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Gregory J.

Gregory J.

Joined on 03/19/08

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 12
Most Favorable Review

Excellent

StarTech.com CTK100P 7 Piece Precision Screwdriver Computer Tool Kit
StarTech.com CTK100P 7 Piece Precision Screwdriver Computer Tool Kit

Pros: - Comfortable grips so you can get some muscle on a screw - Driver heads fit most PC screws very well, little slippage - Excellent build quality - They look really professional, so they're sure to impress the Ladies. - Great value, definitely worth the price.

Cons: - Case quality (especially the hasp) is a bit flimsy. I keep my set at home, mostly, so it's fine. However, if you put this case in a tool bag or in a work van permanently, I'm sure that it wouldn't last more than two months. - The blades on the flathead screwdrivers are sharp. I've cut myself a few times using them to pry cases open. That being said, I've also used the flathead screwdriver to defend myself against a gang of hoodlums, so I guess that it's not really a con any more.

Overall Review: - These screwdrivers are not magnetized. You may or may not want this, so it's neither a pro nor a con. - I'm amazed at how quickly mosquitoes breed after it rains. - Also, I like turtles.

Most Critical Review

No Rebate

XIGMATEK FCB (Fluid Circulative Bearing) Cooling System XLF XLF-F2003 200mm LED Orange Case Fan PSU Molex Adapter/extender included
XIGMATEK FCB (Fluid Circulative Bearing) Cooling System XLF XLF-F2003 200mm LED Orange Case Fan PSU Molex Adapter/extender included

Pros: Fan blows air.

Cons: No rebate came. No response from rebate company, either. Will not purchase any more products from this company. If you want us to continue giving you money, respect your customers by honoring your rebate terms. PS: The lights on this fan are positioned to the side, rather than under the plastic ledge of the fan casing, so it's always a harsh bright light.

Great Quality

Seasonic FOCUS GX-650, 650W 80+ Gold, Full-Modular, ATX Form Factor, Low Noise, Premium Japanese Capacitor, 10 Year Warranty, Nvidia RTX 30/40 Super, AMD GPU Compatible, Ref# SSR-650FX
Seasonic FOCUS GX-650, 650W 80+ Gold, Full-Modular, ATX Form Factor, Low Noise, Premium Japanese Capacitor, 10 Year Warranty, Nvidia RTX 30/40 Super, AMD GPU Compatible, Ref# SSR-650FX

Pros: Feels sturdy and solid Nice heft to it Cables are thick & sleeved nicely Excellent warranty Excellent brand reputation Near-silent operation

Cons: Cables are pretty stiff. The rubberized sleevings around the plugs are very thick, causing problems when bending them at 90 or 180 degree angles. Operation manual is a joke. It's just one page of installation instructions in several languages. Absolutely no description of what the "mystery button" on back of the unit is for.

Meh

Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus - Mid Tower Computer Case with Windowed Side Panel and USB 3.0
Cooler Master Elite 431 Plus - Mid Tower Computer Case with Windowed Side Panel and USB 3.0

Pros: Shiny. Some fans are included, and they're decent quality. This signifigantly increases the value of this case. One of them is shiny blue, if you're into the sparkly thing. A big window is included, if you're into the whole "looking inside your case to watch the PC gnomes doing their thing" thing. Lots of mounting spots for maximum fannage. You can fit 4 comfortably using a Micro ATX board. (bottom fan near PSU can be a little tight). I got this case while it was on some ridonkulous sale in 10/2013. If you want it to be yours on the cheap, I am pretty sure they'll discount this again.

Cons: One word -- flimsy. You have been warned. I would be willing to bet that if a gnat farted near this case, it'd probably dent it. Take off the side panel, and this case twists like a leaf on the wind. And not in that cool "Serenity"-type twisting, I mean like, "I tightened a standoff and felt the case torquing under the pressure"-type twisting. Seriously, this is the flimsiest case I have ever worked with. Most OEM cases are far sturdier than this, and even the cheapest budget crapbox OEMs are moderately less flexy than this one. The side panel was a bit out of true, and didn't want to lay flat. Unfortunately, the material is a little more sturdy than the rest of the case. I couldn't get it to cooperate, except by re-bending the case to fit the stubborn panel. (LOL?) The cable management in this case, quite frankly, is non-existant. Seriously? If you're gonna put a giant window on the case.... Also, don't gloss finish the front panel, where the greasy fingers go to smoosh buttons and plug in their latest iDonkey.

Overall Review: Personal note: I love Cooler Master's other cases. The HAF 912 is easily my favorite $50-$80 case. I kept my main gaming rig in one for several years. I recommend that case to almost anyone. And I really like the other HAF cases as well. I've built in a HAF 932, and an Elite 311. I keep coming back to CM for cases when it's feasible. This case is the opposite of why I usually love CM's cases. It's a poorly-designed product that doesn't know what it wants to be. I mean, it's got a big plexi window, and nowhere to hide cables. It's a jungle in there! If I installed a big video card in here, I wouldn't have been able to get the front panel connectors plugged in. Why not take the window off and spend that cost on better structural integrity or mobo backplate? Another personal note: I used this for a server case, intended to stay on 24/7. (Removed the sparkly fan, though.) I would not recommend putting a gaming rig in here. It'll make you want to punch babies. That is all.

Solid!

ADATA 64GB S102 Pro Advanced USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Speed Up to 100MB/s (AS102P-64G-RGY)
ADATA 64GB S102 Pro Advanced USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Speed Up to 100MB/s (AS102P-64G-RGY)

Pros: + The construction of this flash drive is pretty nice, it feels quite sturdy and solid. + File transfer rates using USB 3.0 ports are noticeably faster than USB 2.0. + The 64 gig version (which I purchased) has plenty of room for your portable needs. There's enough space on here to use this drive as a backup for photos and such. + Got this drive with a healthy rebate, which AData honored. Hooray!

Cons: - You can lose the cap. ( I knew this going in, the rebate made this part worth it.) - Lanyard hole is quite small; I had to thread the lanyard loop with a piece of unwaxed dental floss.

Overall Review: Overall, I'm quite happy with the price and functionality of this drive. Would purchase again.

Happy!

Wireless Handcrafted Eco-Friendly Bamboo Keyboard
Wireless Handcrafted Eco-Friendly Bamboo Keyboard

Pros: Build quality seems nice, not cheap or chintzy. It looks sharp and like it was assembled well.

Cons: Inside of packaging smelled horrible, like factory chemicals with sulfur. Thankfully, this did not stick to the keyboard. The packaging was cheap and Engrishy, although this doesn't really matter unless you're giving it as a gift.

Overall Review: Purchased this item as a gift. I reboxed it. Please note this is a compact keyboard, not a full-size. It's great for someone who is used to a laptop keyboard.