http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ en 10 Mon, 06 Sep 2010 03:57:29 +0200 http://m.bestofmedia.com/i/bestofmicro/design/groupe/logo_toms_uk.jpg http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/ http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sandy-bridge-llano-fermi,review-31986.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/sandy-bridge-llano-fermi,review-31986.html#xtor=RSS-142 Fri, 03 Sep 2010 08:10:00 CEST How are Intel, AMD, and Nvidia shaping up for Q4'10 and 2011? Fourteen R&D insiders talk to us about future of discrete graphics. If you’re curious about the business side of things, we have their thoughts on Sandy Bridge, Llano, and the upcoming Fermis.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-100ht-bd-home-theater-pc,review-31985.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/core-100ht-bd-home-theater-pc,review-31985.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 02 Sep 2010 08:10:00 CEST ASRock delivers a Wii-sized home theater PC (HTPC) with a powerful Core i3 CPU, Intel HD Graphics, and a Blu-ray drive. We put the Core 100HT-BD system through a number of tasks to see how its performance compares to a desktop-based home theater PC.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/quadro-5000-firepro-v8800-workstation-graphics,review-31984.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/quadro-5000-firepro-v8800-workstation-graphics,review-31984.html#xtor=RSS-142 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:10:01 CEST Nvidia sure didn't waste any time introducing its Fermi architecture to the workstation space. Its Quadro 5000 is one of the first models to use the company's GF100 graphics processor. How does this card stack up against ATI’s flagship FirePro V8800?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/component-upgrade-ssd,review-31983.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/component-upgrade-ssd,review-31983.html#xtor=RSS-142 Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:30:00 CEST After looking at whether or not it makes sense to replace a PC built back in 2007 with a more modern machine, we decided to examine three component upgrade options—graphics, storage, and the motherboard/CPU/RAM platform—separately.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/windows-7-ssd-trim,review-31982.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/windows-7-ssd-trim,review-31982.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 31 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Which SSD should you buy today? Seventeen flash-based drives battle across a benchmark suite that include throughput, I/O performance, consistency, power consumption, efficiency, and the best overall bang for the buck. The time is right to upgrade.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-460-roundup-gf104,review-31981.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-460-roundup-gf104,review-31981.html#xtor=RSS-142 Mon, 30 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Happy with Nvidia's GeForce GTX 460, we invited a dozen of the industry's top graphics companies to show off their unique interpretations of the card. Nine responded with what they feel are exceptional products. Can they get any better than reference?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nec-controller-usb-3-pd720200,review-31980.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/nec-controller-usb-3-pd720200,review-31980.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 26 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Despite the fact that today's USB 3.0 products center on the same NEC controller, we compared a handful of different USB 3.0 drives and found performance to range from 113 to 173 MB/s, depending on the implementation used. Should you be worried?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/adobe-acrobat-pdf-microsoft-office,review-31979.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/adobe-acrobat-pdf-microsoft-office,review-31979.html#xtor=RSS-142 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Enthusiasts typically turn to hardware upgrades when it comes to improving the performance of their PC. In the case of PDF creation tools, you should consider looking at software first. We take Adobe Acrobat and compare it to several other viable options.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/bulldozer-bobcat-hot-chips,review-31978.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/bulldozer-bobcat-hot-chips,review-31978.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:50:00 CEST Ahead of its most significant processor redesign since 2003, AMD is talking about its Bulldozer and Bobcat architectures, both of which are expected in 2011. Will AMD be able to catch up, or even surpass Intel's lead? The future looks interesting, indeed.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics-power-consumption,review-31977.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/graphics-power-consumption,review-31977.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 24 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Most of our graphics card reviews include power measurements at idle and load. But how do applications tax your GPU in between those two extremes? We line up a handful of different programs and monitor power use with a handful of AMD's latest cards.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/upgrade-processor-quad-core,review-31976.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/upgrade-processor-quad-core,review-31976.html#xtor=RSS-142 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:10:00 CEST Intel agressively promotes its Core i3/i5/i7 series, but we wonder: Does it make sense to replace a three-year old high-end PC? In the end, quad-core processors were already pretty powerful in 2007. We created a brand new system and a 2007 PC to compare. ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/antec-three-hundred-enermax-staray-cooler-master-elite-430,review-31975.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/antec-three-hundred-enermax-staray-cooler-master-elite-430,review-31975.html#xtor=RSS-142 Mon, 23 Aug 2010 08:11:00 CEST Sometimes, overclocking is the key to getting budget hardware humming along at enthusiast-class performance levels. But getting there requires extra cooling. Today we're examining the performance of four low-cost gaming enclosures under $50 bucks.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/h50-fort120-cogage,review-31974.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/h50-fort120-cogage,review-31974.html#xtor=RSS-142 Fri, 20 Aug 2010 00:20:00 CEST Parts one and two of our air and self-contained water cooler reviews compared components on an open bench with each model's included fan. Understanding that performance will differ in an enclosure, what happens when we install these solutions in a case?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/lcd-backlight-led-cfl,review-31973.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/lcd-backlight-led-cfl,review-31973.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 19 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST An increasing number of flat panel displays are based on LED backlighting, and their manufacturers aren't shy about promoting the technology's benefits to power consumption. We checked the claims to see if the promised savings are worth emphasizing.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-5550-radeon-hd-5570-gddr5,review-31972.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/radeon-hd-5550-radeon-hd-5570-gddr5,review-31972.html#xtor=RSS-142 Wed, 18 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST AMD quietly introduced its new Radeon HD 5550 and prepped the Radeon HD 5570 GDDR5 to follow. We examine the performance of these two stealth-launched models to see if they have what it takes to replace a couple of power contenders in the sub-$100 market.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charlie-miller-iphon-hack-jailbreak,review-31971.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/charlie-miller-iphon-hack-jailbreak,review-31971.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:20:00 CEST Regular Tom's Hardware readers know Charlie Miller as the first person to hack Apple's iPhone and a repeat winner of CanSecWest's Pwn2Own contest. This time around, we talk to Charlie about jailbreaking and what it means to smartphone security in general.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gv-n470SO-13I-super-overclock-geforce-gtx-470,review-31970.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gv-n470SO-13I-super-overclock-geforce-gtx-470,review-31970.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 17 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Gigabyte recently sent us an altered GeForce GTX 470 with the highest factory overclock that we’ve seen. Is the custom-cooled card worth an extra $70 bucks? We test the GV-N470SO-13I, comparing it to Nvidia’s reference GTX 470, in order to find out. ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best-gaming-cpu-core-i5-760-core-i7-970,review-31969.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/best-gaming-cpu-core-i5-760-core-i7-970,review-31969.html#xtor=RSS-142 Mon, 16 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST We look at three recently-released Intel processors, including the dual-core Core i3-550, the quad-core Core i5-760, and the Gulftown-based six-core Core i7-970, capable of processing 12 simultaneous threads. Is Intel putting pressure on the Phenom II X6?]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hdd-reliability-storelab,review-31968.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/hdd-reliability-storelab,review-31968.html#xtor=RSS-142 Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Storelab, a Russian player in data recovery, recently released a long-term study comparing hard drives from a number of different vendors. The controversial report offers interesting data and provides a snapshot of HDD reliability and defect reasons.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gtx-480-amp-edition-gv-r587so-1gd-icooler-v-turbo,review-31967.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/gtx-480-amp-edition-gv-r587so-1gd-icooler-v-turbo,review-31967.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 12 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST Why buy a standard model when you can get the top-of-the-line? Treat yourself to the good stuff! We take three premium graphics cards for a spin to see just what kind of optional extras you can get when purchasing a factory-tweaked non-reference board.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/balanced-gaming-pc-overclock,review-31966.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/balanced-gaming-pc-overclock,review-31966.html#xtor=RSS-142 Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST What does it mean to build a truly-balanced PC? How great would it be to piece together a machine bottlenecked by neither CPU or GPU? We set forth to measure the perfect balance in seven different games and four resolutions in this third of many parts.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-460-radeon-hd-5570-gaming,review-31965.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/geforce-gtx-460-radeon-hd-5570-gaming,review-31965.html#xtor=RSS-142 Tue, 10 Aug 2010 08:10:00 CEST In this month's update, we discuss the new GeForce GTX 460 and its impact on the graphics card landscape. Additionally, continuing GeForce GTX 400-series price drops make higher-end cards more attractive, and the Radeon HD 5570 GDDR5 should be here soon.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/pcie-geforce-gtx-480-x16-x8-x4,review-31964.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/pcie-geforce-gtx-480-x16-x8-x4,review-31964.html#xtor=RSS-142 Mon, 09 Aug 2010 08:10:01 CEST Are the most elaborate platforms really required to host the fastest GPUs, or can you get away with P55's lane-splitting scheme? As Nvidia’s latest graphics processors push 3D performance to new heights, we examine the interfaces needed to support them.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/12-hp-8740w-z800.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/12-hp-8740w-z800.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:10:02 CEST HP invited us to the launch of its latest desktop and mobile workstations, showing off Xeon 5600-based machines and notebooks with AMD's brand-new Eyefinity-equipped FirePro M7820 GPU. We also heard racing legend Gil de Ferran speak and toured DreamWorks!]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/11-PC-Case-Mod-custom-Creation.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/11-PC-Case-Mod-custom-Creation.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:10:01 CEST Think your puny case is cool? You haven't seen anything yet. We've collected some of the weirdest and coolest cases around the Web, and believe us when we say some are just weird. One PC is even stuffed inside a life-sized body! Check them all out.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/10-pc-gaming-mouse-avoid.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/10-pc-gaming-mouse-avoid.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:10:00 CEST Staying on top of your game means having a decent mouse under your palm. But style counts for a lot as well. We take a look at 20 designs that shock and awe, though you'd be lucky if even one of these specimens found its way onto your wish list.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/9-hdd-laptop-upgrade.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/9-hdd-laptop-upgrade.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:01:04 CEST You're ready to ditch your notebook because you think it's just too outdated. Well, the latest mobile hard drives offer up to 640GB of capacity to help breathe in a little more life. We show you how to replace the drive and restore your Windows install. ]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/8-computex-2010-booth-babes.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/8-computex-2010-booth-babes.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:00:03 CEST Thanks to Computex 2010's focus on consumer electronics and IT products—two male-dominated industries—scantily-clad women are in abundance. As we walk the show floor, gathering information on technology, our cameras seem to have a mind of their own.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/7-dram-flash-nand-ssd-usb.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/7-dram-flash-nand-ssd-usb.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:00:02 CEST Have you ever wondered how memory modules are made? Kingston invited us to its factory in Taiwan, a small detour from our Computex coverage. The company gave us a look around at how its memory modules and USB drives are manufactured.]]> http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/6-computex-2010-booth-babes.html#xtor=RSS-142 http://www.tomshardware.co.uk/picturestory/6-computex-2010-booth-babes.html#xtor=RSS-142 Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:00:01 CEST There once was a time when E3 and CES had all of booth babes. Then they were banned, for being too sexy. Thankfully, Taiwanese shows always demand that booth babes be present. There's just no show without them. Here are our Day 3 pictures from the floor.]]>