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Joseph K.

Joseph K.

Joined on 08/01/05

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 33
Most Favorable Review

Solid Motherboard

GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX + SB950 USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard
GIGABYTE GA-990FXA-UD3 AM3+ AMD 990FX + SB950 USB 3.0 ATX AMD Motherboard

Pros: This is a solid motherboard that works very well with AMD's Zambezi processor line. With the ability to run two 16x PCI-E slots for SLI/CrossFire, this is the foundation of one mean gaming rig.

Cons: It had my G.Skill F3-14900CL9D-8GBXL modules running at 1600MHz by default. A simple manual tweak fixed this, so no eggs lost for a minor annoyance.

Overall Review: Gigabyte has converted a longtime Asus fan.

10/17/2011
Most Critical Review

Dead after a few days

Rosewill RNWD-N1502UBE IEEE 802.11b/g/n, USB2.0 Wireless-N Mini External Antenna Adapter (1T1R) Up to 150Mbps Data Rates, WEP 64/128, WPA/WPA2
Rosewill RNWD-N1502UBE IEEE 802.11b/g/n, USB2.0 Wireless-N Mini External Antenna Adapter (1T1R) Up to 150Mbps Data Rates, WEP 64/128, WPA/WPA2

Pros: The cost.

Cons: The functionality. Even while it was working, it had very poor signal strength where the previous USB adapter it was replacing did just fine (strange, considering it has an external antenna, while its predecessor did not). After about three days, it just stopped working entirely.

Overall Review: I would advise anyone considering this product to spend a bit of extra money on a more reputable brand for 802.11 adapters.

Mid Range Motherboard

MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI USB 3.0 ATX High Performance CF Intel Motherboard
MSI Z87-G41 PC Mate LGA 1150 Intel Z87 HDMI USB 3.0 ATX High Performance CF Intel Motherboard

Pros: I picked this motherboard up for a mid range gaming rig. For the price, it has really exceeded my expectations. The UEFI is really well laid out and quite easy to use. I have not yet utilized the overclocking tools it has, but they don't look complicated.

Cons: It isn't as wide as some other full sized ATX boards I've used in the past, which means less risers underneath the board. There isn't much support under the 24 pin power connector, so be sure to place a finger underneath it when connecting the power supply to provide some relief.

Overall Review: I picked this up as a package deal with my CPU from a different retailer.

Initial Impressions

Team Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TXD316G1600HC9DC-V
Team Vulcan 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model TXD316G1600HC9DC-V

Pros: For the price, you really can't beat these modules. I picked them up for a mid range gaming build and so far they have not disappointed me.

Cons: Initially the motherboard had them clocked at 1333 MHz. A quick run through the BIOS had this problem rectified with no further issues.

Overall Review: I haven't had these modules for too long yet, but so far they work very well. I won't likely delve into overclocking them for some time as their performance is adequate for what I need and they run in a stable fashion at the moment. I will be sure to update this review if anything changes!

120mm Antec Fan

Antec TwoCool 75241 Blue LED 2 Speed Case Fan
Antec TwoCool 75241 Blue LED 2 Speed Case Fan

Pros: I purchased this fan as a replacement for one that recently died on me. This fan performs more than adequately. It moves a good amount of air and doesn't really make a lot of noise.

Cons: None come to mind.

Overall Review: I have an Antec Lanboy Air case and one of the stock fans that came with it died the other day. After looking around for a comparable fan, I cam upon this. The only difference between this fan and the Lanboy Air's stock fans is that this has a 3 to 4 pin adapter that comes with it, which gives you the added option of letting the motherboard control its speed. Other than that, it the two fans are identical.

Windows Media Center Remote

Rosewill RRC-126 - Windows Vista / 7  / 8 MCE Infrared Remote Control with Netflix Function
Rosewill RRC-126 - Windows Vista / 7 / 8 MCE Infrared Remote Control with Netflix Function

Pros: I purchased this item on a Shell Shocker deal, and it is so far definitely well worth it. The buttons all seem fairly responsive and the remote glows to provide a bit of feedback on button press. The receiver has no problem picking up signals at about 3 meters. No driver disk is required.

Cons: The buttons are slightly on the smaller side, but not to the point that it makes it difficult to press just one at a time.

Overall Review: I use this with an HTPC I set up in my bedroom that tunes off of my HD HomeRun PRIME. This remote really simplifies the navigation of WMC while in bed. Previously, I was using a keyboard with a built in touch pad to do this, but the remote is much easier to use.

11/15/2013