Batlacit's stats
- Review count254
- Helpfulness votes929
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewMarch 4, 2026
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
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- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes100
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers11
Customizable performance awaits. Play with an AMD Ryzen processor and NVIDIA RTX graphics for powerful performance. Plus, toolless access and an industry standard form factor make it easy to upgrade and customize.
Customer Rating
5
Solid Gaming Tower With Room to Grow
on October 5, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
Getting a good gaming PC these days seems to be getting harder and harder. Anyone who regularly follows tech news can likely tell you that the last few years has seen just many of the major established brands being rocked with scandals, shortages, or just blatant corner cutting. So it was a bit of a relief to try out HP's Omen 35L. It may not be the flashiest, the most powerful, or glow like the Vegas Strip, but it is a highly capable and eminently sensible design using parts that a budding gamer could conceivably still be using in a new build a decade from now - making it one of the best options for those looking to get the best bang for their buck.
I could probably spend this entire review gushing about the overall design and build quality on display here. A lot of "gaming" brands are guilty of just sticking plastic cases and fancy heat spreaders over standard workstation hardware, but HP seems to be making a real effort to use the kind of enthusiast grade parts that you'd see in a custom built machine. The case opts for an aesthetic some might call minimalist, though personally I prefer "tastefully boxy." And I'm pleased to say that it avoids pretty much every major sin that I've come to expect from pre-built gaming PCs. The case is laid out with a fairly standard 2-intake 2-exhaust layout, with removable filters for intakes on the front and bottom and the back and top being open. It comes with 2 140mm fans in the front as standard and while the provided PSU is a rear-intake design there's easily enough room to upgrade to one with a 120mm bottom intake in the future, with big chunky rubber feet providing very acceptable clearance. The top has a removable bracket for an additional 2 140 or 120mm fans or a radiator for water cooling. And overall airflow is very good. It's not quite the equal of a full mesh design, but the grid perforations in the top and front are far better than I've come to expect these days where far too many cases are opting for barely adequate side scoops. Even better than the cooling though is the level of care taken to allow for future upgrades. The case has an integrated (removable) anti-sag bracket for longer 2-slot GPUs, ample options for cable management, a toolless hard drive/SSD cage (already pre-wired and managed with color matched cabling) and nice captive thumbscrews for all the body panels. It is missing a few minor QOL and cosmetic features, like rubber grommets for cable paths, integrated sound deadening, or a cover for the basement, but what's here is enough for it to compare very favorably with most mid-range enthusiast case offerings.
Moving on to the rest of the parts, again I find a lot to commend them for. A common complaint with pre-built gaming PCs is that there isn't much thought given to component selection, which leads to unbalanced machines with overpowered (and overpriced) CPUs and GPUs being hopelessly bottlenecked by the underspec'd parts meant to support them. This feels like someone made a conscious choice to target midrange performance and stuck with it. You've got a G4 Samsung NVMe drive, Kingston gaming spec'd RAM, a very modest (but deceptively powerful) RTX4060, and a Ryzen 5 all being driven by a 500 Cooler Master PSU. Left as it is it's the kind of hardware mix that's very good for optimizing for lifespan, or for providing a solid base for significant upgrades in three years' time. And it's reflected in its gaming performance. While it's not a machine meant to be setting benchmark records it still consistently returned above average scores in both synthetic and real life tests, and delivers a great gaming experience at 1080P and 1440P resolutions. I probably wouldn't want to jump to 4K unless you're a big fan of retro games, but I can see a few relatively affordable paths to getting it there if that's something you're into. Thermals were admittedly higher than I'm used to, but as I kept reminding myself Ryzens are designed to run hot and they were still well within their acceptable operating range. And given how quiet the machine is able to run under load, there is definitely something to be said for targeting the temperatures they did. There's also some software tricks being used behind the scenes to recognize known games and apply some minor performance tuning to crank out a few extra FPS. It's not going to compare to a custom overclock in regards to how much of a bump you get, but it also comes with a lot less risk and zero frustration.
It is an easy recommendation for to to anyone looking for a solid gaming PC they don't need to mess with or as a starting point for someone hoping to ease their way into the hobby of custom PC building.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you.~,~ Get fast performance, responsive navigation, and tailored recommendations from Google~s most advanced streamer yet.~ And all your content is organized for you in one place, so you~ll do a lot less searching and way more watching.
Customer Rating
4
Setup was rough, but streaming is a dream.
on September 23, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
Google TV may not be the most popular streaming platform out there, but it's been my favorite for a while. It's got a very nice interface, a broad selection of apps for streaming services and games alike, and (naturally) a search feature that's second to none. The one big downside with them in my experience has been that the hardware isn't great. Most of the options available are either subpar budget devices or somewhat underwhelming in their feature set, so when I saw that Google was releasing a new streamer meant to provide a more premium experience I was very interested. Unfortunately after spending about a week with it I've come to a surprising realization: Google's aced the hardware part but hasn't quite gotten the software up to the same quality.
The issues began when I started setup. Usually adding a Google device to my established home is a mostly automated process, with my cell phone serving as the primary interface. In this case, however, the automatic setup failed as soon as I got the box added to my WiFi because it couldn't detect the phone on the same network. My best theory after several failed attempts is that this is because I run a combined setup with both 5ghz and 2.4ghz bands accessible via the same SSID - hardly an unusual practice these days and a somewhat surprising weakness if I'm correct. I was eventually able to get things up and running again going through the manual setup though, which is where I ran into my second issue: the streamer failed to accurately identify the codecs supported by my soundbar. To be clear, the soundbar it was attached to is a brand name unit that's been very reliable and has never had any issues with this before - it just seemed that for some reason the Google box couldn't talk to it. So once again, I had to resort to manual adjustments to get it up and running.
I won't lie, I was starting to worry I might have gotten a lemon by this point. But fortunately things went a lot better from there. Once you get through the setup the streamer is very easy to use and has some nice improvements to the old Google TV UI. Almost everything can be controlled through the built in assistant - which you'll definitely want to learn to use if you want to employ some features like sleep timers - with the remote being quite adept at the rest. And the performance is top notch. 4K content looks and sounds great, and there's effectively no startup time to deal with.
Based on the fact that the box has already received one software update since I've had it that seemed to fix the audio issues I ran into, I do feel confident that eventually Google will be able to address the issues with the software and turn this into one of the best streaming appliances on the market. But since I don't know what kind of timeline they might be looking at for that... I do still have to take one star off. As it stands now this is an easy recommendation for early adopters and tech savvy individuals, but may not be great for less tech inclined individuals who would benefit most from Google's usually seamless guided setup experience. Once they get those kinks ironed out though, I really do think this would be an excellent addition to anyone's home theater setup.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience Tomorrow, Effortlessly: Get ready for a seismic shift in how you get things done. Seamlessly integrate AI into your everyday PC tasks, saving time, and boosting productivity. Forget sorting through endless search results. Transform how you uncover knowledge by simply asking for exactly what you need and getting tailored responses. Unlock a laptop~s full potential and experience tomorrow's innovations effortlessly today with Swift 14 AI.
Customer Rating
5
ARM on Windows Works
on September 12, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
Most people who've followed the attempts to start offering Windows ARM based PC's will tell you that it's been a rather frustrating road so far. While on paper it makes a lot of sense to push more mobile-friendly chip architectures for laptops every time someone's actually done it the push gets done in by limited developer enthusiasm, lackluster hardware options, and less than flattering price to performance ratios. I don't know for sure if machines like the Swift 14 AI are going to be remembered as the point where that finally changed - but after spending about a week with it I've come to the conclusion that it's definitely making a good case that it can work. Right out of the box, it becomes pretty clear that the Swift 14 is aiming to provide a premium experience rather than chasing cost effectiveness above all else and it works quite well.
First, I want to talk about build quality. I've owned Acer laptops before and while I've never had many complaints, I never really considered them to be much better than "okay" in this area. The Swift 14 steps things up a fair bit. The case is sturdy, the keyboard firm, and the design has just the right mix of angles and curves. This is not something you need to worry about hauling around in a backpack or picking up fingerprints left and right. And unlike many so-called laptops, it's actually comfortable to use in your lap. The thermal management system does a great job keeping the CPU in check during normal use and it's surprisingly well balanced along the hinge - something I never really thought to look for until I realized I wasn't having to use my wrists and forearms to hold it in place when I didn't have a desk handy.
When it comes to performance... well, that does get a bit more complicated. When using apps that were optimized for the Snapdragon X Elite CPU this thing is using, it was great. They are every bit as responsive and fast as you'd expect from a premium laptop. Best of all is the fact that it didn't have to run all out to get that performance, which meant less fan noise, less heat, and better battery life. But it definitely can't match that performance when you leave the ARM sandbox. I didn't come across anything that straight up wouldn't run, but there were a lot of cases where they ran badly enough that I wouldn't want to be using them on my laptop. Gaming, obviously, was a big one - with even older titles struggling to reach 20fps. I also encountered a lot of freezing with some of my older CAD software, which I doubt is getting a native ARM version any time soon. And while it worked great with the AI features that the chip was designed for, I don't feel like there's actually much value being added in having those yet.
Now, to be clear, this isn't something that's necessarily going to be an issue forever. There's a surprisingly broad library of ARM native software all ready to go in the Windows store and it's getting larger. But it'll likely be a massive sticking point for anyone who relies heavily on legacy software that may not be getting as much support as it used to. As such even though it comes very close to being an excellent all-rounder, Right now I'd only really recommend it to people focused more on basic office productivity tasks and media consumption who need the improved portability features that come with it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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TORRAS - MiniMag - MagSafe Portable Charger - Wireless Magnetic Power Bank - 5000mAh - Titanium Gray
Elevate your charging experience with the TORRAS MiniMag power bank. Equipped with a built-in smart NTC sensor, this innovative device meticulously regulates charging temperatures, ensuring your device charges efficiently while preserving battery health. The MiniMag is powerful and impressively compact, weighing only 4.06 ounces and packing a potent 5000mAh high-density lithium battery into a mere 0.3-inch thick profile. Experience the convenience of dual charging options with rapid 18W USB-C and 7.5W wireless capabilities, allowing you to power up your devices quickly and effectively, eliminating low battery worries. The power bank~s 13N strong magnetic power ensures a secure attachment to your device, preventing any accidental detachments even when carried in your pocket or handbag. The TORRAS MiniMag power bank is your ultimate power companion, providing a seamless, efficient, and secure charging experience wherever life takes you. Its advanced features like real-time temperature monitoring, fast charging technologies, and robust magnetic connection make it an indispensable accessory in today~s mobile world.
Customer Rating
4
Very Acceptable
on September 9, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
As cell phones continue to get slimmer and more powerful, power banks become increasingly vital accessories. TORRAS was very much an unknown quantity for me going into this and as such I had some skepticism. After spending a few days with the MiniMag though I'm feeling pretty confident that it's well built enough for me to trust with my phone.
First up, let's discuss the pros. As the name suggests this thing is very small for how much power it has, meaning it's one of the rare designs where you can slap it onto the back of your phone without making the whole thing too thick to carry around in your pocket. Under normal circumstances I'd be a little worried this might make it too easy to bend or dent the case, which can lead to a battery fire in extreme circumstances, but there's a pretty sturdy metal frame in there which I feel confident should keep it in the right shape for most circumstances. It also holds quite firmly to the back of my case when sitting in my pocket, though I still would probably recommend avoiding depending on it if you plan to be waving the phone around as a few firm shakes are still enough to dislodge it.
There are a few downsides that might be dealbreakers I feel I should point out though. First off, the metal frame is also a halfway decent radiator. The bank gets noticeably warm after just a few minutes of charging, and can eventually get uncomfortable to hold particularly if you're using the wireless charging, which tends to kick out a lot more waste heat in general. Second, I did find that trying to charge through my phone case could be a little hit-or-miss. This didn't surprise me - it is quite thick and truthfully a lot of wireless chargers just won't work at all with the thing - but it's still far from the best wireless charging experience I've had. So if you are also a lover of chunky cases and hope that this will be the slim wireless power bank for you, you may end up disappointed. Finally it's worth noting that when they call this "slim" they really do mean it. There was no way they were fitting a USB-A plug in here, so your wired options are limited to a single USB-C port. So if you plan to use this for more than a phone, adapters will likely be required.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Step into the world of ultimate customization with the GMMK 3, a wired gaming keyboard designed to give you complete control over your gaming performance, typing experience, and aesthetics. With over 1 billion possible configurations, this keyboard is crafted for gamers who demand precision and flexibility. The GMMK 3 features 9 points of modularity, making it incredibly easy to swap out parts and tailor the keyboard~s look, sound, and feel to your exact preferences. The innovative Modular Gasket System (MGS) allows for simple customization of the internal gaskets, offering a firmer or more flexible typing feel inspired by building blocks. A standout feature of the GMMK 3 is its programmable knob. Twist to quickly adjust your device's volume, press to play or pause media, instantly mute, or create a custom action with Glorious CORE 2.0 software, putting advanced control at your fingertips. Built to last, the GMMK 3's PBT double-shot Keycaps resist fading and shine over time, ensuring that your RGB lighting shines through with unmatched clarity. The aluminum switch plate balances firm yet flexible typing with a neutral sound profile, while also allowing for the swapping of alternative material plates to customize keystroke acoustics and haptic feedback. With 5-pin MX hotswap support, you can easily plug and play with a wide range of Glorious MX switch styles to define your GMMK 3~s typing sound and feel, all without the need for soldering. This makes it easier than ever to achieve the perfect setup for your gaming and typing needs. To top it off, the GMMK 3 is equipped with sound-dampening foam. Two layers of dense foam within the case absorb unwanted resonance, providing a satisfyingly clean acoustic profile that enhances your overall experience. Discover the world~s most customizable wired gaming keyboard with the GMMK 3, where every detail is designed to offer unparalleled flexibility and performance for gamers who settle for nothing but the best.
Customer Rating
5
A Modder's Dream
on August 24, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
Which mechanical keyboard is the right mechanical keyboard is something that varies from person to person. Finding the right balance between ergonomics, noise level, and just general feel can take a lot of trial and error. So it's not too surprising that some have decided to build their own rather than buy something off the shelf. Glorious is one of many companies that came about trying to cater to that subset of the market. And while the GMMK 3 doesn't require you to assemble it yourself, you can still see that same mindset being applied everywhere in the product. At its core this remains a kit keyboard, with all the positives (and negatives) that come with that.
So the first question many will likely have is how good a keyboard is it. To that I have to say that it is a good keyboard. Not a great keyboard. The default lighting profile has nothing that can indicate if any of the lock keys are on or not, requiring you to go in and program one for yourself if you want that. It's got a fairly basic (if stylish) ABS case that's got some flex to it. The ABS doubleshot keycaps are very sturdy and pleasantly textured, but feel somewhat generic. And the RGB customization has some very neat preset effects showing that the hardware is capable of some very impressive light shows, but is overall fairly poorly designed and less feature rich than competing products (though it will likely end up being compatible with them, so I don't feel it's something to hold against it.) You also get a set of keycaps that can be used to quickly convert it to the Apple keyboard layout, and a toggle switch that lets you switch between Windows and MacOS modes. If the out of the box experience was all it offered, I'd say it was a solid 4 stars.
The thing is of course that what you get out of the box is not so much the full product as it is the base for whatever you want to build. The two accessory boxes contain a small toolkit, some spare parts, and some samples of different switches offered by Glorious that you can use to swap out the included lubed linear switches. If none of them fit your fancy though that's not a problem at all, as it's likely any of the various Cherry MX switches and clones will work in this chassis since they all share the same basic case design and pin layout. And actually working on the keyboard is a delight. It's held together with 8 screws hidden behind friction fit rubber feet, and comes apart very neatly. Said screws are also all threaded into metal inserts rather than plastic studs as is standard with many cheaper keyboards, meaning you should be able to disassemble it regularly without risk of breaking anything. Swapping a single switch can be accomplished in just a few minutes, with a full swap probably not requiring more than a few hours (most of which will likely be spent pulling and organizing the keycaps. Even the USB-C port is modular, and capable of being swapped out with a new one should something go wrong with the original part. It's practically begging for someone to 3D print or mill some new bespoke components for it and turn it into hands down the best keyboard that the owner has ever had.
So, in summary, it's not a keyboard for everybody but, with a little effort, can become the keyboard for anybody. If you feel like you're the kind of person to put in that effort, it's an easy recommendation.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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As the world's most customizable toolless mechanical gaming keyboard on the market, the HyperX Alloy Rise takes personalization to the next level. Not only can you hot-swap in key switches, but also magnetic top plates, badges, and more. All that customization is built onto the Alloy Rise~s solid frame and ultra-responsive 8k polling rate. Out of the box, this keyboard features pre-lubed HyperX Linear Switches rated for up to 80 million keypresses as well as pre-installed HyperX PBT Keycaps. You~ll also get an upgraded RGB experience courtesy of the ambient light sensor that auto-adjusts the brightness, 10 keyboard profiles saved directly to the keyboard, and powerful customization via HyperX NGENUITY Software. Get one step closer to your endgame with the HyperX Alloy Rise.
Customer Rating
4
Cool, stylish keyboard, but with some caveats
on July 24, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
I'm very particular about my keyboards. I can spend ages trying to decide on one that has the right balance of weight, responsiveness, and overall feel, and oftentimes I'm forced to make compromises in at least one area to settle on one that's good enough. As such keyboards offering easily replaceable switches are quite interesting to me. And the Alloy makes a pretty good case overall for itself - but ultimately can't quite escape the compromise again.
First, I'd like to highlight the things I liked. And there are a lot. The textured keycaps, aluminum deck, and bright lighting are all a pleasure to look at and touch. The standard linear switches installed in they keyboard are very smooth and boast a light actuation pressure, making them ideal for gaming. The included key puller also makes quick work of both keycap and switch replacement, which is great for maintenance and cleaning even if you don't plan to swap out the parts.
Unfortunately, the customizability does come with some downsides too. The removable aluminum top plate in particular. Usually this part is what gives a keyboard a lot of its rigidity. Here though, it's only held onto the rest of the frame by magnets. As such it can't do anything to reinforce the frame, resulting in noticeable deck flex which can lead to it shifting around beneath your fingers if you're a fairly heavy typist (and I definitely am.) Honestly this is a baffling decision to me, as I imagine most will only change the plate once to match the rest of their rig and then never touch it again. Using screws instead of magnets would have let the plate properly reinforce the rest of the keyboard without seriously compromising on the promise of customizability.
To be clear I do think that a lot of people, particularly ones who learned not to bash on their keys like they were trying to avenge a beloved mentor who was struck down by carpal tunnel, would be just fine with the keyboard as it is. The amount of flex it displays is far from the worst I've seen. And I also think that the kind of determined DIYer who'd individually swap out keys to match their preferred typing style might be able to find some way to address it with additional reinforcement. But I don't think that's me. And as such, I can only give it a qualified recommendation.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Jabra Elite 10 Gen 2 Bluetooth true wireless earbuds come with a Smart Case that is equipped with an advanced chip that provides seamless audio streaming from a treadmill, television, or the in-flight entertainment system on a plane. Plug case into 3.5mm or USB-C jack to stream content wirelessly to your earbuds to enjoy spatial sound powered by Dolby Audio. For the first time, revolutionary Jabra ComfortFit technology has been combined with Spatial Sound and Dolby Head Tracking, providing a more immersive Dolby Atmos experience to create the clear-sounding earbuds that you can comfortably wear all day without ear fatigue. Complete with 10mm speakers, you can immerse yourself in rich, life-like sound that puts you right inside your favorite tracks. We scanned over 62k ears to create our unique oval EarGels that sculpt to every ear shape, and a semi-open design that relieves any pressure. Tune out unwanted background noise at the gym with our Active Noise Cancellation technology, experience IP57 durability, and connect the earbuds to two devices at once for super simple switching. Don~t get caught without charge again with up to 36 hours (ANC off) of battery life that lasts throughout the day. When your buds run out of juice, simply pop them into the wireless charging case for a fast charge of 1 hour worth of battery in 5 mins. Experience Low Energy Audio and stream pristine audio to multiple pairs of earbuds for easy sharing or tune into public broadcasts.
Customer Rating
5
Another Excellent Offering From Jabra
on July 24, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
It's easy to overlook Jabra. They don't have the same brand identity as more trendy offerings from Apple or Google. Nor do they have the long history of companies like Bose. But they've spent the last few years doing their best to make a compelling case for why that would be a mistake. Because while those big names tend to be content releasing a product and then leaving it alone for the next five or ten years, Jabra is constantly pushing the envelope with new products sporting new features. The second generation Elite 10 exemplifies this by including a feature I didn't expect to ever see in earbuds: support for Dolby Atmos.
Of course it has to be said that Dolby decoding doesn't mean much if the base package isn't capable. This decidedly is. Jabra earbuds generally do a very good job of presenting excellent and highly tunable audio while simultaneously allowing however much ambient sound in as you want. The Elite 10 continues this trend. Between the noise cancelling and the design for the earbuds they do a great job blocking out ambient noise, and the pass through audio is quite clear considering. I also didn't really notice any pressure building in my ear canals with the noise cancellation engaged - something that made a set of Bose earphones I'd previously used borderline intolerable to use for more than brief stints.
Speaking of comfort, the Elite 10 score fairly well there as well. The earbuds are a little on the large and heavy side compared to some earbuds, but once I'd adjusted the ear cushions I found it to be acceptable. There are four different sizes of cushions in the box that should cover most adult ears. Likewise the charging case/receiver is one of the larger ones I've seen for wireless earbuds in a while, but is still pocketable. Personally I found this to be an acceptable tradeoff given the added features it enables, but it may be a bit offputting for anyone looking for something small and light to use as their daily carry.
Finally, let's talk about those features. The Atmos processing here is rather interesting. Rather than trying to recreate the experience of having multiple speakers around the room, the earbuds incorporate head tracking to move the sound around you. I can't say it's entirely comparable to traditional surround sound, but it's certainly a step up from the typical earbud experience when it comes to immersion. The only downside is that support for it is a bit hit or miss. Using the case as a receiver by plugging it into an audio source seems to be the most reliable option - the software on my phone and computer is a lot more hit or miss.
Ultimately, I would recommend these earbuds to almost everyone. But probably more for all the other features, rather than the more limited Atmos support. The core tech here is what really sets them apart.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The K30 is a fun, children's drone based featuring a bionic design that combines beauty and protection with customizable and colorful lighting. The aircraft is equipped with a 720P camera, which can record the flight from a first-person perspective. The downward vision sensor makes the flight more stable.
Customer Rating
4
Very Capable Beginner Drone
on July 16, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
Cheap drones are a dime a dozen these days. Good drones are a bit less common, but nonetheless fairly easy to find assuming you're willing to pay the price for it. Finding a good cheap drone, however, is extremely difficult. As such the K30 stands out from the pack, even though the spec sheet for it may not immediately grab your attention. It's a great starter drone for a young (or just young at heart) pilot to learn on that won't necessarily break the bank in the event on an accident.
Flying the K30 is refreshingly straightforward, if not exactly effortless. It's not particularly powerful, meaning you absolutely do not want to fly it in heavy winds, but it's responsive and at times even nimble. One of the first things that you might notice when looking at the drone is a variety of features typically associated with higher end drones such as automatic takeoff and landings, gestures, voice control, automated flight paths, and so forth. I can confirm that these are all technically present. None of them, however, are what I'd call fully reliable. A drone this light just isn't going to be able to carry the compute and sensors needed to run a capable autopilot or AI powered image recognition. So instead you get something that's more like an assistant, lending a hand to a pilot who's still expected to do most of the work manually. For someone who's just starting out I'd actually consider this a positive. One of the issues with starting out with the kind of drones available from DJI or the like is that they assume so much of the work of flying that you won't necessarily learn the fundamentals required for manual control. The K30 more or less forces you to learn how to fly a quadcopter by being slightly fidgety, and yet still does enough work to make a serious disaster far less likely than it would be with a fully manual drone.
As far as the camera performance goes, I'd say it's passable. Images and video look fairly comparable to a webcam. There's no on board storage either, so you'll absolutely need to have a phone connected to it if you want the drone to be anything more than an aircraft. The software for this works fine - when it works at all. Unfortunately it's rather inelegantly put together. Getting it to talk to the drone at all requires you to go through a somewhat annoying process where you need to join the drone's unsecured WiFi network, turn off your mobile data, launch the Snaptain app, find the correct drone model, and then finally launch the control panel. Forgetting any of these steps or doing it out of order will stop the app from working, which was more than a little annoying. Once you're in though I have to say it's almost annoyingly capable, with plenty of advanced features enabled by the more powerful processor of your phone becoming available. If it only was a little less involved to get it running I'd actually recommend it, but as it stands it's my biggest complaint about the whole thing.
Ultimately though, I think most will still be able to live with the less than stellar app and grainy camera. I don't see this as anyone's endgame. It is a first step to bigger and better things - something you can crash into trees a dozen times as you learn to fly so that you don't crash a much more expensive device later.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The SwannBuddy4K is a full-featured, easy-to-install wireless 4K video doorbell & chime unit. It can operate 100% wire-free with the rechargeable battery or connect to your existing doorbell wiring. See every detail with head-to-toe view and a super-wide 165~ viewing angle. True Detect senses heat & movement for reliable alerts. See in the dark up to 16ft or 5m with powerful infrared night vision & save 1000~s of clips locally. It~s security you can trust & fee free.
Customer Rating
4
Highly flexible - but best for a permanent install
on July 10, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
The Swann Buddy 4K is clearly not designed by anyone who believes in compromise. Name any feature that one might look for in a doorbell and this thing probably has it. I'm pretty sure it could work in just about any setting and for almost any job - which ironically proved to be both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness.
As a security camera, the Buddy 4K is probably one of the best I've come across so far. The images captured are sharp in a variety of light levels. Motion/heat/object detection is remarkably comprehensive, though admittedly I did find it necessary to increase sensitivity from where it's set out of the box. And the fact that it has local storage which doesn't require you to pay a monthly access fee to view any recordings is frankly almost worth the price of admission all on its own. The intercom features are likewise quite good by intercom standards, though admittedly audio quality can leave a little to be desired at times. And it makes a very effective doorbell regardless of if you use the included wireless ringer or wire it into a more traditional chime. It also comes with a host of extras and options for mounting and deterrents, so no matter how unusual your setup may be odds are it'll still be possible to get it installed.
This, unfortunately, is a good segue into some of the downsides of the Buddy. Most of which stem from one simple fact: adding in all these features requires a lot of room and power. Smart doorbells are often a little on the bulky side, so I wasn't entirely surprised to see how big the Swann was, but it proved surprisingly tricky to get mounted compared to some of the others I've tried. In my case there were two places I needed a doorbell: the front door where a button was already wired in and the side patio where people and wildlife can often stop by for a visit. The doorbell ended up making the decision for me where it would go simply because it was too wide to mount in the place of the conventional buzzer in the front unless I was willing to cut into some siding, pull new wire, and reseal the original hole. While it's true that no video doorbell can really claim to be compact, there are many that offer more clever mounting solutions to help deal with the added bulk. Once it was mounted though and I had it paired to the smartphone app I discovered the second issue: power. Simply put, producing 4K recordings takes up quite a lot of it. I definitely have some concerns about how long it can realistically go between charging sessions, which normally I wouldn't mind much but in this case getting it on and off the bracket (which requires the doorbell be screwed in) is enough of a hassle that it gives me pause. It's also not helped by the fact that the app experience can be more than a little sluggish, which I suspect is in part due to how much processing power must be required to run everything on the doorbell side.
While these problems were somewhat annoying though, ultimately I don't view them as dealbreakers. Getting it wired into the existing transformer, for example, would immediately address my concerns over battery life (and spare me from having to keep feeding AAs into the wireless ringer.) And in the week I've spent with it I've already gotten two firmware updates which did noticeably improve the doorbell's performance, so clearly the developers are still working hard to fix it. Add in the increasingly rare ability to produce local recordings and the Swann Buddy becomes an easy recommendation for someone who's got the time and/or architecture to put it to full use.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Dive headfirst into one of the best gaming laptop experiences on Windows 11. The ROG Zephyrus G16 packs a 10-core Intel Core i7-13620H CPU and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU into a super thin gaming laptop. Enjoy a fast 165Hz refresh rate, 16GB of RAM, and 512 GB of PCIe 4.0 SSD storage all wrapped in a light 4.41 lbs chassis. The future is thin and light.
Customer Rating
5
Top Tier Ultraportable
on June 19, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
The G16 continues the Zephyrus line's reputation for providing top tier gaming experiences in ultraportable form factors. And while this model may not be boasting the most modern hardware available at this time, it remains a stellar option for anyone looking for something that can seamlessly switch between gaming on the go or providing a powerful portable workstation.
The styling of the G16 is what I'd describe as stealthy. While there's plenty of RGB and aggressive angles to call it out as a gaming laptop, ASUS has kept most of it inside the clamshell. With the lighting disabled or set to a static color one would be hard pressed to tell it apart from any number of premium laptop designs. I find this understated look works very well for it, as it lets the excellent lighted keyboard shine without getting drowned out by the typical gamer bling. Under the hood though it's a bit less subtle. With a bright red PCB and ample space to load it up with further storage and RAM, there's plenty of room to grow with future upgrades. You also have direct access to the cooling fans, which can greatly simplify ongoing maintenance. And a generous selection of ports (most of them arrayed on the left side, which admittedly does take some getting used to) rounds things out. Apart from a few screws hidden behind rubber stoppers I found very little to complain about when it comes to overall build quality or aesthetics.
Performance is just as impressive. The combination of the Core i7 and RTX4070 makes for a spectacular gaming experience, helped in no small part by the vibrant and very responsive display. It may lack the vibrancy and extreme resolution of the latest OLED panels, but I honestly can't say that I missed either. Honestly for a 16" laptop a 4K or even 2K panel is almost wasted, as it's almost impossible to tell the difference unless doing a side by side comparison. And limited to FHD resolution as it is means that the 4070 doesn't need to stress itself too much to achieve an acceptable framerate in most games, which is definitely a good thing as it gets remarkably hot when going all out. Battery life is also significantly better than I expected. Engaging the GPU will wipe it out almost immediately, which is more or less unavoidable with laptops, but in low power mode it can easily go six hours or more doing normal productivity tasks. This is admittedly becoming a bit more common in gaming laptops, but has still yet to become the norm and as such definitely makes the G16 stand out a bit.
All in all this is an easy recommendation for anyone looking for a gaming laptop. It is a premium device to be sure - but if you can afford it you'll likely find the premium experience to be worth the price tag.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Fly through the sky in ways that seem impossible. We never lost our passion for flying, and with DJI FPV, those passions have turned imagination into reality. With this immersive and intuitive aerial platform, get ready to go into the beyond. Sleek and aerodynamic, the DJI FPV aircraft delivers powerful propulsion, battery life, and wind resistance, making this system as capable as it is visually stunning.
Is the headset stereo or is it 2D only?
It's strictly 2D. The screens don't actually take up all that much of your field of vision, so it's more like having a very big monitor floating in front of your face than actually being inside the drone.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Batlacit
Bose Sport Open Earbuds are true wireless earbuds like you~ve never seen or heard before. What makes them truly unique is that they are the first workout headphones of their kind that combine exclusive Bose OpenAudio technology with an innovative open-ear headphone design to produce high-quality sound without covering your ears. This allows you to hear your music and the world around you for an unbelievable, full-sensory experience. The city. The surf. Your running buddy. Hear it all and your music at the same time with these entirely new, entirely open sport earbuds. Sound is what motivates, and Bose Sport Open Earbuds deliver. The exclusive Bose OpenAudio technology produces clear, consistent sound that~s more authentic and comfortable than bone conduction. In addition, acoustic spillage is minimal thanks to speaker placement that~s closer to the ear. A comfortable and secure fit is crucial when exercising. These sport earbuds were rigorously designed and tested to gently rest on your ears while staying put no matter how intense your workout. Bose Sport Open Earbuds also offer up to eight hours of play time (with daily charging), an advanced mic system for crystal-clear calls, and IPX4 sweat and weather resistance. Now you can combine the environment that invigorates you with the content that motivates you.
can one earbud be used at a time to either take/talk on phonecalls?
Yes, this works fine. Though weirdly audio quality seems much better when you use both.
5 years, 1 month ago
by
Batlacit
Upgrade your entertainment setup with the Core Innovations 150~ Home Theater Projector - White (CPJ600WHBY). With an adjustable screen size between 32~-150~, this projector is perfect for solo gaming marathons or an immersive movie night experience with the entire family. Stream videos, view photos or play your favorite games by linking your preferred device to this projector via numerous versatile connections, including HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro SD and AV.
Looking for dig projector for art projects. Is this good for photos off phone
I think that'll mostly depend on the art project. It can show photos, but the resolution is low enough that you're not going to get a ton of fine detail with them. It also needs to be pointed pretty much straight at the projection surface, as the keystone correction screws up the focus pretty badly.
5 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
Upgrade your entertainment setup with the Core Innovations 150~ Home Theater Projector - White (CPJ600WHBY). With an adjustable screen size between 32~-150~, this projector is perfect for solo gaming marathons or an immersive movie night experience with the entire family. Stream videos, view photos or play your favorite games by linking your preferred device to this projector via numerous versatile connections, including HDMI, VGA, USB, Micro SD and AV.
Does this projector come with the cords needed to connect to a laptop or do I need to purchase it separately,
It does not - you'll need to provide your own cables. And batteries, if you want to use the remote.
5 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit
Supreme stereo sound, impressive comfort and extended cross-platform compatibility ~ that's the ROCCAT~ Elo X Stereo Wired Cross-Platform Gaming Headset for PC, Xbox, PlayStation~, Nintendo Switch & Mobile. Experience a weightless, dynamic fit thanks to a self-adjusting metal headband, superior memory foam ear cushions and ProSpecs~ Glasses Relief System for glasses wearers. Precision-tuned 50mm drivers produce crisp highs to thundering lows to help you seek out opponents with pitch-perfect stereo sound while a detachable noise-cancelling microphone featuring TruSpeak~ technology ensures your commands are heard perfectly with crystal-clear voice communication. Finally, the 3.5mm jack lets players go from PC to game console to mobile devices with ease.
Does it work for a Nintendo switch?
Yep, it'll work with anything with a 3.5mm headphone jack. The headset has a 3-pole combined headphone/mic plug attached to it and comes with a y-splitter that'll separate it out into discrete 2-pole connectors for the mic and headphones.
5 years, 4 months ago
by
Batlacit
Offering the ultimate true-wireless experience for any fitness-loving music lover, JLab Epic Air Sport ANC offers customized sound and active noise canceling plus industry-leading 70+ hours playtime. Transition from gym to calls or from work to a run, effortlessly, with features like wear-detect, movie mode, wireless charging and more.
1. Does leaving the buds in the charging case for long periods of time degrade the battery? 2. Is any operating system specific apps or drivers needed for use? My use case is running it off a Linux laptop without Windows installed
1. Technically, yes, but letting lithium batteries go unused for long periods of time is bad for them in general. Keeping them in the case is on the balance probably better for them than the alternative of letting them sit outside the case since it'll take longer for them to run completely dry, at which point they won't be able to accept a new charge.
2. Some of the proprietary features like the touch controls or EQ settings do require a mobile app to configure, but apart from that you shouldn't have any issues connecting it to your Linux machine as a generic audio device so long as you've kept the Bluetooth stack reasonably up to date.
2. Some of the proprietary features like the touch controls or EQ settings do require a mobile app to configure, but apart from that you shouldn't have any issues connecting it to your Linux machine as a generic audio device so long as you've kept the Bluetooth stack reasonably up to date.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
Refreshed and ready to take its rightful spot atop a new generation of consoles, the Turtle Beach~ Stealth~ 600 Gen 2 is the successor to the best-selling wireless gaming headset for PS5~, PS4~ & PS4~ Pro. The Stealth~ 600 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset is enhanced with a host of upgrades, including a larger high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that delivers improved chat clarity and now seamlessly integrates into the headset when muted. The headband and hinge design have been reinforced for added long-term durability, and soft, glasses-friendly ear cushions provide plush comfort while refined 50mm speakers produce high-quality, immersive sound and are optimized to unleash the power of Sony 3D Audio on PS5~. A user-friendly audio preset button on the headset allows for easy access to customize audio, and gamers can still count on Turtle Beach~s Superhuman Hearing~ for an audio advantage on the battlefield. Finally, connectivity is made easy with the included, mini-USB Transmitter that wirelessly connects from your PlayStation~ console to headset.
would a usb type c to 3.5mm audio jack work for the headset so i could make it wired and will the mic still work as well?
No. it looks like the USB port is only wired for charging - audio either goes through the USB dongle or not at all.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
Refreshed and ready to take its rightful spot atop a new generation of consoles, the Turtle Beach~ Stealth~ 600 Gen 2 is the successor to the best-selling wireless gaming headset for PS5~, PS4~ & PS4~ Pro. The Stealth~ 600 Gen 2 wireless gaming headset is enhanced with a host of upgrades, including a larger high-sensitivity flip-to-mute mic that delivers improved chat clarity and now seamlessly integrates into the headset when muted. The headband and hinge design have been reinforced for added long-term durability, and soft, glasses-friendly ear cushions provide plush comfort while refined 50mm speakers produce high-quality, immersive sound and are optimized to unleash the power of Sony 3D Audio on PS5~. A user-friendly audio preset button on the headset allows for easy access to customize audio, and gamers can still count on Turtle Beach~s Superhuman Hearing~ for an audio advantage on the battlefield. Finally, connectivity is made easy with the included, mini-USB Transmitter that wirelessly connects from your PlayStation~ console to headset.
Will this work with a PC?
Yes - though there are a few caveats. It doesn't respect system audio settings, so software volume controls are out and automatic gain control on the mic is hit or miss. But if you're willing to manually set the stuff up the user experience is decent.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
Batlacit
Capture high-quality videos with this Sony Handycam 4K camcorder. The 0.4-inch CMOS sensor delivers high-resolution 4K content with fast intelligent autofocus and enhanced audio, while the SteadyShot image stabilizer boasts clear detailed shots even at full zoom. This Sony Handycam 4K camcorder has a built-in Highlight Movie Maker that lets you create and share videos seamlessly.
Can I use a remote wireless microphone or lavalier microphone with this camera?
Yes - though depending on the exact model of mic it might require you to purchase some accessories that expands its input options. Out of the box it only supports external mics using a standard 3.5mm minijack.
5 years, 7 months ago
by
Batlacit
The Philips Hue HDMI Sync box adds premium surround lighting to your home theater by syncing your Hue smart lights with movies, music and video games. Watch, listen and play with more wonder and excitement as your lights dance, flash, dim and brighten with your screen. Requires Hue color capable lights and a Hue Bridge (sold separately).
Will this work with every generation of Hue bulbs?
Provided you've kept up with software updates, this should work with any Hue bulbs you may own.
6 years, 3 months ago
by
Batlacit