|
|
 |
- MSI 7800 GTX 512MB
- Gigabyte 6150 Mobo
- Gigabyte Silent GFX
- DFI Lanparty Expert
- Matrox DualHead2Go
- Vantec Nexstar GX
- Asus Vento 3600
- PCstats Weekly Tips |
MSI's 512MB Geforce 7800GTX Videocard... Fast.
Hello,
Thank Law
and Order: CI for this one... know that fictional "stealthwave
PC" from a recent episode? Well, it's really the Asus Vento 3600 case in Ferrari red, and we've got
its review right here.
The real news this issue is MSI's
NX7800GTX 512MB version videocard; a tippy-top of the line gammers card
from nVidia's side of the fence. This is the kind of graphics card
where AA and AF just beg to be turned up to the
max! Naturally, the race-bred DFI LanParty NF4-SLI DR Expert
motherboard goes along nicely with the NX7800GTX/512MB, as it's built from the ground up for enthusiasts
who want to overclock.
Not into overclocking?
No worries, PCSTATS has a review of the Gigabyte NX66T256DE Silent
6600GT videocard that's certainly a welcome respite from
the whine of computer fans. There are no fans on this Gigabyte
Geforce 6600GT card, so it makes no noise. Next up is the Gigabyte
K8N51PVMT motherboard which is based on the new nVidia Geforce 6150
chipset. This is one of the first boards to support Component Output right
from the system IO. Be sure to look over our reviews of the Matrox dual monitor
notebook adaptor, and this nifty external UBS2.0 hard drive chassis too.
(We've made some changes to PCSTATS in an effort to
speed things up. Please let
us know if the site is faster, slower, or the same for
you.)
TheGeForce 7800GTX
512MB versions are here, and you'd better believe that 35 FPS from a
single videocard in FEAR with 4x AA and 16x AF enabled, at 1600x1200, is a
breeze with one of these bad boys! A bleeding edge part
like this has an equally shocking enthusiast-level price....Luckily
for you, PCSTATS has managed to bring this monster 512MB card into the
labs so you can see first hand what to expect! The MSI
NX7800GTX-VT2D512E videocard utilizes the nitro boosted GeForce
7800GTX core, and it is backed with 512MB of lightning fast Samsung BGA
GDDR3 memory. Natively running through the PCI Express x16 bus, the 512MB version
MSI NX7800GTX-VT2D512E sports dual DVI connectors,
as well as an array of TV output options, including component outputs.Continue Here>>
To many, the DFI LANParty NF4 SLI-DR was simply
the best enthusiast motherboard ever designed. Like the previous model,
the DFI
LANPartyUT NF4 SLI-DR Expert motherboard is based on the nvidia
nForce4 SLI chipset. It supports all Socket 939 AMD Athlon64 processors on
the market, and is geared for gaming performance. The four DIMM slots can
be equipped with up to 4GB of the fastest dual channel DDR memory
available, just as you might expect. In terms of onboard goodies, DFI
is known to throw in everything but the kitchen sink in with its boards,
the LANPartyUT
NF4 SLI-DR Expert is no exception. On the PCB you'll find a
7.1 channel audio codec, dual Gigabit NICs, an additional four channel
Serial ATA controller and IEEE 1394a Firewire.Continue Here>>
Quiet computing is all the rage, and from noise
dampening materials to quiet fans, heatpipe based heatsinks and the
explosion in watercooling, the choices are plentiful. The Gigabyte GV-NX66T256DE videocard is not just another run of the mill GeForce 660GT
with 256MB of DDR2 memory, this card is unique. The GV-NX66T256DE is
cooled by fully passive means, and incorporates a couple of unique
attributes to lower ambient case temperatures too. The
'Silent-Pipe II' cooler, as it is called, bridges the GPU to two separate
heat exchangers.Continue Here>>
The
AMD K8 platform is the most popular desktop solution right now. According
to recent statistics from Ziff Davis, AMD desktop
systems out sold Intel, 49.8% to 48.5% for the first time ever.
Looking at year thus far, AMD has seen its retail market share leap from
20% to 40%, as of late summer. The nVidia GeForce
6150 improves the situation markedly by offering a usefulness that
rivals it mainstream GF6-series graphics counterparts. The Gigabyte
GV-K8N51PVMT-9 supports
all Socket 939 model AMD Athlon64/FX/X2 processors, and its four DDR DIMM
slots can accommodate up to 4GB of PC3200 memory in a dual channel
configuration.Continue Here>>
The Matrox DualHead2Go Analog Edition is a device
that enables multi-display functionality from mainstream lap tops or
desktop PCs. It works with a computers' analog monitor output, and splits
the display signal between two external monitors by pretending to be one
extra-wide display. The host PCs graphics solution does all the
processing, so the device is pretty compact, lightweight, and quick to set
up. The pocket book sized DualHead2Go is compatible with a collection of recent Intel, nVidia and ATI mobile
graphics chipsets.Continue Here>>
The
Vantec NexStar
GX (NST-370GX) is the ideal solution for anyone looking for more
flexible external HDD space. The small grey unit comes with a three port
USB hub embedded into the back of it. The Vantec NexStar
GX supports a single 3.5" IDE hard drive (not included), and connects
to the computer via a 480Mbps USB 2.0 cable. The Vantec NexStar
GX is basically built to look like the Apple Mac
Mini, and it can rest under or above that mini-computer quite comfortably.Continue Here>>
The
ASUS Vento 3600
comes in three colours; red, green and blue. Our review model sported
the blue colour. The outer shell is painted plastic and features an 'airlock' style
detachable side panel as well as a self-opening front panel concealing
the drive bays. The Vento 3600
case has a large 12" x 25" footprint and measures about 21" tall. It
is considerably larger than your average computer case, and thanks to its
all-steel 0.8mm SECC internal construction, its weight reflects this. The
brght blue
Vento 3600 case easily weighs as
much as a typical fully installed ATX case does before you install a
motherboard or other components. It's still moveable though, fortunately.
It also has a hinged front panel which covers the external drive
bays. When pressed,
this panel slides up and over the front of the case, resting on the
top.Continue Here>>
 |
|
PCstats Weekly Tech Tips: Emails and Welcome Screens |
|
|
One thing about Windows XP that I find very annoying is how it shows the number of unread emails per account for each user at the Windows Welcome Screen. Note, the Win2K style login screen does not display this info. Luckily this feature can be disabled in the Windows registry if it bugs you, or you would like to keep this information private.
First load up regedit (Start -> Run then type regedit
and press the OK button) and follow this path
HKEY_CURRENT_USER -> Software -> Microsoft -> Windows
-> CurrentVersion -> UnreadMail. Expand the 'UnreadMail'
section and there you should see all the email accounts under
the users' profile. Right click on each email account you wish
to block from displaying at the welcome screen, and select
'Properties.' From there select 'Disable' and click the OK
button. After you are done exit regedit and you're all set.
From now on, Windows will no longer display which email
accounts have unread email on the Windows Welcome Screen.
All of the PCstats Weekly Tech Tips have been archived in the Forums for your reference. |
| | |
|
PCstats Issue
No.199
Circulation: 184,915
| This Issue By |
|
Editor-in-Chief
. Max P.
Weekly Tips
. Colin S.
|
PCSTATS Q & A:
Send in your tough
tech
questions today! |
RSS Newsletter
