BIOSLEVEL.com

VIA VE-900 Mini-ITX Mainboard Review

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:05:20 -0500

Ten years have passed since Via announced the Mini-ITX form factor, and I've been a fan of the compact motherboard platform since. To mark the 10 year anniversary, Via announced their latest product based on the Mini-ITX standard, the VE-900. Sold for only an affordable $89 USD, it promises to deliver a high-performance multimedia experience in a small package.

CEntrance MicPort Pro

Sun, 27 Nov 2011 20:11:45 -0500

Face it, PCI- and PCI-Express-based soundcards don't always cut it for professional-quality recording. Despite offering digital, optical, line-ins, and microphrone inputs, soundcards simply can't accommodate every piece of high-end audio equipment. Many companies have solved this issue by building external break-out boxes with a variety of additional inputs and outputs, but these boxes lack mobility. Where are the break-out boxes for laptop recording studios?

Lenovo Multimedia Remote N5901

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 17:43:58 -0500

There have been hundreds of different wireless input devices released over the last several years as home theater PCs have become more popular. The size, shape, and overall functionality of these devices has varied greatly. Lenovo, the successor to IBM's PC division, released the N5901 to set a new standard in wireless input, putting a mouse and keyboard in a form factor that can easily be manipulated with a single hand.

We're Back: The Status of BIOSLEVEL.com

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 12:00:00 -0500

It's been a long time since we've published new content, or had a fully functioning site here at BIOSLEVEL.com. Much of our past issues are to blame on a hardware failure near the end of 2009. It's been a long time coming, but we're just about back. We're once again ready to bring the Free and Open Source community new articles and reviews on the latest hardware and software. We want to you to come to our site to learn about the compatibility of the latest components and how to get the most out of your Free or Open Source software.

nMedia HTPC 1000-Series Case

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 13:34:57 -0400

nMedia's HTPC 1000-series cases is a shining example of this design philosophy. The folks at nMedia were kind enough to send us an evaluation unit to try out. The 1000-series comes in either black or silver, and features a hidden optical bay, card readers, optional LCD output, and much more.

Sapphire Radeon HD4550 Videocard

Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:31:32 -0500

The folks at Sapphire were kind enough to send their Radeon HD4550 card at the same time, which will be on the table today. The Radeon HD4550 features 512MB of DDR3 memory, a 600MHz core clock, and 80 stream processors. It's not quite as beefy as the Radeon HD4650, but it can be found for an average of $30 less.

Sapphire Radeon HD4650 Videocard

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 20:34:25 -0500

The folks at Sapphire were recently kind enough to send us an overclocked sample of one of these mid-range cards, the Radeon HD4650. Sapphire's overclocked Radeon HD4650 features 512MB of GDDR3, 320 Stream processors, and a 700MHz memory clock. BIOSLEVEL.com will look at how this card fairs against its older brothers, as well as nVidia's mainstream offerings from the 9x00 family of GeForce cards.

NorthQ NQ-3709BL/NQ-3710RL Silent Tornado Fans

Thu, 30 Oct 2008 13:22:47 -0400

NorthQ, who's BlacKMagic 850W PSU we previously looked at, has taken the game to a new level. They have a series of case fans built from aluminum frames. The Silent Tornado fans, as they're called, promise extreme performance with a good bit of silence.

QNAP TS-509 Pro Turbo NAS

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:15:31 -0400

Shortly after QNAP released the TS-409U Turbo NAS, the TS-509 was announced. The TS-509 Pro picks up where QNAP's TS-409 Pro left off. The TS-509 Pro adds a fifth drive bay, as the name may entail. Also included with the TS-509 Pro are: dual gigabit ethernet ports, five USB 2.0 ports, two serial connections, and a single eSATA port. While the form factor is different from the TS-409U, both units promise relatively similar features, with a few subtle differences.

Noctua NT-H1 Thermal Compound

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 00:20:00 -0400

Noctua, whose NF-P12 120mm case fan BIOSLEVEL.com previously reviewed, brings a pro-grade thermal compound to the table, NT-H1. The NT-H1 compound aims to minimize thermal resistance and provide long-term stability. BIOSLEVEL.com will put the compound to the test.

Seventeam ST-850P-AF 850W PSU

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 10:04:08 -0400

Much like NorthQ's Black Magic powersupply I previously looked at, the ST-850P-AF also features a 135mm cooling fan. The biggest different between these two units aside from individual components is that the ST-850P-AF does not feature modular connectivity. Will the stability of the ST-850P-AF prove that the unit should be carried in more U.S. retailers such as NewEgg? Or will the powersupply not quite live up to my expectations?

NorthQ Black Magic Flex 850W PSU

Sun, 07 Sep 2008 04:11:26 -0400

NorthQ sent me the Black Magic Flex 850W power supply to satisfy my power-hungry CrossFire system. Tthe Black Magic promises to stand up to my power requirements and do so quietly with a 135mm fan. The Black Magic also features a modular connection system, allowing me to only use the cables I really need.

Sapphire Radeon HD4850 Toxic

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 00:42:22 -0400

With the Radeon HD4800-series videocards only having been released a few short months ago, Sapphire has already released a factory-overclocked version of the HD4850. Under Sapphire's Toxic branding, the new card promises better performance with cooler temperatures with a quieter Zalman cooling solution.

QNAP TS-409U Turbo NAS

Tue, 15 Jul 2008 02:12:53 -0400

The TS-409U is a powerful embedded Linux system featuring a 500MHz System-on-Chip (SoC) CPU and 512MB of DDR2 memory. It fits in a 1U rackmount space, and has four SATA II hotswap bays supporting RAID 0, 1, 5, and 6. On top of this, the TS-409U is a multi-functional all-in-one NAS server supporting various functions from webserver, to MySQL server, to an iTunes server.

Sapphire Radeon HD4850

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 04:11:24 -0400

Sapphire supplied us with one of their initial Radeon HD4850 videocards, which features 512MB of GDDR3 memory, CrossFireX support, and is probably one of the fastest cards we've looked at yet. The Sapphire Radeon HD4850 promises cutting-edge performance, but incredible multimedia processing capabilities as well.

Palit GeForce 9600 GSO Sonic

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 04:29:42 -0400

Palit recently sent us the GeForce 9600GSO Sonic, which is an enhanced GeForce 9600GSO. Palit has added its own cooler, as well as factory overclocked the unit, and improved upon the power phases. The 9600 GSO is nVidia's latest foray in the mid-level 9000 series of GeForce cards, and is also the cheapest for a performance card. Despite the price point, the 9600 GSO should be a fair competitor to both the GeForce 9600 GT and Radeon HD3650.

Icy Dock Screwless 3.5" Enclosure and "The Hybrid"

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 14:09:09 -0400

The MB664US-1SB provides a tool-free method of installing a hard drive in an enclosure, and is packed with both eSATA and USB ports. Second, "The Hybrid" adds both an eSATA and a 12 volt power connection to a PCI slot. Easy external storage, here I come.

Thermaltake M9 VI1000BNS Case

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 13:19:05 -0400

Thermaltake has always been one of my favorite case manufacturers for their quality and creative designs. The M9 is yet another example of one Thermaltake's fantastic chassis, featuring nine 5.25" drive bays, tool-free drive and add-on installation, and dual 120mm fans. Will it stand up to the Thermaltake's claims of excellent ventilation and silent operation?

Scythe Katana II CPU Cooler

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 02:11:12 -0400

Scythe came to the U.S. in 2004 after being founded in Japan in 2002. Scythe set out to develop a super powerful yet super quiet CPU cooler. Scythe recently sent us the Katana II CPU cooler, which carries on the ideas of their initial venture. The Katana II features a 100mm fan, three heatpipes, and a vertical design. I'm going to put it to the test.

Hitachi 1TB 7K1000 Hard Drive

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:11:10 -0400

Hitachi was the first company to release a one terabyte hard drive, and they've sent us the DeskStar 7K1000 model for review. The DeskStar 7K1000 features SATA II compatibility, 8.5ms seek time, and 7,200RPM rotational speed.

Sapphire ATi Radeon HD3870 Ultimate

Sun, 08 Jun 2008 05:31:44 -0400

There's nothing more dissatisfying than when everything in a computer case is silenced except the video card. Water cooling is always an option, but there's always a certain level of risk with it. Sapphire has answered this question with the Radeon HD3870 ULTIMATE video card.

Using chroot to Recover root Passwords

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 13:40:18 -0400

The problem: there's a system that's been collecting dust on my shelf for some time now. I've come to realize, unfortunately, that I no longer remember the password for this machine. Rather than reinstall the system, I used an much easier method utilizing chroot.

Noctua NF-P12 120mm Case Fan

Mon, 02 Jun 2008 03:01:59 -0400

Noctua recently sent us the NF-P12 120 case fan for review. The NF-P12 was developed for applications such as CPU cooling, where higher air flow is necessary. The NF-P12 features many new technologies, such as Vortex-Control notches, the SCD drive system, and Noctua's own SSO-Bearing engine.

OCZ 2GB PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire-Certified RAM

Thu, 29 May 2008 09:21:22 -0400

In our reviews of the Sapphire 780G Motherboard and Hybrid CrossFire and Sapphire ATI Radeon HD3870 Toxic, I used a 2GB DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Certified kit (OCZ2RPR1066A2GK) provided by OCZ. Although DDR2 prices are lower than ever, it's still easy to pick out the good brands from the bad. The 2GB DDR2 PC2-8500 Reaper HPC CrossFire Certified kit is no exception.

Asus Pundit P2-M2A690G Barebone

Tue, 20 May 2008 03:30:39 -0400

The AMD 690 chipset was released in 2006, and BIOS LEVEL previously reviewed the chipset's successor, the 780 chipset. The 690 made appearances in many AMD motherboards, but a popular use for the chipset was mobile applications such as laptops.

Asus recently sent us the P2-M2A690G, the AMD 690G chipset barebone under Asus' "Pundit" series of booksize PCs. The P2-M2A690G features support for socket AM2 CPUs, dual DDR2 RAM slots, ATI Radeon X1250 graphics, and an HDCP-compliant HDMI port.

Sunbeam Rheobus Extreme

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:04:40 -0400

Not every PC case fan was designed to be quiet, nor do most LED fans give have a switch used to turn the LEDs off. Enter the Rheobus controller: giving users the ability to control the speed of PC case fans, and the brightness of the LEDs. Sunbeam recently sent BIOS LEVEL the Rheobus Extreme for review, which promises up to 30W per channel, as well as cool LED lighting.

Sapphire 780G Motherboard and Hybrid CrossFire

Fri, 09 May 2008 02:48:22 -0400

Typically, I try to avoid integrated chipsets. Integrated chipsets are usually meant for mainstream use and don't feature gaming-class graphics options. Fortunately, ATI recently introduced the new 780G chipset with more than just a beefier integrated graphics solution: Hybrid Crossfire.

Sapphire ATI Radeon HD3870 Toxic

Sun, 04 May 2008 22:30:54 -0400

The two big players in discrete graphics these days are nVida and ATi. nVidia won the performance crown with the release of the 8800-series in late 2006. ATi, now owned by AMD, released the new HD-series of Radeons. Sapphire was nice enough to send us the Radeon HD3870 TOXIC edition for review.

Razer Destructor Professional Gaming Mat

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 08:34:25 -0400

Razer is the first thing that comes to mind when I think about gaming peripherals. Razer's latest mousepad—the Destructor—was shown at CES 2008. Razer was kind enough to send us one. The Destructor was co-developed with three of the world's top professional gaming teams and promises high-precision gameplay.

D-Link DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming Router

Thu, 17 Apr 2008 03:03:38 -0400

D-Link released their DGL-4500 Xtreme N Gaming Router in October 2007 to provide a faster solution for gamers desiring better Quality of Service (QOS) for both wireless and networked connections. The DGL-4500 offers both Wireless N and Gigabit connectivity options, and comes geared with tons of settings for special services including gaming. The DGL-4500 also includes a small LCD unit with buttons for the ability to browse settings and status without using a PC.