Joined on 08/11/03
Everything I hoped for.
Pros: Spotlessly clean inside and out. Win 10 activated online. I got it to run headless (see other thoughts).
Cons: I saw reviews complaining of "coil whine". Mine is in a closet now but when I was setting It up I observed the sound described when the CPU was under load. I've heard PC components make a lot of sounds but this is a little different and I suspect it could actually be coming from the onboard speaker. I haven't investigated that yet.
Overall Review: Added two HDDs (so far) and an SSD. No issues there. The refurb HDD that came with it has been reliable and it sounds healthy. This machine wouldn't boot without a video card initially, and there is no option in the BIOS. However, you can output all of the settings to a text file onto a usb flash drive. There is a "headless" option in that output txt file that you can easily modify then import into the BIOS. Pretty straight-forward, thanks HP!
Bad USB-Micro connectors
Pros: The braided cable is nice, a little stiff.
Cons: I ordered 3 and they all have a loose fit in all phones. They won't charge a Samsung device at all, and they have to be just right to charge in an HTC or LG phone. Terrible, worse than generic cables from a gas station.
Overall Review: They seem worn out from the start, straight to the garbage can. Maybe it's a bad batch, but this is the most useless product I've obtained in my 13 years on NewEgg.
Just great!
Pros: 10' long and great charging. Nobody who uses these cables has slow charging, which is very hard to find with USB cables of this length. Great for charging phones from a distance, or charging a ps4 or xbox controller while playing. USB2.0 data transfer has been just fine when I've used it.
Cons: They wear out eventually like any USB-Micro connector, but no faster than any I've found. I damaged one by catching my foot on it while walking past and it yanked out of a ps4 controller. I don't expect any different of USB-Micro, and I'd rather the cable be damaged than the port on the device it is connected to. Hopefully USB3.1 will prove more durable.
Overall Review: Mine have all come in the same three colors, which are not as described. Orange - looks like a tiny extension cord. Green - not as neon as the pictured green. Carolina Tarheel blue - There is no black cable, I give this cable away (Boo Tarheels).
Silent system
Pros: The PWM fan can be stopped completely, this has been rare for the 4-pin PWM fans I've encountered. I control with SpeedFan and setting the fan to 3% stops it entirely. Anything lower makes it run wide open. The heat pipes are pressed tightly where they contact the CPU. It looks to be a better job than I've seen on some other direct-contact HSFs like this one.
Cons: Not the easiest mounting system, some will struggle with it. It seems very stable once mounted, but using the double sided tape to hold plastic tubes... Well, I got a chuckle thinking of the easily frustrated and clumsy people who will be furious.
Overall Review: The contact surface of this HSF has a light texture. I would think a smooth surface would be best, and that is what I am used to. Maybe Arctic knows something I don't. I have the CPU passively cooled when idle and most times when not gaming. Temps stay low with a slow running case fan, using SpeedFan to automatically vary the CPU fan based on core temps. Having the fan stopped when it isn't needed, saves a lot of dust buildup and a little power and noise.