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  • Review count
    230
  • Helpfulness votes
    431
  • First review
    February 18, 2014
  • Last review
    March 3, 2024
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    4.1
 
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  • First review comment
    June 25, 2016
  • Last review comment
    June 25, 2016
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  • Answer count
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    August 27, 2015
  • Last answer
    April 9, 2019
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BeingHonest's Reviews
1 2 3 4 5 ... 23 >>
 
Sculpted by victory. Made for the spotlight. The M75 WIRELESS sports an expertly designed ambidextrous mouse shape, enabling right- and left-handed players to take on the best competition with swagger and style. Weighing just 89g, the M75 WIRELESS is light and fast for the quickest mouse movements, and connects via near-zero lag SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS and Bluetooth®. The mouse’s 26K DPI CORSAIR MARKSMAN optical sensor tracks movements with extreme precision, and shots register instantly on optical switches, guaranteed for 100 million clicks. Light up the leaderboard with uniquely styled two-zone RGB, customized in CORSAIR iCUE software. Grasp the M75 and win with flair
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Ambidextrous but narrow grip. Light and responsive
on March 3, 2024
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
Ambidextrous
All side buttons can be enabled and customized
Swapple side buttons
Fast tactile clicks
Con:
Less ergonomic grip
Loud clicks
DPI button is on the bottom
The M75 Wireless is the lightweight ambidextrous version of the M75 mouse line, with side buttons on both sides. Though it’s very light, the body feels solid and without the hollow creaks. The body is narrow and slim, maybe too slim for a proper grip. The non dominant side buttons can be enabled so that all side buttons can be used, and the buttons can be swapped out from the flushed profile to ones with a ridge. The left and right clicks are responsive and clicky, but they are louder with higher pitch clicks. The DPI button is located at the bottom, which is annoying even if it’s not often used. There are two RGB zones, the top logo and accent lines, and at the bottom end. The lighting isn’t that bright, and the color range isn’t that accurate so I just turn them off. With the lights off, the battery can last up to 100 hours using the receiver and 200 hours on bluetooth. The PTFE pads on the bottom makes it feel super smooth on a good gaming pad.
Ambidextrous: Good and Bad
Being ambidextrous is great, especially for left handed gamers. Having extra side buttons and being able to customize their functions (or disable them) is great for both gaming and productivity. The non thumb sided buttons can be pressed with the ring finger, even though it takes some getting used to.
There is a downside, however, and it’s the grip. Since the body is more narrow, the lack of the extra curved surface area for your fingers makes it harder to keep a tight grip especially during more intense gaming sessions. Sometimes while moving the mouse quickly and trying to rapidly press the buttons, the mouse gets slightly pushed back towards the palm and causes it to register the click as a drag. This is with a light palm grip, so maybe those with a claw grip will fare better.
iCue Functions
With iCue, you can remap the buttons (all but the main clicking button) as shortcuts, macros, or text inputs. The other adjustments are for the lighting, changing the DPI steps, and program software and hardware profiles. The hardware profiles being the ones saved on the mouse so it can be used without iCue. You can also calibrate the mouse to the surface area, giving you a bit more refinement. I personally set one side button to sniper mode, and remap the non dominant side to be either DPI buttons or assigned macro and text inputs.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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4K X is game capture at its best. Equipped with HDMI 2.1, our most powerful USB card lets you capture the latest titles up to 4K with HDR at 144 frames per second, or even 1080p240. Say goodbye to screen tearing with VRR passthrough. Enjoy ultra-low latency technology that keeps your broadcast and gameplay synced. 4K X works with almost any HDMI-compatible device, including PS5, Xbox Series X, Switch, Steam Deck, PC, Mac, even your iPhone 15. And it works seamlessly with leading broadcast apps like OBS, so you can stream like a pro on Twitch, YouTube, or Discord.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great! Passthrough anything and record up to 4K144
on February 24, 2024
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
Passthrough all major resolutions
Capture up to 4K144 SDR, or 4K30HDR
Certified braided HDMI cable included
Con:
Switching resolution can freeze the 4K Capture Utility
Gets warm
USB malfunction errors with Windows (multiple PCs)
Having had many Elgato capture cards over the years, the 4KX improves over the last version (HD660X) and should satisfy anyone who wants to game and capture with little compromises. It looks identical to the HD60X, with the inputs/outputs in the back, keeping the wiring clean of the desk. The difference is that it now has HDMI 2.1 and a 10Gbps USB-C, so it should be able to handle most 4K signals. It includes a nice certified braided HDMI cable and USB-C cable.
Capturing and streaming, it will pretty much passthrough any resolution up to 144 fps, including HDR and VRR. I don’t have to give up playing games with HDR at 4K144 to record/stream. You can record SDR up to 4K144 but is limited to max at 4K30 for HDR. The HDR to SDR tonemapping has improved greatly since I last tried with the HD60X. It does a great job at keeping the colors very similar, both in OBS and the Capture Utility. It does run a bit hot while capturing.
While overall good, there are some issues that occurred regularly that I never had with the previous Elgato cards. I don’t know if it’s the card itself but it’s something I wanted to mention. One is that while using the 4K Capture Utility, whenever the game resolution changes, it freezes and must be forced shut down. For instance, on the PS5, going from the home screen to a game playing at 120fps, the capture freezes. This doesn’t seem to happen if I’m using OBS so it’s not a big deal to me since I rarely use the Capture Utility.
Another issue is when I plug in the capture card, I get the “USB devices malfunction” error. This happened on multiple computers. Reconnecting fixes it, but it happens about half the time and something to be aware of.
If I hadn’t encountered these issues, it would have been a perfect score. For an external card to be able to handle 4K144 is a big improvement. The HDMI 2.1 and the faster USB-C port allows for more compatibility. Unless you need 8K or higher than 144 fps, the 4KX should be just fine.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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TORRAS Ark Series case: a versatile, protective iPad case with a multi-angle magnetic stand, pencil holder, smudge-resistant surface, and shock-absorbing protection. Elevate your iPad experience with comfort and style.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Great case but picks up smudges easily.
on January 16, 2024
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
Slot to hold pencil
Magnetic stand
Con:
Picks up finger oil and smudges
Buttons a bit harder to press
The Torras Ark case is a good case for the iPad. Unlike cheaper cases that have a thin plastic back cover, the Ark has a honeycomb interior and seems more protective. It fits the iPad snuggly and the cover stays in place, but it does add a bit of bulk and can be hard to take off. The leather exterior is nice, but it’s constantly picking up any oil and grease from my fingers. The smudges are very noticeable and I need to keep wiping it down often. The case extends out a bit because it has a slot on the side for the Apple pencil, which I prefer over the usual loop on most cases. This way the pencil is securely locked in and also protected.
The back cover can be used as a multi angled stand with magnets to keep it locked into position and prevent it from sliding off.
The opening for the unlock button is flushed with the button so it makes it harder to feel the button and press it. The volume buttons are a bit stiff to press but they register each presses fine.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Best for home offices and small teams, the Brother HL-L2460DW Wireless Compact Black & White (Monochrome) Laser Printer combines affordability and reliable quality. Designed to provide high-volume printing with exceptional efficiency, it consistently produces crisp, easy-to-read black & white prints at speeds up to 36 ISO pages per minute (1) (ppm). The convenient 250-sheet paper tray (2) means you'll make fewer paper refills, while the automatic duplex printing feature saves additional time and decreases paper waste. Flexible connection options include dual-band wireless, Ethernet, and USB 2.0 interfaces. Best of all, you can print from virtually anywhere with the Brother Mobile Connect App. (3) Plus, you can feel safe knowing that advanced security features are helping to protect your information and maintain secure connections while you're printing.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Good laser printer for home office
on January 10, 2024
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
Compact form factor
Fast and clear prints
AirPrint
Con:
No display for menu navigation
The Brother HL-L2460DW laser printer may only have basic features, but it prints well, fast, and is easy to connect to PC and phones.
Setting up was straightforward. Once the installer is downloaded from Brother’s site, it’s a step by step to setup. There’s not much to it, select the printer, connect to wifi and done. However there were some annoying complications. First the installer failed to detect my network, so I had to manually connect the printer to my wifi. Since the printer has no display (other than one line of text) or keypad, it was a pain to navigate the menu and enter the password by scrolling through each letter. There’s also a firmware update right after installation, which requires the password on the back of the printer. It’s not a major issue, it just seems out of date.
Form factor is relatively compact. There’s no paper tray or feeder sticking out. The toner is easily replaced in the front. There's a flip out paper feeder for longer paper size in front, above the toner, as well.
The printing is fast, taking only seconds to start a print and each page prints instantly. Print quality is clear with texts looking sharper than an inkjet printer.
The printer can be connected to your phone, but since it is AirPrint compatible, I didn’t have to do any setup for it to work with my iPhone. It’s instantly recognized and able to print from any app.
Overally, a nice laser printer for home office. There’s no scanner. It just prints, but the prints are fast and sharp. Navigating the menu on the printer is a pain since there’s no display or keypad, but there shouldn’t be a need to do so often.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Unlock your car’s smart potential with the latest Nextbase iQ 2K Smart Dash Cam that’s always on duty. Predict threats and protect your car from anywhere using Live View, powered by 4G connectivity. See what your car sees and get custom alerts wherever you are. Park with confidence using Smart Sense Parking, as your iQ constantly scans the surrounding area of your vehicle, detecting potential intruders or vehicles backing up too close, allowing you to intervene using voice or an alarm.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Most features locked behind subscription
on November 28, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Clear image
-Parking and motion trigger monitoring
-Witness mode
Con:
-Most features needs subscription to work
-Roadwatch AI and Guardian Mode features not yet available
-High subscription price
-Still needs fixing with firmware updates
This dashcam was not ready for launch, with buggy features that needed to be fixed. At first, videos couldn’t be viewed, recordings couldn’t be seen in the library, video time stamps and information were wrong, and voice commands didn’t work. Even after the recent updates, which fixed most of it, the dashcam still doesn’t feel worth it yet. Two of the listed features, Roadwatch AI and Guardian Mode, aren’t available yet. Everything but basic recording and voice control is locked behind a pricey subscription.
Subscription
Without the subscription, this $600 dashcam only has notifications and voice control. There’s two subscription plans, Protect at $10/month, and Protect Plus at $20/month. With the subscription, you get live viewing, 30 days cloud storage, image notifications, witness mode, and the smart features. The Plus plan extends the storage to 180 days, adds multiple user accounts, emergency SOS, and automated incident back-ups. I can justify a monthly fee for the features that need the cloud, but the smart features should at least work locally and store the video on the sd card. I don’t see a reason why impact and proximity detection needs to be locked behind a subscription. You’re also paying for features that’s not yet available. $10/month for cloud storage and live viewing still feels too high.
Features
Smart Sense Parking does two things. It detects impact and is a proximity sensor. The impact detection works fine. Everytime I slam the trunk, I get an alert and a recording. The proximity sensor, for me, is recording all the time even when parked in the garage at night with no movements. My library is cluttered with false recordings. Also anything that happens to the sides of the car will not be seen.
Witness Mode, which can be activated with voice command, will start recording and send a link to a designated person so that they can also view the footage. Great for any incidents.
Voice Control, when it works, allows you to start/stop recording, enable privacy mode, and activate witness mode. Voice commands weren't working at first, but have since been fixed.
Roadwatch AI and Guarding Mode aren’t available yet.
IQ App
Prior to the recent update, most of the video features didn’t work properly. After the fix, recordings now show up and viewable with the right timestamp. Live viewing takes a bit before it wakes the camera and loads the video. Recordings are about 12 seconds long and if driving, will show driving information. Settings for the Smart Sense Parking can be adjusted or turned off.
Is it worth it?
Even with the features now working as they should, is this worth it? Without the monthly fee, the only feature available is the recording. Even though they still record to the local storage, the parking features are unavailable. Once all the listed features are available and If you don’t mind paying $10-$20 a month to use them, then this camera can be an added layer of protection. However, I don’t see myself paying $100+ a year, on top of the high price of the camera, to use these features.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
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The Dyson Purifier Cool Gen1 purifying fan automatically senses, captures and traps pollutants to purify your whole room¹, while removing 99.97% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.³
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Good purifier. Airflow is a bit weak.
on November 10, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Quiet at low to mid setting
-Display air quality
-Remote
Con:
-Less airflow compared to traditional fan
-Loud at higher settings
-Expensive
The fan is great for cooling while purifying the air. It produces a cool breeze but without feeling the air turbulent of a normal fan. While the air is cool, compared to a traditional fan, the airflow isn’t as strong. It needs to be cranked up, but doing so will make it noisy. It doesn’t have the low rumbling like propeller fan, but more of a higher pitch hairdryer. If I don’t need to have the fan cooling the room, I set it auto and just let it run quietly as it cleans until it detects particles in the air.
It does an excellent job of purifying the air. I had an instance when the air quality was really bad, and the Dyson kicked in at full power and started purifying. It showed that the particulate level was very high, and after an hour it slowly started to wind down and the air level was clean. The filter is easy to replace.
The small circular screen can be cycled to display different information. By default it shows a graph for the air quality that is being filtered over time. It can also show the different levels of particles detected and the filter life.
With the remote, you can adjust the fan level, turn on oscillation, set the sleep timer, set it to auto, and display information.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Get eyes on your real front door: The myQ Smart Garage Video Keypad lets you see and control who opens your garage door. Grant access by assigning unique PIN codes for family, guests, or service providers. Get meaningful insights with real-time alerts that will tell you when someone has accessed your garage. Easy installation with integrated Bluetooth technology makes for quick Wi-Fi pairing. A must have for any smart home. Only works with myQ, Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Raynor, and AccessMaster garage door openers made after 1993.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Nice features but most need subscription to use
on November 9, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Should work with most Chamberlain/Liftmaster garage from the last 10 years
-Battery life
-Scheduled guess pin
Con:
-Most features locked behind subscription
-Pricey subscription for one device
For what it is, the video keypad works great, giving another layer of security and access. It was easy to pair with my older garage opener, simply by programming a code and pressing the button to teach the code to the opener. Setting up through the MyQ app was easy and straightforward, and was done in minutes. The keypad comes in an angled bracket, and mounting it was easy, but you will need a drill and screwdriver.
The video is clear and it does a good job of detecting motion and people. The motion detection doesn’t go too far so it didn’t get many false alerts from cars driving by the street. The alerts sometimes are delayed for a bit, maybe about 30 seconds. Guess pins can be set within a specific time frame, allowing temporary access. The battery seems to last a while. I had it for a week with a lot of movement detections and it’s still at 97%.
The bad thing is that all the features are locked behind a subscription. Without the subscription plan, the camera is basically only good for live viewing when someone is at the keypad. There’s no video storage, motion detection, nor person detection. There are two subscription plans, a single device plan for $4 a month ($40 a year) and a multi device plan for $10 a month ($100 a year). The single device plan, for what it offers compared to other camera subscriptions, is higher than it should be.
The single device plan only saves video for 7 days. Any other cameras I have owned either have a free 48 hours storage or at least will save the video for 30 days. If this is the only device being used, then the value is less compared to other cameras. The multiple device plan fares better, allowing video to be saved for 30 days.
Overall I like the extra security it offers, and the ability to allow access set to a specific time. However, I don’t like that most of the features are locked behind a paywall, and one that offers less than other cameras.
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
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Smart camera optimized for the garage. Works alone or as an upgrade to your myQ-connected garage door opener, the Smart Garage Camera easily adds streaming video, recorded events, motion detection and 2-way communication to the myQ app.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Most features locked behind high subscription
on November 9, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Easy installation
Con:
-High subscription price for single device
-Features limited without subscription
The camera was easy to set up and paired in the MyQ app. The camera has a magnet at the base and also comes with a magnetic pad to attach to your garage door opener. The camera doesn’t have to be placed in the garage and would work like any other wireless camera. The power cable could be longer.
The camera has good motion and person detection, but these features are locked behind the subscription. The alerts are a bit delayed, up to a minute at times. It can be linked to your garage door opener, and within the MyQ app, you are able to see the live view and operate your garage door at the same time. Both daytime and night vision images look good. It does have a mic for 2 way communication, but the volume is a little low.
Without the subscription plan, the camera is basically only good for live viewing. There’s no video storage, motion detection, nor person detection. There are two subscription plans, a single device plan for $4 a month ($40 a year) and a multi device plan for $10 a month ($100 a year). The single device plan, for what it offers compared to other camera subscriptions, is higher than it should be.
The single device plan only saves video for 7 days, and other cameras have at least motion activation as a free feature. If this is the only device being used, then it’s better to look for another camera. The multiple device plan fares better, allowing video to be saved for 30 days.
If you just need a camera and not pay a monthly fee for the features, or not needing it to be tied to the MyQ system, then there are better choices. It’s not a bad camera, but there’s nothing unique here. The image is good, the night vision is clear, and the mic is what you’d expect. Most of the features are locked behind the subscription, which doesn’t offer the best value unless you have the multi device plan.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
+1point
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Enjoy exceptionally clear sound with the Logitech Zone 950 Premium Noise Canceling Headset, our best wireless headset. Work from anywhere and ensure you can hear and be heard in busy environments – like open offices and cafes. The Zone 950 noise canceling headphones feature Advanced Call Clarity technology, which uses AI to make it easier to hear the person you’re talking to by suppressing ambient noise. Hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) blocks distracting background sound. Noise canceling mics elevate your voice while suppressing other sounds. 40 mm speakers deliver premium audio for meetings and music. The free Logi Tune app offers a dynamic and personalized equalizer (EQ) that automatically adjusts the audio to your own hearing range or lets you customize the sound to your preferences. Designed for comfort and a longer life with replaceable earpads and battery.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Great noise canceling/suppression. Mic is muffled
on November 7, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Eliminate most background noise
-Great noise cancellation
-Battery life
-Good wireless range
Con:
-Muffled or quiet mic
-One ear can get uncomfortable
-Sound quality starts to degrade with multiple sources
The Zone 950 has a mic designed to eliminate background noise during calls, and for that part, it works amazingly well. Unfortunately, perhaps as a result of the noise suppression, the mic sounds either muffled or distant during calls. It does have great active noise canceling, blocking out background sound from being heard. The battery life is also good, lasting about 15 hours. Comfort was also an issue as the on ear pads got uncomfortable after a while.
Build Quality
The headset seems well built. It’s light and flexible, and has rubber foam in the headband and ear pads. The mic has an auto mute feature, but is not adjustable. There’s touch control on one side and can be assigned within the Logi Tune app. The pads are very soft, but the rubber/leatherette cover made it warm after a short time. After an hour they started to feel uncomfortable as they pressed on the ear.
Mic and Call Quality
The mic has built in noise suppression, using a process to isolate your voice and eliminating most, if not all, background noise. The result is similar to Nvidia’s RTX Voice. Leaving a lot of background noise on (TV, street noise, and fans) while in a call, the other people said they can’t hear anything other than my voice. However they said that my volume was low, even with my mic level at max, and that my voice would sometimes sound far away or like “in a cathedral.” This may be a result of over processing of the mic audio, but there’s no way to adjust the suppression level. So while the noise suppression is excellent, the end result isn’t that great either.
Noise Canceling
The active noise canceling is quite good. Even when surrounded by background noise, it manages to block out the majority of it and what remains is faint. Background voice still comes through, but is muffled enough to not be distracting.
Sound Quality
The headset switches between two sound modes. One for calls, when the mic is active, where the sound is tailored towards call clarity. The other is when the mic is off, with the audio sounding better for media and music. Each of the modes has separate volume control, and when they switch, it will automatically adjust the volume level. I thought it was a bug that made my pc volume jump up and down until I realized this. For calls, it sounded fine and the other people came in clear. There’s the Call Clarity feature within Logi Tune app that’s supposed to enhance the clarity of the person on the other end of the call, but it didn’t sound that different to me. For music, it sounded surprisingly good, with enough bass and clarity. The EQ can be adjusted within the LogiTune app.
With the wireless receiver, I was able to walk pretty far away from my computer and was still able to hear just fine. However, I noticed that when there’s too many audio sources playing, the sound quality started to degrade. I was in a Discord call, and had a few tabs of video playing, and the sound started cracking and sounded mechanical.
Summary
Even though the noise suppression and canceling are both excellent, the mic sound quality was low and muffled. It was still okay for the purpose of being in a call, but it was still disappointing. The audio quality is pretty good for both calling and media. For me, the on ear pads got uncomfortable after about an hour so I probably won’t be using this unless I really need the noise suppression.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
0points
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For those who crave greater customization and immersion, satisfy your enthusiast needs with the Razer BlackWidow V4 75%—a compact, hot-swappable mechanical keyboard powered by Razer Chroma™ RGB. From installing new switches to creating unique lighting effects, shape it to way you love to play.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Keys feels great. RGB pops on the white version.
on October 31, 2023
Posted by: BeingHonest
Pro:
-Tactile keys
-Low noise
-Evenly diffuse lighting
-Swappable with 3 or 5 pin keys
Con:
-White will get dirty faster
First Impression
This keyboard is hefty, and the white version looks really nice. It will, no doubt, get dirty quickly over time, but that’s the choice you make for buying a white version. The white color makes the lights look better, making it stand out more and giving a subtle glow. It comes with a magnetic foam and leather like wrist wrest. It feels nice but I don't think it'll take long til it gets dingy. The soft silver braided USB cable is a nice touch.
Keys
I didn’t expect to like the keys on this keyboard so much. Typing on this feels so satisfying. The default keys, Razer’s Orange keys, feel and sound great. The tactile feel has a noticeable bump and has a heavier feel to them. They’re closer to Cherry Browns, but have a bit more resistance and are less clicky. They are quieter and have more of a low tock rather than a hollow twang, feeling closer to keys found on custom keyboards. Each key is stable with minimal wiggle. The lettering is clean and evenly lit, overall looking beautiful. The placing of the arrow keys and smaller buttons on the right takes a bit to get used to, and you’ll probably be pressing the wrong keys for a bit. The pause and mute knobs look a bit out of place, but are sturdy and responsive to press on. The volume rocker has a clicky scroll, which is preferred for precise control.
The big feature of this keyboard is that the keys are swappable. It’s compatible with 3 and 5 pin keys. I didn’t try to replace them, as I’m fine with the included keys.
RGB Lighting
The lighting, combined with the white color, looks vibrant and super clean. The lighting under the keys are diffused, eliminating any harsh hot spots and light bleeding. There’s also a strip of lighting on each side, providing some accent lighting and giving the table a bit of a glow. Each key, the side lighting, and the volume knobs can each be customized in the Synapse app. There’s basic presets, or fully customizable with layers of effects. The color accuracy is pretty close, but there are few colors that couldn’t be reproduced.
Synapse features
Aside from customizing the RGB, you can set up Hypershift, which is essentially the fn key that works with every other key, nearly doubling the number of key combinations. I’m still not a big fan of Synapse since it can be buggy, but with just the keyboard, it seems to be working ok.
Overall a great keyboard. Looks nice, with clean RGB and key caps. More importantly, it keys feel great. Tactile is nice, quiet, and satisfying for typing and gaming. Each key can double as another function with Hypershift, giving you more options. The only downside is that the white version will probably get dirty quicker.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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BeingHonest's Review Comments
 
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.
 
Overall4 out of 54 out of 5
HP's take on MacBook Air, and it's good!
By BeingHonest
With an attractive design and lightweight portability, this laptop is a (big) tablet size package with full size laptop performance. The laptop is incredibly thin at a mere 10.4 mm and weighting at 2.45 lbs.
Build:
The exterior is a matte finish trimmed with gloss gold, which is reflected with the keyboard. This finish is nice since it doesn't leave fingerprints but the shinny gold is prone to marks. While personally I'm not a fan of the dark gray and gold, it does have a premium look to it. On the back is the headphone jack, 2 usb type C, and a power port, along with the exhaust along the bottom.
Display:
The Spectre comes with a 13 inch IPS 1080p display, and while not on par with a retina display, is clear and sharp. You really don't need a higher resolution for this size. The display setting is default to a custom setting in windows, which I find to be about right. The screen is glossy, which can be annoying. The viewing angle is great! I was surprised that this was an IPS panel.
Keyboard and trackpad:
The keyboard is a typical chicklet type key and is responsive and easy to type with. It is backlit and with the gold trimmed keys, gives a nice glowing effect. The glass trackpad is nice and smooth and functions like a button with gesture controls (which I mostly disabled). It's essentially an Apple trackpad.
Speakers:
The speakers sandwich the entire keyboard, and while HP boast that it's custom tuned by Bang & Olufsen, it performs like what you would expect from tiny speakers on a tablet. Not so good, but considering its size, is adequate for watching videos. With music, it tends to crack at higher volumes and the bass is lacking. Still, the speakers can produce good volume and the individual channels stands out.
Performance:
With an i7 and 8 gb of ram, this laptop can handle any day to day task without a hitch. Just don't expect to do any modern gaming with this. Thanks to its PCIe SSD, this thing is fast. It boots up faster than my gaming desktop. But with only 256gb of storage, you might need an external drive. I'm used to gaming laptop so to me the battery life is very good. I can get at least 5 hours of use without optimizing the brightness and performance. It takes a few hours to fully charge and you should be good to go for a while. There doesn't seem to be a way to replace the ssd or battery so I'm hoping they last. I have one major issue with the performance, and is that it can get hot, not warm, but hot. Installing windows update, this laptop got too hot to be in my lap. Doing multitasking can get quite warm as well.
Overall this laptop performs to my expectations. It's thin and light and can handle everyday tasks smoothly. There's not much HP bloatware, which I find refreshing. It comes with a usb C adapter and a slip cover, but in my case is a tad too small and tight. Even with some of its shortcomings, I can't fault it too much given how much was packed into such a small form factor.
This laptop was provided to me for my honest review.
Customer Avatar
BeingHonest
austin, tx
Thanks for update
June 25, 2016
Thanks for letting me know about the ssd and battery. I didn't see any way to remove the cover, but good to know it's doable. And yes I no longer put it on my lap (laptop-the irony) due to the heat issue. The ventilation is one of the issue I have with this thing, but it's still a good machine.
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Enhance work productivity and gaming with this Alienware Aurora liquid cooled desktop computer. Its Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver optimal power to support efficient multitasking, and the 256GB SSD and 1TB SATA HDD keep files and apps organized. This Alienware Aurora desktop computer's high-definition audio and NVIDIA GeForce graphics provide an immersive media experience.
 

What motherboard is used

No brand name if that's what you're asking. It's a Dell made board.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
Enhance work productivity and gaming with this Alienware Aurora liquid cooled desktop computer. Its Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver optimal power to support efficient multitasking, and the 256GB SSD and 1TB SATA HDD keep files and apps organized. This Alienware Aurora desktop computer's high-definition audio and NVIDIA GeForce graphics provide an immersive media experience.
 

Does this have a 850 w power supply? Which brand/ model video card is used for this rtx 2070?

Not sure about the power supply (not visible without taking it out), but with Dell you won't be getting any brand name parts. Just generic grade. The 2070 is a blower style.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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...

I think your case is unique. I haven't heard about noise cancelling causing pain. I have both the Sony and Bose and all I can say is that they are similar, but with the Sony you can adjust the level of NC so that it has less effect in their App. By default, the Sony has a bit of a hiss. It's worth a shot.
6 years, 5 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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 am moving to Australia & hear different information about the power adapters. Do I need a converter to charge this HP laptop internationally? I have the adapter & a converter. Just want to be on the safe side. Thank you!

On the power brick, it says that it takes 100-240v so it should be fine internationally.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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.
 

Which available adapter is recommended for using with: HDMI screen Ethernet RJ45 network 2 regular USB ports (for wireless keyboard/ printer/ disk on key, not usb-c) Charging ?

There's no HDMI or ethernet out. It only comes with 2 usb-c so you'll just need an adapter to connect to non usb-c devices.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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.
 

has anyone else had a problem with the speakers?!?! will be playing something and speakers just suddenly cut out. wifi connection fine, tested on video downloaded on device as well but still same issue.

Seems like you have a defected item. I've had this for about a week and haven't experience such issues.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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.
 

Online, the estimated battery life is 9.5 hours. How accurate is this estimate?

Real world applications would probably get about half of that. I get about 4-5 hours of moderate use.
7 years, 9 months ago
by
BeingHonest
 
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.
 

What users is this directed towards?

Mainly target for everyday users or office workers that needs portability and good performance. For instance if you're looking to get a macbook air or surface pro (only without touch screen).
7 years, 9 months ago
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BeingHonest
 
Stay cool with this Honeywell Turbo Force HT-906 table fan that features 120° extra-wide horizontal oscillation to help keep a large area comfortable. The pivoting head can be adjusted up to 60° for flexible positioning.
 

How quiet or loud is this fan?

Tired of noisy fans; how is this one for noise? Thanks.
It's a bit quieter but really no quieter than any oscillating fan I've had. This is just smaller and has decent air flow.
8 years, 7 months ago
by
BeingHonest
   austin, tx