General Gaming Article

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• Best Cheap Graphics Card: Asus Radeon HD 7790 vs. EVGA GTX 650 Ti Boost
• Google Swallows Key Lime Pie, Gets Ready to Serve Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" Instead
• Corsair Launches a Trio of High Capacity USB 3.0 Flash Drive Lines
• Windows 8 Gains Ground, Scurries Past Mac OS X in Market Share
• Western Digital Rolls Out First 2.5-inch Red Hard Drives, Expands Desktop Line to 4TB
• Microsoft Snatches Up Nokia's Devices Division for $7.2 Billion
• Newegg Daily Deals: Rosewill 15.6-inch Notebook Cooler, Timbuk2 Q Laptop Backpack, and More!

Best Cheap Graphics Card: Asus Radeon HD 7790 vs. EVGA GTX 650 Ti Boost Posted: 03 Sep 2013 03:07 PM PDT Battle of the best cheap graphics cards We don't pay too much attention to the sub-$200 GPU market, but with AMD and Nvidia having boards at around the $150 mark that offer features previously only found on more expensive GPUs, including multi-GPU support and GPU clock boosting (for Nvidia). These new features suddenly made these budget boards very interesting, especially when dual-card setups are taken into consideration. Naturally, we pitted the new cards against one another in a Sweet-Spot showdown. The Asus Radeon HD 7790 DirectCU II OC is surprisingly powerful given its tiny size, lack of noise, and solitary 6-pin PCIe connector requirement. Round 1: Specs On paper, both 28nm cards are extremely similar, though the Nvidia card has a few small advantages. First, the AMD card is only available in 1GB flavors; the Nvidia card comes in both 1GB and 2GB varieties, and features a wider 192-bit memory interface compared to the 7790's 128-bit channel. The AMD card offers more stream processors at 896 compared to the 650 Ti Boost's 768 CUDA cores, though this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison. For clock speeds, the Nvidia card can hit a higher speed when boosting, 1,137MHz compared to the AMD card's 1,075MHz clocks, but 60MHz isn't anything to write home about. Both cards support dual-GPU configs (previously unheard of at this price), so that's a draw. The AMD card draws a lot less power, though—just 85W compared to the Nvidia's semi-high 134W. Winner: Tie Round 2: Performance In this category there is a clear winner, and it's Nvidia in both single- and dual-card configs. In every benchmark test we ran except for one, the Nvidia card either had a small advantage or the two cards were neck-and-neck, but at no time did AMD have the upper hand. The one exception was in Dirt: Showdown, which is known to be an AMD game, just like Batman: Arkham Asylum is an Nvidia title. Overall, though, the balance is clearly in Nvidia's favor, with it eking out a small advantage in each test, wiping out any advantage AMD hoped it would gain over Nvidia with the launch of this card. To be fair, AMD originally launched this card against the older GTX 650 Ti, and then Nvidia launched the updated Boost version soon after in response, so AMD probably wasn't prepared for the response from Nvidia on this one. EVGA's GeForce GTX 650 Ti Boost SuperClocked is the alpha-male version of this card, overclocked and stuffed with 2GB of RAM. Winner: EVGA GTX 650 Ti Boost Round 3:  Features Let's examine connectivity first. Both cards offer the same number and type of ports: dual-DVI ports, DisplayPort, and an HDMI port. Second, the Asus bundle includes a CrossFireX cable, VGA-to-DVI adapter, and the Asus DirectCU II cooler, which is one of the best available when it comes to silent operation and great temps. The feather in the HD 7790's cap is the inclusion of a copy of BioShock Infinite—a $60 value and an excellent triple-A title. The EVGA/Nvidia card uses a stock blower-type cooler, which is not sexy, but does the job. The EVGA card also includes a bare-bones bundle that includes a single VGA-to-DVI adapter, driver disk, and a sticker. Both cards ship with superb software, and Nvidia includes $75 worth of in-game money for Hawken, World of Tanks, and PlanetSide 2, which is weak. Winner: Asus HD 7790 Round 4: Heat and Noise Just as the Nvidia card has a small advantage when it comes to performance, AMD and Asus have the advantage in this category. First off, the TDP for the HD 7790 is a low 85W, which compares to 134W of the Nvidia card, making AMD the clear winner in terms of power draw. Second, we've seen the Asus DirectCU II cooler keep an overclocked GTX 680 totally silent, so you can image what a smaller version of the cooler  is capable of with a low-TDP card like the HD 7790. The AMD card is also able to more efficiently manage its power states compared to previous cards, helping it stay totally silent all the time. Now, we're not saying the EVGA card is loud, but it made a bit more noise in testing than the Asus card, and draws more power, making this category a slam-dunk for AMD/Asus.   Winner: Asus HD 7790 Round 5: Price and Value This is another round that is easy to decide, because at press time the Asus card was priced at $149 with the copy of BioShock Infinite, and the EVGA card was priced at $179 on Newegg with the $75 of in-game credits. Obviously, the Nvidia card has a speed advantage, and double the memory, but for gamers who are playing at 1080p, the Asus card is totally adequate, so we think it offers a better value given how close the two cards are in every other aspect. Also, the Nvidia card is priced the same as the more expensive Radeon HD 7850, which offers better performance in every test that we use, making the GeForce card seem kind of expensive in comparison. There is a 1GB version of the 650 Ti Boost that costs $149, which is more compelling than this version, in our opinion.  Winner: Asus HD 7790 And the Winner Is… There is a clear winner at this $150-ish price point, and that's the Asus DirectCU II Radeon HD 7790. The Nvidia card would be extremely competitive at $150, but not at $170, where it's just a bit too expensive and unable to compete with the Radeon HD 7850. AMD's inclusion of BioShock Infinite really sweetens the pot, too, making it an amazing deal at $149 since it includes the superbly silent DirectCU II cooler and always-excellent Asus engineering.

Google Swallows Key Lime Pie, Gets Ready to Serve Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" Instead Posted: 03 Sep 2013 12:28 PM PDT Get ready for a marketing blitz The chefs at Google have decided against going with the codename Key Lime Pie to describe the next version of Android and instead have entered into a licensing agreement with Nestle to dub Android 4.4 "Kit Kat" after the popular chocolate candy bar. Google's Sundar Pichai spilled the beans in a Google+ post in which he also announced that Android has now surpassed 1 billion device activations. "On my return from Asia, I was also thrilled to find this guy waiting to greet me on the front lawn -- love the new #AndroidKitKat statue and can't wait to release the next version of the platform that is as sweet as the candy bar that's one of our team's favorites," Pichai said in reference to the picture below, which he posted on his Google+ page. A landing page for Android Kit Kat confirms that the chocolaty codename is in reference to Android 4.4, not Android 5.0. To kick off its branding relationship with Nestle, starting September 6 you'll have the chance to win a Nexus 7 or Google Play credit (or Kit Kat Minis) by checking underneath the wrappers of specially branded Kit Kat bars. Major Android updates have all been named after desserts in alphabetical order, starting with Cupcake (Android 1.5) and progressing down the alphabet to Donut (Android 1.6), Eclair (Android 2.0), Froyo (Android 2.2), Gingerbread (Android 2.3), Honeycomb (Android 3.0), Ice Cream Sandwich (Android 4.0), Jelly Bean (Android 4.1), and eventually Kit Kat (Android 4.4). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Corsair Launches a Trio of High Capacity USB 3.0 Flash Drive Lines Posted: 03 Sep 2013 11:33 AM PDT Big and fast storage options If you've been thinking about retiring your USB 2.0 flash drive in favor of something faster and more capacious, Corsair may have what you're looking for. Corsair today announced the immediate availability of three new SuperSpeed USB 3.0 flash drive models -- Flash Voyager GS, Flash Voyager Mini, and Flash Voyager LS with capacities ranging from 16GB all the way up to 256GB. Corsair's Flash Voyager GS line represents the most capacious drives. They're available in 64GB ($90), 128GB ($126), and 256GB ($250) flavors. They come housed in sleek, scratch-resistant brushed metal enclosures and offer up to 285MB/s read and up to 180MB/s write speeds. The most affordable of the bunch is the Flash Voyager Mini Series available in 16GB ($16), 32GB ($30), and 64GB ($50) capacities. They measure just 1.25 inches long and are equipped with a detachable key ring loop. Finally, the Flash Voyager LS line sports a premium retracting design that negates the need for a protective cap. These drives are available in 16GB ($17), 32GB ($27), 64GB ($47), and $128GB ($90) capacities. Like the other two lines, these drives feature a brushed metal design that resists scratching and fingerprints. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Windows 8 Gains Ground, Scurries Past Mac OS X in Market Share Posted: 03 Sep 2013 10:10 AM PDT Biggest month-to-month jump in share to date Consumers may finally be warming to the idea of Windows 8 and its new interface. Though there's been a bunch of bellyaching up to this point, Windows 8 has slowly been gaining market share and jumped up 2 percentage points last month. That's the largest month-to-month gain in share since the operating system debuted in October of last year, and it was enough to propel it ahead of Mac OS X for the first time. According to data by NetMarketShare, Windows 8 closed out August with a 7.41 share of the desktop OS market, up from 5.40 percent a month prior and 5.10 percent at the end of June. Growth seems to coming at the expense of Windows XP, which declined more than 3.5 percent last month. A third of all PCs still run XP, however. While Windows 8 has a long road before it passes XP or 7 (45.63 percent, up from 44.49 percent a month prior), Redmond's touch friendly OS leapfrogged the last three versions of Mac OS X combined. Mac OS X 10.6 (1.65 percent), 10.7 (1.65 percent), and 10.8 (3.42 percent) account for 6.75 percent the desktop OS market. What version of Windows are you running these days? Image Credit: Flickr (jfingas) Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Western Digital Rolls Out First 2.5-inch Red Hard Drives, Expands Desktop Line to 4TB Posted: 03 Sep 2013 08:50 AM PDT Bigger and smaller WD Red drives now available Western Digital today announced the expansion of its WD Red line of SATA hard drives built specifically for home and small office NAS (network attached storage) systems with one to five bays. Previously only offered in the 3.5-inch form factor, Western Digital is now offering 1TB and 750GB WD Red drives in the 2.5-inch form factor as well. In addition, the company stretched its 3.5-inch line to 4TB. "Through dialogue with our NAS partners and customer advocacy for WD Red, we saw the need for additional capacity in the 3.5-inch form factor and delivered our new 4 TB offering," said Matt Rutledge, vice president of client storage for WD. "We also wanted to deliver a highly reliable and compatible 2.5-inch hard drive built specifically for small NAS. This small form factor enables our customers to use high capacity NAS hard drives with high performance, quiet operation and low power consumption in compact NAS enclosures. We also see an opportunity in smaller-footprint NAS systems, media players and other industrial applications. Our pride in our product and our vision is shared with our customers." Unlike traditional hard drives, WD Red drives are tested for compatibility in NAS environments. Utilizing built-in NASware 2.0 technology, these drives are optimized for always-on, 24x7 operation and include error recovery controls, along with lower noise and vibration than regular HDDs. The new 2.5-inch WD Red 1TB (WD10JFCX) runs $99 MSRP; the 750GB model (WD750BFCX) is priced at $79. Those opting for higher storage will find the new 4TB WD Red (WD40EFRX) priced at $229. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Microsoft Snatches Up Nokia's Devices Division for $7.2 Billion Posted: 03 Sep 2013 07:54 AM PDT Lumia line heads to Redmond Nokia made a major gamble betting the farm on Microsoft's Windows Phone platform rather than rolling with Android, which is installed on 8 out of 10 smartphones around the world. Like any good gambler, you have to know when to cash out, and that day has come for Nokia, having sold its Devices and Services division to Microsoft for what amounts to $7.2 billion in cash. The deal also includes Nokia patent licenses and use of the Finnish phone maker's mapping services. Microsoft will pay €3.79 billion to purchase all of Nokia's phone business plus an additional €1.65 billion to license the company's patents for a total of €5.44 billion, or about $7.2 billion in U.S. dollars. That's a hefty sum to bring the Lumia lineup to Redmond, but in doing so, Microsoft hopes to accelerate the growth of its share and profit in mobile devices, both of which could use a boost. "It's a bold step into the future – a win-win for employees, shareholders and consumers of both companies. Bringing these great teams together will accelerate Microsoft's share and profits in phones, and strengthen the overall opportunities for both Microsoft and our partners across our entire family of devices and services," said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft chief executive officer. Around 32,000 Nokia employees will transfer to Microsoft, including 4,700 workers in Finland and 18,300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembly, and packaging of product worldwide. The challenge for Microsoft is how best to leverage the Lumia line and promote its Windows Phone platform as a viable alternative to Android and iOS. Microsoft's track record in mobile isn't all the stellar with its recent Surface fiasco, though phones are a different business. One thing Microsoft has going for it is its prior relationship with Nokia and the knowledge gained from that experience. "Microsoft effectively 'acquired' Nokia several months ago when it entered into a deal to license Windows Mobile to Nokia, making Nokia entirely reliant on Microsoft's software for its mobile future," said Victor Basta, managing director of Magister Advisors. "Nokia's value has eroded progressively since, making the actual deal to acquire the mobile business even more attractive now for Microsoft. In the meantime Microsoft has had the chance to work with Nokia and learn about the business, so this now looks like a safe deal for Microsoft. The burning question, of course, is whether Nokia's gradual erosion – in market share, value and perception - can be reversed." Depending on how you look at it, this is an exciting time for Microsoft, and also a critical one. There's a lot of potential in this acquisition, and with Steve Ballmer retiring, it will be up to the next CEO to decide how best to use it. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook

Newegg Daily Deals: Rosewill 15.6-inch Notebook Cooler, Timbuk2 Q Laptop Backpack, and More! Posted: 03 Sep 2013 07:20 AM PDT Top Deal: It's not always easy keeping your cool in the heat of battle, figuratively and literally. That's also true of your laptop, which is crammed with heat producing parts in confined space. Want to cool things down? Then check out today's top deal for a Rosewill 15.6-inch Notebook Cooler for $18 with free shipping (normally $25 - use coupon code 0827BTS20). It has Dural 80mm vertical adjustable fans, an aluminum faceplate, and even push up storage spaces on both sides for things like USB cables. Other Deals: Team Color Turn 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive for $18 with free shipping (normally $19 - use coupon code: [BTSFLASH]) Arctic Cooling Silver E461-BM 3.5mm Connector Earphone for $18 with free shipping (normally $30 - use coupon code: [0827BTS38]) Timbuk2 Q Laptop Backpack for $40 with free shipping (normally $80 - use coupon code: [0827BTS8]) In Win GRone Gray 0.8mm SECC Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case for $130 with free shipping

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