MnstrMike
Top 250 Contributor
MnstrMike's Stats
- Review Count156
- Helpfulness Votes878
- First ReviewAugust 5, 2011
- Last ReviewNovember 17, 2025
- Featured Reviews0
- Average Rating4.1
Reviews Comments
- Review Comment Count3
- Helpfulness Votes5
- First Review CommentNovember 5, 2012
- Last Review CommentJune 18, 2017
- Featured Review Comments0
Questions
- Question Count0
- Helpfulness Votes0
- First QuestionNone
- Last QuestionNone
- Featured Questions0
- Answer Count41
- Helpfulness Votes48
- First AnswerNovember 22, 2010
- Last AnswerDecember 8, 2021
- Featured Answers0
- Best Answers5
BLU - WIN HD 4G Cell Phone (Unlocked) - Pink
With 4G speed and Wi-Fi, this Blu WIN HD W510L PINK cell phone makes it easy to connect to the Internet whether you're at home or on the go. The 8.0MP rear-facing and 2.0MP front-facing cameras allow you to take photos of special moments.
Maybe first time user could see past issues
Customer Rating
3.0
Posted by: MnstrMike
from Knoxville, TN
on March 2, 2015
For starters the screen is excellent! My daily drives is a LG Nexus 5, very familiar with Motorola G's and E's. I really like Windows Phone UI and if just had the apps I need I could see myself jumping from Android (possibly. Android 5.0 is super sweet).
This review is written from my wife's use of the phone so I am adding to what I have experienced with it just playing around and what she has experienced as a daily driver, so it all comes through as first person.
She has used Android/Samsung in past and has never looked back switching to Windows Phone. It's Apple iOS, with touches of Android usefulness, yet still it's own.
When it comes to Windows Phones my first introduction is a Nokia Lumia 630 from Cricket. Excellent phone, solid battery life, but no front facing camera; managed without it, but it does stink, mainly when Skype Video calling.
The BLU WIN HD is easy to hold in the hand being even though it has a 5" screen. It virtually has no bezel. With BLU's included TPU case, it made it fantastic. On it's own the plastic used to build the phone feels really cheap, especially when removing the back cover to insert SIM and microSD Card. It is not very slick, smooth, but not slick.
The camera's do a decent job. The rear does not have a zoom, which it is an 8MP shooter and can be enlarged after the pic is taken, so not a deal breaker. The front camera is adequate and at least gave me that functionality that I was missing from Nokia Lumia 630,.
Past that I did lose some things. Apparently Windows Phones leaves out a few features that are found at least on Nokia phones: Visual Voicemail, Extra menu on the Settings Menu that tells which WP8.1 version you are on (Cyan, Denim, etc.), and the Nokia/Lumia only Apps are not present (that was assumed in the switch).
The loss of Visual Voicemail though caught me by surprise as it is built into the OS. Did some research and other non-Lumia/Nokia phones also are missing this option. So apparently this is where the Android likeness kicks in and not the iOS consistency across different manufacturers.
The screen did have issues with picking up touches when using dial pad in a call. Since Visual Voicemail did not work, had to check voicemail old fashion way. while you still don't have to dial your number, but can hit the voicemail button in the dialer app, as sort of a speed dial, you still have to use the number prompts and only used once and I had issues not picking up a number or # key.
Using the keyboard I did not have any issues with responsiveness*. The asterisk however is when the phone is charging. The phone severely lags when it is charging and trying to type on the keyboard is very slow. Thankfully the battery is amazing, so the need to recharge is limited!
I did have the phone reboot itself twice in the time I used it (about 10 days). I was using WhatsApp both times and was trying to take a picture. So do not know if the issue is the BLU camera app or WhatsApp App. I checked for updates on all fronts and everything was up to date. Couldn't find anyone else with instances online with same problem. Just the visual voicemail issue. Cannot say if this issue had anything to do with background apps also running. Don't typically use too many, text, WhatsApp, etc.
Call quality, speaker quality. The Speakers are loud and could be heard easily for notifications and playing media. Call quality however, was hollow, the earpiece speaker rattles. Switching to Speaker Phone the volume is quite low compared to media volume.
I did test/play with an un-SIMmed Lumia 535 Dual Sim phone for a bit. Size it is a bit bigger, screen washed out looking, definitely didn't feel as premium as this phone or standard Nokia Lumia. Price was $30 cheaper though, but bezels made the 5" screen even bigger and awkward design for small hands and slick casing made it hard to hold. Cannot compare with issues with BLU phone, as it didn't have a SIM to test functionality. The screen of the 535 really turned me off with its poor viewing angles.
However, a first time user may not have had issues with this.
Like the title says, I think a first time Windows Phone User could see past some of this, so I can still recommend it. , but being on a true blue (pun intended and literal) Nokia Lumia 630 (cyan color) phone, its hard to look past it. I simply wanted a front camera and Dual SIM was added bonus for my bi-yearly travels overseas.
It was however, Pretty in Pink!
I would recommend this to a friend!
My Best Buy number: 2082864761
+2points
2out of 2found this review helpful.
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HP - ENVY Desktop - Intel Core i5 - 12GB Memory - 2TB Hard Drive - Gray
HP ENVY 700-214 Desktop: Powerful enough for your demanding gaming and video-editing needs, this desktop boasts abundant memory for quick multitasking of your work projects and daily tasks. Plus you'll have plenty of room store it all on the massive hard drive.Learn more about the New Windows ~
does what I need it to
Customer Rating
4.0
Posted by: MnstrMike
from Knoxville, TN
on March 1, 2014
Features
3.0
Performance
4.0
Images for this Review
(click to see full-size image)
What's great about it: Plenty of USB ports
What's not so great: Wish it had dedicated graphics or SSD
In this review I am looking at all that came in the box with the HP Envy 700-214.
It has been a long time since I have had a desktop PC. I honestly never thought I would go back to one with the quality of laptops out there. But you pay the price for mobility as I bought this desktop with a monitor package deal for just under $900 and couldn't touch that price with specs for a laptop. However, seeing that I need some good horsepower under the hood, my minimal road travels usually only require email and doc prep, so I didn't need much for being mobile. But in the office I need quite a bit. I do desktop publishing, short videos, financial software, etc. And I need the ability to allow coding and such to happen in the background, while I continue to work.
I knew I needed an iCore 5 or higher to get accomplished what I wanted so I only looked at desktops meeting that requirement. Memory had to be 8GB or more and for some reason I thought this machine had dedicated graphics memory. It does not. It shares the system memory of a max (and defaulted at) 1792MB. so around 1.5GB of the 12GB system memory is being used for graphics. I should not run into in any issues, but dedicated would have been nicer.
So as a desktop it is as fast and quick as I expected. I am a Windows 8 fan, even though I am not using touch screen in the office (I do on my Asus T100, which Windows 8 comes a live on touch screen) but in the office it just not practical as my screen is not in my face.
**A side note on Windows 8. Dual screen is a little wonky because to access some of the settings you have to be able to get the "Charms Bar" located on the right side of the screen and the opposite is true for the left side of the screen to access current running Apps. Without touch screen setup Windows 8.1 gets a bad wrap, and I would say rightfully so. All of the changes are behind the scenes and I can attest to the fact that Win 8 runs lighter and faster than Win 7 especially on older machines. On my little Asus Transformer Book T100 I use Win 8.1 as is. However, in the office setup I employ third-party software called ClassicShell. It is free and essentially it brings back the Start Button/Menu on the desktop. Now Windows 8.1 added the feature back to skip to the desktop on startup, Classic Shell has that feature as well, but it takes a trick for it do it and I just allow Win OS to handle that task. Once you get a round the learning curve of Win 8.1 theoretically you could do with out the Start menu on the desktop, but most don't want or can't take that time to get used to it. So ClassicShell (and others out there) help bring it back. The rumor has it that Windows 9 will bring it back, which they should have just did it from the beginning in Win 8 but again that's my opinion.
Getting back to topic, I do use dual screen setup, I cannot multitask without and over the years my screen sizes have increased now running dual 23" monitors 1 is HP (bought a pc/monitor package deal) and the other is an older 23" Hanspree (not as nice as the LED HP, may have to swap it out as reading text is just not that nice in comparison and now I know why I squinted. I just thought it was my eyesight)
Anywho, the system graphics handles it all just fine. Have not noticed any issues yet, I have not thrown the kitchen sink at it yet, but I really don't forsee any issues there with it.
The pc is very quiet, much quiter than I expected which is good. Again, once I start throwing larger tasks I am sure noise will pick up but I don't expect much.
The 2TB harddrive is nice as I won't run out of space for what I am doing, but it is a little sluggish on wake from sleep. From full off, the pc starts up quickly (mostly thanks to Win 8 for that) and gets me going in under 1 minute once a few things load. I knew going that the harddrive could be a bit sluggish compared to lesser size, say 500GB or 1TB but it works fine.
I really wish I had an SSD of at least 128GB for OS and subsequent programs and the 2TB for storing files and such. But I couldn't find one and probably wouldnt' have paid the price anyway. I can make upgrades down the road, which this desktop definitely allows.
I can even add another 4GB of memory to total out at 16GB if needed. Honestly would add a dedicated graphics card first though.
The wireless card inside is very strong and works well. I was a little worried about this as it doesn't have an external antenna. I am only 30 feet from my wireless router (diagonally) as my office is the basement of my home but it picks up the signal just fine at full bars. It did waiver once from 5 to 4 bars, but just shortly. Could have been someone standing in the direct path upstairs, but it didn't disrupt anything I was doing.
I have more USB ports than I know what to do with, which is fine by me.
One item that was complete junk in my opinion is the included wireless keyboard and mouse. The mouse is a joke. I am used to Logitech products for the last 10 years. Actually I have an HP wireless mouse elsewhere and so I at least expected that quality. This is definitely novelty at best just to make the features sound more appealing in the "What's in the Box" section.
I have tried all the settings possible, but the mouse jumps quite a bit, even when not being used. Precision is very hard, so it has to go as when I am doing desktop publishing or video editing precision will be key.
The keyboard is okay. The keys are nice and evenly spaced, but it does make quite a racket, especially the space bar. One aspect I do not like is the shortcut keys. I am used to the Logitech where I have dedicated media key functions (play/pause etc) this keyboard is not dedicated but requires the use of a dual press of FN key and the desired command. So not very convenient. The sound level is independent though so at least that is easy.
Obviously you can tell I enjoy Logitech products, so if you are not used to them then maybe it won't be an issue for you; outside of the mouse I definitely thing you will notice that. I do like the 10-Key Numeric pad as it works great and the keys are layed out nicely. My complaints mainly rest in the mouse department.
I needed a PC fast as my current rig was overheating as it just couldn't handle all I needed to do and I nursed it along for over year. I thought about building my own machine as I could get exactly what I wanted and would have even more longevity but I needed one quick and I have bought HP before so knew of their solid nature.
I am a bit of an audiofile so the Beats Audio sounded like an extra bonus. I can't tell any difference from my previous setup as my speakers have not changed (still rocking Altec Lansing THX with external sub from 2001!)
Well there is my two cents. I don't like reviews that are one liners of "works great" as that tells me nothing about how you use it! So this is how I use and what I expect from it. Hope it helps you with your decision.
One item I did want to add is I prefer small towers (slimline) but I was not able to get one with the chipset I needed (again unless I built my own). The size though is not bad, I had to add a little side table to my desk to accommodate (I hate desktops on the floor, requires too much cleaning out of dust and pet hair)
This product is... Perfect for Business, quiet
About me... Regularly process large video or graphics files, Business Professional, that guy you call to ask tech questions
I would recommend this to a friend!
Other Best Buy Products I Recommend
HP - Pavilion 23" IPS LED HD Monitor - Black
Logitech - MK520 Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo - Black
(2,788)My Best Buy number: 2082864761
+72points
72out of 72found this review helpful.
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![Rise of the Guardians [3 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [UltraViolet] [3D] [Blu-ray/DVD] [Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/DVD] [2012]](https://pisces.bbystatic.com/prescaled/500/500/image2/BestBuy_US/images/products/304b2327-370a-41e7-956a-951dd4939472.png)
Rise of the Guardians [3 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [UltraViolet] [3D] [Blu-ray/DVD] [Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/DVD] [2012]
My New Favorite Christmas Movie
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: MnstrMike
from Knoxville, TN
on April 24, 2013
What's great about it: Excellent Story
What's not so great: ?
Love the story, love the design. Totally puts a twist on all the fable and mythical characters of childhood.
Its like a G rate Grimm Brothers cartoon...gritty, dark, and funny too.
My family loves it!
3D is cool, but really forget I am watching it after awhile. May just not have enough effects. Or our brains see in 3D 360 all day, so it just gets use to it.
My daughters like it, but still prefer 2D. Really the best 3D movies I have seen thus far are documentaries.
A mix of live action and cgi models really are cool.
Sorry, sidelined the original topic there.
Bottomline movie is great, and because of this review I am getting extra points as a Rewards Member!! Can't be that.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Verified Purchaser:Yes
My Best Buy number: 2082864761
My Best Buy number: 2082864761
0points
0out of 0found this review helpful.
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Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2 Disc) (W/Dvd)
Better than the 48FPS 3D experience
Customer Rating
3.0
What's great about it: Similar cinematography as LOTR Trilogy
What's not so great: Bad Acting
Coming off of the LOTR Trilogy this story is good, however, they are taking a single book and turning it into 3 movies. Which if the writers had chosen to do extensive character depth that would be one thing, but no instead they opted to add adventures that never happened into the story to make a trilogy. What came across as a passion for the LOTR Trilogy, definitely feels like greed in this installment.
The movie is good, but it all feels subpar next to LOTR. The 48FPS 3D experience was horrid. I read the review heard the comments, but just had to see for myself. I went it thinking everyone was just being critical, but they were right.
I felt like I was watching a bunch of men dressed in costumes trying to act. It was bad.
The standard 24FPS is much better at giving the movie feel and it masks the bad acting.
Even though I wished they would have stuck to the script, the new adventures are fun and don't detract from the story, but just fills in things that might have happened with some tweaking to the original story.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Verified Purchaser:Yes
My Best Buy number: 2082864761
-1point
0out of 1found this review helpful.
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Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2 [3D] [Blu-ray] [Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D] [2011]
Must enter redemption code by expiration date to redeem UltraViolet offer. Does not include iTunes file.
3D Rendering Glitch
Customer Rating
2.0
What's great about it: It's Harry Potter
What's not so great: 3D effects
Not sure if all have had this issue or not, but in scene 12 (maybe wrong in the number, but when the enchantments have fallen to buy Harry time and the Voldermort army is rushing down the hill) the 3D glitches as if the disc was scratched. Hardly the case, the Blu-Ray player is brand spank new as is the TV only a few months old. It is reproduceable every time, so this says me, it is the disc.
Running on an LG Cinema 55" & Panasonic 110 3D player.
Running on an LG Cinema 55" & Panasonic 110 3D player.
The glitch or freeze caused the whole system to time out and restart at the menu screen. Didn't try to move to a scene past, just swapped out the disc for the 2D version to finish the movie.
Thinking back about the movie not lot of 3D effects. I can think of a few, but with spell casting I expected more. If memory serves correctly, I don't think this film was shot for 3D, but added it in later for the flare of 3D.
My 2 cents and experience.
I would recommend this to a friend!
-3points
5out of 13found this review helpful.
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Rio [4 Discs] [Includes Digital Copy] [3D] [Blu-ray/DVD] [Blu-ray/Blu-ray 3D/DVD] [2011]
Movie great 3D not so much
Customer Rating
3.0
I apologize for bad spelling but i posted from a smartphone and the browser will not let me scroll down to edit the text at the bottom. Either way i would be curious to know if others have problems with the 3D for these two films. So far I k ow that all films I have watched in theatre I cannot watch entirely without removing my glasses prior to Rio and Ice Age at home I have had no problems watching a 2 hour movie. For comparison I have watched thus far on my new 55" LG Cinema 3D Coraline and The Clash of the Titans. Both of which have stunning 3D. Titans was great in theatre but even better at home. This movie I was hoping for the same but unfortunately the 3D version is just too juddery. At this point I know it is not the TV as I bought Ice Age 3D and it does the same, which leads mento believe it is the 20 Century/Blue Sky Studio that is having the problems or just that both of these movies have so much color and a lot of unnatural white that renders the 3D juddery.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
-4points
2out of 8found this review helpful.
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MnstrMike's Questions
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GE - Classic Drip 10-Cup Coffee Maker - Stainless Steel
At GE Appliances, we're bringing craftsmanship to your countertops, with reliable and durable drip coffee makers. Equipped with either a sleek glass or insulated thermal carafe, our coffee makers have convenient functions such as Delayed Start and Timer, to make the brewing process simple and user-friendly. And all GE Appliances drip coffee makers are finished with tasteful and durable stainless steel, making them the perfect accent for any kitchen or office ~ all from a brand you trust.
Does the coffee maker use basket type filters or cone filters? Sorry that my original question was not more clear.
Removable mesh basket filter of the cone style. So you don't have to purchase filters.
4 years, 10 months ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
Dell - KM7120W Full-size Wireless Scissor Clicky Switch Keyboard and Mouse Combo with Compact Design - Gray
Dell Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo enhance daily performance and productivity with this keyboard mouse combo that fits into virtually any workspace. Easily switch between 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.Multi-OS compatibility. Tested and certified to work seamlessly with Dell systems.Programmable shortcut keys/buttons with customizable keyboard tilt.
Texture or feel of the keys? Are they hard plastic or do they have a somewhat spongy or soft rubbery feel to them? I type on my fingernail tips is why I ask.
The texture is a matte textured feel. It is not super slick. They are a hard plastic and don't appear to have any sort of coating on them. I will say as hard plastic goes, they are not as hard as some other keyboards I have in my personal office. So if using your finger nails, your might be noticing the clickety clack, but compared to my to other older keyboards, your probably going to notice it is a duller than usual. The keys themselves are very quiet like that of a nice laptop with really good feedback. It definitely feels like a laptop experiencing for my desktop, which I am digging!
In the photo the bigger the keyboard, the louder the keys. The middle keyboard is an HP set that came with a desktop, it too has textured keys, but it is definitely a harder plastic. And the Logitech on the bottom is loud as can be and definitely has hard hallow sounding keys that would definitely give some extra sound when typing with fingernails.
So of the 3 three the Dell is definitely going to give you the best sound experience.
In the photo the bigger the keyboard, the louder the keys. The middle keyboard is an HP set that came with a desktop, it too has textured keys, but it is definitely a harder plastic. And the Logitech on the bottom is loud as can be and definitely has hard hallow sounding keys that would definitely give some extra sound when typing with fingernails.
So of the 3 three the Dell is definitely going to give you the best sound experience.
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4 years, 11 months ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
Dell - KM7120W Full-size Wireless Scissor Clicky Switch Keyboard and Mouse Combo with Compact Design - Gray
Dell Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo enhance daily performance and productivity with this keyboard mouse combo that fits into virtually any workspace. Easily switch between 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.Multi-OS compatibility. Tested and certified to work seamlessly with Dell systems.Programmable shortcut keys/buttons with customizable keyboard tilt.
Is the keyboard backlit?
Nope, that would have been a nice touch, but I think battery life may suffer and for me, it don't type much in the dark when using my desktop, but if you are using this as a travel set, i could see the benefit of having backlight. I won't buy a laptop without it anymore.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
Dell - KM7120W Full-size Wireless Scissor Clicky Switch Keyboard and Mouse Combo with Compact Design - Gray
Dell Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo enhance daily performance and productivity with this keyboard mouse combo that fits into virtually any workspace. Easily switch between 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth connectivity.Multi-OS compatibility. Tested and certified to work seamlessly with Dell systems.Programmable shortcut keys/buttons with customizable keyboard tilt.
is this keyboard and mouse compatible with an HP laptop?
It is capable of connecting via the included USB receiver which makes compatible with just about computing device and it also has bluetooth connection for up to two devices, so as long as your device has a USB port or Bluetooth connectivity your are good to go.
4 years, 11 months ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
DJI - Mini 2 Fly More Combo Drone with Remote Control
DJI Mini 2 is beginner-friendly, powerful, and well, mini. Impressive performance, stunning image quality, and creative videos are just a few taps away. Explore an entirely new perspective, capturing the moments that make your life truly yours.
does this drone have the the ability to return to the controller?
YES, it is called Return to Home. Each time it takes off it will set a GPS locator. If you are outside of the 20 meter radius (~70ft) the RTH function will work. Inside of that you can see the drone pretty easily and fly it back line of site or via the live feed.
5 years ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
DJI - Mini 2 Fly More Combo Drone with Remote Control
DJI Mini 2 is beginner-friendly, powerful, and well, mini. Impressive performance, stunning image quality, and creative videos are just a few taps away. Explore an entirely new perspective, capturing the moments that make your life truly yours.
hello do I need any permission or authorization to fly my Mavic mini in Miami Beach?
You don't need a license or registration to fly the Mini Series drones. However, when drone is locked on to GPS there are areas that have restrictions. Some of those areas do require you to register and you can do so via the DJI Fly App.
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5 years ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
DJI - Mini 2 Fly More Combo Drone with Remote Control
DJI Mini 2 is beginner-friendly, powerful, and well, mini. Impressive performance, stunning image quality, and creative videos are just a few taps away. Explore an entirely new perspective, capturing the moments that make your life truly yours.
To keith131 the battery from mini 1 dose fit mini 2 but the mini 2 won't fit mini1. So back to my question will it damage the mini 2 using the battery from mini 1.
From the DJI website.
No. Mavic Mini will not function with the battery of DJI Mini 2. Although the international version of DJI Mini 2 can use Mavic Mini’s battery, the power will decrease and the total weight will exceed 250 g, requiring registration in some countries and regions. Please check local rules and regulations before use.
No. Mavic Mini will not function with the battery of DJI Mini 2. Although the international version of DJI Mini 2 can use Mavic Mini’s battery, the power will decrease and the total weight will exceed 250 g, requiring registration in some countries and regions. Please check local rules and regulations before use.
5 years ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike
DJI - Mini 2 Fly More Combo Drone with Remote Control
DJI Mini 2 is beginner-friendly, powerful, and well, mini. Impressive performance, stunning image quality, and creative videos are just a few taps away. Explore an entirely new perspective, capturing the moments that make your life truly yours.
Can I use my iPhone 8 with this controller?
JLab - Epic Air Sport ANC True Wireless Earbuds - Black
Offering the ultimate true-wireless experience for any fitness-loving music lover, JLab Epic Air Sport ANC offers customized sound and active noise canceling plus industry-leading 70+ hours playtime. Transition from gym to calls or from work to a run, effortlessly, with features like wear-detect, movie mode, wireless charging and more.
Can I wear this in one just one ear?
JBL - Quantum 800 RGB Wireless DTS Headphone:X v2.0 Gaming Headset for PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Mobile Devices - Black
Stay in the game with this JBL Quantum 800 over-ear wireless gaming headset. The memory foam padding ensures comfort during long duels, while the unidirectional microphone delivers clear communication to your teammates. This JBL Quantum 800 over-ear wireless gaming headset features accurate spatial audio positioning to give you an edge over your enemies.
So you can make them wireless and wired do I use the usb thing for wireless how do you hook it up
The wireless options is dependent on the platform of use PC=2.4Ghz radio via USB Dongle, Xbox One S can only use 3.5mm port to controller, and Bluetooth is with any device with Bluetooth. PS3/4 both have Bluetooth radios so it would work with them.
5 years, 6 months ago
by
Posted by:
MnstrMike