These are the Catalyst profiles for multi-GPU support.

New profiles added with this release:

• Hydrophobia Prophecy
  

Guru3D offers you their bi-annual PC Buyers Guide, this is the 2011 Summer edition. This article brings you a set of recommendations of products we feel are great components to build yourself a nice gaming rig.

Keep in mind that what we write here are recommendations, they can be controversial and subjective for you to read. Be sure to read other buyer guides from other media as well to get a complete overview on what's best suited for your specific situation.

You can select from three categories in this buyers guide. Let's quickly walk through them:

• PC Buyer
  

VIA Labs, Inc., a leading supplier of USB 3.0 integrated chip controllers, today announced its latest USB 3.0 device controller, the VIA Labs VL751 SuperSpeed USB to NAND flash controller. The VL751 is VIA Labs' second-generation single-chip solution for USB 3.0 flash drives, and offers enhanced performance using today's popular flash memories. The VIA Labs VL751 has been certified by the USB Implementers Forum (USB-IF) for SuperSpeed operation, ensuring high quality, seamless interoperability, and effortless backwards compatibility.

The VIA Labs VL751 features a four-channel NAND interface, doubling or even quadrupling maximum throughput over single or dual-channel designs. The second generation VIA Labs VL751 offers improved parallelization and higher efficiency through integrated pre-read and pre-write buffers, better support for popular flash memories, and a pipelined ECC engine. Cumulatively, these enhancements translate into a nearly 100% performance boost over the VIA Labs VL750 with no increase in power consumption.

"With USB 3.0 functionality being integrated into next-generation chipsets, virtually all new desktops and laptops will have USB 3.0 by early next year" said David Hsu, Associate Vice President, VIA Labs, Inc. "The VIA Labs VL751 will be important in the general broadening of the USB 3.0 ecosystem by allowing fast, large capacity flash drives of 32gb or more to be readily available and more affordable than ever."

VIA Labs VL751 USB 3.0 to NAND Flash Controller
The VIA Labs VL751 features USB mass storage class 'Bulk-Only Transport' for universal compatibility across platforms such as Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux without the need for additional drivers. Featuring a 4-channel memory controller with interleaving support, blistering fast data transfer speeds of 120MB/s or more are within reach. VIA Labs VL751 is fully compliant with the USB 3.0 specification, and is also backwards compatible with USB 2.0 and 1.1 standards, offering class-leading performance in USB 2.0 mode with transfer speeds of up to 35 MB/s.

In addition to high performance, the VIA Labs VL751 is also designed for ease of implementation and support. Powered by advanced in-house PHYs, VIA Labs VL751 is a single-chip solution that offers outstanding signal integrity characteristics while supporting popular 2X-3X nm flash memories.

Turtle Beach, the market leading pioneers of the gaming headset category, today announced the Ear Force X12 Stereo Amplified Gaming Headset for Xbox 360 and PC. The X12 features massive 50mm speakers for enhanced audio immersion along with an In-line Amplifier for precision audio control at your fingertips. With Microphone Monitoring and Variable Bass Boost included, the X12 continues the Turtle Beach tradition of delivering superior gaming audio at an affordable price.

Designed primarily for the Xbox 360, but compatible with PC, the X12 is the next generation of the bestselling and battle-tested X1, which created the console headset category in 2007, and the X11, which has been the bestselling Xbox stereo headset in history. The X12 features vastly improved sound quality and a rugged but lightweight, ergonomic design that provides gamers with an enhanced audio experience and comfort during long gaming sessions. The USB powered, the X12 never needs batteries and combines crystal-clear audio with advanced features for an attractive and affordable package no gamer can pass up.

According to a leaked development roadmap, Intel plans to release two series of engineering sample chips, which are going to be followed by a batch of qualification samples. The latter won't arrive until the second week of November 2011, and the first Ivy Bridge processors are expected to enter mass production in the final week of December 2011.

However, the initial production run will include only quad-core CPUs, as dual-core parts will only enter mass production in the first or second week of February. According to Intel's documents, this means that dual-core SKUs won't reach the retail market until April or May of 2012.

Intel's Ivy Bridge processors are a die 22nm shrink of the Sandy Bridge chips and feature the same architecture with a few minor tweaks and an improved graphics core. This will receive DirectX 11 support as well as 30% more EUs than the HD 3000 GPU used in current second generation Core processors.

Other CPU features include better AVX performance, an integrated PCI Express 3.0 controller as well as native USB 3.0 support thanks to the Panther Point chipsets, which are also expected to enter mass production in the final week of December 2011.

Intel's 22nm Ivy Bridge processors use the same LGA 1155 socket as their current counterparts, so most Sandy Bridge motherboards should be compatible with these chips after a simple BIOS update.

A recently leaked company document has uncovered that the 2013 Haswell CPU will feature support for the yet-unreleased Direct X 11.1 API. This information was uncovered by SweClockers, which has somehow managed to come across an Internal Intel slide that is entitled

Stealth announced the LPC-125LPM, a new low-power mini PC designed for embedded and in-vehicle applications.  

A new ultra small PC designed specifically for in-vehicle/mobile/embedded applications. Stealth's model LPC-125LPM is a rugged small form PC that operates in extreme temperatures and is energy efficient, drawing less than 20 Watts in operational power.

Housed in a rugged aluminum enclosure this energy efficient & versatile PC measures out at only 4.0" x 6.1" x 1.45" (102mm x 155mm x 37mm) or about the size of a deck of playing cards. The Stealth Mini PC weighs in at a mere 1.2lbs or 0.54kg. The PC operates from 10-26V of DC power making it ideal for DC powered applications typically found in vehicles and mobile applications.

According to Stealth CEO, Ed Boutilier; "One of the unique attributes the LPC-125LPM mobile computer possesses is a smart power interface that provides a controlled system start-up and shut-down time. This feature is absolutely critical in preventing data corruption typically caused when power sources are interrupted in mobile and field environments."

Stealth's embedded mobile PC utilizes the energy saving Intel D525 Pineview 1.8GHz Dual Core processor technology with two physical cores and four Intel Hyperthreading resources. (two per core) The Stealth ultra low-powered computer provides plenty of performance for most embedded and in-vehicle applications.

The LPC-125LPM mini PC features a multitude of I/O connectivity built directly into its impressively small design such as; Gigabit LAN, 3-USB, 2-Serial, Video, Audio In/Out, 2-PS/2 ports and 1-external express card slot. The rear locking DC power connector ensures power is securely in place. The LPC-125LPM also features an internal Mini-PCIe card slot for special expansion capability and supports up to 4GB of DDR3 SODIMM memory.

The LPC-125LPM computer comes standard with a 55GB solid state drive (SSD) providing for extended operating temperatures, vibration and shock. The PC will operate from -10 to +60C or 14 to 140F. If extended temperature, shock and vibration is not a concern the ultra small computer can be configured with a 2.5" mobile hard drive with capacities up to 750GB. Systems are compatible with Microsoft Windows 7/XP, Linux etc and can be custom configured to meet the exact needs of the OEM or end user. The LPC-125LPM is currently shipping with base pricing starting at $895.00 USD.

Well, that's something you do not see everyday.

Canon launched two new desktop business accessories, the X Mark I Mouse Lite and the X Mark I Keypad. Designed with input from Canon's Camera design team, these sleek and stylish products are the ideal extension to a laptop's standard keyboard, helping to improve overall work efficiency for business professionals working remotely.

"The addition of the X Mark I Keypad and X Mark I Mouse Lite marks Canon's entry into a new product category," said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A. "Canon recognizes that business professionals are always on the search for tools that help improve work efficiency and we feel these new products will certainly accomplish this task."

The three-in-one Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite combines the functionality of a laser mouse in addition to a keypad and 10-digit calculator making it ideal for the traveling business professional along with anyone interested in minimizing the number of accessories in a workspace. Available in either black or white, the X Mark I Mouse Lite is compatible with Windows PC or Mac laptops, has three mouse buttons and Bluetooth 2.01 connectivity. In addition, this new mouse has a low battery indicator to avoid running out of power unexpectedly.

Designed for the on-the-go business professional, the Canon X Mark I Keypad provides users with a two-in-one keypad in addition to a 10-digit Semi-Desktop Calculator that can be easily paired with either a Windows PC or Mac laptop through Bluetooth 2.01. Powered by solar and AAA batteries, the X Mark I Keypad is available in black or white.

The Canon X Mark I Mouse Lite will have an estimated selling price of $59.99 and is expected to become available in August while the Canon X Mark I Keypad will have an estimated selling price of $59.99 and is expected to ship in September.

• "Hangar 18," buried deep within the military black site Area 51, where gamers will battle through experimental weapons labs, the SR-71 test hangar and a Mysterious autopsy room.
• "Drive-In," where players engage in close-quarters combat through a 1960s drive-in theater, complete with snack shack and a classic arcade. 
• "Silo," a massive multilevel battleground tucked within a super-secret Soviet era nuclear missile site. 
• "Hazard," perched on the verdant Cuban cliffside, where gamers traverse a coastal golf course fit for a dictator. This is the only set of links where the hazards shoot back. 
• "Shangri-La," the all-new Zombies experience, which transports players to a mythical paradise overrun with the undead. Face off against new species of zombies and navigate a treacherous labyrinth of underground caverns, all set within a lost jungle shrine.

This is the first beta release from the Release 280 family of drivers.

This driver package supports GeForce 6, 7, 8, 9, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500-series desktop GPUs as well as ION desktop GPUs. This driver package also includes the 3D Vision Controller driver.

New in Release 280.19

NVIDIA SLI

• Enables SLI technology on SLI-certified motherboards with AMD chipsets: 990FX, 990X, and 970.

Other

• Installs HD Audio driver version 1.2.23.3
• Installs PhysX System Software to version 9.10.0514
• Supports playing back Blu-ray 3D discs when connecting your GPU to an HDMI 1.4 3D TV. Playback requires compatible software application from CyberLink, ArcSoft, Roxio, or Corel. For GPU and system requirements, visit the NVIDIA Blu-ray 3D website.
• Supports the new GPU-accelerated features in Adobe Creative Suite 5 including Photoshop CS5.
• Supports GPU-acceleration for smoother online HD videos with Adobe Flash.
• Supports OpenGL 3.3 for GeForce 8-series and later GPUs.
• Supports OpenGL 4.1 on GeForce 400 series and later GPUs.
• Supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI technology on DirectX 9, DirectX 10, DirectX 11, and OpenGL, including 3-way SLI, Quad SLI, and SLI support on SLI-certified Intel X58-based motherboards.
• Supports GPU overclocking and temperature monitoring by installing NVIDIA System Tools software.
• Users without US English operating systems can select their language and download the International driver here.

*Note: The following SLI features are only supported on Windows Vista and Windows 7: Quad SLI technology, 3-way SLI technology, Hybrid SLI, and SLI multi-monitor support.

Supported Products ION (Desktops)
ION

ION LE (Desktops)
ION LE

GeForce 500 Series
GeForce GTX 590, GeForce GTX 580, GeForce GTX 570, GeForce GTX 560, GeForce GTX 560 Ti, GeForce GTX 550 Ti, GeForce GT 545, GeForce GT 530, GeForce GT 520

GeForce 400 Series
GeForce GTX 480, GeForce GTX 470, GeForce GTX 465, GeForce GTX 460 SE, GeForce GTX 460, GeForce GTS 450, GeForce GT 440, GeForce GT 430, GeForce GT 420, GeForce 405

GeForce 300 Series
GeForce GT 340, GeForce GT 330, GeForce GT 320, GeForce 315, GeForce 310

GeForce 200 Series
GeForce GTX 295, GeForce GTX 285, GeForce GTX 280, GeForce GTX 275, GeForce GTX 260, GeForce GTS 250, GeForce GTS 240, GeForce GT 230, GeForce GT 240, GeForce GT 220, GeForce G210, GeForce 210, GeForce 205

GeForce 100 Series
GeForce GT 140, GeForce GT 130, GeForce GT 120, GeForce G100

GeForce 9 Series
GeForce 9800 GX2, GeForce 9800 GTX/GTX+, GeForce 9800 GT, GeForce 9600 GT, GeForce 9600 GSO, GeForce 9600 GSO 512, GeForce 9600 GS, GeForce 9500 GT, GeForce 9500 GS, GeForce 9400 GT, GeForce 9400, GeForce 9300 GS, GeForce 9300 GE, GeForce 9300 SE, GeForce 9300, GeForce 9200, GeForce 9100

GeForce 8 Series
GeForce 8800 Ultra, GeForce 8800 GTX, GeForce 8800 GTS 512, GeForce 8800 GTS, GeForce 8800 GT, GeForce 8800 GS, GeForce 8600 GTS, GeForce 8600 GT, GeForce 8600 GS, GeForce 8500 GT, GeForce 8400 GS, GeForce 8400 SE, GeForce 8400, GeForce 8300 GS, GeForce 8300, GeForce 8200, GeForce 8200 /nForce 730a, GeForce 8100 /nForce 720a

GeForce 7 Series
GeForce 7025 / NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 PV / NVIDIA nForce 630a, GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 610i, GeForce 7050 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7100 / NVIDIA nForce 620i, GeForce 7100 GS, GeForce 7150 / NVIDIA nForce 630i, GeForce 7300 SE / 7200 GS, GeForce 7300 LE, GeForce 7300 GS, GeForce 7300 GT, GeForce 7350 LE, GeForce 7500 LE, GeForce 7550 LE, GeForce 7600 LE, GeForce 7600 GS, GeForce 7600 GT, GeForce 7650 GS, GeForce 7800 GS, GeForce 7800 GTX, GeForce 7800 SLI, GeForce 7900 GS, GeForce 7900 GT/GTO, GeForce 7900 GTX, GeForce 7950 GT, GeForce 7950 GX2

GeForce 6 Series
GeForce 6100, GeForce 6100 nForce 400, GeForce 6100 nForce 405, GeForce 6100 nForce 420, GeForce 6150, GeForce 6150 LE, GeForce 6150LE / Quadro NVS 210S, GeForce 6150SE nForce 430, GeForce 6200, GeForce 6200 A-LE, GeForce 6200 LE, GeForce 6200 TurboCache(TM), GeForce 6200SE TurboCache(TM), GeForce 6250, GeForce 6500, GeForce 6600, GeForce 6600 GT, GeForce 6600 LE, GeForce 6600 VE, GeForce 6610 XL, GeForce 6700 XL, GeForce 6800, GeForce 6800 GS, GeForce 6800 GS/XT, GeForce 6800 GT, GeForce 6800 LE, GeForce 6800 Ultra, GeForce 6800 XE, GeForce 6800 XT

We have a discussion thread open on these drivers right here.

Download:

 Nvidia GeForce 280.19 Win 7 64-bit
 Nvidia GeForce 280.19 Win 7 32-bit
 Nvidia GeForce 280.19 Win XP 32-bit

We look at the Corsair Force GT, an all new SATA 3 SSD. Compared to the Force 3 the difference in-between the two products is to be found in its NAND flash memory, the GT will be a notch faster in throughput as it makes use of synchronous NAND flash memory, the recently tested regular 3 model will run one gear slower, yet still incredibly fast thanks to slightly cheaper asynchronous NAND flash memory. Both drives come with that SandForce SF-2281 controller to deliver at up to 555 MBps read and 515 MBps write speeds. Check out the full review right here.

Razer takes your thumping music beats and exciting game audio to the streets with the Razer Electra slick headphones designed to deliver powerful bass depth and crisp clear soundstages in a comfortable and versatile package.

Whether gamers are flinging birds, pwning monsters, or running gauntlets on their smartphones, tablets, or netbooks, the demand for enriching gaming experiences with exceptional audio is undeniable. The Razer Electra provides just that with deep, booming bass and balanced sound delivered by audio drivers finely tuned to low frequencies.

While out on the streets or in the subway, noise can be a major hindrance to your listening pleasure. Enter the Razer Electra, featuring optimally positioned ear cups and thick leatherette ear cushions that mold to the shape of your ears to block out the bad stuff and keep the good vibrations in. Also built with a flexible headband structure and lightweight frame to provide long-lasting comfort over extended play, the Razer Electra keeps the awesome soundtrack to your life pumping full force.

Though not announced a new cooler from Arctic is available, the Accelero L2 Plus.

The L2 Plus is designed to be a GPU fan-heatsink with a number of individual heatsinks included in the package to cool the VRM and memory. It is targeted at mid-thru-performance segment graphics cards with square GPU bolt layouts. The main fan-heatsink measures 119 (L) x 94 (W) x 51 (H) mm, weighing 250 g. It is a monolithic aluminum heatsink, that uses a 92 mm fan to ventilate it. The base doesn't cover the entire bottom area of the heatsink, and so the fins guide the air down to the PCB, to cool other components.

The main heatsink has the capacity to handle thermal loads of up to 120W. The 92 mm fan spins at speeds between 900 and 2,000 RPM, and is PWM-controlled. It can push up to 27 CFM of air, with noise-level of 0.4 Sone. Apart from the required screws and bolts, there are eight heatsinks each for memory and VRM chips (standard sized MOSFETs). The small heatsinks don't come with thermal tapes, but instead a sachet of Arctic G1 Adhesive TIM is bundled, apart from non-adhesive MX-4 for the main heatsink. GPU compatibility is listed below. The Arctic Accelero L2 Plus is priced at $22.67 in the US, and

Taiwan-based JMicron Technology has successfully developed SATA 6Gbps controller ICs for use in solid state drives (SSD), and will begin small-volume shipments in the third quarter, according to industry sources.

JMicron will substantially scale up shipments of its in-house developed SATA3 SSD controllers in the fourth quarter as orders are expected to arrive, the sources indicated.

With SSD controllers carrying higher gross margins, rising shipments of the product line are expected to boost JMicron's profitability for 2011, the sources said. The company already is shipping SSD controllers to Toshiba and Kingston Technology, the sources added.

In addition to SSD controllers, JMicron also specializes in the design of controller chips for USB 3.0 storage devices. Previous reports cited market sources as saying that the company has secured orders for USB 3.0 HDD controllers from Western Digital (WD) and Samsung Electronics.

Don

You just have to wonder, at what point can't it get smaller anymore ? Expreview reports a leaked roadmap from Intel projects 10nm chips by 2018:
As we all know,Intel has entered 32nm process with Sandy Bridge,and then will be the 22nm Ivy Bridge.The next is 22nm "Haswell",which is expected to access to desktop field in 2013,while to server field in 2014.

In 2014,Intel will also step into 14nm process along with "Rockwell",and then will be the 14nm "Skylake",which is predicted to realize in server field in 2H 2016.About at the end of 2017 or the beginning of 2018,Intel will apply 10nm "Skymont" in the server.

After a quick codec pack download, those of you running Windows 7 or Vista should be able to preview RAW files straight from Windows Explorer, without having to use third-party tools like Adobe Bridge. Microsoft announced the release of the pack on its blog earlier today.

You can download it here in 32-bit and 64-bit variants.

The new drivers will bring with them support for AMD's new Fusion "Llano" A-series accelerated processing units (APUs), which embed AMD Radeon HD 6000 series GPU components. The drivers are WHQL-signed.

Resolved Issues for the Windows 7 Operating System
This section provides information on resolved known issues in this release of the AMD Catalyst 11.7 software suite for Windows 7. These include:

• All issues experienced with mouse cursor lag have been resolved
• Resolves system hangs seen in the AMD Catalyst 11.6 driver on specific HDMI and DP displays
• Log event (Event ID 62464) issues when playing video content have been resolved
• Bluray playback using PowerDVD 10 under High Performance mode no longer randomly displays a blank screen.
• Bluray playback using PowerDVD 10 under High Performance mode no longer randomly hangs.
• Some Divx format files no longer display video corruption using WinDVD.
• AVIVO Video Quality settings are now correctly applied to Flash Video Content.
• AMD SteadyVideo is now applied to Home Video clips when using WinDVD 10.
• Random screen corruption is no longer displayed when changing desktop themes.
• Chequerboard corruption is no longer displayed intermittently when playing DirectX 10 titles in a Crossfire configuration with
• Eyefinity enabled.
• Shogun II now renders the cinematics correctly when run in various Eyefinity configurations.
• Video playback now works correctly when Hardware acceleration is enabled with VLC Player version 1.1.9.
• 720P Divx video clips no longer display stuttering when played using Windows Media Center and Windows Media Player.
• Crossfire now functions correctly when playing Hamilton