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Feel the action with 4K HDR visuals, ultra-fast 144Hz refresh rate, and Full Array Local Dimming contrast that makes game worlds come alive with detail and vibrance. Built for extraordinary gaming performance with support for Nvidia® G-SYNC® and HDMI 2.1 VRR compatibility, the INZONE™ M9 is your path to victory.
Customer Rating
4
Bright, Beautiful, but Flawed
on September 11, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I was very excited when Sony announced its new line of INZONE gaming headsets and monitors. I game exclusively on PS5 and PC, and I've been using the same 27" 1440p gaming monitor for both systems. Of course, PS5 didn't support 1440p natively until recently, and there were very few gaming monitors with HDMI 2.1 that would work seamlessly with PS5. Enter the INZONE M9 monitor. For gamers like me who switch between PS5 and PC, it checks all the boxes: 4K resolution, 144 Hz refresh rate, HDR compatible, and two HDMI 2.1 ports. After a week of using this monitor exclusively, I'm very impressed - but there are a few big drawbacks to be aware of.
=== SETUP AND DESIGN ===
- Sony does not include any video cables with the M9 -- no HDMI cables or DisplayPort cables are anywhere to be found in the box. For such a premium monitor, this seems like a pretty big omission.
- The power brick for this monitor is laughably large. Be sure you have space on or under your desk for the power brick. I'm surprised Sony couldn't find a way to integrate all of the power supply components into the monitor and eliminate the need for a power brick.
- The stand looks nice and is relatively easy to install, but that's about it. It's hardly functional and only allows for minimal height and tilt adjustment. I decided to not use the stand and instead mount it to my Dell dual monitor stand (model MDS19). Luckily the M9 has a standard 100x100mm VESA interface, so you can mount the monitor to a stand of your choosing.
- Since I also have Sony's INZONE H9 headset, I already had Sony's INZONE Hub software installed on my PC. The M9 immediately appeared in the INZONE Hub as soon as I powered it on. It is incredibly easy and convenient to adjust the monitor's settings via this app -- no need to use the OSD menu and joystick on the back of the monitor (although that also works quite well).
- Like the rest of the INZONE lineup, the M9's color is almost an exact match of the white PS5 color. There is a single LED light strip along the top portion of the back of the monitor that can be customized through the INZONE Hub software.
- Sony does not include any video cables with the M9 -- no HDMI cables or DisplayPort cables are anywhere to be found in the box. For such a premium monitor, this seems like a pretty big omission.
- The power brick for this monitor is laughably large. Be sure you have space on or under your desk for the power brick. I'm surprised Sony couldn't find a way to integrate all of the power supply components into the monitor and eliminate the need for a power brick.
- The stand looks nice and is relatively easy to install, but that's about it. It's hardly functional and only allows for minimal height and tilt adjustment. I decided to not use the stand and instead mount it to my Dell dual monitor stand (model MDS19). Luckily the M9 has a standard 100x100mm VESA interface, so you can mount the monitor to a stand of your choosing.
- Since I also have Sony's INZONE H9 headset, I already had Sony's INZONE Hub software installed on my PC. The M9 immediately appeared in the INZONE Hub as soon as I powered it on. It is incredibly easy and convenient to adjust the monitor's settings via this app -- no need to use the OSD menu and joystick on the back of the monitor (although that also works quite well).
- Like the rest of the INZONE lineup, the M9's color is almost an exact match of the white PS5 color. There is a single LED light strip along the top portion of the back of the monitor that can be customized through the INZONE Hub software.
=== FEATURES & DISPLAY QUALITY ===
- One of my biggest gripes with the M9 is how long it takes for "handshakes" to occur when switching inputs or initially powering on a device. This is especially apparent with my PC connected via DisplayPort. It can sometimes take up to 20 or more seconds for the monitor to finally display the signal from my PC. It's not as long for HDMI connections, but it definitely gets frustrating.
- Full array local dimming is the big feature here -- there are supposedly 96 dimming zones, which is pretty good, but there are a handful of premium gaming monitors out there with more. It works pretty well, but there is noticeable blooming when there are bright objects against an otherwise dark/black background. Run one of those "local dimming tests" on YouTube with the moving white ball, and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's not horrible - I've certainly seen WAY worse on cheaper monitors and even some high-end LCD TVs. And luckily I haven't noticed too much blooming during regular gameplay or PC use.
- For the most part, the monitor very bright and colorful, but it gets just a bit dimmer around the edges. On my particular monitor, it's particularly noticeable on PC when looking at the Windows taskbar. The bottom left and right corners of the taskbar look just a bit dim and less colorful compared to the rest of the monitor. Similarly, I've noticed some uniformity issues while staring at Microsoft Word and Excel documents the past few days. If you stare hard enough and long enough at a pure white background, you can see VERY faint vertical gray bars that stretch the length of the monitor. Again, it's not a deal-breaker and is not noticeable in most situations.
- The 4K resolution is excellent, and everything appears incredibly sharp and smooth. The one exception is some elements of the Windows operating system. Windows just doesn't do a great job at scaling 4K down to a more readable density, so some menus and apps appear a bit pixelated. Along the same lines, I noticed a sizeable drop in PC gaming performance stepping up to 4K from 1440p (I run a 3080 Ti). My preference for the M9 would have been 1440p at this 27" size, but I suppose it's nice to future proof.
- All of those gripes aside, the M9 looks great. It supports variable refresh rates, FreeSync, G-SYNC, and also has a built-in USB hub. I've noticed zero ghosting, tearing, or blur and it is simply a joy to game on. When you switch to PS5, the M9 automatically enables "Auto HDR Tonemapping," which lets the console take full advantage of the monitor's HDR capabilities. Unfortunately, this isn't available on PC.
- One of my biggest gripes with the M9 is how long it takes for "handshakes" to occur when switching inputs or initially powering on a device. This is especially apparent with my PC connected via DisplayPort. It can sometimes take up to 20 or more seconds for the monitor to finally display the signal from my PC. It's not as long for HDMI connections, but it definitely gets frustrating.
- Full array local dimming is the big feature here -- there are supposedly 96 dimming zones, which is pretty good, but there are a handful of premium gaming monitors out there with more. It works pretty well, but there is noticeable blooming when there are bright objects against an otherwise dark/black background. Run one of those "local dimming tests" on YouTube with the moving white ball, and you'll see what I'm talking about. It's not horrible - I've certainly seen WAY worse on cheaper monitors and even some high-end LCD TVs. And luckily I haven't noticed too much blooming during regular gameplay or PC use.
- For the most part, the monitor very bright and colorful, but it gets just a bit dimmer around the edges. On my particular monitor, it's particularly noticeable on PC when looking at the Windows taskbar. The bottom left and right corners of the taskbar look just a bit dim and less colorful compared to the rest of the monitor. Similarly, I've noticed some uniformity issues while staring at Microsoft Word and Excel documents the past few days. If you stare hard enough and long enough at a pure white background, you can see VERY faint vertical gray bars that stretch the length of the monitor. Again, it's not a deal-breaker and is not noticeable in most situations.
- The 4K resolution is excellent, and everything appears incredibly sharp and smooth. The one exception is some elements of the Windows operating system. Windows just doesn't do a great job at scaling 4K down to a more readable density, so some menus and apps appear a bit pixelated. Along the same lines, I noticed a sizeable drop in PC gaming performance stepping up to 4K from 1440p (I run a 3080 Ti). My preference for the M9 would have been 1440p at this 27" size, but I suppose it's nice to future proof.
- All of those gripes aside, the M9 looks great. It supports variable refresh rates, FreeSync, G-SYNC, and also has a built-in USB hub. I've noticed zero ghosting, tearing, or blur and it is simply a joy to game on. When you switch to PS5, the M9 automatically enables "Auto HDR Tonemapping," which lets the console take full advantage of the monitor's HDR capabilities. Unfortunately, this isn't available on PC.
=== OVERALL ===
The Sony INZONE M9 is an excellent gaming monitor that is chock-full of features. It makes me wonder why more modern gaming monitors haven't implemented full-array local dimming or customizable settings via a PC app. It is a beautiful and futuristic-looking monitor, but the included stand simply is not functional if you need more than a tiny bit of height and tilt adjustment. It can sometimes take way too long for the monitor to recognize video signals and there are some display uniformity issues, but these are not deal-breakers. If you game on PS5 and PC and want one monitor that provides the best for both platforms, the M9 should be at the top of your shopping list.
The Sony INZONE M9 is an excellent gaming monitor that is chock-full of features. It makes me wonder why more modern gaming monitors haven't implemented full-array local dimming or customizable settings via a PC app. It is a beautiful and futuristic-looking monitor, but the included stand simply is not functional if you need more than a tiny bit of height and tilt adjustment. It can sometimes take way too long for the monitor to recognize video signals and there are some display uniformity issues, but these are not deal-breakers. If you game on PS5 and PC and want one monitor that provides the best for both platforms, the M9 should be at the top of your shopping list.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Sharpen your senses and prepare for your match. Our INZONE H9 headset immerses you in the zone with 360 Spatial Sound for Gaming and noise cancelling for supercharged hearing and super sharp reflexes. Take performance beyond your best, detecting enemies before they see you.
Customer Rating
5
*THE* Headset for PS5 and PC Gamers
on August 24, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I game on both a PC and a PS5 and have struggled to find a headset that I enjoy using on both platforms. Enter Sony's new INZONE line of gaming headsets. The matte white finish of the H9 headset looks like a direct extension of a PS5 console, but the headset works brilliantly on both platforms with excellent audio quality, comfort, and noise cancellation. If you can stomach the price, the H9 might be the only headset you'll need for quite some time.
===DESIGN, COMFORT, & SETUP===
There's no getting around it - this is a large headset. It is basically a larger version of Sony's new WH-1000XM5 headphones with a microphone attached on the left side. If you livestream and are concerned about looking a bit silly, this might not be the headset for you. Personally, I love the clean look and the PS5-white color. There are LED rings around the hinges, but they are not customizable. They glow white when connected via the wireless dongle, and blue when connected via Bluetooth. I have worn the H9 for at least 4 hours a day for the past week and a half and have no complaints regarding comfort. They are lightweight, plush, and have just the right amount of clamping force.
There's no getting around it - this is a large headset. It is basically a larger version of Sony's new WH-1000XM5 headphones with a microphone attached on the left side. If you livestream and are concerned about looking a bit silly, this might not be the headset for you. Personally, I love the clean look and the PS5-white color. There are LED rings around the hinges, but they are not customizable. They glow white when connected via the wireless dongle, and blue when connected via Bluetooth. I have worn the H9 for at least 4 hours a day for the past week and a half and have no complaints regarding comfort. They are lightweight, plush, and have just the right amount of clamping force.
The left headphone holds the boom microphone and also has a volume dial and noise cancelling adjustment button. The right headphone has the power button, Bluetooth pairing button, and a button to adjust the volume balance between game audio and voice chat. The boom microphone is not removable, but the microphone automatically mutes itself when in the upright position.
On PC, the headset's settings can be customized via the INZONE Hub software. Once you plug in the wireless USB dongle to your PC and install INZONE Hub, you're pretty much good to go. Even easier on PS5 -- just plug in the dongle; no software or app to install. On PC, you can use the Sony app on your phone to scan your ear shape to generate a Spatial Audio profile (more on that below). My problem with the INZONE Hub software on PC is that it often fails to recognize the H9 headset, even with the headset turned on and the dongle plugged in. About 50% of the time, I will open the program only to stare at a blank interface with no options. I usually have to restart my PC to get the app to work properly.
===AUDIO QUALITY, NOISE CANCELLATION, & BATTERY LIFE===
I have been struggling to find a wireless PC gaming headset that does not sound muffled or distorted. I've tried various options from Logitech and Corsair only to be disappointed. The INZONE H9 headset sounds excellent to me -- almost equal to the wired Alienware AW510H headset I've been using for several years. Audio on the H9 is crisp and clear with no distortion even at higher volumes. Lower frequencies pack plenty of "oomph," and Sony's version of Spatial Audio is very convincing while gaming. I've played the new Spider-Man Remastered for PC for several hours now and I'm frequently impressed by the surround sound effect of city noise, voices, bullets, etc. appearing to come from all sides of the headset. I couldn't get Dolby Atmos to work with these headphones on PC, so you'll have to stick with Sony's proprietary version of spatial audio.
I have been struggling to find a wireless PC gaming headset that does not sound muffled or distorted. I've tried various options from Logitech and Corsair only to be disappointed. The INZONE H9 headset sounds excellent to me -- almost equal to the wired Alienware AW510H headset I've been using for several years. Audio on the H9 is crisp and clear with no distortion even at higher volumes. Lower frequencies pack plenty of "oomph," and Sony's version of Spatial Audio is very convincing while gaming. I've played the new Spider-Man Remastered for PC for several hours now and I'm frequently impressed by the surround sound effect of city noise, voices, bullets, etc. appearing to come from all sides of the headset. I couldn't get Dolby Atmos to work with these headphones on PC, so you'll have to stick with Sony's proprietary version of spatial audio.
Noise cancelling is also very good, although not as effective or strong as Sony's WH-1000XM4 or XM5 headphone models. Sony says it adapted some of the noise cancelling technology in the H9 from the XM5, though the H9 uses "low pressure" noise cancelling to reduce fatigue and discomfort during long gaming sessions. So these probably won't work too well on an airplane or in a crowded coffee shop, but they do an excellent job in cancelling out noise from fans, air conditioning units, etc.
Sony claims that the H9 can last up to 32 hours on a single charge. I wasn't able to get quite that much battery life, but pretty close. After 6 days of using the headset for about 4-5 hours a day, the headset finally died and needed to be recharged. So I would say battery life is closer to 24-30 hours per charge, but that is still excellent. I just wish you could continue to use the headset with a wired connection when the battery is low or dead.
===OTHER THOUGHTS===
There are a few drawbacks to the INZONE H9 headset, especially at this price point. There is no analog or wired connection option. Microphone quality is good, but there is no mic noise cancelling or equalization controls, so ambient noise is picked up quite easily by this microphone. I love the design and look of the headset, but at this price, I wish Sony would have used some more premium materials rather than just plastic. The INZONE Hub software is great when it works, but it frequently fails to load properly and has not been updated in nearly two months. These are all minor problems, but certainly worth noting if you're considering this $300 headset.
There are a few drawbacks to the INZONE H9 headset, especially at this price point. There is no analog or wired connection option. Microphone quality is good, but there is no mic noise cancelling or equalization controls, so ambient noise is picked up quite easily by this microphone. I love the design and look of the headset, but at this price, I wish Sony would have used some more premium materials rather than just plastic. The INZONE Hub software is great when it works, but it frequently fails to load properly and has not been updated in nearly two months. These are all minor problems, but certainly worth noting if you're considering this $300 headset.
===OVERALL===
For me, the INZONE H9 is a keeper. It checks all the right boxes as someone who games primarily on PC and PS5. If you've used any of Sony's excellent WH-1000 series headphones and are a fan of their audio quality and noise cancellation, then you will love Sony's INZONE H9. I never thought that Sony of all brands would create my ideal PC gaming headset, but here we are. If you can look past the small drawbacks mentioned above and justify the premium price, you won't be disappointed.
For me, the INZONE H9 is a keeper. It checks all the right boxes as someone who games primarily on PC and PS5. If you've used any of Sony's excellent WH-1000 series headphones and are a fan of their audio quality and noise cancellation, then you will love Sony's INZONE H9. I never thought that Sony of all brands would create my ideal PC gaming headset, but here we are. If you can look past the small drawbacks mentioned above and justify the premium price, you won't be disappointed.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Valuable Gen4 performance is here. Introducing the Crucial P3 Plus Gen4 NVMe SSD, delivering impressive speed with sequential reads/writes up to 5000/4200MB/s1 while providing data protection for optimal security. Engineered by Micron with the latest Gen4 NVMe technology, the Crucial P3 Plus comes in generous capacities2 and offers flexible backward compatibility for most Gen3 systems.
Customer Rating
5
Price + Speed + Storage = Excellent Value
on August 17, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
Crucial's new P3 Plus line offers a great ratio of price to performance for Gen 4 NVMe SSDs. They aren't quite as fast as top-of-the-line Gen 4 SSDs like the Crucial P5 Plus or the Samsung 980 Pro, but the high performance of the P3 Plus will satisfy all but the most demanding of users and gamers.
===PROS===
- Speeds are very fast. On this 2 TB model, sequential read speeds top out just over 5,000 MB/s, and sequential write speeds land at about 4,370 MB/s. See the attached benchmark screenshot for more details. Random read/write speeds are slower (roughly 748 MB/s read; 600 MB/s write), but these results are actually faster than some higher priced drives. These speeds are blazing fast at this price and are perfectly suited for gamers and professionals who need fast storage for frequent, large file transfers.
- The P3 Plus is offered in sizes up to 4 TB and the price per gigabyte is some of the best I've seen in an NVMe SSD with these speeds. Just a couple of years ago, a 4 TB drive similar to this would have been nearly double the price.
- I installed this in the spare SSD slot of my new ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 gaming laptop. I've loaded several games to it so far including the Spider-Man Remastered, Resident Evil Village, and Cyberpunk 2077. Load times are excellent and indistinguishable from the higher-end Samsung 980 Pro drive I have in my desktop PC.
- Speeds are very fast. On this 2 TB model, sequential read speeds top out just over 5,000 MB/s, and sequential write speeds land at about 4,370 MB/s. See the attached benchmark screenshot for more details. Random read/write speeds are slower (roughly 748 MB/s read; 600 MB/s write), but these results are actually faster than some higher priced drives. These speeds are blazing fast at this price and are perfectly suited for gamers and professionals who need fast storage for frequent, large file transfers.
- The P3 Plus is offered in sizes up to 4 TB and the price per gigabyte is some of the best I've seen in an NVMe SSD with these speeds. Just a couple of years ago, a 4 TB drive similar to this would have been nearly double the price.
- I installed this in the spare SSD slot of my new ASUS ROG Zephyrus M16 gaming laptop. I've loaded several games to it so far including the Spider-Man Remastered, Resident Evil Village, and Cyberpunk 2077. Load times are excellent and indistinguishable from the higher-end Samsung 980 Pro drive I have in my desktop PC.
===CONS===
- The endurance of the P3 Plus drives is rather low compared to some higher end drives. This 2 TB model has an endurance of 440 TBW (terabytes written), which is the supposed maximum amount of data that can be written to the drive during its lifetime. For comparison, the 2 TB model of the Samsung 980 Pro has an endurance of 1,200 TBW. That's quite a big jump in endurance, so it's something to consider if you'll be frequently writing large files to the drive.
- Because it's a Gen 4 drive, the P3 Plus drives will work with PlayStation 5, but the slower read speeds mean you won't get the best possible performance from the console. If you want to maximize PS5 performance, consider Crucial's P5 Plus or a Samsung 980 Pro.
- The endurance of the P3 Plus drives is rather low compared to some higher end drives. This 2 TB model has an endurance of 440 TBW (terabytes written), which is the supposed maximum amount of data that can be written to the drive during its lifetime. For comparison, the 2 TB model of the Samsung 980 Pro has an endurance of 1,200 TBW. That's quite a big jump in endurance, so it's something to consider if you'll be frequently writing large files to the drive.
- Because it's a Gen 4 drive, the P3 Plus drives will work with PlayStation 5, but the slower read speeds mean you won't get the best possible performance from the console. If you want to maximize PS5 performance, consider Crucial's P5 Plus or a Samsung 980 Pro.
===OVERALL===
For the average user and gamer, this is an excellent drive to use as a boot drive for Windows or to store games and other media. For those who frequently work with very large files and transfer a ton of data every day, then the lower endurance ratings of the P3 Plus lineup is certainly something to keep in mind. But for everyone else, that should be a non-issue and this drive will last a very long time and provide excellent speed at a great price. Highly recommended!
For the average user and gamer, this is an excellent drive to use as a boot drive for Windows or to store games and other media. For those who frequently work with very large files and transfer a ton of data every day, then the lower endurance ratings of the P3 Plus lineup is certainly something to keep in mind. But for everyone else, that should be a non-issue and this drive will last a very long time and provide excellent speed at a great price. Highly recommended!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Meet Pixel 6a, the more affordable Google phone that adapts to you. Powered by Google Tensor, it’s super fast and secure. The battery lasts up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver.***** The Pixel Camera captures the moment just how you experienced it. And with TitanM2 security, protection is built right in.
Customer Rating
4
Google's Budget Flagship Phone
on August 10, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I've used the Pixel 4 as my secondary/work phone for the past few years. The Pixel 4 was a great phone, though it was hindered by very short battery life, a dim display, and questionable face unlock technology. The Pixel 6a improves upon all of these aspects, but sacrifices some high-end features in an effort to keep costs down. Still, the Pixel lineup represents the best Android experience you will find on any smartphone, and the Pixel 6a is a very compelling value in Google's lineup.
=== DESIGN ===
- The Pixel 6a shares the same basic design as the larger Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. This Charcoal color is a fully glossy finish on the back with a very subtle gray undertone. It looks great, though it's a fingerprint magnet. I wish Google would have offered a color with a matte back like the sides of the phone.
- The horizontal camera bar is also a carry-over from the 6 and 6 Pro. It protrudes ever so slightly from the back of the phone, but it's quite flush compared to something like an iPhone 13 Pro. Even better, the relatively flush camera bar means there is no wobble when you set the phone down on a flat surface.
- Google has removed the huge "forehead" above the display that stood out like a sore thumb on the Pixel 4. Instead, the front camera is a hole-punch design at the top of the display and the display takes up almost the entirety of the front of the phone. For some reason, the bezel below the display is just a tiny bit larger than any of the other sides.
- Overall: It's a good-looking phone with a front that is nearly all screen. I do wish Google would have offered the Pixel 6a in a wider variety of colors.
- The Pixel 6a shares the same basic design as the larger Pixel 6 and 6 Pro. This Charcoal color is a fully glossy finish on the back with a very subtle gray undertone. It looks great, though it's a fingerprint magnet. I wish Google would have offered a color with a matte back like the sides of the phone.
- The horizontal camera bar is also a carry-over from the 6 and 6 Pro. It protrudes ever so slightly from the back of the phone, but it's quite flush compared to something like an iPhone 13 Pro. Even better, the relatively flush camera bar means there is no wobble when you set the phone down on a flat surface.
- Google has removed the huge "forehead" above the display that stood out like a sore thumb on the Pixel 4. Instead, the front camera is a hole-punch design at the top of the display and the display takes up almost the entirety of the front of the phone. For some reason, the bezel below the display is just a tiny bit larger than any of the other sides.
- Overall: It's a good-looking phone with a front that is nearly all screen. I do wish Google would have offered the Pixel 6a in a wider variety of colors.
=== DISPLAY ===
- The 6.1" display is sort of the sweet spot for those who want a regular sized phone: not too small; not too large or heavy. Compared to the Pixel 4, the display feels much larger due to the removal of the large "forehead" above the display.
- The 1080p display is clear, sharp, and vivid, and it produces perfect black levels thanks to its OLED technology. It gets much brighter than my Pixel 4 and is very usable outside in bright sunlight.
- Unlike the higher refresh rates on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, the Pixel 6a is locked to 60 Hz. If you've recently used a high-end Android or iPhone Pro model, the difference is quite striking. Going back and forth between the Pixel 6a and my iPhone 13 Pro, the choppier motion on the Pixel is immediately noticeable. If you haven't used a phone with a high screen refresh rate, then you probably won't even notice this, but it's something to consider.
- Luckily, Google has kept the "always-on" feature for the Pixel 6a display, which shows the time, date, and weather when you are near the phone.
- Overall: Considering the cost of the phone, the Pixel 6a has a great display. Most casual users will not notice the lower refresh rate, and the display gets very bright and maintains all the other great benefits of OLED technology.
- The 6.1" display is sort of the sweet spot for those who want a regular sized phone: not too small; not too large or heavy. Compared to the Pixel 4, the display feels much larger due to the removal of the large "forehead" above the display.
- The 1080p display is clear, sharp, and vivid, and it produces perfect black levels thanks to its OLED technology. It gets much brighter than my Pixel 4 and is very usable outside in bright sunlight.
- Unlike the higher refresh rates on the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro, the Pixel 6a is locked to 60 Hz. If you've recently used a high-end Android or iPhone Pro model, the difference is quite striking. Going back and forth between the Pixel 6a and my iPhone 13 Pro, the choppier motion on the Pixel is immediately noticeable. If you haven't used a phone with a high screen refresh rate, then you probably won't even notice this, but it's something to consider.
- Luckily, Google has kept the "always-on" feature for the Pixel 6a display, which shows the time, date, and weather when you are near the phone.
- Overall: Considering the cost of the phone, the Pixel 6a has a great display. Most casual users will not notice the lower refresh rate, and the display gets very bright and maintains all the other great benefits of OLED technology.
=== SOFTWARE, FEATURES, & PERFORMANCE ===
- If you're an Android fan, you will obviously love the stock version of Android 12 on the Pixel 6a. No bloatware, no third party software, no unnecessary logos -- just pure Android. I'm a big fan of Google's new "Material You" design language, which allows you to create dynamic colors across apps and app icons. There are also some Android features that Apple just can't compete with, like call menu option transcripts and letting Google Assistant wait on hold for you. Google says that the Pixel 6a will receive five years of security updates.
- Google has brought under-display fingerprint authentication to the Pixel 6a. It works fine, but it is certainly not fast. It's not as easy as just touching your finger to the designated area on the screen. You actually have to rest your finger there for almost a half second and make sure that your finger is entirely within the white circle. I've used the phone for a week so far, and I can't count the number of times the phone has told me to hold my finger "a little longer" on the screen. I suppose I'll eventually get used to it, but it's not as seamless as Touch ID was on old iPhones.
- The Pixel 6a comes with 128GB of storage, though there is no microSD card expansion slot. It uses the same Tensor processor found in the 6 and 6 Pro, though it has 2GB less RAM compared to the Pixel 6 (6GB vs 8GB). Regardless, the phone is very fast, but it's not quite as fast as the latest offerings from Apple. The multicore Geekbench 5 score of the Pixel 6a is 2903, vs 4719 on the iPhone 13 Pro.
- Overall: Android 12 is excellent, though the under-display fingerprint sensor leaves a lot to be desired. For now, the phone is fast and responsive, I just hope it stays that way after future Android and app updates.
- If you're an Android fan, you will obviously love the stock version of Android 12 on the Pixel 6a. No bloatware, no third party software, no unnecessary logos -- just pure Android. I'm a big fan of Google's new "Material You" design language, which allows you to create dynamic colors across apps and app icons. There are also some Android features that Apple just can't compete with, like call menu option transcripts and letting Google Assistant wait on hold for you. Google says that the Pixel 6a will receive five years of security updates.
- Google has brought under-display fingerprint authentication to the Pixel 6a. It works fine, but it is certainly not fast. It's not as easy as just touching your finger to the designated area on the screen. You actually have to rest your finger there for almost a half second and make sure that your finger is entirely within the white circle. I've used the phone for a week so far, and I can't count the number of times the phone has told me to hold my finger "a little longer" on the screen. I suppose I'll eventually get used to it, but it's not as seamless as Touch ID was on old iPhones.
- The Pixel 6a comes with 128GB of storage, though there is no microSD card expansion slot. It uses the same Tensor processor found in the 6 and 6 Pro, though it has 2GB less RAM compared to the Pixel 6 (6GB vs 8GB). Regardless, the phone is very fast, but it's not quite as fast as the latest offerings from Apple. The multicore Geekbench 5 score of the Pixel 6a is 2903, vs 4719 on the iPhone 13 Pro.
- Overall: Android 12 is excellent, though the under-display fingerprint sensor leaves a lot to be desired. For now, the phone is fast and responsive, I just hope it stays that way after future Android and app updates.
=== CAMERAS ===
- The main camera on the Pixel 6a is borrowed from the Pixel 5a, while the ultrawide camera is the same one found on the 6 and 6 Pro. Both are 12-megapixel sensors and produce good photos, though it is not a dramatic improvement compared to past Pixel models.
- Photos have bright, vivid colors and never seem oversaturated. There's no telephoto sensor on the 6a, so any zoom is all digital, which can result in some blurry photos if you're not close to the subject.
- The real magic of the Pixel 6a's camera is in its image processing and software features made possible by the Tensor processor. "Real Tone" makes sure that all skin tones appear authentic and not washed out or altered. "Face Unblur" uses algorithms to ensure that faces are not blurry when you take photos of moving subjects.
- The "Magic Eraser" feature and allows you to remove unwanted people or objects from your photos. It works brilliantly most of the time, but other times it just leaves a blurry mess or jagged edges around the item I was trying to remove.
- All other camera features of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are present in the 6a (with the exception of Motion Mode). My only gripe is that I sometimes have trouble taking Night Sight shots and Portrait shots. The phone will tell you to "hold still," sometimes for as long as 5 to 10 seconds. And even then, the photos can come out blurry. This was an issue with my Pixel 4 and it doesn't seem to have improved much with the 6a.
- Overall: Photo and camera quality is as expected for a Google Pixel phone. The camera's real strengths lie in Google's image processing and software features, and it's amazing that a phone of this price has such high-end camera features baked in.
- The main camera on the Pixel 6a is borrowed from the Pixel 5a, while the ultrawide camera is the same one found on the 6 and 6 Pro. Both are 12-megapixel sensors and produce good photos, though it is not a dramatic improvement compared to past Pixel models.
- Photos have bright, vivid colors and never seem oversaturated. There's no telephoto sensor on the 6a, so any zoom is all digital, which can result in some blurry photos if you're not close to the subject.
- The real magic of the Pixel 6a's camera is in its image processing and software features made possible by the Tensor processor. "Real Tone" makes sure that all skin tones appear authentic and not washed out or altered. "Face Unblur" uses algorithms to ensure that faces are not blurry when you take photos of moving subjects.
- The "Magic Eraser" feature and allows you to remove unwanted people or objects from your photos. It works brilliantly most of the time, but other times it just leaves a blurry mess or jagged edges around the item I was trying to remove.
- All other camera features of the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro are present in the 6a (with the exception of Motion Mode). My only gripe is that I sometimes have trouble taking Night Sight shots and Portrait shots. The phone will tell you to "hold still," sometimes for as long as 5 to 10 seconds. And even then, the photos can come out blurry. This was an issue with my Pixel 4 and it doesn't seem to have improved much with the 6a.
- Overall: Photo and camera quality is as expected for a Google Pixel phone. The camera's real strengths lie in Google's image processing and software features, and it's amazing that a phone of this price has such high-end camera features baked in.
=== BATTERY ===
- The Pixel 6a has a 4,410mAh battery, which is quite small. However, Google has implemented some excellent software features that result in very good battery life. Google claims that the battery "can last beyond 24 hours" and "up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver."
- Google's claims are mostly accurate, but it will take some close monitoring of your usage and software settings. "Beyond 24 hours" does not refer to actual screen-on time. I used the phone for about 7 hours over the course of a day and a half before the battery finally died. I haven't had a chance to test again using Extreme Battery Saver mode, but I suspect you would be able to squeeze out an extra few hours of use with that enabled. Extreme Battery Saver basically turns off all non-essential apps and only allows notifications from apps that you deem critical.
- Unfortunately, the Pixel 6a does not support wireless charging, which is quite a big loss for a modern smartphone. I've grown to rely on wireless charging quite a bit over the past few years, so I will have to be sure to travel with a spare USB-C cable and wall adapter for the Pixel 6a.
- Fast charging is supported up to 18W, which is fast, but not as fast as the 23W fast charging offered by the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
- Overall: Battery life is dramatically improved compared to my old Pixel 4 and will easily last through a day or more of regular use. There are some very intuitive battery management feature built into Android 12 that can help extend battery life even further. The lack of wireless charging is a big blow, and I fear some users might not discover this omission until after they take home and unbox the Pixel 6a.
- The Pixel 6a has a 4,410mAh battery, which is quite small. However, Google has implemented some excellent software features that result in very good battery life. Google claims that the battery "can last beyond 24 hours" and "up to 72 hours with Extreme Battery Saver."
- Google's claims are mostly accurate, but it will take some close monitoring of your usage and software settings. "Beyond 24 hours" does not refer to actual screen-on time. I used the phone for about 7 hours over the course of a day and a half before the battery finally died. I haven't had a chance to test again using Extreme Battery Saver mode, but I suspect you would be able to squeeze out an extra few hours of use with that enabled. Extreme Battery Saver basically turns off all non-essential apps and only allows notifications from apps that you deem critical.
- Unfortunately, the Pixel 6a does not support wireless charging, which is quite a big loss for a modern smartphone. I've grown to rely on wireless charging quite a bit over the past few years, so I will have to be sure to travel with a spare USB-C cable and wall adapter for the Pixel 6a.
- Fast charging is supported up to 18W, which is fast, but not as fast as the 23W fast charging offered by the Pixel 6 and 6 Pro.
- Overall: Battery life is dramatically improved compared to my old Pixel 4 and will easily last through a day or more of regular use. There are some very intuitive battery management feature built into Android 12 that can help extend battery life even further. The lack of wireless charging is a big blow, and I fear some users might not discover this omission until after they take home and unbox the Pixel 6a.
=== OVERALL ===
The Pixel 6a is Google's "flagship-lite" phone. At its core, it has all of the features that make Pixel phones shine: an excellent Android experience, a great camera system, very good performance, and reliable support and software updates. The display and battery life are much improved compared to the Pixel 4 that I'm upgrading from, though the subpar fingerprint reader and lack of wireless charging might get old pretty quickly. Those things aside, this is a very easy phone to recommend to those who don't need a large screen or every high-end/premium feature. The feature set offered by the Pixel 6a is absolutely unmatched at this price range.
The Pixel 6a is Google's "flagship-lite" phone. At its core, it has all of the features that make Pixel phones shine: an excellent Android experience, a great camera system, very good performance, and reliable support and software updates. The display and battery life are much improved compared to the Pixel 4 that I'm upgrading from, though the subpar fingerprint reader and lack of wireless charging might get old pretty quickly. Those things aside, this is a very easy phone to recommend to those who don't need a large screen or every high-end/premium feature. The feature set offered by the Pixel 6a is absolutely unmatched at this price range.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+40points
49of 58voted this as helpful.
Show off that new powerful gaming PC and illuminate your room in the multi-hued ambience of ARGB as fiery FrostBlade fans hum in an endless high-speed harmony-giving constant cool to the Herculean hardware hidden away within. Powered by a 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and high-performance NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3070 graphics, the Predator Orion 5000 delivers an awe-inspiring gaming experience that's second to none! Get ready for an unforgettable gaming experience that ignites the senses and takes your passion to new heights!
Customer Rating
4
Beautiful on the Outside; Powerful but Ugly Inside
on August 6, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I've used a few different pre-built gaming PCs over the past several years, but this is my first one from Acer. The drawbacks of pre-built PCs are well-known, including proprietary parts, poor cooling, and limited upgradability. Luckily, the Acer Predator Orion 5000 avoids most of these pitfalls and delivers great performance with the RTX 3070 + i7-12700F. I just wish the inside of the case looked as good as it performs.
=== DESIGN & CONNECTIVITY ===
- The Orion 5000 case is a tank — it is heavy and the chassis is nearly all metal, making it very sturdy. The front fans are surrounded in mesh for ample cooling. Acer claims that this case uses a “tool-less design,” but I still had to use a screw driver to loosen the screws to remove the glass side panel.
- There are four fans in the case — two at the front, one for the CPU, and one rear exhaust fan. All four fans are RGB-enabled and can be customized through the PredatorSense software. The Acer Predator logo at the front of the case also lights up. There are also some individual LEDs on the motherboard around the CPU that can be customized.
- Front I/O is pretty good, with three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, as well as headphone and microphone jacks. There are only 5 USB-A ports on the back of the machine, which seems small compared to other systems I’ve used.
- Important to know: the Intel i7 CPU variant in this system (12700F) does NOT have on-board/integrated graphics, so there are no DisplayPort or HDMI ports directly on the motherboard. If you ever remove the GPU for any reason, you won’t be able to plug a monitor into the system.
- Taking off the side glass panel is when things start to get ugly. This is a big case with a lot of open space inside, which is great for cooling. But Acer has done nothing to take advantage of this space. The GPU looks laughably small, especially connected to the metal support bracket which is nearly half its size. The motherboard is very small for a case of this size (appears to micro-ATX size), leaving tons of empty space under the GPU. The PSU cables are not braided and are secured with white zip-ties (at least the cables are black and not ketchup-and-mustard style). There are at least 6 inches of open space under the GPU, leaving bare many of the other cables the plug into the bottom of the motherboard. There are two sticks of DDR5 RAM, but they are the ugly OEM green style. There is also an unsightly cage for two 3.5-inch HDDs in the bottom right corner. None of these parts appear to be proprietary (even the PSU appears to be a standard ATX 800w PSU), but I expected a little better in a system at this price point. Luckily, most of this ugliness is not visible when the side panel is on.
- The Orion 5000 case is a tank — it is heavy and the chassis is nearly all metal, making it very sturdy. The front fans are surrounded in mesh for ample cooling. Acer claims that this case uses a “tool-less design,” but I still had to use a screw driver to loosen the screws to remove the glass side panel.
- There are four fans in the case — two at the front, one for the CPU, and one rear exhaust fan. All four fans are RGB-enabled and can be customized through the PredatorSense software. The Acer Predator logo at the front of the case also lights up. There are also some individual LEDs on the motherboard around the CPU that can be customized.
- Front I/O is pretty good, with three USB-A ports, one USB-C port, as well as headphone and microphone jacks. There are only 5 USB-A ports on the back of the machine, which seems small compared to other systems I’ve used.
- Important to know: the Intel i7 CPU variant in this system (12700F) does NOT have on-board/integrated graphics, so there are no DisplayPort or HDMI ports directly on the motherboard. If you ever remove the GPU for any reason, you won’t be able to plug a monitor into the system.
- Taking off the side glass panel is when things start to get ugly. This is a big case with a lot of open space inside, which is great for cooling. But Acer has done nothing to take advantage of this space. The GPU looks laughably small, especially connected to the metal support bracket which is nearly half its size. The motherboard is very small for a case of this size (appears to micro-ATX size), leaving tons of empty space under the GPU. The PSU cables are not braided and are secured with white zip-ties (at least the cables are black and not ketchup-and-mustard style). There are at least 6 inches of open space under the GPU, leaving bare many of the other cables the plug into the bottom of the motherboard. There are two sticks of DDR5 RAM, but they are the ugly OEM green style. There is also an unsightly cage for two 3.5-inch HDDs in the bottom right corner. None of these parts appear to be proprietary (even the PSU appears to be a standard ATX 800w PSU), but I expected a little better in a system at this price point. Luckily, most of this ugliness is not visible when the side panel is on.
=== PERFORMANCE, COOLING, & UPGRADES ===
- The RTX 3070 in this machine is very capable and stays very cool during gaming. If you’re gaming at 1440p or below, an RTX 3070 is the sweet spot and you can likely skip the 3080 variant of this system.
- Time Spy benchmark: 13,447 (graphics score 13,229; CPU score 14,839). Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p; Ray Tracing Ultra, DLSS Balanced): 55 fps average. Guardians of the Galaxy (1440p; High preset, Ray Tracing High): 110 fps. Halo Infinite (1440p; High preset): 75 fps average. These numbers are right in line with expected results, so Acer has not limited the performance of any hardware in this machine.
- The Intel i7-12700F is a very impressive CPU that will provide excellent performance for years to come. Compared to my other system with an unlocked 12700K, the Time Spy benchmark is a bit lower (CPU score of 14,839 vs 17,189). But for most users, this will have zero impact unless you need extreme performance for rendering or video editing.
- The included Wi-Fi card is capable of Wi-Fi 6E, allowing the system to connect to very fast 6 GHz networks. I've run several speed tests while connected to the 6 GHz band of my ASUS GT-AXE6000. Amazingly, I can nearly max out my Internet speed of 940mbps (download and upload) with the Wi-Fi 6E card in this laptop.
- This machine stays very cool during gaming. Both CPU and GPU temperatures hover in the 60s, though some of this will depend on the fan settings you choose in the PredatorSense software. There are only two fan presets (“Auto” and “Gaming”), though you can also individually control the speed of each fan. I don’t see an obvious way in the software to set a fan curve (so that fan speeds will increase only when needed), so you may need to get in the habit of manually adjusting the fan settings before you start gaming.
- Luckily, leaving the fans on “Auto” should be fine for most. I didn’t see any dramatic performance gains by selecting the “Gaming” preset. Either way, the fans are relatively quiet under heavy loads. Not silent by any means, but I’ve certainly heard louder fans from pre-built PCs. The large case with tons of air flow helps to keep things cool and keeps fan noise to a reasonable level. When idle, the system is whisper quiet and I can’t hear the fans unless I put my ear right next to the case.
- The 16 GB of DDR5 RAM is clocked at 4400 MHz. I would like to eventually upgrade to 32GB with better-looking sticks and possibly a higher speed, but it’s not clear which RAM speeds are supported by this motherboard.
- Upgradability is very good given the large amount of space available in this case. If you remove the GPU support bracket, you can easily fit a much longer GPU. There is plenty of space under the GPU to allow for a thicker card as well. The included PSU is not modular, but it is 800W and should suffice for most upgrades in the future. But the PSU can also be swapped out in the future thanks to its standard ATX size/enclosure. The HDD bay allows for two hard drives (or 2.5-inch SSDs with adapters), but I would have rather seen an additional M.2 slot on the motherboard.
- The RTX 3070 in this machine is very capable and stays very cool during gaming. If you’re gaming at 1440p or below, an RTX 3070 is the sweet spot and you can likely skip the 3080 variant of this system.
- Time Spy benchmark: 13,447 (graphics score 13,229; CPU score 14,839). Cyberpunk 2077 (1440p; Ray Tracing Ultra, DLSS Balanced): 55 fps average. Guardians of the Galaxy (1440p; High preset, Ray Tracing High): 110 fps. Halo Infinite (1440p; High preset): 75 fps average. These numbers are right in line with expected results, so Acer has not limited the performance of any hardware in this machine.
- The Intel i7-12700F is a very impressive CPU that will provide excellent performance for years to come. Compared to my other system with an unlocked 12700K, the Time Spy benchmark is a bit lower (CPU score of 14,839 vs 17,189). But for most users, this will have zero impact unless you need extreme performance for rendering or video editing.
- The included Wi-Fi card is capable of Wi-Fi 6E, allowing the system to connect to very fast 6 GHz networks. I've run several speed tests while connected to the 6 GHz band of my ASUS GT-AXE6000. Amazingly, I can nearly max out my Internet speed of 940mbps (download and upload) with the Wi-Fi 6E card in this laptop.
- This machine stays very cool during gaming. Both CPU and GPU temperatures hover in the 60s, though some of this will depend on the fan settings you choose in the PredatorSense software. There are only two fan presets (“Auto” and “Gaming”), though you can also individually control the speed of each fan. I don’t see an obvious way in the software to set a fan curve (so that fan speeds will increase only when needed), so you may need to get in the habit of manually adjusting the fan settings before you start gaming.
- Luckily, leaving the fans on “Auto” should be fine for most. I didn’t see any dramatic performance gains by selecting the “Gaming” preset. Either way, the fans are relatively quiet under heavy loads. Not silent by any means, but I’ve certainly heard louder fans from pre-built PCs. The large case with tons of air flow helps to keep things cool and keeps fan noise to a reasonable level. When idle, the system is whisper quiet and I can’t hear the fans unless I put my ear right next to the case.
- The 16 GB of DDR5 RAM is clocked at 4400 MHz. I would like to eventually upgrade to 32GB with better-looking sticks and possibly a higher speed, but it’s not clear which RAM speeds are supported by this motherboard.
- Upgradability is very good given the large amount of space available in this case. If you remove the GPU support bracket, you can easily fit a much longer GPU. There is plenty of space under the GPU to allow for a thicker card as well. The included PSU is not modular, but it is 800W and should suffice for most upgrades in the future. But the PSU can also be swapped out in the future thanks to its standard ATX size/enclosure. The HDD bay allows for two hard drives (or 2.5-inch SSDs with adapters), but I would have rather seen an additional M.2 slot on the motherboard.
=== OVERALL ===
All things considered, this is a very powerful and well-equipped PC. The RTX 3070 and 12-700F will provide excellent performance for the vast majority of PC gamers. I really like the design of the case and its solid construction, though I wish more attention was given to the appearance of the components used inside. Regardless, when the side panel is on and the RGB lights enabled, most of that ugliness fades away and you are left with a powerful system that runs very cool and quiet. Best of all, there is plenty of room inside for future upgrades and expansion.
All things considered, this is a very powerful and well-equipped PC. The RTX 3070 and 12-700F will provide excellent performance for the vast majority of PC gamers. I really like the design of the case and its solid construction, though I wish more attention was given to the appearance of the components used inside. Regardless, when the side panel is on and the RGB lights enabled, most of that ugliness fades away and you are left with a powerful system that runs very cool and quiet. Best of all, there is plenty of room inside for future upgrades and expansion.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+12points
20of 28voted this as helpful.
The Dyson Outsize+ is Dyson's largest intelligent cordless vacuum with laser illumination. It is engineered with the suction power, additional run time, larger format, and tools designed to deep clean your whole home. A laser on the Laser Slim Fluffy cleaner head reveals invisible dust on hard floors. In auto mode, the machine optimizes power and run time based on floor type. Dyson's de-tangling Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head deep cleans carpets and hard floors. The 25% wider cleaner head, 150% larger bin, and twice the run time compared to the Dyson V15 Detect covers more floor with each pass and allows for more cleaning between bin emptying and charges. Its versatile cordless format transforms into a handled vacuum with one click so you can clean up high, down low, and everywhere in-between. Comes with a 2-year warranty and lifetime Dyson support.
Customer Rating
5
Big Time Clean - No More Upright Needed
on July 27, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I own a couple of different Dyson cordless vacuums, including the V7 Fluffy and V15 Detect. One vacuum usually doesn't have enough battery life or dust bin capacity to cover my entire house, so I've placed each one at different areas around the house. This new Outsize+ model finally has the bin capacity, battery life, and features I need to make it my one and only vacuum for the entire 3,000 square foot house. It takes some of the best features of the V15 Detect model and adds extra bin capacity and battery life for those who need to clean large areas.
=== UNBOXING AND OVERVIEW ===
- Like every Dyson cordless model, the Outsize+ is extremely easy to unbox and set up, though be prepared to sift through a lot of cardboard and protective packaging to find everything in the box.
- The Outsize+ features a matte red stainless steel-looking color on the wand. It doesn't show any fingerprints, but the red color certainly stands out amongst my neutral-colored home décor.
- The Outsize+ comes with two cleaner heads (the Laser Slim Fluffy and the Digital Motorbar XL) and five attachments (hair screw tool; soft dusting brush; crevice tool; combination tool; and stubborn dirt brush).
- Two click-in batteries are included, and the battery is very easy to swap out when one runs out of charge. Two wall chargers are also included, so you can charge both batteries at once and make sure you always have a back-up. With both batteries fully charged, Dyson claims you can get up to 2 hours of run time (1 hour per battery).
- This model is missing some of the intelligent features of the V15 Detect, such as the measurements of dust particles and sizes shown on the screen after each use. But I suspect this won't be a deal-breaker for most people.
- Compared to the 0.2 gallon bin on the V15 Detect, the 0.5 gallon bin on the Outsize+ is 150% larger. This is great for vacuuming the entire house, but the Outsize+ is noticeably heavier than any other Dyson cordless vacuum I've used. Definitely something to keep in mind.
- Like every Dyson cordless model, the Outsize+ is extremely easy to unbox and set up, though be prepared to sift through a lot of cardboard and protective packaging to find everything in the box.
- The Outsize+ features a matte red stainless steel-looking color on the wand. It doesn't show any fingerprints, but the red color certainly stands out amongst my neutral-colored home décor.
- The Outsize+ comes with two cleaner heads (the Laser Slim Fluffy and the Digital Motorbar XL) and five attachments (hair screw tool; soft dusting brush; crevice tool; combination tool; and stubborn dirt brush).
- Two click-in batteries are included, and the battery is very easy to swap out when one runs out of charge. Two wall chargers are also included, so you can charge both batteries at once and make sure you always have a back-up. With both batteries fully charged, Dyson claims you can get up to 2 hours of run time (1 hour per battery).
- This model is missing some of the intelligent features of the V15 Detect, such as the measurements of dust particles and sizes shown on the screen after each use. But I suspect this won't be a deal-breaker for most people.
- Compared to the 0.2 gallon bin on the V15 Detect, the 0.5 gallon bin on the Outsize+ is 150% larger. This is great for vacuuming the entire house, but the Outsize+ is noticeably heavier than any other Dyson cordless vacuum I've used. Definitely something to keep in mind.
=== LASER SLIM FLUFFY HEAD PERFORMANCE ===
- The laser Fluffy head is Dyson's best innovation in years. I've used it for over a year on the V15 Detect, and I'm so glad it's included with the Outsize+. My house is almost 90% hard floors, and they have never felt so clean. Gone are the days of wondering if you've actually picked up all of the dust and crumbs on your hard floor. As you can see in the attached photo, there is a green laser on the right side of the Fluffy head that projects at a 90-degree angle.
- The laser works great, though it is a bit dim on the left side of the head. Regardless, I have found dust and crumbs in places on my floor that I never thought were there. The laser reveals even the smallest amount of dust and hair so you can be sure you don't miss anything.
- The laser does not work very well in a bright room. For the best performance, I have to turn off most of my lights and close my blinds. Not a huge deal to me as that is a small price to pay for a clean floor.
- The laser can be turned off via a small switch on the head itself, though it's unclear what impact this has on battery life (probably little or none).
- The laser Fluffy head is Dyson's best innovation in years. I've used it for over a year on the V15 Detect, and I'm so glad it's included with the Outsize+. My house is almost 90% hard floors, and they have never felt so clean. Gone are the days of wondering if you've actually picked up all of the dust and crumbs on your hard floor. As you can see in the attached photo, there is a green laser on the right side of the Fluffy head that projects at a 90-degree angle.
- The laser works great, though it is a bit dim on the left side of the head. Regardless, I have found dust and crumbs in places on my floor that I never thought were there. The laser reveals even the smallest amount of dust and hair so you can be sure you don't miss anything.
- The laser does not work very well in a bright room. For the best performance, I have to turn off most of my lights and close my blinds. Not a huge deal to me as that is a small price to pay for a clean floor.
- The laser can be turned off via a small switch on the head itself, though it's unclear what impact this has on battery life (probably little or none).
=== DIGITAL MOTORBAR XL HEAD ===
- This XL cleaner head is 25% larger than the one included with the V15 Detect and is mainly for use on rugs and carpet, though it can also be used on hard floors. The cleaner head has "hair removal vanes" that prevent hair from wrapping around the bar as you vacuum.
- Once again, it works as advertised. I have vacuumed the carpets in my bedrooms extensively with this cleaner head and have not noticed any hair wrapped around the bristles -- it all makes its way into the bin.
- Like the Fluffy head, the Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head will adjust the vacuum's suction based on floor type and carpet thickness to maximize battery life and cleaning performance. On both cleaner heads, you can choose Eco, Auto, or Boost modes via a button below the LCD screen. Boost mode obviously provides the best performance but there is a big hit to battery life.
- You can also adjust the suction of this cleaner head using the red adjustment slider on the front. Sliding it towards the plus (+) side increases suction for heavily soiled carpets, while the minus (-) side is best for deep pile carpets or if you need to capture larger debris.
- This XL cleaner head is 25% larger than the one included with the V15 Detect and is mainly for use on rugs and carpet, though it can also be used on hard floors. The cleaner head has "hair removal vanes" that prevent hair from wrapping around the bar as you vacuum.
- Once again, it works as advertised. I have vacuumed the carpets in my bedrooms extensively with this cleaner head and have not noticed any hair wrapped around the bristles -- it all makes its way into the bin.
- Like the Fluffy head, the Digital Motorbar XL cleaner head will adjust the vacuum's suction based on floor type and carpet thickness to maximize battery life and cleaning performance. On both cleaner heads, you can choose Eco, Auto, or Boost modes via a button below the LCD screen. Boost mode obviously provides the best performance but there is a big hit to battery life.
- You can also adjust the suction of this cleaner head using the red adjustment slider on the front. Sliding it towards the plus (+) side increases suction for heavily soiled carpets, while the minus (-) side is best for deep pile carpets or if you need to capture larger debris.
=== OTHER FEATURES AND THOUGHTS ===
- Like other Dyson cordless models, the Outsize+ is very easy to clean and maintain. The point-and-shoot design of the canister makes it very easy to empty debris directly into a trash can, though the added weight of the larger bin can make this a bit of a challenge when it's full. The filter keeps dust out of the air and is easy to clean by just running it under a faucet.
- I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Outsize+ fits perfectly in my Floor Dok that was originally designed for the V11 (see photo). To get it to charge in the Dok, I had to add a bit of padding in the charging cradle underneath the plug/barrel to raise it up higher. The charging port on the Outsize+ is a bit more recessed than that of the V11, so you have to make the barrel protrude a bit further up from the Dok. I believe the newest variant of the Floor Dok is fully compatible with the Outsize+ with no adjustments needed.
- I appreciate the variety of smaller tools/attachments that are included, but it is certainly a bit hard/awkward to use those tools given the increased weight of the Outsize+.
- Like other Dyson cordless models, the Outsize+ is very easy to clean and maintain. The point-and-shoot design of the canister makes it very easy to empty debris directly into a trash can, though the added weight of the larger bin can make this a bit of a challenge when it's full. The filter keeps dust out of the air and is easy to clean by just running it under a faucet.
- I was pleasantly surprised to see that the Outsize+ fits perfectly in my Floor Dok that was originally designed for the V11 (see photo). To get it to charge in the Dok, I had to add a bit of padding in the charging cradle underneath the plug/barrel to raise it up higher. The charging port on the Outsize+ is a bit more recessed than that of the V11, so you have to make the barrel protrude a bit further up from the Dok. I believe the newest variant of the Floor Dok is fully compatible with the Outsize+ with no adjustments needed.
- I appreciate the variety of smaller tools/attachments that are included, but it is certainly a bit hard/awkward to use those tools given the increased weight of the Outsize+.
=== OVERALL ===
The Dyson Outsize+ is the new go-to cordless vacuum for those who want to vacuum their larger homes in one go without having to worry about battery life or dust bin size. Forget the old, clunky upright vacuum – this is your new one-stop shop. It has everything you need for hard floors and carpets, with the laser Fluffy head being essential to my cleaning routine. The versatility and expandability of this vacuum is unmatched by any other brand. Highly recommended!
The Dyson Outsize+ is the new go-to cordless vacuum for those who want to vacuum their larger homes in one go without having to worry about battery life or dust bin size. Forget the old, clunky upright vacuum – this is your new one-stop shop. It has everything you need for hard floors and carpets, with the laser Fluffy head being essential to my cleaning routine. The versatility and expandability of this vacuum is unmatched by any other brand. Highly recommended!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+17points
18of 19voted this as helpful.
The CORSAIR HS80 RGB USB Gaming Headset delivers incredibly detailed sound through custom-tuned 50mm neodymium audio drivers. Dolby Audio® 7.1 surround sound puts you in the middle of the action, while a broadcast-grade omni-directional microphone captures your voice with outstanding clarity. Play in plush comfort with memory foam earpads and a stress-free floating headband design, with years of durability thanks to sturdy construction reinforced with aluminum. A USB wired connection offers high-fidelity 24bit/96kHz sound. Powerful CORSAIR iCUE software enables in-depth customization of audio settings and RGB lighting, letting you hear every shot, step, and shout like never before.
Customer Rating
3
Nice Looks, Mediocre Fit and Audio Quality
on June 16, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I've used a few different gaming headsets from Logitech, Alienware, and Razer, but this is my first experience with a Corsair headset. The HS80 seems like a great value with built-in RGB and a premium build. As nice as the headset looks, it doesn't seem to fit my head very well and has sub-par audio quality.
=== PROS ===
- The headset feels very premium. The top of the headband is a soft-touch plastic, while the headband that touches your head is a soft, plush leather-like material. The earcups are very well padded and are a nice, soft cloth fabric. There is a nice weight to the headset that makes it feel substantial and not like cheap plastic.
- The earcup openings are quite large and should fit most sizes of ears.
- The microphone is attached to the left earcup and is very easy to flip up or down as needed. The microphone mutes itself as soon as you flip it up, and a red LED on the tip of the microphone will turn on to let you know that it is muted. Microphone quality is excellent with minimal background noise and crisp vocals. This is probably the best microphone quality I've heard from any gaming headset I've used.
- The USB cord is plenty long (roughly 6 feet), though it cannot be detached from the headset (which would make it easier to travel with).
- The iCUE software is straightforward and makes it easy to customize the RGB lighting on both earcups. The RGB lighting is subtle and not over-the-top. The Corsair logos and the microphone tip are the only LEDs on the headset.
- The headset uses a "floating headband" design which means that it adjusts to your head immediately when you put it on your head. No manual adjustments are required.
- The headset feels very premium. The top of the headband is a soft-touch plastic, while the headband that touches your head is a soft, plush leather-like material. The earcups are very well padded and are a nice, soft cloth fabric. There is a nice weight to the headset that makes it feel substantial and not like cheap plastic.
- The earcup openings are quite large and should fit most sizes of ears.
- The microphone is attached to the left earcup and is very easy to flip up or down as needed. The microphone mutes itself as soon as you flip it up, and a red LED on the tip of the microphone will turn on to let you know that it is muted. Microphone quality is excellent with minimal background noise and crisp vocals. This is probably the best microphone quality I've heard from any gaming headset I've used.
- The USB cord is plenty long (roughly 6 feet), though it cannot be detached from the headset (which would make it easier to travel with).
- The iCUE software is straightforward and makes it easy to customize the RGB lighting on both earcups. The RGB lighting is subtle and not over-the-top. The Corsair logos and the microphone tip are the only LEDs on the headset.
- The headset uses a "floating headband" design which means that it adjusts to your head immediately when you put it on your head. No manual adjustments are required.
=== CONS ===
- The headset is comfortable, but the earcups do not seem to fit snugly around my ears or fully rest against my head. The bottoms of the earcups protrude out ever so slightly right above my jaw, failing to make a tight seal and letting in ambient noise. Maybe it's just the shape of my head, but I haven't had this problem with any other gaming headsets or headphones. It's not a deal-breaker, but you might want to try this headset on in a store before you purchase.
- The microphone is not removable. I sometimes go days without needing to use a microphone, so it would be nice to be able to detach it as needed.
- The volume and microphone mute controls are awkwardly placed on the back of the left earcup. I would prefer to have these controls built in to the USB cable, which would be more easily accessible.
- To me, the audio quality of this headset is mediocre at best. Everything sounds very distant, muted, and muffled compared to my Alienware AW510H headset. They get plenty loud and have pretty good performance in low frequencies/bass response, but vocals, music, and in-game dialogue just sound very muddy to me. I've tried tinkering with the equalizer in iCUE and noticed some minimal improvements. Turning on "Dolby Atmos for Headphones" in Windows audio settings also seems to help. But as soon as I switch back to my Alienware headset, I can immediately tell how much crisper and clearer they sound.
- The headset is comfortable, but the earcups do not seem to fit snugly around my ears or fully rest against my head. The bottoms of the earcups protrude out ever so slightly right above my jaw, failing to make a tight seal and letting in ambient noise. Maybe it's just the shape of my head, but I haven't had this problem with any other gaming headsets or headphones. It's not a deal-breaker, but you might want to try this headset on in a store before you purchase.
- The microphone is not removable. I sometimes go days without needing to use a microphone, so it would be nice to be able to detach it as needed.
- The volume and microphone mute controls are awkwardly placed on the back of the left earcup. I would prefer to have these controls built in to the USB cable, which would be more easily accessible.
- To me, the audio quality of this headset is mediocre at best. Everything sounds very distant, muted, and muffled compared to my Alienware AW510H headset. They get plenty loud and have pretty good performance in low frequencies/bass response, but vocals, music, and in-game dialogue just sound very muddy to me. I've tried tinkering with the equalizer in iCUE and noticed some minimal improvements. Turning on "Dolby Atmos for Headphones" in Windows audio settings also seems to help. But as soon as I switch back to my Alienware headset, I can immediately tell how much crisper and clearer they sound.
=== OVERALL ===
The Corsair HS80 certainly earns the "premium" label in terms of looks and build quality. Its RGB lighting effects are tasteful and easy to customize through Corsair's iCUE software. The microphone is easily the best I've ever used in any gaming headset. I just wish that I could slightly adjust the fit so that the earcups created a full seal around my ears. As it stands, there are no adjustments whatsoever that can be made to the fit of this headset. If you've had issues with other headsets fitting your head, I would advise that you head to your local store to try on the HS80 before purchasing. Audio quality seems just OK to me, though this will come down to personal preference and the amount of time you have to tinker with the equalizer settings.
The Corsair HS80 certainly earns the "premium" label in terms of looks and build quality. Its RGB lighting effects are tasteful and easy to customize through Corsair's iCUE software. The microphone is easily the best I've ever used in any gaming headset. I just wish that I could slightly adjust the fit so that the earcups created a full seal around my ears. As it stands, there are no adjustments whatsoever that can be made to the fit of this headset. If you've had issues with other headsets fitting your head, I would advise that you head to your local store to try on the HS80 before purchasing. Audio quality seems just OK to me, though this will come down to personal preference and the amount of time you have to tinker with the equalizer settings.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
4of 7voted this as helpful.
Upgrade your TV, music, and gaming experiences with this impressively compact and easy-to-use soundbar. Experience precisely balanced sound, including crisp dialogue and solid bass, plus streamlined control with your TV remote, the Sonos app, Apple AirPlay 2, and more.
Customer Rating
4
Great Sound, but no HDMI Connectivity
on June 6, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I'm a huge fan of the Sonos multi-speaker ecosystem. I have eight Sonos speakers around my house, including the original Playbar soundbar on my main living room TV. Sonos speakers are known for their incredibly simple setup and ease-of-use, and the new Ray soundbar is no exception. It integrates perfectly with the rest of my Sonos speakers and sounds infinitely better than my bedroom TV's built-in speakers. However, the lack of an HDMI port on the Ray causes some frustrations that really should be a thing of the past in 2022.
===PROS===
- If you already own other Sonos products or have set up Sonos speakers in the past, then the Ray is incredibly easy to set up. The soundbar can only connect to your TV via an optical cable (included), so there's not much room for confusion. You may need to go into your TV's audio settings and change it to "optical out" like I did. After you've connected the Ray to your TV, you can add the Ray to the Sonos app and pair it with an existing Sonos system if you have one.
- The Ray is the perfect size for bedrooms or smaller entertainment stands. It is just over 2.5 inches tall, so you will want to make sure that it won't block your TV screen. Compared to the Bose TV Speaker soundbar that I have in my other bedroom, the Sonos Ray doesn't feel quite as sleek or compact, though it still looks nice.
- As expected, the audio quality of the Ray is lightyears ahead of my TV's built-in speakers. Dialogue is crisp and clear. Highs and bass are very rich. Nothing sounds overpowered or distorted. For smaller living rooms and bedrooms, the Sonos Ray delivers excellent sound for casual TV and movie watching.
- There is minimal surround effect from this soundbar, but luckily you can pair it with two Sonos One speakers to achieve a true surround sound effect.
- The Sonos ecosystem opens up the Ray to a vast library of music content from all major streaming providers. And music from the Ray sounds just as good (or maybe even better than) my smaller Sonos One speakers. The Ray also supports AirPlay 2 so you can easily beam music from your iPhone or iPad to the soundbar.
- If you already own other Sonos products or have set up Sonos speakers in the past, then the Ray is incredibly easy to set up. The soundbar can only connect to your TV via an optical cable (included), so there's not much room for confusion. You may need to go into your TV's audio settings and change it to "optical out" like I did. After you've connected the Ray to your TV, you can add the Ray to the Sonos app and pair it with an existing Sonos system if you have one.
- The Ray is the perfect size for bedrooms or smaller entertainment stands. It is just over 2.5 inches tall, so you will want to make sure that it won't block your TV screen. Compared to the Bose TV Speaker soundbar that I have in my other bedroom, the Sonos Ray doesn't feel quite as sleek or compact, though it still looks nice.
- As expected, the audio quality of the Ray is lightyears ahead of my TV's built-in speakers. Dialogue is crisp and clear. Highs and bass are very rich. Nothing sounds overpowered or distorted. For smaller living rooms and bedrooms, the Sonos Ray delivers excellent sound for casual TV and movie watching.
- There is minimal surround effect from this soundbar, but luckily you can pair it with two Sonos One speakers to achieve a true surround sound effect.
- The Sonos ecosystem opens up the Ray to a vast library of music content from all major streaming providers. And music from the Ray sounds just as good (or maybe even better than) my smaller Sonos One speakers. The Ray also supports AirPlay 2 so you can easily beam music from your iPhone or iPad to the soundbar.
===CONS===
- The omission of an HDMI port is very disappointing, especially in this price range. I've seen soundbars that cost less than $100 with HDMI ports included. So the decision to not include one here is very perplexing and leads to some inconveniences as noted below.
- The volume can only be controlled using infrared (IR) remote controls or via the Sonos app. If your TV or preferred remote control uses radio frequency (RF), it's not going to work with the Ray, and you'll be stuck using the app to control your soundbar's volume.
- Sonos also markets the Ray as a "gaming speaker," but not many gaming monitors or computers have optical outputs that will work with the Ray. Most modern game consoles also do not have optical ports.
- There is no apparent way to tell what volume level the soundbar is at. The light on the soundbar blinks when you adjust volume, but there's no way of knowing how many levels of adjustment there are or how far you are from max volume.
- The status light is front and center above the Sonos logo, which can be distracting when watching TV in a dark room. Luckily, you can turn off the light via the Sonos app.
- The omission of an HDMI port is very disappointing, especially in this price range. I've seen soundbars that cost less than $100 with HDMI ports included. So the decision to not include one here is very perplexing and leads to some inconveniences as noted below.
- The volume can only be controlled using infrared (IR) remote controls or via the Sonos app. If your TV or preferred remote control uses radio frequency (RF), it's not going to work with the Ray, and you'll be stuck using the app to control your soundbar's volume.
- Sonos also markets the Ray as a "gaming speaker," but not many gaming monitors or computers have optical outputs that will work with the Ray. Most modern game consoles also do not have optical ports.
- There is no apparent way to tell what volume level the soundbar is at. The light on the soundbar blinks when you adjust volume, but there's no way of knowing how many levels of adjustment there are or how far you are from max volume.
- The status light is front and center above the Sonos logo, which can be distracting when watching TV in a dark room. Luckily, you can turn off the light via the Sonos app.
===OVERALL===
Despite the head-scratching decision to forego an HDMI port, the Sonos Ray is an excellent entry-level soundbar that will delight new and existing Sonos users alike. It has the signature sound quality and multi-room features that have become synonymous with the Sonos brand. The Ray soundbar in particular will open up the Sonos ecosystem to many more people who couldn't justify the pricier Beam and Arc soundbars. Recommended!
Despite the head-scratching decision to forego an HDMI port, the Sonos Ray is an excellent entry-level soundbar that will delight new and existing Sonos users alike. It has the signature sound quality and multi-room features that have become synonymous with the Sonos brand. The Ray soundbar in particular will open up the Sonos ecosystem to many more people who couldn't justify the pricier Beam and Arc soundbars. Recommended!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+19points
20of 21voted this as helpful.
The Steelcase Series 1 chair has a LiveBack flexor system in the backrest which conforms to your body and moves with you to support the spine as you change postures. The tilt mechanism is synchronized; the seat and back work in harmony with each other, keeping the body securely supported in the chair and feet firmly planted on the floor so you can recline without leaving your optimal zone for seeing and reaching your work. Feature set includes an adjustable seat depth, fully adjustable arms, adjustable lumbar, pneumatic seat height adjustment, recline tension adjustment (weight activated with adjustment and lock), flexing back with mesh upholstery, upholstered seat and wheels for hard flooring. The seat features strong yet pliable foam which conforms to the body and creates pressure-free comfort. Flexible seat edge offers a bit of bend, right where you need it – relieving pressure points under your thighs. This chair will arrive unassembled and require some assembly and is covered by a 12-year warranty.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Home Office Chair, But Not Perfect
on June 1, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
I've been using the same office chair at my home desk for at least 5 years. It's one of those basic chairs that are a dime a dozen at your local office supply store. It gets the job done but feels stiff and uncomfortable after a few hours. When I saw this Steelcase Series 1 chair available at Best Buy, I knew it was time to upgrade. I had heard of Steelcase chairs from co-workers and friends but wasn't convinced they were *that* much better than my cheap office store chair. Was I ever wrong. The Series 1 chair is extremely comfortable, versatile, and easy to assemble. But it's not without it's quirks and drawbacks.
=== PROS ===
- Assembly is incredibly easy. No tools are required (not even a Hex key/Allen wrench). Just place the top half on the base and then slide the seat into place until it clicks. And that's about it.
- The chair's design is sleek and modern but not over-the-top. It is a simple look with clean lines that should fit in to any office (at home or in an office building). The white "Seagull" color of the frame stands out a bit in my neutral-colored apartment but I still like the contrast with the darker "Night Owl" color of the fabric.
- All of the standard adjustments like armrest height and seat high are available, and then some. You can adjust the lumbar support bar on the backrest as well as the depth of the seat. The backrest itself tilts back to about a 45-degree angle with two selectable levels of tension. Tilt and height adjustments are made using an easily accessible lever under the right side of the seat.
- The mesh backrest is very breathable and supportive. It is does not feel stiff at all and seems to adjust well to various movements and positions of your back.
- The seat cushion is among the most comfortable I've ever sat on. It is very well padded without feeling too soft or like I'm about to sink into it.
- On my vinyl flooring, the casters on the Series 1 are incredibly quiet. The chair glides very easily over my floor when I need it to, but stays in place when needed while I'm at my desk.
- Assembly is incredibly easy. No tools are required (not even a Hex key/Allen wrench). Just place the top half on the base and then slide the seat into place until it clicks. And that's about it.
- The chair's design is sleek and modern but not over-the-top. It is a simple look with clean lines that should fit in to any office (at home or in an office building). The white "Seagull" color of the frame stands out a bit in my neutral-colored apartment but I still like the contrast with the darker "Night Owl" color of the fabric.
- All of the standard adjustments like armrest height and seat high are available, and then some. You can adjust the lumbar support bar on the backrest as well as the depth of the seat. The backrest itself tilts back to about a 45-degree angle with two selectable levels of tension. Tilt and height adjustments are made using an easily accessible lever under the right side of the seat.
- The mesh backrest is very breathable and supportive. It is does not feel stiff at all and seems to adjust well to various movements and positions of your back.
- The seat cushion is among the most comfortable I've ever sat on. It is very well padded without feeling too soft or like I'm about to sink into it.
- On my vinyl flooring, the casters on the Series 1 are incredibly quiet. The chair glides very easily over my floor when I need it to, but stays in place when needed while I'm at my desk.
=== CONS ===
- There wasn't much padding in the shipping box. All of the chair's components were sort of just thrown in the box and likely moved around a bit in shipping. As such, on of the legs on my chair arrived with a fairly large black scuff. Luckily it cleaned off with a bit of elbow grease.
- The backrest can be locked in place while it is fully upright, but you cannot lock it in place when it is tilted back. I don't like to sit fully upright for very long, so it will take some time to get used to the moving backrest. I find that the "boosted" setting on the dial provides a good amount of resistance on the backrest without too much movement while tilting back.
- The armrests are great, but they can be a bit annoying. They swivel left and right and are supposd to move with your arms, but I would prefer to just lock them in place so they always point directly forward. Unfortunately, you can't do that, and after a few hours, my elbows have usually bumped them enough times that they have both shifted in various directions.
- There wasn't much padding in the shipping box. All of the chair's components were sort of just thrown in the box and likely moved around a bit in shipping. As such, on of the legs on my chair arrived with a fairly large black scuff. Luckily it cleaned off with a bit of elbow grease.
- The backrest can be locked in place while it is fully upright, but you cannot lock it in place when it is tilted back. I don't like to sit fully upright for very long, so it will take some time to get used to the moving backrest. I find that the "boosted" setting on the dial provides a good amount of resistance on the backrest without too much movement while tilting back.
- The armrests are great, but they can be a bit annoying. They swivel left and right and are supposd to move with your arms, but I would prefer to just lock them in place so they always point directly forward. Unfortunately, you can't do that, and after a few hours, my elbows have usually bumped them enough times that they have both shifted in various directions.
=== OVERALL ===
Minor drawbacks aside, this is the best desk/office chair I have ever owned. Compared to my old, cheap office store chair, the Steelcase Series 1 is barely noticeable after hours of use -- and that's how it should be. It seems to contour to your body and provides support in all of the right places. Anyone can assemble this chair in less than 5 minutes and the design is modern and sleek. I'm confident it will serve me well for years to come.
Minor drawbacks aside, this is the best desk/office chair I have ever owned. Compared to my old, cheap office store chair, the Steelcase Series 1 is barely noticeable after hours of use -- and that's how it should be. It seems to contour to your body and provides support in all of the right places. Anyone can assemble this chair in less than 5 minutes and the design is modern and sleek. I'm confident it will serve me well for years to come.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
Enhance your everyday gaming setup with the ASTRO A10 Headset. Experience explosive audio thanks to 32mm dynamic drivers, flip-to-mute boom mic, and durable construction with replaceable ear cushions and headband pad that combine for an unforgettable audio experience. Buckle down for all-night gaming sessions thanks to its ergonomic construction with closed-back design, supported with sturdy construction and an ultra-durable headband that may just outlast your old favorite headset. Adjust your audio without leaving your seat with an inline volume control.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent Lightweight Gaming Headset
on May 6, 2022
Posted by: ryanmcv
from Phoenix, AZ
Every major gaming accessory brand has its own line of expensive headsets with RGB and other flashy features. But what about gamers looking for a decent headset at a great price? You shouldn't have to sacrifice build quality or sound quality by purchasing some cheap knock-off model. That's where the Astro A10 Gen 2 comes in. It is lightweight, comfortable, and has surprisingly good audio quality given its affordable price.
PROS:
- The Astro A10 is made almost entirely of plastic, but don't let that fool you. The headset feels quite sturdy, and the headband and earcups are very well padded. The ear cushions and headband pad are replaceable if they ever wear out.
- The A10 is very comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. They are so lightweight that I barely notice them, and there is almost no pressure on my head from the headband or earcups.
- The microphone is attached to the left earcup and is very easy to flip up or down as needed. The microphone mutes itself as soon as you flip it up. Microphone quality is pretty good and doesn't seem to pick up any background noise. It's perfect for chatting in games, Discord, Twitch, etc.
- The cord is roughly 6 feet long and has an integrated volume dial that rests near your shoulder. Be sure to double-check which end of the cable you plug into the headset and which end you plug into your controller/console. One of the connectors is slightly longer than the other -- the longer one goes into the headset on the left earcup.
- Audio quality is very good, with strong low-frequency performance and very crisp vocals and mids. I enabled Dolby Atmos using the Dolby Access app on my PC and the surround effect in games is very convincing.
- The Astro A10 is made almost entirely of plastic, but don't let that fool you. The headset feels quite sturdy, and the headband and earcups are very well padded. The ear cushions and headband pad are replaceable if they ever wear out.
- The A10 is very comfortable to wear for long gaming sessions. They are so lightweight that I barely notice them, and there is almost no pressure on my head from the headband or earcups.
- The microphone is attached to the left earcup and is very easy to flip up or down as needed. The microphone mutes itself as soon as you flip it up. Microphone quality is pretty good and doesn't seem to pick up any background noise. It's perfect for chatting in games, Discord, Twitch, etc.
- The cord is roughly 6 feet long and has an integrated volume dial that rests near your shoulder. Be sure to double-check which end of the cable you plug into the headset and which end you plug into your controller/console. One of the connectors is slightly longer than the other -- the longer one goes into the headset on the left earcup.
- Audio quality is very good, with strong low-frequency performance and very crisp vocals and mids. I enabled Dolby Atmos using the Dolby Access app on my PC and the surround effect in games is very convincing.
CONS:
- The openings on the earcups are pretty small, you if you have large ears, the Astro A10 might not be the best choice.
- The headband slides up and down so you can adjust the fit and amount of pressure on your head, but there aren't many levels of adjustment.
- The microphone cannot be removed. Not a big deal, but if you're like me and have no use for the microphone, you'll just have to leave it flipped in the "up" position.
- The openings on the earcups are pretty small, you if you have large ears, the Astro A10 might not be the best choice.
- The headband slides up and down so you can adjust the fit and amount of pressure on your head, but there aren't many levels of adjustment.
- The microphone cannot be removed. Not a big deal, but if you're like me and have no use for the microphone, you'll just have to leave it flipped in the "up" position.
OVERALL:
There's not much to complain about with the Astro A10. It is an excellent gaming headset for its price with strong audio performance and superior comfort. These will absolutely suit the needs of most casual gamers. Those who want integrated RGB or other flashy features should obviously look elsewhere. But I fully expect the A10 to last a very long time and handle most of my gaming needs.
There's not much to complain about with the Astro A10. It is an excellent gaming headset for its price with strong audio performance and superior comfort. These will absolutely suit the needs of most casual gamers. Those who want integrated RGB or other flashy features should obviously look elsewhere. But I fully expect the A10 to last a very long time and handle most of my gaming needs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Durability
5
Ease of Use
5
Quality
4
Value
5
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+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
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