CasesFeatureReviews

Fractal Design’s ERA Chassis Review

We would like to thank Fractal Design for providing us with a review sample of their ERA ITX chassis. Without their generosity, this case review would not be possible. Way back at CES 2019, representatives at Fractal were quick to quell our disappointment in their case lineup by asking that we to stay tuned, and to rest assured that the ITX audience had not been forgotten. Immediately, I expected Fractal to simply take the easy route and refresh their wildly popular Node 202 chassis with some brushed aluminum variant but I am very glad that I was wrong. Available in …

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CoolingOtherReviews

CPU Cooler Shootout: Ep. 2 featuring ID-Cooling IS-50 and IS-60

Extra holiday time means more time for CPU cooler testing!  Following up with the IS-40 v3, today we are adding the IS-50 and IS-60 to the mix.  These are larger than the IS-40 and round out the high end for ID-Cooling’s Iceland (IS) series.  Be sure to check out the video on Youtube and give your feedback either in the comments there or on our forum discussion.  
CoolingNewsOther

Let’s Start! CPU Cooler Shootout Episode 1 begins with the ID-Cooling IS-40 v3

It is quite long overdue but it’s finally time to get this party started.  Today marks the first episode of the new SFFn CPU Cooler shootout.  We’re starting off with ID-Cooling’s IS-40 v3, but there will be plenty more being added to the list in the coming months.  Be sure to check out the video on Youtube and give your feedback either in the comments there or on our forum discussion.  
Power SuppliesReviews

SilverStone’s SX700-PT – Mini Platinum Goodness

Platinum. That step above 80+ Gold that makes us question ROI (return on investment), saving the planet, and why we just can’t have +12V out of the wall. There’s a significant price premium for each 80+ ranking, however. But, in the world of SFF, efficiency is key – be it space or power. Wasted space is a sin in our little world, and wasted power leads to heat – the mortal enemy of SFF. SilverStone showed us their SX700-PT at Computex this year – almost ready for production. Not only is this a true SFX power supply (not SFX-L), it …

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CasesReviews

Guest Review: Mini-Box’s M350

This guest review was provided by forum member Windfall, with editing performed by John Morrison. Want to contribute a review or editorial? Private message John (confusis) on the forum!   Go back. Way back. Okay, maybe not very far back: 1996, when Mini-Box was founded. “Inspired by the unprecedented success of small form factor mainboards,” they have since “since directed [their] focus on designing and developing smaller, more compact PC peripherals.” I don’t know if that’s true or not, as I got it from their about page. I can tell you though, that from their product portfolio, it certainly appears …

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Power SuppliesReviews

Fractal Design’s Ion SFX 650W Gold – A SFX-L Value Proposition

Fractal Design, no stranger to the SFX(-L) market (including a 450w Integra SFX unit with their Node 202 chassis), has decided to dive a little deeper into our world. Today, Fractal Design launches the new Ion SFX-L range with a pair of units hitting shelves at 500W and 650W spec levels. We have the 650W unit on the test bench today – let’s put it to the test! A disclaimer first before we get started: SFF Network does not possess the expertise or equipment to fully test the electrical performance of PC power supplies, and as such, this article should …

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CoolingReviews

Scythe KazeFlex low-profile fan review.

We would like to thank Scythe for providing us with a review sample of their KazeFlex 120mm Slim fans. Without their generosity, this review would not be possible. Scythe, the heavy hitting underdog of the HSF world, has once again hit us with another surprise entry into the SFF market with their low profile 120mm fan linup. At just 17mm thick, it will be interesting to see how they compare to the competition. Packaging The packaging is compact and straightforward. All the specifications you could ever want to see on a fan are listed in great detail on the back. …

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CasesOtherReviews

Battle of the Boutiques Part 2: A4-SFX | S1 | SM550 | SM560

The following article is for Part 2 of our multi-part review. If you haven’t already seen it, you can view Battle of the Boutiques Part 1 here. We had originally intended to release the 2nd and final part of this review back in July but due to immature BIOS issues with Ryzen’s latest CPUs, we experienced some questionable voltage results and instability, so we decided to wait it out. Finally, on the 15th of August, ASUS provided a BIOS update(1.0.0.3 Patch AB, still not perfect) to their ROG STRIX X470-I GAMING motherboard, so I decided to crank through this in …

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