Pros: I bought this external DVD drive because it didn't require any power and the shipping was cheaper for this color. It works great, no complaints on the performance. This is ideal for computers with a dead or absent DVD drive.

Cons: Unfortunately I didn't look at the picture close enough. I just thought it was purple. In fact, it is purple with butterflies on it. If I had known that, I would paid slightly more for the one without designs on it.

Overall Review: Maybe I will spray paint it glossy white.

Pros: Much faster boot time. Full USB 3.0 support. The Windows 8 DVD can repair Windows 7 installations when you boot from the DVD, including running system restore. That actually is very helpful. Live tiles can be useful for tablet computers.

Cons: The GUI is just terrible. A hammer is not a screwdriver; a desktop computer is not a tablet. Do not make different tools try to do the same thing, it doesn't work. Let's begin: Things that take one step in Windows 7 now take many steps. For example, type "uninstall" in Windows 8 and Windows 7 in the start menu/screen. With Windows 8, you won't see "Uninstall a program" like you do with Windows 7. Type "system restore" in both. You won't see System Restore in the search results in Windows 8 like you will see in Windows 7. I spent 5 minutes trying to figure out how to close "Metro" IE10 because there are times I don't anybody to know the last website I went to. I never did figure out how. If you are using a desktop or laptop, Windows 8 does not work, PERIOD. Short mouse movements are now long mouse movements. On a big screen, that grows old real fast. Important tasks that were once easy to find now have long and tedious steps. To faster boot time is quickly erased by the wasted time you will spend trying to do anything.

Overall Review: My opinion on Windows 8 comes from my TechNet copy of Windows 8 which is actually a crippled version of it. If you are a computer repair person, TechNet is very important because you can get the CD's and DVD's of Windows installations so that you can reinstall them on people's computers. Now if you need to reinstall Windows 8 on a person's computer, you better hope they have a disc or hope they don't want to add, for example, Media Center ever. This doesn't affect my rating of Windows 8. I bring this up because it shows how badly Microsoft messed up Windows 8. Windows 8 can be fixed by making it more like Windows 7. Stardock's Start8 program is a must.

Pros: This has low profile and has good cooling. Good for when your height is limited.

Cons: Despite what Newegg said, this does not include the AM4 adapter. I didn't return it because someone else needed a cooler and I helped him install it. When I installed it on his older Intel motherboard, the screws on the Intel bracket are under the copper fins. The result was it was not easy to install.

Overall Review: Check Zalman's website for cooler with AM4 adapters. If only the size and holes were standardized.

Pros: What else is to say? I easily got 3466 stable out of these chips. And I didn't have to go to 1.50V either. I have it at 1.45V.

Cons: Can't think of any

Overall Review: I used the Ryzen DRAM calculator to find the correct timings. When I get a Zen 2, I will definitely try to improve the timings.

Pros: It isn't all bad. I like the multiple desktops. It has DirectX 12. (But there is no acceptable reason why that couldn't be put on Windows 7.) The new Fall 2017 update gives each Windows service its own program space. The advantage is if one service messes up, it does not crash other services. This disadvantage is that it takes up more memory, which can be a problem for low memory systems. You can get spooked when you see 30 svchost.exe files running at the same time.

Cons: Where to begin: (1) No respect for my privacy. (2) U-G-L-Y ugly. The most requested feature was Aero. It was not put back, which showed Microsoft did not listen to feedback and just wanted affirmation. (3) An illogical start menu. Just because we complained about the lack of a start menu does not mean we accept ANY start menu. (4) No full backup program. (5) Pre-boot F8 does not work. "But F11 does work." Yes, but F11 doesn't allow you to boot to safe mode. You have to manually edit the BCD in a command prompt to do so with F11. (6) Updates are mandatory, not optional. (7) You have to jump through several steps to not use a Microsoft account to log in. You should never ever, without exception, use a Microsoft account to log in. First of all, Microsoft should not know when, who, and how you use your computer. Second, I've met many people who could not log in because their Microsoft password was reset without their knowledge. (8) Programs are called apps. Because, of course, you buy your apps at the app store where Microsoft gets their 10% cut. (9) For the Fall 2017 update, to change the default program is no longer a few buttons but now several buttons. For example, to have a proper PDF viewer requires you to press "set defaults by app" and then find Adobe or FoxIT PDF reader, then click manage, and then one-by-one change every option to your proper PDF viewer. Before this update: set defaults by app -> PDF program -> set this program as default. (10) The ribbon is everywhere when it should be nowhere EXCEPT as an option (not requirement) in Office. This is actually a bad idea carryover from Windows 8. (11) There is no way to completely disable Cortana. Like Siri and Alexa and OK Google, the last thing I need is for my voice to be sent to a for-profit corporation. You can turn off the voice search and the Bing search, but Cortana still runs a little in the background. (12) Windows 10 will block programs for "compatibility" reasons. That sounds good, until you think about it and realize what is to stop them from blocking legitimate programs for "security" reasons. 'Sorry, LibreOffice is a security risk. Buy Microsoft Office instead!' Already I had it block a program because it wasn't "compatible". But when I renamed to EXE file to a random name, the program worked just fine. I also had Win10 block a driver straight from HP for "security" reasons with no clear instructions what to do for a false positive, which it was. It is okay to block a program for possible security reasons, just provide easy to follow instructions on what to do in case it is a false positive. (13) The BSOD of most unhelpful because it does not include the 0x code. 0xA is easier to remember (and thus research the cause) than IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR_EQUAL. Oh, it does include an emoji ... happy day! I will forget about your unhelpfulness because your gave me a frowny face.

Overall Review: The absolute first thing you need to do is pre-download O&O Shut Up 10. Then, before you connect your installation to the internet, run Shut Up 10 twice. Then download Classic Shell, a proper browser like Firefox or Chrome, and a proper PDF viewer. After all that, make sure you set these proper programs as the default. Make sure you run Shut Up 10 after every update and you will need to check for new versions after every major build. I also realize that some Win10 zealots will glibly dismiss my complaints above. What they always fail to realize is that I am in the majority, not them. Watch how people's eyes light up if you say you can get them a Windows 7 machine.

Pros: I really haven't had time to fully test out the processor, but here are some tests I have in Windows 7. I went from a Core i7-3770K 77W CPU to this. i7 power draw at the wall, 108W idle. (This does include a monitor and some other minor things, but that is the same for both the old and new.) Ryzen, 95W idle. i7 stress CPU, 156W. Ryzen stress, 160W. Encoding a 23 minute video using x265: i7, 22 minutes at 100% CPU usage. Ryzen, 11 minutes at 40% CPU usage. REMEMBER that x265 is not yet fully optimized 6 core/12 thread CPU's yet, much less 8/16 CPU's. These are just some cursory tests because I haven't had time to do more or test gaming.

Cons: It is tricky to get this working in Windows 7. I think, but cannot prove, AMD wants to keep Microsoft happy and so unwisely forgets about the only Windows worth owning. AMD also messed up and didn't give motherboard makes enough time to put out a stable product. I won't subtract an egg because I know it will be fixed. Just be prepared to be a beta tester.

Overall Review: Due to the motherboard shortage, it took me a while to test this thing out. I still haven't had time to test overclocking. I heard rumors of possible memory problems and saw DDR4 prices were spiking so I bought some DDR4-2400 memory on sale. I will probably replace that memory when prices drop. I am a casual gamer, but I don't play the types of games where I will care about or notice 4 FPS difference. I probably will end up underclocking this CPU except when I need extra horsepower.

Just be aware that they ship from China, so plan on extra time for that.