LouRevue's stats
- Review count249
- Helpfulness votes893
- First reviewMay 20, 2011
- Last reviewJune 15, 2024
- Featured reviews0
- Average rating4.3
- Review comment count1
- Helpfulness votes1
- First review commentJanuary 17, 2017
- Last review commentJanuary 17, 2017
- Featured review comments0
Questions
- Question count0
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- First questionNone
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- Featured questions0
- Answer count8
- Helpfulness votes11
- First answerApril 9, 2013
- Last answerJune 12, 2018
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- Best answers1
Free your travel with the LG TONE Free FP9. Connect to in-flight entertainment systems even without Bluetooth capabilities. Get peace of mind with a UVnano charging case that kills 99% of bacteria on the speaker mesh¹ and medical grade ear gels.² Plus, get better clarity for calls on the go.
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
Pretty impressed with these earbuds. While they're not as well known as Beats or Sony, I was pleasantly surprised overall with these earbuds.
The size of these earbuds are very small. Even the case is small as you can see in my pics. The Beats Fit Pro case was the smallest earbud case I had until I got these LG Tones. It's almost the size of a crab cake :) The earbuds themselves are on the smaller side as well. My previous Bose ones were oddly big sized as were a couple other brands I had. They sit well, almost perfectly, for me. I didn't even need to mess around with the other tips to find a good fit. They sit well in the ear too so they're not jiggling around or have any worry about them falling out.
Sound wise, very pleasantly surprised. For calls, I had no complaints about muffled sounds or weird background noises. Call quality was pretty good so I have no complaints here. For music, these sound very good. Good highs and mids and the bass was OK. For me, I'm used to a louder, more pronounced, bass sound since I listen to a lot of EDM. While you won't get any booming bass notes from these earbuds, they still do come through with a decent sound.
The UV feature on these earbuds is probably the most unique as I've never seen them on any other earbuds so far. While I can't really tell if you if they work or not, I'm glad that these have some sort of feature to clean the earbuds when not in use. It only works if the earbuds are in the case and the case is plugged in but, for me, it's not really an issue since I charge these up after the subway ride to/from work.
Overall, great sounding earbuds, super tiny case and the added UV cleaning feature is pretty nice.
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An industry defining 49” 1000R curved screen, equipped with a cutting edge Quantum Matrix HDR2000 panel, 240hz refresh rate, G-Sync and FreeSync Premium Pro support, 1ms GTG response rates, and fully customizable Odyssey Infinity Core lighting.
Customer Rating
5
Gaming setup now complete :)
on December 15, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
Really, how can you go wrong with this sweet, sexy monitor? I'm fairly new to PC gaming and the first time I saw this monitor, I knew it HAD to be the one I wanted. From most reviews, this seems to be a pretty great monitor with all the right specs. Unfortunately, the price is also through the roof. That said, I'm thoroughly enjoying this monitor as it has brought me great joy seeing my games on a 49" screen.
The specs on this monitor are great. Obviously, the 49" screen size is the big attraction here. It's big, bright and beautiful; all the things you want in a monitor. There's plenty of inputs for this so no worries about being able to connect to the monitor. There's a HDMI, DisplayPort, USB and even a headphone jack. My gaming rig consists of an i9 10850k and RTX 3090 and 64GB 3200mhz RAM. Pretty potent setup so I needed a monitor that matched.
I'm very pleased to say that my monitor hasn't had any issues so far. No dead pixels, no light bleeding, etc., like some other users have complained about. The monitor seems a bit more wobbly than I expected but considering it's a 49" monitor, I guess that's kind of to be expected. I see lots of other reviews where this seems to be hit or miss in terms of getting a "good" unit. Fortunately, I'm good here so no complaints.
One of the big things I see a lot of users complaining about HDR on this monitor. On SDR, the monitor looks fantastic. Everything looks crisp and clear and just looks great. I know HDR is a big thing however, personally, I'm not really a big user about this. I checked the HDR option out and it did look a bit darker than expected. I could probably fix it with some fine tuning but I haven't gotten around to it. For a monitor this price, you'd expect the HDR to be on point however it's not really a thing for me right now. I'm perfectly content with the SDR on this monitor. In the future I'll probably get a bit more into HDR but, for now, I'm good with SDR on this topic.
One of the irritating things about this monitor is the way you have to upgrade the firmware. You need to download the recent firmware from Samsung's site and you need to plug it into the back of the monitor. This monitor has a plate you can put on the back of the monitor to hide your cables so I'd recommend you upgrade firmware prior to finishing setting up your monitor. I still haven't done this yet so I'll get around to it soon.
Another thing was the 240hz refresh on this monitor. I seem to be locked at 120hz so not sure if this has something to do with the firmware update or not. I would think this should be running at 240hz out of the box but it appears that something else needs to be done here to get that refresh rate to work properly.
Overall though, for my needs, this monitor is perfect. I love the size, build quality and clarity of this monitor. Destiny 2 and Red Dead Redemption 2 look fantastic on this monitor.
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Create the ultimate laptop-like experience with the Brydge 12.9 MAX+. Featuring the largest native multi-touch trackpad ever included in a tablet keyboard, the 12.9 MAX+ delivers the most immersive and natural experience iPadOS has ever seen. Together with a new SnapFit™ Case designed to flawlessly match and protect your iPad, the 12.9 MAX+ creates the perfect productivity device for any environment. Brydge is critically acclaimed for their keyboard’s unmatched typing experience, and the Brydge 12.9 MAX+ is no exception. Featuring adjustable backlit keys, Instant-On™ Connectivity, shortcut keys, up to 3-month battery life and 135˚ screen rotation, you’ll have confidence cranking out that paper, clearing your inbox, or tackling whatever task comes your way.
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
For those wanting a more notebook feel for your iPad, look no further. With a lot of other keyboard/keyboard cases, it makes your iPad feel like an iPad with a bulky keyboard attached to it. This Brydge keyboard case has the most notebook feel of any of the iPad keyboards I've used.
As with other keyboard cases, this one connects via Bluetooth and the pairing process is pretty simple. After you download the companion app, you can get started typing/browsing away in no time.
The case feels very beefy/sturdy. The top has a matte finish to it and the bottom of the case is a metallic finish to it. Both of which are bound to be scratch magnets so if you're the type that can't stand getting you shiny new toys scratched, this might not be for you.
The case took a bit of time to charge initially; about 2 1/2 hours. The specs say you can get up to 3 months life on a charge so we'll see if that holds up. There is a charging indicator light on the keyboard however I wished this would've been placed on the side of the case for easier viewing. Not very convenient to open your case to see if it's completed charging.
The biggest benefit of this case is the huge trackpad. This really gives you that laptop feel and it works great. It uses all the usual gestures so nothing new here. But, it just feels great to have a large trackpad to use for those late night YouTube marathons.
Biggest downside to this case is the added bulk/weight. If you really loved how lightweight and thin the iPad is, this case will disappoint you very much. With the iPad in it, the entire unit is about 3/4 thick and weighs about 3 1/2 pounds. You'll definitely notice the added bulk and weight to this.
That said, I like it. If you're using your iPad for "work" related tasks like typing or making presentations, this case will definitely help out in that department. If you're a casual user and want to watch videos or play games mostly, this probably isn't the case for you. This is more geared to professional users I think and, in that respect, I think this case does a great job,
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Powerport III Nano Pro Duo 40W Fast Wall Charger. Safely and quickly charge a single device at 40W or two devices at up to 20W speeds. Compatible with virtually any USB-C device, this includes USB-C laptops, phones, tablets, and more.
Customer Rating
5
Great, compact charger
on November 25, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
I've used quite a few Anker products before and never had any issues with them. This charger is no different and offers great convenience and works great. I'm using this to charge my USB-C electronics; primarily my iPad and Beats earbuds. By themselves, each item charges really fast; much faster than I'm accustomed to which is fine with me. Even when charging both devices at once, it still gets both charged in about an hour or so. Really like however compact this is and provides as much power as it does. The plug doesn't fold so you just kind of have to hope the prongs don't get bent or snag something in your bag/suit case. That said, this is my go-to charger for my devices now and really hopes this lasts me awhile.
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True wireless noise cancelling Beats Fit Pro with comfortable, secure-fit wingtips are engineered for all-day activity. The flexible wingtip design conforms to your ear to comfortably lock in place so you can experience powerful, balanced sound during your work day or your workouts. With two distinct listening modes, you are in control of what you hear. Fully adaptive Active Noise Cancelling (ANC) uses real-time audio calibration to continuously pinpoint external sounds and optimize sound output, and when you need to be aware of your surroundings, easily switch to Transparency mode. Beats Fit Pro supports Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for immersive music, movies, and games.¹ These earbuds are powered by the Apple H1 chip. The result — instant one-touch pairing², Automatic Switching³, Audio Sharing⁵, and hands-free “Hey Siri”⁴ for Apple devices. For Android users, easily connect via Class 1 Bluetooth® right out of the box. With the Beats app for Android¹¹, you’ll get enhanced features like one-touch pairing, customized controls, battery levels, firmware updates, and a Fit Test to help you get the best sound and fit out of your earbuds. Each earbud has up to 6 hours of listening time⁶ with 18 additional hours⁷ provided by its matching, pocket-sized charging case to give you up to 24 hours of combined playback.
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
These Beats Pro earbuds provide really top notch sound and really prove themselves as top tier earbuds.
My current earbuds are the Sony WF1000XM3 and I really love these so it's hard for me to find a worth replacement for these. While not perfect, the Beats Pros really give these Sony earbuds a run for their money.
The thing I really dig about the Sony earbuds is the music audio. Sony has their Xbass feature in all their audio equipment and I'm a really big fan of these. Depending on the type of music you listen to, the Sony's sound better than the Beats. I listen to, primarily, EDM along with some Hip Hop. For those deep, heavy bass notes, the Sonys really come through. The Beats, surprisingly, don't sound as well in this respect. Beats are usually bass heavy but these Pros are not quite as boomy as I would like. However, if you listen to other music types like jazz, classical, pop, they sound much better on the Beats than the Sonys. The range on the Beats is superior than the Sonys for sure. Highs/mids sound so much clearer and crisper on the Beats which is great. Again, depending on the type of music you listen to, the Beats may/may not be what you're looking for. However, the Beats Pro are a sure bet either way.
Another big pro the Beats Pro have is with the transparency mode. With my Sonys, whenever you activate transparency mode, the music gets muddled and things just don't sound as crisp. The Beats Pro do a far greater job in this area compared to my Sonys. With transparency mode on, the music and surrounding sounds are really clear and no muddled sound. Taking a walk through my neighborhood, I could easily hear all the notes in the music as well as carry on a conversation with people without missing a beat. Whenever we get back to the office, this will be a huge bonus for me when traveling the subway. Might not be a huge thing for some people but this has been one of those things that has bugged me with other premium earbuds.
The Beats Pro also is, quite possibly, the easiest to pair with my iPhone. Obviously since they're owned by Apple now, you'd expect this but, pairing the earbuds to my iPhone was almost immediate. With the lid open and near my iPhone, the phone picked up the earbuds and walked me through a 2 step process to pair them. No holding buttons for 5 seconds or anything like that with these. really simple and easy way to get these paired up with your phone.
Overall, really impressed with these earbuds and quite impressive functionality.
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Get the same powerful percussion massage therapy that the world's best athletes have—right in the palm of your hand. Now with more power, and variable speeds, the Hypervolt 2 Pro Premium helps you recover faster so you can get back to doing more of what you love.
Customer Rating
4
Pretty much a “must have” for anyone
on October 29, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
I’m a huge fan of these massagers for both after workout activities as well general muscle pains. I have some lower leg pains every once in awhile and this massager works great for relieving pain and stiffness. I’ve been using a Theragun however this Hyperice massager works really nice compared to my older massage gun. The Hyperice massager works great compared to the Theragun.
In terms of feel, I think the Theragun wins here. While it’s a weird looking shape, it feels a bit better in the hand. Especially when trying to use the massager on your back, the Theragun design seems to workout better in that sense. Overall though, the Hyperice feels great in the hand too. The grip on it is smooth and provides ample stability when using it.
Probably the biggest improvement here is the noise. The Theragun sounds like an old motor clacking away. Decibel-wise, the Theragun is around 80 decibels. The Hyperice, is significantly quieter at around 60-70 decibels. The motor in the Hyperice seems to run a lot smoother compared to the Theragun. It does get a little jittery when you use it on max settings but I usually use it on the 1 or 2 setting so it’s really not an issue for me.
The Hyperice comes with the AC adapter, 5 massage heads along with a small case to carry them in, as well as international charging plugs which is nice. I really wish the Hyperice came with a carrying case like the Theragun does. I almost would’ve preferred a case over the plugs but that’s my opinion.
The Hyperice is rechargeable but the Theragun came with 2 batteries and a charger which worked better for me. It was nice to have a spare battery on hand to quickly resume use whereas, with the Hyperice, you have to wait until it’s charged before using it.
For now though, I’ll use the Theragun until it ceases working. But this Hyperice is a really nice upgrade to it It’s lacking a carrying case and battery options but the performance of this, I think, it far superior to the Theragun. It simply works just as good, if not better, and is MUCH quieter than the Theragun which is a huge bonus IMO.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Where’s the fun in winning if you can’t do it your way? With the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma, next-gen customizability is now. Armed with extra remappable buttons, Razer Chroma RGB, swappable thumbsticks and more, you’ll always be spoiled for choice when it comes to tearing up the competition.
Customer Rating
5
Great XBOX/PC controller
on October 22, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
A great controller can really improve your gameplay as well as make it more enjoyable. The Razer Wolverine is my first high-end gaming controller and I'm really digging.
I'm currently using this for my PC and it's quite nice. I'm not a keyboard/mouse player so using a controller is how I roll. I previously used my old PS4 controller however that seemed to have quite a few issues with connectivity. This being a wired controller, it resolved those issues as well as added a few benefits.
The controller feels good in the hands. The RGB on it is subtle and adds a nice touch to the controller; especially for my PC. There are the normal buttons on this controller as well as 2 additional bumper buttons as well as 4 paddle buttons under the controller.
Having never had a controller with these underside paddle buttons, it's taking me a bit to get used to. I guess my hand placement is wrong since the buttons don't quite line up with my fingers however, after some practice, I'm sure I'll get the hang of it. There are also additional thumbpads included with this controller so you can mix and match ones that fit your playstyle. The cable is braided so it's pretty heavy duty and I don't expect any issues here with the cable.
With this controller, there is software you can download to change the RGB lights as well as setup different profiles and map the extra buttons. Pretty intuitive software and works great
I've only been using the controller for a week or so now playing GTA V and it's pretty sweet. It installed easily with my laptop and was ready to play right out of the box.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Meet the Ninja Foodi 14-in-1 8qt. XL Pressure Cooker Steam Fryer with SmartLid. The pressure cooker that steams and crisps. SmartLid slider unlocks pressure cooking, air frying, and Steamcrisping - all under one SmartLid. SteamCrisp Technology steams and crisps at the same time for faster, juicier, crispier results*. 14 one-touch programs unlock even more versatility. (*Vs. Ninja Foodi OL601 in dry mode only)
Customer Rating
5
Good step towards healthier eating
on October 20, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
So I'm not the greatest when it comes to cooking so I'm always intrigued by anything that will help me out in the cooking department.
I have your normal kitchen appliances however they're either for cooking fried food or freeze dried food. I was quite surprised at how versatile this machine is. You can cook, bake, crisp, steam, sous vide (not sure what this is) and other methods as well. I figured the easiest thing to try out first was chicken, right? I mean, how bad can you screw up chicken?
I found a recipe online and gave it a shot. Initially, it took me a bit to get used to all the buttons, settings and what not since I've never had something like this before. One thing you'll need to pay attention to is the sliding mechanism on the lid. Unlike other sliders, this thing isn't meant to lock the lid down as you would normally expect it to. There are three positions on the slider so you'll need to pay attention to what it's set to prior to cooking. After finally selecting, what I thought, was the right settings, I turned on the machine and let it rip. Now, normally when I cook chicken, it's always burnt and almost like eating cardboard. The cooking this machine did actually made the chicken pretty soft and tasty. So the first run turned out well and I made some decent tasting chicken pasta. With numerous other methods of cooking with this machine, looks like I'll be busy trying out new recipes in the future.
The machine itself is sorta big aat around 15" tall and 15" wide. It will take up some counterspace if you live in a smaller place like I do. That said, it'll probably be the only kitchen you'll need (aside from a microwave and toaster) in your kitchen. Fortunately, it comes with a mini cookbook to help you get started on your cooking adventures. Like other people during this pandenmic, I relied A LOT on fast food/delivery and really am looking to make a healthier change in my eating habits. While this machine may not be the solution, I think it will definitely help me getting to eat healither and more frugaly in the future.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Spectra Infinity is a mind-bending light-up controller, with three distinct color-zones that you control. Dial in the exact hue and brightness for each zone. You can also activate "breathing Mode" for a mesmerizing pulsating effect. Plus, this all-new enhanced controller for Xbox Series X|S also offers great gaming features like 3-way Trigger Locks and two mappable Advanced Gaming Buttons. This officially licensed Xbox controller includes a Share Button, immersive Dual Rumble Motors, and a Headset Dial with one-touch Mic Mute to enhance your gaming experience. Also onboard, precision-tuned analog sticks, plus-shaped D-Pad, and an intuitive button/bumper/trigger configuration. And, of course, the Spectra Infinity is backed by the PowerA two year warranty, so you can trust this beauty to perform brilliantly.
Customer Rating
4
An OK controller for PC/XBOX
on October 20, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
This is a fun little controller if you're in the market for a new one. The price point is just a bit under a normal XBOX controller however this one has some additional benefits.
Most notably, the RGB lights on this are pretty cool. You get three zones of RGB lighting. The "top" is the left joystick and button. the "middle" are the D-Pad and right joystick and then there is the perimeter of the controller. I'm using this on my PC at the moment and setting up the lights is a bit different for me. Normally, anything RGB related has some software that controls it. This being an XBOX controller, you have to manually change the RGB lighting by pushing the LED button on the bottom of the controller and then using the D-PAD and buttons to cycle through the different zones and color schemes. There is also an option to have the lights solid or "breathing" which I thought was kind of cool.
There is also trigger adjustment switches on the bottom of the controller. There are three positions to the switch and this basically limits how far the button travels when you push it. Kind of cool however one small limitation with this. For FPS games, this is a really nice adjustment you can make however, for driving games or any game where the trigger pressure is used, this feature is useless. For example, in GTA V, if you have the switch set to short, if you're driving a car, you won't be able to speed up since the trigger pressure has been limited by this switch. The switch is useful for some games but worthless for others.
Comfort-wise, it's a very nice feeling controller. There are two programmable buttons on the bottom that line up perfectly with my middle finger placement on the controller. The joysticks have a knurled texture to them which makes them a bit more tactile which is great also. The included cable is more than long enough for most people and it has a quick detach on it as well.
Overall, this is a nifty controller if you're in the market for a new one or a replacement. While it's not a full fledged gaming controller like some other manufacturers have, this is certainly a nice controller none the less.
See the RGB lights in action;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_jFBHRiIJ4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_jFBHRiIJ4
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The new Alienware x17 is super thin, extremely light laptop . Now’s your chance to game with gear that knows no boundaries. The Alienware x17 gaming laptops with advanced Alienware Cryo-Tech™ cooling defy boundaries. Introducing Element 31 thermal interface material and a Quad-Fan Design. We are incorporating more fan blades, more copper materials, and vapor chambers to deliver ample power while dissipating the heat more efficiently and allowing the fans to run less resulting in reduced noise. The x17 features five tailored power states, and grants access to thousands of games with Windows. Alienware laptops will bring your favorite games into hyper-reality with Windows DirectX 12 Ultimate. Constructed with magnesium alloy and aluminum parts gamers can experience the evolved Legend Industrial Design that reimagines the way you game. The Alienware x17 is equipped with 11th Gen Intel processors, has more storage options with dual drives featuring SSD and includes powerful NVIDIA® GeForce® RTX 30-series discrete graphics.
Customer Rating
4
Top tier gaming laptop
on October 13, 2021
Posted by: LouRevue
from Washington, DC
Alienware is well known for its gaming PCs and laptops and this one more than lives up to the brand.
The 17” screen on this is just plain wonderful. The 360Hz refresh rate is super nice and crisp. Good colors and not issues so far. I know that some people complained about light bleed on their units but I’ve not experienced anything like that fortunately.
The i7 and RTX 3070 pair wonderfully together and deliver power/performance to run any AAA game out there. There are different modes/profiles you can set for either performance or power saving as with any other gaming PC. I’m currently playing Destiny 2/RDR2 on High and there’s been no hiccups with either game. The 1TB NVME drive is super fast and fine, for now, however I’ll probably upgrade to a larger drive in the future. There is another slot for another drive as well.
Even with these high end components, the cooling on this laptop is quite surprising. I set my mode to performance and even after hours long gaming sessions, the laptop remains right around the 40c-44c temps. Keyboard gets a tad warm but nothing out of the ordinary.
The RGB on this laptop is subtle but still good. The keyboard has per-key lighting but the most noticeable is the tron ring on the back. Very nice touch and adds a bit of pizazz along with the logo on the lid.
The weight of this laptop is good. It’s a bit heavier than your typical laptop however it’s a good heavy. It feels super sturdy and just feels like a quality build. The matte coating on the keyboard tends to get a bit of a fingerprint magnet so just be aware of that. You’ll probably need to bring along a microfiber cloth with this thing wherever you go. The keyboard feels very nice and the keys have a pleasant touch to them and provide good feedback when typing.
I updated the RAM on mine to 64GB and was pleasantly surprised by the layout of the internals. The case comes off pretty easily unlike other laptops I’ve had where I had to, literally, pry the bottom off the latptop. This shows this laptop was well engineered and it shows.
There were two minor, but irritating, issues I had with the laptop and both were wth the keyboard. While the fit and finish of the keyboard is well done, two things prevent it from being perfect IMO.
Even though there’s RGB on the keys, the secondary characters are not lit up....why? Aesthetics aside, I can’t understand why the secondary characters aren’t lit up on this laptop and really just....sigh....just irritating.
This is a 17” laptop and there’s no number pad on it. I realize it’s probably due to the fan layout on this laptop but, c’mon, a number pad should be standard on a laptop this size.
That said, this is a fantastic laptop. For any advanced gamer, they’d be proud to have one of these to play on. I’m really digging this laptop and hope it’ll work for years to come.
Mobile Submission: False
I would recommend this to a friend!
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LouRevue's Review Comments
Only at Best Buy Acer Aspire R 15 Convertible 2-in-1 Laptop: Combine performance and versatility with this Acer Aspire laptop. It has a huge 1TB hard drive to meet your storage needs, and the Intel Core i5 processor makes light work of multitasking. This Acer Aspire laptop has a 15.6-inch display for a great viewing experience, and the 360-degree hinged screen provide flexibility for work and play.
Overall5 out of 5
5 out of 5Excellent laptop for everyday use
By LouRevue
from Washington, DC
Having had the chance to use this laptop, I must say it’s quite an impressive model for almostn any use. With an abundance of features housed in a sleek, stylish body, it’s a solid laptop for anyone in the market for a new/replacement laptop.
Using a 7th gen i5 dual core processor, the laptop functions on par with just about any laptop in its price range. With 8GB of RAM (12GB max) and a 1TB hard drive, it offers plenty of speed and room for all your files and enough power/speed to perform almost any task.
As far as the aesthetics go, this is an impressive looking laptop with clean lines, brushed aluminum cover and beveled edges. It’s a very nice looking laptop no doubt and the design, overall, is quite appealing. It comes with a full size keyboard as well as backlit keys which is a nice touch. Only gripe with the keyboard are the arrow buttons as the Up/Down buttons are smaller due to keyboard layout. The power button is on the right side of the laptop which is a bit unique as well as a dedicated volume button. There are 2 USB 3.0 ports as well as 1 USB 2.0 port, HDMI, SD Card and USB-C port. There is no CD drive for anyone wondering. The laptop (closed) is only about ¾ inch tall however it’s a bit wider than most due to the full size keyboard.
Power/performance. Using a dual-core processor I was under the impression this would be relatively slow and have choppy performance when opening multiple programs. Being this is the latest gen processor from Intel, this is not the case. Opening 2-3 programs at once was done with relative ease and switching between them was pretty flawless. The 8GB RAM comes in quite handy here and even with a 5400 RPM HDD, this laptop was able to perform tasks with very good speed. Battery life is pretty good. Using it “normally” and leaving it on for about 5-6 hours, there was about 50% battery left. Also, one very noteworthy benefit to this laptop, it doesn’t get that hot when left on for long periods of time which is VERY nice.
The display is probably the most impressive feature on here. A full 1080p display is quite vibrant and displays bright and dark colors extremely well. Those wanting to watch Netflix/Hulu will have no issues with the display. In addition to visuals, the sound from this laptop is equally impressive. For watching movies or just playing music, the speakers on this laptop deliver quite nicely without too much reverberation or distorted sound.
One of my initial thoughts of this being a 2-in-1 was that the tablet was an afterthought/gimmick. Having used previous 2-in-1 laptops, I was expecting the tablet functionality to be quite lackluster. Again, this was not the case. In this unit, you have, both, a well built laptop as well as tablet on-the-go device. Once in tablet mode, the screen orients itself to that of a normal tablet using Windows Tiles. Touch sensitivity is surprisingly smooth and using paint programs worked well without any lag or drops in sensitivity. Using the tablet form works really well when you want to sit back and watch videos or movies. Very nice.
A couple concerns with this laptop were;
The hard drive. While it’s a large 1TB drive, I would’ve expected something, at least, in the 7200 RPM range. Being fast enough for normal business related tasks, anyone wanting to use this laptop for video editing or other processor intensive jobs might find it to be a bit slow. This can easily be remedied by replacing the HD for a faster spindle drive or a SSD. However it would’ve been nice to have a tad faster hard drive here.
The keyboard, for me, took a bit getting used to since I have previously used standard laptop keyboards without the number pad. This is a personal preference so nothing against the design. Just noting that those of you used to that type of laptop keyboard, there will be a bit of learning curve involved however I think the addition of the number pad is great thing and should be standard on all laptops.
While the brushed aluminum case is aesthetically appealing, I’m a little concerned about it getting scratched/dinged from normal use or if when you’re changing it to be used as a tablet. This is the case with some laptops that use this metal casing so just something to be aware of.
The keyboard, for me, took a bit getting used to since I have previously used standard laptop keyboards without the number pad. This is a personal preference so nothing against the design. Just noting that those of you used to that type of laptop keyboard, there will be a bit of learning curve involved however I think the addition of the number pad is great thing and should be standard on all laptops.
While the brushed aluminum case is aesthetically appealing, I’m a little concerned about it getting scratched/dinged from normal use or if when you’re changing it to be used as a tablet. This is the case with some laptops that use this metal casing so just something to be aware of.
Overall, this is an impressive laptop, reasonably priced with enough up-to-date technology that will last you for several years to come. Being that it’s a 2-in-1, it’s an added bonus which allows you to use this device in ways you should be able to do and with relative ease.There is some bloatware included (this should be no surprise) so make sure to uninstall/delete the stuff you don’t need. Aside from a somewhat slow hard drive, the other features on this laptop more than make up for it. Very nice buy for a new work laptop or student.
LouRevue
Washington, DC
Bloatware?
January 17, 2017
It took a bit of time to setup my laptop as well. Have you tried uninstalling the bloatware on this laptop? I did and I don't have any issues with boot speed or anything else on my laptop.
+1point
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Only @ Best BuyListen to music with this sweat- and dust-resistant wireless Jabra Elite headset. It connects via USB, mini-jack or Bluetooth, and a powerful microphone lets you use voice commands with your mobile device. This Jabra Elite headset reduces background noise and has a built-in motion sensor that lets you track fitness efforts.
Can an owner of the original non active 65t comment on the fit and stability difference with the active version? Curious if that and the extra IP rating is worth a look, or negligible.
I own both the active and regular 65T's and I don't see any noticeable difference between them. Aside from the IP rating, there's really not much difference. Both fit exactly the same and fit pretty snugly in the ear.
6 years ago
by
LouRevue
Brighten your day and night with this Philips Being Hue ceiling light. The dimming function lets you set an ambience for different moods, and it works with the Philips Hue dimmer switch and mobile app for versatile control. The ZigBee technology of this 32W Philips Being Hue ceiling lamp provides smooth, efficient interoperability with multiple Hue lighting units.
Can this light be controlled by a existing wired wall switch? I plan to replace the light that is already there with this one, but I would prefer to use the wired switch.
Yes you can...that's what I did. One thing to note is that the light won't come on immediately like your current light fixture does. There's a second or two delay after you flip the switch. I'm planning on replacing the switch with a dimmer switch so maybe that will correct the delay.
6 years, 6 months ago
by
LouRevue
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
How much internal storage does the phone have minus the external SD Card?
Most US models will have 16GB of storage. The international versions can range anywhere from 16GB-64GB
11 years, 2 months ago
by
LouRevue
Washington, DC
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
What is the return policy if I dont like the phone?
Depends on the carrier. I know AT&T has a 14 day return policy. Ask your carrier rep to see how long their return period is.
11 years, 2 months ago
by
LouRevue
Washington, DC
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
does this phone have front and back cameras?
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
Does this phone have a touch screen or is it just a stillus?
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
can i use the samsung note 2 in africa right after buying.
Only if you have the international unlocked version (the N7100 model) All other models will be tied to a carrier. You can still use those phones in Africa however you'll get hammered with roaming charges.
11 years, 2 months ago
by
LouRevue
Washington, DC
Samsung Galaxy Note II I317 Cell Phone for AT&T: Combining the best of a smartphone and a tablet, its huge 5.5" screen provides a great view of photos, videos and web pages yet its thin and lightweight design makes it easy to hold and carry. Use the enhanced S Pen to write on the display and personalize e-mails, highlight calendar appointments and make sketches. AT&T Next option available. Learn more ›
Does Samsung upgrade its android smartphone OS as soon as a new one is released? (4.1 Jelly Bean to the soon to be released 5.0 Key Lime Pie).
No. Samsung has its own UI built in (TouchWiz) so whenever a new OS comes out, Samsung won't release the update until they've adjusted their TouchWiz to work with the new OS. Judging from previous releases, new updates are generally released 4-6 months after a new OS has been released.
11 years, 2 months ago
by
LouRevue
Washington, DC