Joined on 09/06/08
GREAT
Pros: I changed my mind at the last minute and bought this instead of an Antec 900. What a great decision. Installation was a breeze, it is so roomy and easy to work on. Routing cables is a piece of cake, and I couldn't be happier with how clean and professional my finished build looked. This case has stellar airflow and a multitude of options. I have a total of 5 fans installed, with space for at least 3 more if I need them. Mine hasn't gotten over 35 C internally, and all my components stay nice and cool. I also like the bottom intake and dust filter for the PSU. The overall look is awesome, and the top-oriented USB and audio connections are very convenient with a sliding cover for when they aren't in use.
Cons: None
Overall Review: There is a bit of confusion over the stock fan loadout - mine came with 2 Red LED fans in the front, and one black fan in the back. I installed the radiator for my CPU cooler where the back fan mounts and added 2 exhaust fans at the top.
Decent, not amazing
Pros: Wireless - this was my first wireless headset, and I can't say enough about how great it is to have total freedom to get up and move around the house while still hearing/speaking on the headset. Overall sound quality is above-average, not enthusiast level but better than most headsets. The bass is very strong and the mids/highs are good enough to not get lost in the mix. Utility - the G keys can be configured for whatever you want, plus the volume roller is very convenient. I use the keys for push-to-talk so I can remain part of the conversation even if I'm not at my keyboard.
Cons: Unfortunately there are more cons than pros: I warrantied my first pair just before a year of ownership. After about 6 months, the smooth coating on the ear pads began to wear off. By the time I warrantied the headset the ear pads were entirely comprised of bare foam. Heavy/Hot for extended use - they can leave a crease in your hair-do and make your face/ears sweat. To be expected, but still a con. Surround sound - definitely not true 7.1, but that's not the major gripe. If you put the headset on stereo mode, most applications actually only play out of one ear. Both of my sets would only play out of the right ear, but I have heard other users having them play only out of the left ear. In order to have an even listening experience, the surround switch HAS to be activated. This switch's function is subject to errors as well though, and sometimes I have to entirely disconnect the headset from my PC and re-install it to make them work properly. This warrants a -1 egg Battery Life - definitely not the 8-10 hours advertised unless you are using them at like 10% volume. As others have reported, 3-4 hours is all you should expect at any significant level of volume. Random disconnect/power off issues. Not sure if this is software or firmware related, but it can be very annoying. Affects aforementioned surround switch & function issues. Software - After a fresh install it seems the Logitech Gaming Software works properly, but when they first introduced the unified software package this headset had serious issues. Conflict with the previous version would prevent LGS from loading, and I actually ran legacy drivers and software for quite some time before a newer version would work. Probably a non-issue now, thankfully.
Overall Review: Overall the G930 is a good headset, probably the nicest one I've owned yet. I will not be buying another however, going to move into something higher end. I paid $150 (a year and a half ago) and that is too much for a headset with so many known operational issues. At current prices this is a good buy for a mid-high grade wireless gaming headset.
Decent mouse, bad for palm grip/large hands
Pros: - Quality construction - Plenty of buttons - Logitech's gear wheel design - Wired/wireless operation
Cons: - Uncomfortable for palm-grip users - Wired/wireless mode requires separate USB ports - Factory cable too heavy, hinders mouse movement - Battery life NOT great after some time
Overall Review: I have large-ish hands and prefer palm grip mice, but thought I'd give the G700s a try since it has a good size and seemingly ergonomic design. Unfortunately, the design of the mouse forces a claw/fingertip hybrid grip which is just not comfortable for me. This is no reason to take 2 stars away though, so lets get to the rest. The G700s can operate either wired or wireless at 1000mhs polling rate. This is great for gaming - as an experienced gamer and someone who was previously 'sold' on the idea that wired mice are superior because they eliminate wireless input lag, this mouse changed my mind. It is very responsive in wireless mode and I notice excellent response in all circumstances. It works just as well wired, but the problem comes in when you choose to swap between modes. There is no passthrough on the wireless dongle extension cable, so if you want to use both modes it is going to take up 2 USB slots. That just doesn't seem necessary. Also, the USB cord for wired operation is very heavy. I choose to use it wireless just because of this - the cable is so stiff and heavy it will fight against your movements, even move the mouse on its own when bent in certain directions. After a day of use I unplugged the cable (freeing up a USB slot in the meantime) and ran it wirelessly, using a lightweight phone charging USB cord to recharge the batteries. Now this part may have been my fault, using a phone charger to recharge the mouse battery. The battery in this mouse would last ~several~ hours per charge when it was new, but now it only lasts 45 minutes or so off the charger. This would not have been a problem if the supplied cable wasn't so dang heavy and rigid. Overall these issues are something I could live with if the mouse wasn't so uncomfortable. I'll be switching back to my trusty G9x in the meantime while searching for a comfy new palm-grip gaming mouse. I'll miss the 4 thumb buttons most of all.
Awesome monitor
Pros: This is a great monitor. The upgrade from 60hz to 144hz gaming has changed everything. This panel has fantastic clarity and picture quality. The ability to enable Lightboost for 2d gaming (via 3rd party software) gives it without a doubt the smoothest motion available in a monitor. If your PC is capable of pushing 120/144 fps, you are doing yourself a disservice if you're still using a 60hz monitor. The built-in speakers are also very convenient. For intense gaming sound I use a headset, but for casual computing the speakers work just fine and have freed up a significant portion of my deskspace.
Cons: The color is a little whack out of the box, but as linked above the ICC profile mostly corrects it. I still can't get the color matched exactly with my old monitor, but it is close enough. Also, after several hours my eyes really start to hurt - I know, what do you expect - but I notice it more using this monitor than the Samsung I was using before. Lightboost accelerates the onset of this eventual headache.
Overall Review: When Lightboost is enabled the whole panel is a little dimmer and the colors become slightly duller. This is an acceptable tradeoff for literally ZERO MOTION BLUR. Nvidia and/or ASUS really need enable this feature without having to use 3rd party software.
Reliable
Pros: Replaced an OEM Hitachi hard drive with this one after it bit the dust. WD just makes good stuff.
Cons: none
Convenient!
Pros: These kinds of adapters can be difficult to find, but this one made my life much easier. Perfect for installing a SSD or laptop drive in your older machine without SATA power connectors.
Cons: none
Overall Review: It would be nice if the SATA cable had the new-style lock on it. No big deal, it doesn't fall out or anything.