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Crucial 1 GB PC5400 DDR2 Memory

Wednesday, December 12th, 2007 | RAM Memory Reviews, Reviews | Comments

A 1 GB stick of DDR RAM to give any system that little boost, especially for systems running Windows Vista.

Although newer systems have moved on to DDR2 there are still a wide range of computers that use plain old DDR. Many older systems stay around for much longer than expected. Although I always think that my older computers will get put in the trash, they still serve most purposes very well.

For surfing the Internet, writing email and documents on the computer, almost any old computer will do. A lot of the load of modern programs and operating systems comes down to how much memory they require. Often the wrong impression is give and people end up buying a whole new system with some newer, fancier computer. But after a really slow computer, anything new will seem fast, and the reason cannot be pinned down.

Upgrading memory is a viable option as it gives those new programs the stuff they need. For pure computing power, a new processor will always give a little more, but would be lower down on my list of things to get, even if you are only running a Pentium 4 at the moment.

This single 1 GB stick of Crucial DDR memory provides a gigabyte of RAM, which means it meets the minimum for Vista, which requires a great deal more than Windows XP.

A good investment to breathe some life into an old system, and a much better buy than a whole new system.

Systemax Tigershark Intel Pentium D Dual Core Based Nvidia SLI ready Gaming Computer

Tuesday, October 3rd, 2006 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | Comments

Systemax have become a large producer of computer systems, proudly boasted as being assembled and supported in the USA, they have a good choice of computer components to round out their systems.

The TigerShark is a computer system based on the Intel Pentium D Dual Core processor, and ready for SLI gaming.

The case is fairly functional with the see through side panel that so many people associate with gaming computers. The front panels open up to reveal the optical drives and the USB ports are at the side of the front panel.

By packaging the standard model with the Pentium 805, they have managed to keep the price down. The 805 however is only cool for those who like to overclock as the standard speeds are not that impressive, especially seeing how much this computer system costs. You can upgrade to faster options if you want, which will only cost you a little more, and are probably worth it.

The Asus P5ND2-SLI nForce motherboard is a good choice and cannot be changed anyway. You have the choice between the 7900GT and GTX from BFG for the graphics card and you can opt for two cards for SLI.

Hard drive options are numerous, but keeping with speed, many of them offer the Raptor series from Western Digital. There are also options for RAID arrays, bigger drives, and apart from the main setup, room for extra drives so you can have a fast operating sytem drive and a big, second drive for all those DVDs and home movies on you computer.

The rest of the computer components are quite standard and many of them you might want to choose something besides the standard options. If you do order something else, you will have to do the installation yourself, so if you really don’t like to put in computer components by yourself, go for the standard ones.

Finally, if you really want a fast computer, but are don’t want to get down and dirty building your own system, this one will do nicely. Those who want ultimate customization will likely need to choose parts individually.

Tags: Desktop Computer Reviews, Gaming Computer Reviews

Thermaltake Big Water SE computer water cooling system

Friday, July 21st, 2006 | Cooling, Reviews | Comments

Computer water cooling has become very popular computer components upgrade and the Thermaltake Big Water SE is aimed at those who would quickly like to get into the world of computer water cooling for their computer. Water cooling is not new to computers but has been the realm of those into extreme overclocking and those who modify their computers alot.

The Thermaltake Big Water SE computer water cooling system tackles that by offering an all-in-one beginners kit to get you started with your liquid cooling system. It comes with basically everything you could need for your system with nothing lacking for a basic install.

What you get with the system are…

• Waterblock, which cools the CPU
• Water pump
• DVD drive sized Coolant tank
• Radiator and fan (120mm fan)
• Coolant (enough for one install)
• Enough tubing to get around most systems

Although the computer water cooling system is more complicated to install than an air cooled solution, the well documented manual and well labelled parts make it that much easier. As long as you have a little time, it should be fine.

You will need to have space for a 120mm fan which is the size of the fan over the radiator, although there are alternatives if that isn’t available. Be prepared with something to cut your case if needs be.

The system itself does offer a slight amount of cooling over a standard well vented system. Other people who bought and installed the system reported differing levels of cooling, even up to 14 degrees celcius lower in some cases.

This is all well and good but the other good feature is low noise. With many fans cooling high powered systems the noise can become unbearable. With only a single 120mm fan in operation and the pumps and stuff only making a slight noise, a computer water cooling system will be able to take advantage of greater cooling and reduced temperatures at the same time.

For hardcore overclocking types, this is not for you. But for those looking for a good, reliable solution for a decent price the Thermaltake Big Water SE certainly fits the bill as a more than decent computer water cooling solution.

Toshiba Tecra S3 – A rugged computer

Thursday, July 20th, 2006 | Laptop and Notebook Computer Reviews, Reviews | Comments

The Toshiba Tecra S3 has been designed to improve the security, connectivity and durability of previous Toshiba laptops. It is not that much better looking, but does manage to make it in those areas. Let’s have a look at what earns it the “rugged computer” label.

It claims to meet the ROHS (Restiction of Hazardous Substances). In reality this means that it will most likely be able to take a spill of breakfast and not be any worse off because of it. This is aided by making the case almost waterproof and this is obvious with the protective stuff under the keyboard that keeps moisture out.

Security was improved with the use of a biometric finger scanner which allows you to sign on and have files encrypted with 2048 bit security. This is vital for a rugged computer which could quite easily be stolen.

This Toshiba laptop has been given a whole host of features to allow it to withstand the bumps and shocks that computers on the move go through. The space around the screen is larger so that it takes the brunt of the force during a drop, rather than the screen. There are also sensors that lock the heads of the hard drive to protect it.

The software suite that comes with this Toshiba laptop handles all of the connectivity and keeps you in control of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections on the computer.

There is no microphone and no camera on this particular Toshiba laptop, most likely because it is designed to be a rugged computer. The microphone poses a problem as a point where fluid could get into the computer.

Overall this rugged computer does well, and leaves very little wanting. With a weight of just over 6 pounds, it is not light, but it makes up for that with its durability.

Systemax Vitality DH950 Intel VIIV Pentium D 950 3.4GHz Desktop Computer System

Friday, June 9th, 2006 | Desktop Computer Reviews, Reviews | Comments

This systemax computer is aimed at being a media center computer. It has all the stuff it needs, but are they adequate and do they warrant the price tag on this system.

The main feature that stands out for this computer is that it is Intel VIIV certified. What this means is that the whole system contains Intel parts, which match up to a certain level of performance, and that it has Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition installed as the operating system. It doesn’t really guarantee that you get anything better, just that it meets those minimum system levels.

The main complaint I have with this system is one that I have with many of the media center computers out there, and that is that they all still look like computers. They just don’t mix with the look of other entertainment center equipment, making it hard to match and fit in well.

With an Intel Pentium D 950 3.4GHz processor, 1GB or RAM, a 400GB hard drive and a DVD burner, you will get more than enough power for an entertainment computer. The standard video inputs and outputs, 6 USB ports, firewire at the back, card reader at the front and network connection at the back ensure that you have everything you will need.

The remote control, wireless mouse and keyboard are fantastic. Being able to use the keyboard and mouse away from the computer make the experience of using this computer as part of a home entertainment that much more pleasurable. They really do add to the ease of using the sytem.

Finally, I can’t imagine any really good reason for the inclusion of the speakers. They would certainly be good for a personal computer, but if this is a media PC, there would certainly be a hifi around, wouldn’t there.

You do get good parts and good options, however it is a little expensive and there are probably more budget versions, perhaps without the VIIV markings, and without the extra speakers that would be more suitable.