As of today BitTorrent has branched out with an Entertainment Network with 5000 movies for rent, and for a couple bucks TV shows, music videos and other forms of digital content up for grabs. BitTorrent appears to have beat YouTube to the punch in a couple respects, making nice with a lot of major rights holders. Much of the content is in standard definition, and as part of the changes BitTorrent is allowing independent content distribution along side the big names. All video is going to encoded with Microsoft's Windows Media DRM, limited to use on one PC only, and totally incompatible with Mac and Linux systems.

The convenience of downloading movies in your PJs aside, there is an aspect to this which seems like slight of hand. While buying movies on DVD or VHS is more expensive, in the end you do own something physical. It can be played anytime and anywhere, and you can sell it off when you're tired of it. Most digital content tends to be of lesser quality, and where DRM exists may be locked onto one PC. Furthermore, when you get tired of it, you cannot resell it off to someone else. Granted there are many forces at play with digital content, and perhaps "physical" forms of information are going the way of the printed newspaper, but I have to wonder if we are getting a better deal in the long run? What's your take?

Oh, and if you've spent a bundle on digital content in the past 6 months, it might be time for a backup.

This issue of the PCSTATS Newsletter starts off with some very special memory by Corsair. The DOMINATOR PC2-8888 C4 modules are super fast, equipped with a special heatsink and fan system, and overclock to the sky's limit. If you've got a Dell, this memory isn't for you! HEC are back with a 650W powersupply called the Zephyr, and it is as shinny and packed full of cables as any good performance oriented PSU around. The Asus P5N32-SLI is a nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition motherboard with onboard 802.11g WiFi, multiple PCI Express slots, and well.... everything a professional user needs. Last but not least are reviews of Corsair's PC2-6400 C3 memory modules, the MSI Geforce 8800GTX NX8800GTX videocard and the Asus P5B Deluxe/WiFAp motherboard which also has integrated 802.11g wireless networking as standard. I hope you enjoy this weeks PCSTATS Tech Tip.

Thanks for Reading,
Max Page
Editor-in-Chief - PCSTATS

Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF Memory Review

Corsair has up'd the ante with its new DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF memory. Not only does Corsair increase the stock voltage for this set of memory to 2.4V, it also utilizes a fancy external fan system to keep the modules from spontaneously combustion. Corsair's new DHX heatsinks and the DOMINATOR Airflow fan are the talk of the town. The 2GB Corsair DOMINATOR Twin2X2048-8888C4DF kit tries to offer enthusiast the best of all worlds; these bad boys have relatively low 4-4-4-12 CAS latency, and a high 1111 MHz operating frequency. If you've got a Dell, well, just keep on walking this memory is not for you. ;-)Continue Here>>

HEC Zephyr 650W Power Supply Review

The Zephyr 650 is HEC's flagship power supply. With a 650W rating, the Zephyr 650 PCSTATS is testing today can certainly dish out enough power to keep multiple hard drives and multiple PCI Express videocards running happily along. The chrome plated power supply chassis features a distinctive 120mm blue LED illuminated fan, and a smaller 80mm fan at rear. Both the +3.3V and +5V line can deliver a maximum of 24 Amps each for a total combined output of 140W. There are four +12V rails with 17 Amp ratings each for a combined power output of 576W.Continue Here>>

Asus P5N32-SLI Premium nForce 590 SLI Motherboard Review

High end gaming is a difficult terrain to navigate through, mainly because there are just so many choices.... Pick the wrong piece of hardware and boom, your whole system is obsolete the minute you pay for the parts! In this review PCSTATS is testing out an Intel motherboard based on an nVidia chipset slightly older than the nForce 680i, but it's still wickedly fast. The Asus P5N32-SLI Premium is an nVIDIA nForce 590 SLI Intel Edition motherboard. With a long list of integrated peripherals already, the Asus P5N32-SLI Premium motherboard still has plenty of expansion to offer, but we'll leave all of that for you in the review... Continue Here>>