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Domain: viperlair.com
Stories and comments across the archive that link to viperlair.com.
Stories · 50
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Corsair Nautilus500 External Cooling Kit
VL writes to tell us that they recently got a chance to review the latest external water cooling kit from Corsair. It seems that in addition to the performance boost it was also extremely easy to use. From the review: "As you can see above, the Nautilus500 was significantly quicker to install than the other two kits. The reason for this is that the motherboard needs to be removed before installation for both the EXOS and Aquagate, but not for the Nautilus500. Keep in mind that we're very familiar with the Aquagate Mini and Koolance EXOS, so those times are about as low as they get (for us anyway). We think we can maybe shave another minute for the Nautilus, but either way, a liquid system installed under 10 minutes is pretty impressive." -
Corsair Nautilus500 External Cooling Kit
VL writes to tell us that they recently got a chance to review the latest external water cooling kit from Corsair. It seems that in addition to the performance boost it was also extremely easy to use. From the review: "As you can see above, the Nautilus500 was significantly quicker to install than the other two kits. The reason for this is that the motherboard needs to be removed before installation for both the EXOS and Aquagate, but not for the Nautilus500. Keep in mind that we're very familiar with the Aquagate Mini and Koolance EXOS, so those times are about as low as they get (for us anyway). We think we can maybe shave another minute for the Nautilus, but either way, a liquid system installed under 10 minutes is pretty impressive." -
Silverstone ST30NF 300W Silent PSU reviewed
VL writes "Silence is golden as they say, but in Silverstone's case, it's, uh, silver. Will this silent PSU bring it, or will enthusiasts continue to be plagued with noisy PSUs? 'Initially I had some reservations of how a 300W PSU would handle our test system in real-world testing. Needless to say the Silverstone ST30NF 300W PSU got the job done efficiently and quietly, or should I say silently. It doesn't come cheap, ringing in at close to $150, but that's the price you pay for a high quality PSU that does not make any noise at all.'" -
Silverstone ST30NF 300W Silent PSU reviewed
VL writes "Silence is golden as they say, but in Silverstone's case, it's, uh, silver. Will this silent PSU bring it, or will enthusiasts continue to be plagued with noisy PSUs? 'Initially I had some reservations of how a 300W PSU would handle our test system in real-world testing. Needless to say the Silverstone ST30NF 300W PSU got the job done efficiently and quietly, or should I say silently. It doesn't come cheap, ringing in at close to $150, but that's the price you pay for a high quality PSU that does not make any noise at all.'" -
ATI All-In-Wonder X1900 PCIe Review
An anonymous reader writes "ViperLair is currently running a closer look at ATI's newly released All-In-Wonder X1900 PCIe graphics card. The clock speeds and memory are pretty comparable to other cards available but the reviewer warns that 'clock speeds do not always tell the whole story.' The review tests performance in Doom 3, UT 2004, Far Cry, Half-Life 2, and the 3DMark06 benchmarking tool." This release comes relatively quickly after the X1800 series which was release just last October. -
Seagate Momentus 120GB 2.5" HD
VL writes "A mobile user can never have enough storage space, so we checkout Seagate's latest solution for notebooks. Seagate's warranty is among the best I've seen at five years, which is much better than the one year or so that comes with laptops (and thus their hard drives) or the three years offered by others. Performance is what this drive is targeted to excel at, an it seems to do so fairly well. In our tests we saw it do markedly better than the Hitachi drive in most tests that focused on performance. Battery life was slightly lower than that of the Hitachi drive but within 2% of that drive. " -
Seagate Momentus 120GB 2.5" HD
VL writes "A mobile user can never have enough storage space, so we checkout Seagate's latest solution for notebooks. Seagate's warranty is among the best I've seen at five years, which is much better than the one year or so that comes with laptops (and thus their hard drives) or the three years offered by others. Performance is what this drive is targeted to excel at, an it seems to do so fairly well. In our tests we saw it do markedly better than the Hitachi drive in most tests that focused on performance. Battery life was slightly lower than that of the Hitachi drive but within 2% of that drive. " -
Blue Tango Classic Bluetooth MP3 Player Reviewed
VL writes "Looking to broadcast your tunes around the house? We look at a product that does that without the hassles of wires. The theory behind this sound card is very interesting, that of wireless audio from a computer to a speaker system in another room. The downside to this is that it is a class II Bluetooth device, which suffers from short range for the signal, 12' isn't really that great for a wireless device." -
Blue Tango Classic Bluetooth MP3 Player Reviewed
VL writes "Looking to broadcast your tunes around the house? We look at a product that does that without the hassles of wires. The theory behind this sound card is very interesting, that of wireless audio from a computer to a speaker system in another room. The downside to this is that it is a class II Bluetooth device, which suffers from short range for the signal, 12' isn't really that great for a wireless device." -
Router Built for Gamers
VL writes "Ping times suck? Too much lag? If your loved ones are hogging all your bandwidth with P2P and torrents, you'll want to check out the D-Link DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router. This is a router designed for gamers that also happens to be a great router for regular folks." -
Router Built for Gamers
VL writes "Ping times suck? Too much lag? If your loved ones are hogging all your bandwidth with P2P and torrents, you'll want to check out the D-Link DGL-4300 Wireless 108G Gaming Router. This is a router designed for gamers that also happens to be a great router for regular folks." -
Asetek's Extreme CPU Cooler Tested
VL writes "Do-It-Yourself Phase Change Cooling Systems are built and used by a few folks, but they can be complicated to build, mostly messy, and dangerous; certainly not something you should get into without knowing what you are doing. But as with anything like this, there is always a turn key solution brought to market you can buy. Enter asetek, and their VapoChill series of Phase Change Cooling systems. What we have on the review bench here specifically is the asetek VapoChill Lightspeed [AC], a case separate enclosure containing a Phase Change Cooling system for your PC's CPU." -
Asetek's Extreme CPU Cooler Tested
VL writes "Do-It-Yourself Phase Change Cooling Systems are built and used by a few folks, but they can be complicated to build, mostly messy, and dangerous; certainly not something you should get into without knowing what you are doing. But as with anything like this, there is always a turn key solution brought to market you can buy. Enter asetek, and their VapoChill series of Phase Change Cooling systems. What we have on the review bench here specifically is the asetek VapoChill Lightspeed [AC], a case separate enclosure containing a Phase Change Cooling system for your PC's CPU." -
Koolance Water Cooling Kit
VL writes "Overall, Koolance has a very impressive kit in the PC3-720 and is definitely worth considering if you're interested in an easy to use water-cooling setup. Performance is very good, and the case aesthetics are top notch in our opinion. Pricing is something we do have a problem with. Aluminum case aside, this is an expensive setup." -
Koolance Water Cooling Kit
VL writes "Overall, Koolance has a very impressive kit in the PC3-720 and is definitely worth considering if you're interested in an easy to use water-cooling setup. Performance is very good, and the case aesthetics are top notch in our opinion. Pricing is something we do have a problem with. Aluminum case aside, this is an expensive setup." -
Flexiglow UV Reactive Neon Paint
VL is running a review of (no I'm not kidding) UV Reflective Paint for whatever sort of artistic case design aspirations you might have. Various colors and some bad photos make me kind of wonder about the whole thing, but perhaps others have more informed thoughts... -
Flexiglow UV Reactive Neon Paint
VL is running a review of (no I'm not kidding) UV Reflective Paint for whatever sort of artistic case design aspirations you might have. Various colors and some bad photos make me kind of wonder about the whole thing, but perhaps others have more informed thoughts... -
FIC Condor Small Form Factor Reviewed
VL writes "A gamer's best friend? That's FIC's catch phrase, and we take them to task in our latest review. 'FIC put together a nice little barebone PC, but missed on some important features that enthusiasts have come to expect. While it's no slouch in gaming, it does not stand out in the performance department which is a shame as the design itself was well thought out.'" -
FIC Condor Small Form Factor Reviewed
VL writes "A gamer's best friend? That's FIC's catch phrase, and we take them to task in our latest review. 'FIC put together a nice little barebone PC, but missed on some important features that enthusiasts have come to expect. While it's no slouch in gaming, it does not stand out in the performance department which is a shame as the design itself was well thought out.'" -
Ahanix D5 Media Center Enclosure
VL writes "Ahanix has delivered an enclosure that gives you everything you would desire in an HTPC. The versatility of using MicroATX or Standard ATX motherboards, the look and feel of high end audio/video equipment and a VFD information center that gives the added information of what is playing. It comes at a hefty price tag mind you, but in this particular situation, you get what you pay for." Now that's what I'm talking about. Anybody know of any other commercially available cases as well suited to putting in a stereo system? -
Ahanix D5 Media Center Enclosure
VL writes "Ahanix has delivered an enclosure that gives you everything you would desire in an HTPC. The versatility of using MicroATX or Standard ATX motherboards, the look and feel of high end audio/video equipment and a VFD information center that gives the added information of what is playing. It comes at a hefty price tag mind you, but in this particular situation, you get what you pay for." Now that's what I'm talking about. Anybody know of any other commercially available cases as well suited to putting in a stereo system? -
ATI TV Wonder USB 2.0 Reviewed
An anonymous reader writes "ViperLair reviews the ATI TV Wonder USB 2.0, a sort of low-rent option for those you want to add a TV tuner or video-in to their machines, but would prefer an outboard piece of equipment instead of cracking open their case and dropping in a daughter board." -
X-Connect 500W Modular PSU
VL writes "Sure, power supply reviews aren't all that interesting, but we take a look at one nice PSU that delivers power where it counts, and best of all, it is the best modular setup we've seen in this market segment." -
X-Connect 500W Modular PSU
VL writes "Sure, power supply reviews aren't all that interesting, but we take a look at one nice PSU that delivers power where it counts, and best of all, it is the best modular setup we've seen in this market segment." -
The Athlon 64 3000+, A Budget Gamer's Perspective
VL contributes a link to Viperlair's budget-conscious and game-oriented review of an AMD processor that's not on the bleeding edge, but makes a good showing for the money: "For the price of the Socket-939, you can pick up an A64 3000+, K8T800 based motherboard, and a decent mid-range video card. For gamers on a budget, I think the choice is obvious." -
The Athlon 64 3000+, A Budget Gamer's Perspective
VL contributes a link to Viperlair's budget-conscious and game-oriented review of an AMD processor that's not on the bleeding edge, but makes a good showing for the money: "For the price of the Socket-939, you can pick up an A64 3000+, K8T800 based motherboard, and a decent mid-range video card. For gamers on a budget, I think the choice is obvious." -
Looking Forward to Intel's Grantsdale and Alderwood
VL writes "Over the next several days, you'll be hearing a lot about Intel's significant upgrade to the Pentium 4 platform. Soon enough, that brand new Canterwood board you have will be yesterday's news as two new words will be on the lips of all enthusiasts... Grantsdale and Alderwood." -
Looking Forward to Intel's Grantsdale and Alderwood
VL writes "Over the next several days, you'll be hearing a lot about Intel's significant upgrade to the Pentium 4 platform. Soon enough, that brand new Canterwood board you have will be yesterday's news as two new words will be on the lips of all enthusiasts... Grantsdale and Alderwood." -
12GB CompactFlash Cards Coming Soon
Anonymous Photographer writes "As Digital Photography Review reports, Pretec will release a 12 Gigabyte CompactFlash card by the end of the year... for just $14,900. Of course, you could save $14,300 by purchasing three Creative Labs Nomad MuVo 4 GB MP3 players and removing the Hitachi 4 GB microdrives to get the same amount of CompactFlash storage. Heck, I'll do the CF removal for you, at the low price of only $10,000. Think of the money you'll save." And for those seeking a different sort of windfall, VL writes "With MuVo 2 shells going on the cheap now, now is as good a time as any to pick one up and installing your own Compact Flash card to get it running again." -
12GB CompactFlash Cards Coming Soon
Anonymous Photographer writes "As Digital Photography Review reports, Pretec will release a 12 Gigabyte CompactFlash card by the end of the year... for just $14,900. Of course, you could save $14,300 by purchasing three Creative Labs Nomad MuVo 4 GB MP3 players and removing the Hitachi 4 GB microdrives to get the same amount of CompactFlash storage. Heck, I'll do the CF removal for you, at the low price of only $10,000. Think of the money you'll save." And for those seeking a different sort of windfall, VL writes "With MuVo 2 shells going on the cheap now, now is as good a time as any to pick one up and installing your own Compact Flash card to get it running again." -
X-Arcade MAME Dual Controller Rated
VL writes "Keyboards and mice are great for gaming, but sometimes you need something old school... especially when playing those MAME classics - here's ViperLair's review of the X-Arcade dual controller." X-Arcade also makes a single-player version, and a sturdy-looking trackball. -
X-Arcade MAME Dual Controller Rated
VL writes "Keyboards and mice are great for gaming, but sometimes you need something old school... especially when playing those MAME classics - here's ViperLair's review of the X-Arcade dual controller." X-Arcade also makes a single-player version, and a sturdy-looking trackball. -
Seven Color LED Mousepad
VL writes "If you're into LED mousepads, but one color isn't enough... how about one that has seven that you can choose from with a press of a button? " Gotta admit, it looks pretty nifty. -
Seven Color LED Mousepad
VL writes "If you're into LED mousepads, but one color isn't enough... how about one that has seven that you can choose from with a press of a button? " Gotta admit, it looks pretty nifty. -
Hardware Review Sites and Vendor Relationships
VL writes "Manufacturers demanding content changes is nothing new in the tech site community. We take a look at this topic, including one very public example that started in the past three weeks." -
Hardware Review Sites and Vendor Relationships
VL writes "Manufacturers demanding content changes is nothing new in the tech site community. We take a look at this topic, including one very public example that started in the past three weeks." -
All-in-Wonder 9600 Pro Review
VL writes "From synthetic, to real-world game benchmarks. TV capture, DVD playback, and 2D/3D image quality... we covered all the bases with a review of All in Wonder 9600 Pro." -
All-in-Wonder 9600 Pro Review
VL writes "From synthetic, to real-world game benchmarks. TV capture, DVD playback, and 2D/3D image quality... we covered all the bases with a review of All in Wonder 9600 Pro." -
The Quest For Frames Per Second In Games
VL writes "Ever wondered why it is exactly everyone keeps striving for more frames per second from games? Is it simply for bragging rights, or is there more to it than that? After all, we watch TV at 30fps, and that's plenty." This editorial at ViperLair.com discusses motion blur, the frame-rate difference between movies and videogames, and why "...the human eye is a marvelous, complex and very clever thing indeed, but... needs a little help now and then." -
Examining Benchmarking
VL writes "Benchmarks exist to determine how a particular piece of hardware performs in relation to itself, and to others. Question is, are readers getting the information they really need?" -
Examining Benchmarking
VL writes "Benchmarks exist to determine how a particular piece of hardware performs in relation to itself, and to others. Question is, are readers getting the information they really need?" -
MSI's Home Theatre PC Reviewed
VL writes "MSI, long time motherboard and video card manufacturer, has upped the ante somewhat with their MSI Entertainment and Gaming (MEGA 651) PC. Like other popular SFFs, the MEGA 651 is still "cube" in appearance, and offers support for fast CPUs and an AGP slot, but it has some unique ideas that target those specifically looking into building a Home Theater PC (HTPC). " -
MSI's Home Theatre PC Reviewed
VL writes "MSI, long time motherboard and video card manufacturer, has upped the ante somewhat with their MSI Entertainment and Gaming (MEGA 651) PC. Like other popular SFFs, the MEGA 651 is still "cube" in appearance, and offers support for fast CPUs and an AGP slot, but it has some unique ideas that target those specifically looking into building a Home Theater PC (HTPC). " -
A Condensed History Of The Keyboard
An anonymous reader points to this overview of old (good) keyboards versus the cheap and nasty kind which begins "Today's keyboards aren't what they used to be, no sir! Back in my day, we had our BS technology; our keyboards had chassis's which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days." Not a lot of new information, but some good visuals. -
Cooler Master's Latest High-End Case Reviewed
Hubert writes "Cooler Master, pioneer of the aluminum cases, overhauled one of their most popular models, and released something enthusiasts should consider when shopping for a new case." Cooler Master has also come out with some cases which might meet the often-expressed demand for PC enclosures which would look at home in an A/V rack. Pricey, though. -
Cooler Master's Latest High-End Case Reviewed
Hubert writes "Cooler Master, pioneer of the aluminum cases, overhauled one of their most popular models, and released something enthusiasts should consider when shopping for a new case." Cooler Master has also come out with some cases which might meet the often-expressed demand for PC enclosures which would look at home in an A/V rack. Pricey, though. -
Hardware Bytes
Zygo writes "Hey everyone Merry Christmas! (Yes I'm a bit too late) Here's some Hardware & Modding news! : At WinHQ the Xoxide X450 Case, Some pretty Cold Cathode lights over here, nice MX mouses at LANParty, At ClubOC the Swiftech MCX462+T, Some shocking Shockwave Fangrills over at ExtensionTech, Playing Mp3 with the iRock 530 here, a Big cooler here, OCIA brings you the Solarism LM-1711 17" LCD screen, Vantecs Fan Controller at ExtremeMHz, and a 8x GF4 Ti4200 at Viper's Lair" -
A Selective History Of The Keyboard
Anonymous Gimp writes "Today's keyboards aren't what they used to be, no sir! Back in my day, we had our BS technology; our keyboards had chassis which allowed 'em to be thrown off a 3-story building and still work - barely dented. Yes those were the days. Now we've got these newfangled Wireless Ergonomic E-Mail button membrane keyboards. To heck with them, I say!" -
Bubble-Plexi Case Mod
sandv!per writes: "If you want to spruce up the front of your case a bit, and those lighted case badges don't seem like enough, check out Matt's guide on making a "bubble-plexi" mod." There are disclaimers and warnings all over the place about injuring yourself while attempting this mod, so have fun but don't bitch if you lose a thumb ;) -
Bubble-Plexi Case Mod
sandv!per writes: "If you want to spruce up the front of your case a bit, and those lighted case badges don't seem like enough, check out Matt's guide on making a "bubble-plexi" mod." There are disclaimers and warnings all over the place about injuring yourself while attempting this mod, so have fun but don't bitch if you lose a thumb ;)