Titan5178
Top 250 Contributor
Titan5178's Stats
- Review Count173
- Helpfulness Votes657
- First ReviewFebruary 18, 2014
- Last ReviewMay 29, 2024
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.6
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count2
- Helpfulness Votes1
- First Review CommentApril 1, 2015
- Last Review CommentOctober 30, 2015
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count7
- Helpfulness Votes3
- First AnswerApril 16, 2014
- Last AnswerDecember 8, 2018
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- Best Answers1
Meta Quest Pro is a virtual reality system that unlocks new perspectives into how we work, create, and collaborate, so you can go beyond what was previously possible. A completely reimagined headset is slimmer and more well-balanced for long-lasting comfort. Breakthrough high resolution mixed reality passthrough uses full-color sensors to let you see and engage with the physical world around you–even as you connect, work and play in virtual spaces. Multiple room-sized displays let you skip between tasks to get more done, more easily. Connect better with friends or collaborate with peers like never before with real-time avatar expressions that mirror your authentic facial reactions. Intuitive, redesigned controllers dispense with tracking rings, using self-tracking cameras to capture a greater range of motion and fine motor controls to translate detailed finger operations like writing and drawing into VR. Advanced multi-point haptic feedback makes virtual interactions feel more real. Meta Quest is for ages 13+. Certain apps, games, and experiences may be higher.
Welcome to the Metaverse
Customer Rating
5.0
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I have been an enthusiast that has been following the progress of these headsets ever since the company Oculus was formed around a decade ago. I’ve owned at one point or another the Rift, Samsung Gear, Rift S, the Quest 2, and now the latest and greatest: Quest Pro.
The Quest Pro is not a replacement for the Quest 2 but meant to be sold alongside it. Which makes sense, as the price tag alone puts it in a completely different tier that is more suited towards businesses and prosumer enthusiasts. The headset and software are designed to cater to those who want both a VR experience such as gamers and those who want an AR or mixed reality experience such as professionals and creators.
== Design ==
The Meta Quest Pro headband is similar to what was on the older Rift S. It is a plastic band with an adjustment wheel to make the band smaller or larger, but there is no top strap like the Rift S had or Quest has today. Instead, the headset rests on the forehead and back of the head through large, soft, comfortable pads. The Pro’s battery is located behind the rear pad which counterbalances the weight of the visor that goes in front of your eyeballs. This makes the visor itself lighter, flatter, and more like a pair of ski goggles that hover in front of your face versus one that sits on your face like the Quest 2. Despite being heavier than the Quest 2, this design and balanced weight distribution make it a much more comfortable experience. It’s hard to explain but the Quest Pro feels more like putting on a baseball cap, albeit a heavy one, that has goggles attached to the front of it.
One of the criticisms of the Quest 2 is that there are only 3 preset IPD adjustments, which is the distance between a person’s pupils. I am happy to report that the Pro allows continuous adjustment from 55-75 mm so those who do not fall into one of those preset measurements will have a better experience on the Pro. If you turn on eye tracking, the headset will even do a fit check to make sure the IPD and headset itself are properly fitted for the best viewing experience.
There is a depth wheel on the front of the visor to move the lenses inward or outward, which is great if you are wearing glasses. Other features of the Pro over the Quest 2 are a minimum of 256GB of storage (optional on Quest), a new Snapdragon XR2+ chip, double the RAM at 12GB, a wider field of view, and most importantly new face and eye tracking features. There aren’t too many apps that can take advantage of these yet other than Meta’s own Horizon Workrooms. I spent some time toying with the feature in Workrooms and I personally think this will be a game changer as the software catches up. It is incredibly accurate, sensing when I wrinkle my nose or even raise a single eyebrow. Like the Quest 2, it can also track your hands.
The touch controllers have also been redesigned to offer Pro level features. They no longer feature the large ring that helps the headset track them as each has three onboard cameras of their own. They are now rechargeable, and a charging cable is included in the box. They support an attachable stylus, also included, which enables you to write or sketch in a virtual space. The controllers also feature improved haptics with three separate haptic zones.
== Setup ==
Setup is easy. You will want to install the Meta Quest app on your phone and turn on the headset. It will guide you the rest of the way from creating your Meta account and Horizon profile to setting up the Wi-Fi connection. If you haven’t charged the headset already you can do that now while it downloads the latest software updates.
Next, you can set up Guardian, which defines your playspace, be it standing, sitting, or Roomscale. With Roomscale, you will outline the floorspace that you will play in, and the Quest Pro will help ensure that you not only stay in it but avoid objects (like children) that come into the space. One feature I don’t think the Quest 2 has is that the Pro will remember where your playspaces are. It was cool that I could walk from my Roomscale playspace in the living room to the stationary sitting space at my desk in my office.
When you need additional horsepower to play a game from a high-end PC you can use Quest Link (USB-C cable to a high-end PC) or Air Link (using wifi instead). When you have the Oculus app installed on your PC and launch either Quest Link or Air Link you will be greeted with a familiar but woefully dated interface from back in the old Rift days, when it was mandatory to use a PC with an Oculus headset. You can even still play games that were purchased for Rift. However, once the link is established you can use other platforms to play like SteamVR.
== Usage ==
The Pro doesn’t touch my cheeks or the area around my eyes, which allows me to have much longer VR sessions without discomfort. However, this also means that there is light coming in under and in the periphery of the field of view. When I first saw the Pro announced I was concerned that this would ruin the immersive experience and Meta even includes “light blockers” in the box that can be magnetically attached to the sides to block out the peripheral light. However, within the first hour of using the headset I realized I’ll never use the light blockers. Your mileage may vary but for every game I played, from traditional VR like Beat Saber or Vader Immortal to the fantastic space sim EverSpace on PC, I simply didn’t notice this issue. In fact, as a father with children, dogs, and other things happening around me I was more comfortable being able to “peek” outside of whatever I was doing and check in on things without removing the headset. If I am playing a game where I truly need darkness, I just turn the lights off.
The passthrough feature has also been improved over the Quest 2. Unfortunately, it is only slightly improved. While passthrough is now in color and seems to be more stable it is still very grainy. However, I can read a piece of paper if I’m close enough whereas on Quest 2 this task is simply impossible. Hopefully, passthrough can be further improved in software over time.
I played all my favorite VR games including Beat Saber, Vader Immortal, Climb, and Superhot VR on the new headset. Superhot is one that is an absolute must as it’s like living out scenes from the Matrix movie and is a decent workout. With my Nvidia 3080 TI powered PC, I played F1 2022, Half-life Alyx, the space sim Everspace, and Microsoft Flight Simulator. Alyx is probably the best example of a full-length console-like game built for VR and Flight Simulator is just something you must experience in VR. For F1 I use an F1 style racing wheel and again, I found that being able to see more underneath the visor enhances the experience because I can easily reference the buttons on my wheel.
Immersed is one of my favorite apps for productivity. It allows you to bring up to 5 virtual monitors from your Mac or Windows PC into your mixed reality workspace. I've used it on Quest 2 many times but never have been able to for longer than an hour or two. With the Pro, I feel like I could work in it all day. There are some new features in Immersed since I last tried it including full passthrough so you can just see your virtual screens in the real world or partial passthrough to see things like your desk and keyboard.
The fidelity of the graphics are improved over the Quest, but ever so slightly. There are improved optics. In productivity apps like Immersed I find it a bit easier to read text on the screen. However, that might be due to the fact that I am more comfortable using the Pro, and that it is well positioned with the correct IPD adjustment.
Finally, the onboard speakers are great, and feature spatial audio. There is a traditional 3.5mm headphone jack if you need it.
== Pros ==
More comfortable than Quest 2
Balanced Weight
Peripheral Vision is Not Blocked
Includes Charging Dock and Power Adapter
Rechargeable Controllers
Face, Hand, and Eye Tracking
Includes Stylus Tips
Spatial Audio
== Cons ==
Expensive
Passthrough is Grainy
== Overall ==
The Meta Quest Pro is the premium headset to get if you are planning to spend a significant amount of time working or gaming in virtual reality. It is comfortable, has great optics, accurate tracking including hands, face & eyes, and most importantly is suitable for almost any AR or VR use case. Highly recommended!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Capture sweeping views of your surroundings when driving with this Rexing V33 dashcam. The three-channel dash cam records 2K video resolution simultaneously from the car's front, cabin, and rear. The Rexing V33 also comes with Wi-Fi, voice control, and ADAS features. A built-in GPS logger tracks important metrics in case of a driving incident. V33 dashcam uses a temperature-resistant supercapacitor for added reliability as well.
Covers all the Angles
Customer Rating
4.0
This dashcam has all the angles covered: the front, rear, and inside your car. Along with GPS location and speed data this three-camera approach provides the most revealing picture possible of what might have happened in an incident. I really like this design compared to earlier Rexing models as it is an unassuming and sleeker design that blends well with modern car interiors. The rear camera is small and should be easy to hide without blocking your view.
The included quick start guide is easy to follow and will get you set up quickly. The rear camera cable disconnects near the camera so that you can first mount the camera to the rear window and then have a much easier time routing the cable from the front to the back of the vehicle. The disconnect is nearly as small as the cord itself which helps to route the cable through tight spaces. In my F-150 I simply removed the kickplates on the door sills and ran the cable alongside the factory cables, then up and behind the backseat to the window. I ran the power cable behind the carpeting of the passengers footwell and into the middle console where the truck has an extra DC power outlet. Included in the box is a wedge-shaped plastic tool that helps you push the cords behind carpeting, pillars, and headliners to conceal the cables like a pro.
All three cameras can be angled up or down after being mounted, which is done using 3M adhesive for the front and rear. The adhesive is strong and difficult to remove and reattach so make sure you get the placement correct the first time. The front camera and screen assembly can be removed from the mount, as otherwise it is difficult to remove the tiny microSD card which is in a weird location on top of the unit instead of the side or bottom. Another thing I don’t like is that the power and rear camera cables come out of the side of the unit which is as odd of a placement as the card slot. The cables are supposed to be pushed up into the headliner of the vehicle and routed down the
A pillars so why not switch the position of the card slot and cables?
A pillars so why not switch the position of the card slot and cables?
In actual use it works very similar to other dashcams I’ve tried in the past. When the unit receives power, it’ll start recording and continue doing so in a loop, overwriting the oldest recordings unless a recording is “locked” either manually by you or the g-force sensor detects an incident and automatically locks it for you. A simple flashing red light confirms that the unit is recording. There are five buttons along the bottom but sadly no touch screen. The first button will turn the screen off so it’s not a distraction while driving. Then there is a menu, up, down, and ok button. The down button serves as a mic mute button, while the ok button will allow you to pause the recording feature.
Each camera will create a separate video file which can be played back on the unit itself or you can download the Rexing Connect app to view it over a direct wifi connection from your phone. This works well and will be incredibly useful if you were to witness something and need to easily share the video with someone like the authorities. Each video file is 2560x1440 resolution at 30 frames per second. The quality is like a midrange smartphone from a few years ago and is good enough to be used to prove who is at fault and what happened. However, don’t expect to read license plates unless the car is right in front or behind you.
Pros:
3CH 1440p Recording
Includes 64gb microSD card and SD adapter
GPS
Night vision
Embeds Timestamp and License Plate number Into Video
18-month warranty
Easily Mute Mic or Pause Recording
Wifi and App to View/Share videos
Includes 64gb microSD card and SD adapter
GPS
Night vision
Embeds Timestamp and License Plate number Into Video
18-month warranty
Easily Mute Mic or Pause Recording
Wifi and App to View/Share videos
Cons:
Cables stick obnoxiously out the side
MicroSD card slot in weird position
Parking Monitor feature is a Separate Purchase
MicroSD card slot in weird position
Parking Monitor feature is a Separate Purchase
Overall – I've owned several dashcams including older Rexings and this is one of their best. The biggest issue is the odd design choice of the card slot and cable port placement, the latter of which detracts from the otherwise overall sleek and clean aesthetic. If that doesn’t bother you, then this is a great option for those looking for some peace of mind while on the road.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Amazing taste, crispy texture, and 75% less fat than traditional fried foods, the Bella Pro Series 8-qt. Digital Air Fryer with Divided Basket is the perfect addition to your kitchen. Featuring an extra-large capacity to feed up to 8 people and a divided basket that cooks two foods at once, you (and your family…and your friends…) will love it. Beautiful design with a professional stainless steel handle takes it to the next level.
Excellent Air Fryer for Family of Four
Customer Rating
5.0
This air fryer is exactly what I was looking for to replace an older one. The fryer is simple to use as there are basically two controls: temperature and time just like a conventional oven. In addition to air fry, there are 8 additional modes including roast, broil, bake, reheat, keep warm, pizza, dehydrate, and default that you can cycle through with the menu button. I only use Air Fry but the others can be useful because the appliance will tell you when it’s time to shake or turn over your food (if at all) based on the mode. If you haven’t used an air fryer before but love fried foods, you are seriously missing out. Not only are there health benefits to not eating all of that absorbed oil in my opinion it tastes virtually the same.
The 8 quart basket is huge! It’s more than enough to feed my family of four and features a well-designed square basket. The crisping tray is easy to remove and clean. There is a divider that is included if you want to cook two types of foods at once just remember that this model only supports one cooking temperature at a time. The divider can be easily inserted left-to-right or front-to-back.
I really like the beep to turn feature, something my old fryer did not have. In certain modes, such as Air Fry, the fryer will beep for 5 seconds and display “trn” on the display alerting you that it’s time to flip or shake your food. The large and wide basket with big handle makes it easy to simply shake a few times and put it back in. My old air fryer I could not shake at all and had to turn everything with tongs.
Finally, the manual includes a few recipes in the back to get you going if you are new to air frying.
Pros
Simple to Use
Large 8 Quart Basket
Includes Divider
Easy to Clean
Large 8 Quart Basket
Includes Divider
Easy to Clean
Cons
None!
None!
Overall – this is an excellent air fryer for your average sized family. It’s large, simple, and performs well.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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With the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, victory takes on a new shape. Refined and reforged with the aid of top esports pros, its iconic ergonomic form is now more than 25% lighter than its predecessor, backed by a set of cutting-edge upgrades to push the limits of competitive play.
No Frills High End Mouse for Gamers
Customer Rating
5.0
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I’m not new to gaming mice, have been using a couple of different brands religiously for several years, and have owned several Razer Blade laptops in the past as well as keyboards, headsets, even mouse pads, but for whatever reason I’ve never tried one of their gaming mice until now!
And wow, I thought my current gaming mouse was light at 74g, but the DeathAdder V3 Pro is unbelievably light. Weighing it myself it’s only 64g which is about the weight of a C-battery. It has a 30K DPI optical sensor, which is the highest I’ve heard of, and even tracks on glass!
The mouse is a departure from what I typically see from Razer. There’s no RGB, not even a big green Razer logo. It looks like a standard mouse with two buttons, a scroll wheel/button, and a forward/back button. There’s a power/dpi switch on the bottom and a USB-C charging port. It’s clear that Razer prioritized weight over anything else when designing this mouse. And you get just that, and nothing more. Meaning it’s missing some common features that you’d find in the competition like Bluetooth connectivity but to me bluetooth is not great for fast-paced precision gaming anyway, so I’m ok with it but there are some who want a lightweight mouse to game on an iPad where Bluetooth would be more convenient.
Using the mouse is a joy, especially in some of the games I’ve played with it such as Surviving Mars, Everspace, and Fortnite. The mouse glides across my large mouse pad without any friction. The mouse fits my hand and claw grip well as any other I’ve tried but your mileage may vary.
The mouse has a 1000hz polling rate which can be upgraded to 4000hz with a Hyperpolling wireless dongle which is sold separately (or I think there is an option to get it bundled as well). I don’t have the dongle but for best performance it needs line of sight to your mouse, so the dongle is made to sit on your desk.
Probably the biggest con to this mouse is that it’s expensive for what it is. There is a tax here for the Razer name + lightness + and high DPI sensor.
Pros
Super lightweight
Glides great
Great battery life
USB-C
Fast polling rate
Super lightweight
Glides great
Great battery life
USB-C
Fast polling rate
Cons
Pricey
Pricey
Overall – an accurate, extremely lightweight gaming mouse that if anything is overpriced but will be exactly what some people are looking for. It’s earned the top spot on my gaming desk for 2022.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac – an iconic mouse remastered for Mac. Now with Quiet Clicks and 8K DPI any-surface tracking for more feel and performance in your Mac computer set-up. Get creative with a complimentary 1-month Creative Cloud subscription with your purchase of MX Master 3S for Mac, and create, make, and do like never before.
Excellent Mouse for Mac Productivity
Customer Rating
4.0
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The Logitech MX Master 3S for Mac is my new favorite mouse for productivity. The ergonomics are great, and I really like the vertical and horizontal scroll wheels. I can easily scroll through 1 line of code or hundreds in VS Code as the scroll wheel will transition from having precise 1-line resistance to completely freewheeling based on how fast you move it. The horizontal scroll doesn’t offer the same feature as it’s just a single speed but it’s smooth and works well especially for those crazy big Excel sheets.
My absolute favorite feature is the customizable gesture button which you may not even realize is there, but you can press it and move the mouse up, down, left, or right to do various tasks. I have mine set up to open Mission Control, Launchpad, App Expose, or move to the left or right desktop. Yes, the “magic” mouse that Macs come with has this same functionality through multitouch gestures but it’s in a very thin and light package that my bigger hands have never gotten used to when working. The 3S works well and it's very hard to accidentally trigger a gesture unintentionally.
Both the button clicks and scroll wheels are near silent, perfect for an office. The 8K DPI sensor tracks well on my high resolution 4K monitors. This mouse is customizable with the Logi Options+ software. You can remap all the buttons including the gestures, as well as adjust scrolling behavior, and set up Logi Flow which I’ll get to below. There is per-application configuration, and some will be setup for you automatically such as in Photoshop, where the back button becomes undo and forward turns into redo. On Chrome or Safari for example, the horizontal scroll wheel moves between tabs. You can of course customize the application specific configurations as well as create your own for applications that don’t have an out of the box configuration.
This mouse doesn’t come with a Logitech Bolt receiver like the Windows MX 3S does but I’m not sure if it’s even needed. I haven’t had any issues using the Bluetooth technology with my Mac or iPad. In addition, you can pair up to three different devices and switch instantly with a button on the bottom of the mouse.
The only downside I could find is maybe specific to me and anyone who is using Apple’s Universal Control which allows you to seamlessly work between multiple Apple devices using the same mouse and keyboard. I use a Mac and an iPad Pro and have been using Universal Control since it was in beta nearly a year ago. It has worked fine except for with this mouse. When paired to my Mac, and moving over to the iPad, I cannot scroll with either wheel as the Logi Options+ software is still “owning” the scrolling functions. If I uninstall Options+ then Universal Control works but I lose access to the gestures, customization, and other benefits of having it installed. So frustratingly, it’s a software problem, not hardware. As of today it's still an issue, although Logitech claims to support Universal Control since an April 2022 release of Options+.
Logitech provides a feature with this mouse called Logi Flow which does something like Universal Control but unfortunately it only supports Windows and Mac, not iOS. Another thing I should note is that although the box says it supports iPad there is no software available so it would be the same as not having Options+ installed. No button customization or gestures, however, standard scrolling both horizontal and vertical works on iOS.
Pros
Bluetooth Wireless
Great Ergonomics
Electromagnetic Scrolling Wheel
Horizontal Scroll Wheel
Customizable Gesture Buttons
Application Specific Customization
Long battery life
Quiet clicks
Great Ergonomics
Electromagnetic Scrolling Wheel
Horizontal Scroll Wheel
Customizable Gesture Buttons
Application Specific Customization
Long battery life
Quiet clicks
Cons:
Right hand only
No Software support for iPad
Universal Control support
Right hand only
No Software support for iPad
Universal Control support
Overall – it's a fantastic mouse for my daily work use except for the Universal Control issue but hopefully that gets fixed soon.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Alienware - x15 R2 15.6" FHD Gaming Laptop - 12th Gen Intel Core i7 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3070 Ti - 1TB SSD - Lunar Light
Introducing the new Alienware x15 R2 - our thinnest 15" laptop redefines how a gaming PC should look and feel, with new NVIDIA GeForce RTX graphics, Alienware Cryo-tech, Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision.
Best Alienware Laptop I've Owned Yet!
Customer Rating
5.0
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This is my third Alienware laptop and so far it is my favorite of them all. My others are a 2020 M15 R5 and a 2018 M17. The X series brings a new design called Legend 2.0, is built incredibly well, and feels sturdier than the M series. Despite next level of thin at only 15.9 mm tall, it still feels tough like an Alienware should, and I have no problem slipping this in and out of my daily carry bag. Another big plus is the X models still come with a 240w (depending on configuration) power adapter but it is much smaller and lighter than the one shipped with the M series.
Performance is outstanding with the i7-12700H. To keep up with competitors, especially the fruity ones, Intel came out swinging this year. The new 12th generation mobile processors introduce a hybrid architecture and bring huge gains to performance alongside DDR5 compatibility with PCIe 4.0 and Thunderbolt 4 support from the previous generation. In Geekbench, I was able to get 1661 single core and 13349 multicore (high-performance mode enabled) and a 14844 score in Cinebench R23 in the same configuration. These are very good numbers for a laptop!
The GPU performance is equally as impressive with a 140W GeForce 3070 TI and includes support for Advanced Optimus which allows you to bypass the Intel graphics adapter altogether without a restart which results in sometimes significant performance gains. 3D Mark FireStrike score was 25325 and TimeSpy was 11578. I was able to play Fortnite on Epic settings in Full Speed thermal mode and get around 170 FPS on average. Halo Infinite Multiplayer at Ultra preset ran at 120-130 FPS and Forza Horizon 5 hovered around 100 on the Extreme graphical preset. These examples were all at 1080p and at the highest graphical presets of these games so there is plenty of room for more FPS if you want to lower the settings a bit. I also plugged it into a 1440p gaming monitor and played Fortnite for several hours and it performed wonderfully, near as good as my desktop!
The X series is cooled with two pairs of fans for a total of 4 and I think they do a pretty good job of cooling this system. Through my heavy benchmarking, the CPU does not seem to ever hit any power limits but will thermal throttle when it hits 100°C, which is near instant under heavy load even with performance or full speed thermal profile. However, the system does not feel hot to the touch (or lap) like my M series which is why I think the cooling system is doing an excellent job of getting as much heat as possible out of the system. It's that the 12th Gen i7’s just run incredibly hot. I wouldn’t recommend getting an i9 version as I doubt it’ll be any more performant with no additional thermal headroom here. Also, when not gaming and doing casual activities such as web browsing or streaming it seems to run much cooler and the fans do not kick on near as much as my older models.
The display itself is exceptional for 1080p gaming with the 360hz refresh rate and 1ms response time. Creators or video editors may want a higher resolution and color accuracy but gamers especially those who play competitive shooters will absolutely love this. This pairing of CPU and GPU is perfect for a FHD 360hz screen. I honestly didn’t think I would notice a difference past the 165 and 240hz displays I have around the house but 360hz is FAST! The Legend 2.0 design gives us tiny bezels all around except for the chin, and there’s even room for a 720p webcam and IR array for Windows Hello.
The keyboard and trackpad will be familiar to those who had an Alienware in the past few years. I believe they are all the same. The trackpad is accurate but a bit on the small side compared to some of the other 2022 gaming laptops I own. The keyboard does support per-key RGB lighting which is configurable in Alienware Command Center. However, none of the secondary functions are illuminated on the keyboard. All the LEDS, including the keyboard, the tron ring on the back, and the Alienware logo on the lid are bright. However, this makes the ports on the back impossible to see in low light, unless you turn off the ring light or use a flashlight. Regarding the ports, there are only 3 USB ports total and just 1 USB-A which can be limiting. Plan for a USB or Thunderbolt dock if you have an external mouse, keyboard, headset, and external webcam for example. There is no ethernet port, but Dell kindly provides a USB-C to ethernet adapter in the box. There is also an HDMI 2.1 and microSD reader in the back, the power connector on the left side, and a 3.5mm universal audio port on the right.
This being an Alienware and a powerful one at that battery life is about what you’d expect. An 87Wh battery is what you get and with 360hz enabled I was getting about 3 hours just general browsing/Youtube use with brightness around the middle setting. Trying to play a game without being tethered to a wall will be a short experience, but this is no different than any gaming laptop. This will not last all day for productivity use but it does support power delivery with USB-C so you might be able to survive a trip to an office with just a 100w USB-C charger but I haven’t tried. Don’t attempt gaming on USB-C power.
The drive included in this model is a very fast Samsung 1TB NVMe, hitting over 6600MBs read speed, which is the fastest drive I’ve seen ship with a laptop. Continuing what is an Alienware trend I think, the speakers are not great. Dolby Atmos support is included and if you use the Dolby Atmos app with headphones then switch to the speakers it only highlights how bad they are. They are loud and tinny with almost no bass.
Pros:
Excellent Build Quality
Super Powerful 12th Gen i7
Boastworthy 140w RTX 3070 TI Graphics
Advanced Optimus with G-SYNC
Beautiful and Ridiculously Fast 360hz 1080p Screen
Speedy Samsung NVMe PCI 4.0 1TB SSD
Extra Slot for Second NVMe SSD
16GB LPDDR5-5200 dual channel RAM
Killer Wifi 6/Bluetooth 5.2
HDMI 2.1 and MicroSD card reader
Windows Hello
Customizable Per Key RGB
Slim 240w Power Adapter (compared to previous models)
Windows 11 Home with Bitlocker Support
Super Powerful 12th Gen i7
Boastworthy 140w RTX 3070 TI Graphics
Advanced Optimus with G-SYNC
Beautiful and Ridiculously Fast 360hz 1080p Screen
Speedy Samsung NVMe PCI 4.0 1TB SSD
Extra Slot for Second NVMe SSD
16GB LPDDR5-5200 dual channel RAM
Killer Wifi 6/Bluetooth 5.2
HDMI 2.1 and MicroSD card reader
Windows Hello
Customizable Per Key RGB
Slim 240w Power Adapter (compared to previous models)
Windows 11 Home with Bitlocker Support
Cons:
Only 3 USB Ports
RAM is not removable/upgradeable
Speakers are not great
Overall – this is a beast of a gaming rig. It checks all the boxes for 1080p gaming and can deliver. With the 12th Gen and 3070 TI there’s plenty of power to even play at the highest settings on a 1440p external monitor. This will become my new portable gaming solution until something better comes along. Highly recommended!
Only 3 USB Ports
RAM is not removable/upgradeable
Speakers are not great
Overall – this is a beast of a gaming rig. It checks all the boxes for 1080p gaming and can deliver. With the 12th Gen and 3070 TI there’s plenty of power to even play at the highest settings on a 1440p external monitor. This will become my new portable gaming solution until something better comes along. Highly recommended!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Feel the action with 4K HDR visuals, ultra-fast 144Hz refresh rate, and Full Array Local Dimming contrast that makes game worlds come alive with detail and vibrance. Built for extraordinary gaming performance with support for Nvidia G-SYNC and HDMI 2.1 VRR compatibility, the INZONE M9 is your path to victory.
Best Monitor for PS5
Customer Rating
4.0
It didn’t occur to me that Sony, one of the world’s most reputable manufacturers of premium televisions, did not have a monitor on the market until I saw the Sony INZONE M9 announced earlier this summer. I currently have my PS5 paired with a Sony BRAVIA high-end LED TV so I was excited to get some hands-on time with this monitor.
When you hookup your PS5 with an Ultra High-Speed HDMI 2.1 cable, it just works, as it should. Just go into the PS5 video settings and make sure everything is enabled such as VRR, ALLM, 120hz, etc. Exclusive to PS5 is Auto HDR Tone Mapping, which means the PS5 sends out HDR signals tailored specifically for this monitor. Playing some of my favorite games like Ghosts of Tsushima, Horizon Zero Dawn, or EA sports titles look amazing! The colors pop off the screen with excellent saturation and accuracy. The monitor can get very bright in HDR mode and the 96 zones will dim the darker areas of a scene to provide better contrast.
I also tested my Series X and while it doesn’t have the auto tone mapping for HDR, games such as Halo Infinite, Forza Horizon 5, and FIFA 22 looked just as good. All the same features that are supported on the PS5 such as 120hz, VRR, and ALLM are supported here as well. The only thing the Xbox has that the monitor doesn’t support is Dolby Vision.
PC users are not left out as the monitor has a lot of features for these gamers as well. First, while console gamers are limited to 4K/120hz, PC gamers can enjoy 4K/144hz with GSync support. If you’ve used Windows’ HDR mode on lesser monitors you know that it can make SDR content look very washed out. On the Sony, It looks so good I can leave HDR on on all the time with just a little tweaking to the SDR in Display settings. The monitor also has a built-in KVM switch that worked well for me, switching my mouse and keyboard over from laptop to PC as I switched inputs on the monitor. Note you will need both USB-C and a USB-A to USB-B cable for this to work. However, I don’t know why Sony only allows 15w of power to passthrough over USB-C PD, especially with such a massive power adapter that is included with this unit. This is only enough power to keep a phone or maybe a tablet charged but certainly not a laptop. In fact, I have to unplug the display before powering on my laptop otherwise it warns me that it won’t have enough power to turn on and will run in a safe mode, which is a real inconvenience.
On-screen configuration is easy to use with the joystick on the right side of the monitor. The power button is located a few inches lower than the joystick. There is also an INZONE app that you can download from Sony’s website that allows PC users to change the same monitor settings without using the onscreen configuration. I have to say this is pretty convenient, especially in that it allows for different profiles so you can use different settings for different games or applications.
However, like most FALD LED monitors, the Sony does suffer from blooming. Also known as the “halo effect”, it can be a significant annoyance when there is a bright object such as a mouse pointer against a black or dark colored background. One instance where it happens is game cinematics where there are black bars on the bottom and top of the screen and white captions in those bars. Fortunately, you rarely will see this while gaming unless it’s a dark scene and can mitigate it some by turning the full array display settings from high to low at the expense of some contrast. The blooming effect also gets considerably worse when viewing the monitor from side.
Sony does not include any HDMI, USB, or DisplayPort cables with this monitor. While I’m guessing the line of thought here is that they already gave you an HDMI cable with the PS5 the fact of the matter is most people probably aren’t buying both the monitor and a PlayStation on the same day and may have misplaced the cable or not realize they need an ultra high speed cable to take advantage of all the features this monitor provides.
Another possible downside is the stand. I totally get that it was designed to provide the same aesthetic as the PS5 but that design choice seems to have limited the monitor’s flexibility. You can tilt the monitor up or down or raise and lower it a few inches but that is it. Anything else you’ll have to move the entire thing. Even moving it up or down is a little odd because as you slide it up it moves further away from you and the vice versa when you slide it downward.
Finally, yes, it has speakers, but they aren’t grea. Honestly they aren’t any worse than what is found on high-end gaming laptops. They won’t fill a room and they have no bass, so your best bet is a pair of headphones.
Pros:
Gorgeous 4K 144hz GSync Panel
96 Full Array Local Dimming Zones
Vesa DisplayHDR 600 Certified
HDMI 2.1 (2 ports)
Variable Refresh Rate
Auto Low Latency Mode
USB-C KVM Switch
Inzone Config App for PC Users
Bright and Colorful HDR
Auto HDR Tone Mapping on PS5
Gorgeous 4K 144hz GSync Panel
96 Full Array Local Dimming Zones
Vesa DisplayHDR 600 Certified
HDMI 2.1 (2 ports)
Variable Refresh Rate
Auto Low Latency Mode
USB-C KVM Switch
Inzone Config App for PC Users
Bright and Colorful HDR
Auto HDR Tone Mapping on PS5
Cons:
Doesn’t include an HDMI 2.1 cable
Blooming Issues
Love it or hate it stand.
Power brick is huge!
USB-C PD just 15w passthrough
Speakers
Doesn’t include an HDMI 2.1 cable
Blooming Issues
Love it or hate it stand.
Power brick is huge!
USB-C PD just 15w passthrough
Speakers
Overall – The M9 checks all the boxes for a console or PC gamer. The monitor produces beautiful images with excellent contrast and superb HDR characteristics although some gamers may get annoyed with the excessive blooming that can occur. The stand, while cool looking may not have enough flexibility for some users, and the speakers are not great. However, I think the display is an excellent value for this price.
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
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Chances are you’ll run out of energy long before this powerful LG CordZero vacuum does. Kompressor technology compresses dirt and dust so you can keep cleaning instead of stopping to empty the dust bin. Two rechargeable, detachable batteries deliver up to 120 minutes of uninterrupted cleaning performance. The one-touch control makes cleaning a breeze, and a portable charging stand lets you store and charge anywhere, anytime. Even maintenance is easy, with removable, washable filters and cyclone system and ThinQ App Wi-Fi enabled monitoring.
LG Made it even Better!
Customer Rating
5.0
I had the older version of this same model and really liked it. This one is even better as the battery runtime has been improved to 60 minutes from 40. There’s still enough suction at regular power that I hardly need to engage the power or turbo mode for any reason. With the included extra battery I can do the entire house while another battery charges in the docking station.
Another difference is the old model included a hard floor and a carpet attachment. This one just has one universal attachment to do both. I think this approach is much better. I’ve had no issues using this all-in-one attachment to clean both my tile and carpet. It also includes a combination tool that can be used to clean your car or if you use it on the end of the telescoping wand I’m able to get random spiderwebs out of the corners of my 10 foot ceilings. The Power Punch tool has a vibrating feature that allows it to aggravate the dust and debris and remove it from upholstery. There is a 5-step filtration system so there are several filters: a prefilter, 2 “cyclonic”, metal, and fine dust, all of which are both easy to remove and washable.
My old model also did not feature the “Kompressor” technology which compacts the dirt and hair so that it both stores more and is easier to dispose of. It provides a Kompressor Lever that you can utilize while vacuuming to force the dirt into the bottom of the dustcup. I find this to be a valuable new feature because I constantly had to use my finger or remove the filter to get all of the dirt out of the old one.
Pros:
High Performance
Not that noisy
Includes 2 batteries
Washable filters
1 large attachment for all floors
Multiple smaller attachments
Kompressor technology
Wifi enabled
Docking station can be placed on floor or wall mountable
10 year motor warranty (1 year general)
Not that noisy
Includes 2 batteries
Washable filters
1 large attachment for all floors
Multiple smaller attachments
Kompressor technology
Wifi enabled
Docking station can be placed on floor or wall mountable
10 year motor warranty (1 year general)
Cons:
None!
Overall, this is an excellent cordless stick vacuum and I have no hesitation recommending it to anyone. The increased runtime and extra battery give you two hours which should be enough to cover an average or even large home.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Frigidaire 10,000 BTU 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner keeps your home cool and comfortable when and where you need it. Enjoy more cooling flexibility with two different fan speeds plus dehumidifying Dry Mode to keep your room cool and comfortable while also removing excess moisture from the air.
Excellent Cooling Performance; Portability Limited
Customer Rating
4.0
100°F is the new normal here in Central Texas and my home office will get 6-8° hotter than the rest of the house because of all the computer equipment that I use throughout my workday and then gaming afterwards. I wanted a portable A/C because my HOA does not allow window units to be installed.
The Frigidaire 3-in-1 works well. It can bring down the office to be in line with the rest of the house in just a few hours. My house is newer and has the HVAC system configured so that each room is linked to the other, meaning I can never seal my office off so I can’t get it below the house temperature. Once the portable unit “equalizes” the temperature with the house it’ll stay there. However, when the ambient temperature in the office is 70° I am measuring about 50-54° coming out of the unit which to me is incredible as that’s better cooling than my central AC system.
My biggest issue is the practical portability of this unit. The insert that you use to attach the exhaust duct to the window is rather cheap and flimsy. In fact, mine was either cracked out of the box or I did it when first setting it up and didn’t notice, not sure. It doesn’t stay in my window that well and would require lots of duct tape to properly seal it. The kit does come with some strips to help seal the space around the window, but I’m not using them. The way the hose attaches to the insert is also poor. It will easily fall out as you’re trying to get the insert in place. It needs a more secure “snap” to stay there. I need to remove the duct every night so I can set my house alarm when I go to sleep and the process is not easy. There is a wired gate at the end of the duct in case you don’t have a screened window but I find it odd that it’s not a mesh screen because while it might keep out a larger rodent, insects or even a snake would otherwise fit through.
Other than that, I really like the unit, the remote control is fantastic, providing you with a digital display (with backlight) of what mode the unit is in, fan speed, the current temperature setting, etc. I like that the louver auto opens and closes as well. There is an ionizer but I have no idea how to test that it's doing anything other than I know it's set to "on". The unit generates about 60dB of noise from 3ft away at high fan speed. The noise doesn’t bother me cause I like it while I work However, I can see how it might become annoying if you were living in a small space and relying on this as your primary cooling.
Pros:
Excellent Cooling Performance
Remote Control with LCD feedback
Dehumidifier Mode
Ionizer
Fan Only Mode (does not require exhaust hose)
Shutdown Timer
Washable Filter and Filter Clean Reminders
Excellent Cooling Performance
Remote Control with LCD feedback
Dehumidifier Mode
Ionizer
Fan Only Mode (does not require exhaust hose)
Shutdown Timer
Washable Filter and Filter Clean Reminders
Cons:
The window venting kit could be better
Some might find it noisy
Some might find it noisy
Overall – it cools extremely well but the supplied window venting kit makes it a “set it and forget it” product more than a portable one. It’s basically a window unit with wheels that sits on the floor in front of the window, and if that’s what you are looking for, I do recommend.
I would recommend this to a friend!
+1point
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Meet Google Pixel Buds Pro, the wireless earbuds with premium, immersive sound that adapts to you. Active Noise Cancellation with Silent Seal blocks outside sounds, so your music shines.
Must Have for Pixel Owners!
Customer Rating
5.0
The sound quality of these buds is superb. Add Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) and it only gets better. Good soundstage with excellent bass response and are very enjoyable to listen to. The ANC does a great job of removing unwanted noise with a 6-core custom chip that’s tuned by Google’s engineers. There is a feature in the app to make sure you are using the right sized eartips and that you have a good seal.
If you are using a PIxel phone, then you don’t need to download the Pixel Buds appYou don’t have to do anything but open the case and nearly instantly the automatic pairing appears. This Fast Pair functionality works with any Android 6.0+ device but you will need to download the app if you are not using a Google Pixel. The app is not available on iOS. You’ll also get audio switching if using more than one Android device such as phone and tablet signed into the same Google account.
I think the controls are the most intuitive I’ve used on a pair of earbuds. Use a swipe forward gesture on either bud to increase the volume or back to decrease it. One tap will pause or resume the song, two taps will advance the song, and three will go to the previous. You can customize a long-press on either earbud to toggle ANC/Transparency or to summon Google Assistant. I’ve had earbuds in the past where you had to physically push them (which just pushes them into your ear further) to control things, whereas these are just a light tap or swipe. Google’s engineers did well here as there are premium wireless in-ears on the market right now that don’t even have touch volume controls!
Removing one earbud from your ears will automatically pause the music (if available depending on application) and will resume when you put it back in your ear. The ANC has a pressure sensor and I’m not sure how it works but will relieve this pressure if needed to ensure that the listening experience remains comfortable. That is important because these have incredible battery life and can last for nearly an entire 8-hour workday with ANC on and when you put the buds back in the case should be able to go all day listening with ANC before needing a power source. Speaking of the case, it’s round and compact, thin, supports wireless charging, and should fit comfortably in pockets. I’ve had no issues wearing these for hours at a time.
Really, the only con is if you are an iPhone user and not Android. Of course, these work fine on iOS or any other Bluetooth device and still sound fantastic but you’ll be missing out on some features such as Google Assistant, Notifications, and Fast Pairing. However, this will the same situation with any headphone that’s not made by Apple. I’m also not sure how you would configure the headphones or even update the firmware without an Android device.
Pros:
Excellent Sound Quality
Intuitive Touch Controls
Android Fast Pairing
Hey Google and Android Notification Support
Excellent Bass Response
Swap between multiple devices
Wireless Charging
Fantastic Battery Life
Mic is great for calls
Google Translate Support
Includes Small, Medium, and Large eartips
Intuitive Touch Controls
Android Fast Pairing
Hey Google and Android Notification Support
Excellent Bass Response
Swap between multiple devices
Wireless Charging
Fantastic Battery Life
Mic is great for calls
Google Translate Support
Includes Small, Medium, and Large eartips
Cons:
iOS support is limited and there is no app.
Spatial audio not available until Fall 22
iOS support is limited and there is no app.
Spatial audio not available until Fall 22
At the end of the day, these are the best sounding ANC earbuds I have ever heard and recommend them to anyone, and if you have a Pixel phone that are a must have in my opinion!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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OMEN Obelisk Gaming Desktop - Intel Core i7-8700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA RTX 2080 - 2TB HDD + 256GB SSD - HP Finish In Shadow Black
Play to your full potential with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop. Fluid gaming is ensured with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series graphics and an Intel Core i7 processor, running on Windows 10 Home. Make a statement with customizable RGB lighting and a transparent side panel, and perform easy toolless upgrades in adherence to micro-ATX standards with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop.
Is it possible to add a Blue-ray or optical player and if so would it be accessible from the front? Doesn't appear to have an opening in the front
Correct, not on the front. The front has vertical spots for hard disks. You would need to use a USB external Bluray drive.
5 years, 6 months ago
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Posted by:
Titan5178
OMEN Obelisk Gaming Desktop - Intel Core i7-8700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA RTX 2080 - 2TB HDD + 256GB SSD - HP Finish In Shadow Black
Play to your full potential with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop. Fluid gaming is ensured with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series graphics and an Intel Core i7 processor, running on Windows 10 Home. Make a statement with customizable RGB lighting and a transparent side panel, and perform easy toolless upgrades in adherence to micro-ATX standards with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop.
How many fans on the RTX 2080, 1, 2, or 3?
OMEN Obelisk Gaming Desktop - Intel Core i7-8700 - 16GB Memory - NVIDIA RTX 2080 - 2TB HDD + 256GB SSD - HP Finish In Shadow Black
Play to your full potential with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop. Fluid gaming is ensured with NVIDIA GeForce RTX 20 series graphics and an Intel Core i7 processor, running on Windows 10 Home. Make a statement with customizable RGB lighting and a transparent side panel, and perform easy toolless upgrades in adherence to micro-ATX standards with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop.
This might be a dumb question, but will the 2080 be able to use g-sync? I don’t see it on Nvidia’s list of supported cards. (https://www.geforce.com/hardware/technology/g-sync/supported-gpus) Would I need to run v-sync as well? Thanks.
Yes, it supports G-Sync.
Reference: I have this computer and my monitor is G-Sync.
Reference: I have this computer and my monitor is G-Sync.
5 years, 6 months ago
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Posted by:
Titan5178
HP - Spectre 13.3" Laptop - Intel Core i7 - 8GB Memory - 256 GB Solid State Drive
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
What users is this directed towards?
Anyone looking for a really thin, light Windows laptop for light to medium usage.
8 years ago
by
Posted by:
Titan5178
Logitech - Type S Bluetooth Keyboard Case for Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 - Black
This Logitech Type S 920-006401 case features a built-in Bluetooth keyboard that wirelessly connects to your Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5, so you can enjoy freedom of motion while you type. The E.P.S. (Essential Protection System) safeguards your device.
Will this work with a Tab4
No, it is made specifically for the Tab S 10.5
9 years, 3 months ago
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Titan5178
from
Cedar Park, TX
Book Cover for Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 - Titanium Bronze
Guard your Samsung Galaxy Tab S 10.5 from scrapes with this Samsung EF-BT800BSEGUJ cover that features polyurethane and polycarbonate materials for durable, encompassing protection. The screen-toggle capability turns the screen on or off automatically.
how to install?
How do you install this book cover? The tablets has 2 button looking holes in back.
Just pop it into those two buttons. It's really simple and works well.
9 years, 10 months ago
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Posted by:
Titan5178
from
Cedar Park, TX
Samsung - Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4 - 16GB - White
Samsung Galaxy Tab Pro 8.4: Whether you're at home, in the office or working on the go, this tablet is your portable personal assistant. Multitask efficiently with Multi Window, and create, edit and share documents with ease using Hancom Office Suite.
How do I use the Multi-window feature on my new tablet?
Make sure it it turned on in Settings -> Device -> Multi window.
Go back to your home screen and either swipe your finger from the right edge of the screen or press and hold the Back key to access the multi window tray.
From there just click or drag the applications you want to open. You can open up to 2 on the 8.4 tablet.
Go back to your home screen and either swipe your finger from the right edge of the screen or press and hold the Back key to access the multi window tray.
From there just click or drag the applications you want to open. You can open up to 2 on the 8.4 tablet.
10 years, 2 months ago
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Posted by:
Titan5178
from
Cedar Park, TX