Currently, if you want to build your own computer, the desktop is the right way to go. I don't have anything against notebooks, but it's a huge difference from building your own computer, and choosing some options from a system builder. Since our world is continuously changing, I wasn't amazed to see that OCZ Technology Group decided to allow ultimate customization for the notebooks, under the banner of the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) notebook initiative.


According to Eugene Chang, product manager for OCZ system solutions, "For years consumers have wanted to build their own mobile computing platforms, but the product offerings and market simply did not serve them as they did in the desktop do it yourself segment. With the OCZ Do-It-Yourself Notebook initiative, OCZ empowers with the resources like validated component guides, documentation, tech support, and a warranty to allow consumers to configure and build a true gaming notebook with the exact specification that matches their unique requirements."

Unfortunately, one major issue with customizable notebooks hasn't been solved yet - while you can install different processors, memory, hard drives and so on, you are forced to stick to the 8600M GT graphics card that comes with the barebone DIY Gaming Notebook from OCZ, and considering the system requirements of the latest games, this is spoiling all the fun that should be hidden behind that "Gaming" label.

The OCZ DIY Gaming Notebook barebone comes with a 15.4-inch display, Intel PM965 core-logic, the Nvidia GeForce 8600M GT with 512MB GDDR2 memory that I mentioned above, CD/DVD burner, keyboard, touchpad, battery and everything else you need for proper office operation, and not gaming...

I know, I may be considered wicked because of what I just said, but we're in 2008! Desktop computers can easily use 4 GPUs, and OCZ is offering a so-called "Gaming Notebook" that has a video card which can't be changed, and it's also only an entry-level one? Come on, OCZ, I know you can do better!

In less than a decade, I guess a system administrator could simply put his company's server into a small case and go away with it, maybe even keep it running and wirelessly connected to the Internet while on the move! The miniaturization process goes on, and the UMPCs are getting more and more popular. For example, let's take the MSI Wind, announced some months ago as a future competitor to AsusTek's Eee PC...


When they have shown the MSI Wind for the first time, everyone expected to see a small laptop, a bit larger than the Eee PC, and not two products, but here's the catch - MSI tries to shoot two rabbits at once, by going after the now notorious UMPC from Asus, as well as its upcoming Eee BOX.

These being said, it seems we're going to have the MSI Wind notebook, and the MSI Wind PC. In the image at the beginning of the article you can see the MSI Wind PC, expected to arrive in mid-June, dressed in Black, White, and probably Pink (although I would rather go for Blue, or MSI's favorite color, Red).

The technical specifications look pretty well, especially the noise level and the power consumption value. Here you have all of those currently available:

- Intel Atom 1.6GHz processor (with passive heatsink)
- Intel 945GC + ICH7 mainboard (with passive heatsink)
- 1GB DDR2 533 Memory SO-DIMM (2GB MAX)
- 160GB 3.5" Hard Disk
- DC Onboard / 65W Adapter
- Slim Type DVD Combo Drive SATA interface
- Gigabit LAN
- On Board CF Card Connector (install OS into CF to save more power)
- 4 in 1 Card Reader
- 7.1 channel HD Audio ALC888
- Internal Mini PCI-E interface, support WiFi / TV Tuner Card (Optional)
- Noise : <30dba
- Power consumption : ~30W
- Size: 70(H)x215(W)x300(D)mm
- Linux based OS

At last, I should say this computer's design doesn't tell me anything. I am sure MSI could have done better, but after all, it's not the design that really matters. Since pricing wasn't announced yet, we should hope the pricing is much better than the design...or maybe it's just a problem with my judgement, and the upcoming MSI Wind PC looks simply great. What do you think?

Released on the 22th of April, 2003, with the SledgeHammer(K8) core, the Opteron server processor line is Intel Xeon's direct competitor, and was also the first processor to implement the AMD64 instruction set architecture. A few years later, in September 2007, AMD announced the Opteron line moves up to the AMD K10 architecture, to feature a quad-core configuration, and now, they just revealed the first energy efficient quad-core Opterons.


Unfortunately, AMD won't break any performance barrier this time, and probably the new Opteron processors won't event offer the best performance-per-watt ratio, but they are an interesting upgrade option for those already using them in their servers.

According to Randy Allen, corporate vice president and general manager of AMD's server and workstation division, "Our new Quad-Core AMD Opteron HE processors were designed to help datacenter managers who see power consumption and virtualization as the keys to solving their overall performance equation."

The new chips for dual processor servers from AMD are the following quad-core Opteron models: 2344 HE (1.70GHz), 2346 HE (1.80GHz) and 2347 HE (1.90GHz), while those having multi-processor machines can get the quad-core 2346 HE (1.80GHz) or the 2347 HE (1.90GHz) chips. All these processors feature so-called ACP of 55W, a considerably lower value when compared to existing quad-core AMD Opteron processors, but it seems the TDP is not going to be that low. According to AMD's own estimations, microprocessors with 55W ACP may have up to 79W TDP.

"These new processors which feature AMD’s advanced power management and virtualization innovations offer a compelling platform for power-conscious datacenter managers who are changing the way they think about performance,” Mr. Allen concluded.

Don't worry, I didn't forget about pricing, so here you go - for 1000-unit quantities, the AMD Opteron 2347 HE, 2346 HE and 2344 HE cost $377, $255 and $209. If a dual processor computer is not enough, then you may have to spend even more, because the AMD Opteron processors 8347 HE and 8346 HE are priced at $873 and $698, respectively.

How old is your graphics card? If you have one with GDDR2 memory, than I am sorry to say it, but you already have a vintage piece of hardware inside your computer! Anyway, it is interesting to notice that, while most graphics cards on the market feature GDDR3 memory, the performance war may skip GDDR4 and move right to GDDR5, a faster memory that started being mass produced these days...


Announced back in late 2005 by Samsung, GDDR4 memory was only used for a few video cards, such as Radeon X1950 XTX, as well as some of the Radeon HD 2900 XT and 2600 XT cards from ATI, and while there were rumors about NVIDIA using this memory for its GeForce 8-series GPUs, this didn't happen.

Now, Qimonda, formerly a division of Infineon Memory Products, decided to skip developing GDDR4 memory, and announced volume production of 512 MB GDDR5 modules at the impressive 3.6 GHz, 4.0 GHz, and 4.5 GHz clock speeds.

Here's what they have to say about it: "Qimonda was the first to announce samples of GDDR5 back in November 2007. We have proven the technology and we can deliver in volume production to the market today. If you look at the best performing GDDR3 parts today, they are running at about 2Gbit/s. With our GDDR5 we are able to at least double this data rate. We believe that Qimonda offers the highest performing graphics memory. There is a price/performance curve, and we are well-positioned to accommodate market demand as adoption increases."

At last, I ask myself when will we get to see video cards really able to use the insane amount of memory bandwidth provided by the GDDR5 memory, considering the fact that fast GDDR5 could surpass the 200GB/s barrier!

Memory is extremely cheaper these days, and this is great news for all memory-hungry users, as well as for programmers that bother less with each day to optimize the code of their applications(which is not that good, in my opinion). Alliances between hardware producers usually lead to better and cheaper products, and it's my pleasure to inform you about a new such alliance which has just been forged between Hynix and ProMOS.


Hynix Semiconductor and ProMOS Technologies, currently engaged in a strategic alliance, announced they signed an agreement which allows Hynix to receive manufacturing capacities, while providing ProMOS with process technology. At the same time, Hynix Semiconductor will buy a stake in ProMOS Technologies.

According to Min-Liang Chen, chairman and president of ProMOS Technologies, "Hynix has always been recognized as one of the foremost technology leaders in global DRAM industry. This is particularly so in the case of the 50nm-class stack process technology. With the signing of the new strategic alliance agreement today, the relationship between Hynix and ProMOS will become much closer."

The details look like this - Hynix licensed the 50nm-class DRAM stack process technology to ProMOS, and ProMOS will offer DRAM products made using the fabrication process from its 300mm fab capacity. At last, Hynix will cooperate with some investors and plans to buy 8 to 10 percent of ProMOS through private placement, in order to strengthen their present relationship.

Mr. Chen concluded by saying that "Instead of being mere technology partner, Hynix will now become one of ProMOS’s major shareholders. I believe this synergistic relationship will be of great benefits to both companies and their respective customers."