Joined on 12/14/06
Great, Powerful and Multifunctional Board
Pros: Excellent layout for custom building (e.g. the SATA connections are oriented towards the drive-bay side of the computer). The higher bus speeds supported on this board make it noticeably faster than other builds I've done with slower motherboards. This board comes boxed with good long connecting wires, and lots of them. The CD drivers worked flawlessly.
Cons: The only thing that worries me about this board is the north bridge's cooling. The board forces you to install your first or primary graphics card in PCIex16 slot #1 (no big deal). However, the north bridge comes with a clip-on fan which blows straight at my graphics card, which, because it's in slot #1, is just about as close as it can be to the heat from the north bridge fan (the fan blows at an angle). I afraid to omit the fan (it is fully disconnectable) because the north bridge does run awfully hot. Since it hasn't seemed to cause my graphics card to over-heat or become sluggish, I haven't done anything.
Overall Review: I'm not using the SLi on this board so I can't offer insight into how that works. Other than that, this board is a great deal for what you get. It's got loads of options and possibilities.
Good mechanical keyboard
Pros: Mechanical action allows smooth and quick typing. Keys are mounted nicely: not too stiff, not too loose. Aluminum faceplate is always cool to the touch. Volume knob is a tactile and aesthetic joy.
Cons: You'll have to relearn some typing habits, particularly habits about bottoming out the keys. Typing becomes a bit more like playing the piano: you have to learn not to strike the keys with your full force on every stroke.
Overall Review: Typing on the ubiquitous rubber dome keyboards is annoying after using this. The sudden give of rubber dome designs makes your finger joints feel odd once you grow accustomed to the smooth continuous traverse of the mechanical keys. The MX Browns are more clicky than a rubber dome keyboard, but if you're looking for that satisfying typewriter sound, it is the MX blue switches that you want.
DId what was expected
Pros: 3 years ago I purchased 2 gigabytes of this for my first home build. Ran flawlessly the ever since.
Cons: Unless i just lucked out with good sticks, none.
Overall Review: 800 MHz is a somewhat slow speed nowadays, at least for gaming. If you're building a rig for speed, get something faster.
Quiet Masterpiece
Pros: The best story I've ever come across in a DS game. The character renderings are great, and each character is really well-developed. The game plays like an novel would read, and looks like a film noir as well. Very good mood-setting songs in the soundtrack.
Cons: If you're playing this to be impressed by the DS's capabilities in the graphics department, look elsewhere. The graphics are on a usefulness-only level. Some of the songs can get a bit repetitive when you're stuck at a part, and getting stuck happens a little too frequently; thankfully it's never for very long.
Overall Review: This game is in my list of best games for the DS. It's just amazing. The game tells an extremely interesting story interactively, and it's well worth the money for the experience. Don't be mistaken: if you're expecting an action-packed game full of fast-paced gameplay you won't enjoy this title. There are some parts where you interact with parts of the environment to accomplish some task, like opening a safe. You also walk around the hotel from an FPS point of view. But mostly, the game is an interactive novel with great twists and, in my estimation, the best plot I've ever seen on the DS. You'll really feel like you know each character in the story by the end. All in all, if you like reading interesting stories, are willing to push through some difficult logic puzzles, and are inclined toward serious looks at life: this game is for you.
Wonderful Pad!
Pros: Extremely durable material with an excellent hard surface. Grips my desk surface well. The inlcluded mouse feet ensure that even non-gaming mice can slide slick as butter.
Cons: Takes up space. Shouldn't be a problem for gaming guys, though.
Overall Review: I'm upgrading from a cloth surface mousepad to this, and I'm astounded at the improvement. The only surface that would yield better results would be an air-hockey table! I'm really impressed, and I don't know how I could ever go back to cloth, especially for games.
Spectacular Piece of Entertainment
Pros: The game is truly designed to take advantage of DS capabilities. Story is VERY involving. Gameplay is invigoratingly different. Music had charmed from the start. Artwork and "animations" are really well done. Several cool features and gameplay mechanics make this an interesting type of game.
Cons: None for me. A person not inclined to sit and think may not enjoy this game. However, puzzle lovers will adore this title.
Overall Review: Since I'm a newcomer to the Phoenix Wright series, these comments might be a little biased. I had only heard about the series when I made a spur-of-the-moment decision to buy this game. I was somewhat worried that I would be disappointed. I wasn't. The game had me hooked right from the first time I played. Everything about the game and its mechanics was very thought-provoking. I really don't know how to describe it, but this game has made me think in a way few others have. The more I played through the story the more respect and astonishment I gained toward the genius of this game's creators. I think the game is not only a sequel to previous successful titles, but I got the feeling that the game was a very involved treatise on human nature. The story was so disarmingly involving I think I'll die if a sequel isn't published (they left it on a real cliff hanger). For anyone slightly inclined toward puzzles or perhaps philosophy this game will be a superb piece of entertainment.