Pros: Very fast, thanks to the SandForce controller. Nice enclosure. 5-year warranty.
Cons: No cloning software included or offered by PNY. Included SATA cable is pretty short, but not too short for my case. I had a weird problem as I was updating the firmware.
Overall Review: I got this drive on a major sale. It was $40 off the listed $220, I got another $20 off with a promo code, and it had a $30 rebate. So I got a 240GB SSD that's very similar to drives like the Kingston HyperX 3K for $130. That's a steal. I cloned my Windows 8.1 installation using EaseUS Todo Backup Free. Simple to use, and didn't have to worry about reactivating Windows or anything. I did run into a strange problem while I was updating the drive's firmware, however. The program wouldn't do anything, even though I selected the file that contained the new firmware. I tried changing the firmware's file extension from ".ffp" to ".vic" and that did the trick. Weird problem that ended up being an easy fix. PNY isn't a very mainstream brand compared to Samsung, OCZ or Kingston, but I've used PNY SSDs and flash drives and they've all been great. I definitely recommend this SSD.
Pros: Mechanical keys! Cherry MX Browns were indeed the switches for me. Awesome backlight (with different brightness levels and modes), especially compared to the backlights on my MacBook Air and Logitech G110. N-key rollover. Ten-key-less form factor, but keeps the number pad by merging it with the navigation keys. Totally solid construction; no flex, good weight and super sticky rubber grips on the bottom. Awesome price at <$100. One feature I immediately fell in love with was the detachable cable; since I use both a desktop and laptop, I don't have to unplug the cable from my desktop to use it with my laptop, I just need a different micro-USB cable.
Cons: The function key has a lock feature, which lets you use the media keys and stuff without having to hold FN down; when it's locked, you cannot hold FN and use the keys as F1-F12, it has to be unlocked. N-key rollover is great, but isn't compatible with some systems like Macs; it was unclear how to switch to and from 6-key rollover mode, which makes it compatible with pretty much anything; for N-key mode push FN+ESC+N, and for 6-key mode push FN+ESC+6. There's some weird backlight stuff with the numpad; turning on NUMLK for the number keys turns off the backlight for the arrow keys, which is also the keys for 2, 0, . and 00; just an aesthetic complaint. These are all miniscule complaints that do not change how much I love this keyboard.
Overall Review: When looking for a mechanical keyboard I started looking at Logitech, Razer and Corsair. I liked their options, but none were exactly what I wanted. Then I stumbled upon this from Cooler Master and it was pretty much everything I wanted. This is an excellent mechanical keyboard for anyone who wants a smaller board without sacrificing a number pad. I needed a keyboard that could fit on my desk's keyboard tray with my mouse and this fit the bill.
Pros: LOTS of features: Built-in soundcard 12 macro keys Media keys (and scroll wheel for volume control!) Solid Logitech software Backlighting (more on that in Cons)
Cons: The backlighting on this board is terrible. I primarily use blue, and you can hardly tell that they're backlit unless the room you're in is pitch black. Red is a little better, but still not very bright. Some keys like Tab and Caps Lock are only partially backlit, too. The keys feel smaller than on other keyboards I've used as well. Really weird thing to have to adjust to. Plastic palm rest is mediocre at best.
Overall Review: This is a great keyboard and all, I just don't think it was worth $80. I have a mechanical keyboard coming next week to replace this after only a year. While this is one of the better-equipped membrane keyboards, people should strongly consider mechanical options at this price range.
Pros: Lots of stuff for different things
Cons: Pretty low-quality tools. The magnet for the different heads in the ratchet came out with one of the heads the first time I used it. That doesn't exactly inspire confidence.
Overall Review: I didn't pay a lot of money for this toolkit (half-off with gift card), but it's a shame that the tools aren't a little more durable.
Pros: Solid build, quality cable (no ghosting), made by Microsoft.
Cons: Fairly expensive, compared to other cables. But you're paying that price to avoid issues like ghosting.
Overall Review: This cable does exactly what you want it to do. I wanted my Xbox on a computer monitor, and so RCA wasn't an option. This does the trick, and works great at 1080p!
Pros: Crazy & unique look. Big blue LED fan. Versatile mounting. Excellent performance. Good price w/ rebate.
Cons: The all-copper design looks a little strange when everything else is blue. The mounting process is a little tedious. I messed up once or twice to where I needed to reapply thermal paste. It comes with a special allen wrench so you can tighten the screws at an angle, but it was still pretty tricky. This is also my first aftermarket CPU cooler, so it's all a learning process.
Overall Review: I got this as a shell-shocker deal for $20 with rebate. For a $70 cooler, that's a good price no matter how you look at it. It looks really cool in my case, the LED fan matches my other fans, and its performance is exceptional. I definitely recommend this cooler if you can snag a sweet deal.
Pros: Cheap. Works. No strings attached.
Cons: Not very pretty. Big 3.5mm connector, making it difficult to use with a lot of phones with cases.
Overall Review: Bought this as an aux cable for our Honda Odyssey, where the aux in are RCA connectors in the back of the vehicle. It's long enough to comfortably reach the front of the car. That's all it needs to do, and it does it well.
Pros: Looks awesome. Feels awesome. BLUETOOTH (3.0). Buttons on buttons on buttons. Wired option for saving battery (with braided cable). Both Mac & PC compatible.
Cons: The only official drivers available are Razer's Synapse 2.0 software. It's terrible. It's slow, buggy, refuses to function when something happens to your internet connection (it is 100% cloud-based) and requires a computer restart to be fixed. I've had bad luck on both OS X and Windows and am currently using third-party mouse drivers (SteerMouse) as a replacement. All I want is an official driver that works. No rechargeable battery option.
Overall Review: I love this mouse. Razer makes some of my favorite peripherals, and this mouse is no exception. I wanted a wireless (Bluetooth so I could have access to both of my USB ports) mouse that would work seamlessly with my MacBook Air, both on OS X and Windows 8. Therefore it was between this and Apple's Magic Mouse, but I play games so the decision was easy. I recommend this mouse to anyone who doesn't want to sacrifice one of their USB ports and needs multiple buttons, whether it's for games or usability. To those who dislike it's function to automatically turn off after 3 minutes: it's to conserve battery. It actually wakes back up really quickly and is ready to use pretty much right after you press a button.
Pros: Didn't realize this drive had a metal enclosure. I have a collection of USB drives, and they're all plastic. USB 3.0. Awesome read & write speeds. 32 gigabytes! I can keep my TV shows on here and still have extra space.
Cons: There's nowhere for the cap to go on the drive itself. Many let you attach them to the back of the drive while in use, but not this one.
Overall Review: Yes it gets hot when you use it, but that's the metal enclosure doing its job: dissipating heat. I got this as a ShellShocker deal, and while I still could've gotten another cheaper drive, I'm satisfied.
Pros: -Solid construction -Lots of USB headers -Great Hackintosh motherboard -Z68 chipset -Only requires 4-pin ATX power for CPU -Dual BIOS -Rev. 1.3 includes PCI-E 3.0 -Warranty from GIGABYTE
Cons: -Only 4 rear USB 2.0 ports -No eSATA -Poor system fan header placement -Only 2 SATA 6Gb/s ports -Only 6 SATA ports total -Not made of magic
Overall Review: You can't go wrong with this board for $115. All the basic features you want are there. If you need an affordable-but-reliable board, especially for a Hackintosh build, this is a mighty fine choice.
Pros: Runs plenty of games on max with no hiccups, including Battlefield 3 with High settings at 60 FPS. This includes use with Fraps! Power connectors at end of card rather than on side. Includes all the convenient adapters you'll need, from DVI-to-D-Sub to PCI-E-to-Molex. Doesn't look half-bad, either!
Cons: Can't run Battlefield 3 on Ultra settings at 60 FPS (it still runs around 30-40, though).
Overall Review: This is a fantastic video card for $210. I highly recommend this to anyone!
Pros: Super silent Excellent build quality Great price Lots of space behind the motherboard tray Velcro straps make cable routing a breeze 4 USB ports on the top Great, easily accessible dust filters Front panel door can open either way
Cons: Fan controller only fits 3-pin fans, not 4-pin PWM fans Missing one standoff position for narrow ATX motherboards One 3.5" drive mount is unusable if the 5-drive cage is moved to the bottom
Overall Review: For $110, this is such an awesome case. I wasn't a huge fan of the overly-simple design, but the looks have definitely grown on me. Installation and cable management were both super easy. I highly recommend this case for anyone looking for a silent case.