Last week, we covered the E3 entertainment expo, right here on the Novatech Blog and we offered a ton of goodies at ridiculously low prices (which you hastily snapped up!). Alongside this, we also gave you the chance to get involved in our E3 coverage and offered up a 320gb mobile hard drive for one lucky customer.
We felt so generous, that we extended this to give away not just one Intel branded 320gb mobile drive, but three! So without further ado, here are the lucky three winners of our E3 Intel hard drive competition, drawn at random from all of the comments and tweets posted last week. Thank you to everyone who took part and if you didn’t win this time, don’t worry, we have plenty of competitions planned for the rest of the year.
Congratulations to all three winners, your prize will be winging its way to you right away!
Don’t forget to keep on eye on our Twitter account @NovatechLTD for more competitions, deals and general computing goodness
You would think that after Microsoft’s, Sony’s and Nintendo’s respective conferences that there would be little else to reveal from this year’s E3 event but this does not stand true. Attendees were given even more previews outside of the trio of symposiums. The games showcased around the expo included:
SSX (including ‘Survive It’ mode; “boss levels” in which players must survive racing opponents in the harshest of conditions including unscripted, physics dependent avalanches)
Batman Arkham City (the demo footage used included many rear end shots of Catwoman…)
Hitman: Absolution
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (the footage appeared to confirm the inclusion of mounts for the game)
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Resident Evil: Operation Racoon City
Soul Calibur 5 (images heavily depicted Pyrrha and Patroklos Alexandra – son and daughter of previous Soul Calibur V character Sophitia.)
Asura’s Wrath and
Dark Souls
BioWare also discussed the regularly increasing delay for Mass Effect 3 (the official excuse is that game quality is of the upmost importance and the extra time will be “put to good use”) and assured E3 attendees that Kinect integration with the planned title would not ruin the experience for those wishing to play with their regular game pads. “I’d love it if they have a chance to [play the game with Kinect], but by no means are we assuming that they have it. This is a worldwide blockbuster and there are going to be millions of people playing it. We want to make an awesome experience for all of them”, said CEO Dr Ray Muzyka. Nintendo aficionados will be pleased to hear that Pikmin 3 has finally been announced and will be making its way to the new WiiU console due for release in 2012. The game had been promised (to no avail) back at 2008’s E3 expo by Nintendo CEO Miyamoto, to soften the blow of embarrassing Wii-tomfoolery on stage and underwhelming announcements from the corporation. It is suspected that Pikmin 3 will be a launch title for the WiiU, like its original incarnation was for the GameCube console.
After the initial reveal of Halo 4, Microsoft’s Vice President Phil Spencer revealed a little more regarding the game. He stated that he hopes that it will “get back to what Halo is about” by comprising that which made people fall in love with the original (Combat Evolved) but also be welcome “new customers in to the fiction.” Many players skipped the original Halo games, jumping on the bandwagon when the later incarnations became incredibly popular. Whilst this is not a problem for game play, the creators of the franchise feel that the narrative is what originally made people fall in love with the game. “Halo has this interesting mix of open world, more varied game play”, added Spencer. “Some other of those franchises that I love have very set pieces which really kind of draw certain dramatic elements out of it. Halo has the vehicles, the weapon types, the deep fiction – the fiction around Halo is incredibly deep.”
Halo 4 E3 Trailer:
E3 may be over but our offer of FREE NEXT WORKING DAY DELIVERY isn’t! Be sure to enter our promotional code – FREEDEL11 – at the checkout.
So its the last day of the E3 gaming conference in Los Angeles and so far we’ve had some great news and deals on the Novatech blog. Use the FREEDEL11 code at checkout and receive free next working day delivery in the UK.
Final Day Deals
Like most events we aim to go out with a bang and today will be our last day of E3 deals ending at 8:00am tomorrow morning, so we have a the ultimate gamers Bonus Deal lined up for you…
WAS £9.79 for the next 24 hours £7.49 (28% SAVING)
The Novatech Gaming Microphone Headset with Microphone – Analogue is the perfect entry level headset to allow you to get more enjoyment from your gaming. If you play a lot of games over the internet you will no doubt know how essential a comfortable headset is and for the one time price of £7.49 you can’t go wrong with this Novatech Gaming Headset.
WAS £167.99 for the next 24 hours £141.98 (11% SAVING)
If you want a processor with the power to unlock even the most demanding games you won’t be disappointed with the AMD Phenom II X6 1100T Black Edition Six Core 3.3GHz Socket AM3. Using AMD Turbo CORE technology this Phenom II X6 gives crisp cutting edge graphics for a wide variety of tasks.
This is a tremendous bit of kit. With a GTX260 I have been playing Crysis2, Black Ops and Far Cry 2 at full whack and the CPU load is only at around 25-30. Encoding large video files is pretty fast too. Ok so Intel chips are apparently better when it comes to games but this still has what it takes and is cheaper than buying Intel. And in some respects it outshines them, particularly at multi threading. At the end of the day this is a beast of a CPU and coupled with a decent new motherboard will keep you from upgrading for at least 5 years.
WAS £179.98 for the next 24 hours £177.66 (1% SAVING)
The Samsung SM-2233RZ 22″ 120Hz 3D Compatible Widescreen LCD Monitor – Glossy Black is perfectly configured for all your gaming and entertainment needs. Shift easily between 2D and 3D content with the push of a button. Most importantly this 3D compatible widescreen monitor makes use of an ‘eye-resting interval’ to ensure your eyes won’t tire when viewing 3D content.
Here’s a recent review from a Novatech customer:
Samsung SM-2233RZ 22, this is an exceptionally good monitor from Samsung. Great picture quality. Brings my games and multimedia to life, I have it sitting on my desk along side my old Samsung screen (running dual screens from PC), and the difference is clearly apparant. Well worth the purchase, and a quick mention also, of the excellent delivery service, I ordered this PM Saturday and chose 3-5 day free delivery and it was sitting delivered on my desk at work first thing on Tuesday morning, you cant ask for better service than that. Top marks all round.
A high quality motherboard, specially designed gaming tower case and 600W silent modular PSU complete the bundle for extreme performance gaming with low noise output.
Don’t forget that you can still get all of these Final Day Deals along with any other products from the Novatech site with Free Next Day Delivery in the UK by simply entering the following code when you checkout: FREEDEL11
We’re now on day three of the E3 expo and have some great new offers for the next 24 hours. Hopefully you didn’t miss yesterdays E3 deals! Remember along with the coverage of the E3 expo Novatech are also offering a number of exclusive deals over the course of the E3 gaming conference. Tomorrow is the last day of the conference and we’ve got out fingers crossed for some exciting news… hopefully we’ll see some of these E3 predictions come true! Either way you’ll want to get back to the Novatech blog tomorrow for our final day of deals featuring a one time bonus deal to finish the conference off with a bang!
Day 3 Deals
There are some impressive pc components on offer for your today, so without further ado here are your E3 Day 3 Deals. For free next working day delivery in the UK ensure you use the following code at checkout: FREEDEL11.
The SteelSeries QcK Mass Gaming Surface is a mouse pad tested and designed exclusively for gamers. The cloth surface is extremely smooth for accurate mouse movement with minimum friction. A non-slip rubber base ensures that whilst your mouse can move freely around the surface the mouse pad will stay stuck in place.
WAS £79.99 for the next 24 hours £61.98 (23% SAVING)
Designed for overclockers the Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 PC3-12800C9 1600MHz Dual Channel Kit makes use of aluminium heat spreaders to dissipate heat effectively. This reliable RAM is compatible with the latest i3, i5 and i7 processors making it the ideal way to boost your RAM and increase the speed of your gaming pc.
WAS £429.98 for the next 24 hours £344.99 (20% SAVING)
If you’re looking for less of an upgrade and more of a pc overhaul then this has surely got to be the bundle for you. Looking to build the ultimate gaming machine? The Novatech Motherboard Bundle – Intel Core i7 950 – 6GB DDR3 1600Mhz – Intel X58 USB3 Motherboard is certainly an extremely good start. Featuring Intel’s top of the line core i7 processor along with a whole host of top end goodies to get you on your way to gaming bliss! The i7 processor makes use of Turbo Boost Technology to provide you with a whopping 3.06 Ghz of pure processing power.
6GB of DDR3 Corsair RAM will give you the speed and reliability associated with all Corsair products and is ideal for fast paced gaming. The motherboard is also fully featured and the whole bundle is assembled and tested by Novatech’s own skilled production team.
Power and the Beast, fantastic hardware, super quick, fantastic to use, brilliant for 3D modelling and gaming.
Hopefully you’ve been taking advantage of the exclusive 24 hour deals being offered over the last few days, as well as enjoying coverage of the E3 Expo of course! Tomorrow is the last day of the conference and when we will have the biggest and best deals to share with you so make sure you are back on the Novatech blog.
Whilst the E3 gaming conference is still in full swing we’ve already had the announcements from the big three; Microsoft, Sony and Nintendo. We’re interested to know what you thought of the announcements, the new games and consoles you’re most looking forward to. Here are some of the top highlights from the conference so far:
Microsoft announced some big new games on the horizon for the Xbox including the continuation of some of their biggest franchises with Halo 4, 5 and 6 said to on the way along with Gears of War 3 sure to be a hit with hardcore gamers
Sony have announced the PS Vita equipped duo touch panels and dual cameras for a more immersive gaming experience whilst on the go
When it comes to Nintendo the biggest announcement has to be the Wii U with the aim of extending your gaming experience to another screen/controller which can seamless link up with your TV
All you need to do is retweet this blog post and comment on the blog below to let us know what news has most excited you from E3 so far and why you are looking forward to that new game, console or accessory set to be release in the upcoming years. Remember to leave your Twitter name in the comments so we know who you are!
We’ve got three Intel 320GB USB powered Mobile Hard Drives to giveaway over the next three days with the winner to be announced on Monday 13th June. Happy commenting and tweeting!
Everyone knew Nintendo were going to announce their new console for 2012 during their E3 conference (the final of the big three from the event) but obviously they were going to make this the very last announcement from their stint up on the stage.
Instead, proceedings opened with a huge orchestra playing music from the Zelda games (including that from the yet to be released The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword) in celebration of the titles 25th anniversary. Nintendo CEO Shigeru Miyamoto then described the ways in which the corporation would be celebrating the quarter century that the game has existed (with the help of a translator). Link’s Awakening will be made available for download in the newly launched Nintendo e-Shop imminently and a multiplayer Zelda game – Four Swords – will be made available as a free download from the shop later on in the year.
In addition to this, the orchestra will be playing Zelda anniversary symphony concerts all over the globe.
Attendees were then teased with the claim that Nintendo would be addressing both core and casual gamers with their new gaming device which works“deeper and wider” but before revealing any more information, the new games coming out for the 3DS hand held were announced.
A video presentation showed that winged karts and underwater levels are two things to look forward to in Mario Kart 3DSand thatStar Foxand Luigi would be making a return (the later in Luigi’s Mansion 2). It was also revealed thata Super Mariogame – the first to be specifically designed for the 3DS console – will be released before the year’s end.
E3 video: Nintendo 3DS games for 2011-2012
Other games which were promised as future 3DS releases included:
Kid Icarus: Uprising
Ace Combat 3D
Tekken 3D
Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater
Cave Story 3D
Mario and Sonic at the Olympic Games
Resident Evil: Revelations
Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D
Surely the time had come for Nintendo to finally reveal the details regarding their new console? No…
More details regarding the Nintendo e-Shop were exposed – demos, previews and a classic portable games library are all to become accessible from the shop. Early downloads of the new handheld app store will also be rewarded with a free copy of the NES classic Excitebike also.
It was also announced that Pokémon aficionados can download the Pokédex 3D app for free from the e-Shop, which makes use of the 3DS’ augmented reality (AR) and its Street Pass technology.
Finally Nintendo’s new console was announced: The WiiU.
The console comprises a largecontroller which doubles up as a (somewhat) portable console and it comprises a gyroscope, accelerometer, microphone, speakers, and a large touch screen (as well as a D-pad and two circle pads). Its size and format sees players returning to two handed play, unlike many of games which used the previous consoles Wiimote.
The developers argue that the WiiU aims to create stronger bonds between technologies (TV + Games + Internet) and people (You (the player) + Friends + Family). These ideas amalgamate in the fact that should a home TV be required for non game playing use, players can continue to play their current game by using the controller.
Switching between a large TV monitor and the controller has uses within games also. The following video will demonstrate this more clearly:
E3 Video: The WiiU
The only confirmedlaunch title for the new console is Lego City Stories and a new Super Smash Bros game is also in development.
Some prototype video footage also showed how it could be possible to in inject Miis into a Super Mario game so that players can run and play alongside the red shirted plumber.
Other future titles for the WiiU were said to include:
Batman: Arkham City
Tekken
Assassin’s Creed:
Ghost Recon Online
Dirt
Aliens: Colonial Marines
Metro Last Light
Ninja Gaiden 3: Razor’s Edge
Darksiders II
Check back to the Novatech blog soon for additional developments from E3 and be sure to check out our one day only deals in celebration of the event.
Day two of the E3 gaming conference and we’ve already had some big announcements from Microsoft and Sony. Let’s hope we’re will get something tasty from Nintendo as well! For the next 24 hours we’ve got even more great deals for you and remember we’ve got the FREEDEL11 delivery code to sweeten the deal with free next working day delivery in the UK.
WAS £9.70 for the next 24 hours £7.99 (18% SAVING)
The Microsoft 600 Keyboard may be cheap, but it’s got two things every gamer needs: simplicity and spill resistance. You know how it is, you load up your favourite game, but whilst loading take a long cool sip of your favourite fizzy drink from a tall glass and place it next to your keyboard, only to knock it over just as you load your game, usually creating havoc on your desk and drowning your keyboard. This little package solves that problem and comes with the usual high quality you’d expect from Microsoft, even if it is extraordinarily cheap.
WAS £399.99 for the next 24 hours £349.99 (13% SAVING)
If you want top end, cutting edge graphics without compromising frames per second (FPS), then look no further than the MSi 580GTX. With everything you could ever want from a graphics card, including 3D, SLi capability and surround, this beauty comes packed with the latest GDD5 (1.5gb) and twin FROZR II and yet, we have kept the price to an all time low for this generation of Nvidia’s finest. Why would you wait and miss out?
WAS £339.97 for the next 24 hours £326.99 (4% SAVING)
So most of the deals so far have been for the PC Gamer, but we recognise that not everyone wants to game on a PC, so today, we are offering this stunning Samsung Series 5 LCD TV with full HD as a way of paying homage to all of you who play on the consoles. This beauty is perfect for gaming with incredible colour and detail and the addition of full 1080p High Definition, 4 HDMi sockets as well as a USB port (so you can watch home movies too!). Whether its Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii, this TV will go a long way to helping you enjoy the immersion from all of the games coming out of E3 this year.
There have been some great announcements at E3 so far and we’ve got our fingers crossed for some more jaw dropping news to come. Come back to the blog tomorrow and we’ll have another 24 hours worth of deals lined up and waiting!
Sony’s conference was the second of the major trio for E3 and after CEO Jack Tretton apologised profusely for “any anxiety caused” by the recent PSN hacks, many titles were discussed which aimed to prove that there is still some life left in the PS3 console, which he argued offers its players a “unique gaming experience.”
Games discussed included the aesthetically wonderful Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception (which comprised the seamless cuts between live play and cut scenes that the series has become known for, as well as some impressive “boat physics”) and the PSP Gods of War titles re-mastered for the PS3(dubbedGod of War Origins Collection) which is playable infull stereoscopic 3D.
Uncharted 3 E3 Video:
Resistance 3 was also showcased. The narrative of R3 is set in 1957, four years after the events of R2 (which disappointed many fans) and judging from the hectic, alien laden and action packed game play demonstrated, R3 is likely to put the once popular sci-fi shooter series back on track.
Other games which were showcased (many of which comprised the use of the motion sensitive Move controller) included:
Starhawk (successor to 2007’s Warhawk)
Medievil Moves - includes a novel inventory-less motion control weapon switching
Sly Cooper: Thieves in Time
Dust 514 – a free to play exclusive for the PS3, set in the EVE online universe (“One Universe, One War”)
Bioshock Infinite
Star Trek
Battlefield 3
Need For Speed: The Run
NBA 2K12 – Lakers player Kobe Bryant was invited on stage to demonstrate just how simple this point and click simulator is to play.
Many of these games were demonstrated with the use of 3D videos. 3D technology seems to be becoming quite the focus for Sony who also announced the imminent arrival of a Sony branded 3D television set, as well as widely compatible, branded 3D glasses.
Sony’s biggest announcement by far however was that of the corporation’s latest portable device. Previously known as the NGP, the device has now received the (arguably better) name of PS Vita (“Vita” meaning “Life”).
PS Vita E3 Video:
Here are some notes regarding the features of the new handheld:
The console will be Wi-Fiand 3G compatible allowing one to undertake many online tasks using the device. Sony claims the Vita is particularly good for social networking and there was a brief mention of a new Sony service named ‘Near.’
Vita has two cameras (one to the front and one to the rear) allowing Augmented Reality game play (similar to that which the Nintendo 3DS has provided previously)
Vita also has a duo touch screen (again, one to the front and one to the rear) which could provide intuitive controls for future game play.
Touch screen controls and regular button controls are interchangeable so that players can “play the way [they] want.” This was demonstrated using content from the Vita exclusive Uncharted: Golden Abyss. Leading man Drake can punch enemies with a direct tap to the front touch screen and swinging across monkey bars is a breeze thanks to the ability to draw your path.
Other games announced for the PS Vita was action role playing gameRuinand a Vita version of Street Fighter X Tekken.
It is thought also that Sony’s announcement of Playstation Suite – Sony’s gaming platform for Android – will act to tempt more gamers over to the PS Vita side.
Check back to the Novatech blog soon for a round up of the announcements made at the Nintendo E3 conference.
E3 started with Microsoft’s conference and – as expected – it was announced that new life is to be injected in to the motion sensitive Kinect System via a plethora of new title releases for the 360 peripheral in the next year. This focus on Kinect is part of the developers’ plan to ensure that the Xbox 360 appeals to a wider audience in the future, with the hope that the device can overtake the Nintendo Wii to become the most popular games console in the world.
EA Sports boss Peter Moore announced that there are four EA Kinect enabled sports titles planned including Tiger Woods PGA Tour, Fifa World Cup and Madden NFL (the fourth is to be announced at a later date). In addition, 360 players can soon wield a light sabre with the long awaited Kinect Star Warsalso officially announced for release, a fully playable demo of which is available to play at the conference.
Other games announced to increase the currently low roster of Kinect titles (26 exist to date) include:
Dance Central 2
Disneyland Adventures
Kinect Sports: Season 2
Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster
Ghost Recon Future Soldier – Notably, gun customisation is more in depth than ever before and can be implemented with simple gestures using Kinect. Ghost Recon Online was also announced as a free-to-play online PC shooter (kudos for the crossing of platforms!) It was also suggested that “all future titles in the Tom Clancy franchise will leverage Kinect.”
Minecraft– The announcement that the indie PC architectural sandbox title is making its way to the 360 and the Kinect system was quite surprising. Attendees were assured that motion gestures will “make more sense” for its game play when compared to the usual keyboard and mouse controls that players are used to.
Microsoft also announced a new app for Kinect by the name of ‘Fun Labs’ which is now available for download. It allows players to experiment with future implementations planned for the technology whilst they are concurrently in development.
Microsoft also showed off more titles traditionally more suited to their dedicated ‘serious’ gamer demographic. The conference was launched with an atmospheric glimpse at the latest game from one of the most successful game series in the world; Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. The audience was treated to in-game footage from thenew (and aesthetically impressive!) Tomb Raider and Gears of War 3 titles.
Tomb Raider E3 Trailer:
Action RPG Mass Effect 3 meanwhile was given the release date of 6 March 201. It can be played without the addition of Kinect but the peripheral will allow players to use voice recognition for the purposes of giving orders to fellow combatants.
This same voice technology will also be incorporated into the planned, re-envisioned Xbox Live dashboard when it is released, to effortlessly navigate the various menu screens.
Microsoft’s conference could not have ended without a few announcements relating to the Halo franchise to delight current fans of the science fiction series. It was declared (as expected) that Halo 4 would see its release in 2012 and attendees were treated totrailer for the game. It seems that Halo 5 and Halo 6 are also in the pipeline as the game was stated to be part of “a [new] trilogy.”
Halo 4 E3 Trailer:
An anniversary reissue of Halo: Combat Evolved (complete with re-rendered graphics) was also announced. It marks the 10th anniversary of the game which secured the future of first person shooters on home video games consoles.
Check back to the Novatech blog soon for a round up of the announcements made at the Sony and Nintendo E3 conferences.
Welcome to your first instalment of the E3 Novatech Deals of the Day. Over the next three days you will get some amazing offers that will last for a mere 24 hours in addition to the latest news and highlights from each day of the expo. For those of you not in the know the 2011 E3 Expo runs from today 7th June to Thursday 9th June in Los Angeles. In celebration of this massive event we have managed to line up some equally impressive offers for a limited period of time whilst the conference is on. All offers will run from 8:00am – 8:00am the next day UK time (midnight – midnight in L.A.).
Remember to Check the Novatech Blog Each Day for the Latest E3 Deals
Looking for even more great deals on gaming components? We know with E3 in mind you want to make sure you have the latest gaming components for your desktop pc in order to take full advantage of the outstanding graphical masterpieces we are sure to glimpse at this year’s E3 conference. Therefore you will want to make sure you check the Novatech Blog everyday of the expo for the latest E3 deals.
That’s right every day from now until Thursday Novatech will be offering a brand new selection of E3 related gaming components sure to give you the edge when it comes to high end gaming. Plus don’t miss out on our one off Bonus deal coming up on the last day of the conference guaranteed to make any serious gamer drool!
Make sure to use the FREEDEL11 delivery code when you checkout and receive all of your items with free next working day delivery in the UK p.s. This also works for all other items on the Novatech website.
Day 1 Deals
With that said lets jump straight into today’s deals and see what amazing gaming components and peripherals are now available to you for bargain prices.
WAS £26.86 for the next 24 hours £21.98 (18% SAVING)
The Logitech MX518 Optical Gaming Mouse is, as the name suggests, a mouse specifically designed for gamers. The sleek ergonomic design makes button pressing easy and comfortable even after playing for hours on end. As you all know lag can be a huge problem when gaming and that’s why the Logitech MX518 is corded for lag-free gaming enjoyment. This particular optical mouse allows you to reduce the resolution all the way down to 400 dpi for that extra smooth experience when slaying an army of aliens or the like!
Brilliant! this mouse is superb brilliant for gaming in cod4! the preset speeds are not brilliant but when you load the software you can change them easily! and it is sooo easy to change speeds when you are in intense battle! the looks are amazing and the feel is brilliant! cable length is ample! overall 35 well spent!
WAS £55.98 for the next 24 hours £49.98 (12% SAVING)
You can never get enough storage space… can you!? The Samsung Spin Point range have always been a favourite of those looking for a blend between high performance and affordability. We’ve made the Samsung Spin Point F4EG EcoGreen SATAII 2TB 32MB Cache Hard Drive <8.9ms 5400rpm – OEM even more affordable for the next 24 hours, which will provide you with a massive 2TB of additional storage for your system!
WAS £229.98 for the next 24 hours £214.80 (6% SAVING)
Obviously it wouldn’t be a gaming pc without a top end graphics card. That’s why our third deal of the day to round up day one of the E3 Gaming Conference is the MSI GeForce GTX 570 1280MB GDDR5 PCI Express – Retail. Making use of the latest NVIDIA Fermi architecture and Physx technology for enhanced life-like graphics and realistic physics processing you can’t go wrong with the MSI GeForce GTX 570 1280MB GDDR5 PCI Express. Ultra fast 3D processing makes gaming a breeze.
Check back tomorrow and we’ll have another round of E3 gaming deals for you along with our coverage of the latest news and highlight for the conference.
Last week, we covered the E3 entertainment expo, right here on the Novatech Blog and we offered a ton of goodies at ridiculously low prices (which you hastily snapped up!). Alongside this, we also gave you the chance to get involved in our E3 coverage and offered up a 320gb mobile hard drive for one lucky customer.
