CeBIT 2012: Gigabyte G1.Sniper 3 Intel Z77 Motherboard Makes Its Appearance

Even though barely a year has passed since the introduction of the original G1.Sniper, Gigabyte has recently unveiled the third iteration of this motherboard which is based on Intel’s upcoming Z77 Express chipset. This G1.Sniper 3 seems to be Gigabyte’s most advanced solution for LGA 1155 processors, and so far it’s the only Z77-based motherboard we have seen to support 4-way CrossFire/SLI configurations. This is made possible thanks to the integration of a PLX PEX 8747 bridge chip, which takes the 16 PCI Express lanes available in Intel’s third generation Core processors and splits them into four PCIe x8 links. This chip is housed right under the middle motherboard heatsink.   Besides the four PCI Express x16 slots, the G1.Sniper...

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Intel Core i7-3770 Preview: On-Board GPU Outperforms AMD & Nvidia Low-End Cards

Even though Intel’s 22nm Ivy Bridge processors aren’t expected to be officially released until the end of April 2012, a preview of the Core i7-3770K CPU was recently posted online detailing, among others, the graphics performance of the chip when compared with AMD and Nvidia entry-level GPUs. The Core i7-3770K preview was published earlier today by AnandTech, one of the most well-known and trusted hardware review websites out there. From what we can tell, the CPU used for these tests is a “production quality Ivy Bridge” processor, but both the motherboard and graphics drivers used are still in a pre-production form. What this means is that Intel could still improve the graphics performance of Ivy Bridge through a series of driver updates. Despite...

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Sony Xperia S Officially Introduced in Singapore for $710 USD (540 EUR)

Sony already introduced the Xperia S in several European and Asian countries, but the smartphone’s availability is still limited.  Today, Sony announced the immediate availability of Xperia S in Singapore. Customers who want to purchase the device can do so for $898 SGD (710 USD or 540 EUR) off-contract. According to Sony, Xperia S is available in two colors, black and white through authorized retailers across the country. Sony Xperia S is now available in Spain and will soon make its debut in the UK via numerous carriers and retailers. Obviously, the smartphone is shipped with Android 2.3 Gingerbread on board, but Sony promised that an Ice Cream Sandwich upgrade would be deployed sometime during the second quarter of 2012. In addition,...

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NOOK Tablet Gets Unofficial Android 4.0 via CyanogenMod 9 ROM

A final version of CyanogenMod 9 has yet to be released, but independent developers are working on different versions of various Android devices that are now available on the market. One such device is the NOOK tablet which has just received its Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich ROM courtesy to CyanogenMod 9 Alpha 0. As the name suggests, this is work in progress, so it’s not suitable for everyday use. For example, the microphone and hardware video acceleration are not working for the moment. On the other hand, those who decide to flash this alpha release will be able to download apps, surf the Internet, read books and play games. Google Play is available as well, along with Google Music service. For more details on the unofficial Android 4.0 ROM for NOOK tablet, head over to the original...

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Apple Announces "The New iPad" with Retina Display

Tim Cook & Co. today introduced “the new iPad” - not the iPad 3, not the iPad HD, as some have speculated. Described as “the third generation of its category defining mobile device,” the new iPad features a stunning Retina display, a new A5X chip with quad-core graphics, a 5 megapixel iSight cam with advanced optics and 1080p HD video, 4G networking on AT&T and Verizon, and the longstanding 10 hour battery life. Philip Schiller, Apple’s senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, said: “The new iPad redefines the category Apple created less than two years ago, delivering the most amazing experience people have ever had with technology.” The new iPad will be available in black or white on Friday, March 16. Visit Apple’s web site...

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CeBIT 2012: ECS Presents Intel Z77 Black Extreme Motherboards for Ivy Bridge CPUs

Intel’s Z77 chipset for the company’s upcoming Ivy Bridge processors seems to be one of the most interesting topics at this year’s CeBIT fair, with virtually all motherboard makers, including ECS, showcasing LGA 1155 solutions based on this new PCH. The Taiwanese company actually came at the fair with not just one, but two motherboards developed around the Z77 Express chipset. The more advanced model of the two is called the Z77H2-AX Black Extreme and, according to TechPowerUp, this was developed especially to be used for 3-way SLI/Crossfire setups. In order to achieve this, ECS has added a PLX PEX8747 bridge chip to its creation. This takes the 16 PCI Express Gen 3.0 lanes available in Intel’s Ivy Bridge processors and splits them into...

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LTE iPad 3 Confirmed

Apple’s inventory system is showing up 4G iPads, according to a reliable source of Apple rumors. Citing a certain Mr. X who has been reliable with such tidbits in the past, 9to5mac reveals the part number for Apple’s fist-ever 4G / LTE device - MD369LL/A – IPAD WI-FI 4G 16GBLACK – USA. A recent Wall Street Journal report citing people familiar with the matter corroborates claims that the third-generation of tablet computers will be the first Apple gear to support the enhanced wireless standard mostly facilitated by Verizon in the United States. Both Verizon and AT&T are expected to carry the LTE iPads starting next week. Apple’s iPad 3 announcement is just around the corner...

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A6 CPU Reserved for iPhone 5, Source Says

Sources close to Apple are leaking numerous details regarding the company’s plans with the future iPad, a new Apple TV version reportedly launching later today, as well as information regarding the next major iteration in the A-series of Apple processors. With only a few hours away from Apple’s special event in San Francisco, California, almost the entire Apple blogosphere is convinced that Apple’s iPad 3 will boast an interim upgrade to the A processor dubbed A5X. It was previously rumored that Apple’s third-generation of iPads will boast a quad-core A6 SoC (system on a chip). The A6 chip was also said to be making its way into a future Apple television product. While both the iPad 3 and the 3rd-gen Apple TV are reportedly on the table...

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New H61-Based Motherboard from Asrock, the H61M-DGS

The H61M-DGS is the newest board surfacing from Asrock, a piece of gear that looks really nifty, judging by the announced specs. Being an H61-based motherboard, the H61M-DGS obviously works with the Intel 2nd generation Core processors, but it can also house K-series unlocked CPUs, and that's a really nifty feature helping those in search of extreme computing power. Users can install a maximum of 16 GB DDR up to 1600 MHz (when in conjunction with a 22nm Intel CPU). The integrated graphic chip is either Inter HD 2500 or HD 4000, with up to 1759 MB shared memory, supporting FullHD (1080p) Blu-ray playback for an enhanced multimedia experience. We kind've expected USB 3.0 connectivity with the Asrock H61M-DGS, or at least 6Gb/s SATA ports,...

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Intel's Xeon E5-2600 Can Encrypt and Decrypt Data in Real Time

The performance gain of 80% and the integration of the I/O straight into the new Xeon E5-2600 CPUs enabled something that was previously impossible.  Intel took advantage of the latency reductions and the overall performance boost to implement the Intel Advanced Encryption Standard New Instruction (Intel AES-NI).  Long story short, this technology encrypts and decrypts data in real time.  That means that the encryption is so fast that a video stream can be encrypted and broadcasted at the same time, without any performance drawbacks.  Doing this on previous-generation chips wasn't impossible per se, but a frame rate of 1 frame every two seconds (or more) didn't impress many people.  What's more, the encryption is...

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CeBIT 2012: Zotac Intros Trio of ZBOX Mini-PCs, Sport Intel Sandy Bridge CPUs

Zotac has just announced that it has expanded its ZBOX mini-PC lineup with three additional models packing AMD and Intel processors, designed to provide high-definition video playback in a compact form factor. The most powerful mini-PC to be introduced by the Chinese company is the ZBOX ID82, which is powered by an Intel Core i3-2330M Sandy Bridge CPU. This is just the second time that such a chip is being installed inside a Zotac Mini-PC. Besides the performance boost brought by Intel’s Sandy Bridge architecture, the dual-core 2330M processor also adds support for a series of video technologies, such as InTru 3D, Clear Video HD and Quick Sync video transcoding. “Zotac is always looking for ways to push the mini-PC performance envelope,”...

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EVGA Launches Classified SR-X Dual-Socket LGA 2011 Motherboard

After being showcased at various trade shows and events, EVGA’s Classified SR-X dual-socket LGA 2011 motherboard for Intel’s Xeon E5 series processors based on the Sandy Bridge-EP architecture is now finally official. The board was announced earlier this morning, soon after Intel made its Xeon E5 processor family official. Those of you familiar with EVGA’s creation would notice that the motherboard’s layout is almost identical with that of the SR-X presented earlier this year during CES 2012, but it has now received the addition of some new VRM and PCH heatsinks. Four of these were installed by EVGA in some key points of the board, thus managing to cool this monstrous HPTX solution using only passive cooling.  On the outside, the SR-X...

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CeBIT 2012: PowerColor Radeon HD 7970 Vertex II Makes Its Appearance

Well known to overclockers and enthusiasts, PowerColor’s Vertex II product line will soon get a new member as the company is currently working on releasing a new Radeon HD 7970 graphics card that will use this advanced cooling solution. The so called Radeon HD 7970 Vortex II was presented by PowerColor at this year’s CeBIT fair and, at a first look, it resembles last year’s Devil 13 HD 6970 quite a lot. Both cards use two 92mm fans accompanied by four large copper heatpipes with an 8mm diameter to draw the heat away from the GPU and into a large aluminum heatsink. In the case of the Vortex II this covers most of the graphics card’s PCB and is topped by a black, with some reddish accents, plastic shroud meant to direct the fan airflow downwards. If...

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17.3-Inch Toshiba Qosmio X870 Notebook Uses 3GB NVIDIA GPU

If anyone was wondering what new laptop to buy to play those latest games on, Toshiba may have just the thing, according to a report by TechDigest.tv. There should soon be a new Qosmio machine up for sale, one that combines the latest Intel CPUs with powerful NVIDIA graphics. The specs have almost entirely been exposed, but the price is still under wraps, which isn't that strange knowing when this Qosmio X870, as it is called, will debut. The company has it set for the second quarter, maybe when Diablo III launches. That said, the latest Intel CPUs are paired with 3GB NVIDIA discrete graphics (the exact GPU is not specified). Either way, the display of 17.3 inches will definitely have its work cut out for it, even if the resolution is 1,920...

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