LED | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net KitGuru.net - Tech News | Hardware News | Hardware Reviews | IOS | Mobile | Gaming | Graphics Cards Thu, 30 Mar 2023 14:09:47 +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 LED | KitGuru https://www.kitguru.net 32 32 Razer Key Light Chroma Review https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/jack-woodhams/razer-key-light-chroma-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/jack-woodhams/razer-key-light-chroma-review/#respond Tue, 28 Jun 2022 07:22:49 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=565327 Razer's Key Light Chroma LED panel costs £300 - and testing it has not been easy...

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In today's review, we are taking a look at the Key Light Chroma, Razer's RGB-equipped LED panel. On paper it looks great, but at £300 it's going to have to do a lot of things right in order to justify the price premium over competitor products, including the Elgato Key Light. Will the Razer Key Light Chroma deliver, or will it disappoint? Let's find out.

Timestamps:

00:00 Start
01:03 Unboxing
02:50 Ball head
03:15 Design and mount points
03:55 A toggle switch for power and wifi pairing button
04:39 Phone app / fundamental issue
06:36 Synapse
08:01 Brightness / warmth levels
10:05 RGB functionality
12:00 Animation modes
12:16 Comparisons
14:18 Jack shares his feelings
15:54 Closing Thoughts

Specifications:

  • 2800 lumens
  • Colors: White 3000K – 7000K adjustable, RGB
  • Clamp Range: 2.5 mm to 75 mm
  • Dimensions: 360 mm x 260 mm (Light only), Min 553 mm / Max 1350 mm (Pole + Adapter + Table Clamp)
  • Weight: ~1600 g (Light only), ~760 g (Pole + Adapter + Table Clamp)
  • Wi-fi control
  • 4 1/4 inch thread mounting holes
  • Bi-colour and RGB colour modes
  • Material: Aluminum

The Razer Key Light Chroma retails for £299.99 and is available directly from Razer HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page HERE.

Pros:

  • Bright 2800 lumen panel.
  • Good build quality.
  • All accessories you need in the box.

Cons:

  • Phone app and Synapse are buggy.
  • Frequent disconnects.
  • RGB isn’t that vivid, more like a tint.
  • Hugely expensive.
  • Ball head is clunky and easily damaged.

KitGuru says: In general, this overly expensive light doesn't deliver – and there are many more lighting options out there for streamers that won't set them back £300. The phone app and Synapse have been a buggy experience. Razer will have to do a lot more for us to recommend a £300 light given the lack of features and poor user experience. 

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Patriot Viper Steel RGB 3600MHz 32GB Memory Review https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/luke-hill/patriot-viper-steel-rgb-3600mhz-32gb-memory-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/memory/luke-hill/patriot-viper-steel-rgb-3600mhz-32gb-memory-review/#respond Mon, 18 Jan 2021 13:00:22 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=501045 Can Patriot's latest Viper Steel RGB memory kit compete at £165?

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Patriot is upgrading its popular Viper Steel series of memory to include RGB lighting, as is seemingly expected from every PC component in 2021. Featuring a black aluminium heatspreader with a top-mounted set of RGB LEDs and a diffuser lightbar, can the Patriot Viper Steel RGB memory prove to be a solid new option to the market?

The Patriot Viper Steel RGB memory module follows the same no-nonsense design logic of the standard non-RGB version of the RAM. Now, however, the aluminium heatspreader has been switched to a matte appearance with a grain-type texture while the Viper logo is coloured gold.

While the ‘Steel’ naming scheme now makes less sense given the black appearance, I personally feel that these styling adjustments are a good transition in creating a more attractive memory module. The black heatspreader looks sleek alongside the black PCB and, of course, retains it cooling functionality given the use of aluminium material.

Across the top of the roughly 48mm-tall memory module sits the RGB lightbar. This retains the aggressive angular styling of the non-RGB Viper Steel modules, but the height is now around 3mm taller for the LED-equipped kit.

It is difficult to tell exactly how many RGB LEDs sit underneath the lightbar. And that is a particularly important point given the perceived smoothness of the emitted light. Similarities to the light diffuser strip on the Corsair Vengeance RGB Pro modules are evident, and that’s strong praise for Patriot.

Lighting control is handled through the sync utilities of the big four motherboard vendors. We tested with ASUS AURA and found the functionality to be straightforward and effective. The lighting speed is good, the brightness is positive, and the granularity of control is solid.

Colour accuracy for the lightbar is also positive overall, though we did notice that our white colour selection displayed a slightly off-white tint. Other than that, I was also happy with the transitions between colours in the go-to RGB rainbow puke mode.

In terms of modules specs, Patriot offers a variety of options. The kit that we have for testing is a 32GB (2x16GB) capacity set with rated specifications of 3600MHz at 20-26-26-46 timings and 1.35V. Of course, XMP 2.0 is supported.

Those timings are incredibly slack for a modern 3600MHz dual channel memory kit, so it will be interesting to see if we are able to overclock to some tighter numbers. Of course, 3600MHz is still ideal for simple 1:1 memory controller to Infinity Fabric clock operation on AMD platforms. And any additional frequency through overclocking will be welcomed by Ryzen 5000 users with higher FCLK capabilities.

The specific memory chips used read as Hynix H5AN8G8N??R-VKC according to Thaiphoon Burner. That pair of question marks makes it unclear, but our contacts at Patriot confirmed that the kit uses SK Hynix “AFR” memory ICs with model code H5AN8G8NAFR-VKC. Those chips are deployed in a dual-rank configuration for each of the 16GB DIMMs.

Worth noting is that neither monitoring software such as HWiNFO nor Thaiphoon Burner could register any thermal sensor data on our test system.

In summary, we are looking at the Viper RGB Steel as a 32GB kit with a solid RGB implementation, 3600MHz running frequency and slack timings, and a price tag of £164.99 MSRP. Let’s have a look at how Patriot’s new set of memory performs.

  • Model Number: PVSR432G360C0K
  • Capacity: 32GB (2x 16GB)
  • Rated Frequency: DDR4-3600MHz
  • Rated Timings: 20-26-26-46
  • Voltage: 1.35V
  • Format: Non-ECC Unbuffered 288-pin DIMM

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Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32GB DDR4-3200MHz – Corsair Capellix Breaks Cover https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32gb-ddr4-3200mhz-corsair-capellix-breaks-cover/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/corsair-dominator-platinum-rgb-32gb-ddr4-3200mhz-corsair-capellix-breaks-cover/#respond Thu, 21 Feb 2019 14:00:15 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=404446 Corsair Capellix - its the new big thing in the world of RGB. Do you WANT it ?

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Corsair talked about Capellix LED technology at CES 2019 and while we saw a demonstration of the lighting in action we were unable to draw many conclusions in a Vegas ballroom where the lighting bears no relation to the typical home. And make no mistake, while this Corsair Dominator Platinum RGB 32GB DDR4-3200MHz kit packs Samsung B-die ICs and runs at impressive 14-14-14-34 timings, this review is pretty much all about the RGB.

You may recall from our CES coverage that Capellix is a packaging technology for LEDS that has been developed by a Taiwanese company called Primax. The LEDs themselves are conventional however Primax is able to mount LEDs directly on hardware without the usual square off-white surface mount which delivers a number of benefits. Corsair has signed up Primax to supply Capellix throughout 2019 and effectively has an exclusive supply, just as they once did with Cherry switches.

That’s great news for Corsair, provided Capellix delivers the promised results.

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Dominator Platinum RGB features:
LED 12 individually addressable Corsair Capellix RGB LEDs
Control Type SMBus
Software Corsair iCUE v3.12 or later
Heat spreaders Aluminium
PCB Custom performance 10-layer PCB
Module Density 8GB and 16GB
Configurations 2x8GB, 4x8GB, 8x8GB, 2x16GB, 4x8GB, 8x16GB
Speeds 3000MHz to 4800MHz
Compatibility AMD and Intel

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Corsair Commander Pro: fan, lighting, temperature control w/ Link https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/corsair-commander-pro-fan-lighting-and-temperature-control-unit-with-link/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/leo-waldock/corsair-commander-pro-fan-lighting-and-temperature-control-unit-with-link/#comments Thu, 31 Aug 2017 07:46:38 +0000 https://www.kitguru.net/?p=345645 Calling all Corsair fanboys - how to truly complete your new build with the Commander Pro.

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The idea behind the Corsair Commander Pro control unit is pretty straightforward. If you build a new PC with a bunch of Corsair peripherals that use the Corsair Link ecosystem you will find you are spoiled for choice. You could well use a Hydro All In One liquid cooler on your CPU (and perhaps another Hydro on your graphics card), a handful of HD120/HD140 RGB fans, a Link enabled power supply and a few Node lighting strips. Add that lot together and you may well run out of USB headers on your motherboard, and will also have a bunch of extra cables and control units to install and keep tidy.

This is where the Corsair Commander Pro comes into the equation. You simply connect the captive USB 2.0 cable on the Commander Pro to an internal header on your motherboard and power the device with the captive SATA cable. Both cables are long enough to give a good degree of flexibility when you install the Commander Pro inside your PC. Install the latest version of Corsair’s Link software and you’re ready to start connecting your accessories.

 

Specification of Corsair Commander Pro:
Dimensions 133mm x 69mm x 15.5mm
RGB LED channels 2x three pin connector
Max. RGB LED Four strips per channel
Max. RGB fans Six fans on one RGB LED hub
Fan control Six 4-pin ports with voltage and PWM controller
Fan power Each fan header supports 1A, max 4.5A in total
USB 2.0 headers Two
USB cable 440mm
SATA power cable 465mm
Thermal sensors 610mm
Fan extension 300mm

You can connect up to six fans directly to the Commander Pro to control the fan speed profile. You still need to use the lighting control unit to manage the LEDs in those six fans, although the controller can be connected to one of the LED ports on the Commander Pro or to one of the ports on the Node. You can also daisy chain the Node to the Corsair Commander Pro and can connect two channels of LED lights with up to four strips of lights on each channel. If there is a case on the market that can accommodate four lighting strips let’s just say it must be a very large case.

Commander Pro is supplied with four thermal probes which gives you extra options for monitoring temperatures inside the PC. This function effectively comes free of charge but was only of passing interest to your reviewer.

We used the two internal USB headers on the Commander Pro to connect the Corsair H100i liquid cooler and AX1500i power supply which sounds like a trivial matter but is actually a pretty big deal. Our chosen Asus Prime X299-A motherboard supports the latest LGA2066 Core i9 CPU with quad channel DDR4 but only has a single USB 2.0 header, which limits the number of accessories you can install. By installing Commander Pro we were able to connect LED lights, RGB fans, the H100i cooler and also monitor the AX1500i power supply though a single USB 2.0 header.

This was an impressive demonstration of the abilities of the Corsair Commander Pro but it also leads us to a minor confession. Corsair shows off the Commander Pro inside the glass Crystal 570X case that we have previously reviewed.

So we deliberately went in the opposite direction and installed as much Corsair hardware as possible inside a budget SPEC-04 case. This worked surprisingly well, apart from the fact the SPEC-04 has the bare minimum of cable management. So, basically, sorry about the cable mess in front of the power supply. That’s our bad.

Test system hardware:
Fan and ligh controlting: Corsair Commander Pro
Lighting strips: Corsair Lighting Node Pro £49.99
Fans: Corsair HD140 RGB
Motherboard: Asus Prime X299-A
CPU: Intel Core i7-7800X
CPU cooler: Corsair Hydro H100i v2
Memory: Corsair Vengeance LPX DDR4
Graphics: Nvidia GTX 980
SSD: Corsair Neutron XT
Case: Corsair Carbide SPEC-04
Power supply: Corsair AX1500i

Closing Thoughts.

We were impressed by Corsair Commander Pro and the way the Link software lived up to its name and linked the accessories together with a common user interface. Once the hardware is in place and connected you can use Link to monitor every aspect of your PC but more importantly you can control the cooling performance, noise levels and lighting in a very satisfactory manner.

Our single largest criticism is that you are expected to stick the Corsair Commander Pro to a suitable flat surface using double sided tape, which just seems silly. It would be far better to have the option of installing the unit in an SSD drive bay. Clearly this is a minor criticism but nonetheless it is very peculiar.

A larger question is the cost of the unit itself, along with the matching Corsair peripherals. The Commander Pro, HD140 RGB fans and Node lighting strips we used in this build totalled £176, and you could add £320 for the power supply and £100 for the CPU cooler.

If you choose to go crazy with your build and really pack in the RGB fans, LED lighting strips and Vengeance RGB RAM you could easily end up with £1000 of Corsair hardware connected to your Commander Pro. We have little doubt that Corsair would describe this as a feature rather than a problem, in the sense that you already have all those good Corsair products and now you can bring them together with a single device that is relatively cheap.

Balanced against that it is clear that Commander Pro pretty much obliges you to buy in to the Corsair way of life. Forget mixing and matching hardware, from now on you’ll be selecting accessories based on whether or not they work with Corsair Link.

Pros:

  • Commander Pro has six 3-pin/4-pin fan connections that work with either PWM or voltage control.
  • Commander Pro has two USB 2.0 headers.
  • Two LED channels with Sequential, Marquee, Strobing and Visor lighting modes.
  • Eight preset fan curves.
  • Corsair Link software continues to improve over time.

Cons:

  • The total cost of the Corsair accessories used with Commander Pro is significant.
  • Once you buy into Corsair Link there’s no going back.
  • You have to find a location to mount the Commander Pro unit.

KitGuru says: Corsair Commander Pro combines fan, lighting and temperature control in a single unit.

 

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Gigabyte Shows Off Aorus Products at DreamHack https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/gigabyte-shows-off-aorus-products-at-dreamhack/ https://www.kitguru.net/components/motherboard/luke-hill/gigabyte-shows-off-aorus-products-at-dreamhack/#respond Tue, 17 Jan 2017 19:33:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=317882 Gigabyte take us through all their new and upcoming products

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KitGuru was recently invited to Gigabyte’s Aorus press event at Dreamhack Leipzig where new hardware and features were being showcased. We took a look at Gigabyte’s new Aorus offerings and got some time to speak to the Gigabyte team to see how they created the product features and what improvements are in store for the future.

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Aorus was described as a ‘new story of Gigabyte’ which is fitting given the product line-up’s growth from the laptop division into computer components via the launch of six Aorus motherboards for the Z270 chipset.

It won’t be long until Aorus’ eagle logo (jokingly described as the ‘bottle opener’ by one member of the press) will extend to further components in Gigabyte’s arsenal, such as peripherals and graphics cards (there has been a sneak peek of the Aorus GTX 1080 Ti HERE).

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Main talking points for Gigabyte’s new Aorus motherboards were: RGB Fusion, Smart Fan 5, liquid cooling support (on higher end models), and other features.

RGB Fusion

Focussing first on RGB Fusion, as 2016 was the year of RGB-everything and it looks like 2017 will follow that trend, Gigabyte gives its current line-up of Aorus Gaming motherboards the full colour treatment.

We looked at RGB Fusion in our review of the Aorus Z270X-Gaming 7 HERE and found it to be a comprehensive LED system which has superb control with unique – Intelligent – modes that allow for unusual operating characteristics (different LED colours based on LAN speed, for example).

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Speaking to Gigabyte’s motherboard product manager, there is scope for further improvements to be made on the RGB LED control functions. For example, segregating different LED zones to work on a temperature scale for hardware in that region is an idea, and so is the ability to change the lighting scale rather than use a typical green-to-red system for low-to-high.

Another cool feature for RGB Fusion is the ability for a user to control the LED lighting colours and modes using an iOS and Android smart phone app. Yes, this may seem a little gimmicky but it’s certainly better than alt-tabbing out of a game screen if you want to change your LED lighting operating mode mid-session.

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Gigabyte’s use of 5-pin RGBW headers, with the fifth pin supporting a true white colour, is unique and will soon be of use thanks to upcoming RGBW LED kits from the likes of Cable Mod (or other vendors thanks to Gigabyte’s reconfigurable pin headers improving compatibility with LED strips). A pure white pin is different to the way that competing vendors achieve white light by mixing the RGB spectrum. Gigabyte’s RGB Fusion also gives users the ability to sync their graphics card’s LED colours with those used on the motherboard. And this synchronisation will likely extend to further RGB Aorus products such as gaming peripherals.

Put into perspective by Managing Director Timmy Huang, RGB Fusion allows gamers to build a beautiful PC that can be put on their desk as a piece of furniture rather than hidden on the floor. A swappable acrylic overlay found on the motherboards certainly aids customisation – you could 3D print your own plastic design to go on the board. Based on my own testing with the Aorus Z270X-Gaming 7, RGB Fusion does indeed offer a level of customisability that can allow for such an appearance to be created.

Smart Fan 5 and Liquid Cooling Support

Gigabyte’s new fan system for the Aorus Z270 motherboards – Smart Fan 5 – was another of the main talking points. Gigabyte’s design logic for Smart Fan 5 was to put an emphasis on silence. The example scenario was that a user can load up a game with ample cooling capacity and then get back to working quietly when the game is closed, all without having to reboot the system or manually adjust fan settings.

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Critical to the Smart Fan 5 system are the ‘Hybrid’ fan headers. The 4-pin headers allow for PWM and DC control of fans while also being capable of powering liquid cooling pumps thanks to a 2A current output rating. Given that PWM and DC fan headers can tend to use different pin configurations (DC may use an adjustable output voltage pin whereas PWM can use a +12V pin and a PWM adjustment pin), the ability of Gigabyte’s Hybrid fan headers to work in both modes is thanks to the SuperIO controller used.

Motherboard Product Manager Kiner told us that the ITE chipset is able to detect whether or not a PWM fan is connected and alter its operation accordingly. It would seem that the voltage pin is physically adjustable and simply gets pinned at +12V when a PWM-capable fan is connected to the header and detected by the ITE chipset.

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The other aspect to Smart Fan 5 is its control through the UEFI and OS software. As we have tested, the controllability of fans through the UEFI is very good and through the OS software it is excellent. Multiple points can be selected on a fan speed curve and modes as low as 0% operation are also supported (allowing the fan to stop spinning, if it is capable of doing so).

Impressively, the fans can read and react to multiple temperature sensors on the motherboard or through external thermistors. There are around 8 or 9 temperature reading points for some of the Aorus boards, which is important for tweaking system cooling to a user’s preference. For example, if you have particularly strong CPU cooling that keeps its temperature low, speeds of fans elsewhere in your chassis are unlikely to ramp up to a particularly high level. That may be a problem if you have a hot-running graphics card or want to ensure ample HDD cooling for your video editing machine. Smart Fan 5 allows the relevant fans to read from different temperature sensors, such as a PCIe slot or a thermistor connected to the HDD array, and adjust the speed of the relevant fans accordingly. Such control not only aids cooling performance but also noise output.

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Sticking with the cooling topic, the Gaming 8 and Gaming 9 are fitted with waterblocks for VRM cooling. An EK-designed G-Frost Hybrid waterblock on the Gaming 9 uses copper tubing, an aluminium outer casing, and G1/4” thread fittings to cool the MOSFETs and PLX PCIe bridge chip. The Gaming 8 uses a Bitspower-designed G-Chill Hybrid waterblock which again features copper for the water channel and G1/4” fittings but this time features a composite outer casing for aesthetic reasons.

Other Aorus Features

The other gaming and productivity features used on Aorus motherboards are more generic in nature. These features include reference to the audio system, USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 (on higher end models) through Type-C, and Killer networking.

Creative-based audio solutions are used for the higher-end SKUs (Gaming 7 and above) whereas the lower-end Aorus boards use a Realtek codec. There are SKUs that feature support for upgradable op-amps (up to 3 on the Gaming 9) and Nichicon audio capacitors are used throughout. Another feature is USB DAC-UP 2 which allows voltage to be adjusted based on the device that is connected. This can be useful for delivering cleaner power that is better tailored to a USB audio solution, VR headset, or a games controller.

Killer NICs are used throughout the Aorus line-up largely thanks to the network control software that the solution provides. There’s also an ability to use the Killer DoubleShot-X3 Pro feature on the Gaming 9 thanks to its inclusion of dual Killer GbE NICs and Wireless-AC 1535 adapter. Speaking to Kiner regarding higher-than-GbE networking solutions, it is clear that the cost currently remains a negative point against greater adoption.

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Gigabyte was keen to point out its support for both M.2 and U.2 on the Aorus motherboards. This is a positive point as U.2 support without the use of an adapter could be convenient with the launch of future SSDs. SATA-Express is also supported simply because it’s built into the chipset and, more-or-less, free to implement.

Steel-plated Ultra Durable Armor slots are used for all PCIe x16 and DDR4 slots across the Aorus line-up. Durability is the key benefit here. With regards to DDR4, Gigabyte has also validated over 1000 sets of memory in addition to 4000MHz+ XMP operation on select kits.

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The 4-digit LED display seen on the Gaming 9 was another interesting feature. As well as displaying general troubleshooting codes during system POST, the display is able to show information such as temperatures and voltages when the system is in operation. I think this is a smart way of displaying temperature or voltage readings without software interference and without the requirement for an overlay during gaming (just look through your chassis side panel window).

Additional Gigabyte Products

In addition to Gigabyte’s newly-released Aorus motherboard line-up, the vendor was showing off some of its other products at the press event.

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There was a presentation relating to offerings that have been associated with the Aorus brand since its inception in 2014 – notebooks. Three main models currently exist – the 14″-class X3, 15″-class X5, 17″-class and X7. Aorus' Gordon outlined how the models are designed to be slim and light because ‘mobility is important for notebooks'. The 1.8kg X3 and 2.5kg X5 fit GTX 1060 and GTX 1070, respectively, into chassis that are just 0.9″-thick. The former supports a QHD+ (3K) IGZO screen while the X5 has more gamer-centric FHD/120Hz/G-Sync options.

At around 1″-thick, the 3.2kg X7 is still slim for a GTX 1080-powered laptop with a 17.3″ screen. All models are able to be configured with up to a Core i7-7820HK CPU.

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Gigabyte’s BRIX systems were on display. There was a ‘conventional’ small BRIX featuring Intel’s Apollo Lake platform. The low-end BRIX models have proven popular with buyers thanks to their ability to run basic office and HTPC tasks with a very small footprint.

The BRIX Gaming Mini PC was also on display in its new GTX 1060 form. Updated to support Intel’s 7th generation Kaby Lake CPUs and Nvidia’s Pascal GTX 1060 6GB GPU, the new BRIX Gaming could be a vastly improved successor to the original GTX 950-equipped model that we reviewed HERE.

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A BRIX that resembles the design of many games consoles was also on display. The BRIX Gaming GT is outfitted with a GTX 1070 G1 Gaming GPU and Core i7 processor (the model we saw was a Skylake CPU but there’s no reason an updated Kaby Lake version will not come to market). A sizeable amount of 4K-capable power is squeezed into the chassis that, at around 10-or-so litres, isn’t much larger than an Xbox One.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

KitGuru says: Gigabyte will be pushing the Aorus product line hard in 2017. It is interesting to see the features that have already been deployed on the Z270 Aorus motherboards. Expect similar features on the Aorus AM4 motherboards, when they launch.

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CableMod shows off new WideBeam hybrid LED case lighting strips https://www.kitguru.net/professional/design-create/jon-martindale/cablemod-shows-off-new-widebeam-hybrid-led-case-lighting-strips/ https://www.kitguru.net/professional/design-create/jon-martindale/cablemod-shows-off-new-widebeam-hybrid-led-case-lighting-strips/#comments Fri, 25 Nov 2016 12:35:06 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=313079 Although most enthusiasts have thrown some LED fans in their PC at some point in their gaming career, if you want to really customise the look of your case's interior, light strips are the way to go. CableMod's new Widebeam Hybrid LED strips offer a new, multi-purpose lighting solution, with traditional LEDs on one half …

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Although most enthusiasts have thrown some LED fans in their PC at some point in their gaming career, if you want to really customise the look of your case's interior, light strips are the way to go. CableMod's new Widebeam Hybrid LED strips offer a new, multi-purpose lighting solution, with traditional LEDs on one half and UV LEDs on the other.

WideBeam Hybrid LEDs let you have a background glow to your system, as well as illuminating any components that are UV reactive. While some traditional lighting options would see you running two light strips to achieve such an effect, with WideBeam Hybrids you save space and install time too.

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Positioning these strips is easy since there are two adhesive options. Built in magnets mean that if you're running a steel case, you can attach them without the need for any glue or tape. That makes re-positioning them much easier. However if you are running an Aluminium, or similarly non-magnetic case, a strong adhesive comes pre-attached to each strip, making them just as easy to put in place.

Measure twice, place once guys.

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CableMod's new LED kits come with quite a bundle of accessories. Along with the light strip itself, you get a remote control for making changes on the fly, as well as splitter cables and a receiver for the remote. Since the control uses RF, rather than infrared technology, you don't even need line of sight for it, which can be a real issue with complicated case builds.

If you don't want all the extras you can buy the strips individually at lengths of 30 and 60cm, or with the bunch of accessories too, priced between 20 euros and 40 euros.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I swore off LEDs after I turned my childhood bedroom into a blue-tinted spaceship, but these are rather impressive. You guys have sent us some awesome looking systems over the years, but will these sorts of LEDs let you do something even better?

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LEDs don’t attract as many biting insects, new study finds https://www.kitguru.net/channel/science/jon-martindale/leds-dont-attract-as-many-biting-insects-new-study-finds/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/science/jon-martindale/leds-dont-attract-as-many-biting-insects-new-study-finds/#respond Tue, 15 Nov 2016 10:15:19 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=311599 A new study out of Bristol University suggests that LED lighting may actually be doing us more of a favour than just keeping energy costs low. In a test of what effect LEDs might have on insects, it was discovered that switching to LED lighting could massively reduce the amount of biting insects which are …

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A new study out of Bristol University suggests that LED lighting may actually be doing us more of a favour than just keeping energy costs low. In a test of what effect LEDs might have on insects, it was discovered that switching to LED lighting could massively reduce the amount of biting insects which are attracted to a light source.

While we don't want to take anything away from Bristol University, we should preface this story by stating that the study was funded by the Natural Environment Research Council and UK lighting manufacturer Integral LED, so a positive result in this case is a positive result for one of the study's benefactors. That said, the results are quite stark and suggest if we all switched to LED, we may get bitten far less in the summer.

The test saw 18 field-test sites set up with various lighting combinations of LEDs, filament and fluorescent bulbs. Insects attracted to the various light sources were then identified and categorised and the results compiled.

lighttrap

Ultimately, some 80 per cent of biting insects like midges, were found to be attracted to the filament lamp. A much reduced 15 per cent were attracted to the fluorescent, while only two to three per cent of recovered bugs were attracted to the two LED bubs used in testing – cool and warm white light. Total insect attraction was around four times less for LED bulbs than filament bulbs and around half as many as fluorescent.

This was a surprising result, with lead researcher Dr Andy Wakefield pointing out that there was no different between attraction of the cool and warm light LEDs. That's not something that was expected, as insect vision is short shifted and therefore struggles to detect longer wave, warmer light.

Why were the biting midges attracted more so to traditional light though? The suggestion is that they may have been attracted to the heat of the more inefficient bulbs, which could be seen as body heat by the insects.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: While further research obviously needs to be done, LEDs do appear to have an interesting impact on reducing the numbers of bugs attracted, especially bothersome biting insects. It would be interesting to see what effect a growth in LED lighting could have in countries where mosquitos are prevalent.

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‘Light skin’ could be techy bodypaint of the future https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/light-skin-could-be-techy-bodypaint-of-the-future/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/light-skin-could-be-techy-bodypaint-of-the-future/#comments Tue, 19 Apr 2016 11:35:57 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=289850 Staple of prank videos, art shows and magazine photoshoots the world over, clothing-feigning bodypaint is always quite an impressive show of how easy it is to trick the human eye. But we may do away with it and perhaps even clothes altogether one day, as a new type of ‘E-Skin' is offering the potential for …

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Staple of prank videos, art shows and magazine photoshoots the world over, clothing-feigning bodypaint is always quite an impressive show of how easy it is to trick the human eye. But we may do away with it and perhaps even clothes altogether one day, as a new type of ‘E-Skin' is offering the potential for lighting based clothing and informative displays, right on our skin.

Using a rubber substrate and integrating it with polymer LEDs, a group of engineers and researchers has developed a new, skin-like substance, that can light up on command. That allows for the creation of on-skin displays that could put the smart-watch to shame in the future and may one day let us walk around with clothing that is built entirely of light.

That's a long way off of course, as right now the developers have shown a proof of concept of a countdown timer or digital clock on the back of someone's hand, but it's still impressive to see (thanks Ars). The E-Skin is just three micrometers thick, so could easily be adhered to just about any body part without adding weight or indeed increasing that person's profile by any real measure.

It's also very flexible and malleable, which would make it great for exercising and perhaps giving users an easy to read display right on their arm. The low power nature of the display technology and the fact that it can be charged up via solar power, means going for a run in the middle of the day, might be enough to keep it operating while you jog about.

While we might be a few years at least from full light-suits, in the near future it would make for a fun augmentation and could accent outfits or even mix the functional with the stylistic, giving you accessories that light up when you're hot, or when it gets dark, giving you a wearable torch.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: If you did build a whole suit of this, the one downside would be if you ran out of power. No one wants their dress to disappear half way down the street because you forgot to plug it in overnight. 

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CeBIT: Cooler Master updates the Master Case 5 https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/cebit-cooler-master-updates-the-master-case-5/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/matthew-wilson/cebit-cooler-master-updates-the-master-case-5/#respond Tue, 15 Mar 2016 21:44:59 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=287164 We continue our coverage of CeBIT this week with a look at what Cooler Master has on offer. Today, Leo stopped by the booth to take a look at the Master Case Maker 5, which was announced some time ago. The case was initially due to release late last year but has since been delayed …

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We continue our coverage of CeBIT this week with a look at what Cooler Master has on offer. Today, Leo stopped by the booth to take a look at the Master Case Maker 5, which was announced some time ago. The case was initially due to release late last year but has since been delayed but we are told it should hopefully finally be arriving in mid-May just in time for Computex.

The Master case Maker 5 comes with a glossy I/O and a front panel sporting USB Type-C, a removable top cover, noise dampening material and red LEDs, so there are plenty of features to shout about.

Cooler Mastercase Maker 5 LEDs Cooler Mastercase Maker 5 IO panel

Cooler Mastercase Maker 5 front noise deadening Cooler Mastercase Maker 5 front flipped out

Following on from Computex later this year, Cooler Master is aiming to have a lot more accessories available for the Master case Maker 5, which will make it truly customizable for end users. However, we do hope that Cooler Master will consider switching out the red case LEDs for RGB instead.

KitGuru Says: The Maker 5 is a very interesting case so hopefully, it arrives here ASAP so we can get a proper look at it for review. 

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Dyson’s new lamp has heatpipes and heatsinks https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/dysons-new-lamp-has-heatpipes-and-heatsinks/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/jon-martindale/dysons-new-lamp-has-heatpipes-and-heatsinks/#comments Wed, 10 Jun 2015 08:07:20 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=253684 One of the cornerstones of graphics cards of the past decade or so, is that they get quite warm, which means that heat needs to be dissipated in order to keep them functioning long term. While doing so was once possible with a little low profile fan, for a while now it's involved big heatsinks and …

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One of the cornerstones of graphics cards of the past decade or so, is that they get quite warm, which means that heat needs to be dissipated in order to keep them functioning long term. While doing so was once possible with a little low profile fan, for a while now it's involved big heatsinks and heatpipes to transfer the heat to them. And that's exactly the sort of technology Dyson is using in its new range of lamps, to keep the LEDs cool and to ensure that they continue to produce light for more than three decades.

At least that's how Jake Dyson, the son of famed inventor and businessman, James Dyson, is claiming. The CSYS lamp is said to be capable of outputting a natural white light for more than 160,000 hours, or just shy of 40 years, if used for 12 hours per day.

heatpipelamp2

This is all possible because of the heatpipes located in the boom arm of the lamp, which direct heat away from the LEDs. While such diodes are much more efficient than traditional lighting, they can still be subject to high temperatures and over time that strips away their phosphorous coating which degrades brightness and colouring. By preventing that heat build up, Dyson believes that its new lamps should last half a life time.

Thanks to the triple axis boom arm too, the light can be moved vertically, horizontally or rotated, to provide angled light exactly where you want it and thanks to the balanced weighting of the boom, it only takes a small push. It also features a dimmer switch with memory, so turning it back on later will result in the same light levels.

All of this does come at a price though. The new Dyson lamp retails for £400 and comes in three flavours: white/silver, black/silver and black/black.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: I must admit I do like how classy these lamps blend technology with style, but £400 is crazy money for a lamp. I think the 80 £5 lamps I could buy with that money would last longer in the end.

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Sony introduces its own ‘perfectly curved’ 4K UHD https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/anton-shilov/sony-introduces-its-own-perfectly-curved-4k-uhd/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/anton-shilov/sony-introduces-its-own-perfectly-curved-4k-uhd/#comments Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:29:01 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=206442 Sony Corp. on Thursday introduced its first curved ultra-high-definition television, following LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. Sony targets high-end of the TV market with its Bravia S90 TV-sets that come with 65” and 75” panels. The Sony Bravia S90 curved ultra-high-definition 4K (3840*2160) TVs feature 65” or 75” “Triluminos” LED-LCD panels with extended dynamic range …

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Sony Corp. on Thursday introduced its first curved ultra-high-definition television, following LG Electronics and Samsung Electronics. Sony targets high-end of the TV market with its Bravia S90 TV-sets that come with 65” and 75” panels.

The Sony Bravia S90 curved ultra-high-definition 4K (3840*2160) TVs feature 65” or 75” “Triluminos” LED-LCD panels with extended dynamic range and stereo-3D capability. Just like other Sony ultra-high-def TVs, the Bravia S90 are pretty feature-packed, they integrate Sony’s 4K X-Reality Pro technology that upscales regular TV broadcasts and Blu-ray movies to 4K resolution. The TVs also support 800Hz virtual refresh rate. Like the rest high-end TVs, the new Bravia S90 televisions feature advanced audio sub-system as well as integrated webcam. Sony does not reveal what type of panel the Bravia S90 uses.

According to Sony, the screen’s precisely-calculated curve pulls viewer right into the action, making lifelike viewing comfortable for everyone in the room. Sony calls its Bravia S90  as “perfectly curved” TVs.

sony_curved_uhd_uhdtv_4k

While it is unlikely that the TVs will be really affordable, but they will not cost an extreme amount of money like curved 5K UHD TVs with 100”+ panels from LG and Samsung. Engadget notes that, in China, Sony is offering the 65” version for 32,999 yuan or about $5360 (€4012, £3188), and the 75” version is available for for 49,999 yuan or about $8110 (€6071, £4825). Chances are that the TVs will cost less in the U.S. and slightly more in Europe.

Discuss on our Facebook page, HERE.

KitGuru Says: We still have almost nothing to watch in UHD resolution, but with Sony’s Bravia S90 the limited amount of 4K movies will be a little bit more immersive.

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AOC launches 27in 2560 x 1440 LCD https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/jon-martindale/aoc-launches-27in-2560x1440-lcd/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/jon-martindale/aoc-launches-27in-2560x1440-lcd/#comments Tue, 10 Dec 2013 16:16:34 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=166939 If you fancy upgrading your display to something a little bigger than a 24″ but don't fancy going all the way up to the always expensive 30″ platform, then AOC might have something right up your street. The catchily titled q2770Pqu monitor, features a 27″ LED backlit LCD display at a WQHD resolution of 2560 x …

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If you fancy upgrading your display to something a little bigger than a 24″ but don't fancy going all the way up to the always expensive 30″ platform, then AOC might have something right up your street. The catchily titled q2770Pqu monitor, features a 27″ LED backlit LCD display at a WQHD resolution of 2560 x 1440 pixels.

While those numbers may not seem like much over your standard 1080p resolution, those extra few hundred pixels in each direction add up to almost double the amount of pixel density as a traditional 1920 x 1080 display. That means extra screen real estate (also aided by the extra few inches) which makes this great for professionals or those working with large documents and images.

aoc

The response time isn't astounding at 5ms, but that's low enough that most gamers will be more than happy with it; the keenest of eyes may spot the odd bit of ghosting, but it shouldn't be too bad. Your friends and family will be able to gather round though, as the viewing angle is a near flat, 178 degrees, so nobody is getting left in the dark.

Connectivity is pretty decent with VGA, DVI-D and HDMI ports, as well as build in speakers and a USB hub (featuring 4 x USB 2.0 ports) nestled in the bezel.

All in all, you can pick up this display for £430 starting today with all purchases coming with a three year warranty.

KitGuru Says: I hear Zardon is rocking a pair of 30 inchers these days. Makes me feel a bit inadequate with my mismatched 24s. What display set up do you guys run?

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Asus firms up 4K future https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/peter/asus-firms-up-4k-future/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/peter/asus-firms-up-4k-future/#respond Wed, 12 Jun 2013 08:25:49 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=138126 As you all know, KitGuru has been tracking the move toward affordable 4K very closely over the past 12 months. With a series of price drops and product launches, the magic moment when you can buy a 4K TV for less than £1,500 is edging closer. Asus wants to deliver a resolution revolution of its …

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As you all know, KitGuru has been tracking the move toward affordable 4K very closely over the past 12 months. With a series of price drops and product launches, the magic moment when you can buy a 4K TV for less than £1,500 is edging closer. Asus wants to deliver a resolution revolution of its own.

For those of you saving up to buy a 1080p HD TV, KitGuru is inclined to exclaim “What? Why? Wait!”.

It seems that, pretty soon, 4K monitors will be widely available and cheaper than ever.

If you haven't been following our stories, then you might be wondering what 4K means. Well the actual definition can vary slightly, according to each implementation, but – in general – it means a screen with a resolution that is around 4,000 pixels left to right and close to 2,000 pixels top to bottom. You can get a full line up on the resolution options from here.

Easy maths tells us that 4×2 = 8 million pixels, which is going to be fun for any graphics engine that is not quite up to scratch.

Asus-HD-Specs-KitGuru-Computex
.Bear in mind that, right now, KitGuru's regular testing is at full HD (1920×1080) and when we push systems hard, we use triple-screen action (5760×1080) and a lot of graphic cards struggle at that level – which is only 6.2 million pixels. Increase the pixel count by almost 30% more and there will be a serious strain.

Asus has recently presented KitGuru with a number of 4K offerings, including:-

  • A gorgeous 39″ 4K LCD monitor, which looked sublime and sleek and beautiful with True UHD resolutions. The size of 39″ is probably more suited to TV or HTPC applications, but still the bezel was extremely thin, the stand stable and, overall, aesthetically appealing
  • The second screen was a PQ321. This is described as a true 4K UHD monitor and provides an absolutely stunning image, with crystal clarity at the highest UHD resolutions. With an ultra HD demo video of nature scenes flowing past, it was almost mesmerising – without the slightest flicker or drag. Impressive stuff

The monitors come with 2 HDMI 1.4 ports and DisplayPort 1 & 2 support, as well as an audio input – as well as bundled headphones. The stands come with a full range of tilt, swivel and height adjustments as well.

Asus is not ignoring the resolutions between HD and the new 4K standards either.

We have also seen the PB298Q screen, which is an ultra wide (21:9) panoramic LCD monitor. The design allows or multiple documents to be open simultaneously without the need for an extra monitor.

At 29 inches wide, it has a 2,560 pixels available left to right – which is around 33% more real estate than a regular HD screen.

And it is frameless. We have to say that the ‘edge to edge' designs are excellent – like an infinity pool for your eyes.

Miodrag Relic is the Asus marketing guru looking after these 4K products into the UK market. He takes 4K very seriously.
Miodrag Relic is the Asus marketing guru looking after these 4K products into the UK market. He seems to take 4K very seriously. KitGuru, on the other hand, thinks ‘Cool for gaming!'

KitGuru says: We expect these screens to be launching in the UK before the end of August, so watch this space for updates.

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

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Bay Bridge becomes C-programmed 25,000 pixel display https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/harrison/bay-bridge-becomes-c-programmed-25000-pixel-display/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/generaltech/harrison/bay-bridge-becomes-c-programmed-25000-pixel-display/#comments Thu, 04 Apr 2013 08:41:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=130617 At nearly 2 miles in length, the Bay Bridge in California has been carrying Americans across from San Francisco to Oakland for 6 months more than the Golden Gate Bridge. Through to 2015 however, it will have seriously better bragging rights than its more famous cousin, with the addition of 25,000 programmable LED lights. KitGuru …

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At nearly 2 miles in length, the Bay Bridge in California has been carrying Americans across from San Francisco to Oakland for 6 months more than the Golden Gate Bridge. Through to 2015 however, it will have seriously better bragging rights than its more famous cousin, with the addition of 25,000 programmable LED lights. KitGuru steps back to admire the view.

Using perverted programming techniques, the mastermind behind the re-vamped Bay Bridge ‘monitor' has managed to raise more than $6 million to pay for the project and – in addition to the 25,000 Philips LED bulbs – the money includes Apple Mac Mini computers that have been force-fed a diet of Windows 7 to make them better.

Overall, 24 big routers feed a multitude of switches, which in turn give access to the LED bulbs – each of which has its own unique IP address.

So apart from the amazing spectacle of a computerised bridge lighting system which will make for a huge pull for stoned students, what other benefits is the city expecting?

The Mayor has been quoted as saying he expects it to “Bring in up to $97 million from additional tourism during the time it is active”. Not bad.

The idea is cool, so how many other cities will follow suit with this kind of public/private partnership to drive tourism?
The idea is cool, so how many other cities will follow suit with this kind of public/private partnership to drive tourism?

.
What about the cost of the electricity itself?

Impressive, according to sources near Philips. Running the bridge will only cost around $11,000 a year – which is around 3x the budget of KitGuru Labs for testing equipment. Amazing value, when you look at it in that context.

Watch it in action over here.

KitGuru says: More power to this project. It draws people in, entertains them, feeds much needed cash into the city itself and – clearly – makes a strong argument for the cost benefits of LED technology going forward.

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

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3D liquid crystals set to revolutionise monitor technology https://www.kitguru.net/channel/science/harrison/3d-liquid-crystals-set-to-revolutionise-monitor-technology/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/science/harrison/3d-liquid-crystals-set-to-revolutionise-monitor-technology/#comments Fri, 28 Dec 2012 08:51:58 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=120350 Scientists at the University if Colorado have successfully created a system whereby particles can be injected into liquid crystal – bringing order to chaos – and opening up the possibility of a revolutionary new kind of screen within the decade. That's now been explained and augmented by a clever maths chap from Amherst College. KitGuru …

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Scientists at the University if Colorado have successfully created a system whereby particles can be injected into liquid crystal – bringing order to chaos – and opening up the possibility of a revolutionary new kind of screen within the decade. That's now been explained and augmented by a clever maths chap from Amherst College. KitGuru injects some biscuit particles into liquid caffeine and sets about the research.

A brilliant mathematician called Robert Kusner spent over 30 years considering what happens when particles are introduced to liquid crystal. Well, actually, he started with some questions about geometry and topology and, half a lifetime later, it looks like his work could yield a phenomenal change for all of us technology users and abusers.

Injecting a particle into liquid crystal creates some amazingly beautiful patterns, which means that light is being adjusted. If that adjustment could be controlled, then you could usher in a new way of manufacturing screens.

You know that the universe has a sense of humour, when you realise that Robert works at Amherst College (part of the University of Massachusetts) and his college's motto is ‘Let them give light to the world'.

His work started with the complex mathematics around geometry, topology, curves and surfaces. Probably the most common example of this kind of occurrence would be the various ways that soap bubbles change colour – as time progresses and/or as a bubble comes into contact with various pollutants/particles.

In another interesting twist, the question as to why soap bubbles change colour was part of the Oxbridge entrance exams, last century. If the professors setting the questions had given it a little more thought, then maybe Britain could have pioneered the wonderfully named ‘topological liquid crystal colloids‘. Never mind. Toodle-pip, hats off and congratulations to the fine American professors behind this revolution. At least he is a Member and Visiting Fellow of Isaac Newton College Cambridge.

One of Robert's collaborators on this project was Ivan Smalyukh, who summed up the achievement succinctly by saying “Our study shows that interaction between particles and molecular alignment in liquid crystals follows the predictions of topological theorems, making it possible to use these theorems in designing new composite materials with unique properties that cannot be encountered in nature or synthesized by chemists. These findings lay the groundwork for new applications in experimental studies of low-dimensional topology, with important potential ramifications for many branches of science and technology”.

Right now, we'd imagine that all of the universities involved will be in constant contact with the major LED powers of our time. If all goes well, then maybe Robert's research could be instrumental in making 4K TV ‘something affordable for the masses'.

In terms of personal beliefs, Robert is a firm advocate of alternative transport and has been pushing a bicycle-centric agenda for more than 15 years. We reckon he'll have a much greater chance of pushing these kind of policy changes through once he's revolutionised the world of IT.

Truly great scientists all know that their best work comes on the shoulders of giants – as well as the army of researches who spend years working on the mundane. Without the work of all those people, Robert may not have been able to apply his specific knowledge and opened up a new industry. That's it, just a nod to the faceless mass of experts before we show you a shot of the hero himself.
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In his early days, before helping to revolutionise the world of modern computing, Robert worked as an engineer, farmer and did a bit of house building. But his work at Amherst College into the beautiful patterns that can be created when particles are injected into liquid crystal, could well change the way we see the world

KitGuru says: Speaking with a senior engineer at Sony about 10 years ago, we were told that the Japanese giant was surprised that current LED/LCD/TFT technologies had lasted so long. Sony had NOT invested in its own manufacturing etc, because it genuinely believed that the screens we use today were ‘transient' – a stop gap on the way to something better. With the help of Robert Kusner's work, that future may be here very soon, but will Sony still be making TVs when it does?

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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CM Storm QuickFire TK Mechanical Gaming Keyboard Review https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/luke-hill/cm-storm-quickfire-tk-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/keyboards/luke-hill/cm-storm-quickfire-tk-mechanical-gaming-keyboard-review/#comments Fri, 14 Dec 2012 08:36:00 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=115759 CM Storm's QuickFire range of mechanical keyboards has gained much attention and praise from enthusiasts and gamers alike. For those who desire a small-form-factor mechanical keyboard, CM Storm has released the gaming-orientated QuickFire TK. Allowing gamers to choose between their preference of Cherry MX Red, Blue or Brown switches, the CM Storm QuickFire TK aims …

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CM Storm's QuickFire range of mechanical keyboards has gained much attention and praise from enthusiasts and gamers alike. For those who desire a small-form-factor mechanical keyboard, CM Storm has released the gaming-orientated QuickFire TK.

Allowing gamers to choose between their preference of Cherry MX Red, Blue or Brown switches, the CM Storm QuickFire TK aims to acquire the success of the QuickFire Rapid and build upon it. Our sample features Cherry MX Red switches, as shown by the QuickFire TK's red backlight system.

With N-key rollover in USB mode, a 1000 Hz polling rate, a full set of media keys and a dual-purpose number pad, can the QuickFire TK win over gamers just as its predecessor did?

Specifications:

  • Key Switch: Cherry MX Blue/ Brown/ Red
  • Keycaps: ABS, grip coated, removable
  • Backlight: All keys backlit, 5 Levels, 3 Modes(Breathing, WASD or full backlight)
  • Key Rollover: NKRO (Windows only)
  • Interface: USB 2.0
  • Dimensions: 377.5(L)*138(W)*33(H)mm
  • Weight: 544g
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Roccat Kone XTD 8200 DPI Gaming Mouse Review https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mouse/luke-hill/roccat-kone-xtd-8200-dpi-gaming-mouse-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mouse/luke-hill/roccat-kone-xtd-8200-dpi-gaming-mouse-review/#comments Thu, 15 Nov 2012 15:01:56 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=115433 Roccat's gaming mouse portfolio sees the newest leader to its flagship series. Can the 8200 DPI-capable Kone XTD prove that it deserves to sit at the summit of Roccat's critically acclaimed mouse catalogue? Roccat has sent a bold message to its competitors by aiming to improve the already highly successful Kone series of mice. Upgrades in the …

The post Roccat Kone XTD 8200 DPI Gaming Mouse Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>

Roccat's gaming mouse portfolio sees the newest leader to its flagship series. Can the 8200 DPI-capable Kone XTD prove that it deserves to sit at the summit of Roccat's critically acclaimed mouse catalogue?

Roccat has sent a bold message to its competitors by aiming to improve the already highly successful Kone series of mice. Upgrades in the form of an improved sensor and enhanced processor, amongst others, aim to build upon the Kone[+] mouse's success by retaining its likeable features and adding a performance boost to sweeten the deal.

Equipped with an 8200 DPI Pro-Aim Sensor R3, 72MHz Turbo Core V2 32-bit Arm based MCU and Tracking & Distance Control Unit, have Roccat's upgrades paid off? Or is the end-user left to front the cost?

Specifications:

  • Pro-Aim Laser Sensor R3 with up to 8200dpi
  • 1000Hz polling rate
  • 1ms response time
  • 12000fps, 10.8megapixel
  • 30G acceleration
  • 3.8m/s (150ips)
  • 16-bit data channel
  • 1-5mm Lift off distance
  • Tracking & Distance Control Unit
  • 72MHz Turbo Core V2 32-bit Arm based MCU
  • 576kB onboard memory
  • Zero angle snapping/prediction
  • 1.8m braided USB cable
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Leetgion Hellion Gaming Mouse Review https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mouse/luke-hill/leetgion-hellion-gaming-mouse-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/mouse/luke-hill/leetgion-hellion-gaming-mouse-review/#comments Sun, 14 Oct 2012 13:06:13 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=110160 Originating from Thermalright in 2010, Leetgion is a new player to the peripherals game. Built to offer specialised performance, the company’s Hellion mouse is optimised for RTS gaming. Sporting an Avago 9500 sensor capable of a DPI range from 100 to 5000, the Hellion is accurate and precisely-tracked, giving it the potential to be perfect …

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Originating from Thermalright in 2010, Leetgion is a new player to the peripherals game. Built to offer specialised performance, the company’s Hellion mouse is optimised for RTS gaming.

Sporting an Avago 9500 sensor capable of a DPI range from 100 to 5000, the Hellion is accurate and precisely-tracked, giving it the potential to be perfect for any type of game. A single Cherry MX Blue mechanical switch housed beneath the unique ‘Attack’ key can offer unparalleled durability and instantaneous feedback.

On-the-fly DPI switching, a 16.7 million colour LED strip and four pre-defined operating profiles, in addition to a single customisable variant, form the recipe for a successful gaming mouse. But has Leetgion put these enthusiast grade features to good use or is the Hellion a disappointment?

Specifications:

  • Avago 9500 Laser Mouse Sensor (100 to 5000DPI)
  • Four Made in Japan Omron Micro Switches
  • Cherry MX Key Switch Attack Button
  • Six Fully Programmable Hotkeys
  • Four Custom Profiles sets
  • Four distinct LED lighting cues, for indication of the current profile
  • Customizable 16.7 million colour LED taillight for each profile
  • On-The-Fly DPI Switching
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Philips 273E3QH 27″ Full HD E-line AMVA LED Monitor Review https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/luke-hill/philips-273e3qh-27-full-hd-e-line-amva-led-monitor-review/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/luke-hill/philips-273e3qh-27-full-hd-e-line-amva-led-monitor-review/#comments Mon, 01 Oct 2012 08:26:05 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=107083 Continuing our voyage through the range of Philips' newly-released monitors, it's the 27" 273E3QH's turn to be scrutinized at our KitGuru labs. Can its AMVA panel and ultra-high contrast ratio guide it to the worthy heights of a successful evaluation?

With 27 inches of screen real estate and a promising specifications sheet, is the 273E3QH able to deliver the performance that is required to survive in this sink-or-swim market?

Does the 'E' in E-line stand for Excellence or Exaggerated?

Read on to find out.

The post Philips 273E3QH 27″ Full HD E-line AMVA LED Monitor Review first appeared on KitGuru.]]>
Continuing our voyage through the range of Philips' newly-released monitors, it's the 27″ 273E3QH's turn to be scrutinized at our KitGuru labs. Can its AMVA panel and ultra-high contrast ratio guide it to the worthy heights of a successful evaluation?

As with the recently reviewed Philips Blade 2 monitor, the 27″ 273E3QH utilizes an AMVA, or Advanced Multi-domain Vertical Alignment, panel to produce super-high static contrast ratios and exceptional viewing angles. Aided by a W-LED backlight system, image quality produced by the AMVA panel could be a fundamental strength for this 27″, Full HD beauty.

With 27 inches of screen real estate and a promising specifications sheet, can Philips' 273E3QH deliver the performance that is required to survive in this sink-or-swim market?

Specifications:

  • AMVA LED for wide-view super-high contrast, vivid images.
  • 16:9 Full HD resolution for gaming and video.
  • SmartImage Lite for an enhanced LCD viewing experience.
  • SmartContrast 20,000,000:1 for incredible rich black details.
  • Modern touch controls.
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LG pwns the tablet display market https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/lg-pwns-the-tablet-display-market/ https://www.kitguru.net/channel/harrison/lg-pwns-the-tablet-display-market/#respond Fri, 01 Jun 2012 06:52:53 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=93065 As the whole world plus dog moves to a more mobile way of computing, wise companies who invested in flat panel manufacturing technology, are cashing in big time. But in this world of LED willy waving, who’s the alpha monkey? KitGuru steps into the ring to get hands on with the numbers. We love the …

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As the whole world plus dog moves to a more mobile way of computing, wise companies who invested in flat panel manufacturing technology, are cashing in big time. But in this world of LED willy waving, who’s the alpha monkey? KitGuru steps into the ring to get hands on with the numbers.

We love the folks at iSuppli. There. We said it. It’s not only that they spend ages counting things, but they also manage to present their countings in a simple and interesting way. In short, they are a headline writer's wet dream.

This time around, they have been counting the tiny screens leaving the back of the LED manufacturing plants – and we were not disappointed with their work.

Not at all.

Lucky Goldstar (LG to you and us) is clearly in number one position, with a whopping 46% of all tablet displays being ejected from its factory doors.

Close behind, Samsung is now up to 35% – but in a way they are proper cheating by buying loads of them for Samsung tablets.

The remaining 19% of the tablet screen market in 2011 was split between the usual suspects, including: Chimei, Chunghwa, E-Ink, Tianma, Beijing Orient Electronics and – for Japan – Hitachi.

Overall, more than 18 million tablet sized LEDs shipped last year – and 2012 is looking to smash that total.

The clever folks at iSuppli reckon the world's appetite for this screens might reach close to 145 million units in 2012. Nice.

The tablet market is still providing attractive figures. No doubt.

KitGuru says: So far the work has centred on screens that are in/around the 9″ market, but when Apple unloads a low-cost 7″ version – the numbers could well jump again. Exciting times.

Comment below or in the KitGuru forums.

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BenQ to create own brand LED lighting products https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/yong-lei/benq-to-create-own-brand-led-lighting-products/ https://www.kitguru.net/peripherals/monitors/yong-lei/benq-to-create-own-brand-led-lighting-products/#respond Mon, 22 Nov 2010 09:02:28 +0000 http://www.kitguru.net/?p=24140 BenQ are to launch their own LED lighting products in 2011 with BenQ themselves focusing on the light bulb market and Qisda to concentrate on the high end LED lighting products. BenQ have been planning this for a while and had planned to release their own products late 2010. Contacts close to the company have …

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BenQ are to launch their own LED lighting products in 2011 with BenQ themselves focusing on the light bulb market and Qisda to concentrate on the high end LED lighting products.

BenQ have been planning this for a while and had planned to release their own products late 2010. Contacts close to the company have said that the launch has moved back to Q1/Q2 of 2011. Originally Lextar Electronics were in the line up to get up an LED lighting brand and to develop the light bulbs and light bars. This proved difficult however as Lextar are the OEM partner for other lighting vendors.

KitGuru says: BenQ are going to be working closely with Qisda for the upcoming LED lighting range of products in Europe.

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