1080 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:31:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://www.kitguru.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/cropped-KITGURU-Light-Background-SQUARE2-32x32.png 1080 | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X System Review https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/leo-waldock/pc-customiser-xsplit-streamer-pro-x-system-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/leo-waldock/pc-customiser-xsplit-streamer-pro-x-system-review/#comments Tue, 21 Mar 2017 11:13:08 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=325904 The PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X is a compact gaming PC that comes loaded with XSplit Broadcaster and Gamecaster to help you get busy streaming your games as quickly as possible. The £50 one year XSplit license is included as part of the package. Interesting approach, let's take a closer look. You will have …

The post PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X System Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
The PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X is a compact gaming PC that comes loaded with XSplit Broadcaster and Gamecaster to help you get busy streaming your games as quickly as possible. The £50 one year XSplit license is included as part of the package. Interesting approach, let's take a closer look.

You will have noticed the PC has a blue theme that ties in with the XSplit corporate colour and it also sports an XSplit logo on the window of the NZXT S340 case. Take a moment to watch our video and you will see the colour choice is reinforced by the blue LEDs inside the case.

‘That’s all well and good’ you may say ‘but what distinguishes a regular gaming PC from a streaming PC?’ And that my friend is a fine question that goes to the heart of the matter.

PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X Specification:

  • Asus GTX 1080 ROG Strix 8GB GDDR5X
  • Intel i7-7700K overclocked to 4.8GHz
  • Asus Z270 Maximus IX Hero motherboard
  • Corsair Vengeance LED 32GB DDR4-3000MHz Blue
  • Corsair H100 All in One CPU Water Loop
  • 250GB Samsung 960 EVO M.2 SSD
  • 2TB WD Blue Hard Drive
  • Corsair RM750x 750W Power Supply
  • Microsoft Windows 10 Home
  • NZXT S340 Black/Blue Case
  • 1 Year XSplit Subscription (worth £50)
  • Platinum 3 Year Collect and Return Warranty

As we all know you need a decent combination of CPU and graphics for gaming. On top of that you need extra CPU cycles to handle the video encoding that is integral to streaming, which can be a major headache. You might get away with using ten percent of your CPU at low resolution/low quality but if you want to do a proper job you need more. To stream 1080p 60fps video using 10k bit rate with a high priority CPU-based encoder you can expect to use 15-30 percent of the processor,

XSplit is aware of the situation (and we understand that version 3 of the software will improve the CPU workload) however the fact is you almost certainly need to overclock your CPU to get the best results.

PC Customiser has taken a cautious approach with the Core i7-7700K and has overclocked all cores to 4.8GHz with 1.35V core voltage. This is confirmed by the Asus BIOS splash screen reporting ‘Overclocking by 14%’.

PC Customiser tells us they aim for a speed of 5.0GHz, check for stability and then drop the speed to 4.8GHz or 4.9GHz if they feel the need, which is presumably what happened with this particular example.

The cooling package wasn’t quite what we expected as PC Customiser used a 240mm Corsair H100, rather than H100i, and as a result there is no USB connection or Link software control. Instead the fans connect directly to the motherboard and are controlled by the BIOS.

One other point caused us to pause for thought. We had been told the PC would come with a 1TB SSD however the specification was revised to a 250GB 960 EVO M.2 SSD with 2TB hard drive for bulk storage. We thought it was a nice touch they chose a WD Blue as that maintained the colour coordination of the system, or perhaps it was just a happy coincidence. In fact the supplied SSD was a 256GB Samsung SM951 SSD which offers the same function, albeit with a rather different aesthetic.

Testing


Testing proceeded exactly as we expected as the combination of Core i7 and GTX 1080 graphics are a well known quantity. It is scary to report that even this level of hardware does not allow you to play every game at 4K at maximum image quality settings, although it comes close. Deus Ex: Mankind Divided is a system killer at 4K but the other games played well. If you drop the resolution below 4K you can be certain your games will hum along superbly.

Cooling Performance.

Temperature testing went well, when you consider the CPU is cooled by a Corsair All In One, the graphics card is a beefy air cooled unit and the case is relatively small. Balanced against that we have four 120mm cooling fans to keep the air moving through the case and the overclocked CPU runs at a modest 4.8GHz.

Acoustics performance.
As we mention in our video, the noise levels were a touch higher than ideal. We attribute this to the two fans on Corsair cooler that were set to run at 1,350rpm in PWM mode. The two case fans in the roof and at the rear were set at 500rpm and were effectively silent.

Closing Thoughts.

PC Customiser came up with an interesting idea when it developed the XSplit Streamer Pro X as we have not previously seen a PC that is dedicated to game streaming. In practice we end up with a conventional gaming PC that combines an overclocked Core i7 CPU with a decent GTX 1080 GPU and a decent array of hardware. Gaming performance is very good and the temperatures are nice and low. The only downside here is the noise from the cooling system as we feel sure you could achieve the same results and still maintain a degree of hush.

We like the fact that PC Customiser has included a £50 XSplit license, and you might be glad to hear the blue XSplit theme can be changed, should you choose. There’s nothing wrong with the combination of blue Corsair fans and blue LED lighting but our preference is either for white or RGB. As we say, that is purely a matter of personal taste.

Overall the PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X does a solid job, plays games like a champ and gets a thumbs up from KitGuru.

Buy direct from PC Customiser for £2,105.00 inc vat HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

Pros:

  • Overclocked Core i7-7700K and GTX 1080 play games at 4K very successfully.
  • Impressively low temperatures.
  • 4.8GHz CPU overclock is likely to be bullet-proof.
  • Good tidy build.
  • XSplit license is included in the package.

Cons:

  • Noise levels are higher than ideal.
  • Corsair H100 cooler doesn’t use Link control.
  • 256GB Primary SSD may prove borderline for capacity.
  • The fixed blue lighting in our sample isn’t connected to AURA.

KitGuru says: XSplit Streamer Pro X is specifically intended to stream games while you play and does a fine job.

The post PC Customiser XSplit Streamer Pro X System Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/leo-waldock/pc-customiser-xsplit-streamer-pro-x-system-review/feed/ 1
GTX 1080 and 1070 Displayport not compatible with HTC Vive https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/gtx-1080-and-1070-displayport-not-compatible-with-htc-vive/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/gtx-1080-and-1070-displayport-not-compatible-with-htc-vive/#comments Wed, 06 Jul 2016 11:34:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=298566 If you want to run the HTC Vive on a GTX 1080 or 1070 graphics card, you better be planning to use the HDMI connection, as it looks like the optional mini-Displayport for the Vive just doesn't work with either card's respective connector. Nvidia said it was looking into the issue, but it's been weeks …

The post GTX 1080 and 1070 Displayport not compatible with HTC Vive first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
If you want to run the HTC Vive on a GTX 1080 or 1070 graphics card, you better be planning to use the HDMI connection, as it looks like the optional mini-Displayport for the Vive just doesn't work with either card's respective connector. Nvidia said it was looking into the issue, but it's been weeks with no response.

Although people have been complaining to Nvidia about this in small numbers – the venn diagram of GTX 1080 and Vive owners is not huge – it's been known about for a while now. Toms Hardware dug up some forum threads from early June with people complaining about this issue.

The reason this has a lot of people frustrated – even more than not being able to use their preferred port – is that this wasn't a problem on the previous generation cards. Those running GTX 970, 980 and 980Ti cards had no issue using Displayport connectors on those cards before they moved over, so what's the problem?

1080ports

Although a Nvidia representative did respond in the afore-linked Nvidia forum thread, stating that the issue was being investigated, no word has been released since. It may well be that Nvidia fixes up this problem in a future driver update, but we haven't had any indication that that will be the case just yet.

For those stuck in this situation for now, remember that the HDMI port on both Nvidia cards works perfectly well with the HTC Vive, so that's an option. There is also a specific 1080, the ASUS STRIX variant, that comes with twin HDMI ports, so that card would offer you the ability to use the Vive and another HDMI powered display as well.

Though of course if you're already having this issue, buying another card is unlikely to be a welcome solution.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Have you guys run into any Displayport problems with Nvidia's new graphics cards? Or is it just Vive users struggling along?

The post GTX 1080 and 1070 Displayport not compatible with HTC Vive first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/gtx-1080-and-1070-displayport-not-compatible-with-htc-vive/feed/ 8
Forget three, four card SLI with Nvidia GTX 10 series GPUs https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/forget-three-four-card-sli-with-nvidia-gtx-10-series-gpus/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/forget-three-four-card-sli-with-nvidia-gtx-10-series-gpus/#comments Thu, 12 May 2016 11:36:51 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=292499 Although the market for those running more than two graphics cards in SLI was always rather small, there's still likely to be a few people disappointed that native support for three and four card set ups will not be supported by the Nvidia 10 series GPUs. Of course when performance is as high as Nvidia …

The post Forget three, four card SLI with Nvidia GTX 10 series GPUs first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Although the market for those running more than two graphics cards in SLI was always rather small, there's still likely to be a few people disappointed that native support for three and four card set ups will not be supported by the Nvidia 10 series GPUs.

Of course when performance is as high as Nvidia claims with the new-generation of cards, it shouldn't matter too much. Purportedly a single GTX 1080 will be able to beat out two 980s in SLI and even the monstrous Titan X. It might prove problematic for those looking to break 3Dmark records and big system sellers though.

slibridge

The new SLI bridges are certainly optimised for two cards. Sourced: VideoCardz

This news actually came out of Nvidia's conference last week but most people seemed to miss it. Indeed it was TechofTomorrow on Youtube who broke the news, highlighting how in his experience this shouldn't make much of a difference, as three and four cards set ups were not good value for money anyway.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWvmt9wk0n4&feature=youtu.be&t=7m7s']

Jump to seven minutes in to hear the particular announcement.

The fact that “native” support isn't planned for the 10 series drivers doesn't mean it won't be possible with a few tweaks, or even straight out of the box. It just means that Nvidia won't be going out of its way to fix any problems it discovers with three and four card set ups. It seems likely that 3+ card scaling won't be great either without optimisations.

Although this might seem like a shame, if Nvidia puts all its eggs in the two-card basket, perhaps it can optimise performance in those scenarios. That may be extra important too, considering VR has the potential to see much greater benefits from two card set ups, since each one can render for a single eye.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: How many of you have ever run more than two cards in SLI? Personally I've never even run two. It's always just made more sense to buy a card from a newer generation.

The post Forget three, four card SLI with Nvidia GTX 10 series GPUs first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/forget-three-four-card-sli-with-nvidia-gtx-10-series-gpus/feed/ 20
Bethesda’s Pete Hines debunks Fallout 4 30fps PC lock speculation https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesdas-pete-hines-debunks-fallout-4-30fps-pc-lock-speculation/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesdas-pete-hines-debunks-fallout-4-30fps-pc-lock-speculation/#comments Mon, 22 Jun 2015 12:00:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=255651 Over the weekend, quite a worrying rumour hit the internet. According to the site, Digital Spy, Fallout 4 was apparently set to run at 1080p and 30 frames per second “on everything”. The site quoted Bethesda's Todd Howard saying that Fallout 4 will “be 1080p on everything” and then went on to say without a …

The post Bethesda’s Pete Hines debunks Fallout 4 30fps PC lock speculation first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Over the weekend, quite a worrying rumour hit the internet. According to the site, Digital Spy, Fallout 4 was apparently set to run at 1080p and 30 frames per second “on everything”. The site quoted Bethesda's Todd Howard saying that Fallout 4 will “be 1080p on everything” and then went on to say without a direct quote that it would also be 30 frames per second on every platform.

This sparked rumours as PC gamers began to worry that Fallout 4 would receive a frame rate lock. However, I think we need to give Bethesda some credit here, the company has a long history on the PC and surely understands the value of having more powerful hardware capable of pushing higher frame rates.

Fallout-4-Talking-to-Codsworth

Anyway, after the news broke, Twitter user @CMDRNukeclears tweeted at Bethesda's own Pete Hines, asking if news of a 30 frames per second lock on PC was true, to which he replied: “pretty sure we haven't discussed it at all (I know I haven't) so somebody is speculating or making things up”.

So there you have it, all of that 30 frames per second noise is likely all just speculation and won't amount to anything. However, it is likely that the game will only run at 30 frames per second on the Xbox One and PS4.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Bethesda has a huge audience on the PC so the idea of a 30fps lock on the most powerful platform available is laughable. However, if Bethesda did suddenly lose its mind entirely and try to impose such a frame rate lock on the PC, then it would become a priority fix for many modders. 

The post Bethesda’s Pete Hines debunks Fallout 4 30fps PC lock speculation first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/matthew-wilson/bethesdas-pete-hines-debunks-fallout-4-30fps-pc-lock-speculation/feed/ 1
DirectX 12 could let all games run at 1080p on Xbox One – developer https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/anton-shilov/directx-12-could-let-all-games-run-at-1080p-on-xbox-one-game-developer/ https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/anton-shilov/directx-12-could-let-all-games-run-at-1080p-on-xbox-one-game-developer/#comments Thu, 26 Mar 2015 02:34:31 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=241978 Although Microsoft Corp. said last October that its DirectX 12 application programming interface would not dramatically improve performance of its Xbox One game console, some game developers think otherwise. Brad Wardell from Stardock Studios believes that DX12 along with optimizations from game developers can improve performance so significantly that all new games will be able …

The post DirectX 12 could let all games run at 1080p on Xbox One – developer first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Although Microsoft Corp. said last October that its DirectX 12 application programming interface would not dramatically improve performance of its Xbox One game console, some game developers think otherwise. Brad Wardell from Stardock Studios believes that DX12 along with optimizations from game developers can improve performance so significantly that all new games will be able to run at 1920*1080 resolution on Xbox One.

“The part I think that users will care about is that it [DirectX 12] should address the resolution stuff for most people,” said Mr. Wardell in an interview with GamingBolt web-site. “That is what I think is the most glaring thing that people are upset about.”

Unlike Sony PlayStation 4, which is equipped with high-performance GDDR5 memory with 176GB/s total bandwidth, Microsoft’s Xbox One features DDR3 memory with total bandwidth of 68.3GB/s. In order to speed up memory operations required to display high-resolution graphics, Microsoft equipped memory subsystem of the console with 32MB/s of embedded static RAM, or ESRAM, with a memory bandwidth between 109GB/s and 204GB/s.

Game developers have to use the ESRAM efficiently to improve performance of their titles. However, DirectX 11.1-derivative API that Xbox One uses today cannot use the 32MB memory pool efficiently all the time, which is why many game developers cannot take advantage of the large cache. According to Brad Wardell, not only DirectX 12 will let game designers to better use the ESRAM, but Microsoft now also provides a special tool to game developers that is expected to automatically optimize usage of the ESRAM cache by games.

“They also released a new […] optimization tool that will actually algorithmically try to come up with an optimization for the developer,” said the game developers. “So instead of the developer trying to hand set-up what uses eSRAM, they have their own app to try and do as much of it for them as they can.”

microsoft_xbox_one_bundles

While DirectX 12 API will not speed up current games, or even all upcoming titles, software developed for DX12 properly will run faster on Xbox One than current games. Still, game developers will have to use Microsoft’s tools and all their own magic to make high-quality titles run at 1080p resolution.

“DirectX 12 won’t do anything magically,” said Mr. Wardell. “The developers still have to use it, it’s not like your old games will magically be faster.”

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If it is true that current Xbox One API cannot take advantage of the console’s ESRAM, then it is a clear shame because memory sub-system was named the system’s Achilles’ heel long before its commercial release. Hopefully, game developers will finally find out how to use the ESRAM properly with the help of DX12 and Microsoft’s tools in the future.

The post DirectX 12 could let all games run at 1080p on Xbox One – developer first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/gaming/anton-shilov/directx-12-could-let-all-games-run-at-1080p-on-xbox-one-game-developer/feed/ 69
Computex: Spark launches rugged portable PC with 5760 resolution https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/peter/spark-launches-rugged-portable-pc-with-5760-resolution/ https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/peter/spark-launches-rugged-portable-pc-with-5760-resolution/#respond Wed, 05 Jun 2013 05:00:23 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=137332 Robust is a cool word. We love it. Sure, some people take it too far with phones that can be used in the shower etc, but – overall – it's nice to know that something won't break when you drop it. Spark has packed a mean system into a cool package. KitGuru was on hand …

The post Computex: Spark launches rugged portable PC with 5760 resolution first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Robust is a cool word. We love it. Sure, some people take it too far with phones that can be used in the shower etc, but – overall – it's nice to know that something won't break when you drop it. Spark has packed a mean system into a cool package. KitGuru was on hand to see its petals spread.

Briefcase PCs have been around a while – since the Osbourne lugable in fact.

While some have offered HD monitors and notebook-like portability, we haven't seen anything quite as cool as the Spark evolution that it calls the S9T.
Spark-Portable-Triple-Screen-System-KitGuru-Computex

It doesn't come with one HD screen or two. The Spark S9T comes with a full on compliment of three 1920×1080 monitors.

Nice.

But why would anyone want to carry around something heavier, more space consuming and possibly (depending on your aesthetic taste) uglier?

The clever money will bet on the ruggedisation and easy upgradeability of this solution.

Walking around Computex 2013, we were astounded at the sheer number of different manufacturers who are making something like this, but Spark catches your eye because they're not trying to be psychedelic. Nope. This unit appears to have military aspirations.

Here's the important S9T tech info, so you can join us in some geeky-lusting:-

  • The S9T has three full HD 1080p monitors (1920x1080pixels)
  • They are 17.13″ widescreen LCDs
  • The chassis itself supports a full ATX motherboard with room for 7 slots – 4 of which are full length
  • There are a heap [Tech speak – Ed] of drive bay options with support from archaic to current blu-ray and DVD solutions
  • It will handle PSUs in the 300-700w range and has 2x 120mm fans to allow components to chillax

Spark-Portable-Triple-Screen-PC-KitGuru-Computex
Moving on, the makers suggest the device is ideal for remote flight control and simulation, on-site HD video editing and broadcasting(when one screen won't do), network and communications testing (might have been handy on this assignment), field data acquisition, exploration, factory monitoring/automation and for tried and tested ‘demos for clients'.
Spark-Portable-Triple-Screen-Solution-KitGuru-Computex

KitGuru says: One thing is for sure. If you drop it, it’s going to hurt whatever you drop it on, but I'm not sure how high you have to drop it from to make it break.

The post Computex: Spark launches rugged portable PC with 5760 resolution first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/desktop-pc/peter/spark-launches-rugged-portable-pc-with-5760-resolution/feed/ 0
Displayport doomed? Sapphire scientists serve notice https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/faith/displayport-doomed-sapphire-scientists-serve-notice/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/faith/displayport-doomed-sapphire-scientists-serve-notice/#comments Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:22:14 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=4002 EyeFinity is the really neat trick that ATI Radeon HD 5000 series cards bring to the market. Forget simply stretching your desktop – why not actually support monster resolutions like 5760×1080 straight out of the box and let the gamers enjoy wrap-round, immersive shoot-em ups? KitGuru spies snuck into a Sapphire ‘special zone' at Computex's …

The post Displayport doomed? Sapphire scientists serve notice first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
EyeFinity is the really neat trick that ATI Radeon HD 5000 series cards bring to the market. Forget simply stretching your desktop – why not actually support monster resolutions like 5760×1080 straight out of the box and let the gamers enjoy wrap-round, immersive shoot-em ups? KitGuru spies snuck into a Sapphire ‘special zone' at Computex's Nangang Hall and saw some stunning sights.

Until now, if you wanted EyeFinity, you had to invest in Displayport screen technology. Problem was that only a handful of monitor companies actually saw value in Displayport and the existing offers are not cheap.

HDMI works, but everytime you use it – you need to send money to Sony. If there's one thing that KitGuru has learned over the years, no one in Taiwan enjoys sending money to Sony. Displayport provides all of HDMI's functionality without the need for a royalty payment.

EyeFinity has problems with regular graphic card ports. Displays need to be timed perfectly. With existing ATI/nVidia cards, there are not enough clocks to go round. Without enough clocks, nothing works properly. The work around for EyeFinity was to use the standard DVI outputs for 2 screens and then plug in a Displayport monitor as the 3rd unit. That negated the clock issue. But hardly any KitGuru readers have Displayport. Bummer.

Sapphire scientists to the rescue!

By re-engineering a key part of the output mechanism, Sapphire can now offer a neat and exclusive solution. Each port on the back of these new Sapphire graphic cards can display part of the EyeFinity picture. With 4 ports on your card – you can support 4 screens. Excellent.

Now for the hot pics of the cool kit…

Sapphire lets you blow Lucy up as big as you like
KitGuru prefers it 3-ways, but whatever floats your boat
3D cables everywhere - not a Displayport in sight
3-Way, 3D, DX11: Exclusive to ATI?
KitGuru spies overheard Zalman experts claiming this is a first public outing for the new display. Who are we to argue?

KitGuru says: We're left cold by the 4th screen, but running games across 3 monitors is fantastic.  Well played Sapphire. With one of these new cards, you can pick up three 22″ Iiyama 1080p screens for ~£450 and make all your mates jealous. For those with even more cash to splash, check out the new Zalman 3D screens that will be available soon. These offer full-on 3D surround gaming for ATI cards. Our spies have seen it. Our spies have used it. Our spies say it works. Nuff said.

Discuss in our forums over here or just leave a quick comment below.

The post Displayport doomed? Sapphire scientists serve notice first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/faith/displayport-doomed-sapphire-scientists-serve-notice/feed/ 13