| The Top 20 Games We Want Remastered Posted: 05 Sep 2014 11:43 AM PDT Games worth replaying in HD No matter how old you are, there will always be at least one game that you'll want to revisit and play all over again. Maybe even more than once. What is it that makes you want to play again? Great gameplay, great story, or even a great soundtrack are some of the factors that keeps a game on our minds. There is one other factor that helps to make a game memorable: the graphics. But sadly, as time marches on, the majority of games just can't hold their own against the ever-increasing advancements in graphics technology. Inevitably, when we go back and play many of those games, we can't help but cringe at how they look. Thankfully, there seems to be a bit of an HD renaissance happening for PC games these days. The recent announcement that Grim Fandango is being remastered is certainly a reason to celebrate. And it's also nice we're getting an HD remake of GTA V. But these are but a few awesome games to be revisited. Other games, such as Age of Empires II, have been touched by the hand of HD. Then there is The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, which was fully re-imagined with a remastered musical score, full voiceover, and new art style. So we decided to come up with a list of games, in chronological order by release date, that we would like to see remastered. Obviously, we are going to exclude a lot games. As a result of this, we would love to hear what games you think should be remastered and why. Please sound off in the comments below! Follow Sean on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Asus ROG Rolls Out Ares III Dual R9 290X Graphics Card Posted: 05 Sep 2014 09:52 AM PDT  You know it's a serious card when it comes in a briefcase
See that image of the Ares III? According to Asus, the Ares III is the world's fastest water-cooled dual R9 290X graphics card on the planet, and we won't argue that claim. After all, who knows what that thing's lugging inside its metal briefcase. What we do know, however, is that this impressive graphics card is wielding dual AMD Radeon Hawaii XT R9 290X GPUs, both factory overclocked to 1030MHz. It's flanked by 8GB of GDDR5 memory clocked at 5000MHz and, according to Asus, is 15 percent faster than a GeForce GTX Titan Z when gaming at a 4K resolution Despite the presence of two GPUs, this is a single-slot graphics card. It features a hand-carved EK water block for a precision fit, and when hooked up, the card runs 25 percent cooler than the reference R9 295X2, Asus says. If you need even more speed, Asus points out that the Ares III features Digi+ VRM technology with a 16-phase concrete-core power design and Japanese made 10K black metallic capacitors, which reduces power noise by 30 percent and enhances energy efficiency by 15 percent without generating whines or buzzes. Translation? You can overclock this sucker. 
Asus is only making 500 of these cards, which will be available this month. No word yet on price. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| HP Expands Mobile Lineup with Color Chromebooks and Detachable PCs Posted: 05 Sep 2014 09:32 AM PDT  Playing both sides of the fence
It doesn't matter if you're sticking with Windows or trying your hand at Chrome OS, HP has new systems for whichever platform you ultimately choose. Those going with Chrome OS might be interested in HP's second generation Chromebook models available in 11.6-inch and 14-inch models, both of which are splashed with color. And those wanting to go with Windows might find something of interest in HP's new Envy x2 and Pavilion x2 detachables. HP's newest 11.6-inch Chromebook starts at $200 and boasts a 1366x768 resolution powered by an Intel Celeron N2830 processor (2.16GHz, 1MB L2 cache). It also has 16GB of eMMC storage plus 100GB of Google Drive storage in the cloud, 2GB or 4GB of DDR3L-1333 RAM, USB 3.0 port, USB 2.0 port, HDMI output, headphone-out/microphone-in combo jack, HD webcam, 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, optional 4G LTE connectivity, and a 3-cell battery good for up to 8 hours and 15 minutes. It's available in Ocean Turquoise and Snow White. The 14-inch Chromebook features a similar spec sheet but is built around Nvidia's Tegra K1 SoC and starts at $300. It also has a 32GB M.2 SSD thrown into the mix, faster clocked RAM (1600MHz), is heavier (3.78 pounds versus 2.83 pounds), and more color options (Smoke Silver, Sorbet Orange, Ocean Turquoise, and Neon Green). Turning our attention to the detachables, the HP Envy x2 comes in 13.3-inch and 15.6-inch diagonal form factors, both of which are powered by Intel's Core M processor. They have a fabric-covered, backlit Bluetooth keyboard, up to 256GB of SSD storage on the 13-inch and up to 500GB of hybrid storage on the 15-inch, and Beats Audio. The 13-inch model will be available on October 29 starting at $1,050 and the 15-inch on November 5 starting at $950. Finally, the Pavilion x2 ships October 29 starting at $330 and features a 10-inch diagonal form factor powered by an Intel Atom processor. It also has front-firing speakers with DTS sound and a battery that's good for up to 11.75 hours, HP says. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Intel's Low Power Core M Processor (Broadwell-Y) Arrives, Will Power Fanless 2-in-1 PCs Posted: 05 Sep 2014 09:03 AM PDT  Intel's Core M will pave the way for even thinner hybrids
Get ready for a barrage of razor thin 2-in-1 systems this holiday season. They'll be powered by Intel's new Core M processor (codenamed Broadwell-Y), a low power part that became official today at the IFA trade show in Berlin. Intel purpose built the Core M processor to deliver high performance in ultra thin and fanless form factors, and the chip maker already has a number of hardware partners ready to bite. They include Acer, Asus, Dell, HP, Lenovo, and Toshiba, all of which are planning to release 2-in-1 hybrids with Core M inside. The major draw for OEMs is that the 14nm Core M package is 50 percent smaller and, at just 4.5 watts, sips 60 percent less power than the previous generation. As to performance, Intel says Core M delivers twice the compute performance and up to seven times better graphics compared to a 4-year-old PC. "We've been on a multi-year mission to address end-user requirements and transform mobile computing," said Kirk Skaugen, senior vice president and general manager of personal computing at Intel Corporation. "The introduction of Core M marks a significant milestone in that journey. Core M is the first of a new product family designed to deliver the promise of one of the world's thinnest laptops and highest performance tablets in a single 2 in 1 device." Using Intel's Core M part, OEM partners will be able to design and build sleek, fanless systems less than 9mm thin. At present, there are already more than 20 Intel Core M processor-based OEM products in the development pipeline, the Santa Clara chip maker said. There are three Core M processors available to OEMs. They include the Core M 5Y10 (dual-core, four threads, 0.8GHz to 2GHz, 4MB L3 cache, Intel HD Graphics 5300 clocked at 100MHz to 800MHz), Core M 5Y10a (same specs with possibly a different voltage), and Core M 5Y70 (dual-core, four threads, 1.1GHz to 2.6GHz, 4MB L3 cache, Intel HD Graphics 5300 clocked at 100MHz to 850MHz). Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| G.Skill Unleashes Ripjaws 4 DDR4-3333 RAM, World's Fastest Memory Posted: 05 Sep 2014 08:39 AM PDT  Breaking the speed limit
How high will memory makers take DDR4 RAM kits? We're in the process of finding out. In the meantime, G.Skill is laying claim to the world's fastest DDR4 memory with its new Ripjaws 4 DDR4-3333 memory kit (F4-3333C16Q-16GRK). It's a 16GB kit consisting of four 4GB modules for quad-channel fun on your new Intel Haswell-E build with 16-16-16-36-2N timings and 1.35V. G.Skill says its RAM is fully validated on the newest Asus Rampage V Extreme X99 motherboard, though it should work on other motherboards built around Intel's X99 chipset as well. It also features Intel XMP 2.0, meaning you shouldn't have to fuss with settings in the BIOS. You can also pick up a Ripjaws 4 kit clocked at 3300MHz (F4-3300C16Q-16GRK) or 3200MHz (F4-3200C16Q-16GRK) for a bit less money. They're also quad-channel kits consisting of four 4GB modules with the same timing. The 3200MHz ($470) and 3300MHz ($580) are available now; the 3333MHz kit should be available soon for $700. Follow Paul on Google+, Twitter, and Facebook |
| Newegg Daily Deals: CM Storm Stryker Full Tower Case, BenQ 27-inch LED Monitor, and More! Posted: 05 Sep 2014 06:04 AM PDT |
