Computer Hardware Reviews Daily Tech News

Palit just announced an SLI-ready GeForce 9500 GT series graphics cards that stands out from the crowd. The Palit GeForce 9500 GT is a dual slot graphics card that is passively cooled for complete silence. This is a big bonus for those building a HTPC or something where noise would be a concern. All together Palit has three GeForce 9500 GT video cards to pick from, so they have a card for whatever needs you have.

Designed by Palit’s own engineers, Palit GeForce 9500 GT graphics solutions are passively cooled for silent operation. In addition to ultra quiet operation, the Palit GeForce 9500 GT operates at a core frequency of 550MHz. There are three different board designs available including the Palit GeForce 9500 GT SUPER 512MB and SUPER+ 1GB with DDR2 at 800 MHz and the Palit GeForce 9500 GT with 256 MB of ultra fast GDDR3 at 1,600 MHz.

Walton Chaintech just announced the GeForce 9 series GSE9500GT DDR3 512MB graphics card, the officially appointed gaming graphics card for the famous game C.S. On-Line in Taiwan. CHAINTECH GSE9500GT is the mainstream graphics card not only geared by the latest NVIDIA GeForce series core G96 technology but with an easier price tag, providing consumers a two-times more exciting visual experience than its prior version.

Performing exceptional visual computing ability, GSE9500GT is with 550MHz core memory clock and GDDR3 memory clock of 1600 MHZ, CHAINTECH GSE9500GT owns 32 Stream Processing Units with 512MB GDDR3 Memory, exhibits the high processing power and extreme bandwidth via PCI Express 2.0. The overall presentation of CHAINTECH GSE9500GT is indeed beyond just mainstream but with more hard-core level of graphics performance.

Elitegroup Computer Systems (ECS) has revealed the latest GeForce 9800 GTX+ Hydra Pack to meet the requirement from performance-hungry gamers. With two N9800GTX+-512MX-W graphics cards, ECS Hydra Cooling System, and plenty of accessories bundled in a package, unprecedented gaming performance is now available via the power of multi-GPUs.

Delivering better cooling efficiency up to 18.7%, ECS Hydra Cooling System proves that a graphics card with amazing performance doesn’t always come with annoying heat, not to mention the bothering noise generated by the fan especially while using dual graphics cards for better graphics performance. Working closely with Thermaltake, the most famous brand in thermal solution, ECS GeForece 9800 GTX+ Hydra Pack adopts Thermaltake’s BigWater 760i liquid cooling system to providing a stable and quiet gaming environment for gamers. Heat and noise can be left behind from now on.

Walton Chaintech Corporation announced this morning the APOGEE GT Blazer DDR3 1800 4GB Low Voltage memory kit. Supporting EPP 2.0 as well, APOGEE GT Blazer DDR3 1800 4GB kit attains the lowest voltage of 1.8V compared with other memory modules of similar speed in current market place for more power saving operation, and longer product life. The patent-pending Cool It Smart heatsink design is interesting to say the least as it connects each module to a heat sink that sits above them.

What makes this memory module a true DDR3 masterpiece? It performs not only high data rate but also is of low voltage as 1.8v to achieve a beautiful balance between higher system performance and reliability. Dual modules packaged in 4GB kit, APOGEE GT DDR3 1800 of CL latency of 8-8-8-24 can be easily utilized for increasing the operation efficiency for power users. APOGEE GT Blazer DDR3 1800 4GB kit has earned a performance over 28.8GB/sec on the EVEREST Memory bandwidth read and write test, providing the excellent level professional memory product quality. In addition, in accordance to the high speed of 1800MHz, the cooling performance is particularly enhanced by its famous bridge-alike, patent-pending Cool It Smart heatsink design.

Corsair just announced the immediate availability of a new DOMINATOR DDR3 memory kit running at 2133MHz. The launch of this memory kit, the TW3X2G2133C9DF, makes it the world’s fastest DDR3 memory solution in production volume. The new DOMINATOR TW3X2G2133C9DF kit is now available in stock for $575 at select Corsair retailers.

The TW3X2G2133C9DF DOMINATOR modules represent the very best of Corsair’s cutting edge technology in DDR3 overclocking and gaming memory. Ultra fast, selected DRAM chips are housed in Corsair’s proprietary Dual-Path Heat Xchange Cooling Technology (DHX) -used in Dell, HP and Alienware gaming systems- for striking speed and performance. The new DOMINATOR TW3X2G2133C9DF memory kit unleashes the high performance potential of NVIDIA 790i-based platforms.

Western Digital Announces 2.5-inch WD VelociRaptor Hard Drive for Enterprise Users

Western Digital announced today the WD VelociRaptor 10,000 RPM enterprise SATA hard drives in an enterprise-class 2.5-inch form factor for blade servers and 1U and 2U rack servers. The newest WD VelociRaptor hard drive is built for business-critical applications with enterprise-class mechanics and packs up to 300 GB of capacity into the enterprise small form factor bays, while consuming 35 percent less power than the previous-generation WD Raptor drive. I reviewed the VelociRaptor back in April and found it to be a great drive, so be sure to check out if you haven't already.

“WD is bringing to enterprise customers what PC enthusiasts already appreciate about the WD VelociRaptor: a combination of high performance and high capacity for hard drive storage,” said John Rydning, IDC's research director for hard disk drives. “WD's new WD VelociRaptor, designed specifically for the enterprise in an energy efficient 2.5-inch form factor, gives system OEMs and end users a new storage option to consider to meet growing storage requirements.”

Lancool must be launching a dozen new cases as it seems I get a press release from them at least twice a week. This time around they have announced the K12 Midi-Tower Chassis. We asked Lancool when these would be available and they informed us that they would start shipping them from Taiwan at the end of July. When it comes to pricing the MSRP is $160, so start saving now if you want one in the coming weeks.

This is a Midi-Tower case with 9x 5.25” bays giving you plenty of options and tonnes of room. The strength of the Lancool series lies not only in the structure, but also in the features, which include support for the modular patented anti-vibration HDD cage, supporting 3x HDD’s. Each HDD is mounted with a special thumbscrew and rubber grommet to ensure that HDD’s are secure and vibration free. The modular cage can be secured as you see fit within the roomy interior of the case. It has a120mm fan mounted into the bracket, making sure that the HDD’s are cooled and that air flow is optimal according to your needs. Incorporating outstanding quality and craftsmanship; the Lancool series have a steel inner-core, making them stronger than all-aluminum chassis, but also considerably cheaper.

Super Talent Technology recently announced that the company has dramatically improved the write speeds of its MasterDrive DX, MasterDrive KX and MasterDrive MX solid state drives (SSDs) thanks to a minor firmware update. These three series of SSDs already boast exceptionally fast read speeds of up to 120 MB/sec. But, fast write speeds are important in applications such as video editing and encoding, image processing, compressing and extracting files, installing applications and copying files to the drive. These newly revised SSDs categorically outpace the fastest hard drives in the world.

“Our expert engineering team is constantly discovering new ways to improve our products, and this is one improvement that will be well received by power laptop users”, commented Super Talent Director of Marketing, Joe James. “We continue our relentless drive to add performance, features and value to our SSDs while driving the price down”, Mr. James added.

A long time friend in the industry tipped me off about Danamics long ago and sent me the company logo before the site was even online. Fast forward a few months and they have announced the LM10, which is said to be the the first liquid metal-based cooler to hit the market. Danamics claims that it will do a better job at keeping your CPU cool than most water-based cooling systems that come in a kit. That's apparently possible thanks to a combination of liquid metal (the exact specifics of which seem to be under wraps) and the 'multi-string' electromagnetic pump that keeps things flowing.

Danamics ApS is a leading manufacturer of liquid metal based cooling solutions. The company was founded in 2005 and our headquarters are placed in Nørresundby, Denmark. The technology is described in parts containing information about the unique electromagnetic pump with its patent pending multi-string design and the liquid metal with its superior thermo physical characteristics.

AMD today reported second quarter 2008 revenue from continuing operations of $1.349 billion, a seven percent decrease compared to the first quarter of 2008 and a three percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2007. As part of its previously communicated review of its non-core businesses, AMD decided to divest its Handheld and DTV product businesses, and therefore is classifying them as discontinued operations for financial reporting.

In the second quarter of 2008, AMD reported a net loss of $1.189 billion, or $1.96 per share. For continuing operations, the second quarter loss was $269 million, or $0.44 per share, and the operating loss was $143 million. The results for continuing operations include a net favorable impact of $97 million, or $0.16 per share as described in the table below. Loss from discontinued operations was $920 million, or $1.52 a share, including asset impairment charges of $876 million, or $1.44 a share.

Kingston Technology today announced the addition of 8GB microSD High-Capacity (SDHC) Flash memory cards to its mobile memory storage line. Shipping immediately, the new 8GB microSDHC cards offer greater storage options to the latest mobile phones and digital devices in the smallest footprint available. The new microSDHC 8GB card, Kingston part number #: (SDC4/8GB) has a suggested price of $58.00 in the United States.

The microSDHC format is emerging as the predominant mobile memory standard as more handset manufacturers, including HTC, LG, Motorola, Nokia, RIM, and Samsung, embrace it with compatible mobile phones. Recent models tested with the new Kingston 8GB microSDHC card include the BlackBerry Pearl 8120; the LG evV2 (VX9100) and Voyager (VX10000); as well as the Samsung BlackJack II (i617) and Glyde (U940).

The Toshiba Qosmio x305 Gaming Notebook Pictured

Toshiba has some great looking notebooks in the Qosmio series, both in terms of the internal hardware and the overall look of the notebook. The Toshiba Qosmio x305 notebook will be released in mid-July and is already making ripples in the industry ever since it was announced and posted on the Toshiba website. The graphics on the Qismio x305 will be powered by the yet to be announced NVIDIAGeForce 9800M GTX graphics card, which has 1GB of video memory. For those that still want to game, but save some hard earned dollars we overheard that consumers can customize the notebook with the less expensive GeForce 9700M GT graphics card rather than the GeForce 9800M GTX. NVIDIA hasn't said much about this un-released graphics card, but they did have the Toshiba Qosmio x305 notebook on display at a Microsoft Corporation event this week called the Games for Windows Presents: The Big Picture.

The Toshiba Qosmio x305 notebook was spotted doing what it does best, playing games on the Windows operating system. What else would you expect from a Microsoft event? Notice the four sweet looking Harman Kardon stereo speakers located at each corner around the keyboard. The features of the notebook are impressive as you can see from the list below.

• 3GHz Intel Core 2 Extreme dual-core Processor
• NVIDIA Geforce 9800M GTX graphics with 1GB RAM
• Up to 4GB DDR3 RAM (This is a Montevina platform)
• Dual 200GB 7200rpm hard drives
• 17in 1680x1050 resolution (WSXGA+)
• HDMI and S/PDIF outputs
• 4.1-channel Harmon Kardon speakers

The red flame finish on the Qosmio x305 is slick looking to say the least as you can see for yourself in the picture above. Toshiba hopes that gamers will flock to the notebook as it is based on a newer platform than competitors like Dell with the M1730 gaming notebook. With new features like DDR3 memory and the latest and greatest chipsets, video cards and processors they just might pull it off!

Here we have a picture of NVIDIA's notebook master Rick Allen (PR Manager, Notebooks and Multimedia) showing off his skills on the unreleased PC game Devil May Cry 4 by Capcom (Check out the PC Demo here). Devil May Cry 4 will have both DirectX 9 and DirectX 10 modes, and will also be compliant with the Games For Windows program. NVIDIA had the game running in DirectX 10 mode on the Qosmio x305 at the event.

To conclude this exclusive look at the Toshiba Qosimo x305 notebook we give you Cyntiha (NVIDIA PR Coordinator) and the Toshiba Qosimo x305. Now that is what we call a sexy looking notebook! It looks like Toshiba will be the talk of gamers this summer with the Qosimo x305 sure to turn some heads! The combination of Intel Core 2 Extreme processors along with NVIDIA GeForce 9800M GTX graphics is sure to create some buzz. The Toshiba Qosimo x305 is set for release on July 14th, 2008 with prices starting at around $3500 USD.

OCZ Technology just announced the expansion of its gaming peripherals under a new “Alchemy” line, with the introduction of the Elixir keyboard series for highly advanced functionality in game-play. Featuring a wealth of user-friendly features combined with an ergonomic and sturdy design, the Elixir keyboard will deliver a unique combination of performance and vale to gamers as they blaze through the latest PC titles. The Elixir keyboards feature a MSRP of $29.99. While we are on the subject of OCZ, we would like to note that one of our sources gave us wrong information this week and that OCZ has not laid off people in sales and marketing. OCZ said that they have actually hired people in sales and marketing recently. Our apologies to OCZ for not verifying the rumor before commenting on it. We have since removed our comments from the news post in question.

“The new Alchemy line from OCZ is designed to offer gamers quality gaming solutions that deliver both exceptional performance and value,” said Eugene Chang, Product Manager of the OCZ Technology Group. “Just because gamers have a budget doesn’t mean they shouldn’t enjoy premium gaming features, and our first Alchemy solution the Elixir gaming keyboard is designed with quality ergonomics and offers efficient game-play with programmable macro keys.”

This morning Lian Li announced the PC- K1 and PC-K1 Pro computer cases under the Lancool brand. Both of these Lancool series cases have a steel inner-core, making them 40% stronger than all-aluminum chassis, but also considerably cheaper, and while the frame is heavy(7.2kg), it is not so heavy as a standard metal chassis. The design looks pretty sweet and hte case is aimes at the DIY gamer.

There are many unique touches that make Lancool products stand out as an executive upper-class chassis. Those features include an all aluminum chassis exterior, giving the case the traditional hair-line brushed finish with black anodizing, while the internals have finely honed edges to keep up high safety standards. The PC-K1 Pro has an all white interior finish, ideal for reflecting light with LED’s. There is one 14cm Blue LED fan in the front, and one 12cm Blue LED fan at the rear of the chassis maintaining the high quality but incorporating a colorful option for the gaming enthusiast.

Seagate today unveiled the industry’s first 1.5-terabyte desktop and half-terabyte notebook hard drives to meet explosive worldwide demand for digital-content storage in home and business environments. The debut of the Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB hard drive, the eleventh generation of Seagate’s flagship drive for desktop PCs, marks the single largest capacity hard drive jump in the more than half-century history of hard drives – a half-terabyte increase from the previous highest capacity of 1TB, thanks to the capacity-boosting power of perpendicular magnetic recording (PMR) technology. Shipments of the Barracuda 7200.11 1.5TB are set to begin August 2008. Momentus 5400.6 and 7200.4 hard drives are to begin shipping in Q4 calendar 2008, so don't expect to order one next week.

Momentus 5400.6 and Momentus 7200.4 hard drives are the fourth generation of Seagate’s laptop family to use PMR. The Momentus 5400.6, a 5400-rpm drive, combines a powerful Serial ATA 3Gb/second interface and capacities ranging from 120GB to 500GB with an 8MB cache. The Momentus 7200.4 hard drive, with its 7200-rpm spin speed and a Serial ATA 3GB/second interface, delivers true desktop performance. The power-efficient 7200-rpm drive maximizes battery life and comes in capacities ranging from 250GB to 500GB with a 16MB cache.

Kingston Technology just announced that they are shipping HyperX 800MHz low-latency DDR2 SO-DIMM notebook memory kits in 2- and 4GB capacities. The latest offering provides mobile computer users an even greater performance and flexibility option as the SO-DIMMs are pre-programmed with three serial presence detect (SPD) profiles, allowing the memory to work in 800MHz-CL5, 667MHZ-CL4 and 533MHz-CL3 low-latency configurations.

The Kingston 3GB Kit HyperX 667MHz (Part Number KHX5300S2LLK2/3G) has memory timings of 4-4-4-12 at 1.8V and has an MSRP of just $102.50. The Kingston 3GB Kit HyperX 800MHz Low Latency (Part Number KHX6400S2LLK2/3G) has memory timings of 5-5-5-18 at 1.8V and has an MSRP of just $106.25.

Albatron Technology recently unveiled three new "PCI" graphics cards at Computex 2008. The PCI8600GT-256X, the PCI8500GT-256X and the PCI8400GS-256 are all brand new graphics cards that retrofit recent GeForce 8 Series graphics onto older PCI technology. These cards all offer a significant graphics boost along with dual monitor capabilities for an entire generation of integrated-graphics, PCI-only mainboards.

It's a little known fact that there have been millions of Mainboards mass produced in the last 7 years with AGP and PCI Express slots left off in favor of integrated graphics only. Although these mainboards have the traditional PCI-slots, they have been deprived of a chance to upgrade to the latest graphics technology which is almost exclusively for PCI Express these days. The best alternative to experience the latest graphics was for a complete systems overhaul - that is, until now. Albatron has answered the call with its PCI based VGA cards featuring recent NVIDIA GeForce 8 Series graphics technology. These cards allow these mainboards a chance to make a significant jump from integrated graphics without investing time and money in a whole new system.

ASUS today introduces the new generation of Eee PC. The new models include revolutionary features that are designed to enhance efficiency and connectivity. With up to 7.8 hours of battery life, Eee PC users can enjoy portability while work, learn and play on-the-go. The all new Eee PC 901 and 1000 are equipped with built-in SSD (Solid State Drive) while the 1000 H adopts a 3.5” Hard Disk Drive (HDD).

This new generation of Eee PCs features built-in Bluetooth and WiFi 802.11n. Data transfer over the 802.11n wireless protocol is up to 4.5 times faster than traditional 802.11a or g standards. The ASUS Exclusive Super Hybrid Engine enables battery life on the Eee PC 901 and 1000 of up to 7.8 hours. The new Eee PC 901 and 1000 also mark the first entry of the Intel Atom processor in NetBooks – Intel’s smallest processor built with the world’s smallest transistors.

OCZ Technology Group today announced the all-new DDR3 SODIMM modules as its next generation notebook memory to support the impending Intel Centrino 2 mobile platform. These latest memory offerings for notebooks help reduce power consumption and increase speed and bandwidth, resulting in a higher performing laptop. As next-generation laptops are introduced in the upcoming weeks, OCZ is prepared to deliver high-performance DDR3 for these advanced gaming and professional systems.

OCZ PC3-8500 SODIMM modules feature latencies of 8-8-8-27, and PC3-10666 SODIMM modules will feature 9-9-9-24 timings at a low 1.5 volts to keep power consumption at minimum levels. Both speed series will be available in 2GB modules and 4GB (2x2048MB) dual channel kits for maximized productivity with the latest games, applications, and operating systems. OCZ DDR3 SODIMMs are built to provide optimal compatibility using the highest quality components by using sophisticated screening and hand-testing to deliver exceptional system performance.

Although VIA Technologies and Nvidia entered into an alliance to cooperate in the low-cost PC and MID markets earlier in the year, according to recent reports, Nvidia has used the alliance as a bargaining chip to negotiate with Intel, demanding Intel allow Nvidia's IGP chipsets to enter the Atom platform ecosystem, according to sources at PC makers. If these rumors are true it would be a shame as the VIA Nano processor looks like it is a winner. I personally went down to Austin to see them being made and they are the real deal and it would be great to see NVIDIA support them with chipsets.

Nvidia's MCP73 IGP chipset only supports single-channel memory and offers relatively low performance compared to current chipsets from both Nvidia and Intel making it a good fit for the Atom platform. If Intel agrees to let Nvidia's chipset support the Atom platform, Nvidia will then terminate its alliance with VIA. This could impact Taiwan-based chipset makers VIA and Silicon Integrated System (SiS).

The Gigabyte Netbook-M912V is being marketed as the ultimate choice for the next generation of handheld PCs. With a revolutionary compact design, it is space-saving and convenient to be carried around. Equipped with 8.9”, 1280x768 LCD panel and weighing only at 1.3kg, M912V has a sophisticated and fashionable appearance. The key feature of M912V is that the touch screen display can be rotated 180° to transform into a Tablet PC, offering a whole new inspiring experience.

The Latchless design, along with the partially hollow mouse pad and palm rest, allows easy opening/closing and swiveling. The touch pad arrangement and handheld design further make it easier and more convenient to use. M912 also addresses consumer needs physically (compact size), mentally (excellent multi-media capability and friendly interface), and stylishly (elegant outlooks)

Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the PC-A77 full tower case incorporating outstanding quality with a clean simple style. Standing at 220mm x 595mm x 590mm (W,H,D), with every part of the front cover decked out in 5.25” bays. In total this case has an impressive twelve 5.25” bays which can support all your needs. The PC-A77 also includes a blue lit LED fan speed monitor that surveys the temperature zones and determines the best speed for your fans, keeping your rig cool and well ventilated. Pretty interesting feature list!

The PSU bay is at the bottom, and has a specialized grill to allow cool air to enter your PSU components directly from below, keeping them cooler for longer and in peak condition. Traditional cases always pump in hot air over the PSU, which lowers the life expectancy considerably. In addition, rubber strips give both insulation as well as prevent annoying vibration. The PC-A77 has water pipe access holes, should you wish to use them. The structure is very customizable, and almost any aspect can be removed, and upgraded, including the top cover, which removes very easily. The HDD cages are also easy to use and tool-less. The HDD’s will fit snugly with rubber housings on thumbscrews used to mount the HDD’s. This is to prevent movement and vibration from spreading throughout the chassis.

OCZ Technology today unveiled the OCZ Core Series SATA II 2.5" Solid State Drives (SSDs). The OCZ Core Series delivers the performance and reliability of the latest SSDs at a 50% less price per gigabyte than other high speed offerings currently on the market. For the first time, OCZ is putting SSD technology within reach of the average consumer. MSRPs at time of launch are USD $169, $259 and $479 for 32GB, 64GB and 128GB models respectively.

OCZ Core Series Solid State Drives enable enhanced productivity in everyday computing and intensive multi-tasking applications. Perfect for notebooks, the Core Series is ideal for energy-efficient mobile computing to extend battery life, increase access time, and provide a durable alternative to conventional hard disc drives with superior shock resistance. High capacities and low power consuming NAND flash technology provide the necessary performance and battery life boosts generated by the proliferation of mobile gaming and new ultra-thin laptops. With fast access and seek times combined with excellent reliability, the OCZ Core Series SSDs are the answer for consumers demanding this latest storage technology.

Antec today announced the Signature Series, its newest and most advanced family of power supply units. Available in 850 Watts and 650 Watts, the Signature Series features several cutting-edge innovations that set it above the competition, several of which have never been offered in a consumer power supply. The Signature 650 and Signature 850 are available now and will retail for estimated street prices of $249.00 and $299.00, respectively.

The Signature Series utilizes active DC-to-DC voltage regulation as opposed to the standard passive magnetic amplifier method, providing for shorter transient response times and greater system stability. The Signature Series' transient response times can be as low as 10 microseconds, in contrast to the standard power supply transient times of 1000 microseconds (1 millisecond). In addition, the Signature Series boasts an advanced cooling system with a Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) fan. By adapting its speed to the power output of the unit, a PWM controlled fan can run at speeds as low as 15% of its maximum, as opposed to a traditional fan which can only run at about 40%, thus ensuring the quietest possible operation.

Lian-Li Industrial Co. Ltd has launched the Tyr X500 chassis designed as a stylish midi-tower HTPC/Gaming chassis. Combining the usual toned down profile of HTPC cases with the arresting larger profile of traditional Lian Li chassis; the Tyr X500 stands out in style. Similar to the X2000 Chassis, there is no hiding of this case as it proudly resembles multimedia speakers, and boldly displays your tasteful style.

Lian Li is well known for craftsmanship and quality, and the Tyr X500 is no exception. The stylish and unique side panels accept 2x 5.25” Optical Device Drives and one 3.5” drive, which are accessible from either the left or right side, while the front face is for ergonomics with a stylish diamond cut and airflow from side intake vents. Showcasing the new style, with an all black anodized interior, an easily removable front panel which covers 2x 120mm silent intake fans, protected by the removable and washable nylon dust cover and 2x 120mm exhaust fans, one for each heat zone. The top mounted multimedia ports include 4x USB 2.0 ports, 1x Firewire (IEEE1394), 1x E-SATA, and HD AC97 Audio ports. The patented tool-less latch allows easy access to the compartmented heat zones inside with enough room to support 300mm long VGA cards, plus 4x HDD’s. Other traditional Lian Li innovations have been improved upon such as the removable motherboard tray with holes for better CPU cooling and added anti-vibration couplings, as well as the specially filed and brushed finish to reduce sharp edges giving the case both style, and an aspect of safety.

AMD today expanded The Ultimate Visual Experience for North America with the ATI All-In-Wonder HD, combining award-winning ATI Radeon Premium graphics and ATI TV Wonder HD tuner technology card in one PCI Express 2.0 solution. As the newest multimedia powerhouse to join the long line of All-In-Wonder offerings, ATI All-in-Wonder HD transforms the PC into a highly immersive digital video recorder for HDTV and analog TV, plus expands the realm of exceptional gaming with cinematic HD graphics for mainstream PCs. The ATI All-In-Wonder HD has a manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP) of $199.

ATI All-in-Wonder HD prepares you for brilliant TV, sharp images and smooth playback on a wide variety of HDTVs and displays. With support for Microsoft DirectX 10.1, gamers can play the top HD games with life-like 3D graphics, stunning realism, and great shading effects. Full support for PCI Express 2.0 technology allows for twice the throughput of current PCI Express 1.0 cards, which means gamers will be ready for demanding graphic applications. ATI All-in-Wonder HD further expands TV viewing capabilities with support for Windows Media Center bundled with Windows Vista Home Premium and Windows Vista Ultimate editions, as well as Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005. The ATI All-in-Wonder HD complements media-rich AMD LIVE! PCs.

Palit just announced the Palit Radeon HD 4870 graphics card. Armed with AMD’s fastest and most advanced unified architecture to date, the Palit RadeonTM HD 4870 delivers an unbelievably immersive gaming experience without the high performance price tag. The Palit RadeonTM HD 4870 offers the best performance per dollar in the world! Be sure to check out our review on the HIS Radeon HD 4870 graphics card

The Palit Radeon HD 4870 graphics card is equipped with 800 stream processors running 750 MHz and 512 MB of GDDR5 memory operating at 3.6 GHz on a 256-bit bus delivering unprecedented 115.2 GB/s of bandwidth. The Palit RadeonTM HD 4870 offers 1.2 TeraFLOP of compute power for 160 Watts of power. More compute power equates to more realism in games, faster transcoding of media files and amazing video playback of Blu-ray and HD DVD movies.