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Andyj
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- Review count80
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- First reviewAugust 5, 2016
- Last reviewApril 24, 2023
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.6
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- Answer count6
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- First answerOctober 16, 2018
- Last answerNovember 13, 2019
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Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
Upon receiving this computer and unboxing it, I did what I normally do and had a look inside the case.
What I found was a fairly propriety motherboard, a non-oem CPU cooler, and only 1 extra SATA port and power connector for an additional drive.
Contrary to other reviews, it is possible to fit a 3.5" HDD in this computer as an additional drive.
So let's start with the basics:
CPU: The Ryzen 2400G is a fairly responsive and speedy quad-core CPU. While it is true that all AMD Ryzen CPUs are unlocked, this is not a computer I would try to push it with a mini-tower case and inadequate cooling for overclocking. That being said, the CPU is nearly toe-to-toe with my i7-6700k in terms of performance at stock speeds.
Graphics: While AMD has been making "APUs" for a while, this is one of the first Ryzen CPUs that AMD has released with graphics capabilities. It uses what is called Vega 11, which is inline with AMD's latest beefier GPUs. This can handle older titles and some newer games that don't exceed the specifications of this computer. Video playback is smooth and flawless.
Storage: While this computer comes with a 1TB HDD, light to moderate users should have ample capacity with this drive. If not, this HP has a plethora of USB 3.0 Type-A and even a Type-C ports for attaching external storage.
This may not be a well known fact, but Windows 10 does not natively play DVDs. HP has included software to do so. This is nice, as it saves money from having to buy an additional program.
Overall: This computer is more than adequate for web browsing, video playing, and some light to moderate gaming. It has quite a bit more RAM than you would see standard in a Desktop computer of this caliber, 12GB (1GB is used for graphics). I would dare say you can run Photoshop on it (I played around with it on this computer).
Don't expect this computer to be more than it is. However, it's a more than capable Desktop for most software (and some games) that you can throw at it. Just don't expect to run a VR setu.p from it
Mobile Submission: False
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NordVPN is a VPN (virtual private network) ~ it encrypts your internet data and hides your virtual location. What~s more, the advanced Threat Protection feature helps you avoid trackers and ads, scans URLs to make sure the websites you visit are safe, and inspects downloaded files for malware.
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
I'm a bit late on this review, but have been using NordVPN on and off for a while now.
I found the software fairly easy to install, run and configure. The company has made it easy as pie to run on Windows.
However, should you have a high speed internet connection like FIOS Gigabit, don't expect those speeds when running NordVPN or most other services of this type. I was impressed to hit about 200/200 on a server geographically close to me, but never much faster than that.
I ran some web testing to ensure that my VPN IP address was visible and not my ISPs IP address. NordVPN passed all of these.
As for other reasons you might use a VPN, I won't elaborate here, but it works fine. You don't even have to change servers most of the time. However, keep in kind if you have crazy fast internet, you aren't going to max it out this way.
I can't give this 5 stars because it cripples my true potential for upload and download speeds for FIOS Gigabit, therefore I don't run it 100% of the time.
I can't find any fault with this product or service otherwise.
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy the adaptable, intuitive design of these versatile Under Armour wireless headphones. The flexible neckband maintains a strong, comfortable fit during workouts or workdays, while the JBL-engineered hardware delivers crisp, rich audio. Enjoy a full hour of powerful performance from a five-minute battery charge with these Under Armour wireless headphones.
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
JBL has done their homework when it comes to making a pair of headphones geared toward workouts.
These are extremely simple to wear, with a great fit out of the box to my ears.
The neckband is a fairly comfortable fit and is adjustable so you can find that perfect spot between too loose and too tight.
Sound quality is fairly good, but not audiophile level. I didn't find anything to complain about with these sport oriented bluetooth headphones.
Very flexible to fit, easy to charge and have some water resistance. Quite happy with these.
Mobile Submission: True
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Enjoy an authentic sound with these Sony 1AM2 headphones. Their 40mm HD drivers provide clear, precise sound across all frequencies, and their separate left and right channels reduce crosstalk for balanced audio. These Sony 1AM2 headphones are lightweight, with pressure-relieving cushioned earpads for comfortable all-day wear.
Customer Rating
5
Taking wired headphones to another level.
on June 10, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
Most headphones and earbuds I have reviewed are either Bluetooth w/ EQ adjustments or favor a range of frequencies over the whole sound experience.
While these appear to be just another pair of wired headphones with no frills, you would be right, until you dig into the details and specifications of the Sony 1AM2. Then you try them on, queue up your favorite music and have your jaw drop at the clarity of the sound these put out.
I'm not an audiophile, don't have an external DAC to connect these to, or have an audio test bench to analyze these with.
Sony has done an incredible job of producing an affordable, astonishing clean, and for the most part a neutral sound that is typically sought out at much higher price ranges, including Sony's much higher end studio headphones.
I have primarily tested these on my Galaxy S8, have turned off any and all EQ and sound enhancements to ensure that my phone was outputting pure, unadulturated sound.
My expectations were uneven performance across frequency ranges, muddied sound with songs that hit across the lows, mids and highs and a generally flat tone.
Don't confuse neutral with flat, neutral sound is all about the engineering and design that goes into a pair of headphones that strive for it. The 1AM2s are as close as you can get to neutral without dropping $1000s more into additional equipment. If you want to experience "how it sounds as it was recorded", these do a very good job of it.
I have run a couple of rudimentary youtube headphone tests, that push the extremes of upper and lower frequencies and everything in between, channel separation, and quite a few others. Can these headphones hit 100hz without distortion, yes they can, can these hit 20Khz as well, absolutely.
I tend to favor movie soundtracks to dig into the details of what I expect to hear and what I end up hearing. There are definitely a number of noteworthy John WIlliams compositions that I typically will reference when I do my own tests. Jurassic Park, End Credits for The Last Jedi, and quite a few other albums that I use.
I have tested these across many genres, and have yet to find fault with leaving the EQ off on my phone.
Absolutely the most pleasant listening experience I have had to date. You can't go wrong with the Sony 1AM2, it's the right price and delivers an audiophile experience that is difficult to match without going hundreds or thousands higher in cost.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
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Enjoy your favorite music through these Sony Sports wireless noise-cancelling headphones. The in-ear design ensures a snug fit, so you can jog or walk without missing a beat, and the wireless format eliminates the need for cumbersome cords. The Ambient Sound Mode on these Sony Sports wireless noise-cancelling headphones keeps you alert to your environment.
Customer Rating
4
Comfortable, clean and bassy
on June 10, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
Upon opening the box and trying these on, I found that the earbud tips were a bit too large for my ears. Thankfully Sony has included multiple sizes and I was able to find a good fit. These do snap on, so refer to the instructions on how to change them as to not cause damage. They feel quite comfortable as opposed to wedging something in my ears.
The SP600N still uses the Sony Headphones app to adjust EQ settings, noise cancelling levels, and some other tweaks. Unfortunately, the app lacks custom EQ settings that are available in higher end Sony Bluetooth products. With that said, Sony offers about 6 or 7 sound EQ presets to switch between to fit your tastes.
Sony has certainly upped their game on earbud sound quality as I have found these to have an impressive sound range and fairly clean sound with only a tiny bit of distortion when pushed (max volume, bass all the way up).
The Noise Cancelling is on par with many of their current Bluetooth offerings, only usurped by their higher end full headphones. I am typing this review while sitting on my ground floor balcony, next to several AC units running and they don't intrude on music listening whatsoever.
The SP600N features a battery that lasts about 6 hours, but have to be recharged via a USB connection.
Overall, I am happy with these and could wear them all day if only the battery lasted that long.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Listen to your favorite playlists with these Sony wireless noise-cancelling headphones. They're equipped with the Google Assistant for instant help with a range of tasks, and their silicon support fittings keep the headphones in place while you're active. Use these Sony wireless noise-cancelling headphones' Ambient Sound Mode when you need to stay aware of your environment.
Customer Rating
4
Decent quality and noise cancelling
on June 10, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
I found the SP700Ns to be good for a decent no-wires listening experience.
While these are truly wireless (no cable between ears) they do suffer in terms of how long they can go between charges because of the battery size.
Thankfully Sony has included a charging case, similar to other products in this category.
Thankfully Sony has included a charging case, similar to other products in this category.
It makes great use of the Sony Headphones app on my Android and the noise cancelling capabilities have 3 options, 2 of them allowing some ambient noise through and the third option kicks the noise cancelling way up.
I found these an easy fit for my ears (they lack additional tips, but it wasn't an issue for me). I did have to adjust the positioning of the right side to get even sound, but I think it's just an issue with me and not the product.
Where I feel the product lacks is somewhat on sound quality. Don't get me wrong, it's not that they don't sound clean across most frequencies. Where they lack that exact EQ setting you may want is within the Headphones app options. You have about 6-8 options and that's it. No custom EQ choices or standalone clearbass adjustments.
Excited bumps it all the way up, Bright drops it below neutral to -1.
These are not meant to be audiophile level earbuds, but they have enough features, sound quality, noise cancelling capabilities to put them above other products in this price range.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: True
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy your favorite songs with this Bluetooth Sony speaker. Its multicolored line lights and flashing strobe turn any gathering into a party, and the 12 hours battery keeps the music playing all night long. This portable Sony speaker is resistant to water, dust and rust, so you can supply the tunes for any adventure.
Customer Rating
5
Don't let the size fool you
on April 12, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
The SRS-XB21 is not just “another portable Bluetooth speaker”. In this case, Sony has created a product that offers up to 12 hours of use on a full charge, surprisingly clean full range sound for it’s size, and is extremely forgiving of the elements. It has a IP67 rating, which I tested by running it under a faucet while operating it. Sony has improved the mesh design to make it easy to clean off dirt and other such things.
Basically, you can use this near a pool, bathtub, outdoors or practically anywhere you want, without the worry of completely ruining it by exposing it to water or dirt.
I have not personally had the opportunity to travel and test it in situations where my only options for music are my phone speaker or headphones. It can connect with other Sony products in this series to have a chain of speakers, like perhaps a backyard barbeque or a patio pool party.
I had low hopes for the SRS-XB21, as it is pretty much entry level for this line of Sony portable Bluetooth speakers. My skepticism was dashed when I connected it to my phone and threw all sorts of music genres at it. It held up, with no discernable distortion, even at the highest volume setting.
While this is not advertised or claimed by Sony to be indestructible, it can “weather” some conditions that you might not be willing to risk other products in. Don’t drop it, but don’t be afraid to take it with you wherever you go. It holds up to the type of accidents that would kill other products.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Add music to your day with these Sony wireless headphones. Their noise cancelling technology uses artificial intelligence to adapt to your environment and reduce background sounds for enjoyable listening. The Quick Charging battery on these over-ear Sony wireless headphones provides up to 35 hours of playback for convenience.
Customer Rating
4
Feature packed for a good price
on April 9, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
Out of the box, I was impressed by the clarity of the sound coming from the WH-CH700N, their ease of pairing them to a Bluetooth device, and their light weight. I feel that their price range is fair overall, based on the sound quality, battery life, phone app options and noise cancelling features.
I had previously tried a pair Sony’s WH-1000MX2 headphones and felt Sony nailed it on most points. The WH-CH700N is about $150 cheaper, but a fair compromise in features. The sound quality is incredibly clean while playing music from my Galaxy S8, but struggles to hit some of the lower notes without a bit of tweaking with the Sony Headphones app. Unfortunately, to use the Sony EQ presets, you must disable aptX to use them (the Sony app does this automatically).
I have found them generally comfortable to wear, but they do a feel a little bit loose compared to other offerings in this price range.
All in all, I feel that Sony has done a good job with overall quality and features for this product.
In addition, 35 hours between charges is more than generous for Bluetooth connectivity. On a modest budget, I feel that Sony gives a good “bang for the buck” with the WH-CH700N.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Listen to music while traveling with these Bluetooth-enabled JLab earbuds. Noise-cancelling technology eliminates up to 90 percent of background noise, so you can focus on the songs, and they work for up to 11 hours on a single charge to keep you entertained. These JLab earbuds have intuitive controls for changing tracks, pausing or adjusting the volume.
Customer Rating
4
A good product for a modest price
on March 30, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
I don’t usually have high expectations for earbuds, especially those that work over Bluetooth. My initial impression was that these sounded pretty good, especially for this price range.
It took me a while to find the right silicone tips that fit my ears well and didn’t feel as though there were going to fall out. Once I did, I fired up various genres of music to test out how well they performed. Once again, I was impressed by the clarity of this product.
One thing that I felt lacking though, was the Active Noise Cancelling capabilities of this product. I could not tell an appreciable difference with it turned on or off. Other may agree or disagree with me on this subject.
The strong suit of this product is the sound quality in the price range it’s in. While it lacks a portable travel/charge case, this is mainly due to how the product is built. The battery is built into the cable instead of each ear piece. Another strong suit is that it includes a cable to connect it to an earphone jack. This is something that is rarely found in other products of this type, if at all. You can continue to use them even if the battery is completely drained. For this reason, I would highly recommend taking a serious look at these if you need the versatility of wireless earbuds and the option to use them wired as well.
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Slip on these Sennheiser HD 1 wireless headphones to enjoy hi-fi sound without interruptions. The NoiseGard technology keeps out background noise, and the high-definition aptX codex ensures you hear all the details in dialog or music. These Sennheiser HD 1 wireless headphones come with a built-in microphone and ear-cup controls so you can take calls from a paired device.
Customer Rating
5
A great product
on March 21, 2018
Posted by: Andyj
from Germantown, MD
These headphones sound exceptionally well. I am always on the quest to find a product that are both durable and have sound quality that is literally music to my ears. These have a stainless-steel headband, with a stitched leather cushion at the top, as well as leather wrapped cushioned earpads for ultimate comfort.
When I first received the Sennheiser HD1s, I paired them to my Galaxy S8 and listened to a variety of music, Miles Davis to orchestral soundtracks to Tupac albums. I was incredibly impressed by the clarity and detail of Sennheiser HD1s when listening to music, especially over a Bluetooth connection.
These headphones support a technology called aptX, which results in better sound quality over Bluetooth, in products that support it, including my S8. For more info on aptX, please use your favorite search engine to find the technical details behind it.
I have also used these headphones with Bluetooth connected to my desktop computer for gaming, connected to my Nvidia Shield for watching streaming content (using an A2P2 profile) and too one of my Sony 4K televisions (also using an A2P2 profile).
I have found that the best sound quality over Bluetooth for the discerning audio listener was through my Galaxy S8. This was seconded by using the supplied “earphone cable” which allows you to connect these via a “wired connection”. They do not recommend trying to watch video with Bluetooth for the audio as the audio may not be completely in sync with what you are watching. I found this to be the case with my Nvidia Shield. Even though the Shield has a setting for A/V sync, I found speech and sound to be slightly off from whatever I was watching, noticeable enough to me, but perhaps not to everybody.
Did I forget to mention that these also have Active Noise Cancelling capabilities? They do in fact, and it works either in wireless of wired mode. The noise cancelling works incredibly well, using a proprietary method called Noisegard. This is accomplished by using 4 external microphones to reduce most of the noise around you. While other products with ANC set out to completely isolate external noise such as products by Bose and Sony, the Sennheiser HD1s do not do this. I do not find this detract from this feature. I still need to hear some of the environment around me. Sennheiser finds a great compromise between Active Noise Cancelling and still being able to hear around you just enough to be safe and avoid acting as if you are wearing earplugs with audio passing through them.
The battery claims to have a 22-hour life between charges with Bluetooth and Active Noise Cancelling on. I have not tested them in this way to confirm this. They are also capable of being paired to multiple Bluetooth devices, up to 8 I believe. This can be a bit frustrating if these multiple devices are all in the same place, i.e. using them with my computer while having my phone nearby. It tends to cut off the audio from my PC to play a notification sound from my phone, then after several seconds, it reverts to audio from my PC.
Sennheiser prides itself on offering “Reference” quality sound for Headphones in this price range. The intent is to provide sound as close as possible to how it was originally recorded. While the Sennheiser HD1s do not tend to “brighten” any particular frequency range, they reproduce them exceptionally well.
If you are looking for headphones that will rattle your teeth with overwhelming bass, or only sound well with certain types of music, the Sennheiser HD1s are not for you. If you are looking for headphones that sound exceptionally clean, natural, sturdy, and well made, then you these should be at the top of your list.
In this case, you do get what you pay for
My Best Buy number: 2141590778
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Andyj's Answers
Stay connected with this Motorola Alexa wireless home phone. The built-in Alexa button lets you make calls, control smart devices and check weather and news updates, while the 2-inch full-color display makes it easy to browse through your contacts. This Motorola Alexa wireless home phone has a hands-free speakerphone for quality sound, and the backlit keypad ensures seamless operations in dimly lit rooms.
For a disabled person who cannot get out of bed, can he say " answer " and receive calls through speaker? Without having to touch the phone, can he answer, speak, or call and speak?
No, not as of yet (11/13/2019).
6 years, 6 months ago
by
Andyj
Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
Can this handle two monitors with extended display (not duplicate)?
This computer has 1 HDMI port and 1 VGA port. In theory, yes as they still make monitors with a 15-pin VGA connection.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
Andyj
Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
I intend to purchase the HP Pavilion 590-p0044, which comes with only 1 HDMI slot. I want to run 2 monitors independently. I'm considering buying the NVIDIA Quadro P400. Does anyone any experience in using this card?
I would hit google and check the motherboard specs before doing this. It's highly impractical to run a GPU on this machine, as the case won't fit a full length card and the PSU has zero connectors for a GPU.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
Andyj
Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
If I add an hard drive do I need to upgrade power supply
No, there is a third SATA power connector inside. I've run it with both the stock 1TB drive + a 2TB HHD and currently have an SSD to replace the 1TB and still have the 2TB HDD running in it.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
Andyj
Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
Does the motherboard support other ryzen CPUs? Ryzen 7?
It should, but I would not invest in upgrading this build. It doesn't have enough room for a full length GPU and has a proprietary PSU, Mobo and even the DVD drive in it has a wierd half-cable SATA power connector.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
Andyj
Enjoy hours of reliability and speed with this HP Pavilion desktop. Its AMD Ryzen 5 processor and 12GB of RAM let you accomplish multiple tasks at the same time, and its 1TB hard drive provides plenty of space for file storage. This HP Pavilion desktop comes with a wired keyboard and mouse for interacting with Windows 10 Home.
Does this computer have video optical output, microphone, headset out put
No, it has minimal audio connections. Enough to connect a headset with a mic to on the front and the back has those plus maybe a line in.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
Andyj