Joined on 02/20/08
Love the Space
Pros: Purchased for a photo/video editing build. Upgrading from my old regular tower case (circa 2008) this case was like moving from a 1-bedroom efficiency apartment to a 1 bedroom luxury loft. My C*orsair TX850 power supply had plenty of room for all the cords, it was super easy to install all my components and I LOVE all the extra hardware that came with the case. Many cases I've bought in the past skimp on screws and extra parts but NOT ANTECH! I had lots of room for everything - my giant video card (I only have one), my huge CPU heat sink, the extra drives, and many places for mounting fans. It was somewhat easy to position my components to maximize airflow. Front-end USB and sound really sold me on this case. Installing HDDs was a dream- so easy! Hope the plastic parts hold up.
Cons: For the next version of this case, I hope they will leave a little more clearance at the top of the case between the Mobo and the top of the case. Having the power supply at the bottom has some benefits, I just wish there was a little more clearance when installing cables and components. It was very difficult to plug my CPU fans and a few other things in. Plastic parts may crack/break but extras were included.
Overall Review: I also wish the front screen had a removable filter similar to the power supply design - that is a good idea and I'd like to see more of it utilized. I haven't tested the USB 3.0 ports to see if they are 3.0 but so far they work with 2.0.
Died 5 weeks after purchase
Pros: Good-sized drive for a fairly low price
Cons: Died 5 weeks after purchase so unable to return. You get what you pay for I guess.
Overall Review: Wish I had not spent the money on this drive that is now unusable. Boot sector is toast.
Small but Great!
Pros: Very small, come with a small ball-chain to clip to something else which is good. You'll need to attach these little guys to something else so that you don't lose them! As a veterinary technician instructor I work in a field where I am constantly getting things wet with *ahem* shall we say body fluids from animals so it was important to get a flash drive that was water-resistant. I am happy to say these have held up great. They have gotten slobbered on, stepped on, and who knows what else and still work great, hold a lot of data. What else do you need in a USB flash drive?
Cons: The little ball-chain they come with as not as study as the drives themselves so I replaced with metal keyrings. Again, they are quite easy to lose given their small size so make sure you attach them to something!
Overall Review: Coworkers were impressed with them and asked me what they were so they could get their own... that speaks for itself.
Love this Router
Pros: I've owned this router for almost 2 years now and haven't had to do much with it; it's so reliable. It was easy to set up my networks with my existing cable modem and now my entire home is networked; phones, computers, tablets, gaming consoles. I've used the wireless interface to tweak settings and also the hard-wire option and both are easy to use. I just never have to think about my router. I recommend this router to everyone I know who needs a dual-band.
Cons: The range is a little inconsistent; my "guest" network and regular network often don't show up with the same amount of bars on the same device.
Overall Review: There was one episode where all our speeds suddenly dropped on all our devices; upgraded firmware solved the issue.
Huge but Cool
Pros: Works well, came with all the components (and then some) needed to install and (gasp!) somewhat decent directions for all the different types of CPUs this can be installed on. Fan was easy to remove and put back on and the cord length on the CPU fan plug was good. Comes with Cooler Master-brand thermal grease - I used another brand but appreciated that it came with thermal grease.
Cons: It's HUGE. There is no way this would have fit in my old C*oler Master Centurion standard case, but luckily I was upgrading to a mid-tower AnT*ch Three Hundred Two case and had plenty of space for this beast. While I appreciate that this is made to be used with several different CPU types, the extra components/configurations were a little confusing. I had to consult a video for my particular CPU just to make sure I was doing it right, and I'm glad I did.
Overall Review: I'm normally really good at figuring installs out with minimal directions in pseudo-English, but I'd recommend you look up an install video for your CPU type for this heat sink before installing it just so you have a really good idea of what you're doing before you do it.
Awesome Power
Pros: Easy to install, lots of cords, lots of connectors, cords have good length, wrapped cords make cord management easier, runs quiet, dependable. Bought to for my new photo/video editing build and ran it for 8 months in my old system while I gathered components for my new build. Runs just as great in my new tower as my old one.
Cons: The wrapped cords and excess length can be a real issue for those with tight cases. I just upgraded from a regular (an old C*oler Master Centurion) to a mid-tower case (AnT*ch Three Hundred Two) and boy it was nice having the extra space for these cables in the new tower. It was quite a tight fit in my old tower.
Overall Review: You may need to get some adapters for legacy hardware components if you are like me and hang on to old things that still work and keep transferring them to new builds.