Corsair 667MHz Memory, LG Dual Layer Drive, Something Tiny from Sony and More...

Good morning everyone.  Man-o-man the news just keeps flowing this week.  After seeing Marco's post last night, I was worried I may not have much for you this morning, but that certainly is not the case.  Once again we pulled together a hefty dose of hardware reality for you to start your morning off the right way.  By the time your are done with this, your coffee should be cold.  So let's jump in and see what's on tap...

Corsair Memory Announces 667 Megahertz XMS2 Modules

Fremont, CA, June 30, 2004: Corsair Memory, Inc., a global leader in ultra-performance DDR memory modules for PC gamers and enthusiasts, today announced new XMS2 5300 speed modules at low latencies. Today Corsair introduced four new products in this family of ultra-fast modules. These memory modules offer the incredibly fast speeds of DDR2 5300 and the low latencies of 4-4-4-12.

These come in several density options as well as in matched pairs. Developed specifically for Alderwood and Grantsdale DDR2 platforms, these products range from 256MB to 1GB. These products are based on the new DDR2 technology which increases the memory bandwidth available for memory intensive applications. JEDEC standard latencies at 667 MHz are 5-5-5-15, but Corsair's 5300C4 modules are rated at 4-4-4-12 to deliver exceptional performance.

DDR2, the second generation of Double Data Rate memory technology, includes new features such as a larger 4-bit prefetch and programmable on-die termination (ODT) to reduce signal bounce and improve reliability at high speeds. This new specification also utilizes 240 pins.

According to Joe James, Corsair Marketing Director, "the DDR2 5300C4 modules are extremely fast and are a must-have for all gamers."

The DDR2 5300 product line currently includes the following products:

TWIN2X1024-5300C4: matched pair of two 512MB 5300C4 modules
TWIN2X512-5300C4: matched pair of two 256MB 5300C4 modules

CM2X512-5300C4: 512MB 5300C4 module
CM2X256-5300C4: 256MB 5300C4 module

All of these DDR2 5300 modules and TWINX pairs are available immediately from resellers world-wide.

More information on Corsair is available at www.corsairmemory.com

HIS 9550 VIVO Reviewed @ Overclockersonline.com:

"Hightech Information Systems, HIS for short, isn't the most famous graphics card manufacturer in the world. They have, however, been around since 1987 and are Hong Kong's leading graphics board maker. In 2002, they partnered up with ATi and adopted the "Excalibur" coin for their ATi based video cards. The term Excalibur came directly from the sword of King Arthur. If you don't know the story, read the book or catch the movie coming out this summer in North America."

 Sony Vaio U50 Mini PC Review @ Designtechnica:

"While the Vaio U50/U70 sits somewhere between the power of a laptop and the portability of a PDA, it is still considered to be an "accessory PC", and it suffers from the same usage limbo that plagues other such computers. That being said, if you find a place for an ultra-portable PC in your life, you cannot find a better option than the Sony Vaio U50/U70. The U50 is a definite head turner, and completely capable of most any task that you would do on a regular desktop, laptop or PDA.  Why Sony chose to use standard Windows XP Home and not Tablet Edition is beyond us, since our only major complaint is the lack of a truly usable input method. However, if you plan to use the U50 as a slightly underpowered PDA replacement in your oversized pocket, or as a portable system with several docking stations, you will love the U50."

 Quieting a PC on the cheap @ The Tech Report:

"I'm definitely more bothered by the constant drone of a high-powered computer system than I used to be. Recently, I upgraded my system and removed a 760MPX board with dual Athlon MP 2000 processors. I still had a use for this setup, so I put it into an Antec SX-830 enclosure which I had in reserve. Unfortunately, it was loud. Very loud. Something had to be done, but I didn't want to blow a lot of money on the problem, money that could be better spent on... faster computer parts. I decided this would make an interesting experiment. How much could I improve the noise level of this case without shelling out a lot of cash? Read on and see."

 LG GSA-4120B Triple Format Double Layer DVD Writer @ ExtremeMHz:

"We previously looked at the excellent Lite-ON SOHW-832S and were impressed with its performance and features. Today, however, we are pleased to bring you a review of the first 12x triple format DVD writer to hit the market, the LG GSA-4120B. While many companies have been releasing their 12X and double layer drives separately, LG had other plans in mind with their latest DVD writer. This drive offers you the best of both worlds, 12X write support as well as double layer writing. On top of that, it also supports DVD-RAM writing, providing the highest media support of any drive currently available."

 Battle of the 2.4 GHz Hammers @ GamePC Labs:

"Today at GamePC, we've taken a look at three top of the line AMD processors, all based on their Hammer architecture, and all clocked at 2.4 GHz. We've got the Athlon64 FX-53, the Athlon64 3800 , and the Athlon64 3700 processors in the labs, and we wanted to see what kind of real-world performance differences there would be between these three chips. Despite all having the same clock speed, these chips differ in terms of socket form factor, cache, and memory interfaces, but how much do these factors play in terms of overall performance, and are the high-end processors really worth the extra money?"

 Yeong Yang Cetus YY-5601 Mid ATX Tower Case @ hardcoreware.net:

"The 5601 is a mid-tower ATX case, sporting a nice aesthetic, and some neat features (check out that louvred front fan intake!). We'll take you through the features on this case, and you can decide if Yeong Yang is another company to add to your list of brands to check out in the future..."

Thermaltake PurePower 480W Butterfly PSU Review @ NewsTechInfo:

"Thermaltake is one of the leaders in the computer case, power supply, and cooling markets. They have been producing high quality products for a long time. Today we have Thermaltake's popular Butterfly power supply unit. This unit features 480W of power and is solely designed for enthusiasts. It also has lots of features, incredible stability, and a good price point for users who are looking for a new power supply for their personal computers. How well does this unit performs? Read on and find out..."

Alrighty then...that's a wrap for now.  But don't stray for too long, there is more goodies on the way!