callmeageeth
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- First ReviewJune 23, 2014
- Last ReviewAugust 18, 2024
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- First AnswerJune 23, 2014
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Experience enhanced bass and powerful sound built into a compact package. Equipped with a versatile multi-way strap, it's perfect for on-the-go adventures. With long battery life and water, dust, rust, and shockproof design, enjoy endless hours of good music with your favorite people.
Another fantastic Sony speaker
Customer Rating
5.0
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Bluetooth speakers are a dime a dozen nowadays. It’s a crowded market with lots of solid options. Honestly, very little seems to separate the various speakers you can purchase - at least on paper. I’ve owned dozens of Bluetooth speakers, and the Sony brand speakers are consistently some of the best. They are durable, loud, reliable, with long battery life. Sure, there are others that fit the bill, but they’re brand name and legacy carries a lot in my book.
I have several Bluetooth speakers that I use depending on what I’m doing. When I’m going outside to be with friends and not moving around, I’ll bring a larger speaker. In my house, I have one that’s not battery powered that stays plugged in. But when I’m traveling, I don’t want to carry a large speaker and I want one that has a long battery, water/sand resistant, small and light - and with enough power. The new Sony ULT Field 1, like its previous models, fits the bill and is worthy of your consideration.
In the box you’ll find a small stylish speaker with a short USB-C charging cable. It’s charged via USB-C. I plugged it in after I bought it and it was fully charged within an hour or two. I haven’t drained it and timed the length it takes to get to a full charge, but that shouldn’t be much of a concern. Setting it up is like any other Bluetooth speaker. I use a Pixel 7a, and when I turned it on, a notification appears asking me to pair it. Now, I had a little issue connecting it, but my Pixel 7a, as much as I love it, has some Bluetooth issues now and then - so I chalked it up to an issue with my phone.
Once it was connected I started immediately playing music. I played a mix of classic rock, pop, hip-hop and even some podcasts. It sounded pretty good. There’s a ULT button on the speaker that replaces the “EXTRA BASS” buttons of Sony products’ past, and there’s a marked difference in Bass with it on and off. With it off the sound is a little hollow, but when on, the bass is surprisingly deep in such a small package. The buttons are simple - which is appreciative and easy to understand. They basically speak for themselves. The buttons themselves are durable with a good amount of depth so you have some physical feedback when you push them in.
This speaker is surprisingly loud for its small size. I was using it in my garage while I worked out in the yard and it was plenty loud - without even getting to 100% volume. The battery life seems more than adequate to get you through a long day of use. It’s rated 12 hours and while I didn’t time it, I’ve been using it off and on for several days now and the battery is still over 50%. I have no concerns taking this out somewhere fully charged and knowing that I will choose to turn it off before needing to recharge it.
I don’t use my Bluetooth speakers for calls, but I did make one call to my wife using it and she reported no sound issues. She said I sounded loud and clear, although she could tell if I moved too far away from it.
I don’t purposefully test the durability of my speakers. But I do have some experience with other Sony speakers made from similar materials (the fabric material that encases the speakers). And this seems similarly made. This is a great speaker to take to the beach or pool, in fact, it can get dunked in the water and still keep on going. The ends of it are made of durable rubber that will help absorb any drops. In short, this is meant to be taken with you on your travels and adventures and is up for anything. I did, however, accidentally drop it in my garage and it was no worse for the wear - no scuffs, no dents, nothing.
As a side note, a comment unrelated to the performance of the speaker itself; I wanted to add that I really like the handheld strap. It’s a unique take on the handle of the speaker. I like how it doesn’t add a lot of bulk and has some flexibility. You can pull the strap out and carry it like a small purse on a handle. You can hook a carabiner in it to attach to the outside of the bag. Now, this cord comes with a knot already tied. I haven’t tried to “untie” it, although it looks possible. So you could always take it off, but honestly I like both the aesthetics and utility of it. While I haven’t tugged on it to purposefully see if the knot would come apart, it seems pretty strong.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Jabra Elite 5 true wireless earbuds are made to help you put the world on pause, and then reconnect in a second. Block out ambient noise with powerful Hybrid Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), or stay in touch from wherever your day takes you with 6-microphone call technology. With our 6mm speakers, and range of audio enhancing codecs, you’ll be lost in goosebump-inducing, heart-racing, soaring sound. The beat goes on with up to 7 hours of battery in the buds and up to a total of 28 hours with the Qi-certified wireless charging case. The fast charge feature will give you an hour of power in just 10 minutes. Extend your battery life even further with mono mode by using one bud while the other one charges.
Quality and Comfortable Earbuds = Great Value
Customer Rating
5.0
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I’m an Android user, specifically rocking a Pixel 7a. I assume most people with iPhones are using AirPods, but either way, my comments are specifically tailored towards Android. I’ll also add that I had the Pixel Buds Series A which I loved, but when one of the ear buds died I upgraded to the Pixel Buds Pro; and while those sound great, I struggle with oddities and fit. The Elite 5 are my new go to, surpassing the Pixel Buds Pro on what matters most (to me) with earbuds, fit and not falling out.
IN THE BOX
You’ll get the charging case with earbuds in them, a short USB-C cable for charging, and small, medium and large “eargel” covers. Despite being 6’4” I typically find most medium sized eartips work best for me, and the Jabra Elite 5 are no exception.
You’ll get the charging case with earbuds in them, a short USB-C cable for charging, and small, medium and large “eargel” covers. Despite being 6’4” I typically find most medium sized eartips work best for me, and the Jabra Elite 5 are no exception.
DESIGN
In some respects, the earbud and charging case is pretty bland. But let’s be real, most earbuds look the same. Mine are black, although I kind of wish I got the white. The case itself is sleek and light. The lid, like most charging cases, is magnetic and opens up with minimal pressure and has a satisfying click sound when closing it. The case almost seems too light, but it has a relatively small profile that can easily fit in your pocket. In terms of physical size of the earbuds, they seem to be about the same size as most earbuds I’ve seen and used. They’re light and fit snugly in my ears. What Jabra did get rid of, which I’m a fan of, is the touch sensor buttons. The buttons on each ear bud “click” in which I prefer for earbuds. To me, touch buttons on such small devices are finicky.
In some respects, the earbud and charging case is pretty bland. But let’s be real, most earbuds look the same. Mine are black, although I kind of wish I got the white. The case itself is sleek and light. The lid, like most charging cases, is magnetic and opens up with minimal pressure and has a satisfying click sound when closing it. The case almost seems too light, but it has a relatively small profile that can easily fit in your pocket. In terms of physical size of the earbuds, they seem to be about the same size as most earbuds I’ve seen and used. They’re light and fit snugly in my ears. What Jabra did get rid of, which I’m a fan of, is the touch sensor buttons. The buttons on each ear bud “click” in which I prefer for earbuds. To me, touch buttons on such small devices are finicky.
The controls are similar to other earbuds, whereby pushing the button on the right side pauses music/podcasts, 2 pushes advances to the next song and 3 goes back. Holding the button in increases the volume, holding the button in on the left earbud decreases volume. On the left earbud, one click turns on and off the noise canceling and activates hearthrough. If you’ve used earbuds and controlled your music/calls in the past, it will be familiar, if you haven’t, the buttons will become second nature quickly.
SOUND QUALITY
The Elite 5 touts some big musical chops with multiple audio codecs to deliver high quality sound for its 6 MM speakers. For those non geeks (I’m a geek, but I do get lost on codecs and speaker drivers etc.) I can tell you they sound great. Especially taking into account the active noise cancellation (which I’ll get to in a moment). The noise cancellation really puts the focus on the audio, and coupled with whatever magic they put in these tiny speakers, the bass is tight, and music/podcasts really clear. For the most part, they match my Pixel Buds Pro in terms of sound quality. I won’t debate anyone on the merits because they’re might be differences, but honestly, I can’t tell much difference between the two. They both sound great. That includes all types of audio sources, classical music, rap, rock, podcasts, whatever. I was impressed with the sound. Not to mention the easy adjustment of the EQ settings in the Jabra+ app…
The Elite 5 touts some big musical chops with multiple audio codecs to deliver high quality sound for its 6 MM speakers. For those non geeks (I’m a geek, but I do get lost on codecs and speaker drivers etc.) I can tell you they sound great. Especially taking into account the active noise cancellation (which I’ll get to in a moment). The noise cancellation really puts the focus on the audio, and coupled with whatever magic they put in these tiny speakers, the bass is tight, and music/podcasts really clear. For the most part, they match my Pixel Buds Pro in terms of sound quality. I won’t debate anyone on the merits because they’re might be differences, but honestly, I can’t tell much difference between the two. They both sound great. That includes all types of audio sources, classical music, rap, rock, podcasts, whatever. I was impressed with the sound. Not to mention the easy adjustment of the EQ settings in the Jabra+ app…
FEATURES/SETUP/FIT
Before jumping into the Jabra+ app, these earbuds have something called Google Fast Pair. That was not my experience. Don’t get me wrong, I got them paired and once I did they work flawlessly, but I wasn’t able to connect the earbuds to my phone until I downloaded the app. Once I did that, for whatever reason, my phone was able to connect to them (before downloading the app, I kept getting errors). The app luckily didn’t have any firmware updates - which is normal nowadays - and I would think the only reason you would use it is to adjust the EQ settings. There are several presets to choose from or you can manually adjust it. I typically go with bass boost but it’s all personal preference. It’s easy to do within the app.
Before jumping into the Jabra+ app, these earbuds have something called Google Fast Pair. That was not my experience. Don’t get me wrong, I got them paired and once I did they work flawlessly, but I wasn’t able to connect the earbuds to my phone until I downloaded the app. Once I did that, for whatever reason, my phone was able to connect to them (before downloading the app, I kept getting errors). The app luckily didn’t have any firmware updates - which is normal nowadays - and I would think the only reason you would use it is to adjust the EQ settings. There are several presets to choose from or you can manually adjust it. I typically go with bass boost but it’s all personal preference. It’s easy to do within the app.
The noise canceling, as I said, is great. I can type away in my office when I’m focusing and get locked in not hearing anything around me (except maybe faint clicking from my mechanical keyboard which doesn’t bother me). When I called the elevator in my office, I couldn’t hear it coming or the door opening. Outside in a crowded area you might hear the slightest bit of noise, but for the most part it does a great job.
The hear through function is hit and miss for me. Like my Pixel Buds Pro, the idea is, if it detects your talking it will automatically pause until you’re done talking, preventing you from having to pause your sound manually. When running even, sometimes a heavy breath can activate it. It’s not enough for me to disable it, but it doesn’t work each and every time. But that’s only a small annoyance.
The battery life is great. I wore them almost an entire workday and they lasted. They charge quickly in the case, and I was able to use them for the better part of 3 days without having to recharge the case (other than my initial charge). You’re likely to want to pull them out of your ears before the battery dies.
Last, and what’s most important to me with earbuds, is fit. Not just fit for sitting around or riding in a plane/train, but exercise. My Pixel Buds Pro tend to come out of my ears when sweating and running. These fit nicely in my ear, and at first, I was concerned it wasn’t a snug enough fit, but I went running and they didn’t budge a bit. Bottomline, they are extremely comfortable. And to that end, they are water resistant. I’m hoping they’ll hold up over time, but I don’t anticipate them getting damaged while sweating during a workout.
CONCLUSION
These are a solid pair of headphones. Don’t sleep on them. When taking the price into account, along with the comfort level and audio quality, they should be on everyone’s list who’s looking to upgrade their headphones.
These are a solid pair of headphones. Don’t sleep on them. When taking the price into account, along with the comfort level and audio quality, they should be on everyone’s list who’s looking to upgrade their headphones.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Introducing the SanDisk Extreme M.2 NVMe SSD with PCIe Gen 4.0, engineered to keep up with your demanding creative workflows. Enjoy stellar performance with extreme read speeds up to 5,150MB/s so your PC can stay ahead of your flow as you work, edit, and play faster than ever before. With capacities up to 2TB, your drive can handle data-intensive workloads with ease after you finish the quick, one-screw installation. You can even stay up-to-date on your SSD’s health with the Western Digital Dashboard.
Fast drive, great for large media files
Customer Rating
5.0
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I am an amateur video editor, mostly editing home videos with my kids. I am often manipulating, transferring tens of GBs of files and having a fast drive with ample storage is an absolute must in my computer. I’m using an ASUS Creator Laptop that has a 1 TB SSD built in. But that space has been filled up with games and videos. Luckily, it has an extra SSD slot, and this SanDisk Extreme fits and works perfectly.
This drive technically works with a PS5, but you would need to add a heatsink. The form factor allows you flexibility in terms of whether you would install it on a laptop or a desktop.
INSTALLATION
For the uninitiated, installing/replacing an SSD in a laptop is pretty straightforward but it requires a few steps. First, you should do some searching to make sure your laptop has an extra slot (if you’re replacing your drive, that’s a little more complicated). But assuming you have an extra slot, you must first use the appropriate screwdriver to remove the back plate. From there, most computer manufacturers have an open slot that’s easily accessible (mine did). You simply slide the drive in and then secure it with a M.2 screw (my computer didn’t have one, I had to supply my own). Once it’s installed, you do have to go into your disk manager to format it and give it a drive letter (if you search online you’ll find those specific instructions). Bottomline, it’s easy, even for a first timer just do a little research beforehand.
For the uninitiated, installing/replacing an SSD in a laptop is pretty straightforward but it requires a few steps. First, you should do some searching to make sure your laptop has an extra slot (if you’re replacing your drive, that’s a little more complicated). But assuming you have an extra slot, you must first use the appropriate screwdriver to remove the back plate. From there, most computer manufacturers have an open slot that’s easily accessible (mine did). You simply slide the drive in and then secure it with a M.2 screw (my computer didn’t have one, I had to supply my own). Once it’s installed, you do have to go into your disk manager to format it and give it a drive letter (if you search online you’ll find those specific instructions). Bottomline, it’s easy, even for a first timer just do a little research beforehand.
USE and PERFORMANCE
I have my computer set up for 2 separate drives. The original SSD included and the SanDisk extreme. On an anecdotal note, other than having two separate drives to save things to, I saw absolutely no drop in performance at all. I transferred a file folder containing 60+ GBs of videos and it took about 30 seconds. The transfer rate was some 1.68 GB/s. It was impressive.
I have my computer set up for 2 separate drives. The original SSD included and the SanDisk extreme. On an anecdotal note, other than having two separate drives to save things to, I saw absolutely no drop in performance at all. I transferred a file folder containing 60+ GBs of videos and it took about 30 seconds. The transfer rate was some 1.68 GB/s. It was impressive.
With 1 TB in size, I’m spending more time editing videos/photos than I am transferring data. And I’m able to run all my Adobe apps straight from the SanDisk drive. Again, there was no performance drop off compared to me editing from the SSD that was built in.
I ran CrystalDisk and was getting 4127.39 MB/s read speeds and 3578.11 MB/s write speeds. I was getting real time performance close to the advertised speeds. I cannot emphasize how nice it is to be able to move all this data in a flash.
The price is higher than other SSDs, but it’s well worth it both in terms of performance and the quality of the drive. SanDisk is a well known data manufacturer so you know you’re getting a quality drive.
CONCLUSION
There’s not a whole lot else to say. This drive is a great blend of price, quality, and size. The performance is phenomenal and is great for moving large files and working off it. And its form factor allows you to install it in most machines.
There’s not a whole lot else to say. This drive is a great blend of price, quality, and size. The performance is phenomenal and is great for moving large files and working off it. And its form factor allows you to install it in most machines.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Cosori - 5.0-Quart Rice Cooker - Black
Cook delicious rice with the touch of a button. The COSORI 5.0-Quart Rice Cooker offers 9 functions to cook your favorite type of rice to the perfect texture. Following a precise 6-step cooking process, the rice cooker produces evenly cooked rice every time. It's simple and easy to use with a guided LED display that walks you through the cooking process. When you’re done cooking, all accessories are dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
Works well, but less versatile than other products
Customer Rating
4.0
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I’ve had a Ninja Food Multi use air fryer for some time now. And while it has a pressure cooker/steam function, I’ve always been less than impressed with the rice. Maybe it’s user error, maybe not. So I’ve been on the lookout for a dedicated rice cooker.
For those that want something a little more versatile than a one trick pony (i.e. only making rice) you’re in luck as the Cosori rice cooker does have several cooking modes, but it’s less versatile than other models as previously mentioned, like Ninja and Instant Pot.
IN THE BOX
Included in the package is the inner metal pot, a rice spoon, measuring cup, and plastic steam basket. The rice cooker has a decent sized footprint but it’s not too tall. It feels a bit smaller than an Instant Pot (or about the same size) but is significantly smaller than my Ninja Foodi combo unit I previously mentioned. It looks attractive enough (not countertop cooking device is truly attractive, but this one isn’t offensive if you left it out). It’s streamlined and sleek. But that’s always a matter of personal preference.
Included in the package is the inner metal pot, a rice spoon, measuring cup, and plastic steam basket. The rice cooker has a decent sized footprint but it’s not too tall. It feels a bit smaller than an Instant Pot (or about the same size) but is significantly smaller than my Ninja Foodi combo unit I previously mentioned. It looks attractive enough (not countertop cooking device is truly attractive, but this one isn’t offensive if you left it out). It’s streamlined and sleek. But that’s always a matter of personal preference.
SETUP AND USE
If you've owned other rice cookers, air fryers or pressure cookers, you'll find using the Cosori rice cooker familiar. It's not unlike other kitchen appliances in terms of the pieces/accessories and how you use it. There's the inner metal pot where you put water and rice, or water and oatmeal, or the steam basket and then close the lid and select your cooking option.
If you've owned other rice cookers, air fryers or pressure cookers, you'll find using the Cosori rice cooker familiar. It's not unlike other kitchen appliances in terms of the pieces/accessories and how you use it. There's the inner metal pot where you put water and rice, or water and oatmeal, or the steam basket and then close the lid and select your cooking option.
As with most kitchen products, you should clean the accessories before first using them, and it’s even suggested that you operate it without any food.
Before getting to the quality of the food it makes, I first want to speak to the instruction manual. I’m no chef, sure I have a few recipes that are my thing, but for the most part, I rely on good instructions. I found the instructions to be extremely confusing. I’m not talking about the “how to clean it” part of the instructions, but specifically, the ratio of rice to water. Now, maybe it makes sense to others but I really struggled getting the right ratio. Part of it is because of the reference to the word “cup” in the quick reference chart. For example, when cooking white rice long grain, there’s a 1:1.25 grain to water ratio. But then there’s a reference to cups. And then on the inside of the metal pot, there’s numbers/lines imprinted on the inside to help you figure out how much water to use. But one “cup” of rice is not a true one cup - it’s the measuring cup included. And the amount of water, is it one true “cup” (8 ounces) or a cup of water?
I found it extremely confusing to figure this out. Especially because I typically only make one cup of rice at a time. There are no water level markings in the pot for making only one cup of rice, so that requires looking at the quick reference chart to figure out the ratio.
To me, this makes kitchen appliances confusing (maybe I’m in the minority). But luckily, there’s some wiggle room. If your ratio is a little off it’s typically not a big deal, but my first batch of rice was thrown out because I didn’t have enough water. Someone else might pick this up and thinks it makes perfect sense, or has previous knowledge of how to use it and will know the ratios out of the gate, but I struggled.
As previously mentioned, this isn’t strictly a rice cooker, but that’s all I use it for (as I said, I wanted a dedicated rice cooker). It has a slow cook function (I’m guess like a crockpot?), steam, saute and keep warm. It also has a delay timer which I think is really useful given how long it takes to cook; you can prepare things in advance (up to 24 hours) and set it to begin cooking later that day or the next day, so it’s ready when you need it. I can’t tell you how many times I decide I want rice right then but realize it takes a while to cook and I choose something else.
Speaking of amount of time cooking. This is not a pressure cooker that pumps out rice in 12-15 minutes. It takes about 45 minutes to cook one cup of long white rice. That’s not really a knock, but it’s something you need to keep in mind. That’s why I said the timer function is so nice, like a crockpot, I can set it to cook rice in advance so it’s ready when I’m ready to eat it at a later time. And you’ll notice that the countdown is ever changing, it’s an estimated time to cook. So it might start by saying 50 minutes, but it might not actually take that long. The fluctuation in time hasn’t caused me any issues in terms of the timing of food prep.
QUALITY OF FOOD
I’ve had soft pillowy, sticky rice before. Which I love. My Ninja Foodi just couldn’t replicate that. But the Cosori consistently put out fluffy rice which is what I am looking for. I haven’t tried oatmeal yet - which I’m interested in doing, if I can figure out the water to oatmeal ratio - but in terms of the quality of the rice it’s terrific IMO. It does tend to get a little more firm/hard if you eat it long after its done cooking while it’s staying warm, but I’ve yet to have a bad batch (other than my first attempt which was part user error and part confusion).
I’ve had soft pillowy, sticky rice before. Which I love. My Ninja Foodi just couldn’t replicate that. But the Cosori consistently put out fluffy rice which is what I am looking for. I haven’t tried oatmeal yet - which I’m interested in doing, if I can figure out the water to oatmeal ratio - but in terms of the quality of the rice it’s terrific IMO. It does tend to get a little more firm/hard if you eat it long after its done cooking while it’s staying warm, but I’ve yet to have a bad batch (other than my first attempt which was part user error and part confusion).
My only other comment is that it makes a lot of rice. I have a family of 5, and it makes ample rice for us, we always have extra. I assume it’s meant for a family of 4, but to me, it makes way more than that, we could probably feed 8 people when filling it to capacity.
Finally, the accessories and pot are all dishwasher safe, which makes cleaning a breeze.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Fuel your system performance with the Crucial T500 Gen4 NVMe SSD. Experience faster gaming – perfect for PS5 upgrades. Amp up your creative potential with solid state storage that moves as fast as you need it to. Heavy tasks are no problem with better performance to power efficiency, and our heatsink gives you quiet heat dissipation in a sleek design.
Critical Accessory for Your PS5
Customer Rating
5.0
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If you own a PS5 and you don’t already have one, you need an extra SSD. It’s no secret that game’s file sizes are ever increasing - Call of Duty can take up several 100 GBs on its own. If you haven’t yet had to delete old game files to make space for new ones, you will soon. And if you’re tired of having to micromanage your hard drive space, then you need extra storage. 1 TB is good, but more is better, and while the costs of the 4 TB SSDs are still pretty steep (often ⅔ the cost of a PS5), the 2 TB Crucial T500 hits a nice balance of price and performance. It’s a no brainer of an upgrade for your PS5.
There are a lot of manufacturers out there, but Crucial is a global brand known for high quality memory products. You know what you’re getting - quality and performance. This particular model is Gen4, and while Gen5 is starting to come out, its speed matches the performance necessary to run inside your PS5. While knowledge of technical details isn’t necessary for the masses, when looking for a SSD for your PS5 you just need to know that you need Gen4 M.2 with speeds greater than 5,500 MB/s. There are a variety of form factors, but the vast majority will work with the PS5. You’ll also need to make sure it has a heatsink. For those that don’t know, that’s because these little SSDs can get pretty hot and they need to dissipate heat. This Crucial T500 checks all the boxes.
Its theoretical speeds get up to 7,400 MB/s read and 7,000 MB/s write speed. While my PS5 didn’t quite get that fast - your PS5 will display the speeds after it’s initially formatted for use - it was more than adequate. Read, it met the minimum requirements. After it’s installed in your PS5, you are then able to download games to it. While your games are stored on two separate drives (the SSD and the internal PS5 hard drive) it’s not something you have to worry about (until one of them runs out of space). And I noticed no difference whether a game was installed on the PS5 internal SSD or the Crucial T500. Honestly, there’s nothing more than you ask for. This drive brings incredible performance, and the price for its size is a terrific deal. I can’t recommend it enough. There might be other cheaper drives, but you won’t get the 5 year warranty and comfort knowing you have a SSD from a known, and quality manufacturer.
One little aside, and this to all those who have not installed a SSD in their PS5. There are plenty of videos on the internet - including from PlayStation - showing you how to do so. For those who are not familiar with computer parts or are nervous about opening up their PS5, I assure you it is a simple process that takes only minutes. Once it’s unplugged, you place it down, lift up the corner of the faceplate and with a little pressure, it will slide off. From there, you simply need a Phillips head screwdriver to remove the SSD cover plate, and to tighten the SSD into the slot (it slides in and then a screw holds the SSD in place. Put the cover plate back on, and then slide the PS5 cover on and voila, you’re done.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Boost your skills with the controller innovations from Nacon. Officially licensed for PlayStation, the Revolution 5 Pro delivers unmatched performance and reliability in a wireless game controller for PS5, PS4 and PC. Revolutionary features include magnetic Hall effect joysticks, adjustable trigger blockers, swappable D-pad designs, and Bluetooth audio.
Great controller with too many limitations
Customer Rating
3.0
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In terms of controller build, quality, comfort, design, you won’t find one better. This is especially the case if you are one that prefers the offset joystick design (like Xbox). I mean, the weight is perfect, the hall joysticks are incredibly smooth and accurate, the buttons are clicky and responsive, and you can - quickly - switch to short pull triggers. But at the end of the day, this controller - designed primarily for the PS5 - has too many limitations to be able to recommend to anyone but the most picky and selective serious - pro - gamer.
IN THE BOX
For the money, you can’t complain with everything in the box. Inside the packaging is the hardshell case which contains the controller and all the accessories. The case contains the controller, a 10 foot long braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a microfiber cloth, and a small plastic case containing the extra sticks, D-pad, and weights.
For the money, you can’t complain with everything in the box. Inside the packaging is the hardshell case which contains the controller and all the accessories. The case contains the controller, a 10 foot long braided USB-C to USB-A cable, a microfiber cloth, and a small plastic case containing the extra sticks, D-pad, and weights.
DESIGN
The controller design is pretty self-explanatory, but there’s a few things that need to be noted that might not be obvious. Obviously it’s designed with the offset joysticks similar to the Xbox controller. It’s extremely comfortable, it’s mostly plastic, but it feels premium. There are plastic covers on the handles of the controller that slide off where you can insert weights into the controller. I didn’t measure it, but the touchpad seems a little smaller than the standard PS5 controller, but whether it is or isn’t, there was no difference in use. On the back is where the pro action is. There are a lot of slider toggles. One switches between PS4, PS5 and PC. There’s also a slider for advanced controls or basic controls. Basically, turning it on advanced opens up the ability to use the buttons on the back of the handles and to use personal profiles. There’s also sliders that adjust the throw of the triggers. Default is the standard throw, but you can switch it to short throw. To me, for FPS games you might want to short pull for quicker trigger pulls, where driving games work better with the full range of the trigger.
The controller design is pretty self-explanatory, but there’s a few things that need to be noted that might not be obvious. Obviously it’s designed with the offset joysticks similar to the Xbox controller. It’s extremely comfortable, it’s mostly plastic, but it feels premium. There are plastic covers on the handles of the controller that slide off where you can insert weights into the controller. I didn’t measure it, but the touchpad seems a little smaller than the standard PS5 controller, but whether it is or isn’t, there was no difference in use. On the back is where the pro action is. There are a lot of slider toggles. One switches between PS4, PS5 and PC. There’s also a slider for advanced controls or basic controls. Basically, turning it on advanced opens up the ability to use the buttons on the back of the handles and to use personal profiles. There’s also sliders that adjust the throw of the triggers. Default is the standard throw, but you can switch it to short throw. To me, for FPS games you might want to short pull for quicker trigger pulls, where driving games work better with the full range of the trigger.
I like the placement of the rear buttons, of which there are four on the inside of the grips. Some back buttons are too sensitive and too easy to hit accidentally, but I didn’t find that to be a problem. They were easy to feel and to push, but they weren’t so sensitive so that I was hitting them accidentally.
The battery life is pretty good, in fact much better than the standard PS5 controller. Probably attributable to the lack of vibration features.
REAL TIME USE
Before getting to gaming with the controller, first, a few things on its limitations. I’ll give Nacon props, they don’t try to fool you, in all the marketing materials I’ve seen, they make it known there are some general quirks to using this controller. I’ll start with PC, because that’s where you go to adjust the controller settings or remap buttons.
Before getting to gaming with the controller, first, a few things on its limitations. I’ll give Nacon props, they don’t try to fool you, in all the marketing materials I’ve seen, they make it known there are some general quirks to using this controller. I’ll start with PC, because that’s where you go to adjust the controller settings or remap buttons.
You simply plug it into your computer’s USB port. You have to make sure the switch on the back of the controller is set to PC, otherwise your computer will recognize it but it won’t work. You have to download the Nacon software from their website. The software prompted me to upgrade the firmware, which didn’t take too long. Here you’ll find that there are four profiles for each the PS4, PC and PS5. You can go in and remap buttons, adjust the joystick sensitivity and/or delays. Note that there are 4 presets to begin with: Racing, FPS, infiltrator and arcade fighting games. After I went through these settings, I tested Xbox Game Pass on PC, and games downloaded through Epic. The controller worked flawlessly with both.
To change profiles, you simply hit the profile button and it cycles through them. There’s no display screen, but you’ll know which profile you’re on based on the color of the light ring around the right joystick. For example, the red light ring tells you you’re on FPS settings - the default, it would be whatever you want it to be if you change it within the PC app.
If you’re new to changing the macro settings in a controller, you’ll find, like me, that it requires some tweaking. So it will take some patience and trial and error to find the settings that will work best for you. When I played Tomb Raider with the “infiltrator” profile, I didn’t like the built in delays when looking around. During my game, I opted to go back to the general settings - intending to tweak the settings afterwards.
Now, I didn’t use this controller with PS4, which is packed away. So next up is the PS5. I think how you play games, and whether you play by yourself (or whether you chat online) makes a big difference with looking at this controller. The big missing feature is no rumble with the PS5. And it doesn’t have adaptive triggers. Having that is obviously personal preference, but there are some games, like Spider-Man, that really benefit with the advanced PS5 rumble features.
The controller has Bluetooth, but that’s not how it communicates with the PS5. In order to use it with the PS5, you have to use one of the USB-A slots. You can either plug it in with the included USB cable, or you can use it wirelessly with the included USB dongle (which is stored inside the plastic case within the protective case. This can be a big problem if you use your USB port - like - me, for your gaming headset. Of course, there are workarounds. As I said, this controller has Bluetooth, but you have to connect your headset via Bluetooth to the controller itself. This doesn’t sound terrible, but my gaming headset doesn’t have Bluetooth. And it brings more complexity to just turning on your standard PS5 controller and just gaming. I like that Nacon has developed a workaround (to what I can assume was a limitation created by Sony) but it’s just too complicated for me. I typically play co-op games online with my friends, and it just became too much of a hurdle.
CONCLUSION
I really want to love this controller. The design is fantastic, I love the customization, especially the different height of the sticks and weights, but the limitations with the PS5 is too much to be able to recommend it - especially at thai price point. One of the defining features of the PS% is the haptic feedback, which is entirely missing. But besides that, using this controller on the PS5 necessarily requires you to use up a USB port that you may be using for other things. (my USB ports on the back of my original PS5 are all used, but if you have an open one, it may be less of a problem). The fact that the controller can’t connect to the PS5 without a wireless dongle, requiring me to connect a different Bluetooth headset other than my gaming headset I already own and love, is a dealbreaker for me. But if you can look past that, or don’t mind the workaround, I can easily recommend this controller - just not to the average gamer.
I really want to love this controller. The design is fantastic, I love the customization, especially the different height of the sticks and weights, but the limitations with the PS5 is too much to be able to recommend it - especially at thai price point. One of the defining features of the PS% is the haptic feedback, which is entirely missing. But besides that, using this controller on the PS5 necessarily requires you to use up a USB port that you may be using for other things. (my USB ports on the back of my original PS5 are all used, but if you have an open one, it may be less of a problem). The fact that the controller can’t connect to the PS5 without a wireless dongle, requiring me to connect a different Bluetooth headset other than my gaming headset I already own and love, is a dealbreaker for me. But if you can look past that, or don’t mind the workaround, I can easily recommend this controller - just not to the average gamer.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Set the soundstage for victory with the Razer Nommo V2—a full-range gaming speaker system and subwoofer designed for high-fidelity, room-filling sound and riveting bass. Powered by THX Spatial Audio and Razer Chroma RGB, prepare for an immersive experience that spans across sight and sound.
Great performers - at a price...
Customer Rating
4.0
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True to the Razer name, these computer speakers play the part. They have a distinct design, without being too over the top, well built, and sound terrific. The biggest drawback is the cost. These are pricey speakers. If you have the budget, I highly recommend them.
IN THE BOX AND SETTING UP
The packaging is, like most Razer things, put together very well. Everything is nicely wrapped and protected. You’ll find a “getting started” guide on the top of the box. The only real thing you need to know - they are speakers after all - is how to put them in Bluetooth pairing mode. Inside you’ll find the two speakers shaped like large cans, a subwoofer, power cable, and USB-C to USB-A cable. It’s pretty self explanatory as there’s only one way everything plugs in, but the cables coming from the two speakers (which are built in) plug into the subwoofer. The plugs are similar to old VGA cables where you have to turn the screws on either side. At first blush it seemed a little unnecessary, but it actually feels like a smart design choice as there’s no chance the cables are falling out without some intentional act.
The packaging is, like most Razer things, put together very well. Everything is nicely wrapped and protected. You’ll find a “getting started” guide on the top of the box. The only real thing you need to know - they are speakers after all - is how to put them in Bluetooth pairing mode. Inside you’ll find the two speakers shaped like large cans, a subwoofer, power cable, and USB-C to USB-A cable. It’s pretty self explanatory as there’s only one way everything plugs in, but the cables coming from the two speakers (which are built in) plug into the subwoofer. The plugs are similar to old VGA cables where you have to turn the screws on either side. At first blush it seemed a little unnecessary, but it actually feels like a smart design choice as there’s no chance the cables are falling out without some intentional act.
I didn’t measure the length of the cables, but they should be plenty long for most computer desks. You will, however, need to make sure your desk has plenty of space as these speakers are large. Once they’re in the right place, run the cables from the speakers to the sub. Plug the power cord into the subwoofer, and last, plug the USB into the subwoofer and then into your computer. Voila, that’s it.
DESIGN
Razer is always known for its flare and RGB lights. And these speakers are no exception. The subwoofer looks like a subwoofer. The feet are long enough to keep the subwoofer an inch or so off the ground, and the feet are made of rubber, so they won’t slide around on hardwood floors. The subwoofer is light and brings with it a 5.5 inch downward facing driver. The speakers look like large cylinders, like large soda cans, that lay on their side and face upwards. They each have 3 inch drivers that provide plenty of power. I think design is a personal preference, but I think most people would like the way these speakers look. They’re not your boxy standing rectangle, but something different that isn’t too “out there.” I will note, however, that the angle of the speakers can’t be adjusted. Basically the speaker is “glued” if you will to the stand.
Razer is always known for its flare and RGB lights. And these speakers are no exception. The subwoofer looks like a subwoofer. The feet are long enough to keep the subwoofer an inch or so off the ground, and the feet are made of rubber, so they won’t slide around on hardwood floors. The subwoofer is light and brings with it a 5.5 inch downward facing driver. The speakers look like large cylinders, like large soda cans, that lay on their side and face upwards. They each have 3 inch drivers that provide plenty of power. I think design is a personal preference, but I think most people would like the way these speakers look. They’re not your boxy standing rectangle, but something different that isn’t too “out there.” I will note, however, that the angle of the speakers can’t be adjusted. Basically the speaker is “glued” if you will to the stand.
The RGB lights. I’m a big fan of RGB lights for my gaming setup - whether it’s my TV or computer. I don’t always have them syncing to the content, I just like the subtle color and pop these lights bring to help your rug/system (whatever) stand out. Here, the lights are built into the back of each speaker. When you look on the backside of the speaker you’ll see a white plastic dome. When you turn the speakers on they’ll light up. The colors are not so bright as to cause any type of disruption - IMO - and create just a nice ambiance no matter what you’re doing.
The controls are buttons on the top of the right speaker. There’s a power button and volume rocker, that’s it. They obviously speak for themselves. Any other settings, like EQ or lighting must be tweaked in the Synapse app. Honestly, it’s all you need and nothing you don’t. I love the minimalist and simple design of the buttons. They’re large and can’t be missed.
SOUND QUALITY
This is where these bad boys shine. I’ve played Call of Duty, Anno 1886, watched movies, listened to music, and other day to day computer tasks, and all of them sound phenomenal. In fact, the speakers might be too powerful. When cranking up the volume you can literally feel the bass. It’s sharp and crisp without drowning out the details. You can feel explosions in games and listening to music is an absolute treat. It's a true high fidelity sound. But I will caution that some types of music don’t sound the best (when I say that, I mean I still think it sounds pretty good) like the high notes of vocals that can get muddled into the sound. For the most part however, and especially with bass heavy tracks, the speakers will bump.
This is where these bad boys shine. I’ve played Call of Duty, Anno 1886, watched movies, listened to music, and other day to day computer tasks, and all of them sound phenomenal. In fact, the speakers might be too powerful. When cranking up the volume you can literally feel the bass. It’s sharp and crisp without drowning out the details. You can feel explosions in games and listening to music is an absolute treat. It's a true high fidelity sound. But I will caution that some types of music don’t sound the best (when I say that, I mean I still think it sounds pretty good) like the high notes of vocals that can get muddled into the sound. For the most part however, and especially with bass heavy tracks, the speakers will bump.
When using a PC, you can activate THX Spatial Audio (which would otherwise cost money) to enrich the experience even further. I was flat out amazed at the details and spatial audio of hearing enemies approach me from the side (off screen). It really sounded like true surround sound. NOTE that not all games are THX certified but they still sounded really good. Granted, this is single person use when the speakers are facing you - I’m not suggesting these speakers could replace the surround sound speakers in your living room.
SYNAPSE SOFTWARE
If you’re new to Razer, you haven’t met the difficulties of navigating/figuring out the Synapse app. It’s a computer app that allows you to adjust the EQ of your speakers or the lights. In fact, it’s supposed to manage all of your Razer peripherals. For me, I find it to quirky and challenging to really do a deep dive into and use on a regular basis. I downloaded it, and once I got the speakers the way I wanted (the only thing I changed was the lighting) I never opened it again. But if you were changing the lights, you go into Synapse to adjust the rear-projection RGB lighting. There are two zone, one for each speaker. You can pick whatever two colors (or the same) you’d like, or you can turn on ambient awareness mode to reflect the area of your screen.
If you’re new to Razer, you haven’t met the difficulties of navigating/figuring out the Synapse app. It’s a computer app that allows you to adjust the EQ of your speakers or the lights. In fact, it’s supposed to manage all of your Razer peripherals. For me, I find it to quirky and challenging to really do a deep dive into and use on a regular basis. I downloaded it, and once I got the speakers the way I wanted (the only thing I changed was the lighting) I never opened it again. But if you were changing the lights, you go into Synapse to adjust the rear-projection RGB lighting. There are two zone, one for each speaker. You can pick whatever two colors (or the same) you’d like, or you can turn on ambient awareness mode to reflect the area of your screen.
QUIRKS
I’ve never found a perfect product, and these speakers are no exception. There are a few quirks I found. One pertains to the lighting. The lights are on the back of the speaker, so unless you have a wall behind your speaker, you won’t see the lights (they need to reflect off something). I had trouble putting it into Bluetooth mode, so much so that I gave up. For me, this wasn’t really a problem, I just wanted to test it. But if you were relying on this to run music through another device like your phone, just note that I found it to be a difficult process. (you’re supposed to double tap the power button to put it into pairing, I was able to do that and find it on my phone, I just never got it to actually connect and play music).
I’ve never found a perfect product, and these speakers are no exception. There are a few quirks I found. One pertains to the lighting. The lights are on the back of the speaker, so unless you have a wall behind your speaker, you won’t see the lights (they need to reflect off something). I had trouble putting it into Bluetooth mode, so much so that I gave up. For me, this wasn’t really a problem, I just wanted to test it. But if you were relying on this to run music through another device like your phone, just note that I found it to be a difficult process. (you’re supposed to double tap the power button to put it into pairing, I was able to do that and find it on my phone, I just never got it to actually connect and play music).
The next and probably my biggest gripe is that the speakers turn off after inactivity (that’s ok) but don’t turn on when I turn my computer on. Some might say this is a minor annoyance (it is) but I always forget to turn my speakers on when turning my computer on. But each and every time you turn your computer on, you’ll have to turn the speakers on as well. It’s only one button, but I wish they turned on when my desktop did.
Finally, my only other comment, it’s not really a gripe, but something I want to emphasize for anyone thinking about buying these, is the size of the speakers. Maybe I’m in the minority, but they seem large. When looking at these, make sure you have the desk space to place them. And to that same effect, give some consideration as to what will be behind your speakers like a wall to reflect the RGB lighting. While I don’t think anyone would buy these for the RGB lighting effects alone, why spend the premium on them if you can’t see the lighting reflections behind the speakers?
All in all, these are well built, sharp looking speakers that do well at most anything you would do on your computer - but they are pricey. I don’t think they’re the best value proposition, but if you have the dough or are invested in the Razer ecosystem, these should be towards the top of your wish list.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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From quick tweaks and trims to total transformations, Adobe Sensei AI* and automated options make editing easy, and you can learn tricks and techniques as you go with 88 step-by-step Guided Edits. Present your best pics and videos in beautiful templates for Photo Reels, video Highlight Reels, collages, slideshows, motion graphics, Quote Graphics, and animated social posts. Effortlessly organize everything. And do more on the go using web and mobile companion apps (English-only beta).
Great software for amateurs and pros alike
Customer Rating
5.0
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Video/photo apps and software are a dime a dozen. You’re likely to have used some version of photo editing, maybe even video editing, on your phone. For me, Adobe is still the gold standard. I’ve used the Elements software for years now and I love them. They’re made for beginners, but certainly have “pro” features for those with experience in the area or after you’ve made yourself familiar with the tools available. I’m speaking to those that are interested in video/photo editing but are turned off by the complexity of some software (which includes Adobe’s other offerings). I’m no pro, but I’ve used both Photoshop and Premiere Elements to create home videos over the years and find them easy to use. There’s still a little learning curve, but each year’s iteration of the software gets better and better at teaching you the basics as well as incorporating smart and simple ways to make basic edits (i.e. removing background). This years version even incorporates AI (whatever that means in practice) to help curate videos which is extremely nice if, for example, you simply want to make a video slideshow of pictures to music.
First, a few things. You’ll need an Adobe account if you don’t already have one. Once you have one, you download the software and enter in your registration/serial number to activate the software. Honestly, this doesn’t take long at all. You’re given two downloads, meaning you could in theory have the software downloaded on 1 desktop and 1 laptop. (or another combination of the two). Also, once you pay for this software you own it. Full stop. This is not a subscription based service, which gets awfully expensive and can really only be justified for those that use these programs on a somewhat daily basis (IMHO).
Second, and importantly, system requirements. My desktop is a bit older, I’m operating an older 10 series NVIDIA GPU with 32 GB RAM and an upgraded SSD drive. My laptop is much more powerful, rocking a 30 series NVIDIA graphics card with 32 GB RAM. Both have Intel processors. I had no performance issues on either device - although my desktop does seem to take longer to render videos and older versions of Elements has frozen on me (but not the 2024 version … yet). But the recommended requirements are Intel 7th gen or newer, or AMD equivalent. You’ll need at least 16 GB of RAM when working with HD files and 32 GB when working with 4K media. You’ll need a dedicated graphics card with at least 4GB of VRAM. To translate, most machines built in the past few years will have no issues. The biggest issue is making sure you have a dedicated GPU and ample RAM.
After the software is on your computer, whenever you open one or the other (Premiere Elements or Photoshop Elements), you’ll be taken to what I see as a “hub.” From there you can select which program you want to open - including your organizer. Think of the organizer as a way to organize all your photos. It will even recognize faces - not unlike Google Photos. I don’t typically use the organizer (maybe I should) because I save all my photos and videos to Google Photos. But it’s a nice feature to have for those that like to organize their photos/videos - versus keeping them in random folders throughout your computer. It basically finds all of them on your computer and you can look at them from one location.
Whether you open Photoshop or Premiere Elements, you’ll see in the middle of your screen towards the top an option for “Quick”, “Guided” or “Expert.” You can think of these as knowledge levels, where being in the Quick screen allows for basic editing - for more common edits like trimming videos, changing colors in photos. Guided actually walks you through, teaching you along the way, different types of skills. For example, in Premiere it will walk you through how to create transitions or add text to your video files. There’s even fun edits like bounce back, slow motion, etc.
The UI is clean and easy to follow. I like the 2024 version much better than 2018. The icons are bigger, and they’re easier to understand which is especially helpful for newcomers. In Premiere, most of the time, this is all I need as I am typically just trimming video clips, adding transitions and maybe some background music. You can of course use your own audio files, but there’s also a decent collection of musical scores available to download within Premiere itself. But as you gain more familiarity with editing photos and videos, you can move into the “Advanced” view which gives you even more control - what I would describe as more fine tuning. And obviously you’re able to perform more advanced video/photo editing techniques like having additional layers of photos or different video/audio feeds overlaying in your video. I will say, some of the built in graphics options are a little lame. For example, you can insert stickers into your videos. These are usually pretty corny graphics - most of which I personally wouldn’t use. But admittedly, to add anything similar to my video (outside of having this feature built in) is beyond my expertise. So I guess in some ways, the tradeoff is the easy ability to add certain types of graphics, effects, etc. to your videos/photos, but you’re limited to what Adobe provides - unless you’re smart enough, already know how, or are willing to figure it our, how to create such graphics and import them.
AI features. I admittedly use GoPro Quik. It’s an app that curates and automatically creates short video clips of my GoPro footage. What I don’t like is that you can only use that on your phone (I prefer working on a larger screen). But the new version of Adobe Elements has something similar. Under Create, you can create a highlight reel, video collage, or video story - with the help of AI. Basically, you pick one of those categories, select the photos/videos you want from Adobe Organizer or your computer, and it processes it to create an automatic video to sound nd transitions without you having to do anything. Once it creates it, you can still go back and tweak it to make it just right. For me, making family videos and editing family photos, this is awesome. While I enjoy making my own videos from scratch, it requires much more work. If you simply want to make a video story of a recent family trip on the fly, you can upload your photos/videos and have a video made quickly. While the videos I create don’t always come out perfect, it’s great to have something to start with that I can then tweak. To me, this feature is one of the biggest selling points of the new version of Elements. This feature did not exist in the older versions I’ve used. I should also add, when making these videos, when you are first creating it you can tailor the output or size of the screen to whatever social media app you want to use (i.e instagram, YouTube, Facebook).
At the end of the day, if you have a passing interest in organizing and editing your own videos/photos, Adobe Elements is the way to go for the newcomer. It has really helpful guides to walk you through what will seem like an impossible task. It teaches you the basics while making videos and photos. You can then utilize the skills you learn to apply more and more advanced techniques. While I can’t say Elements has all the pro features of Adobe Photoshop and Premiere, I think you’d find it has about everything the novice and amateur would need. Top that off with some smart features to create videos for you - that you can still tweak - and software you actually own without paying a subscription for, and you have a pretty good combo.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Get eyes on your real front door: The myQ Smart Garage Video Keypad lets you see and control who opens your garage door. Grant access by assigning unique PIN codes for family, guests, or service providers. Get meaningful insights with real-time alerts that will tell you when someone has accessed your garage. Easy installation with integrated Bluetooth technology makes for quick Wi-Fi pairing. A must have for any smart home. Only works with myQ, Chamberlain, LiftMaster, Raynor, and AccessMaster garage door openers made after 1993.
Great upgrade - but features stuck behind paywall
Customer Rating
4.0
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I, like most people with a garage, use it as primary access to my house. Whether I’m driving into the garage or on foot, our family constantly goes through it. We had a normal keypad which worked fine, but the MyQ video keypad can notify you whenever someone opens your garage and send you a video of who opened it (or for me, a notification with a screenshot). The biggest drawback is that cloud storage is put behind a paywall. Like the MyQ camera, I wish there was some free option for a shorter amount of cloud video storage.
IN THE BOX AND SETUP
In the box you’ll find the keypad, a mount, some screws, a micro-USB charging cable. The battery itself is shipped inside the keypad itself. Installation and setup was an absolute breeze. First, however, you have to fully charge the battery. On the battery itself are green and red lights. Obviously red means it’s still charging, green means it’s fully charged.
In the box you’ll find the keypad, a mount, some screws, a micro-USB charging cable. The battery itself is shipped inside the keypad itself. Installation and setup was an absolute breeze. First, however, you have to fully charge the battery. On the battery itself are green and red lights. Obviously red means it’s still charging, green means it’s fully charged.
Once charged, you slide the battery in the back of the keypad. It then begins the pairing process. You open up the MyQ app, hit the + button to add a device and then pick the type (video devices) and then it appeared as found on my phone almost immediately. I then paired it, and downloaded a quick firmware update. I then had to pair it to my garage opener. (I’ll just say the walkthrough process through the app was extremely easy to follow). But the process was hitting the pair button on the garage door motor, then hitting the pin in the keypad. Then you hit the pin number again and hold the home button. If the door begins moving, then it’s all paired. From there, you install the mount outside the garage using screws or the included drywall anchors. If you already had a keypad installed, you could, like me, simply use the same location and means of installing the bracket. Once the bracket is installed, the keypad snaps in. Finally, you insert a tiny screw at the bottom (not unlike a Ring doorbell camera if you’re familiar with it) which prevents easy theft of the keypad.
I’ll also note that the bracket is not 0 degrees, it’s at an angle. Honestly, this seems best to get better coverage from the camera (since the keypad is generally placed on the frame of the garage, not facing outwards). But there is a 0 degree flat mount you can purchase separately if it better suits your needs.
EASE OF USE
As a keypad, this is simple to use. You simply type in the pin number and hit the home pad. I found it to be extremely responsive with no delay. Same goes for closing. You simply hit the home button and the door closes. It also captures video anytime someone types in the pin (useful for catching the time your kids come home at night).
As a keypad, this is simple to use. You simply type in the pin number and hit the home pad. I found it to be extremely responsive with no delay. Same goes for closing. You simply hit the home button and the door closes. It also captures video anytime someone types in the pin (useful for catching the time your kids come home at night).
The video quality of the camera is pretty great. It’s 1080p resolution which is more than adequate. The images are bright and clear.
You can set up the video to detect motion if you’d like. For me, I turned it off within the app, but it’s nice to have. Again, this feature is stuck behind a paywall and since I don’t expect to pay for it after my trial subscription, I’m trying not to get used to having those features - and I’m assuming the more times you’re getting notifications the bigger the hit on your phone’s battery as well as your keypad’s battery.
THE MYQ APP
I really like the app. I have some experience with it in having a smart garage opener. I really like how the video feed and access to the settings of the keypad is integrated on the home page of the app - meaning you just open the app to see everything you need. Once the video keypad is setup, you open the app and can hit on the camera to load in the live feed. If you have a paid subscription (or are using the 30 day trial) then you can look at the video feed history, download any files, or take screenshots. It also lets you know the battery life right there on the feed which is nice. To access video files, you click on history at the bottom of the app where you’ll see all the access, motion, and activity that’s been detected. If you don’t have a subscription, the only thing you’ll be able to do is to see a live feed - it won’t record activity/motion. Caveat, as I have a trial subscription, I’m unable to verify if you’d be able to see a picture in your notifications whenever someone accesses your keypad. The bottomline is that it’s really intuitive to use and finding your way around to adjust the setting of your video keypad - or any MyQ device you own - is really simple and easy.
I really like the app. I have some experience with it in having a smart garage opener. I really like how the video feed and access to the settings of the keypad is integrated on the home page of the app - meaning you just open the app to see everything you need. Once the video keypad is setup, you open the app and can hit on the camera to load in the live feed. If you have a paid subscription (or are using the 30 day trial) then you can look at the video feed history, download any files, or take screenshots. It also lets you know the battery life right there on the feed which is nice. To access video files, you click on history at the bottom of the app where you’ll see all the access, motion, and activity that’s been detected. If you don’t have a subscription, the only thing you’ll be able to do is to see a live feed - it won’t record activity/motion. Caveat, as I have a trial subscription, I’m unable to verify if you’d be able to see a picture in your notifications whenever someone accesses your keypad. The bottomline is that it’s really intuitive to use and finding your way around to adjust the setting of your video keypad - or any MyQ device you own - is really simple and easy.
CONCLUSION
As a standalone garage keypad with a video camera, this device is terrific. The biggest drawback is the subscription fee that’s required to access all its smart features. In a world where everyone is paying for a large number of subscriptions already, it’s tough to justify another $10 a month for smart access and video recordings of access to your garage. For some it might be fully justifiably, but if you weren’t already video recording and paying for this type of service, it’s tough to justify. Although at the end of the day, I'd still recommend it even if not paying for the paywall.
As a standalone garage keypad with a video camera, this device is terrific. The biggest drawback is the subscription fee that’s required to access all its smart features. In a world where everyone is paying for a large number of subscriptions already, it’s tough to justify another $10 a month for smart access and video recordings of access to your garage. For some it might be fully justifiably, but if you weren’t already video recording and paying for this type of service, it’s tough to justify. Although at the end of the day, I'd still recommend it even if not paying for the paywall.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Smart camera optimized for the garage. Works alone or as an upgrade to your myQ-connected garage door opener, the Smart Garage Camera easily adds streaming video, recorded events, motion detection and 2-way communication to the myQ app.
Good camera, but limited features behind a paywall
Customer Rating
3.0
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Personal home security cameras are a dime a dozen nowadays. If anyone ever asks me which are the best ones, I would say it mostly depends on what equipment/services you are already invested in. If you don’t already have a smart garage opener (which I highly recommend) then this camera isn’t really for you - because while it would conceivably work, you might lose out on some of the features. But the one exception to a recommendation I might give is the MyQ line of products. While I much prefer seeing all my security video feeds in one app (I mostly use Arlo - and yes, you can connect them and my Nest cameras to Google Home for example, but they don’t always reliably work within the app) I’d make an exception for this camera which ties into the opening and closing of your garage door.
The camera itself is basic. It has 1080p resolution, and offers a wide field of view. It has night vision and a two way microphone (the latter can be disabled within the app). It detects motion and audio. It’s not intended for outdoor use, so you’ll want to keep it inside your garage. It’s powered by micro-USB which seems outdated, but it isn’t really an issue.
Installation is pretty straightforward. You can attach it to anything metal using the magnets, or you can attach the magnet plate to drywall using a single screw and anchor (there’s a single hole in the middle of the plate). The magnets are pretty strong, so there’s no worry about it falling off. Obviously you can hang it on the wall, or on the ceiling (so long as you flip the orientation of the camera). The real issue with the installation, to me, was the length of the power cord. Like I said, the power cord is micro-USB and it’s hardwired into the brick. I didn’t measure the length of the cord, but it seems really short and might pose a problem depending on where you want to place it and the nearest power outlet. Most people might want to hang it on the ceiling where presumably you could plug it into the same outlet as the garage door opener. If that was the case, then the short power cord might not be a problem. Should you want to mount it somewhere else in the garage, you will be limited in your options (again, depending on the placement of your power cables). At the end of the day, this is a minor problem as you can always purchase a longer micro-USB cable - but still, an annoying one.
Setting up the camera and connecting it through the app was super simple. Once it was plugged in and I opened up the MyQ app (note, I already had it installed as I already have a smart garage door opener), I added a device and boom, it was right there. It connected within a minute or so, but then it had a firmware update. Luckily that didn’t take long. All-in-all, from installing it on my wall (I didn’t have an option to install it on my garage’s ceiling) and connecting it to my app, it took just a few minutes.
But what separates this camera from others is its integration with your smart garage opener. After setting it up within the app you’ll be asked to link it to a garage opener. What this allows you to do is to see the live feed of the camera while being able to control the garage from the same screen. Within the app you’re able to find tune the motion detection, audio detection as well as tweaking your notifications. The latter is important - to me. The moment I had my camera up and running I was getting notifications constantly (my kids were outside playing int the garage/outside). It was more than annoying. There’s an option to mute notifications like this for 2 hours (like when you know someone will be working in the garage for a few hours and you don’t want to be inundated with notifications). But you can tweak when you’re notified, like when the camera detects ANY movement, or just when the garage is opened. You can also specifically disable notifications when the garage is closed - again, so as to not get notifications if someone is working within a closed garage.
The paywall. The BIGGEST downside to this camera is that you have to pay for any storage. There’s no local storage, and no free cloud storage (outside a 30 day trial). It will cost you $99 a year ($9.99 a month) to have 30 day cloud storage and smart detection and the ability to download clips. In other words, unless you pay for the service you are effectively paying for a live feed camera. This is a huge drawback to me, and the reason I can only give this camera 3 stars. Most people are likely to already be paying for some home security, and adding another $10 subscription (don’t get me started on all things subscriptions) it just becomes too much. I think there should be some balance - maybe 7 day free cloud storage and downloads? I just don’t see the subscription as a good value proposition. Maybe for your specific use, paying an additional $10 a month for having some kind of peace of mind in your garage makes sense, but not for me. But I’m okay with using this as a live feed of my garage, especially knowing I can check it immediately whenever the garage door is opened.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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