Overview of the Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22″.

I have been using Samsung monitors for the last 5 years, and am happy so far with what comes out of their factories. The LCD screen on my desk is a Samsung SyncMaster 226BW 22″ LCD Monitor, which is one step up from the 2253BW (in terms of date of release) that this post is about. Although price differences between the two varies from 50 bucks to virtually nothing, it is worth taking a look at the Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22″ LCD Monitor. Both screens offer a resolution of up to 1680 x 1050, which should be enough for most users. The horizontal viewing angle of the 226BW is 10 degrees larger compared to the 2253BW. Both offer a brightness of 300 cd/m?, 16.7 million colours, DVI, both weigh about the same. For some reason the 2253BW actually offers a better contrast ratio, 1:8000 with dynamic contrast. To be honest, I don’t really like the dynamic contrast - at least on televisions it’s clear when it’s enabled while moving from light scenes to dark scenes.

One thing that affects most LCD screens out there is backlight bleeding. You won’t notice it unless the screen is almost completely black, however it’s time engineers find a way to come up with a solution. Both screens are highly recommended, and the popularity of these monitors should speak for itself; these are good products. So do you have space on your desk?

Click here for technical specifications.

Overview of the :
WD Passport WDXMS2500 - Hard drive - 250 GB - external - 2.5" - Hi-Speed USB - 5400 rpm - buffer: 2 MB

Western Digital is without doubt one of the most respected hard drive manufacturers. Started in 1970, WD, as it’s widely known these days, has grown to a multi-billion dollar corporation with thousands of products.

At 250 GB, the WDXMS2500 offers plenty of space to backup your important files. I’m sure you’ve read the horror stories of people not properly backing up their files. Hardware failure can cost you a lot when your income is generated mainly from the stuff that’s on your hard drive! If hardware failure occurs you can quickly replace the hardware and transfer over your files from your external hard drive. With prices of external hard drives and other backup tools so low, there is NO excuse not to have your own backup system in place. Don’t take the risk, and spend that 100 bucks for a good external drive.

Some specifications:

Total storage space : 250 GB
Buffer : 2 MB (not that much, but reliability is more important than speed on backup drives)
Model size : 2.5 inch
rpm : 5400
Power source : USB
Colour : black

Average rating based on review sites : 7/10.

Ready to order?

CLICK HERE to check out the WDXMS2500 product page.

Overview of the Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300.

The Intel Core 2 Quad Q9300 processor is the entry level Quad processor with a front bus speed of 1333 mhz. With 6 MB of L2 cache speed isn’t a problem for this performance addicted piece of hardware. I still remember the days (not that long ago) when you had to pay double the price of what the Q9300 costs just to get a Quad core CPU. Intel has been revamping and updating their line of CPUs constantly over the last few years. They are slowly phasing out the FSB 1066 mhz family, and are already offering an amazing CPU with 1600 MHZ front bus speed (the QX9770)! You may think that the CPU speed of 2.5 ghz isn’t all that impressive, but wait till you see the overclocking capability of the Q9300. Nordichardware reported that they were able to overclock it to 3.7 ghz, a massive increase of almost 50%.

Compared to the older Q6600 (which sells for only a little less), you are getting a decent improvement in overall peformance on all levels. The only negative we noticed is when comparing this Quad CPU with a Duo Core during benchmark tests with such games as Quake 4. It is obvious that games (and many desktop applications) are still not optimized for use with a Quad processor. You could conclude that for the best performance in games released in 2007 and 2008 a good Duo core (the E8500 for example) will be more viable. Yet, to be ready for the future the Q9300 is a great investment.

Average rating based on review sites : 8/10.

You can purchase the Q9300 at trusted Amazon by clicking here. Or as second option, if you want a Duo Core - take a look at the E8500.

Overview of the XFX GeForce 9800GX2.

The days when graphic cards were small, taking up little space in your PC case are long gone. They’ve grown in size and demand more power. This in contrast to CPUs and some other hardware parts. The problem with graphic cards is that they emit a lot of heat, and that heat needs to go somewhere. The XFX GeForce 9800GX2 is the perfect match for demanding gamers. It’s simply a monster card packing 1 GB of RAM and a memory clock set at 2GHZ. The ever growing demands for high-end graphics by the next generation of games requires suitable hardware. XFX has done a good job at meeting those demands with the 9800GX2. This giant will easily outperform the very respectable Nvidia 8800 Ultra series, without a doubt. It’s not a cheap toy to have inside your PC, but boy - the fun you’ll have will make up for its price tag and space requirements. Crysis at maximum settings, here I come!

Average rating based on review sites : 8/10.

Are you ready for this monster? Check out Amazon by clicking here.