Modders, you'd better watch your backs, because NEC and Hitachi are creeping up from the backside with some funky-fresh new hard drive cooling technology that will make you feel embarrassed and / or insignificant. The two Japanese powerhouses have developed a technology which knocks down the temperature of standard hard drives using a water-cooled plating, and also reduces noise levels of the storage devices to five decibels quieter than a whisper. The new technique employs noise absorbing, heat conducting plates which surround the drive, and a low-speed radiator fan to keep air moving. The companies say that the material used for the housing is the most efficient ever for conduction of heat, and that the drives are cooled more quickly and with less power. PCs will soon be made available with the drives (at least in Japan) for around ¥20,000 more than standard models -- no word on when or if this technology is coming Stateside. [Warning: Read link requires subscription]

[Via Ars Technica]

Champs don't stay that way long in the computer hardware biz, but one way to ensure that the crown stays in the same camp is to one-up yourself before another firm can beat you to the punch. OCZ seems to be feelin' said mantra, as the company's latest Flex XLC RAM overtakes the previous rendition to claim the "world's fastest" title at 1,200MHz. Of course, we've seen quicker memory stuffed onto graphics cards, but the new motherboard-ready PC2-9600 Flex XLC modules sport a svelte hybrid cooling system that melds passive air and liquid injection systems to give you all the bragging rights you'd ever need. The DDR2-1200 modules are currently available in 2GB (2 x 1,024MB) kits, come with a lifetime warranty, and will run you right around $250.

[Via Gearlog]

There are a few ways to remedy the Xbox 360's heat problem, but none of them are as impressive as the all-internal water-cooling system created by Dano2k0 on the Xbox-scene forums. Somehow, he's managed to squeeze a Zern GPU block, a Koolance GPU-180-H06 block, a Tank-o-Matic mini reservoir, a 12v thermaltake pump and DD fill port into the 360's already crowded interior. The mods don't stop on the inside, as the box itself is customized with blue LEDs, plexiglass windows, some slick blue paint and, best of all, no huge water pipes that look like they came from a pool filter.