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Stories by Elias Plastiras

  • A fast and versatile storage option

    Qnap's TS-109 Pro is a network-attached storage (NAS) enclosure that can house a 3.5-inch Serial ATA hard drive. It doesn't come with a hard drive, so users can install the capacity of their choice, up to 1TB.

  • Gigabyte MA69GM-S2H

    For a quiet media centre or a silent PC, an inexpensive AMD-based system is still an attractive option and Gigabyte's MA69GM-S2H motherboard reinforces that fact. It has a micro-ATX form factor, so it can be installed in a mini-tower ATX case or even in some home-theatre-style cases, and it has all the functionality that's required of a media centre PC.

  • ASUS P5K3 Deluxe

    The ASUS P5K3 Deluxe feature's Intel's new P35 chipset and Intel Controller Hub version 9 (ICH9), and it represents a shift in PC technology. It's one of the first motherboard's on the market to ship with DDR3 memory slots, and it can handle a front side bus speed of up to 1333MHz. This front side bus speed makes it capable of handling Intel's next-generation CPUs--codenamed Penryn--which will be released sometime in the second half of 2007.

  • LG GSA-H55L

    LG's GSA-H55L burner offers more than just an increase in speed over its predecessor, the GSA-H42L. It also ships with the latest version of Nero Essentials, which features SecurDisc - a security technology co-developed by LG and Nero to keep your data safe.

  • Kingston HyperX DDR3

    DDR3 is the new memory standard for desktop PCs and it's currently supported by Intel's new P35 chipset for Intel CPUs. Kingston's 2GB HyperX DDR3 kit (KHX11000D3LLK2/2G) is aimed at enthusiast users.

  • Gigabyte P35-DS4

    Gigabyte's implementation of the P35 chipset from Intel is useful and caters well to upgraders. The Intel P35 chipset can be paired with either DDR3 or DDR2 memory slots by motherboard manufacturers, and Gigabyte has paired the P35-DS4 with DDR2 memory slots, which means you don't have to buy new memory if you want to upgrade to it.

  • MSI NX8500GT

    This MSI graphics card is based on NVIDIA's GeForce 8500 GT GPU (graphics processing unit), which is aimed at the mainstream end of the PC market. It's a less powerful GPU than NVIDIA's 8600 GT as it has only half the processing power and slower GPU and memory speeds.

  • ASUS Lamborghini VX2

    The VX2 is a collaborative effort between ASUS and Italian car manufacturer Lamborghini, and it's aimed at those of who want to own a prestigious and exotic-looking notebook. The VX2's bodywork features the car manufacturer's badge as well as leather trimming and metallic paint, while the engine room is full of ASUS' most efficient components.

  • Ideal for Vista-based Intel system

    Based on Intel's P965 chipset, the Asus P5B Premium board suits any of the current generation, LGA775 socket-based CPUs and can also handle an ATI CrossFire dual graphics card configuration. It comes with some features that aren't found on most motherboards and performed reliably in our tests.

  • ASRock ALiveXFire-eSATA2

    The ASRock ALiveXFire-eSATA2 AMD-based board is inexpensive, and while it does have a limited supply of expansion options, it comes with some cool features, namely eSATA and ATI CrossFire support.

  • Philips 190B7

    The Philips 190B7 is a 19in LCD monitor that's aimed at business users. It has good features that are handy for an office environment, such as a swivel stand, a built in USB port and integrated speakers. However, we did notice some image noise and flickering in our tests.

  • Gigabyte's tough all-rounder

    With its solid capacitors, robust Bios design and heat-pipe cooling solution, the Gigabyte GA- 965P-DS4 motherboard is 'ultra durable'. Despite the high-end components that went into the construction of this board, it's priced competitively with other boards in its class. It's based on the Intel P965 Express chipset and has an almost full complement of connectivity features.

  • ASUS P5N32-E SLI Plus

    ASUS has worked in conjunction with NVIDIA on its implementation of the nForce 680i chipset for the P5N32-E SLI Plus. The end result is a very fast board that has a good amount of connectivity and plenty of BIOS features to tinker with.

  • Good performance, silent operation

    At 160GB, this 3.5-inch internal Serial ATA hard drive (the Western Digital WD1600AAJS) is definitely not the most capacious desktop drive on the market, but it's aiming to be one of the quietest and coolest.