Month: August 2009

Antec CP-850: Unique PSU with Top Performance

The CP-850 is 1.2″ too tall to fit into all but three of Antec’s top cases, so its popularity has to be be unnaturally limited. But the electrical and acoustic performance is superlative, especially in those cases, and it comes at an amazingly low price. White elephant or futuristic visionary?

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Nexus RX-8500 850W Power Supply

Nexus reaches out to serious gamers with a power supply claimed to be the quietest 850W model available. The company has a long reputation for quiet computer products, so if the idea a quiet PSU for a gaming rig appeals, read on.

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Luxa2 LM100 Mini: “Exquisite & Desirable” m-ITX HTPC Case

SPCR’s exploration of new mini-IXT cases continues: The Luxa2 LM100 Mini is as far as you’ll get from a junky beige box – it is downright beautiful. It’s a highly priced, high quality, low profile Shuttle-like enclosure with a sturdy and elegant aluminum body, a small LCD display and remote control. How fares it against

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Silverstone Sugo SG05 and SG06: Gaming mini-ITX cases?

Silverstone’s SG05 and SG06 are mini-ITX cases with a twist: They can house a gaming system with a midrange graphics card. Low noise is also promised in these diminutive “classic” 11-liter breadbox style cases. We take them for a typical SPCR ride, long and hot in our anechoic chamber.

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AMD’s 785G Chipset Boards: 780G Evolved

785G is an evolution of 780G that brings some improvements and support for the AM3 socket with DDR3 memory. The onboard graphics chip, dubbed HD 4200, supports DirectX 10.1, HDMI 1.3, UVD 2.0, and Sideport memory which provided a nice performance boost on the more expensive 790GX-based boards.

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Scythe Top-Down Coolers: Kabuto vs. Zipang 2

Big blow-down CPU coolers seem to be making a comeback, at least if these new models from prolific heatsink maker Scythe are indicative. The brand also has a reputation for very quiet fans, so will Zipang 2 and Kabuto jostle into the monolithic lineup of tower coolers at the top of SPCR recommended coolers?

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Antec Nine Hundred Two Gaming Case

For a gaming machine, a case needs to have lots of ventilation and plenty of room for expansion, especially for extra long graphics cards. The Antec Nine Hundred Two fits the bill: It’s spacious, affordable and, hopefully, quiet.

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