WSGF IRC, AMD Fusion E3-350 APU Review, YT Video on Stripping Monitor Bezels + More

Good day to everyone. We've got some good updates since the last newsletter two weeks ago. Also, as a regular part of the newsletter I am going to start highlighting one area or section of the site. First up is the WSGF IRC Channel.

Connecting with the WSGF Chat/IRC

Many people aren't aware that we have a WSGF IRC Channel. Delphium hosts it on a private server that allows us customize bots and scripts. If you don't run an IRC client, we host a Java client on the WSGF. You can find it at http://widescreengamingforum.com/irc. If you're logged into the site, it will automatically use your forum name as your IRC nickname.

We've been getting about a dozen people idling, with guests dropping in to ask questions. Come idle as well, and help us make this a vibrant community forum. If you are running an IRC client, connect with the following details:

Host: wsgf.mine.nu
Port: 32256
Or combined: wsgf.mine.nu:32256
Channel: #WSGF
Or with the following link: irc://wsgf.mine.nu:32256/wsgf (in Firefox this opens the IRC channel directly, using Mibbit)

Hardware Reviews

Recently I tested the first entry into AMD's Fusion platform, the E-350. This APU is designed for ultra-notebooks and ultra SFF desktops. The WSGF review focused solutely on the gaming capabilities of the chipset. I looked at how the APU performed in at resolutions that would be native to one of its mobile form factors, and basic widescreen resolutions such as 1600x900 and 1920x1080.

My overall conclusion was, "All in all, I think that AMD succeeded with the Brazos APU. The E-350 is capable as a gaming platform, as long as you have the proper expectations... I think the E-350 really shines when you mix smaller indie titles with something like the Steam Cloud, where you can use an ultra-portable to go mobile and pick up right where you left off at home."

New YouTube Videos

I posted a video showcasing how to Strip Bezels from an LCD Monitor. I go through the process of stripping the bezels, as well as considerations for dealing with the monitor controls and VESA mounting. Additionally, Skid posted a 4k video of Battlefield 3 in Eyefinity/Surround.

New Detailed Reports

Since our last newsletter, eight games have been detailed on how they handle widescreen and Eyefinity/Surround configurations. Of these, Breach was Certified as having a perfect experience for both widescreen and multi-monitor. Battlefield 3 and Insane 2 were only Silver Certified. While they offer a perfect widescreen experience, there were at least minimal issues in Eyefinity/Surround

Stereoscopic 3D

We have a couple of key updates for S-3D gamers. First is for Deus Ex: HR. The recent patch broke the work-around for enabling 3D Vision for NVIDIA. We have a new solution in this forum thread. Second is information for Battlefield 3. The 3D Vision solution was posted by thales100 in this forum thread, and he also posted a selection of 3D Vision Surround screenshots in the Gallery.