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John H.

John H.

Joined on 12/27/07

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Product Reviews
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product reviews
  • 8
Most Favorable Review

Does what it's supposed to!

Rosewill RC-415 - 10/10/1000 Mbps 5-Port Gigabit Green Ethernet Desktop Switch in Metal Enclosure
Rosewill RC-415 - 10/10/1000 Mbps 5-Port Gigabit Green Ethernet Desktop Switch in Metal Enclosure

Pros: Well, now that I've had this thing for several weeks I figured I'd write a review. Well, it works! It's a very simple switch, no configuration, no features, no utilities. Everything it does it does automatically, just plug it in and it works! It's been flawless, never needs to restart, and plays nicely with my router. I'm running my desktop and server on this thing (That was the whole purpose, to have GbE access to my server for large files from my desktop), and it then connects to my router so those two devices can get online (Linksys router that only has 10/100 ethernet), everything works fine!

Cons: None to speak of. Just works.

Overall Review: Don't forget this isn't a router! I read a review on another site claiming it was faulty because he couldn't get online after plugging in his modem and a couple computers. Make sure you know what your buying, your internet connection needs to be 'routed'. That said, it DOES work fine BEHIND a router to be an extension to your network. Keep in mind this has no firewall features either (It's just a switch), so any network configuration will STILL need to be done via your router, even if the device is connected to the switch, not the router (provided the switch is connected to your router.) It's all auto-switching so it doesn't matter what you plug in where.John

Most Critical Review

Phenomenal Case - Poor packaging

Cooler Master HAF 932 AMD Limited Edition AM-932-RWN1-GP Red Steel / Plastic / Mesh bezel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Cooler Master HAF 932 AMD Limited Edition AM-932-RWN1-GP Red Steel / Plastic / Mesh bezel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

Pros: Bought this for my new Fusion platform rig, it looks superb, it also seems like CoolerMaster fixed the overwhelmingly bright power and HDD LEDs that plagued the original HAF 932 (and led many people to replace them!), these are both red, and very visible, yet moderate. Cable Management has been defined by the HAF 932, it has become the reference point to which all other case manufacturers develope their deisigns, you will not find a Case with better Cable Management capabilities from any manufacturer Finally, HAF (High Air Flow) is RIGHT! This thing is wide open, with plenty of large fans and room for more fans! Additionally, there is room on top for a Triple radiator, reservoir, and a single 120mm radiator on bottom (and at the back) for a completely self contained MASSIVE water cooling loop(s). So in essence: Air Flow, Cable Management, Aesthetics, and functionality, it's got it all! (And it comes with casters, so you can roll it around!)

Cons: You will find in many reviews, both here and on other websites that this product is poorly packaged, it is held in place by two very thin pieces of styrofoam. That's it. Newegg is no help here either, they literally slapped the shipping sticker right on the retail box, no additional packaging here (as with any case, of course, but I hope they will change this to make up for CM's packaging) In my case (no pun intended), I had a small crack under the rubber mat on top, and a dent in the rear of the case, in addition, one of the feet was loos and cracked, with half of the padding missing. Unfortunately, with the cost of shipping to RMA this it's not worth it, otherwise I would, I think this is worth revoking an otherwise phenomenal case two full eggs because this is NOT an isolated incident! I urge you to read other reviews concerning this units packaging, or lack thereof, and of the many, many damaged cases that have been professionally reviewed!

Overall Review: I love NewEgg, and try to purchase from them always, but I think they should strongly consider adding to the packaging that this unit comes with, perhaps putting it in an additional box with additional packaging to prevent this damage. The unfortunate thing is that it's not cost effective to RMA this thing, since it's still functional I can make do, and I didn't use the feet anyway, I used the included casters (which, by the way, two of which had bent bases, that unfortunately, would have had to have been like that from the factory, because it is placed INSIDE the case, in a separate box, so in other words, they somehow skipped quality control). All in all though, I would buy another, it's just a phenomenal case, and it looks great if you paint it black!

Excellent notebook computer

Apple MacBook Pro (2012 Model) Intel Core i5 4GB DDR3 500GB HDD 13.3" Mac OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion (MD101LL/A)
Apple MacBook Pro (2012 Model) Intel Core i5 4GB DDR3 500GB HDD 13.3" Mac OS X v10.8 Mountain Lion (MD101LL/A)

Pros: Overall, an excellent machine. It's lightweight, the fan is absolutely silent in all but the most taxing of applications. The battery life is stellar at 7+ hours. It rarely gets warm to the touch at all (during 'typical' use, such as web browsing or desktop publishing, it stays cool to the touch). Graphics performance is actually pretty impressive. The HD4000 Graphics are miles ahead of previous intel offerings. The magsafe connector is fantastic, no more broken charging ports for me! I can never go back to a laptop without a backlight keyboard again, what a handy feature! Mac OS is incredible. Windows is such a chore to use now, once you've been spoiled with the OSX experience.

Cons: It's a bit pricey. Some will say you can get a similar laptop for a lot less money. I don't think so (see below), but, if all you need is the same CPU, RAM and Graphics card, and don't need all of the features that make this unique, then you can spend a lot less money on a windows laptop. The aluminum enclosure is gorgeous, dissipates heat and thus stays cool, but may be very scratch prone. However, because it's such a popular laptop, there are lots of protective options. The screen is bright, glossy, and beautiful. However, it's smudge city. It's difficult to keep clean, and attracts fingerprints. Mini DisplayPort is the only video output option, which requires an adapter or dongle of some sort in order to handle most displays. Though there are miniDP to HDMI dongles, there is no HDMI port on this machine. It isn't also a spaceship.

Overall Review: Some have commented that it's a 'waste of money' or that you can get 'the same thing' cheaper. Well that's not true. If you want cool, quiet, 7+ hours of battery life, a sturdy enclosure, state of the art I/O, all in a lightweight and portable form factor, you can't. Dell and HP both offer similar laptops, with the same LiPo batteries (though still not quite as long of a battery life), many similar features, and the same basic specs, but they are as expensive or more expensive than the MacBook Pro. Bear in mind, however, that you are paying for certain things that you need to decide if they are worth it for you. You CAN get an i5/4GB of RAM/Integrated Graphics laptop cheaper elsewhere. Do you need a bright display, backlit keyboard, LiPo battery (others may promise 7+ hours of battery life, but if it's Li-Ion or otherwise, aka not LiPo, then within a few months that battery life will be drastically shortened), a silent laptop, and tons of available accessories and upgrade options? Well, then this is for you! I am running this with 16B of RAM and two 256GB SSD's (a third party accessory allows you to install a hard drive in the optical drive spot) in RAID 0. Performance is mind boggling out of such a small laptop. I also have it attached to a 27" IPS display, AND a 23" LCD. It drives a 2560x1440, 1920x1080 and the built in 1280x800 display all at the same time, with no performance issues whatsoever. It's really a powerhouse. I do have a homebuilt gaming PC, but it's now been reduced to gaming only, as the MacBook is capable of performing as well or better at all other tasks.

12/28/2012

Very unecomonical, nothing too stunning.

Brother MFC series MFC-495CW Up to 35 ppm Black Print Speed 6000 x 1200 dpi Color Print Quality Ethernet (RJ-45) / USB / Wi-Fi InkJet MFC / All-In-One Color Printer
Brother MFC series MFC-495CW Up to 35 ppm Black Print Speed 6000 x 1200 dpi Color Print Quality Ethernet (RJ-45) / USB / Wi-Fi InkJet MFC / All-In-One Color Printer

Pros: Decent picture quality, excellent scanner, loaded with features.

Cons: I have the non-wireless version of the same model. It is extremely uneconomical, I left it on and didn't use it for a month while I was gone, it was not used by anyone, but the self cleaning alone brought my 60% cartridges to empty in a one month period. You cannot use any functions if the cartridges are empty, and it uses all colors to produce even black prints. Additionally, the ink is extremely expensive, certainly one of the highest prices for ink you can find (there are higher, but few, and I would bet that cost/yield is higher than every one of them). I only replaced the ink twice, in a two month period and I don't do much printing (in fact, I refilled the paper only twice, what does that tell you?) I'm done with it, I have no need for it, I bought another printer and am much happier.

Overall Review: It's horridly uneconomical, which is why it's a multi-function printer at such a low price. Buyer Beware, it's gonna cost you in the long run. Your better off looking at some of the models HP is offering right now that actually compete with Laser Printers in terms of economy, and if you don't want to fork $200 for a printer, Lexark has some excellent models that, while are also inefficient, certainly aren't nearly as bad as Brother. You'll be dumping 65 bucks a month (more/less depending on where you are), into this printer, it's not worth it. However, if you must, must get this printer. KEEP IT TURNED OFF, it self cleans CONSTANTLY, and that sucks down the ink!

Great Cards, still some HDMI issues

XFX Radeon HD 5870 1GB DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 CrossFireX Support Graphics Card HD-587X-ZNFC
XFX Radeon HD 5870 1GB DDR5 PCI Express 2.1 x16 CrossFireX Support Graphics Card HD-587X-ZNFC

Pros: Excellent performance, quieter fan than the reference ATi Cooler, very stylish red and black theme. XFX is known for their support, and their phenomenal lifetime warranty, beware though, I have heard it termed a "modder friendly warranty", the XFX warranty specifically states the card can have no accessories (aftermarket coolers) installed! Overclocks well, though minimal performance gains were seen with a mild 925/1275 overclock.

Cons: HDCP still has some issues, like the fact that it doesn't handshake until the driver loads in windows. That means, if you have this card attached to a surround sound receiver and THEN a monitor (and possibly if attached to some TV's), you will have nothing on the screen until the Windows logon screen! No BIOS screen, no windows boot screen, nothing. The cooler is not the reference cooler, though it is quieter, it doesn't perform as well. It is also set, by default to idle at 55% (even then the temp stays around 34C, my other 5870 with the reference cooler will idle at the ambient temp at 55%) There seems to be no way of changing this fan speed without having a tool like MSi Afterburner open to slow it down. And yes, 55% is audible. No voltage tweaking, only MSi and Asus support the ability to change the voltage of the cards, XFX, Sapphire, Diamond and others do not. Flashing or hard modding to achieve this will void your warranty.

Overall Review: If you want to overclock, this is not your card, even under water you won't get much of a gain because of the inability to tweak the voltages, the exception would be flashing the card with an MSi or Asus BIOS which will void the warranty (Then again, so will installing a water block!) I really hate HDCP (The Encryption system used in HDMI), it seems pointless, though I do with ATi would do something to allow the cards to handshake with HDCP devices, like some TV's and surround sound reciever, so I don't have to bypass my sound system to tweak the bios (which of course, means no sound in Windows, so I have to re-connect it all again to get sound). I would not hesitate to purchase this card, however, if you are going to do something other than factory cooling, then you can flash the BIOS since the warranty will be void anyway, and the HDCP issue is an issue on ALL HDMI enabled graphics cards, not just this one.

RE: Unlocking Cores

AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition - Phenom II X2 Callisto Dual-Core 3.1 GHz Socket AM3 80W None Integrated Graphics Processor - HDZ550WFGIBOX
AMD Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition - Phenom II X2 Callisto Dual-Core 3.1 GHz Socket AM3 80W None Integrated Graphics Processor - HDZ550WFGIBOX

Pros: Great CPU, using it on a Mini ITX Board for photo editing

Cons: None

Overall Review: To those listing the inability to unlock cores as a con- AMD is not just scamming you out of a Quad-Core processor, the reason these are dual cores is because when it came out of the factory, for one reason or another all 4 cores didn't meet AMD's rigorous testing, so some get lucky enough to unlock 4 cores, others will be unstable or just won't boot, likely because one or more cores is flat out damaged. This is not a con, and shouldn't be a con. You are buying a dual core processor, not a quad!

seller reviews
  • 1

Slow!

Very very slow to ship. I guess I'm used to NewEgg! I ordered three items. Two from newegg, one from this seller. The two from NewEgg have already ARRIVED but the one from this seller hasn't even SHIPPED! (And it's 5-7 day shipping when it does! Only option they offered!). Oh well, too bad NewEgg themselves didn't carry this product.

On-time
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Satisfactory