Intel’s Z-series chipsets have been recently supplemented by a new Z97 Express companion. Its release coincides with the launch of an updated Haswell Refresh CPU line for LGA 1150 socket. The new platform is thought to support PCI Express M.2 interface that substitutes an old-fashioned mSATA one. It is also supposed to support SATA Express interface and the forthcoming Intel Core 5th generation CPUs. What are the real differences between Z97 and preceding chipsets? Let’s find it out through the example of Asus Z97-Deluxe motherboard.



Basic Specifications


— form-factor: ATX, 305x244 mm dimensions;

— chipset and CPUs: Intel Z97 Express, 4th/5th gen Intel Core i3/i5/i7 processors for Socket LGA 1150;

— interface: DMI 2.0, 20 Gb/sec;

— memory: 4x DIMM slots, DDR3 standard, two-channel, 64 GB ultimate capacity, 1066 MHz-3300 (OC) MHz frequencies;

— multi-GPU support: AMD CrossFireX, Nvidia SLI;

— expansion slots: 3x PCI-e 3.0 x16, 4x PCI-e 2.0 …

Lenovo is glad to introduce a new gaming PC, featuring small-sized dimensions (252.3x393.3x314.5 mm). The IdeaCentre Y710 Cube boasts an aggressive asymmetric design that immediately compels attention. The new-comer supports 64-bit Windows 10 Home OS & is based on a powerful configuration of a 4-core Intel Core i7-6700 CPU (3.4 GHz-4.0 GHz frequency), 16 GB of DDR4-2133 MHz memory as well as Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 graphics.



Storage subsystem consists of a 256 GB solid-state drive, replenished by a 1 TB HDD. Network facilities are represented by wired Gigabit Ethernet port, controlled by Qualcomm Atheros Killer E2400, wireless Wi-Fi 802.11ac adapter, and Bluetooth 4.0 adapter.


To continue, despite compact dimensions, this gaming rig accommodates a bunch of external interfaces, including 5x 3.5-mm audio mini-jacks, 8x USB ports (2.0 & 3.0 versions), 1x RJ-45, a single Optical S/PDIF Out, and three video ports (DVI, D-Sub & HDMI).


Pricing is set at $2037.

Synology, a renowned developer of storage & network solutions, appears in the market with a new single-drive NAS, entitled DiskStation DS115. The greenhorn features 166x71x224 mm dimensions and is differentiated by an ergonomic design, noiseless operation as well as the support for power-saving technologies. The company promises to present all potential customers with a 2-year’s warranty and a reliable technical support.



Synology DiskStation DS115 might be employed in processes on music/photo/video streaming to various DLNA-compatible devices (TV-sets and gaming consoles) without any preliminary adjustments. It allows installing one 2.5-/3.5-inch drive with SATA III interface of 6 GB capacity. As for speed characteristics, the model ensures 111 Mb/sec and 104 Mb/sec on sequential Read/Write operations respectively.


This NAS is based on Marvell Armada 375 88F6720 processor with 512 MB of DDR3 memory; it runs at 800 MHz frequency. The layout also includes Gigabit network …