Computer Hardware Reviews Daily Tech News

Transcend today announced the addition of 64GB models to its Ultra Speed series USB flash drives. Transcend says their Ultra Speed series Flash drives us dual-channel technology and have read speeds of up to 32MB/s and write speeds of up to 18 MB/s. The outstanding performance dramatically shortens the transfer time, making it ideal for transferring large amounts of data such as music, digital photos and even Full HD videos. Both the sleek black JetFlash 600 and the gloss white JetFlash 620 are now offered in 4GB, 8GB, 16GB, 32GB and 64GB capacities, and carry Transcend’s Limited Lifetime Warranty.

It is hard to imagine how many files and data one can operate in this age of information explosion. Transcend’s Ultra Speed USB flash drives now come in an enormous 64 GB of storage capacity, enabling users to store over 16,000 high-quality pictures or songs, 640 minutes of Full HD videos, or seemingly limitless amount of documents—all in a tiny thumb-sized storage device.

AMD has just released Catalyst 10.11 video card drivers to the public for download. This release of AMD Catalyst brings performance improvements in two game title along with numerous resolved issues and new features for all Windows operating systems. If you want the latest driver be sure to download it from here! The full AMD Catalyst Software Suite Version 10.11 Release Notes can be found here if you want to read them.

Performance Highlights of the AMD Catalyst 10.11 release include:

• Battleforge - Performance increases up to 3% on ATI Radeon HD 5800 Series single and CrossFire configurations with anti-aliasing disabled.
• STALKER – Call of Pripyat benchmark - Performance increases up to 5% on ATI Radeon™ HD 5800 Series single and CrossFire configurations.

Resolved issue highlights:

• Enabling Overdrive through the Catalyst™ Control Center for single display systems no longer results in GPU clocks running at high levels in non-GPU intensive scenarios
• Mouse cursor no longer flickers and disappears in World of Warcraft when hardware cursor is enabled when playing in Stereo 3D mode
• Primary display no longer blanks out when playing World in Conflict Soviet Assault DX10 with Dual Monitor enabled in CrossFire mode
• CrossFire no longer becomes disabled in Battlefield Bad Company 2 after performing a task switch
• The "Contrast" value for the display is no longer set to zero after CrossFire is disabled for the first time
• Alien blood is now rendered properly in Aliens vs Predator with Anti-Aliasing enabled

We just caught wind that GM is now talking about processing power on their new cars! GM stated in a press released that the 2011 Buick Regal’s Ecotec 2.0L engine microcontroller is the fastest in the industry. The company said that the 32-bit chip can do 125 million operations per second and that it features three megabytes of integrated flash memory. For the Regal driver, this means more precise fuel delivery for the best-possible fuel economy, emissions and performance. GM even said that their microcontroller has some similarities with the central processor unit (CPU) in a home computer but is optimized specially for engine control. We aren't sure about overclocking, but down the road we are sure that you'll be able to do more with these Engine Control Modules (ECM) that each and every modern car contains.

“The ECM’s microcontroller executes the commands such as when to inject fuel into the engine’s combustion chambers,” said Karla Wallace, GM senior manager, global powertrain electronics engineering. “The software executed by the microcontroller comes from almost a million lines of code developed by GM and uses over 300 kilobytes of calibration data.”

Antec today announced the formation of soundscience, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Antec, and introduces the all new soundscience rockus 3D | 2.1 speaker system. The soundscience rockus 3D |2.1 speaker system is designed to create a personal theater experience, bringing the power and realism of 3D sound together with the clarity and accuracy of high-fidelity audio, making it an ideal solution for experiencing game and movie sound in 3D. The soundscience rockus 3D |2.1 speaker system is backed by Antec’s Quality 2-Year (AQ2) Limited Warranty on parts and labor, and is available now for an estimated price of $249.99.

Key Features:

• Anodized aluminum satellites that reduce vibration and minimize distortion, resulting in clear mid and sparkling high-range sound
• Active subwoofer with passive radiator technology, delivering an expansive range of bass comparable to larger footprint subwoofers
• 3D-tuned drivers to deliver audio optimized for soundscience’s 3Dsst technology
• Dual-mode operation: 3D mode for enveloping games and movies, and music mode for faithful stereo music playback
• Optical input for playback of digital audio from game consoles (Xbox 360, PS3,) and other, similarly equipped devices
• Remote control pod for volume adjustment, 3D/music mode selection, muting and digital/analog input selection

PNY Technologies recently announced the availability of DDR3 8GB Memory Kits and 4GB Memory Modules in both 1333MHz desktop and 1066MHz notebook configurations. PNY’s highest capacity memory kit, the 8GB (2 x 4GB) dual channel DDR3 memory kit and the 4GB DDR3 memory module are both available in a desktop option at 1333MHz and a notebook option at 1066MHz operating speeds. The DDR3 8GB kits and 4GB modules are available now for purchase at PNY.com. The 8GB kit is priced at $129.99, but for some reason the landing page for this specific product doesn't mention the timings it comes with.

“DDR3 has become the sought after memory for consumers and we’re excited to add these new options to our product line,” said Nicholas Mauro, senior marketing manager, PC components for PNY. “The 8GB kit is now the highest capacity memory in our line-up and also the ideal upgrade for Windows 7 and Mac users, so we’re able to reach a broad range of consumers seeking to upgrade their desktop or notebook, whether for mainstream gaming, photo/video editing, media PC, or everyday use.”

Antec today announced its newest premium line of consumer power supplies, the High Current Pro series. Available in four 80 PLUS Gold certified models, the HCP-750, HCP-850, HCP-1000 and HCP-1200 with 750 watts, 850 watts, 1000 watts and 1200 watts of Continuous Power.

All four of these new PSUs achieve the 80 PLUS Gold certification level, delivering power with up to 92% efficiency. The entire High Current Pro series will be available through major retailers, e-tailers and distributors later this month.

The High Current Pro series’ high levels of power are delivered with overcurrent-protected +12V rails. There are four rails on the HCP-750, HCP-850 and HCP-1000, and a massive eight rails on the HCP-1200, all with specialized High Current outputs and heavy-gauge 16 AWG high-current lines at the CPU connector. The HCP-750, HCP-850 and HCP-1000 models feature unique 10-pin High Current Hybrid Cable Management connectors (while the HCP-1200 utilizes an 8-pin design,) reducing cable clutter and improving airflow throughout the chassis. All models are fitted with a double-layer printed circuit board design, and the HCP-750, HCP-850 and HCP-1000 models feature a 135 mm Pulse Width Modulation (PWM) double-ball bearing fan – for operation up to 50 percent quieter than traditional voltage-controlled fans.

ZOTAC today reinvigorates the DVD-format with the new ZBOX DVD series mini-PCs. The new ZOTAC ZBOX DVD series packs energy-efficiency, hardware high-definition streaming acceleration and advanced video processing capabilities into a slim chassis to create the perfect home theater PC for DVD aficionados. The PC is powered by a Next-Generation NVIDIA ION graphics processor and a dual-core Intel Atom D525 processor.

ZOTAC ZBOX DVD series General Features

• Intel Atom D525 processor (1.8 GHz, dual-core)
• Next-Generation NVIDIA ION GPU (16 unified shaders, 512MB DDR3)
• HDMI, DVI and VGA (with included adapter) outputs
• SuperSpeed USB 3.0 & Onboard 802.11n WiFi
• 250GB 5400RPM HDD & 1GB DDR2-800

“Whether it’s DVD playback capabilities, connectivity to the latest and greatest or older displays, internal and external expansion capabilities, or wired and wireless network support, the ZOTAC ZBOX DVD series is a flexible mini-PC that will accommodate your home theater PC demands,” Mr. Berger added. Two models are available in the ZOTAC ZBOX DVD series – the ID31 and ID31 Plus -- the ZOTAC ZBOX DVD ID31 is a customizable mini-PC that requires user-installed memory and hard drive while the ZBOX DVD ID31 Plus includes a 250GB hard drive and 1GB of DDR2 memory.

GIGABYTE has announced the arrival of their black GM-M7800S Elegant Vogue Wireless Mouse. First announced in June 2009, the black’s predecessor GM-M7800S Brown has surprised the world with its elegant and luxurious design. Made with CRYSTALLIZED - Swarovski elements and exquisite black leather, the long-awaited GM-M7800S Black is ready to tickle your fashion sense again.

Gigabyte GM-M7800S Elegant Vogue Wireless Mouse Features:

• Made with CRYSTALLIZED - Swarovski Elements
• Made of exquisite leather
• Ultra-precise laser engine
• Reliable 2.4GHz wireless connection
• Portable nano transceiver
• 800/1600 DPI switch
• 4-way scrolling
• Browser back & forward button

Just in time for the holiday buying season, Intel Corporation has lowered prices and introduced a new model of its award-winning Intel Solid-State Drive (SSD) product line. SSDs can replace hard disk drives in a PC and provide a substantial performance boost for a notebook or desktop PC, making SSDs one of the hottest new waves in personal computing. Users can double the storage capacity with a 160GB X25-M drive for $415. The company has also added a new 120GB version of the Intel X25-M for $249, which offers the best dollar-per-GB value in the Intel X25-M SSD line.

Intel SSDs can be purchased at Best Buy or Fry’s Electronics nationwide or online from Internet outlets such as Amazon.com or newegg.com. An entry-level 40GB Intel X25-V “boot drive,” at a suggested U.S. resell price of $99, is another option for desktop users that allows the operating system and favorite applications to be installed on the SSD for faster performance, while keeping the HDD for further storage.

Since Black Friday and Cyber Monday is right around the corner, Cyberpower wants to get things started early this year with an early holiday sale that features tons of great discounts and promos off their entire lineup of gaming PCs. From now through the Thanksgiving weekend, CyberPower will be offering tons of promotional discounts through MIR and instant savings on many awesome hardware such as Corsair’s Obsidian 700D chassis, CSX gaming case, and more.

CyberPower is bringing the latest platforms and technology featuring great brands you all know and love to all of its “Early Bird” holiday specials. Customers will find a system to please everyone on their gift list from AMD Athlon II systems starting at $439 to Intel Core i7-based systems, which offer uncompromising power, overclocking friendly CPUs, liquid cooling, and Direct X 11 graphics for $835. Every system ordered through the Thanksgiving weekend features special promos, rebates and discounts. All CyberPower gaming rigs can be easily customized with a number of hard drive and/or SSD, optical drive, memory, and other peripheral components options at the company website and still qualify for the special promos. All systems are also pre-loaded with Microsoft Windows 7 64-bit Operating System to enhance your gaming and multimedia experience.

We just happened to be looking around the video card section Newegg.com and noticed they have an EVGA GeForce GTS 450 1GB GDDR5 Video Card with a free game coupon for HAWX 2 and a Civilization V upgrade coupon for $124.99 with free shipping. They also have a 10% code (EMCZZYR24) and a $30 rebate going on right now. This means that the card can be had for a final price of $82.50. This is a heck of a deal as the H.A.W.X 2 PC game alone is $49.99. This card comes with what EVGA calls a Free Performance Boost (FPB) and is clocked at 822MHz on the core clocks. The NVIDIA reference design comes at 783MHz, so this is even a factory overclocked card!

The EVGA GTS 450 dominates the competition with more than 2x the DirectX 11 geometry processing power for unparalleled game realism in the hottest titles. Built on next-generation GeForce "Fermi" architecture, NVIDIA GeForce GTS 450 GPU is designed from the ground up for DirectX 11 tessellation, this lets you dial up the geometric realism with incredibly detailed characters, terrain and game environments.

MSI has launched a new notebook that aims to offer the perfect blend of beauty and performance. This new 15.6-inch beauty is known as the FX603 laptop. The MSI FX603 is sheathed in MSI's own anti-scratch, anti-smudge raised totem seal coating technology. The speakers boast a lustrous chrome trim setting off the chiclet keyboard, the raised multipoint touchpad, and the hotkey zone's brush metal finish. Enough already about the beauty and style! The FX603 comes with Intel's Core i5 processor, NVIDIA's GeForce GT 425M discrete graphics card (w/ 1GB GDDR3 VRAM), a 6-cell battery and SuperSpeed USB3.0 ports.

MSI Marketing Director Sam Chern adds that beneath the hood, the aesthetically pleasing FX603 notebook computer packs power in the form of Intel's Core i5 CPU. When it's processing high load applications, MSI’s TDE Turbo Drive technology let's you instantaneously throttle up CPU performance. Worth mentioning is the fact that the FX603 comes with nVidia's new generation GeForce GT 425M discrete graphics card which supports DirectX 11 and when the machine is executing load-heavy graphics applications, MSI's exclusive GPU Boost technology causes the discrete graphics card mode to automatically kick in for powerful graphics processing.

Corsair today announced three additions to its ultra high-speed Force Series SSDs. The additions to this product family include the F60, F120, and F240 Force Series SSDs, sporting densities of 60GB, 120GB, and 240GB respectively. The F60, F120, and F240 Force Series SSDs all support the maximum throughput specification of 285MB/s read and 275MB/s write. With no drop-off in performance when moving down to 60GB, the F60 is an ideal boot drive for a performance system, especially when combined with traditional spinning media for mass storage.

All Corsair Force Series SSDs are built using the Sandforce SF-1200 SSD Processors, which provide unparalleled write endurance, superior ECC data protection, and outstanding performance. Corsair engineers worked closely with Sandforce to implement and qualify firmware which guarantees the unusually fast 4K random write performance of 180 MB/s, measured using the ATTO benchmark. This elevated 4K write speed generates 15K IOPs, resulting in excellent system performance and responsiveness. All Force Series SSDs implement the ATA TRIM command, supported by Windows® 7, which helps to maintain optimal performance over the drive’s lifetime.

TUL Corporation today announced the most affordable GDDR5 graphics solution in the value segment: PCS+ HD5550. Embedded with the PCS+ series feature, the PCS+ HD5550 features an ultra quite 92mm cooling fan which is made of a low-noise impeller, leading to a cool and low-noise working environment measured under 30dB at load.

“This is the very first time we are bringing the PCS+ series to the value segment,” said Ted Chen, CEO of TUL Corporation. “With superior overclocking ability and advanced GDDR5 onboard memory, the PCS+ HD5550 creates out-of-the-box gaming performance. This will bring this value segment solution a new level.”

ASUS recently unveiled brand new additions to its Designo Series range—the MS248, MS238, MS228 and MS208 LED monitors. These eco-friendly, ultra-slim monitors feature 16.5mm profiles and 20" to 23.6" displays that deliver uncompromised performance and mind-blowing visuals. The cutting-edge MS Series LED monitors deliver a benchmark 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio for more lifelike images. Retaining the binary state-inspired concept that incorporates the numbers 1 and 0 into an ultra-slim design, these LED monitors come with a glittering sapphire blue rear bezel. They also retain the original's iconic Ergo-Fit Technology spherical ring stand that lets users adjust the monitor's tilt angle with just one finger. Each of these mercury-free LED monitors reduce energy consumption by up to 45%, and lowers annual CO₂ emissions by 23.6kg.

Users will be treated to true-to-life visuals thanks to the exclusive ASUS Smart Contrast Ratio (ASCR) Technology, which enables the Designo MS Series LED monitors to deliver an industry contrast ratio benchmark of 10,000,000:1. LED-backlit panels provide flicker-free images, minimizing eye fatigue even after prolonged use. Full HD (1920x1080) and HDMI compatibility allows for high definition video playback while a 2ms (GTG) response time delivers crisp and sharp video. ASUS Splendid Video Intelligence Technology optimizes color fidelity with five pre-set modes (gaming, theater, night view, scenery and standard), fulfilling users' visual needs with a touch of a button

Crucial has released a newly revised Crucial RealSSD C300 firmware update tool that is now available for download. The Crucial Performance Lab, in conjunction with the Micron Compatibility Lab, has performed extensive testing of the new update tool functionality, and they've confirmed it works properly across multiple platforms. I'm not sure why they didn't do this the first time around, but numerous companies have screwed up SSD firmware updates over the past couple years. You can download the new firmware update here.

Before implementing our revised C300 firmware update, please take the following items into consideration and under advisement:

• The upgrade requires a Low Level Format to the SSD which will erase any data on the drive. Please ensure that your data is backed up prior to performing the Firmware Update. We are hopeful that future Firmware revisions/updates will not be destructive.
• The upgrade needs to be implemented using a native 3.0Gb/s SATA port. It will not work in a 6.0Gb/s SATA port. However, once the upgrade is complete, the SSD will run as a 6.0Gb/s drive in a 6.0Gb/s port.
• The upgrade needs to be done directly in the motherboard, not via Host Bus Adapters (HBA). Again, once the upgrade has been completed, the C300 drive can be utilized in an HBA.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed today that it will pass on the opportunity to build their new sedan, the Model S, in Southern California. Rather, they have chosen to purchase the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California. Bigger news still is that they have also announced a new partnership with Toyota Motors in the collaboration of electric vehicles, parts, and production. Following this agreement, Toyota has purchased $50 million of Tesla’s common stock. Impressive.

In the short term, Tesla is purchasing the former NUMMI factory in Fremont, California in order to build the Model S sedan and other "future Tesla vehicles," which should employ around 1,000 workers now to produce around 20,000 cars per year. For those unaware, the NUMMI facility was recently vacated, leaving 4,500 Toyota employees holding pink slips and ginormous frowns; Tesla CEO Elon Musk did confirm, however, that some of those have already been rehired.

The guys over at NZXT have offered some great gaming hardware to giveaway to our community this month. This month we are giving away the NZXT Hades gaming PC case, NZXT Sentry 2 bay fan controller and a set of NZXR Premium Cables! These prizes have a retail value of nearly $200, so this is a great spring drawing to be having! NZXT has been a supporter of Legit Reviews for a long time and this is going to be a great drawing! The contest is to all forum members with shipping addresses in North America and our forum is free to join!

NZXT, a company built upon gamers dreams, hopes to create products that put consumers first. With the objective of designing unique products catered for hardware enthusiasts and gamers, NZXT has grown into a globally renowned brand recognized for dedication towards creating the next great gaming product. NZXT has won numerous awards from media and publications from across the globe with a product line spanning from gaming chassis, power, and gaming input devices. As a corporation formed by gamers, NZXT continues to expand into new horizons and push the limits further with each product unveiling.

OCZ Technology unveiled the Fatal1ty 750 Watt power supply, a new high-performance PSU targeted at gamers and enthusiasts that prefer modular cabling. The Fatal1ty 750W features a single +12V rail for maximum and efficient power distribution, a thermally controlled 135mm double-ball bearing fan for airflow at near-silent audible noise levels, and an array of connectors for multiple power-hungry drives and video cards. Offering excellent energy and cost-savings, the Fatal1ty 750W has an 80-Plus Bronze certification, converting up to a full 85% of AC to DC power at typical loads.

OCZ is dedicated to delivering premium power solutions, and the new 750W was co-developed with Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, twelve-time World champion, to meet the specific needs of fellow gamers. Featuring new “low-profile” flat modular cabling with efficiencies in airflow and control, the Fatal1ty 750W PSU not only provides stable, efficient power, but also unique, user-friendly connectors that promote greater flexibility and organization inside the PC case. Featuring glowing red LED lights to add style, Fatal1ty power supplies are an ideal upgrade for users who need a computer setup able to take on hours of non-stop gaming. Additionally, Fatal1ty 750W power supplies are designed to perform even at elevated temperatures of up to 45°C, nearly twice that of the industry standard.

The CX623, the 15.6” laptop with discrete graphics card has been recently added to MSI's Classic series lineup. Equipped with the latest Intel Core processor and the nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card (DDR3 1GB VRAM), the CX623 offers the best multimedia processing capabilities out there. What's more, the CX623 comes with MSI’s own color film print coating with cross-hatch design and MSI's chiclet keyboard, accentuating its minimalist, stylish exterior.

All new Intel Core processor: The CX623 comes equipped with Intel's latest Arrandale platform with advanced Intel Core processor and HM55 chipset with Intel Hyper-Threading technology (Intel Core i5 processor model) and integrates the graphics core into the processor for less power consumption than previous generations of processor platforms, giving it 15% more battery life. The vastly enhanced integrated graphics core performance gives the CX623 unparalleled multimedia and processing performance. nVidia GeForce 310M discrete graphics card (with DDR3 1GB VRAM): The CX623 comes with nVidia's latest GeForce 310M discrete graphics card with 1GB DDR3 of display memory. Graphics core performance is better than that of previous generations, offering a superior visual experience with enhanced display performance consisting of crisper picture and sharper colors.

We have screenshots for you today for the newly-announced Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Resurgence Pack. This will be the second pack of new multiplayer maps for Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2. We have posted up all five screen shots in the forums, but here is a quick look at the MW2 Resurgence Pack map called Vacant.

Featuring five maps, the Resurgence Pack follows on the heels of the record-setting Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 Stimulus Package. The second pack of multiplayer maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 will hit first on Xbox LIVE on June 3rd.

Sales of video game hardware and software plunged 26 percent in April, industry tracker NPD said on Thursday, one of the largest declines over the past decade. The research group said sales in the United States, the world's largest market, fell to $766.2 million.

Software sales dropped 22 percent, while hardware sales tumbled 37 percent. The overall decline was the fourth-largest since September 2000, NPD said. Ubisoft's "Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell: Conviction" was the best-selling game in April, with nearly 500,000 units sold.

NVIDIA reported revenue of $1.0 billion for the first quarter of fiscal 2011 ended May 2, 2010, up 2 percent from the prior quarter and up 51 percent from $664.2 million in the same period a year earlier. The outlook for the second quarter of fiscal 2011 is that revenue is expected to be down seasonally 3 to 5 percent from the first quarter.

"With our new Fermi-class GPUs in full production, NVIDIA's key profit drivers are fully engaged," said Jen-Hsun Huang, NVIDIA CEO and president. "We shipped a few hundred thousand Fermi processors into strong consumer demand. Our Quadro business for workstations grew strongly, fueled by pent up demand from enterprise customers and new growth markets like video editing. And we had record revenue from Tesla processors for high-end servers. We anticipate continued strength in these businesses over the coming quarters."

Almost everyone stood when the bride walked down the aisle in her white gown, but not the wedding conductor, because she was bolted to her chair. The nuptials at this ceremony were led by "I-Fairy," a 4-foot (1.5-meter) tall seated robot with flashing eyes and plastic pigtails. Sunday's wedding was the first time a marriage had been led by a robot, according to manufacturer Kokoro Co.

The wedding took place at a restaurant in Hibiya Park in central Tokyo, where the I-Fairy wore a wreath of flowers and directed a rooftop ceremony. Wires led out from beneath it to a black curtain a few feet (meters) away, where a man crouched and clicked commands into a computer. Japan has one of the most advanced robotics industries in the world, with the government actively supporting the field for future growth. Industrial models in factories are now standard, but recently Japanese companies are making a push to inject robots into everyday life.

The people over at Taoviet in Vietnam have gotten their hands on another iPhone prototype that is a little different from the one found in a bar several weeks ago in California. They have posted very detailed pics and a video. For those awaiting its imminent release, this is a tantalizing nugget as it seems to be featuring a similar processor to what is found in the iPad.

The kids at Taoviet have really outdone themselves. From the looks of these images, the Vietnamese site has nabbed an honest to goodness 4th generation iPhone -- a 16GB model to be exact. It's clearly pre-production judging by the XXX placeholders on the backside stamp and likely lacks any OS other than a "Bonfire" test routine. Nevertheless, it looks authentic enough that we expect Apple's henchmen to be busting down the guy's door before he pries it open to reveal Apple's chipset of choice.

GIGABYTE has unleashed their latest monster performance GA-X58A-UD9 motherboard, featuring a revolutionary new 24 phase Unlocked Power design, 4-way graphics support including NVIDIA SLI and ATI CrossFireX, as well as a host of unique GIGABYTE features such as 333 Onboard Acceleration and On/Off Charge. No word on pricing, but with the Gigabyte GX-X58A-UD7 having an MSRP of $349.99 we can only assume that this board will be listed even higher.

"GIGABYTE set out to completely redefine what is possible performance and feature-wise on the X58 platform, and the GA-X58A-UD9 truly delivers on both fronts," commented Tim Handley, Deputy Director of Motherboard Marketing at GIGABYTE Technology Co. Ltd. "Providing the industry's highest caliber CPU power delivery with our unique 24 phase Unlocked Power design and including all of the features which set GIGABYTE motherboards apart from the competition, the GIGABYTE GA-X58A-UD9 fits into a whole new first class category all its own."

Patriot Memory today announced the immediate availability of the Inferno series to its family of solid-state-drives (SSDs). Patriot’s Inferno series, available in 100GB and 200GB capacities, is designed around the highly acclaimed SF-1200 processor series. Paired with specially screened MLC NAND Flash the Inferno drives deliver class leading performance with sequential read and write speeds of 285MB/s and 275MB/s respectively. The Inferno family of SSDs provide incredible performance, reliability and a 5-year warranty. Each Inferno SSD ships with a 2.5” to 3.5” adapter simplifying installation into desktop PCs.

“The Inferno series of SSDs are the fastest and most exciting that Patriot has yet brought to market,” states Les Henry, Vice President of Engineering at Patriot. “We have been pleased to work with SandForce to bring these enterprise level SSDs to the mainstream market at a fraction of the costs. We are very impressed with the performance numbers based on the SandForce SSD Processor. This solution fits well with our objective of offering the latest technology and best performance in our product lineup.”

Corsair today announced that the Corsair Dominator GTX4 ultra-high-performance memory module has achieved a new world record for dual-channel memory frequency on AMD processors. Using an AMD Phenom II X6 Black Edition CPU, Corsair Hydro Series H50 CPU cooler, and a pair of Corsair Dominator GTX4 memory DIMMs with Airflow memory fan, Corsair Labs was able to achieve the world-record memory frequency of 2287.6MHz. Independent validation of this achievement can be found here.