A sneak peek at Asus' P6T Deluxe Nehalem motherboard
Intel's next-gen Nehalem processor has yet to be released, but a compatible motherboard has already arrived in The Benchmarking Sweatshop. Behold Asus' P6T Deluxe:
At first glance, the P6T doesn't look all that different from current motherboards
Nehalem requires an all-new 1366-pin Land Grid Array (LGA)
The P6T also features three DDR3 memory channels with two DIMM slots per channel
A Serial Attached SCSI (SAS) controller from Marvell makes things interesting on the storage front.
Three PCI Express x16 slots for all your multi-GPU needs
Little has changed in the port cluster
SideShow returns with the OC Palm add-onWe can't say much about the board yet, but I can reveal that it comes with an OC Palm device that looks identical to the ScreenDuo SideShow accessory that Asus bundled with its Vista Edition motherboards back in 2007. Asus has apparently been reading my blog, because the OC Palm gives users a measure of hardware monitoring support in addition to offering tweaking and overclocking controls. Expect a full review of the P6T Deluxe when Nehalem hits.
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Last post by Usacomp2k3 at 9:24 AM on October 8, 2008
A few weeks ago on a backpacking trip, I took a stack of pictures to stich together for a dramatic panoramic shot. Or rather, my girlfriend insisted that I take a series of pictures and stich them together in a panoramic shot for her. As luck would have it, today I noticed via Lifehacker that Microsoft has released free Image Composite Editor software that automatically stiches digital pictures together. The 3MB download is available in 32- and 64-bit flavors, and it's incredibly easy to use. In just minutes, I was able to drag in a set of photos, tweak the center of the image, crop, and export a panoramic shot. The whole process was so simple that even my mother (sorry, Mom), could handle it.
There's a larger version of the image in the gallery below, and as far as I can tell, ICE does an excellent job of lining everything up. And for free, provided you're already running Windows.
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Last post by Klopsik206 at 2:50 PM on October 7, 2008
Netbooks have come a long way in a very short period of time. A year ago, Asus was pimping the first Eee PC with an underclocked Celeron, a 7" screen with a piddly 800x480 display resolution, 4GB of storage capacity, and a couple of hours of battery life. Today, however, you can get an Acer Aspire One with an Atom processor, an 8.9" 1024x600 display, a standard 2.5" hard drive, and more than four hours of run time for about the same price. Ain't progress grand?
With the exception of Asus, whose bloated Eee PC lineup is rife with different designs, most manufacturers have only shown their first efforts. So far, none of these attempts—nor any of the slew of Eee PCs—has managed perfection in my eyes. I'd like to think that I'm a reasonable guy, and I'm not asking for much, really. In fact, all the right bits already exist, spread across the current netbook landscape. The right combination of components just hasn't been assembled in a single system.
I should probably begin by saying that I look at netbooks as budget ultra-portable notebooks rather than beefed-up Internet and multimedia devices. I'm willing to compromise a little on portability and price if it's going to vastly improve a system's utility as an honest-to-goodness computer.
Of course, when I say I'm willing to compromise on portability, that doesn't mean I'm ready to budge all that much. The Eee PC 1000 series is about as big as I'm willing to go with a netbook. The 1000 series may have one of the largest netbook form factors, but the extra real estate allows for a 10.2" LED-backlit display that's just about perfect for this class of device. Unfortunately, the 1000 series' display resolution tops out at 1024x600, which is a little low for a 10" panel. The 1280x768 display resolution of HP's Mini-Note would be perfect for a 10" screen, and I could certainly use the extra pixels.
With a form factor large enough to accommodate a high-density 10" screen, my perfect netbook also has plenty of room for a proper keyboard. Netbooks are great little writing platforms—whether it's notes during class, an essay, or this blog post—and it really helps to have a keyboard that can accommodate fast typing with my fat fingers. The 92% keyboard found on HP's Mini-Note is one of the best I've used, and it thankfully avoids some of the layout quirks associated with other netbook keyboards. I'll take it. Or any other keyboard of that size with a solid feel and the right-shift button in the correct place.
I have what may be an unnatural love for IBM's eraser head, so I can't help but petition for netbook trackpoints. But I'm a realist, and that's probably not going to happen, ever. Instead, I'll settle for a trackpad with buttons on the bottom like they're supposed to be. That trackpad's going to need a good scrolling implementation, too, whether it's through multi-touch trickery or clearly-defined scrolling zones that are wide enough for those fat fingers of mine.
Matters of style and aesthetics tend to be pretty personal, so I won't force my love for brushed aluminum and obnoxious colors on the rest of you. However, just because netbooks are cheap doesn't mean they have to feel that way. Naturally, I expect my perfect netbook to be every bit as solid as a well-built notebook, and given some of the netbook examples we've seen thus far, that's certainly possible—if not already the norm.
Under the hood, I can live with Intel's current Atom platform. The CPU is just fast enough for the basic tasks I have lined up for a netbook, and while the chipset could use some work, we've yet to see a better alternative. Via's Nano looks intriguing, too, but until I've seen it squeezed into a tiny netbook chassis delivering equivalent battery life to existing Atom implementations, I'm going to stick with Intel inside my perfect netbook.
For me, battery life is hugely important for a netbook. Why bother giving up horsepower and screen size to gain portability if you're not going to use it? Nothing kills portability like being tethered to a wall socket, and the two hours and change most netbooks seem to squeeze from a three-cell battery isn't enough for me. I'm willing to pay a little extra and tote the additional weight associated with a six-cell unit, and my perfect netbook needs to squeeze between five and six hours of real-world run time out of that battery. Eight hours is the holy grail for battery life, of course, but I'm trying to keep this mythical system realistic.
On the networking front, I want 802.11n Wi-Fi, just because I can. The same goes for Bluetooth, if only to make interfacing with a cell phone or wireless mouse that much easier. Integrated wireless broadband would be nice, too, but it needs to be carrier-independent. This particular feature is probably better handled through an expansion card slot, which should just squeeze into my slightly larger netbook chassis.
Yet another benefit to building my perfect netbook in a slightly larger chassis is its ability to house a standard 2.5" notebook hard drive. Manufacturers could offer two options here, allowing users to choose between a high-capacity mechanical drive or a smaller SSD. I really like the idea of power-efficient, shock-tolerant SSDs, but the ones that are cheap enough to see action in inexpensive netbooks are either painfully slow, too short on capacity, or awkwardly segmented. For now, I'll stick with a 5,400-RPM mechanical drive and bask in the rich media library that the additional capacity will allow me to tote around.
A gig of memory is probably enough for a netbook, but a little excess never hurt anyone. I don't want manufacturers to start offering 2GB netbook configurations, though; that'll just invite gouging. Instead, my perfect netbook has 1GB of memory soldered onto the motherboard with an empty (and easy to access) SO-DIMM slot. Ditching the onboard memory and going for just a single memory slot wouldn't be a bad solution, either, but then what am I going to do with the factory module when I pop in a 2GB replacement of my own? It's probably not even worth trying to sell a 512MB or 1GB SO-DIMM on eBay these days.
I've been rambling on for a while now, so it might seem like I'm expecting a lot from this perfect netbook of mine. But I'm really not. All the elements that I want are already available in one form or another, and given current market prices, I don't see any reason why my perfect build should cost more than $500-600, even with a copy of Windows XP thrown in for good measure. That would put this system at the pricey end of the netbook spectrum, but for something that could replace my full-sized laptop 95% of the time, I'd pay the premium in a heartbeat.
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Last post by bhtooefr at 11:59 AM on October 9, 2008
Although my Xbox 360 has seen plenty of action over the last year, my gaming PC has sat largely unused. That's not so much a knock against the PC as it is a reflection of where it sits—in my home office, which is otherwise known as The Benchmarking Sweatshop. After spending countless hours in here testing hardware and hacking together reviews, this is the last place I want to be when I have downtime to enjoy. And so my gaming system has gathered dust, broken out only a few times over the last year to polish off Portal and Call of Duty 4.
My Xbox has remained an active gaming system because it resides in the living room, is connected to a 42" plasma perfectly placed opposite a comfortable couch, and lies far from the stacks hardware that demand attention in my office. This is a prime gaming location, and with shooters like Left 4 Dead and Mirror's Edge on the horizon, I've decided to move my gaming PC into the living room. Why struggle with awkward shooter controls on a console when I can enjoy all the precision and customization options of a keyboard and mouse?
Ah yes, the keyboard and mouse. The only problem with moving my gaming system into the living room is that I'm going to need a good wireless keyboard and mouse. I don't want to rely on IR or RF—not that I have pro-gamer reflexes that demand extreme controller responsiveness, I'd just rather not have to deal with range and connectivity issues—so I'm looking into Bluetooth solutions. They're not cheap, and quality reviews seem to be few and far between, so I'm putting a call out to the TR community. Have you used any of the Bluetooth keyboards and mice on the market, and if so, are any particularly well-suited to a living room gaming system?
For what it's worth, I've been eyeing Microsoft's Wireless Entertainment Desktop because the company's mice tend to fit my hand well. The 7000 also seems to be one of the cheapest options available. Any suggestions?
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Last post by Vrock at 5:33 AM on September 12, 2008
I spend most of my time reviewing chipsets, motherboards, hard drives, power supply units, and sound cards—the geeky bits inside a modern PC. Every so often, though, I get the chance to tread well off the beaten path. Such was the case a couple of years ago with Sumo's Omni—a bean bag chair of generous proportions, and perhaps the ultimate cradle for console gamers.
As expansive and comfortable as it was at the time, I couldn't help but wish the Omni were plusher. And now it is, with a new model ditching the swishy nylon of old in favor of sumptuous microsuede. Dubbed the SumoSac, this latest take on the iconic bean bag chair has also succumbed to the obesity epidemic, swelling generously on a high-carb diet of furniture-grade foam. So the SumoSac is bigger and cushier than the original Omni. But is it too much of a good thing?
The bean bag gets bigger, more upscale
Although all too convenient of a pun, I have a soft spot for bean bag chairs—one I probably should have grown out of by now. Bean bags are the sort of furniture most associate with dorm rooms, basements, and recreational drug use, but the SumoSac is a little more grown up. Or rather, it's just grown up enough for those of us who still play video games on a regular basis.
The SumoSac (left) next to its little brother, the Omni (right)
Size is really what Sumo is all about, and I can't stress enough just how much large the SumoSac really is. While the Omni was just big enough for two to share, the SumoSac can easily accommodate a couple of NFL linemen, and probably a few cheerleaders for good measure.
Assembling Ikea furniture has always reminded me of playing with Tinkertoys. Priming the SumoSac, however, is real work. One must first remove the plastic bag that seals the Sac off from the outside world. Sumo cautions against opening the Sac itself, but with only a zipper separating me from the contents of the brain, I couldn't resist.
The SumoSac's shredded guts arrive vacuum-shrunk, so they need to be broken up for the bean bag to begin to take shape. This is done by hand (with the bag closed in order to avoid making a mess), and while it takes a fair bit more effort than twiddling Allen keys, the results are more than worthwhile. Sumo suggests breaking up the foam as much as possible, and then letting the Sac sit for 24 hours so that it can expand, fluffing as necessary.
This expansion is far from energetic, but it's incredibly substantial. After its initial beating, my SumoSac didn't require much additional fluffing, either. Just pop on the included slip case and you're done. That is, of course, if you had the foresight to let the Sac expand exactly where you want it. That key hint is unfortunately missing from the SumoSac's instructions, and it makes all the difference in the world. Once fully expanded, the Sac's colossal size makes it quite difficult to move, especially if you have to negotiate narrow doorways or ascend a flight of stairs.
There's more to the SumoSac's comfort than its pillowy softness. The microsuede slip cover feels luxurious compared to the nylon used on the Omni. Microsuede isn't as spill- and stain-resistant, so you'll have to be careful when sharing the SumoSac with that special someone. Fortunately, the slip cover can easily be removed and machine washed.
My 5'11, 180-lb frame barely leaves a dent in the resilient SumoSac
The gamer's lean refers to the tendency of console gamers to lean forward while playing, regardless of the size of or proximity to the TV. This position isn't terribly comfortable, since it leaves the back and head completely unsupported, but it's one I instinctively assume when playing from the couch. Not with the SumoSac, however. For one, the SumoSac doesn't really allow you to lean forward at all; it's impossible to just sit on the edge without being completely swallowed up. But that's not a bad thing, because the SumoSac is deep enough to fully support your back and head in a reasonably upright position. Through shooters, driving games, and third-person action titles, I didn't find myself trying to (or even feeling the need to) lean forward once. Better yet, I didn't suffer from the stiff neck and lower back that usually cripple me after marathon gaming sessions.
Lest you think the SumoSac is a perfect gaming throne, I should mention that it's absolutely hopeless if you're trying to use a racing wheel. Sinking in doesn't allow for much arm movement, either, so I imagine Wii games might be a bit of a challenge. And unless you're singing, you can probably forget about Rock Band, too. Otherwise, though, it's fantastic.
Nothing says hipster like a high-end bean bag, posed next to an equally relevant fixie
In the realm of (somewhat) grown-up furniture, the SumoSac really isn't that expensive at all. To put things into perspective, a friend of mine just dropped several thousand dollars on an Italian leather sofa in what I can only hope is a wishful homage to the Cake song of the same name. This sofa no doubt looks better (if you can get past the Miami-Vice-white leather), but the SumoSac is infinitely more comfortable and costs less than a matching foot stool. Much less.
And that's not to say that the SumoSac is entirely without style. You can choose from black, beige, chocolate, red, and old-school TR navy blue options that should fit in with just about any living room decor, provided your living room is large enough. That is, of course, until your significant other tells you that the SumoSac belongs in the basement with all your other supposedly grown-up toys. At least your basement has never been this comfortable.
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Last post by eitje at 4:37 PM on August 6, 2008
Folks apparently like to see stuff unboxed, unwrapped, or otherwise removed from its packaging. Who knew? So in a desperate attempt to remain relevant, I'm jumping on the bandwagon with a world exclusive. Or something.
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Last post by TheTechReporter at 7:14 PM on July 11, 2008
Nvidia revealed its Enthusiast System Architecture specification back in November, promising to consolidate hardware monitoring and control with a single communication protocol. The ESA spec is an open, royalty-free standard that has already been put before the USB-if governing body for approval. ESA certainly isn't free of flaws, but it's the best attempt we've seen at holistic hardware monitoring, and one that's already bearing fruit. ESA-compliant power supply units, motherboards, cooling systems, and enclosures are already on the market, and Nvidia's ESA software control panel is very slick indeed.
Software is especially important for ESA because it aggregates everything one might want to know about the state of supported hardware within a system. Nvidia has done an excellent job with its first ESA System Utility, giving users a flexible dashboard that can be configured to keep tabs on whatever system variables they deem most important.
ESA's already simple but effective monitoring windows
ESA's hardware-monitoring dashboard is particularly handy when setting up a new system because it allows you to track fan speeds and temperatures during burn-in stress testing. With that valuable information, one can easily zero in a cooling configuration that strikes a perfect balance between low noise levels and system temperatures.
Of course, it's also nice to be able to glance at the dashboard to see how your system is handling day-to-day tasks. That would be the first place I'd look if my system inexpicably slowed to a crawl, began spinning up its fans, or sarted thrashing the hard drive.
If you're already sitting at the Windows desktop, the ESA dashboard is but a mouse click away. Better yet, if you have screen real estate to spare, you can keep the dashboard open at all times. But what if you're immersed in a gaming session? Games are arguably the most demanding tasks you can throw at a system, generating the kinds of combined processor and graphics loads that would make me want to check things like core and memory utilization, temperature levels, and fan speeds. However, games are best enjoyed full-screen, leaving little real estate for an ESA dashboard. You really need to have a second screen (alt-tabbing is hardly graceful), although not one that's so big that it becomes a distraction from your primary display.
When gaming, it would be really nice to have access to an ESA dashboard independent of the system's display. A small screen that could be mounted anywhere you please. Something like, perhaps, a little SideShow device.
Asus' SideShow device
Introduced with Windows Vista, SideShow devices are essentially external display modules with input capabilities. They're quite unobtrustive, measuring as small as 4" x 2.5" x 0.75" for the example Asus bundled with its Vista Edition motherboards last year. Despite its diminutive proportions, that SideShow device packed a 2.5" diagonal screen with a 320x240 display resolution. QVGA is hardly a high enough resolution for standard desktop applications, but it's more than enough pixels for a numerical display of various system variables, or even graphs that track them over time. This functionality is already built into Nvidia's ESA system monitor software—all it needs is support for SideShow displays.
With a simple directional pad and a couple of additional buttons—inputs already present in the SideShow devices we've seen—one could easily cycle through different dashboard displays. Users could even be given a measure of basic control over certain system variables. I certainly wouldn't mind being able to tweak fan speeds while gaming. Using a SideShow device to switch between system configuration profiles would be pretty slick, too.
SideShow is currently a Vista-only affair, but then so is ESA. The two also share a USB interface, so marrying the two shouldn't be difficult.
We've already seen SideShow devices bundled with some Asus otherboards, so there's precedent on that front, too. Nvidia should be able to whip up an external display for its made-for-retail motherboard reference designs, giving them not only a unique feature in a market where originality is hard to come by, but advancing the ESA platform as a whole. How 'bout it Nvidia; can you make this happen?
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Last post by gnetx at 11:12 AM on June 19, 2008
