Joined on 08/18/02
EVGA - Nice Card, Nice Company
Pros: Excellent card for the money. Nice solid heatsink with a fan that is fairly quiet. It does take up two pci slots, but that makes for a very sturdy mount in the case - a definite PRO in my opinion.
Cons: Only downside was that I heard alot of people saying the card runs hot. (See: Other thoughts)
Overall Review: There are a couple different overclocked versions of this card out there, so it's pretty robust. EVGA also offers a great step-up program as well as a lifetime warranty, so don't get discouraged if you've read a few reviews that mention the temp.
Seasonic = Quality
Pros: I've read a lot of reviews on power supplies and from what I gather, Seasonic is the company to go to for reliability in power supplies. I've had Corsair & Antec power supplies in the past, but figured I'd give Seasonic a chance after reading all the glowing reviews regarding their high quality manufacturing standards. So far, this unit seems to continue the trend. Keep up the good work!
Cons: None - Some people prefer the "old-school" style wrapped round cables as opposed to the newer flat/ribbon design. I personally think it works well.
Overall Review: If you can get a good price, definitely give them a shot!
Corsair Memory = Quality
Pros: Great looking heat-sink. Corsair is known for their reliability and stylish-designs. No complaints here. Newegg had the best price online at the time, so I picked up a set. Great color options to boot, if you're into matching your motherboard color-scheme!
Cons: None
Overall Review: How much wood could a woodchuck chuck, if a woodchuck could chuck wood?
Raptor Speed
Pros: Great drive & super quick! In Windows 7 though, my "Window's Benchmark" is only 5.9. I think the max is 7.9, but I'm guessing that's reserved for the top end SSD drives (which makes sense). Still, this is a solid and reliable performer for those who are looking for better than average reliability.
Cons: It's quick, comes with a 5 year warranty, and isn't as expensive as some of the newer SSD drives.
Overall Review: It's a little noisy, but not bad. It's the loudest drive I've ever had though. Just some food for thought if you're going for a silent build.
Great Drive
Pros: Great looking drive! Bought one of these and the regular BDR-209DBK for my new build. Both are great, but this one supports BDXL. My last DVD drive was a Pioneer and I was happy with it, so I decided to go with them again for my Blu-Ray drive. Keep up the good work, Pioneer!
Cons: None - Price could always be a little cheaper, but a good drive none the less!
Overall Review: Get one for the wife!
Vantec = A+ Cool Breeze!
Pros: I'm a big "fan" (pun intended) of Vantec. Their 120mm double ball bearing fan moves a nice amount of air and should last for a while to boot.
Cons: None
Overall Review: Comes with an molex adapter connector if you want to hook it up through your power supply or you can plug it directly into your motherboard and monitor the speed if you bios supports it.