Samsung EcoGreen F4 2TB Review: High Performance on 5400 RPM

Competition in the storage market is getting heated. This is indicated by the release of a new model, low-powered, and high capacity hard disk. Just like a hard disk that comes to our testing table.

Hard disks that came was Samsung EcoGreen F4 HD204UI. This hard disk is a Samsung solution in Green Computing. Capacity that we get is a 2 TB disk that has 5400 RPM of rotary speed and 32 MB cache. Interface used was still using the SATA 3 Gbps or the second generation. A hard disk is not yet require a 6 Gbps SATA interface because there is currently no hard disk that can reach the upper limit of the first-generation SATA speeds.

SATA II controllers that Samsung used  is a  Marvell-made chipset. Then, what about the performance of this low-powered class hard disk? Can it compete with those hard disk that already exist in the market?

Testing Platform

• Motherboard: Intel H67 LGA 1155
• Processor: Intel Core i3 2100 3,1 GHz
• RAM: Kingston DDR3 8 GB
• Storage: Kingston SSD V+100 64 GB
• Graphics Card: AMD Radeon HD 5550
• Power Supply: CoolerMaster GX 550 Watt
• Input Device: Genius Keyboard and Mouse
• Monitor: 18,5 inch LCD
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 64 bit

We bring back a hard disk that also has low power to determine how well the Samsung EcoGreen hard disk is.

Testing

HDTune

Unexpectedly, it turns out that Samsung which only has a rotation speed of 5400 RPM is able to run on 100 MB/s!

I/O Meter

One weakness that Samsung EcoGreen had is the random data transfer performance. At least, that’s what was reported by I/O Meter.

Crystal Disk Mark

Results which are presented by Crystal Disk Mark is also no different from the two previous benchmark. This hard disk is reliable in the sequential performance, although slightly slower in its random performance.

PCMark 7

When tested using PCMark 7, Samsung EcoGreen indeed was behind the benchmark one.

Transfer Test

In the real-world performance, this  hard disk is able to compete with other low-powered hard disks on the market. Slightly lower performance can be seen from the transfer of small files to the HDD.

Conclusion

Competition in the market of low-powered hard disk will increasingly heated by the presence of Samsung EcoGreenF4.  5400 RPM of Rotary speed makes your hard disk working at a lower temperature (at least that’s what we found when testing time). In addition, the performance result of the hard disk turned out pretty good, it can even be a threat to its competitors.
Speaking of performance, this hard disk is fast on all factors except one thing, random write. Sequential performance that it had even close to the speed of a fast class hard disk. This makes Samsung EcoGreen F4 is very suitable to be your data hard disk.
Because of suitable for being data hard disk, of course, it can be used for any kind of needs, from home to office needs. You’re the ones who using the NAS, can get benefit from high performance and low enough temperature. However, for the needs of the use in running operating system, although its performance is qualified, you should use a hard disk of a higher class.
Good Points:
+ High sequential performance on 5400 RPM.
+ The Temperature is not too hot
Weakness:
- Random performance is slightly below its competitors.
Technical Data

Producer	Samsung
Info	http://www.samsung.com/global/business/hdd/
Price	–
Distributor	Eternal Asia
Telephone	—
Capacity	2 TB
Rotation	5400 RPM
Interface	SATA 3 Gbps

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Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Review: Your WoW Playmate!

Gaming headphones? That’s nothing new. How about a set of audio gear custom made for a video game? Now that’s something! Meet the Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft, a headphone that is specifically intended for players of World of Warcraft, Blizzard’s most popular online game.









World of Warcraft (WoW) is a big name in the online game industry. Based on the medieval fantasy realm of the legendary Warcraft RTS game, WoW has gained massive popularity among online gamers worldwide. The title has even expanded to include a couple of novels written around its theme, giving players something else to follow up other than the game itself. Now, we have even more items dedicated to WoW, like this pair of headphones here. What’s so special about this particular item and how exactly does it contribute to the overall gameplay of WoW?

Glowing WoW Faction emblems adorn both sides of the headphone, giving it a unique look.

Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft (WoW) has some unique features that distinguish it from the rest of the headphone crowd, at least when it comes to WoW gaming. The most interesting of these is perhaps the ability to make your voice sound like one of the featured races in WoW. Imagine that, you can “fully” become an orc, elf, or dwarf, simply by downloading the headphone’s driver from its corresponding website. A multitude of voice options will be put at your disposal. To turn your voice to match that of WoW inhabitants, you only need to select the desired sound and speak to the attached microphone. Interestingly enough, this voice-changing feature can also be used in other games.










This headphone offers some nice additional features as well, such as music equalizer, volume adjustment buttons for both the sound drivers and microphone, THX sound effects, and decorative lighting effects on the exterior. User profiles can also be customized using character pictures from the World of Warcraft game. Note that these extra facilities would only be accessible after you install the driver. That means you cannot expect to have full functionality on any other computer that doesn’t have the driver installed.






Now, after we have explored the headphone’s features, it’s time to check its sound quality! As a headphone that is obviously gaming-oriented, Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft produces strong low-frequency and background sounds to enhance the overall atmosphere of a game. If you like big explosions, you won’t be disappointed. Other frequencies are equally well-reproduced too, from clashing swords, whistling arrows, and clanking armor suits, all can be heard in remarkable clarity. There is no doubt that Creative’s WoW headphone really works out for games.

The microphone stick is flexible, allowing for more freedom in adjusting its orientation to suit your liking.

The story’s a bit different when it comes to songs, though, particularly those with slower tempo and rich details. The negative effect of the sound boost implemented in Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft is that it kills the small details in mid-range and higher frequencies. However, if you don’t typically listen to this kind of music (examples include classical and “audiophile” songs), there is nothing to worry about. Bass frequencies could actually benefit from the boost.
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Your comfort is assured with Creative WoW’s ear cushions, wrapped in soft leather.

How about the microphone then? Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft has a nice, detachable mic that can be removed when not needed. When attached, its flexible plastic body allows the mike to be oriented in various directions to suit your preference. The mic captures reasonably clear sound while minimizing background noise interference.

As with most other headphones of its type, you can adjust Creative Sound Blaster WoW’s headband length for a better fit on your head.

What about the looks? As an addition to good sound quality, gaming headphones should make the owner proud by sporting fancy looks, especially in the presence of other gamers. In this regard, the Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft does not disappoint. The WoW theme is applied thoroughly on this headphone, resulting in a striking appearance that would immediately remind everyone of the game. The sound drivers also have WoW symbols on it, one of which doubles as a volume adjustment button.


The most eye-catching feature of this headphone is, of course, the glowing faction emblems (Alliance and Horde) on the exterior of its sound drivers. If desired, you can change the emblems with others that also come with the headphone. Finally, you can adjust the glow’s intensity, pulse frequency, and color, through the driver.

You can also customize the illumination pattern and color of light.

Gamers often wear headphones over prolonged period of time, which is why you will find a pair of comfy ear cushions on the Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft. They’re nicely covered in soft leather too, contributing well to the overall comfort when wearing this headphone.
Unlike most headphones, Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft uses USB connection. This is actually a convenience because users have no need to plug two different types of audio jack into the computer (audio-out and mic-in).

As for the equalizer and the unique voice-changer feature, they are also accessible from the driver menus.

Interested? This headphone will set you back around US$ 120, which is quite reasonable given the headphones’ unique sets of features and looks. Plus, the Creative Sound Blaster World of Warcraft will give your friends something to envy about when you show it in front of them!
Specifications:
Headphone
Driver Material: 40 mm Neodymium Magnet
Frequency Response: 20Hz – 20KHz
Impedance: 32 ohms
SPL (1KHz): 112 dB
Mic
Type: Noise-canceling Condenser
Frequency Response: 100Hz – 7KHz
Impedance: 2.2 Kohms
Sensitivity @1KHz: -48 dBV/Pa (Uni-directional)
Included Accessories:
Manual Book
Travel Pouch
Two sets of faction symbol (Horde and Alliance, a pair for each symbol)
Official Website

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Axioo Neon HNM: Powerful yet Friendly on the Wallet

We heard some good news a while ago: Axioo, the local Indonesian notebook brand, would be among the first to launch mobile Sandy Bridge platforms to the market. Axioo had also participated in the CES 2011 exhibition at Las Vegas on January. Not long after that, we received the Neon HNM from Axioo. This notebook is powered by a quad-core Core i7 platform based on the new Sandy Bridge architecture. The rest of its specification is no less impressive. We eagerly put it to the test to see how it would perform in our benchmarks.

In spite of the known defect on Intel’s series 6 chipset, we decided to continue the regular testing procedures. After all, this known bug would only affect performance after prolonged use, so it’s safe to say that our initial results could at least show you how a Sandy Bridge would perform. Regarding this, we have previously carried out a full test of the Sandy Bridge mobile platform where the Axioo Neon HNM was used as the baseline system. You can read the article here. In this article, we will focus more on the Neon HNM notebook itself.

The Neon HNM is covered with smooth, black piano-finish across most of its surface, most notably on the back of the LCD and on the handrest section. We like the glossy surface because it gives the notebook some attractive looks. On the other hand, the glossy casing is a fingerprint magnet so you’ll have to clean it regularly to keep the notebook shining.

Neon HNM’s 14-inch LCD screen has a native resolution of 1366×768. On the inside, it’s powered by a combination of Intel Core i7 2630M processor and 2 GB or DDR3-RAM. The processor’s integrated Intel GMA 3000M graphics core is put into full use here. According to Intel’s claims, the IGP should be powerful enough for “casual 3D gaming”. It also provides support for DirectX 10.1 features. As for the storage, a relatively large (for a notebook system of its class), 750 GB hard drive gives plenty of storage space. In fact, Neon HNM’s hard drive is, by far, the single largest storage unit that we’ve seen on a notebook.

Features and Connectivity

 

Neon HNM’s I/O ports are located on the right and left side of the notebook. The eSATA connector can double as an additional USB 2.0 port when needed. We noticed that the rubber cover on the card reader slot is a bit hard to open up. Other than that, the connectors are easy to access.

Neon HNM’s chiclet-style keyboard is relatively comfortable to use, but we don’t like the piano finish that covers the gap between the buttons because it easily gets smudged by our fingerprints when we were typing on the keyboard. You’ll need some extra efforts to keep this part clean and shining.

In the middle of the hard rest section, you will find Neon HNM’s hexagonal touchpad. It supports multi-touch gesture and is both comfortable and responsive during use. The power button, as well as several shortcut keys, can be found on the upper part of the keyboard.

Performance

SysMark 2007

From the SysMark 2007 preview ratings shown above, you can see that the Intel Core i7 2630M platform (including the Axioo Neon HNM) is clearly superior compared to its Arrandale predecessor (The Core i7 7xxM/ 6xxM). The top position is occupied by another Sandy Bridge notebook that relies on the same processor, but has the advantage of using a discrete graphics card.

MobileMark 2007

Neon HNM’s 4400 mAh battery provides enough power to sustain the notebook for 226 minutes or close to 4 hours, according to our MobileMark 2007 test. Quite remarkable for a quad-core Sandy Bridge notebook that provides plenty of processing power.

Performance: Intel GMA 3000

 The on-CPU graphics is also quite powerful for an integrated solution. Updating the motherboard driver to version 2266 further improves the speed. With this kind of performance, you can expect the notebook to be able to run some lightweight 3D games at decent frame rates. For more details on how it would perform in real-life games, refer to our mobile Sandy Bridge article.

 

Conclusion

It’s fast alright. From the performance standpoint, the Axioo Neon HNM is clearly a winner. Even better, at just Rp. 7.000.000 (around US$ 780) it is also relatively affordable for a notebook of its class. That price will get you one of the most up-to-date mobile systems today. In our opinion, the Axioo Neon HNM offers a nice balance between price, performance, and technical specification. If not for the Sandy Bridge bug, this notebook could’ve made it to the top of the shopping list indeed.
Even though the bug does not seem to affect its performance in our test, there’s no denying that it’s present in current Sandy Bridge systems. So, would you make the purchase now, or would you rather wait for a revised version? The choice is yours.
Axioo Neon HNM

Pros

• High performance
• Relatively affordable for a notebook with a quad-core Core i7 CPU.

Cons

• Let down by the Sandy Bridge defect

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Asus VE278: Ultra Wide

by septian anis noor anom

 

If 24 inches screen is still considered as less wide, then maybe you need a screen size of 27 inches. With a larger space, you can more effectively work multi tasking, and more content to enjoy HD movies. VE278 is the largest screen sized monitor produced by Asus. This screen boasts LED backlight, 2 millisecond response time, input complete, and powerful speaker. How about the performance?

Product Name:ASUS VE278 27″ Wide LED Black Multimedia Monitor (1920×1080/2ms/VGA/DVI-D/HDMI/DisplayPort)

Model Number:VE278

Screen Type: TFT-LCD (LED Backlight)

Screen Size: 27″ Widescreen

Colours:16.7 Million

Dot Pitch:

• 0.311mm (H)
• 0.311mm (V)

Response Time:2ms (Gray to Gray)

Contrast Ratio:10000000:1 (ASCR)

Brightness:300 cd/m²

Max. Resolution:1920 x 1080

View Angle:

• Horizontal: 170°
• Vertical: 160°

Tilt Angle:-5°/20°

Input Connector:

• 1 x VGA
• 1 x DisplayPort
• 1 x DVI-D
• 1 x HDMI
• 1 x Headphone Jack
• 1 x Line in

Audio:2 x 3W

Product Dimensions: 643mm x 445mm x 220mm

Net Weight:6.5Kg

Gross Weight:9.8Kg

Input Power Source:Power Lead

Power Consumption:

• Normal operation: 45 W
• Off/Suspend/Stand-by mode: 2 W

Special Features:

• True-to-life Pictures Powered by LED
• Full HD with HDMI
• Rich I/O Ports- Allow Simultaneous Connections to More Video Devices
• Picture in Picture – Display 2 Different Signals Simultaneously
• Splendid Video Intelligence Technology

Package Contents:

• Quick Start Guide
• DVI Lead
• VGA Lead
• Power Lead
• Audio Lead   
  

  Product Tour

   
  Viewed from the front, ASUS VE278 didn’t show anything special. Thin enough black bexel, the control buttons on the bottom right, with the base and neck are quite heavy. Perhaps it should be considered very heavy. VE278 weights almost twice 24″ screen.
  If you have a special preference to the type of display connection, VE278 is an excellent choice. This monitor accommodates all types of connections available today. From left to right, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, and VGA. At the left end, there were in and out audio ports.

  Menu dan Feature

  
  VE278 has a very unique features, namely the Picture in Picture. PiP is a mode where you can display two views simultaneously on screen. The position and size of the screen can be changed, as well as source input.
   Another feature we really liked is the built-in speakers on this monitor. Generally, the speakers on the monitor no more than a gimmick. Not so with the VE278. This monitor has a television class speakers! These two 3 watt speakers not only have a strong power,but also good quality sound.
  
  

  Performance

  Testing is done by connecting the screen to the testbed using the DVI connection. The whole setting in the display is the factory default.
  

  Light Bleed: ★★★☆☆

  

  Asus VE278 black screen
  In this case, the monitor achieved only 3 stars. Actually Asus VE278 showed only a slight light bleeding. However, there something is more disturbing, named uniformity. There is dark-bright part that visible enough if the screen is used in a dark room.
  

  Contrast and Gamut: ★★★☆☆

  In terms of grey luminance, Asus VE278 can display luminance of the value of 1 to 253. With a value of 99.6%,of course we can call it a good score. However, our difficulty in obtaining the same results on the test color gamut. In some primary colors like red, blue,green, VE278 produce saturation clipping. The problem does not stop there. Gradation from light to dark indicates the appeal (lines).It’s gone if the appeal was moved to the VGA input, but then turns up the annoying flickering. We’re pretty sure that by tweaking and calibration, VE 278 can give good results, but we’ve already established that the testing must be done with the factory default.
  

  Viewing Angle: ★★★☆☆

  Most manufacturers measure viewing angle at a value of 10% luminance, or the angle at which the brightness down to 1 / 10 of the measurement at 0 °. We tested on a more realistic value, 25% luminance. Of course, this means our test value is lower than one specified by the manufacturer.
  
  

  Asus VE278 viewing angle
  Asus VE278 has 106 °  horizontal viewing angle and 130 ° vertical. This value is quite good. However, the TN panel in this display produces color shift with increasing angle of view, especially in white color.
  

  Contrast Ratio: ★★★☆☆

  Contrast ratio measurements was done by measuring the brightness of a perfect black screen and compare it with a perfect white screen. Measurements were taken at the lowest and highest brightness backlight. Dynamic contrast ratio is also measured, using the comparison of highest brightness value of white on lowest brightness value of black.
  
  
  

  

  Asus VE278 Contrast Ratio

  A normal LCD screen has a contrast ratio in the range 400-750:1. Therefore, a value of about 550:1 is achieved Asus VE278 is still within normal limits.
  

  Backlight Level: ★★★☆☆

  VE278 backlight brightness range between 95-234 cd/m2. Both the top and bottom of the display value is still included in the normal level.
  

  Black Level: ★★★★☆

  At the lowest level, black level of 0.17 cd/m2 achieved by the Asus VE278. This value is pretty good.
  

  Input Lag: ★★★★☆

  Input lag test showed the value of 15-35 milisecond. This means that Asus VE278 has a lag of about 1 to 2 frames if you’re playing games with a rate of 60 fps.
  

  Response Time: ★★★★★

  Most manufacturers write response time claim for the grey-to-grey. We measured the response time, black-to-white, which represents more actual performance. Because of differences in this measurement method, which claim to display the value of  8ms response usually has real response about 20-25ms,  while ones claiming 12ms to have a real response of 30+ms.
  Asus claims the value of 2ms (GTG) and we found no ghosting at all in our tests. Our tests are accurate to the real value of 15ms and a response can be certained Asus VE278 has a response time lower than this.
  

  Power Consumption: ★★★★★

  
  With LED backlight, Asus VE278 is certain to have lower power consumption. At the lowest level of brightness, this monitor requires only 23 Watts. While at the highest level, AsusVE278 draw 37 watts of power.
  
  

  Conclusion

  Price of current 27-inch display is still not attractive. With the same fund, you can buy 2 monitors 22 “-24″. This is what makes us should demand more of a display 27 “.  AsusVE278 is not more expensive than other 27-inch displays on the market. Meanwhile, the specifications considered the best on the market. So, from this side of the Asus looks to be in the “right path”.
  Asus VE278 testing left the impression that ”mixed”. On the one hand, the large size is very comfortable to the eye. Response time is very good, flexible inputs, and low power consumption make it suitable for watching action movies and even gamers. On the other hand, no manufacturer standard image results as well as expected, if you want to use it to edit photos for example. You need to calibrate the display to get a good view.
  Overall, Asus VE278 is a good choice for  27 ” display. Indeed, you need to do a calibration to obtain the best image quality. However, with better display performance, complete specification, low power consumption, and price is not suffocating, this monitor can be a good choice.
  

  Good Points



• Good and powerful speakers


• Fast response time


• Many Input Choices


• Low Power Comsuption

Weakness

• Resolution of 1920 × 1080 pixels on a 27 inches screen makes a pixel pitch larger than normal

• 
  

   

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Review Need for Speed Shift 2 Unleashed: More Realistic, More Fun!

Need for Speed (NFS) is one of the better-known series in the computer gaming world. It consists of numerous titles; most of them have been revolving around exotic cars and fast, brutal arcade racing action, with notable exceptions being NFS Shift and Pro Street. Both introduced a new form of gameplay which, unfortunately, wasn’t exactly popular with fans of the series. NFS Shift was riddled with annoying bugs and incomprehensive simulation-style adaptation that prevented this particular title from reaping a significant success. NFS Shift 2 Unleashed is released to get this series back on track.

Most titles in the Need for Speed series were developed by studios that reside under Electronic Art (EA) as publisher of the game, including the EA Seattle, EA Canada, dan EA Black Box. However, since NFS Shift and NFS Hot Pursuit (2010), the series’ development has been entrusted to other studios. Shift was created by Slightly Mad Studios, and Hot Pursuit was made by another studio, Criterion Games. This, among others, resulted in a change of characteristics of the games themselves. Hot Pursuit is somewhat similar to Criterion’s own Burnout series, while Shift became an awkward, half-simulation game. Slightly Mad Studios seeks to improve things a bit in Shift 2. Would it fare better than the first one?

Racing for Something

NFS usually provides you with a “cause” to race for, a background story of the person whose role you assume in the game. In one title, you are a cheated racer who gets behind the wheel to deliver your revenge. In another, you play as an undercover cop who gets involved in underground racings to track illegal vehicles smuggled by a crime syndicate. Whatever the story is, it has always been one of the major attractions of the game, alongside the pretty NFS girls of course! How about Shift 2 then? This game, unfortunately, has no solid storyline to support all the racing action.

So, who are you in this game? Amidst the uncertainty, at least one thing is for sure: you assume the role of an amateur racer with minimum experience. Your goal: become the ultimate champion by winning the GT1 racing series. That’s it about the story. The first NFS Shift suffers from the same lack of solid storyline, which means that the only attraction you will find is in the racing action itself. The same is true for its sequel, NFS Shift 2 Now, let’s get dig deeper into the game!

Climbing the Career Ladder

Upon playing this game for the first time, you will be greeted with the kind of welcome unique to the NFS series. That is, you are put behind the steering wheel of one of the best cars in the game. When you’ve grown used with the car, a bitter reality suddenly strikes: the car is merely being lent over to you to serve as a “teaser”. Your real, first car is a fairly ordinary vehicle that falls within the most basic category in the game. To get better rides, you have to earn credits by winning race events, leveling up, and finishing certain challenges.

How realistic is the NFS Shift 2? The level of simulated realism in this game is determined by the way you drive. If you could follow the imaginary race line and adjust speed accordingly upon entering corners without visual guidance, you will be given the realism settings suitable for experienced gamers. On the other hand, if the game detects that you are a beginner, it will help you in the race by providing assistances like Steering Assist, Brake Assist, and full support for the anti-skidding feature.
You can also adjust the realism settings manually. Experienced racing gamers would usually like to use appropriate input devices (steering wheel, pedals) and turn off the assistance features such as TCH and ABS.
Now, if you turn off all the beginner-friendly features, NFS Shift 2 will behave like an actual race simulation game, complete with a high degree of realism! Nearly all car-driving aspects are nicely incorporated in this game. You will have to do careful measurements before turning the steering wheel, step on the clutch pedal before changing gear, even the amount of pressure on the gas pedal determines how fast your car will roll. Damage simulation is realistic too. Severe collisions could wreck your car, flip it over, or mutilate its parts. Aside from that, the game also provides an equally realistic first-person view point, from which the steadiness of your sight will be affected by the vehicle’s vibration, gravity force, and the condition of the road you are driving on. Very interesting!
The realistic simulation comes with its own consequences though. If you’re used to playing race games using your PC’s keyboard, you’ll immediately run into trouble because the game is quite sensitive in its steering action, keyboard buttons simply do not provide enough pressure levels that allow for precise control. A tap on one of the arrow keys will potentially send your car too far off in that corresponding direction. The use of additional control device(s) is, therefore, highly recommended. For example, you can use products from Logitech (G25, G27, Driving Force, and Momo Force), Thrust Master (RGT, Ferrari GT, and Ferrari F430), and Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo

Every Glory Begins with a Small Step

Your career progress is reflected by the level of your character. You earn experience points by finishing race events. Some extra points could also be earned by fulfilling certain conditions while racing, such as managing a “clean” finish, breaking the fastest lap record, and holding the first position for the period of an entire lap. You are free to race however you like, but if your car is saved from collision or damage, you will get bonus points!

As you character progresses forward, new racing events will be made available. Your final goal is winning the GT1 championship, and therefore your character’s level must be high enough before you can participate in that event. Increasing the level also gives you additional benefits such as credits rewards, unlocking new paints, vinyl, rims, and faster cars. All of which will help enhance your driving… And the appearance of your car.
Speaking of cars, you will need to upgrade your car by purchasing various upgrades. The credit can be used to improve certain aspects of your vehicle, including the engine, drive train, force induction, suspension, and nitro. Note that upgrading your car could potentially raise its classification level as well, from class D to class C, for example. This will render the corresponding car unusable in certain events. Fortunately, you can still disassemble the upgraded components to downgrade your car if necessary.
An upgraded car can be totally revamped to further increase its quality. The Works Conversion feature turns any car into a true racing car. All you have to do is upgrade the car until the conversion indicator is maxed out. Aside from giving some more sophisticated looks to your car, the change will also improve your car’s statistics. In addition, the car’s every aspect is available for fine tuning. You can customize the exterior with various paints, vinyl, and cool-looking rims! That way, you will be more confident when playing against other players through the Autolog.
The Autolog is a dedicated NFS-only online services provided by Electronic Arts to unite NFS players from all over the world. It allows you to compete in races, make new speed records, and organize racing events. Aside from that, your time records in single player mode will also be displayed on the Speed Wall in Autolog. This Speed Wall is constantly updated with scores from players who managed to break the records. So, be ready for the challenge!
The Career Mode comes with a couple of race modes you can compete in, such as Time Attack, Race, Gauntlet, Endurance, and Drift. There is also the Gauntlet Mode, in which you complete a track using certain types of car. Usually, upon winning that race, the car will be given to you. Imagine how much credits can be saved by obtaining new cars this way!
The Endurance Mode, as the name suggests, challenges your racing endurance. Prepare to spend a lot of time, foods, and drinks when playing this mode. Lastly, in the Drift Mode, you generate points by drifting your car all the way to the finish line. The Drift Mode doesn’t really fit in though, given the realistic theme of the game itself. Drifting is also difficult to do once you’ve grown used to the strictly controlled, simulation-style racing.

 After exploring this game, the all-important question remains: is the game fun to play? If you’re into realistic racing simulations, then the answer is probably yes. Is it better than the first Shift? Definitely yes, way better even! In addition to the improved quality, you will also face difficult AI opponents in this game. Reducing the difficulty level does little to make it less challenging. But that shouldn’t be a problem, right? After all, racing game fans always look forward for some challenges

Conclusions

NFS Shift 2 offers many interesting features, widely varied car tuning options, and online play through the Autolog. Both experienced gamers and beginners will find this game appealing, thanks to its fully adjustable realism levels. It’s definitely worth playing!

Pros:

Provides career progression, difficulty adjustment, various car upgrade and tuning options, and challenging AI opponents.

Cons:

• So-so graphics quality.
• No LAN multiplayer option.
• Game controller required for comfortable control
• Relatively short game play duration in Career mode.

Suitable for:

Fans of realistic racing games! This is your chance to show your skills to the whole world!

Not so good for:

You don’t like realistic racing games like Gran Turismo? This game is not for you then.

Minimum System Requirement:

Windows XP SP3, Vista SP2, dan Windows 7
CPU: Intel Core 2 Duo 2.0 GHz or AMD X2 64 2.4 GHz
RAM: 2 GB
Video: 512 MB, Shader Model 3.0 capable graphics card, such as NVIDIA GeForce 8 and ATI Radeon HD 3400 series
HDD: 7 GB

Info:

Publisher: Electronic Arts
Developer: Slightly Mad Studios
Genre: Racing Simulation
Rating: EVERYONE 10+

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Lenovo G470 Notebook Review: For All Circles

by septian anis noor anom

Lenovo is known having a rigid and classic chassis design. It is caused of the majority of Lenovo products are intended for businesses. But this time the standard is not applicable. Lenovo breaks the grip through a series G470 which has a more modern shape with a different chassis design. Lenovo G470 has a chassis design with glossy black finish on the cover of the LCD screen. Unfortunately this finishing are often left your hand spot after touching it, so you need to be frequently clean, so the notebook always looks clean and beautiful.
With this more modern chassis design, Lenovo is targeting a broader market. The dimensions of this notebook are not very different from other notebook screen size 14 “. Robustness of this casing still feels at Lenovo G470. When we hands the notebook, it still feels solid and when we knock on the casing, the material doesn’t seem like a thin plastic.

 

Now let us glance at the inside and specifications which carried by this notebook.

Lenovo G470 Notebook Specifications:

• Intel Core i5 2410M Processor Speed ​​2.3 GHz 3MB L3 Cache
• Chipset Intel HM65
• 4GB DDR3 Memory
• Hard disk 640GB
• AMD Radeon HD 6370M graphics
• Screen 14 “1366 × 768
• Interconnection 802.11bgn wifi and Bluetooth
• USB 2.0 ports, eSATA combo, HDMI, D-Sub, Audio In / out, Ethernet
• Webcam
• Card reader
• Optical Drive DVDRW
• Operation System Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium
• Battery 48Wh 10.8V
• Size (mm) 340x231x17.2 ~ 34.4
• Weight (kg) 2161
• Weight+ Charger  (kg) 2511

As seen the above, the Lenovo G470 uses the second generation of Intel Core processor, or that be known as Sandy Bridge. 4GB of DDR3 memory capacity is felt sufficiently qualified to support the processor to provide good performance in the middle to upper run applications. Hard disk capacity is also large enough to store your various files. Graphics provided seems quite able to run 3D games on the setting and the specific resolution which would later prove some of our 3D gaming benchmarks.

Lenovo G470 uses a screen size 14″ with a maximum resolution of 1366 × 768. About screen, Lenovo G470 uses a glossy screen. It will be a little annoying when used outdoors or a room with a beam that is too bright. However, you can minimize this by raising the level of brightness. Viewing angle is also quite good because the screen does not change color gradation that are too excessive when viewed from the left and right. The screen will change color gradation when you see it from above.
Now we move the view to the side of the notebook. In this section, you will find a variety of ports, but unfortunately Lenovo G470 doesn’t include the USB3.0 ports which were already widely found on other notebooks at this time. However, this notebook is equipped with USB2.0 eSATA combo port is enough to treat the absence of USB3.0 ports.
Practice upgrade memory and hard disk can be done easily. Lenovo G470 has only one compartment cover on the bottom, you simply open some of the bolts and opened this section with an easy to add or replace memory capacity with a larger (up to 8GB) or replace the hard disk with larger capacity (or SSD).

The inside has a different finishing to the exterior. In the handrest, it’s using black aluminum. With this finishing, you’ll seldom to see your hand spot, so it doesn’t need too often to clean it. The keys of the keyboard keys still are the typical chiclet Lenovo with a slightly curved shape. When we tried it for a while, the keyboard of the Lenovo G470 is quite soft and minimal noise. Unfortunately, the trackpad was small, multi-touch movement we’ve done a little inhibited. Left and right-click functionality is also slightly less interfere with the sound and feel tender when used.

Performance

SysMark 2007

 

Lenovo G470-performance classified above average because the combination of Core i5 processor combined with AMD’s Radeon graphics card to boost the whole performance. With this result, you can run a variety of middle to upper applications smoothly and play 3D games smoothly.

Baterry Life Rating

 

 

Browsing 5 Tab: This online test using the FireFox browser and refresh a website alternately with a predetermined time (example: A website refresh of 30 seconds, 40 seconds refresh the website B). We use a variety of websites, ranging from mild to use flash in considerable amounts.
720 WMV Movie and 1080 MOV Movie: We simulate to obtain the value of battery life when a notebook is used for watching movies in various resolutions and the results we got using the log-time applications.
48Wh Battery for Lenovo notebooks can only turn on the G470 for 2 hours 27 minutes for browsing activities. To watch 720P movie, Lenovo G470 can last for 3 hours 34 minutes.

Conclusion

Lenovo G470 try to offer a notebook that is remote from the notebook for business but still has the shape and design is neat and formal. With the chassis design, the user is still interested in business than to have it. If you do not really like the notebook with an odd shape with attractive colors, then this is one notebook that you can glance.
The performance offered also above average thanks to the use of AMD’s Radeon graphics. In addition to Lenovo G470 can be used for work, this notebook also qualified enough to be invited to play 3D games smoothly. Who knows, later on you can become a reliable business people in work and play games.

Plus

• Casing feels solid

Minus

• None USB3.0

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