Matthew Wilson 10 hours ago Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
In late 2020, Square Enix finally brought Dragon Quest XI over to the Xbox platform and better yet, the game was also available on Game Pass. Now, it looks like Xbox will be getting more Dragon Quest games, including the excellent spin-off Dragon Quest Builders 2.
Dragon Quest Builders 2 originally released in mid 2019 for the Nintendo Switch and PS4. Later that same year, the game was also made available on Steam.
Now, Microsoft has announced that Dragon Quest Builders 2 will finally be coming to Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S consoles. Additionally, the game will launch on Game Pass for Console, PC and Cloud, marking the latest step in a long running Game Pass partnership with Square Enix.
The game officially arrives on the 4th of May, on that date, Game Pass subscribers will be able to install the game and start playing. Those who don’t have Game Pass will have to fork out £44.99.
KitGuru Says: I played quite a bit of this at release on Nintendo Switch. It’s a fun game and certainly worth an install if you have Game Pass. Will any of you be grabbing this one next month when it comes to Game Pass on PC and console?
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Dominic Moass 11 hours ago Featured Tech Reviews, Graphics
External GPU enclosures have been around for a few years now, most of them using Thunderbolt 3 which provides four PCIe 3.0 lanes. We’ve tested a few solutions over the years, including Razer’s Core X and the Sapphire GearBox, but today we’re taking a closer look at just how well an eGPU can perform. To do so, we test Nvidia’s RTX 3060 Ti, RTX 3070, RTX 3080 and even the RTX 3090, across 1080p, 1440p and 4K resolutions. Is there any benefit to using a faster GPU over Thunderbolt 3? That’s what we will find out today.
Watch video via Vimeo (below) or over on YouTube at 2160p HERE
For this investigation, we’re using Cooler Master’s new EG200 external GPU enclosure. It’s the company’s first eGPU product and has an MSRP of £329.99, though it is not currently listed for sale in the UK. As a standard Thunderbolt 3 enclosure, you are free to use pretty much any graphics card you want, though there is a size restriction as cards cannot be bigger than 325 x 141 x 54 mm.
We’re testing with the ASUS TUF RTX 3080 and TUF RTX 3090, as well as Nvidia’s RTX 3060 Ti and RTX 3070 Founders Editions. Testing all four GPUs will allow us to get a clear idea of how performance scales with an eGPU, which is what we are interested in. We know all four will be faster than using integrated graphics, but is there any benefit to the RTX 3090 over an RTX 3080 when using a Thunderbolt 3 dock? That’s what we’re looking at today.
Of course, we also need a device to connect the dock to, and we opted for the Razer Blade 15 Base. This is the latest 2021 model, and obviously the most important thing is that it has a Thunderbolt 3 port. The CPU is also important though, as overall gaming performance will vary depending on the calibre of processor inside your host PC. The Blade uses Intel’s i7-10750H, which is a 45W hexa-core CPU. It’s beefier than an ultra-low power processor you may find inside an Ultrabook, but for our testing today it will do the job just fine.
Cooler Master EG200 Specification:
SERIES: MasterCase Series
SIZE: External GPU
MODEL NUMBER: MCM-EG200-KNNA55-S00, MCM-EG200-KNNA55-UK
AVAILABLE COLOR(S): Black
MATERIALS: Steel, Plastic, Mesh
DIMENSIONS (L X W X H): 383 x 140 x 208mm (incl. Protrusions), 371 x 128 x 204mm (excl. Protrusions)
Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Featured Tech News, General Tech
MSI has been dabbling in the world of all-in-one PCs for a while now and this week, we’re getting some brand new models. Today, MSI announced the Modern AM241 and Modern AM271 series of all-in-one PCs, featuring Intel 11th Gen processors.
The new Modern 24 and 27 series PCs are designed with efficiency and productivity in mind, while also looking rather elegant. Each system comes with an OPS display for wide viewing angles and better colours. Under the hood, you’ll find an Intel 11th Gen Core series processor, with MSI offering up to an Intel Core i7-1165G7, but Core i3 and Core i5 configurations are also available.
In the table below, you can see the full specification list for the MSI Modern AM241 and AM271 PCs:
Specification
Modern AM241
Modern AM241T
Modern AM241P
Modern AM241TP
Modern AM271
Modern AM271P
CPU
Up to Intel® Core™ i7-1165G7
OS
Windows 10 Home – MSI recommends Windows 10 Pro for business
23.8″ IPS Grade Panel LED Backlight (1920*1080 FHD) with MSI Anti-Flicker technology
23.8″ IPS Grade Panel LED Backlight (1920*1080 FHD) with MSI Anti-Flicker technology
27″ IPS Grade Panel LED Backlight (1920*1080 FHD) with MSI Anti-Flicker technology
27″ IPS Grade Panel LED Backlight (1920*1080 FHD) with MSI Anti-Flicker technology
TOUCH PANEL
Non-Touch for Modern AM241 /
In-cell 10-Point Touch for ModernAM241T
Non-Touch for Modern AM241P /
In-cell 10-Point Touch for ModernAM241TP
Non-Touch
Non-Touch
ADJUSTABLE STAND
-5° ~ 15° (Tilt)
-4° ~ 20° (Tilt) ;
0 ~ 130mm (Height)
-5° ~ 15° (Tilt)
-4° ~ 20° (Tilt) ;
0 ~ 130mm (Height)
OPTICAL DRIVE
N/A
AUDIO
2 x 2.5W Speakers
LAN
1 x RJ45 (10/100/1000)
WIRELESS LAN
Intel 9462 AC / AX201 AX (either one)
BLUETOOTH
5.1
USB 3.2 PORT
4 (2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type C, 2x USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type A)
USB 2.0 PORT
3
HDMI IN
1
HDMI OUT
1
AUDIO
1x Mic-in/Headphone-out Combo
5-WAY NAVIGATOR
1
KEYBOARD / MOUSE
Optional
AC ADAPTER
90W / 120W (Core i3 above)
AIO WALL MOUNT KIT III
Support Standard VESA Mount (75x75mm)
DIMENSION (WXDXH)
541.40 x 175.09 x 406.86 mm (21.31 x 6.89 x 16.02 inch)
541.40 x 194.68 x 534.92 mm (21.31 x 7.66 x 21.06 inch)
611.75 x 169.96 x 436.06 mm (24.08 x 6.69 x 17.17 inch)
611.75 x 169.96 x 553.52 mm (24.08 x 6.69 x 21.79 inch)
NET WEIGHT
4.65 kg (10.25 lbs)
6.16 kg (13.58 lbs)
5.82 kg (12.83 lbs)
7.42 kg (16.36 lbs)
GROSS WEIGHT
7.35 kg (16.20 lbs)
8.45 kg (18.63 lbs)
8.60 kg (18.96 lbs)
10.00 kg (22.05 lbs)
With more people working from home and relying on virtual meetings, MSI has bumped up the specs of the webcam, delivering 1080p quality. The option to remove the webcam is also there for those concerned about privacy.
Using MSI Instant Display Technology, the Modern AM series can also be used as a standalone monitor for a second system, meaning you don’t have to boot up the PC hidden behind the display. These all-in-one systems also support using a second monitor through an additional HDMI output. Standard VESA mounts are supported for those who prefer having a monitor arm – MSI even has a ready to go solution for that with the VESA Arm MT81.
We’re still waiting on pricing and availability information, but we’ll update if/when we hear more. Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Do any of you use an all-in-one PC for work at all? What do you think of the new MSI Modern series systems?
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Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
Last week during Capcom’s Resident Evil Showcase stream, the publisher announced that Resident Evil Village will indeed be getting a demo. There was just one problem – it would only be available in a small 24 hour window. Fortunately, Capcom has decided to reconsider and as a result, the demo will be available for a much longer period of time.
In an update posted this afternoon, Capcom said: “we’ve heard your feedback and are extending the availability period” for the hour long Resident Evil Village demo.
The demo will now be available in the US from 5PM PDT on 1st May to 5PM PDT on 9th May. Here in the UK, that works out to 1AM BST on 2nd May to 1AM BST on 10th May. In Europe, it will be available from 2AM CEST on the 2nd of May until 2AM CEST on the 10th of May.
The demo itself is not limited to any platform, so you’ll be able to play it on PC, Xbox, PlayStation and even Google Stadia. The game will be fully released on the 7th of May.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: A 24 hour window for a highly anticipated game like RE Village did always seem a bit too limited. Fortunately, now many more people will be able to try the game for themselves ahead of release. Will any of you be playing the demo?
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Matthew Wilson 1 day ago Featured Tech News, Operating Systems, Software & Gaming
Last week, a lot of PC gamers ran into issues after updating Windows 10. The update seemed to diminish performance and introduced errors with V-Sync and BSOD crashes. If you’ve been experiencing these issues then we have some good news for you, a new update is now available to fix everything back up.
These issues crept up in two different Windows 10 updates – KB5001330 (mandatory security patch) and KB5000842 (optional update). Microsoft later acknowledged the issue officially, updating its support page to say: “A small subset of users have reported lower than expected performance in games after installing this update. Most users affected by this issue are running games full screen or borderless windowed modes and using two or more monitors”.
Now as reported by Windows Latest, we know that a fix has begun rolling out. Fortunately, the fix was applied server-side, meaning users don’t need to download and install another full Windows 10 update to benefit from the fixes.
The fix itself automatically disables the new code that caused these issues. Microsoft will do some additional bug fixing before enabling the code again in a future update.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Were any of you impacted by the recent Windows 10 issues? Is everything back to normal now, or are you still encountering problems?
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Acer is pushing the limits of refresh rate with its new gaming monitor. Until now, a 360Hz refresh rate was the highest we have ever seen on gaming monitors, but Acer decided to go beyond by launching the XV252Q F, pushing its refresh rate as high as 390Hz through overclocking.
Like other Acer XV2 monitors, the XV242Q F features a simple design with black with red accents. It comes with a 25-inch AUO AHVA (IPS-like) panel with a FullHD resolution, a 0.5ms G2G response time, and a 360Hz native refresh rate and a 390Hz maximum overclock. This panel supports Adaptive-Sync, including AMD FreeSync Premium with VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and LFC (Low Frame Compensation).
The 400nits of brightness and 1000:1 static contrast ratio combined with an 8-bit colour depth allow the monitor to cover 99% of the sRGB gamut. The XV252Q F monitor comes with VESA DisplayHDR 400 certification, allowing users to play games or playback videos with HDR enabled, and VRB (Visual Response Boost), which is basically Acer’s strobe backlight technology.
The fully ergonomic stand allows users to tilt, swivel, pivot, and adjust the height. There’s also a set of VESA 100x100mm mounting holes in the back of the monitor. Video outputs include 2x HDMI 2.0 ports and a DisplayPort 1.4. Moreover, there’s a pair of 2W speakers and a 3.5mm audio jack.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru says: A 390Hz refresh rate might not be for everyone, but those who have the PC for it will probably be delighted with the experience. Do you have a PC capable of outputting 390FPS at 1080p?
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Matthew Wilson 3 days ago Featured Tech News, Software & Gaming
This week, DICE and EA began teasing this year’s Battlefield game, promising bigger battles and more destruction than ever before. Battlefield 6 isn’t the only new project in the works though, EA is also planning a Battlefield mobile game to compete with the likes of Call of Duty Mobile and other mobile-based shooters.
In a blog post, DICE GM, Oskar Gabrielson, writes: “It’s always been our vision to bring Battlefield to more platforms. So, after years of prototyping, I’m super happy to be able to let you know that our friends at Industrial Toys, working closely with all of us here at DICE, are developing a completely new Battlefield game bringing all-out warfare to smartphones and tablets in 2022.”
The post goes on to explain that this will be a standalone game and will be completely separate from the PC and console versions of Battlefield. As far as gameplay goes though, the team hasn’t revealed much. It could end up being a mobile-focused battle royale, or it could be something more akin to Call of Duty Mobile, which is a smaller scale version of COD’s multiplayer modes.
Currently, Battlefield Mobile is in the testing phase and isn’t planned to release until 2022, so it could be a while before we see it in action.
Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.
KitGuru Says: Since PUBG and Fortnite went mobile, it has become more common for larger IP to get dedicated mobile games. With that in mind, it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see Battlefield following that trend. What do you all think of the idea of a Battlefield mobile game?
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Tuesday’s Newegg shuffles always seem to have the most options, and today’s shuffle brings with it a sale on one of AMD’s best CPUs plus a wide selection of Nvidia’s best graphics cards. Only the former is up for grabs solo, but you’re still able to sign up for a chance to buy the Ryzen 9 5900X, RTX 3060, RTX 3070, RTX 3080 or RTX 3090 today. Plus, the Radeon RX 6800 XT is on offer today too, if you want to go for a pure AMD build.
While previous shuffles have had solo purchase options, consoles or bundles with monitors, today’s shuffle brings us back to motherboard, RAM and power supply pack-ins. They’re not overpriced, but you’re not saving anything on these components, either. Newegg is just tacking them on to hard-to-find graphics cards so that you have to buy one to get the GPU you’re probably actually here for.
That said, there is an option to buy a Ryzen 9 5900X on its own for $549 in today’s shuffle, which is probably the most enticing offer today. There’s also an RTX 3080 and 1440p @ 165Hz monitor bundle that’s up for grabs and is probably less likely to give you a redundant part than a motherboard bundle — who doesn’t want a second (or third) monitor?
Of course, you can also splurge on other graphics cards across Nvidia’s RTX 30-series lineup, and there’s even some pretty fancy third-party custom options with water cooling and RGB lighting available. Just be prepared to get a motherboard or other component with your GPU. The Radeon RX 6800 XT bundles also have some pretty swank looking gear from ASRock, plus it’s pretty high up in our GPU benchmarks hierarchy. Although, you’ll be trading away DLSS and some ray tracing capability if you go AMD.
While it’s true that the prices in Newegg Shuffles are higher than the MSRPs for these items, our eBay GPU pricing index shows that they’re still generally far lower than what you’re likely to get from scalpers. In most cases, even with the bundled components you’ll end up with a lower price than on eBay for just the GPU.
For those unfamiliar with the process, Newegg Shuffle uses a lottery format. Just select the component(s) you’d like to potentially buy. Then Newegg will hold a drawing later today, after which the ‘winners’ will be notified by email with the chance to purchase an item (only one) within a several-hour period. Based on our experience, you won’t get selected most of the time. But hey, it’s free to try.
Today’s complete options and prices consist of the following:
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X for $549
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with Antec 550W Power Supply for $594
AMD Ryzen 9 5900X with Cooler Master Water Cooler for $679
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite with Gigabyte B550 Aorus Elite Motherboard for $674
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite with Gigabyte B550M Aorus Pro Micro ATX Motherboard for $644
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3060 Elite with Gigabyte B550 Gaming Motherboard for $719
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ventus OC with OLOy 2 x 8GB RAM for $844
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Ventus OC with OLOy WarHawk RGB 2 x 8GB RAM for $839
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3070 with Gigabyte B550 Aorus Pro Motherboard for $994
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3070 with Gigabyte 750W Power Supply for $899
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3070 with Gigabyte X570 Aorus Elite Motherboard for $994
Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 with ASUS TUF Gaming 27 inch 1440p @ 165Hz Monitor for $1,409
Asus TUF Gaming GeForce RTX 3080 with Asus Strix B550-F Gaming Motherboard for $1,269
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Vision OC with Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master Motherboard for $1,454
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Vision OC with Gigabyte Z490 Aorus Master Motherboard for $1,464
Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3080 Vision OC with Gigabyte 850W Power Supply for $1,229
ASRock Radeon RX 6800 XT with ASRock B550M Steel Legend Micro ATX Motherboard for $1,439
ASRock Radeon RX 6800 XT with ASRock Z490 Aqua Extended ATX Motherboard for $1,789
Gigabyte Geforce RTX 3090 Vision OC with Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master Motherboard for $2,504
Gigabyte Geforce RTX 3090 Vision OC with Gigabyte 850W Power Supply for $2,279
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Xtreme Waterforce with Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master Motherboard for $2,704
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Xtreme Waterforce with Gigabyte 850W Power Supply for $2,479
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Xtreme Waterforce plus AIO Cooling System with Gigabyte 850W Power Supply for $2,479
Gigabyte Aorus GeForce RTX 3090 Xtreme Waterforce plus AIO Cooling System with Gigabyte X570 Aorus Master Motherboard for $2,704
Regarding those pumped up prices, it’s worth noting that some of these components are also third-party custom options that generally include some extra features. It’s also unclear how much of the pricing increase comes direct from Newegg as opposed to from the AIB partners, though we do know that multiple GPU vendors announced higher prices due to increased tariffs several months ago.
With component shortages plaguing the PC industry, not to mention the smartphone and automotive industries, the latest word is that prices aren’t likely to return to ‘normal’ throughout 2021. If you can keep chugging along with whatever your PC currently has, that’s the best option, as otherwise prices are painful for all of the Nvidia Ampere and AMD RDNA2 GPUs.
Today’s Newegg shuffle starts at 1 pm EST/10 am PST. The Newegg Shuffle normally lasts for 2 hours, so if you’re interested in any of these components, act fast!
For other ways to get hard-to-find graphics cards, check out our RTX 3080 stock tracker and our feature on where to buy RTX 30-series cards. And for more Newegg savings, visit out page of Newegg promo codes.
Secretlab today announced that it’s expanding beyond gaming chairs with the Secretlab Magnus Metal Desk, which it designed specifically with PC gamers in mind. Before you ask, yes, that does mean the desk features RGB lighting. But that isn’t the only way Secretlab tried to make the Magnus Metal Desk differ from all the humdrum desks made for non-gamers. A pile of modular, magnetic features help make it stand out by making cables do the opposite.
(Image credit: Secretlab)
As its name implies, the Magnus Metal Desk is made from stainless steel, which is “finished with a textured obsidian powder coat,” according to Secretlab’s announcement. The primary exceptions are the aluminum corner blocks and, presumably, rubber stoppers that prevent the desk from destroying the floor. That all-metal construction isn’t just for show; it’s critical to the Magnus Metal Desk’s magnet-based appeal.
Magnetic Cable Management
The most important aspects of the Magnus Metal Desk (aside from its flat plane and the four legs that support it) are its cable management features. Secretlab said it created a “specially fabricated cable management tray, hidden by an easy-access rear hinged cover,” to give people a way to keep their desks clear of all the eyesores upon which gaming setups rely.
(Image credit: Secretlab)
That cable management tray is complemented by a “proprietary ecosystem of modular, magnetic accessories.” Right now that ecosystem features magnetic cable anchors, a magnetic cable sheath and cable fastening straps meant to be used in the cable management tray (surprise!), as well as a dedicated hanger that’s supposed to be attached to the front of the desk for displaying your best gaming headset.
More Magnet Mania
The company’s obsession with magnets didn’t stop there. Of course, Secretlab made a magnetic strip of RGB LEDs designed specifically for the Magnus Metal Desk. The company said these MAGRGB Diffused RGB LED Strips feature 90 LEDs per meter that can shine with seven different colors and four pre-built lighting effects at variable brightness levels, with the help of a bundled remote control.
(Image credit: Secretlab)
It also designed a magnetic desk mat, sold separately, that covers the entirety of the Magnus Metal Desk’s surface with a “plush and durable leatherette” that’s complemented by “metal sleeves.” Some of those mats will look familiar too because they’re made in collaboration with eSports organizations like Cloud9 and Team Liquid.
Secretlab said that it has “many more add-ons on the way” but didn’t specify when those add-ons will arrive. It doesn’t even seem like the headphone hanger’s been finalized; the image provided to the press is merely a render. We probably won’t know how large the Magnus Metal Desk ecosystem will be for a while after release.
On a non-magnetic topic: Secretlab said it designed the Magnus Metal Desk in tandem with its Secretlab Omega and Secretlab Titan gaming chairs. For example, the armrests line up with the edge of the desk by default, with support for angles between 90-100 degrees. This is supposed to make the desk more ergonomic than its competition; although, this seems like a bit of a stretch. We won’t know for sure unless we try the Magnus Metal Desk for ourselves.
(Image credit: Secretlab)
Secretlab is launching the Magnus Metal Desk with a 59-inch-long top, and a smaller ,47-inch-long version is “coming soon.” Both versions are 27.5 inches wide, stand 29 inches tall by default and can be manually set to about 0.8 inches higher than that. All of the legs are individually adjustable, too, which is supposed to provide greater stability on uneven flooring.
Both desk sizes can hold up to 220.5 pounds, according to Secretlab, and 55.1 pounds on the rear cover, where all the cable management happens. The company will cover both desk models with a 5-year limited warranty.
Price and Release Date
Here’s the rub: Secretlab didn’t say when exactly it plans to release the 47-inch Magnus Metal Desk or its price. The larger, 59-inch version is available now though for $449. But $449 doesn’t net you the whole setup. Once you add the Magnus Cable Management Bundle, which includes the magnetic cable anchors, magnetic cable sheaths and cable fastening straps for $44 (parts of the bundle are also sold separately), and the $59 RGB strip for the 59-inch desk, you’re looking at a $552 bill.
It’s easy to laugh at the idea of a gaming desk—especially when so much of the other furniture meant for gamers is genuinely laughable (looking at you, gaming bed). And this setup gets expensive quick. But Secretlab might well end up laughing its way to the bank, as the Magnus Metal Desk seems like a compelling option for people who want a decently sized desk that can help them manage their setups — even if many of the Magnus Metal Desk’s accessories are magnetic takes on existing products.
Secretlab, which you may know for its gaming chairs, is announcing its first-ever PC desk — the Magnus Metal Desk — and the company has a smart solution to help you manage your cables: you’ll be able to attach magnetic cable-management accessories right onto the desk.
The company will offer proprietary accessories like magnetic cable holders to keep your phone’s charging cable from slipping off your desk and a magnetic cable sheath that can be attached to one of the desk’s legs. The desk has a cable tray in the back you can use to store cables as well.
The Magnus desk doesn’t just use magnets to help hide cables, though — Secretlab is also making a desk mat that attaches magnetically so it will stay in place while you’re gaming or working. The company calls it the Magpad Desk Mat.
The Magnus’ magnetic cable holders and the cable tray.Image: Secretlab
And if you want to add a little color to your desk space, Secretlab is also offering a magnetic RGB lighting strip that connects near the back of the desk. You can see it reflecting off the back of the desk in the photo above.
The Magnus desk is 29 inches tall, but you can also manually raise the desk up as much as 0.8 inches higher to help make it the right height for you. But that still means this won’t offer as much height flexibility as a desk that can swap between sitting and standing positions. The desk will also be offered in two lengths: 59 inches, which is available now, and a smaller 47-inch model, which will be available “later.”
The desk itself starts at $449, and it will be available in the US, EU, and Singapore at launch. The magnetic accessories will cost extra.
Acer is making new inroads in the components market, with both Acer- and Predator-branded SSD storage and RAM modules. The brand has been licensed by Biwin Technologies, which will release the products in the United States, United Kingdom, China, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. Pricing and release dates weren’t announced, though the products have shown up on two dedicated websites.
The Acer SSDs include a 2.5-inch SATA SA100 SSD, an m.2 RE100 SATA drive, and an M.2 PCIe Gen 3 FA100 NVMe SSD. The RAM products include both laptop SODIMM and desktop UDIMM modules ranging from 4GB to 32GB per module, with speeds from 2,666 MHz to 3,200 MHz.
(Image credit: Acer, Biwin)
For “high-performance computing enthusiasts,” there will also be an HT100 RAM module with a heat spreader.
On the Predator side, there’s just one SSD: the GM3500, a PCIe Gen 3×4 NVMe SSD with 3,400 MBps promised read speeds and 3,000 MBps write speeds.
(Image credit: Acer, Biwin)
There are two Predator RAM modules: The Predator Apollo, a “cyberpunk inspired” module with RGB lighting that works with Asus, Aorus, ASRock and MSI’s lighting platforms. It has an aluminum heatsink, can utilize Intel XMP 2.0 and supports speeds between 3,200 MHz and 5,000 MHz.
(Image credit: Acer, Biwin)
The other RAM is the Predator Talos, which focus on lower RAM timings and a zinc-alloy heatsink for faster performance, Biwin claims. Its speeds range from 2,666 MHZ to 4,400 MHz and its black and white shell doesn’t have any RGB, making it fit more more subtle builds.
Biwin is licensing Acer’s names, but it isn’t a new player in the market. The company also makes RAM and SSDs for HP, and occasionally you can find its own branded products on sites like Amazon.
This is Acer’s biggest step into components to date. In October, it started selling its own FrostBlade PC fans, but has largely stuck to its own laptops, desktops and peripherals.
The recently released Ubuntu 21.04, is the latest version of the popular Linux distribution and with the latest release we see Wayland arrive as the default display server. But it seems that those wishing to upgrade from a previous release, for example 20.04 / 20.10 are unable to. According to OMG! Ubuntu! there is a bug which is preventing users from updating to the latest release.
(Image credit: Future)
The problem seems to be in shim, the bootloader which handles the secure boot process for the OS. Users running the wrong version of their EFI – an early one – can see their PC fail to boot after the upgrade. A new version of shim is on the way to fix the issue, but users who are sure their hardware is new enough to sidestep the problem can manually force an upgrade at their own risk from the command line.
“Due to the severity of the issue we shouldn’t be encouraging people to upgrade at this point in time,” wrote Canonical software engineer Brian Murray in a post to the Ubuntu Developer mailing list. “After we have a new version of shim signed will make it available in Ubuntu 21.04 and then enable upgrades.”
The exact nature of the hardware likely to fail is still unclear. We reached out to Canonical software engineer Dave Jones on Twitter, who suggested modern machines would be unaffected but older machines such as a ThinkPad 420 from 2011 and a MacBook Air from 2012 were affected by the bug.
Codenamed “Hirsute Hippo”, Ubuntu 21.04 brings support for Wayland display server, with Xorg still available for those that need it. Native Active Directory integration and a performance-optimized certified Microsoft SQL Server are new features for this release.
The ID-Cooling SE-207-XT is a great option for builders looking for the performance of larger-air cooling on a budget. It isn’t going to perform like a $100 premium air cooler, particularly in the highest-end CPUs, but it does provide enticing performance for a lot less.
For
+ Budget pricing
+ Easy to install
+ Simple, aesthetic design
Against
– Fan noise at full speed
– Lags behind larger, premium air coolers
Features and Specifications
ID-Cooling’s SE-207-XT is a seven-heatpipe, dual-tower assault on large air cooling with a name that makes it difficult to remember–but that might all soon change. Making use of a pair of 120mm cooling fans with zero RGB capability, the SE-207-XT is menacingly matte black, making for a no-nonsense approach for system builders seeking a stealthed-out PC.
The SE-207-XT isn’t as large as some of the behemoth heatpipe coolers we’ve seen in recent years. And while it is true that it isn’t going to jump to the top of our cooling charts, it isn’t lagging that far behind the leaders, either. This makes the SE-207-XT a great mid-range, budget-priced, large air cooler for those looking for the cooling benefits of a huge CPU cooling tower, while focusing the majority of their build budget on other components.
ID-Cooling SE-207-XT Specifications
Height
6.125″ / 155.6mm
Width
4.88″ / 124mmmm
Depth
4.0″ / 101.6mm (5.63″ / 143mm w/ fans)
Base Height
1.75″ / 44.5mm
Assy. Offset
0.0 (centered), 1.0″ / 25.4mm w/ front fan)
Cooling Fans
(2) 120 x 25mm
Connectors
(2) 4-pin PWM
Weight
40.1 oz / 1138g
Intel Sockets
115x, 1200, 2011, 2066
AMD Sockets
AM4
Warranty
2 years
Web Price
$60
Features of ID-Cooling SE-207-XT
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(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
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The SE-207-XT is accompanied by a modest set of mounting hardware to accommodate most current AMD and Intel desktop CPU sockets. The Intel backplate features pre-assembled mounting posts, making it very strong and eliminating tedious assembly steps which we normally find for backplate setups. A third set of spring wire clips are provided and can be used to allow the cooler to have an additional fan for a push/pull/pull configuration, if you are so inclined. Likewise, an included 3-way PWM splitter is ready to handle the default 2-fan setup out of the box, or ythat triple fan layout.
An included syringe of ID-TG25 (ID-Cooling) thermal compound means system builders won’t be left ordering in a tube of thermal paste or making an extra trip back to your local electronics supply store.
ID-Cooling covers the SE-207-XT with a 2-year warranty.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The SE-207-XT makes use of seven copper heatpipes which snake through 44 individual stacked cooling fins on each divided tower. The heatpipes are offset for dissipation and airflow throughout each cooling tower and collect at the base within the solid cantilever mounting brace. The cooling fins on each cooling tower allow air to flow both straight through as well as out the lateral sides of the tower, rather than ducting air all the way through the cooler.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The solid base collects the seven heatpipes and encapsulates them within the cantilever mounting plate with a milled-copper base to make direct contact with the CPU IHS. The machine screws on the mounting plate are permanently affixed and align over the mounting bars, which are secured to the motherboard socket hardware mounting locations. The mounting screws help align the SE-207-XT when it comes time to tension the cooler down and finish the installation process, which we will detail shortly.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The base of the SE-207-XT is milled perfectly flat, as there is not any visible ambient light seen between a steel rule and the milled copper baseplate. Additionally, the offset of the heatpipes and the fixed tension screws can be seen a bit more clearly from this angle.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
The base of the SE-207-XT makes for a consistent thermal compound spread patch during installation and seems to be a bit more ‘clingy’ to residual MX-4 compound than usual, although nothing alarming.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Cooling for the SE-207-XT comes from a pair of included 120mm ID-Cooling ID-12025M12S series, 4-pin PWM fans rated up to 1800 RPM and 76.1 CFM. These fans also feature rubber noise -educing mounting pads on each corner of both sides and utilize a hydraulic bearing.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
During installation, the mounting crossbars are affixed atop the SE-207-XT’s plastic offsets to the backplate mounting posts. And chunky, machine-cap nuts hold everything securely to the motherboard. The center of the image shows the tension screws secured to the threaded studs on the mounting cross bars, which help align the cooler directly over the CPU and simplify installation.
(Image credit: Tom’s Hardware)
Once the SE-207-XT is mounted, each of the 120mm PWM fans are secured to the cooler to move airflow right to left toward the rear case fan, providing a direct channel of air through the cooling tower. While the fan positioning on the cooler via the spring clips can be adjusted to account for taller memory DIMM modules, be advised that RAM height can be an issue in some instances, where those sticks of RAM might cause interference directly beneath the cooling tower itself.
The Patriot Viper Steel RGB DDR4-3600 C20 is only worthy of consideration if you’re willing to invest your time to optimize its timings and if you can find the memory on sale with a big discount.
For
+ Runs at C16 with fine-tuning
+ Balanced design with RGB lighting
+ RGB compatibility with most motherboards
Against
– Very loose timings
– Overpriced
– Low overclocking headroom
Patriot, who isn’t a stranger to our list of Best RAM, has many interesting product lines in its broad repertoire. However, the memory specialist recently revamped one of its emblematic lineups to keep up with the current RGB trend. As the name conveys, the Viper Steel RGB series arrives with a redesigned heat spreader and RGB illumination.
The new series marks the second time that Patriot has incorporated RGB lighting onto its DDR4 offerings, with the first being the Viper RGB series that debuted as far back as 2018. While looks may be important, performance also plays a big role, and the Viper Steel RGB DDR4-3600 memory kit is here to show us what it is or isn’t made of.
Viper Steel RGB memory modules come with the standard black PCB with a matching matte-black heat spreader. It was nice on Patriot’s part to keep the aluminum heat spreader as clutter-free as possible. Only the golden Viper logo and the typical specification sticker is present on the heat spreader, and the latter is removable.
At 44mm (1.73 inches), the Viper Steel RGB isn’t excessively tall, so we expect it to fit under the majority of the CPU air coolers in the market. Nevertheless, we recommend you double-check that you have enough clearance space for the memory modules. The RGB light bar features five customizable lighting zones. Patriot doesn’t provide a program to control the illumination, so you’ll have to rely on your motherboard’s software. The compatibility list includes Asus Aura Sync, Gigabyte RGB Fusion, MSI Mystic Light Sync, and ASRock Polychrome Sync.
The Viper Steel RGB is a dual-channel 32GB memory kit, so you receive two 16GB memory modules with an eight-layer PCB and dual-rank design. Although Thaiphoon Burner picked up the integrated circuits (ICs) as Hynix chips, the software failed to identify the exact model. However, these should be AFR (A-die) ICs, more specifically H5AN8G8NAFR-VKC.
You’ll find the Viper Steel RGB defaulting to DDR4-2666 and 19-19-19-43 timings at stock operation. Enabling the XMP profile on the memory modules will get them to DDR4-3600 at 20-26-26-46. The DRAM voltage required for DDR4-3600 is 1.35V. For more on timings and frequency considerations, see our PC Memory 101 feature, as well as our How to Shop for RAM story.
Comparison Hardware
Memory Kit
Part Number
Capacity
Data Rate
Primary Timings
Voltage
Warranty
G.Skill Trident Z Royal
F4-4000C17D-32GTRGB
2 x 16GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
17-18-18-38 (2T)
1.40 Volts
Lifetime
Crucial Ballistix Max RGB
BLM2K16G40C18U4BL
2 x 16GB
DDR4-4000 (XMP)
18-19-19-39 (2T)
1.35 Volts
Lifetime
G.Skill Trident Z Neo
F4-3600C16D-32GTZN
2 x 16GB
DDR4-3600 (XMP)
16-16-16-36 (2T)
1.35 Volts
Lifetime
Klevv Bolt XR
KD4AGU880-36A180C
2 x 16GB
DDR4-3600 (XMP)
18-22-22-42 (2T)
1.35 Volts
Lifetime
Patriot Viper Steel RGB
PVSR432G360C0K
2 x 16GB
DDR4-3600 (XMP)
20-26-26-46 (2T)
1.35 Volts
Lifetime
Our Intel test system consists of an Intel Core i9-10900K and Asus ROG Maximus XII Apex on the 0901 firmware. On the opposite side, the AMD testbed leverages an AMD Ryzen 5 3600 and ASRock B550 Taichi with the 1.30 firmware. The MSI GeForce RTX 2080 Ti Gaming Trio handles the graphical duties on both platforms.
Intel Performance
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Things didn’t go well for the Viper Steel RGB on the Intel platform. The memory ranked at the bottom of our application RAM benchmarks and came in last place on the gaming tests. Our results didn’t reveal any particular workloads where the Viper Steel RGB stood out.
AMD Performance
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The loose timings didn’t substantially hinder the Viper Steel RGB’s performance. Logically, it lagged behind its DDR4-3600 rivals that have tighter timings. The Viper Steel RGB’s data rate allowed it to run in a 1:1 ratio with our Ryzen 5 3600’s FCLK so it didn’t take any performance hits, unlike the DDR4-4000 offerings. With a capable Zen 3 processor that can operate with a 2,000 MHz FCLK, the Viper Steel RGB will probably not outperform the high-frequency kits.
Overclocking potential isn’t the Viper Steel RGB’s strongest trait. Upping the DRAM voltage from 1.35V to 1.45V only got us to DDR4-3800. Although we had to maintain the tRCD, tRP, and tRAS at their XMP values, we could drop the CAS Latency down to 17.
Lowest Stable Timings
Memory Kit
DDR4-3600 (1.45V)
DDR4-3800 (1.45V)
DDR4-4000 (1.45V)
DDR4-4133 (1.45V)
DDR4-4200 (1.45V)
G.Skill Trident Z Neo DDR4-3600 C16
13-14-14-35 (2T)
N/A
N/A
N/A
19-19-19-39 (2T)
Crucial Ballistix Max RGB DDR4-4000 C18
N/A
N/A
16-19-19-39 (2T)
N/A
20-20-20-40 (2T)
G.Skill Trident Z Royal DDR4-4000 C17
N/A
N/A
15-16-16-36 (2T)
18-19-19-39 (2T)
N/A
Klevv Bolt XR DDR4-3600 C18
16-19-19-39 (2T)
N/A
N/A
18-22-22-42 (2T)
N/A
Patriot Viper Steel RGB DDR4-3600 C20
16-20-20-40 (2T)
17-26-26-46 (2T)
N/A
N/A
N/A
As we’ve seen before, you won’t be able to run Hynix ICs at very tight timings. That’s not to say that the Viper Steel RGB doesn’t have any wiggle room though. With a 1.45V DRAM voltage, we optimized the memory to run at 16-20-20-40 as opposed to the XMP profile’s 20-26-26-46 timings.
Bottom Line
It comes as no surprise that the Viper Steel RGB DDR4-3600 C20 will not beat competing memory kits that have more optimized timings. The problem is that C20 is basically at the bottom of the barrel by DDR4-3600 standards.
The Viper Steel RGB won’t match or surpass the competition without serious manual tweaking. The memory kit’s hefty $199.99 price tag doesn’t do it any favors, either. To put it into perspective, the cheapest DDR4-3600 2x16GB memory kit on the market starts at $154.99, and it checks in with C18. Unless Patriot rethinks the pricing for the Viper Steel RGB DDR4-3600 C20, the memory kit will likely not be on anyone’s radar.
SideQuest has launched an Android app that lets you do the same neat trick as its desktop app: sideload VR content from outside the official Oculus Store onto your Quest or Quest 2 VR headset. The free app, which releases today, lets you browse SideQuest’s offerings and transfer content over Wi-Fi or a USB cable. That means you don’t need a PC to install VR games, demos, and apps from SideQuest’s community.
SideQuest’s storefront is full of games and apps that are worth trying. Some that I’ve enjoyed recently include Gorilla Tag, a free game that launched on SideQuest (now available via Oculus’ App Lab for early access titles) that’s gotten some well-deserved attention. You play as a gorilla, and you play tag, but the controls and graphical style make it unique and hilarious. Also, there’s a free, fan-made mod that moves your Doom 3 install in its entirety from your Steam folder to the Quest headset, with excellent VR controls and graphics that seem to rival what my colleague Sam Byford experienced in the PSVR version.
If you want to get started, this YouTube video below from the Cas and Chary VR channel walks through all of the steps. I highly recommend following along with the video, as the process is easy but not exactly cut-and-dry.
Compared to Oculus’ highly curated Store, SideQuest provides developers an alternative to seeking app approval from Oculus so they can more easily release free projects or list paid ones that link out to a third-party store like Itch.io or Patreon. Recently, Oculus launched App Lab, which lets developers distribute games through its platform but without a public store listing. You’ll find several of those linked within SideQuest as well.
If you have an Android phone and a Quest headset, this is a must-try and an easy way to get more use out of your VR headset.
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