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Kevin F.

Kevin F.

Joined on 02/06/12

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 9
Most Favorable Review

Very nice.

Tt eSPORTS KB-MGU006USB MEKA Keyboard
Tt eSPORTS KB-MGU006USB MEKA Keyboard

Pros: Normally I wait quite a bit longer before writing a review, but I didn't see any point with this keyboard. Keystrokes are crisp and perfect, game performance is spot-on, with no ghosting. Macro keys are easy to set up, and backlights are adjustable from extremely bright to quite dim. The headphone and microphone jacks as well as the USB port located on the back of the keyboard are very nice touches.

Cons: The only thing that may be considered a con is the loud "clackety clack" sound made when typing. Personally, I like it, but I know that it bugs some people. Don't plan on doing any "stealth gaming" in the same room as a sleeping girlfriend.

Most Critical Review

Retraction of my initial 5-star review

Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M USB Laser Gaming Mouse - Diamond Black
Tt eSPORTS Level 10 M USB Laser Gaming Mouse - Diamond Black

Pros: Great mouse - when it works.

Cons: First mouse stopped working after perhaps 3 months. Computer would repeatedly play "USB disconnected" noise, mouse would stop working for several seconds, and then the computer would recognize it again and the mouse would start working. This got worse and worse until it was happening several times a minute - symptoms could be reproduced by wiggling the USB cord where it connected with the mouse. Sent it back to Thermaltake for a replacement, which I received after a long wait. The replacement mouse does not work AT ALL. Have opened yet another RMA ticket - if they make me pay the $20 return shipping fee a second time I may just trash this thing and go with a different brand.

Nice, but some flaws

Tt eSPORTS LEVEL 10 - PC Gaming Headset - Diamond Black
Tt eSPORTS LEVEL 10 - PC Gaming Headset - Diamond Black

Pros: Ran this thing through a pretty thorough review this afternoon - Hopefully this helps out those of you who are on the fence. Pros: This thing is gorgeous. The headset itself is composed primary of what I'm assuming is aluminum, and has enough weight to suggest quality without being so heavy as to compress a disk. Very comfortable on your head - ear cups mold nicely, headband is well-padded. Ability to have cable attach to either ear is also very convenient. Sound and microphone quality are both very nice - bass is pronounced without being overwhelming, highs are nice and crisp. Ear cups have locking mechanisms to set the fit of the headset, so you don't have to worry about accidentally changing it. Overall, a very attractive and well-performing headset.

Cons: However, this headset does have a few flaws that prevented it from getting a full 5 stars. I hope TTE reads this and corrects them for further releases. The first, and most major error, is that the volume and microphone switch (located on the cable about 1 foot from the headset itself) is primarily composed of that cheap "plastichrome" that you can see a mile off. Given that one of the main goals of this headset are aesthetics, it cheapens the overall look of the headset considerably. This could be easily fixed by TTE, since the cable isn't permanently attached to the headset - simply release a version that is machined out of the same aluminum as the headset. Secondly, the "case candy" I've come to expect from TTE is absent as well. This includes a CD with drivers and such (it would be nice to have a GUI to set up audio profiles for gaming, movies, music, etc), the carrying bag (which I found to be most strange, since EVERY other TTE item I've ever bought came with a bag), and the little dragon sticker (that I never actually stick on anything). Overall, nothing I can't live without, but I do miss the carrying bag especially. They did come with a second (headphones only?) cable of dubious utility, since it's about as long as my arm. When plugged in to my personal setup, the cable has no choice but to dangle in front of my monitor. Thankfully, the main headphone/microphone cable is much longer. Finally, and most minor, is that the locks to hold the earpieces in place (which are a very nice touch) are very difficult to set properly unless the headset is on one's head, at which point they make an almost painful clicking noise. Again, nothing major, just annoying when you're trying various heights to set your preference.

Overall Review: Packaging looked like it had been in a rock-polisher by the time it made it to me. Headset box was also very beaten up - thankfully, the headset itself was undamaged. Wish Newegg provided these with a little bit more padding.

DOA

Eagle Arion ET-AR512LR-BK 2.1 Soundstage Speakers w/Subwoofer & Remote - 5.25" Drivers, 20Hz to 20kHz, 80 Watts
Eagle Arion ET-AR512LR-BK 2.1 Soundstage Speakers w/Subwoofer & Remote - 5.25" Drivers, 20Hz to 20kHz, 80 Watts

Pros: None discernible - Item had horrible buzz upon arrival. These may sound great - I just never got a working set.

Cons: Everything. Sound quality was awful. Remote only worked from about 3 inches away.

Great RAM. Somewhat pricey.

G.SKILL TridentX Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 2400 (PC3 19200) Desktop Memory Model F3-2400C10D-16GTX
G.SKILL TridentX Series 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 2400 (PC3 19200) Desktop Memory Model F3-2400C10D-16GTX

Pros: Very fast RAM. Doesn't come clocked at 2400 mhz, you'll need to change this within your BIOS. Heat spreader fins are a nice aesthetic and functional touch.

Cons: None so far.

Great little MOBO

EVGA Z87 Stinger miniITX - LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Motherboard with Brand New GUI BIOS (111-HW-E872-KR)
EVGA Z87 Stinger miniITX - LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 Mini ITX Motherboard with Brand New GUI BIOS (111-HW-E872-KR)

Pros: Supposedly, the older version of this motherboard had some serious issues with the BIOS. These problems are not at all evident here - the BIOS makes it quick and easy to overclock, change memory settings, etc. It also comes with an external clear BIOS button in case you make a mistake. The digital CPU temperature indicator is a very nice touch.

Cons: None so far, except that the cover for the I/O ports doesn't quite touch the back of the case - there's a gap of about 1 mm. Not an issue for me, but I know some people can be very picky about aesthetics.