Review Index Page 30

  • Hatred Review

    Hatred is a twin-stick shooter that displays its dreary world from an overhead perspective. The player is cast as a nameless antagonist who's decided to go on a mass killing spree. Literally the only things he can do are move and kill. It's unveiling created ripples of outrage months ago and now that the game's here it's one of the top-selling on Steam. If only the people at Destructive Creations were as good at making video games as they are at marketing them.
    By Chris Suellentrop on
  • Origin EON15-X 4K Gaming Laptop Review

    Mobile or otherwise, gamers know there is no substitute for a massive slab of expensive and power-hungry hardware. As a result, Origin PC has implemented a straightforward tactic to grant laptops hairier chests: cram in an honest to goodness desktop CPU. Yep, Origin's EON15-X packs a full-fledged Devil's Canyon Intel Core i7 along a GeForce GTX 980M GPU into a relatively modest 15-inch laptop.
    By Rick Burgess on
    80
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX 980 Ti Review

    The new GeForce GTX 980 Ti is still targeting 4K gaming and with 6GB of memory onboard it's still overkill but without excess. We expect the GTX 980 Ti to be a processing powerhorse that rivals the more expensive Titan X but for $350 off the sticker price.
    By Steven Walton on
    90
  • Neurio Home Intelligence Review

    Connected appliances often carry a price premium, but as with many emerging technologies and trends it may not be immediatly clear if it'll be woth the extra investment. Neurio promises to add intelligence to ordinary appliances and make your home more efficient, all without having to install sensors on each device.
    By Shawn Knight on
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Benchmarked: Graphics & CPU Performance

    After extensive testing it's clear why The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt doesn't look nearly as good as the 2013's trailer: even in its current uber beautiful form, the game is simply too demanding for today's hardware. In our performance review, we benchmark The Witcher 3 using 19 DX11 graphics cards from AMD and Nvidia.
    By Steven Walton on
  • The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Review

    The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is an open-world role-playing game that casts you as a legendary and sexy monster hunter named Geralt of Rivia. You spend most of the game guiding Geralt as he explores a collection of massive open outdoor areas, taking on quests, slaying monsters, talking with people, making difficult moral choices, and gradually leveling up his gear and abilities. Basically, doing the whole RPG thing.
    By Kirk Hamilton on
  • Microsoft Lumia 640 Review

    Since Microsoft acquired Nokia's smartphone division, the company has focused its efforts on mid-range and entry-level handsets, with the Lumia 640 we are reviewing today being their latest. It's got a decent hardware package for the price and runs Windows Phone 8.1 out of the box, with a promised upgrade to Windows 10 Mobile later this year.
    By Tim Schiesser on
    60
  • Ultimate Consumer SSD Showdown

    SSD technology grew stale after saturating the SATA 6Gb/s bus, bringing mostly minor improvements and making up for it with price cuts. But with new PCIe and M.2 drives presenting an alternative for users seeking maximum performance it's time for a roundup. We'll cover a total of fourteen consumer-grade SSDs that use either the SATA, PCI Express or M.2 interface. As always, we'll be looking at price vs. performance to see where each product stands.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Project CARS Benchmarked: Graphics & CPU Performance

    Project CARS is a racing simulation game that's been on everyone's radar since its drool-inducing visuals started to make the rounds as far back as 2012. In short, the game is the most visually impressive racing simulator we have ever seen. Now it's benchmark time.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Samsung Galaxy S6 & S6 Edge Review

    The launch of the Galaxy S6 is one of the most important for Samsung in a long time, and this time around there's not just one flagship, but two: the company has released a curved-display Edge variant. Both come with a 5.1-inch Super AMOLED display with a top-end 1440p resolution, a brand new Exynos 7 Octa 7420 SoC, and a 16-megapixel optically stabilized camera. Unlike with the past three generations of Galaxy flagships, there's no Qualcomm model in sight.
    By Tim Schiesser on
  • Razer Blade Pro Review

    If it's an all-in-one gaming and productivity machine you're after, Razer would encourage you to check out the larger Blade Pro. The 2015 revision features a generous 17.3-inch display which affords the real estate necessary for the highlight of the notebook, Razer's Switchblade UI.
    By Shawn Knight on
    80
  • Silverstone Mammoth MM01 Case Review

    The Silverstone "Mammoth" is built for folks who want a robust case that can protect systems or servers in harsh conditions. It's completely dust and spill-proof with a HEPA air filter, front and back panels designed to deflect liquid and a sealed top panel, all while boasting the capacity of a bar fridge at an impressive 87.7L.
    By Steven Walton on
    85
  • Asrock X99E-ITX/ac Mini-ITX Motherboard Review

    Asrock doesn't mind taking chances with design and proof of this is the X99E-ITX/ac, the world's first and only Mini-ITX X99 motherboard and the first ever of its kind to support an Intel Extreme-series chipset. Though we were skeptical at first, it delivers the performance of a full-sized EATX X99 board in a 170mm x 170mm package that still manages to carry enthusiast trappings from Wi-Fi & Bluetooth to SATA Express & M.2 connectivity.
    By Steven Walton on
    90
  • Mortal Kombat X Review

    This is a next-generation Mortal Kombat in more ways than one. It features new characters, some of whom are the sons and daughters of classic Kombatants like Johnny Cage and Jax Briggs. More gore, but also more emotional plot points. You get the sense that Netherrealm is trying to infuse fresh blood into their franchise while simultaneously courting acclaim from the world of hyper-competent pro-competition players. Mostly, the ambition pays off.
    By Evan Narcisse on
  • The Ridiculously Powerful MicroATX PC

    Every enthusiast dreams of building a budgetless rig with nothing but the best hardware. Thus, we're throwing caution to the wind by cramming the priciest and most powerful gaming hardware into a 32L chassis. The end result should be a ridiculously powerful mATX system ready for any and all tasks. With the hardware cost coming in at around $2,750 without a keyboard/mouse or monitor, this is an affair with no expenses spared.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Samsung SM951 PCIe SSD 512GB Review

    If Samsung's claims are true then the lack of NVMe support shouldn't be too devastating for the SM951 as read speeds are said to reach 2150MB/s and 1500MB/s for writes, which should give the SM951 an advantage in write tests over the Intel SSD 750 1.2TB.
    By Steven Walton on
    90
  • Grand Theft Auto V Benchmarked: Graphics & CPU Performance

    PC gamers are finally getting their chance to play the latest entry in the Grand Theft Auto series. Rockstar has made many improvements to the PC version, including enhanced graphics, denser traffic, greater draw distances, upgraded AI, new wildlife, and advanced weather and damage effects. GTA V looks to be truly optimized for PC.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Oppo R5 Smartphone Review

    Smartphone manufacturers are obsessed with thinness. Being the 'best at' this or 'most' that gives you bragging rights and that's what Chinese OEM Oppo appears to be after with the R5. At just 4.85mm thick, it's a pretty impressive form factor, though you'll have to compromise with a smaller battery, a pretty standard 1080p display, average camera and a mid-range SoC. Can the R5 still deliver a better experience over a thicker device with, potentially, better hardware?
    By Tim Schiesser on
    55
  • Crucial MX200 1TB & Crucial BX100 500GB SSD Series Review

    Crucial SSDs have been among the most reliable and best performing on the market, with last year's MX100 being their greatest hit. Its successor, the MX200 arrived only six months later and along with it Crucial also introduced the even more affordable BX100 series and a new SSD toolbox software. On today's menu is the beefy 1TB MX200 along with the 500GB BX100.
    By Steven Walton on
  • LG G Flex 2 Review

    While similar in shape to the original, the new LG G Flex 2 features a more reasonable 5.5-inch display while maintaining the same flexibility. LG is packing in the latest and greatest hardware, including a Snapdragon 810 SoC, 1080p display and 13MP camera with autofocus and optical image stabilization. It's still a niche flagship, but the question remains, is the curved G Flex 2 worth it?
    By Tim Schiesser on
    70
  • Intel Core i3 vs. Core i5 vs. Core i7: A Value and Performance Analysis

    With desktop CPU prices ranging from as little as $60 to over $600 there are options for everyone. The Core i3 is intended as entry-level, the Core i5 is geared for mainstream usage, and the mighty Core i7 is meant for high-end systems and enthusiasts. But what exactly do you get by spending more? Here's your answer.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Intel SSD 750 Series 1.2TB NVMe SSD Review

    Designed for enthusiasts and workstations, the key feature of Intel's SSD 750 Series is its adoption of Non-Volatile Memory Express or NVMe, bringing multiple queues and lower latency with a direct path from the storage to the CPU. The drive is rated to deliver sequential read performance of up to 2.4GB/s with sequential writes hitting 1.2GB/s.
    By Steven Walton on
    80
  • Logitech MX Master Wireless Mouse Review

    The original MX Performance was announced back in August of 2009 as Logitech's answer to Microsoft's 'BlueTrack' mouse sensor technology. For $100, it was a pretty good deal back back then, being the first mouse from Logitech feature its Darkfield laser and Unifying USB micro-receiver. Now six years later, Logitech wants to recapture the magic of its MX Performance with the 'MX Master', which is aimed at those who want a high-end mouse that isn't designed for gaming.
    By Steven Walton on
    95
  • Samsung 850 Evo M.2 500GB & 850 Evo 250GB mSATA Review

    Samsung tempted value-oriented enthusiasts in December with its 'V-NAND'-based 850 Evo series. Equipped with 3D TLC NAND, which allows Samsung to stack layer upon layer of transistors, the design improved density, endurance, performance and lowered production costs. Today we have two similarly new drives that focus on different form factors. The mSATA version will appeal to compact PC users, while the M.2 will be more sought after by power users.
    By Steven Walton on
  • Battlefield Hardline Benchmarked: Graphics & CPU Performance

    Battlefield Hardline showed superb graphics and smooth gameplay when we benchmarked it during last month's week-long public beta, and while the good news was that the game could be played on fairly modest hardware, it didn't quite display Battlefield 4's wow-factor. Developed by Visceral Games, the retail version Hardline is now available and we are back to rerun all the beta tests along with others to see how the frame rates have changed from beta to retail.
    By Steven Walton on
  • HTC One M9 Review

    HTC's signature metal body makes a repeated appearance on the new One M9 and it looks absolutely fantastic. The two-tone, two-finish design adds an extra bit of flare to the well-crafted, premium build, making this phone one of the most attractive on the market today. But where does One M9 fall short and where is it better than the competition?
    By Tim Schiesser on
    80
  • AMD FreeSync Review

    While they may be entering the market second with their version of the technology, AMD has laid the groundwork with FreeSync for the ideal adaptive sync standard going forward. The company has delivered on their promises to create a cheaper, more flexible, open standard for variable refresh. We go through some of the main differences with Nvidia's G-Sync, our impressions gaming on a FreeSync monitor, and OEMs crucial role for FreeSync to reach its full potential.
    By Tim Schiesser on
  • Nvidia GeForce GTX Titan X Review

    The GeForce Titan X is a processing powerhorse, with its GM200 chip carrying 6 graphics processing clusters, 24 streaming multiprocessors with 3072 CUDA cores. Combined with six 64-bit memory controllers for a total 12GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 7GHz, that's 50% more cores and memory bandwidth than today's single-GPU king, the GeForce GTX 980. Needless to say, we're eager to see what the new Titan X is capable of.
    By Steven Walton on
    85
  • Cities: Skylines Review

    If you play city-building games to, well, build cities, this is the best you can get. Never before have I felt like I could just walk up to an enormous tract of land, open up some tools and just... build whatever I wanted, however I wanted. Cities: Skylines is a gorgeous video game.
    By Luke Plunkett on
  • BitFenix Aegis Core MicroATX Case Review

    The BitFenix Aegis delivers on design, with internals that are unique yet functional and externals that are eye-catching but not excessive. Despite being a 43L mATX case, the Aegis holds huge hardware, especially when it comes to cooling.
    By Steven Walton on
    85