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Matthew B.

Matthew B.

Joined on 05/31/09

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 4
Most Favorable Review
ASRock H61M/U3S3 LGA 1155 Intel H61 HDMI USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard
ASRock H61M/U3S3 LGA 1155 Intel H61 HDMI USB 3.0 Micro ATX Intel Motherboard

Pros: - USB 3.0 - SATA 6.0 Gb/S - HDMI - Price - UEFI Bios - Runs Cool (26 C Currently)

Cons: - One minor hiccup, plugged my monitor into my Mobo instead of my graphics card to test the on board capabilities, had a horrible time trying to get the mobo to go back to the graphics card, ended up pulling the card and putting it back to reset the issue. Not enough to warrant an egg.

Overall Review: For the price, and features, you cannot beat the board. I am a heavy Asus fan but, my client said they wanted something with the following features, USB 3.0, SATA 6.0 Gb/S, and HDMI would be nice but not needed. So I found this beast. It runs great and stays cool. would like to see 4 Dimm slots instead of 2 but, it is a mAtx board so no complaints.

ASUS 22" LCD Monitor 5 ms D-Sub, DVI-D VW224T
ASUS 22" LCD Monitor 5 ms D-Sub, DVI-D VW224T

Pros: - Big - Price - Crystal Clear

Cons: - Big

Overall Review: I purchased 2 of these for my setup and let me tell you, it was almost a mistake. These monitors are big you never realize how big 2x 22" monitors are until you put them together. the picture is wonderful, tons of real estate, no dead pixels, no issues with color. The on board speakers are really horrid. But you shouldn't need them. I also purchased a VW226T same size just different aspect ratio & power consumption. Its $10 cheaper but, all three monitors are excellent.

Intel Core i3-2100 - Core i3 2nd Gen Sandy Bridge Dual-Core 3.1 GHz LGA 1155 65W Intel HD Graphics 2000 Desktop Processor - BX80623I32100
Intel Core i3-2100 - Core i3 2nd Gen Sandy Bridge Dual-Core 3.1 GHz LGA 1155 65W Intel HD Graphics 2000 Desktop Processor - BX80623I32100

Pros: - Prefers well for a dual core - 7.1 on WEI - Handles everything that has been thrown at it

Cons: - There is a very slight speed decrease when running multiple applications at once see other thoughts - Not a K series

Overall Review: I purchased this processor for my girlfriend, she wanted to do some gaming, and basic tasks. I am a mechanical engineer, decided to test Solidworks, and CAD on it. While running SolidWorks and doing some other tasks, iTunes, Firefox etc. You can notice a slight decrease in performance. Granted this is not enough to warrant a -1 Egg because it is just a dual core processor. For the price, and what it can do its great. She loves it and couldn't be happier which is all that matters. I still don't think the i5/i7 K series are really warrant the extra $100+ but, that is just me. For a budget build spending a grand total of $350 on the entire setup I couldn't ask for a better machine. - i3 2100 - ASRock H61/U3S3 - Crusial 4gig 1333 Ram - Samsung DVD+R - WD 320 Caviar Blue Drive - Sunbeam Transformer Case - Rosewill 550W PSU - MSI 9800 GT (It was laying around might as well put it to use?)

Sunbeam Transformer IC-TR-US-BA-WOPSU Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case
Sunbeam Transformer IC-TR-US-BA-WOPSU Black Steel ATX Full Tower Computer Case

Pros: - Tons of room - Comes with three fans (3x 80mm, 1x 120mm) - Green Cathode - Nice tool box, holds the "tool less" adapters for the 5.25 & 3.5 bays - Easy to work inside of, no rough edges, no places to get cut on. - Front cover feels pretty sturdy - All the LED's are very bright - In the front there is a slot for a 120mm fan, it does require a little bit of work to access it, but its positioning is perfect to keep your HDD(s) cool - Ability to lock the side cover with included keys - Fold out feel for increased stability - Tool less design works pretty good

Cons: - Fans are LOUD for my taste, I would suggest purchasing a fan controller in order to keep the noise level down. - Tool box is nice, however it does take up 2-3 3.5 drive slots - Fans do feel like they are slightly on the cheap end of things, I am unsure how long they will last so far so good.

Overall Review: I purchased this case for a friend they do not mind the noise from the fan's I however, cannot stand it. During the night you can hear them running if you are a light sleeper then this may be an issue, otherwise disregard the review of the fans. The case in general for the price point I feel its perfect, keeps the machine cool, plenty of room for expansion, nice neat tool box, and the tool less design seems to work pretty well. It is very bright, which it nice depending on who you are, and the fans do feel like they push a ton of air, which is nice as well. In order to access the front 120mm fan slot just pop off the front cover and there it is. It has a slot cut out for the fan and it slides right in.