We review a lot of fans and other computer cooling equipment here at OCModShop. In some ways, testing fans are quite straightforward, and in other ways they are very subjective. The noise and airflow ratio produced by any given fan changes as the blades and motor gather dust. Debris on the blades can actually chip [...]
Post Tagged with: "IBM PC compatibles"
Vantec SuperSpeed USB 3.0 PCI-e Host Card Review
Computer technology never stands still for long. It wasn’t that long ago that USB took over as the de facto standard for PC computer peripherals, and has evolved into the standard data path for hard drives, cameras, and just about everything else you can think of. USB 2.0 is well and good, but it still doesn’t [...]
Understanding the Red Ring of Death (Xbox 360)
The Xbox 360 has been plagued with problems, seemingly from the first day after its release. While the console undoubtedly has numerous high-tech components hidden within its confines, it also houses the potential for devastating problems. The 3 red light error, affectionately termed the Red Ring of Death, or simply RROD, by gamers, has been [...]
How to Properly Reboot Your Computer
Rebooting your computer is the most common first-step remedy for most PC ailments. Rebooting returns all of your computer’s software (and hardware) to a known initial state, which in theory should eliminate fluctuating problems. The issue could be as simple as a software error or as complex as a motherboard or hard drive failure, but you [...]
GlacialTech Igloo 5610 CPU Heatsink Review
GlacialTech is known for their light and cool materials. Both the Igloo Silent and PWM are just that, with superior noise reduction. The Silent has a 3-pin connector and the PWM has a 4-pin, meaning that the PWM takes advantage of the newer CPU fan connectors on the latest motherboards, allowing the motherboard itself to [...]
Generate a Blue Screen of Death (on purpose!)
Microsoft claims that Windows Vista is the most stable version of their OS yet… so stable that you may not ever see the dreaded BSOD (or Blue Screen of Death). Some of the development staff may have been so nostalgic over their lost Blue Friend that they included a hidden way to raise it from [...]
Gigabyte S-Series GA-945P-S3 Motherboard
Well, we all love new technology otherwise you wouldn’t be here reading the articles featured on easily the web’s most enjoyable site. And with that I was given the dubious task of testing out one of the first Duo Core motherboards on the market, the Gigabyte GS-945P-S3. First and foremost, this review is a long [...]
Zalman ZM-MFC2 Multi Fan Controller
Zalman computer products have been advertising the silencing factor of their products for many years. Most of their heatsinks are even packaged with their ”Fanmate” to let the user adjust the fan’s RPMs, thereby reducing the noise the fan produces. To achieve a virtually silent computer, some users have used several Fanmates or other rheostats to reduce [...]
ThermalTake iFlash 120mm Cooling Fan Review
One of the first products to come from the pre-fabbed modding scene were LED fans. At the time these clear whirlwinds with multi-colored LEDs were absolutely fascinating, and the clear fans were much more interesting to look at than standard matte black fans. These fans gave us a reason to take up a Dremel and [...]
ATA vs SATA
The performance of computer systems has been steadily increasing as faster processors, memory, and video cards are continuously being developed. The one key component that is often neglected when looking at improving the performance of a computer system is the hard drive. Hard drive manufacturers have been constantly evolving the basic hard drive used in [...]
CoolIt Systems PCI Cooler Booster Review
Most PCI and other expansion cards do not generate alot of heat, and therefore are overlooked when cooling your computer system. Today’s multimedia and home theater systems include high performance TV tuners, video capture, and high-performance sound cards that do tend to get quite warm, and could benefit from additional cooling. Even many video cards [...]
CoolIt Systems Freezone CPU Cooler
Extreme overclockers are always looking for bleeding-edge ways to get every once from their hardware. They use powerful fans, extensive water-cooling setups, and even thermoelectric plates to make sure their rigs run reliably, even when pushed beyond the intended performance envelope. Recently, hardware manufacturers have been producing “all-in-one” watercooling devices, which are easy to install, [...]
CoolIt Systems RAM Fan Review
I have been directing extra airflow to my computer’s memory ever since RAM heatspreaders came out. I figured that if there was an actual need to distribute heat produced by the memory, then that heat could be better dissipated by some extra airflow. Nearly every DDR2 module now has heatspreaders, and DDR3′s specifications actually require [...]
Zalman CNPS 9700 NT CPU Heatsink
Zalman is a leader when it comes to third-party heatsinks and accessories. They have been making quality PC products for many years, focusing on efficient design, which in turn have produces some of the best products available. Their CNPS (Computer Noise Prevention System) products have been some of the most effective heatsinks available, and have [...]
Gigabyte GA-M61PM-S2 Motherboard
Gigabyte motherboards have been around for a long time, and they have made some very impressive motherboards over the years. They’re no stranger to the enthusiast market, making both AMD and Intel boards geared towards hard-core overclocking. However, as with the graphic card industry, the largest market (and the most money) is in the mainstream [...]
Vizo’s Propellar Dual-Fan Cooler Card
Taking an exciting and different approach to card cooling, the developers at VIZO have thrust upon us, a new and exciting way to keep yer damn graphics card cooler (or any other card you may want getting cooler). The Propeller Dual-Fan card is such a simple idea, I can’t believe this is the first time [...]
Ultra Microfly Mini Case
When I first look for a new computer case, I look at included power supplies, front-side features, and cooling. When I look for a micro-ATX case, I also want it to be subtle, slight, and all-around superfly. The Ultra MicroFly case tries hard on all counts and is an all-around solid performer that looks stylish [...]
Ultra X-Finity 500W Power Supply
Not many people consider the Power Supply Unit to be an important part of the computer. All of them are wrong. It is a crucial part of the computer. Do a quick search for 300 watt PSUs, and you’ll turn up with a thousand offers for junky power supplies for about five buck a pop. [...]
Ultra Aluminus Case Review
Nearly every component of a computer is designed to go into a case. There have been plain boring cases built for the last 30 or years, with very few manufacturers taking the time to make their computers look as appealing as their performance. A few exceptions pop into mind: Apple, Alienware, and well…those are really [...]
Vantec Slot Protector Kit
The inside of a computer case is often covered in dust. More importantly, dust can settle inside unoccupied PCI and RAM slots. Over time, the dust build-up can become significant enough to cause contact problems with newly installed PCI cards or extra RAM memory. With Vantec’s PCI/RAM Slot Protectors, you can easily prevent dust from [...]
Latest Comments