Joined on 01/12/12
I Got a Good Deal on a Sweet SSD
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.
At this price, get a mechanical keyboard
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: 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.
First Mechanical Keyboard, and It is Excellent!
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.
Diverse but cheap toolkit - You get what you pay for
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.
Just what you expect!
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!