XFX 2GB Radeon HD 6950 Review

So, the XFX Radeon HD 6950 is one of the best graphics cards out there. Period. It isn't the best, but the best ones are simply too good to be practical. Well, this one is too, but its much more practical. Anyway, the XFX offering with this graphics card is a double lifetime warranty. When I heard this, my first reaction was: "I don't plan on living more than one life...", but in reality, that means that there is a warranty on it when you sell it to someone else as well, making the all the better. Plus, if you are technically skilled with things like this, a simple BIOS flash, though dangerous, will bump this up to the same specs as the HD 6970. The 6970 IS on the second tier of the February 2011 Graphics Card Hierarchy Chart. So, this card is amazingly good for its price. In my opinion, its the best buy for the ATI side of the chart.

Overall: 48/50

Antec Twelve Hundred Review

So I've had my Antec Twelve Hundred case for a while now, as I've been accumulating more and more parts (last of them are on their way!). Before I had it, I had high expectations. When I got it, my expectations were surpassed. As you can see, this is already going well. Anyway, I have no need to wait until its completely put together to review it. So here it goes!

Which Graphics Card to Get

So you are looking to build a computer, right? Well, if you aren't, you should be. Or at least have someone do it for you. You'll save a ton of money and get something far better. Anyway, the graphics card is one of the biggest aspects in the computer, especially if you are gaming or doing anything that involves video. So it seems like it should be pretty simple right? The higher numbers the better the card? No and no.

Skullcandy Skullcrushers Review

Skullcandy, a headphone manufacturer, is renowned for making some of the coolest headphones on the market. From in-ear to around-ear headphones, you can find Skullcandies all over, and they have some cheap earbuds. Anyway, the Skullcrushers are different from most headphones you can find. They are circumaural , or around-ear, headphones and feature a 30mm subwoofer built in. Yep. A subwoofer.

The Best Monitor Brands

Everyone could use an upgrade every once in a while. If you are thinking about getting a nice new display for yourself, then you're gonna have to figure out how much you want to spend, what size you want, and how good of quality you want. Well read on for more information on monitor brands.

Playstation Move Review

So I got Playstation Move for Christmas. My verdict is just as good as any, I suppose. So here is where I tell you all about the experience so far. If you want a hint as to how the rest of this may go, here it is: very, very nice.

I guess the first thing that I noticed (and expected) was the accuracy. This surpassed what I expected actually. Playing the game Tumble was the most incredible example of this. In Tumble you pick up blocks with a floating Move controller in the game and move them around. I may as well have been holding them myself as the responded instantly, as if the blocks were actually attached to the controller in my hands. Of course they weren't but the speed and accuracy of it was just astounding.

The controller itself feels quite nice. It is the perfect weight, not too heavy or too light, and feels rightfully distributed weight-wise. One problem I found at first was my thumb naturally going into the PS Button hole instead of going up to the move button. After the first half hour of play, it was finding its way to the correct spot like a champ. The face button placement takes a little getting used to as well, but quickly grows natural. The glow orb at the top feels definitely durable, made of a rubbery substance, but does seem to attract hair and dirt like crazy. Thats nothing a few puffs of breath can't solve though. One thing that does bug me is that there is a line all the way around the orb where they put it together. Its hardly noticeable, but it really does bug me. The rumble is a nice feature and it is certainly not overdone either, as most games give you the option to choose a level of vibration.

Like I said before, in games the responsiveness is incredible. In the XMB, it is a little wonky to use but it does definitely work. After some practice, it starts working quite well actually. Just don't try to use the on-screen keyboard with it. That doesn't work one bit. 

One ability that I believe puts PlayStation Move above the competition is that it combines the competition into one thing. You have the depth perception Kinect camera and the Wii controller. This allows some games to use the camera and put you in the game which is a cool feature when combined with the accuracy. The only thing that I find somewhat disappointing is the PlayStation Eye's poor quality and refresh rate, but I don't care as much about the camera capabilities. 

Something I found relatively annoying was the Wii-esque safety pictures before you play any games with Move. I understand its all legal stuff, but its just too similar to what the Wii has. Also, the orb on top glows a certain color depending on your surroundings. Too bad for most people the color that it finds least of is a pinkish purple, so you get an orb that glows that color. Either way, the color changing is a feature that I absolutely love. Like in High Velocity Bowling when you get a strike, it flashes every color and vibrates. Its just a nice effect.

So the final word on PlayStation Move is that it surpassed my somewhat good expectations. And I guess thats somewhat good in itself. If you have extra money left over from Christmas and you are looking for something to get, seriously consider this. The games already out are pretty astounding, and more will come soon. I have yet to use (or get) the navigation controller, but I will put out an update when I do.

Is PlayStation Plus worth it?

So you've been wondering about Playstation Plus, right? Is it worth it? Now, luckily you don't have to buy it to have a good gaming experience, but you may want to for several reasons. So I've compiled a list of why you may want to and a few reasons you may not want to.

1. Free Stuff!
Thats a good enough reason for me... The amount of games, add-ons, and exclusives that you get truly does pay off. So what it really depends on is if you will use it all. However, I never once considered getting any Minis but after the free ones through PlayStation Plus I have enjoyed every one of them. So if you are open to new things this will be definitely worth it. Also, being a fan of Qore myself, found it nice that I get free episodes. That frees up getting that subscription.

2. Automatic Downloads
This is probably one of my favorite features. I have always hated when I want to play a game but have to download an update first. No more of that! You can just tell it what time to turn on and check for updates and it will do it while you sleep (or whenever you set it to).

3. Full Game Trials
I would find this extremely useful if I didn't already own all of the games already offered. Basically, its like a demo, except you get the full game for an hour. If you don't like it, then think of it as a short rent. If you do like it, then pay the extra twenty to thirty bucks and you get to continue from where you were, but you can now play forever.


4. Exclusives and Early Demos
Most of the exclusives aren't much of anything special, but you do have bragging rights. Usually, their exclusivity only lasts about a week or so because they want money from the rest of the people, so this is probably the least shiny of the offering of PlayStation Plus, but it is nonetheless still worth something.

In the end it comes down to one question: Will you use what you are getting? If you only use about half of the things offered through PlayStation Plus you will be saving money, so this is more than definitely a good deal. The overall value of what Plus offers is astounding. So the end verdict is that if you will use what you get, even if you don't currently use them, then PlayStation Plus is for you!

Creative Fatal1ty USB Gaming Headset Review

A product that I have been using for well over a month now, the Creative Fatal1ty USB Headset is great for the low $30 price (Newegg). They have good sound quality and are generally quite comfortable. Not only this, but this headset looks pretty cool too.

So first of all, lets talk about the most important thing in a headset: the sound quality. I have always liked Creative for their sound quality to price ratio. I have always been satisfied with the quality in this headset, even when making some music. The bass and treble levels are exceptional, not DJ quality, but for $30 they are very good. The quality of the microphone is also very good, I guess you all will experience it once the vodcast is up an running.

These are generally comfortable to wear. In fact they are barely noticeable. However, after having them on for hours and then removing them, there is a noticeably strange difference for a minute or two. It doesn't hurt, but it does make your ears feel... weird. It isn't really a bad thing, and certainly shouldn't be enough to make you decide not to get this headset.

The last thing is that these are by no means noise cancelling headphones. They actually let sound out, even when they are on. This isn't a bad thing necessarily, it just does this much more and louder than expected.

The headset comes with a very nice carrying case that has a separate pocket for the detachable mic. So all in all, for $30 from Newegg, this is probably the best you can do for that low price.

Logitech M505 Laser Mouse Review

A new item to me, this Logitech M505 Laser Mouse is precision at its best. Mine is red in color which definitely makes it some nice eye candy. The laser capabilities make this mouse super precise and the Bluetooth wireless receiver makes it very responsive.

The M505 is a very nice option for a mouse, providing you like them small. The size really took me by surprise. Myself, I am a fan of smaller mouses (mice?), but this seems almost like a laptop mouse. The payoff for the size is the accuracy, responsiveness, and of course the wireless capabilities. It runs off of two AA batteries (comes with it) and has an on/off switch on the bottom to save the battery while not in use. The specs say that the battery will last 15 months, which is pretty good in my opinion.

Besides its size, the M505 feels pretty good. The sides have a nice, smooth rubber finish and the shell is made of smooth glossy plastic. The overall clickiness is good. I don't find myself ever accidentally clicking. It features a four-way scroller that is whisper quiet, which is something that I love. My old mouse incessantly clicked whenever I scrolled up.

Overall, this mouse is a huge improvement to my old Dell wired ball mouse. For a notebook user, I would definitely recommend this mouse. The receiver is ultra small so you wouldn't have to worry about taking it out and the mouse is solid and portable. For a desktop mouse, I think there are a few better choices out there, but the M505 will more than suffice for anyone not looking for intense gaming or a "comfort" mouse.

Logitech Ultra-Thin Illuminated Keyboard Review

So I just got my hands on the Logitech Ultra-Thin Illuminated Keyboard, and by that I mean literally. I'm typing on it right now. I must say, I have only had it for about 15 minutes but I find it really easy and fluid to type on. The keys are all very responsive and quiet, but they genuinely click on keypress.

My favorite feature of this keyboard is by far its illumination. It is vibrant and clean and clear. Each key is outlined and has the letter blaring out at me. Even more convenient is the brightness button on the top right that can change the brightness of the keys on 3 different levels (not including off).

The feel of the keyboard is very nice. Without the legs up it seems to almost lean back due to its extreme thinness, but with them up it sits at a nice level, though I could go for just a tad more tilt. The pad on the front is made of a nice rubbery texture that is comfortable, however it isn't all that useful. I already know that I am going to invest in a pad to go just in front of it for more comfort, but it is by no means uncomfortable.

Besides the cutting edge design and beauty, this keyboard still has more features to feed you. One of which is the function keys. These keys are set off by glowing orange instead of white which in itself looks pretty sweet. Now, I have yet to find the use for all of these keys, but it includes the basics like opening your browser, searching, opening music, playing music, and opening the calculator (nifty huh?). Also include are sound volume and mute buttons which will come in handy frequently.

My only complaints about this keyboard are the backspace button which unusually small, and the fact that F1-F12 aren't illuminated. Not that it really matters because they are still visible even in the dark, but it is just odd. So all in all, this keyboard utterly rocks. I definitely recommend it for anybody.