optimummind's stats
- Review count148
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- First reviewJune 28, 2014
- Last reviewMay 27, 2024
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- Average rating4.7
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- Answer count23
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- First answerAugust 30, 2017
- Last answerMarch 4, 2021
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Get better audio with this Samsung Dolby Atmos sound bar. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and Amazon Alexa integration provide multiple methods of control and audio sources for easy streaming from anywhere. This Samsung Dolby Atmos sound bar has 7.1.4-channel surround support and uses Dolby Active technology to produce immersive high-fidelity audio throughout your living room.
Customer Rating
5
Superb, Powerful, and Immersive Audio System
on October 6, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Samsung HW-N950 is a fantastic soundbar system that offers genuine 7.1.4-channel surround sound with clear and focused dialogue, crystal-clear sound, excellent dynamic range and soundstage, thundering bass, and excellent object-based audio (Dolby Atmos & DTS-X). All the hardware components are built with premium materials and the fit-and-finish is excellent. Besides the remote, the soundbar can also be controlled & updated via the intuitive SmartThings app. Samsung and Harmon Kardon have hit it out of the park with this premium and great-sounding audio system that enriches your multimedia experience at home. It is a sensational product.
*Pros:
-17 speakers deliver amazing surround sound - from the front, the sides, and from above.
-Genuine 7.1.4 speaker configuration - no psychoacoustics or virtual audio processing trickery.
-Dolby Atmos & DTS-X deliver an immersive and dimensional sound experience. No gimmicks.
-Thunderous & hard-hitting bass.
-4K Pass-Through.
-Easy and simple setup (not even 5 minutes).
-Can stream music through Bluetooth and Wifi.
-The SmartThings app provides additional control over the soundbar.
-Amazon Alexa integration & control. Samsung Bixby is supported as well.
-Cheaper than building a comparable system using a 9-channel AV receiver with a 5.1.4 speaker package.
-Genuine 7.1.4 speaker configuration - no psychoacoustics or virtual audio processing trickery.
-Dolby Atmos & DTS-X deliver an immersive and dimensional sound experience. No gimmicks.
-Thunderous & hard-hitting bass.
-4K Pass-Through.
-Easy and simple setup (not even 5 minutes).
-Can stream music through Bluetooth and Wifi.
-The SmartThings app provides additional control over the soundbar.
-Amazon Alexa integration & control. Samsung Bixby is supported as well.
-Cheaper than building a comparable system using a 9-channel AV receiver with a 5.1.4 speaker package.
*Neutral:
-Expensive.
*Cons:
-None.
==== Design & Connectivity Options =====
The first thing I noticed during my unboxing was how BIG and heavy the box was. It was no wonder as each part of the system has quite a bit of weight. The main soundbar unit weighs ~20 lbs, the subwoofer weighs ~21 lbs, and the two rear speakers weigh ~9 lbs.
Out of the box, the HW-N950 is a thing of beauty. It's modern, sleek, and clean in design. It is a bit minimalist but I appreciate that quality for its simplicity and ability to easily blend in. The thing feels solid and premium with metal components. It's built like a tank~!
Keeping things clean, the soundbar has 4 buttons (Power, Source, Volume Down, Volume Up) and an LCD read-out display that is easy to view from afar. The Source button toggles between Optical Digital Input, ARC HDMI, HDMI, WiFi, and Bluetooth.
Another thing that caught my attention was how much longer and thicker the soundbar was compared to my previous Polk MagniFi Max soundbar system. The soundbar is longer than my 55" TV~! It is understandable, however, when you look closely at the specs. Altogether, Samsung has managed to fit in 11 amplified speakers around a total of 17 drivers. After adding in the rear speakers and the subwoofer, there is a total of 512W of audio power goodness.
Besides looking good, the HW-N950 is very easy to setup and control as well. As instructed in the manual, I plugged in the subwoofer first, followed by the Left and Right surround speakers and then main soundbar unit. I used the ARC HDMI port to connect to my 55" 4K Samsung TV and used one of the HDMI ports to connect to my LG 4K UHD Blu-Ray player. All the speaker components synced right up and the system was ready to play under 5 minutes.
The remote controller is another item of minimalist and clean design. Besides fitting inside the hands comfortably and being pretty light, all the buttons and the general layout was intuitive in use and function. With the remote, one can control additional aspects of the sound system - Subwoofer volume level, Mute, Bluetooth pairing, Sound Mode (Standard, Surround, & Smart), track control when playing music via Bluetooth or Wifi (Play, Pause, Skip), and volume control over each of the speakers (Center, Side, Front Top, Rear, and Rear Top). In addition, Treble and Bass levels can be adjusted.
If you connect the N950 to your home Wifi and launch the SmartThings app like I did, then even more configuration options are opened up. For instance, one can open the Equalizer setting and create your own custom EQ setting or select from one of the three predefined ones (Pop, Jazz, and Classic). You can also use the Sleep Timer function to automatically turn off the soundbar after a set amount of time (max of 1 hr & 30 mins). If you want to create custom voice commands to control the power state of the N950 or its volume level, you can do so via the Samsung Bixby app with a compatible Samsung phone (I have a Galaxy S9+).
Amazon Alexa is onboard as well for those with an Amazon Echo device.
Finally, manual firmware updates can be handled inside the SmartThings app which is very convenient.
All in all, Samsung has done a tremendously good job crafting the HW-N950. It's a great-looking system with a clean design, premium build materials, and it's packed full of the latest and greatest audio components and technologies.
==== Performance ====
"Wow~!" and "Dang~!" were the first words that came out of my mouth when I watched Avengers Infinity War, a title that supports Dolby Atmos, after everything was set up. The sound quality and immersion blew me away because it was just soooo good. This is my first experience with an object-based audio technology such as Dolby Atmos and I came out of it truly impressed and awed. It really does feel like you're watching the movie inside a theater.
Sound separation is excellent, soundstage is wide and accurate, dialogue is clear and focused, the bass is thunderous and yet clean, and all the environmental sound effects shift around the room seamlessly with good balance. Experiencing such high-quality and immersive audio firsthand was a definite eye-popping and ear-opening experience. Samsung has created a truly magnificent 7.1.4 audio system and I can't say enough good things about it. My wife isn't easily impressed in general when it comes to audio but she gave the N950 a complete thumbs-up.
Even when watching regular content such as TV or 2-channel and 5.1/7.1 content, the N950 delivers a great auditory experience. Ditto for music and music videos. Everything just sounds fantastic on this system.
==== Verdict ====
The Samsung HW-N950 receives a 10 out 10 from me and it is a complete win from Samsung. They have created a visually appealing soundbar system that is packed with the latest & greatest audio technologies and outfitted it with premium build materials. The setup process is painless and fast, the remote control functionalities are thoughtful and intuitive in design and usage, and the additional control of the system via the SmartThings app is well-integrated and helpful. And that audio experience...what a fantastic experience it is being immersed and bathed in 7.1.4 audio bliss sound field. If the N950 fits within your budget and/or you don't want to bother with setting up a complicated receiver + multi-speaker setup with numerous wiring, do definitely add the N950 to your home and experience TV and movies in new & fresh ways. You won't be disappointed.
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+53points
54of 55voted this as helpful.
Capture video from the air using this orange Autel Robotics EVO quadcopter drone. The full-color video panel on the controller gives you a real-time view of the terrain below, and the four propellers let you precisely maneuver the drone into position over your subject. This Autel Robotics EVO quadcopter drone folds into a compact configuration for storage.Fly Responsibly:Before takeoff, update all software and firmware, and read the instructions thoroughly.See the FAA website for registration requirements and information about flying a drone safely: https://www.faa.gov/uas/getting_started/. Additional state or local requirements may apply. Check your local jurisdiction. The following websites may help you make informed decisions about flying your drone: www.knowbeforeyoufly.org and www.modelaircraft.org.
Customer Rating
5
Splendid & Brilliant Drone with Neat Features
on September 24, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Autel Evo is an impressive drone that takes fantastic videos & pictures. It's very easy to fly with its excellent controller & safety features, flight is stable & smooth, and comes with many cool flight modes. The fit-and-finish is excellent ensuring long-term durability. Autel has created a very compelling & quality drone and app ecosystem. I love it~!
*Pros:
-Good-looking design with nice colors.
-Quick & responsive flyer.
-Easy to control.
-Remote is well-designed & has a 330-nit 3.3" OLED screen.
-Can fly without a smartphone & still have a live video feed.
-UHD 4K video at 60FPS looks stunning.
-3-axis stabilized gimbal = stable videos and pictures.
-Obstacle avoidance (front, rear, & below).
-Comes with a nice carrying case.
-"Intelligent Flight" modes are cool, such as Dynamic Track and Orbit.
-No "No-Fly Zone" restrictions & forced firmware updates.
-Charger charges the drone & the controller at the same time.
-No privacy & security scandals like Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) drones.
-Quick & responsive flyer.
-Easy to control.
-Remote is well-designed & has a 330-nit 3.3" OLED screen.
-Can fly without a smartphone & still have a live video feed.
-UHD 4K video at 60FPS looks stunning.
-3-axis stabilized gimbal = stable videos and pictures.
-Obstacle avoidance (front, rear, & below).
-Comes with a nice carrying case.
-"Intelligent Flight" modes are cool, such as Dynamic Track and Orbit.
-No "No-Fly Zone" restrictions & forced firmware updates.
-Charger charges the drone & the controller at the same time.
-No privacy & security scandals like Da-Jiang Innovations (DJI) drones.
*Cons:
-The drone is a bit sensitive to magnetic interference.
-No automatic obstacle avoidance function when flying in reverse (just a warning).
-Too easy to accidentally press the buttons on the back of the controller.
-No automatic obstacle avoidance function when flying in reverse (just a warning).
-Too easy to accidentally press the buttons on the back of the controller.
==== Design & Function ====
The Autel Evo drone is my first drone experience & I love it. Whether it's folded up into its compact travel form or stretched out for flying, I think it looks really cool with its striking color combo of glossy red orange with matte black color.
Build-quality & build-material of the Evo are top-notch as well. The drone has been constructed with tight tolerances & all the seams and lines are clean and even. In other words, it has excellent fit-and-finish in a durable package.
It's kind of embarrassing to admit but my first two flights ended in a crash - first inside the house & once outside during nighttime (not recommended by Autel). The Evo survived both crashes with no damages except some cosmetic scruff marks and a bruise to my pride. :P
Handling the Evo is a simple & frustration-free affair. The folding front & rear arms actuate smoothly and the propellers fold and tuck away neatly. Gripping & carrying around the Evo one-handed is effortless thanks to its light weight and folded-up portability.
The LED lights on the legs provide a quick visual status & orientation of the Evo. As for buttons & ports, there is a microUSB port (for file transfer) & a controller pairing button hidden underneath a plastic flap right below the two rear IR sensors. On the battery itself, you have a Power On button as well as a concave button you depress to slide off the battery from the Evo. Finally, there is a microSD slot on the right side of the Evo underneath a pull-back tab.
Besides the drone and the controller, Autel also includes a carrying case with an adjustable shoulder strap that has ample room for the drone, the controller, extra batteries, and cables.
Although the Evo is my first drone, I can still tell that it is a highly-crafted machine that has been meticulously designed with good durability in mind. It's stylish, very easy to handle and fly, and all the parts work harmoniously. 10 out of 10.
==== Controlling the Evo ====
The Evo can be flown in two ways - with just the remote controller & the embedded 3.3" live video screen or with the controller paired with a smartphone via a cable.
The controller is quite a remarkable. The handles fold in and out smoothly from the body and is comfortable to hold. The smartphone holder can easily accommodate larger smartphones such as my Samsung Galaxy S9+ housed inside a case with its grippy rubber and secure clamping force. My S9+ was never once in danger of accidentally falling or popping out.
There are many buttons on the controller that make it easy to operate the Evo. The four main ones are the "Take Off/Land" button, "Power On/Off" button, "Pause aircraft" button, and the "Hold to Start Go Home" button.
On the shoulders are the "Record video," "Take photo," and "Screen navigation (DISP)" buttons as well as two Dial Switches - one switch controls the gimbal pitch/angle & the other is used to scroll through Settings & to select your choices by pressing down on the switch.
On the back of the controller are the "A" and "B" buttons that are currently used to set Waypoints inside the Autel Explorer app. Per Autel, they will be customizable in future firmware updates. Due to their location, I found myself pressing them accidentally numerous times. I'm getting better at avoiding them with each flight session but they're still kind of annoying nonetheless.
On the left and right of the screen are the two controller joysticks that you use to move/fly the drone. They work great and I had no issues with them.
On the top are the two antennas that neatly fold away when not in use.
Then in the middle of the controller is that nice 3.3" OLED screen. It gets as bright as 330 nits and that's where you will be viewing the Evo's "Flight Information Panel" data or a live 720P HD video feed, all without a smartphone attached. Sweet~!!
The Flight Information Panel offers lots of condensed data in a straight-forward and easy-to-understand manner. It's a LOT of data but I never felt overwhelmed.
By flying the Evo with just the controller, you won't be able to use the Evo's Intelligent Flight Modes (Dynamic Track, Viewpoint, Orbit, Waypoint, VR). Plus you won't have access to the more advanced drone settings.
Pair up the Evo to a smartphone and launch the Autel app, however, then you'll have full access to ALL the flight modes & the advanced settings. In addition, your smartphone's display will now act as your live visual feed (1080P resolution). My phone gets much brighter than the controller screen so it was my preferred way of viewing the live feed.
With that said, I think it's wonderful that Autel provides the user with such flexibility to allow flight without a smartphone and still offering a live video feed. It's a very thoughtful & brilliant design by Autel.
==== How Does It Fly? ====
The Evo is one smooth operator and it flies great~! It performs all flight maneuvers very well - smooth take-off, graceful landing, quickly making turns and orbits, speeding forward, quick reverse, etc. With the built-in safety measures augmented by sensors and obstacle avoidance, the Evo is a great drone for novices and first-time fliers such as myself. More experienced users will have a blast thanks to modes like the "Ludicrous" mode which changes the top speed of the Evo to 45 MPH.
10 out of 10.
==== Video & Photo Quality ====
I was BLOWN AWAY by the quality of the UHD 4K 60FPS videos the Evo took. I've never before seen such high-quality, well-stabilized, and splendid video from any of my tech gadgets & toys. Auto-exposure & white balance are handled very well & 4K 60FPS is simply awesome.
Here are two short videos I took & uploaded to YouTube - one in a residential neighborhood with mild wind & one at the beach during windy conditions:
https://youtu.be/D8uh64AebFU
https://youtu.be/MsI4W0Banuc
When it comes to photo quality, the Evo was pretty good as well. The 12MP 94-degree camera in Auto Mode takes good consistent pictures with good dynamic range, exposure, and contrast. For more control, Autel offers many customizable settings within Settings.
Low-light scenarios introduce some granniness and noise in the pictures but that's to be expected. Still, photos came out decent and useful.
Overall, I'm very satisfied and happy with both the video & photo capabilities of the Evo. 10 out of 10~!!
==== Autel Explorer App & Intelligent Flight Modes ====
The Autel Explorer app is well-designed, comprehensive, and simple to use. Besides granting the user access to ALL the drone settings & the special Flight Modes, firmware updates are handled here as well.
Inside Settings, there are 8 main entries on the left column & inside the "Intelligent Flight" menu, there are 6 modes to choose from - Camera (default startup mode), Dynamic Track (Evo follows a subject), Viewpoint (Evo flies toward a subject), Orbit (Evo flies in a circular pattern around a subject), Waypoint (Evo flies a predefined flight path), and VR (Virtual Reality goggles).
I had lots of fun playing around with all the special flight modes (except for VR) & they all worked very well as intended. My favorite one is Dynamic Track, which I used often to chase around my hyper toddler.
==== Wish List ====
I'm very happy with the Evo but I wish it could do a little bit more. The highest on my list is for the automatic obstacle avoidance system to work while the Evo is flying in reverse. Please, Autel, include this feature in an upcoming firmware update~!
Second, I wish it was less sensitive to magnetic interference. At times, the Evo's compass had to be recalibrated because I put the Evo down on some concrete (such as my driveway) & the metal inside caused a calibration error.
Third, I wish the Waypoint Flight Mode will let me select flight points on the map first then having the Evo fly toward them instead of me having to fly the Evo to each Waypoint first.
==== Conclusion ====
Flying around in the skies while recording videos and taking pictures with the Autel Evo has been a highly fun and joyful experience, filling me up with child-like wonder and delight. I now have an additional tool to capture wonderful memories of my family and pets. I highly recommend the Evo to everyone for its user-friendly design & flight control, excellent build quality, and all the fun flight modes & safety features that work harmoniously together. Autel has engineered a high-quality drone & app ecosystem and I look forward to their future endeavors and products.
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+48points
58of 68voted this as helpful.
Pair your smartphone with these Jaybird X4 wireless sport headphones and head to the gym or hiking trails in comfort. The thoughtful design works with music or your contact list, letting you take and make calls easily. Equipped with Comply Ultra soft tips and rated IPX7 to resist water and sweat, these Jaybird X4 wireless sport headphones create a comfortable experience with every jog or set.
Customer Rating
5
Awesome earphones with great sound & comfort.
on September 15, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The Jaybird X4 earphones blew me away with its quality build, supreme comfort, and excellent audio quality. It does so many things right - light & durable, super comfortable in the ears, water resistant, excellent control over sound through the custom EQ app, great audio, and long battery life. Athletes will love the Jaybird X4 as well as casual users who value sound quality and water resistance flexibility. Jaybird has lived up to the hype and has created a very good and compelling product. These are fantastic earphones.
**Pros:
-Light and comfortable design.
-Secure fit with soft ear fins/hooks.
-Both the silicone & Comply foam ear tips are comfortable.
-Comfly foam ear tips provide great natural/passive sound isolation.
-Fantastic audio quality (with in-app EQ adjustment).
-Good phone call quality.
-Excellent battery life.
-Earphone control buttons work well.
-Excellent Jaybird app (custom EQ, battery status, Find my buds).
-IPX7 water resistance.
-Quick charge.
-Tangle-resistant cord.
-Cord cinch is useful.
-Secure fit with soft ear fins/hooks.
-Both the silicone & Comply foam ear tips are comfortable.
-Comfly foam ear tips provide great natural/passive sound isolation.
-Fantastic audio quality (with in-app EQ adjustment).
-Good phone call quality.
-Excellent battery life.
-Earphone control buttons work well.
-Excellent Jaybird app (custom EQ, battery status, Find my buds).
-IPX7 water resistance.
-Quick charge.
-Tangle-resistant cord.
-Cord cinch is useful.
**Cons:
-Very short (~3") & propriety charge cradle cable with no wall charger.
==== Design & Comfort ====
The Jaybird X4 earphones are designed very well - for both athletes and casual earphone users. It is light, made with durable materials and quality plastic, very comfortable for extended usage during normal & physical activities, and come with both soft silicone and Comply foam ear tips (in different sizes).
Between the two types of ear tips, I prefer the Comply foam tips (size small). They are more comfortable to wear and they also offer better passive sound isolation than the silicone ones. In addition, sound quality gets a boost, especially in bass-heavy songs.
The ear fins come in two different sizes as well and they're soft and compliant and fit inside the ears snugly and securely. I'm a jogger and the X4 was an excellent running companion with its secure fitment, outside noise isolation, and comfort. During my usual 5 to 6 miles run, I sweat profusely so it was good to know that the X4 is IP7X water resistant. I also appreciate being able to quickly clean the earphones with water without fear of damaging them.
The Jaybird X4 is controlled with a 3-button remote module located near the right earpiece - volume up, volume down, and the middle multi-function button. The middle button is used for Power On, Power Off, Bluetooth pairing, answering/ending phone calls, and launching Google Assistant (with my Samsung Galaxy S9+). Everything worked smoothly and perfectly.
The X4's battery is replenished by a charge cradle with a cable. One side of the charge cradle snaps onto the body of the remote module of the X4 and you then plug the other end of the cable into a charger or device that accepts USB Type A. I successfully charged the X4 by plugging it in to my laptop, my desktop PC, and one of my smartphone chargers.
It took a little while for me to get used to snapping on the charge cradle to the X4. It was kind of annoying trying to align the pins on the charge cradle to the remote module despite the four small guiding tabs on the charge cradle that help with the alignment. I'm sure muscle memory will kick in soon, though, and the process will become easier and faster through time and repetition.
With that said, I prefer this charge cradle method over having to using my fingernail to pull back a rubber or plastic flap before inserting a charging cable. I believe Jaybird is using this method to meet its water resistance and durability requirements.
All in all, Jaybird has created some awesome hardware with lots of thoughtful and useful features. 10 out of 10 from me~!
==== Sound Quality =====
Out of the box, I found the sound to be just so-so though it was still better than my other two wired Bluetooth earphones - some $30 earphones from Amazon and a $100 JLab earphones. Once I opened the Jaybird app and played around with the EQ settings, however, the sound quality became FANTASTIC and AWESOME. I started with the "Warmth" preset profile and made sound quality my own by adjusting the Low, Mid, and High ranges within the "Customize" option.
After saving & applying my custom preset, my enjoyment of music from the Jaybird X4 went from a 7 to 10 out of 10. I highly recommend everyone to invest some time and play around inside the EQ settings to tailor the music to one's personal tastes. It really does make a HUGE difference.
I am not what you call an audiophile but the X4 - after EQ tuning - has really impressed me with its sound quality. The sound is crisp and clear, the bass is pretty decent (for Bluetooth earphones), sound separation and dynamic range are well-presented, and it delivers very well-balanced audio. I love it.
Is it as good or better than over-the-ear headphones such as the Sony 1000XM3 or Bose QC35 Series II? Of course not. But for wired Bluetooth earphones that offer easy portability, lightness, and durability during physical activities, I don't think one can do better than the Jaybird X4.
10 out of 10~!
==== Battery life ====
The X4 offers very good battery life. 8 to 9 hours of playtime is higher than most other similar competing products and you won't have to charge it midday like you do with those small wire-free Bluetooth earphones.
10 out of 10.
==== Conclusion ====
Jaybird has created an excellent product in the Jaybird X4. It is stylish, light, well-built, super comfortable, durable, easy to use, and provides fantastic sound quality. The icing on the cake is its IPX7 water resistance and long battery life. For anyone that asks me to recommend a good pair of wireless Bluetooth earphones, I'll tell them to get the Jaybird X4. It is some good stuff.
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+31points
38of 45voted this as helpful.
Listen to tunes in peace with these Sony headphones. Their noise-canceling processor blocks out background noise so you can fully enjoy your playlist, and the Smart Listening feature adjusts noise-canceling levels based on your activity. Quickly charge these Sony headphones in only 10 minutes to provide 30 hours of battery life. Industry Leading Noise Cancellation. *As of August 30, 2018. According to research by Sony Corporation measured using JEITA-compliant guidelines. In headband-style of wireless noise-canceling headphones market.
Customer Rating
5
Phenomenal headphones~! The BEST~!!
on September 10, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summmary ====
Sony has hit it out of the park again with the new 1000XM3 ANC headphones. The new design is sturdier, more comfortable, better looking, and most importantly, the sound quality is fantastic~! With new hardware and software, the already great Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) technology has gotten even better compared to last year's model as well as the competition. Home run from Sony~!
**Pros:
-Superb sound quality.
-Fantastic ANC performance.
-Comfortable & durable design.
-Lighter than the previous model (0.56 lbs/254 grams).
-Touch-gesture volume and track controls work very well.
-30-hour battery life.
-Quick-charging technology.
-USB Type C charging port is more future-proof & easier to plug in.
-Useful Sony hardware & software optimizations (Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing, Personal NC Optimizer).
-Google Assistant.
-Fantastic ANC performance.
-Comfortable & durable design.
-Lighter than the previous model (0.56 lbs/254 grams).
-Touch-gesture volume and track controls work very well.
-30-hour battery life.
-Quick-charging technology.
-USB Type C charging port is more future-proof & easier to plug in.
-Useful Sony hardware & software optimizations (Atmospheric Pressure Optimizing, Personal NC Optimizer).
-Google Assistant.
**Cons:
-None
==== Design & Comfort ====
Being an owner of the great Sony 1000XM2, I appreciate and approve the design changes made to the new 1000XM3. The plastic parts of the headphones feel softer and more premium to the touch. The leather padding with urethane foam inside the earbuds and the headrest are better cushioned, softer, and more comfortable.
The fantastic touch-gesture controls are back and they're just as easy to use and work very well (e.g., volume & track control, Quick Attention mode).
The new color scheme is nice too with bronze accents mixed in with the black. The headphones look sleek and modern.
A very welcome addition is the inclusion of the newer and more future-proof USB Type C charging port (Yes~!!). No more fumbling around with which direction to plug in the charging cable and the headphone works with other USB Type C chargers from other modern hardware such as smartphones.
10 out of 10~!!
==== Controls ====
The buttons are located at easy to reach places and work well. On the left earbud is the Power Button and the NC/Google Assistant Button. Also on the left earmuff is the NFC module which allows for quick pairing to your smartphone.
If you don't want to use NFC to make the pairing connection, you can initiate Bluetooth pairing by pressing and holding down on the Power Button then selecting the 1000XM3 on your PC's or smartphone's Bluetooth setting page.
Pressing the NC Button toggles between three modes - Ambient Sound (default level 20 with Focus on Voice set to Off), Ambient Sound Off, and Noise Cancellation. The Ambient Sound mode can be adjusted between Level 1 to Level 20 inside the Sony Headphone app. The higher you go on the scale between 1 to 20, the more ambient sound around you gets in such as traffic and people sounds. You can also check off on the "Focus on Voice" option to let in voices more easily.
For absolute isolation from the outside world, you would choose the "Noise Cancellation" option.
If one assigns the NC Button to use Google Assistant instead within the Sony app, then pressing the NC Button triggers Google Assistant who will then speak aloud notifications and tell you the time. In addition, you can hold down the Google Assistant button, speak a command, let go of the button, and the Google Assistant will respond to your query or command.
My FAVORITE control feature of the 1000XM3, however, is the touch-gesture controls located on the right earmuff. Swipe Up or Down for volume control, swipe Back or Forward for track control, Double-Tap to pause & resume music, and cup the earmuff with the palm of your hand to allow ambient noise to come through so you can hear and talk to people.
Sony continues its excellent ergonomic design with the 1000XM3. Another 10 out of 10.
==== Sound Quality ====
The Sony 1000XM3 sounds good - really good. It plays all types of audio excellently - hip-hop, pop, alternative, rock, vocals, instrumentals, bass-heavy songs. It is truly a jack of all trades and master of all.
Bass is GREAT and it delivers it in a deep, punchy, and visceral manner. Even the low rumbly bass is handled superbly.
The headphones also deliver a dynamic and wide soundstage with clear vocal separations, range, spatial distribution and balance.
In addition to listening to music, I also used the 1000XM3 when playing games on my PC. Sound quality during gaming was also fantastic.
Unlike last year's 1000XM2 which didn't sound that great out-of-the-box until I played around with some settings, the 1000XM3 comes out sounding great from first power-on.
I connected the 1000XM3 to my Samsung Galaxy S9+ and adjusted only one setting inside the Sony Headphones app - Noise Cancelling Optimizer. The Noise Cancelling Optimizer configures the 1000XM3 to your head physiology to make audio and noise cancelling more efficient and effective.
To be honest, I didn't notice much sound quality difference between the older 1000XM2 and this 1000XM3. But that's not a bad thing as the 1000XM2 was already great and the 1000XM3 just maintains the quality and fidelity.
10 out of 10~!
==== Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) ====
With Sony's new HD Noise Canceling QN1 Processor and multiple microphones, the ANC works very well and consistently.
All kinds of sounds were deftly cancelled out by the 1000XM3 - traffic noise, barking dogs, chirping birds, lawn mowers, all conversations inside a coffee shop, and background TV and radio noise.
With a 3-year-old around the house who might need my attention at any time, my preferred ANC mode was "Ambient Sound On" at Level 1 with "Focus on Voice" checked off. That way, if my daughter seeked my attention, I could hear and respond to her in a timely fashion.
When I'm by myself or in a place where I don't expect to interact with anyone else, I then set the ANC mode to "Noise Cancellation" for maximum isolation from the world.
I don't know if the performance of the ANC technology is really 4 times improved compared to the 1000XM2 (per Sony), but I do know that it is better and works very well.
As you guessed it, it's another 10 out of 10.
==== Conclusion ====
For the absolute best in sound quality and noise cancellation, I honestly don't think there is any other product on the market that is better than the Sony 1000XM3. Everything is just so well-balanced - sound quality, ANC performance, battery life, ergonomics, comfort, and app customization. Sony has created a tremendously well-executed and high-performing product.
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Handle storage demands with this Western Digital SATA solid-state drive. Its 560MB/s read speed and 530MB/s write speed are suitable for intensive applications, and its 2.5-inch form factor fits most desktops and laptops. The solid-state drive has no moving parts, making the drive resistant to shock to protect your data. Includes the WD SSD Dashboard to keep track of the drive's status.
Customer Rating
5
Great drive from Western Digital
on September 6, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
==== Summary ====
The WD Blue 500GB SSD is a fantastic drive. It greatly sped up my Lenovo Legion Y530 laptop that originally came with a spinning mechanical 1TB HDD and a 16GB Intel Optane Memory Accelerator. Everything I do on my laptop has received an adrenaline boot - bootup, shutdown, Chrome with >25 tabs, multi-tasking, and local & network file transfers. The 3-Year warranty is great and so is the Western Digital SSD Dashboard app that handles Firmware Updates and SMART diagnostics.
***Pros:
-Fast performance.
-Easy to install and set up (used Acronis TrueImage cloning software).
-WD SSD Dashboard software is helpful.
-3-Year warranty.
-Easy to install and set up (used Acronis TrueImage cloning software).
-WD SSD Dashboard software is helpful.
-3-Year warranty.
***Cons:
-None
==== My Experience ====
I've been using Western Digital hard drives from 2002 - the first year I began building custom PC's and tinkering with hardware and software. I've purchased many, many drives since then and not a single Western Digital drive has ever failed on me (knock on wood). Based on past experiences, I'm hopeful that my first SSD drive from WD will also be quality and last me a long time.
This 500GB SSD drive was installed to my Lenovo Legion Y530 laptop that came with a 1TB Seagate Barracuda SATA3 2.5" spinning drive and a 16GB Intel Optane Memory accelerator (M.2 2280 NVME).
The transition of my Windows 10 installation from the Seagate drive to the WD SSD went very smoothly thanks to the Acronis TrueImage disk cloning software.
Although the Intel Optane Memory accelerator does an outstanding and admirable job of speeding up the slow mechanical drive, it still cannot compare to a system with a SSD drive.
Upon installing the SSD, I immediately noticed speed differences during restarts and power on, Windows 10 initialization after cold bootups, application launch times, and file transfer speeds.
The system became even faster after I activated the Intel Optane Memory accelerator to speed up the WD SSD (I had to de-link the coupling between the Intel Optane Memory and Seagate hard drive first).
I ran CrystalDiskMark 6.0.1 and my Sequential Read was 925.2 MB/s and Sequential Write was 159.4 MB/s. Due to Intel Optane Memory, the Sequential Read speed was what I was expecting but I don't know why Sequential Write came out so low. I ran CrystalDiskMark several times and used other hard drive benchmarks but the results came out very similar.
Nonetheless, in real world usage, I've experienced no performance issues with the WD SSD. It made my laptop fast and snappy and I'm quite happy and satisfied with Western Digital.
I give it a 10 out of 10~!!
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Load AAA game titles with this 15.6-inch Lenovo Legion gaming laptop. Its 1TB of storage lets you save large downloads, and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics card renders fluid Full HD visuals. This Lenovo Legion gaming laptop has 16GB of RAM and a hexa-core Intel Core i7 processor for powerful performance.
Customer Rating
5
Well-balanced gaming laptop with great design
on August 13, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
======= Summary =======
The Legion Y530 is a well-designed and performant laptop with quality and well-balanced components. The build is great, the thin-bezel display is awesome, the system is speedy, and it is a pleasure to use everyday. With its easy upgradeability, the Y530 will offer many years of service for most people.
*Pro's:
1. Thin display bezels.
2. Relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Good design & build quality (despite being plastic).
5. Good selection of ports.
6. Decent gaming performance thanks to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU.
7. 16GB RAM & Intel Optane --> fast performance.
8. Easy access to internals for system upgrade.
9. Minimal amount of bloatware. Easily removable.
10. Great cooling design.
2. Relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Good design & build quality (despite being plastic).
5. Good selection of ports.
6. Decent gaming performance thanks to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU.
7. 16GB RAM & Intel Optane --> fast performance.
8. Easy access to internals for system upgrade.
9. Minimal amount of bloatware. Easily removable.
10. Great cooling design.
*Con's:
1. No Thunderbolt 3.
======= Design & Build Quality =======
For a gaming laptop at this price point, the Legion Y530 is relatively light (~5 lbs) and pretty thin, even good for students and other portable users.
The laptop is all black and looks like a serious machine - no blingy accent lights with flamboyant design curves and lines. I appreciate the toned-down design and subtlety.
The parts of the laptop that you interact with the most feel nice despite being made of all plastic. The lid has a nice texture and radial pattern to it that makes the Legion look and feel different from other typical plastic laptops. Stains are easily resisted and cleaning up is simple and quick. The glowing white LED that illuminates the "Y" symbol inside the letter O is also very cool without being garish.
The hinge is well-designed and enables one to easily open the lid with just one finger. It is also firm & sturdy and holds up the screen very well.
Also nice is the soft-touch keyboard base, the smooth touchpad, and the textured touchpad buttons. The keyboard buttons with their "just-right" travel distance and responsiveness lead to comfortable typing and gaming experiences. The keyboard has white LED backlighting with two different brightness levels (FN + Spacebar to toggle between Brightness Level 1, Level 2, and Off). I LOVE that the backlighting doesn't turn off automatically after some idle time (Acer take note~!).
Despite lacking aluminum and not being "premium", I'd give it a 8.5 out of 10 for design & build quality.
======= Display =======
The 1920x1080 Full HD 15.6" matte display, surrounded by those thin bezels, is quite nice. At normal viewing distance, everything is crispy and clear. For general-purpose web viewing and gaming, the display is perfectly adequate and appropriate. It doesn't get very bright at 250 nits but I'm satisfied.
I LOVE how I can lift the lid with just one finger and how the display can be pushed back up to 180 degrees.
======= Speakers =======
The speakers sound nice and full with its Harman Kardon speakers with Dolby Audio tuning. Compared to skinny ultrabooks, such as my HP Spectre 13, the Legion Y530's speakers sound louder, fuller, more dynamic, and has a wider soundstage. Bass, of course, is weak but that is to be expected from a laptop. Listening to music and playing games was more than satisfactory and enjoyable.
======= Network & Connectivity Options =======
The Legion Y530 comes equipped with the Realtek PCI Express Gigabit ethernet and the excellent Intel Wireless-AC 9560 802.11AC Gigabit Wifi. Also included in the Intel package is Bluetooth 5.0 which is forward-looking and up-to-date. I experienced no connectivity or connection speed issues. Everything was peachy.
======= Ports =======
A healthy number and type of ports are offered - 3x USB 3.1 Type A, 1x USB Type C Gen 1, 1x ethernet, 1x HDMI, and 1x mini-Display port. The ports suit my needs perfectly and I have no complaints. For my personal usage, not having a Thunderbolt port is not a loss.
======= Performance =======
The performance of the Legion Y530 is excellent due to its quality and well-balanced components (Intel Core i7 8th-Gen Coffee Lake CPU with 6 Cores, 16GB DDR4-2666 RAM, 1TB Seagate 7200RPM HDD, 16GB Intel Optane Memory, and nVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB).
Windows 10 boots up relatively fast despite having a spinning HDD (thanks to Intel Optane Memory), programs install and load very quickly, and there is no jankiness or lag. It is AMAZING how much of a performance difference that stick of Intel Optane Memory makes in really speeding up the system and smoothing everything out.
Even when compared to my HP Spectre 13 with a faster 1TB Samsung 960 Evo PCI-E SSD, the Legion Y530 boots up almost as fast and loads my apps very quickly. Intel Optane is no marketing gimmick - it works as advertised and makes a very noticeable difference in system responsiveness and speed. Thanks to Intel Optane, I personally don't see a need to upgrade to a SSD drive - at least not for a while.
Wit 16GB of RAM, I naturally had no issues at multitasking - Google Chrome (~25 tabs), Word, YouTube, background file transfers and downloads. Only one scenario introduced a little bit of lag and that was when I was doing the following: Chrome brower with about 10 tabs, Steam client downloading 3 games in the background, and torrenting 3 files (each with about 5 GB in size). Still not bad for a system without a SSD drive.
Gaming is executed smoothly as long as you don't crank up all the in-game settings to Very High or Ultra (dependent on the game, of course). In order to experience the full potential of the Legion Y530, one has to be plugged in and change the Power Options to "High Performance" inside the Windows Mobility Center. Otherwise, games don't run very well, especially on just battery power. Besides, the battery would quickly run down to empty in about an hour anyways without the charger.
I mainly played 3 games on the Legion - Far Cry 5 (2018), Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016), and Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016). The Rise of the Tomb Raider ran the best and allowed me to turn on most of the graphics settings to High and still average above 48 frames per second.
Deus Ex Mankind Divided was much harder on the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. In order to get smooth frames, I had to lower the quality settings quite a bit to this:
-Texture Quality: Low
-Texture Filtering: Off
-Shadow Quality: Medium
-Contact Hardening Shadows: Off
-Temporal Anti-Aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Depth of Field: Off
-Bloom: Off
-Volumetric Lighting: Off
-Subsurface Scattering: Off
-Sharpen: On
-Texture Filtering: Off
-Shadow Quality: Medium
-Contact Hardening Shadows: Off
-Temporal Anti-Aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Depth of Field: Off
-Bloom: Off
-Volumetric Lighting: Off
-Subsurface Scattering: Off
-Sharpen: On
Playing Far Cry 5 was a lot better and I was able to play smoothly with these settings:
-Texture Filtering: High
-Shadows: Normal
-Geometry & Vegetation: Normal
-Environment: Normal
-Water: Normal
-Terrain: Normal
-Volumetric Fog: Low
-Anti-aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Shadows: Normal
-Geometry & Vegetation: Normal
-Environment: Normal
-Water: Normal
-Terrain: Normal
-Volumetric Fog: Low
-Anti-aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
On Geekbench 4.2.3, the Y530 scored 4664 Single-core and 15,197 Multi-core. It performed better than my Samsung Notebook 9 Pro with an Intel Core i7 7500U dual-core CPU (4189 Single-core, 8503 Multi-core) and my HP Spectre 13 with an Intel Core i7 8550U 4-core CPU (4666 Single-core, 12,051 Multi-core).
======= Keyboard & TouchPad =======
As mentioned earlier, both the keyboard and touchpad on the Legion Y530 are excellent. The keys have good travel distance, are responsive, and very comfortable for long-term typing and gaming. I also LOVE the full-sized Arrow Keys and the spacious Number Pad area. My only slight gripe is not having dedicated PgUp & PgDn buttons (you have to use the Fn + Arrow Keys).
The Touchpad is accurate and responsive to use thanks to Microsoft's Precision driver. Setting up custom touchpad gestures is easy and it works very well. The touchpad buttons make a clickity sound but not to the point of being annoying.
I rate both of them 10 out of 10.
======= Battery Life =======
For a gaming laptop, the battery life I experienced has been excellent. When I'm just browsing the web and not gaming, I can get about 4 to 5 hours of battery life at 70 to 80% brightness. During gaming, however, it will last just about 1 hour.
======= Software =======
The Legion Y530 comes with a minimal amout of bloatware. I counted 3 Lenovo apps, 5 third-party games, and some Microsoft apps such as Xbox and Skype. Compared to other manufacturers' bloatware (e.g., Dell, HP), the Legion Y530 comes packed pretty clean. Windows 10 was at version 1709 and I updated to the latest 1803 Build 17134.191 without a hitch.
======= Upgradeability =======
The Legion Y530 offers several options for future component upgrades - DDR4 memory, SATA3 hard drive (HDD or SSD), Wifi module, and PCI-Express NVME M.2 2280 SSD hard drive. To upgrade, one removes 11 Philips screws from the bottom of the laptop and pop off the bottom cover. The bottom cover is held on by numerous plastic tabs so be gentle when popping the cover off to not break them.
======= My Verdict =======
The Legion Y530 offers a good value, entry-level gaming experience with a great design, slim-bezel display, awesome keyboard and touchpad, great audio, and very decent hardware (6-core Intel Core i7, 16GB DDR4 RAM, and GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GPU). It is a well-balanced and harmonius design that is durable, portable, highly performant, and upgradeable. I rate it 4.5 out of 5 and recommend it without hesitation.
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Play your favorite PC games with this 15.6-inch Lenovo laptop. Its Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM let you run multiple programs without performance lag, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of file storage space. This Lenovo laptop has a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics card for fast rendering of images and videos.
Customer Rating
4
Greating value gaming laptop with great design
on July 31, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
======= Summary =======
The Legion Y530 is a well-designed and performant laptop with only one shortcoming - no SSD hard drive. The build is great, the thin-bezel display is awesome, it contains great components, and is a pleasure to use everyday. With its easy upgradeability, the Y530 will offer many years of service for most people.
*Pro's:
1. Thin display bezels.
2. Relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Good design & build quality (despite being plastic).
5. Good selection of ports.
6. Decent gaming performance thanks to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU.
7. Easy access to internals for system upgrade.
8. Minimal amount of bloatware. Easily removable.
2. Relatively light and thin for a gaming laptop.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Good design & build quality (despite being plastic).
5. Good selection of ports.
6. Decent gaming performance thanks to the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti GPU.
7. Easy access to internals for system upgrade.
8. Minimal amount of bloatware. Easily removable.
*Con's:
1. Slower than a system with a SSD drive.
2. No Thunderbolt 3.
2. No Thunderbolt 3.
======= Design & Build Quality =======
There are lots of thing I like about the design and build quality of the Legion Y530. For a gaming laptop, it's relatively light at ~5 lbs and pretty thin.
The laptop is all black and looks like a serious machine - no blingy red LED's and no flamboyant design curves, angular lines, or flourishes. I appreciate the toned-down design and subtlety.
The parts of the laptop that you interact with the most feel nice despite being made of all plastic. The lid has a nice texture and radial pattern to it that makes the Legion look and feel different from other typical plastic laptops. Stains are easily resisted and cleaning up is simple and quick. The glowing white LED that illuminates the "Y" symbol inside the letter O is also very cool without being garish.
The hinge is well-designed and enables one to easily open the lid with just one finger. It is also firm & sturdy and holds up the screen very well.
Also nice is the soft-touch keyboard base, the smooth touchpad, and the textured touchpad buttons. The keyboard buttons with their "just-right" travel distance and responsiveness lead to comfortable typing and gaming experiences. The keyboard has white LED backlighting with two different brightness levels (FN + Spacebar to toggle between Brightness Level 1, Level 2, and Off). I LOVE that the backlighting doesn't turn off automatically after some idle time (Acer take note~!).
Despite lacking aluminum and not being "premium", I'd give it a 8.5 out of 10 for design & build quality.
======= Display =======
The 1920x1080 Full HD 15.6" matte display, surrounded by those thin bezels, is quite nice. At normal viewing distance, everything is crispy and clear. For general-purpose web viewing and gaming, the display is perfectly adequate and appropriate. It doesn't get very bright at 250 nits but I'm satisfied.
I LOVE how I can lift the lid with just one finger and how the display can be pushed back up to 180 degrees.
======= Speakers =======
The speakers sound nice and full with its Harman Kardon speakers with Dolby Audio tuning. Compared to skinny ultrabooks, such as my HP Spectre 13, the Legion Y530's speakers sound louder, fuller, more dynamic, and has a wider soundstage. Bass, of course, is weak but that is to be expected from a laptop. Listening to music and playing games was more than satisfactory and enjoyable.
======= Network & Connectivity Options =======
The Legion Y530 comes equipped with Realtek PCI Express Gigabit ethernet and Realtek 8822BE 802.11AC Wifi. I experienced no connectivity or connection speed issues. Everything was peachy.
======= Ports =======
A healthy number and types of ports are offered - 3x USB 3.0 Type A, 1x USB Type C Gen 1, 1x ethernet, 1x HDMI, and 1x mini-Display port. The ports suit my needs perfectly and I have no complaints. For my personal usage, not having a Thunderbolt port is not a loss.
======= Performance =======
The performance of the Legion Y530 has been a mixed bag for me. Due to its traditional 7200 RPM HDD (1TB Seagate BarraCuda Pro), the laptop boots slow (53 seconds to Windows log-in prompt from cold boot) and Windows 10 initialization is laggy. It took 2 minutes before I could start launching my Chrome browser. App installations take relatively long times compared to systems with a SSD hard drive. Same for Windows 10 updates.
Fortunately, things do get better later on. Once Windows 10 has been fully initialized and all the background processes have been completed, the laptop kicks in and begins to perform very well. With Intel's 8th-generation Coffee Lake 8750H processor (6-core, 12-thread) and 8GB of DDR4-2666 RAM, the Legion Y530 pushes through everything effortlessly. I had no issues multitasking with Chrome (~25 tabs), Word, and YouTube.
Gaming is executed smoothly as well as long as you don't crank up all the in-game settings to Very High or Ultra (dependent on the game, of course). In order to experience the full potential of the Legion Y530, one has to be plugged in and change the Power Options to "High Performance" inside the Windows Mobility Center. Otherwise, games don't run very well, especially on just battery power. Besides, the battery would quickly run down to empty in about an hour anyways without the charger.
I mainly played 3 games on the Legion - Far Cry 5 (2018), Deus Ex Mankind Divided (2016), and Rise of the Tomb Raider (2016). The Rise of the Tomb Raider ran the best and allowed me to turn on most of the graphics settings to High. I obtained the following results in the in-game benchmark test:
-Mountain Peak: 54.32 FPS (min: 25.32, max: 110.61)
-Syria: 48.83 FPS (min: 3.11, max: 86.88)
-Geothermal Valley: 43.04 FPS (min: 5.39, max: 93.04)
-Overall score: 48.48 FPS
-Syria: 48.83 FPS (min: 3.11, max: 86.88)
-Geothermal Valley: 43.04 FPS (min: 5.39, max: 93.04)
-Overall score: 48.48 FPS
Deus Ex Mankind Divided was harder on the GeForce GTX 1050 Ti. In order to get smooth frames, I had to lower the quality settings quite a bit to this:
-Texture Quality: Low
-Texture Filtering: Off
-Shadow Quality: Medium
-Contact Hardening Shadows: Off
-Temporal Anti-Aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Depth of Field: Off
-Bloom: Off
-Volumetric Lighting: Off
-Subsurface Scattering: Off
-Sharpen: On
-Texture Filtering: Off
-Shadow Quality: Medium
-Contact Hardening Shadows: Off
-Temporal Anti-Aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Depth of Field: Off
-Bloom: Off
-Volumetric Lighting: Off
-Subsurface Scattering: Off
-Sharpen: On
Playing Far Cry 5 was a lot better and I was able to play smoothly with these settings:
-Texture Filtering: High
-Shadows: Normal
-Geometry & Vegetation: Normal
-Environment: Normal
-Water: Normal
-Terrain: Normal
-Volumetric Fog: Low
-Anti-aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
-Shadows: Normal
-Geometry & Vegetation: Normal
-Environment: Normal
-Water: Normal
-Terrain: Normal
-Volumetric Fog: Low
-Anti-aliasing: Off
-Motion Blur: On
On Geekbench 4.2.3, the Y530 scored 4664 Single-core and 15,197 Multi-core. It performed better than my Samsung Notebook 9 Pro with an Intel Core i7 7500U dual-core CPU (4189 Single-core, 8503 Multi-core) and my HP Spectre 13 with an Intel Core i7 8550U 4-core CPU (4666 Single-core, 12,051 Multi-core).
If this Legion Y530 had come with a SSD drive or at least an Intel Optane Memory accelerator, then the overall performance and smoothness of the machine would've been so much better. It's a shame Lenovo cut corners and instead included such a slow spinning hard drive. On the bright side, the prices of the SSD drives have come down greatly and it is easy enough to add one later.
*Pro-Tip: After I formatted the Windows drive and freshly installed Windows 10, the Legion Y530 became noticeably more responsive and faster. It's still not as fast as having a SSD drive but the improvement was quite eye-opening. For even more speed, I will be investing in a NVME PCI-Express SSD hard drive shortly to use as my Windows drive.
======= Keyboard & TouchPad =======
As mentioned earlier, both the keyboard and touchpad on the Legion Y530 are excellent. The keys have good travel distance, are responsive, and very comfortable for long-term typing and gaming. I also LOVE the full-sized Arrow Keys and the spacious Number Pad area. My only slight gripe is not having dedicated PgUp & PgDn buttons (you have to use the Fn + Arrow Keys).
The Touchpad is accurate and responsive to use thanks to Microsoft's Precision driver. Setting up custom touchpad gestures is easy and it works very well. The touchpad buttons make a clickity sound but not to the point of being annoying. My Legion's touchpad buttons didn't sound as loud as it did in some YouTube reviews I saw.
I rate both of them 10 out of 10.
======= Battery Life =======
For a gaming laptop, the battery life I experienced has been excellent. When I'm just browsing the web and not gaming, I can get about 4 to 5 hours of battery life at 80% brightness. During gaming, however, it will last just about 1 hour.
======= Software =======
The Legion Y530 comes with a minimal amout of bloatware. I counted 3 Lenovo apps, 5 third-party games, and some Microsoft apps such as Xbox and Skype. Compared to other manufacturers' bloatware (e.g., Dell, HP), the Legion Y530 comes packed pretty clean. Windows 10 was at version 1709 and I updated to the latest 1803 Build 17134.191 without a hitch.
======= Upgradeability =======
The Legion Y530 offers several options for future component upgrades - DDR4 memory, SATA3 hard drive (HDD or SSD), Wifi module, and PCI-Express NVME M.2 2280 SSD hard drive. To upgrade, one removes 11 Philips screws from the bottom of the laptop and pop off the bottom cover. The bottom cover is held on by numerous plastic tabs so be gentle when popping the cover off to not break them.
I HIGHLY recommend everyone to purchase a NVME M.2 2280 SSD drive and install it to greatly increase system responsiveness and performance.
======= My Verdict =======
The Legion Y530 is a good value entry-level gaming laptop with a great design, slim-bezel display, awesome keyboard and touchpad, great audio, and very decent hardware (6-core Intel Core i7, 8GB DDR4 RAM, and GeForce GTX 1050 Ti 4GB GPU). Its only weakness is the slow traditional spinning hard drive. Either replace it with a SATA SSD hard drive or add an NVME M.2 2280 SSD hard drive and you'll be all set for a smooth and fast computing & gaming experience.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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92of 95voted this as helpful.
Sleep better. Cover unwanted noise with soothing sounds. Bose noise-masking sleepbuds™ are uniquely designed for sleep. They don’t stream music or have acoustic noise cancellation. Instead, these tiny, wireless earbuds use pre-loaded, soothing sounds to cover up unwanted noises, so you can get to sleep — and stay asleep. Plus, unlike traditional earplugs, they’re super comfortable and made to stay in place all night long, even if you sleep on your side. 1. Choose your sound, 2. Set an alarm, 3. Fall asleep without unwanted noise.
Customer Rating
5
Allows me to sleep in peace
on June 25, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
======= Summary =======
The Bose Noise-Making Sleep Buds are one of those rare and pleasant products that live up to all of its marketing promises. They are very comfortable, does an excellent job filtering out ambient noise, and include helpful features such as alarm schedules. It's a great product~!
*Pros:
-Super comfortable and light.
-Fits my ears perfectly (medium size tips).
-Great sound quality.
-Many choices for ambient sounds & alarm sounds.
-Alarm only wakes you up and not your spouse.
-Charging case looks awesome & feels nice.
-Slick magnetic docking and charging mechanism for the sleep buds.
-Easy to operate.
-Fits my ears perfectly (medium size tips).
-Great sound quality.
-Many choices for ambient sounds & alarm sounds.
-Alarm only wakes you up and not your spouse.
-Charging case looks awesome & feels nice.
-Slick magnetic docking and charging mechanism for the sleep buds.
-Easy to operate.
*Cons:
-Can be paired to only one smartphone at a time.
-The sleep buds do not automatically connect to the phone after taking them out of the case.
-The sleep buds do not automatically connect to the phone after taking them out of the case.
======= Design & Build =======
The Bose Noise-Masking Sleep Buds are a premium product in a premium package. The sleep buds are cool-looking & light, well-designed & super comfortable to wear all night, and easy to put on and take off.
The charging case is a work of art as well. Made of aluminum, it is light and feels premium. The bottom of the case has a soft-touch and non-slip rubber bottom that secures the charging case to any surface. The sliding-up mechanism to open the charging case feels "fun" and very satisfactory. It is very smooth in actuation and opens and closes easily.
And the way the sleep buds get charged are slick and futuristic. Slide open the charging case, place the sleep buds into their slots, and the magnets hold the sleep buds in place to the charger. When the sleep buds are being charged, a white LED strip of light beneath each sleep bud pulses on and off to let you know that the sleep buds are being charged. When the charging case is being charged, then the round center LED lights pulse to let you know that the case is being charged. All very slick stuff. Check out my short YouTube video to see the charging in action:
https://youtu.be/BQvEDGCflGw <--- Shows the case & the sleep buds being charged.
The rest of the kit are equally nice as well - the wall charger and its USB charging cable, two extra eartips (small and large), and a nice draw-string cloth case for the charging case.
The rest of the kit are equally nice as well - the wall charger and its USB charging cable, two extra eartips (small and large), and a nice draw-string cloth case for the charging case.
The kit definitely feels worth $250 to me with its well-executed design, premium build and materials, and all the included accessories.
======= Comfort =======
As promised by Bose, the sleep buds are very light and super comfortable to wear during sleep. I sleep frequently on my sides and the buds never bothered me nor disrupted my sleep. Before using the Bose sleep buds, I used regular foam ear plugs to filter out the noises. To my pleasant surprise, the Bose sleep buds - despite having plastic parts and a battery inside - felt more comfortable to wear for long sleep periods.
======= Noise Masking Ability =======
Again, Bose has managed to deliver on its promises and provided a great noise-masking experience for me. With my foam ear plugs, I can still hear my neighbor's dogs barking which lead me to waking up frequently because I'm a semi-light sleeper. With the sleep buds and the appropriate noise-making sound effect (I used Cascade), the dog's barking is almost entirely filtered out so I don't get awakened.
There are a total of 10 different noise-making sound effects: Shower (rain), Swell (ocean waves), Altitude (airplane humming sound), Cascade (waterfall), Circulate (windfarm fans), Downstream (water stream), Warm Static (white noise), Rustle (leaves rustling), Tranquility (instrumental), and Campfire (bonfire).
In addition, you can set the volume level of each sound effect so that the sound effects themselves won't prevent you from falling asleep.
I'm so very happy that such a product exists~!! Sleep is a precious commodity for me due to my tiring work and my very active toddler. The sleep buds allow me to sleep in peace and get my needed rest.
======= App Support =======
The Bose Sleep app is well-designed and super simple to use. The app guides you step-by-step in pairing up the sleep buds to your phone and helps you choose the correctly-sized eartips for maximum comfort.
It is inside the app where you choose your noise-masking sound effect (10 choices), set the volume of the sound effects, create your alarm schedule, set your alarm sound & its volume (7 alarm sound choices), access the Owner's Manual, and perform firmware updates (there was one firmware update out of the box).
On the topic of alarms, it is great that my wife will no longer get disturbed by my alarm in the morning. With the sleep buds playing the alarm ONLY inside my ears, I don't have to feel so bad anymore. :D
If there is one thing I wish Bose would change about the operation of the Sleep Buds, it is to have the phone automatically connect to the Sleep Buds when they are taken out of the charging case and start playing the noise-masking sound effect automatically. As it is now, I have to take out the Sleep Buds, open the Bose app and wait for the pairing, then hit the Play button to start the sound effect.
All in all, the app is intuitive and very helpful. Great job from Bose~!
======= My Verdict =======
The Bose Sleep Buds get a Ten out of Ten from me~!! The product looks very cool and all the rest of the kit are premium. The Sleep Buds are super comfortable and non-irritating. The sound quality is great and all the sound effects and alarm sounds work well. Best of all, I can sleep in peace and get a great night of sleep in a consistent manner.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get a better view of the enemy in dark spaces with this 27-inch Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor. Full HD and NVIDIA G-SYNC and ULMB technology decrease blur and ghosting to make images clearer. The lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time of this Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor mean your shot reaches the target faster.
Customer Rating
4
G-Sync & 240 Hz is awesome
on June 22, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
======= Summary =======
The Acer XB272 G-Sync monitor is a great gaming monitor. It has a cool design, a solid build quality, has good ergonomics, offers numerous calibration options, and most importantly, offers buttery smooth gameplay and FPS via its G-Sync functionality, 240 Hz refresh rate and 1 ms response time. The built-in speakers, however, are simply horribly awful. For a TN panel, the viewing angle is pretty good but not as good as high-end IPS panels. Overall, though, the XB272 G-Sync monitor is a great package that will give competitive and serious gamers an edge in gaming.
*Pros:
-Sleek design.
-Easy to assemble.
-Useful ergonomic features (tilt, swivel, height adjustment).
-27" is a good size for a gaming monitor used on a desk.
-Easy to operate OSD/monitor setting buttons and "joystick."
-Numerous calibration options available.
-240 Hz refresh rate~! 1ms response time~!
-G-Sync technology for nVIDIA GPU owners.
-Display is very bright.
-Includes USB 3.0 ports.
-Easy to assemble.
-Useful ergonomic features (tilt, swivel, height adjustment).
-27" is a good size for a gaming monitor used on a desk.
-Easy to operate OSD/monitor setting buttons and "joystick."
-Numerous calibration options available.
-240 Hz refresh rate~! 1ms response time~!
-G-Sync technology for nVIDIA GPU owners.
-Display is very bright.
-Includes USB 3.0 ports.
*Cons:
-Out of the box, the calibration was off and content looked poor.
-Up-to-Down viewing angle change leads to severe color shifting, color accuracy reduction, and loss of luminance. Side-to-Side angle change is better but still not as good as an IPS panel.
-1080P (not as crispy and pixel-dense as higher resolutions).
-Built-in speakers are horrible.
-Up-to-Down viewing angle change leads to severe color shifting, color accuracy reduction, and loss of luminance. Side-to-Side angle change is better but still not as good as an IPS panel.
-1080P (not as crispy and pixel-dense as higher resolutions).
-Built-in speakers are horrible.
======= Design & Build Quality =======
Unboxing and assembling the Acer XB272 monitor was a pleasure. It was well-packaged, easy to remove and gather everything, and put everything together. Besides the necessary power cord, Acer also includes a Display Port cable, an HDMI cable, a USB cable, and a plastic bracket to hold your headphone behind the monitor. I didn't install that optional headphone holder but I thought it was a nice and thoughtful addition from Acer.
The monitor is solid and looks very durable with its higher-quality plastic and metal parts. The bezels are skinny and pleasing to my eyes.
All the ergonomic features were easy to use - tilt, swivel, and height adjustment. The effort required to adjust the monitor felt just right and once the monitor has been set into its new position, it stayed put.
Acer put the monitor setting buttons behind the panel in the lower-right corner and it was easier to access and operate than I initially expected. There is a joystick-like lever/button behind the monitor and it made navigating between the menus fast and simple. A very nice design.
All in all, it is a well-built and well-designed product from Acer.
======= Panel Quality =======
Out of the box, I was disappointed with the factory calibration. The colors looked off, the contrast was set too high, the blacks didn't look natural, and reading text on a white background was distracting due to jagginess and a general lack of smoothness. Fortunately, Acer gives the user ample control over the calibration settings and I was able to calibrate the XB272 to my satisfaction.
Here are the settings I used:
-Mode: User
-Brightness: 65 (for gaming)
-Contrast: 40
-Gamma: Gaming
-Color temperature: User (Red: 47, Green: 53, Blue: 54)
-Saturation: 100
-Brightness: 65 (for gaming)
-Contrast: 40
-Gamma: Gaming
-Color temperature: User (Red: 47, Green: 53, Blue: 54)
-Saturation: 100
Acer allows you to save up to three custom calibration settings which is a great and thoughtful feature.
I also opened up the nVIDIA Control Panel and set Gamma to +0.92 and Digital Vibrance to 55%.
After calibrating as above, the display "came alive" and content began to look really good and I became happy and satisfied. :)
As expected from a $500 monitor, the amount of light bleeding was low and very good (an advantage over IPS displays) and there were no dead or stuck pixels.
Now to the "Cons." The XB272, being a TN panel, suffers from color distortion and luminance loss when the viewing angle changes. The Side-to-Side viewing angle change is okay and actually pretty good for a TN panel. But when there is a Up-to-Down viewing angle change, there is severe distortion in color accuracy, color shifting, and loss in luminance. So just look straight on at the monitor and not from above or below. Realistically, I don't think this is a big issue because I certainly do not bend my body down on a desk to look up at the monitor while I'm gaming or reading.
Another weakness of the XB272 are its two 2W stereo speakers. They are the most awful speakers I've ever heard. Even with the volume at 100%, the sound sounded like they were coming from far away, was teeny, and very hollow. Bass is expected to be awful on monitor speakers and they certainly are awful on the XB272 as well. When my wife heard the audio coming out the monitor, she laughed out loud because they sounded so bad, LOL~.
Another slight "Con" for me is that the XB272 is only a 1080P panel. My main monitor prior to getting the XB272 was an Asus Designo MX27AQ 27" 2560x1440 IPS monitor. As a result of the pixel density dropping from ~3.6 million pixels to ~2 million pixels, some games and content looked more "soft" and not as sharp. But I also understand that this is a trade-off that Acer made to put in a nVIDIA G-Sync display that is capable of hitting a 240 Hz refresh rate. On the bright side, by playing at 1080P on my nVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, I can run all my games at full eye-candy mode (e.g., Ultra, Very High, Highest) and not suffer from framerate drops or inconsistencies.
With that said, I still like the panel overall because: (1) I have my own gaming speaker setup, (2) the more important Side-to-Side viewing angle distortion is acceptable and good for a TN panel, and (3) after calibration, the display looks great and accurate.
======= Gaming Performance =======
Paired up with my nVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 graphics card, I can run ALL of my games at the highest graphical settings and enjoy super buttery-smooth gameplay and consistently high framerates. Even when playing hectic and fast-paced games such as Final Fantasy 15 with its dizzying array of special effects, there is only smoothness with no screen tearing nor motion blur. It's a beautiful and fulfilling experience.
If you are a gamer and you have a G-Sync supporting GPU from nVIDIA, you owe it to yourself to try a monitor with G-Sync refresh rate technology. You won't regret it.
======= My Verdict =======
Overall, I really like the Acer XB272 G-Sync monitor and I give it a 8.5 out of 10. I recommend it for its sleek & ergonomic design, good panel quality (after calibration), and superb G-Sync experience and performance that elevates your gaming experience to the next level. I only wish the resolution was a bit sharper by going up to the WQHD (2560x1440) resolution.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Run programs on this 12.3-inch HP Chromebook convertible laptop. Its detachable touch-screen display lets you enjoy brilliant 2K content, and you can write and draw on it with the included Active Pen. This HP Chromebook convertible laptop has 32GB of storage, and its Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM provide smooth performance.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent ChromeOS laptop and tablet.
on June 20, 2018
Posted by: optimummind
from Orange, CA
======= Summary =======
The HP Chromebook X2 is my first Chrome OS and Chromebook experience and I really like it~! The hardware is sleek and premium, the display is crisp and bright, the keyboard and touchpad are excellent, the tablet mode is really awesome, and the Chrome OS software and apps work flawlessly and fluidly. And the battery life is simply superb~!! I've only used Windows computers since 1994 and it took me only a day or two to quickly adjust to the new software and how it all works. Great product from HP~!
***Pros:
1. Premium build materials and design.
2. Bright and crispy screen.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Superb battery life.
5. Useful stylus/pen.
6. Easy to use as both a laptop or a tablet.
7. Fast & performant.
8. Easy to maintain and keep the computer updated.
9. Google Play Store app support (i.e., lots and lots of apps available).
10. Relatively light (~3 lbs) and easy to carry around. Only 1.5 lbs if used as a tablet.
11. Expandable storage via microSD card.
2. Bright and crispy screen.
3. Excellent keyboard and touchpad.
4. Superb battery life.
5. Useful stylus/pen.
6. Easy to use as both a laptop or a tablet.
7. Fast & performant.
8. Easy to maintain and keep the computer updated.
9. Google Play Store app support (i.e., lots and lots of apps available).
10. Relatively light (~3 lbs) and easy to carry around. Only 1.5 lbs if used as a tablet.
11. Expandable storage via microSD card.
***Cons:
1. Chrome Extensions work a bit differently in ChromeOS than in a Windows 10 environment & Chrome browser.
2. Slight learning curve if new to Chrome OS (e.g., keyboard shortcuts, file management, network sharing).
3. The main rear-camera is slow and not very good (compared to mid- and flagship level smartphones).
4. Only 32GB of onboard storage.
5. Some Android apps have compatibility issues.
6. Custom arrangement of apps and folders inside the "App Drawer" is not saved and resets after a shutdown/restart.
7. Touchpad gestures are lacking compared to Microsoft's Precision Touchpad.
8. Difficult to access Windows shared folders across home network.
9. No unattended remote access option.
2. Slight learning curve if new to Chrome OS (e.g., keyboard shortcuts, file management, network sharing).
3. The main rear-camera is slow and not very good (compared to mid- and flagship level smartphones).
4. Only 32GB of onboard storage.
5. Some Android apps have compatibility issues.
6. Custom arrangement of apps and folders inside the "App Drawer" is not saved and resets after a shutdown/restart.
7. Touchpad gestures are lacking compared to Microsoft's Precision Touchpad.
8. Difficult to access Windows shared folders across home network.
9. No unattended remote access option.
======= General Design & Build Quality =======
The HP Chromebook X2 is quite a looker. I love its aluminum ceramic white lid design paired up with a leathery textured dark navy keyboard. The metal sideframe feels premium and solid. The touchpad feels nice and it has just the right amount of "clickiness" and pressure response when clicking on it. The keys on the keyboard feel good as well - definitely made of higher-quality plastic with a slight texture to it that I appreciate. This $600 Chromebook X2 feels more premium than many Windows laptops that cost $1000 or more. Compared to my $1,300 HP Spectre 13 Windows 10 laptop, it looks and feels just as premium and high-quality. Complete win from HP~!!
Detaching the screen and using the Chromebook X2 as a tablet is very sleek and nice. It only weighs ~1.5 lbs and it feels light and well-balanced. I experienced no awkward handling issues.
======= Screen =======
The 2400x1600 (240 dpi) 12.3" screen is excellent~! It is protected by Corning Gorilla Glass 4 and it gets bright enough to comfortably use even in outdoors. The screen registers finger taps and gestures instantly and accurately. In addition, everything looks very sharp and crispy. Watching movies and music videos is a very nice experience. Wonderful stuff, no complaints.
======= Keyboard =======
I highly enjoy typing on the Chromebook X2. The keys are responsive, has a nice matte finish and some texture to it, and repels dirt and oil very well. I only wish there were some additional keys that I'm used to having on my Windows laptops (e.g., Pg Up, Pg Dn, Fn, Home, End, Prt Sc, and Caps Lock).
======= Touchpad =======
The touchpad is sized just right for me. It's not too small nor too big. It feels very solid and smooth when running my fingers across it and gestures are detected accurately and consistently. The pressure required to register a click is just right as well.
The only thing I miss from the touchpad are customization options. I would love it if ChromeOS offered custom gesture creations similar to Microsoft's Precision Touchpad gestures.
======= Performance =======
My Chromebook X2 is equipped with a 7th-generation (Kaby Lake) Intel Core m3-7Y30 CPU (1.00 to 2.60 GHz, 4MB cache, 2 Cores & 4 Threads), 4GB of LPDDR3-1600 RAM, Intel HD Graphics 615, 32GB eMMC internal storage, and Intel 2x2 802.11ac Wifi and Bluetooth. Paired up with ChromeOS (7.1.1 Nougat), the computer is able to handle everything I throw at it - opening up Chrome with 26 tabs, playing music in the background via YouTube, working on documents via Google Docs and Keep, and more. I was very pleasantly surprised by how well it kept up with my more powerful HP Spectre 13 Windows 10 laptop (Intel Core i7 8550U CPU with 4 Cores & 8 Threads, 8GB DDR3 RAM, and 1TB Samsung 960 Evo NVME SSD).
I haven't run into a single instance where I felt that the Chromebook X2 is slow or sluggish. I'm highly satisfied.
======= Audio =======
The audio performed to my expectations and satisfaction. The volume doesn't get very loud and the bass, of course, is lacking in such a slim formfactor but I experienced no distortions and properly enjoyed all the music and videos I watched. I think it will be good enough and satisfactory for most people.
======= Software (ChromeOS) =======
This is my first experience with ChromeOS and I was delighted by its performance, clean interface, ease of use, and low learning curve. Everything about it has been easy to use - the initial setup process, updating ChromeOS, and finding and installing apps from the Chrome Web Store and the Google Play Store. Almost all of the Android apps I installed to the Chromebook worked without a hiccup and were resized correctly to my satisfaction.
I only have a few things on my wishlist for ChromeOS: (1) Easy connection to Windows shared folders on the home network, (2) A better and more flexible file management system like on Windows & File Explorer, (3) Unattended remote access functionality, (4) A more customizable "Shelf" and "App drawer," and (5) Ability to add custom touchpad gestures.
With Google constantly improving ChromeOS and Chromebooks now having access to the Google Play Store and Linux apps, the future is very bright and promising. I only expect the software side of things to get better and better from here on out.
======= My Verdict =======
I'm very happy with the HP Chromebook X2. It's premium in its design and build, it works very well as both a laptop and a light 12" tablet, app support and variety is dynamic and wide-ranging, performance is great, battery life is superb, and Google is constantly improving ChromeOS. HP has created an excellent machine with high value - not for just being a Chromebook but even when compared to Windows laptops that cost a lot more. It's a Slam Dunk from HP~!!
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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107of 256voted this as helpful.
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Play your favorite PC games with this 15.6-inch Lenovo laptop. Its Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM let you run multiple programs without performance lag, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of file storage space. This Lenovo laptop has a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics card for fast rendering of images and videos.
Will there be any problems generating a copy of the 1TB Hard Drive and replacing it with an SSD? Any issues regarding drivers or product keys/licenses?
There should be no problem. I wiped/formatted the factory C drive and reinstalled a fresh copy of Windows 10 version 1803 with my USB flash drive and my license remained intact.
To copy the content of the 1TB HDD to a SSD drive, you can use a disk cloning program. Just make sure the SSD hard drive is large enough to accept the 1TB disk image transfer.
What I did was to repartition/resize the 1TB HDD into two partitions - 200GB for the Windows C drive and the rest for my apps and media. When I install a SSD drive later, I would clone my 200GB C drive to the SSD drive.
To copy the content of the 1TB HDD to a SSD drive, you can use a disk cloning program. Just make sure the SSD hard drive is large enough to accept the 1TB disk image transfer.
What I did was to repartition/resize the 1TB HDD into two partitions - 200GB for the Windows C drive and the rest for my apps and media. When I install a SSD drive later, I would clone my 200GB C drive to the SSD drive.
5 years, 10 months ago
by
optimummind
Play your favorite PC games with this 15.6-inch Lenovo laptop. Its Intel Core i7 processor and 8GB of RAM let you run multiple programs without performance lag, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of file storage space. This Lenovo laptop has a powerful NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050Ti graphics card for fast rendering of images and videos.
I have a few queries. 1. I would like to know the exact clock speed in this laptop? 2.When is the model with 144hz fps display going on sale? 3. how vital or how important is the hard drive accelerator (intel optane)? in what way does it benefit?
The Intel Optane Accelerator, by caching your frequently accessed files and programs, will noticeably improve system responsiveness and speed. It definitely is NOT a gimmick and it is a nice thing to have.
5 years, 10 months ago
by
optimummind
Get a better view of the enemy in dark spaces with this 27-inch Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor. Full HD and NVIDIA G-SYNC and ULMB technology decrease blur and ghosting to make images clearer. The lightning-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time of this Acer Predator XB2 gaming monitor mean your shot reaches the target faster.
Is this monitor capable of 4k gaming?
No, the Acer XB272 is only capable of gaming at the 1080P resolution level.
6 years ago
by
optimummind
HP Spectre Laptop: Take your work and games anywhere with this HP Spectre laptop. It runs Windows 10 programs powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and has 8GB of RAM to maximize productivity, and the 11-hour battery life lets you work all day. This HP Spectre laptop has a 256GB solid-state drive for a quick boot time.
How is the fan noise on this laptop? I will be using this in classrooms so it will need to be quiet.
As long as you don't fire up a game or some other demanding app, it won't kick in. With Chrome (~15 tabs open), YouTube playing, and Word open, my fans don't kick in & it's super quiet.
6 years, 4 months ago
by
optimummind
HP Spectre Laptop: Take your work and games anywhere with this HP Spectre laptop. It runs Windows 10 programs powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and has 8GB of RAM to maximize productivity, and the 11-hour battery life lets you work all day. This HP Spectre laptop has a 256GB solid-state drive for a quick boot time.
I want to buy this but I'm concerned about smudging. How easily do the metal accents attract fingerprints?
Barely. I've owned mine since Nov & I think I noticed a smudge only once. It's easy to wipe away. It is NOT like a glossy glass back of a smartphone. HP did a good job with the design.
6 years, 4 months ago
by
optimummind
HP Spectre Laptop: Take your work and games anywhere with this HP Spectre laptop. It runs Windows 10 programs powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and has 8GB of RAM to maximize productivity, and the 11-hour battery life lets you work all day. This HP Spectre laptop has a 256GB solid-state drive for a quick boot time.
Does this have a headphone/mic jack?
HP Spectre Laptop: Take your work and games anywhere with this HP Spectre laptop. It runs Windows 10 programs powered by an Intel Core i7 processor and has 8GB of RAM to maximize productivity, and the 11-hour battery life lets you work all day. This HP Spectre laptop has a 256GB solid-state drive for a quick boot time.
Will this laptop work with a Bluetooth mouse? I read a Bluetooth mouse requires the laptop to have a Bluetooth antennae.
Yes. The laptop has Intel Bluetooth built in.
6 years, 6 months ago
by
optimummind
Clean fur, dust and dander quickly with this Hoover REACT cordless pet vacuum. Integrated sensors automatically adjust the level of suction and the brush roll speed to handle different floor types. This Hoover REACT cordless pet vacuum uses a long-lasting lithium battery, so you can clean the whole room without a recharge.
Is the longer crevice tool the one that is part of the accessory kit ?
Blast through the newest video games with this HP Omen desktop computer. Its 8GB of DDR4 RAM and AMD Ryzen 5 processor let programs operate quickly and provide smooth transitions between applications. This HP Omen desktop computer includes a 1TB hard drive for ample storage and an AMD Radeon graphics card for crisp images.
Which model of the AMD Ryzen 5 Series comes with this computer? This info should be included in the specs. Still playing marketing games. How much did Intel pay you to purposely do this? Shame on you.
It comes with an AMD Ryzen 5 1400 quad-core CPU with 8 threads.
6 years, 7 months ago
by
optimummind
Listen to your playlist in peace with these Sony headphones. They have a 40mm dome driver to deliver the full depth of audio, and the noise cancelling feature minimizes outside disturbances for a better listening experience. These Sony headphones have a battery life of up to 30 hours for extended jam sessions.
The earmuffs can help to reduce more noises than ANC maybe can't do (high frequencies)? How is the passive noise reduction compared with QC35?
I own both the Sony 1000XM2 and the Bose QC 35 II and I find the Bose QC 35 II to offer a little bit better Passive Noise Cancellation. But I think the Sony has better ANC.
6 years, 8 months ago
by
optimummind