How to create your own Raspberry Pi 2 chassis

We already used 3D printers for PC modding, taking you through the basics of using TinkerCad to design your objects. There’s far more to TinkerCad than making 2D fan grilles and modding components, though, and in this post we’re going to use it to create a case. 

Most reasonably priced 3D printers can only cater for sub mini-ITX motherboards, but Intel NUC and Raspberry Pi cases are definitely options for printers with 6in³ printing capacity or more. As Raspberry Pi 2 is the hot hobbyist product of the moment, we’re going to create and print a custom-designed case for it using the 3D Systems Cube 3 printer, while also showing you how to go about creating your own. As the Raspberry Pi 2 is fanless and doesn’t have any active cooling, this job is really easy and you can have some fun with the case design too.

Tools You’ll need:

1. TinkerCard

2. 3D printer or 3D printing service

3. Digital vernier caliper

4. Finger files

How to…

1. DOWNLOAD RASPBERRY PI STL

To create your Pi 2 case, you first need a 3D model of the PCB. Thankfully the Pi B+ PCB is physically identical to the Pi 2 in terms of case layout, and is available to download for free from [www.thingiverse.com]. Search for the Raspberry Pi B+ board by jayftee and grab the 9MB STL file.

2. IMPORT MODEL INTO TINKERCAD

Importing the STL file into TinkerCad [www.tinkercad.com] is easy, and you can then start to build your case around it. In the right-hand menu, under Import, simply point TinkerCad at your downloaded STL file and upload it.

3. START WITH A CUBE

Now you can start building the case, starting by dropping a cube shape into the workplane from the same menu. You can, of course, choose any shape but we’ll be making a rectangular case so we’re starting with a cube.

4. ENLARGE CUBE TO FORM BASE

Modify the cube so it’s the right size for the base of your case. You can either use the measurements provided by TinkerCad to guide you, or simply make the base a little larger than the PCB. The total PCB model size is 58.5x 86.89 mm, so your base needs to accommodate that area measurement.

5. CREATE SCREW HOLE INSERTS

With the PCB lined up on your base, create some cylinders for inserting holes into the case to mount the PCB. You can use standard PC screws – just make a cylinder that’s slightly smaller than the screw thread (a digital vernier caliper will come in handy), so the screw can bite into the plastic.

6. PLACE INSERTS INTO BASE

Move the inserts on to the case and position them in the PCB mounting holes, in order to ensure they line up once the case is printed – another good reason to have a 3D model of the PCB to hand.

7. CHECK BASE FOR CLEARANCE

You now need to raise the inserts, so they don’t go all the way through the base when you convert them in to holes. Lift them by 3-4mm so the screws can pass a little way into the base – you can check they’re clear by looking underneath the case.

8. CREATE CUT-OUT INSERT

As we saw in last month’s 3D printing feature, it’s best to create holes in as many parts of your project as possible to cut printing time and costs. We started by laying down a large object in the base to create an opening – we’re also moving the PCB model out of the way for now.

9. SWITCH TO HOLE MODE

Now convert the object into a hole by selecting it, then clicking on Hole in the Inspector box, which converts it from a colored object into a hole. It should now appear translucent, which indicates that it’s acting as a hole and not a solid object.

10. GROUP OBJECTS

To finish creating the hole, select the base and hole only (leave the mounting holes separate for now), and select Group from the top tool bar. This process will delete the area of the base with which the hole is merged.

11. CREATE CUT-OUT DESIGN

You can then create a vent using individual pieces or, as we did, drop some letters and numbers into place. You can simply enlarge or reduce them to size as needed, depending on your chosen vent design, or you could lay them on top.

12. INSERT SUPPORTS

To hold the characters in place, we created small supports that connect them to the case at the edges. They’ll still look like they’re suspended, but this reinforcement will help them to survive any knocks. We also reversed the lettering, so it will read the right way when you pick up the box.

13. GROUPOBJECTS

Merge your vent design objects into one group by selecting them and clicking the Group icon again, being careful to avoid any objects that you don’t want to group yet.

14. CLONE BASE

We want to apply the same design to the lid of the case, and the easiest way to do this job is to clone the entire base, then remove the PCB support holes as shown. You can move the lid to one side for now.

15. ADD PCB STANDOFFS

You don’t want to screw the PCB directly into the base, so create some small standoffs into which you can insert screws. These bits are just like the standoffs in a PC case, except you only need them to be 5mm or so high. Place these standoffs over the mounting holes.

16. CREATE HOLES

You can now convert the mounting holes from solid objects into holes. Check if they’re aligned with the standoffs, then click on each one and convert it into a hole using the same method employed in step 9.

17. GROUPOBJECTS

In the same way you grouped the vent objects together, you can now group all the base objects together so you can move on. Hold down the left mouse button down, as you would to select an area in Photoshop, or characters in Word, then click the Group button in the top menu.

18. CREATE SIDES

Now put the PCB model back in place and create some side sections. Only two sides of the Raspberry Pi 2 have ports, so the other two can be solid objects. We dropped in a couple of cube shapes and manipulated them to form 3mm-thick walls that run from end to end as shown.

19. CREATE LID MOUNTS

You’ll need away to mount the lid too. You could have a sliding lid, but we preferred the idea of securely screwing it into place. We created two mounts that could sit inside the case, level with the side sections.

20. INSTALL LID MOUNTS

These mounts sit diagonally from each other, and only two are needed so save space – most of the lid will rest on the base’s side sections anyway. We’ve placed the mounts so that there’s still enough clearance between the PCB and the side sections – at least 2-3mm.

21. ADD LID MOUNT SUPPORTS

We went through to the end and printed a test base at this point, but found the supports were too weak, breaking when screwing the lid into them. We went back and added these corner braces to strengthen them. You can also add vents in the sides – we opted for a hexagonal pattern.

22. PLACE LID

Now you can move the lid into position, lining it up with the base and side sections. You can then move onto finishing the side sections and creating holes for the mounting screws.

23. SURROUND PORTS

You don’t really need to create a sealed case with the Raspberry Pi 2, but a sealed case definitely looks neater, so we went some of the way, and surrounded the end ports at the side and the bottom by extending the lid.

24. CREATE PORT SIDE SECTION

We then added a further surround in the lid section, as well as a long side section as the final piece –we’ll cut holes into this part through which the ports can protrude. The idea will be to delete the PCB model, leaving a 3D-printable and two-part case.

25. CONVERT TO HOLE

By converting the side section to a hole, it becomes translucent so you can see the ports you need to cut out to provide access. There are just three – the HDMI port, micro-USB connector and audio output.

26. ADD PORT AND LID HOLES

You then need to recreate the ports from appropriately shaped objects, and then resize them to provide plenty of clearance around them. For the HDMI port, we opted for a rectangular hole, rather than a larger-sized hole shaped like an HDMI port, to ensure there was enough clearance.

27. PRINT YOUR DESIGN

Click on Design, then Download for 3D printing to get the STL file for your design, and either print it on your own 3D printer or use a third-party service, then enlarge any trouble some holes and file the edges. Here’s our design, printed on 3D Systems Cube 3, with a Pi 2 installed.

Raspberry Pi 2 Alternatives

The Raspberry Pi may not have been the first single-board computer on the market, but its success – selling five million units and counting – has led to an explosion in the market never seen before. Here’s a look at the most notable competition to the Pi.

Lemaker Banana Pro

The follow-up to Lemaker’s Banana Pi, as reviewed in Issue 131, the Banana Pro improves on the original design by adopting the new B+/Raspberry Pi 2 GPIO header and adding integrated 802.11/b/g/n Wi-Fi. Additional features over the Raspberry Pi 2 include on-board SATA, infrared support, Gigabit Ethernet and wider compatibility with various operating systems. Its dual-core AllWinner A20 processor, however, lags behind the Pi 2’s BCM2836 in the performance stakes, and there are only two full-sized USB 2 ports – although, unlike the semi-compatible ports of the Pi, they’re fully standards-compliant.

Intel MinnowBoard Max

One of several open-hardware projects Intel is throwing at the hobbyist market, the MinnowBoard Max is significantly more expensive than the Raspberry Pi but includes a full-fat dual-core 64-bit x86 Atom processor and 2GB of RAM in its top configuration. As detailed in Issue 136’s review, it’s a significant improvement over the 32-bit original and boasts some of the best software compatibility of any hobbyist single-board computer. It lacks the community built up around the Raspberry Pi, however, and the add-on Lure boards for it are currently thin on the ground.

SolidRun HummingBoard

The HummingBoard began life as an internal development board. Available in several editions, ranging from a single-core model to the reviewed HummingBoard-i2ex, it uses an uncommon computer-on-module (COM) design. As such, it’s theoretically possible for SolidRun to release upgraded modules you can buy at a lower cost to replacing the entire device, although no such modules have appeared yet. A promised quad-core variant is also missing, leaving the top-end model lagging behind the Raspberry Pi 2, despite using the more efficient Freescale i.MX6 SoC.

CubieTech Cubieboard 4

The Cubieboard 4 might be bulky and pricey, but it’s a beast. Based around the AllWinner A80 SoC, it packs four Cortex-A15 1.8GHz and four Cortex-A7 1.2GHz cores in ARM’s big.LITTLE layout, but with the ability to run all eight cores simultaneously, giving highly threaded workloads a great speed boost. The 2GB of RAM is also generous, but the PowerVR G6230 GPU means hardware graphics acceleration is unavailable outside Android – a major blow for anyone hoping to run a more flexible operating system.

Hardkernel Odroid C1

As soon as the Raspberry Pi 2was announced, Hardkernel was quick to position the C1 as a more powerful alternative board. Based on an Amlogic SoC, the Odroid C1 includes four 1.5GHz Cortex-A5cores, a Mali-450 MP2 GPU and 1GB of DDR3 memory, along with Gigabit Ethernet and a Raspberry Pi+/2 compatible 40-pin GPIO header. Support for Android and Ubuntu 14.04 is included as standard, but the board again lacks the excellent community enjoyed by the Raspberry Pi.

Imagination Technology Creator CI20

The Creator CI20 uses the MIPS instruction set rather than the more common x86 or ARM ISAs. The CI20 has enjoyed an upgrade since its first release; with double the flash storage at 8GB and an eye catching purple PCB. Its dual-core 1.2GHz CPU is also more efficient than its ARM rivals, but can’t beat the quad-core BCM2836 for multi-threaded speed. Its PowerVR SGX540 also lacks acceleration support outside Android, although Imagination has promised to address this issue in the future.

How to overclock, update, and multi-boot your Raspberry Pi 2

The similarities between the original BCM2835 and the new quad-core BCM2 extend to their support for overclocking, providing power users with a means to squeeze a little more power out of their Raspberry Pi the risk of a shortened lifespan. The safest way to get some extra speed out of your new device, assuming you’re running Raspbian, is to use the configuration wizard. At the terminal, type: 

sudo raspi-config

Scroll down to 7 Overclock, hit Enter, read and acknowledge the warning, then choose the bottom option – labeled Pi2 – from the list that appears. Make sure you don’t use any of the other options, including None; these settings are designed for the original Raspberry Pi, and could leave your shiny new Pi 2 running slower than stock speed. Exit the tool by tabbing to Finish and confirm you’d like to reboot when asked. For even higher speeds, you can adjust settings directly within the boot configuration file. Run the following command at the terminal:

nano /boot/config.txt

Head to the bottom of the file, and use the following to adjust the performance of the processor:

arm_freq - Core clock frequency in megahertz

gpu_freq - GPU clock frequency in megahertz

sdram_freq - Memory clock frequency in megahertz

over_voltage - Increase the SoC’s voltage, in steps of 0.025V

Be aware, however, that manually adjusting these settings – in particular the voltage – can render your warranty void.

GPIO expansion

Although the latest Raspberry Pi models have a longer general-purpose-input-output (GPIO) header than their predecessors, it still lacks many functions of rival devices – in particular support for hardware pulse-width modulation (PWM) or analogue inputs. The solution is a GPIO expansion board.

There are plenty of add-ons from which to choose, many of which are tailored to a particular task such as robotics or home automation. A comprehensive list is available at [elinux.org/RPi_ Expansion_Boards].

Updating the firmware and kernel

You’re almost certainly aware that Raspbian needs regular updates to keep it performing in tip-top condition, but you may be running an older kernel and firmware release if you’re relying on the traditional method of using this command:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

To ensure you have the very latest kernel and modules – providing bug fixes, stability and even performance improvements – you need to use a separate tool bundled with Raspbian. At the terminal, type the following command:

sudo rpi-update

This command refreshes the firmware, kernel and all the modules from the official GitHub repository, ensuring that your system is bang up to date.

Multi-boot via NOOBS

While its name may suggest that it’s designed for newcomers, NOOBS (New Out-Of-Box Software) includes one feature that power users may find very useful indeed: multi-boot support. Download NOOBS from [www.raspberrypi.org/downloads], and extract the contents of the Zip to a FAT32-formatted micro-SD card – there’s no need to mess around flashing raw images. Insert the card into the Pi and boot it, then tick the boxes next to as many operating systems as you’d like to install.

When installation is complete, the next boot will load a menu asking which of the installed operating systems you want to boot. Future boots will display this menu for ten seconds, after which the most recently booted OS will be automatically selected. When installing your OS, however, be aware that not every choice available in NOOBS is yet compatible with the Raspberry Pi 2.

How to Install Snappy Ubuntu Core to Raspberry Pi 2

While it isn’t a distribution for everyday use, Ubuntu Core is being positioned by its creator Canonical as the future of mobile and embedded computing. As a result, it can’t hurt to have a play ahead of time and, if you’re planning on creating and distributing packages for Ubuntu smartphones, Ubuntu Core on a Raspberry Pi offers a cheap way to start experimenting.

1. Download Ubuntu Core 

At the time of writing, Ubuntu Core wasn’t available through the NOOBS installer. As a result, the only way to get it up and running is to manually download the image file. Head to [www.raspberrypi.org/downloads] and download the latest release, which at the time of writing was Ubuntu Core Alpha 02. Note that, as Ubuntu requires at least the ARMv7 architecture, it’s incompatible with the ARMv6 original Raspberry Pi hardware. When the download has completed, extract the image file somewhere convenient.

2. Write image to micro-SD card 

As with Open ELEC, the Ubuntu Core image needs to be written to a micro-SD card, completely wiping any data currently on the card. Connect your card to your PC via a reader, then download Win32 ImageWriter from Google and use it to write the uncompressed image file. Users of Linux, OS X and other Posix-style operating systems can instead use the dd command line to write the image as with the following command, where XXX is the device ID of your SD card:

dd if=pi-snappy.img of=/dev/XXX

3. Update via Snappy

If you’re wondering why Ubuntu Core is often called ‘Snappy’ Ubuntu Core, it’s a reference to its new package manager. While the mainstream Ubuntu distribution uses the apt package manager, just like Raspbian, Ubuntu Core uses Snappy. For embedded use, Snappy has numerous benefits, including the ability to roll back any package to any point in time, but it will take time to get used to it. To make sure your Ubuntu Core installation is fully up to date, insert the micro-SD and plug in a keyboard, display, network cable and power, then log in with the username ‘ubuntu’ and password ‘ubuntu’. Type the following command:

sudo snappy update-versions

If you’re told that there are upgrades available, you can view and install them with:

snappy versions

sudo snappy update packagename

If you receive a certificate error, you’ll need to manually set the date and time on your system:

sudo date -s “Wed Apr 1 09:00:00 GMT 2015”

Naturally, change the date for the actual date and time of when you run the command, in 24-hour format.

4. Install WebDM

While most work on Snappy Core takes place at the command line, you can make your experience a little easier by installing WebDM – a package manager that’s accessible over the Raspberry Pi’s network port. Depending on the current release version and defaults selected, WebDM may or may not already be installed. To check, simply attempt to install it:

sudo snappy install webdm

Once the package has installed, if it wasn’t previously installed, you can verify it’s working by visiting http://raspberryip:4200 on the browser of any machine on the same network as the Pi, replacing ‘raspberryip’ with the Pi’s IP address. If you don’t know its IP address, go back to the terminal and type the following command:

ifconfig | grep inet\ addr

You can browse and install Software packages on this interface, but be aware that Ubuntu Core is in a very early alpha stage, so there isn’t much to see at present.

5. Experiment

As Ubuntu Core is in a very early alpha stage, it needs plenty of people to experiment with developing and using Snappy-packaged applications. The best way to get a handle on doing so is to visit the official tutorial at http:// developer.ubuntu.com/en/snappy, where you can take a tour of the operating system’s various features. You can also learn how to port Ubuntu Core to devices other than the Raspberry Pi 2, build or port existing apps to the Snappy package format, and even participate directly in the development of the open source Ubuntu Core.

Best AMD APU Build - How to take advantage of AMD APU

AMD’s APU technology is perfect for computer shops or offices who want to have PC builds with cheaper hardware and energy-cost without compromising average workloads. This technology allows you to use cheap hardware to handle up to heavy computer processing without the lack of graphics muscle to still carry medium gaming and browsing. These build will be running almost 24 hours and they don’t want to spend more money for overkills. In fact, it also a perfect build for a personal computer which is only used in slight gaming, entertainment, and office/school work. AMD APU is just the right piece for these needs.

I am using an AMD A6-5400K APU, a dual-core processor running at 3.60GHz at full load, with an integrated Radeon HD . I am using this build for writing blogs, watching YouTube, and web browsing. Based on my experience, these are the Real-life Benefits of my AMD APU:

1. It is cheaper.

2. Dual-cores are enough for my personal or encoding/browsing/slight gaming computer.

3. Above 3GHZ only on full load is just enough power if I really need it.

4. Powerful On-chip graphics that could run my games from low to medium settings while taking care of my browsing needs will save me more money and energy than buying an after-market graphics card.

Getting the job done with a powerful graphics and lesser power-consumption compared to my gaming machine, this build is just right for me. You might have a more powerful AMD APU at your disposal right now or planning to build one, here are some tips for you to take advantage of AMD APU technology:

1. Choose dual-core APUs only. If you are on this build, you might be saving money and you don’t want buying more cores with more power consumption.

2. Choose the latest APUs because they have the better graphics. FM2 sockets APUs are better than FM1s. You might want to forget the Ks because they will just increase your TDP.

3. Run on normal mode only where the processor will only run to the labeled speed at full load. You can have this setting on your BIOS. This will save you energy.

4. Still on your BIOS settings, force the APU to use the IGP or Integrated Graphics all the time and choose the maximum shared memory size. In my case, I choose 2GB full which is more enough for me but this is the part that you really want to take advantage. If you want to play modern games and browse modern sites most of the time, 2GB is the best choice. You can also step down to 1GB depending on your needs.

5. For the fourth tip to really work effectively, you need at least 6GB of RAM running at 1600MHz. You can choose bigger memory size and speed until your motherboard supports it. This leads to the suggestion that you also need to have a more advance motherboard or a board with a higher FM2 chipset to support high speed RAM. I am using 8GB of RAM. Actual memory running is 6GB only; the 2GB is shared on my graphics. RAM is cheaper these days than a graphics card, so you better take advantage of it.

6. Use only low resolution monitors. Of course, in this budget bracket you are not aiming for 1080p. While you can do that with your APU, it will increase your load and decrease your headroom. Meanwhile, a 20-inch monitor with 1600x900 resolutions works very well for me.

7. Be sure to download and install AMD Catalyst for your APU to function well.

You have more tips to share? Write a comment below. Thanks.

Chillblast Fusion Falcon Review and Test

This is our review and test of a pre-built desktop system, the Chillblast Fusion Falcon. While it is named after a bird, its chassis is hefty and strong enough to stay on your floor or desk. The Phanteks Enthoo Evolv case is durable and sturdy, but it’s also just 450mm tall and 230mm wide – far smaller than full-sized towers, making the Fusion Falcon a tempting micro-ATX alternative to monster desktop machines without cutting performance.

The star component is a GeForce GTX 980 graphics card. Its 1,126MHz core is overclocked to a beefier 1,178MHz, and it tops out at 1,279MHz – a little higher than the stock GPU. It’s partnered with the gaming CPU of the moment – Intel’s 4GHz Core i7-4790K, which Chillblast has boosted to 4.4GHz. That isn’t the highest overclock we’ve seen, but it should be enough to help the Fusion Falcon ease through most applications.

There’s 16GB of DDR3 RAM clocked at a middling 1,600MHz, and a familiar SSD and hard disk combination: a 500GB Samsung 850 Evo solid state drive and a 2TB Seagate hard drive.

Meanwhile, the Asus Z97M-Plus is a micro-ATX board with a decent feature set. The middle of the black PCB has a spare M.2 socket, and two spare DDR3 memory slots can be used to double the amount of RAM. There are a few SATA ports free too, although you’ll have to move the graphics card to access them, and the ports at the bottom of the board are fiddly to reach.

The backplate has four USB 3 ports, two USB 2 ports and a PS/2 port alongside six audio jacks, but there’s no clearCMOS button or S/PDIF output. The front I/O panel offers up two USB 3 ports and the usual audio jacks, although they all sit towards the bottom of one side panel, which could be awkward to reach, depending on the position of your PC.

Perhaps the biggest compromise with the motherboard is the lack of dual graphics ability: this board doesn’t support NVidia SLI, and its second PCI-E slot only runs at 4x speed. There are no on-board buttons or overclocking features either.

There’s also not much room inside the Phanteks case. The SSD and hard disk are relegated to a small cage beneath the PSU shroud, and there are only two bays – elsewhere, storage is limited to a single 3.5in or two 2.5in drives on the main bracket, and two more SSDs on the rear of the motherboard tray. There’s no optical drive either, and the modular bay can’t be used to add one, as the CPU cooler blocks its panel. That said, with changing storage requirements and falling prices, that’s enough room for most people.

In other departments, the Phanteks chassis is impressive. Its side panels swing open on slick hinges, and its front and top panels pop off easily.

A plastic panel with a dust filter is installed behind the main metal façade and protects the 200mm fan, while the PSU’s cables are hidden behind a thick metal shroud. The latter makes the system look tidy, and Chillblast’s attention to detail is just as tidy around the back, with cables running in neat, straight lines.

Finally, the Fusion Falcon also comes with Chillblast’s five-year warranty, which includes two years of collect and return coverage for parts and labor, and another three years of labor coverage after that.

Performance

Running Battlefield 4 at Ultra quality at 2,560 x 1,440, the Falcon never dropped below a solid 49fps. Crysis 3 is our toughest game, but the Chillblast was up to the task at this resolution with a very respectable minimum of 36fps.

Not surprisingly, the single-GPU Fusion Falcon was less convincing when playing games at 4K though. In Battlefield 4, its minimum frame rate dropped to 22fps, and it went all the way down to 17fps in Crysis 3.

In short, this machine is fantastic for gaming at 2,560 x 1,440, but you’ll need a PC with either two GPUs or a GTX Titan X (check our GTX Titan X Review here) for 4K gaming.

Meanwhile, the overclocked processor helped the Chillblast Fusion Falcon to an overall system score of 119,374 in our RealBench 2014 test. That’s a rapid, and enough to handle high-end work and avoid game bottlenecks.

None of the components proved too hot for the Chillblast with its Corsair H80i cooler and 200mm intake fan either. The processor’s delta T of 55°C is fine, and the highly efficient Maxwell GPU architecture meant that the GPU delta T was just 49°C as well. The Fusion Falcon barely made a noise when idling either, and it wasn’t much louder when tasked with tough games, while drawing a modest 335W from the mains when stress-tested. Considering the power available, this is all quite an achievement.

Conclusion

The GTX 980 has ample pace for gaming at every resolution beneath 4K, the processor is quick and the rest of the specification is reasonable too. It’s well-built, looks good and keeps cool. The micro-ATX form factor doesn’t compromise on performance, but this particular setup does result in a few compromises.

There isn’t a huge amount of upgrade room, for example especially for multi-GPU, and full-sized rigs have more room for extra storage. If the lack of upgrade room isn’t a major concern, though, the Chillblast Falcon Fusion is a sturdy, smart alternative to full-sized desktops, offering loads of power in a surprisingly quiet and small chassis.

VERDICT

Fast, well made and quiet. The Fusion Falcon is a great machine for gaming at 2,560 x 1,440, although its room for expansion is a little limited.

CLOUDY CIRCUITRY SCORE – 88

Overclockers Infin8 Nebula Review and Test

This is our review and test of a pre-built desktop system called Overclockers Infin8 Nebula. The latest system from Overclockers is one of the most powerful we’ve seen, and its cooling system is one of the slickest and most extensive water-cooling rigs we’ve seen for a long time.

Samsung SSD 850 Pro 256GB, 512GB and 1TB Comparisons and Tests

In a few significant ways, the 850 Pro is the most advanced 2.5in SSD on the market. So far, Samsung remains the only company to sell products based on 3D NAND, where layers of cells are stacked on top of each other, as well as horizontally. Samsung’s own implementation of this idea is called 3D V-NAND.

Samsung 850 Evo 250GB, 500GB and 1TB Comparison and Tests

Samsung’s SSD 850 Evo uses 3D V-NAND, the firm’s proprietary technology for vertically arranging flash memory cells. We’ve explained the advantages of V-NAND in the 850 Pro review on p52, and it clear that it adds considerably to the cost of SSD production. The 850 Evo aims for a lower price than the 850 Pro, but its prices aren’t the lowest around. The Crucial BX100 and OCZ Arc 100 are both more affordable, as is the Kingston SSDNow V300.

Intel SSD 730 240GB and 480GB Comparison and Tests

In the early days of SSDs, Intel was one of the biggest players, mostly thanks to the X-25M, which offered a significant step up in quality from a lot of other solid state products at the time. Since then, the company has retreated a little and, like many other brands, often relies on thirdparty SandForce controllers. Intel has a strong focus on expensive enterprise-level SSDs, of course, but it still has an interest in the consumer market, and the Intel name alone still carries a lot of weight.

SanDisk Ultra II 240GB Review and Test

While SanDisk’s Extreme Pro range (see opposite) aims for the top end of the market, it’s cheaper Ultra II series caters for the mid-level segment. All SSD manufacturers seem to be employing a similar strategy for their cheaper drives: shave off a few features, along with some performance via cut-down controllers that are cheaper to build, enabling them to cut a great deal off pricing.

Plextor M6 Pro 256GB and 512GB; SanDisk Extreme Pro 480GB Comparison and Tests

The Plextor M6 Pro and SanDisk Extreme Pro occupy the same space in this Labs, as they share the same controller, Marvell’s 88SS9187. They differ in the types of NAND used, though, along with the features on offer, with both firms offering their own tweaks and proprietary additions. The Extreme Pro uses SanDisk’s own 19nm 2-bit NAND, with Plextor instead opting for A19nm Toshiba MLC NAND as used in the OCZ Arc 100.

What are M.2 SSDs? Do you need to buy them?

You could be forgiven for not knowing a great deal about M.2, since the term and the technology have only been around a short while. Originally known as NGFF, or nextgeneration form factor, M.2 is a 67-pin connector that’s intended to replace the growing plethora of different standards for connecting storage devices and other peripherals to a motherboard. It’s included on some Z97 and X99 motherboards, and it’s starting to show up in a growing number of laptops too.

Kingston SSDNow V300 240GB Review and Test

The Kingston SSDNow V300 has been on the market longer than any of the other SSDs on test, being released back in 2013 and based on SandForce’s aging SF-2281 controller. It’s joined by Toshiba 19nm MLC NAND chips, which are built on 64Gb packages, while the warranty is pegged at three years, which is typical of entry-level SSDs.

Crucial BX100 250GB, 500GB and 1TB Comparison and Tests

Following on from the roaring MX100, Crucial’s new strategy is to split its low-priced SSD range in two. The more advanced MX200 has hardware-based encryption, a power-loss protection circuit and SLC caching for some impressive endurance figures, at a slightly higher price than its predecessor does, while the BX100 drops these features and retains the MX100’s great value.

Crucial MX200 250GB, 500GB and 1TB Comparison and Tests

Crucial’s MX100 made a big impact when it launched in 2014, as it performed brilliantly while also being affordable. A few additions have since been made to its successor, the MX200, which have pushed up the price slightly, as the BX100 now occupies the role of Crucial’s most budget-friendly SSD range. The 128GB capacity has been dropped and a 1TB version added. It uses the same Marvell 88SS9189 controller and 16nm Micron MLC NAND as before, though, and retains most of the extra features such as hardware-accelerated AES 256-bit hardware encryption.

HyperX Cloud II Review and Test

The only visible difference between Cloud II and the original Cloud is that the former’s cup arms have a red anodized finish rather than the black of the latter.

As such, the Cloud II retains the sturdy black leather headband, large circumaural ear cups and comfortable, leatherette-covered, memory foam-filled ear pads that made the Cloud a pleasure to wear during long gaming sessions. Inside the large 53mm, drivers are still present too, as is the detachable microphone. Even the bundle of extras remains the same, with a handy airplane adaptor, carry bag and an extra pair of microfiber-covered ear pads included in the box.

How to Make a Video Game from Scratch 2015 version

This month, we have decided to have a go at making a video game for ourselves, and relate our experiences. We’re starting with no prior experience in game development, and no clue what we’re going to make, so the chances of us creating the next Minecraft are unlikely. But the point isn’t to create a masterpiece. Rather, it’s to show that today’s game-making software, combined with an abundance of helpful instructions online, mean that anybody can have a try.

Which the best operating system for your RaspberryPi 2?

Raspbian

The obvious choice for a general-purpose operating system, Raspbian was the first OS to receive support for the Raspberry Pi 2, and in a very clever manner. Rather than branching into two builds, Raspbian detects whether it’s running on the original ARMv6 BCM2835 or new ARMv7 BCM2836 and loads an appropriate kernel; everything in user-space, meanwhile, uses ARMv6 code.

How to build Raspberry Pi 2 Media Streamer using OpenELEC

One of the most common tasks for a housebound Raspberry Pi is to act as a media streamer, and that’s a job that the new Raspberry Pi 2, with its more powerful quad-core processor, can do with aplomb. Using the latest OpenELEC build, there’s no hint of the lag that plagued the user interface on the original Pi, and installing it is a breeze.

How to build a Raspberry Pi 2 File Server using Raspbian

While the strange configuration of its USB and network ports – which share a single USB 2 channel to the system-on-chip (SoC) – may limit the performance of the Raspberry Pi 2 when acting as a file server, its low cost and minuscule power draw mean it’s still a good choice for anyone who doesn’t need high-speed throughput.

How to use Apple Watch with iPhone

The first wearable gadget from Apple beams messages, Facebook updates and simplified apps to our wrists, eliminating the all-too-common need to take out our Apple devices to constantly check notifications. The Watch and the iPhone are intimately connected and should be considered as one system together. There are more than a dozen ways to interact with the Watch, from receiving glanceable notifications, to feeling ‘taptic’ feedback, to summoning Siri, according to WatchKit documentation for developers.

How to make professional Keynote Presentations

1. Control your presentations with your iPhone.

When Steve Jobs did his famous keynote addresses, he didn’t crouch over his laptop and advance slides by clicking the trackpad. He strode confidently about the stage, using a remote control to move things along. Now, not only can you do the same thing with an iPhone in your pocket (or an iPad or iPod touch), but it’s actually an even richer experience. All you have to do is open the Keynote app on your iOS device, and then tap the remote icon in the menu bar. Now you can see the current and next slide, or the next/ current slide plus your presenter notes so you don’t freeze up on stage, and you can draw on the screen with different coloured markers and even use a virtual laser pointer.

Why do you need to buy the newest MacBook?

Launched by Apple CEO Tim Cook in March, the new MacBook builds upon years of learning about miniaturisation during iPad and iPhone development to deliver the thinnest and lightest MacBook yet. “Can you even see it? Can you even feel it?” joked Cook. But not everyone is happy with the decision to equip the system with just one port (USB-C) to handle power, peripherals and external displays.

SteelSeries Apex M800 Review and Test

The keyboard market is saturated with Cherry MX switches, and we’re seeing more companies move away from them in a bid to offer something different. SteelSeries is one such company, and its Apex M800 is fitted with a brand-new switch, the QS1. SteelSeries claims the M800 is the fastest available mechanical keyboard, and it offers per-key RGB backlighting and reprogramming for every key.