External | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 22 Apr 2021 09:50:50 +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 External | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Seagate’s new FireCuda gaming drives offer up to 16TB of portable storage https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/matthew-wilson/seagates-new-firecuda-gaming-drives-offer-up-to-16tb-of-portable-storage/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/matthew-wilson/seagates-new-firecuda-gaming-drives-offer-up-to-16tb-of-portable-storage/#respond Wed, 21 Apr 2021 13:04:17 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=512561 Seagate is expanding its range of external storage solutions for PC gaming. There are two new external HDDs coming – the FireCuda Gaming Hard Drive and the FireCuda Gaming Hub, both designed to allow users to install their games and take them on the go. The FireCuda Hard Drive features RGB lighting, which can be …

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Seagate is expanding its range of external storage solutions for PC gaming. There are two new external HDDs coming – the FireCuda Gaming Hard Drive and the FireCuda Gaming Hub, both designed to allow users to install their games and take them on the go.

The FireCuda Hard Drive features RGB lighting, which can be customised through Seagate's Toolkit software – it is also compatible with Razer Chroma, so lighting can be synchronised with other peripherals and components. This drive is built to be lightweight, coming with USB 3.2 Gen 1 for universal compatibility and quick transfer speeds. The FireCuda Hard Drive will be available in 1TB, 2TB and 5TB capacities – plenty of room to take a hefty gaming library on the move.

The other drive Seagate is announcing today is the FireCuda Gaming Hub, which comes with a whopping 16TB of storage capacity. This drive features the same customisation options and USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface as the FireCuda HDD, but it ups the ante with dual front-facing USB-C and USB-A ports for enhanced connectivity.

Pricing starts at £59.99 for the 1TB FireCuda Gaming HDD, and goes up to £139.99 for the 5TB version. The FireCuda Gaming Hub with its massive 16TB of capacity is naturally more expensive, coming in at £309.99 – although there is a cheaper 8TB option also available for £164.99. Both the FireCuda HDD and the FireCuda Gaming Hub will be available at retail starting this month, backed by a three-year Rescue Data Service and a one-year warranty.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: Do any of you like to take your installed PC games on the go with you? What do you think of the new Seagate FireCuda external gaming drives?

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Wolfe enclosure wants to give Macs real gaming power https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/wolfe-enclosure-wants-to-give-macs-real-gaming-power/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/graphic-cards/jon-martindale/wolfe-enclosure-wants-to-give-macs-real-gaming-power/#comments Tue, 23 Aug 2016 08:27:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=303841 Gaming on Macs has never been quite as easy as it has been on Windows systems. Part of that is a software issue, but it's also always been harder to get yourself a powerful graphics card at a decent price with Apple hardware. The Wolfe is looking to change that, by bringing external GPUs to …

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Gaming on Macs has never been quite as easy as it has been on Windows systems. Part of that is a software issue, but it's also always been harder to get yourself a powerful graphics card at a decent price with Apple hardware. The Wolfe is looking to change that, by bringing external GPUs to the Mac and Macbooks everywhere.

Although gaming on Macs has received a bit more of a push in recent years, along with other alternative operating systems, it's still far from a powerhouse with a much smaller library of supporting games than its Windows counterparts. That sort of chicken and egg issue is why it's hard to get decent gaming power on a Mac or Macbook.

With The Wolfe, gamers with a Thunderbolt equipped Apple system will be able to plug in the external GPU enclosure, adding either a GTX 950 or 970 for added performance. We've reached out to the developers to ask if it will also offer Pascal GPUs, since the 900 series is now out of date.

[yframe url='http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EC_hGP9aei8′]

The plan is to sell them starting at $400 (£300) on Kickstarter later today, 23rd August. Marketing material suggests that they can provide up to 10 times the gaming performance of an average Macbook – even enough perhaps to play with an Oculus Rift.

However what the promo material fails to mention, is that the Rift isn't supported in OS X. In order to use it on your Mac or Macbook, you'd need to dual boot Windows first, which feels like it's starting to defeat the point. For only a few hundred pounds more, you could build a much more powerful and contemporary gaming machine, without the need for an external enclosure.

The Wolfe is also marketed as being portable. While it isn't large, it's hardly small either and requires a dedicated power source, so you won't be able to use it easily while out and about.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It's an interesting little product, but it really does feel like it will have a niche audience. Most Mac gamers who want more power would probably be better off building a desktop PC instead – especially if the GPU in the Wolfe cannot be upgraded.

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PlayStation VR’s external processing box unveiled https://www.kitguru.net/components/vr/jon-martindale/playstation-vrs-external-processing-box-unveiled/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/vr/jon-martindale/playstation-vrs-external-processing-box-unveiled/#comments Wed, 23 Dec 2015 08:48:40 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=278918 When it became clear that Sony was working on a virtual reality solution for the PlayStaton 4, those who had experienced early VR with the DK1 and 2 were a little worried. The PS4 could barely handle 60 FPS at a decent resolution, let alone the 75+ it would need for VR. That's why Sony …

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When it became clear that Sony was working on a virtual reality solution for the PlayStaton 4, those who had experienced early VR with the DK1 and 2 were a little worried. The PS4 could barely handle 60 FPS at a decent resolution, let alone the 75+ it would need for VR. That's why Sony has built an external processor to help the console out, exclusively for its PlayStationVR platform.

Set to be bundled along with the head mounted display (HMD), the PSVR box measures in at 140 x 140 x 35mm (as per Eurogamer) and has its own separate power unit before it reaches the mains plug. It features a power input, HDMI in and out connector and a USB port which hooks it up to the PS4. The front has dual ouputs for the headset itself.

VRFocus even tweeted out an image of the box at the start of this month:

Although the internal hardware of the PSVR external processor is unknown, we do know that it will handle the social-screen feature which will display a secondary feed of what the VR user is seeing to a TV. Chances are it will be helping bump frame rates too, as Sony took the interesting step to set the VR headset at 120Hz, much higher than the average frame rate that you expect with PS4 titles.

However that may be achieved with the use of asynchronous time warp, which allows for a sort-of frame-rate upscaling. It also helps prevent nausea, which is key in VR hardware.

Although we'll have to wait until a commercial launch later in 2016 to find out what is inside one of these things, we do know it's actively cooled, so must have a fair bit of grunt to it.

KitGuru Says: Do you think adding this extra processor to the mix will make PSVR an expensive solution for virtual reality?

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PCI SIG to finalize OCuLink external PCI Express this fall https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/pci-sig-to-finalize-oculink-external-pci-express-this-fall/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/anton-shilov/pci-sig-to-finalize-oculink-external-pci-express-this-fall/#comments Fri, 26 Jun 2015 06:59:18 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=256176 The PCI SIG has been developing external PCI Express interconnection for over three years now, but only later this year the organization will finalize the specification of the technology. The new cable will compete against Intel’s Thunderbolt 3. While the tech makes a lot of sense for various devices, it may not be adopted by …

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The PCI SIG has been developing external PCI Express interconnection for over three years now, but only later this year the organization will finalize the specification of the technology. The new cable will compete against Intel’s Thunderbolt 3. While the tech makes a lot of sense for various devices, it may not be adopted by the industry widely.

The OCuLink 1.0 technology will offer four PCI Express lanes with data rates starting at 8GT/s [gigatransfers per second] per lane as well as up to 4GB/s of peak bandwidth, which is similar to PCI Express 3.0. The initial version of OCuLink will use copper cables, but in the future PCI SIG may adopt optical cables for the technology. The OCuLink spec will be finalized this fall, reports EETimes citing the head of the PCI SIG.

The technology has headroom to scale in the future, hence, when PCIe 4.0 is finalized by 2017, the OCuLink will also gain performance. It is unclear at what point will the tech adopt optical cables, but it is highly likely that after 2017.

pci-express-based-storage-data-center-nvm-express-platform-topologies-20-638

The OCuLink has been in development for many years and right now it seems to be inferior to Thunderbolt 3, which supports maximum bandwidth of 40Gb/s (5GB/s) and uses industry-standard USB type-C connector. The OCuLink can theoretically be cheaper than Thunderbolt 3 since it does not require a proprietary controller. However, since it uses a new connector, it is unlikely that PC makers will be inclined to integrate it. Perhaps, makers of servers and telecommunication equipment will be more interested in external PCI Express bus. Alternatively, OCuLink could be used to connect internal components of PCs to mainboards (e.g., solid-state drives). The OCL cables look considerably thinner than SATA Express and should not be too expensive.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: It looks like semi-proprietary Thunderbolt has managed to win the battle against open-standard OCuLink by simply entering the market earlier and adopting an industry-standard connector.

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ADATA HE720 DashDrive Elite 1 TB External USB 3.0 HDD Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/simon-telford/adata-he720-dashdrive-elite-1-tb-2-5-external-usb-3-0-hdd-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/simon-telford/adata-he720-dashdrive-elite-1-tb-2-5-external-usb-3-0-hdd-review/#respond Mon, 04 Nov 2013 08:26:48 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=159394 The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 1 TB USB 3.0 external enclosure is the slimmest USB 3.0 HDD on the market, measuring in at only 8.9mm thick. If you aren't already backing up your important data to an external hard drive, is this ADATA DashDrive one that should be making your shortlist? We have previously reviewed …

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The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 1 TB USB 3.0 external enclosure is the slimmest USB 3.0 HDD on the market, measuring in at only 8.9mm thick. If you aren't already backing up your important data to an external hard drive, is this ADATA DashDrive one that should be making your shortlist?

We have previously reviewed the 500 GB model of the HE720 series and were impressed with the features, including the professional-looking brushed Stainless Steel surface with a scratch resistant coating. Additionally, the HE720 incorporates a USB 3.0 connection and should offer excellent read/write performance. We will analyse this later in the review.

DSCF0695
Specifications

Capacity 500GB / 1TB
Color Titanium
Dimensions (L x W x H) 117 x 79 x 8.9mm (4.6 x 3.1 x 0.4in)
Weight 160g (0.4lb)
Interface (USB) USB 3.0
(backward compatible with USB 2.0)
System requirements Windows XP/Vista/7/8
Mac OS X 10.6 or later
Linux Kernel 2.6 or later
Temperature Operating 5ºC~50ºC;
Storage -40ºC~60ºC
Accessories USB 3.0 cable; Quick Start Guide
Texture Stainless steel metal brushed surface, plus mirror-like polish
Warranty 3 years
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ADATA launches fast, affordable portable drive https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/jules/adata-launches-fast-affordable-portable-drive/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/jules/adata-launches-fast-affordable-portable-drive/#respond Thu, 27 Jun 2013 13:37:10 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=140234 While the concept of ‘The Cloud' is great, we often need to move big data around quickly – or we need access when the 3G/WiFi is dire. In those cases, anyone who carries their important data on a slimline, portable drive is gonna have a superior grin on their face. In a highly competitive market, …

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While the concept of ‘The Cloud' is great, we often need to move big data around quickly – or we need access when the 3G/WiFi is dire. In those cases, anyone who carries their important data on a slimline, portable drive is gonna have a superior grin on their face. In a highly competitive market, how much are you prepared to pay for that kind of facility?  KitGuru fills its top pocket.

KitGuru was at a meeting last week.

We brought along our trust iPad with 3G and as soon as we put it down on the pub's outdoor table – we were ready to go.

One of the people we were meeting brought along the kind of flight case that you might use for a short holiday and proceeded to unpack a full size (17″) laptop and look around for anywhere they could plug an external hard drive into.

The 3rd person had a relatively slimline laptop and a ‘passport' type USB 3 drive which draws its power from the computer.

While KitGuru was able to exude a certain amount of smugness at how little we'd brought to the table and commiserated with the poor chap who had a bag of bricks, the idea of an Ultrabook with slimline 1TB external is actually quite cool. It offers a serious amount of storage and processing in a neat/nimble bag that you can throw casually over the shoulder.

It is this 3rd chap – lightweight tech man – that ADATA is aiming the HV620 external drive at.

It comes in 500GB and 1TB flavours with UK pricing expected to be around £49 for the smaller drive and £65 for the larger, so pricing is competitive with the likes of WD etc.

Apart from the USB 3 connectivity and no need for a power cable, ADATA is selling this drive on 3 key features:-

  1. Scratch Prevention Design
    The edge of the device has a slight lip all around, which prevents the surface from scratching
  2. Sleek and Glossy
    Which will appeal to us geeks, apparently
  3. LED Transfer Indicator
    So you know when a data transfer is in progress and don't remove the drive at the wrong moment

Historically, ADATA is more famous for supplying memory to other companies. They are rumoured to have made almost all of the Sony memory modules (DUOs etc) and many of the world's Asus products are also running on ADATA memory.
The company appears to be trying to win the hearts & minds in the channel for 2013/14 – using products like the HV620 – let's see how that goes.

The win here will be price. If you can find it in stores at the right price, then that will be a bonus.
The win here will be price. If you can find it in stores at the right price, then that will be a bonus.

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KitGuru says: If ADATA manages to land products in UK stores at this kind of price, then they can expect a nice little sales kick. The danger will be if the price is too close to WD and other competitors with a more established name/channel.

Comment below, in the KitGuru forums or join us online over at Facebook.

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ADATA DashDrive Elite 500GB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/simon-telford/adata-dashdrive-elite-500gb-usb-3-0-external-hard-drive-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/hard-drives/simon-telford/adata-dashdrive-elite-500gb-usb-3-0-external-hard-drive-review/#respond Tue, 20 Nov 2012 09:05:22 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=114948 The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 500GB USB 3.0 external enclosure is the slimmest of its kind, measuring in at only 8.9mm thick. It also sports a professional-looking brushed Stainless Steel surface with a scratch resistant coating. The company have also added a ‘One Touch Backup' which as the name suggests allows the user to back …

The post ADATA DashDrive Elite 500GB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>

The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 500GB USB 3.0 external enclosure is the slimmest of its kind, measuring in at only 8.9mm thick. It also sports a professional-looking brushed Stainless Steel surface with a scratch resistant coating. The company have also added a ‘One Touch Backup' which as the name suggests allows the user to back up essential data with a single touch.

Couple all this with a USB 3.0 connection, some simple backup software and it should offer great all-round performance.

Specifications

Capacity 500GB
Color Titanium
Dimensions (L x W x H) 117 x 79 x 8.9mm (4.6 x 3.1 x 0.4in)
Weight 164g (0.4 lb)
Interface (USB) SuperSpeed USB 3.0 (backward compatible with USB 2.0)
Interface (HDD) 2.5″ SATA II
System requirements Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 / Mac OS X 10.6 or later / Linux Kernel 2.6 or later
Temperature Operating 5ºC~50ºC; Storage -40ºC~60ºC
Accessories USB 3.0 cable; Quick Start Guide
Texture Stainless steel metal brushed surface, plus mirror-like polish
Warranty 3 years
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