17 November 201421 November 2014CasesBy David Shields

NZXT H440 Razer Edition Mid-Tower Case Review

Razer, creator of all things peripheral, has finally released their hotly anticipated entry into the chassis market. This is the NZXT H440 – Designed by Razer. With a completely new appearance featuring a matte black exterior and interior, four black NZXT fans, a large tinted window, and plenty of LED lighting, this chassis will be sure to make every Razer fan’s wish list, especially given that it retains the original H440 quality and simplicity.

Corsair Gaming H1500 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset

17 November 201417 November 2014AudioBy Greg Schepers

Corsair H1500 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset Review

Longevity is very important in any industry. It is extremely likely that, when the longevity moniker is affixed to an organization’s label, consumers can buy with confidence. Corsair is one of those labels that can has been doing it well since 1994 and in this industry, 20 years is a VERY long time. Whether you are buying a power supply or a gaming mouse, you know that if it wears the Corsair logo, it is a quality device that will withstand the test of time and perform brilliantly. Performance is one of the qualities we will test on the Corsair Gaming H1500 Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset today at Benchmark Reviews. I encourage you to read on in order to find out if this device is worthy to carry the Corsair logo.

12 November 20144 December 2014CasesBy David Ramsey

IN WIN D-FRAME MINI Computer Case Review

If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary for your mITX build, the Taiwanese company IN WIN has some products you’ll want to check out. They offer a variety of uniquely-designed computer cases ranging from the weird to the…well, OK, actually, they’re all pretty weird, from the all-glass TÃ³u to today’s subject, the IN WIN D-FRAME MINI. Benchmark Reviews builds a high-end gaming system in this expensive open-air mITX case to see what it’s got.

12 November 201412 November 2014CasesBy Jason Maxfield

Thermaltake Core V51 Mid-Tower Case Review

The Thermaltake Core V51 is an enthusiast case, featuring a wide array of compatibility with all-in-one liquid cooling systems, ranging from 120mm to 420mm radiators, or complete custom loops. Fan compatibility is no slouch either, supporting 120mm, 140mm, and 200mm fans in various configurations. In this article, Benchmark Reviews will be putting the Thermaltake Core V51 to the test.

12 November 201413 November 2014PeripheralsBy Julian Duque

ASUS ROG Gladius Gaming Mouse Review

The ASUS Republic of Gamers (ROG) line of products is no stranger to gaming peripherals, however recently, ASUS has turned to it’s newer product line, Strix, to release most of it’s gaming oriented products. This made the release of the ASUS ROG Gladius mouse confusing at first, but after realizing that this is ASUS’ premium mouse option it only made sense to put it in ASUS’ most prominent line of products. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the ASUS ROG Gladius Gaming Mouse.

Corsair Gaming H2100 Wireless Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset

10 November 201412 November 2014AudioBy Greg Schepers

Corsair H2100 Wireless 7.1 Gaming Headset Review

If you’ve owned any Corsair Gaming mouse, keyboard, or headset, it is likely you have been more than satisfied with it. One of the latest devices added to its stable, the Corsair H2100 Wireless Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset, boasts the features that, on paper, make it stand out as one that should be on your short list if you are in the market for a wireless gaming headset. Today at Benchmark Reviews, we will take a closer look at the Corsair H2100 Wireless Dolby 7.1 Gaming Headset and share with you our thoughts.

5 November 201415 December 2014MotherboardsBy David Ramsey

ASUS X99-A Intel Motherboard Review

If you’re looking at building an X99-based system, you already know they’re expensive. But if you can live without features like a second Ethernet port and onboard WiFi, you can get great performance and save some money too. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at ASUS’ new X99-A LGA2011-v3 mainstream motherboard for Haswell-E systems.

5 November 201411 December 2014CasesBy Tom Jaskulka

Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV Case Review

What a difference a year makes. In Q3 of 2013, Phanteks branched out from their well-known CPU cooling and fan items and released the Enthoo Primo computer case. Their first chassis won multiple awards and was quickly followed by the Enthoo Pro; a more accessible case that still exuded a premium feel from this brand-new case company. The Enthoo Luxe arrived quite a few months later, adding a splash of color to the lineup. With the premium tower, full-tower and mid-tower segments covered, Phanteks has delved into the smaller form factors. Today, Benchmark Reviews will review Phanteks’ latest offering, the micro-ATX Enthoo EVOLV. With rear-hinged aluminum panels, snap-on front and top covers concealing 200mm/140mm fans and multiple radiator mounts along with a few other surprises, will this aluminum-clad water-cooling oriented chassis pack as much of a punch as its bigger brothers?

3 November 2014CasesBy Julian Duque

NZXT S340 Mid-Tower Case Review

With the release of the H440 earlier this year, NZXT made it clear what their new approach into the already crammed case market will be in it’s upcoming models. Following this trend, Benchmark Reviews will be testing the NZXT S340, a more “stripped” down version of the already great H440, which still features a similar simple design with a minimalistic design, putting functionality and efficiency above all things.

24 October 201422 April 2015CasesBy Meng Vang

Fractal Design Core 1100 Case Review

Fractal Design has now released their Core 1100 MicroATX computer case. It still has a preinstalled 120mm front intake fan and the vertical hard drive bracket. The biggest change is only the exterior design with its brushed aluminum finish, making it look identical to most Fractal Design cases. Front panel I/O ports are now located on the front instead of on the side like how the Core 1000 had them. It also supports graphics cards of up to 350mm, CPU coolers up to 148mm tall, and an optional 80mm or 92mm rear exhaust fan for improved airflow.

AORUS Thunder K7 Keyboard Keypad on the Left

24 October 20143 November 2014PeripheralsBy Jason Vaught

AORUS Thunder K7 Gaming Keyboard Review

Ever heard of the brand AORUS? I hadn’t until this review, but I bet you’ve heard of the parent company, Gigabyte. That’s right, AORUS is Gigabyte’s gaming brand. The company currently makes a gaming keyboard, gaming mouse, some gaming laptops, and accessories such as the B7 gaming backpack. But don’t let the relatively new company name “AORUS” fool you, these products carry the Gigabyte quality we’ve all come to know and appreciate. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Gigabyte AORUS Thunder K7 cherry mechanical keyboard with detachable macro pad.

20 October 201427 October 2014CoolingBy Aidan Moore

Cooler Master Nepton 240M Review

In this article, Benchmark Reviews looks at the new Cooler Master Nepton 240M all-in-one water cooling system to determine if it’s performance matches the claims. We compare performance for the Nepton 240M against two other popular dual-fan liquid coolers.

ROCCAT Kave XTD Premium Stereo Gaming Headset

20 October 201427 November 2015AudioBy Greg Schepers

ROCCAT Kave XTD Stereo Headset Review

ROCCAT is not a newcomer in terms of producing quality gaming headsets. A variety of ROCCAT gaming headset models, which includes the in-ear variety, are currently available. The current addition to the stable, the ROCCAT Kave XTD Stereo Gaming Headset, is regarded by ROCCAT as possessing the, “highest quality sound experience gamers can engage in.” Considering that these Kave XTD Stereo Gaming Headsets are equipped with 50mm neodymium speaker units in each ear cup, that statement is within the realm of possibility.

17 October 2014MotherboardsBy Hank Tolman

ASRock Fatal1ty 990FX Killer AM3+ Motherboard Review

The AMD 990FX Chipset has been around for a while now, but it has recently come back into the spotlight with the release of a few new CPUs from AMD’s FX series. With that release we were pleased to receive a 990FX motherboard that we hadn’t previously looked at. In this article, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the ASRock Fatal1ty 990FX Killer motherboard; a 990FX motherboard focused on gaming performance. Motherboards manufacturers are all about differentiating themselves by including features that make them stand out. The ASRock Fatal1ty 990FX Killer motherboard is definitely a motherboard that stands apart.

17 October 201420 October 2014CasesBy David Shields

Silverstone Fortress FT05 Case Review

While the Raven and Fortress series appear to be very different, they often use the same interior design. This is certainly the case with the RV05 and the FT05 cases. With this in mind, how can consumers decide which chassis suits their needs? In this Benchmark Reviews article, I will discuss the differences between the RV05 and FT05 and potential reasons to pick one over the other before delivering my final rating of the FT05.

13 October 2014PeripheralsBy Julian Duque

Cooler Master Mizar Gaming Mouse Review

For some odd reason Cooler Master seems to be releasing products everyday, whether it’s a new case or a new peripheral, their product line has been increasing exponentially in the past few years. What is not odd is the fact that many of Cooler Master products Benchmark Reviews has come across end up highly appraised. Today we are looking at one of two pointing devices Cooler Master has released this month. The Cooler Master Mizar serves as a reminder to earlier gaming peripherals, with an ergonomic design and no sharp angles, rather looking like something to rival MIcrosoft’s own line of peripherals, it still brings the more cataloged features to suit modern gamers.

10 October 2014CamerasBy Olin Coles

Genius DVR-FHD568 Vehicle Recorder Review

Not all that long ago Benchmark Reviews tested the Genius DVR-FHD590, which received high marks for it’s clear picture and wide viewing angle. The minds at Genius went right back to work implementing our suggested improvements into their latest dash camera; replacing the distracting LED lamp with six-layer glass lens and high dynamic range (HDR) image sensor technology. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the Genius DVR-FHD568 Vehicle Recorder. Featuring wide-angle 1080p video recording at 30 frames per second, the Genius DVR-FHD568 Slim Style Wide Angle Vehicle Recorder uses a large f/2.4 lens aperture paired to an 8-Megapixel 1/2.7″ CMOS image sensor to capture the sharpest details.

6 October 201416 March 2015CasesBy Meng Vang

Fractal Design Core 2300 Case Review

When it comes to building a computer, not everyone needs a ton of LED fans along with a fancy exterior design. A fully-fledged PC with fancy mods may look appealing to the eyes, but it would not be ideal for a professional business environment. As the little brother to the Fractal Design Core 3300, the Core 2300 with its brushed aluminum finish and black exterior maintains the same clean aesthetics commonly found on most Fractal Design computer cases. With the capability to add a total of seven fans, the Core 2300 provides the cooling performance of an actual gaming computer case along with the professional and elegant aesthetics suitable for a business environment. Inside is the innovated vertical hard drive bracket. This allows for three 3.5 inch drives and three 2.5 inch drives to be mounted simultaneously. At Benchmark Reviews, we will take a close look at what the Fractal Design Core 2300 has to offer.

QNAP_TS-451_Turbo_NAS_Server_Front_Full_01

2 October 201415 December 2014NetworkBy Bruce Normann

QNAP TS-451 Turbo NAS Server Review

The QNAP TS-451 Turbo NAS is part of a new hardware platform for QNAP that brings a high level of performance to the small tower-based format, at a lower cost than was possible before. The four new TS-x51 towers are being promoted as home-based NAS servers, based on their high performance, low cost, and a bunch of new software functionality that is ideal for the modern home. While recent QNAP launches have leveraged the tremendous potential of 10GbE networking for the business user, the home and the SOHO market aren’t there yet. The home market is very sensitive to pricing, so the best thing to do is to re-engineer the daylights out of the surrounding infrastructure and pump a little more juice into the system controller. More power, new features â€“ lower price?

30 September 201430 September 2014CoolingBy Jason Maxfield

Stock Upgrade: Cooler Master Hyper D92 CPU Cooler

In this article Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the Cooler Master Hyper D92, and we will explore the new features and put it to the test. This article will be geared as more of an upgrade guide than a broad comparison to other CPU coolers currently on the market.

29 September 2014PeripheralsBy Joe Gulczinski

Cougar 700M Gaming Mouse Review

Cougar, in expanding their line-up of peripherals, has recently added mice and keyboards to the mix.Today Benchmark Reviews examines Cougar’s second mouse released to the market: The 700M. Designed from the ground-up, the Cougar 700M boasts having a solid metal chassis, added functionality while embracing ergonomics, and a top-tier laser sensor. At first it appears that the 700M shares an amalgamation of characteristics from other popular high-end mice such as the Cyborg Rat7 and the Thermaltake Level 10M; however, it is in the execution and design that makes this product different.

29 September 201422 April 2015CasesBy Meng Vang

AZZA ‘Z’ CSAZ-103 Mini-ITX Case Review

Building a gaming computer with a small computer case is known to be a challenge for some PC gamers. It is hard to find the right case that can properly house high end components while at the same time maintaining proper airflow in such a small form factor. Luckily, AZZA has released their new CSAZ-103 mini-ITX case, also known as the “Z”. The AZZA Z is capable of housing graphics cards up to 11 inches, a regular PS2 ATX power supply unit, two 120mm water cooling radiators, and much more. Finishing it off is a black and green exterior with bright green power LED’s and a green 120mm side fan. In such a small form factor case, the AZZA Z can also be used for building a Steambox or for building a generic media center PC. Using the provided vertical stand that comes in the box, the AZZA Z stands vertically just like a normal desktop computer to save desk space for your other person equipment.

23 September 2014PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL Keyboard Review

Premium mechanical keyboards have surged in popularity in the last few years as gamers and even casual users rediscover the joys of using a keyboard with the precision and feel afforded by mechanical key switches. The Cooler Master NovaTouch TKL uses a new type of mechanical switch based on capacitance detection rather than metal contacts. Benchmark Reviews checks out this minimalist typing machine to see how it compares to other mechanical keyboards.

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Graphics Card Angle

18 September 201415 December 2014GraphicsBy Olin Coles

NVIDIA GeForce GTX 980 Video Card Review

Codenamed NVIDIA Maxwell, GM204 GPUs debut the company’s 10th-generation graphics processing architecture. Maxwell improves upon all previously released processor designs, and delivers greater performance while reducing energy consumption. Anticipated as the replacement for GTX 680, the new GeForce GTX 980 yields up to 200% performance increase (per watt) while requiring less power. Voxel Global Illumination and VR Direct technologies have been added to improve upon picture quality and virtual reality immersion. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the GeForce GTX 980 graphics card against today’s best gaming solutions.

15 September 201415 November 2014CasesBy David Shields

Corsair Graphite 780T Tower PC Case Review

On September 10th Corsair released what they consider the true successor of the 600T, the 780T. This new full tower uses the same curved design as the 600T and includes a large side panel window. However, being a full tower chassis the 780T can mount dual 360mm radiators on the front and top panels, up to nine 120mm case fans or a mixture of 120 and 140 with up to five 140mm fans. Fully filtered intakes keep the interior clean and the top panel features a three speed fan controller along with a fully lit I/O panel. In this article, Benchmark Reviews inspects the new Corsair Graphite 780T full-tower computer case.