vrs99's stats
- Review count189
- Helpfulness votes1,277
- First reviewAugust 21, 2013
- Last reviewMay 4, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
- Review comment count8
- Helpfulness votes6
- First review commentDecember 29, 2013
- Last review commentJuly 18, 2017
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
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- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
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- Answer count45
- Helpfulness votes46
- First answerDecember 31, 2013
- Last answerJanuary 17, 2022
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- Best answers1
Run programs on this 12.3-inch HP Chromebook convertible laptop. Its detachable touch-screen display lets you enjoy brilliant 2K content, and you can write and draw on it with the included Active Pen. This HP Chromebook convertible laptop has 32GB of storage, and its Intel Core m3 processor and 4GB of RAM provide smooth performance.
Posted by: vrs99
Have never had interest in Chromebooks, they were limited in functionality in my world.
That changed in a big way when I got my hands on the HP Chromebook X2. It packs a punch and offers the functionality that works in my world from silky smooth web browsing to office functions and beyond. When I say silky smooth that is an excellent description of the speed and response time in the Chrome browser. To my surprise it smokes my home built “beast” desktop in web browsing, the desktop beast has tested out faster than 99 percent of the world’s computers. Yikes, the Chromebook has come a long way.
First impression when I saw the HP X2 as we took it out of the box was the stunning design. The pearl white lid is brilliant. That goes along way as I plan to set the unit up for my wife, she loves the look. Couple kudos in my back pocket when she realizes the X2 is hers.
After working on the laptop, the last two days setting it up must confess a little jealously that I will not be using the computer. It is fast, everything I have thrown at it from office products, browsing difficult web-pages that typically load slowly, to crunching numbers have not fazed this little brute in any way. It smoothly sails threw all the operations I have thrown at it, I am amazed.
Setting up the HP X2 is almost effortless. It is well prepared and executed through all the steps.
Surprised at how similar the Chrome GUI interface they have delivered is to the Windows GUI, feels right at home immediately.
Screen has an excellent picture, solid colors. Movies look superb.
Rely heavily on Office 365 for business as well as home tasks, all the apps are available on Google Play Store and hooked up with our Office 365 account effortlessly. Installed OneDrive to complete the hooks into our Microsoft ecosystem, so far works like a charm.
If you plan on using your “old” USB stuff, well that has become so yesteryear, you will need to step up to USB 3.0 type C power connectors. Kudos.
If you want to use a mouse I would suggest going Bluetooth, which was my first thought as I have never liked the touch pad mouse thingy. Now that I have used this computer I find the touch pad quite nice, highly accurate and with the touch screen and the stylus I could see myself hanging the mouse up, maybe.
CPU, Memory and storage are fast, that is always a big plus. Storage is 32GB which appears to leave you with about 20.5GB for storing your stuff. After loading several of the Microsoft Office Apps and other base programs I am now at 17GB of free space.
The storage may seem tight and will be for some but is simply resolved by adding MicroSD memory in the speed and size you desire.
Battery life is very strong. Topped off the charge yesterday and the machine has been in use and running for many hours the last two days and I am left with a 60% charge. Like that. Wi-Fi is top notch supporting two band connectivity.
My wish is that the keyboard was backlighted, for me it is tough as I use my laptop on the coffee table at night watching the tube. The Oxford Blue on the interior of the unit does not help seeing the keys in dim light. On the other hand, my wife who will be using the HP X2 never uses her backlighted keyboard.
Bottom-line, I love this little laptop and it delivers a nice blend of performance, quality build and hits all the right notes for a highly productive computing device. Have now become a convert and admire the Chromebook tech.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+3points
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Toshiba 4K UHD Fire TV Edition is a new generation of smart TVs featuring the Fire TV experience built-in and including a Voice Remote with Alexa. With true-to-life 4K Ultra HD picture quality and access to all the movies and TV shows you love, Toshiba Fire TV Edition delivers a superior TV experience that gets smarter every day. The Voice Remote with Alexa lets you do everything you'd expect from a remote—plus, easily launch apps, search for TV shows, play music, switch inputs, control smart home devices and more, using just your voice.
Customer Rating
4
Nice TV with loads of Goodies
on June 15, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
The Toshiba couldn’t be easier to setup. Once it is out of the box the setup runs smoothly, takes very little time to be operational. The Quick Start Guide is well laid out and understandable. Gather your network Wi-Fi name and password if using Wi-Fi, if wired all the better. It does include RJ-45 Ethernet port. Mine is Wi-Fi and streaming has been smooth sailing.
Grab your Alexa login info as well if you have a Echo account. Alexa/Echo is built into the system, just speak to the controller. Pretty cool dimming the Hue lights, checking the weather on my weather station, etc. all from the remote!
You can also pair the TV to an Echo device if you like, I find the remote works much better as you can hold close to your voice. It makes a great Echo device, speak into the remote and the sound is supplied by the Toshiba’s Onkyo speakers.
The Onkyo speakers sound quite good with DTS Studio Sound and Dolby audio technologies.
Picture is crisp with good color - excellent.
System runs smoothly, response time is exceptional with the Quad-core CPU/Multi-core GPU goodies inside.
Graded a Four Star instead of Five because when I want to turn on DIRECTV must first use the DIRECTV remote to turn on the TV and the Genie together, does not start connected to the DIRECTV Genie you start on the Fire Home page. Step 2 use the Toshiba remote to select the HDMI for DIRECTV. Step 3 go back to DIRECTV remote to watch TV. That’s not fun. Hoping Toshiba adds an update soon that allows you to select where you land when you turn your system on.
Bottom-Line, this is an excellent system and enjoy having it in our home. You would be very hard pressed to find more technology and a set of this quality at this price point anywhere. If this TV fits your needs and budget it should be an easy choice.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+47points
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Only at Best BuyRecord your trips and save incident clips in HD video with this Rexing dashcam. It records in a continuous loop, overlapping for uninterrupted coverage, and if a collision is detected, its gravity sensor locks recorded files to preserve important data. This Rexing dashcam operates in temperatures up to 140 degrees F for use in any climate.
Customer Rating
4
Very capable Dashcam in a small package
on May 12, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
When I first ordered the Rexing V1P was a bit concerned about the effort it would take to wire it into the car without wires hanging out, which is not cool. Surprised to find that I had the front camera installed and wired easily within 30 minutes. Discovered that the wires easily slide into the car fittings and found a path through the back of my glove box.
Camera set up is simple, especially if you read the user guide first and take it step by step. There is an omission in the guide for connecting the camera to a PC with the USB. At this step simply select “Mass Storage” on the camera menu after plugging the camera to a PC via USB (cable included) by pushing the OK button.
Menus are straight forward and setting up the camera to your preferences is rather easy and takes very little time and effort.
The videos from the front camera are HD Fish Eye wide view (170 degree) with excellent color. Night driving has good results with picking up the lower lighting outside. Highly satisfied with the video quality.
After two days of driving my regular errands/routes have used about fifty percent of a 32gb card. The camera by default records on a loop, when it is full it will start writing over the oldest files.
The camera does not include Wi-Fi or an APP to mange via mobile, that seems a bit shortsighted as almost all gadgets today (including my washing machine) can connect Wi-Fi. Would make it much easier to download any file(s) you may want or require rather than removing the camera and totting to your computer. Another small nitpick is the charging plug for the car outlet is rather large and I do not like the bright red light. That I will simply cover with an alternate color/paint.
It is quite nicely loaded with all the functions/tech you will need to record video as you drive, and it does an excellent job. The audio recording is quite good as well, this function can be turned off for privacy purposes.
One aspect I like is that it is small and discreet, does not present any issues with blocking your full view of the road and does not standout for any prying eyes of people who be tempted to borrow your unit.
All in all, a good unit which sits quietly out of mind and out of sight and records your travels
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
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The Turtle Beach Stream Mic is the first professional desktop microphone created for gamers streaming directly from their Xbox One and PlayStation 4, as well as from a PC or Mac. The Stream Mic features Adaptive Mic Patterns, customizable software, a dual-capsule mic array with advanced digital processing, and a zero-latency headphone output so anyone can stream like a pro.
Customer Rating
5
Great Microphone
on April 24, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
Turtle Beach Stream Mic offers quality sound at an affordable price. Compared the Stream Mic to my son’s $150 Mic and surprisingly it offers better sound quality (based on other’s feedback after listening to both Mic’s on-line). Plus, takes up less desk space than the more expensive taller Mic.
With an integrated studio-grade processor and multiple adaptive mic patterns you will feel, and sound like a pro.
Works with Xbox, PlayStation or PC.
Overall the Turtle Beach Stream Mic is a cost-effective innovative solution for all you microphone needs.
Bottom-Line, it is an excellent Mic, attractive (its got the look) with a great price.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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Equip your screening room with this Epson home cinema projector. It lets you enjoy movies, games and online content at an image size of up to 300 inches, and it has a built-in 10W speaker for a complete audio and video setup. This Epson home cinema projector has two HDMI ports for connecting a Blu-ray player and video game console.
Customer Rating
4
Immersive Home Theater
on April 17, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
From box to operating is a snap. If you have ever plugged in computers/TV ports you will be right at home, 2 HDMI, USB, mini-USB, PC VGA and audio out. Menu setup and control is simple with the well laid-out remote.
On a 150” screen panel the picture is exceptional, has transformed my living room into a theater, big difference from the 55” TV. Maximum projection is 300” display!
Have not to date tried 3D at home but will be jumping on that wagon now with the Epson Cinema 2100. We are excited hoping that it will provide the level of 3D that you experience in theaters where the images jump out at you.
Keep in mind that it is more involved than just rolling a new TV into the room and setting it up on the stand. We installed an overhead mount as well as a 150” wall screen panel. Don’t forget the wiring to your video source and audio output. Wished they had added an RJ45 ethernet port to cable that we could have cabled the Epson Cinema into our network. An up to date audio receiver is a nice addition to this system. Connect the video source to the receiver which will output audio to your sound system and video to the Epson Cinema. Nice stuff.
The Cinema 2100 has a great picture, an immersive picture that the whole family loves.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+1point
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Amp up your workouts with these JLab Epic Sport wireless earbuds. Memory Wire ear hooks keep them securely in place during activity, and their six tip options and interchangeable Cush Fins let you make custom adjustments for an ideal fit. These JLab Epic Sport wireless earbuds have a 12-hour battery life for uninterrupted listening during long training sessions.
Customer Rating
4
Rocking Earbuds
on April 16, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
The Jay-lab Epic Sport Wireless fitness earbuds offers crystal clear sound with deep bass. With one of the longest battery life on the market these earbuds will keep you rockin’ along all day. These earbuds are sweat-proof, moisture resistant, and stay firm in your ears so you can play tough.
You can also customize your sound without an App! Bluetooth 4.2. In-line controls make changing the volume, playing, pausing, and skipping tracks a breeze. 8mm sound drivers deliver lowest lows and highest highs.
Rock On.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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Pick up over-the-air HD channels with this Mohu Sail antenna. It has everything you need to install it in your attic or on your roof. With a range of 75-miles, the antenna lets you enjoy free entertainment without a cable subscription. The modern curved aesthetic blends in with home decor for a seamless appearance. This Mohu Sail antenna has a FirstStage amplifier located right at the antenna, where the signal is at its best to help deliver a crisp, clear picture.
Customer Rating
5
Brilliant Hi-Def Antenna!
on April 7, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
MOHU Sail arrived today, had the Kid bring it in the house and asked him to unbox the antenna. About fifteen minutes later when I went to look at the Sail found the Kid over halve way finished with installing the hardware. Moral, could not be simpler to hookup the gear.
Took the Sail into my office to hook up, simply plugged the supplied adaptor into the TV USB (power) and the coax to the antenna connection on the TV. Scanned for TV/antenna channels on the TV and started watching Hi-Def TV over the air.
Tried an over the air Digital HD antenna years ago indoors and was far from impressed – That Changed Today.
The Sail delivers excellent 1080 HD over the air broadcasts inside my home office from the station that is 60 miles away with many hills and trees in between. Can’t wait to get the Sail mounted outside, expecting higher performance and more than the six channels I am picking up from inside the house.
One of the reasons I am pumped about this antenna is that I have satellite TV service which during storms goes on the blink. During strong storms that is not a warm and fuzzy feeling. Now we will continue to be online with Storm News Broadcasting, that is a Warm and Fuzzy Feeling.
Brilliant TV picture from a solidly engineered product. Love it.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+6points
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Philips Sonicare ProtectiveClean 4100 Plaque Control, Rechargeable electric toothbrush with pressure sensor, White Mint HX6817/01
Customer Rating
5
Brilliant Toothbrush
on March 21, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
What you first discover if you have been brushing your teeth with a manual toothbrush, after the first use of the Sonicare 4100 you will notice that your teeth feel much smoother – they are in fact cleaner. My family and I have all noticed this the first time using Sonicare products. As they say the proof is in the pudding.
Sonicare has been in the electric toothbrush industry for a long time and their technologies have advanced brilliantly over the years.
A few Features:
EasyStart which comes activated and gently increases the power over the first 14 brushings.
Reminds you when to replace your brush head.
Pressure sensor which protects your teeth from excessive pressure.
EasyStart which comes activated and gently increases the power over the first 14 brushings.
Reminds you when to replace your brush head.
Pressure sensor which protects your teeth from excessive pressure.
A feature that I love over the older models are the new handles, they have an excellent feel to them, svelte with an elegant look – looks good on the counter.
Bottom-line, if you want clean teeth with proven technology give the Sonicare 4100 a look.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+8points
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Dance the night away with this Sony portable wireless speaker. Its interactive Party Booster sound effects and multicolor lights bring another dimension to the music, and its Party Chain technology lets you wirelessly connect up to 100 speakers. This Sony portable wireless speaker is resistant to rust, dust and waterproof for reliable use outdoors.
Customer Rating
5
Simply The Best!!!
on March 17, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
Hands Down my favorite Bluetooth Speaker in the collection. When I opened the box, knew I was looking at something Special, spoke Quality and Good Vibrations before it was ever powered up. The speaker simply looks magnificent.
Am a bit of an Audiophile with a keen ear. Simply put, the Sony SRS-XB31 hits all the Notes.
When the Sony arrived was fiddling around in my garage enjoying the Spring weather. Speaker went straight from the box to my bench, mobile in hand flipped on Pandora. Wow – immediate musical immersion of the loveliest tunes. The Highs Are, the Extra Bass Booms, and Mid-range clearly striking up the band as the speaker lights pulse the night away.
When I first turned the speaker on I was getting ready to go back into the house. Stayed for hours in Man Cave enjoying evening sunset with the Sony Rockn’ my Favorite Tunes.
Highlights:
Lighting for the Party
Wireless Chaining of speakers up to a hundred!
Water/Dust Proof
Very Long Battery life – up to 24hrs
NFC
Control and input/outputs layout are first-rate
Check on-line specs for the full story.
Lighting for the Party
Wireless Chaining of speakers up to a hundred!
Water/Dust Proof
Very Long Battery life – up to 24hrs
NFC
Control and input/outputs layout are first-rate
Check on-line specs for the full story.
If I have not said this clear enough, let me.
“Go Listen, Hold and Enjoy the Sony SRS-XB31.”
It will make you a believer.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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0points
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Only at Best Buy Defend your home from intruders with this SimpliSafe security system. Its wireless design provides reliable, multilayer protection and avoids interruptions from cut phone lines and power outages, and it connects to an app for remote operation. This SimpliSafe security system is easy to install and customizable to homes of any size for flexible use.
Customer Rating
4
Innovative Home Security
on March 16, 2018
Posted by: vrs99
Simply what I like is the feeling of enhanced safety for my family and home.
The system name is appropriate, it is a very simple system to take out of the box and have up and running in a short time. On the box it states “Open box, Plug it in, Protect Home."
My young son and I were able to review the included user’s manual, install motion and entry sensors, base station, keypad, add to our Mesh Wi-Fi, and complete all custom settings in a little over an hour with our system operating perfectly.
Detached Garage entry sensor is located 42’ away from our home and about 75’ from the base station, operates flawlessly. The garage sensor is connected to our Mesh Wi-Fi router in the garage as well as the built in SimpliSafe cellular.
Wi-Fi – The system comes with cellular. The manual states that by setting your system up on W-Fi the system will update faster and be more secure.
Setup options allow naming of all sensors throughout your system and setting up additional User Codes which do not have admin rights.
After installing our system last night I have already ordered additional sensors, keypad (for garage), FOB and a panic button. The system is highly customizable and covers all the bases in home security for us.
You have the option of running a standalone home security system without monitoring, 24/7 Alarm Monitoring for $14.99/mo, or the 24/7mo Alarm Monitoring + for $24.99 which adds APP support for your mobile. Both monthly monitoring agreements are quite competitive. The mobile app does not work in standalone, app is very limited in the $14.99 monitoring (cannot mange or turn on or off the system). The app as I understand it (have not tested) is fully functional under the $24.99 monitoring program.
Bottom-Line. This is a highly innovative system which is easy to install, can easily be adapted to growing needs and can teach to a young child in minutes how to use properly. Looks good in the home, blends in nicely. Like the blue hue light around the bottom of the base when you are home and secured, nice soft decorative comforting glow.
As I mentioned above it feels good knowing I have added an additional layer of security to my family and home.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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vrs99's Review Comments
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 out of 5Good value with limitation
By CSatTX
from Houston, 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.
vrs99
Drive expansion
December 29, 2013
The X2 does accept a 500GB drive in the keyboard.
0points
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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 out of 54 convience of tablet and power of a real computer
By nearlynormal
from springfield, 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.
vrs99
TN
Adding flash storage
December 31, 2013
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.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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
5 out of 5Rock Solid
By vrs99
from TN
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.
vrs99
TN
Plan on using eSATA? MUST READ - be Forewarned
September 3, 2014
One of my main decisions in purchasing the WRT1900ac was to attach my NetGear NAS on the eSATA port for easier access across my network.
No such luck.
Spent time with Linksys tech and neither my eSATA NAS from NetGear nor my external eSATA drive will work with the WRT1900ac.
Linksys does have a compatibility chart - somewhere - but not in their spec listings of what works with their router.
If you want to use eSATA do your homework and see if your device is compatible.
Tough Luck if your device is not on the list.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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.
Overall
1 out of 5
1 out of 5Crashed and Burned after 44 Days - Good Luck
By vrs99
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.
vrs99
TN
After a Day of Wrestling with the SSD
July 11, 2015
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?
+2points
2of 2voted this comment as helpful.
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
5 out of 5Hp omen gaming laptop
By Martinezjorge7
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
vrs99
TN
NO DVD
July 12, 2017
There is no DVD built, you would have to use external.
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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
4 out of 5Excellent laptop, but not the best value
By Xephyroth
from Colorado 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
vrs99
TN
Support Manual web site?
July 14, 2017
Do you have the link to the HP Support Site that has the Support Manual?
Have been looking and must be in the wrong place - Thanks
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
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
5 out of 5Zoom Zoom Zoom – Game On
By vrs99
from TN
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
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.
vrs99
TN
Maintenance and Service - Upgrade Manual
July 15, 2017
If you purchase the Omen and wish to upgrade memory or add M.2 SSD you can find the manual here:
http://h10032.www1.hp.com/ctg/Manual/c05533785
+3points
3of 3voted this comment as helpful.
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
5 out of 5Zoom Zoom Zoom – Game On
By vrs99
from TN
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
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.
vrs99
TN
Adding M.2 SSD
July 18, 2017
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.
Great machine.
+1point
1of 1voted this comment as helpful.
vrs99's Questions
vrs99 has not submitted any questions.
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.
When is the release date for these on bestbuy.com?
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!
Look for product Samsung - 980 PRO 1TB PCIe Gen 4 x4 NVMe Gaming Internal Solid State Drive
Model:MZ-V8P1T0B/AM
SKU:6431939
Has no heatsink
Model:MZ-V8P1T0B/AM
SKU:6431939
Has no heatsink
2 years, 4 months ago
by
vrs99
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.
When is the release date for these on bestbuy.com?
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.
How do the cameras attach to the house?
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.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
vrs99
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.
Do you have tonoay for monthly monitoring
No, you can monitor your own system.
They have two monitoring plans which I believe are $15 or $25 depending on what works for you.
They have two monitoring plans which I believe are $15 or $25 depending on what works for you.
2 years, 5 months ago
by
vrs99
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.
Does it come with mounting bracket
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.
Can you record live videos with the module also ?
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.