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- Review count210
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- First reviewJanuary 28, 2017
- Last reviewJuly 4, 2025
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- Average rating4.1
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- Answer count16
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- First answerJune 2, 2017
- Last answerDecember 9, 2021
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Enjoy versatile projection for remote work, home entertainment and beyond with the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 Portable Projector. Designed to bring more ease and convenience to your workday, the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-W01 Portable Projector delivers a widescreen picture up to 300"—that’s four times larger than a 75" flat panel—for collaborative online meetings and detailed presentations. Perfect for engaging at-home learning, immersive movie watching and more, this 3,000-lumen projector1 offers Best-in-Class Color Brightness2 to deliver crisp, colorful images in virtually any lighting environment—even during the daytime. Sleek and compact, this portable projector can be easily carried in bags and backpacks for easy viewing virtually anywhere. And, with a built-in HDMI port and speaker, you can conveniently stream movies, TV shows and more using your favorite streaming device for a truly amazing viewing experience.
Customer Rating
3
Bright Picture / Low Resolution / Not Portable
on October 16, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
UNIQUE FEATURES
Bright 3000 lumen output
Good color and brightness uniformity
Impressive 12000-hour lamp life in Economy Mode
Bright 3000 lumen output
Good color and brightness uniformity
Impressive 12000-hour lamp life in Economy Mode
USE
As far as “portable” projectors go, this is by far the brightest of the portable units I’ve sampled to date. The 3000 lumen output rivals my Home Cinema 880, Home Cinema 3800, and even comes close to my beloved 5040UBe. The extremely bright light output easily allows you to operate the projector in ECO mode. ECO mode dims the lamp, thereby not only increasing lamp life hours, but also dramatically lowers the noise of the cooling fan. High power mode is extremely bright for images up to 100”. ECO mode is more than capable in all but the brightest of rooms. So much so, that my preferred settings are: ECO mode and Dynamic. This provided a plenty bright enough picture to remain engaging, but low enough fan noise the weak built-in speaker could overcome it and that fan noise not to be a distraction.
As far as “portable” projectors go, this is by far the brightest of the portable units I’ve sampled to date. The 3000 lumen output rivals my Home Cinema 880, Home Cinema 3800, and even comes close to my beloved 5040UBe. The extremely bright light output easily allows you to operate the projector in ECO mode. ECO mode dims the lamp, thereby not only increasing lamp life hours, but also dramatically lowers the noise of the cooling fan. High power mode is extremely bright for images up to 100”. ECO mode is more than capable in all but the brightest of rooms. So much so, that my preferred settings are: ECO mode and Dynamic. This provided a plenty bright enough picture to remain engaging, but low enough fan noise the weak built-in speaker could overcome it and that fan noise not to be a distraction.
There are a minimal number of inputs. However, for a “portable” and entry-level projector, there is just enough to get the job done. Inputs include a full-size HDMI port, USB-A port, and the odd addition of a USB-B port. Think old-school USB printer connection. Not sure why that addition. Another USB-A, USB-C, or HDMI port would be far more useful. Speaking of the USB ports, the USB-A port provides a generous 2-amp output at 5 volts. This is more than adequate to power the latest Amazon Fire TV or Roku sticks with some power to spare. While my FireTV stick gives me a power warning, I had no issues with the Epson providing more than enough current to properly power the streaming device. This is a huge benefit for users as you only need a USB cable of roughly 6 inches. Awesome forward-thinking Epson.
NEGATIVES
Picture and Contrast. While I applaud Epson for their bright and entertaining picture, you can tell this is geared solely at the low end of the market. Pictures over 65 – 75” start to lose their resolution quickly. While Epson touts screen sizes as large as 300”, those images, with this resolution, would look horrible. This projector has a VERY modest output resolution of 1280 x 800 (WXGA resolution). This is roughly 50% of the resolution of a 1080p picture.
Picture and Contrast. While I applaud Epson for their bright and entertaining picture, you can tell this is geared solely at the low end of the market. Pictures over 65 – 75” start to lose their resolution quickly. While Epson touts screen sizes as large as 300”, those images, with this resolution, would look horrible. This projector has a VERY modest output resolution of 1280 x 800 (WXGA resolution). This is roughly 50% of the resolution of a 1080p picture.
Sadly, the low image resolution also equates to low contrast. Blacks are not black, but a gray. While I don’t mind the low contrast ratio for business presentations, work from home, or even sports, I would not want to use this as my main entertainment projector. This model just does not have the specs to give good details in darker images, bright images yes, darker images, no.
The built-in speaker, while useful and loud enough for PowerPoint presentations, will leave you wanting more for anything else. Audio is tinny and thin. Again, for a business environment the audio is more than loud and legible enough, but for a projector billed as a flex unit, you will want to pair a good Bluetooth speaker with your streaming device.
CONCLUSIONS
I think Epson is trying to bill this projector as something more than it is.
I think Epson is trying to bill this projector as something more than it is.
Everywhere in my review, I referred to this model as a “portable” projector with each portable being in quotes. Epson says in their marketing material to throw this thing in your backpack and take it with you. Honestly, it isn’t a portable, do anything, be anything projector.
Quite frankly, it is too big to be portable projector. It is barely lighter or smaller than my Epson 880. Furthermore, the Flex CO-W01 doesn’t have anything to make it more ruggedized to endure the rigors of transporting in a backpack from place to place. In my book, this projector is just too big to be considered a portable unit.
Once you get past the amazingly bright image, you will see the immediate lack of resolution. Having only ½ the total number of pixels as a 1080p panel begins to rear its ugly head at sizes over 75”. Resolution and enjoyment drop off quickly and images begin to look blocky, pixelated, and not so sharp. Image quality is fine for PowerPoints and even sports if the size is kept small enough, but this projector is not a suitable substitute for even a modest TV for movies. It just doesn’t have the resolution or native contrast ratio to provide an entertaining and enjoyable movie night.
Had this been the only projector I’ve ever sampled; I may be more enamored with it. However, having had the luxury of using numerous other projectors from Epson, Sony, and Panasonic, its shortcomings are immediately evident. Its too large and puts off too much heat to be a portable unit and its resolution and contrast ratio are too low to make a good movie projector. The Flex CO-FH02 has nearly identical power requirements, better light output, 2x the resolution and only a few bucks more. If you are looking for an Epson projector in this price point, I would seriously consider the Epson EpiqVision Flex CO-FH02. The Flex CO-W01 is a miss for me.
NOT RECOMMENDED
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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The Vulcan II Mini Optical-Mechanical Gaming Keyboard packs durability, performance, and functionality into a mini formfactor. At 65% of the size of standard keyboards, it provides ample room for large mousepads and sweeping mouse movements needed to win fast-paced games while retaining the arrow keys, making it the ideal addition to any gaming enthusiast’s arsenal. Exclusive TITAN II Optical Switches have linear, ultra-fast actuation and incredible durability with a 100 million keypress cycle, offering a competitive edge game after game. Enter game mode to access Easy-Shift [+] button duplicator technology and unlock a second function layer which can be programmed into near limitless options. Feel confident in your keystrokes with 30 multi-function smart keys featuring a dual LED to indicate when secondary functions are active. The USB-C cable can be easily detached and up to 5 profiles of custom lighting, key reassignment and more, directly on your keyboard providing convenient portability. The Vulcan II Mini’s anodized aluminum backplate reinforces its structural integrity and sets the stage for ROCCAT’s AIMO lighting technology which produces vibrant RGB lighting displays right out of the box and can sync with other compatible AIMO-enabled products for an immersive lighting display. Add a personal touch to your keyboard with third party cross shaped mount keycaps and USB-C cables.
Customer Rating
5
Mechanical Similarities with Membrane Quietness
on October 9, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
KEY FEATURES
Optical Switching Technology
Built-in 32bit Processor
Dual LED Illumination on Smart Keys
Optical Switching Technology
Built-in 32bit Processor
Dual LED Illumination on Smart Keys
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
This is a first for me in two different areas. The Vulcan II is not only my first 65% keyboard, it is also my first keyboard that utilizes optical switches for the keys. Ordering, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Being a keyboard snob, I don’t try new keyboards, as most fail to measure up. I have mechanical, membrane, and gaming keyboards from Logitech, Steel, Razer, and Corsair. It takes something different and unique to even consider my interest and the Roccat did just that. There are just enough unique touches that set the Roccat apart from its competition to make it a serious competitor and worth your look.
This is a first for me in two different areas. The Vulcan II is not only my first 65% keyboard, it is also my first keyboard that utilizes optical switches for the keys. Ordering, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Being a keyboard snob, I don’t try new keyboards, as most fail to measure up. I have mechanical, membrane, and gaming keyboards from Logitech, Steel, Razer, and Corsair. It takes something different and unique to even consider my interest and the Roccat did just that. There are just enough unique touches that set the Roccat apart from its competition to make it a serious competitor and worth your look.
USE
The best experience of the Vulcan keyboard, to me, is the impressive Roccat Swarm software. I’ve noted in my other reviews, most manufacturers’ software is cumbersome, bloaty, and awkward. I’m squarely pointing the finger at Razer with this. While thorough, their software is a huge install and often a resource hog. Corsair iCue is a close second, with Logitech’s G-Hub much more refined and less resource hungry. I found the Swarm software easier to use and figure out than the Razer and Corsair software. It was more user friendly and demanded much less of a footprint on my system and its resources than either of the Razer or Corsair software. It is a nice, lightweight solution for Roccat’s peripherals.
The best experience of the Vulcan keyboard, to me, is the impressive Roccat Swarm software. I’ve noted in my other reviews, most manufacturers’ software is cumbersome, bloaty, and awkward. I’m squarely pointing the finger at Razer with this. While thorough, their software is a huge install and often a resource hog. Corsair iCue is a close second, with Logitech’s G-Hub much more refined and less resource hungry. I found the Swarm software easier to use and figure out than the Razer and Corsair software. It was more user friendly and demanded much less of a footprint on my system and its resources than either of the Razer or Corsair software. It is a nice, lightweight solution for Roccat’s peripherals.
One thing that immediately caught my eye, was this is the first keyboard with dual color illumination on the smart keys. So cool!! The lettering on the keys light up per the user’s created or selected effects, but the smart keys are programmable separately. The owner has the option of changing the lighting effects of the smart keys based on whether that function is active or not. Say you using the keyboard for music and you have the rainbow wave effect selected. As the keys cycle through their color spectrum, the user can program the smart, playback keys to light up a different color. Press the play button and the key remains synced to the effect, but the play logo on the bottom of the button lights up green indicating your music is playing. There are numerous buttons that can be programmed for various activities: gaming, surfing, music, movies, etc. It is slick and hope more manufacturers take note and start incorporating this feature.
NEGATIVES
This is my first 65% keyboard and it is taking me time to get used to it. It is much smaller compared to a full-sized keyboard. More like a small laptop. Typing on it, I am having to adjust my reach and finger placement to hit the proper keys. Being used to a normal sized keyboard, I often overreach the keys resulting in a slow, frustrating typing process. To be fair to Roccat, it is not a negative against the keyboard, it is user training. But, until I get used to such a small keyboard, it is frustrating.
This is my first 65% keyboard and it is taking me time to get used to it. It is much smaller compared to a full-sized keyboard. More like a small laptop. Typing on it, I am having to adjust my reach and finger placement to hit the proper keys. Being used to a normal sized keyboard, I often overreach the keys resulting in a slow, frustrating typing process. To be fair to Roccat, it is not a negative against the keyboard, it is user training. But, until I get used to such a small keyboard, it is frustrating.
The optical switches are awesome to type and game with, however the Roccat styling is another matter. The switches are configured quite differently than any other keyboard I’ve used or am currently using. I’m not referring to them being optical switches either. The Vulcan II Mini keys have what amounts to the top part of the key and nothing that encloses the switches. While it makes for a more interesting light show, having just the top part of the key with nothing on the sides feels quite odd.
MY THOUGHTS & CONCLUSIONS
Roccat has created an interesting product with the Vulcan II Mini. I applaud them for taking design risks and making a unique product that stands out in such a crowded field. The 32bit processor does a great job with the animations and lighting effects. The processor does make a noticeable difference in the overall look and feel of the lighting engine. Effects are smoother and more fluid than any of my Corsair, Razer, or Logitech products.
Roccat has created an interesting product with the Vulcan II Mini. I applaud them for taking design risks and making a unique product that stands out in such a crowded field. The 32bit processor does a great job with the animations and lighting effects. The processor does make a noticeable difference in the overall look and feel of the lighting engine. Effects are smoother and more fluid than any of my Corsair, Razer, or Logitech products.
While I’m having trouble adjusting to the smaller footprint of the keyboard while typing, I have instantly become a believer in the 65% keyboards for gaming. All the whining I did about having difficulty typing does not apply to gaming. The shorter reach and smaller keys make for a much faster and more accurate gaming experience. I have long held the notion that all anyone ever really needs is a full-size keyboard, now I’m second guessing all my previous views.
I let my 12-year-old try it out. He had a full-size Corsair keyboard, but his smaller hands make it hard to type on and he never used it for gaming. It was too much of a reach to the keys to make it an effective solution. He always resorted to an Xbox controller. After trying the Roccat, he said it was the most satisfying typing experience he’s had yet (his words). Better than his old keyboard and better than the laptops at school. Even more importantly, he’s even begun using the keyboard now as his primary gaming controller and I am having to go track down the Vulcan when I want to use it. I don’t know what a better recommendation could be.
RECOMMENDED
I would recommend this to a friend!
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The Frigidaire 12,000 BTU 3-in-1 Portable Air Conditioner keeps your home cool and comfortable when and where you need it. Enjoy more cooling flexibility with two different fan speeds plus dehumidifying Dry Mode to keep your room cool and comfortable while also removing excess moisture from the air. Plus, cool your room anywhere, anytime from your smart device with the Frigidaire app.
Posted by: NAMO
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS & SET-UP
The Frigidaire 3-In-1 Air Conditioner commands a big footprint, but also cools a big space. The Frigidaire is bigger than an average-sized garage wet/dry vac with a heft to go along with it. The unit weighs in at a portly 70 pounds. Eat your Wheaties. Carrying it in from the UPS delivery was the worst chore. After the surprise of the weight and a few grunts and groans I managed to get it through the front door. Thankfully, Frigidaire made the shipping box in 2 pieces, only having to lift the cardboard over the unit. Nice! Also, the air conditioner is equipped with 4 swivel casters to maneuver it around after unpacking. Thanks Frigidaire.
Spec-wise the air conditioner is rated to cool rooms up to 550 sq ft. This is a room slightly larger than 20’ x 25’. It is rated at 12,000BTU’s and has a nifty dehumidifier function built-in, should you not need the air conditioner. Very handy for basements and damp areas (Air Conditioners are natural dehumidifiers in their operation), but its nice to be able to run the dehumidifier function without the need to run the A/C side, as well. The Frigidaire has an easy to clean air filter hidden behind a snap-closed cover on the back of the unit, as well as a built-in ionizer to help clean the air and keep it from smelling musty.
The Frigidaire 3-In-1 Air Conditioner commands a big footprint, but also cools a big space. The Frigidaire is bigger than an average-sized garage wet/dry vac with a heft to go along with it. The unit weighs in at a portly 70 pounds. Eat your Wheaties. Carrying it in from the UPS delivery was the worst chore. After the surprise of the weight and a few grunts and groans I managed to get it through the front door. Thankfully, Frigidaire made the shipping box in 2 pieces, only having to lift the cardboard over the unit. Nice! Also, the air conditioner is equipped with 4 swivel casters to maneuver it around after unpacking. Thanks Frigidaire.
Spec-wise the air conditioner is rated to cool rooms up to 550 sq ft. This is a room slightly larger than 20’ x 25’. It is rated at 12,000BTU’s and has a nifty dehumidifier function built-in, should you not need the air conditioner. Very handy for basements and damp areas (Air Conditioners are natural dehumidifiers in their operation), but its nice to be able to run the dehumidifier function without the need to run the A/C side, as well. The Frigidaire has an easy to clean air filter hidden behind a snap-closed cover on the back of the unit, as well as a built-in ionizer to help clean the air and keep it from smelling musty.
Controls for the air conditioner are easily readable and accessible on the top of the unit. Frigidaire includes a very nice backlit remote control to adjust the nearly any function of the machine. The remote had a good range, extending better than 20’. This unit also includes built-in Wi-Fi. While I initially rolled my eyes, immediately deeming it as a marketing gimmick, I actually found the app awesome. The app features two-way communication with the unit and shows you real-time status of the machine, as well as current room temperature and temperature set point. I anticipated being a fan of the remote, but have been using the app more than the remote. It was easy to install, easy to set the unit up, and works well.
USE
Temperatures have been sweltering lately. We have had nearly a month with temps over 100 degrees. Combine the temps with some humidity and it makes being outside nearly unbearable. I decided to give the air conditioner a worst-case scenario to test and use it. I’ve been putting off numerous garage projects because of the stifling heat. So, I thought what better place to test out the air conditioner than in my 1-car, uninsulated garage. I was not expecting great performance. Quite frankly, this little machine was facing an uphill battle to say the least. Testing conditions were as follows:
Outside Temp: 102
Garage Temp: 89
Relative Humidity: 39%
Temperatures have been sweltering lately. We have had nearly a month with temps over 100 degrees. Combine the temps with some humidity and it makes being outside nearly unbearable. I decided to give the air conditioner a worst-case scenario to test and use it. I’ve been putting off numerous garage projects because of the stifling heat. So, I thought what better place to test out the air conditioner than in my 1-car, uninsulated garage. I was not expecting great performance. Quite frankly, this little machine was facing an uphill battle to say the least. Testing conditions were as follows:
Outside Temp: 102
Garage Temp: 89
Relative Humidity: 39%
I vented the air conditioner to the outside, set the fan speed to Hi, temperature to 78, and activated the swing function to help disperse the air being blown out. The swing function slowly raises and lowers the exhaust louvers to help spread the cold air through a room.
I was correct, the Frigidaire proved no match for the extreme heat and humidity. After 20 minutes of use to normalize operations, I measured an air temperature exiting the unit at 62 degrees. Not bad, especially considering how hot it was. After a full hour of use, the poor Frigidaire had only managed to drop the temperature by 3 degrees. But, what that doesn’t tell you, is that even though it only dropped temps by 3 degrees, it had lowered the humidity in the garage quite a bit. Coming from inside an air-conditioned house to the garage was not nearly as shocking as being hit by the blast furnace that it was an hour before. So, while the temperature had not decreased much, the working environment was better and more tolerable.
NEGATIVES
Like all portable air conditioners, this machine needs a way to exhaust hot air and drain as it pulls moisture from the air. While Frigidaire does include nearly everything needed to get this accomplished, the parts are cheap. For example, both the exhaust hose and the window adapter for the exhaust hose are uninsulated. Not only does the exhaust hose get quite warm during use, the window adapter for the exhaust hose gets even hotter. Especially if the sun is beating down on it in the 100+ degree heat we’ve been having. Most windows nowadays are double-pane and this provides for a decent amount of insulating value. However, having to raise the window 6” to place an uninsulated exhaust adapter kind of defeats some of the purpose. Speaking of the window adapter, while it is adjustable, it doesn’t seal up against itself and makes for plenty of cracks to let hot air back into the room. This is especially noticeable if the wind is blowing in just the right direction.
Like all portable air conditioners, this machine needs a way to exhaust hot air and drain as it pulls moisture from the air. While Frigidaire does include nearly everything needed to get this accomplished, the parts are cheap. For example, both the exhaust hose and the window adapter for the exhaust hose are uninsulated. Not only does the exhaust hose get quite warm during use, the window adapter for the exhaust hose gets even hotter. Especially if the sun is beating down on it in the 100+ degree heat we’ve been having. Most windows nowadays are double-pane and this provides for a decent amount of insulating value. However, having to raise the window 6” to place an uninsulated exhaust adapter kind of defeats some of the purpose. Speaking of the window adapter, while it is adjustable, it doesn’t seal up against itself and makes for plenty of cracks to let hot air back into the room. This is especially noticeable if the wind is blowing in just the right direction.
CONCLUSIONS
The Frigidaire 3-In-1 Portable Air Conditioner is a good product. While I stress tested it on day 1 in the worst possible conditions, I was still pleased with its results. Yes, it took a while to make a difference in the garage, but I knew it would. I worked as well as I could have asked under the conditions.
Using the unit in a normal space with decent insulation and it performs nearly flawlessly. Even on its highest settings it isn’t that loud or obnoxious. Set it on Auto and let it work its magic and you won’t hardly know its there. On low, it isn’t much worse than a refrigerator or dish washer running in the background. It has proven more than capable of adequately cooling any interior room I’ve put it in so far.
The Frigidaire 3-In-1 Portable Air Conditioner is a good product. While I stress tested it on day 1 in the worst possible conditions, I was still pleased with its results. Yes, it took a while to make a difference in the garage, but I knew it would. I worked as well as I could have asked under the conditions.
Using the unit in a normal space with decent insulation and it performs nearly flawlessly. Even on its highest settings it isn’t that loud or obnoxious. Set it on Auto and let it work its magic and you won’t hardly know its there. On low, it isn’t much worse than a refrigerator or dish washer running in the background. It has proven more than capable of adequately cooling any interior room I’ve put it in so far.
While Frigidaire gives you enough parts in the box to get the unit up and running, I recommend planning ahead and getting some extra supplies. Finding a way to help seal up the window exhaust would help a lot (to be fair, Frigidaire does include some sealing foam with the unit, I just didn’t have enough to do what I needed). Still, I think this is a good product and would have no problems recommending it.
RECOMMENDED
I would recommend this to a friend!
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9of 9voted this as helpful.
This Smart Choice 1-1/4 HP Garbage Disposal can power through the toughest food scraps and waste. The stainless steel Torque Master Balanced Grinding System quietly and quickly grinds coffee grounds, small bones, and other food waste. This disposal has powerful yet quiet performance, with a fully insulated sound shell, which reduces noise. The durable design with 3-bolt mount allows for simple installation, and the removable splash guard makes cleaning easy. Each disposal comes with a 12-Year Product and Lifetime Corrosion Warranty.
Customer Rating
4
Powerful & Quiet, But Large In Diameter
on August 14, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
KEY FEATURES
10 Year Warranty
Stainless Steel Construction
1.25HP, 7.5 Amp Motor, one of the most powerful in its class.
10 Year Warranty
Stainless Steel Construction
1.25HP, 7.5 Amp Motor, one of the most powerful in its class.
INSTALLATION
This is one of the few products that I would recommend anyone, but the most experienced homeowners leave to a handyman, plumber, or electrician to install. While it may be up for debate, I fancy myself as a decently knowledgeable and experienced homeowner. There are few things that I won’t attempt to tackle. I decided to take on this installation myself. My assortment of plumbing and hand tools is quite extensive. Mostly because I use a portion of the savings, I recoup doing DIY projects, versus hiring a professional, as a good reason to buy new tools. I’m a firm believer in the old saying: He who dies with the most tools, wins.
This is one of the few products that I would recommend anyone, but the most experienced homeowners leave to a handyman, plumber, or electrician to install. While it may be up for debate, I fancy myself as a decently knowledgeable and experienced homeowner. There are few things that I won’t attempt to tackle. I decided to take on this installation myself. My assortment of plumbing and hand tools is quite extensive. Mostly because I use a portion of the savings, I recoup doing DIY projects, versus hiring a professional, as a good reason to buy new tools. I’m a firm believer in the old saying: He who dies with the most tools, wins.
I start with this intro because having to acquire the tools and materials for most homeowners would be a great source of frustration for most. While I had most everything tool-wise, I needed to install the disposal, I did find myself having to modify and move PEX and PVC plumbing to accommodate my new disposal. While not an impossible challenge, it did lead to unnecessary frustration, not to mention a good back ache due to lying across the sink cabinet.
Almost all newer disposals use a common 3 bolt mounting system to retain the unit to the sink bottom. I was extremely fortunate in that the Badger disposal I was replacing, matched nearly perfectly to my new Smart Choice. What a time saver it was, not having to dismantle every single part from the old disposal to install the new one. Yes, I know it is cheating, but I’m OK with it. For those not as lucky as I was, aside from tools and plumbing supplies, the Smart Choice includes everything you need to get it installed.
The one thing that made this installation difficult is the overly large diameter of the new Smart Choice disposal. The top part of the disposal is nearly 2 inches larger in diameter than my Badger & most other disposals on the market. Because my sink & island were installed to match up to a Badger disposal, this new Smart Choice required moving several drain lines to make room for its larger diameter. Frustrating.
USE
The Smart Choice disposal (a division of Electrolux) is a great addition to the kitchen. My “builder’s grade” Badger disposal has always been reliable, but it was obnoxiously loud and frankly not that powerful. Even though it was rated at 3/4HP, it wasn’t an impressive performer often bogging down during after-dinner cleanups.
The Smart Choice disposal (a division of Electrolux) is a great addition to the kitchen. My “builder’s grade” Badger disposal has always been reliable, but it was obnoxiously loud and frankly not that powerful. Even though it was rated at 3/4HP, it wasn’t an impressive performer often bogging down during after-dinner cleanups.
The Smart Choice is rated at nearly twice the power of my Badger. It clocks in at an impressive 1.25HP. The increase in power is immediately noticeable. Foods that would often bog down my Badger didn’t seam to phase the Smart Choice. It has ground through everything I’ve put down the drain without issue. Most importantly, at least to me in my open concept kitchen, is the reduction in noise when in use. My old Badger would drown out conversations, TV, etc. The Smart Choice is markedly quieter.
NEGATIVES
The one negative I have with this unit is the large size of the disposal. The top ½ of the disposal is nearly 8 inches in diameter. A good 2 inches bigger than my previous disposal. Under a sink, where space is tight and limited the way it is, every little bit matters. This increase in size caused me major headaches getting it to fit, requiring a great deal of plumbing mods. I don’t knock the disposal for my headaches, I knew it going into the installation, but for those that are looking, I would do some careful measuring before purchasing to either save yourself time and headache, or money in unnecessary plumbing modifications when you could opt for a smaller Smart Choice disposal instead.
The one negative I have with this unit is the large size of the disposal. The top ½ of the disposal is nearly 8 inches in diameter. A good 2 inches bigger than my previous disposal. Under a sink, where space is tight and limited the way it is, every little bit matters. This increase in size caused me major headaches getting it to fit, requiring a great deal of plumbing mods. I don’t knock the disposal for my headaches, I knew it going into the installation, but for those that are looking, I would do some careful measuring before purchasing to either save yourself time and headache, or money in unnecessary plumbing modifications when you could opt for a smaller Smart Choice disposal instead.
CONCLUSIONS
Performance and use, I have no complaints about the Smart Choice disposal. It is very powerful and does its job efficiently, and most importantly, quietly. This is the biggest Smart Choice disposal, and it has impressive specs with an impressive warranty to match. If you have the room under your sink, or are willing and/or able to make room to accommodate the disposal, I doubt you will be disappointed.
Performance and use, I have no complaints about the Smart Choice disposal. It is very powerful and does its job efficiently, and most importantly, quietly. This is the biggest Smart Choice disposal, and it has impressive specs with an impressive warranty to match. If you have the room under your sink, or are willing and/or able to make room to accommodate the disposal, I doubt you will be disappointed.
RECOMMENDED
I would recommend this to a friend!
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+4points
4of 4voted this as helpful.
Fire it up then go full throttle faster and more effectively than ever with Acer's next evolution of its Nitro 5 gaming laptop. The new Nitro 5 soars to new levels of performance for gamers and creators, courtesy of its 12th Gen Intel® Core™ processor and NVIDIA® GeForce RTX 3050 Ti graphics—powered by Ampere™ NVIDIA's RTX architecture! Next, toss in the vivid, crystal-clear 15.6” Full HD display with a 144Hz IPS panel, ample cooling and a 4-zone RGB keyboard and you can see why the Nitro 5 is a knockout hit for gamers of every level!
Customer Rating
4
POWERFUL, OLD RAM, POOR DISPLAY
on August 11, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
INITIAL SET-UP AND CONFIGURATION
This is one of the first Acer products I’ve received that didn’t give me any hiccups during the initial set-up and configuration. Although, I admit I was a bit concerned upon initial power-up as the keyboard lighting appeared to be stuttering and flaky, but alas it started up without issue. As with most computers, a bios update was available. After downloading all the latest Windows 11 drivers and updates, I installed the firmware aka bios update. Fingers crossed, it installed, and the laptop rebooted with no issues. Awesome.
This is one of the first Acer products I’ve received that didn’t give me any hiccups during the initial set-up and configuration. Although, I admit I was a bit concerned upon initial power-up as the keyboard lighting appeared to be stuttering and flaky, but alas it started up without issue. As with most computers, a bios update was available. After downloading all the latest Windows 11 drivers and updates, I installed the firmware aka bios update. Fingers crossed, it installed, and the laptop rebooted with no issues. Awesome.
For those hoping for a clean, unaltered version of Windows 11, you will be disappointed. Acer has packed several bundles and trials on the machine. Some are not a big deal and are easily deleted, some are more intrusive, like Norton. I methodically went through and uninstalled any unwanted programs, attempting to get as close as possible to a clean Windows 11 installation as possible.
SPEC HIGHLIGHTS
Acer has installed the latest 12th generation Core i5 processor from Intel. It has a total of 12 Cores and 16 Threads. Because this is an Alder Lake based chip, it is divided into 2 sections, performance cores and economy cores. This chip, the Core i5-12500H, has 4 Performance Cores with Hyperthreading, and 8 Economy Cores without Hyperthreading. This is matched to an nVidia GTX 3050Ti graphics card with 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM The laptop contains 16GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, along with a 512GB Micron 2400 NVMe SSD.
Acer has installed the latest 12th generation Core i5 processor from Intel. It has a total of 12 Cores and 16 Threads. Because this is an Alder Lake based chip, it is divided into 2 sections, performance cores and economy cores. This chip, the Core i5-12500H, has 4 Performance Cores with Hyperthreading, and 8 Economy Cores without Hyperthreading. This is matched to an nVidia GTX 3050Ti graphics card with 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM The laptop contains 16GB of 3200MHz DDR4 RAM, along with a 512GB Micron 2400 NVMe SSD.
Port selection includes: a full-size HDMI 2.1 port, 1 USB 3.2 Gen 1 Port, 1 Thunderbolt 4 Port, 2 USB 3.2 Gen 2 Ports, and a gigabit Ethernet port, along with the headphone/mic jack. The Nitro also includes Intel’s “Killer” Wi-Fi chipset featuring the latest 802.11ax (not 802.11axe) and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity.
GAMING
Like all my gaming PC’s, my favorite go-to testing games are Forza and Call of Duty Warzone. While they probably aren’t the favorite of many users, I enjoy playing them. A nice break from the real world. Downloading Forza 5 was a handful. It measures in at a whopping 111GB. Wow!!! One game alone takes up over 20% of your available hard drive space. Once installed I ran the built-in benchmarking utility. The AI took over and ran a full 3 minute, visually demanding race. At the conclusion, it returned its recommended results of Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and a visual setting at High. This combination returned an average of 72fps and was very smooth during playback. Hmmm. Not being content with “High”, I tweaked the settings to Ultra and re-ran the benchmarking utility. Ultra-settings returned and average of 41fps and things were no longer as smooth as I had hoped. Hmmm. I was hoping for more. OK, time to queue up the MSI Afterburner software to monitor the laptop in real-time and see what’s going on. MSI reported 100% CPU utilization with only a 31% GPU utilization. How could a laptop be this CPU bound? The limiting factor appears to be the 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM. With only 4GB on the card and 8GB shared (that is ½ the laptop’s total installed RAM), the CPU is playing over time filling up VRAM and swapping between VRAM and system DDR memory. The Nitro needs more VRAM on the graphics card. Forza frequently warned me of low graphics memory.
Like all my gaming PC’s, my favorite go-to testing games are Forza and Call of Duty Warzone. While they probably aren’t the favorite of many users, I enjoy playing them. A nice break from the real world. Downloading Forza 5 was a handful. It measures in at a whopping 111GB. Wow!!! One game alone takes up over 20% of your available hard drive space. Once installed I ran the built-in benchmarking utility. The AI took over and ran a full 3 minute, visually demanding race. At the conclusion, it returned its recommended results of Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution, 144Hz refresh rate, and a visual setting at High. This combination returned an average of 72fps and was very smooth during playback. Hmmm. Not being content with “High”, I tweaked the settings to Ultra and re-ran the benchmarking utility. Ultra-settings returned and average of 41fps and things were no longer as smooth as I had hoped. Hmmm. I was hoping for more. OK, time to queue up the MSI Afterburner software to monitor the laptop in real-time and see what’s going on. MSI reported 100% CPU utilization with only a 31% GPU utilization. How could a laptop be this CPU bound? The limiting factor appears to be the 4GB of GDDR6 VRAM. With only 4GB on the card and 8GB shared (that is ½ the laptop’s total installed RAM), the CPU is playing over time filling up VRAM and swapping between VRAM and system DDR memory. The Nitro needs more VRAM on the graphics card. Forza frequently warned me of low graphics memory.
Call of Duty Warzone played much better than Forza. Using the 2nd highest settings available (though downloading the texture packs), the laptop was running a consistent 120fps. Images were smooth and clear. Performance rarely dipped lower than 100fps even during some the most demanding scenes. However, making tweaks to improve details and objects, quickly took me past the available VRAM and into the shared RAM zone, prompting numerous warnings. One huge benefit is that MSI reported a very low CPU and GPU utilization rate. Both averaging somewhere in the mid-30% area. GREAT. Because of the low utilization fan speeds were kept low and were not obnoxious and loud like by 9th Gen Nitro is. A HUGE IMPROVEMENT!!
COMPUTE POWER
I have no complaints of laptop’s compute power and thermal management. Acer redesigned the cooling system of this laptop compared to my 9th Gen unit. The differences are impressive, and this laptop much more capable than my 9th Gen with less CPU resources. While it is loud at full fan speed, my 9th Gen Nitro is way louder and Acer should be commended on lowering the overall noise level of the Nitro line.
I have no complaints of laptop’s compute power and thermal management. Acer redesigned the cooling system of this laptop compared to my 9th Gen unit. The differences are impressive, and this laptop much more capable than my 9th Gen with less CPU resources. While it is loud at full fan speed, my 9th Gen Nitro is way louder and Acer should be commended on lowering the overall noise level of the Nitro line.
The 12th Generation Intel processors have a lot to offer. They are vastly more powerful than their ancestors. My favorite way to test raw CPU power is using Handbrake and transcoding video. Thumbing through a folder of home videos, I found one that was 29:55 in length, which I had recorded in full HD (1920 x 1080) at 30fps and measured in at 2.9GB. I used Handbrake to transcode the video from 1080p to 480p / 30fps standard definition. Using only the CPU for transcoding, I set up Handbrake on 3 different machines to test performance. I compared this Nitro 5 to my 9th Gen Nitro 5 i5-9300H (Core i5 with 4 Cores and 8 Threads, and to a new HP Omen laptop with a Ryzen 7 5800H (8 Cores and 16 Threads). How much power does Intel’s new Alder Lake processors have? They embarrass the competition and their ancestors. The encode times are below:
Nitro 5 (Core i5-12500H): Avg FPS: 130.8 Time: 6:56
HP Omen (Ryzen 7-5800H): Avg FPS 82.7 Time: 10:52
Nitro 5 (Core i5-9300H): Avg FPS: 43.7 Time: 20:32
HP Omen (Ryzen 7-5800H): Avg FPS 82.7 Time: 10:52
Nitro 5 (Core i5-9300H): Avg FPS: 43.7 Time: 20:32
NEGATIVES
The most disappoint part of this laptop is the screen. For anything other than basic email and surfing, it stinks. It is only able to reproduce about 60% of the available color spectrum. Because of this, games and movies look dull and boring. Content creators need look elsewhere as the limited RGB range of the panel makes it unsuitable for this type of work. To be fair to Acer, what limited range of colors it can produce, it does so accurately, but there is just too much left on the table.
Acer also let us down when it comes to the NVMe drive and system RAM. The NVMe drive is a Micron 2400. While it does support the latest Gen 4 interface, the overall drive performance is just average. The drive’s performance could be caused by the fact the drive quickly thermal throttles during testing. Benchmarking quickly shot temps to 70C, the upper limit on thermals, causing the drive to slow for self-preservation. None of my other drives exhibited the inability to shed heat like the Micron drive. The Micron NVMe drive couldn’t keep its cool even with the heat sinks built-in to the bottom of the Nitro 5’s case. By comparison, installing a Crucial P3 drive and stress testing it in this laptop netted a maximum temperature of 54C, well below max.
The most disappoint part of this laptop is the screen. For anything other than basic email and surfing, it stinks. It is only able to reproduce about 60% of the available color spectrum. Because of this, games and movies look dull and boring. Content creators need look elsewhere as the limited RGB range of the panel makes it unsuitable for this type of work. To be fair to Acer, what limited range of colors it can produce, it does so accurately, but there is just too much left on the table.
Acer also let us down when it comes to the NVMe drive and system RAM. The NVMe drive is a Micron 2400. While it does support the latest Gen 4 interface, the overall drive performance is just average. The drive’s performance could be caused by the fact the drive quickly thermal throttles during testing. Benchmarking quickly shot temps to 70C, the upper limit on thermals, causing the drive to slow for self-preservation. None of my other drives exhibited the inability to shed heat like the Micron drive. The Micron NVMe drive couldn’t keep its cool even with the heat sinks built-in to the bottom of the Nitro 5’s case. By comparison, installing a Crucial P3 drive and stress testing it in this laptop netted a maximum temperature of 54C, well below max.
The system RAM is my next complaint of the Nitro 5, especially when you compare it to the Nitro 5 available with the Ryzen processors. Why? Because the Nitro 5’s with Ryzen processors come with the latest DDR5 RAM. For whatever reason, Acer chose to give the Intel based Nitro 5’s DDR4 RAM. This is a significant mismatch, and this is now the only laptop I have with a 12th Gen processor and DDR4, all others have DDR5 and perform significantly better.
Lastly is the pitiful battery life. I’m not sure what kind of luck other users are having with their Nitros, but I’m only getting about 2 hours of battery life. That 2 hours is best case, with a moderate screen brightness and just basic use like emails and surfing. I popped the back of the laptop off to look at the battery, and it looks like Acer combined 2 smaller batteries together into 1. There is a definite seam in the middle of the pack where there are no cells. These 2 small batteries can’t keep up with the power demands of the laptop and video card. Make sure you bring your charger.
CONCLUSIONS
The Acer Nitro 5 represents a decent value for a gaming laptop. It is not without its faults, as no products are. Open one up and give it a go and you will immediately be able to tell where Acer cut corners to keep costs down. The display is average, at best, and the laptop feels considerably cheaper than many of its competitors. Quite honestly, if I were to sit this laptop next to my 9th generation, I would be hard pressed to tell any difference between the 2. If it wasn’t for the different keys on the keyboard (The new Nitro has 4 zone RGB lighting, the older Nitro has all red keys) I wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.
The Acer Nitro 5 represents a decent value for a gaming laptop. It is not without its faults, as no products are. Open one up and give it a go and you will immediately be able to tell where Acer cut corners to keep costs down. The display is average, at best, and the laptop feels considerably cheaper than many of its competitors. Quite honestly, if I were to sit this laptop next to my 9th generation, I would be hard pressed to tell any difference between the 2. If it wasn’t for the different keys on the keyboard (The new Nitro has 4 zone RGB lighting, the older Nitro has all red keys) I wouldn’t be able to tell a difference.
Aside from the poor decision to use DDR4 RAM, Acer made the most of where it counts in a laptop. They packed in an impressively powerful CPU and GPU combo along with excellent Wi-Fi 6 performance. One nice thing about the Acer that can’t be said about many of its competitors is the upgradeability. The Nitro has room for a 2nd NVME drive and / or a 2nd 2.5” SATA drive as well as the ability to to swap out RAM for up to 32GB. Nice. I wish all laptops were this easily upgradeable. I’m looking at you Asus.
The easiest way to defeat many of this laptop’s shortfalls is to just use it with a high-quality external display. That will eliminate many of the complaints with the machine and will give the user a markedly improved experience. Even so, I still give this laptop 4 stars and a recommended BUY rating. It strikes a decent compromise between price vs performance.
RECOMMENDED
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Valuable Gen4 performance is here. Introducing the Crucial P3 Plus Gen4 NVMe SSD, delivering impressive speed with sequential reads/writes up to 5000/4200MB/s1 while providing data protection for optimal security. Engineered by Micron with the latest Gen4 NVMe technology, the Crucial P3 Plus comes in generous capacities2 and offers flexible backward compatibility for most Gen3 systems.
Customer Rating
5
Great Performance from QLC NAND
on August 9, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
INTRO
The P3 is Crucial’s entry into the value NVMe market. The P3 Plus is a step above the base Crucial P3, as the P3 Plus supports the newest Gen 4 NVMe architecture. To keep costs down, the P3’s use QLC NAND, instead of the more desirable TLC, MLC, or SLC NAND. However, the P3’s use high quality NAND manufactured by Micron and come with a very generous 5-year warranty with up to 440TBW. While the Terabytes Written is slightly less than some of its competitors, it is still a generous amount and likely more than anyone would see in the drive’s lifetime.
The P3 is Crucial’s entry into the value NVMe market. The P3 Plus is a step above the base Crucial P3, as the P3 Plus supports the newest Gen 4 NVMe architecture. To keep costs down, the P3’s use QLC NAND, instead of the more desirable TLC, MLC, or SLC NAND. However, the P3’s use high quality NAND manufactured by Micron and come with a very generous 5-year warranty with up to 440TBW. While the Terabytes Written is slightly less than some of its competitors, it is still a generous amount and likely more than anyone would see in the drive’s lifetime.
SYSTEM CONFIGURATION
My test computer is a new 2022 Acer Nitro 5 laptop. The laptop sports the latest 12th generation Intel Alder Lake Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and most importantly, supports the latest Gen4 NVMe interface.
My test computer is a new 2022 Acer Nitro 5 laptop. The laptop sports the latest 12th generation Intel Alder Lake Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and most importantly, supports the latest Gen4 NVMe interface.
While it seems illogical to put a drive in a new laptop, I’ve been less than impressed with the performance of the Micron drive installed in the computer. The OEM drive offers mediocre performance, at best, often on par with a Gen3 NVMe drive. Stress testing the factory drive quickly revealed that the Micron drive was unable to maintain thermals during testing, quickly reaching maximum temperature and slowing performance for survival.
Hoping for improved performance, but expecting to be less than impressed, I installed the P3 Plus, a fresh copy of Windows 11 and began testing. How did the Crucial P3 Plus perform? In one word; EXCELLENT. Sequential Read and Write speeds were exactly on point of what Crucial said they would be. Often real-world results are dramatically less than manufacturer’s marketing hype, but not with the P3. It easily matched the manufacturer’s rated specs. Outstanding. As pleased as I was with the speed of the drive, I was even more impressed with its efficiency. The same stress tests that quickly over-heated my Acer installed Micron drive, proved no challenge for the Crucial. The P3 Plus saw a maximum temperature of only 52C, well below the maximum limit allowed. The drive was speedy at the beginning
of the testing as stayed consistently fast throughout.
of the testing as stayed consistently fast throughout.
After running my Crystal Disk Mark tests, I wanted to test the ability of the drive to recover from heavy sustained usage. Having a clean installation of Windows 11 meant that the drive had no previously installed games, a perfect chance to see if the drive could keep up with the PC. Turning to Call of Duty: War Zone seemed like a proper challenge. The game clocks in at a ridiculous 186GB. Could the P3 Plus keep up with my gigabit internet service, or would it tank and start chugging after being bombarded with so much data?
I’m happy to report that the Plus handled the workload without falter. The download varied anywhere from 75MB/s up to approximately 105MB/s (rates slowed due to network traffic and congestion) for the entire 186GB transfer. The P3 didn’t break a sweat. The drive kept taking in data as fast as my ethernet connection could provide it, never slowing and never overheating. Max temperatures during this long, sustained write to the drive never topped 40C. Great work Crucial.
FINAL THOUGHTS
This is one of the very rare products that I can’t think of any negatives about. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words. To be on the safe side, I wish it would come with a heat spreader. But, I can’t knock the product because it didn’t, as the temps never reached the point to where a heat sink would have been necessary.
This is one of the very rare products that I can’t think of any negatives about. Honestly, I’m at a loss for words. To be on the safe side, I wish it would come with a heat spreader. But, I can’t knock the product because it didn’t, as the temps never reached the point to where a heat sink would have been necessary.
At the end of my use and testing, I have nothing negative to say about the P3 Plus. It is very fast, keeps its cool even under heavy workloads and even comes with that odd, little Phillips screw that you never seem to have when you want to add or install an NVMe drive. A pleasant addition. I wish all drive makers would include that screw with their drives.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Spacetalk Adventurer 4G Kids Smart Watch Phone and GPS tracker gives kids more freedom and parents greater peace of mind. The Adventurer kids cell phone watch lets families call and text their child and see their location with GPS location on demand. Adventurer also comes with safety features like SOS alerts, Safe Zones, Safe Contact lists and School Mode for distraction free learning. Plus, no open access to the internet or social media makes Adventurer a safer smart phone watch for kids. Made specifically for kids aged 5 – 12, the Adventurer 4G kids smart watch phone was developed by Spacetalk, the global leader in children’s wearables. Parents can download the free Spacetalk app on their mobile devices to customize everything from safety settings, contacts, communication, location on demand and many other features. Spacetalk Adventurer requires an activated nano SIM card and works with most US Mobile and Canadian wireless operators, except Sprint. We recommend using the bonus JumpySIM card provided for the best cellular service in the US. Alternatively, choose a SIM from your preferred mobile carrier. Spacetalk suggests a cellular plan with unlimited talk and text and at least 2 GB of data. JumpySIM plans include unlimited talk, text and data*, with roaming coverage to Canada and Mexico. JumpySIM plans start from just $18 a month. Note: JumpySIM plans are designed for Spacetalk devices. Using JumpySIM in other devices may result in limited service or cancellation. Please note, upon activation, JumpySIM incurs ongoing charges. Terms and Conditions apply. Visit www.jumpysim.com for further information. Activation and use of the SIM Card constitutes acceptance of JumpySIM terms and conditions. *Subject to Fair Use Policy.
Posted by: NAMO
SET-UP
The Spacetalk Adventurer watch requires a little more technical knowledge to get up and running than most other devices, but it isn’t impossible. The Adventurer includes service provided by JumpySim which rides on the AT&T 4G network. It was a bit of an ordeal to get up and running, but after some trials and tribulations, I was able to get it set-up and activated. Spacetalk has a very good tutorial to assist you in the set-up process, as well as some excellent documentation walking you through the SIM installation and set-up process. Within 30 minutes of SIM installation and powering on the watch, it was registered on the AT&T network and ready for use.
The Spacetalk Adventurer watch requires a little more technical knowledge to get up and running than most other devices, but it isn’t impossible. The Adventurer includes service provided by JumpySim which rides on the AT&T 4G network. It was a bit of an ordeal to get up and running, but after some trials and tribulations, I was able to get it set-up and activated. Spacetalk has a very good tutorial to assist you in the set-up process, as well as some excellent documentation walking you through the SIM installation and set-up process. Within 30 minutes of SIM installation and powering on the watch, it was registered on the AT&T network and ready for use.
SPACETALK APP
I thought the Spacetalk app was very well designed. I downloaded the app from the Google Play store and was able to install the app and set-up an account with zero fuss or troubles. Excellent work. The app is intuitive and easy to figure out. It is a great way to monitor your little ones, as it includes a lot of unique features. One notable feature was the safe zone. With GPS activated, the watch will notify you when it leaves or enters a pre-defined safe zone. This could be your house, school, grandparents, etc. The app allows you to set multiple safe zones and the parent receives a message anytime the watch enters or leaves a safe zone and which one. Slick.
I thought the Spacetalk app was very well designed. I downloaded the app from the Google Play store and was able to install the app and set-up an account with zero fuss or troubles. Excellent work. The app is intuitive and easy to figure out. It is a great way to monitor your little ones, as it includes a lot of unique features. One notable feature was the safe zone. With GPS activated, the watch will notify you when it leaves or enters a pre-defined safe zone. This could be your house, school, grandparents, etc. The app allows you to set multiple safe zones and the parent receives a message anytime the watch enters or leaves a safe zone and which one. Slick.
By default, the app (aka watch) blocks calls and texts from unknown numbers, which I think is a great thing. The parent must go in and manually add numbers that are allowed pass to and from the watch. Not only does this protect your child from getting unwanted calls from potential strangers, but also prevents them from adding friends on their own without your consent.
The school feature is great addition. Using the Spacetalk app, you can control when the phone enters “school mode”. This mode disables most of the features of the watch and keeps the watch from becoming too much of a distraction during school. You can lock it all the way down to just a plain old watch if you want. Once set, this mode starts and stops automatically when you want it to.
USE
Usage is a mixed bag. I find the watch does some things very well and others not so much. But, to be fair to Spacetalk, this applies to everything you buy.
Usage is a mixed bag. I find the watch does some things very well and others not so much. But, to be fair to Spacetalk, this applies to everything you buy.
The watch is easy to make calls and do chats with. Super easy, actually. My kid had no issues figuring it out immediately. Audio quality in a quiet environment is quite good and easy to hear. As good as my Galaxy Watch 4. Finding contacts and apps to use on the watch are easy and can be picked up by most kids quickly. The watch seems like a blend of the iOS operating system and Android. Taking cues from both.
The screen is small, as a lot of the available real estate is occupied by the camera and speaker. But the watch does make the most of what little room it does have. While text is small, especially for my aging eyes, it is legible and easily readable in all but the brightest of lights.
The Adventurer comes with all the essential smart watch functions that people have come to expect from their devices. It includes things like heart rate monitoring, weather, step counter, activity monitoring and alerts, and of course, GPS.
The watch charges easily via a magnetic base like the Galaxy Watches. The base “sticks” to the back of the watch to charge it and thankfully uses a USB-C cable. I wish more things did. One thing I dislike about the charging situation is that the magnetic base is not that magnetic. The silicone bands of the watch are thick for durability, but that also limits their flexibility. Because of this, the base does not seem to want to “stick” very well to the watch and without a great deal of caution, often comes loose and stops charging. The battery lasts about a day with average use.
One thing that is not intuitive is the keyboard. Because the screen is so small, Spacetalk is forced to split the keyboard into 2 different screens. This is entirely too cumbersome and annoying to use for any texts other than the simple premade ones. While it isn’t as bad as an old T9 style keyboard, it is annoying in how much you must swipe left and right to type.
CONCLUSIONS
As much as I like the Spacetalk app and what the watch has to offer, there is one thing that kills the deal for my 11 year old. The Spacetalk Adventurer is just too big and bulky. Even though he is on the older side of the scale that Spacetalk has geared the product for (Ages 5 – 12), it just looks ridiculous on his wrist. So much so, that after about a week of use, my boy no longer wants to wear it. I can’t imagine what this would look like on a younger kid. It is so huge that my 46mm Galaxy Watch 4 seems small by comparison.
As much as I like the Spacetalk app and what the watch has to offer, there is one thing that kills the deal for my 11 year old. The Spacetalk Adventurer is just too big and bulky. Even though he is on the older side of the scale that Spacetalk has geared the product for (Ages 5 – 12), it just looks ridiculous on his wrist. So much so, that after about a week of use, my boy no longer wants to wear it. I can’t imagine what this would look like on a younger kid. It is so huge that my 46mm Galaxy Watch 4 seems small by comparison.
While there is a lot to like about the watch and the app, I have to rate the product as “Not Recommended” at this time. Should Spacetalk find a way to miniaturize the watch, my decision would most likely change, but right now it is so big, it just looks odd and out of place.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Get super-portable sound to go. The XG300 wireless speaker plays as hard as you do, with up to 25 hours of battery life and IP67 waterproof and dustproof. Its rich full sound and booming bass are perfect for when you want quality audio that goes wherever you go.
Customer Rating
4
Bass Heavy Full Sound / Lacking in Highs
on July 15, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
KEY FEATURES
USB-C, 3.5mm Headphone, Bluetooth 5.2 Connections
Up to 25 hours of playback on a single charge
70 minutes of playback on a 10 minute charge
Lots of Bass & Entertainment in a Small Package
USB-C, 3.5mm Headphone, Bluetooth 5.2 Connections
Up to 25 hours of playback on a single charge
70 minutes of playback on a 10 minute charge
Lots of Bass & Entertainment in a Small Package
INITIAL SET-UP
Sony’s SRS-XG300 has the basics covered for connecting to a variety of peripheral equipment. Included in the connection options are: USB-C, 3.5mm stereo headphone connection, and Bluetooth 5.2. The speaker also includes a USB-A connection, but at this time, it is for charging a connected device only.
The SRS-XG300 is equipped with the newest Bluetooth 5.2 standard that incorporates fast pair. I was skeptical at first, but the new fast pair feature worked awesome during the initial set-up, flawlessly and effortlessly syncing to my Galaxy S21.
Sony’s SRS-XG300 has the basics covered for connecting to a variety of peripheral equipment. Included in the connection options are: USB-C, 3.5mm stereo headphone connection, and Bluetooth 5.2. The speaker also includes a USB-A connection, but at this time, it is for charging a connected device only.
The SRS-XG300 is equipped with the newest Bluetooth 5.2 standard that incorporates fast pair. I was skeptical at first, but the new fast pair feature worked awesome during the initial set-up, flawlessly and effortlessly syncing to my Galaxy S21.
After the absolute minimal fuss pairing the speaker to my Android-based phone (Fast Pair does not work with iOS devices), I opened the Sony Music Center app and it immediately recognized the speaker. The Music Center app is Sony’s control app for customizing the variety of options in their speaker offerings. The app controls everything from the graphic equalizer, LED lighting and effects, Mega Bass, etc. While it is not my favorite app, it works well enough and is just easy enough to use without needing to be a geek to find the functions and settings.
USE
The SRS-XG300 is made to play loud and does it unashamedly so. The speaker is designed to fill larger venues with powerful sound and good bass. The speaker sports two 20mm tweeters, two woofers approximately 3 inches in diameter (yes, I used diameter even though they are square), and two passive radiators. Should you decide that the XG isn’t enough for your venue, the speaker is compatible with other Sony Bluetooth speakers, allowing it to be seamlessly linked to make your backyard concert even bigger.
The SRS-XG300 is made to play loud and does it unashamedly so. The speaker is designed to fill larger venues with powerful sound and good bass. The speaker sports two 20mm tweeters, two woofers approximately 3 inches in diameter (yes, I used diameter even though they are square), and two passive radiators. Should you decide that the XG isn’t enough for your venue, the speaker is compatible with other Sony Bluetooth speakers, allowing it to be seamlessly linked to make your backyard concert even bigger.
Sony has geared the speaker toward maximum volume and SPL levels. The XG300 can play all day long at loud listening levels without sounding tinny, thin, or shallow indicating that the speaker has reached its maximum load off the internal amp. Used with restraint, the speaker can play up to 25 hours without needing a recharge. I played it for hours over the course of the past few days and still haven’t charged the battery back-up. When that day does come, I can use the included AC adapter, or a USB-C cable with a healthy fast charger. Reaching a full charge takes a while, but if you are in a hurry and want your tunes back on right now, a person can get up to 70 minutes of playback with only a 10 minute charge. Awesome!!!
Sony has done a great job making the XG300 your go-to speaker regardless of when and where you want to use it. The speaker is IP67 rated against dust and water intrusion making it an ideal travel companion for the beach or pool during these hot summer months. The buyer won’t have to worry about protecting the speaker, as it is resilient to the normal dangers associated with use by the pool or the beach.
SOUND QUALITY
This is not my first Sony speaker. This is the next generation of speaker that I hope would address the shortcomings I experienced in their 2 previous generations of Bluetooth speakers. That is the middling performance of the tweeters. Did Sony correct the shortcomings of their previous speakers and make the highs sound as great as the lows? The answer is: NO.
This is not my first Sony speaker. This is the next generation of speaker that I hope would address the shortcomings I experienced in their 2 previous generations of Bluetooth speakers. That is the middling performance of the tweeters. Did Sony correct the shortcomings of their previous speakers and make the highs sound as great as the lows? The answer is: NO.
Once again, I am let down by the audio quality of the tweeters. Ugh. Sony. You like to brag how the speaker covers the entire audible range, 20Hz – 20,000Hz. While this may be true, the audio quality from the tweeters is nowhere near as pleasing as the audio from the woofers. This isn’t the first time I’ve been left disappointed by the upper frequency reproduction of Sony speakers. My XB72 also left me unimpressed. I was hoping for a turnaround this go, but alas, it didn’t happen.
I will fully admit, most people would call me an audio snob. I would trade features and fancy lights for accurate music reproduction any day. I know that I am in the minority and that is not what sells this day and age, but to me, it is what sells. The XG300 doesn’t sound awful, it just doesn’t have the clarity that it should. It feels like Sony focused all their attention to the bottom end and didn’t care about the higher octaves.
CONCLUSION
Sony has packed a lot into a little package. This speaker brings back memories of the old 80s and 90s boomboxes. That is a good thing. The XG300 can throw down some serious sound and do it all day without needing a charge.
Sony has packed a lot into a little package. This speaker brings back memories of the old 80s and 90s boomboxes. That is a good thing. The XG300 can throw down some serious sound and do it all day without needing a charge.
The bass from such a small package is impressive and would definitely be a good addition to a party atmosphere. The audio and lighting are customizable and the XG can even be paired with other Sony speakers to add even more sound and volume to your party.
I’m still left wanting, though, in the highs. The tweeters just don’t do the speaker justice and this would not be my first choice for quiet, casual listening. It just doesn’t have the crystal clear highs that I want. However, as a go anywhere, do anything, live through the obstacles approach that Sony intended this to be, I think they did a great job. I’ll happy recommend it and give it a 4 star rating, held back only by the lack of clarity in the tweeters.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Blaze through battlefields with a competition-ready wireless gaming mouse with 26,000 DPI, a slimmed-down design and magnetic-snap fast-charging.
Customer Rating
4
Lightweight & Comfortable, Software is Half-Baked
on July 5, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
KEY FEATURES
26k DPI Resolution
Customizable Buttons
No Overdone LED lighting effects
26k DPI Resolution
Customizable Buttons
No Overdone LED lighting effects
I have gaming mice from nearly every manufacturer. The manufacturers include: Razer, Corsair, Logitech, Roccat, Steel, and Microsoft. Much like a car or truck, peoples’ opinions vary widely and differently and what one likes, the other may not. Designing a mouse to appeal to a wide variety of folks can be a challenge. Did Alienware do it correctly? The short answer is: Hardware-wise: Yes, Software: No.
INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
Hardware-wise, Dell aka Alienware, knocked it out of the park. The mouse has a nearly perfect weight for me and a very nice design. Unlike my G303 Shroud, the Alienware’s curves are comfortable and the buttons all line up perfectly for my average sized hands.
Hardware-wise, Dell aka Alienware, knocked it out of the park. The mouse has a nearly perfect weight for me and a very nice design. Unlike my G303 Shroud, the Alienware’s curves are comfortable and the buttons all line up perfectly for my average sized hands.
I especially appreciate the actual physical buttons and switches on the bottom of the mouse. So many manufacturers are trying to eliminate buttons and switches, it is refreshing to know that I can set the mouse exactly how I like it (as far as DPI and transmission mode) without relying upon button programming and the manufacturer’s software. The bottom of the Alienware has dedicated switches for power, DPI resolution, and wireless connection method. Simple, effective, intuitive. Thanks, Alienware!
Speaking of connection method, this tri-mode gaming mouse has what I consider the single, most important, must have feature for any mouse. The ability to work via wired, Bluetooth, or wireless 2.4G. The AW720 checks all my boxes. It can use Bluetooth 5.1, thereby saving battery life, you can use the included USB-C wireless dongle for ultra-fast, low latency response times in gaming, or if you are running out of juice, you can just plug it in via the included USB-C cable. I’ve concluded, that if a mouse, gaming or otherwise, doesn’t have these 3 communication methods built-in, it is instantly stricken from my list of consideration. Being a frequent traveler, I don’t want to have to pull out my wireless receiver to use a mouse. Those receivers are often so small and if you lose it, it renders a mouse useless.
USE
As I stated above, the AW720 has an awesome weight and feel. It is light and comfortable. It is not near as heavy as my Corsair Dark Core Pro, but more in line with my Razer, Roccat, and Logitech Shroud. The Alienware supports some VERY impressive specs. According to Dell, the AW720 supports a sensor resolution of up to 26k DPI, up to 140 hours of gaming using the 2.4G receiver and mind boggling 420 hours of battery life via the Bluetooth connection!!! Wow! Impressive. Even more, should you need a charge, you can get up to 20 hours of extra juice with only 5 minutes of charge. Excellent work Alienware.
As I stated above, the AW720 has an awesome weight and feel. It is light and comfortable. It is not near as heavy as my Corsair Dark Core Pro, but more in line with my Razer, Roccat, and Logitech Shroud. The Alienware supports some VERY impressive specs. According to Dell, the AW720 supports a sensor resolution of up to 26k DPI, up to 140 hours of gaming using the 2.4G receiver and mind boggling 420 hours of battery life via the Bluetooth connection!!! Wow! Impressive. Even more, should you need a charge, you can get up to 20 hours of extra juice with only 5 minutes of charge. Excellent work Alienware.
NEGATIVES
Software and firmware. Ugh. What a debacle this thing is. I was able to connect the mouse initially via Bluetooth with little to no issue. Everything was going smoothly. So, I tried the included USB-C cable. Everything worked as expected. But I hate having a tethered mouse, and I was ready to try a few games. I plugged in the wireless dongle and after several frustrating attempts, the mouse paired to the receiver, and all was good. But my laptop only has 1 USB-C connection. So, I tried the USB-C splitter, giving me a place for my 2.4 receiver and an extra USB-C port. Problem solved? Nope. That when everything went downhill.
Software and firmware. Ugh. What a debacle this thing is. I was able to connect the mouse initially via Bluetooth with little to no issue. Everything was going smoothly. So, I tried the included USB-C cable. Everything worked as expected. But I hate having a tethered mouse, and I was ready to try a few games. I plugged in the wireless dongle and after several frustrating attempts, the mouse paired to the receiver, and all was good. But my laptop only has 1 USB-C connection. So, I tried the USB-C splitter, giving me a place for my 2.4 receiver and an extra USB-C port. Problem solved? Nope. That when everything went downhill.
My laptop lost its connection to the mouse. I unplugged the adapter, oh wait, its magnetic. The USB-C connector is just barely long enough to fit in my laptop. So, Alienware includes a metal “gripper” to put around the connector. But it makes the connector stick out too far and doesn’t allow for a secure connection. So, I ditched everything and went back to a wired connection, and everything started working again. My next thought; firmware update. So, I headed to the Dell website and sure enough, there were 2 firmware updates listed, one for the mouse, and one for the receiver. After downloading them and following the instructions, I hoped it solve my problems. Did it? Nope. 2.4 mode still didn’t work. So back to the Dell support site I went. Ah, the Alienware Control Center, I must need that to control the mouse. After installation, my computer, nor the Alienware app recognized the mouse. Not even with it plugged directly into the PC. Back to the Dell support site for a 4th time. Yet another file is available that must be installed to get the PC and the Alienware software to recognize the mouse.
Ugh. What a joke. But at least I have it working now. Right? Nope. As soon as I launched the Alienware Control Center, it told me I needed 2 mandatory updates for the mouse and receiver. The same 2 I just updated less than 10 minutes earlier. Seems the firmware updates on the Dell support site did nothing. After nearly 30 minutes of troubleshooting, downloading, updating, flashing, I am happy to report that the mouse now works properly now matter which connection method I use, and the receiver now works whether its plugged directly into the laptop or into the splitter. FINALLY.
The Alienware Control Center (AWCC) lies my next negative. As much as I dislike software to control peripherals, some companies offer a ton of features and options for their devices. Anyone that has used the Razer Synapse software, Corsair iCue, or Logitech G-Hub knows how you can fine tune nearly any and every aspect of the peripheral attached. There are so many parameters in some of these that it makes you nauseated.
The AWCC is half-baked, at least half baked for this mouse anyway. Selecting certain features, disables other options, etc. For example, I like to dim the lighting on the mouse. I don’t need a glaring LED light show on my mice, so I like to lower the brightness & conserve battery. Great. My choice. However, if I select my desired illumination theme, I can’t adjust the brightness, nor can I use the mouse as a temperature gauge showing me the current temp of my CPU like I can with my Corsair products. These are just two of my frustrations with the Alienware software. The AWCC feels like a beta software.
MY THOUGHTS & CONCLUSIONS
I really want to like the Alienware AW720 mouse. The hardware seems to be first rate. The mouse has a great feel, excellent ergonomics, and the best battery life I’ve seen to date in a gaming mouse. I love the fact that Dell has shown great restraint in not blowing the mouse up with unnecessary and tacky RGB lighting. The glowing Alienware logo is just the right amount of RGB.
I really want to like the Alienware AW720 mouse. The hardware seems to be first rate. The mouse has a great feel, excellent ergonomics, and the best battery life I’ve seen to date in a gaming mouse. I love the fact that Dell has shown great restraint in not blowing the mouse up with unnecessary and tacky RGB lighting. The glowing Alienware logo is just the right amount of RGB.
The mouse tracks true and consistent, glides easily on all my mouse pads, and even after long gaming or working sessions, does not make my hand and arm feel tired. I have no issue giving the Alienware hardware a 5-star rating.
However, the initial device setup and Dell support site stinks. It took me longer just troubleshoot this mouse and get the bugs worked out than it did to set up ALL my other gaming mice combined. In this day and age, that is totally unacceptable. Like I stated earlier, I have a lot of experience with the competitions’ products. Not a single other manufacturers' software failed to recognize their device. Not a single manufacturer put out firmware update files that didn’t update firmware. Not a single manufacturer makes you manually install a separate file and program to get its own program to work correctly with its peripheral. I give the overall setup, configuration, and software a 2-star rating.
I’ll be generous and give this product a 4-star rating. I really do like the mouse. It is enjoyable to use and checks all my necessary boxes for connections. It is a shame that Dell / Alienware has not included a USB-C to USB-A adapter with the product. My laptop has 4 USB-A ports and only 1 USB-C. While they do include a small splitter / hub, it isn’t very robust and the half-hearted metal gripper (it looks like the metal levers on a binder clip) doesn’t work right for me and that is on one of Dell’s own laptops.
While I’m giving it a 4-star rating, I CANNOT recommend the product at this time. Once Dell is able to work out the kinks in the software, which I’m sure they will, I’d be willing to change my review, but as it stands now, there are too many other products that do the same, without the frustrations.
NOT RECOMMENDED.
No, I would not recommend this to a friend.
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Designed to meet the needs of small offices, the MAXIFY GX6021 delivers high-quality, low-cost printing, and outstanding wireless connectivity. Get serious print productivity with a high page yield of up to 6,000 Black / 14,000 Color pages per full ink bottle set7 and a combined 350 sheet plain paper capacity. Save up to 80% on the cost of ink compared to high-yield laser cartridges with a low cost per print of less than 2 cents per page.7 Each printer comes with a full set of ink, plus 2 bonus black ink bottles, and a 3-year or 80,000 pages* limited warranty so you can print with confidence. The MAXIFY GX6021 is easy to setup and maintain and delivers superior versatility thanks to an auto document feeder for scanning and copying — plus, print on a variety of media types and sizes, including labels, envelopes, and banners. Produce crisp, colorful documents quickly and cost-effectively thanks to fast print speeds and a 4-color pigment-based ink system. Easily connect and print through high-speed USB, Ethernet, or wirelessly5 from computers or mobile devices.
Customer Rating
5
Mega Tank Ink is a Game Changer for InkJets
on June 21, 2022
Posted by: NAMO
KEY FEATURES
50 Sheet Auto Document Feeder
250 Sheet Paper Tray
Canon claims up to 6,000 Pages B&W / 14,000 Pages Color on Ink
3 Year / 80,000 Sheet Warranty
45,000 Sheets per Month Print Capacity
50 Sheet Auto Document Feeder
250 Sheet Paper Tray
Canon claims up to 6,000 Pages B&W / 14,000 Pages Color on Ink
3 Year / 80,000 Sheet Warranty
45,000 Sheets per Month Print Capacity
INITIAL SET-UP
The Canon GX6021 was relatively simple to set up and start to use. Someone with an existing Canon printer will find the set-up process familiar, but those coming from another brand of printer will find the set-up process archaic. Luckily, Canon includes a QR code on the box and in the instruction manual to help new users through the process. Not that getting the GX6021 going is a chore, but compared to the HP Smart App or the Epson app, the Canon app feels like it was lifted directly from the Windows 95 days and teleported to 2022. Canon, it is time for a major overhaul of your software. Not only that, between Windows, Mac, and Mobile, there is a total of 9 apps for the printer. Come on Canon. You can do better.
The Canon GX6021 was relatively simple to set up and start to use. Someone with an existing Canon printer will find the set-up process familiar, but those coming from another brand of printer will find the set-up process archaic. Luckily, Canon includes a QR code on the box and in the instruction manual to help new users through the process. Not that getting the GX6021 going is a chore, but compared to the HP Smart App or the Epson app, the Canon app feels like it was lifted directly from the Windows 95 days and teleported to 2022. Canon, it is time for a major overhaul of your software. Not only that, between Windows, Mac, and Mobile, there is a total of 9 apps for the printer. Come on Canon. You can do better.
After removing the packing material and shipping tape, I plugged the Canon in and began to get it set up directly from the built-in touchscreen. After, being thoroughly disappointed by the Canon apps, I had little hopes for the UI of the printer. I hate having to refer to directions for setting up new tech and I did not have to with the Canon, only because I have experience with their products. A new user may find it frustrating. Luckily, the device’s 2.7” touch screen did a thorough enough job to get me through the whole process. It was cumbersome, but it worked. Canon has an excellent ink fill / refill system. Not only do they provide you with the color and color code for each ink on the reservoir, but the ink bottles are also keyed to where they will only fit in their appropriate slot. Very slick and a great idea to keep from inadvertently mixing the ink in the wells.
USE
This printer is first and foremost a business-class printer. A buyer needs to understand that it is made for durability and sustainability in mind. I would not consider this a multi-purpose photo / business printer. While it does print well, it’s overall print resolution is just average for this day and age and would not be a suitable candidate as a photo printer. With that caveat being said, the GX6021 is a worthy companion to a home or home office environment. Canon rates the capacity of the GX6021 up to a whopping 45,000 printed pages per month. That is a huge amount.
This printer is first and foremost a business-class printer. A buyer needs to understand that it is made for durability and sustainability in mind. I would not consider this a multi-purpose photo / business printer. While it does print well, it’s overall print resolution is just average for this day and age and would not be a suitable candidate as a photo printer. With that caveat being said, the GX6021 is a worthy companion to a home or home office environment. Canon rates the capacity of the GX6021 up to a whopping 45,000 printed pages per month. That is a huge amount.
This printer is a welcome and much appreciated improvement to my existing Canon MB5320. The MB has served as my workhorse for many years. It has been robust and reliable, never failing to do what was needed (unless I forgot and ran out of ink). The GX6021 is an improvement in the older MB in almost every way. The user interface is much more refined and responsive. I consider a touchscreen display nearly mandatory these days. It is great to be able to load documents into the scanner and have them scanned to your PC without having to make trip after trip between computer and printer. While my older MB worked well, it would take it, what seemed like forever to start printing, especially if switching between computers. It would take 1 – 2 minutes of thinking and processing to finally start printing. The GX, takes only 10 seconds or so. A huge improvement and time saver.
Printing is clean and crisp with little to no bleeding. This printer will throw down some ink on standard and high print quality. If you use anything but economy for printing, I highly recommend buying a better / heavier quality of paper than the cheapest stuff you can get at Office Max or Wal-Mart as the ink really gets saturated into the cheap paper. Economy printing is no issue. Any of the cheap stuff will do. But that is also a benefit. Economy printing is plenty dark and detailed enough for my liking and saves ink in the process. Economy printing on the GX no longer feels like and looks like your machine is running out of supplies.
The scanner is one of the best I’ve used, even better than my Epson. Pages are sucked through the ADF and scanned without drama. All my scans have been straight, clean, and true. Something that I can’t say about my Epson 580 scanner, where every sheet seems to be a little crooked. The scanner has an optical resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi for extremely crisp scans. However, even scans as low as 200dpi still turn out clean and legible, with almost no hint that you scanned at a low resolution. Excellent work Canon. I’m not sure if it’s your software doing the compensation or the scanner itself, but it works and works well.
NEGATIVES
1. I can’t get the GX to play nicely with Microsoft Edge. Everything I’ve tried to print from within the browser fails. I’m not sure if it is a Canon issue or a Microsoft issue, but it is an issue and it is frustrating. Thankfully, I have had no similar hiccups with either Chrome or Firefox. But, to this day, Edge is a no-go.
1. I can’t get the GX to play nicely with Microsoft Edge. Everything I’ve tried to print from within the browser fails. I’m not sure if it is a Canon issue or a Microsoft issue, but it is an issue and it is frustrating. Thankfully, I have had no similar hiccups with either Chrome or Firefox. But, to this day, Edge is a no-go.
2. Compared to my older MB5320, this GX does feel less robust. Not significantly less, but it does feel more cheaply made. To be fair, the MB5320 felt like a tank and had a heft to go along with it. But to be fair to Canon, compared to my HP OfficeJet Pro 8035, the GX6021 feels like a tank. The HP is the cheapest feeling and flimsiest printer I’ve ever tried to use in my office. Good riddance.
3. While the GX6021 does produce good looking prints and razer sharp text, it is relatively low resolution at only 1200 x 600dpi. That is one of the lowest resolution inkjet printers I’ve seen in a long time. Low enough, that you can’t even scan an image and print it at the same resolution as the scan. That seems like a mistake. To be a true multi-function printer, I think the Canon needs a higher resolution print head.
CONCLUSIONS
Epson turned the inkjet world upside down when they introduced their EcoTank printers a few years ago. It really was revolutionary. I remember watching a video where someone compared the price of printer ink per ounce to price the of gold per ounce and printer ink was WAY more expensive.
Epson turned the inkjet world upside down when they introduced their EcoTank printers a few years ago. It really was revolutionary. I remember watching a video where someone compared the price of printer ink per ounce to price the of gold per ounce and printer ink was WAY more expensive.
Having a Canon MegaTank printer is a game changer for the consumer or small business owner. The days of needing an expensive laser printer to support a business are over. The Canon GX6021 provides the ease of use and reliability of an inkjet with the capacity of a laser. Ink is now affordable and lasts much longer than a hundred or so pages you get with cartridges. Canon gives you enough ink that they claim up to 6,000 pages B&W and up to 14,000 pages in color. That is revolutionary in the inkjet world. Canon even included the ability to replace the print heads separate from the ink and printer should they get worn out with continued use.
Canon has a full line of apps that a person can use to never be out of touch with their printer. The ability to print remotely, from the cloud, etc is great. This is by no means a Canon thing, others have been doing it for years, it is a must have feature for business owners. While it works, it is much more cumbersome with the Canon than with Canon’s competitors.
While the initial investment cost of a MegaTank printer is more than that of a regular inkjet printer, the payback is quick. The savings in ink alone, is a game changer for anyone running a small business or prints in any volume. There is no more worry of running out of ink during a print job. There is no need to buy remanufactured ink cartridges because the genuine ones are SOOOOOO expensive. There are no more messy toner cartridges of a laser printer to deal with.
The Canon GX6021 MegaTank printer is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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HP OMEN Obelisk by HP Desktop: Play graphically intense games with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop computer. You can easily store large amounts of media and other data on the 1TB hard drive and install games and programs on the 256GB SSD for fast access. This HP OMEN Obelisk desktop computer has 16GB of memory for multitasking effectively, and the Intel Core i7-9700 processor handles resource-intense programs efficiently.
How many cores are there in this pc
8 Cores / 8 Threads. Intel has disabled hyper-threading on its i7 processors.
6 years ago
by
NAMO
HP OMEN Obelisk by HP Desktop: Play graphically intense games with this HP OMEN Obelisk desktop computer. You can easily store large amounts of media and other data on the 1TB hard drive and install games and programs on the 256GB SSD for fast access. This HP OMEN Obelisk desktop computer has 16GB of memory for multitasking effectively, and the Intel Core i7-9700 processor handles resource-intense programs efficiently.
The advertisement and stated processor says its a 9th gen i7-9700 however if you click on the pdf information for this computer it states that it is an 8th Gen i7-8700? Also indicates that graphics are onboard and not the GPU?
It is the 9th Generation 9700 processor with an nVidia GTX 1660Ti graphics card. I believe all the Intel processors include onboard graphics.
6 years ago
by
NAMO
This Pioneer BDR-XD05S external drive allows you to archive up to 128GB of data on BD-R QL media and up to 100GB of data on BD-R TL media, plus supports DVD and CD formats, so you can burn your favorite movies and music to discs.
can a windows 7 computer boot from this drive ?
You should have no issues as long as your bios supports this feature.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
NAMO
This Pioneer BDR-XD05S external drive allows you to archive up to 128GB of data on BD-R QL media and up to 100GB of data on BD-R TL media, plus supports DVD and CD formats, so you can burn your favorite movies and music to discs.
Is this compatible with a Surface Book?
Mine did not work correctly with a Surface Pro, even with a powered hub. It has worked perfectly with every other computer and/or laptop I've tried it with, though.
7 years, 10 months ago
by
NAMO
Relax and enjoy your favorite films, sporting events or shows on the expansive 65-inch screen of this LG 4K HD TV. Active HDR with Dolby Vision creates an immersive experience with clear images. This LG 4K HD TV features a thin OLED design, giving the television a slender silhouette that doesn't take up much space.
Difference between the 2016 vs 2017 models? Any one what the pros/cons?
From my research, it appears the big differences are that the 2017 models come with LG's latest OS installed (WebOS 3.5 vs WebOS 3.0). LG has also worked some magic on the video processing too. They are now able to get more detail in the very darkest portions of an image, where the 2016 models would sign off on the darkest details earlier & just represent them as total black. Lastly, they able to tweak the light output on the panels to improve overall brightness, which was a common complaint of the 2016 models that were installed in fairly bright rooms from what I have heard.
Thanks. Hope this helps.
Thanks. Hope this helps.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
NAMO
Relax and enjoy your favorite films, sporting events or shows on the expansive 65-inch screen of this LG 4K HD TV. Active HDR with Dolby Vision creates an immersive experience with clear images. This LG 4K HD TV features a thin OLED design, giving the television a slender silhouette that doesn't take up much space.
When is bestbuy going to sell the LG B7 65 inch model?
I don't think they will. It is my understanding that the B7 is identical to the C7, but intended for Costco and/or Sam's only.
8 years, 1 month ago
by
NAMO