Batlacit's stats
- Review count240
- Helpfulness votes924
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewOctober 21, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes100
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
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Valor Pro Wireless pushes performance on Xbox with game-changing features. React faster with the rear paddles by keeping your thumbs on the thumbsticks while you jump, slide, reload, and more. With a low-latency wireless connection, Bluetooth~, and 1k Hz polling on PC, every movement stays sharp and responsive. Our new anti-drift TMR thumbsticks are designed to feel familiar while still alleviating common symptoms of wear and tear. Customize your controller settings without ever leaving your console with the SCUF app available on Xbox and PC. The built-in battery delivers up to 17 hours of playtime and recharges fast with the included 6ft USB-C.
Customer Rating
5
Feels Good
on October 21, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
I can safely say that I've never had a controller quite so nice as the Valor Pro.
Honestly I'm a little tempted to end the review there, but for those of you who need more convincing allow me to explain. Game controller design is pretty much solved, at this point. We know how to make them good, and pretty much everyone does. So for a controller to stand out, it really needs to go above and beyond. Many opt to do so with premium materials and finishes. The Valor Pro does indulge in this somewhat, but more of its focus seems to be on part selection and a generally high attention to detail. The wight, the balance, the feel of the controls, even jtaking it out of the box and holding it in your hands gives off the feeling of a well engineered high quality device in the most satisfying way.
There are three features on the Valor that make it stand out for me. The first is the four rear paddles, which by default are bound to the ABXY face buttons. The box brags that this means you never have to take your thumb off the right stick - and while I can certainly agree with it in theory I think that most will agree that the years of muscle memory telling you to do just that makes it easier said than done. But the layout here is good enough that I found it a lot easier to start learning than I have with similar designs. I credit this to the way that your fingers basically sit between a set of paddles on the grip and a raised face button on the back, meaning you only need to pull or push with your middle finger to get either one rather than feeling your way around a set of triggers or sliding up and down the grip to reach the right control. The second is the built in audio controls. You've got two volume dials, both of which can be clicked to mute, flanking the headset jack. They're a lot more convenient than headset mounted controls and frankly work so well I have to wonder why it's not part of the standard design. Finally, there are the controls themselves. Everything feels smooth and tight, with some pleasantly tactile feedback from the rear controls and the d-pad. There's also a fair bit of customizability for both XBox and Windows. The most important setting, the sensitivity of the analog triggers, is handled via toggle switches on the rear of the controller and can be swapped without having to take your eyes off the screen if you feel the need. Everything else is controlled via a SCUF app. The app for this is listed as still being in beta, but in my time with it I haven't run into any issues that would make me concerned about recommending it.
All in all, it's an easy recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade from the standard controller experience.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Anker SOLIX C1000X Gen2 Portable Power Station ~ your on-the-go energy companion! Compact yet mighty, this battery powered generator is designed to keep your adventures charged. With a robust 1,024Wh capacity, it delivers reliable power for camping trips, outdoor events, and emergency situations. Boasting 9 powerful output ports, it ensures you can charge a variety of devices simultaneously. The Anker SOLIX C1000X Gen2 is the solution to your power needs, wherever life takes you.
Customer Rating
5
Glamping in Style
on October 21, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
As someone who regularly uses a BiPAP to deal with sleep apnea, a power station has been on my camping wish list for a while. Unfortunately, finding an affordable option that's got enough capacity to actually run the power hungry little machines for more than a night is easier said than done. The SOLIX line from Anker seeks to solve that problem by improving the charging process so that you can get some of the benefits of a larger capacity unit without having to set aside the space or one - and while it's not a perfect solution I think it definitely shows a lot of promise for my future outdoor adventures.
The unit ships with basically just the essentials. You get the power station, a 120v charging cord (using a standard 3-prong design so you don't need to worry too much about losing it) and a 12v charging cord for your car. It's about the size and weight of a small drinks cooler that's been fully loaded with ice - making it fairly easy to carry around a campsite. Since I'm hoping to rely on it for longer excursions I also paired it with an inexpensive 200w foldable solar panel array, which I may expand in the future to up charging speed. The adapter that came with the panels worked with the power station out of the box, so no additional accessories were required to set it up for off-grid operation.
Performance in the wild is very good. The power station arrived with an almost full charge, and it took less than an hour to top up before heading out. With just one button to turn it on there's not a lot of complexity to worry about, you literally just plug stuff in and it works. And I found it worked very well - keeping all our devices charged (phones, tablet, etc) while also running my BiPAP. I wasn't able to fully vet the solar charging since cloud cover was surprisingly dense for most of the trip, but even with less than ideal light conditions the unit steadily charged throughout the day and (with a little help from the car) ended up lasting the full trip with plenty of charge to spare.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Meet the world~s first hi-res wireless certified gaming headset the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Elite. Outputting audiophile-quality 96kHz/24bit sound over 2.4GHz or Bluetooth, it's powered by 2-piece carbon fiber drivers. The new GameHub works with all systems, and can mix up to four sound sources simultaneously. Tune out external noise with best-in-class ANC and onboard AI noise rejection.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent sound with some interesting features
on October 16, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
I've seen a fair number of premium gaming headsets at this point - but I can safely say the Arctis Nova Elite stands apart. While it may not be the ideal headset for everyone, I think it's safe to say that there isn't anything else out there at the moment that can match this specific mix of features.
The headset is split into two main parts: the hadphones themselves and a USB Control Box/DAC that sits on your desk. The headphones use an elastic universal fit design. I've tried a few of these over the years and generally haven't liked them very much, as they usually feel kind of awkward and end up concentrating too much weight on the top of your head. I'm pleased to say I didn't encounter either of those problems here. The elastic band is a bit softer and better at contouring to my head than most, and offered enough adjustment to handle a wider array of head sizes than most. Weight is relatively modest, though still pretty far from ultralight, and the controls are well laid out for easy access. The retractable boom mic in particular gains points for how smoothly it integrates into the headphone's body when you're not using it.
The control box, meanwhile, gains points for simplicity. Pretty much everything is controlled via a combination jog wheel/button that normally handles volume, with a few vital statistics being relayed via a small OLED screen. It looks great on my desk and doesn't take up a lot of room, but admittedly can be a bit slow to use for more complex tasks. For day to day gaming I don't think anyone will care, but if you plan to use this for a more complex streaming audio setup it's definitely worth considering that you'll want to have everything prepared before you start. The box is also vital for the headset's best party trick: swappable batteries. With how long headset batteries tend to last these days I can't say this is solving a problem that comes up often, but it is nonetheless appealing to know that I don't have to plug anything in if I find myself suddenly out of juice before a gaming session.
As far as actual use goes, I mostly have high marks. Sound quality is excellent, and the ANC option does a great job filtering out fan noise from a gaming tower (though it can admittedly become a little uncomfortable with protracted use.) The ear cups are soft and do a good job providing some passive noise blocking as well, though it's worth keeping in mind that they do heat up a fair bit over longer gaming sessions. The microphone audio is also good - albeit a little grainy. It does better with the included baffle attached, but since that also interferes with your ability to stow the mic I can't say that's something I'm likely to use that much. Most of the finer adjustments need to be handled via an app installed on either your phone or PC, and this is one area where I admit I'm less impressed. There's a lot of bloat built in, a very aggressive push to have you sign up for an account with SteelSeries, and the audio controls feel very deliberately hidden. But once you figure out how to get past that it does its job, and you probably only need to go in there a few times, so I decided not to knock a star off for it.
All in all this does get a recommendation for me - provided you feel like the unusual feature set caters to you. I'm still not entirely sold on the need for ANC or swappable batteries for most people, but for the few who do want it there really aren't a ton of competing options and certainly not many offering this kind of styling or build quality.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Whether you~re creating or being entertained, steal the show with the versatile and stylish HP OmniBook X Flip 16 Next Gen AI PC. A vibrant 16" 3K OLED touch display ensures you always have the best seat in the house, while the flexibility to use it flipped, folded, or flat ensures that it~s also the most comfortable and productive. Designed for the spotlight, it~s engineered with recycled metal and comes with a modern backlit keyboard.
Customer Rating
4
Solid productivity laptop
on September 19, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
The OmniBook X Flip is a good laptop that tries to accomplish a bit of everything. With the screen that looks like it belongs on a gaming machine, the RAM and storage of a productivity powerhouse, and the form factor of an ultraportable, it is clearly making a strong play for the generic daily driver market. And while this does have some advantages, it does perhaps hold it back from being a truly great machine.
One thing I do have to give it is that it makes a good impression taking it out of the box. The metal case (which does a very good job of repelling fingerprints, FYI) makes for a subdued and elegant silhouette, and the large OLED screen is absolutely gorgeous. Going through the initial setup process took about an hour, most of which was spent going through automatic updates, and once it was set up the machine was reasonably responsive. It does ship with a fair amount of what I'd characterize as bloatware, which definitely drags down performance out of the box, but once you strip that out its performance is pretty good for a mobile i9 ultra and battery life is much better than I'd usually expect from an Intel chip. The ARC integrated graphics can easily handle some light gaming, though the Omen gaming app (which tries its best to use "AI" to optimize gaming performance) will point you to cloud gaming services if you want to do anything too ambitious.
Unfortunately this is also when I began to notice some things that I was less than impressed by. Build quality here is a real mix. With a machine this large and this thin some amount of flexibility is pretty much unavoidable, as not even the metal case can deal with all the leverage it'll have to deal with, but even by that standard this thing bends very easily. It's better when the screen is closed or in tablet mode, as the magnets holding the screen in place are quite strong and it seems to help brace everything, but this is definitely not a machine I'd want to be carrying around in a bag without a case, ideally a hard case, to keep it safe. I also have to say that the keyboard is surprisingly poor. While the scissor switches feel fine on their own, there are a lot of keys that for reasons I can't quite figure out are sitting at different elevations or slightly skewed. Normally I wouldn't be too concerned about this, as good keyboards on laptops are pretty rare to begin with but given that this is a convertible and the keyboard is going to be somewhat regularly located on the back of the machine, sliding around on your arm or leg as you use it as a tablet, I have some definite concerns that these uneven keys could lead to something getting caught and popping off.
I do think that this has the potential to be a decent daily driver for some people - particularly given the quality of the touch screen that would make it a great option for artists when paired with the optional pen (which is not included.) But with the build quality issues I've run across I think it's probably best for those who only plan to occasionally travel with it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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ROG Falcata 75% split gaming keyboard with hot-swappable ROG HFX V2 Magnetic Switches and ROG Hall Sensor; featuring Rapid Trigger toggle, intuitive control and multi-function wheel, tri-mode connectivity with ROG SpeedNova 8K wireless technology, Zone Mode, four-layer dampening and detachable silicone wrist rests.
Customer Rating
5
One of the best ergonomics out there
on September 15, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
As I've gotten a little older, I've come to appreciate the need for an ergonomic keyboard. Unfortunately while they may be good for your wrists, there are depressingly few split keyboard designs that actually offer a halfway decent typing experience, let alone a good gaming one. ASUS aims to fix that with that with the Falcata, and does so with their usual brand of gratuitous overkill.
The general build quality of the Falcata is among the best I've ever seen. It is a seriously beefy piece of tech with lots of metal parts and absolutely zero deck flex, which admittedly is made substantially easier by the fact that the split design doesn't create nearly as much leverage. The optional wrist rests are made of sturdy rubber so they should last a very long time, and the magnetic switches shouldn't be subjected to nearly as much wear and tear as the contacts on more traditional mechanical designs.
As for the user experience, I found myself with very few complaints. It's got all the usual bells and whistles you'd expect from an ROG product with elaborate RGB, low latency, key rollover, and so on, so I won't go into much detail there and instead focus on the real game changer: the ergonomic layout and what it can do for your daily comfort. I'm usually not the greatest fan of smooth switches, as I find the physical feedback of tactile designs to be better for my accuracy and just general awareness of what I'm hitting. And when I first took it out of the box I really did not think I would like the switches here, as they seemed ridiculously sensitive and would often start triggering just from the pressure exerted by resting my fingers on the home row. But this was before I discovered that the actuation point for every switch is adjustable. And what's more it's adjustable on the keyboard itself, through the use of a multifunction control wheel on the left side. While I do still somewhat miss the satisfying click of the keys, once I had everything dialed in I found my accuracy was almost identical to what I was getting with my tactile boards. And oh my goodness, the comfort is so much better. I've noticed in the last few years that my left wrist has been getting angry when I let myself spend more than an hour or so at the keyboard, and on some days it just won't tolerate it at all, but with this I can completely eliminate the issue with just a few seconds of adjusting. I've even started using it for work, which is made significantly easier by the fact that it supports pairing with multiple devices via Bluetooth.
That said there are a few areas for improvement with future versions. The biggest, arguably, is the documentation and height adjustment. The keyboard comes with 8 detachable feet (4 tall, 4 short) 10 places to screw them in and 0 explanations for how this is supposed to work. Based on how the sockets are arranged it seems like you're supposed to be making a triangle with the feet to provide a wrist-friendly angle on your desk, but every time I try to do so it either feels very wobbly or like I'm missing pieces. The instructions basically only show you where the feet screw in, not how you're supposed to arrange them, so I feel like I'm missing something very clever that the engineers behind it thought would be self evident. But, honestly, if that's the biggest complaint I have it's probably a good thing. This is an easy recommend for anyone looking for an ergonomic mechanical keyboard.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Equipped with a 48MP sensor and a 3-axis gimbal, P40 Lite captures ultra-stable 4K video and detailed 8K photos with professional clarity. Smart shooting modes~including MasterShots and Smart Follow~offer creative flexibility for a wide range of scenes. Up to 31 minutes of flight time and a 6km transmission range support extended shooting sessions. The drone remains stable in level 5 winds (3m flight altitude in Optical Flow Mode) and features a triple-positioning system~combining optical flow, GPS, and ToF~for accurate, responsive control.
Customer Rating
4
Fantastic hobby drone with a few rough edges
on September 8, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
The P40 Lite claims to offer top tier camera drone features in a hobbyist size package. This is a deceptively difficult thing to do given the need to stay under the 250g takeoff weight limit for non-registered drones, particularly for a company that's mostly known for targeting beginner pilots rather than professional or semi-professional users. After taking it on a few flights in a variety of conditions and doing a lot of experimentation, I'm not sure I can honestly say it's succeeded in everything it's set out to do. But, despite that, it is a remarkably fun and capable little device that I suspect many hobbyists will be very excited by.
First, let's talk about some of the highlights. The drone is well designed and very portable, including a hard shell carrying case with space for up to three batteries (assuming one is stored in the drone) and the controller. Deploying the drone requires only a minute or so, and packing it up takes about the same. Charging is also done via USB-C, making it very easy to just bring with you and pull out whenever you find a good opportunity rather than having to plan everything ahead of time. Control is handled via a combination of the included controller and your phone, and for the most part it works very well. The drone handles well both on still days and in light winds, control range is excellent, and the RTH and boundary features should keep you from getting into any serious trouble. And the camera has captured some absolutely beautiful footage - though admittedly in some cases I found it to be prone to oversaturating the colors on bright days. It also includes a RemoteID module, which technically isn't required for the drone in its base configuration but is required if you choose to install the optional (included) blade guards which push the takeoff weight high enough that it requires registration.
Unfortunately, this is also when I started noticing some issues with the drone. The first warning came when I opened up the phone app and saw a lot of very basic spelling mistakes and other translation errors. Badly translated apps are hardly unheard of these days, but I do find it's often accompanied by a general lack of polish and attention to detail in other areas. And I definitely feel like I ran into a lot of that after getting familiar enough with the handling to switch off of beginner mode.
To be clear the drone still flies just as well on manual control in its unlocked state as it did with manual control. But most of the advanced autonomous features were pretty hit or miss. Smart follow really seems to struggle to identify what you want it to track, and absolutely cannot be trusted to keep the target in frame. Additionally it had a strange tendency to start violently rocking back and forth whenever the breeze picked up, which even with the otherwise excellent gimbal produced fairly unusable footage. I really don't know what was causing that behavior in particular, as it would always stop the moment I resumed direct control and it seems to have no problem when performing landings or takeoffs in similar conditions, which makes it a bit hard to plan for when trying to take video. Also, though this is a much more specific complaint, if you have a phone with a pinhole selfie camera right at the top there is a very good chance that the takeoff and landing controls on your screen will fall directly behind it. Given the popularity of this phone design and the importance of that button in particular, I really do feel like this is something that should be addressed in a future version of the app.
All in all, I do think the P40 Lite has a lot to recommend it and is a great option for the more serious hobbyist. But with so many of the more advanced features being prone to odd and unpredictable behavior, I do find it hard to recommend for anything more than that.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Moza R3 Racing Wheel and Pedals Bundle delivers high-performance sim racing at an exceptional price. This bundle is designed for PC users and includes the precision-driven R3 Racing Wheel with advanced force feedback and the Moza SR-P Lite pedals for responsive, realistic control. It offers unbeatable value without sacrificing performance~perfect for both experienced racers and newcomers seeking immersive racing on PC.
Customer Rating
4
Direct Drive Wheel for Everyone
on September 2, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
For years, I've heard that direct drive wheels offered the best experience for racing sims available. I've also heard that they cost an arm and a leg, and as such figured I'd just have to take their word for it. So you can imagine my surprise when seeing that Moza, a company I'd never really heard of before, was offering a bundle that included a full direct drive wheel base at a budget friendly price point, I wasn't sure if I should be excited or deeply suspicious. Ultimately, I ended up somewhere in the middle as the R3 bundle provides both top tier hardware for an immersive gameplay experience and one of the worst user experiences I've ever had with a consumer device.
First up, I want to talk about the good parts of what you get. The R3 bundle really does offer you a high end, if admittedly somewhat basic, set of sim hardware. The wheel base is small but deceptively powerful, and features a variety of options for mounting and expansion hardware. The wheel is likewise very good, if admittedly a little rudimentary, and uses a modular connection system that makes it very easy to either pull it off to free up space or swap it out with more specialized wheel designs for F1. The pedal kit is basic but highly adjustable, with an option to add a third clutch pedal if you wish. Just about everything is metal and uses standardized metric hardware rather than molded catches or plastic fasteners too so it should be rugged enough to stand up to many hours of use in just about any setup. The force feedback effects are also quite detailed and much smoother than the very grainy response you generally get from gearbox based systems, though it can still get a little rough during more dramatic turns and skids.
Unfortunately, this is where I come to the areas where I had more trouble. While everything worked very well eventually, getting it set up in the first place required more effort and cajoling than any peripheral I've worked with since the days of Windows 95. Windows 11 can't recognize the Moza device as a standard input device, so everything has to go through the company's proprietary drivers and dashboard app. And this app is, simply put, a mess. The setup package I downloaded from the Moza website attempted to run a powershell script that immediately (and silently) bombed every time I tried to launch it. I was eventually able to get it to install the application by manually unpacking the executable and locating the setup package the powershell script was trying to run, only to have it bomb because it hadn't loaded any of the drivers it needed to communicate with the wheel. Eventually after an hour or so spent on the Moza subreddit I managed to find another download page that let me download the "Offline installer" which worked. From there I tried to get into one of my go-to racing games, the admittedly slightly aged Project Cars 2, only to find that it couldn't detect the wheel's rotation axis. The app suggested that this was because I had not configured the driver to work with the game and provided a link that it said would give me instructions... which simply told me that the game did not require configuration to work with the wheel. After some more googling I discovered that the actual problem was that the wheel base required a firmware update, which then required me to recalibrate all the controls, then create a custom mapping for the controller. And then I was finally ready to race.
To put it into perspective, the entire process from unpacking the wheel to doing my first successful lap in a simulated replica of my first car took about three days. Granted I was only really working on it in the few hours I set aside for gaming after dinner, and this is not that unusual for some of the more esoteric bits of sim gear that are available today. But with the R3 being priced at a point that makes it more approachable for the average consumer, I'm a bit concerned that many are going to end up just bouncing off during the setup phase.
The good news is that once you do get through it all, you don't need to touch it much. There is an app for your phone that lets you do some adjustments to the wheel without having to interrupt your game, which is an interesting option to have, but I'll admit I haven't found all that much use for it yet.
All in all, this makes it a somewhat odd product to recommend. Just going by the hardware, it's probably one of the best racing wheels I've seen. But I struggle to imagine anyone who isn't either tech savvy or really devoted to racing sims enduring the installation process. So if you are interested - hopefully hearing about my experience will help spare you some frustration.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Samsung~s 32~ Odyssey G5 G51F Gaming Monitor boasts incredibly detailed, pin-sharp images with QHD resolution (2560x1440). HDR10 provides brighter highlights, improved contrast and color accuracy, making every scene feel more vivid and realistic. 180Hz Refresh Rate and near-instant 1ms Response Time (MPRT) captures all your moves with reduced lag for ultra-smooth gameplay. AMD FreeSync Premium Pro reduces choppiness, screen lag, and image tears. Black Equalizer allows you to adjust dark areas in games, so you can locate opponents hiding in the deepest shadows. Virtual Aim Point allows you to hit your marks with next-level accuracy, giving you the optimal aim with crosshairs on the screen. Auto Source Switch+ instantly switches to a new source signal when connected devices are turned on, without having to use multiple inputs. Ergonomic stand makes it simple to tilt and adjust the monitor for total gaming comfort.
Customer Rating
5
Excellent LCD for Gaming
on August 23, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
Samsung has been a fairly dominant force in the gaming monitor space for quite a few years now, so it should come as a surprise to no one that the Odyssey G51F shows that there's still plenty of life in LCDs even if OLEDs are stealing the spotlight. It delivers an excellent, highly responsive gaming experience as well as ample screen space for every day computing.
The design language of the Odyssey hasn't changed much over the years, nor has it needed to. The stand is sleek and stable without taking up an excess of desk space, the complex curves of the rear casing are pleasing to the eye (assuming you ever see them,) and the frame lacks any obtrusive clutter that might distract from the 32" panel. Ports are arranged at the bottom and with the use of the built in cable management it's not hard to route everything so that it's mostly out of the way, if not completely invisible. So, overall, it should be a good aesthetic fit for most desk setups.
As far as the panel itself goes, it strikes an excellent balance between image quality and performance. 32" is right about at the point where you start being able to tell the difference between QHD and UHD resolutions, so I imagine some might question the decision to opt for the lower pixel count, but given the difficulty of driving UHD panels at high refresh rates I think they made the right call here. The image is still plenty sharp unless you plan to regularly lean in to inspect things more closely, and everything feels fantastically twitchy running at 144+Hz. Colors are also very good. It's not going to be able to give you the same vivid colors that you can get with a really good OLED, but provided you turn on HDR it can still deliver some very respectable black levels while producing some dazzling colors. And with FreeSync you don't really need to worry about tearing either - which is definitely important if like me you have it plugged into a laptop whose GPU can't quite drive the QHD panel at full speed without the occasional hiccup.
Usually I would finish a review by listing some of the downsides I encountered while trying the product out. In this case, though, I don't have any. Yes, there are better gaming monitors available on the market. There are even a few better LCD gaming monitors on the market. But you aren't going to find many of them at this price point. That makes this a very easy recommendation for anyone looking for a big, fast panel for their gaming rig that won't cost more than your tower.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Yale Smart Lock, designed to work seamlessly with Google Home, allows users to manage access from anywhere*, create passcodes for guests, and get real-time alerts when someone comes and goes. With Matter technology, it connects effortlessly to Google Home as well as other Matter-enabled products in your home for a smooth and connected smart home experience. This keyed, push button lock offers multiple unlocking options, IPX5 rating for enhanced weather resistance as well as is rated ANSI/BHMA Grade 2. With easy installation and optimized battery life, securing your home has never been more convenient. *Remote access requires Matter-enabled hub.
Customer Rating
5
Smart Lock with Modern Stylings
on August 19, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
Yale’s latest smart lock is a compelling offering for anyone looking to upgrade their front door, marrying Yale’s considerable experience with door lock hardware to an equally flexible technical base that makes installation and use a snap. Since it is a bit more externally facing than many tech products and requires integration into your home, it’s hard to give a straight yes/no recommendation without taking into account where it’s meant to be installed. So instead, I’ve just jotted down my impressions on the design, installation process, and general ease of use.
Design:
The lock is unrepentant about advertising its technical nature. With a design meant to pair with the Nest doorbell and a silhouette that brings to mind a phone icon brought to life, it directly challenges the notion that smart home devices should seek to emulate more classic styling. This can admittedly present some challenges – particularly with the snow white version I received – as you may struggle to find many options for a doorknob which matches the aesthetic. However taken on its own, there’s a lot to like. For whatever reason a lot of smart locks have interfaces that sometimes struggle to be functional, with touchpads that are finicky or overly fragile. Yale has opted for a more robust keypad on the exterior that holds up just fine in inclement weather or while wearing gloves. Meanwhile the interior portion with its brushed nickel knob fares a little better in aesthetics, as it’s easily matched with other fixtures, while remaining very functional. The interior faceplate is held in place by two friction catches, allowing tool-free battery changes and keeping everything looking very sleek and seamless.
The lock is unrepentant about advertising its technical nature. With a design meant to pair with the Nest doorbell and a silhouette that brings to mind a phone icon brought to life, it directly challenges the notion that smart home devices should seek to emulate more classic styling. This can admittedly present some challenges – particularly with the snow white version I received – as you may struggle to find many options for a doorknob which matches the aesthetic. However taken on its own, there’s a lot to like. For whatever reason a lot of smart locks have interfaces that sometimes struggle to be functional, with touchpads that are finicky or overly fragile. Yale has opted for a more robust keypad on the exterior that holds up just fine in inclement weather or while wearing gloves. Meanwhile the interior portion with its brushed nickel knob fares a little better in aesthetics, as it’s easily matched with other fixtures, while remaining very functional. The interior faceplate is held in place by two friction catches, allowing tool-free battery changes and keeping everything looking very sleek and seamless.
Installation:
Yale’s expertise really shines here. The lock can be easily adapted to the two most common bore sizes and comes with installation templates/measuring guides that should cover just about any scenario you might come across for retrofits or installing a brand new door. In my case it was a simple drop-in replacement for both the bolt and the lock, which really only required a screwdriver, but if I had needed to dig deeper into my tool chest I would not have had any trepidation about it. There is one wire that needs to be passed through the two sides, however it requires no new holes to be drilled and getting it seated in its socket required very little contortions on my part.
Setting up the smart functionality was a little trickier, but I’d attribute that more to my inexperience with the Matter Smart Home standard than the design of the lock. The device I’d hoped to use as my border router turned out to be somewhat flakey when trying to pair with a newer device, resulting in it failing to get through the pairing process twice. As it happened I had another option sitting in my parts drawer that just worked as soon as it was plugged in, so it can be painless, but when it failed it did so in a way that offered me very little guidance on where to look for the problem. I think this is unfortunately going to be a somewhat common experience for a little while, as the number of devices with full support for this system is still small and not everything on it comes without a few caveats. Unless you happen to be buying this a year or three after this review is posted when presumably compatibility has improved, I would definitely recommend double checking the supported devices list to make sure whatever border router you plan to use doesn’t have any issues that need to be corrected before you start.
Yale’s expertise really shines here. The lock can be easily adapted to the two most common bore sizes and comes with installation templates/measuring guides that should cover just about any scenario you might come across for retrofits or installing a brand new door. In my case it was a simple drop-in replacement for both the bolt and the lock, which really only required a screwdriver, but if I had needed to dig deeper into my tool chest I would not have had any trepidation about it. There is one wire that needs to be passed through the two sides, however it requires no new holes to be drilled and getting it seated in its socket required very little contortions on my part.
Setting up the smart functionality was a little trickier, but I’d attribute that more to my inexperience with the Matter Smart Home standard than the design of the lock. The device I’d hoped to use as my border router turned out to be somewhat flakey when trying to pair with a newer device, resulting in it failing to get through the pairing process twice. As it happened I had another option sitting in my parts drawer that just worked as soon as it was plugged in, so it can be painless, but when it failed it did so in a way that offered me very little guidance on where to look for the problem. I think this is unfortunately going to be a somewhat common experience for a little while, as the number of devices with full support for this system is still small and not everything on it comes without a few caveats. Unless you happen to be buying this a year or three after this review is posted when presumably compatibility has improved, I would definitely recommend double checking the supported devices list to make sure whatever border router you plan to use doesn’t have any issues that need to be corrected before you start.
Ease of use:
Once I got past the initial issues with the install, I found the user experience for the lock to be excellent. Very little configuration was required to integrate it into the Home app and get it set up with an entry code. If you opt to go the extra mile and install the DoorSense feature which allows the system to detect if the door is currently open or shut you should expect to spend a little longer calibrating it for maximum accuracy, but once it’s done it seems to stay done.
As far as the app experience goes, I really have no complaints. The ability to give multiple people their own access codes and set up a schedule for when they’re allowed to use them is perhaps not the most useful in my day to day life, but there’s something undeniably cool about it that appeals to my techie heart nonetheless and it’s not hard to see how it could be great for someone looking to add this to a short term rental property or wanting to let the neighbors in to check on the cat while you’re on vacation. There are a few features that I wouldn’t mind seeing get added, such as a better way to use my smartwatch as a digital key that wouldn’t require me to go through the voice assistant, but these are very much minor gripes rather than deal breakers. And as someone who admittedly has a bad habit of accidentally leaving my door unlocked when I go out, being able to double check myself from across town does offer me some peace of mind.
Once I got past the initial issues with the install, I found the user experience for the lock to be excellent. Very little configuration was required to integrate it into the Home app and get it set up with an entry code. If you opt to go the extra mile and install the DoorSense feature which allows the system to detect if the door is currently open or shut you should expect to spend a little longer calibrating it for maximum accuracy, but once it’s done it seems to stay done.
As far as the app experience goes, I really have no complaints. The ability to give multiple people their own access codes and set up a schedule for when they’re allowed to use them is perhaps not the most useful in my day to day life, but there’s something undeniably cool about it that appeals to my techie heart nonetheless and it’s not hard to see how it could be great for someone looking to add this to a short term rental property or wanting to let the neighbors in to check on the cat while you’re on vacation. There are a few features that I wouldn’t mind seeing get added, such as a better way to use my smartwatch as a digital key that wouldn’t require me to go through the voice assistant, but these are very much minor gripes rather than deal breakers. And as someone who admittedly has a bad habit of accidentally leaving my door unlocked when I go out, being able to double check myself from across town does offer me some peace of mind.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Designed for both rising gamers and those upgrading from entry-level gear, the HyperX Cloud Jet dual wireless headset offers a seamless experience with 2.4GHz and Bluetooth 5.3 connectivity. Effortlessly switch between PC, console, and mobile devices while enjoying rich audio delivered by 40mm drivers for an immersive gaming experience. Stay connected with a swivel-to-mute boom mic that ensures clear communication with your squad. With up to 25 hours of battery life, you can dive into longer gaming sessions without interruptions. The onboard controls make it easy to adjust volume, mute the mic, and toggle between connections. Plus, its lightweight design, breathable mesh earpads, and elastic suspension headband provide ultimate comfort for marathon gaming. Elevate your gaming experience with the HyperX Cloud Jet!
Customer Rating
4
Very Serviceable Gaming Gear
on July 27, 2025
Posted by: Batlacit
Gaming hardware these days is often defined by the gimmicks it includes, most of which have little to no actual bearing on the gameplay experience for average users. The Cloud Jet opts to go a slightly different way. It is a lightweight, adaptable gaming headset that takes a somewhat minimalist approach to its design, focusing exclusively on the essentials. And while this may not be to everyone's taste, I suspect there are many who will appreciate having the option of something that just works as a decent headset.
You'll find a fairly standard set of options with the Cloud Jet. Connectivity is provided via Bluetooth or an included 2.4gHz dongle, both of which provide very good audio (though I think the dedicated receiver overall was a little bit better on the PC I used to test it with.) You've also got an adjustable boom mic with two detents to put it slightly above or directly in line with your mouth, a universal fit design, on-headset controls for volume, and USB-C charging. It all works, it's all very intutive, and none of it required any significant fiddling on my part, so it's very much a plug and play device. Audio quality is overall good, though it is perhaps a little light on the bass for my taste, and provided the mic is positioned properly recordings and voice chat comes through well to anyone on the other side. Noise isolation while you're wearing it is overall decent - it doesn't seal tightly enough against your head to stop you from hearing someone talking in the next room over, but it's enough to significantly cut down on fan noise. And battery life overall is quite good, and frankly better than some of the more "premium" headsets I've tried which end up spending wattage on elaborate RGB or rumble effects. While it may not stand out among the crowd there really aren't any of what I'd consider overt dealbreakers here - making it a good contender for when you just need a headset and don't want to have to think too much about which one to get.
It does, in my opinion, have a few downsides which I think are worth bringing up in case they end up being dealbreakers for someone else. To start: I do not like the way it sits on your head very much. The elastic band that acts in place of a mechanical adjustment mechanism feels like it needed to be just a little bit tighter, as the headset always seemed to be settling on my ears a few millimeters too low for it to be entirely comfortable. Now, to be fair, I have the kind of head shape that makes it hard to find comfortable headsets in general so this is not an unusual issue for me. But if you like me find it hard to find a Goldilocks headset design and was hoping that this adjustment free design might be the fix, you may need to keep looking. The second thing I noticed is that it seems like the drivers don't produce a ton of volume compared to most headsets I've tried. I actually debated on if this was a positive feature or not, since if I were giving this to a kid I'd probably rather they have something that can't be cranked up to the point that it could result in permanent hearing damage, but as an adult who occasionally does need to boost the volume to clearly hear dialog in a movie this can definitely be a little annoying.
Overall, this is not the kind of headset you buy because you want to show off or fall in love with the tech. This is the kind of headset you buy because you need a decent headset. Which I'd like to hope describes most of the people buying these things. This is what you buy to give to your teenager who hasn't quite learned how to take care of more expensive gear yet, to live in your backpack and take to LANs, or at 8PM because your ten year old beater just died and you don't want to do a week of comparison shopping to figure out which proprietary RGB utility offers the best compatibility with your smart home infrastructure. Go into it with that kind of mindset, and I think you'll be quite pleased with what the Cloud Jet has to offer.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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From the rock revolution of the ~60s, to the art scene of the ~80s, to the forefront of hip-hop culture ~ Wayfarer has become an enduring icon across endlessly shifting horizons. Now the journey continues with the latest in wearable tech. Ray-Ban Stories Wayfarer integrates the best of your phone with the timeless frame, bringing you a new way to capture and share your adventures.
I'm unable to find a phone compatibility list, does anyone know if this works with android phones too?
Yes, it works just fine on Android. No idea why they don't advertise it on the box.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Is this monitor good for an Xbox one s gaming? I'm new to monitors and this one would be my first one
The integrated audio is pretty bad even by monitor standards, but apart from that it should work fine for console gaming. It's not going to deliver an exceptional experience, but it should be able to beat most TVs as far as latency goes.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Is this a good monitor for competitive gaming on the ps5 ???
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Does it have a hdmi?
Yes, it has two HDMI ports and does come with both an HDMI and DP cable.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
This Element 27" frameless gaming monitor provides everything you need for premium gameplay or everyday tasks. This 1440P resolution monitor is equipped with FreeSync Technology for avoiding tearing and reducing stuttering. With easy set-up for multiple screens, you're able to expand your view and get more done. The 16:9 widescreen resolution partnered with a 1ms response time and 165hz refresh rate allows a vivid, realistic picture so you can be immersed in your gaming world. Built-in speakers and a sleek, frameless screen enable the monitor to blend with your decor for a clean aesthetic.
Does it have integrated speakers?
Yes. But they sound horrible and require you to go through two menu layers to change the volume. I wouldn't consider them as a selling point.
3 years, 9 months ago
by
Batlacit
An industry defining 49~ 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
DP 2.0?
No, it's still using 1.4. Getting DP 2.0 certified is turning out to be a lot trickier than it was initially expected, most are saying we probably wont' see them hitting the market until 2022.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
Batlacit
An industry defining 49~ 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
My new g9 arrived in the box for the old g9. Even though the box has a sticker that says "Neo G9 Odyssey" sticked on it, the box itself is for the old model. Does anyone else have the same issue? Why is that the case?
They're just using up the old boxes and foam. The shape and size of the product hasn't really changed, I don't think it's anything you need to worry about so long as the monitor itself has the right model number.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
Batlacit
The Ninja Foodi Dual Heat Air Fry Oven gives you versatility in the kitchen with 11-in-1 functionality from Air Fry and Sear Crisp to Rapid Bake and Toast. With Dual Heat Technology, unlock up to 500~F cyclonic air and a directly heated SearPlate, which allow for fast cooking and restaurant-worthy results. Cook up your favorites and then flip the oven up and away to reclaim your counter space.
Can both trays be used at once?
Explore a new world of personalized home theater audio. The SRS-NS7 Wireless Neckband Speaker uses Sony~s 360 Spatial Sound Personalizer technology to envelop you in the rich audio of your favorite shows and movies, while being unobtrusive to others in your home.
Do these have 3.5mm jack or do they only connect via bluetooth?
They will only work with bluetooth or optical connections.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
Batlacit
Extend your PC~s RGB lighting with the CORSAIR iCUE LT100 Smart Lighting Towers Starter Kit, part of the iCUE Smart Lighting Ecosystem. 92 RGB LEDs light up your room with ambient lighting that dynamically integrates with your games and media for a truly immersive experience. Cycle through 11 lighting profiles out of the box with push-button control or connect to CORSAIR iCUE software to synchronize your RGB lighting effects across all compatible CORSAIR devices in your system and all external iCUE Smart Lighting devices. The Starter Kit includes two lighting towers with 46 customizable LEDs each, housed in light-diffusing casing that softens and blends light. With an included removable headset holder, LT100 Smart Lighting Towers add convenient, versatile, and stunning RGB lighting to any setup.
how tall are they
Per the spec sheet, 422mm. The headphone holder adds another 2mm or so.
3 years, 11 months ago
by
Batlacit