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Daniel M.

Daniel M.

Joined on 07/27/05

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 12
Most Favorable Review

Awesome monitor

LG 24UD58-B 24" (Actual size 23.8") Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 4K 60Hz 2xHDMI DisplayPort AMD FreeSync Flicker Safe Anti-Glare LED Backlit IPS Gaming Monitor
LG 24UD58-B 24" (Actual size 23.8") Ultra HD 3840 x 2160 4K 60Hz 2xHDMI DisplayPort AMD FreeSync Flicker Safe Anti-Glare LED Backlit IPS Gaming Monitor

Pros: 4K (3840x2160), 10-bit color (8 bit + 2 bit dithering), HDMI and Display Port inputs. Colors and viewing angles are awesome. It's like putting glasses on for the first time.

Cons: The box was missing the two screws required to attach the monitor to the mount. You'll need two M4-0.7x16mm screws. Not worth making a big deal over since it's less than a dollar at the hardware store.

Overall Review: I'm using this with Arch Linux and KDE 5 / Plasma. Nearly everything scales perfectly.. I'm happy with it. The screen itself is matte with a glossy bezel. The mount tilts, but you can't rotate or adjust height. It has a standard VESA mounting pattern if you want to use a different mount.

Great product, works with Linux

ASUS PCE-AC55BT B1 AC1200 Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 PCIe/Mpcie Adapter
ASUS PCE-AC55BT B1 AC1200 Wireless Bluetooth 4.2 PCIe/Mpcie Adapter

Pros: Bluetooth and wireless networking work out of the box with the current Linux kernel, with no special configuration or driver installation required. I have tested this with my AC wifi network, and with bluetooth speakers and game controllers. Everything works with no issues. This has an Intel 8260 chip.

Cons: Bluetooth requires an open USB 2.0 header. Not an issue, unless you don't have one available.

Great choice for RAM

Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model BLS8G3D1609DS1S00
Ballistix Sport 8GB DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model BLS8G3D1609DS1S00

Pros: It's RAM, it works, it's stable, what else is there to say?

Cons: No complaints

12/10/2016

Great choice for a casual gamer

EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti SC GAMING, 04G-P4-6253-KR, 4GB GDDR5, DX12 OSD Support (PXOC)
EVGA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti SC GAMING, 04G-P4-6253-KR, 4GB GDDR5, DX12 OSD Support (PXOC)

Pros: - Not as fast as its big brothers I'm sure but it's running everything I play at 1080P/60+fps - Power efficient and requires no extra power connector - Working flawlessly in Arch Linux with 375.10+ drivers - Fan is quiet

Cons: - No complaints

12/10/2016

Good cooler that doesn't require removing motherboard

Cooler Master Hyper TX3 - CPU Cooler with 3 Direct Contact Heatpipes
Cooler Master Hyper TX3 - CPU Cooler with 3 Direct Contact Heatpipes

Pros: - Paired with MX4 paste, my Haswell i5 no longer goes over 55C during stress testing. It would quickly go above 65 with stock cooler. - Much quieter than the stock fan. - Doesn't block RAM slots so I can upgrade later without removal. - Fan is replaceable without removing the heatsink.

Cons: - Seems to sag a little bit under its weight. Not sure if it's the cooler brackets, the motherboard flexing, or what. It's keeping temps cool so I guess no harm is being done.

Overall Review: If I ever replace CPU and motherboard, I will probably remove the pushpins and attach it using bolts and nylon washers. That would feel more secure to me. But, it's not worth disassembling the whole rig just to do that.

12/10/2016
ASRock N3050B-ITX Intel Dual-Core Processor N3050 (up to 2.16 GHz) Mini ITX Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo
ASRock N3050B-ITX Intel Dual-Core Processor N3050 (up to 2.16 GHz) Mini ITX Motherboard / CPU / VGA Combo

Pros: Low power usage. Fanless. Hardware acceleration for AES and video. Plays 1080p H264 video flawlessly with ~10% CPU usage. Good choice for HTPC or file server.

Cons: Only 2 SATA ports. Not quite as snappy as the Core 2 Duo it is replacing. Probably not the best choice for general desktop use. But nothing I did not expect when I purchased this so I can't take off an egg for it.

Overall Review: I'm using this as an HTPC running Arch Linux and Kodi with no issues.