Silicon Power Computer & Communications is about to kick off with the newest stress-proof external drive, entitled Armor A85M. The model, targeting Mac users, features 132.5x92.3x25.9 mm dimensions and completely complies with MIL-STD 810G Method 516.6 Procedure IV standard. It also enjoys IP68 protection rating. The new-comer will be shipped with a 3-year’s warranty; however, pricing is unknown yet.



The storage is thought to operate within a wide thermal range – from 5 to 55 C degrees. Moreover, it might be employed in tough conditions, i.e. submergence, fall from a height of 1.2 m, storing in extreme colds/heat (-40 C degrees — +70 C degrees).


SP Armor A85M will be available in three capacities: 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB. All of them are equipped with USB 3.0 interface with 5 Gb/sec bandwidth. The implemented USB port serves not only data transfer functions; it’s also a power cord. The case accommodates power and processing LED indicator.


In addition to the …

Chieftec power supplies are one of the most popular brands on the domestic market, and it's not surprising, since the manufacturer has been on it for about 20 years. During this time, the decisions of the German brand have acquired both an army of admirers and opponents. The first like these blocks for the optimal price/quality ratio, while others are not satisfied with their consumer properties. It’s primarily because of a higher noise level than some competitors or more expensive products have. But with a limited budget, Chieftec becomes one of the main candidates for purchase, especially when building powerful systems, where the difference between the costs of blocks produced by different manufacturers can reach 50-150 dollars or even more.


In this review, we will consider a 1000-watt Chieftec device belonging to the A-135 series, the hallmark of which is a 135-mm fan and a modular cable connection for the periphery. Also representatives of this line meet the requirements …

Gigabyte is the first among AMD’s partners to introduce proprietary motherboards for an upcoming Socket AM1 platform. Initially the AM1 series will comprise only two models: the GA-AM1M-S2P and the GA-AM1M-S2H. Both feature micro-ATX form-factor and are supposed to house AMD Athlon/Sempron APUs. They employ two DIMM slots for the integration of up to 32 GB DDR3 memory with 1600 MHz frequency. The release is scheduled for March when the platform is officially introduced.



Gigabyte motherboards have got two SATA III 6 Gb/sec ports for the expansion of storage, one PCIe 2.0 x16, one PCIe x1 and one PCI connector for the connection of add-ons. Network functional consists of gigabit controller from Realtek, whereas audio functional is laid upon 7.1-channel HAD Realtek ALC 887 codec.


The differentiation between the two models lies in the set of internal/external interfaces. Hence, the GA-AM1M-S2P comes with two PS/2 ports, one D-Sub port, four USB ports (3.0 + 2.0), one RJ-45, …