Joined on 01/14/04
Great all around CPU
Pros: No need to O/C this CPU as it breezes thru all modern games with ease. Any mid range cooler will keep it below 60 C while at 100%. If you decide to OC then the multiplier is unlocked, so a decent MB will have no problem getting to 4.4/4.5 on Air with good cooling.
Cons: None
Overall Review: This i5 is equal to a i7-3770 in most operations. That is impressive.
Look elsewhere
Pros: Look good, and shiny. The 2 is because while they are on, you can feel the heat they transfer which is what they are supposed to do.
Cons: The thermal pad does not stick, at any time I had 4 to 5 shiny sinks laying around the bottom of the case.
Overall Review: Right now my case is on its side so that sinks will be upright. Waiting for new (different) sinks to arrive
Loving it
Pros: Included in a package build. While not at the top of the charts anymore, it will still play EVERY game out there on Ultra in 1080. Unless you have multiple 4K monitors (not many do), do not over look this card (you can buy 2 and crossfire). I currently have two 24' 1080 monitors, and the gaming is butter smooth with everything maxed. BF Hardline, SW Battlrfront, Black Ops 3, Evolve, Rainbow Six Siege are all incredible looking games with this card. Since it has dual fans, you can rev up the fan speeds and it stays relatively quite.
Cons: None
Overall Review: I break in my cards doing distributed computing. This one does 4+ million points a day in Bitcoin Utopia, or 2+ million a day in Collatz
Wonderful Gaming Monitors
Pros: Purchased 2 for a gaming build. The color is set perfectly out of the box. In gaming scenarios they perform great. No tearing, no ghosting, no flicker. The larger size allows you to see details smaller monitors do not. The price for the product is better than most. I am using them with VESA mounts, and they feel well put together. I have multiple ports used, and the switching is automatic, and seamless.
Cons: None
Overall Review: The blue light at the bottom is really bright when the room is dark, but for aesthetics it looks cool. You really do not notice it while playing, but it does bother spectators. Since it does not bother me, the gamer, then not a CON at all :-).
Great Drive
Pros: Its been the primary OS drive on a gaming build that gets used all day, by a bunch of teen's. No issues to report. The boot time is very fast. I have Samsung SSD on a similar computer, and I can not tell the difference in performance. I would not hesitate in purchasing this drive again.
Cons: none that I have found
Exceeded Expectations
Pros: Included in a package so expectations where very low to begin with, but once opened the cooler is a nice piece. Used on a i5-4690k and it keeps the fully loaded CPU under 60c, which is really good. It’s very quiet, and the fan also appears to be a quality piece. The instructions are very easy to follow, and the included mounting options cover all sockets used by Intel, and AMD over the last 5 years. I have no doubt this could probably handle a 10%-15% O/C with a little added voltage without an issue.
Cons: None
Overall Review: Its great when things just work.