Joined on 12/03/06
Neat technology
Pros: Small form factor SSD. Works with my Asrock Z87E itx mother board perfectly.
Cons: None that I have seen.
Overall Review: Took advantage of a clean OS SSD install to minimize clutter in my build. No, you can't see it since it is under the mother board. Love it.
Decent board with quirks
Pros: Nice layout, and headers are smartly located. Decent Bios options. Runs fairly cool in my cube case with 2 external fans. Dull blue led on board is ominous at times.
Cons: The audio locks up my screen periodically (with multiple video streaming), and cannot be fixed with updates. Other than this, it has been reliable, but that is a pretty big issue. The ram hits my heatsink, but nothing an abrasive blade can't fix.
Overall Review: I will be upgrading to a 880 GMA-G55 series mATX soon, due to the issues with the audio. I am pretty loyal to MSI, but this board has shaken my faith in them. I have yet to successfully use the OC switches without a BSOD, but would have like to see it work.
Not for everyone
Pros: SFX form factor, low noise, full modular, decent power output
Cons: I am not overly impressed with the "ribbon style" cables as they have shown to be a bit quirky, but they do tend to hold their arrangement after bending them a little.
Overall Review: Would have liked 2 PCIX cable outs from unit instead of single out with a Y adapter. It is 500 watts after all. I am also curious about multi-out plug points on PSU's in general. Since the typical install of a SFX PSU is on a small chassis, I am sure that a extra $40 would cover the cost of associated manufacturing. Or even a "internal slip joint" plug for the PSU's, heck, even a 90 degree plug would be awesome for many given the designs of many chassis out there putting the GPU close to the plug point on the PSU.
Works Great
Pros: While not quiet, the fans are not bothersome at 2-3 feet away. Depending on intake versus exhaust, this unit can be a desktop fan if your chassis allows. Temps are only a few degrees above ambient at idle, and low intensity programs. Feels solid. My first time with a AIO (coming from a Noctua nh-d14) and so far so good.
Cons: If I had a gripe, it would be outside the scope of this review.
Overall Review: Corsair radiators are not fin dense, which affects surface area. However, it is a decent compromise to exhaust internal chassis air versus a more dense fin array. I am sure over the next 10+ years density will go up (affecting cost), and fan technology will continue to be affordable.
Its a 770
Pros: Looks cool, dominates case area, stays cool and dissipates heat well. Appears to run good.
Cons: I keep seeing "tearing" or rather some line across the center of the screen (kinda flickers) during game play. I guess this is normal. Does it streaming video as well, but maybe HDMI isn't all it is cracked up to be. Overall, upgrading from a 550ti to this was not what I expected after shelling out over $500.
Overall Review: I am not a technical wizard, but I chose this card as a means of future proofing within my budget. The flickering areas are somewhat of an annoyance, so when I finally get irritated enough, I may just toss it in "File 13" and write off this line/company.
Works for me
Pros: Newer tech in a small form factor.
Cons: Two fan headers, but I knew that before I bought it.
Overall Review: I build my system every few years, and this time I decided on a MITX build. I could not be more pleased with the build. Motherboard gave me features that I can use for how I use a PC. Specs are: 4670K, Samsung 22nm RAM 8GB, EVGA 770 4GB Classified, Plextor 128 SSD (mini), Noctua d14 cooler, all packed into a Node 304. Loaded W7, the free game with the GPU, and a few office products and it all works well.