Joined on 05/28/02
Worth Every Penny
Pros: This is an excellent piece of software. I've used the free version for years, and it has seldom failed to find a piece of malware, often when other software didn't. It has a fast scan engine, an easy update process, and the controls are easy to read and understand. Better still, I have never seen it conflict with something else, or cause a system problem, a common problem with a lot of true virus scanners. The price, especially if you catch it on sale, is a bargain.
Cons: Really, none.
Overall Review: I've used the free version more times than I can count, and I don't mind paying for software I know works, and I am happy to support the people who developed this. The big advantage of the Pro version is that it updates automatically and runs without having to invoke it. The problem I find with the free version is simply people never remember to update it until after they get hit with something.
Hit and Miss
Pros: Like most reviewers, I like the small form factor, and neat pre-done cabling. The box is easy to work with and attractive. Nothing feels particularly cheap.
Cons: Unfortunately, my experience was very much like that of N/A a few reviews down. I bought two of these from NewEgg, and both were bad. And by "bad", I mean they would not even boot to BIOS. They got as far as the splash screen and no further. I tried switching out CPUs, memory, I even bought another cheap 1155 motherboard to test the components on...nothing. It was within 30 days, so NewEgg exchanged, but I still paid for shipping back. The two replacements worked fine. No problems. So how do you score that? I have built hundreds of PC systems, and probably several dozen shuttles dating back from the socket A days, and this was the first time I got not one, but two, not even in the same sales order, bad ones. Ironically, the second bad one was to replace the first bad one. I thought I had made a mistake, or had a bad processor or RAM, but they worked on another board and eventually went into the two Shuttles that were good. The best I can say is that quality is very uneven. When they work, they seem to work well, but there seems to be an uncomfortable number of total failures. I've built about 10 of these, and two were bad.
Overall Review: The big down side for me was this was purchased for a customer, and in order to get out one system that worked to the point I could sell it in good conscious, I had to buy two shuttle systems, pay for shipping twice, buy two CPUs,, two sets of memory, and an MSI 1155 board to rule out component problems, and take about two weeks of time for what should have required two days, one Shuttle,and one CPU/memory set.
Hidden Gem
Pros: A little small, but comfortable shape Comfortable material Decent RGB without being overwhelming
Cons: None that I've noticed
Overall Review: For the price, this is one of better deals I have ever seen on a mouse, RGB or otherwise. One quirk to note, however, is this mouse costs, literally, double the price if you buy it on the NewEgg Business site. I don't know why. I think the longest one I've seen in use is about a year, so I cannot attest to its longevity yet, but so far they've performed well, and for any everyday user I'd wholeheartedly recommend it.
Excellent for the Price
Pros: Looks good Comfortable to wear for extended periods Decent sound quality
Cons: Volume knob constantly gets turned up or down unintentionally
Overall Review: My experience is pretty much in line with the other reviewers; for the price, you really can't fault this headset too much. I replaced another inexpensive headset for these, and I would say it was an improvement. I've worn them for hours and they are very comfortable. I haven't played any team games, but I have had numerous conversations through Skpe and no one has complained about the volume, so I will assume the volume and clarity are OK. The foam guard on the mic falls off easily, but that is knit-picking; it slides back on easily too. The only reason I didn't give it a 5 is the volume issue. Another reviewer mentioned it, and they were right. The volume control is a round knob, and it has a feather-light touch to it, such that if you stand up, and the volume knob brushes against you, very likely the volume will be either too loud or too soft when you sit back down. This is just bad engineering, it's a problem that can be easily solved by either making the knob a little more resistant, or having each volume increment "click" into place before you change it. The positioning of the volume control is also in a place where it is hard to avoid accidentally brushing it. I actually bought a second pair, and I would recommend anyone looking for a comfortable, decent headset to get it, just be aware of the volume issue.
Disappointing
Pros: Cheap Pretty External Casing
Cons: Staring failing in about a year Listed as 5-year warranty when purchased, actually only 3 year warranty Nearly impossible to get a warranty replacement
Overall Review: I've used many Acer products I've liked (monitors) over the years, but this is not one of them. The sole good thing I can say is that they were cheap. I always buy only SSD's with 5-year warranties, not because I expect to collect on the warranty, but because I assume the bean counters have done the math and have determined they will not get a significant number of them back within 5 years. If they offer only a three-year warranty, then I assume they are less confident in that product and so, given the usually fairly small price difference, I'll always go with a 5-year warranty over a 3-year one. The one in question started failing in less than a year, but didn't fail entirely, so we'll see if they'll even honor the warranty. Crystal Disk Info shows it as failing, and when creating an image file of this disk (as a backup), it took over an hour. When I did the same restore task (same computer, same cables, same file) with a new SSD from a different manufacturer it took 6 minutes. I could find no link on the acerstorage.com page to start a warranty claim, just phone number/chat email options that were only available during Monday-Friday standard business hours, in other words, when it's the least convenient for the customer. The drive itself is also listed as only 480GB, while most others in that class are either 500 or 525GB. So the drives were cheap, but sadly, in this case, you get what you pay for: a small, under-performing drive of dubious longevity. I have installed 7 of them in customer builds, so I'll wait to see what happens with the others.,
Look Elsewhere
Pros: Seemed to work when I plugged it in
Cons: Need two very small screws to secure the lid Completely mesh; spill anything, anywhere, and your hard drive is toast Tougher than it should be just to get the lid off USB 3 cable feels cheap Drive does not fit in neatly Lid does not fit neatly LED is in the back, where the power supply plugs in, not in the front or top; where you would likely see it more easily
Overall Review: I have to add to the chorus of disappointment on this one; I bought this in 2020 apparently, and didn't have a need for it until 2024, or I would have reviewed it sooner. First, it is not tool-less, which it should be, really; the description does not claim that it is, so fair enough, but in order for the lid to fit back on after you insert the drive, the tolerances need to be very tight...and they're not. The way I would describe it is you know when you buy a cheap computer case, and you take the side panel off, and then you go to slide it back in place, and it just doesn't QUITE fit right? That's how this is. To put the lid back on, you must align two little bumps in the back with the corresponding notches in the case, and then close the lid and slide two little panels in front of the two screw holes you will need to secure it. Much harder than it needs to be. Over all, this is just a poor design on many levels. I've bought many products from Orico over the years (mostly 2.5" clear hard drive cases) and generally been very happy with them. Just not this one.
Very Slow To Ship
I wouldn't say there was any real problem with the item once I received it, but it spent two days "in processing" and didn't ship until I contacted the seller and said if it wasn't out that day, I would cancel the order. Even then it took about a week to arrive. I'm used to NewEgg's very efficient processing and shipping ; I should not have to contact the seller, prod them to put it in the mail, and then wait another week. I've really come to dread dealing with third-party vendors selling on NewEgg and really would rather stick with NewEgg when possible.