Corsair Blog - Corsair

The October 22nd official launch date for Windows 7 is just around the corner, and of course like everyone else we hear lots of buzz about this latest OS. I have been using Microsoft Windows 7 on various computers since shortly after the beta first came out. I wanted to get a handle on the way Win 7 uses memory and SSDs... and of course it didn’t hurt that it booted faster, was more stable, and was much more fun to use than the various versions of Vista that I was barely tolerating!

One feature of Windows 7 that I stumbled upon by accident is the upgraded backup and restore capability. It is known, cryptically, as “Backup and Restore”, and can be found in the “Maintenance” folder in the start menu. Now, my backup scheme is all set up, at work and at home, so I didn’t really want to mess with that. The problem is solves for me is a little different.

The way it has worked out, I do my work on a bunch of different computers. I have the usual desktop computer in my office. I have a netbook that I use for meetings and for short trips. I have a full function notebook that I use for longer trips or if I need to make a presentation. And, at home, I usually end up on my wife’s Dell or my kids’ gaming rig—whichever one is unoccupied at the time. And I can’t count the number of times that I have found that the ONE file I need is the ONE file that is not around or inaccessible just when I need it!

Introduction

This application note will explore the benefits of using 8GB of Corsair DDR3 system memory in a dual-channel DDR3-based PC, such as an Intel® Core™ i5 or Core™ i7 (Lynnfield) system, or an AMD AM3 Phenom II™ PC. It will show how the additional RAM allows for a 'snappier' and more responsive PC, with performance improvements of up to 186% versus a PC with 4GB of RAM. And it will also show how adding more RAM allows you to change the way in which you use your PC, by allowing you to 'do more'. This includes running more applications (and never needing to close them), working with more data, and even running another 'virtualized' operating system. For example, you could run a virtual Ubuntu Linux operating system as a pure email / home admin PC, leaving your Windows installation free for office duties, or just as a pure gaming system.

These benefits will be discussed in more detail during the course of this application note, but a summary of the performance results and benefits is shown below.

Read the rest of the Application Note after the jump.

The guys over at Xtreme Systems are all about pushing the limits of what hardware can do. Not only getting hardware to go faster, but getting it colder. Case in point....

The end result? Their 2000C7 Dominator™ GT DDR3 overclocked to a mind-numbing 2600MHz! Click here to see the CPU-Z screenshots and more.

In these videos, Jeff Checchi from our Applications Group shows how to build a Corsair Dream PC using the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D full-tower chassis, a Corsair Hydro Series H50 hi-performance cpu cooler, a Corsair Professional Series HX850W PSU, a Corsair Performance Series P128 solid-state drive, and Corsair Dominator GT DDR3 RAM.   The first video goes over installing the main components in the Corsair Dream PC:

In the second, Jeff shows you how quick and easy it is to eliminate cable clutter in the 800D:

The guys from Hardware Canucks have reviewed the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D full tower case, and well... they love it! "The Corsair Obsidian 800D is on track to be the case of the year, and make its mark in the "must have" cases of all-time."

On Tuesday we announced the new Corsair TX950W power supply. We've begun shipping, and if it's not already at your favorite retailer or etailer, it will be soon.

As our press release and the web page show, the TX950W has 80 PLUS Bronze certification. This is significant — our other TX models are all 80 PLUS certified, but the TX950W is the first to wear the 80 PLUS Bronze badge. A power supply with baseline 80 PLUS certification has been tested to operate at 80% efficiency; the Bronze level of 80 PLUS certification indicates that the power supply operates at a minimum of 82% efficiency at 20% and 100% load, and 85% efficiency at 50% load.

That extra 5% efficiency can make a difference. Bronze certification was one of the design goals of the TX950W -- if you need that much power, you'll certainly appreciate the reduced heat output and the corresponding effect on your energy bill. A more efficient power supply also doesn't need to spin the fan as much to dissipate heat, so it's quieter, too. In short, energy efficiency is one of the hallmarks of a well-built, well-designed power supply.

So, we were very pleased when we got the results back from the 80 PLUS organization last week: the sample we sent them blew past the thresholds for Bronze certification and earned Silver certification, meaning that it tested at 88% efficiency at 50% load and 85% efficiency at 20% and 100% load. As of this writing, 80 PLUS.org's Corsair power supply page hasn't yet been updated, but when it is, it will be given a Silver rating by the 80 PLUS organization.

Now, we have every right to promote the TX950W as a Silver-certified PSU, but we're classifying it as Bronze. The reason is simple: our reputation is important to us, and we can't guarantee that the TX950W that ends up in your PC will meet the Silver standard. Exceeding our target in the official 80 PLUS test certainly validated the effort we've put into designing the TX950W, but we're sticking with the plan of offering you a really great Bronze-certified power supply.

At CES 2010 Intel launched their new Clarkdale Core i3 and Core™ i5 32nm CPU lineup with an IGP (Integrated Graphics Processor) on the CPU as well as the H55/H57 chipset to support the new CPUs with IGP. The new lineup consists of dual core processors with Hyper Threading for a total of four threads. With the exception for the Core i5 661, the new 32nm Core i3 and Core i5 processors are rated at a mere 73 Watts max TDP.

Normally a die shrink such as the one Intel did to achieve 32nm processors allows processors to run cooler, overclock further, and use less power. Intel also cut power usage by efficiently cutting power to the core while in an idle state and retaining the data in SRAM.

The Core i3 530 has a price tag of just over $100 and a frequency of 2930 MHz. Let’s see just how far this budget-minded CPU can be overclocked.

Our friend Vince Lucido (AKA K|ngp|n) of Kingpin Cooling has just launched a new liquid nitrogen/dry ice memory cooler made specifically for our Dominator™ and Dominator™ GT memory modules. Talk about extreme! To celebrate this product launch, Vince is hosting a contest. The winner will receive three Corsair Dominator™ GT GTX2 DDR3 memory modules, and his brand new memory cooler. The pictures of this cooler are pretty impressive. Click here for more information about the contest and its rules.

The glowing reviews for the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D full-tower case continue to roll in. Maximum PC just gave us a 9 out of 10, and a Kick Ass! award in their March 2010 issue:

"Although the Thermaltake Level 10 (reviewed Holiday 2009) turned the heads of nearly everyone who saw it, including non-enthusiasts, every enthusiast who came into our Lab was more excited by the Corsair 800D. It’s enormous, well built, and crammed with power-user features."

Click here for a PDF version of the review.

I'm very happy to relay that Fry's Electronics has begun carrying the Corsair Obsidian Series 800D full-tower case at many of their locations. This is an impressive feat, as Fry's generally doesn't carry PC chassis that retail for more than about $200. It's simply a floor space issue; mass-market PC cases below $200 tend to sell in higher volumes, and Fry's, like most retailers, tries to carry a mix of products that will move a lot of volume.

The 800D has enjoyed a reception from both the press and customers that's been nothing short of phenomenal. It seems that many prospective customers have been asking for it at their local Fry's Electronics location. This interest has made its way to Fry's management, and they've agreed to carry the 800D on a trial basis at 14 of their locations. Some of these locations were chosen by Fry's because those are the stores where they've gotten the most requests from customers. Most of the trial stores are in Texas. The 800D is a pretty large case, so I'll let you go ahead and make the "everything's bigger in Texas" joke.