It was just a couple months after Sabrent revealed the first QLC-powered PCIe 4.0 SSD, Rocket Q4. Now, the company has announced its latest Rocket 4 Plus PCIe 4.0 NVMe SSD, which is claimed to be the world’s fastest drive at the moment.
The Rocket 4 Plus is equipped with the upgraded Phison PS5018-E18 memory controller, instead of the PS5016-E16. We have yet to know the manufacturer of the 3D TLC NAND flash on the drive. Utilizing a PCIe 4.0×4 interface, the SSD can reach maximum sequential read/write speeds of 7000 MB/s and 6850 MB/s respectively. This kind of performance beats all older Gen 4 SSDs in the market with ease.
Sabrent offers three capacity options for the Rocket 4 Plus, including 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB. No endurance or MTBF ratings have been disclosed, as well as pricing and availability information.
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The Alloy Origins (its review here) is the first keyboard, equipped with HyperX’s own mechanical switches. Earlier this year, HyperX further expanded the lineup with a smaller tenkeyless version, named the Alloy Origins Core. It is aimed for gamers, that does not need the numpad for data entry and can have more room for the mouse.
Unboxing
The Alloy Origins Core is packed inside a red and white colored cardboard box, identical to most HyperX peripherals. A photo of the keyboard is shown at the front, while a selected few features are highlighted at the back in different languages.
Windows 10 is required, if you intend to control the keyboard’s functions using the
NGenuity (Beta) software.
Not much accessories can be found in the box, except a 1.8-meter USB Type-C to Type-A cable and a quick start guide.
HyperX Alloy Origins Core Mechanical Keyboard
The Alloy Origins Core is a shrunk down version of the full-sized Alloy Origins by taking away the number pad. It is a 87-key tenkeyless (TKL) keyboard, with a width of 36 cm and a depth of 13.25 cm. It weighs in at around 900 grams. The full row of function keys is kept intact without dedicated media keys. The LED indicators and HyperX logo are moved to the area above the arrow keys.
The reversible USB Type-C port at the top right corner is the only port on the Alloy Origins Core.
Both the corners and keyboard feet are fitted with anti-slip rubber pads. The feet can be lifted up to create three typing angles (3°, 7°, or 11°).
Our particular keyboard is using the new custom HyperX Aqua switches, but there are two other switch options (Red and “Blue”). Every switch has a dedicated RGB LED mounted on top of the translucent plastic housing. Aftermarket keycaps is possible and easy-to-find, thanks to the identical stem design to Cherry MX’s. HyperX has also released some high-quality PBT Pudding keycaps for their keyboards.
All keycaps are user-replaceable, but HyperX does not include a keycap removal tool in the box. The default keycap set is made out of ABS plastic with laser-etched legends, which is slightly less durable than double-shot injection.
Review
Design
The Alloy Origins Core incorporates the same exterior design as the larger Alloy Origins, with the floating, no-bezel keys. The narrower TKL form factor is supposed to reduce the use of desk space and interference for mouse movements, which is gaining popularity from gamers in the past couple years. The full aircraft-grade aluminium metal chassis provides superb rigidity and durability. Apart from per-key RGB lighting, the simple and black appearance should fit for gaming and office environments.
Custom HyperX Aqua Switches
The HyperX mechanical switches have hardware specifications similar to genuine Cherry MX switches. They are rated to last for at least 80 million keystrokes. The Aqua switch is meant to offer a tactile key press (a bump in the middle), without a noticeable clicky sound. It has a total travel distance of 3.8 mm and will actuate at just 1.8 mm and 45 grams of force. It is marginally lighter, faster and more responsive than the Cherry MX Brown.
HyperX Red: Linear (45 grams @ 1.8 mm)
HyperX Aqua: Tactile (45 grams @ 1.8 mm)
RGB Lighting and Software
As usual, the Alloy Origins Core can be controlled via the NGenuity (Beta) software, which can only be downloaded from the Microsoft Store. It is split into two main sections, Lights and Keys. There are a total of seven pre-loaded RGB lighting effects, such as breathing and wave. Users can also adjust the speed, brightness and colors of the effects.
Every key on the keyboard can be re-assigned to different functions, including Windows shortcuts and macros. It can even be re-mapped to perform a mouse click, if you so desire.
By pressing “Fn + F12” will activate the Game Mode feature, which will disable the Windows key by default to prevent accidental click. In NGenuity, a few popular key combinations can be added, like “Alt + Tab and “Alt +F4. On previous versions of the software, HyperX made it pretty confusing and hard to save the modified profile to the onboard memory. Luckily, the problem is dramatically improved by a button at the lower right corner. You can simply click save and choose which of the three profiles to be overwritten now.
The RGB lighting from the Alloy Origins Core is awesome, with sharp and vibrant colors. Effect transitions are smooth. The above video is showcasing the lighting effects, as well as the typing sound from the HyperX Aqua switches.
Conclusion
The HyperX Alloy Origins Core has excellent build quality and premium feel with the full metal body. The more compact form factor allows for more desk space for larger mouse movements. It is considered more ergonomic and comfortable to use by some research, because of the shorter separation distance between the left and right hands. The tactile HyperX Aqua switches are stable and consistently smooth travel.
The latest version of the NGenuity (Beta) software has fixed the complicated profile saving issue, mentioned in previous reviews. The user interface does not change much overall, but HyperX is releasing regular monthly updates to improve the experience. It is nice to see the company listening to community feedback.
The Alloy Origins Core costs $89.99 USD (MSRP) with a 2-year warranty, which is $20 USD cheaper than the Alloy Origins. I think it is priced affordably with the quality and features, when sometimes TKL keyboards can be more expensive than the full-sized one (due to the lower demand and production volume). For comparison, Razer BlackWidow V3 is on sale for $99.99 USD and SteelSeries Apex MK750 TKL at $89.99 USD.
You can purchase the keyboard from your local/online resellers or the links below from Amazon and Newegg.
Thanks HyperX for providing us the keyboard for review. (Review Sample)
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In recent years, the more compact M.2 form factor solid-state drives have taken over the traditional 2.5-inch in the market for high-performance storage. M.2, previously called Next Generation Form Factor (NGFF), is designed to replaced the older mSATA standard for better read/write speeds and compatibility.
Please do not mix the M.2 form factor with “PCIe vs SATA” (Interfaces) and “NVMe vs AHCI” (Protocols), which are totally different standards.
Physical Dimensions
Most M.2 SSDs found in desktop PCs and laptops have the 2280 form factor. The “22” is the width, while the “80” is the length of the SSD in millimeters (mm). The width and length will vary, depends on the purposes.
The shorter 2230 and 2242 are commonly used in ultrabooks or tablets from systems integrators, where internal space is limited. On the other hand, the enterprise market favours the longer 22110 form factor, which allows for extra NAND flash and special capacitors to increase storage capacity and enable power loss protection.
Connectors
M.2 SSDs can be easily plugged into the motherboard similar to installing a RAM stick, via the golden contact pins at the bottom. The connectors handle both the power and data transmission without the need of messy cables.
However, not all M.2 SSDs feature the same connector/key design. There are a total of 75 pin positions on each module, which some of them are removed to create the 12 available keys. For example, SATA-based M.2 SSDs will have the B and M keys notched, while the PCIe-based one will only have the M key notched. It is even possible to add in a M.2 Wi-Fi and Bluetooth card to the system through different key positions.
Performance
The read/write speeds of a SSD will be determined mainly by the storage interface, instead of the form factor. We have a dedicated article about how well do PCIe, SATA and USB SSDs perform. A M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0 SSD can reach sequential speed up to 3500 MB/s, with newer PCIe 4.0 drives achieving upwards of 5000 MB/s.
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It is not always smooth sailing when you try to assemble a computer. There are different ways to mess things up, whether they are from you or the manufacturers. It is crucial to stay calm and find the exact issue. Below are five useful tips to help you troubleshoot faster.
Re-install the components
It is actually pretty common for some of the parts not detected by the system, mostly due to improper mounting pressure and dust accumulation. If the computer does not boot up at all, listen to the BIOS beep patterns or look for the debug LEDs/codes on the motherboard. This will help you locate the problem.
Reseating each RAM modules and the graphics card, until you hear a noticeable click from the slot, can ensure they are installed correctly. If the motherboard and components are not brand new, it could be a good idea to clean the dust off the connectors and slots carefully.
Isolate the problems
It is almost impossible for all components in the computer to be defected at the same time. It is recommended to only install the necessary/essential hardware on the motherboard, including CPU, GPU and RAM. If your processor features an internal GPU, you can remove the dedicated graphics card. You should also remove all the cable connections from your peripherals. If the system can be booted up properly, add another new component. This step-by-step process can help isolate and locate the specific issue.
Check your cables’ connections
Cables are the most ignored aspect of a PC build. Most of the time, the cable will work as long as the connector and port have the identical shape. However, some cables require more attention than usual, which can be the culprit of no/unstable display signals. For example, there may be a locking mechanism for the cable, that it has to be fully plugged in to function normally. For HDMI and DisplayPort, the cables are rated to work with specific display versions and their corresponding bandwidth limit. A lower quality or bent/damaged cable can affect the signal integrity and cause problems.
Clear the CMOS
Sometimes, old BIOS settings can cause compatibility issue with newly-installed components. Resetting the BIOS to default can be useful. There are two ways to clear the CMOS, which may be slightly different for each motherboard manufacturers.
Method 1
Power off the computer.
Find the Clear CMOS jumper on the motherboard. Consult the user manual, if you are not sure where it is located.
Move/short the jumper to the designated position.
Wait 1 to 5 minutes and move the jumper back the the default position.
Method 2
Power off the computer.
Disconnect the AC power cord.
Remove the circular CMOS battery on the motherboard.
Wait 1 to 5 minutes and reinstall the battery.
Power cycle the computer
When you have just swapped some of the components in the system, especially RAM, the BIOS will need additional time to initialize and test new settings. In rare occasions, the BIOS is stuck on previous configuration and cannot detect the new parts. Therefore, you can force the BIOS to retrain or reset the components by power cycling the computer.
Power off the computer.
Switch off the power supply, but do not disconnect the AC power cord.
Press and hold the power button for at least 10 seconds.
We hope this few tips can help you troubleshoot your computer quickly and more efficiently.
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