6 August 201316 April 2018PeripheralsBy Dan McNamara

Diamond DS3900 Dual Video USB 3.0 Docking Station Review

I have been using a docking station at work for many years, so this was not new to me. All my previous experience was with proprietary docking stations that had cost quite a lot to procure and we tied to a single product. Until now I had not been able to find a docking station for my personal computer that has a reasonable price, simple connectivity, and the promise to increase the effectiveness of my computer. And so that is why I was so excited to receive and be able to test the Diamond DS3900 docking station for Benchmark Reviews.

2 August 201316 April 2018CasesBy Greg Schepers

Thermaltake Chaser A71 VP400M1W2N Computer Case Review

As I am sure you are all well aware, the Thermaltake Chaser A71 is not the first chassis in the Chaser Series. Its direct predecessor, the A41, was a mid-tower addition to the Chaser Series that boasted some of the same features that are prevalent in the A71, such as great cooling, tool-less drive bays, and great cable management. And, it is not the first full-tower design in the Chaser Series. That distinction goes to the Chaser MK-1, which shares the same dimensions and has very similar features to the A71, including a top-mounted HDD hot-swap bay. Now, let’s move forward and take a closer look at the Thermaltake Chaser A71.

2 August 201316 April 2018StorageBy Akim Green

ADATA DashDrive Durable HD710 External Hard Drive Review

Have you ever felt that data stored on your external hard drives is unsafe due to the risk of dropping it, or getting it wet? Fear no more, ADATA has provided a solution in the form of their waterproof, shockproof HD710 portable HDD. Although it won’t protect your data if dropped from a rooftop or into a lake, you can rest assured that your data will be safe after minor drops and coffee spills. Following suit, ADATA has used an USB 3 interface to ensure speedy transfers with compatible machines. The HD710 is a little more expensive than other portable hard drives of the same storage capacity, it is therefore up to the consumer to decide whether or not the extra protection is worth the added cost. There are many demonstrations of the rigidity of this product on the web, in this article, Benchmark reviews will taker a closer look at the construction of this device as well as evaluate it’s performance.

29 July 201316 April 2018CasesBy Tom Jaskulka

NZXT H630 Silent Ultra Tower Computer Case Review

NZXT has dabbled in quiet cases before (Hush, H2). While I don’t personally have experience with those particular chassis, I’ve gathered the attempts in the past have left consumers wanting. It appears a revived Phantom line has also provided another opportunity for NZXT Technologies to tackle the “silent” segment once again – can NZXT bring the H series of chassis to new levels with the H630 Silent Ultra Tower Computer Case? Benchmark Reviews has a chance to answer this question.

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

26 July 201316 April 2018GraphicsBy 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.

24 July 201316 April 2018ReviewsBy 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.

22 July 201316 April 2018StorageBy 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.

Corsair_Vengeance_K70_Mechanical_Gaming_Keyboard_Illuminated

21 July 201315 November 2025PeripheralsBy Steven Iglesias-Hearst

Corsair Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

The K70 is the third attempt by Corsair at making mechanical keyboards, and I think that they have finally nailed it this time. Their initial release featured a mix of mechanical keys and rubber dome keys that many users didn’t approve of. Their second release featured backlit keys and macro keys but still had a mix of mechanical and rubber dome keys. Now we meet in the middle – we have a full set of illuminated mechanical keys with per-key illumination, and there is a choice between red, blue and brown Cherry MX switches to boot. Available in Black/Red or Silver/Blue color combinations, the Vengeance K70 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is arguably one of the best looking mechanical keyboards available today. In this article Benchmark Reviews will be testing the Black/Red model CH-9000011-UK variant with Cherry MX Red switches, in a variety of scenarios including gaming and general productivity applications.

21 July 201316 April 2018GraphicsBy 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.

17 July 201316 April 2018TabletsBy Austin Downing

Kobo Arc Android Tablet eReader Review

For many people carrying a book around to read has become a thing of the past, replaced by a phone, tablet, or e-Reader. Kobo’s e-Reader line has been one of the primary competitors for Amazon’s Kindle, that is until Amazon brought out their Kindle Fire. The Kindle Fire helped bring an Android tablet to the masses, and allowed Amazon to distribute its music and movies directly to their device. Kobo is fighting back and Benchmark Reviews tests their new 16GB Kobo Arc 7″ Android Tablet eReader (model K107-KBO-16W), which features a 1.5GHz dual core TI OMAP 4470 CPU and a POWERVR SGX 544 GPU.

15 July 201316 April 2018MotherboardsBy Steven Iglesias-Hearst

ASRock Z87E-ITX Intel Desktop Motherboard Review

Small form factor PC’s have been gaining a lot of momentum and favor with hardware enthusiasts and hardcore gamers these past couple of years. Since more features are integrated into the CPU in recent releases, it means more real estate has been made on ITX form factor motherboards for extras that may well have not fit previously. With the release of Intel Haswell CPU’s and Z87 chipset, motherboard vendors are now more than ever able to condense the features of a full size ATX motherboard into the ITX form factor without much (if any) sacrifice. See for yourself, take a look at an average Z68 or Z77 ATX motherboard and you will start to notice just how much space isn’t occupied. In this article Benchmark Reviews takes an in-depth look at the ASRock Z87E-ITX motherboard, reporting back on special features and performance as well as giving a visual commentary on the aesthetics of this tiny beast.

15 July 201316 April 2018CasesBy Tom Jaskulka

Corsair Carbide Air 540 Cube Case Review

Starting with the Obsidian series, Corsair has systematically released a chassis to tackle almost every segment. With most of the segments covered, Corsair has rethought the ATX case and has released something a little… different. Launching at the top of the Carbide series (designed to be focused on performance and high-end features, while still being accessible to every builder), the Carbide Air 540 cube-style computer case brings a unique option to the series. Benchmark Reviews tests to see if it’s worth the $139.99 price of admission.

14 July 201316 April 2018MonitorsBy David Ramsey

Lenovo ThinkVision LT3053p IPS LED-Backlit LCD Monitor Review

In the past year or so flat panel monitor prices have entered free-fall, with massive 27″ displays widely available for under $300. Given that, why would anyone even consider spending over $1,500 on a somewhat larger 30″ display? Lenovo has lent Benchmark Reviews one of their ThinkVision LT3053p units to review, so let’s see what all that extra money buys you.

14 July 201316 April 2018PeripheralsBy Joey Peng

MSI GK-601 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Mechanical Keyboards have been a popular item lately for its tactile response and long lasting quality. Numerous manufacturers, including the likes of Corsair and Mad Catz, have all been jumping onto the bandwagon. MSI does as well, bringing us a new mechanical gaming keyboard, the GK-601. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests performance for the MSI GK-601 macro-enabled mechanical gaming keyboard.

7 July 201316 April 2018NetworkBy 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.

3 July 201316 April 2018NetworkBy Bruce Normann

ASUS RT-AC66U Wireless 802.11ac Wi-Fi Router Review

The ASUS RT-AC66U 802.11ac wireless router builds on the success of the RT-N66U model that Benchmark Reviews also tested recently. ASUS has been busy looking to the future, and the new IEEE 802.11ac Wi-Fi standard. While it’s not officially approved, it does appear to be stable, and there are products on the market already from all the serious players in wireless networking. While 802.11n was a step forward, and many of us have been appreciative of the additional legroom that the 5GHz band allows, there is still plenty of room for improvement in Wi-Fi performance. The ASUS RT-AC66U looks great sitting on the shelf, better than the majority of routers on offer today, but it’s the higher throughput and expanded signal coverage that’s going to win over most consumers.

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

29 June 201316 April 2018StorageBy 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.

27 June 201316 April 2018MotherboardsBy David Ramsey

Intel DZ87KLT-75K LGA1150 Desktop Motherboard Review

Until a few years ago, Intel motherboards were, well, boring: reliable, sure, and well-made, but without any really interesting features that would appeal to enthusiasts. That started changing around the time of the Z68 chipset, and although Intel has announced they’ll stop manufacturing desktop motherboards in the near future, the Z87-based DZ78KLT-75K makes a good swan song.

27 June 201316 April 2018ReviewsBy Aidan Moore

Leawo iTransfer Software Review

The iTransfer functions as an Apple device transfer utility that can backup files of all type on any Apple product to a Windows PC. The utility is provided to allow syncing or partial syncing with iTunes and other PC directories. Once the files have been transferred to the PC, the video and audio can be played on any Apple device, or further transcoded to allow playback on a wide range of video or audio devices.

25 June 201316 April 2018GraphicsBy Hank Tolman

MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC Twin Frozr Video Card Review

The latest member of the GeForce GTX 700 series lineup to hit the market is the GTX 760. This GPU is built off the GK104 GPU like quite a few GPUs in the GTX 600 and 700 series. The GTX 760 is built to replace the GTX 660Ti and fill an important price position between about $250 and $300. At Benchmark Reviews, we have MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC video card on hand and have tested it with some of the most popular and graphically intensive titles currently available. The MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC takes the stock features of the GTX 760 and adds to them by overclocking the GPU, adding a proven cooling solution, and including a bunch of other extras that you won’t find on the other GTX 760s. So without further ado, let’s get into the details of the MSI N760 TF 2GD5/OC video card.

25 June 201316 April 2018GraphicsBy 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.

24 June 201316 April 2018PeripheralsBy Austin Downing

CM Storm Quickfire Stealth Mechanical Keyboard Review

Cooler Master has been building mechanical keyboards under its CM Storm line for the last couple of years. They started with the small Quickfire Rapid, and moved over time to larger designs, but Cooler Master’s newest design harkens back to the original Quickfire Rapid, bring improvements on its design and giving it sleek exterior with no markings on the tops of its keys. The question that Benchmark Reviews aims to answer though is whether Cooler Master improved enough to justify the extra cost or are users better off going with the original Quickfire Rapid.

Rosewill RSVA-12001 DVR Kit Security Camera RCMR-14CMOSIR

19 June 201316 April 2018ReviewsBy 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.

16 June 201316 April 2018MotherboardsBy David Ramsey

ASUS SABERTOOTH Z87 Intel Motherboard Review

ASUS’ newest TUF motherboards are built on Intel’s new Z87 chipset, for the new Haswell-based LGA 1150 CPUs. The TUF line emphasizes reliability and durability rather than a cornucopia of consumer features or the ability to reach heroic overclocking levels. Can an enthusiast love the SABERTOOTH Z87? Benchmark Reviews checks this board out to see what makes it special enough to include in your next rig.

13 June 201315 April 2015StorageBy 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.