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William F.

William F.

Joined on 09/21/07

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Most Favorable Review

Good performing entry level AiO cooler

Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB Close-Loop CPU Liquid Cooler, 240mm Radiator, Dual Chamber RGB Pump, Dual MF120R RGB Fans, RGB Lighting for AMD Ryzen/Intel LGA1200/1151
Cooler Master MasterLiquid ML240L RGB Close-Loop CPU Liquid Cooler, 240mm Radiator, Dual Chamber RGB Pump, Dual MF120R RGB Fans, RGB Lighting for AMD Ryzen/Intel LGA1200/1151

Pros: -Offers good performance for the price point – capable of cooling moderately overclocked 4-core processors. Expect idle temps around 31C, and 1-hour load around 62C. -Offers RGB illumination from the fans and pump for a flashy PC build -Broad socket support for AMD & Intel desktops from the last 10+ years -Dual 4-pin PWM fans can be connected directly to motherboard for BIOS or software control. (Each is a rifle-bearing 9-blade fan rated for a moderate 0.37A of power draw). Also, I believe some motherboards have native control for the 4-pin RGB connectors, allowing you to bypass the RGB controller included in the kit.

Cons: -Over-complicated wiring process for LEDs -Excess amount of wiring to hide and tuck for a clean install -The LED controller has to be located inside your PC case due to wiring length constraints -RGB color presets only – no full spectrum customization possible -Somewhat noisy fans when ¾ to full power (1500rpm-2000rpm).

Overall Review: -The included fans are MasterFan 120AB (DF1202512RFMN), which shares a model number with other CM fans of different blade configurations, so it could be difficult to find an exact replacement if needed. These appear to match most closely to the MasterFan MF120R RGB listed on the Cooler Master website as R4-C1DS-20PC-R1. -2year manufacturer warranty Thanks to Newegg.com and Cooler Master for providing the review sample! If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!

Most Critical Review

Probably not the SSD you're looking for.

OCZ Trion 100 2.5" 240GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) TRN100-25SAT3-240G
OCZ Trion 100 2.5" 240GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) TRN100-25SAT3-240G

Pros: Price per capacity, this is one of the top 5 or 6 drives on the market; similar to the Kingston V300 240GB, Crucial M500 240GB, SanDisk Ultra-II 240GB, and Corsair Force LS 240GB. Formatted capacity is 223.57GB - or roughly a 6.9% loss from raw. Basic everyday performance is not too shabby, either. On a near empty drive, reads and writes compare similarly to other drives of this capacity at ~525MB/s read, and ~500MB/s write (formatted NTFS @ 16Kb block). However, when the data becomes larger, performance drops quickly... see cons below. Updating firmware via downloadable OCZ SSD Guru software was super simple. Click the Maintenance tab, then click the Update button. That's it! There is also Over Provisioning and TRIM support built into the SSD Guru package, if you so need it. This SSD is built on the latest triple-level NAND flash tech, aka TLC. This allows for higher density, but sometimes at the expense of performance! OCZ has a fantastic ShieldPlus warranty program. They cover return shipping cost and do advanced replacement service should you have a warranty claim. Most manufacturers would never do that!

Cons: For only a couple dollars, you can get another 10-16GB more capacity by going with the Crucial BX100, SanDisk Ultra Plus, Adata SP920, or Samsung 850 Evo. The Trion 100 is a poor performer compared to other SSD's in this capacity. The effective speed is cut in half when the drive has reached >60% capacity. Also, during larger (2GB+) write jobs, performance suffers a major blow. For that reason, I would not use this drive for large data. I think it's best served as an O.S. drive only. There are no accessories included with the drive (no bracket, no SATA cable, no hardware.)

Overall Review: This SSD is targeted at the very budget conscious casual PC user that is looking to upgrade an older machine from a conventional HDD (while using SATA 3 6gbps). You're not going to find this SSD at the top of any benchmark lists. The only list it will top is GB/$. I personally would feel better off with the OCZ ARC 100 that uses the Barefoot 3 controller, or a competitor like Samsung 850 Evo, Sandisk Ultra-II, or Crucial M500 - All are fantastic SSD's for this bracket. I updated the firmware from 11.1 to 11.2 just prior to reviewing this product. At time of this review, I have 61 power-on hours and 31 power cycles on this drive. I have written a total of 194.87GB of data to the drive. From my research, this is first OCZ labelled SSD that is purely a Toshiba made product, including the new Toshiba A19 flash controller driving it. Thank you to Newegg.com and OCZ/Toshiba for providing the review sample! If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!

10/25/2015

RM1000x Shift (2023), solid, reliable, and ready for next-gen graphics cards!

CORSAIR RMx Shift Series RM1000x Shift Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold ATX Power Supply
CORSAIR RMx Shift Series RM1000x Shift Fully Modular 80PLUS Gold ATX Power Supply

Pros: -Includes a PCIe 5.0 (12VHPWR 16-pin) cable, ready for next generation graphics cards for 2023 and beyond -It also includes plenty of PCIe (five total) and SATA (four total) cables -Utilizes micro fit Type-5 connectors which save a lot of space and are easier to run in tight places -As with most Corsair PSUs, this one has Zero-rpm fan mode so the fan does not engage until about 500W of continuous load (for the RM1000x) -Peak power efficiency is right around 50% load (500W), which is also when the fan powers up -Fluid dynamic bearing fan for long life and quiet operation (versus rifle bearing on other models) -Corsair uses 100% Japanese capacitors in their PSUs -10-year warranty!

Cons: -No Corsair digital link, or any other remote monitoring capabilities -Flat cables were included except for the motherboard 24-pin cable. This is personal preference, but I like to have sleeved/sheathed cables. -Side-connector design requires wide cases (at least 8) with plenty of space between PSU and side panel -The included PATA (aka 4-pin Molex) cables are probably going to be e-waste for the vast majority of consumers. They didnt need to include one, much less two of these. A couple SATA to PATA adapters would have been a better option if anything at all. -If youre upgrading from another Corsair RM series PSU (ATX2.0, etc.), you wont be able to reuse your cables because of the new Type-5 micro connectors

Overall Review: I installed the RM1000x Shift into a Corsair Air 740 case, which utilizes a different mounting configuration than most other ATX cases. The PSU is turned so that it sits on its side instead of on its top or bottom. This means that the cable connectors are facing upwards instead of out of the side as Corsair intended with the Shift series. In this regard, I did not experience any cable clearance issues that some other builders may encounter if they do not take into consideration the 25mm required clearance between the side panel and the PSU when they pick out a case. My test machine is only capable of drawing about 500W at max load, which happens to be the sweet spot for power efficiency of this PSU. But even then, I have not seen or heard the fan power on. After two weeks of use, I have not had any issues to write about. The Corsair RM1000x Shift is overall a very good power supply with excellent build quality and internal components. It checks all the right boxes for a typical PC build, including support for the next generation of graphics cards that require PCIe 5.0 power delivery up to 600W. It includes plenty of peripheral cables to support numerous GPU and drive configurations, and the cables are of sufficient length and gauge for most full ATX cases. Beyond that, there are no bells or whistles to get distracted or drive up the price. Thanks to Newegg.com and Corsair for providing the review sample! If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!

Pint sized productivity

Corsair K65 RGB MINI 60% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Customizable Per-Key RGB Backlighting, CHERRY MX Speed Mechanical Keyswitches, Detachable USB Type-C Cable, AXON Hyper-Processing Technology) Black
Corsair K65 RGB MINI 60% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard (Customizable Per-Key RGB Backlighting, CHERRY MX Speed Mechanical Keyswitches, Detachable USB Type-C Cable, AXON Hyper-Processing Technology) Black

Pros: Fantastic switches They have a satisfying audible click, and smooth linear feel Fantastic keycaps, too. They have a paper-like textured finish, and beautiful and bold font type On-the-fly macro programming is super helpful, especially with a 60% keyboard Pre-programmed RGB lighting patterns are baked in. No need for iCUE unless you really want to dive into custom configs Super-high polling rate makes this a fantastic FPS gaming keyboard Very high profile design is good for your wrists and fingers to help prevent fatigue and prolonged injury

Cons: Corsair iCUE software is cumbersome and heavy on system resources, and does not always detect the keyboard without reconnecting it several times Function key placement makes it difficult and awkward to use if the desired function is on the right side of the keyboard where the function key is also located, i.e. all of the media keys These Cherry MX switches are pretty loud, and can definitely drive someone nuts sitting in the same room. You wont get away with using this in a shared office environment for sure. No dedicated delete key, which is a must for anyone working on documents or coding No USB passthrough Non-adjustable feet

Overall Review: Ive been primarily using the K65 RGB Mini for several weeks now. And while I wont say it can replace my full size K95 keyboard, it does have some big benefits and is enjoyable to use. That said, I think these 60% sized keyboards have a niche, which caters to minimalists and maybe people that travel. Its pint size makes it easy to throw in a bag and go, and the detachable USB-C cable makes it convenient to disconnect from your desk and just carry a spare cable in your travel bag. But, outside of those scenarios, I would not recommend the K65, or any 60% keyboard, to anyone else. It simply sacrifices too much function for form. So, if you are in the market for a 60% keyboard, I dont think you need to look any further. You will not find another keyboard with better build quality or more baked-in features than what Corsair is offering with the K65 RGB Mini. Thanks to Newegg.com and Corsair for providing the review sample. If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!

Perfect solution for homes with network troubles

devolo Magic 2 LAN triple Starter Kit
devolo Magic 2 LAN triple Starter Kit

Pros: This powerline kit is very simple to setup. Any average homeowner can install, configure, and be up and running in a few minutes. Its very much plug-n-play. The Devolo app has a very simple, clean, and user friendly interface. It provides just enough to get you up and connected, without any other fluff. You do not need to create a username, link it to some social media cloud account, or upload your grandmothers birth certificate to get started. Just download, walk through the setup wizard, and youll be up and running. You can even delete it after youre done (actually, you technically dont even need the app just follow the instruction booklet to manually pair the devices the old fashioned way.) The kit includes everything you need to extend your home network from the room where your router is located, into any other room in your home so long as the electrical system is shared. Meaning, you arent trying to get data to travel from one electrical panel to another, like in a multi-dwelling or business situation. Two 6ft Cat5e patch cables are included in the box, along with the quick start installation guide mentioned above, warranty extension card, and safety guide. Once you have the two Devolo devices talking, your network connection will be transparent to the other devices on the upstream and downstream ends. It does not matter which device is upstream and which is downstream, as they are simply creating a network bridge. However, one of the devices has a 3-port switch integrated into it, so that may play a part in where you want to place them. The best part is, your connection is also private because its encrypted end-to-end, so no one can snoop on your network line or perform man-in-the-middle attacks. The next thing youll want to do is perform a firmware upgrade. Mine shipped with 7.8.5.63, and I was able to quickly upgrade them via the app to 7.12.0.102. Doing so also updated the user experience for each devices web GUI page. You dont have to use the web GUI, but it gives you some additional options that the app lacks like setting a custom encryption password, modifying the compatibility mode for crosstalk avoidance, and setting network IP addresses, including IPv6. There is some advanced system status information, like free/used memory, CPU load/temp, and neighboring network detection. Lastly, you can enable power saving modes, toggle the LED on/off, and enabling standby mode when the ethernet link is disconnected.

Cons: Dont plan on getting the advertised bandwidth speeds (2000Mbps). That is the max theoretical transmission speed between the devices themselves. Take into consideration that all the network ports on both devices are rated for 1GbE (1000Mbps). At best, I was getting around 600Mbps between the devices even when located in the same room during my testing. That said, this kit should provide more than enough bandwidth to do just about anything it is you need to do! Both devices take up a whole wall socket. Its not recommended to plug them into any power strips or other inline power devices, like a UPS or surge suppressor. This means they are vulnerable to electrical damage from a surge on the line. I would like to have seen some additional power pass-through features, like USB-A or USB-C charging ports.

Overall Review: Youre probably shopping around for powerline extenders because you either cant run Cat5/6 ethernet where you need it, or the WiFi congestion in your home is simply ruining any chance of a repeater ever working. If thats your story, you came to the right place. These powerline systems are designed with you in mind. And, they actually work! This Powerline system provides plenty of bandwidth in most environments for all your daily internet activities streaming movies, downloading/uploading average sized files, and teleworking over Zoom. Consider the Devolo Magic 2 LAN kit a good choice and rest assured it will do what you need it to. Thanks to Newegg.com and Devolo for providing the review sample. If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!

Great mouse but bulky software

Corsair SABRE PRO CHAMPION SERIES CH-9303101-NA Black 6 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB 2.0 Type-A Wired PixArt PMW3392 FPS/MOBA Gaming Mouse
Corsair SABRE PRO CHAMPION SERIES CH-9303101-NA Black 6 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB 2.0 Type-A Wired PixArt PMW3392 FPS/MOBA Gaming Mouse

Pros: Mouse is extremely lightweight overall, which is great for FPS titles Paracord braided cable is soft and flexible and includes integrated Velcro wrap for travel Extremely short travel distance for primary button switches, combined with Button Response Optimization in Corsair iCUE software settings (Windows only) Size and texture is suitable for claw style grips, although a palm grip is probably more comfortable All button assignments are customizable via iCUE software, including assigning custom macros or launching an app Six distinct DPI presets are programmable in increments as low as 1 pixel using iCUE. Each preset represented by a different LED color on the bottom of the mouse. Presets can be written directly to the hardware On-the-fly DPI settings can be quickly made in increments of 50 without the need for iCUE Polling rate for the high quality PixArt sensor can be adjusted from 125Hz up to 8KHz (watch out for increased CPU usage with higher rates) Angle Snapping setting makes it easier to track targets that are moving horizontal across the screen The PFTE Teflon pads are incredibly low resistance the mouse slides like its on ice!

Cons: Corsair iCUE software is cumbersome and heavy on system resources. Be sure to disable it in your Startup applications and only use it when making changes Manual DPI switch is located on the bottom of the mouse instead of say, behind the scroll wheel like a normal person Primary switches are a bit on the noisier side No LED indicators on the topside of the mouse whatsoever to even indicate its getting power Not enough resistance or tactile feedback in the scroll wheel, which makes it easy to overshoot your intended stopping point

Overall Review: Overall, this is a great mouse for FPS games and general use. I can have this mouse sitting at my desk in my office and it doesnt stand out like a typical gaming mouse its very discrete. At home, its 2nd to none for performance. The 8KHz polling rate is phenomenal and makes those flick-shots so much more accurate. While the iCUE software needs some work, it has all the right features that someone could need to customize the functionality. Just turn it off when your done so its not chewing through your physical memory and processor. I would definitely recommend this mouse to a friend. Thanks to Newegg.com and Corsair for providing the review sample. If you found my product review helpful in your search, please check Yes below. Thanks!