GXCredits 5XluCky draw

GX MONTHLY FEATURING - CM STORM SIRUS S REvIEw, COOLER MASTER SEIdON 120XL wATERCOOLER REvIEw & MORE

Cm storm reConGiveaway

PURCHASE FROM GXCREdITS TOdAY ANd GET FREE BONUS CREdITS

ENjOY THESE PROMOTIONS AT...

* disclaimer: Promotion details are accurate at time of print.

.COM.SG

CM Storm Sirus S ReviewThe Sirus S is a cheaper variant of Cooler Master’s first TRUE 5.1 Surround Sound headset, the CM Storm Sirus. What does the “S” represent? Continuing reading to find out!

Technical Specifications

Headphones• Channel: TRUE 5.1 Surround Sound• Driver: F/R/C: 30mm SUB: 40mm• Impedance: F/R/C: 32 Ohms SUB: 16 Ohms• Transducer Principle: Dynamic Closed• Ear Coupling: Circumaural• Sensitivity: > 105dB• Frequency Response: 10Hz – 20,000Hz• Distortion: Less than 1%

Microphone• Pick-up Pattern: Uni-directional• Frequency Response: 100Hz – 10,000Hz• Impedance: 2.2k Ohms• Sensitivity: - 44dB ± 3dB

Hardware Requirements• PC with built-in USB port (for the LED lit ear-cups)• Windows XP SP2 or higher / x64 / Vista / Vista64• Works best with applications that support DirectX 9.0c or higher

Design and Build Quality

Simple (or Stealthy) appearance – While the form factor is identical, the original Sirus has cobalt coloured rubberized design elements while the Sirus S is all black (matte). For those who appreciate and prefer simplicity in design, mark a tick for the Sirus S.Strong – The Sirus S is really built like a tank. It feels really well built and its looks make you trust that it can hold against the elements very well. Does the durability come with added weight? Yes, however, with its ergonomic design and 2 sets of removable and washable ear-pads (micro weave for breathable audio and leatherette for improved noise insulation), the Sirus S will sit on your head without causing discomfort even after hours of gameplay. One main reason for this is because the Sirus S, like the original, does not press in on your head and ears like other headsets do after long hours.

Performance and Features

Solid Sound – With the Sirus S, you truly get in the thick of the action. Be it genres like FPS, horror, sports and more, the Sirus S will satisfy your ear buds will its TRUE 5.1 surround

Conclusion

Pros• Simple and elegant design• Extremely comfortable• Great audio (TRUE 5.1 surround sound)• Long high quality cable• Ability to fine-tune sound using physical in-line remote

Cons• Requires dedicated soundcard to fully utilise it• Cable between the headset and the in-line remote should be longer

sound. This is true to the extent that the Sirus S has 4 independent drivers at each side of the headset producing the 4 types of sound positioned different within each ear-cap, namely front, rear, centre and subwoofer. Compared to other headsets that uses programming codes to stimulate the effect of surround sound, having 4 independent drivers are simply better, thus the Sirus S rings TRUE.

These can be fine-tuned using the in-line remote to what your preferred audio experience. One advantage for such a feature is cranking up the volume of the rear driver to better notice cowards sneaking behind you, though this may not be a good suggestion when playing horror games such as Amnesia: The Dark Decent (you have been warned).The in-line remote is attached to the headset via a braided high quality cable that will not tangle easily. At the end of it you can find the three standard 3.5mm gold-plated audio jacks, a 3.5mm gold-plated microphone jack and a standard gold-plated usb plug for the lights that illuminate the cm storm logo at the sides of the headset. (Yay for gold)However, without an inbuilt 5.1 soundcard like the original Sirus, you will need a dedicated sound card to truly get the most out of the Sirus

Overall the Sirus S gives gamers a slightly different variant of its original Sirus. With 30% lower production costs than its predecessor due to some scarified features, the Sirus S is cheaper but can still satisfy your need for audio pleasure while gaming and watching movies.The Sirus S is a simple, elegant headset that does its job well and is built to last. For the savings you can get from the original Sirus, it is definitely encouraged to looking into whether the differences will affect you. Of course if it does, the original Sirus is also always a good choice.

Image: [CMSTORM]

S. Also, upper bass frequencies and lower mids seem to lack detail, thus this may not be what audiophiles are looking for. But this is a gaming headset through and through and in that aspect you truly cannot go wrong with this.Speaking with Clarity – Lastly is the Sirus S long and highly flexible retractable microphone. Simply bring the microphone down to activate it (a red led will indicate that it is on) and bring it back up to keep it out of sight, simple and elegant. Another option to turn off the microphone is by using the toggle in the in-line remote. The mic quality is clear and you will find it meeting your needs of communication during both gaming (team communications) and general purposes (e.g. skyping)

CM Storm Quickfire TK ReviewAs a brand synonymous with the computer peripheral world, Cooler Master needs no further introduction. In this article, I take an in-depth look at the CM Storm Quickfire TK, the newest addition to the current line-up of Cooler Master’s gaming keyboard portfolio.

Technical Specifications

Key Switch: Cherry MX Blue/Brown/Red

Keycaps: ABS, grip coated, removable (includes Keycap Puller)

Polling Rate: 100 Hz/1ms

Backlight: All keys backlit, 5 Levels, 3 Modes (Breathing, WASD, or full backlight)

Key Rollover: NKRO (windows only)

Interface: USB 2.0 full speed

USB Cable: 1.8m, braided, gold plated, removable

Dimensions: 377.5(L)*138(W)*33(H)mm

Weight: 544g

System Requirements: Windows 7 / Vista / Vista64 / XP / x64

Design and Build Quality

The quote “Serious Firepower in a Compact Size” really says it all. The Quickfire TK’s integrated number pad block makes the Quickfire TK length similar to most tenkeyless keyboards, resulting in higher mobility as it can be carried around in most normal-sized bags, and more space on your table.Adding to the mobility is its detachable braided cable that can be easily plugged in for use and managed using the simple cable routing grooves underneath the keyboard.This mechanical keyboard comes with 3 Cherry MX switch variants: Red, Blue and Brown. Once plugged in, this black beauty will come to life with its full LED backlight that matches the colour of the Cherry MX switch (aside from brown which will have white backlight instead).This is true to the extent that the Sirus S has 4 independent drivers at each side of the headset producing the 4 types of sound positioned different within each ear-cap, namely front, rear, centre and subwoofer. Compared to other headsets that uses programming codes to stimulate the effect of surround sound, having 4 independent drivers are simply better, thus the Sirus S rings TRUE.

Coupled with the colour-matching steelplate coating, which reflects the individually backlit keys, the overall intensity of the backlight is increased, thus making the Quickfire TK standout from most backlight keyboards. And being the aesthetically loudest in the CM Storm Quickfire range, be prepared to soak in the attention it attracts (a side-effect is distracting your opponents at LAN parties with its awesomeness).This reasonably lightweight keyboard had not sacrificed build quality for mobility, with the mentioned steelplate acting as reinforcement, making the Quickfire TK sturdy and durable. The same can also be said about its grip coated keycaps, which are the same as the Quickfire TK’s predecessors, the Quickfire Pro and Trigger.

Performance and Features

As the Quickfire TK is angled toward you, typing feels comfortable even after long hours. If the angle is not enough, there are 2 kickstands that will further angle the keyboard towards you. Either ways, the keyboard will also remain steady thanks to anti-slip pads and the kickstands which are rubber-coated.Take note though that the difference between the 3 Cherry MX switches are more than just colour, with each giving a slightly different feedback. This whole review was done using the red variant of this keyboard and it was a joy to use.

The Quickfire TK also has both 6 key and N-key roll over (over USB) which can be toggled using the function lock key with the “esc” button – a definite advantage when it comes to gaming.There are 4 backlight configuration buttons, 7 multimedia shortcuts and 1 window lock button spread out the function keys. By holding on to the function key lock for about 3 seconds, the functions between the default F1 – F12 keys and the dedicated function keys can be toggled. Alternatively, the function keys can be temporarily toggled by using the function key lock and the function key simultaneously.

See below for a simple guideline:

Conclusion

Pros• Build Quality• Awesome Backlight• 3 choices of Cherry MX Switches

Cons• No Macro Keys

Overall, the Quickfire TK has carried on the Cooler Master’s legacy of thoughtful quality products. High mobility, easy plug-and-play, and aesthetically loud with a choice of 3 Cherry MX switches, this keyboard is suitable for gaming, typing and everything in between. Thus you may only need to ask yourself one question – “Which colour do I want?”

Image: [CMSTORM]

Cooler Master Seidon 120 XL Watercooler ReviewAll-in-one watercooling has become the new staple for most PC enthusiasts who want a cooling system that is not a fan, but hate to do all the maintenance that full-fledged water cooler pipes required. Make one mistake with those and you could end up short-circuiting your mainboard(BAD!).

Today we will be looking at Cooler Master’s Seidon 120 XL which is really just the previous Seidon 120 with an added fan for extra airflow and a thicker radiator. I will detail its usefulness in just a bit. As for now let’s look at the packaging and installation procedures.

The radiator is your standard 120mm unit with mounting support for dual fans. This fits into most PC casings of today, but I suggest actually making sure your screw holes are the right fit before you put money down. The radiator is pretty thick at 1.5 inches, so make sure the overall casing has enough space. If you’re using an X79 mainboard you will need to watch out of your RAMs will get in the way. We were using a Fractal Design Define XL, and it fit in just about right. I foresee some trouble trying to fit this into some of the smaller cases.

The water hose is around .25 inches and has a ribbing design to keep flexible. I found the connections at the CPU very stiff, which might be a good thing to keep the water passage open. There is no need to be afraid of twisting the ribbed hose too much since the ribbed design keeps the piping from kinking.

The heatsink base is flat and comes with a micro brushed texture to allow thermal paste to stick against. The waterblock is hidden in the pump and features a microfin structure for good heat transfer.

Your two fans in the package are 120mm in size and has a rubber isolator cushion to prevent vibrations and secures itself in with the given special screws. At full speed the fans can get loud, but not so much that you will not be able to hear over the sound of your movies or games and nominal volume.

The cooler fits most of the current chipsets including intel’s LGA 2011, 1155, 1156, 1366 and AMD’s AM2, AM3, AM3+, FM1, and FM2. Installation is also a breeze which is really not justified by the instruction manual. Some simple reading is required to recognise which part goes into the right chipset sockets and once you’re done with that, the cooler fits into your PC very nicely. Thermal paste is also given, but we used our own Arctic

Silver because we’ve been wanting to open our own pack for the longest time.

Simply attach the pump onto the CPU chip, fix in the fans, connect the power cables to the Fan sockets on your mainboard and you are ready to go! A blue LED light in the pump will illuminate to indicate that the water pump is ready and good to go.

We used a 3960X Intel processor and clocked the CPU up to 4.6GHz. In terms of heat generation, temperatures were hovering around 50 to 59 degrees, putting it on the higher spectrum of the tolerable temperature range. The extra fan helps in blowing out heat as much as possible so you can rest assured that heat is leaving the CPU. Bear in mind that the room conditions had an air-conditioner keeping temperatures at 23 degrees so that does play a part.

To conclude, the Seidon 120 XL does its job of keeping your CPU temperatures down to decent levels, and that extra fan and bigger radiator is what you should be thanking. The only downside to this is the fan noise which you can always change to another quieter 120MM fan. Just remember that this will affect the performance of the cooler. That aside, you would not really notice it unless you play games muted. Other than that, those stock fans are really powerful.

If you think your casing has enough space to accomodate the radiator, the Seidon 120 XL is actually a good choice to consider if you are thinking of doing some minor overclocks to your CPU.

Coolermaster Silent Pro Hybrid 1050W Review

The Silent Pro Hybrid was Coolermaster’s way of saying that they do not need to jump onto the Platinum bandwagon yet. What they did in respect to that was to create high voltage units with cooling fans that had hydraulic bearings to go fanless at loads below 200W. This keeps your supply of power quiet and power saving to some extent.

The other variations available in the Silent Pro Hybrid series is a 1300W unit and a 850W unit. All of them features a fully modular cabling design, is 80 PLUS Gold certified, and has Japan made capacitors for extended lifespan.

An extra 7V rail that delivers up to 1.8A is found on the unit and is the first time that we have encountered this. The normal +12V rails are available too and can dish out 1000W of power. The connectors support the usual mainboard and other SATA and auxillary requirements, but what we love most is the availability of six PCIe connectors to let one connect up to three high-end VGA cards.

Cables included have sufficient length to stretch out to every peripheral you need to power up and they are all ribbon cables, so that’s plus points for cable management. The ATX connecter and fan control cales are all sleeved.

Like most Coolermaster units, the packaging for this PSU comes with a bag of wires, and a control panel that you can attach to the front of your casing to control fan speeds and so on. Not that it is really important to have, but that is an extra option for the control freak PC DIY guy.

When in use, the unit produces power with much

efficiency at normal loads and the fan does stop during low loads. It is also relatively quiet and we really like the fan speed control that lets you decide how much wind you want blowing out heat. The fully modular cables allow for fully controlled cable management and that 7V fan ports are a boon to those who have tons of fans in their systems.

That said, we realised that noise levels did begin to pick up a lot at full loads. While you will not hear it over the sound of your games, you can tell it is there when you mute the volume. That however, can be easily overlooked to many of us.

The Hybrid series does perform nicely in the ripple suppression department, one thing that the Silent Pro Gold units was reall lacking in. Coolermaster has created a well-made power supply unit that has some interesting features to power up your computers and as long as you have the money to pay for it, you will not be regretting at all. That additional 5 year warranty seals the deal as well.

Win a CMStorm Recon Mouse this May

with GXMonthly!Step 1:Like Cooler Master Singapore’s Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/CoolerMasterSG

Step 2:Like GX.com.sg’s Facebook page @ https://www.facebook.com/gx.com.sg

Step 3:Take a picture of your PC/Mouse/Keyboard

Step 4:Post the picture on GX’s Facebook page and tell us why you deserve to win a mouse this May!