BeingHonest's stats
- Review count238
- Helpfulness votes434
- First reviewFebruary 18, 2014
- Last reviewJune 20, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.1
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes0
- First review commentJune 25, 2016
- Last review commentJune 25, 2016
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
- Helpfulness votes0
- First questionNone
- Last questionNone
- Featured questions0
- Answer count9
- Helpfulness votes9
- First answerAugust 27, 2015
- Last answerApril 9, 2019
- Featured answers0
- Best answers2
Ninja Foodi's TenderCrisp pressure cooker allows you to achieve all the quick cooking and tenderizing wonders that you love about pressure cookers. The Foodi's Crisping Lid allows you to air fry, bake/roast, and broil. That means you can give your tender, juicy pressure-cooked meals a golden, crispy finish. The secret is TenderCrisp Technology, which produces the perfect combination of heat, fan velocity, and air circulation to give your food even crisping from top to bottom.
Customer Rating
4
Versatile and easy to cook with.
on October 9, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Pro:
Versatile (pressure cooker, steamer, broil, saute, slow cook, and air fry)
Cooks fast
Auto pause when lid is open
Versatile (pressure cooker, steamer, broil, saute, slow cook, and air fry)
Cooks fast
Auto pause when lid is open
Con:
Some parts are harder to clean
Some parts are harder to clean
Build Quality:
This cooker is nice and solid. The buttons are responsive and the layout of the settings makes it very easy to use. The hinged lid is the air fryer and to convert to the pressure cooking, you simply flip the lid open and install the pressure cooker top. The way it’s designed makes cleaning very easy, with everything either easy to access or removeable with the exception of the rack. The rack has some small folds and corners that make it hard to clean baked on foods.
This cooker is nice and solid. The buttons are responsive and the layout of the settings makes it very easy to use. The hinged lid is the air fryer and to convert to the pressure cooking, you simply flip the lid open and install the pressure cooker top. The way it’s designed makes cleaning very easy, with everything either easy to access or removeable with the exception of the rack. The rack has some small folds and corners that make it hard to clean baked on foods.
Cooking:
This pressure cooker is very versatile and can do the work of multiple cooking appliances, but it won’t get as good results as traditional cooking methods. It’s not bad by any means, it’s actually quite good, but keep expectations in check. I love how many modes it has, and so far that I’ve tried, all of them works well once you learn the settings to use for each. I was able to go from steaming, to saute, and then broil allowing me to cook a meal with one device. It saves a bit of time and really saves me the time to wash a lot of pots and pans.
This pressure cooker is very versatile and can do the work of multiple cooking appliances, but it won’t get as good results as traditional cooking methods. It’s not bad by any means, it’s actually quite good, but keep expectations in check. I love how many modes it has, and so far that I’ve tried, all of them works well once you learn the settings to use for each. I was able to go from steaming, to saute, and then broil allowing me to cook a meal with one device. It saves a bit of time and really saves me the time to wash a lot of pots and pans.
I’m not a great cook so my experiences could be my own lack of skills. I’ve tried all the modes except slow cooking, and results are pretty good. As I said, it doesn’t do as good a job as other dedicated appliances. Following the recipe booklet and cooking your entire meal together will not yield good results and it’s best to use as a jumping point to experiment with. Pressure cooking and steaming works great, and much easier than using a stovetop. Saute is fine but takes a while so I would probably stick with a pan. Broiling/baking is still hit and miss as I haven’t gotten the timing right yet, but I do noticed that you won’t get the same slow evenly cooked meat like you would in an oven, which is expected with any baking done without one. The air fryer is the big selling point and it met my expectations. I get the same results with this as I did with my air fryer. You won’t get the same crunch as you would cooking with oil, but you will still get a decent light crisp.
I am concern with the longevity of the cooker, especially if you do all the cooking methods with it. You need the main pot for everything so repeated use with the basket and rack, as well as any utensil used when sauteing, may end up scratching it. The pot is no good once the coating is scratched up, which makes the whole cooker useless. So I’ll mainly use it only for pressure cooking.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Revolutionize your cooking with this Sharp Superheated steam countertop oven. Combining the power of super-heated steam and traditional radiant heating, it crisps and browns the outside of your food while leaving the inside moist and cooked to perfection. This 1750W design requires no preheating or defrosting either. This Sharp Superheated steam countertop oven includes a broiler pan and crisper tray for easy convenience.
Customer Rating
4
Cooks fast. Moist but not as crunchy as oven
on September 25, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Pro:
Cooks faster than regular oven
Food is moist and airy
Easy to use
Cooks faster than regular oven
Food is moist and airy
Easy to use
Con:
Not as crispy as oven
Takes up a lot of counter space
Can heat up counter surface (possible damaging certain kinds of countertops)
Food sticks to broil pan, and can be hard to clean
Not as crispy as oven
Takes up a lot of counter space
Can heat up counter surface (possible damaging certain kinds of countertops)
Food sticks to broil pan, and can be hard to clean
Useability:
This oven is quite big, about as big as a large microwave so space can be an issue. It’s not light either. It seems solid with little flex in the metal, but the stainless steel is a smudge magnet. It is really easy to use. Simply fill the water reservoir, slide it in, and turn it on. Select the cooking mode, time, and start. I recommend running it a few times (per initial instructions) to get rid of the smell as well as of the white powdery residue that seems to build up after the first few uses. It does cook faster than a normal oven so it takes a few trial to get the timing and temp right.
The biggest concern I have is that when running it on higher temperature, it really heats up the countertop. It’s not as hot as the oven itself, but enough that prolonged uses may damage certain countertops, like laminates. It also can use a lot of power so avoid using other power hungry appliances like a microwave or electric grill.
Cleaning the inside is easy as long as there’s no food that got burnt on the bottom. The hardest part to clean is the broil pan. So far, every meal I cooked stuck to the pan no matter how much I coated it with oil. I ended up using foil to line it, but according to the instructions, foil should not be used (?).
Cooking results:
After using it for a few days and trying different kinds of food, I think this steam oven is good for quick small meals that doesn’t require your food to be really crispy. It’s probably better for sandwiches or thin pieces of meat. For meats, the steam seems give a nice brown while keeping the inside nice and moist. Fish with skin came out light and crisp. It won’t be as crunchy as frying, but It’s a healthier alternative. Thin bread came out really crispy. Unfortunately cooking pizza didn’t produced as good as a result from a traditional oven. The crust came out more like fresh baked bread. The very outer layer was golden and has a light crisp to it while the inside is soft and airy, but it was too moist and felt like it was on the verge of being soggy.
Salmon fillet (skin side up): Cooked in about 8 mins. Skin is airy and lightly crisped, but not as crunchy as frying. Meat is moist and cooked thoroughly. Skin stay crisp only for a short time after coming out.
Chicken wings: Less than 30 mins. Similar result as using the oven, but the skin is dryer while the meat is not as dry.
Frozen pizza (full size): 20 mins. Came out my like soft baked pretzel. The thin outer layer has a light crisp but the inside is soft, almost soggy. Traditional oven produced better results.
Frozen flatbread pizza: About 10 mins. Crust was crunchy. Came out very nice.
Breaded pork chops: 20 mins. Inside was moist but the bread crumbs was not crunchy like from a regular oven. It was barely crisp, like it was reheated with a microwave.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Dive into your favorite games with this Alienware wireless gaming headset. A noise-cancelling microphone keeps your voice clear as you call out commands to teammates, and 7.1 virtual surround sound enhances the audio quality so you never miss a whisper. Featuring two custom lighting zones and 6.8 million colors, this Alienware wireless gaming headset lets you create a custom look that accents your signature gaming style.
Customer Rating
4
Good surround. Headband needs firmer support.
on September 8, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Pros:
7.1 Virtual Surround
Earmuffs are comfortable
Mic is clear
Battery life
7.1 Virtual Surround
Earmuffs are comfortable
Mic is clear
Battery life
Cons:
Headband is squishy and headset slides down over time
Alienware Headset Center can cause erratic issues
Headband is squishy and headset slides down over time
Alienware Headset Center can cause erratic issues
For the most part this is a good headset. It feels sturdy and the earmuffs are roomy and comfortable to wear for a long session. They also flip sideways. The one issue I had with comfort is the headband. It’s very soft and squishy rubber so it doesn’t have enough support. Once the headset is on, it will slide down and you can feel the band pressing on your head. On the left, all the buttons are easy to access and gives you control over the mix between in game and chat audio, mute, volume, and cycle through the equalizer settings. The power button is integrated into the logo. The mic folds up and mutes itself. On the right is a slot to hold the USB receiver.
The sound is very good to me. The virtual surround is handled by the Alienware Headset Center app, which if you’re using an Alienware PC will be automatically installed, otherwise you’ll need to download it. The virtual surround does a good job simulating a 7.1 system. In open world games you can really tell the direction of conversations and background noise. There’s a minor jump when sound direction is traveling from the back right to left, and sounds coming from directly behind is a bit weak, which seems to be the case with most virtual surround setups. Overall I think the audio is really good for gaming. It may not have the booming bass for movies and music, but it still does a good enough job for those.
The app allows you to adjust the each of the sound profiles for FPS, strategy, music, movies, etc. You can adjust the bass and treble levels, turn on/off virtual surround and reverb, and adjust smart volume if it’s enabled. You can also adjust the RGB and mic settings. The app does seem to cause some issues. If you’re using the headset as the primary playback device, and you don’t switch back to speakers, then it’s fine. The issues is when you’re switching back to speakers, or when the app auto starts (which there is no in app option to disable) and it doesn’t detect the headset. I have instances of the game crashing, or loud audio issues or pops in my speakers. I’ve never had these issues before the app was installed.
The battery life seems good. You won’t get the advertised 14 hours, but probably around 10-12 hours. I game for about 2 hours and then left it running for another 3 hours playing music and it was still at 70%.
I think this is a pretty good gaming headset so far. The most annoying thing for me (and I have a wide head) is that it either slides down and press on my head a bit or I have to tighten them up more and it squeezes my sides. It’s not painful, just a bit annoying. Maybe once they're broken in it'll feel better.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Pair this Fnatic miniStreak Professional e-sports keyboard with your gaming setup for quick response in fast-paced games. Ideal for FPS and multiplayer gaming, this tenkeyless mechanical keyboard makes the most of your space, while Cherry Brown MXRGB switches provide tactile reaction and satisfying speed. Complete with a detachable leather wrist rest, this Fnatic miniStreak Professional e-sports keyboard is ideal for tournament play.
Customer Rating
5
My new favorite keyboard
on August 30, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Pro:
Solid, slim, and light
Adjustable wrist rest
Portable
Software not needed for macros or basic lighting patterns
Fnatic OP app is easy to use
Solid, slim, and light
Adjustable wrist rest
Portable
Software not needed for macros or basic lighting patterns
Fnatic OP app is easy to use
Con:
You can feel the letters on the keycap
Top rows dimmer
Lack advanced RGB features
No dedicated media keys
You can feel the letters on the keycap
Top rows dimmer
Lack advanced RGB features
No dedicated media keys
I was at first skeptical about this because it’s not one of the big major brands, but now I think this is going to be my new go to keyboard for a while. It’s really light and slim, but solid. There’s no cheap feeling plastic here. You can take this right out of the box, program macros and lighting, without the need to download the app, and it’s saved in the profiles so you can take it and go. The app does make it easier to do, allow lighting for individual keys, and it doesn’t need to be running in the background.
The design is well thought out. Aesthetically, it’s slim and clean with only a few points of branding, of which the top/back is magnetic and can be removed. You can easily use this in an office and won’t get a weird look from your co-workers. The wrist pad is a simple but smart idea. The padding is magnetic and sits on a metal rail. The rail has three slots to adjust how far you want the padding to sit away from the keyboard. This supports my wrists better and allows for a much more ergonomic position. The lighting looks good with minimal light bleed and the Cherry browns are solid as always.
Any negative comments I have are minor and nitpicky. For one I can feel the letters on the keycaps, with some letters being more noticeable than others. The top row is dimmer than the rest and I wish there were dedicated media keys next to the three buttons on top.
Fnatic OP App:
The app (still in early access) is simple and easy to use. It can do all the standards a gaming keyboard should be able to do, but it lacks advanced RGB features for those that want to really light up their keyboard with overlapping effects like you would find in Corsair’s CUE software. You can either assign individual keys a color or choose from one of the other eight effects such as wave, fade, reactive, etc. For those, you can only assign one color (or rainbow) and adjust the speed.
The app (still in early access) is simple and easy to use. It can do all the standards a gaming keyboard should be able to do, but it lacks advanced RGB features for those that want to really light up their keyboard with overlapping effects like you would find in Corsair’s CUE software. You can either assign individual keys a color or choose from one of the other eight effects such as wave, fade, reactive, etc. For those, you can only assign one color (or rainbow) and adjust the speed.
What I like is that every key can be remapped or assigned a macro, plus double that number when you pair them with the Fn key. That makes the keyboard very versatile beyond gaming such as for editing software. I don’t use the scroll lock key so I assigned a macro to put the computer to sleep.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience unreal picture quality with this 27-inch HP 27Q display. The modern, tilted design gives you the best angle to experience its lifelike colors and ultrarealistic Quad HD resolution, and an anti-glare panel lets you work or watch anywhere you want. This HP 27Q display's 2 ms refresh time provides crisp, latency-free media, ideal for multi-monitor setups.
Customer Rating
4
Good colors with some tweaking. Bad viewing angle
on August 21, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Pro:
Colors
VESA compatible
Small bezel
HDMI and Display Port
Colors
VESA compatible
Small bezel
HDMI and Display Port
Con:
Bad viewing angles
Gamma is high and not adjustable
Stand is big and a bit wobbly
TN Panel
Bad viewing angles
Gamma is high and not adjustable
Stand is big and a bit wobbly
TN Panel
This is a decent monitor. Color accuracy is good after some tweaking but the gamma level is not adjustable through the monitor so colors can look a bit washed out. You can fix this by adjusting it through your GPU settings or color calibration in Windows. Real life performance is good with movies looking sharp, and no noticeable ghosting visible or frame skipping during gaming. The worst thing about this monitor is the viewing angle. Even for a TN panel, it’s really bad. If viewing angle is an important factor to you, then you should look elsewhere. Colors start degrading when viewing at even the slightest angles, even at only a few inches in any directions. The stand is a bit wobbly and extends deeper in the back so space may be an issue, but it is VESA compatible. The buttons on the bottom could be better. They don’t register about half the time and can feel mushy.
Build Quality
A nice looking monitor. The bezels are small and the bottom edge isn’t as big as some other monitors. There is a bit of a lip on the bottom so when putting side by side for multi screen, there’s a bit of a gap. The buttons are on the bottom which I prefer since it makes it easier to use in the multi screen setup. However, they are mushy and not as responsive. I had to press multiple times for it to register a click. The stand is a little big, or rather deep. The square stand extends about 6 inches to the back. It’s a bit wobbly. The stand is easy to remove, which just one thumb screw, and is VESA ready. It’s much better with a monitor arm.
A nice looking monitor. The bezels are small and the bottom edge isn’t as big as some other monitors. There is a bit of a lip on the bottom so when putting side by side for multi screen, there’s a bit of a gap. The buttons are on the bottom which I prefer since it makes it easier to use in the multi screen setup. However, they are mushy and not as responsive. I had to press multiple times for it to register a click. The stand is a little big, or rather deep. The square stand extends about 6 inches to the back. It’s a bit wobbly. The stand is easy to remove, which just one thumb screw, and is VESA ready. It’s much better with a monitor arm.
Colors
There are five settings for color, Warm, Normal (default), Cool, User, and i-Style Color. The i-Style Color setting, I’m assuming, tries to imitate Apple displays, but for me was way too bright. Out of the box the color is bright and vivid and for some may be perfectly fine. However when put next to a more color accurate display like my Wacom Cintiq, it needed some fine tuning. The contrast and brightness were too high and the RGB values seemed a bit off. After adjusting, the colors looked more accurate but the gamma was still too high and it looked overblown. Unfortunately, this monitor doesn’t have a gamma setting so I had to use Nvidia settings to lower it. After doing so I’m much more happy with the colors. It’s still a little too white, but unless you’re doing color accurate work, it’s fine.
There are five settings for color, Warm, Normal (default), Cool, User, and i-Style Color. The i-Style Color setting, I’m assuming, tries to imitate Apple displays, but for me was way too bright. Out of the box the color is bright and vivid and for some may be perfectly fine. However when put next to a more color accurate display like my Wacom Cintiq, it needed some fine tuning. The contrast and brightness were too high and the RGB values seemed a bit off. After adjusting, the colors looked more accurate but the gamma was still too high and it looked overblown. Unfortunately, this monitor doesn’t have a gamma setting so I had to use Nvidia settings to lower it. After doing so I’m much more happy with the colors. It’s still a little too white, but unless you’re doing color accurate work, it’s fine.
Performance
Using the UFO testing, there were some ghosting, which is to be expected given the specs, but in a real life situation, I didn’t noticed anything significant. Movies were smooth and crisp, especially if you’re comparing it to a 1080p display. This display will work fine for non twitch paced games.
Using the UFO testing, there were some ghosting, which is to be expected given the specs, but in a real life situation, I didn’t noticed anything significant. Movies were smooth and crisp, especially if you’re comparing it to a 1080p display. This display will work fine for non twitch paced games.
Viewing Angle
Quite bad, actually. I have a multiple monitor setup and currently am using this display as the center and for that it’s ok. I wouldn’t use this for any other configuration where you’re looking at it from an angle, no matter how slightly. Moving away from the center, even at about 6 inches, and the color starts to shift. Don’t even bother looking at this thing more than 30 degrees. It’s bad.
Quite bad, actually. I have a multiple monitor setup and currently am using this display as the center and for that it’s ok. I wouldn’t use this for any other configuration where you’re looking at it from an angle, no matter how slightly. Moving away from the center, even at about 6 inches, and the color starts to shift. Don’t even bother looking at this thing more than 30 degrees. It’s bad.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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23of 24voted this as helpful.
Keep an eye on your home and loved ones when you can't be there with this Kasa Cam indoor smart camera. Two-way audio lets you connect with the nanny or say hello to pets, while 1080p Full HD provides a clear view of your home. Set up a Kasa account with your Kasa Cam indoor smart camera to review stored video from virtually anywhere.
Customer Rating
4
Great with only minor flaws
on June 29, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Overall a good camera, and even if it doesn’t really stand out above the competition, it does take most of the good bits the other brand offers. I did have some issues however. The first camera was defective and the second would not connect to my wifi and required multiple attempts. Now that I have it running, I’m liking it so far. The picture is almost instant, and the audio is clear enough. The response time is fast, with little lag. The night vision is clear, but is a bit blown out so details are lost. The Kasa app is easy to use and features most of the settings you would want without having to pay for it. The subscription plan is similar to Nest, and can add up with multiple cameras.
Pro:
-Good image with wide angle and little warping
-Fast response time
-2 way communication is clear
-Detection zone and noise detection
-Free plan offers recording up to 2 days or 1 GB worth
-Simple app
-Good image with wide angle and little warping
-Fast response time
-2 way communication is clear
-Detection zone and noise detection
-Free plan offers recording up to 2 days or 1 GB worth
-Simple app
Con:
-Night vision lacks contrast
-Setting up may be finicky
-Zone detection is a bit off
-No mute button
-Night vision lacks contrast
-Setting up may be finicky
-Zone detection is a bit off
-No mute button
Setting up would have been an easy process, had it not required me to try multiple times. This on top of getting a defective camera the first time, didn’t give me the most confident about this camera. The process was simple, connect the camera and follow the steps on the app, which should have taken only a few minutes. There could have been many reasons for it not to connect to my wifi so I’ll give it a pass since it worked in the end.
Regarding performance, I don’t have any major issues with it so far. The video is as good as any of the other major brands I’ve tried, but this camera is actually a bit faster. As soon as something triggers it, I get a notification right away and so far I haven’t seen any missed actions. The 2 way communication is clear and loud enough without having distortion in the sound. I use it to call out to my cat and it works. It’s not perfect however. The night vision, while good, can be clearer. It lacks contrast so any fine details is lost. The detection zone can be improved a bit. Setting it up was easy, but it’s harder to edit an existing one without having to delete it first and create a new one. It’s also a bit off, with the camera being triggered with activities well outside the zone sometimes.
The Kasa app is very easy to use. It’s an app that controls all of TP-Links’ smart devices so you have to navigate a few menus. For instance, the live feed and recorded activities are in different menus. The UI is very simple, maybe even to simple. The live feed screen only has a button for the tap to talk feature and a menu to schedule camera activity. I appreciate the app having all the key features that are missing from other cameras, or ones that require you to subscribe. The omissions are that there’s no mute button or a screen cap for the camera.
The subscription plan is reasonable for a single camera, but it can add up with multiple camera. The free plan offers 2 days worth of cloud storage or up to 1 Gb. That’s probably enough if you’re not away for a long time and check it frequently. The Plus plan is $4 per camera and offers 14 days or 14 Gb of storage. The Premium plan is $7 per camera with 30 days or 30 Gb. The pricing is competitive but loses out to Amazon Cloud Cam with their $7 per month for up to three cameras.
Bottom line, it’s priced a bit lower than most of the brands, offers the same features and works equally as well, and it has a faster response time. The subscription is not the cheapest and can add up, but the free option may be enough to get by. It’s not without flaws, but so far, it’s one of my top choices for an affordable camera.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Count on crystal-clear voice communication with these Jabra Elite wireless neckband headphones. Three-microphone call technology and professional-grade active noise cancellation block ambient sounds, and they come with different-sized EarGels for a customizable fit. These Jabra Elite wireless neckband headphones support Amazon Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant for voice-activated control.
Customer Rating
2
Good audio but totally useless noise cancelling
on May 27, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
The earbuds are comfortable, have a good premium feel, and the build seems solid. The audio quality is good and the voice is clear, but the active noise cancelling is useless and does nothing to filter out any ambient noise. The app is basic, allowing you to switch between three mode and has an equalizer and options for audio cues and vibration. Overall I was satisfied with the audio performance but the ineffectiveness of the noise cancelling was a huge letdown making the asking price very hard to accept.
Pro:
-Audio was balanced
-Build quality is good
-Audio was balanced
-Build quality is good
Con:
-Noise cancelling does nothing
-The audio cues is hard to tell apart
-Tiny buttons
-Noise cancelling does nothing
-The audio cues is hard to tell apart
-Tiny buttons
The earpieces are comfortable and light. The soft rubber wings doesn’t put any pressure on my ear and it stays in just fine. The neck band is solid and is heavy enough with a slight curve so it doesn’t slide around or fall off. The buttons on each side are a little squishy and are somewhat small. I have to feel around to make sure I’m pressing the right buttons.
The audio quality is good enough for me. The sound was balanced enough for casual listening. I don’t like earbuds that try to emphasize the bass by muffling the rest of the sound so I was satisfied with these. The vocals came in clear and crisp.
For the active noise cancelling, I did not have the same great experience that other users have reported so maybe I got a defective one, but for me the ANC is just terrible. It’s so ineffective that there’s practically no difference between it being on or off. The only slight difference is that the audio is a bit louder. I can still hear all the ambient sound around me just as clear, even the low hum like the ac or fan still comes through. I would go as far as to say that these are the worst noise cancelling earbuds I’ve had, especially at this premium price.
As for the app, it’s pretty basic. You can select between your general default, commute, and relaxing. The general setting lets you use the equalizer, and lets you adjust some setting for audio cues, vibrations, and your prefered noise cancelling mode. The option for commute lets some ambient sound in while the relax option is supposed to block out all ambient sounds. My main annoyance is with the audio cues. You can set it to have either vocal or audio cues indicating when the earbuds power on/off and when the ANC is on/ambient/off, but it doesn’t work consistently between the three modes. Vocal cues only seems to work in the General setting. When using the audio beeps, it’s hard to tell which mode the ANC is in, especially since there’s very difference in the audio.
So unless I was sent a defective pair, these earbuds are not worth the price. Even though the audio was quite good, the “profession grade ANC” is an absolute failure. A hard pass.
My Best Buy number: 0392299761
Mobile Submission: False
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Only at Best BuyEnter the RPG arena with this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop. It has 1TB of storage, and its NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics card loads dynamic in-game visuals and Full HD movies smoothly. The quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of DDR4 RAM let this Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop perform efficiently.
Customer Rating
4
Good mid-level performace for its price.
on April 30, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
This is a good performing mid-level gaming laptop that can handle most recent games on middle or better, but it can run really hot. The screen color is somewhat muted and is more yellow. The speaker, while loud, doesn’t produce the most detailed sounds. The keyboard is quiet and comfortable to type with, but may not meet the demands for intense twitch shooters. The trackpad is super mushy and doesn’t have a great tactile click. The overall build quality is good, but definitely is a budget build. The battery life is not great, lasting a mere hour while gaming. It may not be the best, but still a good performer for the price if you can overlook the short battery life and screen accuracy.
Pro:
Speaker is lound
Keyboard is comfortable
Ports: 1 usb 3, 2 usb 2, 1 usb type c, HDMI, card reader, and ethernet port.
Easy access to hard drive and ram for upgrading.
Speaker is lound
Keyboard is comfortable
Ports: 1 usb 3, 2 usb 2, 1 usb type c, HDMI, card reader, and ethernet port.
Easy access to hard drive and ram for upgrading.
Con:
Color not accurate, more yellow
Runs hot if gaming on high settings
Trackpad is mushy
Bulky
Battery life: 5 hours for non gaming, 1 hour gaming.
Color not accurate, more yellow
Runs hot if gaming on high settings
Trackpad is mushy
Bulky
Battery life: 5 hours for non gaming, 1 hour gaming.
Build quality:
The entire body is plastic with the back cover having a brushed metal look. Oily fingerprints are unavoidable. It may not have as an aggressive gamer design as other laptops, but it still is a little bulky especially with the angled designs. There’s about a one inch bezel around the screen and the back has some flex. Overall it’s pretty solid.
The entire body is plastic with the back cover having a brushed metal look. Oily fingerprints are unavoidable. It may not have as an aggressive gamer design as other laptops, but it still is a little bulky especially with the angled designs. There’s about a one inch bezel around the screen and the back has some flex. Overall it’s pretty solid.
The keyboard only has a red backlight. The keys are quiet and are comfortable to type with. The keys register well enough, but it may not be that good for intense shooters. The arrow keys also bleeds into the numpad so I sometimes hit the wrong key. The trackpad is very mushy. It needs to be press quite deep and there’s a lot of resistance. Only suitable for basic navigation.
Performance:
Not bad. It can easily handle most recent games on middle and even high settings on a lot of games while maintaining at least 30-45 fps. The cooling is the issue as it does often run hot when gaming on a higher setting. On high settings, even with the Cool Boost on, it can heat up to 90c while keeping it on medium will average out around 60c. The fan noise is for the most part good. It’s not quiet but not noticeably loud until it gets in the 80’s.
Not bad. It can easily handle most recent games on middle and even high settings on a lot of games while maintaining at least 30-45 fps. The cooling is the issue as it does often run hot when gaming on a higher setting. On high settings, even with the Cool Boost on, it can heat up to 90c while keeping it on medium will average out around 60c. The fan noise is for the most part good. It’s not quiet but not noticeably loud until it gets in the 80’s.
The screen color is not that accurate, but manageable. It’s warmer and has a yellow tint and the overall colors are more faded. I thought the viewing angle would be a bit better for an IPS panel. The color starts to shift at around 30 degree.
The speaker can get really loud but the sound quality is lacking. Not terrible for on board speakers but as long as you don’t expect high fidelity, you should be good.
Battery life is not that good. Even when only doing light tasks with the GPU not active, it only lasted 5 hours at most. You might be able to squeeze another hour if you lower the settings. While gaming, it lasted an hour which isn’t too surprising, but other similar laptops last a bit longer.
My Best Buy number: 0392299761
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Enjoy high-quality graphics and fast performance with this Dell Alienware Aurora desktop. Its 16GB of Intel Optane memory is expandable to 64GB, providing plenty of room for future expansion, and the 1TB hard drive delivers ample file storage space. This Dell Alienware Aurora desktop has an NVIDIA GeForce 1070 graphics card for smooth rendering of 3D images.
Customer Rating
4
Solid performance, but a bit loud.
on April 19, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
Out of the box great performance and a good value, especially given the current market for PC parts. It’s hindered only by fan noise and minor software bugs. Good build quality and compact size with less gaming pc aesthetics than the norm. Plenty of ports for all your devices.
Pros:
-Good performance and cooling
-HDD with Optane is on par with SSD
-Form factor
-Upgradable
-Plenty of ports (13 USB, and 2 Type C)
-Good performance and cooling
-HDD with Optane is on par with SSD
-Form factor
-Upgradable
-Plenty of ports (13 USB, and 2 Type C)
Cons:
-Fan noise
-Alienware Control doesn’t run on startup
-Fan noise
-Alienware Control doesn’t run on startup
Build Quality:
The build quality is solid, despite being mostly plastic. The form factor is a lot smaller than I thought it would be, more so had they eliminated the gamer aesthetics. The side panels and power button have independent RGB, which you can set through the Alienware Command Center. There are no wires connecting to the side panel so removing it is very easy. There’s a latch you slide down to unlock it. Once opened you can unlock the and swing the side mounted power supply panel to access the interior. On the back, there are so many ports. 6 USB 2, 4 USB 3, and 1 USB Type C. There’s 3 more USB and another Type C ports at the front. Seems to be good amounts of airflow, and so far cooling isn’t an issue. The included keyboard and mouse is usable, but should probably be replaced whenever possible, especially the mouse.
The build quality is solid, despite being mostly plastic. The form factor is a lot smaller than I thought it would be, more so had they eliminated the gamer aesthetics. The side panels and power button have independent RGB, which you can set through the Alienware Command Center. There are no wires connecting to the side panel so removing it is very easy. There’s a latch you slide down to unlock it. Once opened you can unlock the and swing the side mounted power supply panel to access the interior. On the back, there are so many ports. 6 USB 2, 4 USB 3, and 1 USB Type C. There’s 3 more USB and another Type C ports at the front. Seems to be good amounts of airflow, and so far cooling isn’t an issue. The included keyboard and mouse is usable, but should probably be replaced whenever possible, especially the mouse.
Performance:
Simply, it’s great. Gaming at 1440p with steady 60fps whild the CPU stays around 50c and GPU reaching around 70-75c. I don’t play the most demanding games, so the 1070 is more than enough for me. The HDD speed was a pleasant surprise for me. I didn’t think HDD with Optane would really be as fast as SSD, but cold boot started up fast and games loads just as fast.
Simply, it’s great. Gaming at 1440p with steady 60fps whild the CPU stays around 50c and GPU reaching around 70-75c. I don’t play the most demanding games, so the 1070 is more than enough for me. The HDD speed was a pleasant surprise for me. I didn’t think HDD with Optane would really be as fast as SSD, but cold boot started up fast and games loads just as fast.
The most annoying thing for me is the fan noise. Even at idle this thing is noticeably loud. It’s like having a smaller heater on my desk. Setting a fan curve didn’t make that much of a difference. While gaming, it does ramp up a bit, but not so much to distract from playing.
Any possible Windows issue aside, the other common issue I’ve seen is that the Command Center doesn’t start when the computer is turned on, even though it’s on autostart. Not a big deal. I do like the Thermal Controls. It’s simple enough to see the main readouts plus you can pull each tab and dock them on the desktop so you don’t need to have the full window open just to monitor your CPU and GPU temps.
While it’s not the quietest rig, overall it’s a good and simple entry machine for those that don’t want to bother and build their own. GPU and ram pricing alone right now makes it a good value.
My Best Buy number: 0392299761
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Ask Alexa to turn on the lights and music with this ecobee Switch+ smart switch. Its built-in speaker lets you access Amazon Alexa with voice commands, and it automatically turns off a light bulb at sunrise or when no one’s in the room. Control this ecobee Switch+ smart switch remotely from your iOS or Android device.
Customer Rating
4
Good but no dimming. Other feature still to come.
on April 14, 2018
Posted by: BeingHonest
from austin, tx
TL;DR: The switch lack some key features, such as dimming and scheduling, but if you can overlook it, then it's a worthwhile product. Alexa feature works well. The Ecobee app is somewhat lacking with common features simply omitted. There are ways to get around some of the lacking features using the Alexa app or a smart home hub (more on that later). Once you have everything setup, it’s really convenient, but getting a dimmable smart switch along with an Echo Dot may be a better option.
Pro:
-Set up was simple
-Speaker is decently loud
-Alexa, motion detection, night light, and room temperature sensor (coming later) all in a small package
-Works with Alexa, Google, Homekit, IFTTT, and Smartthings
-Set up was simple
-Speaker is decently loud
-Alexa, motion detection, night light, and room temperature sensor (coming later) all in a small package
-Works with Alexa, Google, Homekit, IFTTT, and Smartthings
Con:
-Not dimmable, surprising for a smart switch of this price range
-No scheduling, can’t set time the switch will turn on/off or when the motion detection is active
-Room temperature sensor that works with the Ecobee thermostat is coming at a later update
-Missing full Alexa features such as drop in and calling and Spotify
-Ecobee app control is barebones
-Wink Hub not supported, which is weird since the thermostat is compatible.
-Not dimmable, surprising for a smart switch of this price range
-No scheduling, can’t set time the switch will turn on/off or when the motion detection is active
-Room temperature sensor that works with the Ecobee thermostat is coming at a later update
-Missing full Alexa features such as drop in and calling and Spotify
-Ecobee app control is barebones
-Wink Hub not supported, which is weird since the thermostat is compatible.
Work Around Tips:
The Alexa app allows you to set up some functions missing from the switch and the Ecobee app.
To set scheduling for on/off, you can set up a series of events under Routines in the Alexa app, under settings.
To use dimming, you’ll need to use smart bulbs, and set up routines to turn on the switch, and set the bulbs to a certain brightness. I have three routines set to 100%, 50%, and 25% activated by voice.
The Alexa app allows you to set up some functions missing from the switch and the Ecobee app.
To set scheduling for on/off, you can set up a series of events under Routines in the Alexa app, under settings.
To use dimming, you’ll need to use smart bulbs, and set up routines to turn on the switch, and set the bulbs to a certain brightness. I have three routines set to 100%, 50%, and 25% activated by voice.
Installation was simple. The app walks you through step by step. Keep in mind that if you have a lot of wires or small electrical box, then it becomes more difficult to work with. I had to really cram everything in.
The Alexa features well most of the time. A few times it had issues connecting, while my Echo Dot nearby was working fine. It was able to detect my voice even at low volume from across the room. The speakers are clear enough for speech but not great for music. It can’t do drop ins like an Echo can and for now it can only play music from Amazon Music. There are buttons to mute her and activate her, if need be.
The other functions is where it gets iffy. A possible deal breaker is that it doesn’t dim. A huge oversight for a smart switch that can do so much. When you first setup the switch through the app, you can choose to use it for outdoor or indoor lighting. Outdoor allows it to turn on/off during sunrise and sunset, that’s it. As an indoor lighting, you have motion detection and a night light. With motion detection, you can set it to use light sensor and auto shut off. The issue with motion detection is that you can’t set a time for when it’s active. That’s one of the main uses of smart switches. If you get up in the middle of the night, it may wake up your spouse. Other times it will turn off since it doesn’t detect motion while you’re sitting still watching tv. Along with the motion detection, you also get a small nightlight.
The Ecobee app by itself is somewhat barebones. It’s separated between outdoor or indoor, and only have the settings mentioned above. It seems counterintuitive to have features separated out like that, rather than just combine all of it so that it can be used to its full potential.
In order to use scheduling, you have to use another app such as Alexa or one of the supported smart home apps. For dimming you’ll need to use smart bulbs, which defeats the purpose of having a smart switch.
In order to use scheduling, you have to use another app such as Alexa or one of the supported smart home apps. For dimming you’ll need to use smart bulbs, which defeats the purpose of having a smart switch.
If they improve the functionality with their app, so that I don’t have to use another, then I think it can be a really good product. Right now those missing features may be a deal breaker for a lot of people. If you don’t already have an Echo in your room or don’t have a smart hub, then it’s worth a try.
My Best Buy number: 0392299761
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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BeingHonest's Review Comments
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
Overall4 out of 5
4 out of 5HP's take on MacBook Air, and it's good!
By BeingHonest
With an attractive design and lightweight portability, this laptop is a (big) tablet size package with full size laptop performance. The laptop is incredibly thin at a mere 10.4 mm and weighting at 2.45 lbs.
Build:
The exterior is a matte finish trimmed with gloss gold, which is reflected with the keyboard. This finish is nice since it doesn't leave fingerprints but the shinny gold is prone to marks. While personally I'm not a fan of the dark gray and gold, it does have a premium look to it. On the back is the headphone jack, 2 usb type C, and a power port, along with the exhaust along the bottom.
The exterior is a matte finish trimmed with gloss gold, which is reflected with the keyboard. This finish is nice since it doesn't leave fingerprints but the shinny gold is prone to marks. While personally I'm not a fan of the dark gray and gold, it does have a premium look to it. On the back is the headphone jack, 2 usb type C, and a power port, along with the exhaust along the bottom.
Display:
The Spectre comes with a 13 inch IPS 1080p display, and while not on par with a retina display, is clear and sharp. You really don't need a higher resolution for this size. The display setting is default to a custom setting in windows, which I find to be about right. The screen is glossy, which can be annoying. The viewing angle is great! I was surprised that this was an IPS panel.
The Spectre comes with a 13 inch IPS 1080p display, and while not on par with a retina display, is clear and sharp. You really don't need a higher resolution for this size. The display setting is default to a custom setting in windows, which I find to be about right. The screen is glossy, which can be annoying. The viewing angle is great! I was surprised that this was an IPS panel.
Keyboard and trackpad:
The keyboard is a typical chicklet type key and is responsive and easy to type with. It is backlit and with the gold trimmed keys, gives a nice glowing effect. The glass trackpad is nice and smooth and functions like a button with gesture controls (which I mostly disabled). It's essentially an Apple trackpad.
The keyboard is a typical chicklet type key and is responsive and easy to type with. It is backlit and with the gold trimmed keys, gives a nice glowing effect. The glass trackpad is nice and smooth and functions like a button with gesture controls (which I mostly disabled). It's essentially an Apple trackpad.
Speakers:
The speakers sandwich the entire keyboard, and while HP boast that it's custom tuned by Bang & Olufsen, it performs like what you would expect from tiny speakers on a tablet. Not so good, but considering its size, is adequate for watching videos. With music, it tends to crack at higher volumes and the bass is lacking. Still, the speakers can produce good volume and the individual channels stands out.
The speakers sandwich the entire keyboard, and while HP boast that it's custom tuned by Bang & Olufsen, it performs like what you would expect from tiny speakers on a tablet. Not so good, but considering its size, is adequate for watching videos. With music, it tends to crack at higher volumes and the bass is lacking. Still, the speakers can produce good volume and the individual channels stands out.
Performance:
With an i7 and 8 gb of ram, this laptop can handle any day to day task without a hitch. Just don't expect to do any modern gaming with this. Thanks to its PCIe SSD, this thing is fast. It boots up faster than my gaming desktop. But with only 256gb of storage, you might need an external drive. I'm used to gaming laptop so to me the battery life is very good. I can get at least 5 hours of use without optimizing the brightness and performance. It takes a few hours to fully charge and you should be good to go for a while. There doesn't seem to be a way to replace the ssd or battery so I'm hoping they last. I have one major issue with the performance, and is that it can get hot, not warm, but hot. Installing windows update, this laptop got too hot to be in my lap. Doing multitasking can get quite warm as well.
With an i7 and 8 gb of ram, this laptop can handle any day to day task without a hitch. Just don't expect to do any modern gaming with this. Thanks to its PCIe SSD, this thing is fast. It boots up faster than my gaming desktop. But with only 256gb of storage, you might need an external drive. I'm used to gaming laptop so to me the battery life is very good. I can get at least 5 hours of use without optimizing the brightness and performance. It takes a few hours to fully charge and you should be good to go for a while. There doesn't seem to be a way to replace the ssd or battery so I'm hoping they last. I have one major issue with the performance, and is that it can get hot, not warm, but hot. Installing windows update, this laptop got too hot to be in my lap. Doing multitasking can get quite warm as well.
Overall this laptop performs to my expectations. It's thin and light and can handle everyday tasks smoothly. There's not much HP bloatware, which I find refreshing. It comes with a usb C adapter and a slip cover, but in my case is a tad too small and tight. Even with some of its shortcomings, I can't fault it too much given how much was packed into such a small form factor.
This laptop was provided to me for my honest review.
BeingHonest
austin, tx
Thanks for update
June 25, 2016
Thanks for letting me know about the ssd and battery. I didn't see any way to remove the cover, but good to know it's doable. And yes I no longer put it on my lap (laptop-the irony) due to the heat issue. The ventilation is one of the issue I have with this thing, but it's still a good machine.
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BeingHonest's Questions
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BeingHonest's Answers
Enhance work productivity and gaming with this Alienware Aurora liquid cooled desktop computer. Its Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver optimal power to support efficient multitasking, and the 256GB SSD and 1TB SATA HDD keep files and apps organized. This Alienware Aurora desktop computer's high-definition audio and NVIDIA GeForce graphics provide an immersive media experience.
What motherboard is used
No brand name if that's what you're asking. It's a Dell made board.
5 years, 2 months ago
by
BeingHonest
Enhance work productivity and gaming with this Alienware Aurora liquid cooled desktop computer. Its Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM deliver optimal power to support efficient multitasking, and the 256GB SSD and 1TB SATA HDD keep files and apps organized. This Alienware Aurora desktop computer's high-definition audio and NVIDIA GeForce graphics provide an immersive media experience.
Does this have a 850 w power supply? Which brand/ model video card is used for this rtx 2070?
Not sure about the power supply (not visible without taking it out), but with Dell you won't be getting any brand name parts. Just generic grade. The 2070 is a blower style.
5 years, 2 months ago
by
BeingHonest
Listen to your playlist in peace with these Sony headphones. They have a 40mm dome driver to deliver the full depth of audio, and the noise cancelling feature minimizes outside disturbances for a better listening experience. These Sony headphones have a battery life of up to 30 hours for extended jam sessions.
Really wanna buy these headphones, but does the ANC from these (Sony) create an undesirable pressure to the eardrums? Tried the Bose, they hurt my ears after a while...
I think your case is unique. I haven't heard about noise cancelling causing pain. I have both the Sony and Bose and all I can say is that they are similar, but with the Sony you can adjust the level of NC so that it has less effect in their App. By default, the Sony has a bit of a hiss. It's worth a shot.
6 years, 8 months ago
by
BeingHonest
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
I am moving to Australia & hear different information about the power adapters. Do I need a converter to charge this HP laptop internationally? I have the adapter & a converter. Just want to be on the safe side. Thank you!
On the power brick, it says that it takes 100-240v so it should be fine internationally.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
BeingHonest
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
Which available adapter is recommended for using with: HDMI screen Ethernet RJ45 network 2 regular USB ports (for wireless keyboard/ printer/ disk on key, not usb-c) Charging ?
There's no HDMI or ethernet out. It only comes with 2 usb-c so you'll just need an adapter to connect to non usb-c devices.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
BeingHonest
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
has anyone else had a problem with the speakers?!?! will be playing something and speakers just suddenly cut out. wifi connection fine, tested on video downloaded on device as well but still same issue.
Seems like you have a defected item. I've had this for about a week and haven't experience such issues.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
BeingHonest
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
Online, the estimated battery life is 9.5 hours. How accurate is this estimate?
Real world applications would probably get about half of that. I get about 4-5 hours of moderate use.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
BeingHonest
Only at Best BuyChoose this HP Spectre 13 notebook for its crisp 1080p display and 13.3-inch screen. It comes with a sixth-generation Intel processor and 8GB of onboard RAM for efficient multitasking, and its solid state drive ensure that programs load quickly. The slim design on this HP Spectre 13 notebook provide enhanced versatility.
What users is this directed towards?
Mainly target for everyday users or office workers that needs portability and good performance. For instance if you're looking to get a macbook air or surface pro (only without touch screen).
8 years, 1 month ago
by
BeingHonest
Stay cool with this Honeywell Turbo Force HT-906 table fan that features 120° extra-wide horizontal oscillation to help keep a large area comfortable. The pivoting head can be adjusted up to 60° for flexible positioning.
How quiet or loud is this fan?
Tired of noisy fans; how is this one for noise? Thanks.
It's a bit quieter but really no quieter than any oscillating fan I've had. This is just smaller and has decent air flow.
8 years, 10 months ago
by
BeingHonest
austin, tx