Instead of launching another reference design, GIGABYTE has gone ahead and tweaked out ATI’s latest value GPU, the HD 5450, with their own customizations. For example, the new GV-R545SC-1GI (shown above) features a completely passive cooling solution using something called “Screen Cooling” which utilizes natural convection to keep noise and temps low vs the active solution in the reference design. The new GV-R545OC-512I isn’t passive like the reference design, and instead, uses a tweaked fan/heatsink combo and a low profile construction making it ideal for HTPC applications where space is tight and temps can be toasty.

Both cards have GIGABYTE’s Ultra Durable 2 VGA treatment which beefs up the power components and the PCB for better reliability, durability, and overclocking potential. We know this tech works because their Silent Cell HD 4850 easily blew away its reference counterpart in both cooling and overclocking and it too had this technology onboard. Topping off the customizations are gold plated connectors for better electrical contact. Read the full press release and ogle more pictures after the jump.

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The motherboard company with the unfortunate name, ASRock, has just announced their newest entry into the INTEL P55 race. Their newest board supports supports SATA3, USB 3.0 and eSATA3 Technologies, hence “333″. The “True” part comes from the fact that unlike some of the boards on the market that utilizes a PCI-E x1 channel to support the SATA3 and USB 3.0 connectivity, the P55 Deluxe3 actually uses its own separate PCI-E x16 lane through a special bridge that provides full bandwidth, even when utilizing CrossFireX or SLI.

Some boards will turn that x16 into an x8 slot when loaded up with GPUs for multi-card configurations, when utilizing USB 3.0 and SATA 3. This board doesn’t thanks to this special bridge hence “True 333″.

Full press release posted verbatim (as in not my spelling mistakes) from ASRock along with extra pictures and illustrations after the jump.

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Don’t ask me why I dislike Indiana so much, I just do. I’m sure it’s a perfectly lovely place, and what I’ve seen of Indianapolis while driving through it on I-65 it seems like a decent enough city. But…I’ve got to go Saints on this one…I like the Gulf coast much better. In fact, whenever I drive through Indiana that’s where I’m heading. So, may the best team win. As long as it’s New Orleans.

Hardware Bistro kicks it off with the In Win Fanqua

XtremeComputing hooks up with the Synology DS210j – 2 Bay NAS

bit-tech takes on STALKER: Call of Pripyat

TechRadar takes a look at the Samsung DVD-H1080

PCSTATS weighs in on the AMD Phenom II X4 910e Energy Efficient 65W Processor

RBMods goes inside the XClio Nighthawk Case

TweakPC rocks the house with the Logitech Z-10 2.0 Interactive Speaker-Set – powerful bass without Subwoofer (click on the US flag for translation)

Motherboards.org checks out the ECS A785GM-AD3 Black Series Motherboard

Hardware Secrets presents its 64 GB Solid State Drive Round-Up

TweakTown shares its thoughts on GIGABYTE SATA 6G Update – RAID 0 Just How We Like It

TechwareLabs gets into the OtterBox 3500 Series

TrustedReviews examines the Panasonic DMP-BD45 Blu-ray Player

Bjorn3D chills out with the Zalman CNPS10X Extreme & CNPS10X Flex

Legit Reviews gets its hands on the Kingston MobileLite G2 USB Card Reader

And to close out this selection, TestFreaks spends some time with some Kingston HyperX 1600MHz 12GB Triple Channel (KHX1600C9D3K6/12G)

Yup, it’s me again! I’m at work, but I’ve just handed the controls over to the new-ish guy I’m training. And since it’s a really, really boring game (2-1 starting the third period, no fights, only two penalties) I’m going to do this instead. I have that option.

TechwareLabs gets us going with the Cooler Master ATCS 840 Case

Continuing the case and enclosure goodness, let’s look at some more!
OverClock Intelligence Agency – SilverStone Grandia GD05 HTPC Case
PureOverclock – Thermaltake Element V
Benchmark Reviews – AZZA Solano 1000R Full-Tower Computer Case
BigBruin – Mini-Box.com M350 Universal Mini-ITX Enclosure

OK, now that I’ve gotten THAT out of my system…

TweakTown examines the MSI Radeon HD 5770 HAWK 1GB Video Card

TechRadar takes a look at the Asus 24T1E

bit-tech takes on Dante’s Inferno

XSReviews is Giving Away Free Games

Hardware Secrets chills out with the Thermaltake SpinQ VT CPU Cooler

RBMods weighs in on the AMD Athlon II X4 635

iXBT Labs checks out the ASUS M4A785G HTPC/RC Motherboard

TrustedReviews gets into the Panasonic SDR-S50

Legit Reviews protects our furry friends with the Travel Stix – Pet Care and Travel for Dogs USB Flash Drive

Finally, TweakNews gets its hands on the Microsoft Explorer Wireless Rechargeable Mouse

And now the game just got good again (tied at 2), so I’m off!

In case that doesn’t make sense (I realize I’ve been talking about hockey since the season started), I should point out that the AHL team I work for has been sucking BAD the last month or so. Last night there was actually a real game on the ice! Tons of goals, tons of fights, and we actually WON! Here’s hoping we can do it again tonight.

ThinkComputers gets us going with the Lowepro Pro Trekker 300 AW Camera / Laptop Bag

TweakTown goes inside the XClio Blackhawk Full Tower Chassis

TechwareLabs hooks up with the Synology Disk Station DS410j NAS

Legit Reviews weighs in on the AMD Athlon II X4 635 2.9GHz Quad Core Processor

TechRadar cuts the cord with the Asus O!Play Air HDP-R3

techPowerUp examines the Sapphire HD 5770 Vapor-X

Top Review Shop beats the heat with the Evercool Zodiac II Notebook Cooler

TweakPC takes on Mass Effect 2 (PC) (as always, click on the little US flag for translation)

CCE Reviews checks out the Technocel Powerpak

TrustedReviews tries on a pair of Phonak Audeo PFE 112 Earphones

MadShrimps presents its MSI Wind U135 Review – An Intel Pinetrail Netbook

Bjorn3D shares its thoughts on the Silverstone Strider Plus Series 850W Modular PSU

Hardware Secrets goes mobile with the Motorola Droid Cell Phone

PCSTATS spends some time with the Gigabyte GA-P55A-UD4P Motherboard

Pro-Clockers takes a look at the Silverstone DS221 Dual HDD Raid Enclosure