Catch up on stories from the past week (and beyond) at the Slashdot story archive

 


Forgot your password?
Close
typodupeerror
×
Input Devices

Submission + - The Best Computer Mice in Every Category (extremetech.com) 1

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "Now that the folks at ExtremeTech have finished writing about the best keyboards for every occasion, they conclude their roundup of input devices with the best computer mice in every category, which includes ergonomic mice, gaming mice, notebook mice, and so on. While this year's crop of gaming mice didn't impress much, there were advancements in non-gaming mice and tracking, as demonstrated by Microsoft's Explorer Mouse with BlueTrack technology--which is considered more precise than optical and laser. Even ergonomic mice saw little growth in the year--prompting the reviewer to rely on the older Zero Tension Mouse as a favorite."
Input Devices

Submission + - The Best Keyboards for Every Occasion (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "ExtremeTech has written an article on the best keyboards in every category, such as gaming keyboards (macro and hybrid), media center keyboards, keyboard gamepads, and so forth. Of course, the big companies like Microsoft and Logitech dominate these lists, while smaller companies like Razer, Ideazon, and others play an important role as well."
Intel

Submission + - Intel Quad-Core Price and Performance Showdown (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "The folks over at ExtremeTech have had enough time on their hands to benchmark Intel's entire quad-core lineup to determine which has the best performance for the dollar. While prices range from $183 to $1399, the real bargain is with Intel's latest Core i7 architecture which outpaced many other more expensive processors. For comparison's sake, Intel's fastest dual-core CPU was thrown into the mix and was, at times, not even competitive, which suggests that we're beginning to see more and more multi-threaded applications take advantage of four cores."
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Laptop Gaming Smackdown (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "ExtremeTech reviews three popular gaming laptops, each at different price points, to find the best bang-for-the-buck rig for the gamer on the go. The laptops reviewed and benchmarked are the ASUS G1S (the cheapest of the bunch), the Falcon-Northwest FragBook TLS, and the pricey Alienware Area-51 m9750. While the Alienware didn't surprise anybody with its high performance, the ASUS laptop actually outperformed the more expensive Falcon-Northwest rig, earning the best deal of the bunch."
Hardware Hacking

Submission + - Build a Windows Home Server (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "While our important digital information is dangling at the mercy of our local hard drives, protecting that data with a home server isn't such a bad idea. For roughly $800, computer users can build a low-power, 1 terabyte Windows Home Server to ensure that our data doesn't go bump in the night. ExtremeTech has a primer on building this server, outlining which parts to buy, and also taking readers through each installation step. The cost is about the same as the HP MediaSmart Server EX475, though building a system allows PC users more flexibility and full access to the operating system."
Input Devices

Submission + - Gaming Mouse and Keyboard Buying Guide (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "While following every gaming mouse and keyboard released in the past year is about as fun as watching paint dry, ExtremeTech does us all a favor and compiles a "best of" roundup of their favorite gaming mice and keyboards. Among the top of the lists are some usual suspects, such as Logitech with their G9 mouse and G15 LCD macro keyboard, while Microsoft and Ideazon top the lists as well with the SideWinder and MERC Stealth."
Graphics

Submission + - Hacking Your Graphics Card (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "To take off some pressure from Nvidia and their GeForce 8800 GT availability issues, other manufacturers are selling this popular video card with different clock speeds and prices. To save a buck or two, and possibly squeeze out some extra performance, ExtremeTech has a helpful primer on overclocking your 8800 GT with some very easy hacks to the video control panel or BIOS."
Graphics

Submission + - Four Hot 8800 GT Graphics Cards (extremetech.com)

Submitted by ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: Nvidia's GeForce 8800 GT combines great performance for an affordable price, making it an ideal bang-for-the-buck graphics card. ExtremeTech benchmarks four 8800 GTs from ASUS, PNY, Gigabyte, and EVGA. Each card has a unique set of speeds and feeds, not to mention different price tags.
Input Devices

Submission + - Razer's Creepy, Crawly Lycosa Gaming Keyboard (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "Razer's follow-up to their Tarantula gaming keyboard comes in the form of the Lycosa, their first fully backlit keyboard with software that allows any key to be remapped or recorded for macros. ExtremeTech's review of the Lycosa looks beyond its flashy exterior and discusses its look and feel, software, and advanced features. The Lycosa ships next week for a retail of $79.99."
Music

Submission + - Three-Way Music Software Shootout (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "Squabbling with bandmates is an old and busted tradition for rock stars. With games like "Rock Star" and "Guitar Hero," gamers are turning to media to unleash their inner rock star. Musicians a little more serious about crafting music can turn to computer apps to translate ideas into songs. Joel Durham Jr. over at ExtremeTech has a review of three popular music creation programs: Cakewalk SONAR Home Studio 6 XL, Sony ACID Music Studio 7.0, and MAGIX Music Maker 12 Deluxe. Each program has enough versatility for users to begin making music, but the right program depends on a person's skill level and budget."
Input Devices

Submission + - Razer Touts Next-Gen Laser, 4000 dpi Mouse (extremetech.com)

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "As a refresher: Gaming mice have doubled in dpi sensitivity in the last two years, from 2000 dpi to 4000 dpi, with the latter going to Razer's latest beast — the Lachesis. Razer's Lachesis has nine buttons, an ambidextrous shape, and plenty of software hacks for profile and macro management. While Razer hopes the Lachesis will woo consumers with its muscle, ExtremeTech's review of the Lachesis isn't quite convinced that horsepower is enough, as the design and button placement both became issues. The mouse retails for $80."
AMD

Submission + - AMD's Sub-$200 HD 3850 GPU, RV670 Chip Launched

Submitted by
ThinSkin
ThinSkin writes: "Today, AMD takes the wraps off of their newest RV670 GPU architecture with the Radeon HD 3850. Jason Cross at ExtremeTech ran a series of benchmarks with the new GPU and found that it revealed some very impressive numbers for a sub-$200 card — even outperforming cards costing twice as much. Although rendering DX10 graphics was not its strong suit, the 3850 boasts a better value (dollars per FPS) than any other current-gen graphics card."

Slashdot Top Deals

If all else fails, lower your standards.

Close