Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)The first thing to be mentioned, is that no one can rightfully complain about not having 1TB of storage, every drive, for the longest time is rated raw. When I formatted mine to NTFS it was 931.5GB, about 20GB more than I even expected.
The second thing to understand, is every drive model, from every manufacturer, has a pretty standard, and somewhat high, DOA (here I am considering DOA as literally dead on arrival, and 1 week and under) rate. If you receive a DOA, rate the replacement, or the service you received. If you get two DOA's, or get a replacement that is DOA; complain freely.
I have my drive (I have the exact drive, except I purchased it OEM) inside a Nexstar 3 enclosure (capable of recognizing all 1TB) via esata (you can use USB 2.0 with this enclosure as well). The esata run into my Asus G2S-B2 via a Rosewill Expresscard32 2-port esata expansion. In short, the performance I received, will reflect SATAII internal performance Identically.
The first thing to do, if your sata controller can handle auto-negotiation, is to remove the tiny gray jumper entirely, this will increase your burst performance.
Seq. Write - 70 MB/s Seq. Read - 105 MB/s Buffered Write - 59 MB/s Buffered Read - 62 MB/s Random Reading - 54 MB/s This drive is faster than the kin Seagate inside my laptop as the main disk. For those of you who can't use it internally or through esata, you will not see this kind of performance, the theoretical throughput of USB 2.0 is almost half the seq. read.
These tests are run through PC Wizard 2008, important, with the jumper installed. I didn't wish to assume people know what it is and know if their sata controller can use it removed. The performance is slightly better, but nothing substantial, without the jumper (it effectively dubs the drive down to sata 1).
I've basically torture tested this drive since I received it almost a month ago, it is perfect. Generally, I've found, drives fail sooner than later; this drive will most likely serve me for quite some time.
I recommend this drive over any other, if the performance is not higher (Hitachi's are snoozfest), then the fail rate is much much lower (Samsung's new 1TB is notoriously bad, unacceptably high fail rate). etc.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)I've been waiting for this motherboard for a long time; finally a MythTV frontend which can quietly play high definition video and sip electricity while doing so. And one with so many ports on the back: HDMI, DVI and VGA for video; TOSLink Coax, SPDIF optical, HDMI and analog for audio. Gigabit Ethernet. Plenty of USB ports and one eSATA port. A feast of port flexibility.
While people have been talking about the Wake on USB function of recent revisions of this board; I find the Wake on LAN BIOS option more interesting. You can get an iPhone or other smartphone app which can wake the device via WiFi, making it easy to keep the computer in a low power state and only pulling Watts when needed.
My setup: I've installed the 64-bit version of Mythbuntu 9.10 on a 60 GB Seagate Momentus laptop drive I had lying around. 2GB of PNY brand RAM allow me to allocate half a GB to the video card (BIOS setting); recommended for maximum video performance. And a small Mini-ITX case complete the very simple hardware assembly. I also installed XBMC, and that seems responsive and beautiful. I first usedthe VGA connector for video, and the coax port for digital audio, but in the end, I ended up using an HDMI switch and getting both audio and video over that port which worked well.
I removed the included WiFi card, as I will be using hard wired Ethernet and would prefer to not include whatever minor Wattage the little card draws in standby.
I would not run this board fanless. I played a 1080i MPEG2 over the air video on it without a case and my infrared thermometer read the GPU temperature at 60
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)I wouldn't call myself very tech savvy, but you don't have to be to know that you purchased a good lcd monitor.I really can't compare it to other hd monitors since this is the only one I own.I previously owned a 17 inch lcd, which I used for typical computer tasks and gaming.I'll give my pros and cons on the HP 2159m:
Pros:-Full HD, HDMI and DVI -1920x1080 resolution, very high for a display under $300. -Wide viewing angle is great for movies. -Integrated speakers -Great for gaming, I used my Xbox 360 on it.You get up 1080p. -VGA is actually very good.I tried my PC(1920x1080 60Hz) and it impressed me.
Cons:-Speakers don't have such great sound. -The glossy screen is a bit reflective, but not a big problem.
Once you own this monitor, you will find many things you like about it and some things you don't.But what can I say?I didn't buy the monitor for the intergrated speakers, I use my own speakers.The glossy screen is a bit reflective in dark backgrounds, I hardly notice it at times.They're just minor things.If your thinking of upgrading, do it.It's worth the $200+ you'll pay.
Product Description: View more of your media with a 21.5-inch monitor-perfect for online movies, photos and games.View movies, photos and online games, using a 21.5inchwidescreen monitor.Expand your work space by displaying two windows at the same time.Enjoy Full High Definition with the stunning image clarity of1920 x 1080p maximum resolution.Sharpen images and reduce glare with HP BrightView technology.Reduce blur while enjoying sports, action movies or online games with a 5 ms On/Off response time.Enjoy deeper blacks, brighter whites and subtle colors with a 3000:1 dynamic contrast ratio. Complement your computer by adding an HP monitor-designed to be a perfect match with any HP PC or notebook.Free up more desk space with the monitor-s slim profile that fits a keyboard at its base.Personalize your monitor and reduce clutter with HP Easy Clip, an inventive feature that lets you attach photos, notes, headphones, a pen-even a flower-to the edges of your display. Share videos, photos and documents, using a wide-viewing angle.Adjust the monitor to meet your needs, using the tilt and swivel features.Optimize the display to match your experience-movies, photos, or games-by selecting one of the Quick View modes directly from the monitor.Enhanced connectivity to PC with HDMI, DVI and VGA links
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)With both USB and FireWire interfaces, this is a good drive for any Mac computer. It comes with a FireWire 400/800 crossover cable, and the drive works fine on older Macs with a FireWire 400 port (though the data transfer rate isn't what it could be). The casing is solid and the drive runs smoothly and quietly without any vibration, hums, or rattles.
WD SmartWare, software with some drive management and backup utilities, comes with the MyBook. It's optional and only needed for those who would like an alternative to Apple's Time Machine backup software or a method to password protect the data on the drive. I use Apple Time Machine to back my computer up to another drive, so I haven't been tempted to use the WD SmartWare software yet. Unfortunately, the WD SmartWare is installed via a virtual CD that appears on the Mac desktop when the drive is plugged in. The virtual CD can be shown or hidden with some tinkering but, alas, it is an annoying way to distribute software when a normal install CD or download site would have sufficed.Some minor technical issues:
1. To upgrade the MyBook firmware, the drive must be connected to your computer via USB, not FireWire.
2. I originally "daisy chained" this drive to my computer through another FireWire external HD. While the drive itself worked fine, the WD SmartWare virtual CD did not appear on my desktop when the drive was connected in this fashion. Connecting the MyBook drive directly to the computer via FireWire solved this problem.
Product Description: My Book Studio LX 2TB USB Hard Drive See your life safe in one place with WD's My Book Studio LX external drive for Mac. Encased in cool-to-the-touch aluminum, it's the high-performance answer to your storage needs with a FireWire 800 interface that lets you save and access data at top speeds. Personalize this sleek metal drive with the innovative e-label. Keep your data safe with Apple Time Machine or WD SmartWare automatic continuous backup software, 256-bit hardware-based encryption and password protection.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)This is a non-reference version of HD 5850. The reference version (HD585AZNFC) has the fan at the end. This one has fan in the middle. The Core voltage control is disabled in this version. I purchased this card from JR through amazon.com and at that time model no. was not mentioned in the title and they were displaying the reference version image for this card. Make sure to check the model no. (HD585XZAFC is non-ref version, HD585AZNFC is ref version) before deciding and not just the image displayed. The ref version usually comes with Dirt2 coupon but this one does not.
Performance of this card is excellent. Played NFS Shift at 1920*1080 with max settings and average FPS were 55 (After applying patch 1.02). Dirt2 averages 70 FPS, GRID averages 78, Tombraider Underworld averages 70 at max settings and 1920*1080 resolution.
Great value for money. This is the best card for price around 300(as mentioned in "Best Graphics Cards For The Money: May 2010" review at [...]. This card is a little over 10" in length (XFX states it at 9.5") so make sure you have enough space. Two 6 pin power connectors are required from power supply. It comes with double lifetime warranty which gives peace of mind. Make sure to register in 30 days from purchase otherwise the warranty will be reduced to just 1 year.
At base voltage and clock this card is at par with its ref version. Performance might suffer at very high clocks since extreme clocks can't be achieved without voltage control. The ref version is a bit expensive also. Overall I am happy with this purchase since I am not into overclocking. This card has enough power to play available games at max settings so overclocking is not needed.
Product Description: XFX RADEON HD 5850 1GB DDR5 DISPLAYPORT HDMI PCI-E 2.1 - Chipset ATI Radeon HD 5850 GPU Radeon HD 5850 Bus Type PCI-E 2.1 GPU Clock 725 MHz Stream Processing Units 1440 Memory Bus 256-bits Memory Type DDR5 Memory Size 1.0 GB Memory Speed 4.0 GHz Thermal Solution FANSINK Minimum Power Supply Requirement 500 Watt External Power Requirement two 6-pin power connectors TV Out NO VGA NO DVI 2 Dual-Link Support YES HDMI 1 Display Port 1 OTHERMax Supported Resolution (DIGITAL) 2560 x 1600 Max Supported Resolution (ANALOG) 2048 x 1536 RoHS YES HDMI Ready YES HDCP Ready YES ATI CrossFireX Ready YES ATI Hypermemory NO ATI Eyefinity Technology YES MicrosoftDirectX11 ATI Stream Technology YES ATI PowerPlay Technology YES ATI Hybrid Grahpics Technology NO Accelerated Physics Processing YES Accelerated Video TranscodingYES ATI Avivo HD YES Low Profile Compatible NO Double Profile
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)This monitor flcikers , not good wasting your time if you buy this one , customer service tries to sell you something else to get more money out of you .
Product Description: Get the HP S2231 advantage of value and quality at an attractive price. You can view videos or photos, surf the Internet or work on projects in Full HD and you won't have to break the bank. The HP S2231 monitor lets you see what value looks like with a slim design, tilt adjustment and easy connectivity -backed by HP's award-winning support and service. The sleek exterior, slim profile, connectivity and environmental features on the HP S2231 monitor are crowd pleasers.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)I've owned this monitor for 3 months and have had no problems.Screen is very bright and the colors vibrant (and appear true); contrast is terrific.Required no setup with Windows 7; just plug it into the computer port and you're ready to go.The screen has a non-reflective, matte surface so it works very well in a bright environment.There are quite a few customization settings (accessible through the familiar button interface on the front panel), but I didn't feel the need to adjust beyond usual brightness and contrast.Price is *significantly* lower than competitors, and performs as well as much more expensive monitors I've had in the past.Asus has a good reputation so I anticipate this monitor will last as long time.
Product Description: ASUS VH198T - Save the Earth and Shrink Your Power Bill with VH198; Mercury-free LED monitor delivers ultra-sharp images with great power savings. LED monitor, Green Power Efficiency -up to 40%, 19" Wide, 10M:1 ASUS Smart contrast Ratio, DVI, VGA, 5ms Response Time.
Highest resolution available Sharp, clear image Great brightness and bright/dark contrast Built-speakers appear great to me (not an audio expert, but a normal gamer)
Cons: Nothing I'm aware of so far
When I bought this monitor on HP official site, there was only one review on the HP site and no review on newegg or amazon. The only review back then on the HP siteis a 1-star review, complaining about hardware detection problem. This 1-star review really got me nervous. However, I really needed a HD monitor for my recently bought xbox 360 and decided to trust HP (I believed that the 1-star reviewer might've just got a broken one unluckily) and give a shot to this monitor with such good advertised stats.
It turns out that this monitor is great. I received the monitor 2 weeks ago, and waited until now to write a review just because I want to be fair and want to try it for a period of time. Now I want you guys to know that, if you want a monitor with maxed out resolution and great visual effects, and at the same time want to save money as much as possible. This is the right one for you.
Product Description: The HP 2210m monitor delivers flexibility for all your home computing activities. The VGA, DVI-D (with HDCP) and HDMI connectors, plus Plug-n-Play allow you to easily get started and connect to your digital world. Adjust your monitor to a comfortable setting with tilt and swivel features, and set the display to match your experience - movies, photos, or games - by selecting one of the Quick View modes. Appreciate the striking, seamless exterior of the HP 2210m 21.5 Inch monitor, while listening to HP Power Sound. The sleek design matches your decor and all HP PCs, notebooks and netbooks, while the built-in speakers with a ported enclosure retain sound pressure delivering excellent audio quality. Maximize your desk space with the slim profile, and the ability to park your keyboard at the monitor's base.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)I received my 1TB WD My Book AV Expander today.Here's how it went down:
Unpack, plug into back of DVR with included eSATA cable, plug WD HDD into wall outlet, turn on DVR and TV.See prompt on TV about new attached storage. Look for and find remote that kids misplaced.Then Press A on remote to format. Wait 30 seconds. Now when I press List it shows 5% Full (used to be 40%). It didn't even interrupt the current recording. No more taping over my World Cup matches. How easy is that?
So far no heat from new hard drive and it's whisper quiet.Drive also comes with a USB cable (not needed for this project as the Scientifc Atlanta 8300HD supports eSATA only for adding storage.)From WD's website this drive is on the list of supported drives for Time Warner SA8300HD but it was still a relief to see it immediately recognized.
Product Description: Record more. Delete less. WD's My Book AV DVR Expander instantly adds more recording hours to your DVR. With both USB 2.0 and eSATA interfaces, the drive is compatible with many DVRs and other AV devices. Or use this drive with your compatible camcorder to off-load video without a computer.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)This is the Dell Studio 15 inch laptop (Green Colored Case). I think this a great lap top and it gets the job done. I kept reading all the negative reviews and i have no idea why there's so much bad press. I have never once called customer service and i ordered my laptop at Dell directly through their website. I have no reason to contact customer service and i never experienced any problems at all with any of my Dell products. I get so baffled when i read all these negative reviews. My Dell products which i have had for years including a Dell desktop and a recently purchased new netbooks have never been a problem. The desk top i have is more than 6 years old and I never have any problems. It runs great. It can definitely benefit from an upgrade in some areas.
The Studio line is Dell's midrange laptops. The Inspiron being there low end range for consumers that just need a standard laptop. The Dell Studio laptop is completely plastic and it's a bit on the heavy side in my opinion. Maybe because i am so use to my light weight Dell 10 min netbook that i have been spoiled. This is a good lap top. However, i think the flaw in Dell is that their products can get very pricey very quickly. Especially when you are adding in high end features like 6GB RAM rather than 3GB RAM or 2.99GHZ instead of 2.33GHZ etc. You can get the same thing at HP for probably around a hundred dollars less and their quality feels a bit more refined, polished, and sturdy. That being said if you check Dell's website they do have deals going on all the time especially on holidays. But for some reason the price never seems as low as it should be. If you check periodically you will find yourself a deal. I go to that website religiously and build the exact same laptop that I have and it always comes up to more money. I got mine on a special promo.
I really regret getting the green covered case. I didn't realize how bright it would be and once i opened it out of the box - I really wish i purchased the Dark Blue or Dark Purple colored case. It's really way too bright. I like the personalization options of the different colors, but i really do regret getting this bright Caribbean green color. My laptop also includes the backlit keyboard which is great for typing in the dark. It also has touch sensitive controls towards the top of the keyboard near the speakers and i think that's a great plus. The DVD is also an optical drive, so there is no door that slides out for you to pop in your DVD. It's like a Playstation 3 slot. You slide the DVDs in & out.
Pros: 15 inch screen Optical DVD slot 4GB RAM 750 GB Memory 2.66GHZ Backlit keyboard 4 UBS slots HDMI outport Sleak shiek design Different colored cases Wi-Fi Webcam
Cons: Windows Vista (Super Whack) A bit pricey in my opinion (That's Dell for you) A bit on the heavy side
One look at the Inspiron 17's 17.3-inch Hi-def widescreen display, and you'll have a hard time finding where the screen ends and reality begins. From the display to the entertainment features, the Inspiron 17 packs desktop performance inside a clean, portable design. Big-screen portability has never been so fun.
Big Screen Portability
Don't let the screen fool you - the Inspiron 17 is no desktop. So go ahead and enjoy its mobile features, like staying connected even when you're only moving from room to room.
Always connected Get amazing wireless connectivity with standard 802.11b/g utilize all your WiFi capabilities.
Storage Take advantage of your 320GBhard drive to store your personal files, digital music, photos or video clips. Plus, enjoy a fast access time of up to 5400 RPM.
Portable Entertainment
Get a broader view of your media with the Inspiron 17 and its fun features and options.
Display The Inspiron 17 features a 17.3-inch widescreen display with a 16:9 aspect ratio. So you get the big-screen performance of a desktop without compromising your freedom.
Smart upload Capture life as you live it - then use the 7:1 media card reader to share it with the world. The media card reader can read up to 7 different digital media cards.
Simple and Smart Services
Dell DataSafeTM Online Our online backup service offers data protection by enabling customers to back up data to a safe, remote storage site using an Internet connection. Dell DataSafe Online is easy, flexible and secure. After setup, it will automatically back up data and help protect against software, hardware and catastrophic failure.
Dell Remote Access Enjoy what's on your home PC from almost anywhere. With Remote Access Basic, you can easily access photos, music, movies and more on your home system using another Internet-connected computer. No more waiting until you get home to get the files you need!
Dell Support Center Our centrally located, easy-to-use application provides personalized support resources. Conveniently located on your PC's desktop with quick links to service, support and system resources. Helps keep your system up-to-date and running efficiently through automated fixes for common configuration issues.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)This cost effective little device is a savior for anyone working in HD on a laptop.Using the ExpressCard/34 Adapter slot - you can monitor your HD video on any TV with an HDMI or COMPONENT input.You can even send out a digital and analog signal at the same time.You can even send to tape!
Drawbacks?You can edit in a 23.98 environment and you can view out your video on any TV monitoe - but it gets converted to 59.94 on the way out - so if you want to go to TAPE in 23.98 - you can't.It would record in 59.94.
But for color correction and checking frame rates - and just plain viewing your video on something other than an interlaced computer monitor - it is awesome.
Ease of use?Easy to install and get working - it gets a little tricky when trying to figure out what resolution for viewing - the phonebook list of frame rates and resolutions can be overwhelming - but once you get it right, it's great.
The best part is that it's really the only solution for cost effective HD monitoring out of a laptop AND it's a good one.
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)In all likelihood, you are reading this review with two separate goals in mind. First, you want to make sure that nothing is horribly wrong with the lyrically-beautiful, breathtakingly-enormous 30-inch Cinema Display. After all, it is only natural to worry that its intoxicating attractiveness is counterpoised by some hidden, yet devastating, flaw. Well, you can breathe a sigh of relief: it is flawless. Indeed, it represents the very essence of perfection in both function and form.
Second, you are reading this review in a desperate attempt to find some way to justify the purchase of a 30-inch Cinema Display. Perhaps you need to justify it to your thrifty spouse, and are trying to find a reasonable answer to that inevitable question, "but why do you NEED a 30-inch monitor?" Or perhaps you must justify the purchase to an emotionless manager, who is unable to appreciate the aesthetic beauty of this gargantuan monitor. Fortunately, previous reviewers have outlined a number of possible justifications that you might find helpful: a larger monitor improves work efficiency, reduces strain on your eyes, can double as a TV set, etc. Simply select the justification that will be most convincing to your target audience, and don't take no for an answer. I wish you luck.
However, never lose sight of this fact: you do not need to justify the purchase of a 30-inch Cinema Display to yourself. Even trying to do so is dangerous, since in all probability you will be unable to justify spending $1800 on an enormous monitor when you have a perfectly serviceable monitor already. Yes, I'm sure that some people have a genuine need for a 30-inch monitor, but (be honest with yourself) you are almost certainly not one of them.
And more to the point, any attempt at justification is irrelevant. This monitor is not about need, or utility, or functionality, or productivity, or other such tedious concepts. It is about sheer, unabashed, covetousness. You want it. You must possess it. You feel an inexplicable, unjustifiable compulsion to buy it. The vast expanse of the 29.7-inch viewable area haunts your waking thoughts, and appears in your dreams as a luminous vision of perfection that is always just out of reach.
Don't question it. Just buy it.
A year ago today, I did exactly that. Twice. Now, looking at both of my 30-inch monitors in front of me, I feel that I have come closer to true contentment than most people do in a lifetime. Is that shallow? Maybe. But I don't think so. And I'm willing to bet that you don't either. If you did, you would have stopped reading this review a long time ago.
Product Description: Includes: DVI cable, FireWire 400 cable, USB 2.0 cable, and DC power. Apple 30" LCD Cinema Display - This huge 30" computer monitor is perfect for the prosumer and professional alike. Imagine multi-tasking with multiple full-size windows open simultaneously, or editing video with a super-wide timeline! It has a native resolution of 2560x1600, and a contrast ratio 400:1, for stunning quality on a Mac G5 powered computer.Brightness - 400 cd/m2 Viewing Angle - 170 degrees horizontal / 170 degrees vertical Antiglare Hardcoat Screen Treatment Kensington Security Port User Controls - Display Power, System Sleep, System Wake, Brightness and Display Tilt Connects to a Macintosh via a digital DVI connection Macintosh system requirements -Power Mac G5 and NVIDIA GeForce 6800 Ultra DDL graphics card (offered as CTO option for new Power Mac G5 customers and as a kit for current Power Mac G5 customers (M9593G/A) PC capable only if Windows PC is equipped with a dual-link DVI graphics card (some resolution adjustments may be required)
Average Reviews: (More customer reviews)Sony's newest style is visually stunning with lots of cool features, but..... the speakers suck.They are way too quiet and they don't have any bass or treble control.Since they market it as a computer/tv, you would think that they would put a decent sound system in it.Luckily, I have been able to hook up an external set of speakers to it, but it takes away from the sleekness and versatility of the computer. It also comes preinstalled with way to much junk software, and no operating system cd's for reformatting. Given that, I would still buy it because it's fresh new style.The computer itself is really thin and the screen is really nice.It is cool to look at web pages in widescreen format.I would suggest to buy it, but only if you are ok with adding external speakers.
Product Description: When Sony introduced its "W" series of VAIO desktop computers, it proved that PCs didn't necessarily have to be big and bulky. Sporting a sleek all-in-one fold-open design that more closely resembled a notebook than a traditional multi-component desktop, the W series represented a bright new look for stay-at-home computers. But while the first W units weren't particularly powerful, the latest are. Though not quite up to the standards of Sony's potent Media Center PCs, the VAIO PCV-W510G Desktop combines a fashionable, space efficient sensibility with a huge widescreen display and enough muscle for anyone but hardcore gamers and 3-D graphic designers. Driven by a 2.4 GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor and 512 MB of fast PC-2700 DDR RAM (expandable to 1 GB), the VAIO PCV-W510G offers adequate power for most any standard home, home office or business task. However, as in all other models in the W series to date, the unit's 3-D performance remains a weak spot. Its graphics chipset, an SiS 651 with 32 MB or shared (not dedicated) memory, will not efficiently run the latest 3-D games or 3-D animation packages. Included inside the VAIO PCV-W510G is a combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive through which users can burn and play music compilations, archive data to long-lasting digital media, and enjoy the latest Hollywood blockbusters on the system's surprisingly spacious 17.5-inch widescreen (16.9 aspect ratio) LCD display. TV buffs will appreciate Sony's integrated Giga Pocket personal video recorder technology, which allows them to record their favorite television programs without using videotapes. Music aficionados can play CDs through the integrated stereo speakers even when the unit is closed, and store their MP3s on the large 80 GB hard drive. Sony has enhanced the VAIO PCV-W510G with a variety of welcome amenities, including a V.90 data/fax modem for low-speed e-communication, a 10Base-T/100Base-TX Fast Ethernet interface for high-speed LAN and Internet access, four lightning quick USB 2.0 ports for plug and play peripherals, an IEEE 1394 FireWire interface for outboard devices such as DV camcorders, and a hassle-free optical mouse. The keyboard is of particular interest, as it quickly folds up and out of the way to keep your desk or table free of clutter. The exclusive bundled software package includes Microsoft's Windows XP Home Edition, Microsoft Works 7.0, Intuit Quicken 2004, Microsoft Age of Empires 2, and an impressive array of professional-quality music, video and image editing utilities.
