The ASTRO A40 TR Headset + MixAmp Pro TR for Xbox One, PC and Mac is the premier audio solution for esports athletes, content creators and streamers. It meets esports athletes’ rigorous standards for audio fidelity, comfort and durability. The MixAmp Pro TR features Dolby Audio processing and enables lag and interference-free delivery of game sound and voice communication. The A40 TR arrives as an open-back headset featuring a swappable precision mic and customizable Speaker Tags.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
The cream of the crop gaming headphones just got reloaded with the 4th generation of the tournament ready Astro Gaming A40 + Mixamp Pro.
The headphones came well packaged and documented in a sturdy “supply drop” style box. Setting up took only a few minutes without the need for downloading extra drivers.
The A40 is designed for “marathon gaming sessions" and are “lightweight, comfortable and built to last.” They are easily upgradable with the ability to add Mod Kits which feature synthetic leather noise-isolating ear cushions, a voice isolating mic, a padded headband, and closed-back speaker tags. They also support Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic on the PC which gives you a competitive edge with full 3D positional audio.
The Mixamp Pro is an exponential upgrade from the original Mixamp, featuring 1 full-size optical, micro USB, aux, stream, and even 2 daisy chain ports. The two dials on the top of the Mixamp control the volume and the sound balance between your game’s sound and your teammates’ voices. Two buttons control the switch from Dolby Surround Sound to stereo and the four different equalizer presets which are customizable in the Astro Command Center software.
Sound quality is the best I ever heard from headphones even with Dolby Atmos off. Music doesn’t sound great but is better than all other headphones I’ve tried. The A40 headphones are exceptionally comfortable but when I use them for 2 hours my ears start to get sore. The bottom of the headphone rests on my lower ear lobe, suggest if you are looking at the headphones to try before you buy.
Microphone sounds crystal clear with a customizable noise gate in the Command Center Software. The only problem I have with the microphone is when I breathe it picks it up and I must move the microphone down a bit.
Overall, if you’re looking for a top of the line, portable gaming headset the Astro A40 is a winner.
Security threats are on the rise, and they can target any networked printer. The latest generation of HP OfficeJet printers have best-in-class security built right in. And if things go wrong, they can heal themselves. The productive smart printer that doesn't just print, it produces. Help save time with Smart Tasks shortcuts, get automatic two-sided printing, and Borderless Print. Print and scan from your phone, Save up to 50% on ink with HP Instant Ink.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
HP has changed style from the standard black All-in-One (AIO) printers to a three-tone color scheme of white, dark grey and light grey. The new décor is very pleasing to the eye, fits nicely in our son’s room.
The size is perfect for a home office or home print station (SOHO) compared to a large office AIO. The HP Officejet Pro 8025 is a very capable AIO as well, printing, copying, scanning and photo printing performed brilliantly for a package this size. The 8025 will perform well in a small office that has less demanding printing jobs. Have connected the printer to all our home devices and will use as a backup to our larger HP AIO office printer if needed.
Photo Printing knocked my socks off, lovely rich colors and definition of a ceremony picture we had taking of our kid. Very nice.
Panel - Flip up design for easy viewing, nice. - Bit small but adequate 2.7” Touchscreen. - Easy navigation – full explanation on downloadable user guide. - Tap on the “?” on the home screen will bring up a help screen which includes “How to Videos”, to cool.
App - HP Smart assists you in the setup, scanning, printing, sharing, and managing the HP printer. Share documents and images simply through email, text messages, cloud and social media services, i.e. Google Drive, Facebook, iCloud, and Dropbox. - Android app is full featured for printer management. - Printing from Android, Chrome devices and iOS. - Google drive printing - kid loves this feature for printing school projects/papers from home or school. - Supports Print from Anywhere.
Networking - Almost to simple to add to network. Windows 10 PC’s can scan the network and install printer and launch app if you want. - Connections: 1 Ethernet; 1 Wireless 802.11b/g/n; 1 RJ-11 Fax. - Was the simplest, easiest and quickest network setup of any printer I have used. - Full feature faxing (with contacts) scanning and copying capabilities.
Paper capacity is impressive for small office printer: - Paper handling input, standard 225-sheet input tray, 35-sheet ADF - Paper handling output, standard 60-sheet output tray - Legal paper - Envelopes - Photo papers - Double sided duplexing
The HP 8025 is rated with the best for cost of operation, that is Big Plus in a smaller footprint printer!
The HP Officejet Pro 8025 gives you the features and capabilities that are found in much larger AIO systems for less cost and fits nicely into any SOHO environment.
Upgrade compatible PC systems with the WD_Black SN750 internal SSD. Read speeds of up to 3,470MB/s offer improved load times, while the M.2 form factor means you can directly plug into the motherboard without extra cabling. Compared to typical 2.5-inch SSDs, this WD_Black SSD fits double the storage density on a single-sided drive, making it suitable for portable builds.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
The WD-Black SN750 provides a ton of speed for a little Pocket Money. The latest version of Western Digital’s gaming SSD comes with updated firmware that boosts its performance.
The WD-Black SN750 is a 500GB Internal PCI Express 3.0 x4 (NVMe) M.2. 2280 3D TLC NAND Solid State Drive.
The WD-Black SN750 package also includes an updated SSD Dashboard software package which is top notch stuff.
Notable Dashboard Features:
- Provides drive cloning - Gaming Mode - In-depth Status Reporting - Performance charting - Full set of Drive Tool Utilities - Settings options
These numbers were consistent (this is the average) through a dozen test runs. Strong numbers in the top tier of the latest SSD drive offerings on the market.
The test computer: SSD WDS500G3X0C-00SJG0 SSD Driver 10.0.17763.1 (WinBuild. 160101.0800) Motherboard ASUS Maximus IX Code Chipset Z270 CPU i7-7700K Bios American Megatrends 1301 OS Windows 10 Pro Build 10.0.17763 GPU Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 Founders Edition
The test computer is a couple generations old and I wonder if the Sequential Write numbers may have been a bit better on a newer chipset? This I will find out when our next gaming laptop arrives with 9th generation tech.
Do not believe you can find more bang for the buck on the market, high marks for performance and capacity at a very low entry price. In fact, you would pay significantly more for a small performance bump that is virtually indistinguishable. Includes Five Year Warranty to boot.
The WD-Black SN750 is aimed directly at gamers and performance driven users, and it delivers solid numbers through extended testing.
If you are looking for Top Shelve Performance from a Solid company with a Brilliant History in drive manufacture and like to keep some of your money in your own pocket, then the SN750 should be one of the easiest decisions you will ever make.
Adjust the temperature of almost any room in your home with just a few simple taps on your smartphone with this Honeywell Home T9 smart thermostat with sensor. The intuitive interface and touch-screen design make this thermostat quick and easy to use. This Honeywell Home T9 smart thermostat features geofencing technology, so you can conserve energy while you're gone and enjoy a comfortable temperature once you return.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This is my third Honeywell Wi-Fi capable thermostat, dating back several years. All have performed extremely well and are well designed. The T9 is a brilliant evolution of the Honeywell series.
The drop-down menus are well laid out and understandable, an impressive improvement in the T9 system. Configuring personal preferences, system priorities, scheduling, device sensors, Wi-Fi, and beyond are easily accessible and intuitive. You can even see the future forecast for your area in the menu. Kudos Honeywell.
Installation and setup from basics to Wi-Fi worked flawlessly, simple and smooth. Like that.
The new T9 model changes the shape of Honeywell Smart Thermostats in more ways than one, first the shape has a new face lift. Rather than being a horizontal unit the T9 is vertically shaped, which makes sense when using the touch screen interface and scrolling through menus. Like the aesthetics, looks nice on the wall.
Love the new sensors and the ability to mange your whole home from sensors throughout the home. The sensor system can detect which rooms are being used and throughout the day will adjust the climate control to operate more efficiently. Like the ability to select a priority room for climate management and have the temp and humidity read out on the thermostat screen.
Myriad of ways to control and monitor the system from the phone/tablet app or your PC as well as integrating with either Alexa, Google Home, Cortana, and more. The T9 uses Geofencing, which in a nutshell means it knows when you are coming and going by monitoring your phone and can adjust your system automatically.
Additional features that stand out: - Does not require a C-Wire. - Includes Wi-Fi 5 GHz. - Indoor humidity sensing. - Honeywell usage reports.
The T9 is by far the best designed and engineered thermostat that I have ever used, Honeywell hit a home-run with the T9.
Enjoy timeless vinyl in modern quality with this Sony wireless turntable. Bluetooth connectivity pushes high-quality audio to wireless speakers and headphones, while a built-in phono audio output ensures wired devices can be connected as well. A minimalist design simplifies use of this Sony wireless turntable to a single button press, and two operating speeds allow for customizable playback.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
You may have not noticed but music on LP vinyl is coming back with a vengeance, a new age of listeners has fallen in love with the wide range of sounds that only vinyl can reproduce.
If you are curious about the new/retro wave in music and the hoopla you may be hearing from your kid and their friends (like me) you will need a good turntable to see what is causing the commotion.
Recall my first high end turn table time and the sheer joy of the music that flowed from its needle, but times have changed with the advent of new tech. Today’s turntables seem to have perfected the tech of bringing out the very best from the LP.
The Sony PS-LX310BT turntable delivers the tunes and adds the latest in technology bringing Bluetooth ability to stream your music to any room in your home as well as direct wiring to your receiver/amp. Add USB for ripping digital copies of your vinyl to your computer and onto other devices and you have a winner.
One feature I appreciate is the built in Pre-amp, allowing to select wiring directly to a dedicated receiver/amp or using the pre-amp to plug directly into speakers. Good stuff.
Highlight Features on this machine: • Streaming to headphones, wireless speakers and soundbars. • Pre-amp • Anti-Skid • Auto Return • USB ripping • Aluminum platter and tone arm • Diamond stylus (needle) • Gain switch (low, med, high) • Bluetooth • RCA wired connection • Duster cover which protects against acoustic pressure from speakers
If you are missing the days of old when music came through crisp, clear and deep and as most have a wired music life you can now wed the two with the Sony.
Plus, the Sony turntable looks great in the living room.
Safeguard your home with this Arlo security camera system. Its 4K resolution provides maximum clarity so you don't miss a single detail, and a siren is integrated so you can fend off intruders either remotely or while at home. This Arlo security camera system is weather-resistant, so it's functional rain or shine.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
The new Arlo Ultra Security Camera and Hub are nice improvements from the previous Pro 2 series, adding 4K video, enhanced hub, spot light and an update mobile app along with other excellent features.
Setup was rather smooth with the mobile Arlo App, had my system up and running within an hour. The app walks you step by step through the whole process, from setting up the network connection to adding and placing cameras.
Covers all the bases in a security camera system. Clear crisp video monitoring and recording. Love the fact you can zoom the camera to read a license plate in the driveway. For me it is great for keeping an eye on the kid and Beagle on our football field size front and rear yards. We live on the edge of the city with ten acres, three acres being in yard and seven acres in woods, it is a big plus to have an excellent view of our surroundings.
Features that make the Arlo a leading security cameras system:
- “Noise-cancelling microphones that reduces distracting background noises like wind, rain and street activity, providing you clearer distortion-free sound.” - Two-way microphones and speakers for clear conversation, fun when your friend watches your house for you! - One-year Arlo smart 30 days of cloud storage. - e911 service which will send police to your home with a touch of a button. - Weather resistant in all seasons. - Color night vision. - Spotlight built into the camera. - SD Storage. - Good documentation (download). - 180-degree view.
Have mixture Arlo Ultra and Pro2 cameras in my system, which work seamlessly together connected to the Arlo Ultra Hub. The hub is backward compatible with all Arlo wire-less cameras.
I keep my cameras plugged in so that I do not have to charge them weekly, so I have not tested the battery charge life. What I do like about the wire-less nature of the cameras is that it is simple to unplug them from the charging cable and place them in temporary locations.
Arlo is still using Adobe Flash; I believe they need make the move on to html for smoother operations on the PC. On a Windows 10 PC with Chrome you must enable Flash in Chrome and each time you want to view a camera feed must re-allow Flash Player within the interface to run. The mobile app does not require that extra exercise to view the camera feed.
Coupled with our home/garage security system the Arlo Ultra gives us an extra security layer that keeps us feeling comfortable at home and away.
Listen to music the smart way with this black Acton II Voice speaker. It has three Class D amplifiers for high-quality sound and multi-room capabilities so you can listen wherever you are in your house. The built-in Amazon Alexa of this compact Acton II Voice speaker lets you control your playlist with your voice.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
This is my second Marshall Bluetooth speaker and they continue to nail the design, quality and most importantly the Legendary Sound of Marshall. Love that they have continued with the Retro look of their amps, gorgeous stuff.
It is amazing that such rich tunes can be produced, apparently magically from a box of this dimension. The highs and mid-range are crisp and clean, and the bass is deep and true.
Spent the afternoon running through some classic Jethro Tull, mainly Ian Anderson’s first album “Stand Up.” Anderson’s music is typically more complex with more movements than you typically find, from his masterful flute to the acoustic to striking back with full rock n’ roll rifts the Acton II never missed a beat.
The music that flows and trumpets from the Acton II is no less than you expect from the Legend of Marshall.
Cool Highlight Features: - Amazon Alexa built into the box. - Wi-Fi for network connection. - Marshall Bluetooth App “Customize your listening experience.” - Spotify Connect. - Bluetooth 5.0 “Multi-Host Functionality.” - Pairing speakers with Alexa Eco-system.
The extensive list of specs will not fit in my review easily, but I would encourage anyone searching for a speaker to take a close look. This speaker is very worthy of a place on the shelve in any room, or all your rooms. Looks good and sounds great.
Bottom-line, I have more Bluetooth speakers than I care to count, and all of them except my two Marshalls are sitting in a closet somewhere.
Stay productive all day with this 17-inch LG gram laptop. Featuring an Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM, this laptop boosts productivity with consistently fast performance and resource-efficient multitasking. This LG gram laptop offers easy portability with its ultra-slim design.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
When you see the distinctive box the LG Gram 17” arrives in you know straightaway that there is something special waiting inside. When I unboxed and lifted the LG Gram, I had the distinct sensation that the laptop was going to float. It is truly that light. Impressed so much I had a couple friends pick up the Gram, the expression on their faces spoke volumes.
Compared to my latest 15” gaming laptop the Gram is half the weight which I highly appreciated, particularly if I have been watching TV from the couch and have to use two hands to move the 15” aside. The Gram can be lifted effortlessly with one hand. The LG Gram is also lighter than our 12” Chromebook. Remarkable!
Took only one look and the first boot up of the LG Gram for me to replace my Fire Breathing 15” Gamer with the LG Gram, the Gram is faster in all aspects of operation (graphics processing aside) and the 17” screen is marvelous.
The Gram has an integrated Intel UHD Graphics 620 which may put off some buyers if they are into gaming, to me it is not an issue as I stream my Steam games from my desktop running a GTX 1070. All my titles run smooth as ice. Fact is my Kid told me about the streaming option and as soon as he saw the joy in my face, he made off with the gaming laptop.
- If LG had installed a discrete GPU it would have defeated the goal of developing the lightest 17” laptop on the planet. The heat of a high-end discrete GPU requires extensive cooling/equipment. Streaming works for me.
Take Nano Carbon Fiber, add magnesium into the blend and you have the metal alloy that houses this workhorse decked out in sheep’s clothing. The melding of the materials to create the laptop case obviously have achieved lowering the weight while maintaining strength and rigidity. Not a big fan of the newer plastic cases, so hat is off to LG for a brilliantly designed case.
Don’t let the light weight fool you, to quote LG’s site; “This LG gram is more than ready to handle your average bumps and thumps, day in and day out. From shock and dust to extreme temperatures and more, this laptop has passed seven tests of the U.S. military standard….”
Enjoy Fingerprint option for login. That is way cool and so easy, when turning your laptop on just hold down on the power button a moment and it will boot and log you in all in one step. If you leave the computer for a bit and need to login again, simply touch the power button with your finger.
The Gram has one extra m.2 NVMe SSD slot a for expanding the storage. Nice touch. Not sure why there is not an additional memory slot to upgrade from 16GB, even though 16GB meets all my requirements.
LG has not provided a full set of user manual/documentation. The documentation that is available; “Most comprehensive document of product setup and usage” is no more than a cursory system overview. Within the documentation there is a section “Setup and Upgrade” which has no information on upgrading, as in adding a second SSD.
Being a big fan of LG products, I expect this is only an oversight (which happens all too often in new product releases) and LG will be providing customers with useful downloadable documentation soon.
Good Stuff: - Great I/O Thunderbolt 3 - USB 3.1 Type C - HDMI HDCP 2.2 - USB 3.1 Type A (3) - 2560x1600 17” WQXGA IPS Screen with 16:00 Aspect Ratio - Long Battery Life – Getting 9-10 hours runtime – Long Cord for the Charger - Keyboard has nice tactile feedback – Trackpad is good and accurate - “Love” that the Trackpad can be set to auto disable when mouse is connected - 8th Gen I7-8565U – 4 Cores – Smoking Fast - 16GB DDR4 2400Mhz memory - 512GB m.2 NVMe SSD - DTS Headphone:X - Grab a good Headset and get ready for 11.1 Channels of the Wow Factor!
Have had a long line of excellent laptops and the LG Gram 17” is by far the most Brilliantly Designed, Engineered and Capable in my experience.
Looking for a High-End Laptop, give it a Test Drive, the LG Gram Delivers.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Close
Sitting on 15" shows LG 17" with slightly less footprint!
Make sure your wireless connection reaches every room in your home with this ASUS ROG Rapture gaming router. Speeds of up to 11000 Mbps deliver interruption-free connectivity throughout intense games and binge-watching sessions. Built-in network security defends against potential breaches, and the 4X capacity makes this ASUS ROG Rapture gaming router ideal for households running multiple devices.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
When the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 arrived Kid grabs the box, WOW RGB with AURA, Cool Design, I want the gaming port! Me, Wow Commercial Quality Firewall!!!
When we opened and unpacked the router, I could sense the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 was a Beast. The ROG GT-AX11000 is impressive and sitting on the desk quietly it appears to bristle with Power. Fact is this router not only appears to look powerful it is by far the best designed, engineered and executed Gaming/Home networking device I have ever had the pleasure of getting my hands on. And yes, it is without a doubt the fastest Router I have ever had sitting on my desk.
First wanted a look inside before getting into the setup routine. Powered up the GT-AX11000 and turned on my laptop to look for the wi-fi which came up shortly and connected to the router, could not have been simpler.
Setup is straight forward and had the router up and running quickly. For me it is like giving candy to a kid when I looked at the display of settings and options. The features settings are the most comprehensive of any Gaming/Home router I have ever seen, and I have had many top tier network systems over the years.
When I moved the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 into my network I simply took the settings from my previous router popped them into the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000, plugged in and was on-line. Couldn’t be easier.
For those who require a bit of an assist getting the router up and running ASUS has included Quick Internet Setup to get you on line quickly and easily. Quick Start Guide is only five pages long. If you use this option and then decide to start making changes to your router you can make a Router Settings backup under the Administration Settings before you start having fun and experimenting. Note: If you need any assistance setting up your router you can simply call ASUS and they will walk you through the complete setup procedure. Easy as 1-2-3.
One option I would like is access to external managed/supported Blacklist. Using the built in “Feedback” selection (located at the bottom of each page of the system interface) I have sent a suggestion to ASUS. ASUS takes these inputs seriously.
Fact is as I sit here looking at the screen deciding what to write about, I find the task a bit overwhelming, as there are so many wonderful techie goodies I can describe. So, I will bring up some of my favorites and then suggest you visit the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000 web-site which I will note below in the review.
Number one on my hit parade is the Commercial Quality Firewall and AiProtection that is built into the system. Never, aside from Commercial Corporate Level routers (which are quite expensive) have I seen such an exhaustive array of protection technologies. The AiProtection is Powered by Trend Micro, a leader in Internet Protection, Kudos to ASUS for bringing Trend Micro onboard. Know that many will list Game/Home Network Speed, but for me having a better half who daily watches Movies/Videos from China and a Young Gun conquering the universe on his system I look for all the protection I can deploy. ASUS is the only company that has given my that Warm and Fuzzy feeling of security in a router.
Gaming – Speed brought to you by 802.11AX (believe that is now called Wi-Fi 6). Hands down the fastest router I believe that has ever been on the market, speeds up to 10GB Wi-Fi. That is 11000Mbps compared to the last standard 802.11ac at 4266Mbps – that’s ten times faster than wired gigabit! There is a dedicated 2.5G Gaming Port, which will provide up to 25GB Game Download speeds. There are so many options for enhancing your gaming experience there seriously isn’t enough space to add it all in the review. Again, visit the web-site posted below for the full picture.
Few thoughts: - There are five user ethernet ports. For me having eight ports previously I had to add a switch to handle my wires. - Excellent Traffic Analyzer – by system or individual computers, tv streaming, etc. - Mesh Wi-Fi Support – this is very nice. - Excellent Documentation! Which is becoming difficult to find with Tech Products. Thanks ASUS. - If you need it the Kid Protection is Top-Notch.
Have other ROG equipment in my system, like my motherboard and it is all high quality and built for gaming and network speed. Good Stuff.
If you are looking for the most cutting-edge Gaming, Home, or small business router with a Real Firewall and Speed Baked in that you can find, stop take a long hard look at the ASUS ROG GT-AX11000. You will be glad you did, it is a Winner!
As promised: https://www.asus.com/us/Networking/ROG-Rapture-GT-AX11000/
The MR8300 Max Stream™ AC2200 is a high-performance Tri-Band router. Perfect for households that thrive on entertainment, it delivers up to 2.2 Gbps of superior speed throughout your entire home. The Tri-Band and MU-MIMO technology make it ideal for simultaneous streaming of HD movies, online gaming, video calling and supporting all of your smart home devices. MR8300 also grows as your needs do. With its built-in mesh Wi-Fi, instead of investing in a new router, you can expand coverage by simply adding Linksys Velop™ Mesh Wi-Fi nodes for seamless Wi-Fi everywhere.The MR8300 serves as the master router and must connect directly to your modem to create your network. Sets up in minutes with the Linksys app.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
The MR8300 is the latest addition to my AC6600 Linksys Mesh router system in my home and outer buildings. Liked the first Linksys Mesh system at home so much I installed one in my business.
Have had an excellent experience with the Linksys Mesh router and the new MR8300 addition fits in nicely with my home Wi-Fi. There are now five nodes running on my home system and the coverage is superb. Also added their Mesh Wi-Fi System Plug-In Node which is a nice addition which can simply be plugged into and outlet, great space saver.
Compared to my original AC6600 what I like about the new MR8300 are the addition of more ethernet ports, now there are four ports rather than just one. With tower unit I had to add a switch to the main router, that is no longer necessary with the addition of the extra ports.
Also believe the large external antennas will reach out even father with stronger signal, not positive as I have not tested yet. But I do know that there is an excellent signal at the opposite side of my home without the other nodes on-line.
My wish list is that the documentation was more detailed and expanded, being a techie type I like in-depth information. Also wish that the system could be accessed directly from a PC rather than relying only on the APP.
Bottom-line, the Linksys Mesh system has been the highest rated since its introduction and continues to build upon that model with quality engineering and brilliant results. It is clear Linksys is committed to their MESH system and you can look forward to more goodies in the future.
This is about my third year with the Linksys Mesh system handling very heavy wi-fi usage home and a business as well with no issues or failures.
If you want home wide coverage with peace of mind give the MR8300 a strong look.
p>HP Split 13-g110dx Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: With the power of a laptop as well as the portability of a tablet, this split convertible HD touch-screen laptop provides the best of both worlds to work or play wherever you go.Learn more about the New Windows ›
Overall4 out of 5
Good value with limitation
ByCSatTXfromHouston, TX
I am writing this review using the Split X2. Bought it on Black Friday. This is a tablet and a laptop combined. With a i5 CPU, 13 inch screen, and the price, this is a very good value. For a laptop, the weight (4.4 lbs) is OK, not great.
The only con on this item is it is non-expandable. First, the memory is only 4GB and soldered. It cannot go to 8GB. Second, there is supposed to be a HD space in the keyboard unit like the other X2 models. For some reason this particular model does not have that feature.
So if you can live with 4GB memory and 128GB SSD, this is an excellent machine. I am running Lightroom and MS Office on this machine and performance could have been better.
p>HP Split 13-g110dx Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: With the power of a laptop as well as the portability of a tablet, this split convertible HD touch-screen laptop provides the best of both worlds to work or play wherever you go.Learn more about the New Windows ›
Overall4 out of 5
4 convience of tablet and power of a real computer
Bynearlynormalfromspringfield, IL
4 out of 5. Works as advertised. The screen works as a nice sized tablet. It could certainly use aUSB port onthe screen. If you aren't carrying the keyboard and want to show some photos from a flash drive you're out of luck.
It is true the tablet does not have a USB port to throw some pictures into. But you can insert a micro SDHC card into the top/tablet. You can currently get 64 GB Micro SDHC card class 10 which will fit nicely and increase the tablets storage by 50%.
Personally I store almost 11,000 high resolution picture files which requires 29 GB of storage. So I am guessing that 64 GB would suit the average user.
Utilizing 4 high-performance antennas and power amplifiers, this Linksys Smart Wi-Fi WRT1900AC dual-band Wireless-AC router offers optimal wireless strength and signal coverage, so you can easily connect devices throughout your home or office.
Overall5 out of 5
Rock Solid
Byvrs99fromTN
Replaced my Linksys EA 6700 router with the WRT1900ac on my home network. The EA 6700 is a good router but it is not in the same class as the WRT1900ac.
The signal is outstanding, solid and fast throughout the whole house and outside too boot.
Setup is smooth and easy, especially if you are familiar with latest versions of the Linksys software. The router has plenty of features and added a few more since the last router versions.
Has the best Network Map I have seen, informative and quickly shows where your bandwidth is being used.
If you need/want a powerful router that is flexible and expandable (according to Linksys) in the future take a hard look at the WRT1900ac.
Upgrade your laptop's storage with this Samsung 850 PRO MZ-7KE512BW internal SATA III solid state drive, which offers a generous 512GB capacity for digital data. SED (Self-Encrypting Drive) technology controls access to private information.
Overall1 out of 5
Crashed and Burned after 44 Days - Good Luck
Byvrs99
Fast SSD - and Extra Fast to Crash in just 44 days. Of course it was on a Friday evening and cannot speak to Samsung until Monday. Cannot Chat with them as they do not offer Chat for SSD's.
Luckily it crashed two weeks after the 30 day return period to Best Buy. Guess it is a good thing they offer 10 year warranty? But have heard they will return a refurbished unit, which will not be good on 44 day old product. Must be living on the bleeding edge, should have stuck with the Toshiba, which I can't see a real life difference in speed.
After pulling every rabbit out of my hat I finally got the SSD going again. Have to completely reload OS, etc. starting at Windows 8. Not fun.
But I am "somewhat" happy that I was able to get the drive working. Not sure what happen to the drive, but have some suspicion of a setting in Magician (software system for the 850 Pro) which boosts speed?
Only at Best BuyUpdate your portable technology kit with this HP Omen 17-inch laptop. Ideal for gaming, this machine combines a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor with 12GB of DDR4 RAM for ultra-fast performance on the go. An island-style backlit keyboard equipped with dedicated macro keys makes this HP Omen 17-inch laptop easy to use in the dark.
Overall5 out of 5
Hp omen gaming laptop
ByMartinezjorge7
I recently bought the 16 omen laptop and I was able to return mine and be able to upgrade the the newest one it has a better graphic card and an new design with a better cooling vent with a 1 tb hard drive
HP OMEN by HP Laptop: Power through the virtual landscape with this versatile HP Omen 15-inch laptop. Ideal for gaming, this machine packs a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX video card for superior graphics performance. The 1TB hard drive inside this HP Omen 15-inch laptop provides plenty for space for gaming profiles and other multimedia files.
Overall4 out of 5
Excellent laptop, but not the best value
ByXephyrothfromColorado Springs, CO
This HP Omen is the 3rd gaming laptop I've ever owned, and it's undoubtedly the best one I've had the pleasure of using. However, this product isn't perfect out of the box.
FIRST IMPRESSION / UNBOXING: Out of the box, the first thing that I noticed is that this laptop has impressive build quality. The sand-blasted brushing brings a pleasant aesthetic while also bringing solid weight and durability. It's not incredibly flashy, so it doesn't scream "gamer" like a lot of other laptops, but it definitely brings a touch of the "gamer" aesthetic without being overzealous. The notebook is also much thinner than I expected, as I've been used to much thicker gaming laptops, but I suppose the lack of an optical drive attributes to that. The power brick is fairly small and compact for a machine that's capable of entry/mid-level gaming.
DISPLAY: Turning the display on, the 1080p IPS matte display is nice and bright, and viewing angles are decent without too much color shifting. Bezels aren't too large, and it's not something I noticed until just now while writing this review. While I'm used to Quad-HD and 4K resolutions, I was not displeased with this display in any fashion. The webcam is above the display and can record at 720p/30fps. Not the best, but not the worst webcam I've seen.
KEYBOARD: Typing on the keyboard is pleasant with the chiclet-style keys. It didn't take me too long to get used to the keyboard, having come from mechanical keyboards and MacBook Pro keyboards. The addition of the num-pad is certainly nice, as well. The keyboard is backlit red (as you'd expect with the Omen), but settings are very simplistic compared to other gaming laptops. The backlighting has 3 states: fully on, WASD on, or fully off. No, there are no fancy effects, and I wouldn't expect any at this price. I do find it a little bit surprising that you can't dim the backlighting, but I rarely dim the backlight on my keyboards, anyway, so it'd be a useless feature for me.
TRACKPAD: Out of the box, the trackpad sensitivity was incredibly low for my personal taste. After making some adjustments to the Touchpad Settings in Windows 10, I found a sensitivity that worked well for me. The touchpad does not physically click, but there are left/right trackpad buttons. Initially, I did find the buttons to be awkwardly placed, but I actually got used to them fairly quickly. While the touchpad isn't the best I've ever used, it is pretty good, in my opinion. 2 and 3 finger gestures work, as well.
SOUND: The Bang & Olufsen speakers surprised me. They have good volume and a pleasant sound signature. However, they're bottom-firing, so when you put the laptop on your lap, the frequencies dampen and you lose a bit of treble/mid-range impact. Keep in mind, this is with the "B & O Play Experience" toggled on from the "Omen Audio" application. You'll definitely want to leave that on if you're using the speakers, or else the bass will disappear and will sound really anemic. I did notice some clipping at max volume when bass-heavy music was involved. Headphone jack works well as you'd expect, but doesn't promise anything fancy, so don't bother trying to drive headphones with high impedance. The built-in microphone array is good for video/voice chat session, but don't expect it to compete with a USB desktop microphone in terms of sound quality. For all casual purposes, it does just fine.
PERFORMANCE: This laptop comes with a 4-core / 8-thread Intel Core i7 processor. For most basic tasks, this is actually overkill. But for gamers, this is great, as more games are utilizing more threads. The GTX 1050 can play any older game at very high settings, and can still play many modern titles at medium / high settings at 1080p. 8GB of RAM is enough for most people, but individuals who multi-task with a lot of resource-intensive chrome tabs and extensions may find themselves wanting more. While the 1TB hard drive is rated for 7200RPM, I still find it unacceptable to not have the operating system installed on a Solid State Drive (SSD) for a machine at this price point. You will not be unlocking the full potential of this machine while your OS runs on a slow drive like this. Thankfully, the upgrade process is fairly simple. After consulting the service manual found on HP's support website, I unscrewed the 10 screws from the bottom of the laptop and removed the bottom panel by starting with the side closest to the display hinge. From there, you'll have access to the SATA drive bay, the M.2 SSD slot (unoccupied, but does support NVMe drives), and 2 RAM slots (with only 1 occupied). I suspect that each RAM slot supports up to 8GB, but I could not find any confirmation in any of the documents available on HP's support website.
I happened to have an unused SATA-based SSD, so I swapped that with the 1TB HDD and used the software that came with my SSD to transfer the OS from the HDD to the SSD. After this process, my HP Omen was substantially faster with booting the OS and running applications—a night & day difference.
BATTERY: I haven't tested the battery life to an enormous extent, but enabling a battery estimation feature in the BIOS allows Windows 10 to report the estimated time (not just %) on battery. Depending on your brightness, power profile and workload, HP estimates 9 hours of mixed usage, and almost 7 hours of video playback. So far, I think that claim is accurate.
I/O: The HP Omen doesn't support Thunderbolt 3, but all the USB ports support USB 3.1 (1 Type-C, 3 Type-A. There's also a gigabit ethernet jack, HDMI (HDCP 2.2, 4k@60Hz), and Mini DisplayPort. It also supports a full-size SD card which can be fully inserted into the laptop without sticking out. As mentioned before, it also sports a headphone and microphone jack.
CONCLUSION: The HP Omen is a great laptop. It provides great features while also having room for a few upgrade. However, I do feel that an SSD should be included at this price—even a cheaper SATA-based M.2 or 2.5" drive would be fine. For a performance-oriented machine like this, skimping on the SSD is a poor decision on HP's part—especially at this price-point. I have seen competitor's laptops with the i7-7700HQ, GTX 1060, 16GB RAM, and 256GB SSD go on sale for cheaper. So in that regard, I do feel the HP Omen isn't providing as good a value, but it is objectively a good laptop—perhaps, just not as good a value when compared to other options around the same price.
HP OMEN by HP Laptop: Power through the virtual landscape with this versatile HP Omen 15-inch laptop. Ideal for gaming, this machine packs a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX video card for superior graphics performance. The 1TB hard drive inside this HP Omen 15-inch laptop provides plenty for space for gaming profiles and other multimedia files.
Overall5 out of 5
Zoom Zoom Zoom – Game On
Byvrs99fromTN
This machine looks like it is going fast sitting on the desktop. The exhaust system vents on the back edges of the laptop brings to mind the tailpipes a supercar might be sporting. When it is cranking through benchmarking the cooling system and exhaust ports are doing a job, pushing volumes of hot air away from the machine.
The HP Omen is the most bang for the buck that I have ever seen in a laptop, this box is loaded with edgy technology. Not going through a list of specs, those are easy enough to find, what is impressive is that all techs are up to date, not last year’s stuff. Too many times have seen corners cut to save a dollar. Not here. Not one USB 2.0 in sight, which is surprising seeing that we just built beast of a desktop a month ago with the latest Z270 Kaby Lake i7 7700K, USB 2.0 ports still in use on an advanced motherboard. Kudos to HP.
Take a close look at the specs, you will find 802.11ac with a solid 866.7 Mbps connection. “Dual Force functionality splits traffic across two data streams, sending gaming traffic over the fastest connection available (typically wired), and all other traffic over WiFi.”
Other ports of interest (not a complete listing check the spec sheet):
1 USB 3.1 Type C 3 USB 3.1 Mini DisplayPort
What I love is the fact you can purchase a HDD Omen model and then add your M.2 NVMe drive of choice, that is cool. If you are not yet familiar with M.2 NVMe you should take a look. In a word (or more) they are fast, about seven times that of a standard SSD.
What is interesting is that with the HDD the system boots up in 9 seconds, that is fully populated with my programs/anti-virus and all my files. Impressive. Being spoiled by SSD’s I must tip my hat to HP; this machine runs tremendously smooth with the 7200 RPM Hitachi HDD.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (4 GB GDDR5 dedicated memory) discrete GPU ran through the Unigine Heaven Benchmark smoothly turning good numbers while the cooling system kept the GPU at a respectable 68 degrees. Notable, that with all the heavy iron under the hood the system manages the temp easily.
Ran my favorite game, Civilization VI through its paces today set on the highest graphic settings and it ran like a champ.
Looks, it has the looks, brushed aluminum case with an excellent finish. Nice touches all-around.
Know it is a way cool machine as my kid, the gamer in the house is explaining all the great and subtle reasons why it would be better for him to hang onto the machine. Yeah right!
What I am getting use to is the keyboard offset, a bit to the left to make room for the full size numeric pad, which is a nice touch. Keyboard is fine and well suited for heavy accurate work, or gaming for that matter.
Want a blistering rig in your hands at an excellent price point, one that can kick it at games and can be easily expanded, check out The Omen.
HP OMEN by HP Laptop: Power through the virtual landscape with this versatile HP Omen 15-inch laptop. Ideal for gaming, this machine packs a 7th generation Intel Core i7 processor and an NVIDIA GeForce GTX video card for superior graphics performance. The 1TB hard drive inside this HP Omen 15-inch laptop provides plenty for space for gaming profiles and other multimedia files.
Overall5 out of 5
Zoom Zoom Zoom – Game On
Byvrs99fromTN
This machine looks like it is going fast sitting on the desktop. The exhaust system vents on the back edges of the laptop brings to mind the tailpipes a supercar might be sporting. When it is cranking through benchmarking the cooling system and exhaust ports are doing a job, pushing volumes of hot air away from the machine.
The HP Omen is the most bang for the buck that I have ever seen in a laptop, this box is loaded with edgy technology. Not going through a list of specs, those are easy enough to find, what is impressive is that all techs are up to date, not last year’s stuff. Too many times have seen corners cut to save a dollar. Not here. Not one USB 2.0 in sight, which is surprising seeing that we just built beast of a desktop a month ago with the latest Z270 Kaby Lake i7 7700K, USB 2.0 ports still in use on an advanced motherboard. Kudos to HP.
Take a close look at the specs, you will find 802.11ac with a solid 866.7 Mbps connection. “Dual Force functionality splits traffic across two data streams, sending gaming traffic over the fastest connection available (typically wired), and all other traffic over WiFi.”
Other ports of interest (not a complete listing check the spec sheet):
1 USB 3.1 Type C 3 USB 3.1 Mini DisplayPort
What I love is the fact you can purchase a HDD Omen model and then add your M.2 NVMe drive of choice, that is cool. If you are not yet familiar with M.2 NVMe you should take a look. In a word (or more) they are fast, about seven times that of a standard SSD.
What is interesting is that with the HDD the system boots up in 9 seconds, that is fully populated with my programs/anti-virus and all my files. Impressive. Being spoiled by SSD’s I must tip my hat to HP; this machine runs tremendously smooth with the 7200 RPM Hitachi HDD.
The Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 (4 GB GDDR5 dedicated memory) discrete GPU ran through the Unigine Heaven Benchmark smoothly turning good numbers while the cooling system kept the GPU at a respectable 68 degrees. Notable, that with all the heavy iron under the hood the system manages the temp easily.
Ran my favorite game, Civilization VI through its paces today set on the highest graphic settings and it ran like a champ.
Looks, it has the looks, brushed aluminum case with an excellent finish. Nice touches all-around.
Know it is a way cool machine as my kid, the gamer in the house is explaining all the great and subtle reasons why it would be better for him to hang onto the machine. Yeah right!
What I am getting use to is the keyboard offset, a bit to the left to make room for the full size numeric pad, which is a nice touch. Keyboard is fine and well suited for heavy accurate work, or gaming for that matter.
Want a blistering rig in your hands at an excellent price point, one that can kick it at games and can be easily expanded, check out The Omen.
Added a M.2 SSD to the Omen and nuked all the partitions on the HDD and added it back to the system. Day and Night performance. That is one aspect I like about this model is that it does not come with an installed M.2 drive, you can pick your own SSD ads capacity.
Screams with the new M.2 and have an additionally terabyte of storage on the HDD, whcih I use to sync my files to frequently before syncing with the NAS.
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO with Heatsink for next-level computing. With a PCIe 4.0 NVMe interface, get up to 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0¹ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ¹Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs.
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO with Heatsink for next-level computing. With a PCIe 4.0 NVMe interface, get up to 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0¹ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ¹Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs.
Anyone know if the heatsink is easily removable in case I want to use it in a gaming laptop? I am not sure this will fit my laptop 2nd bay, Asus ROG m16 SSD slot. Thanks!
Unleash the power of the Samsung 980 PRO with Heatsink for next-level computing. With a PCIe 4.0 NVMe interface, get up to 2x the data transfer rate of PCIe 3.0¹ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ¹Results are based on a comparison with Samsung PCIe 3.0 NVMe SSDs and SATA SSDs.
It’s easy to transform your home into a safe haven with SimpliSafe’s award-winning security system. Everything is simple to set up, effortless to use, and designed to do one thing only: keep your home and family safe. Outdoor security cameras let you see everything happening in full HD. So you can spot trouble before it comes knocking and capture the evidence if it does. And if someone tries to break in, the burglary sensors will sound the alarm right away. But that’s not all. Whenever your alarm goes off, we’ll call you and send police, firefighters, or ambulances to your door in a snap — and stay on the line with you until they arrive. So no matter where you are or what you’re doing, your home is protected 24/7.
Are the outside cameras motion sensor and shine a light in dark areas?
It’s easy to transform your home into a safe haven with SimpliSafe’s award-winning security system. Everything is simple to set up, effortless to use, and designed to do one thing only: keep your home and family safe. Outdoor security cameras let you see everything happening in full HD. So you can spot trouble before it comes knocking and capture the evidence if it does. And if someone tries to break in, the burglary sensors will sound the alarm right away. But that’s not all. Whenever your alarm goes off, we’ll call you and send police, firefighters, or ambulances to your door in a snap — and stay on the line with you until they arrive. So no matter where you are or what you’re doing, your home is protected 24/7.
It comes with mounting plate that uses two screws to mount and a magnet which the camera attaches to. Believe they may have another mount that will screw into back of camera housing, that would be more secure.
It’s easy to transform your home into a safe haven with SimpliSafe’s award-winning security system. Everything is simple to set up, effortless to use, and designed to do one thing only: keep your home and family safe. Outdoor security cameras let you see everything happening in full HD. So you can spot trouble before it comes knocking and capture the evidence if it does. And if someone tries to break in, the burglary sensors will sound the alarm right away. But that’s not all. Whenever your alarm goes off, we’ll call you and send police, firefighters, or ambulances to your door in a snap — and stay on the line with you until they arrive. So no matter where you are or what you’re doing, your home is protected 24/7.
Connecting virtually with friends and co-workers gets a major upgrade with the monitor’s built-in camera, noise-cancelling microphones and dual 5W speakers. You’ll enjoy amazing video clarity and crystal-clear sound. Versatile USB-C connectivity delivers video, audio and data, and charges your laptop. Plus, with just one cord, you'll have a clutter-free desk space. A super clear 5MP IR pop-up camera features facial recognition through Windows Hello for convenient, instant sign-on to Windows. The best part? The camera stays hidden until you're ready for video chatting or selfies. A height-adjustable stand and a monitor that tilts, swivels and pivots so you look your best and feel your best for all-day conferencing.
Does this computer have a webcam and a USB - C port?
Smart security that is designed for every home. Set up in minutes, and receive notifications from the app whenever a visitor presses your Video Doorbell or motion is detected. You can also choose to wire it to sound your existing home chime. Blink Video Doorbell lets you answer your door no matter where you are. Receive customizable alerts right from the Blink Home Monitor app, and experience helpful features like HD day and night video and two-way audio. Best part – Blink’s long-battery life technology provides peace of mind for up to two years.
Smart security that is designed for every home. Set up in minutes, and receive notifications from the app whenever a visitor presses your Video Doorbell or motion is detected. You can also choose to wire it to sound your existing home chime. Blink Video Doorbell lets you answer your door no matter where you are. Receive customizable alerts right from the Blink Home Monitor app, and experience helpful features like HD day and night video and two-way audio. Best part – Blink’s long-battery life technology provides peace of mind for up to two years.
Harness your PC's potential with the 980. Whether you need a boost for gaming or a seamless workflow for heavy graphics, the 980 is a smart choice for outstanding SSD performance — and it's all backed by an NVMe* interface and PCIe 3.0 technology.