Rabu, 28 Februari 2018
Best A3 printers 2018: top printers for large printouts
The best A3 printers let you print lab-quality images at home or in your workplace. But, with prices ranging considerably, you want to be sure that you get the right one.
In our list of the best A3 printers, we've gathered together the top large format printers that money can buy in 2018.
Our price comparison tool will also help you get the best price for the A3 printer of your choice.
Buying an A3 printer doesn't mean you have to break the bank, which is why the Canon PIXMA iP8750 A3+ Wi-Fi Photo Printer is our pick of the best A3 printer in 2018. It can print high quality photos and images at up to A3+ size, and while the print outs are big, the design of this printer isn't, making it an attractive addition to a home or office. There's plenty of connectivity options, including wireless ones, and print speed is excellent as well.
Running on eight dye-based inks, the Pro-100S adds grey and light grey inks to the usual, colour-friendly mix of CMYK plus light cyan and light magenta. Cartridge capacity is 13ml. There's a slight warmth in the balance of colour photo printing, which can be flattering for skin tones, but the Epson dye-based printers are a little cool. The Pro-100's accuracy for mono images is better, thanks to the extra grey inks. It outputs A3+ borderless prints in under four-and-a-half minutes using top-quality mode, making it the fastest A3 photo printer on test. It reigns supreme for super-smooth results on glossy paper, but prints on matte media lack the robustness of those created with pigment-based printers.
This is an incredibly versatile four-in-one device that can print, scan, photocopy and fax, making it an excellent addition to any office. The fact that it can print up to A3 means it's a great choice if you require printing out large documents or photos. It's also pretty well priced, making it a good investment for growing companies.
Epson's large(ish)-format printer has a maximum print size of A3 rather than A3+, which equates to 16.5x11.7 inches instead of 19x13 inches. The regular A3 aspect ratio is also a worse fit for 3x2 format SLR images. A full-size, top-quality print just under six minutes. Unlike the others, this one features card readers, a touchscreen display and an A4 scanner built into the lid, adding all-in-one credentials.
If A3 printouts aren't quite big enough, then the Epson SureColor SC-P800 is the printer for you. It is capable of handling huge A2-sized prints, as well as A3, and while it is expensive, it can give you the flexibility your company needs when printing out large documents. This won't be a printer for everyone's needs, but if you're looking for something that can print large, and print well, then it definitely could be a worthy investment.
- Here's our list of the best printers of 2018
March 01, 2018 at 12:37AM
Jeff Meyer,Matt Hanson
The best free tablet and PC games for children
Welcome to our list of the best free games for children on both tablet and PC. These have been carefully picked to make sure they are appropriate for kids.
We hear a lot of bad stuff about kids playing games. Back in the 1980s, we were told Pac-Man would herald the end of society, resulting in kids roaming maze-like streets, desperate for a fix of glowing dots.
Naturally, that didn’t happen. And in these more enlightened times, there’s plenty of research to suggest gaming is – in moderation – a useful activity. Video games promote problem solving skills and imagination. They are an active leisure pursuit, versus the passivity of television.
Still, it’s important to ensure your kids are playing games that are suitable. This round-up is designed to highlight 20 great games for kids, aged 5–11. They’re complete as-is experiences, low on violence, and tend to combine immediacy and depth. Most of all, though, they’re great fun to play – whatever your age.
10 great children’s games for Android tablets and iPad
These days, kids are more likely to first experience computing and gaming on a tablet than a home computer. To that end, our tablet selection skews a little younger.
According to Google, everything listed here is rated 3+, and so should be safe for even very young children. Apple is more conservative – it rates the games 4+, apart from Super Stickman Golf 3 and Spaceteam, which are 9+. The games are also all simple to control, easy to get into, and fun to play.
A note on IAPs and ads: Free games need to be funded somehow. Several items in this selection offer in-app purchases (IAPs) for in-game currency, and some have ads. In the former case, disable IAPs at a system level on your device before handing it over to a youngling; with the latter, play a game yourself first to check the ads within are OK.
1. Sago Mini Friends
This sweet-natured set of mini-games encourages creativity, dexterity, and puzzle solving. It starts with you selecting a colorful character, who then explores a neighborhood of cartoon houses.
Knock on a door and you’re invited inside for an animated, entertaining playdate. This might involve dress-up, hammering nails into a birdhouse, or enjoying a tasty snack.
Everything’s bright and cheerful, and the game promotes empathy, with one friend looking glum if spoils aren’t evenly shared.
Get Sago Mini Friends for Android and iOS. A Windows PC version is also available. This game has no IAPs/advertising.
2. Lego Creator Islands
In all honesty, we’re sure most parents would be happier seeing kids playing with real Lego rather than virtual bricks on a tablet. But when the real thing isn’t an option, this official game’s a nice substitute.
It’s based around the titular islands, on which you collect bricks, to ‘buy’ Lego sets that are constructed with a few taps. Over time, you’ll accrue houses and vehicles, and cute blocky critters that roam about. As an added bonus, there’s no chance of painfully stepping on a plastic brick.
Get Lego Creator Islands for Android and iOS. This game has no IAPs/advertising.
3. Toca Kitchen 2
If you’ve a child who regularly uses a tablet, chances are you’ve already installed some Toca Boca games. They’re a smart mix of education and play, and Toca Kitchen 2’s no exception.
As you might expect, this one’s all about cooking. The game invites you to make meals – however you like. Devise your own recipes, and foist your creations on a colorful cast of characters, whether you’ve carefully constructed a burger, or decided to microwave a melon and cover it in sauce.
Get Toca Kitchen 2 for Android. This game has no IAPs/advertising. A paid version exists for iOS.
4. Llama Spit Spit
Llama Spit Spit is an oddball shoot ’em up, featuring a flying llama blasting crazy cartoon enemies with a mix of spittle and high-powered weaponry.
The controls are incredibly simple, meaning even younger players can get on board. Power-ups and collectable llamas (with their own background imagery) keep things interesting over the long term.
The one snag is it’s the spit of Shooty Skies (Android/iOS), which is the better (and more surreal) game – although the lack of ads and IAP means the llamas get the nod for this particular list.
Get Llama Spit Spit for Android and iOS. This game has no IAPs/advertising.
5. Disney Crossy Road
The original Crossy Road cleverly reworked Frogger, with blocky characters hopping across chunky endless landscapes, trying to avoid a dunk in a river or getting flattened by a train. But the masterstroke was a raft of unlockable characters.
Disney Crossy Road is much the same, but uses Disney characters that often radically overhaul the game’s visuals and gameplay mechanics. Over 100 figurines are there to be found, and although IAP lurks, playing and collecting coins in the in-game worlds is all you need to snag them all.
Get Disney Crossy Road for Android and iOS. This game features advertising, and has non-essential IAPs for buying new characters.
6. Frisbee Forever 2
You’d think flinging a plastic disc about would make for a rubbish video game. Fortunately, Frisbee Forever 2 is more akin to a set of rollercoasters, with you guiding your disc through gates, collecting stars along the way.
There’s a hint of Nintendo about this breezy arcade experience, with its vibrant visuals, smart level design, and a basic control system suitable for all. And although there are freemium underpinnings, you’re rewarded with in-game currency for every second played – even if an attempt at a level ends in failure.
Get Frisbee Forever 2 for Android and iOS. This game features advertising, and has non-essential IAPs for more rapidly unlocking discs and zones.
7. Fruit Ninja
In the fast-paced Fruit Ninja, your digit becomes a virtual sword, hacking pieces of fruit lobbed on to the screen in two, and attempting to avoid cutting into game-ending bombs.
It’s ideal fodder for a tablet, since you can make pleasingly large swipes across the display. But also the game offers local multiplayer, so two kids can zealously pit their fruit-slicing skills against each other.
Get Fruit Ninja for Android and iOS. This game features advertising, and has non-essential IAPs for purchasing in-game currency.
8. Mekorama
With its tiny isometric worlds you spin with a finger, and landscape-flipping mechanics, Mekorama brings to mind Monument Valley. But this game has no Escher-like optical illusions; instead, it concentrates on straightforward pathfinding as you help an ambling robot reach its goals.
It’s a charming, thoughtful, tactile experience, and on a tablet is suitable for parent/child play, with you working through the puzzles together. Once you’re done with the 50 built-in levels, you can download more from the internet, or make your own.
Get Mekorama for Android and iOS. This game features optional IAP for tipping the developer.
9. Super Stickman Golf 3
For many kids, golf won’t excite. But the Super Stickman universe doesn’t partake in normal golf. Instead, you’re thwacking balls across larger-than-life side-on courses – massive castles; laser-strewn bases; floating islands.
Although it’s a fun solo game, which makes the most of bigger screens (through you being able to see more of each course and therefore aim more precisely), it also has superb multiplayer modes. You can play turn-by-turn matches with friends, or try your hand at frenetic, madcap ‘race to the hole’ skirmishes.
Get Super Stickman Golf 3 for Android and iOS. This game features advertising, and IAP for unlocking a premium upgrade (more courses and slots for turn-based multiplayer) and in-game currency.
10. Spaceteam
If you’ve several kids with devices, Spaceteam’s a delightfully bonkers way to have them all yell at each other in a vaguely productive manner that in theory helps them work as a team. Specifically, a ‘spaceteam’ in a ship trying to outrun an exploding star, with control panels designed by a sadist.
Once devices are connected, instructions appear on your screen – but the controls may be on someone else’s. So you’ll have people yelling nonsense like “someone turn on the dangling shunter”, while figuring out if their own screen has a ‘spectrobolt’ slider. Just like in Star Trek.
Get Spaceteam for Android and iOS. This game has a single optional IAP that unlocks new features and themes
PCs are inherently more complex than tablets. Whereas even very young children can grasp how a touchscreen works, figuring out mice, trackpads and keyboards may take longer.
That’s why our selection of PC games skews a little older, although there’s still fare to suit a five-year-old. Note that several titles are browser-based, although none require plug-ins. We recommend Google Chrome for best results.
1. Cube Slam
Pong was one of the earliest home videogames. Cube Slam is Pong in your browser – only in 3D, and you get to play against a bear (or a friend – but the multiplayer option is flaky).
You face your furry opponent, moving the bat left or right to deflect the cuboid ‘ball’, aiming to smash the bear’s shields. Win enough times and the game introduces power-ups, invisible balls, and extra blocks on the table that make the ball bounce around unpredictably.
2. Quick, Draw
For children who enjoy doodling, Quick, Draw should prove fascinating. The idea is to sketch – against the clock – something recognizable enough for Google’s Neural Network to identify.
In each case, you’re told what to draw. But this game isn’t about drawing photorealistic objects. Instead, you must quickly figure out the key visual clues that describe something. Which is probably a good thing, unless you can scribble a realistic rhinoceros in 20 seconds.
3. World’s Biggest Pac-Man
Pac-Man’s one of the most recognizable gaming icons around, and the original game is simple enough that even young kids can get to grips with it. However, its single maze quickly becomes dull – hence our recommendation to instead play World’s Biggest Pac-Man.
This online effort has hundreds of thousands of mazes, which you venture between by sneaking out of exits. Other than that, the original game’s compelling mix of munching dots and avoiding a quartet of spectral pursuers remains intact.
Play World’s Biggest Pac-Man online
4. Forget-Me-Not
This indie hit takes the basis of Pac-Man and a slew of other ancient arcade games, and then smashes them into an endless bout of modern neon craziness.
Again, the basics are simple enough for any kid to understand: march about mazes, grab a key, and make for the exit. But the game’s chaotic nature (the maze’s denizens appear as intent on blowing each other up as taking on the player) ensures it’s relentless raucous fun.
Download Forget-Me-Not for PC, Mac, OpenPandora and MorphOS
5. Little Alchemy 2
It would be a stretch to call Little Alchemy an educational game, but textbook smarts may help you crack the logic at the core of this match-and-discover puzzler.
You begin with a handful of building blocks, which when combined create new things. Sometimes, discoveries are obvious – add water to more water and you get a puddle. But some are more whimsical and funny, like when metal and a pigeon become a plane.
It’s ideal fodder when your kids want to play games, but you’d prefer them to relax and think for a bit.
Play Little Alchemy 2 online. The game is also available for Android and iOS.
6. Contre Jour
This lovely physics puzzler began life on mobile, but its landscape-warping nature works well in the browser.
The aim is to get trundling protagonist Petit to a glowing exit. This involves click-dragging malleable hills to influence Petit’s movements, or using catapults and dangling tentacles to fling him about.
Petit’s endearingly grumpy demeanor, combined with great-looking visuals and clever level design, makes for a family-friendly puzzler sure to have kids scratching their heads figuring out all the solutions.
Play Contre Jour online. The game is also available in paid form on various mobile platforms
7. Escape Goat
The clue’s in the title here – a leaping bovid wants to reach the exit. But doing so requires brainpower, plenty of dextrous jumping, and the occasional help of a friendly mouse.
Mostly, you’re aiming to reach and butt switches that shift rocks and create tunnels in cunningly designed single-screen challenges. But planning’s often required to collect keys, and not get squashed when walls start moving.
Oddly, when you send the mouse on a mission, you can teleport to its position. Quite why the goat can’t teleport straight to the exit, we’ve no idea. Goats never were the brightest creatures.
Play Escape Goat online. The game is also available in paid form on Steam.
8. Spelunky
This side-on dungeon crawler with a distinctly Indiana Jones vibe became a big indie hit on handhelds, but started life on the PC. Today, there are various ways to play early incarnations of the game for free.
Although this take is rougher than modern iterations, it remains engaging. You explore caves, bounding about, grabbing bling, and duffing up monsters. Each game is unique – caves are randomly generated, and a single error can bring your quest to an abrupt end, with you impaled on spikes or killed by snakes. So tread carefully and look before you leap.
Play Spelunky online, get Spelunky 1.1 for Windows, or download Spelunky 1.3 for Windows and Mac
9. VVVVVV: Make and Play Edition
One for kids who are a bit older and twitchier of thumb, this take on gravity-flip platformer VVVVVV is a special free edition. Like the paid release, it features a little chap who darts about and can leap from ceiling to floor by tapping the jump button.
His aim is to escape from a maze comprising dozens of single screens full of spikes and roaming enemies. This free edition includes maps created by fans – and the means to build your own.
Download VVVVVV: Make and Play Edition for Windows, Mac and Linux
10. Super Crate Box
This one’s also in the twitchy thumbs category, and finds a little pixelated chap leaping about, trying to grab crates. All the while, he must blast creatures spilling into the screen, lest they hurl themselves into the flames below and emerge from the top furiously angry.
The game is fast-paced, entertaining, and has plenty of weapons and arenas to unlock. And although it’s a shooter, we can’t imagine many parents will be too concerned about their kid taking a cartoon bazooka to a conga of green monsters.
Get Super Crate Box for PC, Mac and Linux on Steam
February 28, 2018 at 11:23PM
Craig Granell
Selasa, 27 Februari 2018
This Sea of Thieves edition Xbox One S is the best kind of loot
If you had a sinking feeling that you might not get a new special edition Xbox One S in 2018, you can belay your fears. Microsoft has just announced a new Sea of Thieves special edition Xbox One S that will be released on March 20, 2018.
The special edition console in question will come with a 1TB hard drive and a full download of Sea of Thieves, plus a one month subscription to both Xbox Live and Xbox Games Pass.
So, how much of your hard-earned booty will you have to fork over to Microsoft to claim a console of your own? Surprisingly, not much. The 1TB Sea of Thieves Special Edition Xbox One S will cost $299/£249 (around AU$399).
There’s just one catch…
While most special edition consoles come with the accompanying special controller, the Sea of Thieves bundle will not. That means if you want the exceptionally cool translucent purple controller, you’ll have to buy it separately … to the tune of $74.99 / £52.99 / AU$99.
You can’t catch your fish and eat them, too
Why is Microsoft giving you the short end of the oar on the controller? It’s likely because the console isn’t a full special edition – it’s moreso a bundle.
The distinction between a bundle and a special edition is a bit blurry, but the latter typically entails a crafted console with a different plastic shell while the former is usually just a generic console bundled with a game, usually sold at a discount.
In this case, because you’re just getting a generic console with the game packed in you’ll have to pay separately for the special edition controller.
Ain’t that just a bucket o’ fish?
- If you fancy yourself a gamer, do yourself a favor and cast an eye on our best Xbox One games list!
February 28, 2018 at 02:56AM
Nick Pino
Top 10 best business desktop PCs of 2018
Welcome to our list of the very best business desktop and all-in-one PCs for work, a constantly-updated guide that lists the very best desktop and all-in-one PCs for your business.
When you're working in an office all day, nothing quite beats a traditional business desktop PC for working on. They are usually much more comfortable to use than a laptop, and they can be easily maintained and upgraded, so you don't need to buy a new model every couple of years.
They usually offer a lot more power for a lot less money than business laptops, so if you're looking for a cost effective way to populate your office with powerful machines, going for a business desktop PC is an excellent choice.
Our price comparison tool also searches the internet for the top deals, so once you've found the best business desktop for your needs, you can buy in confidence knowing that you're also getting the best price.
- Want something more portable? Check out our list of the best business laptops
Top 10 best business desktop PCs
To help narrow down your search for the ideal system for your business, here are TechRadar Pro's top 10 business desktop PCs.
Dell is a well-known and well respected name when it comes to business computers, so you can be sure when you buy a machine from Dell that it is a well-built and well-supported device. The Dell OptiPlex 3050 Micro offers very good base specs that can be customised to your needs, for a very compelling price. The slim line case also keeps your desk or office from feeling cluttered.
If you’re looking for an incredibly powerful, yet stylishly designed, all-in-one PC that’s not made by Apple, then Microsoft’s brilliant Surface Studio will be for you. It comes at a price, but for build quality and performance, you’ll not want to look any further, especially if you work in the creative industry.
Read the full review: Microsoft Surface Studio
We've always loved the Apple iMac, and now Apple has produced a professional-orientated, workstation-level, version called the iMac Pro. This is a seriously powerful all-in-one with cutting edge tech, with a choice of powerful Intel Xeon W processors, bags of RAM and hefty graphical processing power. All of this in an iconic Apple design. If you have the budget for it, the iMac Pro is one of the best business PCs money can buy.
Read the full review: Apple iMac Pro
The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 is an excellent desktop PC for business use, as it combines speed and power with an excellent build quality and reliability which is essential for PCs used for work. The Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 comes in a range of configurations, with the top-end model boasting a huge amount of power. This flexibility lets you build a Lenovo ThinkCentre M900 that suits your needs, and there's plenty of room to upgrade and expand this desktop in the future.
There's no denying the solid build quality and sheer design elegance of the Apple iMac all-in-one. If you were setting out to build the most futuristic, glamorous looking office there's no doubt the Apple iMac would be at the top of your shopping list. With the lowest-end model built inside a floating-style 21.5-inch display, even this 'basic' offering is capable of high-end video and photography work.
We've also had time with the new iMac for 2017, and it looks like Apple will continue its winning streak with its new and improved all-in-one.
Read the full review: Apple iMac 2017
A wonderful piece of technology at an amazing price, this all-in-one PC from Dell is a good example of why you may want to shop around. You can buy this machine from Dell Direct, but you may find it cheaper at Amazon – while that means you might not get to customise the PC at checkout, thanks to Amazon Prime, you can get it the following day even if it is a Saturday.
Behold the Mac mini. Apple's cheapest computer is even cheaper when bought from a third-party. It is tiny even compared to the competition but still manages to pack an Intel Core i5 with faster graphics and Thunderbolt 2 plus a myriad of other connectors, all in a box that's only 36mm thick and sits comfortably on an A4 sheet.
Read the full review: Apple Mac mini
The HP ProDesk 400 G4 Tower is an excellent desktop PC that, thanks to its 27% smaller chassis than the previous generation, will look great in modern offices, while providing plenty of power for workers.
If you need a solid PC system that's going to work day-in, day-out, then the Dell Optiplex range should get a good chunk of your attention. The 3020 range is based on a no-nonsense micro-tower system, which comes with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit with a free upgrade to Windows 10 Pro. This system has everything you need to get your business up and running, while remaining expandable as you go.
The HP Elite Slice for Meeting Rooms proves that business desktops don’t have to be big and bulky. This simple yet powerful device has a small form factor that makes it slot onto desks or in meeting rooms with ease, and with dual-microphones, HP Noise cancellation and specialist conferencing software, it makes it the perfect device for holding meetings on.
The types of desktop PCs
A recent development in the desktop PC world has been a modest diversification of the system case. The typical business PC comes in a mini-tower box, which is probably best sited under or next to your desk.
But if space is at a premium, a smaller case would be a better choice. Dell, for example, delivers its Optiplex models in mini tower, 'thin' desktop and 'compact' small form factor sizes, each model offering the same computing power but in a different case.
Three other formats that have grown in popularity are:
[1] All-in-one, otherwise known as AIO, which combine the monitor with the base unit. The move to power-efficient components, the falling price of LCD panels and the ubiquity of touch functionality make AIO an increasingly popular choice for businesses. The all-in-one PC essentially resembles a slightly larger than normal LCD display that contains the processor, hard drive and memory built-in to the screen casing. The end result is a very elegant, clutter-free desktop PC.
[2] Ultra-small form factors, otherwise known as net tops or mini PCs, which borrow a lot of their designs (and components) from laptops. They are essentially laptops without a screen, input peripherals and a battery.
[3] HDMI dongles which have been inspired by tablets and smartphones and often share parts with the latter. These are usually used for display signage or in niche markets. They are usually not powerful enough for most tasks but things are likely to improve by the end of 2016.
February 28, 2018 at 02:30AM
Desire Athow
Apple may extend 2011 iMac repair window in surprisingly pro-consumer move
In a move that many will see as surprisingly pro-consumer, Apple has reportedly extended the period during which it will repair 2011 iMac models through the end of August this year, according to MacRumors citing an internal memo.
The allegedly internally-announced extension includes both the 21.5 and 27-inch variants. Specifically, MacRumors reports that this pilot period for repairs of the soon-to-be-vintage system will run from March 1 through August 31 of this year, and it will include both Apple stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers in the US.
The memo makes no mention of this repair pilot program making its way overseas, sadly.
As MacRumors surmises, Apple stores are generally able to repair a wide range of parts within a given iMac computer, from its display and hinge to its logic board, storage, memory, graphics card and more. However, the memo MacRumors claims to have obtained makes no specific mention of which particular repairs will be supported.
It seems that, after this limited period, the 2011 iMac will officially enter ‘vintage’ status, and no longer be supported for repairs at either Apple’s stores or its repair service partners.
So, why is Apple potentially considering this? Perhaps Apple sold a particularly large volume of iMac computers back in 2011, so much so that it could stand to gain some face in giving those consumers a freebie. At any rate, it could end up drumming up interest around any possible Mac ranges to be revealed this year, with the hope of longer repair periods for its new, hot iMac 2018 models.
Regardless, if you own or want to snap up a 2011 iMac, stay tuned for the possible opportunity to take Apple up on this offer.
- These are the best Macs we've reviewed this past year
February 28, 2018 at 12:19AM
Joe Osborne
The best SMB servers of 2018: top servers for your small or medium business
if you have a growing small or medium sized business, then you'll want to make sure you have the best server for your business needs. These are essential tools for a modern company, and while cloud-based servers are gaining popularity, on-site servers that you operate yourself can still be the best way to go.
It also means it's easier, and more affordable, to expand your SMB server as your business grows.
In this top 10 list of the best SMB servers, we've selected the crème de la crème of servers, ranging from those aimed at small businesses to the sort that bigger enterprises depend on.
So here, in no particular order, are the top servers for small and medium businesses
Servers do not have to be massive or expensive. Take the PowerEdge T20 for example; it has benefited from a wealth of knowledge derived from the 20 years of experience Dell has building servers. While the barebones version doesn't have a hard drive, it's certainly cheap – in the recent past, it has been priced at less than £100 (with cashback offers, that is – it’s always well worth keeping an eye out for these).
It has a Haswell-based Pentium processor that can clock up to 3GHz and supports up to 32GB DDR3 ECC RAM (note that this model comes with 4GB). Expansion capabilities include four SATA ports (32TB if you use 8TB hard drives), four I/O slots and 10 USB ports. Astoundingly for a PC of this price, you also get two DisplayPort connectors, a VGA one, two PS2 and one serial port. Other than a Gigabit Ethernet port, the other points of interest are a 290W PSU and an Intel-based RAID controller.
Read the full review: Dell PowerEdge T20 [barebones]
A bewildering array of SKU (stock keeping units) mean that you sometimes have to sift through entire price lists in order to find the needles in the proverbial haystack. Take the T20 from Dell: You can buy it either as a barebones (listed above) or as a fully configured server. Aimed at the entry-level/SoHo market, the T20 manages to squeeze a lot of expansion potential into a compact, quiet mini-tower chassis plus it comes with a wealth of server features by default making it an ideal alternative to an office workstation.
Compared to the barebones version, this particular model features a more powerful Xeon processor (E3-1225 v3) with 32GB ECC RAM and a 1TB hard disk drive spinning at 7200RPM. It doesn't come with an OS but system administrators will appreciate the flexibility in this respect.
Read the full review: Dell PowerEdge T20 [Xeon]
Lenovo took over IBM's x86 server range back in 2014 and has built on the best of the ThinkServer tradition. The TS140 is the most affordable of the range and is a 4U enterprise-class server that competes with the Dell T20. It comes with support for RAID 0,1,10 and 5 (via an on-board controller) with two 1TB 7200RPM hard disk drives. Like the competition, this one can accommodate up to four 3.5-inch HDDs in total, which means that it can go up to 32TB of storage when loaded with 8TB models. The Intel Xeon E3-1226 V3 processor should be powerful enough for small and medium enterprises.
Lenovo also claims that the acoustics of the TS140 are even quieter than a typical library at 26 decibels. As is the case for the competition, you also get an impressive array of ports and connectors: eight USB ports, four PCI/PCI-e slots, three video connectors (including a pair of DisplayPorts), Serial, Gigabit Ethernet and three audio connectors.
There is sometimes a very fine line between workstations and servers and there is probably no better example than the 5039A-IL from Supermicro. It is part of its SuperWorkstation range but works just as well as a server with acres of upgrade space. Given that it is a barebones solution, the 5039A-IL is especially suitable for small businesses with niche needs like creative houses that might want a server that's a bit more than just a print or file server.
This single socket, mid-tower behemoth (it weighs in at 18.1kg without any parts) offers some impressive tech on board: You can specify Skylake processors (Xeon or Core i3/5/7), up to 64GB of DDR4 ECC memory, plus there's USB 3.1, HDMI, and twin Gigabit ports on the connectivity front, and 7.1 audio to boot. Its expansion capabilities are also breath-taking: DVI/DisplayPort/VGA, serial, eight SATA ports, six PCI/PCI-e slots and support for up to eight (yes, eight) hard disk drives, all powered by a 500W PSU. Supermicro, while not a household name, is one of the biggest server and workstation manufacturers out there with decades of experience.
When you think about servers, Fujitsu is probably not the first vendor which springs to mind. And yet, the Japanese manufacturer is one of the very few (if not the only one) that can claim to be involved in anything from SMB servers to, well, supercomputers. The TX1310 is its entry-level, SMB-focused server and comes with some pretty solid credentials plus an unmatched, industry-leading reliability guarantee. If your server breaks down within the first year of purchase, not only will Fujitsu fix or replace it, the company will also refund you the amount you paid for the server.
Like pretty much everyone at this end of the market, it is designed to run silently 24/7 and offers RAID 0/1/10 but not 5. This model incudes an Intel Xeon E3-1226 v3, two 1TB hard drives and 16GB of RAM. We like the fact that it comes with an optical drive and has two Gigabit Ethernet ports for redundancy. With four DIMM slots and four storage bays, this server supports up to 32TB of storage and 32GB of memory.
One of the fastest growing segments of the server market is dominated by a single company. HP Enterprise's Proliant Microserver Gen8 has successfully managed to fend off competition – thanks to an attractive feature mix and plenty of discounts – and ultimately own this market. These tiny servers have found a market well outside their niche with prosumers buying them en masse and touting their obvious advantages over NAS (network attached storage).
Despite being very small (less than 13l in volume) and light (less than 7kg), this machine packs some impressive capabilities. We're talking support for Intel's Xeon E3 family, up to 16GB of RAM, on system management processor, two Gigabit Ethernet ports, one PCIe slot, support for RAID 0/1/10, a DVD writer, up to four hard disk drives, an internal microSD card slot, an integrated Matrox G200 graphics chip and seven USB ports. It only has a VGA port, though, and has just two memory modules.
Read the full review: HP Proliant Microserver Gen8
If you want something a bit beefier than the aforementioned servers, then consider the TS440. It is far more expensive but then again you get a server that's in another league. For a start, it is far bigger than the previously mentioned servers with a 50 litre volume and a 25kg weight. This 5U server runs on Intel's Xeon E3 models with Turbo Boost technology plus it offers a three-year onsite warranty.
It supports up to 32GB of RAM and its integrated RAID controller offers the four main RAID types. You get a DVD writer, four fans, a 450W PSU and one Gigabit Ethernet port. Up to eight hard disk drives can be installed and there are a whopping eight USB ports as well. There's a lockable door, support for ECC memory, plus a serial and a VGA connector. Sadly, no DisplayPort is present here despite what the Lenovo product page says.
Pitching in the same category as the TS440 is the ML350. This is an expensive piece of kit but just look at the feature list and it actually seems like a very decent deal. Other than the fact that it has a dedicated, integrated graphics card (Matrox G200), it offers a three-year onsite next business day warranty, four Gigabit Ethernet ports and support for 12Gbps SAS (note that it takes only 2.5-inch drives).
But there's more – this server runs an Intel Xeon E5-2603 v3 processor (not the usual E3 CPU) and supports two CPUs. The E5 has six cores which makes it particularly well-suited for more taxing tasks. We're also impressed by the amount of memory slots (24) that it has, allowing it to hit 3TB of memory once 128GB LRDIMM roll out. Oh and other than a lockable front door and a storage controller, this server earns brownie points for having dual redundant, hot-swappable 500W PSUs.
A powerful server doesn't have to be expensive – that's essentially what Scan wants to convey to prospective customers. Specifically designed for the SMB market, this 3XS offering is engineered to be compact and as quiet as possible. The UK-based vendor provides real-time tracking at every stage of the server build process (the servers are built to order, and production includes a 24 hour burn test and 88 point QC check ). Each comes with a three-year onsite warranty; what's more, you get a free recovery USB stick with diagnostic utilities.
If that wasn't enough, the components used in the system are amongst the best in our round-up. Two Broadwell-based Intel Xeon E5-2603 v4 processors provide a total of 12 cores and 30MB of cache. Then there's 64GB of DDR4 ECC RAM from Samsung, a 1TB WD Enterprise-class hard disk drive, two Intel Gigabit Ethernet ports, a 1000W Gold PSU and support for eight hard disk drives. Built by Corsair, the case has a door and all the panels are lined with noise damping material.
Like Supermicro, Asus is not well known for its servers. Instead, the Taiwanese company, one of the biggest component vendors in the world, is popular for a wide range of consumer products including its motherboards. Its TS500-E8-PS4 is a mainstream pedestal 5U tower server perfectly built for both workstation and server dual use.
It features the latest Intel Xeon processor E5-2600 v3 product families, eight DDR4 DIMMs (supporting half a terabyte of RAM), six expansion slots, three 5.25-inch media bays and a single 500W 80 Plus Bronze power supply. There are four 3.5-inch hot-swap SATA/SAS HDD bays which is also upgradable to eight HDD bays for flexible storage requirements.
In addition, with Intel's Intelligent Platform Management Interface (IPMI) 2.0-compliant ASMB8-iKVM module in the TS500 you'll be able to monitor, control and manage the server remotely. Other key specs include 10 SATA ports, a DVD writer, eight USB ports, a PS2 port, a VGA one and three Gigabit Ethernet ports. Note that this is a barebones server, but obviously that gives you plenty of flexibility - something this machine offers in spades.
February 27, 2018 at 10:58PM
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