3Tcubed's stats
- Review count167
- Helpfulness votes1,524
- First reviewJanuary 3, 2014
- Last reviewApril 29, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
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- Answer count72
- Helpfulness votes45
- First answerJanuary 10, 2015
- Last answerJanuary 12, 2022
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- Best answers11
It’s just a phone case – until your phone ends up scratched, scuffed or chipped. Fortunately, the Best Buy essentials BE-15PSCC Soft-Shell Case for iPhone 15 Pro has drop protection that protects your phone from falls of up to 4 ft. Backed by Best Buy, this phone case has a soft-shell construction that offers a lightweight and flexible feel. It is also magnetic charging compatible, letting you charge your phone wirelessly without having to remove the case. A clear design with discoloration defense lets the original color and style of your device show through so you can enjoy its natural look. Let us help you keep your phone protected with a phone case designed to fit your needs.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
My wife and I just got a new iPhone 15. We always order new cases when we order or get the phones. She ordered a soft case similar to what both of us previously had. I ordered a harder, more expensive mirrored case to try something different. Well I've had it for a month or so, and its weight (of 46g) has annoyed me since day 1 (not that I said anything). It's much heavier than my previous iPhone 12 pro case that weighed 21g. My new case had a magsafe connection, which really worked well. Other than that it was a fingerprint magnet. Given what I spent on my new, "too heavy" case, I wanted to keep the price down. This Best Buy, Soft Shell case seems like a good compromise. I couldn't find out what it weighed until I acquired it. It turns out it weighs 20g, almost exactly the same as my old case. And it is less than half of my "too heavy" case. The case is clear but it has some "dots" on the case. The dot's are raised a tiny bit, I suspect this keeps the silicone or TPU from sticking to the phone. They claim this case will protect them from a 4' drop (my "too heavy" case claimed 5'). What I was most interested in protecting was the protruding cameras, and the front of the screen, both are surrounded by raised edges to offer protection. Just enough to do the job. The cutouts are the perfect size. The one for the power charger (now USB C) is much larger than needed, but this is a good thing, as you never know where you might need to charge from. As are the button covers. It is really a minimalist case which shows off the beauty of the iPhone. It slides in and out of my pocket cleanly, and I don't notice the excess weight that I had before.
I'm not at all concerned about this offering good protection to my phone, and it makes my "Blue Titanium" color choice more apparent. I'm very happy with my new case.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Keep your screen ultra-protected from the hardest falls with the Insignia NS-15PLGLS2 Anti-Reflective Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 15 Plus (2-Pack). Made of thin, .33 mm tempered glass, this screen protector will fit most cases and will fully protect your screen with edge-to-edge coverage. It has anti-reflective technology that provides extreme clarity in strong outdoor light and eliminates other lighting impacts. Its 9H hardness rating protects your screen from everyday accidental falls and won’t affect the sensitivity of your touchscreen, granting you total control so you can continue playing games, scrolling online and more. It also includes everything you need for easy application, ensuring a bubble-free appearance. Improve the way you protect and view your screen with this Insignia glass screen protector.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
My wife and I just got a new iPhone 15. She got the Pro and I got the Max. She previously had a soft screen protector on her old 12 pro. This Insignia seemed to offer better, longer lasting protection, and a similar anti glare protection she had on her prior protector, that lasted almost 3 years (in a case). She said if she could use it with the case she just ordered that would be fine.
Well I just got around to doing the installation for her (her vision is not so great). The install process looked very easy, clean the screen, add the alignment tool, clean the screen again, peel the back off the screen protector, drop it in place and smooth out any air bubbles. I've done this several times with soft protectors, but this was my first with a hard protector. The screen looked clean, I put the protector in place and began to remove the air bubbles. As I did so I could see a tiny white dot in the middle of a 1/8" bubble on the left edge. I start over by pulling up the glass protector. The dot was now stuck to the screen protector, I could see it, I could move it, with tweezers and a magnifying glass I got it off. I re-aligned and started over, two new bubbles, and the first one was much smaller, but I still could not get rid of it. Maybe I removed some sealant on the back. Well I had 2 protectors, only needed one, I started over with the second. This time I double checked (oh, BTW turn off the phone to do this, to get it right, you must have a black screen). I then noticed something else with the cleaning wipes, a dust removal adhesive. Anywhere I saw anything I used this to try to pick up dust; If you happen to have a clean room, this would be a good time to use it (ha, ha). I was convinced the screen was pristeen, I Aligned the glass and started pressing it down across the portrait direction of the screen (shortest). Everything was going perfectly until the last 1/8". 4 more tiny bubbles adjacent to one another. I pressed down on the screen with a plastic spreader, and I got 2 bubbles to join the others, now 2 left. No matter what, I did not change. I turned the phone on, and I could not see them. But I know they are there when the phone is off. I removed the alignment tool, and put the phone back in its case, the screen protector fit perfectly, and at an angle I could see the difference the anti glare protection provided.
I gave the phone back to my wife (remember I said she does not see very well). She's now had it for a few days, likes the screen protection and anti glare, says the glass protector feels and works better than the previous soft protector. No notice of the bubbles, I think I'm off the hook.
Judgement, it works well, but it's not necessarily easy to install. But I'd do it again!
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Experience the perfect cup of espresso with this Bella Pro Series Slim Espresso Machine with 20 Bars of Pressure. This sleek and powerful machine combines innovative features with elegant design to deliver a truly exceptional coffee experience. Its 20-bar high-pressure pump ensures optimal extraction, resulting in rich and intense flavors in every shot. The commercial-style steam wand with 360° swivel creates perfectly texturized microfoam for delicious lattes and cappuccinos, while also conveniently serving as an instant hot water dispenser for brewing Americanos and other hot beverages. With a heated top plate to keep your cups warm and a removable 1L water tank, you can enjoy convenience and consistently hot espresso. Complete with a powerful 1300 watt brewing system, single & double cup stainless steel filters, and a removable drip tray with full indicator for easy cleaning.
Customer Rating
4
Great for a small space
on October 28, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I have a fully automated Espresso maker in my kitchen, it easily takes up 3 times the space of this Bella ProSlim Espresso Maker. I'm planning to put this in my office at work, where I have very little extra space. There are a couple of features that I really like, First is the removable water tank, it holds 1 liter (34oz) of water. Several other small espresso makers have non-removable tanks, I like the idea of pulling it off the back, going to fill it, and bringing it back. This maker can either make a single or a double espresso, with a seperate portofino for each size. I suspect I'll only use the double portofino. The portofino is fairly light weight aluminum. It comes with a plastic measuring cup with a tamper at the other end (I wish this was metal). The portofino has 2 spouts so you could dispense 2 espressos at once. Now the gotcha, the maximum height cup you can put under the portofino is 3 1/2"; this precludes me using most of my coffee mugs that are 4 1/2" tall.
When you first turn the machine on (switch on left side), it takes about 45s for the machine to heat the water and build up sufficient pressure. You can press the dispense button, but it will just blink at you until it's ready. To dispense the first double espresso it takes about 40s. You can press the button a second time and it will dispense another cup (throught the same grounds) in another 30s, this is how I generally make cafe Americano or a latte (1/2 to 1/4 strength of espresso). Proof is in the drinking, and the quality of the crema, here it meets or surpasses my expectations. It's excellent. I'm convinced this machine makes the espresso at the right temperature and pressure. Except for the cup height issue (mine) this is an excellent machine for the miniscule space that it occupies.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Discover smooth skin up to 4 weeks without the use of chemicals or wax, even sensitive areas. Epilation provides longer lasting results than shaving. When comparing with the cost of salon waxing sessions over a year, you’ll save thousands of dollars by epilating. Philips Epilator Series 8000 (BRE700) is designed to use on the legs and body. It now has more hair removal power, with faster and more stable disc rotation than ever.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
My wife has had 2 Epilators in the past, the one she liked the best was Philips she had when we lived overseas (years ago). Now that she has older tougher skin she thought she'd try it again, thinking it was newer technology. The newer technology is the exceptional battery life from the lithium ion batteries. I've captured an image of the instructions (if you consider this I suggest you read them first), you can zoom in and read all the details, most of which tell you what not to do. This specific unit comes with three accessories, the instructions cover the 12 that are available. If you're not aware this epilator is only intended for use below your neck.
The product has 2 speed settings, high and low. You can use it either wet or dry; although wet after showering is recommended for "less painful epilation". When you first turn it on it's on high, press the button again and it changes to low. The epilator doesn't really pick up much of anything. It takes several passes over the same spot. Second, it really hurts, she first tried it on her legs, and found several areas (raised moles etc) that had to be avoided (for fear of ripping them apart). She said it still felt like you were getting stabbed and scratched by tiny blades. She's previously tried waxing and said that it hurts less. She only did her shins on both legs. Both ended up with red rash. After the hairs started growing back, almost every hair follicle was ingrown. So the rash is now gone but the spots she epilated are covered in painful ingrown hairs.
So, the battery life is great, you can torture youself for a longer period of time, or NOT!
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Designed for protection with raised bezels for your screen and camera lens, 4.9 ft. of drop protection, and 1x military-grade standard protection, no need to blink if you drop it, because your Apple iPhone 15 Pro is safe with the Mirror Case with MagSafe for Apple iPhone 15 Pro. With an electroplate-coated polycarbonate structure, your Apple iPhone 15 Pro now functions as a mirror, minus the glass! Perfect for checking your reflection on-the-go, so you and your phone look flawless. CASETiFY's upgraded Mirror Case CTF-12692439-16006000 features new side sockets that seamlessly attach phone charms.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I think I'm on my 7th or 8th iPhone. Call me hooked, I like the smaller phone version with the better camera (the pro version). I've always kept my phone in a case especially since the camera lens started protruding out from the case. I'm pretty careful with my phone, but now that they cost over $1000, I think having some extra protection is important. I've tended to look for the lightest case that still offered corner bumpers, an offset from the screen and a bumper around the lens. For example my last case for my iPhone 12 Pro weighed 25g (0.88oz), this CASETiFY mirror case weighs 46g (1.62oz), so it's almost double the weight. The case is about 33% thicker than my previous case, yet the iPhone 12 and iPhone 15 are nearly the same thickness (within 1mm). This mirror case is much stiffer than my previous TPU case. I have no doubt this case will protect my phone. But the mirror really attracts fingerprints, grease, and dirt. This case should ship with a microfiber cloth to help you keep it cleaned off. But you know this when you buy a case like this, if you're okay with maintaining the case's appearance you might be fine with this case. Having a real magsafe case does help. I have a mag safe charger in my car and this phone in case does attach and stay put with the case on while driving. I can't say the same for my previous case, which supported wireless charging throught the case, but it would fall off of a magsafe charger while driving. I also have 2 magsafe power banks that affix themselves quite strongly through this mirrored case. So for the magsafe part the case works great. But note some of the larger magsafe power banks (probably larger than 6000mAh) will hit the raised camara protector and have a hard time staying put (I have a 20000mAh power bank that made me aware of this issue, if I put the pack on perpendicular to the phone/case it charges fine, but it won't stay connected if the pack has the same orientation as the phone, the pack is almost the same size as the iPhone 15 in this case).
All told this case offers good protection with a compromise of weight and constant cleaning. Since I got it I carry an eyeglass cleaning cloth in my pocket, mostly to clean smudges from the mirrored surface (and keep the iPhones glass clean). It's a good magsafe compatible case, it also works with a standard wireless charger. Due to the extra weight, I'm not sure I'd get it again, the difference is noticeable. The iPhone 15 Pro weighs 188g, so the case adds ~25% to the weight of the phone itself.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Linksys Velop Pro 7, powered by groundbreaking Wi-Fi 7 technology, delivers more than double the speed of Wi-Fi 6. That's not just an upgrade, it's a revolution.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
Ok, I've been dissatisfied with the performance/reliability of my home/office router (and mesh networks) for the last 6+ years. My house is about 3000sq ft, and I frequently use WiFi in my backyard. I had the Nighthawk with tri-band support. With Cox Gigabyte support, I can get over 950mb/s (ethernet), and via adjacent 802.11.ac (WiFi5), I could get over 350mb/s. But as I got further away from the main router/AP performance dropped. Then the "industry" introduced mesh networks. I added another mesh AP to my Nighthawk and it did improve my whole house performance. But it was not reliable, their answer was to run ethernet to the meshing node, temporarily this worked but as I added more and more Home Automation products to my home, it became more and more unreliable. About then Linksys introduced their first "Mesh" network products. It looked like a great concept, but somewhat pricey. I added three nodes and spent 6 months working with their Tech Support, I still had dead spots, where they recommended extenders and more nodes. Never quite got the distance/performance that I had previously. They then introduced a more powerful, bigger mesh network that worked with the previous nodes. I acquired two of these bigger mesh nodes to add to the 3 smaller nodes I had. And it was very nice when it worked, but it had reliability issues. With over 100 networked devices (~20 computers, tablets, phones, streaming devices, the rest HA products), the quantity of devices caused instability. Linksys support recommended breaking my network up, limiting the number of devices on each network. Part of this made sense to me, the number of networked Christmas lights I had continued to increase, moving all of my Holiday lights to a separate SSID was easily done, but it didn't really solve my problem. After pressure from my wife to improve reliability I tried another Mesh network. They claimed to be able to cover 4500 sq ft. However after using their hardware and working with their support for more than a year, it was clear that reliability had to do with the number of devices and the memory available to the router/AP. From the above I've learned there is no substitute for more memory in a router with a lot of connected devices. If you have close to 100 devices you need a router that has at least 1Gb of memory. The common problem with everything I tried over the past 6 yrs was except for my original Nighthawk, none of the new routers had 1Gb of memory, most had 512mb and lots of "cool" networking features that use additional memory.
Well change arrived again, the Linksys Velop Pro 7 (3xMBE7000). A bit of research found that my memory concern had been answered, each router/AP has 1GB DDR4 SDRAM and 4GB eMMC flash, a real step up from the limited RAM in earlier generations. The processor is a 1.5 GHz quad-core Qualcomm® processor, again a step up from the dual cores in previous generations. Now here's a new term 802.11be, it's the next step up from 802.11ax (WiFi6) and 802.11ac (WiFi5); to be known as WiFi7. It will be showing up in new devices next year, but it's out now in new meshing routers. So what good is it now? Meshing routers can use WiFi7 for their backhaul communication channels, and there is no "wireless competition". For comparison WiFi7 (802.11be) data rate is: 1,376-46,120Mbit/s, WiFi6 & 6E (802.11ax) is 574-9,608Mbit/s, and WiFi5 (802.11ac) is: 433-6,933Mbit/s. The high end numbers (mb/s) are under ideal conditions, very close communications. The first number is what you can expect in mb/s. So WiFi7 can be said to be 2.4x WiFi6 and 3.2x WiFi5. Where WiFi6 was only 1.3x faster than WiFi5 (your performance will vary), but my point is WiFi7 should offer wireless performance that is FASTER than 1gb Ethernet. So even if you don't have any WiFi7 devices, having Mesh routers that are using WiFi7 to communicate between themselves should be better than having them connected via 1GB Ethernet. The Linksys Velop7 offers a 2.5Gb Ethernet internet input (from your Cable Modem or fiber). Only the very newest Cable Modems offer more than a 1Gb connection via DOCSIS 3.1. But DOCSIS 4.0 is also coming next year, and most 4.0 Cable modems will offer 2.5Gb Ethernet connections. Some Fiber providers currently offer 2.5Gb and 10Gb Ethernet outputs. 10Gb is pretty rare, but it's coming. What I find interesting is that WiFi7 could be (much) faster than 1Gb Ethernet. So why did Linksys not provide 2.5Gb uplink Ethernet support or 10Gb? This I'm uncertain of, but every other spec of the MBE7000 is a significant step up from their previous products.
So once again I replaced my home WiFi network, which I have broken into 3 independant 2.4G, 5G & 6G networks, I used the same names as I had previously so I did not need to re-program over 100 devices. I initially installed 3 Velop7 Pro nodes, but after consulting with their technical support staff, we decided that only 2 nodes might offer better service (they don't have any tools to discover this on your own). But given this is very new, I can see additional tools being added in the future. Initially my second node was -60db from the primary and the third was -59db. After providing their T/S this info we moved the secondary node further away (-63db, about 45') and turned off the third node. After more testing, we moved the second node even further away (-72db, about 62' from the primary). This seemed stable. So sitting about 8' from the child node I brought out my new iPhone 15 pro, connected to my 2.4 WiFi network I ran a speedtest... 126mb/s down and 89mb/s up (excellent for 2.4). I then connected to my WiFi5 network and 374mb/s down and 114mb/s up (better than I'd ever seen from this location). Then I connected to my WiFi6 network and the speedtest said: 535mb/s down and 114mb/s up. Wow I'd never seen numbers like this unless I was within feet of my primary AP, which was about 62' away. Now to my office, to test Ethernet speeds, and I found 916mb/s down and 115mb/s up, going through a switch (not connected directly to the Router/AP); Most excellent. Based on previous testing, when I connect my cable modem directly to my computer, the best I've seen is 988mb/s. The router does not currently provide a means to run a speed test from the routers troubleshooting page (a feature I hope they add). My last test is to find out how fast my phone is via WiFi6 about 6' from the primary node, I got an astonishing 888Mb/s down (I ran several tests all about the same). Wow, color me impressed, and when we get WiFi7 devices next year and DOCSIS 4.0. It's only going to get better. It's clear to me that meshing with WiFi7 makes a huge difference over the previous generations, and I think that that is why the router manufacturers have released WiFi7 routers ahead of the release of WiFi7 notebooks/phones. These Linksys MBE7000's are nothing like their previous Velop products. I've been testing for about 10 days and the primary node has not been restarted.
Linksys tools, there are 3 ways to connect to your router/network. You can connect directly to the router via its internal IP address, just as almost all routers. They also have an internet interface, which requires you to set up a Linksys account for your router, but this allows you to remotely inspect and change most of your router settings. In my testing I found the local router data and the internet data didn't always match 1 to 1, but I'll assume this will get corrected with router/software updates. You can use the Linksys AP (iPhone or Android), which has a completely different user interface than the direct connection, highly tailored to the smaller cell phone screen. It's pretty well thought out, but if you have a lot of devices like I do, there is a lot of scrolling to do. The Device list is only presented in alphabetical order. I wish it could be sorted based on how/where it's connected and by IP or MAC address. I also wish you could output this list and email it to yourself. There is also information about how much data a device is using, or how long it's been connected. From a trouble shooting standpoint on a busy network this type of information is terribly useful and it should be in all of their router interfaces. They do have some trouble shooting reports, but they are not really intended for end users. The other thing I really find missing is a log which contains information about devices connecting/reconnecting/disconnecting to and from the parent/child router. In using other mesh networks, this has helped in trouble shooting. So I do have some issues which they can fix with future firmware and software updates.
I remain convinced WiFi7 will deliver what it promises. Linksys has produced a very worthy product. I've been looking to get WiFi performance like this since it was first "promised" with WiFi5. I've been trying to get home WiFi coverage like I see here... FOREVER. It's now not only possible, but with this hardware and what's coming from internet providers next year it can continue to get better. I see this as a great upgrade, it is why I kept investing.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Whether you’re calling loved ones, texting friends or ordering takeout food online, your phone is vital to your lifestyle. It’s important to keep it charged and ready to go at a moment’s notice. The Insignia NS-MC5CC4W24 4' USB-C to USB-C Charge-and-Sync Cable with Braided Jacket is more than up to the task. It’ll not only help charge your smartphone or tablet, but also let you transfer files and sync your device with a quick data transfer speed of up to 480 Mbps. Its 4 ft. length gives you flexible placement options so you can place your phone wherever you need to. A white color keeps the cable looking stylish while a braided jacket adds protection and durability. Trust this USB-C cable to help keep you ready for the challenges of everyday life.
Posted by: 3Tcubed
I've long prefered USB cables that have metal housing and a thicker cable strain relief. Recently I've determined that cables made with braided jackets also last longer and provide greater cable protection. This Insignia cable ticks all the right boxes. I'll call it a medium length cable, I generally keep a short (1 foot) in my USB-A & C charging stations (probably have 6 in my house and 2 that I travel with). I've recently replaced all of my charging stations with GaN3 chargers. They are smaller and more energy efficient than the older styles (and they support all of the new charging technologies). This 4' cable gets used on my desk, I really like the thickness of the cable and the texture of its braiding, is seems to be very high quality. And now my iPad Air and iPhone 15 Pro can share a cable.
My iPad air when charging was pulling between 24 and 30 watts via Power Delivery (in the last photo my USB charger displays the power being delivered. This cable claims to be able to deliver up to 60 watts. So it's not large enough to use with a big notebook (MacBook, MS Surface...) So for a larger notebook you need to get a cable that supports 100w power delivery. But for my purposes this 60w cable is fine. It also supports 480Mbps which equates to the max USB 3.2 data delivery speed.
This is a very nice cable (it comes in charcoal and white), the length is pretty convenient, although I wish they made one about 1' long too.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Velox Mini is our most compact wireless air vent mount yet! Designed exclusively for MagSafe compatible iPhones and cases, the Velox Mini delivers up to 7.5W of power. Just tap your phone against the mount face and powerful magnets will hold it in place in perfect alignment. Easily install the Velox Mini by sliding the prongs onto your vehicle’s air vent blade, where silicone grips prevent it from slipping. A versatile ball joint allows you to adjust the cradle for an ideal and safe viewing position while you drive. A series of ventilation holes constructed around the mount help to dissipate heat and maintain airflow. Now it’s easier than ever to keep your phone powered up on the go.
Customer Rating
4
A reasonable Magsafe Charger
on October 2, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
The case I had on my phone was listed as: "Support Wireless Charging & MagSafe''. I removed my old charger and mounted the iOttie Wireless mini. My old garger came off very easily, the iOttie immediately has tighter grip, and feels much more stable. As soon as I put my phone with the case on it on the charger, I discovered that a horizontal line appears on the screen that indicates where to center the phone on the charger (I guess this is a MagSafe feature as I've not seen this on Qi charger). And like that my phone was magnetically attracted to the charger and stayed in place.... I backed out of my garage and got to the curb in the street, and the phone fell off the charger. I popped the lightweight off the rubbery TPU case. And I put the "naked" phone back on the charger, it held much more firmly. I drove about, up and down hills and turns, the phone stayed attached. So I'm not sure who to blame for the case that the mfg that claimed it was magsafe compatible, yet magsafe didn't exist when the phone was released. Or iOttie for not having strong enough magnets to hold my phone throught the thin TPU case. Either way, with my case, it's easy on/off. The charger works very well with my phone, it has a 7.5w, which is kind of mediocre. I have wireless chargers with more than 10w (but not for the car).
So now there exists a reasonably priced magsafe charger for your car, with a magnetic support. From my simple testing it charges faster than the phone uses power, which makes this most reasonable for your car. And the vent clip works very well, and is easy to attach. Not bad at all, I can't guarantee you can use it with your existing case. And I suspect newer "magsafe" cases really do work better.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The G5 gaming laptop powered by NVIDIA GeForce RTX 40 Series GPU combines gaming, entertainment, work and more! Its powerful 12th Gen Intel Processor allows you to effortlessly handle multiple tasks at the same time. It features a 3 screen display output, built-in SD card slot, and next-gen Wi-Fi 6 technology; with a tool for every task, this laptop provides great balance between gaming, entertainment, and work capabilities. Welcome to your new go-to laptop.
Customer Rating
4
A very good machine, a few changes and it's great
on September 20, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This Gigabyte G5 KF5 is an entry level gaming machine which comes with a pretty kicked up Graphics Processor, the GeForce RTX 4060 (w/8GB DDR6 dedicated RAM). This processor can support 4K and 8K displays via HDMI or Displayport (both on the back of notebook). The G5's 15.6" Display is FHD (1980x1080 anti glare) @144Mhz (with an average brightness of 275 cd/m² (nits)). The RTX 4060 supports DLSS3 and ray tracing, so it should work with most modern games. It ships with a 512Gb Gen4 m.2 SSD and 16Gb DDR5 (2x8Gb dual channel). The machine comes packaged inside a nice dust cloth with plenty of screen protection (see image). It comes with a pretty light but beefy 150W power supply, it's not possible to power this notebook via a USB C input. The notebook itself weighs in at 4.59 lbs (pretty reasonable for a gaming machine).
Upon installation, I made sure that Windows 11 (Home) was up to date (this took about 90 minutes and multiple reboots (not surprising)). I also made sure that the G5's firmware was up to date, which only required one update. Nothing unexpected, but you should be aware that Windows 11 requires that you have a Microsoft Account to logon. One of the first things I did, was to fully charge the battery, and then unplug the notebook, and use it for light office work (screen at 55% brightness and performance set to "entertainment" (Balanced)), mostly internet browsing. After 4 hour I got the 20% low battery warning, then I ran for another 45 minutes, which was at 3% and it auto dimmed my screen at every pause. The G5's Control Center is an app called "Fn hotkeys and OSD". It offers most of the machine power/performance/status options. So call battery life about: 4h 50m; no gaming, not using the RTX 4060, pretty typical for a gaming notebook, nothing special. I recharged, and ran Diablo IV (set to 1080p Ultra), upon loading you could hear the notebooks fans beginning to run, the frame rate varied from 105 to about 175 FPS (w/DLSS3 enabled). Pretty darn respectable for a notebook, but this is a FHD display. I only ran for 70 minutes and the low battery warning came on and some of the power saving features that were set by default kicked in, and slowed things down. The heat coming out from the sides and back was pretty warm as expected, but not as bad as I'd thought it might be. So system cooling seems to work quite well. The back of the keyboard was noticeably warmer than the front. So don't expect to do any extended gaming off the battery (da). Diablo ran very smoothly, no screen tearing, absolutely a fantastic gaming experience. The RTX 4060 is quite a nice graphics card. I hooked up an external 4K HDMI monitor and the Diablo frame rate dropped to 66/104, still good and the display had noticeable improvements in the details. I'm impressed.
Upon installation, I made sure that Windows 11 (Home) was up to date (this took about 90 minutes and multiple reboots (not surprising)). I also made sure that the G5's firmware was up to date, which only required one update. Nothing unexpected, but you should be aware that Windows 11 requires that you have a Microsoft Account to logon. One of the first things I did, was to fully charge the battery, and then unplug the notebook, and use it for light office work (screen at 55% brightness and performance set to "entertainment" (Balanced)), mostly internet browsing. After 4 hour I got the 20% low battery warning, then I ran for another 45 minutes, which was at 3% and it auto dimmed my screen at every pause. The G5's Control Center is an app called "Fn hotkeys and OSD". It offers most of the machine power/performance/status options. So call battery life about: 4h 50m; no gaming, not using the RTX 4060, pretty typical for a gaming notebook, nothing special. I recharged, and ran Diablo IV (set to 1080p Ultra), upon loading you could hear the notebooks fans beginning to run, the frame rate varied from 105 to about 175 FPS (w/DLSS3 enabled). Pretty darn respectable for a notebook, but this is a FHD display. I only ran for 70 minutes and the low battery warning came on and some of the power saving features that were set by default kicked in, and slowed things down. The heat coming out from the sides and back was pretty warm as expected, but not as bad as I'd thought it might be. So system cooling seems to work quite well. The back of the keyboard was noticeably warmer than the front. So don't expect to do any extended gaming off the battery (da). Diablo ran very smoothly, no screen tearing, absolutely a fantastic gaming experience. The RTX 4060 is quite a nice graphics card. I hooked up an external 4K HDMI monitor and the Diablo frame rate dropped to 66/104, still good and the display had noticeable improvements in the details. I'm impressed.
Keyboard color backlighting customization is pretty limited, you can set one of 16 backlight colors and 4 levels of brightness. The touch pad is pretty good but not superb, I attached a logitech BT mouse, as I'm accustomed to it for several games. The keyboard has a bit of give to it. More than I'd like, not quite a completely solid feel. The keyboard's bottom row of keys is a bit different from what I'm accustomed to; the cursor keys are shifted underneath the number pad and the keys are completely flat with no indenetation, but I'll adjust.
Now I'm going to go in a different direction. The 512Gb drive is not big enough for my needs, and as a boot drive I'd like it to be as fast as possible (it's not). Two bits of good news, Gigabyte does not enable Bitlocker by default on the SSD. Second there are two m.2 drive slots, so expansion is quite easy (I'm not positive both support Gen4 drives, but I'm certain the primary (right) slot supports Gen4). But I want a faster boot drive, so I'll clone the 512Gb to a Teamgroup MP44 2TB SLC SSD (via a USB adapter). Which will offer better performance. I've attached an image showing CrystalDiskMark's benchmarks comparing the installed Gigabyte to a Teamgroup SSD. There is also some video editing and image editing software that I use that really performs much better with more RAM. So when I open the notebook up I'll replace the 2x8Gb sticks with 2 Crucial DDR5 4800 SODIMM 32Gb sticks. I removed the 13 phillips head screws from the back and pry off the back cover. Easily done, images attached. The cloned SSD, replaces existing SSD, and Crucial memory replaces the installed 16Gb of Samsung memory. I reboot, it takes nearly 2 minutes to reconfigure the changes, but the system boots and I now have 64Gb main memory and a 2Tb boot drive.
The screen on the Gigabyte G5 is really nice, the longer I used it the better it seemed, plenty bright with even backlighting. There are 2 USB-A (one 2.0 the other 3.2) ports, 2 USB-C (rear and side), 1 full size HDMI 2.1 port (rear) and 1 full size Displayport, 1 Micro SD card slot, 1 GB Ethernet port and a headphone/mic jack. Very well outfitted. As for sound quality, it's... disappointing, it can get fairly loud enough but the overall sound quality is not that good. And the camera is also so, so @1080P, it's just ok with low light, colors not particularly bright. When the camera is on there is a white led to the left of the camera, but no physical shutter lock. There are 2 microphones that are pretty good. This G5 notebook does not support Thunderbolt and it does NOT support a remote monitor hooked up to the USB-C ports (Display port over USB-C; this is disappointing). And as I said earlier, this notebook cannot be powered via the USB-C. So if you're going to travel with this 4.5lbs notebook you're going to also have to bring its power supply.
I do some astrophotography and use an app that aligns stars, this i7 notebook is nearly 10% faster than my current state of the art notebook (i7 w/Nvidia 3060). The good news is it's a post processing process, where I process a "stack" of images. I'm sure the 4060 GPU has something to do with the improvement. The same for video processing, this is noticeably faster than what I've been using (once loaded with sufficient memory).
In summary, this is a well made computer, I wish it had come with a bigger faster SSD, as it could easily be 20% faster than the stock drive they include. I wish I could power the machine (maybe without the 4060, with a 100W USB-C PD device). The included memory is very good and fast. I'd also like the option of a touch screen. And the speakers could certainly be improved (there seems to be plenty of space). But in terms of performance, properly configured, this is a bargain of a machine that can easily be upgraded.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
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Feel the power emanate from within the neon-hued shell of the Helios 16. Suit up, strap in – and let Helios pave the way. Equipped with superior cooling technology and a trove of performance like NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4080 laptop graphics and the latest 13th Gen Intel Core i9 processor with new performance hybrid architecture– this gaming laptop will be your guide to gaming bliss. With the 16" 2560 x 1600 IPS panel, 240Hz Refresh, NVIDIA Advanced Optimus, NVIDIA G-SYNC technology and 3ms Overdrive response time you can say farewell to blur and hello clear, crisp, high-octane gameplay.
Customer Rating
5
A trully powerful notebook
on August 28, 2023
Posted by: 3Tcubed
This is a pretty remarkable machine. It's packaged beautifully, it includes a soft case. Upon installation, I made sure that Windows 11 (Home, I would have preferred Pro for the $s) was up to date, and that Predator Helios was updated, it did go throught 2 bios updates, but nothing unexpected.
But there are some issues you should be aware of. For a 16" screen it weighs in just over 5 lbs (without 3.3 lbs power brick (the biggest I've seen)). The first thing I did was some simple battery rundown tests. If you are going to do any serious work on battery power, be prepared to plug-in within 2hrs. I ran several tests, and even with only surfing the internet I only got just over 2.5 hrs (screen brightness 75%). Running Diablo (@1440p) brought on the "jet engine" fans and cut battery life to just over 1 hour. But I did not get this to run it on batteries. Diablo ran very smoothly, no screen tearing, absolutely fantastic gaming. This is what I expected from the latest Nvidia 4080 (with 12GB of VRAM); to excel, and it does. Keyboard customization is done with the PredatorSense app, it is very easy to make changes. The Predator key brings up numerous gaming/configuration/performance options. The supplied Micron SSD is acceptable, but not outstanding. I've attached an image showing CrystalDiskMark's benchmarks comparing the Micron to Acer's latest Predator SSD. The touch pad is also superb, although I attached a logitech BT mouse, as I'm accustomed to it for several games. The screen's resolution is 2560x1600.
Now I'm going to go a bit off road, and not exactly use this notebook as intended. My biggest attraction to this beast of a machine was Intel's I9-13900hx processor (supporting 24 cores, 32 threads). It's about as fast as you can get today. This Predator ships with a somewhat underwhelming configuration. So it's time to do a couple of upgrades. First I'll add a faster 4Tb Acer Predator SSD (GM7000). And this notebook only has 16Gb of memory (although it's fast DDR5 memory), and Acer's spec sheets say it only supports 32Gb. Yet Intel's spec sheets spec it can support 64Gb. So I was not deterred from trying 64Gb. At first, after removing the 2x8Gb sticks and replacing them with 2 Crucial DDR5 4800 SODIMM sticks... Powered it on, and the notebook would not boot. But I've seen this before. I removed the stick from bank 2, and reboooted. It took over 2min but the system did boot this time with a single 32Gb stick. Power down, add the second stick back in. Reboot and wait another +2min, and the system booted with 64GB!! One other note, that I don't know if it is normal, The Acer battery was NOT screwed in, and I didn't have any screws of that size. So powering on/off, testing, was complicated by the loose battery (there were 4 screw holes to afix the battery). When re-assembling the LED panel on the tail end of the computer, has to be 'hooked on' before reassembly
Why all the memory? I want to run multiple virtual machines (preferably 4, Win 11, Win 10, Win 8 Pro and Win 7 Ultimate (32 bit). I want to do this for support purposes, I'm a software developer and I need to be able to test my software on different versions of windows. I also need to be able to run a Development SQL Server. This machine should be able to do this, but only if it has sufficient memory. I know the CPU can deal with it. I setup each Virtual machine (Oracle VirtualBox) with 16gb, 8gb, 4gb and 4gbof memory, and with between 100gb to 750gb of disk space. And still there is space left over on the 4TB drive. So it can be done, and an image shows many details with all running.
The screen on this Predator Helios is excellent, plenty bright and very even backlighting (500 nit). There are 3 USB-A (3.2) ports, 2 USB-C/Thunderbolt ports (rear), 1 Full size HDMI 2.1 port (rear), 1 Micro SD card slot, 1 Ethernet port and a headphone jack. Very well outfitted. As for sound quality, it's acceptable, it can get loud enough but the overall quality of the sound is not the best I've heard (or have). And the camera is: so, so @1080P, it's pretty good with low light, better than most. When the camera is on there is a green led to the right of the camera, but no physical shutter lock.
I'd really hoped that this notebook could be powered via the thunderbolt input, at least in eco mode. But I could not get that to work even with a 100W PD USB-C adapter. So if you're going to travel with this 5lbs notebook you're going to also have to bring its 3.3lbs (with cords) power supply (really too bad this did not work). If you're going to game with this, you won't be putting it on your lap, when running in turbo mode the heat from the fans is quite noticeable, and pretty loud, but not unexpected. The fans run as required, if you're not pushing it, you barely hear them.
I'd really hoped that this notebook could be powered via the thunderbolt input, at least in eco mode. But I could not get that to work even with a 100W PD USB-C adapter. So if you're going to travel with this 5lbs notebook you're going to also have to bring its 3.3lbs (with cords) power supply (really too bad this did not work). If you're going to game with this, you won't be putting it on your lap, when running in turbo mode the heat from the fans is quite noticeable, and pretty loud, but not unexpected. The fans run as required, if you're not pushing it, you barely hear them.
I do some astrophotography and use an app that aligns stars, this I9 notebook is nearly 50% faster than my current state of the art notebook (w/Nvidia 3060). The good news is it's a post processing process, where I process a "stack" of images. I'm sure the 4080 GPU has something to do with this.
In summary, this is a workhorse of a computer, I wish Acer had included their own Predator SSD, as it's easily 10-15% faster than the Micron stock drive. I wish I could power the machine (maybe without the 4080, with a 100W USB-C PD device). I also think that a machine of this quality should ship with 32GB memory. And the battery should be screwed in. I'd also like the option of a touch screen, all the fingerprints on the screen are because I've become accustomed to touch screen notebooks. But in terms of performance, properly configured, this is a remarkable machine.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Deliver reliable power to your Google Nest Doorbell with this Wasserstein solar panel. The high-efficiency solar cells provide a stable 4W output to keep the camera charged, and the rotatable mount allows flexible placement for optimal exposure to sunlight. This Wasserstein solar panel comes with a toolkit and a 13-foot cable for effortless installation.
Will this work for the Google - Nest Cam Battery (outdoor)? Or is it strictly for the doorbell?
Connecting virtually with friends and co-workers gets a major upgrade with the monitor’s built-in camera, noise-cancelling microphones and dual 5W speakers. You’ll enjoy amazing video clarity and crystal-clear sound. Versatile USB-C connectivity delivers video, audio and data, and charges your laptop. Plus, with just one cord, you'll have a clutter-free desk space. A super clear 5MP IR pop-up camera features facial recognition through Windows Hello for convenient, instant sign-on to Windows. The best part? The camera stays hidden until you're ready for video chatting or selfies. A height-adjustable stand and a monitor that tilts, swivels and pivots so you look your best and feel your best for all-day conferencing.
Does this computer have a webcam and a USB - C port?
It has a USB-C port for connectivity and a built in USB hub with Power Delivery and a USB-A connector at the bottom of the monitor to connect another USB device or power a small notebook
2 years, 5 months ago
by
3Tcubed
Set your imagination free on the most powerful Surface Laptop, designed to light up the best of Windows 11. Boundary-pushing design lets you flex your creative muscle on the sleek 14.4“⁴ touchscreen, making seamless transitions from laptop to entertainment-ready stage to portable creative canvas, complete with built-in storage and charging for Surface Slim Pen 2* under the keyboard. Enjoy smooth gameplay, and draw, sketch and take notes like you would on paper on the bright, vibrant 120Hz display. Run intensive applications and get things done anywhere with all-day battery life, and get inspired with graphics power that exceeds your expectations. Elevate your entertainment with Quad Omnisonic speakers, featuring large bass and immersive Dolby Atmos. Stay in the flow, be inspired and get closer to what you love.
What type m.2 nvme ssd, Gen 3 or Gen 4?
Gen 3 attached is benchmark of 512GB drive
2 years, 6 months ago
by
3Tcubed
The Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum combines powerful vacuuming with Matrix Clean Navigation, leaving no spots missed for an ultra whole-home clean. Features include: powerful Shark suction power, Matrix Clean Navigation for a deeper cleaning, HEPA 60-day capacity base for collecting and trapping dust and allergens, and CleanEdge Technology for better edge cleaning.
WOW Awesome Can you please help me with what is the actual run time. Confuse with below- Up to 120 minutes of runtime for whole-home cleaning. And with Recharge and Resume, the robot will return to the dock, recharge, and can pick up where it left off
It will return to its base any time it needs to be emptied, and then resume where it was (if it need to recharge it will,generally it just continues). Depending on dust/pet hair I found this to be 45m to an hour. I ran it immediatly after it had just run (let it recharge) and it never emptied itself the second pass. I found it can run for 2h, if there is enough work for it to do and what it finds along the way (if it "finishes" and has not collected much dust it will deem itself finished. You need to look at it being a smart vac.
2 years, 7 months ago
by
3Tcubed
The Nest Doorbell is the battery-powered video doorbell that works with any home. See what’s happening at your door from anywhere and get intelligent alerts about important activity, like when there’s a person, package, animal, or vehicle.* And because there are no wires, you can install it yourself. Nest Doorbell requires the Google Home app and a Google Account – it’s not compatible with the Nest app or the home.nest.com site.
Is it waterproof?
its Weather resistant (IP54), it can get web but not be submerged
2 years, 7 months ago
by
3Tcubed
The Nest Doorbell is the battery-powered video doorbell that works with any home. See what’s happening at your door from anywhere and get intelligent alerts about important activity, like when there’s a person, package, animal, or vehicle.* And because there are no wires, you can install it yourself. Nest Doorbell requires the Google Home app and a Google Account – it’s not compatible with the Nest app or the home.nest.com site.
are you aware of any of these types of devices that will work without WIFI? i am in an area where WIFI is unavailable and have wanted this type of device but running into a dead end without wifi.. anyone???? not willing to have ADT set up..
No it will not work without a wifi connection (to the internet).
2 years, 7 months ago
by
3Tcubed
The Brydge 10.2 MAX+ for iPad (9th, 8th & 7th Gen) combines the functionality of a traditional Brydge keyboard with the protection of OtterBox. Featuring the largest precision trackpad for iPad, the 10.2 MAX+ native multi-touch gestures allow you to get the most of iPadOS, transforming your iPad into the perfect laptop replacement.
What is the weight of the Brydge 10.2 Max + Keyboard Case? Does it come in any color besides black?
24 oz; but it's concentrated in keyboard/battery base. In to counterbalance the iPad weight it needs to have some weight.
2 years, 11 months ago
by
3Tcubed
This Refurbished MacBook Pro is a Certified Refurbished Macbook. Certified Refurbished Apple MacBook Pro Laptop:Boost productivity with this 13.3-inch Apple MacBook Pro laptop packed with state of the line specifications. It's Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM let you run multiple software programs at the same time seamlessly, and it has a DVD burner for watching your favorite movies using the powerful Intel HD Graphics 4000 card. It's 13.3" LED-Backlit widescreen TFT active-matrix "glossy" display produces a 1280x800 native resolution. This Certified Refurbished Apple MacBook Pro laptop has a 500GB hard drive for secure file storage.
Does this unit use onboard video or does it have a graphics video card of some sort ?
It has the Intel Iris Xe video "card", very good for normal use , but not suitable for high end gaming
3 years, 1 month ago
by
3Tcubed
The 606 S2 Anniversary Edition combines outstanding power and clarity in a compact form for when space is at a premium, but you need big sound. Continuum mid-bass drive units provide clarity for singers and driving bass lines while Decoupled Double Dome Tweeters create an enveloping sense of space. Featuring upgraded crossovers for even more transparency and a unique trim-ring to celebrate this milestone, the 606 S2 Anniversary Edition is the most sophisticated, affordable bookshelf speaker Bowers & Wilkins has ever made. The 606 S2 Anniversary Edition is the largest bookshelf speaker in the 600 Series Anniversary Edition range of products. Over the last 25 years, the 600 Series has been our most affordable performance range of loudspeakers, and we’re celebrating our love of sound with acoustic improvements to the crossover network for overall greater levels of clarity and smoother high frequencies so you can enjoy a compelling listening experience across the range of products.
Where are these speaker’s made?
The Brydge 12.3 Pro+ wireless keyboard with touchpad matches the quality and functionality of the Surface Pro 4,5,6, and 7 seamlessly. Designed to meet the standards set by Microsoft, the Brydge 12.3 Pro+ features a precision touchpad, adjustable viewing angles and 3-level backlit keys, bringing a laptop-like experience to your Surface Pro.
Does the laptop have a front camera and is it also the laptop with the key board?
This is a Keyboard/Track pad only.
It is intended to be use with a MS Surface Pro (G4-G7); which has a forward facing camera
It is intended to be use with a MS Surface Pro (G4-G7); which has a forward facing camera
3 years, 4 months ago
by
3Tcubed