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Sam F.

Sam F.

Joined on 10/26/20

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 5
Most Favorable Review

Allows me to bring VMs up to Windows 11 spec.

AsRock Rack TPM2-SLI Accessory TPM 2.0 Module TPM Module Infineon SLB9665 13 Pin
AsRock Rack TPM2-SLI Accessory TPM 2.0 Module TPM Module Infineon SLB9665 13 Pin

Pros: * easy to install * performs as specified with both Windows 2019 Hyper-V Server and Debian Linux

Cons: Just a tad too long; I had to put a silicone insulator pad between it and the 1U case I was using.

Overall Review: Maybe use a 2U case, but otherwise, perfect.

Performs exactly as per specification

G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Laptop Memory Model F4-3200C22S-16GRS
G.SKILL Ripjaws Series 16GB 260-Pin DDR4 SO-DIMM DDR4 3200 (PC4 25600) Laptop Memory Model F4-3200C22S-16GRS

Pros: * cost - very reasonable compared to others in this range * performance - excellent performance, doesn't overheat

Cons: * nothing to complain about so far (1 month in)

Overall Review: Recommend G. Skill products for performance and gaming laptops

Works well with Surface 7 Pro, Windows Phone and Moto Edge 30

SSK 11 in 1 USB C HUB, Triple Displays Laptop Docking Station, Type C Multiport Adapter with 2(Dual) HDMI 4K,VGA,PD3.0,SD/TF Card Reader,RJ45 etc. for MacBook/Pro/Air/iMac/XPS and More Type C Device
SSK 11 in 1 USB C HUB, Triple Displays Laptop Docking Station, Type C Multiport Adapter with 2(Dual) HDMI 4K,VGA,PD3.0,SD/TF Card Reader,RJ45 etc. for MacBook/Pro/Air/iMac/XPS and More Type C Device

Pros: Connects to all the stuff I need to set up a remote workstation at a customer's site or hotel.

Cons: Took a little fiddling to get the drivers to be recognized by my ancient Windows Phone (Lumia 950XL), which was not a big surprise. Didn't work too well with the dual Dell monitor set up at one customer's site; had to delete and re-install the drivers from the Dell website. Wish it had one more USB-C connection.

Overall Review: Device works as specified; makes a great addition to any Windows based device (even my old Windows Phone!). I have a docking station already for my Surface (at work), so this is the one I carry with me when I travel and need to set up a workstation anywhere else.

Nearly-bulletproof, high performance micro server

SUPERMICRO MBD-M11SDV-8C+-LN4F-O Mini ITX Server Motherboard
SUPERMICRO MBD-M11SDV-8C+-LN4F-O Mini ITX Server Motherboard

Pros: * small size, fits in a 1U rackmount box (if you get the right one) * very robust - have been running four of them continuously for two and a half years, no issues even when one of the fans in the case broke and I didn't know about it for almost a week in the summer * 8-core EPYC with 64GB memory is more than enough to run Hyper-V with four Windows Server 2019 VMs and one CentOS Linux server while averaging 20-30% CPU load and all four NICs running at 1GB * Supermicro IPMI tools make management easy for datacenter use * TPM 2.x compatible socket, all ready for secure-boot OSs.

Cons: * Odd location of power connectors makes for difficult build-out * Ditto, fan and heatsink - we had to replace with our own liquid-cooled heatsink which probably voids the warranty * Supermicro IPMI tool requires license to unlock full functionality. (I've been building and using datacenter-based server farms for years, and this is the first time I've seen a licensing requirement to fully utilize the IPMI tool.)

Overall Review: This is a very capable, robust server board that is a great option for keeping your rackspace compact (which will save you money in a datacenter environment). It's actually quite overpowered for our multi-VM application but the end result is, you're future-proofed for use with LTS operating systems for at least a couple of iterations

Great, reasonably-priced workstation.

Helix WorkPlex 1170H Business Desktop PC - Intel i7 11700 - 16GB DDR4 3200MHz - 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0x4 SSD - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth - Windows 10 Pro
Helix WorkPlex 1170H Business Desktop PC - Intel i7 11700 - 16GB DDR4 3200MHz - 512GB M.2 NVMe PCIe 3.0x4 SSD - Wi-Fi, Bluetooth - Windows 10 Pro

Pros: * based on a reliable platform (ASUS B660M-A AC motherboard). * pre-installed Windows 10 Pro - easy first-boot setup * mid-tower case has room for a GPU and a PCI expansion card

Cons: * not enough memory - would have gone with 32G even if added $ - as it was I had to get my own memory and upgrade * a bigger NVMe drive would be nice - I had to upgrade this as well

Overall Review: This is a solid option for a new employee's workstation as long as the installer is aware that a few improvements will need to be made in order to make it truly workstation-capable (CAD and/or Software Engineer workstation). It's only been a short time in use so far; I will return and update the review in a month to let everyone know what's what after longer-term use.