Hardware Review Roundup: 1/15/21

Graphics: EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3 Ultra @ Guru3D
Memory: Crucial Ballistix 2x16GB DDR4-2666 SODIMM @ [M]adShrimps
Storage: ADATA SE800 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 Portable SSD @ NikKTech, Samsung 980 Pro PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD @ ThinkComputers
Cases: Corsair 5000D @ Guru3D
Audio: EPOS Sennheiser GSX 300 Gaming Series @ NikKTech
Cooling: NZXT Kraken X63 RGB LCS @ Guru3D

EVGA Launches Intel 500 Series Motherboards

EVGA Z590 motherboards paired with 11th Gen Intel® Core™ processors bring unprecedented speed and bandwidth to the latest graphics cards and M.2 NVMe SSDs, along with improved performance across the board. Built with the Intel® Z590 Chipset, these motherboards are PCIe Gen4 ready with a data transfer rate up to 16 GT/s, doubling the previous generation. As befitting this milestone, EVGA designed and engineered these new motherboards from scratch, resulting in a pair of sleek-looking motherboards jam-packed with the latest features. Introducing the EVGA Z590 DARK and Z590 FTW WIFI motherboards – the first of a new generation of EVGA motherboard excellence.

THE EVGA Z590 DARK

The EVGA Z590 DARK once again strikes fear into the hearts of other Z590 motherboards by combining every ounce of power available to the Intel® Z590 chipset and fine-tuning it to perfection. This armed and fully-operational motherboard is born from a 10-layer PCB and powered by a 22-Phase VRM. With support for PCIe Gen4 graphics cards and M.2 NVMe SSDs, overclockers have nothing to fear when shooting for the highest scores in any benchmark. For everyone else demanding the ultimate in performance, the Z590 DARK is loaded with over a dozen USB options, eight SATA ports, two 2.5Gbps NICs + WiFi 6/BT 5.1, 7.1 Channel HD Audio, three M.2 Key-M slots, and two fan headers dedicated to AIO CPU Coolers. We’ve even included a nightlight with the DARK’s first-ever ARGB cover for those times when you might need to see what you’re doing. As a wise overclocker once said, “Once you start down the DARK path, forever will it dominate your destiny.” and with the EVGA Z590 DARK, that destiny is sure to be filled with shattered records and countless victories on the battlefield.

THE EVGA Z590 FTW WIFI

The EVGA Z590 FTW WIFI is what you’ve been waiting for to bring out the best of the 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i9 processors, which now feature support for PCIe Gen4 graphics cards and NVMe SSDs. This motherboard redefines what it means to be For The Win with a completely updated aesthetic, a rededication to maximizing the features on an ATX form factor, and an unrelenting desire to give enthusiasts all the power, performance, and stability they can handle with a 17-Phase VRM and 8-layer PCB. In addition to blazing-fast 4800MHz+ memory support, WiFi 6/BT 5.1, DisplayPort 1.4 and HDMI 2.0, and an excessive number of USB options, the EVGA Z590 WIFI also features multiple ARGB headers to customize your system lighting, a gigabit NIC, and 7.1 Channel HD Audio. The EVGA Z590 FTW WIFI is truly the next generation of FTW motherboards.

Read more @ EVGA

EVGA Z490 Dark

In this review I’ll be looking at what might be considered the only game in town for Extreme Overclocking, the EVGA Z490 Dark.  Much like what DFI did with their LanParty boards the EVGA Dark is what I would call a revision and enhancement to the EVGA Z490 FTW that improves and tunes the motherboard to handle all sorts of overclocking and extreme system builds while still offering out of box performance for fans of high-end hardware.

Read more @ Hardware Asylum

More GeForce RTX 3070 Partner Card Reviews

Cleaning up from late last week and over the weekend, we have another blast on reviews on the new NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070, this time with additional partner cards.

EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 XC3 Black @ LanOC

GALAX GeForce RTX 3070 SG @ The PC Enthusiast

GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 GAMING OC @ Vortez
GIGABYTE GeForce RTX 3070 GAMING OC @ Hexus

MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ Neoseeker
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ KitGuru
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ Hexus
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ TweakTown

NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Review Roundup

With the launch yesterday of NVIDIA’s new GeForce RTX 3070 Founder’s Edition, today opens the flood gates on reviews of RTX 3070 graphics cards from all of the major manufactures. Priced at $499, the RTX 3070 rockets ahead of far more expensive RTX 2xxx offerings. Here is a collection of RTX 3070 partner card reviews for today:

Zotac GeForce RTX 3070 Twin Edge OC @ TechPowerUp

Gigabyte GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming OC @ TechPowerUp

ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 TUF Gaming OC @ TechPowerUp
ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 TUF Gaming OC @ PC Gamer
ASUS GeForce RTX 3070 TUF Gaming OC @ Guru3D

EVGA GeForce RTX 3070 FTW3 Ultra @ TechPowerUp

MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ IGN
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ Guru3D
MSI GeForce RTX 3070 Gaming X TRIO @ TechPowerUp

EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 XC3 Ultra Gaming

The metal backplate is more for show than performance, as it touches nothing of genuine note on the rear of the PCB. Unlike most competitors, the PCB extends the entire length of the card – others leave a large section bare on the left-hand side for through-the-board cooling – but we see no downside to this as the upper heatsink is, as you will see, capable of dealing with the higher wattage produced by the RTX 3080.

Read more @ Hexus

EVGA Z490 FTW WIFI

EVGA may be better known for graphics cards and power supplies, but the company has also been pushing into the motherboard realm for years, though with far fewer products than competitors like MSI or Gigabyte.The EVGA Z490 FTW WiFi that we’re looking at here sits at the ‘bottom’ of the company’s Z490 product stack, with the high-end Z490 Dark ($699.99) sitting above as the only other board on Intel’s current platform. You won’t find a Micro ATX or Mini ITX board from EVGA, just the ATX FTW and E-ATX Dark.

Read more @ Tom’s Hardware

EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra

EVGA GeForce RTX 3080 FTW3 Ultra is the company’s premium air-cooled graphics card based on the swanky new GeForce RTX 3080 “Ampere” GPU that everyone wants a piece of. The FTW3 Ultra in this review is a fully custom-design rendition of the RTX 3080 by EVGA, and is targeted at those who seek a well-rounded RTX 3080 card complete with all the overclocking features and RGB bling characteristic of premium-custom graphics cards.

Read more @ TechPowerUp