AMD rolls out Radeon HD 7900 driver

AMD has published the 8.921.2 RC11 driver for the Radeon HD 7900 series.

Feature highlights of the 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon� HD 7900 driver

Super Sampling Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing Preview support for DirectX� 10 and DirectX� 11 applications
AMD Radeon� HD 7900 users can now enable Super Sample Anti-Aliasing and Adaptive Anti-Aliasing through the AMD Catalyst� Control Center for DirectX� 10 and DirectX� 11 applications.
Applications must support in game Anti-Aliasing for the feature to work (Forced on Anti-Aliasing through the Catalyst� Control Center is not supported for DirectX 10 and DirectX 11 applications)

Performance highlights of the 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon� HD 7900 driver
8% (up to) performance improvement in Aliens vs. Predator
15% (up to) performance improvement in Battleforge with Anti-Aliasing enabled
3% (up to) performance improvement in Battlefield 3
3% (up to) performance improvement in Crysis 2
6% (up to) performance improvement in Crysis Warhead
10% (up to) performance improvement in F1 2010
5% (up to) performance improvement in Unigine with Anti-Aliasing enabled
250% (up to) performance improvement in TessMark (OpenGL) when set to �insane� levels

Resolved issues: highlights of the 8.921.2 RC11 AMD Radeon� HD 7900 driver
Folding@Home: intermittent stability issues have been resolved for the OpenCL version of Folding@Home
Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3 no longer experiences minor flickering with Tri CrossFireX� configurations
Dragon Age 2 no longer experiences minor flickering with Tri CrossFireX� configurations
StarCraft 2 no longer encounters issues when quitting campaign with Tri and Quad CrossFireX� configurations
BattleForge stability has been improved with Tri CrossFireX� configurations
Improved stability when enabling / disabling CrossFireX� and installing the AMD graphics driver on AMD CrossfireX� configurations

Known Issues:
Just Cause 2 - Launching the application will cause a hang for single GPU and CrossfireX� configurations

AMD rolls out Radeon HD 7900 driver - More news at DV Hardware

BitFenix rolls out the Shinobi XL

BitFenix introduced the full-tower Shinobi XL case, this model will start shipping in February for 139.90EUR.

The case specialist BitFenix is not simply growing the Shinobi Midi-Tower, but is also adding a long list of functionality to the Shinobi XL variant. USB 3.0, FlexCage, SuperCharge port to charge smart phones or tablets, the capability to hold two 360 and one 240 mm radiators, nine expansion slots, enough space for XL-ATX boards and a plethora of pre-installed fans make the case an evolution of its smaller brethren.

One of the secrets to the success of the BitFenix Shinobi is the clean, timeless exterior look. The straight and understated design from the front to the rear, closed and flat surfaces in addition to the well placed mesh stripes make it the perfect looking Midi-Tower. The SofTouch surface revolutionized the industry, clearly steering away from the glossy aspects found on many other enclosures.

For all those who considered the original Shinobi to be too small, BitFenix is now offering the perfect addition with the Shinobi XL - a full tower chassis which manages to deliver the same timeless look and feel, including the mesh strips on the sides. Below the large top metal mesh one may fit up to three 120 mm or two 230 mm cooling units, one of which BitFenix includes in form of their retail Spectre fan.

Another such 230 mm unit has been placed in the front, with enough space to be exchanged with up to three 120 mm variants. Two additional 120 mm ones may be installed in the floor of the chassis, while one pre-installed 140 mm fan pushes hot air out the back of the chassis. An excellent air flow is already given right out of the box, with the possibility to push the envelope even further if need be.

With water cooling being the pinnacle of modern day heat dissipation, the BitFenix Shinobi XL is able to hold an incredible setup without breaking a sweat. Next to the four openings in the rear to route water cooling tubes out the back, the Shinobi XL may hold a 360 mm radiator in the ceiling and a 240 mm unit in the floor of the chassis. On top of that, an additional 360 mm variant may be installed in the front of the case, while still leaving two bays free for the mandatory optical drive and one storage unit.

The BitFenix Shinobi XL measures 24.5 x 57 x 55.7 cm, which clearly makes it a full tower chassis. This makes the bigger brethren of the original Shinobi the perfect fit for an ultimate gaming system or high-end workstation as it can easily hold every component you may throw at it.

In addition to the five optical drive bays, up to eight hard drives may be placed with the chassis. One of the external bays may also be used for a 3.5 inch device like a card reader, if need be - thanks to the included adapter.

The hard drive cage is not an ordinary unit either. With the name of FlexCage, one may install the drives turned by 90� or remove the cage completely. Once out of the chassis, the Shinobi XL offers an incredible 492 mm of space - more than you will ever need for the biggest and fastest graphic cards in the market. Even with the FlexCage in place, 377 mm of space still remain.

Thanks to the plethora of expansion slots, the Shinobi XL can easily hold an XL-ATX mainboard. The large opening in the mainboard tray along with the many cut-outs around the board area make the upkeep and clean cable management a breeze within the chassis. This goes especially well with the 34.5 mm of space between the mainboard tray and side panel - plenty of space to route all cables nicely to their destination. With a clearance of 210 mm, even the tallest CPU coolers will easily fit within the chassis.

While the chassis manages to impress on the inside, the exterior manages to deliver with a list of unique features as well. Besides the pair of audio connectivity, the Shinobi XL offers four internally connectable USB 3.0 ports and the unique, yellow SuperCharge port. This plug delivers up to 2.5 Amps of power, allowing you to charge any of the power hungry gadgets like cell phones or tablets with ease. This port is connected directly to a SATA power cable of the ATX power supply.

Special features:
- Classic Shinobi Styling � Same sleek modern design of BitFenix Shinobi mid tower
- Superior Watercooling Support � Fits 360mm radiator on top, and 360mm in front or 240mm on bottom
- XL-ATX Compatibility � Fits the latest XL-ATX motherboards with 9 PCI slots
- BitFenix SuperCharge� Port � Supplies up to 2.5A for charging mobile devices
- Four SuperSpeed USB 3.0 Ports � Two 20-pin internal connectors with included 9-pin header for USB 2.0
- BitFenix FlexCage� Hard Disk Rack � rotate or remove for ultimate flexibility
- BitFenix Spectre� Cooling � Two 230mm and one 120mm Spectre� fan included
- BitFenix SofTouch� Surface Treatment � luxurious matte finish and soft feel
- Hassle-free Installation � Tool-free drive locking mechanisms, rubber grommets and filtered intakes

BitFenix rolls out the Shinobi XL - More news at DV Hardware

Corsair rolls out 8GB Vengeance and Value Select DDR3 modules

Corsair introduced its first 8GB DDR3 memory modules. There's a 8GB Vengeance module that runs at 1600MHz with 10-10-10-27 timings at 1.5V, and also a 8GB Value Select edition that runs at 1333MHz with 9-9-9-24 timings at 1.5V.

Corsair Vengeance: High Performance and Overclockability
The new 8GB Vengeance DDR3 memory operates at 1.5V for compatibility with the new 2nd generation Intel� Core� processor family and is guaranteed to operate at 1600MHz. Providing 8GB of rigorously-screened DRAM on a single module allows gamers and performance enthusiasts to build systems with 32GB of high-performance memory.

"Vengeance DDR3 memory is the premier choice for reliable, overclockable DRAM for system builders on a budget," said Giovanni Sena, Director of Memory Products at Corsair. "Our kits based on 8GB modules give builders, system integrators, and gaming enthusiasts the power to break the 16GB barrier."

Corsair Value Select: Guaranteed Reliability for Mainstream Computing
Carefully screened for reliable operation and backed by Corsair's lifetime warranty, Value Select DDR3 memory upgrade kits are an ideal choice for standard home and office PCs. Many laptop PCs are equipped with only two memory slots, which has traditionally limited them to just 8GB of memory. Value Select 8GB DDR3 memory modules allow notebook upgrades to 16GB, and give them the power to smoothly run multiple applications and open several large files at once.

"Otherwise-powerful laptop PCs are often underequipped when it comes to memory, which can cause usability problems with office application suites and complex documents that notebook PC users need to work with in the real world." said Sena. "8GB Value Select memory modules solve this problem."

Corsair rolls out 8GB Vengeance and Value Select DDR3 modules - More news at DV Hardware

Plextor rolls out SATA 6Gbps SSDs

Plextor introduced two new 2.5-inch SSDs with a SATA 6Gbps interface; the 128GB PX-128M2P and the 256GB PX-256M2P. Both models use 34nm MLC flash and Marvell's 88SS9174 controller.

The 128 GB model features a 256 MB DDR3 cache, while the 256 GB model is backed by 512 MB DDR3 cache. Sequential speeds vary between the two models. The 256 GB drive can transfer data at 500 MB/s read and 440 MB/s write; while the 128 GB drive transfers at 500 MB/s read and 320 MB/s write. The drives feature SMART, NCQ, TRIM, Bad Block Management, Instant Restore, and Plextor TrueSpeed firmware. The 256 GB drive is priced at 46,800 JPY, an equivalent of US $610, while the 128 GB model is priced at 21,800 JPY, or $284.

Source: TPU

Plextor rolls out SATA 6Gbps SSDs - More news at DV Hardware