Author: Olin Coles

Nevada, USA - Website Founder - Executive Editor - Senior Staff Writer - Content Moderator - Webmaster - Member Since March 2007
LSI SAS 9300 4i4e PCIe SAS HBA Card Angle LSI 9300-4i4e SAS PCIe 12Gb/s HBA Card Review
Computer Hardware Spotlight, NetworkBy Olin Coles

LSI 9300-4i4e SAS PCIe 12Gb/s HBA Card Review

The LSI 9300-4i4e is a PCI-Express to Serial Attached SCSI (PCIe-to-SAS) host bus adapter (HBA) card fits server and high-performance workstation computers to deliver internal and external storage connectivity. Also called the LSI 12GB/s SAS HBA card, the 9300-4i4e model provides eight lanes of 12Gb/s SAS connectivity and is matched with eight lanes of PCIe 3.0 8Gb/s performance. LSI’s 9300-4i4e 12GB/s SAS HBA is based on the proprietary Fusion-MPT architected LSI SAS3008 / Fusion MPT 2.5 controller that fuses 8Gb/s PCIe 3.0 technology to 12Gb/s SAS technology. In this article, Benchmark Reviews inspects the features and functionality for the LSI SAS 9300-4i4e PCIe 12Gbps HBA Card.

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AMD Radeon HD 7990 Graphics Card
Technology EditorialsBy Olin Coles

AMD Catalyst Drivers: Frame Pacing Fixes for Radeon 7990 and CrossFire

You may have recently heard some news about AMD fixing something wrong with their products, something you probably weren’t even aware was broken. It’s entirely understandable if you missed the headlines, because the fix really only impacted a very small (microscopic) portion of gamers who own the ultra-premium Radeon HD 7990 graphics card or have two 7900-series video cards configured together into a CrossFire set. Still, it was important news for those of us who invested in AMD’s latest discrete graphics solution. By those of us, I really mean almost nobody.

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lenovo LT3053p 34 front 2560x1600: GeForce GTX 770-780 vs Radeon HD 7950-7970
GraphicsBy Olin Coles

2560×1600: GeForce GTX 770-780 vs Radeon HD 7950-7970

Very recently Lenovo loaned us their 30-inch ThinkVision LT3053p IPS LED-Backlit LCD Monitor for review. While the AH-IPS display panel was impressive, its size really made us wonder about how much impact it would have on PC video games. Before this behemoth display went back to Lenovo, I decided to test it on some of the most recent graphics cards from NVIDIA and AMD. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests frame rate performance at 2560×1600 for the Radeon HD 7950 against GeForce GTX 770, and Radeon HD 7970 against GeForce GTX 780.

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Target Impact Signal System III Bullet Hit Sensor Kit Shooting Target Impact Signal System Bullet Hit Sensor Review
ReviewsBy Olin Coles

Shooting Target Impact Signal System Bullet Hit Sensor Review

In this article we field test the Target Impact Signal System III, model DK8-001-III, at ranges beyond 1500 yards. Firing a bullet out to extreme distances with precision accuracy has been the primary goal for sharpshooters since the rifle was first introduced. Modern military training produces lethal snipers skilled with deadly aim that can hit key targets located so far away the shot goes unheard. Long-range shooting requires sharp skills and a high degree of understand to be proficient, but it requires repetitive target practice to ever become effective. To become well practiced it’s necessary to know if a shot hits its target, at distances where sight and sound of bullet impact fail to register. This is where the Target Impact Signal System aids shooters by flashing a strobe signal back to the shooter whenever a bullet hits its mark.

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SanDisk Extreme UHS I microSDXC Card SDSDQX SanDisk Extreme UHS-I microSDXC Card SDSDQX Review
StorageBy Olin Coles

SanDisk Extreme UHS-I microSDXC Card SDSDQX Review

Over the past several years I’ve amassed a collection of SD (Secure Digital) cards beyond count, likely the result of various devices that depended on this media for recording files to flash storage. As the technology improved, more and more devices began using the microSD format. Eventually the microSD card surpassed the competition to become the standard with its faster speeds, higher capacity, and compact lightweight profile. In this article Benchmark Reviews will test transfer speeds and performance of the extended capacity 64GB SanDisk Extreme UHS-I microSDXC card, model SDSDQX-064G-U46A.

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GraphicsBy Olin Coles

XFX Radeon HD 7950 FX-795A-TDFC Video Card Review

AMD have been working to extend their graphics reach into emerging markets, primarily through the use of integrated GPUs. This hasn’t slowed their pursuit in the discrete graphics market, where the AMD Radeon series continues to battle for supremacy in some of the most demanding DirectX 11 video games available on PC. The AMD Radeon HD 7950 is an example of this effort, employing 28 Compute Units (1792 Stream Processors) with 3GB GDDR5 memory. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the custom-designed XFX Radeon HD 7950 Double-Dissipation Black Edition video card, model FX-795A-TDFC, using several highly-demanding DX11 video games such as Metro: Last Light, Batman: Arkham City, and Battlefield 3.

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NetworkBy Olin Coles

Diamond Multimedia WR300NSI Wireless-N Repeater Review

Wireless networking has leaped from niche application to mainstream installations in a short matter of years, allowing homes and businesses to implement features like Wi-Fi Internet access and wireless multimedia file storage. The latest 300 Mb/s 802.11n (wireless-N) networks have been a big part of this transition, enabling transfer speeds similar to the cabled Gigabit Ethernet connections. This has made life more convenient, but for many installations range is still a problem. In this article Benchmark Reviews investigates the Diamond Multimedia WR300NSI Wireless Wi-Fi Range Extender. The purpose of this portable device is self-explanatory, and networking can be complicated, which is why we’ll test how well Diamond has kept it simple for the novice consumer in this article.

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SanDisk Extreme II SSD 240GB Solid State Drive SDSSDXP-240G
StorageBy Olin Coles

SanDisk Extreme II Solid State Drive SDSSDXP Review

In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the 240GB SanDisk Extreme II SSD, model SDSSDXP-240G-G25, against the leading competition. This slim 7mm solid state drive is advertised to reach 550 MB/s reads and 510 MB/s writes with its Marvell 88SS9187 SSD processor, while also reaching 95,000 IOPS for random reads. SanDisk then goes beyond simple transfer speeds and TRIM garbage collection by including proprietary nCache non-volatile write cache technology for its 19nm Toggle NAND Flash.

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NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Video Card Corner NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Graphics Card Review
GraphicsBy Olin Coles

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 Graphics Card Review

NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 760 video card is built from the 28nm Kepler GK104 graphics processor, featuring 1152 CUDA cores that are clocked to reach 980 MHz and reach 1033 using NVIDIA Boost 2.0 technology. GeForce GTX 760 also comes with 2GB of GDDR5 video memory, clocked to provide a 1502 MHz graphics frame buffer. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests and compares the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 760 graphics card using several highly-demanding DX11 video games, such as Metro: Last Light, Batman: Arkham City, and Battlefield 3.

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Rosewill RSVA-12001 DVR Kit Security Camera RCMR-14CMOSIR
ReviewsBy Olin Coles

Rosewill RSVA-12001 Security Camera DVR System Review

For many, security systems are something they consider mandatory, or just too expensive to implement. Thankfully, there’s a whole new generation of affordable products that can help people get started. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Rosewill RSVA-12001, an all-in-one security system with four cameras and digital video recorder that can be remotely monitored. Rosewill offers the two similar kits with the same DVR, packaging four CCD sensor cameras in RSVA-11001 or CMOS sensor cameras in RSVA-12001.

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Opinion-Editorial Announcement
Featured AnnouncementsBy Olin Coles

Benchmark Reviews Has Moved To WordPress CMS!

…to a new server, and into a new website. We’ve rebuilt it better, stronger, faster, and with lots more processor speed and system memory to make all those pages load with pep! Back on March 2007 our website was published on the Joomla! (1.x) content management system. There have been many attempts to move the site into newer versions of the Joomla! CMS, but the platform often restricted our migration. It’s been six years since we released our first review, and it’s time for a new look. Please keep in mind that we’re still settling in to WordPress, but let us know what you think of the changes so far. If you’d like to comment on our articles, you’ll need […]

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Technology EditorialsBy Olin Coles

Desktop Computer System PC Hardware Component Predictions

For the past six years it has been my duty to contact product manufacturers, and arrange test samples of cutting-edge products for our review team. Since techplayboy.com started back in 2007, I have repeatedly enjoyed hands-on experience with exotic desktop PC computer components that most techies can only dream of owning. Together with my computer business, I’ve been afforded a broad view of the market, one that has given me a unique opportunity to see new trends emerge while watching old fads quietly fade away (ie: Rambus RD-RAM, OCZ NIA, HD-DVD, and various Virtual Reality gadgets). My experiences within the hardware industry have enabled me to predict where the technology is driving us with some accuracy, based on historical lessons the younger generation have forgotten. In this editorial I will explain what could happen next in the desktop computer hardware segment, as it attempts to co-exist with a mobile mega-industry.

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StorageBy Olin Coles

OCZ Vertex 450 Solid State Drive Review

The last time we tested the OCZ Vertex 4, it was powered by a dual-core Marvell controller that combined technology from separate sources. This time, the OCZ Vertex 450 solid state drive is made of in-house components. Featuring an Indilinx BF3-M10 Barefoot 3 controller that supports 20nm Synchronous Multi-Level Cell (MLC) NAND flash components with AES-256 encryption and Trim support, Vertex 450 is good for 540 MB/s read speeds over a SATA 6-Gb/s connection. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the 240GB OCZ Vertex 450 SSD, model VTX450-25SAT3-256G, against the leading competition.

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CamerasBy Olin Coles

Rosewill RSCM-12003 Outdoor Security Camera Review

Security cameras come in all shapes and sizes, with wired and wireless connections, and occasionally come with features such as pan, tilt, zoom, or infrared night vision. Consequently, security cameras also span the gamut in terms of pricing, with models costing anywhere from twenty dollars to several thousands. Featuring an IP66 hardened outdoor waterproof enclosure, the Rosewill RSCM-12003 IR Outdoor Bullet Camera kit is ideal for general-purpose outdoor or indoor wired security systems, and perfectly compliments Rosewill’s own RSVA-11001 or RSVA-12001 all-in-one DVR kits. Comprised of Sony’s 1/3″ CCD sensor inside, the RCMR-13CCDIR camera unit produces 540 lines of resolution. In this article Benchmark Reviews inspects the Rosewill RSCM-12003 outdoor security camera kit, and weighs in on its features.

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GraphicsBy Olin Coles

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 Video Card Review

NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX 770 video card is built from the 28nm Kepler GK104 graphics processor, identical to the GTX 680 released back in March 2012. Featuring 1536 CUDA cores that are clocked to reach 1085 MHz using NVIDIA Boost 2.0 technology, GTX 770 also comes with 2GB of GDDR5 video memory that creates the world’s fastest 1753 MHz graphics frame buffer. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests and compares the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 graphics card using several highly-demanding DX11 video games, such as Metro: Last Light, Batman: Arkham City, and Battlefield 3.

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GraphicsBy Olin Coles

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 Graphics Card Review

NVIDIA’s GeForce GTX TITAN allowed gamers to challenge any video game they choose with the highest quality settings possible, but in limited supply and high price tag. For many players, their games really only needed half as much power and memory from a video card. Enter NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780: built from GTX TITAN to deliver 3GB of GDDR5 video frame buffer memory, and 2304 CUDA cores from the GK110 GPU that reach 900 MHz using NVIDIA Boost 2.0 technology. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests and compares the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 780 graphics card using several highly-demanding DX11 video games, such as Metro: Last Light, Batman: Arkham City, and Battlefield 3.

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CamerasBy Olin Coles

Genius DVR-FHD590 Dash Camera Vehicle Recorder Review

The streets are a dangerous place for motorists, and heavy traffic congestion adds as much risk to long trips as it does to short commutes. Defensive driving will help prevent some accidents, but the daily drive to and from work is wrought with random chance and uncertainty. It’s not a question of if you’ll be involved in an accident, it’s a question of when. You can never know when someone might run a red light as you enter the intersection, or suffer a tire failure that sends them out of control. Insurance companies tend to penalize their drivers with blame, simply because they lack solid evidence to prove otherwise. Now you can capture that proof on video, for only $131 online. The Genius DVR-FHD590 high-definition 1080p vehicle recorder automatically powers on whenever someone is behind the wheel, and acts as a witness if the worst should happen.

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StorageBy Olin Coles

Seagate Desktop HDD ST4000DM000 Review

Seagate has recently re-branded their consumer storage products, formerly named Barracuda, in time for the launch of their 15th-generation. The 4TB Seagate Desktop HDD (OEM model ST4000DM000, retail kit STBD4000400) features a SATA 6Gb/s interface with Native Command Queueing (NCQ). Eight data heads read and write to four 1GB disc platters which enable 625Gb/in2 areal density. Cached by 64MB DRAM, this 5900 RPM hard disk drive is specified to move files at 180 MB/s sustained data rate. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests performance and explores new features on the 4TB Seagate Desktop HDD.

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Technology EditorialsBy Olin Coles

Sony PlayStation and Microsoft XBOX Game Consoles Could Save AMD From Collapse

The future of Advanced Micro Devices crucially depends on development partnerships for next-generation Sony PlayStation4 and Microsoft XBOX ONE console systems By Olin Coles One year ago Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. (NYSE:AMD) company stock was publicly trading for $8.20 per share (16 March 2012), the highest point since trading at the same level a year prior (March 2010). Since then, AMD stock has sunk to as low as $1.86 per share, performing far worse than other stocks within the same industry. Analyzing the graph charted below, you can see that the Dow Jones Industrial averaged a 12% gain over that same one-year period from late March 2012-2013. Microprocessors company ARM ($18.6B current market capitalization) enjoyed a 51% growth over Dow […]

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GraphicsBy Olin Coles

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST Video Card Review

With the economy on the rebound, gamers are coming out of hibernation with a hunger for modern DirectX11 graphics and realism. Since AMD has all but disappeared from the scene, NVIDIA has timed their affordable mainstream video card launch perfectly. Based on the NVIDIA Kepler GK106 architecture, the GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST delivers 2GB of 1502 MHz GDDR5 memory and 768 CUDA Cores operating at 980 MHz up to 1033+ with NVIDIA GPU Boost technology. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 650 Ti BOOST graphics card using several highly-demanding DX11 video games.

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Technology EditorialsBy Olin Coles

Desktop PC: Intel Says the End is Near

By Olin Coles Back on August 2010, I made a prediction: desktop PCs have an expiration date, and that time may not be far off. I followed-up that article with several more editorials, arguing on both sides of the position that enthusiast desktop PCs would be killed by unnecessary overclocking products, but might later possibly be saved by enthusiast-level overclocking products. Both had their points, and both contained plenty of truth, but when I published the statistical obituary a few weeks later our readers commented in revolt. Even some of my industry peers said I was pessimistic, and that the enthusiast desktop PC industry would continue to thrive and grow. We disagreed, even as mounting evidence supported my claims. Intel’s […]

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Technology EditorialsBy Olin Coles

Personal 3D Printing vs Patents and Gun Control

As affordable personal 3D printers achieve higher resolution, creating copies of protected products and controlled weapons will become a legal challenge By Olin Coles During the past three years, 3D printing technology has progressed beyond prototyping and developed into consumer production. What was once an expensive process that enabled quicker proto-fabrication has now become an affordable means for regular users to construct or duplicate any object of their desire. Inventors have championed 3D printers as devices favorable to their pursuit of product development, but the same technology will allow consumers the ability to copy their patented work or firearms without consideration. The resulting dilemma will play out in courts around the globe as 3D printing devices and the software that […]

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Video Game GuidesBy Olin Coles

Borderlands 2 Defeat The Warrior Mission Farming Guide

Borderlands 2 is an exciting game that pulls you into a fantasy world that’s been done a hundred times, but finds a way to give it to you like never before. While the game itself is a hybrid creation with familiar ingredients that taste of Eve Online, World of Warcraft, and Fallout, then seasoned with hints of Battlefield 3 and Call of Duty. Players assume the role of a “vault hunter” in one of four combat disciplines: Commando, Gunzerker, Assassin, and Siren. The character then fight bandits in first-person shooter format across a vast array of maps, but unlike most FPS-styled games, each level means better loot and tougher enemies. In this article Benchmark Reviews explains how to easily beat ‘The Warrior’ end boss within ‘The Talon of God’ final story mission, then we show you how to farm him for XP and legendary purple weapons over and over again.

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