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Adam N.

Adam N.

Joined on 12/03/02

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 13
Most Favorable Review

Managable, needs side venting.

Thermaltake ARMOR A30 VM70001W2Z Black SECC Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case
Thermaltake ARMOR A30 VM70001W2Z Black SECC Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case

Pros: Full size PSU: nice. Modular bays: Ooh, fancy. Size: Fits my desk cubby like a glove. Design: Most are 50/50 on this; it's either hideous or it's cool. Would be nice if the top was flat though. Also, needs a carry handle.

Cons: Modular bays: Feels pointless TBH :/ To slide the mobo out, You still have to d/c power cables and any SATA drives, which means removing the top, as well as the 5.25" bay unit. So in the end, you're still stuck taking it apart. Airflow: Tucking the system away in a desk or too near a wall will stifle exhaust, hotboxing temps by a good 7-10c on my GPU (HD6950). This changes drastically with the side window removed. With no side window, stress testing never breaks 66c on the GPU, and the system stays under 40c. I will vent the window with a 1/8 bit, which should fix that ;) Fans: A shame. Push almost no air. At least they're silent. All the case fans use molex connectors. I can understand the top and front fan, but the two rear should use mobo pins. Cable/Space management: It's a challenge. A modular PSU makes the job easier. Can't imagine using a conventional PSU in this.

Overall Review: Those $%^&* LEDs. I'm not 12 and don't need a laser show on everything in my PC. I water cooled the CPU with an H60 - I cut out the 3.5" bay(not needed anyway), and fabbed a small bracket to rivet to the mobo tray for the rad; it fits nicely, looks clean, and is still modular. The "grill" on the front side of the case lined up perfect with the rad :) Due to the H60 tho, I can't speculate on heat issues with a HSF setup. The USB3 on the front panel does not use a header. It uses a normal cable that you run through a slot in the back and plug into the rear of the mobo. If you're looking for a SLI/Xfire setup, this may not be your rig. 2 full length cards will fit just fine, but the heat issue might be a concern. Also, a modular PSU is a must. For a HTPC tho, it's a decent rig.

Most Critical Review

Great operation, iffy stability?

SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 ST1000DM005/HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive
SAMSUNG Spinpoint F3 ST1000DM005/HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5" Internal Hard Drive Bare Drive

Pros: Large space, runs cool in my ext. case, Fast (enough)

Cons: Not sure, yet.

Overall Review: Package arrived quick enough, and seemed decently packed. Plugged her in, ran some tests and scans with several tools. Speed checked out as average for its specs. No problems there. However... when booting the drive or waking from standby, it clicks uncomfortably for about 10s or so. All drives have a bootup sequence, usually audible anyway. This one is a lil too loud. In addition, maybe once every 30min to an hour, I will hear a short 3s series of clicks, almost like it's trying to seek on a failing sector; whether its under load or idle. That worries me. I keep running tests and scans and it keeps coming up clean O_o. HDDs are always a chance. They can test good and 30min later suffer a fault. They might test bad and last 3yrs... I'm considering maybe calling them and seeing about a replacement? since its only been since April. I dunno if I can or not. I do know if it worries me now, it's probably best. I don't want to lose 500gb of data, ya kno?

10/26/2010

Gets the job done

Sena Bluetooth Headset and Intercom for Scooters/Motorcycles with Universal Microphone Kit (Dual Pack)
Sena Bluetooth Headset and Intercom for Scooters/Motorcycles with Universal Microphone Kit (Dual Pack)

Pros: Wireless coms! Hands-free voice control Jam to music while riding

Cons: The hands free voice control has unreliable volume. Sometimes the notification sound is soft and other times it's so loud it almost hurts your ears? Doesn't always work with Google assistant (as if she doesn't get your voice input at times) You have to push & hold the rotary button to pause media playback, you push it once to activate coms. Could be better were that reversed. It is bulky. This will add distinguishable wind noise, so when mounting, try to place it somewhat aft of the helmet.

Overall Review: I've enjoyed it so far, voice and playback come in rather clear. It's not as good as some top end units, but I don't have any complaints about it either. Battery life is ok, I have to charge it every several days. One small issue is the connection from the speakers to the unit has become finicky very quickly, resulting in having to wiggle it to get sound out of both speakers. It's only after you've put the helmet on (I assume from the flex when sliding it on), no issues so far while actually riding. The mic works pretty well, and cuts out virtually all wind/road noise in a full-face helmet. I'm pretty happy with it on a budget. Wish they included multiple 3M tape pieces in case you changed your mind about the initial placement on the helmet.

Great stylus for Androids

Active Stylus Pen for iPhone iPad iOS Metal Universal Capacitive Drawing Pens for Samsung LG Android Kindle Mobile Phones Tablets Windows Microsoft Touch Screen Devices
Active Stylus Pen for iPhone iPad iOS Metal Universal Capacitive Drawing Pens for Samsung LG Android Kindle Mobile Phones Tablets Windows Microsoft Touch Screen Devices

Pros: Works with my Android phone & tablet. The tips included are pretty decent and don't have any issues drawing. Battery life is ok.

Cons: None yet.

Overall Review: Had a hard time finding a compatible stylus for my Pixel2 but this seems to do quite well.

Couldn't hold its grit...

Rosewill N300 Wireless PCI Express Adapter, 300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) PCIe Wi-Fi Network Card for PC
Rosewill N300 Wireless PCI Express Adapter, 300 Mbps (2.4 GHz) PCIe Wi-Fi Network Card for PC

Pros: It didn't catch on fire or short-circuit

Cons: It stopped working.

Overall Review: Worked well for about a month before no longer picking up signals. Device reported working/functioning/started, even tried other antenna, drivers and slots. No dice.