Xtreme CPU

Xbox One Revealed Today

Kristopher Wandall — Tue, 21 May 2013 17:45:59 +0000

Today, Microsoft unveiled it’s newest gaming machine, the Xbox One. The live event is happening now and we’ll keep you updated with what information we get.

1:48pm – Just announced with the help of Steven Spielberg, there is going to be a live action TV show of Halo.

1:51pm – The all-in-one entertainment system for your living room. Launching later this year… no confirmed date. E3 will be showcasing more games and exclusives for Xbox One. On stage now is Activision introducing Call of Duty Ghosts, exclusive to the Xbox One. Everything you new about Call of Duty is now new in Ghosts. New characters, new worlds, new gameplay.

The next gen engine for Call of Duty is all new, creating beautiful environments and characters. Multiplayer will be introducing dynamic maps in Call of Duty Ghosts along with character customization. A demonstration was shown between the differences of MW3 and Ghosts. Discussed were the differences in texture, lighting, polygons, etc…. Amazingly, this is everything that has been available to PC gamers for years, but that is a debate best left out of this coverage.

What do you guys think of the new look and new ideas happening with the Xbox One?

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Live Event

Bitcoins: Fame or Lame?

Michael Wallace — Sun, 07 Apr 2013 14:08:15 +0000

We’ve heard so much about this virtual currency. From different people mining for the currency to the government possibly stepping in to regulate it. We’ve had some time to look at this and mine for bitcoins. Back around the time that we started this website, We got heavily vested in Folding@Home. It was exciting and an absolute challenge. I think our users can really relate to this. Since then, F@H has sort of dropped off and we simply are not really based around F@H anymore, But we’ve looked at getting into something new as a community. Could mining for bitcoins be it?

If your not familiar with bitcoins yet. Each bitcoin is worth anywhere from 120 to 150 USD per bitcoin. It gained almost overnight success when Cypress’s national currency died, bitcoin’s adopted in to keep things going. Overnight we saw bitcoins go from 20 USD per bitcoin to 120 USD . Very impressive if you ask me. It turned the currency from not being profitable to mine to being profitable.

So what does it mean to Mine bitcoins? When you mine bitcoins you run mathematical calculations for the bitcoin network to verify and confirm transactions and increase security. To reward people for their services, bitcoin minder can essentially collect transaction fees for the transactions they can confirm along with newly created bitcoins.

Sounds easy doesn’t it? It’s not. It’s actually very hard to do and requires a LOT of power(CPU/GPU).

My nVidia 690 only was able to do about 200 megahashs/sec. Which may make you 1 bitcoin per month.

What is a hash? Hash rate is really a unit of measuring the processing power of intensive mathematical calculations and operations for the security of the bitcoin network. 200 Megahashs/s would be 200,000,000 hashs/sec.

How is your money protected? They use a key system similar to the OpenSSH system. You have a private key, and a public key. If you loose your private key, you essentially loose your money. When you want to send a payment or receive a payment. You receive or send someone your public key. The system is essentially a P2P system, and one downfall is you cannot get your money back after its sent. It is very necessary that you protect your private key, because if you do happen to loose this. you are SOL.

So I think the biggest question is, is it worth it? The only person who can answer that is yourself. I can tell you that there are a lot of computer shops, and clothing shops that are accepting bitcoins to receive payment. Can you imaging paying .1 bitcoin or possibly less for clothing? Well its a very real possibility.

Let us know what you think.

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Battlefield 4 – 17 minutes

Michael Wallace — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 15:06:59 +0000

We’ve all enjoyed playing Battlefield series. The realistic combat almost brought me back to the time I served. Battlefield 3 was simply outstanding. The level of detail. How objects responded back to your interactions. It was almost so perfect. We’ve just got news that Battlefield 4 is in the works. All I can say after watching their 17 minute teaser is WOW.

Tell us what you think!

Razer Edge Available for Pre-Order

Kristopher Wandall — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 16:25:56 +0000

During our visit to CES this past January, we were surprised to see a full fledged x86 tablet being introduced by Razer. While we knew that they had been working on a gaming tablet, we did not expect it to be a Windows 8 device. Of course, we are excited about it being full x86 compatible, but what does that mean to battery life and your pocket book?

Well, today we get part of that answer. The 128GB version of the Razer Edge is up for pre-order on Amazon for $1299 and $1499 for a 256GB version. Razer’s website has a 64GB version that can be yours for $999. Technical specifications, excluding SSD, are as follows:

Tech Specs

$999 64GB Version

Intel Core i5 dual core w/ Hyperthreading running at 1.7GHz and up to 2.6GHz with Turbo
4GB DDR 3 dual channel
Intel HD4000 plus NVIDIA GT 640M and 1GB of RAM with Optimus technology
10.1″ IPS Panel with resolution up to 1366×768

$1299 128GB Amazon Version

Intel Core i7 3517U running at 1.9GHz and up to 3GHz with Turbo
Intel HD4000 plus NVIDIA GT 640M LE and 2GB of RAM with Optimus technology
8GB of DDR3 Memory
10.1″ IPS Panel with resolution up to 1366×768

The $1499 Amazon version is the same as the $1299 with an increase in SSD size, as mentioned above.

It will be interesting to see how well this performs against the Surface Pro. Of course, gaming will go to the Razer Edge, but there is more to a tablet than gaming.

Amazon Listing

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NVIDIA Introduces Its First Integrated Tegra LTE Processor

Kristopher Wandall — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:14:43 +0000

As if the news of the GTX Titan was not enough, NVidia announced on the 19th of February that they were introducing their first Tegra chip integrated with LTE. Known as the Tegra 4i, it packs 60 custom GPU cores, a quad core CPU based on ARM’s newest and most efficient architecture and chip, the Cortex A9 r4 (plus a fifth core to save battery life), and the newly integrated NVidia i500 LTE modem. Man, that was a mouthful! On the plus side, we get a highly efficient, fully integrated chip that should bring smartphone enthusiasts the power and long battery life they have been looking for in such a device.

The Tegra 4i is clocked at 2.3GHz on the CPU side. With 5 times the number of GPUs as compared to Tegra 3, we should see a huge increase in the quality of graphics in mobile games. Keep in mind, that the Tegra 4i is an LTE enabled chip, whereas the Tegra 4 has more processing power on both the CPU and GPU side. You can see the exact differences in the chart below.

For more information, check out the press release linked below.

Press Release

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NVIDIA’s GTX Titan Set for Release on February 25, 2013

Kristopher Wandall — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:00:30 +0000

As a bit of a surprise, February 19, 2013 came with news of a new NVidia GPU being released. The GeForce GTX Titan is set to be launched on the 25th of February with an MSRP of $999 USD. Along with that price tag you get 7 billion transistors, 2668 GPU cores and up to 4.5 Teraflops of single precision and 1.3 Teraflops double precision processing power. If your wallet is willing, you can add up to two more GTX Titan’s in 3-way SLI for the ultimately expensive, but most powerful, gaming rig on the planet.

The amazing specifications keep on rolling, too. The GTX Titan sips a maximum of 250W. Not only is it a power conscious GPU, but it is small enough to fit in most small form factor cases, appeasing to the wants and needs of many tiny PC enthusiasts (the PCs are tiny, not the enthusiasts). For more information, check out the press release linked below. We are working hard to get a hold of a GTX Titan to review, but with all the big dogs hogging up the action, it will be some time before we can put our grubby hands on one.

Press Release

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Apple Updates Processors & Prices of MacBook Pro with Retina Display

Kristopher Wandall — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:50:48 +0000

A press release issued by Apple today reveals pricing changes to their notebook lineup as well as some processor bumps. The 13-inch MacBook Pro now retails for $1499 with a 128GB SSD. More price cuts include the 13-inch MacBook Air which was reduced to $1399 with a 256GB SSD. CPU upgrades go to the 15-inch MacBook Pro with Retinal display. New quad core processors are now humming along at 2.4GHz and 2.7GHz with the latter being the top-of-the-line model.

You can check out the full press release below. New models and pricing are available now from Apple.com.

Press Release

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G.SKILL Launches World’s Fastest DDR3 32GB Memory Kit – Trident X Series 32GB (4 x 8GB) 2800MHz C11-13-13-35 @ 1.65v

Kristopher Wandall — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:45:22 +0000

As time moves on, so does increases in RAM speed. With DDR4 on the horizon, manufacturers are pushing DDR3 speeds to the max. G.SKILL is not new to pushing the limits of RAM, and today, have introduced the worlds fastest DDR3 32GB memory kit, the Trident X Series 32GB (4x8GB) 2800MHz C11-13-13-35.

Included in this press release was a screen shot showing a 15 hour stress test of the RAM using Mem Test Pro on an ASUS P8Z77 motherboard and an Intel i7 3770K CPU.

For more information, please visit the links below.

Press Release

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Zotac Refreshes ZBOX nano XS Series with AMD Brazos 2.0

Kristopher Wandall — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:23:28 +0000

In the ever shrinking world of computer components, Zotac introduces an update to their ZBOX nano XS series HTPCs with AMD Brazos 2.0. Below is the press release.

ZOTAC Refreshes ZBOX nano XS with AMD Radeon HD 7340 Graphics

ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS series updated with AMD Brazos 2.0 platform

HONG KONG – Feb. 05, 2013 – ZOTAC International, a global innovator and leading
manufacturer of graphics cards, mainboards and mini-PCs, today refreshes the extra
small ZBOX nano XS series. The refreshed ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS with AMD Radeon
HD 7340 graphics maintains the pocket-sized form factor while delivering an extra
injection of performance.

“ZOTAC is pleased to deliver AMD’s latest Brazos 2.0 platform in our tiny ZBOX
nano XS chassis. The latest update brings greater performance while reducing power
consumption from the previous generation,” said Carsten Berger, marketing director,
ZOTAC International.

The ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS with AMD Radeon HD 7340 graphics is available as
a barebones or with 2GB of DDR3 memory and a 64GB SSD (PLUS). Users are free to
install their preferred operating system on the ZOTAC ZBOX nano XS with AMD
Radeon HD 7340 graphics – the system is Windows 8, 7 and OpenELEC ready.

General details

ZOTAC Refreshes ZBOX nano XS series
New AMD Radeon HD 7340 graphics processor
AMD E2-1800 APU
Dual-core (1.7 GHz)
PLUS models available with preinstalled memory and hard drive
o 2GB DDR3
o 64GB mSATA SSD
HDMI output
802.11n Wi-Fi (USB)
High-amperage USB charging capable (yellow ports)
Bundled MCE-compatible remote w/ USB IR receiver
Bundled VESA75/100 mount

The CPU may not be the most powerful out there, but the Radeon HD 7340 GPU is plenty to push HD content to a big screen. We will have to get our hands on one to find out how well it compares with a full fledged HTPC. There was no pricing available, but we would expect it to be listed around the AD11 series price range of $399. An update will be made once pricing is confirmed.

Press Release

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Apple Increases iPad with Retina Display to 128GB

Kristopher Wandall — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 17:13:26 +0000

Big news from Apple… well, storage news, that is:

PRESS RELEASE:

CUPERTINO, California―January 29, 2013―Apple® today announced a 128GB* version of the fourth generation iPad® with Retina® display. The 128GB iPad with Wi-Fi and iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular models provide twice the storage capacity of the 64GB models to hold even more valuable content including photos, documents, projects, presentations, books, movies, TV shows, music and apps.
“With more than 120 million iPads sold, it’s clear that customers around the world love their iPads, and everyday they are finding more great reasons to work, learn and play on their iPads rather than their old PCs,” said Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing. “With twice the storage capacity and an unparalleled selection of over 300,000 native iPad apps, enterprises, educators and artists have even more reasons to use iPad for all their business and personal needs.”
iPad continues to have a significant impact on business with virtually all of the Fortune 500 and over 85 percent of the Global 500 currently deploying or testing iPad. Companies regularly utilizing large amounts of data such as 3D CAD files, X-rays, film edits, music tracks, project blueprints, training videos and service manuals all benefit from having a greater choice of storage options for iPad. The over 10 million iWork® users, and customers who rely on other incredible apps like Global Apptitude for analyzing team film and creating digital playbooks, Auria for an incredible 48 track recording system, or AutoCAD for drafting architectural and engineering drawings, also benefit greatly from having the choice of an iPad with more storage capacity.
“Our AutoCAD WS app for iOS was designed to give customers seamless access to their designs anywhere, anytime,” said Amy Bunszel, vice president of AutoCAD products for Autodesk. “These files are often large and highly detailed so having the thin and light iPad with its Multitouch display, integrated camera and all-day battery life, is a real advantage for iPad users to view, edit and share their AutoCAD data.”
“The features and capabilities of iPad give us the ability to set a new standard for multitrack recording and editing on a mobile device,” said Rim Buntinas, WaveMachine Labs’ CEO. “Users of the Auria app can play 48 mono or stereo 24bit/96 kHz tracks simultaneously, record up to 24 of those tracks simultaneously, and also edit and mix with familiar tools. With its portability and all-day battery life, iPad has revolutionized recording for audio professionals allowing artists to record anywhere.”
“The bottom line for our customers is winning football games, and iPad running our GamePlan solution unquestionably helps players be as prepared as possible,” said Randall Fusee, Global Apptitude Co-Founder. “The iPad’s unbeatable combination of security, being thin and light, having an incredible Retina display and also being powerful enough to handle large amounts of data enables us to deliver a product that takes film study to a new level and ultimately gives our users the best opportunity to prepare, execute and win.”
The fourth generation iPad features a gorgeous 9.7-inch Retina display, Apple-designed A6X chip, FaceTime® HD camera, iOS 6.1 and ultrafast wireless performance**. iOS 6.1 includes support for additional LTE networks around the world***, and iTunes Match℠ subscribers can download individual songs to their iOS devices from iCloud®.
iPad runs over 800,000 apps available on the App Store℠, including more than 300,000 apps designed specifically for iPad, from a wide range of categories including books, games, business, news, sports, health, reference and travel. iPad also supports the more than 5,000 newspapers and magazines offered in Newsstand, and the more than 1.5 million books available on the iBookstore℠.
Pricing & Availability The new 128GB versions of the fourth generation iPad will be available starting Tuesday, February 5, in black or white, for a suggested retail price of $799 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi model and $929 (US) for the iPad with Wi-Fi + Cellular model. All versions of the 128GB iPad will be sold through the Apple Online Store (www.apple.com), Apple retail stores and select Apple Authorized Resellers.

What are your thoughts and comments about the increase in storage capacity for the 4th Gen iPad with Retina display?

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