Finally ... a hardware review!
--- i have been somewhat distracted by recent events and i (think that i) have finally recovered from the flu and its relapse after CES.

Next up is a ViewSonic V3D231 evaluation which will focus in on Passive 3D

Then i am testing out the AMD liquid cooler that was installed for FX 8150; all i could manage with the Thermalright cooler was 4.6GHz (barely stable). The Evercool fans that AMD uses are NOISY - worse than air cooling. So i have two 120mm Noctua fans that i will replace and test (next cooling article)

Then will be compared two Thermaltake Frio CPU coolers (vs AMD/Asetek liquid cooling).

And i should be back to regular Catalyst and GeForce driver evaluations. It's great to feel better!


Oh yes .. and for myself, personally .. it's FULL TOWERS .. all the way!! i love the case - it is better even than the Element G (which i still love for being an oversized Mid-tower and its looks)

Well, i got the fan control working properly on the liquid cooler. The installation may be difficult but it does an excellent job of keeping FX-8150 cool compared to my old ThermalrightUltraExtreme120

The air cooler topped out at 4.6GHz with temps in the 50s - 60s under extreme load .. and now i am seeing mid-40s. So i probably can push her to 4.8GHz. We'll see. The fans get loud under load but it isn't too bad as long as temps are in the 40sC.

i feel another article coming on .. after the ViewSonic Passive 3D evaluation. And i definitely want to replace the Evercool fans on the Radiator with the Noctua. Maybe 5GHz?




After that it's high end air cooling vs mid-range water cooling



UPDATE: i just tried 4.8GHz and i got a big spike in temps - from low 40s at idle to upper 50s in the BIOS .. so that may be tops for my FX8150 ... IF i am lucky .. i am about to stress test it as it appears to be OK at loading Win7, so far.

4.8GHz benching stable. It hits the low 70sC but it plays games and will complete Vantage/3DMark etc.

Not too bad. Same kind of situation with 4.6GHz on air. All i could get in the article was 4.4GHz stable.

The noise is bad with the Evercool fans at Max. My very next article will be a quick one with Noctua Fans to substitute for them.

Watercooling is OK. i changed my mind over the past few hours

That really is a fugly case....!I dont care how good the cooling is!, Yuk!

There are a few new Tt cases that i am going to review with similar internal setups but very different outside

Actually, i am going for the Mac look next
- all white

Please ask Tt to send you a 1500W power supply!!! You said that you will not??

Using 2 PSUs is a pain in the neck?

i am going to ask EVGA to review their 1500W PSU. Soon as i get a series of reviews out this week and next (well, i'll ask next week).

It's so easy to use two PSUs - no issue at all for benching. i wouldn't like it 24/7 nor in the Summer. But then the only reason i use two is because i was benching Bulldozer; most all of my needs are met by 850W.