callmeageeth's stats
- Review count344
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- First reviewJune 13, 2014
- Last reviewApril 29, 2024
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- Average rating4.4
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- Answer count28
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- First answerJune 23, 2014
- Last answerDecember 15, 2021
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The ROG Zephyrus G14 has been redesigned with an all-new premium aluminum chassis for increased durability and elegance. At 0.63 inches thin and weighing in at just 3.31lbs, this gaming powerhouse combines portability with cutting-edge technology. Featuring Windows 11 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, the Zephyrus G14 achieves unparalleled gaming performance. The AMD Ryzen™ 9 8945HS processor further enhances productivity with 16 TOPS in AI Performance. The Zephyrus G14 features an OLED ROG Nebula Display. Enjoy rapid 0.2ms response times, vivid 3K resolution, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Elevate your audio experience with new upgraded woofers, offering a 252% volume increase, 100Hz bass frequency, and Dolby Atmos support. For intense gaming sessions, the ROG Intelligent Cooling integrates liquid metal and aerodynamic 2nd Gen Arc Flow Fans to sustain peak performance.
Customer Rating
5
One laptop to rule them all
on April 29, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I’m a legal professional - so computers are my way of life. But I also edit photos and videos for both work and personal reasons. And I love to game. When looking into laptops I need something that handles it all (and Macs aren’t an option for me). I need something that is light, portable, and powerful enough to handle editing and gaming when the need arises. I also need a laptop with decent battery life - at least for typical computing tasks (I don’t expect to be able to game for long periods of time on any laptop battery). Also, the design and style of the laptop really matter to me. This laptop can only be described as the Windows equivalent of a Macbook. It’s expertly designed and feels great. While there are thinner laptops out there, or laptops with even better gaming chops, this is truly the best of all worlds. I cannot say enough good things about this laptop.
IN THE BOX
Quickly, the laptop comes in an understated box, with another box inside of it (which houses the laptop itself). Then there’s the charger with what appears to me to be a proprietary charging port (which delivers a lot more power). There’s also some documentation.
Quickly, the laptop comes in an understated box, with another box inside of it (which houses the laptop itself). Then there’s the charger with what appears to me to be a proprietary charging port (which delivers a lot more power). There’s also some documentation.
DESIGN
This computer is made of aluminum and is meticulously crafted. It’s smooth and has a premium feel and finish. Everything is just lined up perfectly. There’s little to no flex in the chassis, unlike some plastic cases. It weighs less than 4 pounds while maintaining a thickness of less than inch. Honestly, it’s remarkable how ASUS was able to fit all these components in the computer. The bezels on the screen are remarkable thin as well. It’s not borderless but pretty darn close. In other words, there’s no large distracting borders. ASUS continues to include an additional row of keys to the top of its keyboard for volume, mute, and a hot button to start up Armoury Crate. The keyboard feels great, it’s a little clicky but is muted in the sense that it won’t bother people around you like a large mechanical keyboard might. The touchpad is big and responsive. It’s one of the best I’ve used that recognizes taps with precision. And it goes from the bottom of the keyboard to the bottom of the laptop with little to no space in between. It’s one of the best touchpads I’ve ever used.
This computer is made of aluminum and is meticulously crafted. It’s smooth and has a premium feel and finish. Everything is just lined up perfectly. There’s little to no flex in the chassis, unlike some plastic cases. It weighs less than 4 pounds while maintaining a thickness of less than inch. Honestly, it’s remarkable how ASUS was able to fit all these components in the computer. The bezels on the screen are remarkable thin as well. It’s not borderless but pretty darn close. In other words, there’s no large distracting borders. ASUS continues to include an additional row of keys to the top of its keyboard for volume, mute, and a hot button to start up Armoury Crate. The keyboard feels great, it’s a little clicky but is muted in the sense that it won’t bother people around you like a large mechanical keyboard might. The touchpad is big and responsive. It’s one of the best I’ve used that recognizes taps with precision. And it goes from the bottom of the keyboard to the bottom of the laptop with little to no space in between. It’s one of the best touchpads I’ve ever used.
FEATURES
First and foremost, the screen. This has a 3K OLED screen with 120 hz refresh rate. While I don’t test laptops for a living, I would find it hard to believe if you told me you found a better screen. OLEDs for those that don’t know, offer deep blacks and high color contrast because individual pixels light up versus an entire backlight lighting up the screen. It truly is a beauty that is perfect for anything - gaming, video editing, surfing the web, whatever. I promise you, after you use this screen you will be hard pressed to go back to a non-OLED that’s less than 3K resolution. And the fact that the screen is 14 inches means the pixels are packed in creating a super sharp image. Just scrolling websites with a high refresh rate is a joy as the animation is inky smooth.
First and foremost, the screen. This has a 3K OLED screen with 120 hz refresh rate. While I don’t test laptops for a living, I would find it hard to believe if you told me you found a better screen. OLEDs for those that don’t know, offer deep blacks and high color contrast because individual pixels light up versus an entire backlight lighting up the screen. It truly is a beauty that is perfect for anything - gaming, video editing, surfing the web, whatever. I promise you, after you use this screen you will be hard pressed to go back to a non-OLED that’s less than 3K resolution. And the fact that the screen is 14 inches means the pixels are packed in creating a super sharp image. Just scrolling websites with a high refresh rate is a joy as the animation is inky smooth.
The speakers in this laptop are also on another level (relatively speaking). I would never say that any built in speakers will trump any external speakers, but when comparing built in speakers in laptops, you can’t do any better. It has 6 built in speakers with dual side woofers and Dolby Atmos audio. It claims to have a 100hz bass frequency, but when just speaking in the general sense, the sound terrific. The bass is pretty amazing all things considered. When using the laptop in your lap you can feel the “subs.” And honestly, it’s super loud. In a quiet room, I don’t have the speakers over 14 percent. The sound gets a little hollow at higher volumes, but all in all it sounds great. It’s not surround sound obviously, which brings with it a certain level of immersion, but it was certainly not distracting and explosions playing shooter games sounded pretty darn good.
It does claim to have intelligent cooling with “high efficiency” fans, and while the temperatures during normal computing didn’t get too high, when gaming or editing when the fans are pumping it does get a little hot. It feels warm while in my lap, but not uncomfortable. When gaming, it never felt too hot to touch. Bottom line is that I don’t see overheating as a major problem.
It comes with the laptop GPU RTX 4070 and a Ryzen 9 processor, both are extremely powerful. The Ryzen processor supposedly has AI Accelerators, but this seems to me at least to be marketing (since AI is apparently all the rage). Maybe it made a difference, but I didn’t recognize any benefit the AI Accelerators provided.
RGB lighting is another nice touch. As I said, I’m a professional that takes my laptop to court. So I don’t want it to be too flashy, but I do like some personality or at least something to separate it from the crowd. The keyboard has RGB lights that you can adjust relatively easy. Now you can’t change the colors of individual keys, they’re all the color, but you can adjust the effect from strobing, color cycle, static or breathing. The backlight on the keys are great, they’re easy to read, and the ability to change colors is nice because - to me - because it’s nice to mix things up. But the thing I love the most is the slash lighting. Now, it’s a little gimmicky because you can’t see it when you’re using it, but you can adjust the settings so that it lights up with the lid close and the computer is asleep. But the feature I like the most is syncing the lighting with music.
GAMING PERFORMANCE
Based on the spec sheets, you’d expect this laptop to handle virtually every game you can throw at it. And it does. I have been playing Cyberpunk on it at medium to high settings (DLSS really helps too) and was averaging over 60 FPS. For less demanding games (Fallout 4) it looks and performs phenomenally, getting me well over 100 FPS. Slower paced games, my go to for relaxing is Lego Builders Journey looks absolutely stunning. The inky blacks of the display along with ray tracing is just something you have to see to truly appreciate. I’ve played some Xbox GamePass games (like Starfield) and it looked exemplary. I was truly impressed. Now, it’s a little bit of a bummer gaming on a laptop that’s only 14 inches when I was used to 16 inches, as I said in the outset, I needed a more portable laptop. But frankly, I didn’t miss the larger screen as much as I thought I would.
Based on the spec sheets, you’d expect this laptop to handle virtually every game you can throw at it. And it does. I have been playing Cyberpunk on it at medium to high settings (DLSS really helps too) and was averaging over 60 FPS. For less demanding games (Fallout 4) it looks and performs phenomenally, getting me well over 100 FPS. Slower paced games, my go to for relaxing is Lego Builders Journey looks absolutely stunning. The inky blacks of the display along with ray tracing is just something you have to see to truly appreciate. I’ve played some Xbox GamePass games (like Starfield) and it looked exemplary. I was truly impressed. Now, it’s a little bit of a bummer gaming on a laptop that’s only 14 inches when I was used to 16 inches, as I said in the outset, I needed a more portable laptop. But frankly, I didn’t miss the larger screen as much as I thought I would.
The inclusion of VRR is also a big plus. VRR can cause issues in OLED screens, but this screen provides a smooth and tear free experience.
DAY TO DAY PERFORMANCE/VIDEO EDITING
I’ve run into absolutely 0 issues with this laptop. Everything I’ve tried to do, albeit Word processing, PowerPoint, Outlook, Chrome, transferring files, etc. has worked flawlessly. I don’t have much to say about it other than it works as it should - at least so far. I haven’t done a lot of video editing on it yet, but it was rendering 2K video files in minutes. While I’ve run into performance issues with Adobe Cloud software on my other devices, I’ve had no such issues here. No crashing, no slow downs, nothing.
I’ve run into absolutely 0 issues with this laptop. Everything I’ve tried to do, albeit Word processing, PowerPoint, Outlook, Chrome, transferring files, etc. has worked flawlessly. I don’t have much to say about it other than it works as it should - at least so far. I haven’t done a lot of video editing on it yet, but it was rendering 2K video files in minutes. While I’ve run into performance issues with Adobe Cloud software on my other devices, I’ve had no such issues here. No crashing, no slow downs, nothing.
CONS
I have to mention a few quirks if you will. I don’t think these are make or break, but it’s something to consider. There is only one SSD slot. This is a little bit of a bummer as in my other laptops I’ve installed an extra SSD drive to store my raw data like games and videos. Games take up so much space nowadays, 1 TB doesn’t feel like a whole lot. And while you can upgrade the single slot SSD to a bigger drive, that involves a lot more hoops to jump through than just adding a second drive. But there is enough space for a double sided drive, so if you’re willing to spare the money, you could get a pretty large drive. The RAM is also soldered so it’s not user upgradeable either.
I have to mention a few quirks if you will. I don’t think these are make or break, but it’s something to consider. There is only one SSD slot. This is a little bit of a bummer as in my other laptops I’ve installed an extra SSD drive to store my raw data like games and videos. Games take up so much space nowadays, 1 TB doesn’t feel like a whole lot. And while you can upgrade the single slot SSD to a bigger drive, that involves a lot more hoops to jump through than just adding a second drive. But there is enough space for a double sided drive, so if you’re willing to spare the money, you could get a pretty large drive. The RAM is also soldered so it’s not user upgradeable either.
The power output of the GPU is less than last year’s model, so some of the performance is a little restricted compared to other brands with similar specs. Real world performance, meaning, the gaming experience, I don’t think it matters much, but for those where specs/performance is the end all be all, that’s something to consider.
Battery life is not great, even for day to day tasks. I’m getting about 4 hours of typical computer use not including gaming. This isn’t an issue for me, I don’t typically find myself using a laptop for longer than that without finding an outlet, but I realize it might matter to some people. For me, I kind of chalk it up to coming with the territory of using a gaming laptop.
The webcam is 1080p, so it’s plenty serviceable, but I wish it came with a physical privacy slider. The microphone however, is pretty good and will work well - although I tend to use external microphones and cameras for web calls so this doesn’t matter much to me.
CONCLUSION
There are tons of gaming laptops out there to choose from, and while I won’t say this is the best of them all, when it comes to price, performance, design and features, this ASUS ROG14 should be on your list to check out. As an all around laptop, it’s great, and being able to game on such a portable package was just a pleasure. It’s nice to have a laptop that can do it all, and while it may not be the best at everything, it definitely excels at virtually everything.
There are tons of gaming laptops out there to choose from, and while I won’t say this is the best of them all, when it comes to price, performance, design and features, this ASUS ROG14 should be on your list to check out. As an all around laptop, it’s great, and being able to game on such a portable package was just a pleasure. It’s nice to have a laptop that can do it all, and while it may not be the best at everything, it definitely excels at virtually everything.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Philips SatinShave Essential women's electric shaver lets you shave your legs quickly, easily, and safely without skin irritation. This electric shaver for women has a safe shaving system that protects your skin during shaving. Shave anywhere with this cordless battery-powered electric wet/dry shaver for women.
Customer Rating
5
Baby smooth electric shaver
on April 29, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I was seriously impressed with the smoothness of the shave. It’s a simple, easy to use device that does one job and does that job pretty darn good. And, it’s not only for women, but can be used for men when tackling body hair. It’s versatile in the sense that it can be used in the shower and dry. It does take a few extra swipes to tackle longer hair (I’m talking about men’s back hair), but otherwise it does a great job. It has a nice heft to it, where it’s not too heavy, but it doesn’t feel like hollow plastic. It’s easy to hold and manuever.
In the box you’ll get the shaver and a pair of AA batteries. I wish this had a rechargeable battery, but I’m confident that’s one of the ways they can keep the cost down. In an event, the battery compartment is rather difficult to take off, but that’s somewhat understandable as it needs to be waterproof. Operation is dead simple, there’s no speeds or lengths, just an on/off switch. THe shaver head comes off easily to allow you to clean it. I haven’t had it long enough to know if/when the shaving foil/cover needs to be replaced but it supposedly lasts 12 months depending on care and usage. Basically, when it stops delivering great results you need to replace it. Replacement heads appear to be reasonably priced which is always nice - I’m always considering the maintenance costs of my devices.
My wife used it in the shower and reported results as good as a razor - with no shaving cream. She’s extremely pleased. I’ve used it to shave some of the hair on my upper arms and shoulders and it beats the hair trimmer I typically use which still leaves a small stubble. This shaver takes it down to the skin delivering a close too, if not equal to, a razor shave. Now, my hair was long, so it took a number of swipes - there’s a trimmer if you will on the edges which cut the long hair, then the foil in the middle of the head delivers the real results of smoothness.
Honestly, at this point I can’t think of any downsides. It’s a very nicely priced device that replaces the mess of razors and cream - and replacement razor heads. It’s certainly quicker to use, all while delivering good results. I guess the only concern might be it getting damaged in the water, but honestly, the battery compartment is so snug (and if you’re showering it’s not like it’s sitting in water) I don’t really think it’s much of a concern. It is made of plastic, so I guess if you drop it in a tile shower it might eventually crack, but that issue is present in virtually any plastic device.
All-in-all, it’s a great product for women who want to simplify their hair removal routine, and it’s great even for guys with lots of body hair.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get the ultimate and most complete care with DiamondClean Smart. Eliminate guesswork with real time feedback and personalized coaching so you can improve your technique and achieve 100% confidence in your oral care. It's more than just a toothbrush - it's a complete oral care solution. Featuring Sonic technology, 5 brushing modes and smart brush head mode pairing technology, the Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart Rechargeable toothbrush delivers superior plaque removal, gum health and whitening performance. Philips Sonicare DiamondClean Smart goes beyond traditional cleaning to deliver up to 10x more plaque removal, removes 100% more stains in just 3 days and improve Gum Health up to 7x in just 2 weeks . It also features a visual pressure sensor to alert you when you are brushing too hard. Customize your brushing experience using the 5 different modes and 3 intensity settings and know when to replace your brush head via a customized reminder. An elegant charging glass can be used for charging or rinsing your mouth after brushing. A USB charging travel is also included to charge your toothbrush on the go.
Customer Rating
5
The Cadillac of toothbrushes
on April 26, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I want to first say that this is the best, most versatile toothbrush I’ve ever used - and I’ve owned many Sonicare brushes. And while it comes with lots of features and accessories, it’s expensive (including the toothbrush heads), and in some ways overkill. So I don’t question its use and quality, but its price might not make it for everyone).
IN THE BOX
The box is quite frankly, gigantic. Especially knowing it’s a toothbrush. Inside you’ll find a variety of items including a charging base, a glass (for water), 6 toothbrush heads, a tongue scraper head, the base of course, and a travel case that charges your toothbrush. The brush heads serve different purposes, so one is for “whitening”, one is for plaque control, one is for gum care, and you’ll get one tongue scraper. Other than the scraper which serves an obvious purpose, I’m not sure whether one is really better than the other - sure, the bristles have different shapes and colors, but I’m not convinced the different functions is anything more than marketing. But, I’m also no dentist.
The box is quite frankly, gigantic. Especially knowing it’s a toothbrush. Inside you’ll find a variety of items including a charging base, a glass (for water), 6 toothbrush heads, a tongue scraper head, the base of course, and a travel case that charges your toothbrush. The brush heads serve different purposes, so one is for “whitening”, one is for plaque control, one is for gum care, and you’ll get one tongue scraper. Other than the scraper which serves an obvious purpose, I’m not sure whether one is really better than the other - sure, the bristles have different shapes and colors, but I’m not convinced the different functions is anything more than marketing. But, I’m also no dentist.
A comment about the brush heads, these are “smart” brush heads with little codes on them. For example, the whitening brush head is “W3” and the plaque control is “C3.” The toothbrush handle recognizes which one is installed and automatically picks the appropriate settings. So while I imagine you could, in theory, install offbrand (read cheaper) brush heads, you’ll lose some functionality. To me, that’s worth noting because I know the brush heads can get expensive.
USING
As I’ve said, I’ve used Sonicare toothbrushes for some time. If you’ve never used one and have always used a manual toothbrush, you will immediately notice the difference by how clean and smooth your teeth feel after the first brush. I’ve gotten used to that experience so that feeling is gone, but I can certainly attest that you won’t find a better all around clean with a Sonicare toothbrush (the real question is whether the “Cadillac” smart app version is the one for you).
As I’ve said, I’ve used Sonicare toothbrushes for some time. If you’ve never used one and have always used a manual toothbrush, you will immediately notice the difference by how clean and smooth your teeth feel after the first brush. I’ve gotten used to that experience so that feeling is gone, but I can certainly attest that you won’t find a better all around clean with a Sonicare toothbrush (the real question is whether the “Cadillac” smart app version is the one for you).
Again, for those uninitiated, all Sonicare brushes and this one is no exception, have a 2 minute timer. So when you turn it on, it will operate for 2 minutes before shutting off automatically.
Using a Sonicare brush is a different experience in the sense that you don’t really scrub your teeth like a manual brush, you are simply lightly holding the brush head against your teeth and letting the motor and brush do the work. For this toothbrush, you’ll want to download the app and connect your toothbrush. I’ll skip going over the connection process, it was really simple and guided by the app. But the app is good as a coach and keeping you honest. I’m a bit loathe to continue to buy “smart” versions of everyday items because it ends up being just one more app on my phone. I don’t really go into the app everyday and use the coach, I’ve gotten used to brushing my teeth with one and covering all areas of my teeth. But I can see it being helpful for those with not great brushing habits (I’m not suggesting I have great habits) or getting used to brushing for 2 minutes and making sure you hit all quadrants of your mouth.
But the app has a silhouette of your teeth when you're brushing that circles the zone of your teeth and areas you should focus on. It seems to learn from your habits and suggests problem zones (which are just areas you might not have focused on previously). It also tracks your brushing, the number of minutes and whether you’re brushing twice a day. Again, if you already do this it might be superfluous, but for those looking or needing accountability and seeing real time feedback, it can be immensely helpful).
When brushing, you can choose from different modes and intensity settings. If you’re a new user you may want to explore what works for you, as it can be a little uncomfortable at first if you are too aggressive and put too much pressure on your teeth (again, you need gentle pressure, the motor and bristles do all the work). But you can choose for white, deep clean, or gum health. I typically use the all-in-one brush for reasons I mentioned above - to me they all seem to accomplish the same mission. But gum health might be best for sum as it is a little more gentle on the gumline.
As anecdotal evidence of the effectiveness of Sonicare brushes, I’ve been using a version of them for more than a decade and I’ve never had a cavity - and when I go into dental cleanings, I’m rarely there long, as there’s not much to clean. These brushes do that good a job and the DiamondClean is my favorite so far.
ACCESSORIES
As I mentioned, this comes with a glass and charging base. From the promotions it looks like the toothbrush might charge in the glass but that didn’t seem to be the case for me. The glass fits on the charging base, but there’s a separate clear plastic cover that sits on the charging base and the toothbrush stands up inside of it. I’m one to drink directly from the faucet, so I don’t use the glass.
As I mentioned, this comes with a glass and charging base. From the promotions it looks like the toothbrush might charge in the glass but that didn’t seem to be the case for me. The glass fits on the charging base, but there’s a separate clear plastic cover that sits on the charging base and the toothbrush stands up inside of it. I’m one to drink directly from the faucet, so I don’t use the glass.
The travel case, however, is a great bonus. I’ve traveled for two weeks with a Sonicare brush before and never charged it when I was gone. The battery lasts that long. While I don’t know how long the battery on this model lasts - I’m assuming it’s shorter only because of the smart features, but I don’t know. Since it lives on the charging base when I’m not using it, I always have a charge. But the travel case eliminates any concern about the battery and you don’t have to pack the charging base with you. The case holds the handle and a brush and on the bottom side of it is a flap you can open to reveal a charging port. So you can charge your toothbrush on the go. The only downside, and it’s minor, is that the case is kind of large. It’s not unwieldy, but I wish it were a little bit smaller - I really try to travel very light. But having protection of my toothbrush and being able to charge it on the go outweighs the cons of the size of the case.
CONCLUSION
This is truly the best toothbrush I’ve ever used. It’s quiet, reliable, durable, and feature packed. Honestly, the lower end models are just as good in the brushing department. If this is too expensive for your budget, then go with a cheaper Sonicare. But given that the health of your teeth is so important, if you’ve had any issues at all, it’s worth the money to splurge on the health of your teeth. The coaching on the app is a little much at least for me, but I certainly appreciate what Philips is doing and see how it could benefit some people.
This is truly the best toothbrush I’ve ever used. It’s quiet, reliable, durable, and feature packed. Honestly, the lower end models are just as good in the brushing department. If this is too expensive for your budget, then go with a cheaper Sonicare. But given that the health of your teeth is so important, if you’ve had any issues at all, it’s worth the money to splurge on the health of your teeth. The coaching on the app is a little much at least for me, but I certainly appreciate what Philips is doing and see how it could benefit some people.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience enhanced bass and powerful sound built into a compact package. Equipped with a versatile multi-way strap, it's perfect for on-the-go adventures. With long battery life and water, dust, rust, and shockproof design, enjoy endless hours of good music with your favorite people.
Customer Rating
5
Another fantastic Sony speaker
on April 22, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen nowadays. It’s a crowded market with lots of solid options. Honestly, very little seems to separate the various speakers you can purchase - at least on paper. I’ve owned dozens of Bluetooth speakers, and the Sony brand speakers are consistently some of the best. They are durable, loud, reliable, with long battery life. Sure, there are others that fit the bill, but they’re brand name and legacy carries a lot in my book.
I have several Bluetooth speakers that I use depending on what I’m doing. When I’m going outside to be with friends and not moving around, I’ll bring a larger speaker. In my house, I have one that’s not battery powered that stays plugged in. But when I’m traveling, I don’t want to carry a large speaker and I want one that has a long battery, water/sand resistant, small and light - and with enough power. The new Sony ULT Field 1, like its previous models, fits the bill and is worthy of your consideration.
In the box you’ll find a small stylish speaker with a short USB-C charging cable. It’s charged via USB-C. I plugged it in after I bought it and it was fully charged within an hour or two. I haven’t drained it and timed the length it takes to get to a full charge, but that shouldn’t be much of a concern. Setting it up is like any other Bluetooth speaker. I use a Pixel 7a, and when I turned it on, a notification appears asking me to pair it. Now, I had a little issue connecting it, but my Pixel 7a, as much as I love it, has some Bluetooth issues now and then - so I chalked it up to an issue with my phone.
Once it was connected I started immediately playing music. I played a mix of classic rock, pop, hip-hop and even some podcasts. It sounded pretty good. There’s a ULT button on the speaker that replaces the “EXTRA BASS” buttons of Sony products’ past, and there’s a marked difference in Bass with it on and off. With it off the sound is a little hollow, but when on, the bass is surprisingly deep in such a small package. The buttons are simple - which is appreciative and easy to understand. They basically speak for themselves. The buttons themselves are durable with a good amount of depth so you have some physical feedback when you push them in.
This speaker is surprisingly loud for its small size. I was using it in my garage while I worked out in the yard and it was plenty loud - without even getting to 100% volume. The battery life seems more than adequate to get you through a long day of use. It’s rated 12 hours and while I didn’t time it, I’ve been using it off and on for several days now and the battery is still over 50%. I have no concerns taking this out somewhere fully charged and knowing that I will choose to turn it off before needing to recharge it.
I don’t use my Bluetooth speakers for calls, but I did make one call to my wife using it and she reported no sound issues. She said I sounded loud and clear, although she could tell if I moved too far away from it.
I don’t purposefully test the durability of my speakers. But I do have some experience with other Sony speakers made from similar materials (the fabric material that encases the speakers). And this seems similarly made. This is a great speaker to take to the beach or pool, in fact, it can get dunked in the water and still keep on going. The ends of it are made of durable rubber that will help absorb any drops. In short, this is meant to be taken with you on your travels and adventures and is up for anything. I did, however, accidentally drop it in my garage and it was no worse for the wear - no scuffs, no dents, nothing.
As a side note, a comment unrelated to the performance of the speaker itself; I wanted to add that I really like the handheld strap. It’s a unique take on the handle of the speaker. I like how it doesn’t add a lot of bulk and has some flexibility. You can pull the strap out and carry it like a small purse on a handle. You can hook a carabiner in it to attach to the outside of the bag. Now, this cord comes with a knot already tied. I haven’t tried to “untie” it, although it looks possible. So you could always take it off, but honestly I like both the aesthetics and utility of it. While I haven’t tugged on it to purposefully see if the knot would come apart, it seems pretty strong.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Jabra Elite 5 true wireless earbuds are made to help you put the world on pause, and then reconnect in a second. Block out ambient noise with powerful Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), or stay in touch from wherever your day takes you with 6-microphone call technology. With our 6mm speakers, and range of audio enhancing codecs, you’ll be lost in goosebump-inducing, heart-racing, soaring sound. The beat goes on with up to 7 hours of battery in the buds and up to a total of 28 hours with the Qi-certified wireless charging case. The fast charge feature will give you an hour of power in just 10 minutes. Extend your battery life even further with mono mode by using one bud while the other one charges.
Customer Rating
5
Quality and Comfortable Earbuds = Great Value
on March 28, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I’m an Android user, specifically rocking a Pixel 7a. I assume most people with iPhones are using AirPods, but either way, my comments are specifically tailored towards Android. I’ll also add that I had the Pixel Buds Series A which I loved, but when one of the ear buds died I upgraded to the Pixel Buds Pro; and while those sound great, I struggle with oddities and fit. The Elite 5 are my new go to, surpassing the Pixel Buds Pro on what matters most (to me) with earbuds, fit and not falling out.
IN THE BOX
You’ll get the charging case with earbuds in them, a short USB-C cable for charging, and small, medium and large “eargel” covers. Despite being 6’4” I typically find most medium sized eartips work best for me, and the Jabra Elite 5 are no exception.
You’ll get the charging case with earbuds in them, a short USB-C cable for charging, and small, medium and large “eargel” covers. Despite being 6’4” I typically find most medium sized eartips work best for me, and the Jabra Elite 5 are no exception.
DESIGN
In some respects, the earbud and charging case is pretty bland. But let’s be real, most earbuds look the same. Mine are black, although I kind of wish I got the white. The case itself is sleek and light. The lid, like most charging cases, is magnetic and opens up with minimal pressure and has a satisfying click sound when closing it. The case almost seems too light, but it has a relatively small profile that can easily fit in your pocket. In terms of physical size of the earbuds, they seem to be about the same size as most earbuds I’ve seen and used. They’re light and fit snugly in my ears. What Jabra did get rid of, which I’m a fan of, is the touch sensor buttons. The buttons on each ear bud “click” in which I prefer for earbuds. To me, touch buttons on such small devices are finicky.
In some respects, the earbud and charging case is pretty bland. But let’s be real, most earbuds look the same. Mine are black, although I kind of wish I got the white. The case itself is sleek and light. The lid, like most charging cases, is magnetic and opens up with minimal pressure and has a satisfying click sound when closing it. The case almost seems too light, but it has a relatively small profile that can easily fit in your pocket. In terms of physical size of the earbuds, they seem to be about the same size as most earbuds I’ve seen and used. They’re light and fit snugly in my ears. What Jabra did get rid of, which I’m a fan of, is the touch sensor buttons. The buttons on each ear bud “click” in which I prefer for earbuds. To me, touch buttons on such small devices are finicky.
The controls are similar to other earbuds, whereby pushing the button on the right side pauses music/podcasts, 2 pushes advances to the next song and 3 goes back. Holding the button in increases the volume, holding the button in on the left earbud decreases volume. On the left earbud, one click turns on and off the noise canceling and activates hearthrough. If you’ve used earbuds and controlled your music/calls in the past, it will be familiar, if you haven’t, the buttons will become second nature quickly.
SOUND QUALITY
The Elite 5 touts some big musical chops with multiple audio codecs to deliver high quality sound for its 6 MM speakers. For those non geeks (I’m a geek, but I do get lost on codecs and speaker drivers etc.) I can tell you they sound great. Especially taking into account the active noise cancellation (which I’ll get to in a moment). The noise cancellation really puts the focus on the audio, and coupled with whatever magic they put in these tiny speakers, the bass is tight, and music/podcasts really clear. For the most part, they match my Pixel Buds Pro in terms of sound quality. I won’t debate anyone on the merits because they’re might be differences, but honestly, I can’t tell much difference between the two. They both sound great. That includes all types of audio sources, classical music, rap, rock, podcasts, whatever. I was impressed with the sound. Not to mention the easy adjustment of the EQ settings in the Jabra+ app…
The Elite 5 touts some big musical chops with multiple audio codecs to deliver high quality sound for its 6 MM speakers. For those non geeks (I’m a geek, but I do get lost on codecs and speaker drivers etc.) I can tell you they sound great. Especially taking into account the active noise cancellation (which I’ll get to in a moment). The noise cancellation really puts the focus on the audio, and coupled with whatever magic they put in these tiny speakers, the bass is tight, and music/podcasts really clear. For the most part, they match my Pixel Buds Pro in terms of sound quality. I won’t debate anyone on the merits because they’re might be differences, but honestly, I can’t tell much difference between the two. They both sound great. That includes all types of audio sources, classical music, rap, rock, podcasts, whatever. I was impressed with the sound. Not to mention the easy adjustment of the EQ settings in the Jabra+ app…
FEATURES/SETUP/FIT
Before jumping into the Jabra+ app, these earbuds have something called Google Fast Pair. That was not my experience. Don’t get me wrong, I got them paired and once I did they work flawlessly, but I wasn’t able to connect the earbuds to my phone until I downloaded the app. Once I did that, for whatever reason, my phone was able to connect to them (before downloading the app, I kept getting errors). The app luckily didn’t have any firmware updates - which is normal nowadays - and I would think the only reason you would use it is to adjust the EQ settings. There are several presets to choose from or you can manually adjust it. I typically go with bass boost but it’s all personal preference. It’s easy to do within the app.
Before jumping into the Jabra+ app, these earbuds have something called Google Fast Pair. That was not my experience. Don’t get me wrong, I got them paired and once I did they work flawlessly, but I wasn’t able to connect the earbuds to my phone until I downloaded the app. Once I did that, for whatever reason, my phone was able to connect to them (before downloading the app, I kept getting errors). The app luckily didn’t have any firmware updates - which is normal nowadays - and I would think the only reason you would use it is to adjust the EQ settings. There are several presets to choose from or you can manually adjust it. I typically go with bass boost but it’s all personal preference. It’s easy to do within the app.
The noise canceling, as I said, is great. I can type away in my office when I’m focusing and get locked in not hearing anything around me (except maybe faint clicking from my mechanical keyboard which doesn’t bother me). When I called the elevator in my office, I couldn’t hear it coming or the door opening. Outside in a crowded area you might hear the slightest bit of noise, but for the most part it does a great job.
The hear through function is hit and miss for me. Like my Pixel Buds Pro, the idea is, if it detects your talking it will automatically pause until you’re done talking, preventing you from having to pause your sound manually. When running even, sometimes a heavy breath can activate it. It’s not enough for me to disable it, but it doesn’t work each and every time. But that’s only a small annoyance.
The battery life is great. I wore them almost an entire workday and they lasted. They charge quickly in the case, and I was able to use them for the better part of 3 days without having to recharge the case (other than my initial charge). You’re likely to want to pull them out of your ears before the battery dies.
Last, and what’s most important to me with earbuds, is fit. Not just fit for sitting around or riding in a plane/train, but exercise. My Pixel Buds Pro tend to come out of my ears when sweating and running. These fit nicely in my ear, and at first, I was concerned it wasn’t a snug enough fit, but I went running and they didn’t budge a bit. Bottomline, they are extremely comfortable. And to that end, they are water resistant. I’m hoping they’ll hold up over time, but I don’t anticipate them getting damaged while sweating during a workout.
CONCLUSION
These are a solid pair of headphones. Don’t sleep on them. When taking the price into account, along with the comfort level and audio quality, they should be on everyone’s list who’s looking to upgrade their headphones.
These are a solid pair of headphones. Don’t sleep on them. When taking the price into account, along with the comfort level and audio quality, they should be on everyone’s list who’s looking to upgrade their headphones.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing the SanDisk Extreme M.2 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen 4.0, engineered to keep up with your demanding creative workflows. Enjoy stellar performance with extreme read speeds up to 5,150MB/s so your PC can stay ahead of your flow as you work, edit, and play faster than ever before. With capacities up to 2TB, your drive can handle data-intensive workloads with ease after you finish the quick, one-screw installation. You can even stay up-to-date on your SSD’s health with the Western Digital Dashboard.
Customer Rating
5
Fast drive, great for large media files
on February 22, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I am an amateur video editor, mostly editing home videos with my kids. I am often manipulating, transferring tens of GBs of files and having a fast drive with ample storage is an absolute must in my computer. I’m using an ASUS Creator Laptop that has a 1 TB SSD built in. But that space has been filled up with games and videos. Luckily, it has an extra SSD slot, and this SanDisk Extreme fits and works perfectly.
This drive technically works with a PS5, but you would need to add a heatsink. The form factor allows you flexibility in terms of whether you would install it on a laptop or a desktop.
INSTALLATION
For the uninitiated, installing/replacing an SSD in a laptop is pretty straightforward but it requires a few steps. First, you should do some searching to make sure your laptop has an extra slot (if you’re replacing your drive, that’s a little more complicated). But assuming you have an extra slot, you must first use the appropriate screwdriver to remove the back plate. From there, most computer manufacturers have an open slot that’s easily accessible (mine did). You simply slide the drive in and then secure it with a M.2 screw (my computer didn’t have one, I had to supply my own). Once it’s installed, you do have to go into your disk manager to format it and give it a drive letter (if you search online you’ll find those specific instructions). Bottomline, it’s easy, even for a first timer just do a little research beforehand.
For the uninitiated, installing/replacing an SSD in a laptop is pretty straightforward but it requires a few steps. First, you should do some searching to make sure your laptop has an extra slot (if you’re replacing your drive, that’s a little more complicated). But assuming you have an extra slot, you must first use the appropriate screwdriver to remove the back plate. From there, most computer manufacturers have an open slot that’s easily accessible (mine did). You simply slide the drive in and then secure it with a M.2 screw (my computer didn’t have one, I had to supply my own). Once it’s installed, you do have to go into your disk manager to format it and give it a drive letter (if you search online you’ll find those specific instructions). Bottomline, it’s easy, even for a first timer just do a little research beforehand.
USE and PERFORMANCE
I have my computer set up for 2 separate drives. The original SSD included and the SanDisk extreme. On an anecdotal note, other than having two separate drives to save things to, I saw absolutely no drop in performance at all. I transferred a file folder containing 60+ GBs of videos and it took about 30 seconds. The transfer rate was some 1.68 GB/s. It was impressive.
I have my computer set up for 2 separate drives. The original SSD included and the SanDisk extreme. On an anecdotal note, other than having two separate drives to save things to, I saw absolutely no drop in performance at all. I transferred a file folder containing 60+ GBs of videos and it took about 30 seconds. The transfer rate was some 1.68 GB/s. It was impressive.
With 1 TB in size, I’m spending more time editing videos/photos than I am transferring data. And I’m able to run all my Adobe apps straight from the SanDisk drive. Again, there was no performance drop off compared to me editing from the SSD that was built in.
I ran CrystalDisk and was getting 4127.39 MB/s read speeds and 3578.11 MB/s write speeds. I was getting real time performance close to the advertised speeds. I cannot emphasize how nice it is to be able to move all this data in a flash.
The price is higher than other SSDs, but it’s well worth it both in terms of performance and the quality of the drive. SanDisk is a well known data manufacturer so you know you’re getting a quality drive.
CONCLUSION
There’s not a whole lot else to say. This drive is a great blend of price, quality, and size. The performance is phenomenal and is great for moving large files and working off it. And its form factor allows you to install it in most machines.
There’s not a whole lot else to say. This drive is a great blend of price, quality, and size. The performance is phenomenal and is great for moving large files and working off it. And its form factor allows you to install it in most machines.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Cook delicious rice with the touch of a button. The COSORI 5.0-Quart Rice Cooker offers 9 functions to cook your favorite type of rice to the perfect texture. Following a precise 6-step cooking process, the rice cooker produces evenly cooked rice every time. It's simple and easy to use with a guided LED display that walks you through the cooking process. When you’re done cooking, all accessories are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
Customer Rating
4
Works well, but less versatile than other products
on January 31, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
I’ve had a Ninja Food Multi use air fryer for some time now. And while it has a pressure cooker/steam function, I’ve always been less than impressed with the rice. Maybe it’s user error, maybe not. So I’ve been on the lookout for a dedicated rice cooker.
For those that want something a little more versatile than a one trick pony (i.e. only making rice) you’re in luck as the Cosori rice cooker does have several cooking modes, but it’s less versatile than other models as previously mentioned, like Ninja and Instant Pot.
IN THE BOX
Included in the package is the inner metal pot, a rice spoon, measuring cup, and plastic steam basket. The rice cooker has a decent sized footprint but it’s not too tall. It feels a bit smaller than an Instant Pot (or about the same size) but is significantly smaller than my Ninja Foodi combo unit I previously mentioned. It looks attractive enough (not countertop cooking device is truly attractive, but this one isn’t offensive if you left it out). It’s streamlined and sleek. But that’s always a matter of personal preference.
Included in the package is the inner metal pot, a rice spoon, measuring cup, and plastic steam basket. The rice cooker has a decent sized footprint but it’s not too tall. It feels a bit smaller than an Instant Pot (or about the same size) but is significantly smaller than my Ninja Foodi combo unit I previously mentioned. It looks attractive enough (not countertop cooking device is truly attractive, but this one isn’t offensive if you left it out). It’s streamlined and sleek. But that’s always a matter of personal preference.
SETUP AND USE
If you've owned other rice cookers, air fryers or pressure cookers, you'll find using the Cosori rice cooker familiar. It's not unlike other kitchen appliances in terms of the pieces/accessories and how you use it. There's the inner metal pot where you put water and rice, or water and oatmeal, or the steam basket and then close the lid and select your cooking option.
If you've owned other rice cookers, air fryers or pressure cookers, you'll find using the Cosori rice cooker familiar. It's not unlike other kitchen appliances in terms of the pieces/accessories and how you use it. There's the inner metal pot where you put water and rice, or water and oatmeal, or the steam basket and then close the lid and select your cooking option.
As with most kitchen products, you should clean the accessories before first using them, and it’s even suggested that you operate it without any food.
Before getting to the quality of the food it makes, I first want to speak to the instruction manual. I’m no chef, sure I have a few recipes that are my thing, but for the most part, I rely on good instructions. I found the instructions to be extremely confusing. I’m not talking about the “how to clean it” part of the instructions, but specifically, the ratio of rice to water. Now, maybe it makes sense to others but I really struggled getting the right ratio. Part of it is because of the reference to the word “cup” in the quick reference chart. For example, when cooking white rice long grain, there’s a 1:1.25 grain to water ratio. But then there’s a reference to cups. And then on the inside of the metal pot, there’s numbers/lines imprinted on the inside to help you figure out how much water to use. But one “cup” of rice is not a true one cup - it’s the measuring cup included. And the amount of water, is it one true “cup” (8 ounces) or a cup of water?
I found it extremely confusing to figure this out. Especially because I typically only make one cup of rice at a time. There are no water level markings in the pot for making only one cup of rice, so that requires looking at the quick reference chart to figure out the ratio.
To me, this makes kitchen appliances confusing (maybe I’m in the minority). But luckily, there’s some wiggle room. If your ratio is a little off it’s typically not a big deal, but my first batch of rice was thrown out because I didn’t have enough water. Someone else might pick this up and thinks it makes perfect sense, or has previous knowledge of how to use it and will know the ratios out of the gate, but I struggled.
As previously mentioned, this isn’t strictly a rice cooker, but that’s all I use it for (as I said, I wanted a dedicated rice cooker). It has a slow cook function (I’m guess like a crockpot?), steam, saute and keep warm. It also has a delay timer which I think is really useful given how long it takes to cook; you can prepare things in advance (up to 24 hours) and set it to begin cooking later that day or the next day, so it’s ready when you need it. I can’t tell you how many times I decide I want rice right then but realize it takes a while to cook and I choose something else.
Speaking of amount of time cooking. This is not a pressure cooker that pumps out rice in 12-15 minutes. It takes about 45 minutes to cook one cup of long white rice. That’s not really a knock, but it’s something you need to keep in mind. That’s why I said the timer function is so nice, like a crockpot, I can set it to cook rice in advance so it’s ready when I’m ready to eat it at a later time. And you’ll notice that the countdown is ever changing, it’s an estimated time to cook. So it might start by saying 50 minutes, but it might not actually take that long. The fluctuation in time hasn’t caused me any issues in terms of the timing of food prep.
QUALITY OF FOOD
I’ve had soft pillowy, sticky rice before. Which I love. My Ninja Foodi just couldn’t replicate that. But the Cosori consistently put out fluffy rice which is what I am looking for. I haven’t tried oatmeal yet - which I’m interested in doing, if I can figure out the water to oatmeal ratio - but in terms of the quality of the rice it’s terrific IMO. It does tend to get a little more firm/hard if you eat it long after its done cooking while it’s staying warm, but I’ve yet to have a bad batch (other than my first attempt which was part user error and part confusion).
I’ve had soft pillowy, sticky rice before. Which I love. My Ninja Foodi just couldn’t replicate that. But the Cosori consistently put out fluffy rice which is what I am looking for. I haven’t tried oatmeal yet - which I’m interested in doing, if I can figure out the water to oatmeal ratio - but in terms of the quality of the rice it’s terrific IMO. It does tend to get a little more firm/hard if you eat it long after its done cooking while it’s staying warm, but I’ve yet to have a bad batch (other than my first attempt which was part user error and part confusion).
My only other comment is that it makes a lot of rice. I have a family of 5, and it makes ample rice for us, we always have extra. I assume it’s meant for a family of 4, but to me, it makes way more than that, we could probably feed 8 people when filling it to capacity.
Finally, the accessories and pot are all dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning a breeze.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Fuel your system performance with the Crucial® T500 Gen4 NVMe® SSD. Experience faster gaming – perfect for PS5™ upgrades. Amp up your creative potential with solid state storage that moves as fast as you need it to. Heavy tasks are no problem with better performance to power efficiency, and our heatsink gives you quiet heat dissipation in a sleek design.
Customer Rating
5
Critical Accessory for Your PS5
on January 23, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
If you own a PS5 and you don’t already have one, you need an extra SSD. It’s no secret that game’s file sizes are ever increasing - Call of Duty can take up several 100 GBs on its own. If you haven’t yet had to delete old game files to make space for new ones, you will soon. And if you’re tired of having to micromanage your hard drive space, then you need extra storage. 1 TB is good, but more is better, and while the costs of the 4 TB SSDs are still pretty steep (often ⅔ the cost of a PS5), the 2 TB Crucial T500 hits a nice balance of price and performance. It’s a no brainer of an upgrade for your PS5.
There are a lot of manufacturers out there, but Crucial is a global brand known for high quality memory products. You know what you’re getting - quality and performance. This particular model is Gen4, and while Gen5 is starting to come out, its speed matches the performance necessary to run inside your PS5. While knowledge of technical details isn’t necessary for the masses, when looking for a SSD for your PS5 you just need to know that you need Gen4 M.2 with speeds greater than 5,500 MB/s. There are a variety of form factors, but the vast majority will work with the PS5. You’ll also need to make sure it has a heatsink. For those that don’t know, that’s because these little SSDs can get pretty hot and they need to dissipate heat. This Crucial T500 checks all the boxes.
Its theoretical speeds get up to 7,400 MB/s read and 7,000 MB/s write speed. While my PS5 didn’t quite get that fast - your PS5 will display the speeds after it’s initially formatted for use - it was more than adequate. Read, it met the minimum requirements. After it’s installed in your PS5, you are then able to download games to it. While your games are stored on two separate drives (the SSD and the internal PS5 hard drive) it’s not something you have to worry about (until one of them runs out of space). And I noticed no difference whether a game was installed on the PS5 internal SSD or the Crucial T500. Honestly, there’s nothing more than you ask for. This drive brings incredible performance, and the price for its size is a terrific deal. I can’t recommend it enough. There might be other cheaper drives, but you won’t get the 5 year warranty and comfort knowing you have a SSD from a known, and quality manufacturer.
One little aside, and this to all those who have not installed a SSD in their PS5. There are plenty of videos on the internet - including from PlayStation - showing you how to do so. For those who are not familiar with computer parts or are nervous about opening up their PS5, I assure you it is a simple process that takes only minutes. Once it’s unplugged, you place it down, lift up the corner of the faceplate and with a little pressure, it will slide off. From there, you simply need a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the SSD cover plate, and to tighten the SSD into the slot (it slides in and then a screw holds the SSD in place. Put the cover plate back on, and then slide the PS5 cover on and voila, you’re done.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Boost your skills with the controller innovations from Nacon. Officially licensed for PlayStation, the Revolution 5 Pro delivers unmatched performance and reliability in a wireless game controller for PS5, PS4 and PC. Revolutionary features include magnetic Hall effect joysticks, adjustable trigger blockers, swappable D-pad designs, and Bluetooth audio.
Customer Rating
3
Great controller with too many limitations
on January 15, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
In terms of controller build, quality, comfort, design, you won’t find one better. This is especially the case if you are one that prefers the offset joystick design (like Xbox). I mean, the weight is perfect, the hall joysticks are incredibly smooth and accurate, the buttons are clicky and responsive, and you can - quickly - switch to short pull triggers. But at the end of the day, this controller - designed primarily for the PS5 - has too many limitations to be able to recommend to anyone but the most picky and selective serious - pro - gamer.
IN THE BOX
For the money, you can’t complain with everything in the box. Inside the packaging is the hardshell case which contains the controller and all the accessories. The case contains the controller, a 10 foot long braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a microfiber cloth, and a small plastic case containing the extra sticks, D-pad, and weights.
For the money, you can’t complain with everything in the box. Inside the packaging is the hardshell case which contains the controller and all the accessories. The case contains the controller, a 10 foot long braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a microfiber cloth, and a small plastic case containing the extra sticks, D-pad, and weights.
DESIGN
The controller design is pretty self-explanatory, but there’s a few things that need to be noted that might not be obvious. Obviously it’s designed with the offset joysticks similar to the Xbox controller. It’s extremely comfortable, it’s mostly plastic, but it feels premium. There are plastic covers on the handles of the controller that slide off where you can insert weights into the controller. I didn’t measure it, but the touchpad seems a little smaller than the standard PS5 controller, but whether it is or isn’t, there was no difference in use. On the back is where the pro action is. There are a lot of slider toggles. One switches between PS4, PS5 and PC. There’s also a slider for advanced controls or basic controls. Basically, turning it on advanced opens up the ability to use the buttons on the back of the handles and to use personal profiles. There’s also sliders that adjust the throw of the triggers. Default is the standard throw, but you can switch it to short throw. To me, for FPS games you might want to short pull for quicker trigger pulls, where driving games work better with the full range of the trigger.
The controller design is pretty self-explanatory, but there’s a few things that need to be noted that might not be obvious. Obviously it’s designed with the offset joysticks similar to the Xbox controller. It’s extremely comfortable, it’s mostly plastic, but it feels premium. There are plastic covers on the handles of the controller that slide off where you can insert weights into the controller. I didn’t measure it, but the touchpad seems a little smaller than the standard PS5 controller, but whether it is or isn’t, there was no difference in use. On the back is where the pro action is. There are a lot of slider toggles. One switches between PS4, PS5 and PC. There’s also a slider for advanced controls or basic controls. Basically, turning it on advanced opens up the ability to use the buttons on the back of the handles and to use personal profiles. There’s also sliders that adjust the throw of the triggers. Default is the standard throw, but you can switch it to short throw. To me, for FPS games you might want to short pull for quicker trigger pulls, where driving games work better with the full range of the trigger.
I like the placement of the rear buttons, of which there are four on the inside of the grips. Some back buttons are too sensitive and too easy to hit accidentally, but I didn’t find that to be a problem. They were easy to feel and to push, but they weren’t so sensitive so that I was hitting them accidentally.
The battery life is pretty good, in fact much better than the standard PS5 controller. Probably attributable to the lack of vibration features.
REAL TIME USE
Before getting to gaming with the controller, first, a few things on its limitations. I’ll give Nacon props, they don’t try to fool you, in all the marketing materials I’ve seen, they make it known there are some general quirks to using this controller. I’ll start with PC, because that’s where you go to adjust the controller settings or remap buttons.
Before getting to gaming with the controller, first, a few things on its limitations. I’ll give Nacon props, they don’t try to fool you, in all the marketing materials I’ve seen, they make it known there are some general quirks to using this controller. I’ll start with PC, because that’s where you go to adjust the controller settings or remap buttons.
You simply plug it into your computer’s USB port. You have to make sure the switch on the back of the controller is set to PC, otherwise your computer will recognize it but it won’t work. You have to download the Nacon software from their website. The software prompted me to upgrade the firmware, which didn’t take too long. Here you’ll find that there are four profiles for each the PS4, PC and PS5. You can go in and remap buttons, adjust the joystick sensitivity and/or delays. Note that there are 4 presets to begin with: Racing, FPS, infiltrator and arcade fighting games. After I went through these settings, I tested Xbox Game Pass on PC, and games downloaded through Epic. The controller worked flawlessly with both.
To change profiles, you simply hit the profile button and it cycles through them. There’s no display screen, but you’ll know which profile you’re on based on the color of the light ring around the right joystick. For example, the red light ring tells you you’re on FPS settings - the default, it would be whatever you want it to be if you change it within the PC app.
If you’re new to changing the macro settings in a controller, you’ll find, like me, that it requires some tweaking. So it will take some patience and trial and error to find the settings that will work best for you. When I played Tomb Raider with the “infiltrator” profile, I didn’t like the built in delays when looking around. During my game, I opted to go back to the general settings - intending to tweak the settings afterwards.
Now, I didn’t use this controller with PS4, which is packed away. So next up is the PS5. I think how you play games, and whether you play by yourself (or whether you chat online) makes a big difference with looking at this controller. The big missing feature is no rumble with the PS5. And it doesn’t have adaptive triggers. Having that is obviously personal preference, but there are some games, like Spider-Man, that really benefit with the advanced PS5 rumble features.
The controller has Bluetooth, but that’s not how it communicates with the PS5. In order to use it with the PS5, you have to use one of the USB-A slots. You can either plug it in with the included USB cable, or you can use it wirelessly with the included USB dongle (which is stored inside the plastic case within the protective case. This can be a big problem if you use your USB port - like - me, for your gaming headset. Of course, there are workarounds. As I said, this controller has Bluetooth, but you have to connect your headset via Bluetooth to the controller itself. This doesn’t sound terrible, but my gaming headset doesn’t have Bluetooth. And it brings more complexity to just turning on your standard PS5 controller and just gaming. I like that Nacon has developed a workaround (to what I can assume was a limitation created by Sony) but it’s just too complicated for me. I typically play co-op games online with my friends, and it just became too much of a hurdle.
CONCLUSION
I really want to love this controller. The design is fantastic, I love the customization, especially the different height of the sticks and weights, but the limitations with the PS5 is too much to be able to recommend it - especially at thai price point. One of the defining features of the PS% is the haptic feedback, which is entirely missing. But besides that, using this controller on the PS5 necessarily requires you to use up a USB port that you may be using for other things. (my USB ports on the back of my original PS5 are all used, but if you have an open one, it may be less of a problem). The fact that the controller can’t connect to the PS5 without a wireless dongle, requiring me to connect a different Bluetooth headset other than my gaming headset I already own and love, is a dealbreaker for me. But if you can look past that, or don’t mind the workaround, I can easily recommend this controller - just not to the average gamer.
I really want to love this controller. The design is fantastic, I love the customization, especially the different height of the sticks and weights, but the limitations with the PS5 is too much to be able to recommend it - especially at thai price point. One of the defining features of the PS% is the haptic feedback, which is entirely missing. But besides that, using this controller on the PS5 necessarily requires you to use up a USB port that you may be using for other things. (my USB ports on the back of my original PS5 are all used, but if you have an open one, it may be less of a problem). The fact that the controller can’t connect to the PS5 without a wireless dongle, requiring me to connect a different Bluetooth headset other than my gaming headset I already own and love, is a dealbreaker for me. But if you can look past that, or don’t mind the workaround, I can easily recommend this controller - just not to the average gamer.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Set the soundstage for victory with the Razer Nommo V2—a full-range gaming speaker system and subwoofer designed for high-fidelity, room-filling sound and riveting bass. Powered by THX Spatial Audio and Razer Chroma RGB, prepare for an immersive experience that spans across sight and sound.
Customer Rating
4
Great performers - at a price...
on January 9, 2024
Posted by: callmeageeth
True to the Razer name, these computer speakers play the part. They have a distinct design, without being too over the top, well built, and sound terrific. The biggest drawback is the cost. These are pricey speakers. If you have the budget, I highly recommend them.
IN THE BOX AND SETTING UP
The packaging is, like most Razer things, put together very well. Everything is nicely wrapped and protected. You’ll find a “getting started” guide on the top of the box. The only real thing you need to know - they are speakers after all - is how to put them in Bluetooth pairing mode. Inside you’ll find the two speakers shaped like large cans, a subwoofer, power cable, and USB-C to USB-A cable. It’s pretty self explanatory as there’s only one way everything plugs in, but the cables coming from the two speakers (which are built in) plug into the subwoofer. The plugs are similar to old VGA cables where you have to turn the screws on either side. At first blush it seemed a little unnecessary, but it actually feels like a smart design choice as there’s no chance the cables are falling out without some intentional act.
The packaging is, like most Razer things, put together very well. Everything is nicely wrapped and protected. You’ll find a “getting started” guide on the top of the box. The only real thing you need to know - they are speakers after all - is how to put them in Bluetooth pairing mode. Inside you’ll find the two speakers shaped like large cans, a subwoofer, power cable, and USB-C to USB-A cable. It’s pretty self explanatory as there’s only one way everything plugs in, but the cables coming from the two speakers (which are built in) plug into the subwoofer. The plugs are similar to old VGA cables where you have to turn the screws on either side. At first blush it seemed a little unnecessary, but it actually feels like a smart design choice as there’s no chance the cables are falling out without some intentional act.
I didn’t measure the length of the cables, but they should be plenty long for most computer desks. You will, however, need to make sure your desk has plenty of space as these speakers are large. Once they’re in the right place, run the cables from the speakers to the sub. Plug the power cord into the subwoofer, and last, plug the USB into the subwoofer and then into your computer. Voila, that’s it.
DESIGN
Razer is always known for its flare and RGB lights. And these speakers are no exception. The subwoofer looks like a subwoofer. The feet are long enough to keep the subwoofer an inch or so off the ground, and the feet are made of rubber, so they won’t slide around on hardwood floors. The subwoofer is light and brings with it a 5.5 inch downward facing driver. The speakers look like large cylinders, like large soda cans, that lay on their side and face upwards. They each have 3 inch drivers that provide plenty of power. I think design is a personal preference, but I think most people would like the way these speakers look. They’re not your boxy standing rectangle, but something different that isn’t too “out there.” I will note, however, that the angle of the speakers can’t be adjusted. Basically the speaker is “glued” if you will to the stand.
Razer is always known for its flare and RGB lights. And these speakers are no exception. The subwoofer looks like a subwoofer. The feet are long enough to keep the subwoofer an inch or so off the ground, and the feet are made of rubber, so they won’t slide around on hardwood floors. The subwoofer is light and brings with it a 5.5 inch downward facing driver. The speakers look like large cylinders, like large soda cans, that lay on their side and face upwards. They each have 3 inch drivers that provide plenty of power. I think design is a personal preference, but I think most people would like the way these speakers look. They’re not your boxy standing rectangle, but something different that isn’t too “out there.” I will note, however, that the angle of the speakers can’t be adjusted. Basically the speaker is “glued” if you will to the stand.
The RGB lights. I’m a big fan of RGB lights for my gaming setup - whether it’s my TV or computer. I don’t always have them syncing to the content, I just like the subtle color and pop these lights bring to help your rug/system (whatever) stand out. Here, the lights are built into the back of each speaker. When you look on the backside of the speaker you’ll see a white plastic dome. When you turn the speakers on they’ll light up. The colors are not so bright as to cause any type of disruption - IMO - and create just a nice ambiance no matter what you’re doing.
The controls are buttons on the top of the right speaker. There’s a power button and volume rocker, that’s it. They obviously speak for themselves. Any other settings, like EQ or lighting must be tweaked in the Synapse app. Honestly, it’s all you need and nothing you don’t. I love the minimalist and simple design of the buttons. They’re large and can’t be missed.
SOUND QUALITY
This is where these bad boys shine. I’ve played Call of Duty, Anno 1886, watched movies, listened to music, and other day to day computer tasks, and all of them sound phenomenal. In fact, the speakers might be too powerful. When cranking up the volume you can literally feel the bass. It’s sharp and crisp without drowning out the details. You can feel explosions in games and listening to music is an absolute treat. It's a true high fidelity sound. But I will caution that some types of music don’t sound the best (when I say that, I mean I still think it sounds pretty good) like the high notes of vocals that can get muddled into the sound. For the most part however, and especially with bass heavy tracks, the speakers will bump.
This is where these bad boys shine. I’ve played Call of Duty, Anno 1886, watched movies, listened to music, and other day to day computer tasks, and all of them sound phenomenal. In fact, the speakers might be too powerful. When cranking up the volume you can literally feel the bass. It’s sharp and crisp without drowning out the details. You can feel explosions in games and listening to music is an absolute treat. It's a true high fidelity sound. But I will caution that some types of music don’t sound the best (when I say that, I mean I still think it sounds pretty good) like the high notes of vocals that can get muddled into the sound. For the most part however, and especially with bass heavy tracks, the speakers will bump.
When using a PC, you can activate THX Spatial Audio (which would otherwise cost money) to enrich the experience even further. I was flat out amazed at the details and spatial audio of hearing enemies approach me from the side (off screen). It really sounded like true surround sound. NOTE that not all games are THX certified but they still sounded really good. Granted, this is single person use when the speakers are facing you - I’m not suggesting these speakers could replace the surround sound speakers in your living room.
SYNAPSE SOFTWARE
If you’re new to Razer, you haven’t met the difficulties of navigating/figuring out the Synapse app. It’s a computer app that allows you to adjust the EQ of your speakers or the lights. In fact, it’s supposed to manage all of your Razer peripherals. For me, I find it to quirky and challenging to really do a deep dive into and use on a regular basis. I downloaded it, and once I got the speakers the way I wanted (the only thing I changed was the lighting) I never opened it again. But if you were changing the lights, you go into Synapse to adjust the rear-projection RGB lighting. There are two zone, one for each speaker. You can pick whatever two colors (or the same) you’d like, or you can turn on ambient awareness mode to reflect the area of your screen.
If you’re new to Razer, you haven’t met the difficulties of navigating/figuring out the Synapse app. It’s a computer app that allows you to adjust the EQ of your speakers or the lights. In fact, it’s supposed to manage all of your Razer peripherals. For me, I find it to quirky and challenging to really do a deep dive into and use on a regular basis. I downloaded it, and once I got the speakers the way I wanted (the only thing I changed was the lighting) I never opened it again. But if you were changing the lights, you go into Synapse to adjust the rear-projection RGB lighting. There are two zone, one for each speaker. You can pick whatever two colors (or the same) you’d like, or you can turn on ambient awareness mode to reflect the area of your screen.
QUIRKS
I’ve never found a perfect product, and these speakers are no exception. There are a few quirks I found. One pertains to the lighting. The lights are on the back of the speaker, so unless you have a wall behind your speaker, you won’t see the lights (they need to reflect off something). I had trouble putting it into Bluetooth mode, so much so that I gave up. For me, this wasn’t really a problem, I just wanted to test it. But if you were relying on this to run music through another device like your phone, just note that I found it to be a difficult process. (you’re supposed to double tap the power button to put it into pairing, I was able to do that and find it on my phone, I just never got it to actually connect and play music).
I’ve never found a perfect product, and these speakers are no exception. There are a few quirks I found. One pertains to the lighting. The lights are on the back of the speaker, so unless you have a wall behind your speaker, you won’t see the lights (they need to reflect off something). I had trouble putting it into Bluetooth mode, so much so that I gave up. For me, this wasn’t really a problem, I just wanted to test it. But if you were relying on this to run music through another device like your phone, just note that I found it to be a difficult process. (you’re supposed to double tap the power button to put it into pairing, I was able to do that and find it on my phone, I just never got it to actually connect and play music).
The next and probably my biggest gripe is that the speakers turn off after inactivity (that’s ok) but don’t turn on when I turn my computer on. Some might say this is a minor annoyance (it is) but I always forget to turn my speakers on when turning my computer on. But each and every time you turn your computer on, you’ll have to turn the speakers on as well. It’s only one button, but I wish they turned on when my desktop did.
Finally, my only other comment, it’s not really a gripe, but something I want to emphasize for anyone thinking about buying these, is the size of the speakers. Maybe I’m in the minority, but they seem large. When looking at these, make sure you have the desk space to place them. And to that same effect, give some consideration as to what will be behind your speakers like a wall to reflect the RGB lighting. While I don’t think anyone would buy these for the RGB lighting effects alone, why spend the premium on them if you can’t see the lighting reflections behind the speakers?
All in all, these are well built, sharp looking speakers that do well at most anything you would do on your computer - but they are pricey. I don’t think they’re the best value proposition, but if you have the dough or are invested in the Razer ecosystem, these should be towards the top of your wish list.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Do these headphones have a mute button and how long is the battery life if using for office calls?
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Does this ssd works on MacBook Pro
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