LaCie 160 GB Rugged External Hard Drive | USB powered, Firewire800 with 8mb Cache

Written by Admin on March 5, 2008

I had to take a second look when I first saw the LaCie Rugged External Hard Drive as it doesn’t look like any Hard Drive I’ve ever seen. The weird design is a result of it being an all terrain durable hard drive that is supposed to be able to take a few knocks.

This External Hard Drive is ideal for notebook users who are constantly on the go. This is because it doesn’t need an extra power cable, as it draws the power from the computer itself. This feature ranks highly when I’m deciding on what additional peripherals I want to buy for my Notebook because I don’t want to be searching for a power outlet in the middle of a Cafe.

The speed on this drive isn’t bad either considering it doesn’t need to be plugged in, small files transferred fast and larger files (1GB and over) got averaged at 20mb/s

I thought I’d risk LaCie claim that the Hard Drive can be dropped from up to a height of 0.9m without any damage in non operating mode. I tested it by dropping it twice from a height of 0.6m (I don’t want to break it) 3 times and It still works fine (thank god).

Although I don’t have a Firewire port on my PC, if you have a Mac and can take advantage of the Firewire ports you will be able to get faster transfer rates.

Overall though I like the look of the LaCie Rugged the Orange color scheme makes it easier to find in your bag and I like the fact that I don’t have to take extra care of it. Although I’m going to say it is a bit pricey, I would defiantly recommend it for any Notebook user.

Main Features

• Protection against Drops and Knocks
• 8mb Cache
• USB Powered

More Info

• Read more on the LaCie at Amazon
• Find the LaCie Rugged on Ebay

Razer DiamondBack | Gaming Mouse 1600dpi Non-Slip Buttons

Written by Admin on March 4, 2008

Razer are famous for their gaming products in particular their mice, and mouse mats. So to continue on with our exploration of the gaming mouse we are reviewing the Razer Diamondback.

To get it out of the way, this mouse has 1600dpi sensitivity I’ve talked about why this is important in the past, the higher the sensitivity the more accurate you can become because the mouse can detect smaller movements in your hand. The Razer Diamondback has 7 programmable buttons, that have an excellent response time and are made out of non slip material that absorbs unavoidable sweat quite well.

The mouse is symmetrical which can be seen as both a good thing and a bad thing, it’s good for left handed gamers or if you’re used to a bog standard $10 mouse then you’re going to be used to the symmetrical feel of your mouse and the Razer Diamondback will be a good step up for you. But if you’ve been using a right handed mouse it’s going to get some getting used to.

There are 3 Teflon feet on the bottom of the mouse to ensure smooth gliding while using the mouse, and in conjunction with a quality gaming mouse mat such as the icemat the mouse will truly feel like its gliding.
Before I wrap up the review I just have to say that this mouse looks damn sexy, especially in a darkened environment. Unfortunately the latest version of the mouse the Razer Diamondback G3 isn’t as sexy and doesn’t have as many positive reviews.

As a gamer I know that the ergonomic design of a mouse is incredibly important because it must feel like an extension of your arm to be any use. This is the only problem I have with this mouse because of its symmetrical shape, I’m used to right handed mice and have been using them for years but I’m sure with time, I would get used to the feel.

Main Features

• 1600dpi
• Looks Sexy
• Non Slip Buttons

More Info

• Razer Diamondback on Amazon
• Find the Razer DiamondBack on Buy.com
• Get a deal on the Razer Diamondback on Ebay

Logitech G7 | 2.4GHz Wireless Gaming Mouse with 2 Rechargeable Battery Packs

Written by Admin on March 3, 2008

The Logitech G7 is another one of Logitech’s high end gaming mouses that we will be reviewing, the G7 is quite similar to the Logitech G5 but different in some very key areas. The G7 is a highly accurate wireless mouse with a 2.4GHz connection to get rid of any Lag that if often associated with the wireless gaming mouse.

The main selling point of this mouse, as with the G5, is its 2000-dpi laser engine which makes the mouse sensitive and more accurate for the aspiring twitch gamer. Logitech has always been great for ergonomic mice, and the G7 is no different. It is shaped a lot like the other mice in its family, very ergonomically designed and fits into the small hand and perfectly being quite narrow. Unlike the older mice the G7 has a tilt wheel, which for some reason didn’t appear in the G5.

The G7 doesn’t share the same weight pack that you get with the G5 as it needs a battery pack instead, this can be a problem to the more sensitive gamer but it is questionable to the effect that the weight pack has in the G5. The Logitech G7 comes with 2 interchangeable battery packs so you can be charging one while using the other, this is really useful if you’re planning a long gaming session as you don’t want to have to stop because of a flat battery halfway though.

I do have some issues with the Logitech G7 though, it feels like there are buttons missing being only one button on the left side of the mouse which is used for the back button in web browsers. The sensitivity measure has also disappeared in replace of a battery level indicator. But the biggest, and most important gripe that I have with Logitech’s G7 is the fact that its wireless. Yes wireless mice don’t get tangled but if you keep a tidy desk then there is really no need for a wireless mouse while gaming because it’s always going to be slightly slower than its wired counterpart.

Overall it’s a smooth, accurate and powerful mouse, but I would only recommend it if your wanting a wireless mouse that you can use while gaming due to its hefty price tag.

Main Features

• Wireless 2.4GHz connection
• 2000-dpi laser engine
• 2 rechargeable battery pack

More Info

• Read about the G7 on Buy.com
• Read through the Reviews on Amazon
• Find a Deal on the Logitech G7 on Ebay

Acer AL2216WBD | AL2216W 22″ Widescreen Monitor - No added Extra’s

Written by Admin on March 2, 2008

The last monitor we reviewed (the HP W2408H) was jammed full of extra features that just seem unnecessary, for example it has built in speakers and 4 additional USB ports. But what if you already have speakers, or the other additional features that just bump its price up? That’s what Acer had in mind when they designed the Acer AL2216WBD it’s a plain black 22”widescreen monitor, no added extras and that’s the way I like it. These lack of added extras, mean the Acer AL2216W is really light and slime, meaning it’s easy to move around, and ultimately cheaper.
The Acer AL2216WBD has a 5ms response, and no visible ghosting or streaking time making it a good option for gaming, and graphic professionals alike. It has support for both VGA and DVI sockets so you don’t get any downgrade in performance by sending your picture through an adapter.
For its price the Acer AL2216WBD is great value for money and looking though the reviews on Amazon . most of the customers who bought it agree you can check out the reviews here .

Main Features

• 22-Inch Widescreen Monitor
• 1680 x 1050 Resolution
• No unnecessary features

More Info

• Take a look at the positive reviews the Acer AL2216Wbd gets on Amazon
• Take a look at the Acer AL2216WBD at xPCgear.com
  
• Find the Acer AL2216WBD at a cut down rate on Ebay

HP W2408H | Widescreen 24-Inch Monitor

Written by Admin on March 1, 2008

The HP W2408H is an ideal monitor for gaming and graphic professionals as it has great image quality and excellent color quality. The panel is able to spin between Portrait and Landscape resolutions but because of this the stand is incredibly complex and large so you’ll need quite a lot of desk space. At a massive 24-inch you will need a high end computer that will be able to support the native resolution of 1920 x 1200, but keep in mind that that using a higher resolution will loose frame rates while playing games. The HP W2408H does have a 5ms response time and supports the Brightview technology offered by HP. The monitor also has 4 USB ports and integrated speakers which are able to decode HDMI audio. Overall this a great monitor but there are other monitors from HP’s competitors that offer better value for money.

Main Features

• 24-inch Widescreen Monitor
• 1920 x 1200 Resolution
• Landscape and Portrait mode support

More Info

• Take a look at the W2408H at Buy.com
• Find the HP W2408H at Amazon
• Find the HP W2408H at a cut down price on Ebay