Corsair updates memory module series

SP-AG40DT/UPT/GPT: three cards on NVIDIA GeForce 6800

IWILL DK8E — DK8N´s sister. Workstation series continue

Photo of the day: Xpert DVD MAKER USB 2.0 video capturer in our lab

OCZ: new modules, new priorities

80x 12GB CFII Pretec: are they serious?

LaCie introduces external DVD-R9 (DL) drive

Corsair updates memory module series

Corsair Memory released modules and kits with 2-2-2-5 timings — XMS series, X-Treme Low Latency:

• CMX512-3200XL (DDR, XMS3200, 64Mx64, non-ECC, DIMM 184, unbuffered, 2-2-2-5, DRAM 32Mx8)
• CMX512-3200XLPT (DDR, XMS3200, 64Mx64, non-ECC, DIMM 184, unbuffered, 2-2-2-5, DRAM 32Mx8)
• TWINX1024-3200XL (DR, XMS3200, 2x64Mx64, non-ECC, 2 DIMM 184, unbuffered, 2-2-2-5, DRAM 32Mx8)
• TWINX1024-3200XLPT (DDR, XMS3200, 2x64Mx64, non-ECC, 2 DIMM 184, unbuffered, 2-2-2-5, DRAM 32Mx)
• TWINX1024-3200XLPRO (DR, XMS3200, 2x64Mx64, non-ECC, 2 DIMM 184, unbuffered, 2-2-2-5, DRAM 32Mx8)

All modules features Samsung´s 4ns chips and provide timings above at 2.75V. As usually they are covered by black heatsinks.

SP-AG40DT/UPT/GPT: three cards on NVIDIA GeForce 6800

SPARKLE COMPUTER informed on three new graphics cards on NVIDIA GPUs: SP-AG40DT (GeForce 6800), SP-AG40UPT (GeForce 6800 Ultra) and SP-AG40GPT (GeForce 6800 GT):

• 256-bit NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GPU
• 325/700 MHz GPU/memory clock rates
• 128MB of 256-bit DDR
  
• AGP 3.0 8x/4x, AGP 2.0 4x/2x
• 2 x RAMDAC, 400MHz, dual-QXGA support
• DVI, up to QUXGA
• TV-out, up to 1024x768
• Included TV cable, DVI-CRT adapter, power cable

• 256-bit NVIDIA GeForce 6800 GT GPU
• 350MHz/1GHz clock rates
• 256MB of 256-bit GDDR3
• AGP 3.0 8x/4x, AGP 2.0 4x/2x
• 2 x RAMDAC, 400MHz, dual-QXGA
• DVI, large-format flat-panels
• TV-out, up to 1024x768
• Included TV cable, DVI-CRT adapter, SCART adapter, power cable
• CyberLink Power DVD XP, CyberLink PowerProducer 2.0, SpellForce, Chaser, Arx Fatalis, 5-in-1 collection

• 256-bit NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra GPU
• 400MHz/1.1GHz
• 256MB of 256-bit GDDR3
• AGP 3.0 8x/4x, AGP 2.0 4x/2x
• 2 x RAMDAC, 400MHz, dual-QXGA
• DVI, large-format flat-panels
• TV-out, up to 1024x768
• Included TV cable, DVI-CRT, SCART adapter, power cable
• CyberLink Power DVD XP, CyberLink PowerProducer 2.0, SpellForce, Chaser, Arx Fatalis, "5-in-1" collection

IWILL DK8E — DK8N´s sister. Workstation series continue

Almost right after the announcement of DK8N IWILL introduced DK8E workstation motherboard that will be showcased at Computex 2004. It doesn´t differ much from the previous board, so we believe it´s positioned like DK8N — mostly for graphics workstations.

• NVIDIA nForce 3 Pro 250 chipset
• Supports 2 x AMD Opteron (Socket 940) processors
• 8 x DDR400 SDRAM DIMM sockets for up to 16GB
• PCIe x16 slot
• PCIe x4 slot
• Supports PCI-X 64/133
• Supports PCI-X 64/100
• 4 x SATA (Silicon Image)
• USB 2.0, IEEE1394
• 6-channel audio, S/PDIF

Photo of the day: Xpert DVD MAKER USB 2.0 video capturer in our lab

Our Alexey Samsonov is tortur... testing another piece of hardware — Xpert DVD MAKER USB 2.0 from Kworld Computer. This company seems to like vertical bundles much:

Alexey warns not to believe the "High-quality tuner" line on the box, as Xpert DVD MAKER USB 2.0 is not a tuner at all (though tuners offer capture feature as well).

Xpert DVD MAKER bundle includes the device itself, English manual, two drivers and software CDs.

Front and rear view

USB 2.0 is controlled by EMPIA Technology´s EM2800 chip, while ADC is the good old Philips SAA7113H.

No hardware MPEG1/2/4 chips were noticed, so we guess it´s offloaded to CPU.

OCZ: new modules, new priorities

With minimal lag OCZ Technology Group announced several new solutions at once: PC2-4300, PC2-5300 and PC2-6400 Enhanced Bandwidth DDR-II module series and PC-3200 Platinum Rev 2 kits (CL2-2-2-8 — CAS-tRCD-tRP-TRAS).

The former is a clear reserve for future DDR2 platforms and PC2-5300 / PC2-6400 chipsets expected next year. "We believe that DDR II modules at 667 MHz and 800 MHz will eventually become viable replacements for current DDR modules" said Dr. Michael Schuette, director of technology development with OCZ Technology Group. "While there may not be an immediate benefit from the transition towards DDR II, OCZ, true to their reputation as market leader, is allocating resources towards the refinement of the DDR II standard to develop the new EB DDR II line of memory modules."

As for PC-3200 Platinum Rev 2, their release is explained rather simply: "The trend has been to move to higher frequencies at the expense of latencies. However, given the fact that in most architectures the host bus cannot handle the Memory bandwidth, we need to refocus on what the real needs are. Seamless data flow can only be achieved in a low latency environment. This is where OCZ Technology, once again, takes a leading role in the industry."

80x 12GB CFII Pretec: are they serious?

Well, I agree that progress is a good thing, but shouldn´t there be a reasonable limit? Pretec, known by the passion to huge-capacity media, excelled today with 80x 12GB CF Type II card announced alongside 3GB, 4GB CF Type I and 6GB Type II, all 80x.

3GB, 4GB and 6GB cards have already gone for sale in Japan, while 12GB monster is expected closer to the year-end. Novelties cost $1,490, $1,860, $4,700 and mere $14,900, respectively.

Just two questions: Are users ready to pay such sums for flash cards? And will they confide in cards with such capacity?

LaCie introduces external DVD-R9 (DL) drive

Despite that most optical media vendors will launch volume shipments of dual-layer media (DVD+R9 or DVD DL) only in June, the corresponding DVD recorders are being announced as if from cornucopia. Today LaCie introduced d2 DL DVD±RW drive also designed by Porsche Design GmbH.

LaCie´s novelty offers 8x DVD±R write, 4x DVD±RW rewrite speeds. It´s made of shockproof alloy and has FireWire and USB 2.0 interfaces. LaCie d2 DL DVD±RW is bundled with Roxio Easy Media Creator 7 and Toast 6.0 (Roxio Toast 6.0 Titanium software or CaptyDVD 2.0 for Macintosh).

In Europe the drive will cost ˆ210.

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