Bren's stats
- Review count191
- Helpfulness votes1,657
- First reviewDecember 27, 2016
- Last reviewJune 15, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.8
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- Answer count11
- Helpfulness votes1
- First answerDecember 27, 2016
- Last answerNovember 4, 2021
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Start your day off with a steaming hot cup of energy using this Delonghi La Specialista dual-heating espresso machine. The sensor grinding technology helps ensure the coffee dose is just the right amount. This Delonghi La Specialista dual-heating espresso machine features active temperature control to keep the water consistently hot.
Customer Rating
5
Steep learning curve, but truly truly worth it!!
on October 4, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
I can sum up this entire review by just telling you that this machine is incredible. From the machine itself, to the quick start manual, to all of the included accessories, everything is just designed with a heft and quality that screams "high-class". I have been nothing but please with the experience of this machine but let me just tell you now, if you are new to espresso machines, this will definitely take a bit of practice. Alas, the results (delicious, tasty results) are worth it!
First of all, the packaging of the machine is incredible. Every accessory and trinket is lovingly packed into this box with pride. Next, the quick start manual for getting this thing up and running is excellent, complete with helpful tips and pictures for those of us who prefer the cartoons part of a newspaper to the front page. Finally, the caffinated-bliss that comes out of this thing. Ohhh myyy gooodness. Standing in my kitchen enjoying such rich pulls of espresso with frothed-milk (whole or 2% for best results) is just too awesome to behold.
This is a high-dollar item, no question about it. But when you want beauty, quality, and results all wrapped into a single package, this machine is simply unbeatable. 5 out of 5 stars, most definitely recommend this for purchase! Thanks for reading!
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Turn your favorite moments from your smartphone into effortless photo creations. Designed to use with Bluetooth and the HP Sprocket app, you can easily transform photos from your camera roll or social media into sharable memories.Creates a 4" x 6" photo-quality print in as little as 61 seconds*
Customer Rating
4
Great prints and looks, phone app needs work
on September 28, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
When i got this photo printer I was very excited! It is compact, looks aesthetically pleasing, and the prints it yields are actually of fantastic quality for being churned out in about a minute or so. Upon initial set up, I was able to get up and connected very quickly on my phone using the user friendly software. In no time at all I had printed out some pictures on the included photo paper and I was happily surprised by how nice the prints turned out! The loss of the star on this review though comes from the fact that when I returned to come back to print more photos the next day, I could NOT get connected back to the printer through my phone despite following all of the HP troubleshooting guides online. I am sure they will tweak this bug out and it still works with my computer, so I am not giving up on the printer or telling anyone not to buy it. The prints are great and software can always be improved.
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Customize your sound with these EVEN H4 Bluetooth headphones. Integrated EarPrint technology lets you personalize your sound profile, and the 40mm drivers enhance your experience with rich, detailed audio. These EVEN H4 Bluetooth headphones offer up to 20 hours of use per charge and have on-ear controls that make it easy to skip songs and change volume levels.
Customer Rating
5
My best looking–if not best sounding–headphones!
on September 9, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
I am super picky about my audio equipment. I have written other reviews before about headphones and earphones I have that probably singed the eyebrows off of the manufacturers reading them given that I did not pull any punches about my dissatisfactions. With that preamble through, I can honestly give these headphones a 100% recommendation for purchase. Feel free to stop reading here and buy them if you just needed a quick summary, but if you want more, here it goes.
First of all, I am wearing these headphones right now as I am writing this review. I just have not wanted to take them off. It has become routine for me to grab these suckers and put them on right away when I am ready for a good audio experience. What I have on hand for good comparison is the headsets I wear for gaming. I am currently running a Logitech G Pro wired headset and previously was running Razer Kraken Tournament headset. While I do wish for a bit more of the bass that the Logitech G Pro headset has as well as the comfort of its headband, these Even H4 headphones are much lighter weight and seem not to need the additional bulk of the padding as a result. The mids and the highs are just stellar on this headset, as well as the sound separation between the speakers in each cup. I am startled with the clarity that I can pick out the left versus right balance with these headphones. On that note, an additional cool feature these headphones have is a feature called Earprint, which prompts you to listen to a series of 8 different music clips at gradually increasing volumes and directions in order to get an idea of what balance your ears would best benefit from. I want to play with this feature more, but when I used it, I definitely noticed that the balance was higher on the volume in the right cup–in which I am admittedly somewhat deaf from my middle school days of walking around with an earbud blasting in just my right ear. Sigh, I was so uncool.
On the note of setting these up, they have built in a personal assistant called "Sarah" who verbally cues you through the ear print and bluetooth connection set up, all of which was EXTREMELY smooth and seamless. This lands Even another kudos since there is a lot of expectation for setup to be easy in these fateful days of AirPods and Dr. Dre devices that link up to Apple devices in the blink of an eye. I like Sarah and I found myself impressed that they built that extra little bit of cool into a headset at this price level.
Aesthetically, these headphones are gorgeous. As you can see from my pictures, I really love wood themes on technology. Maybe it was growing up around grandparents with wood paneled station wagons, but I just think there is something so cool and eye catching to high quality, modern tech that has wood incorporated in the presentation. Somehow or another, they even managed to get somewhat of a grain feel on the "wood" material of these headphones. The only ding I am going to give them is that on the included USB-C charging and 3.5mm headphone cable, I would have liked to have seen braided cables at this price level given how chic the rest of the setup is. On that note, however, I really appreciate that these can be wired and that they boast a 20-hour battery. I have not yet reached the limit of the battery, but thus far I am impressed. I also have to compliment them that, unlike some manufacturers, Even sent these H4's partially charged out of the box and ready to go for some listening. I doubt that the first thing anyone wants to do with a new set of headphones is charge them, so Kudos to Even for thinking that detail through. The case is also a thoughtful inclusion, almost as if they know that the kind of people who would appreciate this level of audio technology would equally like to travel with it and keep it protected!
Overall, I would definitely recommend these headphones to anyone who is interested in a cool, away from the normal aesthetics set of headphones with great sound and great features. I have had a great experience using them and I am certain you will be happy if you try them. Good luck with your purchase and thanks for reading!
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Create nutrient-rich meals with this NutriBullet blender combo. The 64 oz. blending pitcher shreds tough skins, pulverizes stems and crushes seeds to deliver creamy snacks, smoothies and soups. This NutriBullet blender combo features a powerful 1200W motor that operates quietly, so you can engage in conversations while blending fruits and vegetables.
Customer Rating
5
Flexible, affordable, and quality
on August 31, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
When it comes to my cooking implements, I like to minimize how much I am stacking in my pantry and consolidate and improve efficiency wherever possible. This blender has helped me do it. If you are wondering, the "combo" that this blender's title is referring to is the fact that it not only comes with a 64oz blender pitcher but also with a 24oz handled cup and a 32oz cup complete with travel lids to take your healthy (or not) brew on the go! I like this a lot. It means that if I want to make just a single serving shake for breakfast to get me out the door, I can do that. If I need the larger pitcher for making multiple shakes for a day, friends, or a recipe, I can do that as well. Altogether, I think that this blender simply smacks of quality from pouring the contents of the its box out onto the counter to pouring the contents of the blender pitcher or cups into your mouth! All silliness aside, I think this is a great buy and you are bound to be pleased with it. 5 stars!
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I would recommend this to a friend!
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Protect your iPhone XR from drops of up to 10 feet with this Speck Presidio Grip case. The inner IMPACTIUM lining absorbs shock, and the polycarbonate exterior deflects shock. This Speck Presidio Grip case has angled rubber ridges that offer a nonslip grip to help prevent the device from sliding off surfaces, and the raised edges help protect the screen when it's facing down.
Customer Rating
5
Slim, grippy , and drop protective. Perfect!
on August 24, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
This is a great case! The title basically sums up how I feel about it. The case is slim while providing a great grip, and the case is protective of the protruding camera glass and the edges of the screen. The rare times I have dropped my phone in this case, it suffered no harm from the drops thanks to the case's protection.
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Control TVs, lights and stereos with this black Sevenhugs smart remote. The intuitive touch screen offers simplicity, and the Smart Remote companion app allows the user to customize the remote's interface for different devices. This Sevenhugs smart remote lets you connect electronics and services via Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared and smart hubs for a simple installation.
Customer Rating
5
Nice remote, makes the life of a techie simpler!
on August 23, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
It is nice to finally have a remote for my entertainment system that allows me to control my Roku and TV and Philips Hue lights (mood lighting for movies and Netflix and chill) all in one fell swoop without having to play the pre-entertainment game of diving in between the couch cushions to find all of the remotes needed to control said devices. As tech gets more complicated and finicky, it is nice that there are companies like Seven Hugs with this smart remote that are working hard to simplify it all. I would definitely recommend it!
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Be aware of danger with this Onelink smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarm. Wi-Fi connectivity makes sure all the alarms go off no matter where the problem is, and notifications are sent to your smartphone via the compatible app when there's trouble. Manage repairs and emergencies quickly using the precision voice alerts and dual protection included in this Onelink smart smoke and carbon monoxide alarm.
Customer Rating
5
Awesome, intuitive combo detector!
on August 23, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
Well, I will be honest in saying right away that my work has not yet been set on fire or been exposed to a dangerous carbon monoxide leak, so I cannot write to how this combo detector works when that push comes to shove. But I will say that every other part of this detector I have gotten to experience so far has been fantastic, from installation to setup on our business's wifi network!
I work part time at a small business and a glaring issue I noted when working there (past firefighter/emt) was the lack of any fire detection devices. With that in mind, when I found out about this combo detector I was very excited to present it to my work as a viable option. The wireless, battery set up (battery is good for 5 years) meant low impact cost wise of setting it up, and its ability to communicate via an app over wifi to both of the owners phones means that they will be notified if the detector ever picks up smoke or carbon monoxide! With that in mind, it was a no brainer to pick this up and install it in the shop.
After opening up the packaging and downloading the app, it walks you through a step by step of how to get it installed and set up. I appreciated this as I am admittedly lacking in mechanical common sense. Now with it installed, its nice looks and reassuring presence offers us peace of mind when we are in and away from the shop. An exciting notion about it too is that later on when we move our business and get more rooms and space, we can install more of these same detectors and they are all able to communicate via the same app and wifi connection! What this means in plain terms is that if one of the detectors picks up smoke or CO, all of the alarms will sound together!
Overall, I think this is a great investment in our business and I am sure it will be great for uses too. Highly recommend!
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Immerse yourself in detailed audio with these Marshall Minor II black Bluetooth earbuds. An in-line microphone and an intuitive control knob let you take hands-free calls and change songs without your phone. These Marshall Minor II black Bluetooth earbuds have 14.2mm drivers that produce clear, accurate audio and soft ear tips that ensure lasting comfort.
Customer Rating
3
Fantastic ideas, poor execution.
on August 23, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
I have to say that my general feeling when it comes to the Marshall headphones is disappointment. While these headphones have some real charm, they lack the core areas of importance that true music fans desire. A pros and cons list will be most helpful here:
Pros:
-Good looks. The gold 'M' on the earbuds and the control toggle along with the muted textures on the control stem itself.
-Comes with a charging cable. And not just any old USB micro cable, but a pretty classy looking one at that.
-Fun factor. All of the operating noises for turning it on, skipping a song, etc. are different little electric guitar noises like muted strums and such which is really fun and was quite a surprise.
-The control toggle. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I found that this toggle was a cool way to control the experience and was intuitive once I got used to it.
-Good looks. The gold 'M' on the earbuds and the control toggle along with the muted textures on the control stem itself.
-Comes with a charging cable. And not just any old USB micro cable, but a pretty classy looking one at that.
-Fun factor. All of the operating noises for turning it on, skipping a song, etc. are different little electric guitar noises like muted strums and such which is really fun and was quite a surprise.
-The control toggle. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I found that this toggle was a cool way to control the experience and was intuitive once I got used to it.
Cons:
-Poor audio quality. The bass, and treble are both lacking in these headphones and the audio experience is really not there for this price range. I would forgive thirty dollar headphones of this, but not ones costing thrice as much.
-There is minimal customization for the fit of the headphones for different ear types. They employ a system with these where you push or pull more of the cable out of the earbud, but this really made almost no difference for my ear shape and size. YMMV, but i think that having included some different ear bud adapters would have been a far more prudent step in making this enjoyable for a wider variety of users. I think that in going for elegance with this method, they skipped out on what is practical.
-Intermittent connectivity issues. Perhaps I have just been spoiled with Apple W2 devices like Airpods and Beats headphones, but I found that I was experiencing stutters and skips in the bluetooth connection while walking around with my phone in my pocket (thus eliminating distance as an issue).
-Poor audio quality. The bass, and treble are both lacking in these headphones and the audio experience is really not there for this price range. I would forgive thirty dollar headphones of this, but not ones costing thrice as much.
-There is minimal customization for the fit of the headphones for different ear types. They employ a system with these where you push or pull more of the cable out of the earbud, but this really made almost no difference for my ear shape and size. YMMV, but i think that having included some different ear bud adapters would have been a far more prudent step in making this enjoyable for a wider variety of users. I think that in going for elegance with this method, they skipped out on what is practical.
-Intermittent connectivity issues. Perhaps I have just been spoiled with Apple W2 devices like Airpods and Beats headphones, but I found that I was experiencing stutters and skips in the bluetooth connection while walking around with my phone in my pocket (thus eliminating distance as an issue).
Overall, I would say that if you are faithful to Marshall as a brand or just enjoy the quirkiness of something different, these are not a bad buy. But if audio experience and customizability are important to you, I would pass these by.
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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The PRO headset from Logitech G is designed with and for esports pros. Aluminum forks, steel headband, and memory foam and premium leatherette head and ear pads keep you comfortable through marathon training and competition sessions. Pro-G 50mm drivers deliver incredibly accurate audio with improved bass response. The advanced USB DAC has a five-band onboard EQ that can be programmed via G HUB software with settings from your favorite esports pros. Pro-tuned, detachable boom mic with wind screen and pop filter ensures your comms are crystal clear. Designed for PC.
Customer Rating
5
A headset truly worth the “Pro” label–my new go-to
on July 30, 2019
Posted by: Bren
from Central Point, OR
The Logitech G Pro headset will be replacing my Razer Kraken Tournament Edition headset as my new daily driver headset. As an avid gamer, audiophile, and computer fan, I have a love hate relationship with headsets, even those that are higher-end. Whether it be enduring the awful mike quality of other headsets or the sweaty discomfort of poorly designed ear pads, I have often begrudged the use of headsets when gaming. My new Logitech G Pro headset has changed that.
From opening the box to taunting hapless 12-year-olds using the crystal-clear audio of this mike, I have loved every minute of this headset experience. The headband is comfortable, exerting the right amount of tension without causing me to get a headache, which is a regular occurrence with other headsets I have owned. The looks are clean and professional, forgoing the typical over-the-top gamer look. This is a headset you could wear in an upscale coffee shop and have no one be the wiser that you are an undercover super nerd listening to your podcast through your awesome gaming headset while sipping espresso–pinky extended.
On that note, I love the versatility of this headset. With the included USB external sound card, headphone and microphone splitter, or with the stand alone 2mm cable, you can plug into any device and have an awesome audio experience. I enjoy listening to my music on my computer as much as I enjoy hearing the highly detailed squelches and slurps of Doom 2016 glory kills. The basses are low and visceral, the mids are clear and balanced, and the highs are crisp and avoid the awful tininess that haunts other headsets that spend too much time trying to create good bass and not an overall balanced experience. The microphone is good, not amazing, but clear and with good noise exclusion from breathing and such with its pop filter. Perfect for gaming and streaming, but nothing you would use to do studio level voice overs and the like.
One aspect of this headset that is absolutely worth mentioning and showing through pictures is how awesome the LogitechG HUB software experience is. Unlike the abomination that is Razer synapse software, this software is clean, snappy, free of bugs, and puts the controls for the headset EQ and sound easily at hand for the user, along with any other Logitech devices that can be controlled with the software. The on-board memory of this headset is amazing, allowing you to store EQ settings as needed on the device itself. The headset also integrated seamlessly with Discord which I appreciate immensely. Higher-end gamers demand a great user experience that does not addle their experience with unnecessary bloat but that enhances the experience and makes them want to add same-brand devices due to the smooth-continuity of that ecosystem.
All in all, I feel that this headset is an excellent acquisition and absolutely up to snuff with its label as a pro headset. I cannot recommend these highly enough for their price range.
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I would recommend this to a friend!
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Jump into the action of all your favorite titles with this ASUS gaming laptop. The 15.6-inch screen offers an expansive view of the action, and an anti-glare surface provides a clear, unmarred view. This ASUS gaming laptop features Intel Core i7 processing for lag-free play and reliable support of all your programs.
Customer Rating
3
Magnificent at Being Mediocre-I Returned Mine
on March 30, 2017
Posted by: Bren
Verified Purchase:Yes
I want to start off this review by just being honest and saying that for the money, give or even take a few hundred dollars, you can do a lot better in the way of a gaming laptop.
For my short review, I will sum up my feelings in a paragraph. This laptop has a gross plastic build, low quality hard drives, lack of customizability, bulkiness, and software glitches and quirks that do not justify its price tag. The only people who I can see who would enjoy this laptop are diehard Asus and ROG fans. Otherwise, this laptop lacks any real outstanding features of importance and is designed like a 900 dollar laptop that you pay 1.5 grand for. I would recommend looking into the Razer Blade 14, MSI GS63VR, and Alienware 15 R3 as 1060 equipped laptops as an alternative to this one that vary in size, weight, looks, and features.
Here is my brief resume as a gaming laptop reviewer: I have owned and tested the 2016 MSI Stealth Pro, 2017 MSI Stealth Pro, 2016 Razer Blade 14, 2016 HP Omen, 2017 Alienware 17 R4, 2016 Alienware 17 R4, and this 2017 Asus GL502VM-DS74. I have not been compensated by any company and I don’t get free units to test, I am just picky and have been on an 8-month quest to find the perfect gaming laptop for my needs, returning each unit to Best Buy as I go along thanks to the 45 day return policy that comes with being an Elite Plus member. I currently own the 2017 Alienware 17 R4 and that is the one I am keeping, look for my review there on Best Buy’s website.
The thing that bothers me about this laptop is that it just isn’t particularly good or special in any area. The build quality Is mostly plastic except for the lid and feels like the 900 dollar 2016 HP Omen I owned and tested for a month. The gaming with the 1060 GPU is no better than any other gaming laptop at this price range, and the looks are honestly just not there at a price range where there are other laptops available with RGB backlighting and more. Allow me to elaborate further below by addressing who this laptop will NOT appeal to.
-Gamers who are looking for a light laptop:
Honestly, this laptop is touted as being lightweight and portable, but there are laptops that accomplish being a lot more lightweight and portable at a similar price like the MSI GS63 Stealth Pro and the Razer Blade for a few hundred dollars more depending on sales. This laptop is actually fairly bulky and heavy with a large footprint and it is not friendly to small coffee shop tables or school desks. If the weight could be justified by better hardware or a tank like design such as what is seen on the Alienware line of laptops, than I would have less qualms about it. But the plastic shell of the bottom half of the laptop feels like it’ll crack if I accidentally drop it from a foot above the ground.
Honestly, this laptop is touted as being lightweight and portable, but there are laptops that accomplish being a lot more lightweight and portable at a similar price like the MSI GS63 Stealth Pro and the Razer Blade for a few hundred dollars more depending on sales. This laptop is actually fairly bulky and heavy with a large footprint and it is not friendly to small coffee shop tables or school desks. If the weight could be justified by better hardware or a tank like design such as what is seen on the Alienware line of laptops, than I would have less qualms about it. But the plastic shell of the bottom half of the laptop feels like it’ll crack if I accidentally drop it from a foot above the ground.
-Gamers who are looking for a dual-purpose school and gaming laptop:
Along with being pretty heavy and bulky compared to other lightweight gaming laptop options out there in this price range, the battery life on this laptop is too short to be a reliable on the go device. The G-Sync panel admittedly is pretty to look at and does a good job of smoothing frame rates in games to match the refresh rate of your panel. However, the cost of running the display with the 1060 graphics card all the time is bad battery life. With the screen cranked down to 20% brightness, power saver power plan selected, and battery saver selected, I could at best get 2 to 2-1/2 hours of battery life. This is simply too short to leave the house without the charger, which is a bulky 180W charger that adds another 2 pounds to the weight in your bag. Another major problem I have with this laptop is typing on it. The angular and sharp design of the front of the laptop where your wrists rest when typing digs into you flesh and makes typing a completely uncomfortable experience. I am no pansy and I was having to stop every few paragraphs to give my wrists a rest when typing because of this bad design. It feels like Asus didn’t actually have anyone use this laptop extensively for such purposes before mass manufacturing it. I imagine that this will also make it a no-go for MMORPG players or other gamers who utilize the keyboard on their laptop for gaming.
Along with being pretty heavy and bulky compared to other lightweight gaming laptop options out there in this price range, the battery life on this laptop is too short to be a reliable on the go device. The G-Sync panel admittedly is pretty to look at and does a good job of smoothing frame rates in games to match the refresh rate of your panel. However, the cost of running the display with the 1060 graphics card all the time is bad battery life. With the screen cranked down to 20% brightness, power saver power plan selected, and battery saver selected, I could at best get 2 to 2-1/2 hours of battery life. This is simply too short to leave the house without the charger, which is a bulky 180W charger that adds another 2 pounds to the weight in your bag. Another major problem I have with this laptop is typing on it. The angular and sharp design of the front of the laptop where your wrists rest when typing digs into you flesh and makes typing a completely uncomfortable experience. I am no pansy and I was having to stop every few paragraphs to give my wrists a rest when typing because of this bad design. It feels like Asus didn’t actually have anyone use this laptop extensively for such purposes before mass manufacturing it. I imagine that this will also make it a no-go for MMORPG players or other gamers who utilize the keyboard on their laptop for gaming.
-Gamers who are looking for a powerful laptop:
A 1060 GPU is the same graphics card despite which laptop you put it in, generally speaking (see Dave Lee’s laptop GPU comparison video on YouTube). The only aspects of design and build laptop to laptop that will make a difference on the gaming performance aside from the graphics card are the keyboard, panel, cooling, CPU (Amount of cores etc.) and whether it has a G-Sync or Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics design. The G-Sync panel on this laptop is a unique feature at this price for a laptop that I think many will enjoy. At 60hz refresh rate for the panel though, the difference in smoothness between this panel and an Nvidia Optimis equipped laptop like the MSI GS63VR is very hard to perceive, I personally didn’t notice the difference. If raw gaming power is what you care about though and weight and size don’t matter as much, then I would say skip this laptop and go with a 1070 equipped Alienware 15 R3 or 17 R4. The 17 R4s are absolute beasts and the newest ones have been available open box for less than 1500 occasionally and the 6th generation Skylake equipped models are available on sale or open box for even less on Best Buy. I currently own the 2017 Alienware 17 R4 with the 1920X1080 HD IPS 60HZ panal and it is a true gaming monster, giving you frame rates that never drop below 100fps on Ultra in Doom 2016 with the 1070 card. The ASUS ROG laptops with the 1070 at the Alienware’s price range just cannot compete when it comes to cooling, RGB customizability, build quality, and toughness. Not to mention it is nice that my Alienware 17 R4 can double as a lethal blunt melee weapon if needed. Another aspect to mention is that again if size and weight don’t matter to you, there are other 1060 laptops such as the Leopard line from MSI that will save you a few hundred bucks while giving you the same performance sans the G-Sync display.
A 1060 GPU is the same graphics card despite which laptop you put it in, generally speaking (see Dave Lee’s laptop GPU comparison video on YouTube). The only aspects of design and build laptop to laptop that will make a difference on the gaming performance aside from the graphics card are the keyboard, panel, cooling, CPU (Amount of cores etc.) and whether it has a G-Sync or Nvidia Optimus switchable graphics design. The G-Sync panel on this laptop is a unique feature at this price for a laptop that I think many will enjoy. At 60hz refresh rate for the panel though, the difference in smoothness between this panel and an Nvidia Optimis equipped laptop like the MSI GS63VR is very hard to perceive, I personally didn’t notice the difference. If raw gaming power is what you care about though and weight and size don’t matter as much, then I would say skip this laptop and go with a 1070 equipped Alienware 15 R3 or 17 R4. The 17 R4s are absolute beasts and the newest ones have been available open box for less than 1500 occasionally and the 6th generation Skylake equipped models are available on sale or open box for even less on Best Buy. I currently own the 2017 Alienware 17 R4 with the 1920X1080 HD IPS 60HZ panal and it is a true gaming monster, giving you frame rates that never drop below 100fps on Ultra in Doom 2016 with the 1070 card. The ASUS ROG laptops with the 1070 at the Alienware’s price range just cannot compete when it comes to cooling, RGB customizability, build quality, and toughness. Not to mention it is nice that my Alienware 17 R4 can double as a lethal blunt melee weapon if needed. Another aspect to mention is that again if size and weight don’t matter to you, there are other 1060 laptops such as the Leopard line from MSI that will save you a few hundred bucks while giving you the same performance sans the G-Sync display.
-Gamers who are looking for a machine that is professional looking or for gamers who want the light show experience.
This is more of a subjective point of view, but I am a fan of RGB lighting on my gaming laptops and in this price range MSI, Alienware, and Razer all have laptops with far more customization to their keyboard lighting than Asus does. If you are looking for a laptop with professional appearance, go for a Razer Blade 14. If you are looking for a lightshow, go for an Alienware Laptop. If you want something in between MSI laptop suit the bill. This Asus laptop falls solidly in the “meh” category of looks that laptops that are 600 dollars less like the Dell Inspiron 7567, 2016 HP Omen are in with their red-only keyboard backlighting and lack of customizable lighting altogether. The orange-red logo and stripes on the lid of the laptop do light up and look neat, but that is it. This laptop looks neither cool enough to appeal to gamers who love light shows, or professional enough to cater to gamers who want to take this into a professional environment.
This is more of a subjective point of view, but I am a fan of RGB lighting on my gaming laptops and in this price range MSI, Alienware, and Razer all have laptops with far more customization to their keyboard lighting than Asus does. If you are looking for a laptop with professional appearance, go for a Razer Blade 14. If you are looking for a lightshow, go for an Alienware Laptop. If you want something in between MSI laptop suit the bill. This Asus laptop falls solidly in the “meh” category of looks that laptops that are 600 dollars less like the Dell Inspiron 7567, 2016 HP Omen are in with their red-only keyboard backlighting and lack of customizable lighting altogether. The orange-red logo and stripes on the lid of the laptop do light up and look neat, but that is it. This laptop looks neither cool enough to appeal to gamers who love light shows, or professional enough to cater to gamers who want to take this into a professional environment.
So there I have pretty much laid out why I feel that this laptop is mediocre as a laptop overall. Now let me list a few more gripes about it:
-It only has a 5400rpm hard drive. Last years model had a 7200rpm drive and this year they have changed it to 5400rpm, nice try sneaking that one past us, Asus. At this price, we deserve a 7200rpm hard drive. Not to mention this 5400rpm is slower than snot even compared to other 5400rpm hard drives I have tested.
-The Boot SSD read/write speeds are actually slower than the SATA M.2 category average, my Crystal Disk Benchmark test put it at 500+ Read speeds but at barely 200 write, that is really slow even for a SATA M.2.
-The ROG Gaming center software kept crashing and was unreliable on my unit.
-I got a blue screen of death 2 weeks into owning it, thank goodness I am a Best Buy Elite Plus member and had 45 days to return it!
-On top of the BSOD, the battery light indicator began flashing an indication that my battery was failing and then mysteriously stopped doing so a day later.
-Only one RAM card is swappable. It seems that at this size, they could have built it so that you could have two user accessible RAM card slots. You will be able to get a max of 24gb of ram on this machine.
-The Boot SSD read/write speeds are actually slower than the SATA M.2 category average, my Crystal Disk Benchmark test put it at 500+ Read speeds but at barely 200 write, that is really slow even for a SATA M.2.
-The ROG Gaming center software kept crashing and was unreliable on my unit.
-I got a blue screen of death 2 weeks into owning it, thank goodness I am a Best Buy Elite Plus member and had 45 days to return it!
-On top of the BSOD, the battery light indicator began flashing an indication that my battery was failing and then mysteriously stopped doing so a day later.
-Only one RAM card is swappable. It seems that at this size, they could have built it so that you could have two user accessible RAM card slots. You will be able to get a max of 24gb of ram on this machine.
Overall, I simply cannot recommend this laptop to anyone but diehard Asus and ROG fans who would follow their love of a brand into the abyss. This laptop feels like a gangly teenager who has potential to grow into a strong, capable adult, but is too clumsy and unsure of itself at this point to be of any real good. Asus needs to improve the design of this laptop in regards to features like the sharp palm rests and low quality hard drives and figure out what they are going to be: a powerful gaming machine with true user-customizable lighting and aesthetics, or a lightweight, on the go machine for professionals and students alike. This laptop has too many compromises in the wrong places to be outstanding in any specific area. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments and I will answer them, good luck finding the right gaming laptop for you!
My Best Buy number: 2839406718
My Best Buy number: 2839406718
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Only at Best BuyPlay your way to the top with this HP OMEN notebook. The Intel Core i7 processor provides lightning-fast response times, and the 1TB hard drive is enough for all your favorite games and apps with room to spare for music and video files. This HP OMEN notebook has a full-size backlit keyboard for fast, easy typing.
What is the RPM of the 1 terabyte hard drive?
7200rpm, much better than the 5400rpm hard drive found in my $1600.00 MSI Stealth Pro :(
7 years, 5 months ago
by
Bren