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    February 26, 2016
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    February 26, 2016
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explore42's Reviews
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The CORSAIR HS55 SURROUND Gaming Headset delivers essential all-day comfort and sound quality with memory foam leatherette ear pads and Dolby® Audio 7.1 surround sound on PC and Mac, without weighing you down thanks to lightweight construction. An omni-directional microphone picks up your voice loud and clear, and custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers offer great sound quality and range. A 3.5mm audio connector ensures wide compatibility with most devices, including PC, Mac, PS5 with Tempest 3D AudioTech support, PS4, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices. Powerful CORSAIR iCUE Software unlocks audio equalizer settings, multi-channel 7.1 surround sound, and more. Complete with on-ear volume control for convenient audio adjustments, you can press play on great audio with the HS55 SURROUND.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Adds a whole new Dimension to your Game
on August 6, 2022
Posted by: explore42
The Corsair 7.1 Surround capability included with this HS55 headset really makes a massive difference. When playing War Thunder you actually hear the planes flying overhead and the tanks along side of you at the same time. Sounds no longer are just left and right, they are much more dimensional. It adds a whole new level of realism when gaming. I only have two negatives about these headphones. The first is that the microphone sits on a fairly long arm that is bendable. To mute the microphone you push the mic arm up which is very convenient. The downside is when I bend the arm to give me the best voice quality it hits my glasses or my head when I try to push it up to mute it. So I have to rebend the mic arm if I use the mute feature every time. The second issue is one that I expected which is because the ear cups are full wrap they can get warm over time. After about two hours I have to take them off to cool down my ears. Overall the sound quality of 7.1 surround makes these a game changer for anyone who games.
Performance: I got this primarily for gaming at night but I found myself using them even during the day due to the 7.1 sound enhancements while gaming. To get the 7.1 sound you need to use the USB attachment included with the headset. The downside is that this has to connect directly to the computer, you can’t plug the headset into your game controller’s 3.5mm jack and get the 7.1 sound quality. I compared the stereo effects using the standard 3.5mm jack in my computer to using the usb and 7.1 audio. I was really surprised by how much the sound improved due to the directional separation of the sounds. Instead of just hearing a boom in my right ear I now heard a boom to the front right. Basically it made the sound directional which made the overall game much more realistic. While playing Forza Horizon I could actually hear the rain on the roof and windshield in front and above while hearing the water sounds on the tires back and below. In FPS games this really does help because you aren’t just reacting to sounds left or right. The sound placement isn’t perfect every time but its much better than playing in stereo. The headset has a volume control on the left ear cup and the microphone arm works as mute switch in the up position. The overall audio quality is quite good and the equalizer lets you customize it to your taste. Note that I use Corsair’s iCue with my PC so setting up the headphones in iCue was simple for me. In iCue you can install Nvidia’s Broadcast which cuts down on the ambient room noises. Using this feature I found that the voice volume is slightly lower than normal so you have to boost it in the app. Also in iCue you can also choose from 5 preset Equalizer settings or create a custom one to match your gaming requirements.
Fit: These headphones have very large foam ear cups that allow your ear to sit inside the cups. The leatherette covering on the ear cup is soft so it conforms to your skin and the foam on the top support is thick enough to keep you from feeling the plastic band. Overall I like the fit but because the ear cups are closed they do get a tad warm with long gaming sessions. The pull down microphone is moldable to better align with your mouth. I had to move mine fairly close to get the quality and volume level needed. The downside with this is that when I would push the microphone up to mute it I would end up hitting my glasses or head due to the curvature of the arm. The headphones come with a 6’ cord so you can sit some distance from the computer.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
The G5 gaming laptop powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 30 Series GPU combines gaming, entertainment, work and more! Its powerful 11th Gen Intel Processor allows you to effortlessly handle multiple tasks at the same time. It features a 3 screen display output, built-in SD card slot, and next-gen Wi-Fi 6 technology; with a tool for every task, this laptop provides great balance between gaming, entertainment, and work capabilities. Welcome to your new go-to laptop.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Versatile Gamer
on August 2, 2022
Posted by: explore42
I am really thrilled with this laptop because I can use it for gaming as well as work and hobby tasks. It has a lot of features that I wanted that many other laptops don’t have:
- It has easy access to the battery so you can double the battery life by buying a spare battery.
- It has a mini Display Port and a HDMI port for using external monitors.
- You can expand the storage by adding another NVMe SSD as well as a 2.5” SSD drive.
- There is a SD slot so you can import video and photos directly from a SD card.
- It has a full keyboard including the numeric keypad.
It does have some limitations though. There is only a single 8 gb ddr4 ram module, the second slot is empty. The included SSD is only a 512 gb NMVe but that is what most laptops include in this price range. I don’t consider either of these an issue since I can add memory and storage very easily in this laptop. The display is FHD and reasonably quick at the 144 hz but I did notice some IPS glow/backlight bleed on darker games and images. Overall I would have no problem recommending this laptop for anyone who games, dabbles in photo and video editing and also uses the typical Windows Office apps.
Performance:
3D Mark Scores and estimated FPS for some games
Time Spy Score = 5972
Graphic Score 5940
CPU Score 6167
Red Dead Redemption 2 @1080p = less than 30 fps
Fortnite = 80+ fps
GTA V = 60+ fps
Apex Legends = 100+ FPS
Battlefield V = 80+ fps
In the Gigabytes Control Center software you can select the Power Modes, Flexikey, LED Keyboard and Fan Speed Control. The Flexikey tab allows you to configure Macro keys and Profiles for gaming. The LED Keyboard tab lets you select the color of the keyboard backlighting. The Fan Speed Control lets you adjust the GPU and CPU fan speeds. There are four preconfigured Power Modes; Power Saving, Quiet, Entertainment and Performance. These settings are quite useful when you are using the laptop and trying to limit the heat and noise. Using Geekbench 5 I was able to get Single Core = 1378, Multi Core = 5654 and CL score of 71137. When playing Assetto Corsa I could barely hear the car engine over the fans at times. Not all the games were that bad, it just depends on the game and setting. When I was benchmarking the laptop the GPU and CPU would hit between 60 and 80 degrees with the fans running full blast so you have to expect some heat coming out of the vents when gaming as well. Both my gaming headphones and wireless controller connected via Bluetooth without issue and I never felt like there was any delay in response even when running the laptop all out. The display provided good contrast and brightness and the colors were rich. As noted above I do see some IPS Glow/Backlight Bleed on dark screens but I don’t consider it that noticeable. The Nvidia 3050 Ti is at the low end but it still did a respectable job when set at 1980x 1080 HD with the 144 refresh rate.
Specs: This laptop is mostly plastic but it feels solid. The display is 1920x1080 HD at 144hz which is adequate for the games I play. The CPU is the Intel i5 11400H, there are two DDR4 slots but only one is used for the single module of 8gb DDR4 3200mhz. The SSD is a M.2 NVMe PCIe 512gb SSD and there is a second NVMe slot and an open 2.5” SSD bay for adding additional storage. The video card is the NVidia RTX 3050 Ti which is on the lower end of the Nvidia 30 series. The laptop supports wi-fi 6 and Bluetooth v5.2, has an ethernet port, an audio jack, a single USB 2.0-A port, two USB 3.2-A ports and a single USB 3.2-C port. The keyboard includes a numeric keypad and is a back lit and color selectable. The speakers are located in the front of the base and are typical laptop speakers. There are three vents for cooling, one on each side and one in the back. The webcam is a 720p camera built into the display bezel and does an ok job for video calls.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+7points
11of 15voted this as helpful.
 
The CORSAIR K70 PRO MINI WIRELESS RGB 60% Mechanical Gaming Keyboard is big on both performance and customization, connecting with hyper-fast, sub-1ms SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS, Bluetooth®, or USB. CHERRY MX SPEED mechanical keyswitches are easily swappable with any MX-compatible switches for a customized gaming and typing experience. Durable PBT DOUBLE-SHOT PRO keycaps and an aluminum frame are illuminated by per-key RGB backlighting with a 360° LightEdge. CORSAIR AXON Hyper-Processing Technology transmits keystrokes up to 8x faster over USB wired mode. With up to 200 hours of battery life, the K70 PRO MINI WIRELESS delivers customized performance, no strings attached.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Small Form Factor with Big Performance
on July 13, 2022
Posted by: explore42
If you take your gaming on the road or just want a mini wireless keyboard that you can use for gaming this Corsair K70 Pro mini is definitely one you will love. This keyboard has the feel and response of the full size K70 Pro without losing to much functionality. The only complaint I have about this keyboard is I wish they would have put some of the dual-purpose symbols on the top of the keycaps vs the front side so they would be easier to recognize in low light conditions. Its only an issue until you memorize the secondary function keys you use the most.
Corsair packs a lot into this mechanical RGB mini 60% form factor keyboard. In my photos you can see the difference between the full size K 70 Pro and this K 70 Pro Mini. Every key has multiple functions and all of them have identification marking on the front side indicating its secondary purpose. The keyboard is on an aluminum frame and feels rock solid. The key layout and height of the rows are not compromised by the smaller form factor. The use of cherry MX mechanical switches makes this a true gaming keyboard. The keys are very responsive and provide the mechanical feel and sound you expect from a cherry MX keyboard. Corsair lets you adjust the polling time and switch debounce in the iCUE app if you like. The keyboard has a USB-C connector and a six foot long cable is provided for hard wiring or for wireless you can use Corsair’s slipstream wireless or Bluetooth connectivity. Using Bluetooth you can pair up to three different devices and there are three different keys to use for pairing and selection. I found it very easy to pair devices and to switch between them. The keyboard attempts to pair with the last connected device when powered up. Even though this is a mini keyboard it does allow you to control the media functions, the volume, the keyboard lighting and lighting modes as secondary functions on existing keys. The keycaps are double shot and they can be swapped out to personalize the layout. They include a keycap puller and a Corsair keycap and spacebar but it does not include FPS and MOBA textured keycap sets, all the keys have the same texture. You can set up macros and profiles using the keyboard or the iCUE app and then save them to the keyboard’s 8 gb of memory. The iCUE app gives you more control over the lighting, profiles, macros and key assignments however it can be frustrating at times because it is not very intuitive. The good news is once you get your profiles and macros set and saved you can select them with just the keyboard. This keyboard has 360 degree lighting which means not only do the keys light but also the perimeter around the keyboard itself lights up. The iCUE app gives you total control of the lighting and modes and there are enough options to make every gamer happy with the RGB options. There is an on/off switch and the battery should last around 32 hours if you use the RGB lighting. They also included a storage spot for the wireless receiver so you don’t lose it when you aren’t using it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
BlueParrott S650-XT is our first 2-in-1 convertible headset from stereo to mono sound, engineered to give you superior call and sound performance both on and off the road. An ultra noise cancelling mic removes 96% of background noise giving you crystal clear calls wherever you are. Focus on your calls with powerful Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) and keep the roar of the road at bay. Get the best of both worlds and switch from stereo to mono sound with a removable second earcup. The S650-XT has a battery life that can go the distance with up to 36 hours of talk time on a single charge. It also includes the customizable BlueParrott button which allows you to personalize your experience with Speed dial, Mute or Push-to-Talk. Hands-free voice controls let's you control the headset with just your voice so you can focus on the road. With the IP54 rated protection against dust and water, the S650-XT is truly roadworthy.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Good Headset with some Limitations
on July 2, 2022
Posted by: explore42
I would like to rate this BlueParrott S650 XT higher but the inability to reassign button function, the low quality voice interface and the sub-par mobile app bring down the otherwise high quality headset.

Pros: Single or double headset, very good ANC, fit and finish are solid.
Cons: The voice interface isn’t as good as others I have used. The BlueParrott app while somewhat functional does not offer much value nor is it very intuitive. You cannot reassign functions on any of the buttons with the exception of the limited options for the BlueParrott button.

Mobile App: Within the mobile app there are five configurable options for the BlueParrott button but no other button can be reconfigured. With the app you can set up Walkie Talkie Mode, create a Voice Memo, configure the BlueParrott button and update the headset firmware. The first thing I did was try to update the firmware using the app. After several failed attempts with no indication of why it failed the firmware finally updated. With the headset configured and the linked to the app on my phone I tried to use the BlueParrott button and the voice response I got was to “please download the BlueParrott app”. Eventually I got the headset and the app to work properly together but it was a frustrating experience. At least the user guide in the app provides useful information. This is the first product app I’ve encountered that uses screen space for advertisements.
Function: The ANC works really well. It took a little time to get used to because with the ANC on you don’t hear your own voice very clearly when on a call which can be a little disturbing at first. The ANC has three modes which are ANC off, ANC on and ANC Hear Through. I found that the ANC Hear Through adds to much ambient sound/hissing for my liking. Everyone I talked to said I sounded clear and no one could discern any back ground sounds coming from my microphone. There are distinct buttons on the sides of each headset but only the BlueParrott button is configurable via the mobile app. The BlueParrott button can be used to access your mobile assistant and I was able to interface with Siri without any problems. The power on/off button uses blue and red indicator lights to show the headphones status. It also becomes an answer/end call button once the headset is powered up. There are volume up and down buttons, skip buttons (one on each ear cuff) and the ANC control button. I had no problems pairing up the headset with my phone or laptop however I did notice that Jabra says that this headset is not optimized for use with a PC! You can pair up to 7 devices with two of them used simultaneously. The headset uses Bluetooth version 5.1 and I was able to walk around my house without any issues of call drops. The headset has a IP54 rating so it can withstand dust and a little sweat. The headset comes with a USB-C cable for charging and it should get up to 36 hours of talk time per charge. They also provide a nice storage case for the headset.
Fit: The fit is on the ear which is not what I consider over the ear. Other headsets I own completely surround the ear, my whole ear is within the headset cushion. With this headset the cushion openings are smaller and not large enough to surround the ear so they sit on top of your ear. The headset is a bit tighter than others that I have used but not so tight that its uncomfortable. With the second ear piece removed there is a rubber pad that contacts your head to keep the headset in place. I found this to be comfortable as well. The microphone sits on a moveable bendable arm and it can be rotated so you can have the microphone on the left or right side.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
 
The ROCCAT Kone XP 3D Lighting Gaming Mouse utilizes the refined ergonomics of the iconic Kone shape. The translucent shell sets the stage for the Kone XP’s 22 LEDs and 8 light guides, creating an unprecedented and immersive lighting experience. The Kone XP boasts 15 buttons, and thanks to ROCCAT’s Easy-Shift[+] duplicator technology there are 29 possible button functions. Ideal for gamers who demand deep customization. The Krystal 4D Wheel not only adds to the number of inputs, but also enhances the experience, beautifully diffusing the RGB lighting..
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Colorful as well as Functional Gaming Mouse
on June 26, 2022
Posted by: explore42
I am not sure whether I am more impressed with the mouse and all its features or the magnitude of the RGB lighting! So many configurable buttons with so many color options, this mouse is built for gamers. I tend to use a palm grip the most with this mouse and the curvature of the mouse just feels natural to me. I think the placement of the buttons and thumb rest are better aligned than many other gaming mice that I have purchased or tried. The sides of the mouse do not have any grippy or rubberized type surface but it does have some slight texture to help with the grip. On the downside if you are left handed this mouse is not for you because of its configuration.
There are 15 physical buttons on this mouse. There are five buttons that can accessed by your thumb, there are five buttons on the top of the mouse and five functions tied to the scroll wheel (left, right, forward, backward and press down). When you use the Easy Shift button which is on the thumb rest you can get an additional 14 programable functions on those same buttons. So basically you get 29 logical buttons on a single mouse. With that many programable buttons it takes some planning to figure out what functions you want on which buttons. I am finding that I can assign some of my most used keyboard functions to the extra mouse buttons. When gaming I have improved my playing by keeping my left hand on the WASD keys and my eyes on the screen while performing extra task with the mouse buttons. Without this mouse I would have to use my left hand to access additional keyboard keys thus slowing me down. Even outside gaming I am planning on setting up the extra mouse buttons when I use Office and Photoshop. The Titan Optical switches feel and sound like mechanical switches but they are faster and should last longer. The switches are reasonably quiet and have a short travel distance to engage. The clicking sensation is solid and it doesn’t feel like there is any play or hesitation when actuating the switch. Overall the switches feel solid and are some of the best I have ever felt in a mouse. This mouse has a maximum polling rate of 1000 hz with a maximum dpi of 19000. You can adjust the dpi in software as well as using the dpi up and down buttons on the mouse. The scroll wheel has directional as well as side to side functionality. It has very distinct steps which makes it feel very accurate. The RGB lighting is provided by 22 LEDs and 8 light guides which light up the entire top of the mouse and the scroll wheel. The mouse has a 6 foot soft cable that is permanently attached to the mouse.
To get the most out of this mouse you have to download the Roccat Swarm app. This app allows you to configure all 29 logical buttons and the app has over 40 macros preconfigured for some of the most popular games as well as macros for windows, office and photoshop. You can edit these macros or create new ones using the app. The app lets you create 5 gaming profiles which are stored in the mouse hardware. There are 7 different illumination modes and the ability to use the full color spectrum to create your own RGB color scheme. I have the black Kone XP and the colors shine right through the top of the mouse as if it were clear. In the settings tabs you can configure everything from the polling rate to the debounce time of the switches. The Swarm app really gives you total control over the mouse and the lighting.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Introducing MX Mechanical Mini- a minimalist keyboard with extraordinary feel, precision, and performance. Low-profile mechanical typing delivers satisfying feedback in your choice of key switches – Tactile Quiet, Clicky, or Linear. MX Mechanical Mini is crafted for ergonomic comfort, with smart illumination and Easy-Switch – allowing you to connect up to 3 devices and stay in your flow for hours.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Exceeded Expectations
on June 17, 2022
Posted by: explore42
This keyboard exceeded my needs and expectations. It is a great keyboard if you are looking to access multiple computers/tablets with a single keyboard. Because its wireless and supports Bluetooth you avoid the cabling nightmares and the extra space required for dedicated keyboards. This has been a major hit at Lan parties because we can use a single keyboard to set up multiple pcs for gaming and because its uses Bluetooth we don’t lose USB ports that are needed for controllers. Note we don’t use the keyboard for in-game control. The keys are mechanical and they have a nice touch and response but I would recommend a Logitech gaming keyboard for any serious gaming.
The keyboard feels solid and the mechanical tactile keys are smooth and reasonably quiet. Because it is a smaller keyboard it does take a little time to get used to. The key spacing and the location of some of the keys are slightly different than on a full-sized keyboard. If you are going to be doing a lot of typing or entering a lot of numbers and have some extra space I would recommend looking into the full size MX mechanical keyboard. I like the fact that this model is a “mini” so it doesn’t take up much room nor is it cumbersome to carry around. The keyboard can connect via the Logi Bolt USB receiver or via Bluetooth. I have been able to get it connected to my IPad Pro as well several different Windows pcs and laptops. There are three dedicated keys for switching between three connected devices and switching between devices worked without any issues. Even though it’s a mini keyboard you can still assign Function keys and it also has some media key support. The backlighting is “sensing” which means it comes on when your fingers are sensed on the keyboard. There aren’t any color options but there are several lighting modes to choose from. The lighting worked well for me and the lighting contrast on the keys made them much easier to see. You can change lighting modes by using the keyboard or via the Logi Options + software. The keyboard has an on/off switch so you can save battery life when it is not in use. The keyboard is charged via a USB-C cable which is provided. Logitech claims you can get up to 15 days of use on a single charge with the backlighting on. It also has a 15 minute quick charge that will get you through a day.
My only complaint and it’s a small one is that there is no storage place for the Logi Bolt receiver when you aren’t using it. Because we use Bluetooth when we set up the laptops for gaming I don’t use the Bolt receiver and I am sure one of these days I will lose it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Annihilate your competition with this ASUS ROG gaming desktop. The Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver rapid performance during fast-paced action, while the 1TB HDD and a 512GB SSD provide plenty of storage for large files and downloads. This Bluetooth-enabled ASUS ROG gaming computer features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3060 graphics card for tear-free rendering of 4K games.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Good Components but Not the Quietest or Coolest
on May 24, 2022
Posted by: explore42
Bottom line: If you are a gamer looking for a prebuilt with these specs and can deal with fan noise then this is definitely worth considering. If you are a gamer who likes the specs but would like to enhance the cooling or add an additional HD/SSD drive be prepared to be creative to overcome the limitations that are inherent to this build.

Asus makes some of the best laptops and computer components available today but when it comes to this prebuilt Asus G15 there are some big limitations. My biggest complaints are with the amount of fan noise, limited cooling in the chassis and lack of bios control. There are plenty of ventilation holes in the front and top of the chassis but they only included a small 92cm rear exhaust fan. When gaming the system can really generate some heat which then triggers both the cpu and case fan to run all out which can be quite distracting. In this pre-built Asus does not allow you to manage the fans using Armory Crate or Bios so you are stuck with what they have configured. The chassis does have a single 120mm mount on the front grill work so you can add an additional fan to help with the cooling. Because Asus keeps some of the bios locked you cannot enable XMP. In Asus defense these prebuilt machines are not meant to be upgraded or overclocked and I am sure the stock cpu cooler and rear fan meet the minimum cooling requirements.
On paper this Asus prebuilt gaming machine has a lot of potential because it has a 500 gb NVMe SSD, NVIDIA RTX 3060 video card, Intel’s i7 12700F CPU, 2x8 gb of dual channel 3200 ddr4 ram, 1 tb Toshiba 7200 rpm hard drive, WiFi 6 and Bluetooth support as well as some nice built in RGB lighting. When you are looking in this price range for a prebuilt gaming desktop its hard to find one with better components.
Here are the things that you need to know.
- The chassis has front and top ventilation holes but there is only a 92mm rear chassis fan. The stock cpu cooler fan and the chassis fan are very noisy when running full speed which happens often due to the temperatures when gaming. There are mounting holes on the front grill where you can add a 120mm fan.
- It is possible to replace the stock cpu cooler with a Noctura NH-D12L low height air cooler or any liquid cooler with a radiator that could mount to the 120mm mounting holes on the front grill.
- The ddr4 ram that is installed is 3200 mhz and runs on 1.2v. In the bios there is an option to change the ram voltage but it seems to be locked at 1.2v. There is also an option for XMP 2.0 but it cannot be Enabled.
- The included hard drive is a Toshiba 1 tb drive which isn’t enough space for my games and videos. Sadly, there is not a second drive bay even though there are plenty of Sata connectors on the motherboard and room in the case for a second bay.
- There are two M2 NVMe PCIe slots, the first M2 slot is used for the 500gb drive and it has a nice thermal heat shield. The second slot is below the GPU card and it has the mounting hardware installed on the board. I installed a Samsung 970 EVO Plus and it works fine.
- There are two USB-C ports and lots of USB-A ports.
- The Chassis RGB lighting scheme both on the front of the desktop as well as the inside LED strips were great looking and easy to control with Asus’s software.
- The power supply is only a 500w Gold plus made by Great Wall. This has to be close to being maxed out per some of the on-line power supply calculators.
- The enclosed mouse and keyboard are bare minimum so expect to replace them.
Performance: I spent the better part of a day running this desktop through benchmark testing to see how well it would perform and how well the temperature of the motherboard, GPU and CPU would be maintained with the small chassis fan and stock Intel cpu fan. While performing all these test I used the TURBO setting in Armory Crate – this is the ASUS recommended setting for gaming. Using the 3DMARK stress test the GPU ran at 100% utilization and the temps of the GPU and CPU averaged around 75 to 80 degrees Celsius. Throughout all the other test as well as when playing video intense games I would check the CPU temp and it again stayed in that range. When gaming I was using a 2560 x 1440 QHD monitor with G-sync enabled and running at 165 hz refresh rate. Here are some of the estimated game performance scores I got while testing with 3DMARK as well as some Geekbench5 scores.
3DMARK
Graphics Score = 8687
CPU Score = 12216
Battlefield V @1080p Ultra = 105+ FPS
Battlefield V @ 1440p Ultra = 85+ FPS
Apex Legends@1080p Ultra = 140+ FPS
Apex Legends@ 1440p Ultra = 95+ FPS
GTA V @1080p Ultra = 80+ FPS
GTA V @ 1440p Ultra = 55+ FPS
Fortnite @1080p Ultra = 105+ FPS
Fortnite @ 1440p Ultra = 70+ FPS
Red Dead Redemption 2 @1080p Ultra = 40+ FPS
Red Dead Redemption 2@ 1440p Ultra = 30+ FPS
Geekbench5
Single Core Score = 1824
Multi Core Score = 11941
Open CL Score = 98767
Cuda Score = 100785
Vulkan Score = 71170
Setup: The setup was straight forward with no issues. I connected the monitor to the Display port and the mouse and keyboard to the rear USB ports. There is one HDMI port and three Display port connectors available if you want to connect multiple monitors. The system comes with a nice clear side panel that can be removed with two screws to access the components. The unit powered on and it went through several updates both Windows 11 and ASUS generated. The system comes with MyASUS and Armory Crate apps already installed but both needed multiple updates. Using Armory Crate you can manage the RGB lighting throughout the chassis. Setting the color schemes was simple and overall looked good with the clear side panel. The system also comes with an external antenna which is needed for Bluetooth and Wi-Fi 6 connectivity.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+42points
42of 42voted this as helpful.
 
JVC's True Wireless Earbuds offer a simple and comfortable design. Open type True Wireless design allows users to hear surrounding noise for safety. Easy operation with auto on/off connect. Stable Wireless connection allows users up to 22 hours of use with the built-in battery and charging case. High-quality sound reproduction with neodymium magnet using an 11mm driver. Easy operation touch controls for music and phone calls. Waterproof rated IPX4, resistant to sweat and rain. Single ear use with either left/right, or both. Quick 15 minute charge for 90 minutes of playback. Integrated microphone for teleworking and hands-free calling. Voice assistant compatible.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
No Frills - Minimalistic
on May 14, 2022
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati, Ohio
These JVC Earbuds are no frill. They don’t have ear wings or foam/rubber ear tips, no sound isolation or active noise cancellation, no mobile app and very limited documentation is supplied with the earbuds. What they do have is a minimalistic design that sits or basically hangs comfortably in my ears. The audio quality is surprisingly nice for earbuds in this price range. The bass isn’t the strongest but the mids and highs sounded bright and clear. You can use these earbuds singularly or as a pair. Although the supplied documentation doesn’t mention it anywhere I was able to use these for answering phone calls and the audio quality and microphone worked reasonably well. Also I found that I could access Siri by tapping and holding the left earbud until I heard beep. In the fine print of the supplied documentation there is a url listing where you can access the on-line user manual which has adequate instructions on phone call control and accessing a virtual assistant. When you remove the earbuds from the case the LED on the earbud flashes rapidly showing that they are in pairing mode. You then pair them using the Bluetooth settings on your mobile device. Once paired the LED flashes at a slower rate showing they are connected. They can only pair with a single device so you need to disconnect from one device before you connect to a new one. There is also voice indicators telling you when the earbuds are turned on/off, when they are ready to pair and when they are connected/disconnected. They have an IPX4 rating so its safe to use them for exercising. The buttons on each earbud are touch sensitive and are easy to engage. Each earbud has an LED to indicate that its charging when in the case. The case has LEDs to indicate the power level and a USB-C cable is included to charge the case. It takes about two hours to fully charge the earbuds and about three hours to charge the case. The earbuds should last about 7.5 hours per charge and the case should provide two additional full charges so you can get about 22 hours of use between having the recharge the case. Overall as inexpensive true wireless earbuds these performed well but the lack of features may limit their value to some users.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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When it comes to gaming performance, the slightest disadvantage can be the difference between winning and losing a match. With a 165Hz refresh rate, lightning fast 1ms (GTG) response time and full adaptive G-Sync compatability and FreeSync Premium support, you can be sure that the Odyssey G50A won’t let you down on the battlefield.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Bright and Customizable
on May 11, 2022
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati, Ohio
Bottom line: I’ve been using this monitor for the past two weeks and once I got everything set up I have come to really like it. The display is super bright with rich color and respectable contrast. I have it connected via a DP cable to a RTX-3060 and all my games look great. I am using G-sync combined with some custom display settings that I saved in the 3 customizable buttons. This makes it very easy to change my display preferences from FPS to RTS to doing work by simply pressing one of the configurable buttons. The lack of USB-C video support and USB-A connectivity is a downside. I wasn’t impressed with the HDR image quality but using the pre-set gaming settings and tweaking the controls I was able to get the image quality I would expect from a really good monitor.
The Samsung Odyssey G5 is an IPS display with QHD 2560x1440 resolution at a 165 hz refresh rate that supports Free Sync and G-Sync with a quick 1ms GtG response time. I found the display to be very bright on the default settings – almost too bright for non-gaming apps. The colors are vivid and bright without being over saturated. I was pleasantly surprised how dark the black areas were and how the display handled bright to dark differentiation. The only negative and it was a small one is that there was a very slight redish/yellowish cast to any white screens such as using Word. I found I could eliminate this by adjusting the color tone. The monitor supports HDR-10 but when you turn on HDR you have two options HDR Standard or HDR Dynamic and you lose the preset picture options for gaming. With HDR off you can choose FPS, RTS, RPG, AOS, sRGB, Cinema and Dynamic Contrast from the preset picture options. Personally I found that I liked the ability to select from presets vs the image quality provided by the HDR setting. There are three buttons that you can customize for Game/Picture settings and this definitely saves time when going between types of games or work apps. I ran the monitor through multiple tests to verify that there weren’t any bad pixels, to check for color and brightness uniformity and verify the 165 hz refresh rate. The monitor performed well and I didn’t have any noticeable backlight bleed or dead pixels. With G-Sync enabled at QHD resolution and 165 hz refresh rate everything looked clear and ran smoothly. I used my RTX-3060 GPU via the display port for the testing. Note that this monitor only supports a refresh rate of 144 hz when using the HDMI port. This monitor does not support USB-C video nor does it have USB-A ports for connecting USB devices.
Setup: Most monitors these days attach to the stands in a toolless method so I was surprised that this one required a Phillips head screw driver. Once attached to the stand you can adjust the monitor for your desired height and angle. The stand legs are somewhat large and the monitor is a bit floppy but once you get it set it holds the position. On the bottom center of the monitor there is a joy stick control that you use to access the input source, the main menu, the power and the eye control. The joy stick control is easy to reach and use even when the monitor is in its lowest position. There are also 3 buttons next to the joy stick for custom game or picture settings. The power, HDMI, DP, USB Service port and headphone jack are on the back facing downward so connecting cables and accessing the ports can be difficult to reach. I updated the monitor’s firmware following the Samsung documentation using a USB drive. I downloaded the firmware onto a USB drive, plugged the drive in the monitor and then selected Update from the menu. The monitor then updated its firmware without issue.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
Quality
5 out of 5
5
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0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Introducing the industry's first Quad-band mesh Wi-Fi 6E system. Orbi Quad-band, with dedicated Wi-Fi connections, new Wi-Fi 6E, and a 10 gig wired Internet port, delivers ultra-fast speeds and massive device capacity. With combined Wi-Fi speeds of up to 10.8Gbps across up to 9,000 square feet for up to 200 connected devices, you'll enjoy the amazing Wi-Fi experience.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Things to Consider before Buying
on February 14, 2022
Posted by: explore42
from Cincinnati, Ohio
I like Netgear products, I have relied on a Nighthawk and told all my friends and family to buy one. But I have a very difficult time recommending this Orbi WiFi 6e. The router and two satellites provide an enormous amount of wireless coverage if you don’t mind their large size. For a Satellite that is really far from the router you can run cat 6 cabling between them to create a wired backhaul. Note that only one satellite can be backhauled connected via a cable. The wireless throughput when connected to the router or satellite was on par with other high end tri-band Wi-Fi 6 routers that I have used. Netgear includes some fundamental firewall and router configuration options and network monitoring capabilities via a web browser and a mobile Orbi app. The router does perform auto updates to the firmware which is a requirement these days. But the overall cost for performance and the required subscriptions for Parental Control and Enhanced Security features which other routers provide for free are reasons I would recommend thinking twice before purchasing this solution.
Here are things to consider:
1. The biggest concern with a router is keeping it secure. Netgear still forces you to use “admin” as the only user id for accessing/logging into your router. This is a known security issue. You should be able to create a unique user id to make it more difficult to hack.
2. Wifi 6e provides new wireless bands so that in a congested wireless area you can get a cleaner signal with higher data rates. But you have to be very close and have a clean line-of-sight to the router/satellite for this to work. Wireless coverage past that line-of-site distance drops back to standard wifi 6 so if you have a large house that would mean that most of your wireless coverage would be standard wifi 6. Bottom line is that the vast majority of the wireless coverage will rely on standard wifi 6 speeds so why pay all the extra for the wifi 6e.
3. I first tried to install my units using the Orbi app on my Apple iphone but the install kept failing. So I connected a pc to the router and used the web interface to complete the install. Once the router and satellites were operational the Orbi app started working as expected. Both the web interface and the Orbi app allow you to do the standard administrative functions required for setting up and monitoring your network but they lack the intuitiveness and standard features/options that other router companies offer in their devices. The router only supports QOS WMM which very limited in its capabilities. If you are a gamer and want more control this router is not for you. Parental control is a subscription based service and not included. If you want additional firewall and device security beyond the basics you must purchase the Armor subscription. There are no notifications of new devices being added to the network unless you pay for the Armor subscription. The Armor subscription does include BitDefender that provides antivirus software and checks all devices for vulnerabilities. But if you keep your devices updated and you already have a favorite Security/Antivirus software loaded on your devices this becomes a useless and costly duplication.
4. The router does not have a USB port so you cannot attach a USB drive for file sharing on your network. This was one of the nicer features on the Nighthawk that I used regularly.
5. Netgear placed the wireless SSID and password label on the front of router. If you look at the photos you can see where I tried to remove the label without discoloring the white finish on the router. The same label is on the bottom of the router and satellites so why they ruined the finish by placing it on the front is confusing.
6. There is no way to control or influence what devices attach to which satellite nor is there anyway of making one preferred over the other. When I first powered up the router and satellites most of my devices registered with the main router even though they were closer to a satellite. Over time some of the devices have since moved their registration to a satellite that is physically closer but other devices have not. I would like to have some way to influence what goes where so the overall load is shared. The Orbi app via the network map and drill downs does allow you to see what device is registered to which satellite or router.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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8of 8voted this as helpful.
 
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Upgrade from the last generation with the new ROG Strix G10CE, a Windows 11 gaming desktop that delivers exhilarating gaming experiences powered by an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11700F processor and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 graphics.
 

What size is the power supply?

500 watt Gold Plus. The photo isnt the best but if you look to right you can see the Power Supply and its Gold Plus 500 label.
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2 years, 4 months ago
by
explore42
 
Upgrade from the last generation with the new ROG Strix G10CE, a Windows 11 gaming desktop that delivers exhilarating gaming experiences powered by an 11th Gen Intel® Core™ i7-11700F processor and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 3060 graphics.
 

Is it only one stick of 16gb ram or two sticks of 8gb ram?

Only a Single Module. To use dual channel you will need to get a matching 16gb module or replace the existing module with a new matching pair of ddr4 ram modules. If you look at the photo you can see that its only a single 16 gb module.
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2 years, 4 months ago
by
explore42
 
Soundcore by Anker Mini 3 Pro is a perfect pocket portable bluetooth speaker! Get 360° of ear-dazzling audio squeezed into something smaller than a coffee cup. With a 15-hour battery life on a single charge and IPX7 waterproof, who says beach and pool parties can't get as wild as you want? It's your sound, your rules, so connect the Mini 3 to the Soundcore app to turn it on, off, adjust the volume, change the sound profile, and much more. A USB-C charging port is included for fast-charging with the latest technologies and Bluetooth 5.0 can keep your audio experience crystal clear with a strong connection.
 

I have the SoundCore Mini 1 and the one thing that I don't like about it is that when in bluetooth mode it turns off automatically after about 10 minutes if no audio is being streamed to it. Has this annoying power-saving feature been fixed with SC Mini 3

In the Soundcore App you can set this timer to up to 60 minutes.
2 years, 11 months ago
by
explore42
 
Print your memorable photos with this Canon SELPHY Square QX10 compact photo printer. The compact, lightweight design offers easy portability, while the dye-sublimation technology delivers quality quick-drying 2.7 x 2.7-inch prints that last for a long time. This Canon SELPHY Square QX10 compact photo printer has a built-in battery for cordless hassle-free printing.
 

Do I have to continuously refill the ink cassette or buy new ones like a regular printer?

Yes but with this printer the supplies are sold by Canon as a single item. I've been buying the Canon XS-20L which comes with 20 photo pages and a cassette that will print 20 photos.
3 years, 7 months ago
by
explore42
 
Follow a natural sleep routine with this Philips SmartSleep sleep and wake-up light. Its sunset and sunrise simulations prepare your body to sleep and rise on time, and its RelaxBreathe feature calms you into peaceful slumber. This Philips SmartSleep sleep and wake-up light plays your music, an FM station or built-in nature sounds for a gentle wake-up routine.
 

Can you turn the display brightness off? I am very light sensitive and even dim lights can make it difficult for me to fall asleep.

Yes you can turn the clock display off.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
explore42
 
Nugget Ice. Pellet ice. Drive-in ice. Whatever you call it, you know it's "the good ice." Now that chewable ice is available from the convenience of your countertop with the Opal 2.0 Ice Maker. It is capable of producing up to 38 lbs. of ice in 24 hours and stores up to 3 lbs. of ice at one time. The Opal 2.0 Ice Maker has WiFi connection capability and comes with the side tank attachment for 3x more ice production.
 

I've read numerous disastrous feedback for this unit on Amazon and I'm a bit worried about the number of defective units being sold. Has anyone owned this for more than a year without incident? Has anyone used the Geek Squad extended warranty for repairs?

There are a couple of versions of the Opal out there. I just picked up the Opal 2.0 which is an improved version and seems to work quite well. One way you can differentiate the units is the 2.0 version has touch button sensors on the front for the power, light and cleaning cycle. If you are really concerned you can get the extended warranty through Best buy. Although I have not used the extended warranty on this unit I have used it on my Samsung refrigerator's ice maker and found the service to be quite good.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
explore42
 
Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
 

fax capable

Good Question, it does not have fax capabilities built into the printer. You can send a fax if you use HP's cloud services but the printer cannot receive a fax. If faxing is a requirement I would suggest looking at a Desk Jet or Office Jet series all in one.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42
 
Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
 

Can use either iPad or iPhone to print from. I do ya have a computer and use both off those a lot. But sometimes I would Have a sibling print for me and I’d like to do it on my own

I use this with my ipad and it works fine. Download the HP Smart app from the Apple store and this app allows you to control the printer. I have HP Smart running on my android phones, my ipads and my windows laptops and they all access the printer wirelessly.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42
 
Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
 

does the printer do double siding printing?

The HP Envy 6055 can do double sided printing. It will print the front side of the paper and before the page fully exists the printer it pulls the sheet back into the printer to do the back side. In other words its a 2 step process but it does occur automatically without you doing anything special.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42
 
Designed to make printing easier for the whole family, the HP ENVY 6055 all-in-one printer lets everyone print, scan, and copy everyday documents, schoolwork, borderless photos and more. This wireless picture printer can order ink for you and deliver it to your door with up to 50% savings on ink using the HP Instant Ink delivery service, so you can print high-quality documents and photos when you need them (subscription required). Set up, and connect the all-in-one printer to your family's mobile devices in a few easy steps for remote scanning and sharing using the HP Smart app. And keep connected, and reduce interruptions with self-healing Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 5.0 technology. Prints up to 10 ISO ppm* in black and up to 7 ppm* in color.
 

Is the printer also a copy machine? Can I place a 12 page document in the feeder and it will make a copy?

The HP Envy 6055 does not have a document loader so it cannot automatically copy a group of documents. It will copy documents but you have to load each one onto the glass manually. If you want this model with the document loader you should be looking at the HP Envy Pro 6455 or one of the HP Office Jets or Desk Jets.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
explore42