Computers and More | Reviews, Configurations and Troubleshooting

Ant Esports Unveils Darkflow, Spectraflow, and Sciflow Fan Kits: Revolutionizing Cooling Solutions for Indian PC Enthusiasts

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Sat, 23 Dec 2023 18:37:00 +0000

All three fan kits offer high static pressure and CFM ratings making them ideal to be used as case fans or on radiators alike.
Darkflow is an all-black high performance kit offering PWM control along with sleek and minimal styling.
Sciflow and Spectraflow bring infinity mirror design along with PWM and ARGB functionality for elevating the looks and performance of any gaming rig.

[New Delhi, 23rd December 2023] – Ant Esports, a trailblazer in gaming peripherals and PC components, announces the launch of three groundbreaking fan kits: Darkflow, Spectraflow, and Sciflow. With a steadfast commitment to providing premium-grade cooling solutions at an affordable price point, Ant Esports aims to address the escalating thermal challenges posed by the rising TDP of CPUs and GPUs, even in the budget category.

Darkflow: Non-RGB Performance Excellence

Darkflow, a testament to sophistication and simplicity is an all-black high-performance fan kit with PWM control. With a focus on simplicity and effectiveness, Darkflow offers high static pressure and CFM, making it an ideal choice for use as a case fan, air cooler, or liquid cooling radiator. Crafted with meticulous precision, Darkflow fans bring a sleek and understated elegance to every build, prioritizing performance without compromising on style. The kit caters to PC builders seeking powerful and non-RGB cooling solutions without compromising on performance.

Spectraflow and Sciflow: RGB Innovation and High Performance

Spectraflow and Sciflow cater to gamers who crave both style and substance. Both fan kits offer universal 4-pin PWM and 3-pin ARGB controls through the motherboard BIOS and RGB utility, respectively. Spectraflow goes a step further with an included ARGB-PWM hub, accommodating up to six ARGB and PWM devices. Additionally, it features a remote control for seamless usage on motherboards without ARGB headers. The infinity mirror design on both kits adds a tasteful touch of RGB to high-performance cooling solutions, whether used as case fans or on radiators and air coolers.

The launch comes at a crucial juncture in the industry, where the demand for efficient cooling solutions is on the rise due to the increased TDP of modern CPUs and GPUs even in the budget category especially since the launch of Intel 14th and AMD 7000 series. Ant Esports acknowledges this shift and remains dedicated to democratizing access to top-tier cooling technology in the Indian market.
Mr. Vishvesh Mishra, Marketing Manager at Ant Esports, stated, "At Ant Esports, we are driven by a vision to empower PC enthusiasts with cutting-edge cooling solutions that seamlessly balance performance and affordability. The Darkflow, Spectraflow, and Sciflow fan kits embody our commitment to innovation and our understanding of the evolving needs of the Indian gaming and PC building community. These fan kits are a testament to our dedication to delivering exceptional quality without the premium price tag."

Ant Esports invites enthusiasts, gamers, and PC builders alike to explore the unparalleled cooling experience offered by the Darkflow, Spectraflow, and Sciflow fan kits. Elevate your PC setup, maintain optimal thermals, and unleash the full potential of your hardware.

Availability
The Ant Esports Darkflow, Sciflow and Spectraflow Fan Kits are available immediately from the Ant Esports nationwide network of authorized retailers and distributors, as well as direct from the Ant Esports official website and major E-Commerce websites.
The products are backed by a one-year warranty and the Ant Esports nationwide customer service and technical support network.
For up-to-date pricing of all the products please refer to the Ant Esports website or contact your local Ant Esports sales or PR representative.

About Ant Esports
Ant Esports is a leading brand in the Gaming & IT hardware industry, committed to delivering high-quality products that enhance the gaming experience. With a focus on affordability and innovation, Ant Esports aims to make gaming accessible to a broader audience. For more information, visit https://antesports.com

Ant Esports Unveils Cutting-Edge Racing Products - GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel and RC200 Racing Cockpit

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 05:37:00 +0000

[New Delhi, 30th November 2023] — Ant Esports, a leading brand in Gaming & IT hardware, proudly announces the launch of its latest products aimed at revolutionizing the Simulation Racing Experience (SIM) in India. The Ant Esports GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel and RC200 Racing Cockpit are designed to cater to both beginners and seasoned SIM racers, fostering the growth of the SIM racing culture in the country.

Ant Esports GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel: A New Dimension in Racing Simulation

The GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel is a testament to Ant Esports commitment to delivering world-class quality products at an affordable price point. Featuring a 270-degree lock-to-lock rotation for a realistic driving experience, ergonomic design, and customizable controls, the GW180 brings the thrill of the racetrack to gaming enthusiasts. The compatibility with Windows, PlayStation, and Xbox ensures a versatile and seamless gaming experience across multiple platforms.

Ant Esports RC200 Racing Cockpit: Elevating Your SIM Racing Setup

The RC200 Racing Cockpit takes SIM racing to new heights with its carbon steel construction, adjustable bucket seat, and customizable wheel and pedal mounting. The frame's versatile adjustability, ranging from length to reclining angle, caters to users of various heights and preferences. The inclusion of protective pads underneath the frame underscores Ant Esports attention to detail, ensuring both stability and floor protection.

Speaking about the launch of the new products, Mr. Harish G, Product Manager, Ant Esports said, "At Ant Esports, our mission is to democratize the SIM racing experience. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to explore the excitement of virtual racing without breaking the bank. The GW180 Racing Wheel and RC200 Racing Cockpit are a testament to our dedication at providing top-notch products at affordable prices, empowering gamers to unleash their full potential in the exhilarating world of SIM racing."
Ant Esports invites gamers and racing enthusiasts alike to embark on this exciting journey, as the GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel and RC200 Racing Cockpit redefine the standards for immersive and accessible SIM racing in India.

Availability

The Ant Esports GW180 Corsa Racing Wheel and Pedal set along with the Ant Esports RC200 Racing Cockpit are available immediately from the Ant Esports nationwide network of authorized retailers and distributors, as well as direct from the Ant Esports official website and major E-Commerce websites.
The products are backed by a one-year warranty and the Ant Esports nationwide customer service and technical support network.
For up-to-date pricing of all the products please refer to the Ant Esports website or contact your local Ant Esports sales or PR representative.

***

About Ant Esports

Ant Esports is a leading brand in the Gaming & IT hardware industry, committed to delivering high-quality products that enhance the gaming experience. With a focus on affordability and innovation, Ant Esports aims to make gaming accessible to a broader audience. For more information, visit https://antesports.com

G.SKILL Announces Zeta R5 Neo Series Overclocked DDR5 R-DIMM for AMD Ryzen Threadripper 7000 Series

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Wed, 22 Nov 2023 06:52:00 +0000

(21 November 2023) – G.SKILL International Enterprise Co., Ltd., the world’s leading brand of performance overclock memory and PC components, is excited to announce the Zeta R5 Neo series overclocked DDR5 R-DIMM memory kits for the latest AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ 7000 series and AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ Pro 7000 WX-series processors with AMD TRX50 chipset motherboards. This is the first R-DIMM platform from AMD that officially supports memory overclocking, so the Zeta R5 Neo features AMD EXPO memory overclocking profiles for easy memory overclocking. Built with hand-screened ICs and will be available in DDR5-6400 CL32 16GBx4 and 32GBx4 kit specifications at launch, Zeta R5 Neo series is the ideal R-DIMM memory solution to build an overclocked performance AMD workstation.

Overclocked DDR5-6400 R-DIMM Kits Designed for Quad-Channel AMD TRX50 Platform
With the launch of the AMD TRX50 workstation platform that supports DDR5 R-DIMM overclocking, G.SKILL is bringing AMD EXPO memory overclocking profile support to its R-DIMM memory lineup under the Zeta R5 Neo series. Available in quad-channel configurations of DDR5-6400 CL32-39-39-102 64GB (16GBx4) and 128GB (32GBx4) specifications, visit the G.SKILL product pages for more product information.

Availability & AMD EXPO Support
The G.SKILL Zeta R5 Neo series overclocked performance DDR5 R-DIMM memory kits support the latest AMD EXPO memory overclocking profile for easy memory overclocking via the motherboard BIOS. These memory kits will roll out to G.SKILL worldwide distribution partners starting from November 2023.

***

About G.SKILL
Established in 1989, G.SKILL specializes in high-performance memory and provides PC component and peripheral products designed for PC gamers, professionals, overclockers, and enthusiasts around the world. Combining technical innovation and rock solid quality through our in-house memory testing lab and talented R&D team, G.SKILL continues to create ultra-performance overclock memory for each platform generation.

Deepcool PX1200G 1200W ATX 3.0 PSU Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 22 May 2023 15:26:00 +0000

Deepcool PX1200G - Is it indeed the best value for money ATX 3.0 PSU out there?

With the Nvidia RTX 4000 cards storming the market and the PCIe 5.0 aka the 12VHPWR connector becoming a mandate with the RTX 4070Ti and above atleast at the the writing, the new ATX 3.0 PSU standard is becoming more and more mainstream with each passing day. Obviously there is no harm in using the older generation PSUs paired with the 16-pin to three or four 8-pin PCIe connector adapter that these cards come with but the plethora of benefits the new ATX 3.0 standard offers makes it a lucrative choice if the units are available at great prices.

Talking about prices, Deepcool has been a major player in the PSU market lately with its constantly high value for money PSUs coming in the market one after another. It was about time that they jumped into the ATX 3.0 mix and the latest Deepcool PX1200G that we have on the table today is a result of the same.

The Deepcool PX1200G is a 1200W 80+ Gold certified PSU meeting the stringent ATX 3.0 certification norms hence delivering high efficiency at less than 20% loads and obviously comes equipped with the 16-pin connector right out of the box.

What's in the Box?

The Deepcool PX1200G is manufactured by Channel Well Technology (CWT) and is a 80+ Gold unit delivering 1200W of pure power. It is ATX 3.0 certifies hence delivers 60% efficiency even at as low as 10W or 2% of the total wattage so no matter if you buy the 1200W model or the lower wattage variants like the 1000W or 850W lower load efficiency is guaranteed due to its ATX 3.0 certification.

The unit has compact dimensions, and the fan grille is not restricted, allowing for high airflow. On the front side, square ones are used instead of the typical honeycomb-style perforations. On the same side, besides the colored power switch, we also find a button for toggling on/off the PSU’s semi-passive mode.
Two EPS connectors on dedicated cables, three PCIe 6+2 pin on the same amount of cables, a single 12VHPWR set at 600W, eight SATA, and four 4-pin Molex connectors. Usually, 1200W PSUs have more than ten SATA connectors, but I find this extreme since most use NVMe drives nowadays, so eight SATA will be enough. The amount of 4-pin Molex connectors is adequate, and the distance between all peripheral connectors is ideal at 150mm.

What's Under the Hood?

Like mentioned earlier the unit is CWT made and is equipped with Nippo Chemi Con and Rubycon electrolytic capacitors both on the primary and secondary side and since these are rated at 105C so we do expect reliability and decent filtration capacity here.

This is the popular CSZ platform CWT provides, used in many high-capacity ATX v3.0 PSUs. The design uses analog controllers for all circuits. A half-bridge topology and an LLC resonant converter are on the primary side. The secondary side utilizes a synchronous rectification scheme with ten Infineon FETs generating the 12V rail and two VRMs for the minor rails.

The cooling fan is by Hong Hua and uses a fluid dynamic bearing for lower noise output and increased reliability. Lastly, the build quality is high; the same goes for the soldering quality. At the solder side of the PCB, CWT also enhanced some PCB traces with copper plates, for better conductivity and lower power losses, at high loads.

My Verdict

With the current scenario of ATX 3.0 PSU in the market, the Deepcool PX1200G is certainly offering a very solid package at a very lucrative price point of around ₹18.5K which is a not the cheapest one out there but considering the reputation of the CWT platform it employs here along with a thoughtful feature set like the hybrid fan system and a shorter over all design makes the Deepool PX1200G one of the best options in the market today if one is after a ATX 3.0 unit to power their shiny new RTX 4000 series card.

Cable connectors are ample in number with a very decent length that can cover the length and breadth of even the tallest cases out there. The hybrid fan might scare a few at first but the feature can always be switches off making it a great option for most people out there.

"The Deepcool PX1200G is a highly recommended unit offering reliable performance and cutting edge modern day features of an analogue PSU and should be on the shopping list of everyone looking to buy a 1200W PSU"

Pro -

Reliable OEM
Top of the line topology
Shorter length
Hybrid-Fan Mode
10 years warranty

Cons -

A bit pricey

I give it a 9/10 earning our Gold Award

XPG Gammix S50 Lite 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:48:00 +0000

The XPG Gammix S50 Lite M.2 NVMe - Fast, Reliable and revolutionary!

ADATA over the years has grown and expanded exponentially, catering now not only with its wide range of storage options in forms of SSDs and RAMs but also in form of the gaming peripherals such as keyboards and mice. Quite recently they launched their version of a PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD in form of the XPG S50 Lite, hopping onto the latest trend in the industry but considering its one of the, if not the, cheapest option in the market today under the PCI 4.0 tag it kind of makes everyone curious as to how this thing would perform!

Thanks to ADATA I have one on the table today and boy its impressive from the packaging itself! The S50 Lite comes in three capacity variants of 512GB, 1TB and 2TB which should be more tan enough for everyone in the market. It is a M.2 NVMe PCIe Gen 4.0 SSD which comes rated at The company covers the 1TB model for up to 740 TB of writes within its five-year warranty and to sustain upwards of 540,000/540,000 random read/write IOPS and dish out up to 3.9/3.2 GBps of sequential read/write throughput. Over all a solid rating for a product of this category and price and talking about the pricing the XPG S50 Lite 1TB is priced in at $150 or ₹11,500 in India.

Packing and Closer Look

ADATA brings the XPG Gammix S50 Lite in a shiny red packaging with the product image right in the center along with all the details that one would require on top such as capacity, connectivity standards etc. A bit too shiny for my taste but then its subjective.

At the back we have the usual details along with other markings. The SSD rests in a clamp-shell packaging inside the box which is good enough for ease in transportation.

The XPG Gammix S50 Lite is a 2280 form factor M.2 drive which uses a dual sided PCB layout with the NAND chips, controller and DRAM chips located on both the sides of this black PCB wafer. It connects via the PCIe 4.0x4 standards so you can expect nearly double the speeds of a conventional PCIe 3.0x4 drive.

The heatshield is brushed aluminum and as per ADATA can reduce the operating temperatures of the SSD by almost 20% which is needed since at high speeds SSDs are bound to thermal throttle.

Silicon Motion’s SM2267 PCIe 4.0 x4 NVMe 1.4 SSD controller powers the Adata XPG Gammix S50 Lite. It is a quad channel controller unlike the 8-channel ones we usually see on other PCIe Gen 4.0 SSDs and has a dual core 28nm Arm Cortex R5 CPU for data handling and processing. It also features a DRAM cache and has a single SK hynix 8Gb (1GB) DDR4 DRAM IC for buffer storage. The four memory ICs located in a pair of two on each side of the PCB are Intel/Micron 96-layer 3D TLC NAND with a 256GB capacity each.

Test Setup and Benchmarks

We used our usual testbench to benchmark the ADATA XPG Gammix S50 Lite 1TB NVMe M.2 SSD -

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5 5600X
Motherboard: MSI Prestige X570 Creation WiFi
RAM: Antec Katana 16GB 3200Mhz
Cooler: NZXT X53 240mm RGB
Graphics Card: Inno3D RTX 3090 iChill X4
Storage: Kingston A400 256GB
Secondary Storage: ADATA XPG Gammix S50 Lite 1TB NVMe M.2
Power Supply: Antec HCG1000 1000W 80+ Gold
Case: NZXT H510 Elite
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

TRIM Check

Since this is a very new SSD for us so it called for some new testing suits aswell, one such tool is TrimCheck which verifies if TRIM function on the drive is working perfectly or not.

The test shows that TRIM is working perfectly on the SSD.

Crystal Disk Info v8.11.2

Crystal Disk Info is a great tool for displaying the characteristics and health of storage devices. It displays everything from temperatures, to the number of hours the device has been powered, and even to the extent of informing you of the firmware of the device.

Crystal Disk Info shows us that a bunch of useful SMART attributes are presented to the end user. Total reads and writes as well as NAND writes are shown. The firmware version we are testing with today is version 82A7T9PA with the drive working at optimum temperatures even during summers.

ATTO Disk

ATTO Disk Benchmark measures transfer rates across specific lengths for any storage system. ATTO uses RAW data, I set my transfer size from 0.5 to 8192kb. This is generally the most reliable benchmarks for today's SSDs.

We can clearly see that the speed put up by the S50 Lite are in coherence with the advertised speeds and is performing as expected.

CrystalDiskMark

CrystalDiskMark is a disk benchmark software that analyses different types of hard drive. Giving sequential benchmark write and read statistics in MB/s. A simple program that is very useful.

A similar scenario is what we are seeing here aswell.

Anvil Storage Utility

The next test is Anvil Storage Utilities, which is a really great piece of software. The SSD benchmark gives you scores for both read and write as well as a combined score.

Identical results yet again in terms of performance aswell as on the IOPS end which is same as that on the specification sheets.

AS SSD

The AS SSD software determines the performance of Solid State Drives (SSD). The tool contains five synthetic and three practice tests. The synthetic tests determine the sequential and random read and write performance of the SSD. These tests are performed without using the operating system caches. In Sequential tests, the program measures the time it takes to read and write a 1 GB file respectively.

With an impressive score of above 5006 points the XPG S50 Lite blazes ahead of any PCIe 3.0 SSD in the market today, including the Copy benchmark which emulates real life performance compromising of miscellaneous data types and sizes.

AIDA64 Extreme Edition v5.97.4600

AIDA64 is one of the best tools out there to check the system stability, error diagnostics and even to validate overclocking.
It has a set of suites for almost every hardware out there including SSD/HDD. So we started of with AIDA64 disk suites.

As we can see that the drive is hitting the advertised speeds and is extremely consistent in read and write activities. This is a very good indications since most drives including the XPG SX8000 tend to fluctuate a lot in the Linear and Random Read tests indicating towards a more solid and consistent performance by the S50 Lite.

PCMark 10

PCMark 10 is specifically designed to stress test the entire system for a variety of daily tasks in an emulated fashion, the test ranges from application load time to daily office and personal tasks such as editing Excel sheets to video conferencing etc. It gives a more thorough insight into the real world performance of the storage drive.

A brilliant performance presented by the S50 Lite yet again with a total score of 6134, where its beating others by a substantial margin! The drive is not only extremely consistent but shows really high speeds.

My Verdict

ADATA under its XPG lineup always brings something new to the table and the S50 Lite is no exception! The drive performs as advertised and does exactly what's expected making it tick all the right boxes.

The drive is powered by a new quad channel Silicon Motion’s SM2267 controller which is no slouch at handling the 1TB memory thanks to the 1GB onboard buffer chip. Its speed are not the fastest but are way ahead of the conventional PCIe 3.0 drives and extremely close if not ahead of the more expensive options in the market that are PCIe 4.0 rated and are equipped with a eight channel controller hence not only being costlier but also more power hungry compared to the S50 Lite.

In our tests the drive stayed relatively cool hitting 70°C under full consistent load which is lower than what most PCIe 4.0 SSDs would hit. The drive offers great write speeds but where it really shine is read speeds which in real life means that windows boot up, game load times, anti virus scans and even data retrieval for editing or any other read intensive task would be completed quickly making it one of the best options for gamers and since its XPG lineup its hitting the right market with the right performance.

"With blazing fast speeds and relatively cheap price tag, the XPG S50 Lite offers everything that one can ask for this price. Decent price and high read speeds make the S50 Lite and ideal option for gamers and content creators alike."

Pro -

Affordable Price Tag
Blazing fast speed
Minimalist Design
Lower operating temperatures
AES 256-bit full-disk encryption
5-year warranty

Cons -

Slower write speeds

I give it a 9/10 earning our Gold Award

Ant Esports Launches Three New Gaming Products – Infinity Plus TWS, Smart Gamei Stereo Glasses and MK4500 Pro TKL Keyboard

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 31 Mar 2023 13:47:00 +0000

Ant Esports Infinity Plus TWS offers RGB lighting, upto 24 hours battery life and has touch controls.
Ant Esports Smart Gamei Stereo Gaming Glasses offer swappable lenses, easy Bluetooth connectivity and a dual mic and stereo speaker setup.
Ant Esports MK4500 Pro TKL is equipped with Outemu Red switches, swappable face plates, Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4GHz and wired connectivity and supports connection with five devices simultaneously.

New Delhi, India - 27 March 2023 - Ant Esports, a leading brand in India for gaming peripherals and components, has announced the launch of three new gaming products - the Ant Esports Infinity Plus TWS, Ant Esports Smart Gamei Stereo Gaming Glasses and Ant Esports MK4500 Pro TKL wireless mechanical keyboard. These new products have been designed to cater to the needs of gamers who are always on the lookout for the latest and the best in gaming technology.

The Ant Esports Infinity Plus TWS is a gaming TWS earbud that comes with a sleek design and features RGB lights on the case and buds. The earbuds have a battery life of up to 5 hours, and the charging case can provide an additional 20 hours of backup. The earbuds have touch controls for calling and listening to music, and the device can be connected via Bluetooth. The earbuds are designed to provide an immersive gaming experience, and the sound quality is crystal clear thanks to its large 10mm audio drivers.
The Ant Esports Smart Gamei Stereo Gaming Glasses is a smart Bluetooth glasses that features a pair of swappable black and blue tinted lens that provide UV protection. The glasses come with two stereo speakers and a mic setup for receiving calls or listening to music. The glasses have a battery backup of up to 5 hours in a single charge and can be connected via Bluetooth 5.0. The glasses are designed to allow you play or work on the go without any hassle or interruption making it ideal for indoor and outdoor use alike.

The Ant Esports MK4500 Pro TKL is a wireless mechanical keyboard that is designed for gamers who are looking for a keyboard that is both reliable and efficient. The keyboard comes with Outemu Red switches, which are known for their clicky nature and high responsiveness. The MK4500 Pro TKL keyboard is the epitome of versatility and productivity. Allowing connection with upto five devices simultaneously via its Bluetooth, 2.4Ghz and wires connection, the MK4500 Pro is your one stop solution for all your devices in one place. Simply press a button to switch between the connected devices to realize your dream of a true multi functional setup in a compact work space.

Speaking about the launch of the new products, Mr. Vishvesh Mishra, Marketing Manager, Ant Esports said, "We are excited to launch our latest range of gaming products that not only caters to the modern gamers needs but also to working professionals who are always on the go & want the best of both worlds. Our products are designed to provide an immersive gaming experience, comfort and come with the latest features that the industry has to offer."

The Ant Esports Infinity Plus TWS, Ant Esports Smart Gamei Stereo Gaming Glasses and Ant Esports MK4500 Pro TKL wireless mechanical keyboard are now available on the Ant Esports website and leading e-commerce platforms.

Pricing and Availability
The Ant Esports Infinity Plus TWS, Ant Esports Smart Gamei Stereo Gaming Glasses and Ant Esports MK4500 Pro TKL wireless mechanical keyboard are available immediately from the Ant Esports nationwide network of authorized retailers and distributors, as well as direct from the Ant Esports and Amazon India web stores.

The products are backed by a one-year warranty and the Ant Esports nationwide customer service and technical support network.
For up-to-date pricing of all the products please refer to the Ant Esports website or contact your local Ant Esports sales or PR representative.

About Ant Esports

Founded in 2016, Ant Esports has grown from pioneering the gaming chair division into one of the India's leading providers of high-performance, budget oriented PC peripherals and components. Ant Esports offers a complete range of products to equip gamers, enthusiasts and e-sports athletes, including mechanical keyboards, precision gaming mice and headsets, high-performance components that gamers use to build their gaming cum streaming setup. With a company-wide commitment to quality, innovative design, advanced features and high performance, Ant Esports products have won thousands of media and industry awards, earning their place in gamers' hands and PCs following years of development and engineering by a team dedicated to building great products they themselves would want to use.

XPG Alpha Wireless Gaming Mouse Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Tue, 31 Jan 2023 12:25:00 +0000

XPG continues to deliver gaming peripherals for every level of gamer at a fast pace. Sporting an ergonomic design that reflects XPG’s industrial design language called “Exoskeleton”. Built for form and function the ALPHA is made for gaming enthusiasts and Esports pros alike. The XPG ALPHA features a high-performance Pixart PAW 335 sensor, Bluetooth connectivity, 2.4G wireless, 60 hours of battery life, premium Omron switches, and 6 programmable buttons priced roughly at ₹4,000 in India.

It’s been a while since the feel of a mouse has really stood out to me. XPG’s Exoskeleton design features a small lip to rest your thumb on the left side of the mouse. So, your thumb never touches the mouse pad it feels really comfortable. I have never put it into perspective until now but with most mice, we are actually holding our thumb up off the pad, in this case, we can lay it down on the lip lazy style. It’s one of those things you will never know until you actually test it. Between the mesh grip on both sides and its great shape, the mouse feels stellar in your hand. I am impressed.

The XPG ALPHA has 6 programmable buttons that can be saved to user profiles and used on different devices. This mouse will play best with FPS, MOBA, and Action RPG titles. It’s a bit short on buttons for an MMORPG. On the bottom, you will find a switch to connect wirelessly via Bluetooth or 2.4G devices. A hatch with a transmitter fits seemly on the bottom for easy transportation. I love the triangle shape of the middle mouse button it gives you some extra area to press it for those with big fingers. Light RGB lighting consists of a logo on the heel and highlights inside the mouse wheel.

We have been impressed with XPG product performance in the past and we expect no difference here. Omoron switches are seen in most high-end brand mice like Razer and Logitech. These are premium switches that perform at a high level and tested up to 60 million clicks. Its Pixart PAW 3335 sensor is basically a lower power-consuming version of the 3389. It’s a solid performer with a DPI range from 100 to 16,000 which is great for FPS or MOBA. This mouse glides super smooth and is upper tier in the performance department for a wireless setup.

I am a big fan of this frame design I think the lower lip that holds your thumb is amazing. I have mentioned before in past reviews that the XPG software that controls the mouse is one of the better systems. It’s very easy to use but offers a higher level of RGB customization and mouse adjustment. My only complaint here is that the mouse is on the heavier side even for a wireless mouse at 3.5 ounces. This product is priced perfectly for a performance wireless mouse. A must-look if your eye is out for one.

My Verdict

Sporting an ergonomic design that reflects XPG’s industrial design language called “Exoskeleton”. Built for form and function the ALPHA is made for gaming enthusiasts and Esports pros alike. The XPG ALPHA features a high-performance Pixart PAW 335 sensor, Bluetooth connectivity, 2.4G wireless, 60 hours of battery life, premium Omron switches, and 6 programmable buttons priced at ₹4,000. The XPG ALPHA has 6 programmable buttons that can be saved to user profiles and used on different devices. These are premium switches that perform at a high level and tested up to 60 million clicks. Its Pixart PAW 3335 sensor is basically a lower power-consuming version of the 3389. It’s a solid performer with a DPI range from 100 to 16,000 which is great for FPS or MOBA. My only complaint here is that the mouse is on the heavier side even for a wireless mouse at 3.5 ounces. This product is priced perfectly for a performance wireless mouse. A must-look if your eye is out for one.

CORSAIR appoints Acro as National Distributor in India

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 07 Nov 2022 05:42:00 +0000

New Delhi, India, November 7, 2022: CORSAIR®, a world leader in high-performance gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, announces the appointment of Acro Engineering Company as their National Distribution partner in India. The agreement involves the distribution of Corsair’s highly innovative portfolio comprising components (cases, power supplies, coolers, etc) and peripherals (headsets, keyboard, mice, mouse mats etc).

“We are pleased to partner with a gaming centric partner like Acro” said M.A.Mannan, Country Manager, South Asia at CORSAIR - “We are pleased to partner with a gaming centric partner like Acro, that resonates with our vision of not only providing high end gaming hardware to every consumer of the country but also do so in the most holistic manner possible. With Acro’s strong distribution network, deep understanding of local consumers' demands & market trends, we are well positioned to meet the current and future needs of customers. This will further help our brand to make inroads footprints in the premium segment.”

Mr. Himanshu Jain, CEO, Acro Engineering Company said, “we are very pleased to announce our partnership with world leader like CORSAIR to offer the best gaming solutions in the country. Our aim is to provide CORSAIR's huge arsenal of gaming products line-up to every gamer, live streamer, and enthusiast in the country. We plan to work closely with CORSAIR for Sales, Marketing, and distribution growth in India”

About Acro Engineering Company
ACRO Engineering Company (AEC) is a part of the 45-year-old SMC Group established in 1981 as a manufacturing company for various products ranging from automotive parts to industrial packaging. With the advent of the next generation in business, AEC decided to enter the distribution of technology products and services on a pan-India based operation. Acro has established 14 branches across India for widespread distribution across all regions of India i.e., North, South, East and West.

ACRO Engineering Company (AEC) carries an impressive portfolio of some of the best Gaming/Esports & lifestyle brands

About CORSAIR
CORSAIR (NASDAQ: CRSR) is a leading global developer and manufacturer of high-performance gear and technology for gamers, content creators, and PC enthusiasts. From award-winning PC components and peripherals to premium streaming equipment, smart ambient lighting, and esports coaching services, CORSAIR delivers a full ecosystem of products that work together to enable everyone, from casual gamers to committed professionals, to perform at their very best.
Copyright © 2022 Corsair Memory, Inc. All rights reserved. CORSAIR and the sails logo are registered trademarks of CORSAIR in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks, and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Deepcool launches LS series Liquid Coolers - The New Flagship

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Wed, 25 May 2022 07:08:00 +0000

[May 25th, 2022] — DeepCool, a global brand in designing and manufacturing high-performance computer components for enthusiasts worldwide, announced three new all in one CPU liquid coolers under the LS Series. The three variants are named as LS320, LS520 and LS720 which are 120mm, 240mm and 360mm in sizes respectively.

High performance - The DeepCool LS Series CPU Coolers uses 4th generation pump design that delivers excellent cooling performance with its powerful 3-phase 3100RPM motor and improved micro-channel for optimal coolant flow.

Clean cable management - LS series CPU coolers offers PC builders simplified installation with pre-bundled FC120 fans with daisy chain technology which keeps cable management a breeze. FC120 fans combines PWM and RGB signals in one cable then can chain multiple fans together and feature full functionality and synchronization. After installation only 2 cables will need to be connected to the motherboard.

Low noise – FC120 fans are tuned for excellent cooling on radiators while delivering superb silent operation and enhanced static pressure. It is equipped with Fluid Dynamic bearing that is rated for 50,000 hrs of operation.

It features new infinity mirror design with ARGB that projects two light loop for elegant visual effects while allowing installation in any orientation with independently rotatable logo plate. An additional blank logo plate is included to create your very own custom design.

Availability, Warranty, and Pricing

The LS Series CPU Coolers is available on the DeepCool worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors. All are backed by a 5-years warranty, alongside the DeepCool worldwide customer service and technical support network.

MSRP starts at $89.99 for LS series CPU Coolers varies by region*

LS720(360mm) $139.99
LS520(240mm) $109.99
LS320(120mm) $89.99

For up-to-date retail price, please refer to the DeepCool website or contact your local DeepCool sales representative.

About DeepCool

Established in 1996, DeepCool is a global brand in designing and manufacturing high-performance computer components for enthusiasts worldwide that includes CPU coolers, PC cases, Power Supplies, Peripherals, and more. With a strong background in independent research and development, DeepCool continues to provide high-quality products, premium customer service, and incredible value to our dedicated customers.

Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Sat, 27 Feb 2021 07:26:00 +0000

Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses - Another Gimmick or a Game Changer!

If you are an avid gamer or associated with the field then you probably might've heard of a relatively new Gaming accessory on the horizon called Gaming Glasses! As gimmicky as they may sound, gaming glasses are the new thing and they actually do a lot more than just becoming yet another useless gaming accessory cluttering your table.

Gaming glasses work on the basis of filtering out blue light which all the screens emit and can not only tire down your eyes over prolonged exposure be it during gaming, watching movies or simply by working at office. Blue light is also the cause of insomnia so if you game a lot or simply game after a long day at the office then gaming glasses can solve quite a lot of your problems related to eyes aswell as sleep.

Ant Esports a dominant name in the Indian gaming market thanks to it plethora of gaming specific peripherals and components recently launched their Gamei Gaming Glasses and boy they look much better in person than in those photographs! Coming in a universal fit these glasses are priced in at s 2,000 on their official website and promise to filter out 85% of blue light which is a tall claim to make hence setting my expectations quite high over here. A big shout out to them for sending over a sample to me for review so without any further delay lets dive in and see what these have to offer.

Packaging and Contents

The Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses come in a minimalist yet attractive cardboard box which is laced in the yellow and black color scheme.

The box is made of hard cardboard with branding logos and enough details for the potential customers. Slid out the inner casing and you find the actual glasses carry box along with other accessories like the lens cleaning cloth. The box is nifty and can be easily carried around and is soft and protective inside to avoid any scratches or bumps from hampering with your priced possession.

A Closer Look!

Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses comes in one single, unisex, rectangular lens frame design with a single color option, Yellow! The frame is acrylic, with an integrated bridge for the nose, and slightly springy metal hinges.

Besides white, painted-on Ant Esports logos on the sides, nothing about these glasses screams “gamer;” they simply look like modest, fashionably chunky glasses you might wear anywhere. The lack of any other frame choices is a bit disappointing, though, considering the wealth of options in shapes and materials they could've gone with but since they are the first to do this in India, treading safely in this water is something that I can't blame them for either.

On the side you'll find stripes of red accents which is not paint but rubber inserts instead which give them a more premium finish and also impart a nice grip too in-case you plan to use them outside as why not! The textured insert is found on the inner side of the frame too near the ear rest which is good for those who'll take them out for probably biking, trekking etc.

Let's put them to Test!

So I used the Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses for a couple of days straight putting them through a range of activities which included wearing them at office to gaming with them on or simply taking a walk in the park!

How is it for Gaming?

While gaming the glasses did work as they said, I'm not saying anything abut the 85% filtration here but the glasses do comfort the eyes especially if you game in low light. You might think that because these have a yellow filter, they make games look weird. Well, this filter helps the colors pop far more than they usually would.
This is especially good in fast-paced games where color is used to distinguish teammates from enemies. And it’s not just blue light that these glasses reduce – they also take care of a good deal of blur and glare.

Did you say Outdoor use?

Even though these are not intended to be used as an outdoor pair of shades or something to be used during a sport I did use them for my outdoor walks, bike rides and even running on the treadmill and honestly these held on quite well.

The textured rubber inserts work as intended on keeping a decent grip around the head and don't let these fall off even when running. Thanks to the yellow tint the streets at night are starkly visible and can be a boon to someone who rides motorcycles and hates those high beam lights from oncoming traffic hitting their eyes on the highways.

Over all the Gamei Gaming Glasses perform as intended and are not only great for gaming but also for outdoor usage alike. I did find that they tend to chaff the skin a bit behind the ear where they grip the skull but that is probably cuz I have really short hair so if you are like me then be aware of that otherwise the glasses have no issues in terms of performance or fit.

My Verdict

Ant Esports Gamei Gaming Glasses is a simple, comfortable, well-built pair of glasses. The lenses are clear, the frames are light and sturdy, and the tint cuts a good balance between reducing blue light and keeping colors accurate. The lack of options beyond a single, fairly plain faux-tortoiseshell style acrylic frame and only one color option is disappointing. The comfort level is high but for people with short hair the minor discomfort around the back of the ears over prolonged usage can be an issue so keep that in mind before making your purchase.
If you regularly marathon games, play professionally, or game after working on a computer all day or are simply on a look out for an all rounder pair of glasses that look funky and function as intended then these Gamei glasses from Ant Esports are a worthy pick.

Pros -

Light and comfortable design
Universal fit frame
Solid build quality
Works as advertised
Suitable for gaming and outdoor activities alike

Cons -

A bit pricey
Only one color option

I give it a 8/10 earning our Gold Award

Kingston KC2000 500GB SSD Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 18:33:00 +0000

The Kingston A1000 M.2 NVMe - Fast, Reliable and revolutionary!

When it comes to storage drives be it larger SSDs or their smallest cousins the memory cards one name always tops the list and has become a household name in the PC industry today, Kingston! Over the year Kingston has dropped in some impressive storage devices spread over a broad area to cater to almost every segment of the market thanks to its HyperX branding that takes care of the 'gaming' division and adds the much needed bling to the products as per the demands hence balancing looks with performance.
Lately what they've lacked in is their prosumer or enthusiast grade storage drives since their top contender the KC1000 is old and dated but don't lose hope guys as Kingston just dropped in their KC2000 on the table and its loaded with the best the IT industry has to offer in terms of both hardware and software.

Priced in at around $115 the KC2000 is a NVMe M.2 drive which is one of the first drives ever to be using the Toshiba BiCS4 96-layer TLC NAND over the conventional 64 layer NAND chips and is paired with the latest Silicon Image SM2262EN controller all working on the PCIe 3.0x4 interface. The drive comes in as low as 250GB and goes all the way upto 2TB which makes this drive a great option for a lot of people out there. Our sample here today is a 500GB version though and is rated at a blistering fast speed of 3000MB/s and 2000MB/s of sequential read and write speeds respectively.

Packaging and Closer Look

Kingston has gone basic and minimalist with the KC2000 when it comes to packaging, its a drive aimed at consumers and businesses alike so why not. The drive rests safely inside a hard black plastic shell which is inside a clear transparent clam-shell and all of this is housed inside a cardboard pack with all the vital details, specifications and company logos.
I like this approach since it doesn't give the drive any segment specific appeal yet keeps it premium and functional.

Inside you get the drive seated in its own exclusive casing for added protection along with a multilingual warranty card and activation key for the Kingston cloning utility, Acronis True Image HD. Kingston SSD Manager toolbox is also included and is a great move since this product is aimed at professional workloads so having something reliable and from the manufacturer itself for monitoring your drive’s health, updating the firmware, secure erasing and even be able to adjust over-provisioning is a welcome move.

The Kingston KC2000 is a 2280 form factor M.2 drive which uses a dual sided PCB layout with the NAND chips, controller and DRAM chips located on both the sides of this black PCB wafer. The interface here is a PCIe 3.0x4 NVMe 1.3 since PCIe Gen 4.0 isn't common and exists in a very small corner of the industry today so its a wise move to cater to the larger audience without blowing the price out of proportion for many.

The controller here is the 8-channel Silicon Motion SM2262EN controller which is one of the fastest controllers out there today and supports 800 MT/s interface speed and NVMe 1.3 specifications. We have eight Toshiba BiCS4 96-layer TLC NAND chips here and are binned by Kingston itself hence bear the Kingston branding. Each chip is 64GB and there are eight of these in total with four sitting on either side of the PCB.
Two DRAM chips sit here for buffering purposes and are 512MB DDR3L each from Nanya working at 1600Mhz, this indicates higher & constant speeds due to parallelization but we'll find that out in our benchmark section.

Test Setup and Benchmarks

We used our usual testbench to benchmark the Kingston KC2000 500GB NVMe M.2 SSD -

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X @4Ghz
Motherboard: Asus X370 Crosshair VI Hero
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB 3200Mhz
Cooler: Custom Loop
Graphics Card: Aorus GTX 1080 Ti Xtreme Edition
Storage: Kingston A400 256GB
Secondary Storage: Kingston KC2000 500GB NVMe M.2
Power Supply: Cooler Master V1200 1200W
Case: Cooler Master H500M
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit

TRIM Check

Since this is a very new SSD for us so it called for some new testing suits aswell, one such tool is TrimCheck which verifies if TRIM function on the drive is working perfectly or not.

The test shows that TRIM is working perfectly on the SSD.

Crystal Disk Info v8.3

Crystal Disk Info shows us that a bunch of useful SMART attributes are presented to the end user. Total reads and writes as well as NAND writes are shown. The firmware version we are testing with today is version S2780101 with the drive working at optimum temperatures even during summers.

ATTO Disk

We can clearly see that the speed put up by the KC2000 are way faster than a conventional NVMe M.2 drive and is a perfect match to the advertised speeds on the spec sheet.

CrystalDiskMark

CrystalDiskMark is a disk benchmark software that analyses different types of hard drive. Giving sequential benchmark write and read statistics in MB/s. A simple program that is very useful.

A similar scenario is what we are seeing here aswell.

Anvil Storage Utility

The next test is Anvil Storage Utilities, which is a really great piece of software. The SSD benchmark gives you scores for both read and write as well as a combined score.

Identical results yet again in terms of performance aswell as on the IOPS end which is same as that on the specification sheets.

AS SSD

With an impressive score of above 3500 points the KC2000 blazes ahead of the competition in every suit here including the Copy benchmark which emulates real life performance compromising of miscellaneous data types and sizes.

AIDA64 Extreme Edition v5.97.4600

HD Tune Pro

HD Tune Pro is one of the most popular hard drive software suites available. It has many different benchmarks and tests built into it. Our first test is the read benchmark, which tests the average read speed and access time of the drive.
It was necessary to use it even after so many tests just to give all of you a graph of how constant the speed is on this SSD as many SSDs tend to fluctuate on the read/write speed which ultimately gives you unstable performance.

A brilliant performance presented by the KC2000 yet again where its beating others by a substantial margin! The drive is not only extremely consistent but shows really high speeds.

My Verdict

Kingston always brings something new to the table with every product telling a unique story and the KC2000 is no different. The drive is aimed at the future and uses Toshiba 96 layer TLC NAND and a competitive 8 channel SM2262EN controller.
In my tests we saw exact speeds as advertised which is great since I run multiple cycles of the same test and a drive which is aimed at business owners and servers should give consistent speeds if not the best speed which the Kingston KC2000 delivers fantastically.
The driver supports elf-encryption using 256-bit AES hardware based encryption technique which is required for end to end data protection hence it makes this drive a good option for professional use especially in small to medium servers.
The speeds are consistent but not the best as per the data of some other drives which are priced equal or even higher to the KC2000 but the bright side is that the drive is 300TBW rated hence its reliability and sustainability can't be questioned even at such high speeds hence making it perfect for what it is meant and advertised for that is professional use like workstation builds and servers.

"With high speed performance paired with nifty little inbuild technologies such as self encryption the Kingston KC2000 is a perfect choice for anyone who's either looking for a high speed drive for their business machines or simply anyone who values sustained and consistent performance"

Pros -

Solid and Stable performance
Comes with in-build security features and supports
High endurance
Five Years Warranty

Cons -

A bit pricey

I give it a 8/10 earning our Gold Award

Corsair M65 RGB Elite Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 03 Feb 2020 16:05:00 +0000

Corsair M65 RGB Elite - Distinctive Looks with Distinctive Performance

Corsair has a some really impressive gaming peripherals up in its arsenal but what makes these peripherals truly impressive and keeps them miles away from redundancy unlike others is the fact that Corsair keeps on revamping and upgrading these offerings, improving them and tailoring them as per user's feedback to hopefully overcome whatever drawbacks the previous generation product suffered from.
Today yet again I have one such product on my table for review and its the Corsair M65 RGB Elite Gaming Mouse which is the successor to the older M65 Pro RGB that features a similar design but that's probably the only thing that these two share in common as the newer M65 Elite is better in every possible way in terms of technology.

Coming in at around $60 or Rs 5,200 in India the Corsair M65 RGB Elite is on the humble side of the spectrum when it comes to pricing. Featuring an improved 18,000 DPI Pixart PMW3391 optical sensor over the 12,000 DPI Pixart PMW336X this new M65 is on the better side when it comes to accuracy on varied surfaces. A full aluminum body, weight tuning system, 8-programmable buttons and the famous sniper button is all backed up by two years of domestic warranty which is coated with RGB goodness in form of two backlit areas controlled by Corsair's own iCUE.

What's in the Box!?

Corsair brings the M65 RGB Elite in a sleek box that's laced with the Corsair gaming colors of black and yellow. The front boasts an image of the mouse itself along with main features enlisted neatly on the left side such as the dedicated sniper button, weight tuning system etc while the top has the Corsair sails logo in silver and other logos depicting various features.
At the back side the same story continues but with a detailed numbered diagram of the M65 RGB Elite which is a nice touch as one gets to know the features more clearly and can pay for the product with a little more confidence.

Accessories wise the mouse comes with technically nothing as you'll only get a warranty card, user manual and the M65 Elite mouse itself. Its kind of a shame that the mouse doesn't come with a carry pouch for the weights as it'll be a tedious job to carry them along to a gaming event along with the mouse or simply in terms of storing them safely.

A Closer Look

Corsair M65 RGB Elite is made out of solid aircraft grade aluminum frame which is light weight yet strong. The outer body has a rubberized finish which makes it easy and comfortable to grip and handle, though some parts underneath and in the front are simply powder coated aluminum but that's just the part of the rugged look. Wire is long at 1.8m and braided but isn't detachable which is fine with me but your opinion may wary.

The mouse has the same design as the previous M65 editions and the top is rubberized. You do find the two front and back arrow keys right behind the scroll wheel to switch DPI on the go and these are great as one can jump from a lower DPI to a higher one or vice versa using the arrow keys rather than having to cycle through all the rest to reach a particular setting like in a mouse with a single DPI switch button. Also the old Corsair Gaming logo is replaced by the traditional Corsair sails logo which is RGB.
The mouse does have a tapered to the right side structure which is quite favorable with mice that are aimed at FPS gamers and also provides a more snug fit to most users. Also the thumb rest is a bit more elongated for better comfort for those long gaming tournaments or during casual use too.

You find the two forward and backward buttons on the side which are right above the famous 'Sniper Button' which helps you to set preferably lower the DPI to a setting of your choice set via the iCUE software when sniping enemies or taking crucial shots via sights.
The other side is plain and both these sides are made out of premium grade plastic and feel solid without any shade of cost cutting.

Under the mouse is where you find the trick that the Corsair M65 RGB Elite hides, apart from the usual rubber feet you will also find three weights that are screwed into the mouse and are removable as per the taste and requirement of the user.
These weigh in at 7gm each and in total makes the mouse weight in around 136gm which is at 115gm without these weights so plenty of room for tuning here. Also these weights can be easily removed or put back using a coin so no special screwdrivers or hex keys are required hence. keeping the process simple.

Software Overview - Corsair iCUE

The M65 RGB Elite is compatible with the iCUE software and hence the user has a full control over how to and what to make out of this mouse. My sample was detected flawlessly by the iCUE software on my system and even for the firmware update I didn't face any issues and the mouse upgraded in just a click of the button.

One can not only adjust the three RGB lighting zones on the mouse here but can also program the keys with Macros of one's choosing. These range from texts that can be really handy for immediate responses during in-game chats, application launches and even profile switching maybe for some particular instance in the game or maps. DPI settings are five in numbers and the sniper buttons counts as six, these are all programmable in terms of DPI aswell as the color of the indicator.
Lift height feature is really useful and one can customize it as per their playing style, length of the mouse pad etc. The surface calibration feature is something that some may find useful but for me it worked the same before and after calibration probably due to my play style and mouse surface which favors more of a grip and control nature.

Time to put it to Test - Comfort and Functionality

Comfort - It really does matter!

For reference I use the Corsair Glaive RGB with its textured side grip as my daily driver and when it comes to mouse comfort I'm very peculiar as I like to rest my hand fully sometimes mostly when I'm doing my daily work which makes me a palm gripper and when gaming I tend to switch to a claw grip most of the times depending from games to games mostly FPS and role playing so for me a mouse either has to be really good at one of these two or offer a perfect balance of both, the latter preferred more. And the Corsair M65 RGB Elite does quite well for me and I loved using it with all my heart during my long working sessions and even when playing. The weight of the mouse is solid under the palm and I like how it fits nicely offering all the weight in the front to middle portion while leaving the back portion almost hollow and light.
This feature in particular is my favorite since I mostly like to fix my mouse at an axis from the rear end and then point using the front portion of the mouse rather than moving the entire mouse all the time. This weigh distribution gives me a nice hold and grip over my movement hence making it more comfortable for someone like me. Even though its a rubberized top and long sessions on the PC can cause sweat to build up on the palm especially in summers, it wasn't really that much of a problem as the mouse shape both from the front and back offered quite enough ventilation to keep the palm sweat free. Overall the mouse is very comfortable to use and I'd say prefers more to a claw gripper if you have large to extra large hands or else if they are on the smaller side then it'll serve great as claw as well as a palm gripper making it a decent choice for a large number of people.

Performance - That's what you pay for!

While testing the M65 RGB Elite I put the mouse through a range of tests that included my daily work as well as gaming. Even though its a gaming mouse and that sniper button is aimed at gaming only the mouse is lovely to use for daily work be it as simple as an MS Office spreadsheet or something more control worthy like Photoshop. The weight of the mouse as for me especially with all the three weights included works really well and that sniper button is a life saver when editing small details in a photograph on a 4K monitor where switching between low to high DPI is necessity for swift performance. I also like the sound and feel of the clicks on this mouse as its tight but only to point where its comfortable and I feel that I'm holding a solid piece of tech under my palm with heavy sounded clicks.
As for gaming I found it really accurate and controlled when playing FPS games like Far Cry New Dawn, Apex Legends, Battlefield V and PUBG. In all these games I felt the mouse is not only apt for the various scenarios but also keeps my hand conformable when gaming with a claw grip thanks to its contoured shape and the elongated wing for the thumb. The DPI switch works really well in strategy games such as Command and Conquer where I could immediately switch to a higher DPI for skimming over the whole map and then bringing it down for other functioning.
However I did feel that the side buttons for forward and backward do touch the upper portion of my thumb more than usual due their sloping alignment towards the front so, someone with a thick thumb would find it a bit uncomfortable and unwanted since I like to use these to throw grenades in FPS and you don't want to throw them by mistake on your teammates do you?
Overall the Corsair M65 RGB Elite is a solid upgrade over its predecessor and works really well for gaming and daily work alike.

My Verdict

Corsair has been famous for revamps and upgrades to their existing lineups which often than usual results in a positively improved product in nearly every field possible. The M65 RGB Elite is no exception though and does exactly what one would expect from a product of this stature, delivering to the point performance and features at a decent price tag.

The build quality is solid and the ergonomics are on point for most of the gamers and users out there. Even though the design is a bit outlandish but it slowly gets to you and in the end makes it more useful only. iCUE implementation on the mouse is as expected and keeps it in harmony with other Corsair peripherals while at the same time offering full control over the customization of the mouse both aesthetically and functionally which is how a manufacturer's software should be for its product.
I'm not sure what kind of a person would need 18,000 DPI on a mouse probably someone rocking a triple or more monitor setup but in general the only bright side out of it is the sensor that is crisp and offers tight control in games and during productivity tasks. The adjustable weights go a long way in fine tuning the mouse and gives the user an option to tune the mouse physically as well along side the software customization hence, taking things a step ahead in making it a full customizable mouse.

"Corsair M65 RGB Elite is the perfect mouse if you are looking for a product that not only looks distinct but performs as such too, offering enough bling and customization to make it a product just tailored for you and all of this at a reasonable price tag."

Pros -

Solid Build Quality
Adjustable Weights
Competitive optical sensor
Two color options - Black and White
Two DPI Buttons
Aptly priced

Cons -

No Carry Bag for the weights

I give it a 8/10 earning our Gold Award!

AVerMedia Starter Pack now in India for Beginners

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 26 Jul 2019 15:21:00 +0000

To be the next big YouTube star, one needs the right tools. But before you break the bank on expensive video equipment, start with these AVerMedias' simple devices.

BENGALURU, India - July 26, 2019

AVerMedia Technologies, Inc., the preeminent name in digital multimedia technology, has been targeting streamers and gamers that are customized to suit the needs of the Indian customers, with its portfolio of capture cards, webcams and other accessories. Over the past decade, live streaming has risen from relative obscurity to the status of cultural phenomenon. Likewise, broadcasting live videos content is becoming increasingly popular for businesses and gamers alike. Keeping in mind the requirements of Indian customers, AVerMedia recently launched YouTuber starter pack, a combo (Live Gamer MINI, AM310 USB-Mic and Webcam) Live Streamer 311(BO311).

Live Streamer Cam313 (PW313)

Most videos are created at home, so the first gadget any aspiring video creator needs is a high-definition webcam. The built-in webcams on laptops are decent, typically offering 720p video quality, but the Live Streamer Cam 313 outperforms them by offering the ability to record in 1080p, which is considered the baseline for web videos.The Live streamer Cam 313 comes with two built-in microphones (mono) and a flexible, 360-degree swivel design.
A well-thought privacy shutter provides users with a peace of mind against potential prying eyes of hackers; the flexible mounting clip with rubber pads enables the camera to be mounted firmly either on top of the monitor or on a tripod. When the camera is coupled with RECentral 4 - AVerMedia's new recording and streaming software - user can access exclusive features such as fair skin/wrinkle reduction camera effects, portrait filters (using facial recognition) as well as other filters

Live Streamer MINI (GC311)

A decade ago, sharing gameplay with friends would involve meeting at a place to play. Today, one can stream game right from couch and have millions of people watch you stream to victory.The world of video games is constantly evolving. And this includes other components besides the games. Now, die-hard gamers can share their gaming skills with the world right from their couch.The popular capture card option out there is the Live Gamer MINI. The Live Gamer MINI, pocket friendly capture card delivers 100% zero latency Full HD pass-through, which helps to enjoy the gameplay as it is meant to be. It comes with UVC technology (USB Video Class) which standardizes video drivers across Windows PC.
All users have to do is plug the capture card to the PC and it'll be ready for recording and streaming. Feature like STREAM ENGINE lets users record the gameplay backups using the 3rd party software directly to storage without putting any load on the CPU. User-friendly AVerMedia's proprietary RECentral software unleashes Live Gamer MINI's full potential with great functions like multi-stream, rich overlays, chroma key and more.

AM310 USB Microphone

Audio is half the video, and a good microphone is crucial. Portable devices have built-in microphones, but they do not make the cut, especially during the streaming. AM310 is designed to favor live streamers who crave for studio quality sounds. This model enables to record clearer, richer and warmer sound which is ideal for podcasting, streaming, gaming and more.

AM310 is a perfect-fit solution/device to immerse your audience and enrich your YouTube & Twitch channels, by adding glamour to your voice.AM310 comes with 3.5mm headphone jack and toggle switch upraises/uplifts the ease of control of either listening to what is being recorded or what's playing on your computer/device. With driver-free design suitable for PCs and MACs, setting-up/installing AM310 is hassle-free.

Price, Availability, and Warranty

Live Streamer 311 comes with official MRP of Rs25, 000 carrying a warranty of 1 year. But the product available through MD COMPUTER offers a large discount of over 22%in India.
For more information, click here

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About AVerMedia Technologies

AVerMedia Technologies designs and manufactures multimedia products, from audio and video peripherals for consumers, to professional capturing and streaming solutions for businesses. AVerMedia Technologies commits itself to enrich experiences in entertainment and communications. Find out more at www.avermedia.com

Gaming PC under Rs 60000 - AMD Ryzen build

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 16:01:00 +0000

Let's build a AMD Ryzen Gaming machine shall we!?

The much awaited AMD Ryzen 3000 series processors are out and boy oh boy the wait was worth every second, the new CPU family based on the Zen 2 architecture seems to have picked up right where the previous generation left it. The good ols glory days of AMD are back and Ryzen has cemented its legacy giving the blue team a run for their money and making Intel offerings, well to put it softly, look sheer worthless!
Since I got a lot of queries to put a build on the same platform but on a budget so here it is today, a Gaming PC build under Rs 60,000 based on AMD Ryzen 2 CPUs. Even though this build can be made for around Rs 10K less especially by cutting the graphics card & RAM down but I'd intend to spend a little more here as to make this build last longer without giving the end user issues in near future and forcing upgrades soon.
Before compiling this configuration I've kept a few key points in mind which I would like to enlist first -

The build should be future proof and should last the user for over a year or two without any upgrades.
It should run all the existing and upcoming titles at 1080p to 1440p resolution with respectable settings.
Upgrade should be easy and economical with minimum change of components.
It should be balanced over all with all the components in sync & at par without overpowering or under-powering others.

Quite basic points but worth mentioning for easy understanding of what I'm about to write down next.

CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 3600 Rs 14,500

The latest offering from AMD in form of the new Ryzen 5 3600 is a six core twelve thread CPU based on the newest Zen2 architecture which reaches a max of 4.2Ghz on boost. Due to its 7nm fabrication process its a mere 65W chip which keeps it cool even under load using the bundled stock cooler. Performance wise it easily beats the Intel i7 8700K in gaming and professional workloads alike at a far lesser price point making it even a more worthy choice!
It comes with a AMD Wraith Spire Cooler (no LED) which is adequate to keep this CPU cool but you can always upgrade the cooler to something bigger and better to overclock this chip since its unlocked and will reach higher frequencies quite easily for that extra performance gain if required.

Motherboard - ASUS TUF B450-PLUS GAMING Rs 7,800

Boasting the Asus TUF branding the TUF-B450 is a great choice not only for the brand name and aesthetics but also for the unmatched set of features it brings to the table for the price tag it carries. Its a full ATX motherboard so it'll look good in your gaming case and with a robust power delivery system you can be well assured to run your CPU at stock or overclocked without any second thought.
Four DIMM slots keep the upgrade path open and easy while extra features such as ample of SATA connectors, a M.2 connector and RGB headers is all that contributes to the wholeness of this product.

Please note that you make sure that its either with the latest BIOS or ask your local shopkeeper to update the BIOS for you as some older batches with older BIOS won't run the new AMD Ryzen 3000 chips out of the box prior to a BIOS flash.

RAM - G.Skill RipJaws V 16GB (8+8) 3000Mhz Rs 6,300

AMD Ryzen is a force to reckon with when you pair it with high speed memory kits and since the prices have come down then why not to add a kit of 16GB DDR4 rated at 3000Mhz from G.Skill Ripjaws V series! The red and black color scheme along with the low profile design makes it a great choice for gaming PCs especially whose sporting a Ryzen CPU. Its a proven product in various fields and is durable to last you for long and since its an easily available kit so in-case you plan to add more down the road it'll be no hassle to find matching kits.

Graphics Card - Galax GeForce GTX 1660 TI (1 Click OC) 6GB Rs 21,000

A gaming PC is no good without a powerful graphics card at its heart so I recommend the GALAX GTX 1660 Ti 1-Click OC edition which is not only based on the latest Turing architecture from Nvidia hence you can enjoy all the Ray Tracing benefits with ease on this one but also its one of the most power efficient ones out in the market that also happens to run cool and quiet under load as I found in my review of the same some time back.

The card is more than competent to run all AAA titles at maxed out settings on 1080p at high frames rates but also will do just fine in 1440p area with some settings lowered down. So its a great buy for competitive players who aim for high frame rate for their high refresh rates monitors and even for casual gamers who plan to use a 2K display at 60Hz.

Also you can choose from a white or black option as per your taste and build theme which is an added benefit for some cases.

HDD - Seagate Barracuda 1TB Rs 2,300

Since we are building a PC it is quite obvious that you would be watching movies and listening to music aswell along with downloading a bunch of other stuff from the internet so we need a HDD here for which we’ll go with the Seagate Barracuda for its long line of trusted quality and service that it offers at a very reasonable price. The 1TB HDD spins at 7200RPM so you won’t feel it slowing down or spoiling your experience even if you play a multi-GB BluRay rip over your monitor or TV due to slow load/buffer time.

Case - Cooler Master Masterbox K500L Rs 4,000

A case is not only the most important part of your build due to its housing capacity and cooling features but also since it gives the whole build that much needed desirable outer appearance which is a must when we talk about gaming PC builds. The Cooler Master MasterBox K500L is a case directly jumping out from a Star Wars movie with awesome front looks and side tempered glass that not only houses all the components well but also offers ample of cooling fans and radiator mounts both in the front and top. The PSU shroud adds to the looks providing a clear and neat housing and an attractive side view.

PSU - Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite 650W Rs 3,800

For less than Rs 3K the Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite 650W PSU is more than you need for this configuration leaving enough headroom for a few extra components or upgrades that you might want to add in or do in future without changing the PSU for extra wattage or more reliable performance. The PSU is vastly compatible, extremely reliable and has good number of connectors with long wires for easy installation along with a solid 5 years warranty to back it up.

Additional - SSD - GALAX GAMER V 120GB Rs 1,300

Since we are tight on budget and most people won't even notice the load time difference between a 7200 RPM HDD and a SSD in most gaming titles I have omitted a SSD here but in case you have some extra money to shell out then going for the GALAX Gamer V 120GB SSD is a worthy addition since you can use it to boot your OS and keep one title at a time easily for faster load times. Also since its a great looking drive and the CM K500L case supports a front SSD mount then it'll be worth showing it off and will compliment the build nicely.

So, there you have it a Gaming PC configuration for Rs 60,000 to handle all your gaming and multimedia work without blowing a hole in your pocket, well not a big one to be precise. I haven’t included the cost of a peripherals like speakers, keyboard and mouse so you can add that according to your preferences and budget. Also for Windows keep aside around Rs 500 or so as you can get an OEM key easily for that much from many online stores and places to activate your free copy of Windows from Microsoft website. From my side I’ve tried to keep everything in mind regarding this build but just in case I did forget something or you have a suggestion for the same then do drop a comment.

Cooler Master Highlights 2019 Thermal Products at Computex

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Tue, 28 May 2019 16:06:00 +0000

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, MAY 28, 2019 - Cooler Master, a global leader in manufacturing CPU coolers, computer components and peripherals, today provides an overview of the company’s upcoming thermal solutions including our new 3DVVC technology, an All-in-One (AIO) dual pump CPU cooler, and new line up to our MasterFan SF series.

MasterAir Maker 3DVVC  

The MasterAir Maker 3DVVC is created with our 3D Vertical Vapor Chamber technology. Instead of the traditional heat pipes to dissipate the heat from the CPU, this cooler uses one single unit of a 3D Vertical Vapor Chamber to replace the heat pipes. The vapor chamber is precisely shaped into a U shape configuration to evenly distribute the CPU heat into the aluminum fins and cooled down by two 140mm fans.

MasterAir MA620M

The MasterAir MA620M comes with dual blacked out aluminum towers with a uniform 6 heat pipe layout to dissipate the heat evenly. The Silencio FP120 fan provides high air pressure with silent performance to cool away the heat from the heat pipes in silence. Easy mounting system along with array of Addressable RGB LED lighting makes the MA620M the best option in the market for an air cooling solution.

MasterAir G200P and G400P

The G200/400P will be Cooler Master’s next small-form-factor (SFF) air cooler. With an ultra-low profile of 39.5mm for G200P and 58mm for G400P, embedded 2 heat pipes (G200P) and 4 heat pipes (G400P), and 92mm fan for both models. The G200/400P will provide users with ample thermal performance in compact form. Other proposed features include RGB lighting.

MasterLiquid Dual Pump AIO Design

Cooler Master is introducing our new dual pump AIO liquid cooler that incorporates our dual chamber design on both pumps. The dual pump is designed to enhance cooling performance by maximizing the flow rate and flow pressure of the coolant to the water block. The enhance flow rate and flow pressure of the coolant will dissipate the CPU heat at a much faster rate compared to the traditional AIO liquid coolers.

MasterLiquid Maker 240 New Edition

Cooler Master MasterLiquid Maker 240 comes with a newly designed reservoir and pump that creates a liquid vortex. The exclusive in-house pump design creates a liquid vortex effect by having the liquid flow through the top of the reservoir and then suctioned out through the bottom of the pump into the water block. The reservoir is equipped with Addressable RGB LED lighting to enhance the liquid vortex effect.

MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage

Designed and manufactured by Cooler Master’s skilled in-house team, the ML240P Mirage uncovers what’s inside. Featuring a transparent pump cover, this uniquely designed AIO provides users with a clear view of the operating impeller; coupled with eight Addressable RGB (ARGB) LEDs around the internal rim of the pump, users of the ML240P Mirage will be delighted with a hypnotizing light show.

MasterFan SF Series

The new Cooler Master SF series of case fans are designed with a square fan frame for more direct airflow and pressure. The new square shape of the SF-R ARGB series provides more surface coverage on AIOs and air coolers. The SF120R ARGB, SF240R ARGB, and SF360R ARGB will be available in different sizes of 120/240/360mm with integrated fan frame design.

MasterFan SF120M  

The MasterFan SF120M is our first Maker edition fan with a patented square 120mm metallic damping fan frame. The metallic frames are strategically placed on the fan to reduce vibration and internal friction. The double ball bearings further reduce friction and can be mounted in any direction without affecting fan performance. The noise level is limited to 26 dBA while having the performance level of an industrial fan.

Availability and Pricing:
MasterAir Maker 3DVVC: December 2019 for a starting MSRP of $129.99.

MasterAir MA620M: August 2019 for a starting MSRP of $99.99.

MasterAir G200P: August 2019 for a starting MSRP of $39.99.

MasterAir G400P: CES 2020 for a starting MSRP of $39.99.

MasterLiquid Dual Pump AIO Design: TBD

MasterLiquid Maker 240 New Edition: October 2019 for a starting MSRP of $299.99- $349.99.

MasterLiquid ML240P Mirage: June 2019 for a starting MSRP of $139.99.

MasterFan SF120/240/360R ARGB: May 2019 for a starting MSRP of $19.99 (SF120R ARGB), $39.99(SF240R ARGB), $49.99(SF360R ARGB).

MasterFan SF120M: September 2019 for a starting MSRP of $29.99.

###

About Cooler Master:

Cooler Master is a global computer components and peripheral company with a 27-year track record in releasing innovative products that truly advance the industry. We are driven by a passion for the things that make building a PC such a unique, rewarding experience, and sustained by a vision that we can reinvent the way these machines are designed, made and used. From our landmark release of the first ever aluminum PC case to our groundbreaking switch to the modular format, Cooler Master is committed to bringing our customers and fans the utmost in choice and control. For more information about Cooler Master, please visit www.coolermaster.com or follow us on https://instagram.com/coolermaster, https://twitter.com/coolermaster or http://www.facebook.com/coolermaster.

Cooler Master Announces New Case Products to be shown at Computex

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Tue, 28 May 2019 16:03:00 +0000

TAIPEI, TAIWAN, MAY 28, 2019 – Cooler Master reveals a variety of new case designs this year at Computex 2019. From minimalistic cases to sinister Black Edition variants, each model features the latest technology and innovative design. New cases are tailored to specific functions, lifestyles, and preferences ranging from professional to enthusiast demands. One series, in particular, revamps its legacy with leading-edge technology.

Silencio S400 (mATX) & Silencio S600 (ATX)

The Silencio set a precedent for quality in silence-optimized cases when it first debuted in 2011. From noise reduction technology to practicality and usability, the newest iteration was developed by evolving the strengths of Silencio predecessors through rigorous testing. Decibel meters may measure sound levels but there are more elements at play that needed to be studied. For further insight, Cooler Master collaborated with Sorama in the development of the new Silencio.

Sorama offers unique high-resolution acoustic cameras to visualize sounds in order to analyze noise and vibrations. The precision of this information equipped our R&D team with enough data to optimize noise reduction by frequency, while balancing thermal performance. Some frequencies are more noticeable than others. The application of specific types of sound dampening material target particular ranges in frequency, improving the quality of sound that could potentially escape to the user. The result is an experience that is noise-optimized without compromising the Silencio’s thermal capabilities.

COSMOS C700P Black Edition

Computex 2019 marks the launch of the latest COSMOS. The COSMOS C700P Black Edition extends further than its matte black coating, comprised of internal and external advancements upon the original. The PSU Shroud, flat radiator brackets, fine mesh panels, cable cover system, and an extra rear panel are all included to extend the COSMOS’ modular origins. While the panels and bars exhibit a pitch-black theme, the curved tempered glass possesses a lighter tint in comparison to its predecessor. Builds are displayed in full panoramic view through the dual-curved tempered glass, showcasing an arsenal of accessories at hand. Raising the Bar(s) in the COSMOS C700P Black Edition means more out-of-the-box parts to build an out-of-this-world rig.

MasterCase H100

The MasterCase H100 remains fiercely loyal to the H Series, unwilling to part from the 200mm RGB fan despite its mini-ITX form factor. From its industrial design elements to its generous use of mesh, the H100 fits neatly in the series as a travel-sized variant. Mesh makes up the entire front panel and part of the top panel, offering just enough room for a built-in handle to add to its portability. Compatibility for an ATX power supply ensures efficient power to the system for on-the-go gaming; ideal for LAN parties and events. Whether you’re saving desk space or looking for a portable alternative to the H Series, the H100 houses powerful mini-ITX systems in a tiny amount of space.

MasterCase SL600M Black Edition - Prototype

The top and front aluminum panels are anodized in black, bringing forth the MasterCase SL600M’s sinister side. The original silver finish is the suit-and-tie version of the SL600M, now donning battle armor with no intention of pleasantries as the Black Edition variant.

Availability and Pricing:

COSMOS C700P Black Edition TBA

Silencio S400 & Silencio S600 TBA

MasterCase H100 TBA

MasterCase SL600M Black Edition TBA

###

About Cooler Master:
Cooler Master is a global computer components and peripheral company with a 27-year track record in releasing innovative products that truly advance the industry. We are driven by a passion for the things that make building a PC such a unique, rewarding experience, and sustained by a vision that we can reinvent the way these machines are designed, made and used. From our landmark release of the first ever aluminum PC case to our groundbreaking switch to the modular format, Cooler Master is committed to bringing our customers and fans the utmost in choice and control. For more information about Cooler Master, please visit www.coolermaster.com or follow us on https://instagram.com/coolermaster, https://twitter.com/coolermaster or http://www.facebook.com/coolermaster.

Corsair launches the Hydro X at Computex 2019, finally!

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Tue, 28 May 2019 15:35:00 +0000

Introducing the CORSAIR Hydro X Series - Because the Best PCs Deserve the Best Cooling

COMPUTEX, Taipei / TAIWAN - May 28, 2019

CORSAIR®, a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the launch of the highly-anticipated CORSAIR Hydro X Series, a complete line of custom cooling parts offering PC enthusiasts a new standard of hardware to build the world's most powerful and stunning systems.

From CPU and graphics card water blocks to a pump/reservoir, fittings, tubing, radiators, and coolant, the Hydro X Series offers everything you need to build a spectacular custom cooling loop that lowers system temperatures and improves performance, complete with vivid RGB lighting.

Rigorously tested and validated to ensure the utmost reliability and stability, the Hydro X Series has been meticulously designed to work best alongside the massive range of CORSAIR cases and cooling components, fully integrated with CORSAIR iCUE software for automated fan and pump speed control and complete lighting customization.

The Hydro X Series cools any modern desktop CPU using the lineup of XC7 and XC9 RGB water blocks. A nickel-plated copper cold plate, more than 70 high-efficiency micro-cooling fins, and pre-applied thermal material ensure powerful cooling performance, with 16 individually addressable RGB LEDs and a transparent flow chamber to show off your style.

The XG7 RGB range of graphics card water blocks fit a wide variety of popular graphics cards, including NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 20-Series graphics cards. XG7 blocks are total conversion solutions designed to completely augment the looks and performance of the graphics card, with an included full-length aluminum backplate and integrated RGB lighting. Pre-applied thermal material and thermal pads make installation quick and easy.

The XD5 RGB Pump/Reservoir Combo delivers a strong flow for your loop thanks to its D5 pump, with a 330ml reservoir and an integrated fillport. Ten top-mounted RGB LEDs light up the reservoir, and an included temperature sensor provides real-time coolant temperatures from inside your loop.

All the remaining parts to complete your custom cooling system are available from the Hydro X Series: copper-core radiators from 120mm up to 480mm, soft and hardline tubing, a wide range of fittings with a variety of angled adapters to accommodate all kinds of tubing runs, and several vibrant colors of extensively tested coolant. The Hydro X Series is designed to fit perfectly in a wide range of CORSAIR cases, and thanks to standard G1/4" fittings, is compatible with the vast majority of existing custom cooling parts available today.

The core Hydro X Series components feature vivid, integrated RGB LED lighting to further accent your system, controllable with a CORSAIR iCUE RGB lighting controller and CORSAIR iCUE software. iCUE connects all your compatible CORSAIR components and peripherals together in a single interface, allowing you to create synchronized lighting effects across your entire system or experience immersive integrated lighting with compatible games.

The Hydro X Series is not just about pushing performance and customization, but also opening the world of custom PC cooling to more enthusiasts than ever before. Building a custom cooling system has long been considered a project for only the most dedicated builders. With pre-applied thermal material and thermal pads, easy-to-follow video installation tutorials, and dedicated 24/7 customer service, the Hydro X Series is the most streamlined and accessible path for both beginners and experts to enjoy the lower system temperatures and amazing aesthetics of a custom cooling system.

To easily determine exactly which parts you'll need for your specific build, the online custom cooling configurator is now on the CORSAIR website. By simply entering your key hardware components into the configurator, it will compile a full list of the specific Hydro X Series parts needed for a custom cooling loop tailored to your PC. The parts list can also be modified based on other preferences, such as overclocking. Afterwards, the configurator can automatically populate your cart with your personalized list of parts, for a quick and easy shopping experience.

The Hydro X Series delivers a complete range of high-quality parts to build an amazing custom cooling system, while removing many of the complexities in the process. For those who want to take their PC build to new heights of performance and style, the Hydro X Series puts custom cooling firmly within reach.

Availability, Warranty and Pricing
The CORSAIR Hydro X Series is available immediately from the CORSAIR webstore, and will be available in the coming weeks from the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors.

For the warranty info of individual CORSAIR Hydro X Series products, please refer to the CORSAIR website.

For up-to-date pricing of individual CORSAIR Hydro X Series products, please refer to the CORSAIR website or contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.

###

About CORSAIR
Founded in 1994, CORSAIR has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market into one of the world's leading providers of high-performance PC peripherals and components. CORSAIR offers a complete range of products to equip gamers, enthusiasts and e-sports athletes, including mechanical keyboards, precision gaming mice, wireless headsets, high-performance components that gamers use to build gaming PCs, and the CORSAIR ONE fully-integrated gaming PC. With a company-wide commitment to quality, innovative design, advanced features and high performance, CORSAIR products have won thousands of media and industry awards, earning their place in gamers' hands and PCs following years of development and engineering by a team dedicated to building great products they themselves would want to use.

Copyright © 2019 CORSAIR Components, Inc. All rights reserved. CORSAIR, the sails logo, and Vengeance are registered trademarks of CORSAIR in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks, and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

Corsair M65 Pro RGB Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Sat, 25 May 2019 17:43:00 +0000

Corsair M65 Pro RGB - Distinctive Looks with Distinctive Performance

Corsair has a some really impressive gaming peripherals up in its arsenal but what makes these peripherals truly impressive and keeps them miles away from redundancy unlike others is the fact that Corsair keeps on revamping and upgrading these offerings, improving them and tailoring them as per user's feedback to hopefully overcome whatever drawbacks the previous generation product suffered from.
Today yet again I have one such product on my table for review and its the Corsair M65 Pro RGB Gaming Mouse which is the successor to the older M65 that features a similar design but that's probably the only thing that these two share in common as the newer M65 Pro RGB is better in every possible way in terms of technology.

Coming in at around $60 or Rs 3,600 in India the Corsair M65 Pro RGB is on the humble side of the spectrum when it comes to pricing. Featuring an improved 12,000 DPI Pixart PMW336X optical sensor over the Avago ADNS-9800 8,200 DPI laser sensor this new M65 is on the better side when it comes to accuracy on varied surfaces. A full aluminum body, weight tuning system, 8-programmable buttons and the famous sniper button is all backed up by two years of domestic warranty which is coated with RGB goodness in form of two backlit areas controlled by Corsair's own iCUE.

What's in the Box!?

Corsair brings the M65 Pro RGB in a sleek box that's laced with the Corsair gaming colors of black and yellow. The front boasts an image of the mouse itself along with main features enlisted neatly on the left side such as the dedicated sniper button, weight tuning system etc while the top has the Corsair sails logo in silver and other logos depicting various features.
The box does open up with a front window for the customer to have a glimpse of the mouse inside and is a nifty little feature that I personally love in PC components as one gets to roughly see what he's paying for without opening the seal of the box.

At the back side the same story continues but with a detailed numbered diagram of the M65 Pro RGB which is a nice touch as one gets to know the features more clearly and can pay for the product with a little more confidence.

Accessories wise the mouse comes with technically nothing as you'll only get a warranty card, user manual and the M65 Pro RGB mouse itself. Its kind of a shame that the mouse doesn't come with a carry pouch for the weights as it'll be a tedious job to carry them along to a gaming event along with the mouse or simply in terms of storing them safely.

A Closer Look

Corsair M65 Pro RGB is made out of solid aircraft grade aluminum frame which is light weight yet strong. The outer body has a rubberized finish which makes it easy and comfortable to grip and handle, though some parts underneath and in the front are simply powder coated aluminum but that's just the part of the rugged look. Wire is long at 1.8m and braided but isn't detachable which is fine with me but your opinion may wary.

The mouse has the same design as the previous M65 and the top is rubberized. You do find the two front and back arrow keys right behind the scroll wheel to switch DPI on the go and these are great as one can jump from a lower DPI to a higher one or vice versa using the arrow keys rather than having to cycle through all the rest to reach a particular setting like in a mouse with a single DPI switch button. Also the old Corsair Gaming logo is replaced by the traditional Corsair sails logo which is RGB.
The mouse does have a tapered to the right side structure which is quite favorable with mice that are aimed at FPS gamers and also provides a more snug fit to most users. Also the thumb rest is a bit more elongated for better comfort for those long gaming tournaments or during casual use too.

Under the mouse is where you find the trick that the Corsair M65 Pro RGB hides, apart from the usual rubber feet you will also find three weights that are screwed into the mouse and are removable as per the taste and requirement of the user.
These weigh in at 7gm each and in total makes the mouse weight in around 136gm which is at 115gm without these weights so plenty of room for tuning here. Also these weights can be easily removed or put back using a coin so no special screwdrivers or hex keys are required hence. keeping the process simple.

Software Overview - Corsair iCUE

The M65 Pro RGB is compatible with the iCUE software and hence the user has a full control over how to and what to make out of this mouse. My sample was detected flawlessly by the iCUE software on my system and even for the firmware update I didn't face any issues and the mouse upgraded in just a click of the button.

Time to put it to Test - Comfort and Functionality

Comfort - It really does matter!

For reference I use the Corsair Glaive RGB with its textured side grip as my daily driver and when it comes to mouse comfort I'm very peculiar as I like to rest my hand fully sometimes mostly when I'm doing my daily work which makes me a palm gripper and when gaming I tend to switch to a claw grip most of the times depending from games to games mostly FPS and role playing so for me a mouse either has to be really good at one of these two or offer a perfect balance of both, the latter preferred more. And the Corsair M65 Pro RGB does quite well for me and I loved using it with all my heart during my long working sessions and even when playing. The weight of the mouse is solid under the palm and I like how it fits nicely offering all the weight in the front to middle portion while leaving the back portion almost hollow and light.
This feature in particular is my favorite since I mostly like to fix my mouse at an axis from the rear end and then point using the front portion of the mouse rather than moving the entire mouse all the time. This weigh distribution gives me a nice hold and grip over my movement hence making it more comfortable for someone like me. Even though its a rubberized top and long sessions on the PC can cause sweat to build up on the palm especially in summers, it wasn't really that much of a problem as the mouse shape both from the front and back offered quite enough ventilation to keep the palm sweat free. Overall the mouse is very comfortable to use and I'd say prefers more to a claw gripper if you have large to extra large hands or else if they are on the smaller side then it'll serve great as claw as well as a palm gripper making it a decent choice for a large number of people.

Performance - That's what you pay for!

While testing the M65 Pro RGB I put the mouse through a range of tests that included my daily work as well as gaming. Even though its a gaming mouse and that sniper button is aimed at gaming only the mouse is lovely to use for daily work be it as simple as an MS Office spreadsheet or something more control worthy like Photoshop. The weight of the mouse as for me especially with all the three weights included works really well and that sniper button is a life saver when editing small details in a photograph on a 4K monitor where switching between low to high DPI is necessity for swift performance. I also like the sound and feel of the clicks on this mouse as its tight but only to point where its comfortable and I feel that I'm holding a solid piece of tech under my palm with heavy sounded clicks.
As for gaming I found it really accurate and controlled when playing FPS games like Far Cry New Dawn, Apex Legends, Battlefield V and PUBG. In all these games I felt the mouse is not only apt for the various scenarios but also keeps my hand conformable when gaming with a claw grip thanks to its contoured shape and the elongated wing for the thumb. The DPI switch works really well in strategy games such as Command and Conquer where I could immediately switch to a higher DPI for skimming over the whole map and then bringing it down for other functioning.
However I did feel that the side buttons for forward and backward do touch the upper portion of my thumb more than usual due their sloping alignment towards the front so, someone with a thick thumb would find it a bit uncomfortable and unwanted since I like to use these to throw grenades in FPS and you don't want to throw them by mistake on your teammates do you?
Overall the Corsair M65 Pro RGB is a solid upgrade over its predecessor and works really well for gaming and daily work alike.

My Verdict

Corsair has been famous for revamps and upgrades to their existing lineups which often than usual results in a positively improved product in nearly every field possible. The M65 Pro RGB is no exception though and does exactly what one would expect from a product of this stature, delivering to the point performance and features at a decent price tag.

The build quality is solid and the ergonomics are on point for most of the gamers and users out there. Even though the design is a bit outlandish but it slowly gets to you and in the end makes it more useful only. iCUE implementation on the mouse is as expected and keeps it in harmony with other Corsair peripherals while at the same time offering full control over the customization of the mouse both aesthetically and functionally which is how a manufacturer's software should be for its product.
I'm not sure what kind of a person would need 12,000 DPI on a mouse probably someone rocking a triple or more monitor setup but in general the only bright side out of it is the sensor that is crisp and offers tight control in games and during productivity tasks. The adjustable weights go a long way in fine tuning the mouse and gives the user an option to tune the mouse physically as well along side the software customization hence, taking things a step ahead in making it a full customizable mouse.

"Corsair M65 Pro RGB is the perfect mouse if you are looking for a product that not only looks distinct but performs as such too, offering enough bling and customization to make it a product just tailored for you and all of this at a reasonable price tag."

Pros -

Solid Build Quality
Adjustable Weights
Competitive optical sensor
iCUE support is brilliant
Two DPI Buttons
Aptly priced

Cons -

No Carry Bag for the weights

I give it a 8/10 earning our Gold Award!

Project Storm Shadow - Cooler Master H500M Build Guide

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Sun, 19 May 2019 16:08:00 +0000

Let's clear some doubts and queries regarding the Cooler Master H500M

Recently I finished building off my personal build called Project Storm Shadow which is well a fully custom liquid cooled build made inside the Cooler Master H500M. As much as I loved creating this build it did brought out some interesting features and facts about this case which I thought are worth sharing in a build log cum FAQ guide which is dedicated solely to help certain people out there who plan to go for such build or just need a particular information regarding a particular feature.
Before we dive deep into this article I would like to clarify that while building this PC I came across little to no information about the points below which and that included reputed forums and even YouTube videos that made it all the while more difficult since none of them were accurate when it came to making a custom liquid cooling build though for general build with air cooler and AIOs there is plenty of useful information and reviews out there. This somewhat made my job quite difficult as I had to do a lot of research on the personal level and mix it with guess work with hopes that it would work out just fine in the end. So I hope this article would serve a s one place stop for all the information that someone like me out there is and would be searching for.
Note - As this is an impromptu article so excuse me for the picture quality.

The Build

Storm Shadow is build with the sole purpose of performance at minimal cost without compromising upon quality. One more thing I kept in mind while sketching out the build is to make it as hassle free as possible when it comes to future maintenance of the loop hence, a soft tubing is what I went with which also helps me to upgrade atleast the CPU if not the motherboard in near future without tearing down the whole loop for a simple swap!
The vital configuration is as follows -

CPU - AMD Ryzen 1800X at 4.1Ghz
Motherboard - Asus X370 Crosshair VI Hero
Graphics Card - Aorus GTX 1080 Ti Xtreme Edition
RAM - Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB at 3200Mhz
SSD - Kingston A400 240GB + Corsair Neutron GTX 480GB
HDD - Toshiba 2TB + Toshiba 1TB
Cooler - Custom Cooling mostly from Barrow and Bykski
PSU - Corsair AX860i 860W
Case - Cooler Master H500M
Fans - Cooler Master MasterFan Pro 120 Air Balance RGB
Sleeved Cables - Cooler Master Sleeved Cable extensions

Custom Loop Components -

CPU Block - Bykski CPU Water Block CPU-XPR-AM
GPU Block - Bykski Aorus GTX 1080 Ti Full Cover Water Block GV-N108TAORUS-11GD
Reservoir-Pump - Bykski 18W D5 Combo Pump + Reservoir Combo
Radiator - Barrow Dabel 45A 360
Fittings - Barrow
Tubing - Bykski
Concentrate - EK Cryofuel Clear Concentrate

In case most of you must be wondering that why have I used only one radiator and not two is pretty simple. For cooling a single CPU and GPU combo a single 45mm thick 360mm long radiator made out of copper is enough and anything more would yield diminishing returns but would surely make the build more complicated in ever way possible. My setup n this Indian summer where my ambient temperature mostly sits in at 30°C to 33°C without an air conditioner leaves my setup sitting at 52°C on the GPU and 63°C on the CPU which comes down my over 10°C when using an air conditioner!
With all of the basic explanation aside now lets get down to some FAQs

1. How much is the clearance for a radiator on top of the case?

The Cooler Master H500M doesn't have any clear explanation or information about this vital point. At most some would just say that its 34mm which is completely wrong infact its 70mm! Yes you read that right its 70mm on top.

The top has a removable grill which you can take out and mount the radiator to and then screw it back on the chassis. The catch is that if you look closely then their are various grills for mounting at different potions wrt the radiator size, if you mount the radiator to the last line of grill from the left side as in the pic then you can mount a radiator which is upto 60mm thick and mount the fans on top in the empty chamber on top between the main chassis and the glass top or you can slide in a 45mm radiator like I have and put a set of 25mm fans below it. The latter which is my case even allows you to go for a push pull since you can mount fans on top of the case too under the glass top.
Note - A 360mm 46mm or 60mm thick radiator would only fit with with the inlet-outlet holes on the motherboard IO shield side and not towards the front of the case since the IO shield would interfere with the radiator hence making it impossible to slide it inside the case

2. What are the other possible radiator placements?

Mounting locations for radiator in the CM H500M are either on top or in the front with the front being pretty straightforward if you want to mount a 240mm radiator but it gets a bit tricky with a 360mm radiator which would lead to the below scenarios as you need to remove the metal piece on the HDD shroud -

a. If its a slim 30mm radiator then you'll be fine mounting it with the fans inside the case but this means that you would need to use atleast two radiators in case its a full loop cooling a GPU and CPU hence increasing the loop complexity unnecessarily but that's subjective.
b. Opting for a 45mm or thicker radiator would mean either you remove the front 200mm stock fans and replace them with radiator fans which would then be sucking in fresh air but compromising the whole signature look of the H500M series as you can't place those large 200mm fans in front anymore.
Or you can remove the HDD cage completely to make room for the radiator and fans to sit inside the case hence, sandwiching the radiator between the front 200mm fans and the radiator fans. This means you would compromise HDD storage completely making it either a full SSD system or you'll need to use a NAS or something for large storage.

3. Any RAM clearance issue?

If you plan to do push pull or just push like me with a top 45mm radiator or just a pull with a 60mm thick radiator then make sure you don't use any sort of an external RAM cooler or water block or even RAM sticks that tend to stick out at the DIMM retention clips.
In my case I am left with just enough space to open the RAM slot clips for swapping memory sticks if and when required. I use pretty standard sized Corsair Vengeance Pro RGB that are completely flat at their edges. RAM height won't create any issues whatsoever though.

4. What is the Reservoir Clearance?

The case allows for around 13 inches of clearance from the top to the metal shroud but this length is shortened when you install a radiator, fans or both on top so subtract it accordingly. I opted for a reservoir and pump combo which measures in at 240mm of total height and I had to remove the pump mount bracket on top of the shroud to install it.
For installing a longer reservoir-pump combo say something like 310mm or so you will have to remove the HDD cage and the shroud completely hence posing the same issue as I've mentioned in the above answer.

5. Optimum placement for reservoir units?

The Cooler Master H500M comes with two dedicated reservoir mounts, one on the shroud and one on the side grill where the two SSD mounts also happen to be located. The one on the shroud is kind of useless when one is using a long graphics card such as myself as it'll leave no space for the reservoir to stand on that mount. Maybe you can use it if you mount your graphics card vertically for which the case has provision readily out of the box.

The grills on the side is what's optimum if you ask me since you can mount the reservoir with the clips that most come with out of the box by simply screwing the clips into the rail from behind of the case like I have done in my build.
This way you won't be compromising too much air flow coming from the front fans which you might have if mounting the reservoir in the front of the case using a bracket that you would have have to buy separately adding up extra cost unnecessarily.
On the downside you'll compromise two SSD mounts but I suppose four should be plenty anyways that you'll be left with.

6. Any issues with eat dissipation from the top since its solid glass?

Yes, since the top is solid tempered glass on the H500M it won't let hot air escape via the natural path that is hot air rises upwards instead the hot air will escape through the side grill which isn't enough and this results in the radiator getting heat soaked leading to around 5°C-6°C rise on both the CPU and GPU if you take my case since both are cooled via the same radiator.
A simple way around is to either DIY a mesh panel for the top or just unscrewing the TG panel, taking out the four washers from the middle and then screwing the glass panel back with long head screws with the washers in between the glass and the top panel. This will create around 1cm of extra space letting hot air escape through and improving the temperatures by almost 4°C atleast depending upon your ambient temperature.

Well, these were some of the questions that I had in my mind while going for this build and also some were from various people over the web that didn't get any clear answer from others. Hope this small guide cum FAQ compilation would be helpful for someone out there who's planning to go for a custom loop inside this magnificent H500M chassis from Cooler Master.
If you have any more queries or think that some questions are not included here then feel free to drop a comment and I'll attend to it ASAP.

Gaming PC under Rs 80,000 - AMD Ryzen build

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 17 May 2019 14:30:00 +0000

Let's build a AMD Ryzen Gaming machine shall we!?

The year 2018 and 2019 have been some of the best years ever in recent times for the video game industry with not only some of the best and most anticipated gaming titles coming out but also in terms of PC hardware wars soaring to new heights with AMD rolling out the revolutionary Ryzen Zen+ CPUs countered, well to some extent, by Intel 9th Generation SKUs. The Graphics division wasn’t too different after all with AMD Radeon VII entering the arena to challenge Nvidia Turning cards supremacy in the main stream segment. In short if you are an avid or even casual gamer who is planning to build a new PC or upgrade his old and loyal gaming buddy then this is the best time to do all that, not only will you be able to play the latest titles but also prepare yourself for the impressive titles that are bound to release in the months to come.

Considering all the trends and stats it’s safe to assume that Rs 80,000 is what you will have to shell out for a brand new gaming PC which will sail you across easily for the next two years atleast before asking for a major upgrade, mostly in the graphics card division. Before compiling this configuration I've kept a few key points in mind which I would like to enlist first -

The build should be future proof and should last the user for over a year or two without any upgrades.
It should run all the existing and upcoming titles at 1080p to 1440p resolution with respectable settings.
Upgrade should be easy and economical with minimum change of components.
It should be balanced over all with all the components in sync & at par without overpowering or under-powering others.

Quite basic points but worth mentioning for easy understanding of what I'm about to write down next.

CPU - AMD Ryzen 5 2600 Rs 16,450

I know the newer Ryzen Zen 2 CPUs are around the corner but that doesn't mean the older 2000 series is obsolete, they still pack plenty of juice and with the recent price cuts the deals are too good to pass by if you come across one. Since we are going for a Gaming PC here so the Ryzen 5 2600 is the obvious choice for its 6 cores and 12 threads that are more than enough for any title on the market today or in coming future with enough extra horsepower to help you with production work in-case you are into that awell casually or on a semi-professional level.

Great part is that its unlocked so you can overclock it too whenever required or just for the sake of fun!

Motherboard - Asus TUF-B450-PLUS Gaming Rs 8,485

Also since its a AM4 motherboard and on the list for the upgrade path from Asus itself so you can also pop in a newer Ryzen 3000 series CPU in it incase you want to in near future.

RAM - G.skill Ripjaws V 16GB (8GBx2) DDR4 3200MHz Rs 8,425

AMD Ryzen is a force to reckon with when you pair it with high speed memory kits and since the prices have come down then why not to add a kit of 16GB DDR4 rated at 3200Mhz from G.Skill Ripjaws V series! The red and black color scheme along with the low profile design makes it a great choice for gaming PCs especially whose sporting a Ryzen CPU. Its a proven product in various fields and is durable to last you for long and since its an easily available kit so in-case you plan to add more down the road it'll be no hassle to find matching kits.

Graphics Card - GALAX GeForce RTX 2060 (1-Click OC) 6GB Rs 29,870

A gaming PC is no good without a powerful graphics card at its heart so I recommend the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC edition which is not only based on the latest Turing architecture from Nvidia hence you can enjoy all the Ray Tracing benefits with ease on this one but also its one of the most power efficient ones out in the market that also happens to run cool and quiet under load as I found in my review of the same some time back.

The card is more than competent to run all AAA titles at maxed out settings on 1080p at high frames rates but also will do just fine in 1440p area. So its a great buy for competitive players who aim for high frame rate for their high refresh rates monitors and even for casual gamers who plan to use a 2K display at 60Hz.

Also you can choose from a white or black option as per your taste and build theme which is an added benefit for some cases.

HDD - Western Digital Blue 2TB Rs 4,620

Since we are building a PC it is quite obvious that you would be watching movies and listening to music aswell along with downloading a bunch of other stuff from the internet so we need a HDD here for which we’ll go with the Western Digital Blue for its long line of trusted quality and service that it offers at a very reasonable price. The 2TB HDD spins at 7200RPM so you won’t feel it slowing down or spoiling your experience even if you play a multi-GB BluRay rip over your monitor or TV due to slow load/buffer time.

SSD - Crucial BX500 240GB Rs 2,480

Yeah you obviously need a SSD for faster Windows boot up time and quick loading in games or else you’ll be stuck loading multi gigabyte games over a conventional mechanical hard drive. The Crucial BX500 240GB would do the job here as the SSD offers competitive and reliable performance for the price it comes at! Great after market sale support for Crucial is always there and 240Gb would be more than enough for Windows, your vital softwares and one to two AAA gaming titles at a time so pick this up without any second thoughts here.

Cooler - Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML120L RGB Rs 4,620

The stock cooler that comes with the AMD Ryzen 5 2600 is more than enough for that CPU but since we have some budget to spare and its an overclockable chip so we can get the Cooler Master ML120L AIO which is a decent cooler which also packs the RGB goodness.

The 120mm radiator is great for keeping this chip cool even in high summer temperatures or when overclocked hence, increasing the life span of your processor and also helping you to play for those long marathon gaming sessions without any worries.

Case - Cooler Master MasterBox MB511 Rs 5,680

PSU - Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite 600W Rs 4,256

For less than Rs 3K the Cooler Master MasterWatt Lite 600W PSU is more than you need for this configuration leaving enough headroom for a few extra components or upgrades that you might want to add in or do in future without changing the PSU for extra wattage or more reliable performance. The PSU is vastly compatible, extremely reliable and has good number of connectors with long wires for easy installation along with a solid 5 years warranty to back it up.

So, there you have it a Gaming PC configuration for Rs 80,000 to handle all your gaming and multimedia work without blowing a hole in your pocket, well not a big one to be precise. I haven’t included the cost of a peripherals like speakers, keyboard and mouse so you can add that according to your preferences and budget. Also for Windows keep aside around Rs 500 or so as you can get an OEM key easily for that much from many online stores and places to activate your free copy of Windows from Microsoft website. From my side I’ve tried to keep everything in mind regarding this build but just in case I did forget something or you have a suggestion for the same then do drop a comment.

Corsair launches the Ironclaw RGB Wireless and Glaive RGB Pro in India

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 26 Apr 2019 14:42:00 +0000

CORSAIR Launches Two New High-Performance Gaming Mice - IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS and GLAIVE RGB PRO

MUMBAI, India - April 26, 2019

CORSAIR®, a world leader in PC gaming peripherals and enthusiast components, today announced the addition of two new high-performance mice to its rapidly expanding gaming peripheral lineup. IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS, a wireless version of the acclaimed IRONCLAW RGB launched in early 2019, uses hyper-fast SLIPSTREAM CORSAIR WIRELESS TECHNOLOGY alongside an 18,000 DPI optical sensor to provide gamers with cutting-edge wireless performance and superb accuracy and tracking. GLAIVE RGB PRO sees the popular GLAIVE RGB, featuring three interchangeable side grips, updated with a new 18,000 DPI sensor and additional RGB lighting. Whether gamers choose the wireless freedom and palm grip-friendly shape of IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS or the customizable grip of GLAIVE RGB PRO, they'll find a CORSAIR mouse that elevates their gameplay and in-game performance.

IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS retains the palm grip-optimized shape and rubberized side of the wired version, while adding CORSAIR's industry-leading 2.4GHz SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS. With unbelievably fast sub-1ms wireless latency, a wireless range of up to 33ft, and Intelligent Frequency Shift (IFS) ensuring a stable signal even in heavy wireless traffic, SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS offers a wired mouse gaming experience, without the wire.

In addition to SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS, the IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS can also connect over low-latency Bluetooth, providing a wealth of connection options for many devices from laptops to tablets. Connecting with USB wired allows for simultaneous use while charging, and with up to 50 hours of rechargeable battery life, users can play for days at a time on a single charge.

IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS also adds an additional three buttons over its wired counterpart, for a total of ten fully programmable buttons, as well as an additional RGB lighting zone for three zones of dynamic RGB backlighting and greater customization. IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS boasts the same top-end 18,000 DPI Pixart optical sensor and ultra-durable Omron switches as the IRONCLAW RGB, ensuring tracking, accuracy and precision equal to even the most advanced wired mouse.

The new GLAIVE RGB PRO preserves the celebrated GLAIVE RGB design with three interchangeable thumb grips for customized comfort, updated for 2019 with new textures to suit any style of gameplay and the latest in optical sensor technology. An 18,000 DPI Pixart optical sensor, customizable in 1 DPI resolution steps and with five programmable sensitivity presets, means the GLAIVE RGB PRO now matches the most advanced mice in the CORSAIR lineup. With seven programmable buttons, three-zone RGB backlighting, durable Omron switches, and a new rugged aluminum scroll wheel, the GLAIVE RGB PRO combines high performance with high comfort.

Launching alongside IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS and GLAIVE RGB are a pair of new mouse pads designed for esports professionals - the CORSAIR MM350 and MM250 Champion Series premium mouse pads.

The first in the new CORSAIR Champion Series of products, created with the feedback of esports professionals, the MM350 and MM250 launch in an X-Large 450mm x 400mm size that's ideal for desktop use and low sensitivity play. Plush 5mm-thick construction provides extra comfort, while a clean black surface keeps distractions to a minimum. Available with either the stitched anti-fray edge of the MM350, or the standard edge of the MM250, the new Champion Series mouse pads are an ideal teammate for competitive gaming.

Availability, Warranty and Pricing

The CORSAIR IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS, GLAIVE RGB PRO, MM350 Champion Series and MM350 Champion Series are available immediately from the CORSAIR worldwide network of authorized retailers and distributors, as well as direct from the CORSAIR webstore.

The IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS, GLAIVE RGB PRO, MM350 Champion Series and MM350 Champion Series are backed by a two-year warranty and the CORSAIR worldwide customer service and technical support network.

For up-to-date pricing of the IRONCLAW RGB WIRELESS, GLAIVE RGB PRO, MM350 Champion Series and MM350 Champion Series, please refer to the CORSAIR website or contact your local CORSAIR sales or PR representative.

###

About CORSAIR

Founded in 1994, CORSAIR has grown from pioneering the high-performance DRAM market into one of the world's leading providers of high-performance PC peripherals and components. CORSAIR offers a complete range of products to equip gamers, enthusiasts and e-sports athletes, including mechanical keyboards, precision gaming mice, wireless headsets, high-performance components that gamers use to build gaming PCs, and the CORSAIR ONE fully-integrated gaming PC. With a company-wide commitment to quality, innovative design, advanced features and high performance, CORSAIR products have won thousands of media and industry awards, earning their place in gamers' hands and PCs following years of development and engineering by a team dedicated to building great products they themselves would want to use.

Copyright © 2019 CORSAIR Components, Inc. All rights reserved. CORSAIR, the sails logo, and Vengeance are registered trademarks of CORSAIR in the United States and/or other countries. All other company and/or product names may be trade names, trademarks, and/or registered trademarks of the respective owners with which they are associated. Features, pricing, availability, and specifications are subject to change without notice.

GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC Graphics Card Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Tue, 09 Apr 2019 09:10:00 +0000

GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC: Light on Budget, Heavy on Performance

Nvidia Turing architecture has been a force to reckon with but that's only true for the top of the line RTX 2080 Ti that's a gaming beast in its own right since the RTX 2080 well is just near identical to GTX 1080Ti. This created a two way void for PC Gamers as not only the new cards, worth going for, are way too expensive but also there was no option for budget gamers who wanted an upgrade and maybe want some of those vanilla RT cores just for the sake of it. Finally Nvidia responded & we have the RTX 2060 in its true form which is the entry level RTX card and features some really nifty features under the hood.
Thanks to GALAX India I have their RTX 2060 1-Click OC Graphics card on the table for review and I can't be any more pumped than this as not only is this our first RTX 2060 review but also our first GALAX Graphics Card review.

Priced in at Rs 31,500 in India the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC is the cheapest RTX 2060 one can have and just for that sake itself the card takes away some brownie points right off the bat due to the stature of the RTX 2060 cards itself. Under the hood this card is powered by a TU106 GPU based on the Turing architecture that is accompanied by 6 GB of GDDR6 memory which are clocked in at 1695 Mhz boost and 1750Mhz respectively.

What's in the Box!?

The GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC comes in a sleek cardboard box which is dominated by white, black and green as the primary colors. The classic GALAX silhouette is present right in the center along with the brand name, warranty and mention of the 1-Click OC feature mentioned clearly on the top half of the box. At the bottom we have the other details like product name and all but mostly its important to note that it is the White version of the card as a Black one of the same is also in the market and notably was launched prior to this one.

At the back nothing much is going on and we get marketing and basic details such as multi monitor support and the Xtreme Tuning Utility by GALAX. Overall the packing is really impressive from the top and its naturally one of the prettiest packing I've seen on a graphics card which is a welcome move.

Open the box and you will find the card securely resting inside an anti static bag which is nestled neatly inside a thick block of styrofoam that is more than enough for a card of this size and weight. Accessories wise the card is on the lighter side which is acceptable for the price tag it comes with and we get the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC Graphics Card, a user manual for installation and a molex to PCIe adapter cable incase you are still rocking a prehistoric build and need one!

A Closer Look

GALAX has gone for a full white color scheme with this variant of the RTX 2060 1-Click OC which happens to be their signature color of HOF lineup that they've brought down here. Its a one of a kind color scheme that should attract a lot of gamers who are aiming for an all white Gaming PC.

The card is entirely white with just the GALAX logo printed on the fan stickers being a highlight in black. The shroud is made up of premium quality plastic with abstract designs molded across the entire length and breadth.

At the back the same color scheme continues on the backplate too which is fully white with grey streaks as highlights. It is a welcome move that GALAX has also included a backplate to their RTX 2060 even at this low of a price point while maintaining such solid build quality which isn't flimsy at all.

The RTX 2060 1-Click OC measures in at 228x131.5x41.5 mm making it a sleek and short card that should fir in easily in any case including mITX where space is an issue. On the top side we have the plastic shroud warping and blending into two colors of black and white where the white has the GeForce RTX branding the black portion flashes the GALAX logo which is RGB and can be controlled via the Xtreme Utility software available on the official website. The whole font and styling goes well with the theme of this card and creates a pleasing image to see through the side panel window of your PC cases.

As for the power the card uses a 8-pin PCIe connector which theoretically makes this card capable of pulling 300W. With this connector on a 160W TDP card I'm pretty sure we'll have decent headroom for overclocking.

Two 90mm fans are placed on a dense aluminum fin stack that houses four 30mm copper heat pipes to keep the VRAM and GPU arrangement cool underneath. These fans only start spinning once the card crosses the 54°C mark and do ramp up quickly as the temperature rises due to their aggressive fan curve. This should be plentiful as its only a 160W TDP card but considering the slim fin stack I have my apprehensions which we'll see later on during benchmarking.

For the I/O GALAX relies on the standard set of connectors for this dual slot RTX 2060 and sports a DVI-D port, a HDMI 2.0a port and a DisplayPort 1.4 making it a great card for running multiple displays including 4K panels.

Benchmarks and Overclocking

Installing the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC was easy and it powered up like a breeze once we booted up the system. Since this is a very short card one won't have any issues when installing it in most to any case out there which is how it should be for a mainstream card.
GPUZ reported the correct frequencies with 1365Mhz on the clock and 1750Mhz on the memory with boost reaching 1965Mhz courtesy to GPU Boost 4.0

For testing the GALAX RTX 2060 graphics card our new test bench is as follows -

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X @3.9Ghz
Motherboard: Asus X370 Crosshair VI Hero
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB 3200Mhz
Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R RGB
Graphics Card: GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC
Storage: Kingston A400 256GB
Secondary Storage: Corsair Neutron XTi 480GB
Power Supply: Corsair AX860i 860W
Case: Cooler Master H500M
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Sleeved Cables: TweakedPC

Now overclocking the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC was a bit tricky, the propitiatory Xtreme Utility from GALAX that provides the 1-Click OC functionality along with a bunch of other features including manual tuning only bumps the core clock by a mere 15Mhz which as per me is not worth it at all and one should only use this utility for controlling the RGB lights at best. However using MSI Afterburner which I always use for graphics card overclocking showed that the Power Limit on this card is locked at a 100% and same was shown in the GALAX's own Xtreme Utility engine too! The only thing you can adjust is the temperature limit from 83°C to 87°C along with the core and memory frequencies. Anyways moving forward I could get a +100Mhz on the core and +1000Mhz on the memory to reach a stable 1465Mhz and 2000Mhz on the core and memory respectively which gave me a boost of 2100Mhz thanks to GPU Boost 4.0
This is thus far one of the superior overclocks on the RTX 2060 which leads me to speculate that GALAX might've raised the default power limit on this card from their side itself otherwise reaching such high off-sets on frequency at the default 100% power limit is quite near impossible.

3DMark Fire Strike & Time Spy

Fire Strike and Time Spy by 3D Mark is a test suit that plays a cinematic scene to determine the FPS, GPU temperature and CPU temperature scaling everything via a cumulative score. It is a great tool to benchmark your GPU since the render is mostly GPU & memory dependent.

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Shadow of the Tomb Raider is an action-adventure video game developed by Eidos Montréal in conjunction with Crystal Dynamics and published by Square Enix. It continues the narrative from the 2015 game Rise of the Tomb Raider and is the twelfth mainline entry in the Tomb Raider series.
Based off the Dynamics' proprietary Foundation engine like its predecessor SOTTR is a visual treat and heavily optimized for PC platform. We are running it at Highest graphical preset in DX12 mode benchmarked using the game's build in tool.

Far Cry New Dawn

Far Cry New Dawn uses an enhanced version of the Dunia 2 engine. Unlike its predecessor the game now uses DirectX 12 API, the development team have optimized the game extensively to take advantage of hardware capabilities. Furthermore, Far Cry New Dawn is a testament to achieving proper visual fidelity while keeping overall polygon count in check. Testing is done at Ultra preset using the build in benchmark to keep the results standardized.

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Assassin's Creed Odyssey is a 2018 action role-playing video game developed by Ubisoft Quebec and published by Ubisoft. It is the eleventh major installment, and twentieth overall, in the Assassin's Creed series and the successor to 2017's Assassin's Creed Origins.
Using the AnvilNext 2.0 graphics engine the game though better optimized than Origin is still very taxing even on the best of systems out there. We are running the game's build in benchmark at Ultra presets.

Battlefield V

Battlefield V is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. Battlefield V is the sixteenth installment in the Battlefield series.
Masking use of the ‎Frostbite 3 engine the game is extremely beautiful both in terms of graphics and story-line, I've tested the game in DX12 mode at maxed out settings and for DXR the Ultra setting is used.

Metro: Exodus

Metro Exodus is a first-person shooter video game developed by 4A Games and published by Deep Silver. Not only is this the first game ever to implement ray tracing global illumination and DLSS simultaneously but this game can beat any modern day PC hardware to its knees and can rightfully be called the present day Crysis. We are running it at Ultra presets with Hairworks on and Tessellation set to full using the game's build in benchmarking tool.

Thermals

The GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC runs similar if not cooler than the other RTX 2060 dual fan cards out there from various AIBs mainly due to its more aggressive fan profile using those two 90mm fans seated on a decent fin sstack, keeping it well off the thermal throttling mark when at stock or manually overclocked even when its inside a closed chassis such as the Cooler Master H500M and not on an open test bench. The card was allowed to run with the default fan curve & the temperature readings are taken in a strictly controlled environment with ambient temperature at 25°C.

My Verdict

The Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 is in itself a great value for money card considering it is technically the first and only card in the RTX lineup that offers unprecedented price to performance ratio making it everything that the Turing launch should've been. Coming to the card in hand today the GALAX RTX 2060 1-Click OC, the card performs exactly and even more than what I was expecting from it.
Priced in at just Rs 31,500 in India the card is the cheapest RTX 2060 in the market but there is no sign of cutting corners when it comes to raw performance making it handle all the modern AAA titles at 1080p with ease and shines truly bright when used at 1440p with all setting cranked up delivering a smooth near to over 60 FPS in every demanding title today which also clearly makes it a winner when compared to any GTX 1660 Ti in the market today including the top of the line premium models.

Cooling wise the card run cool and well within the temperature limits but at the cost of a slightly more noise due to its more aggressive fan curve which I can live with for the price I'm paying for this card. Overclocking on the GALAX RTX 2060 is swift and the card is no slouch at overclocking either, I would call the 1-Click OC a more of a marketing gimmick as 15Mhz is not really something that'll matter to anyone so best you overclock the card on your own. Build quality is solid and with that all white design not only its a well build card for the price but a worthy addition to builds that are all white in color not to mention the slim design makes it an ideal card for mITX and other compact builds.

"Overall GALAX has found itself a winner in form of the RTX 2060 1-Click OC which comes at an unbelievable price tag and ticks all the right boxes making it a perfect choice for a PC gamer looking for an upgrade or building an entirely new PC without blowing a hole in his pocket!"

Pros -

Solid Build Quality
All white color scheme
Exceptionally well priced
Comes in two colorways, Black and White
Overclocks well
Great 1440p performance
Runs cool
Extremely power efficient

Cons -

None

I give it a 9/10 earning our Gold Award!

Gigabyte’s new SSDs are rated to deliver incredibly fast 3,480MB/s reads

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:03:00 +0000

Rated write performance is fast as well.

Gigabyte is rolling out a pair of solid state drives that will light up your PC with speedy performance. Offered under its Aorus brand and shipping (presumably soon) in the add-in card form factor, these new SSDs slide into a PCIe 3.0 x4 port and deliver read and write speeds that are several times faster than SATA-based SSDs.

You may have heard about these drives before. That's because Gigabyte first announced them at the Consumer Electronics Show in January. Now around three months later, it's added product pages to its website for these new drives, and is expected to make them available soon.

The drives come in two capacities: 512GB and 1TB. Both are rated to offer up to 3,480MB/s of sequential read performance, though the 1TB model is the overall faster of the two. Here's a look at the specs on the 1TB model:

Sequential read: 3,480MB/s
Sequential write: 3,080MB/s
4K random read: 610,000 IOPS
4K random write: 530,000 IOPS
Endurance: 1,600 TBW

And here are the specs on the 512GB model:

Sequential read: 3,480MB/s
Sequential write: 2,100MB/s
4K random read: 360,000 IOPS
4K random write: 512,000 IOPS
Endurance: 800 TBW

The specs on both models are comparable to Western Digital's SN750, the best SSD for gaming in the NVMe space. The SN750 line is built around the more convenient M.2 form factor, though if you're rocking an older motherboard that does not have an NVMe slot, AIC solutions like Gigabyte's are an end-around to buying a new mobo.

It appears Gigabyte is also making an appeal to aesthetics. By going with an AIC form factor, it's able to deliver a more flashy product, both in terms of RGB lighting and the design on the heat spreaders.

The other advantage Gigabyte is touting is temp control. According to Gigabyte, its double-sided heat spreader design kept temps at around 50C during internal testing. There are also thermal pads on both sides of the drive. Still, it's a more cumbersome solution compared to M.2.

Gigabyte still has not said when its new drives will be available to buy or how much they will cost. Given that product pages now exist, we imagine they will ship soon.

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Gigabyte to bundle a hand-picked Core i9-9900K with an Aorus motherboard for $1,600

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 14:00:00 +0000

Overclocking made easy (and expensive).

Remember that $900 motherboard from Gigabyte that came out last December? Well, starting soon you'll have the option of buying it with a binned Core i9-9900K processor (which is the best CPU for gaming at the time of writing) for an eye-popping $1,600, with a guaranteed overclock of 5.1GHz.

The motherboard is a Z390 Aorus Xtreme Waterforce 5G. It's every bit a high end board, with a built-in, all-in-one monoblock to incorporate into your liquid cooling loop and all kinds of premium amenities.

For the upcoming bundle, Gigabyte is sorting through and stress testing Core i9-9900K processors based on their ability to overclock. Only the ones that can maintain a stable 5.1GHz on all cores make the cut and are included in the bundle.

Most users who buy the bundle should be able to hit that speed out of the box, unless there is a problem elsewhere in their system (RAM, cooling, and so forth). To make things as easy as possible, Gigabyte sets the appropriate parameters in the BIOS before shipping.

"The BIOS has also been pretuned so that users won’t have to configure the settings to avoid complications and confusion for hitting all cores at 5.1GHz and higher while overclocking. Additionally, Gigabyte engineers have already stress tested these motherboards at higher loads compared to that of standard configurations to ensure the reliability of these boards so that users can enjoy extreme performance with all cores at 5.1GHz or higher and excellent stability," Gigabytes says.

Those settings consist of the following:

CPU multiplier: 51
BCLK: 100
CPU vCore: Auto
Loadline Calibration: Auto
XMP: Disable

This takes some of the fun out of overclocking, though if all you are interested in is the end result, Gigabyte will happily oblige. For a hefty price, of course.

MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X Review

noreply@blogger.com (Vishvesh Mishra) — Fri, 15 Mar 2019 18:53:00 +0000

MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X - All hail to the new 1080p king!

In context to Ray Tracing a wise man once said that, It works, but apparently the consumers didn't think like that & the lost in market share for Nvidia last year is a blatant proof of that hence proving that It just doesn't work! The RTX series cards have been a hard pill to swallow for everyone and definitely not received well by consumers who just are not ready to shell that extra dime for Ray Tracing and DLSS that the new Turing architecture from Nvidia cards offers. A hollow promise at the launch and then poorly implemented feature set in games like BF V that took away performance for a few extra reflections on the screen followed by a mostly blurry DLSS in Metro Exodus just didn't work for the paying consumers hence the need for a GTX card was needed more than ever and Nvidia finally just did that. Recently they came up with the GTX 1660 Ti 6GB graphics card that is based on the same Turing architecture and uses a 6GB of GDDR6 memory minus all the Tensor and RT cores that makes it a card as we knew them before RTX came around & performed as one would expect it to be if you go through our review on the MSI GTX 1660 Ti Gaming X.
But this card isn't enough as it still is a bit higher on the price tag and not truly a direct competition to the RX 590 from AMD simply due to its price so here we are today with the newly fresh out of the oven MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X lying on the table for review!

Priced in at $250 or ₹27,800 in India the card is a direct head on collider to the RX 590 which utilizes the same TU116 GPU at its core as the GTX 1660 Ti but with a few washed down features to bring down the cost and hopefully not the performance. At its heart it is powered by the TU116 based on the Turing architecture and has 6GB of GDDR5 memory working at 8Gb/s which also marks the first Turing card carrying a GDDR5 memory rather than the newer GDDR6. Having 1408 CUDA cores makes it 8% lesser than those in the GTX 1660 Ti, all of this has a boost clock of 1860Mhz which is way past the factory specifications.

What's in the Box!?

MSI has brought the GTX 1660 Gaming X in a simple and sleek packaging with a thin cardboard box which carries black as the main color theme. We have a large MSI logo along with the card image in the center and the product name at eh bottom left corner with a highlight on the Twin Frozr 7 cooler implementation. And of-course the familiar GeForce GTX logo is back on the bottom right corner.

At the back you'll mostly find MSI telling you as much as they can about their new cooler and the Torx 3.0 fans and how the card is fast aswell as decorated with RGB lights all over the shroud.

Inside the box we are greeted with a humble yet adequate number of accessories, we get a bunch of Luck the Dragon stickers, a user guide, a booklet on how to install the graphics card, a thank you note, a driver CD and the actual card itself.

A Closer Look

MSI has ditched their red and black color scheme with the new RTX series cards and the same goes for the GTX 1660 aswell which comes in a black and grey color scheme and looks pretty sleek for a card of its stature and price point.

The card even though is quite stealthy with its gun metal color scheme but you can still see that its original shroud design is from the previous generation only with a few minute changes here and there. It has a B2 bomber plane feel to it and the trims around the new fans have RGB strips that can be easily controlled via the MSI Mystic Lights software.

Measuring in at 247x127x46 mm this is a small card but does come with a backplate which has a brushed aluminum finish to it giving it that extra bit of premium feel that is a must for the price tag for which this card comes at. But without a doubt this backplate is one of the most elegant ones out there and I personally love it since its that portion of the card which would be visible in most chassis.

Underneath you won't see any big heat pipes protruding outside the shroud and we have only three 6mm heatpipes running in and out of the heatsink which should be adequate to cool the TU116 chip underneath especially with the new Torx 3.0 fans on top which are 90mm each and going by their impressive past record should do just fine.

For power the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X relies on a single 8-pin PCIe power connector which gives it a 225W power draw capacity on paper however Nvidia even though without any reference model out there rates the GTX 1660 at 120W and same is the case with this one too making it an immensely power efficient card. However some AIBs can by default bump this limit by 10W or so.

The IO shield on the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X has four ports namely as one HDMI 2.0a port and three DisplayPorts 1.4 that are 1.4a ready hence can support upto 8K 60Hz display. The DVI port is long gone which makes this card both slim and also leaves more room for exhaust vents which might be a part of MSI's mastering aerodynamics plan with this card.

Benchmarks and Overclocking

Installing the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X was easy and it powered up like a breeze once we booted up the system. Since this is a very short card one won't have any issues when installing it in most to any case out there which is how it should be for a mainstream card.
GPUZ reported the correct frequencies with 1530Mhz on the clock and 2001Mhz on the memory with boost reaching 1995Mhz courtesy to GPU Boost 4.0

For testing the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X graphics card our new test bench was as follows -

CPU: AMD Ryzen 7 1800X @3.9Ghz
Motherboard: Asus X370 Crosshair VI Hero
RAM: Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro 32GB 3200Mhz
Cooler: Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240R RGB
Graphics Card: MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X
Storage: Kingston A400 256GB
Secondary Storage: Corsair Neutron XTi 480GB
Power Supply: Corsair AX860i 860W
Case: Cooler Master H500M
OS: Windows 10 Pro 64-bit
Sleeved Cables: TweakedPC

Overclocking any Turning architecture card right now is not the easiest of affairs in terms of reaching high frequencies as Nvidia has locked the power target on these cards which is 107% in case of the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X. This greatly limits one to add more numbers to the frequency to the GPU or the memory due to deficiency of maximum power supplied. My sample isn't the best out of the lot and hence I could only manage a 140Mhz increase on the clock along with a 950Mhz on the memory and anything more than that mostly resulted in crash, system freezes or poor results so we settled down to 1670Mhz on the clock and 2476Mhz as the boost frequency which kept us in the 2100Mhz to 2145Mhz range in game courtesy to GPU Boost 4.0 at default fan curve.

3DMark Fire Strike & Time Spy

Shadow of the Tomb Raider

Far Cry New Dawn

Assassin's Creed Odyssey

Battlefield V

Battlefield V is a first-person shooter video game developed by EA DICE and published by Electronic Arts. Battlefield V is the sixteenth installment in the Battlefield series.
Masking use of the ‎Frostbite 3 engine the game is extremely beautiful both in terms of graphics and story-line, I've tested the game in D3D12 mode at maxed out settings on full HD resolution.

Metro: Exodus

Thermals

The MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X runs cooler than most other GTX 1660 cards out there mainly due to the dense fin stack along with the two Torx 3.0 fans that are more than adequate to cool a card of this category with a 120W TDP rating hence, keeping it well off the thermal throttling mark when at stock or manually overclocked even when its inside a closed chassis such as the Cooler Master H500M and not on an open test bench. The card was allowed to run with the default fan curve & the temperature readings are taken in a strictly controlled environment with ambient temperature at 25°C.

My Verdict

Nvidia has hit the ball out of the park with the GTX 1660, there you go I said it! Priced in at a baseline of $199 this is exactly what everyone expected and more so wanted so desperately in times when graphics card prices seem to be going upward ever since the mining era especially when you consider the budget gamer who's looking for an upgrade or building a new system from scratch.
With that being said the card in hand today, the MSI GTX 1660 Gaming X does everything that Nvidia promises for a GTX 1660 and even more thanks to all the bells and whistles that MSI has included with this card out of the box. With an overclocked core and great overclocking headroom thanks to its extremely competent cooling arrangement the MSI GTX 1660 is a beast in its own right that has clearly handled every modern AAA titles with ease on full HD resolution and can even drive through at ease in the 1440p realm with minor tweaking in the settings making it a must have for every gamer on budget.

Putting things into perspective we are looking at the best modern card out there today at the time of writing for 1080p gaming in all its glory, offering unmatched price to performance ratio at an extremely low power consumption putting it quite ahead of its competitors inform of the RX 580 and RX 590 which had recently dethroned the old GTX 1060.
All is nice and dandy till you look at the price tag that MSI has put on the GTX 1660 GAming X making it one of the most expensive GTX 1660 cards out there and dangerously hovers around the starting price range of the GTX 1660 Ti which obviously offers better performance even if you go for the base models.

"MSI has found itself a winner in form of the GTX 1660 Gaming X creating the perfect card for a budget gamer who wants to game at 1080p in all its glory & doesn't mind shelling a little extra for all the add-on features that the card comes with both in terms of stealthy aesthetics & beefed up performance."

Pros -

Solid Build Quality
Subtle RGB implementation
Overclocked out of the box
Great 1080p performance
Runs cool and quite
Extremely power efficient

Cons -

Price tag is on the higher side

I give it a 8/10 earning our Gold Award!