component shelf
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Adobe Photoshop Extended CS6 Student and Teacher Edition
Adobe Photoshop Extended CS6 Student and Teacher Edition - Best Price
Adobe = Apple?
There was not as much hype around Adobe Photoshop CS6 as Photoshop CS5. I did not get the urge that I needed to upgrade NOW. For CS5 on the other hand, there was this must upgrade mentality. CS5 was when Photoshop became the all-in-one imaging software we have come to use and love today.
CS6 is more of a quiet release. Adobe made a few tweaks here and there, a few improvements, and a few interface changes. Pardon the reference to Apple in the title.
It might seem on the surface that there are no major changes. That statement would be correct to an extent. But once you dig deeper, you find the changes are pretty significant.
The one thing Adobe had been advertising most strongly about CS6 was its new Mercury graphics engine. The Mercury graphics engine allows you to see the changes you make to your image as you make them. This is helpful in so many ways. The biggest would be it gives you a feel for what you are doing. The new graphics engine also helps to make everything...
Details about Adobe Photoshop Extended CS6 Student and Teacher Edition
Brand: Adobe
Features of this Adobe Photoshop Extended CS6 Student and Teacher Edition
- Content-Aware family of technologies-Retouch images with astonishing ease, control, and precision. Remove or move selected image objects, and Content-Aware technology magically fills, patches, extends, or recomposes your image with stunning results.
- Mercury Graphics Engine and 64-bit support--Count on the new Mercury Graphics Engine for blazingly fast performance when editing with key tools, and take advantage of cross-platform 64-bit support to speed up imaging tasks.
- 3D controls at your fingertips-Intuitively create 3D artwork with a simple interface that eliminates the need for tools. Use in-context, on-canvas controls to manipulate cages for 3D extrusions, change scene and object orientation, and edit lights.
- Content-Aware Patch-Patch images with greater control using Content-Aware Patch. Simply choose the patch area and Content-Aware technology will fill in the missing area.
- New and reengineered design tools-Create superior designs fast. Get consistent formatting with type styles, use vector layers to apply strokes and add gradients to vector objects.
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B007S0313I
Description : Adobe Photoshop CS6 Extended Student and Teacher Edition delivers all the imaging magic in Photoshop CS6 plus 3D graphic design and image analysis tools. Easily create rich 3D artwork, and enhance your 3D scenes with shadows, lighting, and animation. Retouch images with utter precision, control, and speed. Create vibrant videos and design anything you can imagine using intuitive tools. Paint and draw naturally and expressively. And get blazingly fast performance with the Mercury Graphics Engine.
Customer review : Great! and Tips for Getting it going
I have used Photoshop for years from friends and school, so when I saw this, I jumped at it, as I'm working on my Masters. I think my favorite feature so far is the changeable color for the interface, much easier on the eyes. I did have considerable frustration on figuring out how to get my serial number, and I thought to give a bit of advice for the others out there on what to do:
First, don't worry about the product code they give you here, you need that for validating the product with Adobe, but it isn't your serial number
Second, you have to install the program, then look for a PDF that says 'IMPORTANT - How to validate and activate your product' It should be located in a folder called Adobe Photoshop Extended CS6 Student and Teacher Edition
Follow the instructions in the PDF, you'll find a url in the pdf that directs you where to go to validate your software
You go on there and pick your school. As it says in the product description above, I'd...
List Price : $349.00
Price : $335.99
Saved Price : $13.01
category: Photo Editing
brand: Adobe
Rating : 4.2
SeaSonic G Series 550-Watt ATX12V/EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply SSR-550RM
SeaSonic G Series 550-Watt ATX12V/EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply SSR-550RM - on Amazon.com
Question is: this one or one up for fully modular
I paid $80 for this drive and it's fine and I've never had a problem with a Seasonic drive. I have never had drive whine, nor anything else.
I think that $80 for this 550 watt unit is fine. However, this is a semi-modular unit, and I see the X-series, which is fully modular, on sale for little more than this series. Normally, fully modular makes no difference compared to semi-modular, since you use all of the fixed cables in a sem-modular anyway.
However, what I think s great about the fully modular is that if you need to swap it with a similar unit, you can just unplug all of the cables from the unit, slide it out and slide the other one in. The means no undoing and unrouting the motherboard power cables, etc. And that to me is worth something.
This isn't a criticism of this device, just something to think about.
Details about SeaSonic G Series 550-Watt ATX12V/EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply SSR-550RM
Brand: Seasonic
Features of this SeaSonic G Series 550-Watt ATX12V/EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply SSR-550RM
- ATX12V / EPS12V
- Modular
- 80 PLUS GOLD Certified
- 100 - 240V (Max. 90 - 264V)
- Maximum Power: 550W
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B00918MEZG
Description : SeaSonic G Series SSR-550RM 550W ATX12V / EPS12V SLI Ready CrossFire Ready 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply
Customer review : Silent, stable, efficient, and economical
This is a top-drawer power supply for a system with one powerful graphics card or two mid-range cards. It's efficient, silent at loads under 300W, and delivers clean performance at a reasonable price.
PERFORMANCE:
Fifteen years ago, most power supplies were about 70% efficient. For a 100W load, they would draw about 140W from the wall. Not anymore. We now have five major PSU ratings: 80 Plus and 80 Plus Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. These correspond to half-load efficiencies of 80%, 85%, 88%, 90%, and 92%. Efficiencies at 1/5 and 4/5 load are about 4% less than half-load.
This is an 80-Plus Gold unit capable of 90% efficiency. Relative to a Bronze unit, for a 24/7/365 system draw of 100W, you could expect to save about $6 a year in power costs at $0.12/kWH. Efficiency has other benefits: namely, every watt that isn't going the system is dissipated as heat. Less efficient units require a bigger or faster fan, which makes more noise...
List Price : $121.85
Price : $79.99
Saved Price : $41.86
category: Power Supplies
brand: Seasonic
Rating : 4.9
Intel Core i5-4570 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.2 GHZ 6MB Cache- BX80646I54570
Intel Core i5-4570 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.2 GHZ 6MB Cache- BX80646I54570 - Review
A review from gaming perspective
I selected this CPU for a gaming rig. I needed something future proof to make sure it doesn't bottleneck any GPU I place in there. tested it with a GTX 770 which is equivalent to the GTX 680. ran benchmarks on 1080p and got almost the same results I got from i5 4670k (no overclocking in both tests). no need to OC nor try to exceed the capabilities of this CPU. I was planning to get an i5 4670k + after market cooler + Z87 mobo. then I researched some benchmarks and realised there is no need to go for an expensive CPU while the graphics are all in the GPU. so I skipped the cooler, downgraded to this CPU and downgraded the mobo choise to B85. this saved my $ 80 which was invested in upgrading the GPU and thus achiving an excellent performance.
if you plan to play games on a single monitor at 1080 res or even at 1440 res then you're looking for a GPU of the GTX 760 tier or HD 7870 XT or even the higher tier such as GTX 770 or HD 7970 then this CPU is the right choice for you...
Details about Intel Core i5-4570 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.2 GHZ 6MB Cache- BX80646I54570
Brand: Intel
Features of this Intel Core i5-4570 Quad-Core Desktop Processor 3.2 GHZ 6MB Cache- BX80646I54570
- Supports 32 GB Max RAM, 2 channels DDR3-1333/1600 at 25.6GB/sec
- 3.2GHz and 3.6GHz Turbo, 6MB Cache, 4 cores, 4 threads.
- Intel® HD Graphics 4600, 350-1150MHz
- 22nm Lithography, with 84W Thermal Dissipation.
- Supports total of 16 lanes of PCI-Express 3.0
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B00CO8TA4I
Description : Intel Core i5-4570 Quad-Core Desktop Processor BX80646I54570
Customer review : Met expectation
I bought the new Haswell i5-4570 so that I can play the latest games at either high or medium settings @ 1920x1080 resolution. Runs CS:GO and BF3 like a champ (200fps and 102 fps respectively).
However, I ran into couple problem (really one, the other one is more of an annoyance) down the road.
After a week, I noticed that the game was stuttering for a bit. My fps in CS:GO would start out from 200 fps and go down to 20 fps at times. I decided to investigate and found out that the CPU was idling around 80C and 100C under load through BIOS (MSI H87M-G43 REV 1.2) I thought the BIOS temp reader was off and used CPU Temp reader which said the same thing. I found this really strange as ambient temperature was around 20C (Hey I like to live cold - its also good for the computer :] ). Took a closer look and found out that the CPU fan was not running. It seemed like it was caught on a cpu fan wire but the actual problem was the CPU fan was not able to rotate at all. I...
List Price : $229.99
Price : $200.29
Saved Price : $29.70
category: CPU Processors
brand: Intel
Rating : 4.5
Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 850 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze (TX850M)
Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 850 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze (TX850M) - Review
Extremely Happy, Efficient, Long Cables, Tons of Connections, Just 2 Drawbacks
Details about Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 850 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze (TX850M)
Brand: Corsair
Features of this Corsair Enthusiast Series TX 850 Watt ATX/EPS Modular 80 PLUS Bronze (TX850M)
- 80PLUS Bronze certified, delivering up to 85% energy efficiency at real world load conditions.
- A dedicated single +12V rail offers maximum compatibility with the latest components.
- An ultra-quiet double ball-bearing fan delivers excellent airflow at an exceptionally low noise level by varying fan speed
- Over-voltage and over-current protection, under-voltage protection,
- Universal AC input from 90~264V. No more hassle of flipping that tiny red switch to select the voltage input!
- A five year warranty and lifetime access to Corsair's legendary technical support and customer service.
- Short circuit protection provide maximum safety to your critical system components.
- The latest ATX12V v2.31 and EPS 2.92 standards and it is backward compatible with ATX12V 2.2 and ATX12V 2.01 systems.
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B005E98EI2
Description : The Enthusiast Series TXM is part of Corsair's best price-performance range of power supplies, designed to meet the exacting standards and performance needs of demanding enthusiasts. TXM Series power supplies are ideal for performance enthusiasts who require an affordable, low noise, high-wattage, reliable and highly efficient PSU. Corsair TXM power supply gives the flexibility of using only the cables needed for a clean system build with optimal airflow.
Customer review : Rock Solid Power Supply
This is a great, rock solid power supply. This PSU is capable of handling almost anything that you can throw at it, except for some extremely exotic setups.
Most computers only consume around 100-150w, and even a high end computer might consume maybe 200w. That's why most OEM computer manufacturers put small 250-350w PSUs in their systems. If you look at online reviews of highly overclocked systems with multiple video cards (SLI/Crossfire) they consume at most about 500-600w. Anandtech (a very trusted hardware review site) in a comparison of the ATI Radeon HD 4890 and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 275 (google it) also did a roundup of other comparable video cards and some SLI/crossfire setups. Their review system was a Core i7 965 @ 3.2Ghz (non-overclocked), 6GB of RAM, and SSD drive, and X58 based motherboard. Idle power consumption ranged from 170-260w, and full load from 260-420w.
The point is you don't need a 1000w PSU even if you have a high-end system. The wattage...
List Price : $144.00
Price : $104.99
Saved Price : $39.01
category: Power Supplies
brand: Corsair
Rating : 4.3
Asus P8Z77-V LK Intel Z77 DDR3 LGA 1155 Motherboards
Asus P8Z77-V LK Intel Z77 DDR3 LGA 1155 Motherboards - Review
Great Auto-OC Capability
Pros: OC'ing couldn't be any easier combined with an i5-3570K.
Running at 4.5 GHz using the provided ASUS Suite autotune in extreme mode (using a Corsair H50 WC). My son is finally able to take full advantage of his HD7970.
Cons: Words of warning when installing this in a CM Storm Scout case and using a Sapphire 7970 GPU it will require notching both the Optical Drive and HDD cages or trimming away part of the fan shroud on the card. The MSI MB I replaced had the upper PCIE slot aligned perfectly to allow longer cars to fit into the upper drive cage.
Other Thoughts: No IIDE header was a disappointment, but my fault for not doing my due diligence. In any case it's an added incentive to ditch the legacy hardware. "Network Icontrol" will lower your uploads speed and should be disabled after installing the suite.
Details about Asus P8Z77-V LK Intel Z77 DDR3 LGA 1155 Motherboards
Brand: Asus
Features of this Asus P8Z77-V LK Intel Z77 DDR3 LGA 1155 Motherboards
- CPU: LGA1155, Supports 3rd and 2nd Generation Intel Core i7/ i5/ i3/ Pentium/ Celeron Processors; Supports Intel 22nm/32nm CPUs
- Chipset: Intel Z77
- Memory: 4x DIMM Slots, Dual Channel, Max Capacity up to 32GB; DDR3 2400(O.C.)/2200(O.C.)/2133(O.C.)/2000(O.C.)/1866(O.C.)/1800(O.C.)/1600/1333 MHz
- Slots: 2x PCI-Express 3.0 x16 Slots (x16 or dual x8); 1x PCI-Express 2.0 x16 Slot (runs at x4); 2x PCI-Express 2.0 x1 Slots; 2x PCI Slots
- SATA: 2x SATA3 Ports, 4x SATA2 Ports; Supports RAID 0, 1, 5, 10
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B007RIFKTY
Description : The ASUS P8Z77-V LK motherboard features the Intel Z77 chipset supporting the Intel LGA1155 3rd/2nd Generation Intel Core i7 Processors. ASUS offers this top-tier platform-leading solution with the Digital VRM technology, – capable of achieving most precise adjustment, enhanced performance and stability, and O.C. capacity. EPU conserves energy by intelligently moderating power and load requirements in real-time while TPU provides intelligent system scaling for incredible increases in platform performance while retaining stability.
Customer review : Great Auto-OC Capability
Pros: OC'ing couldn't be any easier combined with an i5-3570K.
Running at 4.5 GHz using the provided ASUS Suite autotune in extreme mode (using a Corsair H50 WC). My son is finally able to take full advantage of his HD7970.
Cons: Words of warning when installing this in a CM Storm Scout case and using a Sapphire 7970 GPU it will require notching both the Optical Drive and HDD cages or trimming away part of the fan shroud on the card. The MSI MB I replaced had the upper PCIE slot aligned perfectly to allow longer cars to fit into the upper drive cage.
Other Thoughts: No IIDE header was a disappointment, but my fault for not doing my due diligence. In any case it's an added incentive to ditch the legacy hardware. "Network Icontrol" will lower your uploads speed and should be disabled after installing the suite.
List Price : $157.50
Price : $126.80
Saved Price : $30.70
category: Motherboards
brand: Asus
Rating : 3.8
ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 GeForce GTX760 2GB GDDR5 256-bit, DVI-I/DVI-D/ HDMI/DP PCI-Express 3.0 SLI ready Graphic Card OC-selected 1072 MHz core
ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 GeForce GTX760 2GB GDDR5 256-bit, DVI-I/DVI-D/ HDMI/DP PCI-Express 3.0 SLI ready Graphic Card OC-selected 1072 MHz core - My Personal Recommendation
Great Performance
Before this I was using two 460s in SLI, but the 760 beats that by quite a large margin.
I'm now running the 760 with one of my previous 460 dedicated to PhysX, Outstanding results.
Details about ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 GeForce GTX760 2GB GDDR5 256-bit, DVI-I/DVI-D/ HDMI/DP PCI-Express 3.0 SLI ready Graphic Card OC-selected 1072 MHz core
Brand: Asus
Features of this ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 GeForce GTX760 2GB GDDR5 256-bit, DVI-I/DVI-D/ HDMI/DP PCI-Express 3.0 SLI ready Graphic Card OC-selected 1072 MHz core
- DirectCU II achieves 20% lower temps with direct-contact copper heatpipes while running vastly quieter than reference
- Direct Power ensures stable performance with 56% less impedance and a 17% cooler PCB
- Super Alloy Power components increase product longevity by up to 2.5X compared to reference
- GPU Tweak helps you modify clock speeds, voltages, fan performance and more, all via an intuitive interface
Where to get the best price?
We've found that Amazon.com is continously providing the best price for this product.
ASIN : B00DBPKEOI
Description : The newly arrived ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 ships with 28nm GPUs and 2GB GDDR5. To fully harness the power of new GPU technology, ASUS GTX760-DC2OC-2GD5 sports ASUS exclusive DirectCU II fansink and flatten copper heat-pipes directly contacted the GPU, not only making this card 20% cooler but also leading vastly quieter operation than reference card
Customer review : Amazing Value Card!
DISCLAIMER: I don't own this card. Yet.
However, I just built a PC for a friend of mine yesterday, and he decided to buy this card because it retails for 260$ and it was just in his budget.
We built a 1150$ gaming pc using the following:
NZXT Phantom Tower Case
Corsair CX600 PSU
ASUS P8Z77-V LK Motherboard
i5-3570k CPU
ASUS GTX 760 GPU
Corsair Vengeance 12GB DDR3 RAM
Cooler Master Hyper 212 EVO heatsink
64GB OCZ Vertex 2 SSD
1TB Seagate HDD
ASUS DVD RW Drive
Which scored a 7.6 on the Windows Experience Rating, and after some slight overclocking (CPU at 4.2GHz, GPU at +68 GPU Clock and +58 Memory Clock) achieved 33 FPS in the Heaven Benchmark with all settings maxed out. With that performance you can easily max out BF3 at 1080p, Ultra quality, and still have room for some Anti-Aliasing, all at 60 FPS. For less than a PS3 would cost you too!
Not bad, for a 260$ card. Not at all,...
List Price : $259.99
Price : $294.00
category: Graphics Cards
brand: Asus
Rating : 5.0