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High-End Memory Prices - Week of May 12, 2008-May 13, 2008
System memory prices are really starting to level out, as the prevailing trend in DDR memory has now taken over DDR2 and is looking to hit DDR3 as well. The majority of listings stayed very consistent, and other than a few individual price changes, it would have been a very uneventful week. If you want the inside scoop on the high-end memory market, then don't miss our detailed price list and commentary, and see who is offering the best values. Weekly CPU Prices - Week of May 5, 2008-May 7, 2008
Overall CPU prices have gone back into a holding pattern, with both AMD and Intel products showing very nominal - if any - price drops. There is some very limited activity, but at least prices haven't been rising either. If you're looking for a new CPU or just want to see where the market is heading, be sure to check out the detailed price lists and commentary in our Weekly CPU Pricing Guide. April Video Card Price Guide-April 30, 2008
The April edition of our Video Card Price Guide demonstrates that no matter your budget, our monthly price list can always find the right deal. We break down the trends and prices from the entry-level, mainstream and enthusiast-level cards, and find the best overall values. If you're looking for a new video card, or just want to see where the market is heading, then be sure to check out the detailed price lists and commentary. April Hard Drive Price Guide-April 30, 2008
Welcome to the April edition of our SE Hard Drive Price Guide, which provides a monthly snapshot of the overall market. We break down the trends for both Parallel and Serial ATA desktop drives, and find the best overall values in each area. If you're looking for a new hard drive, or just want to see where the market is heading, then be sure to check out the detailed price lists and commentary. AMD Phenom X3 8750 Review-April 23, 2008
The multi-tiered Phenom lineup has had to wait a bit for the updated B3 core to make the rounds, but the new triple-core X3 is finally here. The 2.4 GHz Phenom X3 8750 is the flagship of the triple-core line, running at a full 2.4 GHz, but at a lower power envelope. Our review will determine how well a Phenom X3 handles our system and gaming benchmarks, and see how high it can overclock.
Platform Trends: DDR-3 Heads for the Mainstream-May 9, 2008
Long ago, Intel decided that desktop PCs should use RDRAM, and riots in the marketplace forced a reversal. Now the processor giant is spurring the move from today's DDR-2 to higher-bandwidth, more energy-efficient DDR-3 memory for desktops -- and, with the forthcoming Centrino 2 spec, notebooks as well. Vince Freeman looks at the pros, cons, price points, and performance issues surrounding the transition. Samsung SCX-4500 Multifunction Printer Review-May 6, 2008
It's one fancy desk accessory: Samsung's 6.5-inch-high black box looks more like a jet-black piece of home theater equipment or modern sculpture than the monochrome laser printer/scanner/copier it is. The $300 all-in-one's speed, quiet operation, and output quality are impressive, too -- but small-office operators will have to decide whether to make a few sacrifices for style. Platform Trends: AMD Hits a Triple with the Phenom X3-April 28, 2008
Market-wise, the gap between dual- and quad-core PC processors may not be big enough to drive a truck through. Or a subcompact. Or a shopping cart. But AMD is betting it's got room for a new family of triple-core CPUs. Will the Phenom X3's sales pitch of better multitasking for the price of a dual-core attract buyers? And what happens if tri-core demand exceeds AMD's supply of didn't-quite-pass-inspection quad-cores?
Why AMD Went the Multi-Chip Module Route-May 8, 2008
When Intel first introduced its quad-core Xeons, which consisted of two dual-core chips on one die, there was no shortage of ridicule from AMD, which was touting a pure quad core design for still-in-development Barcelona. With the announcement of the 12-core "Magny-Cours" processor due in 2010, AMD is adopting that same solution. XP Service Pack Rocky for Some, OK for Others-May 8, 2008
Days after Microsoft started public downloads of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), some users have experienced serious problems installing the update. In fact, at least one published report cites large numbers of problems and of users angry about it. Are Non-PC Devices Hurting 'Net Innovation?-May 8, 2008
The rise of gadgets like the iPhone, Blackberry and Xbox threatens to unravel the decades of innovation that helped to build the Internet, a leading academic has warned in a new book. Professor Jonathan Zittrain believes the latest must-have devices are sealed, "sterile" boxes that stifle creativity and turn consumers into passive users of technology.
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Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB Hard Drive Review-April 22, 2008
Samsung may have been the last company to join the 1TB hard drive club, but in this case, timing could be everything. The debut of the Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB coincided with a shift towards higher-density 334GB platters, allowing the use of a triple-platter design in a full 1TB data capacity. Check out our review and see how this enhanced design affects the physical specifications and performance results. ASUS EN8800GT TOP 512MB Review-April 21, 2008
The 65nm GeForce 8800 GT was designed as an alternative to the mainstream GeForce 8600 GTS and high-end GeForce 8800 GTS models, but companies like ASUS decided to close the gap even further. Using custom designed, pre-overclocked cards like the EN8800GT TOP 512MB, ASUS has helped blur the lines between the mainstream and high-end markets. Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 1TB Hard Drive Review-April 10, 2008
Seagate may have followed Hitachi to the 1TB disk party, but the Barracuda 7200.11 1TB hard drive offers a very compelling high-end solution. The full terabyte of disk capacity is a major selling point all on its own, but the flagship Barracuda drive also delivers on the performance end too. Check out our review and see how the 1TB behemoth stacks up. AMD Phenom X4 9850 Black Edition Review-March 27, 2008
The B3 is here, and the X4 is back. This spells good news for AMD fans, as the Phenom X4 9850 showcases the latest B3 core revision, and at a higher 2.5 GHz clock speed. This is also a "Black Edition" release, which means an unlocked multiplier, and in addition to the standard system and gaming benchmarks, we'll be seeing how far we can overclock it. Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Review-March 27, 2008
Enthusiasts have been waiting on the 45nm Wolfdale to appear since Intel first announced the line. The 3.16 GHz Core 2 Duo E8500 sits at the top of the Wolfdale food chain, and offers a very compelling mix of high performance, low power usage and insane overclocking. Check out our review and see how it stacked up against some of the top processors from both AMD and Intel. Gigabyte GeForce 8800 GT 512MB Review-March 21, 2008
The 65nm GeForce 8800 GT was designed to bridge the gap between the mainstream GeForce 8600 GTS and high-end GeForce 8800 GTS models, but Gigabyte thought it could go one better. Their latest GeForce 8800 GT 512MB card features a custom design, complete with Zalman cooler and higher clock speeds, which all add up to a very interesting high-end graphics card. PNY XLR8 GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB Review-March 13, 2008
The 65nm GeForce 8800 GTS (G92) is a powerhouse GPU, reigned in slightly by its 256-bit memory architecture, but still representing one of the top high-end gaming cards you can buy. The PNY XLR8 GeForce 8800 GTS 512MB offers a very nice implementation of this technology, so check our review to see how it fares in terms of benchmark testing, overclocking and real-world usage. AMD 780G Chipset Review-March 5, 2008
Integrated graphics have not enjoyed much success in the gaming arena, with low performance and poor game compatibility being the most common complaints. The AMD 780G may not solve all the problems, but its integrated Radeon HD 3200 graphics core is certainly a big step in the right direction, and helps double it as a killer HTPC platform. March Extreme Gaming PC Buyer's Guide-March 4, 2008
An extreme $4,000 budget is sure to put these Extreme Gaming PC Guide components on the top of everyone's shopping list—and make its builders the envy of those who can only afford to follow our $2,500 High-End Guide! If you're looking for the best combination of parts available for a little less than this hefty price limit, read on! Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 Review-February 22, 2008
Wireless keyboard-and-mouse desktop sets are becoming increasingly popular, by both standard PC users and the new crop of living room surfers/gamers who also want a piece of the wireless pie. The Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Desktop 7000 is more tuned to the corporate desktop user, touting its advanced ergonomics, out-of-the-box layout, and overall comfort level, but let's see how well it stacks up. Logitech G9 Laser Mouse Review-February 15, 2008
The Logitech G9 Laser Mouse will never be as popular as the company's mainstream products, but for pure, hardcore gaming, it's one of the best you can buy. A 3200 DPI laser engine, interchangeable grips, adjustable weighting, and custom LED colors are just some of its features, so check out our review for the full story. Back in Black: Phenom 9600 Black Edition Review-February 8, 2008
The AMD Black Edition processors are a very innovative product, which allow mainstream users to get an unlocked model at virtually the same price as it unlocked counterpart. The Phenom 9600 Black Edition is the latest in this line, offering a 2.3 GHz quad core processor, and the prospect of even higher speeds. Intel Skulltrail Performance Preview-February 4, 2008
Now that even quad core processors have dropped down within reach of the mainstream buyer, what's a true enthusiast to do? Well, Intel just might have the answer, suggesting you take a little trip down the Skulltrail. This dual-CPU, 8-core behemoth brings server technology to the desktop, and provides four PCI x16 slots with certified ATI CrossFire and NVIDIA SLI support. Pinnacle PCTV HD TV-tuner Card Review-January 31, 2008
High-definition ATSC signals are all the rage and users are moving to PC TV-tuner cards as a way to display and record these free HD channels either on their PC or through a HTPC setup. The Pinnacle PCTV HD card goes one better, and in addition to SD and HD coverage, it supports hardware ClearQAM for unencrypted digital channels. Sapphire HD 3850 Ultimate 512MB Review-January 25, 2008
The Radeon HD 3850 is one of the top mainstream graphics processors you can buy, but Sapphire has given it the "Ultimate Edition" makeover, using an innovative heatpipe/heatsink design for silent operation. Check our review to see how it fares in terms of benchmark testing, overclocking and real-world usage. January High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide-January 14, 2008
It is time for another edition of our High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide, where we take $2500 in cash and assemble feature-rich, high performance gaming systems using readily available parts. If you ever wanted to know exactly what $2500 could buy in today's PC market, look no further than our latest edition of this guide. AMD Phenom 9900 Performance Preview-December 24, 2007
After a somewhat disappointing Phenom 9500 and 9600 release in 2007, AMD is looking for much better results in 2008. One of their prime goals is to upgrade the clock speed of the Phenom, while maintaining its mainstream pricing strategy. The 2.6 GHz Phenom 9900 will makes its first appearance in early-2008, and we have a performance preview of what to expect.
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