Pros: - FINALLY, Noctua in BLACK! (still kept that ugly brown for rubber guards) - This version is a LIL loud at absolute full speed BUT, nowhere near what ppl made it out to be. Extremely manageable unless youre a silence nut (N in that case, go game at the library!) - Very strong static pressure esp with gaskets and a sealed environment channel. - Great solution to gain a bit extra speed/static pressure and get rid of push/pull w stock fans on liquid coolers. (since too many cases anymore do NOT consider PUSH/PULL rads with LGA mobos (top heat sink gets in the way of even most "pregapped" cases. These fans will ensure you can still move a LOT of air without paying TETRIS w your PC components trying to get them to fit juuuust right.
Cons: - none - SOME ppl might say noise, but it really is not THAT bad. Yes, 100% CAN and will get a tiny bit noisy if it is on the case perimeter. Under my push/pull (inside the case, w two original A14s on top), i barely hear the 2k rpm models rev up. But i also have a ton of fans. Still, inside a case, i don't see noise being an issue until you move PAST 2k rpms.
Overall Review: I personally did not think they were too loud compared to having 10+ other fans running in my Air 540 case. Then again, controlling the airflow is very important to me. I like to know i can run these to really boost the amount if air in whatever systems i install them into. These fans are amazing and help directional-ize the flow. For a rad, i would only go up to this 2k rpm model. The 3k DOES get a LITTLE loud, but to me... Even that one was bearable. I ran it as a main exhaust and it worked beautifully. I would suggest using these for your rad, and the 3k for exhausting air. On a rad, the 3k would absolutely need a fan profile highly tuned (or itll wind up and down during virus scans n anything that makes temps jump). You also do not want these fans without some form of speed controls. Full speed full time would get annoying. Near full speed is perfect tho. Unless buried in a case w sound deadening material to dampen. All you really hear is air getting forced... No whines or other noise issues. Overall, solid fans for the money and they don't rattle around. They move tons of air, and are completely worth the money to protect your expensive processors and liquid coolers. I have them on all CPU/GPU installs i liquid cool, just bc i trust them to work under the worst conditions and still shine. * Gigabyte mother board users beware - I know the 970 and 990 chipsets allowed Voltage or PWM control, but Intel versions do not seem to always have that option if at all. Due to their "behind the times" PWM controls, i have found that only the CPU_FAN and CPU_OPT headers are the only fans to work from the start at POST. When id plug a fan in any SYS_FAN header, itd stall until getting into Windows most times (unless i just restarted and the system is still warm). But just to note, the fan IS NOT dead. Use the Easytune software and youll have the fan working np. It just seems that the SYS_FAN headers do not provide enough ooopmphh, to start the fan initially. With a splitter, this problem was fixed (powered spliter via sata or molex). But from the headers i mentioned. The SYS ones don't work as great. But i can assure you the fans are not faulty or dead. Its good old Gigabyte.
Pros: - Cheap on sale - Pretty snappy as NTFS or exFAT file systems. - I collect TF and regular SD cards for caneras, and i stick with UHS speeds. This card performs along the same line as the Sandisk and PNY equiv. The picture to picture reload time was very low with this card which i like to bring as a backup.
Cons: - Really, none. It does what it is advertised to do... I cannot complain about one thing. Price, speed compared to advertised, etc.
Overall Review: Beyond the use for cameras (IP and handheld), i like to have an assortment of fast cards to preload OS's to, for USB deployment wherever you go. This card has enough storage to get by for this use, is fast enough to not want to tear your hair out waiting (not the 10MB/s some cards average out at.). The price on sale made me want to pickup a few more actually. If you plan to stock up for pentesting or simply to take pictures at your next big event, these cards are worthwhile. Great performance for the price.
Pros: -Amazing range -Solid connections -Creates more of a WiFi "bubble" compared to a beacon shape like a lighthouse light (as larger antennas do) -Fast connection @ 270 Mbps internally (on a constant basis - used driver only not entire suite) -Connects through old walls that other adapters typically do not - And is STILL much faster than others
Cons: -ONLY 2.4 GHz band -I prefer black, but the color of the green light bothers me more (green and white don't match any of my other pieces - but this was the only option) -I wish that I was able to secure an original v1 or older version that supports packet injection - as this would be an amazing adapter for pentesting *(the v1 can, although v2 and v3 do not - Not 100% sure.. v2 might support, but I have received the version that does not)
Overall Review: I like that this can be positioned in many different manners w/o affecting the signal much. As I mentioned, it is more of a bubble of broadcast, rather than a beacon from a lighthouse. So those who have the injection-capable version are lucky... it is a great adapter, but I purchased this over a year ago and received the non-injection model. So I doubt that the injection-capable version will be available on many sites that do not list it specifically. Overall, an amazing adapter for wireless N... I would definitely suggest others purchase this adapter if they are in the market for a strong, fast 2.4 GHz connection via WiFi. And just to mention, the version I received was capable of usage in Linux with a simple update command. In case anyone intends to use for Linux (Kali, Ubuntu, etc.)
Pros: -Dual band -Fast -Can handle large bandwidth transmissions -Pretty easy to use interface -Lots of options -Reasonably strong range (can travel full bars through multiple old style slat/plaster walls, covering roughly 40ft radius)
Cons: -Does not have option to install DD-WRT -Cannot remove Antennas+ -Antennas protruding are ONLY 5GHz range. The 2 internal radios broadcast the 2.4 GHz range. So adjusting the antennae will not improve the signal to the 2.4 GHz network signal. -Can display inaccurate info about the active WiFi connections, although it is still close enough to determine connection issues
Overall Review: I have owned this router for years now, and it runs 24/7 as the primary router in my home network. It handles DHCP great, as well as following the reservation lists and other parameters set. I also like the Virtual Server option, where you can direct a routing table of forwarded ports to easily implement multiple systems, reachable through DDNS. Makes things very simple compared to messing with regular port forwarding, which is also has the option of. As for the internal network performance, I have had no issues and I run a security camera network with attached storage w/o bandwidth issues. This router truly handles a lot of processing. It is not the fastest router, but it is highly stable and runs strong. Speeds have not been a problem for me. The only issue I ran into has been that this setup is RALink radios mixed with an Atheros-based switch in the rear. Seeing this at first (through a wired connection), I thought it was completely Atheros-based, and purchased additional routers that were Atheros-based to match. When I found they did not match, I already had DD-WRT installed on the other routers. So I was forced to consider other configuration options to utilize this router as the primary, and the others as repeaters. I thought I would mention this in case anyone else had considered this router for use in the same or similar environment. I did not pay $100 for this router, but I do not recall my exact price and did not look prior to this feedback and update. For the price (under 100) it was worth it. But as I said, I did not like the idea that the 3 external antennas are non-removable and ONLY 5GHz. I'm not sure how this makes the I/O (1x2, 3x3 on one band, 2x1 on the other, etc.), but I do know that it is a dependable router (in my case). I can easily stream HD videos and security camera streams concurrently w/o problem. I simply wish I could install DD-WRT and establish tunneling between ALL the routers. Maybe they will figure it out soon and release a copy.
Pros: -Tons of Space -Lots of mounting areas/options -Modular design is VERY flexible -Comes with a basic fan header expansion to connect fans to all the spots available. -Can fit a 280mm Push/Pull H110 on the top mount perfectly with Intel boards (with heatsink high on the mobo) -Has spots for 2x120mm fans on bottom, 2x140mm or 1x200mm in front, up to a 360mm on top, and up to a 140mm in the rear. The top is also wide enough to easily fit 140mm fans on top (to have a 280mm cooler, with a single 120mm to cool the CD drives area (I modded mine into a HDD spot for directed airflow
Cons: -It cannot fit an H110 in the front, even though it could fit 2 x 140mm fans or a 200mm. The drive bay gets in the way (5.25") -It does not have a PSU shield. It comes with a "bridge" for the HDD cages, but I feel it would be much more useful shielding the PSU from the TONS of liquid cooling that could be mounted above. -The cages impede some airflow, but it is nothing compared to other cases... so not totally a con, just something that irritated me -The SSD mount in the rear would be nicer if the cages could be replaced by these types of mounts (in the cage spot - similar to the Corsair 760 case), to improve airflow dramatically, and give users more options. Plus it keeps more room for the obvious intention of adding liquid coolers... since there are so many mounting areas. -The rear SSD mount could use a hole and small fan option to cool it in the back. It doesn't NEED it, but it helps, as I found out from adding my own mod. -No options for fans on the glass side. I would prefer to add SOME type of cooling to pull my GPU heat away or blow cool air on them. For SLI/CF users, that would be an AMAZING upgrade to this case. There should be a window option, and then an option with tiny windows and a fan mount.
Overall Review: -I might seem to be hard on this case, but the cons are merely simple annoyances to me... and really should not interfere with most builds. This case is really unbelievable for cooling options... *(Ive built an FX6300 setup OC'd that idled under 10 deg Celsius and never went over 25 C @ max load gaming - with a single Acetek equiv of the Corsair h50 - 1x120mm fan size radiator). It really is an amazing case... especially for the price. With a couple simple and cheap options, it can easily keep up with the 200-400$ cases in terms of cooling and making everything look great. With some extra holes for mounting points, airflow and HDD mounting options, this case would include most everything needed for anyone to utilize this case for more custom tailored builds. It has nearly everything that the expensive similar models do, except what is mentioned above. For the price, I can't really complain though. I believe I got this for around 80$ on average each time I have purchased one (Have built roughly 11 in this exact case so far (2 for myself and 9 for customers))
Pros: -Lots of extras w/o clutter -Includes: Site Map (to show all network connected users in real time) Quick Cleanup (to clean main spots on drives for clutter + registry) File Shredder (self-explanatory) Real-time Scanning + Scheduled Scans + Web Site/Download Scanning (Real-time) A Great Firewall Interface (can simply answer prompts to configure rather than inserting all the info) -Is VERY sensitive (even to Trojans - so be careful if you are a non-supportive gamer) -Great Quarantine Options
Cons: -It takes up a bit of the resources, even when checked to "not use resources heavily". -This can become demanding on lower-end PC's and laptops (I recommend just letting it use full resources and get it over with faster) -On my laptop, it pins the load on the AMD A8 quad-core, but with proper cooling it is fine. I can see this being an issue though, for instance, if you already have heat problems. Add one of those little side-coolers for laptops though and its fine. I've had much less problem with Desktop CPU's, such as the FX series or i5-i7's. I'd rather a scanner be thorough instead of fast though. So these cons are more like guidelines to watch for. I use HWMonitor by CPUID to monitor my temps. Even the full load and resources has not made my temps go above the "safe" limits set by the BIOS options.
Overall Review: I would recommend this suite over the others. I do not understand why the Total Protection is different from this, besides family filters and online/email scanning. This suite has QUITE a bit of excess to it though... and I think that it would be great for protecting small to medium networks as an additional security layer. It covers more than just the basics.
Pros: -Nice Design -Bottom Mount PSU -Appears to have great cooling options for a mid case
Cons: -Appearance is deceiving -The front fans are odd... they click in to place w/o tools in the front, but at the cost of high impedance of airflow (what is the point of 2 nice size fans if half the air is blocked? -The top holes do not have mounting brackets of ANY kind. I cannot understand why a case would be made with a large "hear escape", yet no holes are drilled. -All fan mounting areas are highly blocked.(read notes/other)
Overall Review: Although the case is nice and sturdy, it has its flaws. All I can say is, if you do not mind planning and doing some modifications, you will be perfectly content with this case. Putting together an optimal setup with this case... I have used power tools to cut my own holes for mounts, air holes to stop impeding air from fans, and extra vents on the bottom of the case to take advantage of the cooler air. The mods were not difficult, but you need to measure, mark and use the right tools. You will need some strong cutting discs to make it through the front piece, but it makes roughly 10 deg Celsius drop in overall case temp. The rear fan hole being cut brought it down a little bit as well. The top mount part was a challenge though. Since I had chosen liquid cooling, I needed to mount the mobo, measure the room, and mount special holes with a small offset to ensure it did not touch the board in a push/pull setup. But as I said, if you do not mind modding the case, it is cheap, nice looking, and VERY nice once it is properly vented and setup. I would have tried a front mount cooler but I only had a 140mm rad version to use. I would LOVE to design cases, b/c there are SO many ugly ones out there, and others just don't include the features that newer builds really need. Yeah, looking nice is important, but it is dumb to block the airflow on smaller cases like this. Also, cheap side wall mounts for 2.5 drives would be able to hide a cheaper "backbone" rather than requiring all the extra drive bays. I'm SURE customers would go crazy for a cheaper case that has ACTUAL airflow, rather than a bunch of gimmicks that are cosmetic. The ones that are gonna cool well are also ridiculously priced. So a cheap case with a couple different features would really stand out in a market full of cases that are all the same... hot... full of stuff that most dont need... and are very generalized. Do we make cars so generally? No. Most other things in the world are customized to the users, and offer different options. So having a cheap case for one crowd (high airflow), might have different requirements prioritized than the ones who need a sturdier case. Or one that can hold a lot of drives. But who is building a mid-ATX PC with 8+ HDDs? Who needs all these slots? Those two blocked 120mm fans arent gonna cool all those drives too well. Using 4 HDD mounts, (esp sideways like the high-end Corsair 760 types), could dramatically improve airflow while also keeping that bulky junk metal out of the way so builders can actually hide their wires and make it look decent. The market REALLY needs some cases tailored to the customers, that are affordable. Not just custom tailored to the high-end systems, that can afford to drop 200-400$ on a case. Just for an extra option or two... that might cost a couple bucks to make. Cases have remained the same while every other component in PC's has changed drastically. It's about time for some manufacturers to take a step in to the unknown... and actually help extend the life of customer's parts. Not just make them look nice while they overheat and pffft.
Pros: -Very low power draw -Powerful processing -Compact but efficient in terms of heat
Cons: -I don't have two? (no cons on their part)
Overall Review: This card is an upgrade from a Sapphire HD7950 Dual-X that was HEAVILY overclocked (for gaming only). The 7950 worked well, but not well enough. I would have stutter problems on games like Farcry 4 before the upgrade, while using a total of nearly 400W of actual draw (@ stock GPU voltage settings - and an FX6300 @ stock w/ power saving options ON). I have upgraded to this card, and the difference was night and day. The only thing I cannot go crazy with is the Anti-Aliasing. You can set it on the TX4, but it will not be running the 60 FPS that this card normally runs. I have a friend with a 295x2 in a nice setup, and this card produces comparable real world results... if not better from what I have seen. Games like Rainbow 6:Siege run @ a steady 58-60 FPS, while their card gets drops into the 40's at times. Now this could always be dependent on how the fine tuning and drivers are, but overall... I am extremely impressed with this card. And from what I could see, this could be OC'd to the level of a stock 980 w/o an issue. I have not needed to OC yet though. 60 FPS w/ VSYNC is all I wanted and it is what I got. This new PC with an i7 @ 4.5GHz only draws around 100-125W while idling or playing videos. During gaming, it gets up in the 250 range, maybe a LIL higher, but not much. Compared to my old card, that the system drew over 400W running games.... and 300ish while idle...it is really night and day difference. I have recommended this card and the Gigabyte G1 (970) in MANY builds since purchasing, and not a single customer has been unimpressed let alone disappointed. I'm glad they put the R&D into making efficient GPU's. BTW, the heat from the 7950 and the GTX970 are roughly the same... around 27 deg C @ idle, and up to 65 deg C in game. Running on air until warranty is up though. The 7950 has been liquid cooled since testing the two.
Pros: It is an unusual style of fan, but useful and blows a decent amount of air. It can directionalize the airflow.
Cons: Wish it pushed harder and had a 3 wire connector to control speed to some point.
Overall Review: Im sure this would blow some serious air if the gaps were smaller, to create more pressure. If it was able to spin at a higher RPM and be controlled, it really would be an amazing fan. I have used these fans for direct cooling of video card and motherboard VRM's. With a custom bracket or a couple zip ties, they can be positioned perfectly to push the VRM heat out through the video card's main fan's path. Match that with an extractor fan to push it out of the open case slots, and you have quite a cheap and efficient system to drop your VRM temps a bit. They work a little better on the motherboard areas, if you have a flat mount style case... like the Thermaltake cube. Then you can utilize these fans to push air right over the heatsinks, and off of the board area where it usually lingers. Even great fan systems do not always push air in these hard to reach spots, whereas these fans can be mounted right against the board. Just to mention, if you feel comfortable with the velcro sticky strips, I have attached these fans to the motherboard with these strips in past builds w/o problem. MAKE SURE there is nothing conductive within the material obviously (before installing). But if used, they hold strong (the industrial marked version), yet can be easily removed for cleaning now and then. I considered the idea after being forced to restore the usage of an M.2 drive on a motherboard with these stickies in the past with great success. The motherboard came damaged from another retailer, and the customer did not want to wait for the return over a broken M.2 screw. If anyone tries, do not cover anything that may conduct a lot of heat. not only b/c of the buildup, but b/c adhesive will melt away and stop holding as well.
Pros: Same speed, quality and no side-effects compared to the expensive others I've accumulated over the years.
Cons: At first glance, it is is bit skinny, and the wire seems like it would be inferior to a more "shielded" cable (Although I found this was not the case at all).
Overall Review: When I first ordered this cable, I intended to connect a PC to a monitor across the room. I was not intent on buying a "top-of-the-line" model, but I was very surprised after actually using the cable. As I mentioned, it seems a little skinny, but the cable performs just as good as any other cable I own (and I have some that were more than 10x the price of this one, for a 6ft version). This cable was WELL worth the price, and it should be perfect for anyone with a PC to 1080p (120hz) LED tv will be very happy. It's nice to see a great product for a great price, even if it is only a cheap connection component. For me, it connects a PC with a receiver, and the receiver is connected to the TV through another cable. So if one was inferior, I am sure there would be some noticeable problem.
Pros: Good connectivity (like most 2.4 is better coverage than 5.0GHz.) Coverage has been great, through an old plaster, main wall separating two houses. That is in both frequencies. It does heat up a bit with heavy use but unless you plan on DL'n a ton of stuff for a long time, w/o a cooler pad, you'll be fine. Even then, it just gets warmer.
Cons: None so far. Was on a GREAT sale. Can't beat that.
Overall Review: Purchased for an upgrade to someone using an older wireless G standard, and they've since noticed dramatic increases in coverage signal as well as speed and responsiveness. Works through a wall with 4 bars at about 25ft away from the user. They only use for watching online clips and movies, or web browsing. It works beautifully for that scenario. I only tried it with DL when testing after receiving it.
Pros: It is simple to use, compact but not TOO small, and has precise edges to scrape layers of the Mg off. Fun and useful tool.
Cons: First item had been in pieces, so it'd separate from the holder. Had to @fro-engineer it together with duct tape (or can use zip ties). There's no instructions to tell you what needs to be done to prep, but searching online led me to an answer quickly. You must scrape the black coating off the smaller rod b4 you're able to spark it. The black coating is to prevent oxidizing during storage. But these are all minor problems.
Overall Review: Overall, the item had done problems but nothing that made it non functional. It was simply different than shown. This difference is bc the smaller rod that sparks sits inside a groove on the holder, and it's possible mine could've broken in transit. The vendor was EXTREMELY helpful, and offered to remedy the problem with the corrected item. This was received in sufficient time and quality. I am pleased with their service and products though... and will definitely shop with them for similar items as I use them up. Great customer service.
Pros: - The design allows proper cooling while on a lap (due to the centralized fan placement). - Seems to have a solid construction - Actually cools your lap (still deciding if freezing my nuts off is good or bad... but it is great for the computer) - The mesh and overall design of the mat displays cooling considerations from many different angles (It can pull air from different areas, even if placed on a blanket, though it IS impeded from this situation). - No distracting lights
Cons: - The placement of the fan and the placement of my vents do not line up (ASUS K55N laptop). - No speed adjustment (High/Low would have been nice, or High and Ultra). - I personally like some discreet distracting lighting, but for the price, I cannot complain.
Overall Review: It cools the temps down roughly 10 degrees Celsius... and for an investment of under $20, it is WELL worth the money. I do not use the laptop for much gaming (as I have a PC for that), but I have used this for a few to test the power and it significantly reduced temps playing games like World of Tanks. My laptop is mainly for school though, so I simply wanted a device to cool my laptop while writing and researching for long periods of time. I typically utilize a beanbag type hard top tray, so this cooler made a big difference when the legs were extended. Overall, I think it is a great product... and I would recommend one to anyone looking to cool their laptop for low cost. It is very sturdy and the legs are surprisingly strong (with rubberized feet). My laptop does not slide or move around one bit. And at the moment, I believe there is a $5 mail in rebate. So you cannot go wrong with this product.
Pros: - Simple Linux-esc interface - Great quality for the sale price - Night vision works beautifully - Motion sensors can be adjusted* (see thoughts) - Easy to configure, although can become confusing if you do not read and follow directions well. - 65ft cables can stretch to work with most configurations - Lots of support online in terms of most of these DVR's being nearly the same.
Cons: - Can be difficult to follow directions, though staff is pretty good with tech support for newbs - Between night/morning, camera switch from night vision to regular tends to cause a little static/disturbance (will keep watching but it does not seem to really affect performance) - I can see the interface being a tad confusing for people who are not tech savvy in the least. If you can find your way around a computer, and have generalized knowledge you should be able to work this system with little issue. But the interface for recording or watching can be a bit clunky... see thoughts.
Overall Review: The motion sensors are wonderful. They pick up the neighbors's cars at around 50-60ft away. It is pretty responsive and although the night vision needs to be angled correctly, it works as advertised. When I first set this system up, I had it too high and aimed at cars in our yard. It did not pick up the light very well, but a small adjustment towards the ground and the IR light bounced right back to illuminate much more area. So don't get discouraged... just use the mobile app and adjust as you test your specific needs. The sensor between night and morning thing can also be due to the angle of the light when nv is kicked in... or the icy cold winter we've been having in PA. Either way, it would not deter me from buying another. The interface is tough in places... but is user friendly so I give them credit. It is not the easiest thing to make Linux-simplicity OS's into such an easy to use platform. The difficulty comes with things like not having bars to display the HDD usages... or other stats you may want/need. It also does not have easy to use bells and whistles, although their DDNS free server is a nice way to configure remote viewing. This is one area you will NEED the instructions. Even if you dl from their website... you will need them if you have never done this before. Most people will not understand much of the capabilities of this DVR but it can still be navigated fairly easy, along with very simple formatting and prepping for HDDs. One things I'd love to see in the future (well theres really a few things, like the one person's review talking about the 6 digit PW max... but just focusing on one) is an update to help cleanup the "search" system. When reviewing your videos, the snapshots are a bit small. So if you view it far away on your home TV like me... you cannot really see the snapshots so well and must get closer. Then theres the major issue of the playback. When playing back video, it is hard to click on specific instances of motion detection and the controls bounce around a bit. I tried capturing and showing family some pics and vids of a skunk in my backyard... it took me 15 mins and some frustration to perform this simple task. I would just like to see an easy to drag and slide type bar where the user can click, adjust the time, and search through their recordings with ease. After all... isn't that the entire point of a DVR camera system? I will have to discuss more with the company to see if it is just my own issues, but that update with a scroll bar for searching video recordings would make this system amazing in my book.
Pros: - Quiet operation (one of the quietest keyboards I ever used) - On/Off switch to save battery is great - Function keys are very handy -- I especially love the speed of the sleep one.
Cons: None really. For the price you could not ask for more (I paid $9.99 shipped). I have a relative with the illuminated version of this KB and it is a nice, soft backlight. But he also paid 30 for a refurbished one. My only gripes with this setup is the placement of the arrow keys (they are in a confusing area when searching with your hand playing a game... but how many games really require those keys?) and also the DEL key should have been at least the size of two keys. Not a single key. I had to restart my computer because I could not find the dang thing at first. Still... a nice keyboard.
Overall Review: - It still feels full sized while being smaller than many keyboards. Compared to my old Dynex combo, there is only a 1 key difference in size of key coverage. But with the smaller margins around the edges, the overall size is quite efficiently shortened. It is still comfortable on your lap in a chair or on a desk. Very nice KB for the price. Best of all... can utilize the unifying receiver! So you can expand like many Logitech products. I heart Logitech.
Pros: More than the typical mouse buttons but not too many. Many are in comfortably accessible places. The precision available in the settings is highly customizable. (Adding the weights help at higher poll rates). It's a bigger mouse and it's nice bc I have bigger hands. The software may have a high startup impact, but it is highly tunable, from color of lights to DPI settings for 4 different profile settings dispersed between two actual profiles. The two profiles can be switched on the fly with a bottom button (which is nice to avoid accidental profile swapping). I personally like to customize it for different uses which I will explain in notes section.*
Cons: Of the polling rates are set to high, the smallest fibers can throw the Mouse off. Not a huge problem tho, just turn the rate down a bit and save your profile to correct. Higher DPI settings are not as useable unless you turn down Windows' mouse settings for pointer speed. They prolly should've made it one adjustable feature with the Mouse drivers. Some ppl report shockingthemselves or having cheap quality to their products and I can't agree. It's not a con, but has been a con many have reported. So I thought I'd mention here, I've dropped this mouse with all weighs in it, multiple times, and out still works great well as remain accurate. And I've never h had any shocking problems. I also do not use the "breathing lights" settings. Only the standard steady lights.
Overall Review: *I like to make one profile with buttons programmed as normal operating buttons. So if I'm using Windows and web browsing or looking through Windows explorer I have buttons for Back, Fwd, Select All, etc. On the 2nd profile, I have buttons programmed to represent keyboard keys on the right hand side which I couldn't normally use in games like Far Cry 3, B4, Crysis 3, WoT and it proves useful to clear up other buttons around my left hand thus allowing me to customize those buttons in game. So I basically have a gaming profile (with DPI settings in increments of 1000 and the mouse light on so I could fine tune the DPI I want depending on the games settings and feel) and then a regular profile with the light a different color (or off bc I watch movies a lot at night and hate the bright lights at night). The regular profiles DPI settings are a little more broad (and with zero mouse acceleration) So they can be adjusted for different situations. The gaming DPI settings are a bit tighter to allow for precision fine tuning on the fly tho. Overall I like this mouse. I wish the thumb grip button was located a bit differently so the mouse had a better grip but it's not a problem. Just my 2cents. Another great aspect of this mouse is that my profiles store to the mouse itself. Bc I disconnect from my PC and plug into my laptop for school projects, and I never installed the driver software on my laptop. The button settings remain the same though. I can use the back button to undo things in MS Office/Visio/NetBeans IDE which is useful for ppl like me who change devices regularly. Great mouse, high DPI, high polling rate, good selection of colors (and yes they are a little different in cases between screen and light, bc the screen is a color swatch and the light is an led, so obviously they wouldn't look exactly the same). For the price and quality of the peripheral, it is surely worth the purchase. I got it bc I hate replacing batteries too often and wanted higher DPI w/o spending 3x as much on a different mouse.
Pros: Fast, steady, stable, and is able to use less power than many other CPU's I have seen with less cores. Great way to save money and still build a great gaming rig.
Cons: none
Overall Review: Being that most games for the foreseeable future (and currently) will not utilize more than 4 to 6 cores, I see no need to go out and buy a CPU with more cores than that for a gaming PC build. Many games like World of Tanks and Fallout 3 use 1-2 cores max, and sometimes the games must be modded to do so. Yes it may make a tiny difference in other processes, but if you are truly trying to save money on a build... go with this CPU. It is basically the same thing as the FX-6350 except the latter is factory clocked @ 3.9 GHz. This CPU can utilize one BIOS option and work out of the box at it's Turbo rating of 4.1 GHz (and easily higher). If you are into overclocking, looking into this with a Kraken x60 or Corsair H110i Liquid Cooler will allow you to push the chip far past the 4 GHz mark. I have not found the need to do this though. Turning on the Turbo setting is more than enough for any game out there atm. As long as you have a good video card to support it, you will not be disappointed with this CPU. It has more than enough power (with low draw of 95w) to handle maxed out games such as BF4 (with proper VC to back it up) and apps like Photoshop without any lag issues. Save the money for the better video card... go with this processor. (for gaming builds)
Pros: Low noise, Steady power flow, great options and excellent cables
Cons: none
Overall Review: I have only had this a short time due to a replacement issue, but the packaging for this item was very nice. Comes with a velvet bag to hold the PSU and is packaged differently than the entry level models. I have noticed this with Corsair and their higher end products. I feel this PSU would be more than adequate to push some serious gaming setups. Whether you overclock or run crazy amounts of fans and other accessories this is a great PSU to consider. Being an 80+ Gold standard too, the efficiency is better than the basic models. I would wait for the sale and buy this model again if I had a choice between the entry level models and spending a small amount more on this model. This is the heart of your entire system... it powers everything. So do not skimp out. Go for the gold. The HX series, 80+ Gold! You will not be disappointed with this model.
Pros: Instant difference in load times. My PC is up to the PW screen in Windows 8 in under ten seconds. Transfers have been 3-4x faster than my old 6Gb/s magnetic HDD's xfer rates. I figured, buy the Samsung for the ten extra bucks. I am glad I did.
Cons: None (other than they feel so cheap bc they are all so light and plastic)
Overall Review: Spend the extra couple bucks on Samsung
Pros: Lots of options and software that is actually useful. \ Many ports for different fan controls (and internal BIOS fan controlling). No annoying lights that do not match my other lighting. Impressive controls for not only pushing the CPU if that is your thing, but also to save power when not doing anything. This mobo has kept my CPU at such a low state that the temps go to the single digits. Until I am back in use. And no lag between these states either. Fan control profiles are a nice touch to help keep that system cool.
Cons: Mouse lags in UEFI BIOS. Must go slow or else use the keys. The PCIe ports were no thought out the best (although I do not use the ones that are tight fits so Idc personally. The vc fits fine and that is all I really care about. One system fan controller port is in a tight spot and gets stuck under the video card. Someone else mentioned the weird "double boot" thing also... it is odd.. you press your power button once and your PC flashes on one second, then off for another one or two seconds, and then bam it starts up. Nothing bad has come from it but I had to get used to it happening as I could see some people would be getting back up to turn it on, only to have it turn on when you get to the button again.
Overall Review: Overall the reviews said this functioned well and it did. Every bit that I could have hoped for. So seeing this system backed by this mobo made me feel confident I would use this in future builds for others or my own home PCs. Great board for a fair price. I also attached/fashioned my own Northbridge cooler fan setup on this board and it has worked well with the fan profiles I created. Def worth looking into if you are like me and want every part of anything you build to run as cool as possible to extend its life.
Pros: The first post I gave was five eggs. This one however is less. It froze my computer repeatedly. Many people have had this issue. Great supply if it did not do this.
Cons: The freezing would mainly hit in games, but there were also instances within normal use like doing homework or watching movies. Since replaced by a different PSU things are much better. Be careful with this known issue
Pros: Good price, study cable
Cons: none that I have had. Cable does its job well. Study hold to the monitor and colors are showing perfectly
Pros: Pretty quiet, emits a good amount of light and the flow is acceptable.
Cons: lower quality bearings and not the CFM that other fans may push/pull, but for the price you cannot go wrong
Overall Review: Utilizing these fans for cases (intake/exhaust) is a good idea, but as for actual direct cooling, you may want to put the extra money in and buy a Noctua. Don't get me wrong, I am happy with these fans (wish they were blue but the sale was on the red ones). I have one of these pulling air from the bottom of the case though and it works without issues. Good quality when it comes to cheaper fans, I would buy again if I needed more case fans, but I personally prefer having 140mm ones where possible and anymore I try to avoid LED's in fans unless it is a fan/showpiece. No complaints with this product though, other than the missing MIR's when the order came. And lack of a packaging slip. That is not a problem for the manufacturer though.
Pros: Quiet, very easy on the eyes, moves a good amount of air
Cons: None
Overall Review: I personally love this fan as a main intake for my PC. In the front mount it looks a bit like a swastika in blue, but this is something my own head sees. Cools the hdd's as it pulls a significant amount of air into the tower, and for the price you cannot go wrong.
Pros: Great price for the product. My first purchases are running strong as daily use. - GREAT for everyday usage (like watching movies or storing D/L's (like the dang 350+Gb Wiki file)) - Had ZERO problems plugging into USB3.0 caddy and SATA+Formatting to different file systems Windows/Linux - Its an Enterprise model - always a plus when they actually last (so far none have died on me and they play videos for hours everyday) - Nicely packaged (usually wouldn't even mention but the specialized bubble-HDD wrap with the specialized anti static bag sealed - it doesnt come with packing peanuts and a creased anti static wrapper like many other places w/ refurbs) - Price:Product = You seem to get something well worth the money (I haven't had a problem yet - will edit if any occur)
Cons: These are not truly Cons, buy more of concerns that I keep an eye on: - Gets warm (35C ish) in use when in USB caddy. I have purchased a cheap, clear "laptop cooler" for 8$ to remove the 3 lighted fans, then used Velcro tape to attach to caddy and blow air on the drives). W/o that it could go higher... but that is expected. Inside a PC was roughly the same results. Not anything out of the ordinary w/ magnetic drives. - Obviously anyone would be anxious when storing important data on them... Although they have not warranted that concern from actual usage yet.
Overall Review: For the price, they're great drives. I would not want to go storing massive crypto-wallets or other highly important data on them w/o contingency plans like RAID or the like. Using them as storage for side apps (if saving space on a primary OS SSD) that are not as "HDD-speed dependent", or for storing downloads (or simply isolating data), tends to work out well. Even using them in a NAS environment is highly beneficial. It simply comes down to - How important is the data you are storing? They've worked well for me, purchasing each one at a different sale (not all at once). But from my exp and what I've read each time, these drives have high hours and a handful of restarts... But still work very well for the majority of ppl. And with the indicators of low restarts and high hours (averaging between 15k-30k hours and usually less than 10 restarts), they were clearly in a NAS-type scenario for their lives. The SMART attributes all look good as well (though some drives might say Caution in apps like CrystalDiskInfo, but i haven't had a failure or change in attributes in months of light to medium use. Also, they average around 130MB/s w/ xfers too. Ive gotten higher and lower results before, but HDDs xferring varies based on how the target and destination interact ( kind other factors). What im saying is... These drives have worked well, and have been comparable to my WD Caviar Black drives of equivalent size and attributes (2TB, 6Gb/s SIII, etc.). $35 compared to 2x the price.. In other words - GREAT PURCHASE!