review

Today we are going to be taking a look at the Kingston 64gb SSD. It doesn't come with the blazing new Sand Force controller or a huge storage capacity but we are going to dig until we find SOMETHING the drive can go home and brag about. This drive has been on the market for over a year, with packaging in many different disguises. But other than some exterior changes, are we getting anything new compared to a year ago? Are we getting the same ol' stuttering JMicron controller or did Kingston really upgrade the controller for real world use? Let's just see, shall we?

We reviewed our first NZXT case back in June. At the time, we liked the Tempest EVO the folks at NZXT sent our way, and their Hades case also recieved high marks as a value case that really brought on the heat. However, with all those mid-range offerings, NZXT's high end lineup has rather stagnated. Aside from their ancient Zero full-tower case (the specs still claim 8800 compatibility), they have their also-aging Khaos ultra high-end full-tower case. However, that case costs a full $300. Apparently, NZXT also saw the gap in their lineup and moved to release a product to fill that space. That product is their highly anticipated Phantom full-tower case. As NZXT says it, "designed with sleek, pristine contours, the Phantom radiates personality and quality." So how does this shiny new case stack up to the hype NZXT has stirred up? Time to find out.

A little history lesson is in order for you young fellas who think of Microsoft as little more than a software juggernaut. In truth, the rowdy bunch from Redmond have been kicking out hardware products for nearly three decades, starting with the formation of "Microsoft Hardware" back in 1982. In the 1990s, Microsoft began catering to gamers with the introduction of the original Sidewinder Game Pad, and the Sidewinder brand would be used to market a series of gamepads, joysticks, driving wheels, and even a voice chat device before the Sidewinder name was retired in 2003.

Four years later, Microsoft revived the Sidewinder brand, first with a Sidewinder Mouse and then with the Sidewinder X6 in 2008. Fast forward to today and the X6 remains Microsoft's flagship keyboard for gamers. With a boatload of macros, backlit keys, a detachable numpad, and several other features, the X6 continues to win accolades and draw gamers looking for a serious plank. But two years (going on three) is an eternity in tech land. Is the X6 still worth consideration? Give us your mouse clicks, and we'll give you the answer.

There comes a point in every young man's life when his voice deepens, his hair gets thicker, and his muscles grow bigger (settle down, ladies).  Similarly, PC repair techs, hardware reviewers, and many computer enthusiasts also hit a point of maturity where we feel confident enough to venture out from the confines of a traditional enclosure. Before reaching this point, many of us are either scraping knuckles doing hardware quick-swaps in a generic case, or letting the hardware and wires hang out all over the desk in a configuration our local fire department likes to call a "safety hazard," whatever that means. But you know you reach a new level of geekdom when you pick up a test bench like HSPC's Tech Station. We're talking about a true workstation for true geeks, the ones who are always swapping components in and out. We're not saying this is a must-have in order to be a hardcore enthusiast, but when it arrives you can certainly feel your nuggets drop as you reach a new point of tech-maturity. No more tea parties with the neighbor girl, you've become a man!

Or maybe it's just a case. Either way, we greatly appreciate the benefits that come along with this new hardware. Now that we have it, where do we go from here? Let's just see what makes the Tech Station so special.

Here we have an excellent opportunity to be somewhat narcissistic. Heck, with a review product titled Hades and the site name of BURNED iN, it will be hard not to do a little self promoting, like mentioning just how hot it is around here. But this summer LeBron James set such a new low in self-love that we are all still sick to our stomachs. So, we promise not to refer to ourselves in third person or do some self-promoting under the guise of helping a non-profit organization. We'll stick with what we do best, giving everyone a no-nonsense review of the NZXT Hades case. Of course we won't shy away from the occasional wacky comments, because that's embedded in us. All we need to know is whether the Hades enclosure is hot or not. Let's find out, shall we?