Batlacit's stats
- Review count228
- Helpfulness votes918
- First reviewFebruary 13, 2016
- Last reviewJune 23, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.5
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count55
- Helpfulness votes100
- First answerSeptember 21, 2016
- Last answerJanuary 21, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers11
Whether you’re at home or on the go, experience true audio versatility and flair anywhere with the Razer Barracuda X Chroma. Featuring Razer SmartSwitch Dual Wireless, toggle between gaming and mobile use instantly with a lightweight wireless RGB gaming headset that offers the best of both worlds.
Customer Rating
5
Another solid headset from Razer
on November 11, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
I think most people who buy from Razer are pretty aware of what they're getting at this point: Blinky lights, good quality hardware, and lots of customizability. In this, at least, the Barracuda X does very little to rock the boat. It is a versatile, comfortable, well performing headset that should be seriously considered for your next gaming setup.
First let's start with the key feature of any Razer device: the RGB. Each earcup is divided into six programmable lighting zones, allowing for a variety of different effects to be programmed in. The Razer RGB utility isn't the easiest one out there to use but it is one of the most capable overall, making it very easy to integrate into a larger RGB setup.
Moving past the lighting though, the headset has quite a lot to offer. The included wireless dongle is designed for USB-C, but comes with an adapter to use USB-A. In both configurations I found audio quality to be excellent. Even with a variety of other wireless peripherals I experienced no issues with syncing or dropouts, the surround sound effects were convincing, and battery life was quite good.
For comfort, again I have to give the Barracuda X top marks. It seems well sized for larger heads, and fits comfortably around the ears. It does tend to heat up after a while, a problem that most high end headsets have, but I had no issue wearing it for several hours at a time. The removable boom mic can't quite compare to the convenience you get with designs offering flip up or retractable designs, particularly when you need to rapidly mute/unmute in chat, but makes up for it with superior adjustability. How much of an advantage that is will likely come down to personal preference for most, but speaking for myself I found it an acceptable trade.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Experience unparalleled audio with Bowers & Wilkins Pi6 True Wireless Earbuds, featuring a true 24-bit connection and aptX Adaptive technology for dynamic, high-resolution sound. The 12mm bio-cellulose drivers, adapted from our Px7 S2e headphones, reduce distortion and enhance high-frequency details, delivering lifelike clarity. Great for commuting, these earbuds boast advanced active noise cancelation and three microphones for crystal-clear calls. The noise cancelation adapts to your environment, ensuring uninterrupted sound. Crafted with premium materials, the Pi6 offers an ergonomic fit and features an intuitive single-button control, supporting multiple functions. Stay powered throughout the day with quick charge support, providing an extra 2 hours of use with just a 15-minute charge. Enjoy up to 8 hours of earbud battery life and an additional 24 hours with the charging case. These durable and versatile earbuds come with an IP54 rating for protection against water and dust, making them suitable for a range of activities, from running and working out to enjoying music outdoors. Use the Bowers & Wilkins Music App, compatible with iOS and Android, to stream music from services like TIDAL, Pandora, Qobuz, Deezer, and SoundCloud, ensuring you always have your favorite tunes at your fingertips.
Customer Rating
4
High quality audio - but not without some flaws
on October 21, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
The Pi6 is a stylish, high performing set of earbuds that unfortunately also caused me a fair bit of frustration.
The first three days I had them, I was somewhat less than impressed. The large earbud bodies are a bit oddly weighted compared to what I'm used to, causing the right one to fall out a few times when I went walking around the neighborhood. The audio was frequently crackly and prone to dropping out every few minutes. And the touch controls seemed prone to triggering at the drop of a hat. I came close to giving up, but decided to persevere.
Eventually I got used to the way they sit in my ears, re-paired them with my phone a few times, and redownloaded the B&W app and discovered that when they're working right, there's quite a lot to like. The earbuds offer clear and crisp sound (though admittedly slightly lacking in bass response compared to some.) They do an excellent job blocking out ambient noise. Audio quality on calls is excellent, as is environmental passthrough. and once you get used to how sensitive it is, the touch controls on the sides are very pleasantly responsive.
I would still hesitate to recommend them to everyone. I still wouldn't trust them to stay in my ears while jogging, for instance, and I'm not entirely sure what to make of the initial connectivity problems I had. These are definitely more for the audiophile or fashionista looking for something small and portable to wear during a morning train ride or slip into a carry on bag for the plane. But they do certainly sound good.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Introducing MX Creative Console, streamline your creative workflow with intuitive and customizable backlit LCD keys and tactile controls for precise adjustments on the dialpad. MX Creative Console lets you quickly access shortcuts and actions on your favorite apps with recommended profile configurations, or customize it to fit your own workflow.
Customer Rating
4
A Macro Fiend's Best Friend
on October 16, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
When you're working with photo editing, video editing, or CAD programs there can be a staggering number of tasks where the intended way to carry them out is to go through five nested menus and clicking on a single button. Most will eventually get tired of this and start trying to set up keyboard shortcuts, however depending on how many you have to memorize this isn't always much better. That's where products like the MX Creative console comes in. With the ability to set up pretty much however many shortcut buttons you want with each one being labeled, it can be a godsend for the macro hounds among us. And, for the most part, it does what it sets out to do.
First, let's cover the pros. A lot of the supplemental keypads on the market can be fairly large and difficult to place on a desk - so this one stands apart in how compact it is. The 9 key pad can be set either flat on the desk or propped up with an included weighted stand, and while there are larger options which require less scrolling through pages I didn't find myself missing them. The wireless jogwheel is a bit bulkier but since it doesn't need a USB connection it's a lot easier to find a spot for it. Build quality feels very good throughout too. There's no wobble or rattle in any of the moving parts, the screen is bright and very easy to read even with relatively small fonts, and everything feels as durable as one would expect from a professional focused product. It did admittedly take a little getting used to trying to integrate it into my workflow, and it's still an ongoing process, but it can definitely be a nice little time saver and save you a lot of aggravation trying to memorize yet another application specific keyboard combination.
That said, there are definitely a few headaches here that keep me from giving it full marks. Right now there are only a handful of officially supported applications that have profiles already set up, most of which were produced by Adobe. While this certainly makes sense I was a little surprised to see no options for a CAD suite or something similar, which is what I find myself using it for the most. Getting a new application added can definitely be a bit tedious but more importantly I noticed that the software sometimes struggles to figure out when to automatically switch to the appropriate profile for anything you added yourself. Additionally the only option for a connector in the box was a USB-C cable. While this is fine for a Mac or most laptops, a lot of workstations are still lagging behind in that area and Logitech in particular seems to be rolling out a lot of USB-C only hardware lately that's quickly filling up the ports I do have. Fortunately the cable isn't permanently attached, but it seems like an odd decision. Finally, the jogwheel is the first wireless device I've seen in a very long time that opts for disposable AAA batteries instead of an internal rechargeable. Since it's lacking a screen I imagine battery life should be pretty decent here, but honestly I don't think I would have minded another cable hookup (or at least the option for one) instead of having to rely exclusively on bluetooth or an RF link, as both can be a bit unreliable in some environments. Most annoying, though, is the fact that neither of the two wheels have any kind of detente to allow for more precise stepping. Logitech mice have been using adjustable wheels that can swap between precision and smooth modes for years, so it feels a little underwhelming that the feature is completely absent from a more focused productivity tool like this.
All in all I don't think these will be dealbreakers for most. It's still a very good productivity tool, at the end of the day. But I don't think it'll necessarily win everyone over either.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
The PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro robot vacuum and mop system is designed to capture more, reach farther, and need you less (vs. Shark Matrix 2-in-1). Its five powerful cleaning technologies help to target hidden debris, stuck-on stains, edges and to optimize cleaning for every floor type, handling the toughest cleaning challenges. Whether vacuuming or mopping, the PowerDetect robot does the dirty work, so you don't have to. It deep-cleans and mops your floors, while the NeverTouch Pro base means you don’t have to worry about cleanup or maintenance for weeks at a time. After every cleaning run, the robot will return to the base to empty debris, refill the water tank, and wash and dry the mopping pad so it’s always ready for its next clean— maintenance-free cleaning for up to a month. With NeverStuck Technology, the robot lifts itself over obstacles and across thresholds to avoid getting stuck. When mopping, it keeps the pad above carpets to prevent wet messes and deliver whole-home coverage. While the robot handles your cleaning chores for you, the bagless base with Anti-Allergen Complete Seal captures and traps 99.97% of dust and allergens (down to .3 microns, allergens refers to non-living matter).
Customer Rating
5
Great set-and-forget option
on October 14, 2024
Posted by: Batlacit
The NeverTouch Pro is very much a vacuum built for the gadget lovers among us. This highly capable floor cleaner tries to address a host of minor complaints with elaborate engineering solutions which, for the most part, work in its favor. But it does come with a few tradeoffs and absent features that might prove to be dealbreakers for those looking for more precise control over their cleaning regimen.
To start, there is a pretty long list of areas where the vacuum did very well. Setup was fairly quick and mostly painless, with the most complicated bit proving to be figuring out where to set up the (admittedly quite large) base station that would meet all the criteria provided (a hard floor, no direct sunlight, with at least moderate clearance on three sides. The vacuum itself came fully assembled and the base station only required the addition of a small ramp and the removal of a lot of packing material, so I had it unpacked and charging in preparation for its first cleaning run in less than an hour. I deliberately avoided cleaning my home for a couple days before getting it to see how it did in a worst case scenario, so it embarked into a home with mixed tile and carpet stuffed with spills, dust, fall leaves, and shed fur from both a dog and a cat. By the time it was done, little to none of this mess remained. The navigation system proved to be second to none, deftly steering around hazards, chairs, and household pets to generate a very accurate floorplan of the area it was responsible for. Cleaning performance is likewise very good on both hard floors and carpeting. Given how quiet it was when it first ran I was a little concerned it might not have the suction power to handle larger debris or dirt that had been ground into the carpet but it proved surprisingly adept at both. Mopping performance is likewise quite good. It's using a flat mopping pad rather than rotating brushes, which isn't quite as effective and getting out hard stains, but they've compensated for this to a degree by letting it lightly scrub it back and forth as it goes and giving it a pretty decent set of sensors to let it identify when multiple passes are needed. It's also able to extend the mop pad all the way to the edge of the robot - letting it get into corners in a way that I don't think anything else on the market can really compete with at the moment. And once it was done the base did a great job of cleaning out both the robot and the mop pad, so you really do almost never need to touch it apart from emptying the bin and gray water tank, doing a monthly filter cleaning, or refilling the cleaning solution tank. They even thought to include a small carbon filter/air freshener to cut down on exhaust odors. Finally while the parts all look very sturdy, I'm pleased to say that pretty much everything can be easily swapped out with replacements available from the Shark online store, so with a bit of care it can last you a very long time.
Unfortunately there is a bit more to the story than its raw cleaning performance, which does need to be addressed. First up is the fact that the app being used to control the vacuum is surprisingly rudimentary compared to the vacuum itself. It's got everything it needs to achieve minimal functionality but a lot of small quality of life improvements that I'd typically expect from a flagship robot are curiously absent. Biggest being that scheduling only allows you to launch a routine to clean the entire house (with or without the mop) at a specific single time during the day. This is, to be frank, off-putting. Most of my home would be fine getting vacuumed every other day or so but there are a few high traffic areas that quite frankly could probably benefit from getting multiple daily runs. Giving me the option to set that up seems like a no brainer. I don't know why this function is missing and the app FAQ suggests they might add it in the future, but as a long-time user of Shark Vacuums they've been saying that long enough at this point that I'm losing hope it'll happen. The second big issue I had was with the dock. I think every robot vacuum out there has some very specific rules on how the charging dock should be placed in your home. And in my experience, you can usually bend or outright ignore most of them without much issue. This vacuum will not let you get away with that. You really do need to make sure it's going down on a hard level floor or the odds of the vacuum successfully being able to dock drop significantly - which can be a drawn out and annoyingly loud process as it tries to fix it. And you can absolutely forget about trying to put it on carpet or a rug unless you want it to shoot water into it on a regular basis every time if pulls out the mop. Because while it has the intelligence and agility to avoid dampening an area rug while it's out cleaning up, I'm pretty sure it doesn't start looking for them until it's already set up and ready to go. Finally, there seems to be a huge issue with smart home integration if you have more than one Shark vacuum in the home (something that's becoming increasingly common on homes with multiple floors. While the app itself handles this scenario very well, when linking it to my Google Home the app only passed along information for the first vacuum I'd added to it. As a result I'm unable to activate the new one with voice commands to deal with smaller messes, and always have to dig out my phone to start spot cleaning jobs from the app.
Hopefully, at least some of these issues can be solved with future firmware/app updates. The hardware on display here is ridiculously good, so it would be a very good time for Shark to pivot and focus on bringing the software side up to snuff. But, again, the status quo has existed for too long for me to be confident that'll be how it goes. So if you think you can make do with its current eccentricities, the superior cleaning performance makes it an easy recommendation.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
The Google TV Streamer (4K) delivers your favorite entertainment quickly, easily, and personalized to you.¹,² 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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
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!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Batlacit's Review Comments
Batlacit has not submitted comments on any reviews.
Batlacit's Questions
Batlacit has not submitted any questions.
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, 5 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, 5 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, 5 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, 5 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, 6 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, 6 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, 8 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, 8 months ago
by
Batlacit