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Ian P.

Ian P.

Joined on 04/28/02

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Product Reviews
product reviews
  • 25
Most Favorable Review

Great little board

ASRock H97M-ITX/ac LGA 1150 Intel H97 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard
ASRock H97M-ITX/ac LGA 1150 Intel H97 HDMI USB 3.0 Mini ITX Intel Motherboard

Pros: *Fits a 750 TI just perfectly *Easy install *Sound in my 6.1 setup is fantastic, no static or interference at all *Great UI for the BIOS, it looks like any application you might use in Windows! *No dropping wireless, and the provided 802.11AC is fast

Cons: *Single channel AC, so fast but not super fast wireless speeds (actual transfer of 10-12 mb/sec) *The illustration of the screws on the manual was too small, but you figure things out well enough

Overall Review: A great board for the money, just know your wireless will connect at 433mbps, not 866. Still, plenty fast enough for streaming mkvs on my NAS. I highly recommend this MB, and it won't break the bank either

Most Critical Review

Don't cheap out on your PSU

Thermaltake TR2 W0070 430W ATX 12V 2.2  Power Supply
Thermaltake TR2 W0070 430W ATX 12V 2.2 Power Supply

Pros: +Very cheap +Still works after 3 years of use. +Thermaltake has a great reputation

Cons: +Not active PFC +Not 80 plus certified +Low efficiency (65% at most loads!!) +Runs hot +Takes 500 watts to generate make just over 300 watts available to my computer. In comparison, my new 80 plus certified thermaltake takes 400 watts to supply the same computer. Inefficiency = more electricity drawn (bigger bills) = more heat generated = louder fans

Overall Review: I used to cheap out on my case and the PSU because I wanted to invest the money in a better video card, CPU, etc. But really, the PSU is the one place in your build that might SAVE you cash. Go for a unit that is 80 plus certified, you'll save up to 100 watts of power, saving you money in the long run. I bought this 3 years ago when there were only a handful of active PFC units available and 80 plus certification hadn't taken off yet. You don't have that excuse anymore. Buy something better!

Great memory

G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAB
G.SKILL Ares Series 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3 1600 (PC3 12800) Desktop Memory Model F3-1600C9D-8GAB

Pros: Works great, passed tests well, cheap

Cons: Nothing really, does what it's supposed to

Overall Review: If you're looking for affordable RAM that works, this is the way to go

Great PSU

SeaSonic SSR-360GP 360W ATX12V v2.31 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Active PFC Power Supply New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready
SeaSonic SSR-360GP 360W ATX12V v2.31 80 PLUS GOLD Certified Active PFC Power Supply New 4th Gen CPU Certified Haswell Ready

Pros: *Haswell low-power ready means lower electric use, lower bills *Incredibly efficient, 90 plus GOLD rated *(Almost) no noise, dang near silent [edited for language :) ]

Cons: *more expensive

Overall Review: Got this for my mini-itx build, and it's great. I'm glad to be finally decreasing the wattage of my computer after all these years. I used to have a dual SLI setup, but forms the core of my new build. Paired with a Haswell processor and a NVIDIA 750 TI, this is a gaming-friendly PSU that also doesn't require excessive amps. I highly recommend it!

If you have to splurge on one thing, this is it

SAMSUNG 840 EVO  SAMSUNG 840 EVO 2.5" 120GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7TE120BW
SAMSUNG 840 EVO SAMSUNG 840 EVO 2.5" 120GB SATA III TLC Internal Solid State Drive (SSD) MZ-7TE120BW

Pros: *Fast- made the most difference to my gaming/video watching *Stable, working well

Cons: *Going back to watching your free space takes some getting used to, I miss having TBs free on my local drive, but this is mitigated with having a NAS

Overall Review: Faster video card or faster processor can only get you so much of a performance boost. The numbers don't lie: if you're going from a traditional low RPM 3.5 harddrive, you will see an enormous difference with this drive. I use a synology NAS to store all my files, this hold windows, steam and all installed applications.

Great case

COOLER MASTER Elite 110 RC-110-KKN2 Midnight Black Steel / Plastic Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case
COOLER MASTER Elite 110 RC-110-KKN2 Midnight Black Steel / Plastic Mini-ITX Tower Computer Case

Pros: *Solid case, not flimsy *Small as advertised *Fits two smaller PCI-e cards *Great USB 3.0 ports on the side *Good ventilation with supplied 120mm fan

Cons: * Don't bother connecting the blue LED light for the front button unless you're a teenage boy

Overall Review: I had a massive tower, but these days, what's the point? Like many people, I have a NAS where the majority of my files live, no need for a bunch of hard drives. My PC uses a 120gb SSD that makes for less power consumption and better air flow, and my bluray player is external, these days there is no point in having optical drive 24/7. I'm using less electricity, have better temps, save money, all in all mini-itx is the way to go, and this the case to do it in.