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Jeffrey M.

Jeffrey M.

Joined on 02/26/06

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 8
Most Favorable Review

The perfect little case

hec Black 0.7mm Thickness SECC 7K09 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case with 270W FLEX Power Supply
hec Black 0.7mm Thickness SECC 7K09 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case with 270W FLEX Power Supply

Pros: Wanted to build a low wattage compact little system that fits perfect under our laser printer and this turned out to be better than expected for this role. It's smaller than the little Dell Optiplex GX-150 it replaced. It would also make a great HTPC case in a small spot. Very compact. I like the way every inch of space is utilized including how the DVD drive covers part of the motherboard. The DVD drive is easy to move out of the way when working on the power connections and RAM underneath it. Nice and sturdy, and side ventilation. Chassis fan and power supply fan are very quiet. SATA jacks are accessible when fully assembled. Sempron with stock fan fit in perfectly. Power supply seems pretty efficient and is adequate for a Sempron system with just the minimum peripherals.

Cons: I would pay extra for 80%+ and PFC power supplies included with cases. I wish more were offered.

Overall Review: I want another case like this but able to fit full size ATX boards. Larger third party vendor CPU coolers might not fit. I wanted a 1/2 height case and this fits the requirement. I wish the manufacturers and retailers wouldn't make me search through all the fine print to find the 1/2 height models though. This is not case for people who want lots of room inside. I hate giving out ratings of 5 for anything that doesn't look good in tight jeans, walk with a sweet wiggle, and espouse libertarian views..... but I gave this case a five.

Most Critical Review

HTPC Case

Linkworld Black body/ Silver strip Steel 6280-01 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case
Linkworld Black body/ Silver strip Steel 6280-01 Micro ATX Media Center / HTPC Case

Pros: Purchased for HTPC system. Fit good on the TV stand. Nice size and might be the best small case that takes full height cards out there. Unique drive cage flips up for easy installation. Buttons work well and are well placed. Good sized horizontal fan CPU coolers fit in it.

Cons: Original 60mm fans were noisy and I replaced them. After a year the power supply fan is howling. Power supply is very inefficient. I will probably replace it soon also.

Overall Review: Might get another just because good horizontal cases are hard to find, and that is what fits in the "stack" of computers in my office. I would probably replace the power supply and chassis fans immediately.

OK $40 case, looks nice

RAIDMAX Tornado ATX-238WR Black / Red SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case
RAIDMAX Tornado ATX-238WR Black / Red SECC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case

Pros: Bought this for my son's computer. He shows it off to his friends a lot. Has lots of fairly quiet cooling and blue lights. Colorful. Roomy inside, nice front panel placement.

Cons: Drive door is a bit flimsy and instructions for installing the DVD weren't so good, but my son has broken his keyboard, his mouse, and his headphones, but hasn't broken the case yet.

Overall Review: Might buy another in a different color. Newegg prices, selection, and delivery is great.

It has eSATA

MASSCOOL UHB-361UES Aluminum 3.5" Black SATA II USB 2.0 & eSATA External Enclosure
MASSCOOL UHB-361UES Aluminum 3.5" Black SATA II USB 2.0 & eSATA External Enclosure

Pros: It has eSATA and the price is right.

Cons: The end caps don't fit quite tightly together. Could have at least a little passive ventilation

Overall Review: Gets very warm. I think I will get a model with fan cooling next.

Best value for the dollar by far

AMD Sempron 140 - Sempron Sargas Single-Core 2.7 GHz Socket AM3 45W Processor - SDX140HBGQBOX
AMD Sempron 140 - Sempron Sargas Single-Core 2.7 GHz Socket AM3 45W Processor - SDX140HBGQBOX

Pros: Best in it's class for CPUs. Good budget CPU and it can handle most user's needs. Installed in a Gigabyte GA-MA785GMT-UD2H with 4 GB RAM and it seems to be just as fast or better as my Core Duo 6600. Runs cool and uses little power. With 1 HDD, 1 DVD and integrated video it uses 65-75 Watts. Excellent "green" choice and easy on the electrical bill.

Cons: No cons, but it didn't install itself and do more than expected, so I can't give it a 5.

Overall Review: I see many people have good luck unlocking a 2nd core and overclocking. I have it in a MB capable of doing so but was unlucky on doing either. It does work as advertised though. Just though people should know that not all Sempron 140's perform beyond their specs. I plan on purchasing another one soon for a low wattage home server and trying running some virtual machines.

Happy Camper

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-MA785GMT-UD2H AM3 AMD 785G HDMI Micro ATX AMD Motherboard

Pros: Nice motherboard. Used to replace an old 1.1Ghz P3 used in the home for mostly web surfing and MSWord with something that is Windows 7 capable. Wanted low wattage use and small footprint. Well laid out, went together well. Chose to use a low$ Sempron 140 with plans to upgrade it to a high end AMD Quad core next year, and it is performing very well. With one HDD and one DVD burner draws about 75 watts. Squeezed it into a tiny HTPC case with a 270Watt PS. Runs cool and quiet.

Cons: The BIOS is one of the best I have seen, but I still found things to nit pick. I rarely give anything a 5.

Overall Review: I crossed my fingers and tried to unlock a 2nd core on the Sempron 140, and tried to overclock but didn't succeed. But the Sempron works just as it should to spec. Can't win them all. For an upcoming build I plan on using a similar Gigabyte, but full size ATX board, and a Sempron 140 again.