swemoney's stats
- Review count252
- Helpfulness votes175
- First reviewMay 14, 2016
- Last reviewJune 5, 2025
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating3.9
Reviews comments
- Review comment count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentNone
- Last review commentNone
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count12
- Helpfulness votes10
- First answerJune 10, 2016
- Last answerApril 18, 2021
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
Only at Best Buy! Meet the 8BitDo Mechanical Keyboard. Packed with programmable keys and an intuitive control panel. Meticulously crafted offering the perfect balance of quality and functionality. Compatible with Windows and Android. Exclusive 8BitDo Super Stick Joystick included.
Customer Rating
4
Neat and nostalgic
on November 9, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
8BitDo does some pretty nice things with their controllers so I was intrigued about this nostalgic keyboard and joystick combo. I grew up in the 80's. I had an NES. The look and even feel of this whole unit brings me back. It seems like such a small thing, but one of the first things I noticed was the retro looking power LED. The switches might prevent this from being a daily driver for me, but even if I just break it out sometimes, it's a pretty nice decorative item for any desk.
Setup was a breeze. You have a lot of options. I already had a wired keyboard with a detachable USB-C cable so it was as easy as unplugging that one and plugging the cable into this one. It "just works" like you'd expect any keyboard to. The external joystick and A/B buttons area also wired and plug into the back of the keyboard. I wish these were maybe bluetooth or something that allowed you to keep the cable clutter off of your desk but you can probably find a good way to route the cables and chances are they won't both be permanent fixtures on your desk (they definitely aren't going to be for me). There's even one additional input for another optional addon you can get from 8BitDo if you want to add more.
You also have an option to connect the keyboard (just the keyboard) wirelessly via bluetooth or the included 2.4Ghz dongle (which is nicely etched like Mario bricks). All of the setup options are simple and explained in the short, multi-language instructions if you need any help.
Then you can customize some buttons (and external buttons and joystick) straight from the keyboard. You can assign any key shortcut to any of the directions on the joystick or the external A/B buttons. Or there's A/B buttons on the keyboard itself where the right side menu and windows keys usually reside so you can set those as well. They call it "fast mapping" and I agree, it's quick and easy to do.
A couple minuses for me. The shape and angle the keyboard sits at isn't my favorite. I would have liked another 10 degrees or so of tilt and this is one of the first keyboards I've use in a really long time that doesn't have retractable legs to change the angle (I know for a fact, because I JUST checked one more time because it feels bonkers to me). There's also no included wrist rest which I noticed immediately and had to grab one from my other keyboard just so it stopped hurting my wrist to bend (and lean on the sharp corner of the desk). Then there's the switches. I used silver speed switches for a very long time but was able to take to red switches pretty quickly. Probably because those are both linear switches. These white switches are a little harder to get used to for me. They're clicky. If you like that you might be right at home. I'm giving them a chance and seeing if I can get used to them and I'd say I like them a little better than the first time I typed on them but I still prefer my linear switches.
Those are probably two of the reasons I'll have this as more of a decorative keyboard or break it out when I'm feeling like a change. The keybaord works great and really captures that old school look and feel but when I need to do a lot of typing, I'll probably break out the old red switches and hang this one up.
If you can find some samples of the white switches that are used (Kailh Box White Switches V2), you can see how much you like them and make a decision if you're looking for a nice looking keyboard that you can use all the time. Everyone has their own preference for mechanical keyboard switches and mine just happens to not be this. It's not bad, it's just not my favorite. Also, consider getting a wrist rest. If those aren't dealbreakers for you, this could be a fun keyboard to complete your nostalgic Nintendo desktop.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Experience stunning performance with the vast 34” curved WQHD LG UltraGear OLED gaming monitor…now in a sleek white colorway. Stay a step ahead of the competition with an ultra-fast refresh rate up to 240Hz and .03ms response time that will bring you into the game like never before.¹ And with the steep and dramatic 800R curve, you’ll feel enveloped in the action from virtually all around you. This UltraGear's ultra-thin, bezel design, height, tilt and swivel adjustability along with impressive connectivity options and make this UltraGear, ultra-essential for your battlestation setup.
Customer Rating
4
Nice picture. Great curve. Couple hiccups.
on November 9, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I have another really nice curved ultrawide monitor and this LG makes that one look flat. Like I can't tell the other one even has a curve when it's sitting above this one. I didn't think it would make a huge difference but I really like the more exaggerated curve on this one. Front loading, I like this monitor a lot and it's taken my Alienware's place as my main monitor.
Setup was pretty easy aside from one hiccup that isn't a fault of the monitor (it's actually one of it's strengths) but I feel like it's something to keep in mind if you're looking at this monitor or any other high framerate monitor. They use an enhanced DisplayPort 1.4a with DSC (Display Stream Compression) which allows the a "lossless" compressed image to be pushed over the same cable, but because it's compressed, you can squeeze a lot more frames out. What you need to consider is if you're using all four ports on your graphics card already. I can't vouch for AMD but my NVIDIA graphics card uses two of it's ports when connected to a DSC display, essentially making one port non-functional. You don't have to worry about this if you're not using all of the ports on your graphics card, but something to think about if you are. Otherwise, the monitor is just plug and play and works great right out of the box. I understand my use-case is a little more niche but I hope I save someone from the troubleshooting time I put in.
The menu on the monitor is pretty standard fare. You can adjust the picture and most of the settings you'd expect. The key feature for me was the compatibility mode that allows you to turn off DSC (which brings the refresh rate down to 144, but allows me to use all of my ports when I need to). You access the menu from a button right under the front center of the monitor so it's easy to use and doesn't stand out. The picture in picture mode was the one hiccup I ran across. It seemed like once I turned it on, there wasn't an option to toggle it off unless I assigned it to one of the two front menu shortcuts. I may have missed something here but I looked for the option to toggle it back off for a while.
One of my biggest complaints about the installation is a lack of any sort of hiding solution for your cables when you are VESA mounting. Sadly, the input chamber is a bit too shallow and without some external organizational tools, they stick out of the bottom of the monitor. If you're using the included stand, I don't think this will be an issue. The stand looks to be pretty sturdy and easy to install and should do a good job hiding your cables.
Ports, I was also a little disappointed by at first but I think I'll actually end up preferring this. My older monitor had two DisplayPort inputs and one HDMI. This one flips it and has two HDMI and one DisplayPort. I only really use the one of each a lot so I'm thinking this should be better for connection a console to this monitor if I feel like letting the kids use the main TV. HDMI is the more versatile connection so I understand and think it will be better than the two DisplayPort inputs in the long run.
Picture quality looks pretty good to me. I've seen some reviews saying that the color accuracy isn't quite as good as my other Alienware ultrawide but I haven't noticed it really. It looks great. Blacks are nice and black. Brightness looks fine (and there are options in the menu to ramp up the brightness even more but I'm fine with that setting off completely). HDR videos still look vibrant and bright (if I little less so than my Alienware, it's not much).
The biggest contributing factor to this monitor becoming my daily main monitor is the curve, though. I never thought I'd be someone who had much of an opinion on curved screens at all. My Alienware is curved but it's very subtle. I really like the steeper curve on this monitor. Playing single player games just feels like it's wrapping around you and immersing you in the world just a little more. It's a subtle things that I never really considered before and after using this screen for a little bit now I can safely say I like the steeper curve.
Overall, you can't go wrong with this monitor if this is the budget you're looking at. Your options in this price range are all great so shop around and find the right fit for you. I picked this one but I know first hand what one of it's main competitors offers and it's another great option.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Take your aerial photography and videography skills to the next level with the F28 Foldable GPS Drone and. The F28 is designed to cater to the needs of both adults and kids alike, making it perfect for families. With a 2K Full HD Time-Lapse photography feature you will be able to create stunning time lapses of scenery, construction projects or events for marketing and personal use.
Customer Rating
2
Pretty sub-par experience overall
on October 26, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
After reading the previous reviews, I was mostly worried about the app not being compatible with my iPhone since I was already updated to iOS 18. But instead, I found the whole experience to just be pretty lackluster.
Setup was definitely not a breeze. The instructions have a bunch of steps for getting everything up and running. They're mostly clear about what to do but things don't always work out quite how they describe. Powering on the drone and remote seemed to connect pretty ok. Then it's connecting to the app. This is where a lot of people have complained about it just not working or not connecting properly. I didn't have much of an issue, though. Connecting to the drone's wifi from my phone's settings app is definitely not my preferred method of connecting to anything but it worked. The app detected the drone and offered some controls.
Then the instructions talk about various joystick positions you can (should?) do to calibrate things like the compass and gyroscopes. I found the compass calibration to be a little frustrating until I restarted the app and noticed that it actually showed some instructions on the app for how to calibrate it. I couldn't get the takeoff joystick gesture to work so I had to do some awkward series of buttons in the app to take off. Overall, the whole setup process is just not intuitive and presupposes you have some knowledge of flying and setup procedures before hand.
Speaking of the app, I'm not a fan of it in general either. It's very clunky feeling. There's not a lot of feedback about if it's actually connected to the drone or not. Buttons are hidden underneath the notch or dynamic island on my phone. Just not a lot of thought was put in to it in general. And the company seems to have a separate app for each model of their drone instead of just one app that controls them all? I don't think I've ever seen that and it feels like it would make it an awful experience to get updates out in a timely manner. Updates to the apps do feel to be pretty rare. If i had to sum it up, I'd say the app makes me feel like I'm using an app from over a decade ago. Little has gone into making it look or feel modern or intuitive.
The camera seems ok. When the app is working properly, the live video feed looks decent. It's not a super expensive drone so I'm not expecting professional quality cameras here. The camera looks about how I'd expect it to at this price.
Flying the drone takes a little getting used to but, as a beginner, I didn't feel terribly overwhelmed. The drone definitely felt like it didn't stay put as well as I'd like it to. Even indoors, it would drift pretty noticeably. Maybe just for getting your bearings and learning how to fly a drone, this might be an OK place to start. I don't have an experience with other drones, though, so I'm not sure how to compare this to other new user experiences. Could I control it? Yes. Could the drone do a better job controlling itself? Probably.
Build quality on both the drone and remote are very toy-like. It's all cheap plastic. The drone feels light and pretty flimsy. The remote feels even more flimsy. The popup for holding your phone BARELY stretches far enough to hold an iPhone 16 Pro Max. I mean, I have to stretch it just passed where it wants to stretch to in order to SQUEEZE my phone into it. Buttons and joysticks all feel cheap. Everything just feels cheaply made. It works, but I don't hold out hope that it'll last very long with any decent amount of use.
The carry case is pretty small and nice, though. So there's a plus. It has a pouch that can hold spare parts and everything fits in it nicely. It's probably the least cheap feeling part of the whole package.
So overall, I don't really recommend this drone to many people. Maybe if you can't find anything else at the same price point and this is the only price point you can do. Everything just feels so cheap and like they could have put a lot more thought into the design and user experience. It's functional, but that's about it.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Designed for a seamless experience, the fully automatic Magnifica Plus guides you through the brewing process. Easily craft drinks with the touch of a button with 18 recipes to choose from, including Latte Macchiatos, Cappuccinos, Americanos & Iced Coffee. The built-in conical burr grinder and brewing unit deliver espresso with the perfect grind, dose, and brew every time, saving you time and effort. De’Longhi’s proprietary LatteCrema™ technology automatically froths milk and milk alternatives, allowing you to personalize your drink with 3 different frothing settings - light, creamy, or dense. The full touch screen display and soft touch buttons make navigation intuitive and guide you to craft and customize your beverage quickly. With up to 4 unique user profiles, adjust size and intensity to fit your preferences. Find your favorite drinks faster with Smart One-Touch intelligence, programmed to remember your most popular choices. Clean-up is simple with our auto-clean function and detachable, dishwasher-safe parts. With the Magnifica Plus, enjoy your café favorites at home, at the touch of a button.
Customer Rating
5
Almost TOO little effort required
on October 19, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I've used a few espresso makers in the past. From more entry level starters to other nice De'Longhi makers. The process of setting up and grinding the beans and tamping the coffee down and then pulling the shot is fun for a little bit. Then there's the steaming of the milk to get that proper froth. Also a good time. For a little bit. But there comes a time with every espresso maker I use that I just stop using it because it's easier to just make a pot of dripped coffee. That said, I might keep using this one for the long haul.
Setup looks more daunting than it is. It's an expensive machine and the book had some detailed instructions about the steps you should take when you first set it up as well as steps you should take the maintain it. It's just a lot to read through right away. When you actually power the machine up for the first time, it runs you through all of the initial setup steps described in the book right on the screen so you don't miss anything. You even test your water hardness and input it into the machine so it knows when you remind you to descale. Everything is very automatic.
Usage was almost scary at first. Once you have everything set up, the hand holding stops and you're just presented with a list of drinks and when you press one, it just starts making it immediately. If you're missing the milk container, it'll remind you to attach it, but there's no extra instructions or no guide for how much milk you'll need for this drink. Just tap the drink and it's off to the races. They definitely weren't messing around when they say "fully automatic" here.
The "fear" did subside after the first couple of drinks. Now that I know how things work (for the most part), it's just a little trial and error. I put more milk in than I think I'm going to need and then look at how much is left (the side of the milk container has number lines) when the drink is done. Once you have this locked in on your favorite drinks, it's pretty easy to fill it to that line and then let the machine do it's thing.
Cleanup is also really easy. The milk container has a clean mode you should use after you're done making whatever drinks you're making. This rinses out the nozzle. Then you just detach it and wash it like normal. The drip tray also slides out and brings the expelled coffee with it. This is the extent of things you need to clean. Everything just comes apart really easy and for the most part just needs a quick rinse and dry.
One thing I wish was included was some sort of rinse container. You can just put another cup or container under the spouts yourself but it would have been nice to have something included that I could just rinse out. When the machine shuts down, boots up or cleans the milk spout, some water gets (obviously) ejected. I've just been letting it spill into the drip tray and then cleaning that out every day or two. Overall, it hasn't been a problem, though, because like I said, cleanup is pretty quick and easy.
The quality of the drinks is pretty top notch to me. I'm no a huge coffee snob but I like coffee. So far, everything has come out pretty perfect every time. The milk frother is so consistent I don't ever worry about it. And there's even a feature to create your own custom drinks if you want. It'll just start dispensing and you tell it when to stop so it knows how much of each ingredient to do.
I'd say the only real downside for me is the size of the drinks. The XL drink is still only about an 8oz cup. I've had to break out the smaller coffee cups because we normally drink coffee from larger 16oz cups. Obviously not that big of a deal with being able to create your own drink mixes or just making a second cup.
So, I feel like if you're into the whole "process" of making espresso or a cappuccino or whatever other fancy coffee drink you enjoy, you might not really like this espresso maker. It gets rid of all of that. There's no more process. The beans and water last for several cups and the only real step you have is to fill up some milk in the frother if it's required. There's no more process. I can see myself making a couple single cups of coffee from now on instead of just a big pot because of how hands off and easy it is. The drinks come out good and I don't have to do much anymore. 11/10, would recommend, if you're over the "process" of making espresso like I am.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Introducing MX Creative Console, streamline your creative workflow with intuitive and customizable backlit LCD keys and tactile controls for precise adjustments on the dialpad. MX Creative Console lets you quickly access shortcuts and actions on your favorite apps with recommended profile configurations, or customize it to fit your own workflow.
Customer Rating
4
Great for creative work
on October 15, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I stream on Twitch/YouTube and also do my share of video and photo editing and I feel like you can never have enough buttons. I've used devices similar to this, like the StreamDeck and Razer Stream Controller X. The biggest thing that sets this apart is the dial pad. Will it replace my StreamDeck? Probably not. But I'll definitely use it along side it.
Setup wasn't as smooth as I would have loved but I chalk it up to it being a new device and those issues should just resolve itself. The biggest thing was just how it seemed to eventually... just work. Installing the updated Logi Options+ software that was compatible with the MX Creative Console didn't just immediately make it come to life. The software just was stuck on the "connect your device(s)" screen. But eventually, after a couple software reboots and just coming back the next day, I saw a new message when I was checking for software updates (again). "New devices detected, restarted to use them". Restarting the app and they finally showed up.
Settings up the devices is another task. As with any custom input device, setting up the custom controls that work best for you is the first real chore and usually a chore you evolve over time. The keypad and dial have some custom profiles set up for you for things like Photoshop and Lightroom and Premier. These activate automatically when you switch to their applications (or they should). I noticed this didn't always happen with the dial but usually the keypad would switch pretty quickly whenever you focused the application.
This is usually the biggest issue I have with custom input devices. The software really needs to be tight and, as much as I don't hate Logi Options+ as much as I've hated a lot of other Logitech software, I still think it has some room to grow. On top of some software issues with profile activation, I also couldn't find an SDK readily available so I'm not crazy confident that their tiny library of plugins is going to grow very quickly. It sort of looked like it was using similar plugins as the Loupedeck software but I couldn't find any confirmation on that.
Device usage is pretty good. The keypad is plugged in via USB-C and can either lay flat on your desk or be propped up with an included stand. One of the standout features of this keypad and something I wish I had on my StreamDeck is dedicated page buttons. With only 9 buttons, there's a good chance you'll find yourself with multiple pages of actions and having dedicated page buttons instead of needing to take up one or two full keys just for switching pages just makes sense. The keypad and dial pad buttons all feel good to press and the dial and scroll wheel both feel nice to move. Interacting with these devices feels good and the dial pad being wireless makes it easy to place it exactly where you can use it most effectively. I also didn't see it drop below 100% battery the whole time I was using it so I'm going to venture a guess that the batteries (not rechargeable, it takes two included AAA batteries) will last a long time.
I found the Options+ software pretty OK at being able to customize keys to do what you'd like. You'll find all the basics like opening applications, controlling volumes, media keys, etc. But If you want more specialized controls that interact with specialized services and programs, you'll find the plugin library to be rather lacking. It's got the heavy hitters like a lot of the Adobe products. There's OBS and Twitch plugins. But not a whole lot more. That said, I've seen the StreamDeck and LoupeDeck softwares evolve over time and Options+ has a pretty solid foundation for such a new product. Things that were introduced down the line in the other software are already there in Options+. The biggest downside right now is just the small library of plugins.
Overall, I like the devices and they'll do a good job of helping with some editing tasks and I'll even try and find some uses for enhancing my streams as well. My biggest issues are all software related which can be resolved over time. I really hope they push out (or make it more known) a public SDK so plugins can be created and the tiny plugin library can grow. Hopefully, with this being a new product, the software advances and the customization options just gets bigger because it's really hard to compete with the StreamDeck when it comes to software and customization. But I'm hopeful since this does offer extra with the wireless Dial Pad.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Shark StainStriker HairPro is a portable spot & stain remover designed to tackle stains and odors with 3x more pet hair pick-up* without clogging, clumping, or tangles.
Customer Rating
4
Easy to use and effective
on October 15, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I had two go-to spot cleaner tools before this one. A small, battery operated thing and a plugin machine similar to this one. The problem I had with the plugin machine was just getting it all set up and then cleaning it when I was done was a pretty big hassle. So I pretty much always used the portable battery operated machine. I'm hoping I can change that with this new one because, as convenient and quick as the battery powered machine is, it just doesn't pack the same punch.
Setup is pretty easy. There are stickers with step-by-step instructions for a lot of things (like removing the water tanks) and the instructions are pretty straight forward and give you a good idea of what each attachment does. Reading the instructions will let you know about some reversible parts and best steps for care but for the most part, you click the attachment you want to use onto the hose and fill the two reservoirs with water and cleaning solution. Plug in and you're ready to go.
Using the machine is also very straight forward if you've ever used any kind of wet vac before. Spray the area, scrub a bit and pull slowly backwards with pressure to suck up the liquid. The included brushes (both bristle and rubber) are all pretty nice depending on the mess and what you're cleaning. The only issue I did run into was with attaching the "pet mess extractor". It just doesn't click in right away and you have to give it a big more of a shove to get it to lock into place. The other attachments all fit really easily.
Not only do we have two cats, but we also have two small children. I found some pretty caked on spots of something my kids were eating on the couch and gave them a couple passes over a few days (the instructions tell you to wait a day between passes for stubborn, old stains) and they cleaned up pretty good. A couple other stains that are been around for a really long time look noticeably better right now (I'll probably keep going over them every week or so to see if I can't get rid of them completely).
Our cat messes, now a days, are mostly puke and hairballs. This knocks those out without an issue. I'd say it's too much machine for a mess like that. It is nice that there's a hair trap in the waste water bin, though. It doesn't really matter what kind of mess we're cleaning up, there's a good chance it's going to get some hair and having all of that collected in a separate place so we don't have to worry about clogging the drains with it is really nice.
The suction, in general, is very good. Compared to my battery powered machine, this is night and day. I don't have to drag the tool over the wet area 50 times to get it a little bit dry. It does it's job and gets most of the liquid pretty quickly.
On the negative, it's still quite loud to use. It's not the end of the world. I've heard louder. Plugin vacuums are just loud and I wouldn't trade the power this one has for something a little quieter so I'll take it. The biggest problem this poses for me is that I normally don't find the time to do an extensive vacuum or cleaning job until the kids go to sleep and this could be too loud for that time.
Cleanup is pretty simple. One of my biggest issues with the other plugin machine I have is that cat hair and gunk get stuck under the acrylic front plate and there isn't any way to remove it to clean it well. All of the attachments for this Shark machine come apart nicely for cleaning. There's also a self clean mode that cleans out the hose. And because the clean water and cleaning solution are in separate reservoirs, it doesn't waste cleaning solution during the cleaning. Like I mentioned earlier, there's a separate hair trap that comes out to empty into the garbage (and it has a nice step by step instruction sticker on it). Then you just rinse out most of the parts you used and let it dry from the next time.
My biggest gripe with this machine extends to my other machine as well. It comes with a variety of attachments but there's no place to put them. I would have loved an extension or something that attached to the vacuum and lets you attach the parts you're not using so they're all kept in one place and ready to use instead of just being tossed in a bag or drawer somewhere not near the vacuum.
So does this plugin machine replace the machines I already have? I'm pretty sure it'll replace the other plugin machine I use. The cleanup process and the ability to thoroughly clean the attachments are a big plus for me. Setup is also a big quicker and I would even say it's a little bit quieter (not much). It checks all the boxes for just being a better plugin stain/spot cleaner. Will I use this instead of my portable battery operated cleaner? Probably not, but I might break this one out more often for smaller messes that I would have normally used the battery powered handheld for. This Shark just won't be able to beat the 60 seconds it takes to clean up with the handheld. I just don't think they're made for the same thing and that's fine.
But for any mess that isn't tiny, I'll be going straight for this one. It works well.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Make your best plays and leave more room for your mouse. The CORSAIR K70 CORE TKL WIRELESS gaming keyboard offers amazing gaming and typing on a compact tenkeyless footprint, free from wires via ultra-fast SLIPSTREAM WIRELESS v1.5 or versatile Bluetooth. Enjoy silky-smooth, wobble-free keystrokes with pre-lubricated CORSAIR MLX Red v2 linear switches, lit by ultra-bright per-key RGB. The K70 CORE TKL WIRELESS typing experience is in a league of its own, as two layers of sound dampening create an ultra-satisfying sound and feel. A multi-function dial and programmable button put media control at your fingertips, while the game mode button activates settings that reduce input lag and maximize performance while competing. Your ambition starts with K70 CORE TKL WIRELESS.
Customer Rating
4
Mechanical, portable and easy to use everywhere
on October 4, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
Off the top, this is a really nice, portable and versatile keyboard. There's not much to dislike here. I'd say my only minor complaint would be a lack of a keypad, but for the size and also being a keyboard that's easy to connect to so many devices, I'd take the hit for the portability.
Setup is a breeze no matter how you want to use it. There's an included "slipstream" wireless 2.4ghz dongle that you can plug into your PC and just use the keyboard straight away (just toggle the power switch to the correct side of the 3-way switch). You can also connect the keyboard to 3 separate bluetooth devices. You can even connect to your PS4/5 (which makes me wish more PS4/5 games supported mouse and keyboard controls). The wireless dongle is definitely the easiest way to set up and is great for accessing things outside of your operating system like your system bios. But wait, there's more! You can ALSO connect in wired mode for ANOTHER connection type. This is how I'm currently set up. I can connect with the USB-C cable to my main gaming PC for the best connection. Then I can connect with the Bluetooth connection mode to my iPhone, iPad and MacMini. And THEN, I can still use the wireless dongle to connect to another computer or laptop or anything else that accepts a USB keyboard. I keep stumbling across more versatility in this keyboard.
Keys feel pretty good. I'm used to silver speed switches so the red keys feel a little different to me but they don't feel back. There's some sound dampening going on but it's pretty muted and minor. I like the sound of my silver switches and these sound similar, just a bit more muted. If you're looking for a really clicky keyboard, look into other switches.
Build quality is exceptional. The keyboard as a whole feels very sturdy and has some heft to it while still maintaining a fairly small footprint. The included wrist rest is nice and comfortable and also attaches and detaches really easily. It's magnetic and I felt like the connection was really weak when I first attached it. I just assumed it would be able to slide around and disconnect whenever. I have not had that issue with actual usage, though. The weight of your wrists holds it down while the grippy pads on the bottle do a good job to keep it in place.
iCue software can be used to customize a lot of things like the lighting and the functional buttons/dials in the upper right. But the best thing is you don't NEED to use iCue to do most things. I don't hate the iCue software, unlike a lot of other peripheral software, but it's really nice that you just don't need it if you don't need it. If you're ok with the defaults, then you're all set. There's still plenty of options to customize via built in keystroke combos. You can cycle through 10 of their built in lighting profiles straight from the keyboard without using iCue at all. When enabling "Gaming Mode", it disables the Windows key and sets the lighting to a solid color. I haven't found a way to change this color without iCue, though. It defaults to red, so at least it's easy to see that you have gaming mode enabled. There's just a lot of options whether you have iCue installed or not (which makes it super nice when you're using the keyboard with your iPad or iPhone or another non-computer device.
Bottom line here, I've been using a Corsair K95 with Silver switches for a really long time. I really like it. It still works fine. But using this keyboard for a short time and I'm starting to turn around. I think I'm going to stick with this for my daily driver. The fact that I can just use it as pretty much every keyboard I need and easily just unplug it to take it to another device means I'm always using the keyboard I'm accustomed to and that's really awesome. I might just grab myself a separate keypad for my PC but I might just not feel like I need it. I like how this keyboard feels to type on as well as how versatile it is so I'd recommend you give it a look if you're looking for the same thing and this is in your price range.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Meet the Anker SOLIX C300X: your ultimate companion for outdoor adventures and home backup. This compact powerhouse features 288Wh and 300W output, allowing you to charge up to 7 devices at once. It's 30% smaller than similar models, making it perfect for road trips, and recharges quickly—90 minutes via USB-C or 3 hours with solar. With robust LiFePO4 batteries for up to 10 years of use and smart control via the Anker app, the Anker SOLIX C300X ensures reliable power wherever your journey takes you and provides dependable backup for home emergencies.
Customer Rating
5
Small but mighty power wherever you need it
on October 1, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
Whether you're looking for some power while you travel or when you're roughing it or you just want a to power some things where you don't want to run a huge extension cord, this is a great power bank.
Setup is as easy as taking it out of the box. It's ready to go. You might need to charge it up a little bit but mine came about half charged right out of the box. There's also an app you can use to look at some more detailed stats like how much power each outlet is pulling and how much total is being used.
With a handle on top and an optional strap, the size of this battery is pretty perfect for what it offers. It's really easy to take literally anywhere you need it. It's also not crazy heavy or anything so I mean it when I say it's super easy to take with you virtually anywhere.
Your options for power include a 12v car adapter plug, three 120v standard 3 prong plugs, two 140w USB-C outlets, one 15w USB-C outlet and a 12w USB-A outlet. There's also an input for both a standard power cord you can plug in at home as well as a solar panel plug if you have solar panels for when you are away from home. Each section of outputs has it's own switch to turn them on or off so you can control what's getting power. There's also a screen that gives you some basic information about how much charge is left in and a couple other tidbits. I would have liked to see a button I could press to toggle what main information was displayed but it's not a huge deal that you can't do that.
The main reason it's not a huge deal is because of the app. I really like the app. It's nicely designed. It does ask you to log in, but it also allows you to skip the login and just connect to your battery via bluetooth. I'm all for any company that offers the ability to NOT log in just to access their battery. You do get some extra functionality if you log in, like the ability to connect to your battery via wifi or saving your battery so you don't have to reconnect to it if you get a new device. Not a huge dealbreaker so I opted to just use bluetooth.
The app displays a lot of really nice information about each port and how much power they are consuming or drawing as well as the overall charge level of the battery. It's not super complicated and there isn't really much else but I really like seeing the breakdown and the app is designed nicely so it all looks really nice.
There's a light as well. Most things have a light. I guess it's nice that the light is included so if you're camping or something, you don't need to plug in an extra item. Just turn on the light to illuminate the area.
Overall, I was really impressed with this battery. It's really compact. It packs a ton of outlets so you can charge or power so many things. I was able to run a pretty powerful laptop while also charging my phone and another device all at once and I was able to monitor how much each thing was drawing on the app. I'll definitely be taking this anywhere I may need some power for short-ish periods of time. Even if it's just a room in the house where reaching a wired outlet is a little difficult. It's just that nice to move around. I think a lot of people could use one of these so if you're in the market for one, add this to your short list of ones to check out.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Unlock your digital world with this powerhouse Next Gen AI PC. Hustle hard, ignite inspiration, and game on with this sleek and powerful laptop that will see you through it all, and still be future-ready for more tomorrow.
Customer Rating
4
Small but mighty. Still a no on the AI stuff.
on September 25, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
This is one powerhouse of a small laptop. The new AMD chip and the inclusion of 32GB of memory as well as the 1TB of storage make it a pretty good workstation machine for most people's daily needs. This is probably going to become my new daily development machine.
Setup is easy as always. Bloatware includes McAfee and Dropbox but not much else. Easily uninstalled. I was also happy that only the English translations of Microsoft 365 and OneNote were present. For some reason, a lot of other machines I've tried include so many translations and they easy take so long to uninstall. Overall, easy as any other Windows 11 machine to set up these days.
The screen looks pretty good. It's got a decent resoltuion for a 14" screen. It's not an OLED or anything but it's still pleasant to look at. It's glossy, so if you're adverse to that or plan on using this machine outdoors or near brightly lit windows, you might want to reconsider. Otherwise, it looks good if you aren't worried about a bit of reflection in your screen. It's also variable refresh rate so you don't have to worry about screen tearing if you plan on doing some gaming. It's also touch-screen if you care about that. I'm not one of those people, though.
The new AMD CPU is nice and quick. I didn't find any issues with anything slowing down no matter how much I tried to (reasonably) throw at it. It also clears the Copilot+ benchmark so it can do a lot of AI stuff on machine instead of needing to throw it to the cloud. Sadly, it just hasn't been long enough for the copilot+ models and abilities to really be very groundbreaking or even close to any of the online models. I'm hopeful for the future. Small things and just playing around, you can get by.
The integrated GPU is actually pretty capable. It's not going to break records but this isn't a machine you're buying for gaming. This is a machine you'll buy for work or school and be able to do a little gaming on the side when you get bored. Most modern games run just fine and you might not even need to do a lot of adjusting of the settings. I was a little impressed considering it's an integrated graphics chip. With the AMD super resolution stuff, you can really squeeze out a lot of virtual performance out of a machine like this.
While 1TB of storage is starting to become a little more common (still not nearly common enough, though), 32GB of memory on a laptop this size is pretty unheard of unless you're customizing and going all out for the top of the line. This will let you look up anything you need to (obviously opening an obscene amount of tabs in the process) while also running things like Visual Studio and Unity Editor or whatever Office applications you might need while also doing some moderate photo editing in Photoshop. Maybe swap one of those things out for some video editing too. Point is, you can get a lot done here.
The overall build of this laptop feels very nice. The hinge for the screen feels firm but not too crazy. You don't need to hold the bottom of the laptop down to dislodge the magnets that hold the screen down tight, but once you get past that, lifting the screen also lifts the laptop. This could be good or bad depending on what you like. I don't like my screen hinge to feel flimsy and loose so I'm a fan here. The keyboard looks nice and clean with really big letters. It almost makes the keys look bigger but I was able to type just fine so I think it's a standard size. The trackpad is nice and big and works fine. There's also BOTH a fingerprint scanner AND a facial recognition camera so you can pick your poison when it comes to how you want to do your bio-scanning.
Audio quality is.. laptop audio. It's fine for the most part. I rarely use a laptop without headphones so I didn't do a ton of testing here. Just wear some headphones.
I don't have exact numbers on the battery life (I'm a mostly plugged in user), I did notice I could un-tether pretty regularly and not worry too much. I would estimate I could probably do a decent 7 to 10 hours of pretty normal development work without too much of an issue. Depending on what you're using this for, your mileage may vary but I found the battery to be pretty good.
So my conclusion on this laptop is that it's pretty great. With great specs for a really nice workstation and even a decent enough GPU to do some light to moderate gaming, there's not a ton more to want. If you're buying into the AI gimmick and branding and only buying this for that reason, I'd just not do that. This is a good machine without the AI stuff. I'm hoping all of the AI stuff improves over time but if it doesn't, you still have a pretty good workstation machine here. If it's in your price range, add it to your short list.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
Rank up to Premier Cross-Platform Performance. The Turtle Beach Stealth 700 wireless multiplatform gaming headset for PC, PlayStation, Steam Deck and mobile is redesigned for a 3rd generation of premium gaming prowess. The all-new CrossPlay wireless system with dual USB transmitters and simultaneous Bluetooth connectivity deliver quick and easy connection to PC, gaming consoles & mobile devices. Huge, 60mm Eclipse Dual Drivers deliver 24-bit audio quality for unparalleled PC audio performance, and the Gen 3, flip-to-mute mic with high-bandwidth mic performance allows for exceptionally clear voice accuracy. Plus, using the Swarm II companion app, you can adjust your microphone & audio settings to your exact, customized preference. Dominate for hours in complete comfort with an 80-hour battery life, and memory foam ear cushions.
Customer Rating
4
Good sound. Nice look. Loud.
on September 25, 2024
Posted by: swemoney
I feel like I've tried so many headphones. I'll preface my review by saying I'm not an audiophile or anything. I like things to "sound good" to me but that isn't necessarily going to be the same thing that "sounds good" to you. I think these headphones sound really good. One of the better pair, especially at this price point.
Setup is dead simple. Plug in the USB dongle and you're off to the races. Best news is this set comes with TWO dongles that you can swap between with a button on the headset. I've had one other pair of headphones that was designed to connect to multiple systems at once and I thought that was such a cool and useful feature. That was all wired. This is so easy to just plug into whatever you'd like and go nuts. A single button press switches between them. Mind truly blown.
Usage was fairly easy. I'm not used to the main function buttons of a headset being on the left ear, but it wasn't a huge adjustment. There's a volume dial as well as a mic/side tone dial. I feel like the side tone volume is usually a set it and forget it setting for me so I'm not sure a full dial on the ear was necessary but it's there if you want it. There's also a "mode" button that toggles between different EQ settings. On the right ear, you have most of your bluetooth settings (which it can connect to simultaneously). You can dial in the bluetooth volume to your liking or switch the USB receiver you're currently connects to.
Sound quality, I feel, is really good. It's loud. Like really loud. I could just be getting old, but when I was using these to just listen to music on my PC, I had the volume set to around 10-15% to listen comfortably. They aren't deafening if you crank them up but they sound really loud. Depending on the EQ you're using, the bass actually sounds really nice. Sound-wise, in general, I just thought these sounded like one of the better sets of headphones that I've used and at the pricepoint these are at, they're hard to beat. This is all my subjective opinion but I have tried out a lot of headphones over the last decade or so.
There's no active noise canceling in these but the ear pads feel like they get a good seal on your ears and I didn't hear a lot of excess noise leaking in. This could also come back around to how loud the headphones sound. It's very possible the volume compensates for the lack of noise canceling.
The microphone sounds fine. I'm not going to write home about it but it's fine. It's not bad. It's not going to replace my XLR microphone. It's just a decent headphone mic.
Overall, I'm pretty happy with these headphones. If there was an optional 3.5mm input jack, I'd consider replacing my streaming headphones with these. But since I can't go wireless during streams, these will probably step in as my new off-stream set and get used with my PS5 with the second dongle. I'm a fan and if these are in your pricerange, you should consider them.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Share this review:
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
swemoney's Review Comments
swemoney has not submitted comments on any reviews.
swemoney's Questions
swemoney has not submitted any questions.
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.
Is it possible to remove that clip on the wire?
Clip is formed plastic around the wire, so not unless you break the clip. You can move it up and down the wire. I barely noticed it, myself.
9 years 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.
Is this earphone compatible with Andriod phone?
I didn't test them out on an Android device, but they're bluetooth headphones. So if your Android device supports Bluetooth audio, they should work fine.
9 years ago
by
swemoney