Four Z77-Based Mini-ITX Motherboards, Reviewed

Yes, you can get all of the functionality enabled by Intel's Z77 Express chipset in a tiny mini-ITX form factor! We round up four motherboards that uniquely approach the gaming and media center markets with a range of features and prices. Which is best?

Originally developed for boring tasks like industrial PCs and point-of-sale terminals, AMD breathed new life into VIA’s single-slot mini-ITX form factor with its own dual-slot DTX version. Soon after, the combination of motherboards with one expansion slot and cases able to take dual-slot cards became the standard for portable gaming PCs. But Intel ironically appears to be the biggest beneficiary of AMD's efforts. After all, it sells the high-performance, low-heat processors needed in a fast, quiet platform with big-time thermal constraints. Ouch.

As a result, we demand a lot more from small gaming-oriented machines. It's no longer acceptable to simply build a system that excels at video playback, particularly when technologies like AMD's VCE and Intel's Quick Sync accelerate that workload right on the APU or CPU itself. And with system builders putting 4.3 GHz Core i7s and GeForce GTX 680s into mini-ITX-based platforms four inches thick (Meet The Tiki: Core i7-3770K And GeForce GTX 680 In A Mini-ITX Box?), enthusiasts will no doubt want to the ability to build similarly-potent boxes.

But if it's possible to cram the goodness of Intel's Ivy Bridge and efficient graphics architectures like Kepler into mini-ITX using Intel's mainstream H77 Express chipset, why bother spending more on a Z77 Express-based board? Well, it wouldn't have been possible for Falcon Northwest to have hit 4.3 GHz in its Tiki using H77, for starters. Overclocking demands that you spring for the pricier core logic. Although we doubt you'd care too much about tuning up a home theater PC, we’re nevertheless intrigued by motherboards that can serve that market in addition to the performance-hungry gaming industry.

We see today’s motherboards with Intel's flagship mainstream chipset as enablers of the best from both worlds. Of course, if you disagree and only really want to build a stock-clocked media-oriented machine, simply step down to the H77-based versions of the boards we're testing today.

Z77 ITX Motherboard Features
     ASRock
Z77E-ITX    Asus
P8Z77-I Deluxe    EVGA
Z77 Stinger    MSI
Z77IA-E53
PCB Revision    Initial    1.04    1.0    2.1
Chipset    Intel Z77 Express    Intel Z77 Express    Intel Z77 Express    Intel Z77 Express
Voltage Regulator    Six Phases    Ten Phases    Seven Phases    Eight Phases
BIOS    P1.70 (12/17/2012)    801 (12/04/2012)    1.0 (11/08/2012)    V10.1 (10/19/2012)
100.0 MHz BCLK    100.39 MHz (+0.39%)    100.30 MHz (+0.30%)    99.78 MHz (-0.22%)    100.00 MHz (+0.0%)
I/O Panel Connectors
PS/2    1    None    None    1
USB 3.0    4    4    4    2
USB 2.0    2    4    2    4
Network    1    1    1    1
eSATA    1    2    2    1
CLR_CMOS Button    Yes    Yes    Yes    Yes
Digital Audio Out    Optical    Optical    Optical    Optical
Digital Audio In    None    None    None    None
Analog Audio    5    3    5    3
Video    DVI-I, DisplayPort, HDMI    HDMI, DisplayPort, DVI-I    mini-DisplayPort, HDMI    VGA, HDMI
Other Devices    Wi-Fi Antennas    Wi-Fi/Bluetooth Antennas
USB BIOS Flashback    Bluetooth Transceiver    Wi-Fi, Bluetooth
Internal Interfaces
Expansion Slot    PCIe 3.0 x16    PCIe 3.0 x16    PCIe 3.0 x16    PCIe 3.0 x16
Mini PCIe    x1 (filled)    x1 (filled)    x1    x1
USB 3.0    1 (2-ports)    1 (2-ports)    1 (2-ports)    1 (2-ports)
USB 2.0    2 (4-ports)    2 (4-ports)    2 (4-ports)    1 (2-ports)
SATA 6.0 Gb/s    2    2    2    2
SATA 3.0 Gb/s    2    2    2    2
4-Pin Fan    2    2    3    2
3-Pin Fan    None    None    None    None
FP-Audio    1    1    None    1
S/PDIF I/O    None    Output Only    None    None
Internal Buttons    None    MemOK, TPU    Power, Reset    None
Diagnostics Panel    None    None    Numeric    None
Legacy    CIR    None    None    None
Mass Storage Controllers
Chipset SATA    2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x SATA 3Gb/s
1x mSATA
1 x eSATA 3Gb/s    2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x SATA 3Gb/s
2 x eSATA 3Gb/s    2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x SATA 3Gb/s    2 x SATA 6Gb/s
2 x SATA 3Gb/s
1 x eSATA 3Gb/s
Chipset RAID Modes    0, 1, 5, 10    0, 1, 5, 10    0, 1, 5, 10    0, 1, 5, 10
Add-In SATA    None    None    88SE6121 PCIe
2 x eSATA 3Gb/s    None
USB 3.0    ASM1042 PCIe (2-ports)
Z77 Integrated (4-ports)    ASM1042 PCIe (2-ports)
Z77 Integrated (4-ports)    ASM1042 PCIe (2-ports)
Z77 Integrated (4-ports)    None
Networking
Primary LAN    BCM57781 PCIe    WG82579V PHY    WG82574L PCIe    RTL8111E PCIe
Wi-Fi    RTL8191SE PCIe
802.11n/g/b
1x2 Config, 2.4 GHz
    BCM43228 PCIe
802.11n/g/b BT Combo
2x2 Config, 2.4/5 GHz
    None    AR9271 UB94 USB
802.11n/g/b
1x1 Config, 2.4 GHz
Bluetooth    None    (see above)    BTA3011M01 USB    AR3011 USB
Audio
HD Audio Codec    ALC898    ALC898    ALC898    ALC892
DDL/DTS Connect    Not Specified    DTS Connect    Not Specified    Not Specified
Warranty    Three Years    Three Years    Three Years    Three Years


High-end chipsets represent only a small part of the mini-ITX market, so we weren’t surprised to find only a handful of available products. It was more surprising to us that there were two companies selling Z77-based boards that specifically asked not to be included. In some cases, it seems that vendors are using pricier Z77 Express platform controller hubs for segmentation, while focusing more intently on the markets typically served by H77's feature set.


http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/mini-itx-z77-motherboard,3389.html

Aaron Swartz's suicide: Computer crimes statute blamed

As funeral services were held for internet activist Aaron Swartz, the debate intensified over what some called a "draconian" US computer crime law used by allegedly overzealous prosecutors.

An online petition calling for the removal of the prosecutors in his case garnered more than 31,000 signatures and some of Swartz's supporters blamed a 1986 computer crimes statute for his suicide.

Swartz, who was just 14 when he co-developed the RSS feeds that are now the norm for publishing frequent updates online and went on to help launch social news website Reddit, hanged himself in his New York apartment on Friday.

He was 26 and reported to have been battling depression.

He had been due to stand trial in April for allegedly breaking into a closet at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to plug into the computer network and download millions of academic journal articles from the subscription-only JSTOR service.

Swartz had pleaded not guilty to charges of computer fraud, wire fraud and other crimes carrying a maximum sentence of 35 years in prison and a $1 million fine, charges dismissed after his death.

"Aaron Swartz faced a more severe prison term than killers, slave dealers and bank robbers," said Ian Millhiser of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.

"Whatever one thinks of Swartz's actions, which were likely illegal and probably should be illegal, it is difficult to justify treating him as if he were a more dangerous criminal than someone who flies into a rage and kills their own brother."

Marcia Hofmann, of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that to honor Swartz, it would be best to fix a "draconian computer crime law."

"The government should never have thrown the book at Aaron for accessing MIT's network and downloading scholarly research. However, some extremely problematic elements of the law made it possible," Hofmann wrote.

"But Aaron's tragedy also shines a spotlight on a couple of profound flaws of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act... (whose) vague language, broad reach, and harsh punishments combine to create a powerful weapon for overeager prosecutors to unleash on people they don't like."

Marcy Wheeler, who writes a blog called "emptywheel," blamed the Department of Justice for being "ruthless against just about everyone who is not a Wall Street executive."

A separate petition to the White House with 23,000 signatures called for reform of the 1986 law.

A third petition calling for a posthumous pardon of Swartz generated mixed responses along with some 21,000 signatures.

"Pardoning Swartz also would allow the government, effectively, to pardon itself," said Robin Corey, a Brooklyn College political scientist.

"I want the death of Swartz, and the prosecution that helped produce it, to hang around the neck of the state for a very long time."Danah Boyd, a Microsoft researcher who is a visiting scholar at Harvard Law School, said she was angry at the government's conduct.

"When the federal government went after him -- and MIT sheepishly played along -- they weren't treating him as a person who may or may not have done something stupid. He was an example," she said in a blog.

"Over the last few years, we've seen hackers demonized as anti-democratic even though so many of them see themselves as contemporary freedom fighters."

As Swartz's funeral was held in Chicago Tuesday, his family and partner posted a comment on a memorial website saying his death was "not simply a personal tragedy. It is the product of a criminal justice system rife with intimidation and prosecutorial overreach."

Some reports said MIT refused to agree to a plea deal which would have reduced the potential for 35 years in prison to six months in jail.

MIT president L. Rafael Reif said he asked professor Hal Abelson to lead a "thorough analysis" of MIT's involvement in the JSTOR case.

But some legal experts said the government did not overstep its authority.

Orin Kerr, a professor at the George Washington University Law School who specializes in computer crime laws, said the charges against Swartz "were based on a fair reading of the law" and that "none of the charges involved aggressive readings of the law or any apparent prosecutorial overreach."

In a blog post he said "isn't going to be popular," Kerr wrote that "all of the charges were based on established case law" and "pretty much what any good federal prosecutor would have charged."

But Ted Frank, an adjunct fellow with the Manhattan Institute's Center for Legal Policy, said Kerr's analysis ignores "the 'hacker ethos' of MIT that encourages the sort of rebellious computer activity Swartz engaged in."

"Computer culture can look more sinister than it is to the humorless outside of it," Frank said.

http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-01-16/computing/36372710_1_computer-fraud-online-petition-jstor

Raspberry Pi: The Cheapest Computer to Date!

If we look few decades back, it was almost impossible to think of working with a computer without any proficiency of knowledge about it. Gradually, the developers made it simple by making use of a graphical operating system. Now, it is simpler yet by the invention of Raspberry Pi, it has been developed by a charity called Raspberry Pi Foundation. It is not more than the size of a credit card. The feature which makes it genuinely special is its ‘ease of use’, especially for the beginners. Another important factor is its price, which is either $25 or $35, depending upon the version. The price is good news for them who can’t afford to buy a usual desktop.

These days computers are important, as these have become important means for communicating, be it for business purpose or some personal need. We could assure you that Raspberry Pi fulfills the basic needs of all classes of people. However, you need to understand one thing clearly, from the moment you take the circuit out of the package, do not expect things to happen automatically. If you do not know how to work with Raspberry Pi, land up on Raspberry Pi’s website for online help and start working with it.

Before purchasing a Raspberry Pi, you should know certain things about it to make a better choice. We have gathered a precise info about it, here you go:

Raspberry Pi has two versions, one is Model A and another is Model B. Model B is better version than that of Model A, and it is more expensive too. Let us see few of the features of both flavors of Raspberry Pi: Model A has only one USB port, but Model B has two such ports. Unlike Model B, Model A lacks in Ethernet port. Other than few certain things, major part of the hardware is more or less similar.

Let us dig deeper into the hardware section: It has 700MHz ARM1176JZF-S CPU, it has a Broadcom Video Core IV GPU, 256MB of SDRAM. RCA & HDMI are the two video outputs that you can find in the circuit, also a 3.5 mm audio output. It is important to note here, it receives its power from a micro USB adapter, this means that this circuit doesn’t have any Switch ON or Switch OFF button; rather it draws its power from plugging the adapter into the circuit.

It is not necessary to remind you of the fact that, you will not get a capable computer with the kind of price that has been mentioned, but it is also a fact that you will not have a great multi-tasking and web browsing experience with the circuit of Raspberry Pi. All that you can run are: fundamental desktop jobs, few low-end games which can otherwise made to run in lower models of smartphones, play HD videos.

Did we mention that, to use Raspberry Pi, you need few components such as: a monitor with digital connection and compatible video cable, a USB keyboard and a mouse (if required)? Do not forget a micro USB power adapter or else your computer will be a box, which is meant for a showpiece in the drawing room.

There is nothing exciting about it, as it is just a bare board with no chassis, you have to put all the efforts to build it as a computer and the difficult part is that, you need to know little bit of Linux to have a command over it.

However, it gives you a platform for experimenting and if unfortunately, things go wrong during experimenting then it will not remind you of the money spent by you. If you were afraid to purchase a computer for your son, thinking that you cannot afford to pay for the damages, then Raspberry Pi is a good option that will not wreak any havoc on you.

http://www.computerarticles.co.uk/raspberry-pi-the-cheapest-computer-to-date/

Exclusive: SEC left computers vulnerable to cyber attacks - sources

Staffers at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission failed to encrypt some of their computers containing highly sensitive information from stock exchanges, leaving the data vulnerable to cyber attacks, according to people familiar with the matter.

While the computers were unprotected, there was no evidence that hacking or spying on the SEC's computers took place, these people said.

The computers and other electronic devices in question belonged to a handful of employees in an office within the SEC's Trading and Markets Division. That office is responsible for making sure exchanges follow certain guidelines to protect the markets from potential cyber threats and systems problems, one of those people said.

Some of the staffers even brought the unprotected devices to a Black Hat convention, a conference where computer hacking experts gather to discuss the latest trends. It is not clear why the staffers brought the devices to the event.

The security lapses in the Trading and Markets Division are laid out in a yet-to-be-released report that by the SEC's Interim Inspector General Jon Rymer.

NO DATA BREACHED

The revelation comes as the SEC is encouraging companies to get more serious about cyber attacks. Last year, the agency issued guidance that public companies should follow in determining when to report breaches to investors.

Cyber security has become an even more pressing issue after high-profile companies from Lockheed Martin Corp to Bank of America Corp have fallen victim to hacking in recent years.

Nasdaq OMX Group, which runs the No. 2 U.S. equities exchange, in 2010 suffered a cyber attack on its collaboration software for corporate boards, but its trading systems were not breached.

One of the people familiar with the SEC's security lapse said the agency was forced to spend at least $200,000 and hire a third-party firm to conduct a thorough analysis to make sure none of the data was compromised.

The watchdog's report has already been circulated to the SEC's five commissioners, as well as to key lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and is expected to be made public soon.

SEC spokesman John Nester declined to comment on the report's findings.

SEC NOTIFIED EXCHANGES

Rich Adamonis, a spokesman for the New York Stock Exchange, said the exchange operator is "disappointed" with the SEC's lapse.

"From the moment we were informed, we have been actively seeking clarity from the SEC to understand the full extent of the use of improperly secured devices and the information involved, as well as the actions taken by the SEC to ensure that there is proper remediation and a complete audit trail for the information," he said.

A spokesman for Nasdaq OMX declined to comment on the security lapse at the SEC.

Since the internal investigation was concluded, the SEC initiated disciplinary actions against the people involved, one of the people familiar with the matter said.

The SEC also notified all of the exchanges about the incident.

The SEC's Trading and Markets Division, which has several hundred staffers, is primarily responsible for overseeing the U.S. equity markets, ensuring compliance with rules and writing regulations for exchanges and brokerages.

Among the division's tasks is to ensure exchanges are following a series of voluntary guidelines known as "Automation Review Policies," or ARPs. These policies call for exchanges to establish programs concerning computer audits, security and capacity. They are, in essence, a road map of the capital markets' infrastructure.

Although they are only voluntary guidelines, exchanges take them seriously.

Under the ARP, exchanges must provide highly secure information to the SEC such as architectural maps, systems recovery and business continuity planning details in the event of a disaster or other major event.

That is the same kind of data used by exchanges last week after Hurricane Sandy forced U.S. equities markets to shut down for two days.

Prior to re-opening, all of the U.S. stock market operators took part in coordinated testing for trading on NYSE's backup system.

SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro recently said the SEC is working to convert the voluntary ARP guidelines into enforceable rules after a software error at Knight Capital Group nearly bankrupt the brokerage and led to a $440 million trading loss.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/09/net-us-sec-cyber-idUSBRE8A804P20121109

Speed up Windows 7 (no new hardware)

If you've stumbled upon this page, I shall assume that you are either frustrated by the current speed of your computer, or you simply wish to have a bit more power. The most efficient way to obtain this would be to upgrade the hardware of your PC.

Unfortunately, hardware isn't cheap and those less knowledgeable in computers will have a hard time selecting the right components.
The good news is: that, If you have a Windows 7 computer, there are several tricks that will increase the it's speed, without you actually needing to invest any money.
Note: Most of these will also work on other versions of WIndows.


Clean up unnecessary files

If you're like must people out there, chances are you have tons of files that you don't use spattered across your computer. Delete these as much as possible, or burn them to a CD/DVD/Blu-ray. Also, Windows provides a handy tool to help you clean your computer. It's called, conveniently enough: Disk Cleanup. Open it by typing Disk Cleanup in the start menu's search box, or by going to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup.
Defragment your hard drive regularly

Windows 7 comes with a built-in Disk Defragmenter. This program rearranges data on your hard drive in order to decrease read times. To  run the program, simply time disk defragmenter in your start menu's integrated search box or, alternatively, open the start menu and go to All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.

 

Disable unwanted visual effects

Eyecandy is fun and pleasing. But beware if you have a sluggish video card. Windows 7's looks might just be what's slowing down your games or high-def videos. To disable them, open up the Control Panel and type Performance Information and Tools in the search bar. Click the uppermost link, then go to Adjust visual effects (In the top-left corner). This will bring up a dialog box that lets you choose which animations you wish to enable/disable. Windows even provides handy presets such as "Adjust for best performance".

Disable unnecessary startup programs or services

Chances that you needn't most of the program that automatically start with your computer. These take up memory and slow down the booting process. To disable them, open the start menu and type Run in the search box. Open the "Run" program. Once this is done, typemsconfig in the text box that appears.






This will open up the Windows System Configuration Utility. First of all, click the "Selective Startup" option. Next, go to the startup tab. A list of applications will appear, all of which automatically start with your computer. Disable those you do not want.
You can also click the "Services" tab to disable unnecessary services, but beware of preventing important services from starting. Here's a list of services that you can safely disable: http://windows7themes.net/windows-7-services-safe-to-disable.html.
Don't put large files on your desktop

Some people put huge files on their desktop. DO NOT do this. Few are those who actually know this, but the desktop is not an average folder, and putting lots of data on it will slow down the computer. Instead, create shortcuts to files that you use often.
Game Booster

Game Booster is a free program by IObit (download here) that temporarily turns off services that are unnecessary for gaming, thus saving ram and processor time. Now lets clarify one thing: this program is not only useful for games, but will also improve the speed of any resource-hungry applications. It is also completely free and safe, but will nag you a bit with "Game Booster Premium", which is unfortunately not free.
Make sure you have up-to-date drivers

Often times, people willing to speed up their computers stop updating their drivers in the hopes of "Installing less stuff". This is a huge mistake. Often times, driver updates bring performance improvements for the concerned hardware. Even when they don't, the will probably include bug fixes that will make the system more responsive.
Uninstall unused software

This is probably the best known (and one of the most efficient) ways of speeding up a computer. To remove unwanted programs, open up the Control Panel and click on "Programs", then on "Programs and Features". A list of installed applications will appear, and you can choose to uninstall those you don't want. You can also turn WIndows features on and off (look in the upper left corner).

http://www.informatics-tech.com/how-to-speed-up-windows-7-without-new-hardware.html

Seagate - The Year in Storage

We’ve seen more dramatic years in storage. In 2012, there was no natural disaster that wiped out manufacturing facilities. No company jumped into the headlines with news of holographic recording breakthroughs or ways to turn your cat in 14 petabytes of bio-storage capacity. (Pet-abyte...get it?) Yet 2012 brought us a few key developments that are quietly shaping how we will deal with storage in 2013. Whether you’re a home user or an enterprise purchaser, it’s worth your while to give these developments some thought and consider how they might play into your own storage strategy for the coming year.
Today’s Storage at a Glance
It’s interesting how some things seem to come full circle. IBM delivered the first commercial disk storage product in 1956 with its IBM 305 RAMAC. The first disk drive for PCs didn’t arrive until 1980 with Shugart/Seagate’s premiere 5.25” hard drive, the ST-506, which weighed in at a remarkable five megabytes. Over the following two decades, the magnetic storage market exploded at a phenomenal rate, at one point peaking with over 200 vendors.


The inherent problem will be familiar to anybody involved in semiconductors. As technologies evolved and fabrication nodes continued to shrink, improving magnetic storage densities continued to become more difficult and costly. Advances were necessary for any manufacturer wanting to stay competitive and popular, but fewer and fewer could afford to stay in the game.  Some companies continue to leverage partnerships, but the majority have either been acquired by larger fish or else folded. For instance, consider the 1 TB disk platters recently debuted by Seagate that are now becoming widespread across 3.5” hard drives. A 1 TB platter requires an areal density of 625 Gb per square inch. In 2006, Seagate had only announced (and not even started production on) platters with a 421 Gb/in2 density. A 50% density increase in roughly six years is a breakneck improvement speed requiring radical engineering at the fringes of modern physics. Only a handful of storage companies are left able to operate at this level.
Today, there are five hard drive brands being sold by the remaining major manufacturers: HGST, Samsung, Seagate, Toshiba, and WD. Some people view this level of manufacturing contraction as a negative thing, but in many ways it was inevitable, and in a few it was beneficial. Again referencing semiconductors, there are reasons why only a few companies, such as Intel, Global Foundries, and TMSC are able to manufacture processors below the 40 nm fabrication node. Plants able to produce chips or drives at these levels cost billions of dollars, and the requisite R&D to sustain a future road map costs hundreds of millions more. Without a highly integrated, vertical company sporting a significant asset base, holding to such road maps would be impossible.


 http://www.tomshardware.com/us/sponsored/Seagate-the-year-in-storage-198

Dell May Be Dickering for Private Deal

Rumors of a deal that would take the company private have driven up Dell's stock. The company has been losing market share among consumers and shifting its eye toward more enterprise sales. "Going private is a real option for Dell," said Morningstar analyst Carr Lanphier. "Will it be expensive? Yes. Will it be difficult to get funding? Yes."


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Investors sent Dell stock soaring Monday when reports surfaced that the struggling PC maker is in discussions to go private.

Representatives from the third-largest PC maker are in talks with TPG Capital and Silver Lake about a private-equity investment that would give Dell breathing room to regroup outside the public eye, according to a report from Bloomberg.

Dell has seen its market share decline in recent quarters as PC sales have slumped across the industry. Many consumers have opted to buy mobile devices instead of replacing an old laptop or buying a second computer.

In an effort to counter that slowdown, Dell has been focusing on its corporate hardware offerings, but those initiatives haven't been quick to breathe new life into the company. It lost about a third of its value last year.

Investors seemed to like the idea of a private deal. The stock surged by as much as 13 percent Monday afternoon when reports broke about the talks. It closed at US$12.29, its highest price since August, and pushed toward $13 entering Tuesday afternoon.

Wall Street is anxious for something more from the company, especially now that it is hoping to compete as an enterprise vendor, said Stephen Patel, analyst at ISI Group.

"Expectations are too high with most investors now expecting success from Dell's acquisitions and initiatives around networking, storage and services," Patel told the E-Commerce Times. "Investors will no longer tolerate the slow, lumpy revenue growth or uneven margin performance that Dell has had in the past."

Dell has not confirmed any reports of private talks. Dell did not respond to our request to comment for this story.
Private an Option?

Such rumors have surfaced before about Dell. At a meeting with investors and analysts in 2010, CEO Michael Dell admitted his key acquisitions and significant layoffs hadn't been enough to keep the stock price steady and remain competitive against companies like HP and IBM.

Now, with PC sales even lower than they were in 2010 and competition from companies like HP and Lenovo even more fierce, the time is once again right to explore alternatives, however imperfect they may be, said Carr Lanphier, analyst at Morningstar.

"Going private is a real option for Dell," he told the E-Commerce Times. "Will it be expensive? Yes. Will it be difficult to get funding? Yes, but the reality is that when Dell hit its low point at $8.86 per share in November, more than 40 percent of its value came from its net cash balance."

A private deal also might be more realistic for the company now that has changed its overall outlook, Patel pointed out.

"Dell's strategy of serving customers as a partner rather than a provider is well aligned with customer needs and is a realistic strategy," he said. "Dell should also see better operating leverage as a technology partner rather than a provider as this will provide flexibility to offer a wider range of solutions."
Challenges for Company, Not Consumers

Still, any deal for Dell would be a big one, said Lanphier, and it might be tough for the company to make sure it comes out on top. Shareholders would most likely be happy with any price above $14 per share, said Lanphier. That's still well below its highest historic price.

"Dell isn't in the best position to bargain at the moment because most private-equity firms will have difficulty finding funding for such a large acquisition. Dell's low valuation could also prompt shareholders to demand unreasonably high prices, which could torpedo any deal. And any deal would almost certainly require Michael Dell's capitulation."

Whatever road Dell takes going forward, consumers are unlikely to bear the brunt of any major changes, said Lanphier. There is a possibility that the company would be operated as-is by a private-equity firm, which would mean no real change for consumers. Even if it were sold to a competitor, Dell's PC supply would probably remain consistent.

The overall PC landscape might see the bigger change if Dell goes private, Lanphier pointed out, although that depends on what kind of deal the company wants to cut.

"It's feasible that Dell's businesses could be stripped down and sold off to competitors, which would allow for substantial swings in market share," he said. "It's also possible that Dell could reorganize itself outside of the public eye, go through a couple of tough years to trim its non-strategic segments, and come back a leaner, higher-margin company.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/77091.html

Open Compute unveils AMD Open 3.0, Intel photonics

The Open Compute Project - founded by Facebook to bring new technologies to the server market in the name of improving efficiency - has made a raft of announcements this week, including Intel's first open-source silicon photonics designs and a new modular server system from AMD.

First, AMD's offering. Dubbed Open 3.0, previously known under the codename Roadrunner, the server platform uses a modular design to improve the efficiency, flexibility and cost of server systems. Bemoaning the current 'one size fits most' approach used by server vendors, Open 3.0 uses a custom AMD G34 motherboard measuring 16in x 16.5in and designed for installation in 1U, 1.5U, 2U or 3U 19in rack chassis along with a pair of Opteron 6300 processors to build a central platform which can be customised for almost any workload.

As an example, AMD explains that the system can be configured for use as a high-performance computing (HPC) cluster node with 1 DIMM per memory channel, support for six SATA drives straight off the southbridge, a single SR5670 tunnel and an on-board gigabit Ethernet connector with support for 10Gb Ethernet via an add-in mezzanine module board in a 1U chassis. For general-purpose use, the system can be shoved into a 2U chassis which adds support for up to 25 2.5in SATA or SAS drives, one full-height and one half-height PCI Express slots and the same 10Gb Ethernet connectivity via a mezzanine board. For storage use, the Open 3.0 platform can be placed into a 3U chassis to provide room for four full-height short-length PCI Express cards and a whopping 35 2.5in drives.

With room for 12 memory sockets on all versions - with just the number of sockets per channel varying between workload configurations - the Open 3.0 platform is certainly not lacking in expandability options, although the earlier-promised support for all AMD server processors has yet to materialise.

'We became involved with the Open Compute Project very early as we saw a pervasive demand for simplified, energy efficient servers, claimed Suresh Gopalakrishnan, corporate vice president and general manager of AMD's server division. 'Our goal is to reduce data centre power consumption and cost yet increase performance and flexibility – we believe that AMD Open 3.0 achieves this.'

Currently, the AMD Open 3.0 platform isn't ready for a retail release, but the company has partnered with Tyan and Quanta to build the production version with a view to releasing hardware into the market by the end of this quarter.

Intel, a fellow member of the Open Computer Project, has also added a fancy new offering to the group's technology stable: an open-source implementation of its silicon photonics interconnect technology. According to Intel's internal measurements, provided by chief technology officer Justin Rattner at the Open Computer Summit earlier this week, engineering samples of the provided technology allow for up to 100Gb/s data rates using a fraction of the power required by traditional copper-based electrical interconnects.

'We're excited about the flexibility that these technologies can bring to hardware and how silicon photonics will enable us to interconnect these resources with less concern about their physical placement,' claimed Frank Frankovsky, chairman of the Open Compute Foundation and vice president of hardware design at supply chain at Facebook, of the company's announcement. 'We're confident that developing these technologies in the open and contributing them back to the Open Compute Project will yield an unprecedented pace of innovation, ultimately enabling the entire industry to close the utilization gap that exists with today's systems designs.'

To Intel's chargrin, however, it is being joined in the Open Computer Project by ARM licensees including Calxeda and AppliedMicro, who are positioning the Cambridge-based chip giant's low-power designs as the perfect way to improve server efficiency - especially in the high-performance computing market, where systems are increasingly receiving the bulk of their compute performance from add-in highly-parallel accelerator boards like Nvidia's Tesla family and Intel's Xeon Phi.

The most interesting aspect of the Open Compute Project is, as its name suggests, its openness: everything that forms part of the Open Compute Project, from Intel's new silicon photonics interconnect technology to AMD's modular motherboard design, is publicly available through Facebook's GitHub account - although some of the latest information has yet to filter through to the repository, which hasn't been updated for the last four months. With the Open Compute Summit coming to a close, however, that is likely to change.

Initially, the technologies forming part of the Open Compute Project will be aimed at server markets - but what starts in the data centre will inevitably trickle down to the desktop. In a few years - or, depending on how successful Facebook's pet project proves, decades - the same highly-modular and customisable designs, high-speed interconnects and highly efficient CPU designs will likely be in desktops throughout the world.

http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2013/01/17/open-compute/1

Intel's Otellini talks profits, 14nm and Haswell

Intel has been one of the companies hit by the slowing PC market, but you'd struggle to tell from its latest quarterly earnings report: the company has made $0.48 per share, higher than the $0.45 per share predicted for Q4 2012.

Despite being hit by the slowing consumer interest in buying new PCs, which has seen shipments of desktops and laptops shrink 6.4 per cent year-on-year, Intel's latest earnings call reported impressive net income of $11 billion - based on $13.5 billion revenue - for the quarter to make up a total of $53.3 billion for the 2012 financial year. Even after everything was deducted, Intel came out of one of the toughest quarters yet with a profit of $2.5 billion for the quarter - and that's despite spending $1 billion to buy back 47 million shares of previously-public stock.

'The fourth quarter played out largely as expected as we continued to execute through a challenging environment,' claimed Paul Otellini, current Intel president and chief executive. 'We made tremendous progress across the business in 2012 as we entered the market for smartphones and tablets, worked with our partners to reinvent the PC, and drove continued innovation and growth in the data centre. As we enter 2013, our strong product pipeline has us well positioned to bring a new wave of Intel innovations across the spectrum of computing.'

That isn't to say that Intel was unaffected by the overall market conditions, of course: the company's PC Client Group - responsible for desktop and laptop products - saw its revenue drop 1.5 per cent from Q3 and an impressive six per cent from the same quarter in 2011. The data centre group, meanwhile helped soften the blow with a seven per cent quarter-on-quarter growth and four per cent year-on-year. Coupled with a one per cent increase in gross margin and a tax rate of 23 per cent compared to an expected 27 per cent, that growth helped keep Intel well in the black.

Otellini had some interesting claims to make as he revealed the figures to analysts and press during the company's conference call. 'It's no longer necessary to choose between a PC and a tablet,' he claimed. 'Convertibles and detachable, combined with Windows 8 and Touch, provide a two for one, no compromise computing experience. Ultrabooks have also served to accelerate the trend towards thinner and lighter notebooks. For example, the volume of systems less than one-inch thick grew 18-fold last year in the U.S., and we expect to see the same trend continue around the world.'

Otellini was also hopeful for the company's smartphone and tablet products, boasting that there are now seven devices available across 20 countries using Intel's 32nm Medfield Atom system-on-chip processor - a start, but dwarfed by the number of devices using some variant on Cambridge-based rival ARM's IP. Otellini also discussed 22nm manufacturing, tri-gate technology and his company's partnership with ASML on extreme ultra-violet lithography (EUV) and 450mm wafer production.

'Looking ahead to 2013, I am excited about the strong pipeline of our products we have coming to market,' Otellini concluded. 'In the first half of this year we will launch Haswell, enabling one of the most significant changes to the PC since Centrino in 2003. Haswell was designed from the ground up to enable breakthrough innovations in form factor, battery life and usability. It will deliver the single largest generation-to-generation battery life improvement in Intel's history, and it is inspiring a new wave of ultra-sleek, convertible touch-based designs across our customer base.'

Otellini also promised 22nm Xeon and Atom products, targeting the micro-server market, later in the year, while stating that Intel would also be looking to begin production of its first 14nm products towards the end of the year - a bold claim when the company's competitors are still largely stuck on a 28nm process node.


http://www.bit-tech.net/news/hardware/2013/01/18/intel-q4-2012/1

Silverstone Heligon HE01 Review

Asymetrical cooling

The movie Die Hard was so awesome it spawned a wave of imitators that all had just one distinguishing difference—Die Hard on a plane, Die Hard on a boat, Die Hard in a nursing home, etc. And so it is in the world of air coolers: We have dozens of skyscraper aluminum coolers with just one standout feature, and on the Silverstone Heligon HE01 the standout feature is its super-thick 14cm fan. It’s so big that Silverstone had to shave off a sliver of the cooler’s right appendage to make room for it, giving the cooler an asymmetrical look that resembles a tennis player’s arms.

The XXL fan sports a 4-pin plug for PWM functionality, as well as an easily accessible switch labeled “Q-P” for Quiet and Performance modes, but it should be Q-L for Quiet and Loud. The fan blows air through aluminum fins attached to six copper heat pipes that snake into a copper base, with the whole shebang plated in snazzy-looking nickel. The heat pipes are not the direct-contact variety like the ones in our favorite cooler, the Cooler Master Hyper 212. It’s a massive cooler at almost 6 inches to a side, and though it does require RAM without tall heatspreaders, it’s not any larger than the best coolers in its class, including the Phanteks PH-TC14PE and the Noctua NH-D14, both of which will also interfere with tall RAM.

Installation was easy on our LGA2011 test bed and required tightening just two screws with a Phillips-head screwdriver after we hand-tightened the mounting brackets. Installing the Heligon’s giant fan was hella hard, though, since the retention clips don’t permanently attach to the fan and kept falling out of their holes.

In testing, the Heligon in quiet mode was just 2 C warmer than its natural competitor, the Phanteks PH-TC14PE, and neck-and-neck with the Cooler Master, and in performance mode its benchmark results are top-of-the-charts if you can handle the noise (we couldn’t). For fun we added a second fan to the mix, although we found it to have a negligible benefit. We also ran it in PWM mode but considered the fan to be too loud under stress.

All in all, the Heligon is a solid package but nothing too groundbreaking, especially for its semi-high price. If the performance mode was quieter, it’d be a must-buy.

$79, www.silverstonetek.com

Note: This review was taken from the November issue of the magazine. 

Update - Silverstone clarified to us that the asymetrical design is not due to the fan's width, but rather for the design to allow extra-tall RAM on the right-side of the CPU socket. However, our Asus Sabertooth X79 test bench has RAM on both sides of the socket, which prevented us from using extra-tall RAM.
Silverstone Heligon HE01
Purring

Excellent performance; quiet (in quiet mode); semi-easy install.
Hissing

Finicky retention arms; loud in performance mode; requires low-profile RAM.
8
Specifications
Dimensions H x D x W (inches, with fan)     6.2 x 4.6 x 5.5
Weight     2lbs, 8.5oz
Heat Pipes
    6
Stock Fans
    1x 14cm PWM
Add’l Fan Support    2 (clips included)
Benchmarks
    

Silverstone

HE01 (Perf.)
   

Silverstone

HE0 (Quiet)
   

Phanteks

PH-F140TS
   

CM Hyper

212 Evo
Ambient Air     22    22    19.9    21
Idle Temperature     30.3
    27    30.1    31.5
Burn Temperature
    62.8
    68.1    63.8    66.6
Burn - ambient
    40.8    46.1    43.9    45.6

All temperatures in degrees Celsius. Best scores bolded. All tests performed using an Intel Core i7-3960X at 4.2GHz, on an Asus Sabertooth X79 motherboard with 16GB DDR3/1600, in a Thermaltake Level 10 GT with stock fans set to Low.

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/%5Bprimary-term%5D/silverstone_heligon_he01_review100

Zotac GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB Amp! Extreme review

Zotac GeForce GTX 660 Ti Amp! Extreme Review

Manufacturer: Zotac
UK Price (as reviewed): £249.99 (inc VAT)
US Price (as reviewed): Currently unavailable

When Nvidia's GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB first launched four months ago, one of the partner cards we looked at was Zotac's amp! Edition, which featured fairly hefty overclocks to the core and memory speeds and was a solid card as a result. However, at £270, it was priced a little to closely to the superior GTX 670 2GB for our liking. We were therefore a little surprised (and pleased) to see the amp! Extreme edition retailing for £250, especially given that it features an even higher overclock.

Click to enlarge

The GTX 660 Ti 2GB GPU is very similar to that of the GTX 670 2GB. Both cards feature the same 28nm GK104 Kepler GPU of the GTX 680 2GB, but with a single streaming multiprocessor disabled. This means that both GPUs house 1,344 stream processors and 112 texture units, as well as four rasterisers and seven tesselation units.

The difference between the GTX 660 Ti 2GB and the costlier GTX 670 2GB is found in the memory interface, as the cheaper card has three 64-bit memory controllers as opposed to four. Thus, its memory interface has been reduced from 256-bit to 192-bit, and its active ROP count is 24 instead of 32. Thanks to support for mixed density memory modules, however, the GTX 660 Ti still features 2GB of GDDR5 memory, with one of its controllers serving 1GB of this instead of the usual 512MB.

Click to enlarge

The reference clock speeds of the GTX 660 Ti are 915MHz on the core and 1.5GHz (6GHz effective) for the memory. The Zotac amp! card that we looked at before featured an overclocked core clock speed of 1,033MHz as well as speedier memory at 1.65GHz (6.6GHz effective).

This 10 per cent increase in memory frequency has been maintained for the Extreme edition, giving the card 158.4GB/s of memory bandwidth. On the other hand, the core has been bumped up even further to 1,098MHz, which gives the card a boost clock of 1,176MHz (although it capped out at 1,254MHz in our testing) and represents a huge 20 per cent boost from reference speeds.

Click to enlarge

That's essentially the only difference between the Extreme edition and the regular amp! card, as physically they're identical. The card features the same 180mm PCB and the same dual fan, dual slot orange and black cooler, the housing for which takes the total length of the card to 193mm. The copper baseplate cools the GPU, and transfers heat via three heat pipes to the fin stack. Sadly, most of the hot air resulting from the dual 80mm down-draft fans is exhausted back into your case.

Video outputs include one DVI-D, a DVI-I, an HDMI connection and a single DisplayPort, and the card sports two SLI connections for multi-GPU arrangements. Despite the increased overclock, power circuitry is the same as before. Two 6-pin PCI-E connections keep the card going, with four power phases for the GPU and two for the memory, giving the card 6+1 phase power.

Click to enlarge

Due to the disabled memory controller, the font of the PCB appears to be missing two of its 256MB hynix memory chips. They can be found on the rear, however, stacked behind the pair with which they share a memory controller. The memory chips are not directly cooled, but as before, the VRMs are covered by their own heatsink near the rear I/O ports.

Specifications

• Graphics processor Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 Ti 2GB, 1,098MHz (boosting to 1,176MHz)
  
• Pipeline 1,344 stream processors, 112 texture units, 24 ROPs
  
• Memory 2GB GDDR5, 6.6GHz effective
  
• Bandwidth 158.4GB/sec, 192-bit interface
  
• Compatibility DirectX 11.1, OpenGL 4.1
  
• Outputs/Inputs 2 x DVI, HDMI, DisplayPort
  
• Power connections 2 x 6-pin PCI-E, top-mounted
  
• Size 193mm, dual slot
  
• Warranty Two years

http://www.bit-tech.net/hardware/graphics/2012/12/10/zotac-geforce-gtx-660-ti-2gb-amp-extreme-r/1

Using 2 Monitors in a Windows 8 Environment

There are a number of reasons for using a dual-monitor setup. In the office, you may want to have a productivity app open on one screen and email on the other. At home, you might want to duplicate the content on a tiny laptop screen on your giant flat-screen TV. Taking advantage of multiple-monitor functionality is a little different with Windows 8, but the advantages make it well worth the effort.


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With screen real estate, as with the dirt version, more is generally better.

Like earlier incarnations of the OS, Windows 8 has external monitor functionality that lets you spread out. However, there are Windows 8-specific features -- like the snapping of apps that lets you use apps side-by-side to do two tasks at once; and communications like Skype video calls -- that especially benefit from having more screens.

You may find it convenient to have an email box always open on one desk-based monitor, with another displaying apps. That way you're not repeatedly minimizing proper work to see who's pinging -- just glance over.

I use a dedicated Dell Inspiron Mini laptop with a 10.1-inch screen for television services like Slingbox and Hulu. Piping directly into a television's HDMI port, the laptop acts as a remote control.

Following is a guide to using multiple monitors in Windows 8.

Step 1

Identify the available ports on the PC and monitor or TV. Look for HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface) ports, and use them if available.

HDMI technology carries audio and video in the same cable, and it is smart enough to know when the cable is connected and when it isn't. Most recent laptops, monitors and televisions feature HDMI.

Older alternatives are VGA and DVI technologies. You can buy a DVI to HDMI adapter. Desktop PCs sometimes have a combination of serial ports -- DVI and HDMI -- as do some monitors and TVs. In that case, just match the cables.

Tip: Avoid docking stations that use USB. There can be graphics-rendering issues, because you're adding a layer of complexity that can limit the ability of the video card and monitor to work responsively together. You can get them to work, but it can be a lot of trouble.
Step 2

Plug the HDMI or other cable into the PC and secondary television or monitor. Then turn the devices on.

Windows 8 will automatically detect the second screen.
Step 3

Point to the upper-right or bottom-right corner of the first screen and select the Devices charm. Then click the Second Screen link.

Select Duplicate to replicate the same image on both screens; Extend to spread out; or Second Screen Only to blank the primary screen and use only the secondary screen.

Tip: Duplicate works well for multimedia when you want to source video with a laptop and stream the results on a television. Extend works well in a desk environment when you want to spread out across screen real-estate.
Step 4

Press the Windows keyboard button in conjunction with Page Up to toggle screens when in the Extend screen mode.

The Windows button plus Page Up moves the current app to the left monitor. The Windows button plus Page Down moves the current app to the right monitor.

Tip: The Start page appears on one screen only. If you want to use an app obtained from the Windows Store, first open it, and then flip it to the screen you want it on using the Windows keyboard button along with the Page Up or Down procedure.

Classic desktop-based apps -- those that used to be called "programs" -- don't have this anomaly. They can appear on both screens.
Step 5

Tweak the screen resolution if prompted when running apps. Windows 8 should automatically figure out the correct resolution for both screens. However, sometimes you may get error messages telling you resolution isn't correct when you run certain apps -- particularly with televisions.

Place the mouse in the bottom-right corner and choose Search. Enter the term Control Panel and click on the result.

Select Adjust Screen resolution from within the Appearance and Personalization subhead.

You'll see the two screens represented graphically as icons in a likely more familiar Windows 7 or earlier type interface. Make resolution drop-down changes, choose Apply, and try the app again.
Want to Ask a Tech Question?

Is there a piece of tech you'd like to know how to operate properly? Is there a gadget that's got you confounded? Please send your tech questions to me, and I'll try to answer as many as possible in this column.

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/77055.html

Lenovo's Horizon Does Double Duty: Table PC or Huge Tablet

Lenovo is jumping into the tabletop PC segment with the Horizon Tabel PC, introduced Monday at the 2013 CES. The unit's price -- nearly $1,700 and battery life are concerns, but "the horizontal mode is really a working mode for a lot of people," said Andrew Eisner, director of community and content at Retrevo. "People read and play games on a horizontal surface."


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Lenovo on Monday announced a 27-inch table PC that doubles as a monster tablet and a desktop at the 2013 CES in Las Vegas.
Lenovo IdeaCenter Horizon
Lenovo IdeaCenter Horizon

The IdeaCenter Horizon Table PC has a two-legged kickstand in the back that, when extended, props the device up for vertical use. It has a 10-point multitouch screen that's optimized for Windows 8.

The Horizon Table PC will retail at close to US$1,700, and will be released in early summer through Lenovo's business partners. It will also be available for purchase directly from Lenovo's website.

"We believe families, particularly moms between the ages of 35 and 45, will choose this as a replacement to their home PC," Nick Reynolds, executive director of worldwide consumer marketing at Lenovo, told TechNewsWorld. "It's a quite capable all-in-one desktop that adds a lot of new value in its ability to become a flat, immersive "edutainment" experience for the family."

The Particulars

The Horizon Table PC has a 2-inch backlit full HD 1920 x 1080 multitouch display. This can be used simultaneously by two or more people.

It will have up to a third-generation Intel Core i7 processor and up to an Nvidia GeForce GT 620 graphics processing unit with DirectX 11.

The Horizon Table PC will have stereo speakers with Dolby Home Theater v4 certification. Standard storage is a 1 TB hard drive; or purchasers can opt for a 64 GB solid-state drive.

The device has an integrated 720p HD webcam and comes with a joystick, striker and E-dice. It has a USB 3.0 port, a 6-in-1 card reader and an HDMI port. It is about one inch thick, has an integrated battery with up to two hours' life, and reportedly weighs about 10 lbs.
Let's Get Phygital

The joysticks, strikers and e-dice offer on-screen gaming combined with a physical experience, which Lenovo dubs "phygital."

The Horizon Table PC also comes with either exclusive access to, or preloaded, gaming and educational apps from vendors that include Electronic Arts, FableVision, Open Labs, Ubisoft, FilmOn TV and BlueStacks.
Looking at the Horizon

Reaction to the news of the Horizon Table PC was mixed.

"It's too expensive at $1,700," Julien Blin, a directing analyst at Infonetics Research, told TechNewsWorld. "I think it's only going to work if they focus on verticals like retail and fast food chains. You can get a desktop PC with a big screen for around $500, and 27 inches is too big for a tablet."

The two-hour battery life will also be a problem, Blin pointed out. "You'll probably have to plug it into a wall socket most of the time."

On the other hand, price is not an issue, contends Andrew Eisner, director of community and content at Retrevo. "It doesn't cost much more than a Surface Pro or an iPad."

The Horizon Table PC might fit into the world of ubiquitous computing, Eisner told TechNewsWorld. "You'll see computers attached to walls as a fixture, on kitchen counters and coffee tables," he elaborated.

Further, "the horizontal mode is really a working mode for a lot of people," Eisner said. "People read and play games on a horizontal surface."
The Horizon Table PC comes preloaded with Lenovo App Shop, a dedicated app store offering more than 5,000 multi-user entertainment apps.

While the Horizon Table PC is "an interesting and clever product in the new world of touch and gesture devices, it will be one of those devices that people may want more than they need," Eisner opined. Still, "Lenovo is not afraid to bring out new products, and this is another indication that they're trying to introduce new products and create new market segments."

Perhaps this might work. Consumers are more likely to purchase multi-function devices than single-function ones this year, according to a survey conducted in September by Accenture.

"As described, the Lenovo Horizon Table PC appears to perform multiple functions from gaming to productivity applications," Accenture spokesperson Charles Hartley told TechNewsWorld. Further, its price "is still within range of the high-end PCs available in the market today."

http://www.technewsworld.com/story/77020.html

Western Digital's 4 TB WD4001FAEX Review: Back In Black

Western Digital has a new 4 TB flagship. Its WD4001FAEX is part of the company’s Black family of performance-oriented drives. Spinning at 7,200 RPM, it might seem at home in a high-end desktop, but our numbers suggest it might fare better in a server.
Western Digital recently added a new model to its Black family of performance-oriented hard drives. The new disk, technically referred to as WD4001FAEX, sports 4 TB of space. It spins at 7,200 RPM, employs a 6 Gb/s SATA interface, and includes 64 MB of cache.
Although the company won't divulge how many platters this behemoth uses to hit its capacity ceiling, our benchmark/power data suggests the magic number is five. You can’t tell by simply looking at it; the drive is 26.1 mm-thick, just like many other 3 and 4 TB repositories.
Zoom
As a general rule, the more capacity a hard drive hosts, the longer it takes to benchmark. Western Digital's WD4001FAEX is certainly no exception. It took us 19 hours of testing to get a complete picture of its performance. Fortunately, the company kept this in mind when it sent out samples, providing us with some much-needed sugar. It's too bad that you don't get chocolate as part of the disk's standard bundle. When you spend $330, a bare 4 TB hard drive is all you get.
Zoom

Technical Specifications

Manufacturer	Western Digital
Family	Black
Model Number	WD4001FAEX
Form Factor	3.5"
Capacity	4 TB
RPM	7,200
Other Capacities	500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Platters	Unknown
Cache	64 MB
Interface	SATA 6Gb/s
Operating Temperature	0-55° C
Power Consumption at Idle (Manufacturer's Specifications)	8.1 W
Power Consumption at Idle (Measured)	7.9 W
Maximum Allowable Shock Level (2 ms, read)	65 G

Zoom

Zoom

Benchmark System

Benchmark System Hardware
CPU	Intel Core i5-2500K (Sandy Bridge), Stepping D2, 32 nm, 4C/4T, 3.3 GHz Base Clock Rate, 3.7 GHz Maximum Turbo Boost, 4 x 256 KB L2 Cache, 6 MB Shared L3 Cache, HD Graphics 3000, 95 W TDP
Motherboard	Gigabyte Z68X-UD3H-B3, Revision: 0.2, Chipset: Intel Z68 Express, BIOS: F3
RAM	2 x 2 GB DDR3-1333, Corsair TR3X6G1600C8D
System SSD	Intel X25-M G1, 80 GB, Firmware 0701, SATA 3Gb/s
Benchmarked Hard Drive	Western Digital Black WD4001FAEX, 4 TB, 64 MB Cache, SATA 6Gb/s, 7,200 RPM
Controller	Intel PCH Z68 SATA 6 Gb/s
Power Supply	Seasonic X-760 760 W, SS-760KM Active PFC F3
Benchmarks
Benchmark Software	CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 x64 h2benchw 3.16 PCMark 7 1.0.4
I/O Benchmark Software	IOMeter 2006.07.27 Webserver Benchmark Database Benchmark Fileserver Benchmark Workstation Benchmark Streaming Reads Streaming Writes 4K Random Reads 4K Random Writes
System Software and Drivers
Software and Drivers	Details
Operating System	Windows 7 x64 Ultimate SP1
Intel INF	9.2.0.1030
Intel Rapid Storage Technology	10.5.0.1026							http://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/wd4001faex-4tb-review,3368.html

Working with a Windows RAMDisk

PC enthusiasts and high-end computing professionals looking for a definitive speed boost on their computers will find that no other form of storage comes close to matching a RAM disk when it comes to sheer performance. Ed Tittel (creator of the Exam Cram series) takes a look at DataRAM’s RAMDisk software as it converts excess RAM into small but blazing-fast disk space for temp files and variables, paging, and more.

Consider these facts in today’s PC marketplace:

•   Memory is dirt cheap (even fast memory goes for $4-5/GB in 8GB increments these days)
•   Motherboards routinely accommodate 16GB of RAM or more (up to 64GB is typical for non-workstation rigs)
•   Windows 7 or 8 will happily get by on 8GB of RAM, so it’s possible to treat anywhere from 8-56GB of RAM as “surplus”—fit for other uses

Then there’s one more truly “killer fact” to consider as well: The only form of storage faster than an SSD is a RAM disk, a boot-time storage facility that turns some portion of a computer’s RAM into an extremely fast form of disk storage. This storage comes with both pros and cons, and it’s important to remember that with SSDs going for $1-2/GB nowadays, a RAM disk also remains the only form of storage that’s still more expensive than an SSD (more than twice as expensive, in fact). But for those with a profound hankering for speed, and the budget to stock up on big memory modules, a RAM disk is at least worth considering as the next logical step when it comes to amping up PC performance.

How Much Faster Than an SSD Is a RAM Disk, Anyway?

Answering the question posed in the preceding heading forces me first to recite the following homily: “The answer to any good question always begins with the same two words—namely, ‘That depends[el]’” In the case of a system with a RAM disk, the speed difference between an SSD installed in that system and a RAM disk depends on:

•   The speed of the disk interface to which the SSD is attached. Not all SATA controllers are alike, so even motherboards with different SATA 3 controllers will differ to some extent. Of course a motherboard with a SATA 3 controller will deliver better performance than one with a SATA 2 controller, even though neither will deliver anything close to the theoretical bus maximum (3.0Gbps for SATA 2, and 6.0Gbps for SATA 3).
•   The speed of the SSD in use. SSDs come in many kinds, and some—even with reportedly identical characteristics—are faster than others. I routinely consult the Tom’s Hardware SSD Hierarchy Chart—last updated on 10/24/2012 as I write this story—to keep up with the latest and greatest SSD offerings.
•   The speed of the RAM installed in the system. Not only are some motherboards endowed with faster memory buses than others, but also some motherboards can be overclocked more effectively than others, and also accommodate the high-end memory modules that can run fast enough to exploit such added speed. However, more and bigger memory modules are always more difficult to overclock effectively, so a RAM disk strategy works best if you rely on stock memory speeds and solid, stable big memory modules.

Let’s put a couple of faces on the speed differentials involved, to help put those differences into perspective. Table 1 lists the relevant attributes for a couple of test systems onto which I installed Dataram’s RAMDisk software package ($19 per PC per year for personal use; $39 per desktop and $78 per server per year for commercial use).

Table 1 - RAMDisk Test Systems

	System 1	System 2
Motherboard	Asus P6X58D-E Intel i7 930 3.2 GHz	Asus P8Z68-V Pro Intel i7 2600K 3.4 GHz
SATA type	SATA 2	SATA 3
Memory	6 x 4GB DDR3-10600	4 x 8GB DDR3-10600
SSD	Intel 520 180 GB	OCZ Vertex 3 120 GB

The speed differences between the RAMDisk and the SSD are considerable on each system, though quite different. Figures 1 and 2 show the results of the CrystalDiskMark for RAMDisk and SSD on both systems, as the following captions relate.

Figure 1 System 1 Benchmark results: RAMDisk left, Intel SSD right

Figure 2 System 2 Benchmark results: RAMDisk left, OCZ SSD Right

The speed differentials shown are seriously surprising. System 1 shows a 15-fold speed-up for sequential read, and a 29-fold boost for sequential read. 512K reads jump 14-fold, writes 26-fold. 4K reads leap just over 10-fold, and writes 3-fold. 4K access with a queue depth of 32 improves by 260% for reads, and about 220% for writes. System 2 shows a nearly 13-fold speedup for sequential read and a 57-fold speed-up for sequential write! 512K reads again show a 13-fold speedup, and writes improve 45-fold. 4K reads show a 16-fold boost, and write jump 7-fold. 4K access with a queue depth of 32 improves by 240%, for both reads and writes.
What you can see in both cases is that the switch to a RAM disk can boost I/O performance considerably, sometimes by more than an order of magnitude. For those in search of speed, this is probably enough to justify adoption and use. Fortunately, it’s neither terribly expensive, nor terribly difficult to achieve.

Obtaining and Installing Dataram RAMDisk

A quick hop to the RAMDisk product page will enable you to purchase either a personal or commercial use license for RAMDisk in minutes. Subsequent to purchase, you’ll get a download link and license key via e-mail (you can also use the key to convert the free version to a full commercial version, if you’ve already downloaded same). An installation wizard drives the RAMDisk installation process, which takes less than five minutes to complete, as illustrated in Figures 3-9.

Figure 3 Double-clicking the installer file launches the RAMDisk Setup program.

Figure 4 Next, users must agree to the RAMDisk Usage and License Agreement.

Figure 5 Users must supply user name and organization information that agree with purchase data.

Figure 6 By default, the program goes into the 32-bit (x86) Program Files folder.

Figure 7 With minimal configuration complete, installation can be fired off.

Figure 8 A progress bar reports on installation progress (less than 60 seconds on both test machines).

Figure 9 Upon completion, the program indicates that RAMDisk is ready for use.

Post-Install Activities

Once the trivial task of installation is complete, the real work begins before you can make real use of RAMDisk’s capabilities. First, you must define and configure a RAMDisk for use, working through the RAMDisk Configuration Utility. The Settings tab for that program appears by default (see Figure 10).

Figure 10

Basic configuration parameters include disk size (the free version only supports up to 4GB, so you must purchase the program to create a larger RAMDisk), and partition types (see Figure 11). For larger RAM disks, it’s best to choose the “Unformatted” option, after which you can visit the built-in Windows Disk Management utility (diskmgmt.msc) to format the drive as NTFS, and assign a drive letter.

Figure 11

The Load/Save tab is where you define where to load your RAM disk image at startup, and where to save that image at shutdown (or whenever you manually use the Stop RAMDisk button to halt RAM disk operation when Windows keeps running). A Save Disk Image Now button also lets you save a RAM disk image to permanent storage whenever you like. The Event Log tab lets you scan the built-in Windows System Log to pull out RAMDisk related events (useful for troubleshooting, but otherwise not terribly informative). The Options tab provides control over timeout values, and lets you omit creating a backup file when saving a disk image, turn off compression on NTFS filesystems, or clear RAMDisk memory when you exit the program.
Basic configuration and setup is pretty easy, and takes no more than a couple of minutes to complete. I recommend that you consider your runtime memory needs carefully, and allocate no more RAM to a RAM disk than you can spare from other uses. On my 24GB i7 930 system, I set up an 8GB RAM disk; on my 32GB i7 2600K system, I went with a 12GB RAM disk instead. In each case, I decided to leave myself 4-8GB for OS runtime use, and the remainder (0-4GB on the 930, 8-12GB on the 2600K) for applications and virtual machines I typically run.

But Wait, There’s Still More to Do!

At this point, you’ve set up a RAM disk all right, but until you make some additional Windows system-level changes, you won’t be using the RAM disk to help speed up your PC. This requires tackling various tasks related to default storage locations that Windows normally targets at your system drive (that is, the drive where the Windows operating system resides, as stored in the %SystemDrive% environment variable).
The most common speed-ups applied with RAMDisk include:

•   Retargeting the TMP and TEMP user variables to the RAMDisk device, as shown in Figure 12 (I labeled mine O: on my test systems; you can pick any unused drive letter you like as you set up your RAM disk). You can do this at the command line by typing SET TMP <target-spec> and SET TEMP <target-spec>, or use the System Properties item in Control Panel, Environment Variables to edit such changes instead.
Figure 12

• Visit the various web browsers you use, and reset their temporary files location to your RAM disk as well (see Figure 13). In IE, for example, this means clicking Tools, Internet Options, then clicking the Settings button under Browser History on the General tab. From there, use the Move Folder button to specify a location on your RAM disk. Similar techniques work for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and so forth.
Figure 13

•   If your RAMDisk is large enough, you can move some or all of your paging file to that drive. You’ll want to leave at least 2GB of paging file on the system disk, for mini crash dumps should your PC ever bluescreen, and you’ll probably have to experiment to find the right space allocation balance between your system drive and your RAM disk. Here’s what my current configuration looks like on my i7 930 PC (in the System Properties item in Control Panel, click Settings in the Performance pane, then click the Change button in the Virtual memory pane, to get to the window shown in Figure 14):
Figure 14

In general, any time an application allocates scratch or temporary storage for its own use, you can find a way in Windows to retarget the location to a RAM disk if you dig into its performance tweaking capabilities. On my own systems, I also retarget scratch storage for Windows Office applications, but that’s pretty much where my tweaking stops. You can take this effort as far as you like, and achieve some modest performance gains as a result.

Potential Gotchas

Using a RAM disk does come with some potential gotchas, about which readers must be aware. Because the RAM disk lives in volatile memory, if your system ever blue screens or freezes (forcing a manual reboot), you’ll lose the contents of virtual memory back to the most recent snapshot (most likely, the contents as of your last successful boot, unless you’ve manually saved RAM disk contents since then). This can be a little vexing, and will also affect MS Office applications’ abilities to auto-recover from failure (they store their working files in the temporary directories, which will be trashed whenever your system crashes for any reason). You must be prepared to accept this risk (“Save early, save often!” as the old mantra goes) to use a RAM disk without undue aggravation or regrets.
Also, whenever you turn off the RAMDisk, you’ll have to restore your temporary file settings to get most applications to work properly. That’s why it’s a good idea to keep a log of all your storage targeting resets (and the original values) so that you can put things back the way they were if you must turn off your RAM disk for any reason.

For Max Speed, RAM Disks Rule!

But if you want to squeeze the most oomph out of any system, as long as you can spare the RAM for storage—instead of runtime use for the OS, applications, or VMs—there’s no faster form of storage than a RAM disk. Use one well and wisely, and you’ll find yourself working in a snappier Windows environment. But be prepared to tweak and tune to get things right, and remember how to restore your runtime environment to original factory settings, so you can turn off the RAM disk and keep on running should you ever need to.

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