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Gregory T.

Gregory T.

Joined on 02/15/14

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 10
Most Favorable Review

Good value

ASRock Z97 Pro4 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard
ASRock Z97 Pro4 LGA 1150 Intel Z97 HDMI USB 3.0 ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: This is a great looking board loaded with lots of features and an excellent UEFI BIOS. SATA RAID is baked in.

Cons: Aesthetically I would have liked to see a bit more color. Perhaps the PCIe slots could be blue as well. Of course this isn't important regarding its function but what could it hurt?

Overall Review: Buy it! If you don't need half the features available on today's high-end gaming boards then this one is for you.

Most Critical Review

Blew up immediately during a test run

Diablotek DA Series PSDA350 350 W ATX12V Power Supply
Diablotek DA Series PSDA350 350 W ATX12V Power Supply

Pros: None. This power supply despite being very competitively priced was not worth any of the money we spent on it.

Cons: This PSU blew a capacitor immediately when we ran our first power on test.

Overall Review: Don't buy this product. Spend $30 and get an Antec.

Shiny!

DIYPC HTPC-MiniCube-S Silver Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
DIYPC HTPC-MiniCube-S Silver Aluminum Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case

Pros: This case and the others like it are hands down the best looking that I have ever purchased. Very solid aluminum construction with an attractive finish that should please just about anyone. It supports a full sized ATX power supply which is very important for managing the cost of any build.

Cons: This case should come with a USB 3.0 to 2.0 adapter for boards that do not have USB 3.0 pin-outs. It only supports one 3.5" drive which severely limits its use in a file and media server build (no RAID).

Overall Review: You won't regret purchasing this case even if it doesn't fully satisfy your needs. There is a lot to love here and the best part is that this case is brand free so it's perfect for the boutique PC business.

It's a bright idea

LOGISYS Computer ML12WT LED Super Bright Sunlight Stick
LOGISYS Computer ML12WT LED Super Bright Sunlight Stick

Pros: It's a light and it's bright. Very inexpensive case mod that just works with no hassle. The stick is attached via Velcro which will make future replacement easy.

Cons: None. I have no complaints about this case mod.

Overall Review: Buy it and join the cool-kids club!

Great for the price!

ENERMAX iVektor ECA3310A-W White (Soft touch coating) ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
ENERMAX iVektor ECA3310A-W White (Soft touch coating) ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: Very well thought out chassis design. Cable management was easy and there are lots of zip-tie anchors. Buttons are refreshingly clicky and the pre-installed case fans are both attractive and very quiet.

Cons: The metal is very thin and the side panels are not completely flush with the front bezel when fully inserted. I could do without the Enermax branding on the case.

Overall Review: Excellent case for the price but if you have a few extra dollars go for something a little more solid and less ugly.

This should be the crown jewel of any productivity desktop

Intel Celeron G1840 - Celeron Haswell Dual-Core 2.8 GHz LGA 1150 53W Intel HD Graphics Desktop Processor - BX80646G1840
Intel Celeron G1840 - Celeron Haswell Dual-Core 2.8 GHz LGA 1150 53W Intel HD Graphics Desktop Processor - BX80646G1840

Pros: Very capable for all but the most demanding tasks, excellent price point, no need for thermal paste (TIM is pre-applied), very solid heat-sink, silent fan

Cons: The mounting system for the heat-sink and fan is a bit dodgy. I have to say that it does not "feel" properly seated with the right amount of tension. That said, this is the first time I've ever used a CPU bundle that has thermal paste pre-applied so it may not be necessary for a lot of compressive force. I'm idling at 67 degrees Centigrade.

Overall Review: This should be the go-to crown jewel of any entry-level productivity desktop. Overall this is a very complete computing solution for just under $50. I bought this as a place-holder for an i7-4770k but I may end up keeping it.