Wraith's stats
- Review count224
- Helpfulness votes2,091
- First reviewAugust 18, 2014
- Last reviewSeptember 8, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentSeptember 25, 2016
- Last review commentSeptember 25, 2016
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- Answer count27
- Helpfulness votes28
- First answerAugust 18, 2014
- Last answerDecember 13, 2021
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- Best answers3
Hear high-resolution in-game audio with this Plantronics RIG 500 PRO gaming headset. Its 50mm drivers and noise-isolating acoustic chambers provide optimal sonic performance, and the flip-to-mute microphone is simple to use. This Plantronics RIG 500 PRO gaming headset comes with a Dolby Atmos activation code for your Xbox One or Windows 10 system.
Customer Rating
4
Comfy and Sound Great, Best for PC, OK for Xbox
on June 13, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
It really seems like the PC/Console headphone market has gotten a tad ridiculous. I have tried more headphones than I can count and have yet to get blown away by any of them, and I have been intensely let down by most of them. While there are some 'meh' things about the Plantronics RIG 500 Pro headphones, on balance, it has significantly more highs than lows, so overall they among my top choices for gaming headphones.
First the good:
- Earpads are insanely comfortable, like pillows hugging my head.
- Comes with a code for an included download of the Dolby Atmos software. If you have both a PC and and Xbox, you download it for one, you get it for both. Actually you can get it for up to 10 supported devices. Not bad.
- Dolby Atmos software is the first of the new surround sound apps that actually lives up to some of the hype, at least on the PC. On my gaming rig, games of all types sound great. Is it really surround sound? No, but it is a dramatic improvement from just plugging in a set of cans into the computer. Atmos for the Xbox is down in the bass (see below).
- Fit and finish on these headphones is really sharp. While mostly plastic, they have am interesting look to them and the black and gold is sharp.
- Earpads are insanely comfortable, like pillows hugging my head.
- Comes with a code for an included download of the Dolby Atmos software. If you have both a PC and and Xbox, you download it for one, you get it for both. Actually you can get it for up to 10 supported devices. Not bad.
- Dolby Atmos software is the first of the new surround sound apps that actually lives up to some of the hype, at least on the PC. On my gaming rig, games of all types sound great. Is it really surround sound? No, but it is a dramatic improvement from just plugging in a set of cans into the computer. Atmos for the Xbox is down in the bass (see below).
- Fit and finish on these headphones is really sharp. While mostly plastic, they have am interesting look to them and the black and gold is sharp.
Neither good nor bad, just observation:
- the RIG 500 has an interesting set-up for adjusting to different sized heads. There are three cutouts on each side of the headband and you click the ear cup up or down depending on the size of you noggin. That and the head suspension pad should cover 90-95% of gamers out there. If your head is freakishly small or large/tall, you may have trouble. My head is a bit on the long side and the maximum extension works just right for me.
- The suspension headband is nice but can get uncomfortable if you have a weird shaped head as I do. My head is very much shaped like Capt. Picard (coming to a pronounced point with the lack of hair cover to boot) and so after two-three hours, I have to give the headphones a break. If you don't have a weird head like mine, this may not be an issue at all (hence, neither good nor bad).
- the RIG 500 has an interesting set-up for adjusting to different sized heads. There are three cutouts on each side of the headband and you click the ear cup up or down depending on the size of you noggin. That and the head suspension pad should cover 90-95% of gamers out there. If your head is freakishly small or large/tall, you may have trouble. My head is a bit on the long side and the maximum extension works just right for me.
- The suspension headband is nice but can get uncomfortable if you have a weird shaped head as I do. My head is very much shaped like Capt. Picard (coming to a pronounced point with the lack of hair cover to boot) and so after two-three hours, I have to give the headphones a break. If you don't have a weird head like mine, this may not be an issue at all (hence, neither good nor bad).
The Bad:
- Reception on the mic is pretty weak. I might just need to play with this some more but right now I'm having trouble getting consistent levels from the boom mic.
- Dolby Atmos on the Xbox is pretty useless. To my ears it just makes things too boomy and isn't any better and is probably worse than Microsoft's own Sonic software. Granted, I have an external amp set-up, but I configured it both how it shows for that configuration as well as just plugged into the controller and the standard controller set-up was only marginally different. I hesitated to put this under the 'Bad' because you don't have to use the software and the headphones sound better on the Xbox when you don't but it is a 'feature' and it fails to perform. I don't know if there is anything different with the RIG set designed for the Xbox other than a slightly different cord but this box says it can be used on PC, Xbox, or PS4. Stick with the PC for these.
- The inline volume control seems to have 80% of the range be REALLY quiet and the rest of the range crammed into the remaining 20% of the slider. Kinda weird and hard to keep consistent.
- Reception on the mic is pretty weak. I might just need to play with this some more but right now I'm having trouble getting consistent levels from the boom mic.
- Dolby Atmos on the Xbox is pretty useless. To my ears it just makes things too boomy and isn't any better and is probably worse than Microsoft's own Sonic software. Granted, I have an external amp set-up, but I configured it both how it shows for that configuration as well as just plugged into the controller and the standard controller set-up was only marginally different. I hesitated to put this under the 'Bad' because you don't have to use the software and the headphones sound better on the Xbox when you don't but it is a 'feature' and it fails to perform. I don't know if there is anything different with the RIG set designed for the Xbox other than a slightly different cord but this box says it can be used on PC, Xbox, or PS4. Stick with the PC for these.
- The inline volume control seems to have 80% of the range be REALLY quiet and the rest of the range crammed into the remaining 20% of the slider. Kinda weird and hard to keep consistent.
So all-in-all a nice set of headphones for your PC. If you are in the market for a new set or looking to upgrade, The Plantronic RIG 500 Pros are worth a serious look.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
6of 8voted this as helpful.
Toshiba 4K UHD Fire TV Edition is a new generation of smart TVs featuring the Fire TV experience built-in and including a Voice Remote with Alexa. With true-to-life 4K Ultra HD picture quality and access to all the movies and TV shows you love, Toshiba Fire TV Edition delivers a superior TV experience that gets smarter every day. The Voice Remote with Alexa lets you do everything you'd expect from a remote~plus, easily launch apps, search for TV shows, play music, switch inputs, control smart home devices and more, using just your voice.
Customer Rating
5
VERY Nice 4K HDR TV at a Great Price!
on June 12, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
Now this may sound stupid, because it probably is, but I already had a nice 4K TV that was less than 2 years old but didn't have HDR. It was beautiful and did a great job as my 'man cave' TV for movies and Xbox gaming. Since I purchased that TV I have upgraded my Xbox to the One X with HDR and I have a new 4K Ultra HD Blu-Ray player so I have been itching to see how much of a difference the HDR thing really makes. I can now definitively say that, to me, the upgrade to HDR is worth it. It is especially worth it when you can get this in a $400 TV!
I used to own a lot of Toshiba stuff back in the day but for some reason they seemed to never be on my short list for the longest time. I know the TV market has gotten saturated with a lot of new players and perhaps they just weren't getting the shelf space that they used to. Well, this price point and these features should definitely put it on the map for you if you had kind of forgotten about them like I had.
I have run several 4K Ultra HD movies through this TV and they look stunning though to tell you the truth these I had a hard time actually seeing the HDR effect even with both TVs side by side. Perhaps it is my selection of movies/TV shows (lots of sci-fi) but if that was all it was I would have been pretty disappointed. Looked awesome, but not worth getting a new TV over. Now when I started playing some of my Xbox One games that have been optimized for 4K and HDR, THEN I could tell the difference. Perhaps it is because a movie or a TV show is short compared with the time spent in a game. Some of these games I have been playing for an unfortunate number of hours and I know them extremely well so the differences really popped. Areas that previously had been a tad dark and almost muddy now had detail in them. Colors seem more 'correct' or perhaps more lifelike. Also, in some games I would have to boost the brightness to even really play it (or play in the dark) to get enough contrast (and this was on a really high-rated big name 4K TV). Now the plain Game mode is just perfect because and I don't have to wash out the colors with increased brightness. BTW, that had nothing to do with the 'realness' of the colors, that is actually most pronounced in well-lit parts of the game.
The Amazon Fire being built in is nice, though my other TV also had a great selection of apps as well (to include Prime Video). I don't have much use for Alexa, so that is neither a positive or a negative for me. The homepage feature when you turn on the TV is also helpful but if you don't agree you can turn that feature off.
So what are the drawbacks that are obviously there for a $400 4K HDR TV. The big one is that it is big, or actually it is thick. While the 50' only weighs a little over 40lbs, I'n not sure this would look as great hanging on a wall as some other TVs. Fortunately I have a TV stand for this anyway that holds all the players and the TV and leaves wall space for movie posters and an 'I Love Me' wall. This is not a sleek bezel-less design that 'disappears' while viewing. It is a lot of plastic and more plastic. Toshiba put the money into this for the screen and I'm happy with that. Again, perhaps not your show TV that you have for all to see but for a game room or bedroom TV, this is a winner.
If you have been waiting for a good TV at a great price with HDR support, you won't be disappointed in the picture that the Toshiba Fire TV Edition gives you. If you have been waiting even for a 4K upgrade, then this is a no-brainer and is an awesome TV at a great price.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+26points
36of 46voted this as helpful.
Enjoy cinematic sound with these Sony digital surround wireless headphones. Their four sound modes optimize the audio of whatever you're watching, and their 30m range lets you move freely around your home without missing a moment of the action. These Sony digital surround wireless headphones have a 17-hour battery life for hours of uninterrupted listening.
Customer Rating
3
Swing and a Miss for Sony
on May 28, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
I had a lot of hope for these headphones. The Sony headphones I have gotten recently have all been outstanding, especially my WH-1000XM2 noise cancelling headphones, which are the best NC headphones on the market, hands down. Unfortunately my run of stellar Sony products has run to an end with the L600s.
I wanted the L600s for my office/man cave at home. When I'm not working in there (most of the time), I'm either playing on my game systems or watching a blu-ray movie. I've been using some game specific wired headphones that supposedly had some surround sound capability but don't really. I wanted some headphones that were wireless, comfortable, sound great and perhaps can actually deliver on that virtual surround sound. The Sony L600s only meet two of those criteria and probably the two I cared about the least (wireless and comfortable).
First, the good. The Sony WH-L600 headphones are incredibly comfortable. The leather-like material and the padding all around is great. I can wear them for hours on end (and I have) with no problems. Also, the wireless range is great and the connection is rock solid.
Next, the bad. I was not able to find a mode other than straight stereo, that sounded half-way decent. If you are old enough to remember the old THX into to movies that really blew-out the bass and could cause things to rattle in your house, then you have an idea what these do even at relatively low volume, and on all of the special settings with the exception perhaps of the 'Voice' mode. Oh yeah, and it is doing that right on your head so it is even more rattling.
All of the effect modes, with both the matrix on or off just sound bad. The matrix is the name for Virtual Phones Technology which supposedly ups a 2-channel or 5.1-channel set up to a virtual 7.1 channel system. It does no such thing. Or if it does, it is so unnatural and 'false' sounding that it is useless. I've come to the conclusion that it is impossible still to properly recreate a 5.1 or 7.1 sound field with headphones. I had hoped the wizards at Sony had finally broken the barrier but their iteration stinks just like all the rest. Everything sounds echo-y and there is not enough separation to make you feel properly surrounded by the sound.
I played several games (Minecraft, Elite: Dangerous, and Red Dead Redemption) as well as watched some movie/TV Ultra HD blu-rays (Westworld season 1, and Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), and they all we made to sound worse than my standard set up and were quite frankly worse than the speakers from the TV. Voices and sound effects come from different fields but it doesn't feel like I'm surrounded. Voices come from one angle, sound effects another, and background sounds from yet another. It totally rips you out of the game or movie.
If you want these just as a set of stereo headphones so you can watch TV or play games without disturbing others, you can use these for that but I'm not sure it is the best use of $300. If you do get these, a couple of tips to make them sound as best as you can.
1. Use an HDMI cable and your TVs ARC (Audio Return Channel) instead of the included optical cable. The HDMI cable is able to carry a higher level signal than the optical cable and it is noticeable. The sound when connected via HDMI was the least 'fake' sounding of the connections, probably because it did not have to upscale/modify the sound space as much.
2. No matter what effect mode you use if you must, be sure to turn off the matrix. They still don't sound great but again, it sounds even less fake than with it on.
3. Charge them up before you do your first listen. My set must have been almost dead straight out of the box because when I fired them up, I only got sound out of the right ear cup. That was fixed once they were fully charged. And speaking of charging, the base station charges the headphones up quickly and they seem to last at least the 17 hours that Sony claims. So I guess that is another plus in their favor, though still not enough to overcome the negatives.
I'm still a Sony fan, but I'm disappointed in the WH-L600s. I only hope that someone can break surround sound headphone barrier sometime soon.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+7points
8of 9voted this as helpful.
Stay aware and immersed in your music with these Sony wireless in-ear headphones. Digital noise cancellation blocks out external chaos while the Ambient Sound Mode lets in the noises you need to hear. These Sony wireless in-ear headphones work with Google Assistant for hands-free research and commands at the gym or on the run.
Customer Rating
4
Surprisingly Comfortable, Great Sound, But Boomy
on May 26, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
I HATE (loathe, despise, wish eternal death upon) in ear headphones. I have never been able to get a good enough seal with them to make the sound what it should be without feeling like I was being tortured by some sadistic person with an ear fetish.
For years I have always just gotten by with headphones that kind of just rest in your ear (for out and about) or full over-ears (if I really wanted some sound isolation). Neither one of these is a great option (or really an option at all) for doing anything really active. I've tried a few of the more recent true wireless in-ears hoping beyond hope that perhaps I could find a pair that were reasonably comfortable to wear while hiking/exercising or working in the yard. I think I have finally found that pair.
The Sony WF-SP700N are easy to use, pretty comfortable for an in-ear, and sound good. I'll dig a bit more into each of these below.
Ease of Use: The nice charge case is pretty compact, ensures that the earbuds always lock in to make sure they get a charge, and it holds a lot of charges. It is easy to throw these in a bag or in a jacket pocket with no problems. They also paired up quickly with my iPhone and I have yet to have a drop in signal. I haven't used them with a phone call but all of my other recent Sony headphones have been outstanding in this regard and I have no reason to doubt these will be as well.
These in-ears come with four different tips for the earphone and two different 'wings' to help hold them in your ears. I have what are known as 'tortuous ear canals' meaning they are smaller than normal and bend funny. I used to give the life-support guys the fits whenever I went to get earplugs for the flight line. I ended up with one size for one ear and another size for the other. They had about 20-30 different plugs to pick from so it was possible to dial it in almost perfectly but no in-ear so far has been able to stand up to my ears and still be useable. On the Sony SP700Ns, I was actually able to make the Super Small tips work well. The give a good seal and I don't feel like ripping them out of my head after 10 minutes. The 'Arc' Supporters' as Sony calls the 'wings' were perfect right out of the box and I think they are the key why this pair of in-ears is actually useable by me. They give me the secure fit that I would have to accomplish by jamming them down into my ears with another pair. The other benefit of not being jammed in is that pushing the buttons to either pause the music or change the Noise Cancelling setting doesn't hurt because they aren't already jammed in and I'm not worried about accidentally knocking them out. And that is despite the fact that the buttons on each of the earbuds is quite a bit smaller than other recent true wireless. I still wish that more would implement a gentle touch of the earbuds rather than a physical button but it is what it is.
Sound Quality: This is where I had to knock a star off. My favorite pair of headphones are the Sony WH-1000XM2 over-ear noise cancelling headphones. They sound phenomenal, are comfortable, and block everything. That being said, they would not be good for a hike. I had hoped that Sony would be able to replicate that outstanding sound quality in these headphones but that was not the case. I know these are labeled as 'Extra Bass' but in this case the bass is really boomy and not a pleasant bass. While you do have the option of some different sound signatures through the Sony Headphones app the options are either all boomy or completely devoid of bass. There really isn't any way to dial it in. Granted, some songs sound stellar and those tend to be the ones that are not heavy in the bass department, but if you are listening to any rock or club music that has a strong beat (as many people do when working out to help pace themselves) you will probably think the bass is a little much. That could just be me but I don't think so because I like bass but I prefer it to compliment the music not overwhelm it. I'm hoping that these will get a software update that maybe will allow for a full equalizer to drop the bass a few dB, but until that time I guess I will just have to live with the boominess. I will say that the boominess is dropped a bit when you turn off the noise-cancelling but what's the point of having (and paying for) NC if you can't make use of it.
All-in-all, these are the best in-ears that I have used to this point that actually give you isolation and noise cancelling. A few software tweaks from Sony (which they are good about doing, there has already been a couple of downloads for my other Sony headphones), and these might be real 5-star winners. That being said, I'm happy as well with their 4-star status as well.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+13points
16of 19voted this as helpful.
Enjoy high-quality graphics and fast performance with this Dell Alienware Aurora desktop. Its 16GB of Intel Optane memory is expandable to 64GB, providing plenty of room for future expansion, and the 1TB hard drive delivers ample file storage space. This Dell Alienware Aurora desktop has an NVIDIA GeForce 1070 graphics card for smooth rendering of 3D images.
Customer Rating
4
Fast & Outstanding Gaming Rig, Easy Upgrades!
on April 17, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
I have had this Alienware Aurora R7 for a grand total of about 36 hours now and I have put this thing through an extensive battery of tests and I must say, I am pretty happy with this system overall. There are a few things that knock it down from 5-stars to something like 4-4.5 that I'll go into a bit later in the review but on the whole, the majority of gamers that want a performance beast right out of the box will be pretty happy with the Aurora R7.
First off, there are a ton of features to the Aurora R7 that more than justify the price even when it is not on sale and if you are in the market for a new gaming rig (as I assume you are if you are reading this), you should pick this up if you can find it in stock. If it happens to be on sale (which I've seen a few times over the last month), you would be stupid not to jump on that deal.
One of the features that I really appreciate about the R7 is it's ease of upgradability, not that you will need to upgrade it any time soon, but this is a friendly beast when it comes to tune-ups and tweaks. Remove one screw on the back, throw a couple of switches an the side pops right off. Swing the power unit out and you have access to pretty much everything. You can see the two pictures I have attached to appreciate the nice cabling and access to RAM, HD bays, and PCIe slot. About the only thing that is not as easy to access is the M.2 slot where the Optane memory drive is located, though that is more of a function of the video card getting in the way and even with that there, you still have room to slide it out of its slot.
I have already thrown in a pretty speedy SSD into one of the additional slots for game/application installs and it couldn't have been easier. I'm debating about whether or not I want an SSD in the M.2 slot as well but so far the Optane has been doing it's job and has been running the 7200rpm hard drive pretty darn well. The Aurora boots up, shuts down, and opens virtually every program I've thrown at it faster than both my iMac and my Samsung laptop, both of which are completely solid state and are pretty snappy in their own right. The new Intel Optane system is doing exactly what they promised it would, giving SSD like speed to old style spinning hard drives.
Another feature I appreciate about this computer is the wealth of connection. I don't see how anyone could run out of USB slots and if you do, you are doing something wrong my friend. In addition to the four on top of the computer (one being USB-C) you have like seven more on the back (including another USB-C).
I also appreciate how quiet it is for a gaming computer. It is not as quiet as my iMac or laptop but then again, neither can run games in full HD with all the settings maxed like the Aurora. I can remember when the fans and hard drives of just regular computers, let alone gaming computers, sounded like small jets taking off right next to you. It does this all while still keeping everything relatively frosty for a computer. Even when I was pushing this computer pretty hard with Elite: Dangerous and X-Plane 11, this thing never pushed past 41 C at the CPU or 63 C at the GPU. I've also had this on top of my desk right near me and it didn't fry me out with the waste heat blowing on me. I've had computers before that turned my office into a sauna in no time flat. I used to have to open up my window in Wyoming during winter when I was doing some serious MechWarrior 2 gaming in the mid-90s (yeah, I'm old, so what).
I've played several hours of both Elite: Dangerous, X-Plane 11, Everspace, Arma 3, and Pillars of Eternity and the Aurora hasn't even blinked at any of them. It just ate them up and spit out all the pretty pixels on the screen. That being said, it is only ever driving like 2K resolution on my monitor but I think it still looks lovely.
So what don't I like about the Aurora? First-off, the bloatware is pretty bad. I'm buying a serious gaming rig and you are throwing on silly programs to play Facebook style games? Come-on, that is just silly. You may want to throw in the Alienware software in the category of bloatware but that would be a mistake. On many computers the 'utilities' they throw in are anything but useful but the tools that they give you here are actually pretty darn good. Still too much other junk though.
I'm also not so crazy about how dusty this thing gets inside so quickly. I'm a neat freak and my house is spotless but it took no time at all for this thing to suck in a lot of dust already. Now that means it is moving a lot of air and keeping things nice and cool but I may have to see about finding some filters for this thing if I don't want to be cleaning it out every week. That being said, since it is so easy to crack open, it would not be a hard thing to do every week.
The thing that really shaved off the fraction of the star on this thing was the fact that I seemed to have a problem with the installation of virtually every game I loaded on here. Every installation had to either be repaired or deleted and retried. I still have not nailed down what the problem is, but if I figure it out I'll add it in the comments section. Right now it is just one of those things that left a slightly sour taste in my mouth. I'm not going to blame it all on the computer though because there are a lot of things that could be to blame.
Finally, I was less than impressed with the keyboard and mouse that ships with the computer. Granted, most gamers are probably going to go for some serious peripherals to go along with this beast but the keyboard and mouse were just sad. Again, they are probably only intended for you to plug in and get things set up before you get the chance to load up the drivers/software for some high-end mouse/keyboard combo.
While it may have four stars above it is probably more like 4.25/4.5 stars, I just couldn't bring myself to give it the full 5. Those I tend to reserve for things that really blow my socks off, and while I am VERY happy with the Aurora, nothing blew my socks off. Perhaps that is because I'm expecting this thing to be a beast and it is while a lot of other products I have reviewed here on Best Buy have been more of a surprise.
If you are looking for a well-priced and high performing gaming computer, look no further than the Alienware Aurora R7. Despite a few quibbles with it, I have been very pleased so far in its performance and have zero hesitation in recommending it to others.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
9of 10voted this as helpful.
Navigate your desktop precisely with this Corsair Dark Core gaming mouse. It uses low-latency Bluetooth for syncing with compatible devices, and its 16000 DPI optical sensor provides high accuracy performance during game play. This Corsair Dark Core gaming mouse has a contoured shape and interchangeable textured side grips for a comfortable feel in hand.
Customer Rating
5
Outstanding Mouse and Software!
on April 17, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
My last gaming PC was well before the explosion of gaming hardware you see nowadays from companies like Corsair. Were there nicer mice than others, sure, but nothing on the scale you see now. I asked a few friends that never got out of the PC upgrade game on the mice they liked and Corsair got quite a few mentions so I decided to give the Dark Core a shot. I am pretty darn happy with this mouse.
The feel of the mouse is great and I really like that it comes with an additional plate for the right hand side of the mouse because it gives a little platform for your pinky and keeps it out of the way. I never noticed just how much that finger drags on my desk but now that I have used this one, my mouse at work actually feels funny. Another thing I like about the ergonomics are the buttons and their actuations. It is easy to reach all of the buttons and they give a nice tactile click so that you feel it as well as hear it.
The software suite for the Dark Core is also really nice and makes it incredibly easy to change the led coloring, button layout, and responsiveness. It is also nice in that it is a unified software platform so that if you own multiple devices, you can control and sync them all through the same program. Now I know that this has become quite common with many peripheral companies but I liked the ease of use of the Corsair software. I also appreciated the calibration software that tailored the responsiveness of the mouse to my pad. In the past I was always forced to use the slider controls and ballpark the setting but running the quick little calibration tool dialed it right in for a really nice setting.
Right now I'm running it wired so responsiveness has been top notch but I like that I also have the option of both Bluetooth as well as RF through the adaptor. You can never complain when you have so many options for connection and it ensures the greatest versatility for a wide range of platforms.
Again, I am very happy with the Corsair Dark Core mouse and I think that I'm going to stick with Corsair when I go pick out my gaming keyboard. If they do as well with keyboards as they do mice, I think I will be really happy with it as well.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
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Improve your dental care routine with this Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush. It has three modes for a customized brushing experience and a pressure sensor to protect your gums from over-brushing. This Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean electric toothbrush has a built-in timer to encourage you to meet the recommended brushing time.
Customer Rating
5
Great Toothbrush, Questionable 'Upgrades'
on March 22, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
I have been a long-time Philips Sonicare customer and I love their products. They last a very long time and do a great job at what they are intended to do. In addition to getting the ProtectiveClean 6100 to replace my previous Sonicare toothbrush I also purchased their Sonicare AirFloss Ultra. It may sound like I have issues but I just recently had an implant put in and it is a bit more complicated to take care of than I was led to believe. That being said, I do take care of my teeth very well and in my 40+ years of having teeth not a single one has ever had a cavity (humblebrag over).
If you have ever used a Sonicare toothbrush or any of the other kinds of electronic toothbrushes, you will be well acquainted with how this one works. If you like you can go straight out of the box, put on some toothpaste, shove it in your mouth, hit power and clean away. The modes and intensities too me have always felt a bit too 'subtle'. I can tell it changes things up a bit but not enough to really change my experience.
One of the benefits of the 6100 series is that the brush can now use some new brush heads with an integrated RFID chip that will set the brush to the optimal mode for brushing. I didn't notice this 'benefit' until after I had opened everything up and started reading the instruction booklet, but if I had noticed it I would have been wary assuming that this brush could only use these new fangled (and probably more expensive brush heads). To my pleasant surprise, I found that the old style brush heads fit/work just fine, which is good because I have a pack of them that I just recently purchased. A lot of times a company will make these upgrades to lock you in to more expensive and proprietary parts but Philips in this case is just giving you the option. That being said the RFID also syncs with the brush head to let you know when to change it out, though I've never really had a problem figuring that out and I'm sure that timetable is skewed to Philips' favor. My only real gripe about this RFID upgrade is that when you read the instructions is would seem that every style of brush head gets the same setting of level three intensity, it just changes the mode depending on the brush head type from the normal clean, to whitening, to gum care. All of these modes are really just set timings. The quadpacer feature gives you a cue to move to another quadrant of your mouth every 30 seconds for a full 2-minute routine, that is the normal clean mode. For white mode, it just adds 30 seconds to the end to polish up your front teeth some more, and in gum care mode it gives you a minute extra to use the brush to massage your gums. Great if you follow the quadpacer timings, but I'm pretty sure I've got this brushing thing down by now.
One of the upgrades I did see that I was interested in and made me want this particular model was the pressure sensor to prevent you from beating up your teeth and gums. I have never been an overly aggressive brusher (my wife on the other hand absolutely destroys toothbrushes), but the dentist told me to be a little more careful than usual with the implant so I thought this might be a useful feature. It would be a useful feature if it didn't take an immense amount of pressure for the toothbrush to warn you. I have never brushed that hard in my life. I even had my wife put on her brush head to try it out and she even had to press harder than she normally does to get it to go off and like I said, she routinely gets yelled at by her dentist for her aggressive brushing. Perhaps I should talk to her... maybe she is taking out her pent up rage with me on her teeth. Oh well, that feature is pretty much useless.
Here are just a few more likes/dislikes of this toothbrush from a longtime Sonicare toothbrush user:
- Love that Philips has stuck with the same inductive charging base so I can use the UV disinfecting base that came with my previous brush or any of the other multitude of charge bases that I have. I also uses the same base as the AirFloss so I only have to take one with me on vacation (though charges usually last me a really long time - much longer than the 2 weeks that Philips states).
- Love the new look of the brush, nice sleek and satiny.
- Hate that that the new sleek and satiny finish is super slick and has fallen out of my hand twice already onto the floor (thank goodness for UV disinfection). The previous brushes had a rubber like back to them that was sticky enough to help you hold the brush. While I'm sure I'll adjust, it is annoying.
That's it for the review, if you are a longtime Sonicare user or a first-timer, you will be very happy with this brush. It does its job, it does it well, and if my previous toothbrushes are any indication, it will do it for many years.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+5points
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Tune out the world with these Sony headphones. Their Wireless Noise Cancellation feature minimizes ambient noise, so you can fully enjoy your content, and the integrated microphone allows you take calls and use your smartphone's voice assistant. These Sony headphones have a swivel design that makes them easy to store in tight spaces.
Customer Rating
4
Stellar Performance & Bass; Needs More NC Options
on March 17, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
Disclaimer: I love Sony audio gear. From my first Walkman in the 80's, to my stereo components in the 90's, to a ton of different pieces in the 21st century, I have never been let down by Sony. My favorite headphones of all time are the latest WH-1000XM2 (and I have owned some pretty expensive audiophile gear with price tags 2-3 times the price of those headphones). They are the top of the heap when it comes to noise cancelling, tight sound, and comfort. I use them predominantly at work because my environment there is ridiculously distracting but even if I don't have music on, it gives me an oasis of quiet. I wanted another pair of NC headphones for traveling but didn't want to worry about banging them around in my carry on or buy a second pair of the M2s even though they are a reasonable price as well.
I haven't yet had the chance to wear the 700Ns on a plane so I can't speak to the noise cancelling ability of these cans in that environment (sorry next business trip isn't for another month). I can speak to how they do in a relatively noisy public space and home. I can also speak to their audio quality.
Let's start with the audio because it is the easiest. These things rock! The sound quality is superb across the spectrum with nice highs (that don't get shrill or sibilant), good mids for vocals, and a tight bass end with some serious oomph. The great thing is that if you download the Sony Headphones Connect app (and I highly recommend you do so), you can tweak the settings/equalizer to your liking but I thought they were great out of the box. Running it through my test playlist that I have used since I was buying $1000+ headphones, show the Sony 700Ns to be a solid piece of audio hardware.
Now to noise cancelling. The noise cancelling on the 700Ns is very good but not the top of the line level that you get with the Sony 1000XM2. I don't think it is that they couldn't be as good but there are two things holding it back: the ear cushions and the available NC settings. The ear cushions are great, as is the headband (I have no cushion of hair on the top of my head so I am always appreciative of a nice headband) but the material in the earpads is not as dense as that in the 1000XM2 and so it misses out on some of the passive noise cancelling there. The settings for the Active Noise Cancelling are On, Artificial Intelligence Noise Cancellation (AINC), and off. Switching between on and off is a simple 2 second press of the ANC button. To start up the AINC you have to hold down the button for a few more seconds. The AINC is supposed to take care of selecting the right amount of NC for the setting it detects with its microphones. The higher end Sonys have a similar setting but there are also a TON of other options in the app that really let you dial in the perfect amount of noise cancelling (to the point that you can wear them with no music on and have a VERY quiet environment), you can not do that with these. In both the On and AINC, it seems to be pulling voices a little too much, which is fine and good if you want to be able to still hear people ask you something or to just be aware of what's going on around you. If your GOAL is to shut people out (as it is mine), the 700Ns don't do it. They will actually pick out voices and amplify them to ensure you hear them. My wife thinks that this is the way they all should work, but I respectfully disagree.
I did sit outside of a rather busy outlet mall next to a major interstate to see how they would handle the drone of the cars going by. Here the 700Ns did a very good job of blocking the drone of engines and tires so I'm sure these would do well with the sounds on an airplane or train but again, when people walked by my bench these headphones picked them up a little too much.
As for the quality of the headphones for calls, they sound great and my wife said that I sounded clearer than I do when I'm just holding the handset to my face. It is also really easy to invoke Siri (or Google Assistant) with just a long press of the play button on the headphones. I don't really like using Siri so I will not be using that feature much but it works well if you do want that feature.
I will make one caveat to this whole review. A lot of what holds these headphones back is firmware/software. There is a strong possibility that Sony could update one or both to give more options through the app or through the controls on the headphones themselves. Speaking of which, the controls are all really easy to use without looking and make a lot of sense (unlike some of the touch controls on some other headphones). If Sony does upgrade the software/firmware, these could easily be 5-star headphones but as it stands right now, I would have to give them 4. If you are looking for that extra star and the solitude that the Sony 1000XM2s provide, I would recommend you drop the extra cash and pick up a pair of those, and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. If you are looking for a pair of noise cancelling headphones with straightforward controls, great sound, and very good noise cancelling, feel free to get these because they are great and will save you a not insignificant amount of money. Plus the 700Ns come in some sweet colors; I love the blue on these.
Like I said at the start of this review, Sony has never let me down in the audio department, and while these may not be 5-star NC headphones, they are still what I would expect for their price point. Actually they are better than what I would expect but it is hard standing in the shadow of the 1000XM2s!
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+110points
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Entertain friends with loud yet clear music by using this Sony portable Bluetooth speaker. Extra bass and three-dimensional sound create a superior listening experience, while the multicolored flashing lights and Party Booster make your gathering more fun. This Sony portable Bluetooth speaker is waterproof and has a protective fabric cover for worry-free use outdoors.
Customer Rating
5
3.5 Stars w/o the Music Center App, 5 Stars With!
on March 12, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
Sony has always turned out top notch audio gear. From headphones to components, Sony turns out great gear (in fact, their latest go at noise cancelling headphones the WH-1000XM2 are THE best NC headphones out there) and the SRS-XB31 is no exception. Sound-wise this thing turns out a great sound with an impressive amount of bass for something as small as it is (perhaps a little too much bass). That being said, the XB31 is supposed to amp up your party with a light show that gets at tad annoying straight out of the box. If bass heavy tunes that will literally rattle your desk and seizure inducing strobe lights are your thing, then this is a 5 star product with no qualifications. If, perhaps, you prefer your music to be a bit more pure sounding and don't want an 80's disco in your home, it would only be a 3.5. Where Sony clinches a 5 star rating is with the Music Center app. You don't like the strobes, turn them off. Want to change up the equalizer to dial back the bass a smidge, you can do that. Want to play with a ton of other lighting, power, and connection settings you have it all at the touch of a finger.
On top of that you get an IP67 dust/waterproof rating which means this thing is dust proof and can be submerged for 30 minutes in water with no problem. The fabric cover is really nice and the fit and finish is superb (no seams or stray fibers). This is a solid bluetooth speaker with an impressive 24 hour battery that even has a port that can charge your cell phone at 1 amp. I couldn't find out the mAh rating for the battery in the spec so I don't know how much it can charge a phone.
If you are looking for a great sounding, looking, and tough bluetooth speaker, don't look any further, just be sure to download the Music Center App, the increased functionality is a must. Sony has turned out another winner!
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Increase productivity and save desk space with this HP Pavilion all-in-one desktop computer. Its Intel Core i7 processor and 12GB of DDR4 RAM keep multiple programs running at optimal speeds, and the Intel Optane Memory is a smart system accelerator that adapts to your everyday computing activities. This HP Pavilion all-in-one desktop computer has a large 1TB hard drive for storing files securely.
Customer Rating
5
Outstanding Power/Value Option For Most People
on February 25, 2018
Posted by: Wraith
from Rochester Hills, MI
There are a lot of reviews that hit a whole bunch of different topics and features about this computer. From the ones I've read, I haven't seen much on the actual day-to-day operation of this computer and I think that is important.
Let me start off by giving a quick rundown of how it is used in my office. I work for a moderately sized non-profit and while we have a nice endowment and take in a lot of donation, we like that to go to those we serve. Also, while we have about 50 employees, most of us wear many different hats. I was originally a teacher and so I am in charge of the education portion, but I also have a flair for design and I know how to code a webpage so in addition to being the education lead, I am also half of the design team and half of the IT department. I do everything from writing lessons, to building websites, to creating brochures/programs/flyers/banners. I use everything from MS Office to the entire Adobe Creative Suite. Right now I have two computers at work, one PC and one Mac. The Mac is 5 years old and showing its age, the PC is brand new and is set up to really be my IT computer (screens are vertical for code and web layout). We needed a better graphics computer and I needed a computer that our interns could also work, since this will also act as their workstation. Surprisingly, none (and I mean zero) of our interns over the last three years knows or likes Macs so I decided to go with this computer because it looked like a good cross between power and value and I have heard great things about the new Optane memory.
Ok, now that you have the background I'll give you the quick down and dirty review. I set this up at home so I didn't waste time in the office and I could run some A/B testing between this HP and my top of the line iMac at home that has a 512GB solid state drive, 4k retina screen, 16GB of DDR3 RAM, and 6th generation quad core i7 running at 3.3GHz. This is my personal home computer and I do quite a bit of work at home but I'm trying to shift more of that to the office.
Anyway. I have attached to videos to this review so you can see how these two computers do starting up both from a cold start and using Adobe InDesign (actually I was unable to do so, I'll keep trying though). In both instances, the HP was ready to go faster than my Mac. That Optane memory is doing exactly what is was intended to do, and that is give you the flexibility and low price point of a traditional hard drive while getting the speed of a solid state drive. In this case you are actually getting better speed than a solid state drive. Running the entire Adobe Creative Suite on both computers reveals that in almost every instance, the HP outperforms my iMac with the exception of some graphics crunching in Illustrator (I'm thinking that is where the Intel Iris Pro graphics with some dedicated memory is helping). Also, when using Lightroom, the 4k retina screen is a lot nicer for pixel-peeping some of the details. The HP only has a standard HD screen and while it is not bad, it can't hold a candle to the 4k. That being said, this iMac cost a whole bunch more than the HP.
I only have one other gripe about the HP over the iMac. I would gladly give up the touch screen (never understood touchscreens on desktop computers, 2-in-1 laptops sure, but not desktops) in exchange for a higher resolution screen. The other issue with the touch screen is that it is set back a bit from the glass and it makes the entire screen super reflective. I've read a few reviews here and I notice other have mentioned how much you really need to consider the placement of this computer and light sources if you don't want to basically be looking at a mirror. I have a face for radio so I certainly don't want that! That being said, when bright/colorful screens are up, which this screen does very well, the reflectivity is not really an issue. Also, the base is incredibly stable and the touchscreen is very responsive so you don't have to poke the screen too hard to get it to do what you want. I'm sure the interns are going to love that but the fingerprints are really going to bug me.
Finally, we also do a TON of teleconferencing with other non-profits and schools around the nation and sometime the world. The camera/mic setup is very nice and I appreciate the security switch that blocks the camera at the top. The easy access to the SD card, headphone, and another USB drive at the bottom of the screen is really helpful as is the HDMI in button on the bottom right of the screen which makes it easy for us to link in other devices.
All-in-all I am extremely pleased with the power/productivity of this HP Pavilion and our CFO is going to be happy that I didn't have to break the bank to make it happen! I'm going to recommend that we purchase a few more of these for a few other departments around the foundation. HP has built a nice, attractive, and reasonably powerful computer that would serve any family, student, or office admirably in a lot of different situations. I'm a power user and am pretty pleased with it, I'm pretty sure you will be too.
My Best Buy number: 0215184540
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Wraith's Review Comments
Make driving routines more enjoyable with this OverDryve car system. Its voice assistant capabilities let you read and send text messages by command and also play music in your car without taking your hands off the wheel. The built-in dash cam of this OverDryve car system lets you record trips and capture every moment on the road.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5No-Brainer If You Want A Great All-In-One System
By Wraith
I wondered about creating a GPS system nowadays with so many people having their smartphones with their own GPS functionality or with most cars coming with some kind of infotainment system, but after using the OverDryve 7 for the last two weeks, I think it is a great system and is a no-brainer for anyone looking to add GPS functionality to their car.
First off, my favorite thing about this device is the mounting bracket. I kid you not. One of the things I always hated about car GPS systems was having to lock it in place and reconnect the power and such. In the process of doing that I would invariably mess with my carefully set up positioning and would have to do it all over again. The Overdryve has an awesome bracket that you keep set up in your car and plugged in to everything and the Overdryve unit itself links via magnets and the connections are made through little contacts on the back. Easy-peasy. On top of that, the basestation also has an additional GPS antenna to improve location accuracy. Now I have rarely had problems with previous GPS devices and but the additional antenna could probably help when you are in the 'canyons' of the city, though I haven't gone downtown to try it yet.
The GPS system is great. While my car has one built in, it acts a bit too much like my mother and won't let me input anything if I am not at a complete stop. My wife can't even do it from the passenger seat because if we are moving at all it completely locks out the GPS controls. I understand why, but it would be nice for some kind of override. With the Overdryve, we don't have to worry about that. She just plucks the device from the mount, types in the destination and clicks it back into place. The guidance voice is kind of grating but so is my wife yelling directions at me from her phone!
I played around with the handsfree and entertainment applications and they are fine, but my car handles that pretty seamlessly, so I don't think I will be using that function of the Overdryve. The voice commands are much more responsive than those for my car system so I will give it that. The other thing I don't have to worry about is the backup camera or tire pressure monitor, because my car already has that, but if your car doesn't, this is a really cool feature. While each of those systems is an add-on, they are both only about $150 each and I guarantee I paid more for that functionality from the auto maker.
As for the Overdryve also being an Android tablet, and can be used off the mount like any other tablet, it is true that it can do so, but it is a little bulky for that and it is an Android tablet with all that entails. Sorry, I have an iPad and I can't really see myself ever using this as just a regular tablet, but perhaps if you forgot yours and you have a fussy kid in the back and want to send it to the back seat to quiet them down, this could be a lifesaver.
Now for my few quibbles with the device. I had a little trouble syncing it to my phone for the first few tries but after I did a phone restart I didn't have a problem and it had maintained the sync no problem, so it could have been my phone and not the Overdryve. My only other problem is the name. Seriously, Overdryve?! I realize that Overdrive was probably taken but I kind of feel like some hipster should be on TV telling me how 'swaggy' this thing is. Every time I have had to type Overdryve into this review, I have had to roll my eyes and they are getting tired.
In summary, if you want a great functioning GPS system, and that is all, this is a phenomenal GPS and it costs about the same as other 7-inch GPS systems. If you need the functionality of an infotainment system, and want the ability to add safety features like a back-up camera and tire pressure monitoring, this is a no-brainer because you get all of that for the price of a basic 7" GPS. On top of all that, you get a fully functional Android tablet! I really can't see why anyone would buy any other standalone car GPS system now that this is out. Even if you don't need the other functions, they are nice to have and Rand McNally has created the best GPS device I have ever used, for the same price as other systems. Seriously, this is the unit to get.
Wraith
Rochester Hills, MI
Dash Cam!
September 25, 2016
I totally forgot about the dash cam function of this. Yet another feature that makes this a no-brainer. I have not had much experience with dash cams but this one works well. Now let's just hope I don't end up on one of those dash cam compilation videos on YouTube!
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Wraith's Questions
Wraith has not submitted any questions.
Listen to your playlist in peace with these Sony headphones. They have a 40mm dome driver to deliver the full depth of audio, and the noise cancelling feature minimizes outside disturbances for a better listening experience. These Sony headphones have a battery life of up to 30 hours for extended jam sessions.
Will these head phones need to be connected tot he phone to use the noise cancelling function or can they operate as noise cancelling headphones whithout having to be connected to anything?
They DO NOT need to be connected to a phone for the noise cancelling feature to work. You can just have them on to give yourself some peace and quiet.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
Wraith
Listen to your playlist in peace with these Sony headphones. They have a 40mm dome driver to deliver the full depth of audio, and the noise cancelling feature minimizes outside disturbances for a better listening experience. These Sony headphones have a battery life of up to 30 hours for extended jam sessions.
Really wanna buy these headphones, but does the ANC from these (Sony) create an undesirable pressure to the eardrums? Tried the Bose, they hurt my ears after a while...
NO! I'm with you on that. I have always wanted a pair of NC headphones but couldn't stand that pressure after more than 30 minutes. I have listened to these for almost six hours straight and no pressure. It is fabulous!
7 years, 10 months ago
by
Wraith
Create gorgeous hairstyles quickly with this high-velocity Dyson Supersonic hair dryer. The rapid air flow and a temperature gauge that monitors the heat level 20 times per second ensure efficient drying without overheating tresses. The motor of this Dyson Supersonic hair dryer is in the handle for better balance and reduced arm fatigue during use.
Hello does the Supetsonic blow dryer sold at Best Buy come with the leather case?
No, that is only for the dryers bought directly from Dyson. I know, stinks. I'm attaching a photo of what is in the box.
8 years, 9 months ago
by
Wraith
Orbi Whole Home WiFi System delivers up to 3.0Gbps high-performance WiFi. Sleek, modern design with high-gain internal antennas for up to 5,000 square feet of coverage. FastLane3 Technology creates a dedicated Tri-Band WiFi for seamless 4K streaming and gaming everywhere in your home. Keep a single WiFi name for uninterrupted connections as you move from room-to-room. Circle Smart Parental Controls runs on Orbi Routers for a smart way for families to manage content and time online, on any connected device. Provide internet access to guests without sharing your personal network password. Orbi is ready right out of the box and compatible with your ISP. Just use the Orbi app to get started with better WiFi, everywhere in minutes.
I have a 1400 sq ft home and an RV parked on the side. My current Router plus an add on won't do it for the RV. Will this cover the home and the RV?
I have a 3200 sq ft home that has walls like a fort and I can get a great signal from all throughout the house and my entire yard (which is admittedly not in proportion with the house). If you put the main base station in your home and the satellite system in the RV, the system will tell you if you have a good signal (which you should), and then you will be bathed in glorious wi-fi.
8 years, 11 months ago
by
Wraith
Only at Best BuyTote entertainment options with you via this HP Spectre x360 laptop. The 13.3-inch touch screen lets you navigate tablet-style for casual app gaming, and a flip-and-fold design lets you set this computer on a table to enjoy streamed entertainment while multitasking. This HP Spectre x360 laptop weighs just over 3 lbs. for easy portability.
Finally! so glad i seen this before i bought!!! when can i get it? i've asked everywhere.
I have seen it in every Best Buy store I have been in to over that last two weeks (four in total), so check your Best Buy, it is probably there.
9 years, 3 months ago
by
Wraith
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
I ordered this laptop from a friend to buy it for me. I live in Europe (Macedonia) so we have 220v electricity + other kind of power plugs. Will it damage the laptop if i use it constantly with an adapter to change the socket to fit our plugs ?
You should not have any problems doing this. The power supply clearly states that it can handle all the way up to 240v and convert it to what the computer needs. All you should have to do is get the plug adaptor.
9 years, 3 months ago
by
Wraith
Learn more about Magnolia Premium Installation These Sennheiser HD650 stereo headphones provide balanced and transparent sound for audio with minimal distortion. The headphones feature an over-the-ear design with an innovative elliptical shape adapted to the shape of ears.
Which headphone amplifiers would you suggest for the HD650 and would a headphone amplifer help add a deeper bass to the sound??
I use mine with a Schiit Magni (and Modi for the DAC), and I have no problems with the bass. If the music is supposed to have bass, you will get it. It won't be thumping bass but there is only a small segment of the music spectrum that really needs that emphasized. Cheap headphones bump up the bass to cover up how bad they are.
11 years ago
by
Wraith
Rochester Hills, MI