Systems
The introduction of the Intel NUC in the early 2010s kickstarted the ultra-compact form-factor (UCFF) trend for desktop systems. Processors with TDPs ranging from 6 - 15W formed the backbone of this segment in the initial years. The emergence of configurable TDPs for notebook processors has prompted some vendors to introduce UCFF systems with regular 45W TDP processors (albeit, in cTDP-down mode). GEEKOM, the private label brand of Shenzhen Jiteng Network Technology Co., has emerged as a popular UCFF system vendor in the last couple of years. After starting off with systems based on older processors, the company has moved on to introducing units carrying the latest and greatest from both AMD and Intel. The company has also been innovating on the form-factor side with...
iBUYPOWER: 4.0GHz QX9650 and 3-way SLI 8800 Ultras
iBUYPOWER is an established company that offers a wide variety of systems. This time around, we look at one of their high-end overclocked gaming systems to see if it's...
18 by Matt Campbell on 4/10/2008A Second Shot: Windows Vista SP1
After much fanfare, SP1 has hit gold. Can SP1 fix all that ails Vista? We take a look and find out.
62 by Ryan Smith on 2/27/2008Überclok Ion: Midrange Overclocking, with a Warranty
Überclok is a new company building overclocked gaming PCs. Today we're looking at their midrange Ion model to see how it stacks up.
38 by Matt Campbell on 2/12/2008Shuttle SG33G5: Black Beauty or Black Sheep?
We look at the small form factor SG33G5 with a quad-core CPU, onboard graphics, and an NVIDIA 8800 GT.
16 by Matt Campbell on 12/13/2007HP Blackbird 002 Revisited
Today marks the official launch of HP's Blackbird 002, at least in terms of being able to customize the system configuration, so we decided to take a second look...
33 by Jarred Walton on 10/2/2007HP Blackbird 002: Back in Black
The Blackbird 002 is about to soar into the wild. A beast born from the marriage of VoodooPC and HP, we took an early unit out on a test...
31 by Jarred Walton on 9/12/2007A New Kind of Home Computer: Windows Home Server Preview
Microsoft says it's time for servers in the home, are they right? To find out, we take a look at Windows Home Server
128 by Ryan Smith on 9/4/2007A Messy Transition (Part 3): Vista Buys Some Time
Wrapping up our series on problems with 32bit addressing and the 2GB barrier, we take a look at a promising new hotfix for Windows Vista
35 by Ryan Smith on 8/13/2007Puget Systems and iBUYPOWER: two sides of the system integrator coin
Sometimes you don't have the time or energy to build your own computer, and it might be cheaper and less painful to have someone do it for you. ...
19 by Jarred Walton on 2/15/2007Gateway FX530: Mad Cows and Quad Core Overclocking
Gateway sent us their top-end Gaming PC and it sports an overclocked quad core QX6700 - what will those crazy cow people think of next?
26 by Jarred Walton on 2/9/2007Windows Vista Performance Guide
It has been over five years since Microsoft last launched a major new consumer OS. Windows XP has been doing well for a lot of people in the interim...
105 by Ryan Smith on 2/1/2007Windows Vista Update: RC1/5728 Preview
Windows Vista has reached Release Candidate stage, which means the long period of development is finally drawing to a close. Find out how things are shaping up with...
60 by Ryan Smith on 10/3/2006Following in Dell's Footsteps: HP to Acquire Voodoo Computers
Dell's Alienware acquisition was the first, but definitely not the last in the PC gaming/enthusiast space. Next up is HP and Voodoo...
17 by Anand Lal Shimpi on 9/28/2006Dell XPS 410: Core 2 Duo for the Masses
The largest computer OEM in the world has sent their XPS 410 for review. We'll see how it stacks up against the competition, and whether or not it's...
50 by Jarred Walton on 9/18/2006PC Club Enpower Sabre Extreme: E6600 Made Easy
Not everyone needs a top-of-the-line system (with the accompanying price). PC Club sent us a nicely equipped midrange system sporting a Core 2 Duo E6600, and those of...
30 by Jarred Walton on 8/29/2006ABS Ultimate X9: Core 2 Extreme Hits a Speed Bump
With the launch of the Core 2 series of processors, Intel has reclaimed the high-end gaming performance sector. If you're debating between buying a system versus building your...
48 by Jarred Walton on 8/18/2006Shuttle SN27P2 SFF: AM2 gets the Tiny Treatment
With the launch of the new AM2 platform, Shuttle has an update to their SFF lineup in the form of the SN27P2. We take a look at what has...
17 by Jarred Walton on 6/30/2006Windows Vista: Beta 2 Preview
Microsoft has made Windows Vista Beta 2 available to the public, and with the OS being feature complete we can now provide a preview of Microsoft's bold new operating system.
75 by Ryan Smith on 6/16/2006Falcon Northwest FragBox SLI: Dare to Dream
So you just won the lotto and are looking for ways to "invest" your prize money - or maybe you just want one of the most extreme...
32 by Jarred Walton on 5/3/2006Exclusive: SLI Head-to-Head: Monarch Micro-ATX vs. Shuttle SFF
We have an exclusive first look at the latest micro-ATX SLI system from Monarch Computers, and we'll be comparing it with Shuttle's SN26P. Read on to find out just...
13 by Jarred Walton on 3/6/2006