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John P.

John P.

Joined on 07/17/08

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 5
Most Favorable Review

Took a "gamble" with no reviews....everything's good.

SUPERMICRO SuperO MBD-C7Z170-M-O LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI USB 3.0 Micro ATX Motherboard
SUPERMICRO SuperO MBD-C7Z170-M-O LGA 1151 Intel Z170 HDMI USB 3.0 Micro ATX Motherboard

Pros: -Good set of features for a gaming rig, but this is also a con (explained below). Overall a really decent board which can be easily setup for almost all needs. -Loved the on-board buttons for troubleshooting (only remember the power on, but the other 2 serve equally important functions)

Cons: Here's where the egg gets dropped: -With all the features this board has, I can hardly see the need for all the server features being needed at all on a board that is trying to meet halfway in between "server" and "gaming". Some things will probably not be used by most and it is probably using up space. The difference won't be dramatic, but it could be the solution to my next con. -Ram sockets aren't evenly spaced out. Look closely and the top picture in the description and ensure you're gonna be using a low profile ram (specifically width since height should be a no brainer based on your cpu cooler). I will be sending back my quad channel ram, and may possibly replace the ram currently in use. Ironically I was going to send back the dual-channel ram (messed up order on my part) but will be sending back the ram that was quad-channel instead. So just have that in mind when choosing your ram. All in all, the loss of the egg goes to the RAM modules 1A and 2A being too close; nothing more to add here.

Overall Review: I'm writing a somewhat detailed review based on my experience to encourage both costumers and Supermicro to continue making these boards. I like the quality. Other things to consider: -PCI peripheral slots were very close to each other (very common among non ATX boards it seems), so stay in the large form factor if you plan to have more than just a GPU in place. The PCI X1 slot seems usable (furthest from GPU). -Windows 10 failed to recognize the m.2 as a boot device, this may be either something on board settings that I haven't read yet, or the board needing a bios update (unsure what previous review meant about their need to have bios upgraded, but this is kinda risky and may not be the reason). Not a big concern since the m.2 drive will be used to install apps that will be used more frequently, but it would have been nice to have the option of doing so (I'm using a sata ssd for OS). -Manual should be printed (my opinion), I prefer this old school method since some users like myself don't use cd/dvd drives and/or prefer flipping pages. -Given that I had no disc drive I had to download drivers online. My incompetent internet (comcast/warner) would not allow ftp for some reason. Supermicro, please have more options for downloading drivers. Not your fault tho. I'm baffled by an internet company blocking this port; I attempted the download at different times/days with no success. -You're paying a good price for the board, and while you may not get a fancy "alien ship" look alike of the major companies (with all their fancy stuff), you ARE getting your money's worth for this board.

seems to do the job

Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G
Arctic Silver 5 High-Density Polysynthetic Silver Thermal Compound AS5-3.5G

Pros: Very concentrated.

Cons: none so far.

Overall Review: Be sure to check out their website for instructions on how to apply thermal paste. It's a reference guide that can be followed specifically for CPU types.

Good MoBo

ASUS Z87I-DELUXE LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
ASUS Z87I-DELUXE LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard

Pros: -mITX with lots of features -cheaper than the maximus impact (or whichever the mITX is) -everything's well arranged -could run well for everyday use via the cpu's graphics

Cons: -Can't support a high-end cpu cooler (a big one could run into part of the mobo) -Not enough space for any type of ram if using an air cooler (limits on height mostly) -Sloppy wi-fi -positioning on some of the components

Overall Review: I'm aware that there's a new one out right now, and it may have better performance and/or newer tech. But I did wanted to own this for a while before giving it a review. I'd recommend this over the impact unless you want the "hd audio". sata placement's a little awkward but bearable. Last thing I have to say is that the wi-fi IS removable and attached by 2 small screws on the bottom, and an M.2 card (someone stated it in their review). But that's an extra ~30$ for a premium motherboard. This is where it loses the 5th egg. But I can't say that I'm dissatisfied with it working flawlessly for over a year now. ps: as a fan of mITX, if you have the money to go for it, check out the new asrock x99; that's a true minibeast that even has placed the m.2 ssd slot smartly (unlike the newer deluxe where it sits at the bottom). That may be my next build, although that's some time from now.

My first fancy cpu cooler

Noctua NH-L12 120mm & 92mm SSO Bearing PWM Fans CPU Cooler
Noctua NH-L12 120mm & 92mm SSO Bearing PWM Fans CPU Cooler

Pros: Adjustable fans Medium size (good for small rigs) Good design

Cons: Could limit your memory options

Overall Review: I'm very realistic when reviewing a product and i really liked this cooler. First thing though, I had to adjust it's fans (which ended up fitting just fine on a z87i-deluxe) just a little bit. I'm happy with it though. Regardless of what reviews say (can fit in 'this' csae without the top fan...etc) i have to admit with the only con it has, that is the cooler could limit what ram you use, that is, assuming you're installing it as most of us would, having part of the fan cover your ram just a little. Other than that i'm confident it does its job well and have no regrets on replacing this with the stock cooler of any cpu. ps: if your setup is on a full size atx you might be able to install it in a different way without any problems and still use a high profile ram but then agian, you'll probably be wanting something with water cooling. Just a possibility if 3-7 degrees are not a big deal for you.

11/29/2013

Good Case

Fractal Design Node 605 Black Aluminum/Steel ATX HTPC/Media Center Computer Case
Fractal Design Node 605 Black Aluminum/Steel ATX HTPC/Media Center Computer Case

Pros: Spaceous Good design Provides good airflow

Cons: Slim drive only Drive bays (see other thoughts) Cable management No reset button (if you need one; otherwise it isn't)

Overall Review: I may have listed more cons but i'll explain here: The hard drives/ssd's problem, they seem to have forgot to place them within the case so they instead created a removable bay where the drives are placed, these bays reside on top of the slim drive on the left side. Very confusing if you'll be using all of them with its 'cable management' which is none. The space management is pretty neat itsell though, you really don't have much to worry about, just make sure to put first your slim drive and fans, after putting everything in place i still had room left, that's neat. I know there is no cable management but remember the case is meant to be htpc, not a gaming rig with all its accesories. Why the 4 eggs? I didn't expect it to be the perfect case (that's ambiguious) but I do like to notice how well polished something is given its price tag. Where the egg got knocked off was with my psu, after installing it i realized the slim drive (with the adapter that's needed) wouldn't have any room for the cables to connect it to, its hieght almost made me return my GTX 650Ti but you'll get just a milimiter or more of space. (i'm refering to the 4-pin power connector) Airflow: The description doesn't lie, it pretty much has a filter for dust which does a good job and provides cooling, I like that a lot, in from the sides, out from the back, makes sense. Recap: overall i'd recommended only if you're planning on using it for a htpc like me and will no be placing a full sized board. It's worth the money if you want a fancy looking computer to your home media room. What can fit inside a node-605: Asus Z87i-Deluxe Rosewill Capstone 650-M (most likely will not allow you to install the slim drive) Asus GTX 650Ti These are just to give you an idea.

11/29/2013