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 2017ReviewsBy Olin Coles

LifeTrak Zoom HRV Wearable Body Computer Review

Fitness trackers all seem to have similar features; pedometer, calories burned, heart monitor, sleep tracker, watch, etc. They’re great for helping to track the daily habits of an average person or someone beginning a fitness or health regimen. However, most fitness trackers are just too basic for a serious athlete or someone interested in their overall fitness condition. That’s where the LifeTrak Zoom HRV (model number LTK7M002) comes into play. The LifeTrack Zoom HRV will continuously measure heart rate and heart rate variability which helps a true athlete know when to train and how hard to push. It’s the perfect multi-sport fitness tracker and an extremely thorough heart rate monitor.

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.

COUGAR-Armor-Gaming-Chair-Front-Left-Corner

11 April 201728 October 2017ReviewsBy Olin Coles

COUGAR Armor Gaming Chair Review

When Champ Chairs offered us a chance to test the COUGAR Armor gaming chair, I couldn’t say no. Literally, my body wouldn’t allow it. COUGAR is well known to gamers for their keyboard and mouse peripherals, but they also rock my favorite color on their products: orange. It looks great (to me), but how does it feel after extended gaming?

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.

13 March 201722 March 2017PeripheralsBy David Shields

Bloody B820R RGB Gaming Keyboard Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we’ll take a closer look at the Bloody B820R Light Strike RGB Animation Gaming Keyboard, and determine if this latest offering has what it takes to set itself apart from the rest of the mechanical keyboard market.

13 March 201713 March 2017PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

Corsair Lapdog Game Control Center Review

Real gamers – and you are a real gamer, right? – know that consoles cannot provide the performance and graphics quality of a good PC-based gaming rig. But giant 4K televisions provide an excellent canvas for immersive game play. You can set up a PC connected to your TV, but those console controllers just don’t cut it if you’re using to a good gaming keyboard and mouse. Too bad there’s no way to really use a keyboard and mouse on your lap. Or… is there?

7 March 2017PeripheralsBy Joe Gulczinski

AZIO MK Retro Mechanical Keyboard Review

AZIO has provided innovative and unique peripherals for over 17 years, focusing on three core aspects of accessibility, convenience, and entertainment. One of their latest products featured is a deviation from the average offerings commonly found in keyboards, focusing more on pure typing facets versus gaming. The MK Retro possesses a definite characterized feel and look that has not been approached (yet) by other manufactures, employing tactile Blue type switches beneath carefully crafted keys. Even the common LED indicators are tube-like white lit domes, embracing the retro feel.

1 March 2017PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

Corsair K70 LUX RGB Keyboard Review

No matter what type of keyboard you need, Corsair will have one for you. You can choose from a very broad array of products with a smorgasbord of mechanical switch types, lighting, and other features; from “fairly ordinary” to “has more computing power than your desktop rig did 10 years ago.” Benchmark Reviews has previously tested the K70 RGB Rapidfire gaming keyboard and found it to be a premium product; for this article we’re testing the Corsair K70 LUX RGB Cherry MX Red mechanical gaming keyboard.

28 February 2017AccessoriesBy Aidan Moore

Reeven Polariz RFC-4 Fan Controller Review

In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we will test the Reeven Polariz RFC-4 fan controller to see if it provides enough functionality and style to justify the cost and space required in a custom desktop PC build.

28 February 2017StorageBy Olin Coles

ADATA SU800 SSD Ultimate Review

The ADATA SU800 SSD is a 2.5″ solid state drive for the ever-popular SATA 6Gb/s interface found on mainstream desktop and notebook PCs. ADATA promises 560 MB/s read and 520 MB/s write speeds with their new 3D NAND technology, allowing Ultimate SU800 to deliver higher storage density and reliability than ever before. SU800 also features intelligent SLC caching, a DRAM cache buffer to boost transfer performance, and Low-Density Parity Check ECC. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we test the 512GB ADATA SSD Ultimate SU800 against the competition.

23 February 2017CoolingBy David Ramsey

Corsair HD120 RGB PWM Fan Kit Review

RGB lighting is the current trend these days, appearing in everything from keyboards and mice to less obvious items like motherboards and mouse pads. While LED-lit fans have been around for years, leave it to Corsair to take it to the next level with their Corsair HD120 RGB fans. You can buy these fans individually, but today Benchmark Reviews is testing the HD120 RGB three-pack of fans with the included fan hub and controller (model CO-9050067-WW).

17 February 2017PeripheralsBy David Ramsey

Azio Armato Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review

Azio Corporation says that their name derives from “A to Z, Input to Output”, While their products are manufactured in Taiwan, they’re designed in California (sound familiar?) In any case Benchmark Reviews has in hand their Armato Mechanical Gaming Keyboard, model MGK-ARMATO-01. As a single-color backlit mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX switches, it might seem as if there’s little to distinguish it from the many other similar products available. But first appearances can be deceiving, as we’ll find out in this review.

16 February 201710 March 2017CasesBy Meng Vang

Phanteks Eclipse P400S Tempered Glass Case Review

About a year ago, we reviewed the Phanteks Eclipse P400S case, an outstanding budget oriented computer case built for both beginners and enthusiasts. With the release of the Eclipse P400S Tempered Glass Edition, it shares many of the essential features carried over from its predecessor. Users can now game in style with a tempered glass side panel along with an RGB LED strip included in the box. The Eclipse P400 series comes in many different varieties. Benchmark Reviews will be taking a look at the Eclipse P400S Tempered Glass Special Edition in red and black, so let’s go over an overview in the next section.