Joined on 04/12/02
16 GB micro SD + reader
Pros: Bought as an in-between for son's Xbox 360 4GB version and HDD step-up. Works very well- very fast, (Class 10) always stays cool (some USB components get fairly warm when used). Very small, discreet so it doesn't protrude from back of console or get dislodged/broken. Highly recommend over any 'normal USB stick' size if possible. 32GB is max limitation on USB storage for Xbox360, be aware.
Cons: None to speak of.
Overall Review: Small size would make it easy to lose, but does seat very securely in USB port (very snug, results may vary)
1 set of small fittings
Pros: Nice design, very clean looking. Might work well if you had a small dia. tubing system.
Cons: Very small (1/4")fittings are the only ones included. Ports are too small to install other adapter fittings.
Overall Review: I have used waterblocks for over 4 years now and this is the first one that I have found that does not include more than 1 size of fittings. I believe the listing says its compatible with many tubing sizes, but only comes with the attached 1/4" fittings. Even if you removed them, you couldn't find adapter fittings to fit the small entrance/exit ports.
Great little SSD for small builds on a budget
Pros: Great SSD for Media Server OS drive, especially using older hardware (or lower power hardware) and the price. Windows 7 & 10 might have issues due to large install; I have Ubutnu installed as PLEX server with a large media drive mounted.
Cons: Small capacity, SATAII, not III. Works just fine for real world application and usage where absolute bleeding edge is required. Even then, I'm betting this drive is going to perform well based on the budget. Drive space does mean you aren't going to get a lot of ancillary apps or software installed without some space management.
Overall Review: For those looking for a low-cost OS drive for a media box that also houses NAS or mounted storage, this could be an excellent option for you. Low price along with good performance allows a slim install and fast response for your everyday NAS or media server needs. Would definitely buy another for a similar build.
GTX 770 - Powerful, yet economic GPU
Pros: 1536 CUDA cores make quick work of GPGPU processing and Folding. Also great for gaming and provides excellent resolutions and high/max settings on almost all current games. I own the 2GB version, but would love to own the 4GB, although have not been able to nail down if EVGA follows Nvidia reference design on the 4GB models for full cover GPU watercooling blocks. GK104 GPU is plenty for the mid-range and enthusiast gamer with a sub $400 budget. Single GTX 770 doubles the performance of a single GTX 560 Ti and even ousts 2x SLI GTX 560 Ti's from my personal testing. Given a single GTX 560 Ti has 384 CUDE cores and a TDP of 170 watts (768 CUDA cores; 340 watts for 2x SLI) you get far more computing power with the GTX 770 in a 230 watt TDP package and 1536 CUDA cores. ACX cooler does tremendously well with GPU at 100% load. It rarely sees over 50-55C when running GPGPU software which is very taxing on hardware. This is approaching watercooling load temps in some instances.
Cons: The GTX 770 can put out a decent amount of heat at full load for extended periods of time, but considering the TDP is 230 W at stock speeds, this is pretty respectable for a great-performing card. GTX 770 is a bit long, so make sure you check it will fit in your case. I own a Corsair 250D and it BARELY fits, but does so well. On my card, the 6 and 8 pin power connectors are on the 'top' of the card in reference to the PCI-e connector.
Overall Review: Great card considering recent price drops and the upcoming announcement from Nvidia on new graphics cards. Should expect to see upcoming price cuts on this card and other 7xx series hardware. Great for mid-range hardware/gaming builds as it won't break the bank for excellent performance.
mITX build from ATX
Pros: Excellent build quality; all panels fit perfectly, layout is quite good and the case is very roomy as far as mITX cases go. The case itself is handsome and pleasant to look at. The case itself feels quite solid and firm, but not excessively heavy or feeling of build material compromise. Thumbscrew panels make installation and access very easy. The thumbscrew layout of the panel access is a bit odd on the back side panels, but nothing to really fret over, in my mind, although could be optimized. Holds a full size, modular PSU quite well with plenty of room for cabling. Side panels allow tremendous airflow for both intake cooling of graphics card fan and on the opposite side, space for two, 120mm fans. The rear has space for two 80mm fans with plenty of room to avoid motherboard interference. A very well-ventilated case.
Cons: Thumb screw holes, at times, are not exactly aligned. Good idea for quick maintenance, although, not necessary for the HDD rack to have four of them. Lack of SATA backplane. This would have been an absolute slam dunk case if this were standard, as the power and SATA cable management could easily be negated from the cabling nightmare that always accompanies SFF builds. This would be worth the additional cost had the case included the feature. The side panel is 'stated' to support a 240 (2x120mm) radiator, although I'm quite hard pressed to see how based on mITX motherboard placement and side panel clearance. This requires specific radiator widths (quite slim) that are difficult to find. It also requires normal (exact) to slim fans, and even then, you would need to be a master oragami folder in order to arrange all internal components just right to fit components. A full watercooling build could be done, but incredible planning and a master's degree in spacial engineering skills should be considered a pre-requisite. Removable side filters would been quite nice, although they are very easy to clean by pulling thumb screws and rinsing the filters. Some people might wish to not use the side filters, but would like the option of add/removing them at any time.
Overall Review: Very nice looking, well designed mITX case. Aesthetically pleasing and well proportioned shape.
Solid mITX board with plenty of features
Pros: Excellent feature set on an mITX board. Very quick bootup with an i7 and SSD (not all motherboard boot times are equivalent, even with the same CPU and SSD/HDD). Dual gigabit LAN (although, uncertain why). Use of full-sized DIMMs for DDR3 is quite nice as most people transitioning to SFF cases often want to move their i5/i7 and DDR3, as well. This motherboard allows a better transition path for the end user wishing to make this switch to a small form factor on a reasonable budget. USB 3 is quite nice, and have been pleasantly surprised by the onboard audio thus far (Realtek).
Cons: Not many cons, but the board layout could use some improvement. For instance, USB 3 and audio headers could be better served at the front end of the board instead of the back and sides, but this is really only relevant based on your case layout. Small board requires a well thought out CPU cooler as most larger coolers will not fit next to the PCI-e slot which will likely be occupied by a graphics card.
Overall Review: Moved from an ATX, i7, nvidia SLI setup in a large tower to an mITX cube using a Corsair Obsidian 250D. So far have been very pleased with the build. I love the small, compact and powerful build possibilities using mITX.