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Cory D.

Cory D.

Joined on 09/13/01

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Most Favorable Review
Corsair 256GB Voyager Slider X1 USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Speed Up to 130MB/s (CMFSL3X1-256GB)
Corsair 256GB Voyager Slider X1 USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Speed Up to 130MB/s (CMFSL3X1-256GB)

Pros: size, both physical and capacity. 256GB in a USB drive that's not much bigger (smaller in some cases) than drives with much lower capacity.

Cons: It isn't the fastest drive out there, I ran a couple benchmark but the numbers are nothing to write home about. The drive is plenty fast to watch full HD movies from but copying to it can take a bit depending on file size.

Overall Review: I know benchmarks are great for comparing, but real world results for me tend to be 45 seconds per gig for writing files. Most videos I write to this drive range between 3.5 to 7GB so it can take a few minutes per video but it's worth having the ability to transport them in my pocket. My benchmarks don't seem to be quite as high as some other reviews but I'll post my results anyway. Comparing mine to other benchmarks, your speeds may be closer to theirs than I'm getting. My equipment is: MB: Z97E-ITX/ac CPU: i7 4790k RAM: 16gb (2x8) 2133 HD: Transcend MTS400 256GB M.2 SSD OS: Windows 10 Pro Insider Preview build 10074 CrystalDiskMark 4.0.3 4K: read 6.922 - write 0.078 Seq: read 43.84 - write 24.30 I have to give this thing 5 eggs. It may not be the fastest thing out there but it has made my life much easier. When copying multiple videos/large file you'll have to give yourself a few extra minutes but that's been the case with all portable drives I've encountered anyway.

Most Critical Review
ASUS Black ZenFone 2 View Flip Cover Deluxe (ZE551ML) 90AC00F0-BCV006
ASUS Black ZenFone 2 View Flip Cover Deluxe (ZE551ML) 90AC00F0-BCV006

Pros: -texture has a nice grip/feel to it -locks/unlocks phone by flipping cover -can easily select what you want to control

Cons: -can't control Spotify -If playing a downloaded podcast, it only shows the minutes of the final hour. If the podcast you're listening to is 2 hours 42 minutes, and you're at 1 hour 30 minutes in it'll display you're at 30 minutes of a 42 minute podcast. It's a minor flaw, but I like to know how much time I have left and I'm stuck opening my case occasionally to check.

Overall Review: This case is a great concept but I'm hoping Asus updates their phone so it'll allow control of more than just the "play music" app so those using Spotify/Pandora can control their music too. I like the case but due to not being able to control Spotify, I need to leave the case open while in my car so I can skip tracks. My phone doesn't fit good in a car mount (at least my iOttie mount) because the case interferes with the mount seating properly on the phone when the cover's open. There's a couple mentions of wireless charging with this case, I'm not sure what they mean by that but I have a couple QI wireless chargers and I don't get any indication of my phone charging when set on either of my chargers. If you're looking to add QI charging to your ZenFone, I'd do more research before assuming this will add it to your device. I see it has been mentioned more than once so maybe it requires a special/better charger than I have? Regardless, look into it more before purchasing for that reason. While it's possible my phone's defective or my chargers aren't compatible, my research says this case does not add wireless charging.

Integrates well with Google Home

MagicLight Smart Light Bulb (60w Equivalent), A19 7W Multicolor 2700k-6500k Dimmable WiFi LED Bulb, Compatible with Alexa Google Home Siri IFTTT
MagicLight Smart Light Bulb (60w Equivalent), A19 7W Multicolor 2700k-6500k Dimmable WiFi LED Bulb, Compatible with Alexa Google Home Siri IFTTT

Pros: Easy to control, including changing the color via Google Home voice commands

Cons: Initial setup requires a third-party app, which appears to be a common requirement for "works with Google" devices.

Overall Review: The initial setup requires downloading the 'Magic Home WiFi' app to register the bulb and link your account. After that, Google Assistant handles all commands, including color changes, making the third-party app optional for ongoing use.

They're finally here

GIGABYTE Gaming Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB GDDR6 PCI Express 5.0 x16 Graphics Card GV-R9070XTGAMING OC-16GD
GIGABYTE Gaming Radeon RX 9070 XT 16GB GDDR6 PCI Express 5.0 x16 Graphics Card GV-R9070XTGAMING OC-16GD

Overall Review: The difference between my old RX 5700 and the 9070 XT is night and day. I've been methodically upgrading my 2019 build, starting with a 5700X3D, then 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB M.2 SSD. This 9070 XT was the final, and most significant upgrade. My PC is future-proofed for quite some time. Notably, even though I'm running on a B450 motherboard with PCIe 3.0, I've experienced no noticeable performance degradation

exceeds specifications

Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 2230 NVMe M.2 SSD - Up to 7,100 MB/s - Uplevel Your Console - Internal Solid State Drive (PC) - CT2000P310SSD2
Crucial P310 2TB PCIe Gen4 2230 NVMe M.2 SSD - Up to 7,100 MB/s - Uplevel Your Console - Internal Solid State Drive (PC) - CT2000P310SSD2

Pros: Exceptional sequential read/write speeds, exceeding manufacturer specs. Maintains stability across varying workloads, making it ideal for gaming, content creation, and general use. Handles larger file transfers well, even when cache limits are tested.

Cons: Random write speeds (Q1T1) are lower than premium drives, though typical for this category. Slight performance drop in sequential writes with larger datasets reflects SLC cache limitations.

Overall Review: The Crucial P310 2TB SSD impresses with its consistent performance across sequential and random workloads, demonstrating its value as a reliable PCIe Gen 4 drive for general consumer use. Here's how it performs in key areas: 1. Sequential Read/Write: Reads consistently hit ~7240 MB/s across all tested file sizes (1GiB, 4GiB, 8GiB) Writes peaked at ~6370 MB/s for smaller workloads but tapered slightly to ~5947 MB/s for 8GiB, showing excellent cache management with minimal performance degradation. 2. Random Workloads: Random writes (Q32T16) dropped from ~4987 MB/s at 1GiB to ~4647 MB/s at 8GiB, still maintaining solid multi-threaded performance. Single-threaded random performance (Q1T1) remained steady but understandably lower (~68 MB/s for reads, ~227 MB/s for writes at 8GiB). 3. Sustained Workloads: The drive exhibited slight performance declines with larger file sizes, likely as SLC caching became saturated, but sustained speeds remained impressive for its price point. Verdict This drive punches well above its weight, delivering performance that rivals more expensive PCIe Gen 4 drives. Whether you're transferring large files, loading games, or multitasking, this drive is a standout choice for users seeking reliable, high-speed storage without breaking the bank. Despite its compact 2230 form factor, typically aimed at devices like the Surface or Steam Deck, the Crucial P310 exceeded expectations in both performance and reliability. Its impressive results earned it a permanent spot as the OS drive in my test bench. Test setup: While being a PCIe Gen 4 drive, it was tested in the motherboard's PCIe Gen 5 slot to ensure it had exclusive access to x4 dedicated PCIe lanes. MB: Gigabyte X870 Eagle CPU: Ryzen 7600 RAM: 2x16GB T-Create DDR5 6000 CL30 Storage Setup: A separate SATA SSD was used as the boot and benchmark software drive to minimize variations caused by OS processes.

12/23/2024

Intuitive

Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 2024 for Mac - Download
Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 2024 for Mac - Download

Pros: AI-powered tools

Overall Review: Adobe Photoshop and Premiere Elements 2024 have transformed my experience in photo and video editing, providing a seamless and powerful solution for my audio business. The user interface is intuitive, making it easy to navigate through the plethora of features offered by both programs. Photoshop continues to excel in photo editing with its range of tools for enhancing images. What sets Premiere apart is its exceptional video editing capabilities. As someone in the audio business, syncing audio with video is crucial, and Premiere Elements simplifies this process while maintaining a high level of precision. The softwares timeline and editing tools facilitate efficient video production, allowing me to create engaging content without a steep learning curve. The integration between Photoshop and Premiere Elements is seamless, providing a cohesive workflow for my multimedia projects. This interoperability allows for a smooth transition from photo editing to video production, saving valuable time and ensuring consistency in my creative endeavors. The shared assets feature enhances efficiency by allowing me to use elements from one project in another without any hassle. One standout feature of both programs is the inclusion of AI-powered tools that simplify complex tasks. The intelligent content-aware capabilities in Photoshop Elements and the automated editing suggestions in Premiere Elements significantly streamline the editing process, enabling me to achieve professional results with minimal effort. In conclusion, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere Elements 2024 have become indispensable tools in my audio business. Their user-friendly interfaces, robust feature sets, seamless integration, and AI-powered enhancements have elevated my creative capabilities, making them essential assets for anyone engaged in photo and video editing.

11/28/2023