swemoney's stats
- Review count205
- Helpfulness votes156
- First reviewMay 14, 2016
- Last reviewApril 21, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
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- Answer count12
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- First answerJune 10, 2016
- Last answerApril 18, 2021
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The ROG Zephyrus G14 has been redesigned with an all-new premium aluminum chassis for increased durability and elegance. At 0.63 inches thin and weighing in at just 3.31lbs, this gaming powerhouse combines portability with cutting-edge technology. Featuring Windows 11 and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 GPU, the Zephyrus G14 achieves unparalleled gaming performance. The AMD Ryzen™ 9 8945HS processor further enhances productivity with 16 TOPS in AI Performance. The Zephyrus G14 features an OLED ROG Nebula Display. Enjoy rapid 0.2ms response times, vivid 3K resolution, and a smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Elevate your audio experience with new upgraded woofers, offering a 252% volume increase, 100Hz bass frequency, and Dolby Atmos support. For intense gaming sessions, the ROG Intelligent Cooling integrates liquid metal and aerodynamic 2nd Gen Arc Flow Fans to sustain peak performance.
Customer Rating
4
Amazing small form factor laptop
on April 21, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I feel like this laptop makes all the right concessions to be an amazing laptop for it's size that can do pretty much anything you need to. Games? A respectable 4070 GPU can play a most things with settings maxed (or close to it). Productivity work? You shouldn't see any issues with nearly any kind of work task.
Setup is as quick and simple as most any Windows PC these days. ASUS machines don't have a ton of bloat which is nice. There's the MyASUS app which keeps things up to date and then Armory Crate for performance tweaks and Aura Creator for custom lighting (although, with the latest updates, lighting can be controlled directly by Windows Dynamic Lighting). Getting all of Windows and the extra apps up to date took a little time but nothing crazy. Once it's done, it's done.
Screen: This is one of the best screens I've seen on a laptop. The "3K" display (The full resolution is actually 2880x1800) is crisp at 14". Kind of like "Retina" displays on a Mac. The scale is even defaulted to 200% which makes everything look like it's a normal size but ultra crisp. Colors look great. HDR is supported. FreeSync is also supported for adaptive refresh rate. It's a really nice screen. If you don't like the 200% scaling, you could bump it down to 150% to get a lot more screen real estate while still being able to see things (albeit, much smaller). The only way you don't like this screen is if you just prefer larger laptops.
CPU: The AMD 8945 is quite a powerhouse in such a small laptop. It's coupled with a 780M integrated GPU which should give you decent enough performance when you don't require the discrete 4070 GPU while saving you some power. There aren't many tasks you'll find that you're going to be limited by this CPU. And again, in such a small laptop, it's really amazing.
GPU: The RTX 4070 in this machine is a beast. You might not be running everything at max settings (depending on the resolution you're trying to run) but you should be able to run almost everything nearly maxed and not notice much of a difference. I ran Doom Eternal maxed out and the one limit I did run into was the 8GB of video memory which prevented me from running fullscreen at the full 2880x1800. I had to drop it down to 2560x1600 and got 90-100 fps. I maxed out Helldivers 2 (full 2880x1800 resolution) using "quality" resolution scaling instead of "ultra quality" and saw a good 70 fps. Cyberpunk 2077 could be maxed out with various arrangements and various results. At everything decked out, with DLSS at ultra quality mode, I got a surprisingly smooth 20fps. This was a crazy test and I wouldn't try and play the game this way but I wanted to see how it would perform. It was 20fps, but it really didn't look like 20fps. It looked smooth enough to play. Smoothest 20fps I've ever seen. When I moved DLSS down to "auto", I got a much more respectable 60fps. Again, a very smooth 60fps. No noticeable hitching or stutters. And still, everything else maxed out. It looked gorgeous in all my tests and you can squeeze more frames out based on what settings are important to you. In all my tests, the real limiting factor is going to be the 2880x1800 resolution display. If you're OK with dropping the resolution a couple notches for more frames, you can. If you'd rather see the super sharp image at the expense of a few frames, you can also do that. The GPU isn't best in class or anything but it's a beast (again) in such a small laptop.
Storage: This is probably one of the areas I feel like they skimped on. It's such a high end laptop in most every category but it only comes with a 1TB drive. I'm not certain about how easy it would be to upgrade it but it feels like a laptop of this caliber should have come with 2TB. Games these days are fairly huge and 1TB feels like something you see in a mid-tier gaming machine. It's a nice and fast drive. It's just smaller than I would have liked to see in a machine with these specs.
Memory: I'm at a point where I'm starting to actually recommend 32GB of RAM a lot more. 5 years ago, I would have said it was unnecessary completely. Now a days, I feel like 16GB is the minimum and 32 is nice to have. This system's versatility comes from it's 32GB of RAM so I'm happy with it here.
Lighting: You can't really have a gaming machine without some fancy lights. Like most laptops, this comes mainly from your keyboard's backlight. It's fully RGB and can be controlled via Windows Dynamic Lighting (which is a really simple and native method of controlling lighting) or the Armory Crate app. I wasn't able to get the Aura Creator app to work after updating everything (probably because it was being controlled by Windows Dynamic Lighting, so if I switched that off, I might be able to regain control of it). The unique aspect of this laptop is the light strip on the top. One questionable choice they made was using the "glitch" theme by default and keeping the sleep mode light strip on. The default lighting on the strip is really janky and doesn't look like a sleep setting at all so while your computer sleeps, you have the flashy, jerky lighting animation along the top strip on your computer. It was very weird the first time I saw/noticed it. You can change the light strip by switching themes, and each theme has about 5 lighting settings. There are also options to turn off the light strip when your computer is asleep. So this strange default choice is completely changable to something more to your liking. Or maybe you like the default glitchy light strip. It's up to you. It's a neat little addition to the lighting, though you probably won't really see it ever if you turn off the sleep strip.
User Input: The keyboard and trackpad both work pretty well. I'm accustomed to the feel of linear mechanical keyboards but it doesn't feel terrible to use this one. It's one of the higher quality keyboards I've used, especially on a small laptop like this. The trackpad works well and reminds me that Windows computers have made huge strides with their trackpads since not too long ago. Bluetooth will help you connect a new mouse pretty quickly as well.
Audio: I feel like laptop speakers are normally ignored. I'm usually going to game with a headset so I mostly forget about how a laptop sounds. These speakers actually sound really, really nice, though. They seem to have a decent range and loudness. I'm really impressed. Once again, for a laptop this size, wow. I'll still probably use a headset for the most part. But I had to mention that the speakers actually sound really good.
Build: The construction on the laptop feels really good as well. It's definitely not the thinnest or lightest laptop I've ever used but considering how beefy the system is, I wouldn't expect it to. It is a really nice size and weight for what it does, though.
Battery: You'll get a respectable amount of time out of this. Don't expect to game for multiple hours or anything. Anyone with a gaming laptop, should expect to keep it plugged in while gaming. But for other work that you can do without the 4070 enabled, you'll get a decent amount of time out of the battery. I usually have my laptops plugged in so I'm completely fine with the battery life but if the most important thing out of a laptop is battery life to you, you might want to look elsewhere (and probably not look at something this powerful).
The common theme in this review seems to be "for a laptop this size". I'll say that I'm impressed with the specs and performance of this machine as any sized laptop but the fact that they crammed this much into such a small laptop is very impressive. If you're looking for a high end laptop that works well for gaming and productivity and doesn't weigh a top, you're looking at the right system.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Prepare to revolutionize your golfing experience with the Voice Caddie SC4 Portable Golf Simulator and Golf Launch Monitor. Step onto the green and unlock a world of golfing possibilities! Seamlessly connect your smartphone or tablet via Bluetooth, and watch as the SC4 golf launcher monitor becomes the gateway to an exhilarating golfing adventure. Immerse yourself in simulator app integration, transporting you to stunning virtual courses that rival the real thing. But the SC4 goes beyond simulation—it offers a free simulator driving range demo, enabling you to perfect your swings and uncover your true potential. Precision is key, and the SC4 delivers. With its comprehensive metrics, including radar swing speed, ball speed, carry and total distance, smash factor, launch angle, apex, and spin, you'll have an in-depth understanding of your performance. Whether you're an aspiring or a seasoned professional, the SC4 is your golf swing speed monitor. Get ready to take your golfing journey to new heights with the extraordinary Voice Caddie SC4 Portable Golf Simulator and Golf Launch Monitor.
Customer Rating
5
Improve your game from anywhere
on April 17, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I'm a big fan of data and this little device gives you a ton of it. Accuracy seemed good enough but requires some tweaks to it's position to make sure you're getting the best results.
Setup was easy enough. You need the VoiceCaddie app which does most of the tracking for you. Hitting the BlueTooth button in the app will connect to the unit and you're all set. There's also an E6 Connect app which is their virtual golf course. Connecting to this the first time was a little weird because the VoiceCaddie app was still connected in the background so E6 wasn't actually picking up my shots at all. Quitting the VoiceCaddie app helped connect with E6 and it worked well enough. I think I would use an iPad for this next time. Most of the buttons seem like they were designed for a larger screen. I'm also interested in trying this out with a projector at some point to make a full on virtual golf course at home. You'll probably use the VoiceCaddie app for the most part, though, which I found to be pretty well designed and easy to use on my phone at the driving range.
Position and orientation of the unit does matter quite a bit. You'll notice a lot of variance if it's not on a level ground and even with your shot. If you're going to a driving range, you'll probably need to bring an extra mat or some surface you can prop the SC4 on behind the driving range mat so you have everything on the same plane. Once you get it dialed in, it does become easier to set up and you don't really have to touch it again.
Using the SC4 is pretty dead simple after you have it set up correctly. Just glance back to see how well your last shot was. The included remote lets you change clubs and modes fairly easy but I found the range or angle on it was really small. It could have been the sun, but I had to get pretty close and have a really straight direct line of sight for the remote to work. The magnet holding the remote in place is really strong so you shouldn't have to worry about it falling out in travel. You just slide the remote out sideways to remove it so even with the strong magnet, you don't have any difficulty removing it yourself.
The app does a good job of showing you how consistent your shots are by showing their locations on a virtual driving range. If you biff a shot, the accuracy of the device goes down quite a bit but you can always delete those shots so they don't mess up your data.
Overall, I would recommend this for anyone serious about improving and practicing their swing. It fits well in your golf bag for easy transport to the driving range. You can also just use it with a net in your backyard if you can't get to the range. This makes it easy to just take a little bit of time to take some practice swings any time you want. If you're just getting started, you can probably hold off on this until you get some of the basics down, but once you get to the point where you want to track your swings and see where you can improve, this could be helpful for you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Annihilate your competition with this ASUS ROG gaming desktop. The Intel Core i7 processor and 32GB of RAM deliver rapid performance during fast-paced action, while the 2TB SSD provide plenty of storage for large files and downloads. This Bluetooth-enabled ASUS ROG gaming computer features an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070 Super graphics card for tear-free rendering of 4K games.
Customer Rating
4
Really nice gaming system
on April 8, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
My old gaming PC has been trucking along for some time now but it was time for a good upgrade. This is one upgrade I'm really happy about. I started with a i7 4770k and a GTX 1080. The CPU got upgraded to an AMD 3800X a few years back but the 1080 has been going strong for over 6 years now. It's been showing it's age and the 4070 Super was just what I needed to actually see and feel the difference.
This configuration has an Intel Core i7 14700kf, 32GB of DDR5 5600 memory, 2 TB of NVME storage, an RTX 4070 Super, and all the colorful lights you can ask for (my old system had a nice fancy glass side panel but zero lights inside).
I'll be saying a lot of nice things about this system, so for a change of pace, I want to lead with the things I think are a little strange. They're small and don't detract from the system or the performance but they were things I noticed pretty quick as someone who's worked on computers and knows about what's available.
One of the first things I noticed when I looked inside was the plain old school looking green PCB board memory sticks. Don't get me wrong, this is nice memory. It's fast. It's DDR5. There's 32GB of it. But for a system with a lot of light inside and a clear side panel, I was surprised to not see some kind of heat exchange cover over the memory. This is purely an aesthetic complaint and it's barely a complaint at all. I just found it weird because I haven't seen a gaming PC with a side window and lights built with such plain (ugly) memory in a really long time.
The other strange thing I noticed after booting the system up is the 2TB of storage is actually 2 1TB drives. Also not the biggest deal in the world but I found it strange because I'm pretty sure it almost all cases at this point in time you can get a single 2TB drive for cheaper than 2 1TB drives. The biggest drawback, in my opinion, is since this is a gaming machine and games take up a lot of space, having to decide which 1TB drive you want to install your next game just becomes a little annoying instead of just installing them all in the same place.
The best part about those two small negatives is that they're also the two things in any computer that are the easiest and cheapest to upgrade in the future so as time goes on, they may not be issues at all anymore.
Now on to setup. If you've worked with and put together computers before, this shouldn't be too difficult. Make sure you connect your monitor to the actual video card and not the ports on top. Plug in the keyboard and mouse. Plug in the wifi/bluetooth antenna. Plug in power. That should get you ready to turn it on. Booting up is quick and the initial Windows setup is fairly painless and standard. Even installing updates after the computer is done setting up was really quick compared to other systems I've worked with.
I'll talk about the included mouse and keyboard real quick because I have my own mouse and keyboard already so I'm not using the included ones daily. If you don't have another mouse and keyboard that you like, the ones included aren't bad. The keyboard is a pretty standard membrane keyboard. Nothing crazy special but it works and doesn't feel terrible to type on if you aren't already used to a mechanical keyboard. The mouse is a pretty standard laser mouse with a nice braided wire. Again, it works if you're not used to another mouse you like more.
ASUS does install a couple extra applications aside from device drivers. There's MyASUS which basically lets you check the health of your device, diagnose problems and get updates. Then there's Armory Crate which lets you tune your computer and tweak RGB settings. Then there's Aura Creator which lets your dive a bit deeper into customizing your RGB stuff. None of it feels too egregious or bloaty and it all has a purpose so I don't see much of a problem with any of it. The only bloat here appeared to be Windows stuff like Office 365 and OneNote.
Performance is top notch. I know this isn't top of the line, but it's pretty close. Windows felt snappy at all times. Opening applications feels quick. Running multiple applications at once doesn't feel like you're running into a brick wall. Everything just works well out of the box. Cooling seems to be done well and I haven't noticed any getting out of hand on that front. And to top that all off, the whole system is pretty quiet. There's an initial burst before the system POSTs but then the fans get pretty whisper quiet and you don't really notice any noise at all.
Let's talk about gaming performance! You're buying this computer to game on it so I tested out a couple games to see how well it performed. I was pleased with all of the results I got.
Doom Eternal is just a staple benchmark game for me. It's really well optimized and I think it does a good job of showing what your system can do when you unlock the framerate since it's not really CPU limited at all. Maxing out every setting I could find and running on an ultra-wide 3440x2560 with HDR, I saw about 220-240fps. Maybe hitting a low of 190 at the lowest. And boy did it look pretty.
CyberPunk 2077 is another staple benchmark game because it pushes the boundaries of what graphics can do. I tested various settings and ran the included benchmark. All tests were with the graphics settings all maxed out but with different DLSS and Ray Tracing settings. I was most impressed when I decides to just go crazy and max out ray tracing and then turn on path tracing and turn off DLSS entirely and still saw an average framerate of about 35. Playable for sure. I didn't notice any dips below 30 either. But my more practical tests with DLSS on and path tracing off, I got about 70-80 fps. That's still with everything maxed out just with DLSS helping a bit. I can't wait to dive back into this game with a computer that can actually play it the way it was meant to be played.
The last game I wanted to test is my current go-to game. Helldivers 2. There wasn't a whole lot to tweak on this one because I maxed out every graphics setting I could and turned off the resolution scaling completely (so it was set to native rendering) and saw a nice 90-120 fps. Usually hovering around 110. If you're trying to max out your 144hz or 165hz monitor, I feel like it would be possible with some resolution scaling turned on and some other graphic setting tweaks but I'm happy with what I got right now.
Reminder, all of these benchmarks were done on an ultra-wide monitor at 3440x2560 resolution. So greater than 1440p but not quite at 4k. With certain DLSS settings, frame generation and ray reconstruction, I'm certain this computer would be capable of some 4K gaming but I didn't personally test it at all myself.
Overall, I'm really happy with the system. It's a huge upgrade from what I was running before and I can't wait to jump into some games that I've been putting off because I didn't feel like I could "properly" run them. Only you can judge your budget and how affordable this system is but I think it's pretty fair for what you get and definitely recommend it.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Philips Norelco Multi Groomer - 13 piece Mens Grooming Kit for beard, face, nose, and ear hair trimmer and hair clipper - NO BLADE OIL NEEDED, MG3740/40
Customer Rating
4
Convenient grooming kit
on April 7, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I've been using a more expensive electric shaver to groom my beard for a while. It basically just always has the guard attached and I rarely use the dedicated shaver side. Then I also have an extra trimmer for my nose. Replacing both with this one tool is great for me. I can charge and leave a single trimmer out with 1 or 2 attachments and stow the rest away. I've been enjoying it so far.
Setup is as easy as you've expect. You plug it in if it needs to charge and trim away. Guards attach pretty intuitively. It took me a couple minutes to figure out how to remove the trimmer head and attach the nose/ear trimmer but that was just because I wasn't sure and didn't want to break it. After I figured it out, it's really easy to pop them off and attach a new different one.
The cut is as I would expect. It's easy to maintain my beard length with the guards and when I need to clean up the edges, just popping the guard off works great. The nose hair attachment also works probably better than my dedicated nose hair trimmer I was using before (even though the mechanisms look pretty similar). I don't have a really high maintenance beard or anything, so I don't know if this would be enough for someone with a full on routine (although I can't personally see what else might be needed). For me, it does everything I need it to well.
If I had to pick something that I'm not the biggest fan of, it's the little bit of white grease inside the different heads. It just feels too exposed like it could eventually make a mess somehow. Either by changing the heads too often or... something. It's not a big thing but I noticed right away after removing the head for the first time that some of the grease was left on the motor shaft and it stuck out to me right away. Other than that tiny thing, I've been a fan.
If you need to quickly groom your beard/nose/ears and don't want to juggle a bunch of different tools, this might be for you. I found it affordable and it does everything I need without needing to charge/maintain multiple gadgets.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Say goodbye to the hassle of fumbling with keys and welcome the seamless experience of unlocking your door with a simple touch of your iPhone or Apple Watch. By also fully supports the Apple Home app, including guest access code, gaining entry to your abode has never been easier or cooler. Even if there's a power outage of your Apple devices, you can still tap your device and enter your home effortlessly.
Customer Rating
4
Nice feature set
on February 27, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I've tried and like the Level Lock because of how inconspicuous it is. You'd never guess there was a smartlock there if you didn't know what you were looking at. This one is the opposite. It's super obvious. You get a lot more features here, though. You got keypad entry. Fingerprint entry. NFC tag entry. HomeKit HomeKey support. And if all else fails, you have a pair of physical keys as well.
Installation was pretty easy. The Aqara app takes you through the installation process if you need a step by step and each step was small and very manageable. Felt like it took maybe 15 minutes to install after I had my old lock out of the door. Setup through the Aqara app is pretty painless as well. It does whatever initial setup and binding process to your account and then has you set up a pin code and fingerprint for you (the main user). Everything has easy to walk through steps and the process was fairly quick.
You could be done setting up after this if you aren't going to be using the lock remotely or doing any automation with it. The lock comes with Aqara's E1 hub as well. This is just a USB stick that you plug into power and set up through the app as well. Everything straight forward as well. The final step took me a minute to find through all the settings menus in the Aqara app but I eventually did find the HomeKit section that let me bind the lock to Home so I can use HomeKey to unlock it as well. Setting up everything in the app probably took twice as long as the actual installation did.
Now that you have the lock set up in the app, you can do a lot of customization on how you want it to work. There are options to add addition users and give them their own pin codes, NFC tags and fingerprints. So you can have each family member set up to unlock the door with their own credentials. You can even set up one-time use passcodes if you need to give someone access to your home once or you can set up temporary users if you have family in town for a bit. It's all pretty user friendly and easy to see in the app.
One downside I found was in order to change the batteries, you need to pry the cover off. It doesn't have any easy release or latch. It's held on by tiny plastic clips that I can see breaking after prolonged battery changes. It just feels easy to break.
Another downside is the speed it takes to activate with your phone. The keypad and fingerprint are nice but the phone connects via bluetooth (even when using the hub) so it takes a few seconds to connect to the lock before it actually unlocks.
I'm still getting used to the autolocking settings. Sometimes it feels like it locks by itself. Sometimes it feels like it just tells you that it hasn't been locked. There are a bunch of settings for it so it's just a matter of getting the right combination. I was also confused when entering the code or fingerprint while the lock was unlocked, it didn't lock it. But there's a setting that automatically locks it when you touch the keypad after unlocking so that works.
Overall, I like the bigger feature set here than the Level Lock. But it does stand out a lot more so it's going to depend on your wants. It's a nice lock for the most part but it could be better.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Aqara Presence Sensor FP2 uses cutting-edge millimeter-wave radar technology, which can accurately detect the presence of people even with slight movements. This technology ensures continuity and stability of the smart device. It also has the function of zone positioning, which allows for the automation of different conditions in different zones, such as beds and tables. One space can now be divided into up to 30 small zones and recognize up to five targets (Multi-person Detection). It can also control other smart home devices through ecosystems such as Apple Home to achieve wider applications. It features functions such as human fall recognition, sleep monitoring and a built-in light sensor. Likewise, it is a great helper that can truly combine the diversity of the user's home life and realize the automation of different personalities.
Customer Rating
4
This thing is neat!
on February 27, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I'm not all about home automation. I like smart home gadgets but I don't do much of anything to automate them. I probably should, I just never really think of anything cool to do and when I do, I always think of some way that the automation will break with a family of my wife and I and our two small kids. I setup my first really simple automation with this thing and I'm sold. I need to automate all the things now.
Setup was simple enough. Just add the device in the Aqara app and it walks you through the setup steps and takes you through some installation options. There are quite a few things it can do (sleep tracking, basic occupancy tracking) but I was most excited about the zone tracking. Setting this up takes a little more work (and make sure you update your firmware) but I think it's worth it when you get it working the way you like.
Occupancy and presence sensors, for me, have never felt too appealing because of how long it took to detect that there wasn't anyone there anymore or how hard it was to tell how much they could actually see. This sensor knocks both of those issues out of the water. It gives you a representation of the objects in the room that it can detect so it's easy to see how much of your room is covered. You can even place some stickers to outline certain places in the room. I wish there was a way to just draw simple lines and stuff but the stickers work OK. The sensor also seems to detect you and update your position within about a second or two. It's pretty good.
After you have your room mostly mapped out the way you like it, you can set up some zones for different areas of the room. Mine is currently set up in our downstairs area that doubles as my work space/desk as well as the kids play area. So I'm able to specify a zone that just covers my work space and another one that covers the kids play area. Then you can sync the names up to HomeKit and when you look at the sensor in HomeKit, it'll show up as multiple sensors that you can use to trigger your automations. If I sit down at my desk, the dimmer overhead light comes on automatically. If I get up, it goes off. It's fairly accurate with where you are in the room and it opens up a lot of possibilities.
I haven't tried the sleep tracker because I'm not a single person so it probably wouldn't work right with me. But I think this sensor is worth it just for how neat it is to split your room up into zones and have different automations happen based on which parts of the room are being occupied.
If you like to automate your home, you probably want one of these.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Aqara Smart Video Doorbell G4 is a unique video doorbell that can be wired or battery-powered. It is also the first battery-powered option to work with Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video and supports streaming to Google and Alexa smart displays, featuring local AI used for facial recognition alerts, automations, and much more.
Customer Rating
4
Almost ticks every box for me
on February 27, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
If this doorbell had a second camera for the porch/packages, it would be perfect for me. It might still be good enough, though.
We're trying out this doorbell after using the two camera Eufy doorbell for some time. The biggest complaint my wife had with it was that it couldn't continuously record. My biggest complaint was that it was tough to connect to HomeKit and worked sporatically when I tried to get it working through Homebridge. But it was also really nice to have that second camera that was able to see most of our porch so if we missed a package or something we could easily see if it was sitting there.
This doorbell cam fixes most of our complaints and, for me, is really just missing the second camera. After a few days of use, though, I'm starting to think I don't really need that because I'm loving the HomeKit Secure Video integration and continuous recording with a microSD card installed.
Installation was fairly simple. I've installed many doorbell cams over the years and it's usually the same process. Install the bracket. Attach the doorbell transformer wires if there's a spot for them and clip the doorbell into place. Not a lot is different here. I had the whole thing replaced in about 20 minutes. Setup in the Aqara app is nice as well. There's installation instructions it'll walk you through if you need them. Since I'm using iOS and HomeKit, adding the device through the Aqara app uses the HomeKit setup process and adds it straight to there for recording and streaming.
The video quality is pretty good. It's only 1080p so it's not the greatest I've seen but it works and everything works pretty quick. Pulling up the feed in HomeKit or reviewing recordings are really quick. I have my doorbell connected to the transformer wires so it allows me to plug an MicroSD card into the chime/base unit and turn on continuous recording which is really nice to have and the quality looks pretty good all around.
You don't need to have transformer wires to use this doorbell which is a really nice feature if you're renting or you just want to install this right away without putting holes in the wall. There's even an adhesive option so you can install this without even drilling the back plate into anything. A lot of options are covered here.
The old doorbell was using a lot of AI to process and filter out alerts. It did a pretty good job of only alerting you to things it knew was a person closeby your door. But I like to have a little more control over what I get. With HKSV, the recordings it finds are mostly motion but it's able to detect people from fairly far away. The old doorbell there was this air of missing notifications in the back of our minds because of how much it just didn't tell us about. It was mostly right, but it didn't help us feel like we were missing things. Now, with HKSV alerting us whenever it sees a person and the continuous recording, we know we'll be able to see anything that has happened at any time.
The doorbell connects to it's base (which is also the doorbell chime) wirelessly and it works pretty well. It recommends the two things are within 5m of each other and the chime needs to remain plugged in to work at all. You also install the MicroSD card into the chime for continuous recording so you don't have to worry about someone ripping the doorbell off the wall and getting away with all of your recordings that you can't review.
Overall everything feels really well thought out. These are my first Aqara products and I like how nicely they integrate with HomeKit and how well they "just work" while still allowing some customization. I think I'm ready to forgo the second camera for the Aqara. But it sure would be nice if they came out with a new one that has one!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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A50 X is made to play. The ultimate gaming headset is upgraded with breakthrough innovations in audio and connectivity. PLAYSYNC Multi-system switching between 3 platforms at once. PRO-G GRAPHENE audio drivers achieve unprecedented clarity and response critical for in-game performance. Pro-grade LIGHTSPEED wireless delivers the highest levels of wireless performance including broadcast-quality wireless boom mic and wireless dual-device mixing. HDMI 2.1 Passthru delivers Ultra HD resolution for the highest levels of console audio (24 bit) and visual fidelity (4K 120 Hz). Battery lasts for up to 24 hours of playtime with the ease of wireless charging. A50 X is a breakthrough in design and engineering for the ultimate gaming audio experience.
Customer Rating
4
Really nice headset with only a couple tiny issues
on February 27, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
These headphones are pretty nice. I have a few small complaints but as far as headphones go, they work great, sound great and do everything I need them to (and more in some cases).
The setup process is as complicated as you'd like it to be. For the most part, it's fairly straight forward. On PC, you just plug in the USB cable into the charging dock and then plug one of the ends into the power adapter and the other end into your computer. End of setup. They'll get detected and be ready to use straight away (you might need to push the device switch button a couple times to turn it into PC mode). Connecting consoles is pretty straight forward as well. There's a spot on the charging dock for a PC, Xbox AND PS5. It's not a 1 or the other thing like literally every headset I've checked out before. You can connect all 3 and switch between them without an issue. It's quite nice a feature I didn't really expect to see but am really happy it's there.
The fit is pretty nice as well.. for the most part. It's light enough that you don't really feel it on your head after a while. I immediately found the ear cups to be a bit small for me. They touch my ears right away and I kind of have to maneuver them to a spot that feels most comfortable. But once they're there, I don't really notice an issue with my ears hurting or anything. Just the initial shock of the cups kind of hugging your ears a little bit. I'm also not a HUGE fan of the astro/logitech material on their cups. I'm not sure how to describe it but I've felt the same thing on multiple logitech headsets. The ear cup fabric just feels a little rough on my head. Even though feeling them with my hands they feel smooth. I'm not sure what it is but it's been consistent. Luckily, these cups are very easily magnetized onto the headset so they're really easy to replace if you'd prefer a different feel. I'm looking into more pleather style cups.
Those two issues aside, I'm happy with prolonged sessions. I don't feel any fatigue from the weight or pressure of the cups squeezing my head. It all feels great after hours of use.
One of the headsets I was using before this one had a removable battery and the transmitter doubled as a charger for the battery so if your headset died, you could easily swap a new one really quick and get back to the action. It made thinking about charging anything an afterthought since a second battery was always being charged while the other one was being used. This headset doesn't have that, BUT they do boast a 24 hour battery life (which is far more than my other headset ever lasted before needing to be swapped) and since the transmitter dock is also a charger, I don't see battery issues really being a problem even without the hot swappable batteries. I haven't run into any myself yet, at least.
Speaking of the charging dock transmitter. It's smaller than I expected after seeing it on the box. Not tiny but it doesn't take up a crazy amount of space on my desk. There's indicator lights for battery life and what mode is selected (pc, xbox, ps5) on the front. It all looks really nice actually. My only gripe with it is that the headset needs to be kind of moved around a bit when placing it on the dock to charge. It's not the end of the world but there is no way for it to just slide in without intervention. Again, it's a tiny issue that isn't a deal breaker at all but something I've noticed.
How's this thing sound?! Pretty good to my ears. It gets plenty loud for me and the range feels good. It doesn't feel like it's overpowering or blasting my head off or anything which is nice in my elder millennial age. It just sounds good without much tweaking required. I've been using the headset microphone instead of my normal broadcast quality microphone and haven't heard a single complaints. The mic sounds fairly decent (for a headset mic). It's not going to replace my broadcast mic but it was nice to test it and find something that doesn't suck that's attached to my head.
The only feature I feel is missing from a headset at this price range is noise canceling. There is none. It's almost like you're not wearing a headset at all if there's no sound coming out. It's very transparent.
Signal quality has also been really nice. The "Lightspeed" protocol that's used has had zero issues. Most headsets that use a generic 2.4Ghz band dongle crackle on occasion because my place has a lot of 2.4Ghz interference. I haven't had a single drop or crackle or any audio issues what so ever with these. It's been impressive since I even see interference creep into bluetooth sometimes over here.
The last issue I had with the headset was the lack of sidetone initially. I tend to find it weird when I'm speaking and I can't hear anything that I'm saying so I like to have some sidetone pretty much always. An update of the GHub app, I was able to check out the settings and sidetone is indeed available with adjustable volume. After setting it up, I didn't need GHub to be running all the time so that was definitely a plus.
Overall, I'm really liking this headset. When I'm not streaming (and require a wired headset), I'll probably be using this one as my main. It's lack of interference, easy charging and ability to connect to multiple devices make it a real contender for best gaming headset I've used. Noise canceling and a hot swappable battery would have been nice but everything else works so well that I don't tend to miss them too much. If you have the budget and are looking for something that's good for gaming on multiple systems and has a microphone that doesn't totally suck, this one might be for you.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Say hello to the professional color inkjet printer for your home office from America’s most trusted printer brand, paired with the easiest-to-use print app. Enjoy easy printing designed to make you succeed at work. Fax included.
Customer Rating
4
Good printer. Lousy philosophy.
on February 15, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
HP printers do a good job at their primary function. I haven't had any issues with them as far as them just being printers (or scanners or copiers). My biggest gripe is just the philosophy behind the company and how expensive it is to replace the ink. This isn't new news but with recent remarks stating their whole goal is to DRM all of their ink and push everyone into subscriptions, I'm just not a huge fan.
As far as the printer goes, it was pretty easy to set up. I ran into a hiccup that just sort of resolved itself when setting up the wifi settings. You do everything from the app which gave me the option to skip logging in (surprising) but I already had an HP account so I logged in anyways. You follow the steps to insert paper (they say to insert paper into the bottom tray, but the bottom tray is labeled 2 which just irks me), insert the ink that's included, print out a test/calibration page and connect to wifi. I tried over and over to connect to my wifi and kept getting an error message. Google told me that I could resolve it by changing a setting on my router but I eventually just bypassed the setup on the printer and printed out a wifi connection page that said all of my wifi details were correct and that it was receiving an IP. So who knows what that was about. It took a little bit of time but eventually my phone and computers started seeing the printer on the network. So the hiccup didn't really stop anything but it was annoying at the time.
Usage is nice and simple. Most devices just see the printer on the network and allow me to print straight away. I don't need any extra drivers or anything. Just select the printer and use the device's print dialog to send it. The copy screen is displayed up front on the printer's screen so it's easy to access and you can just insert some papers into the tray or lift the top and then copy with minimal effort. Scanning will definitely depend on your setup. You can set some things up inside the printer to send any scans to a network drive. Or even email them to you. I think the easiest way to go about it (since USB thumb drives are so cheap and everywhere) is to just insert a USB drive into the port on the front and tell the scanner to send the scans there. No extra setup required. Just works.
Print quality is quite nice. I haven't used anything but standard paper and thicker stock standard paper and the prints look good. Images print out nicely. I'm not sure it'll replace a professional photo style printer or anything but it gets the job done. Copy/scanning quality is also top notch. I haven't seen a ton of improvements on this front for many years. This one doesn't disappoint.
My favorite thing about this printer (and past HP printers I've used) is just needing wifi and that's it. Being able to plug it into power without worrying about connecting a network cable or powering on a PC it's connected to is just so nice. Being able to print from any device without a lot of extra steps (i.e. not needing extra drivers on most devices) is very nice. Like I said, HP printers are good printers. I'm just not a fan of how much they price gouge their ink and how gung-ho they are on getting everyone to subscribe to their ink subscription plan. Their subscriptions are based on how many pages you print and they charge you every month no matter if you hit this number or not but they only send you a new set of inks if they detect that you're running low. I'm just not a fan of their ink policy even if I enjoy using their printers.
Bottom line, if you need a printer for the office and you're confident you'll save money on an ink subscription, this might be the printer for you. It does it's job correctly, just be ready for the cost of ink as you move forward.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Cook delicious rice with the touch of a button. The COSORI 5.0-Quart Rice Cooker offers 9 functions to cook your favorite type of rice to the perfect texture. Following a precise 6-step cooking process, the rice cooker produces evenly cooked rice every time. It's simple and easy to use with a guided LED display that walks you through the cooking process. When you’re done cooking, all accessories are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
Customer Rating
4
Set it and forget it. Very nice.
on January 27, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I'm a rice newb. Never really made rice myself before and never used a rice cooker. I like rice, though, so I thought this would be a good buy for my ADHD brain since there's not a ton of steps involved. I was right. It's not an instant process, but it makes good rice and it's mostly a set it and forget it exists until it beeps at you kind of thing so I've been doing well with it.
Setup is as easy as it can be. Read the instructions to get an idea of how much rice and water you need and that's about it. You plug in the rice cooker and select the type of rice and it figures out the rest for you. I was a little worried when I winged my first batch of rice and said 50 minutes on the timer. I was also thrown off by the lack of time controls since every other kitchen gadget you use lets you customize the time. It makes sense when you stop and think about it since this cooks the rice until it's done so the timer is just an estimate. After you press start, you just kind of forget about it until you don't. It'll beep at you when it's done but I didn't even notice the beep the first time. After it's done cooking, it'll just start a new timer counting up while it keeps the rice warm.
As stated before, I winged my first batch of rice. I basically had read something online a while back that I remembered about just barely covering the rice with the water. I did that and the rice turned out perfect as far as I was concerned. Subsequent batches, I used the measuring cup included and it feels like you basically get the same result. Pretty much always just a little more water than rice. Every batch has turned out great through and the best feature is just hitting start and not needing to do anything else until it's ready.
Even as a rice newb, I've at least heard plenty about needing to wash your rice before you cook it. So I can safely say that washing the rice is the only pain point as far as cooking rice is concerned with this cooker. Obviously no fault to the rice cooker there. Once it's washed, it's a really nice set it and forget tool. I'll be eating a lot more rice now.
I don't know what else to say about this one. It seems very idiot proof. I've been really lax with my measurements and it always just turns out good. If you're in the market for a rice cooker and this is in your budget, even though I don't have any experience with other cookers, this seems like a good one to me.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy a smooth gaming experience with this 27-inch ASUS Full HD monitor. The Shadow Boost feature increases clarity in dark scenes, and the ultrafast response times minimize blurring and streaking for seamless gameplay. This ASUS Full HD monitor has an ergonomic design that allows tilting, swiveling and pivoting as needed.
Is the monitor free sync or g-sync?
It's G-Sync. The actual model number (not sure why it's not in the product title) is VG279QR if you want to check all the specs on Asus.
3 years ago
by
swemoney
Bring your Astro dreams to life with the Hover-1 Astro Hoverboard. This exciting rideable is an all-out color experience. Available in three different finishes, the LED lights along the wheels, the board and the foot pads will shine bright during your entire ride. The vibrant RGB color scheme will bring your board to life. Bright, bold, and beautiful, Astro brings out our love for color with every mile you ride. Loaded with a massive 400W motor that lets you hit speeds of up to 7mph, you can cruise for up to 6 miles on a single charge. The purchaser and rider of this product are responsible for knowing and obeying all state and local regulations regarding the use of this product, including whether licensing is required and the rules concerning where it may be operated. It is highly encouraged that you read and follow the product instructions including all safety precautions and use protective gear.
Is there a Bluetooth speaker in the hoverboard?
You can connect to your phone's bluetooth to play music through the board. The speaker does not have a lot of bass to it so it just sound alright.
3 years, 5 months ago
by
swemoney
Bring your Astro dreams to life with the Hover-1 Astro Hoverboard. This exciting rideable is an all-out color experience. Available in three different finishes, the LED lights along the wheels, the board and the foot pads will shine bright during your entire ride. The vibrant RGB color scheme will bring your board to life. Bright, bold, and beautiful, Astro brings out our love for color with every mile you ride. Loaded with a massive 400W motor that lets you hit speeds of up to 7mph, you can cruise for up to 6 miles on a single charge. The purchaser and rider of this product are responsible for knowing and obeying all state and local regulations regarding the use of this product, including whether licensing is required and the rules concerning where it may be operated. It is highly encouraged that you read and follow the product instructions including all safety precautions and use protective gear.
Does this board have settings for beginners etc like other boards from this company?
It has Beginner, Intermediate and Expert settings which I assume are the same ones available from other Hover-1 boards while using the same app.
3 years, 5 months ago
by
swemoney
eufy Security Wired 2K Video Doorbell. 2K Resolution, 5-Day Continuous Video Recording (CVR) on Secure Local Storage, No Monthly Fees, Human Detection, 2-way Audio, and Free Wireless Chime included.
Can you use an existing traditional doorbell chime with this, or do you have to use the eufy door chime?
I haven't tried to use my existing chime. The instructions do say that the doorbell will probably function but might work sporadically unless you bridge your current chime to give extra power to the doorbell. This disables your current chime so, I would say, officially, you should use the eufy chime if you want your doorbell cam to work reliably..
3 years, 6 months ago
by
swemoney
Expand connectivity on your Apple MacBook Pro or Air with this gray HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub. Two USB Type-C ports support Power Delivery for charging mobile devices rapidly, while the HDMI output lets you connect a UHD display. This HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub has USB Type-A ports and microSD and SD card slots for fast data transfer.
will this work if my MacBook Pro has a Kuzy case on it. The case wraps around the side of the computer right where the hyperdrive will go. Im wondering if the case will prevent the hyper drive from fitting flush or snug to the computer.
It's possible this could fit fine. The included magnetic support grip leaves a bit of a gap if you don't use it so you might be able to use this without that magnetic support and have it fit just fine. Don't quote me on this, though, I just know there's definitely a gap if you don't include the black magnetic support.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
swemoney
Expand connectivity on your Apple MacBook Pro or Air with this gray HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub. Two USB Type-C ports support Power Delivery for charging mobile devices rapidly, while the HDMI output lets you connect a UHD display. This HyperDrive DUO seven-in-two USB Type-C hub has USB Type-A ports and microSD and SD card slots for fast data transfer.
Is this Hyperdrive compatible with a (mid) 2015 macbook pro?
I'm pretty sure the 2016 MacBook Pro was the first one to move to all USB-C. To use this device, you need a MacBook that has 2 USB-C ports on the left side. If your device doesn't have USB-C this won't work. If your device has a MagSafe charger, this wouldn't be supported. USB-C only.
3 years, 10 months ago
by
swemoney
Safeguard your home with this Arlo security camera system. Its 4K resolution provides maximum clarity so you don't miss a single detail, and a siren is integrated so you can fend off intruders either remotely or while at home. This Arlo security camera system is weather-resistant, so it's functional rain or shine.
Can you pair Arlo pro 2 cameras with this system as well? We have 2 arlo pro 2 cameras we would like to utilize on the new system if possible.
Yes. The Ultra camera doesn't pair with the old hub but the old cameras will pair with the new one. The upgrade process was quite simple.
5 years ago
by
swemoney
Always know what’s happening at your door with the SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro. Its crystal-clear 1080p HD video and 162° field of view give you a clear shot of your property 24/7. Two-way audio lets you hear and speak to unwanted guests (and welcomed ones too) - even when you're not home. Have the SimpliSafe App? The Video Doorbell Pro will send instant alerts whenever someone approaches. And with Smart Person Detection, it can tell the difference between people, vehicles and animals. That means you only get the alerts that matter. Plus, when backed by 24/7 professional monitoring, you’ll have experts who are ready to request emergency dispatch when you need it most. This camera is designed for all weather extremes—so you're still protected in rain and snow. (Compatible with the SimpliSafe Gen 3 security system. Requires Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) and existing wired doorbell setup with mechanical chime and a transformer with 8-24 VAC, 30VA max. Not compatible with digital chimes.)
Does this doorbell allow storage to the local network instead of a cloud server?
This doorbell does not currently allow local network storage. The app functionality is quite bare bones and you actually get zero recording capability unless you upgrade to their $5/mo plan for the camera.
5 years, 5 months ago
by
swemoney
Tune out the world and lose yourself in music with these Sony 1000X wireless noise-cancelling headphones. Equipped with SENSE ENGINE technology, these earbuds make it easy to adjust sound modes with a single touch, so you control what you hear. Compact and intuitive, these Sony 1000X wireless noise-cancelling headphones stay comfortable for hours.
How many charges does the case hold?
Two. The buds, alone, will work for ~3 hours. If you include the case, you get 9 hours. So the case will give the buds 2 full charges.
6 years, 5 months ago
by
swemoney
With no wires in the way, Bose SoundSport Wireless Sports Earbuds keep you moving with powerful audio. Perfect for exercise and running with a sweat and weather resistant design and StayHear+ tips designed for comfort and stability. The Tile app makes your headphones easy to find if they ever go missing.
Are there any other means to charge these earphones than the advertised charging case?
The case that comes with these headphones is just for storage. I do leave my headphones inside the case while I'm charging them, but it's just a standard micro USB cable that plugs in to one of the earbuds to charge.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
swemoney