Joined on 12/29/03
Exceeded my expectations
Pros: Sturdy, great ventilation, quiet. I love the fact it has a reset button (I get annoyed at computers without a reset button).
Cons: The only con I can think of is the door covering the front of the computer. The fit and finish of the door is very nice, but if you access the CD drive a lot like I do, the door just gets in the way. My solution was to simply remove the door. Installation of the components might take a little longer than usual because of the tight spaces, but that can be expected from a slim case.
Overall Review: I needed to build a cheap computer for use at work. This case with its small size, included power supply, and great price was exactly what I needed. I was pleasantly surprised by this case! Despite being inexpensive, it was not cheap in quality. The metal is not thin and flimsy like I've seen on other cases. The computer is surprisingly quiet, it's probably the quietest computer in my office (there are 10 computers in my office). An Intel Core 2 Quad with the stock cooler fits in the case with room to spare. The included power supply provided enough power for my needs; Core2Quad, Intel DG31GL mobo, 2GB RAM, CD/DVD reader, and 80GB hard drive. I'm already considering another one of these cases for a computer for my dad.
Mixed opinions
Pros: The aluminum front panel is beefier and nicer than I was expecting, no sharp edges in the case, tool-less design for HD, CD, and floppy drives.
Cons: Because the motherboard mounting is inverted from most cases, the 4-pin CPU wire was a tight stretch from the PSU. What makes it worse is the ducting on the side panel means the 4-pin CPU wire needs to go around it which makes it an even tighter stretch. And to top it all off, the duct on the side doesn't line up with the CPU, it's off center by about an inch. I thought the CPU location was standard so this should line up. Despite these cons I got everything in the case and it will work for my needs.
Overall Review: Whereas the front aluminum panel was much nicer than I expected, the sides of the case are still thin steel. Not as thin as some cases I've seen, but no where near as nice as an all aluminum case. Of course, no where near as expensive as an aluminum case. Overall I'm pleased with the case. I rated 3 stars simple because of the 4-pin CPU wire issue.
Overall pleased
Pros: I like the look of the case, has a good solid feel, and USB3 is always a plus.
Cons: Case is a real fingerprint magnet.
Overall Review: When installing the hard drive be sure to put the protective film in between the circuit board of the hard drive and the case. This film prevents the hard drive circuit board from shorting out against the metal case which would likely destroy the drive.
Good replacement keyboard
Pros: Works great in my Acer 1810T. Was easy to install, took me about 5 minutes, and that was being extra careful not to damage anything.
Cons: Comparing this to the original keyboard, I'm pretty sure this is not a genuine Acer part. But I can't really fault them for this because they do not claim it is a genuine Acer part in the description.
Overall Review: The 'O' key on my laptop has been slowly dying. When I found this reasonably priced keyboard on newegg I decided to give it a try. Installation was easy, but take it slowly and be careful. Use a flat-blade screwdriver to push back 4 tabs along the top of the keyboard while gently lifting up. Next there are 2 tabs, one on each side about half way down. Once those are free, there is a ribbon cable underneath. Carefully lift up on the black part of the ribbon cable connector. Once that swings up, the cable is free to pull out. Simply reverse the steps with the new keyboard. Be sure and test the keyboard before pushing the keyboard back into place. That way if the ribbon cable needs to be redone you don't have to remove the keyboard again. The new keyboard has a slightly different feel and sound. It sounds a little louder and feels a little firmer. For all I know, this is what the original keyboard was like when new. And I actually like the increased firmness of the keys. If your keyboard is acting up, I recommend this item. I only wish I had done it sooner instead of living with a troublesome 'O' key for so many months.
Works with Raspberry Pi
Pros: Works with Raspberry Pi distros out of the box, no need to download drivers or firmware. Also works on the Raspberry Pi B+ without the need for a powered hub.
Cons: My only complaint about this adapter is is adapter housing. The housing is flat and wide. However, the width is the problem. Many computers (Raspberry Pi included) have USB ports close together. The adapter is too wide, it blocks the neighboring port. If it were designed to be long and narrow it wouldn't block neighboring ports. Technically I can use the included USB extension (which is nice), so this is a minor gripe.
Overall Review: I specifically bought this adapter because it was listed as working with the Raspberry Pi and because it's N300. Turns out N300 is the downlink speed, the uplink is N150. I was bummed when I realized this, but rereading the newegg description they do mention this, so the fault is my own for not reading closely. That said, I still would have purchased this adapter - I guess I just wish it were N300 both ways.
Best monitor I've owned
Pros: Glossy screen, edge-to-edge glass. This is going to be the reason you love this monitor or hate it. If you have a light source from behind you, you'll probably hate this monitor because of all the reflections. But if you can control the lighting from behind you then this will be the clearest and sharpest monitor you've ever seen! This monitor is 1920x1080 (HD spec). Many 27" monitors are higher resolution, so some might be disappointed with 1920x1080. Me personally, 1920x1080 is a plus! I have always preferred monitors with a high pixel pitch.
Cons: My biggest complaint is the included cables - Dell gives you a VGA cable but no DVI or HDMI? Are you kidding me Dell!?! This is 2014, VGA is all but dead. Also, anyone spending money on a higher-end monitor like this isn't going to be using VGA. Spend the extra 50 cents and include DVI and/or HDMI cables. The only other thing I would change about this monitor is the stand. I would like to have seen a vertical adjustment to raise the monitor up. I already had a platform I used to raise up my previous monitor so I used they on this monitor as well.
Overall Review: When you get this monitor, I highly recommend you lower the brightness. Factory default was something like 80%, I lowered it to 60% which is still plenty bright for my environment. I'm usually not a fan of capacitive-touch buttons like this monitor uses for the power and menu controls. But I find that these buttons work really well. Newer monitors like this are definitely light for their size. This 27" monitors weighs less than the 19" LCD it replaced.