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surfahdude
 
 
 
surfahdude's stats
 
  • Review count
    146
  • Helpfulness votes
    66
  • First review
    July 20, 2018
  • Last review
    August 25, 2025
  • Featured reviews
    0
  • Average rating
    3.9
 
  • Review comment count
    2
  • Helpfulness votes
    0
  • First review comment
    October 2, 2019
  • Last review comment
    December 5, 2019
  • Featured review comments
    0
 
  • Question count
    5
  • Helpfulness votes
    0
  • First question
    January 28, 2020
  • Last question
    November 1, 2021
  • Featured questions
    0
 
  • Answer count
    48
  • Helpfulness votes
    27
  • First answer
    September 28, 2018
  • Last answer
    March 29, 2024
  • Featured answers
    0
  • Best answers
    8
 
 
surfahdude's Reviews
<< 1 2 3 4 5 ... 15 >>
 
Versatile ink designed for great photos and sharp quality text. This 5 cartridge ink system consists of 4 color dye inks and 1 pigment black ink and is ideal for printing a mixture of documents and photos.
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Great colors, terrible usage rate...
on January 29, 2022
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
Epson inks are very good except for value. The 273XL labeling makes you think you bought high capacity cartridges but in reality, only the black cartridge is high capacity. All the other inks are standard capacity. The cartridges are rated for 300 pages of use at I believe is 5% coverage. If you print large 8x11 photos, you can expect to be out of ink after several pages.
Sadly, Epson is not the only company with that problem, HP and Canon also perform that way. The companies sell you the printers really cheap and kill you with ink prices.
Length of ownership: 10
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
4 out of 5
4
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Value
1 out of 5
1
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Transfer and secure important files and movies on this 3.5-inch Western Digital NAS hard drive. The 6TB capacity offers sufficient storage space for your media files, while the 175 MB/sec. transfer rate ensures fast read and write speeds. This Red Western Digital NAS hard drive features NASware 3.0 technology, which allows effective compatibility with connected devices and network.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
The best value for NAS drives, but...
on January 29, 2022
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
I have used WD, Toshiba and Seagate drives and these are the most reliable. But the drives seem to die just after the warranty expires, or three years, Granted, I run them 24x7 and some drives have lasted really long, some have died prematurely. Luckily, WD is very good at honoring their warranty.
Seagate unfortunately warranties their drives three years from date of manufacture. So if you get an older drive, your warranty is shortened. The Ultrastore drives always seem to be sold by third parties and the warranties are not honored.
Length of ownership: 14
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
Quality
4 out of 5
4
Value
5 out of 5
5
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Secure your data with this SanDisk Extreme PRO memory card. It has a write-protect switch that prevents unwanted modifications when activated, and the 128GB capacity ensures sufficient space to store photos, videos and other media. This SanDisk Extreme PRO memory card has a read speed that peaks at 95MB/sec. for quick access to your files.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
An excellent high speed SD card
on January 29, 2022
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
Sandisk's Extreme Pro cards are among the best SD cards around, with a read speed of 170 MB/s and write speed of 90 MB/s. If you plan to record 4K videos or use a camera in burst modes, you need this card, The newer UHS-II cards are almost twice as fast but are 5x the price.
These cards can keep up with you and are very reliable.
Length of ownership: 10
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Value
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Capture stunning still images and brilliant 4K Ultra HD videos with this Canon EOS 90D digital camera. The LCD touchscreen and intuitive interface make it easy to change settings, while built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity let you transfer raw files effortlessly. This Canon EOS 90D digital camera has a 32.5MP CMOS sensor for enhanced clarity and dynamic range..
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Maybe the last of the D-SLRs?
on January 29, 2022
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
The Canon 90D is the latest iteration of Canon's x0D series of APS-C cameras. Sadly, it may also be the last as Canon announced that they are discontinuing D-SLR types of cameras in December 2019, going all out on mirror-less cameras.
Still, there is a lot going for this camera, especially if you are an owner of previous Canon D-SLRs.
* The resolution has jumped from 24 to 32 MP.
* You can record 4K video uncropped
* battery life has jumped to 1800 shots on a single charge
* The dual-pixel auto-focus is still there.
* Burst rate has increased to 10fps
* You can record 1080P at up to 120 fps (but with no auto-focus)
* Still retains the great articulating screen
But all is not perfect.
* Auto-focus is a bit inconsistent on action shots
* 4K video is a tad soft
* There is still only one SD card slot
* No flat profile in video mode
Canon still has superb colors, better than Sony and Nikon. The body is weather resistant and has some heft. Bigger than the Rebel line of cameras, it has a more comfortable feel. The menu interface is far better than Sony or Nikon. The optical viewfinder is very good, larger than the Rebel cameras but not as good as Canon's pro models.
Due to the pandemic, the 90D can be hard to find due to supply shortages. Canon normally discounts the cameras after a couple of years but short supplies has delayed or eliminated that. What is more of a problem is the availability of spare batteries.,, It is nearly impossible to find,
Mirror-less cameras in the same price range have a lot of shortcomings. The biggest is battery life, lasting only 250 shots. With the battery shortages, this severely cramps the number of shots you can take in a day. Also, their comparable lens have lower f-stops which limits your shots in the dark. If you are buying your first camera, you should lean to this type of camera as they are the future.
Length of ownership: 21
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Value
4 out of 5
4
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
ROG Strix B550 Gaming series motherboards offer a feature-set usually found in the higher-end ROG Strix X570 Gaming series, including the latest PCIe 4.0. With robust power delivery and effective cooling, ROG Strix B550 Gaming is well-equipped to handle 3rd Gen AMD Ryzen CPUs
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
One of the best AMD AM4-socket motherboards
on December 31, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is a great AM4 motherboard for AMD Ryzen CPUs. It has an excellent power delivery design which means your VRMs will run a lot cooler than the majority of other AM4 boards. According to Hardware Unboxed, this board is in the top five B550 boards for thermal properties.
It has a plethora of USB ports and can handle two M,2 SSDs. The only minor issue is that the board (like all other B550 boards) does not support PCI 4.0, but for the majority of users, this will not be missed.
One nitpick is that the board does not have thermal sensors on some parts of the board so hardware monitors cannot register temps on some areas, but since the board is so well designed, this will not be an issue,
This board is a lot better than other B550 boards than those from MSi, Asroc or Gigabyte. Only Aorus makes boards just as good.
Length of ownership: 1
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Value
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
The CORSAIR iCUE COMMANDER CORE XT lets you intelligently control up to six PWM fans and multiple RGB components while accurately monitoring system temperatures, all from a single device. Automatic detection of any combination of individually addressable CORSAIR RGB fans makes for easy setup, with out-of-the-box control of up to 264 RGB LEDs on compatible CORSAIR RGB devices. Two included temperature sensors allow you to keep an eye on your system and create automated fan curves for the most efficient cooling. Powerful CORSAIR iCUE software ties all of these capabilities together in a single interface. Complete with a USB 2.0 pass-through to connect an additional internal USB device and embedded magnets for easy installation, the CORSAIR iCUE COMMANDER CORE XT puts your setup at your command.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
A great replacement for the Commander Pro.
on December 31, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
This hub replaces the Corsair Commander Pro. It makes life a lot easier by reducing the number of components and connections required for multiple aRGB fans in a PC.
Length of ownership: 11
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
5 out of 5
5
Value
5 out of 5
5
Ease of Use
5 out of 5
5
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
GIGABYTE GeForce GT 1030 Low Profile D4 2G Graphics Card features low profile design to fit slim or smaller system. It is equipped with a DVI-D and a HDMI port to support up to 4K high resolution
 
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Customer Rating
3 out of 5
3
Cheap basic video card
on December 31, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
It's ridiculous how expensive graphics cards are now all because of crypto-mining. I bought a RTX2070 a few years ago for under $400. The NVidia GT1030 was the only card i could find right now. It's not great but it is for a business PC so it will suffice.
Length of ownership: 23
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Quality
4 out of 5
4
Value
3 out of 5
3
Ease of Use
4 out of 5
4
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Transfer and secure important files and movies on this 3.5-inch Western Digital NAS hard drive. The 4TB capacity offers sufficient storage space for your media files, while the 150 MB/sec. transfer rate ensures fast read and write speeds. This Red Western Digital NAS hard drive features NASware 3.0 technology, which allows effective compatibility with connected devices and network.
 
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Customer Rating
4 out of 5
4
Dependable NAS drive
on December 17, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
The WD Red Plus drive is a 5400 RPM drive that is pretty dependable. It will last the three years it is warranted for but seems to fail after that.
I had Seagate and Toshiba drives and they failed a lot more often than I'D like. If you want a more reliable drive, go for the Red Pro.
Length of ownership: 213
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Ease of Use
4 out of 5
4
Quality
4 out of 5
4
Value
4 out of 5
4
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
Experience deep black and natural colors of OLED in a more compact size, powered by the Picture Processor X1 Ultimate. Complimented by Acoustic Surface Audio, sound comes from the entire screen to put picture and sound in perfect harmony. Enjoy OLED picture quality and cinematic audio packed into a beautifully compact form with Sony~s 48~ MASTER Series A9S BRAVIA OLED TV.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
A great OLED
on December 17, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
This OLED display has stunning picture quality. Blacks are really black which gives the picture great contrast. The only issue is that all OLED displays cannot get too bright and the fact that the screen is prone to burn-in if you watch shows with persistent banners or logos.
The operating system uses Google and is very responsive with the powerful processor in the set. Sony has the best image control of all the brands and it shows in this model.
Like all flat screen TVs, the sound quality leaves a lot to be desired, a sound bar is really required, but the Sony sound is a bit better than most sets.
Length of ownership: 40
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
Picture Quality
5 out of 5
5
Sound Quality
3 out of 5
3
Brightness
5 out of 5
5
+1point
1of 1voted this as helpful.
 
Affable big-town bank teller Guy (Ryan Reynolds) was content with life and job-the daily violent holdups notwithstanding. However, his fateful encounter with one foxy felon (Jodie Comer) brought him the realization that he was actually a background character in an open-world video game-and while his newfound autonomy makes him a hit with players, it also draws the wrath of the program's developer (Taika Waititi). Smash fantasy-actioner co-stars Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery. 115 min. Widescreen; Soundtrack English. Two-disc set.
 
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Customer Rating
5 out of 5
5
Great comedy about a NPC guy in a game
on December 17, 2021
Posted by: surfahdude
Verified Purchase:Yes
This is about a guy who is a character in a videogame. He does not realize that he is a non-playing character and tries to change things which throws the game designers into a frenzy as they do not know what is happening.
Length of ownership: 37
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
0points
0of 0voted this as helpful.
 
<< 1 2 3 4 5 ... 15 >>
 
surfahdude's Review Comments
 
Take your gaming performance to the next level with this MSi gaming motherboard. Compatible with up to ninth-generation Intel processors, it supports high-performance features like DDR4 RAM and USB Type-C, and the Gaming I/O cover offers enhanced lighting options. This MSi gaming motherboard includes thermal enhancement features for high-speed M.2 storage to provide optimal performance.
 
Overall2 out of 52 out of 5
A well designed board with a fatal flaw...
By surfahdude
The MSi Gaming Pro Carbon is a nice looking board with great features with one fatal flaw. The board utilizes a 4+2 voltage regulator design which is insufficient for the latest high (95+) wattage AMD Ryzen CPUs. Better boards have as much asa a 14+2 VRM deisgn (such as MSi's top boards). MSi cut corners here and it shows when the board is pushed under load.
When running under load, the voltage regulators will run a steady 95 degrees, extremely high where some other brands run only 65-75 degrees C. If you are using a 65 watt or lower Ryzen CPU, this should not pose a problem.
If you are looking to use a AMD 3900X or any CPU that draws 95 watts or more, I would look elsewhere, especially if you want to overclock the CPU. The motherboard will cause the CPU to thermal throttle, e.g. slow down until the temps go down.
October 2, 2019
Ahh!!! You're right... I wrote the review for the AMD X570 version of the motherboard and submitted it under the Intel version... Sorry for any confusion...
-3points
0of 3voted this comment as helpful.
 
Build a computer to dominate the competition with this MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus motherboard. The four DDR4 memory slots accommodate up to 128GB of RAM, while the five PCIe expansion slots offer space for additional components. This MSI MPG X570 Gaming Plus motherboard works with select AMD Ryzen 9 processors for a powerful computing experience.
 
Overall2 out of 52 out of 5
Not for 105-watt AMD CPUs
By surfahdude
If you are planning to buy this mobo for a 65-watt CPU, fine... Avoid this if you are planning to buy this motherboard for any 105-watt AMD CPU (3800x/3900x/3950x). The power supply design cannot supply the current required for those CPUs. The voltage regulators will overheat, hitting 100-120 degrees C. When this happens, t he board will throttle the CPU speed down until the VRs cool down. When the VR temps rise again, the process will repeat itself.
MSi really screwed up the board design on all of the MPG lineup of X570 motherboards. All of them have terrible VR designs causing the to overheat. I have one and it really sucks. Better boards will only hit temps of 60-70 degrees.
Customer Avatar
surfahdude
Honolulu
as requested...
December 5, 2019
Look at the ASUS X570 boards...
0points
0of 0voted this comment as helpful.
 
surfahdude's Questions
 
Experience deep black and natural colors of OLED in a more compact size, powered by the Picture Processor X1 Ultimate. Complimented by Acoustic Surface Audio, sound comes from the entire screen to put picture and sound in perfect harmony. Enjoy OLED picture quality and cinematic audio packed into a beautifully compact form with Sony~s 48~ MASTER Series A9S BRAVIA OLED TV.
 

Is the supplied remote infrared or Bluetooth?

4 years, 7 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Play to your full potential with this GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 OC graphics card. The WINDFORCE 2X cooling system offers high airflow to keep components at optimal temperatures, while the NVIDIA Turing architecture provides realistic visuals for complete immersion. This GIGABYTE GeForce GTX 1650 OC graphics card has 4GB of GDDR5 RAM and 896 CUDA processing cores for fast, responsive performance.
 

Does this require a power connector from the power supply?

5 years, 1 month ago
by
surfahdude
 
Bring a cinema-quality experience home with this Panasonic Ultra HD Blu-ray player. The HCX processor maximizes the visual appeal of 4K UHD images to display your favorite films in stunning picture quality. Smart networking technology lets you create your own home streaming network with this Panasonic Ultra HD Blu-ray player.
 

I understand that this player can access a NAS via DLNA through Wi-Fi... My question is: 1. Does the player recognize chapter stops on MKV files that are on the NAS server 2. Does the player support only 2.4 GHz on Wi-Fi? Thanks in advance...

5 years, 1 month ago
by
surfahdude
 
Enjoy fast online streaming with this NVIDIA SHIELD TV media player. The 4K HDR capability provides visual quality, while Dolby Atmos and DTS-X surround sound offer an immersive watching and listening experience. This NVIDIA SHIELD TV media player supports unlimited applications for movies, shows, games and music of your choosing, providing endless entertainment. GeForce NOW instantly transforms SHIELD TV into a powerful PC gaming rig. Play over 1000+ titles and nearly 100 of the biggest free to play games. The new GeForce NOW RTX 3080 membership unlocks GeForce RTX 3080 gaming servers in 4K HDR, with shorter wait times and longer session lengths, with RTX ON including ray tracing and DLSS graphics for supported games.
 

1. Does this recognize a NAS server on a Wi-Fi network using DLNA? 2. When viewing a MP4 or MKV video from the NAS server, does it recognize chapter stops 3. When fast forwarding or reversing, can you see a preview of what's being seen?

5 years, 1 month ago
by
surfahdude
 
Enhance your creativity potential with this Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 and Premiere Elements 2020 bundle. The Adobe Sensei AI technology powers automated options to get a starting point for creative exploration, and the Quick Edit mode allows you to easily put clips, transitions, and effects into your movies. The Adobe Photoshop Elements 2020 and Premiere Elements 2020 bundle lets you quickly upload your creations to YouTube or Vimeo for versatile use.
 

Does this program natively support CR3 RAW files? I am planning to buy a new Canon 90D which only supports CR3 RAW files (I understand that CR3 files has been out for nearly two years)

6 years, 4 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
surfahdude's Answers
<< 1 2 3 4 5
 
Get absolute precision with this Logitech wireless mechanical gaming keyboard. Place it anywhere you like thanks to the long-lasting battery and the efficient Bluetooth connection, and enjoy the feel of a mechanical connection that provides the perfect resistance. The full-size layout ensures this Logitech wireless mechanical gaming keyboard makes your games easy to control.
 

Are the left Windows and Alt keys the same size / can they be swapped easily? Want to use for both Mac and PC with the correct key location. Looks like it, but want to make sure.

They are the same size but you cannot easily swap the key caps or it's function...
7 years, 5 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Get absolute precision with this Logitech wireless mechanical gaming keyboard. Place it anywhere you like thanks to the long-lasting battery and the efficient Bluetooth connection, and enjoy the feel of a mechanical connection that provides the perfect resistance. The full-size layout ensures this Logitech wireless mechanical gaming keyboard makes your games easy to control.
 

is this compatible with pc

Yes, as long as it is not a laptop... You cannot enter a boot password as the keyboard will not be active until the OS is loaded.
7 years, 5 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Immerse yourself in room-filling sound with these Sony Core Series SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, which feature 5" woofers and 3/4" and 1" tweeters for precise instrument and vocal reproduction and dynamic acoustic depth.
 

Is a sub necessary? thanks

I would strongly recommend a sub with this speaker as the bass output is a bit weak.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Immerse yourself in room-filling sound with these Sony Core Series SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, which feature 5" woofers and 3/4" and 1" tweeters for precise instrument and vocal reproduction and dynamic acoustic depth.
 

I just hooked up the Sony SS-CS5 to my sony fm stereo fm-am receiver str-de415 and i got audio from my record player - do I still need an amplifier to get better sound?

I don't know if the receiver has a phono input. If it does not (and if the turntable does not have a built-in phono pre-amp), you cannot hear the sound correctly.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Immerse yourself in room-filling sound with these Sony Core Series SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, which feature 5" woofers and 3/4" and 1" tweeters for precise instrument and vocal reproduction and dynamic acoustic depth.
 

I have a insignia book shelf stereo system 25 watts a ch. would the sony core ss-cs5 speakers be compatible? thanks Ken

Yes... 25 watts will be fine with the speaker.
7 years, 7 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Immerse yourself in room-filling sound with these Sony Core Series SSCS5 bookshelf speakers, which feature 5" woofers and 3/4" and 1" tweeters for precise instrument and vocal reproduction and dynamic acoustic depth.
 

Are these 100watts rms each? Or 100watts rms for the pair/50watts rms each?

It handles up to 100 watts per speaker...
7 years, 7 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Watch movies at home on this Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It plays video from nearly any type of disc or file format and displays images in crisp detail and vivid color, creating an immersive experience with life-like visuals. This Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player also connects to your Wi-Fi for convenient video streaming.
 

I have a sony receiver, can i get atmos sound if i do not have a 4 k tv. Would i be able to rent a movie on vudu and get the atmos sound? With this blu ray I know it has just a audio hook up and a video hook up separate. Could i just hook up the audio?

You will need UHD movies as ATMOS is rarely pressed on Blu-Ray discs. Also, to get ATMOS, you will need a sound system that supports it. The TV has nothing to do with it.
7 years, 8 months ago
by
surfahdude
 
Watch movies at home on this Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player. It plays video from nearly any type of disc or file format and displays images in crisp detail and vivid color, creating an immersive experience with life-like visuals. This Sony 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray player also connects to your Wi-Fi for convenient video streaming.
 

Does this support Hulu and Vudu apps in addition to Netflix and Amazon?

It does support VUDU and HULU...
7 years, 8 months ago
by
surfahdude