of $576.9 billion. Although plenty of smartphones and other…

InFocus intros 55-inch "BigTouch" Windows 8 all-in-one for $4,999

InFocus intros 55-inch "BigTouch" Windows 8 all-in-one for $4,999
  • Posted March 26, 2013, 1:30 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware
  • We've seen plenty of all-in-one systems with touchscreens and Windows 8, including various tabletop and tablet-like models, but InFocus has announced what might be the largest offering to date. The Oregon-based display maker's new 55-inch "BigTouch" AIO PC scales the…

Intel: Haswell-based Ultrabooks starting at $599 by holiday season

Intel: Haswell-based Ultrabooks starting at $599 by holiday season
  • Posted March 26, 2013, 10:41 AM by Jose Vilches | Filed in Industry News, Hardware
  • We’ve been hearing about cheaper ultrabooks ever since Intel begun pushing the category almost two years ago. The first wave of devices mostly failed to adhere to the proposed $1,000 price point, and while things have improved ever since, we’ve…

Samsung adds 4G to ATIV Win8 hybrid, Series 9 gets 1080p screen

Samsung adds 4G to ATIV Win8 hybrid, Series 9 gets 1080p screen
  • Posted March 25, 2013, 6:00 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware, Mobile Computing
  • Samsung has announced a couple of updates to its mobile Windows 8 PC lineup that adds some higher-tier options to the company's ATIV Smart PC Pro and Series 9 Premium ultrabook ranges. First up, the ATIV 700T can be equipped…

New GeForce WHQL driver boosts Bioshock: Infinite, Tomb Raider

New GeForce WHQL driver boosts Bioshock: Infinite, Tomb Raider
  • Posted March 25, 2013, 3:30 PM by Rick Burgess | Filed in Gaming, Hardware
  • Nvidia just published its WHQL-certified 314.22 GeForce drivers. Simply put, if your PC is armed with a GeForce graphics card and you've recently picked up either Tomb Raider or Bioshock: Infinite -- you're going to want this update.

What is false disk failure, and why is it a problem?

What is false disk failure, and why is it a problem?
  • Posted March 25, 2013, 2:56 AM by Rob Ober | Filed in Hardware, Industry News
  • What is the #1 Real Problem for many large scale mega datacenters? It’s something you’ve probably never heard about, and probably have not even thought about. It’s called false disk failure. Some mega datacenters have crafted their own solutions – but most have not.

Google rumored to be working on a smartwatch, too

Google rumored to be working on a smartwatch, too
  • Posted March 22, 2013, 8:30 AM by Shawn Knight | Filed in Hardware
  • 2013 could very well end up being the year of the smartwatch – or at the very least, the year that several big names started developing their wristwatch. Pebble’s smartwatch is already in the wild, Apple’s pending iWatch is one…

Radeon HD 7790 Review: Aiming straight for the $150 segment

Radeon HD 7790 Review: Aiming straight for the $150 segment
  • Posted March 22, 2013, 2:41 AM by Steven Walton | Filed in TechSpot, Hardware Breaking News
  • The latest member of the Southern Islands family, the new Radeon HD 7790 is designed to fill the gap between the Radeon HD 7770 and 7850. Set to precisely target the $150 price tag, the HD 7790 should be an affordable solution that provides good value to gamers on a budget.

    The HD 7790 is set to go head to head against the GeForce GTX 650 Ti, which represented the best value in this bracket. To sweeten the deal, AMD is also offering a free game bundle of Bioshock Infinite for a limited time.

Corsair intros Vengeance K70, a revamped all-mechanical K60

Corsair intros Vengeance K70, a revamped all-mechanical K60
  • Posted March 21, 2013, 2:00 PM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Gaming, Hardware
  • Corsair has updated last year's Vengeance K60 mechanical keyboard with an improved design that ought to make it more appealing. Although the K60 received relatively positive reviews for being solidly built and fairly feature packed, many buyers were deterred by…

Samsung's Smart Evolution HDTV upgrade kit coming in May for $299

Samsung
  • Posted March 20, 2013, 3:00 PM by Shawn Knight | Filed in Hardware
  • Today Samsung is making good on a promise from earlier this year at CES with regards to the planned Smart Evolution Kit. The kit, which includes a Samsung Smart Remote, will contain a faster quad-core processor, a new GPU and…

Future Nvidia 'Volta' GPU has stacked DRAM, offers 1TB/s bandwidth

Future Nvidia
  • Posted March 20, 2013, 9:30 AM by Matthew DeCarlo | Filed in Hardware
  • Nvidia has updated its public GPU roadmap, revealing new details about upcoming products including a graphics solution that will purportedly offer about four times the memory bandwidth of the new $1,000 GeForce GTX Titan. Codenamed "Volta," the GPU family is…

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