Best CPU Cooler /Processor Heatsink 2014

Best CPU Cooler /Processor Heatsink 2014

Overcloking Cooling Paradise – Top CPU Cooling Systems

Are you looking for the best CPU Cooler 2014? Did your processor just burst into flames playing your favorite game on a over-clocked computer?

Good thing you found the page that will help you take off some heat off of your CPU, with a list of updated CPU coolers during the year and the best places to buy on the Internet, this is the best page to find your top CPU Cooler for 2014.

We love this nice little cooling heat-sink with fan combo, it is perfect for the beginner over-clockers out there and for anyone that wants to keep their processor cool.

Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO

cool down your processor with 4 Direct Contact Heat Pipes and software that controls the fan speed for when it is needed the most.

Comes with one fan mounted on the heat sink ,but the Hyper 212 Plus is designed with the possibility of having a fan in front and in back to give extra cooling power.

This is a great option when you have a high quality gaming CPU in your desktop computer.

Best CPU Water Cooling

Corsair Hydro Series Extreme CPU Cooler H100i

The main problem that you may encounter with you personal computer is overheating. Usually, the CPU gets overworked which causes it to overheat.

Overheating can greatly affect your PCs overall performance and might cause it to break down and worst, start a fire.

There are a lot of CPU coolers that you can buy in computer shops but not all of them can truly keep your CPU from heating up. If I were you, I’ll choose the best CPU cooler there is.

The Corsair Hydro Series Extreme Performance Liquid CPU Cooler H100i’s advance design, the Hydro Series H80i, can cool your CPU and prevent overheating in no time. Together with the double-wide radiator, it packs a powerful cooling punch that maintains your CPU’s optimal temperature.

Gaming Case 2014

Gaming Case 2014

A good gaming case not only gives your PC an identity, it also houses your expensive components. As someone who has used quite a few cases in the past I thought I'd put together a list of a few of my favorites.

Below you'll find my guide to gaming cases, updated in 2014 with the best computer cases as voted on by PC builders. This includes all of the need to know information about the latest new release cases broken down into various categories.

Before you go, vote for the best overall gaming case of 2014 in our interactive reader poll below.

Best Mid-Tower PC Gaming Case

Cooler Master HAF 912 - RC-912-KKN1

There’s a lot of really great mid-tower gaming cases out there in 2014. In 2013 it felt like I kept waiting around for every manufacturer to update their cases to have USB 3.0 in the front I/O. For the most part this has already happened in 2014.

If you asked me early last year which case I’d recommend for this particular category, then I’d have probably said something like the HAF 912 or the the slightly less expensive Cooler Master Elite 430. Now Cooler Master has updated that model with the Elite 431 Plus and I decided to test one of the more intriguing and popular models on the market in 2014, the CM Storm Enforcer.

Design:

The design of this case is everything I was hoping for with plenty of space in the interior, a great look to the case in general, a side window, and a good amount of I/O ports in the front. What continued to impress me was the inside of the case which is clearly made for the 2014 PC builder. Purchasing a separate 2.5″ converter is unnecessary with this case as you can put a drive like your SSD in the 2.5″ slot or use the provided converter – either one. In the picture above my SSD is actually in the 2.5″ slot that’s in the middle bottom area.

Best Full Tower PC Gaming Cases

Cooler Master HAF X

If you’ve been looking for a full-size gaming tower, then most likely you’ve taken a look at the Cooler-Master Haf X. I’ve used it several times in the past and have had no regrets.

This case is designed specifically for performance enthusiasts in mind. For well under $200 you get all the slots you need to fit just about any extreme build or design you come up with. It’s also super easy to upgrade or add-on with the spacious interior and SATA dock. The HafX is also built with quality materials that don’t break down over time which is a plus if you plan to use it long-term.

Best Mini/Micro HTPC ATX Computer Cases

SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case (ML03B)

Below is a list of the best mini or Micro HTPC (Home Theatre PC) cases. At the top of the list is the sleek SilverStone Aluminum/Steel Micro ATX Media Center/HTPC Case (ML03B).  One of the greatest things about this case is its ability to hold 4 80mm fans despite its size.

If you transfer a lot of files, photos, or especially movies, then you’ll appreciate that SilverStone included 2 USB 3.0 ports on the front panel.  It also comes with 4 low profile +1 utility slot for expansion so it can hold up to 5 2.5 Inch or 3 3.5 Inch Hard disk drives or Solid State Drives.

Best New Gaming Cases for 2014

Corsair Aluminum 650 D Mid Tower Case

Looking for something a little bit different than you’ve seen before? Here are some new release gaming cases for this year (see below).  If you like aluminum cases, then we recommend you go with the all new Corsair Aluminum 650 D Mid Tower Enthusiast Case (CC650DW-1).

Although there are few consumer ratings and reviews for this product, thus far, every one that we’ve read has been positive.  This new case recently won both a performance and a gold award at HardwareHeaven.com.

The brushed aluminum faceplate of this case is eye catching as well as efficient but this case also comes with a lot of quality features as well.  Included are 2 large 200mm fan along with a 120mm fan.  Performance enthusiasts will enjoy the Eight expansion slots which give you plenty of room for SLI/Crossfire Options with your GPU.

Final Thoughts:

I hope you’ve enjoyed this review of the best gaming cases of 2014. If you’d like to make a contribution to this lens, then please use the reader feedback section below.

I try to update my lenses regularly. If I’ve missed a PC case that you have recently come across, please inform me by leaving a comment. Your feedback helps me to keep this lens fresh.

Gaming Hard Drives

While solid state drives are all the rage right now, traditional mechanical hard drives are still a great affordable storage option. And, even if you are going to get a solid state drive, it’s a good idea to get a traditional hard drive to support it. In this article I’m going to go over the best hard drive options for your gaming computer.

Your hard drive isn’t going to have the hugest impact on your gaming experience. However, they are still extremely important as they hold all of the important data, programs, and applications that are on your computer.

As far as gaming goes, the only area where hard drives will make a difference is in the time it takes to load your game. Although, most gamers typically also have large amounts of music and videos.

Some gamers even record their own videos. If that is the case, then the size of your hard drive is going to be extremely important.


I usually recommend an HDD with 1TB of storage space. This gives you plenty of space and it’s fairly affordable. If you’re working with a budget, then you’ll have to consider going with a smaller HDD and upgrading to more storage later.

In any case, you should look to get an HDD with a speed of 7200RPM. This will give you  good results in game load time. If you’re working with a huge budget, you might want to consider getting an SSD, and if you have an unlimted budget, a 10,000RPM HDD like the WD Velociraptor. You can also take it a step further and get multiple HDDs and run them in RAID configuration for best results.

I only chose one hard drive for each price range and while there are definitely some other worthy HDDs in these price ranges, I felt these offered the best returns for PC gamers.

Motherboards PC Gaming

Motherboards PC Gaming

A good gaming motherboard doesn't have to be expensive and with the right overclocking features can extend the life of your components. While there are clearly a lot of options out there some motherboards seem to give you not only better options, but also a much better value for your money.

Even older LGA 1155 options give you great value if you can find them at the right price.

In this post I'll review and list the top rated Haswell 1150, Ivy and Sandy Bridge 1155, and AMD AM3+ socket motherboards for gaming. Don't forget to vote for your favorite motherboard in the polls below.

If you’re building a new computer this year, then here’s a quick summary of sockets and chipsets that have been released in the last couple of years.

Haswell Compatible LGA 1150 Motherboards:

Compatible with Intel’s most recent Haswell release and future Broadwell release, 1150 motherboards come in 6 chipset types; H81, B85, Q85, Q87, H87, Z87, and most recently Z97. If you’re an overclocker you’ll want to look at the Z87 chipset which, in my opinion, offers the most flexibility for gamers looking to build performance machines. Also, keep in mind that only the Haswell motherboard chipsets which end in “87″ offer Intel Rapid Storage and Smart Response technology. All Haswell motherboards offer built-in GPU support.

If you’re building a new PC, its worth upgrading to the new Z97 chipset:

Those looking for forward compatibility should look for the new Z97 chipset which is compatible with all Haswell processors as well as Intel Broadwell processors.

Socket AM3+

AM3+ motherboards were originally released in 2011 and are compatible with AMD’s newer FX series processors. AM3+ is also backward compatible with older Phenom II, Athlon II, and Sempron 100 Series CPU.

LGA 2011 Socket R

These motherboards are typically enthusiast-focused and in 2011 replaced Intel’s 1366 motherboards. LGA 2011 motherboards are compatible with Sandy Bridge and Ivy Bridge-e or enthusiast level processors.

Best Ram for PC Gaming Top 5

Top 5 Best Rated PC Ram

When it comes to ram gamers look for stability, reliability, speed, and the best overall value for their money. This top ten list is based upon customer feedback, ratings, and most importantly your feedback in the voting section.


If you need to know whether this ram is compatible with your motherboard, then see the learning guide section below and your motherboard’s specifications. If you are building a PC, then make sure to buy ram altogether so that you can take advantage of the double data throughput that you get with multiple channel kits.

1.) Corsair Vengeance

Corsair’s Vengeance ram is the most popular among gamers today. It’s fast, reliable, and inexpensive when compared to other brands. Most are gravitating towards 4×4 GB sticks for a total of 16GB. While you certainly could upgrade to 32GB, 16GB is more than you need right now, and by the time you really need more than that you’ll probably want to build a new rig anyway.

Specifications for the featured model include 16GB (4 x 4GB) DDR3 SDRAM, 1600 speed, timing 9-9-9-24, includes quad channel kit, 1.5V, and includes Corsair’s lifetime limited warranty.

2.) Kingston Technology HyperX

Kingston is another trusted name for memory in the gaming industry and is the world’s overall PC leader in memory sales. This model utilizes the HyperX module with faster latency timing for higher performance and speed.

Kingston also has faster models in the Genesis and the XMP T1 Series (fastest) if you’re willing to spend a little bit more.

Technical details: Cas Latency 9 DDR3 1600, 1.65V, dual channel kit included (also available in additional sizes), and includes a lifetime limited warranty from Kingston.

3.) G. Skill Ripjaws Series

The Ripjaws Series from G.Skill is available in a wide variety of packages, speeds, and timings and is preferred on many PC Building enthusiast sites (like Tom’s Hardware). It’s a super durable and high-performance customer award winner that comes with a lifetime manufacturer’s warranty. I’ve used it on several different builds and never had an issue.

4.) Corsair Dominator

Corsair Dominator is an extreme performance and overclocking stabile memory that uses Dual-path Heat Xchange cooling technology and comes with removable heat sinks. A Lifetime Warranty is Included.

Technical details for the featured model (CMP8GX3M2A1600C9) include 8GB (2 x 4GB) of DDR3 1600 Ram with 9-9-9-24 timing (Cas – 9) and used as dual channel kit.

5.) Corsair XMS3

Corsair’s XMS3 is another really good option for your rig. It’s available in all capacities but I suggest you purchase all the ram you need at the same time to take advantage of the multiple channel architecture in order to take advantage of the better data throughput.

Again, 16GB, in my opinion is plenty while 8GB should run most games just fine.

The AMD Radeon R9 270X

AMD Radeon R9 270X

The Radeon 200 series was a different kind of launch from AMD than anything we’ve seen from them before. The slow development of the next generation of manufacturing processes from fab partner TSMC has required both AMD and NVIDIA to get a bit creative in how they want to roll out products, along with how they want to promote and position those products. Whereas in previous years we’d seen one or both firms roll out a number of new GPUs, 2013 will be the year where we only see one new GPU from each, and those GPUs were at the high-end. This hasn’t prevented AMD from bringing around new products or bringing down the price-to-performance ratio of their lineup, but it has required a different kind of launch than what they would do in previous years.

For AMD, the new reality of doing another product cycle at 28nm has meant that AMD’s product plans for the end of 2013 and 2014 have involved a lot of shifting of GPUs and prices. GCN is an architecture with long legs, and the GPUs cut from it being equally as long legged. So the company has set forth on a plan to introduce a new high-end GPU for the top of their market (the 290 series), while the mainstream and lower markets will receive new products based on existing GPUs. We’ve already seen the first step of that process with the launch of the Radeon R9 280X, and now we’re ready to take a look at the next step with the Radeon R9 270 series.

The Radeon R9 270 series is composed of two products, the 270X and the 270, with the X indicating the higher performing part in AMD’s new naming scheme. The 270X actually launched almost a month ago – a result of the 200 series launch blast its repurposed GPUs – while we’re just now catching up to the 270 series today, with the launch of the lower tier R9 270. Both of these parts are based on AMD’s venerable Pitcairn GPU, which post-shuffle is being moved from AMD’s $200+ enthusiast cards to their sub-$200 mainstream cards. They are in essence the successors to the 7870 and 7850, the previous video card family that Pitcairn called home

GTX 750 Ti : Maxwell Adds Performance Using Less Power

GTX 750 Ti : Maxwell Adds Performance Using Less Power

These days, article we review the new GeForce GTX 750 and 750 Ti from Nvidia. These cards are affordable - low power - decent performance graphics cards that will allow you to game even at 1080P. These cards are intended to replace the Geforce GTX 650 series. For the technology-press however the most important fact is that a new GPU architecture was applied, these cards based on the new Maxwell GPU architecture. 

That's right, Maxwell, as Nvidia is now slowly moving away from Kepler. The first Maxwell GPU released is the GM107, which has been baked and plastered onto the GeForce GTX 750 and 750 Ti graphics cards. Maxwell makes use of a 28nm node manufacturing process, later models however should move down to a 20nm manufacturing process. Nvidia launches two initial products today, the GeForce GTX 750 and 750 Ti. Both hover on the entry-level to mainstream level segment. As such, the GeForce GTX 750 Ti will get 640 CUDA cores, 40 TMUs and 16 ROPs. These cards will be equipped with 1 or 2GB GDDR5 memory bound over a rather narrow 128-bit interface. In terms of clock frequencies, depending on brand/oem 1020 MHz will be the baseline target for the main clock frequency on the GPU while the cards can boost to 1084 MHz. The 'standard' GeForce GTX 750 will get 512 CUDA cores, 32 TMUs and 16 ROPs, with just 1GB graphics memory though.

Overall, the GeForce GTX 750 and 750 Ti, as we'll demonstrate, will have enough horsepower to step into the DX11 gaming arena at up-to 1920x1080 (Full HD) resolution as Maxwell does bring in some new efficiencies. Now that doesn't mean that all modern titles will be playable with good image quality settings, let's just say that dated titles will be playable with a resolution of 1920x1080/1200. And if you can forfeit to medium quality settings in a game and don't do any crazy stuff anti-aliasing wise, it's definitely plausible to play games really nicely at FullHD with acceptable framerates. The GeForce GTX 750 (Ti) graphics cards will be launched in the sub 150 USD/EUR price range. In this review we'll look at the models from NVIDIA themselves, thus the reference products.

gamers like their graphics cards beefy. Double-slot coolers and fancy fan shrouds are typically what elicit Tim Allen-style grunts and knowing nods of approval. After all, high frame rates require complex GPUs. Billions of transistors cranking away atBattlefield 4 get hot. And all of that heat needs to go somewhere.

So if you're coming to the table with a short, naked PCB, it'd better have a trick or two up its figurative sleeve.