Manufacturer : XFX
Model : HD697ACNFC
ASIN : B004GCIZ5A
Price : 376.99$
Last Price : 349.99$(Discount 7.1619936868352%
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Product DescriptionXFX HD-697A-CNFC Radeon HD 6970 Graphics Card - 880 MHz Core - 2 GB DDR5 SDRAM - PCI Express 2.1 x16 HD697ACNFC Video Graphics Cards
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
XFX Warranty
This review is from: Radeon XFX HD 6970 2 GB Graphics Card (Personal Computers)
Performance wise, this card is basically the same reference card as any other AMD 6970 2gb being sold at this time. The only difference is the double lifetime warranty being offerred by XFX. You can transfer your lifetime warranty to another person that you sold the card to. I personally had great experiences with XFX in the past and have had 2 exchanges through their lifetime warranty. Both times I was able to exchange an almost obsolete card for an upgraded version of a similar card. They given me free upgrades because what they offerred no longer exists and was unable to fix my problematic cards. Resale value of cards with warranty still intact usually commands a higher price. Also, if you get a 6950 2gb version, you can unlock the card with a bios hack. The 6970 and 6950 are virtually the same cards with different memory chips plus 6950 have locked shaders which can be unlockable.
This review is from: Radeon XFX HD 6970 2 GB Graphics Card (Personal Computers)
Its a lifetime warranty - no other card can say that (that I know of)... most are 2-3 years. Its based on the standard reference card for the 6970 so performance will be the same of all the other cards - except typically xfx gives you added abilities through their software and firmware updates. They are constantly on the cutting edge. Other cards will put their card out there and forget you - not XFX - they cant - not with LIFETIME warranty. Thing about it - a card goes bad 6 years from now - they wont even have that card in stock - they wont fix it - they will send you a close replacement - which will be generations faster. Work this thing til it drops - then get another card from XFX.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
Excellant Upgrade !!!
This review is from: Radeon XFX HD 6970 2 GB Graphics Card (Personal Computers)
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler (Black)
Manufacturer : Zalman
Model : ZM-NC2000 BLACK
ASIN : B0012WXFO8
Price : 73.99$
Last Price : 55.84$(Discount 24.5303419380997%
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Product DescriptionZalman ZM-NC2000 Notebook Cooler ZM-NC2000Black 1026
54 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
Fantastic cooler
This review is from: Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler (Black) (Personal Computers)
I just got my cooler today. I think it's awesome. For one, it fits my 17" laptop perfectly, and it doesn't scoot and slide. I had bought a flimsy one and the laptop just about slid off the table! This cooler is very sturdy and it looks slick to boot. It's also at a good angle, and it has flip-up feet so if you want it a little higher, it will accommodate you. It has a little compartment for your USB cable to hide in as well.
Another thing: it's almost silent! I have the fans up full blast right now and it's barely making a peep. And it keeps my laptop very cool. I'm actually running World of Warcraft in the background (for the last 20 minutes or so) right now on max settings and the laptop fans have yet to kick on, just the cooler fan.
So yes, it may be pricey, but if you're going to long-term game on your laptop then I think it's a perfect investment for you.
I wish I could find something con for your consideration, but I honestly can't think of one!
119 of 129 people found the following review helpful:
Worthwhile Cooler
This review is from: Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler (Black) (Personal Computers)
My laptop came from Gateway through my college and always had been running next to scalding. Once I learned of the extreme hazards this could impose on my computer (and the frying of my monitor), I was quick to take action in attempting to cool it down some. This notebook is a 2 year old Gateway M685-E, 17", with a GeForce GO 7600 (unfortunately the 128 MB version, but I can upgrade to 256 at some point), 4 GB of RAM, and Dual Core 1.83 GHz processor. Like I said before, ever since day one it has had an appetite for energy and would heat up to 81-82 Celsius easily-- I would hang my laptop over the edge of my deskspace just to make sure the vents had easy access to air to prevent it from getting this high. A year into its life, I had to use my forced $1000 warranty through my school to put a new monitor on because the heat generated by the processors and GPU caused several connections to fry, including the monitor and power supply areas.
After getting it back, I used a Targus cooling pad which broke within a few weeks, with no way to replace the fans, and well... it was just a huge disappointment. I was back to hanging it off the edge of my desk and having one of the fans in my room blow at high speed at the back of it (not fun since I wear contacts, dried them out pretty quick).
I learned online of a process known as undervolting, which I highly recommend to anybody who has a laptop that reaches beyond the 'danger level' in operating temperature. I was able to cool my laptop down 15 Celsius without... WITHOUT... sacrificing any performance. I read on the forums I perused to learn this technique that many people say it does take down performance, but the guide assured with posted benchmarks that it didn't do jack to performance, which is why I stressed 'without.' I ran benchmarks on 3DMark06 myself and noticed no change in performance either--not that my score was that high to begin with. : (
I then bought the Zalman NC2000 to couple cooling techniques, since I felt that 66 Celsius was still too high to be comfortable with. Online I had read mixed reviews about the product because the holes do not go up the entire length of the platform. Obviously, it makes sense that this would be a terrible choice for a cooler if your vents are all the way at the back of your laptop (like most gaming laptops) and would perform poorly-- with many reviewers having gaming laptops, just be aware that they simply bought the wrong cooler to begin with for where their vents are placed. My vents are towards the middle and bottom, so this cooler is perfect for my computer.
The construction of this product is solid and stable, I was immediately taken aback (in a good way) when I felt how cold the aluminum was, I wasn't expecting that deep a chill. The fans are placed along a lipped ridge that is angled in such a way that it faces the back where air would be coming in. Maximum air input comes with the cooler legs down raising it up to 9 degrees instead of the stock 7 degrees since more of the cooler is off the surface you are using it on. The fans are indeed very quiet (audible, but not annoying) and the blue LED power light is a nice touch to let you know it's on without having to feel. It uses your USB port to provide power but has a second USB port on it to compensate for the one it takes. If you want, like me, you can also head to the store and buy a USB to AC adaptor and just plug it into the wall (you will need a longer USB cable). Keep in mind plugging into the wall does nothing to improve cooling, I just prefer it. The aluminum surface is screwed on by four easy to access screws, so replacing fans or modding (keeping in mind your mod will disrupt the designed air flow and may make the cooler cool less, or if you are lucky, more) is easy. I plan on at least attempting a mod by adding a fan, just to see if it adds any effect but won't screw it in place until improvement is found.
Onto the performance:
I used CPUID HWMonitor to keep track of my temperatures and Orthos to perform stress tests. I only performed these tests on my already undervolted laptop because I would have no need to ever raise them back up so I am EXPECTING the improvements to be rather small because it's using the minimal amount of energy it needs to. If it were not undervolted, I would definitely expect my results to be about 8 to 10 Celsius cooler.
***All temperatures are in Celsius***
Room temperature is about 23 degrees Celsius and cooler sits at 9 degrees position
Idle: no cooler
Hard Drive: 32-35
GPU: 35
Processor Core 1: 35-42
Processor Core 2: 37-44
ACPI: 40
Idle: sitting on cooler (no fans) -- 10 minutes to equilibrate for all tests below
Hard Drive: 31-33
GPU: 34
Processor Core 1: 33-39
Processor Core 2: 36-44
ACPI: 39
Idle: fans on lowest setting
Hard Drive: 33-34
GPU: 33-34
Processor Core 1: 32-38
Processor Core 2: 36-42
ACPI: 39
Idle: fans on highest setting
Hard Drive: 32
GPU: 32
Processor Core 1: 28-33
Processor Core 2: 28-33
ACPI: 39
ORTHOS Stress Test, Computer set using RightMark CPUClock to be on Maximum x11 multiplier for my processors
Left for 10 minutes to equilibrate (keep in mind only Processor and ACPI temperatures rise with this test)
Test 1, no cooling, on table--- UNDERVOLTED LAPTOP for all tests
Hard Drive: 32-35
GPU: 35
Processor Core 1: 65-66
Processor Core 2: 64-66
ACPI: 60
Reached max temperature from hot start (having been on for awhile) in 30-45 seconds
Test 2, cooling pad, no fans
Hard Drive: 31-33
GPU: 34
Processor Core 1: 65-66
Processor Core 2: 64-66
ACPI: 60
Reached same max temperatures from hot start in 7 minutes 30 seconds
Test 3, cooling pad, low fans
Hard Drive: 33-34
GPU: 33-34
Processor Core 1: 63
Processor Core 2: 63
ACPI: 58
Reached these temperatures from hot start after 8 minutes
Test 4, cooling pad, high fans
Hard Drive: 32
GPU: 32
Processor Core 1: 59-63
Processor Core 2: 60-63
ACPI: 56
Both processors tend to hover around 61 most of the time, reached from hot start after 8 minutes as well
Conclusions:
Based on its performance, we see a slight drop in operating temperatures, even on my already undervolted laptop. These drops affect the processors and the ACPI by as much as 6 or 7 degrees Celsius, however, the average was around 3-4 degrees. The most dramatic effect the cooling pad implements is not in its ability to cool, but to prevent the system from heating quickly. As I indicated, using the cooling pad lengthened the amount of time it took for the system to reach its highest reported temperature for the 10 minute stress test, by adding fans, I simply made the maximum temperature less. Coupled with undervolting and adequate vent-to-air hole placement between your laptop and this cooler, you could experience tremendous cooling-- my processors were the hottest things in my computer and experienced a maximum 22 degrees Celsius drop in full load operating temperature and the time to reach the maximum temperature has grown 10-15 times longer than the original system did with undervolting alone.
Why no GPU temperature tests? My GPU consistently remains within 5 degrees Celsius (above and below) of my processor cores, so if I had performed a GPU stress test, you can probably expect roughly the same cooling effect the machine had on my processors. Also, CPUID does not detect my GPU, SpeedFan does and thus this is where I derived the above statement.
I highly recommend this cooler to those of you with massive, bulky laptops with vents located in the middle of the machine and towards the front of the machine as well. If your vents are towards the back of the machine (as with most gaming laptops) this cooler is not for you as your vents are not in an optimal position to work with this cooler.
EDIT: May 15th, 2011...
The computer used in the initial tests has since fried (it was not undervolted after another repair). A new computer has been purchased, an ASUS something-or-other with an i3 family processor. This computer's specs will be tested now as well. My Zalman is still running, the LED still works, and it needs a good cleaning, but it's still spinning. This system has an exhaust vent on the left side of the machine, with several intake vents located across the bottom (the vent layout is not as optimal for use with the Zalman). I'm using CoreTemp 0.99.8 with Orthos again.
IDLE:
Test 1, no cooling, on table
Processor Core 1: 56-60
Processor Core 2: 56-60
Test 2, cooling pad, no fans
Processor Core 1: 56-60
Processor Core 2: 56-60
Test 3, cooling pad, low fans
Processor Core 1: n/a
Processor Core 2: n/a
Test 4, cooling pad, high fans
Processor Core 1: 46-49
Processor Core 2: 46-49
STRESSED: (see NOTE)
Test 1, no cooling, on table
Processor Core 1: 63-66
Processor Core 2: 63-66
Test 2, cooling pad, no fans
Processor Core 1: 63-66
Processor Core 2: 63-66
Test 3, cooling pad, low fans
Processor Core 1: n/a
Processor Core 2: n/a
Test 4, cooling pad, high fans
Processor Core 1: 50-53
Processor Core 2: 50-52...
This review is from: Zalman ZM-NC2000Black Notebook Cooler (Black) (Personal Computers)
First of all, this was by far the best notebook cooler I've ever used - for the short time it was used. I have a cheap and hot laptop, and with a small budget, I needed it to last. I tried a couple of other coolers, and they just didn't seem to help much. So when I got this one, I was happy to find that my notebook stayed constantly cool with this cooler. UNFORTUNATELY, the fans in the cooler quit 43 days after purchasing it. Blue light still on, but no fans. I still use it just to set my laptop on, but it just doesn't cut it without the fans. My laptop is as hot as ever.
To make matters worse, I can't get any help from Zalman. I figured there must be a warranty or maybe some kind of fix for it, but after contacting them a few times, there has been no response. It's disappointing that they seem to talk about how great their products are, but don't stand behind them when they fail. I won't be buying another Zalman product.
Monday, October 24, 2011
ASUS USB 2.0 Slim External 6x Blu-Ray Writer SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G/ACI/AS
Manufacturer : Asus
Model : SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G/ACI/AS
ASIN : B004X1PIOA
Price : 119.99$
Last Price : 119.99$(Discount 0%
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Product DescriptionAsus SBW-06C1S-U External Blu-ray Writer - Retail Pack SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G CD/DVD Combo Drives - External
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Cute and slim but needs 2 usb connected to have enough power
This review is from: ASUS USB 2.0 Slim External 6x Blu-Ray Writer SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G/ACI/AS (Personal Computers)
Received in time, the burner looks cute and slim. However, I tried to burn a disc with only one usb connected (this a high-end tower and not a laptop) and I heard the engine clicks meaning that the rotor is underpowered. I screwed up my first disc, then I decided to give it a shot with two usbs connected before returning it, seems to be working.
Also beware, don't buy the virgin discs people usually buy with this burner, because they are only 4x. I found out that I can have 6x for the same price.
But for the price, I'm pretty happy with what I've got and I'd recommend it to anybody who has two free usb slots nearby each other.
This is the perfect solution to a long term backup (important documents and photos) that can be encrypted by the software provided.
Hard disks are never 100% reliable for long term backups.
This review is from: ASUS USB 2.0 Slim External 6x Blu-Ray Writer SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G/ACI/AS (Personal Computers)
The picture of this product and what you actually receive is not the same. I ordered this unit with the vertical stand shown and it came without that stand. There was a place for the stand to fit but it was not included. I contacted the company and they offered to allow me to return the product. I chose not to do it because I needed the blu-ray recording capability. It did; however, record blu-ray DVDs perfectly. I just wish they would change the picture that they show of the product. Great Blu-ray, DVD & CD Burner/Drive.
This review is from: ASUS USB 2.0 Slim External 6x Blu-Ray Writer SBW-06C1S-U/DBLU/G/ACI/AS (Personal Computers)
This is the first blu-ray burner I've purchased. So far it's been working properly. I recommend this product for those looking to purchase a blu-ray burner for a comparatively low price. However... you'll have to purchase third-party software in order to play blu-ray movies with this drive. That's practically the only downfall of this device if you're looking to watch blu-ray movies. Sunday, October 23, 2011
ASUS (USB-N13) Wireless-N USB Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates
Manufacturer : Asus
Model : USB-N13
ASIN : B002UVNW5W
Price : 29.99$
Last Price : 18.28$(Discount 39.0463487829276%
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Product DescriptionAsus USB-N13 Pro N USB Adaptor USB-N13 Network Adapters - Wireless
19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
Great Dongle, and Great Range...
This review is from: ASUS (USB-N13) Wireless-N USB Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates (Personal Computers)
This is a great dongle, and has great range. It is in my PC in my office, when my router is on the completely other side of my house. It goes through 3 walls, at a distance of approx 50 feet. I don't get perfect signal with it, but I get signal listed as "GOOD" at 108 Mbps, which is perfect for movie streaming, and playing online games (And I play ALOT of World of Warcraft!). This dongle should fit most peoples needs. The only downside is the software that comes with it. The software sucks, but you can use the default setup in Windows anyways, so don't even install the software. Besides that, it a great dongle. This review is from: ASUS (USB-N13) Wireless-N USB Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates (Personal Computers)
Easy to install and set up on an older Mac Mini running OSX 10.5.8. Had the wifi connection working within minutes of opening the box. This review is from: ASUS (USB-N13) Wireless-N USB Adapter IEEE 802.11b/g/n USB 2.0 Up to 300Mbps Wireless Data Rates (Personal Computers)
This simple little device works exactly as advertised. We have two of them, one on a Windows XP machine, and the other on a Windows 7 machine, and they both are great performers that work flawlessly. Saturday, October 22, 2011
Acer Aspire One 722-BZ197 Netbook - Black
Manufacturer : Acer America Corporation
Model : LU.SFT02.068
ASIN : B0050JRYAU
Price : 329$
Lowet Price : 298.5$(Discount 9.27051671732523%
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Product DescriptionAcer Aspire One AO722-C52kk 11.6" LED Netbook - C-50 1 GHz LU.SFT02.068 41
19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
Acer Aspire One 722197
This review is from: Acer Aspire One 722-BZ197 Netbook - Black (Personal Computers)
I have looked at small laptops and netbooks for the past 6 weeks and have followed the development of the netbook since they came out a few years ago. Biggest limitation as been processing speed, screen size and keyboard size. This Acer meets all of those criteria at a value price point. I can put the 11.6 in netbook in my satchel with the CD/DVD drive and use less space than when carrying around the five inch thick file folders that the Acer replaces. Great for email, storing pricing and product information and is perfect for viewing short videos when giving presentations. Added student and home premium and will eventually add additional ram but am very satisfied with the full sized keyboard and 3lb weight. Much lighter than a 13 or 14 inch laptop and costs 25% less than a Mac. I actually like the detachable cd/dvd player (Samsung) better than fixed players on fixed PC and two other laptops. Keyboard is perfect and forgiving. Still trying to get used to Windows 7 and the sensetive touchpad but getting there. Perfect little worker. Sound OK but didn't expect much given the size - at least it's stereo but earbuds scratch the music itch. Only time will tell if durability will be an issue but the unit feels very solid. 15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Great buy
This review is from: Acer Aspire One 722-BZ197 Netbook - Black (Personal Computers)
I bought this netbook for travel. It has a larger screen and larger battery than my hp 210. This netbook is perfect. It does run hot but it had full version of windows 7 not the starter 7 and the battery life is about 6 hours. I did speed up the start up and shut down by adding 2gb of memory for a total of 4gb. The upgrade installation is very easy one screw on the back and the battery removed. The back slides foward and up and the memory is right there. This netbook is very light weight. The sound is good and the screen is easy to read. So far it works great and i recommend this to anyone who wants the light weight and compact for carry around. It does not have a cdrom but a usb addon will work just fine. I like the card reader too for my camera photo downloads. The price is a good deal at less than 300 dollars and the memory upgrade from crucial was 32 dollars wth tax and shipping included.
14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
Love this netbook
This review is from: Acer Aspire One 722-BZ197 Netbook - Black (Personal Computers)
This is the perfect size to sit on my kitchen counter, or take outside on the deck. With the HDMI port, I can hook this up to my flat screen and watch anything that is available online. I don't have cable or satelite TV but I do have instant streaming from Netflix. With the capability of watching tons of other stuff online, I have no need for expensive tv programming. This netbook is just perfect. I may have a little more memory installed in this little guy to make streaming just a little more efficient, but so far, it's been pretty darn good. Asus USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive SDRW-08D2S-U (Black)
Manufacturer : Asus
Model : SDRW-08D2S-U/Black
ASIN : B003YT578O
Price : 39.99$
Lowet Price : 32.99$(Discount 17.5043760940235%
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Product DescriptionAsus SDRW-08D2S-U DVD-Writer - Black - External SDRW-08D2S-U/BLACK/ASUS CD/DVD Combo Drives - External
64 of 66 people found the following review helpful:
Excellent add-on optical drive
This review is from: Asus USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive SDRW-08D2S-U (Black) (Electronics)
The ASUS SDRW-08D2S-U is the replacement model for the 08D1S. It's plug and play--with the CyberPower 7 port powered USB hub the drive installs without software and is recognized by Windows 7. It does, however, require 2 USB ports. The supplied cable is a Y-USB with 2 USB "A" connectors on one end. A common complaint of notebook owners are malfunctioning internal optical drives. This drive will be my primary optical drive, and my internal notebook drive only a back-up if necessary. Rubber feet help keep the ASUS from sliding around. The provided stand didn't look very stable, and inserting a disc is actually safer with the drive horizontal.
It rips CDs and plays DVDs flawlessly--a better, faster drive than the one in my HP notebook. A quality piece of gear from ASUS.
18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
Great all around optical drive
This review is from: Asus USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive SDRW-08D2S-U (Black) (Electronics)
I bought this item for my Asus Eee PC Netbook. The installation was a breeze and everything runs perfectly. I didn't have to use a disc (although it comes with one), and all I had to do was plug it in and it was ready to use. The one thing that you should know is that it requires the use of 2 USB ports and they have to be right next each other. If you have a laptop or PC that has 1 USB on one side, and the other on the opposite, you're out of luck (I have yet to try it by only using 1 USB port). I would hardly call it a complaint but it is a tad on the loud side when you play a DVD. Overall a great little DVD player for a much cheaper price here rather than buying one at your local Best Buy. 17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:
Great addition for Asus netbook
This review is from: Asus USB 2.0 8x DVD Writer External Optical Drive SDRW-08D2S-U (Black) (Electronics)
Ordered on 10-29 and received on 11-2, this external burner is a great addition to my Asus netbook. Installation was simple and it came with the Power2Go software. It works much better than I expected. I have had no problems burning CD/DVDs (so far).
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