17 August 201717 January 2018PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Bloody B820R Gaming Keyboard Review

Optical key switches provide fast response time and performance without compromising build quality. They use infrared sensors as a replacement for metal contacts, making them more durable when compared to a standard mechanical key switch. With the Bloody B820R Light Strike RGB Animation gaming keyboard, it uses LK (Light Strike) Optical switches built exclusively for Bloody keyboards. The B820R comes in two variants; one with blue switches (Machine Gun) and one with red switches (Silent Gun). Benchmark Reviews already tested the B820R with LK Optical Blue switches, so our friends at A4Tech sent us the red variant for this review.

9 August 201717 January 2018CasesBy Tom Jaskulka

Fractal Design Meshify C ATX Case Review

Fractal Design has announced a slew of new products recently. The Focus G series brought a splash of color and style to the typically-reserved Scandinavian case maker, while their popular Define C series added a touch of premium glass with the Define C TG. When Fractal Design offered up yet another, as-of-yet unannounced product to add to their lineup my curiosity was piqued. What else could they possibly have in store? All I had was a product name: the Meshify C. I could hazard a few guesses as to the nature of this new case: ATX, based on the Define C no doubt, with a dressing of mesh – perhaps an Arc Midi successor? Follow along as Benchmark Reviews investigates this new direction from Fractal Design.

4 August 201717 January 2018PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Gamdias Zeus M1 RGB Mouse Review

The Gamdias Zeus M1 RGB optical USB corded gaming mouse provides performance and functionality to gamers on a budget. It comes with an accurate 7000 DPI optical sensor, eight programmable buttons, a built-in weight system, and the dual level RGB stream lighting design. At just 118 x 67 x 38.5 mm, the Zeus M1 is smaller than a most mice, which makes it suitable for small to medium hands. The Gamdias HERA gaming software allows for easy customization with support for multiple Gamdias peripherals should you have them. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Zeus M1 to see how it compares to the competition.

19 July 201719 July 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD S700 PRO Solid State Drive Review

HP suggests top speeds up to 565 MB/s for reads and 520 MB/s writes from SSD S700 PRO, which utilizes 3D NAND to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HP SSD S700 PRO (SATA 2.5″ 512GB model 2AP99AA#ABL) against other solid state drive competition.

9 July 201711 July 2017PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

AZIO Retro Classic Mechanical Keyboard Preview

Here at Benchmark Reviews, we’ve tested several AZIO keyboards and been impressed with the quality of their construction and the bang for the buck they offer. So when AZIO offered us the chance to take a look at a prototype of their project “MK Retro Pro” keyboard, we jumped at the chance– even though a retail version of this product is some months in the future. An evolution of AZIO’s existing “MK Retro” typewriter-themed keyboards, later renamed Retro Classic, ups the ante with a new design and new features.

7 July 201726 August 2017CasesBy Meng Vang

MeanIt 5PM ARC Red Case Review

Mean:It is a rather new company out of Colorado that focuses on building high quality products at an affordable price. At the time of this review, the company offers two tempered glass computer chassis with multiple variants. They were kind enough to send Benchmark Reviews the MeanIt 5PM ARC Red edition, which has 5mm of tempered glass goodness on both sides and on the front of the case. It also comes with four pre-installed ARC Red fans, a built-in fan controller, water pump/reservoir mount, and a cable cover/GPU support bracket for supporting long graphics cards. The 5PM ARC Red looks very promising, so let’s take a look…

4 July 201721 August 2017PeripheralsBy Jason Vaught

Corsair K68 Mechanical Gaming 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 K68 live up to these expectations? We’ll find out in this article for Benchmark Reviews.

HP-SSD-S700-500GB-SATA-Solid-State-Drive-Kit

29 June 201729 June 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

HP SSD S700 Solid State Drive Review

HP promises 560 MB/s read and 515 MB/s write speeds from SSD S700, which utilizing 3D NAND technology to deliver impressive storage density and reliability. Adding to its appeal is the cost of solid state drive technology, which has doubled its storage capacity per dollar from just one year ago. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the HP SSD S700 (2.5″ 500GB model 2DP99AA#ABC) against other solid state drive competition.

25 June 201725 June 2017PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Cherry MX Board Silent Keyboard Review

Being the successor to the classic G80-3000, the Cherry MX Board Silent G80-3000 comes equipped with genuine Cherry MX Silent switches. The MX Board Silent features a standard 104 international key layout and a simple exterior design. Built for an office environment, the MX Silent switches provide silent keystrokes to keep keyboard noise down to a minimum. This keyboard does come in two flavors: MX Silent Red and MX Silent Black. Cherry has sent Benchmark Reviews the one with MX Silent Black switches. Let’s take a look at what this keyboard has to offer.

15 June 201715 June 2017CasesBy David Shields

In Win 301 Mini Tower Case Review

Tempered glass is all the rage right now in the custom PC market. As a result, many case makers are releasing new designs with tempered glass in an attempt to cash in. But tempered glass is often more expensive than options such as plastic. Seeing this, In Win has released the 301 mini tower, a smaller mATX version of their successful 303 chassis design. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we’ll take a closer at the In Win 301 SECC Tempered Glass Micro-ATX Mini Tower Computer Case, detailing the features included in this design, before delivering my final recommendation.

12 June 2017CamerasBy Jason Maxfield

WiMiUs L1 4K Action Cam Review

WiMiUs, a company based out of Shenzhen, China, has sent us one of their 4k action cams for us to review. This is the WiMiUs L1 4K Action Cam, somewhat similar to a GoPro Hero Session in size, but around half the price. In this article for Benchmark Reviews I’ll be putting the WiMiUs 4K Ultra HD Action Cam L1 to the test. Is the L1 worth a look, let’s find out!

12 June 20174 August 2017PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Roccat Leadr Gaming Mouse Review

Roccat has gone wireless with its Leadr optical gaming mouse. The Leadr includes a few new features, like the Owl-Eye 12000 DPI optical sensor (PixArt 3361). This is a modified version of the PixArt 3360 with improved responsiveness and manual surface calibration. With a body design similar to the Roccat Tyon, the Leadr also includes RGB lighting, an elegant charging dock, and customizable settings and profiles via the Swarm software. It does have a 20 hours battery life, which should set some great expectations for long gaming sessions. Benchmark Reviews has a chance to review the Roccat Leadr with its new Owl-Eye optical sensor, so let’s jump in to a quick overview of this wireless gaming product.

5 June 20179 June 2017CasesBy Tom Jaskulka

Bitfenix Portal Mini-ITX Case Review

Available in matte white or matte black (each with or without an acrylic window), the Bitfenix Portal utilizes a dual frame and rail system to house enough components to power most single-GPU gaming rigs. Benchmark Reviews has the opportunity to test the new Bitfenix Portal (model BFC-POT-150-WKWKK-RP) – let’s see what it can do.

30 May 20172 June 2017PeripheralsBy Jason Vaught

Corsair GLAIVE RGB USB Gaming Mouse Review

If your hunt is for a very nice corded USB gaming mouse that meets and exceeds expectations, then you’ve come to the right place. In this article for Benchmark Reviews we dive deep into the Corsair GLAIVE RGB’s features. We’ll be testing DPI responsiveness, its customization, and real world everyday use for both gaming and other mouse intensive tasks such as Photoshop.

23 May 20172 June 2017MotherboardsBy David Ramsey

BIOSTAR Z270GTN mITX Motherboard Review

Mini-ITX (mITX) motherboards, once nice products for HTPCs and the like, are becoming mainstream as the need for multiple PCI-E slots wanes. Today Benchmark Reviews has Biostar’s new Z270GTN Racing mITX motherboard, and it’s aimed squarely at the enthusiast and gamer market with features like solid state capacitors, onboard RGB LED lighting and control, and m.2 and u.2 storage connectors.

22 May 20176 August 2017PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum Keyboard Review

Most of us are familiar to standard mechanical switches found in popular gaming keyboards. Standard Cherry, Kailh, and TTC switches share similar designs using physical metal on metal contacts to register a keystroke. With the Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum, this keyboard utilizes optical key switch technology. Each key uses an infrared sensor to detect when the key is registered. This design eliminates metal on metal contacts and boosts the keystroke life cycle from 50 million to an insane 100 million. It also has per key back lighting, a spill and rust resistant design, and internal drill holes in case of spills. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, let’s a look at the Tesoro Excalibur SE Spectrum with blue optical switches.

14 May 201717 May 2017MemoryBy David Ramsey

Crucial Ballistix Elite DDR4-3466 Memory Review

We’re in the middle of a transition from the DDR3 memory standard that has served us well for a decade to the new DDR4 standard. With higher bandwidth at lower voltage, DDR4 seems a perfect match for our compute-intensive multi-core CPU world. In this article Benchmark Reviews examines Crucial’s Ballistix Elite DDR4 enthusiast memory, which runs at an eye-watering 3466Mhz. We’ll test it against “standard” DDR4 to see what difference this extra performance makes.

8 May 20179 May 2017AudioBy Jason Vaught

Bloody M660P Gaming Headset Review

Bloody gaming has released a new addition to their M660 series headsets, the M660P. The M660P has the same 40mm drivers and the same MO-CI (Mycelium of Carbon IT) dual diaphragm as it’s older brother, the M660 Chronometer. What the M660P brings to the table is an in-line microphone instead of a boom mic. Is this a good thing or a bad thing? That’s one of the things we’ll be testing in this article for Benchmark Reviews.

2 May 20172 May 2017CasesBy Jason Maxfield

Phanteks Enthoo EVOLV mATX Tempered Glass Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, I will be going over the differences between the TG Edition and the mATX version of the case currently on the market. Let’s see how the Enthoo EVOLV mATX TG Edition holds up to scrutiny. The Enthoo EVOLV mATX TG Edition includes RGB compatibility with Asus Aura Sync and MSI Mystic Light Sync motherboards. The TG Edition carries over it’s great water cooling capabilities from the mATX version and comes in 3 colors: Satin Black, Anthracite Grey, and Galaxy Silver.

2 May 20176 May 2017CasesBy Meng Vang

Anidees AI Crystal Cube Lite Case Review

With tempered glass becoming a trend on modern computer cases, the Anidees AI Crystal Cube Lite certainly stands out from the crowd with its 5mm thick tempered glass panels. But what exactly is Anidees? This design company was founded in 2011. It is popular in European countries, such as Germany, France, and more. Most people may not have heard of Anidees, but the company strives to provide great quality products by listening to ideas from people like you and me. With that in mind, the Crystal Cube Lite looks very promising with its flexible water and air cooling capabilities, glass panels, and small form-factor design. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we will be taking a look at the AI Crystal Cube Lite case to see what Anidees has in store for us.

10 April 201730 November 2017PeripheralsBy Meng Vang

Roccat Kone EMP Gaming Mouse Review

Being the successor to the Kone XTD, the Kone EMP (Empowered) brings a few new things to the table. The Kone EMP weights less than its predecessor and maintains the same body shape as before. It also includes the new Owl-Eye 12000 DPI optical sensor, known as the PixArt 3361 optical sensor. This is a modified version of the PixArt 3360 with improved responsiveness and manual surface calibration. The Kone EMP now features RGB lighting along with customizable profiles via the Swarm software. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Roccat Kone EMP with its new Owl-Eye optical sensor, so let’s jump in to a quick overview of this mouse.

5 April 201721 August 2017CasesBy David Ramsey

Corsair Crystal 460X RGB Compact ATX Case Review

If there are two big trends in computer accessories and peripherals these days, it’s “tempered glass” and “RGB illumination”. And if you can combine the two, as Corsair has done with the Crystal 460X RGB Compact ATX mid-tower case, so much the better! But there’s more to this case than just a serious amount of glam, and Benchmark Reviews will build a system in it to see if it would be a good home for your next gaming rig.

17 March 2017CasesBy Jason Vaught

Riotoro CR480 Gaming Case Review

Enter the Riotoro CR480, a budget friendly, mid-tower, gaming computer case that can be had for just under $50. How does it stand up against the competition? That’s what Benchmark Reviews will find out.

17 March 201717 March 2017PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

Corsair Sabre RGB Gaming Mouse Review

Any serious gamer needs a serious gaming mouse, and there are certainly a lot of them on the market to choose from. Premium vendor Corsair offers no fewer than five such mice, ranging from entry-level (for Corsair) items to multi-button mice for MOBA gaming. Today Benchmark Reviews has in hand one of what Corsair refers to as part of their “lightweight gaming mice” lineup, the Corsair Sabre RGB wired USB gaming mouse, equipped with a 10,000dpi optical sensor and multi-zone RGB lighting.

15 March 201721 March 2017CasesBy Meng Vang

BitFenix Shogun E-ATX Case Review

The Shogun is the new top of the line super mid-tower computer case from BitFenix. But what makes it super? The Shogun is roughly the same size as a standard mid-tower case, but it can house an E-ATX motherboard with the included E-ATX bracket. It features BitFenix’s modular Quick Custom Design, curved exterior aluminum panels, three GPU Safe support brackets, a hybrid power supply SSD bracket with RGB LED’s, and dual tempered glass side panels. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the BitFenix Shogun with ASUS Aura Sync RGB SSD Chroma modules, so let’s jump into a quick overview on this super mid-tower case.