The previous generation of LGA1151 motherboards from ASUS numbered several «gaming» models, which stood out among others with the designation Pro Gaming. Now, with the advent of new chipsets from Intel, the company's specialists decided to allocate such products to a separate segment, assigning them the name ROG Strix.


The main bias of these models is not based on overclocking capabilities, but on the hard- and software component related to the increased requirements of users to create the necessary atmosphere when working with a PC. So, on the background of conventional boards, the difference will be in the audio and network nodes. The brand RGB-backlighting AURA is realized here to the full extent as well.


Main Characteristics

Chipset: Intel H270

Processor socket: Socket 1151

Processors: Core i7, Core i5, Core i3, Pentium, Celeron (Skylake-S, Kaby Lake-S)

Memory: 4 DIMM DDR4 SDRAM 2133/2400, a maximum of 64 GB

PCI-E slots: 1 x PCI Express 3.0 x16

1 x …

Lian Li, a well-known manufacturer of PC cases, has officially introduced its newest chassis codenamed PC-10N. The model is designed in a popular mid-tower form-factor and is ready to accommodate motherboards of ATX, mini-ITX and micro-ATX standard. The chassis differentiates itself by an unusual motherboard localization: instead of conventional tray, the layout stipulates dedicated strips that fix the board. This was done with the aim to provide for a better airflow and to facilitate cable management process. Besides, absence of the tray makes the case much lighter.



Lian Li PC-10N is delivered in two color samples: silver (PC-10NA) and black (PC-10NB). Internal framework allows for the assembling of quite powerful PC systems. It might house rather high CPU coolers (up to 155 mm), rather lengthy expansion cards (up to 300 mm), and ATX-compatible power supply units of up to 300 mm in length. There is a possibility of removing HDD bay to free space for even more lengthy adapters …

Western Digital is ready to launch another representative of My Cloud series – the EX2 targeting home-based systems. This NAS might be characterized by an expanded functional and the availability of two drive bays. The user is free to choose between various models: without HDDs and with pre-installed WD Red drives of 4, 6, 8 TB overall capacity. The latter are already adjusted to operate in RAID 1 array to provide for an ultimate performance.



The WD My Cloud EX2 is an ideal solution for a wide spectrum of tasks. First of all, it might serve the needs of a file server, offering all connected desktop/mobile devices access towards the saved data. Dedicated WD My Cloud software ensures that all iOS and Android products could receive unimpeded access towards the data. Second of all, the model can be employed as a part of a home-based multimedia center; cooperating with DLNA/UPnP-compatible devices, the NAS secures a correct operation with Smart TV.


Thirdly, the new-comer is …