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Intel's 8th Generation Core CPUs
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Wednesday, 23-August-2017 22:52:24 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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Intel recently announced their 8th Generation Core Processors, first unveiling a set of four "Kaby Lake Refresh" 15W CPUs with four cores and eight threads. There's a press kit website with plenty of information here. Delivering up to a 40 percent performance boost compared to 7th Gen, 8th Gen enables you to do more of what you love — and do it better, faster and easier. The first processors available are the mobile processors for thin and light laptops and 2 in 1s; consumer desktop will follow in the fall. There's coverage on PC Perspective, Tweaktown, LegitReviews and Tech Report.
Discussion continues in this thread in our Intel Hardware forum.
Wednesday Morning Reviews
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Wednesday, 23-August-2017 11:56:43 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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Video Cards:
Vega 64 “Unleashed” – 27 Games, Liquid Cooled Edition vs. GTX 1080 & 1080 Ti on BabelTechReviews.
ZOTAC GeForce GTX 1080 Ti Mini on FunkyKit.
Audio Visual:
MSI Immerse GH70 Gaming Headset on NeoSeeker.
CORSAIR VOID PRO RGB Wireless Gaming Headset on MadShrimps.
Corsair Void Pro RGB Gaming Headset on BenchmarkReviews.
Corsair Gaming VOID PRO RGB Wireless Headset on Guru3D.
Corsair VOID PRO RGB Wireless SE Gaming Headset on PC Perspective.
Corsair Void Pro RGB Wireless headset on TechPowerUp.
Corsair VOID PRO RGB Wireless Gaming Headset on ThinkComputers.
Dodocool DA109 Magnetic Wireless Stereo Sports Headphone on FunkyKit.
Etymotic ER4 XR & SR in-ear headphones on TechPowerUp.
Cases:
Cooler Master's MasterCase Pro 6 on TechReport.
SilverStone Raven RVZ03 mITX on APHNetworks.
Input Etc:
Cooler Master MM520, MM530, and MasterMouse Pro L on LanOC.
SteelSeries' Rival 310 and Sensei 310 gaming mice on TechReport.
Ozone Strike Pro Spectra Mechanical Gaming Keyboard on NikKTech.
Misc:
AORUS X5 V7 gaming laptop on Vortez.
GIGABYTE X399 AORUS Gaming 7 TR4 Motherboard on Tweaktown.
Noctua NF-A Series Cooling Fans on APHNetworks.
HyperX Predator DDR4 on Vortez.
Linksys WRT32x AC3200 Wireless Gaming Router on Tweaktown.
XCELLON AC Power Bank (PB-1200AC) on ModSynergy.
Monday Afternoon
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Monday, 21-August-2017 14:38:46 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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The ACCC have taken action on NBN advertising. Telcos should "immediately implement measures" set out in the guide, which include: providing consumers with typical peak evening speeds, adopting standardised labelling of peak evening speeds, offering customers discounts or refunds if they cannot get the speeds they expect, and making it clear to consumers on fibre-to-the-node and fibre-to-the-basement that they may not get typical NBN speeds.
Meanwhile more than 50 pirate websites will be blocked in Australia within a few days, with more info here, thanks AmB. The targeted internet service providers have 15 days to disable access to the online locations found to have been engaging in or facilitating copyright infringement. The two cases in NSW Federal Court, brought by Roadshow Films and Foxtel, which is jointly owned by Telstra and News Corp, ordered internet service providers to block access to 59 websites and 127 web domains delivering access to copyright-infringing material.
Kaspersky have been a mainstay of the antivirus scene for a long time, but now the FBI is urging people to cut ties with them, following an earlier push for a military ban. The briefings are one part of an escalating conflict between the U.S. government and Kaspersky amid long-running suspicions among U.S. intelligence officials that Russian spy agencies use the company as an intelligence-gathering tool of global proportions.
Elon Musk continues to warn the world about killer robots. Tesla’s Elon Musk and Google’s Mustafa Suleyman are leading a group of 116 specialists from across 26 countries who are calling for the ban on autonomous weapons. The UN recently voted to begin formal discussions on such weapons which include drones, tanks and automated machine guns. Ahead of this, the group of founders of AI and robotics companies have sent an open letter to the UN calling for it to prevent the arms race that is currently under way for killer robots.
Techspot have an article on how you can still upgrade to Windows 10 for free, if you missed the earlier push and now decide you want it. Although Microsoft concluded its free Windows 10 upgrade program on July 29, 2016, the company has yet to close some of the loopholes that it originally opened for folks running Windows 7, 8 and 8.1. If you thought about taking advantage of the launch promotion but never got around to it, there's still nothing stopping you from downloading a free copy of Windows 10 from Microsoft's servers.
There's some angst out there about AMD's RX Vega pricing - Techgage have a summary of the current state of things. I don’t think enough stink is being raised about these shenanigans. AMD told a ballroom full of press and analysts that Vega 64 carried an SEP of $499. As we understand it today, this price was never meant to be permanent. Launch reviews were based on that $499 pricing. AMD had to have known that within 15 minutes of the card going on sale, that price would no longer be relevant.
HotHardware checked out Whisper Mode for NVIDIA-powered gaming laptops. Like its recently introduced Max-Q technology that paves the way for thinner and lighter gaming laptops such as the ASUS ROG Zephyrus GX501, Whisper Mode is another type of mobile gaming optimization, except it focuses on noise output with the intrinsic benefit of lower power draw as well. Short and to the point, it is an intelligent framerate pacing technology designed to lower GPU power consumption, utilization, and ultimately fan noise, while still delivering a smooth and playable gaming experience.
It turns out that playing video games can either grow or shrink your brain, thanks metamorphosis. The study, conducted over four years at the University of Montreal, recorded brain scans of players before and after they played first-person shooters for 90 (non-consecutive) hours. It found a reduction in gray matter in every participant who navigated games like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor using memorized directions, or “non-spatial memory.” In participants who navigated using landmark-based spatial memory, however, the researchers found an increase in gray matter.
This month's second "Retro Let's Play" is Klonoa: Door to Phantomile from 1997. Playing less like the newer 32bit all-3D Mario, Sonic Adventure or Crash Bandicoot games and returning to side-scrolling 2D (using 3D effects more for visuals than anything), Klonoa was a throwback to games more like the previous 16 bit generation, only not terrible.
Motherboard:
ASRock X370 Taichi (AM4) Motherboard on FunkyKit
Gigabyte X399 Aorus Gaming 7 on Guru3D
BIOSTAR RACING X370GTN AM4 Motherboard on Madshrimps
Phone:
ASUS ZenFone 4 Selfie (ZD553KL) (Preview) on TechARP
ASUS ZenFone 4 (ZE554KL) Smartphone (Preview) on TechARP
Oukitel K10000 Max & Pro on TechARP
Case:
Thermaltake View 71 TG Full Tower on NikKTech
Aerocool Project 7 P7-C1 Pro Mid-Tower Chassis on TweakTown
Videocard:
AMD Radeon RX Vega 56 versus NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 on Legit Reviews
Gaming:
Origin Neuron Gaming Desktop on Techspot
What Remains of Edith Finch XBOX on Gaming Nexus
Cooling:
Arctic Summair Light USB Fan on OCInside
Scythe Mugen 5 CPU Cooler on ThinkComputers.org
Audio:
Sound BlasterX AE-5 Sound Card on Hot Hardware
Tesoro Tuned In-Ear Pro Headset on techPowerUp
V-MODA Remix Bluetooth Speaker on APH Networks
Keyboard/Mouse:
Tt eSports Level 10M Hybrid Advanced Gaming Mouse on FunkyKit
Bloody B820R Gaming Keyboard on Benchmark Reviews
Corsair K68 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard on techPowerUp
Memory:
Team T-Force Delta RGB RAM on Vortez
Corsair Vengeance RGB DDR4-3000C15 32GB on ocaholic
CPU:
AMD Ryzen 3 1300X and Ryzen 3 1200 AM4 CPU on Modders-Inc
AMD Ryzen Threadripper 1920X and Ryzen Threadripper 1950X CPUs on Techreport
Misc:
ASUS ROG Rapture GT-AC5300 Wireless Gaming Router on TweakTown
Thanks to TonyR and MelB this week!
     
     
     
     
     
     
Interesting Forum Threads
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Friday, 18-August-2017 10:47:33 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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Here's a quick snapshot of what people are discussing in the forums. Remember that OCAU has official Twitter, Facebook and Google+ pages - if you can follow or like us on those, it helps us keep you up to date.
Coffee Lake 6 core, this August with z370 chipsets? in Intel Hardware.
AMD Vega GPU in Video Cards & Monitors.
Replacing a 42RU cabinet almost fully stacked with a new solution. ideas? in Networking.
How close your NBN? in Networking.
Looking to fabricate vertical GPU Mount in Modding.
Nokia is finally back, and it's looking good! in Google Android.
Run .sh files without having to enter password in Other Operating Systems.
China Shatters “Spooky Action at a Distance” Record, Preps for Quantum Internet in Science.
WOLFENSTEIN ll - The New Colossus in PC Games.
What old game have you replayed lately? in PC Games.
How I store my peanut butter in Geek Food.
Garlic butter/sauce injected chicken breast sous vide in Geek Food.
Where does fusion stop and confusion set in? in Geek Food.
Heinz tinned macaroni and cheese: review/PSA in Geek Food.
Big changes to Import Laws in Motoring.
Ford F150 'Pursuit' Ute in Motoring.
ACCC Sues Ford Over Its Dual-Clutch PowerShift Gearboxes in Motoring.
Takata airbag recall (various makes affected) in Motoring.
Electricity service charges in Lifestyle.
Bathroom Renovations in Lifestyle.
Rememory - SciFi with Dinklage, Ormond, Yelchin - free on Google Play soon in Entertainment.
Game of Thrones in Entertainment.
Bitcoins as an investment? in Career, Education & Finance.
Important figures in Technology History in Career, Education & Finance.
Trump presidency and government in Politics & Policies.
Thursday Afternoon
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Thursday, 17-August-2017 15:57:28 (GMT +10) - by Agg
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From our "obvious in hindsight" department comes news that after months of my phone being so slow it was barely useable, I finally got around to backing it up and factory resetting it and now it's like a brand new phone again. Should have done it months ago..
The Senate has passed laws concerning telecomms security. Similarly to New Zealand telecommunications security laws that came into effect in 2014, telcos will need to tell the Attorney-General's Department about any changes they plan to make that could have a material impact on their obligations to secure their networks. This includes moves like outsourcing network management, offshoring, and purchases relating to sensitive parts of telcos' infrastructure.
Intel have partially unveiled their next generation Core architecture, codenamed Ice Lake. There's coverage on Anandtech. In an unusual move for Intel, the chip giant has ever so slightly taken the wraps off of one of their future generation Core architectures. Basic information on the Ice Lake architecture has been published over on Intel's codename decoder, officially confirming for the first time the existence of the architecture and that it will be made on Intel's 10nm+ process. Discussion here.
NBN Co have rated themselves as 7 out of 10 for customer satisfaction. AUSTRALIA’S National Broadband Network revealed its connections had been rated as low as 5.9 out of 10 by users but blamed individual internet providers for much of the “negative sentiment” around the $49 billion network. NBN Co revealed the score, and its average ranking of seven out of 10, as it delivered its annual financial results, showing the broadband network had reached 5.7 million premises by the end of the financial year. ITWire meanwhile point out that they're barely hitting a target set 10 years ago.
Looks like there'll be a spike in video card pricing soon, thanks to VGA RAM prices going up. August quotes for RAMs used in VGA graphics cards have risen to US$8.50, up by 30.8% from US$6.50 in July. Both RAM industry leaders Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have allocated part of their VGA RAM production capacities to producing memories for servers and handsets, fueling the price rally. Sources from the upstream supply chain expect the pricing to go even higher in September and the shortages will pose a great challenge to graphics card and gaming notebook players over their abilities to handle component inventory.
There's a new 802.11ax Max WiFi standard and it's being hailed as a big deal. One technology that does promise to live up to the hype is 802.11ax, the next standard for wireless LANs. I say that because this next generation of Wi-Fi was engineered for the world we live in where everything is connected and there’s an assumption that upload and download traffic will be equivalent. Previous generations of Wi-Fi assumed more casual use and that there would be far more downloading of information than uploading. Discussion here.
If you're a Firefox user, there's good news and bad news. Good news: the new version will improve speed and memory use. Bad news: it'll break a heap of add-ons. On November 14 Mozilla will take the biggest gamble in its long history when the organization will ship Firefox 57, the first version of its browser that will stop supporting legacy Firefox add-ons.
Thursday Morning Reviews
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Thursday, 17-August-2017 10:37:27 (GMT +10) - by booj
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Motherboards & CPUs:
MSI X299 SLI Plus on LanOC Reviews.
ASRock X399 Taichi Threadripper TR4 on TweakTown.
Storage:
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on Guru3D.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on Hot Hardware.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on The Tech Report.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on Vortez.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on PC Perspective.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on Tweaktown.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on The SSD Review.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD on Legit Reviews.
10TB WD Red (WD100EFAX) Hard Disk Drive on TechARP.
NETGEAR ReadyNAS 626X 10Gbe NAS on TweakTown.
Cooling:
CORSAIR Hydro Series H115i Liquid CPU Cooler on NikKTech.
Deepcool Captain 240EX RGB AIO CPU Cooler on Modders-Inc.
Fractal Celsius S24 on LanOC Reviews.
Input etc:
HyperX Alloy Elite Mechanical Gaming Keyboard on Funky Kit.
Cooler Master MM520, MM530, and MasterMouse Pro L on LanOC Reviews.
Cooler Master MasterSet MS120 Gaming Keyboard & Mouse Combo on ThinkComputers.
Audio:
Cooler Master MasterPulse MH320 Headset on techPowerUp.
Cooler Master MasterPulse MH320 Gaming Headset on ThinkComputers.
Misc:
Phanteks Enthoo Evolv Shift on ocaholic.
G.Skill Trident Z RGB DDR4-3000 32GB Memory Kit on ThinkComputers.
Gigabyte Aorus X5 v7 Notebook on Techspot.
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