Category Archive: Reviews

Benchmark Reviews: Computer Hardware Product Reviews and Component Benchmark Tests

Redragon Griffin M602A-RGB Gaming Mouse Software

Redragon Griffin M602A-RGB Gaming Mouse

Amazon presently sells the Redragon Griffin M602A-RGB wired gaming mouse for $19.99, which makes it an appealing purchase for entry-level and value shoppers. The specifications are impressive for such a bargain, boasting programmable macro functions, full RGB-lighting control, and 7200 DPI optical sensitivity. Without software the Redragon M602A-RGB is an adequate wired gaming mouse, but …

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Thermaltake Divider 300 TG Mid-Tower Case Review

The mid-priced mid-tower case field is a crowded one, as as modern case design– no 5.25″ bays, mounting points for SSDs, and the ability to mount your GPU vertically– have spread across the market, it becomes harder and harder for one vendor to make their case stand out. Thermaltake’s known for their high-quality, reasonably-priced offerings, and the Thermaltake Divider 300 TG Mid-Tower offers an interesting stylistic element to distinguish their product from the herd.

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VIZIO 5.1 Sound Bar M51a-H6 Speaker System Review

Like most people in 2020, I retreated indoors during the global pandemic. It has been a constant challenge to entertain and distract, but thankfully streaming services have helped with plenty of shows and movies. This past year has given the term ‘Netflix and chill’ new meaning, and with some help from VIZIO, 2021 could have some added thrill. Boasting eleven total speakers across four components, the new 2021 revision VIZIO M-Series 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Dolby Atmos and DTS:X (model M51a-H6) might just shake you out of this long hibernation.

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VIZIO V585x-H1 58″ 4K HDR Smart TV Review

For under $300 you get a 58-inch 4K UHD display loaded with HDR10+ support, SmartCast 4.0 technology, 802.11n Dual Band Wi-Fi, and VIZIO’s new V-Gaming Engine featuring Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and AMD FreeSync. In this review, I test the $298 VIZIO V585x-H1 58″ 4K HDR Smart TV.

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Patriot Viper Black RGB DDR4 Memory Preview

For the longest time, system memory kits were merely a set of chips exposed atop a printed circuit board. Then, in 2003, Patriot Memory changed the landscape by adding metal heat shields to dissipate heat away from the IC’s. Not only did this add a fresh new look to SDRAM, but it offered stability for overclockers. Fifteen years later, Patriot Memory is still assembling their own SDRAM modules and evolving the technology. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we examine Patriot’s new Viper Black RGB DDR4 PC4-28800 3600 MHz gaming memory.

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Patriot Viper Steel DDR4 Memory Review

Once upon a time consumer memory kits were plain and boring, with bare RAM modules exposing the sensitive components. Then, in 2003, the Patriot Memory series changed landscape by adding metal heat shields to dissipate heat away from the IC’s. Not only did this add a fresh new look to SDRAM, but it offered stability for overclockers. Fifteen years later, Patriot Memory is still assembling their own SDRAM modules and evolving the technology. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we examine Patriot’s new Viper Steel DDR4 PC4-28800 3600 MHz gaming memory.

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Logitech G502 HERO Gaming Mouse Review

As the successor to the G502 Spectrum, the G502 HERO maintains an identical appearance and exterior design except for a different sensor. The sensor powering this mouse is the HERO optical sensor, which has been built from the ground up by Logitech. It is not based off of the popular 3360 optical sensor, but it does have a DPI range from 100 -16,000. The HERO sensor is also rated as the most accurate gaming sensor from Logitech thanks to its zero smoothing/acceleration/filtering design. Other features of the mouse include a redesigned company logo and braided cable, RGB illumination, a tunable weight system, and the Logitech G Hub gaming software. Benchmark Reviews will test the G502 HERO to see how well it performs against the competition.

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Phanteks Enthoo Evolv X ATX Case Review

The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv X was one of the most anticipated computer cases in 2018. It builds off of the Evolv ATX with a similar exterior design and an entirely redesigned interior layout. The case comes in three colors, Satin Black, Anthracite Grey, and Galaxy Silver. Airflow has improved thanks to the larger ventilation at the front and top of the case. Aside from the more standard features, like dual tempered glass side panels, vertical GPU mounts, and water-cooling capabilities, the Evolv X has built-in LED strips, a fan hub, massive data storage potential, and the capability for a secondary ITX system with the purchase of a separate bracket. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Evolv X, so let’s take a quick look at an overview in the next section.

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Corsair K70 MK.2 Cherry MX Silver Keyboard Review

The K70 is one of Corsair’s most popular full-size mechanical gaming keyboards with a wide variety of genuine Cherry MX switches. With the K70 MK.2 Low-Profile keyboard, it includes all the essential features from the standard K70 but in a low-profile form factor. With the cooperation with Cherry, both companies developed the Cherry MX Low Profile switches exclusively for Corsair. At the time of this review, these switches come in red and silver (speed) variants. They are still linear but have a total travel distance of just 3.2 mm compared to the 4.0 mm of a standard switch. Other features include RGB illumination, a USB pass-through port, volume scroll wheel, and onboard memory for storing up to three different gaming profiles. Benchmark Reviews is excited to test out the K70 MK.2 Low-Profile with Cherry MX Low Profile Speed switches.

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Patriot Viper RGB DDR4 Memory Review

Once upon a time consumer memory kits were plain and boring, with bare RAM modules exposing the sensitive components. Then, in 2003, the Patriot Memory series changed landscape by adding metal heat shields to dissipate heat away from the IC’s. Not only did this add a fresh new look to SDRAM, but it offered stability for overclockers. Fifteen years later, Patriot Memory is still assembling their own SDRAM and evolving the technology. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we examine Patriot’s new Viper RGB DDR4 PC4-25600 3200 MHz gaming memory.

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Kingston HyperX Fury RGB SSD Review

HyperX Fury RGB lights up that dark space in your case with customizable lighting effects, and is fully compatible with all modern RGB controllers. Utilizing the economical Marvell 88SS1074 storage controller with Toshiba 3D TLC NAND flash components, the Kingston HyperX Fury RGB SSD advertises 550 MB/s peak read speeds and 480 MB/s writes. The Fury RGB SSD also offers 500x its capacity is total bytes written, with a three-year warranty. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HyperX Fury RGB SSD against the leading SATA-based competition.

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Fnatic Clutch 2 Optical Gaming Mouse Review

It is amazing to see an eSports company release their own gaming peripherals into the market. With the release of their Gen 2 products, we have seen two new Cherry MX based keyboards, two new mice, and a few different mouse mats. The Clutch 2 is just one of those new Gen 2 products, which features a 3360 optical sensor, a light-weight body design, and lighting/performance customization via the Fnatic OP software. This is a great step up from the original Clutch mouse. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Clutch 2 optical gaming mouse to see what it has in store for us.

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Fnatic STREAK Mechanical Keyboard Review

Recently, we reviewed the Fnatic miniSTREAK tenkeyless mechanical gaming keyboard, which proved to be a great Cherry MX keyboard for the price. This time, we have the bigger brother in hand, the Fnatic STREAK. The STREAK features full RGB illumination, onboard macro recording, competition mode, a USB pass-through port, and the Fnatic OP software for further customization. Even with different options of genuine Cherry MX switches (Red, Red Silent, Blue, and Brown), this keyboard beats many of its competitors when it comes to value. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we will be taking a look at the STREAK mechanical gaming keyboard with Cherry MX Red Silent switches.

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Fnatic Asphalt & Focus 2 Mouse Mat Review

When it comes to competitive gaming, having the right mouse mat is just as important as having the right mouse and keyboard. Because Fnatic is an eSports company, they supply gaming peripherals and accessories to take on some of the most competitive electronic sports tournaments. The company has sent us two of their mouse mats: the Asphalt and the Focus 2 M. Both of these feature a cloth top with a non-slip grip, and share the same size at 380 x 290 x 3 mm. As for the Focus 2, it does come in different sizes, which ranges from the smaller M size to a large desk size mat. Benchmark Reviews will take a look at these mouse mats and compare the two together.

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HyperX Alloy FPS RGB Gaming Keyboard Review

HyperX is the “high performance product division” of Kingston Technology– that is, they make the gamer-centric stuff. They have a complete line of gamer-oriented mice, keyboards, headsets and the like, but with the fierce competition in the field these days, they’re constantly expanding their product line. Their HyperX Alloy series of keyboards boasts a solid steel frame, anti-ghosting and N-key rollover, and Cherry MX key switches. Well, most of them use Cherry key switches: today, Benchmark Reviews has in hand the new HyperX Alloy FPS RGB keyboard with ultra-responsive RGB-lit Kailh Silver key switches. With a shortened actuation distance compared to other switches, the Kailh Silver switches should help amp up the responsiveness of this keyboard for the most hardcore gamers.

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be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 Rev.2 Review

The be quiet! Dark Base Pro 900 Rev.2 is the newest member of the be quiet! mid-tower chassis family. This mid-tower case sports a tempered glass side panel, a fully modular design, and an abundance of water cooling support. The REV.2 part of the name represents some minor upgrades be quiet! has made to the chassis. The Dark Base Pro 900 Rev.2 comes in three trim colors: Orange, Silver, and Black. Benchmark Reviews will be inspecting the black trimmed variant of this case, model BGW15.

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Roccat Vulcan 120 AIMO Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

The brand-new Titan switch debuts on Roccat’s also brand-new Vulcan line of mechanical keyboards. Three distinct versions – Vulcan 80, Vulcan 100 AIMO and Vulcan 120 AIMO – will be launched in Q3 of 2018. With its new switch, unique ultra-light keycaps, rotary dial, smart AIMO RGB illumination and premium design, does the Vulcan AIMO 120 have what it takes to forge a new path among the competition? Benchmark Reviews was given an opportunity to review the Roccat Vulcan AIMO 120, so let’s find out!

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Fnatic miniSTREAK RGB Keyboard Review

The eSports team company, Fnatic PTY Ltd, have released a few new mice and keyboards to their product line. One of those products is the miniSTREAK RGB Tenkeyless mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX switches. It features full RGB illumination, onboard macro recording, competition mode, and the Fnatic OP software for further customization. It is also price competitive especially with the choice of genuine Cherry MX Red, Red Silent, Blue, and Brown switches. The company has sent Benchmark Reviews the miniSTREAK with Cherry MX Brown switches for this review.

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Reeven Twila RGB LED Light Strip Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, I’m going to be testing the Reeven Twila RGB LED strips. Reeven Twila is compatible with Asus Aura, MSI Mystic Light Sync, ASrock RGB LED, and Gigabyte RGB Fusion ready. Twila connects to motherboards via the 4 pin RGB connector. The motherboard manufactures have their own software for controlling the output of the LED connectors built-in to compatible motherboards.

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Samsung SSD 970 PRO Solid State Drive Review

Not so long ago Samsung debuted their third-generation NVMe client storage devices with their SSD 970 PRO M.2 solid state drive series. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 512GB Samsung SSD 970 PRO, which pairs their latest 2-bit MLC V-NAND and a 512MB LPDDR4 DRAM cache buffer with their new Phoenix controller to produce up to 3500 MB/s reads at 370,000 IOPS and 2300 MB/s writes at 500,000 IOPS, and we compare performance against all the leading competition. We’ll find out if Samsung’s 970 PRO SSD is worth the money.

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Gamdias Hades M1 Gaming Mouse Review

Gamdias has added a new mouse to their product line, but this time it is a wireless mouse. The Hades M1 is equipped with wireless functionality, a 10800 DPI optical sensor, dual RGB light streams, two additional side panels grips, and more. It is also supported by the Gamdias HERA software, which allows the user to manage multiple Gamdias peripherals simultaneously. There are also seven programmable buttons and a weight adjustment system for further customization. In this article, Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Hades M1 to see how it compares to the competition.

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Samsung SSD 970 EVO Review

Samsung recently debuted their second-generation 3-bit MLC V-NAND flash technology with their SSD 970 EVO NVMe M.2 solid state drive series. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 1TB Samsung SSD 970 EVO, which pairs their latest 64-cell layer V-NAND and a 1GB LPDDR4 DRAM cache buffer with their new Phoenix controller to produce up to 3400 MB/s reads at 500,000 IOPS and 2500 MB/s writes at 450,000 IOPS, and we compare performance against all the leading competition. We’ll find out if Samsung’s 970 EVO SSD is worth the money.

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Corsair K70 MK.2 RGB Mechanical Keyboard Review

What is the main reason to spend money on a “gaming” mechanical keyboard vs a regular keyboard? With membrane based gaming keyboards, your purchase depends mainly on features that you can only utilize during gameplay. But with a gaming mechanical keyboard, your priorities in performance to value are more broad. You’re looking for a long life keyswitch that offers tactile feel and a comfortable typing experience as well. This is what we should all look for in a gaming mechanical keyboard, does the K70 MK.2 live up to these expectations? We’ll find out in this article for Benchmark Reviews.

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Corsair STRAFE MK.2 RGB Mechanical Keyboard Review

What is the main reason to spend money on a “gaming” mechanical keyboard vs a regular keyboard? With membrane based gaming keyboards, your purchase depends mainly on features that you can only utilize during gameplay. But with a gaming mechanical keyboard, your priorities in performance to value are more broad. You’re looking for a long life keyswitch that offers tactile feel and a comfortable typing experience as well. This is what we should all look for in a gaming mechanical keyboard, does the K70 MK.2 live up to these expectations? We’ll find out in this article for Benchmark Reviews.

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Samsung SSD 860 PRO 1TB Review

Planar NAND allowed manufacturers to offer speedy solid state storage at fair price, while Samsung’s recently announced 860 EVO SSD improved upon this with their latest 3-bit MLC V-NAND flash technology. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the 1TB Samsung SSD 860 PRO, which utilizes 64-cell layer 2-bit MLC V-NAND for high endurance and improved sequential performance to produce up to 560 MB/s reads at 100,000 IOPS and 530 MB/s writes at 90,000 IOPS, and compare SATA 6 GB/s performance against the all the leading competition.

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