vrs99's stats
- Review count211
- Helpfulness votes1,298
- First reviewJanuary 3, 2014
- Last reviewDecember 12, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
- Review comment count5
- Helpfulness votes6
- First review commentJuly 11, 2015
- Last review commentJuly 18, 2017
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count45
- Helpfulness votes47
- First answerDecember 31, 2013
- Last answerJanuary 17, 2022
- Featured answers0
- Best answers1
Hear everything happening in the game with this Logitech gaming headset. Low distortion and an acoustic port behind the driver combine to produce precise, realistic sound, and downloadable software lets you customize audio for each game. Play in comfort with the ultra-soft microfiber ear pads of this Logitech gaming headset.
Customer Rating
4
Solid Performers
on August 8, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
The Logitech G-433 Gaming Headphones are rocking with 7.1 Surround Sound and 40mm headphone drivers. Their sleek design and carrying case make them perfect for the traveling gamer. Their 7.1 surround sound and 40mm drivers delivers out of this world sound with very good noise reduction. The headphones can work with anything from PCs and gaming consoles to smartphones. If you don’t like the sound you can tune it up with Logitech Gaming Software. The headphones come with cloth and microfiber ear-pads so if you don’t like the cloth pads you can switch them out with microfiber. Overall the Logitech G-433 Gaming Headphones are great headphones for the traveling gamer.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Grill and brown food to tasty perfection all-year-round with virtually no smoke thanks to the Philips Smoke-less Indoor BBQ Grill. Advanced infrared technology and special reflectors guide heat to the grid for delicious, evenly grilled food. The drip tray underneath remains cool so there is up to 80% less smoke and minimal splattering when cooking.
Customer Rating
5
Lights - Action - Dinner!
on July 31, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
When I first saw the Grill on-line pictures it looked Big, which was a bit of a concern for us due to counter space and storing. Turns out the grill is not overly large and fits our needs to a T. Sits nicely on the kitchen counter and found space in my utility shelve for storage.
Cleaning. It could not be more simple and easy, grease from meats drops into a removable tray. The infrared lights do not point toward the tray so the grease is not cooked further, you do not end up with hard baked grease. Simply spray warm water onto the tray to wash away some of the cleanup, then we swiped the pan with a sponge and everything came out in one swipe. NO Scrubbing. Kudos, could not be easier.
The grill as well is simple to clean after cooking, not hard baked on particles. The grill appears to be have been made for our sink as the raised feet underneath the grill made for keeping the grill steady in the cooker fit exactly within our sink. Makes for, again a simple cleanup.
First meal. We went for Brats and sliced grilled vegies. The Brats and grilled vegies came out spectacularly, could not have been more delicious. Lovely grill marks on the Brats and perfectly grilled bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Yummy, thumbs up all around the kitchen table.
First meal. We went for Brats and sliced grilled vegies. The Brats and grilled vegies came out spectacularly, could not have been more delicious. Lovely grill marks on the Brats and perfectly grilled bell peppers, mushrooms and onions. Yummy, thumbs up all around the kitchen table.
Second meal. Went with 1” Pork Loin Steaks to see how the grill handled the thick steaks. The experience would lead me to go with a less thick cut next round due to how the infrared works. The infrared fires more directly at the bottom of the steaks rather than sides. We ended up holding up the steaks a bit to get the sides fully cooked, not a big deal, but will cook thinner cuts in the future which should work well.
Was the Pork Good? Absolutely delicious.
Very little smoke was produced from the brats, just a wisp. The Pork Loin Steaks did produce more smoke as I expected, it is not smokeless, but it is from our observation less than cooking in a skittle on the stove. Reason for that is the grease falling under the cooking area into pan below and not being cooked further.
The grill can hold two large steaks with a cooking time of approximately 15 minutes. Believe you could cook about six hamburgers, as for Brats load up the grill!
Big Pluses:
Convenience of indoor grilling, similar to a gas grill for flavor
Quick, easy meal without messing up the kitchen
Easy, fast clean up (love it)
Infrared Cooking – cool stuff
And not last but least – wonderfully cooked food, your taste buds will thank you
Convenience of indoor grilling, similar to a gas grill for flavor
Quick, easy meal without messing up the kitchen
Easy, fast clean up (love it)
Infrared Cooking – cool stuff
And not last but least – wonderfully cooked food, your taste buds will thank you
Do pay heed to the instruction on not staring into the infrared lamps, it is not comfortable. That being said, you still have to look into the grill area to cook and cannot avoid the lamps completely. Not a big issue.
Like grilling, easy clean up and tasty eats? Than you will enjoy the Grill.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+16points
21of 26voted this as helpful.
Enjoy music wirelessly with these Everest Bluetooth in-ear headphones. A built-in microphone with echo cancellation lets you make clear, hands-free calls, and ergonomic ear tips in three sizes ensure a comfortable fit. The built-in battery on these Everest Bluetooth in-ear headphones provides up to 8 hours of listening between charges.
Customer Rating
5
Great Sound - Comfortable no Hassle Headphones
on July 13, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
The JBL Everest 110 Wireless Earbuds has outstanding sound with a 5.8mm headphone driver. The earbuds come with many different sizes of buds and cushion fins. With Bluetooth compatibility, the JBL Everest 110 has long range connection to your mobile device without the restricting wires. With a built-in dynamic microphone, you can easily take calls wherever you go. Overall the JBL Everest 110 Wireless Earbuds are a great bang for your buck.
Big plus, they sound great.
Big plus, they sound great.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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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.
Customer Rating
5
Zoom Zoom Zoom – Game On
on July 12, 2017
Posted 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.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+21points
23of 25voted this as helpful.
Go wireless with the JLab Gravity Neckband with Bluetooth compatibility. The comfortable neckband sits easily above your shoulders and connects wirelessly to your device for effortless enjoyment. Compatible with any earbud, any brand, the JLab Gravity Neckband features a microphone and button controls for taking and controlling calls and music.
Customer Rating
4
Music on the move
on July 5, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
The J-Lab Gravity Bluetooth neckband Rocks, 10 hours of non-stop listening on a full charge. The the J-Lab neckband has a built-in microphone with crystal clear speech.
The neckband also comes with its own customizable earbuds. If you don’t love the earbuds included, then you can switch then out for your own! Though their earbuds are extremely comfortable with excellent sound.
You can switch between tracks, change the volume, and even answer and hang up calls with a touch of a button.
With Bluetooth, there are no messy wires that restrict your movement while playing sports, and another great feature of Bluetooth is that you can listen to music a long way away from your connected device.
What I would like to see is complete understandable instructions included in the box. That is where too many companies are dropping the ball.
J-Lab Gravity Bluetooth neckband is an excellent choice for music in the go.
J-Lab Gravity Bluetooth neckband is an excellent choice for music in the go.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Take your favorite music anywhere with this Nyne Rock boom box. It has two midrange speakers, two tweeters and a subwoofer, and its rechargeable lithium-ion battery lets you play tunes for up to 8 hours. This Nyne Rock boom box is Bluetooth 4.0 compatible and connects to a mobile device via NFC one-touch technology.
Customer Rating
5
ROCK ROCK ROCK!
on June 29, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
Had bought a Bluetooth speaker before this one, The Nyne Rock makes it look and sound like a matchbox. This system has a woofer, two mid-range and two tweeters in a box almost two feet wide, ready to grab and go, purposely built-in handle that is quite convenient.
Listening to some smooth jazz (Flower Child by Eric Marienthal from Just Around the Corner) on Pandora now, not enough oh’s in Smooth. May not emerge from my Playroom for days now that the music has picked up the beat, pun intended.
Listening to some smooth jazz (Flower Child by Eric Marienthal from Just Around the Corner) on Pandora now, not enough oh’s in Smooth. May not emerge from my Playroom for days now that the music has picked up the beat, pun intended.
DO not gush often, but this is a one excellent Bluetooth Speaker System. Sounds are crystal clear, spatial “feel” of the sounds are just where you want to be.
Bluetooth connected easily with PC as well as my quite old Windows Phone 8, which is using an archaic version of Bluetooth. Distance, my Rock could pick up the Bluetooth signal from my PC on the far side room in my home, completely through the home and several walls out on my side deck. Impressive.
Cool feature that there is a handy Cell Phone charger built in to the access panel, that could come in handy.
When I received the Speaker it was 50% charged, surprisingly it fully charged in less than half an hour. Then I played music from Pandora for approximately SIX hours and the system was still half charged. Very Cool. This included blasting Rock n Roll for close to an hour and then on to the Smooth Jazz. The Rock n Roll was not rocking my boat as much as the Jazz Tunes in terms of Quality, but that could be it was early genre and may not have the same quality of recording.
I am picky about Speakers and Quality of Sound, and the Rock Hits the Sweet Spot. A great design that will go where you want to go or rest nicely in your playroom.
I am picky about Speakers and Quality of Sound, and the Rock Hits the Sweet Spot. A great design that will go where you want to go or rest nicely in your playroom.
Almost forgot, this machine is Rocking with 65W of power, that will light up the night.
Wish list, would like the option to dial up the Bass on the unit. If running from computer or tablet you can use software to manage the sound.
Do I like the Rock, YES! Have looked at many options for Bluetooth and this is the one that Rocks my Boat.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+2points
2of 2voted this as helpful.
Add stability to your home network with the Amped Wireless HELIOS-EX Wi-Fi Extender. With DirectLink technology, it avoids signal loss by adding another 5GHz Wi-Fi channel to the standard setup, which it then uses strictly for receiving signal from the source. This Amped Wireless HELIOS-EX Wi-Fi Extender covers an area of up to 12,000 sq. ft. and includes four Gigabit network ports.
Customer Rating
2
Solid Signal - Tough to Start
on June 15, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
Good news, it has a good solid Wi-Fi signal which has remained stable.
When I started to setup the unit the first time I was feeling ecstatic that it appeared the setup was going smoothly and tremendously easy. After that first few minutes of delight at how the setup appeared to be going smoothly I hit a wall. Have worked through Windows 10 and Android following seemingly simple easy setup procedures. For me it was a bugger to get going.
When I started to setup the unit the first time I was feeling ecstatic that it appeared the setup was going smoothly and tremendously easy. After that first few minutes of delight at how the setup appeared to be going smoothly I hit a wall. Have worked through Windows 10 and Android following seemingly simple easy setup procedures. For me it was a bugger to get going.
Once it was up and running it does a good job, as advertised.
Will not lay the difficulty of the setup in my experience at the feet of the box, as it good very well be connecting the extender to my network is a challenge for the extender. My network is extensive sporting two subnets along with a MESH system.
Will not lay the difficulty of the setup in my experience at the feet of the box, as it good very well be connecting the extender to my network is a challenge for the extender. My network is extensive sporting two subnets along with a MESH system.
Other Good News, they have a good technical support staff, who are patient and quite helpful. That today is very good news.
The instructions and software interface need work, seriously. When they marry that with the box it will be a good performer.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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+1point
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Meet your large household~s high-bandwidth requirements with this tri-band Linksys Max-Stream Wi-Fi router. It performs at up to 4 Gbps for high-speed Internet access, and its MU-MIMO technology lets everyone at home enjoy smooth, simultaneous gaming and media streaming on multiple devices. This Linksys Max-Stream Wi-Fi router has six adjustable external antennas for maximum area coverage
Customer Rating
5
Tremendous Range – 4K Streaming– Priced Right
on May 23, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
Our home has enough networking, wired/wireless to light up a small village, Yet! I found room to add this excellent EA9300 box to our system.
Love the design of the EA9300, same great look as the EA9500 in a smaller footprint, that I like.
It is a powerful package sporting a New 1.8 GHz Quad-Core CPU, it is smoking hot at processing data, especially in a home with Heavy Network users. This router is built for Very Large Homes, we have exceptional coverage throughout every corner of our house.
The EA9300 is packed with Leading Edge Technology, there is not a feature I cannot think of that Linksys has not poured into this great looking package.
This router is sitting elegantly to the corner of our large screen TV in the Living-room handling our Entertainment Center Networking and providing heart pounding Wireless to the family in the room.
Need speed, range in a good-looking package then check this newest addition to the Linksys family of routers, it is a winner!
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Hear every footstep, click and breath with this Razer Kraken digital gaming headset. The powerful 50mm drivers have neodymium magnets so that they produce exceptional sound directly to your ear, and the included microphone picks up speech clearly. This Razer Kraken digital gaming headset connects to a USB port for easy setup.
Customer Rating
4
Excellent Sound - Comfort - Right on the Money
on April 15, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
What is really cool about the Kraken Headset is 365-degree Surround Sound and a wonderfully comfortable fit. No setup is required, the mic is clear and crisp and the Kid loves that the headset lights up! Love the retractable mic which is well made, makes so much sense to be able to make the mic disappear when not in use.
Razer has delivered some of the nicest headsets I have seen at a Great Price. Have tried several much more expensive sets, but for my money the Kraken hits the sweet spot and delivers everything that I want in a headset.
Would have liked to have seen an in-line volume control.
The Kraken delivers on amazing Game sound, and surprisingly for a gaming headset it works just as well with music with several pre-sets.
The Kraken delivers on amazing Game sound, and surprisingly for a gaming headset it works just as well with music with several pre-sets.
Get in the game and get Kraken!
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Head from hardwood to carpet for quick-and-easy full-house cleanups with this Dyson V7 Motorhead vacuum in hand. The direct-drive cleaner head dives deep into your rugs, getting up dirt from even hard-to-reach spaces. Disconnect the handle of this Dyson V7 Motorhead vacuum, and you've got a cordless handheld vac for simple sweep-ups of spills.
Customer Rating
5
Brilliantly Designed Vacuum with Power to Spare.
on March 27, 2017
Posted by: vrs99
from TN
The Dyson V7 Motorhead is amazingly powerful where it counts most, where the Brush Bar meets the Carpet and robust in build. A brilliantly built appliance that is surprisingly stout in a light cordless vacuum that hands down out cleans my corded upright.
The main traffic area in our home was due a vacuuming when the Dyson V7 arrived so we tested it against our upright. First, we gave the high traffic area a thorough cleaning with our corded upright which deposited a good deal in the canister.
Second, we vacuumed over the same area with the Dyson V7 and was instantly sold, the Dyson quickly collected a substantial quantity of debris in the canister immediately after using our trusty corded vacuum cleaner.
Advantages and conveniences:
It is Light as a feather.
Quiet, have never heard a quiet vacuum. That is very nice and does not drive my Beagle nuts.
The design is outstanding for getting to the hard to reach spaces, like Under the Bed. Along with the lightness and the agility it makes cleaning under the bed a snap. Vacuuming corners of the ceiling, shelves, widow sills, you name it and the Dyson V7 makes short work of the job.
Looks cool enough that your kid may want to do the vacuuming, at least for a while.
Believe our battery held up longer than the advertised 30 minutes and we completed our Living-room, office, and hallway on one charge. Impressive.
The Docking Station is a big plus for vacuum and accessory storage and charging. Fits out of sight easily in a corner in the utility room.
Thumbs up all around.
My Best Buy number: 2002595546
I would recommend this to a friend!
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vrs99's Review Comments
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 3.0~ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ~Results 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 3.0~ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ~Results 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
3 years, 11 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 3.0~ while remaining compatible with PCIe 3.0. ~Results 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.
4 years, 1 month 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.
4 years, 1 month 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.