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Jason k.

Jason k.

Joined on 12/25/09

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 16
Most Favorable Review

home server heaven

Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 69W BX80637E31230V2 Server Processor
Intel Xeon E3-1230 V2 Ivy Bridge 3.3GHz (3.7GHz Turbo) 4 x 256KB L2 Cache 8MB L3 Cache LGA 1155 69W BX80637E31230V2 Server Processor

Pros: Great processor, low wattage for the power.

Cons: None come to mind.

Overall Review: I have this CPU paired with a Supermicro MBD-X9SCM-O LGA motherbaord. Running ESXi I have 17 virtual machines running. This processor was an upgrade from the i3-2120T that I was using(for the purpose of a low wattage server). Awesome processor. Has really aided me in building the infrastructure that I need to support pentest efforts.

Overall good performer

GIGABYTE - 15.6'' GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU - Intel Core i5-12500H  - 8GB Memory - 512 GB Gen4 SSD - Windows 11 Home 64-bit - Gaming Laptop - 144 Hz (G5 KF-E3US333SH )
GIGABYTE - 15.6'' GeForce RTX 4060 Laptop GPU - Intel Core i5-12500H - 8GB Memory - 512 GB Gen4 SSD - Windows 11 Home 64-bit - Gaming Laptop - 144 Hz (G5 KF-E3US333SH )

Pros: I got this a to replace my Surface Laptop 3. I was looking for something that I could throw some RAM into, add storage and do some lite gaming (Borderlands, Diablo, Killing Floor, Darksiders, many other Indy games). When this was delivered I threw 32gb of RAM in this and a 2TB m2 in the second slot for storage. After a week I also removed the CPU and GPU cooling for a repaste. The factory paste job is adequate but mine is better. When pasting you will need to go a little thicker than normal, the pressure retention for the heatsinks are a little whimpy. Also worth noting that there aren't many heatpipes from the heatsinks going to the CPU and GPU fans. My idle temps hover between 43 and 45C. The temp was hovering at 50C before the repaste. Biggest difference was the reduction in fan sound. While gaming I have a little more overhead with the heat but it's a laptop, it will get loud and hot. I wanted it quieter while doing office work. The preinstalled OS worked well for a while, no bloatware. I got two blue screens and had some glitchy issues. Fresh install of Windows 11 and quite some time to install drivers, haven't had an issue again. My gaming desktop is a old AMD 1700x paired with a 2060 Super. I don't need high end, just something that will work and play games for several years. I would buy this again.

Cons: The speakers are a joke. I use external speakers and headphones. Worth mentioning that the speakers really aren't good for anything other than very basic media.

Overall Review: Good buy. Upgrade the memory.

Does exactly what RAM should do

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 2666 (PC4 21300) Laptop Memory Model F4-2666C18S-4GRS
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 4GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 2666 (PC4 21300) Laptop Memory Model F4-2666C18S-4GRS

Overall Review: This RAM performs exactly as intended. Overall was a good purchase for the money. Would buy again.

Honest review

AMD A4-3400 - A-Series APU (CPU + GPU) Llano Dual-Core 2.7 GHz Socket FM1 65W AMD Radeon HD 6410D Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic - AD3400OJHXBOX
AMD A4-3400 - A-Series APU (CPU + GPU) Llano Dual-Core 2.7 GHz Socket FM1 65W AMD Radeon HD 6410D Desktop APU (CPU + GPU) with DirectX 11 Graphic - AD3400OJHXBOX

Pros: The first thing I like about this CPU is the cost. This thing is affordable and is adequate for a small workstation. This thing handles tasks well, such as: internet, Office, small games, high def movies. Even during high CPU usage the computer was responsive.

Cons: I can't think of any cons.

Overall Review: I built a computer for an older woman that does nothing more that use the internet and work with Office products. I wanted a CPU that could handle what she does without breaking her bank. This fit the mold. In my personal computer I use an i5-2500k w/ 8GB w/ R9 280X and my home workstation has Xeon E5-2620 w/ 32GB w/ 7870 XT. I am using those as my standards for performance comparison. I was pleased with the performance of the A4-3400. It is a responsive processor and the built in GPU performs very well. I paired the A4-3400 with 2x4GB of RAM. I did not test games on the processor as I only wanted the computer to perform the tasks mentioned and play movies, it does all of those well. I do recommend this processor. For the price this is a great processor and would work perfect for workstations or HTPCs.

11/30/2013

Low cost power supply

RAIDMAX RX-380K 380 W ATX12V Power Supply
RAIDMAX RX-380K 380 W ATX12V Power Supply

Pros: This power supply works great. The power rating is good, but I wouldn't trust it in my primary computer. This is a good power supply for a small workstation build. The cost of this power supply sets it aside from other power supplies. What you see online is exactly what you are getting.

Cons: I realize these are CONs but more of the way things are with this power supply. For the price you can't ask for a lot. The molex connections had issues with pins backing out when connecting them. The plastic retainers never locked onto the pins. Took some time to fix this. The fan inside the power supply is loud, very loud. The fan uses a + and - (red/black) connection. Was easy to fix, opened the power supply and swapped the fan with a quiet fan. The power supply doesn't weigh much, compared with my XFX PSU it's like comparing an orange to a watermelon. If you open it you will see there isn't much to the power supply. Don't put this PSU in a case that doesn't breath well, it will get hot and you will shorten the life span of the PSU. For these CONs I will knock an egg.

Overall Review: For the price there really isn't much that I was expecting form this power supply other than to supply power. Replace the fan inside the power supply and you have a PSU that is fit for a small workstation or HTPC.

11/30/2013

Affordable

HEC Vigilance-CIA Black 0.5 mm Thickness SGCC Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case with 8cm Fan, 1x USB3.0 and HD Audio
HEC Vigilance-CIA Black 0.5 mm Thickness SGCC Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case with 8cm Fan, 1x USB3.0 and HD Audio

Pros: The first Pro is the price of this case. The market bracket this case is targeted at is the market that is looking for something that is very affordable and isn't looking for lots of features. The second Pro is the simplicity of this case. This case is exactly what you see, there are no surprises or anything that needs to be though out before buying this case. Super huge power button!! Perfect for the older folks that use computers. Keep that in mind cause its a huge selling point for the older crowd. The two included fans with the case aren't silent but they are very quiet. They move air adequately to let the case breath. All hardware needed for the case is included inside the case when it is shipped. The hardware is secured internal with a tie-wrap.

Cons: These are listed under Cons but these are NOT Cons. This case is basic, do not expect anything beyond USB and Audio on the front. The door in front of the CD drive is just a little flimsy. Took playing with the CD-rom to get it right and even after it still feels weird. Not a con big enough to knock an egg, just the way it is.

Overall Review: I have been building computers for many years and I do research before giving my recommendation on products. This case was a little iffy. For the price I rolled the dice and got exactly what I saw online. This isn't a great case nor is it a bad case. The market this is targeted at is looking for affordability. I used this case in a build for a woman that is older. This case works perfect for her. The large power button is a very big advantage. Low cost is the second advantage.

11/30/2013