By MAC @ Hardware Canucks

The motherboard that we are going to be reviewing today is the MSI B350 Tomahawk, which happens to be one of the most popular B350 models at the moment. With a retail price of $110 USD / $145 CAD, it certainly meets our definition of an affordable motherboard. When it comes to specs, it comes pretty well appointed. It has a six-phase CPU power design – which is average for B350 motherboards – along with one PCI-E x3.0 X16 slot, one PCI-E x16 slot that operates at PCI-E 2.0 x4, two PCI-E 2.0 x1 slots, and two legacy PCI slots. Connectivity wise, there are four SATA 6Gb/s ports, one full-speed M.2 x4 slot, eight USB 3.1 Gen1/USB 3.0 ports (four rear I/O, four via headers), and six USB 2.0 ports (two rear I/O, four via headers). Overall, this motherboard looks quite promising. As long as the UEFI BIOS and included software utilities aren’t troublesome, and it can achieve our baseline Ryzen 7 overclock, the MSI B350 Tomahawk is going to be an easy recommendation. Now it’s time to see if everything has indeed been well implemented.

Read The Review Here

By Hilbert Hagedoorn @ Guru3D

Fractal Design recently released their new Meshify C mid tower. The product is based on the Define C, but now has a bit more airflow thanks to a mesh front panel. This all predominantly black chassis comes with decent cooling options, lovely design and it will house up-to motherboards up-to a standard ATX form factor. Armed with a covered PSU (compartment) this product is made with airflow and liquid cooling in mind to serve the more performance oriented PCs. You’ll love the storage options, style, USB 3.1 and low noise levels. With the C series for compact chassis they have a couple of new features, and aimed at a relatively smaller form factor and silence.

Read The Review Here

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

• Raijintek Intros the Coeus EVO Chassis
• MSI X370 GAMING M7 ACK Motherboard Now Available
• Logitech Announces MX ERGO Trackball Mouse – VIDEO
• ENERMAX Intros MaxTytan 750W/800W, the Titanium-rated Flagship Lineup – VIDEO
• Phanteks Glacier C399A Threadripper Waterblock Released
• MSI Z370 GODLIKE Gaming Motherboard Pictured
• GIGABYTE X399 DESIGNARE EX Unveiled
• ASRock Intel Z370 Motherboards Pictured
• Phanteks Intros Free Socket TR4 Bracket for PH-TC14PE Cooler
• D-Link Launches DIR-878 EXO and DIR-882 EXO Wi-Fi Routers
• Club 3D Announces the SenseVision USB 3.0 Dual Display 4K 60 Hz Docking Station
• Apacer Announces AC532 USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
• D-Link Unveils Covr Whole Home Wi-Fi Family of Devices – VIDEO
• ThermalTake Adds Pacific V-GTX 1080Ti Block SKUs for MSI and ASUS

Tripwire Interactive is pleased to share some new screens and a preview video for the upcoming Australian themed update for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam, revealed at their PAX West panel on Saturday, September 2, 2017 (Rising Storm 2: Vietnam starts at approximately the 5 hour mark). Featuring new maps, new weapons, and a whole new fighting force, the Australian update is the first major content drop for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam since the game debuted in May of this year.

The Australians were a major player on the anti-Communist side of the war for 10 years, between 1962 and 1972, along with supporting elements from New Zealand. They will be fully represented in this free update, with new uniforms, unique customization options and specially recorded voice-over.

Check out the new work in progress teaser trailer HERE.

To check out the new screenshots please click HERE.

This update* for Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is chock full of new content including:

• 3 New Maps (One of which has rain)
• New Commander Ability – Canberra bomber strike
• New Chopper – Bushranger (Huey gunship)

New Weapons Currently Planned:

• F1 SMG
• Owens SMG
• L1A1
• L2A1g
• Browning Hi-Power
• Car-15 Carbine

*The current update scope as of Sept 2017

Rising Storm 2: Vietnam is developed by Antimatter Games and published by Tripwire Interactive for PC. Stay up-to-date with the latest Rising Storm 2: Vietnam news and information at www.rs2Vietnam.com.

Source: Battlefield Blog

Starting today, Battlefield 1 Premium Pass owners can start their two-week early access of Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar. On September 19, the most extensive Battlefield expansion yet – and winner of the “Best Add-On/DLC” Gamescom Award – will be available for purchase for all players.

With 6 new maps (including the newly released Lupkow Pass), new weapons, new vehicles, the new Supply Drop mode, the Hussars, and the Russian Army joining the fight, Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar is packed with fresh content. To learn more about the expansion, head to the Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar page.

New to Battlefield 1? Play the In the Name of the Tsar content today and get early access to all other unreleased expansions with Battlefield 1 Revolution*.

Revolutionize Your Play – Battlefield 1 Revolution

With the Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar update comes a new addition granting even higher fidelity and immersion to Battlefield 1: HDR10 support.

HDR (High Dynamic Range) makes the visuals of Battlefield 1 even more stunning for owners of the required tech (a screen with HDR support together with a console/PC with HDR capabilities.)

With an expanded contrast ratio and color palette, more realistic, immersive, and natural visuals will be possible. As you charge through the snowy Lupkow Pass or scout the dark alleys of Tsaritsyn, the light and dark areas will be more detailed, and look more similar to what the human eye would register.

We hope you will enjoy all that Battlefield 1 In the Name of the Tsar has to offer.

* Check www.battlefield.com/games/battlefield-1/premium often for details and release dates for each expansion pack.

Today, Ubisoft announced that Operation Blood Orchid, the Year 2 Season 3 add-on content for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege, has launched on Playstation 4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One and Windows PC. The Theme Park map will be available at no additional cost for all players. Starting today, season pass holders will be able to access three new operators and their signature weapons skins. All other players will be able to unlock the new content starting September 12th using Renown or R6 Credits.

Theme Park Map and Two New SDU Operators
In Operation Blood Orchid, players will have to raid an abandoned theme park, identified by the Special Duties Unit (SDU) – also known as the Flying Tigers – as a criminal organisation’s nest for narcotic manufacturing. After establishing a connection with the Hong Kong Triad, two Flying Tigers are chosen to lead a lethal raid in the Theme Park, a colourful and eclectic map filled with dynamic and fast-paced face-offs.

• Ying: Siu Mei Lin is recognised as an all-purpose operator. After a few operations, she decided to join Team Rainbow, representing Hong Kong’s Flying Tigers Unit. Equipped with the T-95 LSW and the SIX12 shotgun as primary weapons, she knows how to intervene in densely populated areas with her non-lethal unique gadget. Her Candela device is a new breed of flash grenade: when deployed, it releases a cluster of flash charges that can be anchored on surfaces, or it can be thrown out as a grenade or rolled along the floor.
• Lesion: Liu Tze Long is known to take his work seriously and to thrive in high-risk situations. Demonstrating a natural calm while handling highly corrosive substances, he’s also an expert in mine-clearing. Equipped with the SIX12 SD silenced shotgun and the T-5 SMG, Lesion can handle any situation with his Gu mines. When an attacker triggers these mines, they are injected with a toxin that deals an initial burst of damage, and then slower damage over time, limiting their speed until the affected player removes the poison dart. Starting with two Gu mines, his inventory will increase by one Gu mine every 35 seconds until it reaches a maximum of seven mines.

New Polish GROM Operator, Ela Bosak

• Ela: Ela Bosak is the latest and one of the youngest recruits to Team Rainbow. This thirty-year-old operator is a member of Poland’s Military Unit, GROM, and is equipped with the Scorpion EVO 3 A1 SMG and the F0-12 shotgun as primary weapons. Ela also is equipped with the RG15 pistol with a red dot sight, the first pistol in the game with a sight. She is known for her determination and prowess in the field. Her sticky Grzmot mines are proximity concussion mines that affect anyone within radius with reduced movement speed, aiming and vision. Ela’s signature move when in a downed state is the ability to trigger one last concussion mine.

To mark the culmination of Operation Health, Operation Blood Orchid will be the largest update for Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege ever deployed, bringing fixes and improvements to the game, including an updated lighting system, data clean-ups on operators, optimized stability, reduced load times and a smaller memory footprint. New and improved servers will also be deployed around the launch of Season 3 to enhance stability, connectivity and overall performance. For more information about this patch, please consult the full patch notes on rainbow6.com/bloodorchid.

Watch the new Rainbow Six: Siege – Operation Blood Orchid trailer here.

Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six: Siege is currently available worldwide for consoles and PC. For more information about the game and news on the upcoming title update, Operation Blood Orchid, please visit www.rainbow6.com.

Second Wave Coming September 21, Free Updates Coming All Through 2017

Paradox Interactive, a publisher known for shooting from the hip, today announced Steel Division: Normandy 44 Second Wave, the first DLC since the tactical RTS game’s release in May 2017, will be available September 21 on Windows PCs for $7.99.

The Second Wave DLC rolls out four new divisions, including two Allied: the 4th Armored Division (US) and 1st Special Service Brigade (UK), and two Axis: 9. Panzer (DE) and 16. Luftwaffen (DE). Second Wave also includes an exclusive ace – Lt. Col. Creighton W. Abrams and his famous thunderbolt M4 tank, along with 35 new units, including the legendary M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer!

This means Steel Division: Normandy 44 – Second Wave players will have an arsenal of new star units at their disposal, both on land and in air, as the game’s already giant list of historically accurate weaponry, tanks and troops expands even further.

In addition to the DLC announcement, a roadmap of all the free content that will be added continuously to the base game for the coming year, with a possible spill into early 2018, has also been released.

For more information on the Content Roadmap, click here.

For more information on Steel Division: Normandy 44, visit the games official website.

By Thomas Soderstrom @ Tom’s Hardware

After noticing a few empty solder pads on ASRock’s value-awarded X299 Taichi, we said that we couldn’t wait to see the more advanced motherboard that will be based upon the same circuit board. We didn’t need to wait long. The high-end version was already in queue by the time the first review published. The Fatal1ty X299 Professional Gaming i9 adds an AQtion AQC107 10GbE controller from Aquantia, a front-panel USB 3.1 10 Gb/s header, a second ASM3142 USB 3.1 controller to support the added front-panel header, onboard power and reset buttons, and Creative’s Sound Blaster Cinema 3 audio software. It also loses the cheaper board’s DTS Connect license, since compatible receivers are generally thought of as being home-theater equipment. This is, after all, a “Professional Gaming” motherboard.

Read The Review Here

Check out these latest hardware announcements for today from around the web. Also included are some hardware news bits, and on some days, a few rumors tossed in for good measure. Click on the links below to read the official press release, visit the products web page, or to an independent news source.

• Be Quiet! Announces Dark Base Pro 900 White Edition
• EK Water Blocks Further Expands Its Fluid Gaming Portfolio
• GeIL Announces SUPER LUCE RGB SYNC Gaming Memory – Featuring RGB Illumination
• PC Gaming Desktops Sales Grow By 55 Percent
• GIGABYTE Intros GeForce GTX 1080 Mini Graphics Card, World’s Smallest
• Logitech Reinvents the Keyboard Experience with Logitech CRAFT – VIDEO
• ASUS Unveils RT-AX88U Router with Next-Gen 802.11ax Wi-Fi
• ASUS Intros Designo Curve MX38VC and MX32VQ Monitors
• Please Read: Faulty F5 BIOS Update For Ryzen Gigabyte Aorus AX370 Gaming K7 Motherboard
• Rosewill Releases New RGB Gaming Case to Summer Lineup
• G.SKILL Announces New DDR4 Specifications for AMD Ryzen™ Threadripper™ Processors
• ASUS Gives ROG HORUS GK2000 RGB Lighting
• Razer Takes Aim at FPS Market with Customizable Basilisk Mouse
• Sharkoon Releases PureWriter TKL Flat Mechanical Keyboard
• Alienware Announces AW3418DW and AW3418HW Ultra-Wide Curved Displays
• BitFenix Offers Alchemy 2.0 PSU Extension Cables
• DeepCool Releases its BARONKASE LIQUID MATX Case
• Acer Expands Predator Line with Orion 9000 PC, X35 HDR Gaming Monitor
• Acer Also Announces Predator Galea 500 Headset, Cestus 500 Gaming Mouse
• Logitech Announces G613 Wireless Mechanical Keyboard and G603 Wireless Mouse
• Aqua Computer Launches Kryographics Cooler for AMD Radeon RX Vega

NEW UPDATE TO ADD RANK VI FOR GROUND FORCES

At gamescom 2017, Gaijin Entertainment announced that its popular vehicular combat MMOG War Thunder will soon add a sixth rank for Ground Forces via the upcoming New Era Update. The new rank will feature armoured vehicles from the 1960’s through the 1970’s and introduce new ground combat technologies, such as composite and reactive armour.

New mechanics added to War Thunder will significantly expand gameplay in top-rank battles, offering exciting challenges and skills to master to players. Stabilized cannons, one of the common features of Rank VI vehicles, allow players to shoot effectively on the move, while smokescreen launchers increase survivability after detection and open up new tactical opportunities. The introduction of modern armour technology will offer improved protection against HEAT shells and allow players to act more aggressively on the battlefield, which will see the addition of a great variety of new armoured vehicles from the second half of the 20th century.

At gamescom, the Soviet T-64A and US-American M60A1 RISE (P) were presented as the first vehicles on the new rank to feature modern armour technology. The T-64A, the world’s first mass-produced tank featuring composite armour, became a worldwide standard in tank production. It’s composite armour, which is a combination of several layers of different materials, offered improved protection against HEAT shells. In X-Ray view during the hangar screen, players of the T-64A can see in detail the protection their armour offers.

The M60A1 RISE (P) will be the first tank in War Thunder to feature Explosive Reactive Armour (ERA). Explosive-filled containers placed atop regular armour provide additional protection against HEAT shells. When hit, the detonation forces the container’s upper plate against the HEAT shell’s penetrator (a jet of metal moving at hypersonic speed), greatly reducing its effectiveness. Overwhelmingly useful against the first hit to the area, this type of protection leaves the armour below vulnerable to follow-up shots. The updated hit camera will clearly show attacking players which parts of ERA were hit and destroyed.

Additional iconic vehicles from the second half of the 20th century include the American-German MBT-70 project, or KPz 70 for the German variant. Both feature a powerful 152mm cannon capable of shooting conventional shells and guided missiles. The M50 MAG ‘Ontos’ is a powerful US tank destroyer armed with six 106mm recoilless rifles. The world famous BMP-1 personal carrier will enrich the Soviet tree with an amphibious multi-purpose vehicle equipped with a regular cannon and ATGMs.

Besides new post-war machines, the “New Era” Update will add new ground and air vehicles from earlier periods and some new maps. More information is available on War Thunder’s Development Blog.