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Introduction - Year 2003 Overview:
The year 2003 introduced several innovations to the consumer market and provided another successful run
here at MTB. As a Canadian based website, we witnessed first hand how certain events can impact the
technology sector. Canada battled everything from SARS to electrical blackouts and in the midst of it
all we still managed to continue on as a prospering country. In the span of two years, MTB has grown
from a small tier site to a world class website with four staff members devoted to this crazy passion
called case modding. In order to reflect MTB's new direction and vision, the first six months of 2003
was spent re-developing the site from scratch with a brand new layout and format. Several new changes
were also implemented including a new rating system, updated forums, a new roster of sponsors and
affiliates as well as the introduction of paid advertising. While the outlook for MTB looked positive,
we suffered out first blow with the announcement and departure of one of our key staff members BigDaddy.
BigDaddy played an integral role in the development of MTB and I cannot thank him enough for all his
efforts and contributions. In BigDaddy's place, I have brought on two new staff members (DrMobius and
Shatterstar) who have already earned the respect of the existing staff members and our supportive forum
community. This article is a celebration of MTB's second official birthday and a time for MTB staff to
reflect on the product hits and misses of the Year 2003. We will also provide you with some insight into
our favourite personal moments as well.
One of the great aspects of 2003 was MTB's performance which was equal if not better than was accomplished
in 2002. In 2003, we completed a total of 140 different new product reviews beating our old record of
130. Our review archive now contains over 280 reviews covering everything from cases, cooling gear,
modding gear, performance hardware and water cooling accessories. Part of our success is based on our
supportive audience who have been visiting the site regularly and participating actively in the MTB
Forums as well as our great site sponsors who have been very instrumental in keeping our content fresh.
Finally, four great guys who I personally would like to thank for working their butts off last year. A
very big thanks goes out to Shennon, Mantis, DrMobius and Shatterstar for everything they have done to
make MTB what it is today.
Hi-TEK's Picks - The Good
There were some great and not so great products released last year that simply deserve the recognition
to be mentioned in this article. For myself, I have selected a few choice items which I had the pleasure
of reviewing and using on a daily basis. My criteria for most products reviews falls under several
points in terms of design, functionality, and concept.
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By far the best cases reviewed last year in terms of aesthetic design and function belongs to MountainMods
and Kingwin. The U2-UFO Aluminum Cube Computer Case was featured
in November 2003 and the Kingwin KT-436BK-WM Aluminum Case featured
in February 2003. MountainMods proved that you could listen to the demands of case modding community and custom
fabricate a beautiful dream case that would outshine the competition. Kingwin managed to surprise everyone this
year by combining great looks and functionality into one pre-modified case solution. Both products scored well in
the MTB Labs and are rated high on my list as top notch products.
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For consumers looking for the very best in multimedia based components, no one could deny that Samsung
produced some fantastic products in 2003. The Samsung SyncMaster 211MP TFT-LCD Monitor
was reviewed in September 2003 and was by far the best monitor that I have used to date.
The SyncMaster 211MP TFT-LCD Monitor included everything but the kitchen sink and enhanced the
multimedia experience ten fold. Fan controller devices have been used as a means to improve air circulation
and reduce fan noise. In 2003, MTB reviewed a wide variety of fan controller devices from several different
companies but none stood out more than Mitron Interlink's Noise Isolator PWM Fan Controller. The
Noise Isolator PWM Fan Controller was reviewed in June 2003 and combined
six channel fan control with two 12V DC devices rated at 20 watts per channel. This product simply
blew the competition away and the only other product that came close to matching the Noise Isolator PWM Fan
Controller in performance and design was Zalman's ZM-MFC1 Multi Fan Speed Controller.
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In 2003, MTB had the chance to review a large assortment of water cooling enthusiast gear from some of
the pioneers in this field. For consumers looking to transition from an air cooled solution into water
cooling, Danger Den's MAZE4 Power Water Cooling Kit received top marks in the MTB Labs. The
MAZE4 Power Water Cooling Kit was reviewed in August
2003 and provided an excellent selection of quality components combined with solid performance and
quiet operation. Case modders looking for an multi-purpose tool were introduced to Dremel's
MultiPro 395 & Flex Shaft Attachment which was reviewed
in February 2003. This all-in-one solution is capable of being used with different attachments which
include abrasive wheels, drill bits, wire brushes, polishers, engraving bits, router bits, and standard
or re-enforced cutting wheels. If you were looking to complete or start that case modding project, MTB
recommends using the Dremel line of products.
Hi-TEK's Picks - The Bad
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