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Andrew K.

Andrew K.

Joined on 12/15/09

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 6
Most Favorable Review

Works

Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PSD38G1600K
Patriot Signature 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model PSD38G1600K

Pros: Works out of the box with an ASUS P7P55D-E, despite not being listed as compatible. Low price for an 8GB 1600MHz kit. No ridiculous heatspreaders to get in the way of my Noctua NH-D14 heatsink.

Cons: None. Hopefully it will stay that way...

Overall Review: My i5-760 seems to have automatically overclocked itself from 2.8GHz to 3.2GHz. Hmm.

Rebate Worries

ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
ASUS P7P55D-E LX LGA 1156 Intel P55 SATA 6Gb/s USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: Most of the features I want at a not-so-stellar price.

Cons: Rebate procedure is a joke - though I suppose that's old news to mostly everyone. Rebates could be handled through newegg with today's technology and filling out the required online and hard copy forms to receive a ten dollar American Express prepaid card in 8-10 weeks is not my idea of fun. But wait! You can sacrifice one dollar in order to receive it within 5-7 business days. I will not be jumping through hoops because my time is worth more than that. I recommend that Asus rebate offers be regarded as the scam they are.

Big enough

Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
Antec Three Hundred Black Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: Excellent cable management for a case that's so inexpensive. Mount for an SSD. 140mm top fan exhaust. There's nothing plastic on this case except for the front panel... and that comes off without feeling like it will break. I really like the mounting strategy for the 2 120mm front fans. This case fits the monstrously huge Noctua NH-D14 heatsink with less than 1/8" to spare and doesn't touch the side door. Of course, you sacrifice the possibility of adding a side fan, but who needs a side fan anyway? Not me, the NH-D14 exhausts out the top and the GTX560Ti out the back.

Cons: Would have been nice if it had some room to route cables behind the motherboard, but I'm completely satisfied regardless.

Overall Review: I came from an Antec P180B purchased in 2006. It's huge and heavy - I also didn't really need all the drive bays. I only have an OS drive and a storage drive. The Antec 300 gives me everything I really need for 1/2 the price.

Behemoth

Noctua NH-D14, Premium CPU Cooler with Dual NF-P14 PWM and NF-P12 PWM Fans (Brown)
Noctua NH-D14, Premium CPU Cooler with Dual NF-P14 PWM and NF-P12 PWM Fans (Brown)

Pros: Fits in an Antec Three Hundred case - with about 1/8" to spare. Will get up to 50C in my 80F room with an i5-760@3.2GHz.

Cons: None. Hopefully it will stay that way...

Overall Review: I also own the Noctua NH-U9B which would get slightly warm to the touch with a Q8300@3.15GHz. The NH-D14 is in a class of its own when it comes to cooling with air... and sometimes better than cooling with water.

Inktastic

HP 940XL High Yield Ink Cartridge - Black
HP 940XL High Yield Ink Cartridge - Black

Pros: *Free shipping. *Looks like a lot of ink. It should last considerably longer than the ink cartridge included with the printer purchase.

Cons: *Came with an advertisement for McAfee which is currently one of the least desirable antiviruses. Source: AV-Comparatives site

Overall Review: *I would have also purchased the three pack color version of this ink, but shipping wasn't free.

College Living

Delonghi EW7707CM 1500W ComforTemp Electric Oil-Filled Radiator Heater
Delonghi EW7707CM 1500W ComforTemp Electric Oil-Filled Radiator Heater

Pros: I have the DeLonghi EW0715M, which lacks the "ComforTemp Button" but I think it's the same otherwise. As I understand it, the oil filling retains heat longer - so that it can turn off periodically to conserve energy, but still be giving off heat. I got mine for under thirty-four at a big home improvement store. It keeps my 16’x12’x8.6’ room, in a none-too-well-insulated college house at 70F on the "Minimum" setting, with the dial turned to "3." Also, I bought a mechanical plug-in timer at a big box store so that I can have it completely turned off when I'm at class and on campus for the day. I have it set to turn the heater back on 2 hours before I expect to get home. I figure, based on the winter charge of $0.096169/kWh in my area, and that the "Minimum" setting uses 700W, but I keep the dial at "3" and the max is "6," and that it is probably off 1/5 of that time, and that I keep it on 4am-7am/4pm-10pm for a total of 9 hours, that it probably costs me under fifteen/mon

Cons: None.

Overall Review: From the manual: “When switching on the appliance for the first time, allow it to run at full power for about two hours to get rid of the unpleasant smell. Make sure that the room in which the appliance is located is well ventilated during this operation. It is normal for the appliance to emit small cracking sounds when you turn it on for the first time.” Reason: “A protective coating has been applied to the heating elements for convector and fan heaters for protection during shipping. Smoke and mild odors may be emitted as the coating disintegrates with initial operation.”