Fully Assembled (from Leaked Parts) iPhone 6 Boots up for the First Time [Video]

This has to be a strange first. A team that customizes iOS devices and has connections inside the Apple's supply chain managed to get their hands on ever part of the next iPhone 6. And since they have the necessary expertise, the guys assembled the phone and turned it on.

The video footage posted online is pretty short, but it shows a real working iPhone 6, for the first time, even before Apple's big reveal. The guys over at Feld & Volk are the first to have a fully functional iPhone 6, because they made their own. Earlier this morning they have revealed parts of the device like the back casing and logic board. We were able to see the A8 System on a Chip and a new chip that may turn out to be one related to the NFC. A few hours later, the same team has posted another photo and now a video of the next-generation iPhone booting up.

Take this with a grain of salt, because some of the details of the phone do not match iOS 8 and the device may have an iPhone 5s digitizer behind the iPhone 6 screen. Apple will be announcing the new phone on September 9th in an event scheduled to take place in Cupertino, California.

Fully assembled iPhone 6
Image credits to Feld&Volk

Videos credits to Feld&Folk

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Apacer DDR4 2133 Revealed

Most, if not all, of the memory modules and kits based on the new DDR4 specification have, so far, sported some kind of heatspreader or other. Apacer decided it was high time one came out that wasn't so encumbered. 

Truth be told, most of the other DDR4 modules and kits released so far could have probably worked without a heatspreader of their own. However, the vast majority of them don't just restrict themselves to the standard 2,133 MHz performance, like the new Apacer DDR4 2133 4 GB/8 GB Unbuffered DIMM does. Instead, they come in overclocked versions as well, going as high as 3 GHz in some instances. After all, as good as DDR4 is compared to DDR3, and no matter how efficient (1.2V instead of 1.65/1.5/1.35V), it would be weird if DDR4 only came in 2,133 MHz when DDR3 can exceed 3 GHz on good days.

Back to the new Apacer RAM, though. Needless to say, the new DIMM modules are intended for computers based on the new Intel Core i7-5000 CPUs. They have been through temperature and high/low pressure testing, as well as live PC and motherboard tests. Unfortunately, Apacer did not see it fit to disclose the price of the DDR4 2133 4 GB/8 GB Unbuffered DIMMs.

Apacer DDR4 2133 4 GB/8 GB Unbuffered DIMM
Image credits to Apacer

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Gigabyte's X99 Motherboard Line Includes Eight Different Models

Motherboards are the basis for all computers. Sure, most people probably choose the CPU before they decide on the mainboard, but the platform determines everything else. That's why the new X99 series from Gigabyte is such a big deal.

Not that Gigabyte is the only one releasing motherboards powered by the X99 chipset. That would be strange considering the impending release of Intel's Core i7-5000 series Haswell-E central processing units. What does set Gigabyte apart from all other companies is the sheer number of different such motherboards that are, or soon will be, available for order. There are eight of them to be precise, called GA-X99-Gaming G1 WIFI, GA-X99-Gaming 7 WIFI, GA-X99-Gaming 5, GA-X99-SOC Force, GA-X99-UD7 WIFI, GA-X99-UD5 WIFI, GA-X99-UD4, and GA-X99-UD3. Gigabyte has set up a specific section on its website where you can find all the information on each model, from bare specs to perks the others lack.

For our part, we'll take a gander at the most important common denominators, the things they have in common that are most relevant, figuratively speaking. For one thing, all the newcomers use an all digital CPU power design from International Rectifier, which includes digital 4th Generation digital PWM Controller and third-generation PowIRstage controllers which power even the most energy-sensitive and demanding components precisely. High-end chokes are another asset, providing server-level reliability and high-current capacity, plus less heat from power loss. The CPU VRM is also more efficient. The feature list continues with solid capacitors, and 3-way or 4-way multi-graphics setups (SLI for NVIDIA, CrossFire for AMD, up to 320 Gb/s bandwidth).

Furthermore, the new mainboards have Dual M.2 technology, meaning that there are two m.2 slots where you can install new SSDs, for 1.8 GB/s performance (on a good day) instead of 500-600 MB/s. Turbo M.2 tech ensures 20 Gbps bandwidth. SATA Express is also available, as is Creative Sound Core3D audio technology (driven by a Realtek ALC1150 controller) and a LED-equipped heatsink. Everything is held together by a copper PCB (2X Copper PCB design with power trace paths that withstand great power loads) and gold-plated CPU socket, PCI Express slots and DIMM slots (8 RAM modules supported). These and many other features were integrated by Gigabyte. The press release below has all the details, although it may prove a rather dry read. The PR veers most verbose, if you know what we mean. Sales should begin soon, for a price of around $400 - $500 / €400 - €500. Image gallery below, click for larger image.

Gigabyte X99 Motherboard
Images credits to Gigabyte

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Overclocker's New Record, Pushes AMD FX-8370 CPU to 8722.78 MHz

Overclocking records are serious business, even if few people actually pay attention to them anymore. A Finnish overclocker calling themselves "The Stilt" just established the new record on the AMD FX-8370.

The processor normally runs its eight cores at 3.3 GHz and eats 125W of energy, or at least that's how much power the system has to use to keep the heat at manageable levels. The Stilt, however, was able to manipulate the base clock, voltages and cooling in such a way that he pushed the frequency a lot higher than that. Specifically, the overclocker was able to drive the AMD FX-8730 to 8722.78 MHz, a clock that was never achieved before on this processor, and most others for that matter. The key was setting the base clock at 276.91 MHz and the multiplier at 31.5x, while core voltage was held steady at 2.004V.

Meanwhile, the 8 GB of DDR3 RAM (2 x 4 GB) ran at 1,107 MHz (2,214 MHz DDR). An ASUS Crosshair V Formula-Z motherboard held everything together, including a liquid nitrogen evaporator. The LN2 pot looks about as steamy and weird as you'd expect, although the roll of toilet paper used as insulation definitely raised a few eyebrows, even though it's not the first time such a method is employed. In case you're still skeptical, HWBOT has validated the newest world record.

AMD FX-8370 overclocked to kingdom come
Image credits to HWBOT

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Qualcomm Teases Multi-Core 64-Bit HTC Desire 820 Smartphone for IFA 2014

Chipset maker Qualcomm announced earlier this month that the first smartphone equipped with its own 64-bit system-on-chip would be unveiled this fall and would effectively go on sale by the end of the year.

Several days ago, HTC took the wraps off the world’s first smartphone powered by a 64-bit chipset, the Desire 510. However, the newly announced handset is aimed at the affordable segment of the market, so we expect a mid-range 64-bit smartphone to be launched next month as well. Although previous rumors claimed that the HTC Desire 820 would be the world’s first 64-bit smartphone, it looks like the Taiwanese company has saved the reveal of this particular device for IFA 2014. Today, Qualcomm has taken a step further and teased another smartphone powered by a 64-bit chipset, which we believe is the same unannounced Desire 820 that leaked a few weeks ago. The device in the teaser looks exactly like the one that popped up in China a few days ago. According to the teaser, this 64-bit smartphone will be officially announced in early September and will be showcased at IFA 2014 in Berlin, Germany.

Unlike Desire 510 that features a Qualcomm Snapdragon 410 chipset, the upcoming HTC Desire 820 is said to be packed with a Snapdragon 615 chipset, which is slight more powerful. The Desire 820’s system-on-chip accommodates an octa-core Cortex-A53 processor and an Adreno 415 graphics processing unit. No other details on the smartphone have leaked online yet, but there’s a high chance that more info will emerge in the coming days, so stay tuned.

HTC Desire 820 teaser
Image credits to Qualcomm

We’re thinking about your future: a #Snapdragon powered multi-core 64-bit smartphone is headed to @IFA_Berlin. pic.twitter.com/CS9w7HZGna
— Qualcomm (@Qualcomm) 28 Agustus 2014

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