By Kenny @ PureOC

Today we have the chance to take a look at the HyperX Predator series DDR4 memory line. DDR4 memory launched with Intel’s recent X99 Chipset featuring lower voltage with higher native frequencies. It features a native speed of 2133MHz, which is really nothing to WOW about as we have seen these speeds with DDR3. However, with its newer JEDEC Culmination and Density, DDR4 memory components now provide better speeds and faster response while being more power efficient at the same time.

The HyperX Predator memory we are going to be looking at today not only offers fast speeds of 3000MHz out of the box, but also offers the efficiency of lower voltage; we can see some great potential with additional performance once overclocked. We will be comparing results from Kingston’s (HyperX) previous line up from its DDR3 series to see if these claims line up.

Read The Review Here

By Stuart Davidson @ Hardware Heaven  

A couple of months ago we reviewed a high end X99 board from MSI in the form of the X99S Gaming 9 AC. It was packed with performance and features which is great, but it would be fair to say that not everyone has the need (or budget) for extras such as bundled Wi-Fi and the like. To cater for those consumers MSI has a product stack below the Gaming 9 and today in our MSI X99S Gaming 7 Review we look at one of those.

Read The Review Here

Source: TechPowerUp!

Close to X’mas eve, NVIDIA posted what could be it’s final GeForce WHQL driver release for the year, with the GeForce 347.09 WHQL. These “Game Ready” drivers are essentially last week’s GeForce 347.09 Beta, with a WHQL certification. Version 347.09 WHQL comes with optimizations for Metal Gear Solid V: Ground Zeroes and Elite: Dangerous, along with the usual load of GeForce Experience profiles, SLI profiles, and 3D Vision Surround compatibility test recommendations.

NVIDIA’s GeForce Game Ready GeForce 347.09 WHQL drivers can be downloaded from GeForce.com or through GeForce Experience.

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.

• FSP Announces 80 PLUS Titanium Power Supplies
• MSI Z97I GAMING ACK Mini-ITX Motherboard Released
• EVGA Announces Supernova 1600 T2 Power Supply
• BIOSTAR Introducing Built-In LAN Surge Protection For Motherboards
• Samsung Introduces SE790C Curved Monitor
• Lian Li Launches O Series Wall-Mountable Chassis – VIDEO
• Thermalright Introduces Macho 90 and Silver Arrow ITX CPU Coolers
• EVGA X99 Motherboards and G.Skill Memory Offer Top Compatibility
• BenQ Announces New Product Lineup for the 2015 International CES
• Corsair HX1200i Power Supply Coming Soon
• SilverStone Readies SX500-LG PSU in the SFX-L Form-Factor
• ASUS Announces Xonar U3 Plus External DAC with Headphones Amp
• GIGABYTE Introduces FORCE K7 Wireless Keyboard

Following the successful launch of Gary Grigsby’s War in the West earlier this month, we are happy to announce that the first update is now available, bringing the game to version 1.00.08. This patch contains a number of significant rule changes for campaign logic, as well as for the air model and various other parts of the game. In addition, the update provides you with several interface improvements and of course the priority issues have been fixed. 2by3 Games has put in some hard work to get this first update out before the holidays and we hope you will enjoy the changes as much as we do!

Gary Grigsby’s War in the West 1943-45 is the most ambitious and detailed computer wargame on the Western Front of World War II ever made. Starting with the Summer 1943 invasions of Sicily and Italy and proceeding through the invasions of France and the drive into Germany, War in the West brings you all the Allied campaigns in Western Europe and the capability to re-fight the Western Front according to your plan.

The full changelog can be found here.

Click here to download the patch, or use the automatic update tool.

Click here to find out more about War in the West.

New tanks, maps and Personal Missions roll out in Update 9.5

Wargaming today announced that Update 9.5 for World of Tanks has been released in Europe and North America, and will be available to players in Asia on Dec. 23, and Korea Dec. 30. This update brings a wealth of new content by adding 10 new British vehicles along with 3 original battlegrounds: the ruined settlement of Mittengard, the desolate Ghost Town and the snow-covered Winterberg. In addition to the content update, a new Mission system, Personal Missions will become available Jan. 15, 2015.

The newest update to World of Tanks brings a new force of British vehicles rolling out onto the battlefield with a line of impressive British Tank Destroyers. Beginning at Tier 5, the line includes the very distinct Archer with its backward facing gun, the powerful and agile Charioteer, and the FV4005 Stage II. In addition to the Tank Destroyer line, the British tech tree receives 3 new Medium vehicles including the iconic and highly anticipated Sherman Firefly, Sherman II and Grant, along with 2 Light Tanks, the M2 and Stuart I-IV.

Beginning Jan. 15, 2015 tankers will be able to put their skills to the test in new missions called Personal Missions. Unlike the current Mission system, Personal Missions allow players to select the mission they want to complete and missions will not have a time limit. Upon completion of these missions, players will receive a variety of great rewards including unique high-tier vehicles, medals and female crew members.

Click Here for more information about World of Tanks.

Live out your cops and criminal fantasy in Battlefield Hardline, the fastest Battlefield ever. Watch the new Battlefield Hardline: Karma Gameplay Trailer here.

Inspired by great TV crime dramas, Battlefield Hardline gives you a great single player and multiplayer game that allows you to be the law or break the law on foot and on wheels.

Battlefield Hardline will be available in the United Kingdom on March 20, 2015 for the PlayStation®4 computer entertainment system, Xbox One®, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, PC via Origin™, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system, and the Xbox 360® videogame and entertainment system from Microsoft.

More game information is available at the official Battlefield Hardline website.

Get ahead of the game by signing up for the beta now to acquire a tank commander!

My.com and Obsidian Entertainment are giving away a new commander to all players who log in to their Armored Warfare account or sign up for beta access before January 18th, 2015.

Collecting commanders is vital to success in Armored Warfare. Each has a completely unique set of skills and characteristics that can be leveled up, so having a diverse range of them will contribute hugely to the player’s chances of victory. Commanders take time to acquire, however, so this giveaway brings players the chance to get the jump on their enemies early.

This commander, Anthony Diaz, was a military career man that worked his way up from humble beginnings as a Private. Having exhausted the many possibilities the army brings, he felt the only way to find new challenges was to enter the private sector, bringing him to the modern battlefield of Armored Warfare.

To get this exclusive gift you should go to this page by January 18th, 2015.

Please find more information about commanders in Armored Warfare in this article.

Don’t miss your chance to secure this awesome advantage for upcoming battles. Merry Christmas from all at My.com and Obsidian Entertainment!

Battlefront.com today released the v1.03 patch for Combat Mission: Red Thunder. The patch provides a number of important improvements and fixes, including the infamous “26% bug” for those affected, improved stability of internet play, improved building entry for some systems, a mouse text targeting feature indicating range, improved TacAI logic, and much more. It is all-inclusive and can be installed over any version of the game (1.0 thru 1.02)

The v1.03 patch is available for PC and Mac.

To get complete patch details and to download the patch, click here.

Wake Island The Battle and Siege 8-23 December 1941

By John Dudek @ The Wargamer

The first shrieking Japanese aerial bombs to land upon Wake Island that hot early December morning exploded among the 8 Marine F4F-3 Wildcat fighter planes parked along the island’s airstrip. As the first bombs impacted, two Marine pilots sprinted towards their waiting Wildcats, then warming-up on the airfield apron and parked outside the unfinished protective revetment plane bunkers. Direct bomb hits killed both pilots and destroyed their planes as well as the other 6 Wildcat fighter planes standing close nearby. The four remaining Wildcats, who were aloft and still on the outbound leg of their air patrols well offshore, never saw the Japanese bombers because of extremely poor visibility. By the time they returned, much of their island atoll was under a thick pall of black smoke. The 34 land based Mitsubishi “Nell” Japanese bombers, flying from their airfield at Roi in the Marshall Islands, made a leisurely slow turn above the island as if happy and pleased with the viewing of their handiwork. They returned home without loss. The enraged Marines on Wake Island who watched their departure could do little more than curse, impotently grit their teeth, and angrily shake their fists at their attackers. The next time the Japanese bombers came, the island garrison would be ready and would give far and away much better than they received then and during the days to come.

Read on…