Benchmark Reviews: Computer Hardware Product Reviews and Component Benchmark Tests
With the BT 110 water-resistant earbuds, Phiaton sees to it that your are protected in sweaty, and rainy conditions. There are a handful of excellent Bluetooth wireless headsets in the sub-$100 segment, which is why Benchmark Reviews takes a closer look at the Phiaton BT 110 Compact Bluetooth 4.0 Earphones with Mic to determine if its price is reflected in the performance.
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Cooler Master has just announced their new MasterLiquid series of CPU coolers, built using a special “FlowOp” technology that analyzes how heat is absorbed and dissipated to construct a better cooling solution than the competition. The end result was a dual chamber design that did both improve the cooling performance, but also dramatically extended the product’s functional lifetime. In this preview article, Benchmark Reviews covers some of the finer points that separate the MasterLiquid cooler series from everything else on the market.
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The London-based company Fnatic currently offers four products: the Rush keyboard, the Flick mouse, and two types of mouse pad. Today Benchmark Reviews will look at the Fnatic Rush G1 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard equipped with Cherry MX Red switches. Fnatic says that the RUSH keyboard is “…pro-player tested and approved for the highest levels of competitive play.” Let’s take it for a spin and see if they’re right.
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In this article Benchmark Reviews has the Tesoro Sagitta Spectrum Gaming Mouse for review. Boasting full RGB lighting, 5000dpi resolution, 1MHz polling, a 32-bit ARM processor backed by 512K of internal memory, and a comfortable, anti-microbial coating, this could be one of the best midrange gaming mice out there.
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Unlike it’s predecessors in the Z-series line, the Z9 Neo comes with a full length front panel door. Now if your old school, as I am, you probably shutter at the mere mention of a computer case having a door. But over the years, especially with the rise in digital mediums and digital distribution, I find myself using 5.25″ drives less and less. So cases with doors have become attractive again, as they are pleasing to the eye and still offer the option of having a couple of 5.25″ bay devices at your disposal. In this article, Benchmark Reviews dives in deep to determine if this case is a worthy contender for your money.
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Since the advent of the mechanical keyboards, it was only a matter of time before the market became saturated with a plethora of very similar products and options. AS4TECH’s very own “bloody” division has brought forth the next evolution in mechanical keyboards, boldly daring to replace the actual switch with Light Strike technology: silent switches that operate by breaking a beam of infrared light. This not only provides the fastest possible response speed, but also adds several inherited benefits from the technology. The B740A is only one of the 15 models using the Light Strike technology at Bloody.
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Designed for palm grip gamers, the Cooler Master Sentinel III gaming mouse offers improved features and ergonomics over its predecessor. The body of the Sentinel III is coated with a matte UV coating to ensure long lasting durability. It comes with the 32-bit SONIX ARM Cortex-MO processor and 512KB of on-board memory for storing and playing back complicated macros. The Sentinel III also has high quality OMRON switches that are rated at 20 million clicks. The built-in Avago 3988 optical sensor is the same sensor used in the Corsair Sabre RGB optical mouse and the Razer Deathadder 2013. Cooler Master has also implemented RGB lighting into this mouse, giving gamers the ability to customize lighting effects to their desire. Here at Benchmark Reviews, we will take a look at the Cooler Master Sentinel III gaming mouse. Let’s dive in and take a quick look at an overview of this mouse.
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Back in 2011 when Cooler Master introduced their Quick Fire line of keyboards, I was a bit skeptical about their success in the already crowded mechanical keyboard market. Four years later, it could be argued that I was proven wrong, most notably by the wide arrange of models that are available on their website that are displayed as a symbol of how successful the Cooler Master brand is within the mech market. Although the company owes much of this success to the Quick Fire line, today’s release seems to be the beginning of something new with the introduction of the MasterKeys Pro S and MasterKeys Pro L RGB mechanical keyboards.
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A4TECH has a secret weapon in the gaming industry developed by their own “bloody” division that boasts the world’s fastest key response using Light Strike infrared micro switch technology. This new type of switch uses an actual beam of infrared light that when interrupted triggers the mechanism. The main advantage of this is not merely the speed, but also insures against accidental double-clicks, the eventual corrosion and breakdown of metal in the switch component, and makes it almost completely waterproof. In this article, we test the Bloody ML160 Commander Laser Gaming Mouse.
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Samsung’s 950 PRO m.2 PCI-E SSD set new performance records for a consumer SSD, blasting through the limits of SSDs tethered to the old SATA interface. What could be better than one of these blazing-fast solid state storage monsters? Two of them in RAID 0! In this article, Benchmark Reviews explores the outer limits of storage performance with a pair of 512GB Samsung 950 PRO SSDs on our MSI Z170A Gaming M7 test system.
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The NZXT Manta computer case makes a great case for a water cooled mini-ITX gaming system. With enough room for two 280mm radiators at the top and the front, users can expect exceptional airflow thanks to its water cooling capabilities. NZXT’s new manufacturing process allows for the creation of curved panels, giving the user more work room for cable management while maintaining a sturdy construction all around. A 3.5″ HDD can also be installed behind the motherboard tray without worrying about it making contact with the curved side panels. The Manta mini-ITX can support any standard size ATX power supply unit with enough room for a single 3.5″ HDD in the power supply chamber. Benchmark Reviews is happy to review the NZXT Manta mini-ITX case in white. Let’s go over a quick overview of what this mini-ITX case has to offer.
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With the Xornet II, computer users can now customize DPI settings, lift-off distance, and the RGB lighting feature straight from the downloadable Xornet II software. Lift-off distance can also be tuned straight from the mouse without having to use the software. This is a great feature to have especially when changing mouse surfaces. Here at Benchmark Reviews, we will take a look at what the Cooler Master Xornet II optical gaming mouse has in store for us. Let’s go through a quick overview of this product in the next section.
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OCZ Storage Solutions, a subsidiary of Toshiba, has a new entry into the burgeoning field of low-cost consumer TLC (triple-level cell) NAND SSDs: the Trion 150. Featuring a new (and somewhat mysterious) Toshiba controller backing up also new Toshiba 15nm TLC NAND, the Trion 150 is aimed squarely at the consumer who’s been waiting for prices on larger SSDs to drop to this level. Historically, drives based on TLC NAND have suffered from significant performance and durability compromises. Benchmark Reviews will run this drive through our gamut of tests to see if these issues are still a factor you should be aware of.
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Corsair has updated it’s Gaming line of headsets with the VOID Surround Hybrid Stereo Gaming Headset. Featuring Dolby 7.1 Surround certification with the use of Corsair’s CUE (Corsair Utility Engine) Software, micro-fiber covered ear cups, noise canceling mic, and frequency response from 20Hz to 20KHz. The Void Surround is compatible with the Xbox One, PS4, PC (with USB adapter), and mobile phones, making the Void Surround a versatile headset for all your gaming needs. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, I’ll be putting the Corsair Gaming Void Surround to the test.
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Cooler Master has a name that demands a dominating presence in the aftermarket cooling industry, and every year, without fail, they produce new and innovative heatsink designs offering the best of function and fashion. New for 2016 is the MasterAir Maker 8, a dual-140mm cooled customizable headsink compatible with every known motherboard socket from the past nine years. In this article, Benchmark Reviews spotlights the Cooler Master MasterAir Maker 8 heatsink and its many unique features.
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The Phanteks Eclipse P400S is aimed towards people who are looking at building their first PC in a simple yet beautiful ATX chassis. It includes a large side panel window, RGB capable LED lighting, a fan controller, and sound dampening material on both side panels, the top ventilation covers, and the front panel to keep the system running as quiet as possible. The Eclipse P400S comes with two 120mm fans; one pre-installed at the rear and the other pre-installed at the front. Water cooling is possible with support for a 240mm, 280mm, or a 360mm radiator at the front of the case. It comes in three color variants: Satin Black, Anthracite Grey and Glacier White. Here at Benchmark Reviews, we will be taking a look at the Eclipse P400S in Satin Black. Let’s run through a quick overview of what this case has to offer.
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Samsung’s new Portable SSD T3 offers up to 2TB of amazingly fast external storage in a metal enclosure that’s smaller than a business card, if somewhat thicker. Equipped with the latest USB Type C connector implementing USB 3.1 (Gen.1) protocols, the Portable SSD T3 is now compatible with Android mobile devices that have Type C connectors, as well as Windows and Mac OS. Sporting Samsung’s VNAND flash memory architecture with Turbo Write technology, the drive also comes with easy-to-use security software for Windows, Mac, and Android. Is the Samsung Portable SSD T3 a compelling solution for fast external storage? Benchmark Reviews checks this new drive out to see what it’s got.
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The Hermes Lite GKB1000 mechanical gaming keyboard features Gamdias certified mechanical Red switches with Red LED’s behind every key. Lighting effects include responsive lighting, a pulsating effect, and full backlit lighting at a brightness level of low, medium, or high. The Erebos Lite GMS7300 optical gaming mouse features an Avago ADNS-3050 optical sensor with a maximum DPI of 3500. It also has Omrom switches and a forward and backward button, which can be reprogrammed to perform different functions. The LED’s on the mouse are RBG capable and can be adjusted through the downloadable Gamdias Hera software. In this article Benchmark Reviews tests the Gamdias Mechanical Gaming Combo GKC1001, and reveals what this mechanical gaming combo has to offer.
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Not the first time NZXT has played with RBG LED lighting, the HUE+ provides all of the functionality (and then some) of the original HUE in an even more streamlined package. Coupled with NZXT’s free standalone software package CAM, the HUE+ Smart RGB LED Controller provides eight configurable LED presets out of the box, ranging from breathing LEDs to color fades and marquee scrolling. For the endless tinkerers and those looking for even more fine control over their system lighting, the HUE+ with CAM 3.0 allows for each LED to be individually addressed! That’s an impressive repertoire for an LED controller, but is it worth the price of admission? Benchmark Reviews has an opportunity to find out – follow along as we take a closer look at the new NZXT HUE+ Smart RGB LED Controller.
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The GAMDIAS EROS ELITE EQ gaming headset features a lightweight design with an innovative cooling design, 7.1 surround sound, and an attractive $79.99 price tag. In this article for Benchmark Reviews, we’ll take a look at just how comfortable this USB headset is, and whether or not it should be your next choice for gaming.
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Corsair is breaking new ground, for them at least, with the 400Q and 400C in offering a mid tower case that has zero 5.25″ bays. Allowing maximum airflow with the least amount of obstructions. Is the Carbide 400Q a contender for similarly sized cases that feature sound dampening and no 5.25″ bays? That’s one of the questions we’re going to answer in this article for Benchmark Reviews.
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A year ago, I had the opportunity to review a Roccat Tyon – my first Roccat product since I purchased one of their Pyra and Kova mice many years ago. I remember the original Kova fondly, but it wasn’t…quite there yet. I liked the ambidextrous design, price point, Lamborghini-esque styling, and simple approach to performance (an optical sensor with driver-less configuration); I wasn’t quite as impressed with the overall build quality, lack of granular customization options or lighting. Will the new Kova change my mind? Will the improved sensor, new looks, lighting, and robust construction replace my first impressions? Benchmark Reviews has the opportunity to take the new Kova (ROC-11-502) for a spin, so let’s find out.
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be quiet! is a German company dedicated to making desktop products with exceptionally quiet operation. They are mostly known for their ventures into extremely quiet power supplies and CPU coolers from which they have had a lot of success among silent desktop enthusiasts. Last year they announced the Silent Base case line, their first attempt into entering the case market. Today, Benchmark Reviews takes a look at the second case release from be quiet!, the Silent Base 600.
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I’m picky, and have been described as a perfectionist too many times to count. So it stands to reason that the keyboard, that peripheral attachment that works like a natural extensions of the body for the eSports gamer, becomes a personal choice for many. Keyboards are used for both everyday workload as well as entertainment, so picking the right one is important. In this article, Benchmark Reviews tests the Zalman ZM-K700M Mechanical Gaming LED Keyboard, which features genuine Cherry MX Red switches with LED backlighting, and programmable macro capability.
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I have had poor results with early generation smart locks – the kind you control from a Bluetooth-enabled phone – so when U-Tec offered Benchmark Reviews the opportunity to review their new Ultraloq UL3 Smart Lock, I jumped at the chance. Rather than using your phone, the Ultraloq UL3 offers access through an electronic keypad and an integrated fingerprint reader. In this article, I test the features of this lock and put it to work on a real door.
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