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Mark S.

Mark S.

Joined on 11/24/05

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 32
Most Favorable Review

Excellent Board- 1 Problem

ASRock H61M-GE LGA 1155 Intel H61 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
ASRock H61M-GE LGA 1155 Intel H61 HDMI Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: Works great HDMI works perfect AND outputs all sound formats (Dilby 5.1, DTS HD, etc. provided you have the right codecs) BIOS seems pretty good for overclocking.

Cons: BLOATWARE when you install the drivers from the cd that comes with the mobo. Defaults to 1066 RAM instead of 1333.

Overall Review: This motherboard is very, very solid. I can't speak for the 2nd and 4th ram slots because I am only using slots 1 and 3--they work perfect. I'm not overclocking but the BIOS seems like it has many OC options I was scared the HDMI out would not work until I had installed drivers. It DOES output video right off the bat (even before windows was even installed). I mean, the resolution is horribly off and no sound through HDMI, but you can get a windows install from scratch just through HDMI. Then you NEED TO INSTALL the drivers from the Mobo CD-- then HD video AND audio work perfect. My main gripe is the mobo CD: clicking "install all" on the driver screen not only installs the drivers, but installs Nortons trial, Adobe trial, Smartview (ie. Yahoo toolbar). Just know to click each driver install seperately, not "install all." Oh and RAM defaults to 1066 even with 1333 sticks. A simple option in BIOS fixes this. Extremely happy with this board

11/19/2011
Most Critical Review

Not Backward Compatable

Kingston 4GB microSDHC Flash Card Model SDC4/4GB
Kingston 4GB microSDHC Flash Card Model SDC4/4GB

Pros: It works in my LG Neon phone and Panasonic camera and holds an amazing amount of stuff for something so small and inexpensive.

Cons: Not compliant with older card readers. Two eggs off for the hassle.

Overall Review: I have to write to this card via USB cable through the LG. It is unbearably slow doing it this way. I can't imagine it being this slow in a newer card reader. Lets hope not.

Very Nice

Linkworld 43716-128FU+P04 black/silver Steel Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply
Linkworld 43716-128FU+P04 black/silver Steel Micro ATX Mini Tower Computer Case 430W Power Supply

Pros: Works good, looks good, nice size-- not too big but enough room to work. My power supply works just fine (for a week now) and all case lights as well. However, I am only powering 1 HD, 1 DVD, and a 65W CPU with on-chip graphics.

Cons: Light, flimsy, MOUNTING HOLES.

Overall Review: This case works very well for me; I actually don't mind the bendable case metal because it allows me to finagle stuff around, you know how it is getting all your stuff to sit right in there. BUT the system would only turn on for 0.3 seconds before powering down--I didn't know if it was bad PS or if I got bad RAM or what. Read the reviews on here and saw many others had said put duck tape or electrical tape over the scr*w holes or else it shorts the board. Thankfully my board (or this power supply?) was smart enough to power itself down each time. Well I did the duct tape trick and voila, works perfectly. Power supply works fine for minimalist HTPC (core i3 HD3000 blu ray 1.5 TB HD). Again: PUT DUCT TAPE OVER THE MOUNTING HOLES BEFORE SCR*WING YOUR MOBO IN OR IT WILL SHORT ITSELF. I am happy with this case, crossing my fingers it lasts.

11/19/2011

Solid RAM

G.SKILL NS 2GB DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9S-2GBNS
G.SKILL NS 2GB DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Desktop Memory Model F3-10666CL9S-2GBNS

Pros: Solid

Cons: None

Overall Review: Got 2 chips runnin dual channel, solid as can be at stock 666MHz (ie 1333-10666)

11/19/2011

Its Rosewill Alright

Rosewill RCR-IC001 - 3.5" Internal 40-in-1 Card Reader with USB 2.0 Port & Extra Silver Face Plate
Rosewill RCR-IC001 - 3.5" Internal 40-in-1 Card Reader with USB 2.0 Port & Extra Silver Face Plate

Pros: Wouldn't know of any.

Cons: Sees all cards as write protected regardless of the position of the slider or lock. Therefore cannot write to it. Therefore useless.

Overall Review: Is it just me? I have no luck at all with Rosewill products whether it is a PS or cpu fan or wireless dongle or whatever. I'm giving up on the allure of cheap stuff from them. This ones not worth the hassle of an RMA. Its coming out and getting tossed in the garbage.

Good quality product

LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model iHAS124-04
LITE-ON DVD Burner - Bulk 24X DVD+R 8X DVD+RW 12X DVD+R DL 24X DVD-R 6X DVD-RW 16X DVD-ROM 48X CD-R 32X CD-RW 48X CD-ROM Black SATA Model iHAS124-04

Pros: This is the quietist burner I've ever owned which doesn't really mean a whole lot I guess. But it works just fine and burns a previoulsy ripped movie in about 5.5 minutes.

Cons: OEM. No connectors, no nothin'.

Overall Review: On 12X Office Depot discs this unit will reach a max speed of about 10.2X which is negligably faster than the 2 year old Samsung IDE that it replaced.

10/28/2009