EHW Reviews

Audio interfaces are not a completely new concept, but ones that surely make it less difficult to do something that’s frequently cumbersome, are few and a long way off. So Creative set out to make an audio interface that's easy to use on the fly. Creative has made some DAC/AMP combos that get within striking distance, like the Sound Blaster X3 (holds up the X3). Where the X3 falls short is quick changes which you would do in game. The X3 nonetheless has the ability to do the same  as the GC7, however it’s easier to do with the GC7.
 
Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/creatives-new-streaming-dac-amp-ft-soundblaster-gc7/ https://us.creative.com/sxfi/
 

Who better to design a great case fan than the innovative and forward-thinking case manufacturer, InWin, Wait! Didn’t I do that introduction already? Today I have 2 new and completely different case fans from InWin, the Sirius Pure and the Sirius Loop. As 120mm case fans go, these are lookers with the performance to back it up. So, at the risk of humming that Michael Jackson/Bill Bottrell song: It don't matter if you're black or white. Let's see what we find. Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/inwin-sirius-pure-and-sirius-loop-fan-review/
 

Who better to design a great case fan than the innovative and forward-thinking case manufacturer, InWin, Wait! Didn’t I do that introduction already? Today I have 2 new and completely different case fans from InWin, the Sirius Pure and the Sirius Loop. As 120mm case fans go, these are lookers with the performance to back it up. So, at the risk of humming that Michael Jackson/Bill Bottrell song: It don't matter if you're black or white. Let's see what we find. Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/inwin-sirius-pure-and-sirius-loop-fan-review/
 

Hey guys, Ryan here with ExtremeHW. Today I am gonna build an Intel PC that’s not the most extreme, but still has some decent horsepower. ASRock was kind enough to send over their new H570 Steel Legend motherboard to use for this build, as well as Be Quiet! with their 500DX high airflow, compact ATX case. be quiet! also sent over a few new offerings, a new gold rated PSU, the Pure Power 11 FM at 650 watts, and cooling the CPU is going to be Be Quiet’s Pure Rock Slim 2, which has a 92mm fan and a high TDP of 130 watts. So why don’t we run down the build list?
 
Complete list of parts:
 
Intel i5 11600K – $249.99 @ Adoroma
ASRock H570 Steel Legend – $145.99 @ Newegg
T-Force Vulcan Z 16gb DDR4-3200 (2x8gb) – $79.99 @ Newegg
EVGA RTX 2060 Super SC Ultra – MSRP $400 (Now EOL)
bequiet! Pure Power 11 FM / 650w – $99.99 @ Newegg
bequiet! Pure Rock Slim 2 – $25.90 @ Newegg bequiet!
Pure Base 500DX -$99.90 @ Newegg
Intel 660p 1TB NVME M.2 – $104.99 @ Amazon
 
For all benchmark information for this system build, please see the article on ExtremeHW:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/intel-budget-build-asrock-h570-motherboard-11600k-bq-heatsink-and-psu-and-500dx/
 

Hey fellow enthusiasts, I am Ryan aka bluedevil. Almost a year ago, I looked at Creative’s SuperXFi Gamer headset at another publication. Well today, in 2021, I am gonna take another look at this innovative gaming headset. Stay with me.   So what makes a gaming headset a gaming headset? Headphones plus a mic right? Yeah, but Creative set out to make the SuperXFi Gamer a little bit different from the rest of the other gaming headsets on the market. They injected their award winning SuperXFi holographic audio technology into the Gamer headset. Now if you recall, the design language is really familiar to the SuperXFi Theatre that Enterprise reviewed recently, but I can assure you the Gamer takes it to a different level on the digital battlefield.  Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/creative-sxfi-gamer-review/
 

Hey what’s up people? I am Ryan with ExtremeHW. Today we are gonna look at a little device from our friends over at Creative. They kindly sent over their SoundBlaster G3, which is a portable gaming USB DAC amp. So let’s see what this little guy can do. Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/creative-sound-blaster-g3-portable-gaming-usb-dac-amp-review/
 

Hey what’s up guys, I am Ryan with ExtremeHW. I got a joke for you, what's huge, has 4 140mm RGB fans and has tempered glass all over? The Corsair iCUE 7000X RGB. Let’s jump right in and see what it’s all about. Thanks to Corsair for providing the review sample. Product link  https://www.corsair.com/us/en/Categories/Products/Cases/Super-Tower-and-Full-Tower-Cases/iCUE-7000X-RGB-Tempered-Glass-Full-Tower-ATX-PC-Case/p/CC-9011227-WW
 
Link to full written review https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-icue-7000x-rgb-case-review/
 

Thanks to EVGA for providing the sample! Check out the written review at ExtremeHW! here: https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/evga-z590-dark-motherboard-review/

Thanks to Corsair for providing the review sample! Make sure to check out the written review on ExtremeHW! here: https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-h150i-elite-lcd-review/

Hey what is up guys, Ryan with ExtremeHW here. Today we are going to build a new Intel Alder Lake 12th gen mid range gaming PC. I just wanted to say thank you to our kind friends over at bequiet!, Gigabyte, Intel, Kingston, and SK Hynix, for providing the parts needed for this build. So let’s get into this.  
 
 
Parts used in this build
Intel Core i5-12600K
Gigabyte Z690 Aorus Pro
EVGA RTX 2060 Super SC Ultra
be quiet! Pure Loop 280mm AIO
SK Hynix DDR5-48000 2 x 16GB
Kingston Fury Renegade M.2 2280 1TB
be quiet! Dark Power 12 750w
be quiet! Dark Base 700

So this is going be an experience for me, this is the first time I am PUTTING TOGETHER a PC case. Yep I said that right, InWin sent over their new Airforce PC case, which is flat packed. Touting a “Build your own Chassis”, the Airforce takes aim for a different DIY experience. Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/inwin-airforce-case-review/
 

Hey what's up guys, hope you all are doing well. I'm Ryan with ExtremeHW. So does anyone remember the Corsair Graphite 600T? What about the 780T? Well if you have been in the game as long as I have, you will remember these two iconic PC cases. Launched in 2011 and 2013 respectively, the Corsair 600T and 780T were two of the PC cases that were very widely used. I however never got the chance to use either but I feel a bit more redeemed today because our friends over at Corsair sent over their new iCUE 5000T RGB for review. Stay with me.
Read the full review here: https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-icue-5000t-rgb-case-review/
 

Today we take a look at the be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901 Case. be quiet! have a history of producing top quality components and cases are no exception. Join us in take a look at the Dark Base Pro 901, will it match the quality of its predecessors? Find out in our review : https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/be-quiet-dark-base-pro-901-review/

Today we take a look at the be quiet! Dark Base Pro 901 Case. be quiet! have a history of producing top quality components and cases are no exception. Join us in take a look at the Dark Base Pro 901, will it match the quality of its predecessors? Find out in our review : https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/be-quiet-dark-base-pro-901-review/

The Sabrent 4-Drive NVMe SSD to PCIe 3.0 X4 card (EC-P3X4) is designed to add up to four NVMe SSDs to your computer with minimal fuss. Connect 4x SSDs into the PC-P3X4 and start using it. The adapter fits M-Key 2280 SSDs and can be placed in x4/x8/x16 PCIe slots with forward and backward compatibility. This makes it ideal for adding storage to legacy machines. Your drives will stay cool, reliable, and safe thanks to the aluminum housing with built-in thermal padding. Enjoy NVMe levels of performance with support for a PCIe payload size of up to 512 bytes. Running software RAID/JBOD has never been easier. Check out the full review:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/sabrent-4-drive-nvme-m-2-ssd-to-pcie-3-0-x4-adapter-card-review/
 

The latest entry in EK's treasure trove of winning products is the EK-Nucleus AIO CR360 DARK. They have introduced a host of enhancements over previous generations of their AIO offerings, including a new design of the CPU block and PWM pump. The new EK-Nucleus is available in both 240mm and 360mm variations, in white and black RGB, and the Dark (non-RGB) version that we are reviewing today.

CORSAIR has been involved in computer technology for roughly thirty years. They have become one of the most respected, world-leading providers of computer components and peripherals designed for PC enthusiasts. They celebrated their 10th anniversary selling computer power supplies in 2016, at which time that had sold over ten million PSUs. CORSAIR have remained at the forefront all of these years. As a result, innovation is something we have taken for granted with CORSAIR. They were kind enough to provide us with their latest flagship power supply from the RM series for review. It is a distinct honor and privilege to introduce you to the CORSAIR RM1200x SHIFT power supply. Check out the full review:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-rm1200x-shift-power-supply-review/
 

Hey friends, it is Mr. Fox again. We have another amazing product to look at. This time, it is from the good folks at Sabrent. They have provided ExtremeHW with a pair of 16GB DDR5 U-DIMM modules for review. By the time you are finished reading this review and watching the associated video you will understand why it is not a matter of if, but when, you will be using Sabrent products if you are not already.

See the full review here: 
 
Creative’s New Streaming DAC/AMP! Ft. Sound Blaster GC7! | GC7
EXTREMEHW.NET External sound solutions are a popular phenomenon. Today we look at the Creative Sound Blaster GC7 external DAC/AMP. Built for gamers and streamers alike.  

See the full review: 
 
Creative Sound Blaster G3 Portable Gaming USB DAC AMP Review
EXTREMEHW.NET Looking for high quality audio solution with a small footprint that doesn't break the bank ? Then the Creative Sound Blaster G3 may be right up your street.  

See the full review here: 
 
Corsair iCUE 7000X RGB Case Review | Corsair iCUE 7000X RGB
EXTREMEHW.NET Corsair is frequently bringing us new surprises, today is no different with the introduction of the Corsair iCUE 7000X RGB. Let's see what she's got!  

See the full review here: 
 
Corsair MP600 Pro XT M.2 NVME SSD Review | Corsair MP600 Pro XT
EXTREMEHW.NET Corsair is no stranger to giving the people what they want, high performance NVME drives. Today is no different, join us in looking at the MP600 Pro XT.  

See the full review here: 
 
EVGA Z590 DARK Motherboard Review | EVGA Z590 DARK Review
EXTREMEHW.NET The EVGA Dark series, a product best known for offering improved overclocking abilities. Today we have the EVGA Dark Z590. Check in to see what we find.  

See the full review here: 
 
Corsair iCUE H150i ELITE LCD AIO Review - ExtremeHW
EXTREMEHW.NET Join us in taking a look at the Corsair H150i Elite LCD AIO. It comes with an LCD to the pump, very snazzy! but can it perform? Read on to find out.  

See the full review here:
 
InWin Airforce Case Review - ExtremeHW
EXTREMEHW.NET InWin sent us over their fully DIY case, the InWin Airforce. Great for those of us who love building from scratch. But can it keep up with the competition?  

See the full review here: 
 
Corsair iCUE 5000T RGB Case Review - ExtremeHW
EXTREMEHW.NET Corsair has released what looks like an RGB lovers dream. The iCUE 5000T RGB Case. While it may be pretty, what is it like for a build. Read on to find out.  

By now you have all heard of the recent launch of Nvidia's RTX 3090 Ti or is it Tie? Whatever. Zotac was kind enough to send over their flagship model, the RTX 3090 Ti AMP Extreme Holo, so many thanks to them. This time around Nvidia has enabled all 84 SMs on the Ampere GA102 process, which translates to 10,752 CUDA cores, 336 Tensor cores, 336 TMUs, and 112 ROPs. The now little brother, the RTX 3090, has 82 of those SMs enabled, translating to 10,496 CUDA cores, however both models have the same amount of VRAM, 24GB of GDDR6X, BUT the RTX 3090 Ti ups the boost clock to 1.86GHz and memory clocks to 21Gbps over the 1.7GHz boost and 19.5 Gbps found on the RTX 3090. So just by looking at the numbers, the RTX 3090 Ti should only be around 2.4% faster on the core and 7.7% faster on the memory clocks than the RTX 3090, however the RTX 3090 Ti has a whopping 450w power consumption rating! So why was this card made? Well I think it's a case of, because Nvidia can and will continue to innovate. Looking at the raw specs alone, it doesn't really look like much of improvement, but to some the upgrade to an RTX 3090 Ti might be worth it. Read on to find out more. Test Bench Configuration  Intel Core i5 12600K Aorus Z690 Pro  SK Hynix 32GB DDR5-4800Mhz Kingston Fury Renegade 1TB PCIE 4.0 NVME SSD bequiet! Pure Loop 280mm Antec HCG Gamer 1000w   Open Benchtable Windows 11 Pro Build 21996 Nvidia Driver 512.16 WHQL Zotac RTX 3090Ti AMP Extreme HOLOBLACK  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/zotac-rtx-3090-ti-amp-extreme-holo-gpu-review/https://www.zotac.com/us/product/graphics_card/zotac-gaming-geforce-rtx-3090-ti-amp-extreme-holo
 
 

Hey there ExtremeHW enthusiasts! , I am Ryan. Today is a HAF kinda day. Ha ha. Cooler Master was kind enough to send over their flagship of a case, the HAF 700 EVO, so many thanks to them.  Kicking things off in normal EH fashion, how many of you are still running a HAF case from Cooler Master? I suspect not that many since Cooler Master has taken many different directions on case design over the years. The HAF name originally launched in 2009 with the HAF 922, with two of the iconic 200mm fans that the HAF series are known for.  Now the design didn't change a lot until around 2017 when the Mastercase H500P was released. The H500P didn't have the HAF name, but it did however have two of those 200mm fans that pushed a ton of high air flow to components.  However the H500P was plagued by its choked off front panel, resulting in a revised H500M model with a mesh front panel for much better airflow. Cooler Master subsequently launched a lower ended version, the H500, which also netted a lower price point while giving off that high air flow vibe. Which ultimately leads us to the HAF 700 EVO. Priced at $499 USD, this case is going to put the hurt on your wallet. So shall we see why it's priced that way? Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/cooler-master-haf-700-evo-case-review/
 

Hey hey what's up guys, I am Ryan. It's safe to say that 360mm AIOs have been really popular and practically offer a lot of the same cooling characteristics that a custom water cooling loop could offer. But I beg to ask, what's the next step? Well being an avid water cooler myself, going custom water cooling is a bit of a different animal entirely. A CPU block, fittings, tubing, coolant, pump, reservoir, fans and any other odds and ends that usually pop up while constructing a custom water loop. So what does one do to mitigate that? Well that next step for watercooling noobs is to look at a box kit that includes everything needed to setup a CPU only water cooling loop, which is where Corsair's XH305i RGB Pro steps in. Read the full review here:  https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-xh305i-rgb-pro-review/
 

Hello everyone! Mr. Fox here again with something special from our friends at CORSAIR. Being a global leader in the development and production of world-class technology and gear focused on PC enthusiasts, gamers and content creators, CORSAIR needs no introduction. Their ever-growing ecosystem of products do need an introduction, and they were kind enough to send us this excellent addition to their product line for review. Today we are going to have a good look at the CORSAIR HS80 RGB Wireless Premium Gaming Headset with Spatial Audio. So, fasten your seatbelts and hang on tight! Read our written review here: https://reviews.extremehw.net/all-reviews/corsair-hs80-rgb-wireless-premium-gaming-headset-review/