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BIG & RICH

ADAM BIRLI’S BLACK GOLD

AMD
TAKING THE GAMING WORLD BY STORM WITH

MANTLE

August | Vol. 14 Iss. 08

Complimentary Copy
AUGUST 2014 | VOL 14 ISSUE 08

30
CPU System Workshop: Lucky 13
45
Mad Reader Mod: Black Gold

DID YOU FIND THE HIDDEN

FRONTSIDE — P. 5 LOADING ZONE — P. 67 CPU LOGO ON OUR COVER?
News, product release information, Software reviews, betas, updates, and
and stats from the tech industry. how-tos.

HEAVY GEAR — P. 13 DIGITAL LIVING — P. 70

The latest PC hardware is here: Games and leisure, news from
reviews, product profiles, and around the web, tech company
category roundups. interviews, and more.

HARD HAT AREA — P. 45 BACK DOOR — P. 86

CPU’s Mad Reader Mod winner, Monthly last-page interview with
LAN party coverage, and in-depth people who help to shape the
looks at the latest and greatest PC industry.
hardware and technology.
Gotcha. Here it is.

Contact Us Advertising: (800) 247-4880

P.O.Box 82545 Fax: (402) 479-2104
Lincoln, NE 68501
or Circulation: (800) 334-7458
Fax: (402) 479-2123
120 W. Harvest Drive www.cpumag.com
Lincoln, NE 68521 email: feedback@cpumag.com

Copyright 2014 by Sandhills Publishing Company. Computer Power User is a registered trademark of Sandhills Publishing Company. All rights reserved. Reproduction of material appearing
in Computer Power User is strictly prohibited without written permission.
ZOTAC ZBOX EN760 Squeezes
Haswell & Maxwell Into Mini-PC
Got a significant other who isn’t happy about your big desktop
rig taking up space in the living room? Improve the feng shui
and make your SO happy with the ZOTAC ZBOX EN760.
This mini-PC comes in two versions: a standard barebones unit
and a Plus system. The base system has an Intel Core i5 4200U
(dual-core, 1.6GHz Haswell, 2.6GHz Turbo) and NVIDIA’s
GeForce GTX 860M (640 core Maxwell at 1,020MHz base,
1,097MHz boost with 2GB GDDR5 at 5000MHz). The Plus
version throws in a 1TB 5400 RPM hard drive and 8GB of
GIGABYTE Z97X-SOC FORCE LN2: DDR3L memory. The systems have onboard 802.11ac as well
Made For Serious Overclockers as Bluetooth 4.0 and they include dual 10/100/1000Mbps
Ethernet ports. There’s also a 4-in-1 card reader for showing
Computer hardware maker GIGABYTE has released a new off pics in your living room. Street prices are around $529.99
motherboard designed specifically for overclockers, particularly (base) and $679.99 (Plus).
overclockers who specialize in using liquid nitrogren. The
Z97X-SOC FORCE LN2 has no holes for mounting CPU
fans, which allows two DIMMs to sit closer to the CPU. It
also features GIGABYTE’S OC Ignition, which the company
says will maintain power to the CPU’s board and connected
components even if the system shuts down (so data won’t be
lost from i-RAM drives and system fans continue cooling).
Other OC features include switches for turning on/off
individual PCIe lanes and DIMM channels. The LN2 was
used by OC’ers Hicookie, sofos1990 and Dino22 at Computex
this year to set world records for several benchmarks, including
the fastest OC yet for DDR3 memory (4.56GHz). If you’re a
liquid nitro guru, this board’s for you.

WATCHING THE CHIPS FALL

CPU Released Original Price Last Month’s Price Online Retail Price*
Here is the pricing AMD FX-9590 Eight-Core 6/11/2013 NA $289.99 $329.99
information for AMD FX-9370 Eight-Core 6/11/2013 $375 $229.99 $229.99
various AMD and AMD FX-8350 Eight-Core 10/23/2012 $195 $189.99 $179.99
AMD FX-8320 Eight-Core 10/23/2012 $169 $159.99 $159.99
Intel CPUs.
AMD FX-6350 Six-Core 4/30/2013 $132 $139.99 $139.99
AMD A10-7850K Quad-Core 1/14/2014 $173 $169.99 $169.99
AMD A10-7700K Quad-Core 1/14/2014 $152 $159.99 $159.99
AMD A10-6800K Quad-Core 6/4/2013 $142** $129.99 $129.99
AMD A10-6790K Quad-Core 10/28/2013 $130 $129.99 $130.99
AMD A10-6700 Quad-Core 6/4/2013 $142** $148.99 $148.99
Intel Core i7-4960X Ext. Ed. Six-Core 9/3/2013 $990** $1,049.99 $1,049.99
Intel Core i7-4930K Six-Core 9/3/2013 $583** $579.99 $579.99
Intel Core i7-4790K Quad-Core 6/25/2014 $339** NA $339.99
Intel Core i7-4770K Quad-Core 6/2/2013 $339** $339.99 $334.99
Intel Core i7-4820K Quad-Core 9/3/2013 $323** $324.99 $324.99
Intel Core i7-4790 Quad-Core 5/11/2014 $303** $314.99 $314.99
* As of July 2014 Intel Core i5-4690K Quad-Core 6/3/2014 $242** NA $239.99
** Manufacturer’s Intel Core i5-4670K Quad-Core 6/2/2013 $242** $229.99 $239.99
estimated price Intel Core i5-4670 Quad-Core 6/2/2013 $213** $219.99 $219.99
per 1,000
Intel Core i3-4360 Dual-Core 5/11/2014 $149** $159.99 $159.99

CPU / August 2014 5

EVGA Ready To Run Your Latest Rig
With SuperNOVA 1600 G2 PSU
Enthusiasts building dual-, triple-, or even quad-GPU systems
need a lot of power to keep things running smoothly. Enter
the latest PSU from EVGA’s SuperNOVA line, the 1600 G2.
This fully modular power-plant-in-a-package puts out 1600W
over a single 12V rail. The PSU is 80 PLUS Gold certified (up
to 90% efficiency), uses high-quality Japanese capacitors, and
even comes with a 10-year limited warranty. The unit comes
with a 140mm dual-bearing fan. The PSU is fully modular and
includes plenty of connectors (including 16 SATA connectors)
MSI Piles On Graphics RAM For The as well as cabling options at various lengths, so you can keep
interior cabling snarls to a minimum. At 8 pounds, it’s no light-
Next Big Thing In Gaming: 4K weight, but the overall dimensions are only 85mm x 150mm
Game players love speed and they love great graphics. x 220mm (HxWxD). The SuperNOVA 1600 G2 PSU has an
Unfortunately, great graphics and speed don’t necessarily MSRP of $349.99.
go together, unless you have a system powerful enough to
ramp up frame rates at higher screen resolutions. With the
introduction of 4K displays, the demands on systems have
gone even higher. MSI has a new graphics card that is designed
to help users get the speed they need at 4K resolutions. The
GeForce GTX 780 GAMING takes the powerful GTX 780
graphics processor, overclocks it, and piles on 6GB of GDDR5
that runs at 6,008MHz. To cool this beast, MSI uses its Twin
Frozr, a dual-fan cooler with heatpipes that transfer heat to
aluminum fins. The GeForce GTX 780 GAMING comes with
Afterburner overclocking software and a screen/video capture
tool called Predator and retails for around $589.99.

Lian Li Builds A Computer Case

That Really Is A Desktop
Chassis maker Lian Li has announced two new computer
case designs that go far beyond the traditional desktop form
factor—in fact, they’re actual desks. The DK-01X and DK-02X
both feature tops made of smoky tempered glass and aluminum
bodies with iron legs. The desks have slide-out compartments
that hold your computer components. The DK-01X holds one
system, while the DK-02X is larger and built to hold two (a
Mini-ITX board on one side and up to an HPTX rig on the
other). Both versions can accommodate up to three displays
via mounting arms that attach to the back panel of the desk.
(Displays and mounting arms not included.) Dimensions of the
DK-01X glass top are 35.4 x 23.6 inches; the DK-02X is the
same depth but is 47.2 inches wide. Both desks have legs that
adjust from 31.7 inches to 32.9 inches off the ground. MSRP
for the DK-01X chassis is $989; the DK-02X goes for $1,189.

6 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Amazon’s First Phone Is As Much
About Retail As Communications
The world’s largest Internet retailer now has a smartphone. Yes, it
makes calls, but the Amazon Fire is designed as much for buying
products as it is for communicating. New navigation features such
as tilt, swivel, and peek work with what is showing on the screen
to display additional information or to present data in a different
way, and four infrared front-facing cameras help identify the user’s
orientation in order to present some info in 3D fashion. But what
really sets the phone apart is FireFly, an Amazon technology that
helps the phone recognize movies, TV shows, music, and the bar
codes and QR codes to millions of other products that Amazon just
happens to sell. You push a physical button to launch FireFly, and
then when you aim the phone’s 13-megapixel front-facing camera at
an object, FireFly will do its best to identify it and offer up a link to
learn more (and also to buy the object from Amazon). Retail is
$199.99 with a 2-year service contract from AT&T.

HARDWARE MOLE

Here, Doggy Doggy. Now, Go Fly!

Sure, we’ve seen drones before. And drones with cameras
are certainly nothing new. But what makes AirDog unique
is that this drone will automatically follow you without
anyone needing to fly them via remote control. You don’t
need to be an aircraft tech or a programming wizard. You
just strap a waterproof remote (aka the “AirLeash”) on your
helmet or wrist, and Airdog will follow you using one of
seven preset flight modes. It records video for you and then
lands itself. Built-in safety controls ensure the drone will
Samsung To Release First Tablets land safely if it starts running low on power. AirDog is the
brainchild (braindog?) of Edgar Rozentals, the CEO of
With Super AMOLED Displays Helico Aerospace Industries. The two-year-old company is
now in the middle of a successful Kickstarter campaign (inital
Samsung recently announced it would release two new Galaxy
goal reached in just three days) to get word out about its first
Tab S tablets, an 8.4-inch and a 10.5-inch, in July. The new
commercial product. For more info, go to airdog.com.
tablets will be the world’s first with Super AMOLED displays
and will offer WQXGA (2,560 x 1,600) resolution. Samsung
says the two tablets will be their thinnest and lightest ever
at those screen sizes (.26” thick and 10 ounces; .26” thick
and 16.4 ounces), thanks to the display technology. Super
AMOLED screens need no backlighting so they have a longer
barttery life, up to 10 hours for the smaller tablet and 9 hours
for the larger one. Both tablets will be available in white or
titanium bronze and feature fingerprint scanners and Ultra
Power Saving modes. MSRP for the smaller size is $399.99; for
the 10.5-inch it’s $499.99.

CPU / August 2014 7

EYEBRIDGE Offers Assistance Now
To Visually Impaired; Others Later
A new mobile app called EYEBRIDGE connects visually impaired
users with live video-based assistance via their smartphones.
When activated, the app turns on the rear-facing camera of the
phone so that an online human operator can see the immediate
vicinity and assist the user with the particular problem he or
she is facing. For example, EyeBridge Limited’s website shows a
visually impaired person using EYEBRIDGE to identify what
bus is stopping at the corner bus stop. The service is available at
AVAST To The Rescue: Company different price levels starting at £19.95 (approximately $34) per
Releases Free Anti-Ransomware month for 60 minutes of 24/7 global access. EyeBridge Limited
says other services, such as remote medical diagnosis, are under
Ransomware is a particularly nasty form of malware that has development for sighted users.
seen a resurgence lately. These programs surreptitiously install
on your system, take control of your data, and then threaten
to make your files inaccessible unless you fork over some
dough. The latest high-profile infestations of ransomware
have come from a program called Simplocker that encrypts
files on Android tablets and phones. This malware threat has
become so widespread that security company AVAST recently
released a free anti-ransomware program to help users infected
with Simplocker as well as some other ransomware variants
(CryptoLocker, etc.). If your mobile Android products have
been infected with ransomware, you can download AVAST’s
anti-ransomware on your computer and then use the program
to get rid of the malware on connected devices and even
decrypt encrypted files. You can get copies of the free AVAST
Ransomware Removal from the Google Play store.

SOFTWARE SHORTS

Google Wants To Tango With

Third-Party Software Developers
Google is opening up another software development kit to
third parties. This time the SDK is for the mysterious-sounding
Project Tango. Google’s ATAP (Advanced Technology And
Projects) group had labored on Tango in relative secrecy until
recently, but is now telling developers to get in line for the
upcoming SDK. ATAP describes Tango as an attempt to
“give mobile devices a human-scale understanding of space
and motion.” Basically, Google wants to create new types of
applications tied to tablets or other mobile devices that can use
sensors and GPS to identify where things are in relation to one
another. Combined with other tech under development (such
as Glass and VR), the possibility exists for truly novel products.
Sign up at bit.ly/1qg1EMM; the kit will cost $1,024.

8 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

MIT Researchers Release Paper:
How To Use Wi-Fi As X-ray Specs
Researchers at MIT have been honing a technique
that allows them to use Wi-Fi signals to “see” people
through walls. The science involved is a little arcane,
but the gist of the research is that you can use Wi-Fi
to count how many people are in a room, see how they
are moving, and even to identify certain gestures they
may make. OK, so maybe you won’t be able to use this
technique to diagnose someone’s broken bones, but this
does raise the possibility that someone in a room could
communicate information externally to someone else
without using any type of transmitter—something that’s
New Pocket Avatars Tech From Intel definitely of interest to security personnel and other
James Bond types. You can find the full transcript of the
Lets You Animate Your Chat Messages paper here: bit.ly/UMKrgQ.
Chipmaker Intel has launched its newest product: a chatting
app called Pocket Avatars. The social app uses the camera
on your phone or other mobile device to capture your facial
image and voice, and then the app maps your expression(s)
onto one of dozens of 3D animated avatars that you select.
You can then send animated chat messages or, if the recipient
hasn’t downloaded the app, you can use email, SMS, or other
messaging services to send them a link to the video. Intel says
the technology it developed in its labs is able to capture and
convert a range of expressions such as raising or furrowing your
eyebrows and even blowing kisses, and that more capabilities
will be coming. The app itself is free; some avatars cost 99 cents.

SITE SEEING

Digital War Games: Norse Puts

Cyber Attacks On Center Stage
It’s one thing to talk about all the cyber attacks that occur
daily on the Internet, but security company Norse decided
seeing a visual representation would be more effective. Now
you can go to map.ipviking.com to see the world at war,
Internet-style. A global map shows what attacks are happening,
from where, and against whom. Tables keep a running tally of
attackers and targets by country, and there’s even a running
log of attack types. Norse is able to compile the information
due to its ongoing surveillance and analysis of huge amounts
of web traffic as part of the security services that it provides
to corporations. The attack map uses colors, cluster sizes, and
moving phosphors in a way that reminds us of the nuclear war
simulations in the movie “WarGames.” Chess, anyone?

CPU / August 2014 9

Job Of The Month
Got a hankering to work in the cloud? VMware, the company whose name is synonymous
with virtualization, is looking for a Staff Engineer, Cloud Networking & Security Software. This 326
person will be a member of a team that is part of the big R&D division at the company. The
position involves designing and implementing the “next generation distributed networking Estimated number of petajoules of energy
system from data center networking to low-level system programming.” You’ll also be closely that would be saved if every business in the
involved in creating and implementing security requirements for virtual systems and networks. U.S. moved its email, CRM, and productivity
VMware says the ideal person for this position will have a BS, MS, or PhD in Comp Sci as well applications to the cloud. This is roughly the
as 10 years of coding and design experience. You also need to be a samurai in C (on Linux or amount of energy needed to power a city
Windows). This particular job opening is in VMware’s Palo Alto, California, offices. the size of Los Angeles for one year.
Berkeley Lab
www.vmware.com

TV . . . Internet. Yup. 1.7 million

Just over a third of Americans are expected to
have an Internet-connected TV set in 2014. The Number of developers projected to be
number continues to grow, though, and eMarketer working in IoT (Internet of Things)-related
is now forecasting that more than 58% of the U.S. product areas by the end of 2014.
population will have ’Net-connected TVs by 2018. ABI Research

Year # Users % population

2012 54.7 million 17.4%
2013 83.6 million 26.4%
140 million
2014 113.2 million 35.5% Number of cell phones in the U.S. that are
2015 138.8 million 43.2% sent to landfills each year.
2016 160.9 million 49.7% Greeniacs.com
2017 177.2 million 54.3%
2018 191.4 million 58.2%

Credit: eMarketer $1.2 billion

Projected value of the consumer 3D
printer market (hardware and related
Sure, I Can Keep A Secret. Ya Gotta Trust Me.... materials) by 2018.
In an age of GPS tracking, ubiquitous digital cameras, spreading malware, and frequent stories of Juniper Research
identity theft, it’s no wonder that many people aren’t sure about trusting anybody with their personal
data. Gallup recently surveyed more than 1,000 people to find out how much they trusted various
institutions to keep their personal information safe and secure. The results show a populace that
doesn’t have a great deal of trust in anyone, especially social networking sites. 1.79 billion
Number of people worldwide projected to
How much trust do you have in each of the following to keep your personal be social media users by the end of 2014.
information secure? How about __________________? This is approximately a quarter of the
human population.
39% Banks & Credit Card Companies 14% State Government
eMarketer
26% Health Insurance Companies 12% The Federal Government
19% Your Cellphone Carrier 6% Online Retailers
16% Your Email Provider 2% Social Network Sites & Applications

Credit: Gallup

12 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO
f you’ve been paying even the slightest
I attention, it’s no surprise that the gaming
community has become a strong focus
for motherboard manufacturers. We’ve
recently seen a number of motherboards
with capabilities that enhance sound quality,
give you control over network traffic, and
optimize the keyboard and mice ports for
faster response time. Of course, ASUS is
no stranger to gamers; the company estab-
lished its ROG (Republic of Gamers) brand
way back in 2007. With such lengthy
experience designing products for gamers,
it’s no surprise that the MAXIMUS VII
HERO is one of the most tantalizing
gaming motherboards for the Z97 chipset.
The MAXIMUS VII HERO supports
Intel’s 4th Generation and upcoming 5th
Generation processors, thanks to the Intel
LGA1150 socket. To tap into Intel CPUs
with unlocked multipliers, ASUS includes
its Extreme Engine DIGI+ III technology.
Just some of the noteworthy components
include NexFET Power Block MOSFETs,
60A ferrite chokes, and 10K black metallic
solid state capacitors. The Extreme Engine
DIGI+ III extends to the DIMM slots,
too. The MAXIMUS VII HERO supports
DDR3 memory clocked as fast a DDR3-
3200. We also like that ASUS includes a
resettable fuse to protect DRAM against
overcurrent and short-circuit damage.
For high-end graphics, there are
two PCI-E 3.0 x16 slots (which run at isolating key onboard audio components adjusts the amp for the perfect sound level.
x8/x8 with two cards) that support Quad from the rest of the PCB. A stainless ASUS also provides its Sonic Studio audio-
SLI or Quad CrossFire when paired with steel EMI cover isolates and protects the tuning software, which includes tools for
dual-GPU graphics cards. A PCI-E 2.0 MAXIMUS VII HERO’s HD audio chip. 7.1-channel virtual surround sound on a
x16 slot is also available, but it’s limited to a For an audio-specific gaming advantage, stereo headset.
maximum x4 speed and shares bandwidth the MAXIMUS VII HERO comes ASUS also made sure to optimize the
with board’s three PCI-E x1 slots and M.2 with ASUS Sonic Radar II, which is an MAXIMUS VII HERO’s networking
slot. When an M.2 device is installed, the in-game overlay that shows where sounds for gaming, too. The board uses Intel’s
PCI-E 2.0 x16 slot can still function at x1 or originate. The tool is designed for FPS titles I218-V Gigabit Ethernet controller, which
x2, but all the PCI-E x1 slots are disabled. and provides a visual direction for things can offload UDP and TCP checksums
ASUS adds its SupremeFX 2014 like gunshots and footsteps, helping you from the CPU, so you’ll have more
audio technology to the MAXIMUS VII find your enemies before they find you. processing power for games. Even better,
HERO. SupremeFX essentially delivers The MAXIMUS VII HERO also has ASUS internal testing found that the
the performance of a discrete sound audio hardware to support high-quality Intel I218-V offers faster throughput than
card without the card. For example, it headsets. A Sonic SenseAmp detects your competing LAN chips, especially when
minimizes electromagnetic interference by headset’s impedance and automatically transmitting smaller UDP data packets.

CPU / August 2014 13

ASUS MAXIMUS
Benchmark Results VII HERO

3DMark Professional 4854

(Fire Strike Extreme)

Graphics Score 5058

Physics Score 11121

PCMark 8

Creative Score 4587

SiSoftware Sandra
2014 Lite

Dhrystone AVX2 155.86

(GIPS)

Whetstone AVX 106.87

MAXIMUS VII HERO (GFLOPS)

$220 Multi-Media Integer 446.26

ASUS AVX2 x32 (Mpixels/s)
www.asus.com Multi-Media Float 410.8
FMA3 x16 (Mpixels/s)
ASUS doesn’t stop at Intel LAN controller, plug the keyboard into the KeyBot USB Multi-Media Double 226.1
either, as MAXIMUS VII HERO comes port (located next to the PS/2 port) and FMA3 x8 (Mpixels/s)
with surface-mounted capacitors on the configure the functions you want to use.
Multi-Media Float/Double 312.15
Ethernet port to improve throughput. For even more control, you may also FMA3 x8 (Mpixels/s)
For network traffic control, ASUS want to pair the MAXIMUS VII HERO
bundles its GameFirst III utility, which with ASUS ROG Front Base (real-time Integer B/F AVX/128 26.22
(GBps)
lets you manage network bandwidth and management of system fans, sound
assign top priority to gaming packets. control, and one-click overclocking) or Floating B/F AVX/128 26.11
(GBps)
The software offers four preset modes: the ASUS OC Panel, which functions as
Optimization, Game, Media Streaming, an overclocking command center. POV-Ray 3.7 Beta* 1623.18
and File Sharing. It’s easy to quickly As you might expect, the MAXIMUS VII
Cinebench 15** 790
configure network traffic to suit your needs. HERO did well in our gaming benchmarks.
To give you more command over your When paired with a GIGABYTE GV- Games (2,560 x 1,600)
keyboard, the MAXIMUS VII HERO N780GHZ-3GD, it produced 49fps in Metro: Last Light 49
comes with ASUS’ KeyBot microprocessor. Metro: Last Light and 51.3 in Aliens vs. (16XAF)
The technology lets you take any USB Predator. We also ran Unigine Heaven 4.0,
Aliens vs. Predator 51.3
keyboard and assign macros, shortcuts, and the MAXIMUS VII HERO delivered (4XAA, 16XAF)
and logins to the keyboard’s Function keys. 53.3fps and a score of 1347. In 3DMark
More impressively, KeyBot can wake up Professional’s Fire Strike Extreme test, the * pixels per second

your PC from S5 and boot into a specific motherboard achieved an overall score of ** points
mode. Pressing the F11 key will load the 4854 and a Graphics Score of 5058.
CPU Level Up overclock settings you’ve We expect the MAXIMUS VII HERO
configured in your BIOS, while F12 will to bring a number of new citizens to the even the minor details of the MAXIMUS
boot using the XMP settings on your ROG. It’s heavy on special features and all VII HERO. All hail the ROG. ■
memory modules. The DEL key will boot the small enhancements are provided too,
directly into the BIOS. You’ll just need to which shows that ASUS has thought about BY NATHAN LAKE

Specs: Max memory: 32GB (DDR3-1600; DDR3-3200 max OC); Slots: 2 PCI-E 3.0 x16, 1 PCI-E 2.0 x16 (x4 speed), 3 PCI-E x1; Storage: 1 M.2, 8 6Gbps SATA; Rear I/O: 1
HDMI, 1 DVI-D, 1 VGA, 4 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0, 1 Ethernet, 1 Optical S/PDIF, audio I/O, 1 PS/2; Form Factor: ATX; Warranty: 3 years
Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K; GPU: GIGABYTE GV-N780GHZ-3GD; Memory: 8GB ADATA XPG V2 DDR3-2400; Storage: 128GB Crucial
RealSSD C300; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

14 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Devil’s Canyon
It Feels Good To Be Bad
t has been a quiet spring on the CPU of all, this processor has a 500MHz
I front. Too quiet. But in June, Intel
shattered that silence with a couple
clock bump compared to the 4770K,
yet it costs the same as the older part
new processors that push performance when it launched last year.
to new heights. The Intel Core i7-
4790K is taking over for the 4770K Intel Core i5-4690K
at the top of Haswell’s hill. The Intel This processor is the prince of the
Core i5-4690K, which lacks its bigger Core i5s. The core clock here starts at
brother’s Hyper-Threading, also makes 3.5GHz, but Turbo Boost 2.0 pushes it
its debut with just as much fanfare. to 3.9GHz when you need it most. This
If you’re currently in the market for is a quad-core processor, but Hyper-
a CPU upgrade (and yes, all of those Threading is disabled, so it does just one
beautiful new 9 Series motherboards thread-per-core. 6MB of Intel Smart
we’ve been talking about lately will Cache is in play for the Core i5-4690K
perform quite well with these new and it too is shared across the cores and
processors) then there’s never been a the processor graphics. The Intel HD
better time to pony up. 4600 in this chip is clocked slightly
slower, at 1,200MHz. Again, this is
Tick Or Tock? an 88-watt chip, but it’ll tend to draw
To be clear, Devil’s Canyon is neither a Tick Boost 2.0 technology, this chip can hit up less than the Core i7-4790K under similar
nor a Tock refresh from Intel—it’s something to 4.4GHz, when there’s enough thermal loading. Compared to the previous top Core
a little different. The cores and Intel HD headroom to spare. That means that when i5, this chip offers a 100MHz boost for the
graphics engines on these processors are very you’re pushing the processor, it’ll start working core and Turbo clocks. Intel has given this chip
familiar to our readers; in fact they’re the same even harder. Hyper-Threading is a hallmark an MSRP of $243.
ones in the Haswell processors we’ve been feature of the Core i7s, and it lets each of the
running since this time last year. Both quad- four cores on this processor handle two threads Overclocking Devils
core processors we’re talking about here are at once. There’s also 8MB of Intel Smart As you’d expect, these K Series processors
LGA 1150 chips that have 1.4 billion 22nm Cache, shared between the four cores and the take to overclocking like ducks to water. Both
Tri-Gate 3-D transistors crammed into a die Intel HD 4600-based processor graphics. The of these processors deliver full access to an
area of 177 square millimeters. But what is graphics core clock is set to 1,250MHz, which adjustable BCLK and an unlocked multiplier,
new here is the Next-Generation Polymer is identical to that of the 4770K. Despite the including some fairly granular voltage settings,
Thermal Interface Material, or NGPTIM, impressive power under its heat spreader, this including VCCIN for logic and VDDQ for
which makes thermal dissipation an order is still just an 88-watt chip. And perhaps best DRAM. In short, if you want to hit some
of magnitude more efficient without truly impressive numbers, you’ll need a
requiring new cooling solutions. The K Series processor.
new processors also have a handful of
new capacitors that are designed to Two Hot Processors
smooth power delivery to the die. Devil’s Canyon is like Haswell with
a fresh coat of paint and some nitrous
Intel Core i7-4790K tanks under the hood. If performance
This is the new flagship, and as such, is important to you, then the Core
Intel gave it a core clock that bests all i7-4790K or Core i5-4690K should
the rest: 4.0GHz. And that’s just the make it to the top of your upgrade
base frequency. Thanks to Intel Turbo shopping list. ■
Advertisement
AMD’s Radeon Graphics & Mantle API
Taking The Gaming World By Storm

he term “gaming system” isn’t terribly because of the myriad of hardware Mantle API to run these games at 1080p
T informative these days. It might have
meant something 10, maybe five, years
configurations, developers had to lean on
the CPU in order to translate and queue
or better. Be prepared to dial up your

ago, but now we’re gaming on every data for the GPU. Mantle largely tears
device we own. And just below the surface away this clunky approach, so much
of a lot of these devices you’ll find AMD’s of the work only passes between the
graphics technology running the show. game, AMD’s Catalyst driver, and
A big reason why AMD is driving the the GCN.
graphics in high-end multi-GPU systems, The end result is better
videogame consoles, and laptops of every games, period. Gamers of
kind is its scalable GPU architectures, and all kinds stand to benefit,
now AMD has a specialized API that lets too. Hardcore types will
game developers fully tap into the power of be pleased to know that
AMD’s Graphics Core Next architecture. upcoming titles such as
The API, called Mantle, was designed Dragon Age: Inquisition
because game devs themselves called for a and Battlefield Hardline will
better way to get their games to interface have Mantle support. A graphics card
with the GPU architecture. Previously, like AMD’s R9 280 will make use of the
Advertisement
Drilling Into Mantle:
Q&A With AMD
We sat down with AMD to explore the
company’s new Mantle API and bring our
findings to the surface. Here’s what they
had to say.

Q: What exactly is Mantle?

A: Mantle is an AMD initiative to create

a new graphics programming model
that fully exploits the capabilities of
the GCN architecture of AMD Radeon
GPUs. As part of this initiative, we have
worked with leading game developers
to create an API specification and an
updated graphics driver that enables
this programming model in GPUs that
utilize AMD’s own Graphics Core Next
architecture.

Q: Is Mantle a proprietary AMD technology?

Isn’t this contrary to AMD’s oft-stated belief
in promoting open standards?

A: Our commitment to industry standards

for game developers has not wavered.
quality settings and feast on the extra eye 4K resolutions wherever you want. The
The initial implementations of Mantle
candy, too. Satellite P50T is down for other power
technology will be designed specifically
The casual crowd gets some love, user tasks, too. Advanced photographers
for systems based on the GCN archi-
too. Fans of PopCap Games’ Plants vs. can edit photos at an incredibly high
tecture, but we believe that many of
Zombies: Garden Warfare should find resolution, and the inclusion of Adobe
the key concepts will eventually be
that the game plays smooth and looks Lightroom gives them even more power.
applicable to other architectures, as well.
stunning on a Radeon GPU. There isn’t Other notebooks, like Alienware’s
We plan to release detailed specifications
a better way to blow off steam after a 17 gaming laptop, simply go all-out for
for the Mantle API publicly as part of a
midterm or corporate presentation than games. The Alienware 17 is equipped with
development kit in 2014.
cracking open your laptop and wrecking a Radeon R9 M290X mobile GPU, an
hordes of undead. Intel Core i7 CPU, and a whole lot of
Q: Why would a game developer be
And it’s on laptops where the mobile other high-end hardware. It runs Windows
interested in coding for an AMD-specific
variants of AMD’s R9 GPU really 8.1 and fully supports DirectX 11.2.
API? Will AMD have to pay developers to
shine. It won’t be long before we start AMD has a long history of producing
use it?
seeing a huge assortment of laptops that cutting-edge GPUs, and we see no
easily perform tasks that you needed a indication that’s going to change. But
A: Mantle was created in direct
desktop to do a few years ago. We’re with Mantle, AMD is actively working
response to requests from leading game
now spoiled on high-end laptops such as to write the future. As more and more
developers, so interest is very high. All
Toshiba’s Satellite P50T, which uses an developers throw their support behind
of our initial development partners are
AMD Radeon R9 M265X GPU as its Mantle, the games we love will be easier
investing their resources to implement
weapon of choice. The R9 M265X that to code, and they’ll perform better, too.
this technology.
has 2GB of VRAM, so you can game at That sounds like a pretty good future. ■
completely modular SuperNOVA 850 G2
lets you install only the cables you’ll need
SuperNOVA 850 G2 to power your rig. All of the cables are
$159.99 sheathed in a black mesh, which matches
EVGA the black-clad SuperNOVA 850 G2 exterior.
www.evga.com To support multiple graphics cards, there
are four 6+2-pin PCI-E connectors, as well
as two 6-pin PCI-E connectors. EVGA
indicates that the PSU is SLI-ready.
The SuperNOVA 850 G2 also provides
two 4+4-pin CPU power cables to cover
overclockers with motherboards that
require two 8-pin EPS power connections.
For system peripherals, EVGA includes
10 SATA connectors, 4 Molex connectors,
and a Molex-to-floppy adapter. Those with
custom liquid-cooling will like that EVGA
also includes a 24-pin PSU testing tool, so
you can switch fans and pumps on to test
your loop for leaks without connecting a
EVGA SuperNOVA motherboard or processor.
We installed the SuperNOVA 850 G2
850 G2 in a system with an Intel Core i7-4770K
and GIGABYTE GV-N780GHZ-3GD.
power supply is one of the few PC components receive clean, continuous power. Then, we stressed it by simultaneously
A components that may last you several
builds. That being said, the warranty on most
The SuperNOVA 850 G2 is also 80 PLUS
Gold-certified and offers a peak efficiency of
running POV-ray 3.7 (processor-intensive)
and the Aliens vs. Predator (GPU-intensive)
PSUs is often three to five years. EVGA’s 90%. benchmarks. During the test, we monitored
SuperNOVA 850 G2 is covered by a 10-year With the SuperNOVA 850 G2, EVGA the SuperNOVA 850 G2’s power with
warranty. To offer such a lengthy warranty, puts you in control of the PSU’s noise an ExTech True RMS Power Analyzer
EVGA must be pretty sure of its PSU’s build level, thanks to an ECO OFF/ON switch Datalogger, which showed us what kind of
quality. Let’s dig deeper to see what EVGA on the rear of the PSU. When on, the wattage and power factor the unit produced
put into the SuperNOVA 850 G2. switch activates the PSU’s ECO Thermal under load. Power factor was routinely
This PSU is built with a single 12V rail Fan System, which will completely shut off between .99 and .98 during the heavy-duty
that supports up to 70.8A (849.6 watts) of the fan during moderate loads or idle use benchmark tests. At the maximum wattage of
power. EVGA tests the SuperNOVA 850 G2 for silent operation. ECO mode kicks the 401W, power factor was .985, a quality result.
at 50 degrees Celsius to ensure it can provide fan on when the temperature climbs above The SuperNOVA 850 G2’s ECO
those 850 watts in a hot case, if necessary. 45 Celsius. If ECO mode is disabled, the Thermal Fan System makes it a good option
The 5V and 3.3V rails can each handle up 140mm fan will run continuously. The for silent-PC builders, as well as performance
to 24A for a combined maximum power of SuperNOVA 850 G2 will still automatically enthusiasts who want clean power and
120 watts. The SuperNOVA 850 G2’s power increase or decrease the fan speed as modular cabling. With such reliable
rails are safeguarded by a comprehensive necessary. For quiet rotation, EVGA also uses performance and smart design, we’re betting
set of protections, including overvoltage, a 140mm double ball bearing fan. the SuperNOVA 850 G2’s 10-year warranty
undervoltage, overpower, overcurrent, and Power users know that cable clutter is an is no exaggeration. ■
short circuits. Japanese Nippon Chemi-Con enemy to good airflow, because it can block
solid state capacitors are used to ensure your pathways necessary for air movement. The BY NATHAN LAKE

Specs: Rated continuous: 850W (at 50 C); 12V rails: 1 (70.8A max); +5V max: 24A; +3.3V max: 24A; SLI/CrossFire-ready: Yes; Max wattage tested: 401W;
Power factor tested: .985; Efficiency rating (as advertised): Up to 90%; Fan: 140mm; PCI-E: 4 6+2-pin, 2 6-pin; Main 12V: 20+4-pin; 8-pin EPS12V: 2 4+4-
pin; SATA: 10; 4-pin Molex: 4; Floppy: 1; Length (including cable bend): 8 inches; Warranty: 10 years

Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K; Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H; GPU: GIGABYTE GV-N780GHZ-3GD; Memory: 8GB ADATA
XPG V2 DDR3-2400; Storage: 128GB Crucial RealSSD C300; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

CPU / August 2014 19

PNY XLR8 GTX
Specs & Scores 780 Ti Customized
Overclocked
Price $759.99

Core clock 980MHz

Boost clock 1,046MHz

Memory clock 1,750MHz

Memory interface 384-bit

Memory 3GB GDDR5

XLR8 GTX 780 Ti Customized Overclocked
$759.99 3DMark Professional 5473
(Fire Strike Extreme)
PNY
www.pny.com Graphics Score 5672

Physics Score 15023

PNY XLR8 GeForce GTX 780 Ti Unigine Heaven 4.0

Score
(1,920 x 1,200)

1472

Customized Overclocked FPS 58.4

Games (1,920 x 1,200)

hen we think about the GeForce 700 Ti Customized Overclocked never got louder
W series, the only graphics card that
NVIDIA fully opened the throttle on is the
than an almost inaudible hum.
The back panel of the card features
Metro: Last Light
(16XAF)
79.33fps

GeForce GTX 780 Ti. The GK110 GPU a DVI-I port, DVI-D port, and full-sized Aliens vs. Predator 94.5fps
that is used in this card (and the TITAN and HDMI and DisplayPort outputs. This card (4XAA, 16XAF)
vanilla 780) features all fifteen of its SMXs is rated for PCI-E 3.0, and power comes
(2,560 x 1,600)
enabled, giving this card 2,880 CUDA cores, via two 8-pin PCI-E power connectors.
240 texture units, and 48 ROPs. With the According to PNY, you’ll need a minimum
XLR8 780 Ti Customized Overclocked 600W power supply with at least 42 amps on Metro: Last Light 55fps
(16XAF)
graphics card, PNY took those ingredients the 12V rail to run one of these.
and baked up something very tasty indeed. Within PNY’s stable of graphics cards, Aliens vs. Predator 58.2fps
The heatsink shroud on this card is a this card is designed to be a more affordable (4XAA, 16XAF)

single piece of aluminum that hugs the sides option compared to the Ultimate OC Series
of the heatsink and curves around at the and a better-performing option than the
rightmost edge of the card. The cooler itself stock-clocked Customized Series graphics register the card within 90 days of the date of
is composed of a pair of aluminum heatsinks card. And what about that overclock? your purchase, PNY will honor the warranty,
bristling with fins, one over the GPU and NVIDIA has to keep the temperatures which is non-transferrable, for life.
the other over the 8-phase VRM. Five large- manageable on this chip, so it ships the GPU In the benchmarks, we were particularly
diameter flattened copper heatpipes run with a relatively modest 875MHz core clock impressed at how close PNY’s card got to the
from a solid copper plate directly over the and 928MHz boost clock. PNY’s high- magic 60fps number in the 2,560 x 1,600
GPU to the VRM side of the card. The two dissipation cooler can handle a lot more, tests for Aliens vs. Predator and Metro: Last
85mm fans keep fresh air passing through however, so they raised those to 980MHz Light. The card approached 100fps in the
the heatsink, and two white LEDs offer some and 1,046MHz, respectively. The memory AvP 1,920 x 1,200 test. If you’re looking
muted ambient illumination. There’s also a on this card is also clocked very high, at for the strong, silent type in a graphics card,
thick black aluminum plate on the back of the 1,750MHz. Quad-pumped, this gives the PNY’s got you covered with the XLR8 GTX
PCB to protect the sensitive components and card a total memory bandwidth of 336GBps. 780 Ti Customized Overclocked. ■
improve cooling performance. When running Another bonus that enthusiasts are sure to
the game benchmarks, the XLR8 GTX 780 appreciate is PNY’s warranty. As long as you BY ANDREW LEIBMAN

Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4960X; Motherboard: GIGABYTE X79-UP4; RAM: 16GB Patriot Viper Xtreme DDR3-1866; Storage: 240GB OCZ
Vertex 3 MAX IOPS SSD; OS: Windows 8 Pro (64-bit)

20 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

ASUS, this design bests the reference cooler’s
ASUS ROG Striker
performance by up to 37% and slashes noise Specs & Scores Platinum GTX 760
output by 200%. The fan shroud consists of
red and black plastic in an angular design. Price $309.99

The fan on the right is a fairly standard Core clock 1,085MHz

design, but the one centered over the eight-
phase Super Alloy Power DIGI+ VRM is a Boost clock 1,150MHz

CoolTech hybrid fan. It features conventional Memory clock 1,502MHz

flower-type fan blades with radial blower-
type blades along the inner ring of the fan Memory interface 256-bit

that force air out laterally. Both fans feature Memory 4GB GDDR5
dustproof fan technology to keep them clean
and are engineered to remain as quiet as 3DMark Professional 3086
(Fire Strike Extreme)
possible even at their highest RPMs.
If your case doesn’t have a windowed Graphics Score 3133
side panel, you’re going to want to get one
Physics Score 14794
to show off the color-coded load indicator
LEDs shining through the Republic Of Unigine Heaven 4.0 (1,920 x 1,200)
Gamers logo. Under light, medium, and Score 752
heavy loads, the LEDs glow green, orange,
and red, respectively. FPS 29.8
ASUS ROG But the cooler isn’t the only thing this Games (1,920 x 1,200)
graphics card had tweaked. The GTX 760’s
Striker Platinum reference design calls for a 28nm GK104
Metro: Last Light
(16XAF)
43.67fps

GPU with three active Graphics Processing

GTX 760 Clusters for 1,152 CUDA cores, 96 texture
units, and 32 ROPs. The core clock on the
Aliens vs. Predator
(4XAA, 16XAF)
51.4fps

reference GTX 760 is set at 980MHz, and the

Ipop,fgraphics
you’re in the market for a midrange
card that will make your games
NVIDIA’s Kepler-based GeForce GTX
boost clock, which kicks in when you need
it most, is set to 1,033MHz. ASUS knew its
(2,560 x 1,600)

Metro: Last Light 29.33fps

760 is one of the better deals to be had. But cooler could handle a lot more heat than that; (16XAF)
even if you’ve narrowed down your choices to the Striker Platinum features core and boost
Aliens vs. Predator 30.9fps
that specific GPU, there are still a multitude clocks pushed to 1,085MHz and 1,150MHz, (4XAA, 16XAF)
of options available. As you’d expect, ASUS respectively. The memory interface is the
makes several compelling arguments for standard 256 bits wide, and there’s 4GB of
choosing the ROG Striker Platinum GeForce GDDR5 here, so those looking to game at
GTX 760, which is much more than the higher resolutions (even 4K resolutions up to 30fps in all of them except Metro’s 2,560
sum of the CUDA cores under its hood. 4,096 x 2,160) are well served. x 1,600 run, which it missed by a fraction
As you can probably tell just by looking The back panel features each of the of a frame. If you’re looking for a serious
at the Striker Platinum, ASUS has attached a following ports: DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, gamer’s graphics card in this class, you’d be
very non-reference cooler to the card. Against and a full-sized DisplayPort. This card is hard-pressed to do better, and with ASUS
the back of the PCB, you’ll find a piece of rated for PCI-E 3.0 and receives power via GPU Tweak software and a couple minutes,
black brushed aluminum. On the topside of two PCI-E connectors—one 8-pin and one you can have it running like a much more
the PCB is the DirectCU II heatsink, which 6-pin. According to ASUS, you’ll need up to expensive card. ■
consists of a trio of thick 10mm heatpipes 300 watts set aside for the graphics card alone
that are flattened, milled, and polished to rest (600W total) and it needs at least 38 amps BY ANDREW LEIBMAN
snugly against the top of the GPU, which on the 12V rail.
transfers heat to the heatpipes and the rest This card tore through Metro: Last Light ROG Striker Platinum GeForce GTX 760
of the heatsink more readily. According to and Aliens vs. Predator, averaging better than $309.99 | ASUS | www.asus.com

Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4960X; Motherboard: GIGABYTE X79-UP4; RAM: 16GB Patriot Viper Xtreme DDR3-1866; Storage: 240GB OCZ
Vertex 3 MAX IOPS SSD; OS: Windows 8 Pro (64-bit)

22 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

PC Modder Ruler & Gauge
$39.99
Mnpctech
mnpctech.com

Mnpctech PC Modder Ruler & Gauge

f you spend much time around things in a straight line; it includes inches to millimeters and vice versa:
Ihobbyists of any kind, you’ll quickly
discover that most leisure-time pursuits
both inches and millimeters. But unlike
other rulers, this one also has several
Mnpctech has etched the formula
for both conversions on the bottom
develop into little subcultures to one marks along the millimeter side that of the PC Modder Ruler & Gauge,
extent or another, each with its own show standard fan sizes (from 40mm to right above a list of tap and drill size
customs, lingo, and unwritten rules. 250mm) to help you tell with the barest conversion chart.
Many hobbies also inspire their of glances what size fan and/or radiator Mnpctech CNC mills the PC
devotees to develop special tools that you are working with. It has notches on Modder Ruler & Gauge from 1/8th-
make certain related tasks much easier. one end that you can use to determine inch-thick solid aluminum; it measures
PC modding certainly meets all of the thickness of a sheet of acrylic, in 12 inches long by 2 inches wide, and
these criteria, and a prime example both inches and millimeters. There are if you’re interested, you can check out
of a really handy tool that’s specially tap drill reference holes that run along some video of one of them being made
adapted for modding is Mnpctech’s the length of the ruler for mounting at bit.ly/1refRKk.
PC Modder Ruler & Gauge. We have 2.5-, 3.5-, and 5.25-inch drives, and In short, this is a tool that is incred-
discussed within the pages of CPU another set of holes along the middle ibly handy to have around for lots
many times how modders employ that you can use to determine the of modding-related tasks, and because
varying degrees of art and science in gauge of fasteners you are using. There it’s milled from solid aluminum, you’ll
the pursuit of their goals, and this are even reference holes for cooling most likely only ever need to buy one—
handy device is uniquely equipped to hoses and barbs, as well as Bulgin and unless you are looking for a great gift for
help with the science part. Lamptron switches. another modder. ■
Like most rulers, the PC Modder If you’re like us, you probably have a
Ruler & Gauge can help you measure hard time remembering how to convert BY CHRIS TRUMBLE

Specs: Materials: Solid milled aluminum; Dimensions: 12 x 2 x 1/8 inches

CPU / August 2014 23

Omega Plus Headset Upgrade Kit
$85
Oregon Aero
www.oregonaero.com

Oregon Aero Omega Plus Gaming Headset Upgrade Kit

amers spend a lot of time wearing surface that arcs to conform to the top of press, the selection was incomplete
G headsets, so it makes sense that we
agonize over the performance and physical
your head. It’s comfortable and keeps the
headset stationary on your scalp.
but improving. Check the website for
an Omega Plus kit that works with your
aspects of each unit we’re considering. The SoftSeal Ear Cushion, the existing headset. Oregon Aero separately
Even so, we tend to settle upon the pair star of the show, is designed to replace sells a couple of other headset upgrades.
that sounds the best for the money we your headset’s stock ear pads. Once we The SoftSkin Ear Seal Covers are designed
have to spend. Sadly, this often means that installed the large oval-shaped SoftSeal Ear to envelope the SoftSeal Ear Cushions with
our great-sounding headset misses a beat Cushions on our headset, we worked the a loose, soft, moisture-wicking material.
when it comes to comfort, especially when memory-foam HushKit inserts in under The MicMuff Microphone Cover is a
gaming for extended periods. Oregon the ear cushion, and then topped it off leatherette envelope and foam sleeve that
Aero, a company that made a name for with the black fabric liner, making sure is designed to block out unwanted ambient
itself by revolutionizing the ejection seat that the HushKit didn’t block any part of noise and isolate voice commands and
cushioning in the F-22 Raptor, offers the driver. The Omega Plus SoftSeal Ear party chat for crystal clear communication.
custom kits that let you keep the headset Cushions almost completely enveloped If you’re looking for the ultimate in
you love but eject the uncomfortable ear our ears, ensuring a better sound barrier. headset comfort without having to scrap
pads and headband cushion. By switching the headset’s porous fabric your current unit, Oregon Aero’s upgrade
The Omega Plus Gaming Headset ear cushions for Oregon Aero’s synthetic kits are your best option, but don’t take our
Upgrade Kit, Oregon Aero’s flagship EDGE leather cushions and the HushKit, TV word for it. Commercial and military pilots
(Extended Duration Gaming Equipment) and movie soundtracks sounded fuller, number among some of Oregon Aero’s most
offering, consists of multiple components teammate dialogue was more intelligible, satisfied customers. If these kits can hush
that not only improve how the headset feels, and we were able to pick up on some of an open cockpit and eliminate earaches on
but how it sounds as well. The SoftTop the more nuanced moments of our favorite transcontinental flights, then any discomfort
Headset Cushion fits over the headband albums. We were even able to turn down or LAN party noise you experience while
cushion and uses heavy-duty, Velcro-backed the volume. gaming doesn’t stand a chance. ■
nylon fabric to wrap around your headset’s Each kit is designed for a specific
headband. The SoftTop provides a woolly headset model, and as we went to BY ANDREW LEIBMAN

Specs: SoftTop Headset Cushion: Velcro strap, 100% sheepskin wool; SoftSeal Ear Cushion: washable synthetic leather cover, viscoelastic foam core;
HushKit Passive Ear Cup Insulation: memory foam insert, padded fabric liner

24 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

ADATA Premier Benchmark Results
ADATA
Premier SP610
256GB

SP610 256GB CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3

(64-bit, default)*

he early days of solid-state drives Sequential read 551.3

T were wild times. It often seemed like

we were crowning a new performance
Sequential write 298.6

champion, the SSD you had to have, 512K read 391.2

every month. This was no small matter, 512K write 298.8

either, since an SSD was a significant
investment and most enthusiasts only 4K read 32.4
had the cash to buy one for their 4K write 131.2
primary system. Premier SP610 256GB | $129.99 (online)
Over time, though, the market matured. ADATA | www.adata.com 4K QD32 read 314.2
Options abound today, thanks to healthy 4K QD32 write 295.9
competition and constant innovation.
Current SSDs use a wide variety of storage for writes. (ADATA relied on ATTO for CrystalDiskMark 3.0.3
(64-bit, all 0x00, 0 fill)*
controllers and NAND. Capacities range these figures.)
from “enough for your OS and a game” ADATA also bestows the SP610 Sequential read 551.1
to “just put everything on there.” Prices with BCH error-correction code (up to
Sequential write 298.6
fit every budget. Now, you can buy the 66bit/1KB) with the goal of maintaining
perfect SSD for any build—entry level high data integrity. A nice set of down- 512K read 390.2
or elite. loadable extras is also standard with
512K write 298.6
It’s with this in mind that we give these SSDs. You get a product key for
ADATA’s new Premier SP610 a look-see. Acronis True Image HD 2013 (check the 4K read 32.41
Specifically, we’re putting the 256GB back of the SSD itself for your key), as
4K write 131.1
version (128GB, 512GB, and 1TB well as ADATA’s SSD Toolbox, a useful
capacities are also available) under the suite of utilities for the SP610. In the 4K QD32 read 314.4
magnifying glass. This particular SSD box itself are a couple of adapters that let
4K QD32 write 295.8
is one that would be a great fit for you prep the SP610 for installation in a
replacing or upgrading a notebook’s 9.5mm or 3.5-inch drive bay. AS-SSD*
storage drive, for example. It’s also a fine We let the 256GB SP610 run a
Seq read 528.16
choice for a secondary system, a rockin’ few laps around CrystalDiskMark’s
homework (and, yes, gaming) PC for the and AS-SSD’s respective tracks, and Seq write 284.97
kids, or the way you finally introduce the drive performed as advertised. Its 4K read 30.15
mom and dad to the world of solid- sequential reads in both benchmarks
state storage. l e a p e d o f f t h e s c re e n — p u s h i n g 4K write 113.66

The Premier SP610 relies on an SMI 550MBps in CrystalDiskMark is 4K-64Thrd read 297.92
(Silicon Motion) SM2246EN controller n o s m a l l f e a t . Be t t e r s t i l l , o u r
4K-64Thrd write 254.55
to do its dirty work, and the drive CDM results show that the drive’s
also features a bank of synchronous performance with compressible and *MBps
MLC NAND. In the 256GB Premier incompressible workloads is effectively
SP610, these components come indistinguishable. That kind of con-
together to produce sequential reads sistency is impressive. the next time you’re ready to build or
and writes of 560MBps and 290MBps, At roughly $0.50/GB, the 256GB upgrade a system. ■
respectively. 4K performance tops out at SP610 is a very good solid-state drive.
75,000IOPS for reads and 67,000IOPS You’ll definitely want to keep it mind BY VINCE COGLEY

Specs: Sequential read/write (advertised, ATTO): 560MBps/290MBps; Max 4K read/write (advertised, ATTO): 75,000IOPS/67,000IOPSl; Interface: 6Gbps
SATA; Warranty: 3 years
Test system specs: Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K; Motherboard: ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO; GPU: GIGABYTE GV-N780GHz-3GD; Memory: 8GB ADATA XPG
V2 DDR3-2400; Storage: 128GB Crucial RealSSD 300; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise (64-bit)

CPU / August 2014 25

Zabius M Mobile Gaming Headset
$49.99
GX Gaming
www.gx-gaming.com

GX Gaming Zabius M Mobile Gaming Headset

hen we go on the road, we’re always Android and iOS devices. We also like mic performed, and we were pleasantly
W looking for ways to indulge in a
little gaming, whenever and wherever we
that the large “R” and “L” letters that
indicate the right and left earbuds are
surprised. Everyone said we came across
loud and clear, and we enjoyed similar
can. Sadly, the first thing to get cut from printed on the inside of each one in results with the phone calls we placed
the packing list is our unwieldy over- white, so you can quickly determine if while wearing the Zabius M.
the-ear headset. But instead of settling you’re about to put them on correctly The headset features a gold-plated,
for the underperforming earbuds that without having to flip them over. four-pin, 3.5mm audio jack that
came with your smartphone, GX Gaming The headset employs removable resembles those of other mobile headsets,
offers road warriors the Zabius M Mobile rubber ear tips (in three sizes) to block but the Zabius M comes with an audio
Gaming Headset. It’s a beast of a headset out external sounds and remain snugly adapter cable that splits the mic and
in earbud’s clothing. in place whether you’re jogging or audio signals to separate jacks, making
The first thing you’ll notice about stationary. The portion of the Zabius it easy to plug into a PC’s front panel
the Zabius M is the attractive, two- M that fits into your ear canal is audio ports. The adapter also adds
tone black and red color scheme, with rather small, but the drivers measure a another 24 inches of length to the
metallic gray accents. We’ve been fans surprisingly large 13mm in diameter, headset, so you have plenty of room to
of headsets with flat cabling for a while which results in a sound that’s much move around your PC.
because they resist tangling, and that’s bigger than you’d expect from an earbud- Despite its color scheme, this headset
still true with the Zabius M. Go ahead style headset. The unit features a 20Hz works just as well in a variety of non-
and stuff this headset into your pocket to 20kHz frequency response and a gaming scenarios, making it a perfect
(or the zippered carrying case); they’ll sensitivity up to 100dB +/-3dB. option for all of your mobile listening
quickly unwind with very little fuss In addition to making some calls needs. If you find yourself gaming on the
when you need them again. on a smartphone, listening to music, road, this is the headset you won’t want to
The mic is located in-line along the watching a movie, and playing a variety take off. ■
right-hand cable and features a call- of games, we also played some online
answer/pause button that works on both multiplayer to get a feel for how the BY ANDREW LEIBMAN

Specs: Length: 47.2 inches; Audio adapter cable length: 24 inches; Color: black, red, metallic gray; Drivers: 13mm neodymium; Frequency response: 20Hz
to 20kHz; Sensitivity: 100dB +/-3dB; Impedance: 16 ohm; Mic sensitivity: -42dB +/-3dB; Mic frequency response: 100Hz to 10kHz; Mic impedance: 2.2k
ohm/4.5VDC; Extras: tangle-free flat cabling, carrying case, three different-sized ear tips

26 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

30 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

that the GV-N780GHZ-3GD is ready
to rock, right out of the box.
Lucky 13 is also stocked with a PNY
XLR8 SSD and a full array of XLR8
DDR3-2133, one stick for each of our
motherboard’s DIMM slots. The XLR8
SSD we dropped in our build tips
the scales at 240GB, so we had a nice
amount of space to work with; there’s
room for Windows, games, and other
essential software. Clearly, the PNY SSD
loaded everything at drag-racer speed,
but here’s the essential info for the spec
freaks: 500MBps/450MBps sequential
reads/writes and 60,000IOPS 4K random
reads and writes. The memory has a CAS
latency of 10 and an operating voltage
of 1.65V. The modules’ towering red
and black heat spreaders were made for
this build, and because we were using a
and other assorted power user abuse. And in a graphics card cooler (and more), waterblock, clearance was not an issue.
power users who spend most of their but as we already mentioned, we had When you stock a system with S-rank
time playing this or that game will find lofty aspirations for the build’s cooling hardware, you can’t go with a power
that this monsterboard hooks them up subsystem. If your own build doesn’t supply that’s a pretender. We called in
in every way imaginable. Its collection of involve custom liquid-cooling, know an 80 PLUS Gold-certified unit with
G1 Audio and G1 Networking features
ought to improve your in-game QoL, if
not your K:D ratio. Throw in support
for 4-way CrossFire or SLI and memory
up to DDR3-3200, the GA-Z97X-
Gaming G1 WIFI-BK does everything
to help you win except click the mouse
button for you.
GIGABYTE silicon also gives Lucky
13 its graphics power. The card we
chose is a souped-up GeForce GTX
780. The GV-N780GHZ-3GD is
a factor y-overclocked GT X 780;
GIGABYTE pumped up the core
and Boost clocks to 1,019MHz and
1,071MHz, respectively, which earns
the card its “GHz Edition” distinction.
Under most circumstances, the GTX
780 GHz Edition’s WINDFORCE
3X would be everything we’d need

CPU / August 2014 31

1kW of juice: LEPA’s G1000. This semi-
modular unit has four 12V rails, each of
which pump out 30A of current. Within
this beast, you’ll find Japanese grade-A
solid-state capacitors rated at 105
degrees Celsius, LLC resonant converter
topology, a 135mm ball bearing PWM
fan, and lots more. The usual safeguards
(overcurrent, overpower, overvoltage,
undervoltage, overtemperature, and
short circuit protection) are here, too.
Sometimes, we’re guilty of thinking
of EK Water Blocks as a company that
only makes great waterblocks. It’s in
the company’s name, after all. But
EKWB has grown to become a one-
stop shop for all your liquid-cooling
needs. So, we scooped up an armload
of EK loot and headed straight for
the checkout. Take a gander at our
impressive haul: An EK-Supremacy effortless, letting us spend less time Manticore and Gila are a double serving of
f o r t h e C o re i 7 - 4 9 7 0 K , a n E K - assembling Lucky 13 and more time unfair advantage.
FC780 GTX WF3 for our graphics running roughshod over benchmarks,
c a rd ( b o t h b l o c k s h a ve E K W B ’s games, and the like. And because It Makes Its Own Luck
Acetal+Nickel finish), a 240mm EK- we had a spare 5.25-inch bay on the Lefty Gomez once remarked, “I’d
CoolStream RAD XTX with a pair of Strike-X Air, we filled it with Aerocool’s rather be lucky than good.” With all due
EK-FAN Silent 120-1600 RPM fans, CoolTouch-R fan controller, which respect to Lefty, Lucky 13 has so much
an EK-BAY DCP 2.2 Combo Unit to helped keep our fans in line. We set the power that it doesn’t need to rely on
take care of our pump and reservoir CoolTouch-R’s LCD touchscreen to red, good fortune to pwn n00bs. Still, “Uber
requirement, and EK-CSQ fittings and of course. Awesome 13” doesn’t quite have the same
PrimoChill tubing to bring everything GX Gaming’s peripherals are here to ring to it, does it?
together. Finally, we topped up the help us focus all of Lucky 13’s insane Pedigree is something we take seri-
loop with a liter of EK-Ekoolant Blood power and use it to punish our hapless ously ’round these parts, and Lucky 13
RED because BLOOD RED. foes. The Manticore, a keyboard designed has it in spades. All of the components
We’ve always liked the Strike-X Air’s for MMO and RTS titles but equally here are top-notch, otherwise they’d
distinct look, so it really was only a capable with FPS games, offers two dozen be on the wrong side of Club CPU’s
matter of time before we found a place macros spread across three profiles, LED- velvet rope.
for it on the CPU System Workshop backlit keys with a fully customizable color If you’re going to be among the
assembly line. The open-frame design palette, a 1,000Hz polling rate, and 20- thousands in attendance at this year’s
is particularly appealing, from aesthetic key antighosting. The Gila is a monster QuakeCon, be sure to stop at our outpost
and functional standpoints. Having such mouse that belongs with the Manticore. and scrutinize our work, then enter your
easy access to the bays and motherboard Just some of its tasty features include an name in the drawing to win our latest
trays made installing every component adjustable DPI (up to 8,200dpi), support build. This is one time you’ll want to
a simple task. Running cables and for up to 72 macros, and a set of removable dump all the points on your character
assembling our cooling loop was nearly weights tucked underneath. Together, the sheet into luck. ■

32 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

EK WATER BLOCKS

Custom Liquid-Cooling Loop

SPECS SPECS SPECS

Material: Copper (base), acetal (finish); Material: Electrolytic copper (base), POM Material: Copper (fins, tube), brass
Socket compatibility: Intel LGA775/ Acetal (finish) (chambers), steel (housing); Dimensions:
1150/1155/1156/1366/2011, AMD 2.5 x 11 x 5.1 inches (HxWxD); Liquid
754/939/940/AM2/AM2+/AM3/AM3+/ capacity: Approx. 400ml
FM2/FM2+

erious silicon requires serious cooling. lets a ridiculous amount of coolant to surge push-pull configuration. The EK-BAY
S Our build’s Intel Core i7-4790K and
its unlocked multiplier were just begging
through it. The story is similar with the EK-
FC780 GTX WF3, which uses a narrow
DCP 2.2 Combo Unit combines a
reservoir with an EK-DCP 2.2 12V DC
to be overclocked, and our GeForce GTX microchannel structure to keep our graphics pump to save space.
780 was overclocked from the get-go. card’s GPU, RAM, and VRM icy cool. Finally, we completed our custom
In order to help these components These blocks are only as good as setup with a handful of EK-CSQ
realize their full potential, we called in a their supporting cast, though, so we 10/13mm G1/4 high-flow compression
specialist: EK Water Blocks. complemented them with an extensive fittings. With everything assembled,
We started with two waterblocks that arsenal of EKWB weaponr y. The we filled the loop with EKWB’s own
mean business, the EK-Supremacy for our EK-CoolStream RAD XTX 240 uses special brew—EK-Ekoolant Blood RED
CPU and an EK-FC780 GTX WF3 full- parallel flow cooling chambers in order premixed coolant. Thanks to EKWB,
cover block for our GTX 780 GHz Edition. to minimize flow resistance, and an Lucky 13 is one cool operator. ■
Both of these blocks have an acetal finish, abundance of copper (fins, H90 copper
but the real magic material is the copper. It’s tube) helps the CoolStream soak up EK-Supremacy (Acetal) / EK-FC780 GTX
one thing to machine a couple of threaded heat as the coolant passes through it. WF3 (Nickel + Acetal) / EK-Coolstream RAD
ports into a chunk of copper and call it We attached a pair of EK-FAN Silent XTX 240
good; EKWB pours a decade of engineering 120-1600 RPM fans to the radiator, $83 / $125 / $105
expertise into its blocks. The EK-Supremacy and the CoolStream has threads EK Water Blocks
has an intelligently designed jet plate that to install two more 120mm fans in a www.ekwb.com

CPU / August 2014 33

GIGABYTE

GeForce GTX 780 GHz Edition

(GV-N780GHZ-3GD)
his is an unabashed gamer’s graphics card.
T It’s based on the same GK110 GPU
that makes the GeForce GTX TITAN so
formidable, yet has two of its functional units
(SMXs) disabled in the silicon. The 28nm
GK110 GPU in this graphics card is the B1
variant, which is the secret sauce that makes
this card a GHz Edition, so named for its
better than 1GHz core clock. With the same
2,304 CUDA cores, 192 texture units, and 48
ROPs as the early GTX 780s, GIGABYTE
was able to max out performance by pushing
the core and boost clocks to 1,019MHz and
1,071MHz, respectively. As a result, this card’s
performance isn’t a far cry from that of the
TITAN, even though it features 384 fewer
CUDA cores and 32 fewer texture units. Like
every other GTX 780, this one has a 384-bit
memory bus, 3GB GDDR5 frame buffer, and gaming. The card also works with NVIDIA performance is even more jaw-dropping,
a 1,502MHz memory clock. G-SYNC-equipped monitors to synchronize particularly in AvP and Metro: Last
Although the Lucky 13’s GeForce GTX the monitors’ refresh rate with the GPU’s Light running at 2,560 x 1,600. The
780 GHz Edition is sporting a custom EK frame rendering output for a much smoother GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 780 GHz
waterblock, GIGABYTE’s WINDFORCE and more immersive gaming experience. Edition is the six-pack-abs and bulging
3X cooler with Triangle Cool technology is a On the backplane of this dual-slot card, biceps of the Lucky 13, and if you
very capable cooler for those who’re planning you’ll find a dual-link DVI-I port, a DVI-D happen to be at QuakeCon, you can see it
to stick with it. Without bulging beyond the port, an HDMI port, and a DisplayPort . . firsthand. Better yet, sign up for the raffle
dual-slot form factor, the WF3 dissipates up . um, port. Power comes to it via two 8-pin at the show and you may even come away
to 450 watts. It features three 75mm fans, two PCI-E power connectors, and according to as the winner of this tricked-out rig. ■
8mm heat pipes, and four 6mm heatpipes GIGABYTE, you’ll need a 600-watt or better
threaded through a large aluminum heatsink PSU with a 12V rail rated for at least 42A. GeForce GTX 780 GHz Edition
with a triangle-shaped block of aluminum The 780 GHz Edition impressed us $519.99
at its core. An open aluminum heat shroud a couple months ago when we first GIGABYTE
covers the card from the rear bracket to the tips benchmarked it, and in the Lucky 13 its www.gigabyte.us
of the heatpipes near the power connectors.
Like other NVIDIA 700-series GPUs,
SPECS
this card supports GPU Boost to ramp up
core clocks when there’s thermal headroom GPU: 28nm GK110 Kepler; Clocks: 1,019MHz (core), 1,071MHz (boost), 1,502MHz (memory);
to do so, PhysX to display impressive real- Memory Bus: 384-bit; Frame Buffer: 3GB GDDR5; Factory Overclocked: Yes; Ports: dual-link
world particle effects, multi-GPU SLI support, DVI-I, DVI-D, HDMI, DisplayPort
and GeForce 3D Vision for stereoscopic 3D

34 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

INTEL

Core i7-4790K
he latest Intel Core i7 CPU is a bit of
T a rarity. For the last several years, the
company has alternated its big processor
releases between new microarchitectures (the
Tocks) and die shrinks (the Ticks) like, ahem,
clockwork. The Core i7-4970K is neither a
new microarchitecture nor a die shrink, but
with a code name like “Devil’s Canyon,” do
you really think this chip plays by the rules?
Devil’s Canyon is more than a mere
rest stop between Haswell and Broadwell
on Intel’s roadmap. Starting with speeds
and feeds, the 4790K has a base clock of
4GHz. Normally, we’d note a clock speed
improvement, in this case a 500MHz
increase over the Core i7-4770K’s 3.5GHz
base clock, and move on, but let’s break this
boost down. Previously, a few Intel processors
broke the 4GHz barrier, but they relied on
Intel’s thermal-dependent Turbo technology
to hit 4GHz. (Also, these were $1,000 have 8MB of Intel Smart Cache and an well, that would be a spoiler, wouldn’t it? You
Extreme Edition CPUs.) There’s something integrated memory controller that supports can learn the fate of the 4970K in our recap
satisfying about having 4GHz as a floor up to 32GB of DDR3-1333/1600 in a dual- of Lucky 13’s performance.
instead of a ceiling. channel configuration. Intel’s HD 4600 Here’s something that shouldn’t be a
The real significance of the 4790K’s shiny integrated GPU carries over to the 4790K, spoiler at this point: Devil’s Canyon is a solid
base clock is the fact that Intel’s engineers as well. By now, you know the drill: The HD step up from Haswell. The Core i7-4790K
managed to cruise to 4GHz without a die 4600 is a fine choice for casual gaming, but was a great choice for our build, and we’d
shrink or new microarchitecture. What’s we imagine you’ll find it more useful for tasks hazard a guess that it’ll be just as good for
their secret, blood magic? The Tesseract? like encoding or HD video playback. your build, too. ■
Whatever sort of supernatural powers And of course there’s the all-important
they’ve tapped into in Santa Clara, it’s “K.” The 4790K’s unlocked multiplier gives Core i7-4790K
working, because the 4790K manages to us free reign over its clock speed, something $350
be 14.3% faster than the 4770K while only we obviously took advantage of for this build. Intel
increasing its max TDP by 4.7%. (88W vs. Ultimately, we overclocked our 4970K to . . . www.intel.com
the 4770K’s 84W.) In other words, Haswell
is a potent architecture, and Devil’s Canyon SPECS
fully taps into that potency. We’re excited to
see what Broadwell’s die shrink brings. Socket: Intel LGA1150; Clock speed: 4GHz (4.4GHz Max Turbo); 8MB Intel Smart Cache; Memory
Elsewhere, you’ll find a lot of similarities support: Dual-channel DDR3-1333/1600; TDP 88W; Cores 4, Hyper-Threading
between Haswell and Devil’s Canyon. Both

CPU / August 2014 35

GX GAMING

Manticore Keyboard & Gila Mouse

Manticore | $79.99 | GX Gaming Gila | $99.99 | GX Gaming

www.gx-gaming.com www.gx-gaming.com

he keyboard and mouse are your primary One of the standout features of the Gila is the middle navigation keys, and the NUM
T tactile connection to your PC. If you
enjoy gaming, then you need to make sure
the SG Core II laser sensor, which is capable
of adjusting between 200dpi and 8,200dpi
pad keys on the far right. You can set each
area to a different color (your choice of 16
these two components nail their respective on the fly. There are six removable weights million) and even alter the brightness to
functions, not just to enhance your personal (each weighs 4.5g) in the mouse, giving your liking. The Manticore is also highly
enjoyment but to give you a competitive you the ability to customize the balance customizable, with support for up to
advantage, as well. The winner of the and feel of the mouse. Enthusiasts will also 24 macros in three profiles and a Master
QuakeCon Lucky 13 is getting exactly that, appreciate the rubberized grips on either Record key, which lets you create macros
thanks to GX Gaming’s Gila gaming mouse side, 5.9-foot-long braided nylon cable, and without having to launch the keyboard’s
and Manticore gaming keyboard. gold-plated connector. software utility. With its 20-key anti-ghosting
The Gila is a high-resolution laser mouse For a gaming keyboard with teeth, look technology, the Manticore won’t disregard
that was built to suit gamers who tend no further than GX Gaming’s Manticore. your commands during simultaneous key
toward the more tactical RTS and MMO This unit features a similar red and black presses. We also like that there are cable
game types. The mouse has a black body color scheme as the Gila (and the Lucky routing channels under the keyboard, a
with strips of metallic red plastic flanking 13), but it’s the LEDs that grab most of built-in wrist rest, and a USB 2.0 hub. The
the main right and left buttons. There’s a the spotlight here. There are three distinct Manticore is a keyboard that takes gaming as
scaling red LED indicator that shows you lighting zones—the main QWERTY keys, seriously as you do. ■
the current dpi sensitivity, and a trio of
RGB LEDs let you customize the mouse
colors in three areas, independently. The SPECS
Gila features a dozen programmable buttons
Manticore: Switch type: rubber dome; 16 Million RGB color backlighting in three zones; 20 key
and up to 72 possible key definitions. In
anti-ghosting; Onboard macro memory: Yes, 3 profiles; Interface: USB 2.0
addition to storing your macros, this mouse
Gila: Sensor: Laser (200 to 8,200dpi); Body type: Ambidextrous; 16 Million RGB color
also features 32KB of onboard memory to
backlighting in three zones; Adjustable weight system; 12 Buttons; Macros: Yes; 32KB onboard
prevent simultaneous button presses from
memory; Interface: USB
resulting in blocking subsequent input.

36 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

PNY

XLR8 16GB DDR3-2133

ith all of the attractive red and
W black components in this CPU
System Workshop rig, the color and
look of the memory’s heat spreaders
was almost as important as module
p e r f o r m a n c e . Fo r t u n a t e l y, P N Y ’s
16GB XLR8 DDR3-2133MHz
(model number MD16384K4D3-
2133-X10) kit delivers on both
c o u n t s . T h e m o d u l e’s r e d h e a t
spreaders feature tall fins for efficient
heat dissipation, and the excellent
thermals allow PNY to deliver fast
frequencies at low latency timings.
For instance, PNY configures the
DDR3-2133MHz kit with Intel XMP
timings of 12-12-12-30 and a voltage
of 1.65V.
The 16GB kit consists of four
identical 4GB modules, so it can work
as a quad-channel kit when paired
w i t h a n In t e l X 7 9 o r u p c o m i n g
Intel X99 chipset. In our Z97-based
GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-GAMING G1
WIFI-BK, the memory operated just
fine in dual-channel mode, too. We’ll
note that PNY also offers the XLR8 our build. The red heat spreaders even XLR8 16GB DDR3-2133
2133MHz memory in an 8GB (2 x closely match the red colors in our $229.99
4GB) kit for those that don’t require GIGABYTE motherboard, Aerocool PNY
16GB of RAM. The kit is part of case, and EK’s Blood RED liquid www.pny.com
PNY’s XLR8 brand of enthusiast-class coolant. As the A-Team’s Hannibal
products, which also includes SSDs says, “I love it a when a plan comes
and graphics cards. And although we together.” ■
have no reason to doubt the memory’s
reliability, it’s nice that PNY backs SPECS
the XLR8 memory with a lifetime
warranty. Capacity: 16GB (4 x 4GB); Timings; 12-12-12-30; Frequency DDR3-2133 (PC3-17000);
The XLR8 16GB DDR3-2133 Voltage: 1.65V; Unbuffered; Non-ECC; Lifetime warranty
memory is designed for gamers and
enthusiasts, so it’s right at home in

CPU / August 2014 37

AEROCOOL

Strike-X Air
e spend an inordinate amount of
W time working with our hardware.
It comes with the territory, whether
we’re installing, upgrading, swapping,
or troubleshooting. Naturally, cases
that are big and roomy usually win our
approval, and Aerocool’s Strike-X Air
is about as big and roomy as it gets.
As far as using it in the CPU System
Workshop goes, we should’ve thought
of it sooner.
The Strike-X Air’s claim to fame is its
open-frame design. Ready to install your
hardware? The Strike-X Air basically
screams, “What are you waiting for?”
Flip up the top panel and get to work.
We like that, but we also like the case’s
willingness to accommodate large-and- holes, we were able to make Lucky 13 ambient temperatures. The 200mm fan
in-charge components. E-ATX and another clean build, which is especially and a 120mm fan mounted beside the
XL-ATX motherboards are supported important this time around since every 2.5/3.5-inch drive bay cage both have
(as are mATX and ATX form factors), angle of our system is on display. red LEDs, nicely matching the rest of
and there’s room to install graphics cards The Aerocool aesthetic is of course our build.
up to 13 inches long. That’s more than present and accounted for. The Strike-X Call them whatever you wish—
enough space for our build’s GeForce Air’s black and red color scheme is open-air test bench, open-frame
GTX 780, but it also happens to give stylish enough for any season, and the chassis—cases that let you dive right in
you the necessary clearance for a TITAN addition of EK Water Blocks’ Ekoolant are our jam, and Aerocool’s Strike-X Air
Z or R9 295X2, if you’re so inclined. Blood RED flowing through Lucky is at the head of the class. This is a case
Even though the Strike-X Air lets 13’s loop makes the entire build look we can easily recommend. ■
you install big, big hardware, it’s often stunning. Speaking of cooling, you
the little touches that we appreciate. can’t deny the power of the Strike-X Strike-X Air
Aerocool includes SATA extension cables Air’s 200mm top “panel” fan; combined $149.99
to ensure you’ll be able to connect the with its open-frame design, there’s Aerocool
SATA ports on your motherboard to the virtually no need to worry about high www.aerocool.us
Strike-X Air’s 2.5/3.5-inch drive bay hot-
swap backplane. The accessory kit also SPECS
has anti-vibration pads with self-adhesive
backing to attach to your PSU, and it’s Dimensions: 13.4 x 24.1 x 17.7 inches (HxWxD); Materials: Steel, plastic; Motherboard support:
quite easy to install your power supply mATX, ATX, E-ATX, XL-ATX; Bays: 3 5.25-inch external, 3 2.5/3.5-inch internal hot-swap; Fans: 1
in the Strike-X Air’s PSU bay. Thanks to 200mm LED top, 1 120mm LED drive cage; Ports: 1 USB 3.0, 3 USB 2.0, audio I/O
some cleverly located cable management

38 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

LEPA

G1000-MA
power-hungry beast this rig might
A be, but we certainly don’t want it to
waste energy. The LEPA G1000-MA
is an 80 PLUS Gold-certified PSU that
provides a peak efficiency of 91.62%. It’s
also compliant with the ErP Lot 6 2013
standard, so it will use less than 0.5
watts in standby when paired with an
ErP-ready motherboard. As you can see,
there’s a green heart under our Lucky 13’s
tough red and black exterior.
LEPA hasn’t left out performance,
either. This PSU can deliver 1,000 watts of
continuous power and features four 12V
rails, each of which can pump out up to
30A. The 5V and 3.3V rails can handle up to
24A apiece. All the rails are safeguarded for a
variety of conditions, including overpower,
overcurrent, overvoltage, undervoltage,
overtemperature and short circuits. For
example, the overpower protection will to the PSU’s internal temperature, so it’ll run extra cabling would’ve been hard to hide.
trigger if output power is greater than 120% quiet under low loads where the PSU doesn’t When you combine the hardwired and
to 150% of the rail’s maximum load. This generate much heat. modular PCI-E cables, there are six 6+2-pin
ensures an extra layer of protection for LEPA uses a hybrid modular cabling PCI-E connectors. LEPA also includes 12
the high-end components in our build. design with the G1000-MA, so only the SATA connectors, eight Molex connectors,
Obviously, this type of safety net is also a essential power connectors are hardwired, and one FDD connector.
helpful feature for overclockers, gamers, including the 24-pin main power, two Reliability, efficiency, and performance—
and power users pushing hardware to PCI-E 6+2-pin connectors, and EPS12V when you’re talking about a power supply,
its maximum potential. power connectors (one 8-pin and one 4+4- there’s not much higher praise. And because
The power-handling components pin). The remaining connectors are available we’re giving this system away at QuakeCon,
inside the G1000-MA add to the PSU’s via the modular cables. Attaching only the we want to make sure the winner receives
dependability. For instance, LEPA uses solid necessary cables was a big boost to creating a system that will last. The G1000-MA is a
state capacitors rated to perform continuously a clean build in our open-air case, where the cornerstone to this system’s longevity. ■
at 105 degrees Celsius. A DC-to-DC
converter design is used to boost stability, SPECS
while the Zero Voltage Switch topology
further increases reliability. The smart design Maximum wattage (continuous): 1,000W (at 50 C); 12V rails: 4 (30A max); 5V max: 24A; 3.3V
also extends to the PSU’s noise levels. The max: 24A; Efficiency rating (advertised): Up to 90%; Fan: 135mm; Connectors: 1 24-pin, 1 EPS
G1000-MA is built with a 135mm ball 4+4-pin, 1 EPS 8-pin, 6 PCI-E 6+2-pin, 12 SATA, 8 Molex, 1 FDD; Warranty: 3 years
bearing fan that can adjust its speed according

CPU / August 2014 39

PNY

XLR8 240GB SSD

hen you go about choosing a
W storage device for your next build
or upgrade, you just can’t go wrong
with an SSD. For the Lucky 13, we
selected PNY’s XLR8 240GB model,
which has enough capacity to act as
both a boot and applications drive.
Both will greatly benefit from this
SSD’s stellar read and write speeds.
This unit features a SATA III 6Gbps
inter face. The second-generation
SandForce controller in this SSD, the
SF-2241, is twice as fast as the first-gen
SandForce controllers and it supports
up to four channels. Although it’s not
as fast as the eight-channel SF-2281
controller, the controller’s compression
techniques minimize the difference
you’d experience in real-world scenarios.
PNY assembled this SSD using
compute-grade 25nm synchronous which offer improved sequential reads is its low power draw; it consumes just
MLC NAND flash from IMFT. and writes. 5 watts under typical conditions and a
In terms of raw performance, the The warranty on this SSD is a solid tenth of a watt at idle.
PNY XLR8 240GB SSD ranks high three years, but the drive has a very If you’re looking for a quality high-
among its peers. When handling impressive 1 million hours MTBF performing SSD that can handle your
compressible data, this SSD features (mean time between failures) rate. The capacity demands without blowing a hole
a random read performance up to XLR8 240GB SSD also supports the in your upgrade budget, check out the
70,000 IOPS and sequential read data fail recovery capability, which lets XLR8 240GB SSD from PNY. ■
performance of up to 400MBps. The the drive recover data from up to one
SSD’s sequential write performance is NAND flash block. With data path XLR8 240GB SSD
exactly the same, at up to 400MBps. protection, the drive can also correct $119.99
A c c o r d i n g t o P N Y, t h i s s o l i d - up to 55 bits per each 512-byte sector. PNY
state workhorse was built to deliver One of the XLR8 SSD’s best features www.pny.com
fast and reliable performance for
boot-up, gaming, and photo and video SPECS
applications.
PNY also offers XLR8 SSDs in Interface: 6Gbps; Encryption: 128-bit AES; Controller: SandForce 2241; Seq. Read:
120GB and 480GB capacities. The 400MBps; Seq. Write: 400MBps; Random Read/Write IOPS: 70,000; TRIM Support: Yes;
firm’s PRO line of XLR8 SSDs feature Form Factor: 2.5-inch
the 8-channel SF-2281 controller,

40 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

GIGABYTE

GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK
o earn the Black Edition moniker, the
T GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK
passes GIGABYTE’s rigorous 168-hour
full-system validation testing for server-level
durability. The stringent testing is ideal for
our uses, as we’re planning on maximizing
the performance of every component
connected to the board. And speaking of
components, the GA-Z97X-GAMING G1
WIFI-BK is also the real deal when it comes
support for today’s top components.
First off, it supports Intel’s 4th Generation
and upcoming 5th Generation processors.
For superb graphics performance, GIGA-
BYTE adds a PLX PEX8747 chip that allows
for up to 4-way SLI or CrossFire—with all
graphics cards operating at x8 speed. In a
two-GPU configuration, both graphics
cards run at the full x16 speed. GIGABYTE
also adds an onboard SATA power port to
provide extra juice to the PEG. Core 3D chip that boasts a quad-core System Workshop rig. It easily supports the
Fast memory is supported, too. The audio processor. Creative Sound Core 3D high-end components we used in this system,
GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK can works with Sound Blaster’s SBX Pro Studio and the ability to handle SATA Express
handle up to 32GB of DDR3-3200MHz. software to further enhance the audio. and quad GPUs will allow whomever wins
For speedy storage, there are 10 6Gbps The sound suite includes a host of audio- this rig at QuakeCon to add even more
SATA connectors and a SATA Express processing tools, such as Creative Scout performance down the line. The certification
connector. The latter will make it easy to Mode, EAX Advanced HD 5.0, Voice FX, with server-grade reliability also means that
add PCI-E-based SSDs when the devices and SBX Surround Sound. Should we want the lucky winner could be using it for years,
are available. For optimal wired connectivity, to change the audio’s sound, we can switch even under stressful overclocks. ■
the GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK out amplifiers, thanks to GIGABYTE’s
uses Killer’s E2200 network controller, and OP-AMP technology. GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK
wireless connectivity is part of the package, The GA-Z97X-GAMING G1 WIFI-BK $349.99
as well; GIGABYTE provides a module that provides a strong foundation for our CPU GIGABYTE | www.gigabyte.us
supports 802.11AC, Bluetooth 4.0, and
Intel’s Wireless Display. SPECS
As you might guess by the name,
GIGABYTE made gaming is a priority on Max memory: 32GB (DDR3-1600; DDR3-3200 max OC); Slots: 4 PCI-E 3.0 x16, 3 PCI-E 2.0 x1; Storage:
this board, and one of the keys to a great 1 SATA Express, 10 6Gbps SATA; Rear I/O: 1 HDMI, 1 DisplayPort, 1 DVI-I, 6 USB 3.0, 2 USB 2.0, 2
gaming experience is high-fidelity sound. Ethernet, 1 Optical S/PDIF, audio I/O, 1 PS/2; Warranty: 3 years (5 if you register the product)
GIGABYTE installed Creative’s Sound

CPU / August 2014 41

Lucky 13 Rolls The Hard Six
uakeCon, one of the few events in the
Q world that you could rightfully call
“the LAN party to end all LAN parties,”
is all about big tournaments, big games,
and big guns (or BFGs, in the native
tongue). Seems like just the right place to
bring a big gun of our own.
For all the praise we give closed-
loop CPU coolers’ ease of installation,
setting up this build with a custom
liquid-cooling loop wasn’t much
more difficult. After we pried off our
GeForce GT X 780 GHz Edition’s
cooler and bolted on EK Water Blocks’
full-cover waterblock, we breezed
through the rest of the installation.
And because of the Strike-X Air’s
open-frame design, all of EKWB’s
goods were on display.
You want results, though, so we’ll stop
slow-playing our hand. The Intel Core
i7-4790K’s 4GHz base clock makes its
presence known almost immediately.
Some of its stock stores in processor-
intensive benchmarks exceeded the results The GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 780 is plenty fast without any additional help;
we got from an overclocked 4770K in GHz Edition comes overclocked out of the it muscled its way above 50fps in our two
previous CPU System Workshops. It’s safe box, so for the same reason of not burning test games, Metro: Last Light and Aliens
to say that Devil’s Canyon is legit. out and blowing up our components, vs. Predator, at 2,560 x 1,600. Basically,
With help from our EKWB custom we decided not push the card to higher the GTX 780 GHz Edition can take on
loop, we punched up the 4790K’s clock clocks. As it turns out, this graphics card any videogame you put in its path.
to 4.7GHz, a conservative number to
be sure, but we also didn’t want to go
overboard with a system we planned SPECS
on giving away. Bringing a desk-sized
paperweight to QuakeCon doesn’t do Processor: Intel Core i7-4790K; Motherboard: GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-Gaming G1 WIFI-BK;
anyone any favors. Still, our overclocked Graphics card: GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 780 GHz Edition; RAM: 16GB PNY XLR8 DDR3-2133;
4790K produced noticeable gains in Storage: 240GB PNY XLR8 SSD; PSU: LEPA G1000-MA; CPU waterblock: EKWB EK-Supremacy;
Cinebench (6%), POV-ray (6.7%), and GPU waterblock; EKWB EK-FC780 WF3; Radiator: EKWB EK-CoolStream RAD XTX 240mm;
several of SiSoft Sandra’s tests. Living Pump/reservoir: EKWB EK-BAY DCP 2.2 Combo Unit; OS: Windows 8.1 Enterprise
north of 4GHz feels great.

42 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Lucky 13 is fast on its feet, thanks to
PNY’s excellent XLR8 SSD, and all but
silent when it runs, thanks of course to
EKWB’s cooling gear. Even without the
sonic benefit of installing our hardware
within an enclosed case, our system
was scarcely audible when running
benchmarks. More than a few people in
the Workshop commented on Lucky 13’s
ghostly acoustic footprint.
We started this month’s CPU System
Workshop with the same goal as always:
Have fun and build a powerhouse PC. In
the end, we accomplished that goal and built
a rig that looks awesome from any angle and
runs quiet. There isn’t more you can ask from
this system other than, “Can I have?” If the
odds are in your favor at QuakeCon, the
answer might be, “Yes, you can.” ■

CPU / August 2014 43

Benchmark Results Lucky 13 (4GHz) Lucky 13 (4.7GHz)

3DMark Fire Strike 4933 4902

Graphics Score 5090 5031

Physics Score 12492 13343

Combined Test 10.74 10.66

PCMark 8

Creative Score 4719 4846

Cinebench 15 892 945

POV-Ray 3.7 Beta (pixels per second) 1829.61 1953.02

SiSoftware Sandra 2014 SP1

Dhrystone AVX2 (GIPS) 176.6 188.83

Whetstone AVX (GFLOPS) 118.14 125.27

Multi-Media Integer x32 AVX2 (Mpixels per second) 331.76 354

Multi-Media Long-int x1 ALU (Mpixels per second) 72.4 77.32

Multi-Media Quad-int x1 ALU (Mpixels per second) 2.27 2.43

Integer Memory Bandwidth B/F AVX/256 (GBps) 26.9 26.66

Floating Memory Bandwidth B/F AVX/256 (GBps) 26.47 26.43

CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 (MBps)

Sequential Read 449.9 478.1

Sequential Write 315.9 313.6

512KB Random Read 429 396.2

512KB Random Write 306.5 306.8

4KB Random Read QD1 22.56 20.28

4KB Random Write QD1 135. 142.7

4KB Random Read QD32 190.3 193.3

4KB Random Write QD32 268.1 266.1

Unigine Heaven

Score 1444 1335

FPS 57.3 53

Games at 2,560 x 1,600

Metro: Last Light (16XAF) 50.8 48.67

Aliens vs. Predator (4XAA, 16XAF) 51.5 51.2

44 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

CPU / August 2014 45
Black Gold
hen we encountered Adam “U.P.C.” Birli’s Mad “There’s not one unsleeved cable in this build,” Birli says

W Reader Mod entry, Black Gold, it was love at first

sight. We’ve seen a number of mods based on
Corsair’s Carbide Series Air 540, and for good reason, but this
with pride.
Other mods included modding the 540’s drive bay cage
to accept his EK pump/reservoir combo, a bit of work to
is the first one we’ve seen that looks so . . . rich. get his 240 (beneath the top panel) and 360 (behind the
“The name was inspired by the overall color theme,” Birli front panel) rads mounted, a few changes for clean routing
says, “and also playing on its use to mean oil, and striking it of coolant tubes, and installing a fill port for his loop. Birli
rich. I wanted this build to look elegant and look like it was also cut to fit and installed a sheet of mirrored Plexiglas on
meant to be for royalty.” the floor of the case to section off the bottom create a sense
We’d have to say Birli accomplished his mission; Black of depth by reflecting some light and many of the system’s
Gold looks like the sort of mod you’d expect to see in gold accents.
the den of a mansion (or a palace, if they have dens).
The gold striping on the front and top panels, combined All That Glitters
with the gold fittings, heatsinks, fan grilles, memory heat Speaking of gold, Birli says that when he was still in the
spreaders, expansion slot covers, and so forth really pop planning stages of this project, he intended to include only a
when everything else inside the case and out is black. Even very limited number of gold accents.
the cooling loop’s tubing is black, which is a little unusual “I didn’t want to use gold in a lot of places because I
but serves the overall theme well here. thought it would be too much,” he says. “But once I started
building, I knew it was too cool to keep it limited to only a
Mining, Smithing, Etc. few places.”
Birli tells us that he spent about two and a half weeks In addition to its Corsair Air 540 case, Black Gold
working on Black Gold in his apartment. (He says he’s still consists of an Intel Core i5-4670K, an ASUS Z87-DELUXE
cleaning up as a result.) During the process, giving the rig motherboard (with gold-colored accents right out of the
an impressive set of power and data cables was one of his box!), 16GB of Corsair Dominator Platinum (or, in this
priorities. He cut a few custom cables as needed and sleeved case, Dominator Gold) DDR3-1866, a Corsair RM1000
every cable in the system, fan cables included. PSU, a brace of Samsung 840 Pro 256GB SSDs, and a 1TB

46 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

HDD for bulk storage. Oh yeah, and get this: Black Gold
also houses not one, but two GeForce GTX TITAN Black
graphics cards.
We Want Your Mod
The rig’s cooling loop includes two Coolgate radiators, an
EKWB EK-BAY reservoir and pump unit, EK waterblocks on Have a computer mod that will bring tears to our eyes? Email photos and
the CPU and GPUs, gold Monsoon fittings, and PrimoChill a description to madreadermod@cpumag.com. If we choose your system
PrimoFlex tubing. as our “Mad Reader Mod,” we’ll send you a cash prize and a one-year
subscription to CPU. (U.S. residents only, please.)
What? No Gold?
Birli, who began modding in 2005 with a Pentium 4
machine, says he’s begun work on a refresh of an existing
900D mod.
“I should be starting that soon,” he says. “Going with
nickel-plated copper pipes, a custom LED light box, and lots
of sleeves!” ■

Drop Us A Line Today!

CPU / August 2014 47

48 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com
Let The Games Begin
Modders-Inc.com’s 2014 Staff vs. Staff Mod-Off
t’s QuakeCon time, and that means that The rules of the contest are simple. First, (You can see the results starting on page
I it’s also time for another event that we
have come to look forward to at CPU
each of the guys can only spend $250 on
their mods, including paint, parts, hardware,
29 of the October 2013 issue, and at
bit.ly/1uUBJYQ .) Vic “XcaliburFX”
mag: the Modders-Inc.com Staff vs. Staff and any paid services they will need. Things McGuire decided to create a mod inspired
Mod-Off, which pits the Modders-Inc. that fall outside of this budget include by Skyrim. His World Eater case mod
com staff against one another in a contest hardware donated to the Modders-Inc.com was hand-painted by his daughter and a
of modding skills. staff for the contest by a sponsor, and in friend, and their work created the perfect
Modders-Inc.com founder and owner such cases every contestant must receive atmosphere for the statuette of Alduin,
Dewayne Carel says the Mod-Off began the same item(s). This year, Thermaltake is the dragon that graced the top of the case.
primarily as a way to demonstrate to providing each modder with a case, a PSU, Craig “Tech-Daddy” Tate took on a
new and prospective modders that with and a CPU cooler. Other sponsors include stiff challenge in choosing Wolfenstein:
some imagination and hard work, you AMD (providing APUs), GIGABYTE The New Order as the theme for his
can create impressive PC mods without (motherboards), and Crucial (memory). mod, especially given that the game was
spending a ton of cash. Second, there is a strict time limit; all still many months away from release
“You don’t need to spend thousands of Mod-Off mods must be complete in time to and there were very few images available
dollars to make something that you like show them off at QuakeCon. at the time. Tate was undaunted, how-
or want to have,” Carel says. “To make it ever, and his amazing aluminum Wolf-
a real challenge, we set a dollar amount Last Year’s Mod-Off enstein logo (created with a waterjet
that we can spend to create the case mods. Recent Mod-Offs have been built cutter and accented with red resin)
Trying to work within our low budget around a specific theme. For instance, was the perfect way to set off the dark,
really makes you become rather creative on last year’s mods were built to depict military industrial look of the rest of
how to get the results you want.” various id Software/Bethesda games. his mod.

Last year’s Mod-Off winner: Dewayne Carel’s Vic McGuire’s Skyrim World Eater mod finished Craig Tate’s third-place Dritter Wolf mod, based
Fallout 3 mod. second last year. on Wolfenstein: The New Order.

50 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Dewayne “Americanfreak” acrylics requires your temp
Carel chose to pattern his and speed settings to be
mod after items found in the just right, and at one point
popular Fallout series, such I thought I’d ruined my side
as the memorable Pip-Boy panel window. My temp,
3000, Nuka-Cola bottle caps, speed, and power settings
and so on. Making newer were too high and instead
hardware look convincingly of a nice etch, I melted my
old and worn-out to jibe with design into the acrylic and
Fallout’s post-apocalyptic it didn’t catch light or have
w o r l d w a s n’t e a s y. T h e much glow effect with edge
solution to this puzzle was lighting. Hoping I understood
unexpected yet effective: how acrylic etchings catch
Carel used hairspray. the light, I took 800 grit
sandpaper to the art and with
2014 Will Be Super pinpoint precision, and it
This year the guys have worked.
agreed on superheroes for the I also found some punk
contest’s theme. apparel spikes for the mod—
“I guess you can kind of Here’s an interior shot of a Purple Heart tribute mod that staff newcomer another first. I’m not done; I
call this a case modder’s way Al Shuryan created for MODs4VETS. Al knows his way around and will be a hope I can make a few more
of doing cosplay,” says Carel. worthy competitor in this year’s Mod-Off. mods by showtime, maybe
Tate has chosen Ghost laser-etching a few bullet
Rider as his mod’s inspiration, holes and drilling out their
which could easily be a crowd centers for extra air intake.
favorite. (After all, who doesn’t like To combat my fear, I decided to Maybe I can even make the smaller
flaming skulls?) McGuire had a little choose the most hardcore, nothing-to- door of the Urban T81 open up on a
help choosing his superhero: His wife lose character I could find, put on my Punisher’s arsenal of 1:6 scale weapons
voted for Captain America. Basing a game face, and stand my ground. of all sorts.
mod on Cap could be tough, but we I also chose the Punisher because the
know Vic’s modding skills he will be character’s alter ego is Frank Castle, Craig – Ghost Rider
equal to the challenge. Modders-Inc. a wounded Vietnam veteran and My first memory of comic books
com newcomer Al Shuryan picked ex-law enforcement officer, and that was a skeletal figure on a chopper.
the Punisher. Like Ghost Rider, this fits perfectly with the real-life personal Flames connected his skull to the rest
character is a little on the dark side but cause that brings me here in the first of his body . . . I was mesmerized. Fast-
has plenty of elements that will make place. My other mod affiliation is forward to 2014, and here I am, still
fans take several looks. After winning MODs4VETS, where my custom mesmerized by the Ghost Rider! Other
last year, Carel knows he will have a creations are auctioned off to benefit superheroes have come and gone for
tough time repeating and has chosen the 501(c)(3) charity PCs4VETS, me, but the Rider still resonates. So,
Thor as his superhero. We’d say it’s a which refurbishes laptops for disabled for the challenge of the build, how
good bet his mod will incorporate a veterans. As the son of a decorated could I design a computer mod that
hammer in some fashion. WWII veteran and a service-disabled brought him to life? I may have bit
veteran myself, I understand the plight, off more than I can chew on this one!
Al – The Punisher struggle, and needs of our service men Ghost Rider has changed appearances
You know that situation of fear and women, and MODs4VETS gives several times over the years, but for
where you know you’re in over your me the opportunity to help by doing this project, I’m leaning on Ghost
head, the deck is stacked against you, something I love. Rider comics circa 2008 to 2010, so
and you’re facing a near-hopeless Being new to modding, just about think black leather, studs, chains, and
situation? That’s my position here in every tool I pick up and use is a new flames—sounds right up my alley!
the Mod-Off. I’m the new guy, not experience and skill for me. This contest But flames? How does one incor-
just to the Modders-Inc.com team, but will be my first use of an Epilog Laser porate flames into a build like this?
to modding, and I’m taking on some engraver and cutter, for example, and Building static acrylic flames and then
pretty big names and talent. I’ve already learned quite a bit. Etching finding some way to light them might

CPU / August 2014 51

appear throughout the where all the items that you can use in
case, which will also be the game were from a different era—
clad in black “leather,” they were both futuristic and retro.
with punk spikes to Though the game takes place in 2277,
replicate the Rider’s bracers all the items you saw appear to be from
and the shoulders of the 1950s, but were in fact from 200
his jacket. years prior when a great war ended
The window will have civilization. Trying to make current
“Ghost Rider” hand- items look suitably ancient was tough,
etched into it; I am but I was able to find a way to make
contemplating using them look worn, cracked, and distressed
a small sand blaster/ with hairspray.
etcher like an airbrush I think our superhero theme for
and creating subtle flame this year will turn out great. Although
effects at the base of the I know about standard heroes like
window that will reflect Batman, Superman, and Spider-Man,
l i g h t i n g f ro m w i t h i n I’m not really much of a comic book
the case. Active lighting reader, and my only knowledge of
effects will be handled many superheroes comes from brief
by an Adafruit NeoPixel introductions via the movies. This meant
digital RGB light strip. I had to pick from the handful that I
Craig Tate’s “Deuce” shows that his modding cred is well-earned. The awesome thing about know and could draw upon the stories
this light strip is that its and movies I have seen, and the most
LEDs are individually popular heroes since their big movie
a d d re s s a b l e , m e a n i n g debut in 2012 have been the Avengers.
work, but I had a better idea: It’s a that you can have
trick that some electric fireplaces use. blue light from one
They position lights below the “stage,” LED, and the one
then use an ultrasonic transducer to next to it can be
micronize water in a reservoir below pink, orange, or red!
the stage, and float it up through the All it requires is an
base of the stage. With the water vapor Arduino protoboard
being lit, it reflects the light being to control the effect,
shone from under the stage, and gives and I just happen
the visual effect of flames licking and to have one that
dissipating. Keeping the moisture out I bought many
of the computer is obviously a huge moons ago and have
concern, and I’m doing everything I can been waiting for
to keep condensation from forming and an opportune time
to prevent recirculation of the moist air to use. These light
back into the computer. strips provide the
This effect was created by a company perfect opportunity!
called Dimplex, and I am shamelessly Ideally, I hope to end
trying to piggyback on their success up with a flickering,
and adapt the design to my needs. flaming, leather-clad
The center visual fixture of my mod beast of a computer!
is going to consist of a floating skull
on a presentation stage with this flame Dewayne – Thor
effect floating around the suspended My Fa l l o u t 3
skull. The eyes of the skull will have mod from last year’s
the bone-chilling orange glow of Mod-Off was a fun
the Ghost Rider’s Penitence Stare. and challenging project. Dewayne Carel’s superb modding skills are on full display in this rig.
The chain, his trademark weapon, will Fallout 3 is a game

52 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

So why Thor? Well, couple of years. However,
it seemed like a good as luck would have it I met
challenge to me. Everyone up with Dewayne Carel
knows that Thor is all of Modders-Inc.com, and
a b o u t t h e h a m m e r, he convinced me to come
Mjölnir, and you’ll see over and do some reviews
that in this mod. But for them. At that point,
there has to be something I began doing fewer but
else, right? No, I am not much nicer mods, one of
putting long, flowing which was my Venimus,
blonde hair on the case, Vidimus, Vicimus mod,
but I will be including his which was featured in CPU
armor on right side of the mag’s “Mad Reader Mod”
case while the left side of section of the November
the Thermaltake Urban 2009 issue. What an honor
T81 makes a perfect place to grace the pages of such a
to add Loki standing in fine magazine as Computer
a prison cell. This stuff Power User. I’ve been
won’t be too hard to modding ever since, and I
create, but tying different have met many wonderful
elements together in people because of it. Not
a sort of collage will bad for an old dog, and I
test my skills. I will use am still learning new tricks.
s o m e o l d t e c h n i q u e s , Vic McGuire’s “BlewByU” mod from the 2010 Mod-Off makes it plain that McGuire is I have even introduced
like shaping Styrofoam an inventive, skilled modder who definitely sweats the details. a few younger folks into
to make the dirt pile the world of modding,
t h a t Mj ö l n i r w i l l b e including my daughter and
stuck in, using rubberized foam for Call of Duty mod), but also to honor her best friend, who did a lot of the hand-
the armor, and working with styrene my wife, who has been battling cancer painted graphics on the Skyrim World
sheets to create other details. The for the past seven months. I am not Eater mod for last year’s Mod-Off. If you
details will be the key to this case mod going to lie, it hasn’t been easy, but are a modder, I encourage you to involve
being a success, and hopefully I can she is an amazing woman and is now young folks into our world of modding
once again be announced the winner on the road to recovery. At any rate, madness. If you are not a modder but
of the Modders-Inc.com Staff vs. Staff Captain America is her favorite hero would like to be, then I encourage you to
Mod-Off. and she wanted me to use him as my step up and try it, just remember there are
inspiration for this case mod. many people in the modding world who
Vic – Captain America As for special effects or any details, are ready, willing, and able to give you
This will be our third staff vs. staff about the only thing I can tell you to support and help guide you through your
Mod-Off contest for QuakeCon. First, expect is possibly Old Glory and some first modding adventure. After all, that is
we had the Hot Rod Mod-Off, then Red, White and Blue, not to mention what these Mod-Off contests are about,
we did the Bethesda games-themed you-know-who! to show that even with a small budget
Mod-Off, and for this year we chose Now a bit about myself: I got started anyone can mod a computer, you just
to base our case mods on comic book modding in 2006 with a Tinker Bell need imagination, determination, and the
heroes. We thought this would be a fun case mod for my little girl, who has courage to take that first step. Also, do not
theme to play around with a bit. There just graduated high school, is now an be afraid to ask a modder for advice, we are
will be Thor, the Punisher, Ghost Rider, artist in her own right, and is working not going to bite your head off, but will
and my choice, Captain America! to get into college to prepare for a career instead try and guide you to your goal.
The first year I did the BlewByU in art. After building her case mod, I
hot rod mod (see page 43 of the began building them and selling them to Stay Tuned
November 2010 issue), and last year local computer shops, just to pay for my To see how each of the guys’ mods turn
I did a Skyrim World Eater case mod. materials. In other words, I sold them out, be sure and check back in the next
I chose Captain America this year not extremely cheap, and actually have no issue, where we’ll provide full coverage of
only to inspire patriotism (like my idea how many I turned out the first each of the finished projects. ■

CPU / August 2014 53

Dupont On $15 A Day
Intel LANFest InfernaLAN
Spring 2014
OK, so there are probably other things that you can do in Dupont, Wash., than go to InfernaLAN. After all, two events at 48 hours each (InfernaLAN Spring and
InfernaLAN Fall) leaves quite a bit of the year without InfernaLAN, so we assume folks there have other stuff that they do. But InfernaLAN has to rank pretty high
on the list of Dupont-based activities.

It doesn’t hurt that Intel’s Dupont campus provides a big, comfortable space for the BYOC and scads of non-LAN things to do in between tournaments and
such—things like minigolf, basketball, billiards, and more. The midnight Deathmatch Minigolf Tourney, for instance, pits teams of three or four against each
other in a war of putts, but with a twist: If your ball strikes an opponent’s ball, you send them back one hole. The course also has power-ups in the form playing
cards face-down here and there, with varying effects that come into play should your putt go over one of them. The cards allow you to employ various hazards
to stymie your opponents, such as placing a traffic cone over the hole when they are putting until your team finishes the hole, and so on. Or a card might send
your team back a hole—you just never know.

In addition, the InfernaLAN staff sets the place up so that those who want to can play console games, board games, and collectible card games.

Of course, the BYOC is the real draw for a majority of InfernaLAN attendees, and it’s easy to see why. The LAN has the usual complement of tournaments,
including Titanfall, League of Legends, StarCraft II, Civilization V, Call of Duty: Ghosts, and others. There are also some pretty cool, inventive in-game events
during the LAN, like headshot-only sniper challenges and a Heavies-only race to capture the flag in Team Fortress 2. The June 6 event also had a Just Cause 2
Midnight Mayhem server where people were flying planes into each other, racing derby cars, and participating in a Most Creative Kill contest. In short, you’d be
hard-pressed to find more good-natured violence anywhere else.

54 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Mod Contest
The winner of our CPU-Intel LANFest Case Mod Contest at the Spring 2014 event was Anthony Lackey with his Ruby mod, which
we’ve seen a time or two before and loved every time. In case you don’t recall, Ruby was ATI’s virtual mascot several years ago
before the company became part of AMD, and she’s still showing up in tech demos today.

Lackey had Ruby etched into a clear acrylic panel by the guys at Those
Light Signs (www.thoselightsigns.com) and then installed that into
the front of his AZZA Genesis 9000. As you can see, Lackey has installed
an absolutely sick liquid-cooling loop, immaculately sleeved cabling, and
lighting that makes this mod
look like something from the
future. And if all of that isn’t
cool enough for you, Lackey
debezelled and custom-
mounted five ASUS 24-inch
monitors side-by-side in
portrait orientation to create
a single 5,400 x 1,920
display. His dual Club 3D R9
295X2s shouldn’t have too
much trouble driving it.

Other finalists included Alan

Frost’s all-Plexi gaming and
VMware server box and this
Thermaltake SwordM owned
by Mike Moffat.

CPU / August 2014 55

ASUS PB287Q
4K For Your Desktop
ne of the biggest drawbacks in

O upgrading to a 4K Ultra HDTV

is that there’s a very limited
selection of content currently available.
But when it comes to videogames and
PC content, 4K is ready to play. PCs
with mid-range and high-end GPUs
generally support 4K’s 3,840 x 2,160
resolution. All you’ll need to enjoy the
superb detail is an Ultra HD monitor.
Enter the ASUS PB287Q, a 28-inch
4K display with 1ms GTG (gray-to-
gray) response time and a 60Hz refresh
rate. ASUS didn’t just throw an Ultra
HD panel under a bezel and call it
a day, either. You’ll find a variety of
features for crisper visuals, enhanced
connectivity, and more, because that’s
how ASUS rolls.

4K 4U
If you already have a high-resolution
m o n i t o r, yo u’re p ro b a b l y a s k i n g
yourself, “Is there a real need for me
to upgrade to 4K?” The extra details
of 4K are a big deal on a monitor,
The 28-inch PB287Q has more than 8 million pixels, for a pixel density of 157ppi.
because you’re sitting close to the
display and the pixel detail is much
easier to distinguish there than on and clarity of the images are greatly a Word document, web browser, and
an HDTV. Think about how much improved over that of a full HD game open at the same time in HD
of a difference you’ve seen between monitor.” The PB287Q offers a pixel or higher resolution.” The ability to
the current generation of tablets and density of 157ppi (pixels per inch), s u p p o r t Pi P ( p i c t u re - i n - p i c t u re )
smartphones compared to the quality so there are 157 RGB matrices within and PbP (picture-by-picture) on the
of screens from only a few years ago, one inch. Native 4K images and video monitor should help increase your
or better yet, try to remember what will also appear more lifelike than what productivity, as well.
it was like moving from a 480i CRT you’d see on an HD monitor. Of course, ASUS isn’t concerned
television to an HDTV. The PB287Q’s high pixel density m e r e l y w i t h i m a g e c l a r i t y. T h e
The tight grouping of pixels makes gives you more freedom when it PB287Q’s 1ms GTG response time
images appear more realistic, and text comes to multitasking. Key says, “The and 60Hz refresh rate help ensure
is sharper and easier to read. “This PB287Q’s 4K resolution offers 300% that gameplay and fast action
monitor offers over 8 million pixels, more screen real estate than a full appear smooth. There’s no sense in
which is about four times the pixel HD monitor. Instead of just viewing investing in a 4K UHD monitor that
density of a full HD monitor,” says a single full screen HD video on a would poorly handle games or movie
Gar y Key, senior press relations full HD monitor, imagine viewing playback. The PB287Q also comes
manager at ASUS. “The visual detail that same full HD video plus having with ASUS Trace Free Technology

CPU / August 2014 57

that’s designed to eliminate ghosting
and after image traces, which can occur
with extremely fast motion content.
Trace Free Technology works by GamePlus
controlling voltage levels to deliver the Looking for an advantage in FPS games? GamePlus is a feature on the ASUS PB287Q that lets you
fluid 1ms GTG response time. add a crosshair to the middle of the screen, and you can select among four different aimpoints
to match the game environment. GamePlus can also display a timer overlay that you can set for
Paint By Numbers 30, 40, 50, 60, or 90 minutes. You can position the timer along the left side of the screen (upper,
The PB287Q supports 10-bit color, middle, bottom).
whereas most conventional displays
only support 8-bit color. The 10-bit
color means that the PB287Q can
display up to 1.07 billion colors,
while a standard monitor only offers
1 6 . 7 m i l l i o n c o l o r s . W h a t’s t h e
biggest difference with the bigger
color palette? “ The overall image
q u a l i t y i s g re a t l y i m p r ov e d d u e
to smoother color gradations and
transitions between hues,” says Key.
“The consumer is able to see the
image as intended—as created by
the graphic artist, photographer, or
game designer.” For great color repro-
duction and saturation, the PB287Q
also offers a brightness of 300cd/m 2
and a 100,000,000:1 ASUS Smart case of the PB287Q, there’s another
Contrast Ratio. good reason to have multiple inputs:
PiP and PbP capability, which Key
The Hookup previously mentioned. This way, you’ll
There are three video inputs on be able to watch content from two
the PB287Q. The headliner here is sources at the same time.
the DisplayPort 1.2 input, because it PiP is a feature you might recall
allows for 4K UHD content at the from CRT TVs (and some HDTVs),
PB287Q’s 60Hz refresh rate. You’ll w h e re a s e c o n d i n p u t s o u r c e i s
also find two HDMI 1.4 connections, displayed in the corner of the monitor,
one of which supports MHL (Mobile inset over the first input source. On
High-Definition Link). “ We offer the PB287Q, you can place the PiP
MHL support so you can view your box in either the top right or bottom
images or videos directly from a right corner, and adjust the size to
supported phone or tablet, along small, middle, or large. With PbP,
w i t h c h a r g i n g c a p a b i l i t i e s ,” s a y s the screen will split in the middle, so
Key. The MHL standard allows for both video sources are displayed side-
video streaming up to 4K UHD with by-side. This is perfect if you want
7.1-channel digital surround sound, to enjoy a movie while working on a
so HD movies and TV shows stored project, for example.
on your mobile phone will look and
sound like they would if played on a Intelligent Video
Blu-ray player or HD set-top box. Impressive new hardware is always
We k n ow t h a t m a n y m o n i t o r s good, and the PB287Q cer tainly
provide multiple inputs; typically, raises the bar over HD displays in that
the extra video inputs are provided regard, but better hardware doesn’t Cable management is built into the stand.
for connectivity flexibility. In the always make the user experience

58 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

PB287Q SPECIFICATIONS
28 inches (16:9)
Panel size

Maximum resolution 3,840 x 2,160

Brightness 2
300cd/m

Dynamic contrast ratio 100,000,000:1

Viewing angle (CR>10) 170° (V),

160° (H)

Display colors 1.073 billion

Response time 1ms (gray to

gray)

DisplayPort Yes
(DisplayPort 1.2)

HDMI 1 HDMI,
1 HDMI+MHL 2.0

PC audio input Yes

Speaker 2 x 2W

Headphone jack 3.5mm mini-jack

The PB287Q can pivot up to 90 degrees clockwise.

Tilt 20° to -5°

better. ASUS does what Peter Jackson SplendidPlus Video Intelligence Swivel ±60°
did with the “ The Lord Of The o f f e r s t w o n e w m o d e s , Re a d i n g
Rings” trilogy (the less said about and Darkroom, both of which Pivot 90° clockwise
“The Hobbit” movies, the better): It take advantage of ASUS EyeCare
takes something great and makes you technology that adjusts backlighting Height adjustment 0 to 5.9 inches
appreciate it even more. Some other to remove flicker and deliver the most
excellent examples of ASUS’ ingenuity comfortable viewing experience. Keys VESA wall mount 100mm x
100mm
include its ROG gaming components, further explains, “Low-blue light
Transformer lineups of tablets and and flicker-free optimizations reduce Dimensions (with stand, 16.3 x 26 x 8.66
laptops, and TUF motherboards. eyestrain during long viewing times.” lowest height setting) inches (HxWxD)

The PB287Q is made better Reading mode changes the monitor’s

w i t h A S U S Sp l e n d i d P l u s V i d e o color temperature and brightness
Intelligence, which consists of a host levels to simulate a paperback book. boosts contrast and color saturation
of video presets. “SplendidPlus Video Darkroom mode reduces the brightness for vivid video. Night View mode
Intelligence technology offers eight of the monitor, which is ideal for r a i s e s t h e Y- l u m i n a n c e t o b e t t e r
preset modes to optimize videos and rooms with soft or no ambient light display poorly lit details, and Game
images by enhancing color brightness, where the contrast between the bright mode that enhances dark screen areas
contrast, and sharpness automatically,” monitor and dark room could strain to better show in-game opponents
says Key. The various display modes let your eyes. who like to hide in the shadows.
you quickly adjust the monitor to suit There are six other modes. Scenery Standard mode optimizes color and
the task at hand. Color accuracy and mode is an option that increases the contrast for document viewing, while
image fidelity are just as important as brightness range for greater contrast sRGB is the best choice when viewing
detail and clarity, of course. gradations, while Theater mode images and graphics.

CPU / August 2014 59

ASUS ROG Striker
Platinum GTX 760
Need a new video card to upgrade to 4K
UHD? ASUS’ ROG Striker Platinum GTX 760
provides 4GB of GDDR5 memory (clocked
at 1,502MHz) to easily handle ultra-high
resolutions. It also has an LED-backlit ROG
logo that changes color based on real-time
GPU loads.

So Sharp You Might Cut Yourself “In addition, we offer ASUS QuickFit letter formats. The final “format” is a grid
ASUS also adds two innovations for Virtual Scale technology that provides pattern is available for designers and others
improving image quality. VividPixel an on-screen alignment grid overlay for who want to organize content on-screen
technology is for those detail-oriented digital content creators,” says Key. “This and want a consistent look.
people, like most power users, who allows the user to align and preview
want to perfectly view the tiny details actual-size photos and documents prior Ergonomic Customization
on-screen. VividPixel technology to printing or saving the image, and we Considering the light weight of
reduces noise bars and enhances image offer nine different formats that should modern panels, it’s amazing that most
outlines. Within the monitor’s settings, cover most prosumer needs.” For instance, monitors offer so few adjustment options.
you’ll be able to set the VividPixel there are photo previews for 8x10, 5x7, And while effective, piling books under a
range from 0 to 100, so you can 4x6, 3x5, and 2x2 prints. You’ll also find monitor to raise the height isn’t our idea
customize it to suit your taste. document size previews for B5, A4, and of an elegant solution. With the ASUS
PB287Q, the display can be raised or
lowered, and you have almost six inches
of play. Keys says, “We offer a full range
of adjustments that include height, swivel,
tilt, and pivot modes, along with a slim
bezel and panel design that is VESA
mount-capable. This allows the user to
tailor the monitor for their ideal viewing
position.” The stand can pivot up to 90
degrees clockwise, ideal for workstations
where a portrait orientation is preferable
to the conventional landscape alignment.

True 4K
The PB287Q is priced at $650, and
the comparatively affordable price (for real
sticker shock, check out the prices of 4K
Ultra HDTVs) lowers the barrier of entry
for 4K UHD. ASUS has engineered the
PB287Q for the fastest gaming experience,
and visual quality is assured, too, thanks to
support for 10-bit color and technologies
The PB287Q’s stand can be adjusted up or down, and tilt flexibility (not pictured) lets you fine-tune like ASUS SplendidPlus Video Intelligence
the angle of the monitor. and VividPixel. Early adopters, your
cutting-edge monitor is here. ■

60 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Memory Matters
How Does Performance Scale With Faster
Memory Speeds?

any of the motherboards we’ve

M recently reviewed support
exceptionally fast DDR3 memory
frequencies. For instance, all
of the Z97 motherboards in our
June roundup worked with up to
3,200MHz or 3,300MHz memory
speeds. The ability to handle such
high frequencies prompted the
question, what kind of performance
benefits can you expect from a
speedier memory kit?
We d e c i d e d t o r u n o u r
traditional group of system and
gaming benchmarks at various
overclocked memory speeds to give
you an idea of how performance
scales among speedy memory
Floating Memory Bandwidth results on the ASUS MAXIMUS VII HERO show how well performance can
f r e q u e n c i e s . We s t a r t e d a t
scale in memory-specific tests.
1,866MHz as our base, because
it’s the lowest overclock speed for
Intel’s Haswell processors and
we know that most of you are
already pushing your memory speeds The 1,866MHz tests were run 11-11- Sandra’s Integer Memory Bandwidth
beyond 1,600MHz. The 2,400MHz and 11-30 timings and 1.5V. We got stable B/F AVX/128 and the Floating Memory
2,800MHz are two of the more popular performance from each motherboard at Ba n d w i d t h B / F AV X / 1 2 8 t e s t s .
frequencies available for high-end DRAM these settings. Supermicro’s C7Z97-OCE displayed
kits. To ensure that the numbers were the fastest result with 30.3GBps in the
consistent, we ran each test on four Memory Building Blocks Integer benchmark and 30.32GBps in the
motherboards: an ASUS MAXIMUS VII Let’s start with a memory-specific test, Floating test. When tested at 2,400MHz,
Hero, GIGABYTE’s GA-Z97X-UD5H, so you can see how memory speeds scale speeds on all motherboards dipped
an MSI Z97 MPOWER MAX AC, and a when under loads designed to fully stress between 27GBps and 26.1GBps. And
Supermicro C7Z97-OCE. the modules. SiSoftware Sandra 2014 SP1 dropping down to 1,866MHz produced
ADATA provided its XPG V2 DDR3- Lite’s Memory Bandwidth benchmark a memory bandwidth range between
2800MHz kit for the system tests. At measures sustained bandwidth from 21.7GBps and 21.3GBps.
2,800MHz, we ran the tests using the system memory, rather than the peak As you can tell, there are big jumps
Intel XMP settings ADATA provided, speed, for reliable numbers. in memory bandwidth between the
which were timings of 12-14-14-36 At 2,800MHz, the 16GB ADATA 1,866MHz, 2,400MHz, and 2,800MHz
and a voltage of 1.65V. For 2,400MHz, XPG V2 kit produced above 30GBps speeds. In the case of ASUS’s MAXIMUS
we lowered the kit’s timings to 13-13- on each motherboard. And the numbers VII HERO, there was a 20.99% increase
13-35 and still ran the module at 1.65V. take into account both SiSoftware in Floating Memory Bandwidth from

CPU / August 2014 61

2,800MHz. Scores at 2,800MHz
were typically around 1,635 pixels per
second—with results ranging between
1,629.08 and 1,636.78. Benchmark
numbers produced at 2,400MHz
yielded pixels per second rates that
were no higher than 1623.18 pixels per
second, and when tested at 1,866MHz,
results dropped by around 20 points to
around 1,600 pixels per second.
SiSoftware Sandra 2014 SP1
Lite also offers a few CPU specific
tests: Processor Arithmetic and
Pro c e s s o r Mu l t i - Me d i a . T h e
Processor Arithmetic benchmark
At 2,800MHz, Supermicro’s C7Z97-OCE ran 2.51% faster with POV-Ray 3.7 than it did with 1866MHz memory. tests a processor’s ability to work
with arithmetic and floating-point
instructions, and the performance
1,866MHz to 2,400MHz. And between 1,866MHz, scores hovered between 780 s c a l i n g m i r ro re d w h a t we s a w
1,866MHz and 2,800MHz, there was and 770. The results produced from in Cinebench 15 and POV-Ray 3.7.
a 40.18% jump. Similar performance GIGABYTE’s GA-Z97X-UD5H provide For example, MSI’s Z97 MPOWER
scaling in memory bandwidth was seen us a good example of the percentage M A X AC s a w a 2 . 4 5 % i n c re a s e
in the rest of the motherboards in our increase in Cinebench 15. 1.42% better from 1,866MHz to 2,400MHz, and
benchmark testing. numbers were generated at 2,400MHz, a 3.27% increase from 1,866MHz
In and of itself, SiSoftware Sandra’s and there was a 3.36% increase at to 2,800MHz. The Processor Multi-
Memory Bandwidth test is good for 2,800MHz. Media benchmark tests how well a
comparing memory, and these benchmark We saw similar performance scaling in processor run multimedia instructions.
numbers certainly show that faster POV-Ray 3.7, which is a benchmark tool Performance scaling was minimal in
memory kits are capable of delivering that renders images using a ray-tracing these tests. MSI’s Z97 MPOWER MAX
better memory bandwidth. But because technique. For instance, Supermicro’s AC saw less of a tenth of a percent
the test is a memory-bound scenario, it’s C7Z97-OCE motherboard produced increase between the 1,866MHz and
only really relevant for workloads that a 1.72% increase at 2,400MHz and a 2,400MHz speeds. And between
are memory-constrained, such 4K UHD 2.51% improvement when run at
video editing. It doesn’t really provide
us with reliable information about how
the CPU or GPU would perform with a
faster memory partner.

Now Process This

Fortunately, we have a number of
different benchmarks to compare when
it comes to CPU power, which we tested
with an Intel Core i7-4770K. Cinebench
15 is a benchmark from Maxon that
renders a 3D image that contains
around 2,000 objects and more than
300,000 polygons. The faster your rig
can render the test scene, the better your
performance. Cinebench 15 scores were
at or slightly below 800 when we tested
at 2,800MHz. Lowering the ADATA The Processor Arithmetic Dhrystone AVX2 test displayed a 3.27% increase at DDR3-2800MHz on MSI’s Z97
memory speed to 2,400MHz produced MPOWER MAX AC, compared to the DDR3-1866MHz results.
scores within 790 and 779 points. At

62 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

posted 51fps at both the 1,866MHz
and 2,400MHz speeds, and gained only
0.4fps when run at 2,800MHz. That’s less
than a 1% increase.
The limited performance scaling was
also seen in Metro: Last Light. When
tested at 1,866MHz, Metro: Last Light
produced between 48.67 and 49fps among
all four motherboards, and moving to
2,400MHz produced nearly identical
results—between 49fps and 49.89fps.
Frame per second rates bumped up slightly
to 50fps at 2,800MHz, so the extra speed
netted around a 1fps to 1.5fps gain.
One of the biggest percentage increases
was GIGABYTE GA-Z97X-UD5H. At
2,800MHz, Metro: Last Light delivered
50.1fps, which was a 2.29% increase over
GIGABYTE’s GA-Z97X-UD5 showed a 3.36% increase in Cinebench 15 results when moving from
the 48.4fps we saw at 1,866MHz.
DDR3-1866MHz to DDR3-2800MHz memory.
Faster memory also didn’t seem
to have much of an effect on 3DMark
1,866MHz and 2,800MHz, we saw to games, our memory testing results will Professional’s Fire Strike Extreme
only a 0.23% increase. mostly back your conclusions. benchmark and Unigine’s Heaven 4.0
Our processor-bound benchmarks For instance, the entire variation benchmarks. For example, our 1,866MHz
show that moving from 1,866MHz to (among all memory speeds and on testing produced overall scores between
2,800MHz should provide around a 3% all motherboards) for the Aliens vs. 4842 and 4853, while 2,400MHz scored
performance increase for most CPU- Predator benchmark ranged between between 4800 and 4874. At 2,800MHz,
intensive tasks, such as compressing audio 51fps and 51.5fps. At 2,800MHz, the highest score was produced by ASUS
files, editing images, and rendering video. all four motherboards ran Aliens vs. MAXIMUS VII HERO at 4873, which
SiSoftware Sandra’s Processor Multi- Predator between 51.5fps and 51.3fps. was a percentage increase of only half a
Media benchmark also demonstrates At 1,866MHz, frames per second rates percent from the board’s 1,866MHz result
that not all processor-intensive tasks will hit either 51.1fps or 51fps. In terms of a (4847). Unigine’s Heaven 4.0 benchmark
benefit from faster memory. On the flip percentage increase, change was minimal. posted scores of either 1345 or 1344 at the
side, tasks that are a mix of CPU- and For example, Supermicro’s C7Z97-OCE 1,866MHz memory speed, and increasing
memory-intensive will probably see
better performance scaling.

For The Love Of The Game

We’ve seen that speedy memory
can have a big impact on games
when tested with processor graphics,
but we know that most of you have a
discrete graphics card in your rig. So
we ran our gaming and 3D graphics
benchmarks with GIGABYTE’s GV-
N780GHZ-3GD, which is a GeForce
GTX 780 with 3GB of GDDR5
memory. The gaming benchmarks were
run at a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600 and
at the game’s highest visual settings. If
you’re one that assumes the graphics
card does all the work when it comes Memory speed didn’t seem to have much effect on SiSoftware Sandra’s Processor Multi-Media test.

CPU / August 2014 63

the memory frequencies to 2,800MHz every power user is concerned about. for power users requiring a boost for
bumped scores to only 1348 or 1347. The And like your processor, graphics card, memory-intensive jobs. Gamers, on the
Unigine Heaven 4.0 test also lists frames and SSD, memory is an important part of other hand, don’t need to be too concerned
per second rates, and the typical increase putting together a speedy PC. Enthusiasts about filling their rig with the fastest
was only from 53fps to 53.4fps. that build rigs to perform a variety of memory around.
If you exclusively use your PC to game, demanding jobs will find that upgrading We’ll be intrigued to run a similar set
we can safely say that speedy memory to speedy memory should provide a little of tests when DDR4 comes out to see if
won’t provide you much in performance extra speed with processor-bound tasks. the performance scaling will be similar
gains. Our testing showed less than a Obviously, faster memory is also good with the next memory interface. ■
single frame per second
increase in most cases. On
the plus side, gamers can ASUS GIGABYTE MSI Z97 Supermicro
Full Test Results At 2,400MHz MAXIMUS VII GA-Z97X- MPOWER C7Z97-OCE
use this information to HERO UD5H MAX AC
save money on their next 3DMark Professional (Fire Strike Extreme)
build. You can get away
Score 4854 4800 4874 4828
with selecting moderate
Graphics Score 5058 4966 5065 5000
speed memory, such as
Physics Score 11121 11093 10988 11196
DDR3-1600MHz or
DDR3-1866MHz, and use Graphics Test 1 27.51 27.07 27.77 27.35

the extra funds for a better Graphics Test 2 18.2 17.96 18.25 18.04
graphics card instead. Physics Test 35.31 35.22 34.88 35.4
Combined Test 10.72 10.63 10.71 10.39
Storage SiSoftware Sandra 2014 SP1 Lite
To see if memory speed had Processor Arithmetic
an impact on storage speeds,
Dhrystone AVX2 (GIPS) 155.86 156.16 155.22 156.32
we ran CrystalDiskMark’s
sequential read/write and Whetstone AVX (GFLOPS) 106.87 105 105.56 105.89

5 1 2 K B r a n d o m re a d / Processor Multi-Media
write tests. The numbers x32 MMedia Integer AVX2 (Mpixels per sec.) 446.26 445.19 446.23 448.43
were pretty inconsistent x16 MMedia Float FMA3 (Mpixels per sec.) 410.8 403.43 409.56 402.45
across the motherboards, x8 MMedia Double FMA3 (Mpixels per sec.) 226.1 232.64 240.1 230.3
so it’s difficult to make any
x8 MMedia Float/Double FMA3 (Mpixels per sec.) 312.15 306.36 315.76 308.24
firm conclusions from the
Memory Bandwidth
data. For example, ASUS’
MAXIMUS VII HERO Integer Memory Bandwidth B/F AVX/128 (GBps) 26.22 27 26.1 26.5

posted Sequential Read speeds Floating Memory Bandwidth B/F AVX/128 (GBps) 26.11 26.86 26.5 26.54
of 369.3MBps, 360.6MBps, Cinebench 11.5
and 362.6MBps at the CPU (points) 790 785 787 779
1,866MHz, 2,400MHz, and POV-Ray 3.7
2,800MHz speed, respectively.
pixels per second 1623.18 1619.2 1620.92 1619.5
Numbers seemed to fluctuate,
CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 (MBps)
no matter what motherboard
or what speed of memory Sequential Read 360.6 338 334.4 342

was installed in our test rig. Sequential Write 144.7 145.9 145 144.5
Due to the unpredictability of 512KB Random Read 330.6 310.2 312.3 325.3
the numbers, it’s hard to say 512KB Random Write 148.5 149 148.1 148.5
whether memory speed was Unigine Heaven 4.0 (8XAA; 1,920 x 1,200) 53.3 53.4 53.4 53.1
an influencing factor in the Score 1347 1348 1346 1344
storage benchmark numbers. Games (tested at 2,560 x 1,600)

Metro: Last Light (16xAF; SSAO off) 49 49 49.76 48.89

Scaling Signatures
Aliens Vs. Predator (8XAA, 16xAF) 51.3 51 51.3 51
Bottlenecks in perfor-
mance are something that

64 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Inside The World Of Betas
PANDA GLOBAL PROTECTION 2015
anda Security has made a lot of design Panda Global Protection 2015
P and interface changes to its security suite
for 2015. A new architecture draws on cloud
Publisher and URL: Panda
Security; www.pandasecurity.
resources to reduce Panda Global Protection com/usa/homeusers/
2015’s demands on your PC and increases downloads/beta
security by letting the security suite receive ETA: August
more regular updates. The cloud-powered Why You Should Care: Global
security software also now offers a tile interface Protection 2015 is lighter on
like Windows 8’s, and you can customize its system resources, which should
look by moving, adding, or deleting tiles. improve performance when
There are other new features, as well, detecting threats.
including an Application Control tool that lets
you allow and deny programs from running
in Windows. If an unknown application starts firewall has been enhanced
up, GP2015 will ask you if the program is to better protect your Wi-Fi
OK to run. To keep your information safe, Process Monitor module that examines your network from intrusions. Global Protection
Panda Security added a Data Shield module currently running applications and assesses if 2015 comes with Panda’s USB Vaccine
where you can select specific folders and there are any threats. The Process Monitor will (prevents AutoRun from opening files on
file types to protect. When an unknown or list which programs are currently accessing the USB-connected devices), safe browsing, and
untrusted application tries to access these Internet, as well as any that it has blocked. virtual keyboard tools. You’ll also find a PC
items, Data Shield will warn you and block Panda Security has also made improve- Tuneup tool to free up disk space, defragment
the application’s access. There’s also a new ments to existing features for GP2015; the hard drives, and schedule cleanups. ■

ANYDESK
here are plenty of remote desktop AnyDesk
T options on the market, so how does
AnyDesk set itself apart? It features a video
Publisher and URL: AnyDesk;
anydesk.com/download
codec that can support 60fps at a latency ETA: Late September
of 3ms, so there’s virtually no difference Why You Should Care:
between the original and transmitted AnyDesk’s DeskRT video codec
images. We tested the program out and boosts responsiveness and image
it worked great. For instance, we could quality, so you can work with
run benchmark tools, such as POV-Ray CAD, video-editing, or productivity
3.7 and CrystalDiskMark, right from our software on a remote PC.
workstation. AnyDesk has also added
features for automated video detection and
progressive image quality regulation. The computer where you
speedy transmission and image-handling can’t install applications.
features allow AnyDesk to work with tasks in size, so it won’t take up much room When setting up AnyDesk, you can
like video editing, according to AnyDesk. on a flash drive. Even better, you can add an Unattended Access password to
Exclusive Direct3D applications, such run AnyDesk with full functionality make it easy to securely, remotely log in
as games and 3DMark benchmarks, from your flash drive in portable mode from any computer. AnyDesk lets you
are not yet supported, but AnyDesk is without installing it on your PC (unless establish video quality and audio settings
working on this. you want to) or changing any router to optimize your remote connection, and
Another bonus with AnyDesk is that configurations. The setup is ideal if lets you manage control of the keyboard
the installation file is just over 1MB you want to use AnyDesk on a public and mouse, as well. ■

CPU / August 2014 67

Upgrades That’ll Keep You Humming Along
There are several updates to utilities this month, including the tools FileSearchy, CCleaner, and WinRAR. We also found
patches for OpenOffice, OCZ’s Toolbox, and Futuremark’s 3DMark. In the Driver Bay, you’ll find an AMD beta driver with
new Eyefinity functionality and a Microsoft firmware update for Surface 2 and Surface Pro 2 tablets.

SOFTWARE UPDATES while the Cloud Gate tool is for notebooks archive; previously the switch -ai was only
and “typical” home PCs. Ice Storm is a tool for available for extraction. This way, predefined
Apache OpenOffice 4.1 tablets and entry-level computers. values, such as those typical for a file or folder,
OpenOffice 4.1 adds support for the www.futuremark.com/3dmark are stored instead the actual attributes.
IAccessible2 interface, which is an open www.rarlab.com
standard for communicating with assistive
technologies. The IAccessible2 code will OCZ Toolbox 4.5.2.298
allow blind users with a screen reader This software lets you update firmware DRIVER BAY
(that also supports IAccessible2) to access and the BIOS on OCZ SSDs. The 4.5.2.298
documents, spreadsheets, menu items, update adds support for RevoDrive 350. AMD Catalyst 14.6 Beta Driver
and dialogue boxes without the need to Within OCZ Toolbox, you’ll now find a The latest beta driver for AMD graphics
install additional components. Other new Settings button that provides you with options cards updates Eyefinity to allow for mixed-
features in OpenOffice 4.1 include the in- for using a proxy server. There’s a new option resolution support for multi-monitor
place editing of text fields, text selection to restart to Bootable Media after a firmware setups. There are two new Eyefinity display
annotations, interactive cropping of update is complete. 4.5.2.298 also provides a modes, Fit and Expand, in addition to the
transformed graphics, updated Mac support variety of small fixes, including TRIM support existing Fill mode. The Fit mode creates an
(64-bit), and support for six more languages. detection for PCI-E-based storage devices. Eyefinity surface using the best available
www.openoffice.org ocz.com/consumer/download/ rectangular area for the displays, while the
ﬁrmware Expand mode provides a virtual Eyefinity
surface using desktop areas as viewports
FileSearchy 1.22 on the surface. The 14.6 beta driver also
This powerful search tool makes it easy Piriform CCleaner 4.14 offers performance improvements for
to locate files on your PC. The latest version CCleaner is a utility that removes Watch Dogs, including up to 28% better
of FileSearchy adds the ability to configure temporary files, browsing history, cookies, performance with the AMD Radeon
columns in the search results table, so now and other leftovers from your web browsers R9290X at 2,560 x 1,600.
it’s possible to select which columns to show, and Windows. The 4.14 update includes a support.amd.com/en-us/download
to change their width, and to adjust their number of improvements. For example,
position within the search utility. Another Piriform added support for Mozilla’s Cyberfox
change with FileSearchy 1.22 are new columns browser. You’ll also find improvements for Microsoft Surface 2 Firmware
in the search results table for the number of cleaning Microsoft Office 2010, Foxit Reader If you’ve got a Microsoft Surface 2
matches, created time, and last access time. 6, and AVG’s lineup of security software. tablet, you’ll want to download the most
www.ﬁlesearchy.com www.piriform.com recent firmware updates for the Surface 2
and Surface Pro 2. On the Pro 2, the
firmware update enhances system stability
Futuremark 3DMark 1.3.708 RARLAB WinRAR 5.1 with microSD devices and also improves
The 1.3.708 update for 3DMark adds WinRAR 5.1 adds extraction support compatibility with the Power Cover. An
a new benchmark test, Sky Diver, that’s for .ZIP and .ZIPX archives using BZIP2, update to the HD Graphics family also
designed as a DirectX 11 yardstick for gaming LZMA, and PPMd compression. Another improves the Miracast wireless display
laptops and mid-range PCs. For instance, big addition is the support for the extraction experience. Similarly, the Surface 2 firmware
Futuremark indicates that the ideal fit for of 7-Zip (an open-source compression utility) update enhances compatibility with the
Sky Diver would be mainstream PCs with split archives. RARLAB also added support Power Cover and improves the Miracast
DirectX 11 graphics cards, mobile GPUs, and for AES-NI CPU instructions, which will experience. The new firmware should also
integrated graphics. Sky Diver adds another help boost performance on encryption and increase battery life of the Surface 2 when it
range of hardware to 3DMark’s lineup. Fire decryption operations. The 5.1 update allows goes into instant-on standby mode.
Strike is for high-performance gaming systems, the switch –ai to be used when creating a RAR www.microsoft.com

CPU / August 2014 69

The Revolution Will
Be Printed
3D Printing Takes Shape
If you can imagine it, you can create
“ it.” As the unofficial tagline for the
entire 3D printing industry, the phrase
only scratches the surface of what this
relatively young technology has already
done for startups, hobbyists, the tech
industry, and countless others. To say that
3D printing is a disruptive technology
is an understatement; it is one of those
rarefied advancements that has the
ability to change how we think about
the objects that we interact with each
and every day. Like the Internet did for
publishing and commerce, 3D printing
has the potential to revolutionize design,
prototyping, manufacturing, architecture,
automotive, transportation, aerospace,
military, medical industries, fashion,
education, geographic information
systems, consumer products, all things
DIY, and the list goes on.
In this article, we’ll introduce you 3D printing’s explosive popularity owes much to the DIY movement.
to the broad concept of 3D printing,
provide some historical context, nudge
you in the right direction if you’d like that description may sound mundane, need an advanced degree or even much
to begin 3D printing yourself, and even it too fails to adequately convey how familiarity with 3D modelling software to
offer some advice for those willing to something simple as a robotic glue gun get started. And there’s never been a better
get their feet wet with the process but can enable virtually anyone to generate time to jump in.
unwilling to take out a second mortgage models that not long ago cost industrial
on their house. manufacturers millions of dollars in 3D Printing’s Past
equipment, software, and expertise to Before we start strolling down
Another Dimension create using traditional processes. the DIY 3D printing path, we need
When we talk about 3D printing With an inexpensive and compact 3D some background. After all, the ready
today, we’re most commonly referring printer starting for less than $1,000, free availability of 3D printers, media, and
to a technique called additive or inexpensive 3D modelling software or a multitude of supporting videos and
manufacturing, which refers to the access to the web, and an ever-expanding tutorials didn’t just materialize overnight.
process of generating physical objects database of free-to-download 3D models, 3D printing as a concept followed
using a type of industrial robot capable you can begin printing off your own toys, hot on the heels of the invention of
of squirting minute amounts of heated signs, jewelry, ornaments, tableware, the 2D inkjet printer, which traces its
plastic in successive layers based on a decorations, components, knickknacks, origins back to 1976. Pioneers in the
digital 3D model of an object. Although and doodads. Best of all, you don’t field reasoned that by replacing ink

70 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

that starts out as a liquid but solidifies when
exposed to certain wavelengths of light, to
coat tabletops. By moving a narrow beam
of UV light through the photopolymer,
however, Hull discovered that he could
effectively create 3D shapes. After months
of experimenting on nights and weekends,
Hull was able to “print” a model he was
happy with. Despite his early enthusiasm, his
process yielded poor copies of the items he
was trying to generate because the medium
he was using at the time (and many of the
plastics used with early 3D printers) shrank
as it cured, which had the effect of distorting
the final results. In addition, early 3D printed
objects were excessively brittle, something
that has since improved dramatically
thanks to advancements in printing media.
Two years after his breakthrough with
photopolymers, Hull became co-founder of
3D Systems, a company built around his 3D
Charles Hull is generally considered to be the father of 3D printing.
printer. He called the UV light-hardening
process he pioneered stereolithography
(SLA). At the time, Hull imagined his
with a thermoplastic as the medium, concepts never make it past the technical process as an efficient and inexpensive means
a very similar purpose-built machine drawing stage. But thirty years ago, the of rapid prototyping, but little more.
capable of layering adhesive material seeds of change were sown. In 1990, an alternative 3D printing
along the X, Y, and Z axes could In 1984, Charles “Chuck” Hull, was using method was pioneered by Stratasys,
generate physical objects. photopolymers, or an acrylic-based material which involved material deposition via
Conventional manufacturing processes
(then and now), such as injection
molding and extrusion, require expensive
machinery and skilled personnel to operate
it. Furthermore, the dies and molds are
expensive to make and require even more
pricey equipment, all of which has a
direct influence on the costs of design,
manufacturing, and ultimately every
product we buy. Traditionally, one of the
best ways to defray the exorbitant costs
of manufacturing is to produce products
at a massive scale, thereby spreading that
cost across hundreds of thousands of items
or more. Not every product is capable
of appealing to such a large audience, in
fact very few are. An alternative method
of managing cost is to pass the excess
on to the customer, which is one reason
designer goods cater almost exclusively
to the affluent. For organizations (and
individuals) that can’t afford to go all-in,
and won’t attract or retain customers if 3D printing has numerous applications aside from just printing toys and figurines.
they raise their prices substantially, many

CPU / August 2014 71

inkjet nozzles, which is closer to the
kind of 3D printing we see used by the
consumer-grade 3D printers today. The
firm called its process fused deposition
modeling (FDM).
In 1995, MIT concocted another
additive manufacturing process that uses
inkjet deposition of liquid binder on
powder. The technique, commercialized
by Z Corporation, was trademarked as
3D printing (3DP), but today the term is
used most often as an umbrella term for
all additive manufacturing processes.
Although 3D Systems launched a
commercial SLA 3D printer in 1992, it
wasn’t until the introduction of solid-
state lasers in 1996 that the company’s
3D printers were able to deliver highly
detailed and more accurate prints, using
ultraviolet lasers.
In 1999, the biomed industry had
The biomed industry is currently attempting to manufacture living tissue and organs using
its own 3D printing breakthrough;
specialized 3D printers.
scientists at the Wake Forest Institute for
Regenerative Medicine designed a lab-
grown 3D scaffold that was printed and being rejected by the patient’s body. patient’s own cells. Three years later,
implanted in a patient’s urinary bladder. Anti-rejection medicines, which work by researchers at the Wake Forest Institute
The implant was a success because it was effectively crippling the immune system, for Regenerative Medicine managed to
assembled from the patient’s own cells, can also be avoided when working with create a tiny functioning kidney that
which eliminated the risk of the tissue structures and tissue printed from the was able to process blood and urine in
an animal.
This advancement opens the door for
the development of lab-grown organs
and tissue suitable for transplanting into
humans, which has the potential to save
countless lives. In 2009, for instance,
Organovo used Dr. Gabor Forgacs’
bioprinting techniques to craft a blood
vessel. In 2012, using a bioprinting
device from a company called LayerWise,
doctors and engineers based in the
Netherlands printed a prosthetic lower
jaw for an 83-year old woman suffering
from a chronic bone infection.
3D printed prosthetics are a big
business, so big in fact that the industry
is spawning new industries that cater
to users of 3D prosthetics. Bespoke
Innovations, for example, is a firm
that creates personalized attachments
for prosthetics and orthopedic devices,
such as chrome, leather, nylon fabric,
Bespoke Innovations, a 3D Systems company, is giving artificial limbs some personalized flair. and even tattooed fairings, or coverings.
3D Systems acquired Bespoke in 2012,

72 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

movement and it has since had a great
deal of influence on making 3D printing
more accessible to home users. This
democratizing effect is viewed to be one
of the reasons for 3D printing’s rapidly
growing popularity in recent years. The
first official RepRap 3D printer, Darwin,
was launched in March 2007. A year
later, one of the first items crafted by
Darwin is a dashboard-mounted iPod
clamp designed for the Ford Fiesta.
Successive version of the RepRap 3D
printers were named Mendel (2009),
Prusa Mendel (2010), and Huxley
(2010). Today there are hundreds of
RepRap variants available.
But before RepRap took the DIY
crowd by storm, a new professional
3D printing process called selective
laser sintering (SLS) was developed,
which employs a laser to fuse materials
3D printers are being used to quickly and affordably customize prosthetics to their users. into solid physical objects. Launched
in 2006, this 3D printing technique
became instrumental in developing
and currently offers fairings for between the University of Bath and his founding customizable prosthetics and other
$4,000 and $6,000. of an open-source project that aims to industrial components. This also led to
The DIY segment of the 3D printing build a 3D printer capable of printing its the ability of machines to print using
industry really got off the ground in own parts. RepRap, short for replicating a wider variety of mediums, including
2005 thanks to Dr. Adrian Bowyer at rapid prototyper, is the name of the elastomers and polymers. In 2008,

MakerBot Replicator Z18

This year’s International Consumer Electronics Show was bursting at
the seams with 3D printers, but few of the models announced there
garnered as much excitement as the MakerBot Replicator Z18 (store.
makerbot.com, $6,499). This professional-grade 3D printer features
an impressively large build volume of 2,592 cubic inches, or 12 x 12
x 18-inches (LxWxH). Not only can you print larger objects with the
Replicator Z18, you can also print multiple smaller items at once, which
can slash your total print time. The heated fully-enclosed printing bay
also ensures temperatures remain static, so the layers stay uniform and
bind well. This 3D printer is optimized for MakerBot’s PLA filament, it
supports a 100-micron minimum layer height, XY positioning precision
to 11 microns, and Z positioning precision to 2.5 microns. In short,
this machine is capable of producing remarkably smooth prints with
fine detail. Other features we like include built-in Wi-Fi, an on-board
camera for monitoring and snapping photos of your works in progress,
a remote-monitoring app with notification support, an LCD interface,
assisted leveling, and support for large 2-pound filament spools.

CPU / August 2014 73

an amputee walked on the first fully
3D-printed prosthetic leg, complete
with all the necessary moving parts and
requiring no additional assembly.
In 2009, MakerBot Industries, co-
founded by Zach Smith, one of the
RepRap movement’s original founders,
started shipping DIY kits that enabled
consumers to purchase and assemble their
own 3D printers. Today, MakerBot is
one of the largest and most recognizable
names in consumer 3D printers, though
it has since abandoned its open-source
RepRap roots.
In recent years, 3D printing’s applications
have been expanding into a number of
disparate industries. In 2011, engineers at
the University of Southampton set about
to create the world’s first 3D-printed
unmanned aircraft. The flying contraption
took a week to assemble and cost around
5,000 pounds sterling, or approximately 3D printed jewelry relies on expensive equipment, but the end results can be stunning.
$8,500, to build. Boeing revealed last
year that it is manufacturing parts for
commercial and military aircraft using largely 3D-printed vehicle designed to Aston Martin DB4 that he can kluge
3D printers, including about 30 different get 200mpg highway and 100mpg in onto his significantly less exotic Nissan
components in its 787 Dreamliner. the city. Auckland, New Zealand-based Skyline chassis.
The same year saw Kor Ecologic take Ivan Sentch is using a 3D printer to 3D-printed jewelry gets a boost
the wraps off of its prototype Urbee, a meticulously print off the shell of an thanks to i.materialise.com’s service that
offers 3D-printed 14K gold and sterling
silver items. Users can even log in and
upload their own designs and use the
interactive website to get an idea of
what the final product will look like
as well as how much it’ll cost to print
and ship. 3D printing seems to have
innumerable applications.
But on May 2nd, 2013, 3D printing got
scary. A self-professed libertarian and anarchist
named Cody Wilson used a professional
Stratasys Dimension SST 3D printer to print
a handgun and managed to use it to fire a
.380 caliber round into a mound of dirt. He
called his creation the Liberator, after the
cheap single-shot FP-45 Liberator, a relatively
obscure World War II-era pistol designed to
arm insurgents and demoralize occupying
forces. Wilson’s gun was completely printed
from ABS, and a commonly available metal
nail was the only non-printed component; it
was used for a firing pin. Not only did Wilson
Cody Wilson’s 3D-printed gun, the Liberator, grabbed a lot of attention when it successfully fired a real bullet. create the gun, but he sought to actively
distribute his 3D printed gun plans on the

74 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Station. Researchers plan to determine
how microgravity affects components
produced via additive manufacturing,
and assuming those parts meet NASA’s
expectations, a dedicated 3D printer
may one day enable astronauts to print
out replacement parts, tools, and other
complex structures that will help the ISS
become even more self-sufficient.
Today, 3D printing has successfully
penetrated the public consciousness
and regularly grabs headlines. Although
desktop 3D printers have yet to break
out of the hobbyist niche, the rapidly
declining prices will help that audience
grow at a healthy clip. A recent report
f ro m t h e C o n s u m e r El e c t ro n i c s
Association expects sales of desktop 3D
printers to reach 67,000 units in 2014,
with revenues increasing 43% compared
to 2013. According to Juniper Research,
Fusion deposition modelling 3D printers can use different nozzle gauges to generate models with in 2014, the consumer 3D printer
varying amounts of fine detail. hardware and related materials was worth
$75 million. By 2018, however, that
number will blow by the $1 billion mark.
Internet, adding fuel to the controversy of a At the 2014 International Consumer Firms that made their names on 3D
gun that essentially anyone could manufacture Electronics Show, 3D Systems debuted its printing, such as 3D Systems and Stratasys,
and smuggle through conventional ChefJet 3D food printer, which is capable expect to see explosive growth over the next
metal detectors. of generating edible 3D models out of five years, but the behemoths of the 2D
A few months later, a 3D printing sugar, in flavors such as chocolate, vanilla, printing world are also wading in; HP and
service provider called Solid Concepts mint, sour apple, and cherry. Cambridge, Epson are offering professional-grade 3D
used its industrial-grade SLS 3D printer England-based Dovetailed is using a printers and investing in the software and
to create a classic 1911 pistol from more proprietary process called spherification to materials required to support 3D printing
than 30 individually printed stainless steel convert fruit juices into tiny spheres, and applications. 3D printing is also making
components. Although there was some then employing a 3D printer to combine its way to a store near you. Staples, which
finishing work performed using hand the spheres into various shapes and mix already sells commercial-grade 3D printers
tools, no part of the gun was machined. juices for unique flavors. 3D-printed food starting at $1,500, recently announced that
It went on to successfully fire over 1,000 producers, Modern Meadow, are using it would be offering 3D printing services to
.45 ACP rounds. The firm created the 3D printers to turn “nutrient fluids” into its print shop customers and outsourcing
gun to demonstrate the precision and something that vaguely resembles raw large-scale orders to 3D Systems. United
accuracy of the SLS process and its meat. It may not sound very appetizing, Parcel Service (UPS) is also adding 3D
ability to “print” metal objects, but it but it could have huge implications for printing to its list of services available to
also has a Federal Firearms License to alleviating famine and aiding populations small businesses.
produce weapons legally. Unlike Wilson’s with critical food shortages.
Liberator, however, this weapon was Perhaps 3D printing’s most high- 3D Printing Processes
manufactured using equipment that costs profile endorsement came as we went When we refer to 3D printing and
hundreds of thousands of dollars, by to press. NASA announced that a 3D additive manufacturing, we’re actually
engineers with the requisite education and printer from California-based Made In using very generic terms that encompass
years of experience, and Solid Concepts Space has cleared the stringent safety and several distinct processes. Although many
isn’t distributing the 3D plans used to operational requirements to make the companies in the 3D printing industry
create the pistol. In short, you won’t be journey to space. In August, the printer have their own take on the printing
churning out scads of these from your will hitch a ride on SpaceX’s Dragon methods described below, these are the
garage anytime soon. capsule bound for the International Space most common ones in use today.

CPU / August 2014 75

It’s All In The Medium
Since the birth of 3D printing 30 years ago, the earliest advancements moving parts. It can also be food safe and comes in a variety of colors,
in printing media came in the form of improved chemical properties of including transparent.
liquid resins and thermoplastics, which shrank less as they solidified and
hardened. Other improvements that followed added strength, color, and model Alumide refers to a compound composed of aluminum powder and plastic
detail. Today, there’s a wide variety of materials that can be printed using that typically has a matte gray finish and a slightly flexible form. Finished
stereolithography (SLA), fused deposition modelling (FDM), and selective laser items tend to have a grainy, sandy texture and a slightly porous structure,
sintering (SLS). Here is a list of the common materials used in today’s 3D making alumide good for mechanical items with moving parts, but less
printers and their unique properties: ideal for applications which require water tight surfaces.

ABS, short for acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, is the same stuff Lego bricks are Polyamide typically starts as a fine powder, yet items printed from the
made of; it’s strong, rigid, and offers a high level of detail. ABS is one of the material have a strong, slightly flexible form. Like alumide, items made
primary FDM printing materials and it’s available in multiple colors. Ground ABS from this substance are porous and feature a sandy texture.
is commonly used as a colorant for tattoo ink. ABS-made items aren’t food safe
without special coatings, as heating them can release toxic gasses. 3D printers Other plastics that can be used to generate 3D printed items include
that are using ABS should also be used in a well-ventilated space. high-detail resins, rubber, nylon, polycarbonate, biomed bacteriostatic
and fungistatic plastic, flexible plastic, PET (polyethylene terephthalate)
PLA, or polylactic acid, refers to a biodegradable plastic derivative made from plastic, and high-impact polystyrene (HIPS).
corn starch, tapioca, or sugarcane. As you’d expect, PLA can be food safe,
though items made from it quickly lose their structure or shrink when exposed Metal is a fairly new material to get the 3D printing treatment, but SLS 3D
to heat. PLA also comes in a variety of colors. Some manufacturers use PLA to printers are the ones most often associated with this medium. Types of metal
create a 3D object, make a plaster mold around the object, then melt the PLA that you can have 3D printed include titanium, aluminum, stainless steel,
from the mold in a process called lost PLA casting. The resulting cast can be brass, bronze, and the precious metals sterling silver and gold. Expensive and
used to create objects from a variety of substances. complex industrial 3D printers are the ones that print in metals.

Resin is most often used in SLA, and it typically starts out as a liquid. Some specialized 3D printers have also been shown to print 3D items
When in its solidified form, resin has a stiff, glassy structure, making from less traditional materials, including multicolor plaster, ceramics,
it ideal for 3D printed objects that require a high degree of detail and sandstone, sugar, fruit juice, artificial meat, and even paper. ■

We already introduced you to to fuse the printing medium, commonly a nozzle apparatus that moves along the X,
one of the earliest processes, Hull’s in the form of a fine powder, along a Y, and Z axes, others rely on the platform
stereolithography (SLA). The process computer-controlled path to generate movement to handle Z-axis movement, and
starts with a container of liquid resin that the first layer of a 3D item. Next the others still juggle the different movements
rapidly cures when exposed to UV light. platform drops, the item gets a dusting of between the nozzle and platform. The
A computer controller UV laser traces the powdered medium, and the laser does unifying principle behind all FDM 3D
designs in the resin, then the platform another pass. This occurs again and again printers is the drop-on-drop layering
drops down and the laser does another until the item is complete. SLS can utilize technique used to generate 3D objects.
pass. This process continues layer by layer a wide range of materials, including
as the machine generates the item. When metals, and precision is very fine. SLS The Cart Before The
finished, the build platform is raised out equipment is expensive, however, 3D-Printed Horse
of the resin liquid, the model is dried off, precluding SLS from becoming a popular If you have begun to wonder what it
and any support structures are removed. DIY option. might be like to dabble in 3D printing
SLA is not viable for home users. Today, When talking about most of the desktop yourself, then your education should
SLA is most commonly used for rapid 3D printers available for home use, we’re begin with the software.
prototyping and creating concept models, almost universally referring to Fused When you get right down to it, a 3D
master patterns, and other designs where Deposition Modeling (FDM) devices. printer is nothing more than a machine
a high level of detail is necessary. These 3D printers most commonly feed that layers media in response to computer
Another common rapid prototyping plastic filament into a heated inkjet nozzle commands. 3D printing an item from
method is SLS, or selective laser sintering. that extrudes the medium in thin layers scratch requires 3D modelling software
In this process, powerful lasers are used onto a platform. Some FDM units employ such as Autodesk’s AutoCAD, Inventor, and

76 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Mechanical Desktop; SolidWorks, Google’s 3D scanner. Using its 3DMe technology with a 3D printer, CNC (computer
SketchUp, and others. Some of the software (cubify.com/en/Store/DDDMe), the firm numerical control) machine, CAD software
can cost hundreds of dollars, but there are can scan a photo of your face and print and expertise, or a 3D scanner can register
often non-commercial licenses available out a 3D model of you wearing a variety of their services with the site, display their
for considerably less. Free 3D modelling costumes, including a Star Trek uniform, offerings, and accept commissions. We
software is also a good option. To create Santa costume, superhero getup, or plugged in our address and found several
our own 3D model, we used SketchUp basketball jersey. vendors in our area willing to take our 3D
(www.sketchup.com), which is free, but model and print it out for rates that were
offers a time-limited trial of the Professional Call In The Experts significantly less than those we found on the
version upon your initial installation. After In some instances, however, even professional 3D printing sites. And because
watching a few video tutorials, we were able software can’t predict the outcome of your they were local, we didn’t have to worry
to quickly mock up a simple mug that uses design and very few of us have access to a about the added cost and risk of shipping
the CPU logo as a handle. 3D scanner. Those with a lot of experience the end result.
Once you have a 3D model you’re pleased turning 3D models into finished 3D prints We found our expert in Clay Cardwell,
with, the next step is to export it as a file type know the difference between the kinds whose profile indicated that he had
that 3D printers can read. Most commonly of designs that will yield a pristine Yoda favorable reviews, a 100% response rate,
this is an .STL (Standard Tessellation bust and one that will come out looking and some impressive samples on display.
Language) file, which lets the 3D printer like Anakin at the end of Episode III. As As we went to press, Cardwell offered 3D
read the model as a series of thin layers. a beginner, your best bet is to get some printing for a flat rate of $0.35 per square
Although some 3D modelling software lets professional help. Websites like i.materialise. centimeter. MakeXYZ’s profiles also list the
you export files in STL format, you can use com, www.sculpteo.com/en , and www. equipment each vendor uses, and Cardwell’s
dedicated software applications to make the shapeways.com all offer 3D printing Rostock Max 3D printer was more than up
models compatible with 3D printers and services-for-hire, let you design your own to the task of printing out our little mug.
even alter the model with an eye toward objects, get quotes for printing costs, set up In the process of discussing the model,
more efficient use of materials or a stronger shop to begin selling your own designs, or Cardwell pointed out that the CPU logo
internal structure. Netfabb, Skeinforge, just order trinkets designed by other users. would require additional support material
SFACT, Kisslicer, and Slic3r are all examples MakeXYZ (www.makexyz.com) is one to print as a single unit. He recommended
of software that can perform the “slicing” website that is capitalizing on a mom- printing the logo separately with tabs at
operation. This kind of software is also useful and-pop approach to 3D printing. Anyone the bottom of each letter, and designing
for revealing any problem areas in your
design that will trip up a 3D printer, such as
reversed triangles, overhanging structures that
require support, and areas where the printing
medium is likely to be wasted.
If building a 3D model from scratch
isn’t something you want to do, then
using a 3D scanner is an even simpler
way to digitize your desired designs. These
devices typically feature a turntable upon
which you place an item and lasers or a
camera that is capable of creating highly-
precise measurements of the item from
every angle. In very little time, a 3D
model is ready to generate a copy of the
scanned item (copyrights permitting).
Matter And Form’s eponymous 3D
Scanner (www.matterform.net, $579) is a
portable and easy-to-use 3D scanner capable
of scanning objects up to 9.8 inches tall
and outputting ready-to-print STL files.
MakerBot also has a 3D scanner, called the
MakerBot Digitizer (store.makerbot.com, The model on the left was created using a nozzle with a narrower-gauge hole.
$799). 3D Systems also has a take on the

CPU / August 2014 77

matching cutouts in the side of the mug to add a new spool’s strand into the hot end today’s additive manufacturing technologies
into which the letters would fit. This simple as the last bit from the old spool runs out, are not mature enough to replace traditional
fix shaved about $10 off our final estimate. but if you miss that window of opportunity, manufacturing techniques, such as extrusion
He also significantly cut down the cost by your printer won’t be able to pick up where and injection molding.
making the cup hollow instead of solid ABS. it left off. Another issue the 3D printing industry
When all was said and done, our final bill Although 3D printers can print fairly will have to face is intellectual property rights
was $31 (MakeXYZ took a cut of about complex contraptions with moving parts, regarding 3D models. Like movies and
$4); graciously, he didn’t charge us for the there is often quite a bit of finishing work music before them, 3D models are digital,
additional 3D modelling and slicing he that needs to be performed, which includes and can be easily distributed and shared on
performed. According to Cardwell, the CPU sanding, removing support structures, and the Internet. If copyright infringement goes
logo took 45 minutes and the cup took 4.5 smoothing surfaces via chemical means. unchecked, lawmakers may be forced to
hours to print. For instance, letting a 3D printed piece in step in and put restrictions in place, which
ABS sit for 20 minutes or so in a cloud of could negatively impact this rapidly growing
3D Reality Check industry. As always, self-regulation is in 3D
For the uninitiated and expert alike, 3D printing’s best interests, and it starts now with
printing really does feel like a revolutionary everyone who owns and uses a 3D printer.
technology capable of shaking up a number
of industries. But the current iterations of the Unrealized Potential
process do have several limitations. Although Right now, 3D printing is at that crucial
earlier in this article we showed you the vast stage where most everyone has heard about
array of materials that 3D printers can print, it, but its current limitations aren’t well
the fact of the matter is that an overwhelming understood. As Juniper Research’s Nitin
majority of them available for consumers use Bhas puts it, “In order for 3D printing
FDM and print solely in plastic, either ABS to successfully find a mainstream market
or PLA. If the items you plan to design can amongst consumers, it needs to widen
be made of plastic, then a 3D printer will the applications available that integrate
serve you well. Items that will be subject to consumer lifestyle and drive a number of
high temperatures or that will be exposed applications beyond professional printing.”
to food or liquids may not be ideal for these Fiesta dashboard-mounted iPod clamps
types of printers, and alternative additive aren’t going to do it.
manufacturing devices are significantly Deloitte Consulting’s Kasey Lobaugh
more expensive. estimates that within the next 10 to 20
When taking the DIY route, realize years, 3D printing will massively disrupt
Our finished mug may not be watertight, but it
that there will be mistakes, hiccups, retail. As materials beyond plastics, such
sure looks slick.
and spectacular failures. FDM is a very as ceramics, metals, and fabrics become
temperature-sensitive process; if the 3D cheaper to 3D print, you may find yourself
printer nozzle or the printing bed gets too at a retailer, picking out a product, selecting
hot, the object will sag and collapse, but if it’s Acetone vapor can smooth edges and add a color, choosing a design, and having it
too cold, the layers will separate and the end some fine detail. printed on-demand. One day, you may even
result will look more like an elaborate slinky. 3D printing as a manufacturing process be able to purchase and download ready-to-
Also, there are a lot of moving parts in is extremely inefficient when it comes to print 3D models from home, for a variety of
a 3D printer, and occasionally some will energy consumption. Many 3D printers use household objects, from dishes to car parts
break. That’s why it’s always a good idea to standard PC power supplies, but they often to clothes to food.
print out a spare set of replacement parts consume hundreds of watts for extended Today, teams at the Wake Forest Institute
(for RepRap printers) as soon as your printer periods, all just to produce one item at a for Regenerative Medicine are attempting to
build is complete. As you get more confident time. If you plan to accept commissions, use the biomedical 3D printing techniques
and work your way up to more complex and make sure to factor energy consumption they pioneered to craft over 30 distinct
time-consuming designs, periodically check into your rates. replacement tissues and organs, which has
in on the print to make sure it’s going well. In the realm of professional, industrial, the potential to shorten and ultimately
If not, you can always stop the process and and medical 3D printers, there are a lot of eliminate organ transplant waiting lists and
save yourself from needlessly wasting time, exciting things happening on practically a dramatically increase life expectancies. To be
filament, and power. Also, keep an eye on weekly basis. But these advancements are sure, 3D printing has a lot to offer but it still
the filament spool as its printing, it’s possible not ready for home users. Furthermore, has a long way to go. ■

78 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Q&A With Sam Garza
Getting To Know
No Compromise Gaming

Q : To start, can you describe

w h a t No C o m p r o m i s e
Gaming is and does for those
SG : We will work with
you to help you design
the computer of your dreams
who aren’t familiar? at a price you can afford. Just
submit a request or give us a
: No Compromise
SG Gaming makes it easy
and affordable for people to get
call, and one of our experts
w i l l w a l k yo u t h ro u g h t h e
design process. Also—coming
their hands on the latest and by the end of July, we will
greatest gaming computers, have a customization tool
laptops, and hardware. We offer available on our website
low payments and flexible lease that will allow our custom-
terms that can work with any ers to price builds quickly on
budget. We do not judge you their own.
by your credit score, so we are
able to offer these services to
just about anyone, even if you
have bad credit.
Q : Generally speaking, how
long does it take for a
customer to receive a custom
build once the order is

Q : Can you tell us about how

the company got its start
and when?
complete?

: The custom builds take

: I noticed that there : Most of our customers opt to

SG between five and seven

SG w e re v e r y f e w c o m p a n i e s
out there that offered gaming
SG do the rent-to-own program.
The great thing about the rent-
business days to build and test
before they are shipped out.

computer financing, and even fewer to-own program is its flexibility. You
that would do so for people with
less-than-stellar credit. I decided to
don’t have to decide up front whether
you wish to rent it temporarily or to
Q : Is there anything else you’d
like readers to know about No
Compromise Gaming?
change that. No Compromise Gaming’s rent for the full term for ownership.
website went live on Valentine’s Day in If something new comes out and you : First and foremost, we are
2012. Our first customer signed a lease
the very next day. Since that time, we
decide you want to upgrade your
system, we take your system back,
SG all passionate gamers. We are a
very friendly bunch and are super easy
have leased out hundreds of computers and you can rent a new one. You to work with. If you are new to the
and have very loyal and pleased customers can also buy your lease out early and PC gaming scene and need some help
located throughout the United States. save money. selecting a PC that is right for you,
we are more than happy to guide you

Q : Do most of your customers do

temporary leases, rent to own, or
pay the Buy It Now price?
Q : We noticed that your site offers a
custom build option. Can you tell
us how that works?
and help you find the right system for
your needs to get you gaming as soon
as possible. ■

80 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Look For CPU At These LAN Parties

06.21.14 07.24-27.14
Willamette Valley Gamers LAN LAN in the Highlands
Eugene, OR Seven Springs, PA
www.wvgamers.com www.clubconflict.com/events/lan2014
06.21.14 07.26-27.14
NekoLAN KNFE LAN 8
Redding, PA Whitewater, WI
nekocoregaming.com www.knfegaming.us
07.11-13.14 07.31-08.03.14
LANFest MLP’014 Summer* MillionManLan 13
Hamburg, NY Louisville, KY
lanfest.intel.com www.lanwar.com
07.11-14.14 08.16-17.14
PDXLAN 24* Video Gamers United Conference
Portland, OR Washington, DC
www.pdxlan.net www.vgu-con.com
07.13.14 08.16.14
Red Hawk Gaming #1 NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON
Naperville, IL Greenville, TX
rhawkgaming.com www.networkgamingclub.com
07.17-20.14 08.16.14
QuakeCon 2014* Willamette Valley Gamers LAN
Dallas, TX Eugene, OR
www.quakecon.org www.wvgamers.com
07.18-20.14 08.22-24.14
Meg-Con 2014 Otakuthon Anime Convention
Mason City, IA Montreal, QC
meg-con.com www.otakuthon.com
07.18-20.14 08.22-24.14
Naois Gaming Maryland LAN Gamers
York, PA Greenbelt, MD
www.naoisgaming.com www.marylandlangamers.net
07.19.14 08.29-09.01.14
NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON PAX Prime*
Greenville, TX Seattle, WA
www.networkgamingclub.com prime.paxsite.com

CPU / August 2014 83

Across The Nation—& Beyond! * Event scheduled to include a CPU case mod contest

08.30-09.01.14 10.25.14
SteelSky Willamette Valley Gamers LAN
Monroeville, PA Eugene, OR
steelsky.us www.wvgamers.com
09.06-07.14 10.31-11.02.14
LAN OC V15.0 AYBOnline Presents Baselan 27
Van Wert, OH Winnipeg, MB
lanoc.org/lan-parties www.aybonline.com
09.20-21.14 11.01.14
Naois Gaming Nexus LAN 14
York, PA Miamisburg, OH
www.naoisgaming.com www.nexuslan.org
09.20.14 11.07-09.14
NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON PDXLAN Charity LAN
Greenville, TX Portland, OR
www.networkgamingclub.com pdxlan.net
09.20.14 11.14.14
Willamette Valley Gamers LAN Maryland LAN Gamers
Eugene, OR Greenbelt, MD
www.wvgamers.com www.marylandlangamers.net
09.26-28.14 11.15.14
GNWLAN 12 NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON
Vancouver, WA Greenville, TX
gnwlan.com www.networkgamingclub.com
10.18.14 11.22.14
NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON Willamette Valley Gamers LAN
Greenville, TX Eugene, OR
www.networkgamingclub.com www.wvgamers.com
10.24-26.14 12.20.14
AWOL LAN 24 NGC’s LAN-A-GEDDON
Eau Claire, WI Greenville, TX
www.awollan.com www.networkgamingclub.com
10.25.14 02.20-23.15
Archetype Gaming LAN PDXLAN 25*
Kansas City, MO Portland, OR
archetypegaming.com/LAN pdxlan.net

Would you like us to help promote your next LAN?

Give us a call at 1.800.733.3809
We’ll be glad to consider your event

84 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

Q&A With Jacob Freeman
EVGA Product Manager On
SuperNOVA 850 G2 & 750 G2 PSUs
Q : For starters, what type of system and/
or usage scenario did EVGA have in
mind when designing the SuperNOVA
Q : We like that EVGA offers several
colors of individually sleeved
replacement cables. Have you received a
850 G2 and 750 G2 power supplies? good response to these offerings from
customers, and what else can you tell us
: For the 850 G2 and 750 G2, we
JF really targeted performance users,
gamers, and enthusiasts. With our naming
about them?

: So far the feedback has been really

convention we tried to make it simple. We
have B, G, and P, which indicate the unit’s
JF great! There were two key areas
that we focused on for the sleeved cables:
efficiency (Bronze, Gold, Platinum), and the providing flexible wiring and eliminating any
number indicates the performance level. For visible heat-shrink tubing. These cables are an
example, B1/G1/P1 will target users who are option for those who like the look but maybe
looking for performance at a very low price, don’t have the know-how on how to sleeve
and B2/G2/P2 focuses on performance, their own. Of course, if you spend the time
ripple, peak output, and so on. to sleeve the cables yourself, you can come up
with some really customized and impressive-
looking rigs!
Q : How does the units’ ECO Intelligent
Thermal Control System works?

JF : So the ECO Thermal Control

system allows the power supply to Q : We like fully modular PSUs, but
there’s a decent case to be made for
Q : Thanks for your time today. Is there
anything else you’d like readers to
know about EVGA’s SuperNOVA 850 G2
work as a “semi-passive” design, meaning semi-modular designs, as well. Can you tell and 750 G2 power supplies?
the power supply fan will only turn on when us why EVGA chose to go fully modular
needed. For EVGA PSUs, this means that : Thanks! For the 850 G2 and 750
the fan will turn on at temperatures of 55C
or higher. This feature is also optional, so if
on these units, and what the advantages
are from a design standpoint? JF G2, we wanted to focus on the
core of what makes a power supply great—
you prefer to have the fan on at all times you : There are multiple advantages. For performance, efficiency, customizability, and
can select this easily with a small switch on the
back of the PSU.
JF starters, it makes it easy to remove
each individual cable, allowing you to more
an excellent warranty at an attractive price
point. The feedback we have been getting
easily customize the layout of your cables in both from customers and from in-depth
your case, and also to do individual sleeving. editorial reviews indicates that we have
Q : Many power supplies come with
three-year warranties and a few
ship with five-year warranties. A 10-year
(I should point out that we also sell pre-
sleeved kits on our site if you prefer the look.)
achieved those goals.
EVGA is relatively new to the power
warranty is pretty rare. What about the 850 Secondly, some of the power supplies that supply scene, but we are veterans in the
G2 and 750 G2 makes such a warranty we offer have interchangeable cables, which enthusiast PC and gaming sector, so we
possible? means you can upgrade from something have a pretty good idea of what people
like an EVGA 1000 G2 to an EVGA 1300 expect and we listen to all feedback; I think
: We just really wanted to make a G2 without having to redo all your cables. most of our fans would agree on this. If
JF statement about the quality of our
power supplies. We believe that the EVGA
The downside to a fully modular design is
they can be a bit more expensive (not a lot)
you have any feedback, you can always
let us know on our forums, various social
power supplies that feature a 10-year because you need to have two PCBs inside networks, or by contacting me directly
warranty are some of the most reliable and the power supply: a main PCB that is at the at jacobf@evga.com or via Twitter at @
highest-quality power supplies on the market. base of the unit, and a modular PCB. EVGA_JacobF. ■

86 August 2014 / www.computerpoweruser.com

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